We Can Rebuild: Post-Apocalyptic Cyberpunk RP (Interest Check)

The year is 3329.

For around a millennia now, the human race has settled into a New Era of life. In the 21st century, a great malevolent Entity known as Mother enslaved the small Pennsylvanian town of Malrick, transforming its occupants into an undead horde of Sorrows. Eventually expanding her influence beyond Malrick’s borders, world governments soon noticed the disappearances originating from the territory of the seemingly-abandoned town; and Mother soon began to fight back in full once humanity discovered the secret dimension she’d created for her zombielike followers to thrive in. Unifying together in order to defeat the Entity, humanity finally won against her late in the year of 3285 after centuries of desperate battling—some 1,200 years after she first made herself known. However, in the fortified Cities which now protect humanity’s survivors, corrosive rain still falls on the unprotected slums, Mother’s undead hordes still claw at their walls, and a lack of fertile ground caused by Mother’s cataclysmic influence has caused a reliance on lab-grown fakefoods for sustenance. Even in their newfound freedom from the direct threat of Mother, humanity continues to hide—too afraid of the lingering eldritch influence to reclaim the Earth for themselves. Even now in the very territory where humanity’s oppression began, the walled megapolis of New Malrick has sprung up to replace the old town that was its namesake.

Humanity has not stopped developing even despite their isolation, however: in New Malrick, advanced cybernetics and prosthetic technology have become a widespread presence as a charitable affair for the war-torn front liners to recover from their injuries. But what began as selfless charity has rapidly spiralled into a commercialised hell, and the human race has quickly fallen back into old habits. The fortified Interior of New Malrick thrives in pompous privilege, while the slums of the Outskirts struggle to even survive without being in constant peril from the eldritch Rotfall lingering from Mother’s presence corroding at their roofs; not to mention the threat of it mutating those caught in it into the same undead Sorrows which the city is supposed to defend them from. All the while, the brutish power-armoured forces of the New Malrick Civil Taskforce quash undead threats from both within the city and immediately without, uncaring of whether the surviving families witness the carnage or not. But much like the city's endless routines of indolence, these undead Sorrows cannot remain destroyed forever.

Mother has been pushed into the ocean—wounded and weakened—but whether she has truly gone for good nobody knows. Nobody cares anymore, in fact, since they're eking out whatever life they can in their respective communities. New Malrick is only one of many Cities across what remains of the world, after all. Humanity is indeed regaining their footing, but they’re all still trapped in oppressive, lonely prisons just like it.

What will ultimately become of them? We shall see.

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Hello everyone! This is an interest check/signup thread for my latest attempt at a successful RP; We Can Rebuild. This is based on a dystopian setting that’s been rattling around in my brainspace for quite some time now, and I think only now it is more or less ready to try and build something resembling a game around.

With all that said, this will most likely turn out to be a very hands-off sandbox experience more than a heavily narrative-driven game, purely because of time commitments on my end and a bad experience with writing story-focused RPs. Still, this means that you can make your own stories within the world, and I have a work-in-progress document linked here that I’ve covered the basics in and will most likely expand upon once I get some more ideas for the setting. Part of the reason I made this an interest check and not a signup thread straightaway is so anyone who's interested can contribute their own ideas to better flesh out the world. Even now it's open, please join in with the notion that this RP will probably demand a bit of understanding of the lore and backstory to be accepted.

Speaking of, a basic rundown. This is a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk setting, where humanity has just defeated an eldritch entity known as Mother only 44 years before the present time of the RP. Due to Mother releasing a devastating acidic rain that wiped out almost all life on the surface of the Earth—converting the unfortunate people caught in it into undead thralls—humanity has retreated into walled settlements across the globe in an effort to survive and eventually thrive in isolation despite the supernatural threats plaguing them. With Mother now being pushed into the sea, the immediate threat has vanished, however her undead hordes and mutative Black Rain (or Rotfall) still plagues the planet and decays the earth; transforming all living things caught in it into zombielike “Sorrows.”

The city we’ll be focusing on is New Malrick, the largest City in Pennsylvania and built upon the original town of Malrick that Mother had originally taken over in the 21st century. Thanks to centuries of desperate conflicts to defend this settlement, New Malrick has prospered enough to have a large population and a relatively cushy lifestyle for most people living within its walls—barring those unfortunate enough to live in the Outskirts, of course. New Malrick is a melting pot of different cultures, names, and languages all corrupted by collective isolation and time, so feel free to go hog-wild in terms of silly sci-fi names or fake languages all you want. Supernatural characters are however either off the table entirely or heavily limited; partially for in-universe reasons, as New Malrick does not welcome those who could potentially be connected to Entities such as Mother. Though there is some existing lore present in the doc provided, I’m open to changes or suggestions according to player input: so long as it doesn’t compromise the relatively oppressive tone I’m aiming for.

