[Other] [Cyberpunk Red] The Spiders Web

[Marshmallow]

Game Name The Spiders Web

Game System Other Roleplaying Games

Theme Mystery, Neo-Noir, Corporate Dystopia, Urban Battlegrounds

Flavour Blackmailed into work for a mystery fixer in an urban battleground megacity.

Plot Summary A message from beyond It's a Thursday night, you're sat in your cozy little shipping container-turned-apartment or whatever dingey hell-hole bar you usually haunt when the acid rain is pelting the streets of Night City. Maybe there's a live band or a little cocktail of something with chemical specialties in it, hell, maybe you're rewatching some godawful drama produced by a B-Rate Corp's C-tier subsidiary. Either way, you're attention isn't on the surroundings, it's not even on that pretty lady standing outside waiting by a bus stop or the handsome barkeeper offering you yet another drink that just barely tastes better than the sewage you call water back home. Instead, you find yourself fixated on your agent, as it bings and beeps and acts like a nuisance in general. There's a message from a Netrunner you've worked with before: Barghest. A precocious and flirtatious Netrunner who always seems to take opportunities that land her in more danger than any sane Netrunner would choose to be involved with. [Hey Choombatta, got a gaggle of Edgerunners here who are in need of some extra hands for a while, think you can lend them one? You'll be getting paid this time, I promise. Okay, I won't promise that again, but you will probably be getting paid. Look, just take the deets, give them a call and see how it turns out. -- Barghest] Roles Musicians, Poets, Dancers, Rappers, Street Artists and Idoru's, these are the sorts of people you'd find the streets calling a Rockerboy. Creatives who live in the public eye and direct its gaze to the sins of the Corporation, sure, you had a shot at making millions under a Corporate name - Record deals, Endorsements, Tours, all the good stuff that every starving artist could want to get their fix of the limelight... But you never got that offer, maybe it's because you were never big enough to catch the Corporate eye or perhaps you've always had a bit of Rockerboy in you. Regardless of your art or your talent, the biggest weapon you carry is your force of personality. A fixer may know people, but you know people. This role is already being filled by Wynamoinen as Collie Active. Bodyguards, Street Muscle, Vigilantes, Assassins, Hitmen and Black Ops Agents, Solo's are the people you want around when the NCPD stroll up with the latest Arasaka or Militech drones, just don't ask what they did to get that sick 'ware. Regardless of your background, you're intimately familiar with the urban battleground and the dangers that even the smallest nook or cranny can hide. The civilian calls it paranoia but you call it instinct: You're a killer, plain and simple. Kill or be killed is how it goes on the battleground and there's no larger battleground out there than the streets of Night City. This role is already being filled by Silent Rain as Reese Wilcott. Freelance hackers, Corporate clone runner, moral hacktivist, grey/black hat, for-hire-hacker... It's all the same really: sliding through the levels of an access point and cracking open passwords, planting viruses, and causing absolute chaos for the admins. There's big money to be made in Netrunning, if you don't mind the risk of a Black ICE scrambling your brain like an egg. The loud-mouthed ape showing off his latest 'ware is nothing when you start shutting off his systems or dropping the elevator he and his chooms are riding. The world for a Netrunner is a toolkit of infinite potential, so long as you can crack open the box. Tech is the lifeline of not just Night City, but the world; The Crystal Palace itself would be nothing more than a mere fantasy if not for the men and women the streets call Techs. Techs can be anything from Cyberware technicians and Weaponsmiths to Nautical mechanics and Crazed inventors. Guns can always be improved, Cyberware can always be better optimized and Drones are always needing advances in technology, who better than a Tech to see that these things happen? Sure you might not be the best gunslinger this side of Night City, but when it comes to crafting the unorthodox and the extreme? You're the go-to guy, choom. This role is already being filled by Zevonian as Cauldron. MedTechs, the only sort of person the streets love as much as fear, you never know what you're going to get when one of these people walk on the scene. A madman too extreme for Trauma Team? A Cyberpyscho Therapist? Or maybe they're just a Bodysculptor or Cryostsystems Operator. Either way, a person who knows their way around a scalpel and a trauma kit, people you want to have on your side, lunatic or not. In a world of entertainment, the person with the camera is king. Media's are known as anything from Bloggers and Investigative Reporters to Street Scribes and Writer. Sure, some are unethical, okay some might be totally corrupt and run a smear campaign against a charity for disabled