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ArcNet, the very mention of the largest Media Corp in existence sends a shiver down most people’s spines and strikes fear in the hearts of Deckers. ArcNet is, by far, the largest provider of Net systems and products as well as having control over a majority of media based systems that citizens use on a daily basis. That Digi-Phone? Made by ArcNet. News outlets? Owned by ArcNet. The very system that you home’s Net runs on? Made by and monitored by ArcNet. They are the all seeing eye of the Corps and yet one of the least socially involved of all of them. Unlike most Corps, ArcNet doesn’t peddle their products to citizens nor do they have to, they have a near total monopoly of all systems.
Rather, ArcNet’s most major involvement in the social system is through their interactions with the various other Corps. ArcNet is, by all standards, the neutral Corps and stands with no single Corps ArcNet often produces and sells Net systems and subsystems to the other Corps and is often well known for storing backup data for those willing to pay the hefty fee. It is, however, well known among Deckers that nobody has ever managed to hack into ArcNet’s system itself and, as such, rumors have appeared in various places that the Net provided to other Corps is a heavily downgraded system. There even exist such a rumor that ArcNet’s system is so well enforced because they have been doing Black Market data selling, a belief which is primarily supported by the anonymous DarkNet members who supposedly leak data from their Corp.

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Lotus, one of the greatest of the Corps to rise from the Chrome Age and one of the longest standing of all of them. Lotus is best known for their development of military Magi-Tech and rose to power over their Magi-Tech power systems. The Magi-Gen is, by far, one of the greatest inventions of the Chrome Age and Lotus’s crowning achievement, next to Lotus city of course. The Magi-Gen it is a generator powered by Ark Crystals, a pure and untainted source of magical energy which appeared after the Sundering. Ark Crystals have been shown to be able to power an average city block for a day on an ounce. On top of that, Lotus is the only company thus far which has discovered a way to recharge Ark Crystals and, as such, have made a great deal of money off the use of Magi-Gen systems and the resale of crystals.
However, their more well known creation are Magi-Tech weapons such as the Vorpal line of swords, Terra armor, and Manifest guns. The Magi-Tech of such systems allow casters of all types to influence how their weapons or armor work by the usage of their magic. The Vorpal swords are best known for the insanely sharp edge they hold but also the fact that a well enough trained caster can change the weapon’s form at will. Terra armor is near impossible to penetrate due to the magical field which dampens attacks and can totally block magical attacks with a strong enough user. Manifest guns are, by far, the greatest weapons that Lotus has ever made. Manifest guns allow summoners to quickly channel their spells place their summons greater distances away from them as well as fire rounds of pure magical energy. They are, however, the hardest weapons to control and can totally drain a user of magical energy should they lack care.
Lotus’ lesser known creations and, perhaps, the black sheep of them all were the drugs Faze, Prometheus, and Lupus. Faze is a magic based drug which results in vivid hallucinations in most users as well as replenishing magical energy. It is a favoured Black Market drug for summoners due to the large drain of their summons. Prometheus is a drug which enhances the user’s physical abilities and allows them ignore severe fatigue. In military use it was a wonder drug as it often allowed soldiers to fight hard for longer however its drawback was a near comatose state if too large of a dose is administered. Those who enter withdrawal of Prometheus tend to be extremely violent and have been known to go so far as to kill for another dose. Lupus is the most mild of Lotus’ drugs as it was primarily a drug for treating Aug and body mod rejections. For people with many Augs or a near total body mod to be something… more than natural, Lupus is their only option so as to prevent a painful death. Lupus, however, suppresses pain and quickly became a highly addictive drug for those without Augs. Some never come back from the high of Lupus, simply sitting and staring blindly in the distance.

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Tokyo Robotics is the newest Corp on the scene and saw its rise late into the Chrome Age, though it accelerated quickly to the top with its research and development into robotic systems, automation, and security implementation. In the early years of Tokyo Robotics they were merely a company whose focus was, primarily, in the automation of systems so as to assist other Corps. As time went on, however, Tokyo Robotics quickly expanded into the creation of Robotics systems and their implementation into Corp Sec. They were the first Corp to ever introduce Security bots capable of being deployed if there's ever an intrusion into their Net, even going so far as to produce bots capable of autonomous action to prevent such issues.
As time went on, Tokyo Robotics expanded their systems to other Corps resulting in a majority of the large Corps, barring Lotus and Delta engineering, adopting the Security bots as a second line of defence against intruders. Some governments have even gone so far as to use the security bots as an expendable police force. However, Lotus City is one of the few places in the world where the Security bots are primarily held by a select few Corps and are heavily regulated. Some believe that Lotus’ position on the security bots is simply a money grabbing ploy to extract more cash from Tokyo Robotics however there are some on the DarkNet who have proposed more nefarious theories.
Some forums on the DarkNet have proposed that Tokyo Robotics is simply a puppet company for the Yakuza in Japan, their first foray into the Chrome Age tech that had originally put them in danger. This theory is heavily supported by the mysterious background of the executives of Tokyo Robotics, many of which whose histories can only be traced back a decade or so before the company’s creation. However, the Japanese government has made no formal statement on the validity of such information nor has any solid data been uncovered from decking to support such claims.