Ultimately, this is a casual project that I’m hoping to use to develop this setting further, and also have fun with some friends in writing for it! If you’re interested in joining in, please hop into the Discord channel. Sign-ups are now open, so feel free to use this template for whatever characters you come up with!

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CHARACTER SHEET TEMPLATE

• Name: General rule with names and surnames: try and make them corrupted, phonetic shifts of existing names. For example, Malcolm > Malkham, Chloe > Kloë, Jacob > Jaekob etc. This isn't a rigid rule and you can use real names if you really want to, but try to evoke some kind of sci-fi vibe with them without making them completely unintelligible.
• Age: I'd advise an age over 18 at the very least, since this RP will likely have a very dark tone that some might feel uncomfortable exposing younger characters to, but depending on the context I might accept characters below that age if they seem suitable enough.
• Appearance: Depending on where your character is from and their general status, try and match their looks with what's reasonably available to them.
• Personality:
• Skills/Abilities: Unless you're playing an undead Sorrow or Revenant (which is a risky venture in and of itself) make sure these are mundane abilities, not superpowers or magic. If you are playing a Sorrow or Revenant, make sure any supernatural powers they have sticks close to the lore detailed in the document.
• (Optional) Cybernetics: Cybernetics are funnily enough not mandatory, but they can vary from simple subdermal implants to a full on cyborg conversion with the only organic component being a braincase. Have fun, but make sure that these cybernetics are balanced to reflect New Malrick's general oppressive atmosphere. Hardware failures and overall unstable performance are common in cybernetics from the Outskirts, and oftentimes their equivalents in the Interior are incredibly expensive and may even require a subscription service to maintain. All cybernetics cause phantom pain to people who have them, but to what extent is up to you.
• Background: If you're lacking in backstory ideas feel free to DM me or consult with us all on the Discord for help. Again, try and fit it into the setting and tone at large.
• Misc: Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else you can put here.

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GMPCS:
1. Khlosarine “Kloë” Kinber

---

Accepted Characters:
1. Aleace Markagold (sci300768)
2. 129 (kkhohoho)
3. Xhai Cëll (Palindromee)
4. Mara (furnacedoor)
5. Dr. Ehdmund Jekil kagescorpionakki\\

Edited by Enirboreh on Mar 15th 2022 at 3:05:49 PM

bork

Interested.

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

Interested.

It's the same as always! I just wonder if I should fold those blood lumps into squares or triangles this time?

Ohhh interested. I have some suggestions that might work depending on which direction you want the story to go with what you said.

Edited by sci300768 on Mar 7th 2022 at 11:11:57 AM

I have no idea what to put here, oh well!

Sure thing, if you've any suggestions or questions then just hop into the Discord listed at the end of the post.

bork

Alright, we've got enough intrigue to properly open up this thread, so consider this RP available to sign up now!

bork

• In universe, luddite = leadite because lead is an outdated metal. For simplicity's sake I will be using luddite instead to refer to the fellowship.

Name: Aleace Markagold

Age: 22

Appearance: Standing at 5'10" she's tall and her build is stout. She looks a bit... big boned (not obese). Despite this, she's got farm muscles under all of that fat thanks to doing manual labor her entire life (see luddites) and still does help them with their farming (their way). She has black hair and brown eyes. Her hair is short and in a haircut that's more like a men's style haircut. Her clothing varies, but is always practical. Noticeably she's always wearing a modified VR headset on her head when out and about (It is not always over her eyes after all), that's linked to her exoskeleton that's part of her daily wear.

Personality: In general, she blends in way too well but this hides how strong she actually is. She is smart, clever and very aware of her surroundings. She comes off as shy and reserved, but this is intended. However her clothes are fairly anarchic best described as a mix of an outdated fashion of some sorts and modern clothing in a mix that somehow works. Though her clothing as a whole is boring and practical with a sprinkle of modern tastes and anarchic. She would make for a great leader, but she prefers being independent. She just wants to live life out of the spotlight despite the fact that she could do more.

Skills/Abilities: She fixes technology and cybernetics for a living and it works out. Think programmer and mechanic at the same time. Good at fixing tech basically. Her true talents lie in programming and mechanical work.

As a programmer, she uses this skill to make her own tools and thus can do hacking, but opts not to out of fear of being caught or worse. The most she does with it is to diagnose problems for others' cybernetics and fix/alter her own tech and tools.

