Those were the words that every Lycoris agent held onto, a reminder of the peace they ultimately served to preserve. It was through them that the serene veneer of public safety in Kyoto was maintained ever since the end of the Fourth Corporate War. They were the hidden soldiers within a populace, quietly approaching and silencing those who would threaten the image of relative peace within the ancient capital of Japan.
The shadow organization known only as 'Lycoris' was a black operations group, one whose existence could never be made public. Its operatives were orphan girls, often from those whose families had been service of the local government, who were then put on specialized regimen and training program from a young age to become talented assassins for their country. Then they were given cybernetic implants to further their abilities on the field, and distributed into a variety of roles both on the field or behind closed doors.
Make no mistake, Lycoris was certainly not a kind or charitable organization. It turned those young with aspiring futures into stoic patriots, prepared to kill their fellow countrymen if to maintain the image of public peace in Kyoto. Yet it could be argued that it is through their sacrifice that those on the side could live in happiness and content, free from the dark realities which plagued this world. It was an argument that even the operatives, also called Lycoris, struggled with themselves even as they showed no hesitation in maintaining the public peace.
Some insisted that it was necessary to kill for their nation, a civic duty they were chosen for. Many others simply saw it as a way to repay the government for raising them, a sort of odd filial debt that would be fulfilled when they reached adulthood. Indeed, that was something directly promised to the girls, that they would be freed of the organization and given the necessary civilian papers when they became 18, the closest sort of thing to a retirement a Lycoris could hope for.
Yet it was so hard at times to believe it because few ever lived that long. In a world where dangerous cybernetics could be applied by backstreet ripperdocs, every encounter could prove to be a fatal one with a rampaging Cyberpsycho. That was not to even mention the proliferation of black market guns, a way around the legal ban of private firearm ownership, meaning that it still was possible for unsavory actors to lay their hands on dangerous weapons that could kill even the most augmented Lycoris. It was in short a dangerous life, one that meant not every girl would ever grow up.
But still they persisted. They stalked, they hunted, they killed, again and again. For the sake of Kyoto, for the sake of public safety, for the sisters they have bonded with. The spider lily bloomed on the dark road they walked amid the people, disguised as regular schoolgirls. For too many of them, the very same flower would bloom on their grave in the near future.
For the lucky few, the flower was tucked into their hair upon graduation from the program.
You were looking forward to that, as your eyes fluttered open to stare at the blank white ceiling. You maintained the gaze for a little while, your head spinning while you tried to remember your last few memories. Almost immediately, you winced at the ghostly ringing in your ears.
"They've set the bomb, we don't have much more time! All units, advance now!"
"My partner's down, please, I have to get to her!"
"You have your orders, if we don't defuse that explosive in time, even more will die!"
"Everybody, get back, we can't crack-!"
Then there was the distinct sound of an explosion going off and that was all you recalled. You gritted your teeth and felt your nails press into your palms, the bitter taste of failure still in your mouth. That emergency operation had involved every single senior Lycoris, thrown them against an unhinged gang supported by Arasaka tech of all things. Many of them had been looking so eagerly to graduating soon.
Now, maybe you and a few others were left with such a stinging defeat to mark the end of your careers.
It felt wrong, to have all the killing you had done over the years to save lives to become so invalidated with one maniacal act.
While you laid there stewing in memories, a familiar voice finally spoke up through an intercom system. It was the Doctor, as you called him, the MedTech you were assigned to for healthcare and cybernetics. "Good morning, Lycoris. How are you feeling?"
"Like hell."
"I see. I do apologize, but you know the drill about medical debriefs, we have to verify you. Please provide your agent identification code."
"Juliet 702."
"How old are you?"
"17, going to be 18 in a week."
"Where were you born?"
"Where else? Kyoto."
"What was your academic performance like? What department did you belong to?"
"Slow down there, give me a moment. It's been a while since I've thought about my schooling." You sighed and massaged your temples, casting your mind back to the training lessons that started you on the path of being a Lycoris. "Let's see, I was this kind of student…"
Choose two characteristics you excelled in
[ ] [Excelled] Empathy (+2)
[ ] [Excelled] Cool (+2)
[ ] [Excelled] Reflexes (+2)
[ ] [Excelled] Body (+2)
[ ] [Excelled] Intelligence (+2)
[ ] [Excelled] Tech (+2)
Choose one characteristic you flunked in
[ ] [Flunked] Empathy (-2)
[ ] [Flunked] Cool (-2)
[ ] [Flunked] Reflexes (-2)
[ ] [Flunked] Body (-2)
[ ] [Flunked] Intelligence (-2)
[ ] [Flunked] Tech (-2)
Choose which department of Lycoris you belonged to
[ ] [Department] Street Agent: You were a typical Lycoris agent, roaming the streets in hunt of those who would threaten Kyoto's public safety and taking them out quietly. You are one of the most involved in fieldwork, with plenty of onsite investigation and direct operations.
[ ] [Department] Cyber Agent: You were assigned to work as part of Lycoris' Netrunner department, perhaps as a guard or one of the Netrunners themselves. You often worked with both hardware and software, focusing on the cyber war for public safety.
[ ] [Department] Cleaner Agent: You were the part of Lycoris that dealt with cover ups, either from that from other agents or tragically of other agents themselves. You helped secure and clean crime scenes to scrub them from public image, or helped grimly with the burial of other girls.
[ ] [Department] Private Agent: You...actually never belonged in the regular Lycoris hierarchy. You still were a member of the group but for one reason or another, you went and did your own thing independent of direct oversight. It ultimately served the interests of the organization to leave you be and you kept it that way by being an unexpected source of aid from time to time.
