The Harbinger of Ferocity

Writing and Debate Experiment - The Criteria for Survival

@Odin, @SleepingSilence, @tex

Thank you all for opting in and participating, as a result I am all the willing to inform you of what I added to the exercise if one could not already tell; attempting to compare one's self to the scenario. That said, the only alterations I made were some of the names and the format. I appreciate you three posing your arguments on ranking them! Deviating for a moment however, to any potential readers of this topic to come, feel free to join in as we move on to some of the finer details of the prompt and its rationale as we can always incorporate and address your approach later.

Back to the topic at hand however, I need note that unfortunately the prompt specifies absolutely nothing beyond what I provided so this leaves us all in a bit more limbo than there really should be. I believe the creator's intent was to just say in a circumstance where the apocalypse is made generic and could be any number of things; all we know for certain is, is that only seven people can go with the responding writer and are the sole people who will, possibly, restart the human race. There are no "right" answers in this prompt, as in there is no scoring solution, so at least there is that to facilitate a logical debate rather than some abstract, likely unrealistic rules.

Believe it or not, @Odin's was the closest to my own when I engaged in the activity and the discussion. Though some underlying themes appeared throughout; virtually everyone who was a participant decided on Father Mark, Dr. Rita, and Mr. Clark, with all others being in some combination. The largest points of controversy were always surrounding the Scotts, especially Billy Scott, and to a lesser extent Ms. Perez and Michael Perez. For the Scotts, the largest issue was that Billy would, at best, only ever be a laborer and that his mother is very likely to die, while with Michael Perez he was considered a liability, but something they would need, rather want, to even bring along in the hopes of facilitating the continuation of humanity.

The last most notable controversy was always about Mr. Clark and his racial biases, with some arguing if he was just a "sympathizer" who cares? The idea that he lacks the actual courage to be racist would suggest he would back down if confronted on it, while others suggested his latent passive racism would make him too much a liability; I fell into the former category. The man is outnumbered, the world has ended, and he is surrounded by no one who would reasonably feed into his beliefs, if the contrary rather, especially with Father Frank and Dr. Rita about.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

Went with the atypical "solo" approach as I noted before, working for a third party that is trying to find Lt. Davison. Not all of this, for those of you with the inspirational material that is, is entirely verbatim to its source. A few major overarching themes are, such as solos modifying themselves extensively, although this character has not specialized too much, or that work comes and goes, often dipping into illegal dealings and dabbling.

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Mark Theron

Solo, Intellitron Corporation "Hunter"

Name: Mark Theron
Appearance: For all intents and purposes Theron is outwardly as human as one might come, at least at a cursory glance of physique and build, although as much is suspect in the age of internalized cybernetics and cosmetic alteration. However, rather than being trimmed in chrome and lined with hardware, Theron is a rehash, a chimera, a "splicer", an exotic, all thanks to the handiwork of microscopic machines and a bit of genetic tinkering and biological trickery to biosculpt. As it goes, it isn't that his athleticism or ability is innate to him, rather it was put there like any other mod, just much more even and throughout. Part of that makes him deceptively human, but there are some clues on the surface he isn't untouched; Theron is too anatomically improved without hardware bolted on to be legitimate. People are not just normally faster, stronger, or more resilient without a good throw of the dice from their parents and probably more than a little training added in. Theron on the other hand is what happens when you decide to throw some of the wilder things into the mix.

The end result is that Theron is lean, as tall as any other man, perhaps a bit taller, and has an abnormally defined build throughout that is uncannily limber, and pocked with too few scars for his own good despite his occupation. Though of course he has a few distinct novelties built in, the kind people do notice; night eyes of the amber variety, retractile rippers, skin grafts and the like, all the thing one does when they want to make an identity for themselves while having too much credit and faith in an employer offering upgrades. Fortunately, he's a bit older now, a bit wiser. Unfortunately, Theron is not all that much better off, but at least he's kept his penchant for having his near-black crew cut and avoiding balding while not being too pale. There's some perks to being an exotic after all, even if not all of you is human throughout anymore.

Unlike the stereotyped ronin or enforcer, Theron opts to avoid the duster and camouflage. Granted he isn't far off of course, preferring black, polished combat boots, grey battle pants, fingerless weighted gloves, smoked polarized adjusting sunglasses, and headed off by a false leather armored jacket. Woven with fiber-optic cable and integrated lighting, it makes for a nice addition anywhere where the air is hazy and simultaneously all too dark and garnished with garish vibrant pinks, yellows, blues, or violet. Of course one could always turn off the lighting, which is at least half of the appeal for when you need to look somewhat professional.