Gardening: Knows enough to grow a few plants, but not a farm (One of the plants she grows is weed. Because why not). The only plants she can grow without killing are cannabis and flowers. She's tried, every other plant just dies. This is a... secondary talent of hers... it barely qualifies as such.

Due to selling her harvest in the outskirts market, she is good at dealing with people and bargaining.

Due to being a mechanic (and often times building her own tools) and opting for not being dependent on her exoskeleton, she's quite fit (think farm strength). In addition, she sometimes helps the Luddites out with farming in exchange for fresh produce. Without any technological aid.

When it comes to weapons, she's decent at using guns, but is the best at using improvised weapons and close quarters combat. Farming tools are also something she knows how to use to boot if it comes to that. Really her fighting is more of "Repeat mechanic and farming actions", which have been well drilled into muscle memory.

Cybernetics: She has none implanted, but uses wearable tech alas iron man on a smaller scale. She wears an exoskeleton that is full of attached cybernetics/tech for her job and mundane use. The attached tech changes depending on what she needs. It is a fairly discreet frame designed to allow her to do things manually and is a tool, not to replace her human skills entirely. Different exoskeletons have different uses. She also wears other tech as well depending on her needs at the time. She always has a few portable drones on herself when out and about (Something she finds worthwhile).

Background: She grew up with luddites as her neighbors. Over time, she agreed with some of their beliefs but not all of them. From them, she learned how to grow some plants in pots. Not enough to run a farm, but she has a few potted plants inside.

Her shop is more of a front that the public sees and she delivers the end result. The front is big enough for her to repair cybernetics on site if needed, but most work is done away from the public eye in a private workshop.

As an adult, she considers herself part Luddite and the Luddites currently agree with this. Both know that she will never be a full blown Luddite, and she sometimes buys produce from them/helps them with farming for a trade of produce. She and the luddites get along really well. She still lives in the midring with the same folks as her neighbors. Though she does want a bigger greenhouse to grow more plants... she just has to find out how to build it properly and needs enough time to do so.

Her belief is that unnecessary cybernetics should be avoided, but ones that are needed are ok. Something like a cybernetic spine or eye is ok to replace one that was lost, but replacing perfectly functional limbs for cybernetics is bad. Though she does not force others to agree with her and what they do to their bodies is something she won't control.

Misc: Her beliefs are a result of her job (having seen how many ways cybernetics can go wrong and not work) mixing with some Luddite thinking. She stands out for her unique stance on cybernetics that is an odd mix. Arguably the first (known) person to think like this, she keeps this to herself for multiple reasons. Also, dislikes cults. The Luddites are ok because they keep to themselves.

She lives on farmland with Luddite neighbors. Yes she grows cannabis and flowers outside in the fields. Just to see if anything survives long enough! There's a dedicated (smallish) greenhouse for her plants. All potted plants of the only two things that actually grow.

Her shop is in the midring closer to the inner part and is empty most of the time. Most of her orders are done via word of mouth and online.

Edited by sci300768 on Mar 9th 2022 at 4:03:26 AM

I have no idea what to put here, oh well!

