“Man is something that shall be overcome. Man is a rope, tied between beast and overman — a rope over an abyss. What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not an end.”
- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
It's the late 80s again - not the 1980s, but the 2080s. A hundred years ago, back in 1989, the world was on the brink of great change. The Cold War was about to come to an end, the march of technology continued ever forwards, and the western world was approaching a victory lap where excess and American exceptionalism would become the norm. One hundred years later, the world is once again on the brink of change… But the issues of the day are different. In many aspects, the world is unrecognizable from before.
The digital world is no longer new and underground, but has rather become an ubiquitous part of life that people can't live without. Everything is seemingly connected in the Internet of Things these days, all the way from entertainment to the most important parts of the defense sector. Space is once again of interest to mankind, as multiple blocs race to colonize the moon and Mars and bring back valuable resources from asteroids. Back on Earth, debates have risen in recent years over the effects of one of humanity's greatest inventions: the digital brain. Advances in AI and computing have allowed for the replication of the brain itself, and the rights of 'synthetic humans' created with this technology have become a hotly contested subject around the world.
In the cities, mankind lives better than ever before but with an increasing gap in society. It's not uncommon to see supercars and executives in the same streets as military police forces and armed bandit gangs. While the biggest western cities have largely become safer, albeit more controlled, many parts of the third world have only slipped further into instability and danger - and some locales have seen a bit of both, as life ultimately becomes safer for the wealthy and more chaotic for those under them. Space, on the other hand, is a wild west; a new frontier where the only law is what can be enforced by strongmen.
Corporate power is present as in many visions of a cyberpunk future, but their presence is far from dystopian. In most cases, these corporations do not force their will openly and pit themselves against the will of the people. Instead, they fight their conflicts from the shadows and the common person may not even know that a fight is happening at all. Fights using advanced technology and the most cutting edge weapons play out behind closed doors, and monopolies are formed through bending the arm of the competition into cooperation. At the same time, these corporations put on a friendly face to the public. For most, these ubiquitous megacorps are simply an everyday part of life, and any darker actions committed by such firms are shrouded in secrecy and multiple layers of subterfuge. Using shell companies, manipulating the media, and hiring private agents to enforce NDAs and monitor whistleblowers are all tactics used by companies to preserve their image.
All the while, there is not only a battle of corporations but a clash of countries. The west is no longer a hegemon, having faltered through domestic infighting in many of its countries as well as economic mismanagement leading to stagnation. On the other hand, neither Russia nor China has been able to fully seize the chance to replace it. Both powers have stumbled with their own internal situations, leaving the position of world hegemon up for grabs. In the developing world, many nations scramble to catch up as they deal with rising problems such as water scarcity, terrorism, and rising political instability around the world. Cities such as Lagos, Sao Paulo, and Jakarta are simultaneously overpopulated and dangerous while also being the home of many future innovators and a class of ‘new money’ business owners.
Against this backdrop, there remains one question - what will you be? A soldier fighting for nation or profit, in the most advanced age of combat ever seen? A corporate raider, carrying out hits from the shadows and battling others for the supremacy of your employer? A frontiersman on Mars, writing your own path in the wild west of space? Perhaps a hacker, escaping to the world of cyberspace to get away from state and corporate control? All of these paths and more are viable, and everyone will have a role to play in the buildup to the turn of the century…------------------
Welcome to Genesis 2089, a post-cyberpunk RP that aims to go beyond the usual borders of the genre and create a setting that feels alive. While cyberpunk media typically focuses on the dystopian aspect of things, such as oppressive governments and megacorporations, and on protagonists who are outlaws and street rogues, this thread aims to expand the scope of what's covered and give a somewhat wider look of a PMT-tech world. That's not to say that there aren't cyberpunk/dystopian aspects in some spots, but more POVs are represented in the plotlines here. Not just punks and outcasts, but also soldiers, businesspeople, celebrities, space explorers, and the average people who live somewhere in the middle between the best and worst parts of what the world has to offer.
The thread follows a semi-sandbox format, because constricting everyone to one group or network of interconnected characters would only work to limit what can be explored and tie everyone's activity to one group. Rather than tie everyone's activity to a central storyline, the thread will function through a number of flashpoints detailing different situations. This could be anything from a conflict between corporations to a situation of interest to an everyday concerned citizen, such as a mystery to uncover within a megacity.
While these flashpoints act as "quests," in a way, that can be tackled by players, characters are not tied to them permanently and a character that takes on one flashpoint can later move to another. It's also possible for flashpoints to begin entirely because of player activity. For example, a player successfully stealing technology from a megacorp might result in a new conflict starting as the corporation goes on the offensive to recover its lost market share. This also means that everyone isn't held up if one storyline ends up lower in activity. Even if one plot doesn't pan out, other active storylines will continue.
From grimey and dangerous megacities to futuristic space colonies and neon lit nightclubs, this RP is set to cover a number of locales and plots all with the end goal of telling the story of an interesting world. That story will be told through the lives of the characters within it, that the players will create. If this sounds interesting to you, make sure to see the sections below for the full details on the world.