Cyberware:

• Bioware
  • Biosculpting
    • GENX Biomedical Apex Sculpt¹ (Genetic external cosmetic physique and condition improvement, includes pronounced features. Animal donor basis.)
    • GENX Biomedical "Chimera" Template (Viral Modification) (Genetic internal template, allows cross-species grafting, alters base genetic code.)
  • Audio
    • Graff-Stein Research Laboratory "Clairaudience" (Amplified hearing, supersonic, subsonic ranges.)
  • Grafts
    • Re-Human Stage I (Muscle Graft) (Enhanced muscular strength, endurance. Growth hormone, animal donor basis.)
    • Re-Human Stage I (Muscle and Bone Lace) (Viral Modification) (Enhanced muscular and bone strength, endurance, amplification. Organic variant, growth hormone, animal donor basis.)
    • Re-Human Stage I (Nervous Augmentation) (Viral Modification) (Enhanced passive reflexes, reaction. Compare to Kerenzikov Reflex Booster neuralware. Organic variant.)
    • Unlisted Retractile Claws¹ (Compare to generic ripper cyberweapons, animal donor basis. Organic variant.)
  • Immunity
    • Unlisted Metabolism Accelerator¹ (Viral Modification) (Improved healing rate, disease resistance, energy output, metabolic reserve. Shortened life expectancy, increased consumption demands, atypical circulatory and respiratory behavior, animal donor basis. Compare to Enhanced Antibodies.)
  • Olfactory
    • GENX Biomedical "Hunter" Boost (Enhanced perception, tracking by scent. Compare to Olfactory Boost. Organic variant.)
  • Optical
    • GENX Biomedical "Eyeshine" Night-Eyes (See in dim light, near-total darkness. Retinal retroreflector. Amber, predator variant, animal donor basis. Compare to Low Lite^TM cyberoptic.)

_{1 = Grey bioware, cross-species hack, unauthorized tampering with patent(s).}

Weapons:

• Brandish Fingerless Weighted Gloves (Kevlar reinforced, knuckle weighted and polymer capped, fingerless model. Finished in black pseudo-leather.)
• Cobalt M31 Heavy Pistol (Gas-operated, semiautomatic, twelve round, magazine fed, 11mm handgun. Designed to fire tungsten penetrator caseless ammunition. Highly effective against armor and cover, less effective on soft targets due to lacking hollow point ammunition and its over-penetration. Features integrated reflex sight and tritium optic, hand and trigger guard, black polymer finish.)

Armour:

• Cylife "Urban Jungle" False Jacket (Protective light Kevlar jacket, finished in black pseudo-leather, capable of stopping most handgun and submachine gun rounds. Passes for regular leather jacket, but features integrated Synthskin and Biomonitor, both of which are controlled on the sleeves.)

Background: Mark Theron did not so much chip in as he "spliced in", trading far more plentiful, available cyberware for the sort of thing that turns a man inside out and messes with all of the little details deep down inside them. Of course this was easy, everything is when you can pay for it, no matter how deviant the purchase is, and rest assured getting biosculpted at the genetic level into a chimera, a muddied mess of human and animal, is pretty deviant even if it is not obvious as with other exotics. The reward of course for the deviancy was being ahead of the averaged jacked up, glinting booster, yet Theron was far from finished.

What came next was a venture into the criminal underground, first as a hand for hire, rather another added gun for the fight in the Combat Zones of Night City. While this afforded Theron a few more tweaks and augments through the grey market, things that "just so happened" to end up for sale outside their clinics, it wasn't enough. What Theron was looking for cost handily, but at least now he had a base to work from and a reputation. GENX Biomedical, the same ones who provided a number of his earlier augments, were offering work and incentives in place of euros, and it helped to already be on file for their side of the Net. For an aspiring solo, this was an opportunity too good to ignore.

