[Other] Cities Without Number: Volksfreistaat Berlin

[Ermine]

Game Name Cities Without Number: Volksfreistaat Berlin

Game System Other Roleplaying Games

Theme Doing Right (or not) by the people.

Flavour Cyberpunk Sandbox

Plot Summary People's Free State of Berlin Gangs compete (but do not vie for dominion because if they do, the rest will band together to take them out) over the city, with some actually doing some good for the community, but also doing things like protection rackets, extortion, and obviously theft from anywhere (though usually directed at the megacorps). Most of the major gangs have formed an uneasy ceasefire with each other. Justice is usually served by gangs and vigilantes, the latter protecting the streets free of charge (not that money has much meaning anymore). For the most part, people look out for the well-being of those close to them. There are megacorps within city limits, but they keep to themselves for the most part, with their armies of corporate police well within the boundaries of their turf and not helping anyone despite having the money and other resources to do so. Berlin is better educated than other cities on the happenings of the world because of Schockwellenreiter (SWR), an anonymous group whose mission is data freedom. As a result, there are public wifi nodes set up throughout the city by SWR which are surprisingly well-maintained and updated...even defended. History Until Now 2037 Corporate Council is formed from the largest megacorporations. While there are objections from world leaders, they allow it and grant corporations and their property their own status as independent countries. They are allowed to police their own borders. 2037 The first true cybernetics hit the shelves globally, only months after the formation of the Corporate Council. 2040 The US forms a colony on the moon. 2046 The United States attacks North Korea and seizes control for a unified Korean Republic. It succeeds, but plunges the world into World War III. 2047 Berlin is taken over by anarchist groups working in tandem. The rest of the country simply takes Hamburg as its new capital, as it has other concerns with Russia and China attacking many nearby countries. The People's Free State of Berlin is founded, and tolerated by the rest of Germany as an experiment. 2048 Russian hackers secure the nuclear launch codes from the US and lead a guided strike of its population centers with its own missiles. Shortly after, China turns against them and sends in troops to occupy the Kremlin. China wins the battles with relatively few casualties, all in the middle of summer. They immediately annex Russia, creating the largest country in the world. 2049 World War III ends with a ceasefire, followed by treaties being signed by the European Union and China. 2050 Small startup "Terra Nova, Inc." starts its project to reduce the effects of the changed climate from the destruction of the majority of the US. Almost overnight, its nanomachines clean up radiation and other effects of the bombs. Just as quickly, they receive a membership to the Corporate Council. They only have one vote due to their size, so have little effect on the outcome of votes. 2050 The European Union expands to include much of eastern Europe. 2054 Corporate Repossession Act is passed by rhe corporate council, allowing corporations to repossess their products from those who are delinquent in payment for 4 months and 6 days. This includes cybernetics. 2054 M-5 Neural Net invented, allowing those unable to live a normal life to dream until their natural death. Or until their family stops making payments. 2055 The world's first synthetic life is created, but as a luxury for the rich to exploit. 2057 The start of our story. Extra Stuff I will have a GMPC: Corwyn. Doctor background (former trauma nurse) with the Educated and Wired edges. Medic starting equipment, Gunner cyberware package. She will try to keep the group on a path of doing what's right for the community, but also wants to see them achieve their goals, as they are her found family. Image Post Rate: Multiple per week. Starting Date: Umm, for now, let's say the 18th of September. More if I don't get enough players in time. Starting Level: 1 Stats: Your choice of rolled-in-order or standard array. Don't roll in this thread, though! There will be some homebrew later. Application Name: Background: Edges: Goal(s): Appearance: Backstory: Include how you met Corwyn (the rest of the group meeting can be done after people are picked). Also, most people will be originally from Berlin (though they can be of any ancestry). A Major Gang: Make up a major gang for Berlin and their whole deal. We can connect the gangs to each other once people are picked. A Megacorp: A megacorp in Berlin and their main focus. Doesn't have to be original, just has to have enough of a description that I can run it appropriately.

[Effete]

Definitely posting interest.
Is there a thread where we can make rolls? Or is that something you want done after selection?

Also, you might want to tell players that the book is 100% FREE on DrivetruRPG, so there is literally no excuse not to take a look.

LINK to Free Version

[Ermine]

I was going to link that, just didn't have time. ^//^ Make your rolls after selection, though. Don't want people getting TOO invested without getting picked.

[Arkanis]

I’m definitely interested, although it might take me a few days to read through the book before I get something posted. Withdrawing, though I hope you all have a great game .

[Dworin]

I'm interested.
Do the gang and megacorp need to be connected in any way to the PC or is it purely world building?

[Ermine]

Purely worldbuilding, though if you want, you can connect them. Can even write it in your character's perspective.

Edit: I should note I won't play racists, so no racist gangs. This is why I decided to have you guys come up with them instead of just stealing from Shadowrun.

[Effete]

The specifics of the character build might change, depending on what I end up with for stats, but the general concept I want to go for is below.