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Tech will play an important role in much of what you do. As a general rule, the RP operates on the concept of PMT semi-realism. This means post-modern tech and a generally believable feel with room made for some less realistic/more theoretical concepts. What does that mean? Well, you won't get beat up by the realism police and forced to link research papers to prove that your advanced technology should exist, but tech should still make sense in-universe instead of just being used because it's cool. A modernized revolver might not be the most efficient weapon, for example, but it still has its utility and you can make an argument as to why a company in-universe would create it. Something like a gold-plated pistol that also shoots anti-tank rockets and has an attached bayonet, however, fits into no believable role and only exists because it's flashy and over the top.
One of the first major advances to take note of is in the field of computing. Computers and AI have advanced greatly, and the trend of everything being connected to the internet has continued. Smart homes are the norm, and you can expect everything from your toaster to the clothes on your body to be connected in some way to the larger Internet of Things. This, of course, is a positive or a negative depending on the views of your character. While this has brought ease in many areas, it also provides far more opportunities for spying and sabotage. The same smart house that wakes you up on time and prepares your favorite breakfast every morning is also a risk to record your every conversation or make an attempt on your life through a conveniently timed malfunction.
The invention of the digital brain was another step forward in computing. This invention allows for the creation of lifelike AIs and androids, the latter of which are known as synthetic humans or synths. These are made in the image of humans and can display humanlike emotions and thinking - though, common models of androids have dumbed down digital brains that are more suited to their role. For example, a synth created for labor would have little capacity for displaying human behavior, but one created to work as a secretary or in an HR department would have far higher sentience. Synths have made their way to every continent by now and are often owned by corporations or private individuals, but free synths who exist outside of any ownership are also present in some countries. Their creation and proliferation has brought about controversy worldwide, due to them taking up many jobs that were previously staffed by humans. The rights of these synthetic creations have also become a debated subject across the world, though most countries shy away from treating them as humans. The fear, of course, is that simply allowing anyone to create new legally recognized people en masse is a dangerous precedent.
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Another one of the biggest inventions in recent memory is the fusion engine. This new means of propulsion for space vessels can maintain acceleration into the speeds of faster than light travel - however, unlike many sci-fi stories where humanity expands to the stars, the technology is still young and its use has primarily been within the solar system. That's not to say that the technology isn't significant, as it allows for trips between Earth and other planets within the solar system in a matter of days. The advent of the fusion engine saw the mass expansion of human colonies on Mars, as well as national outposts on the moon belonging to the various blocs of the world.
Space has also become more militarized since the advent of the fusion engine, owing to nations investing more of their interests into space. Most of the top blocs within the geopolitical scene pool together resources to operate massive space warships, armed with the latest weapons such as railguns, missiles, and gauss cannons. Treaties aimed against the militarization of space have largely broken down thanks to competition between blocs and the general importance of space in the plans of many nations. Asteroid mining has also become a major source of resources for Earth blocs, but the technology is still experimental and there will be increased competition in the coming years for advancements in this field.
Mars has additionally become the hub of human space colonization that many have foreseen, with the largest powers in the world all having some kind of stake on the planet. These domed colonies, however, are rough places. The law is often more hands off and less restrictive owing to a reduced police force and distance from the homeland, and corporate power in these colonies is often unchecked. The corporations, after all, play a large hand in keeping the colonies running in the first place through initiatives where private companies have worked with governments to create new developments in space settlement.
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Weapons frequently drive the development of new technology and that's still the case here. Armaments have made great strides in both personal and larger forms. On the personal armament level, technologies such as caseless ammunition, laser rifles, and gauss guns have become common. There's no shortage of advanced and freshly manufactured weapons to use, to the point where it's not worth listing out every weapon development that's happened. However, don't think that just having an expensive new gun is a recipe for guaranteed success. Body armor has also advanced greatly, allowing a large amount of protection from clothlike materials that can be worn under the clothes. Another advancement in body armor is powered armor and semi-powered armor for occasions where heavier combat is expected. This kind of armor is less common and mainly used in the military and by corporate PMC forces, but more primitive models can be found around the world including in the hands of rebel groups and criminals.
Weapon development did not just take a step forward on the personal level. The militaries of the world also have access to far greater technology. These days, every soldier and vehicle is connected to a larger communications and sensor network, allowing for rapid tactical adjustments. A soldier that spots an enemy vehicle, for example, can relay the location using optical sensors integrated into his helmet and call for an air strike from a nearby aircraft without stopping to check coordinates. In the skies, jet fighters can communicate seamlessly with one another and a hostile contact picked up by one jet can easily be targeted by the rest of the squadron.
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Another advancement in the military field is the Armored Combat Unit, known as ACUs by shorthand. These mechanical battlesuits are reminiscent of the mecha seen in anime and manga, but are quicker and more humanoid in design. Many make use of jet propulsion to move around the battlefield quickly, and the large guns they carry are able to take on most threats on the battlefield with only a couple shots. This field of technology is still experimental, as ACUs have only recently come into service and begun combat tests for militaries and corporate security forces. However, their extreme mobility combined with their high amount of firepower and armor makes them a force to be reckoned with. It appears they will be a consistent presence on battlefields around the world in the near future, and perhaps even in space as zero-G models come into service.
The pilots of these ACUs have a reputation for being daredevils and the unusual sort, something that makes sense when considering the cutting edge nature of the technology. The pilots of these battlesuits are trailblazers no doubt, taking on the dangers of working with experimental technology whenever they climb in the cockpit. ACU combat is largely an aggressive symphony of violence, and the pilots inside the cockpit are the butchers who carry this out - pulling high speed maneuvers while dishing out death through 20mm guns and bladed weapons could be considered an art form in a way, and just like many artists are peculiar, these pilots are no exception.
