[center][img]http://orig10.deviantart.net/3cff/f/2012/354/e/2/cyberpunk_by_dges-d5olb0t.jpg[/img][/center]

Welcome to Hokuko, a sprawling metropolis located towards the east coast of the corporate-conglomerate state, the Xiang Cooperative Dialogue. Hokuko is comparable in size to the Greater Tokyo Area, and boasts a similar reputation as the largest metropolitan economy in this world. Many multinational corporations have their headquarters based in Hokuko, which has turned the city's atmosphere into something of an economic cold war. Businesses do battle both in the markets and in the streets, while paying law enforcement to look the other way. As they push their agendas, researchers push the boundaries of what it means to be human; augmentations and cyberization of the human body have raised debates concerning the ethics of transhumanism, and concerns abound over just how far this technology should go. Anti-augmentation militias rally behind closed doors, while cyborg special agents mobilize to counter cyber-terrorist threats. Hokuko is a true cyberpunk playground, free for you, as a player, to mold and control as you see fit.

The RP is heavily rooted in the cyberpunk genre, and borrows from movie, game and anime franchises, including, but not limited to Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed, Bubblegum Crisis, Deus Ex, Syndicate, Blade Runner, etc. Themes to be explored may range from blurred lines between man and machine, corporate espionage and manipulation, government corruption, transhuman ethics, cyber and augmentation-related crime, and so on. This will obviously depend on the actions of the players and what route they take the RP. 

The main IntCheck can be found [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/89418-hokuko-a-freeform-open-world-cyberpunk-city-with-player-driven-plot/ooc]here[/url].

And now, for some [url=https://youtu.be/R7QshvmFzic?list=PL1Uj0cNo6vn3TY-SYTl71hN7YliOv5bJm]thematic music[/url]! 

Gameplay:
[hider]
This RP is designed to be a true, open-world playground for roleplayers to design and interact with. I have laid a framework, but it is the role of the players to expand on that foundation and give life to the city. There is no maximum player count, no post order. Players are encouraged to write what and when they desire, within the standards of the Advanced section. 

You can design a multimillion-dollar conglomerate and wage war on the small businesses in the next district, or operate a crime syndicate bent on controlling the underground prosthetic trade. Ghost in the Shell fan? Add your own spin on Public Security Section Nine and fight cybercrime. The possibilities are limited only by the setting and your imagination. Play sprawling, city-wide factions, or get in the mind of a single character. Contribute at a level you feel comfortable with. 

Want to introduce a drug of your invention to the streets? A technocratic religion? Are you a gun enthusiast and want to canon your own make of firearms? Players are free to work with one another and with me, as GM, to contribute lore and canon of their design to the setting. Player A might RP as a security guard stationed at Player B's manufacturing plant, which builds equipment used by Player C's private security corp, at war with Player D's revolutionaries. How everything comes together in the IC is up to you.[/hider]
Rules:
[hider]
[list]
[*]Most standard Guild rules apply. Be aware of the Advanced section's writing standards.
[*]As this will be a highly collaborative effort, be respectful of each-others' creations and do not hijack other characters, factions or ideas without the owner's consent. If another player allows you to RP a member of his/her crime syndicate, then great! But don't expect to be turned down if you deviate from the intended feel of the creation.
[*]Be cool. This is an open world to be shaped and played with, not a game to win. There's no need to feel obligated to min-max or set out to create the most powerful faction you can dream up. It's fine to be an influential CEO with fingers in all the pies, but be aware the RP is about the narrative between player elements and how they interact from day-to-day.
[*]Violence, adult themes and grey morality are expected to be omnipresent in the city. Innocents might die in a shootout. Civilians might be brainwashed or hijacked to carry out a corporate agenda. Your character might be fond of the red light district, or even work there. Long story short, things happen, and I expect a mature attitude. However, if you wouldn't show it in public theaters, maybe it doesn't belong here. 
[*]Do be active! If you sign up and create a bureaucratic institution that plays a vital role in the city, don't up and disappear after a week. It makes my job harder to keep things running smoothly, and your partners will hate you for leaving that plot you worked so hard on unresolved. However, if you do need to leave, or wish to resign from the RP, let us know so we can plan accordingly.  
[*]Have fun! By the time the ball gets rolling, this won't simply be [i]my[/i] RP, but it'll be [i]our[/i] RP. I want everyone involved to have a good time and work together to make something memorable. Whatever you put into the RP, you get out of it, and you should be proud with whatever you've contributed, big or small. 
[/list][/hider]
Sheets:
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Because Hokuko is such a loose narrative, there aren't many hard values to fill out. You should know what a basic CS looks like, and if you've spent any time in the Nation section, you should be able to piece together an adequate NS. If you're playing a faction, then you might not want to create individual sheets for every major character. Or you might. It's up to you. That said, I will provide samples of the minimum I expect from both kinds of sheets:

[hider=Character Sheet]
Appearance: [Descriptions preferred; pictures allowed]
Name:
Alias: [If any]
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Background: [A concise summary of how they became who they are, what they do, and what they aspire to]
Other: [Any extra information that you might want to be player knowledge; Are they augmented? All-natural? If the former, what sorts of implants have they got?]
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[hider=Faction Sheet]
Name: 
Role: [Anything from a crime syndicate, to manufacturing company, to new age religion; the choices are endless!]
Important Persons: [Can include CEOs or whoever directs the activities of the faction; include as little or as much information as you see fit]
Background: [A summary of what the faction does, how it does it and why; may include information like founding, past history and conflicts, etc.]
Other: [Same as in the CS; what else should we know? If a corporation, you may wish to write up summaries of flagship products, or if a mercenary team, what equipment they use and so on]
[/hider][/hider]

Setting Lore: [This is an ongoing catalog of canonical elements that players and I will introduce to the RP. Anything from car manufacturers, to groundbreaking technologies, to popular culture topics can be added within.]

[hider=World Map & International Details]
The greater setting of the world is borrowed from my other RP; [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/88177-frames-mech-combat-political-intrigue-corporate-struggles/ooc]FRAMEs[/url], but they should be treated as two separate entities. The affairs of one RP do not carry over into the other.  

[img]http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/ae218/AbsolutCharlie/FRAME/FRAME-Map_zpsiweftwwn.jpg[/img]
Details for transnational governments are given below, separated by continent:

[u]NSU (North Sotraecan Union)[/u]: The NSU is a leading global power, being among the first to develop and introduce mechanical walkers as military assets. It has the second-largest economy in the world and enjoys a level of human development that puts other nations to shame. Despite this, it has become somewhat decadent in recent years – a flaw that many believe will enable the SSU to gain an edge in the war.
[u]SSU (South Sotraecan Union)[/u]: NSU and its neighbor have been at odds since their inceptions, with war undeclared but skirmishes between the two are an everyday occurrence. The SSU rivals its neighbor in terms of  technology and boasts a greater population and military strength, though is at an economic disadvantage.

[u]UKE (United Kingdom of Estovia)[/u]: The UKE is in a comfortable position, buffered from the warring between the USK and PU by the ISS. The UKE is a kingdom in name only, having became a democratic union of states just three years ago. It clings to its old moniker and its beloved royal family as a figurehead; perhaps as a reminder of its past. It is on friendly terms with the EC and ISS, and cooperation between the three in overseas operations is common.
[u]EC (Emarran Council)[/u]: Several decades ago, the EC would have crushed the ISS, if it were not for the efforts of the UKE and NSU. Once a military dictatorship, the EC has reformed into a democratic republic and made amends with its neighbors. It is one of the leading nations in terms of technological advances.
[u]ISS (Independent Sardonian States)[/u]: The ISS was created by a collection of small countries to stave off the EC during its totalitarian regime. With the UKE's aid, the ISS avoided total defeat and proceeded to make its mark on the international community by launching a series of development projects that would spearhead its way from humble origins into one of the world's leading cybernetic producers.

