FutureShock

System, called Greed Body Count, Proceed

Eyes, wide-open Societys Disease. Self, Destructing Power, Corrupting Lies, Conspiracy

For your Democracy - Bodycount Proceed, Suicide Commando

I was there. At the protest rallies. We didnt support the ACM; you have to be a fool to support the ACM and their policies. They lie about Psychohistory. They lie about their stance on the religion its the food for the proles, they say. A noble lie, an entity theyre damn sure they control but really dont. They lie about everything. They lie so often they dont even know whats true anymore. Ill tell you whats true. Theyre corporatists bastards. Theyre fascist slime. Theyre scumbag SOBs. Thats whats true, and you can take that to the bank. But I was there. I saw it. We were protesting; we had our signs, we were doing nothing wrong. And then it started. The ACM supporters garnered from nearby Morgantown attacked. They called us Terrorists, Foreigners, Communists, and Socialists they accused us of hating Gods children and other bullshit. I was born in this country. Ive lived in this country all my life. But today, because the loons from Morgantown decided it then, Im not an American citizen anymore. The police moved in too shortly after they set in. They hit with clubs. Tear-gas. Stun-guns. James was beside me they hit him, I think they killed him. He didnt do anything. He was holding a sign. They split his skull with that damn club and came after me. The ACM will not be deterred, they chanted. So we fought back. Fighting back was the worst mistake I guess I ever made.

- Last words of Arthur Greenhill accused of fomenting the Haymarket Riots in 2040, executed as a traitor shortly after.

FutureShock

Dues paid where dues are due: Psychohistory (the concept, not the mechanics as far as I know) comes from the works of Isaac Asimov. In particular, his Foundation series, which explores ramifications of Psychohistory not explored within the context of this game (because as far as I know, I lack the Galactic Empire required to really make it work). Psychodesign is featured in an online magazine, Last Resort, issue 1, and was designed (or at least fleshed out) by James Nostack. I included it because with the proper tweaking, it reeked of cyberpunk and transhumanism, which is a good thing. Thus, if youre interested in rules for it, then you should cheek out Last Resort. The HazMat Specialist comes from the same issue of Last Resort that deals with Nanotechnology. Because I lost that PDF, I dont remember which one it is anymore, but note that it is in fact in one of the PDFs. All art found is either original (as the case of with both covers) or stolen from Google and Shopped. Too many sources to cite there, although sharp readers will note that the picture at the very end of this book is a shopped version of the original Metropolis movie poster. All cars and bikes are found on Google by running a quick search for Concept Models. In particular, one is a Mazda model, and one is, I believe, a BMW model. Given I didnt put the names on them when I saved them; I have no clue which is which. All Research was done by yours truly, using a variety of sources (read: Wikipedia). All technologies mentioned here in are either technologies that I extrapolated from current trends or are technologies that will hopefully be available in the near future in particular, the computer technologies (MRAM, NRAM, SSDs) and the use of Superconductors in computers (cross your fingers and hope Palladium Hydride is the material were looking for).

TheEnigma32CreditForgot two: Cyberware has a bunch of stuff that was taken from a variety of sources; see that section for more information. the Living Toothpaste was taken from the same Last Resort where you find the HazMat specialist. Just giving credit where it's due.

Table of Contents

Days of the FutureShock 1. The Wiki ate my Soul Introduction

1.1 The Megacorps 1.1.1 Innovative Logistics 1.1.2 Paragon Corporation 1.1.3 Aeon Medicinal 1.1.4 North American

Superconductor 1.1.5 Paradigm Research

and Tactical Systems 1.1.6 Psion PLC

1.2 The Megachurches 1.2.1 Coldwater Church of

Christ 1.2.2 Lakewood Church 1.2.3 Willow Creek

Community Churches 1.2.4 Christian City

Churches 1.2.5 Morgantown

Nondenominational 1.3 The ACM 1.4 Psychohistory and the

Psychohistrical Institute 1.4.1 Common

Misconceptions 1.5 Computers and the Grid 1.6 Nanotechnology 1.7 Designer Psychology

(Psychodesign) 1.8 Cyberware 1.9 Commerce, Trade, and Money 1.10 Travel 1.11 Robots, Androids and

Intelligence Programs 1.12 Society 1.13 Gangs

2. How this game is played Introduction

2.1 Rules Changes 2.1.1 Changes to

Personality 2.1.2 Combat Spec 2.1.3 Attribute Points 2.1.4 Cyberware 2.1.5 Starting Level

2.2 Selected Readings 3. Another brick in the wall Introduction

3.1 Species 3.1.1 Humans 3.1.2 Mutations

3.2 Other Optional Rules 3.2.1 FX 3.2.2 Psionics

7.9 Profession and Career 7.9.1 Professions 7.9.2 Careers

7.10 Skills 7.10.1 New Skills 7.10.2 Other Notes

7.11 Perks and Flaws 7.12 Nationality, Home, Name, Ethnicity and

Age 7.11.1 Nationality 7.11.2 Home 7.11.3 Name 7.11.4 Ethnicity 7.11.5 Age 7.11.6 Social Status

4. Working for the Man Introduction

4.1 Roles and Duties of NICA 4.2 Organization 4.3 Working for NICA

4.3.1 Joining NICA 4.3.2 The Benefits

4.4 Working with the System 4.5 A look at NICA

4.5.1 Public Perceptions 4.5.2 Interagency Perceptions

4.6 Famous Incidents 4.6.1 The FutureShock342 Incident 4.6.2 The Grand Oaks Smuggling

Ring 5. Ghosts of the Grid Introduction

5.1 Net Ghosts 5.1.1 Theory 1: Artificial Intelligences 5.1.2 Theory 2: Expert Systems 5.1.3 Theory 3: Human Hackers 5.1.4 Theory 4: Quantum-Electric

Intelligences 5.2 The Illuminati

5.2.1 Influence from Spiritualism and Hermetics

5.2.2 Organization 5.2.3 Philosophy

5.3 Strange Shadows 6. Networking Introduction

6.1 Computers 6.1.1 Using Computers 6.1.2 Computer Models 6.1.3 Interfaces 6.1.4 Hardware 6.1.5 Software 6.1.6 Peripherals

6.2 The Grid 6.2.1 Grid Interface Displays 6.2.2 Gridspace and Pilots 6.2.3 Shadow Combat

7. Equipment Introduction

7.0.0 Character wealth 7.1 Cyberware 7.2 Cyberware Updates 7.3 Wrights Syndrome

7.1.1 Symptoms 7.1.2 Is Wrights Real?

7.4 Body Armor 7.5 Firearms

7.2.1 Direct Energy Weapons 7.6 Vehicles 7.7 Stuff from other books

7.3.1 A note about Lifestyles and housing

7.8 NICA outfit 7.4.1 Individual Outfits 7.4.2 Team Outfits

Days of the FutureShock I have it. I have finally condensed human history to a single algorithm, which I can use to predict the future more accurately and correctly than any sham psychic before me ever could hope to do

Dr. Tyrell Geller, founder of the Psychohistorical Institute. Psychohistory (skhis'tri) n. A multidisciplinary science developed by Dr. Tyrell Geller in 2035 using a combination of history, sociology, and statistical mathematics that can virtually predict the future of humankind by using past experiences and mathematical statistics as a basis with a relatively high rate of accuracy on the macro-sociological level, named after the fictional tool invented by Isaac Asimov in his Foundation series of Science Fiction Novels. Psychohistorical adj. [Gk psyche, prefix: mind, soul, + history, ME < L historic(us)] Welcome to the world of FutureShock. In this campaign, the characters take on the roles of Government Agents belonging to an organization called the NICA, or the National Interior Cyberdefense Agency, in a world that has almost completely fallen apart at the seems. For inspiration, Ive drawn from a number of sources Ghost in the Shell, Neuromancer, Blade Runner, and other big names in Cyberpunk and Post-Cyberpunk to craft a this campaign setting and the story that goes along with it. For this campaign, Im working in a genre Im most familiar with; the genre that I made my first fictional forays into and the genre that stands out academically among other sci-fi novels; more so than space operas, more so than pulp sci-fi Cyberpunk. Cyberpunk (sbrpungk) n. A literary genre established in the 1980s dealing with the pervasiveness of technology and the social impact of that technology. Usually deals with themes such as alienation, Orwellian government, the nature of humanity, and the impact of technology on the conception of the person, while usually using the broken anti-hero, or hacker hero, popularized during the period. [Cyber, prefix: short for Cybernetics, + punk, after the punk movement] I have a history with this genre. When I write fiction, generally speaking, I write cyberpunk or incorporate cyberpunk or post-cyberpunk themes into the work. Taking place in the year 2080, the world of FutureShock is a dystopian world rife with unrest, conspiracy, and a corrupt and powerful Government run by the ACM American Conservative Movement who is caught between the competing powers of Ultracapitalism and Ultrareligion. That said, like the names I invoke, I should stress that Cyberpunk is usually hard science fiction, and FutureShock is no exception. I am aware that there are exceptions to the rule, and it can be argued that cyberpunk is an attitude, not a genre, and I would partially agree and respond with this statement: Yes, there are exceptions. This is not one of them. As far as rules go, Ill be plucking from a variety of sources. Im using DARK*MATTER as a source for some skills and rules, but by far the biggest source is the DATAWARE book, which is important because of the use of computers, and it details exactly how the Grid and Computers operate which is basically the stuff that a Cyberpunk Campaign is made out of.

