Ruby

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

Sora

S O R A H A Y A M I
S O R A H A Y A M I

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

▅▅▅▅▅

^{_{"Look the other way while I work, alright?"}}

C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y Sora Hayami _________________________________________________________ 34 | ♀ | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Unattached | Arasaka Ninja | Arasaka P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E [+] ▼ P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Build - Petite ► Ethnicity - Japanese ► Hair Colour - Black ► Eye Colour - Brown ► Other - Nothing she's revealing - C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S [+] ▼ C H A R A C T E R I T E M S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Katana - Luxury ► Rifles - MilSpec, various types ► Handguns - MilSpec, various types ► Cyberware - Bleeding edge Arasaka chrome ▼ K N O W N A S S O C I A T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Michiko Arasaka - Arasaka 'patron' ► Yui Hayami - Mother ► Kaoru Fujioka - Chief Arasaka POC in Night City ▼ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Investigate - Sora has a natural detective's mind ► Combat - An expert in how to kill with nearly any weapon ► Technical - A high level technical operator ► Stealth - Emphasis on 'ninja' in Arasaka ninja -

C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y A native of Yokohoma, Japan, and daughter to two Arasaka lifetimers. Her father was nothing more than a production manager after a long life of being a machine operator. Her mother began life as a teacher, before eventually gravitating to a low-level accounting clerk within Arasaka, eventually making it to mid-level accounting clerk later in life. A model student, but a poor daughter; while self-discipline and intellect were no problems for Sora, the girl would always buck at the traditionalist society in which she found herself. More than once she brought dishonor by breaking the hand of a man in the female-only train car touching her, or blackening the face of a bully. The grades may not have been enough to counter-balance the bad, but the fact that Sora was a truly gifted athlete more than made up for all of that to her father. Though he wished she'd been a boy, there was no denying the immense pride he gained from watching his daughter excel at every single athletic venture. From tennis, golf, to martial arts, to football and field hockey. Despite success in everything, despite representing her nation on an international level, it was martial arts where Sora would find a true passion. More than anything, she enjoyed the empowerment of martial arts. She wasn't just a girl, she was a weapon. Her combative, aggressive attitude would do her no favors. Due to various non-disclosed incidents, she would be booted from international competition teams. Despite her mother's understanding due to the nature of the incidents, her father would beat her savagely in rage at the loss of his pride in her. What was he to be proud of now? The immense shame she had brought them by not getting-along? She was ornery, fickle, ill-tempered, and far too aggressive. It wasn't, he would tell her as she allowed him to beat her, his fault that she wasn't born a boy. When she corrected him based on the science of genetics, the resulting temper explosion would be enough to have her mother throw herself over Sora, begging the man to have mercy. Sora wasn't thrown out, per-se, but she was no longer welcome. Her mother acted behind her father's back to set-up a bottom-level clerical job for Sora in an Arasaka accounting branch in Tokyo. It was barely enough for Sora to afford a room, feeding herself off left-overs and office food spreads, mostly. Her attention to detail and intelligence gained her attention, she believed, and most notably by a mid-level accounting manager. In truth, the male manager had eyes on her as a new mistress. From the day she began her new role as his personal assistance, the sexual harassment and degrading treatment was nearly unending. Unwilling to fight back and risk not being able to pay for the most meager of lives, Sora used her brain. The man's attempts to impress her by talking more than he should led her to a suspicion that he was embezzling Arasaka funds in order to pay for a life that, he believed, would position him to one day be a low or mid-level executive. His goal of executive level promotion was what he often told her, how likely that was, and how lucky Sora would be just to be his mistress when that happened. Her access to his documents as his assistant, in combination with resources her mother's mid-level accounting position could get her, was enough for Sora to detective the case. She never showed an ounce of gratification when she presented the evidence of the man's embezzlement to his superiors, and word of her harassment would never had come out had one of the superiors not specifically asked about the man's behavior in the office. It didn't shock Sora when the harassment was largely dismissed out of hand, but the embezzling was a different matter. It allowed Sora a ticket to reassignment. Using that ticket and the recognition of her former athletic achievements, Sora was permitted reassignment to counter-intelligence. Sora would send the now fired and jailed man a video of her fucking his wife and other mistress in his own bed, at the same time, as a final fuck you. The next phase of Sora's time in Arasaka would see her crisscross between counter-intelligence and military assignments. Finally, Sora had found her calling in life; using the natural investigative detective skills and her intellect, combined with the natural athletic gifts and propensity for violence, Sora would rise quickly. When her father tried to reach out, having heard of his daughter reaching a height in Arasaka he never could, she denied him the pleasure. Sora began funneling money into a secret bank account, in her mother's name. Last Sora heard, her mother had left the man. At a time when most in her position would be offered a prestigious assignment within Arasaka, Sora was offered the training of an Arasaka ninja, but not the assignment that usually followed such training. In it's place would come an unusual offer from an unusual, if notable, source: Michiko Arasaka needed talent for her Danger Gal venture. Talent that could get anything done, talent as smart as they were dangerous. Michiko would arrange for Sora to retain Arasaka employ, but in truth she would begin working for Danger Gal as a problem-solver. The blood and money that followed Sora's new role would help build the very foundation of Danger Gal, and by extension, place Michiko Arasaka into new levels of respect within Arasaka. When Michiko returned to the Arasaka board, Sora requested a return to Arasaka's active employ. The request was granted, and Michiko offered Sora the prestigious position that was denied her before: Michiko's personal bodyguard. Sora declined, opting for a position of her own making within counter-intelligence. Here Sora would be a lone-wolf for Arasaka, surprsingly empowered by Michiko's grandfather, Saburo. Whatever task she wanted to pursue, with nearly unlimited resources at her disposal. Sora immediately launched into a campaign to stop hemorrhaging of Arasaka influence and money in Europe. There she would begin a cat-and-mouse game with a group of Edgerunners used by European corporations to hamper Arasaka's ambitions for the Continent. The chase would lead around the world, into space, and back. While she was able to eliminate most of the group, two of the Edgerunners would ultimately escape her and disappear. Obsession, lust, competition, respect, violence, money...it is hard for Sora to know where the lines between any of these stopped and others began. Sora has come to Night City in the wake of the failures of other Arasaka security and counter-intelligence operatives, at the personal request of Michiko Arasaka. Though her true reason for coming to Night City has more to do with personal business than Michiko's request: the obsession of the Edgerunners she never got to. A mysterious new Fixer in Night City might just be one of those former rivals, and Sora is determined to fuck, fight, or kill to a satisfying ending of the obsession. Even if it means the death of her. D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E Sora is a tall, lithe figure. A world-class athlete in almost any metric, even before the Arasaka cyberware modifications. Her beauty is classic, her dark hair straight and long, her dark eyes sharp and unflinching. She carries herself with a non-chalance that belies just how incredibly aggressive and dangerous she really is. A bit understated, but sarcastic to the bone. There's a too-cool-for-school nature to her appearance. Unlike Arasaka ninjas, she doesn't load up on Arasaka logos, or the Japanese ultra-modern style. In fact often times she looks like she's walked straight out of a Tarantino movie: slender cut suit, tie, black and white, synth-leather boots with a cigarette hanging from her lips or fingers. Sora has a fitting attitude to match, often she appears outwardly bored and disinterested in Arasaka or luxury settings. It isn't uncommon to find her in a dive-bar, enjoying solitude and her own thoughts. The only obvious sign of her cyberware are thin rosegold lines along her arms, legs, and chest. She favors katanas, and sneers at mantis-blades as clumsy attempts to make-up for a lack of real skill. She hasn't settled on a single katana just yet, as her original, 'Dākusutā', was "stolen." A pistol and a sniper rifle are her other traditional kit, though she has easy access to whatever the job calls for. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) In a game where Arasaka seems to be on the ropes, Sora Hayami represents a top tier of their talent that other characters to date just haven't lived up to. Easily one of the most capable characters in the game, and unlike most corporate characters she doesn't glorify the corporate world and sees it's flaws and weaknesses for what they are. Where one corpo may be fooled by a neat trick or blinded by arrogance or pride, Sora will see right through it. Sora is an antagonist that can create struggle for our protagonists in ways few others in the setting can, with the ultimate goal to turn strength into weakness and force your characters into hard choices regarding the soul and future of your characters, and Night City itself. Sora is no devil. She has been a victim for most of her life, her own strengths more of a weakness in the society in which she was born and raised. She has people she cares for, such as her mother, and people she is linked with for good or bad, such as Eddie. A dangerous past is dangerous for Eddie and the Merc group, but it's also dangerous for Sora. In her own way, she's kind of a hero, as her aims aren't evil by nature and there are certainly darker forces in the Cyberpunk setting than her.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

