An appropriate name for the endless neon sea that most of humanity called home. Built in the aftermath of Earth's destruction by the Space Invaders, it has long since become greater than any before it. Under the leadership of great minds such as the late Dr. Light, to whom the City is named after, the last of humanity came together in a way never seen before. Regardless of race, culture, or creed, the exiled survivors joined together upon landing on the surface of Princeps Dominare and through great struggle did they all erect a haven that they could all call home.
It is the year 200X. How Light would weep if he were to see what has happened to his City. Since the great exodus from Earth, what was once a City of Light has decayed, rotted, yet ever expanded, like a corpse whose blood stains the land surrounding it.
Above them all stand the Big Three: WilyCorp, Robodyne, and Metapharm. A trio of terrible, gargantuan megacorporations who have cut the City into countless zones to exploit and conquer for their own benefit. Fighting for their table scraps are countless minor corps and criminal syndicates that defile the land and exploit the people, who can only chafe under the order of the City. Each day, more people are broken by WillyCorp's enforcers, perish from illness in Robodyne's polluted districts, or simply disappear in the night. Heroes are few, and evil is the norm on this dog-eat-dog planet. The last City of man is devoid of humanity.
There are a few brave, or perhaps foolhardy individuals who refuse to accept this order and flee to unknown, ruin-littered Outlands beyond The City. They eke out a meager existence as primitive nomads and feudal kings. The most desperate to leave the City flee to the endless labyrinth of maintenance tubes below it known as the Pipeworks, where poor souls mutated by the rampant pollution dwell with mad cultists dedicated to deities beyond human comprehension.
In these bleak times, hope, despite all attempts by wicked men to stamp it out, flickers in the darkness. Radio transmissions come and go from parts unknown, urging people not to give up on the ideals of Doctor Light. Freedom fighters harry the mechanical monstrosities of Robotnik's tyrannical zones. For every million-zenny contract to clear the Pipes of obstruction, there is always a plumber or two willing to do the dirty work pro-bono..
This is not their story. This City is home to countless souls, each with their own story. This is the story of the bit players. Those who control assets in the City. Their own corporations and outfits, as well as a hunger for more.
In another time, they might be called villains. Scoundrels. Monsters. In the City, it's being willing to make your dreams a reality.
Who are you? What is your place in the City? Select one of the following.
[X] Giovanni (Pokemon)
Rocket Group was once the special operations division of Silph Co, a medical firm whose mutagenic experiments gave rise to the pokemon outbreak in the Neo Kanto zone. Silph Co reaped the benefits of Rocket Group's ingenuity before being discarded as scapegoats for the failure of Mu 2. You took the Rocket Group under your auspices, restructured into Silph Co's rival. One that will replace Silph Co as the rulers of Neo Kanto, willing to exploit pokemon to their fullest potential. They will be your sword and cut open the path to ultimate power!
+Instant access to pokemon and all actions regarding them, be it research or breeding. These are powerful creatures not yet fully understood by conventional sciences.
+While a significant portion of your income exists above board, Rocket Group has criminal operations and spy networks all over Neo Kanto. Intrigue is your strong suit.
-Rocket Group begins in a contested zone, waging a shadow war with Silph Co over the control of Neo Kanto. They will be your competition in pokemon until you or they are destroyed.
-Pokemon cannot be exported to other zones to prevent further mass outbreaks, but it is expected they will spread to neighboring zones over time. With new species for the taking.
[ ] Geese Howard (Fatal Fury / King of Fighters)
Power. That's the only thing that matters. It was like that on Earth, and it sure as hell is like that in this damned City. Once, you were nothing. Someone who couldn't even care for their own mother. From an early age, those struggles taught you that power was absolute. You climbed from the bottom rungs of society, trained under martial artists masters to make their strengths your own. You've rubbed shoulders with mobsters until they weren't of any use for your ambitions. Now? You're CEO of Howard Connection, the undisputed ruler of South Town. Your ascent hasn't stopped, and it won't stop until every citizen of this endless City recognizes your power!
+As the beloved leader of South Town and the puppeteer behind its criminal element, your rule over your zone is unshakable. Enemy Intrigue actions on your home turf will be difficult.
+The annual King of Fighters tournaments bring an influx of tourist income into the zone, as well as draw in fighters you could potentially recruit.
-Your KOF event has been seen as a deliberate challenge to Shadow Law and their 'World Warrior' tournament. They start with a negative disposition towards the Howard Connection.
-Your former mentor and his preferred peer are still out there, somewhere within this new world, keeping the secrets of Hakkyokuseiken from you. Every turn, Geese Howard must dedicate either an Intrigue or personal action into finding them, until the matter is resolved.
[ ] The Tojo Interregnum (Yakuza)
Claiming to be the last inheritors of the title of Yakuza, the Tojo Clan evaded destruction during the Crash and when fighting off the shinobi assassins of ZEED. While its fellow families have gone rogue, been turned into ZEED puppets, or simply perished during the corporate crime purges, the rest of the Yakuza fell under the umbrella of the Tojo Clan. They stand as one of the prominent members of the X-Syndicate, a criminal alliance that operates within the City. With the tourist zone of Kamurocho under their thumb, it is at this time that the acting chairman considers retirement, and must decide on a suitable successor to ensure the Clan's prosperity.
+The X-Syndicate acts as a semi-reliable network of allied gangs and cartels that are obligated to support your efforts and guard against outside interference.
+Controlling Kamurocho, a zone of high-class clubs, bars, and many other forms of entertainment, you start with a greater starting and regular income.
