In the far away future efficiency and capitalism became the two pillars of society. Two companies prevailed above all else: BioForge and Cybernetic Inc. Both companies control the market, the politics, the people and both aim to control everything in the end. With two unique approaches to societies problems they both fight for every single human soul buying from them instead of their opponent. This led to an all out war, with civilians in the middle. Not a war fought on open street and yet many are aware of the super soldiers and secret operations completed by both cooperations. To finance their endeavors the people are milked for every Credit they own, for spare parts or medicine, for food and housing. In this harsh world many people live many different lives, some of the side of either company, some of the side of freedom, fighting for the peoples rights and for what the world stood for over 500 years ago. Some also simply want to live their lives in peace and quiet, away from strife and danger, which is probably the most futile of lifestyles in this era.

General Information

Viruses are common in the world, either bio engineered ones, threatening victims with mutations and death as well as computer viruses designed to mess with electronic and digital parts of unsuspecting humans. Whereas mutations are not permanent, but expensive to fix, little hacks of cyborgs often go unnoticed until they realize their wallet was stolen.

Drugs are common everywhere. Almost every human is hooked on the drugs sold by BioForge and Cybernetics Inc., but there are plenty other, cheaper and less save options around. Drugs should reduce the risk of mutation and cleanse the blood of people with mechanical parts. Everyone needs them, most can not afford them though. Rampant mutants or exploding cyborgs are a common occurrence, but the cooperation have plenty of peace officers keeping everyone save.

Children are at this point basically not existent. Most people are 'born' adults. Through enhancement drugs and computer reinforced learning, people skip most of a childs developement. This keeps people relatively stupid in many sectors of life, preferable to both BioForge and Cybernetic Inc. Humans seeking career paths as doctors or members of the companies science departments recevie special training. Children however are rarely seen anywhere in the world at this point. Some families still go the way of DNA cleansing and enhancement during pregnancy, actually birthing a human, but it is considered expensive and cost-ineffective.
On Cybernetics end, children who are not given temporary stronger bodies while they grow are rare and not developing their brains faster is almost impossible, if only for the reason that limited brain capacity also limits the effectiveness of meachanic body parts. Full bodies are lent to growing children for the time needed to grow up, then each new enhancement has to be bought, without them people are mostly unfit for the labor intense work done by many.

BioForge

3d21926da26e1cdcd0c510dbb81d3bda.pngBioForge started out as a small genetics lab, researching genetic diseases with the aim to eventually get rid of them. Nowadays it is common practice to genetically purge any human DNA of defects, even if they were as little as bad eyesight and not only that, BioForge developed technology that allows the reconstruction of genetic material and DNA, allowing for enhancements in all parts of the human body. Stronger bone density, quicker reflexes, better eyesight and even the ability to regrow limbs. Their goal was always to reshape the human body into something better, stronger, faster, preciser. Their fighters have unique abilities; poisonous skin, acid spit, superhuman strength, all of which powers which grow in the individual themselves and grow they do. BioForge does not think human reproduction is the future. it is a long and taxing process for little return. Babies are weak, need to grow up and be taught how to use their limbs. Nowadays new humans are made in labs, in giant tanks, growing bit by bit into a fully grown up human. Rich people still have children, grow them to the age they want to start in, but they became an accessory and nothing more.
The many people who are rich and decide to live the BioForge lifestyle often can't afford children. The DNA enhancements are so expensive, having to wait ten to 15 years before the child grows to be a working member of society is not possible for most, but the enhancements are so expensive, often times the debt is immediately put towards the created human. They are born and go to work off their debt almost immediately.
Depending on the intended labor of a new specimen, crossbreeds are developed to enhance productivity.









e321784f2e7002fa121d5daa610872ec.pngCybernetic Inc.

Cybernetic Inc. started out as a tech company in the medical industry. Their humble beginnings include prosthetics and medical equipment of all sorts. They soon also made a name as the leading company researching machine to brain interfaces. Nowadays Cybernetics Inc. is a specialist in Cyborg technology. They provide upgrades to people like robotic arms or legs, brain chips to enhance intelligence and digital brain copies for the rich and famous, making them practically immortal. Their soldiers consist of robotized humans, mostly using only the nervous system and brain as a human frame, with the rest being enhanced bodies of metal and electronics. Weapon systems are installed in their soldiers, they have enhanced eyesight and superhuman strength. Growing children was given up long ago, furthering a new brains development by computer chips implanted in the brains to make learning faster and more efficient. The body can be quickly adjusted to have even young people be efficient in labor intense tasks. Their payment model is a similar one as BioForges with the huge benefit of being able to reclaim parts of debtors, dead or alive. They cannot grow a fully grown human in a few days, but they can enhance an existing one very efficiently.
Cybernetic Inc. also has an answer to the riches want for children; a line of robot children in every age. They are much more easy to handle than actual children, if needed functions like hunger can be turned off.
There are also people buying themselves small bodyparts, staging as children to earn money.

