Welcome to Achlys City

Achlys City, 2069

The world as we know it has progressed along its current path.  Governments have gotten more and more isolated in their attempts to hold onto their power bases, leading to bloody and brutal conflicts around the globe.  Some of these power struggles have resulted in the destruction of many old unions, with a number of countries of the world splitting and dividing within themselves.  Successions have always been bloody as the Governments crack down on the populace in attempts to eradicate the rebellions, which in turn further motivate the citizens to choose one side or another, further enflaming the hostility.  In this fracturing of the old powers, many hard lines have been drawn, and many new nations have emerged from the ashes of the former super powers.

From the chaos that followed in the wake of such successions, many new influences have crept into power.  Various mafias and triads have almost “legitimatised” themselves, and have had more than a shadow of influence over the governing bodies.

The massive Mega-corporations have used their money and influence in this arena as well and to better effect.

Many of the fledgling nations have welcomed the Mega corps backing and relaxed many of the laws in order to attract their infusion of wealth into the local economies.. The result of this is often an inhuman approach to maintaining their profits by any means necessary, sometimes even making the cruelest of methods legal in their new found home territory.
This relaxation of ethics based laws has given to some big innovations in the “medical” industry.  Some for the betterment of humanity, some for its destruction.  Advances in neural interface technology opened up the world of Cybernetic Implants.  Often used in prosthetics for war veterans and the disabled, this technology also allowed for a neural interface to the global net, eventually creating a new level of computer hacker, the net runner.
The decoding of the human genome opened up the possibility of modification of the DNA sequence.  Some researchers in this area came upon a method to synthesize animal traits in humans, and thus creating the “Synths”.  The most common types of “Synth” were feline or Lupine based, giving the soldier greater strength and /or agility.
But another type was created from these early experiments, one that created both strength and agility, and insatiable thirst for human blood.

These innovations were quickly bought up by the world powers seeking super soldier to protect and further their own interests.
But as in all large and overpopulated societies, where status is as (or even more) important than your next meal, the pop-culture underground picked up on the traipings of these rumors of the super soldiers, and it became fashionably chic to have implants that gave the appearance of being on these  “Synths”.

Where there is a demand….

Former military doctors, having fled their prospective regimes, have begun giving the “Synth” treatment to the street kids and fetishists, creating not just the look, but also the ability to go with it.  And they have been disseminating the methods and techniques among the next generation of Street Docs.

Achlys has not been immune.

Being located on the coast of one of these newly formed nations, the city itself has been a draw for many.  The docks, over run secretly by the Mafia or Triads, have become the main method of illegal trade and illicit goods, spreading drugs, guns and stolen flesh onto the city streets through their proxy gangs.

These gangs have all but taken over the lower streets of the city, plying their trade almost openly on the sidewalks of the slums.  There is fierce rivalry between the street gangs, with some of them working for the Mafia, and some working for the Triads.  Only the most effective gang members ever get themselves off the city streets and into a position of power, with each member striving to make the best deals, biggest connections and prove their ability through any means necessary.

The police have resorted to more oppressive means in attempts to control the street gangs, and often mistake every day citizens, for gang members.  Many poor but law abiding citizens have resorted to seeking protection from one gang to another, further blurring the lines, and giving more license for the police to crack down.

This is not to say that everyone on the street is a gangster, there are plenty of individuals on the streets making their own way the best they can.  These independents often gather up together in close-knit groups for camaraderie, protection, and form the networks of the underground biz on the streets.

Those citizens with moderate resources can dwell above the filth of the streets, living their lives in relative comfort.  Often these are the rank and file employees of a Mega-corp, or successful small businessmen that have managed to work their way up off the lowest of the cities streets.  They tend to congregate around the Midtown district, an elevated street level above the grime and scum below.

The wealthiest of the well to do set, live in the heights of the city itself, possibly never descending into the chaos of the lower levels.  Their money and power buy them anything they desire, clothing, lovers, this years newest model hovercraft, all the symbols that show their level of wealth an influence.  Life is easy and plentiful, just don’t look down.