-Your ties to the X-Syndicate go both ways. The Tojo Clan answer to the Syndicate's mysterious overboss, Mr. X, and are expected to pull more weight if the other gangs need a "helping hand".
-The City-spanning ZEED organization considers you a job left unfinished. They may seek to undermine or destroy you outright if given the chance.
[ ] Big Boss (Metal Gear)
Outer Heaven, a home for soldiers without one. Founded during the Mercenary War by Big Boss, the Legendary Soldier, the diverse lands of former Zanzibar Corp have become a haven for warriors from all walks of life. United under the charismatic leadership of Big Boss, Outer Heaven has become Princeps Dominare's largest PMC, leasing their seasoned soldiers and their walking tanks known as Metal Gears to whoever can afford their services. With the 'Soldier's Heaven' established, there's a question on the minds of those who admire and those who fear Big Boss alike: What will he do next?
+Big Boss' reputation and the success of his PMCs means you will have an easier time attracting manpower and heroes with a military background.
+Metal Gears are a powerful vehicle exclusive to Outer Heaven. They are the missing link between infantry and artillery, walking tanks with few equals in their weight class.
-Outer Heaven is a pariah state not recognized by the megacorps. This will significantly impact diplomacy with corporate groups, requiring further assurances or force to get results.
-Your faction will begin the game steadily restoring their military production after the Mercenary War. A large army, while necessary for defense and mercenary work, will cost in upkeep.
[ ] The Settlers (Harvest Moon)
The Outlands are a wild, savage terrain that resists human habitation. With the unreliability of the terraforming robots, someone has to go out there and make it livable for people. It'll be a challenge to beat the rough parts into shape, but there's acres of unclaimed land and room to grow. You'd be starting a farming settlement on the fringes, where you can sell to the hungry mouths of the City without being (completely) subject to corporate rule. A whole lot of freedom, with the caveat that there's no one around to pick you up if you fall.
If picked, this option will lead to a second round of customization to determine your starting character's attributes and the features of your fledgling agricorp.
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Welcome, one and all, to Rocket Quest! In this quest, you'll be taking the helm of one the many megacorporations that rule the world of Princeps Dominare; the new homeworld for humanity. Here, the most infamous characters from beloved video game franchises rule over the City of Light with an iron fist while its denizens are completely at their mercy. Fortunately for you, you're more on the top of the pecking order, only below the Big Three.
But, despite what it may initially seem, this is not a world where the new order is set in stone. Heroes and rebels have recently begun to oppose the tyrannical tycoons. Be it single individuals such as that blue blur that fights Robotnik in his own zones, to groups such as A.T.A.R.I that wages war against all of The City to overthrow the CEOs and Kingpins that rule it.
Times may be changing, and depending on the choices you make you may be able to halt them, or atleast have them shift in a way that would benefit you. Failure to do either however, will result in you getting swept away into the sea of time.
(These rules and mechanics have been derived from both DoofQuest and Father Quest with the permission of both Made in Heaven and HellaCooltricks on SV. If you haven't already, I HIGHLY encourage you to also read their quests, they are fantastic and two of my main inspirations for writing this one!)
Turn Mechanics
Each turn will be the efforts and work of you and your allies and enemies done over about two months in-game. Totalling to six turns per year, and certain actions may be time-sensitive in being unlocked or taken.
National actions are actions that bring you closer to your goals and ups your standing in the world overall. They range from spying on your neighbor, conducting schemes, building robots (or sewer systems) or inventing new and incredible technologies. These fall into five categories: Martial, Diplomacy, Stewardship, Intrigue, or Learning. Actions start off limited but may be raised in the future. As shown below, these stats show how good somebody is at their respective stat.
0: physically paralyzed
1-5: a weakling, sickly, infirm or particularly incompetent
6-9: an average human being
10-14: Some combat training, karate classes, has been in a few scraps
15-19: Trained soldier
20-25: Expert veteran of combat
25-35: respected military leader
36-40: Competent superhuman
41-50: World class fighter, capable of throwing down with most supers and mutants
51-60: Incomparable fighter, legendary, once in an era general
61-70: High-level superhuman powers paired with natural skill and years of experience
70+: Unstoppable juggernaut of destruction
0: deeply, personally repulsive
1-5: Annoying, obnoxious, grating
6-9: An average human being
10-15: Moderate charisma and basic social skills
16-20: trained negotiator or corporate dealmaker
21-25: Highly skilled professional diplomat
26-35: Magnetic personality, liked by all they meet
36-45: Cream of the crop, natural born politician, brilliant dealmaker
46-55: Literally superhuman persuasive power, preternatural understanding of human psychology
55-70: Could trade a castle for a piece of string
70+: Social Deity
0: Does not understand the concept of trade
1-5: Bad with money, scatterbrained, unable to lead others
6-10: Standard human
11-15: basic organizational skills and time management
16-20: Professional Project Manager
21-25: High ranking corporate worker skilled at their job
26-35: Experienced CEO or governor, capable of managing massive interlocking projects at the same time
36-45: Financial Wizard, can predict the stock market with some accuracy, can sketch out plans for an entire business venture in a week
46-55: Supernatural management skills, capable of leading entire countries without apparent effort
56-70: Multiple simultaneous thoughtstreams, could amass a fortune bigger than Wily's if they put their mind to it.