and depressed puppies - but they inform the uneducated (in Night City's case, 85% of the population) masses about the things they must know! Executives aren't very popular on the streets, Choom. To them, you're just some chump from a corporate division and it doesn't matter which one. Procurement, Manufacturing, R&D, Human Resources, Public Affairs/Publicity/Advertising, or even Mergers and Acquisitions. You're a sell-out, a hack. You have a team to do a bunch of work for you and that's not really saying much... After all who wants to hear about how your Driver was previously part of a Nomad Pack or how your secretary moonlights as a Netrunner? What use is the big, strong woman from your Law team who was once Corporate Black-Ops? Pigs, Bacon, Blue Gang, Barney, Bizzies, Chimp, Fascist & City Kitty. You've heard it all and so has every other Lawman on the streets of Night City. It doesn't matter what position in Law Enforcement you hold, Guard? Patrol Officer? Hell, even the toughest of Lawmen such as Special Weapons and Tactics or Motor Patrol have heard this in their time. The streets hate you more than Execs and that's saying something. It's hard work being an honest Lawman in N.C, which probably explains the high corruption problem. The big reason nobody has tried to drop you yet? Lawmen lookout for one another and your unit is always on stand-by to some capacity, if some gonk starts causing you problems, your unit will see to it that they have bigger ones. They say the streets of Night City have eyes and ears, that's because people like Fixers know someone or know someone who 'knows a guy' and each Fixer has a field they prefer to work in. Some are just local hotshots talking the gangers on their street out of starting a war with those cyberpyscho cultists two blocks down, others deal specifically with Solos or Techs as their 'agent', others get supplies for Techs and Medtechs. There's a huge variety of Fixers with an even larger selection of services they can provide, you just happen to be one of the many. You know a guy someone else needs to meet, so why not ask for a bundle of eddies and make the magic happen? Being a Nomad is like starring in your own Greek Tragedy, a figurehead of irony. The masses of Night City see you as an uneducated, unreliable, and violent thug, yet Nomads are some of the best-educated people second only to the Corporate Schools, and even then, there's something to be said for their life experience out in the Badlands or across the oceans. Nomads aren't well-liked in Night City, the Corporations did a pretty good job of using media and children's cartoons to paint the Nomads as dangerous, uneducated ruffians... But those aren't the real deal. You're a real handyman, a true mechanic. You know the ins and outs of your vehicle like a MedTech knows human anatomy and even without your Pack at your back, you're a force to be reckoned with when the bullets fly. Whether your pack is on the land, sea, or in the air, you've always got someone willing to help you out. That's more than most in Night City can say. Character Creation Process Disclaimer: Do not make any rolls in this thread. If you've any experience with R.Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 or Witcher TRPG then you'll no doubt be familiar with the Lifepath character generation. For those not familiar with it, it works a little bit like this: You choose your character's name, age and you can either roll for or choose your cultural background. Then you move on to rolling your personal life path, which determines what has happened to your character over the course of their life, and then you roll on the Role Lifepath, which determines what has happened to your character over the course of their professional life. This all comes together to create a lovely outline you can use to fill in the details on who your character is and why they're completely messed up hugely successful. You can find a thread to do these rolls here. Please bear in mind that this game is still relatively street-level, there's not much in the way of history with the corporations or the direct involvement with corporations at this point in time. we're currently looking to replace the two players we've lost over the past few years, these players being: Silk's Fixer: Theo JamesSC's Netrunner: Brujah We'll be using the "Complete Package" generation method, which means you'll have 62 points to assign across your Stats and Skills. We'll have more on this in the actual character generation thread once we have our players. Players who are accepted at this stage will be given bonus IP after acceptance to catch them up with the party and their current challenges. Application Narrative Interest: What sort of side stories & supporting characters you'd like to see, maybe provide a few examples of side stories/supporting cast characters you like from other pieces of media/creative work/games. Post Frequency: How often you think you could post a week. Post Example: An example of your posting style/method/format. Character Name: Role: Gender Identity: Background:

[Marshmallow]

Timeline 1990 to 1993 Plans for Coronado City are formed. Arasaka, EBM, and Petrochem fund the creation of Coronado City and the construction of the city begins. A secret 'coup' launched by The NSA, CIA, FBI, and DEA.The Gang of Four, a coalition of government agencies led by the current Vice President, effectively ends federal democracy in the U.S Many states begin ignoring federal authority, declaring themselves "Free States." Start of First Central American Conflict. American Imperial ambitions, justified as part of the war on Communism, terrorism, and narcotics, kill hundreds of thousands. American veterans return home dismembered and maimed, driving the demand for Cyberware. Breakup of Soviet state. From this point, the old USSR begins a new era of rapprochement with Western Europe; by the 200s, the "NEo-Soviets" are the EuroTheatre's most powerful allies. EuroSpace agency launches the Hermes spaceplane. CHOOH2 developed by Biotechnica. Treat of 1992 established the European Economic Community. A common currency unit (the Eurodollar) is established. The U.S Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) develops and spreads several designer plagues worldwide, targeting coca and opium plants. Governments of Chile, Ecuador, and Afghanistan collapse. A savage drug war breaks out between Eurocorp-backed dealers and DEA all over the Americas. First use of high-energy laser-lift arrays. Simple mass driver established in the Canary Islands by EuroSpace Agency. First TRC biologic interface chips developed in Munich, United Germany. AV-4 aerodyne assault vehicle developed to deal with increasing riots in U.S urban zones. In retaliation for U.S attacks on Bogota, Colombian drug lords detonate a small tactical nuclear device in New York. The deaths totaled 15,000. 1994 - 1995 Coronado City is officially founded. World Stock Market Crash of '94. The U.S. is caught manipulating European and American stock markets; a worldwide financial meltdown results from the news being made public. U.S., European Community, and the Neo-Soviets start a new space race, seeking economic and military advantages over each other. Kilimanjaro mass driver begins construction, under a joint agreement between Euro Space Agency (ESA) and the Pan-African Alliance. 1996 The Collapse of the United States. Weakened by losses in the World STock Crash, overwhelmed by unemployment, homelessness, and corruption, many local governments collapse or go bankrupts. The U.S. government snarled in a staggering deficit and the machinations of the Gang of Four are totally ineffective. Nomad Riots. By now, 1 in 4 Americans are homeless. Hundreds of thousands riot for living space throughout the U.S., Nomad packs spring up on the west coast and spread rapidly through the nation. First appearance of booster gangs. U.S. Constitution suspended. Martial law established in the U.S. 1997 - 1998 Mideast Meltdown. A very limited thermonuclear war destroys much of the Middle East, radioactive fallout spreads around the world. World oil supply drops by half. 'Rockerboy' Manson killed in England. A legendary force in the "Populist Rock" movement, his stage name was adopted as the term for any musician or other artist who took up the gauntlet for political change. The Drought of '98 reduces most of the Midwest to parched grasslands. Between agribusiness Corps and drought, the family farm all but disappears. 10.5 Quakes shatter Los Angeles; the Pacific Ocean inundates 35% of the city. An estimated 65,000 are killed. Richard Night, the founder and architect of Coronado City, is killed by the Mafia. 1999 Millennium cults begin to appear, predicting an apocalypse on Jan. 1, 2000. Thousands migrate to isolated communes and temples to "await the end." Tycho Colony established. A mass driver is constructed to provide raw materials for orbital platforms. Coronado City is renamed Night City, in memory of its founder. 2000 Millennium cults run amok on January 1st in an orgy of suicide and violence; most destroy themselves. First "extended family" poser gangs established. Crystal Palace station began at L-1. Wasting Plague hits U.S., Europe, killing millions. 2001 The framework of the NET put firmly in place with the construction of the WorldSat network. 2002 Food Crash. Mutated plant virus wipes out Canadian, Neo-Soviet crops. U.S. agribusiness crops survive due to new biological counter agent. Neo-Soviets accuse the U.S of biological warfare. 2003 Second Central American War. U.S. invades Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela. The War is a disaster that costs many American lives and leaves thousands of troops to struggle home on their own. WNS Media Tesla Johanneson exposes secret NSA transcripts of the 1st Central American conflict. The reminder of the Gang of Four is swept away on a wave of reform. Elections resume, although heavily influenced by the Megacorporations. 2004 Firstcloned tissue growth in vitro. Micro-sutures, sterilizer fields developed. Telsa Johanneson assassinated in Cairo. First Corporate War Begins. Commando raids and cyberspace attacks between EBM and ORbital Air introduce the world to the age of direct Corporate warfare. 2005 Cybermodem is invented. 2006 First Human clone grown in vitro. Mindless, it only lives for 6 hours. First Corporate War ends. 2007 Braindance developed at UC Santa Cruz. 2008 Second Corporate War Begins. SovOil and Petrochem fail to negotiate with each other over newly discovered oil fields in the South China Sea and begin blowing each other up instead. Even cynical observers are shocked at the level of violence. U.S. assault on Russian weapons platform MIR XIII. EuroSpace agency intervenes, and the Orbital War breaks out between the "Euros" and the "Yanks" until Tycho Colony mass driver drops a two-ton rock on Colorado Springs. An uneasy peace is reached. 2009 Corporations eradicate mob rule in Night City. Abortive takeover attempt by U.S. "terrorist group" of Crystal Palace construction. ESA discovers the Defence Intelligence Agency plot and drops a five-ton rock off the coast of Washington D.C. as a warning. 2010 Network 54 now controls 62% of all media broadcasting in the U.S. Human clones are now viable, but no technology exists to implant personalities or intellect into them. They are primarily used to provide body parts for the super-rich. End of the Second Corporate War. 2011 Crystal Palace is completed. ESA now has a permanent hold in the High Orbit zone. ESA/Soviet mission reaches MArs. After a landing, the mission returns, and Mars is abandoned for a decade. 2013 April 13, 2013. Johnny Silverhand's concert spirals into a riot in Night City. The rioters kill 18, wound 51. Old Arasaka complex gutted. SoulKiller virus developed. It is originally designed by programmer Altiera Cunningham of ITS as a way to implant recorded personalities into cloned bodies. The transfer technology is a failure, but Arasaka spies learn of its existence and kidnap Cunningham in order to have her develop it into a weapon. Netwatch, previously a private organization, is established worldwide by a joint U.S./EuroTheatre treaty. First true Artificial Intelligence developed at Microtech's Sunnyvale, CA facility. 2014 Ihara-Grubb (I-G) transformations redesign the NET. During this time, renegade Netrunner Rache Bartmoss plants the DataKrash virus into the architecture of the NET. 2016 Third Corporate War. Unknown cyber terrorists attack the networks of Corporations worldwide, causing billions of eb worth of losses. 