Just a friendly reminder:

The CS format in this thread differs in terms of info asked for from the one found in Wraith's personal thread.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

Can I create a character not from the N.U.S.A? I've already read up on his home country and made sure my idea fits what lore there is.

@Sad Ogo

Yes you can.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

'Eddie'

E D D I E
'E D D I E'

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

▅▅▅▅▅

^{_{"Love is watching someone die"}}

C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y 'Eddie' _________________________________________________________ 30s? | ♀ | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Unattached | Fixer | Unknown Clients P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E [+] ▼ P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Build - Athletic ► Ethnicity - Caucasion ► Hair Colour - Blonde ► Eye Colour - Blue ► Other - None - C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S [+] ▼ C H A R A C T E R I T E M S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Cars/Clothes - Multiple (Prefers bikes) ► Weapons - Multiple MilSpec (katana 'Dākusutā') ► Safehouses - Multiple unknown ▼ K N O W N A S S O C I A T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Varied - Obvious contacts throughout Night City, lesser known contacts outside it ▼ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Linguistics - She has a tongue for languages without needing software ► Bankrolled - Either those behind her or she, herself, has deep pockets ► Mechanical/Technical - Knows her way around machines and the circuitry that guides them ► Edgerunner - An experienced Solo with weapons and combat skills to back it up ► Survival - Someone who spent a lot of time surviving out on their own -

