My work continues on my Shadows of the FDC map and to get current campaign items to line up. To that effect I tried to establish where Triad might operate in the FDC.
Most of the info on Triads seem to indicate that there is little to no presence in the FDC, probably due to lack of a Chinese metro center (IRL 2017 DC’s Chinatown has less than 300, again 3 x 100 Chinese left in it). So unless it says cannon elsewhere I’ll say the population resurged, maybe as refugees from the breakdown of a Unified China. With the Yakuza & Mafia mostly controlling the FDC underworld there was little room for the Triads to squeeze back in.
So in cannon there are two Triads operating in North America:
The 99 Blossoms is a Triad based in North America.
The 99 Blossoms are a Triad that has a reputation for not accepting failure from shadowrunners. If the shadowrunners fail a mission, they see it as a sign of disrespect and the response will hurt the runners. – Run Faster p.40
The White Crane Triad is a syndicate based in North America.
The White Crane Triad is one of the few crime syndicates which are led by a woman, in this case by Hsu Tsai. She is a formidable dragonhead, as well as a powerful magician. – Underworld p.58
So here is how I wrote in those two might be trying to build a presence in the FDC though two very different methods.
Triads in the FDC – By Ordeiberon
The White Crane Triad led by Hsu Tsai is taking a cue from the Yakuza and trying a community and political based approach, opening & expanding Chinatown businesses and establishing “Consultant firms” to make political inroads with the UCAS government. Smuggling, Gambling (Trying to recapture the Majong market from the Yakuza) and high end prostitution (Educating and training the girls at the same time, many who become Triad members themselves later.) are their current businesses within the Chinatown area and drugs outside of it (They try to keep drugs out of the Chinese populace hands).
Creation Notes: These would the high and mighty triads, content to expand their power as legitimately as possible and thus can dealt with rationally with the right power broker and their locations can be visited for the right reasons with little repercussions.
The other Triad operating in North America is the 99 Blossoms and they did not want to be beat out of the market so have made inroads from the underworld side, drugs specifically. Rather than have an all-out Triad war they agreed to limit their sales to outside Chinatown, though they still recruit from within. The two group jointly agreed to The Rocket Club as a neutral Triad sponsored Community center (With White Crane as Hostesses and Security Waitresses, and Blossoms as bartenders & cooks), and the Blossom’s local recruiting center is a bit further out at the Happy Nails Spa. Rumor has it they also have major operations further up New York Avenue but those are unconfirmed.
Creation Notes: These are the triads you will find in random locations trying to set up odd underworld businesses (BTL Distribution Warehouse, Human tracking operations, etc) under the noses of the local powers. Classic evil triad. Can be fought and escaped from without making great enemies provided the right fixer can get rid of the evidence (see fire warehouse symbol on New York Avenue).
I’ve added their small underworld territories and few of their business fronts to my FDC map (I recommend unselecting layers you don’t need as you as done with them Quite a bit of overlap.)
Look forward to comments and ideas on how to improve them, flesh them out, or other cannon info on Triads in the FDC or Baltimore sprawl would be great.
