The Gangs of the City
Various criminal organizations conduct business in the City, either in tenuous alliance, or direct and often violent competition. They are often funded by, and in turn support, Corporations. Some street gangs are occasionally utilized to do the dirty work for criminal organizations, though others are considered too dangerous and unpredictable. The Razor gang is a perfect example of a group too dangerous to work with, as they're known for trails of destruction left behind in the wake of their initiations.
The near constant presence of casualties (either from gang violence or contract work through Corporations) has given rise to enterprising groups that specialize in the retrieval and resale of cybernetics from dead bodies. These so-called scavenger gangs typically make a point of avoiding trouble, keeping out of the way of other gangs, and avoiding any sort of involvement with Corporations or criminal organizations. Their presence is usually permitted through various territories, due to their occasional usefulness in technological repair, and the understanding that they're just after the tech. Even so, one scavenger gang's rivalry with another can lead to just as violent an encounter as any other clash between gangs.
The City is also home to a branch of the Crusaders, a unique organization simply for the fact that they cross the line from 'gang' into 'cult.' Though there are variations in intensity across the country, all Crusaders share the same rejection of cybernetics. Their belief that cybernetics are inherently damaging, if not evil, is often couched in pseudo-religious terms, even though the Crusaders are not associated with any one religion. Judeo-Christian imagery is often used (people who embrace cybernetics are called demons,) though there is no requirement that a Crusader be religious, only that they consider cybernetics to be damaging to society and humanity as a whole.
A Note on Drifters:
It is a mistake to equate a Drifter clan with a gang. Drifter clans are usually nomadic familial units, more interested in survival than anything else. Some clans started with an intentional desire to live away from the regulations of the cities, while others were formed out of necessity by families displaced by financial or environmental factors.
A Guide to Commonly Encountered Illegal Drugs
Blue: Named for its color, Blue is a liquid form of synthetically produced cocaine. The drug is typically injected intravenously, and increases alertness, feelings of well-being and euphoria, energy and motor activity, and feelings of competence and sexuality. Effects begin within seconds, peaking after a few minutes, with the euphoria passing quickly. Physical symptoms may include a fast heart rate, sweating, and large pupils. Though often used as a recreational drug, Blue users can easily become addicted with regular use. Withdrawal symptoms can include paranoia, depression, exhaustion, anxiety, itching, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, drug cravings, formication (a crawling sensation on the skin) and similar symptoms to schizophrenia patients. These symptoms can last for weeks or, in some cases, months. Even after most withdrawal symptoms dissipate most users feel the need to continue using the drug; this feeling can last for years and may peak during times of stress.
Flash: An odorless, clear hallucinogen, typically ingested. Effects include altered awareness of the surroundings, perceptions, and feelings, as well as sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety, paranoia, and delusions are possible. Effects vary greatly between users; if the user is in a hostile or otherwise unsettling environment, or is not mentally prepared for the powerful distortions in perception and thought that the drug causes, effects are more likely to be unpleasant. Physical effects include a metallic taste in the mouth, pupil dilation, reduced appetite, wakefulness, increased heart rate, perspiration, tremors, and many others. Flash is not addictive, however the user's body can develop a tolerance for it, leading to larger doses necessary to achieve desired effects. Regular users can also experience 'flashbacks,' experiencing reality as if they were on the drug without taking any, without warning.
Blood: A deep-red colored drug that is generally ingested. It takes anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour to feel the effects. Some addicts, in order to feel an immediate rush, inject it instead. Addicts are called 'vampires' because of the development of anorexia, insomnia, and pallor; essentially, they look dead. Add the common effects of the drug (increased libido/need for sex, alertness, boosted self-confidence and sociability/irritability, aggression and feeling invincible) and they're very similar to vampires of pulp fiction. Addiction can lead to repetitive obsessive behavior, paranoia, convulsions, heart attack and death. Immediate physical side effects are restlessness, dilated pupils and dry mouth. Withdrawal symptoms include excessive sleeping, increased appetite, depression, anxiety, and drug-cravings.
Liquid Sunshine: The golden colored drug is widely known to have been created by R.X. Corporation to increase profits in drug treatment. It has a reputation for being deadly due to the ease with which users overdose. Despite this, there is still a small trade in Liquid Sunshine in the City, with users being drawn to the dangers of the drug, the knowledge of the risk making the payoff of the high that much more enjoyable. In general, users feel the effects of Sunshine in less than half an hour, depending on the dosage. The effects can last for hours. These effects include an intense euphoria, increased sociability, increased empathy, and enhanced perception. There is a 'crash' period after the effects wear off, as the user readjusts to the comparatively depressing psychological state of normality. How long the crash lasts depends on the user, the frequency of Sunshine use, and the dose, but insomnia, lethargy, anxiety, and depression can last anywhere from days to weeks.
