Welcome to TiddlyWiki created by Jeremy Ruston, Copyright © 2007 UnaMesa Association
Located in the north central part of the Republic of Texas, Arlington is the largest city in the nation. It has an approximate population of 850,000, and is the center of automotive and food production in the Republic.
In the latter part of the 20th Century, Arlington was the fastest growing city in the United States. Incredibly enough, the Texas War for Freedom, the [[Russo-American War]], and the Food Riots of 2016 failed to stunt this growth. This was not by accident - Arlington possessed the determination and the facilities that have enabled it not only to survive, but to prosper since the turn of the century.
Arlington was well suited to endure the Wars. Not only was it the location of the local National Guard armory, but it was also the home of Bell Helicopter. As everyone knows, Bell Helicopter (now Republic Helicopter) was essential to the war effort, provid
ing the
helicopter gunships that gave the Texas Army vital air superiority.
The coup-de-grace for many cities was the food riots of 2016. Dallas and Fort Worth collapsed due to internal rioting and marauding scavengers. Arlington had few entrances, all of which were easily defended by local police and army units. Arlington was also the home of a little-known (then) company called ConTexCo.
Of more interest to autoduelists is the fact that Arlington was also the home of the major General Motors automotive plant. After the secession in 2000, the plant came under the ownership of Grenadier Motors. The plant was the only major automobile manufacturer in the Free Oil States. Arlington was therefore a natural for autoduelists to flock to. And they protected the city well against raiding cycle gangs from the Oklahoma wastelands.
Points of Interest
1) Downtown. Arlington's downtown centers around Texas 157/Collins (called the "gauntlet" by locals). Dueling is discour
aged but
allowed, although duelists may face hefty fines for "littering" streets. Local businesses are well protected by frequently patrolling Arlington police. The downtown area offers just about anything a duelist may need, at competitive prices.
2) University of Arlington. This campus used to be called the University of Texas at Arlington, but Republic funds were cut in 2010. The University is known for its courses in dueling skills, such as Combat Driving Techniques. No dueling is allowed on campus - this is enforced by Campus Police.
3) ConTexCo Headquarters. This is the only fortified part of town. No vehicles at all are allowed within its perimeter, except for authorized ConTexCo vehicles. The company has its own security force and attack copter.
4) Seven Flags Over Texas. The most popular entertainment center in the Free Oil States. No combat is allowed on its grounds. Seven Flags is known for its Mini-Ram (bumper) cars and courses, as well as some tamer
rides f
rom its pre-independence days.
5) Republic Helicopter. Republic is the largest aircraft manufacturer in North America. The production plants used to be scattered all over the area, but they have been consolidated for protection. Armed vehicles are not allowed near the plant, and any vehicles inside the clearly marked "Authorized Vehicles Only" zones will be challenged by patrol aircraft.
6) Grenadier Motors. GM is protected by its own security vehicles. The plant employs several thousand people and security is good. Just down the street are several major auto dealers. Custom designs can be submitted at any major dealership for construction at GM. A down payment of half the vehicle's price must be placed with the order. It only takes a month or so to process a design; this is because most vehicle designs are simply modifications of existing models. Special designs with unusual armament, electronics, etc, can take up to several months, though a prestigious aut
oduelist
can get an order filled in just a few weeks.
7) Suburbs. The large suburban area called Hurst-Euless-Bedford was annexed by Arlington in 2016. This area has many major medical facilities, including a Gold Cross Center at the H.E.B. Hospital.
8) East and West. These areas contain the ruins of Dallas and Fort Worth. They are generally the home of scum and vermin not allowed into Arlington. The ruins are sometimes used as a base by gangs raiding Arlington from the Oklahoma wastelands. The streets and highways in both cities are dangerous and debris-filled. The AADA recommends caution when traveling these areas.
9) DFW Airport/Arena. This complex is still used to handle the air traffic headed for Arlington. Since that is somewhat rare, the airport owners allow dueling on runways not being used. They tout the complex as the largest dueling arena in the world.
10) Arlington Autoduel Stadium. A standard dueling arena. Although not as large as DFW, it draws more peop
le becau
se of its central location.
Facilities
Arlington has many power stations and one major truck stop at the intersection of Texas 121 and Texas 157. The largest medical facility in the area is the H.E.B. Hospital (Number 7 Above). The police have their main station at the intersection of Collins and Abrams (Texas 80). There are three TV stations in operation, and all operate Sports/Traffic Copters.
Organizations
The Arlington Police Department has over 100 officers, about 250 well-armed patrol cars, 70 cycles, 2 patrol copters and 1 Roosevelt Tank. They are courteous but efficient, putting up with little. Their colors are blue-and-white. Republic Helicopters has about 20 attack copters (marked in Republic Orange) on hand at any one time. ConTexCo has an unspecified number of tankers to carry algae cultures and an equally unspecified number of escort vehicles, preferring anonymity to a show of force. Despite their timid appearance, AADA members should know that ConT
exCo veh
icles are very dangerous, and are frequently accompanied by unmarked, heavily-armed escort vehicles that turn the tables on an attacker with swift and painful certainty.
The University of Arlington Campus Police number about 35, with five cars. Their colors are blue-red. In case of serious campus trouble, the Campus Police frequently have to request aid from the APD, a fact that less tactful APD officers never let them forget. As a result, Campus Policemen tend to be a bit quick on the trigger and very sensitive about their abilities.
Cycle gangs and other criminal elements are likely to be encountered north, east and west, especially gangs raiding from the Oklahoma wastelands. The largest local gang is the Cowboys, a cruel jest aimed at the area's perennial last-place professional combat football team. The Cowboys claim downtown Dallas as their turf, and headquarter in the base of the fallen Reunion Tower.
The largest autodueling club is the Arlington Roadsters,
who trav
el in blue vehicles with yellow trim. The Roadsters have risen to the top of the Arlington autodueling scene by staying out of rather bitter feuds between two previously powerful clubs, the Strangers and the Gryphons. The bloody and often illegal nature of the feud between these two clubs has reduced both sides' numbers dramatically. Despite the fact that both clubs are on AADA-probationary status, the bad blood continues. The Strangers' colors are red with a black triangle on the hood and sides. The Gryphons drive white vehicles with a fighting gryphon symbol. Due to the unpredictable and violent tendencies of both of these groups, caution is advised when any members of either club are encountered.
Highways
The eastern part of Texas 60 is patrolled by Arlington police in order to keep it open for citizens to reach Texas 1 (once known as I-35). Texas 1 links Arlington with Austin in the south and Oklahoma City in the north. To reach [[Houston]], one would take Texas 1
to Farm
Road 22, which crosses east to Corsicana and Texas 2 (formally I-45). No one should try to cut through Dallas to reach Texas 2 directly.
Autodueling in Arlington
Because Autodueling is so closely tied
to the local economy, dueling and duelists are more highly respected in Arlington than in many places. That doesn't mean the locals will let rampaging duelists destroy half the town with inaccurate gunfire. The Arlington Autoduel Arena holds a seven-night-a-week dueling schedule that includes a Locals Nights for Arlington residents only. The Arlington Arena is also a fully sanctioned AADA approved arena and has held the Texas National Championships in the past. The DFW Airport arena is out of the way, but definitely recommended to any visiting duelists with a taste of the out-of-the-ordinary. Cash prizes are comparable to the Arlington arena, but DFW is not an AADA-sanctioned arena because of the lack of proper protection for spectators.
Dueling is legal in Arlingto
n proper
, but common sense - not to mention fear of the very efficient Arlington police - should discourage all but the most necessary combats. Anyone who makes trouble (or even looks threatening) in the vicinity of the Republic Helicopter or Grenadier Motors facilities gets what he deserves - be warned.
Republic (formerly Bell) is the largest aircraft manufacturer in North America. The production plants used to be scattered all over the area, but they have been consolidated for protection. Armed vehicles are not allowed near the plant, and any vehicles inside the clearly marked "Authorized Vehicles Only" zones will be challenged by patrol aircraft. Republic Helicopters has about 20 attack copters (marked in Republic Orange) on hand at any one time.
