Writing a CS Chi-Town Book

[darthauthor]

Musing about writing a source book on the CS Chi-Town.

Got me thinking about a quote "write the book you want to read." Comes from Toni Morrison, a Nobel Prize-winning author.

If there is a book that you would like to read but it has not been written yet, then you should write it yourself. Is the sentiment as I understand it.

I believe that almost everyone has at least one book in them. So if feel you have a story in you that you are passionate about, don't be afraid to write it down. You may be surprised at how much people enjoy reading your work.

Got to a point in my City of Nemus story where I am asking myself, "How would a city run by the CS operate?"
Then I thought, "Well, that would be Chi-Town."

Thought I would start with an OUTLINE:

Could use some help to keep it closest to canon or closest to it.

It is NOT about the WHOLE CS just Chi-Town.
The "thing" is, the Fortress City of Chi-Town is the capital of the CS empire where emperor Prosek sits. That is about as Coalition States as it gets. So they way they do things in Chi-Town is the way the emperor wants them done in the other fortress cities. Although that does not mean that things are done exactly that way.

There are 5 States in the Coalition:

1. CS State of Chi-Town:
The Iowa section: 1.3 million.
The Illinois portion: Hundreds of small towns and villages dot the land around a dozen large cities. Each city has an average population of between 150,000 to 240,000, the towns 1000-10,000

While the Fortress City of Chi-Town:
2.2 million human (except for Psi-Stalkers and Dog Boys)

+3 million living in "The 'Burbs," surrounding the fortress city.

2. El Durado: (139k in Fort El Durado + 80k outside the fort 80% of which are human)

3. Iron Heart: Small hunting, fishing, and mining towns with a combined population of
700,000 humans,
100,000 nonhumans, and
100,000 squatters scattered throughout the State.

4. Lone Star: Lone Star City: 33,000 CS citizens and about 9,000 Dog Boys

5. Missouri: (225k CS citizens + 50k squatters).

Table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The History of Chi-Town . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chi-Town's Current Priorities . . . . . . . 3
Overall Tech Levels in Chi-Town . . . . . 4
Politics of Chi-Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chi-Town Citizens (Demographics) . . 6
Human Non-Citizens (tourists) . . . . . 7
D-Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Law and Trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Prison System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Education and School . . . . . . . . . . 11
Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Farming and Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chi-Town Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . 14
Chi-Town on Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chi-Town on Psychics . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Spies, Theft & Espionage . . . . . . . . 17
NGR and Chi-Town (embassy, trade) 18
Chi-Town R&D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Chi-Town Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chi-Town Customs . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Chi-Town Propoganda Department . 23
Chi-Town Relations (other CS states)24
The Black Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Chi-Town Burbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
The City of Chi-Town (Megolopolis and life in it) 27
City Highlights (Cool stores and services) . . . 28
Chi-Town Funeral Services . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Adventures: Hook/Line/Sinker . . . . . . . . 30

Anyone see something to add or take out?

[darthauthor]

CS Funeral Services Page 28

Death is an all too common event in the world of Rifts Earth, even for the well-protected people of the Coalition States. It is something they have to come to accept. Though some may live up to 120, many of their young die in the line of service defending their way of life and bringing the fight to the enemies of the CS.
Regardless of how one dies, young or old, peacefully of old age or violently at the hands of some monster, everyone wants to know their remains will not be a burden on their loved ones, or worse, used to hurt them as a zombie or spell component. Given this very real concern, the overwhelmingly vast majority of the CS have their loved ones' remains treated in a special way.

First, the recently deceased is given a "Viewing Ceremony" to allow the friends and family a chance to say good-bye. They find this to be very helpful in accepting the loss and begin the healing process. However, there are times when this is not permissible for whatever reason, like if the body is too horribly mangled or if there is a real danger that the body will fall into enemy hands. In such instances, an enlarged photograph of the deceased loved one is used as a surrogate for the actual body.
After this, the body is cremated and reduced to ash but since this ash can be used as a spell component, this is not enough. The ashes are then put into a low-end Mega-Damage furnace to quickly bum off all impurities, leaving behind a carbon powder. This powder is then placed in a compressing mold and pressed into a diamond with a blue tint. The end result is called a Pyre-Stone. This diamond looks beautiful, but its industrial grade makes it unsuitable for use as a spell component or even as a part in a Techno-Wizard device. The whole process from corpse to diamond takes about half an hour.
What the family does with the diamond varies from person to person. Some have it embedded in the base of a picture frame with a photo of the recently departed. Others have it placed in a ring or necklace to wear on special occasions. Many use these Pyre-Stones as the gemstones in their wedding rings, making them much more special than some rock dug out of the earth. Some even opt to keep someone's ashes in an urn for a time so they can have their own ashes mixed in when it's their time. Their ashes can be mixed together to produce a single, larger diamond where their remains can be together forever. This kind of joining has even been done with pets as well at times. In this way, people have had quasi-mass funerals where entire families have been joined together.

This method has also been used to make Pyre-Stones for special monuments with Hope Diamond-sized stones as the centerpiece where platoons, and even entire battalions of soldiers died in some spectacular, honorable, and "above and beyond the call of duty" manner. One such monument in ChiTown's Silvertip Park (Level 22) is a one-tenth-scale representation of the legendary 231 '' Infantry, who bravely tried to fend off the first wave of the Federation of Magic's infamous invasion in 12 P.A. The monument is cast in stone with all 584 soldiers posed as they were just when they were being overrun by the enemy. And every last one of them has Pyre-Stones set in their eyes made from the remains of the soldiers themselves. The monument is grim in appearance, but serves as a reminder to the people of the price they must be willing to pay for the survival of their loved ones and the CS as a whole.

This service, complete with viewing, costs 250 credits, making it fairly cost effective so even the poor can use it. What becomes of the resulting diamond is what usually ends up costing more. Memorial picture frames range from 10 to 2,000 credits, depending on quality and what they're made from. Jewelry can be as little as 30 to 200 credits for the pieces that are made to accept uniform sized diamonds, to as much as 2,000 to 100,000 credits for the more extravagant custom-made pieces. Another medium for the gems are statues. There are a wide assortment of statues ranging from just a few inches tall to a yard/meter where the Pyre-Stone can be set in the place of the heart (on the surface of the chest, not buried in it, out of view), in the statue's hands, or one can have the ashes made into two separate diamonds so they can be set in the statue's eyes. This can cost as little as 80 credits for small, generic models, 500 for mid-sized statues laser forged in the departed one's likeness, or 3,000 and up for a custom-made piece that's truly as glorious as the person was in life.

[Grazzik]

Are you envisioning ChiTown the State (dozens of cities, hundreds of towns - RUE pg 27/28) or ChiTown the City? You seem to suggest the latter, but your outline suggests the former.

If the former, there could be many flavors of cities, as not all may be fortified arcologies. This will impact topics re DBees, slavery, economies, culture, local / regional politics, crime, CS army vs State army vs Local Militia vs ISS, etc. as every city and town has their own personality.

If the latter, you may want to focus your efforts on those things that are of most interest to the target audience of your work - players playing CS citizens? players playing hopefuls in the Burbs? players playing outsiders that may be allowed to visit the lowest levels of the city? Trying to satisfy everyone all at once would be a difficult undertaking.

Also, ChiTown The City is definitely not your average CS city. It is the capitol, the seat of power of the Prosek dynasty. It is heavily defended/policed and, while good for one-off adventure scenarios as part of a larger campaign which doesn't require city level sourcebook detail, it's not really suited for long term campaigns beyond internal CS palace intrigue or smuggling/crime/espionage type campaigns... certainly not for PCs who are DBees, non-CS Borgs, mages or master psychics that aren't Psi Batt or ISS. For that, I've found it's better to use the Burbs as the main setting.

... Unless you envision ChiTown City as something akin to an enclosed Megacity from the Judge Dredd comics. Outside, ChiTown looks rock solid - a grand lie like everything else CS, but inside ... Block War!!!

[darthauthor]

Gazzik,

Please forgive my choice of words.
I envisioned a source book on the Fortress City of Chi-Town.
Maybe something like an Atlantis source book only for Chi-Town.

If I read your suggestion correctly, I either should not bother with the Fortress city of Chi-Town or change the wording of the table of contents.

Reading some more, I better understand some of the wording between Chi-Town the state and the Fortress City.

The Fortess City is, as I understand it, where the people in the burbs want to become citizens and gain residence to.

From an adventure stand point:
A. The player character could be from the Burbs and they adventure in the Fortress City.

B. They are a City-Rat or something from the Fortress City and adventure in it.

C. The player characters adventure in and out of the city. Maybe they are smugglers.

Seems like the real story challenge is justifying/ explaning how the player character can move about the fortress city without being caught smuggling or something and getting caught. Likewise, get in and out of the Fortress city.

I imagine it perhaps as difficult as getting in and out of the city of Atlantis.
Except if you are a dragon or supernatural creature or D-Bee you are not likely to be able to adventure into or adventure in the city.

A spell caster might if through a series of minor miracles they have the right spells and such that they can alter their aura, expend all but 5 of their PPE after that they cast a spell to empty their spell casting knowledge. Then for that limited time by the power of plot armor the GM waves their hands and the stormtrooper says "These are not the droids we are looking for, move along."

[Grazzik]

Well, there is definitely value in learning more about ChiTown... it is a huge part of the CS mythos. As I said, adventurers typically see only a sliver of the city unless they live there. So, perhaps it is a matter of ensuring relevance to a character's experience, rather than getting lost in metastory elements. By refocusing/reordering the topics you suggested I've tried to put myself in the shoes of a PC and ask questions I'd want answered as I enter this man-made mountain, something that to most people of Rifts Earth should be unthinkably miraculous. I'm inspired to think of it this way because of the description of Ishpeming in WB 33 - you pass through from wilderness to a controlled zone to city walls and then the city beyond. However, I could imagine ChiTown would be a different experience altogether - both physically and mentally.