So, without much more babble from me, lets get this ball rolling. Rules changes unique to this campaign are listed in the following chapter, and after that, is a guide to help in designing

your character to fit the campaign. Next, I take a look at the NICA, and finally, a close look at the society and the history of 2080s America under the ACM. Finally, as any good setting demands, there is an Illuminati although its not what you think it is, rest assured. Or is it? Welcome to America, 2080.

The wiki Ate My soul The Government is Optional in this Deal.

- Mark Garrett, founder of Paragon Corporation

On June 3, 2035, Dr. Tyrell Geller, an Israeli and native New Yorker, successfully

condensed human history into an algorithm that could then be plugged into and solved by a computer, which would then predict a possible course of outcomes i.e., a prophecy program that could see the future. Dr. Tyrell Geller was proven correct when he accurately predicted the outbreak of war in the Congo one year later; and again when he accurately predicted outbreak of war in Russia later that year. The real use for Gellers invention, however, came when he was approached by a Wall Street firm. It was proven that the Psychohistorical Algorithm was useful for more than predicting political events; it was also useful for predicting the outcome of stock markets. Geller quickly realized the value of his invention and in 2038 stopped teaching statistical mathematics at Columbia University in New York and moved to Chicago, where he opened up the Psychohistorical Institute, with the business of selling the future to the highest bidder. Geller had numerous buyers. Everyone was interested in purchasing the key to the future. Geller accurately predicted the Wall Street collapse of 2041, and again he accurately predicted the collapse in 2048. He predicted that in 2048 the Neo-Conservative Movement, which had been gaining steam due to an outgrowth of support against what many, saw as encroaching UN regulation on the United States, would win, and he was right. The New American Conservative Movement took office late in 2048, and approached Geller: his ability to read the future was vital to them. Geller and the Psychohistorical Institute became a very rich man overnight, and because of their close ties with Geller and the Psychohistorical Institute, the New American Conservative Movement, or the ACM as they were also called, came to power. Geller would sell them information, and he wouldnt ask them any questions so long as he got paid. The ACM used his information to continually win against opponents. Yet, despite all this, on March 3, 2056, America was attacked by terrorists. Multiple bombings throughout the Greater Seattle Area, culminating with a final grand bomb that killed thousands in downtown Seattle, threw America into shock. The ACM was there almost over night using their psychohistorical records, they knew exactly who was behind it, and they knew exactly how to prevent it from ever happening again. People rushed to support the ACM, but despite the psychohistorical institute and the ability to see the future, America was plagued by terrorist attacks. The ACM would arrive too late to offer any real assistance other than to help clean up the mess, and for their election slogan of 2060, they promised more protection from the terrorists. Using their Psychohistorical data, they could see that this was the winning slogan, and in 2060, they were reelected under the premise of Making America Safer. In a midnight session of Congress, a the Act for the Safety of America was passed; while it buttered the language up as much as possible, the end result was the same: the government had the right to arrest you and withhold you for as long as they wanted without even informing you of the crime or bringing evidence against you. This act couldnt have come sooner. Many were beginning to wonder where the Psychohistory was before the bombings, and why the ACM hadnt done something to prevent them before hand. These individuals were told, plainly, that it was Gods doing because He was angry with the United States, and all the computers in the world couldnt predict the will of God. The ACM, meanwhile, worked to single out individuals that they claimed the psychohistorical reports said were responsible. Socialists, pronounced Feminists, Communists, homosexuals, Muslims, and certain Jewish groups that werent in line with what the ACM wanted were all singled out and harassed. Entire families were visited by what the ACM called the Security Force, a private force contracted to secure the interior of the United States, and were never seen again.

Using the Psychohistorical records given by Geller, the ACM managed to stay one step ahead of the population and diffuse dissent before it was ever able to arise. While not 100% accurate, the psychohistorical record provided enough help to the ACM to stay forever one step ahead. When it looked like they werent going to win the 2068 election, they simply had the opposing party outlawed and arrested. All the while, under the ACM, the religious movements were gaining strength. They had co-opted the ACM a long time ago, or the ACM gave the illusion of being co-opted to maintain their vote and religious legislation was passed. Things that offended sensibilities were made illegal, and filters albeit cheap ones were installed on the internet to keep people from accessing smut and filth that the ACM felt the people would better if they werent exposed too. This started long before 2068 almost immediately after the they came to power in 2041 they started to reverse progress to fit their image. By 2068, they had basically instituted a Theocracy in all but name only in the United States. A big boost for the religious extremities was UN General Assembly Resolution 22/871, which was passed in 2046 with China pushing it. Resolution 22/871 banned the depiction of blasphemous items and thoughts throughout the world. It was pushed primarily by the Saudis and the government of Malaysia, and backed by China because China depended upon these nations for oil and natural resources. Many conservative Christians saw this as an attack on their religion. Their numbers boomed throughout the late 2040s, and with the ACM leading the way, their power was expanded exponentially. At the same time, the ACM worked to loosen as much government control as they could. They stood staunchly against the UN Resolution, condemning vociferously and, when America was attacked in 2056, claimed that the attacks were carried out by Muslims because America refused to capitulate to the UN Resolution. Megacorporations began to take root in 2060; several very large corporations were quickly formed and began to dominate entire blocks of the globe. By 2070, it became apparent the UN no longer served a use. By 2074, America was in the middle of a recession that had been lasting from 2054, and by 2060, it had officially entered a Depression status. Food shortages were common. The price of food skyrocketed, as by 2060 a global food shortage was pronounced. Food Riots, Racial Riots, an Religious Riots seemed to rip apart America from 2060 to 2070 ten years that left scars that have yet to heal fully. The police and U.S. Army proved to be almost fully ineffective to stop these riots, and the ACM turned to the multinationals and contracted their military forces to put down the food riots. For 10 years, these Private Military forces protected government buildings and private property that could pay for protection. The riots eventually died out with the institution of a ration system, and a massive agricultural revival plan. Most of the food was grown in hydroponics, as the soil was too polluted to grow food in the Midwest. It did little for the price of foods, but the Megachruches found a way to capitalize they used their funds to buy food to bring in homeless people to convert them. If they didnt convert, they didnt get the food. The Depression was officially ended in 2072. By Officially Ended, then Treasure Secretary Chris Kaufmann determined that it was a good time to end it and thus, did so. The next 6 years were six years, according to the ACM, of Growth, Prosperity and Happiness for the American people, with the ACM herding them towards 2100. They continued to use Psychohistory and maintain access to the Psychohistorical Institute, which had moved to an office in the Chicago Spire, overlooking Lake Michigan. In reality, very little had changed from 2060 the only difference was the fact that, due to Megachurches and their aggressive evangelizing campaigns (with the comfort of food, no less) managed to keep the threat of riots under control. For the working wealthy, what we today would recognize as the upper middle class, life went on. Many never went downtown for obvious reasons, unless they worked down there. By the 2074 Census, 0.001% of the population had over 56% of the total wealth of the nation. Another 20% of the population had 40% of the wealth of the nation called the Working wealthy and usually divided up into the upper class, middle class, and working class. The remaining 4% of the wealth was spread out amongst the 80% of the population. There were six megacorps that dominated the American scene; Innovative Logistics, founded in 2032, was one of the largest and based out of Chicago. Paragon Corporation was founded in 2040, Aeon Medicinal was founded in 2045, North American Superconductor was founded in 2051, Paradigm Research and Tactical Systems was founded in 2051, and Psion PLC was founded