- The characteristics are each broken down as the following; Empathy: A measure of how relatable and personable as a human, to get others to see things your way or appreciate your presence. Examples: Charming others to your side, bargaining for prices, or putting on a performance. Cool: A measure of how focused you stay while under pressure, to remain calm in danger or maintain confidence. Examples: Sneaking about restricted areas, finding alternate paths, or silencing unaware opponents. Reflexes: A measure of how fast your body moves to your thoughts, to engage in combat or react to danger. Examples: Firing a pistol, using a sword, or driving a vehicle. Body: A measure of how strong your body is to exertion, to resist succumbing to pain or moving in spite of exhaustion. Examples: Swimming a distance, running at lengths, or enduring concussive trauma. Intelligence: A measure of how learned your mind is, to recall details in total or utilized software. Examples: Executing a program, researching a topic, or cooking the books. Tech: A measure of how good you are with technology, to craft together devices from parts or put hardware to the test. Examples: Fiddling with cybernetics, working a lockpick, or tailoring custom explosives.
- Stats wise, you start with 10 in all so a +2/-2 isn't a huge modifier (especially with a d100 system), but there are further options to change that more later on. It also affects what sort of personality or attitude you have to things. As an example, being good with both reflexes and body while having bad empathy means you are focused more on pure action than wasting words (in short, Takina from the show).
- I binged all of Lycoris Recoil and had this really weird idea it works so well in a Cyberpunk setting. Here's a go with it! You will recognize a lot of terms/references from the RPGs, but I'll probably lean heavily into homebrew content for the setting.
Four hour moratorium for the first part of character creation. Vote by plan.
Skills
Body Language (E): Rank 2 (+4) - You can read simple and obvious gestures.
Streetwise (C): Rank 1 (+2) - You still are relatively new to the streets.
Driving (R): Rank 3 (+6) - You're a decent driver behind the wheel.
Pistols (R): Rank 6 (+12) - You can reliably land shots with your pistol.
SMGs (R): Rank 6 (+12) - You can hit a target with most of a burst from an SMG.
Shotguns (R): Rank 6 (+12) - You can blow most targets apart with your shotgun.
Melee (R): Rank 1 (+2) - You can swing a sword at a training dummy. (Progress 1/2)
Geology (I): Rank 3 (+6) - You've seen your fair share of interesting stonework.
Botany (I): Rank 6 (+12) - You've got a good hand when handling plants.
Electronics (T): Rank 3 (+6)
- You know how to follow the instructions to install a screen.
Repair (T): Rank 6 (+12)
- You have a deft hand at repairs and can fix most common issues.
Cooking (T): Rank 1(+2) - You prefer using a microwave to cook.
Cyberware Minerva Optics: A proprietary Lycoris software attached to the optical cyberware that directly tracks and reads the body language of designated targets with incredible detailing. This feeds into a program that quickly analyzes and predicts the target's next moves, allowing for one to even theoretically predict when they will fire a gun at the user. This is most effective at close range, where the detailing system will have the most to work with. Effects: +1 Empathy. You will have an Empathy-based chance to evade bullets at close, short, and normal range. The chance decreases as the distance increases. Alan Eyes: The chance of evasion increases with your knowledge of Body Language.
Linked Assessment: Lycoris authorizations enable for direct connection to local police servers to access their profiling system, providing a wealth of information about local citizens. This is combined with access codes to public camera systems to enable for indirect trailing of identified targets alongside updating profiling programs.Effects: +2 Intelligence. Provides active profiling for characters, revealing a depth of information about affiliations, crimes, bounties, and more. Alan Eyes: The profiling system will now alert you about a person's personal talents and capabilities.
Model 6b (Left Arm): A rather generic and corporate cyberlimb that is meant for an easygoing day-to-day lifestyle. But just because it was made with office life in mind doesn't mean that isn't surprisingly well-made, including a number of access ports and plugs for whatever customization one so desired. Effects: None.
Name: The name of the weapon Ammo (Cost): How much ammunition this weapon will usually have for a single deployment, along with the associated price for a full refill. Damage: How much Body damage this weapon does per success. Piercing: What armor class this weapon is effective up until. Close: How accurate this weapon is at close range (The length of a meterstick) Short: How accurate this weapon is at short range (The length of a room) Normal: How accurate this weapon is at normal range (The length of a hallway) Long: How accurate this weapon is at long range (The length of a block) Extreme: How accurate this weapon is at extreme range (The length of park) Reliability: How likely this weapon is to jam during a fight (VR = Very Reliable, R = Reliable, UR = Unreliable)
Pistols
Pistols are the universal backup sidearm for any encounter on the field, being easy to carry and conceal while having excellent ammo efficiency. However, that is all that can be said for them.
Name
Ammo (Cost)
Damage
Piercing
Close
Short
Normal
Long
Extreme
Reliability
Towa 14 Police
16 (30eb)
7
0
+20
+10
+0
-10
-20
VR
S&W Model 10
12 (30eb)
9
1
+0
+12
+0
-12
-24
VR
Towa 14 Police: The standard-issue service pistol given to Japanese police and armed forces. It is a caseless machine pistol with surprising accuracy even at longer ranges, making it perfect for Lycoris on the field.
S&W Model 10: An antique revolver from America that has found inordinate popularity around the globe, favored by civilian police everywhere. It packs a hard punch when in direct showdowns, but struggles to match up to anything more commercially made these days.
Assault
Assault Rifles cover excellent standardized firearms that are often the mainstay of any armed force. They tend do well in all categories, but don't usually excel in a single one as a result.
