The Cleaners of Develop City (A cyberpunk story)

It has been fifty years since the Fall virus first ravaged the Earth, bringing nations to their knees and nearly bringing an end to humanity as it has been known. However thanks to the intervention of the Big Five humanity was pulled back from the brink, able to survive within massive fortress cities around the globe. Within the walls of these cities humanity has retaken modern life into their hands and have begun the process to reclaim the world one step at a time.

However even within these bastions of life and progress there are dangers. Those mutated Mimic's who can perfectly take after a humans form all while hiding their sinister nature from all but the deepest of biological scans. They seek to spread the Fall virus once more and bring what little light humanity has managed to scrape out of the darkness fall dim once more.

To combat the ever looming threat of Mimics and Fallen the Big Five corporations have put together specialized rapid reaction teams that can be deployed in an instant to combat threats of Fallen and various other radical groups working within the fortress cities to pull back human progress.

You are a member of this force, a Cleaner tasked with the protection of the people from the forces that seek to mutate human life.

-This message brought to you by Malik Pharmaceuticals. A brighter tomorrow in view.

Important Terms

• Fall Virus- A fast moving pathogen that mutates the human body to a point where it is utterly unrecognizable and extremely hostile. Those infected by the disease either mutate into Fallen, or become the much more sinister Mimics.

• Fallen- Those who have reached the end stages of the Fall virus infection, having become living biological weapons. They are characterized by extreme durability and a single minded drive to hunt and destroy other living things. The mutations themselves seem random, but always produce a specimen suited for combat.

• Mimics- Humanoid Fallen that show an almost human intelligence and have a near infinite ability to modify their own bodies at will. They contain the Fall virus in its purest form, and can infect other living things by touch.

• The Crafted- Humans who were saved early on during infection from the Fall virus by implanting mechanical 'cores' inside of them to help regulate their systems and fight the infection within them. These cores expand wires throughout the human body, allowing various mechanical prosthetics to be attached to the body. Normally used to replace already mutated parts of the body, but some take it further as either a survival method or political statement.

-New Cores brought to you by Strx Corp. Remember, your future is within sight!

• Risen- Fallen who have undergone intense surgery and drug regimens to reclaim human form and intelligence. While most early attempts ended in failure the new Reclaimer surgery has over a sixty percent proven success rate on cases caught within three weeks. Risen are characterized by superhuman physical abilities and some minor ability to control their bodies, such as reshaping bone into weapons or hardening their skin to deflect bullets. Each has a mask welded over their faces which keeps a constant flow of drugs into their brains to keep the Fall virus in stasis.

-Those you loved will no longer be lost. Bright Corp. For a better tomorrow.

• The Pure- Slang term for humans who are free of infection from the Fall virus. The only classification of humanity that can pilot the Keeper class battlesuits due to genetic restrictions put in place by their creator.

• Keeper Class Battlesuit- A form of mechanical armor that can only be piloted by those without a trace of the Fall virus in their bodies. Towering at nine to ten feet of metal each Keeper Battlesuit is considered a powerful force against the Fallen and other threats to humanity. Each unique Battlesuit is connected to a 'signal watch' and can be deployed throughout the city in a matter of moments through use of the underground passages.

-Your future protected by steel and firepower. Nextec Solutions.

• The Church of Flesh- A terrorist organization run by Mimics that treats the Fall virus as the next step in human evolution. The single greatest threat to modern humanity. The most active enemy of the corporations and their Cleaners.

• The Next- A group of Crafted that have modified their bodies and cores to become as close to machines as possible and seek to spread their influence to other humans through force. A small group compared to the Church but still a threat.

Character Sheets

• Name:

• Age:

• Classification: (Crafted, Risen, Pure)

• Enhancements: (Crafted only. What parts of the body have been replaced or added on.)

• Form Control: (Risen only. Basically what kind of ability they call call up. Hardening of skin, turning bones into weapons, rapid regeneration, etc.)

• Keeper Battlesuit: (Pure only. Basic description of weapons/appearance of personalized battlesuit.)

• Weapons: (Cleaners have access to the best and latest but are also given freedom to choose their own tools.)

• Personality:

• Backstory:

• Appearance:

-Safety within the walls, guarded against the end. Marlo Corp. To the next step.

