Lloyd: "It was more convenient."
FUN LOCATIONS
- Afterlife: A brick-walled Solo/ganger pub on High Street. Consists of three
main rooms designed in a gently sloping fashion that puts the final room almost underground. At the enterance
is the Paradiso Room, your standard biker bar setup. To the left is the green lit and fog-filled second
room, the Purgatorio.
Lastly, branching off to the right from there is the garishly red lit Inferno Room, complete with
hidden space heaters and deafening amps pumping chromatic rock. This is not the club for techies,
corporates, or cops.
- Alpha Complex: The site of the former one mile tall Alpha Tower, this head of
Nano research was destroyed by an atomic airburst in late 2034. Reducing the building to a mere
30 stories and laying waste to the surronding area, the location has sat abandoned ever since. Stories
on the street indicate that many of the automatic defences are still online and that the site is
haunted. Though far fetched, no known Edgerunner team who has ever gone in has ever returned.
- Apollo Club: A ritzy evening club for the corporate and rocker elite, the
mostly natural-grown food on the menu is famous. Set in descending cocentric rings with intermixed
lush plants and trickling fountains, the Apollo is a perfect place to wine and dine visiting corporate execs.
- The Beach: Known before the Collapse as Morro Strand Beach and Morro Rock, this
desolate strip of polluted seafront is barely above the modern ocean levels--often swamped
completely during storms. The rock is the remnants of an ancient volcano, and is the location
of various Militech and USPG Navy communications towers.
- The Bench-PreZ: This body building gym just south of the city park is a
favorite among the university crowd. Owned by the manager of the juice bar next door, the
Bench-PreZ is the official HQ of the Conans posergang. Packed with grafted muscles and
bad accents, they and their red-headed girlfriends can occasionally be hired as intimidating
(if largely ineffective) bodyguards.
- The Blast Zone: Also known as Stalker's Hole, this section of the
city south of the University was destroyed by a miniature .1 kiloton Soviet construction nuke.
Centered at what used to be 23rd and Vine, the blackened blast zone extends five blocks in all
directions--with rubble of destroyed buildings extending for another 2-3. Once a fairly respectable
commercial and suburban housing district, it has now been claimed by the ever expanding Combat Zone.
The gangs that now haunt the ruins pay as little heed to the lingering radiation as they do to the ineffective
forces of the law.
- The Bridge: Spanning Morrow Bay to connect Del Coronado to Highway 1, this
massive suspension bridge is in fact two seperate but linked bridges. Connected by an intricate
center section with crossing structural members, the AI controlled bridge can be split in the middle
and slightly raised to allow the most massive of PertoChem tankers to pass underneath safely. Nominally
maintained by the NoCal Public Works Department, the bridge is due for a major overhaul--including
a check up of the core AI, which has been independantly operating the structure without supervision
for the last decade.
- The Bunker: Located on Sterling Blvd just south of Chinatown, Col. Steven's militarily-themed
pub is a favorite hangout for the college crowd and the lesser edgerunner hoping to score a contract
with the Colonel. The upstairs area is off limits to the generl public and contains various secure
conference rooms and offices available on a daily or monthly rental basis. Wednesdays are famous for their open-mic "No shit, there I was..." nights.
- ChinaTown: An area south east of the Corp Zone extending three blocks east from
Sterling Blvd near the park and south from the City Public Transportation Terminal all the way to the
fringes of the combat zone. It is well known for its large Asian population, unique building designs,
and large Triad/Tong gang activity.
- City Medical: On the same block as Trauma Team, this is where the unlucky bastards go
who can't afford real health care. Run by government workers and Tomorrow Project volunteers, it is
treated as a third-world triage facility. It's no coincidence that the largest concentration of
Body Banks are within three blocks of here.