That doubly goes for the pilots of next-generation ACUs that interface the battlesuit directly with the mind of the pilot in another use of experimental technology. While this provides advantages in things like reaction time, the feeling of interfacing with a battlesuit directly while participating in combat at jet-speed is an experience that will change the perception of anyone. To deal with the challenges of helping pilots adapt, some militaries and PMCs also make use of drugs administered by the battlesuit's life support systems. These drugs encourage heightened perception, reaction speed, and stamina - piloting a battlesuit is far from an effortless endeavor, after all.A lot has happened in the world since the present day. This timeline is an effort to sum up the most important events, although there is room to add lore within the blanks as this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list of every possible happening.
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2022: The People's Republic of China begins peacekeeping activities in Afghanistan following the American withdrawal from the country. This is met with difficulties as predicted by many outsiders, as the Chinese military deals with its largest expedition outside of its own borders in decades. Cultural disconnects between the local populace and militants and the Chinese military leads to clashing from early on and Afghanistan remains a global hot zone, even after the withdrawal of American forces. During this year, China is also active in Thailand and provides both overt and clandestine support for the Thai establishment against western backed protesters. This will pay off in China's favor as the protests largely die down but Chinese influence remains.
2023: Turkey launches an unannounced invasion of disputed areas in northern Syria, using both conventional forces and its infamous drones to deal a hard blow to the Syrian Arab Army in a matter of weeks and capture vast territories. The conflict will die down in the coming weeks into a stalemate that won't move for a matter of months, but the lost territory won't be regained by Syria. A peace treaty is signed by the middle of the year, securing the captured territory as Turkish. Tensions continue to ramp up in East Asia as Chinese violations of Taiwanese airspace continue to increase on a consistent basis. The United States State Department publicly condemns Chinese aggression towards Taiwan, but the PRC issues a stark warning that there will be consequences if the United States does not respect China’s territorial integrity.
2026: Tensions on the Russo-Ukrainian border reach their highest since the annexation of Crimea, after an Su-24 jet fighter strays into Ukrainian territory and is shot down. It is hotly debated whether this was a legitimate accident or if the fighter intentionally put itself in position to be shot down, to initiate a conflict. Regardless of the origins of the conflict, a full on war would erupt when Russia responded to the incident with invasion of Ukraine’s eastern provinces. While the United States and EU would tighten sanctions on Russia in response, there was little in the way of on the ground help for te Ukrainians. German. France, and the United Kingdom would form a coalition in support of Ukraine along with multiple smaller nations in the EU, but this would be poorly organized and slow acting. German military performance would be especially poor, owing to much of the country’s equipment being in a state of disrepair.
2027: A treaty is signed bringing the Russo-Ukrainian War to a close, granting Ukraine’s eastern provinces to Russia in a decisive defeat for the EU. This defeat goes on to prompt much domestic discussion within the EU about whether or not the organization is capable of protecting its own interests. Euroscepticism rises as critics point out how the EU’s leading countries were unable to prevent Russia from annexing further gains in Ukraine. France and Germany put forwards a plan to increase centralization within the EU and create an international EU army to respond to situations such as these. The idea gains many advocates due to the events of the war, but is extremely polarizing and pushes critics of the EU even further away.
2028: While the United States is distracted with an election year and the EU is divided by internal debate over its duties and structure, China acs on the intentions that it showed earlier and launches an invasion of Taiwan. This conflict is bloody for both sides, but ultimately, China stands as the winner in the end due to its far larger pool of manpower and equipment. The United States does not intervene, a move which is widely panned by an unhappy population domestically. Germany and France officially propose the European Federation, a more centralized version of the EU that would see the European Parliament take a much larger role in the governance of countries. Japan votes to revoke Article 9 of its constitution in the face of the Chinese annexation of Taiwan, and commits to the security of other East Asian states threatened by territorial disputes with China.
2029: The controversial European Federation proposal sees a bloc of states led by the Visegrad Group file for their exit from the EU. The proposal is criticized by many of these countries as sacrificing national autonomy to serve the interests of the western European powers Germany and France. The Baltic states as well as Sweden and Finland also file to leave, but the remaining nations that remained following the EF proposal become far more integrated. Plans are laid out for an EF Army. Many of the nations that exited the EU begin talks to form a new international organization, an expanded Visegrad Group titled the Visegrad Pact. The Baltic and Scandinavian nations, on the other hand, enter talks with the United Kingdom to form the North European Community.
2030: The Chinese intervention in Afghanistan is still ongoing, and numerous deaths have stacked up for the PLA. As a more aggressive measure, the Chinese intelligence community stages a coup in Afghanistan which installs a government more willing to cooperate with the PLA absolutely. Taliban activity in the country is reduced somewhat, but at the cost of higher foreign control. The split of the Visegrad Pact and the NEC from the European Union is confirmed, and the official groundwork for these new organizations is laid down as the EU is dissolved and replaced by the European Federation. In Africa, a similar project is underway. Meetings begin once again to follow up on the long theorized East African Federation concept.
