[OPEN][Cities Without Number] - Cloaked Evil

It's the year 2048

The world has changed

12 years after the third world war, most of the world's Great Powers crumbled, the century of relative peace and stability was over and a new world order emerged: corporations quickly filled the power vacuum left after the Great Anarchy and, left unchecked, brought a reign of tyranny and terror to the world, as they constantly battle each other for more control, more power.

For that purpose, the PMCs arise: Private Military Companies; nationless and borderless armies under the control of corporations and the elite.

War became the most profitable business. Children grow up with virtual reality shooter games, finance by the PMCs as propaganda for more recruits; coupes turn frequent in those unstable parts of the world and many countries are completely under the control of the PMCs.

In this chaotic and anarchic world, there's only one rule: might makes right. Indeed,

The world has changed

All is not grim tough! Some men, disillusioned with the state things, decide to found their own company, to fight, not for some corporation, but for their own ideals causes. And some day, these mongrels may even save the world!

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In this game, the PCs will be associates in an emergent independent military company doing a series of jobs for a well-paying contractor. During that, they will uncover a great conspiracy that risks the end of the world. They will fight PMCs but also otherworldly threats.

There will be 3 main missions across the world, with a final, bonus one, depending on the outcome of the story. Each mission will be a sandbox with multiple points of interest, side-objectives and factions to interact with. There will be a mix of tactical action, exploration and a pint survival horror.

About inspiration for the themes and tone of the game, these are: the Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil series, and maybe I'd add Metal Slug too.

We will be playing Cities Without Number, an OSR-inspired game for the cyberpunk genre. Even if this game doesn't fall entirely in it, the system comes very close to what I want, and some elements for other Without Number games like Stars and Ashes Without Number will also be used.

Naturally, newbies and those who never heard of the system are free to join, if they are willing to learn it (of course, with my help, if needed), being a very simple system and also having free versions of the core rulebooks (with me having my copies in hand for any supplemental material, not that it will be needed)

To assist in the character ideas, I'll lay out a short synopsis of each chapter:
1. The operatives will deploy in an Eastern European town, turned city-state by a sketchy American pharmaceutical corporation's control, as the population revolt and a civil war break out; to rescue personnel and data. There's rumors of the corp making dubious experiments on the locals, in a secret lab in a prison.
2. The OZ is a coastal region in northwest Egypt, the place being under the control of an Italian PMC. The operatives should infiltrate the area to steal data from their secret base. They have been conducting archeological works and oppressing the local people.
3. Redacted (this one is a secret~)
4. Finally, they will infiltrate the heavily fortified headquarters of a top dog PMC located in a medieval Austrian castle in the Alps to Redacted

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Application

I'm looking for up to 5 players.

First off, I expect players to try and post at least once a day, specially when combat or other turn activity ensue; in these cases, if that's what you can do at the moment, it would be appreciated if you at least state your character's actions blankly and roll your dice (or leave it to the GM). Of course, I understand sometimes it isn't possible and don't mind it when people become unavailable for the day.

Second, this game may dwell in some dark themes, though never endorsed. And as much gloomy as the pitch sounded, it will have it's wacky side to it, as the game serieses used as inspiration would point out.

For applications, I would like you to describe your character idea shortly (or multiple of them, if you want). On that end, since we are running game that isn't exactly cyberpunk, the price of cyberware will be increased, and it is unlikely that your character will start with one, or have one as an essential element of him.

Sharing the image(s) you plan to use for your PC is also welcome.

Finally, I'd like to ask you to answer this: what about this game in particular makes you interested in playing it?

I'm excited to see you're going forward with this! Before I throw in my official application post, I had one burning question. Is gene splicing or biotech a thing at all? Are there people walking around with cat ears or tusks? What about a hulking brute spliced with killer whale DNA?

I was going to ask the same as Morphling and would ask similarly about psionics, since you mentioned mixing in both psionics and mutations.

Would you like our application posts be directly to you by PM, or in this thread? I'm not sure what the norm is here.

Alright. First off, thank you for your interest. To answer these questions, the biotech/gene splicing isn't really a thing in the setting; if it is, it's something very experimental being used by sinister mad scientists in some distorted plot. I'm going for something a bit more grounded on that end, so demi-humans really don't fit into it.

As for psionics: yes, I will allow the use of the psionics class from Stars Without number, as the book suggests, prohibiting the teleportation power only, as that would trivialize a lot of the game. About mutations, I'm still thinking about that, but at least mental mutations would probably be allowed.

Wolfram (aka. Ashley Martinez)

BACKSTORY & DESCRIPTION

Was a member of the prewar US army Communications-Electronics Command, later being cross-promoted to a recruitment-focused psyops unit during the War. Postwar, after the dissolution of the US military into a variety of PMCs and corporated-owned security forces, Wolfram[1] was picked up by Hololive-Disney West, working in their VR shooter-game recruitment program. As a member of that group Wolfram recruited, handled, mentored, and judged promising candidates, molding gaming potential into functional soldiers. After the disasterous Ophidian Hand incident, Wolfram's program was reorganized and she was quietly dropped from the company's payroll.