Name
Ammo (Cost)
Damage
Piercing
Close
Short
Normal
Long
Extreme
Reliability
Arasaka WAA Bullpup
12 (70eb)
12
0
-15
-5
+0
+5
+5
VR
Arasaka WAA Bullpup: An iconic and somewhat dated assault rifle from the Fourth Corporate War. It features an integrated scope system along with excellent burst fire for efficient long-distance combat, at the cost of lower damage with incredible awkwardness up close.
Melee
The advent of boosterware and other cyberware has enabled classic weapons to suddenly return to the fore, being now more viable against a gunman when one can dodge or even deflect bullets. They're perfect for getting up close to neutralize any weapons advantage an opponent might have, along with being a hand backup should the roles be reversed.
Name
Damage
Piercing
Arasaka Katana
10
2
Arasaka Katana: Even one of the biggest megacorps in the world can still feel the allure of manufacturing antiquated weapons, though they clearly haven't settled for making it only symbolic. They have instead gone the full length in making it a deadly practical weapon up-close, one capable of bisecting targets. Yours has a blue tint, a sister blade to Mitsu's own crimson blade.
Armor Lycoris Schoolbag (Armor 1): What appears to be a regular schoolbag at first glance is actually a treated bullet-resistant gadget, one that provides you with ammunition while acting as an emergency shield. It is rated to survive small-arms fire, but higher calibers may just punch straight through.
"During the examinations, I scored highest in working with technology, and working in the shadows." The ghost of a smile crossed your face. "I almost failed the physicals though. Almost."
"There is no almost- you either pass or fail a physical," The Doctor idly noted and you shrugged.
"Still, it was enough to bench me from being a more active member. I think they were considering putting me through Netrunner training to see if I was more suited for that. But in the end, I was instead assigned to the Cover-Up Department," You recalled with a tilt of the head. "Apparently my ability to understand things quickly while observing from the shadows made me suitable to act as a Cleaner Agent."
"Please describe what a Cleaner Agent usually entails."
You frowned, feeling like this particular examination was doing every single optional question. You sighed, but knew that giving the straight explanation was the quickest way to get this medical exam over with. "A Cleaner Agent is a Lycoris tasked with making sure that we truly leave no traces of our presence. If the regular members act as scissors to prune the garden, we are who clean up the debris to make sure it remains clean. We are essentially the ones who delete our presence in passing."
"How would you achieve it so?"
"We are put on standby the moment a threat is identified. Once an avenue of elimination is determined, we are rushed to the scene while those already present commence the operation." The word felt sterile on your tongue, a blase way to describe a Lycoris in the field approaching and assassinating a would-be criminal. "When we reach the scene, we immediately get to work packaging bodies and disruptions while cleaning the scene. Idly, we would have wiped all traces of the operation within an hour for minor regular encounters."
"How about major encounters?"
"The difference is that we are usually already on the scene when the operation begins then. We may not be as experienced as those who regularly patrol the streets, but we still are Lycoris," You firmly insisted with an intense look. "We can still fight, and we help secure the perimeter from enemy reinforcements in such cases. Afterwards, it's business as usual with clean-up and scrubbing the scene, though it understandably takes much longer now."
"Is that all?" The Doctor pressed and you bit your lip, recalling a ghastlier duty of Cleaner Agents.
"We are also tasked with disposal of assets following clean-up, upon return to our base. For our opposition, it is a simple matter of incineration following confirmation of identification details. For…" You faltered for a moment, then gritted your teeth to push on through. "For our fallen, the process is more detailed. We take time to pay respects while either erasing or removing Lycoris cyberware from them. Then their bodies are cremated."
There was a long pause, perhaps the Doctor generously allowing you a moment to calm yourself. Maybe he understood that every Cleaner Agent has at one point or another had to handle a fallen Lycoris, making sure that their sacrifice was never forgotten. Finally, he spoke, moving on to the next topic. "Please describe in detail what your specific role was in the department. You may as well go into detail about prominent moments in your service history."
"I suppose you want my best and worst moments on file. Very well, if I recall correctly…"
Choose a department role and two skills to excel in -[ ] [Role] Restoration: You were the one who directly went onto battlefield afterwards to tidy everything up. From wrapping the fallen in bodybags to collecting brass to even repairing bullet holes, you were like the groundskeeper for Lycoris. (+2 Tech) --[ ] Driving (R)
--[ ] Botany (I)
--[ ] Geology (I)
--[ ] Electronics (T)
--[ ] Repair (T)
-[ ] [Role] Cover-Up: You were the one who helped secure the area from further intrusion by curious or nosy civilians and bystanders. You helped spread plausible stories to have them shrug and move on, while also deleting all evidence that Lycoris was once there. (+2 Empathy) --[ ] Persuasion (E)
--[ ] Streetwise (C)
--[ ] Electronic Security (T)
--[ ] Composition (I)
--[ ] Forgery (T)
-[ ] [Role] Autopsy: You were the one with the grim duty of disposal of assets, both foreign and Lycoris. You tried your best to balance duty with respect for the dead while working to make sure not a single piece of the organization's secret cyberware leaked to the public. (+2 Intelligence) --[ ] Body Language (E)
--[ ] First Aid (I)
--[ ] Biology (I)
--[ ] Diagnose (I)
--[ ] Cybertech (T)
Choose a highlight of your career -[ ] [Highlight] Scene Erasure: Just when you had thought you had cleaned up a scene pretty well, a gang of all things shows up looking for their assassinated associates. You led your colleagues in drawing them in to assassinate them, dirtying the scene once again. (+3 Reflexes, +3 Cool)
-[ ] [Highlight] Lycoris Lifesaver: Just when you had reached for a fallen comrade, you realize with shock they were actually still alive, but not for long! Your timely realization and emergency aid saved their life, and you were appropriately honored by your colleagues for saving a sister. (+3 Empathy, +3 Cool)
-[ ] [Highlight] Riot Fighter: A cover-up went badly for one reason or another and instead incited a civilian riot that tried to push in to see what was happening. You were at the front of the defense effort, withstanding and holding back the crowd from discovering the activities of Lycoris until the situation defused. (+3 Empathy, +3 Body)
-[ ] [Highlight] Perfect Cover: There was a massive Lycoris operation that caught the eye of the public and threatened to blow the organization's cover. You alone were the only one who came up with a cover-up story sufficient enough to spin it away, earning you no small amount of respect from the higher-ups at your creativity. (+3 Empathy, +3 Intelligence)