C H A R A C T E R B I O C H A R A C T E R B I O "Let me preface this information with the following warning: you aren't going to be satisfied. Most of the information here is from trustworthy sources, talking corporate counter-intel agents, talking NCPD investigators, some netrunners, and the high dollar Fixer or two outside of Night City itself (all those in Night City just say ask her yourself). Still... It may go without saying, "Eddie" is not their given name. No one knows what is. One of the European Fixers I contacted claims it's Etta, but they didn't have a surname to go with it. Etta, Eddie? Maybe, if you're going for an alias to use in Night City it's not the worst. Where is she from? We know she's not from Night City. We know she wasn't born in NUSA, or any other corporate zone. Arasaka counter-intel believes she's from a former Free State, where it's easier to make all records of people disappear. Why would you want to make someone disappear? Your guess is as good as mine, choom. She ain't Asian, she ain't a Euro. Her history is a little more known. You can tell just by watching her and reading her this is a former Corpo. The weird thing here is the same Arasaka source that believes she's from a Free State also believes she ain't former Arasaka, or Militech. NCPD believes she's never operated out of Night City before, so she's a new kid to the Night City streets. Biotechnica, maybe? Another European Corp? Hard to say, but one of those high dollar Fixers can tell you for certain she was at one time an Edgerunner operating within Europe. So, to review: probably some kind of military or law from a Free State, maybe even a Nomad. She has some level of mechanic and technician skill, some basic first aid, and is very familiar with weapon handling. None of that in isolation is all that telling, but not many backgrounds combine all of those self-sufficiency skills in the kind of package that also includes a wiped identity, and mystery Edgerunner work in Europe. So...military, law, Nomad. Take your pick. We know from a Fixer that claims to have worked with her in Europe she has chrome, and serious fucking chrome, but in the European style it's all very concealed. I'd rule out Mantis Blades, wrist-launchers, Gorilla arms...but the rest is on the table. That's background. What about current? 'Eddie' is a new Fixer to the scene. Not unusual given the explosion of new Fixers and Mercs running through the door V smashed open by showing what a single Merc and some good Fixers could achieve with the all-but-downfall of Arasaka. One of those netrunners I contracted claim Arasaka is worried about her, giving me part of a data file supposedly written by an Abernathy that was a list of 'must watch' individuals in Night City. She was on the list. (The rest of the file got corrupted, probably the netrunner had to slide from Black ICE before they could get the rest.) She isn't on NCPD's radar at all, which seems really odd to me. Read between those lines what you will. The streets tell of a Fixer who appeared, got some shadowy contracts done, helped some low-level Mercs take a leap in terms of employment. But 'shadowy' be the operative term there; whatever her clientele she's not saying. She typically uses low to mid-level Mercs, but everyone who has worked for her says she has them very prepared and well stocked. Pay is good, terms are fair. She was too mysterious for high level Mercs to work with, but she's now been around long enough that some of them want to. But weird thing...she doesn't want to work with those high level Mercs. And after you hit a certain Street Cred, she doesn't work with the Mercs she's worked with before. Makes sense if you're keeping a low profile, or wanting to avoid egos and primadonnas. Or want to make sure you set the terms, not the talent. But still weird. Put it together with everything else we found out, and it's a bit suspicious.." - Unknown Source, datashard for Dino Dinovic D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E 'Eddie' carries herself like someone full of the kind of confidence that only comes with knowing something few others do; or someone who's hiding a gun just under the table. She's mostly seen in the expensive threads of a Corpo executive, except the rare times she's been spotted using a more 'hands on approach'; when that happens it's all black quilted leather and tights. Armored, modified, but the subtle kind of armor you wouldn't know until bullets and blades started. At five feet and seven inches, flat-footed, she's closer to average than tall but doesn't shy away from a heeled boot or a fancy high-heel. When she has been spotted with iron it's always MilSpec, but nothing customized in appearance or gaudy in decoration. Her hair is a darker blonde, straight, and usually shoulder-length or pinned tight to the scalp. Sunglasses are black, square framed, classic but not as cliched as a set of aviators. Her walk is graceful, her shoulders straight and head up high. Fond of not speaking much in a crowded room, and anything above a few people seems to classify as crowded to her. No overt chrome, but everyone just assumes it's there. According to the Afterlife's resident Netrunner, Nix, he's only seen her wear three colors: white, grey, or black, "Colors of truth...something to that shit, I think." P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) Her past, in true Night City fashion, will come back to find her eventually. Her current will either lead to a new beginning, or a final ending of her story. The mysteries around her will fade, revealing a woman who has dug lies deep enough to bury her soul in. From a meta-perspective, 'Eddie' is a Fixer in the Rogue-vain. An Edgerunner in her own right, trying to escape to a higher calling. She can guide characters, both in personal quests or larger group efforts, and isn't afraid to enter the field from time-to-time, but at the end of the day she answers to clientele. Both for her own actions, and the actions of those she employs.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

The OOC is up, go at it.

