Frostbitten
: All heaven and earth : Flowered white obliterate : Snow, unceasing snow :
Good 'morrow, ladies and gentlemen of the Portal to the Multiverse Board! Welcome to Frostbitten, a character-focused thread based upon an original and ambiguous cyberpunk setting, a megacity trapped in eternal winter, and one that we will world-build and flesh out together through our very actions, dialogue and exposition. In Frostbitten, you, the writer, will have an opportunity to craft a grand tale of misadventure alongside others. While most stories in the mind-blowing mythos of science fiction revolve around dramatic super soldiers, chosen ones and prophetical events, Frostbitten does the polar opposite - frankly, you're all human trash, dwelling in a corrupt city of equivalent scumminess. The interactive story of Frostbitten will not place its focus on stopping catastrophic weapons like the Death Star, living out Anonymous' semi-sexual fantasy of being a mega-hacker, nor becoming some sort of cybernetic war machine akin to Arnold Schwarzenegger in that dreadful movie series. Instead, we take aim at the commoner and his or her trials and travails of daily life; like keeping the gun-toting druggies away from your place of residence, finding a job so you can one-up your friends by getting the new smartphone or by protesting the mega corporations that feed you the delicious ramen in which you share a love-hate relationship with.
A Frosty Slice of Cyberpunk Life
"What things do the corporate moguls, corrupt politicians and social media starlets of society all possess?
Power, sex, beauty, and drugs - all things paid for by an even more valuable commodity ... money.
By a wickedly hilarious coincidence you have absolutely none of these qualities, or money (which goes by the stereotypical name of credits), for that matter. Yeah, I know, this is all terribly cliche; then again, fate tends to be a freaky mistress.
What do you do, living life on the bottom rung, as these two-dimensional celebrities drink expensive century-old wine and toast it up with their fellow elite? Easy - you do whatever it is you do to survive in this dystopian megacity, otherwise, you make ends meet. Regardless of whether you're a shadowy mercenary, armchair hacker, unethical doctor, or a reprogrammed sex-bot, you have one goal; and that's to make it big, and more importantly, make big money. You're no stranger to the truth, credits make the world go 'round ... and you desperately want to be the one spinning it.
Oh, and don't worry, my poor chap, you're not alone in this endeavor. You observe that reality every night at your favorite bar and grill (that also doubles as a dance club on Friday nights to meet the monthly quota), the Quantum, and that little cesspit is where your story begins. You hear tell of a certain man - the very epitome of tall, dark and handsome - looking for new crew mates to man his decrepit cargo-ship, the Vandal; and so you go to the Quantum one stormy night to find him and begin your journey towards greatness."
Power, sex, beauty, and drugs - all things paid for by an even more valuable commodity ... money.
By a wickedly hilarious coincidence you have absolutely none of these qualities, or money (which goes by the stereotypical name of credits), for that matter. Yeah, I know, this is all terribly cliche; then again, fate tends to be a freaky mistress.
What do you do, living life on the bottom rung, as these two-dimensional celebrities drink expensive century-old wine and toast it up with their fellow elite? Easy - you do whatever it is you do to survive in this dystopian megacity, otherwise, you make ends meet. Regardless of whether you're a shadowy mercenary, armchair hacker, unethical doctor, or a reprogrammed sex-bot, you have one goal; and that's to make it big, and more importantly, make big money. You're no stranger to the truth, credits make the world go 'round ... and you desperately want to be the one spinning it.
Oh, and don't worry, my poor chap, you're not alone in this endeavor. You observe that reality every night at your favorite bar and grill (that also doubles as a dance club on Friday nights to meet the monthly quota), the Quantum, and that little cesspit is where your story begins. You hear tell of a certain man - the very epitome of tall, dark and handsome - looking for new crew mates to man his decrepit cargo-ship, the Vandal; and so you go to the Quantum one stormy night to find him and begin your journey towards greatness."