2032: A new virus similar to the H7N9 strain of the bird flu appears in Los Angeles. Despite a high mortality rate, this virus quickly spreads across the state due to slowness in initially catching onto the infection. The virus soon infects the United States as a whole as well as other countries due to air travel from Los Angeles. The virus is officially dubbed H7N9-2 and within a couple of weeks of its appearance, nations that haven’t been infected yet begin closing their borders to nations that have been infected. The United States sees the worst effects, with over a hundred thousand dead in a couple of months, as well as small scale civil unrest due to supply shortages caused by the virus, but the high lethality ultimately slows the spread and results in the virus dying out the same year it appeared.
2033: Deeper investigation into the H7N9-2 virus reveals that it was most likely designed in a lab and spread by North Korea. The makeup of the virus indicates that it was designed to be especially effective against the ethnic demographics of the United States, and the US government officially presents a theory to the world in front of the United Nations that the pathogen was released by North Korea intentionally as a desperate response to rising tensions with the country. US intelligence was able to find links between North Korea and the patient zero of the virus. The United Nations response is largely milquetoast after China and Russia block American attempts to authorize war against North Korea. Meanwhile, the East African Federation is formed officially.
2034: The United States and South Korea launch a surprise attack on North Korea, wiping out much of its artillery and strategic weaponry in the first hours of the war. While the frontline proves to be a meat grinder, the estimates about the massive civilian casualties from a conflict between the United States and North Korea are largely overstated. While the United States is occupied with the Second Korean War, Iranian backed militias seize territory in eastern Iraq including the city of Basra. This creates a cascade of instability in the region, with the Iraqi Kurds using this as a chance to push for full independence and declare the state of Kurdistan. The Saudis throw their support behind the Iraqi government in the wake of a weak US response, helping to stop the advance of Iranian militias but failing to help recapture land already taken.
2035: North Korea is fully occupied by the US coalition, but insurgency continues by radicalized civilians and KPA holdouts. Kim Jong-Un is killed midway through the year when American special forces raid his hidden bunker in the mountains. The Saudis, in response to Iranian actions in Iraq, launch a renewed invasion of Yemen along with the UAE to remove a pro-Iranian government.
2036: While the insurgency continues in the background, Korea is officially reunified under the Republic of Korea. Efforts begin by the South and other international players to rebuild the war-damaged North, remove the effects of propaganda from the population, and document the crimes of the Kim regime now that the country and its records have been opened. Vladimir Putin is set to leave office in Russia, but a late amendment to the constitution allows him to remain in power for up to a further 8 years - the amendment was largely passed due to a lack of an heir apparent.
2038: The success of the East African Federation concept has led to other regions seeing the value in closer cooperation. A number of states in West Africa, led by Nigeria and Ghana, begin discussing an international organization to facilitate economic and political cooperation and centralization. As tensions in Iraq continue to raise due to ongoing sectarian violence, the Saudis and the UAE form the Mid-Eastern Security Organization. Oman and Yemen also become members, the latter following a regime change.
2041: A promising American startup company known as Cosma announces that it has finished work on a prototype project contracted by NASA. This creation, the fusion engine, presents an opportunity for great leaps in space travel. Test flights are conducted this year, and the technology performs better than expected. Cosma quickly rises up the stock exchange, becoming one of the most valuable companies in America.
2042: Power finally changes hands in Russia, but rather than passing to a true heir of Putin, the new President is a populist candidate Valery Maksimov. Maksimov has neo-Bolshevist and Eurasianist ideas in the mold of Aleksandr Dugin, and made it into power largely behind the support of the masses and elements of the military. The political landscape in Russia has become increasingly polarized in the years prior, with party paramilitaries even emerging among rising street violence related to politics.
2044: Among rising tensions with China, the United States works with Japan to found the East Asian Union - this supranational union of states is composed of Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Laos and Cambodia would be added later. Each of these states largely has an interest against China, and the EAU fosters closer cooperation between them. NASA officially contracts Cosma to help with a manned mission to Mars. Other nations begin working on their own version of Cosma’s technology, with China and Russia leading the effort outside of the western world.
2046: A major bombing occurs at the Super Bowl in Atlanta, leaving thousands dead - the United States blames a neo-Confederate group for the action after a couple of weeks of investigation, though some on the internet believe the attack has the makeup of an inside job. Whether the attack was a false flag or not, it results in the curtailment of civil liberties and privacy within the United States in the coming month as the authorities respond by cracking down on dissident groups across the political spectrum.
2047: Witnessing the increased centralization in other parts of the world with organizations such as the European Federation and East Asian Union rising to power, and with a renewed commitment to security, the United States proposes the Occidental System - an intergovernmental union with Canada and Mexico that would see many higher functions in all three countries integrated in a way similar to the EF. The proposal is unpopular with the Canadian and Mexican people, but is entertained by their politicians.
2048: While the eyes of the western world are on the situation in the Americas, China quietly forms the Collective Security Organization with its close allies. Talks begin for Iranian involvement in the organization. The Occidental System is put forward officially with the Occidental Accords, a treaty outlining the functions of the organization. Protests occur in the US and in Toronto, Mexico City, and other locales. Many politicians, however, continue to push for increased centralization.
2049: NASA’s manned mission to Mars is successful. The Cosma company begins further working with western governments to work on similar projects. The same year, China conducts a manned mission to the moon using their domestic version of the fusion engine and begins work on a moon colony. A number of West African nations form the African Treaty Organization, an alliance against security threats in the region and one that increases the economic connection in the region.