71+: owns you already, you just don't know it yet
0: Incapable of lying
1-6: Credible, easy to fool, has trouble remembering to keep secrets
7-10: average human mind
11-15: petty criminal, amateur sleuth
16-20: junior spy; professional thief
21-25: secret agent
26-35: criminal mastermind
36-45: Master of disguise, intricate webweaver, conceals true intentions unconsciously
46-55: World's Greatest Detective, Infamous phantom thief, can hide in plain sight
56-70: superpower assisted stealth, could convince a person their entire life was a lie in an afternoon
71+: They've already won, you just haven't noticed yet.
0: non-sapient
1-6: simpleminded, dim, uneducated
7-10: High School Diploma, average intelligence
11-13: Slightly smarter than average; some college
14-20: college graduate in sciences, trivia champion
21-30: Doctorate in technical field, Cash Wheel National Champion
30-35: Factotum
36-40: Leading expert in their field, photographic memory
41-50: World's greatest expert on their subject
51-60: Smartest human alive, perfect recall of every fact they have ever learned
61-70: Inhuman intellect
71+: Appears omniscient
The base roll for a national action goes as follows, rolling against a certain DC:
1d100+The relevant stat of the PC + Relevant stat of Assigned hero + Any traits of the hero or the PC + Loyalty Bonus + Omake
The base benefits and costs of a national action are listed in the action itself, but the narrative effects may or may not be tweaked depending on who you assigned to a task. For example, say you recruit the loud and brash Duke Nukem as Big Boss and assign him to an Intrigue-based stealth operation. In this scenario he likely wouldn't be much help and BB will be doing most of the delicate work, but the two may build up some sort of comradery and Duke may learn a thing or two about tactics that isn't just going in guns blazing, upping his Intrigue stat.
Through special actions or time, the stats of any character can increase!
Critical Rolls
Particularly successful or unsuccessful rolls are considered Critical Successes or Critical Failures. Your chance of critical success is defined as 1/10th of your chance of success, rounded to the nearest percent. Your chance of critical failure is now defined as 1/10 of the chance to fail, rounded to the nearest percent. To illustrate:
If you have a 20% chance of success: 8% chance crit fail, 2% chance crit success
If you have a 50% chance of success: 5% crit fail, 5% crit success
If you have 80%: 2% crit fail, 8% crit success
No matter what else might affect your crits, you cannot Critically Fail at a greater percentage than you could normally fail. If you have a CoS of 3%, your Crit Success chance cannot be more than 3% as well.
A critical success represents an action going as well as it could have and grants extra benefits.
A critical failure represents an action going as badly as it could have and leads to some additional penalty beyond simply failing an action.
As always, what character you place on a roll can affect how it plays out and cause knock-on effects. An AI critting on a robotics-based roll for example is likely to provide a much more impressive breakthrough than a spy assigned to the same action, and indeed a spy's crit success bonus might have more to do with hiding your Internet activity than expanding it.
As Learning actions tend to have very specialized categories without easily-transferable skills, learning actions by default have a 5% increased crit failure chance if the unit assigned is not a specialist in that area. This applies to both councilors and heroes.
Bare Failures
Bare failures occur when you miss a roll by 10 or less. Narratively, you nearly succeeded but were stymied in some small but critical way. On a bare failure, the DC of the action is halved, and you may attempt it again next turn.
If an action is neither a success, a crit success, a bare failure, nor a critical failure, it is a normal Failure. Generally speaking, nothing happens.
Explosions
If you roll a crit success, you roll another d100 as an explosion, with the same crit success threshold. On another crit success, it becomes a double crit. A theoretical triple crit is again possible, and so on. Each successive crit threshold causes increasingly ludicrous degrees of success.
There are no crit failure explosions.
Personal Actions
Personal actions are actions that each individual hero unit can attempt per turn. Normally, these are simple things that range from talking to people, social networking, meeting up, and trying to improve relationships, or even something as mundane as seeing a movie. These actions may potentially unlock new research options or hero units, as well as increase your employees' loyalty.
A Hero unit may be assigned to a single national action and hero action per turn. This will add their relevant stat value to the roll.
The player character will have a total of four personal actions per turn. They may be spent as you wish, but if you so choose you can burn three of your personal actions on giving a project your "special attention". This means that we will roll for the action twice, with relevant modifiers included, and take the better of the two rolls.
For most normal personal actions, a flat 1d100 will be rolled, with higher numbers indicating a greater degree of success. While 'critical failure' and 'critical success' are not specifically defined, rolling extremely high or extremely low will still cause the action to go as well or as poorly as it possibly could have. Particularly dangerous or chaotic personalities will be signposted.
Hero Units
Whether or not they are heroes is non-applicable; they all tend to serve under you and will carry out your bidding as commanded. Sure, you have all the factory workers, soldiers, or brutish thugs to keep the peace and the money coming in, Heroes are the cool and awesome (and recognizable) people that get things done!
No matter who you choose in the end, you will have two initial hero units. But over time, you'll be able to get some others to your cause, sometimes through straightforward actions such as Diplomacy, and other times you'll need to do some special actions or favors to get them to your side. Hey, maybe even some can be gotten in your personal actions! Maybe!
However, the heroes under your employ are not static, and will respond to your actions as they happen, and most will resign if you prove to be a poor employer, if not outright betray you! Some heroes, if treated nicely, however, will increase their loyalty, and perhaps unlock some new perks or traits. Snazzy, right? Some people might just be too crazy to please but may bring other benefits.
Some Heroes also have preferences that emerge over time; putting them on actions that they enjoy is likely to boost their opinion, while the opposite will do the opposite, obviously. If they really hate an action, their preference might not let them do it outright!