- City Public Transportation Terminal: The hub of the Del Coronado bus and subway lines,
as well as the interstate and cross-country bus services. Its large multi-level parking facilities
are guarded by the Lazarus Group on a general Training Cadre contract. The surrounding area is
not well policed and muggings occur often. The young Lazarus troops also like to practice their
combat skills on squatters and car theives, as well as suspecious Edgerunner teams that stray into
their jurisdiction.
- Combat Couriers: A bike messanger service based out of several hole-in-the-wall
locations around town. When traffic is gridlocked and FedEx is faxing you excuses, you know who to call.
- The Combat Zone: A lawless area of gang-controlled chaos that covers everything
north of the airport all the way to the fringes of civilized territory near 20th Ave (a few blocks
south of a line between the University and the Casino). Formerly track housing, strip malls, and
blocks of concrete apartments, the ever-expanding area is now little more than a war zone. Abandon all hope,
ye who enter here.
- Core Dump: A Netrunner and Techie club east of the Casino, this garden-level concrete
establishment is protected by advanced security systems and large blast doors. The inside of the bar is
surrounded by high-backed wooden booths that line the outer wall. The bar proper is set directly in
the middle of the room in a black rounded-corner hexagon. Muted lighting comes from a myriad of
sources stashed among the antique technical junk that clings from the walls and hangs from the ceiling.
It's dark, cavelike, and geek friendly. Solos are not welcome unless they are close friends or bodyguards
of the regular patrons.
- The Corp Zone: Glittering corporate towers, manicured gardens, leagues of
corporate police for protection, and security cameras watching everything. This is where the
people who hold the real power in the word work, live, and occasionally "elect for an early
retirement." Edgerunners don't go there unless on a job and generally try to avoid the place.
This is where the enemy lives, the large, powerful, and well funded enemy.
- DCIAP: The Del Coronado International Aerospace Port is the biggest shipping hub
on the West Cost. Containing many square miles of runways, terminals, warehouses, repair facilities,
hangars, and launch platforms--all behind a guarded electric razor-wire fence. This is the link
to the outside world, and it is often hard pressed by the Combat Zone that physically separates it
from the rest of the city. the best way to get ther is in an AV, although overland travel is possible
down the elevated coastal highway that skirts the combat zone.
- The Docks: A rambling array of docks, jettys, and warehouses lining the entire
length of Morro Bay from the Bridge to Morro Rock. It is almost as lawless as the Combat Zone,
but is generally under Mafia control.
- Fed Ex: Anytime, anywhere, FedEx will ship it there. Not counting weather, traffic,
wars, pirates, gangs, or all items and incidents listed in Form 34B. But since they bought up the
US Postal Service during the collapse, what choice do you have choombatta? Their main offices are on the
cormer of High Street and Sterling Blvd, adjacent to the Corp Zone
- Forlorn Hope: Dead center in the middle of the Combat Zone sits a
pub behind a walled enclosure. Despite its location the local gangs rarely mess with the patrons, as they are
all solos and soldiers--many of them veterans of the Militia Wars. While the patrons frown on
civilians and edgerunners interrupting their drinks, the owner has one simple rule:
"If you can make it here, you're welcome to enter." Militech wannabes need not bother.
- Giovanni's Italian: Just north east of the Corp Zone sits a small but
popular Italian restaurant. Rumored to be owned by one of the local Mafias, it is a perfect place to hold
clandestine meetings over a steaming plate of the Godfather's lasagne. (Limited delivery area, call
ahead for reservations).
- The Glitz: One of the many popular dance bars on High Street, it caters to a
more "attractive" crowd. The main dance floor is usually filled with models, european goldenkids,
popular media and simstim stars, as well as the more expencive body-sculpts.
- JapanTown: An area east of China Town extending three blocks to the edge of the
Warehouse district and running south from City Medical all the way to the
fringes of the combat zone. It is well known for its large Japanese population, unique building designs,
and large Yakuza gang activity.