Souls are the special fighting force deployed by Cybernetic Inc. There are multiple models, each better than the Version before, ranging from Soul-I to Soul-X. Soul-I consisted of highly skilled soldiers, signing up for the program to be enhanced to super soldiers, most of them are decommissioned now. With Soul-IV Cybernetics went another way, training freshly born humans to fighters shortly after birth, giving them enhanced learnability and strong bodies, most of these models ranging between Soul-IV and Soul-VIII are decomissioned as well, each unit had only about ten to twenty members. With Soul-IX Cybernetics Inc. thought to have a breakthrough. The model got less volatile, more precise and followed orders to the T. At least that is what is told to the public. Especially Soul-IXs were highly instable and their shortcomings were supposed to be fixed in the new models Soul-X. With a human component on board, responsible for keeping Souls emotions in check, they got more usable and a large quantity of Soul-Xs was ordered. Still, the socially underdevelopped brains controlling the chunks of metal often times suffer trauma and psychological defects.
To mitigate this the newest Model, Model Soul-Zero was created with a clean slate. Brain functions are limited and a generative AI sits at the helm of this Model. Creating an inbetween layer between human brain and outside influence, Cybernetics engineers are hoping to limit negative effects on the host brain. Soul-Zero is currently in testing and consumes a large amount of ressources. Plans to promote the new Model as the future are underway.



@marquis

Soul-Zero (Zero)

Faction: Cybernetic Inc.

Start of Developement: 9 Years Ago
End of Developement: Ongoing

Beta Release: 4 Months Ago
Official Release: -

Height: 235cm

4b8fe7c68a0a56977df12eb4a19eb79a.jpgSpecs: Soul-Zero is the newest Special Forces Model, stripped of most of its human traits with a protective AI layer between host brain and sensory interface, aiming to filter sensory information flowing to the brain to mitigate the risk of psychological effects. It is currently in the beta testing phase, soon to go on its first mission outside of the lab.

Soul-Zero is much larger than a regular human, being the first model to own a completely synthetic body and as close to a robot as it gets. High energy consumption forces it to reload its batteries every other day, running completely out might lead to the host brain dying and therefor the decontinuation of this model.

Since it is still powered and controlled by a human brain, sleep is necessary, though short bursts of being in standby mode are enough to keep the brain functioning. The AI can take full control over the robotic body in those times, though this should only be used in emergencies, since the computational power of a human brain far exceeds that of a computer. Should the brain be insured the AI can take control to get the body to safety.

As of now Model Soul-Zero does not have a vocal output, since it is not clear if it is needed for this model. This might be added later. It can communicate via digital devices and understands human language.

All of its sensory data is stored and uploaded to Cybernetic Inc. servers.

The model posesses multiple self repair options, the most advanced one being nano robots meant to fix damages in real time should the outer hall be damaged.

Data shows humans are more comfortable with human faces, currently a synthetic face is in testing so the public might accept the new model more easily. It sits underneath the helmet, but has otherwise no functions.

37f45a82c4944aee7817247b895e3ce3.jpgThe host brain sits at the center of the model and is highly protected.

Soul-X/12 (Nova)

Faction: Cybernetic Inc.

Start of Developement: 15 Years Ago
End of Developement: 11 Years Ago

Official Release: 10 Years Ago

Estimated Mental Age: 19

Height: 178cm

02f6e380f3a11908a22c932e94c2c3a9.jpg
Specs: Nova is one of the first Soul-X Models. His whole body is enhanced and the human parts grew into the mechanical ones over the years. With a growing body parts had to be adapted constantly, but Novas brain is highly adapt in accepting new technology added to his nervous system. He is a prodigy and was for the longest time the Labs number 1.

He doesn't come without issues though. Being trained as a killer from birth onwards he, like discontinued models Soul-IX, developed psychopathic tendencies. He is emotionless towards most, he loves killing and he enjoyes torturing his targets before he kills them. Unlike Soul-IXs however, Nova is also highly adapt in hiding his true nature. Paired with Cybernetics disinterested in the savety of others, he can do as he pleases.

Nova is not only strong and fast, he is highly intelligent and knows the facility in and out. Faking his sensory data streams is no challenge for him, thus enabling him to hide his true nature even further.

Name: Dr. Morris Fowler, PhD
Age: 33 years old
Height: 182cm
Employer: Cybernetic Inc.
Occupation: Psychologist for Cybernetic's robots, more commonly of the formerly human variety.

Trivia:
- Morris was born quite a while ago, and while his parents had always been obsessed with BioForge's preaching, they had quite literally raised their two sons from the ground up without any fancy new-age technology that, at the time, was not available to them. Money was, though.
- Younger one of a set of twins.
- While he still cares for his family, his parents bit the bullet shortly after his 15th birthday; instead he was raised by a distant relative, who took in both of the boys as misguided souls on the wrong side of history.
- Through nigh impossible obstacles, Morris eventually proved his own worth to himself, be it because of his need to do so, or because he simply had grown obsessed with the fact that a clone of his loved ones would not suffice; he sees the best in both worlds, and yet, he'd argue that it would only be for the good of humanity if they stopped to try and overthrow evolution, and instead focused on the future: Tech.
- While his attitude might seem like he's rather harsh on his proteges, Morris cares for each and every single one of them in his own way. Some need time, others need distance and the third kind, while arguably the most strenous to deal with, just needs a bit of kindness.
- In the end, the guy with the shaggy haircut is just that; another guy, possibly an insane one that finished his studies at a Cybernetic Inc. funded university as a valedictorian - but he really wanted the job, and he got it. He lives to regret it often enough.
- Despite an immense sweeth tooth for tiramisu, Morris also wouldn't want to live without cigs.