-[ ] [Highlight] Cybernetic Forgery: A piece of Lycoris technology was somehow leaked and got on the black market, a disaster...of your doing. You successfully created a fake variant of Lycoris technology with the approval of your higher-ups and the organization purposefully leaked it to create mass disinterest in the organization's 'shoddy' cyberwares. (+3 Cool, +3 Tech)
-[ ] [Highlight] Reborn Flower: During a regular cleaning, a group somehow managed to ambush your team and cut you down, taking the others hostage. You managed to fake your death and pull yourself together long enough to not only send an alert but to also take on the group by yourself to save your colleagues. (+3 Reflexes, +3 Body)
Choose a disaster of your career -[ ] [Disaster] Failed Story: Unfortunately, the cover-up led by you drew more attention than normal from the public eye and Lycoris was forced to cease operations for a while to remain hidden, much to your shame. (-3 Empathy)
-[ ] [Disaster] Leaked Cybernetics: You failed to thoroughly wipe a piece of Lycoris technology and it fell into unsavory hands, necessitating a special operation to retrieve at great cost. (-3 Tech)
-[ ] [Disaster] Scene Contamination: During your duties, you accidentally tainted a piece of vital intelligence that wasn't retrieved properly. It was a mistake that earned censures all around, with you taking a lot of blame as well. (-3 Intelligence)
-[ ] [Disaster] Blood Nausea: There was a particularly bloody firefight that resulted in a mountain of bodies on the scene and you couldn't handle it, losing your stomach in front of so many others. The humiliation stuck with you for a long while. (-3 Cool)
-[ ] [Disaster] Surprised Runner: While cleaning up a scene, there was an intrusion from a passing Edgerunner and you were given orders to eliminate them. But they drew quicker than you and put you out of commission, the stinging failure of defeat giving you shakes of the hand. (-3 Reflexes)
-[ ] [Disaster] Booby Trap: You were shifting about a body when there was an ominous click. Then you woke up in a medical bed with half your body riddled with shrapnel from the detonation. You never could recover your old strength. (-3 Body)
- You will get all the listed skills of the role you pick, but the two skills you mark out will start at Rank 6 instead of a normal start of Rank 3. It's a difference of a +12 vs +6 bonus to your skill rolls, and you are considered a "employable" with those specific skills. Skills range from 0 to 10 and each level gives a +2 bonus to rolls. At Rank 3, you're an enthusiastic dabbler. At Rank 6, you can probably get a job from this. At Rank 9, you're considered a professional, if not one of the best in the field.
- These will be the last basic stats, but not the end of skills (we still have combat skill options that you get by default/can choose)
Four hour moratorium to consider a service history plan.
Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Nov 9, 2023 at 12:21 AM, finished with 9 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Plan Floral Cleaners
-[X] [Role] Restoration: You were the one who directly went onto battlefield afterwards to tidy everything up. From wrapping the fallen in bodybags to collecting brass to even repairing bullet holes, you were like the groundskeeper for Lycoris. (+2 Tech)
--[X] Repair (T)
--[X] Botany (I)
-[X] [Highlight] Perfect Cover: There was a massive Lycoris operation that caught the eye of the public and threatened to blow the organization's cover. You alone were the only one who came up with a cover-up story sufficient enough to spin it away, earning you no small amount of respect from the higher-ups at your creativity. (+3 Empathy, +3 Intelligence) -[X] [Disaster] Booby Trap: You were shifting about a body when there was an ominous click. Then you woke up in a medical bed with half your body riddled with shrapnel from the detonation. You never could recover your old strength. (-3 Body)
[X] Plan: The Flesh is Weak
-[X] [Role] Restoration: You were the one who directly went onto battlefield afterwards to tidy everything up. From wrapping the fallen in bodybags to collecting brass to even repairing bullet holes, you were like the groundskeeper for Lycoris. (+2 Tech)
--[X] Electronics (T)
--[X] Repair (T) -[X] [Highlight] Cybernetic Forgery: A piece of Lycoris technology was somehow leaked and got on the black market, a disaster...of your doing. You successfully created a fake variant of Lycoris technology with the approval of your higher-ups and the organization purposefully leaked it to create mass disinterest in the organization's 'shoddy' cyberwares. (+3 Cool, +3 Tech) -[X] [Disaster] Booby Trap: You were shifting about a body when there was an ominous click. Then you woke up in a medical bed with half your body riddled with shrapnel from the detonation. You never could recover your old strength. (-3 Body)
[X] Plan We'll Make You Disappear...Sometimes
-[X] [Role] Restoration:
--[X] Botany (I)
--[X] Electronics (T)
-[X] [Highlight] Scene Erasure
-[X] [Disaster] Scene Contamination
[X] Plan The Mind Shall Vanquish the Sword
-[X] [Role] Cover-Up: You were the one who helped secure the area from further intrusion by curious or nosy civilians and bystanders. You helped spread plausible stories to have them shrug and move on, while also deleting all evidence that Lycoris was once there. (+2 Empathy)
--[X] Persuasion (E)
--[X] Forgery (T)
-[X] [Highlight] Perfect Cover: There was a massive Lycoris operation that caught the eye of the public and threatened to blow the organization's cover. You alone were the only one who came up with a cover-up story sufficient enough to spin it away, earning you no small amount of respect from the higher-ups at your creativity. (+3 Empathy, +3 Intelligence) -[X] [Disaster] Booby Trap: You were shifting about a body when there was an ominous click. Then you woke up in a medical bed with half your body riddled with shrapnel from the detonation. You never could recover your old strength. (-3 Body)
X] Plan Floral Cleaners
-[X] [Role] Restoration: You were the one who directly went onto battlefield afterwards to tidy everything up. From wrapping the fallen in bodybags to collecting brass to even repairing bullet holes, you were like the groundskeeper for Lycoris. (+2 Tech)
--[X] Repair (T)
--[X] Botany (I)
-[X] [Highlight] Perfect Cover: There was a massive Lycoris operation that caught the eye of the public and threatened to blow the organization's cover. You alone were the only one who came up with a cover-up story sufficient enough to spin it away, earning you no small amount of respect from the higher-ups at your creativity. (+3 Empathy, +3 Intelligence)
-[X] [Disaster] Booby Trap: You were shifting about a body when there was an ominous click. Then you woke up in a medical bed with half your body riddled with shrapnel from the detonation. You never could recover your old strength. (-3 Body)
"I was specifically one of the regular cleaners who went in to help patch everything up," You recalled, looking at the mirrored glass. "I did a little bit of everything, from putting the bodies in bags to collecting the bullet casings. We couldn't leave a trace after all."
