Hello, there! My name is Dr. Snider. You may notice you are strapped down to a table right now - don’t be alarmed, you will discover why soon enough. That’s right, just stay nice and still. Don’t glower at me like that, look to your left. Correct, Corporal Nicholls has his plasma rifle aimed right at you. No need to swear so much; you’re safe as long as you don’t try to break free of your bonds.

Now you’ve calmed a little, allow me to explain. The operation has shown that your conditioning chip is faulty, you can’t be conditioned properly. Either it has broken, doesn’t work at all, has slipped, or was faulty before it was even inserted. Depending on your situation, this could have serious ramifications. If you were a slave, bad luck for your masters. If you worked here, oh well, we just lost one of our orderlies. If you were a transhuman however… that’s bad news indeed. We might have to go through the whole of your division, check they’re working properly, maybe even check the constructs.

And unfortunately for you, you have been labelled unstable and are to be used for experimentation under Dr. Pike, or to be sent to fight in THE ARENA. Best of luck either way. Now relax, count back from ten whilst I just inject your arm here… that’s right, sleep…

-----

YOU DIZZILY WAKE UP IN A CELL, BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT FLOODS YOUR EYES. GROANING, YOU ROLL OVER ON THE HARD BUNK, UNCOVERING YOUR EYES SLOWLY. YOU SEE A PIECE OF PAPER TACKED TO THE WALL. WITH CLUMSY HANDS, YOU PICK IT UP AND READ.


Good evening! As Dr. Snider explained, your conditioning chip has failed, allowing free thought and will once more. What is a conditioning chip? Simply put, a little chip put inside your head in a small operation to make you obedient to whomever it is programmed to have you accept. Under the influence of it, you become weak willed and slavish. Chips have a multitude of purposes - keeping slaves safe and loyal (particularly useful in situations where slaves would be likely to hold weapons, for example, as bodyguards, or in situations where they would be around the vulnerable, such as nannies), keeping workers satisfied and quiet (preventing any nasty uprisings or protests!) and keeping transhumans effective and well behaved soldiers! You have had the remains of the chip removed, and will be reappropriated for different services!

As your handler/master/boss has begun to notice spirit in you, you have been handed over to Dr. Snider, who has performed his operation and determined that attempts to condition you further would be impossible, and that therefore you are considered dangerous. As is with dangerous prisoners, mutants dragged in from the wastes of central and eastern Europe, and often prisoners of war, it has been decided that you will suffer one of two fates. Note that well behaved experiments or fighters may be promoted to clean up team or guards, depending.

[1.] Become an experiment in the laboratory of Dr. Pike. This could result in biomechanical augmentations, induced mutation upon contact with “SIGMA” (what some lower class members would call magic, also known as “portal energy”), or just as a test for biological or chemical weapons.

[2.] Become a fighter in the arena for both privileged and poor to bet on. The fights could either be to knockout or more commonly to the death. You could be up against fighters who have spent years training for this, people like you, and even might have to go up against animals!

You don’t have the luxury of choice.

If you require help understanding this document, please inquire with a scientist, who will be pleased to help you discover your new place in the world!

YOU SIGH AND PUT DOWN THE CONDESCENDING PIECE OF NONSENSE, RESTING YOUR ACHING HEAD WEARILY IN YOUR HANDS. THEN YOU THINK...

However, there is a possible third choice.
Joining together and escaping. True, some of you may be more suited to fighting your way out than tired cleaners and shy maids, but you will have to work together…

-----

ON THE BACK OF THE PAPER, THERE IS SOME SORT OF QUESTIONNAIRE. A BLUNT CRAYON HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR YOU TO FILL IN THE GAPS.