• Name: Khlosarine "Kloë" Kinber
• Age: 23
• Classification: Crafted
• Enhancements:
  • Full Limb Prosthetics: Kloë's injuries upon arrival have rendered her arms and legs useless, and so the lower halves of all four of her limbs have been replaced with advanced bionic replications instead. Due to braces that run through even her unaffected regions (generated by her core), she has been granted superhuman strength and speed by these prosthetics, and they are strong enough to let her punch even through concrete and forcibly grip into walls for her to climb. Her limbs are also constructed in a segmented fashion, and so can move in a fluid manner reminiscent of actual human limbs rather than the clunky manner usually expected from prosthetics.
  • Spinal Prosthetics: To help support her back, Kloë has a segmented group of braces running up her spine to straighten her posture; outfitted with extendable stabilizer limbs that enable her to traverse otherwise difficult terrain and even scale walls and ceilings without much difficulty. These spinal, spiderlike limbs can also lengthen into sharp, lethally manoeuvrable weapons to strike down and stab her opponents with, and despite their intended use to simply assist her movement Kloë almost seems to prefer relying on them entirely to get around sometimes. These spider limbs are usually next to silent barring a slight whirr with quick movement, but piercing into concrete to climb always ends up louder than she expects.
  • Ventilator: The injuries to her spine mean that Kloë is effectively paralyzed from the neck down, making even breathing normally next to impossible. As such, she has a ventilator integrated into her spinal prosthesis in the form of a collar, allowing her to breath artificially. Like her spinal limbs, this ventilator is usually next to silent—barring if it's clogged up or damaged, to which it'll usually give away her position if she's trying to stay hidden.
• Weapons:
  • Collapsible Sniper Rifle: An powerful sniper rifle with the capability of folding into itself so as to latch onto her back for storage. It is usually presented flush with her spinal braces, but can be deployed on a whim by her and features an extendable stand for quick accuracy in firing at long-distance targets. This weapon has her advanced manoeuvrability in mind, and as such is perfectly suited to her scouting role and predatory strategies.
• Personality: Kloë might've once been a decent, empathetic person once a long time ago, but by this point she seems to only be filled with an abnormal, perpetual sense of anger and stubbornness according to what she believes is right. Self-loathing to an irrational level, Kloë lacks a deeper understanding of even her own mind and as such finds herself pinning the blame on others instead—insisting on following her instincts and feelings and having become brash and irresponsible as a result. She both despises and relishes her full limb prostheses; traumatized by the abruptness of their fitting (and the lack of permission in general) yet also enjoying the power they give her. Though her intentions may be sometimes noble on paper, Kloë's methods are sporadic and at times sociopathic—as she seems to lack patience and aims to use force and fear-mongering over slower, more subtle strategies. Kloë is ultimately a rebel misguided and lacking in self-control, paranoid and dangerous despite her claims to the contrary. If she can be changed remains to be seen, but in whatever case it's bound to be a difficult process for her and everyone around her to get through.
• Backstory: Kloë was severely affected by the Fall virus before she was saved in emergency surgery; having started to mutate heavily in her spinal regions to the point where her upper vertebrae had been irreversibly damaged and thus paralyzing her from the neck down. To save her, she was fitted with a core, a spinal brace to support her weakened back, and a collection of replacement prosthetics to grant her movement again despite her still-present paralysis. Despite Big Five's original intention of creating a new type of superhuman fighter out of Kloë, she has unfortunately been damaged mentally by the procedures—either due to the experiences of her cybernetics being implanted or something deeper to do with her core. As a result, she awoke in an erratic and paranoid state before being calmed down, and even though she has since been physically trained since then she has still shown some long-term effects. Ultimately deemed a failed experiment yet kept as a useful asset, Kloë has begun to garner a reputation as both a predatory figure and a respectable sniper at the same time—even if her abrasive personality has cost her a lot of potential friendships in the meantime.
• Appearance: 6'0"◊. Icy blue eyes combined a characteristically cold stare seems to be a well-practiced effect over something unintentional. Stands in a forced upright position, as any kind of hunch would be painful for her. Sometimes prioritizes movement with her spinal limbs exclusively—usually if she's trying to present herself in an intimidating fashion.