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Delta Engineering, the most influential developers of the Chrome Age and one of the leading producers in Augs. In the early Chrome Age, Delta Engineering rose from the crumbling social system of America as a grand beacon, developing systems to enhance the quality of life of many in its home nation and developing massive systems for construction. It is through Delta Engineering that the construction of Lotus City was even possible, through Delta that Tokyo Robotics even had the subsystems in place to automate the development of robots. Delta eventually expanded out into the military application of mechanized body frames, allowing soldiers to lift more than normal. Eventually they created Mech Suits, though little did they know that such systems would later be applied to a internationally favoured sport.
However, the greatest achievement of Delta was their creation of Augs which, in place of prosthetics, allowed those missing limbs to easily function in society once more. Early Augs were primarily meant for everyday assistance however eventually the developments advanced to enhance the body and its functions. Decks could be installed a neural system to implement chips for enhanced senses, arms could be replaced to allow the average person to lift more, lungs replaced to easily process out smog filled air. Some, however, wanted to go even further with augs. They replaced their eyes to allow them to have facial recognition, their skin and muscles laced with nano-filaments to make them more durable.
Eventually the cost of such Augs would strike many users, many turning to Lupus to deal with the rejection of their systems. However, the dark history of Augs was primarily overlooked by Delta Engineering as they delved more into the development of social systems and enhancement of general quality of life. It is Delta Engineering who created the first Magi-Lift, though it was done so in tandem with Lotus. Their creation of Magi-Lifts was monumental as it reduced the cost, emissions, and time of travelling long distances and inside city. Their transportation tech has single-handedly reduced the smog in most cities to a more manageable amount, though places such as Beijing and Shanghai still suffer heavily from their emissions.

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Shanghai is, perhaps, one of the few remaining places in the modern world that has successfully integrated the new tech of the Chrome Age with a postmodern aesthetic. Their streets are crammed with people and few have transportation from Delta Engineering yet most of their systems have already been integrated by ArcNet. The city boasts the largest number of Augs of any major Chinese city and the lowest incident rate associated with them, however it is assumed that many of the Augs are illegally obtained due to the massive influence gangs have over Shanghai. It is well known that Shanghai is primarily controlled by the Dragon Syndicate and White Lotus, though smaller gangs have found their way into the system and managed to avoid annihilation by the larger gangs. Despite the hatred which many Chinese officials have for the syndicates of Shanghai, they are without a doubt the most valuable asset they have.
Due to the influence which Lotus has over mainland Asia and Japan, Shanghai has become a hotspot for government activity and the hiring of deckers and contract mercs to attempt to infiltrate the city. Though the Syndicate and White Lotus have been unable to breach Lotus City security thus far, the attempts have never stopped and, as such, have resulted in a large drain on the Corp Sec forces for Lotus. Despite all this, there have been whispers that the two big gangs of Shanghai are simply a distraction for Lotus while smaller gangs and freelancers have been actively infiltrating the City. Though there has been no data to support such a rumour, it is undeniable that China will stop at nothing to obtain Lotus City.

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Much of Nagasaki has been fully integrated with the Chrome Age tech and has especially been influenced by Tokyo Robotics and their operating HQ within the city. While Nagasaki is the primary entry point from Japan to Lotus city, there have been little attempts by the Japanese government to perform infiltrations such as those that happen in Shanghai. Rather it is well known that Nagasaki has been Tokyo Robotics territory and, despite their denial of Yakuza activity, was once home to a large portion of Yakuza members. Lotus City security has already expected the Yakuza infiltration of the city and have been trying to prevent any growth in the presence. The Yakuza have, however, been pests which the security has never been able to fully squash. Similarly so in Nagasaki, the presence of Tokyo Robotics has only grown and become more of a pressing issue for Lotus.
While Nagasaki is a primarily peaceful city, at least compared to Shanghai, near every small time Corp and business in the city has an integrated Security bot system from Tokyo Robotics done so under the pretense that it ‘Prevents Crime’. However, in light of a security breach which released documents showing an ever growing interest in Lotus City by Tokyo Robotics, the number of security bot systems have only increased in Nagasaki. As such the city has become nigh impossible to escape once a Decker has hacked into the Net. Near every route out of the city patrolled by security bots. Unwanted or unpleasant visitors to the city have a tendency to disappear, likely taken by Tokyo Robotics Corp Sec for ‘questioning’. Whatever or whoever is working behind the scenes at Nagasaki has made the city a fortress, one of the few threats to Lotus City.



Welcome valued Citizens to Lotus City, we at Lotus hope you will enjoy your time here. In the meantime…

The sounds of the city faded in an out as the tram flew through the city, its circuitous route showing the neon lit city in the full glory of the setting sun. People were crammed onto the train, some new imports to the city looking to strike it big, some merely travelers from Shanghai or Nagasaki. Lotus City had originally been planned to be nothing more than a utopia for the big wigs of Lotus, a way to escape the dregs of society and the smog filled air of the big cities. It was a big step forward for any corp to take and a bold move to claim the City as neither property of Japan or China even with its position between the two.
Plans, however, fell through quickly as Lotus realized that the city simply could not run on their executives salaries, at least not without upsetting them more than was necessary. Lotus City soon became a hub for immigrants from the nearby countries, pulling in wannabe millionaires and realists alike. Some saw it as a chance to make a name for themselves by joining Lotus at the HQ and some simply saw it as an escape from the violence of the gangs which ruled China and the Yakuza who held the finances of Japan. Soon the other Corps moved into Lotus City, buying out their own portion of the land and freeing themselves from overbearing governments of other nations.
Now, now Lotus City truly was a site to behold in the glory of its neon lights and shining chrome. On every corner you could find men and women from almost any nation, their profession varying just as much in the process. It became a haven for the ill-loved of society, the forgotten and hated, augs, deckers, you name it. Even more so was the surprisingly lax view Lotus had for Elves and Orcs, welcoming them as if they were no different from humans.
Reality, however, was far from what people liked to believe it to be. The downtrodden and poor were subjected to the worst treatment in the slums; no freedom from the gangs which had plagued them. Augs were forced to register themselves to Lotus, to pay a fee every month based on what they had. A ‘Citizen Protection’ fee they called it, just another excuse to in case an aug went wild. Even the Elves and Orcs faced the same prejudice they had before, finding it hard to integrate with the local population and find jobs, even being forced into separate districts than humans.