[[Calhoun Stryker Character Sheet]]
<html>
<head>
<title>Calhoon Stryker - Hero Designer</title>
</head>
<body>
<font size=+2><b>Calhoon Stryker</b></font><br>
Player: Blackhawke
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr><td align="right"><b>Val  </b></td><td><b>Char   </b></td><td><b>Cost</b></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">15  </td><td><b>STR</b></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">15  </td><td><b>DEX</b></td><td>15</td></tr>
<tr><td align="rig
ht"
>15  </td><td><b>CON</b></td><td>10</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">13  </td><td><b>BODY</b></td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">15  </td><td><b>INT</b></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">18  </td><td><b>EGO</b></td><td>16</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">24  </td><td><b>PRE</b></td><td>14</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">10  </td><td><b>COM</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></t
r>
<tr><td align="right">3  </td><td><b>PD</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3  </td><td><b>ED</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">4  </td><td><b>SPD</b></td><td>15</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">6  </td><td><b>REC</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">30  </td><td><b>END</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">29  </td><td><b>STUN</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td> </td>
</td></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">7"  </td><td><b>RUN</b></td><td>-4</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">2"  </td><td><b>SWIM</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3"  </td><td><b>LEAP</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
</table>
<b>Characteristics Cost:</b> 82
<p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Power</b></td>
<td align="right"><b>END</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top">4  <
</td>
<td><b><i>Prosthetic Leg: </i></b>Running +3" (5" total) (6 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) </td>
<td valign="top" align="right">1</td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Powers Cost:</b> 4
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Martial Arts Maneuver</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort </td>
</tr&
gt;
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">5  </td>
<td>Offensive Strike (Kick): 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 7d6 Strike </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>Martial Strike (Punch): 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 5d6 Strike </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 3d6 +v/5, Target Falls </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 25 STR to Disarm </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Martial Arts Cost:</b> 24
<p>
<table cellpaddi
ng="
;0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Skill</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">  </td>
<td>Everyman Package </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>1) AK: Home country or region 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>2) Acting 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>3) Concealment 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0

0; </td>
<td>4) Conversation 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>5) Deduction 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>6) Native Language (idiomatic; Literate) (4 Active Points) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>7) PS: Chemist (Everyman Skill) 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>8) Paramedics 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>9) Persuasion 8
-
60;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>10) Shadowing 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>11) Stealth 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>12) TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles  </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">  </td>
<td>Ex-Military Package </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>1) KS: The Military World 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" alig
n="
right">2  </td>
<td>2) KS: Texas Army History & Customs 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>3) PS: Soldier 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>4) Tactics 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>5) WF: Small Arms, Blades, Vehicle Weapons </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>6) Climbing 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>7
) Navig
ation (Land) 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">1  </td>
<td>8) TF: Tracked Military Vehicles, Wheeled Military Vehicles </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>9) Combat Driving 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>SS: Chemistry 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">16  </td>
<td>+2 with All Combat </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>KS: Martial Arts 11- </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Skills Cost: </b>42
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Perk</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">1  </td>
<td>Fringe Benefit: Ex-Military </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Undefined Contact 12- </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Perks Cost:</b> 4
<p>
<b>Total Character Cost:</b> 156
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Val  </b></td>
<td><b>Disadvantages</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">5  </td>
<td>Distinctive Features: Prosthetic Leg (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">20  </td>
<td>Normal Characteristic Maxima </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Physical Limitation: One Leg (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">5  </td>
<td>Age: 40+ </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>
Psycholo
gical Limitation: Loyal To His "Kids" (Common, Moderate) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">5  </td>
<td>Social Limitation: Reserve Status: Subject To Orders (Occasionally, Minor) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">15  </td>
<td>Psychological Limitation: Civilians Just Don't Get It (Common, Strong) </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<b>Disadvantage Points:</b> 70<br>
<b>Base Points:</b> 100<br>
<b>Experience Required:</b> 0<br>
<b>Total Experience Available:</b> 0<br>
<b>Experience Unspent:</b> 0
</body>
</html>
''Importance of the Player Characters:'' Very important. The players are the focus of the campaign – their personalities, their style, their struggles, will make up the bulk of the storytelling.
''World Description:'' The world in 2031 is very different from the world as we know it today. Drought, famine, nuclear war, the abandonment of the rule of law, the secession of several states from the union, a war with Mexico, all have come and gone. Society has done a good job of picking up the pieces but it’s clearly still a work in progress and in some places, not even that.
Located in the north central part of the [[Republic of Texas]], [[Arlington]] is one of the largest cities in the nation, second only to Houston. It has an approximate population of 850,000, and is the centre of automotive and food production in the Republic.
In the latter part of the
20th Ce
ntury, [[Arlington]] was the fastest growing city in the United States. Incredibly enough, the [[Texas War For Freedom]], the [[Russo-American War]], and the [[Food Riots of 2016]] failed to stunt this growth. This was not by accident - [[Arlington]] possessed the determination and the facilities that have enabled it not only to survive, but to prosper since the turn of the century.
[[Arlington]] was well suited to endure the Wars. Not only was it the location of the local National Guard armory, but it was also the home of [[Bell Helicopter]]. As everyone knows, [[Bell Helicopter]] (now [[Republic Helicopter]]) was essential to the war effort, providing the helicopter gunships that gave the Texas Army vital air superiority.
The coup-de-grace for many cities was the food riots of 2016. [[Dallas]] and [[Fort Worth]] collapsed due to internal rioting and marauding scavengers. [[Arlington]] had few entrances, all of which were easily defended by local police and army units.
[[Arlin
gton]] was also the home of a little-known (then) company called [[ConTexCo]]. Before the [[Texas War For Freedom]], [[ConTexCo]] was a small petroleum company, but its refining operations were destroyed in '02. [[ConTexCo]] reinvested in food technology, which paid off big in 2016, when they became the first commercial enterprise to grow edible algae at greatly enhanced rates of speed. After 2018, [[ConTexCo]] was the largest corporation in the Republic, if not the continent.
''Local Relations:'' To start, the players’ local relations will be that of mere citizen. As the campaign progresses, the likelihood of becoming famous, or perhaps infamous, will depend mostly on their own actions.
''Morality:'' As with any Dark Champions campaign, morality will be very grey. The government (police, state, local and federal) will be mostly good – or acting in the best interests of their citizens. However, the game will also deal with the ramifications of post-apocalyptic reali
ty. Just
ice will tend to be harsh and swift, and the right thing to do won’t always be clear, even when the law is.
Allies and enemies will be made as the game moves along. People will react to what they perceive the [[Player Characters]] are doing to them, for them, with them, and against them.
Realism: Always keeping in mind that this is a fictional game about people who drive vehicles fitted with heavy armament living in a post-apocalyptic world, realism will be pretty high. Characters will have ongoing relationships with the people around them and with each other. Past story events will color and effect later events. Death is possible, should the player place his character in a position where it could be possible.
''Outlook:'' The outlook will be balanced between success and failure, just like real life. There will be a lot of interaction in this game beyond combat, and the characters will have to figure out who to trust, when to trust, and how much to trust those peop
le aroun
d him.
''Seriousness:'' The intent of this campaign is to be as serious as real life. Of course, in real life, people find humor in the oddest times and in the oddest places about the oddest things. And of course, clever banter is never out of place, really. Also, this particular GM likes to throw an obvious comedic plot at the group every once and a while, just to keep things from getting too stuffy. Expect it when you least expect it.
''Continuity:'' The game will be as serial as possible. Events will progress along a regular timeline and past events will have a direct impact on future events.
To submit a character for this campaign, the player should send the GM a fully realized 150 point normal with full background information. As much depth should be put into the character's personality, appearance, and history as possible.
I'm going to be looking for a driver, a gunner/navigator, a mechanic, and a cyclist. That will be the roster to start. I will expand the roster as I feel appropriate and as the campaign dictates.
|Base Points:| 100 |
|Maximum Disads:| 50 |
|Max Disads From Psych Limits:| 30 |
''Special Rules:''
:It is advised that players make use of all 50 points of disadvantages.
:All equipment including vehicles are paid for in cash, not points. Characters do not start with a vehicle but may have other equipment as agreed upon by the player and the GM and as appropriate for the character's background.
:The Normal Chara
cteristi
c Maxima disadvantage applies to all characters and is not worth any points.
I have very little patience for munchkins, rules lawyers, or combat monsters. I'm looking for role players who can write well, and by "write well" I mean "write without glaring, careless spelling and grammatical errors". You don't have to be Tolstoy, just don't make me have to correct every post.