Opinion
All of your hero units will have an opinion value assigned to them that reflects how well they look upon you and how willing they are to do as you ask. For most units, this starts at 0 and can range from -100 to 100. A value of 0 to -25 indicates that the unit mildly dislikes you- nothing too serious for now, and it won't cause any harmful actions against you, but you might want to watch out to make sure it doesn't get worse. At -25 and beyond they will actively start hating you, and may make moves to pack up and leave at the earliest possible opportunity. Values of -75 or worse are when they will probably start to contemplate murder- at this point they deeply despise you and will actively attempt to work against you. Conversely, values above 25 will have them consider you a mild acquaintance, above 50 as a friend, and above 75 will reach the sort of trust it takes years of camaraderie to earn.
Even an opinion of 100 might not be enough to convince your units to do certain things- if your own mother came to you and asked you to pick up a gun and invade Spain single handedly, for example, you'd probably still say no even if you did like her. Character preferences can be mitigated by high opinion, but they will still have their own minds and can still say no to things that deeply violate their beliefs, common sense, or well-being.
Various modifiers can act upon this. An intern you hire on may have a +15 modifier for giving them a job they really need, while a corpo from a rival corp could have a -20 modifier for you simply by existing as you are. Modifiers like these are permanent until some event removes or alters them- the corpo employee won't change too much just because you invite him to a few cocktail parties, for instance, but if you prove to him that his loyalty is genuinely deserved (or you make peace with his boss) he might lose the malus.
Pay attention to your heroes' Preferences! Forcing someone to work on a job they despise will give them a mild malus that will decay in a few months… unless you actively force them to keep working on that, in which case the modifiers stack, and the time it takes to remove will increase. Hiring a botanist and forcing them to work on organic chemistry will not go over well!
There's an advantage to keeping your heroes as loyal to you as possible. When making a roll, their loyalty will be reflected in a bonus modifier. A rating of -25 to 0 or 0 to 25 gives you an additional 10% of their relevant stat for that roll either subtracted or added, respectively. 25-49 will give you 15% added, 50-74 20%, and 75-100 25%. Numbers will be rounded down to the nearest whole.
If you have a hero with an Intrigue of 32 and a Loyalty of 15, they will gain a 32*0.1 rounded down bonus, or 3. The total roll will be:
1d100 + PC's Intrigue + 32 + (32*.1=3.2, rounded down to 3) + any other relevant modifiers
Funds and Income
The economic state of the City of Light is, to put it bluntly, a byzantine mess. While a singular city on paper, the various corps that preside in it have carved it up into their own economic zones, some even minting their own currency which could be rejected a mere zone over. Inorder to simplify things, all your liquid assets from pure cash to rare metals or treasure will be condensed and measured into Funds, which you can gain by ensuring your industries provide Income, or a positive intake that remains profitable after expenses.
Now, as a Megacorp or Crime Syndicate, the chances of bankruptcy are low to none. Your corporation will always have the funds at hand to keep the lights running. However, you will still need Funds for a few things, such as tackling expensive company projects or personal purchases, so it's always wise to have a nest egg to cash out on when the situation calls for it.
Of course, not everything with a price can be covered with money…
Items and Bonuses
During this journey, your character of choice may come across many things that will grant them a boon, ranging from items that improve their stats directly to corporate-wide bonuses. When the time comes, all of those will be placed in a central category where they can be kept track of and expanded upon as your arsenal grows!
Fanart and Omakes
Like the quest enough that you want to make some contributions for it? Well that can also be rewarding in other ways too! If you make a well-written Omake or a piece of fanart, you will be rewarded with 100 EXP at a minimum, which can be stacked up in the future with the EXP Tracker. For now, what you can do with EXP is increase the roll for a particular action by 1 per 100 EXP spent, capped at +10 in rolls/1000 EXP. In time, I hope to do more with EXP and have more ways to reward creativity, but for now I'm still settling in as a QM.
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What IS 8-bit Dystopia?: The story and lore behind Princeps Dominare
This quest is set in the world of 8-Bit Dystopia: Deluxe, a homebrew project that originates from /tg/ and has been expanded upon by the Villains Victorious server . It's a cyberpunk sci-fi setting that reimagines classic video games in their own crossover setting built from the ground up. You can find the original and more detailed document on 8BD above, but I will go over some important factors briefly here.
The Exodus
At the start of the 1970s, reports and sightings of UFOs, abductions, and other abnormalities increased to concerning levels, despite this any claims to the source being extraterrestrial of nature were still discarded as a feeling of fear and unease grips the world. During the same decade, SETI telescopes discovered another planet capable of supporting life, which is called Princeps Dominare; its discovery became a beacon of hope for all those who fear for the future of humanity, a fear verified but a few years later.
Starting in 1978, an intergalactic armada of space warships enters the Solar System and makes its way towards Earth before launching a sudden attack on several major population centers across the globe, sparking the start of what would later be known as the Invader Wars. The UN hosts an emergency session and the threat these Space Invaders are to all of humanity is enough to do what was previously thought to be impossible: Unite all of Mankind to work together for the survival of all, regardless of any divisions that were left in the past.
Despite this unity, the advanced technology as well as the sheer size of the Space Invader Armada appears to be impossible to beat, so efforts change from beating back the Invaders to evacuating Earth and fleeing across the stars to Princeps Dominare, which is made possible by the reverse engineering of crashed Invader ships. Over the course of a few years, countless colony ships are made to transport everything from people, to plant samples, to cultural artifacts and everything in between, to what would become humanity's new home.