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The Sundering left behind a few races Earth had never seen before, bringing to life creatures had had been nothing more than fantasy in books. The Elves were one such race and have been one of the most widely accepted races since the Sundering. In the early years of the Sundering, the Elves were isolationist who clung to their old ways of worshiping the magic from their home land. It took decades for them to begin integration with society on Earth and, even then, many to this day still form conclaves in cities to cling to their old ways and teach the young of magic. Elves are the most magically skilled race on Earth and have been a great asset to Lotus as such.
Lotus’ support of the Elves has resulted in the formation of almost a dozen conclaves inside of Lotus cities as well as a growing acceptance of the race. However many Elves are still prejudiced due to their longer than average lives and the isolationist attitudes that many of the conclaves have. Even without that, a few Conclaves use the lax nature of Lotus to operate as criminal groups inside of the city. Often they exact tolls for ‘security’ and passage through their territory, driving away a large portion of the human populace.

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It comes as no surprise that the villains of many fantasy stories, the rough and rowdy Orcs, face one of the greatest prejudices on Earth out of any race. Orcs love to fight and their culture has kept them active on Earth since the beginning of the Sundering, though it was often through territory disputes with countries and brawls between humans and Orcs. Often times Orcs can be found in bars drinking or fighting, likely winning in both for that matter. Despite the prejudice facing them, many Orcs have struck out to make a name for themselves and some have even become valued soldiers for armies or mercenaries for Corp Sec.
Even the excellent combative skills of an Orc cannot, however, draw away one’s attention from their features. Most orcs feature prominent fangs and slightly pointed ears, finding themselves often compared more to boars than any human or elf. However, most notable feature they have is their skin tone which often comes in varied shades of grey-green or red. Orcs are often larger than humans in every way and even Elves cannot match the sheer size of the brutes. In Lotus City, Orcs have easily found their home inside the Mech Boxing sport and often can be found there or working as mercs.

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Augs are no creation of Magic-Tech, no gift from the Sundering. No, Augs are made purely by man and enhanced by that which the Sundering has provided Delta Engineering. Through research and testing they developed the Augs we know today, enhancing them with nano-filaments discovered after the Sundering and implementing them into society. At first Augs were nothing more than replacements for limbs or organs but eventually they grew to be something much more. Eventually augs were able to enhance one’s physical abilities, make a man faster and strong, allow them to breathe better and their heart no longer fail. Soon came its military applications which brought about a new era of war for the governments and Corp Sec.
Military Augs made is possible for the average man to fight for longer at the cost of a higher chance to reject his augs. At first many suffered from rejection and many would feel the searing pain with no help. Lupus was developed to help suppress the rejection and soon the downsides of augs were close to being forgotten. However some grew addicted to augmenting themselves, never being satisfied with their body and seeking to become perfect. The cost of the augs would lead them to crime or back alley docs. The average person, on the other hand, was entirely content with just one or two augs at most.
Most people, in fact, had a Brainstem-Neural implant not too unlike a Deck however its primary function was to allow the user to input chips to enhance their pleasures and other sensations. Most couldn’t afford the high quality augs, no desire ever driving them to further heights. Those who could afford high quality augs often served as military at some point or were mercs who ordered off the Black Market. However, good Docs are rare for putting on the augs and some have to settle for a doc without anesthetic. Or a license for that matter.

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Decking is, by far, the most dangerous work one could seek outside of violent crime and is, in of itself, one of the most lucrative for those with the right connections. In previous decades Deckers would’ve simply been normal hackers with a laptop however they have come far over the Chrome Age and are more mainstream than previously thought. About one out of a hundred citizens have the Brainstem-Neural Implant commonly referred to as a Deck, though only one in fifty have systems which support Decking due to the sheer cost of such systems. Many Corps hire Deckers as as freelance workers, either to test the security of their systems, protect it, or even go so far as to perform espionage on rival.
It should be no surprise that Corp Sec are the largest danger to any Decker, making some disappear for months at a time if an attempt at a security breach is made. As such, most Deckers do not operate alone and tend to do contract run with mercs or protection from whatever gang hired them in the first place. It is uncommon, however, to ever meet a Decker face-to-face when being hired for contract work as many prefer to anonymously converse over the DarkNet.
Decks are the biggest burden for Deckers due to the sheer cost of better models and the attention it would draw them to order such equipment, even anonymously. As such, most Deckers who are not affiliated with a Corp or major gang tend to buy spare parts and create their own modded decks. The effectiveness of such decks tend to vary from barely functioning to surprisingly efficient however this often comes at a cost to the Decker. Updating systems on Decks tends to be difficult if one has created the deck and the decks often lack the safety regulations that market products have. As such, personalized decks tend to cause more bodily damage to the Decker if a security system attacks their neural connection. Some cases of such attacks have resulted in comas and even death.

