[Other] Cities Without Number: Volksfreistaat Berlin

[Effete]

Originally Posted by 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~

Yeah, but it's actually a Focus, not an Edge. It's called All Natural. There's also Unique Gift, which allows players to work with the GM to come up with something not offered by other Foci.

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.

Well, Schisse! I was telling Mindsiege that I fully expect most of the game to be in English, and that I was only using German for immersion purposes.

I hadn't considered that the corporation could be international, which is probably a mistake on my part. It's just that the pitch for the game made it sound very localized and grounded in Berlin, so I just rolled with that.

[Ermine]

It's a focus, then. ^~^ I thought it was better and more of an Edge effect. Then again, I don't remember it at all beyond it existing, so...

Edit: No, it's really good for a focus. Then again, no cyber (or magic even if you're using those rules).

[Gateway502]

Originally Posted by Effete

Well, Schisse! I was telling Mindsiege that I fully expect most of the game to be in English, and that I was only using German for immersion purposes.

I hadn't considered that the corporation could be international, which is probably a mistake on my part. It's just that the pitch for the game made it sound very localized and grounded in Berlin, so I just rolled with that.

Same here, with what I've been working on. It did seem odd, given what it says in the rules, but hey it's not my game!

I think I'll stick with my current idea, regardless.

[Gateway502]

Originally Posted by 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.

Okay. I'm not sure what you mean by "in the feature", but I'm working on something.

I was considering someone like DrowNinjaPrincess' idea, actually, though not as radically pacifist, more someone who prefers to think and talk his way out of trouble than shoot his way out.

It's fairly amusing that the only background with Talk as its Free Skill is Streetwalker! I see that as my character's main skill, but I'm not sure he started out in that profession

I think this is the main problem I have with creating a character this way round - background/character idea, then dice rolls. Normally I find the dice tell a story that I can flesh out the character idea from. Doing it this way round can be problematic because although I might want a Face type character from The A-Team (if you're old enough to remember that show), what I might end up with is a combat specialist if I were to start him with a Criminal background, for example.

Anyway, I'll stop waffling and get back to my character creation!

[Ermine]

Yeah, it's just harder to do it the other way around with the no rolling thing. I don't want to make a dedicated prerolling thread, though. So I'm the problem. ^//^

And you can choose skills instead of rolling. You just don't get as many that way.

Originally Posted by Gateway502

Okay. I'm not sure what you mean by "in the feature", but I'm working on something.

We're breaking up the sentence in different places. It's "as-in the feature" not "as in-the-feature", meaning "I'm referring to the background feature" (if that makes more sense. I could also be misreading/misinterpreting what you originally said)

[Sefer Yetzirah]

Originally Posted by Gateway502

Okay. I'm not sure what you mean by "in the feature", but I'm working on something.

I was considering someone like DrowNinjaPrincess' idea, actually, though not as radically pacifist, more someone who prefers to think and talk his way out of trouble than shoot his way out.

It's fairly amusing that the only background with Talk as its Free Skill is Streetwalker! I see that as my character's main skill, but I'm not sure he started out in that profession

Not sure if it matches the character concept you had in mind but you could perhaps focus on the "Lead" route instead of the Talk one.

Or alternatively, you could perhaps go "Educated" as an Edge, choosing Talk, and then as a Focus you'd choose Diplomat giving you Talk-1. Allowing you the free space to choose any background more fitting.

[Gateway502]