By 1984, the fleet of colony ships has since departed from Earth, rendering it undefended from the Space Invaders who destroy it outright in an event simply known as "The Crash", after the violent way the homeworld of humanity was destroyed. For reasons unknown, the Space Invaders do not pursue the colony fleet, which arrives at Princeps Dominare in 1985. What follows afterwards is a period of non-stop construction as Mankind settles Princeps Dominare. With the aid of the robotic creations of Doctor Light, overcrowding is avoided as M.U.L.E walkers harvest much needed resources from the planet and terraforming robots known as Lemmings rapidly (and recklessly) build sprawls of urban districts. After the death of Doctor Light in a freak lab accident, his partner Doctor Willy takes full control of WillyCorp and becomes the first of many Megacorps that will sprout up in the following years.
The New Cradle of Humanity
The year is now 200X, and now 40% of Princeps Dominare's surface is covered in the urban sprawl now known as the City of Light. The old order of Earth has long been swept away in favor of the new powers that rule The City: The Megacorporations and the Crime Syndicates that rule over land and populations inplace of nation-states. Most people are at the complete mercy of these groups who hold absolute power over their zones of influence. The ones who don't are either those who left the city for the Outlands, where neo-feudal warlords and tribes reign, or the Pipeworks, the City's ever-expanding sewer system, home to mutants and deranged cults alike. The world is dangerous, unfair, cruel, and completely foreign to our own. A world where greed reigns and compassion dies.
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
Due to the inventions of the late Doctor Light as well as WilyCorp's and Robodyne's expertise, robots and artificial intelligence (often referred to as bioroids due to their human-like artificial brains) are becoming increasingly commonplace with The City. In the Outlands, Lemmings still cover native ecosystems in layers of cement and steel as M.U.L.Es suck it dry. Back in the City proper, WillyCorp's Joe bioroids keep the peace in their creator's zones. Their competitors are Robodyne's Badniks and SWATBots, who use organic brain chips in lieu of WilyCorp positronic brains. These are just the most major examples, and speak nothing of the creations of other minor corps who try to cut themselves a niche into the industry.
WilyCorp's bioroids have a warranty on their positronic brains anywhere between a few years and a few decades, depending on their level of complexity. Failure to replace their electronic brains can cause errors, glitches, or for a bioroid to lose track of their primary function and go maverick. Maverick bioroids are incredibly dangerous and are no longer guaranteed to comply with the laws of robotics that prevent them from harming humans. For this reason, they are hunted as the dangerous, out-of-control machines they are. If not by human soldiers, then by specialized bioroids known as maverick hunters.
Uplifts
Uplift is the term used to describe lab animals that were granted sapience through genetic engineering and cybernetic augments. Originally meant to be sent ahead of the original colony fleet to serve as the first settlers of Princeps Dominare, a glitch in their ship's warp drive caused it to vanish entirely, resulting in the idea being labeled a lost cause and the remaining uplifts being treated as second-class citizens until an agreement was reached that ended that practice. Officially, at least.
The population of uplifts would explode during the 1990s, when the previously-mentioned lost uplifts made contact with The City. As it turns out, the lost ship was warped to another system which they settled and dubbed Lylat, but by the time contact is made Lylat has been devastated by a civil war between the planet colonies of Corneria and Venom. Those fleeing from the Lylat Wars are begrudgingly accepted into The City, but a sharp divide separates them from humans and the native uplifts, who have faced discrimination long before the Lylatians' arrival.
While also possessing human intelligence, most (if not all) uplifts also share several characteristics that are possessed normally by humans, such as being bipedal creatures or possessing hands with opposable thumbs. Many uplifts have specifically enhanced attributes or cybernetic features that were added to suit the needs of their creation. Or they may have picked up any number of miscellaneous traits as beneficial mutations. Second and third generation uplifts require less direct genetic and cybernetic augmentation to properly develop their bodies. Third generation uplifts are born with very few (if any) cybernetics at all.
In 200X, a majority of uplifts live in Robodyne-controlled zones, where their quality of life is comparable to the humans they cohabitate with However, uplifts are in the highest population of missing persons that arise when the demand for badnik brain chips goes up.
Mutants
"Mutant" is the catch-all term used for denizens of the world that have been disfigured by exposure to the chemical runoff and other filth produced by the megacorps. Due to the nature of these mutations, it's near-impossible to categorize these people any further for these mutations are incredibly random and with no pattern. Most mutants reside within the Pipeworks due to the immense persecution they face by the surface-dwelling peoples of the City, though a small minority also resides within the Outlands due to drifting sea pollution that has gone beyond The City proper.
Aliens
While the Space Invaders may have been the first variant of extraterrestrial life humanity has met, it certainly hasn't been the last. Ever since their arrival to Princeps Dominare, humanity has made nearly zero contact with other alien species. The Big Three are content to keep it that way and shoot down any unidentified ships that get too close to the City… minus Metapharm. They keep to the rules on paper, but Metapharm skirts around the ban by meeting with delegates of alien life on their Zebesian space port and space stations under their control. The denizens of the Outlands may not identify the rare alien that makes it past the satellite sensors as one, especially not if they have something valuable to trade. If any extraterrestrials have gotten closer to the City than that, they're content to keep their heads down in hopes of evading notice from the humans and whatever drove them that far in the first place.
Magic
To most, magic doesn't exist, or is just simply aspects of scientific fields that haven't been properly explained. However, adventurous Outlanders who delve into its ancient ruins and maddened cultists that lurk in the Pipeworks claim otherwise. Ancient artifacts of unknown power have been unearthed in the Outlands that seem almost mystical in nature. Meanwhile, the various cults that preach the end of The City are said to possess divine gifts by the beings they worship, residents of another plane of existence that everyone has seen in their dreams but soon forget once they wake, and only those of strong will can bring a piece of that plane to the material world. Because of how most are introduced to this world of limitless thought and energy, this mythical plane has been dubbed "The Dreamlands".