Players will be expected to post at least once per week, twice when on combat time. All posts are to be in third-person narrative, including combat posts. All game mechanic information should be included at the end of the post in an OOC paragraph.
Example 1:
John made his way to the mall's upper level and walked to the balcony. Slowly, his eyes scanned the crowd below for his mark.
OOC: PER roll 12-, looking for anyone matching the man in the photo.
Example 2:
John dropped to a crouch and brought his gun to bear before snapping off a round at the charging biker.
OO
C: Firin
g pistol, 1d6-1 RKA, both CSLs in OCV. Total OCV is 5 + 2 = 7.
Before the War for Freedom, ConTexCo was a small petroleum company, but its refining operations were destroyed in '02. ConTexCo reinvested in food technology, which paid off big in 2016, when they became the first commercial enterprise to grow edible algae at greatly enhanced rates of speed. After 2018, ConTexCo was the largest corporation in the Republic, if not the continent.
ConTexCo Headquarters is the only fortified part of Arlington. No vehicles at all are allowed within its perimeter, except for authorized ConTexCo vehicles. The company has its own security force and attack helicopter. ConTexCo has an unspecified number of tankers to carry algae cultures and an equally unspecified number of escort vehicles, preferring anonymity to a show of force. Despite their timid appearance, AADA members should know that ConTexCo vehicles are very dangerous and are frequently acc
ompanied
by unmarked, heavily-armed escort vehicles that turn the tables on an attacker with swift and painful certainty.
/***
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|''Description:''|Support for cryptographic functions|
***/
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var be = Array();
var len = Math.floor(str.length/4);
var i, j;
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be[i] = ((str.charCodeAt(j)&0xff) << 24)|((str.charCodeAt(j+1)&0xff) << 16)|((str.charCodeAt(j+2)&0xff) << 8)|(str.charCodeAt(j+3)&0xff);
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be[j>>2] |= (str.charCodeAt(j)&0xff)<<(24-(j*8)%32);
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str += String.fromCharCode((be[i>>5]>>>(24-i%32)) & 0xff);
return str;
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var hex = "0123456789ABCDEF";
var str = "";
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str += hex.charAt((be[i>>2]>>((3-i%4)*8+4))&0xF) + hex.charAt((be[i>>2]>>((3-i%4)*8))&0xF);
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{
var lsw = (a&0xFFFF)+(b&0xFFFF)+(c&0xFFFF)+(d&0xFFFF)+(e&0xFFFF);
var msw = (a>>16)+(b>>16)+(c>>16)+(d>>16)+(e>>16)+(lsw>>16);
return (msw<<16)|(lsw&0xFFFF);
};
// Bitwise rotate left a 32-bit integer by 1 bit
rol32 = function(n)
{
return (n>>>31)|(n<<1);
};
var len = blen*8;
// Append padding so length in bits is 448 mod 512
x[len>>5] |= 0x80 << (24-len%32);
// Append length
x[((len+64>>9)<<4)+15] = len;
var w = Array(80);
var k1 = 0x5A827999;
var k2 = 0x6ED9EBA1;
var k3 = 0x8F1BBCDC;
var k4 = 0xCA62C1D6;
var h0 = 0x67452301;
var h1 = 0xEFCDAB89;
var h2 = 0x98BADCFE;
var h3 = 0x10325476;
var h4 = 0xC3D2E1F0;
for(var i=0;i<x.length;i+=16) {
var j,t;
var a = h0;
var b = h1;
var c = h2;
var d = h3;
var e = h4;
for(j = 0;j<16;j++) {
w[j] = x[i+j];
t = add32x5(e,(a>>>27)|(a<<5),d^(b&(c^d)),w[j],k1);
e=d; d=c; c=(b>>>2)|(b<<30); b=a; a = t;
}
for(j=16;j<20;j++) {
w[j] = rol32(w[j-3]^w[j-8]^w[j-14]^w[j-16]);
t = add32x5(e,(a>>>27)|(a<<5),d^(b&(c^d)),w[j],k1);
e=d; d=c; c=(b>>>2)|(b<<30); b=a; a = t;
}
for(j=20;j<40;j++) {
w[j] = rol32(w[j-3]^w[j-8]^w[j-14]^w[j-16]);
t = add32x5(e,(a>>>27)|(a<<5),b^c^d,w[j],k2);
e=d; d=c; c=(b>>>2)|(b<<30); b=a; a = t;
}
for(j=40;j<60;j++) {
w[j] = rol32(w[j-3]^w[j-8]^w[j-14]^w[j-16]);
t = add32x5(e,(a>>>27)|(a<<5),(b&c)|(d&(b|c)),w[j],k3);
e=d; d=c; c=(b>>>2)|(b<<30); b=a; a = t;
}
for(j=60;j<80;j++) {
w[j] = rol32(w[j-3]^w[j-8]^w[j-14]^w[j-16]);
t = add32x5(e,(a>>>27)|(a<<5),b^c^d,w[j],k4);
e=d; d=c; c=(b>>>2)|(b<<30); b=a; a = t;
}
h0 = add32(h0,a);
h1 = add32(h1,b);
h2 = add32(h2,c);
h3 = add32(h3,d);
h4 = add32(h4,e);
}
return Array(h0,h1,h2,h3,h4);
};
}
//}}}
Dallas/Fort Worth...These once-great cities are generally the home of scum and vermin not allowed into Arlington. The ruins are sometimes used as a base by gangs raiding Arlington from the Oklahoma wastelands. The streets and highways in both cities are dangerous and debris-filled. The AADA recommends caution when traveling these areas.
The largest local biker gang is the Cowboys, a cruel jest aimed at the area's perennial last-place professional combat football team. The Cowboys claim downtown Dallas as their turf, and headquarter in the base of the fallen Reunion Tower.
When the Second Civil War began, Daniel Reid was selling shoes in a suburban shopping mall. The avid sportsman and hunter planned on simply waiting the war out with a few select friends at his survival ranch in northern Texas. When US forces swept though the area, they attacked the ranch and burned it to the ground, nearly killing Reid and his family.
A furious Reid immediately formed the Gopher Brigade militia, so named for their seeming ability to “pop up” anywhere at will. The militia dogged the US forces with small hit-and-run raids on key US force assets and personnel. Over time, as word of their successes grew, so did the Gopher Brigade.
Unprepared to fight the kind of unorthodox war being thrown at them, the US forces drive was stopped in the hills of central Texas and forced into retreat. Daniel Reid and his militia pressed them all the way back t
o the bo
rder.
Reid was present at the signing of the Texarkana Accords which ended the war in 2004. In the elections which followed, he was elected President by the largest landslide in the history of Texas, a record which still stands. Although he lacked experience, Reid turned out to be a productive leader and a steady hand during the Republic’s early years.
In June of 2011, then-former president Daniel Reid vanished under mysterious circumstances; the mystery is unsolved to the present day. College Station, home of Texas A&M University, was renamed Reid in commemoration.
[[Flirtin' With Disaster]]
/***
|''Name:''|DeprecatedFunctionsPlugin|
|''Description:''|Support for deprecated functions removed from core|
***/
//{{{
if(!version.extensions.DeprecatedFunctionsPlugin) {
version.extensions.DeprecatedFunctionsPlugin = {installed:true};
//--
//-- Deprecated code
//--
// @Deprecated: Use createElementAndWikify and this.termRegExp instead
config.formatterHelpers.charFormatHelper = function(w)
{
w.subWikify(createTiddlyElement(w.output,this.element),this.terminator);
};
// @Deprecated: Use enclosedTextHelper and this.lookaheadRegExp instead
config.formatterHelpers.monospacedByLineHelper = function(w)
{
var lookaheadRegExp = new RegExp(this.lookahead,"mg");
lookaheadRegExp.lastIndex = w.matchStart;
var lookaheadMatch = lookaheadRegExp.exec(w.source);
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var text = lookaheadMatch[1];
if(config.browser.isIE)
text = text.replace(/\n/g,"\r");
createTiddlyElement(w.output,"pre",null,null,text);
w.nextMatch = lookaheadRegExp.lastIndex;
}
};
// @Deprecated: Use <br> or <br /> instead of <<br>>
config.macros.br = {};
config.macros.br.handler = function(place)
{
createTiddlyElement(place,"br");
};
// Find an entry in an array. Returns the array index or null
// @Deprecated: Use indexOf instead
Array.prototype.find = function(item)
{
var i = this.indexOf(item);
return i == -1 ? null : i;
};
// Load a tiddler from an HTML DIV. The caller should make sure to later call Tiddler.changed()
// @Deprecated: Use store.getLoader().internalizeTiddler instead
Tiddler.prototype.loadFromDiv = function(divRef,title)
{
return store.getLoader().internalizeTiddler(store,this,title,divRef);
};
// Format the text for storage in an HTML DIV
// @Deprecated Use store.getSaver().externalizeTiddler instead.