The only thing I need to do to it is spell and grammar check the content, no reason that should delay it further.

Not that many people didn't already notice me working on it and start digging in, anyway.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

⪭ Connie Zhu

Combat Medic / @Bork Lazer

⪭ Mac Kieran Iceni

Solo & Former Nomad / @Sad Ogo

⪭ Conrad Louis-Callaghan

Netrunner & Former NetWatch / @LetMeDoStuff

⪭ John Brown

Ex-Corpo Agent / @vancexentan

⪭ Qiara Helios

'Former' Corpo Netrunner / @Hellion

⪭ Silvain Cellier De Roos | aka Bluejay

Mox Tech Expert / @Mao Mao

⪭ John Valentine | aka Cupid

Ex-TT Field Medic / @Bazmund

⪭ Abby Garcia Etienne

Quickhack & Getaway Driver / @Stitches

⪭ Kansaki Shimada Masako

Yakuza Solo / @Ezekiel

⪭ 'EDDIE'

Fixer / @Ruby

⪭ SORA HAYAMI

Arasaka Ninja / @Ruby

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

"Things have changed, choom. Word on the streets are the corps are starting to fight again, with most the gangs weakened or just considered too much of a liability, Fixers in Night City have more gigs than ever before. The new owner of the Afterlife proved mercs are not to be underestimated any longer; welcome to the golden age of the merc!

Whether it's deckheads, cyborgs, techies, solos, or the odd nomad chasing something besides dust storms and smuggling routes--if you've got the cojones and the skill, legend and eddies are yours for the taking. One gonk move and it can all be over in a flash of gunfire or steel. Think you're ready? Chip on in, choomba, and let's find out."

- Trace Santiago, Night City Leak News

Welcome to the 5th Corporate War, a roleplay set in the cyberpunk dystopian future of Cyberpunk. Each player will be playing a Night City based Merc, though you'll be closer to a Jackie Welles than a Morgan Blackhand. So if you came to feel as bad-ass unstoppable as a Level 50 V from Cyberpunk2077...this is not the game for you. Sorry, choom.

The roleplay is a story driven affair, with plenty of space worked in for some semi-sandbox, create-your-own-storyline type of roleplaying between main Acts of the roleplay's plot. Despite the title of the game you will not be dropped into a red-hot shooting war between out of control corporations. Not to start with, anyway, and I guess we'll just have to see how player choice shapes the in-game universe.

Do you need to know Cyberpunk the RPG, or Cyberpunk Red the RPG for this RP? Nah, that's why I've gone through the corebook of Cyberpunk Red for you. You should probably have played the videogame, Cyberpunk2077 from CD Projekt Red, but hey if you really want to and think you can fake it using YouTube videos and wiki information...who are we to say hell naw?

@Ezekiel and I will be the GMs for this game.

Big thanks to @Hellion for graphics and @Lord Wraith for Character Sheet formatting.

Discord Invite Link

Tensions between corporate rivals was already high after the Reunification War, when Militech fueled NUSA tried to force all former US states and cities operating as Free States and Free Cities back into NUSA, only to have Arasaka show up off the North Californian coast and throw their support behind those states and cities not willing to reunify. The death of Saburo Arasaka and the inflammatory rhetoric and actions by Yorinobu Arasaka have only further inflammed the tensions of the two largest entities left on the planet.

Stuck right in the middle of the conflict is the sprawling North Californian metropolis of Night City. While they were able to holdoff both reunification, unlike Southern California, or wide-scale destruction like other Northern California cities, it came at the cost of letting large corporations back into their city with influence that hadn't been seen since the 2020s, and that only ended in the near destruction and nuclear fallout of Night City. What could go wrong?

Unlike the 2020s there are other forces at work in Night City now, entities that would see the balance of power in Night City changed for good while maintaining it's now largely unique status in North America as a truly Free City. In true Night City, and Cyberpunk, fashion those entities are happy to lay low in the shadows and use Mercs to do their dirty work. Lucky you. Hope your nerves are as ready as your cyberware and your steel, because the age of the Merc has been ushered in by V.

The fate of Night City will be in your hands, if you can hold on...

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

Game Information

Rules

⪭ Site Rules

Follow site rules, obviously, when posting to any of this game's threads.

⪭ GM Decisions

For all aspects of this roleplay, GMs get final say. We'd rather reach a collaborative agreement on any issue where possible rather than issue any unilateral judgment, however, it should be noted. So talk with us if there's an issue or disagreement.

⪭ Character Sheets

Make sure all the required information is on a Character Sheet when submitted for review. If your Character Sheet goes from WIP to Awaiting Review, do let the GMs know.

⪭ Character Sheet Review

It may take some time for your Character Sheet to get reviewed, especially those heavy on equipment and history. Patience is appreciated. Only move your Character Sheet over to the Characters tab after you've been given the okay by a GM.

