⚙️ Maelstrom
“Meat is weak. Chrome is forever.”
Maelstrom is Night City’s most feared boostergang—cyberware obsessives who have pushed human modification to its absolute limits. They worship chrome and consider unmodified humans to be inferior.
📋 Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Territory | Watson, Industrial Zone |
| Focus | Cyberware, Combat, Black Market |
| Members | ~500 |
| Danger Level | Extreme |
👁️ Appearance
Maelstrom members are immediately recognizable:
- Extensive cyberware: Maximum chrome, minimum meat
- Optic modifications: Multiple eyes, sensor arrays, glowing implants
- Full limb conversions: Common among higher ranks
- Industrial aesthetic: Brutal, functional, exposed machinery
- Body horror: Many have pushed past normal cyberware into disturbing modifications
Placeholder: Maelstrom ganger (pg. 310)
🧠 Philosophy
Chrome Worship
Maelstrom believes:
- Flesh is weakness
- Cyberware is evolution
- Pain is temporary, chrome is forever
- The more modified, the higher status
Cyberpsychosis
Many Maelstrom members operate at the edge of cyberpsychosis:
- Low empathy is a feature, not a bug
- Humanity loss is “transcendence”
- Full cyberpsychos are legends
- MAX-TAC regularly raids their territory
🏭 Territory
Watson Industrial
- Abandoned factories repurposed as bases
- Cyberware chop shops
- Black market markets
- Manufacturing operations
The Totentanz
Maelstrom’s main hangout—a converted industrial building serving as club, meeting hall, and fortress.
💰 Operations
Criminal Enterprises
| Operation | Details |
|---|---|
| Cyberware black market | Stolen, illegal, and black-market chrome |
| Organ harvesting | Fresh meat for ripperdocs |
| Contract violence | Muscle for hire |
| Weapons dealing | Military hardware |
| Drug manufacturing | Combat stims |
Ripperdocs
Maelstrom operates or protects several black-market ripperdocs:
- Install without questions
- Specialize in extreme modifications
- Source of gang’s chrome supply
⚔️ Combat
Tactics
- Overwhelming cyberware advantage
- Pain tolerance (wired reflexes, pain editors)
- Heavy weapons
- Intimidation through appearance
Typical Loadout
| Member | Cyberware | Weapons |
|---|---|---|
| Soldier | Cyberoptics, cyberarm | SMG, Melee |
| Veteran | Multiple limbs, optics | Heavy weapons |
| Lieutenant | Full conversion partial | Military hardware |
| Boss | Near full conversion | Everything |
👥 Structure
Leadership
- Royce (Current leader, 2045): Full-conversion psychopath
- Leadership changes through violence
- Strength and chrome determine rank
Ranks
- Prospects: Minimal chrome, proving themselves
- Soldiers: Full members, serious modification
- Veterans: Heavy chrome, proven killers
- Lieutenants: Near cyberpsycho levels
- Leader: Most chrome, most dangerous
🎲 GM Resources
Using Maelstrom
As Antagonists:
- Terrifying enemies for combat-focused scenarios
- Escalating threat (soldiers to full cyborgs)
- Unpredictable due to borderline cyberpsychosis
As Employers:
- Need outside help for subtle work
- Pay well but dangerous clients
- May turn on characters if they show weakness
Maelstrom NPCs
| Type | Threat Level | Chrome |
|---|---|---|
| Soldier | Medium | Cyberoptics, arm |
| Veteran | High | Multiple limbs, reflex |
| Lieutenant | Very High | Near full conversion |
| Royce | Extreme | Full conversion |
Adventure Hooks
- Retrieve item from Maelstrom territory
- Rescue kidnapping victim from chop shop
- Negotiate between Maelstrom and employer
- Hunt rogue cyberpsycho Maelstrom member
- Infiltrate Maelstrom for intelligence
🔗 Related Topics
(Source: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook, pgs. 308-310)