Below, I've tried to spin your topics in a way to put the Character in the middle of an experience of discovery, rather than what we've seen in other PB books that can be a bit... encyclopedic, and asked questions the Character might want to be answered. Some of the questions deal what some might call minutia, but those might be the color that makes the city come to life. I certainly don't expect you to use this as your outline, but I hope you find it helpful and maybe it might inspire some of your content.
------------------------------------------------
The Approach
- The Myth of the Great City - what do people generally know/believe?
- What's the approach to the city like?
- Is there a grand highway to a main gate? Multiple gates?
- What does air traffic contend with?
- Does a river run through/beneath it leading to river traffic to/from the city?
- Is there a privileged 'burb you pass through first or do roads climb over the slums?

Entering the City
- What is the experience going through security on an individual level?
- Do foreign relations and wealth/status change the experience?
- What does it feel like - welcoming, intimidating, serious, packed with adverts or propaganda?
- Once through, is it glitz and glamour, utilitarian, squalid?
- Is there graffiti from City Rat gangs?
- What services and features are to be found on this entrance level that cater to new arrivals?
- What kind of people would you find here?
- What does it smell like compared to the Burbs outside?

Getting to Know the Structure of the City
- How are the levels of the city arranged?
- How would a visitor or newcomer find their way around?
- Is each level an open space with a cityscape or simply a warren of passages and giant boulevards linking customizable spaces?
- What does transit look like within the city - trains, elevators, moving sidewalks, bicycles, hoverbikes, personal vehicles, animals, palanquins?
- How is it lit and air kept reasonably fresh - mechanical/electrical means or organic systems like living walls and bioluminescence?
- How are services, amenities and features distributed on each level?
- There's a principle in business mgmt that it is better for competing businesses to group together rather than spread out. Does this create themed areas on each floor - entertainment zones, commercial districts, etc.?
- How is this shaped by the city's social order?

Interacting with the Law
- How is the jackboot law enforcement often seen in the Burbs balanced with the "rights" and "privileges" of citizens?
- Is security in your face or ubiquitous but hidden?
- How do laws differ from those in the Burbs?
- What laws are clearly spelled out by signage?
- What laws are unwritten that visitors rule afoul of?
- Enforcement, trials, punishment - how do they differ between visitors and residents?

Meeting the People
- What languages are spoken?
- What customs are followed - particularly social interaction and social mobility?
- Are there social divisions - religious, political, economic, familial, gender, etc.?
- Are there cultural taboos, societal trauma or holdovers from the Dark Ages?
- How are visitors and newcomers treated?
- How far are unsponsored visitors permitted to go into the City?
- Are there limits to travelling between levels or districts?
- What do people wear and what is prohibited?
- The position of psychics has evolved over the course of the books - how are psychics (visitor / newcomer / resident citizen) treated?
- The Black Market, City Rats, Street Culture - this could be extensive, the social strata many visitors and newcomers are likely exposed to unless wealthy or privileged

Industry & Commerce
- What work is actually done in the fortress city - administrative, research, health, entertainment, commerce, industry?
- How does one go about getting employment if a visitor or newcomer?
- What are salaries of various workers or are they apportioned rationed goods?
- Do all residents have implanted chips that allow for exchange of credits, or do they use credit cards and/or physical money?
- How closely is currency monitored - are other currencies or barter permitted or do visitors and newcomers find their wealth worthless unless they find a money trader?

Standard of Living
- Like almost all cities, most food likely comes from beyond the city walls, so how is it brought in and distributed?
- What are some of the foods available on each level?
- Has the experience of the Dark Ages shaped cuisine?
- Has rat and soy burgers become the staple food stuffs?
- Genetically enhanced farming is canon, but is it sufficient/available to feed all city residents?
- Are people recycled into food or chemical components?
- Is alcohol/drugs prohibited or encouraged?
- What does accommodation look like and how do get it?
- What technology is available to people on various levels?
- Education, health care available to visitors / newcomers / residents
- Major cities typically display luxury to project power, particularly to visitors who then go on to spread the word - how does art and trade accomplish this in ChiTown?

Further ideas that are really driven by Meta-story rather than street-level experience
- How have changing priorities or policies (Tolkeen War, Minion War, FQ, alliance with NG/MI etc.) impacted visitors / newcomers / residents?
- Secrets of ChiTown
-> The truth of the City's origin
-> Palace Intrigue and Political Machinations
-> The Great Library
-> The Black Vault
-> Logistical collapse

[Grazzik]

Seems like the real story challenge is justifying/ explaning how the player character can move about the fortress city without being caught smuggling or something and getting caught. Likewise, get in and out of the Fortress city.

I imagine it perhaps as difficult as getting in and out of the city of Atlantis.
Except if you are a dragon or supernatural creature or D-Bee you are not likely to be able to adventure into or adventure in the city.

A spell caster might if through a series of minor miracles they have the right spells and such that they can alter their aura, expend all but 5 of their PPE after they cThenast a spell to empty their spell casting knowledge. Then for that limited time by the power of plot armor the GM waves their hands and the stormtrooper says "These are not the droids we are looking for, move along."

First, I've always played it that CS citizens can come and go with cursory checks. Just keep contraband in a nearby Burb. The idea is that what you do outside is too difficult/resource intensive to police, but just don't drag that dirt back inside. However, suspicions of deviant behavior will be logged and possibly vigorously audited. Visitors are assumed dangerous, screened, and processed, unless they have a powerful sponsor. Digital and psychic tracking and monitoring is heavily used on all citizens and visitors and can be invasive (imagine spending too long in the bathroom and a micro drone flying in to check on you). There is no such thing as privacy either at the state level or personal level.

Second, it's a city... so it is huge. There isn't a Deadboy at every sewer grate or air vent. Sensors can be tricked. Think Berlin during the Cold War... tunnels and schemes to cross over the border. Some worked, some didn't. The same with ChiTown... the city is over 100+ years old. I'm sure criminals have burrowed their way in and out or circumvented security forces through blackmail, intimidation and bribery.

The biggest impediment to entry is the anti-dbee and anti-magic controls. These I could see as being throughout the city. The only way in for a mage is to either be let in by someone powerful, get a temporary series of cyber implants to nullify their magic, dump their PPE, or have a psistalker 'bleed' the PPE. But the clock is ticking as their PPE regenerates. Dbees have it even worse as unless they are under what looks like official escort (wink wink), I could imagine mobs of hysterical civilians. Still, by virtue of the city being so huge and old, there are probably safe spaces for mages or dbees to hide... once you get inside.

[darthauthor]

Look what I found in the original Rifts Source Book One:

Coming in 1995!

Rifts*: Chi-Town World Book

[Grazzik]

Look what I found in the original Rifts Source Book One:

Coming in 1995!

Rifts*: Chi-Town World Book

Lol, if PB were to get the book published in time for 2025, it could be marketed as a 30th anniversary edition of a promised sourcebook...

[darthauthor]

The Approach
- The Myth of the Great City - what do people generally know/believe?
The myth of the Fortress City of Chi-Town means different things to different people.
For those who believe in the Coalition States ideals Chi-Town is the best hope for the survival of the human race.
For those who have been hurt by monsters, Chi-Town is a city of hope that there is a safe place away from monsters that can hurt you.
For beings, such as dragons, Chi-Town is a place where weak humans go to hide and plan how they can work together to build the means to wage war against everything they are not.

- What's the approach to the city like?
CS Chi-Town is an authoritarian state run by high-ranking officers of its military. Its capital reflects that as a fortress city of Chi-Town which is a giant (by Rifts Earth Standards) high-tech industrial megalopolis. A city built to protect its residents and intimidate its enemies.

- Is there a grand highway to the city?
Yes

Multiple gates?
Yes

- What does air traffic contend with?
I imagine they have something like a military air traffic control that tracks legit CS vehicles. When anything gets picked up on sensors or the supernatural sense of Dog Boys it gets treated as a being of hostile intent.

- Does a river run through/beneath it leading to river traffic to/from the city?
There is no river under, through or adjacent to the Fortress city.
City’s wastewater is 98% recycled. What little escapes is through evaporation into the air. The water is made up for by hover vehicles transporting the water in. After which the water gets filtered and tested (including having a volunteer with sixth sense drink the water).

- Is there a privileged 'burb you pass through first or do roads climb over the slums?
The elite of wealth and status as well as high ranking military fly over the riff raff with hover vehicles.
The rest go on foot or land vehicles to a security surveillance and patrolled parking lot that charges.

Entering the City
- What is the experience going through security on an individual level?
Everyone goes through the same level of security checks. However, they don’t all get into the same line and some get to go to the head of the line regardless of how long others have been waiting.
Security checks to enter the city are NOT done with equality. There is a ranking system that puts some people before others.

Entry into the City of Chi-Town’s most important defense is not letting in anyone they would not want inside. Figure 99% of their problems are prevented if they can just keep the monsters out. Over decades everyone must have tried everything so the CS has had time to study the security problems and find defenses against everything everyone has attempted to bluff and fool their way inside.

