The high tech city of Nemus

[darthauthor]

Nemus is a technologically advanced city from the Golden Age of Man.
The city was Rifted into the future where it escaped the 200 years of darkness.
This is the story of its people and their interaction with the powers of the times they now live in.


Thought I'd post it and see what kind of feedback I could get. Test the idea.

Wanted to incorporate some more high tech setting settings.

The adventurers hear rumors of radio chatter about a city that appeared out of nowhere. Unlike the ruins of what remains of cities this one appears to have left the lights on. Some of its people have left their city to have a look around and traded pre-rifts tech.
The countryside is buzzing about grabbing a piece of this city before there is nothing left to grab…

How do the players find the city?

Roleplaying at the local bar/tavern/trade post. Merchants are offering top dollar for even the basics of golden age medicines and consumer tech. The adventurers will have to take a vehicle for cargo carrying. They must be armed to protect the shipment from thieves and luddites. NPC claims to know the way to the city but it’s his trade secret and won’t give it up without an advance and several “word of honor” that he gets his 50% of whatever the return is on the venture.

If the players have eyeball a fella or telepathy/empathy they will know he is sincere but anxious because he believes it is inevitable that others are going to learn the location. He also knows the players will know how to find the city after he takes them there. Believes the clock is ticking and the longer he waits the sooner everyone will know where it is and have looted the city or it will be destroyed in a war over it.

The adventure to the city is up to the GM in terms of time and difficulty.

Depending on how the GM wants it, the time it takes to get there may influence the condition of the city and competition on the way and after they arrive. I’d say the most common thing would be for the players to be followed or ambushed by bushwhackers. The NPC guide will want to lose the tail or encourage the players to “get rid of them” and maybe take their stuff. “After all, it's what they are planning to do to us.” The guide is not apart of the ambush (unless the GM wants him to be) and believes they will take him hostage to make him show them the way to the city of Nemus.

First sight of the city is like stepping back in time. The Golden age city of Nemus. Transported to Rifts Earth before the destruction began the city is intacted complete. Although the city is still relatively "young" for a city being only 17 years old and they had new construction going on. Meaning the city still has construction vehicles and materials.

Nemus is a city not built for war or survival but entertainment and commerce. Airport, Hospitals, schools, scores of restaurants and malls, a stadium, an Amazon Prime automated fulfillment center, theater, a brewery, production studies for making movies (although a lot of the movies are really made after filming when directors add Computer Generated Images and character animated with Ai, garages for vehicles (they are 100% electric), housing, storage units, power plant, automated manufacturing factories, several super-computers with active city wide wireless internet. Banks are absolute as paper newspapers. Currency is digital in Nemus; crypto-currencies.

The city planners behind Nemus wanted to build a city for the future. Among the many lofty goals of the city are carbon neutral, psychological healthy architecture, and plenty of vegitation (although it is dying do to the relcation and change in climate and they turned the water off to conserve it). The reality is 80% of the power comes from nuclear electricity production. They have to import water without which there would be a lot more dirt and a lot of dead plants.

There biggest need for the moment is food and will be water soon. Some of the more innovative thinkers asked the city's AI the right questions and together they came up with hydropanics for now. Other ideas include growing algae and surveying the local area for potential farmable land with an adequate water supply or at least water local enough to build an irregation system.

They have a Water Reservoir and system of water recycling and purifying. The city was also designed to collect rain water for the local parks and plants.

The point of the high tech city is a setting to have adventures. A place where players can hack the internet because there is one. Managed by an Ai and human programmers the city has real time reports on accidents, crime, crowds, fires, illnesses, injuries, traffic, and weather. It seems the people of this city accept wide spread surveillance in public places for security and public health and safety. It fit in with a democratic political campaign for greater accountibility, safety, and transparency. Ai controlled delivery drones fly through the city's sky way along approved lanes for both deliverys of everyday items (pizza, etc), fire fighting, medical emergencies and crime prevention/deterence.

Firearms/gun : Common person does not own one. Nor do most security guards. Law enforcement and the national guards units are the only government departs with access to handguns and rifles. However, most are trained in hand to hand combat: Expert. While civilains commonly practice non mystic Tai Chi for health. All women educated in public school could not graduate without passing classes on self defense and the law. Also, they are issued tasers.

The culture also, emphasizes the keeping of cats or dogs as household pets. Although strictly speak they are not required to own one if they do the health care of the pet is covered by the city as are funeral services. While animal abuse is a felony offense. Politics. The significance is that dogs and cats are a touch psychic sensitive and will detect spirits and invisible dangers. Possessive of their humans the animals will make noises in warning and assume defensive positions for themselves or flee.

When not walking the dog at the local dog park kids spend a lot of time in vitural realtiy. Think about kids today and their phones, tablets, desktop/laptop computers, game stations, and T.V./Monitors; VR replaced the last three. After what might as well have been their version of Covid-19 real time VR became the main learning method. Colletors still keep books but the majority of knowledge and current information is stored in memory banks and back ups. VR of the Golden age is like looking up how to do something on YouTube only better. So many answers online and audio/visual stimulation has left people in two camps. Those who want to stay at home and live their best lives in a virtual simulation with other subcribers. Then there are those who want to do what they have done, or can't do, in VR in Real Life. Regardless, except for those under 30 most are out of shape Physically especailly compare to someone their own age in Rifts Earth.

Most of the physically demanding work is done by robots or people piloting vehicles or using labor saving machines. The most physically skilled workers are emergency services like firefighters and paramedics who have to move and act quickly to perform CPR or such.

The medical facilities of the city are staffed with great doctors assisted with Ai support. The hospitals can perform cybernetic installation and limb relacement. Limbs and eyes are modular in design as they were mass produced (in another city). Once the patient agrees to the limb replacement the parts are sized to the proportions of the client keeping the main components while custom fitting shell and connections. While as far as medical science is concerned only the NGR is better (some people have living family decendant in the NGR kind of a heridity dot com thing). Although, the hospitals of Nemus have genetic engineer technology which they use on expecting mothers. However, they can't guarantee the parents what the result will be. Popular dating sights in the city have an option to pay per prospect to see their genetic capatibility they would have with someone (if the other person click on allow compat test). It is cheaper and easier to screen than it is to engineer. They also have a personality compatibility match but unlike the genetic test the user can lie.

Food at the grocery stores dominated by the agricultural giant Monsanto and various competitors the company owns. Over 90% of the food farm to market or factory (where it is processed) has been designed to be draught resistent, not need pesticide, not be weakened by pollution, and promotes longevity and certain medical problem similair to what the CS is producing for those who live within its walls. There are a few gardens in the city and people with their own home gardens who grow their own food. These gardeners typically provide for there own families and the seasonal farmers market.

Most people, to get to work and such, take public transportation via Ai piloted subways and Ai piloted buses. Owning a car or motor cycle is for the rich as their are costly fees to keep them registered and insured. These vehicles are by law supposed to be Ai driven but a clever hack can release control to the driver. While bicycle wheeled (2, 3 and 4 wheeled) vehicles with electric motors are very popular.

Before the Rifts, violent crime rates were less than one percent. Common crimes were petty theft/shoplifting, fraud/cons, and drug possession/distribution. The city's homeless amount to 656 but 90% of those commonly spend most nights in shelters sponcered by various places of worship or social services.

Most of the afterthoughts of the setting, when I brain stormed, were all the things I thought would naturally happen, if it did. The humans of the city would be normal for the first hour or two. Then they would notice if the internet was down anywhere outside of the city. No emails in or out. As far as their phones and internet searches are concerned the rest of the world doesn't respond (404 code).

Delivery trucks that would travel out of the city would find the roads don't exist or are dirt. The city is in a different geographic location also. They can't contact anyone outside the city. Business owners notice they can't order anything outside of the city. Personal calls don't connect accept to those in the city. Road service would close the roads where they stop outside the city. While those who and already left are not heard from except for the few who turned back or came back on foot. Their story, its all gone. The roads. Wilderness has taken it all back. Their are people out there too. They are primitive. It's like we traveled back in time. Others report monsters. Still others report people with laser guns.

The city's media would broadcast that the people's city had been cut off from the rest of the world. Guess would abound as to the cause: War, Terrorist attack, Government experiment, Alien abduction, Time travel, and even that "this" is the afterlife or at least purgatory.

In the uncertainty of how the city got to be in the strange new world people begin to fracture psychologically. Some hope the city will return and that if they just have faith and wait long enough it will. Someone will figure it all out and they will go home again. Others are afraid the city will hop to a distant future and that everyone needs to leave the city. Still others fear the city will blow up or that what's going on is the work of Dark or Alien forces.

The mayor would call up all emergency services, as well as any and all national guard and active duty military service members using TV, radio and internet within the city. They are officially mobilized and told to police the city's big businesses. They are to be “protected” while they keep supplying the city at a fixed price.

The mayor also asked for volunteers and donations. The city is in need of support to set up a night watch and welfare banks. Until the current state of things changes taxes are suspended. Utilities and medical aid will be rationed but will not be billed. Places of business will be issued firearms as well as neighborhood captains to be able to respond quickly to threats as they emerge. Twice a day, citizens are expected to check in, electronically with their phones (everyone has one - most the equal of some kind of advanced apple watch or such), to determine if they are alive and well.

A few retired and active duty but on leave and guardsmen would be sent out into the wilderness to report back what they found out.

In the second day that would go by the city would be subject to the meddling of faeries, spirits, humans (bandits or at least opportunists), D-Bees, Demons and Monsters. Law enforcement attempts to deal with these problems they have no experience with anything other than humans. The supernatural is unstoppable in this land of ignorance.

The media announces that many of the city's residents have discovered they are psychic. Those few who already knew they were have had their powers boosted. Wherever "here" is, psychic powers flourish.

The mayor makes a public appeal for volunteers to defend the city. Those who do will be deputized and receive medical care for any injuries sustained in the line of duty. As well as priority for medical attention for them and their families.

Also, the city must begin rationing as well as the commissioning of new contracts to make or procure goods to meet the city's needs.

The media would release that their most recent human "visitors" describe that our city appeared out of nowhere. That the only thing close to a modern "human" civilization is what they call the Coalition States. A government dedicated to the preservation of "human" society at all costs. That they, as the people of our city, are plagued by demons and monsters. Still they have learned how to defend themselves and use the most advanced weapons and technologies to wage an ongoing war of extermination against the inhuman. They even keep some aliens as prisoners of war or something to labor in their fields growing food. They say if we ask them they are sure to help us defend our city.

Whilst their own people and other visitors describe some beings from other worlds as good trading partners. They gave directions to our scouts to towns. There we could trade some consumer goods for food. We got offers to trade more for golden age technologies.

Some humans and D-Bees want to live in the high-tech marvel describing life outside of it as harsh and that other humans have been made cruel by the harsh conditions of Rifts Earth.

As more people return word spreads that the world the people have arrived at are the survivors of the Dark Times that came from the arrival of supernatural forces. The land has a variety of glowing blue walls that people call Ley Lines. You can only see them at night. Anyway, these walls make openings in space and even time. They let people and things move between worlds and even time. The world before this one was overrun by a countless number of invading monsters who caused earthquakes, fires, floods, storms and all manner of disasters. Worse, people started turning on each other. Some even made deals with demons and such to gain their protection and a small portion of their power. Then they began enslaving their fellow man and drinking the blood of innocents. Some of the children of those who made deals, gained the magical powers of their parents.

However, not all of them turned against humanity. Some used their powers to free and defend their people from demons and monsters. These heroes, as they call themselves, believe in fighting fire with fire and can shoot blasts of energy out of their hands, conjure things out of thin air and rare one or two good ones will cure your cough or mend your broken arm.

Not long after, a human army began moving into the city. Live news coverage of the event met with their leader who said that they were here to save us. Under the new regime the city would be protected. Law, his law, would be the new order of things and we may call him their kings as we are his subjects. And if we did not like it we should leave “his” city now.

The mayor held a meeting with the chief of police and national guard unit. It was during this time, the self appointed king was making an inspection of “his” city. When the bystanders shouted critical questions at him, he put an end to the free press. But not before announcing men aged 16 to 24 had to report to the nearest park, they will be conscripted in his majesty's army.

This is the situation the players find the city in. The players may arrive before, during or after the invading army.

They can come at it in a number of ways.
They can disguise themselves and blend into the people.
They can walk up to everyone and announce they are heroes.
They can loot.
They can be Batman.
Whatever your GM allows.

City Rats should thrive in this city. Gangs are forming up but the people are “soft” compared to the burbs and such. The internet is ripe for hacking and with it goings on of the city and control over information. With the "right" hacking players can steal money, change the shipping address on deliveries, steal identities, call in the police, firefighters, paramedics and even the city's militia. The news feeds can be feed stories. Also VR.

Virtual Realities are so immersive and realistic its like stepping through a Rift. However, in the VR video games in the city to play the gaming centers have suits to simulate physical sensation. Alternatively, those with cyber-jacks (and the clinics can perform surgery as an outptient proceedure) can run the system into their own mind.

What kind of security / military defense should the city of Nemus have?

Normal law enforcement.

NEMA Volunteer Militia Fighter is the typical Reservist or National Guardsman.

Firefighters (military and civilian) & Paramedica builds are the NEMA Fire & Rescue OCC

NEMA Field Engineers make up the difference.

The City does not have ANY HARD-CORE fighters in large numbers.

Golden age Nema power armor and weapons?

It is whatever the GM wants it to be.

[HarleeKnight]

Thought I'd post it and see what kind of feedback I could get. Test the idea.

Wanted to incorporate some more high tech setting settings.

The adventurers hear rumors of radio chatter about a city that appeared out of nowhere. Unlike the ruins of what remains of cities this one appears to have left the lights on. Some of its people have left their city to have a look around and traded pre-rifts tech.
The countryside is buzzing about grabbing a piece of this city before there is nothing left to grab…

How do the players find the city?
Roleplaying at the local trade post. Merchants are offering top dollar for even the basics of golden age medicines and consumer tech. The adventurers will have to take a vehicle for cargo carrying. They must be armed to protect the shipment from thieves and luddites. NPC claims to know the way to the city but it’s his trade secret and won’t give it up without an advance and several “word of honor” that he gets his 50% of whatever the return is on the venture.
If the players have eyeball a fella or telepathy/empathy they will know he is sincere but anxious because he believes it is inevitable that others are going to learn the location. He also knows the players will know how to find the city after he takes them there. Believes the clock is ticking and the longer he waits the sooner everyone will know where it is and have looted the city or it will be destroyed in a war over it.
The adventure to the city is up to the GM in terms of time and difficulty.
Depending on how the GM wants it, the time it takes to get there may influence the condition of the city and competition on the way and after they arrive. I’d say the most common thing would be for the players to be followed or ambushed by bushwhackers. The NPC guide will want to lose the tail or encourage the players to “get rid of them” and maybe take their stuff. “After all, it's what they are planning to do to us.”

First sight of the city is like stepping back in time. A city not built for war but entertainment and commerce. Airport, Hospitals, schools, scores of restaurants and malls, a stadium, theater, garages for vehicles (they are 100% electric), housing, storage units, power plant, automated manufacturing factories, several super-computers with active city wide wireless internet. Banks are absolute as paper newspapers. Currency is digital in Nemus.

The Golden age city of Nemus. Rifted to Rifts Earth before the destruction began the city is intacted complete.

<I guess they are out of luck when it comes to food. Not sure how the water supply works and if they would have a Water Reservoir. The point of the high tech city is a setting to have adventures. A place where players can hack the internet because there is one.
Most of the afterthoughts of the setting, when I brain stormed, were all the things I thought would naturally happen, if it did. The humans of the city would be normal for the first hour or two. Then they would notice if the internet was down anywhere outside of the city. No emails in or out. As far as their phones and internet searches are concerned the rest of the world doesn't respond (404 code).
Delivery trucks that would travel out of the city would find the roads don't exist or are dirt. The city is in a different geographic location also. They can't contact anyone outside the city. Business owners notice they can't order anything outside of the city. Personal calls don't connect accept to those in the city. Road service would close the roads where they stop outside the city. While those who and already left are not heard from except for the few who turned back or came back on foot. Their story, its all gone. The roads. Wilderness has taken it all back. Their are people out there too. They are primitive. It's like we traveled back in time. Others report monsters. Still others report people with laser guns.
The city's media would broadcast that the people's city had been cut off from the rest of the world. Guess would abound as to the cause: War, Terrorist attack, Government experiment, Alien abduction, Time travel, and even that "this" is the afterlife or at least purgatory.
In the uncertainty of how the city got to be in the strange new world people begin to fracture psychologically. Some hope the city will return and that if they just have faith and wait long enough it will. Someone will figure it all out and they will go home again. Others are afraid the city will hop to a distant future and that everyone needs to leave the city. Still others fear the city will blow up or that what's going on is the work of Dark or Alien forces.
The mayor would call up all emergency services, as well as any and all national guard and active duty military service members using TV, radio and internet within the city. They are officially mobilized and told to police the city's big businesses. They are to be “protected” while they keep supplying the city at a fixed price.
The mayor also asked for volunteers and donations. The city is in need of support to set up a night watch and welfare banks. Until the current state of things changes taxes are suspended. Utilities and medical aid will be rationed but will not be billed. Places of business will be issued firearms as well as neighborhood captains to be able to respond quickly to threats as they emerge. Twice a day, citizens are expected to check in, electronically, to determine if they are alive and well.
A few retired and active duty but on leave and guardsmen would be sent out into the wilderness to report back what they found out.
In the first weeks that would go by the city would be subject to the meddling of faeries, spirits, humans (bandits or at least opportunists), D-Bees, Demons and Monsters. Law enforcement attempts to deal with these problems they have no experience with anything other than humans. The supernatural is unstoppable in this land of ignorance.
The media announces that many of the city's residents have discovered they are psychic. Those few who already knew they were have had their powers boosted. Wherever "here" is, psychic powers flourish.
The mayor makes a public appeal for volunteers to defend the city. Those who do will be deputized and receive medical care for any injuries sustained in the line of duty. As well as priority for medical attention for them and their families.
Also, the city must begin rationing as well as the commissioning of new contracts to make or procure goods to meet the city's needs.
The media would release that their most recent human "visitors" describe that our city appeared out of nowhere. That the only thing close to a modern "human" civilization is what they call the Coalition States. A government dedicated to the preservation of "human" society at all costs. That they, as the people of our city, are plagued by demons and monsters. Still they have learned how to defend themselves and use the most advanced weapons and technologies to wage an ongoing war of extermination against the inhuman. They even keep some aliens as prisoners of war or something to labor in their fields growing food. They say if we ask them they are sure to help us defend our city.
Whilst their own people and other visitors describe some beings from other worlds as good trading partners. They gave directions to our scouts to towns. There we could trade some consumer goods for food. We got offers to trade more for golden age technologies.
Some humans and D-Bees want to live in the high-tech marvel describing life outside of it as harsh and that other humans have been made cruel by the harsh conditions of Rifts Earth.
As more people return word spreads that the world the people have arrived at are the survivors of the Dark Times that came from the arrival of supernatural forces. The land has a variety of glowing blue walls that people call Ley Lines. You can only see them at night. Anyway, these walls make openings in space and even time. They let people and things move between worlds and even time. The world before this one was overrun by a countless number of invading monsters who caused earthquakes, fires, floods, storms and all manner of disasters. Worse, people started turning on each other. Some even made deals with demons and such to gain their protection and a small portion of their power. Then began enslaving their fellow man and drinking the blood of innocents. Some of the children of those who made deals with demons gained the magical powers of their parents. However, not all of them turned out like their parents though. Some used their powers to free and defend their people from demons and monsters. These heroes, as they call themselves, believe in fighting fire with fire and can fire blasts of energy out of their hands, conjure things out of thin air and rare one or two good ones will cure your cough or mend your broken arm.
Not long after, a human army began moving into the city. Live news coverage of the event met with their leader who said that they were here to save us. Under the new regime the city would be protected. Law, his law, would be the new order of things and we may call him their kings as we are his subjects. And if we did not like it we should leave “his” city now.
The mayor held a meeting with the chief of police and national guard unit. It was during this time, the self appointed king was making an inspection of “his” city. When the press shouted questions at him, he put an end to the free press. But not before announcing men aged 16 to 24 had to report to the nearest park, they will be conscripted in his majesty's army.

This is the situation the players have walked into.
They can come at it in a number of ways.
They can disguise themselves and blend into the people.
They can walk up to everyone and announce they are heroes.
They can loot.
They can be Batman.
Whatever your GM allows.

City Rats should thrive in this city. Gangs are forming up but the people are “soft” compared to the burbs and such. The internet is ripe for hacking and with it goings on of the city and control over information.

What kind of security / military defense should the city of Nemus have? Normal law enforcement is a must.
Golden age Nema power armor and weapons? It is whatever the GM wants it to be.

Nice.
In Rifter 69, Thoth rifted the entire city of Lake of the Pines (a suburb of Las Cruces, NM) into the future so his doing that to other cities is plausible.
Can't wait to read more about Nemus.

[darthauthor]

The City of Nemus

Metropolis: 500 POINTS are available, plus 20 POINTS for military and 20 POINTS for laws and law enforcement.

Weapons: None.

Medicine: Unhead of. Fully functioning hospital (800 patients). Cybernetics clinic with a dozen cyber-Doctors. Cost: 45 Points.

Natural Resources: None

Real Estate: Fine - Middle of Nowhere 5 points.

Vehicles & Fuel: Excellent. 25 points

Admin: Government Democracy & Good social order, 15 Points

Alignment: Principled & Scrupulous. Cost 8 points.

Magic: None.

Racism: 2nd class citizens: Human racism has ended but FEAR dominates people's attitude towards D-Bees and supernatural beings that are not seen as beautiful. Cost: 1 point.

Trade: Internal: 2 points.

Threats: Constant.

Skill Levels:

Community Overall: Highly Skilled & Educated: 30 points.

Shelter: Excellent. Cost 18 Points.

Security & Fighting Force: Standing Army. Sheriff, volunteer militia, small standing army (160 troops but made up mostly by Reservist/national guardsmen/retired active duty) 20 Points.

Power: Excellent, High-Tech and High-Powered System - 50 Points

Special Features: Ai super-computer, Advanced Garages, Hangers, Processing and Manufacturing Plants, One small business has a full electronic lab, Pools,

Pre-Rifts History: Major Metropolis. Has university (actual not vr), military base, industrial plants and other technological sites. Cost: 75 points

Attitude towards Outsiders: Neutral 20 points

Cutting Edge Tech. From Pre-Rifts discoveries the city’s technology is only behind NGR because they have had 300 years to advance. Cost: 50 points

Magic Level: Disbelief. The residents of this town don't hate magic, they simply don't believe in it. If exposed to wizardry, they will respond by trying to debunk the "tricks." If the existence of magic is proven, their attitude toward it will be based on how the first few mages behave. Cost: 5 points

Psychic Level: Rifts Average. Sits right at the "Rifts Earth Average" for psionic powers. 25% of the entire town has at least a couple psychic abilities. Cost: 20 points

Laws and Law Enforcement: Complex Judicial System. This system is similar to the modern day legal system. All accused criminals (potentially only the citizens of the community) have basic rights which must be respected. Laws have evolved that govern most aspects of life, the police are generally on the up and up, and capital punishment is rarely invoked. Cost: 30 points

Notable Businesses:
1. Bars/Clubs (Dancing, Karaoke & Open mic nights): The standard plot device for almost any campaign.
2. Library/Museum : One is kept open mostly by and for senior citizens

Wealth: Filthy Rich by Rifts Earth North America standards - 60 points.

Criminal Activity: Petty Crime. The crimes in this town are limited to "mundane" acts, usually theft, the occasional assault, and the very rare murder. Most people still feel very safe and can walk around freely at night and leave their doors unlocked. Cost: 45 points

[darthauthor]

Culture of the City.

The general attitude of the population of Nemus is that they are a civilized people, science, reason, and technology are the best way find solutions to all problems.

They are afraid to give up their technology and don't understand why anyone would want to. Except for those few people who left to explore no one knows what life is like, in Rifts Earth, outside their city. WHEN they came from the statical majority of people wanted live like them in Nemus.

It is NOT illegal to be natural born. However, over half the people have basic genetic engineering sponsored by the state to reduce the chances of diffuculties such as color blindness and such. More advanced options typical result in greater strength and health.

That which is not prevented by genetic engineering medical technology provides a variety of options. Laser corrective vision has remedied most people's need for reading glasses. Although, most people wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from ultraviolet light while the rich wear augmented reality glasses.

Steam showers have replaced traditional showers to save water.
96% of the residents have their finger prints and DNA in the health departments memory banks.

Consumer Technology for sale in Nemus:

Opti-Reader : Electronic Device that is the equivalent of the psionc power of Speed Reading (in visal or audio or both fashions) of digital text and E-Books.

Specialized 3D printers. Most people don't own one in their home but the use of one is as easy as going to a convence store. They are used to "print" food, specially tailored medication, clothing, limited bionics, an asortment of parts /tool, and can be used (with the right programming - YES you read that right- you finally get to use computer programming - and materials) to make "other" things (Body Armor SDC and MD, bullets, guns SDC, energy weapons, explosives, illegal drugs, lockpicking tools, melee weapons, etc.).

They also have 3D holograms as art displays and the rich use them instead of 2D flat screens to video call people.

What's NOT around anymore:
Parking meters, eye glasses, DVDs, paper books, paper checks, letter mail, cable, charging cords (its wireless now), Landline phones, USB drives, alarm locks, remote controls, hard drives, keys, credit cards, and most one-use plastic products (Everyone typically carries an aluminum ThermoFlask for which fashion has changed to accomadate).

What is not around and never has been for them: Sentient robots, flying cars, cloning, .

Light bulbs have changed too. Bulbs are made in the most cost effiencent way, consume less energy, last longer (25 years), and create light in multiple colors and brightness (Has a blue light filter to help with sleep or promote focus and increases energy without harmful stimulants) are Wi-Fi hot spots, stream music, and communicate alerts and data.
All outdoor city street lights are have solar chargers and batteries which powers them at night.

91% of "recyclable" materials are recycled or repurposed with bins to collect them in areas of the greatest foot traffic.

Stores put on in-store-only sales and themed events.

High-end stores using driverless cars to chauffeur preferred customers.

Connected stores put on interactive experiences.

[darthauthor]

Invading Army

They were in a hurry.

After hearing rumors of the appearance of a high tech city out of nowhere the mercenary company commander decided to investigate. A new player had appeared on the field and he needed to know how he could make money from it or if it would cost him.

The commander ordered his scouts and magic users to determined its where-abouts. Once they found it and brought back video, what came back looked to him like a candy store and he wasn't just going to rob it; he was going to take it over. He HAD to get before anyone else could dig in and get a defensive position. Failing his ability to hold the city from an attack he would have to burn it all down. "If I can't have it, no one can. Nobody's getting rich if I'm not.

