Spoiler: Flag of the Front Range Free Zone In 2011, the world was forever changed. Virally-Induced Toxic Allergy Syndrome (VITAS) killed a quarter of the world. Many newborns had distinctively pointy ears while others eventually grew stocky yet short, sporting full beards by their fourteenth birthdays. Then, on December 24, came the Awakening. The great dragon Ryumyo took flight from Mount Fuji, Japan, heralding the return of magic. Ley lines crossed the Earth, creating nexuses of magical power. Natural disasters shook the globe, the Black Tide and the eruption of Auvergne among them. Many more dragons emerged during the following year. Some were benevolent. Others, like the scourge Feuerschwinge who destroyed much of Germany, were not. In North America, the Native Americans, empowered by the return of shamanistic magics, openly rebelled against Canada and the United States of America. The years-long guerilla war led by Daniel Howling Coyote ended after the Great Ghost Dance caused the simultaneous eruptions of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Saint Helens, devastating much of the state of Washington and the most populated parts of British Columbia. Forced to accede to the demands of the Native American Nations by public pressure, the United States and Canada signed the Treaty of Denver in 2018, formally establishing and recognizing the Sioux Nation, the Pueblo Council, the Salish Council, the Ute Nation, the Trans-Polar Aleut Nation, and the Tsimshian Nation in what was once the Western United States and Canada. The agreement also established the independent Council of Denver and the Front Range Free Zone (FRFZ), splitting control between the Pueblo Council, the Sioux Nation, the United States, the Ute Nation, and Aztlan--the new name Mexico had given itself after sweeping political reforms. After the chaos subsided, governments waned and corporations waxed, creating the first megacorps--massive conglomerations of companies which had gathered enough power to be, effectively, states unto themselves. Nothing occurred of particular relevance to Denver and the FRFZ between 2020 and 2060. Sure, things happened. The Crash of 2029, Goblinization, Euro War I and Euro War II, the formation of the United Canadian and American States (UCAS), the Confederation of American States (CAS) breaking away from UCAS, the rebellion and independence of Tir Taingire from the Native American Nations, the Aztlan invasion of Texas, the Japanese invasion of California, the infamous Night of Rage, Chicago becoming Bug City, and too many more key world events to list. In 2061, the return of Halley's Comet marks the arrival of the great dragon Ghostwalker in Washington D.C. Only a spiritual presence at first, its body manifests within a day. Spoiler: Ghostwalker Now having physical form, the ancient being turns its attention on Denver. It attacks the city, specifically the Aztlan-controlled section, with brutal efficiency. A veritable army of spirits join in. The Aztlan presence in the city is totally devastated, and the Council of Denver surrenders the FRFZ to Ghostwalker within a month. The current year is 2070, and the FRFZ has grown used to, but not happy with, being ruled by a dragon. Despite Ghostwalker's initial aggression and destruction, it leaves day-to-day ruling to the Council of Denver. The Spirit Dragon, as people have begun calling it, created the Zone Defense Force (ZDF) to serve as a standing army and as police, but a large majority of Ghostwalker's initiatives have led to the creation of public parks, the beginnings of construction for a space port, more funding for the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, improved conditions for the poor, and other consequences which have been largely beneficial for the people of the FRFZ. However, the Aztlan remain banned from the country, and the sectors of the FRFZ (now split amongst the Pueblo, the Sioux, the UCAS, and the CAS) are still separated by border walls with trade between the sections officially banned. Smuggling is the only way goods move within Denver, making parts of the city a lawless place reminiscent of the wild west, complete with gunslingers and the more rural contingents of the ZDF having shootouts in small town streets. Although, the presence of cybernetics and magic makes them a far cry from the historic clashes. Welcome to Denver in the Sixth World, chummer, where the last vestiges of the Old West stir while neon lights, megacorps, spirits, and magic fan the flames. ----- Whew, that's a lot of history! If you don't know the setting, it's Shadowrun, which is basically cyberpunk but with magic and fantasy races thrown in. Kemonomimi and anthropomorphic furries are around too, but they only started appearing in the 2060s, so there aren't enough of them to really make on impact on public consciousness yet. Player characters probably shouldn't be dragons, but most other things are fair game. I settled on Denver because it's a large city with a lot of pressures in different directions without being Seattle, Hong Kong, the SOX, Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York City which are all especially prominent cities in Shadowrun or in other media, and it has a very rich history within the Sixth World. As for mechanics, I plan on using a simplified version of the Shadowrun 5th Edition rules, if anyone knows those. If not, the system it's most similar to is the World of Darkness (Vampire: the Masquerade, Werewolf: the Apocalypse, Mage: the Ascension, etc.). The player decides what the character's going to try to do, the GM and player determine what Attribute and Skill are appropriate, and the player rolls a number of d6 depending on how good their character is at the needed Attribute and Skill. I'll explain more when the character creation post goes up, assuming there's enough people who are interested in playing. This will be my first time using the system too, so don't worry too much about it. If you want a map, follow this link, uncheck the Seattle stuff, check the Countries option, and explore North America. The FRFZ is the grey oval in Colorado, USA. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Pz-JoC3YhnnrmTy-mfCAWZxZrCyisVIJ&ll=44.73649823597533,-94.5158114391715&z=4 Please, let me know if you have any questions, concerns, comments, etc!
I'm interested, sounds great. I enjoyed Shadowrun Returns, Dragonfall and Hong Kong, it's a cool universe. Never played the TTRPG, though.
Those three games are how I first heard about Shadowrun a few years ago. I felt Hong Kong was the best of the trio, but they were all good. I've never had a good chance to try the ttrpg, so this will novel for all of us, I think. Great! Three's enough for me to start working on finalizing character creation stuff, so I can probably get a thread up for that tomorrow.
It shouldn't be an issue. There's tons of history and lore to the Sixth World, but that's mostly for me to juggle. If any of it becomes relevant to ongoings in the rp, I can explain them when they come up. Hell, most characters wouldn't be aware of all the things happening in the setting. The most important thing to know, as a player, is that it's a typical cyberpunk setting (specifically based on Neuromancer by William Gibson) but with plenty of fantasy stuff thrown in too.
Oh, I know Neuromancer! So something like"Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura" but with cyberpunk instead of steampunk?
I don't know Shadowrun - though I have heard of it - and while I have read Neuromancer in the past, I don't remember it at all. So I will just observe for now and see how it goes. If I like it and can think of a character I might join later... or not, no promises. Good luck either way.
All good! Neuromancer is more of an inspiration for Shadowrun as a setting than anything to do with plot or specific world events. You're welcome to join whenever you like, if you decide it's for you. Thanks for the luck!