Imagine:
There are at least three Dog Boys (in case one is fooled or being influenced) who use their Senses of magic, psionics, and the supernatural. All are trained in Lore: Magic, Psychics, Demons & Monsters, and supernatural creatures
After a long time in a line the human and Dog Boy guards direct you to enter a waiting room. Entering something like a bunker where people are made to wait, like doctors do in their waiting rooms. You wait for the CS. The CS does not wait for you (Unless you are a very important person). While in the waiting room there is a mirror and a hidden ccTV camera that shows you and your reflection (if you have one). While an in person and experienced Vagabond uses Eyeball a Fella on you over the course of asking you questions to verify your identity and documents (study for forgery). The camera also has an infrared optics system that allows a person's heat signature to be studied (see if they are using cybernetics, smuggling contraband inside their bodies or such). Part of the wait time is to ensure that any spell or psychic or drug working on a person can run out its duration by or before the entry control point screening is done.
Walk through scanners (like at the airport) while your possessions are examined (TW items, magic scrolls, band books, pre-Rifts items, alien tech, etc.).
Everyone going gets their picture taken (can be used for Remote Viewing), their voice check is matched against their exit recording.
Exposed to a Holy symbol and holy water.
Groups of 20 people per minute are examined with the psionic power of “Read Aura.” Inspector is trained and experienced in recognizing human and non-human auras. Mostly they are looking for possession, magic and psychic ability, mutation, parasites, etc.
First time visitors are given more extensive tests to collect data on them and will not be admitted the first time unless they have a special sponsor (military, law enforcement, etc.). Lie detector tests and background checks and so forth. First timers are never allowed into the city alone. They must be escorted by a Chi-Town citizen sponsor or someone from the tourist bureau (groups of 1st timers unless they are rich or important people then they have a rich person's guide).

Let me know if this is too little or too much but I assume the CS will error on the side of caution.

- Do foreign relations and wealth/status change the experience?
Yes. They have a special line for you so you won’t wait with the lower class.

- What does it feel like - welcoming, intimidating, serious, packed with adverts or propaganda?
Serious. Foolishness or disrespect is cause to reject entry. They don’t let those who are drunk, on drugs or too dirty.

- Once through, is it glitz and glamor, utilitarian, squalid?
I imagine a statue or portrait of Emperor Prosek, “Humanity shall prevail.”
Symbols of the CS power and military victories.

- Is there graffiti from City Rat gangs?
No graffiti in the entrance.

- What services and features are to be found on this entrance level that cater to new arrivals?
They want new arrivals to see Chi-Town as safe, prosperous, and human.

Museums to the greatness of Emperor Prosek, Chi-Town, and the CS in general.

Restaurants.

Cybernetic operations by a licensed Cyber-Doc professional. Fifty percent of the Coalition's citizens have some form of cybernetic or bionic augmentation. The majority of these implants are minor or for medical reasons (prosthetics, synthetic organs, etc.). Cybernetic and high-tech medical treatment have increased the average life expectancy of those living in Chi-Town, to 90 years.

- What kind of people would you find here?
Tourists. Those who cater to tourists. Maybe recruiters for the CS military

- What does it smell like compared to the Burbs outside?
Clean.

Getting to Know the Structure of the City
- How are the levels of the city arranged?
The most important political figures and greatest technical minds operate safely in bunkers below ground.
The entry floor is almost the lowest level of security.

Officially Emperor Prosek lives at the top of the fortress city but that is window dressing to distract assassins and those who think of performing coup d'état. The man who lives there is a surgical altered double. Prosek’s bodyguards know as well as a few select people.

- How would a visitor or newcomer find their way around?
The CS citizen who is a resident of Chi-Town is expected to be responsible for the guest they sponsor. Alternatively, the tour guide company they are required to sign up with are expected to be the visitors escort.
Although it is NOT illegal to be literate, virtually all signs have icons for common things: Food, Bathroom, Medical, Shopping, sports, etc.

- Is each level an open space with a cityscape or simply a warren of passages and giant boulevards linking customizable spaces?
I imagine the inside as hollow, like the building called Peach Tree in the 2012 Judge Dredd movie starring Karl Urban.

- What does transit look like within the city - trains, elevators, moving sidewalks, bicycles, hoverbikes, personal vehicles, animals, palanquins?

I imagine a train of sorts that moves along the inside circumference of the city; perhaps it can even climb at an incline like a corkscrew to take passengers to the city’s higher levels. Escalators too.
The rich have private electric cars. The rest ride electric city buses.

- How is it lit and air kept reasonably fresh - mechanical/electrical means or organic systems like living walls and bioluminescence?
Artificial lighting and a series of fans and air ducts.

There is a designed section of the city for receiving hovercraft:
A heavily armed and fortified area where hovercraft dock for recharging, repair and the loading and unloading of VIP people and cargo. The shipping docks have a single entryway for hovercraft, which opens up to a long corridor filled with gun turrets and other weapons in the event of attack. When open, at least one squadron of SAMAS units is on guard while the defensive systems are stood down while hovercraft enter or leave the area.

The Living Levels: The largest area of the city, these series of levels that form a complex series of residences in the city for most of its population.

The Mechanical Level: These series of purposeful machines keep Chi-Town habitable through waste reclamation, water purification, electrical power, and atmosphere services.

Chi-Town also has automated factories that manufacture the tools of war for the CS.

- How are services, amenities and features distributed on each level?

- There's a principle in business mgmt that it is better for competing businesses to group together rather than spread out. Does this create themed areas on each floor - entertainment zones, commercial districts, etc.?
Yes, each level is a themed zone.
-Education Civilian
-Military Training:
-Repair and maintenance Level: garage (vehicle, power armor & bot repair)
-Entertainment (Internet, Radio, TV, Video Game, and VR),
-Propaganda
-Law, Law Enforcement, Courts and corrections. Each level has a police.
-Medical Professional. Each level has an emergency medical
-Commercial/Shopping/restaurant. Each common level has a place to eat.
-Food storage and processing. Note: the City’s greatest weakness is that it does not have its own independent food production. It depends on the outside world to import its food. It does have at least two years worth of dry food in storage they rotate out. The city makes its own MREs (Meal Ready to Eat) for the CS troops stationed in the state of Chi-Town.
-Manufacturing of Consumer Goods
-Manufacturing of Military Goods
-Military Level: Military Departments: Command structure, Intelligence, Police, Logistics, Communications, Records,
-Psi Corps Level: Training, special programs, etc.
-Dog Boy and Psi-Stalker Level (2nd or 3rd class citizens. Dog Boys are literally property of the Coalition States. Raised as slaves but not abused, only disciplined).
-Computer Science, cybernetics, Ai, and Robotics
-Finance
-Mortuary Services
-Warehousing and Storage
-Special Projects
-Science and Engineering Labs
-Secret Police, Internal surveillance, and espionage
-External espionage

Note: Most basic and simple arts and crafts, consumer items, refining of raw materials, parts and sub-components are made in Chi-Town Burbs.

Note: smoking is not allowed. Vaping is possible. All cooking is done with electricity using induction cooking. Air control and quality is a REALLY big deal. Like a base on Earth’s moon.

Special things:
The secret library the people were told was destroyed by the Federation of Magic.

The Black Vault.

- How is this shaped by the city's social order?
In another kind of measure the higher you go up in the fortress city the greater your social status and financial wealth.

[darthauthor]

Interacting with the Law
- How is the jackboot law enforcement often seen in the Burbs balanced with the "rights" and "privileges" of citizens?

Citizens are expected to sacrifice for the good of the state and their fellow citizens. Citizenship is a privilege, revocable by the state for crimes against it or your fellow citizens. It can also be reduced to a lower rank or raised (military service) based on what their potential and what they actually contribution is to the CS society.

- Is security in your face or ubiquitous but hidden?
Security is not ubiquitous. 90% of it is about keeping the bad outside the front door. Citizens are ranked based on their perceived value to the CS society.

- How do laws differ from those in the Burbs?
Lower class: No search warrant required but they have to give the citizen a chance and a choice to confess and at law enforcements discretion surrender items under condition of amnesty.
Middle Class: Warrant required.
Upper Class: Special investigator will have a talk with the man.

- What laws are clearly spelled out by signage?
Everyone knows not to murder, rape and steal.
Signage: No smoking. No littering. No Tagging.
- What laws are unwritten that visitors rule afoul of?
DBee Slaves behaving badly (staring at others)?
Use of Psychic powers without authorization: Telepathy, etc.
Speaking ill of emperor Prosek and the CS.

- Enforcement, trials, punishment - how do they differ between visitors and residents?
Yes in terms of officially needing a warrant. CS police can search a visitor and their place of residence without restriction. Also, punishment worse for visitors and often includes permanent exile form the fortress city if not exile from the CS entirely.

Meeting the People
- What languages are spoken?
In Chi-Town. American.

- What customs are followed - particularly social interaction and social mobility?
Lower Class: Conformity/Zealot and obedience
Middle Class: Follow in your family's steps
Upper Class: At best, surpass your peers and parents. At worse maintain the family’s standing.

Social Mobility: Relative to ambition, courage, M.A. (social graces), opportunity, and I.Q.
Successful military service is a big door opener in social standing and career advancement.
Other factors include: Physical Beauty, income/family wealth, family reputation, and good old fashioned know who.

- Are there social divisions - religious, political, economic, familial, gender, etc.?
There are hard and sharp social division based on an artificial division of an individual's worth to their society.

- Are there cultural taboos, societal trauma or holdovers from the Dark Ages?
No relations with DBees or mutants.
There is an unofficial way of boosting ones social standing by personally murdering a DBee. Greater if you can kill a supernatural being or spell caster.

- How are visitors and newcomers treated?
Quite well if they are rich and/or beautiful.
Ignored if they are seen as poor and/or ugly.

