"City of Dreams - No More" (Cyberpunk 2077) - Interest check

[Raven Rawne]

Helllloooo Night City!

The so called City of Dreams promises much, but it also demands payment. Often up front. Some can't pay the costs, and need a way out. This is the story of such unlucky (?) individuals.

Sometimes, a person needs to leave the city. Unnoticed. Sometimes, they need to make it farther than past the city limits - to a different state, perhaps the other coast of the NUSA altogether. They could be a corpo jumping ships, a merc after a failed job, a gangoon looking for a fresh start. Hell, even NUSA spies who need to get back to Washington!

Whatever the person, their reason, it all starts the same. They found a fixer, then paid a kidney (hopefully not, but then, who knows...) for a ticket out of the city, and then to a destination of their choosing, if they can afford it. Some time later, they find themselves in a garage, shuffling their feet anxiously while they await the promised transport.

The ride.



Just as they start thinking they were scammed, the car appears. Black as night outside the garage, dark windows, the engine's low rumbling fills the garage as the Thorton Merrimac stops. The driver's door pop open, and a figure whistles at the nervous would be passengers to get on board. Their fixer paid top scratch for the ride, apparently. As they pack up their belongings, they notice the spacious trunk is half filled wih supplies for the road, and an Ajax asault rifle is strapped to the trunk hatch. Inside there's air conditioning, comfortable synth leather seats with Saratoga SMG's under each seat, and the doors close with the reassuring heaviness only a bulletproof chassis can provide. Perhaps this good start is a promise for a safe travel...


...as if things were ever that easy.

Welcome to my interest check for a Cyberpunk 2077 roleplay. The basic idea revolves around up to 3 people booking a car to safely get out of town. Their identity, and whom they are afraid of, will determine the obstacles on the road, at least to a degree. One can safely assume scraps with Wraiths, running into gang activity, taking shelter in the wrong safehouse at a wrong time, and more. The destination is also to be determined by the passengers.  The driver is a merc of some repute, but she won't do it all herself. The passengers booked a way out, not a luxury cruise, so better be prepared to help out along the way.


Since the number of seats is limited, interested writers are encouraged to express interest at their leisure. This is not first come, first serve. The fixer would arrange the pasengers to be compatible with each other, meaning they are meant to reach a similar, if not the same, destination, and ideally shouldn't be affiliated with opposing organisations. Also, they cannot bring more luggage than a large backpack that they themselves can carry. Weapons are also limited to what can reasonably be taken onto one's lap when seated in a car.

Interested parties are asked to fill in the following questionnaire:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Reason to leave Night City:
Desired destination:
Any known enemies/pursuing parties:
Noteworthy implants:


Please note that sexual content is not necessary, but allowed. The RP will be placed in Light Human section. The driver can and will leave a passenger who is a danger to the trip or other passengers.


Below one can find basic information on the car and it's driver:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Car: Thorton Merrimac MSL3 (link to wiki page)
Notable features not covered on Wiki: 

• Bulletproof chassis against shrapnel and small arms fire;
• Puncture resistant, run flat tires;
• Black windows;
• Air conditioning;
• No wireless interface - to dissuade remote hacking;
• M221 Saratoga SMG’s under each seat, with 4 clips of ammo;
• M251 Ajax Assault Rifle strapped to trunk hatch, with 6 clips of ammo;
• Dry rations and water, camping supplies, med kit and driver's stuff packed in the trunk, but half is still available for passenger's luggage.

Driver:

Name: Jasmine Cinders
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Affiliation: Merc
Weapons: Liberty pistol, combat knife
Noteworthy implants:

• Kiroshi Optics;
• Self-ICE;
• Zetatech Sandevistan Mk.1 (don't expect a lot from this one);
• Subdermal Armor;
• Bionic Joints;
• Balistic co-procesor;
• Biomonitor;
• Blood Pump.

Personality: Like most drivers, she is visciously protective and overzealous when it comes to her car. Also, her car is the best, period. Wheels aside, Jasmine lets herself be known as a reliable merc, competent, but also likes to have fun when able. Likes to joke and listen to upbeat music on the radio.
Sexual orientation: None of your business! (She doesn't sleep wih cargo. At least not often)

Closing notes:

Not much is set in stone yet, and I am open to suggestions and feedback. Also, please keep in mind that there will be a lot of uneventful driving around, which can and likely will be time skipped. Which means that if any conversations did happen during that time period, it is best to sum them up in the post after the time skip. Unless everyone was keeping quiet and listening to the radio.

  

[AltVie]

I wanted to pop in and say hi! I am so interested in your Cyberpunk idea!

