Morrigoths Shadow OOC
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 9:19 am
Okay, so I'm officially making this RP. Consider it a mash-up between Cyberpunk and Biopunk, with a healthy dose of Steampunk and Clockpunk mixed in. Logically extend current DIY Biotech and Cybernetics to the level routinely done in labs, perhaps.
Background
The physical gods are, fortunately, limited only to their own domains, but their powers within are quite extensive (Ferrofluid walls can be quite versatile with the appropriate electromagnets, and with assistant AI, it's quite possible to simulate Omniscience in a given area). Their loyal servants serve as an extension of their powers.
Thanks to the valiant efforts of the Internet Engineering Taskforce, plus sizable anonymous donations, the Internet still exists in a shrunken form, though most use private networks to hide their activities from the remnants of the former world governments.
Many small villages, often encircled by impassable forests grown by those who meant well by engineering fast growing trees, lack access to the outside world entirely, and are terrorised by creatures such as the (somewhat inaccurately named) Werewolves, who are in someways vulnerable to silver due to it's antibacterial properties, but can be killed by any bullet.
The cities are crumbling wastelands, full of crime and villainy where what's left of the police no longer dare to tread. Enterprising individuals can often find work fulfilling the various needs which were previously met by the government, and each inner city territory is often like a nation-state unto itself, replete with urban farms - a small blessing of the Biotech Revolution was a dramatic increase in crop yields - and hospitals/clinic, often provided by charitable organisations. Much of the infrastructure is jury rigged, and many vendors can be found here, selling dangerous - and painful - mods, which offer new abilities such as increased muscle strength (always popular), better oxygen capability enabling one to hold their breath for at least as long as Whales, and enhanced cognition, among many others. These do, however, come at a price...
Those rich enough have sought refuge in gated communities, where they and their families can pretend the plagues never happened, there is still a force willing to protect them, and they can live normal lives. While outside, the masses live in poverty, often trying to storm the gates only to be repelled by tear gas, Tasers, and 2m thick concrete security fences.
Then there are the Biopunks themselves. Often shunned as the ones who caused the rapid decline of civilisation, they are the only ones who can cure many of the diseases afflicting the people, and the ones who put a stop to the plagues.
The plagues - the generic term for the engineered bacteria and viruses which spread through humanity, wreaking havoc where they go, messing with hormonal cycles at their most harmless and leaving people catonic at their worst. They were released by a variety of groups - notably, the radical feminist group Women's Liberation Alliance released a bacteria which converted Testosterone into Estrongen, with predictable consequences, while the Black Rising! group released one which caused an increase in melanin production in skin, to "see how white people feel when they're black". Others have no known creator, and were probably the result of a lone mad scientist.
Against this backdrop, an entity calling itself Morrigoth is rising to the North of Albion (Britain). It is unknown whether this being is - was - a power crazy human who melded with their machine, or the successful result of attempts to create strong AI. It's origins are shrouded in mystery, as are it's exact whereabouts - no explorer has got near enough to it's domain to discover them, and those who have managed to escape report the presence of a airborne patrol, known colloquially as the Death Guard. What is known is that, since this being appeared, those in isolated communities in the North have been terrorised, with reports of children going missing, and attacks by strange humanoid beings, referred to as Orcs, have begun. Those in the South who know about this threat are worried, though rousing support to counter this threat has proved difficult. However, slightly mysterious but renowned biohacker Gwendellion has gathered together what she calls a "ragtag bunch of misfits" together to counter this threat...
The Letter
Dear Friends, Companions, and Sometimes Enemies,
Those of you who have been keeping up to date with the news will most likely know of the entity Morrigoth, and those who have not will most likely have heard whispered rumours of this being, and the threat which it poses to our existence. Sadly, I cannot deny these rumours. The threat Morrigoth poses is a very real one, and we need more information on this being.
All of you will no doubt recognise, then, why I am writing this letter - I wouldn't be addressing it to you if I didn't think you would. Those of you who do not wish to join this quest are free to ignore this letter; I am not going to try to guilt trip you into joining. I have no need to, for unless my judgements of your characters are largely false, you will need no persuading.
If you wish to join, meet at Benny's Diner - yes, that Benny's Diner - at 9:00AM. It may not be the most traditional place to begin a quest against evil, but I for one have been in too many inns and taverns (that's not a jab at those of you who run them, by the way; you do an excellent job).
I expect to be meeting all of you there,
Gwen
Characters
I'm hoping to have characters from a diverse range of backgrounds, from those who fled the safety of their grandparents gated community to seek adventure outside, to the hardened inner-city soldier who has extensive mods paid for by blood money. I'll be the judge of your characters. Now, for mine - and the position of Biohacker is already taken...:
Name: Gwendellion (Gwen)
Age: Somewhere in her 30's
Occupation: Wandering Biohacker
Clothing: Whatever is convenient at the time? Dark grey trousers, tunic, and cloak - black may be more stylish, but it's easy to pick a dark area out from grey shadows - made out of wool mostly.
History: Born prior to the collapse. During the plagues, she was one of the many biohackers called upon to research for cures, and she still bears some of the scars of that today. Afterwards, she spent much of her time wandering, cataloguing the changes that have happened and researching the new physical deities that arose.
Weapons: Two knives, concealed at her belt; a pistol
Gadgetry: A link to the Internet; magifying spectacles; and a small laboratory concealed in her luggage - a rectangular chest which appears to have a mind of it's own to those who observe it.