- How far are unsponsored visitors permitted to go into the City?
Only to the designated areas on the tourist level.

- Are there limits to traveling between levels or districts?
Yes. No citizen is allowed to travel to a level above their ranking. Only exceptions are made as a guest of a sponsor.

- What do people wear and what is prohibited?
In the privacy of your own home you can wear what you like. Outside the home, society values conformity. Kids start out school wearing uniforms. The uniform will change style and color depending on your profession and rank. Note: in the Burbs you can wear what you like.

- The position of psychics has evolved over the course of the books - how are psychics (visitor / newcomer / resident citizen) treated?

Being a psychic alone, as a civilian, is still someone to be watched with suspicion. Being a psychic wearing a military uniform makes the CS civilian who questions your loyalty look like a dissident. That is the secret police and military police job. Stay in your lane and publicly support our troops.

- The Black Market, City Rats, Street Culture - this could be extensive, the social strata many visitors and newcomers are likely exposed to unless wealthy or privileged

There are City Rats in Chi-Town. They pickpockets. They intimidate.

Industry & Commerce
- What work is actually done in the fortress city - administrative, research, health, entertainment, commerce, industry?
ALL of the above. They basically do all the jobs that are high paying and have the most esteem associated with them. They put an emphasis on specialized jobs and often trade for the specialized goods and services they don’t do with the other fortress cities.
The boringest, dirtiest, and jobs with the least risks security wise are outsourced to the people outside but nearest to the city.

- How does one go about getting employment if a visitor or newcomer?
All employment by a visitor or newcomer must be sponsored by a citizen or employment agency.

- What are the salaries of various workers or are they apportioned rationed goods?

Need some help with this one.

- Do all residents have implanted chips that allow for exchange of credits, or do they use credit cards and/or physical money?
Credit is the norm. Physical money is for the burbs and black market business.

- How closely is currency monitored - are other currencies or barter permitted or do visitors and newcomers find their wealth worthless unless they find a money trader?

NG currency is acceptable. Arrangements will be made for gold, silver, etc. Barter in Chi-Town is not normal but not illegal unless the goods and services are. It is typical at the owner's discretion and they won’t make the deal if the character is suspicious. Any trade is likely to be unfairly in the favor of the CS citizen.

[Grazzik]

Darthauthor, keep going! I'll need time to read your notes, but don't let me slow you down. You are truly prolific.

Ya'll are going to laugh at me, but how do you pronounce Chi-Town?

Key-Town
Chee-Town
Shy-Town

I lean towards Shy-Town given it's so close, if not right on top of, Chicago. I'm pretty sure I have the skinny of it but I'm more than happy to be proven wrong.

Lol, there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers. This is a simple, but intriguing, question and I'd love to see what others say. My answer is... none of the above. The folks I've played with have sounded it as "Chai" Town, chai as in the tea, with the hard "ch" rather than the soft "sh".

[darthauthor]

Standard of Living
- Like almost all cities, most food likely comes from beyond the city walls, so how is it brought in and distributed?
Hovercraft.
It gets thoroughly inspected by lasers and computers.
At the end, a food taster with Sixth Sense eats some to see if their Sixth Sense goes off.
The Elite may eat or may not eat their food fresh but the masses eat processed food to ensure the benefits of genetic engineering, vitamins, and long life.

- What are some of the foods available on each level?
The rich have more choices and quality than those poorer than them.
Ideas?

- Has the experience of the Dark Ages shaped cuisine?
Xiticix Meat (Deep fried Xiticix chicken).
I think demons disappear after they are killed.
Supernatural beings also.
While starved humans will try anything once. That includes monster and DBee meat.

- Has rat and soy burgers become the staple food stuffs?
Undecided. I know the Lone Star book says something about genetically engineered cattle.

- Genetically enhanced farming is canon, but is it sufficient/available to feed all city residents?
Yes but not sustainable if the CS is going to expand its territory and population. It is the non-citizens who are hungry.

- Are people recycled into food or chemical components?

Considerations include: manner of death, wishes of the deceased and family, needs of the state (organ donors, medical experiments, etc.). I originally wrote that they cremated people and turned the dust to gems. So that necromancers or other magic users could not animate the dead or something. I had not considered or researched the chemicals that could be extracted from a dead human body. I believe they would recycle the cybernetics.

- Is alcohol/drugs prohibited or encouraged?
Not prohibited but rationed.

- What does accommodation look like and how do you get it?
A chair is still a chair. A bed is still a bed. How they build it and materials might change but not the use of it. Space inside the Fortress city is limited and a sign of wealth and/or status. For the upper class it comes with the job. For the lower class they live with their relatives until they get married and get a bigger place when they have a child.

- What technology is available to people on various levels?
It is more about money.

- Education, health care available to visitors / newcomers / residents

Education in Chi-Town is a tool to “homogenize” their population around shared values and a national vision. Emperor Prosek sees this investment in “nation building” as reducing the threat of democracy and builds a more like-minded population that reflects his values.
Music, etiquette, cleanliness, physical ability and state approved history are part of the early elementary school curriculum for all children.
Early childhood testing is performed in a variety of ways to attempt to find those with high I.Q. 's or are in some way “talented” in a particular field. These estimated two to five percent are placed in schools to nurture their natural abilities along lines of state approved professions. They look for naturals.

Mainstream curriculum supports a trust in authority, Math, history (biased that everything the CS and Emperor Prosek was both right and great), Lore: Demons and Monsters (Look at what’s out there trying to kill you and your family. You need the CS.).
Around age 13, kids have to take a placement test to see how their talents are best put to use for the benefit of the state. Some of these recommended professions are trade schools, some are military service, and some are specialized professions such as medical doctors.
Around age 17, 90+% of teenagers are required to serve at least 2 years in the CS equivalent of the National Guard (support personnel and reserve troops). Those who do not are considered to be either pursuing higher education (medical doctor, engineer, lawyer) or unsuited for military service for reasons of personality, psychology, or health related problems that that patient is unable to correct. Note: if they are unwilling to correct these people can be exiled from Chi-Town.

Chi-Town health care has some of the finest body fixers and Cyber-Docs in the country. They also have psychic healers. Sniffer Dog Boys who smell for cancer and other ailments.

Note: Life expectancies and aging: The existing level of medicine combined with the use of cybernetics (mechanical and biosystems), nano-technology and medical treatment in the Coalition States provides the typical human citizen an average life span of 100-130 years (for CONTEXT consider that those numbers are 100-140 in Lazlo, 120-150 years in the NGR, and 140-200 years in the Republic of Japan), compared to an average life span of 45-90 years in the wilderness and "uncivilized" places (by CS standards, that's any place outside the States), even with medical and magical treatment.

Note: Life outside the Coalition Cities is full of hardships that wears one down. Through the wonders of modern medicine, with cybernetics, organ transplants, nano-mechanized medicine, and advanced medicine, the Coalition States (and in the last few decades, other independent kingdoms like Kingsdale and the Free State of Lazlo) possess the means to maintain a healthy body to at least 130 years old. This gives the average Chi-Town citizen a more youthful appearance and energy (typical of a person half his true age), in addition to a sharp memory and keen thought processes undiluted by age. However the human brain will eventually show signs of deterioration usually around the age of 90-100. At its simplest, old age (in this case, 90+ years) will lead to some level of forgetfulness and a slowing of the thought processes.

To conserve the resources and make way for the younger crowd it is the unenforced custom for those with medical difficulties to make their “last call” after the age of 100 at a state sponsored retirement ceremony. Retired career veterans also are unofficailly afforded the option to die fighting in CS hotspots.

- Major cities typically display luxury to project power, particularly to visitors who then go on to spread the word - how does art and trade accomplish this in ChiTown?

Chi-Town art reflects a state approved reflection of CS values, such as courage, family, duty, loyalty, and the glorification of the state.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Towns Other Black Vault

The Chi-Town Research and Design division.

The CS R&D division has access to a lot of tech they “acquired” through every means possible (stolen, bought from the Black Market, taken from the cold dead hands of those who would not part with it, Naruni tech, Golden Age tech from archeology sites, DBees, Shifters, crashed UFOs, etc.). Just because they have it does not mean they have the means to mass produce it in ways that are cheap, fast, or necessarily produce a highly reliable product.

CS Operators, through the use of the Super Psionic Power of Telemechanics and such, attempt to understand, reverse engineer, and duplicate the design of Rifts Earth, alien and other dimensional technologies CS personnel recover.

Their goal is to make a knock off or if possible improve on the design of the tech in their possession. Additionally, they must come up with defenses against this technology (detect it, turn it off or make a condition that will neutralize it or give their people and/or machines immunity to it).

The challenge for the scientists and engineers is that even when they understand how a bit of technology works it does NOT mean they can build it. They may not have the raw or refined materials with which to construct it. In addition, even IF they are able to find or synthesize the materials to actually build the device or chemical it does not mean they have the necessary tools, skills at using them, or an efficient process of manufacturing.

If a chef tastes a dish (like on a cooking show), they could tell you what the ingredients are but won’t necessarily know the recipe of how to make it; especially how to mass produce it. To bake thousands of loafs of bread efficiently requires industrial mixer machines and giant ovens. An engineer would have to build both to quickly and cheaply mass produced bread. It takes the right tools, skill with those tools, and abundant and cheap materials to experiment with to really unleash market disrupting products.

Even then an inside the box CS manager starts doing the Math and may come to the conclusion that the benefits don’t outway the costs. It is cheaper and easier to keep on making what they already know how to do than building a factory or redesigning an existing one to make a thing that costs two or three times as much but is maybe only 20% to 50% better.