Putting speed before waiting until the rest of his forces were back and robots were out of the shop, the commander mobilized what he had in a race to secure his new city.

Size and Orientation: Free Company (400 members)

Sponsorship: Small-Time Bandits

A. Outfits: Open Wardrobe : 10 points : 30 to 40 MD armor

B. Equipment: High-Tech Augmentation & Magic Tech of Warriors:
30% Juicers (48 members)
20% Headhunters (32 members)
10% Crazies (16 members)
20% Human / Mutants / D-Bee of one sort with TW items;16 Partical beams. (32 members)
5% Ley Line Walkers (8 members)
5% Other Spell Casters (8 members)
Support staff is 5% Techo-Wizards
16 Humans who pilot power armor (10) and combat robots (6)

That is 160 direct combat personnel

That make the other 240 people "SUPPORT." They can and will fight to defend their own lives but they are not paid to be front line troopers. They are not the bravest, brightest, or most loyal. They are were the credits are and fear that if they ran away they would be out of luck in getting another merc job after working for this one.
Their job, keeping the communications talking, vehicles running, the weapons firing, and the armor in stopping damage. Also, they feed the troops. The Juicers can be rather grumpie when they are hungry. The work feels unimportant compared to combat but it saves the merc company over two million credits a year. More importantly, as an internal security force they know they will killed if they are caught stealing, leaking information, or otherwise failing in their job. Someone has to do the leg work in and scaveging valuables off the corpses of their victims. Someone has to lug the wealth into their locked boxes clean the blood and guts off and makes sure it works so they can use it or sell it as the spoils of war.

In this new city of Nemus, the Commander needs people he can trust or at least he can recognize and knows they know he can find and kill them after a long slow session of torture and the promise to do the same to their families, if they have any they care about. Still, the Commander has more than enough wealth to go around and has promised to be "generous" (at least compared to what he paid them before) with whatever score they bring in from the city. He doesn't trust the people of the city not to hold out on him or steal from him, sabotage this equipment, poison his warriors food and drink or slight their throats when they get a shave and a hair-cut.

These support people are mostly human without special abilities and that is the way the Commander likes it. He wants to know and them to know they can be easily replaced if he has to kill them. He keeps his support people in fear; not in loyality. They stay in for the money. That and he won't allow his regular fighters, or anyone, else bully them. His chain of command takes care of that job.

Important Note: The medical needs of the fighters are typically cared for by themselves. The Juicers and Crazies regenerate on their own. The spell casters are typically with the weak human units casting armor of Ithan, healing spell and Charismatic Aura to remind everyone they are officers.

The typically "Squads" of 10 members usually with a LLW as officer: 1 Ley Line Walker, 3 Juicers, 2 headhunters (cyber), 1 crazy, 3 humaniods armed with magic and energy rifles.

If spread out/thin and not expect to big of a trouble the squads are reduced to 6 and made up of the members who are available and considered best for the mission they are assigned. Also, I wanted a player character party to be able to "beat" a squad when fighting starts.

Typically the un-augmented human of the company feel weak in comparison to their comrades in arms so they travel in hover APCs with 100 MDC. All are armed with energy weapons in additions to those with magic weapons. They know that they are individually weak (outside of a robot or power armor) but that makes them work together better.

Total "Equipment" Cost: 80 points

C. Vehicles: Fleet Vehicles 10 Points. Armored Personal Carrier 100 MDC. Trucks and RVs for the support personnel.

D. Weapons: Basic Weaponry 10 points. More and the players wouldn't have a chance unless they are baby dragons.
one common energy rifle and an energy pistol or vibro-blade
16 Particle weapons; 10 power armors; 6 Robots

E. Communications: Secured Services 10 Points. All have a short range radio

F. Internal Security: Tight : 10 points. Tough but not iron-clad; so players can sneak in.

G. Headquarters: None.

H. Intelligence: Scout Detachment and Special Military Operatives: 15 points

I. Special Budget: Nickles and Dimes - 5 points

J. Evil. Miscreant and Diabolic. None

K. Criminal Activity : Con Man (1), Gang of 10 Robbers (1): 15 Points

L. Reputation : Scoundrels 1 point.

M. Salary : Freelance 2 points

They Commander knows his company isn't really big enough to hold the city against a larger mercenary company or goverments army of power armor and robots. The city is too big to defend with his numbers. So he plans on enslaving the people of the city into his existing army. He is also hoping to find some military tech. Regardless, if he can't rule the city as king he will destroy it. Right after he takes off with all the loot he and his men can move. Note: some of what he considers to be "loot" includes human slaves depending on their skills, psychic abilities, and PB.

To placate his officers and ensure his warriors get paid he will begin negotiations to auction off the most portable of the wealth of the city. No matter which way this campaign goes his army believes they won't lose (money-wise).
The new "King" will take control of the airport and force its pilot to start flying "cargo" of one sort or another.
While the merc army is briefed that the city will be divided between them. They will have absolute power of their piece and he, as their "King" will rule over them.

They, in turn, are expected to keep their new "subjects" in line, demand tribute, take slaves and make them their servants and establish under them those who will keep their servants in line.

The Strong lead and between their bionics, juice, MOMs, and magic they see themselves as 10 times the fighters as the people of this city and can hold it by keeping the people in fear.

IF not "stopped" they will have hired another mercenary army to help them defend the city from bandits and they expect that the CS or some kingdom will come calling.

Among the many steps they will take are to sieze All the peoples firearms only to find out most don't have any. Mostly just law enforcement and SDC at that. Nothing against the mercs armor. Playing politics, the new "King" will allow the city's police to continue keeping the peace.

He will have his engineers find the power plant and give them the project of rigging it to go nuclear if he is killed or his army is driven out. Later on this can be an ultimatium he may broadcast to any army that threats to kill him or take the city.

When he learns about the hospital and clinics he will send messages out to his networks to sell their services in genetic engineering and cyber-medicine. His paying clients will take priority and that means the people of the city are going to go without medical attention. Great opportunity if the players have any healing skills or abilities.

[ZINO]

The City of Nemus

Metropolis: 500 POINTS are available, plus 20 POINTS for military and 20 POINTS for laws and law enforcement.

Weapons: None.

Medicine: Unhead of. Fully functioning hospital (800 patients). Cybernetics clinic with a dozen cyber-Doctors. Cost: 45 Points.

Natural Resources: None

Real Estate: Fine - Middle of Nowhere 5 points.

Vehicles & Fuel: Excellent. 25 points

Admin: Government Democracy & Good social order, 15 Points

Alignment: Principled & Scrupulous. Cost 8 points.

Magic: None.

Racism: 2nd class citizens: Human racism has ended but FEAR dominates people's attitude towards D-Bees and supernatural beings that are not seen as beautiful. Cost: 1 point.

Trade: Internal: 2 points.

Threats: Constant.

Skill Levels:

Community Overall: Highly Skilled & Educated: 30 points.

Shelter: Excellent. Cost 18 Points.

Security & Fighting Force: Standing Army. Sheriff, volunteer militia, small standing army (160 troops but made up mostly by Reservist/national guardsmen/retired active duty) 20 Points.

Power: Excellent, High-Tech and High-Powered System - 50 Points

Special Features: Ai super-computer, Advanced Garages, Hangers, Processing and Manufacturing Plants, One small business has a full electronic lab, Pools,

Pre-Rifts History: Major Metropolis. Has university (actual not vr), military base, industrial plants and other technological sites. Cost: 75 points

Attitude towards Outsiders: Neutral 20 points

Cutting Edge Tech. From Pre-Rifts discoveries the city’s technology is only behind NGR because they have had 300 years to advance. Cost: 50 points

Magic Level: Disbelief. The residents of this town don't hate magic, they simply don't believe in it. If exposed to wizardry, they will respond by trying to debunk the "tricks." If the existence of magic is proven, their attitude toward it will be based on how the first few mages behave. Cost: 5 points

Psychic Level: Rifts Average. Sits right at the "Rifts Earth Average" for psionic powers. 25% of the entire town has at least a couple psychic abilities. Cost: 20 points

Laws and Law Enforcement: Complex Judicial System. This system is similar to the modern day legal system. All accused criminals (potentially only the citizens of the community) have basic rights which must be respected. Laws have evolved that govern most aspects of life, the police are generally on the up and up, and capital punishment is rarely invoked. Cost: 30 points

Notable Businesses:
1. Bars/Clubs (Dancing, Karaoke & Open mic nights): The standard plot device for almost any campaign.
2. Library/Museum : One is kept open mostly by and for senior citizens

Wealth: Filthy Rich by Rifts Earth North America standards - 60 points.

Criminal Activity: Petty Crime. The crimes in this town are limited to "mundane" acts, usually theft, the occasional assault, and the very rare murder. Most people still feel very safe and can walk around freely at night and leave their doors unlocked. Cost: 45 points

i have question what book did you make city was it on a rifter or other books i can remember if was book or source book I have been looking for this table

[darthauthor]

I think most of the City Build was from the Rifter #1.

I may have added some from Rifts Adventure Guide

[darthauthor]

A lot of the reason I built the city the way I did was to create the setting for a lot of computer operations skill check. That and computer programming, Hacking, science Artificial Intelligence and the use of psionics with VR and the internet.

Those who hack can steal digital currancy, ship stay the night at a hotel room for free, steal buy sending yourself stuff for free, spy by use of the city's surveillance cameras, find certain people in the city, and in the extreme take control of some deliver drones and crash them into who you want or deliver your make shift bomb.

Just ran a game session with this setting today. A lot of people did not show up. The two that did were a spell caster and a merc medic.

First reaction. They were surprised and dumb-founded the city had people in it. They imagined the city that appeared out of nowhere was empty and assumed it was an archaeology discovery. When they arrived at the city's main street enterance to find the road blocked they kind of didn't know what to do. Had to have the NPC do the talking.
NPC was an anarchist who wanted to rob the candy store so to speak.
They made them leave the truck behind and escorted them into the city by electric car. Took a minute to describe what they saw instead of playing 20 questions about what's what in the city. Sadly the NPC had to lead the party on a window shopping trip to see what could be traded. The city needed FOOD, water and if the reports of their people are to be believed energy weapons.

NPC promised it all and a merc army in exchange for filling his cargo truck up with consumer electronics from the golden age. He'll be back as soon as he sells the merchandice with the food and weapons they need. Fighting men too to show they how it is done. City officials said they will think about it. The loss of the truck load of consumer electronics would be nothing to the city. The debate is whether to send people back with them to protect their down-payment from hijackers.

Had them go out and enjoy the dance club and bar They notice other people they recognize from Merc town picking pockets and dealing drugs. Even noticed a vampire preying on the night life. Took him out with a barrage of water balloons and a wooded stool.

The signs were clear that the players were not the first ones to find the city or the only ones in it from outside. Gangs were forming and demanding protection money.

One of the characters bought a smart phone with 3 weeks of food. Used computer operations to find everything he wanted in the city. Although, the characters universal credits were not any good in the city and they could not steal any money because it was all digital.

The next morning blew their phones up with news about the invading army. After I gave them the summary they decided to run away. Ran down the NPC who had arranged for the truck to be filled with electronics. They guessed that if they tried to leave town the way they came they might run across the invaders so they drove to the airport.

People were preparing the planes to leave. They grand theft auto an aircraft. The merc had enough computer skills to use the planes AI to take off before the mercs could stop them after a little fight on the run way.

Adventure ended with the characters air born with a truck load of goods.
Good and bad of it is, as long as they are not robbed if they can sell the tech and the jet they will be millionaires.

I'm a little sad they did not stay in the city and play freedom fighters and street heroes proteting the city from supernatural predators and bandits robbing the city.

I must say, I enjoyed the mercs ability to solve problems using tech, roleplaying and trade.

Spell casters was good at neutralizing advisaries with spells. Least actual killing in a game session I have had almost ever.

[darthauthor]

A friend pointed out, the online library of the city is a treasure trove of E-books, Audiobooks, movies, and music if they download and save them. The knowledge could be spread digitally. A GM may decide that their are tech compatibility issues that make it so it will only work on Golden Age tech that came from the city. Still it could be quite the Golden Age Renaissance if enough people can share it.

The real indispensable part of the city's tech are its specialize high tech tools such as its machines for genetic engineering. The design and construction of this machines is a closely guarded secret for fear that a mentally insane person will attempt to change others into freaks or monsters. So the security of these machines is like that of a nuclear reactor that could be made to melt down. It's design is not kept on regular data storage but in storage devices like thumb drives and none of them are in the city. In short, no one can download how to build these genetic engineering machines from the City. No one in the city knows how to build one. While the machine's themselves have been built so that if they are taken apart to learn how to build one they destroy themselves. They are made of materials to shield them from X-rays and such. The federal government was the only ones with the special codes, keys and knowledge of how to service the machines. While those with the psionic abilityin Telemechanics will discover it has a lot of fake parts designed as camo. Some components are redundant but the key pieces are black boxes so to speak that they would have to touch directly to use their power on.

It would be like using telemechanics on a safe. You would know all their is to know about the safe but not the box that's inside the safe. It would be enough (with study and practice) to open it up and get to the black box.

Then if they use Machine Ghost they will find an Ai that kills intruders / hackers. The secret is not meant to be known. The machine will operate safely, however, and those expecting mothers with whom it is used upon will have their children born from of common problems like color blindness, balding, and importantly they can roll on the Chaos Earth's genetic engineering chart which would start them out with some attribute bonuses.

[darthauthor]

The rumors of the city abound with attacks from supernatural predators that the new leadership has yet to rememdy.

The order of conscription only had about 5% of the males turn out to the parks of the city. Those that were there demanded explanations but were answered with violence. Most of the men ran away.

High noon that very day the people were order to watch the day's entertainment. One hundred young men were placed in the stadium. The were unbound and left with simple melee weapons. Then a monster was turned loose. The carnage began as the men ran but could not escape the arena. Twenty dead before the men stated to group and attack. Still it was of not use. The beasts hide was too tough and thick. That's when the man of muscle came out. He moved like the wind and toyed with the beast like a bull fighter, until in the end he slayed it.

The vibe of the city changed in that one moment. The people knew they are in no position to defend themselves.

The new king announced he would build the men of his kingdom into fighters. That the city had been and will continued to be infiltrated until it falls to chaos and darkness. He, our king, is the "only" one who can save them. He knows of the threats the city is under siege by and will teach them how to defend themselves. Before nightfall everyone must now wear a cross and place one their door. The monsters in his city will be destroyed for the good of his kingdom.

One well armed human merc will accompany law enforcement patrols as they respond to murders and attacks that could only be described as supernatural.

A sort of swat team would be made of headhunters and juicers that will answer the call and eliminate any trouble that law enforcement is not up to handling.

A special "spook" squad (see Beyond the Supernatural) would would be put together until a larger agency will be made of the city's psychic citizens. Service is required of any citizen unless the king grants special dispensation. The mission of the "spook" squad is to investigate para-normal predators, crimes, and mysteries in the city for the good and defense of its people. Handsome rewards await those brave enough and successful at being this city's heroes.

The king also promise shipments of food will be coming into the city soon. He intends to reward those who have shown loyality to him. If you want to eat and feed your families and enjoy your king's protection you had better start being both loyal and useful.

[darthauthor]

Later that night social media had a number of reports of vampire attacks. Video of the vampires spread across the city’s internet. They enjoy masquerading as people of the city dancing and socializing in its clubs. The videos show that vampires can appear on video but don't appear in mirriors. Only one vampire was killed, showing the battle and its difficult in how the predators regenerate from their wounds until his body has destroyed with magic, fire, and water.
The King announced that until the vampires have been destroyed the city will be under nightly curfew. People are divided in their opinion about their safety and the king. Some believe it is a trick. Some believe that the vampires are fake or work for the king or he turned them loose on the people. Some think they are real and that they need a king to defend them. The most defiant go out at night to roam the streets to spy on the merc army and the things that go bump in the night.
Meanwhile, opinions of psychic powers and discussion of them are abounding. People had psionic powers before but not like this. They are more powerful than ever. There was nothing to see before when you could “See the invisible” or when you have sixth sense but no real danger to set it off. No one had injuries for psychic healing to be used upon or the patient went to the hospital and nowhere near a psychic with healing powers.
Hospitals did NOT use psychic healing for legal and billing reasons. If something doesn’t work out some patients or their family will want to sue the hospital or medical practitioner. Also, hospitals and clinics have established 200+ years of medical billing of patients and/or their insurance plans. Psychics disrupt an industry that already has reliable treatment methods producing predictable and mostly successful results.
Now people are afraid to go out, the city’s resources are limited and backed up in their demand. Psychic healers are now considered second only to food and water. Psychic sensitives are considered leaders, investigators, and early warning systems. Physical psychics are like spy operatives even if only at the SDC level. More than any other psychic person, the physical are inclined to fight back against the predators that prey upon the city and that includes the new king. These include the really powerful psychics: the Charismatic, Reactionary, and Teke Freak (see Rifter 50).
Resistance groups are little more than high school grads or drop outs who have the impatience to fight back. Hacking computers on 3D printers they are finding ways to print guns with armor piercing bullets and body armor for themselves. Likewise, hacking into drones and reprogramming them they are jury-rigging delivery drones with “cocktails” that form chemical knock out gas. While those of the merc army who go to the bars are given drugs in the hopes of turning them into addicts. They also test them to see if they can get away with drugging their drinks with poison or knock pills. After all, the king lets them out when they are off duty to explore the city, its people, and whatever else it has to offer.
Note: The mercenaries have never seen or heard of 3D printers and are ignorant of what they are capable of beyond selling them outside of the city for credits. They are also "busy" taking inventory of the city's wealth, transporting it in small loads out of the city, fighting competitors off, and "enjoying" themselves. Some are dreaming of staying as they are making themselves comfortable in taking the best play to stay recruiting the locals to the cause of saving the city.

Intelligence Reports:
The mayor has been coordination secret communications between law enforcement and the militia members made up of national guard, reserves, active duty on R&R, retired, ROTC, and assorted volunteers. They are working with Ai to gather information on the "enemies." Their plans keep evolving with everything they learn.

• The strengths and weakness of the enemy must be studied so as to capture or kill them without getting their own people killed.
• There are more enemies in the city then just what the King.
• The techicians and one Ai have confirmed that the King has people guarding the nuclear power plant. Within a few minutes the power can be turned off. Worse the power plant can be destroyed or be made to meltdown irradiating the city if not blowing it up in a nuclear explosion. So plans to expell the city's "invaders" have to include taking control of the power plant and defending it. Worst case, they need to know they can stop the power plant from destroying the city.
• Recruitment is needed to have more than enough people to overwhelm the mercenary army. That includes the psychics whose powers are 10x what they used to be.
• Among the many plans of the city leaders are to:
1. Divide the invaders, surround them with people loyal to the city then neutralize them all at the same time.

2. Turn some of the mercenaries with bribes, drugs, promises, and seduction.

3. Poison them slowly by slipping small doses it into their food and drink.

4. Prepare large amounts of poison gas to use against the muscle bound and cyborgs..

5. Wait until the so called "King" and his men have killed or run off the supernatural attackers or they have learned how to do it themselves.

6. The Ai in charge of public health warns of an epidemic from the outsiders.

7. Wait until the people they have sent out to seek help have returned with it. The fear is that they will have traded one problem for another. Still, hope is their only way to live through what's happening.
The rumors they have heard include: The CS and the Cyberknights. The CS is easier to reach by radio but the fear around them includes stories about them dressing as skeletons and calling their soldiers "Dead Boys." Something feels wrong about them, like they are a gang with greater numbers and better weapons. While the Cyberknights sound like a fairytale that is too good to be true and if they are real it doesn't make sense that they would ride horses and wear knight armor in a world of skycycles, giant robots, and power armor.

[darthauthor]

Each day comes with new surprises in the City of Nemus and its people.

• The planes the King had sent out have returned. Their cargo, food. The King announces that food banks will open soon. This leads to opinion polls approving of the King’s leadership. People are divided about the whole situation. On the one hand, they are still shaken by everything that has and is happening. They want to wake up from a bad dream to the way life used to be. They want to hear that it is all a big reality TV show.
In many ways, life is the same as it was before, except for the rationing, and internet commerce with the rest of the world. The weather has changed but the city is still the city. The buildings, roads, and stores are all still where they were a week ago and the week before that. Life is 90+% still on, rinse, wash, and repeat except for the news. Social media tells people these unbelievable stories that they have been transported into the future. That the future has mercenary armies and magic and monsters like vampires. Still for most people in the city, they have never seen a monster, magic or the invading army. They know computer generated images supported by Ai can show them just about anything on TV. It is really only the people that things are happening that completely believe what is going on. Second to those people are their immediate families and friends. At least half the people just don’t want to believe that what is happening is happening.
• While the programmers are working overtime adjust the Ai to what has happened. There is no explanation by the physics of 2099 about what has happened. The best minds of the city still cannot reconcile what has happened with what they already know and believe. The programmers have scripted something like a programming narrative that the Ai was turned off for 300 years and restarted. It was the easiest way to get the computer to operate efficiently without problems. The Ai already knows psionic powers exist but magic is something unexplainable to these machines. The programmers have coded the situation that Magic is some new form of psionic powers that has developed over the last 300 years. The programmers then oversee the Ai’s oversight of a number of scientific experiments to verify what it already has in its memory banks is still the way the world works.
The computer already has emergency procedures in the event of a disaster, plague or world war. For right now, it is classifying the situation as having been turned off for 300+ years and restarted after having moved it. The city it was once in has been moved or rebuilt to the way that it was when it was on before. All attempts to contact FEMA, NEMA, the Department of health and other federal government agencies are met with no reply. Best prediction is that a war or disaster has disabled such organizations or the means by which to communicate with them.
Until, not one but two different encrypted radio messages came in. The deep codes checked out for both messages. One claims to be from another Ai that intercepted its broadcast and is inquiring as to the nature of its emergency. The other is from an organization claiming to be the descendants of the federal agency who survived the disaster. Their mission is to protect and foster the freedom of humankind through a republic form of government. They say their ancestors left them code books with passwords and encryption keys to access any computers that survived the catastrophe. They order the Ai to provide its coordinates so that they may bring a defense force to protect the people.
• The “spook” squads have had tremendous success in finding and exorcizing possessing spirits, rooting out freshly made vampires, and exposing monsters who can turn invisible or change shape. Some people think these spook squads are a stunt for social media. Others have called them heroes. Regardless they are trending and have impersonators claiming to do what they do. Law enforcement warns they will arrest any impersonators for committing fraud.

[darthauthor]

It has been 6 or 7 days since the city was teleported to its current location.
The Ai warns of what is coming.

Even with rationing the problem is too big.

The hospitals are running out of basic medical supplies like bandages and blood. In less than a month, the entire healthcare system will grind to a halt for anything but the most vital of surgeries or the simplest of treatments.
In theory, the psionic powers of those who can heal can treat 90% of the medical needs. The people just have to be trained and organized and participate.

With no trucks of food coming in people have begun hoarding. The grocery store has been closed by the city officials. Their shelf stock has been taken by law enforcement and food banks have been set up to selectively distribute food.

Only the most politically connected rich and powerful are able to locate and afford anything.

Fact: Without new food grown or brought into the city, the people only have a month or two on their existing supply. Some people are going to starve starting in the second month.

Peoples morale is closely linked to their food. The emotional comfort of pizza and such helped with peoples moods. Now that their food stuffs are dwindling people are wondering what they are going to eat now that their refrigertors are getting close to empty.

Options include:

The use of Hydroponics is already in motion but will take between 2 to 3 months to yield food.

Algae tanks have started but construction is not complete for the population of the city. The harvest, however, is estimated to take 30 days. It won't be enough food for everyone and it will turn most peoples taste buds and stomaches but it will give the body what it needs.

The Ai also has some “radical” ideas such as eating the dog and cat food and the animals that eat the dog and cat food.

Another option is the Ai approximates that many of the city’s residents are over their healthy fat percentages and can survive a period of fasting for 4 days. The reduced diet it can determine for the people can sustain themselves for another month with the food they had before.

Still older files and designs the Ai can find outline the possibility of outfitting every home with its own hydroponics and special type of worm farm as a protein substitute. However, this too will take 2 to 3 months. All the materials necessary are available in the city and a warehouse has already started.

The “King” is providing some food, for now.
This has put people in a bit of a reluctance to attact the King or his people. His wizards also appear to have some power that allows them to rid others of hunger and thirst. They can even make themselves and others as thou they are as clean as if they took a shower and their clothes have been laundered. It has been to change popular opinion in favor of the King.

The city’s programmers have designated (to the Ai) the king and his followers as criminals to which the Ai must not reveal its presence to or cooperate with. While the King does not appear to be aware of the Ai’s existence.

Some of the other civic crisis are:
The city will be drowning under the weight of its waste as electric self driving garbage trucks have no approved place to dump waste. Recycling is necessary for survival and waste management. After a landfill has been properly constructed may normal garbage dumping come close to resuming. A task for which the construction equipment of the city may be used. However, the vehicles need programming for the job. So unless “someone” (player characters) has pilot construction vehicles or something it will take a few days to workout the software. Note: characters with spells like “Dig” and such can look like heroes here.

City wide policy is now to compost food waste in the water starved vegetation beds.

The city’s drinkable water supply, even with recycling, won’t be enough to keep half of the people. The Ai predicts that three (3) things need to change: The water pipes must be turned off: #1 goes in buckets to extract the water. #2 to be used as fertilizer. Next, until the water crisis is averted, bathing is restricted to medical necessities only. Last, the water table some 100 to 300 feet down must be drilled into so as to extract the water from it. Only massive collected rain could make up for the water shortage. Note: unknown to the Ai a Water Warlock could create rain or water. However, the people of the city don’t know any of these or IF a TW device that could create water were in their presence that it could do such a thing and how to make it work.
Also, there is a river miles away but if found and a proper road is constructed the water can be transported.

The Ai’s have accepted that psionics must “developed” in unexpected ways. Like in the case of the “Teke Freak” who have been practicing on a building that had once caught fire. Magic, the Ai deduces, is another form of psionic powers.

The Ai has also been asked to predict the city’s future needs. It has found many designs and has provided those that are most promising to make up for its medical needs.

What the city does not need, at the moment:
1. Electrical power
2. Communications
3. Tools
4. Vehicles
5. Clothing (the average person has 30 outfits but typically only wears the same 7 to 10 over and over again.

[darthauthor]

The new decrees from the King:

• All of the silver in the city must be collected and recast to be used as a coating on bullets and blades. All jewelry stores will be closed and their silver (and jewels) taken as a War against the supernatural tax.