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Magic, a blessing upon Earth following the Sundering and, perhaps, one of the greatest influences on the Chrome Age and the development of new tech. It is through Magic and all that is related to it that the Lotus managed to grow so quickly, through Magic that Delta Engineering discovered lightweight filaments for augs. However, many overlook the application of magic in its natural forms. Magic is often divided among three types with a caster rarely knowing more than one of the types let alone being skilled in both. In Creation a caster can make walls or weapons, summon creatures to fight with them, and even create bolts of pure magic to tear through their opponent.
Creation magic is, by far, one of the most draining forms of Magic and tends to lack true offensive power if one is not skilled enough to summon a creature. Those who use Creation magic are relatively rare, at least compared to those who use Destruction magic, and tend to require many years of training to master their art. On the other hand, Destruction magic is the most common form of magic and the most offensively power forms of it. Destruction magic turns raw magic into a weapon and can even go so far as to infuse an allie’s weapon with magical energy. Some Destruction casters only specialize in Arcane which means they are unable to create elemental attacks however they can create massive amounts of magical bullets.
Those who specialize in elemental magics tend to be skilled in one or two of them, rarely ever spreading out of their specialization due to the strain it puts on their body. They are, however, some of the practical casters out there and tend to be great help for Corp Sec to deal with merc casters. While many are born with the ability to cast Destruction magic, few are born or will ever meet a person skilled in Illusion magic.
Illusion magic is, in of itself, the most difficult and rarest form of magic with some Elves even stating that such magic was more a myth on their home world than a reality. However such magic surely exists and is documented. Illusion magic allows the caster to trick targets with relative ease, even going so far as to disappear in thin air to those that see them. The truth of Illusion magic, however, is that it is entirely reliant on tricking the brain into believing the magic is real and, as such, has the lowest amount of offensive capability of any of the Magics. Despite this, some skilled casters can manage to find ways to blind their foes in the midst of battle or confuse them with shades.

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Character Name/Alias: Xhou Ling

Age: 23

Sex: Female

Race: Elven

Profession: Mercenary

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History: Xhou Ling was born and raised in a military family, her father was with the Korean special forces or 707th Special mission battalion as they are called, her mother was a fighter pilot and her older brother a tank commander. She was raised in a way that would make her go into the military, and she was trained to the standards of the 707th

Country of Origin: Korea but right now stationed in shanghai

Personality: 2 Paragraphs min

Relationships: She has a 16 year old little sister that she holds dear to her heart

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Possessions: She always keeps a small talisman with here that is supposed to bring luck and happiness even tho the last part does not seem to work she likes to keep it with her

Weapons:
Modified Glock-18
II-893 Sniper Rifle

Augs:

Armor: she owns a EXO-suit with kevlar protection

Skills/Magic: Sharpshooting and hand to hand combat

Other:

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Character Name/Alias: Monica Ripley, goes by "R@A_T@_T@" (pronounced Rata tat tat)

Age: 32

Sex: Female

Race: Human

Profession: Decker

Appearance: Optional if image is included, 2 paragraphs at least if not.

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History: 2 Paragraphs min

Country of Origin:

Personality: 2 Paragraphs min

Relationships: Family, Friends, Acquaintances, etc.

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Possessions: Things they have with them at all times

Weapons:

Augs:

Armor:

Skills/Magic: Deckin, Casting, Fighting etc.

Other:

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Character Name/Alias: Weiland Voss

Age: 37

Sex: Male

Race: Augmented Human

Profession: Corporate Enforcer

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History:
Born near the border in Germany, Weiland was raised outside the main mega cities, though he was in a well urbanized location all the same. Growing up, he was quite the trouble maker, getting into scraps and brawls with other youth of his surroundings, and generally raising hell and refusing to play nice and neat. He would later look at these early years with an odd mix of nostalgia and regret, since he had really caused more trouble than it was worth back then. He did nothing to stand out in school, getting average grades and generally being disinterested in the academic, which thoroughly disappointed his family. Once he graduated at eighteen, he would sign up with the Army, looking to escape the constant remarks and disappointed pushes towards the academic.

After spending several months in basic training, including receiving a variety of military grade augments (though nothing specialized as he had not qualified for any positions needing highly specialized augs), Weiland would spend the next 12 years in the service of Germany's Army. This would mostly be rotating from secure facility to facility, operating as an armed guard, though he would keep his skills sharp in drills and training against other members of his platoon. During combat operations that did occur, he had encounters with the drug Prometheus, provided by Lotus, and had to go to lengths to prevent himself from getting hooked on the substance. Part of his reasoning for leaving the Army after his time was up, actually, was because of the constant pressure and outright orders to use the wonder drug.

After Weiland finished processing out of the Army, he was quietly approached by one of the most well known, and successful, Corporations of the time. Lotus was looking to fill out some of its security forces, and not locally, instead needing someone who would have no qualms with traveling abroad and bolstering security with a heavy physical presence. Normally, Delta would headhunt German soldiers, as quite a few of the military augs came directly from them, but Lotus had gotten to Weiland first, and he agreed to the job and signed on as equal parts disposable asset, and as he proved his worth, more as a specialist contractor that can be sent into a branch to provide security or muscle as needed. His willingness to act in morally grey, or otherwise legally dubious manners, earns him a steady, rather notable paycheck given his preferred lifestyle being as cheap as it is. Coupled with housing being provided, and such places usually being well above what he would usually need or even require, life is currently fairly good for Weiland, all things considered.

His latest assignment is Lotus City, which is notable since, up until now, Weiland was never assigned to any such major locations for the corporation in question. To now be sent to work for the powers that be in Lotus City, and rather out of the blue, relatively speaking, no less. Still, about a year and a half ago he was sent to meet a Lotus liaison and begin working in Lotus city proper, doing whatever needed to be done for Lotus Corporation within their grand city. Fortunately for him, being in the direct employ of Lotus would spare him the extortion Augs usually received, though he would not openly advertise this for his own safety.