For example, the Russian made AK-47 is a simple, reliable, and cheap assault rifle. It was designed to be easy to use, repair, and maintain. The AK-47 is also known for being light, compact, and having a low recoil. It can withstand harsh weather and poor handling.

While the M4 rifle is hundreds of dollars more expensive it has a better range. AK-47 and M4 are both accurate rifles. The AK-47, however, has an effective range of around 300 meters, while the M4 has an effective range of around 600 meters. The M4 is also more accurate at longer ranges, thanks to its longer barrel and more precise sighting system.

Sometimes the battle is won not with quality but quantity as most wars are won by attrition.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town TV

Chi-Town broadcast its highly censored news reports (propaganda), civil announcements (propaganda), war reports (propaganda; the CS are always the good guys and the good guys always win; at least in the end), television programing (propaganda), and other news and entertainment (more propaganda), but it is all skewed with CS bias, politics and mind control.

CS Also produces movies and shows. Their content is highly sensored and editted to only portray the CS in a postive light. Some are historical recreations of actual battles but only show the CS as noble heroes while the defend themselves and humanity from Evil monsters and corrupt humans.

Witch Hunt

A reality TV game show. Basically what they do is take a spell caster out of prison, human or D-Bee, give him back the equipment that was on his person at the time of his capture or the equivalent of it (armor, weapons, gear, etc.), and then set him loose. Thereafter, a few automated multi-spectrum "chase cameras" built into high-flying hovercraft follow his every move without his notice. Then, after the caster has been given a 30 minute head start, a pack of extremely well equipped Dog Boys are sent out to hunt him down and kill him! These may be regular Psi-Hounds, Battle Cats, Kill Hounds, Kill Cats, Ursa Warriors, even occasionally Mutant Bats, whatever the Army can spare at the moment. Regardless, the hunters have exactly six hours to pick up the caster's trail, track him down and rip him to shreds. If the mage eludes them for the whole duration or manages to kill the mutant animals, he is allowed to make a quick statement into the cameras, before being released!

Dead Boys

Another reality show, CS troops on patrol are followed around by a cameraman (camera is a small unit built into the side of a helmet) recording their exploits, victories, and defeats. The show is unafraid to show CS brutality against D-Bees and how they are mercilessly dealt with. But they also always take the time to show why the D-Bees and casters deserve such fates by showing them in acts of violence and by interviewing survivors of the monsters' attacks. On occasion, they have aired episodes where the Dead Boy troops take heavy casualties or are wiped out altogether! This is to show the people that as good as the CS is, there is still much to be feared and despised out there. In fact, their highest rated show was one where a platoon of CS soldiers engaged a Splugorth party with two Slavers and their ten Altara Warrior Women, six Kydian Overlords and a large squad of power armor-clad Kittani. It was a harsh and valiant battle, in which the two cameramen caught all of the action, but in the end the Coalition lost. Episodes like this serve to keep the people scared, and more than willing to give all they have to fight the monsters that threaten their very existence.

Slopps

A children's show hosted by a big, goofy, cartoonish CGI human who is designed to look funny, but not so off that he could be misconstrued as a D-Bee. Slopps teaches kids how to hate and fear all things that aren't human through animated stories, sing along songs, and special guests. But though the show is a bit preachy and heavy with CS ideals, the program is made to be silly and funny for kids.

Into the Flames

A dramatic soap opera based around the trials and tribulations of a wealthy and powerful family among the Chi-Town social elite. The Crest family has about ten members, but this is a fluid number since some are killed off and more enter the show from the most implausible places. The synopsis of the most recent episode goes something like this. "While Randel is still being held captive in the 'Burbs, Lisa has given up hope of ever seeing her true love again. Seeing her emotional vulnerability, Bobby decided now is the time to make his move on her, in hopes of marrying her so he can start raiding the family's fortune. However, Bobby's motives are transparent to Rachel and she sets her own plans into motion to take him out of the picture so she can have Lisa all to herself. But little do any of them realize that Randel has escaped his D-Bee captors and is coming home, but how well will he be received?" Have no doubt, this is soap at its apex of cheesiness and over-acted drama.
Even so, the show has a viewership of over 7 million people in the CS proper and an estimated 19 million more beyond in border towns and D-Bee communities through pirate signals and Black Market one-inch disk sales of the past seasons (it's wildly popular in Lazlo)! This has raised Trent Maxim, who plays the beloved Randel, and Rebecca Roads, who plays the scheming and insatiable Rachel, to international sex symbol status throughout the entire North American continent!

Rude Ranch

Considered to be THE most tactless, crude, and vulgar show ever. It is a comedy set on a commercial cattle ranch a hundred miles from New Chillicothe. The show uses a mixed cast of humans and real D-Bees who interact with each other as the stupid ranch owners and their even more stupid ranch hand worker slaves. Most of the jokes revolve around bathroom humor, zany antics, crude sex jokes, and childish pranks. And, of course, there is no such thing as an intelligent D-Bee on this show, only ones who are borderline mentally retarded and outright idiotic. Though in all fairness, the human ranch owners aren't portrayed as any geniuses, either. This show has inflamed more D-Bees than the CS knew were out there watching their shows - as if they care one way or the other.

Battlefield 'Burbs

A dramatic and well-made cop show of sorts set in the 'Burbs of Waukegan. The central premise of the show is about ISS and NTSET officers bringing peace and safety to humanity in the 'Burbs, and dispensing justice to all the inhuman horrors that lay in wait just beyond the walls of the fortress city, and sometimes in it. The show is also about bringing law and order to the lawless in the uncivilized 'Burbs and protecting humanity from itself. The D-Bees and monsters on this show are rarely depicted as dumb or inept, and are often difficult to stop and kill. Many of the show's gritty stories are based on real case files of the ISS and NTSET and are credited as such. Many in and outside of the CS consider this to be one of the finest crime dramas around due to its all too realistic stories, excellent acting and authentic looking holographic sets and special effects. The lead actor is named Dell Winters and has been called the best acting talent of the times. Consequently, Dell's character is the only one the writers are not allowed to kill off, but there are a few others that are safe for now, at least until contract negotiations in December. Like the soap Into the Flames, this show is as popular inside the CS as it is beyond its borders, making its stars international icons with fans ranging from as far south as El Paso to as far north as Lazlo.

Executions are also public and often televised. The public execution of notorious criminals, traitors, sorcerers, witches, D-Bees and creatures of magic gives the angry and frightened CS citizens a sense of justice, vengeance and triumph in the ongoing war to keep the people of the Coalition States safe from those who would do them harm. Witnessing the execution of a state enemy is a common assignment for Coalition schoolchildren and also encouraged for soldiers and ISS agents undergoing training and boot camp, but most executions are generally well attended by people onsite and watched on computers and televisions by a percentage of the citizenry. The execution of the most infamous "enemies of the States" may preempt scheduled programing.

[darthauthor]

Bio-Synthetic Blood:

The blood is an organic based blood that is of type "0 Negative" to make it universally accepted by humans. It contains red blood cells and platelets to promote healing, but no white blood cells to fight off disease and infection. Instead of white blood cells and antibodies, the blood contains thousands of nano-bots designed to keep the system pure and destroy everything that does not belong in a healthy body.

There are only three kinds of Bio-Synthetic Blood:

Type 1 which is used in normal humans and Dog Boy soldiers,

Type 2 which is specifically made for mechanically augmented people (with Bio-Synthetics, cybernetics, and/or bionics), and

Type 3 which is specially formulated for odd P.P.E. metabolizing cells and enzymes of the Psi-Stalker.

P.O.P.s, or Personally Optimized Provisions.

Using a variety of foods and chemicals, the scientists/cooks responsible for the current recipes of these meals-in-a-bag have come up with a hundred different battlefield feasts to offer for the soldiers' consumption and enjoyment. And though the pre-packaged meals look like crap, their flavor and texture are next to gourmet in quality.

Prior to eating, all a soldier needs to do is follow three steps.

Step 1) Pull off the activation/safety strip that exposes the cheap, paper-thin IR power strip (similar to the solar power strip on a calculator except it uses IR light from either the sun or that which the Earth naturally emits to generate just enough electrical power for the bag's simplified computer, day or night).

Step 2) Pass his "dog tags" over a simple sensor and a disposable computer reads all the pertinent information it needs through a short-range wireless radio connection (initiated by a short, 4 inch/10 cm proximity to one another). Specifically, it gathers the dietary nutritional recommendations the soldier's doctor made upon his last checkup (digitally encoded dog tags are updated annually with every regularly scheduled checkup, or sooner depending on medical needs). At that point, various quantities of the prescribed vitamins & supplements are automatically added to the contents of the bag and the meal is "personally optimized" for the hungry soldier.

Step 3) Open bag and eat. With the addition of just an ounce of water, most of these can even self-heat to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) via a thermal-chemical reaction in just a minute. In a pinch, a soldier can just spit in the bag till the reaction begins. However, the meals are perfectly edible cold if conditions demand that the soldier forgo this optional fourth step. And for the convenience of the soldier, each packet has a separate pouch containing a wet-nap, salt, pepper, and sometimes ketchup, mustard, and/or hot sauce to be used as desired. Each "Pop" packs in 1,200 calories of yummy goodness and has a shelf life of a hundred years. New Chillicothe produces 42% of the Coalition's P.O.P.s.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town on Magic

Officially the Chi-Town policy on magic is the same as that of the CS. It is evil and so are those associated with it. To practice magic is to practice evil and thus an enemy of humanity who must be eliminated.
Possession of a TW item or magic thing is punishable by death or life in prison. Exceptions are made if the possessor was ignorant of the item's nature. This is the stupid Dead Boy who wants a trophy off the battlefield and decides to help themselves to an amulet or such.
Then they suddenly start to see things no one else can, like the invisible and they sound the alarm and shoot as something no one else can see. The sarge asks, “How did you do that?” and the grunt shrugs his shoulders and replies, “Didn’t you see him too?” After a thorough after action review and inspection the resident Dog Boy identifies the magic amulet that allows the CS private to see the invisible. The private gets reprimanded and ordered not to speak of it or what happened to anyone.