• Name: Used to be Sumanthuh Prihms before joining the company. Legally, she is now 129, and officially company property. For the longest time, she held onto her true name, but has been so worn down that she barely remembers it. These days, 129 is her name, for better or worse.
• Age: Is roughly in her mid 30's, but doesn't look a day over 20.
• Appearance: "You are 129. The company is your family. Your fellow units are your family. You are their family. You belong to your family. You belong to the company. You are the company. The company is you. BIG NEWS, CCC PREMIMIUM OIL IS HALF OFF, BUY NOW NOW NOW! ! You are 129. The company is your family...◊"
• Personality: As a longterm employee and official property of Cyber Construction Coordinarted, 129 behaves more like an souless automoton than a human being. Broken and weary, she rarely shows emotion, portraying aloofness and apathy in most situations. When it comes to her job, she displays cold efficiency, staying focused with an attention to detail no matter the task. She has little sense of humor, but she does harbor a dry wit, her deadpan observations one of her only means of expressing herself. There are glimpses of her old self, but anything she used to be has been buried underneath years of service.
  • Deep down, she hates her job and the people she works for, but it's all she has left. Bad as it is, struggling will only make things worse, so she has come to accept it. She sees the company and her fellow workers as her family, and herself as a loyal unit and the company's possession. Both because of years of subliminal messaging and because it's the only way to stay sane.
• Skills/Abilities: 129 never had many skills to call her own. Back when she was Suhmantuh Prihms, she was a good runner and a half decent hustler, but she hasn't had to use those skills in a dog's age.
  • Cybernetics: As a top-grade cybernetic conversion,, 129 has a lot to work with. She's strong and durable, capable of lifting heavy loads and plowing through concrete without tiring, and a pair of jet thrusters in the soles of her feet gives her limited flight and propolusion. She can configure her limbs into a dozen different tools, ranging anywhere from a drill to a blowtorch. Whether shooting out nails like a machine gun or shooting stick gun, she's equally equipped for a variety of situations, and can defend herself in a pinch. She can even see in the dark, though it's not as useful as her other tools.
• Background: 129 doesn't remember much about her past. She knows she used to live in the outskirts. Sitting in a run down hovel, wearing rags and bearing scraps. According to the company, she also had a terminal illness, but she doesn't remember that part clearly. What she does know is the company approached her, making an offer she couldn't refuse. A full body transfer to the latest in cybernetic technology and a vast improvement in living conditions. All she had to do was sign the dotted line, do a little work for them and her prayers would be answered.
  • But there was a catch. A little snag they'd neglected to tell her in advance, but that was clear as day in the fine print. In exchange for everything they gave her, she would be saddled with an exhorbant amount of debt, so enormous that she could never pay it off in her lifetime. Until she did, she would was legally company property. Under her contract, all of her rights were waived and the company could do whatever they wanted with her, until the day came where she could pay what she owed. A day she knew would never come.
  • It has been over 10 years since she started working for the company. Since then, every sense of identity she had has been stripped from her, her individuality ground into dust. She was forced to choose from a paltry selection of models for her conversion, all exactly the same. Any alterations would result in a charge of defamation, ballooning her already impossible debt. She was put to work, her body fitted with the tools needed for her job and made to perform constant construction and city maintenance for the last decade and a half. She's had no room for rest, working nonstop for zero pay. She's worked days or weeks at a time, only getting small breaks to charge her batteries or let them pretend to they care. Any attempt to resist has only made things worse. She is effectively company property and a living tool. No more, no less. And unless things change, she always will be.
• Misc: As a unit of CCC, 129 has a special microchip placed in the back of their ear. Ostensibly, it's to give instructions and allow them to communicate with HQ. But whenever the company isn't giving orders, they're spouting company slogans and policies, drilling big deals and half-baked philosophy into their heads. This reduces their sense of individuality and makes them believe whatever they're selling. Units with stronger wills have a better chance of resisting, but many have already accepted their fate. They are cogs in the machine, but perhaps they always were. This has created a familial bond and sense of unity between company workers, but at the cost of their own identity.

Edited by kkhohoho on Mar 9th 2022 at 6:08:54 AM

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

@kkhohoho Accepted.
@sci300768 I'll wait until you're done with the sheet before accepting, then message you to let you know.

While I'm here, I might as well plonk down my GMPC too:

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• Name: Khlosarine “Kloë” Kinber
• Age: 26
• Appearance: 5'8" in height.◊ A woman with long black hair and blue eyes, her skin somewhat discoloured due to her cybernetics and hyperfluid addiction. A long external support mechanism extends down the length of her back, keeping her upright despite her injuries. Additionally, she also wears a removable cybernetic left arm; in contrast to her permanent spinal implants. Has stolen for herself a Rotproof shawl which she wears as a hood while outside; partially to obscure her identity and also to protect her from the Black Rain.
• Personality: Still traumatised by her accident, Kloë is neurotic and emotionally unstable; constantly feeling as if the world is out to get her and desperate to get what she wants as soon as she possibly can without question. Kloë is incapable of relaxing fully without suffering a panic attack, as she's terrified of the possibility of causing another accident in her ignorance—as such she's irritable due to a lack of sleep and even passes out on occasion during the few times she feels safe enough to calm down. Kloë has a violent anger within her, however, and a reckless hatred for Warren & Co. Robotics due to screwing her out of a free prosthetic when she needed it most. By extension, she distrusts almost all large organisations even if they advertise themselves as charitable, and she's garnered a reputation amongst her neighbours as being a very difficult person to hold a prolonged conversation with due to how volatile she can be at the drop of a hat. Kloë is also ruthless whenever she decides someone or something needs to be taken down, and even if she doesn't strategize nearly as much as she should Kloë is regardless determined enough to fight with tooth and nail until she wins her battles.
• Skills/Abilities:
  • Tech Adept: Kloë is gifted with hardware and software alike, able to scrounge up for herself rudimentary technology by stitching together whatever useful pieces she can find lying around the place. She is also decent with maintaining vehicles and certain commonplace technologies throughout the Outskirts, but she struggles severely with more enhanced devices such as those from the Interior. Kloë's skills have been put to work thanks to jobsearching in Derran's Lounge, and she advertises her technological handyman services using custom posters throughout the Outskirts.
  • Gun-Fu: Kloë is skilled with firearms and in close-quarters combat, and carries a standard-issue Outskirts provided kinetipistol for self-defense purposes against Sorrows or shady criminals within and around Grimestown. She is quick to the draw and highly accurate from a medium distance, and has also taken lessons in kung fu and kickboxing to cover herself in close range. Kloë has modified her kinetipistol to only recognise her fingerprints when wielding it—if someone else tries to squeeze the trigger without programmed permission, the gun's mechanisms will seize up and deliver a stinging shock to whoever's holding it.
• Cybernetics:
  • WCR X400 Custom Shell: Using an outmoded WCR X400 limbic frame as a base, Kloë has made for herself a functional prosthetic left arm with enough precision to be used like her former; though it's prone to regular glitches and failures as a result of its cobbled-together nature. Though some parts of it feature a realistic skin coating, most of it is exposed machinery that Kloë does her best to keep clean and oiled, but it's such a fragile device that she has to keep it well out of the Black Rain whenever there is a Rotfall. Kloë's custom arm gives her superhuman striking and lifting strength on the left side of her body, thanks in part to her spinal implants preventing her back from breaking—but as a direct consequence to this, she suffers regular phantom pain and spasms which can only be quelled with hyperfluid.
  • WCR Y15-2 Spinal Brace: A segmented, vaguely serpentine cybernetic implant permanently grafted against Kloë's spine, keeping it straight and mildly limiting her mobility while also causing her to suffer chronic back pains. This was part of an emergency cybernetic package that expired once Kloë suffered her accident, and by itself saved her life by reinforcing her weakened spinal column—even if she had to ultimately make a new left arm by herself. Removing the spinal brace from her back would likely kill her, and as such it's one of the only products from WCR (barring hyperfluid) that she appreciates for helping her.
• Background:
  • Ten years ago, Kloë was an oblivious teen driving too fast in her father's cheap sedan down the highway towards the Interior; hoping to blitz past the toll booths for the thrill despite the risk of her getting caught and imprisoned. This reckless attitude quickly backfired, however, as a nervous twitch in her arm caused her to suddenly veer out and skid uncontrollably into the opposite lane—clipping an oncoming truck and causing her to enter a violent tailspin before she eventually crashed headlong into the bollards. Only barely awake and unable to move, Kloë had felt the sensation of dying before she was abruptly reinvigorated by a vitaligel injection, and was made keenly aware of the injuries she had suffered in the collision.
  • The truck driver had perished in the accident, having lost control of his vehicle after Kloë clipped it and skidding directly off of the elevated highway to his death. Kloë, however, had completely shattered her back and cleanly sheared off her left arm thanks to her leaning out of the window with it, and was only kept alive long enough to get to hospital thanks to the medibots and their hefty vitaligel injections. Passing out after reaching the hospital, Kloë awoke from an emergency surgery with a bill being waved in her face—the doctor wasting no time in telling her that her insurance only covered basic structural implants and not complete cybernetic limb replacements.
  • Horrified by this callous reveal of the loss of her arm, Kloë rejected the expensive bill and the offer for the prosthetic out of sheer disgust; staggering back home after her release from hospital newly imbalanced by her lost limb. Falling into a state of deep depression and despair over her accident, Kloë soon abandoned her childhood home after her father angrily reprimanded her for her reckless conduct on the road, feeling as if he truly didn't care about her injury so much as he did his vehicle.
  • Having now moved to Grimestown from her original home in Midring, Kloë has found herself a job as a mechanic, and despite her single working limb managed to build up a trustworthy reputation even if her rapidly increasing hyperfluid addiction was often brought into question. Becoming more and more desperate for a prosthetic over the years after failing to adjust to her new life without a left arm, Kloë began to scrounge together parts over the next decade in order to build one by herself—culminating in her most recent purchase of a vintage X400 limbic frame to construct her gathered parts around. Now with a (mostly) functional replacement after ten years of yearning, Kloë has if anything become more unstable now that she's gotten what she's wanted—believing wholeheartedly now that she can achieve whatever she wants so long as she keeps on going at it.
• Misc:
  • Purchases much of her hyperfluid from the Grimestown flea market, though she also buys it from MAYL so often that she's obtained a pseudo-friend in the regular Courier who delivers her shipments to her. They're perhaps Kloë's only trusted friend, beyond the people who she believes are merely pretending to be so as not to cause trouble with her.
  • Doesn't know where her parents are or their fate, but she privately hopes that her father in particular became a Sorrow. Her perception of them has warped over the years, and she demonizes them in her mind to the point where she can barely even think about them without wanting to break something.
  • The X400 limbic frame that Kloë's prosthetic arm is built around is in fact over 70 years old, and was used during the Battle of the Eastern Seaboard in humanity's last ditch efforts to drive Mother away. This is likely the reason why it features abnormal strength and striking power, whereas most common limb replacements are tuned to accurately replicate the original limb's strength. That, or Kloë is simply bad at adjusting the arm's strength parameters.