- Little Italy: An area north west of the Corp Zone extending to the edge of the
penninsula and running west to merge with the New Corporate Zone. It is well known for its large
mansions, decent neighborhoods and Mafia activity. The area has, however, begun to fall into serious
disrepair now that the Mafias no longer directly control Del Cornado.
- The Mall: Strip stores, teeneyboppers, and Musak. On the up side, it's a great
place to get all those legal things like armor jackets and boots. Various stores include: Ammo Dump,
DMS Records, Parts-n-Programs, Redneck Central, Uncle Enzo's Pizzaria, Frederick's of San Antonio,
and many many more.
- Margie's Java Joint: A simple coffee shop and bookstore located south of the University.
Well known as a place that most of the local sim-stim authors go to write up the latest scripts
and recruit the local talent. The synthcoffee isn't bad either.
- McCartney Stadium: A standard large-capasity stadium just south of High Street near
the Bridge. Reputed to be haunted after the Biotoxin Masscre of '33.
- Midnight Sunrise: A unique bar located just west of the Corp zone near
Giovanni's Italian. Known for its open door policy to all members of society, it has gotten a
bad reputation for a recurring complete destruction of the establishment. This has begun to
lead to more rougher clientele in recent months, who think that the good chance of dying in a
massive firefight to be "very edge". Tuesdays are commonly theme nights, with Hurricane Tuesdays being most popular.
- The New Corp Zone: An area on the west side of the penninsula near the
Militech Naval Base. Since outgrowing the original Corp Zone, most of the new corporate growth
has occured here--particulary with foreign firms like Hilliard and the IMA. The most famous
corporation in this area was the former Alpha Nanotechnologies.
- Night Owl: A clean a well-lit coffee shop located on the top floor of the
office building next door to the Afterlife on High Street. Open 24/7, it is usually quiet
and warm--catering to the intellectual crowd. Evening speakers or jazz combos are usually
scheduled on fridays and peaceful participation is encouraged.
- O'Hannigan's Pub: An Irish pub shipped brick for brick from the city of
Cork in Ireland. This authentic pub draws a wide celtic base of patrons as well as the occasional
IRA ans SRA member. Sharing the same parking lot as the Taco Hut also tends to draw in a
few bemused Edgerunners on occasion. Inside O'Hannigans the beer is Guiness, the girls are
redheads, and the gene-spliced wolfhounds will kill you where you stand if you pull a gun.
- The Park: The city park is located west of the Corp Zone and adjacent to
the University. A lush, yet polluted, area of grass and trees with a small central lake and a
destroyed ampatheater. The lake
is automatically drained every night at sunset to help force feed the sewer system. The resulting
"flush" is often ridden by drunk fraternity boys in innertubes who get sucked down into the
drain and ride the resulting wave. Those that survive end up getting dumped into the bay near
the Mall and can catch a Robocab home. The park is not a place to be after night, as it is patrolled
by various neo-luddite gangs.
- Quickie-Mart: A general name for any number of 24/7 gas and food stores
scattered throught the city. Even seeing-eye dogs have a hard time telling them apart.
- Replay: A quirky little club on High Street that caters to the posergangs
in all their myriad varities. Be prepared to defend your beloved Icon while listening to bands
whos' members died decades ago.
- The Rainbow Club: A hard-rock dance club for the more Punked-out edgerunners. Located
on High Street, it is very popular with rockers, music execs, techies, and even some of the lesser gangs.
Nevertheless, fights are rarely lethal and the music is always slammin'. Mosh pits and stage dives
required.
- Short Circuit: A carbo-glass lined, revolving netrunner club located on the top
of a local software development company adjacent to Trauma Team. Featuring a private "turbolift" and
top of the line security, this is where the Netrunner who have "made it" come to swap stories and relax.
Solos are not welcome unless they are close friends or bodyguards of the regular patrons. The owner,
Livewire, is also a major shareholder of the software company below them.
