Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Cyberpunk 2020 - Superconsumer part 3



In the world of Superconsumer not everyone is happy with the current state of how the world is run. Some have grown tired of the constant televised stream of corporate influence on their lives. So they work to limit just how much they have endure and are constantly looking for more ways to separate themselves from the brainwashed masses and their masters.

They call themselves Slates in a reference to 'blank slate' as they wish to become clean of outside influence.

Of course different Slates have different levels of dedication. Many of them just want a break from the TV screen that is always going on around them. Others go to more extremes of separation by moving to the worst, least monitored sections of a city and having their data erased from the Net by some very sneaky netrunners. So not all of them are the same and you never know exactly what type of Slate you are dealing with.



Drowning out the Television.

Being creative is the key since the government doesn't like it when you don't get their propaganda streamed into your life. 'Mufflers' are the most common things used, these are heavy blankets made with light stopping fabrics that are draped over a television set in the home. Reducing the sound as much as possible and cutting the light emitted to almost nothing. They are also the most legally viable alternative since all one has to do is claim a medical reason such as headache, eyestrain or extreme fatigue as the reason why you 'temporarily' covered that screen.

The off switches and mute buttons are the next level up. While illegal they are still quite sought after as they completely cut off the set or just the sound. Commonly built in disguised shells so they appear as something else entirely. Such as older TV remotes, children's toys, ink pens, just about anything you can think of. Some have even gone as far as to have their home set up with fail safes such as the Television turning on whenever an entry door is opened or on voice control.

Blackout goggles have started appearing on black market stands as well. These are smart goggles tricked out so they whenever a television screen comes into view it gets blacked out in your field of vision. Although it doesn't do anything for the sound. While not technically illegal yet there are laws currently being pushed through and revised that will make them a criminal offense to possess.



Communities
In several places in the run down outskirts of modern cities you find communities of Slates living together. Occupying abandoned buildings and subway tunnels creating their own form of self reliance with each other. Some form gang like levels of hierarchy while others make democratic microgovernments to rule themselves. The further out from the center of a city they are the less likely they are to be bothered by the law. Mainly because it is not profitable to try and police such hostile areas and would cost more than they could ever be worth. On the downside if there is trouble in these communities they have to take care of themselves as nobody is coming to help.

One thing these communities are really good for is the black market selling of goods and services. Such as finding old tech and those who know how to repair or even build it. An endless variety of off and mute switches. Stolen property by the truck load. If you need to sell something that would get you put in jail for anywhere else, this is the kind of place you want to take it.

The really big downside is that Slate communities also tend to attract a less savory part of society. Not because they want to escape the government televisions and brainwashing but to escape the police who are after them for what they have done. Career criminals will pass off as a Slate while continuing what they do on the side. Sex offenders sadly find this a preferred environment as well since they aren't known for what they are guilty of. Even the Kindred will live here just to escape prying eyes.



Adventure Seeds

The edgerunners have acquired a large quantity of military grade weapons. If they get caught with them there will be jail time so selling them is a better option. Following a lead they hear the best place to move them is in a Slate marketplace. What they don't know until they get there is that this particular Slate community is sat up more like a gang dictatorship and they see the PC's as potential threats.

The edgerunners are hired by a community to help track down a sexual predator who has moved in and is preying on their members. They don't know who it is but they want him removed from the community altogether. There may even be a reward for this person by the police after they skipped out of their registration.

A police officer who is partial to the Slates has caught wind of a large scale action being planned for one community. The abandoned city block they are residing in is being looked at by a corporation as a possible purchase IF the 'vagabonds' are removed from the structures there. He tells a friend who is with the edgerunners and they can chose to help. Either by finding another suitable location, fighting off the police action or they may end up having to run delaying actions so the people can get out in time.



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