Edited by Enirboreh on Mar 9th 2022 at 11:17:20 AM

bork

@sci300768 Aleace is accepted.

Edited by Enirboreh on Mar 9th 2022 at 11:59:54 AM

bork

Name: Xhai Cëll^note Xhai is the surname, Cëll is the first name.

Age: 26

Appearance: A thin, gentle-faced, studded with piercings, and fairly androgynous man(?), with light brown skin but a notably sickly, blueish pallor. 5'9". Lines extend from the edges of his mouth to his jaws, his pupils glow faintly, two horn-like antennae protrude from his head, the upper right side of his forehead has a visible metal plate (mostly covered by wispy chin-length white hair), a visibly cybernetic spinal exoskeleton, prosthetic arms—you get the idea. Also, there's a hole all the way through his chest. Image here◊.

Personality: Cëll is oddly charismatic, with a heavy emphasis on "oddly". He's perfectly pleasant to be around, soft-spoken and polite, with an uncanny ability to blend into his surroundings and exist in a quiet, unassuming way. To the unfamiliar eye, he seems out of it, distracted and listless; in reality, his unique genetics (and the chip in his brain) mean that he's constantly intaking information at a level that would be debilitating for an ordinary human. Often, he can be heard muttering softly to himself, as if talking back to his own head. He's truly neutral; he has morals and lines he won't cross and makes a good ally, but generally focuses on his own self preservation and his slight pleasure-seeking tendencies. His job as a freelance mercenary hacker means that he largely stays out of the public eye, blending into various abandoned warehouses and seedy motels in the Interior and Midring as he works his magic. He's survived upwards of 30 assassination attempts (hence the prosthetics), and is understandably hypervigilant as a result. Another consequence of his strange genetics is that his fundamentally different outlook makes him difficult to relate to interpersonally. He experiences emotions and empathy in a normal manner, but thinks so far ahead about nearly everything that his actions can seem impersonal. Despite everything, though, he does know how and where to have fun in this city.

Skills/Abilities: Highly competent and intelligent hacker. He interfaces easily with electronic devices because of his augmentations, stores useful information in his brain for later reference, and is hypercompetent at analyzing physical areas for points of weakness, escape routes, etc. His right hand (he's lefthanded) is a bit of a Swiss Army knife with a lot of different self-defense functions, including what amounts to a spiked set of iron knuckles, several ports for varying devices, repair mechanisms, electrocution, and a cigarette lighter. He's hypervigilant from repeated assassination attempts, and always poised to defend himself or flee if necessary.

He carries an ordinary Bowie knife in his left boot, and a pistol nearby if he can help it.

Cybernetics: The short answer is "most of his upper body". His brain and optics have alterations that allow him to pull up an interface in his vision to superficially scan his environment and leave "mental notes" on objects and people. He can interface directly with computers in a mild form of Technopathy, but don't expect to see him remotely controlling toasters and cars—he needs to physically link with something that has a chip in it at least once before he can do anything. (Unless, of course, it's connected to the Internet). On his face: see his appearance above. The antennae assist in wireless communication. His chest is mostly cybernetic, and both arms are prosthetics; his left arm is partially covered in semirealistic skin, and his right is visibly more mechanical and imposing. The base of his neck is armored, protecting the delicate augmentations of his spinal cord underneath. Parts of his chest are covered in a translucent, reinforced fiberglass that he can lift for quick repairs if necessary. There's a hole all the way through his chest, just above his heart; he miraculously survived the injury that gave it to him, but was left with difficulty swallowing and slightly labored breathing. In order to facilitate more rapid oxygen intake and support the function of his cybernetics, his blood is a blue-silvery artificial substitute.

All of these are homebrewed and "jailbroken", altered from stolen high-end models modified for his own use.