But surely these are all just ramblings of mad men, right?
Right?
The Nature of the Crossover
As a soft rule, only games from the first five generations or so of gaming will cut the mustard for 8BD. It's more a guideline than a solid fact, as the Dreamcast and GBA can slip by if those games are things people would actually like to use in the first place. Not all old games are in if the GM/QM doesn't want to use them. While it's highly unlikely you'll see another faction more modern than Yakuza representation with the Tojo Clan, you may see minor shout outs and references from games that existed after the GBA if they fit the quest's mood. If a series is a long-runner, characters and elements from later games might trickle in.
It bears repeating that this is not a conventional crossover. It is in most cases a reimagining of the source material. A few games can make the transition with minimal changes, while others will have a complete overhaul. The goal of these is to keep the intent of the original games more or less intact, unless it's a meme like Tom Nook being a mob boss or Bentley Bear selling drugs to Bubsy. Even those should be recognizable, but put under a new lens to fit the needs of the setting.
On the surface, the President of the Pokemon Fanclub and an entrepreneurial philanthropist. Beneath it, the Boss and Chief-Executive of the infamous organization known as Rocket Group whose ambition is without end.
Stats:
Diplomacy: 24 (You're charismatic and you know it, using this gift to craft a popular public persona in the front while tempting trainers and gangsters into joining your organization in the backrooms.)
Martial: 15 (+2) (You exercise and are no stranger to combat, but you're far behind the many of the more dedicated citizens of The City in terms of physical strength.)
Stewardship: 21 (+2) (You do a sound job managing your official businesses and ensuring they net a profit to fund your real goals with)
Intrigue: 35 (+2) (For years you've schemed in the background, only growing more proficient at it as you patiently waited for the time to strike. Now, you are a shadow that reaches across Neo-Kanto. Ever plotting to reveal yourself to the light.)
Learning: 17 (You've been through college and would have gotten an PhD in the Geosciences if it weren't for the Invader Wars)
Traits:
Ground-type Ace: As a trainer, Giovanni's specialty is with Ground-type Pokemon and knows how to deal with them the most. Gain +10 when facing a Ground-type personally in combat and +5 to all other rolls regarding Ground-types.
Two-Faced: While you are the boss of a notorious crime syndicate, most people aren't aware of that fact. On the surface, you are just Giovanni; President of the Pokemon Fanclub and a well-meaning trainer. +10 to Diplomacy rolls when engaging with Neo-Kantoans unaware of your connection with Rocket and +10 loyalty to Hero units from Neo-Kanto.
Karate Yellow Belt: You have taken the first steps in mastering the martial art of Karate. Still a novice with a long journey ahead of them, you nevertheless show potential. +2 Martial and +4 to rolls regarding hand-to-hand combat.
Pokemon:
Signature: Persian (+2 to Intrigue and Stewardship)
Eevee
Onix
Golem
Rhyhorn
Former scientist and manager from the Rocket Division before Silph Co cut her loose with everyone else in the division. The grudge she harbored since has led her to align herself with Giovanni as a loyal right hand.
Stats:
Diplomacy: 6 (Outside yourself, Ariana does not enjoy the company of others and it shows. Barely capable of keeping up a civil facade in public, she would much rather be alone with her work more than not.)
Martial: 9 (Not quite helpless, but when it comes to combat, she is mostly dependent on her Pokemon to do the heavy lifting.)
Stewardship: 25 (As a former sub-administrator of Rocket Division, Ariana knows how to coordinate and lead a group with the goal of gaining the best results.)
Intrigue: 17 (+4) (As a former employee of Silph Co, she's no stranger to the back-stabbing nature that is corporate politics.)
Learning: 28 (One of Rocket's primer scientists regarding Pokemon and their origins, and now your leading expert in that field)
Traits:
Pokemon Researcher: As one of Rocket's high ranking scientists before their expulsion, Ariana is immensely knowledgeable of Pokemon and even more curious about how they can be used to further Rocket's objectives. +10 on Learning-based actions involving Pokemon research.
A Woman Scorned: Ever since Rocket was cut loose, Ariana has held an immense grudge against Silph Co and is eager to see them fall. +7 to actions designed to undermine Silph Co in any way.
Pokemon:
Signature: Arbok (+4 Intrigue)
Vileplume
Opinion: 75
+50 (Gave Rocket a purpose and my chance for retribution)
+10 (Two Faced trait)
+5 (Omake Reward)
+10 (Breaking Bread, active for 2 turns)
Former lieutenant of the United States military that turned merc after it became obvious the old nations of Earth weren't coming back. These days he's the overseer of Vermillion District's fighting ring and supposedly one of the first trainers.
Stats:
Diplomacy: 13 (While better with the sword then the pen, Surge's electrifying personality and his dedication to his responsibility as an commanding officer leads to him being admired by the people under his command)
Martial: 29 (+3) (A former veteran who turned mercenary for a few years, the Lightning Lieutenant is perhaps the most experienced combatant in all of Neo-Kanto)
Stewardship: 14 (+3) (It seems he picked up a few things while managing that fighting ring of his)
Intrigue: 10 (It's not that he doesn't know how to keep a low profile, but he's one of those types that would rather face their problems head on instead of stabbing them in the back)
Learning: 10 (Apparently went to a trade school to become an electrician before he decided the military was for him instead)
Traits:
The Lightning Lieutenant: Surge is one of, if not the premier specialist in Electric-type Pokemon. Gain +10 while facing Electric-types in combat and +5 to all other rolls related to Electric-types.