That being said, I am playing with a few character ideas. I almost want to post the two or three character ideas I have and I figure whichever the fixer thinks best for this particular ride would join.

Would that be okay?

[Raven Rawne]

Sure! The more the better, right? This way you can choose the one that will work best for You, given the eventual group composition.

[Callie Del Noire]

Thinking Animal muscle head in a power frame looking to get clear of NC before she’s flatlined by a double crossing fixer in her gang. Implanted linear frame with augments and weapons.

[Raven Rawne]

As long as she fit inside a car... and don't scratch the seats!

Now the destination and opposition are left open for players to fit in, as you all know. And while they can have all kinds of enemies, once the character sheets start showing, we will need to decide on where they want to be taken to. Either one place for all or several stops along the route to drop off people one by one.

[AltVie]

Thinking Animal muscle head in a power frame looking to get clear of NC before she’s flatlined by a double crossing fixer in her gang. Implanted linear frame with augments and weapons.

Ooooh Animal character would be fun to interact with!  I always thought it was an interesting gang

[AltVie]

Sure! The more the better, right? This way you can choose the one that will work best for You, given the eventual group composition.

Sounds good!

Thinking of a netrunner who nabbed some highly sought out info from one of the corps and on the run after being sought after. Or perhaps she sold the info and now got a bounty on her head. 

A nomad who got stripped of everything (family, vehicle) after she fucked up bad and looking to leave NC and try to join a fam somewhere else. 

Ex trauma team member who took some high grade implant off a dead platinum client. Now she is trying to get out and move product to the seller outside of NC. 

It's all pretty fluid so if we need to adapt one to fit on who/why/how to work with other character storylines I don't mind at all. It makes it more fun when there are connections >

[Raven Rawne]

I like the ideas, AltVie. Feel free to narrow it down some towards the types of characters you would like the most, and take note that they would need to have spare change for the fixer and the "ticket". So, a broke nomad would be out of their luck for instance. Smuggling people is for those who can afford it, that's the sad reality.

The passengers can have issues with corps, gangs, people with resources, you name it. Although hopefully they are not too wanted by the corps... A lone Merrimac won't do much agaisnt an Arasaka Elite kill team, after all!

[AltVie]

I will def narrow down and probably actually get the netrunner and trauma team on paper. Get it a bit more solid and see how it plays out with other characters for fit. Good point about the nomad! That character is eliminated! Save that one for another story lol

I'll have to play around with some details to make it up to par for the world and realistic. :)

[shengami]

I'm so tempted to be the third here! I've not played Cyberpunk in two decades? The last edition, not RED. Not sure what's being used here. But.. I adore the setting. Though I never played the video game! Sorry! LOL. Just the RPG.

I'll ponder this.

I love Nomads.

Also kinda jonesing for something simpler? A merc who had to do one too many bad things?

Anyway, I'll keep an eye and thought planted here.

[Raven Rawne]

Thank you for the interest! I added the "2077" to note it's the RED version,  yes. So basically video game stuff but really, it's not hugely important. What I mean is that in story context, you don't have to adhere to things like cyberwear from the game, and all the big pieces like corps are the same in both. You can also wing some parts, it's not tabletop with a system in place.

[AltVie]

Thank you for the interest! I added the "2077" to note it's the RED version,  yes. So basically video game stuff but really, it's not hugely important. What I mean is that in story context, you don't have to adhere to things like cyberwear from the game, and all the big pieces like corps are the same in both. You can also wing some parts, it's not tabletop with a system in place.

Oh that brings up what I was wondering. Are we going to be playing like freeform, or ttrpg rules and dice rolls? I haven't played a game like this in a decade so I want to make sure I'm setting up correct stuff in my head for when I write. 

I've been jonesing for more cyberpunk so I've been casually reading RED corebook after playing the game but if I need to get a CS proper ready, more than willing to do so.

[Raven Rawne]

Ah, I guess I misused the RED term. It's freeform, no rules or dice rolls, just a story driven by common sense really. Honestly I was in one game with simple D20 rolls and it was traumatic enough for me, heh. 

[AltVie]

Ah, I guess I misused the RED term. It's freeform, no rules or dice rolls, just a story driven by common sense really. Honestly I was in one game with simple D20 rolls and it was traumatic enough for me, heh.

I'm good with either, and yeah I can understand ttrpg trauma. *relieves biased VtM storyteller traumas* I just like to be prepared. Nothing is gonna stop me from putting my application in! 

[shengami]

Oh, that might be the tipping point. I'm in several D&D things, so diceless is good. The setting is what pulls people in. I'm busy this morning, but I'll noodle a concept.

