MrSkimobile

Neon Noir - Cyberpunk Crime Thriller (CLOSED)

Dramatis Personae

@Eviledd1984 Ben Zebrowski
@Izurich Lenneth
@KazAlkemi Zain Anders
@AwesomeZero5 Kit Cochrin
@Expendable Niner

Neon Noir - Cyberpunk Crime Thriller (CLOSED)

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Glossary

GLOSSARY

↦ AI: Artificial Intelligences are computer programs that imitate (some would say surpass) biological brain functions. Though some are highly specialized, most general-purpose ‘local’ AI are limited to human-level intelligence due to energy and compute limitations.

↦ Bits: the currency of the world in 2177. Though it comes in different forms, from parallel resource and reputation systems, to company-internal productivity points and monthly allocated processing power, everything can be reduced to bits in the end.

↦ Cybernetics: broad term for technological augmentations. Robotic limbs, multi-spectral eye-cams, neural interfaces, pheromone dispensers, smartwatch skin-graft, multi-functional nanite-tattoos. You name it, they probably have it. Most bio's are augmented in basic ways.

↦ Extranet: once advertised as ‘the internet, but more!’, this network of networks of information systems, digital twins, AI’s, roaming Minds, and layers upon layers of augmented and virtual reality, has grown to permeate most of everyday experience, with most physical objects in some way being linked to it.

↦ Human: good old-fashioned (mostly) flesh-and-blood humans.

↦ Neon-York: the massive arcology city formally known as ‘New York’. It is made up of 3 interconnected layers stacked on top of each other like a pyramid, shielded from the outside environment. The Lower City comprises its original boroughs plus a sprawl of many more recent ones, with a tangle of high-speed skylanes and optical datalanes for travel running throughout. The Lower City houses most of the city’s inhabitants, from the ungoverned and indentured to the neo-religious communes, sub-urbanites and data center tenants. The City Center is its second tier, mostly made up of commercial, cultural and governance districts, and houses the travel hubs connecting it to other megacities. Last, but not least, the Upper City is a truly mysterious place, said to be occupied only by the most important influences of the city.

↦ Omni-fab: devices able to (dis)assemble most items to and from a raw ‘basepaste’ and (bought and paid for, of course) specification files. A.k.a. replicator, fabricator, 'fab. Small-scale devices found at servicing stations are often called 'microfab', whereas 'macrofabs' are used in large-scale fabrication.

↦ PID: ‘Persistent Identifier’, collection of a personality’s records (birth/creation/modification timestamps, passport) and other tracked data (certificates, digital wallet, medical/criminal/ads/communications/purchase/travel history). Used as a form of official identification, but also for communications, payments, and to authenticate aspects of a personality (clearances, subscriptions). A.k.a. Profile.

↦ Power: ah, power, that most wanted and despised thing… But who wields it in this world of ruthless business interests, AI anarcho-trolls, government gangs, and x-celebs? A good question! To which not even the quantum computers, cracking chaos theory conundrums 86.400.000 milliseconds a day 7 days a week, have an answer. Skulls may crack and bits may clank, but who truly owns the soul of a man?

↦ Shape: the physical form a ‘personality’ currently inhabits. A.k.a. form, case, container, can, bin. These can be "bio's" such as the trad-born and pod-born, but also cyborg, robotic, or even entirely digital.

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Previously on...

STORY RECAP

(this will hold the story recap once we get a bit further into the story)

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Tabletop

CURRENT TABLETOP

Scene: SatoCorp VIP Lounge
Type: CONFLICT
GM FP: 0
Action Budget: 3
Characters:

• Lenneth: FP: 2, Stress Boxes: 1-2-3, Consequences: Mild (2), Moderate (4), Severe (6), Advantage: Weak Point Detected (1 free invoke remaining)
• Group of Buzz-Drones, "Flying Electric Buzzsaws", Good (+2) at: Quick. Bad (-2) at: doing anything when our Tactical Drone is destroyed. Stress Boxes: 1-2-3.
• Sniper-Controller, "Hide-and-seeker with a SMRT-13 Sniper Rifle...", Good (+2) at: Sneaky, Bad (-2) at: Forceful. Stress Boxes: 1, Consequence Slot: Mild (2).