"I see. Is that all?"
"Well, er," You coughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of your head, almost bashfully. "I...tried to tidy up the scenes really well and make them even prettier than before. I actually made sure to top it all off with a nice vase of colorful flowers to make beautify, if you could believe it."
"You, or rather, the record does suggest you add a bit of extra flair to your duties," The Doctor chuckled, dropping the sterile attitude for a moment. "A bit of flowers to brighten up a day after a killing, huh?"
"It never fails to perk me up," You softly said with a quiet melancholic smile. "That actually leads into my next mention, of which you'll find early in my service history. In one of my first outings as a Lycoris, the clearing team missed a trapped body and didn't defuse it when the Cleaner Agents showed up. I was the unfortunate one who shifted the body, and paid for it with my own body."
"How bad was the damage?" They quietly asked, even though they already knew the answer.
"It was pretty bad," You admitted and looked down your arms, at the pristine skin that once was covered in streaks of blood. "I was hospitalized for a long while, and being a rookie, I didn't have many friends then. But some of the girls still took time to leave a flower with well-wishes at my bedsides, so I grew enamored with them. It never failed to keep my spirits high while I recovered."
"Did you make a full recovery?"
"Somewhat. I still do get the shakes here and there," You admitted and clenched your fists, feeling the slight shakes of a phantom pain that you doubt would ever go away, even if you replaced everything with cybernetics. "But I remained pretty sharp and had plenty of inspiration to get even better. It actually led to the Blossoming, which I'm proud to have come up with."
"Is that so? Please explain what that is."
"A few years ago, Lycoris ambushed a group of yakuza attempting to muscle into Kyoto with illegal firearms. The ambush was not as effective as planned and there was a chase through the streets that culminated in a shoot-out in a public park." You shook your head, recalling the expressions of your dismayed colleagues when they realized how much of a mess they had to clean up. "The scale of the operation was so large that the public naturally caught wind of it. Lycoris as an organization was on the verge of being unmasked to the people, which would threaten our entire existence. So I made a proposal."
"What sort of proposal could cover up an incident of this scale?"
"Simple: it so happened to be the flower-viewing season soon," You mentioned with a nod. "So to match with the festivities, we spun the encounter as a movie shoot about a crime drama, about the death of sakura blossoms and like. We even took the smuggled firearms and threaded flowers from the barrel to act as props, leading the public to fawn and think it was all just a stunt for a movie."
"Wouldn't the public get suspicious of the school girl actors using guns however?"
"But right there, you've proven that it works." You smiled and pointed a finger gun at the mirrored glass. "You immediately assumed we were actors, not something else. That alone has people skip and glance over the entire thing, thinking more about how silly the movie plot was compared to the reality of it all. So, the public continue to go about their day, not knowing what goes on behind the veil."
"...I see. It's very clever," The medical professional praised and you could sense that they meant it. "It's slightly astonishing that you came up with that all while restricted to headquarters with a light duty restriction. But perhaps that was a good indication that you were a great Cleaner, even when not on the field."
"I was still pretty eager to get back on the field," You admitted with a scratch of your cheek. "I event spent most of my light duty restriction on the range, to really bring my shooting skills up to snuff."
"Of course, of course. I think that it doesn't even need to be mentioned that every Lycoris is at least very skilled with handguns, specifically the Towa 14 Police Pistol."
"The standard-issued handgun for all Lycoris, and the main tool for our work," You dutifully recited.
"Very good. But not every Lycoris has the same firearms training, do they? Variety is key to success, after all." There was a pause, then the Doctor casually added another critical detail. "And that includes your cyberware as well, doesn't it? You've got some unique parts on you besides the standard suite of universal installs."
That was true. You blinked and your vision swim when your optical cyberware kick in, a HUD system popping up. It was a custom piece of software that was installed in all Lycoris to allow for direct peer to peer communication on the field, along with linked targeting systems. You were sure your eyes were glowing while you tested all systems and tried to ping for nearby units as a test.
There was a muted silence for a moment and your hand clenched up. No...no it couldn't be-!
Ping.
Ping.
Ping.
