Listed below are specific content notes for cards appearing in the Borealis Cycle, consisting of the Netrunner sets Midnight Sun and Parhelion. Some depictions may take place in a netspace/virtual setting and this is specifically indicated. All depictions otherwise take place in a meatspace/non-virtual setting.
This list is not exhaustive and should be considered a living document which is improved and expanded upon over time. It is intended to help current and prospective players make an informed choice about how to engage with this content.
Overall Cycle Themes
- Climate change
- Eco-fascism
- Ecological collapse
- Eco-terrorism
- Imperialism
- Imprisonment
- Population displacement
- Settler colonialism and threat to indigenous cultures
- Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean)
- Unethical medical and scientific experimentation
In Midnight Sun
Runner Cards
| Card | Content Note |
|---|---|
| Begemot | Use of alcohol |
| Deep Dive | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean, virtual) |
| Hyperbaric | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean, virtual) |
| Into the Depths | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean) |
| Light the Fire! | Fire (virtual), use of explosives |
| Marrow | Depiction of surgery, spinal implant |
| Revolver | Depiction of firearm, depiction of gun violence (virtual) |
| Running Hot | Use of narcotics, addiction |
| Steelskin Scarring | Blood, depiction of surgery |
Corp Cards
| Card | Content Note | Additional Note |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial Cryptocrash | Implied financial insecurity | |
| Azef Protocol | Fire Explosion | |
| Backroom Machinations | Use of alcohol | |
| Bathynomus | Entomophobia (aversion to insects) (virtual) | |
| Blood in the Water | Blood (virtual) | |
| Hákarl 1.0 | Galeophobia (aversion to sharks) (virtual) | |
| Ivik | Scoleciphobia (aversion to worms) (virtual) | |
| Mestinchestvo | Imperialism | There is an expanded article about changes to this card artwork in the context of the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War available here. |
| Refuge Campaign | Implied mass displacement of people | |
| Trieste Model Bioroids | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean) |
In Parhelion
Runner Cards
| Card | Content Note |
|---|---|
| Basilar Synthgland 2KVJ | Spinal implant |
| Finality | Blood Dismemberment of cybernetic limb |
| Hippocampic Mechanocytes | Entomophobia (aversion to insects) |
| Katorga Breakout | Imprisonment Forced labor |
| Matryoshka | Pediophobia (aversion to dolls) (virtual) |
| Raindrops Cut Stone | Blood (virtual) |
| Time Bomb | Fire Explosion |
| WAKE Implant v2A-JRJ | Spinal implant |
Corp Cards
| Card | Content Note |
|---|---|
| Bloop | Ichthyophobia (aversion to fish) |
| Distributed Tracing | Implied stalking Street harassment |
| Djupstad Grid | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean) |
| End of the Line | Firearm Implied gun violence Implied murder |
| Freedom of Information | Fire Explosion |
| Hypoxia | Asphyxiation Breathlessness Hypoxia (lack of sufficient oxygen) |
| Gaslight | Gaslighting Emotional abuse |
| Hostile Architecture | Implied harm towards homeless/unhoused people |
| Hybrid Release | Implied deliberate medical neglect Implied scientific experimentation on sentient beings |
| Nightmare Archive | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean) |
| Ontological Dependence | Exploitation of grief Implied death |
| Simulation Reset | Implied animal cruelty |
| Thule Subsea: Safety Below | Thalassophobia (aversion to the ocean) |
| Vampyronassa | Scoleciphobia (aversion to worms) (virtual) Teuthiphobia (aversion to squid) (virtual) |
| Yakov Erikovich Avdakov | Mention of death Implied murder |
| ZATO City Grid | Mention of death Implied restriction of movement |