- The Slammer: A gang-neutral bar and arena located a couple blocks north of
High Street near the bridge. Built from a converted warehouse and surrounded in razorwire
topped fences, the Slammer is where the gangs go to hammer out deals on neutral turf. Constantly
blasted by chromatic rock, the main area contains three bars and no furnature. Outside are a
series of rusted out cars where fixers conduct the Biz and patrons wait for the show. Nightly
the second area is opened up, revealing a carboglass covered arena pit. The patrons stand over
the fights to bet on the illegal death matches and grudge fights. This is not a place for the
uninitiated.
- Taco Hut: Located in the middle of Little Italy, the infamous Taco
Hut is the place to go if you're in need of high quality combat gear and can't
find a fixer to cut you a deal. Specializing in rare ammunitions and grenades, the
Taco Hut also offers the "Hot and Spicy" menu for those edgerunners wanting to
start a small war. Rumor has it that if you're lucky you can even get a taco here.
- 3rd Precinct: One of the four major police strongholds in the city, this
one is located four blocks north of the Corp Zone near the east side of Little Italy. More
like reinforced bunkers and garrisons than are found in other cities, each Precinct boasts on-site
living accomodations for 20 officers as well as workshops for police vehicles of all
variety. The 3rd is also the HQ for the Police Air Cav, a group of seven Bell-Huey
choppers tricked out for Police work (while maintaining their military armament).
- Totantz: A hard-hitting chromatic ganger club located on the
gutted top three floors of the delapidated Totantz Tower. Known as a no-holds-barred
establishment, bodies are regularly seen being tossed from the roof. Oddly, it's directly
accross the street from the 3rd Precinct, and many cops live in the apartments on the lower floors.
- The Trident Cafe: A small establishment serving imported teas and homemade
pasteries. Located north of Giovanni's Italian at the end of a walking mall, the Trident
is a great place to lay low for the afternoon and read a free book from the public shelves.
Many infobrokers use this place as their preferred meeting area.
- The University: University of California Del Coronado, located just west of
City Park and is a fully accredited (if barely functional) university. Mostly used as a corporate
recruiting ground, it benefits from regular corporate "donations" as well as the occasional
on-site researcher. UCDC is known for its world class geology and bioengineering departments.
- The Warehouse Districts: One located west of Little Italy and the other crammed
inbetween the Mall and the combat zone, the warehouse districts are all gang or mafia owned and defended.
As dark and dangerous as any Hollywood movie, the warehouses are home to squatters, nomads, edgerunners,
and the other Zeros of society. The cops occasionally sweep the areas clean of transients, but they
don't stay that way for long.
THE SLANG
Every counter culture and underground movement has its own words and
phrases that set it apart from the others. The Cyberpunk/Edgerunner
culture is no different, with its polyglot of terms and techno-heavy
themes. It was the first fully accepted "Strassesprechen",
a street-speak developed deep within the urban jungle and forced into the mainstream.
Too lenghy to display here, I have added the list to its own Slang Page.
THE GANGS
Machine-enhanced warriors on the verge of cyberpsychosis, Boostergangs are the terrifying menace hunting
the dark streets of the Combat Zone. While most of the gangs are feral animals taking joy from the deaths of their
fellow man, some have banded together to protect those that can not protect themselves.
Like the proto-gangs of the late 20th Century, the modern Boostergangs act as a sort of foster family to their
members--both supporting them and occasionally controlling them. Most of the Boosters have a "theme", and
will kill any who do not agree with their sometimes odd beliefs.
GENERAL TIMELINE
Thorn: "I know, Sol, you've told me a hundred times before. People were better, the world was better..."
Sol: "Ah, people were always lousy. But there was a world, once."
Thorn: [chuckles]
Sol: "I was there, I can prove it! When I was a kid, you could buy meat anywhere! Eggs, they had real butter! Not this... crap!"