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Neon Noir - Cyberpunk Crime Thriller (CLOSED)

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Are you still in? Yeah, why? Meet me at the usual spot. Be in good shape. What's the rush? We've got a new job. Details? Encrypted. Meet me. Fine. Give me 30.
[EOT]

Took you long enough. Traffic's a nightmare. What's so urgent? We're hitting a [D̡̗͍̘̬̜̎̕A̦̲̤̩̓́̅̇T̛͖̠̄͊̃̂A̰͑͒̎ ̢̜͔̎ͅC̪̅̇́͒Ò͔̫̙̺͇̍̒͝ͅR͍̎͐́̆͝R̘̘̺̩͍̀̇̉͗͊Ù͈̦̻̒̌̽͝P͕͇̼̈̀T̻̘̓͋̽̐͊̈́I̛̗̺̣̠͛̚͜͝ͅO̮̮̼͕̥͛̆͊̓̐͆N̪̥͍̩̄͑͊]. Again? This one's different. They're up to something big. What kind of something? Not sure. But someone's willing to pay a fortune for it. Sounds risky. That's why they hired us. Any backup? Just us. Great. What's the plan? Infiltrate, retrieve, get out. Simple enough. Don't underestimate it. We move in five.
[EOT]

You good? Yeah. You? Got what we came for. What about security? Dealt with, permanently. So now what? Lay low. Wait for our next move. Should we be worried? Always.
[EOT]

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Welcome to Neon-York! The year is 2177, human cybernetic augmentation and robots are commonplace, and recently, a series of crimes have reverberated the Pyramid-City of Neon and Chrome across all of its three city layers. From the lower-city districts to the upper-city penthouses, no one seems safe, as a clear connection between them is missing save for one: a complete wipe of the victim's brain. As private investigators, fembot fatales, slumdog mentalists, and possibly mental cases too, you will deep-dive into crime scenes, computer systems and cybernetic minds across the city to uncover the madness behind the mystery.


^{(Image source: Rolly Rocket by Valenberg on DeviantArt}

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About the Game

Neon-Noir is a comfy-dystopian cyber-sleuthing RPG inspired by the settings and the feel of Cyberpunk 2077, L.A. Noire, and Eclipse Phase.

We are currently FULL, so please check back later. Happy to have you!

The code of conduct:

• Standard board rules apply.
• Don’t be a d*ck (but don't be too easily slighted either).
• We play a minimum of once-weekly updates.
• Rolls will be made using FateBot on Discord (link will be PM'ed to players).
• Though roleplay may involve mature themes, there will be no explicit 18+ roleplay.
• Anything else can be discussed and determined by the group in OOC.
• The GM decides on matters that can’t be resolved by the group, and can always be consulted.
• Keep real-life politics, religion, and drama 'off the table'.
• Most importantly: Have fun!

The Fate Accelerated PBP system (thread): in this game we will use the Fate Accelerated system adapted to play-by-post. It is a minimal system of rules for collaborative storytelling games (see the thread if you want a thorough explanation with many examples, or here for a one-pager quick-reference). As it is a narrative-first system, play will not be very different from your usual RPG on this site. The changes will mostly be in how challenge and conflicts are resolved (elements of randomness), in that players are rewarded for acting in-character (even when that means getting into trouble, or failing sometimes), and in how players can add to the setting. If you have any questions about it, please don't hesitate to ask me. I will remind players of the rules as they become relevant, and will check-up with you, and update these as we learn what does and doesn't work.

Submit your Character Sheet for approval in OOC or via PM, using the template in the Resources below. Notice how it is quite minimal. This is on purpose: this lets other players quickly understand your character and how to interact with them, it gives you a lot of freedom in how to apply and develop your character in-game, and through the Fate system, these aspects can come back to help you (without your character becoming overpowered), or bite you in the ass. In my experience, it works best to focus on a few meaningful aspects you’d find interesting to play rather than choosing what you think is ‘optimal’, or very rigidly pre-defining the entirety of the character. Also consider if it fits the established setting (see the Glossary below).

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Resources

Character Sheet

[header with the character name, colored by IC speech color - check if it is sufficiently legible and different from other players'!]
[optional image representing the character - if possible, credit the source]

Name: character name, colored by the speech color you'll use in-character
Gender: M/F/W
Refresh: how much Fate Points this character starts with each chapter, usually 3
Description: a 1-paragraph summary of the character, including appearance, personality, skills and history

Approaches: how does this character approach challenges: Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick, Sneaky?