⪭ Characters

Each character will be a Merc. What your background is, what your skill-set is, even what your equipment/gear/possessions are will largely be up to each player. Our only rule for this is they have to be good enough to get recruited, but not so good they're considered top-tier Mercs. Think Jackie Welles at the start of Cyberpunk2077.

⪭ Character Deaths

Characters can die, don't do something awfully stupid and you should be fine. We're not out to arbitrarily kill anyone's hard-earned character. Do not post killing another PC without the other player and a GM being okay with that before hand.

⪭ Posting Level & Requirements

Casual to High Casual/Advanced/whatever you want to call it these days. Each player will have two weeks to post, with additional time allowances for IRL issues that might arise.

⪭ Equipment

Weapons and gear will follow a tier structure of Basic, Expensive, Luxury/MilSpec. Cyberware will follow a similar tier structure, Basic, Expensive, Luxury/CorpSpec. This will be expanded on in the Character Sheet section.

⪭ Setting Knowledge Requirement

If you've played the game Cyberpunk2077, you know enough about the setting to play this game. If you want you can go find the most recent Cyberpunk RPG corebook, Cyberpunk Red, but it's not necessary.

⪭ Discord

Obviously use this thread for expressing interest and any questions, but if you'd like to live chat with the GMs and other potential players we've thrown up a Discord server you can reach here.

State of the City

Night City is better than it's been in a long time. The NCART system is fully repaired, the Night City Data Pool is one of the most efficient and safest of all municipal Data Pools, and there simply isn't a better operating environment for most corporations outside home territory where the corporation has full control of a host nation government. (See; Arasaka, Japan.) Some outlying areas have been modified to allow for infrastructure of new neighborhoods and suburbs, with the conversion of older neighborhoods Dammed into Reservoirs of water to act as springboard along with new NET and power infrastructure. Construction of the transcontinental maglev line has undergone major progress and investment, connection between Night City and Chicago of NUSA to be completed no later than 2080.

Night City has struggled in other areas. The metrics of crime and aggregate Quality of Life (QoL) have both slowed their growth in 2077, though neither metric is currently trending in the right direction. The recent tensions between Arasaka and Militech corporations have highlighted the dangers of large scale influence by major corporate entities, though new Major Jefferson Peralez has announced initiatives to combat gang violence, raise corporate taxation, increase NCPD response time outside Corpo Plaza, and community outreach programs. Political observers quickly point out Peralez has also announced anti-homeless initiatives and a tax hike on private citizens, along with corporations.

The city has largely rebuilt after the incredible damage of the Fourth Corporate War and the nuclear bombing of the old Arasaka Tower. While Combat Zones were expansive and covered large sections of Westbrook and Downtown, today the only Combat Zone is in a small section of Pacifica. The Night City City Council has come to terms with Kang Tao, allowing new demolition and construction within the failed Pacifica district at incredibly low cost (rumored to be a symbolic single Euro-Dollar) to Kang Tao in return for assurances Kang Tao will bring the Pacifica Combat Zone and overrunning crime problem to heel. Proof that while The Reunification War has left Night City a free state, it has also allowed foreign corporate influence not seen since the 2020s.

State of the Streets

While Night City itself is on the upswing, and most crime is on the decline (outside crimes against corporations and sex crimes), the streets are far from calming their collective shit. While the best Merc since Morgan Blackhand, V, proved just what a top tier Merc can do in modern Night City, they did so blazing a trail through nearly every district and gang in the city. Many of the gangs suffer drains of revenue, leadership, or both. As such the Scav presence has increased in nearly every district of Night City, there have ever been reports of Scav conducted abductions where they haven't been since soon after the Fourth Corporate War, such as corporate apartment buildings in Corpo Plaza.

Former CorpoRats, former Gangers, former Lawmen, and more have found it more lucrative to try to make it on their own as a Merc than join a gang. Merc groups have become to pop-up, groups of Mercs that work together to find greater success. While this is nothing new, and the afore mentioned V is rumored to have been part of an ill-fated Merc group before hitting the Big Leagues, this was closer to the exception than the rule. Most mid-level Mercs either operate in a group, have operated in a group, or wouldn't mind working in a group. Fixers have responded by cultivating their own roster of various Merc groups, and will often nudge one Merc in the direction of other Mercs.

Gangs are increasingly hostile to Mercs, tired of being targeted by the mid-level Solo looking to practice their skills or newest gear on little trained gonks wearing gang colors. Some Fixers still prefer lone Mercs, or hastily put-together Merc groups, then cultivating Mercs. Thus far no Merc group has been able to dictate terms to Fixers, though some Mercs have survived long enough to become Fixers on their own, these Fixers specializing in scouting Mercs and putting together teams. With the rise of Mercs have come an increase in Fixers, most with shadowy and mysterious ties, or low-level Fixers that would sell out their own mothers for a quick ascent within the ranks of Night City Fixers.