before the turn of the century. All of these Megacorps are whats known as horizontal monopolies that is, they have their hands in more than one industry. Competing with the Six Greats, as theyre know, were the Five Great Megachurches Coldwater Church of Christ, founded in 2010 but grew to be a megachurch in 2050; Lakewood Church, founded by John Olsteen in the 1980s; Willow Creek Community Church, another large Megachurch founded in 1972; Christian City Churches, founded in 1980 and Morgantown Nondenominational, originally consisting of several different megachurches that merged into one in the 2030s and grew to such a tremendous size that its recognized as a Evangelical Paragon Corp. The power some of these Churches holds is questioned only by some of the power that the Corporations hold, and in many ways America of 2080 is a tedious balance of Corporations, seeking profit over morality willing to sell anything to the highest bidder and Churches, who see it as their authority to demand that the Corporations not. So far, conflict between the bodies has been averted, but especially with Aeon Medicinals move into biotech, a field that was traditionally banned by law the two powers seem to be edging ever closer to conflict. The ACM is caught in the middle but has not answered either critic, and the Presidency of Norman Cross, elected in 2080, seems to have withdrawn inward. America is a land of extremes. A land of black and white absolutes with very little gray separating the two. On one end of the economic spectrum is an extremely small amount of population who have over 50% of the total wealth, and on the other end of the spectrum is nearly 80% of the population with less than 10% of the wealth. The top have access to everything health care, medicine, food, water, housing and wealth without any strings attached at all. The poor have access to nothing. Those in-between walk a careful and fine line, trying not to tip into the poor and damn themselves to a bleak and moral perdition. Once youre at the bottom of the scale, youre never getting back up. On one hand, you have Megacorps who would sell their soul for a profit: who promote everything from prostitution to narcotics to make a buck. On the other hand, you have the stalwart protectors of morality, the extremist sects of Religion that came to power, refusing to back down for anything, including these corporations. Laws making illegal everything these megachurches disagree with have been passed abortion, birth control, alcohol, biotechnology, nanotechnology, cloning, evolution, various forms of art, music that the churches disagreed with, games the churches disagreed with, etc. but the corporations willingly flout them to make a profit. And the small and ineffective government seems to withdraw further and further every year when it should know better, given that it has access to the future. And its this small, ineffective government that the Players work for. In a world where you can get anything you want providing you know how to bribe the local police officer to look the other way the PCs find themselves caught between these titanic forces, as one tries to get the upper hand on the other 1.1 The Megacorps There are six major megacorporations that the players should be familiar with. These Megacorps are known as the Great Six, the Gods of Commerce, and the simply The Six. They are all amalgam corporations and horizontal monopolies, an economic term used to describe a company that, for example, not only makes cars but also owns the steel manufacturing, the rail ways that move the steel, the oil that the cars need to run on, and the glass company that makes the windshields, for example. Because there are no anti-trust laws in 2080, and the EU anti-trust laws are hopelessly ineffective against them, they have free reign to do as they please and annually turn profits that are greater than the combine GDP of every country in the Western Hemisphere. Innovative Logistics: Innovative Logistics started in 2032 as a shipping company. Eventually, I-Log, as its usually shorted too, expanded into other areas as well. By 2040, it has laid the ground work as a horizontal monopoly, not just being a logistics and shipping company, but also moving into the banking sector. I-Log was one of the first companies to make use of the Psychohistorical Institute,

and because of it, grew exponentially by successfully buying the proper stocks and bonds and knowing which companies to purchase and which ones not to purchase. I-Log eventually entered into the engineering business, buying out several major engineering companies and started its own construction division, called I-Logistics Construction Incorporated. I-Log Con remains one of the only construction firms in existence by 2080. By 2074, I-Log was a large, multinational company and had achieved its greatness as one of the Six Megacorps, with over million-and-a-half employees world-wide, and headquarters in several nations. I-Log played a role in stopping the food riots by pioneering massive urban hydroponics farms. I-Log is run out of San Fran, but they have two other headquarters in the United States one in Chicago, which is their North American Sales Division, and one in New York, which is their Shipping and Distribution Division. Paragon Corporation Paragon was founded in 2040 originally as an automobile company. It bought out older automobile firms like Toyota and General Motors, and eventually forced Ford out of business and consumed Chrysler. Originally it was called Paragon Motor Corporation, but in 2053, Paragon began expanding. During this time, it remained close to bankers in Switzerland, who would funnel the company money when it needed it. In 2056, Paragon entered the banking arena and real estate arena itself, buying out several major banks and real estate firms. That same year, Paragon got a foot hold in the broadcasting business by purchasing Time-Warner. Paragon dismantled Time-Warner and created ComStar. By 2080, Paragon has its hands in a lot of different things everything from construction, to broadcast news, to banking, real estate, to defense contracting all over the globe. Paragon even has its own private military, and it was this private military that was contracted Paragon Defense Firm during the riots of the 2070s. Paragon is recognized as the greatest of the Megacorps, really living up to its name. It is the most diversified corporation in the world, and it is still recognized through Paragon Motors as one of the only car producers in the world, and through Paragon-Void as one of the best electronics manufacturers and makers of clinical and recreational grade cyberware in the world. Paragon is run out of Chicago; but they have numerous headquarters set up throughout the United States. Aeon Medicinal Aeon Medicinal is the other producer of cyberware, although originally it started out as a medical firm. Aeon Medicinal remains one of the most specialized of the firms, only maintaining a vast cartel of pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers. They also own most of the hospitals in the United States and Canada. They started in 2045 and quickly achieved status as one of the Great Six by 2060, and have only recently begun to venture out into mining operations, plantation owning, agribusiness, and other fields that arent always relevant to medical technology, which is what the company really known for. Its headquarters is in Washington D.C., but it has various branches scattered throughout the United States, and funds dozens of medical schools. In 2074, Aeon Medicinal announced that it was going to open up genetic research, stem cell, and cloning technology. This was met with stiff resistance from the Six Great Churches, who reminded Aeon Medicinal that such things were illegal. Aeon Medicinal told them, not so politely, to shove off, and the Megachurches appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, hoping to shut Aeon down. The court was hopelessly deadlocked, with exactly half off the court on the take for Aeon, and half on the take for the Megachurches. With the Supreme Court in a stalemate, the Churches began to boycott Aeon, but quickly realized that doing so was literally detrimental to their health. As such, some of the Churches have begun to expand into medical technology as well, hoping to undercut Aeon. Their success remains to be seen. Aeon has a long track record with churches, for having provided abortions even though abortions were illegal so they could harvest the cells for stem-cells that they stored back until their recent announcement that they would be entering the field. North American Superconductor

American Superconductor started as a company that built semiconductors and superconductors in 2051, as their name states. However, they quickly grew out of that. By 2060 they had a slew of various companies that they had bought out most of them research fields and defense contractors. They also bought out manufacturers like Boeing and made a foray into aerodynamics. Today, NA Superconductor is one of the largest and most diversified of the Six, second only to Paragon corp. Exactly what NA Superconductor has their hands is known only to the corporation itself; its believed that they have holding in numerous research and development facilities, law and park care firms, numerous service sector businesses including several franchised businesses, software firms, repair firms, steel making firms, electronic firms, and even Hollywood and movie making. Their headquarters is in Tampa Bay. They dont have various headquarters scattered throughout the US, although they run a local office out of the 25th floor of the John Hancock center in Chicago. Paradigm Research and Tactical Systems Paradigm, as its more often called, is a corporation that owns most of the private contracting and defense firms not just in the United States, but also around the world. Paradigm is the second smallest of the Big Six, and because Paradigm is involved in mostly black-book projects in the United States, much of what it does isnt known to the public. Its rumored that Paradigm is involved in some of the most secretive activities in the United States, and there are dozens of conspiracy theories that run rampant around Paradigm, accusing them of doing everything from hijacking the airwaves and internet to control the masses to hiding hidden alien technology. The churches believe that Paradigm is the key to the end of the world, although exactly how that works hasnt yet been elaborated upon. Given the amount of publicity that surrounds Paradigm, you can be forgiven for thinking it is much larger than it really is. Psion PLC Originally a consumer hardware producer from before the turn of the century it was established in the 1980s as in-house software producer Psion PLC has grown to become the Microsoft of the 21st Century. As a horizontal monopoly, Psion has its hands in a number of different organizations from mining, to metal working, to programming, to the manufacture of hardware, to the research and development of hardware, the creation of Grid software and hardware, to the building of computers and designing all of the software used by the those computers. Psion has a literal monopoly over the entire computer industry from production to programming and back again, and Psion works hard to keep its monopoly by sending out Shadow Spies to kill freeware sites where it finds them, to force people and the other companies to purchase materials from them. Psion has also branched out into other electronics as well, and is an amalgam of the following corporations: Microsoft, Sony, LG, Dell, Macintosh, and dozens of other, smaller companies. Psion is recognized as one of the largest computer producers, and it is currently in competition with Paragon-Void, despite the fact that Paragon-Void produces mostly hardware, where as Psion produces everything from software to hardware. Since 2073 there have been talks between Psion and Paragon over the fate of Paragon-Void; if Psion can purchase Paragon-Void, then Psion will have a virtual monopoly over all electronic systems produced in North America. As it stands, much of Psions work is done over seas and imported into the United States, exploiting poor economic states in various nations in Central Asia and Africa. Its global headquarters is in Seattle, but it has numerous officers throughout the United States every major city has at least one Psion PLC distribution and shipping headquarters. 1.2 The Megachurches The Corporations arent the only ones who wield power in the United States. While the Great Six turn profits larger than the combine GPD of the western hemisphere, their profits are for the most part, monitored. The Megachurches, on the other hand, turn profits that only they keep track of. Abusing the Separation of Church in state clause in the First Amendment, the

