Jet
Uncultured
Background
(Longform, 1k+ words)
(Longform, 1k+ words)
2047, the virus infects plant life, restructuring DNA to the breaking point. Subtle at first it hits crop yeild slow and a percent at a time it strolls over our lifeline, leaving dead oil-pitch leaves and dustlands in its wake. How to beat the virus was debated about heavily, but no one could solve the riddle. It was a mystery even to the best pathologists who dubbed the ever-mutating virus AGRV1, aka the "Aggressive Gene Restructuring Virus-1" aka "Black Vein" for its splotch oil effect on infected organic matter. It was our primary focus, billions were invested and the eyes of the world watched. It was all for naught though, as every breakthrough came with counterplay from the genome shifting disease. Despite the troubling failure of science and the steady march of Black Vein, we found a way for five years after first contact. Most people put their head down, trusting the system to solve the problem as it had in the past.
How wrong they were to do so, as around the five year anniversary things snowballed out of control. With crop yeilds at 75% pre-infection level the virus hit an unprecedented stride, adapting it's mode of transmission from contact to airborne. All of a sudden the game was changed, no longer did the virus need carriers to spread, the air itself was transit. Within a year yields were at 10% of first contact-date and the world fell to desperate famine. Global shortages hit the third world first, decemating populations with TV crews broadcasting devastation for the west to see, foreshadowing their fate; for we followed suit. Massive cities became warzones, canned food became a treasure worth more than gold, people were on the menu and no one was safe. The world suffered, teetering on full collapse as our great states turned anarchist war ground, dominated by bloodlust roadgangs and military fragments.
For four years this persisted, leaving 5 billion dead. Things looked hopeless, lost and mankind had no answers... but then one came from deep underground, made in an underground base designed to outlast any disease. Fully synthetic food it was, made from start to finish without organic input. Most importantly this "food" could be made en masse, unlike past products of similar type. It was just enough to stabilize those who remained alive. It was the raft in storm-gale that all needed and with the first distribution of gel-brown probars the world cheered out, for they werebthe chosen 36% to dance with death and survive. To make matters even more wondrous, plants began sprouting from the earth virus free! Crops could be grown once more it seemed! The world was saved! The virus had mutated away from plants! Fresh food would once more stock the shelves and humanity could rebuild!
Kidding, it's not that kind of story.
Because sure... the virus mutated from attacking plants. That's great but what it did from there was attack humans. Finally, Black Vein could live up to its name.
90% of the human population fell sick within a week but 10% were immune. Those still standing cried out for the 90% suffering in cold sweats with black rings around the eyes. They'd seen what Black Vein did to plants. If the effects were similar....
For only 300 million humans to survive from the initial 8 billion seemed incomprehensible...
But then it stopped!
The suffering ceased! The wheezing and gasping silenced, the ill lay sleeping and still in apparent recovery. Perhaps the virus wouldn't kill the 2.7 billion it had hit? Maybe it was a temporary thing?
Well technically they were right.
Because healthy and strong eyes opened but jet black and soulless they were, minds running a common precedure. One vile and of violence against the 10% of healthy humans.
The war had begun.
Sure, plants could grow again but now there was something even worse than famine. An army 2.7 billion strong with only 300 million human survivors worldwide. The fighting was brutal at first but soon after the second outbreak most people came to a conclusion; they could fight and die free outside, or come together and live behind high walls under oppressive lords. To survive by whatever cost most would take the second option, and so an era of the walled cities began again as it had been a thousand years past.
Meanwhile on the outside, the Afflicted twisted, changing at the whim of the virus. Restructuring into spined n' bladed harbingers of death. The infected human resembled some form of alien-human predator hybrid. No longer could we call them Sapien, these creatures were far different.
How wrong they were to do so, as around the five year anniversary things snowballed out of control. With crop yeilds at 75% pre-infection level the virus hit an unprecedented stride, adapting it's mode of transmission from contact to airborne. All of a sudden the game was changed, no longer did the virus need carriers to spread, the air itself was transit. Within a year yields were at 10% of first contact-date and the world fell to desperate famine. Global shortages hit the third world first, decemating populations with TV crews broadcasting devastation for the west to see, foreshadowing their fate; for we followed suit. Massive cities became warzones, canned food became a treasure worth more than gold, people were on the menu and no one was safe. The world suffered, teetering on full collapse as our great states turned anarchist war ground, dominated by bloodlust roadgangs and military fragments.