A severe and neat older woman, knowledgeable and sometimes harsh. Inspiration might be TF2's administrator, or Erfworld's Maggie.

AMBITIONS

Mentor younger members of the PMC, teaching them skills necessary to survive the best that they can.
Face the reality of recruitment and handling -- take a hardened and arms-length approach to the reality that soldiers exist to die.
Find information about her presumed late husband, who went MIA in Eastern Europe shortly pre-war

MECHANICALLY

From most central to least:

I'm interested in playing a face type character with Wolfram, someone with lots of contacts to share with the group and someone good at negotiations (more stick than carrot, in some cases...)

I'd also like her to fill a fact-knowing or knowledge role -- the voice on the other end of the CODEC.

Finally, she'd have at least nominal combat ability, if possible, so she's not totally useless in a fight.

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If wolfram ends up not being a good fit, I could also play as Mallard, who i gave a brief description of in the other thread. Mechanically Mallard would be of the Driver / Drone operator type.

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For this game I'm particularly interested in a few things: I'm interested in a Metal-Gear type exploration of various ideologies and beliefs surrounding conflict and war. I'm also interested in the contrast between the serious Tactical Espionage Action and biohorror elements and the sometimes-goofiness of the inspirational material.

[1] Wolfram is a recently picked up callsign, she has a number of previous callsigns ("Silver" in the army and "Mothma" at disney, among others)

I'm considering joining. Concept-wise, I'm thinking of an all-natural recon soldier who still remembers serving one of the now-collapsed European states and joined the new company because it seemed to remind of some ideals from the good old days. Primarily shooty and sneaky, but with decent potential for other things (that will probably come into view more after the second level onwards). Haven't settled on a portrait yet (also, are portraits supposed to be cartoonish as the ones from the Slug image or lifelike as from the Gear/other images?).

As for why I'm considering joining: I enjoyed the other two campaigns so far; I never played OSR and this looks like a fitting opportunity to try; I believe our posting rates align well. I'm not entirely sure where Tactical Espionage Action falls on the spectrum between frantic action and thoughtful spycraft, but I'm open to trying and seeing.

Cromwell Black

Cromwell comes from Northern Ireland, if such a designation is true, and is the orphan child of the sectarian violence that is all too overshadowed by the general chaos of the world, but that is still a problem because of The New Troubles between Ireland and the U.K. post-Brexit. Despite this, Cromwell didn't heed the temptations for paramilitary recruitment and terrorism and instead joined the actual military when it was actually functioning, serving with distinction in the SAS, and being recruited into the SIS (MI-6) for his exceptional efforts. As things began to fall apart, he left the military and got a job in the private sector in a company called The Joshua Corporation, not quite a PMC, it had reach and firepower like one, but didn't operate like one; different objectives. Cromwell did escort and courier duties with The Joshua Corporation, doing field operations for them as an agent.

Now, Cromwell has transferred from The Joshua Corporation, to a PMC, more firmly back into his old line of work; depending where the contractor puts him, he might be doing special reconnaissance work, his specialty, or direct action, another task he has skill in during his SAS years. Then again, he can do just about whatever is called upon him for all things military, even digging a latrine; he doesn't hold himself above many tasks, even if he prefers the finer things in life.

Cromwell keeps a close relationship with his ex- handler from his military and Corporation days, Victoria Cross, whom is still based in L.A. with the Corporation. His favored vehicle was the armoured Range Rover the Corporation gave him to drive and conduct missions in. He's familiar with tech, despite his age, and his military training keeps him in touch with handling high tech gear, which he doesn't mind using to get the job done.



I'm interested because it's at least partly cyberpunk, with some dystopian themes. Involves a theme of PMCs taking over the world, which is an interesting plot for the base story, and having my character be a part of it, and reminds me of something like Shadowrun, I like the Metar Gear Solid esthetic advertised and think my character would fit well into a Metal Gear Solid-described campaign with espionage and action.

Sent invitations to the three of you! Will be populating the game with posts shortly.

I just keep having so many ideas for this game that I can't settle on anything. I guess I'll go with my favorite two.

Casper - She's a friendly ghost

Born on a Paiute reservation near Las Vegas, Roxie Bridger had little in the way of hope or prospects - until she was scouted by a corporate black ops division for her smarm, bravery, and sneakiness. Given intensive training and the callsign Casper, she was sent to spy on other corps, going where others wouldn't and seeing what they could not, a specialist in scouting, breaking and entering, and second-story work. But like all spies, she had a shelf life, and hers ran out quickly. When her handler stopped answering her calls and her enemies became too numerous, she was forced to go to ground and adopt a slight change of profession.