• Good (+3) at: pick 1 approach
• Fair (+2) at: pick 2 approaches
• Average (+1) at: pick 2 approaches
• Mediocre (+0) at: pick 1 approach

Aspects: 5 short-and-sweet descriptions of the character, 1 for each of the following categories. Each aspects has to be one single meaningful and descriptive fact/aspect about the character. These can be invoked in-game for 1 Fate Point to get bonuses on rolls, or can be used to compel you into action, so make sure to think about how you want to actually play this character. Any flavoring, details and interesting or fun facts about the character are better put in the description, writing sample, and the trivia sections.

• High Concept: short phrase summarizing your character as a whole
• Trouble: short phrase summarizing a flaw or obstacle that frequently complicates this character's life
• Want: short phrase summarizing what this character wants, or what's really important to them
• Relationship: short phrase summarizing their relationship with another (preferably player) character
• Extra: short phrase summarizing any other thing you think is important to know about this character

Stunts: special abilities/traits/items the character can use for 1 Fate Point

• Because I am/have/know trait/item/ability, I can create an effect/get a bonus when some in-game condition is met.
• add more, up to 5 in total; try to vary them, some utility, some combat, some trivial, some 'ultimates'. Ask GM for help if needed.
• if you want MORE than 3, up to a max. of 5 stunts, your Refresh will be decreased by 1 for every stunt over 3 as a trade-off. That means each chapter you'd start with LESS Fate Points, and therefore would be able to USE your Stunts/Aspects less often out of the gate!
• Making Stunts is often the most difficult thing to get right on the first go. SO ASK GM IF YOU'D LIKE HELP!

Trivia: anything else you want to add about this character that isn't essential, but still fun to know

• Possibilities: face claim, speech color, theme song, other fun facts (favorite drink, NPC connections, etc.)

Writing Sample: 2-3 paragraphs of IC writing illustrating this character (for example their life, mindset, potential storylines and themes).

EXAMPLE Character Sheet

Name: Lola Shon
Gender: F
Refresh: 3
Description: Based on her utilitarian looks alone, you'd never take her for the feisty and ruthless business woman she is. With short black hair, tanktop, several guns hidden in the pockets of her cargopants, critical eyes, and a blabbermouth that would put the Mid-City Neurovid actors to shame, Lola Shon is a large personality in a petite frame. No surprise too: a brainstim-dealer's job is a hard life - a successful one, even harder - and Lola has quite the resume. Currently endebted to the Staten Island Thugs, she scours the city with her Centurion Hoverbike and trusty guard dog for their next big job.

Approaches:

• Good (+3) at: Sneaky
• Fair (+2) at: Quick, Flashy
• Average (+1) at: Forceful, Careful
• Mediocre (+0) at: Clever

Aspects:

• High Concept: I am the hottest brainstim-dealer in this blasted city.
• Trouble: I only look out for numero uno.
• Want: I need to pay off my debt to the Staten Thugs, and soon.
• Relationship: Bacchi is my trusty guard dog, and my only friend.
• Extra: I’ve kitted out my hoverbike with some surprising modifications.

Stunts:

• Because I Always Shoot First, I can gain a +3 bonus on Attacking Quickly during the first round of a Conflict.
• Because I Have The PR_SEC v.12 Package Installed On My Neural Chip, once per chapter/session, I may declare I found a way past or out of trouble.
• Because I Have Many 'Medicinal' Stims, once per chapter/session, 1 Mild Consequence may be Recovered on anyone during a conflict.

Copyable Character Sheet Template

[hider=CHARACTER_NAME]
[center][h1][color=]CHARACTER_NAME[/color][/h1]
[img][/img]
[sup](image source: [url=]... by ... on ...[/url])[/sup][/center]

[b]Name[/b]: [color=][b]CHARACTER_NAME[/b][/color]
[b]Gender[/b]:
[b]Refresh[/b]: 3
[b]Description[/b]:

[b]Approaches[/b]:
[list][*] [b]Good (+3) at[/b]:
[*] [b]Fair (+2) at[/b]:
[*] [b]Average (+1) at[/b]:
[*] [b]Mediocre (+0) at[/b]:
[/list]
[b]Aspects[/b]:
[list]
[*] [b]High Concept[/b]:
[*] [b]Trouble[/b]:
[*] [b]Want[/b]:
[*] [b]Relationship[/b]:
[*] [b]Extra[/b]:
[/list]
[b]Stunts[/b]:
[list]
[*]
[/list]
[b]Trivia[/b]:[list]
[*]
[/list]
[b]Writing Sample[/b]:
[/hider]

