In the Shadows of the Syndicate [Sandbox, Steampunk, Recruiting!]

[FlowerMagnolia]

In the Shadows of the Syndicate

London. Year 3344.
Acid rain collides with the rooftops, echoing through the empty streets. The only sight that meets the eye are souls under different coloured umbrellas running to find shelter in bars, pubs or other facilities. Thunder roars. Lightning strikes. In the brief silence between thunders, the heavy rain hitting plastic roofs filled the air was the only noise that echoes through the streets of London. A lonely rat ran along the empty shops of Borough Market – at least of that what is left. Yet another part of the London Bridge loosened itself with a swoosh of wind, dropping into the Thames to join the last few parts that did not withstand the harsh climate.

The last war had laid waste to most of what was once known as the capitol of the United Kingdom. Ever since, the city has never been the same again for over a hundred. Some have returned, only to see their former home destroyed and the city almost ghosted. With almost three quarters of the city destroyed, only a few skyscrapers remain in the skyline. Somewhere in an archive, so it says, The Shard was once the tallest and shiniest building in the modern London city, and still it stands. During the Last War, about a century ago, the last owners of the Shard left it behind to save themselves, fortunately or not, they never returned. When peace finally returned to earth, powerful families that have profited from the devastating wars sought to establish themselves in big cities that provided them the opportunity.

Forty years ago, the Lloyd family found their way back to London and established themselves in the Shard. Conquering it without much ado, the building served as a second haven for those part of the Lloyd Syndicate. Throughout the Last War, they have created weapons – specifically designed to take apart a human’s genetic code – and managed to sell them across the world. Viciously, the weapons are almost invisible to the eye and once hit, the genetic code begins to fall apart within minutes. People have cursed their creation, yet they also admire it for its technological advantages. With the Lloyd family back in London, wealth returned to the city, along with jobs, hopes, dreams and a deadly syndicate…

The Shard represents the centre of Lloyd Enterprises, overlooking the city and being surrounded by heavily guarded gates. It stands in the dead centre of District 1, that also envelopes a hospital, a fire department and housing for influential business partners. The military harbour is also part of District 1.
District 2 offers place for restaurants, shops, expensive housing and another hospital. The Lloyd Police Department (LPD) is also located there. This part of the city offers places to pass time, such as brothels, theatre(s) and a sport centre (usually occupied to train officers).
District 3 represents workers that are not commonly working together with the Lloyd family. Housing is a lot cheaper in that part of town already, where families live in a flat, rather than a house. Criminality is common among the streets of District 3, where the Lloyd Police Department does not have too much of an influence anymore.

District 4, the outer circle of the city, is mostly the home for the poorest in London. People that could not find work within the heart of London, and are working outside the city gates, live there. District 4 is swamped with criminals, rats and lawlessness. The LPD does not have an influence there. It is the farthest away from the Shard and usually breeds the ones that want to see the Lloyd family gone…



Historical Overview
2023 - 2223
No major technological breakthroughs. Population exceeds 11 billion. Starvation. Wars multiply. Poverty rises steadily. Droughts, floodings, storms happen everywhere.

2223 - 2455
New bioweapons are developed everywhere to end wars more easily, yet it only causes more conflict. Complete countries are laid waste in the process as a radical way to end radicalism. Millions die as a result from diseases spreading. The first big cities serve as a refuge for lost people, Melbourne, Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York, London, Cape Town. Urbanisation reaches its peak, technology causes a philosophical discourse about life, war and the future.

2455 - 2712
The new bioweapons that were created turn out to be an even bigger problem than let on. Once used, the biomass only starts to dissolve slowly and turns complete areas into a waste land. A new law is passed: bioweapons should henceforth be forbidden. At the same time, researchers continue to work on humans and animals alike, looking into their genetic code… What are the limits of medicine?

2712 - 3005
A form of peace sweeps over the world. Cities stop growing, some life returns back to areas. The problems, however, remain the same. Less land can be used since the first wars for almost the same amount of people. Diseases spread again. Under the surface, there’s a political conflict brewing that demands to explode: the governments in Tokyo and Hong Kong secretly build bio and atomic weapons ‘just in case’.

3006
The conflict explodes. Both metropoles, Tokyo and Hong Kong, are eliminated. Billions of people die immediately, more from the consequences. At the end of 3006, only 5 billion people remain on the planet.