You let out a relieved sigh when suddenly, three friendly pings responded, indicating at least three nearby Lycoris units. You at least weren't alone in the medical center. "Juliet 702, please refrain from getting ahead of yourself," The Doctor dryly requested and your face was flushed with embarrassment at the technical breach of examination protocol.
"My apologies."
There was a good-nature sigh, one that made you sure the Doctor was slightly smiling behind the glass. "We may as well skip forward then if you're that eager. A quick detailing of your combat capability and your cyberware will suffice as an apology."
"Sure. Let's see…"
Choose two weapon combat skills -[ ] [Weapon] SMG: Covers high damage weapons that are excelt at close quarters, but struggle with piercing armor. -[ ] [Weapon] Assault: Covers excellent standardized firearms that do well in all categories, but don't usually excel in a single one. -[ ] [Weapon] Rifles: Covers very long range guns that are more suited as assassination tools than direct combat, especially up close with a low ammo count. -[ ] [Weapon] Shotgun: Covers very short range weapons that deal high damage and piercing, at the cost of ammo capacity. -[ ] [Weapon] MG: Covers bulky machine guns that are very powerful firearms but struggle badly when brought into close quarters. -[ ] [Weapon] Explosive: Covers very limited but powerful weapons that are capable of destroying terrain and vehicles alike. -[ ] [Weapon] Melee: Covers a range of both traditional and modern weapons meant for getting up close to swing away.
Choose two Lycoris Cyberware -[ ] [Cyberware] Minerva Optics: A proprietary Lycoris software attached to the optical cyberware that directly tracks and reads the body language of designated targets with incredible detailing. This feeds into a program that quickly analyzes and predicts the target's next moves, allowing for one to even theoretically predict when they will fire a gun at the user. This is most effective at close range, where the detailing system will have the most to work with. Effects: +1 Empathy. You will have an Empathy-based chance to evade bullets at close and short range.
-[ ] [Cyberware] Hound Arms: Advanced artificial musculature is weaved and integrated together in such a way that the user is magnitudes stronger than what normal cyberware can provide. It has been designed this way to allow for Lycoris to still blend in with the populace, but yet have the shocking capability of lifting and wielding heavier weapons with little struggle in combat. Effects: +2 Body. Halves accuracy penalties of MG and Explosive weapons.
-[ ] [Cyberware] Decentralized Cardiovascular: The user's heart has been replaced with an artificial heart that has been carefully spread around the body, making it so that they no longer need rely on a single organ to keep their blood flowing. It has been designed with a Pain Editor so Lycoris on the field can keep fighting in spite of critical injuries, a double edged sword when it comes to survival. Effects: +1 Body. You do not suffer penalties for being wounded.
-[ ] [Cyberware] Surge Sandevistan: A rudimentary piece of cyberware that has been taken to a new cutting edge of speedware technology for Lycoris. A single thought is all it takes to accelerate one's reflexes and actions to a point where it feels like the world is still around the user, without the risk of biological degradation. This comes at the price of it being less powerful than the destructive Corp variants. Effects: +1 Reflex. You gain a +20 to all Initiative rolls.
-[ ] [Cyberware] Panther Paws: Stealth functionality integrated with advanced musculature creates leg cyberware capable of moving quickly without making a single sound to alert the enemy. It is popular for Lycoris that prefer either getting up close quickly or quietly depending on the situation. Effects: +2 Cool. Negates enemy cover penalty for shooting.
-[ ] [Cyberware] Mantis Shears: At a single thought, a set of sharp blades shoot out of the user's arms that can easily cut through flesh with little effort. The name comes from how the twin blades placed together can resemble a set of garden shears. Very fitting of Lycoris. Effects: +1 Tech. Gain the Mantis Shears cyberweapon.
-[ ] [Cyberware] Linked Assessment: Lycoris authorizations enable for direct connection to local police servers to access their profiling system, providing a wealth of information about local citizens. This is combined with access codes to public camera systems to enable for indirect trailing of identified targets alongside updating profiling programs. Effects: +2 Intelligence. Provides active profiling for characters, revealing a depth of information about affiliations, crimes, bounties, and more.
-[ ] [Cyberware] ECM Tattoo: Defensive cyberware meant to defend against Netrunners comes with the slight embarrassment of having a garish tattoo inked onto the user's back. For Lycoris, most opt to simply have it take the form of a red spider lily to help earn some popularity with their sisters. Effects: +1 Intelligence. You gain a +20 to all Tech rolls resisting Quickhacks.
- Please note that this is all cyberware developed by the government for Lycoris. In short, these are the very powerful and near-unique versions of the technologies that you can't find on the streets. Choose wisely.
- Some cybernetics happen to synergize with one another. You'll unlock a hidden bonus if you can figure them out, but I do think they might be rather obvious.
Four hour moratorium to come up with a style plan.
Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Nov 11, 2023 at 1:51 AM, finished with 19 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Plan: Chisato Profiler -[X] [Weapon] SMG: Covers high damage weapons that are excelt at close quarters, but struggle with piercing armor. -[X] [Weapon] Shotgun: Covers very short range weapons that deal high damage and piercing, at the cost of ammo capacity. -[X] [Cyberware] Minerva Optics:A proprietary Lycoris software attached to the optical cyberware that directly tracks and reads the body language of designated targets with incredible detailing. This feeds into a program that quickly analyzes and predicts the target's next moves, allowing for one to even theoretically predict when they will fire a gun at the user. This is most effective at close range, where the detailing system will have the most to work with. Effects: +1 Empathy. You will have an Empathy-based chance to evade bullets at close and short range. -[X] [Cyberware] Linked Assessment: Lycoris authorizations enable for direct connection to local police servers to access their profiling system, providing a wealth of information about local citizens. This is combined with access codes to public camera systems to enable for indirect trailing of identified targets alongside updating profiling programs. Effects: +2 Intelligence. Provides active profiling for characters, revealing a depth of information about affiliations, crimes, bounties, and more.