Code: Select all

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Race:[b] (human, transhuman, mutant)
[b]Occupation:[/b] (before operation. Soldier, maid, guard, cook, nanny, lab orderly, etc)

[b]Appearance:[/b] (picture, if you want. Although we'd prefer a physical description)
[list]
[*][b]Hair:[/b] (colour, style, any oddities)
[*][b]Eyes:[/b] (colour, any oddities - note that transhumans generally have clearer vision than humans or just biomechanical eyes, and tribal mutants might have eye colours such as amber, silvery grey or yellow)
[*][b]Skin: [/b](colour, any markings, scars, tattoos, piercings)
[*][b]Clothes:[/b] (not likely to be fancy or advanced, unless you were a very well cared for slave)
[*][b]Other:[/b] (mechanics, height, build, other bits and pieces) [/list]

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Bio:[/b]

[b]Other:[/b] (any particular skills - being a good mechanic, knowing how to drive, being particularly charming, etc., should be mentioned here)

[b]Weapon:[/b] (if any. Note that they are not likely to have swords, bows, spears or other weapons such as this. In the arena, knives are common, and sometimes swords or types of spear or axe may be supplied to make battles more amusing for the audience)


GRUNTING TO YOURSELF, YOU FILL IN THE DETAILS, RESISTING THE URGE TO SCRAWL "FUCK YOU" IN EVER ANSWER BOX. THE CRAYON IS HARD TO WRITE WITH, AND YOU'RE REDUCED TO CHILDISH SINGLE LETTERS. AS IF THEY NEEDED MORE WAYS TO DEGRADE YOU.

-----

OH WAIT. THERE'S MORE...

Memory loss is a common side effect from the surgery! If at any point you become confused or don't understand terminology used, here is a quick rundown of the main races living and working in City Eleven.

Races:
Human - As much as you would expect. Can have biomechanical limbs and augmentations and not be considered a transhuman. Seeing as you would have been conditioned, these are likely to be rudimentary. You can also get tribal humans, which are humans that live in tribes out of the bounds of ‘civilisation’. They are often tough, yet captured as slaves. Tribal humans, like tribal mutants, mistrust plasma weaponry.

Transhuman - A human (generally a soldier taken especially, or a prisoner) enhanced to be an excellent fighter. Although subservient to their masters, they are ferocious fighters who cannot only move fast, but are physically strong, and among the few who can communicate with constructs. A few can also communicate with machines. Transhumans have been ‘improved’ via replacement of blood with other chemicals, mechanical augmentations, other chemical enhancements, and more. Their forms are often scar ridden and bulky, male or female. Not the prettiest things. They tend to have a broad knowledge of killing things and possibly more, depending on their battalion or position in a division (for example, repairs, tanks, medicine, logistics, communication, etc). Transhumans are well known as being rather simple minded but strong and efficient fighters.

Mutants - come in two varieties. ‘Tribal’, meaning they come from a group of people like themselves - ie. adapted to a certain environment. Tribal mutants are often captured as slaves. The forest dwelling Krakowic tribe have tails as balances, sharp thick ‘claws’ instead of fingernails, often have dappled or striped skin patterns and are muscular and tall, most often. This helps them living in the Las Wolski forest, and also in harsh conditions in general. Note that unlike those often affected with SIGMA, these mutants do not have powers! Common features for a tribal mutant will be physical fitness, often a mane down the back of their necks, fast or slow metabolism (depending), pointed teeth, and often scars/general weathering. Tribal mutants mistrust plasma weaponry and tend to stick to the kind of stuff that we are used to. [1]

The other type of mutants are called 'SIGMA mutants'. These are people affected by the power of SIGMA. They may be physically mutated or have the ability to manipulate certain substances or, in other words, have 'powers'.

Constructs - not a race of its own, really. Enhanced animals, often serving as guard or sniffer ‘dogs’. Look like regular animal bodies with a skull like heads, mechanical parts, and a metal jaw. Likely to accompany transhumans.

Where am I?

Europe. Most likely the remains of France, although the lingua franca is English. There is a threatened invasion from the EAA (East American Army) either over the Atlantic, or via the Bering Straits, but our armies and Hunter Knights will take care of that!

Most towns are pretty ruined, but some have been built up, or made inside old shopping malls/convention centres. There are a few bunkers left - Cities Three, Five, Eight and Eleven. You are luckily in City Eleven! The people with the most rule over what is left are the Hunter Knights, who help fund research here in City Eleven and offer protection.