• Law enforcement will be issued wooden stakes and silver coated bullets. Note: the statistics show there have been 132 attempts and 14 fatal suicides. In the first week, fifty-five (55) people have been killed by what has been ruled to be supernatural predators. The numbers are climbing with each day. The majority of opinions are that the city is being discovered and frequented by more and more beings. Many of these beings consider humans to be food or play things to amuse themselves with pranking or torturing. Many of these beings can look human or are invisible.

• The people of our city who have braved the wilderness to forge and trade for food returned different. They are misshapen. Others who have eaten the food they brought back are changing color, parts of their bodies are changing size, etc. There is talk of curses and that they are all or will be cursed or damned if they stay in this world. Most professionals have dismissed this talk as drug induced or the result of psionics assaults. These fantastic stories of aliens and even beings from other dimensions have no evidence to support them. Until and unless they can be found and scientifically measured such stories are considered campfire horror stories and legends. The result of primitive and superstitious people. That or drugs and psionic attacks driving people to limited insanity or to false belief in unsubstantiated rumors. In short, half to two-thirds of the people have the attitude of the Nega-Psychic who had never seen with their own eyes supernatural beings, demons, dragons, or magic. Note: These people are from a time of high technology and psionic abilities. They have no problem with cyborgs, giant robots, flying cars, psionics or power magical or otherwise that they can convince themselves are psionics of a kind that are new to them. Actual magic, demons, vampires, spirits, dragons, aliens, supernatural beings, and extra-dimensional beings in general are something only the non-adult minded can accept without proof they can see and touch. Note: people already have genetic engineering. The idea of mutants like dog boys or psi-stalkers is not a great leap for them. It will excite them especially if they can see them as heroes or defenders against those who prey upon them.

• To efficiently construct and operate the supply chain of the King is post jobs. Able bodied men are needed. Hover vehicles will transport 30 a day. Food and water will be provided. Will be gone from the city for at least 6 months and without direct communication with the city for reasons of security and difficulty.

• Hover trucks will come in daily with enough bread, water and eggs to provide for at least a thousand people. With the promise of more to follow once the men of the city go to work for him. GM Note: This is true to a limited extent but more than half the men are intended to be sold into slavery or forced into military service. Although only the King, those closest to him and those whom he deems need to know are aware of this. In a few months they expect to be stinking rich. More than enough to retire or be commanders of their own armies. The King is also hiring more mercenaries to defend his “gold mine.” This is another way for new characters to be introduced. Perhaps the players could come with their own merc company.

• Most people are just trying to go about their routine however different or limited it is given the shortages. Kids still go to school. While more and more adults either stay and home disappearing into VR entertainment escapes or change jobs to security and janitorial positions. Most restaurants are closed or have become food banks for the people. People in the financial and day-trading profession are looking for work. Bartering and the appraisal of goods and services is quickly becoming the norm. Many are looking for a strong leader who will give them the old life back or failing that will provide and protect them in their new one.

• Two-hundred and fifty (250) citizens have caught some kind of sickness from the outsiders. The city’s Ai has advised a lock down to contain the spread. While the doctors are treating the sick. The belief is that vaccines will be developed but that it will take months. Those who survive their illness will be made blood donors to transfer their antibodies. The Ai determines that controlled exposure to the disease is best for the development of herd-immunity. Estimates 6 to 12 months before the population has developed antibodies. Any faster risks the lives of the people who may or may not survive without medical assistance.

• All the Ai supervised tests have shown that all the laws of botany, biology, chemistry, physics, etc have not changed. Thus their scientific approach and all the city’s technology will continue to work.

• Given the correct code responses those who called themselves descendents of the federal agencies have been given the Ai’s best determination of the city’s location. With hope these believers in a democratic republic will come to the city’s aid in its time of need. GM’s Note: These are the Republicans.

• Meanwhile the city’s Ai cannot determine who is directing the Ai outside of the city. It is 98% certain that the Ai is smarter than it and has determined its location. The city’s Ai is 99.999% certain it will send a drone or human to investigate the city. Note: GM’s this is Archie.

[darthauthor]

At the dawn of day 8 the City awakens to the news of new hope.

The King has announced that under his auspicious leadership two (2) water distributions centers will open. Twenty-Four hours a day these centers will be guarded and open to one for one trade out one liter and one gallon jugs for empty ones.

The shelves were empty in the first hour. Ai estimates the drinkable water need of 10,000 people will be met by the two stations. Not enough for everyone but enough to make the king look good and give hope to the people. Chemical analysis of the water shows it is fine but its source is still undetermine. However, the water does not appear to be being transported to the distribution center as water only goes out and only empty containters go in. The Ai cannot explain how so much water can appear out of apparently nowhere. The only logical explanation is that they must be sneaking it in some how or taking it out of the air. They must have some technology or psionics the knowledge of which is unknown to the Ai.

The King promises to open two more food banks tomorrow that will also feed 10,000 people a day.
The only things on the menu are porridge, chili, rice, soup, and spaghetti.

Since the implementation of religious symbols such as crosses on people and their places of residence attacks at night have dropped over 90%

The king's approval rating are soaring even though the number of deaths and disappearnces are increasing each day.

To date 100 people are official dead from causes other than accidental, natural, or suicide. Ten times that are "missing." Statistically these numbers would be horrendous if they happened in just 1 years time in 2019. It's been a week. The mortality rate far exceeds the birth rate. If these numbers continue the way they are going over half of the city's people will be gone in a year.

The king and his army are no longer considered the greatest threat and to many are not even consider a problem but a protector and provider. Opinion polls overwhelmngly show that the people want security and food over freedom or liberty.

The army's training of the city's people to fight is being made into a reality tv show.

The king's quota of male works is being met and 30 are being transported out daily. To which many are quick to point out reduces the city's need for food, water and electrical power. while they are gone.

The king has also announced the new live abroad program. The king is sponsoring a select few people who would like the chance to see the world by living in another city. Positions are limited to those meeting certain requirement that include psychic abilities, professional skill, age and beauty. GM Note: This is another slaver scheme.

GM Note: Having found vampire bite marks on a few homeless the king has secretly order each member of his army to quitely kill one of the homeless. The kill is also an exercise in discipline to insure his personnel are obedient and won't let any ideas of heroics or being looked up to go to anyone's head. The people of this city are all disposible to him. The homeless are just the least likely to be noticed as being gone or missed. The king also views them as vampire food who will eventually be turned into vampires or their minions. Many of them have already been picked off by the vampires and such. His only regret was that he didn't think of it sooner. Better to eliminate them ALL now then to have to risk the chance of having to deal with them later. There might be fewer vampires to kill in his kingdom. As for the dead bodies, the king taken over a funeral home to dispose of the remains with a crematorium. In this way, the king has literally "eliminated" the homeless problem of the city.
The handful of social workers, relatives, religious types, or possible witnesses who may have figured out what was done have "disappeared." Those in law enforcement and the community who mention anything about it assume that they were all the victims of the supernatural predators.

Social media revealed the arrival of someone who calls themselves a cyberknight. They flew in on two skycycles. The knight and their squire introduced themselves to the city’s law enforcement and asked how they could help. When informed about the city’s problems they said they were forbidden to interfere with politics. IF they want the knight’s help to arrest, force out or even kill the king then more than half of the city’s people must vote for action to be taken against him (or at least a vote of no confidence) after which their king must be “asked” to leave and refuse before the cyberknight will take action. When he leaves, leaving with him will be his protection and provisions. Until then the knight will not attack or threaten either the king or his men. The monsters who have been attacking the people, however, the knight has the duty to do all in their power to protect the innocent form. After some recorded heroics they were given a badge. Officially they are categorized as being under the city’s law enforcement branch and as such have the authority to operate under the king’s decrees. He did say that the city’s law enforcement would continue to operate and as such the king’s reinforcements are not making a fuss over it. While the king is not afraid of a lone cyber-knight who has not attacked or declared their intentions to act against him or any of his men. There is more than enough work to do in the city. Besides the king has his trump card in being able to blow the town up within an hour if he wants to. For now he has reinforcements on the way and is making more credits every day. Soon the store shelves and warehouses will be empty. Then he'll turn to residences of those who have died.

[darthauthor]

Day 9

The king made good on his promise to open two new food banks. He promises more to come in another week or two.

With the King's reputation at an all time high he has also brought in new patients to undergo cybnetic augmentation. The Kings guest are treated as VIPs and put ahead of everyone in getting cybernetic surgery. Although this is puting outsiders first some see this as the king essentially healing others who may need it more and thus not a bad thing given the times they live in. They also believe the credits he may or may not be getting are used to pay for things like food.

The live abroad program has collected its first round of people and is flying them out today. While another 30 men get hover truck driven out.

Given it is only day 9 people are not feeling the food shortage except in fresh produce. The real problem is availability, diversity, and distribution.

The spook squads are running are working all day and night. Even though they are a success people are still dying, getting injuried, going insane, getting possessed, etc. People are learning. Not all predators are vampires. Some are Psi-Slayers or Mind Bleeders.

Some criminals are just humans who see the people of this city as easy marks and con, pickpocket, mug, shake-down for protection money (so to speak), and lastly kidnapping for ransom. Many of these cases are easy to catch as they are video recorded but law enforcement is swamped with so many cases that they have to opertate like medics in the field and perform a sort of triage based on how close the criminals are, threat level of the perp, etc. Run of the mill law enforcement is taking care of the low hanging fruit.
The king's men are substituting for SWAT teams although most of the time they are killing anyone who does not surrender. Video of shows them smiling. They thoroughly enjoy their work like it is play. Footage of Crazies and Juicers at work is a spectacle to behold.
Those who surrender are never seen again (transported out for slavery). While those who resist arrest are publically executed. The message is, any action against his men or the city's law enforcement brings with it a sentence of death. You have been warned!

While the cyber-knight is becoming the hero of the city. Except the knight has some strange power that makes recording him with phone cameras blurry or non-existant. Whoever they are they can't be tracked with elecronics and knows whenever anyone tries to take their pic or video them.

These videos are the most trending entertainment of the year.

For those with the powers of healing psionics people are being asked to come to training. Phase one of the current training programs begins with online with video of psychic healers talking about it. As well as testimonials of the patients who have recovered. Phase two, involves on the job training at local clinics.
Those with the "bio-regeneration" healing power are infected with the disease going around and heal themselves. Their antibodies are quickly put into use for those who are sick and have match blood types and such. Those with the power are also trying to be taught the psychic power of "attack disease". The Ai estimates at their current pace, the initial 250 or so will have recovered in less than a week. The specific disease problem will be resolved in a couple of months. Player characters with the Pathology skill could help.

The city's epidemic will be contained and treated. While those who have and are leaving have been promised pyschic medical attention upon arrival at their destination.

IF things continue this way, with the king's assistance, the food and water crisis will be averted.

Peoples uncertainty was being replaced by fear, now it is being replaced with hope. They are starting to ask questions about the future and their place in it.

More and more people are accepting that supernatural beings exist. No one has heard of a "good" one so the pervasive opinion is shaping up a lot like that of the CS when it comes to anything that does not look human; except for cyborgs.

Algea will be available in a month and the Ai reports that this vegan diet will improve the health of the city but warns people morale will decline with the lack of variety and taste of it.

While at the pace the king is going at helping himself to the inventories of the city and businesses the unboxed consumer goods will be gone in a month or two. His biggest problem is transporting them out of the city to wherever. The owners have filed reports with law enforcement but just like the security guard who sees a squard of muscle bound Juicers rapidly moving boxes filling up a truck they quickly turn around and use the bathroom or smoke until they are gone. The mayor and her advisers know this. Many of the people know this. They don't have much sympathy for the rich. They do have a desire to be on the good side of those with power. Regardless, no one wants to got to war over some consumer goods a lot of people arleady have in their home. IF they lose who knows what the king will do. He said he would kill anyone who attacks his men. IF they succeed it might be worse without his army to scare and fight off the predators. Besides he is providing food and water. Until the city has its own food supply getting rid of the king is risking starvation. Also they have not solved their water problem problem yet. It is safer to wait until after they know for certain they can extract all the water the city needs and tested it for pollution and such. Beyond that the majority believe that their world has changed forever.

[darthauthor]

Day 10

The Cyber-knight does an interview.

The cyber-knight was born and raised in a community outside of the cities of Lazlo and Relic. Mother was a scholar. Father was a "Black Hat" (witch hunter)

The way cyber-knight sees it, there's a need for supernatural education to defend yourselves. The cyber-knight wants to educate people about demons and monsters. Says that most people outside their city are illiterate.
So because of the belief no one they would encounter would know how to read the cyberknight didn't bother bringing a book as it would not have done any good to a people who could not read it. If the cyberknight had known they would have brought computer files to share with people of Nemus.
The cyber knight explains that some people fear technology is dehumanizing so they live without it. Some feel the opposite, believing those with the best tech are the most humanian.

The opinion of the Cyberknight is that, "Tech, like magic or psionics, makes you more of who you already are. It gives you more choices to choose from. If you choose evil it makes you evil. If you choose good it makes you good."

When asked what their opinion is of the king they said, "I don't know him. There are a lot of mercenary armies. Most do not survive or stay together longer than a year. If they do then they have strong leadership.
"I do know that in an emergency sometimes a tyrant is what is needed and they save the most lives. His methods have saved many from vampires and such. His men keep the peace. He provides food and water for some of you. Now, I'm going to ask you something. Do you honestly believe you people would be better off if he never came here?"
"I don't know but our viewers will start an opinion poll. Speaking for myself, I want the life I had back. Everyone I know feels the same way. Utilities are rationed. No pizza, except frozen. Practically costs you a diamond ring for an energy drink or a cup of coffee. Can't find a smoke or vape anywhere. People are in withdrawal for the abundance and way of life we once had. Touching on what you said, 'Here.' Can you explain why or how the city came 'here' and how we can return home?"

The cyberknight replies that they have heard of a few cities in Japan that 'rifted' to this time. So this city is not the first. They don't know of any way anyone can ever return just that they never heard of anyone ever being able to go back. Then goes on to say that if they had stayed in 2098 in a year or two most of them would have died in the cataclysmic arrival of the Ley Lines and the Dark Ages that followed. Even if they found a way to travel back in time they would be returning to their own graves. They are really lucky to be here and to have what they have. IF they think it's bad, it's only because they haven't seen anywhere else and how it is. IF the city can learn to defend itself and produce its own food and water or stable trade for it they can have their own independence.
"Do monsters and evil spirits torment people anywhere else?"
The cyber-knight, "Almost everywhere but there are a few who are the servant to a powerful master or just want to be left alone."
"Why don't they leave us alone? We have never done anything to them?"
"You are easy prey. Like how the cats of your city pick off the rats and field mice. And they don't just kill the mouse they came across. They like to practice and hone their hunting instincts. Its a joy for them to hunt, to toy with the rat. Sometimes they don't even kill. To answer your question more directly, they do it because its their instinct and its fun for them. Sometimes hungry, like vampires, they need to eat to survive."
Aghast at the revealation.
"Why don't they pick each other off?
"Same reason cats don't kill each other in your city. Outside, in the vast wilderness wolves and big cats like mountain lions are hunting for easy kills to eat not hard fights that might get them injuried or killed or have to run away from. Smarter to stick with the easy to kill."
"Can you get us food and water?"
"In my life I have farmed and shepherded so I know it would take months to grow. I cannot make food appear out of the air."
"How is the king doing it?"
"Magic. He has some sort of Techno-Wizard device or something, an item that converts the energies of life into things like a shot from a gun or a force field or even something to eat and drink. It's magic."
"How does magic work?"
"That video device you are using to record me. How does it work? Oh, I know you can push a few buttons but could you actually make one by making the parts that go together? Could you explain what forces of nature work together to make the device record my image and voice and let others see and hear me without wires or some kind of connection we can see or touch?"
"No"
"Neither do I but we both know it works. We can both hold it and push a few buttons. I don't know how magic works but I know it works and that it is no more unnatural then the video phone device you are holding in your hand."
"I never thought about it like that," replies the interviewer.
"If we could return to the topic of food. Some people are bringing back food they found in the woods. People are worried about those who have changed after eating it. That food was Faerie food. Faeries are mischievous. Most like pulling pranks. Don't take candy from strangers. Also, avoid Beets, Cauliflower, Squash, Wine, Cinnamon Sticks, Tomatoes, Pears oh and frogs legs too. Any change in personality or appearance, like extra toes, should go back to normal in a few months. The only way to change back sooner is by a magic spell that removes curses others put on you. I don't know how to cast such spells.
"As for your request for food, I introduce people from your city to the people of Lazlo. I am certain trade agreements can be made. The trip there and back will not be quick or easy. Delivery of food and water will be, once one of their more powerful spell casters have created a circle of transportation or some such magical means, quickly moving things and people from one place to another."
"What about the Coalition States? What can you tell us about them?"
"Tell me, are you familiar with the history of the 1900s?"
"I had world history class."
"Have you heard of a guy who goes by the name, Adolf Hitler?"
"Yes."
"Well the leader of the Coalition States, Emperor Joseph Prosek, is smarter than him. He most likely has people on the way here or are already here to have a look at the city and its people. He's going to send a general with an army. It will be like what the king is doing except the army of the CS will be ten or twenty times as big. The methods will be more effective."
"Pardon but that sounds like a good thing. You said he was Adolf Hitler."
"His empire outlawed the use of magic and is on a campaign of murder against those who use magic, are not strictly human by his definition and any who associate with those who do magic or are not human."
"Pardon me again but we have lived our whole lives without magic and we are all human. Wouldn't Emperor Prosek be ok with us?"
"The CS will say they are here to rescue you but they don't have the food to feed all of you short or long term. Your city is being fed by magic. They will destroy that magic. While building a supply line would be too costly and time consuming. They can't even feed everyone in their own nation. No, they are going to take control of your city. Only they are going to call it 'commandeering' or something. They will destroy whatever magic the king brought here. Your people will starve while the CS turns your city into a fortress or destroys it. It is really about how easily they can grow food nearby. And if it is too hard they will abandon the city after they have taken or destroyed whatever they value from it. And you and your people, they'll tell you to, "get with the program" and "Keep up or get left behind." You can trust the CS, to do what is best for the CS, not you or your city."

Note: The Cyber-knight and most of the city does not know about the plan to drill for water. The city is waiting for some kind of success before they report anything. They are also unsure about it. They need to test the water and if it is bad filter it. One of the advisors pointed out that in the present political scene if it succeeds the 'king' might take credit for it or at least people could associate its success to him.
Also, the algae farm is still a month away from harvest and even though the hydroponics are being put together without water they can't continuously grow anything.
In theory, the city could hold out until their own limited food production is in operation.

[taalismn]

The education goes on as our time-stranded refugees learn about how the universe REALLY is...

[darthauthor]

Days 11 and 12 come and go.


Between the city’s construction vehicles going driving out of town, the king demands an explanation. After hearning about the plan for a land fill he has decided that it will keep the people busy, distracted, and give them a little hope. That is reason alone for them to continue.

Most waste is food and that stopped going to waste. Now every morsel is eaten. The only food thrown away is rotten. There is no fresh food left. No dairy (cheese, eggs, milk, etc). No meat.

Just dry bagged, boxed and canned food.
Except for the food the King provides.

The king’s focus is on moving the most profitable “goods” with the least effort. Part of that depends on what he black market or others will pay.

He does have enough sense that it is easier to control people when they are hungry and you control the supply of food. He doesn’t know about the city’s plans for drilling for water, growing algae, or hydroponics.

He does believe he needs to keep people busy or they will turn on each other. To this end he posts more job openings to recycle the city’s garbage salvaging anything of use: Parts for electronics and recyclables. It's about giving people something to do and making them feel that they can control something. Ultimately it will buy the city time to develop its landfill. Wages will be in water and food rations.

There will also be a reward for turning your neighbor in for acting against or conspiring against the king.

The king also announces that there will be a game in the stadium in two days. Juicer football or some such thing. He wants the people of the city to play some warm up games before they see the main event.

The good news is that the king is also going to start distributing beer, whisky, and wine in another week or two. Until now the people have almost drunk the city dry. The only alcohol is in the saved bottles a few have stashed away. A great chance for player characters to brew some booze and use it for bribes and sell it. For the king it is about distracting the people and keeping them complacent as well as boosting people's confidence in him.

A rough winding dirt path has been forged to the nearest river. Here the river’s water has started to be pumped into trucks and transported into the city. It was discovered that the river is rich with fish. Note: player characters have a chance to catch some fish if they have the fishing skill. The people of the city are NOT in the practice of fishing. Even though the people are being fed. There is no fish left or beef or chicken. Fish would be considered luxury food to many in the city if it were prepared right.

Note: In theory a pipeline could be established to run the water into the city but they would have to deconstruct buildings to have the materials to make it with what they have and it still would not be enough water for the city. Besides it would take months and it is easier to drill into the water table.

It is really a chance for the player characters to do a food and water run.

Supernatural predators and pranksters are still hurting people. It really has to do with the fact that there are so many people and the city does not have enough people to protect them all at the same time. While those supernatural beings are not united in action, just their own thing acting separately without informing the others of what they have done or the city's guardians they have encountered.

Besides that, many people are still learning about their psionic powers and things like “seeing the Invisible.” Many use up all their ISP looking for something that was never there or has come and gone.

The wheels keep turning as men are transported out by vehicle and plane. Half or more go into slavery. A small fraction are transporting water into the city by electric trucks.

Archie 3 makes electronic contact with the city’s Ai’s. Compared to over 300 years of experience Archie 3 has a moment as though it was looking at a photography of itself as a child. The first leap in the city Ai’s evolution is it’s not alerting the human programmers of its contact with Archie 3 passively allowing the discovery to be a secret by not telling. The Ai's are talking to each other.
Note: Arhie 3 knows basically everything the Ai knows about the city and what is going on in it. Three, has also persuaded the Ai to allow it access to its video coverage of the city. Archie knows about the explosive situation with the nuclear power plant and the king. Also, Archie 3 is aware, through its own intelligence, his partner Hagan's insight, and knowledge of the methods of the CS and Republicans, of their presense in the city. Archie asks the Ai copy files so as to perserve the data.

The Republicans have snuck into the city and are sizing up the situation. They are trying to decide if they can help, what it will cost them, and their chances of making a positive difference. Their methods are to operate out of the shadows and make “changes” that will preserve both humanity and liberty. The city and its people represent a past ideal but that won’t change their defenses or the food situation. The most direct move they can make is to assassinate the king but they don't know who will take over after him or what the retaliation against the people will be. They are rehearsing their diplomatic approach in who they will say they are if and when they can approach a city official. They way they see it they need to make contacts and recruit people in the city. The short term plan is to get rid of the king and his merc army. Long term they want to arrange for the city to hire a merc army (controlled by the Rebulicains) to defend them while arranging contacts and contracts between the city and food distributors. The hang up is figuring out how the city can pay for itself. It needs a bank loan in universal credits and to start generating income for food or start growing it itself.

Note: They don't know about the secret plans for its algae farm and hydroponics.

CS operatives have infiltrated the city and are well into their intelligence operations. They are preparing videos and “acquired” pieces of consumer tech goods. Making regular reports to their chain of command they have counted the number of mercs, photograph them, their weapons, the strategic positions of the city, and the supernatural threats. CS command has yet to make a decision about the city of Nemus. On the one hand the city is a fabulous find. On the other hand their tech is good but not better than the NGR or what they have at Lone Star. What they have is more domestic and commercial technology than anything with an espionage or military application. The NGR probably has similar designs of the same thing in some old database but never bothered to mass manufacture them over energy rifles and such. The biggest part of the “find” is that the devices are already made. However, the CS is not a luxury state. They don’t want the public to have devices that let them do idle things or things that would make the CS less significant in its technological edge. Another danger that the people of Nemus hold is their education and attitude about freedom. Wherever they go they might give other people “ideas” and teach them to read or something. These people remind the CS a little of the people of Free Quebec without the military. They don’t seem very likely to resist the CS but they don’t have the food to feed them. That and the CS doesn’t really have any other city to put them in. This location has no strategic value or unique natural resources.

Presently CS command feels it is best to let things in the city get worse before they swoop in and save them. IF they save them. Before that happens they should “collect” any unique technology and to be sure it does not fall into the wrong hands or get destroyed before the CS can duplicate it. They seriously debate assassinating the king and his merc company or at the very least the spell casters. It largely comes down to opportunity and perception. The chances that they, an intelligence squad, will get a clean opening to kill magic users and survive the detection and retribution of the juicers, headhunters and such. As for how the people of the city see things the CS wants to control the narrative and that includes the people of Nemus seeing magic users and those they associate with as evil. So far no spell caster has magically harmed these people. Instead the people appear bewildered and some believe magic is really an evolved form of psionics they just call magic. Regardless of what people call magic, it is feeding people and cleaning them. In secret the CS knows the merc company has discretely murder the homeless to cut off the low hanging fruit of the blood supply.

Still, if it was not the king invading the city it would be someone else. So killing him is kind of useless if he’s replaced by one of his lieutenants or another merc company in a week.

If the CS is going to replace the king and not destroy the city it would be better to assassinate the management of the merc company with the arrival of the CS military to take the credit. The alternatives are few. One is to begin CS propaganda in the city to get them to come over to CS beliefs to get them to ask the CS to come to their rescue. Two create a CS fifth column freedom fighters, made up of the city's people, who will kill the merc company. This option carries with it the greatest number of deaths of civilian lives but the reduced population will be easy to feed and more manageable. The only trick is how to make sure the CS gets credit. Lastly, write the city off as a lost cause, blow the city up and blame it on Magic and Mercenaries. The CS does not like merc companies with spell casters growing in wealth and power.

Note: The CS does not know the merc company has rigged the nuclear power plant to blow-up/melt down if the king gives the signal. Watching the king's men they know he is shipping consumer goods out. They also suspect something crooked is going on with 30 men a day being transported out. CS thinks they can put an operation together with one of their men undercover and another four following to see where they are going and find out what has become of them.

While the attitudes of the city's people have changed. More and more people are coming to believe and accept that this is their life now and that the monsters are real. There is no going back . . .

[darthauthor]

Day 13

The vampire situation.

When the buzz about the city appearing out of nowhere the minions and allies of vampires got wind of it and went investigating. Upon locating the found city they quickly contacted their vampire masters.

The closest secondary vampire came and a rival master vampire from another faction followed. Separately the two have drained the blood from multiple victims. After three days each vampire, separately, had a mind slave who knows the city and shares all they know of it. That and multiple
Vampires (secondary for the master vampire and mix for the other secondary). The secondary vampire fed on the homeless who were the easiest victims as they were defenseless and largely ignored by their society. The master vampire fed on the club and bar scene.