Tiddler.prototype.saveToDiv = function()
{
return store.getSaver().externalizeTiddler(store,this);
};
// @Deprecated: Use store.allTiddlersAsHtml() instead
function allTiddlersAsHtml()
{
return store.allTiddlersAsHtml();
}
// @Deprecated: Use refreshPageTemplate instead
function applyPageTemplate(title)
{
refreshPageTemplate(title);
}
// @Deprecated: Use story.displayTiddlers instead
function displayTiddlers(srcElement,titles,template,unused1,unused2,animate,unused3)
{
story.displayTiddlers(srcElement,titles,template,animate);
}
// @Deprecated: Use story.displayTiddler instead
function displayTiddler(srcElement,title,template,unused1,unused2,animate,unused3)
{
story.displayTiddler(srcElement,title,template,animate);
}
// @Deprecated: Use functions on right hand side directly instead
var createTiddlerPopup = Popup.create;
var scrollToTiddlerPopup = Popup.show;
var hideTiddlerPopup = Popup.remove;
// @Deprecated: Use right hand side directly instead
var regexpBackSlashEn = new RegExp("\\\\n","mg");
var regexpBackSlash = new RegExp("\\\\","mg");
var regexpBackSlashEss = new RegExp("\\\\s","mg");
var regexpNewLine = new RegExp("\n","mg");
var regexpCarriageReturn = new RegExp("\r","mg");
}
//}}}
[[Derek Nguyen Character Sheet]]
''Background/History:'' Family History: His parents were killed when he was younger. His father – an Air Force pilot assigned to the Johnson Space Center – was killed during the Independence War (he was fighting for Texas); his mother (a nurse) was killed during the food riots. After the death of his father, his mother moved them back to her home town of Arlington where she re-married. Derek has a step-brother who is six years younger than him.
----------------------
“That’s another score for Sidewinder!” The announcer called as the crowed screamed with delight. For his part, Sidewinder – Derek Nguyen – felt bad for running Red Devil off the track; but that was how the game was played. He hit the dirt ramp and jumped over the crisscrossing traffic; his motorcycle shivered as it hit the ground
.
Fr
om the corner of his eye, he saw Buzzsaw was hot on his tail. The Arlington MotoDuel League champion three of the past four seasons, Buzzsaw (aka Al Wright) was a badass. Derek pushed his bike faster hoping that he could out-run or out-maneuver the crazed champ. The problem here was the Wright’s bike was faster and the champ had no problem fighting dirty.
“Here comes the Champ!” The announcer roared, “Moving up on Sidewinder’s left. With only two laps left, it’s a two-man race now!”
Truthfully, Sidewinder hurt all over. He had taken a couple of chain shots to the arm and had been flipped over at one of the jumps - neither illegal here in the MotoDuel. The rules here were different from AutoDuel – the weapons were less lethal but the riders weren’t surrounded by metal.
Derek brought his bike close to the inside corner of the track, giving away the top of the corner for the short corner. Buzzsaw fell in behind him – following his line nearly exac
tly.
\
n‘Damnit!’ Sidewinder thought, ‘I have got to shake him.’ He saw the champ close on him, then back off. ‘He’s playing with me.’
“Buzzsaw drops into second place, less than half a second off the leader.” The announcer called to the crowd.
They came up on a long straight-away – a perfect place for Buzzsaw to make his move. Sidewinder mentally checked on the armored plate in his left forearm – flexing his muscles against it. He snuck a peak back to see where Buzzsaw was – still right there behind him. He could see that the Champ had a chain wrapped around his right hand. ‘Perfect.’ Sidewinder thought.
“There’s the white flag ... one lap left! What a race!” The crowd stood, “Sidewinder leads into turn one and takes the first jump – with style – a backflip saran wrap – sure to get the judges approval.” The crowd roared when he stuck the landing. He wanted to look back and see what trick Buzzsaw threw, but he didn’t need that
kind of
pressure. He would know how good it was by how the crowd reacted.
He gunned the throttle and tried to get as much speed as he could going into the back-stretch. The crowd reaction told Sidewinder that Buzz had throw a great trick – maybe as good as his. He made the turn and looked back to see Buzzsaw riding on his tail again and now he was moving up. He could nearly see the evil grin on the Champs face as he walked down the challenger. By the time Sidewinder was lining up the last jump, he was nearly neck and neck with other rider.
He could see that the chain that had been in Buzzsaw’s right hand was gone and he wondered if it had been dropped or just transferred into his other hand. They hit the last jump, neither man really looking to throw a trick – they were riding purely on speed now.
Derek heard it before he felt or saw it. In a split second, his engine made a horrible, dying sound and then it jerked in mid-air. He looked down to see Buzzsaw’s chain
was wrap
ped around the tire and the tire had locked up and that had ... ‘Oh fuck!’ He thought as he felt the bike rip out of his hand as the dead weight fell to the ground. He knew he was next, still moving forward. He heard the crowd gasp, then cheer as he rolled along the dirt track, doing his best to avoid injury.
Then, he heard the crowd roar more. “Buzzsaw – flyin’ Hawaiian - wins! The Champ is *still* the Champ!” Sidewinder pulled his helmet off and threw it at the ground. Normally, attacking the bike was against the rules – while attacking the man was fine. “Fuck!” Sidewinder shouted.
He walked back to his bike – the engine had seized up and he would never get it started. Since he couldn’t start the engine, he couldn’t finish the race; since he couldn’t finish the race, he wouldn’t win any money. He picked up his bike as his team ran out to help him. They carried the wounded motorcycle back to their trailer.
Everyone bitched, but everyon
e knew �
�� bottom line – no one outside this trailer gave a shit about them. And no one would call Buzzsaw on his illegal move – it probably looked like he was swinging at his opponent. Later, Derek sat alone in the trailer – everyone else had left to work on the bike or gone back to their lives.
“Tough day, huh.” A man said as he approached Derek.
“Yeah. I guess. That’s the race; I should have tried to take him out first.” Derek replied.
“You really should have done that – you’d be the winner now and you wouldn’t look like such a sucker.” The man said.
“Can I do something for you?” Derek said angrily.
“Sorry, brother.” The man held up his hands in a ‘please don’t fight me’ pose. “I’m here with a job offer for you. How would you like to make 5 times today winner’s purse for 1 day of work?”
Derek sat up in his chair, “I’m interested. What do I need to do?”
“It’s courier work, simple and plain – but not e
asy.”
The man said. “If you agree, there are three rules: 1. drive fast; 2. don’t ask questions – ever; 3. don’t look in the bag. Can you do that?”
‘If it were safe and legal, it wouldn’t pay this well.’ Derek thought to himself; still he needed the work to fix his bike. “Yeah – I’ll do it. Where and when?”
The details were worked out and Derek began his career as a delivery man for the criminal underworld. He never moved anything of weight, they had trucks and cars for that. But, he moved lightweight stuff – messages and small items he always assumed, but never knew. He had a special bike built. It was built for speed over the broken roads that ran between Houston and Arlington and beyond. It was armored enough to allow him to handle problems and there were three hidden compartments to hold what he was carrying.
The first hidden compartment was where the client saw him stash it. The other two were where he carried it load for real. He never reall
y truste
d anyone not to rip him off later.
Soon Derek had created a reputation for himself as a guy who got things where they needed to be – and fast. Even if he never managed to beat Buzzsaw in the duels.
''Personality/Motivation:'' Derek hates authority and loves taking risks. He has never seen a motorcycle or a bicycle trick that he didn’t have a desire to try and master. As a racer, he is known for his big air tricks, aerial acrobatics and driving skill more than for his speed. As a courier, he’s known for getting things done. He doesn’t really like the people he works for – and that allows him to seem “all business” around them.