2050: Despite protests from the population, the Occidental Accords are signed. Many government agencies and services are integrated between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This includes the intelligence services of these countries, which are merged under the Occidental Security Organization. NASA is also changed to the North American Aerospace Agency and expanded to include Canada and Mexico within its latest projects. The new OS is criticized for weakening human rights in North America, as the eye of the OSA looms over the continent and routinely violates the fourth amendment.
2052: Conflict sparks on the border between Colombia and Venezuela. Combat breaks out between the two countries days later, and the OS flexes its muscles for the first time since its formation with American support for Colombia through air, sea, and special forces means. China establishes a manned colony on the moon, leading NASA to announce plans to carry out the same feat - as well as doing so on Mars. The European Space Agency joins the race to establish a colony on Mars.
2053: A treaty is signed to end the war between Colombia and Venezuela, after Venezuela loses significant territory and suffers a military coup. The remainder of the nation falls into the Brazilian sphere of influence. With faster space travel becoming available, the Chinese colony on the moon begins to grow at an unprecedented rate. The Chinese government continues to comb through its massive population to identify citizens who have desirable traits to pass down as well as the skills to carry out tasks in the colony.
2055: NASA and the European Space Agency establish manned colonies on Mars as China prepares its own mission to do so. Russia establishes a colony on the moon. The Valken Corporation emerges in Germany as a producer of fusion spaceships for more affordable prices compared to most makers, and starts its business model off by setting up deals with less wealthy countries and blocs such as Egypt and Nigeria.
2058: The Sao Paulo Agreement is signed between a number of South American countries led by Brazil, mainly with the goal of increasing the Brazilian sphere of influence and helping the nation make strides as a power independent of the United States. In Africa, the expansion of South African influence in the southern part of the continent has continued for years. This leads to growing tension in the Congo where South African and ATO companies compete for resources.
2060: Iraq becomes the newest member of the Mid-Eastern Security Organization, but a low level Shia insurgency remains in the eastern part of the country, backed by Iran. Valken establishes its own bases on Mars, impressing the world with the speed at which it was able to do so with its own technology. The creation of the “digital brain” lays the groundwork for more complex AI and robotics in the future.
2062: Turkey’s moderate government is replaced by a military coup with a more hardline, neo-Ottoman one along the same lines of the government that oversaw the previous invasion of Syria. This also becomes a matter of controversy in the EF due to the pending spaceship sales to Turkey from the Valken Corp. Valken was set to sell two spaceships to Turkey, but the EF rules to block the sale as part of sanctions against the new government. Valken rules that the product will be delivered to their client regardless.
2063: Valken company officials are brought before court in Germany as the beginning of legal action due to their sale of spaceships to Turkey. However, in a surprise move, the company begins moving its assets to Malaysia shortly afterwards. Its German assets that can’t be moved are liquidated, and its company leadership is absent by the time of their next court date. While the headquarters is officially reopened in Malaysia, where Valken’s Asian branch was based, the company’s true intentions are to bring their operations into space primarily. This incident, known as the Valken Affair, leaves the EF without its largest spaceship supplier and forces it to change future plans.
2065: The Occidental Security Agency publishes a report warning about the largest internal threats for the future - neoconfederate secessionist terrorism, communist terrorism, and the massive population of generally disaffected youth. The previously dead southern secessionist movement is once again taken seriously due to the increasing government overreach in recent years. As the federal government and the supranational Occidental System bodies grow more powerful, many communities in regions like the south and the heartland feel that they are no longer represented properly by their elected officials. Many factions of the left wing have also become increasingly radicalized due to the frequent government mingling with powerful megacorporations.
2067: Major metropolitan areas across North America suffer from power outages, which are allegedly the result of a specialized computer virus designed to target the power grid. The attack is blamed by the OSA on the Truth Tellers, an anarchist hacking collective that had previously been responsible for the release of classified information on multiple occasions. The attack causes many billions of dollars of lost economic productivity and causes civil unrest during the weeks that it takes to get the grid fully operational again. The OSA places a $1M reward for information leading to the arrest of the group.
2068: Much of India comes to a standstill as economic stagnation and frustration with the government leads to labor strikes around the country, including a trucker’s strike that stops key supplies from moving. Citizens in Kashmir who are sympathetic to Pakistan use this as a chance to protest their situation. As the crisis enters its second month and strikes repeatedly bringing the country to a halt, the Pakistani Army moves into Kashmir with the aim of capitalizing on the situation. Pakistani and Indian jets soon clash over the region. Due to both domestic issues and the war, India falls into a state of chaos and Pakistan is able to make an organized push towards New Delhi. This is halted when India deploys tactical nuclear weapons, triggering an escalation and a larger exchange between both sides.
2069: The global economy enters a slowdown due to the large nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan and a slight global cooling effect is seen. Both nations have overplayed their hand and are only held together by provisional governments based away from their major cities. The war continues, but with both armies in a more battered state. The United Nations largely loses what confidence its member states still had in it, due to its inability to stop the outcome of the war or even broker a peace treaty afterwards. China intervenes in the war on the side of Pakistan, partly due to its own territorial dispute with India. Still, the war has no end in sight and the Indian Provisional Government does not have full control of its military units to potentially issue a stand-down order.