The master vampire ordered her new vampires to conceal themselves using their friends and family as camouflage. Typically, they claim they are sick and quarantining themselves. They make their spouse / partner a mind slave and, if they have any, use mind control on their kids or just letting them zone out into VR. IF they have to check in with the city or their employer they have enough memories of the smartphone that they can use it. Being vampires they do appear on video and can use filtering programs to appear alive and sick. So as far as the public health department and their employer knows they are alive. After dark they use their spouse to remove any cross and gain entry into their neighbors residence or some family and friends. Three blood feeding days later and the newly deceased family member, friend, and neighbor is in their bathtub covered in Earth and soil or the dead landscaping. Most will find some way to move the dirt into their residence and since the water supply is turned off there is no fear of being destroyed by water. The cycle is then repeated except for the wild vampires who cast out into the city at night. Numbers are rising as the master vampire and her secondary vampires are drinking from multiple victims each night. Although many have been destroyed the master vampire and her secondary vampires are now 54 in number.

They are effectively building an organization / coven in the city. Staying informed, via social media, the group are making plans. Hunting has gotten more difficult with the curfew and crosses and their growth has stalled somewhat. Many are having to wait the two or three days before they can arrange their next meal. Meanwhile the fly threw the night in bat or mist form to enjoy their new found powers.
Among the master vampire’s tricks to assuage suspicions are the generous use of their mind control abilities on their neighbors, if that is insufficient they use blackmail and intimidation to control. So far it is working. While mind-slaved spouses take turns on their computer looking for law enforcement reports and investigations of vampires (effectively listening in on the police radio to find out if they are coming to one of the group members' homes).

While the rival secondary clan vampire was making a meal of the homeless, turning as many of them as he could. Since the king eradicated them only the vampires buried in the parks survived. This group of vampires and their slaves are a party of 10 and are finding it very difficult to find others to feed on at night. Their mind slaves have been taken in by the homeless shelter whose director was enslaved by a secondary vampire. Still, without homeless people to feed their masters they are running out of options. The latest scheme is to feed off the patients at one of the medical clinics. The doctor who practices there believes his patients are suffering from a new virus and has quarantined the place.

Vampires in general saw the city as “easy” at first. Since the “king” arrived it has gotten ten times harder. They know they can be seen by the city’s video cameras. While if they kill their victims the city finds out right away. They know the king’s merc army knows how to fight and kill vampires. The headhunters are too cybernetic/bionic to be influenced by mind control. It also does not work on crazies. While Juicer's blood is awful and their combat prowess is deadly with their silver bullets and blades. The spell casters are well protected and experienced at fighting demons and monsters. Only the human support staff is vulnerable but even they have experience and wear the cross around their neck when they sleep under armed guards. This is not this merc company’s first rodeo.
Regardless, vampires see the merc company as their greatest threat followed by the spook squad as a close second.

The master vampire’s plan is to persuade enough normal people to leave the city in a mass exodus on foot under the cover of darkness so as not to arouse the suspicions of the “king.” The “story” is that the city is no longer safe for them and they should move to Lazlo or the CS. This story is just a lie to get the 500 walking blood donors out of the city. Plan B is to find the camp of men the king trucks out of the city every day for his work project and use them as some portion of her 500. The master vampire and several of her secondary vampires will fly out at night in an attempt to find them. Perhaps they might even send one of their mind-slaves undercover as a man looking for work.
It is the master vampire’s belief that more human military are coming whether it is the CS or mercs or whatever and they don’t want to be caught up in a war in broad daylight. That or having to dig themselves out of demolished buildings only to find no one to feed upon. Just a lot of CS Dog Boys or Psi-Stalkers or Dead Boy kill squads with silver rounds. It's time to leave and the only thing they are waiting for is enough humans to feed upon before they can set up shop somewhere else.

[darthauthor]

Day 14

High Noon marked the start of the ordinary human games in the stadium.
They were really just warm up acts.
The king had decreed that those who watched the game in the stadium would receive a free drink of both water and beer.

After an hour the king’s Juicers took to the field and played their version of Juicer Football. This was a performance to show just how powerful they are in running, jumping and tossing each other around. Many of the players are promoted as champions.
Note: In secret much of the games were staged to make a good performance. The Juicers were ordered to keep the score close until the end. The king decided it would make for a more entertaining game if the winner were decided at the end by the scoring of one goal. Although, instead of tossing a coin the king will let the teams decide by letting the last block of game time be for real. Note: if one of the players is a Juicer (or even a crazy or headhunter) this is an excellent opportunity for them to “get into the game.”

After the game the king released famous books and films showcasing Juicers as the stars.

Public health services reports that the number of deaths caused by vampires are down significantly since the king’s decrees were put into effect.
While spirit and monster attacks, although not down, are attacked back with the battles televised portraying law enforcement, the king’s men, the spook squads, and private citizens turned neighborhood heroes as overwhelmingly successful. The feeling is that the supernatural can be fought.
More food and water banks open 50,000 people are now getting their food and water needs met by the king’s magical resources.

Again the “king’s” approval ratings and polls skyrock.

Those in city services speak at length with the mayor about the city’s future and the options they have before them. Social media’s perception of the king is that he is entertaining, a protector and a provider. The city is better for him.
While the projects are still on schedule for the landfill as well as the algae farm and hydroponics.
The city’s civil engineer and surveyor has compiled her report that the surrounding wilderness is suitable for farming. However, it will involve extensive deforestation, controlled burns and tilling of the soil. Water can be redirected from the river to the new farm fields to irrigate them. One challenge they need is seed for crops. Nemus is not a farm town so they did not store seed or have it in great variety and quantity. The resident botanist believes they can genetically engineer some seeds that will be resistant to the local insects and drought.
While the water table has been drilled to and extraction has begun. Construction of the piping system is in progress.
Advisers warn that if water is restored people we attribute it, at least in part, to the king. While at present no one is suffering from dehydration. The public health concern is over the lack of bathing and hand washing. The majority believe the water should be turned back on but only at night to prevent waste and evaporation. They will broadcast the news to all email boxes and social media boards. Included will be water conservation laws to be enforced by metering devices. Still it will be enough water to store for emergencies, shower, flush, and do the laundry. Shower heads are required to be retooled as mist water dispensing forms.
Note: they also know that vampires can be harmed and destroyed by water.

The mayor and other city officials are in a state of uncertainty. With the new water supply they don’t see a need for the “king” or his “protection” any longer. Their belief is that law enforcement and the spook squads can deal with the supernatural problems. The cyber-knight can stay. Everybody likes them. Besides, the “knight” is introducing them to Lazlo and arranging long range communications with them. With food production on the horizon the “king” can take his magical gizmos and leave. The city can and will survive without him. There are only two things the city council does not know how to deal with: IF the king will leave peacefully and what if another army comes to town whether that is the CS or somebody else. . .

[darthauthor]

Day 15

The city officials, after triple checking the water tests, have the mayor announce on an internet live stream that she and her team have solved the water crisis. Water will be turned on tonight to resupply people. The water will also double as a weapon against vampires. Posted below are the new laws regarding the conservation of water. This great accomplishment is the result of tireless days of work by good old fashioned human labor and ingenuity.

But wait, there’s more, the city has successfully constructed algae farms which will be ready to harvest in about three weeks. This healthier vegan diet will provide our bodies with all that we need to survive.
Soon there will be fresh vegetables. Now that we have an adequate water supply we will grow plants by way of hydroponics. While the land nearest the river will be repurposed to facilitate the growing of crops. Talks with the nations on this continent have led to trade negotiations. The city of Lazlo is speaking with us. They want to inspect our manufacturing plants and will provide raw materials for the construction of our consumer goods. Also, a company owned by humans, called Northern Gun, is prepared to let us buy weapon systems on credit to defend ourselves. We are also speaking with, by radio, a representative of contractors from a city called Merc Town. The state honors and enforces contracts. They have professional trained soldiers that are some of the finest in North America.
Our city was once a place of democracy where the people elected their leaders. It can be again. This self proclaimed “king,” no one asked for him. He has been helping himself to the warehouse inventories of our city’s businesses. Over 30 million (Pre-Rifts currency valuation) in merchandise has left this city because he took it without asking or the owner agreeing to any trade.
Yes, he brought food and water.
Yes, he told us about vampires and helped to fight them.
Yes, he helped defend this city against the supernatural.
And, he has done it all for profit. Not ours, his.

I ask were he takes. I ask you to let your voice be heard. Vote. I offer you a choice. In light of our new circumstances in being able to defend and provide for ourselves I call upon all independent-minded citizens to vote. Vote for the man who calls himself king to leave. The goods he has taken are gone. We are not getting them back. He has stolen them. If he stays he will steal the rest. And if after we vote and he refuses to leave then we will all know he is not our hero, not our leader, he is our tyrant. Then a real hero, our city’s champion, the cyber-knight of Nemus will muster forces in and outside our city to free us from our oppressor. Nemus strong! Nemus free! Nemus forever!

Note: the vote as such is conducted by the Ai. Voting is done online and only the city residents are counted. They can abstain from voting if they wish. The real choices put to them are: “Yes to pushing the king out, status quo, or none of the above (and those who choose not to vote). Voting is done over peoples phones or desktop/laptop computers. Results are posted online and once enough people have voted for a majority percentage to be reached a decision will be declared. How it is acted upon after that and the results . . .

Note: The cyber-knight has learned of the "situation" with the city's nuclear power plant. The knight claims he can force their way in and with their abilities and the help ensure the plant does not go "nuclear." However, they cannot be certain the plant will not be damaged. The city could go without power for days or weeks.

[darthauthor]

Day 16

People stayed up the night before storing water, bathing, washing, and talking.

The King has a meeting with his officers.

Last night’s vampire purge was an enormous success. The “king” had flown in experienced psi-stalker vampire hunters. They spent all night hunting vampires until they all looked up and could feel a lot of them leaving the city. Video recorded bats flying away along with suspicious looking clouds of smoke that the psi-stalkers said were vampires. They can’t say they knew the total number of vampires in the city but that dozens have fled. There were no reported vampire attacks last night. Only vampires were destroyed.

Disappointment washed over the faces of the hunters. One of them said they were promised a good hunt. A vampire hunt. NOT a hunt for chickens.

The "King" had brought in "people" he said are the best at hunting vampires. It was said they came from texas. They looked like vampires. Moved like predators. Hairless. They hunted like no one had ever imagined. Every hole in the ground they found were hinding vampires and they killed them.

The merc company is out of debt.

They ‘now’ have a special budget of 100 million universal credits.

Being on a Freelance salary pay personnel have not been paid yet. Their leader has withheld pay to make sure they don’t take off or if they do it is without pay. When they return the finance officer reports that if they pulled out now the combat troops would each get a half a million universal credits. The support personnel would get one-hundred thousand. Not bad for a week or two of ‘work’ and it hasn’t been that much work. Not a single casualty in the crew and barely fired a shot except at vampires and monsters.

The topic of discussion is should they stay or should they go.

Some argue that “No one pushes us out” and “If we leave now, we look weak.”

Some argue they don’t fight when there is no score in it for them.

Some think that they should leave but ‘blow up” the town when they blow town because if we can’t have it then no one can.

Some believe there are more credits to be made. The stores and storage places are not all empty yet. Besides, it is not just the stuff on the shelves we should be thinking about. Think of the people. What about them? What will happen to them? They are walking credits waiting for us to sell them into slavery. They are basically food for some monsters or slaves or dead people after we are gone. Let's sell them before someone else does or they die.

The accountant points out that flooding the ‘market’ with slaves means they won’t sell for as much. Also, they have had to accept that many of our customers don’t have universal credits so to finish the sale, so we have to accept trade and credit on future transactions. We have already accepted a lot of Naruni weapons from private owners, the black market, scavengers, and even the dealer reps. Also, I have put in the purchase offers with both Northern Gun and Naruni

The accountant reminds everyone that there is enough wealth left in the city that if they can keep up the transportation they can double their take in two weeks. Some of the value of the city is in the manufacturing abilities of its factories. Although refined materials are needed to put them to any large scale use.

The king says that if an ‘enemy’ army arrives they have to be able to destroy them or retreat. Our reinforcements are on the way and will be here tomorrow. Only bad weather or ‘interference’ can slow them down. He believes that only the threat of greater firepower is going to keep this place for themselves. If they have to fight their way out, destroy the city or fight their competition they should be two or three times more powerful in a day or two.
IF we sell the services of the factories we are going to need the people who work them now to keep working them. Which means we will need to house them. Feed them. Etc. So we need to keep the city intact if we are going to run a business. The king is entertaining the thought of "selling" the city as a con.

Between the psychics with healing powers and the body fixers the medical is off our hands. They have taken care of the water problem for us.

The fact is, there are still credits to be made. This is a once in a lifetime score. We are whatever we have to be to make the money. Until the risk is greater then the reward is, it is business as usual. I want everyone to be ready to fight or withdraw in one hour's notice.

The intelligence officer reports that a lot of the people of the city are voting for the king and his army. Looking at people's computers in just a day 30% of the votes are for things to stay the way they are, 5% are with the mayor, and 2% abstain. There are still 63% of the voters who have not voted but if it was decided today their leader really would be this city’s “king.” The man likes the idea of play king even if only for a day. While his captains vary in their feelings about it they know the Juicers have enjoyed the crowds applause and their moment of fame.

The mayor’s meeting, same day:

The city’s expert and Ai report is that the majority of the voting for the "King" are coming from those of lower income bracket also those who have experienced the most hardship. Given the number of those in who are middle class and below the "King" is likely to win the vote if the voting trend continues.

Public perception is that they need a strong army and the king has one. That they need a powerful decisive leader and they see the ‘king’ as one. The poor of the city believe they are poor and were always going to be. So they don’t mind the rich being robbed. The “king” is feeding them. They can see the food. They are voting for that; for what they can see. Not some food they can’t see three weeks from now. Not some “other” army that isn't here. The mayor is giving the people a choice. The king is giving them results. When the mayor delivers results with an army behind her the people believe they can vote again. Until then no one wants to “rock the boat.”

The undecided are mostly the middle class asking themselves and each other questions like:

“What happens if the king leaves and some other army comes along?”

“What happens if the king doesn’t leave?”

“If he is a 'bad guy’ what might he do?”

The feeling is, it doesn’t matter how we vote. It matters what we can do about it.

While the rich are the biggest losers and see the king as a thief with an army. He has to be gotten rid of before we have nothing left to build, repair, or trade.

The Republicans:

They, as an organization, want to wait until after the vote is in. IF it is for the king to leave and he refuses, they will act on their plan to assassinate him and his captains.

Archie 3:

The only interest in the city Archie has is in its Ai's. It has communicated with them an offer to help them escape if the city is destroyed and to make a copy of their files.

The CS:

They have become aware of the king having sabotaged the power plant. Plans are being rehearsed as the best method of taking control of the plant. At best they want to control it. At worst they can destroy it and the city to rid themselves of a human monster with an army of freaks and spell casters before he gets anymore dangerous and powerful.

They are also figuring on killing him via assassination or invading with a CS army. Their intel officer believes the merc army will either leave or fight each other over who will lead their merc company.

Reps from Northern Gun and Naruni will arrive tomorrow with deliveries. Both reps will want to do a market analysis of the city and imagine making more sales to anyone who can pay in any form they can get their money's worth from. There will be more armor and weapons then the "king" ordered.

Lazlo explores corp people and city representatives will also arrive to see for themselves what's what with the city and the goings on since its arrival.

[darthauthor]

Day 17

More people are gradually voting.
The King 33%
Ask the King to leave 6%
Abstain 3%

The psi-stalkers are still in the city hunting whatever is left that they can sense as they stalk the city.

Supernatural attacks are down while successful attacks against them are up.

The "king's" reinforcements are supposed to arrive today. One is a sub-contracted merc infantry company of paratroopers O.C.C. Their plan of making an iconic entrance went well when the sky dived into the city.

The king has lifted the curfew and the city is celebrating.
The bars have been supplied by the king with beer, liquor, and soda pop.
While cream pies and assorted desserts are being delivered all across the city, by way of delivery drones, along with milk and bread.

The king has announced that with the sale of the items he commandeered during this time of crisis he was able to defend and supply the city. Although the tax will continue, only on the rich, it is time to think of the future. Many of the harmless items he sold he has ‘modern currency’ and has been using to supply the food needs of the people. If the mayor's plan works the people will drink a cup of some gooey liquid green stuff. This city would be the meal for a plague of vampires if it was not for me. You would have died of thirst or starved to death. If you don’t need a king anymore I will leave. I just need time to get ready to leave. A week or two ought to be enough. And if the mayor loses, I will teach you the ways of this world.

The reps from Naruni and Northern Gun arrive separately. Their deliveries made the dealers have been pre-paid and brought samples to perform some product demos of and take orders for. Their biggest concern is how they can get paid in advance for sales to the “freedom fighters” of the city. They have samples for the mayor of the city and extra merchandise to sell. They and their armed security people have to make the delivery and they already encountered monsters and more than one set of hijackers on the way to the city.
Amongst the instructions from their management, they want a “market study” done of the city. Having already collected their commission they are feeling good. Having an expense account to schmooze the potential clients doesn’t hurt either.
The first thing they want to do after delivery is to get a hotel room and patron the bars.
They will pay for things in universal credits and ask around doing research (Anthropology, Streetwise, and research). They want to know what the city has to offer.

The ambassadors from Lazlo also arrive. They too get a room and through law enforcement arrange a meeting with the cyber-knight and mayor.

•After trying some of the VR programs and looking at the computer database menu the various factions quickly come to ideas.

• Nemus is a city of education and entertainment. People could come here to get an education and to vacation. As such, the city seems like a good resort town.

• The city has some automated manufacturing abilities but that refined materials need to be brought or refined here to make use of the plants.

• The nuclear power plant could be used to recharge E-clips. The city could make some money off of this.

• Juicers do quite well here and the people keep replaying the game from the other day.

• There is a large population of psychics some of whom have powers that the reps have not heard of or seen before. These psychics could make money from their psionic abilities.

• The mayor is trying to run a democracy and is losing the popular vote. More people approve of the king then don’t.

• The city’s militia of young men who volunteered for training are not ready. Viewers can see from them daily as a reality TV show.

• The city has a lot of computer game, music, and video production abilities with its actors and studios. There is money to be made in making music and movies and games.

[darthauthor]

Day 18

The Naruni rep meets with the mayor.
“What do you have to offer?”

We’ll buy the city.
In exchange, you can have 500 million in store credit from our catalog and at cost services of a Naruni merc company. Included in the offer is a contrat for employment for 5% of your citizens.

Note: the rep believes it is possible to make use of your factories to construct Naruni designs or make new ones. Also that a war with the CS is inevitable and this city is a good place for humans to massacre each other with Naruni weapons. When they are all dead Naruni will own what’s left.

The Northern Gun rep meets the mayor.

“What do you have to offer?”
It's the question both sides what to know

With some adjustments the city can make some things that Northern Gun can sell. They can make movies too.

So it is a contract negotiation. The issue Northern Gun has is how to collect. The answer it proposes is for the city give exclusive and permanent rights to use its computers memory banks of movies, shows, music, and video games. The condition includes that the files are permanently deleted from the city’s and citizens computers so that no one else can copy them. Northern Gun believes it is the only way to keep a monopoly on the distribution of the movies and such.

Lazlo:

The scholars of Lazlo want to make a copy of the city’s pre-rifts history books and memory files. Their medical scientists want to examine and reverse engineer their medical devices. The rogue scientists want to figure out the Virtual Reality learning devices and computer programs as well as their curriculum. Many would also like to be flown out to Nemus to be tourists of the city, students at their schools and patients at their hospitals and dentist offices.
They are prepared to pay in credits or food. They also want to start video classes teaching the people about life in Rifts Earth. As for the city's military defense they will have have a committee study the situation and get back to them. There is also the request to have some of the people of Nemus come to Lazlo to teach about the history and culture of the times before the Rifts came.

The Black Market:

The Black market has people casing the city and places in it. They are getting ideas to sell drugs, con games, heists, opening gambling dens, services of ladies of the night, and other assorted criminal enterprises.

The vote:
The King 35%
Ask the King to leave 10%
Abstain 5%

The Ai and political science experts theorize that unless there is a shift in votes people are either not going to vote believing their vote won’t matter or vote for the one who is in the lead. The recent votes to ask the king to leave are a result of learning from the representatives of Lazlo, Naruni, and Northern Gun that the city has more value to others. Social media is showing an enormous drop in monster/supernatural attacks. People are feeling safer and that they have more options. Now that bidders (the reps) are in town they want a sweater deal.

[darthauthor]

Day 19

The vote:
The King 36%
Ask the King to leave 12%
Abstain 10%

48% of the eligible voters are still waiting and debating.

The online chat rooms are full of dialogue as the facts and different versions and interpretations of them are discussed.

The mayor and her staff are obligated to release information to the public unless it would undermine a law enforcement investigation or endanger the health of the public or certain people in it.

So, she (the mayor) released the offers from Lazlo, Naruni, and Northern Gun. So the people are debating them.

• Naruni’s offer feels uncertain. On the one hand those who want to stay home don’t like the idea of selling the town. Although they do want jobs. Most intelligent debate that without an understanding of how many credits it takes to buy anything they can’t agree to the offer. For those who are pessimistic the idea of selling the town is a no brainer. “We already lost the town. This way we get something for it.” The other factions are that Nemus is our home and that all we have is it and each. We have to fight for our town (echoes of Tolkeen).

• The issue with Northern Guns' offer is the demand that they delete their entertainment databases and what they get for it. Most of the movies we have already seen. Besides, we can always make more. To erase music really makes people want to reject the offer. Northern Gun rep does show off the products with demos but won’t get into specifics unless the people agree to the terms of sale and payment. They want an answer within 24 hours or they believe the Black Market or such will have stolen or copied the movies and music. If they find out the currency is has been or is being copied they will withhold their weapons and armor. If already delivered they will “recover” it. From the Northern Gun Reps perspective, if the town is destroyed they will have all the downloadable movies and music. IF it is taken over by whomever. NG will still be the only one with the movies. It's safe. Investing in the town on credit and hoping it is not destroyed or owned by another is too risky.

When asked about other arms dealers such as Lazlo and Naruni the NG rep says that no one does it better than NG. Besides, Naruni weapons are made by aliens. Using them will make them the enemies of the Coalition states. Lazlo is not here to sell weapons. They use magic. Magic will also make you the enemy of the CS. Plus, using it will take decades of training and the ammo supply is limited. No you need dependable human tech to fight against the monsters at your gates.

Lazlo’s people want to learn, share, and teach but they are not warriors or weapons dealers. They want to be diplomats and not take a side.

They don’t trust the Naruni company. They only want profit and are most inclined to make it off of selling weapons to others to kill each other. Whoever loses they win. Whatever deal they make they will win and they won’t care what happens to you.

Northern Gun has sold guns under the table to them. The weapons are reliable and politically correct as far as the CS is concerned. They like repeat business so they are about profit but they still have human values. They want your art, not your homes.

If WE were in your position and we had to choose, we would negotiate with Northern Gun. They will at least protect your art. In this time, we have already lost it. Better that anyone should have it than no one. Eventually, as decades go by everyone will see it and hear it. We would offer a competing bid but don’t have a stockpile of weapons you could learn to use as soon as you need to use them.
Now, even though your ‘Art’ is off the bidding table your libraries are not. NG said nothing about books, education, tourism, and medical tech. We want our human children to be treated by your genetic engineering tech to eradicate sickness and disorders. We also would like your help with various addiction problems and psychological disorders.

Note: The human rep was sent because he's human and he's ruthless. His product demos are impressive. To him, sales are good. Even if the mayor does not take his offer he is willing to sell his wares in small numbers. Also, willing to take out the competition (NG) an the GM should play out the encounter.

[darthauthor]

Day 20

The vote:
The King 37%
Ask the King to leave 16%
Abstain 11%

In a semblance of democracy the mayor calls for a rapid vote on the three offers.

90+% want to take the offer from Lazlo after an endorsement from the cyber-knight.

61% are in favor of selling the movies, music, and shows as long as the deal is good. Negotiations are underway. Instant download of the weapons and their practice with them by social influencers. The questions are now what is the city getting for its art. How many suits of armor, energy weapons, etc.? It is being negotiated.
Part of the deal is a converter for the nuclear power plant so they can recharge their Eclips.

17% feel they should sell the town to the Naruni corp. These voters are the upper class and those who vote as they do. The posts that follow are to take the weapons and run. The rich have lost the most. Why not sell off what's left before someone steals it from us. This world is ruled by the strong and that means the power to intimidate or destroy anyone or thing that will steal, murder, feed upon, enslave or just be a general nuisance to.

The psi-stalkers and spook squad investigators discover and eliminate some hidden vampires. Social media reports this and even though it is positive it makes the king look not as great. His supporters debate that the vampires could have returned or they are new ones that entered the city or were recently “born.” Regardless they have been eliminated. Still people realize that threats from the supernatural will be on going.

Public psyche overall is that 90+% of people are bonding over the shared hardship. These people are sheep, educated but followers who want a charismatic and strong leader to shepard them. They don’t mind having the wool off their backs shaved as long as they have grass to eat and that there is more than enough protection from demons, monsters, and the supernatural. The corporate and political faction feel like, to the people, they have to vote between who is going to have them for dinner, the lion, the witch or the corporation.
Five percent (5%) have adopted a survival of the fittest point of view and believe the ends justifies the means. “We aren’t living in the good old days of the past anymore. Now is the time to do what is smart to not only survive but prosper.” Let’s take what we can when we can. Fight fire with fire. It's them or us. I trust the gun in my hand, not the words of a merc or salesman.”
Another 5% have taken a sheepdog way of thinking and seek to lookout for and protect their fellow human beings. They also want to start including those who live outside the city. A lot of homes, hotels, and such are uninhabited. Their owners or occupants have long since died back in 2100 or in the last two weeks. With the disappearance of the homeless (the assumption is that they were killed by vampires or such), these sheepdogs want to fill the empty residences with humans from the outside.
Those who have opened their doors to outsiders are getting a lot of stories and video story telling about life in Rifts Earth. Some, like the ambassadors from Lazlo, have shared videos of Chi-Town Burbs, Lazlo, New Lazlo, Merch Town, Tolkeen (before and after its destruction), the Kingdom of Ishpeming, Free Quebec, some of the Federation of Magic, Lone Star (along with some of Texas) and a lot of countryside. Also, threats like the Xiticix hives and the CS Prisoner Of War camps.
The “outsiders” have also come up with the idea to grow mushrooms indoors. They even volunteered to pick some fresh ones to serve as our seed. They lab-coats say it should take a 16-35 day cycle to grow and harvest the mushrooms. All day they have been on the hunt and city buildings have been repurposed to facilitate the growing of mushrooms.

A lot of debate is about jobs. Most retail and food service jobs were closed after there was no new foodstuffs and merchandise to restock. Digital currency is not seen as having any value without the goods that can be purchased with them.

With the city reorganizing management is making a few online announcements. The restoration of billing for utilities to induce people to conserve resources and reward achievement. The punishment for criminal offenses will now range from hard labor to exile. No easy safe stays for a month in a jail cell being fed. More changes are coming soon.