Products, Terms and Technologies
Chems – In Frostbitten, there are many recreational drugs, or chems, as they are called on the street; a handful of them are tolerated, perhaps even embraced, by the city’s administration. The wider and more threatening variations of chems tend to be condemned and considered illegal, although, convictions on the basis of drug abuse are a very rare occurrence. Tranquil, a heated inhalant fed into the user’s mouth through an ECS-friendly coiled tube, plunges the subject into a heavily relaxed and euphoric state. Many of the eccentric writers and artists in the world of Frostbitten use Tranquil as a muse of sorts, or a means to power their creativity. Tranquil – as well as other soft drugs – tend to be accepted by most denizens of the city, as they are relatively harmless and work in the favor of the governmental and corporate authorities by providing a much more passive populace. On the other side of the spectrum of chems exists a radically psychoactive drug known as Nitro, a stimulant that targets the human brain’s neural indicators for adrenaline and anger, augmenting them to drastically unsafe levels. Nitro is injected into the user’s bloodstream by the means of an ECS modification; an internal apparatus of syringes give an addict the ability to either pump in a dose on command, or, have a constant yet gradual drip go into their body. A lucrative and complex chem to produce, many competitive cage-fighters, violent gangs and shadowy mercenaries purchase and use Nitro as a means to augment their combat prowess.
Credits – The sole monetary value in Frostbitten, credits go by many names – creds, creddies and cash, to name a few – and come in three different forms. Credits may be used through the implementation of a credit card (with an amount of credits electronically stored on said card), credit chips (a form of solid nano-plastic currency), or syn-credits, a totally electronic format used by many in the city’s corporate sector.
Droids – In the world of Frostbitten, artificial machines that exist solely for the purpose they are built for – such as security or service work – are called droids, and they come in numerous shapes, sizes and varying degrees of independence or intelligence. From the lowliest cargo-lifter to the semi-autonomous security unit, droids are an eternally growing and debated field of science; conservative movements like that of the religious awakening known as Elysium demand the abolishment of any sort of thinking machine, stating that they are an affront to humanity. In contrast, many corporations and intellectuals see droids as the future, although, whether they are the future of profit or intelligent life depends on whom you are conversing with. Due to the current turmoil in the city, droids are commonly treated as second-class citizens, if that. The ever-increasing advancements into the fields of artificial intelligence and machines with nearly human thought processes only continue to fuel the hotly debated subject of the future of droids’ and their natural rights.
Endothermic Conditioning Suit – Due to the hazardous conditions of the world of Frostbitten, every man, woman and child must wear a piece of equipment known as an Endothermic Conditioning Suit to survive in the subzero temperatures and the severe weather that accompanies them. There are several laymen’s and slang terms for the ECS unit, including but not limited to, “endo,” and, “e-cee,” for short. Long past their origin of solely being distributed by the city’s administration, the suits have increasingly become something akin to the clothes of today; corporations produce numerous configurations, modifications and upgrades for ECS platforms, each in a variety of colors and sizes. Many in the upper classes of society can afford expensive and opulent suits that cater toward the prideful desire for a sense of style and panache, rather than actual functionality, much to the chagrin of the lowest stratum of the city. In fact, outside of the city’s poorer districts exist many buildings and installations with climate-controlled habitats, giving their denizens the ability to partially disembark from their Endothermic Conditioning Suit, at the very least. However, despite the constant stream of denial supplied by the media, the vast amount of those who dwell in the slums must wear their suits constantly; independent studies show that over ninety percent of the poor spend a large portion of their income on recharge stations and ECS repairs.
Grinders – In Frostbitten, Grinders are those who implant machinery – be it prosthetics or electronic hardware – into their physiological structure. The extent of bodily modification depends on the single Grinder in question; cybernetics, while the softer uses of them are illegal yet accepted by the governmental forces, can drift from an augmented eye, or, towards something much more intensive and frankly unusual. An extreme concept in the Grinder movement that falls under the umbrella of taboo modification is that of the, “cyborg,” or, those who attempt to merge themselves entirely into their ECS platform. Even more so forbidden in the world of Frostbitten are the rumors in the city’s underworld of those unethically genius enough to download their consciousness into an autonomous droid unit, although, many claim this to be nothing more than the twisted dreams of madmen.
Hunters – In the world of Frostbitten, Hunters are the rare few that are insane or recklessly adventurous enough to venture outside of the secure walls of the city and out into the ruins of the Old City – perhaps even beyond, into the hellish wastelands of pure ice – in search of truth or ancient treasure; more often than not, the latter is the most popular rationale.