2070: A man is killed in a shootout in broad daylight at an internet cafe in Lagos, Nigeria - this man is Jonas Daelman, allegedly the founder of the Truth Tellers. The hit is believed to have been carried out by the OSA, and draws complaints from the ATO for ignoring international law. The Indian Provisional Government signs a peace treaty to end the war with Pakistan and China, but many military units along the Chinese border continue to fight against the occupation of Indian territory by the PLA. Some of India’s largest cities lie in ruins, as do Pakistan’s, and the largest refugee crisis in recent memory begins. Due to the widespread instability, previously defeated Naxalite insurgents rise up once again in the east and south of India. Pakistan experiences similar problems with Muslim militants.
2071: The Valken Corp announces a program for refugees from India to settle within its Martian colony of Dasslerstadt. The offer comes with the challenges of living in an entirely corporate controlled settlement, but many accept nonetheless. Valken is also rumored to have taken in members of the Truth Tellers on Mars, giving them immunity in exchange for their technical know-how and possibly their practical skills.
2075: Russia’s President Yevgeni Naumov of the National Eurasian Party is shot dead by his mistress in his private retreat - the cause of death is initially kept under wraps, but the details leak to the media about a week later including the fact that this mistress was allegedly a synthetic human or ‘synth.’ This is one of the first high profile incidents showing the dangers of the digital brain, which was previously perceived more optimistically. In the months that follow, nations around the world begin adding laws that restrict AIs and androids to varying extents, ranging from complete bans to complex legal codes regulating the physical and mental abilities of these artificial beings. In most western countries, consumer synths are mandated by law to have limits on their abstract thinking ability and intellect, keeping it at around a human level, as well as overrides which are held by the owner. At government and corporate levels, these restrictions are far more eased.
2078: The corporate headquarters of Microsoft, a major company involved with the production of androids and AI, is bombed by two individuals sympathetic to the Synthetic Liberation Movement. Multiple attacks happen this year in a similar vein, in a number of countries.
2084: Peru enters an economic crisis, partly owing to its status as neither a close partner of the Occidental System or the Sao Paulo Agreement. The government in power largely attempted to play both sides against each other, but failed to gain many benefits from either. The Peruvian military responds to civil unrest in response to the economic crisis harshly, and the general unstable situation in the country leads to the expansion of previously low level neo-Marxist insurgencies.
2087: Three years on, the Peruvian government has extended its rule through the use of a ‘national emergency’ and the military still responds harshly to anti-government protests. This only feeds into the popular support for the Marxist insurgencies in the countryside, which take large amounts of territory and gain military equipment and training from military defectors. The Peruvian Crisis is upgraded to a full scale civil war by most media sources. The Occidental System provides covert support for the Peruvian government.Due to the semi-sandbox nature of the RP, characters are placed into roles that give them a sense of direction. Basically, your character’s role is what they do and where they are in life. You are allowed to define the role of your character yourself, and it doesn’t have to follow what’s outlined here, but these roles are listed to get you thinking about it and offer inspiration. Having a clear idea of who your character is going into the RP prevents you from spending time making them only to run into the classic sandbox RP problem of not knowing what to do with them. Think of it like a character class from an RPG, but a bit more freeform.
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++ Civilians
The most basic role is of the civilian. They make up the vast majority of the population and they usually aren’t privy to higher political decisions, corporate conspiracies, or exciting gunfights. That’s not to say that playing a civilian character has to be boring, however. Civilians are often wrapped up in intrigue themselves, and not always intentionally. In a more cutthroat world, journalists have to brave far more danger to report stories that the powers that be would like to have covered up. Most corporate employees are regular civilians, and they can easily stumble into larger intrigue. The megacities of the future are vibrant and active places, and it doesn’t take someone special to end up in an adventure while living in one. This might be the most baseline role, but it provides many opportunities for active plotlines if you use a bit of creativity.
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++ Corporates
Just like in many pieces of cyberpunk media, the corporate world is an important part of global affairs in Genesis 2089. Many of the largest companies from today have ballooned to even larger sizes, and new players have arisen to compete with them. The environment created by the expansion of corporate power is a cutthroat one, both at the street level and higher up. CEOs routinely scheme against each other and figure out the best ways to ahead both legally and illegally, while corporate agents often act outside of the law to advance the interests of their clients. That’s not to paint a dystopian picture of the world where these factions are universally the bad guy, however. The largest companies have also driven forward innovation in areas such as space travel and AI, and their presence has been a net gain for the wealth of many developing countries. However, while much of what they do has good effects to some extent, the way they pursue their aims is often ruthless and more than a little sketchy. Members of these companies ranging from executives to street level operatives and mercenaries, or even scientists and researchers, won’t have a hard time finding interesting situations to get involved in.
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++ Punks
More along the lines of the classic cyberpunk character. Society has developed a certain way throughout the decades and these characters aren’t the biggest fans of it - this role represent the outcasts and abnormals who can come from a variety of backgrounds but find themselves on the outside looking in most of the time. They can be gang members, smugglers, independent mercenaries who aren’t quite fond of their high profile corporate or government clients, or any number of other career paths. This role is less about what they do and more about who they are, though, most characters with this role will be some kind of independent freelancer instead of working with a large organization. They might even be rebels trying to tear the system down.