2020 Carbon Plague incident. A Corporate AV crash releases a nanotech plague on the outskirts of Night City. The plague ravages the city for two weeks, then mysteriously stops. Chicago Rebuilding Project begins. Financed by visionary Dr. Richard Storm of Storm TEchnologies, the project joins Nomad groups under the unifying banners of the Aldecaldo and Jode Families. 2021 Euro Aquacorp CINO attempts to acquire bankrupt Aquacorp IHAD. Rival Aquacorp OTEC attempts to act as a "White knight" in the hostile takeover. As both Corps line up allies, a dangerous war both on and below the sea begins. 2022 Covert operations expand as Arasaka Security and Militech spar to see who will control the outcome of the CINO/OTEC war. Rache Bartmoss, Netrunner supreme, is killed in a Corporate raid. Two weeks later, the dead man switch for his DataKrash virus activates. 4th Corporate War. Covert operations explode into a shooting war as ARasaka and Militech move front-line troops into battle. The ensuing conflict involves operations all over the globe, with heavy combat in major cities worldwide. The Chicago Rebuilding Project collapses as Arasaka Corporate factions detonate virus bombs in an effort to deny the city to the Militech factions. DataKrash virus now infests 78.2% of the NET. Aware of the virus's potential, Saburo Arasaka sets out to create a secure database of uninfected knowledge in the new Arasaka Towers facility in Night City. Seven-Hour War. Fed up with the fighting, Highriders at O'neill TWo declare independence, using deltas and scavenged mass drivers to drop dozens of lunar rocks and other "ortillery" at key sites all over the planet, causing widespread death and destruction. U.S. and Japan officially recognize the new government. 2023 Total breakdown of international trade. Container ship and air travel have been totally disrupted. Supplies and food sit on the docks worldwide, unable to reach stores, factories, or suppliers. Many Megacorps totally collapse. August 20th, 2033L Night City Holocaust. An incursion team led by the Solo Morgan Blackhand and Rockerboy Johnny Silverhand attempt to steal/destroy the Arasaka Secure Database in the Arasaka Towers facility. During the assault, an area denial nuclear device is detonated, which destroys most of central Night City. Over half a million people are killed, and another quarter million die in the resulting aftermath. Militech is nationalized by U.S. President Elizabeth Kress by the expedient of reactivating Militech CEO GEn. Donald Lundee's reserve commission. Atmospheric particles from the nuclear blast in Night City, as well as debris from orbital rock strikes, conventional explosives, and the wartime burning and annihilation of cities and agricultural areas creates an eerie red pall over skies worldwide. For nearly two years, skies are tinged with a bloody red colour, which eventually dies down to brilliant red sunrise and sunset throughout the next decade. 2025 End of the 4th Corporate War. This includes a three-year wrap-up as pockets of fighting are quelled by Militech and national armies. While there is only one nuke dropped during the war, the world's infrastructure is severely impacted, although not destroyed. NET is officially down. Alt Cunningham establishes the Ghost World in the ruins of a bio-destroyed city. Japanese government almost breaks down. By repudiating Arasaka, the national face is saved. Arasaka is reduced to a Japan-only Corporation for the next decade. The European Union is mostly restored. 2026 to 2030 The Diaspora begins. Groups displaced from wrecked cities now set out to Reclaim nearby cities abandoned since the Collapse of the 1990s. They are supported by Nomads who set up convoys between cities. There is massive looting of old tech and abandoned storehouses. Only scattered Corps are still functioning and only on a very reduced basis, Local businesses are left to take up the slack, often with resources plundered from abandoned Megacorp facilities. Very limited VPNs within Corporate Parks. AIs occasionally creep into the wrecked cities' old NETs to seek out other AIs to join the Ghost World. Arasaka breaks into three warring factions: the Green PheasantKiji, headed by Hanako Arasaka; The DoveHato Faction, helmed by supporters of Michiko Arasaka, Keis' youngest daughter, who as a U.S. citizen, instead allies with the new U.S. government; and the HawkTaka Faction, led by Saburo's rebellious son Yorinobu. The remaining United States is now a functional dictatorship under President Elizabeth KRess' State of Emergency. 2030 - 2035 Resettlement of Suburban Night City. In time, Night City Central will be rebuilt, but for now, the foothills and the small cities around Night City are overpacked with refugees fleeing the radioactive ruins of the Corporate Zone. Reestablishing of Nomad High Roads. Nomads now operate ports, container ships. Corporations are now mostly local, but as Nomads establish trade routes, Corps branch out regionally. Stat of CitiNets, local VPNs established in some of the Reclaimed Cities. These networks are usually "air-gapped" with only limited (and strongly controlled) access between them. Netwatch oversees the development of this new series of networks, with Corporate backing. Like Elvis sightings, rumors arise that Rockerboy Johnny Silverhand's body has been kept in cold storage in a body bank in the wreckage of Old Night City. Although this is never substantiated, the claim is that it has been stored there by a full-body conversion (FBC) fan of his who recovered it from the Arasaka blast site. Start of Night City Reconstruction. Gigatons of fill are shifted from radioactive ruins of the central City. Much of the old Bay is filled in. 2035 - 2045 First Wave Cities start Reclamation under support from local governments and remaining Megacorps. These First Wave Cities are ones that require only a limited amount of resources to rebuild. "We have no United States until we have a country again." - Pres. Elizabeth Kress. While local Elections resume, there will be no national elections until a treaty exists between the Free States and the remaining United States. Rebulding of old factories by Corporations and other individuals begins to replace lost tech. New Corps starts to rise from the wreckage of the 4th Corporate War. Rumors spread that legendary Solo Morgan Blackhand has been spotted in various First Wave cities. Netwatch attempts to clear our the R.A.B.I.D.S. and reestablish the Old NET. After a losing three-year battle, they give up and shut down all the major Nodes into the Old Net (although some Netrunners still try to go there to loot the abandoned systems). Establishment of the first Data Pools, information servers, and exchange systems designed for open use within the limits of a city. Data Pools produce free, open content created throughout the collaborative efforts of a community of users. In design, they're similar to the hyper-stack "page" system attempted and then abandoned for the NET in the early 90s. Rise of the first Mega Buildings to handle the homeless population. These are "all-in-one" arcologies designed to rapidly create safe, habitable zones. Beginning of first new factories replacing, upgrading, or repairing old and scattered tech. 2045 The Present.