3007 - 3053
As a result from the dispute in Asia, refugees from all around the world cause more problems in the rest of the world. In order to take care of all people, money becomes scarce and clean water as well. Filtering ocean water no longer is an option – the waste cannot be extracted from it completely. People start to die of thirst.

3054 - 3111
Powerful companies gain more influence on politicians and the government. Corruption reigns. Civil wars break out everywhere. People try to leave the cities to find shelter – away from corruption.

3111 - 3245
Stale Mate. Conflicts continue. Food becomes even rarer. Population decreases to the point of three billion.

3246
The Last War begins. Caused by a dispute about water depots, debts and influences, parties from around the world clash. There’s no trust, only survival instincts for the common people. It’s about power and money for those above.

3246 - 3287
Showdown New York: after years of fighting, suffering, violence and death, the conflicting parties sit down to discuss peace. The population has decreased to one billion. It is about the survival of the human race. At the New York Roundtable, the Lloyd family also has a major influence on what follows next. Without any political instances – it is up to those wealthy families to restore order and peace that would last longer than a lifetime. Thus, each family settles on one city to take over. With Lloyd Enterprises as a big player in the Last War, having invented a brilliant way to murder millions without destroying nature, the family chooses London – The City of the Lost. The infrastructure there, so they have heard, is the best basis for any new genetical experiments to cure humankind.

3288
The Lloyd family arrives in London. Emily and Jackson – a powercouple and their little child with them.

3289 - 3300
London is cleaned up, organised into four Districts.

3312
Jackson Lloyd dies. Electricity has fully returned to the city. Water is saved under the Shard, being taken through several stages of cleansing.

3315
Emily dies. Construction of a dome around the city begins to protect it from the dangerous change in weather. But the construction would take decades.

3344
The game begins.







Q&A
Q: Is this a system group game?
A: No. This is a sandbox game, where you are encouraged to do some world building with me and where there will be no dice to decide a fate. This means that communication in the OOC thread is essential! (Or in private with the other players)

Q: What exactly is this about? What’s the intention?
A: This game will mostly be set in the Shard, with the Lloyd family and its direct surroundings. I imagine the Shard being the heart of London in this game, with districts surrounding it. This is a game of power, intrigues, and love where each character follows their own agenda. There is space for experiments, cruelty, drama, death and world building. With the Lloyd family as the driving force, I do with for a counter-threat that fights against their rule in the city. E.g. another syndicate, pacifists, simply speaking: enemies.

Q: Can everyone participate?
A: YES! This is LGBTQ+ friendly! Everyone is invited – which is why I also demand respect. Drama should only take place within the story, not outside of it.

Q: Are there any limitations for character creation?
A: Theoretically, no. The sky is the limit. Although your character should not be overpowering or flawless – but that’s what I am here for! You may also create more than one character.

Q: How far advanced is technology in this setting?
A: Slightly more advanced than ours at the moment. There will be a common fear when it comes to more technological advances, due to the wars that preceded.

Q: Will there be smut, and how much?
A: Yes, there will be smut but I cannot say how much. Sometimes that depends on how sexual you make your characters! The O/Os section on the character sheet is just a guidance for the rest of the group.[font]

Q: Anything else?
A: No more questions!


Example Character

Evangeline Lloyd

EVANGELINE LLOYD

Age: 22
Profession/Position: Daughter of the Lloyd’s, heir to their fortune
Titles/Nicknames: “Princess”, Evie, Little Line
Loyalty: Loyal to the Lloyd Syndicate
Faceclaim:Freya Ridings
Looks/Appearance: Evangeline shines with her red hair in every way that falls in locks down over her shoulder blades and ends just about her hip bone. Striking blue eyes almost seem to glow in the dark, and her curves almost seem enhanced, given her height (178 cm or 5’8). Even though the eye may be tricked at first, but due to a personal workout trainer, Evangeline is physically fitter than the average.





Backstory
Evie was born and bred in the Shard and had never known poverty in her life. Born in 3320, in the local hospital in district one, she had enjoyed the life of the wealthy Lloyds in every aspect. With schools still absent, she had been living a mostly lonely life. Evangeline had been taught by a private tutor all her life and had thus learned the essential subjects – Maths, English, Technology and History. Her family had been cautious about espionage ever since arriving in London, and had thus far been careful inviting anyone over for Evie to play with.