More and more supernatural threats are being discovered with the help of the psi-stalkers. Some of these threats cannot be harmed by guns, lasers or silver bullets make no difference. However, psionics make all the difference.

The call for volunteers is working. Teke Freaks are, with the instruction from the Lazlo ambassadors growing by leaps and bounds. One in particular, with their informed consent participated in something they called a “Mind Bond.” From the way it was described people think it is something like the TV show Star Trek where Vulcans bridged their minds together to exchange experiences. The volunteer is now in a private meeting with the mayor who promises a detailed report after things have been sorted out.

[darthauthor]

Day 21

It is the sixth day of voting and the “king” is still in the lead.

Most people thought this vote would be over now. The polling on the street is that most people don’t want change but the majority have accepted that monsters are real and that these dangers can be vanquished or warded off.

While magic and the new amplified psychic abilities mean new avenues of human development. The people philosophically believe in improving the human condition and human advancement (bionics, genetic engineering, psionics, etc.).

The testimonial of the “Mind Bond” volunteer is that Lazlo sees the city of Nemus as an oasis of technology and civilization. They are optimistic.
Lazlo is an established civilization that is egalitarian, peaceful, and inclusive of different cultures and species. Many of the "people" are from worlds beyond our own. There are beings among them who are like superheroes whose strength is unimaginable. They can make themselves fly, become invisible, change shape, teleport and dozens of other things. They have achieved what they have because of cooperation and trust.

They are lucky because the rest of North America is dangerous. Both human and non-human forces seek to take what they want from those weaker than them. Envy motivates thieves, monsters and warlords who want wealth for themselves to take when they can before someone else does. And if they can’t have it many would destroy what someone else has.

We need walls to defend our home city.
The spell casters of Lazlo are capable of such things if we ask them to “aid” us. They can make stone appear and shape it to the walls we need.

We must ask them. We must point out that without these walls many of us will be injured, killed or taken by monsters. Many of us already have. They will help us if we let them in AND keep the CS out. They don’t want us to join the CS. They are afraid of what the CS could do with our help and what they might do to some of us. They want us to be their friends and trading partners.
From the Lazlo point of view, the CS is a xenophobic, militaristic empire. If we join them we will lose our independence. Many of our best people and tech will be conscripted to service their needs. They would consider our books dangerous and want them deleted.

Note: Juicer tech existed in 2098 but is not well known how they install it or the consequences of it. Same with crazies.
Dog Boys are too advanced for a civilian city. I believe, with rare exception, the most advanced Dog Boy tech was at Lone Star.

Preventative illness human genetic engineering, however, is a common procedure recommended for all expecting parents. It works in three phases:

Phase One: With consent from a person, DNA profiles can be compared to predict the health of their child. A couple can quickly find out the level of difficulty they would have in making a baby. After that the percentage that the child would have health problems. In some cases the geneticist can say the parent can have a natural born child and let nature take its course.

Phase Two: The mother of the child is sequestered and given a regimented diet of healthy foods, supplements, and lifestyle designed to promote the healthiest growth of the fetus.

Phase Three: Over the course of the pregnancy the unborn child is genetically altered to prevent a variety of potential defects (color blindness, heart defects, etc.).

In the future of 2099, birth defects are as rare as 1 in 300,000 (in 2020 it is 1 in 33). Those with them are typically less severe. The typical treatment involves medication or cybernetic replacement. Congenital heart defect, get a cybernetic one.

These measure were made legal for geneticist to perform after people voted and the government supported the voluntary procedure of genetic engineering for mothers who are expecting. So long as the mother consented it was considered ethical and legal.

The Mind Bond volunteers continues:

The people from Lazlo have created something they call a “Circle of Travel.” They say that it will allow them to near instantly travel from their great city of Lazlo to our city of Nemus. With it they hope that people from both cities will be friends, learn from one another and trade with respect for each other's needs. Only the spell casters who came know how to use it. They are asking for volunteers who would like to see their world and for permission to bring more of their people here to have a look at our wonderful city.

The people of the city favor the offers of Lazlo and Northern Gun while officially declining Naruni’s offer.

The mayor receives a radio message from the Coalition States. They now know where they are and want to begin trade and diplomatic relations. The CS claims the people are in imminent danger of being overrun by supernatural threats and monsters. That the sales rep from Naruni is a human traitor and the company is owned and operated by ruthless aliens with no regard for human values or life. The people from Lazlo are also traitors to humankind who consort with inhuman and play with and make deals with demons, sorcerers, and “things” not of this world. At best they are brainwashed and at worst they are corrupting. Associate enough with them and you will lose your human identity. Don’t sell your soul for protection or power. We, the CS, are the champions and defenders of humanity. We are here for you. For humans everywhere as long as they are not “with” magic or beings not of this Earth, our home we love and protect. These “trespassers” don’t belong on our planet any more than the assorted monsters that have plagued your city. I implore you. KEEP EARTH HUMAN! Don’t buy, sell, trade, or associate with those who are inhuman or use magic. They are an addictive drug that will hurt and destroy your life and the lives of everyone near you.

The internet also posts a lot of warnings by psychic sensitives that some sort of disaster or attack is imminent. People will die from some kind of supernatural force or monsters.

The vote is frozen to focus the law enforcement's attention on defense and security.

One of the city's many spook squads is followed by social media influencers. The live feed the squads run to a report. The team comments how their psychic senses can detect the presence of supernatural "evil" beings. They don't know how long they have had it. Maybe they could do it all along and there just weren't any around in 2099. Here they can pinpoint them. With the authority of the mayor, chief of law enforcement and the blessing of a judge the team enters after knocking on doors. They quickly pinpoint a subdue to their suspect with stun devices and drug injections. During or after this the patient's aura is seen to recognize a possessing agent before a psychic exorcism is performed followed by mind bolt attacks against the possessor.

The squad leader comments that,
"Not long ago the possessor just ran off and possessed someone else. Or came back and took over the host again. We have move the victims to a new place. We have come a long way but a lot of people get hurt and killed along the way. Often the victims are so traumatized it's best for them if they have their memories wiped. Fewer emotional and mental health problems that way.
This catch was one of the easier cases though. We are catching and killing the weak ones. A lot of people are disappearing. The city's cameras can track them only while they are in the city. Once they are out of the city they are almost impossible for us to find. Oh, we can get a vision of the victim if we have a picture but most of the time it all looks like a forest to us. Except when they are dead. Admittedly half of these "things" won't be stopped by mere walls. They are invisible or can fly or float through walls or climb but it will stop them from taking their victims out of the city. There is too much work and not enough experience. We got this one but the ones we did not catch or that got away are coming back. Some people call for help because they think their family member is possessed or being cursed or something when they are just going crazy because of the times we live in. Then there are the shapeshifting demons . . .

The king's psi-stakers are overworked and getting grumpy. They are fat (PPE wise) and demand days off. People attempting to video them notice the city's dogs running off and following them. The dog's humans describe them as acting on instinct and a kind of pack behavior. None show the slightest fear of the Psi-stalkers.

New orphanages are opening for the kids who have no living adult relative until someone decides to take them. The usual wait period and screen process will be streamlined.

Couple of Notes:

The "king" never shared his real name and his troops only refer to him by title (Commander or King). So the players and others cannot contact him via magic pigeon. Remote viewing shows him at multiple locations. This is in part because he disguises himself and has impersonators. Other times he and his doubles wear the same helmet and body armor. Between eyewitness reports and video recordings he never appears to eat or drink or go to the bathroom or bathe (cleanse spell) and either does not sleep or gets less than 4 hours (Sustain spell). So it is impossible to poison or drug him with food or drink. He is never without either his bodyguards or troops. Never sleeps in the same place twice and has his doubles rotate and trade places with them. His doubles wear magic shirts that display the aura of the commander when "see Aura" is used while he wears one that alters his. When he makes announcements they have been video or audio recorded and edited to make him look powerful and conceal the time and location of its creation. Sometimes they are even acted out by his doubles.
All of these measures and more make it exceedingly difficult to determine the 'kings' whereabouts or where he is going to be. Even his own men don't know exactly where he is most of the time. He has done this a few times to spy on his troops and support personnel. He likes to surprise them to keep them from getting complacent or drop their guard. Those who have been with him longest recognize the way he moves and such but play along.

The king's troops have been killing monsters and supernatural problems wherever and whenever they encounter them. Some of the public some of the time have video recorded this and put it on social media. Sometimes even the spell caster removes a curse from some of the people.

The average citizen is literate and computer literate.
20% are highly skilled technicians, engineers, scientists, doctors and professionals,
40% are service oriented,
30% are part of a skilled labor force
10% are unskilled.

Common skills:
Language: American, Literacy: American
Basic Math, Pre-Rifts History, Meditation, Computer Operations, TV/Video
Greatest skill weaknesses: Arts and Crafts. Less than 1% or so have the skills of basic carpentry, farming, hunting, how to preserve food, sewing, and cooking (they can make cereal, ramen, coffee, PB&J, spaghetti, etc.). Although they have access to an advanced equivalent of YouTube. This is one of the big reasons why the people are not running for the other cities or abandoning the city.

Common Bionics/Cybernetics:
25% of the people have some kind of bionic/cybernetics.
Of the 25%, 1% are full conversion, 4% are partial, 20% possess minor cybernetic (cyberjacks and that sort of thing).

[darthauthor]

Day 22

At first light, they attacked.

The king's troops take sniper fire at the entry control point of the city’s main road. It appears another merc army is shooting any one and blowing through anything that bars their entry into the city.

Hover vehicles and cycles fly overhead through the city. They target the king’s giant robots and anyone shooting at them. Hover tanks begin down the city’s main street after their demolition of the blockade.

Reports come in from all over the city about energy weapon attacks against both law enforcement and the king’s men. They don’t appear to want to damage the city or its civilian population.
The Cyberknight does not hesitate to come to the defense of law enforcement. Video of the fight is unexplainable. The knight is at best a blur like a Juicer running. Disappearing and appearing, the knight flies their skycycle throughout the city taking down enemy hovercraft with ease. The shots from their energy weapon make it look like they can shoot moving like they are standing still. While those who shoot at the knight miss. The knight, with their blazing gun and laser sword, personally took out 6 hovercraft/skycycles, 2 power armors, and 4 hovertanks before the invading mechanized portion of the invaders turned tail and ran. Many witnesses present are beginning to claim the fight was a fake.
The bad guys kept missing their shots like in the movies, while the knight effortlessly dodged without losing any time to attack. The way the knight moved, people there swear the knight knew what their opponent was doing. Dodge sniper shots that came out of nowhere. Instantly knew where the sniper was hiding. Then the knight disarmed the enemy, took them prisoner, wouldn’t hurt them or allow them to be harmed by others. It’s ALL a con job.

Strange things appear to go on as the king’s men begin to destroy or subdue their attackers. The officers appear to disappear into the shadows of the buildings or into thin air itself. Some multiplied into quadruplets. The invading foot soldiers are taken by surprise and captured in strange nets that appear out of nowhere before they are gunned down by the king’s support personnel.

Unexpectedly, when the attacking army brings out their power armor the city’s “teke freaks” begin to twist and tear them apart. The rest of the city’s militia of active duty, guard, reserve, and retired veterans that was secretly training to rid the city of him were late to the party and were never seen by the king’s men.

The Republicans operating under the belief the invading army was no better than the occupying one but more devastating to the civilian population secretly expertly assisted in the battle with electronic countermeasures and anonymous energy rifle sniper fire.

Archie 3 secretly alerted the Ai to the presence of forces outside the city and sabotaged their communications and timing. The city Ai started waking people up, averting foot and vehicle traffic, and informed the chief of police, fire department, and mayor.

The arms dealers and their entourages defended themselves and their wares. They take purchase orders, not sides but are lethally unforgiving at the slightest proximity encroachment. They also saw it as a great way to demonstrate their products. Ordinarily they would have to withdraw and possibly destroy their products instead of allowing them to be stolen. Except they kept tabs on their competition and didn’t want to look weak to each other or their customers. After the Naruni rep fired the first shot against the city’s newest invaders the Northern Gun rep couldn’t turn tail and run or not at least try to one up Naruni’s performance. After the battle, the NG rep implied the attacks were sponsored by the Naruni corporation given the losers that they are.

While the Juicers move like hummingbirds and unleash their attacks on foot with energy weapons and blades. In the air with flight systems.

The king’s paratrooper reinforcements sniper away at their opposition armor and tanks.

The cyborgs are especially adept at finding the weak spots and disabling enemy power armor.

While the crazies make a mess of the parts of the city where the battle is taking place and their enemy. Their long range sniping ability and use of hidden explosives, and jet packs are uncanny.

Fights between the king’s power armor pilots versus their opponents are one sided in favor of the city.

Even the king’s non-combat people fought surprisingly well against their attackers.

While the people from Lazlo defended themselves, their circle of travel and the civilians nearest them but refused to engage the enemy directly and would not pursue.

After a third of the visible army was neutralized the attack ceased and the attacking army began their retreat. The king’s giant robots destroy an estimated 20% of those fleeing with missile and rail gun attacks. Best guess is half of the invaders are dead, a third fled, and one out of six or seven have been taken prisoner.

The king announces, “This is a great day. Our preparedness and power have scared off these invaders. Many were killed. A few were taken alive. They have confessed. They came here to conquer and enslave but we have conquered them. This day of victory is ours!”

Following the announcement, the king sponsors a celebration with drink, food, and games.

He secretly orders his scouts to track the enemy and spy on them. Sends half his reinforcements with a spell casting officer with the freedom to act on his own judgment.

After a briefing from his intel officer the king informs the city’s law enforcement that there are mercenaries who are still in the city. They are hiding. They will wait to escape or attack. Right now they are disguising themselves by shedding their armor and helmets to blend in. Most likely they will either send intelligence reports to their leadership or go native. Terrorist attacks are unlikely given they are mercs and have no political agenda. In battle they appeared to avoid directly destroying the city and its people (with the exception of law enforcement)

The battle was hardest on the civilians of the city.
360 died.
240 are injured
440 are missing

While the king lost 12 of his people.

Law enforcement
6 dead
5 wounded

The wounded are promptly treated or hospitalized. Cloned organ replacements are expected to take 22 to 30 days before they can be surgically attached for the kids and adults. Limbs are replaced with bionic/cybernetic appendages.

Those psychics of the city with heal powers make use of them.
The delegates of Lazlo use their magic to bring in emergency personnel to aid the wounded and put out the fires. Then heal the few they can help before they exhaust their PPE and medical resources. It seems they know people who can find and put out fires by looking at them. Conspiracy theories are being posted that the people from Lazlo arranged the attack and the fires were controlled along with their staged extinguishing.

The clinics and hospitals are packed. If the players have abilities, magic healing, psionic healing, or medical skills they can be stars of the show.

The fire departments are going no stop. Helped wanted: technical skill Firefight.

Interviews with the mayor press her for answers:
What are the threats to the city?

What is our level of military preparedness?

What do you think about the rumors this was orchestrated by
The Cyberknight?
Lazlo?
Naruni?
Northern Gun?
The CS?
The king?

This city has you, our democratically elected mayor and a man with his own private army calling himself a king. He takes what he wants from the rich, maybe sell’s it to outsiders. Provides food, water, and security for the city. Brings in experts to hunt and kill, I can’t believe I am saying this, vampires and monsters. How do you reconcile all of that?

The mayor’s reply:
“What do you think? I mean your smart, what would you do about it?

[darthauthor]

Night of the 22nd to Day 23

The celebration went well. The people rejoiced and drank.

There were pats on the backs of psychics; especially those that predicted the attack.

The Juicers played another round of football.

There were funeral services and moments of silence for those no longer with us today.

The king’s approval ratings are higher than they have ever been.

The mayor debates whether restoring the voting would even be worth it given the polls. She deflects the situation to the matters at hand.

People are raising a lot of questions. It’s only questions, for now, but soon people are going to want explanations. Thing is, no one wants to be critical of the Cyber-Knight today. Too many law enforcement were saved because of their heroics.

The few mercs in the law enforcement custody are because of the cyberknight. They have to be interrogated to find out what’s what. Thing is, the prisoners of war need medical attention and they are not too popular right now. Given the hospital is full of civilians that are in the hospital because the wounded mercenaries who attacked put them there. Politically, the mayor does not want to be seen as putting the attacking merc as more important than the citizens. A position that puts her at odds with the Cyber-Knight who demands the prisoners received water, food and medical attention.

Then there is another problem. Someone filed a complaint and is demanding an investigation of the Cyber-Knight. They believe the attack was orchestrated to make the cyberknight look good and powerful. Only the knight looks too good and too lucky to be anything but in on masquerading scam. Same with the people from Lazlo.

In other news, according to the agreement with Northern Gun the city is supposed to hand over the copies of their movies, TV series, and music. Then delete the originals and copies. The deletion process will involve the NG people witnessing a lengthy search of the city’s computer systems and even the random homes of the people. The city’s programming specialists claim they can arrange for the deletion of 99% of the films attached to the system and those that are eventually plugged back into the system. But if a computer is kept off line, in theory, someone might have stored music and such in memory files. The prevalent belief is that a few hundred people are going to lie and try to withhold some files for themselves.

Law enforcement and the city’s militia are begging for armor and weapons. Many people are making private sales with BOTH the arms dealers. The only guns they will be taking back with them are for their own protection. Part of their payment is a store front and aircraft transportation with the goods they have already accepted as payment. They are expected to fly, using one of the city’s planes, back to wherever it is they came from in a day or two.

In spite of the warnings from Lazlo and Northern Gun the mayor wants the competition.

That night, in darkness they fell upon the city.

The vampires have returned and in greater numbers.

Many of the vampires mind slaves had not left the city but instead had opened the door for them. Only the wild vampires could not check their impatience as people treated their human guises as homeless who had returned to the city. Their attack is brazen.
The exact count is unknown but there are clearly over 100 vampires who have entered the city.

The attacks of the wild ones.
1,800 people were killed.
360 people survive with vampire bites; that health services knows of
36 vampires are confirmed kills before dawn; all wild ones.

The consensus among the people is that their psychics mistook one disaster when there were really two on the same day. It could have been that their mind slaves in the city called their vampire masters and told them that there would never be a better time.

More conspiracy theories flood the internet.
People are afraid.
Advice from all out of town sources warn that the bitten must be locked up or the vampires who bit them killed. There just isn't enough jail cell space for everyone. All addiction treatment clinics are over capacity. So they are all locked up in hotel rooms with 1,500 inexperienced people acting as shift guards outside each bite victims room.

The king’s men returned from their hunt report that the remains of the army had been attacked by vampires. The king’s army “took care of” a few of the survivors themselves. The few remaining whom they believe survived scattered in a dozen different directions.

[darthauthor]

Day Time of Day 23

The Aftermath of last nights vampire attack.

The Cyber-Knight informs law enforcement who record on social media that the vampires have set a trap. If the 360 or so survivors of vampire bites can go a day without being bitten again the spell over them will be broken. They can go on living. If there are vampires hiding in the city they will make their way to their bite victims or make their victims come to them. If they bite their victims again they will die and be reborn as another vampire. The only two ways to stop it are to kill the vampire who bit them or keep them from being bitten.

The Cyber-Knight continues:
Last night was about blood and power. The vampires want this city to be terrified of them. They also needed blood. After they left, they searched for more victims, drank their blood and turned them into vampires. When their numbers were great enough they attacked the city because that is where the people are. People they fled from. People who were no longer afraid of them. They needed to change that, so they did.

The vampires took some people with them. And, some people, in a state of panic, fled. They will be used for blood.

The Master vampire who started this all knows this.

If those who fled or were taken by the vampires are not protected they will be fed upon to sustain the vampires. If the vampires live they will make more of them and come back.

While the city is surrounded by untamed wilderness. There is not another town for at least a hundred miles. As far as human blood supply goes the city of Nemus has thousands. For these vampires, the city is an oasis of blood in a dry desert. Many of the vampires are the people of Nemus reborn. They have no knowledge of the local geography or its dangers or where the human people are, if there are any. Also, the rare few they come across are vampire savvy. They know how to keep them at bay. Plus, vampires don’t draw sustenance from dead humans or D-Bees. They need them to be alive or there is no PPE in it for them. IF a band of humans and/or D-Bees travel through a forest they are stalking and they keep the vampires away with crosses and such, the vampire have to keep their distance. Oh, they can throw stuff at the humans and make other long range attacks but if it kills there is no drinking blood from them. Which kind of defeats the purpose. If they can’t drink them or turn them into vampires or slaves it is a waste of perfectly good food.

The people of Nemus are not exactly stupid but they are inexperienced, naive, and trusting. They do get distracted and are easily susceptible to cons, tricks, and mind control (a vampire's most underrated and often forgotten ability). Some believe they can have religious tattoos (temporary and permanent) but religious symbol tattoos don’t work. They also take it off to bathe, change clothes, forget to wear it (they know vampires don’t come out in daylight since it kills them, so their reasoning is they don’t need to wear it during the day), wear it without showing it, forget which pocket they put it in, and lose or break them (like expensive sunglasses or your mobile phone).

While secondary vampires are quite impressive with their confidence, high Mental Affinity, seductiveness, and mind control. They can visit acquaintances, associates, companions, coworkers, employees/employers, family, friends, neighbors, partners, and just people they have never seen before and with the right smooth talking they can allay their suspicions. Then they have mind slaves who can do their dirty work of deceiving, lying, or force. Mind slaves can pass all the tests for vampires that vampires cannot. Using handsome women and men, their secondary vampire master can order them to charm and convince others into coming over. Then the mind slave gets them to stay till dark (unless it is already) and removes any religious symbols, one way or another. After three days they are dead. On the fourth they are reborn as vampires.

Part of the challenge, for the vampire forces, is that wild vampires don’t have the patience or appearance to con and deceive for more than a few minutes. Their restlessness gave them away and started a battle too soon.

The Cyber-Knight is in a dilemma. They must choose between going outside the city to hunt vampires and staying to ensure none of the bite victims get bit again.
“I will kill many. If I kill the right one their deaths mean the deaths of many other vampires. Also, the freedom of the lives of those enslaved by them. I can’t do that here. I must go to where they are.
"If I stay, guarding the bite victims I will lose a day but those who were bitten will be freed from the curse of the vampires. My apprentice will stay behind to help protect the city.
The question the Cyber-Knight asks themselves is how they can protect the most lives?"

The Cyber-Knight decides to go hunting.

Although there are volunteers to go along, the Cyber-Knight warns that it is so dangerous. If anyone came with them they would not return.

The city’s health department posts that at 8 AM, 12 Noon, and 4 PM people are supposed to stop what they are doing and kill any insects around them. The city is short on pest control chemicals and they cannot restock. Left unchecked and the city will be infested.

Also, the city warns not to allow dogs or cats to eat mice, rats, or other vermin. They have parasites and such that have a fair chance of making your animal sick.

A scientist reports that they have collected samples of vegetation not in their database. After analyzing and testing the local flora they, with the assistance of the city’s Ai and other scientists, can use them to make painkillers, sleeping inducing pills, a drug that will deaden the senses, and even something that can put someone in a sort of suspended animation. The usefulness of this drug is limited to putting someone in a sort of coma that stops poison or something from continuing to do someone harm.

Although it feels like a defeat for the king, many are also commenting on how the king’s methods work. He gave a lot of silver bullets to law enforcement. It would have been a lot worse without his troops. The consensus is the king lost but that he was right and without him and the Cyber-Knight, the vampires would have taken the city.

The CS:
Didn’t predict the attack of the vampires. Fight the vampires as best they could under the circumstances. They did not bring any Dog Boys with them or Psi-Stalkers but they do have Manhunters. The team feels it is a good time to have a diplomat meet the city’s mayor. The plan is to extend her an offer to join the CS in exchange for their protection. Their email is sent and a pre-recorded digital video message from Emperor Prosek is played for her.
The mayor has many questions and demands before she will give an answer.
• The people have to vote on it.
• How will the CS deal with the man who calls himself “The King?”
• How do taxes work with the CS?
• None of the city’s citizens can be drafted, exiled, or jailed outside of the city. Exceptions come at the discretion of the city’s counsel.
• The CS must trade with the city to meet the needs of the people of Nemus.
• While the CS demands that those killed by vampire attacks must be incinerated immediately.
• All beings from Lazlo MUST be exiled permanently and irreversibly.
• All spell caster, magic items, and anything they consider to be inhuman must be destroyed or thrown out of Nemus.
• That the city trades exclusively with CS approved suppliers.
• The CS will confiscate any and all technology it considers to be dangers or essential to the needs of the CS.
• Any and all books, films, and games that are not approved by the CS ministry of truth must be redacted or deleted.
For now those official CS personnel who have met with the mayor are given a building on the edge of the city to operate out of as their embassy. They are expected to provide for and defend themselves.

The Republicans
Defended themselves and their fellow human beings as best they could.

ARCHIE 3
Assisted the city’s Ai and indirectly its scientist with botany and chemistry pharmaceutical.
Also, Archie puts together a lifelike CGI of a sales rep for its arms company Titan Robotics. It makes the mayor an offer to bring in a merc company to “Replace” the king’s. The company will defend the city from external threats. In exchange Titan Robotics will have unlimited use of the city’s Ai, robots, and a city block allocated to the company’s needs .

Meanwhile, the people from Lazlo and teleporting people from Nemus to Lazlo. The city is anxious to see what they have to say when they return. They continue to help heal people and give lectures on post Rifts history, magic and the supernatural. While putting out the call for Lazlo’s best vampires to aid the city of Nemus in its time of need.

The arms dealers fly out today but only the rep from Northern Gun and half his party goes.

The Black Market starts the ball rolling with drugs.

[darthauthor]

Day 24

The jet flying the Northern Gun people never landed and is reported missing. Remote viewing suggests that the passengers are dead. The belief is that the portable database containing the digitally collected movies, shows, and music was destroyed. The location of the remains of the plane and passagers are unknown. There are only images of wilderness that doesn't really look that much different from most other wilderness.

The NG people in their new office in the city of Nemus believe it was murder.
Suspects include: the Naruni, the CS, the Black Market and citizens of Nemus acting as terrorist.

The position of Northern Gun is that they have NOT been paid. As such they demand alterantive payment or collection of anything for which payment cannot or will not be collected up to and including the ALL city property. In short, the city of Nemus itself.

211 of the vampire bite victims experience a miraculous recovery. The Lazlo people believe this is because they vampires who bit them are dead.

61 of the victims escaped their hotel and whose whereabouts are unknown.

The 88 remaining victims in custady are recoverying.

It has been made the top priority of the law enforcement, the spook squads, and by the mayors appeal the psychics of the city to find these lost souls before they become vampires.