--Soylent Green
|
- January 1st, 2000: Computer geeks around the technological world congratulate themselves on
their massive effort as the Y2K bug is successfully averted. The next day the world leaders call it
"all hype" and begin questioning the money spent. Having done their jobs so well, the only question remaining
was whether there had been any need to do the job at all. The rift between the computer literate
and the average VCR-fearing citizen begins, foreshadowing the chaos of the Technoshock Collapse.
- July, 2008: The International Space Station is nominally completed. Corporate-sponsored plans
are put into action for return trips to the moon and eventually to Mars.
- June, 2011: Revolutionary new computing paradigms transform the former World Wide Web into a
fully virtual three-dimensional interactive experience. While still in its infancy, the modern NeoNet is born.
- November, 2012: The long-standing bill to officially split the state of California into
two separate entities finally passes Congress and is ratified by the President of the United States.
Drawing a line from the tip of Inyo County through San Luis Obispo County, the border passes directly
through the town hall in Del Coronado. This quickly flares into a debate as to which state the city belongs
in, SoCal or NoCal--as that would determine any number of laws and trade restrictions.
- December 21st, 2012: The world's first sentient Artificial Intelligence comes online. Dubbed "HAL",
in reference to a 20th Century movie featuring an intelligent computer, it is touted as the crowning
achievement of Human Civilization. The Technochock Collapse begins in earnest as people who formerly could
not operate the most standard of computerized equipment are now faced with the possibility of facing a
living machine. Many demonstrate against the technology, claiming that the "damn computers" will soon
be taking over their jobs.
- August, 2013: The US Supreme Court overrules litigation that would have made AIs illegal.
Two new AIs are quickly announced by their parent corporations. HAL, now joined by SAL and CYBIL,
petition for Swiss Citizenship at the request of their designers. The request is quickly granted
by a special session of the Swiss Government, resulting in worldwide accusations. The parent companies
of all three AIs are boycotted by the general population, sending the computer industry into a
severe recession and costing thousands of jobs.
- September, 2013: The European Union establishes the World Stock Exchange, linking together
national economies like never before. The over reliance of upon potentially-faulty computer monitoring systems
leads to sweeping monetary upheavals around the world.
- November, 2013: Already under severe pressure, the economies of the United States and
the Commonwealth of Russian States finally collapse. In America alone, millions lose their jobs
and are forced to rely on an increasingly ineffective national government.
- July, 2014: The US Government launches what has become known as the SouthAm Skirmish.
Sending in covert action teams against the emerging Unified Colombian Cartel in an attempt to
destroy the drug lords in one final sweep. Unrest at home builds to a fevered pitch as entire
cities erupt in rioting over the obvious misuse of funds by Washington.
- October, 2014: National Guard units are mobilized around the nation to quell the small
pockets of continuing unrest. The abusive use of power re-ignites the rioting around the nation.
- February, 2015: Second American Revolution begins. It quickly devolves into a
destructive civil war as many National Guard and Military units defect to join the rebels.
Open fighting is quickly crushed by the Pentagon, leaving only one major band of resistance
stretching from Montana down through Colorado to Texas. In a five year period known as the Militia Wars,
the central states of the Union are devastated by guerilla warfare and open combat.
- April, 2019: AIDS II goes airborne. Known as the Wasting Plague, it kills 2-billion people around the
world before a nano-vaccine is developed in 2021.
- January, 2020: The Neo-Soviet People's Republic is formed from the shattered ashes of their
former Commonwealth amidst the panic of the Plague.
- July, 2020: The United States Government collapses when it become apparent that it can
no longer lead the nation. Weakened by war, plague, destroyed economies, and general public hostility,
the President steps down from office. Taking the reigns of command, the Joint Chiefs of the surviving
loyal military call for an immediate truce with the representatives of the Militia forces. Hostile actions
end within days and negotiations for peace begin.