Player Actions Footer

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Actions: actions plus rolls ex. Attack Forcefully + Invoke (1+2+2 = 5) | FP: FP cost of the action, ex. -1 | Stress: if any stress boxes have to be ticked, ex. tick 1 | Consequences: if any consequences are taken, ex. Concussion (2)
Tag: player tags, ex. @MrSkimobile

Copyable Player Actions Footer Template

[.hr][b]Actions[/b]: | [b]FP[/b]: | [b]Stress[/b]: | [b]Consequences[/b]:
[b]Tag[/b]:

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Neon Noir (Cyberpunk Crime Thriller) - CLOSED to new players for now

OK everyone, I'm very happy with all the characters we have. I'm working on everyone's intros as we speak. Once done (probably wednesday tbh as tomorrow I have something important), I'll open up the roleplay thread + discord proper and festive-like, post the intro post, and let you all loose ;)

Rerun: Blackguards!

@Red Wizard welcome to the merry band XD

Rerun: Blackguards!

Brorin Foul

The Ogre seemed content enough after the ghostly girl used Brorin's lavender on her burnt hand, already happily chomping on a horse again. She may be stupid as a rock, but she had helped him up before, and that deserved a tit for tat, Brorin supposed. Besides, even the fools fit, in the end. Still, that cursed burn wound was worrying. He would have to pray for her. He made a note to cook up some holy water alongside his mutagens later.

And as if the day couldn't have any more surprises in store, the day had some more surprises in store. Thuk, the slain Sulfreyan who had led the attack on them had been made un-dead and pledged fealty to the death-witch. Sulfrey had indeed been alerted of their trouble brewing. And then the mute ghostly girl started... talking? Brorin wasn't sure what to make of it. It seemed to come from afar, like a whispered echo from the depths of her throat, or from the depths of time for that matter - indeed, didn't Viktor just...?

Brorin shook his head. "These godless oddities are starting to add up in too quick succession for my likes. But the suggestion is agreeable. I too vote for the cache. If the next stop after that is going to be the very heart of Sulfrey we better go prepared. Ricon, if your cache happens to have any spirits, I'll gladly partake in them. My alchemy requires them, and I'd prefer some cleaner ones over whatever booze the Ogre's chest--"

Before he could finish his sentence, yet another surprise! "Bravo!" a strange voice clamored from the distance, a boastful spiel followed, and before anyone knew well and good what had just happened, a woman who called herself Sylvaine De Vermeille inserted herself into the merry band of Blackguards. The name rung with an arrogant theatricality Brorin was, regrettably, intimately familiar with. De Vermeille. Highborn blood, no doubt about it. Brorin tsked. They always did say their second and third children became either monks, or bandits. But the Maw? That was a low even Brorin didn't expect.

"Greetings, friend." Brorin dripped of irony. He better make it known exactly what he thought of her kind, and how far he would have her stay away. No, not this, not again. His story? "Experimented on my fellows, made a mockery of our creation, burnt down a King's Church and everyone in it, and all the King's horses and all the King's men, couldn't be put back together again. And for that, I accepted my punishment." Punishment? No, you are freed now, brother.

Leaning softly on his cane, he spread an arm in a mock bow. "Brorin Foul, at your service..."

Rerun: Blackguards!

@Red Wizard couldn't you hijack Thuk every now and then?

Neon Noir (Cyberpunk Crime Thriller) - CLOSED to new players for now

@KazAlkemi@AwesomeZero5 Sent you a PM

@Theyra@Expendable Let's aim to finish up our CS'es in the coming week.

Then we'll switch to the actual RP thread, and I'll start writing out your prologues. For this I'm going to make standalone scenes per character, so everyone gets a chance to showcase their character, and get their own little tutorial to the Fate system (this will mean the start will be a bit more roll-heavy than usual play, just so you know). In the scenes/chapters after that we can start 'crossing the streams' with other characters and watch the fireworks. >:)

Neon Noir (Cyberpunk Crime Thriller) - CLOSED to new players for now

@Theyra as I technically set the cap to 6, my conscience has to say yes despite the last post. so welcome aboard. I'm going to close admissions now for real.

Neon Noir (Cyberpunk Crime Thriller) - CLOSED to new players for now

@Expendable sure thing. and then we'll cap it at that for now.