The Infected Swarms have lost cohesion, becoming feral monsters that roam the ‘Outlands’, anywhere outside of the protective walls of one of the megacities. The eastern seaboard of the old United States is an irradiated wasteland, leaving Chicago as the largest remaining megacity on the continent.
Home to over a hundred million souls of all races and creeds, Chicago is famous as the only place where one of the remaining dragonflights has settled outside of what is considered traditional draconic territory in and around the Mediterranean region. The Silver Dragonflight, led by the Great Dragon Sazarial the Silver came to Chicago in 2052 during an event known as ‘The Battle of the Wall’ and helped the local military forces repel the Infected Swarm that had been closing in on the city. For whatever reason they arrived and chose to stay, is still unknown.
What is known is that the Great Dragon’s influence has kept the corporations from taking out right control of the city, which has been the case in many other of the remaining megacities of the world. That doesn’t mean the corporations don’t have an undue amount of influence however, just as in the old world nations, bribes, blackmail, and mysterious, sudden deaths are just tools of the trade in order for them to get what they want.
The criminal underground is a mixture of cultural criminal organizations, each claiming certain territories in the levels of the city. None are more powerful than the Syndicate, which tends to keep the turf wars and other conflicts between the many organizations and enterprises to a low roar, though even they can’t keep everyone in check. The Syndicate and others have an unwritten agreement with the Chicago Police force, generally keeping them out of Old Towne other than a few token officers and detectives.
Magic use is distrusted, as are those that practice it. Magic users must register themselves with the Tower of Wizardry and are sorted into one of three magical orders. Non-registered users are hunted relentlessly by the Arbiters, specialized magic users that investigate magical incidents, enforce the laws of the Tower, and bring rogue magic users in to face punishment.
Most citizens, however, are just looking to get through their day and into the next in a seemingly never ending cycle of consumerism and labor to feed consumerism as profit and power drive the Corporations on to greater heights of greed and control. The battle for the soul of Chicago has only just begun as have other events that will eventually affect not only Chicago but the entire world.
Chicago is home to several factions, all vying for more and more control of the city either through direct means or indirect. Control over the megacity’s resources and population creates power and the factions all seek that power for one reason or another. Factions come and go, some rising and burning out in spectacular fashion in a few short months or years, while others are steadfast and calculating in their actions, lasting for decades at a time.
Factions are an organized group all working in tandem together for a greater goal but rather made up of differing organizations and groups that seek the same general ideal. Sometimes these groups work together but more often than not compete with one another for the resources and personnel that align with the greater ideal, seeking to be first and foremost in the shared goals/ideals that represent their faction.
Factions do not have an overall leader, but the groups and organizations that make up the faction’s population usually do. Factions are also not all encompassing, people can align how they wish with what group and faction they list, so long as it makes sense story wise. For example, someone who chooses to play a police officer doesn’t have to immediately pick the Chicago PD as their organization or Citizens as their faction. They could very easily pick the Syndicate and Criminals as their organization and faction because a corrupt cop working to further the interests of the Syndicate is an all too common thing in Chicago.
Currently there are three main factions vying for control and resources.
Corporate:
The Corporate Faction represents those organizations and characters that seek to increase their personal and organizational influence, power, and most importantly, profit. The Corporations were responsible for saving the world from the Infected, replacing the old world nations with more effective leadership as they crumbled under their own bureaucracies. Clearly the businessmen and women of the world have the best interest of all in mind, seeking only to create a world where fair, open markets and hard work are rewarded.
The preceding message was brought to you by the Board of MegaCorps for World Betterment NOT World Domination.
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Criminal
The Criminal Faction Represents those that seek to increase their influence and power through criminal activities. This can be anything from street level crimes all the way up to organized and even some white collar crimes. The world is an unfair and unjust place and the criminal faction not only accepts this as fact but actively uses that belief to justify even the most heinous of activities. Take what you need from others before they take it from you.
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Citizens
The Citizen Faction focuses on returning stability, safety, and control of one’s own life to the citizens and people of Chicago. This faction focuses on building a feeling of community and responsibility to one another within the citizenry of the megacity. Since even before the fall of the old world nations, politicians and others have forgotten their place as servants of the people, the rise of the megacities has only further exacerbated this situation. These organizations seek to undo the damage and protect communities.
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