Application Name:Harald Wasserman Background: Trader Edges: Face, Focussed Goal(s): In the short term, to be free from looking over his shoulder. Longer term, to live a life of luxury. Appearance: Shorter than average, slender, and physically attractive. His ready smile, albeit an insincere one, tends to put people at ease. Backstory: Harald has an eye for a deal combined with a gift for convincing people that it's a good deal for them. It's what lights his fire. Well, partly. Mainly, what really lights his fire, is coming out of a deal better off than the other guy. Until recently, he was part of the "Vermittlungsabteilung" of Die Berliner. In fact Harald met Corwyn when he was the DB point-man for an "arrangement" that she was involved with and he liked her immediately, which is unusual for him as his relationships with people tend to be superficial. It's difficult to be any other way when you see most people as a "mark". On reflection, getting intimately involved with one of the leaders of your gang when they're apparently still romantically partnered with the other leader of your gang was not the most intelligent decision Harald ever made. In his defence he'd say that Ursula seduced him, not the other way around, and it was only that one time (well, three times, but only one time!), but Michael didn't seem to care too much about that. And Michael isn't even the most vindictive of the pair... A Major Gang: Die Berliner, aka DB Legend has it that Die Berliner take their name from a historical faux pas by a visiting politician from well before the Russo-European War. Their tag - a doughnut surrounded by a red rectangle, with a knife stabbed through it - either confirms this or plays on it, depending on your point of view, and is found all over their territory. Although they do have a street presence, covering the usual rackets such as protection, extortion, gambling, and the like, it's comparatively small compared with some gangs. Die Berliners' main income comes from being able to get their hands on a seemingly endless supply of goods that are usually thought to be unobtainable. Even if your taste runs to fried snacks filled with jam (allegedly). It's common knowledge that there is friction between the two leaders of Die Berliner, Michael and Ursula - heads of the "Vermittlungsabteilung" (literally "arranging department") and "Erzwingungsteam" ("enforcement team") respectively - though it's unclear as to why the friction exists. It could be personal (the two are or were lovers), or it could be "business" (disagreement as to which direction the gang should go in the future). If the friction develops into open hostilities then it would bring problems not only for everyone in Die Berliner, but also those who do business with them, and for the neighbouring gangs. A Megacorp: Erste Eisern Union The head office of the Erste Eisern Union is roughly on the site of the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, which was home to 1. FC Union Berlin in the days when football was a sport. The name of the EEU appears to mimic chants of 1. FC Union Berlin fans, perhaps due to the location of the headquarters. If you were able to follow the history of the corporation in enough detail you might find out that it started out as a legal entity that was created around a gang of football hooligans who provided "protection services" to businesses surrounding the Stadion on match days (yes, including doughnut stands). These days the company specialises in security of all kinds - from small low-tech locks through to high end alarm and "anti-intruder" systems, through to security personnel and machinery of the more hands-on type - and are an impenetrable black box as far as their internal workings are concerned, being paranoid about their own security. It's unusual to come across active personnel of the EEU who are not enhanced in some way, and rumours persist that the upper-echelons of the corporation have taken this to the limit, being effectively "brains in jars", who are decanted into artificial bodies of their choice as they wish. The rumours are denied by the EEU, but the reality is that nobody appears to have seen the leadership physically in decades.

[DrowNinjaPrincess]

Originally Posted by 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.

I guess it all depends on their goals and personality. Perhaps lost causes in terms of religious conversion, but still potentially decent people that are not worth shunning.

Fact is, the tech and cybernetics are just about everywhere. Interacting with people like this is just.. inevitable really. She will have even helped many similar people. It probably depends what you mean by "all cybered" really. Definitely won't be associating with people who go psycho, but I could see being friends with a sentient robot...