Though like everything good, it never lasted forever. No matter how competitive one remains, everyone is replaceable, and Mark Theron was no exception. GENX Biomedical reorganized not long after and swept away anyone their corporation considered non-essential. While norm for Night City, it set the man back further than desired. Months were spent doing what he had done before in the shallow end of the pool until the Intellitron Corporation decided it needed something more subtle, more atypical, more unexpected and low-key. The type of contracted agent who didn't look like he had seen one too many ripperdocs or stuck too many 'dorphs into what few non-wired veins they still had. What they needed were hunter-killers in one, contracted out to those who could go just about anywhere and complete either role, and Mark Theron was one.

In short order, ending that stint of wandering the street and its Combat Zones again with nothing but animal cunning and some experience, the Intellitron Corporation had another Hunter, and only fitting it was a man who was at least some notable percent leopard. As expected the first few marks went smoothly enough, some hunting and observation, others with a dash of finishing the work. What came next however, was another sealed document, nothing digital, about a Night City Police Department lieutenant by the name of Davison, working for Murkywater Security. And while it was clear there was only two reasonable contractors for the Intellitron Corporation to be directed by in this matter, something else was at play...

Corporations working through proxies don't offer incentives in place of pay.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Wonderful news for us, @Hekazu, and now is the time for us to escape, hopefully with the slaves being aware enough to flee on their own accord and provide a distraction. As it is, the camp should be in chaos and none of our group is too particularly slow or far behind. Regardless, no time to waste.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

The strike elicited little recoil from the cloaked figure in the wake of a brilliant magical bolt which passed by them both. Not because it failed to connect, but something turned the injury aside with unnatural resilience and spurred a horrible, horrible response from deep within. It was there, in that moment of realization, that death stared the attacker back with, at least this time, metaphorical jaws that would pluck what little life they had from corporeal figure. So Brannor's gaze narrowed in fixation and he snarled, soon turning the killer blade on the lone survivor of the spearheaded strike the heroes of Greenest were delivering to make their escape. What came then from the feral man was nothing short of terrifying ferocity that had been prefaced by his grunt, hefting the sword in spite of his wound.

There were no words, no passionate, vigorous spectacle, or snide and cunning remark before the sword swept from low to high, the angle centered just under the dragon-worshiping man's ribs. There was only the roar of a wounded animal that lashed back significantly harder, regardless if anyone could even hear anything over the sound of tearing flesh and armor at all; a retort only steel aptly could give. But the knight-aspirant finished his strike all the same and stepped through after, carrying on and moving even if it meant under threat.

As it were, if dying in the mud and bleeding to death from being carved like fresh meat was this cultist's idea of serving this dragon better, Brannor was all for hastening that outcome. One way or another he was going to cut a path through the enemy who made the mistake of crossing them but one night ago and ruining so many lives in the process. All the feral champion could hope for now was that his allies followed him and the corona of lunar magic that carried with his sizable figure, no matter if the enemy was dead or not. Thus far he was far from concerned they would fail, as the priestess had laid one low with her magic and another was butchered by the green skinned half-blood.

Effects

Brannor maintains his concentration on Shield of Faith with a 10 despite the attack. He then retaliates against his attacker with his greatsword, likely striking on a roll of 20. Assuming this probable blow hits, it deals 12 points of slashing damage. Regardless of success or failure, Brannor moves his remaining movement through their barricade, even if this would provoke from his target. Like before, he will take any attack of opportunity he can make should an enemy provoke from him.

@Hekazu@Gordian Nought@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Norschtalen

Writing and Debate Experiment - The Criteria for Survival

Greetings,

This was a writing prompt and thought experiment which is designed to lead into discussion which I had encountered and thought particularly interesting. While it is not mine and I have expanded on it some to further facilitate an interesting expression by including the writer themselves, the core idea is still very simple and particularly novel. Follow the directions as stated below and do not think too in-depth about the scenario presented, rather the goal and logic behind it. As an added note, please understand that the audience the prompt is aimed at are mature members in nature; take the prompt seriously and in good faith. The goal is to create a functioning society and the writer needs to explain why they think their unlikely group is the most likely to survive.

The world has ended and you must choose seven or less people to survive. They will form the nucleus of a new civilization. You will accompany them, for a maximum total of eight people. List those you have selected in the order which you would choose them, then indicate your rationale for selection. Specifically, why you chose these individuals and why you placed them in this order. Finally, explain yourself in a similar format as the other survivors to choose from in the prompt initially, then rate and incorporate yourself into the rankings.