Background: Cëll is an odd case. In short—he's literally, genetically, part computer (approximately 8%). The process via which this happened is murky and complex, involving a process similar to GMO, with genes taken from an artificially enhanced genome of an intelligent AI and inserted before his birth. He has absolutely no memory of his life prior to the age of 17, has no idea who his parents were, and would like to keep it that way if he can help it. Quickly worming his way into the legally-murky field of mercenary work as a hacker, he knows the streets of New Malrick well, and has learned their dangers and pleasures from experience. He's always lived on the run, holed up in various warehouses and living from gig to gig as he tears through firewalls and collects his payments. Though he works mostly from the Interior, he considers Grimestown the closest thing he has to a "safe zone", it being where he got his start in mercenary work. His job has earned him many enemies in both the criminal underworld and corporate sphere, mainly from screwing with the plans of some very unscrupulous and influential people (and a good few gangs who deserved what was coming to them). Most of his cybernetics were installed by one of his only close friends, a doctor named Baïla, who died in 3328 in an attempted hit on him. He harbors a not-insignificant amount of guilt for her death, contributing to his quiet, withdrawn nature.

Edited by Palindromee on Mar 16th 2022 at 9:17:22 AM

Trope-tan is here! ➯ my pronouns are ze/hir

@Palindromee Accepted.

Edited by Enirboreh on Mar 13th 2022 at 9:24:19 AM

bork

Name: Mara

Age: 30

Appearance: A pretty brunette with striking green eyes. Very fashionable, but always seems just a little bit out of place among the people of the Outskirts. 5'6''.

Personality: Mara is charming and genial, with the kind of natural charisma that attracts people to her like moths to a flame. She is immensely resilient and determined, but at the same time stubborn—once she has made up her mind about something, it is nearly impossible to convince her to change it. Like most in the Outskirts, she deeply distrusts authority and has a disdain for the NMCT in particular. But unlike many of her neighbors, Mara still has hope that change is not only possible but inevitable, and she is willing to work for it. Her most deeply held belief is this: even when life is grim, you should take advantage of every opportunity for levity, because every moment of joy you eke out of an oppressive system is a spit in the face to your oppressor.

Skills/Abilities:

• Mara has connections. She gets along well with most people she meets, and is often willing to do favors in exchange for help at a later date. As a result, when extra manpower, access, or information is required, there’s a good chance that Mara knows a guy who can help.
• Mara is pretty competent at providing first aid and basic medical care (ie stitches), and is also trained in disaster response.
• Much like old sailors claim they can tell when a storm is coming, Mara has a keen sense for when the Black Rain is about to fall. Because she spends so much time in close proximity to Sorrows (the bodies of her parents), she is highly attuned to the particular smell of Rot. Thus, she can usually pick up the smell in the air several minutes before the average person notices it, giving her a few precious minutes of extra time to find shelter before the Rotfall begins.

Cybernetics: No standard cybernetics; her parents didn’t trust them not to include spyware, and she shares their concerns. However, when she joined Infinity Insurrection, she did get a high-tech tattoo. Most of the time, this tattoo blends seamlessly with Mara’s skin, but when she traces a particular pattern on her forearm, an intricate, glowing map of New Malrick spans the length of her shoulders and stretches down her arms. Within the map, there is a single inaccuracy which serves as proof of her membership with Infinity Insurrection.

Background:

• Mara had a relatively privileged upbringing in the Midring, where she attended a well-appointed public school and was supported unconditionally by her successful accountant parents. Despite the comfort of her early life, though, she was keenly aware of the injustices which plagued New Malrick, for one major reason; though they were mild-mannered accountants by day, her parents moonlighted as agents of the resistance group Infinity Insurrection. They were always cagey about their involvement with the organization, and Mara was never quite sure how they had gotten involved or what role they played in II’s operations, but the fact of their involvement was enough to influence Mara’s own view of the world.
• At 21, Mara’s path seemed clear. Though she had moved out of her parents’ home and into a small apartment of her own, she still lived in the Midring and maintained a close relationship with them. She was interning with the Distribution Division of Lifesyne LLC, the corporation contracted by the government to deploy Rot-resistance gear to the general public. All of that changed when, one evening, she got a call from her father. Even over the phone, she could tell he was in mortal danger, and this fear was confirmed when he told her how to get in contact with Infinity Insurrection—something he had always refused to share.
• Mara rushed to find her parents. Years ago, she had learned that her parents owned a small piece of property in Grimestown, which they kept as a bolt-hole of sorts. Guessing that they might be there, she raced to the Outskirts only to wind up trapped in the subway station by reports of Rotfall overhead.
• When she made her way to the safe house hours later, she came upon a horrific scene. Her mother, bleeding profusely and moments from death, and her father, curled up next to her body, weeping, damp with Rot. A Sorrow. Mara tried desperately to save her mother’s life, injecting her with the vitaligel she carried with her for emergencies, but this only meant that her mother’s final moments were agonizingly lucid.
• Overwhelmed by grief, Mara dragged her mother’s body to the ramshackle courtyard in the center of the safehouse, still shadowed by her docile Sorrow father. She waited for hours, staring at her mother’s corpse, until the sirens started up again and the Black Rain fell once more. She watched as her mother’s body was reanimated, and wondered if her mother would kill her, but miraculously, her mother was as docile a Sorrow as her father.
• Over the next few months, Mara dismantled her old life. She abandoned her internship and her home in the Midring, and used her fairly substantial inheritance to renovate the building her parents had died in, turning it into a boarding house she dubbed “The Outpost.” She quickly ingratiated herself with the Grimestown community, and by now she's become a local fixture. She used the information her father had given her to connect with Infinity Insurrection, and uses her connections and her skills to assist them wherever possible.
• And occasionally, she descends into the cellar to pay a visit to two uncommonly docile Sorrows.