SyNet – SyNet, the greatest achievement of the corporate entity Syntech Online Systems, is an alternate mechanism to the Internet of the present-day; it is a labyrinthine network of thousands of interlinked networks, used by every single computer, phone, tablet and smart device in the world of Frostbitten. During its conception, Syntech held a direct and firm control over the wireless connection; yet, it soon sprawled far beyond their control, or anyone’s, for that matter. The SyNet is now a lawless cyberspace, crawling with armchair hackers, corporate adverts, conspiracy theories and virtual shopping sites.
Factions, Gangs and Corporations
Apocalyptics – A daring and sociopathic gang of chem-addicts, the Apocalyptics are staffed by impulsive young men and women, bound together by a desire for experiencing each and every pleasure that life has to offer. Whether said pleasure comes in the form of ultra-violence, excruciatingly loud music, or passionate sex depends on the member in question. Furthermore, Apocalyptics are profound users of Stimulus, a chem that, similar Nitro, stimulates the adrenal glands – distinctively, it radically effects the pleasure centers of the brain. They are relatively new in the underworld and tend to not be taken very seriously, as they only stage minor robberies and repurpose and resell counterfeit technologies; one such example of this is the archaic Screamer, a speaker attachment that is mounted on a firearm and emits a loud screaming noise, or, “wry,” as many call it. It is useful for disorienting enemies, shattering fragile materials like glass, or simply jamming out in a drug-fueled daze.
Argo – Argo Technological Laboratories, otherwise known as, “Argo,” is a very lucrative yet controversial corporation as it researches, creates and produces both advanced electronic systems and droid platforms. Argo often cooperates with arms manufacturers – like the Kruger Munitions Group or Babiru Industrial – on research and developmental ventures in the realm of robotic security units, in fact, many of these joint projects have resulted in very successful product lines. The Kruger-Argo partnership bore the Hetzer policing drone, which is often found in the slum districts as it is used by the city’s administration to maintain some sense of order without the costly expense of manpower.
Bluebloods – The Bluebloods are yet another criminal faction in the city; yet, when compared to the Mantises, Chemdogs and other major gangs, the Bluebloods are truly something out of the ordinary. Led by the enigmatic and utterly ruthless woman known as Sapphire – or the Blue Queen as her underlings prefer to call her – the Bluebloods are a peculiar organization that bases themselves out of the old Directorate archives building, which was abandoned long ago as it was nothing more than an emptied library. The Blue Queen, however, has transformed the archives into her own personal palace; it is truly an urban castle, with stolen military-grade fortifications and azure heraldry. The Queen claims that she is descended from one of the very first founders of the city after the collapse of the Old World, much to the Chairman’s chagrin. Members of the Bluebloods, or knights, as they are titled, say that she is royalty by birth and is the one true ruler of the city. However, this claim means little to the Directorate and it’s Department of Security, as long as the Bluebloods do not attempt to extend their territory into wealthier districts. Amidst their pro-monarchy speeches and delusions of grandeur, the Bluebloods primarily deal in the arms trade and the capturing and selling of, “indentured servants.” Slavery, with the rise and advancement of droids – which are essentially mechanical thralls – has mostly been unheard of in the city; yet, the Bluebloods have proven that there will always be an economy for it nonetheless.
Chemdogs – The Chemdogs are a criminal group of bloodthirsty addicts; most of them are naturally Nitro users, however, members of the gang use many other psychoactive chems, as well. A dominant force in the slums and the poorer districts, the Chemdogs are slowly entering the world of private security contracting, being recognized time and time again by their brutal efficiency and their Endothermic Conditioning Suits, which are modified extensively with pumps and tubing to better suit their addiction. The Chemdogs can further be identified through their use of industrial machinery as makeshift melee weapons, like the terribly infamous chain-sword, a trademark element in the wide array of the gang’s vicious crimes.