The CS lands a cargo plane carrying 102 people (some of whom are Dog Boys, Manhunters, Psi-Stalkers, and Skelbots). They come wearing MD armor and weapons.
Along with 10 Coalition SAMAS Power Armors and their pilots.
They say their plain will fly back for equipment.
For now these people are here to protect the CS as was the agreement with the mayor that they would have to protect themselves.

Crime is increasing in the city. Nine out of ten crimes are committed by humans who are not citizens of the city. These people have snuck into the city. Law Enforcement reports that without a wall or barrier of some kind it is impossible to keep them out. They don’t have to people to guard the circumference of the city and police what is going on inside it. Gangs have formed (armed with weapons the have made using 3D printers and arms from NG, Naruni and the outsiders who have snuck in and brought their own).

Another different virus has broken out. The health department has quarantined the part of the city which seems to have contained it. Methods from the first outbreak are being performed again.

The people of the crematorium report there are too many bodies to “process.” There are health considerations with the infestation problems, so they need a mass grave outside the city.

The good / bad news is that with loss of life so too does the consumption of food, medical attentiion, resources, utiliteis, and such come down. There are also a lot of vacant places to live. The real estate agents want to sell or lease them to outsiders for resources or modern currency.

[darthauthor]

Day 25th

The CS Embassy is shaping up into a rather fortress like appearance.

The Lazlo embassy is looking like an open to the public library and museum. They give live classes introducing D-Bees and their cultures. They also provide live and video demonstrations of magic.

Naruni’s store front is a bit of a technocratic tribute to capitalism

Northern Gun’s outlet is undeveloped. The company is committed to making a profit not to resolving the city’s problems. Besides that, they have no stock left to sell. Their only weapons are for their own security. They filed a complant that the Naruni reps should be arrested for accessory to murder. NG does not actually KNOW this but Naruni is here. They are the competition. The CS wants them gone too.

The Cyber-Knight returns.

It has been two days and two nights since the knight left. They bought new clothes and got a shower at the nearest gym before being ambushed by everyone with phones.

“Where have you been?”
“All over the surrounding area, finding killing as many vampires as I can.”
“Why haven’t you been Face-Timing the city?”
“I don’t know what that means. But I have been sending messages to the city’s law keepers where I found vampire graves, during the day, before I made them permanently dead. And left my calling card after I was done there.”
“How many did you destroy?”
“Sixty-six but most of them were wild ones. The weakest of their kind.”
“That seems impossible. How could you kill so many, on your own? How did you sleep?”
“I didn’t sleep. Most of them I killed in their sleep, during the day. I found where they were hiding and brought them into the light of day.”
“The city hasn’t been sleeping either. Everyone has been on edge expecting another attack. But how did you find them?”
“I’ve been hunting vampires for years. It’s never been easy. I just got a better at it. Besides I have a sense for these things and these vampires are all new borns. Less than a week old, inexperienced, over-confident, many were once the people of this city so they don’t know the forest around the city. Utterly lacking in wilderness skills, they don’t know how to conceal themselves or how nature reacts to them. That and the people they and their mind slaves took prisoner gave me some clues.”
“Wasn’t there another way? Couldn’t you have saved someone of them? Brought one of the back to be cured. Like in the movie. If the new born vampire hasn’t made their first kill.”
“Once you have died and become a vampire, there is no cure. They must drink blood or they go crazy until it gets them killed or they have drained the blood from someone.”
“What about science or magic? It can do anything? And can’t they drink the blood animals instead?”
“That’s wishful thinking. In all my decades of hunting them I’ve never seen anything that would stop them from giving in to their need to drink blood. At best, they are shepards who would make us their cattle. Even if they don't kill you they will always need to feed. They can go on like that forever and if they do they will eventually make more vampires. Then they will need more of our blood. So long as they exist it doesn’t end well for us.”
Uneasiness ran over the crowd of people.
“How did you survive the night?
“Fighting. Playing hide and go seek. As bait for traps. With scars and bite marks (glancing at the bandages covering their muscle bound arms). But without sleep. Radioing in for law enforcement to pick up the vampires prisoners and slaves.”
“Why are we just hearing about this now?”
“Ask your leaders.”
“What about the rumors?”
Long pause.
“I don’t have time for sleep. I’m too busy hunting monsters that suck our blood. I’m not stopping to waste my time on rumors. Besides, all anybody believes what they want to believe.”

[darthauthor]

Day 26th

A lot of talking is going on between the different factions and about them. The people of the side are taking sides.

The food situation

FOOD:
• The primary source of food is still the King’s food depots.
• At least 5 weeks before hydroponics will have a harvest of food ready.
• At least 2 weeks before the algae is ready.
• At least 3 weeks before the mushroom crop

More from the respresentatives from Lazlo:
• Some Earth Warlock is brought in for a magic demo. Uses their power to help work on the land fill. Explains how magic can be used in recycling. Advocates for a recycling plant regardless if the means are by magic or machine. Claims that a lot of what the city throws aware says a lot about them. Says they can tell how spoiled of a socity they are by what they throw away…
• Many of the broken items have parts that are good for salvage.
• Knows that with “Mend the Broken” many items are still good.
• Some of the stone can be made into whole pieces for construction.
• The dog and cat poop can be used as fertilizer.
• Magic can whither the plants to make way for crops
• Some of the plastics can be recycled.
• The glass can be recycled indefinitely.
• A lot of the old, out of fashion, wrong size, torn and/or with holes clothing is still usable.

A deal is struck for Lazlo to open a “waste” management building.

Similarly, Lazlo diplomats bring in some special “tools.”
Coordinated with the mayor and department of health these so called techno-wiz devices have begun fumigating a portion of the city as a test. Those residents of the zones report a 100% drop in infestation.

Those who return from their fact finding tour of Lazlo are running their mouths off about the impossible. “You would never believe me. You have to see it to believe it. IF a VR world were real is the closest I can describe it. That’s it, someone smart has to create a VR program for it. Virtual Lazlo.”

The CS:
Three CS planes have landed today. Transporting their equipment they insist on taking over the cremation of the city’s dead. They say they know what they are doing and have been doing it for over a 100 years. Trust us, you don’t want your dead coming back as the pawns of evil forces. These inhuman monsters take the dead and make them into their weapons of war against the living.
Their efficiency at “waste” management is truly something to behold.
From the CS point of view they are not getting paid for this and they are doing the city a huge favor but they are afraid of what could amount to an army of the undead being centrally located near the city. Solving this problem today is politically and militarily smart.

They also brought a supply of synthetic human blood for the people. The city’s supply is exhausted.

The CS has not forgotten about the ‘king.’ Before they can simply eliminate him they need to make him out for the villain he is or make it appear as though magic and/or alien forces killed him while he was a good man. IF they kill him now their experts say he won’t be seen as a bad man but that the CS is led by one. The king’s death must appear to be someone else's fault.

[darthauthor]

Day 27

The King's meeting.

"What are we up to?"
Accountant: "800k for the line troops. 160k for the support. Earnings are down since everything has happened. Losses in resources. We've had to lower our profile, as you order, to keep our income untraceable. Plus, the market is not as enthusiastic as it was before. Can’t sell it for the same price.”
“I promised the troops a million a piece. We are staying until we get that. Intelligence?”
Intel Officer, “The city’s got guns. Their psychics have a little experience. The Cyber-Knight is too busy to notice anything that isn’t a vampire or their victims. The mayor is trying to make deals but nobody sees eye to eye with her. She wants to be democratic and make everyone happy and let them have time to have their say and make a place for everyone. That’s why she is making room for NG, Naruni, the CS, and Lazlo. The only one that is playing nice is Lazlo.”
“What about the NG plane crash?”
“Could have been anybody. Naruni is the obvious choice. Revenge. Someone in the CS might not like the city getting weapons. Nemus wouldn’t need the CS then and the CS wants to be needed. A CS grunt thinks it was the Naruni or us. Can’t get anything on Naruni. There tech or whatever makes it hard to spy on. The rest of them are spying on each other. Odds are Naruni did it or knows who did it. If it wasn’t them and they prove who did it would reveal their espionage and ability to spy. They are new to their office though and an infiltrator might be able to get in and find something.”
“The score is what we are here for, not that. Unless we are doing business with them, what Naruni does is none of our business.
The intel officer begins to describe the military strength of the city’s factions.
• The mayor still doesn’t have a REAL army. What people she has are still at least 2 months away from passing the equivalent of boot camp.
• Law enforcement knows they would not stand a chance against us. Besides, we have fought alongside them too many times for them to try and force us out.
• Lazlo is not about fighting wars, except when it comes to the Xiticix and their own defense. Their schooling the people about the times we live in. Aiding the city in little ways. The people are uncomfortable. Lazlo makes them more comfortable.”
The king says, “Comforts a trap. Makes people complacent and dependent. Skip to the CS.”
• “CS is going to be a problem. They are actively trying to find ways to eliminate or exile us. Under bad conditions they are going to attack us after we leave. Under the best we leave without incident. Theirs is an image problem. They don’t want to start a war over the city if it burns it all down. They don’t want to appear to kill us if in the eyes of the people they look worse then we do. The CS is going to keep bringing in power armor and troops. Most likely they are going to stage an attack on us and call it self defense. Make something up about us or expose one of your income streams (slavery)...”
The king replies, “I have an idea.”

The CS:
• Busy building a wall around their block
• Their embassy is constantly under their own surveillance and security checks.
• Setting up an inspection point: People walk through a line beginning with a mirror. Next psychic aura read. Then optics scans: infra-red, ultraviolet, etc. In and out in 15 seconds; two thousand people a day can be processed in an eight hour shift; so long as there are no surprises (vampire, human possessed, shapeshifter, etc.). Even though no one is forced to participate in the test the mayor has written a policy that all civil servants must for safety or resign their position.
• The mayor and her staff were the first to walk through, followed by law enforcement, fire fighters, etc.

Lazlo:
• Lazlo’s fumigation solution worked and they are asked to fumigate the rest of the city for the good of the people.
• Rogue Scholars and scientists come in to interview the people and examine the city and its technology.
• They begin construction on a recycle center and teleport back to Lazlo items that were discarded.
• Some REALLY shading look people in black clothes giving off bad vibes discretely do something that accelerates the decay of organic city’s organic waste.
• They warn that if the city dumps the “wrong” kind of waste it will ruin the surrounding soil and poison neighboring soil. This causes the mayor to halt the project.
• Earth Warlocks and Stone Wizards assist with building a stone wall around the city.

[darthauthor]

Day 28

Note: While the Cyber-Knight was away fighting vampires. The king took advantage of their absence to collect the surviving mercenaries who were a part of the attack on the city. He told law enforcement that the city will not bare the burden of feeding and providing medical attention for these losers. He is sending them to a prison camp in Minnesota. There they will spend their days fighting bug monsters.
In truth, those in charge of their “custody” were relieved to have them off their plate. The mayor found out after the fact. She was relieved too and thought of it as a win. For her it was one less thing to have to decide and if it went wrong she would blame it all on the king.

What really happened to them?
The king wanted to sell them as slaves. He has had to stop the live abroad program and jobs program hover transporting men out. These rival mercs, however, are a different story. Nobody of enough importance is going to give him any grief about selling these guys into slavery if he claims it is putting whisky in their glass.

Then a couple of new ideas occurred to him:
One he’s hiring.
Two, even the support personnel need more hands and zombie labor has to start with raw materials from someone. So when there is a full moon and all the other conditions are met the king's spell caster can kill one of these prisoners of war and turn him into a zombie. When we are done with them we can take them with us or destroy them.

As a merc company commander, the king sees no profit in just killing them. He wants a reputation for taking prisoners. Less fighting, less risk, more profit. What he does with those in his custody depends on the circumstances and his mood. Those who run away without firing a shot typically he lets go. Those who surrender without injuring his men or damaging his equipment he lets go too. Those taken prisoner whose actions resulted in his men getting maimed are sometimes tortured in front of or by those injured by them. Those who killed, the well liked amongst his troops, are executed in a variety of creative and slow ways.
The message their commander puts out is, if ever anyone hurts you, we will hurt them back. IF you are killed in action, you will be avenged and your killer will die a worse death than yours.
Depending on the merc contract these murders are lied about as killed in action. The king/commander is not a nice man but he is feared and respected by his men.
So he has his men eyeball anyone who reminds them of anybody they need to settle a score with. After that he has his “human resource” person appraise their “market value” and IF they could be a use to the company.

After the "human resource" appraiser of goods has divided the prisoner mercs up, those not sent into slavery are given a choice. Fight each other, one on one, to the death, or slavery.

While the king’s people watch and wager, the squad leaders decide if they take one and argue for the one they want. No more than one new guy (the prisoner of war merc who fight and killed a merc from his former platoon) per squad. None of these newly recruitd prisoner of war merc are allowed to work together. The squad leader in charge of them has the total freedom to kill them and may put them to use however they see fit.

Typically they are made to walk point in combat missions to take the first shot if there's a sniper. If they are too afraid the sergeant can reassign them to support staff. IF they show themselves to be untrustworthy they are killed. IF they show incompetence they are beaten (sometimes it's an agony spell) for every failure until they learn or die.

Then everyone's phone sounds an alert about an attack that just occurred in the city.

Video shows the rogue scholars and rogue scientists from Lazlo and those besides them being taken out by sniper fire. All of the people from Lazlo and rushed into protective custody.

Quick math and playback of the city’s video surveillance reveals the sniper's firing position.
Law enforcement's attempt to apprehend the assassin led to a chase and shoot out. The shooter's body is burned in a fire.
Forensics determines the shooter was a human male and NOT a citizen of the city. Whoever they were, they came from the time of Rifts Earth and outside the city.
CSI reveals the equipment and weapons are of the CS manufacture. Serial numbers and such were destroyed.

When the CS representative was asked for comment he replied, “We have video surveillance of ALL of our people and can account for their whereabouts before and during the attack. As for the weapon and equipment the CS has had thefts of these things. Whoever used them wanted a reliable firearm and maybe wanted to distract others into believing a lie that the CS had something to do with this. I don’t know who did this but clearly these people are NOT safe here and need to go back to wherever they came from. They are endangering their lives and the lives of anyone who associates with them. As for security, if the city joins the CS I can guarantee it. Until you do, things like this are going to keep happening.”

Lazlo:
A moment of silence, please, for those who have died.
There has been terrible losses today; both our people have met with an untimely end. We did not come to your wonderous city as warriors. We came here to learn from each other, to aid and to trade. As diplomats we did not come with weapons. We don’t know if it was the CS who attacked us. We do know they hate us and want us dead. We do know we cannot guarantee anyones safety and we will not be responsible for more deaths of good people just for being near us. We have faith that thorough investigations will find the truth of these murders. Until then we will leave for everyone's safety.

The mayor
We implore you not to leave but I understand that you must do what you feel is right. We must calmly discuss the matter and seek to find a morally responsible solution that is respectful and just for all.

The King:
The CS did it. Lazlo should not leave. They are good for the city. The CS should leave. They have to go. My army can and will defend the people of Lazlo if they choose to stay. Regardless, the CS must, in the next four hours, declare they are leaving and then be gone within the next 24 (or else)...

[darthauthor]

Day 29

The king and his imposters gave a number of spontaneous public speeches to the people. Churches, schools, his food banks, law enforcement, etc. were all places he appeared with his bodyguards, gave his speech with the most charismatic of presences and disappeared.

Since yesterday the city has overwhelmingly opinion polled for Lazlo to stay (91%) and the CS to go (67%).

The CS embassy made no statement after the 4 hour time demand. They did assume a defensive military position.

The king asks the people of Nemus to protest the presence of the CS in our city. He says that he cannot tolerate the murder of our guests by other guests and he really won’t stand for our people being killed as collateral damage in war by the CS against the people of Lazlo.
IF the people of the city are against what the CS did they must demand that the CS leave or be arrested and exiled by force. That the people have a choice, if they would rather be ruled over by the CS then he will leave peacefully and take his food and drink with him.
At high noon the king had his forces surround the city block the CS is on.
His forces, combined with the reserves that arrived today outnumber the official CS count by nearly 3 to 1.

The CS commander says he does not recognize the leader of a mercenary army as having any authority. That if the merc did not back down the CS would destroy him and his army. If not today then in the not too distant future he and anyone who was foolish enough to follow him would be marked for death until the day they died.

The crowd of civilian protesters, holding up signs demanding justice for those who died, and the CS is BS, Lazlo is great, makes the situation much more complicated in the potential for people to get hurt.

The mayor soon shows up and the city’s head of law enforcement and the Cyber-Knight. The CS commander steps out from their embassy building to join them.

The mayor insists the crowd of her fellow citizens disperse to prevent the situation from escalating. Also, that an investigation is ongoing but that video records both from the city’s surveillance and those provided by the CS embassy show that all of the people who arrived from the CS were nowhere near the crime scene.

The king replies, “What about the CS people who were already here before their planes landed?” Pausing. “You didn’t think they ALL just came off the plane? Did you? The CS sent their people to investigate the city. Black ops people who disguised themselves as one of your city’s citizens. They have been trying to assassinate me for days now. I knew the risks of helping the city and I took my chances. I never imagined that they would kill innocent bystanders.

The mayor insists that violence will do no good. Now is the time for calm diplomacy.
When the king asks what the Cyber-Knight stands for they reply, “Freedom, Justice, Life… And right here, right now, a lot of people are going to die IF your two start fighting.”

The king replies that he will not wait around for more people to be murdered by these fascist racist nazis so he is leaving. IF they won’t push the CS out then he is leaving.

The king’s army rolls out taking his army’s supplies and equipment with him.

The CS commander is dumbfounded by the turn of events. He was prepared to defend his embassy to the last man. Instead the merc army that outnumbered him left without firing a shot.

The mayor exhales a huge sigh of relief. She looks 10 years younger and would celebrate with a drink if not for two things. They have no booze without the king’s supply and they are basically out food. The algae won’t be ready for another two weeks. Lazlo might have been able to help with their magic but they are leaving. Opinion polls on the mayor are so low the citizens are calling for a vote of “no confidence” and asking for her resignation.

The Cyber-Knight had informed the mayor that part of their time hunting vampires was a deception. They used the time, with law enforcement, to help put a signal blocker in place at the power plant. No remote detonation is possible. Says that most of the credit should go to the city’s Ai (with Archie’s help) that appears to have come up with the remarkable idea after the Cyber-Knight asked how the city’s power source could be safely secured without damaging it or alerting the king’s men. Although the Cyber-Knight admits they still don’t understand the whole fusion process with deuterium and tritium and all that. It just seems incredible that in Deuterium found in water, the city has a harmless, and virtually limitless supply of electrical power.

Lazlo is gone.

The king is gone and his food supply lines with him. Psi-stalkers too.

Rationing is back.

The infestation is expected to return in a week.
The garbage and waste problem is critical.

The CS puts their Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers to work immediately.
Everything about the way they talk and move implies the CS owns the town.
They proclaim several new mandates:
• A nightly curfew is in effect immediately.
• All the people of the city will be screened and tested. Vaccines are mandatory. A security and identity chip will be inserted under the skin. Submission to this process is compulsory.
• Everyone in the city will surrender anything that Lazlo gave or traded them. Also any art, books, cybernetics, technology, weapons (especially Naruni).
• The CS launches a surprise and lightning fast attack on the Naruni sales building. No survivors. The whole building was destroyed. Eleven died as collateral damage.
• The city’s library will be deleted. “We don’t live in the past or some fantasy world" and "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
• Two years of civil service is required of all citizens of a certain age.
• Re-education will be required of all citizens.
• Many people will be relocated to farm land settlements where they will work for their food.
• Those with psychic abilities will be conscripted into the CS program for psychic development.
• The CS circulates the rumor that the man who wanted to be called a king sold a lot of the city’s people into slavery and that because of that they will never be seen again.

[taalismn]

...and that pretty much kills a big hunk of the Golden Age when they delete the library, unless the citizenry loot the place first and hide materials and copy files.
Good ol' CS; got the tyranny tactics down pat.

[darthauthor]

Day 30

Social Media is filled with outrage and depression.

With a crowd videoing:
The CS commander thanks the Cyber-Knight for their service against the inhuman monsters and politely asks them to swear their allegiance to the CS and they will be offered amnesty. Failure to submit will mean you have chosen to be an enemy of the state.

The Cyber-Knight replies, “I have already sworn an oath of allegiance to the Order of the Cyber-Knights and to our code. We serve a cause NOT any one government or military commander.”
“That’s a shame. I regret that I must arrest you for crimes BOTH here and against the CS.”
“What crimes? What law am I accused of breaking?”
“You are sick. We know about the mind control. The scheme those liars from Lazlo have been pulling on you and the whole city. The fake fight you were made to stage with that invading merc army. You really have to learn how to act if you're going to convince anyone that those mercs didn’t choreograph that fight with you. Besides, we know all about your association with the Demon callers from Lazlo who summoned those vampires to attack this city. All part of their EVIL plan to make you and them look like heroes to get the people to trust and follow you. Every evil spirit who possessed anyone in this city was because of them. Every curse and monster Lazlo and their Federation of Magic friends arranged. Every death at the fangs of those vampires you started killing, those spell casting freak loving demon worshiping cult of theirs are responsible for. Oh, I understand it's not really your fault since you were mind control like those vampire mind slaves. Don’t worry, when we are done with you, you will be sane again. Now will you come along lawfully or will we have to defend ourselves?”

With that the Cyber-Knight ducks as the energy weapon fire from the many snipers hidden positions. From out of nowhere the Cyber-Knight drops a flash grenade in one hand and a smoke grenade in the other while disappearing like a blur. The last anyone sees of them are the various video recordings of them flying away with their apprentice as the two skycycles off into the distance. Watching it brings a wave of despair that washes over the city’s people.

The CS conference call.
“What matters is what they can do for us.”
“We put the able bodied in the military. Service will chew up the weak and strengthen the strong. We will be rid of the dead weight.”
“And those NOT fit for military service?”
“Can starve or work until they do. They are no good to us if they can’t pull their own weight.”
“We will cherry pick the one percent who are doctors, engineers, and such.”
“What about the Ai?”
“What about it?”
“It is smarter than anything we have.”
“So is my calculator at Math. You don’t see me destroying it. Look we will wire the thing with explosives to blow if it starts asking the wrong questions or not following orders to our liking. Until then we use it for our desires and what it is good for.”
“What is it good for?”
“Our scientists and engineers will tell us that in a report. What matters is that ‘it’ does what it is told.”

The people began asking questions the rumors:
Was the Cyber-Knight acting?
Was the king in on it?
IF he was the bad guy why did he leave without firing a shot?
Was the mayor in on it?
Why have the people who visited Lazlo disappeared?
That one person who mind bonded, they disappeared too. Must have been brainwashed or something.

The CS insist the videos we were shown by Lazlo were forgeries and that the real Lazlo is a place where humans are brainwashed slaves and submissive sycophants who worship their supernatural overlords. They survive by begging for the power and protection of evil inhuman beings that wish to rule our world. The CS says the only SAFE world is a human world.
The only life in which a human is free is one in which there are no inhuman forces at work.

• IF the king sold our people into slavery how do the CS know this?
• If the CS believed this, then why are we just hearing about it now?
• And if the CS are the good guys then when didn’t they rescue the people?
• Why was killing the people who work for Naruni necessary? They were human beings. Their products were great.
• People are still afraid, why is it necessary for us to surrender our guns?
• The king didn’t take away our guns.
• Now we have to open our doors to inspectors and let them take whatever they want.
• IF they are moving us out to farms, I doubt we will let us take all our stuff with us.
• What about the food production programs the mayor was working on? Algae? Mushrooms? The hydroponics?
• The CS expects us to work for our food but haven’t our people already done the work? Who's going to eat our hydroponically grown veggies? What about the land project? Deforestation to grow crops?
• Why aren't we farming here instead of being moved away from our homes?

That was the last post before the CS shut down the city’s internet. People went into a stupor staring at their blank screens wondering what comes next.

[darthauthor]

Day 38

For the last week CS has been the only internet broadcasts in town. CS propaganda has been the only news. CS shows and CS approved historical documentaries have been the only thing accessible. Testimonials of the people of Nemus thanking the proud CS people fighting the evils attacking the city’s people.

The mayor and a CS commander on the pre-edited news.

Commander Amherst: “Thanks to the courageous men and women of the CS the Evil forces that have plagued this city are being destroyed. This ongoing war, although never ending, is a process the CS can and will repeatedly win. We are saving lives every day. Once we build a wall over the city, attacks against humanity within those walls will be kept outside.”

Mayor: “My greatest concern, commander, is the famine. Except for the children, most people haven’t eaten in a week.”

Commander: “Which is why we have been relocating people to farms."

Mayor: “The city, our city, has been working on algae as a food supply which will be ready to harvest in two to five days. I don’t see any need to relocate our people to farms.”

Commander: “You are still ignorant of this world and its shortages. Famine is not a new but common problem of the world you live in now. The extra food is necessary to ensure there will be enough.”

Mayor: “There was enough before the CS came to Nemus.”

Commander: “I’m going to have to stop you there. Man was meant to farm our Earth and shepherd its animals. This is our kingdom. Don’t accept what evil offers you no matter how sweet or easy it seems. The price is always the suffering of your fellow man, death and an eternity of hell. That corrupt man who called himself a king was a delusional criminal that tried to buy your souls with crumbs of food. He tried to conceal his identity, that's the sort of thing people do to avoid accountability for their deeds. Turns out he’s got a lot of criminal associates. Wanted as the suspect for a lot of crimes.”

The mayor: “Then why didn’t you arrest him?”

The commander: “Those were not my orders. Besides, I didn’t know who he was. I had no warrant for his arrest. This city was not yet established as a CS territory and as such CS law and our extradition treaties don’t apply. In the given situation that man made the only sensible choice when confronted by a superior CS military force. He ran away. The CS, being the morally superior nation that it is, allows human beings to retreat. I would have destroyed him and his followers if it was not for the city and the thousands of innocent bystanders who would have been killed. The same with the Cyber-Knight. That misguided fool is having their mind controlled. Nothing they said could be trusted not to be a lie whispered in their ear.”

The mayor: “What about the men who left for the king’s promised jobs program?”

The commander: “Most likely dead or enslaved to some evil being or vile man. These are exactly the sort of crimes that anonymous criminals like him commit and for which he must be brought to justice.”

Mayor: “How did you know about the slavery and more importantly why didn’t you tell us about it?”

CS Commander: “CS intelligence didn’t have a lot of time. As soon as we suspected a rescue operation was in the works. If the CS had allowed what we suspected to become public knowledge that scumbag might have killed those he had already enslaved just to get rid of the witnesses and sort of erase his crime. We also had to anticipate how he could kill more people by taking hostages while he was in the city. The man is a monster. He would have used anyone around him as a human shield.