That being said, it is the CS.
People in this military and government rise to positions of power. Sometimes for them to rise others must fall.
Sometimes for those in these positions of power to keep their position those beneath them must do or die.

Remember the first rule of power. Without power you can’t do anything.
Remember the first rule of being a successful criminal. Don’t get caught.

The CS intelligence division has special departments that have special operatives. The men and women are required to do things that would normally be a crime. Going under deep cover where they will keep the company of DBees, supernatural creatures and spell casters for months; even years. All the while they must guard their thoughts and feelings from telepathy and empathy, think, speak and play the part of their cover identity. From this position they will secretly supply the CS with intelligence information, sabotage enemies of the CS, steal and destroy things for the CS, kidnap and assassinate (poison, slit the throat, backstab, etc.) upon command. Sometimes these people have to use TW items to show they can and that they play for the same team.

The message is the law and rules don’t apply if your job requires it, it benefits the CS and what you have done does not become known to anyone who would expose you (whether you are a secret undercover agent in the field, a powerful politician or rich person).

If there is a shortage of some raw or refined materials and you bought them at a killer price from the shady side of the burbs the CS authorities won’t ask any questions about your suppliers or how you got it if it passes all the tests.
A politician's child slips and breaks their neck in the bathroom. No pulse. They aren’t breathing. I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy. No questions asked. Chances are fifty-fifty. You don’t pay unless your child is brought back to you. There is a small window of time.
That night the parents are explaining to their child how they slipped and fell. “You were knocked out cold.”
No one ever found out about the Air Warlock who breathed life back into child.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town Trade

The Coalition States seldom trades with "outsiders" (and typically people who are considered enemies), thus the States typically trade among themselves, and sometimes raid "enemy" vessels and ships suspected of piracy, subversion and transporting contraband for sale in the States (as one might suspect, these cargos are utilized by the CS authorities; magic items are typically destroyed). The recent alliance with Ishpeming (Northern Gun) and the Manistique Imperium have opened those ports to the CS, although Coalition merchant vessels seldom travel to them. The northern kingdoms send their vessels to the CS.

This is mainly because the Coalition States are a self-sufficient nation that does not need to look outside of its borders for essential goods Routine commerce does occur between the CS and partners such as Whykin, Fort El Dorado and the New German Republic in Europe

The problem of overland travel is even more acute for the States of the Coalition which are separated by hundreds (sometimes thousands) of miles of untamed territory. Fortunately for the CS, its territories are connected by excellent natural highways, namely the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes.

Transportation of goods between the states of the Coalition is
accomplished mainly by the merchant-marines and their fleet of
commerce ships.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town Prison System

Other than some notable and extreme exceptions, the laws of the Coalition States are fundamentally the same as those of 21st Century Earth, only the penalties tend to be twice as severe. The death penalty is used liberally for crimes that involve extreme
brutality, murder, the practice of magic, consorting with the supernatural, and acts of subversion against the State. Most of the notable exceptions, some of which were not crimes in the 21 st Century, are listed below.

Penalty Notes
Fines are typically given out for minor infractions. The amount can be as little as 30 credits to thousands depending on the crime. A character may also be forced to pay for any damages he may be judged responsible for.

CS Prisons are hell-holes with only the most basic facilities and freedoms for those contained within its walls. Morale is low and living conditions poor. Guards are authorized to use deadly force to quell troublemakers, rioters and those who attempt escape. Prisons are typically located in dangerous areas within the CS territories - the logic being to remove them from society and if they should perish by extraordinary means, little is lost.

Every year, 26% of the prisoners fall prey to foul play, illness, enemy attacks, or monsters. "Lifers" and subversives are usually sent to prison to rot.

CS Prison Work Camps are similar to the minimum security prisons of 20th and 21 st Century Earth. The prisoners are usually humans and D-bees who have no significant (known) powers and who represent a minimal threat to authorities. A typical day
starts with a shower and breakfast, a 10 hour day of work and a return to a minimum security prison that often resembles a military outpost and barracks enclosed by a light M.D.C. wall or fence. These camps are always established away from Coalition cities and population centers, but may be found near military installations and outposts. They are frequently located along dangerous borders, enemy territory, wilderness regions and at the sites of military operations.

Work details typically include hard labor such as building/construction of roads, walls, homes, buildings and military facilities, clearing land, farming, mining, digging ditches, factory work, warehouse work, sanitation, and similar. Work Camps are often used to support military operations and reclamation of the wilderness. Every year, 37% of the camp workers fall prey to foul play, illness, or attacks by monsters, bandits or the enemy.
Expulsion from the City or Territory: Some consider permanent expulsion from a CS city as a fate worse than death.

If caught inside a city's borders, the perpetrator is captured, tried and executed, or slain on the spot. Most are considered dangerous sociopaths, career criminals and/or suspected traitors to their race and nation.
Those expelled from the Coalition States entirely are branded at enemies as the States and will be executed the instant they are discovered within CS territory (including the 'Burbs).

Expulsion is typically for life.
Serious Crimes and Penalties of Note
Note: In all instances listed, a death sentence is automatic if the perpetrator is a non-human or practitioner of magic.

Subversive Activities involving education and the dissemination of dangerous ideas: This includes rogue scholars and scientists teaching the peasant masses and illiterate citizens of the CS (even those of the middle and lower levels) how to read, write, mathematics and pre-Rifts history (or any history that differs from the official CS version).
The penalty ranges from 15 years to life imprisonment, and even death.

Erin Tarn is the most notorious rogue scholar and critic of the CS government. She has been branded by the CS as an insane and dangerous subversive and has been Public Enemy Number One for the last five years. If she is captured, she will be publicly
executed!
Possession of subversive and dangerous materials: Being caught with one of Erin Tam's many books is considered an act of treason and likely to lead to interrogation and 15-20 years imprisonment.

Likewise, owning pre-Rifts books, maps, films, videotapes, and recordings of any kind is against the law. All such items are to be turned over to the authorities. First time offenders will be interrogated and frightened out of their wits but usually released
with a harsh warning and a felony record. They may also be placed under secret ISS surveillance for several months to several years. Repeat minor offenders are considered subversives and shot in the street (resisting arrest) or condemned to lengthy imprisonment or execution. Known subversives and dealers/sellers of subversive goods are branded enemies of the State and sentenced to death!

Subversive activity involving the aiding and abetting or protection/concealment of practitioners of magic, known subversives, and enemies of the State. Penalty is life imprisonment without parole or death.

Consorting with Supernatural Beings: Including dragons and other creatures of magic or supernatural nature. Penalty is death.

Practice of Magic: Perpetrators are typically branded as a social misanthrope, dangerous criminal, mass murderer, or enemy of the State. Penalty is death.

Cyber-snatching: The stealing of cybernetic and bionic components for resale to illegal body-chop-shops, and usually killing or maiming the victim. Penalty is death.

Terrorism: Any act of deliberate violence that kills, injures or endangers the lives of innocent CS citizens for whatever reason. Penalty is death.

Kidnapping: The capture and holding of another human against their will, often involving extortion, torture and murder. Penalty is death.

Murder in the First Degree: The act of deliberate premeditated murder is subject to the death penalty (life without parole is a rarity in these cases, but is occasionally granted).

Murder in the Second Degree: A murder that is not premeditated; typically a crime of passion. The penalty can be as light as 15 years without parole or as heavy as life without parole. A life sentence in the CS means incarceration in prison or a
prison work camp till the day the prisoner dies.


Chi-town prison is an authoritarian forced labor camp system where you work for up to 10 hours a day.

"On my first day after I was processed I was then taken down a long dank corridor to my cell. Opening the corridor door to cell B218 revealed an empty, moldy room the size of a racquetball court. As I was pushed inside.
"The corridor door closed and a side door to the ‘inner cell’ opened, with other prisoners motioning me inward to the sleeping and working quarters.
"The inner cell was the same size but held 30 prisoners, all sleeping on the concrete floor. There were no blankets or pillows and the room is so crowded that most prisoners sleep on their sides with arms draped over each other like embracing couples. Near the back was an older prisoner indicating he was making room for me to lie down. I crossed the cell like a cat, careful not to step on the heads, arms or bodies of other prisoners."

In CS Chi-Town jails, prisoners begin working on their first day regardless of the circumstances. The right of having a phone call is unheard of, and most have no contact with the outside world throughout the entire time prisoners are incarcerated.

Each day at 6:30 a.m. the cell leader woke everyone by clapping his hands to begin another routine day. Thirty men line up to brush their teeth while simultaneously using a single hole in the ground as our only toilet. After washing and using the toilet, prisoners arranged themselves in rows sitting cross-legged to chant CS slogans and recite regulations. Once the chanting is complete, prisoners will stand for an hour of military-style marching in place. Any who didn’t enthusiastically chant or march briskly received beatings or various other types of punishment.

Each cell is run by a gang who pushes work production through a series of rewards and punishments. While there is one leader, he is surrounded with what are called “the lieutenants” – forming what is called “the regime.”

After work quotas are issued, prisoners must line the wall to work all day with two ten-minute breaks for lunch at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for dinner. One uniform is issued (made to last 25 years).