doublepost

Edited by Enirboreh on Mar 14th 2022 at 7:29:59 PM

bork

@furnacedoor Accepted

bork

• Name: Dr. Ehdmund Jekil
• Age: 56
• Appearance: Stands six feet even. An older gentleman with graying hair and a well-kempt beard. Outwardly mostly human, the only visible cybernetics being his unnatural yellow eyes.
• Personality: A cheerful and kind fellow, possessed of a level of optimism that might almost strike some as insane. Truthfully, Ehdmund is something of an anti-nihilist. Faced with what he sees as a cold, uncaring, and meaningless world, he seeks to create his own meaning. This has resulted in him having a strange view of the Rot - namely, he is utterly fascinated by it and wants to understand how it works. He considers himself a scientist above all else, and believes a scientist should be dedicated to finding the truth of the universe; even if it might ultimately prove unknowable, he will still make the attempt.
• Skills/Abilities:
  • Doctorate: A trained and well-read medical professional, specializing in human biology and anatomy. Can adminster first aid, perform many surgeries with great skill, and has knowledge of various ailments and medicines. While not skilled in the construction of machines, he can surgically attach cybernetics with the best of them.
  • Scientist: Having spent many years in a medical laboratory, Ehdmund is possessed of a focused mind, adept at critical thinking and approaching problems from different angles. Not a natural genius, but a skilled professional with years of experience in the sciences and a bold drive to discover new horizons.
  • Understanding Sorrow: Ehdmund has spent years researching the Black Rain and the Sorrow phenomenon. While these things are still poorly understood from a scientific perspective, he can be said to be one of the most knowledgable humans on the subject.
  • Self Defense: Fighting is not his particular wheelhouse, but he does know how to swing a weapon. Specifically his cane, which contains a concealed vibroblade.
• Cybernetics: Ehdmund's eyes have been replaced with artificial ones. His cybernetic eyes have 20/1 vision, allow him to see in the dark, and have a thermal vision mode as well. Apart from this, he's replaced his hip, elbow and shoulder joints. While not offering the strength enhancement of a full-on prothestic, his reinforced joints do allow his skeleton to withstand a bit more force before breaking.
• Background:
  • Born in the interior half of Midring, to middle class and unremarkable parents. Ehdmund had read of the Sorrows and Mother from a young age, and had always been interested in the so-called 'supernatural'. As a child he, and some of his friends, would imagine themselves as brave soldiers fending off the Sorrows in the Deadlands, but as he grew older and found interest in medicine and biology, Ehdmund had a thought: what does a Sorrow look like on the inside?
  • This thought would stick with him throughout his career. Working his way up from a technichian in a medlab to a proper doctor, Ehdmund's fascination with the Rot never faded. This lead to a surprising change in scenery. While he could have potentially scored a job at the interior with his drive and knowledge, he decided to move to the Outskirts instead, establishing his own clinic to care for the down and out.
  • Of course, the real reason behind this was to study the Rot, and its effects on living things. Despite this, Ehdmund doesn't neglect his patients, and his jovial nature and kindly bedside manner has endeared him to many.
• Misc: He doesn't actually need a cane to walk, he just thinks it looks neat. This is also why he continues to wear (non-prescription) glasses despite having cybernetic eyes.

Edited by kagescorpionakki on Mar 14th 2022 at 3:34:23 PM

What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?

@kagescorpionakki Accepted!

bork

closed or still open sign ups?

I look to the stars... but that's mostly because there isn't anything else interesting

Sign-ups are closed now due to the RP ending; sorry.

bork