Country of Origin: Germany

Personality:
Weiland is very much a man of multiple faces, two prominent ones being his "on the job" face and the other being a more casual, after hours sort of persona. This is mostly for his own mental well being, considering the amount of times some of the work he does for Lotus Corp, who he has been working for for just over eight years now. On the job he is grim and hyper focused, often times mockingly referred by his nickname of "Tin Man", both due to the amount of Augs he willingly underwent, and his apparent lack of a heart when on the clock. He is willing to do extremely immoral, legally grey things as long as he is getting paid proper hazard or bonus pay for the jobs in question, and sees it as truly nothing personal, being just business.

His off the clock face, far closer to who Weiland is as a person in general, is much more relaxed and casual. With a fondness for liquor, specifically a cheap brand of Whisky, he can often be found in either corporate sponsored bars, during after hours functions, or seedy dives outside the corporate districts. In these more casual circumstances, he often can be found as a rather pleasant fellow, tight lipped about work or anything pertinent to himself usually, but friendly enough and willing to crack jokes all the same. One might see him as just another corporate peon in this way, but considering the amount of guilt over his work he is drowning on a routine basis, one would not be surprised to see him musing over his chosen path, whether it was right or not, and often times playing at the drunk philosopher, whether the other patrons like it or not.

Arguably speaking, Weiland is also a potential addict to Augmenting himself. Due to rather unique genetics, he has an extremely low rejection rate among even military grade augs, meaning he is generally willing to go under the knife for further enhancement and upgrades to his current systems. He finds it rather calming knowing that, given the amount of parts of him that are replaced, the odds of him dying on the job or getting jumped and killed are lower than one might think. This does cause recklessness on occasion, but often times it is still calculated. Of course, whether Weiland is that good at the math or not is on a case by case basis.

Relationships:
Currently, outside of the security team he is part of, he has no real friends outside of regulars who drink at the same dives he does, though they are more familiar faces instead of friends. Will be updated as necessary.

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Possessions:
+ Flask: An old steel flask, battered and worn, with half worn German scrawled above the coat of arms on its surface.

+ PDA: Rather than have an augment added to cover for its purpose, he instead chooses to carry a PDA instead. It has upgraded encryption and security on it, but he still avoids putting information on there if he doesn't want it to be potentially compromised.

+ Several doses of Prometheus: Left overs from his time in the Army, Weiland begrudgingly maintains several doses worth of Prometheus, stored alongside his concealed pistol, in case of a proper emergency. He does not enjoy making use of the substance, but its effects are well known and documented already, powerful boons to bolster an already heavily augmented man.

+ Several doses of Lupus: Another unpleasant reality is that, despite the lower rejection rate of his augs, he still needs to have the drug on hand for when the pain that is present can't be drowned by cheap whiskey. He is hesitant to use the substance, though not to the degree that he is hesitant to use Prometheus, due to the necessity for the harsher bouts of pain.

Weapons:
+ Modified Assault Shotgun: Probably the longest running item in Weiland's possessions, this military grade shotgun can either be utilized in a semi automatic manner, and also has a back up pump action that can be switched to depending on the ammunition used. While usually loaded standard with 10ga buckshot, the shotgun can certainly accept any number of other rounds, as long as they also are chambered in 10ga. One of the modifications done is a short, secondary barrel beneath the first, enough to allow keeping a single shot of another type loaded and ready without having to change the ammo being fired completely. Outside of this, it has seen tweaking and modifications done to its choke, action, frame, and other internals to make it operate as smoothly as possible, and as reliably as possible. Of course, the recoil is painful for unaugmented shooters, notably so, and it is rather heavy compared to most other firearms carried by security personnel, but it works for Weiland, so he does not complain.

+ Concealed Magnum: Usually stored in an internal, hidden compartment built into Weiland, this sidearm is much less modified than his shotgun. Outside of the engravings, this .44 magnum pistol is useful for situations, rare as they may be, where he can't apply judicious amounts of buckshot or other shotgun ammo to resolve violent problems.

+ Knife: Although closer in size to a machete than a knife, Weiland simply calls it a knife, and usually wears it on his hip when on duty or in areas that don't frown on openly being armed nearly as much. Single edged, sharpened, but otherwise unremarkable.

Augs:
+ Sub Dermal Plating: The first Augment, and one of the most simplistic, Weiland underwent having installed, these bullet resistant plates are designed to shield internal organs, other Augs, and such vitals from external trauma. Protecting his torso and skull, they are intended for protection against shrapnel, lacerations, blunt trauma, and to a limited degree, bullets. Installed shortly after he departed from military service, and while the quality difference shows, it still does its job satisfactorily.

+ Wired Nervous System: The second most invasive, costly, and risky procedure that was underwent, his nervous system was augmented with electronics and wiring to improve the speed and processing of signals sent to and from his brain, where a small black box houses the processor to boost his own reaction times. While it doesn't improve his ability to traverse quickly, his reflexes are amplified to improve his abilities in hand to hand.

+ Enhanced Muscle Structure: Overhauling his musculature, and reinforcing his skeleton where necessary, means that his ability to lift loads, strike harder, and generally be stronger when the situation demands it. There really is not much else to say, outside of that, so strength is covered as needed.

+ Concealed Compartment: Installed in space inside his body, he can hide his sidearm in this compartment, which is shielded from scans in a manner to avoid raising suspicions. This allows him to manage to be armed to defend himself, even in weapons free zones, should the need arise. This was installed after he finished with his time in the military, one of two of his current augs that was installed after his military time.

+ Redundant Vital Organs: A combination of back ups, resuscitation systems, and physical reinforcements have rendered the key organs for short term survival, such as the lungs and heart, capable of either being rendered useless or are extremely difficult to push into a state of uselessness. Of note is the fact these augments in specific are designed to be hardened against EMP or tampering, making them a last resort type of system, and one of several hold overs from his time in the German military.

