The Shadowrun Rule Book defines the Squatter Lifestyle as... Life stinks and most of the time, so does the character. He eats low-grade nutrisoy and yeast, adding the flavors with an eyedropper. His home is a made-over building converted into barracks, divided into closet-sized rooms, or maybe he just rents out a coffin-sized sleep tank by the night. The only thing worse than the Squatter lifestyle is living out on the streets. Cost is 100 nuyen per month.

The Unofficial description of the Squatter Lifestyle...puts the character as a transient or someone with just enough nuyen to scrape by. This lifestyle is not bad if you mind living day to day being broke. A squatter lives out of his backpack, or suitcase. He may live in a coffin motel, where he is forced to do manual labors to supplement his rent, or be part of a group of squatters. Unlike street people, squatters do gather and live together. There is some safety in number. He may not have any nuyen in his pocket, but he knows he'll have something other than rat stew for dinner.

There are many such communities of squatters in the Seattle area. The largest of the squatter communities is Glow City, which was the Trojan-Satsop Nuclear Power Plant before its untimely meltdown in 2013. Other such communities include, but are not limited to, The Rat's Nest and The Plastic Jungles. Don't be lulled into believing these are thriving communities. Each are hazardous areas in which to live Glow City, for example is a radioactive/polluted area and many people die of related illnesses each month. The Rat's Nest is a community in the center of the largest garbage dump in Seattle. Each community has its hazards, whether it's the shortcomings of an abandoned building (i.e. unstable roofs or floors) or an over-polluted stream near the huts. As a character, do not be lulled into believing that these communities are safety zones and that other squatters will band together into their own personal army. In most cases that is not true. The squatters have banded together to give that impression, but when pressed they scatter. In other cases, the squatters have pooled their resources to pay protection money to a local gang so they can live in an abandoned building on their turf.

Leadership is not common among squatter communites. For the most part they have a representitive that collects money to pay the gangs or to purchase foodstuffs for everyone. Some buildings established by squatters are adament about who is permitted to stay in the barracks like rooms. Some don't want street trash or chipheads, while others, like the Rat's Nest, prefer Rat Shamans. Generally the representitive collects the nuyen as it's needed to pay the gangers or pay for the food.

The public looks down on the squatters, but not to the degree of a Streeter. In the public's eye, squatters appear to be trying for a better life. Some squatter communities are given public aid in the form of food and clothes. News stories about life in Glow City brought a temporary surge of assistance to them. In 2045 support from around the Metroplex poured into the nuclear plant. Medical assistance, food, clothes, and even some construction materials to build latrines and small shelters. Once the story died down, so did the public support. Squatters that are outside of their individual groups tend to be treated like a Streeters.

This is a good lifestyle for the runner that needs to have a place(s) to go to. Most runners have several such places in the form of a motel room, or a bed at a flop-house. These hide-outs are nothing more than a bed and perhaps a very low quality meal. A Rat Shaman, with a Squatter Lifestyle Hideout could be part of the Rat's Nest community. Other characters can establish their hideouts in motels, boarding houses, and even local YMCA's that accommodate overnight squatters. These hideouts generally can't be used to cache equipment of any kind, unless more money is spent to ensure it's security. A character that leads threats into their communities or hotels are not welcome back and are requested to pay for repairs. Again, when dealing with squatter communities, you cannot be certain that they will not be forthcoming with information if they think they can profit from it. After all, they have to make a living somehow.

Entertainment at this level is pure luck. Occassionally a windfall of nuyen may strike a squatter village and the party begins. Usually it's nothing more than cheap wine or some illegal drugs. Aside from that there is nothing more to do.

Mr. Johnson's may not be breaking down any doors to track down a squatting runner, but local fixers, the yakuza, and local mafia's use the squatters as delivery agents. Squatters get quasi-running work as informants, look-outs, and general thug work. Some fixers use squatters for small time collections and even an occasional hit. As a squatter/runner you find that the work is available, but it tends to be the down and dirty stuff that doesn't pay very well.

As with street people, squatters tend to be SINLESS. Those that have SIN's generally have someone else's identification, or have wound up in the streets from a higher lifestyle. SIN's are required by most Free Soup Kitchens before they will serve you. Many other social programs that are available to the poverty stricken require identification. A runner at this level probably has a SIN, but would choose not to reveal it.

Well, the nourishment is there, but I'd hardly call a gooey paste like substance that you flavor with an eye-dropper food. Sure you can flavor the paste to taste like whatever you want, and in some cases it ends up tasting like it. If you don't care about taste, then you don't have anything to worry about, because the paste contains 6% of your daily vitamin and mineral needs and the yeast content makes it quite filling.

The 100 nuyen per month doesn't buy much. A character can count on having a bed, cot, or mat each night. He can also count on some type of shelter, whether its a building or tent. The nuyen doesn't pay for any transportation or additional perks. If the character goes into a bar for a beer, he has to have the nuyen. No absorbed nuyen. A squatter can maintain a vehicle on his money, only if he lives in it, and then he's searching for food again.

A squatter, like all folks has to deal with people on a daily basis. Whether its to pay the landlord the groups rent for the day, or if it's to deal with the local gang-bangers. I give a Squatter one additional contact, but it must be related to him being a squatter. For instance, a Squatter may know a Store Owner because it's the only store that he or his group are allowed to shop in. He may also know a gang member because that's who he delivers rent to.

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