Over the two years he has been working like this, he has developed a strong code of conduct that has allowed him to flourish. The courier job has made him very rich (even if he puts most of the money back into his bikes or his friends).
''Appearance:'' (body cast – Dave Mirra) Derek has a shaved head. His grandfather was a V
ietnames
e who married an American nurse during the Vietnamese War and then moved back to the states when Saigon fell. He has some traits of that heritage, mostly in his height. He has a tan from spending hours in the sun and is muscular. He likes to wear thin fabric hoodies and jeans. When driving, he wears a suit of riding body-armor.
He has become addicted to body art and his body is heavily tattooed. His most recognized tattoo is a rattlesnake that is coiled around the base of his neck. The tail goes a good six inches down his back (over his spine) and the head extends 4 inches down his chest. He has katana that runs down the Ulna of his left arm and has “By knowing things exist, you can know that which does not exist” written in kanji character over the ulna of his right arm. Across his stomach he has in 3 inch tall letters the word “PAIN”.
His body has numerous scars from broken bones and cuts from practicing his trick riding.
<html>
<head>
<title>Derek Nguyen - Hero Designer</title>
</head>
<body>
<font size=+2><b>Derek Nguyen</b></font><br>
Player: Andy Matthews
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr><td align="right"><b>Val  </b></td><td><b>Char   </b></td><td><b>Cost</b></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">15  </td><td><b>STR</b></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">18  </td><td><b>DEX</b></td><td>24</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right&quo
t;>13
  </td><td><b>CON</b></td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">13  </td><td><b>BODY</b></td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">13  </td><td><b>INT</b></td><td>3</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">10  </td><td><b>EGO</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">18  </td><td><b>PRE</b></td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">12  </td><td><b>COM</b></td><td>1</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
<td align="right">6  </td><td><b>PD</b></td><td>3</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3  </td><td><b>ED</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3  </td><td><b>SPD</b></td><td>2</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">6  </td><td><b>REC</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">26  </td><td><b>END</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">28  </td><td><b>STUN</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td> </td><t
d></tr>
<tr><td align="right">6"  </td><td><b>RUN</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">2"  </td><td><b>SWIM</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3"  </td><td><b>LEAP</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
</table>
<b>Characteristics Cost:</b> 58
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Martial Arts Maneuver</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">  </td>
<td>Brawling </td>
</tr>
</tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>1) Fast Punch: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, 5d6 Strike </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>2) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>3) Takedown: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +1 DCV, 3d6 Strike; Target Falls </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>4) Weapon Element: Blades, Chain & Rope Weapons </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Martial Arts Cost:</b> 13
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr&g
t;
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Skill</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">5  </td>
<td>+1 with Smuggler Skills </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>+1 with Gambling, Persuasion, and Streetwise </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">  </td>
<td>Cyclist Skills </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>1) Acrobatics 15- (7 Active Points); Only for cycle tricks (-1) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align=&
quot;rig
ht">3  </td>
<td>2) Breakfall 13- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">7  </td>
<td>3) Combat Driving: Cycles 15- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>4) KS: Arlington Autoduel Association 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>5) TF: Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">  </td>
<td>Everyman Skills </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
</td>1
) AK: Houston 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>2) Acting 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>3) Climbing 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>4) Conversation 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>5) Deduction 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>6) Native Language: English (idiomatic; Literate) (4 Active Points) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>7) PS: Smuggler (Everyman Skill) 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>8) Paramedics 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>9) TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles  </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">  </td>
<td>Miscellaneous Skills </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>1) AK: Arlington 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2</td>
<td>2) AK: Republic of Texas 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>3) KS: Anime & Manga 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">1  </td>
<td>4) Language: Japanese (basic conversation) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>5) Language: Spanish (fluent conversation) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>6) WF: Small Arms, Blades, Chain & Rope Weapons, Clubs, Fist-Loads </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3</td>
<td>Smuggler Skills </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>1) Concealment 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>2) Lockpicking 13- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>3) Persuasion 13- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>4) Shadowing 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>5) Stealth 13- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td v
align=&q
uot;top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>6) Streetwise 13- </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Skills Cost: </b>56
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Perk</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>Money: Well Off </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>Reputation: Famous Motoduel Rider (A small to medium sized group) 11-, +2/+2d6 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Well-Connected&am
p;#160;&
lt;/td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>1) Contact: "McCool" (Contact has useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact) (4 Active Points) 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>2) Contact: Javier Fernandez (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or resources) (5 Active Points) 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>3) Contact: "Bigsy" (Good relationship with Contact) (3 Active Points) 11- </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Perks Cost:</b> 16
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
&l
t;tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Talent</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">6  </td>
<td>Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>Resistance (4 points) </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Talents Cost:</b> 10
<p>
<b>Total Character Cost:</b> 153
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Val  </b></td>
<td><b>Disadvantages</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td&g
t;
&l
t;td>Normal Characteristic Maxima </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">15  </td>
<td>Psychological Limitation: Smuggler's Code (Common, Strong) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Psychological Limitation: Thrill Seeker (Common, Moderate) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Social Limitation: Is A Contact for Many Others (Frequently, Minor) </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<b>Disadvantage Points:</b> 35<br>
<b>Base Points:</b> 100<br>
<b>Experience Required:</b> 18<br>
<b>Total Experience Available:</b> 0<br>
<b&g
t;Experi
ence Unspent:</b> 0
</body>
</html>
//''Flirtin’ With Disaster''// is a Dark Champions campaign set in Arlington, Texas - that's the Republic of Texas, circa 2031. Think "post-apocalyptic Dark Champions on wheels", and you've got it.
<<<
//Buster Coughlin had been cruising along at about 90 when he saw the Firehawk for the first time. He really didn't pay much attention as it shot off the entrance ramp into traffic. He never paid much attention to compacts; they weren't worth the trouble. He did note that this one had no trouble with acceleration. It moved smoothly over into the left lane and was gradually pulling away from Buster's Magnum.
He forgot the Firehawk almost immediately as a yellow Pisces jerked in front of him, cutting him short. Buster braked hard and flipped the driver a bird. Ordinarily, Buster would have released a few rounds into the kid's taillights,
but he
was on his way to see Sarah, and he didn't want to get into anything. He could see the kid laughing as he jerked into the right lane, but Buster ignored him and picked up his lost speed.
Buster watched the kid jerk around between lanes, picking up distance and speed, until he found all the lanes blocked. He switched lanes several times, blowing his horn, but no one moved. Buster grinned at the impasse, until the Pisces pulled up close behind the Firehawk, constantly blowing his horn. After a few moments of inaction, Buster heard a burst of gunfire. The Firehawk jumped like a startled kitten, and swerved out onto the shoulder. The Pisces shot ahead.
Buster grimaced as he passed the wounded Firehawk. Some drivers - lack of nerve, lack of brains - just didn't belong on the road. Then the little red car was forgotten, his mind turning to his plans for the evening. Dinner - someplace kinda nice - then Sarah wanted to see the new film down at--
"What the--"
Th
e red Fi
rehawk shot past Buster, and the ex-pro stared. He must be doing 130. Buster grinned and pressed harder on the accelerator. This was one challenge he wanted to see.//
-- Excerpt from Serendipity, by Ramona Richards
<<<
Located in the north central part of the Republic of Texas, Arlington is one of the largest cities in the nation, second only to Houston. It has an approximate population of 850,000, and is the center of automotive and food production in the Republic. It is here where the campaign begins.
But cars have wheels and the open road beckons. Who knows where the player characters will go? This will be a campaign where the PC's quite literally drive the plot.
This section of the website is divided up into some distinct sections:
:Information on what the campaign will be all about, plus the basic nature of the storytelling we hope to do is found under in the [[Campaign Settings]] section.
:The dramatis personae of this campaign are found in
the [[P
layer Characters]] section.
:Notes on how to build a character for this campaign can be found under [[House Rules]].
:Background information regarding the universe in which the campaign will take place is found in [[The Encyclopedia]].
: The history of the campaign, up to the start of the campaign, is found in the [[Timeline]].
:Lastly, new additions to the ''Flirtin’ With Disaster'' campaign information can be found in the [[Recent Updates]] section.