Confederates – The Confederacy is the last of the, “big three,” – the triad of governments struggling for control of the city; the Directorate, the Bluebloods and of course the Confederacy – and it is also the most ethical, at first glance. The pro-democracy Confederates, labeled as domestic terrorists by the Chairman in an official statement to the media (press releases from the Chairman are quite rare, demonstrating his cautious attitude regarding the Confederacy), consist of people from each and every walk of life. Rebellious grinders, independent droids, jaded soldiers and morally straight-laced political activists have all found their home in the ranks of the Confederacy, due to their united desire for change; or the complete dismantling of the Chairman’s administration, frankly. Based in the lower middle class district of the Mid Hills, they have formed their own state and militia out of a union of various suburbs, smalls businesses and revolutionary groups. With assistance from the occasional criminal element looking to make a tidy profit off of the everlasting conflict, the Confederacy has steadily amassed a stockpile of military-grade munitions and technologies; with weapons and spitfire ideologies on their side, the Confederates may prove to be an actual threat to the Chairman in due time.
Directorate – The Directorate is the formal designation for the city’s administration; its already insufficient rule is loosely enforced by the governmental organization known as the Department of Security, a well-equipped yet undermanned paramilitary force that answers directly to their commander-in-chief, the Chairman. The Department’s troops, as of recent events, have been assigned to patrol and police the middle and upper class districts, rather than the slums, which are instead delegated to police drones and mech units. The enigmatic governor of the city, the Chairman, most certainly elected through corrupt and unjust methods, rules from his residence in the well-funded and policed Administration district; he is rarely seen and acts through a cabinet of ministers and other shadowy representatives. With the political and social turmoil increasing in the city with each passing day, many are cautiously watching for the Chairman’s response – or, wondering if it will come at all.
Elysium – Elysium is an emerging spiritual movement seizing the setting of Frostbitten by storm. Elysium, founded upon the principles of peace, hope and fortitude by a mysterious figure from one of the city’s many slum districts – a man that goes by the ubiquitous name of Prophet – attracts many followers, albeit, primarily the poorest of the poor. The movement of Elysium and its disciples, labeled Elysians by a vast portion of the population and several media sources, preach that the harsh world and its cruelty are the means that the universe uses to purge man of his impurities; the seven imperfections, as the Prophet calls them. The mysterious man, whom wears nothing except a first-generation ECS thermal-suit and a heavy cloak, says that the only way to transcend to the next world – the warm and welcoming plane of Elysium – is to purge yourself of these imperfections; furthermore, many speculate that his faith’s endgame includes the baptism of the entire city.
Fallen – The Fallen are near-mythical soldiers of fortune; they are said to be a band of seven men and women who are expert gunfighters, skilled martial artists and veteran adventurers – all in one package. According to popular rumor, of which there are many, the Fallen possess rare relic-technologies from the ruins of the Old City. In fact, they are told to have some sort of, “sixth sense,” that gives them their legendary abilities in combat, however, this is most likely some sort of fabrication by one of the many writers of fan fiction on the SyNet. Whether the Fallen, if they even exist, are truthfully as storied as people claim they are is debatable; and as with most hearsay, only time will tell inquiring minds the truth.
Ishimura – Ishimura Motors, or, “IM,” as it is commonly abbreviated, is the premier producer of civilian transport technologies in Frostbitten; they are often regarded as the original developer of the most successful automotive product in the history of the city, the monocycle. Over the years, Ishimura has forged a reputation for being reliable and affordable, maintaining amiable relations with the public – particularly even more so with their target audience, the city’s sizeable middle class. Currently, the corporate powerhouse of Ishimura Motors remains a constant and steadfast force in the city’s diverse economy.
Mantises – Within the recent years, many felonious Grinders – primarily those who have modified themselves heavily with counterfeit cybernetics and biotechnologies – have banded together in a relatively organized gang, under the moniker of Mantis. Mantis has slowly become a force to be reckoned with within the city’s lucrative underworld, as it has a well-defined hierarchy and a surplus of military-grade hardware, like armored transports, reinforced ECS platforms and even several reprogrammed drones. Unlike other criminal elements like the murderous Chemdogs – who tend to focus on the drug trade, intimidation of storeowners and discounted security services – the Mantises delve into the black market of shadowy technologies, stolen equipment (like vehicles or weaponry), and acts of low-level fraud and money laundering. Mantis members are noticeably recognized when they flash their gang sign, the act of bending your arms and pointing your hands downward, similar to the mannerisms of a praying mantis.