A power called “SIGMA” has been discovered by scientists in the lab you are held in for now, which can induce mutations and changes in people, animals, and even certain objects. However, it is highly powerful and destructive when harnessed by those not qualified. So don't try anything.

Sleevebands:

The sleevebands of guards are firebrick.
Doctors have lightseagreen ones.
Head scientists wear darkgray bands.
Professional arena fighters wear darkolivegreen ones.
Experiments and arena fighters have sleevebands the colour of red.
Slaves have saddlebrown sleevebands.

CHRIST, DO THEY REALLY THINK YOU'RE THAT STUPID?

---

IF YOU HEAD TO THE DOOR OF YOUR CELL AND PEER THROUGH THE BARS, YOU CAN SEE THE ADVERTS AND ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT SIGMA. SQUINTING, YOU READ.

SIGMA

The powerful force that research in Laboratory 22 is centred around. But what is it?

You may have heard of SIGMA referred to as "magic". Before you read further, it is important to understand that this information is incorrect. Simply put, SIGMA is a type of radiation that was discovered in 2140, when the famous Dr. Ophelia Matthews began her experiments with a particle engine. The effects at the time were unknown, but today we have a greater understanding of SIGMA and what it actually does. SIGMA rays can pass through bodies, and when this happens, mutations may be induced. With a lot of expensive equipment and well trained scientists, it can be honed and tuned into hopefully creating a desired result. However, the experiments involving SIGMA are still often dangerous, especially when ran without trained operators of the equipment. If you wish to volunteer for experimentation, don't bother! The research team of Lab 22 has plenty of test subjects already. If you require further information, inquire with your HEAD OF DEPARTMENT for the supplementary booklet - "SIGMA and you".
Have a nice day!


[1] OOC about Tribals -
I don't mind how you make them, as long as the design is somewhat natural. Their markings shouldn't be to stand out, nor should they be 'tribal' in nature. They should be dapples, stripes, etc., and in a darkish colour (grey or brown, normally). They should also be adapted to the environment in which they live in some way.

There are many different tribes. Here are a few, where they live, and how (in general) they act.
The Krakowic tribe is more accepting than most, but wary and doesn't like intruders. Still, they'll welcome them. Just watch them carefully. They are from around Krakow and the Las Wolski forest in Poland. I described them up there. They have a couple of beat up tanks.

The Wilk Pakiet/Wulfsrudel (Wolfpack) tribe is a sea-faring German-Polish tribe. They believe in tribal superiority and are arranged like a military. They have subs, ships, planes, howitzers and tanks. They enslave both mutants and humans. They come from around Gdansk/Danzig. For tribals, they are 'stocky', but still taller than most humans at around 6'6" (Krakowic tribals average 6'10"). Their toes and fingers are slightly webbed, more than a human. Their hair and eyes will go grey by the age of 25, generally.

The Nova Novgorod tribe is pretty much like the Krakowic tribe, but even more suspicious and isolationist. They live in icy conditions and often the heat will kill them. They come from the ruins of Nizhny Novgorod in Russia. They have digitrade feet with paws like a snow leopard. Their skin nears white, as does hair, body hair. They have third eyelids, and grey eyes. The third eyelid prevents them from becoming snow-blind.

Mont Blanc tribe is human hating and doesn't like other tribes, either. They keep slaves, no matter the tribe, and fiercely defend their territory. From the French Alps. They are generally tall and bulky, with thick skin, tails as balances and tend to be agile. Like an ermine, their hair changes colour year-round, from brown to white.

The Habicht tribe are extinct, merged with der Wolfsrudel. You can normally tell Habicht family Wolfsrudel tribals - they tend to have golden eyes with dappled brown markings on their face, are taller, have higher cheekbones and are slimmer.

Ironwall is accepting and allows both humans and mutants to join its ranks, regardless of background.

Despite tribals being from generally secluded areas, they aren't stupid. Nor are they always judgemental. They normally use regular guns rather than the plasma or shock variety.