Sheltered and looked after, Evangeline barely knows anything existing outside the Shard, or district one. She knows that she would one day have to take over Lloyd’s Industries, yet the whole world seems somewhat of a mystery to her. When she turned eighteen, her family has given her an entire floor at the top of the Shard to do with as she pleased. But every entrance, exit or window, would always be somewhat under control by her family. After finishing a ‘degree’, she had slowly started to learn the ropes of Lloyd’s Industries and has been given minor tasks, yet nothing substantial yet. Therefore, the only people she might know outside her family, are any security officers or affiliates with her family.

She has yet to be presented to the rest of the people living in the city. Evangline had been kept inside, for her own safety, but as the Lloyds settled in, they also secured their own safety along the way. Only when the time was right, would Evangline Lloyd be officially presented to the company and the city they ruled. It could only be a matter of weeks…

Personality, Hobbies, Talents and other Skills
Evie is loyal, trustworthy and strong-minded. She loves her family unconditionally – unbeknownst that they might have done crimes along the way to achieve the wealth. She believes in the good will of people, perhaps a little naïve for having been grown up in a fantasy world where everything appeared to be perfect. Evangaline loves her life, no matter how secluded and lonely it has been thus far. Deep down, she knows that her family only wants to protect her… right?

Evangeline loves history and reading history books that tell tales from the days before humanity almost destroyed itself. She herself is a skilled writer, and has been trying to get out of the Shard in an attempt to get a glimpse of the real London to gather information for poems, short stories and novels. Her family has also arranged for shooting lessons – just in case. Over the last two years, Evie has also been learning self-defence in combat training. She’s good at it, yet she prefers doing normal things, like reading and writing.

More Inspiration


Player and their O/Os
FlowerMagnolia and my O/Os

Character Sheet

Code Select Expand


[center][font=courier][size=30pt][b]CHARACTER NAME HERE IN CAPS[/b][/size][/font][/center]
[float=right][img height=250 padding=5]Photo url here [/img][/float]

[font=courier][size=12pt][b]Age:[/b] Insert age here[/size]
[size=12pt][b]Profession/Position:[/b] What’s your character’s profession? And which position in that profession do they inhabit?[/size]
[size=12pt][b]Titles/Nicknames:[/b] Any other name that your character might go by[/size]
[size=12pt][b]Loyalty:[/b] Is your character loyal to the Lloyd Syndicate (officially Lloyd Enterprises), or any other Syndicate/group? Feel free to invent something! [/size]
[size=12pt][b]Faceclaim:[/b]Insert name of the person here[/size]
[size=12pt][b]Looks/Appearance:[/b] Please describe your character’s looks here. Hair colour/eye colour/tattoos? Height? Physique?
[/font]

[hr]
[hr]

[font=courier][size=12pt][b]Backstory[/b][/size][/font]
[size=12pt][font=courier]Write your character’s backstory here. Feel free to write as much as you want. How did they get to London/the Shard? Why are they in the position they find themselves in when the game starts?[/font][/size]


[font=courier][size=12pt][b]Personality, Hobbies, Talents and other Skills[/b][/size][/font]
[size=12pt][font=courier]Give us an insight into your character’s hobbies and their personality. Please do not make them ‘invincible’ or superpowered in any way. There should be flaws to any human being.[/font][/size]

[font=courier][size=12pt][b]More Inspiration[/b][/size][/font]
[img height=200 padding=5] If you have more photographic inspiration, put them here! [/img]

[font=courier][size=12pt][b]Player and their O/Os[/b][/size][/font]
[font=courier][size=12pt]Your username please and your Ons and Offs![/size][/font]


[FlowerMagnolia]

Open Roles
Head of the Lloyd Family - Husband and wife
Other Members of the Lloyd Family - Siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins etc.
Workers of the Lloyd Family - Scientists, warriors, loyalists, servants
Enemies of the Lloyd Family - Scientists, warriors, simple people living in the districts surrounding the Shard
Owners of other business thriving or suffering under Lloyd’s rule


Reserved Roles and Faceclaims
Evangeline Lloyd played by FlowerMangolia (FC - Freya Ridings)
Blade Sylas by mainsnoires (FC Harrison Ford)


Helpful Links
Approved Characters
OOC

[ShimmerRP]

I am very interested in participating!