Mods: Better haemoglobin, allowing her to hold her to survive in hypoxic environments; more myoglobin in her muscles, allowing her to hold her breath for up to an hour
Any questions?
Background
The physical gods are, fortunately, limited only to their own domains, but their powers within are quite extensive (Ferrofluid walls can be quite versatile with the appropriate electromagnets, and with assistant AI, it's quite possible to simulate Omniscience in a given area). Their loyal servants serve as an extension of their powers.
Thanks to the valiant efforts of the Internet Engineering Taskforce, plus sizable anonymous donations, the Internet still exists in a shrunken form, though most use private networks to hide their activities from the remnants of the former world governments.
Many small villages, often encircled by impassable forests grown by those who meant well by engineering fast growing trees, lack access to the outside world entirely, and are terrorised by creatures such as the (somewhat inaccurately named) Werewolves, who are in someways vulnerable to silver due to it's antibacterial properties, but can be killed by any bullet.
The cities are crumbling wastelands, full of crime and villainy where what's left of the police no longer dare to tread. Enterprising individuals can often find work fulfilling the various needs which were previously met by the government, and each inner city territory is often like a nation-state unto itself, replete with urban farms - a small blessing of the Biotech Revolution was a dramatic increase in crop yields - and hospitals/clinic, often provided by charitable organisations. Much of the infrastructure is jury rigged, and many vendors can be found here, selling dangerous - and painful - mods, which offer new abilities such as increased muscle strength (always popular), better oxygen capability enabling one to hold their breath for at least as long as Whales, and enhanced cognition, among many others. These do, however, come at a price...
Those rich enough have sought refuge in gated communities, where they and their families can pretend the plagues never happened, there is still a force willing to protect them, and they can live normal lives. While outside, the masses live in poverty, often trying to storm the gates only to be repelled by tear gas, Tasers, and 2m thick concrete security fences.
Then there are the Biopunks themselves. Often shunned as the ones who caused the rapid decline of civilisation, they are the only ones who can cure many of the diseases afflicting the people, and the ones who put a stop to the plagues.
The plagues - the generic term for the engineered bacteria and viruses which spread through humanity, wreaking havoc where they go, messing with hormonal cycles at their most harmless and leaving people catonic at their worst. They were released by a variety of groups - notably, the radical feminist group Women's Liberation Alliance released a bacteria which converted Testosterone into Estrongen, with predictable consequences, while the Black Rising! group released one which caused an increase in melanin production in skin, to "see how white people feel when they're black". Others have no known creator, and were probably the result of a lone mad scientist.
Against this backdrop, an entity calling itself Morrigoth is rising to the North of Albion (Britain). It is unknown whether this being is - was - a power crazy human who melded with their machine, or the successful result of attempts to create strong AI. It's origins are shrouded in mystery, as are it's exact whereabouts - no explorer has got near enough to it's domain to discover them, and those who have managed to escape report the presence of a airborne patrol, known colloquially as the Death Guard. What is known is that, since this being appeared, those in isolated communities in the North have been terrorised, with reports of children going missing, and attacks by strange humanoid beings, referred to as Orcs, have begun. Those in the South who know about this threat are worried, though rousing support to counter this threat has proved difficult. However, slightly mysterious but renowned biohacker Gwendellion has gathered together what she calls a "ragtag bunch of misfits" together to counter this threat...
The Letter
Dear Friends, Companions, and Sometimes Enemies,
Those of you who have been keeping up to date with the news will most likely know of the entity Morrigoth, and those who have not will most likely have heard whispered rumours of this being, and the threat which it poses to our existence. Sadly, I cannot deny these rumours. The threat Morrigoth poses is a very real one, and we need more information on this being.
All of you will no doubt recognise, then, why I am writing this letter - I wouldn't be addressing it to you if I didn't think you would. Those of you who do not wish to join this quest are free to ignore this letter; I am not going to try to guilt trip you into joining. I have no need to, for unless my judgements of your characters are largely false, you will need no persuading.
If you wish to join, meet at Benny's Diner - yes, that Benny's Diner - at 9:00AM. It may not be the most traditional place to begin a quest against evil, but I for one have been in too many inns and taverns (that's not a jab at those of you who run them, by the way; you do an excellent job).
I expect to be meeting all of you there,
Gwen
Characters
I'm hoping to have characters from a diverse range of backgrounds, from those who fled the safety of their grandparents gated community to seek adventure outside, to the hardened inner-city soldier who has extensive mods paid for by blood money. I'll be the judge of your characters. Now, for mine - and the position of Biohacker is already taken...:
Name: Gwendellion (Gwen)
Age: Somewhere in her 30's
Occupation: Wandering Biohacker
Clothing: Whatever is convenient at the time? Dark grey trousers, tunic, and cloak - black may be more stylish, but it's easy to pick a dark area out from grey shadows - made out of wool mostly.
History: Born prior to the collapse. During the plagues, she was one of the many biohackers called upon to research for cures, and she still bears some of the scars of that today. Afterwards, she spent much of her time wandering, cataloguing the changes that have happened and researching the new physical deities that arose.
Weapons: Two knives, concealed at her belt; a pistol
Gadgetry: A link to the Internet; magifying spectacles; and a small laboratory concealed in her luggage - a rectangular chest which appears to have a mind of it's own to those who observe it.
Mods: Better haemoglobin, allowing her to hold her to survive in hypoxic environments; more myoglobin in her muscles, allowing her to hold her breath for up to an hour
Any questions?