Application Name: Charity Bradley Background: Clergy Edges: Focused x2 Foci: All Natural, Healer x2 Goal(s): Charity drifts through life in a way, content with little, but still wishes to do good for others and spread the word of God. She cares deeply for her family and close-knit community, and would do just about anything to protect them. Although, she is actually very hesitant.. perhaps incapable of committing violence. One day she feels she would like to travel the world and see its many beauties firsthand. Appearance: Charity Bradley is a young woman with pale skin, blue eyes, and long orange hair like the color of carrots. Her body is thin and rather delicate. There are no signs of tattoos or cybernetics on her, nor is there any makeup - goth, punk, or otherwise. Most commonly, she wears a hooded white robe, a symbol not only of her religious denomination, but of being a healer as well. It's quite easily-identifiable and makes her stick out like a sore thumb. Sandaled slippers adorn her feet, and it is apparent she attempts to clothe herself in materials that are as natural and organic as possible, aside from the few religious trinkets she wears. She does have some casual clothes too. Backstory: Charity's family line has had a tumultuous history involving religious fanatics in Ireland. At first they were merely anti-science, anti-genetic modification, and bigoted against other religions and cultures. When they also became anti-corporation, however, that is when they were officially categorized as terrorists, and everything went downhill from there. Charity's mother, Faith, was whisked away by a more reasonable man from London, and they moved - or perhaps fled - to Berlin. It was there they settled in, finding a new community, "The Servants of the One God", while her father picked up a new job, creating and testing pharmaceuticals. Charity grew up in Berlin, homeschooled and quite sheltered. She also apparently had a condition that rejected all cybernetics from her body, which their cult religious community felt was a very positive sign. She studied the bible a lot, as well as more general academic texts. However, she was kept away from TVs, mobile phones, and other devices as much as possible, until her teenage years. Her upbringing left her very unprepared for the world she lived in, and yet she still managed by living within her community, and doing charity work at a homeless shelter, which also doubled as an urgent care. She was interested in helping people as much as she could as a doctor, and because Berlin had imploded (or perhaps ascended) into pure anarchy, one no longer needed a phd, years in graduate school, nor even a high school diploma to practice medicine. She began learning directly under another doctor. And this is how Charity wound up meeting Corwyn. With both effectively having medical background and expertise, it was only a matter of time before they met in times of desperation, or perhaps simply the need to trade. Charity has helped save a few poor souls Corwyn dragged in from the street, and called upon Corwyn to help diffuse some gang violence that threatened to destroy the shelter. An Extra "Gang": The Servants of the One God - a religious group, not in it for money nor sponsored by a corp. It's said they have a few real, physical copies of The Old Testament, and perhaps a few other secret relics. They live in a compound, in a close-knit community, with some members of the congregation having day jobs, and others collecting and distributing charity. Slowly but surely their ranks grow, as their missions recruit new members at a rate that slightly exceeds deaths to random acts of violence. Their presence is tolerated by gangs and corps, as they aren't really considered a threat, or maybe even easy pickings. A Major Gang: The Sewer Rats - None can contest their territory when it comes to underground warfare. While their turf is technically the most sprawling in the city of Berlin, it's also understandably least desirable. Yet those with the tolerance for stink, darkness, and claustrophobia will excel at traversing the many warrens beneath the city, long forgotten from eras past, and unused. Spies, thieves, assassins, an amalgam of all sorts of shady criminal elements make up this gang. But generally speaking, if you stay out of their way, they stay out of yours - unless you have something that they want, that is. Then it might be best to simply abandon the object of their focus and move on, for as the saying goes, whatever is lost in the drains stays in the drains. A Megacorp: Glock-und-Spiel Armaments - Originally remnants from the old industrial-military complexes that fed off government funding and wars, now this corp has specialized in manufacturing weapons to arm other corporations, gangs, and private citizens.. for a price. Most pawn shops, gun shops, gang bangers, civilians, and corporate thugs will have a weapon with their branding. It's not necessarily the most prestigious or reliable, but it is affordable. Then again, if guns are so important in maintaining the status quo, so the corps can continue to rule over the rabble, why would such an important aspect of defense - and control - be left in the hands of another corporation? Well the truth is, it isn't. Every corp essentially manages their own weapon supply - but it's cumbersome. Therefore a bit of outsourcing is always involved. Managing risks, it's always cost effective to purchase cheap weapons and ammo for your lowest tier goons employees. They're easily replaceable anyway. As for the good stuff? They have learned better than to hoard it all to themselves. GSA manufactures everything from exploding bullets, self-aiming guns, attack drones, bunker-buster missiles, weaponized lasers, and literal butterfly knives (pretty but deadly!). Other corps buy some of their exotic and deadly wares, thinking they have the top of the line, and a fighting chance. Singlehandedly, they don't. But like most other delicate power structures, if all the other corps banded against GSA, they would be in ruins. They don't, however, because they each think they are getting a special, exclusive deal, which.. while they technically are, it's one of many.

[Ermine]

I'm happy to see so many applications in a short time. I hope I can make the game good enough for everyone!

[Ermine]

Oh no, I cursed it! Now no one is applying!

Edit: I should note I'm terrible with time. That was yesterday, not 3 days ago. ^//^

[Thaco]

I'm aware of the system, but haven't ever looked closely at it. But I'm a big fan of Cyberpunk in general, and as Effete said, since it's available for free, there's no excuse for passing it up!

It might take me a day or three to get an application together. I guess I should stop typing now and start reading...

[Ermine]

You've still got time~

[DrowNinjaPrincess]

The less people who apply, the less competition!



But I guess to be fair, a wider selection for Ermine is more entertaining.

[Effete]

So, the advert is a bit vague on the style you want for this game. What should players expect? What are some of the inspirations for the tone? You mentioned Shadowrun earlier; are you going for a "style over substance" approach, with lots of neon everywhere, and attitude being more important than ability... or is this more of a "future-noir" setting, dark with brooding undertones, like Blade Runner? Is cyberpsychosis going to be expressed as a game mechanic, or will cyber augmentations be more of an abstract reflection of the human-condition-in-extremis?

I think answering a few of these questions can really help players with nailing down an application.

[Ermine]

The inspirations would be Shadowrun (a good deal of it as I'm borrowing heavily from it, moreso later), Cyberpunk (well, some of Edgerunners), and Carbon 2185. A hint of Repo Men/Repo! The Genetic Opera. But really, I'll take anything. Preferably a more serious game with players having a little dark (or even light) humor. Maybe even romance, if you're into that. (Being aroace, I'm not really good at roleplaying relationships).

Short version: It's vague on purpose, so you can insert whatever tone you want it to have.

I'm working on the timeline between now and "present day" in the game. Also, not going to use the Cyber-Induced Psychosis mechanic (which exists in the rules as an optional one). But I mean, if someone wants to play someone who's dead inside and cybered up, feel free. ^~^