[zevonian]

Hi. I'm in this game, playing a Tech. I've been a member of this site since before it was called RPG Crossing or RPGX. Shout outs to DnDOGgies past and present. I mention that to say that amongst all the games I've been in, this one has been one of my absolute favorites ever. GM is a total ace with character creation assistance and narrating this cyberpunk world. Fellow players are top notch post crafters.

You should, at the very least, read one of the episodes of The Spider's Web.

Oh, and if you apply, know that your character may have to someday face The MurderTruck. And deal with a Techie that prefers Beta to VHS.

[Marshmallow]

User	Character Name	Role
Saratek	Maxim	Fixer
GleefulNihilism	Jack B Nimble	MedTech
Starflier	Frankie	Nomad
CMRawles	Rosah Mechi	MedTech
TheRatQueen	Pasqual	Netrunner
O2CXt3	Ni	Lawman
DrifterOne	Ricky	Lawman

[Saratek]

Posting Interest.

Is Cyberpunk Red Experience Needed?

Would a Netrunner be welcome?

[Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by Saratek

Posting Interest.

Is Cyberpunk Red Experience Needed?

Would a Netrunner be welcome?

Cyberpunk Red experience is not needed and a netrunner would be a welcome addition.

[Starflier]

Wanted to say I've been thinking over a Nomad character, but I also have zero experience with the system.

[Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by Starflier

Wanted to say I've been thinking over a Nomad character, but I also have zero experience with the system.

As stated above, lack of experience is not a problem.

[Starflier]

The Spiders Web Narrative Interest: The first thing that came to mind was the Train Heist episode of Firefly, but that’s a little obvious. I suppose the follow-up to that one, the daring space-station rescue of captured crewmates would have to be mentioned as well. My two favourite character types are the Chaotic Neutral goon turning good...ish (Mick Rory in Legends of Tomorrow, Jayne Cobb in Firefly), or else the competent, comic relief character (Steve Zahn's character in Sahara - sure he's the goofy comic relief, but he's also a navy seal, sniper, mechanic, etc). Post Frequency: 1-2 per week. Post Example:   Post #1 - Dwarven Arcane Trickster looking to sow a little doubt among the defenders of a castle. Post #2 - Half-Elf Wizard dividing treasure for the group. Post #3 - Rookie secret agent coming to grips with the situation. Character Name: Frankie; aka: Frankie Pierce; aka: Frankie Fierce; aka: Frankie the Fiend; If You Wanna Eat Your Teethiyweyt: Frannie; If You Wanna Eat All Your Teeth, Or Are Her Motheriyweaytoahm: Francesca Monterrey Pierce Role: Nomad Gender Identity: Butch Background:   What’s there to say about the uncultured, unwashed masses cowering inside the cities, waiting on corps, or governments, or Santa, to save them? Not much, in Frankie’s opinion. The real world exists out there in Nomad territory and the cities are just game preserves, or amusement parks; a temporary distraction from life’s troubles. In another time or place, Frankie would have made a good living as a stunt driver, or stuntwoman for big stars, but Frankie was born a nomad; always on the move. People in the big cities always thought they had nomads figured out, as though a caged bird could ever have any hope of understanding the hawk circling overhead. Well, Frankie wasn’t one for flying, but she did enjoy jumping corpo caravans that tried running through nomad territory unprotected. Trucks, cars, trains, every situation called for something different, and the quick-thinking and fearless Frankie was the go-to lady for such jobs. Sure, maybe you didn’t let her pick the job, or plan the job, but there was no one better to actually get it done. And when she gets back from her vacation/‘time out’ in Night City, she’ll be the go-to girl once more. Frankie sat on her bike as she took in the view of Night City, and ran one hand through her hair while the other rested on the throttle. The feathered head of Kukulkan covered the back of her hand, the iridescent tattoo shimmering beneath the neon lights before the serpent’s body disappeared up her sleeve. A lone nomad heading into the city was a strange thing, but the family needed information and she was the one most likely to survive on her own. Pop might keep a harsh grip on the family business and dealings, but he was a schemer, an ex-corpo, and definitely not a fighter; after all, he hadn’t grown up with it like Frankie had. She barely remembered life in the megatower with every need fulfilled, and every whim indulged; she’d only been eight years old when they’d lost everything and fled into Nomad territory to avoid corpo death squads. Mom and Pop had thought of nothing beyond getting back to a life of lavish luxury, but Frankie lived her life in the present. Need to fix the engine? She’d have a go. Did this shotgun have too much recoil? Only one way to find out. Grandmother always said that curiosity killed the cat, but Frankie was still alive and kicking with her scuffed-up spiked boots. So while everyone harvested the last crop, it was up to Frankie to make sure things were clear to move their product. Thankfully she had some time to kill, not only before it was ready, but before their competition caught up with them. They needed allies and it was her job to find some, because her parents might be able to bully and bluster their way about a boardroom or family dinner table, but they were **** in a fight. It would be even worse if they were recognized in the city, because while Frankie relished the thought of tangling with the clans at their back, the prospect of battling corpo soldiers was an entirely different and unappealing option. She rubs the toy Hella welded to her fuel cap for luck, a Night City memento with its paint long worn away,, and glances back over her shoulder at the barren road at her back. A few deep breaths of ‘fresh air’ are all she allows herself before she starts the bike and pulls back onto the road into the city.