Megachurches are extremely active politically much of the atrophied government and the ACM is aligned with the Megachurches even though these churches dont pay taxes at all. The churches continue to support the ACM, and in many cases, are often seen as being the right hand of American politics, with the Corporations being the left. Like with the Megacorps, there are six Megachurches that the players should be aware off unless otherwise noted, they all borrow elements from Southern Baptist and Methodist teachings, but remain fairly nondenominational. Coldwater Church of Christ Coldwater, as more colloquially known, is a massive global megachurch with a congregation nationwide of over 10,600,000 people. Coldwater started in 2010 as a small community church with a big vision, and by 2050, it had expanded through televangelism, the Grid, and savvy marketing. Its congregation has expanded almost exponentially during the period from 2050 to the present, although it saw a marked incline in attendants with its Food for Prayer program that it instituted during the 2070 foot shortage. Coldwater was the first church of its kind to attempt a program like that, by inviting homeless people into shelters that it ran and giving them food, clothing, and a place to stay, so long as they became members of the congregation and kicking them out if they didnt agree. Coldwater has benefited from charismatic leadership under the son of its founder, Nikolai Baker. Rev. Baker is a canny businessman and marketer, with several massive Cathedrals to Christ scattered throughout the United States that he bounces between. The Largest of these Cathedrals is built outside of Chicago in Oak Park; the Crystal Cathedral, a glass structure that was designed to mirror what Heaven looks like. It has a massive amphitheater in its interior that is capable of setting 1,000,000 people, all of whom are looking down at the speaker with a massive holographic screen projected above him. Rev. Baker is a master of the art of entertainment and religion, and he merges the two fluidly during his massive sermons. Baker is not the only Reverend to work within Coldwater, but he is by far the most famous and considered the owner of the church. Unlike the other churches, Coldwater is not nondenominational. Coldwater is a pronounced Southern Baptist church, and the fire and brimstone sermons have become synonymous with Coldwater more so than other Megachurch. Coldwater also owns numerous private religious universities around the nation, teaching mostly religious classes. The largest of these is University of Chicago, which had been a public school with a board until Coldwater brought accusations of anti-Christianity against the school, broke it with a lawsuit, and devoured the school. Lakewood Church Lakewood Church was founded in the 1980s by John Olsteen. Under the charismatic leadership of his son, Joel Olsteen, it expanded throughout the 1990s and into the early part of the century, combining aspects of religion and entertainment. Olsteen would go on to become an esteemed televangelist, and would eventually be replaced in 2026, when he stepped down. Olsteen guided Lakewood to become one of the largest megachurches in the world. The current pastors of Lakewood are two men; Reverends Christ Delay and Mark Morris. Delay is the default owner of the Church, having befriended Olsteens oldest and eventually purchasing the church from him. Morris is a close friend to Delay, and before they became reverends, both men were at one time marketers and businessmen. It shows in the way that they ran Lakewood; they essentially turned Lakewood into a massive corporation that sells redemption to the sinful masses. Lakewood saw its membership slowly rise throughout the 2040s and 2050s, and they followed Coldwater in the 2070s with a Food for Prayer program that garnered them upwards of a million new converts in one week. Lakewood is the second largest of the six, with an congregation of an estimated 59,000,000 people nationwide, which is twice the population of the New York metro area in 2007. Lakewood has an aggressive Grid campaign; Lakewood Shadows are well known because they take the form of Jesus or bright lights and ask the individual if theyve been saved, and then tells them to attend Lakewood. Lakewood is currently run out of South Carolina, but it has smaller churches scattered throughout the nation. Lakewood owns an entire television network, which is devoted to nothing but Lakewood-oriented programming

ranging from religious cartoons that not-so-subtly promote their agenda to live, broadcast events from places as far flung as Jerusalem, usually hosted by Rev. Delay or Rev. Morris. Willow Creek Community Church WC3 (WC Cubed) is anything but a community church; like the rest of the Megachurches, theyre an international entity that has churches and holdings in churches in as far flung places as Africa, South America, and Central Asia. WC3 is the only one of the six Megachurches that boasts a larger membership outside of the United States than it has inside of the United States. It also has the distinguished status of being the oldest of the six, having been founded in the 1970s, and was actually one of the first Megachurches. It expanded in membership throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and into the century, when their membership took a hit. In order to make up for the loose in members, WC3 expanded beyond the United States boarders, sending missionaries overseas to convert. By 2030, the missionaries had converted a large population of individuals overseas so many that it rivaled the current membership in the United States. By 2040, that overseas membership had surpassed the membership in the United States. Unlike the other churches, WC3 did not institute a Food for Prayer program during the great food Crises of the 2070s, which is probably one of the reasons why it remains one of the smallest of the Megachurches within the United States. Worldwide, however, it rivals the Catholic Church in adherents. It should also be noted that WC3 has its own militant wing. They dont (or arent supposed too) function within the United States, though; they exist in regions where Christians are in danger of persecution over seas specifically functioning in Central Asia, which has a largely Muslim Population, and Africa, which is not a very safe continent to being with. The Militants, called the Arms of God, are a privately funded contracted security force that is almost totally owned by WC3. WC3 maintains that it does not use these individuals to force people to convert; rather, it uses them to protect Christian and Missionary communities. So far, nothing to contradict WC3 has come to the fore, but given how savvy the current board is with the Grid, its likely that information did exist it would never make it to the grid anyway. Christian City Churches 3C, as theyre also called, was founded in the 1980s and is one of the original Megachurches from that period. It expanded throughout the 1990s, but at the beginning of the century, it saw a downturn in adherents. To compensate, 3C began to cut back. For a while, it didnt appear is 3C would make it through the 2010s and 2020s, and there was talking of closing the ministry doors. In the 2030s, it saw its adherence pick up, and it really gained grown following the UN passing Resolution 22/871. It really made up ground, though, during the food crises of 2070 with the Food for Prayer program. This program made up for the lacking membership of the previous decades, and during the Food Shortages, it boosted its sagging membership almost 20 fold. Come 2080, it is the fourth largest of the Megachurches, behind Morgantown, Coldwater, and Lakewood. It has about 9,400,000 members nationwide, and is run out of St. Louis. Morgantown Nondenominational Often times touted as the Evangelical Paragon Corp, Morgantown Nondenominational, or M-town Denom, is the largest megachurch in the United States with a total membership of about 945,000,000 individuals nationwide, making up a full 50% of the nations population. It started out as a dozen smaller megachurches, but quickly grew to huge proportions when these churches merged; by the 2030s, Morgantown was one of the largest churches in the United States and it continued to grow. Like most of the other churches, Morgantown instituted a Food for Prayer program in the 2070s, and by 2079, it had hands down the largest membership of any megachurch in the Free World. What distinguishes Morgantown from the other Megachurches, though, is that Morgantown is also a business. They own shares in massive oil companies, smaller medical firms, research firms and electronics firms. While these are nowhere near as large as the holdings of the Megacorps, Morgantown is unique in that it is the only church that moonlights as a company. Morgantown is also unique in the aspect that they control a rather large segment of the

