💀 Rache Bartmoss
“I am become Death, destroyer of data.”
Rache Bartmoss was the greatest Netrunner in history—a paranoid genius who created the R.A.B.I.D.S. virus that destroyed the global NET. His legacy is The DataKrash, and his creations still haunt the digital world.
📋 Profile
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Rache Bartmoss |
| Role | Netrunner |
| Status | Deceased (2020) |
| Famous For | Destroying the NET |
| Legacy | R.A.B.I.D.S., The DataKrash |
📜 History
Early Life
Little is known about Bartmoss’s origins:
- Night City street kid (probably)
- Self-taught programmer
- Early Net pioneer
- Developed paranoid tendencies early
Rise to Legend
Bartmoss became the most accomplished Netrunner ever:
- Broke into any system
- Created revolutionary software
- Sold his services to highest bidders
- Made enemies everywhere
The Paranoia
Bartmoss trusted no one:
- Assumed everyone was an enemy
- Created elaborate defenses
- Multiple hidden bases
- Believed (correctly) corporations wanted him dead
Placeholder: Bartmoss in his sanctum (pg. 267)
💻 Accomplishments
Software Creations
Bartmoss created numerous legendary programs:
| Program | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Various ICE | Defensive systems |
| Attack Programs | Offensive tools |
| R.A.B.I.D.S. | Ultimate weapon |
| Custom Interfaces | Personal tools |
Exploits
Famous hacks:
- Penetrated every megacorp at least once
- Stole impossible-to-reach data
- Humiliated corporate security repeatedly
- Left calling cards in secure systems
Publications
Bartmoss wrote several infamous guides:
- Rache Bartmoss’s Guide to the Net (pre-Krash)
- Rache Bartmoss’s Brainware Blowout
- Various technical papers
☠️ Death and Revenge
Arasaka’s Attack
Arasaka finally caught Bartmoss:
- Traced one of his hideouts
- Unable to capture him directly
- Poisoned him with slow-acting toxin
- Gave him months to live
The Response
Bartmoss’s reaction to his death sentence:
- Created the R.A.B.I.D.S.
- Self-replicating AI viruses
- Designed to destroy the entire NET
- Set to release on his death
The DataKrash (August 2020)
When Bartmoss died:
- Dead-man switch activated
- R.A.B.I.D.S. released globally
- NET infrastructure collapsed
- Billions of data lost forever
- See: The DataKrash
🦠 The R.A.B.I.D.S.
What They Are
Roving Autonomous Bartmoss Interface Drones:
- Self-replicating AI constructs
- Consume and corrupt data
- Cannot be permanently destroyed
- Continue evolving
Current Status (2045)
The R.A.B.I.D.S. still exist:
- Lurk in the Old NET
- Beyond the Blackwall
- Have evolved for 25 years
- Attack anything that connects to Old NET
- Main reason global NET can’t be restored
Variants
After 25 years, R.A.B.I.D.S. have evolved:
| Type | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Standard | Data consumption |
| Hunter | Actively seek targets |
| Lurker | Wait for connections |
| Evolved | Near-sentient? |
🌟 Legacy (2045)
The World He Left
Bartmoss’s revenge shaped the modern world:
- No global NET
- Fragmented Data Pools
- Netrunning more dangerous
- Corporations weakened (temporarily)
- Information precious again
Among Netrunners
Bartmoss is viewed as:
- Hero: Struck back at corporations
- Villain: Destroyed everything
- Warning: Don’t push too far
- Legend: The greatest ever
Posthumous Influence
His work continues:
- Programs still circulate
- Guides still studied
- Techniques still used
- His creations still kill
🤔 Mysteries
The Body
What happened to Bartmoss’s body?
- Died in hiding (assumed)
- Location unknown
- May still have dead-man switches
- Rumors of additional traps
Additional Creations
What else did Bartmoss create?
- Hidden data caches?
- Dormant programs?
- More weapons waiting?
- Successors or apprentices?
Was He Right?
Bartmoss believed the NET was dangerous:
- Corporations controlled information
- AIs were emerging threat
- System needed to be destroyed
- Did he do the right thing?
🎲 GM Resources
Using Bartmoss’s Legacy
As Background:
- Shape of modern Netrunning
- Why the NET is fragmented
- Fear of Old NET dangers
- Inspiration for Netrunners
As Plot Element:
- Bartmoss cache discovered
- New R.A.B.I.D.S. variant appears
- Someone claims to have Bartmoss data
- Corporate scheme involving his work
Plot Hooks
- Find Bartmoss’s hidden lair
- Retrieve data from Old NET
- Stop R.A.B.I.D.S. variant outbreak
- Someone’s re-creating his work
- Deal with Bartmoss “successor”
The Ultimate Secret
For ambitious campaigns:
- What if Bartmoss backed up his own consciousness?
- A digital Bartmoss beyond the Blackwall?
- Would he want to be restored?
- What would he do in 2045?
🔗 Related Topics
(Source: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook, pgs. 266-270)