Several years after the Grain Blight and the [[Russo-American War]], famine has peaked in North America. National Guard units attempted to keep the peace and failed. Lacking effective federal assistance, many units disbanded, while others turned outlaw. Some were absorbed by the stronger state governments.
Almost all surviving urban areas of Orange County were destroyed. Fires in South and East Los Angeles burned continuously for eight months, causing recurrence of the "smog" phenomenon. Most Texas cities were plunged into chaos. Dallas and Houston collapsed entirely. "Fortress" towns developed nationwide. Disappointed by the inability of the federal government to keep order, the Anarchy Party is formed. Their motto: "No government is better than bad government."
In 2017 the food riots hit Canada. The national government, unab
le to ma
intain order, turned Ottawa-Hull into the country’s first fortress town; only governmental employees are allowed in or out. By 2018, cycle gangs rule most of the U.S. outside fortress towns. Country real estate becomes nearly worthless. Food relief comes when ConTexCo of Arlington pioneers commercial algae farming, which quickly begins to make up lost food production.
Dallas/Fort Worth...These once-great cities are generally the home of scum and vermin not allowed into Arlington. The ruins are sometimes used as a base by gangs raiding Arlington from the Oklahoma wastelands. The streets and highways in both cities are dangerous and debris-filled. The AADA recommends caution when traveling these areas.
The largest local biker gang is the Cowboys, a cruel jest aimed at the area's perennial last-place professional combat football team. The Cowboys claim downtown Dallas as their turf, and headquarter in the base of the fallen Reunion Tower.
In 2012, a strange grain blight simultaneously broke out, plagueing Nebraska and the Ukraine (which in this reality is still controlled by the Soviet Union). The blight spread rapidly to neighboring areas and within months nearly the entire world. The world's stock of grains, excluding barley and sesame, were utterly devastated resulting in severe food shortages world-wide. The U.S. was in better short-term shape than most, since the blight apparently had no effect on foods with preservatives in them. Effect on California agriculture is minimal. Like America, Canada is spared immediate disaster because of stockpiles of food
Accusations flew, charging deliberate biological warmongering, followed by nuclear warheads. To everyone's surprise, satellite defenses soaked up virtually everything that could be dished out, dissipating most of the fallout above the atmosphere
and caus
ing little resulting disturbance on the planet below.
Afterward, both nations suffered massive economic collapse, effectively bringing down the rest of the world. In America, real estate became worthless, and the land a battleground. Food riots, disease, and territorial gang wars erupted in the most populated areas, which lead to a mass exodus of the cities and people gathering in heavily defended "fortress towns". The police and military fell to shambles and become decentralized, quickly finding themselves unable to handle the gangs who were better equipped than they were.
By 2018 the civil unrest quelled itself somewhat as "algae farms" sprang up to compensate for the shortage of food. ConTexCo, based in Arlington in the Republic of Texas, pioneered various mass production and other innovations and became the largest producer of commercial algae foodstuffs on the continent.
[[Honey Rose Character Sheet]]
''Background/History:'' (If you've got some ZZ Top around, find "I'm Bad I'm Nationwide" and crank it up while you read. ;) )
"Well I was rollin' down the road in some cold blue steel,
I had a bluesman in the back, and a beautician at the wheel.
We're going downtown in the middle of the night
We was laughing and I'm jokin' and we feelin' alright."
The bass reverberated against the two-meter tall speakers, flashing lights illuminating the tall, stacked body dancing topless on stage. The old ZZ Top lyrics (covered by a new blues band) could hardly be heard over the shouting, the laughing, the crude encouragements of the men around the catwalk, waving cold cash to entice a hot young body to come dance for them.
"Oh I'm bad, I'm nationwide.
Yes I'm bad, I'm nationwide."
Her stage name was Ho
ney Rose
, a good old girl homegrown right there in Arlington, now one of the stars of its nightlife. With a playful, kittenish glance at the men less than a meter away, she pulled the laces of her white vinyl miniskirt, shaking pert, rounded hips until garment slithered to the floor at her sparkling high-heels.
"Easin' down the highway in a new cadillac,
I had a fine fox in front, I had three more in the back.
They sportin' short dresses, wearin' spike-heeled shoes,
They smokin' lucky strikes, wearing nylon too."
They were drivers and has-beens, bankers, truckers who smuggled, local businessmen, drug runners, bootleggers, a few off-duty cops, gunners, lawyers, private dicks, even a few local politicans who didn't want to be recognized but who were drawn to the nightlife anyway.
"Welcome back, we're nationwide.
Yeah we bad, we're nationwide."
It left her in a white lace thong, golden brown skin like caramel gleaming under the staccato stage l
ights, n
ot much left to imagination, but what was there stimulated lots of fresh imaginings. She lifted her blue-black hair, shook her ass at the mob of men hungry for even a touch, then sashayed to the front of the catwalk, an open invitation for them to tuck that cold green currency into whatever they could find.
"Well I was movin' down the road in my v-8 ford,
I had a shine on my boots, I had my sideburns lowered.
With my new york brim and my gold tooth displayed,
Nobody give me trouble cause they know I got it made."
They groped, they copped feels -- they always did, it was just part of the job and with any luck, they wouldn't leave bruises that showed. Honey Rose pouted, licked her full lips, squatted in front of one man with a wad of hundred dollar bills, putting her face mere centimeters away from his, taunting him with a kiss that wasn't quite, smiling in cat-like satisfaction after the majority of those bills were tucked into her thong.
"I'm b
ad, I'm
nationwide.
Girl I'm bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, I'm nationwide."
There were prettier girls who danced there at the Fantasy Ranch, girls with bigger breasts, longer legs, even a few girls who danced better. No one drew the cash like Honey Rose, however -- she had what men wanted, what they'd pay to get just a taste of.
At the tender age of 24, she knew it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mariah Juarez was a waitress at Mac's Bar & Grill in Arlington, TX and had been for as long as her daughter (Dashira) could remember. She worked long hours, mostly nights, with time off only to give birth to six children as they came along. They had four different fathers -- such was the story of a down-on-her-luck actress who lost her livelihood when Los Angeles burned.
Dashira's father, a truck driver, had taken her mother and the two girls to Arlington just before the food riots of 2016. He was home for long stretches at a time "l
aid off,
" or so he claimed but it was widely known that Manuel Juarez was a drunk, and a mean one at that. He was insanely jealous of his wife, whose mixture of African-American and Indian genes had bequeathed her a face and body with the best of both bloodlines. When he wasn't impatiently waiting for her to finish her shift at Mac's, he was home with the girls, or out boozing in bars.
Dashira was nine years old the first time he'd come to her in the night, raving drunk. She cried because it hurt, begged him to stop. He slapped her around, called her a whore, shouted at her to admit that she liked it, all while her seven year old sister watched, terrified, pretending to be asleep in hopes she'd remain unnoticed.
Wracked in guilt in the aftermath, Manuel wept, still slobbering drunk but no longer enraged. He held her, begged her not to say anything, promised to buy her those shiny new skates she'd been wanting, just keep it their secret, okay...?
She was a regular "
Daddy's
Girl" after that. Her mother finally kicked Manuel out of the house and divorced him when Dashira was twelve, but in those intervening years she'd endured her father's intrusions into her bed and her body two to three times a week, after which he'd buy her silence by getting her whatever she asked for.
Mariah got pregnant with her next boyfriend almost right away, who forced himself on Dashira not long after that. It was a cycle that was almost predictable, and as hormones overtook the young teen she became convinced that this was just the way it was, that all men wanted what she had between her legs, and would pay well to get it. She and her mother began fighting around this time; two more pedophile boyfriends later, Dashira walked out of her mother's house and didn't look back. She was all of fourteen years old.
The next two years were a series of older men who liked pretty young girls, drivers, copter pilots, smugglers, drug dealers. Dashira knew these men wante
d a &quo
t;good time girl," mostly to get away from their nagging wives at home. She became adept at her party girl persona, giving the guys a good time, but making sure that by the end of the night she had enough money to pay the rent on the run-down flat she shared with two other girls.