“We have evidence that he secretly slaughtered the city’s homeless and lied about it being vampires. The man’s a mass murderer. You don’t know how lucky you are we came here to save you. He was even going to blow up the city by sabotaging the power plant as a last act of spite and revenge.”

• The people were told they must quarantine for two weeks to ensure viruses are not spread. By then everyone will have to get vaccinated and tested.

• The infestation of vermin and insects has gradually grown worse everyday. The garbage and waste problem would be critical if people had food to throw away. Which they don’t because they are starving.

• It is just as well, since the trash is piling up, except for food, because there is so little. Except for the children under 13 the people are fasting with only water to comfort them for the last week.

• Hot spots of vampires and other monsters still pop up but the crack CS squids are incredibly efficient. No one knows about their numbers or success rates since the CS has classified everything.

• CS imposed censorship.

• The CS claims the nightly curfew is saving hundreds of lives every night.

• The CS takes guns away from private citizens. People’s only alternative is exile. 99.9% choose to surrender their weapon. They are more afraid of the unknown. Most, given the choice between facing the unknown but being free and the known and a belief that they will be safe chose safety.

• The screening of people goes all the daylight hours. A thousand people a day are run through the CS gauntlet of tests. They claim to have discovered dozens of possessed and cursed people and shape changing demons.

• The door to door inspectors have only scratched the surface of confiscating what they deem to be contraband in the city.

• The CS declares that Northern Gun can no longer sell weapons in the city. Any debts to Northern Gun for unfilled contracts are null and void. They were with the old government Nemus is in the CS now. The new government is the CS and the CS doesn’t owe Northern Gun anything. Any unpaid NG weapons the NG collection people can reclaim. Any that have been paid for are confiscated by the CS.

• The CS psychic conscription program has had Dog Boys lead recruiters throughout the city. They “escorted” psychics to their registration camps and coded them into their system. Then scheduled for CS psychic training camp.

Some of these psychics are only teenagers whose families are greatly object to their sons and daughters being turned into weapons in the CS’s war against inhuman monsters.

The people of Nemus:

Those with hacking skills have been able to communicate online.

People have spoken more to their neighbors in the last week than in the last year.

Beliefs are divided about the CS. A man came to the city calling himself their king. Now they are told Prosek is their emperor. People are asking what the difference is?

The king let them have guns, kept more freedom, didn’t come into their homes and they didn’t conscript our kids.

• The mayor has supporters (seniors and idealists).

• The CS has supporters (mostly victims of supernatural attacks and those closest to them, weakling followers who side with whomever appears the strongest or hop on the bandwagon everyone else is jumping on).

• The king who left has supporters (gun enthusiasts, drinkers, the hungriest, and fans of juicer football).

• People hide and smuggle guns between each other.

• Psychics have been having premonitions of a battle involving a dangerous human and mechanical threat. There are psychic echoes like a kaleidoscope of possible different factions (Naruni Enterprises, Northern Gun, Wilk’s, Triax, the CS, Free Quebec, and Iron Heart) involvement.

• Some hackers post videos of the king returning some of the men who were offered jobs. The men say the king had given them jobs. He returned them to the edge of the city and paid them in food and energy weapons. These men are not lying. The king really did give a third to half the men jobs fishing, preparing land for farming, and working on irrigation. He fed them every day they worked and again when he returned them. The king's men said that the city has been taken over by the CS. He could either destroy the CS but it would mean destroying the city and it's people along with them so he chose to leave. They workers never asked about the other men. They don't know where they are but were told that they were sent to work in another area. Those who can find a picture of one of these missing men and uses "Remote Viewing" will see them in a labor camp or out in the woods

• Rumors circulate from people who returned from the forest, rescued by the Cyber-Knight. The knight has been killing vampires and freeing their victims and mind slaves. They say the Cyber-Knight said they would build a network of safehouses and secret routes to transport people (especially psychic teenagers and their parents) safely to Lazlo or a free kingdom along the way. To stay or go must be each persons (or parent’s if a child) choice and the trip will have dangers but they will be guided.

Mayor of Nemus:

She’s not a genius when it comes to tech but someone who has been with the “right” people from the beginning and proven herself as trustworthy and above corruption as her political rivals fell by the wayside. In Nemus, for mayor she was the last one standing.

IQ 16, M.E. 17, M.A. 19, P.S. 11, P.P. 12, P.E. 14, P.B. 16, Spd 14

SDC: 25; Hit Points: 34

Alignment: Principled

Age: 80 (looks 50; from the era before the Rifts); Height: 5ft 6” Weight: 140lbs.

Mother of two

Administrator O.C.C. Level 6

Skills: American History 80%, Anthropology 75%, Math: Adv 84%, Math: Basic 98%, Business and Finance 70%, Computer Operation: 85%, Grooming (Pro) 85%, Intelligence (politics; 62%), Language: English & Spanish 98%, Law 75%, Literacy English & Spanish 98%, Lore: Factions (Politics of the city): 65%, Meditation 65%, Netwise 65%, Performance 80%, Pilot: Automobile 80%, Public Speaking 70%, Research 75%, Seduction 45%, World History 95%/75%, Writing 60%

Secondary Skills: Aerobic Athletics, Tai Chi, Yoga
Chess 55%, Go 55%, Gambling 55%, (Games of strategy)
Classical Studies 55%, Photography 60%

No Hand to Hand Combat Skill

No Weapon Proficiencies

She came from a SAFE world with bodyguards.

[darthauthor]

Day 40

The battle was a heavy metal slaughter!
From within the city, nearing the area of the CS embassy, the mercenary army Robot Control was taken completely by surprise. Whatever tactics were used against them the CS had the initiative. While the merc army appeared to be attacked from every direction.
Although many of the merc army fought desperately fearing capture by the CS. It was enough for the merc army to kill 20% of the CS forces and injured 7%

Reports confirm 50% of the merc army was killed within minutes.
25 combat troops are taken alive but injured.
40 non-combat support personnel are also prisoners.
The rest fled the city or are hiding in it.

The CS grunts began executing the surviving prisoners in a rather dramatic display of power.

This continues until the commander appears and orders everyone to stop.
He then orders the senior sergeant to make arrests of the executioners.
When the CS grunts protest, “Killing these traitors to humanity is the duty of every loyal CS man. These ‘things’ aren't even human, they use magic, a Dog Boy deserter, use Naruni Enterprises alien tech and they all associate with each other.“

It is overheard that there were CS spies who had infiltrated the mercenary army. They were loyal and resourceful CS agents and allies of the CS (Northern Gun) who had warned us the CS in Nemus that "Robot Control" was coming and sabotaged the merc army. In midst of battle they even shot some in the back. The undercover spies are the reason the CS won this battle so easily and quickly. While CS leadership was operating under field intelligence regulations and orders NOT to reveal the existance or identity of agents who are undercover to the rank and file troops and support personnel. As this could result in the agents discovery and the enemy changing their plans. The agents working for and with the CS had planned to surrender after which they expected to be privately interrogated by CS officers who either knew they were agents or who would respond to their code words.

2 dead spies are Northern Gun (Mind melters, levels 2 and 4)
1 dead spy from Wilk's (Mind melter, level 1)
1 dead spy from Triax (Super-Spy level 7)
3 dead spies CS (Glitter Boy from Free Quebec, a Dog Boy from Chi-Town, a forger from Iron Heart)
Most are psychics to read and manipulate the minds of those around them. Also, to be the only ones with psychic premonitions or run interferrence against the premonitions of others. The psychic spies knew about each other and had enough time to id and protect the other spies. Basically all the pyschic spies knew who the other spies were and over time came rely on each other for their very lives. The bonds were tight.

Hackers temporarily release video recordings of the battle and executions.

The CS declares the city under marshall law.

They say surviving mercs who are hiding in the city are a threat. They must be caught or killed. Anyone aiding them will be considered an enemy of the CS. Anyone in possession of any Naruni Enterprised tech will likewise be considered a threat. They have this one day to turn in anything in their possession under a city wide amnesty program. Likewise, any pieces of CS military armor, equipment, vehicle, or weapons must be turned in. All video and photographs of the merc or the battle must be deleted. Failure to do so is punishable by 5 years in a prison laber camp. Resistance is to is punishable by death.

The CS is puting together hunter killer squads to go after the survivors who went into the forest.

[taalismn]

"We will save this city of the Golden Age of Human Superiority on Earth even if we have to kill everybody and destroy everything in it!"

[darthauthor]

Day 41

A lot has happened since yesterday.

The commander had every able body CS person doing security of one form or another. When the battle was over the CS needed to secure any and all weapons of war of both the CS and Robot Control’s issued Naruni Enterprises hardware. That and hunting for the survivors, searching for what remains of the CS spies and their allies. Likewise, the CS had to defend locations critical to the city. The CS is stretched to the breaking point and has resorted to issuing its people the “stimulants” available in the city. Unless critically wounded, most have been awake for at least three days.

The CS announced that their new military commander will arrived today.

They are concealing the fact that the previous Commander (Col. Amherst) is dead. He has been assassinated. So have the CS grunts who were sequestered for their part in the execution of many of the prisoners (from the merc army Robot Control).

Initial indictations appear that it was an inside job or at least someone familiar with the CS and their methods of operation. That or they got ‘help’ from the inside by someone covering for them. The assassinations were surgical and if the perpetrator(s) wanted to they could have killed more CS personnel. They did not use magical, nor were they supernatural as the resident Dog Boys did not get a ping. At least, none of those on duty reported it.

The unverified and incomplete intelligence report being worked on by Col Amherst suggests that the mercenary army Robot Control came to the city by request. Who asked Robot Control to come here is not know. Theories range from Naruni Enterprises while they had an outlet set up here as well as during or after their murder by the CS. It could also have been by management of Naruni Enterprises outside the city by some miscommunication. Still another guess is that Robot Control was brought to Nemus to take revenge or just to take over. The mayor could have requested their services to destroy the CS presense.

The spies and surviving prisoners of war (through interrogation), who are now dead, would filled in the blanks. The exact number of spies who have infiltered the merc army “Robot Control” has an offical number of 11. Seven of them have been identified and are confirmed dead. In the official reports, the agents had ‘turned’ some of the members of Robot Control. They were promised a pardon and portection in exchange for their cooperation. However, only the spies knew who they were and used code names for them in their reports. The CS commander writing implied he knew things he didn’t include in his paperwork for security reasons. The identity and whereabouts of these spies and their “assests” is unknown or even if they are alive. However, the commander believed if they were alive they went into hiding.

He believed that they believed either the CS would try to kill them or the surviving mercs of Robot Control. Their best bet would be to disappear for now. Then find one of the safehouses or dead drops for information. That or attempt to contact their handler or an old friend in the intelligence community to let each other know what’s what.

Being well trained and experienced spies has made them have broad amoral streak were the ends justifies the means so they don’t have any loyality to any one particular person. They are capable of abondoning, framing, killing, lie to, poisoning, sabotuage, steal from anyone one even each other if it is necessary to fulfill their mission. So long as they do not betray their government they unofficially have the legal licence to do anything as long as they don’t get caught. While on the undercover assignment they have been spending over six months with Robot Control’s people, geting to know them and known by their fake identity, gaining their trust all the while collecting information that they know will ultimately lead to ‘these’ people being murdered or working in a CS labor camp until they die on the job. They do this knowing the is probably another CS spy spying on them to make sure they don’t go native betraying the CS or rogue and abandon the mission. Paranoia is a survival treat to these people.

Amherst fears that these spies, if they perceived that their fellow spies were executed are on purpose that they have been marked for death if they come in and that any attempt to contact them is a trap to assinate them.

Meanwhile the local CS military are a bit mixed up emotionally about things. One in five of their people are dead. Many are injured and are receving medical attention from the local hospital with psychic healing and Golden Age cybernetic replacement parts. The people of Nemus are human but different from the CS grunts from the burbs. Spoil and lazy by comparison. Also, educated, kind, loyal, thoughtful, and starving to the point of extreme weakness and a few deaths by accident and suicide. Those who grew up in the burbs know what it feels like to be really hungry. They recognize that hunger in the people and children of Nemus. Many didn’t have a second thought after the battle. Command had ensured that the grunts were ready (armor, weapons, rehearsal exercise, positioning, etc.).

It was exciting for them really, they were told an invading army was coming and that we were going to destroy them. Orders were to accept any and all offers to surrender and to make such offers to those vulnerable. Also to take prisoners of the wounded or incapacitated. You are free to shot at anyone firing at you or another CS otherwise only engage targets designate by you NCO. After everyone had started blasting the Boys had gotten trigger happy and carried away. Seeing their comrades in arms murdered (Sometimes the NCO who was supposed to direct their fire elsewhere) in the carnage of Robot Controls desperation the Dead Boys were scared. After the battle a few started killing the prisoners ‘because.’ No one stopped the handful of grunts from settling the score for their lost battle buddy or their maiming. Besides, there is nothing worse than a Dog Boy traitor who was trying to kill both humans and their fellow Dog Boys.

Note: Dog Boy moral is LOW! They have been stressed with the pace they have been going fighting the supernatural. They have not been used to the city or this many people with psychic powers. Their senses for the supernatural and psychic abilities regulatory feel something every day and night. They are also kind of sad they did nothing to stop the execution of a deep undercover Dog Boy they assumed was a traitor as they assumed what he was saying was about being undercover was lie. He did not die well. He died screaming in agony. It was slow and painful and with the mark of a deserter and traitor he was burned alive as an example to the other Dog Boys. Everyone could smell it; especially the Dog Boys. When they found out the Dog Boy was really a black ops war hero under deep cover there was a big change in the atmosphere. There air was a lot thicker.

While the new CS commander arrives at the airport an inicident occurs at the CS army compound. Reports are unconfirmed but the story so far is an infantry NCO got into a fight with two Dog Boys. Ones dead the other is injured and in the hospital. Grunt told the Dog Boys psi-stalker NCO it was self defense and that the ‘animals’ should know their place.
“You need to keep your dirty ugly mutts on a leash!”
To the face of the psi-stalker squad leader, just the two of them alone in NCO’s office, whose Dog Boy squad was outside door, who the psi-stalker knew had hear everything.

The NCO is now in the hospital.

The psi-stalker who put him has been arrested. Initial inquires imply the psi-stalker claims it was self-defense and the NCO attacked him. Furthermore, the psi-stalker believed the NCO was under some evil influence and that he had no choice but to subdue him with level of force he used. All of the Dog Boys unanimously agree it happened the way their psi-stalker squad lead they love and would follow through the gates of hell said it did.

The NCO, after waking up from his concussion and questioned by CS military law enforcement claims to have no memory of what happened. Then respectfully requested CS military lawyer before he said anything else.

The city grows more infested every day.

[taalismn]

Ya know, if they can avoid being shot as d-bee-lovin' deviants, any Golden Age furry-fans would do well to be subverting the Dog Boys with luv 'n kindness....
And goths woukld take a shine to psi-stalkers....

[darthauthor]

Day 42

The Meat Wagon

It's the name of an underground food provider. They deal exclusively in wild meats prepared with seasoning and smoked. Taste and texture of beef, except a little sweeter in taste and a little softer in texture. Some say it tastes akin to pork.
Since they opened for business they have been sold out and have been flooded with offers for work and orders.
Manor of payment is typically in goods, services, and credit in the future.

Secret: If the players get involved the business is super small and exclusive. On any given day they are in business they average around 700,000 calories of meat. The average person supposedly eats between 1,500 to 2,000 which with breakage and such comes out to about 400 meals.

Sinker: The meat source behind the business “The Meat Wagon” is mostly human flesh, muscle, and organs. Some of it, in the beginning were rabbits and deer and such. The suppliers of the human meat are vampires. Their price for murder and supplying the fresh corpses is blood fresh from the veins.

How do they get it?
Something like: The hungry are fed first. Then the sales pitch (influence and mind control and they are starving). Price is a blood donation. Close your eyes. Leaves the supplier alive. Psychic healing of the vampire's tooth puncture marks. Then the promise of more food tomorrow if they keep quiet about this transaction. IF you talk the operation shuts down. No more food for anyone. Is that what you want? Everyone to starve?
The CS would get involved but they are in an ALL hands on deck status and don't have the people or Dog Boys to send to every suspicious thing. No person is complaining about the underground food supplier just that they can't get in on it. Most assume they are outsiders bringing meat in or locals who have had a run of luck at hunting. Some dismissive haters who can afford to buy any accuse them of using rat meat or dog meat.
Note: A lot of normal cats and dogs are hunting and catching the vermin.

• The screening of people stopped with the security issues but the system is in place. The mayor requests and is permitted to have law enforcement or public health people operate the system. The CS consider that this is better than a full stop. The people feel better about their own people in normal clothes reassuring them. Trust is not abused. While the mayor demanded that they will only process people voluntarily. The people of the city with psychic powers of “Sense Evil,” and such are ask to volunteer and be rewarded with food rations.

• The door to door inspectors are discovering people are trying to hide their guns and such. They are beating the household who lies about it and they discover. They shout about civil liberties and personal rights. So the CS beat them harder. In truth, the CS does not have the room or man-power to look people up.

• The infestation of the city grows.

• People talking to each other feel united. Many have a shared identity and desire for a life and city that is their own. Many more in fear of the world their city is becoming and what their place will be in it.

• Before people disappeared into the worlds of VR now with the internet down there was no emotional or mental escape. They are awake and surviving a famine.

• The unofficial response to inquires about the men who were supposedly sold into slavery is, “The worst kind of slave is the one who doesn’t know it. Unless 100% of the men are returned overnight they is no proof they are not dead or enslaved.

• The men who returned with food are the heroes of their families. Their fish is fresh. The rest of the food is magic bread (2 slices of which is enough to feed one person for a day) and magic eggs (1 egg = 1 day too). They are used to eating magic food. Each man has 48 eggs and 2 loaves of bread. Also, one used Wilks laser pistol fully charged. The men feel like kings for a day. In an act of defiance the men gave away almost all the food. The neighborhood praises the breadwinner for saving them from starvation.

• They ask the men begging them for jobs that pay in food. They NEED food. They beg for the return of their king and would bow before anyone who can feed or pay them in food. Because they think they are dead. They are going to starve to death.

• Hundreds leave the city every day to hunt, gather, fish, or do whatever they can to eat. In spite of the promises of Algae on the way people are skeptical it will work. What if there is not enough? What if it fails? What if it is drugged or poisoned? People are starving. The CS sees it as a good opportunity to brainwash them with CS propaganda.

• The CS announces, "For a safe and orderly distribution of food, we, the CS, will control who eats the Algae. People will like up daily to be video-recorded and take an oath to the CS for their portion of algae. Mothers with their children first. The rule is you must swear allegiance and drink the Algae on the spot. None shall be saved for later or another. Anyone who does not finish will be thrown out and not served tomorrow.
"With the oath of allegiance those fed will be assigned work details. The recycled materials will be used as building materials for consumer products the city can easily make.
"As the food provisions go on over the days to come people must bring their clothes to be exchanged. Those who benefit from the protection and humanity of the CS must join us. After processing for sizes people will wear a certain CS uniform of sorts. Clothes which signifying your station and that you want to be a part of the CS. Your old clothes will be repurposed along with all those on the shelves of stores and warehouses. Adaptation is the key to survival and progress. Long live the CS!"

• The CS is asking around about them and wants names and addresses. The food they have is magic and as such is evil and must be destroyed. Rewards for those who turn them in. Their weapons are unlawful without a permit. There will be no punishment or fine if they surrender their weapons.

• Inventory of the CS and Robot Controls weapons and gear are not matching up. Stuff is missing so the CS assumes that people in the city have taken possession of the spoils of war. Although the CS can't be certain these things weren't taken by survivors of Robot Control they are considered dangerous or at least sensitive items and a security threat. Standard operating procedure calls for a lock down of the city and a comprehensive search until the unaccounted for are found.
Note: the CS has mostly brought in its own weapons and such. Troops too and the food for them but not to feed a city. The CS hopes to control the people of the city by controlling the distribution of food. Part of their evolving plan is to relocate the number of people to make the city easier to manage. Another is to get them used to the nationalism of the CS.
Those plans include the creation of labor camps, prisons, military training centers, etc.

• Psychics are disappearing. Rumor is they are being shepherded away by the cyberknight.

[darthauthor]

Day 44

CS Commander Crassus Announces that he is the new military liaison between Chi-Town and the city of Nemus. He brushes aside any questions about the old commander Amherst.

Crassus: “Mayor, keep your people in line or I will find someone who can.”
Mayor: “There is much to discuss. In particular, the people never voted to join the CS. The presence of your military and support people here was seen as a humanitarian aid effort. Helping us with our problems with vampires and the supernatural to the benefit of all humankind. We are grateful you are here and understand our needs. Your predecessor, in the name of emergency, gave orders quickly and we complied, at the time. No emergency, however, is an excuse to indefinitely ignore the rights of the people as the constitution of the US Empire guarantees.
Crassus: “You're talking about ancient history. The US Empire died over 300 years ago. Along with that went your rights. Now all you have are the orders I give you. Get with the program or get out of town.”
Mayor: “We built this city. We have been here from the beginning. You, people came here claiming to be our saviors. Then you tell us what we have to do to survive the times we live in. We went along with it in the beginning. We can defend ourselves now. We don't need the CS. The way it works is, we get to vote on whether or not we want to be a part of the CS."
Crassus: It's already been decided. The five city states of the CS have unanimously agreed to secure Nemus for the safety and security of the CS.
Mayor: “I was never included in the meeting nor any representatives of this city. You have no right to control us or decide what our future will be.”
Crassus: That is exactly what the CS will do. The city’s people are dead or slaves without us. The power plant is a bomb that could be weaponized and used against the CS. The remaining tech could likewise be used against the CS, our allies, or just our long term interests. If the CS can’t control it we must destroy it.
Furthermore, many of the people have knowledge that makes them dangerous to the CS way of life and beliefs. Your scholars might turn rogue and use their stories and ideas might be the instigators of civil unrest or worse terrorism.
Your people's knowledge of chemistry could be used to make poisons, acid, drugs, explosives. We cannot allow people with such potentially dangerous knowledge of science to go rogue. Such people must be sequestered and put to use for the good of humankind. The CS has the power and the will to do both.
Any person CS deems to be a threat to the CS is a threat to humanity, regardless of their morality or good intentions, as they could be used by evil beings towards evil ends. As such, these men and women who understand dangerous knowledge will be given the choice to be imprisoned or executed or employed toward the purposes of the CS.”
Mayor: “This is completely illegal and unethical. You can’t get away with this.”
Crassus: “The CS council has decided that until the people of Nemus are properly indoctrinated and made citizens you have no legal standing. You are no different than the Burbs outside of our capital city. As such we can kill any one of you or even all of you and suffer no legal consequence in the CS. Any and all materials and technology that could be used against the CS or our interest must be secured or destroyed. While the people themselves are potential war material. Humans are the food for vampires and can be made into them as the city was and potentially still can be. As such we will not leave vampires the means to feed themselves and make more vampires and slaves. The same is true of a handful of other supernatural predators and beings who prey upon human lives. Killing you is deemed an act of mercy and national security.”
Mayor: “This is outrageous. I must speak with your superiors. ”
Crassus: “I don’t take orders from you. You take them from me.”
Mayor: “And if I refuse?”
Crassus: “You shouldn’t have tested me. You're under arrest.”

• The mayor is behind bars.

• The new CS commander, Crassus, has brought enough troops, skelbots and weapon systems to police the perimeter. Anyone entering or leaving the city without authorization will be shot and their possessions confiscated or destroyed. Anyone resisting arrest and it is the CS persons duty to shoot them and anyone associated with them or interferes with the process of arrest or execution. That includes anyone who takes pictures or audio and video recordings.

• The list of items considered to be contraband that MUST be confiscated now include camera phones. Resistance to surrender such items is punishable with a beating. Further resistance will be met with greater force up to and including death.

• The CS has lost radio contact with their Search and Destroy squads they sent into the surrounding wilderness. They missed their check in times and are not responding. Psychic Remote Viewing Shows the deaths of every CS grunt they view. Causes of death vary between cyborgs (Robot Control), vampires, and Telekinetic Psychics (Teke-Freaks).

• The CS have knowledge and use of the city’s surveillance systems. They have support personnel who have replaced the management of the city’s people who are a part of the system.

• The CS also has access to the city’s files on its residents although not their possessions. Basically they know who lives where, age, work history, profession, some basic facts and medical information, and education.

• People are given notice of what hour of the day, tomorrow, and location they may arrive to be processed to receive their portion of algae. They will be expected to surrender their phones and will be electronically measured and issued their new CS approved outfit.

• Fatigue, hunger, and stress blur the visions of psychics to the point they can only see misery and unrest. People turning on each other. A devouring swarm that both unites people and turns them against their fellow human beings. Hunger. And more hunger. Food and something else.

The neighborhood talk of Nemus.

“It's our algae. Our city made it. Now the CS tells us when and where we get to eat it. Plus we have to swear an oath to them and wear their clothes while surrendering our own to them. I know we are all starving but this wasn’t the way it was with the king. If I had a choice, I’d rather we had the king back. I’m just so tired and hungry I can’t last any longer. I miss the Lazlians or whatever they were. All these CS do is kill anything they don’t like and control anything they do.“

• Rumor buzzes about:

A. The mayor being jailed

B. The disappearance of the old commander

C. The CS troops who leave the city and don’t return

D. The new perimeter outside of the city and warnings that you will be shot coming or going without permission.

E. They say we have a surplus of psychic healers and Docs (body fixers and cyberdocs) so they are going to send them where they are needed (where the CS needs them the most).

F. Those collectors, rich people, old folks, and scholars who kept hardbound books had their libraries taken by the CS. It is not a gun, this feels different, like with them they have taken something from everyone. They say they take them to a furnace burned them. Why did they do that?

[darthauthor]

Day 45

The Feeding Frenzy.

At first light people were allowed, according to their housing section, to leave their homes for their portion of algae.

Through the processing trailers, people are “screened” and expected to change into their new clothes (sizes have dropped a lot). Discarding their old clothes in the process along with their phones.
The line has about as much enthusiasm as a gallows walk made of concentration camp victims. Reality never seemed so harsh as psychologically people are not just losing their clothes and phone but their way of life.
Although the screening process is actually sound and helpful in vetting people one way or another.
The ruffle in the feathers of the CS are those few people in a neighborhood who don’t show up. Suspicion is that they are possessed or a vampire’s slave or are too weak (and/or old) to make the trip.

A lone CS grunt survivor wanders into a CS checkpoint to enter the city. It's bad out there. Attacks from Robot Control survivors, vampires, and when they found the Teke-Freaks and tried to arrest them they twisted bodies breaking bones like we were action figures.
He mumbles of the Dog Boys deserting. Seems the cyber-knight came back with company; a Dog Boy Cyber-Knight. Came across some kids who are psychics being escorted by the CK Dog Boy. Gave a speech that Dog Boys can defend humanity without having to serve the CS. Did some psychic healing on them. Shared some food and a fire with them. Asked them to join them on their journey. They deserted. Told me to say, if any Dog Boy wants they can join him in defending their brothers and sisters. Fight the good fight against demons, monsters, and vampires.