[X] Plan: Orchid Mantis -[X] [Weapon] Rifles: Covers very long range guns that are more suited as assassination tools than direct combat, especially up close with a low ammo count. -[X] [Weapon] Melee: Covers a range of both traditional and modern weapons meant for getting up close to swing away. -[X] [Cyberware] Panther Paws: Stealth functionality integrated with advanced musculature creates leg cyberware capable of moving quickly without making a single sound to alert the enemy. It is popular for Lycoris that prefer either getting up close quickly or quietly depending on the situation. Effects: +2 Cool. Negates enemy cover penalty for shooting. -[X] [Cyberware] Mantis Shears: At a single thought, a set of sharp blades shoot out of the user's arms that can easily cut through flesh with little effort. The name comes from how the twin blades placed together can resemble a set of garden shears. Very fitting of Lycoris. Effects: +1 Tech. Gain the Mantis Shears cyberweapon.
[X] Plan: Chisato Profiler
-[X] [Weapon] SMG: Covers high damage weapons that are excelt at close quarters, but struggle with piercing armor.
-[X] [Weapon] Shotgun: Covers very short range weapons that deal high damage and piercing, at the cost of ammo capacity.
-[X] [Cyberware] Minerva Optics: A proprietary Lycoris software attached to the optical cyberware that directly tracks and reads the body language of designated targets with incredible detailing. This feeds into a program that quickly analyzes and predicts the target's next moves, allowing for one to even theoretically predict when they will fire a gun at the user. This is most effective at close range, where the detailing system will have the most to work with. Effects: +1 Empathy. You will have an Empathy-based chance to evade bullets at close and short range.
-[X] [Cyberware] Linked Assessment: Lycoris authorizations enable for direct connection to local police servers to access their profiling system, providing a wealth of information about local citizens. This is combined with access codes to public camera systems to enable for indirect trailing of identified targets alongside updating profiling programs. Effects: +2 Intelligence. Provides active profiling for characters, revealing a depth of information about affiliations, crimes, bounties, and more.
"I've been trained for close quarters combat specifically, with a focus on short range weapons. Submachine guns and shotguns were my highest scoring fields, so I was rated to be a room breacher if the need ever arose."
"Don't room breachers need some sort of significant endurance to them?" The Doctor asked in a seemingly innocent tone, leading on the next part of the conversation. "You do seem rather frail compared to most others who fit the archetype."
"I am, but my cyberware makes up for it." You pointed to your eyes, which seemed to glow eerily while they spun up. Your vision blurred for a moment before snapping back into a higher resolution, your opticware having finally rebooted all systems. Now you saw the world with pinpoint clarity that was superior to any natural eye, with a built-in scanner and analysis system. Just even looking at yourself caused multiple holographic tags to pop up all around your body, predicting your next move based on your gestures. "Minerva Optics with a Linked Assessment system."
"The infamous projectile predicting system, combined with access to police profiling. A bit overkill for a Cleaner Agent, don't you think?"
"I'm a Lycoris first, a Cleaner second," You firmly declared, putting a hand on your chest. "If the need ever arose for me to take up a gun to preserve peace, I must. Especially if it's a direct order or if my sisters are in trouble. That was why I was one of those assigned to take point duty in the last operation."
"Regarding your last operation, we should save that for a proper debrief later." But before the Doctor could continue, somebody else spoke up, one that had your body immediately straighten up on instinct.
"That won't be necessary. We'll review it now." The door to the recovery room slid open and you felt your gut drop out from under you at who was entering now. It was the Commander, the woman who headed the entire Lycoris operation and oversaw everything, from field deployments to public cover-ups. A focused figure who had no qualm about sending orphaned girls to kill to maintain the veneer of public safety in Kyoto.
Rumor has it that she had been a former Lycoris herself.
"Commander!" You leapt to your feet and snapped to attention, arms firmly planted to your side. "Juliet 702, reporting!"
"...I see," She said in an unusually soft tone that had you blinking in confusion. You risked a glance to try for an analysis your optics, only for the Commander to wave you down. "At ease, at ease. I'm not going to sugarcoat or boss you around today. Not when you're so close to being an adult yourself to stand equal to me. One week, right? Just in time for the graduation."
You hesitated, unsure what to say. But you supposed, it was true. "I'll be in 18 in a week, ma'am. But even then, you have much more in experience than me."
"Mmh, is that how it seems from afar?" She idly asked before shaking her head. "In any case, you've likely already figured out that Operation Sakura was a failure."
Your hands balled into fists. "How bad was it?"
"Out of all senior operatives sent on the mission, only four survived including you. As for the actual damage to public safety," The Commander gestured and you nodded, reaching for your hand. There, you pulled out a cable from your wrist and plugged into a socket next to the bed, connecting you to the Lycoris servers. It was necessary to have a closed system for internal Lycoris communications and reports, to greatly decrease the chance of wandering Netrunners from unveiling the organization.
A moment later, a digital report popped up in your vision that you quickly read through. "The damage ultimate sounded worst than it actually looked. Your juniors worked hard to either help cover everything up or eliminate traces of it ever being there," The Commander told in a tired voice. "I expect that in a month or two, few will remember it compared to what else is going on in the world."
"A train collision. A very handy explanation," You muttered, seeing the samples pulled from local news stations. You arrived at the last report and your expression trembled for a moment, seeing a list of pictures with red crosses on them. "So many of us, just gone."