grid; in 2074 they supposedly issued a denial-of-service attack on Aeon Medicinal, although no proof of this was ever found. Individuals accuse Morgantown of abusing its so-called Brainscratch program, which is a program to try and teach individuals how to use the computer in the name of God. Aeon in particular claims that Morgantown is using the Brainscratch program to create a new generation of black-hat hackers that Morgantown can use to silence dissonance on the web. To date, the only evidence cited is referred to as the Epic DDoS attack on Aeon on May 3, 2075, and no evidence has ever connected it to the Brainscratch Program. Morgantown is unique because it doesnt incorporate Baptist teachings at all; rather, Morgantown is a staunching Calvinist church, with heavy influences from Calvinism. 1.3 The ACM As far as governments go, the ACM is sorely lacking in power despite having been the official government for better than 30 years. ACM stands for American Conservative Movement, although they would properly be recognized as Neo-Conservatives in the political sphere of the early century. Theyre a splinter, third party movement that broke with the Republican Party in the early 2020s. For a while, it appeared as if the ACM would suffer the fate of every third party in American politics, but after a particularly vicious year, the ACM managed to get elected in the 2040s much to their surprise. Ever since, the ACM has held power in the United States. The ACM works closely with the Psychohistorical Institute, and uses the institute for their own gain. Many believe that if the ACM didnt have a virtual monopoly over the Psychohistorical Institute, then they would never have stayed in power for as long as they have. They use Psychohistorical reports to stay one step ahead of various political entities and to keep the population under heel at all times (see Psychohistory for the misconception that the ACM perpetuations about it). The ACM holds many neoconservative beliefs; they believe strongly in an interventionist foreign policy, the promotion of America as an empire (something that is a pipe dream given how weak the ACM is, but their literature promotes it as one anyway), and are do not practice nativism or protectionism. They are strongly socially conservative but very liberal economically, leading directly to the situation America is in split between ultracapitalism and ultrareligion with very little gray area between them. They hold themselves as being the original Straussian Conservatives, a reference to one of the founding fathers of neoconservativism, Leo Strauss. They currently control all facets of the government from the ground up. The ACM hasnt come out and said it, but they recognize the use of religion as a noble lie, like the neoconservatives before them, and originally tried to use it as a tool to control individuals it was a tool that got quickly out of hand for them. Likewise, they are extremely pro-Capitalist and remain so, having revoked all of the Government regulations in an attempt to create a Christian Capitalist Society. Current President of the Untied States is Lionel Kilpatrick, with his Vice President being Max Bolton. 1.4 Psychohistory and the Psychohistorical Institute Psychohistory has been defined several times, but for sake of redundancy, it is a multidisciplinary science (a computer program, really) that uses an algorithm that describes the whole of human history. The computer program then analyzing this algorithm and is capable of making astonishing predictions that are right 98% of the time. It was designed by Dr. Tyrell Geller in the 2030s, and has since become one of the most powerful tools on the planet. Geller is the only man who knows how the program works he designed it, and only he can use it. Using the program, Geller began selling knowledge of the future, and made a substantial amount of money form it. With this money, Geller moved from New York to Chicago and founded the Psychohistorical Institute, and corporation that was in the business of selling the future.

There is a quiet a bit of myth that surrounds psychohistory many people only know it as a hazy, somewhat mystical term where by a computer spits out accurate predictions of the future. The ACM works hard to keep these misconceptions going; several of the most common misconceptions are dealt with below. As of yet, the Geller has made the shrewd business decision that the less people know about the way psychohistory actually works the better not only is ignorance bliss, but it keeps the people under heel of his largest buyer, the ACM. Common Misconceptions Psychohistory is an amazing thing. Originally, Geller discovered the program when he realized that various events in human history could be represented by a mathematical equation that, when plugged into a computer, would be solved. This is similar to the complex systems used to describe weather systems. Unlike those complex systems, though, Psychohistory can predict things on a micro and macro level, functioning as an Oracle of the 21st Century. There are numerous misconceptions of psychohistory, some of which the ACM works to maintain. Below are the most common misconceptions about psychohistory.

Psychohistory presents an immutable future False. Psychohistory does not present an immutable future, it only presents the future as can extrapolated by events occurring the past. This is one of the reasons that its only 92.6% accurate because sometimes the extrapolation is wrong, or it may have been right given the numbers, but the timing was off or some unforeseen element was not calculated or is simply changed because it was known. The truth here is that while psychohistory displays predictions based off of mathematical equations, they are not necessarily always correct, nor do they present a future that is carved in stone. Psychohistory just knows the future False, and this displays a fundamental ignorance of how psychohistory works. You have to first take what action (or actions) you were planning on doing, convert them to an equation, plug them into the algorithm, and the computer then solves the algorithm(s) and gives you the solution what happens if you take those various actions. It does not figure automatically what happens if you take actions that you did not plug into the algorithm. This is why psychohistory is easier to perform at the macro level than the micro level; the actions that nations are capable of taking are more markedly limited than the actions that individuals are capable of making. However, there is a pervasive misconception that the psychohistorical computer is capable of just knowing what the future will be the actual work behind it is lost on most individuals. Psychohistory works on a macro and micro level Partially true (see above). Psychohistory works off of the stated function that any event can be condensed to an equation that can then be plugged into a greater algorithm created by a series of equations in human history and then solved. Note the emphasis is any event, be them micro or macro. Psychohistory can be used to predict riots, war, assassinations, etc. Psychohistory can even be used to predict individual futures, so long as an algorithm from the individuals past can be created. However, the algorithms used by the ACM and the Psychohistorical Institute are designed to function only on national level, as this is much easier and less power and time consuming to do. To predict the future of individual humans, a new algorithm, unique to that individuals history, must be constructed and a new program must be devised. This process is extremely expensive and time consuming; thus, psychohistory is usually only used to predict future events on a nation or global level, because only one program needs to be devised on the global level. (Note that just like individuals, nations must each have their own algorithms designed from scratch as well).

TheEnigma32PsychohistoryI'm not certain I was clear enough here. Basically, psychohistory works great on both a macro and micro-level, but the problem with using psychohistory on a micro-level is that psychohistory "cheats" in predicting the future - it requires you to know what you're going to do before hand. Once you know what action you're taking, you condense it into an equation and plug it into the computer (the Oracle of Lincoln Park) and let the Oracle solve the algorithm. The answer is presented in the form of an equation that is then translated and read as a prediction of what happens when you take that action. An obvious problem on the micro-level arises - you have to know what action you're going to take, and there's a lot of actions you can take on that level. Thus, Psychohistory works better at macro-levels than micro-levels for sheer virtue of the fact that there are fewer variables in the actions large groups of people can take.

Some maintain a claim that the ACM keeps a detailed track of every citizens future through psychohistory. To put this in perspective, there are (as of 2080) 1,892,345,231 people in the United States. That would require 1,892,345,231 different algorithms, a decent knowledge of every individuals history, and knowledge of what the individual is going to do next. While computers are capable of processing exabytes of information in a matter of minutes, the level of computing power required to do all that would consume more energy than the United States puts out in one year. Not only that, but see the note above the government must have the ability to predict which action the individual is going to take and them plug that into the computer which, ultimately, is not remotely possible (although educated guesses could be made, humans are irritating creatures that tend to defy guesses like that in most cases).

Psychohistory is magical False. There is nothing magical about psychohistory, although the ACM does little to dispel these beliefs. Psychohistory simply relies on an understanding of complex mathematical systems, statistics, history, sociology, and computer programming to function. The only difference between solving a slope-equation and a psychohistorical equation is the level of complexity involved, but in either case you get an estimation of the future the future of where that line will go in the former, or the possible future of the individual in the latter. Its this belief that psychohistory is magical that has lead a number of the Megachurches to condemn its use, believing that its a tool of Satan and is pulling the American population further away from God. This misconception about psychohistory being magical somehow ties into the misconception that it just knows the future without any kind of input at all. There are individuals who believe that arcane rituals and occultic symbols and chants must be used to make the computers work Morgantown is especially bad for this, believing that psychohistory is an embodiment of Satan and Occultism. Psychohistory is 100% correct False. As prove above, psychohistory is not 100% correct. It has a batting average of about 92.6% accuracy, which his still extremely good for a program that predicts the future of various nations. So far, Psychohistory has only fallen short when it was called upon to predict things at a level smaller than national level that is, statewide future prediction rather than nationwide future prediction. Despite this, the ACM maintains that the psychohistory is indeed 100% accurate, and everything that it says is treated as not only being possible, but as being predetermined as well (see psychohistory presents an immutable future, above).

There are other misconceptions that surround psychohistory as well; but the ones listed above are the most common misconceptions that can be found on the streets of America. As of 2074, slightly more than 45% of Americans had a positive image of psychohistory, believing that it was occult in nature and required magic to work. 23.6% of Americans were 100% confident that it was occultic in nature, and was a tool of Satan. Despite the relatively negative view of psychohistory in America, psychohistory is a tool that is used by the ACM, and by the various megacorps, to try and figure out what actions would be most beneficial for the country and corporation. The Psychohistorical Institute of Chicago holds a monopoly over the mathematics and computing abilities of psychohistory, meaning that, in many ways literally, the Psychohistorical Institute holds a monopoly on the future. The Psychohistorical Institute is under a board of directors, but the CEO of the company still remains Dr. Tyrell Geller, the only individuals in the whole Institute who knows the inner workings of psychohistory inside and out.