Link to Lifepath Roles for Frankie

[GleefulNihilism]

Had a rough idea. Have so little experience with Red that I'm not even sure this will work as a concept but -

Application Narrative Interest: I mean, it's Cyberpunk. Neuromancer is one of my favorite books ever. Also a fan of Firefly, and just love the whole archetype of someone whose just trying to be a little less terrible of a person then they were yesterday. They're doomed to fail, but they can try. Post Frequency: 3 or 4 times a Week Post Example: Crimshaw, The Chrono-Ranger She of the Dawn, Learning to be Human Character Name: "Jack B Nimble" Role: MedTech Gender Identity: Cishet Male Background- Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick. Jack be nimble, Jack be spry, Jack jump over the apple pie. Jack be nimble, Jack jump high! Jack fly up into the sky. Oh Choom, you sure you want to know Jack's whole story? Because Jack's got the kind of background that makes you feel like s#$% knowing that things like that can happen. Alright, he's what you can tell by watchin' him if you're not a Gonk and know the right people. Jack obviously ain't his real name but he ain't talkin' about that. Computer Analysis of his vocal patterns says that his birth language was probably French, and he was born into one of the Corps. He doesn't say which one, beyond that it was a big one. He was Educated, he was Trained - and he was trained Spooky. What do I mean Spooky? I mean Spooky. Like Corpo Wetworks ****. Like Black Ops Ghost type ****. Like, you know how when the big rats want someone dead they usually just pay some gonk and give 'em some Iron? Nah, Choom. Jack is for when you want that person to disappear, or at least be long dead before anyone else realizes what's going on let alone can do something about it. Like he's a f#$%in' Ghost walkin' threw walls type ****, ya feel Choom? What? I don't know what I'm talkin' about? I mean - I don' got papers or nothin', but watch how the guy moves. Spooky, I'm telling ya'. Jack is Spooky. Except then he made the oldest mistake in the world for guys like him - Brain Problem Choom. Terminal. I don' know, maybe he just got tired of coverin' for pedo execs or huntin' down endangered species like honest cops or Environmentalists - I don't know. I jus' know that only reason I can think of that a dude with those kind of skills doin' what he does with him is that he grew a Conscience. Why? Because one of the scariest Assassins I've ever seen is usin' those skills to be a Medic. I ain't f#$%in' with ya, got a little medkit and everything. I mean sure, he'll f#$# you up if he thinks you deserve it, but he don't Zero people. Choom, I wouldn't say that. You'd be surprised what you can live through.

 