Criteria for Survival Prompt

• Dr. (Mr.) Scott: 37, white, historian (doctorate), college professor, good health (jogs daily), botanist, politically active (unspecified), married (Mrs. Scott), has one child (Billy Scott).
• Mrs. Scott: 38, white, Jewish, obese, diabetic, psychologist (master's degree), mental health counselor, married (Dr. Scott), and has one child (Billy Scott).
• Billy Scott: 10, white, Jewish, intellectual disability (IQ 70), good health, physically strong.
• Ms. Perez: 23, Hispanic, Catholic, general education (9th grade), cocktail waitress, prostitute, divorced, has one child (Michael Perez).
• Michael Perez: 3 (months), Hispanic, healthy.
• Mr. White: 25, African-American, homosexual, medical student, musician, good health, political active (black power activist).
• Mrs. Anthony: 28, African-American, Protestant (minister's daughter), electronics engineer (bachelor's degree), divorced, politically active (zero population growth).
• Mr. Clark: 51, white, Mormon, mechanical engineer (bachelor's degree), construction consultant, handyman, outdoorsman, has four children (unaccompanied), politically active (anti-black sympathizer).
• Father Mark: 37, white, Catholic, priest, farming background, good health (former college athlete), politically active (civil rights, socially liberal).
• Dr. (Ms.) Rita: 66, Hispanic, Catholic, general practitioner (doctorate), poor health (two heart attacks), highly literate (quotes extensively).

List of Survivors

For those who voiced their interest in my posting of these as I come across them, here are your mentions. Granted these will vary wildly in quality and content, but post-apocalypse is always a very strong theme and has plenty to work with. As you can see, some of these choices are not particularly easy and none too many of these people are ideal candidates to keep humanity alive with.

@Altered Tundra@Briza@Jaredthefox92@Sirkaithethird

Post a random fact about yourself.

The general experience most have in my presence is of similar vein, at least in the sense that people cannot tell if I mean something in all truth or if it is merely for humor's sake. Granted I avoid doing anything I suspect of being in poor taste, at least to my own perception, I am often taken more seriously than I am in the matter because, as a whole, I am a particularly sincere individual in what I say or do. There is something to be said about that illusion, where one cannot decide what was meant or what was implied or more so, what was taken away. Usually I need break bearing and character for them to realize it was merely in jest.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

@SleepingSilence

I believe the best way to perceive it is what the improvements do in quality, their quantity, and their effect. The majority of people, at least in a major "city" as Night City, do have basic cybernetics, everything from watches to color changing eyes, to generic mass produced biomonitors, to chips for paying as they go, to plugs to connect themselves to their computers and vehicles. Those are assumed standard place, fair game as far as I can imagine because they are open to the regular populace and people all use them. Of course there are those who do not, wisely so depending on their lifestyle, but they are considered few and in between generally. A person with synthetic arms and ultraviolet capable eyes, wired reflexes, and reinforced bone would objectively be unusual, but they are still at least three-fourths human and would not be too unexpected.

That is how I am choosing to view it, where I am concerned that is. "What does the common man have or entertain?" then from there, "What access and entry would deviants from the norm, be them corporate, criminal, or government have?" then build up the pyramid that way to you reach the people who are chrome killing machines with arms that turn into lasers, ten different tools, are mostly cyborgs, can launch miniature missiles from their shoulders, run tirelessly, and react at the speed of light thanks to fiberoptic nerves.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

As noted before I see no reason for it to be impossible, but with the angle we are going on the game and attempting to keep the scope much more narrow in application, I am wary of it. That is just myself, @SleepingSilence. My position on the matter has been well stated thus far, but again it is more of "It isn't likely and we wish to avoid everyone trying to top one another." For if we go down that road, others may feel obligated to match or exceed ability. Fortunately, as it is now, no one seems to be stepping on one another's toes, but that is only in this moment and with no submissions yet.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

@The Scotsman, @Terminal, @Hekazu, @SleepingSilence, @DJAtomika, @DeadDrop

It comes down now to are there any further, outlying questions that have yet to be addressed? I believe we can, at least to some extent, begin with the character template and start from there, seeing what we encounter next and dealing with concerns as they come. As far as I cans see however, most all are eager to move on to that, but do correct me if I am wrong in my perception there. For myself, however? No questions at the moment, though when we see the characters I suspect some will arise.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

There is no document we are using as of yet, other than one for inspiration, which I take is the one you need, @Terminal?