Manila

Lore & Background

Manila in the Sixth World is a city of stark contrasts, where gleaming arcologies of Mitsuhama Computer Technologies rise above the flooded, decaying districts of the old city. The Awakening brought a surge of magical energy, with Manila sitting on a major ley line nexus, making it a magnet for shamans, hermetic mages, and astral threats.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell in sheets over the neon-drenched streets of Makati, reflecting the ghostly faces of commuters in the AR ads. Kiko, a street shaman, watched from a crumbling overpass as a Mitsuhama security team dragged a bound figure into a black Chrysler-Nissan. The ley lines beneath his feet hummed with anger—the spirit of the old city was waking, and it did not approve of the corporate intrusion. He whispered a prayer to the ancestors, knowing that tonight, the shadows would demand a price.

Reader's Guide

Manila is a location profile that captures the essence of a Third World megacity in the Shadowrun universe: overcrowded, polluted, and alive with magic. It serves as a setting for runs involving corporate espionage, syndicate turf wars, and magical investigations tied to its ley line network. The city is divided into zones: the corporate enclaves of Makati and Bonifacio Global City, the flooded slums of Tondo, and the ancient, spirit-haunted districts of Intramuros. Its role in the larger world is as a reminder that the Awakening did not spare the global south, but instead amplified its struggles and mysteries.

Did You Know?

• Manila's ley line convergence is one of the strongest in Southeast Asia, attracting both powerful mages and toxic shamans.
• The old Spanish walled city of Intramuros is rumored to be haunted by Awakened spirits from the colonial era—some say you can still hear the chants of friars echoing through the ruins after midnight.