Combatives Expert: During their time in the army, Surge was trained under a type of martial arts known as 'combatives' and excelled at it. +15 to rolls where Surge engages in hand-to-hand combat.
Struggling Tactician: While Surge is a soldier, he isn't quite a commander yet. In an attempt to remedy this, he's begun to study tactics and engage in wargames. He still has a long way to go, but most progress is good progress. +5 to rolls regarding group combat.
Pokemon:
Signature: Raichu (+3 Martial and Stewardship)
Electabuzz
Voltorb
Opinion: 45
+10 (Recent hire)
+10 (Two-Faced Trait)
+10 (Breaking Bread, active for 2 turns)
+15 (Helped him open up his Gym)
A mischievous girl with a gift for disguise and infiltration, so much so that even your network couldn't shed some light on her mysterious past.
Stats:
Diplomacy: 5 (Her true personality is more akin to a obnoxious toddler, pushing many to their limits on what they can tolerate)
Martial: 9 (While a Pokemon trainer with a rather versatile Pokemon, Copycat is not one used to direct conflict, being more used to retreat and withdraw if things begin to grow dire instead of facing the issue head on)
Stewardship: 12 (She's surprisingly more financially adept than you've expected)
Intrigue: 28 (+1) (Almost your equal, Copycat has made fools of even the brightest minds with her disguises)
Learning: 10 (+1) (Graduated from Saffron High School, but elected not to go pursue a higher education and instead turn to her…current form of work.)
Traits:
Copycat: A master of disguise and an impersonator of the highest order, she has convinced countless of others that she was someone she wasn't time and time again. +20 to Intrigue rolls regarding disguises.
Pokemon:
Signature: Ditto (+1 to Intrigue and Learning)
Opinion: 25
+10 (Recent Hire)
+10 (Two-Faced trait)
+5 (Bailed me out)
A seasoned Trainer with grand aspirations. Possessing an undocumented pokemon as her trump card, her potential to become the rising star she wants to be is all but assured under your guidance.
Stats:
Diplomacy: 14 (A trainer will naturally meet all kinds of people on their journey, and will naturally learn how to deal with them too.)
Martial: 25 (A veteran trainer and the victor of many battles, Karen is a seasoned combatant always looking for other powerful trainers to battle)
Stewardship: 13 (The trainer's lifestyle is a frugal one and it takes a bit of financial savvy to live comfortably)
Intrigue: 10 (+2) (Moderately cunning, with potential to grow)
Learning: 9 (Possesses quite a bit of survivalist knowledge, but not much in the way of 'book smarts')
Traits:
"...Those are the perceptions of selfish people": Karen is a firm believer that any pokemon can become a force to be reckoned with in the hands of the proper trainer and it shows with how she trains her own. In pokemon battles, Karen gains +15 to rolls if her opponent's pokemon is higher in the evolutionary tier than her own.
Pokemon:
Signature: Murkrow (+2 to Intrigue)
Eevee
Gloom
Opinion: 15
+10 (Recent Hire)
+10 (Two-faced trait)
-5 (Clashing Views)
A socialite, member of the elite and chairman of the Water Club, grievances with his peers have caused him to turn against them by offering his skills to Rocket.
Stats:
Diplomacy: 25 (+2) (With a charming personality and magnetic charisma, 'Gentlemanly' Jack is a true Gentleman in a world where there are few)
Martial: 9 (+2) (While a trainer, he tends to use his pokemon more as a status symbol his experience with actual battling is limited so far.)
Stewardship: 16 (While the Water Club is facing financial difficulties, it is not due to its owner's management, who until he drawn the ire of his fellow Chairman had no issues maintaining the Club's finances or attracting funding)
Intrigue: 12 (While finding the field distasteful, Jack is relatively versed in the backroom intrigue that exists omnipresently among Neo-Kanto's upper class)
Learning: 14 (Graduated college with a degree in the humanities, most of his college life consisted mainly of frat parties and gatherings, a habit he now regretted.)
Traits:
Veteran Socialite: 'Gentlemanly' Jack is well versed in the world of Neo-Kanto's elite class and all that permeates within their gilded halls. +10 to Diplomacy and Intrigue rolls when interacting with the upper class.
Pokemon:
Signature: Lapras (+2 to Diplomacy and Martial)
Seel
Chansey
Opinion: 20
+10 (Recent Hire)
+10 (Two-Faced trait)
A once ordinary Meowth uplifted sapience after an unregistered experiment by Administrator Ariana, this creature defies Rocket's vision by existing, yet remains loyal to the Boss all the same.
Stats
Diplomacy: 3 (Even if they get past the shock of a talking pokemon, most people will find their scratchy voice and conniving personality irritating)
Martial: 7 (While it seems the uplifting process has come at an expense of their fighting prowess, they are still a predatory pokemon)
Stewardship: 9 (Despite the concept of currency being a relatively new discovery for them, 'Meowth' is rather frugal with what little they have, possibly due to his kind's natural greed)
Intrigue: 12 (Ariana has noted during their development that they seem to possess an affinity for deceit and thievery, helped by the fact no one would suspect his nature as an Uplift)
Learning: 14 (While limited in their use as a lab assistant, it is noted by Ariana that they have developed several blueprints of limited complexity in their spare time, almost all of them being makeshift traps or gadgets of some form.)