Core 1.) Cultural Origins - 8 - South East Asian Computer analysis of the vocal patterns of "Jack B Nimble" has suggested that his original language was French, but this is actually wrong. His first language was actually Vietnamese. Easy mistake to make, he's gotten the years of training Corpo-Snakes get when they want to work internationally to grind away their accents. He's been voice-trained to have as bland an accent as possible. 2.) Personality - 5 - Picky, Fussy, and Nervous Something that will shock precisely nobody, "Jack B Nimble" likes to present himself as being confident and able, but he's really more than a bit of a neatfreak and who can only truly relax when he feels he's in control of the situation around him. 3.) Dress and Personal Style - 0 , 7 - Asia Pop, Wild Colors You really think someone who uses the handle "Jack B Nimble" is going to be subdued? While his work clothes often go toward dark colors, when in casual clothes he has been accused of dressing like a side character in an old Hong Kong Fantasy Film and he currently has his hair dyed so that it looks like it's made of metallic silver. 4.) Affectation - 1 - Tattoos With several tattoos, he used to have a habit of paying to have his tattoos changed after every major assignment just to make sure they can't be used to identify him. Now that his budget is more limited he doesn't do this as often, but what he does have is usually used to advertize his role as a Medic - not a Killer. A larger one on his left shoulder is a traditional vietnamese Tortoise good luck charm design blended with a Trauma-Team/Red-Cross logo. 5.) Motivation and Relationships - 2, 3 - Honor, I Like Almost Everyone A radical shift from his previous working personality, the old "Jack" just cared about the money and viewed other people as just either targets, obstacles, or meat and he's got the list of horrible things he's done to prove it. Since his wake-up call though he's come to hate this mindset and he's looking for a little Redemption in this messed up world. Saying he likes almost everyone might be a bit of a stretch but he has found that when he gets to know someone he can usually find at least something about them he likes. 6.) Value - 0 - No One If you knew the kind of awful things he did in his old job, you'd hate him too. If it helps, he's not his own biggest fan either. 7.) Most Valued Possession - 7 - A Musical Instrument "Jack B Nimble" actually learned how to play the Flute as part of his old job, if it was more about training his fingers for precision than actual musical talent and that becomes obvious when he tries to play it. He's not very good, but better then you'd expect. 8.) Family Background - 7 - Urban Homeless It's almost a stereotype of it's own, but "Jack B Nimble" was recruited for his old job *because* from the point of view of a Corpo-Rat he was just gutter-trash. No name, no background to speak of, and yet when he was a kid he accidentally showed at just the right time and place that he had just that extra bit of ruthlessness that a Corpo-Rat thought they could mold into something more effective. Something Weaponizable. 9.) Environment - 9 - Drift Nation In the case of "Jack", this happened in a Drift City off the coast of Hanoi. Yeah, it was as rough and violent as it sounds. 10.) Familiy Tragedy - 3 - Exile In this case "Jack" got lucky. After a robbery gone wrong, they had to go from a tiny apartment on a Drift City to having absolutely nothing back on the mainland after "Jack"'s father was found to have taken part. 11.) Friends - 6 - No Friends Kind of the point of trying to fake your death and cut off all ties with your past life, choom. Even the friends he did have in his old life aren't the kind of people he could be around now. 12.) Enemies - 9 - 2 Enemies - 1, 7 - Ex-Friend, Co-Worker [Choose for the Cause and What they can Throw because I got two 7's then 1, 2 respectably which I thought was lame.] "He calls himself "Rick Harakiri" for how many Yakuza members he claims he's killed and he used to be a friend. A fairly respected name in the Xa Hoi Den and someone I used to hit up for information for jobs, or a good time when I was in town. That is until I strangled the love of his life to death with some piano wire." - Rick Harakiri is on paper mid-to-upper-level management in the Xa Hoi Den and can throw a sizable chunk of that criminal organization at "Jack B Nimble". He desires very much to do so, but he's smart enough to know that if he does he could lose face in the organization. "The other one's name is just called Sol. Ex-Coworker. He just thinks our boss thought I was the better killer of the two of us. He didn't, by the way, I just was better at keeping my mouth shut." - Sol is a ruthless Corporate Troubleshooter and fellow Assassin angling for a promotion. This is only barely personal enough for him that if he did manage to kill "Jack" he'd enjoy it a little bit. 13.) Sweet Revenge! - 3,2 - Murderous Rage, Avoid the Scum There are few things in this world Rick Harakiri wants more than to torture "Jack B Nimble" to death slowly, and the guy isn't wrong for wanting to do so. The only thing holding him back in any way is that he's smart enough to know that if he takes his shot and somehow misses he'll never get another one. For Sol on the other hand, this is all about furthering his own career. One of the few people in the world that knows the real name of "Jack B Nimble" and that he's still alive, he wants to use this information to further his own career. Sol will actively avoid conflict or even refuse to acknowledge "Jack" exists if he feels he wouldn't personally benefit enough from doing so. 14.) Tragic Love Affairs - 5 - None Not that kind of life, choom. 15.) Life Goals - 7 - Get What's Rightfully Yours For a given definition of 'Rightfully'. Just looking for a little Redemption, to Balance the Scales of Karma. Nothing so simple as "save one life for every person he killed for his old job", the world doesn't work like that. Might be a good place to start for getting some Self-Respect back though.

MedTech 1.) What Kind of MedTech? - Trauma Medic* - [Originally rolled a 9 for Bodysculter, didn't work for the concept.] 2.) Alone or Solo? Solo One Person is always Quieter than Two. 3.) Workspace? - 4 - Everything Possible is Single-Use and Compacted until Needed. The idea is that "Jack" goes to his patients, quickly and quietly, then either moves on into the shadows or gets them moving somewhere else for better treatment. 4.) Main Clients? - 5 - Local Nomads and Fixers. "Jack B Nimble" isn't exactly Trauma Team, but eyes and ears allover the city and word gets around, especially if you have the right contact detes. 5.) Supplies? - 4 - Execs and Trauma Team Blackmail is such an ugly word, but drop hints that you know some of the dirtier secrets of the rich and powerful and you'd be amazed what can be accomplished. Patching up the occasional rich kid too also helps. And it turns out some Trauma Team people actually are just trying to help people.

[The Rat Queen]

