The role-playing game of dystopian survival, raiders, corporations and cybertech
From the introduction:
Amidst the cyberpunk dystopia life is beset by controlling authorities, ruthless corporations, organised crime and street gangs. There are few easy ways to get rich quick. Anyone with enough riches to be considered well-off will find themselves the target of greedy thieves, jealous thugs and overbearing gangs demanding protection money – not to mention the authorities that will suddenly take an interest if you have something they can squeeze you for. Just trying to survive day to day is the priority for many, and opportunities for really building a life and making a difference are limited to those already in power.
Many become part of the oppressive systems in the slums and become one of the abusers and exploiters out of desperation. As a bureaucrat or law enforcer, corporate lackey, gang thug or some sort of underworld operative taking shady night-time freelancing. In the slums you have a reasonable expectation of not being shot unless you provoke someone, enter gang turf without permission, bother the police, or lack the wits to get out of the way when a raiders go on a rampage.
Outside the slums are the wastes – abandoned by any form of order or protection from economic collapse, disaster or war and with untold wealth abandoned in the shattered ruins. You were once part of the slums but through misfortune, carelessness, or disillusionment you have left that behind. Now you seek to trawl through ruins and wastes for long lost valuables, risk impossible odds to get rich quick, tread into nuclear fallout or biohazard zones, take on the most ridiculous mission just for that one big shot.
You venture into the wastes, the parts of the city abandoned by the authorities, corporations, and organised crime. When you venture into the wastes you are surrounded by rampant gangs, wild animals and malfunctioning bots as you search collapsed corporate complexes, buried nuclear bunkers and forgotten headquarters from a flavour-of-the-month gang that fell apart and was never heard from since.
Those in the slums call you Wasters. But not to your face, because they’re scared of you.