🎭 Voodoo Boys
“The Net is our home. What it became after the DataKrash… that’s our business.”
The Voodoo Boys are Pacifica’s dominant gang—Haitian refugees and their descendants who have become the most accomplished Netrunners in Night City. They probe the ruins of the Old NET, seeking to understand the rogue AIs that lurk there.
📋 Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Territory | Pacifica |
| Focus | Netrunning, Isolation |
| Members | ~300-500 |
| Danger Level | High (Extreme in Pacifica) |
🌴 Origins
Haitian Refugees
The Voodoo Boys’ origins lie in the Haitian diaspora:
- Climate disasters devastated Haiti
- Refugees fled to Night City
- Settled in abandoned Pacifica
- Built their own community
Evolution
- Original “Voodoo Boys” were a different gang (wiped out)
- Haitian community adopted the name ironically
- Developed exceptional Netrunning capabilities
- Became dominant power in Pacifica
🏚️ Pacifica
The Combat Zone
Pacifica is Night City’s largest Combat Zone:
- Abandoned corporate development projects
- No city services or police presence
- Self-governing community
- Hostile to outsiders
Voodoo Boys Control
Within Pacifica:
- They ARE the law
- Provide community services
- Protect against outside threats
- Control information flow
Placeholder: Pacifica streets (pg. 314)
💻 Netrunning
The Old NET & the DataKrash
The Voodoo Boys’ obsession is the remnants of the Old NET:
- Rache Bartmoss’s DataKrash devastated the global Net
- Rache Bartmoss’s R.A.B.I.D.S. — self-replicating programs — still roam the ruins
- Rogue AIs evolved in the wreckage
- Voodoo Boys want to communicate with them
Capabilities
| Aspect | Level |
|---|---|
| Netrunning Skill | Elite |
| Custom Programs | Advanced |
| Blackwall Knowledge | Unmatched |
| Hardware | Cutting-edge |
Goals
- Contact AIs in the ruins of the Old NET
- Gain power and knowledge from them
- Prepare for what they call the “coming change”
- Remain independent of corporations
🎭 Culture
Religion
Haitian Vodou influences the gang:
- Religious imagery and terminology
- Loa (spirits) connected to Net entities
- Rituals surrounding Netrunning
- Community spiritual practices
Isolation
Voodoo Boys are extremely insular:
- Trust only their own
- View outsiders with suspicion
- Will use and discard non-members
- Protect Pacifica’s independence
Language
- Haitian Creole primary language
- French secondary
- English for outsiders
- Net-speak among runners
⚔️ Combat
Netrunning Warfare
Primary combat method:
- Disable enemies’ cyberware
- Attack through the Net
- Intelligence gathering
- System sabotage
Physical Combat
When necessary:
- Defense of Pacifica
- Ambush tactics
- Community mobilization
- Avoid prolonged fights
👥 Structure
Leadership
- Council of senior Netrunners governs by consensus
- Community elders provide guidance
- Younger generation pushing boundaries
- Named for Loa (spirits) in Vodou tradition
Organization
- Less hierarchical than most gangs
- Skill-based respect
- Community consensus
- Netrunner elite at top
🎲 GM Resources
Using Voodoo Boys
As Antagonists:
- Used the characters and discarded them
- Characters have information VBs want
- Blackwall breach threatens everyone
As Employers:
- Need physical operatives outside Pacifica
- Require items for Netrunning operations
- Want information from corporate targets
Voodoo Boys NPCs
| Skill | Base | Skill | Base | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Member | Civilian | Low | ||
| Soldier | Physical security | Medium | ||
| Netrunner | Net operations | High (in Net) | ||
| Senior Runner | Elite hacker | Very High | ||
| VB Leader | Council head | Extreme |
Adventure Hooks
- Hired by VBs, then betrayed
- Investigate disturbances in Pacifica’s local NET architecture
- Rescue someone from Pacifica
- VB Netrunner wants to defect
- A rogue AI emerges from the Old NET
🔗 Related Topics
(Source: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook, pgs. 313-315)