She also came to understand that information was at times just as marketable as sex -- Dashira learned to keep her ears spread during meetings or phone calls while acting as if she were absorbed in something else. It wasn't as reliable as selling sex, not at first -- but the first windfall came when she tipped off a crooked but ambitious cop about a cocaine drop. She was never exactly sure what he'd done with the information, but the diamond and pearl necklace he'd gifted her with a few weeks later said all that needed to be said.
At sixteen she was taken to her first exotic dance club (she'd been lying about her age for years by that time, and had legal IDs to prove it). Dashira watched t
he women
on-stage, mostly bored, going through the motions, but still raking in phenomenal amounts of cash, all for just the hint or promise of sex. It gave her something new to think about, and she signed up for a local middle-eastern dance class later that week. She also began hanging out backstage at clubs whenever she didn't have a date, learning from the dancers, getting tips for helping them with their makeup and costumes. The money was okay, but it was their experience in pole dancing, stripping, and lap dancing she most wanted and what she picked up from them, piece by piece. By the time Amateur Night rolled around at the Fantasy Ranch (Arlington's premiere exotic dance club), she was ready.
"Honey Rose" won by a landslide. She was fearless, brazen, kittenish, playful, and absolutely uninhibited about her body and her youthful allure. Her growing fame as an exotic dancer brought new connections, lawyers, doctors, politicians, businessmen, drivers, gunners, trib
al elder
s, cops, men who had tasted success and even fame and were as addicted to it as she herself had become.
These days she's seen on the arms of such men, but only in the underworld circles where such illegal and semi-legal activities intersect. Money's never a problem really, nor is companionship, gasoline, booze, cell phones, or cigarettes -- whatever Honey Rose wants, she gets.
If you're in Arlington and in the market for information (buying or selling), sooner or later you're going to encounter Honey Rose.
''Personality/Motivation:'' Dashira Juarez/Honey Rose has the proverbial tough outer shell with the soft heart underneath. Trouble is, that tough shell is =really= tough, and the soft heart buried so deeply it's rarely ever seen. She knows she's hot, is self-confident about her abilities, has a smart mouth that sometimes gets her in trouble coupled with a quicker wit that can get her right back out again.
She's understandably cynical about men and their motiva
tions --
the few honorable and gentle men she's met have baffled her, but they've been rare enough in her life that they barely even register as anomalies. Honey Rose figures if you're coming on to her, you either want her body or to know what she knows. If there are any other motivations, she hasn't had enough experience with them to be aware of them.
Given her experience, she's unable to believe in love. Dashira had to learn a lot about lust, rut, and sex at a very early age, but "love" never really factored into the equation. The only love she recognizes in her life what she feels toward her younger sister, who she's put through business college and who is now working a legitimate day job as a secretary at ConTexCo.
Her signature dance at Fantasy Ranch, in fact, is to the old Tina Turner song, "What's Love Got To Do With It?"
Honey Rose likes the night life, the party scene, living at the intersection of the legal, extra-legal, and illegal there in Ar
lington.
She really likes being the center of attention and so works hard to keep her premiere position at the Fantasy Ranch -- all the adulation is just as important as the money. She still practices dancing, attends advanced classes locally, and is at the point where she's considering a heath club membership to keep fit as advancing age (for a sex worker, which is how exotic dancers are classified) begins its implacable advance.
Mostly, Honey Rose likes knowing things. She likes facilitating, making connections, hooking people up who can benefit each other -- and her, of course. She figures by the time she needs to retire from exotic dancing (another ten years, tops) she'll have all the cash and property she needs to be secure -- and, if necessary, to tell the entire male half of the population to fuck the hell off, forever.
''Quote:'' "Yeah, it's what you know, but it's also WHO you know -- biblically, that is."
''Appearance:'' A lovely blend of her black, Ame
rIndian
and Mexican heritage, Honey Rose is a leggy stack of feminine allure. Her long, blue-black hair falls in loose curls to the middle of her back, framing a perfectly oval face, narrow nose, deep-set dark eyes, and full lips. Her Playboy dimensions are 38(C)-25-35. Her skin is like creamy caramel from crown to toes, and even though she's not the prettiest girl around her confident bearing gets her noticed over a girl who's lovelier but timid. For a bodycast, Doris Mar is a good one:
http://www.hhdb.com/hip-hop-honeys.php/44/0/Doris-Mar?o=44&oo=0&ooo=Doris-Mar
<html>
<head>
<title>Honey Rose - Hero Designer</title>
</head>
<body>
<font size=+2><b>Honey Rose</b></font><br>
Player: Alesia Matson
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr><td align="right"><b>Val  </b></td><td><b>Char   </b></td><td><b>Cost</b></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">8  </td><td><b>STR</b></td><td>-2</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">15  </td><td><b>DEX</b></td><td>15</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">
13 </td><td><b>CON</b></td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">10  </td><td><b>BODY</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">13  </td><td><b>INT</b></td><td>3</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">13  </td><td><b>EGO</b></td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">15  </td><td><b>PRE</b></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr>
<td align="right">18  </td><td><b>COM</b></td><td>4</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">2  </td><td><b>PD</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3  </td><td><b>ED</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">3  </td><td><b>SPD</b></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">7  </td><td><b>REC</b></td><td>4</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">26  </td><td><b>END</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">26  </td><td><b>STUN</b></td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td> </td><td>
</tr>
<tr><td align="right">7"  </td><td><b>RUN</b></td><td>2</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">1"  </td><td><b>SWIM</b></td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right">1 1/2"  </td><td><b>LEAP</b></td><td>0</td></tr>
</table>
<b>Characteristics Cost:</b> 52
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Skill</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Modern </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>1) AK: Arlington, TX 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>2) Climbing 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>3) Concealment 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>4) Native Language: English (idiomatic; Literate) (4 Active Points) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>5) Paramedics 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">
</td>
<td>6) Shadowing 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>7) Stealth 8- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">0  </td>
<td>8) TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles  </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>+2 with all PRE skills </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">6  </td>
<td>+2 with pistols </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">11  </td>
<td>+4 with all INT skills (20 Active Points); Only for Readi
ng Peopl
e (-3/4) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">4  </td>
<td>Penalty Skill Levels: +2 vs. Range Modifier with pistols </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Acting 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Bribery 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Conversation 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Deduction 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"
align=&q
uot;right">3  </td>
<td>Gambling 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>KS: Arlington Police 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>KS: Arlington Politicians 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>KS: Arlington Underworld 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>KS: Exotic Dance 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>KS: Sioux Tribal Custo
ms &
Etiquette 11- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Lipreading 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Lockpicking 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Persuasion 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>PS: Exotic Dancer 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Seduction 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right"&
gt;3&
;#160; </td>
<td>Streetwise 12- </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">2  </td>
<td>WF: Small Arms </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Skills Cost: </b>79
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Cost  </b></td>
<td><b>Perk</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">3  </td>
<td>Well-Connected </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">7  </td>
<td>1) Favor (8 Active Points) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right&quo
t;>10
  </td>
<td>2) Contact (11 Active Points) 20- </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b>Perks Cost:</b> 20
<p>
<b>Total Character Cost:</b> 151
<p>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="right"><b>Val  </b></td>
<td><b>Disadvantages</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Distinctive Features: Oozes Sex Appeal (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Physical Limitation: Is A Contact For Many Others (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Physical Limitation: Sex Object (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Psychological Limitation: Attention Seeker (Common, Moderate) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="right">10  </td>
<td>Psychological Limitation: Cynical (Common, Moderate) </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<b>Disadvantage Points:</b> 50<br>
<b>Base Points:</b> 100<br>
<b>Experience Required:</b> 1<br>
<b>Total Experience Available:</b> 0<br>
<b>Experience Unspent:</b> 0
</body>
</html>
[[Character Construction]]
[[Skills]]
[[Package Deals]]
[[Perquisites]]
[[Talents]]
[[Powers]]
[[Disadvantages]]
[[Combat Rules]]
Houston, TX was the brightest gem in the short-lived "Sunbelt Era" of American economic history. The 1980 U.S. Census placed the city as the fourth largest in America. The oil glut of the 80s brought on the beginning of a series of woes for this once-proud city, however, leaving Houston a pitiful shell of its former self and a prime example of what's gone wrong in America in the past 50 years.