Armor:
His coat has cut and bullet resistant fibers weaved into it, otherwise, he relies on his sub dermal plates and intelligence to not be where the bullets are.

Skills/Magic:
+ Firearms Use: Typically prefers shotguns or sidearms, though is perfectly willing and able to successfully man and operate anything short of larger crew served weapons. (Larger crew served weapons are predominately limited by lack of space for Weiland to carry ammunition.)

+ CQC Training: Going hand in hand with his preference for close to mid range firearms, Weiland is highly competent, utilizing a combination of street fighting, brawling, and various martial arts that he learned from other security forces he worked alongside.

+ First Aid/Maintenance: The two concepts are included under a single note since they blend rather consistently when applied to Weiland. He knows enough of first aid to get himself together enough to get to safety, and he can do routine upkeep on his augs, or emergency repairs if he absolutely has to on the less invasive augs.

Other: N/a

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Character Name/Alias: Wojciech "The Fixer" Engel (He typically goes by 'Fix')

Age: 32

Sex: Male

Race: Elf

Profession: "Handy-man" (Need someone dead? Need someone to clean up the bodies? Need an alibi? Fix is your man.)

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History: Even from the first breath that he’d ever take, the concept of ‘give and take’ would hound Fix. Due to complications during her pregnancy and child-birth his mother - Zoe died shortly after he was born. Despite the best attempts from their conclave to revive her, it seemed as though her death was impossible to avoid.

His father, Fabian, was not in Austria at the time, having been given a job opportunity in Lotus City. After word was sent of his wife’s death, it seemed as though he was reluctant to return, perhaps fearing that doing so would cement the idea that she was dead. Instead, for the first few years of his life Fix was raised in Vienna by other members of his parents conclave. They were fairly secretive, and were more prone to isolationism, even in this day and age. As soon as he was able to talk Fix was introduced to the idea of magic. Unfortunately for him it seemed as though he was fairly limited in what he could and couldn’t do. The only thing that he took to was illusion magic, particularly in memory manipulation. Still this was fairly limited, and most of the time it didn’t even work. On the off chance that it did it was minor and nothing of note.

When Fix turned eight it was finally determined that he would go and live with his father. Fabian returned to Vienna now and again, and would often speak of the wonders of Lotus City, which amazed Fix. He wished to see this city in this flesh, and he wished to live with his father, who always seemed so kindly and laid-back. The conclave was a reluctant to say the least, but they eventually decided that it would be best to let Fix go and live with his father. That was why, during his father’s last visit, his bags were packed, and he followed his father east to a new home.

Fix will always remember the first time that he saw the city stretch out in front of him, how it seemed as though it were infinite. Vienna had been large, but no where near as large as Lotus City. It seemed almost surreal to him, and he wondered how he would ever fit in to such a place.

And though he would only find out years later those worries would turn out to be unfounded.

His father worked full-time as an engineer, and despite having a fairly decent pay, the apartment that the two of them would share was incredibly cramped. As such Fix would often spend most of his time outside. His father cautioned him from wandering too far from the house, but as days went on Fix would become more and more bold, venturing further and further. This city was fascinating to him, and he wanted to learn everything he could about it. He wanted to see everything, experience everything that it had to offer.

It would be one of the days that he was out that his father would be victim to a horrible accident. He’d been crushed while performing routine maintenance on an automobile. While he’d brought to the hospital soon enough that his life was saved, he still wasn’t out of the woods yet. His legs had been crushed beyond all that modern science could fix, and he was outfitted with augmented prosthetics in their place. This was a huge expense on the family, and even Fix could see that his father was stressed. As if to make matters worse his body was reluctant to accept his new legs, and he was forced to take Lupus to deal with the rejection. Any hope that Fix had of living a happy life with his father had been turned on its head.

Angry, drugged-out, and desperate Fabian began to get more and more stressed, until it finally manifested into aggression. His breaking-point was after being ‘let go’ by the company that worked for, as they believed that he was no longer mentally capable of doing his job. Fix was the only target to relieve the raw anger, and as much Fabian would often get violent with his son. This only drove Fix away from home even more often, and he desperately tried to avoid his father. He missed the caring man that he knew as a child, and blamed his father’s deteriorating state on the prosthetics. Staying out longer and longer, it eventually got to the point where Fix wouldn’t see his father for days at a time. Sometimes it would be because he would leave home for ages at a time, others was due to his father sneaking out in the middle of the night, and not returning home until a day or two later. While Fix still doesn’t completely know what happened to his father during these times, he supposed that it was likely something to do with Lupus, as, when his father would return home, he was always less tense than normal.

During these times Fix tried to keep himself occupied by doing odd-jobs. A man by the name of Benji would often give him pocket-money in exchange for doing mild labour for him, or by having Fix get information for him. After all, no one’s going to expect that some random elven kid is eavesdropping on them. Fix had to learn how to get creative in some of his endeavours, and has done everything from pretending to be a cripple, or even a girl, to get the information that he needed. Benji was always good on his payments, and so Fix kept helping him out. He was never sure what Benji was exactly doing with said information, but he always figured that it was better that he not ask.

When he was seventeen he would see his father for the last time. His father left to meet up with whomever he did when he snuck out, but he never returned. Fix waited for days, but there was no response from his father. It eventually got to the point where the apartment that they lived at was given an eviction notice, and Fix, packing up whatever he could take with him, was forced to go to the streets to live.

Figuring that Benji was the only person that he could rely on, he went to speak to the man about figuring out a more permanent situation. Benji offered to help Fix out, giving him a roof over his head, and at least one meal a day, but he needed to make sure that he worked for his keep. Odd-jobs and small info grabs weren’t going to cut it anymore, if he wanted somewhere to live he’d have to get more involved in the underbelly of the city.