New Sun – New Sun is the designation for an obscure and very secretive society within the city; as with most shadowy organizations, factual information surrounding the New Sun group is terribly scarce, save for copious amounts of rumor and speculation. Many self-proclaimed researchers of the mysterious order speak of nefarious plots to bring down the Directorate, forays in the supernatural realm and expeditions into the ancient remains of the Old City – whether this is true or not remains to be seen, for even the very existence of New Sun is questionable.
Outsiders – Outsiders, or, “Tribals,” as many city-dwellers derogatorily name them, are those who inhabit the ruins of the Old City; they are men, women and children that live on the very fringes of human society, struggling daily to live and thrive in the monolithic remains of the world that once was. Many who call the Old City home are the descendants of those who have been ejected forcibly from the city in its earliest years (dangerous prisoners, malfunctioning droid units and the very ill or deformed, to name a few), groups of survivors who were unable to enter the city in the first place or conscious-objectors of the Directorate and the corporations that control the populace. According to popular opinion, the most savage of Outsiders band together into tribe-like communities based upon familial ties, although, there are several exceptions to this rule-of-thumb. Outsider culture varies from group to group; for example, the rumored township of droids, Satellite, is said to despise and distrust most if not all organics – meanwhile, the nomads known as the Freemen wander endlessly through the wastes in search of philosophical truth. Despite the stigma attached to those who dwell outside the main city, many Outsider clans are permitted to enter the slum districts at the very least to trade and conduct business – however, an increasing amount of raids by other warrior-tribes strain this already uneasy relationship.
Syntech – Syntech Online Systems, or, “Syntech,” for short, is one of many providers of informational technologies – phones, tablets and other personal computer products, for instance – and the original developer of the SyNet, the city’s sole connection to the shadowy depths of cyberspace. Syntech Online Systems, despite its history as one of the most successful corporations in the world of Frostbitten, has slowly been superseded by more youthful businesses ever since the company lost its strict control over the SyNet. Only the passing of time will tell if Syntech reclaims its former reputation as the economy’s apex predator.
Application Formatting
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[box][color=#47515b][size=65][i]Welcome to OS 1.2. Please report any errors to your local administrator.
Username: **********
Password: **********
User accepted. Please wait for startup or press ESC to enter administrator mode.
... A:/ ... Initialized
... A:/User/Profiles/ ... Profile found
... User settings applied
Welcome back. Please enter a command or press ESC to enter the desktop environment.
LOAD Profiles | Console -L -G
Command syntax accepted. Searching for additional user profiles.
... A:/User/Profiles/Administrators/ ... No other profiles found
... Broadening search
... A:/User/Profiles/Residents/ ... Profiles found.
... Printing profiles to console. Please stand by...[/i][/size]
[b][size=200]N[/size]ame:[/b] User's name.
[b][size=150]G[/size]ender:[/b] User's gender.
[b][size=150]A[/size]ge:[/b] User's age.
[b][size=150]A[/size]ppearance:[/b] User's description of their appearance.
[b][size=150]E[/size]CS [size=150]I[/size]mage:[/b] User's picture of their Endothermic Conditioning Suit.
[b][size=150]K[/size]nown [size=150]S[/size]kills:[/b] User's abilities and/or augmentations.
[b][size=150]I[/size]nventory:[/b]
[list][*] User's
[*] List
[*] Of
[*] Common
[*] Items
[*] Or
[*] Equipment
[/list]
[b][size=150]B[/size]ackground:[/b] User's past professions, training, etc.
[b][size=150]B[/size]iography:[/b] User's biographical information.
[b][size=150]A[/size]ssessed [size=150]T[/size]hreat [size=150]L[/size]evel:[/b] User's estimated threat tier, designated by OP administrator.[/color][/box]
made by Highfort
Our Merry Crew
Captain Faust - as the Gentleman Cap'n
Roland Ocano - as the Superstitious Techie
Olivier Warren - as the Hopeful Slumdog
Desorath Myor - as the Unlicensed Nurse
Charlotte Delcroix - as the Deadbeat Burglar
Maureen Deckard - as the Hustlin' Splicer
Helena Ness - as the Spoiled Princess
Kazumi Mayu - as the Disgraced Popstar
Bjorn Haraldson - as the Traitorous Muscle
Sir Lancelot - as the Kindhearted Killbot
AB-5 - as the Emotional Gearhead