History
In the late 1970s, Houston was a city with unlimited potential. The city grew by leaps and bounds as companies moved their operations to take advantage of low taxes and year-round sunshine and individuals came from the north looking for jobs. The oil glut of the 80s reversed that trend, however, as high unemployment caused many transplanted Northerners - and some native Texans, too - to go north, looking for work.
The ‘80s oil glut was the world's last fling w
ith petr
oleum and the beginning of the end for the multinational oil companies. Spurred on by comparatively low prices and a seemingly endless supply, consumers around the world depleted the remaining known oil reserves in less than 15 years.
Even though declining revenues and increasing unemployment continued to spell bad news for Houston, there continued to be a characteristic optimism about the future, from the corporate boardrooms to the "tent cities" appearing under freeway overpasses and in many parks. That optimism, along with any hopes for Houston's return to national prominence, was dashed in the Oil Crash of 1993.
The Oil Crash saw fortunes wiped out in a matter of days as the stock prices of all large oil companies dropped to an average of 7% of their former value. Companies that had diversified into other fields survived - though not as oil companies. The rest disappeared. Houston was crippled. Massive downtown office buildings were emptied, with no new te
nants. T
housands of families, unable to pay their bills, simply pulled up stakes and left. Entire neighborhoods became deserted, providing a haven for youth gangs, outlaws, and other troublemakers.
The Second Civil War did not affect Houston much at all, as it was too far away from the land borders of the Free Oil States to be threatened and too unimportant to be considered a target for an amphibious landing. The oil refineries and chemical plants along the Ship Channel came in for some offshore bombardment, but most of the damage was restricted to areas already shut down in the Crash.
Today, Houston exists in name only. There is no effective city-wide government, and no law and order beyond what the residents make for themselves. There are still a few pockets of peace and productive activity, but they are few and far between. Population estimates today number Houston's residents at 175,000.
Points of Interest
1. Houston Intercontinental Airport: Once a busy international
airport
, HIA still handles some airship and light aircraft traffic, though the airport operators can only afford to protect a small portion of the facility. An airship mooring has been built next to the one terminal still in use - the rest of the airport has been abandoned. HIA runways are a favorite practice ground for duelists as well as a traditional spot for the settling of gang wars. As long as this activity stays well away from the remaining working sections of the airport, the HIA authorities leave well enough alone.
2. The Astrodome: Dubbed "The Eighth Wonder of the World" when built nearly 75 years ago, the Dome stopped serving its original purpose - a stadium for professional sports - in 1998 when the last tenant, the Houston Astros baseball team, moved to Acapulco to become the third Mexican franchise in the major leagues. Since then, the Dome has been used as a special events arena, a shelter for the homeless, and a warehouse. Currently, the Dome is controll
ed by th
e Houston Free Oilers, an AADA-affiliated autodueling club, who use it and the surrounding parking lots for dueling practice and events.
3. Downtown: The once-majestic Houston skyline now has nothing to offer to anyone but the foolish. Maintenance and upkeep on the buildings ended years ago - very few elevators still work, and the lovely glass coverings of these 20th-century monuments to commerce are now oceans of broken glass shards in the streets - in some areas up to a foot deep. Downtown is now the bottom of the pecking order; people live here because they cannot live anywhere else. The buildings are dangerous, the streets deadly, and the inhabitants, while not very well-armed, are desperate. For those reasons, the Downtown district of Houston has been placed under a Level 3 AADA Advisory, the strongest possible. DO NOT enter this area under any circumstances.
4. Ship Channel: Once a man-made channel connecting Houston industry with Galveston Bay, the Ship Channel t
oday is
a hideout for numerous gangs that use small boats to move cargo - legal and illegal - up and down the coastal waterways of the Gulf Coast. Many of the boats for hire can get a person or a cargo to places that conventional highway travel won't reach. Large bulk cargoes cannot be handled here - due to the deterioration of the channel and the numerous wrecked and sunken ships, only small boats can still navigate the entire length of the channel.
5. Galveston Bay: For buying or selling large cargoes for overseas delivery, this is the place to come. Galveston was Texas' largest city in the 18th century, and the free trading atmosphere of those times lives again. There is a port authority that handles the buying and selling of cargoes and the contracting of ships, but it is estimated that 60% of the business taking place in Galveston happens on the black market. Be warned - black market goods and services are cheaper, but may not be as reliable.
6. Rice/Medical Center Fortres
s Area:
The only part of Houston that remotely resembles the Houston of the 20th century, the Rice/Medical Center Fortress Area (called the "RiceMed" by locals) covers nearly 10 square miles southwest of Downtown. The RiceMed is a limited-access fortress town, with strong walls and heavy firepower to repel intruders. The RiceMed has its own "provisional" government (the founders insisted on the "provisional" title, assuming that when the Houston municipal government reestablished control, the RiceMed government would fold up. This seems unlikely to ever happen), with a ruling council, courts, and police. All citizens are trained militia members, and the police keep enough weapons stockpiled to arm the entire population in case of attack, but carrying of weapons in RiceMed without a permit is prohibited. Likewise is the driving of armed vehicles prohibited without a permit. Permits are very hard to come by. Visitors entering the fortress area can leave th
eir weap
ons and armed vehicles in safe storage areas near the entrance gates.
Rice University teaches the same curriculum it has for over 100 years - pure sciences and mathematics, engineering, literature, architecture, and fine arts. While acknowledging the realities of daily life in 2036 (campus police carry SMGs and grenades), Rice offers no combat-related courses of any kind. The Medical Center consists of four different full-service hospitals, two medical schools, a nursing school, two medical research facilities, and a teaching hospital. Doctors, surgeons, researchers, and patients still come from around the world for medical care that cannot be offered anywhere else.
7. Refinery Row: The last of the Texas Gulf Coast petrochemical industry, Refinery Row is actually one working oil refinery and two chemical plants, surrounded by warehouses and security barriers. The yearly outputs of these plants are minuscule compared to the 20th century, but for some of these products -
gasoline
, ammonia, fertilizers, solvents, and special lubricants - this is the only source in hundreds of miles. Security is tight and prices are high, but visitors - especially visitors who've come to buy - are wel
come.
8. Memorial Park: The largest park in Houston, Memorial Park is now home to thousands of people that cannot find or afford permanent shelter. Because of the lack of roads through the park, no cycle or car gang has tried to take control of the park, though some small off-road groups claim portions of the park as their "turf." For the most part, Memorial Park is a peaceful place, as folks try to eke out a living with cooperative gardens and hunting. There is no leadership or legal system, but the residents have a strong sense of right and wrong; vigilante justice is swift in Memorial Park.
9. River Oaks: The swankiest neighborhood in Houston, River Oaks was the area to live in during Houston's glory days. Even when the bad times hit, River Oaks thrive
d, becau
se instead of the early days of wildcatters and entrepreneurs, the residents were all bankers and insurance executives and lawyers - the type of people who make money no matter which way the economy is going. So River Oaks held on. By 2022, River Oaks became the most luxurious prison in North America - the residents had bought so many security systems and hired so many guards that while the bandits looting the rest of the city were kept at bay, the residents couldn't leave their homes. Finally, a concerted attack in 2028 by a temporary coalition of three bandit gangs sacked River Oaks. It is now a smoking ruin, inhabited only by scavengers.
10. The Suburbs: Houston had vast residential areas in the 20th century that have today been carved up into plots of "turf" and run by various cycle gangs, bandits, cults, and self-defense coalitions. Most residents work small gardens and engage in bartering of skills and labor to get by. Whatever group runs the area gets a pe
rcentage
of everything in exchange for keeping the residents safe from all the groups that run all the other areas. Actual fighting between groups is rare now that a sort of status quo is reached, but strangers are looked at very suspiciously. For that reason, the Houston Suburbs have been placed under a Level 1 AADA Advisory - Caution Strongly Recommended. Unless you are visiting someone who knows you or are entering on invitation, the AADA recommends avoiding this area.
Facilities
There are no independently-owned, full-service charge and repair facilities left in the Houston area. The RiceMed has a complete facility owned by the police force for service of their own vehicles - citizens are charged reasonable prices, but municipal vehicles get first priority, so repairs can take a while. Many of the suburban defense coalitions have their own charging stations, and quite a few suburban residents do automotive repair. The dangers of the suburbs have already been discussed, howev
er, and
all repair work is on a caveat emptor basis.
Refinery Row also has a charging station that does business with t