Application Narrative Interest: Character development arcs. I'd love to have opportunity for characters to work through issues, not just bonding as a team, but actually dealing with all the crap that's been piled upon our lives wonderful opportunities for growth. Post Frequency: Several times per week. Post Example:   Cassidy Cassidy nodded agreement with Dollhouse as she weighed in on the matter. Good, she thought, not surprised by the sentiment, but relieved all the same. Bi was always solid on meta-rights, but money sometimes did strange things to folks. Almost flicking a glance toward Mickey for her opinion, she fully expected a shrug or nod of acquiescence. The troll had some...odd...views on politics, but Cass pretty much expected a 'yes' vote from the mage as a matter of course. It was so expected, in fact, that Cass nearly missed the look on the troll's face when she glanced. Not...rage, per se. Way too focused for rage. The hell? thought Cass, puzzled, until she noticed that Mickey's stare was focused squarely on Dollhouse. Who'd been acting like she had ants in her pants since getting in the van...oh, drek. As Mickey began her litany against recent events, Cass quickly took the comm off speakerphone, telling Bloom with what she hoped was a smooth delivery, "Uh...can you give us a couple minutes to discuss? Just wanna make sure everyone's on the same page, y'know." Muting the comm, she watched with her jaw slightly agape, in shock over the troll's continued tirade. What does she want, Cass thought in mostly-confusion, with a side of annoyance, a larger share? An apology? I'm the one that went toe to toe with a damn Russian ninja! So it was a further shock, if it were possible, when the motivation finally came out, as the troll attempted to manhandle the joygirl and literally stuff her further back into her clothing, screaming possession of...a girl? Oh, you have got to be fraggin' kidding me! However, little did the razorgirl realize that she had not yet begun to be shocked. In a move way too smooth and practiced to merely be reaction, Dollhouse slapped a submission hold on Mickey that did the orc proud. More than proud, in fact…that was damned impressive! She knew Bi was tougher than she looked, but drek…. With a smirk, Cass just muttered, "Guys…I’m on the phone. " Swinging the van door open, Cass glanced around to make sure there weren't ninjas, basilisks, go-gangers, ghouls, or any other drek they'd had thrown at them lately, and slipped outside, shutting the door behind her to let...whatever the frag that was...sort itself out. After taking a moment to shake her head in frustration and disbelief, she switched the sound back on her comm, took a deep breath, and answered Bloom’s concerned questions. "Oh, that was just some friendly negotiation. I think we're good with eighty grand, especially since it helps the cause! Where should we meet? Definitely not the zoo..." Character Name: Pasqual Role: Netrunner Gender Identity: Yeah, I'm a girl, choom...keep yer mitts off. Background: Pasqual's father fought for Militech in the Fourth Corporate War, though he was always tight-lipped about what he actually did while Pasqual was growing up. It clearly haunted him, though. After the fighting was suppressed, his unit was hired out for garrison/guard duty to protect teams going in to old cities for early reclamation efforts. While protecting the teams from Nomads and other hostiles, he wound up meeting Pasqual's mother. The two wound up hitting it off and romance, and Pasqual, ensued. Her mother continued her efforts with reclamation teams, and was on one of the teams trying to re-establish the Old Net. Pasqual had a front row seat for the transition from the Old Net, to Data Pools, to the NET due to her mother's involvement with the project. Unlike most people her age, Pasqual was not raised in squalor. While certainly not wealthy by any means, her father's steady work as a mercenary and her mother's job working with Net systems ensured that food was on the table and shelter relatively secure. However, she inherited her mother's taste for tech, which grew into a passion. She's not a Netrunner out of necessity, but rather out of love. Her veins pump data, not blood, and rather than looking for the next big score, she has an eye on being the best, on a level with the likes of Rache Bartmoss, Spider Murphy, Frack, and Edger...personal heroes of hers growing up. She knows she's just starting out, but she's patient, smart, and has enough attitude to push herself to the top. Assuming she survives long enough, that is.

[Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by The Rat Queen

I'd like to take on Netrunning duties, if you'll have me.

---

Originally Posted by Starflier

I am curious about the random rolls in character creation, as in how much randomness they introduce to the character? Traveller character creation can leave you with something almost unuseable, or entirely not what you're looking for, or is this system a little more focused than that. If I get into the game I'll pick up the book/pdf, but just curious how involved random chaos is in the beginning.

I sit down with every accepted Player during the chargen process and help them work their lifepath into something they're interested in and to craft something that makes sense. I think just about every player I've run a Witcher or Cyberpunk: Red game for can attest to that.

Some people make characters and backstories out of the randomness of events by filling in the gaps, others want to do a bit of tweaking and adjusting. The lifepath rolls are mainly there to serve as inspiration or as a foundational basis for the character's actual background. I'll provide a few examples of how the Lifepath rolls have impacted The Spider's Web, for clarities sake:

1. Silk - Theo
   One of the players we've lost due to IRL circumstances. Silk had a lifepath rolled up where their character had a mentor they held in high regard and as such, that mentor ended up taking on a role of their own for the party, even securing them a vehicle in return for a favor. Episode II's opener also includes a scene with Theo's mentor.
2. Wynamoinen - Collie Active
   Wynamoinen had a lifepath which gave them a number of enemies and filled in the blanks between their lifepath roles to create two rivals, the first of whom was introduced as the opener for Episode II & serve as foreshadowing for events that have yet to transpire. The second rival was used to foreshadow currently transpiring events.

My point being, when I run a Lifepath system your background isn't just chaos, it's a narrative toolkit that I have full intention to use and in that respect, if there's something you don't like in that lifepath or you think would make more sense rerolled/set to a specific result, I'm open to discussing the potentiality.

[Wynamoinen]

Originally Posted by Marshmallow

Collie Active
Wynamoinen had a lifepath which gave them a number of enemies and filled in the blanks between their lifepath roles to create two rivals, the first of whom was introduced as the opener for Episode II & serve as foreshadowing for events that have yet to transpire. The second rival was used to foreshadow currently transpiring events.

And Collie will absolutely send a flash mob to your place of residence and Cancel you on the Datapool if you're a fan of that second rival.

[Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by Wynamoinen

And Collie will absolutely send a flash mob to your place of residence and Cancel you on the Datapool if you're a fan of that second rival.

And then raid your underwear drawer, apparently.

[Wynamoinen]

Originally Posted by Marshmallow

And then raid your underwear drawer, apparently.

A Tribune of The People does what must be done.