[mainsnoires]

Planting a flag of interest !

[FlowerMagnolia]

I am very interested in participating!

Planting a flag of interest !

Hello you two! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me

[Metraxa]

I would need to think over some character ideas, but I am interested in the setting. It seems like this is a sort of 'high tech steampunk' that you don't see very often, I assume more rooted in the Victorian aesthetic rather than actual technological levels. But it sounds fun regardless.

[FlowerMagnolia]

I would need to think over some character ideas, but I am interested in the setting. It seems like this is a sort of 'high tech steampunk' that you don't see very often, I assume more rooted in the Victorian aesthetic rather than actual technological levels. But it sounds fun regardless.

It's a mixture of both - I do love the Victorian aesthetic more, but there'll be a few technological advances that are possible today as well. Glad to have your interest!

[mainsnoires]

Hello there,
I'm not often looking after futuristic setting, except the Star wars universe or the Blade Runner one. And here, the painting you did in your first post, reminded me so furiously of Blade Runner that I could not resist.
I could be wrong in my first impression, and that's why I'd like to see where this goes, still... if you aim for a freeform game (or with minimal rules), and allow for a warrior/bodyguard/assassin at the service of the Lloyd family, my interest will grow even more.

Hello you two! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me

[TheLaughingOne]

Ill stick a flag down as my brain has come up with a couple potential ideas...

[Lovely Complex]

I could be very interested in this. c: Perhaps the wife and a worker for the Llyods.

So many possibilities here, honestly.

[FlowerMagnolia]

Hello there,
I'm not often looking after futuristic setting, except the Star wars universe or the Blade Runner one. And here, the painting you did in your first post, reminded me so furiously of Blade Runner that I could not resist.
I could be wrong in my first impression, and that's why I'd like to see where this goes, still... if you aim for a freeform game (or with minimal rules), and allow for a warrior/bodyguard/assassin at the service of the Lloyd family, my interest will grow even more.

Why, yes, that was the aesthetic I was going for! It will be a freeform game, where some sort of warrior/bodyguard/assassin will have a place :)

Ill stick a flag down as my brain has come up with a couple potential ideas...

waves Hello! Glad to have caught your interest!

I could be very interested in this. c: Perhaps the wife and a worker for the Llyods.

So many possibilities here, honestly.

Hi Lovely! That will definitely work!


Looks like there's definitely interest here, so I will be working on creating a character sheet as soon as possible! Once that is up, you can reserve a position/role and a faceclaim!

[Heartsink]

Interested!

[FlowerMagnolia]

Interested!

Lovely! More information will come today everyone xxx

[FlowerMagnolia]

We're officially recruiting! I added more info on the setting and the character sheet for all of you  ;D Soooo excited! Please post your CS in here for approval

[TheGlyphstone]

Very curious as to the setting.

What kind of world exists outside of the immediate area of London? Is it a world of independent city-states like London surrounded by apocalyptic wastelands from the Last War? Is it a neo-feudal structure where London and the Lloyds have smaller settlements as vassals and/or are vassals of a more powerful dynasty?

What kind of social structures have survived or evolved? Is it a harsh caste-based society or a meritocratic one? Is slavery/indentured servitude legal?

[FlowerMagnolia]

Very curious as to the setting.

What kind of world exists outside of the immediate area of London? Is it a world of independent city-states like London surrounded by apocalyptic wastelands from the Last War? Is it a neo-feudal structure where London and the Lloyds have smaller settlements as vassals and/or are vassals of a more powerful dynasty?

What kind of social structures have survived or evolved? Is it a harsh caste-based society or a meritocratic one? Is slavery/indentured servitude legal?

Great questions, Glyph!

I imagine the world outside of London, at least for the UK, almost (!) completely dead - which is why people migrate to London in hopes for a better future. The Lloyds are independent and might think about extending their area of influence outside of London, but for now, they only have control of the city.

As for the society, it's not a caste-society per se, although the closer you work with the Lloyds, the better your life will be. And no, slavery is not legal. The Lloyds will have seen that a business is more productive when all people work for a fair payment. That being said, however, slavery outside the two closest districts can certainly exist where the LPD does not check regularily.

[TheGlyphstone]

Cool, so we're looking at something like 2000 A.D., with the independent city-state model surrounded by wastelands. Possibly inhabited by mutants, descendants of people whose genetic code was only partially destroyed by the bioweapons of the war?