May need to use this as an excuse to go buy RED though.... lol

Still stuck between Nomad and Old Merc

[AltVie]

Oh, that might be the tipping point. I'm in several D&D things, so diceless is good. The setting is what pulls people in. I'm busy this morning, but I'll noodle a concept.

May need to use this as an excuse to go buy RED though.... lol

Still stuck between Nomad and Old Merc

There is a free copy on RED i have found online - just saying. But Yeah I am in the same boat as you! I wanna buy a copy to have a physical reference. There is so much lore and such in there to dwell on

[AltVie]

Alright, here we go! I got something together, think I'm gonna go with the Medtech character :) I mixed some RED and 2077 cyberware Let me know if I need to adapt or change, super flexible.

Would you like the character application on thread here or PM? 

[Raven Rawne]

Glad to hear you have a character AltVie. Both ways are fine but I think thread is better since it allows co-writers to make more informed choices on their own characters. Do what feels best!

[AltVie]

Have no problem either way. Let me know if I should modify anything!

Name: Luna Rodriguez
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Occupation: Ex- Trauma Team
Reason to leave Night City: Got to move an implant on the down low
Desired destination:  Washington
Any known enemies/pursuing parties: A mid level exec in Trauma Team,
Noteworthy implants:
-Neural Link
-Memory Chip (Medical Database for diagnosing and treatment)
-Biomonitor
-Kiroshi Optics
-Nasal Filters
-Self-Ice
-Sub-dermal Armor
-Titanium Bones
-Ballistic Co processor

[Raven Rawne]

Looks good to me, yes. Do you wish to have visual reference for her, or a description o how she looks like?

[AltVie]

Mmm I can go either way. If image, is there a preference of style? I'll see if I can find something similar. Otherwise I'll probably do a description. Cyberpunk fashion is def its own thing.

[shengami]

I'm pouring through the lore section of RED to catch up today. Will have a concept here sometime today, I hope. Kinda tempted by a rockerboy now.

[AltVie]

I went through the fast character build in the corebook to help really craft my character. I gave basic details here but now I got notes that will really help the character feel fleshed out. It was fun if you want something to do in the book. 

[shengami]

I deffo need the lore before I can build a character. But I will be using the build-a-character section to make sure they are in line with the world's norms. That's just how I do.

[shengami]

Name: Junji Vargas
Stage Name: J-Mars
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Occupation: Rockerboy/Nomad
Reason to leave Night City: Going home against orders
Desired destination: L.A.
Any known enemies/pursuing parties: midlevel N54 Exec/Producer and their team (Junji's former agent)
Noteworthy implants: 
-Cyberaudio Suite (Audio Recorder, Level Damper, Scanner/Player)
-Left Arm (meat arm) Subdermal Grip
-Neural Link (Chipware Socket, Memory Chip)

Life Path

Let's just not go into how I got to night City. There was a boy, a fight with my parents, a good cry with my sister. Ultimately, boy was a phase. Fight lasted a lot, lot longer. That's the way shit breaks sometimes.

Anyway, there I was in Night City fresh off the boats of my Sea Rat family with a harmonica in my hand a head full of songs and the desire to be the next Johnny Silverhand or Bruno Mars. Never heard of him? Ancient Rockerboy my family worships. Anyway. I put nose to grindstone, Choomba.

And I chugged along. My brand of Sea Rat Folk Music combined with Chromerock seemed to find a crowd. It's good stuff for a good time and great for drinking and whatnot. I even got lucky about three years in when a local Media Influencer gave me a random shoutout after attending a show. Had a solid, uh, three months when you could've seen my name in a buncha Gardens. Few song went viral. Played a couple of big gigs. Signed a contract with N54! Fuckin hell! Thought I had it made.

Nah, that boy just cracked that whip. Had me playing those same three songs on loop. Went from big shows, to niche gigs, and then back to the dives I started at but now with someone taking a cut. Slag me. Fifteen minutes of fame cost me fifteen years of misery, or about that. I could create again though. Those three songs? I still play 'em, but not as often. Still run into fans here and again. The club crowds liked me. Like I said, my music's good for getting your drink on. I was getting by; living out my contract. Ready to go solo again.

Then dad died. Sister got in contact; told me to come back home. Man, I never knew what I wanted to do so bad in my life. But how to do it? Moving safely costs money? Well, that whip-cracker been pestering me to resign, yeah? Big fat signing bonus for another two decades of slavery. Right? So, you see... I signed and used the money to make a break for it. Figured they'd cut losses. How the fuck was I supposed to know that asshat music reviewer was going to pick that week to put up a big article of classic acts he loved and list me at number seven!? My damned music is everywhere again and that slave-driver is looking for me.

There, that should do for a character idea. I quite like the boy!