For four years this persisted, leaving 5 billion dead. Things looked hopeless, lost and mankind had no answers... but then one came from deep underground, made in an underground base designed to outlast any disease. Fully synthetic food it was, made from start to finish without organic input. Most importantly this "food" could be made en masse, unlike past products of similar type. It was just enough to stabilize those who remained alive. It was the raft in storm-gale that all needed and with the first distribution of gel-brown probars the world cheered out, for they werebthe chosen 36% to dance with death and survive. To make matters even more wondrous, plants began sprouting from the earth virus free! Crops could be grown once more it seemed! The world was saved! The virus had mutated away from plants! Fresh food would once more stock the shelves and humanity could rebuild!
Kidding, it's not that kind of story.
Because sure... the virus mutated from attacking plants. That's great but what it did from there was attack humans. Finally, Black Vein could live up to its name.
90% of the human population fell sick within a week but 10% were immune. Those still standing cried out for the 90% suffering in cold sweats with black rings around the eyes. They'd seen what Black Vein did to plants. If the effects were similar....
For only 300 million humans to survive from the initial 8 billion seemed incomprehensible...
But then it stopped!
The suffering ceased! The wheezing and gasping silenced, the ill lay sleeping and still in apparent recovery. Perhaps the virus wouldn't kill the 2.7 billion it had hit? Maybe it was a temporary thing?
Well technically they were right.
Because healthy and strong eyes opened but jet black and soulless they were, minds running a common precedure. One vile and of violence against the 10% of healthy humans.
The war had begun.
Sure, plants could grow again but now there was something even worse than famine. An army 2.7 billion strong with only 300 million human survivors worldwide. The fighting was brutal at first but soon after the second outbreak most people came to a conclusion; they could fight and die free outside, or come together and live behind high walls under oppressive lords. To survive by whatever cost most would take the second option, and so an era of the walled cities began again as it had been a thousand years past.
Meanwhile on the outside, the Afflicted twisted, changing at the whim of the virus. Restructuring into spined n' bladed harbingers of death. The infected human resembled some form of alien-human predator hybrid. No longer could we call them Sapien, these creatures were far different.
Short Version
(Much better for an interest check tbh)
(Much better for an interest check tbh)
So the world was running all smooth and nice and everything was peachy but DAMN all of a sudden there's this virus that attacks and kills plants by restructuring & destabilizing DNA. For a few years it messes with crop yields but we kick the can and let the lab coats figure things out (they don't). Then after five years of this slow crop death the virus mutates and becomes an airborne pathogen. OOF! All of a sudden it doesn't need the birds and bees to take it from place to place. Crops get absolutely worldstarred and the whole planet gets turned into the City of Acre when the crusaders said "LOL fuck ur food supply" (hip reference ikr) basically it's a giant free for all bloodbath because there's no fresh food coming in. Fast forward some years and 5 out of 8 billion people are dead from lack of food and the chaos the famine created. Good news though! The virus stopped fucking with plants so crops can be grown again! But there's bad news too, the virus started restructuring human DNA instead.
90% of humans get turned (genetically restructured) into ravenous creatures hell bent on fucking you up bigtime. 10% of humans are immune cause reasons (some genetic marker that blesses them with immunity).
So there's a giant war with regular humans vs the Infected. Very WWZ, but the fights not winnable so people hunker down and build walled cities like it's the freaking middle ages. Meanwhile the infected on the outside are slowly restructured into alien-like creatures covered in spines and shit. Not pretty, not easy to kill.
90% of humans get turned (genetically restructured) into ravenous creatures hell bent on fucking you up bigtime. 10% of humans are immune cause reasons (some genetic marker that blesses them with immunity).