1.5 Computers and the Grid Computer technology is extremely advanced. The development of non-volatile memory that has replaced RAM in a computer MRAM first, the FeRAM, and finally NRAM. The need for a hard disk was eliminated with the development of the advanced SSDs (using advanced nanotechnology to produce partial room-temperature superconductors) and NRAM, or Nano-RAM (storing information on carbon nanotubes; a technique first developed during the early turn of the century but mastered around 2043 and commercially implemented in 2049) allowed for computers that were both faster and could store and process more memory. NRAM allowed for the development of extreme small computers, like the nanocomputer implant (which, while being extreme small, is capable of storing large amounts of information thanks to the Van der Waals Force). NRAM replaced FeRAM (Ferro-electric RAM) in 2049. Up until that time, FeRAM had been one of the first commercial attempts at a non-volatile RAM-like memory. Computers that still run off of FeRAM can be found throughout the United States, although they are mostly phased out. In 2080, computers use advanced NRAM and most information transfer is done wirelessly. Encrypted wireless networks keep most users out of the net works, while companies like Psion are currently developing photon-encryption for messages being sent over a wireless network. Photon-encryption already exists for wired networks, making hacking these networks nearly impossible (basic computer lesson photons are attached to the beginning of a long line of code, and when that code is hacked, the photon is disrupted, and, at the speed of light, the signal attempting to be hacked is destroyed and the user is alerted that an attempted hack has occurred); the trick is making it wireless, and Psion is in the process of trying to figure out how that works. Advanced SSDs are used, making computers so fast that they no longer need boot up time, and instead are ready to go the minute the power button is switched or flipped. Computers have continued to get smaller and smaller. The most popular computer form is that of a gauntlet on the forearm it allows for ease of use, and is like carrying around a powerful laptop without carrying all of the weight. Other forms exist; mainframe computers and desktop computers still exist, although towers are only the size of a paperback book. Storage devices use either NRAM just like computer processors do or Holographic memory. Technology has gotten advanced enough to make incredibly small, but for convenience and ease of use, the typical storage device is roughly the length of an AAA battery and plugs into the back of the tower. LCD displays were phased out around 2050 in favor of a nanite display; it is basically a paint that consists of nanites that, when placed on a object and an electrical charge is applied, becomes receptive to signals. Exactly what signals the nanites are receptive too depends upon the maker; certain nanite mixes are receptive to radio and television signals meaning these are televisions while others are only receptive to a wireless signal from a computer these are monitors. This nanite fluid is often referred to as a chormanite mixture, combining the words nanite and chromatophore. Even then, these nanite-paint mixes are being phased out in favor of the new thing for the first time in 2080, Psion announced that it would be selling Holography Monitors and Televisions that is, monitors and televisions that displayed things in three dimensions using light. While the nanite fluid is still extremely common throughout America, its speculated by that 2110 most of them will have bee phased out as well, in favor of the new holographic displays. Moving lock and step with the computer is the network that they connect too. As the computers got faster, and their ability to process information became better, the networks that they created become more advanced servers were able to handle bandwidth equal to 1000Gbit/s, and even 1Tbit/s in some cases. This drastically increased the number of visitors that server could have, and increased the room that was available on that server. The Internet continued to expand and grow, into the shapeless morass that it is today, located in servers in darkened rooms that house thousands of trillions of bits of information. The ability for computers to surf through this information was increased, and because of how quickly it spread, the Internet stopped being the Internet in 2045 and was simply referred to as the Grid or Grid Network.

While there have been attempts in the past to filter the Grid, and to restrict access to the Grid, the Grid is just too widespread and complex to completely filter. Any attempts have resulted in laughable filters that often arent very reliable, and can be hacked relatively easy. Most of the Grid is wireless, although there area still Ethernet cables that exist. These massive cables are usually used for secure servers, because rather than relying upon simply wireless encryption, these cables and also use photon-encryption. So far, no reliable means of defeating photon-encryption has been devised, and hackers had best beware of these cables, routers and servers. All of the major corporations use them, as does the government, although most of these networks arent connected to the Grid anyway and form LANs between rooms or buildings. The biggest change in the Grid came with the ability for individuals to interact with it directly, and eventually immerse themselves in it. This is done with a device called a Grid-caster, and it allows for immediate interface with the grid without having to worry about clumsy typing. In 2078 a fully-body suit was developed that allowed for total immersion into the Grid; allowing the individual to treat the Grid as if it were a virtual reality game. This invention, called a Gridsuit, was followed by a smaller version, and for many people, the Grid became an easy form of escapism. Online games, communication, social networking the Grid became a mirror reality to our own, populated by shadows and avatars in three-dimensions, directed by us here in real time. More and more reality is becoming blurred with the Grid; and its all fair and good, given how miserable life tends to be outside of the Grid suit or the Grid-caster anyway. When an individual first plugs into the Grid using the Gridsuit, they are given a newly created avatar, called a Shadow, which plunges into a stream of information that turns into a datafall into the heart of the Grid. It takes nanoseconds to travel the grid, but the speed has been slowed down to make it more user-friendly. From the top of the datafall, the grid appears as a glowing lattice of lines and light suspended in a field of eternal white. This is the first thing that a shadow sees when it links to the dimension of data, the lines representing millions of paths that data can take, and the lights the countless number of computer systems connected to the grid. Each system has its own flavor one system might be flavored distinctly medieval, the next with a fantasy flair, the third with a 1930s appeal, depending upon how (and if) the network is designed to interface with a Gridsuit and grid pilots using the proper cyberware. In many ways, this has turned the Grid into the social networking environment of the late 21st century an escape from the doldrums of the day in a merciless world. 1.6 Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is in full swing come 2080. It is an invasive force the development of smaller superconductors has lead to the creation of cheaper and faster solid-state drives within computers and within servers leading to quicker computer and internet interfaces. Nanotechnology also allowed the development of NRAM, which lead directly to the production of the nanocomputer in 2050 and the slew of cyberware that followed would be impossible without nanotechnology functioning at the level it does. Smart materials would also be impossible without nanotechnology. Cars are manufactured with smart chassis that, when a small electrical surge is applied by pushing a button within the car, automatically fix dents and scratches. This is done because the matter is programmable, that is, it remembers its original state, and when an electrical current is applied, the molecules realign in that original state. Smart armor is used in very much the same manner, and nanotechnology has even made it into clothing waterproofing fabrics so that water simply runs right off of them without them actually absorbing the water at all. These miniature superconductors have also played a role in the development of magnetic weapons rail weapons are very real, having replaced chemical-fired bullets a long time ago. These guns pistols, rifles, and SMGs use a bullet propelled along a magnetic track within the barrel, sent along that track by a electrical signal. Note they are not entirely silent they still make the cracking noise as the bullet breaks the sound barrier but they are a great deal more silent than guns from earlier periods.

Nanotech is used extensively in medicine. Nanites can be used to hunt down any kind of invasive disease, using the bodys bioelectric field to power themselves, and dismantling the virus at the molecular level. These nanites are capable of destroying just about any invasive creature, be it virus or bacteria. In America, however, these materials are highly restricted if people knew that there were cures for diseases like HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, and other STDs, it would promote, according to the Megachurches and the ACM, immoral behavior. Many wealth (read extremely wealthy) Americans choose to get these injections over seas, where they arent illegal. Still, the exact ways in which nanotechnology has impacted life cannot be fully measured. If it werent for nanotechnology, a lot of things wouldnt work the way that they do, and that at face value is enough to appreciate it for what it is. 1.7 Designer Psychology (Psychodesign) The science of psychology, the understanding of the human mind and how it works has made leaps and bounds. Most aspects of neurology are now almost completely understood by modern neurologists and psychologists, and while its not as popular in the United States as it is in other regions of the world, the science or art, depending upon who you talk too of psychodesign is catching on amongst the upper class. The principles of Psychodesign have been with us for as long as medication to treat illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder has been around. At its core, psychodesign is the study, manipulation, and creation of new modes of thinking and feeling through the implementation of medication, therapy, and neurological treatments. A licensed psychodesigner can change the way that a person believes, they can change all the memories of a person, they can create new ones or remove old ones, change the way that the person feels about themselves, even change the persons whole personality and outlook on life. Psychodesign is not magic; rather, its extreme brainwashing that takes place on multiple levels through therapy and has been brought to the market place. The first use of the term was in 2045, and it was used to describe the act of changing a mentally ill patients outlook on life. The first success story of psychodesign was when a 29-year-old suffer of schizophrenia was cured. Since, Psychodesign has a long history of working to cure mental illnesses and disorders through a combine look at the person as a whole and the person as a set of chemicals and neurons that can be modified with the right treatment. Over the course of a week or so of therapy, an individual could be rid of the effects of bipolar disorder, major depression whatever it was that happened to be bugging them. It wasnt taken to the next level until it entered the commercial market place. That leap was made by Dr. James Sandberg, when he founded the New You Foundation in 2056, and took psychodesign directly to the population. Psychodesign, it was realized, was capable of inducing amnesia, creating or erasing false memories even recreating the person from scratch, complete with new memories. This ability to become a brand new person appealed to bored, rich people. Psychodesign picked up immediately among this crowd, and the New You Foundation developed into a sort of wealthy resort that catered to the superrich who were looking for a something new to do. Since, Psychodesign has been a major feature within these circles. There are rumors that the ACM has also looked into it, and it is known that the Megacorps use it to deal with dissidents, going so far as to use licensed psychodesigners to erase memories, and change personalities to make employees more compatible with what the corporation is looking for. As can be expected, the Megachurches condemn the use of psychodesign as hedonistic and wicked. As with most things, their complaints about psychodesign are mostly nebulous and without substance, although they make the very real statement that it strips people of control in their lives and it is true that, if misused, it can strip a person of control. What they might have seen in psychodesign was something that they wished they could do or knew they were doing and didnt want the competition. Either way, psychodesign is universally condemned by the Megachurches, although the wealthy superrich believe it is a new toy to play with. 1.8 Cyberware