There might be other such places like Paris or New York, but they're distant and unreachable by the common population. Does long-range communication or travel technology still exist for the elite of society?

[FlowerMagnolia]

Cool, so we're looking at something like 2000 A.D., with the independent city-state model surrounded by wastelands. Possibly inhabited by mutants, descendants of people whose genetic code was only partially destroyed by the bioweapons of the war?

There might be other such places like Paris or New York, but they're distant and unreachable by the common population. Does long-range communication or travel technology still exist for the elite of society?

Possibly, yes. I'd like to keep that just in the back of our minds for now. Let's just say that it's dangerous, but no one knows why.

Yes, the Lloyds will have contacts all over the world with other Syndicates from different cities.

[TheGlyphstone]

Excellent.

So my mind is drifting in the direction of competing powers to pit against the Lloyd syndicate for influence, because that helps sow the seeds for intrigue and conflict. Obviously they have a near-monopoly on material power, having both wealth and control of the government as it functions. The obvious and traditional counter-balance would be spiritual. What about some sort of cult or church thats arisen in the post-apocalyptic era, that's predominantly strong in the outer districts and amongst the common laborers and lower-class citizens?

[TheLaughingOne]

Question:

Whats the state of augmentics if any? Like cybernetics, custom vat grown replacements, bioware, gengineering, and other things like that for people to get...?

[FlowerMagnolia]

Excellent.

So my mind is drifting in the direction of competing powers to pit against the Lloyd syndicate for influence, because that helps sow the seeds for intrigue and conflict. Obviously they have a near-monopoly on material power, having both wealth and control of the government as it functions. The obvious and traditional counter-balance would be spiritual. What about some sort of cult or church thats arisen in the post-apocalyptic era, that's predominantly strong in the outer districts and amongst the common laborers and lower-class citizens?

Sounds intriguing! Feel free to create anything you want to as well btw! I do love a good philosophical conflict (as you well know hahaha)

Question:

Whats the state of augmentics if any? Like cybernetics, custom vat grown replacements, bioware, gengineering, and other things like that for people to get...?

Would be a tad more advanced than today. The Lloyd Enterprises would work with genetics (as are their weapons) which is why there will be genetical augmentations. Otherwise, there won't be anything 'too' futuristic. I can also imagine certain body parts being printed with a similar 3-printer as we know it today.

[TheGlyphstone]

Sounds intriguing! Feel free to create anything you want to as well btw! I do love a good philosophical conflict (as you well know hahaha)

I certainly do.  ;D

That's where my brain is going then - a transhumanist cult of sorts, with my character being a high-ranking member. Not the head of the church though, they shall remain mysterious and anonymous for Drama, their identity hidden even from their disciples.

Would be a tad more advanced than today. The Lloyd Enterprises would work with genetics (as are their weapons) which is why there will be genetical augmentations. Otherwise, there won't be anything 'too' futuristic. I can also imagine certain body parts being printed with a similar 3-printer as we know it today.

Were doomsday weapons other than the Lloyds's genetech used during the last war by other factions? Radiological, bacterial/viral, nano-tech, etc? I'd imagine some of that had to be in play simply because genetic weaponry would only harm humans.

[FlowerMagnolia]

The weapons the Lloyds created merely hurt humans, yes. The weapons that destroyed earth were bio weapons that laid waste to nature as well.

[TheGlyphstone]

Right, so other factions were responsible for the the nuclear/biological/chemical attacks that wrecked the infrastructure and biosphere. Probably not nano-technology though, I think that's a bit too advanced for the tech-level you want. Unless you imagine that Earth before the Last War was more advanced than it is now, with tons of lost knowledge and technologies that were wiped away or destroyed?

[FlowerMagnolia]

Right, so other factions were responsible for the the nuclear/biological/chemical attacks that wrecked the infrastructure and biosphere. Probably not nano-technology though, I think that's a bit too advanced for the tech-level you want. Unless you imagine that Earth before the Last War was more advanced than it is now, with tons of lost knowledge and technologies that were wiped away or destroyed?

Another good question... It was possibly more advanced, but yes, the knowledge is mostly lost.

Seems like there are a good few questions about the history. I'll come up with a historical overview that might hopefully answer some more remaining questions!