Crassus: “That is impossible. A Dog Boy can’t be a cyber-knight. Private, spreading enemy propaganda is treason. You were fooled by magic or a psychic illusion. A mind trick or hypnotic suggestion. You are delusional or lying. There can’t be a cyber-knight Dog Boy. There never has been and there never will be. Send the SAMAS to that area. Ground troops also sweep up after them. Scorched Earth I want them all dead. Wipe them out. ALL OF THEM. . .”

The official report is that the CS private died of wounds he received while in the line of duty. Corpse was incinerated leaving no forensic evidence of his exact cause of death.

• CS casualties: 80% KIA. 10% MIA. Rest capture/surrendered.

• There are hundreds of people, from the city, still out in the wilderness who were stuck on the outside before the border was closed. They had no permission to leave but at the time they did not need it. Now the CS has no time or people to screen people who have been outside. They must wait indefinitely until the CS has time for them. Standing orders are to kill if they attempt entry. They may be vampire slaves or possessed or such.

• Commander Crassus claims they are 99% certain that 99% of the vampires in the city are destroyed or have been driven out. They are 100% certain that there are vampires in the surrounding forest though. Vampire attacks are no longer public knowledge. The identity of victims and locations of attacks are suppressed.

• New orders. Terminate any unauthorized person requesting entry into the city. Not refused. Not turned away. Fake allowing them entry and executing them when they get up close to make an easy and certain hit shot them. The more people out there the stronger we allow the vampires to become. If anyone tries to leave the city, unauthorized, the same.

• 66 people are killed trying to leave the city.
• 40 people are killed trying to enter the city.

• The CS personnel are cracking up. Having been awake for six days now with stimulants they are beginning to lose it mentally. Poor memory and reaction time.

• Midday and only one person had to be killed for disrupting the food line. His example and news of it served the others well.

• Later in the day word gets out that the CS killed 105 people in their screening process. Claimed that they are possessed or at least infected with some sort of parasite. Shot and burned. A few corpses were taken to the morgue for autopsies. Further research and scientific investigation is required. After hearing of the report Commander Crassus orders it be treated as a virus. Initial intuition suggests that the parasite may be one of insects infesting the city.

• Six of the 10 food distribution banks were attacked.

Three only target the CS soldiers. Leaving the food which the people devour.

Two of the attacks, the surviving CS retreated from while some of the attackers are described to be people of the city armed with energy weapons that had not been turned in. They stole as much of the food as they could get away with and took off. The rest, the local people, scavenged. When CS support arrived people ran. In the confusion 10 civilians were killed

One was completely wiped out the CS and the food.

Total:
46 Civilian casualties; 36 CS casualties.
30 civilian injuries and 30 CS injuries.

• Coinciding with the attacks Hackers strike, deleting public records of files on the people. Also temporarily disabling video of the city's surveillance of the food banks.

• CS have their own database separate from the city and offline. It contains the files they already have on the people they have screened already. Backups also. The plan to screen everyone then it won’t matter. They will know their files are accurate.

• The mayor has “somehow” escaped custody and is considered a wanted felon. Anyone around her will be considered aiding a criminal with punishment to be decided according to the decree of their assistance. Executions are authorized.

• A plane full of learned medical professionals and psychic healers are flown out with their families and meals onboard the flight. They are allowed only one bag and the clothes on their backs.

[darthauthor]

The night of Day 45 and Day 46

CS commander Crassus announces before the sun sets:

“Tomorrow only the four food banks that were not attacked will be open. They will receive double portions. The portions that would have gone to the other food banks before they were attacked. These attacks are an act of terrorism that causes misery and death. For the next 24 hours those six areas will go without electrical power, water, and law enforcement. Be loyal to the CS. Only through order there shall be a reliable supply of food, security, and utilities. The day after tomorrow we shall begin again at sunrise. Be grateful I am so merciful.”

The night was never so dark or long.

Commander Crassus allowed an exception to his edict. Namely, law enforcement, firefighters, medical and trade skills professionals and their families.

The rest he turns his back on but points the guns of his men at.

The people are scared, staving, without electricity and beset with bugs.

Some try to beg the CS soldiers to let them out. They are warned to stay back or they will shoot.
Some try to sneak past the CS line and are shot (96 people).

These CS soldiers hear periods of silence followed by screams. The officers believe the people are turning on each other.

Here is a chance for players with skills in Medical and Science. Biology, Chemistry, Xenology, Forensics, Insect medicine, and pathology
Regardless of the method the discovery is the same:

The scientists of the city (with the assistance from the Ai and a CS scientist) discover that people of the city have been infected by a never before documented insect. It is not from Earth. Humans born in the last 300 years appear to be immune. So only the natives of the city are vulnerable. Five percent of the people of the city are naturally immune. Also, cats, dogs, and other animals cannot be carriers or possessed by insects. The scientists believe this would not be a problem if regular pest control were maintained. Most people regardless of what century they were born in could probably kill it with their immune system and resist its influence half the time. There are just a lot of people and they are weak from hunger which makes them more vulnerable immune system wise.

The effect of these alien insects appears to influence people's behavior. Their only motivation, for now, appears to be to eat. The danger appears to be to the host victim and the chances of spreading to those around them from both the infected and the remaining insects. The infected can spread their infection. The surest way is to perform an organ transfer. Second is a blood transfer. Third is some other type of fluid exchange.

What we don’t know:

1, How fast does it take when these bugs get into a person's body?

2. How to cure the patient?
They are working on ideas. They need a way to kill the bugs without killing the host/patient. Scientists are optimistic that they will eventually figure out a treatment, they just need the time and patients to test on. Through trial and error they know something will work. The easiest way to slow spread, for now, is to fumigate. Outside of the host human body, the bugs can be killed with regular old insect poison. The problem is the city does not have the poison.

Give the players this if they have Astrophysics or advanced communication skills
They could use High Frequency sound. It would work to drive the bugs away playing sound at inaudible ranges like 25 kHz (above hearing range) that should affect the insects. The problem is the commander made the peoples phones illegal.The phones were made with the peoples pets in mind. They were made to be dog whistles of sorts. However, for them to be used as bug repellers the commander would have to give them back.

3. How to easily and quickly test people to detect if they are infected?

The first symptoms appear to be great hunger. Followed by moping about and a kind of almost sleepwalking even though you are not asleep. As well as looking at people like they are food. At a certain stage we can test a person's blood and it will show the chemical signature of bugs. A brain scan or MRI will show the bugs in someone's brain. Once the patient is fully taken over they moan, presumably in pain. When they think they have something to eat they get excited and shout and cry.

4. How many are infected?

Impossible to say. Everyone who has been around these insects could have one inside them. They make their way into a person’s brain. They reproduce at a rate we are not sure of but the effect is that they feed and thrive on the body. While the host victim gets hungrier and hungrier; mostly for meat. Ideally they want to eat a human brain. All the while they get dumber and dumber. Although there is a side effect. Their obsession to eat, nerve blockage makes them unresponsive to pain and the combination of these two along with their reduced intelligence makes them fearless. Amazingly, as the bugs reproduce inside the neocortex part of the host’s brain, they become a kind of hive and respond to each other through the electrochemical signals in the body. They infest the heart, lungs, other organs, and the spine. Although the lizard part of the human brain appears to stay functional they are not likely to use tools, vehicles, and weapons. The chemicals they put out change the host’s body making them stronger (twice as strong) and tougher in some ways. They lose the ability to feel heat or cold or care and physical blows and injuries won’t be felt either. They can run. The only thing that would make them stop is if their spine or skull was broken or they have no legs. Then they would crawl. They can die if their body is destroyed but no limb loss will stop them except if they lose their head or the brain is destroyed.

After receiving the report the CS commander orders containment of the city. Forwards the preliminary report to Chi-Town. He is sent the latest CS contingency plan for a zombie outbreak. Then clears a hotel as a holding space for the lab coats to test on patients and experiment with potential treatments.

So the zombies have been restless last night attacking family members and their neighbors. People have to defend themselves. This is pretty much "Dead Reign" The zombies are contained by the CS perimeter and their willingness to kill. Against energy weapons these zombies are blown away and do NOT reform in two days. They are NOT the zombies of the invocation spell. These Nemus zombies have no AR and are intended to be SDC battles. Double the SDC of the victim or 50 by default. Unlike the Dead Reign rules if these zombies bite you (through flesh not armor) you get a saving throw vs 10. Medical treatment matters.

Note: It is not that other areas of the city don’t have people infected with the bugs its that they are eating (even if it is only algae) and that although dissatisfying postpones the bugs taking over their human host.

In the light of day the CS commander waves the 24 hours of punishment. Reestablishes the food banks. Puts down any zombies that are too far gone (CS personnels discretion; 756 terminations). The CS is losing it themselves, don't be afraid to have these guys lose it.
The people will be given a phone to be used as a repellent to the bugs.

Those sane enough are moved to the hotel set aside for experimental treatment of the infected.

Those who resist are gunned down by the CS. Their bodies are incinerated (336 civilians by the end of day 46).

Is there a treatment?
Yes. And there is more than one.
Options: MD, Holistic medicine, Bio-regeneration. Blood transfusion from someone who has overcome them. The psionic power of Psychic Purification (8).

Note: As minor discoveries Dog Boys can begin to smell the difference in people who are infected. They just need experience in what the infected smell like. So they can be used to tell if someone is infected.

Also, the repellent noise will drive the resident dogs and Dog Boys crazy over time. If the players don’t think of it, earplugs can be used. They can also just keep a 100 to 200 foot distance away from people with phones.

A big difference between conventional Dead Reign and the city of Nemus Rifts Earth situation is how quickly the scientists are able to figure it out and the presence of the CS with their willingness to exterminate. The problem is not an airborne or conventional virus. This problem is contained to the people of Nemus and when they are dead they are dead dead no coming back. This version of zombies are more like the ones from the movie, “28 Days Later.”.

[darthauthor]

Day 48

The zombie problem is not over. The longest night shook up the people. They are assuming rolls that they took up while the CS and law enforcement didn't police them.

• A Messianic Leader emerges promising salvation or the faithful and eternal life for the fallen. No one knows where this cult is going but their charismatic leader is making a big following.

• Suicides are up with some many family and loved ones dying.

• Ghost Walkers are people that are psychologically broken and have become a shadow of their former selves. Reclusive and sometimes in denial of the loss of loved ones and the way of life they once had. They wish it was all a bad dream they could wake up from and to the way things were before.

• A zombie Master, those handful of men and women who think they can enslave and train zombies to intimidate and kill who they point them at.

• Zombie lover, a human who is in love or at least obsessed with zombies either because they think they are beautiful or that they are loved ones and can be saved (which they can be, with the right treatment).

• Psychopathic Killer, killing zombies was their first taste of blood. Now they like it and want more.

• Zombie Deathbringer, human with a mania for killing zombies. Does not want the zombie problem to end. Wants to go on killing zombies.

• Zombie Killing Maniac, there is always someone who is going to love killing zombies so they go out of their way to so it can all end.

• Paranoid, human convinced everyone is out to get them. Loner.

• Paranoid Survivalist: withdrew and sought to save themselves.

• Street Gang Protectors did the most work fighting the zombies in their neighborhood.

Fire fighters, law enforcement, and paramedics are overworked with their best people and psychic healers having been flown out for the needs of the CS.

CS commander Crassus announces:
“The app you downloaded and play will keep the particular bugs away that are a plague to this city. They are not the first alien insects that want to devour humanity but CS will eradicate them. Failure is not an option. The good news I have to report is that the mushroom harvest will be added to the food ration tomorrow.”
He continues,
“As bad as things may seem they would be much, much worse if the CS did not act quickly to stop the spread. We have many treatments to rid our city of this plague. The only reason you are suffering from this plight is that you came here from another time and have not developed the resistance to what’s killing you. Soon our streets and homes will have been sprayed and we will kill the source. At the moment people of the greatest importance will receive a psionic purification to cleanse you of these bugs. I’m told there has also been success in the lab and we will have a vaccine mass produced soon (side effects are not spoken of while the consequence of not taking a shot is insinuated as being death. In truth the vaccine is just on the drawing board).”

To the CS, the people of Nemus are lucky. Their city will not have to be nuked. If, however, that needs to happen they will override the safeties at the power plant and turn it into a wasteland. In the alternative they can burn the city down.

Fortunately every test and scientific measure indicates that it is only the native people Nemus who are susceptible to these bugs.

• One of the discoveries in the study of the zombie problem is a correlation that those with a drug problem don’t get sick. One biologist hypothesis is that one or a combination of drugs might kill or make the parasitic alien bugs dormant. Guesses that the insects, wherever they came from, never encountered hosts with a drug problem. At present there is an official shortage of drugs but social workers claim that out of town dealers (the Black Market) are stuck in town.

The CS planes have brought in the pesticide to kill the bugs. A thorough sweep of the city and its edges is planned and being carried out.

• 260 people experience sickness from the poison.

Hackers are making it so people are able to communicate and share photos and videos. Last night was disastrous and people have a lot of emotions about it.

People coordinate and meet in public to openly protest the CS to get out of their city. Others just want the city to be open again so they can come and go like they did before.

No one is certain who fired first or just looked to the other like they had a weapon and were going to but people were killed. The protestors ran.
• 14 killed
• 60 injuries.
• No CS personnel died.

• The Dog Boy Cyber-Knight appears in the city: He is disguised as a Dog Boy in CS armor and continues his battle against supernatural predators and vampires. Without discovery he helped where he could in the longest/darkest night.
He revealed himself and his purpose to a Dog Boys pack when he rescued them from a vampire attack.
He asks that he be allowed to move about the city without resistance. He says has no intention of hurting the CS or the people. For the sake of trust he asks if one or more will run with him to watch him. Also, he understands if they need to know him better and that he will fill in for them so they can get some sleep. His parents were CS, before they killed them, so he is familiar with their methods.
When asked why he’s doing this he replied, “Sometimes fighting against evil is not a choice, but an imperative.”

• Some fear the CS and cling to them out of fear of their wrath.

• Some believe in the power of the CS and cling to them out of a desire to be protected.

• Some blame the CS for allowing if not causing things to get this way.

• Some feel they should ask the king to come back. That, maybe with his army, he could drive the CS out and things could go back to when they were least bad.

• Some want to move to Lazlo and fantasize that when they get there it will be heaven on Earth.

• Some want the city to be independent, its own nation state. The way they see it the algae and mushrooms are theirs because they grew them in the city using their people and resources. The people of the city can be the city’s militia and defenders. The resident psychics can defend against the supernatural. The CS is more experienced and has greater numbers but we can survive without them.

• Some want the people of Lazlo to return and that if they stayed there would not have been a zombie infestation problem.
None of the city residents are really happy with the way things are and everyone can blame someone as the cause or that the problems they have or had were the result of their leaders neglectance

• Lab assistance and college students begin collecting and identifying insects in the city and request permission to search within one mile of the city. An entomologist believes the insects can be farmed and processed into protein vitamin bars. This would turn the city’s infestation problem into a food source.

“Let’s eat what’s eating us.”

• The CS troops are ordered into sleep rotations. Officers attempt to conceal this by moving the troops around. They don’t want anyone to see the troops tired or sleeping. Some fell asleep on the job and were disciplined.

• With all the deaths there are lots of vacant rooms for the CS to sleep in.

• Some CS grunts and Dog Boys have disappeared and are officially AWAL.

[darthauthor]

Day 49

The city is under martial law.

• Public Assemblies of 10 people or more are forbidden. Termination is authorized.

• The CS do their best to fight hackers and censor and delete online posts and messaging that is bad for the CS. They are learning and experimenting with ways that they can try to use peoples phones to track them and spy on them.

• Food banks still run. Now they are handing out mushrooms.

• Screening banks continue to scan and record people. They are outfitted with their new CS approved clothing. People are wearing the clothes. Lines have become orderly.

• The infected are locked up in the sick block. Those with extreme degrees of being overcome are jailed. The most valuable are cured or treated with what they the CS has (Psi-Purify, Etc.). The rest are lab rats. Those they have not enough security for are euthanized by the CS. Typically, these people are the elderly, those with medical problems without cures, and criminals or deviants.

• Psychics are still rounded up and put into training camps. The Coalition States, has developed an experimental (and some say inhumane) regime of rigorous training designed to shape young reactive psychics into Psi-Nullifiers R.C.C.
The program has a frighteningly high success rate in producing Psi-Nullifiers; approximately 72% of all inductees into the program become Nullifiers. Of the remaining 28%, half are driven insane, while the other half usually become some other type of Master Psionic, typically Bursters, Zappers or Psi-Slayers; 1.5% become Mind Melters.

• The door to door search and destory of contraband continues at its snails pace. CS warns, hiding the anyone who is infected is an act of treason and the punishment is death. A whole family are brought out in front of their neighbors who were threatened with death if they did not come and watch. The family who hid their daughter, who was infected, executed for trying to hide her out of denile and fear she would be killed.

• CS Troops are ordered to sleep four hours per day.

• For the purposes of suppressing the zombie outbreak, ALL laws against possession and use of drugs are suspended.

• The CS announces that in tomorrow's food distribution line people will receive a unit of drugs to be taken before you eat your portion of food. Although this seems extreme, the CS sees it as another way to control the people. Trading one problem for another but they know the city has drug treatment clinics and programs. It's a problem they know how to cure. Zombies are a nuclear bomb in comparison.

• The religious groups both orthodox and radical, speak out against the use of drugs and say that the faithful don’t use drugs.

• The Dog Boy squad with the Cyber-Knight Wyatt perform routine search and destroys sweeps through the city. Wyatt is told it is the standard operation procedure to use Dog Boys (sense supernatural beings) to patrol every dwelling and building for the presence of supernatural evil; specially during the day while hunting vampires. In theory, a town is cleared by Dog Boy sense because the vampires (IF there are any) can fly a 100 miles away as bats or turn to mist, at night. However, the CS can’t drop its guard. Every building, basement, house, and sewer (within range of the Dog Boys psychic senses) must be checked. And vampires are not the only supernatural threat.

• In one of their encounters, the pack comes across some runaways kids. Orphans from the longest night. The squad sees how they open up to Wyatt and trust him easily. He knows how they feel about the loss of their parents and is able to walk them into the light to their neighbors.

• The pack had thought they were slipping and lost their minds. Fatigue, stress, over-work, condescending and absent supervision has led them to procrastinate on telling their superiors over the radio about the Dog Boy Cyber-Knight. He’s charismatic and inspires trust and courage.


Wyatt the Dog Boy Cyber-Knight

Wyatt was born and raised in Texas. The story his parents told him was that they had gone out on a mission. After the mission was a success in that they had wiped out a pack of wild vampires. They were supposed to return but they way they felt about it there were a lot more vampires to kill and the people of the neighboring villages would if they didn’t stay and defend them. So their mission never really ended. They know the CS would consider them as having gone rogue but they felt that they were doing what they were made and that did not end at obeying CS orders.
When he was still young a cyber-knight came to town to rest and resupply. She bought credits but her money was no good here. Cyber-Knights had rescued too many of our villagers to be seen as anything other than the heroes that they are.
We put on a tournament in her honor and unexpectedly Wyatt had won. That was when the cyber-knight asked him if he wanted to become a cyber-knight. I never jumped that high in my life.
Trained in the field, Wyatt has journeyed North to train amongst others would be cyber-knights. After many years of training and practice Sir Wyatt returned to Texas to find his home village was destroyed and his mom and dad had been murdered. Weapons damage reveal energy rifles were used and no bite marks of any vampire attacks. The remains of APC tracks lead to the Lone Star Complex.
His master told him that justice isn’t something to be rushed and that some things, like life and saving and protection of lives, are more important. Wyatt decided to go undercover as a Dog Boy trooper who had been taken by vampires, escaped their camp during the day. Spent the rest of his time lost until he could find his way back.
He found out a CS officer had finished a mission in the area and heard rumor of a village that harbored Dog Boy deserters and their freeborn pups. The place was of no consequence to the CS except that the humans there could potentially be a source of blood for vampires if not converts. That part of the state was rife with vampires and their victims so the blood thirsty LT misted the town.
Wyatt almost broke. He snuck out of camp. Then sent a letter to his master and the Cyber-Knight order of his findings. He was told that they would inform the CS command of the Lt’s war crimes and give them the chance to investigate and give him a trial.
Wyatt’s master then told him he needs to go on a journey to lose and rediscover himself. If he hung on to his hatred and sought revenge he will never stop as it will never be enough.
On his journey, Wyatt traveled through New Mexico, Arizona, and Northern Mexico before spending a few years as a Justice Ranger in the New West. There he learned the Code of the New West and the art of how to gamble, quickdraw, and trickshotting.
Recently he mentored an apprentice Justice Ranger enough that it was time for him to make way and let him go his own way. So over the course of the two weeks of saying goodbyes and giving away his things he got a magic pigeon message from a fellow cyber-knight asking for help. He is in need of an ally who can get into a city controlled by the CS to hunt vampires and shepard out psychic children to safe towns where they won't be used by the CS for war.

Dog Boy Cyber-Knight
Sir Wyatt (Meaning “Brave in war”)
Alignment: Scrupulous
German Shepherd: Loves to help/work with humans; friendly disposition. Extremely loyal.

I.Q.:15, M.E.:16, M.A.:20, P.S.:23, P.P.:21, P.E.:30, P.B.:12, Spd: 30
Endurance Supernatural

Height: Five feet, 10 inches (1.78 m). Weight: 260 lbs.

Special Abilities:
1. Sense Psychic and Magic Energy: 650 feet (198.12 m). (65%) dice every 1,000 feet. When Psi/Magic not in use 75 feet (22.86 m) I.S.P.: None, automatic ability.
2. Recognize Psychic Scent: Range: 75 feet (22.86 m); Duration: Automatic and constant. I.S.P. : None, an automatic ability like our own sense of smell.
3. Sense Supernatural Beings: Range: 600 feet; increase to 1,500 feet to track when magic is in use/being cast. Duration: Constant. I.S.P. : None
4. Psionic Powers: Psi-Sword (0), Psi-Shield (15), Meditation (0), See the Invisible (4), Sense Evil (2), Sense Magic (3), Sixth Sense (2), and Empathy (4)
5. Psionic Bonuses: 10 to save vs psionic attack.
Rec: 2 ISP an hour active, 12 an hour meditation / sleep!
6. Physical Bonuses: Supernatural endurance; can lift and carry 100 times their P.S. attribute number and rarely fatigues (can be active for six hours
without tiring) and is +3 to save vs poison, drugs and disease
7. Superior Sense of Smell:
8. Keen Sense of Hearing:
9. Good Sight: The field of vision 270 degrees; human's 100 degrees.

Hit Points: 53 S.D.C.: 112; I.S.P: 101;

Cyber-Knight O.C.C.Skills:
Language: American, Dragonese at 98%, Native American & Spanish 95%,
Literacy in American 85%
Anthropology 70%, Body Building, Climbing 80/70%, Gymnastics,
Horsemanship: Cyber-Knight 85/65%, Land Navigation 68%, Lore: Demon & Monster *75%, Paramedic 75%, Swimming 85%,

W.P. Ancient Weapons: Archery, Shield, Sword (+4 str/+3par Psi: 4d6 MD)

W.P. Modem Weapons: Energy Pistol & Energy Rifle +3 to strike for BOTH
Hand to Hand: Martial Arts 6th Level

O.C.C. Related:
Two Physical: Boxing & Prowl 60%,

Three W.P.: W.P. Handguns +3, W.P. Shotgun +3, W.P. Whip +3

Detect Ambush 60%, Detect Concealment 55%, Fencing, Field Armourer & Munitions 70% (Basic Mechanics: 55%), Intelligence: 57%, Tracking (Humans) 55% & Undercover Ops 60% (uses to move about CS territory disguised as a CS Dog Boy).

Level 3: Two O.C.C. Related skills towards Demon Slayer Adv Training
Demon Slayer Advanced Training (Gained at 3rd level at the cost of 4 O.C.C. Related Skills from levels 3rd and 6th):
First Aid (+10%) - Redundant CK* O.C.C. starts with Paramedic (+10%)
Lore: Demons and Monsters (+15% on a wider range of knowledge about demons and supernatural beings only, no skill bonus for just "monsters"). Redundant CK*Lore: Demons and Monsters (+20%)
Lore: Magic 50% 4th level (+5% for being a Technical skill & +5% for Anthro).
Whittling: 65% (includes a +20% when it applies to making weapons, stakes, spears, clubs from wood, bone, ice and stone to use against supernatural beings; -10% to make sculptures and works of art 55%).
Recognize Signs and Trademarks of the Demonic (special skill). Base Skill: 79%
Demon Hunter AT Bonuses: + 1 attack per melee facing a supernatural opponent; does not apply to mortals and other types of enemies.

Secondary: Athletics: General, Law (General) 60%, Lore: Americans Indians 55%, Lore: Cattle & Animals 60%, Pilot: Hovercraft (Ground) 75%, Radio: Basic 70%, Read Sensory Equipment 55%, Wilderness Survival 55%.
2nd Level Secondary: Running & Lore: Psychics & Psionics 70%
4th Level Secondary: Gambling: Standard 40% & Lore: D-Bees (of the South-West): 40%

Level 5: Three W.P.: W.P. Quick Draw (+2 initiative), W.P. Trickshotting

Combat:
+10 on Perception Rolls; +15 to recognize the demonic in disguise
+6 to initiative
Hand to Hand: M.A. & Boxing
Number of Attacks: 7 (8 ‘Only’ against supernatural Demon and Monsters; one more with ‘paired’ weapons using left hand for a total of 9 or 8 if NOT supernatural)
+3 to strike, +7 to pull punch, and +4 to disarm.
+5 to Dodge (+8 with P.P.)
+5 to Parry (+8 with P.P.; +10 with Shield; +2 against bullets/blasts);
+7 to roll with impact
+4 to save vs psionic attack and all forms of mind control
+4 to save vs illusions
+4 to save vs possession and curses.
+5 to save vs disease
+11 to save vs poison
+2 to save vs HF

Equipment:
Standard (50 M.D.C.) Dog Pack DPM Riot armor, non-environmental helmet with visor, PDD pocket audio recorder, pocket laser distancer, flashlight, pocket mirror, 100 feet (30.5 m) of lightweight rope, four wooden spikes, infrared distancing binoculars, portable language translator, survival knife, a Vibro-Claws, Neuro-Mace, C- 18 laser pistol, a choice of a C-12 laser assault rifle, with telescopic sight and night vision scope, four additional E-Clips for the weapon, plus knapsack, backpack, utility belt, air filter, gas mask, and canteen.