State of the Gangs

Saburo Arasaka's death began a chain reaction that, largely, ended with a crash and boom in the world of Night City's gangs. Whether it was getting caught up in a cold war between Arasaka and Militech, or finding the NCPD swooping in to take advantage of gangs that suddenly found themselves abandoned by corporate protectors, or just victims of the uptick in Merc activity--2077 was a bad year for the gangs of Night City. Especially hard hit were the Maelstrom and the Voodoo Boys. The leadership of both gangs is largely rumored to have been gutted whole. Tyger Claws have also sustained severe damage, both to mid-level leadership and various revenue streams like drugs, human trafficking, and various clubs. The streets are more dependent on Mercs than they have been since 2020, so much so NetWatch and NCPD have both newly established Merc Desks and Task Forces.

The ongoing conflict between the Valentino and 6th Street gangs seems unphased by the misfortune of other gangs. Both Valentinos and 6th Street have shown no decline in influence or resources, and both remain fixated on each other. Some Corpo watchers openly wonder if the raise in intensity of conflict between Valentinos and 6th Street is tied to this new cold war between Arasaka and Militech; conspiracy theorists claim each gang has become little more than proxy fronts for the two long time corporate rivals. NCPD informant reports dispute this analysis, with one classified informant claiming, "The 'Tinos ain't no Tyger Claws, some of them may be taking Arasaka money and protection, but not all. And not the most O.G. amount those motherfuckers."

While some expected the Mox to benefit the most from the misfortune of Maelstrom and Tyger Claws, that has not seemed to be the case. The small, non-territorial gang has largely remained that way. Despite a Mox backed effort to violently take-over the Tyger Claws dollhouse located in MegaBuilding H8, Clouds, the cloud is currently closed after what NCPD believes to be Tyger Claw retaliation. Mox informants are divided whether the Clouds incident was actually a Mox effort, or the efforts of a splinter Mox faction. The Watson MedCenter has reported an increase in violent theft of cyberware and the kidnapping of several doctors; N54 reporters have described this rash of highly targeted theft a clear sign that Maelstrom are rebuilding faster than expected.

State of the Afterlife

Not that long ago, the Afterlife was Rogue and the newly returned Dex. Now both are zeroed and gone, but not forgotten...though in different ways. Dex has become a cursed name in the Afterlife, and it's not uncommon for Mercs to refer to a Fixer known to use and throw-away Mercs as, 'just another Dex in the system.' Rogue, on the other hand, is a well-remembered name with a drink in her honor. That's probably no accident given the new owner of the Afterlife; the Merc everyone simply knows as V. Has V gone straight Fixer, have they stayed Merc? Hard to say, because no one has seen V in some time. There sure as shit ain't a 'V' on the drink menu, so you gonks know they aren't zeroed.

Along with more familiar faces like head bouncer, Emmerick Bronson, and resident Netrunner, Nix, the Afterlife is filled with new faces both in terms of Mercs and Fixers. Taking the place of the top Fixer in the bar is a well-known, and generally well liked, former Corpo Plaza focused Fixer and current (ex?) rockerboy Dino Dinovic. Those on the outside looking say if you're big time enough to get access to the Afterlife's more private back-of-house section, 'Hades', you'll find more mysterious Fixers like Mr. Hands. Wilder rumors claim this is where sightings of V happen these days. Those Mercs with the street cred to get back into Hades...well, they just don't say anything.

A popular game for those entering Afterlife for the first time is to look for signs of the long-storied ghost of Morgan Blackhand. Ask around, however, and you're met with stone-cold silence...for the most part. According to one of the drinkslingers, Claire, it's worth noting there ain't no 'Morgan Blackhand' on the menu. She's just sayin'.

Relevant Corps Status

Arasaka Corporation was on top of the world going into 2077. They had largely regained most ground lost at the end of the Fourth Corporate War, forcing NUSA and Militech to the negotiating table to end the Unification War, cementing their status back at the top of the Night City foodchain. While most analysts saw it more along the lines of 1A and 1B between Arasaka and Militech for the soul of Night City, those within Arasaka clearly saw it as a matter of Militech slipping behind them for control of the Free City.

2077 was not nearly as kind to Arasaka as the years proceeding it were. Not only did Saburo Arasaka die, whether murdered from within or assassinated by Militech/NUSA forces (depending on who you believe), not only did the factions within Arasaka nearly come to actual blows, but it's clear to anyone that looks that Militech has gained ground on Arasaka within Night City. This perception was cemented with the Merc assault on Arasaka Tower, which resulted in the destruction of vital infrastructure to the Relic product.

Yorinobu Arasaka has returned to Tokyo, while Hanaka Arasaka has retreated from public life to focus on personal and family matters. Michiko Arasaka has taken over her grandfather's former office in Night City's Arasaka Tower, a move that is perhaps more than symbolic; many former Saboru supporters within Arasaka are rumored to have thrown their support behind Michiko's faction within the megacorp.