Hacker - Not the computer kind

A daughter of the street, Hacker's medical school consisted of discarded textbooks, internet searches, and conversations with off-duty doctors. Nonetheless, she became a prodigy, a balm to the desperation and disease that was commonplace amongst her people. When the local gang demanded she work for them exclusively, she packed up and left, joining a PMC. They couldn't simply let talent like hers go to waste after all. Hacker is scrappy and determined, and downright vicious when backed into a corner. Many find her ability to use scalpels and bone saws to take enemies apart instead of putting patients back together downright terrifying, but none can doubt her abilities on and off the field.

What makes me interested in playing this game? I love the gonzo action and intense drama that a MGS themed game promises, and I am a huge fan of the RE series. I am very intrigued by a cyberpunk punk minus the cyber game and would like to see how that plays out. Finally, I am excited by the frequency of posting because I enjoy faster-paced games.

C.S.A. 719(Aka, Lukas Wang)

Before the C.C.P. fell, there was no studiedly secretive effort to maintain a lower, more subtle form of power and control, as government-controlled state corporations became steadily more independent, by the Chinese government. They did not engage in dubious child-gathering tactics to induct what they could find amongst the steadily rising population of the lower-class into a simple but effective dossier of what would definitely not become known as C.S.A.s, Corporate Strategic Assets. The Communist Party definitely no longer exists, and even if it does, would definitely not hold any further ambitions towards puppeteering the Asian mainland from behind the scenes, through corporations that have now become monolithic in their own right.

They have definitely not been waging a slow, confused, and delicately intricate campaign of sabotage and counter-intelligence against any who might pose a threat to a resurgence of the original government. After all, they do not exist.

Lukas, much like any nonexistent shadow government organizations, also has no background in the military arts. He was definitely not trained as an sniper and foot-soldier in what a nonexistent organization might have predicted to be a new stage in their covert operations. He has no remarkable skill at anything with a firing pin, and most certainly does not have his own agenda. Perhaps, he might not admit to having indulgent ideas about freedom of his own, or perhaps independence of a rosier sort for his homeland. He has no callsign, and it definitely wouldn't be Argent.


In essence, Lukas is a shooty character with some sneak on the side, meant to help pad out the direct combat capabilities of the group. His background and motives remain nebulous to help add some moral shading to the cast. As for why I want to play...Well, I do like the cyberpunk setting, and I've never had a bad experience with Crawford's systems yet, so here's hoping I continue that trend! I'm also fine with keeping up a daily frequency of posting.

Nice, I'll add you two too. As for morphiling's character ideas, I must say booth sound nice, I wouldn't have a particular preference. Though the second one "hacker" at least seems like she's leaning to a sadistic and cruel type, as I would prefer more sympathetic and humane characters, you know, the kind that would star in action movies.

*puts away Ms. Parker expy alternative concept*.

Looks like you do not have a Cyborg Ninja.

So I will apply with a Cyborg Ninja.

Because I am a Cyborg Ninja, I can tell you who they programmed me to believe I am. And I leave it to you to determine who I actually am and why I am a cyborg ninja.

The most insidious part I can tell you. I have the utmost guarantee of my trusted superior that I volunteered for this...

I was definitely fully aware of being turned into a machine...

I didn't have a loving family who misses me, conveniently an orphan and unmarried...

The La Le Li Lo Lu had nothing to do with this program...

Although a cyborg ninja character would be a nice idea for later in the campaign, at the start, it simply wouldn't be possible, with lvl 1 characters (and the resources available to them).

Just handwave it. Any tech added in the future was already there.

Cyborg Ninjas fit the theme too well for it to not be a PC.

CODENAME: SABERWOLF

Starting with the Operator Class

Background: Criminal

Growth: +1 to any

Learning: Stab 0, Stab 1

Gear: Lockpicks, Ordinary Clothes, commlink

Edges: Wired, Hard to Kill

Focus: Assassin

Skills: Sneak-1 (Criminal + Assassin), Stab-1 (Criminal picks), Exert-0 (1 point), Notice-0 (1 point).

Cyberware ($165,000 / 5 SS)
Cutter Package: Body Blades II (2 SS, $80,000), Enhanced Reflexes I (2 SS, $60,000), Dermal Armor I (1 SS, $25,000) (p. 65).

"Just remember. You volunteered for this."

Ok, so the cutter package (which isn't on page 65 but 27) has different costs for the individual cyberware; are you using some pre-release version of the game, perchance? At any rate, I have stated in this thread and more clearly define on the game forum that cyber will get a x2 price increase, to reflect how rarer they are in this setting.

There's also the fact that you can't pick on the growth table. You either pick 2 on the learning table or get to roll 3 times on either.

I was using an AI.

Funny how it cannot even save me time. Looks like as you said the concept is untenable. I hate being a redundancy, so I guess I will make a surgeon of some sort and try not to die