Cyberware is the fusion of prosthetics and computers. As computers became faster, smaller, and more reliable, and understanding of human biology became more acute, the ability to replicate the human body using computer-enhanced prosthetic replacements became more and more advanced. To date, the term CEPR (computer-enhanced prosthetic replacement) is used in medical circles rather than Cyberware/Wetware, which is more commonly heard on the street level. Generally speaking, cyberware breaks down into two levels; medical cyberware, or recreational cyberware. Medical cyberware is cyberware that is applied for medical reasons either to repair damaged organs, lost limbs, or resort various bodily functions again. Recreational cyberware is cyberware that doesnt have a medical purpose but is generally required if one wants to get around easy in society NI-jacks and optical screens are two examples of recreational cyberware. Cyberware is generally not cheap. Many people up to 65% of the population dont have any cyberware, nor do they have access to cyberware. The remainder of the population has what cyberware is required to get by; usually a nanocomputer, optical display and a wireless NI-jack. The legal age to get cyberware implants (without a medical reason) is 20. Cyberware can be extremely authentic; cyberlimbs can resemble and even feel like real limbs to the touch, although when cut open it becomes obvious that they are anything but. The same is true for cyber-eyes, etc. As with psychodesign, the wealthy superrich have turned cyberware into an art form. Various pieces of cyberware have been designed to change skin color, eye color and hair color to any color that the individual should want, and fiber-optic installations can flash various patterns, like bioluminescence. Recreational cyberware is hard to come by in the United States, however; only a handful of institutes bother to make it, and most of the superrich fly over seas to receive these installations. A very real threat with some pieces of cyberware is a disease known as cykosis. Note this is not a medical term; the medical term is Wrights Syndrome, because Andre Wright was the first doctor to record this condition in 2063. Sufferers often times display symptoms identical to paranoid schizophrenia, and live under the delusion that everyone is out to kill them. These individuals, who are often times extremely dangerous individuals because of their cyberware, pose a serious threat to society. Originally it was the job of the local police and FBI to track down these individuals, but with the creation of NICA in 2072, the task fell to them. Despite the threat of Wrights Syndrome, most cyberware is harmless to the user. Those pieces that can cause Wrights Syndrome cannot legally be sold in the United States but that doesnt mean they arent sold anyway. However, certain megachurches such as Morgantown believe that the use of any cyberware can lead to Wrights Syndrome, which they refer to as Gods punishment against the sinful who turn their backs on him in favor of cyberware. 1.9 Commerce, Trade, and Money Commerce is carried out in much the same way it was at the turn of the century. The creation of faster computers have allowed for incredibly fast, almost real-time trading from individuals far away from Wall Street, which still remains the economic heart of the Universe. Access the Psychohistory also allows for individuals to assess their option in buying stocks and bonds, and which ones they should buy. Whole new levels were added with these things, but at its core, it remains relatively the same. Trade is carried out mostly on an international level. Shipping is still very common, especially shipping by massive supertankers, which are large cities unto themselves. Due to the global nature of the economy, there isnt a place on the planet that these massive supertankers cant reach. Showroom floors, massive malls, stores, and the Grid are all places where trade of goods for money or credit can be made, and shipping by boat or air is common. Despite claims that the credit card would be superior to the dollar, repeated credit crunches throughout history has caused the dollar to remain the primary source of wealth in the United States. The cloth dollar (because its not really made out of paper) is more complicated now than it ever was before, incorporating aspects of nanotechnology and computers that the

older dollars could never have even dreamed of. It now bears a bluish color, rather than a green color, but it still has the money denomination on it, written in a special nanotech ink that is incredibly difficult to replicate. While counterfeiting has not been totally stopped, the presence of these materials has made it extremely difficult to do. Metal coins are still used, and even the humble penny remains unchanged despite several attempts to remove it from the system. 1.10 Travel Travel is done through train, plane, boat, car, or helicopter speaking normally. The average vehicle is an electric car, with the difficulties behind them having been overcome early in the century. These electric vehicles have been in use for a while now, and are relatively advanced, especially with the arrival of small superconductors that allow for more power to be used. They are capable of achieving great distances on a relatively small charge. The frames, meanwhile, are relatively sleek and lightweight, made of smart-materials, or memory materials, that can remember its original shape when an electrical charge is applied to it. The one thing that hasnt been removed from the equation is the human driver, although massive shipping companies have devised a means by which a train of semi-trucks are capable of following one semi-truck, and the lead semi is the only one with a driver. The rest simply follow using orders sent by the lead truck. All vehicles are electric, ranging from cars to trucks, to planes, trains, and boats. While the vast majority of vehicles is too complex to list here, find it safe to assume that theyre made of the same memory materials that cars are made out of. Planes travel around the globe by breaking the atmosphere and skimming along the surface of the atmosphere before diving back down into the atmosphere when they reach their destination. These vehicles, which use ramjet engines, can make a trip from L.A. to Paris in under a half hour, and can fly around the globe in about three hours. Private jets or public jets, either one is capable of doubling as a short-lived space craft. A maglev-monorail system was instituted across the United States in the early part of the century. These monorails are no longer capable of supporting the strain that the population has put on the infrastructure, but theyre still function, and they can still close the distance between Chicago and St. Louis in under an hours time, using maglev technology advanced through the presence of nano-superconductors. 1.11 Robots, Androids, and Intelligence Programs Robots, Androids, and other synthetic life-forms can be found widespread throughout America. Note that there are huge movements against them, but because the mighty forces of Ultracapitalism overrule the forces of Ultrareligion, androids, robots, and machines are found most everywhere, doing almost everything. About the only place you wont find them is inside of industry, where its cheaper to have a human do dangerous job than it is to have an android or robot do them. The distinction between robots and androids is cosmetic. Androids look human, robots do not. Neither are available options for players, because the androids are, at best, only sentient that is, theyre dimly aware of their environment, capable of bending their programming and interacting with their environment. This program bending must be done every-time that the Android wishes to interact with a part of the environment that they was not programmed properly; so for instance, an android will pick up a box, walk to a wall and if they were programmed for there to be a door there, then theyll use the door, walk through to the other room, set the box down, and walk back through the door. If the door isnt there, theyll take a moment, looking for the door, find it, walk through it, set the box down, walk back to where the door should be according to the programming, look for the door, find it again, walk back through, and repeat the process if it has to go through again. They operate off of whats known as Limited Heuristics, meaning that they are capable of learning, but learning only temporarily. Robots can be programmed with a wide range of personalities, and they can even be programmed to change these personalities to respond to situations appropriately, but they do not understand why theyre