++ Soldiers
The ones who fight for a country in one way or another. This can come in a variety of ways. They might be a mercenary fighting for a country they have little connection to, or they might be a patriot that went into the military as soon as they were eligible. Their role doesn’t matter, either. From hotshot ACU pilots to ace fighter pilots to the average grunt responding to a crisis on the ground, most characters who are tied with a military unit or mercenary outfit in one way or another would fall under this category. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it, and there’s more shadow wars and unreported conflicts happening than ever these days… A good chance for both soldiers of fortune and those who were born to wear the colors.
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++ Politicos
While corporate power has risen significantly, it still hasn’t replaced the role of the nation in world affairs. Some of the most powerful people on Earth are those who work within government. The politico is the role of character that deals with these types of affairs, and they can range from someone doing the government’s bidding as a private agent all the way up to leaders who make executive decisions. Generally if they’re a politician or they work for one, they fall under this category.
++ Techies
Electronics play a bigger role in the current future than they have at any past point in history. Not only has technology expanded greatly to allow things such as space colonization, but lifelike androids walk the streets and AIs can be found within every big company to some extent. People who work with technology are more valuable than ever, and in light of the tech developments of the last 50 years, should have plenty of chances to get involved in intrigue. Whether it’s sabotaging an android to take out a high value target or hacking into the database of a trillion dollar corporation and turning over the data to the highest bidder, there’s no shortage of profitable opportunities for those in the tech field. That is, of course, if they’re smart enough to stay one step ahead of the competition and their enemies.
++ Synths
Synthetic humans come in various shapes and sizes, but like the name indicates, they all use AI to imitate mankind. However, due to their artificial bodies, they can have superhuman physical traits as well as quicker thinking compared to actual humans. Synths are employed by a variety of clients, and most synths have owners who can override their free will - this might be a corporation, government, or even a private citizen. But a smaller number of free synths do indeed exist, and they can be extremely dangerous criminals, assassins, or terrorists…
++ Mafiosos
Many types of lower level petty criminals fall under the punk category, but there exists another type of criminal - the mafioso. These criminals operate at a far higher level, moving contraband goods across borders without fear and often having their hands in legitimate businesses to bring in additional income. The Italian Mafia, the Triads, and the Yakuza are all examples of groups that operate in this way. However, over the past 50 years, these groups have not only re-emerged but have also been joined by other names around the world as international borders became weaker through multinational alliances and even space colonies were opened up as new territories to use as ‘turf.’ This path provides no shortage of action and intrigue for those that brave the inherent risks.Is this a cyberpunk thread?
It’s a post-cyberpunk thread, more or less. It does have big cyberpunk elements but there’s some differences. Here’s how TVTropes partly describes the genre:
“Post-Cyberpunk is intended to present a less pessimistic, more realistic vision. Where Cyberpunk is anti-corporate and anti-government, Post-Cyberpunk is willing to give both parties redeeming features. Where Cyberpunk portrays the future as a Crapsack World, Post-Cyberpunk posits society will probably be about the same, just with cooler gadgets and Crapsaccharine World aspects. Where Cyberpunk is futuristic, forward-thinking and on the cutting edge... so is Post-Cyberpunk.”
What does this mean for the RP? Well, not much specifically, but expect it not to be written as a standard dystopia with a defined bad guy side oppressing a defined good guy side. Don’t expect corps or government agents to kick puppies just because they can. Also, I imagined the scope of this thread being wider than an average cyberpunk story. I don’t want to follow just the punks but rather the story of the world in general. Street level punks, corporate agents, soldiers in barren warzones, etcetera. The inspirations of the setting do include cyberpunk franchises such as Ghost in the Shell, Cyberpunk 2020, and Psycho Pass but also sources as wide as Killzone, Girls Frontline, Ace Combat, and even Evangelion. Basically, varied stuff across different genres.
Is this a nation/faction RP?
It’s mainly a character based thread and not a faction based one. However, the world was fleshed out a lot beforehand because the greater context will be important for a lot of character moments in the RP. That’s not to say that nations and factions aren’t an important party of the story - they are, but most of the perspective will still follow individual people instead of focusing on orders from the top like in a faction thread. For example, a war may be played out through the point of view of soldiers on the ground rather than through lists of high level orders being issued to tens of thousands of soldiers at a time. As another example, a character could be a corporate executive but the focus would be on their personal decisions and not earnings calculations and company resources.
Does this have mechanics?
The answer is kinda. But there’s no need to panic because this won’t make more work for you. Mosts of the posts you write won’t require any mechanics and can be handled completely freeform. And there’s no need to roll dice to do something like take out some generic NPCs. However, in more story important sections of the RP, rolls against difficulty ratings may be used to determine certain parts of combat or other tasks. This isn’t to take control away from the player - it’s to ensure a fair and objective outcome.
Let’s say your character is on a plot significant mission and you have to face a powerful enemy to proceed. There wouldn’t be much plot tension if you could just give yourself an automatic victory. And if the fight was written with no mechanics, it would rely on subjective judgements. Instead of debating about whether or not attacks hit and about the minute details of how strong a character is, settling it with rolls that are based on the difficulty of the encounter is a fairer option. As the player, you won’t have to figure out mechanics yourself. The rolls will be handled by the person running the flashpoint, who will give you the results.
What is the realism level?