Traits:
Poke-lingual: Despite the Uplifting process, 'Meowth' still has the capacity to understand other Pokemon and vice versa. When interacting with wild Pokemon, any roll 'Mewoth' will take will turn into a Diplomacy roll and gain a +20 modifier for it.
Oraganization Name: Rocket Group Type of Organization: Criminal Syndicate History: Originally a part of Silph Co known as the Rocket Division, Rocket Group's predecessor would become Silph Co's chief division on the research of Pokemon and pioneer many of the corporation's earliest breakthroughs in understanding them. Ironically, it was Rocket that learned that Pokemon could be trained and it was Rocket that invented the first Pokeball, arguably being a source of Silph Co's greatest success.
Despite this, Rocket Division was purged from the corporation after their failure in the Mu-2 Project and the resulting disaster that stemmed from it, costing the corporation millions in lost equipment. Employees were fired, its scientists disgraced, all to ensure Silph Co could wash their hands off the Project.
Despite their thoughts otherwise, Rocket did not go out quietly. Bitter over their treatment, they resurfaced as Rocket Group and is now in direct opposition of Silph Co, waging a shadow war over control of Neo-Kanto by controlling most of the zone's more illicit operations and funding research into the further weaponization of Pokemon as a means to achieve greater power.
Current Public Perception: -25
Public Perception is a mechanic that you'll deal with during the shadow war against Silph Co and the initial aftermath of it if Rocket takes full control of the zone. It's the measurement of how the majority of people in Neo-Kanto views your organization (and yourself) and how well they would take Rocket taking control as well as how they would react if you revealed yourself to be their leader. The higher it is, the less issues you'll have with having the locals accept your rule, the lower and it's the opposite.
Due to Silph Co's efforts in branding you (rightfully so) as criminals and terrorists, your starting public perception is low and it's only Giovanni's philanthropic works in the past that's preventing it from being -100. However, certain actions can be taken to either increase or decrease public perception and repair the damage done by Silph Co's propaganda machine…whether or not you care about perception is ultimately up to you.
Active Bonuses:
Rocket Spy Network: Through years of nuturing and your own personal expertise, Rocket has ears all across Neo-Kanto. +15 to all Intrigue rolls in the Neo-Kanto area and +5 in neighboring areas.
Viridian Pharmaceutical Laboratory: Giovanni's official business and one of the main manufacturers and distributors of Potions and other Pokemon-based medicine. Pokemon owned by either you or your hero units that are critically injured will now have a saving roll that could heal them up to half their health while on the field.
Revive Production: During applicable missions, one incapacitated Pokemon can be returned to consciousness and healed to up to half their health while outside combat.
Vermillion City Secret Base: A former Silph Co research and containment facility repurposed to act as a base and central hub for Rocket in Vermillion City. +5 to all actions taken in Vermillion City.
Net Ball: The latest innovation by Rocket's Research Department, a Pokeball that specializes in capturing Water-Types. +10 to capturing Water-Types in applicable mass capture actions.
PKF Mole: 'Mimi' and the Sunnytown Gang are Rocket's eyes and ears within the Rider Federation, giving additional insight to their operations and advanced warnings on what actions they'll inflict next. Rocket will now be forewarned of the PKF's actions ahead of time and gain +10 in fending off any actions directly towards them.
Moonraker Lasers: Rocket's own Zapper, capable of piercing through most armor at a range with relative ease...any relation to any real or fictional weaponry is purely coincidental. Grunts gain +20 to combat encounters.
Bug: 50
Dragon: 0
Electric: 30
Fighting: 25
Flying: 30
Ghost: 0
Grass: 50
Ground: 50
Ice: 0
Normal: 30
Poison: 25
Rock: 50
Water: 50
Psychic: 20
Neo-Kanto:
Zone-Wide Modifiers:
Small Rocket Fronts: 5% Influence
Underworld Dominance: 2% Influence
Celadon City: 27% Rocket Influence
Rocket Hideout: 20% Influence
Vermillion City: 42% Rocket Influence
Pokemon Fan Club: 10% Influence
Prominent Local: Lieutenant Surge: 5% Influence
Hideout: 5% Influence
Grimer Issue Resolved: 10% Influence
Vermillion City Gym: 5% Influence
Viridian City: 17% Rocket Influence
Viridian Pharmaceutical Plant: 10% Influence
Saffron City: 7% Rocket Influence Special Modifier-Silph Co HQ:Silph Co Influence is capped at 60% unless Silph Co loses this building
Fuchsia City: 7% Rocket Influence Special Modifier- Ranger Union HQ: Silph Co Influence is capped at 30% unless Silph Co loses this building, the Rangers are relocated, or the Rangers are successfully infiltrated by Rocket
Pewter City: 7% Rocket Influence
Cerulean City: 12% Rocket Influence
Water Club: 5% Rocket Influence
Lavender Town: 7% Rocket Influence
Cinnabar Island: 0% Rocket Influence Special Modifier- Gated Community: Zone-wide modifiers do not affect influence in this area
Pallet Town: 0% Rocket Influence Special Modifier- Gated Community: Zone-wide modifiers do not affect influence in this area.
Neo-Johto:
LOCKED
Current Liquid Funds: 3
Yearly Income: +9 Funds
Items:
Nidoking Coat: +10 to all defensive rolls (equipped on Giovanni)
Being a Intrigue-Focus faction would be a first for this sort of quest, and pretty rare for SV in general. That, and the upper limits of PokePower are fire.