changing personalities, or even what they are. Obviously this sort of thing does not accommodate players, even remotely. They are unaware of themselves, only dimly aware of their environment and can only interact with their environment within the confines of their programming or an algorithm that they were programmed with. Finally, androids and robots are always property. There is no exception. These are creatures that have no sapience or self-awareness, and to turn them loose would usually result in the android standing and waiting for new orders. The term Intelligence Programming is a misnomer, because basically what it does is set the constraints and tell the android or robot what they need to do. Obviously advanced programming rules are at work here, but even then, Sapience in Machines is many, many years away even in 2080. However, the machines are here, and theyre here to stay. Typically, you see androids in service jobs where theyre required to interact with humans, and their humanoid-form makes them easier to interact with and actually becomes useful. Robots that is, non-humanoid machine that have either intelligence programming or limited heuristics are usually found in jobs where interaction with humans is not a requirement, and therefore more productive forms can be used. Oddly enough, you rarely find robots in industry the reason for this being that robots are expensive, and human beings are not it is easier to replace a person than it is to replace a robot. 1.12 Society American society is at once plugged into the Grid and unplugged from reality. It is hard to make any generalizations about American society, other than that if you arent rich, American isnt a friendly place to be. The super-wealthy live in a world of whimsical fantasy, where they are capable of changing every aspect of themselves, throwing balls and parties and inviting their friends almost every night, and celebrating for the slightest cause. They are the ultimate hedonists, in many ways. They dont even live in the cities they have massive tracts of land that belong just to them, in beautiful and exotic places. Those who fall under the super-wealthy the working wealthy, as they are known work a typical or a-typical job, and live a life not too different from the life lived by middle class Americans at the turn of the century. Much of a persons life can be spent plugged into the Grid; the Grid is every bit as crowded as most American cities. These individuals tend to live in massive high-rises overlooking the extreme poverty of the downtown world. Life for them goes on, and they avoid having to go downtown if they can help it. They live in massive buildings, like the John Hancock Center and the Marina Center in Chicago, which are virtually cities unto themselves with controlled weather, lighting, parks, shops, power, etc all taken care of and rarely, if ever, leave these sanctities of civilization. At the very bottom of society is the poor and destitute. They dont live in the massive buildings and instead live in downtown slums, far away from the every-day life of the working wealthy or the paradise-life of the superrich. They dont have the benefits of health care, medicine, or even basic necessities such as clean food and water, and in many ways, the downtown regions can call to mind pictures of the slums on the outskirts of Mexico City or Rio. These are dangerous places to be; no police officer or government official wanders into these regions without being heavily armed. People at this level have painfully short lives being exposed to disease after disease, living in squalid conditions, malnourished, and having violence and narcotics as next door neighbors. This stratification is sharp, and like many things with American society, there is little gray area between the extremely wealthy and the extremely impoverished. It is a mirror of America in the 1880s, during the Gilded Age. Indeed, the current age has been referred to as the Gilded Age of Technology, because technology is used to cover up all the little imperfections with American society, and it does it about as well as gilding a lily makes the flower more beautiful. America at the turn of the 2080s is one of the most schizophrenic societies on the planet. On one hand, there is the extreme religious conservativism that underlines everything that happens within society, and makes the laws. Prayer in schools is mandatory; the United States Government officially acknowledges that the particular brand of Evangelical Protestantism known

to the Moral Majority is the national religion of the United States. The practice of other religions is actively discouraged, and there are laws in place to make sure that people make the best moral decisions with their lives. The government attempts to dictate to people what they can do and when they can do it, in keeping with find Biblical tradition. Anything that the Evangelical wing of Protestantism was sensitivity has been made illegal, and where applicable, biblical punishments were instituted meaning that the proper punishment for a prostitute is to burn her alive, and is written as such in the laws. Most of society pays lip-service to these laws and thats about it, because they arent actively followed. Most of the religious laws are unenforceable, and the vast majority of the population up to 50% of the total ignores them. The underworld is a den of vice and decadence; a cesspool of human refuse that caters to all needs and fetishes, regardless how extreme or vile they may be. The upper classes also live a life style directly in contrast with these laws; wealthy young men often travel into Downtown to partake of the local flavor. Even otherwise normal people those who speak the loudest in favor of these laws ignore where they apply to their lives. Laws banning fornication, laws banning the consumption of pigs and rabbit and other animals most everyone is aware of them, but they arent enforced and people tend not to follow them unless they are feeling extremely self-righteous or truly believe them (and even then, this true belief extends only as far as their own person if it affects their lives, theyll be the first to flout the law). Even then, its possible to bribe the police to not bother you but that generally costs a great deal of money, and theres no guarantee that theyll follow through. Still, its better than rotting inside of the hellish prisons, which are a reflection of the worst society, with very little control over the inmates. These attitudes are promoted by the corporations; corporate owned whorehouses are common in the downtowns, promote abortion so they can reap the stem cells (Aeon Medicinal is notorious for this; their annual Abortion Weeks are held once every year in the lower levels so they can collect stem cells), and promote mind control through psychodesign. America presents the world with two faces at once. One the idealized moral, upright, biblical theology that is a polished example of what Saudi Arabia could be if it was Christian. The other is the other American society a blackened cesspool of hypocrisy; two-faced lies, arrogance and self-righteousness. Both are the real America; one is America on Sunday, the other is America the rest of the week. And if you thought that the under-society was bad, wait until you get into Gridspace. Repressed societies have to have a way to vent somehow; and because American society is so repressed and two-faced, the dark corners of the Grid have gotten even darker by 2080. Americans are expected to keep up the faade that America is a moral nation, and they are expected to chastise and report those that dont live up to this national image of an Evangelical Nation. Its really a loose-loose for everyone involved; Freedom is what you make it in the world of 2080 a world with draconic laws that are self-righteously ignored or self-righteously enforced depending upon the person, a corpse blackened by the cancer of repressed desire and dreams, and a soul that has lost itself within the depths of the eternal perdition known as Gridspace. 1.13 Gangs Poverty breeds discontent. It also breeds people who constantly look for an escape, and those who are willing to provide them with that escape. The most common form of escape are illegal narcotics, which are peddled like candy on street corners. With these illegal narcotics come the smugglers who sell them, and with them come the people who push them on the street and the gangs who seek to make a cut. The downtown districts are in a constant flux of gang warfare. Violent gangs hold entire communities for ransom, attack other gangs with impunity, and generally keep the community in a state of constant wariness, never really knowing when the next gunfight will break out. Violent gang conflicts are nothing new ever since narcotics have been made illegal this sort of violence has plagued the inner cities. However, the arrival of cyberware and the presence of body-shops and chop-shops allowed for gang members to use illegal cyberware and create super-

gangsters, using the money that they made by peddling their narcotics on the street corners. Entire units of these super-gangsters can be found in larger, inner city gangs. When they go to war the results are often violent to the extreme. Entire housing projects can thrown into state of chaos as cybered gangsters tear into one another and non-cybered gangsters, usually over who can sell what on what turf. Turf wars are so common place that many in the poverty ridden lower districts dont even worry about it anymore its a fact of life. Also a fact of life is that many of these gangs bring in cyberware from overseas via smuggling operations much of which is illegal in the United States. Of these, the most popular on the street are the Accelerator, Fast Chip, and Reflex. When connected with a nanocomputer, these three parts of cyberware working in unison literally make a being superhuman. The unfortunate side affect is the eventual mental degradation of the brain, leading to Wrights Syndrome and the creation of cykoteks. Already hardened killers, super-gangsters that fall to Wrights Syndrome are a nightmare on two legs. They stalk the lower and upper levels of the city, without any sense of remorse for killing and no sense of humanity at all. Despite this threat, many gangsters still opt to be cybered up many die in the process from infection and rejected implants, but others survive. Of the handful that survives, an estimated 35% become Cykoteks. Gang warfare is also common on the Grid. Like in real-life, there are parts of the Grid that are gang dominated that only gang members go to. Sometimes a massive gang-war in real life spills over into the grid, with entire networks acting as battle grounds. These wars, called Domain Spats, can last for a long time a lot longer than a gang war in the real world, in most cases. The honest fact of life is that gangs exist and thrive in the culture and underworld of 2080s America. Their wars have been known to spill into the upper levels, but the forces that be are usually good at stopping it once it does. Otherwise, they rage in the lower levels, ensuring that everyone down there is going to stay down there, and its virtually impossible to rise back up once youve fallen that far.

How This Game Is Played American cannot survive the future of Terrorism in this new world without making changes to the Constitution. The Constitution was not a death pact signed by our founding fathers [] [I]n this day and age, new laws are needed to secure American and ensure that it will be around for our future.

Secretary of State Vincent Graedon to the Senate on May 4, 2058. For purposes of this campaign, not many rules will be changed. I find that the ALTERNITY

system works better than most for supporting science-fiction games that have hardcore realism, and thats essentially what FutureShock is; at heart, its a Cyberpunk setting in the fine line of films like Blade Runner and novels like Do Androids Dream Electronic Sheep and Neuromancer. However, having had a chance to practice this system in the past, I have determined what is and is not useful and what changes Im going to implement to try and make this system work better. 2.1 Changes to the Rules Cha