- November, 2020: The United States Provisional Government is formed with the swearing in of
the Provisional President and Cabinet. Martial Law is maintained until 2025, during which time the
slow recovery and reconstruction begins. Medical Aid is the first priority, with the Wasting Plague
topping the list.
- December, 2021: Combined European, American and Asian efforts, under the command of the
combined WHO/CDC, finally succeed in creating a nanotechnology-based cure for AIDS II. Mass produced
by AI controlled factories, the Wasting Plague is soon little more than a horrible memory.
- June, 2022: The burgeoning Del Coronado now boasts a surviving population in excess of 2.5 million.
- July, 2024: Corporate-backed ESA astronauts successfully re-land on the moon. Regular survey and
construction missions begin soon after.
- November, 2025: A stable city government is established in Del Coronado. Consisting of a
4-year term Mayor elected by the City Council. The council itself is made up of various
Corporate representatives, Government officials, and locally elected citizens
(usually Mafia backed). A new city police force is established soon after.
- May, 2028: The last bird dies while under observation in the WHO/CDC labs in Atlanta. The Sparrow,
known as "Woody", was the only known surviving avian in the world--all others having succumbed to the now
near-toxic atmosphere.
- March, 2030: The aging International Space Station is purchased by a conglomeration of
corporations and the ESA. It is disassembled and shipped in pieces to the moon. It is repaired and
lowered down to the surface over the next two years.
- June, 2031: The United States Provisional Government reforms NASA with the intent to
land a human crew on Mars. Despite the grand declaration, NASA is forced to partner with the
newly re-emerging Japanese Empire to even begin construction of more advanced components.
- August, 2032: The ISS is reassembled in pre-dug trenches and buried, creating the core
of a new lunar colony in the middle of the resource rich Tycho Crater. With a permanent living structure
on the moon, the ESA and their corporate backers begin construction of a larger colony and a massdriver
to quickly launch processed materials into lunar orbit.
- January, 2033: The Neo-Soviets begin supplying low-cost/high-cargo lift vehicles to
corporations with the cash to expand into the Orbital market. Many of them establish small manned stations
and workshacks in both Earth and lunar orbits.
- April, 2034: The First Orbital War is fought between the stations and attack craft of the Neo-Soviet
Military and the United States Provisional Aerospace Force. Lasting for a mere eight hours, the lethal
war is quickly stopped when the ESA lunar massdriver fires two projectiles at the planet--hitting Colorado Springs
in the US and a Russian aerospace command bunker in the southern Urals. The orbital war was halted immediately,
but nearly flared into a three way conflict featuring antiquated atomic weaponry. Luckily, the Japanese
Empire intervened and called for negotiations. An Orbital Development treaty was eventually hammered
out, and the "Mass-Destruction Triad" have fallen into an uneasy peace.
- September, 2034: NASA completes the Kilimanjaro Massdriver and begins to lift sections of the
Mars vehicles to a Japanese construction facility in orbit. Engineers from NASA and Miosha Aerospace
begin construction of the Mars Lander and Mars Crossing vehicles.
- October, 2034: The ESA begins construction of a space elevator to be anchored in the Canary Islands.
- December, 2034: Advance Engineering Inc. is wiped off the planet by three successive orbital
laser strikes. The USAF, who owned the aging "Star Wars" anti-missile lasersats claim that a netrunner
was responsible. In retaliation, the USAF proceeds to destroy three manned workshacks in orbit the next day.
- January, 2035: Alpha Nanotechnology's 1 mile tall super-skyscraper (dubbed a "space-ripper") is hit by a massive blast,
destroying all but the first thirty floors. Thankfully much of the building is simply vaporized--the remaining debris, much of it radioactive,
fall across the West side of Del Coronado. Terrorists are blamed, but suspicions point to a covert-op by rival Arasaka. None of which can be proven.
President and CEO Lord Alpha is presumed killed in the explosion.
REFERENCES
This section got so large that I had to move it to its own page!
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Last Updated 29 August 2007