Soul-X/5 / Orion

Faction: Cybernetic Inc.
Start of Development: 15 years ago
End of Development: 11 years ago
Official Release: 10 years ago
Estimated Mental Age: 18-19 years
Height: 175cm

Specs: One of many first Souls-X models, Orion is their creators most beloved feat. At least that is, what somebody would tell themselves after being nothing but a brick in a wall keeping up entire constructs for years; there's so many of them, so many that gave up flesh to become what they aren't, that even Orion's obsession with synthetic skin does not compare. In the end, what matters the most seems to be that they are, without a doubt, just another run of the mill model without any outstanding features aside remaining human emotion.

Many shreds of their former self were lost when they were picked out by Cybernetic, however, Orion sees it as a shred of hope instead of doom brought upon them by fate; a lot of Soul-X models tend to just be killers, born for their task, and while the same could be said about the likes of Orion, one has to realize that death is art and art is beauty. To them, everything they do has a purpose, like a brush stroke on a canvas they picked out themselves, be it because of orders or perhaps they had a stroke of genius themselves. Orion is clever, if only because they bask in the shadows of others and tell them what they like to hear - or perhaps because their most beloved engineer gave them a pair of special eyes? Who knows.

Much like other models of their make, Orion is fast, strong, intelligent and able to impress with the skills they've been given from the start; however, they much rather would hide their ingenious nature and their interest in wreaking havoc and causing bloodshed than to admit to it. Be it that the world is their canvas or that Nova is just too good of a meat shield for them to not use, Orion uses their charms, their looks and their perceived clumsiness as vantage points in their robotic life; one can take the flesh out of the human, surely, but laziness persists even in never-corroding steel.

d68af70ea89b52877d91c9147aee326a.jpgName: Dr. Allison Frisk, PhD
Age: 27 years old
Height: 168cm
Employer: Cybernetic Inc.
Occupation: Psychologist at Cybernetic Inc, Dr. Fowlers Assistant

Trivia:
- Was assigned as Dr. Fowlers assistant 5 years ago
- Personally asked to be his assistant
- Loving personality
- Very eager at work, works long hours
- Not functioning without coffee
- Has a Cybernetic hand meant to help with precise tasks
- An enhanced eye helps with precision as well
- Has a Dr. in Psychology, but she worked in a trauma unit of a hospital during her studies

Soul-IV / 888 / - PROJECT SOVEREIGN -

Faction: Cybernetic Inc.
Start of Development: 60 years ago
End of Development: 56 years ago
Official Release: 54 years ago
Estimated Mental Age: 35 years
Height: 181cm (with legs attached)

Specs:
- Old, mass-produced Soul IV model that has outlived its own glory for quite some time but was officially shut down around 20 years ago, to make way for the latest generations.
- While no longer useful for combat, 888 was one of the last humans to become a Soul-IV, meaning that he is also one of the best functioning ones out of his generation, with a few nice touches that are no longer used in any of his "offspring" models.
- His skin is merely synthetic as it hides nothing but metal beneath; his limbs are detachable, and his teeth are razor sharp but aren't his own; they are made of a variety of metals, screwed into what formerly could have been his skeleton.
- 888 lacks no emotions, however, he lacks the ability to feel anything, given that most of his nerves are attached to his metal husk but not the synthetic skin; the ends of the nerves are also pretty much damaged at this point, meaning that the corrosion of his metal body still affected what was human about him and furthering his decay. Good for combat, bad for anything beyond that.
- Revered as one of the strongest of his generation, 888 is not only named after luck and one lucky bastard at the same time; he's also the last survivor of a dead generation of Souls, merely kept around because he was picked for immortality over eternity.
- While exact data about PROJECT SOVEREIGN is no longer available, one might argue that one of the sealed off laboratories in the basement of Cybernetic holds an answer; frankly, it does, but the mess beyond the door isn't worth the knowledge - or is it?
- 888 would consider himself quite knowledgable, but mad at the same time. His body has collected both rust and dust; the implants that once functioned as his eyes no longer work and the husk that was left behind by those working on a failed project forgot to consider but one thing: An inquisitive mind, a stubborn mind, lives forever if it must - it nourishes itself with what it can get, and the fact that the doors in Cybernetics own systems seem to be as highly guarded as a murky pond in the middle of nowhere doesn't help his situation one bit. 888 knows too much, fears too little and is aware of his state; a situation that drives him mad.
- Despite it all, one thing can be said for sure: If one were to ask 888 if he'd do it again, he'd rather kill himself.