So there's a giant war with regular humans vs the Infected. Very WWZ, but the fights not winnable so people hunker down and build walled cities like it's the freaking middle ages. Meanwhile the infected on the outside are slowly restructured into alien-like creatures covered in spines and shit. Not pretty, not easy to kill.
Setting
A walled up, very quaint oasis of peace (lol jk) named "Free Plains". Free Plains is your typical dystopian town filled with terrible people, terrible smells, terrible building codes and terrible bars but it's got a charm about it! If you like not being ripped apart by roamers that is! You'll warm up to it, just stay away from Jackie's Lane unless you like dangerous fumes and hard drugs.
Capsule
An underground factory, hydroponic farm and laboratory seized by the Free Plain Militia some fifteen years ago, pried from the dead hands of NSF troops. Within there's a lot to be discovered, but most important is it's connection to faction #1
Factions
(Example images for each faction will be up in time for the actual RP, I need to go find the pictures on my old threads)
Raiders | The elite battlesuited soldiers of Free Plains, the Raiders are the most advanced military faction other than operators from the deep north. Raiders use custom gear built in the Capsule's Foundry, an AI run workshop specializing in advanced weaponry and armor. Each Raider is given a base suit upon graduation. Over the years these suits become as unique as the wearer with custom parts added based on preference and battle-role. A sign of veteranship is a suit so customized it's hard to recognize as Raider-tech. On the other hand a "FNG" rookie is easily spotted because of the default build. These suits improve physicals, stop anti-personel bullets, give users a HUD, active biometric information, long range/night vision optics and enhanced hearing. Raiders trend towards rail gun tech that's renowned for accuracy and low recoil.(Example images for each faction will be up in time for the actual RP, I need to go find the pictures on my old threads)
Wanderers | Wanderers are people from outside the walls. These people can be equipped with just about anything. From rare pre-crisis tech to scavenged Raider gear to rusted boltguns, leather jackets or war rigs with scavved mech-tanks in tow. What these people lack in shiny toys they often make up for with incredible tenacity, rare items and real-world experience. They are a wildcard faction that can bring just about anything to the table.
Red-Mask | The RM is a mercantile company that operates out of Free Plains. These wildmen and women will take on any job if the pay is right. Members of the RM are encouraged to privately contract (say a bounty job for ex) with the expectation that the company will receive a kickback. In return for this loyalty members of the Mask are given monthly stipends, a "by command" system of backup where operators can call in reinforcements along with a killer reputation. Red Mask members can use anything they can get their hands on but often use high caliber bullets with explosive payloads that do more damage than Raider-tech railguns. Red-Mask members have a solid relationship with the Free Plains Militia but have an antagonistic rivalry with Raiders.
NSF Defectors | "NSF" aka the National Security Force is an active antagonist that can trace its lineage to original US Armed Servicemen & women. This large body of soldiers & support staff has a massive territory with seven cities and a large interconnected economy. While you cannot be an active member of the NSF, you can be a defector. Defectors have become more common in recent years with the increasing brutality of NSF officers. NSF defectors make up a 5% minority of Free Plains Militia members and also operate as private contractors (merc/bounty hunter). A couple defectors have even passed through the Raider program. Non Raider NSF defectors (as they'd be using Raider tech) are often in possession of much larger, and much more cumbersome "Steelsuits". This NSF counter to Raider-armor is much heftier, much tougher to take down and carries far larger payloads. However unlike Raider suits these are not "infantry enhancers" these are tanks with legs. Slow moving, slow to adjust, built for durability in the face of oncoming fire. NSF members without these suits often use their NSF service weapons and body armor which is renowned as the most reliable and effective through tough conditions.
Free Plains Civilians | Last but not least, regular ol' civilians. Should you like a character with a more unconventional angle who isn't a wanderer you can opt in for a civilian role. Something like a scientist would slot in here. It might be a little harder to finesse your character into the plot but we aren't shit as RPers if we can't fit characters into situations. We can work on the fit when we get to that bridge.
Subclasses | Each faction has subclasses. Things like medics, snipers, advanced scouts, electronic warfare specialists, vehicle specialists, engineers etc. Ask about something and chances are it exists.
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