Not having much of a choice Fix accepted his offer, and then began to work for Benji as a full time collaborator and information broker. Oftentimes he was sent out to facilitate the trade of goods, both in and out, and was sent on more dangerous info-grabs. The work was gruelling and more often than not gruesome. But Fix would come to look fondly at this time of his life, given that it opened him up to many of Benji’s contacts that he otherwise would’ve never met. This continued for six years, and when Fix turned twenty-three another catalyst would come to rock his world.

A few of Benji’s men had been killed in what had supposed to be a routine job. Fix, curious, decided to look into it, and eventually came to the conclusion that Benji had willingly sacrificed his men in order to get in good favour with a rival gang. Fix, letting a few other members know about Benji’s treachery, sent out to kill their former leader. It ended up with Fix giving the final blow - the first and only time he’d directly murdered someone.

Disorganized, the group split up, all of them going their separate ways. Fix was lucky enough that one of Benji’s men - a former soldier named Ajax - was willing to stick by Fix’s side, evidently one of the men Benji had left for dead had been a close friend of his, and he felt as though he owed Fix.

From there on out Fix began to work on his own, trying to make a name for himself. Using his contacts to his advantage he began to work grunt jobs in the slums. Murders, body disposals, you name it. This is also where his ideology started to come into play. Knowing that debt was one of the main things that ruled the world, and that he couldn’t risk building a solid organization for fear that there’d be another snitch, he started to rotate his “friends” - people who needed his help but couldn’t - or didn’t - pay. These people never knew one another, and worked off their debt on their own, this to minimize the risk of a leak. This started to become a more solid methodology when Fix started to refuse payment from particularly gifted individuals whom he thought would be of use to him.

Now, years later, he’s become a small, yet noteworthy fish, in the criminal underworld. He and his “friends” are seen as a reliable last resort, and he can boast that anyone who requires his assistance can obtain it. Rarely has anyone tried to back out of a deal with him, and those who seem to forget their debts always appear to vanish.

Because, in this world, debts must be paid.

Country of Origin: Austria

Personality: To understand Fix is to understand the concept of debt. That nothing in this life is free, and that everyone is, in some way, indebted to another. This is the sole philosophy that Fix lives by, and the reason why he’s managed to get as far as he has.

While some might consider Fix a petty criminal, he sees himself as a light in the darkness, a hope for people who feel as though there’s no escape from their crimes. He will always offer a helping hand to those who ask, though mind you, the cost may be high. While most in his position would require money for their services, the way that Fix operates is slightly different. While he will sometimes require an ‘up-front payment’ he’s more likely to evaluate your worth. If you seem like a person who could be potentially a worth-while investment he will refuse a cash payment and instead simply ask you to ‘return the favour’. This methodology is what has turned his petty ‘clean up’ services into something much larger. At any given time Fix will have around a dozen of ‘friends’ (as he likes to call them), people who are indebted to him, and must work in order to pay him back. Oftentimes if you request help from Fix he won’t be the one to actually do the dirty work, and he’ll instead send one of his ‘friends’ to do the job for him. In all honesty he is simply a middle-man, but one that will keep his word.

Reliability is not something you’d expect from someone living in the slums, and yet Fix can claim as much. If you strike up a deal with him then he will complete his end of the bargain, no questions asked. So long as you’re willing to be indentured to him for a short time, he will help you out of any problem that you’ve found yourself stuck in. Some might see this as reason enough to deal with the cost of his help, while others may be put off from the idea of working for a lowly criminal.

Fix has never been one for combat, not on an ethical level, no, he’d be very willing to shoot a man dead if they’d wronged him. It’s just that he’s not particularly savvy at the art of fighting. He’s a scrawny man, making him pitiful in a brawl, and while he is an elf his magical capabilities are lacklustre when compared to the majority of his species. He has enough power to put up a small fight, but not enough that he’d actually be likely to win a match with anyone even remotely confident in their fighting abilities. This is why he always takes the chance to ‘recruit’ those who have a clear physical aptitude. Considering that it’s not wise to wander around the streets if you’re unable to defend yourself.

This lack of fortitude is made up in intelligence and charisma. He’s good at reading people, and knowing how to handle them. He can lie through his teeth on the drop of a dime, and is can change his entire persona when the need arises. He knows how to approach different people, and has a great insight into how the mind operates. Those who know him have said that they aren’t sure if they’ve ever met the ‘real’ Fix, only whatever facade he’s put on just for them. At this point it’s unlikely that even Fix remembers who he really is, not that he worries much about that.

Due to his experiences with augs in the past, Fix is fairly anti-augmentation. He won’t discriminate towards someone who has them, and is perfectly willing to help them out if they need it (after all those who are augmented can be quite useful to him). However he’s unwilling to help anyone get their hands on augs, nor will he help them get Lupus if they require it. This is perhaps the only thing that he refuses to feign interest in, and should you ask him what he thinks about augs, you’ll likely get a very blunt negative response. Obviously, due to this stance he doesn’t have any augmentations himself, and has gone on the record saying that he would rather die than have any augs placed in his body.

At the end of the day Fix is a business-man, and thrives in doing what he does. He knows that most people will be unable (or unwilling) to see what he does as anything even remotely positive, though he doesn’t mind. He’s making money and that’s really the only thing that matters.

Relationships:

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Possessions: Fix doesn't typically keep much on his person. Aside from his weapons, the only thing that he usually keeps on him is a few cigarettes, a lighter, and some chump change. He isn't a fan of carrying anything more on him, least he tempt the chance of him getting mugged.