• Name: Marah Tarrokh
• Age: 27
• Classification: Risen
• Form Control:
  • Dark Rapunzel: Marah can manipulate her hair at will. Her hair can split into prehensile tendrils at her beck and call, able to wield things with fine dexterity. She can braid her hair strands together to render them durable and strong enough to resist bullets and punch through steel. Alternatively, she can split them into even finer strands, which are easier to break, but which are incredibly sharp like razor wire.
  • Growth: Marah's hair naturally grows about a centimeter a day. She can, however, force it to grow faster, up to approximately ten centimeters per second. This requires her complete focus, so it isn't something she can do in the thick of battle. She can also retract her hair at will.
  • Keratin Bullet: Marah can expel strands of her hair as bullet-speed projectiles. Thicker strands act like heavy crossbow bolts, while thin ones are more like needles.
• Weapons: None. Due to her vanity, Marah refuses to use any weapon other than her own body.
• Personality: Prior to her Reclamation, Marah was vain and obsessed with beauty. With her face disfigured and perpetually hidden behind a mask, she instead dwells on her body and her hair. In her spare time, she brushes her flowing locks for hours on end, finding comfort in the repetitive motion. Believing herself to be superior to the so-called 'Pure', Marah is resentful of those who have never suffered the virus, especially those who use Keepers. For what right have others to try and obtain power without sacrificing anything in return? Nonetheless, she's willing to work with them out of a sense of professionalism, though is curt and passive-agressive towards them at the best of time. To those who have been infected, be they Crafted or Risen, she's far more sympathetic. Her fellow Risen interest her the most, and she enjoys seeing them use their own abilities.
• Backstory: The daughter of a wealthy man, a bureaucrat higher-up in Bright Corp, Marah was used to a life of affluence even in the Fallen world. Every day she would spend hours toying with makeup and skin creams, desiring to make herself as beautiful as possible. Detached from others, haughty and vain, Marah expected the world on a golden platter, never believing she was undeserving, or thinking her world would ever change. And then she discovered that one of her family's maidservants had been a Mimic. A single touch, and her once-beautiful face began to mutate and distort. Her mind went hazy. The Mimic was stopped, and Marah was quickly taken away for Reclamation. But the damage was done. Marah awoke to a face that was twisted and scarred. She wept, welcoming the mask that covered her. No longer believing herself to be worthy of inheriting her father's wealth, Marah freely accepted life as a Cleaner.
• Appearance: A slender, dark-skinned woman standing at 5'2", Marah has flowing, thick black hair that falls down to her ankles. Her hair is an unnaturally dark shade of black, which barely reflects any light, making it almost seem like solid darkness. Her Risen Mask completely covers her face and matches her skin color. It's painted with a portrait of a beautiful woman's face.

• Name: Vanilla "Van" Almondmilk
• Age: 25
• Classification: Pure
• Keeper Battlesuit: The Bright Corp "4444" is a refurbished battlesuit, an older model in its third renovation—a Bright Corp suit refitted by the Church and again refitted back to Bright Corp standards. It's a gangly suit of armor with long forearms and shins—Van's limbs only get out to the elbows—and a pointed, beaky head. It's not very strong, but the limbs are ball-jointed at the elbow and contain dedicated chemical sprayers for offense and defense. The whole thing is painted very specifically to Bright Corp standards, with logos expertly placed and maintained. Its primary payloads are:
  • Intelligent paints that can be customized for whatever she needs (most often repairing her paintjob)
  • "Worse Than Lethal" modern day milspec antipersonnel pepper sprays
  • Sealant spray to put out fires and plug holes
  • Acidic mist that can rapidly rust metal to pieces
• Weapons: The Bright Corp 9mm PDW, a compact pistol that folds up into a flip phone sized rectangle for easy storage in a hip pouch.
• Personality: Van is a recovering fanatic that is drinking the koolaid hard. She really values fervor and violence, and she thinks that she also really needs to express other people have value too, not only to the company but to her personally. One of the only things she has complicated feelings about is the 4444, but she thinks that fighting as a Cleaner is how she figures that out.
• Backstory: Van's family are freako naturalists from the Church of Flesh, crazy druids that regularly kidnapped people for "sacrifices" via exposure to the virus. She was selected early to pilot a "sacred vessel" they thought had been serendipitously gifted to them—that is, a Keeper Battlesuit with the security locks broken. It didn't go great for the Church. On her first mission out at 17 she was taken down by Bright Corp, but not killed. At the time it was because all the pistols and other low-caliber weapons they'd use to pop her while she was unconscious in the cockpit were jammed or broken and anything worse would damage the hardware more than necessary, but the present narrative is that they saw potential in her and granted her mercy under a life debt. Understandably this now means that the Bright Corp owned her entire ass and she underwent a radical reeducation regime to break her of her more antisocial beliefs and behaviors. She insists there wasn't any of that Clockwork Orange stuff. When she emerged at 23 she was finally bought in on Bright Corp's mission and immediately asked to be reassigned to her old battlesuit, this time for use against her old people. She had another year of retraining to get updated on the machines, but she was ready for the Cleaners after, to try to help more people just like her.
• Appearance: Van keeps her hair cut to company policy. She doesn't really wear clothes of her own, though, and mostly just wears either a jumpsuit or underclothes. She stands at about 5'2.