Application Name: Mach-Mann (often shortened to just Mach) Background: Ganger Edges: Option 1 - Hacker, Wired Option 2 - On Target (Shoot), Wired Goal(s): Beyond just trying to survive for another day, Mach-Mann lives in the now! He doesn't really care what the future brings, just as long as he can experience it. Threaten him with a good time (even if that means taking on a dangerous gig) and he'll be the first to step forward, flashing his steel teeth. Appearance: Typical ganger attire drapped over some gaudy, ostentacious cyber, Mach-Mann pushes the limits of the human aesthetic. Backstory: Mach-Mann was originally a member of Eiserne Engel (see below), but a tussel with a rival gang put him out of commission and his fellows left him for dead. Through either dumb luck or providence, Mach was found by Corwyn, who nursed him back to health. For giving him a second lease on life, Mach has indebted himself to helping Corwyn in her mission. He's not interested in getting back at his former gang, but he won't do anything to help them either. A Major Gang: Eiserne Engel (the Metal Angels) is a super-chrome gang with a philosophy that metal is better than meat. They control a relative large area in Spandau, though overflow from the Spree and Havel rivers has eroded the levies, turning most of their territory into a flooded slum. The gang has a mixed relationship with the populace. While they help contain the worse of the flooding by shoring up the levies and digging drainage canals, their propensity for drug-induced parties and antagonizing other gangs often leads to violence erupting in the streets. A Megacorp: Kybernetik Manufraktur Ost (KMO) produces high-end cyberware for only the most discerning customers. A subsidiary of the company manufactures the latex-based artificial skin that comes standard with every external unit KMO offers. Advertisements for their "Real Eyes" brand, featuring female popstar Liesel, can be found all over the city.

[Sefer Yetzirah]

Definitely interested in this one! I've started to read through the book (thanks Effete!) and will post the character template once created

[Ermine]

Mach seems pretty awesome~

[Gateway502]

I'm interested too, and like Sefer Yetzirah have just started reading the rules that I downloaded.

What's not clear to me is what you're expecting the characters' backgrounds might be. Gang leaders? Gang members? Megacorp lawyers?! ()

[Ermine]

Backgrounds as in the feature. Dunno what page it's on in the free one. Things like Ganger, Bum, Corporate Security, and Doctor.

Whatever it is, it's what you were before becoming an Operator.

[Sefer Yetzirah]

Okay, here goes my character:

Application   Name: He now goes by Asher Background: Spy Edges: Ghost & Prodigy Goal: Asher is driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, seeking to decrypt the hidden mysteries of the world. Conspiracy theories, secret societies... you name it. If he sees the possibility of grasping a deeper layer of reality Asher is drawn to it like a moth to flame. However, this curiosity hunger is a double-edged sword, as it can sometimes guide him into the darkest corners of society. Appearance: Asher stands slightly above average in height and with a slender frame. He normally wears a long, dark overcoat with a hood that conceals his figure. Backstory: In his former life, Asher was a skilled asset in the espionage world (he went by 'Havoc' back then), carrying out missions for his handler, Mr.P. During his last assignment, his thirst for uncovering the hidden truths lurking behind the shadows began to cast doubt on Mr. P's intentions, making him delve into his true identity. However, Mr.P. is a powerful man not to be messed with, and Asher clearly flew too close to the Sun. To preserve his life, Asher was forced to relocate to a new city, adopt a new identity, and alter his appearance. It's in Berlin through a twist of fate that Asher met with Corwyn, already 5 years ago. Their destinies became intertwined when the doctor offered her expertise to heal the wounds that Asher carried both physically and emotionally. As Asher navigated the turbulent waters of this new city, the bond between them deepened, and a partnership was forged. A Major Gang: The Neon Ravers hold dominion over the vibrant and seedy entertainment districts of the city, including Electric Boulevard and Neon Alley. The territories they control are recognizable by the electrified graffiti dancing on the walls of their streets. They typically hack into the city's power grid, allowing them to manipulate neon signs, traffic lights, and security cameras at will, creating a dazzling and disorienting urban labyrinth. There's a mix of fear and fascination by the citizens for this Gang, as, despite the protection they provide, their ways are usually ruthless. A Megacorp: GenoSynth Corporate stands as one of the titans of advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, with the quest of pushing the boundaries of what Robots can do. In 2055 they shocked the world with the release of "Me", the first synthetic life to be created and commercialized to the vast public. Within only 2 years, they have been able to produce new iterations of their robots, being now able to have them take any appearance the customer wishes for, even a clone of their own self, practically indiscernible from a real person. The price range of their products make them only affordable to the richest part of the population.

[Effete]

Big thank you to Mindsiege who helped me with my German translations. My application has been amended to show this.

[DrowNinjaPrincess]

Hello! Seeing as this is a Cyberpunk game, and a Sandbox, I think this may be an appropriate place to unleash this idea that I wanted to try.

I wanted to play a character in a Cyberpunk setting, but who was pretty antithetical to most of the theme. A young woman, part of a "religious cult" who are by and large technophobes. Not bad people, not necessarily crazy, nor even "fanatics", but highly distrustful of forms of government, corporations, and much technology. You might be able to count them as a gang, but it would be a pretty weak comparison imo, if even that.

The character I would like to play not only is part of this religious group, and does some charity/medical work, not much unlike your GMPC I imagine, but also has a medical condition that rejects cybernetics and implants. It's quite an overactive immune system that may threaten to harm herself. But for now at least, she's definitely not dying of cancer.. if anything, her body will destroy its own liver first.

Would probably just be a pacifist character too. I don't want to get in everyone's way, but I do hope maybe I could play a supportive role, and do an interesting take on the whole Cyberpunk genre.

Thoughts?

[Ermine]

Pacifist may be hard, but not impossible. There's an edge I believe that makes you better off without cyber, which I'm sure you know~

What would she think of an all cybered team? Would she get along with them still? She'd fit in in our Berlin, though.

Originally Posted by Effete

Big thank you to Mindsiege who helped me with my German translations. My application has been amended to show this.

I mean, my own German won't be great either. I've only finished what Duolingo offered a few years ago. Mostly only remember numbers and a few things I probably shouldn't use on this site. Berlin is just my favorite Shadowrun setting.

Also, megacorps can be from anywhere. They're megacorps, after all.

Edit: I should say that I'll be adding a little bit of homebrew to this. One idea is a piece of bioware (still classified as cyberware in this game). Another is...a new edge. I won't get more specific about them until they come up. The edge will come before level 5 so you can capitalize on it. The cyberware will come up...at some point. ^~^ Probably early on.