Militech International Armaments has had a relatively fantastic last half century. Not only did the Fourth Corporate War establish them as a true megacorporation in the world, not only did they found some measure in success by forcing Arasaka into being a Japanese only centered corporation and put a serious delay in Saburo Arasaka's plans of world domination, but they nearly found themselves in control of all North America via the NUSA Reunification War. Instead Arasaka showed back up as a true world-wide megacorp, and force NUSA--and by extension Militech--to settle for most of North America. Those who believe Militech will be happy with all their gains, instead of focusing on their losses, know nothing of Militech.

With over 60% of all NUSA government contracts belonging to Militechas well as the multiple times the NUSA has 'nationalized' Militech, many analysts consider the true leader of Militech to be former Militech CEO and current NUSA President Rosalind Myers instead of current CEO Lucas Harford. Whoever is really in control seems largely irrelevant on a practical level; Militech and NUSA have long been considered more intertwined than most corporations and their host nations. Speculation has surfaced than while the Reunification War was mostly a success, Arasaka entering the conflict when they did prevented from Militech and NUSA from cementing the former Free States as true NUSA controlled territories. Indeed, many of the former Free States seem to be NUSA States in name alone.

Both Myers and Harford have been reported, in private, to claim Night City is the key to kicking Arasaka out of North America for good.

The meteroic rise of Kang Tao has seen it go from a Taiwan high-tech manufacturer to a Chinese megacorporation and a worldwide leader in bleeding edge Smart Weapons and computer systems. Where Militech has used owning over 60% of NUSA government contracts as a springboard, Kang Tao owns nearly 75% of government contracts in China. This fact, along with bold choices and excellent multi-front strategy, have set up Kang Tao as a true rival to Arasaka in Asia--something considered nearly impossible in the height of the Fourth Corporate War.

Despite the greatness in the achievement of getting to their new lofty position, Kang Tao continues to push and grow. Most recently they have announced large acquisitions and expansions that will see them trying to become a major player in the crowded-at-the-top markets of defense and private security. They are one of the few megacorps in the world focusing on trying to make the world's oceans navigable once again despite major dangers of remaining sea mine zones, as well as autonomous submersible drones and underwater weapons platforms leftover from the Fourth Corporate War.

Their rise, and their current efforts, could be in a precarious state their long-time CEO passed away. The Kang-Tao Board of Directors has recently promoted Vice President of Research and Development, Xiaohan Ling, as the new CEO. Mrs. Ling had spent time recently in Night City at Konpeki Plaza, holding meetings with various Night City, Arasaka, and Militech officials. Some suspect Mrs. Ling, and Kang-Tao, of trying to find avenues to muscle into the top tier of corporations in Night City in terms of power and influence, no matter the cost to Arasaka or Militech. Although both Arasaka and Militech have avoided any kind of open rivalry or conflict with the Chinese-based megacorp, despite return attacks on a Kang-Tao AV and the recruitment of a high-level Arasaka executive, it remains to be seen whether that is a trend that can continue after the Reunification War and the renewed importance of Night City to the lucrative North American market.

By far one of the smaller corporations on a list of major players in Night City. While they are not considered a rival of any other corporation, or government, some analysts do wonder if there is something to the fact that Biotechnica does not have an office anywhere within NUSA; instead both their North American offices reside in locations outside NUSA jurisdiction with locations in the Republic of Texas and Night City. The true source of Biotechnica's growth has always been CHOOH2; the answer to the world's fossil fuel crisis in the early 21st Century. The raise in dust levels from the Himalayan War, as well as the increase in dust storms and hurricanes from the growing severity of Global Warming, only further cemented CHOOH2 as the global fuel standard.

Within years of it's development nearly vehicle and power planet converted to CHOOH2. Although Biotechnica held worldwide patents, it lacked the production facilities to meet nearly overnight worldwide demand, forcing it to license production to several large agribusinesses and petro-corporations. These deals made Biotechnica an extremely wealthy, but still not very large, company. SovOil and Petrochem have the exclusive rights into producing the fuel worldwide, although these licensing deals are rumored to be coming to a close in the near future. Arasaka has become a key client and contractor for Biotechnica, spearheading the CHOO2 Services market, supporting the production and distribution of CHOOH2 without actually producing the fuel itself.

Arasaka's CHOOH2 services and distribution contract is reportedly the first of the massive CHOOH2 based contracts to expire. Biotechnica has leveraged their contracts and copyrights to avoid being absorbed by a larger megacorp, growing and expanding in the last thirty years to include everything from bio-weapons to major efforts in cloning, reforestation, and medicines and vaccines. Founder and longtime CEO Nicolo Loggagia died under mysterious circumstances two years ago, ushering in Lars Marsted as the new CEO. Harvard educated and the business mastermind for the corporation behind all CHOOH2 licensing, Mr. Marsted was recently seen in Night City to oversee the investigation into the death of highly prized employee, and Biotechnica Night City Regional Director, Joanne Koch.