[u]USK (United States of Kamdesh)[/u]: Just five years ago, the USK was part of the PU. A handful of states declared their independence from the fascist country and presently fight a war to preserve their sovereignty. The USK is supported militarily and economically by several countries: the EC, UKE, ISS and SL. With the backing of allied nations, the USK is faring well, but time will tell if the fledgling country will hold out.  
[u]PU (Perizian Union)[/u]: The PU is a fascist, militarized state that once threatened both continents to its north. However, its reach suffered when several of its states broke off to form the USK. It has few allies, trading only with the OSU and SSU, and even then, relations are not all they could be. Rumors exist of progressive parties within the country, who aim to end the war with the USK and instate a new order. 

[u]OSU (Osbanian Socialist Union)[/u]: The OSU is a collection of states that banded together in response to the formation of the PU. An industrial giant, the OSU managed to get along with its neighbor instead, forming a nonaggression treaty and even collaborating on economic and military developments. However, since the outbreak of the USK, the OSU has severed a few of its ties to its former partner, for fear of pressure from the USK's supporters. It is at odds with the SL over territorial disputes and clashes along the border are routine. 
[u]SL (Sodroyan League)[/u]: The SL is made up of many diverse cultures and languages, and has somehow managed to maintain the loyalty of its member states over its course of existence. It is a true melting pot, and also a haven for many escaping war in their corners of the world. The SL is on poor terms with its western neighbor, as many of its ethnic groups consider the OSU to claim land that they feel is historically theirs. 
[u]XCD (Xiang Cooperative Dialouge)[/u]: A number of countries both on the mainland and on neighboring islands formed the XCD in response to the NSU's growing influence. The XCD maintains a strict neutrality in the affairs of other nations, amassing its own strength while remaining insulated from their troubles. Its interactions with other nations can be summarized as trade and understatement. It boasts a very developed economy, rivaling the NSU. It is suspected that the XCD has a finger in many global corporations, selling to both sides of conflicts and reaping the benefits. Hokuko is located on its east coast and is the world's leading economic hub. This is where the RP takes place, but factors from other governments may come into play.
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[hider=Cyberbrains]
Like the universe of Ghost in the Shell, human augmentation and cyberization have become routine procedures in this day in age. While many forms of modifications can be made to the body, cyberization is perhaps, the most groundbreaking. The procedure involves integrating the brain with electronic components, thereby linking the subject's nervous system to computer networks and other cyberized individuals. Cyberbrains can be transferred from body to body, or to a fully-artificial body, thereby creating a cyborg. This matter has been the subject of much ethical debate, as think-tanks ponder what exactly makes an individual an individual? Cyberization also grants boons in the form of enhanced computing ability, and the option to install software directly into the brain, like language packs, video and audio files, ebooks and so on. However, it is not unheard of for cyberbrains to be hacked into, thereby granting an external party access to personal information, and even control of the victim.[/hider]
[hider=Augmepazine]
Augmepazine is a pharmaceutical drug prescribed to people with implants or mechanical prosthesis. It's used to treat symptoms of rejection; in many individuals, the human body will reject augmentations over time, which can be potentially life-threatening, if those augments are connected to vital organs. Augmepazine helps the body to function with, rather than against, foreign materials within. However, in a few rare cases, individuals have become addicted or overdose on the drug. Anyone with enhancements is expected to pay for prescriptions, and so the poor sometimes are unable to fight their body's rejection, or avoid getting augments at all for this reason. It is a valuable commodity on the underground market, and a common staple of organized crime.[/hider]

I have made a PiratePad room [url=http://piratepad.net/KeHsApuDnG]here[/url], for players to collaborate in. I'll have a tab up and running on my computer whenever possible, so feel free to swing by and say hello, or ask questions. Please use this responsibly! :sun