Various criminal organizations conduct business in the City, either in tenuous alliance, or direct and often violent competition. They are often funded by, and in turn support, Corporations. Some street gangs are occasionally utilized to do the dirty work for criminal organizations, though others are considered too dangerous and unpredictable. The Razor gang is a perfect example of a group too dangerous to work with, as they're known for trails of destruction left behind in the wake of their initiations.
The near constant presence of casualties (either from gang violence or contract work through Corporations) has given rise to enterprising groups that specialize in the retrieval and resale of cybernetics from dead bodies. These so-called scavenger gangs typically make a point of avoiding trouble, keeping out of the way of other gangs, and avoiding any sort of involvement with Corporations or criminal organizations. Their presence is usually permitted through various territories, due to their occasional usefulness in technological repair, and the understanding that they're just after the tech. Even so, one scavenger gang's rivalry with another can lead to just as violent an encounter as any other clash between gangs.
The City is also home to a branch of the Crusaders, a unique organization simply for the fact that they cross the line from 'gang' into 'cult.' Though there are variations in intensity across the country, all Crusaders share the same rejection of cybernetics. Their belief that cybernetics are inherently damaging, if not evil, is often couched in pseudo-religious terms, even though the Crusaders are not associated with any one religion. Judeo-Christian imagery is often used (people who embrace cybernetics are called demons,) though there is no requirement that a Crusader be religious, only that they consider cybernetics to be damaging to society and humanity as a whole.
A Note on Drifters:
It is a mistake to equate a Drifter clan with a gang. Drifter clans are usually nomadic familial units, more interested in survival than anything else. Some clans started with an intentional desire to live away from the regulations of the cities, while others were formed out of necessity by families displaced by financial or environmental factors.
A Guide to Commonly Encountered Illegal Drugs
Blue: Named for its color, Blue is a liquid form of synthetically produced cocaine. The drug is typically injected intravenously, and increases alertness, feelings of well-being and euphoria, energy and motor activity, and feelings of competence and sexuality. Effects begin within seconds, peaking after a few minutes, with the euphoria passing quickly. Physical symptoms may include a fast heart rate, sweating, and large pupils. Though often used as a recreational drug, Blue users can easily become addicted with regular use. Withdrawal symptoms can include paranoia, depression, exhaustion, anxiety, itching, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, drug cravings, formication (a crawling sensation on the skin) and similar symptoms to schizophrenia patients. These symptoms can last for weeks or, in some cases, months. Even after most withdrawal symptoms dissipate most users feel the need to continue using the drug; this feeling can last for years and may peak during times of stress.
Flash: An odorless, clear hallucinogen, typically ingested. Effects include altered awareness of the surroundings, perceptions, and feelings, as well as sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety, paranoia, and delusions are possible. Effects vary greatly between users; if the user is in a hostile or otherwise unsettling environment, or is not mentally prepared for the powerful distortions in perception and thought that the drug causes, effects are more likely to be unpleasant. Physical effects include a metallic taste in the mouth, pupil dilation, reduced appetite, wakefulness, increased heart rate, perspiration, tremors, and many others. Flash is not addictive, however the user's body can develop a tolerance for it, leading to larger doses necessary to achieve desired effects. Regular users can also experience 'flashbacks,' experiencing reality as if they were on the drug without taking any, without warning.
Blood: A deep-red colored drug that is generally ingested. It takes anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour to feel the effects. Some addicts, in order to feel an immediate rush, inject it instead. Addicts are called 'vampires' because of the development of anorexia, insomnia, and pallor; essentially, they look dead. Add the common effects of the drug (increased libido/need for sex, alertness, boosted self-confidence and sociability/irritability, aggression and feeling invincible) and they're very similar to vampires of pulp fiction. Addiction can lead to repetitive obsessive behavior, paranoia, convulsions, heart attack and death. Immediate physical side effects are restlessness, dilated pupils and dry mouth. Withdrawal symptoms include excessive sleeping, increased appetite, depression, anxiety, and drug-cravings.
Liquid Sunshine: The golden colored drug is widely known to have been created by R.X. Corporation to increase profits in drug treatment. It has a reputation for being deadly due to the ease with which users overdose. Despite this, there is still a small trade in Liquid Sunshine in the City, with users being drawn to the dangers of the drug, the knowledge of the risk making the payoff of the high that much more enjoyable. In general, users feel the effects of Sunshine in less than half an hour, depending on the dosage. The effects can last for hours. These effects include an intense euphoria, increased sociability, increased empathy, and enhanced perception. There is a 'crash' period after the effects wear off, as the user readjusts to the comparatively depressing psychological state of normality. How long the crash lasts depends on the user, the frequency of Sunshine use, and the dose, but insomnia, lethargy, anxiety, and depression can last anywhere from days to weeks.