Night Corporation is the smallest corporation on this list, as their focus is entirely on Night City and it's immediate surroundings. They are also, perhaps most impressively, the most secretive and mysterious of all corporations on this list. No one knows exactly how much capital NightCorp has in reserves, what it's exact lines of credit are, let alone what it's main source of revenue is. Despite some projections, no one even knows how many people NightCorp actually employees. It's a level of secrecy no other corporation in the world has been able to duplicate. The corporation is part Richard Night's legacy, the visionary industrialist who laid the bedrock of Night City. It was founded by Night's widow, Miriam, who used the money her late husband left behind to build it from the ground up and structure it around Night's ideals and principles.

While Miriam was the longest tenured CEO of NightCorp, her death saw a succession of CEOs with diminishing compentency. Each new CEO achieved less than the one before, many in the Night City business sector believing it was only the Fourth Corporate War's fallout that allowed NightCorp to survive at all. With Arasaka forced to become a Japanese-only corporation for decades, as well as the massive public relationships crisis surroudning Militech following the near destruction and nuclear fallout of Night City, it was NightCorp that was left holding the bag to rebuild Night City--a task Night City, and NightCorp itself, didn't have the resources for.

Despite this, somehow, Night Corps was able to rebuild large sections of Night City. From shrinking the amount of Combat Zones in the city to the post-Fourth Corporate War estimate of half the city being a Combat Zone, down to a single small region in Pacifica being considered a true Combat Zone, to rebuilding the NCART system by elevating tracks and modernizing the system, NightCorp was able to engineer and construct solutions for a vast majority of Night City's population. Although it's argued NightCorp has not been able to fulfill it's promises to North Watson or Pacifica, the modern day Night City of 2077 would not exist without the efforts of NightCorp. Working with the technology firm Data Tech, NightCorp was able to make Night City the first city in the world to have a fully functioning and efficient Data Pool, allowing restore cheap and reliable communication across Night City for the first time since the crash of the first NET.

Despite changing CEOs twice in the last seven years, NightCorp has made two surprise announcements: that by 2080 the city's subterranian maglev system will connect Night City with the NUSA city of Chicago, and a related strategic partnership with Chicago based Storm Technologies, a growing rival to Militech on the North American continent in the areas of aerospace, technology, and defense.

Character Sheet

Weapons and gear will follow a tier structure of Basic, Expensive, Luxury/MilSpec. Cyberware will follow a similar tier structure, Basic, Expensive, Luxury/CorpSpec.

When creating your character please understand you're, at best, a mid-level Merc. Jackie Welles has been our example, because he has enough reputation to get into Afterlife, he has a Luxury pistol. Similar to V at that stage in Cyberpunk2077, while V's weapons aren't above Basic, the Kiroshi optic is CorpSpec, bringing Jackie and V on the same Tier as a Mid-Level Merc. Enough Street Cred to get the job, but not enough Street Cred to own the street the job is on, or be expected to do the job solo.

As such keep that balance in mind when deciding weapons/armor/gear/cyberware for your character. As a general rule of thumb, one piece of Luxury/MilSpec/CorpSpec cyberware. No numerical system in place for this, just keep to the spirit of the intended Mercs and don't try to power play.

Format provided by @Lord Wraith. You can use whatever format you wish, just so long as the required information is all there.

N A M E
N A M E

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

▅▅▅▅▅

^{_{"Witty Quote"}}

C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y Given Middle Surname _________________________________________________________ Age | ♀/♂ | Sexuality _________________________________________________________ Marital Status | Occupation | Affiliation P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E [+] ▼ P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Build - Descriptor ► Ethnicity - Colour ► Hair Colour - Colour ► Eye Colour - Colour ► Other - Scars, Tattoos, Piercings etc - C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S [+] ▼ C H A R A C T E R I T E M S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Items - Related Information ▼ K N O W N A S S O C I A T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Name - Description/Relevance ▼ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Skill - Description/Relevance -

C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y This is where you outline your vision for the character including any notable changes or differences from the regularly accepted canon. This should be a short summary that provides insight into where the character is in terms of their overall progress and development. You could also include any notable differences from the standard canon you've added to your character. D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E A full physical description to compliment your face claim and physical profile. In addition to physical attributes, this section can be used to flesh out personal mannerisms such as how the character carries themselves, do they talk with their hands or other such notable details. A sense of personal style can also be described here along with any other elaboration needed to complement the physical profile such as a description of tattoos, coloured hair etc. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) Why do you want to play this character, what is the driving motivation behind both this desire and the character themselves. What do you hope to accomplish and where do you want the character's story/stories to go? For a driving character, there should be enough of an outline present to interest other players along with specifications towards how many players you're looking to involve or available roles. For supporting characters, this should indicate either a plot you've arranged to be part of or the type of plot you're looking to be involved in. Roaming characters have the privilege of doing either or simply stating a roadmap for the character to exemplify how you'd ideally like them to move between plots.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

The OOC has already been in the works, both in terms of content and visuals, just in case we got enough interest.

I'd say we have enough interest, so hoping to have the OOC up...early next week.

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

<Snipped quote by Ruby>

Either/or.

@Roman

Former is easily okay, current...trickier, but would have to see the story of it before any kind of judgment. Open mind, and all that.