“On my second day, our cell guard came to check on me. When any prison guard visited, prisoners would squat on their heels and lock their hands behind their heads in a non-threatening position we called ‘the squat-n-lock.’ Sometimes we wouldn’t see a guard for 4-5 days, leaving us under the total control of the leader and his 'regime.'"

"During the workday the regime would stroll around shouting ‘faster’. Anything from slow work production to a ‘wrong look’ would bring a slap to the head or kick to the ribs. If slow production persisted or a prisoner back-talked, the regime would bring them to the front of the cell for a series of kicks, blows and punches."

The most common punishment was withholding half the daily ration. A cut in food rations was devastating and I saw a few prisoners start to look skeletal.

Much harsher punishment awaited prisoners who caused further problems or continued to fail to adjust. Along the floor of the cell were three bull rings. Prisoners who fought or rebelled were shackled and chained to the floor 24/7, from 3 days up to two weeks. When chained to the floor another prisoner would need to bring a bucket to use as a toilet. Also while chained, food and water rations were reduced, leaving some prisoners to wither near death.

The worst punishment was reserved for the rare occasion when a prisoner disrespected a guard. Such prisoners were taken to an empty cell, chained to the floor, flogged and left for 2 to 3 days in solitary confinement without food. Usually the threat is enough to bring prisoners in line, and I was aware of only three floggings during the eight months I was incarcerated.

Note: It is possible to reduce your prison sentence by volunteering for active duty military assignments to fight the Xiticix and such. Likewise, one can be a human lab rat for experiments. They get you out of jail right away and if you survive long enough the time you serve make you a free man.

All psychic criminals in the Coalition States are sent to the psychic cell block of the Chi-Town Penitentiary - a prison city located some distance for the city of Chi-Town, staffed by PsiBattalion personnel. Most criminals gifted with master psionic abilities are terminated upon conviction due to their considerable powers. Even so, there are still numerous inmates with telekinesis, mind control and similar dangerous powers who must be carefully guarded by psionic-resistant or psychic prison guards! Such duty typically falls to Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers.

The cell blocks at the Chi-Town prison can hold two thousand inmates, but the population is usually less than five hundred because serious criminals are executed. Fugitive retrieval also goes hand in hand with the operation of the prison and Psi-Battalion is expected to apprehend psychic criminals in Coalition territory. If the escapee makes it to a CS city, he becomes the jurisdiction of Psi-Net.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town CS Navy

Chi-Town, CSN Headquarters
Personnel: 600 total.
A moderate-sized facility has been provided to the CS Navy in the subterranean military levels of the fortress city. This facility is the Hq of the Navy, and is, thus, in close proximity to the Military High Command and CS government.
No operational elements (i.e. combatant forces) are actually stationed at the Chi-Town Headquarters, it is purely a support base. Instead of combat troops, the base is the home of the Navy High Command, which consists of planning, administration, logistics, intelligence, personnel and judicial elements of the Navy. At the base are the offices of the Command Staff, including the Commanders of Operations, Logistics, Intelligence, etc., as well as the overall CO of the Navy Fleet, Admiral Travis Fisher. The Navy's main computer data-banks and communications center are located here.

The Chi-Town base is the nerve center or brain of the Navy. Decisions and actions made by the 600 personnel here determine what goes on all across the continent. All major policy decisions, all large-scale operation plans and intelligence gathered by Navy forces are compiled and disseminated at this location.
Other CSN facilities in the fortress city of Chi-Town include the Command Staff college where officers are trained and a recruiting center for both the Navy and Naval Infantry.

[darthauthor]

The Black Market

Chi-Town has a Black Market

There are many who grow up in the city in abject poverty. However, violent crimes are too difficult to commit and get away with inside the fortress city. Most criminals, in the city, are hackers, pickpockets and smugglers. More than half actually work outside the city smuggling goods back and forth (drugs).

Really the deviants of Chi-Town try their hand at a lot of things. Con games offering to sell forged passes into Chi-Town to rubes who don’t know how it really works. Selling stolen goods to people in the Burbs. Taking drugs back into the city (well trying to anyway). Planting contraband on “mules” to get caught. Some smart teenager figured out that it is easier to make the drugs in Chi-Town than it is to smuggle them in. The problem is one of getting one's hands on the materials to work with. Then smuggling those in or the things to make them with. Sometimes it is about escorting someone from Chi-Town to the goods and services they want to have in the Burbs.

While as far as the CS authorities are legally concerned since the Burbs have no legal status citizens can rob or kill them and it's not a crime. It is, however, to rob and kill a fellow CS citizen, even in the burbs.

They can have underground gambling in Chi-Town, Prostitution, blackmail, con games, burglery, and extortion.

[darthauthor]

Found some material on City access to Chi-Town

All visitors must pass through a heavily armed and defended
point of entry - the Coalition's idea of Customs and Immigration. At each of these checkpoints are ISS Inspectors and PRP Psi-Division officers. Psi-Stalkers and Psi-Hounds sniff and sense for the presence of magic, psionics, and the supernatural.

Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers can also detect human-looking Dbees (80% success ratio) and dragons and other shape-changing creatures (73%+ success ratio). These port of entry guards also utilize a battery of special sensors and optic systems to "scan" visitors for unnatural signatures and concealed weapons.
Those who fall under suspicion are escorted to a holding area by two ISS Inspectors and a pair of Psi-Hounds for a more thorough examination. Such examinations may include a battery of tests, physical examination and further psionic scanning by high level Psi-Stalkers, Mind Melters or the most sensitive Psi-Hound.
If there is the slightest doubt or suspicion, the visitor is usually declined entry and escorted beyond city limits.

Bribes are uncommon because the authorities involved are loyal and diligent protectors of humanity, and because each authorization team must sign-off on the entry permits.

Visitors who undergo extensive scanning and allowed to enter must be signed-off by the team's top ranking officer and examining doctor.

If a sorcerer, psychic, dragon, demon or nonhuman slips through, a full investigation is made and there is hell to pay.

In virtually all cases, visitor access to the city is limited to special shopping, services and communication facilities located on levels 2, 3 and 4. Access is usually limited to a short period of time, usually 4, 8 and 12 hour passes.
Day passes (24 hours), two day passes (48 hours) and week passes (five days; rare) are available upon advanced, special request and agreeing to wear a simple tracking device - a nanochip the size of a fruit fly usually attached to the underarm or behind the ear. Similarly, special passes are required for visitors to spend several days to several weeks with family members residing in a Coalition City.

All visitors get their forehead temporarily imprinted with a durable ink bar code that can be scanned by most busines establishments, the military, and ISS. The bar code is roughly the size of a standard post-it note (2x l 1/2 inches). A quick laser/light scan reveals the name given by the visitor, an LD. number, date and exact time of admittance, the exact moment of expiration, the type of pass, and the gate of entry. In addition, the bar code on the forehead enables the authorities and shop owners alike, to identify "visitors" at a glance.

Human Visitors (ordinary folks). All visitors must leave all weapons, body armor, power armor and pre-Rifts or alien artifacts in a locker with the authorities. The character is frisked for concealed weapons and contraband, and all luggage, packages and personal items are inspected. Anything deemed inappropriate for any reason (real or imagined) must be left behind. The visitors pledge on video that they will avoid trouble and uphold the law and are forced to watch a 15 minute video presentation of fundamental customs and acceptable social behavior before they are allowed into the city.

Note: Characters with a criminal record may be declined entry, especially if the crimes are serious or the character's past crimes fit the profile for current criminal activity or trouble in the city

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town policy on D-bees

D-bees are almost never allowed except for those few 1% of the humans whose influence and wealth can buy themselves the permits. Even after that, the D-Bee is considered property (a slave) and their owner is legal responsible for their actions and behavior. If anything should go wrong the DBee is killed on the spot and their owner has to pay for and even service the legal penalty of the D-Bees actions.

In the general state of Chi-Town DBees are allowed work permits if a human employer sponsors them. Kind of like a green card.

Why? Why not just kill all the D-Bees in the CS Chi-Town territory?

Well, there are several reasons and the CS Chi-Town leadership knows them.
The CS needs labor to farm, lumberjack, mine, scavenge, recycle and unskilled labor. Technically the CS could make bots to do these things but they would rather make weapons of war. While the D-Bees are already here. They came willingly to escape the demons and monsters killing and/or enslaving them. Also, for work and better lives for their families. Many will work for a third of what humans will work for, and will take the most degrading and dangerous jobs. They are cheaper than bots and easier to replace.
I think of them like the Jews in the movie, "Schindler's List" but many don't have it as bad. The fact is that if ALL the D-Bees in the state of CS Chi-Town were to drop dead or perform a mass exodus the state would have shortages in everything except jobs and work to do.

Then there are the costs of hunting and killing the DBees. It will take months if not years to find and shoot them all. Many will go into hiding. Some will fight back and this could injure or kill CS grunts and/or damage CS equipment. Neighboring kingdoms and nations like Lazlo will be quite upset with the CS to say the least. Even the humans and CS citizens would not feel good about it.

While they exist in the CS territory they are sort of human shields. Anyone who attacks the CS runs the risk of injuring or killing DBee bystanders. Also, it makes some hesitate to “take out” the CS troops in an area if it will leave the DBees in that region without protection.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town on Psychics

Through much experimentation the CS has also learned it is impossible to teach non-psychics psionic powers through training.

In Chi-Town, children who are citizens undergo a psychic evaluation before reaching the age of five.