Semi-realism. You can do things that aren’t inherently realistic - and many elements of the RP contain unrealism - but things should remain believable and make sense. Using tech that scientists haven’t figured out in real life is fine. Even giving your character the benefit of the doubt and considering them stronger than NPCs is fine. But things like weapons that only exist to be flashy with no practical purpose to them or like your character mowing down 20 mercenaries with no consideration for strategy or self preservation aren’t.
There will also be IC consequences for things. For example, an assassin who pursues their target brashly and with unnecessary violence can expect to deal with increased security when they reach their target. While taking out 10 guards in broad daylight might have been fun, it won’t be so fun when you find your target under guard by an ACU and its 20mm cannons. You can feel free to use weapons that are overkill for a task, but don’t be shocked when you draw heat from the authorities if you don’t have permission to use those weapons.
Long story short, you get out what you put in. Hard realism won’t be enforced, and you have a lot of room to accomplish your goals in the way you want, but thinking that the entire world revolves around your character and that they’re an invincible action hero will usually have negative consequences. You will, of course, be warned OOCly if you’re heading down that path but still have time to avoid it.
- The word of the OP and by extension co-OPs is final. These kinds of ‘executive decisions’ won’t happen often, but there’s no point dragging them out into big arguments in the event one does happen. Such a decision would only be made for a strong reason and when an executive decision is made, things are already past the point of arguing.
- No retconning actions. You can retcon things that are impossible, for example if you wrote a post based on incorrect info and the actions in the post don’t work because of it. But not regular decisions. Whether it’s good or bad, you have to live with the outcome.
- Being honest about activity is expected. If you don’t have time to write for something, that’s fine. But please avoid involving your characters in plots that you won’t actually have time to write for actively.
- There will be a Discord and you will get the link when you join. Discord participation isn’t explicitly mandatory. However, as a fair warning, you will basically be a step behind without it and miss out on collaboration with other players as most of this happens on the server and it’s far easier to communicate those things over there. Sorry to the anti-Discord crowd, but having long conversations and sharing relevant images, aesthetics, mission strategies, and other things just isn’t as viable through forum posting in this day and age.
- You may choose which dates your posts take place. There’s no hard ‘canon’ date that applies for everyone. Preferably, the posts stay somewhere close to each other in timeframe.
- Your character should be reasonably balanced for their role. I.E., a street punk with some experience as a bouncer on weekends would have less combat skill than a trained corporate mercenary. Most average civilians aren’t good at combat at all. You have a fair amount of leeway to use cybernetics to advance your skills. However, keep in mind that advanced cybernetics are still cutting edge relatively recent technology and that most characters aren’t going to go for intrusive surgeries such as replacing limbs with stronger replacements. If your character does go down this route, you should consider their personal reasons for doing so.
- You can make your own weapons, cybernetics, etc. But the logic behind it should make sense. Futuristic and cutting edge weapons like gauss rifles are fine. A quadruple barreled shotgun that glows in the dark and has an underbarrel grenade launcher isn’t.
- You can create factions for your character’s background or to get involved in specific plots. If you plan on doing this, please bring it up beforehand so the fit with the world can be discussed. Also so your custom faction can be integrated into existing plots if applicable. NPC characters can also be made without an application required.
- Your character isn’t tied to one flashpoint. After making a character, you can use them anywhere in the world - and which flashpoint they join is up to you, although obviously, some flashpoints are specifically meant for specific types of characters or even crafted around one or two characters in isolation.
- Code: Select all
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[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]CHARACTER PROFILE; <Insert Character Full Name>[/i][/b][/color]
[color=#b54e80][size=90][b]++ <Insert Character Role>[/b][/size][/color]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Name:[/i][/b][/color]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Appearance:[/i][/b][/color] [floatright][img]Insert image here or replace this section with a description. Anime or realistic style drawn art is preferred, but real pics can be used also.[/img][/floatright]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Role:[/i][/b][/color] (See the character roles section. If you're using something outside of the primary roles, you can describe what they are with this section.)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Age:[/i][/b][/color]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Gender:[/i][/b][/color]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Nationality:[/i][/b][/color]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Residence:[/i][/b][/color] (Where are they mainly based?)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Affiliation:[/i][/b][/color] (Who are they working for? If no one, they are considered a freelancer.)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Build:[/i][/b][/color] (Height/Weight and any other physique related details you want to add.)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Cybernetics / Genetic Enhancements:[/i][/b][/color] (If applicable. Keep in mind that more intrusive cybernetics such as artificial limbs are rarer and mainly used by professionals instead of civilians. This section also includes genetic enhancements that can be of a cosmetic or practical nature.)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Equipment:[/i][/b][/color] (Things that they use frequently. Examples include a soldier's military equipment, a hacker's laptop and wiretapping devices, or even a motorcycle a cyberpunk uses to get around. Be sure to give some detail on things like weapons.)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Skills:[/i][/b][/color] (What's their skillset? What makes them good at what they do?)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Weaknesses:[/i][/b][/color] (What aren't they so great at? What holds them back?)
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Personality:[/i][/b][/color]
[color=#b54e80][b]++ [i]Biography:[/i][/b][/color] (This doesn't have to be super long for the sake of being super long, but it should be a couple of paragraphs at least. And give us an idea of who the character is, not just a list of the events they've participated in throughout their life.)
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[size=85]#G89 - Tracking Tag[/size][/box]------------------