Weapons:

• Vorpal Blade - Only around the size of a pocket-knife, this miniature version of the vorpal sword is something that Fix keeps on his person at all times.
• 9mm - Despite being considered an old fashion weapon, Fix has always enjoyed the 9mm. The muzzle has also been outfitted with a silencer.

Augs: N/A

Armor: The only armour that Fix has in his possession is his leather jacket, which has a bullet resistant weave combed into it.

Skills/Magic:

• Coercion - Fix is a particularly well-spoken individual, making it easy for him to be able to persuade people into doing what he wants them to. He knows when and how to say things, and is completely willing to bend his personality in whatever way is necessary for him to get the upper-end of any deal.
• Illusion Magic - The only type of magic that Fix has any proficiency in. Despite this he could be seen as moderate (at best) in terms of his actual magical ability. Most of his 'ability' comes from his natural ability to deceive and mislead others. This combined with his magical skills makes him fairly decent practitioner of the field.
• General Knowledge - Being someone that interacts with many people on a regular basis Fix has a firm grasp on the general happenings in the city. While somethings may be out of his league (namely the inner workings of Corps), in terms of the city and citizens itself, he considers himself to be quite up to date. Perhaps not as much as a Decker, but not too bad for someone who mostly learns by-ear.
• Memory - Likely one of the reasons Fix has lasted as long as he has, has been in great part due to his memory. While not infallible, he is sports a fairly reliable and long-lasting memory. He is particularly good when it comes to remembering faces/names.

Other: N/A

Character Name/Alias: Hull

Age: ??

Sex: ??

Race:Cyborg

Profession: Freelance Operator



History: Hull's first memory was light and confusion, then bullets. They later discovered that it was some sort of cyberlab. It was almost dreamlike, when they recalled it. As they would describe it, 'it was an atavistic stress reaction. I made several mistakes.' They remembered tearing through corpsec guards (later, 'why were they there, anyway?) with integrated razor arm-blades and the ting-ting-ting of small arms off of armored skin. They escaped into the criminal underworld. There were nowhere else to go. There, they made their niche in accepting high risk operations, of which their chassis and high quality aftermarket mods allowed them to survive and make many, many dollars.
Of course, as they socialized, they quickly discovered many, many things wrong with their condition. A backalley doc did a scan and discovered that they were mostly mechanical, with only a brain in an armored case remaining. This was by the standards of cybernetic technology, flatly impossible without a near constant stream of Lupus. Oh, and there was the fact of whole amnesia thing. After all, they couldn't have been made out of scrap, right? Right?

Country of Origin:Kazakhstan??

Personality: "Oh God, they're like a baby with a gun.
Hull has only been active/alive for five years. While the Net has allowed them to establish a level of knowledge that lets them function in regular conversation, they are still intimately rooted in the criminal underworld. They don't see anything wrong, per se, with several activities that would have people puking their guts elicting a mere shrug from Hull. After all, there were no morals.exe installed in their drivers.
Indeed, Hull comes off as robotic, which to many, seems only natural. Those who just think Hull's a crazy cyborg goes 'oh, okay. He's probably short circuited his mind.' Most times, Hull is passive. The chassis and neural programming they use is such that they have no problems with boredom. They spend this time tinkering with their gear. However, they can feel emotion, they prefer to be reserved about it.

Relationships:
- Abdullah Aronov: Rents Hull a room, kept their existence on the down low from authorities.
- Electric Snake: Some random edge lord. Somehow a competent operator. Formed a team before leaving for Lotus City. Wears a trenchcoat and sunglasses no matter what time of the year/day it is.



Possessions:
-Smartphone with e-book reader

Weapons:
- 10mm HV Penetrator: A fully automatic electromagnetic coilgun that fires tungsten stakes. Able to puncture through thin concrete walls and armor.
- Fists

Augs:
- Fullbody Heavy Chassis- Origin: Unknown: A heavy civilian chassis. It seems to be built for cargo loading. It is heavy enough that Hull has to pay attention to what floor they are, weighing as much as a light car. It is very fast, but does not do very well on the fine turning part. It is also very tough, but can still break given enough damage, from, say a lot of bullets.
- 360 Full Spectrum Vision: A sensor suite that replaces eyes. It takes in UV, Infared, Sonar, short range radar, a chemical analyzer that detects molecules and chemicals in the air, and LIDAR. Or, in essence, anything but sound. This is far more precise then mere eyesight
- Optical Sensors: Two cameras mounted on the front of Hull's 'face.' Takes in visual data. Can zoom in to 2x.
- Airgapping: Deckers can't hack you denied a connection. Until they do. Still, it's good to take precautions and not upload precious data to an interconnected network. All of Hull's system is purely over wire, never over a connection.

Armor:
- Caestus CQC Reactive Armor

Skills/Magic: Decking, Casting, Fighting etc.

Other:

Art Manipulation (specializing in body art)

- Essentially, a telepathic ability that allows limited control over tattoos on skin and (to an extent) the paint used on prosthetics, and to a smaller degree, black ink sketches on paper or solid objects can be made substantial and controlled.

- Certain natural & synthetic inks may have different results, etc.

- If manipulating own body art, then the results are more successful and effects stronger and longer lasting (i.e. a crow tattoo can fly off chest and attack, but damage is minimal) or can manipulate a drawing on the wall to reach out and grab an assailant, helping to escape, or beat the crap out of them.

Can manipulate targets tattoos (up to 30ft away) with varying results

- Body is covered with various tribal & cultural designs which can temporarily augment to protect her from physical damage (more out of self-preservation than willful act, i.e. defense mechanism)