DarkMetal

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[edit] Dark Metal MUSH

DarkMetal is a popular World of Darkness MUSH with a cyberpunk setting. Established in 1992, it once was one of the most popular World Of Darkness MUSHes. Based on the White Wolf Game Studios series of Storyteller System games, (Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: the Apocalypse, and Mage: the Ascension), DarkMetal encompasses the main character concepts from each of those games. Wraith and Changeling were not considered compatible enough with DarkMetal's setup to be included.

DarkMetal is primarily a player run game. Meaning, the staff on DarkMetal are there to help if you need it, provide guidelines and watch for game-wide consistency, deal with complaints, and aid with the formation (at times) of sphere or game-wide TinyPlots. Elements pioneered by DarkMetal include intensive MUSH code for dice rolling and sensory scans and open character generation.

[edit] Playable character types

[edit] Theme

From low-level street thugs trying to capitalize on chaotic and lawlessness of certain cities to corporate executives vying for power within an uncertain society, Dark Metal's theme is one heavily rooted in cyberpunk. The system for DarkMetal relies on World Of Darkness books and some customized rules created to integrate the organized chaos of the supernatural world and dark, cut-throat civilization that is the cyberpunk genre.

The history of DarkMetal has changed since its inception; only the most recent version is listed here.

[edit] Theme: The Fall

In years before The Fall, stories of Bigfoot, ghosts, and people with magical powers were taken seriously only by children and fringe groups. Laughed at and joked about, the mortals unwillingly fell prey to the constant scheming of the supernatural world that was, with every year that passed, growing in power and bravado. And it would have remained that way, mortals blithely unaware of what lurked in the shadows, and supernaturals playing larger than life political games, if one large news conglomeration hadn't picked up a story of a dangerous cult living with LATMA sewers.

Their investigation led to uncover something wholly inhuman, and, as those later would say, undeniably evil. The creature was described as something out of a children's book - movement so fast your eyes couldn't catch it, strength so immense that cement was as delicate as glass when the creature would strike.

The story was on the front page of every newspaper and on every TV screen and amidst this information, some hunters came to light. The creature was tracked and killed, its death one of true gore. Those responsible for making sure information like this didn't get out suddenly, within the supernatural world, vanished. No one could remember their names and faces.

Super blamed super for the damaging information and the battle lines, more than ever before, were clearly drawn. Their battles became more violent with each other with each day, and because of this, the presence of supernaturals became ever more present. Within days of the first report of the sewer creature came international news: Central Europe reported black-furred gibbering things invading a village in Germany, and equally horrific wolfmen attacking them in kind. In Russia, an ancient vampire attacked the Russian Prime Minister, tearing open his throat on international television.

As the world around seemed to crumble, and the government itself was unable to cope, corporations (some drive by, in secret, supernatural groups) came in to 'rescue' a now ripped open world. Law enforcement became privatized, as did public transportation. Smaller companies vied for niches in the new market, promising safe streets for those under contracts.

But some cities within LATMA, those of a darker nature, were left to the devices of the citizens within. No laws, no jurisdiction. Just gun dealers and cybernetically enhanced humans intermingling with the still secretive Vampires of Sabbat and Camarilla.

[edit] Theme: The Dark

It is the information age and people, like anything else, are quantified in a thousand ways on an incredible web of computing devices. Their health records, birth certificates, money, all the myriad pieces of data that are the product of a lifetime in a computerized society end up being attached to them.

More accurately, attached to their SSN. Once a number used to match people to their government benefits, the SSN has become the key to a person's life.

All the residents of the 'Bright' world that surrounds the corporations use their SSN's constantly. A great many actually have it tattooed on their wrists to simplify identification and as a sign of status.

Of the remaining populace, about 75% have an SSN and use it when they are dealing with the system. Hospital stays, licenses of various kinds, taxes and business dealings often require an SSN.

The rest are collectively called 'The Dark' or 'Dark'. These are the fringe of society who either cannot get or do not want an SSN. They deal in barter or in certified cards (a form of electronic money order). People of this type are also called "Sinless", a play-on-words of "SSN-less".

They cannot prove who they are, but they are also outside the immediate gaze of the information world. They are free in a peculiar way. (This particular theme was borrowed heavily from the Blanks in Max Headroom (TV series).)

[edit] Theme: Order 47

During the Fall, when Vampires, Garou, and Magi warred openly, using their gifts and powers without concern of what attention it brought, the US Armed Forced determined that these things, masquerading as normal humans, were not human. More so, that their existence was a threat to humanity. Later on in 2002, it was further written and agreed upon that these supernatural things were to be treated as the slaves once were: they are beneath the privaledge of rights, the freedom to speak, and to stake claim to what normal humans do. In other words, they cannot own a business, a home, any plot of land, take part in any sort of division of responsibilities in a legal manner.

The term 'Order 47', therefore, is a standing call to action (later turned into a law), to exterminate those that resemble, or behave, within the guidelines of the '47' classification. In other words, 47 a detailed classification for anything supernatural, and Order gives explicit rights to those, if they are able, to kill them in order to provide salvation and safety to average humans.

After the term was made into law, a large corporation, dealing mainly in armaments, formed the Metropolitan Security Corporation, otherwise known as MetSec.

MetSec's first contract was to protect the San Onofre nuclear power plant. As MetSec gained notoriety, their financial backing grew.

In 2007, Garou raided the plant, causing the deaths of numerous MetSec officers. The Board of Directors for the MetSec holding company and the Board of Directors for MetSec enacted the Order 47 law, deeming it necessary for all MetSec officers to exterminate supernaturals of all sort, regardless of their state or perceived capacity to harm and danger humans.

In 2010, after numerous blood baths were seen and heard within the state of California, the United States withdraws its support. California is not the only state to be left as a 'bad lands', forced to fend for itself without the possibility of free travel, monetary, or military support from the country it resides in. It is merely one of the most dangerous states, rampant with a supernatural population that defies logic.

After the United States withdraws its support, large corporate entities get together to form various laws, as they see it. In this state, those with the power are those that rule. One standing and state-wide law is the call to action known as Order 47. The message? We humans don't want you here. We are afraid and consider you a danger.

[edit] Playing DarkMetal

To play, point your MUSH or telnet client to darkmetalmush.com port 9998. DarkMetal uses World Of Darkness, second edition rules, with both major and minor changes, in the form of various house rules.

[edit] See also

[edit] Similar Games

[edit] External links

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