"...at the very least, their sacrifice wasn't in vain. Projections indicate that had the field teams disabled as many explosives as they had, the cover-up would be even harder to sell without inviting direct suspicion." The Commander bowed her head. "A cold comfort though, especially when you realize your graduating generation is one of the smallest we'll have for a while."
"It is. Just me...and three others." You remembered the pings from earlier and hesitated, wanting to immediately rush out to reassure them of your survival. But doing so would be a massive breach of protocol and highly disrespectful to the leader of Lycoris.
Said leader solved the problem by stepping aside with a nod. "Go on. Everybody's already woken up ahead of you and finished their medical exams. I believe they're getting to know each other in the rec room now."
"Juliet 702 has no yet finished her full medical exam or debrief-" The Doctor pointed out from the monitoring room and the Commander rolled her eyes.
"Let her be, she deserves it after everything. Also about high time you stopped calling her that." She looked at you straight in the eyes with a warm look. "Call her by her name now. She'll be going by that once she graduates anyway."
"I suppose so. And I also suppose she's undoubtedly a break from my nagging," The MedTech chuckled and the windows lost their mirrored sheen, revealing the figure of the Doctor giving you a reassuring nod. "Go on, and if something breaks later, I'll patch you back together again. As many times as needed."
Your throat suddenly felt dry at the sudden freedom both the Commander and Doctor were giving. Was this them recognizing me as an adult now? You managed to hold yourself together long enough to give them both an appreciative bow before leaving the recovery room, remembering to disconnect yourself safely and retract the cable back into your arm. You found yourself in the hallways of the medical ward, something you had gotten very accustomed and familiar with over the years of service and recovery. With a deep breath, you began to head in the direction of the patient recreation room-
Only to almost trip and stumble when somebody hugged you from behind. "Hark! A fellow warrior that has returned from the Sanzu!" You squeaked in surprise and turned quickly around to face a grinning young woman your age. Your optics flickered and immediately identified her as a friendly Lycoris, giving you the name and designation. "Ah, forgive me, we've never crossed paths before today! I am-"
"Delta 120, right?" You finished, causing her to blink in surprise. "Street agent and assault specialist, known for your swordsmanship."
"Ah!" At the last bit, she beamed and pumped a fist eagerly. "So you have heard of me! Most excellent, my legend is growing!"
"It's more that I have record access," You admitted and the Lycoris deflated, her ego popped. You glanced over the service history and figured quickly that she absolutely fitted the archetype of being a 'Street Samurai,' taking to patrol duty with a bokken over her shoulder in addition to the regular gear. It actually made for an effective design, looking like a regular kendoka student in the crowds.
"Alas, the Way is a long road," She sighed, then perked back up with an eager grin. "But do call me by my name now, like all the others! Ah, I shall bring you to them!"
She gripped your wrist tightly and pulled you along to the rec room, talking all about how excited she was to meet you all the while. You winced at the clear strength in them and guessed she likely had cyberlimbs, ones that were perhaps stronger than yours. Before you could get a question in otherwise, you found yourself already looking at the door to the rec room, the area meant for recovering Lycoris agents to relax while healing up.
The doors slid open and Delta 120 excitedly raised her voice. "I return, and I bring forth our missing comrade! Come, sisters! We are now complete!" She declared, and immediately there were a few giggles at the boisterous tone on display.
"Of course, honorable warrior," A bespectacled woman told with a shake of the head and quiet smile. She nodded politely at you and your software got to work. "Sorry if she's a little over the top, but she's been eager for you to wake up. Then your ping drove her up the wall and we couldn't stop her."
"She was, like, so happy," A dreamy looking Lycoris mentioned, then tilted her head curiously. "Oh wow, you look like, so familiar. I think I've seen you in like, my department."
"Yes, I'm a fellow Cleaner." You studied her for a moment, not even looking at the digital report being assembled in your vision. "You're...Alpha 417, right? From the cover-up division."
She lit up and clapped happily. "You're like, so smart! I forget half the time where I'm at," She admitted with a carefree laugh. You raised an eyebrow but wasn't fooled by the seemingly ditzy attitude, knowing she was still a Lycoris in the end.
In the same manner, you knew that the one who looked a little more bookish than the others probably was still an expert shot with the pistol. You turned to her next and read aloud the report prepared by your cyberware. "You're November 117. From the Netrunner department."
"My, somebody's got some fancy eyes," She observed with a smile. "Minerva Optics, right? With a Linked Assessment system as well, what an interesting combination. I would've expected that from a veteran Street Agent though, not a Cleaner Agent.'
"The higher-ups just decided what my eyes were be replaced with after I lost them," You admitted with a casual shrug, then hastily clarified at the alarmed looks from all three of your colleagues. "Not this last operation, I lost my old eyes before that."
They relaxed at that assurance and you took the moment to study how each of them did sport some bodily injury, one way or another. The Street agent had bandages wrapped around half her face, the Netrunner was sitting in a wheelchair, and your fellow Cleaner had a crutch resting on the chair next to her. You supposed you got off light compared to them all, having been only knocked unconscious.
A dark part of you reminded that in comparison to all those dead, you four got off extremely lightly. You told that part to shove it and focused on just introducing yourself to your fellow graduates-to-be. "I'm Juliet 702-"
"Nay I say, nay!" You went cross eyed for a second at the finger placed on your lips from the near-poser samurai. "You must surely have been blessed with a name, no? We shall share our names as is fitting of battle comrades!"
- Some of these names may be familiar. Remember Japanese name structure is last-first name, but we'll prioritized the given name for ease.
- Cyberpunk is very diverse and open, so you can choose to have a non-Japanese first/last name if you'd like. Nicknames are also fair game.
- I reserve the right to veto inappropriate write-in names.