A Psi-Battalion officer with the psionics power of sense psionics determines whether or not the child has sufficient potential to be a special operative in the CS Military. Those children identified as likely candidates are placed on file as part of the Psychic Registration Program (PRP).

Youths with major or master abilities are submitted to Identification Coding (IC) whereby they are tattooed with a scannable barcode and then recruited for military training. During evaluation sessions, examiners drop numerous hints that the best way for a psychic to avoid discrimination and gain acceptance in CS society is through the military.

Facing racism and unlikely prospects for a successful career, most young psychics take the military option when they reach the appropriate age. The family must consent, but since most citizens are incredibly patriotic (while the poor see this as a way out of poverty), most are glad to approve. The average citizen's respect and trust in the psychic soldiers of Psi-Battalion makes the new recruit highly respected. The psychic is no longer an outsider but a respected member of society whom others value and trust. At least this is the reaction of people towards army psychics depicted in propaganda used to encourage recruitment. In actual fact, the conditions are not as ideal but it is undoubtedly true that military psychics receive better treatment from citizens than civilian psychics.

After the child’s psychic abilities are determined they are changed or nurtured according to the needs of the state. Psychic recruits for the Coalition army are all trained to develop and control their powers by Psi-Battalion instructors. Training programs are agonizing but have tremendous success rates.

The CS has learned that training and focus at an early age can help an individual develop their psychic abilities into the desired psionic powers more quickly and with greater range of power and control. Raw talent can be fine tuned and directed towards a desired effect! Sometimes coaching and special training programs can turn a potential Mind Melter, or young, undeveloped Master Psionic, into a Psi-Slayer, Psi-Nullifier, Psi-Tech, or other R.C.C.

In addition, placement in the Chi-Town psychic training program gives young psychics an opportunity to associate freely with large groups of other psychics from whom they can learn, as well as where they can "cut loose" with their powers.
As soldiers and defenders of humankind, they are expected to fight inhuman demons, monsters and madmen, and, thus, to use their "god-given talents" to the best of their ability. There is no need to hide or hold back anything. And when they face the "enemies of humanity," they are expected to destroy them without hesitation.

Bonuses from CS Psionic Training:
+ 1 on initiative at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12;
+2 to pull punch,
+ 1 to disarm,
+2 to save vs Horror Factor,
+2 to save vs possession,
+ 1 to save vs mind control,
+ 1 to M.E., + 1 to M.A.,
+2D6 I.S.P. and +2D6 to S.D.C.

Note:
Non-Coalition psychics, on the other hand, are often branded as rogues, dissidents, criminals and dangerous revolutionaries. Consequently, the public tends to view any psychic who is not a member of the CS Military or a loyal CS citizen with fear and distrust.


Psi-Net is a CS organization dedicated to all matters concerning registered CS psychics. The organization handles the operation of the Psychic Registration Program and Identification Coding (IC). In addition to ensuring all CS citizens with psychic abilities are identified and registered, they must all perform evaluations. Every five years of the psychic's life they must be tested for mental problems and psychological aberrations. Psi-Net (being psychics themselves) also are the law enforcement branch that investigates crimes committed by psychics using psionic powers. Once a psychic criminal has been identified they must apprehend them. After which another department deals with their incarceration and rehabilitation up to and including their termination if need be. Still other departments of Psi-Net does research into psionic abilities and phenomena, public awareness campaigns (propaganda to promote psychics), and recruitment of psychics for military and ISS training. Psi-Net is involved in every activity concerning psychics in the Coalition States.

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town society/culture

Chi-Town has a population roughly the size of Houston Texas.
It is also one of the least racist societies to ever exist on Earth thanks to their shared prejudice against D-Bees. Humans are the master race. All others try to knock us down. It’s us or them. Humanity first. Humanity forever.

The Coalition's propaganda and education department fosters an attitude of fear of the different that helps to unite humans. While the Chi-Town entertainment industry has designed first person shooter video games to portray Dbees as the enemy (think of Call of Duty: WW2 and such). Played by children and grown ups to develop hand eye coordination and teamwork skills. Such games demonize Dbees, supernatural creatures, and dehumanize humans who associate with them as traitors to humanity that have sold their souls; especially spell casters.

However, TV, movies, and video games are the closest thing to interaction with D-Bees that most Chi-Town citizens ever experience. A lot of citizens are born and live their lives never leaving the city of Chi-Town; except for military service. Of those that do, a lot are support personnel. They see the dead and wounded CS grunts. They see the dead monsters and Dbees whom they believe attacked the CS grunts. They see the dirty and poor Dbees who are desperate for work, hungry, and tired. They never see a DBee with dignity and power act humanly (perhaps because the are not human and never will be and have been inhumanily treated since the arrived on Rifts Earth).

La

[darthauthor]

Chi-Town Black Market

It's complicated.

There are over two-million people living in Chi-Town. Over 5 million in the state of Chi-Town.

Both the state and city have the Chicago Black Market.

The city of Chi-Town is the home base of the Chicago Network, with most of the crime families living in the well established Old Town 'Burbs. However, the Chicago Network controls Black Market operations at all the Coalition States, particularly in the 'Burbs,
where the Network does the majority (70%) of its business. They have agents and salespeople throughout the States' less reputable areas, while most of the organization's higher-ups live safely within the oldest 'Burbs. It is also rumored that one or two Chicago
Network crime families live within the actual fortress city of Chi-Town itself. While many dismiss such rumors as lies and urban myths, there are others who insist it is true. If so, this might explain why the Chicago Network often seems to be a step or two ahead of
the efficient Coalition authorities; or that may be why some people assume there must be a crime family within the CS itself.
The Chicago Network's highest ranking bosses pretend to be upstanding members of society, with cover jobs and fine homes amongst the oldest and safest city 'Burbs. They use bribery and their near limitless supply of credits and luxury goods to sweeten the deal with CS police and even politicians who are willing to play ball with them under the table. In the highly monitored and regulated world of the Coalition States, "off-the-books" cash, gold, gems and Universal Credits are the only way to make certain transactions.

The CS is the largest manufacturer of weapons, vehicles and military equipment in North America.
They also have the highest level of technology in North America (with a few exceptions like ARCHIE Three and the Naruni aliens).

It may be risky to steal from the CS Chi-Town, or even to trade in their weapons using intermediaries, they make so much of it so it that a percentage will be considered breakage or have fallen off the back of a truck and into the hands of Black Marketeers.

Mercenaries, bandits and adventurers looking for the best equipment are eager to snatch up Coalition products. The leadership of the CS knows about this. Officially there position is to kill the person who stole it and destroy or retrieve it. Unofficially, a merc soldier or whatever, who is using a CS weapon to kill a monster, D-Bee, Supernatural creature, xiticix, spell caster, or each other is a good thing as long as they are never used to hurt the CS or their interest.

So they are not above puting the recovery of lost or stolen or offically supposed to have been destoryed weapons and equipment on the bottom of the priority list or given to the dumbest and least experienced investigator who has a desk full of open cases and with leads on them except the missing CS weapons.

It is CS vehicles, power armor, (especially SAMAS suits), robots and aircraft that receive the highest markups. Not only are adventurers and soldiers for hire looking for rare Coalition finds, but manufacturers like Northern Gun, Wilk's and even Titan Robotics are willing to pay good money to acquire CS tech that they can attempt to analyze and reverse engineer.

Now when it comes to smuggling routes:
Officially, CS Chi-Town controls every inch of their states on a map, in reality, their grip is not nearly as complete. Major cities are extremely well protected, monitored both by the military and the ISS, and population centers, factory complexes and resources like mines and power plants are under careful watch.

Farmland and outlying areas are regularly patrolled, but unless ley lines, nexuses or hostile borders are nearby, the level of priority is low and small-scale Black Market smuggling activity can often go unnoticed.

In more remote areas and wilderness, patrols will be almost completely airborne in nature and most ground forces consist primarily of Skelebots. Hot zones like nexus points are swept regularly by sizable military units, but experienced smugglers are sure to avoid such places.

Forces out on training maneuvers, however, are a complete wild card, and can and do catch smugglers trying to sneak through the countryside.

Note:
It is the CS but they are all only human.
It is NOT a big question of how did they get past security guards, fool sensors, get past a door, gate, or wall.
Money opens a lot of doors.
It is not a failure of policy, systems, or technology. They bribed the guard(s). Over years, they got one or more of the Black Markets people inside whatever place they needed someone on the inside to smuggle things back and/or forth. Fake a hyjacking, the weapons were officially destroyed when the enemy "attacked" and blow up the truck and supposedly everything inside.
The CS grunt and/or their squad steals the weapons of those adventurers they killed. What adventurers. There were no adventurers. We heard some noises and fired in their direction. That's why our Eclips are half full.
What did they do with the weapons? Buried them. Came back later and dug them up and sold them in the Burbs.
Half of being a successful criminal is resourcefulness and finding another way. Prisons are full of idiots because the authorities don't catch the "smart" ones.
No matter how smart the tech, the human element is a rat who is surprisingly resourceful and outsmarting the mouse traps of their fellow human beings.

[darthauthor]

CS Chi-Town of Culture and Pyshics Continued

Many people in Chi-Town are proud of their linage. As a matter of social status many families keep records of their family lines and do something like ancestry dot com. The government, although, not encouraging literacy does encourage pride in ones genetic humanness.

Although, racial prejudice is considered primative to the point of superstitious foolishness being able to trace your ancestors to carreer successful people is considered representative of ones potential.
Likewise, mutations like psionic powers are considered both minorities and abnormal for a human being. In one camp, there are people who fear psychics. Never knowing if they are read their mind or be controlling them. In another camp, there are those who envy psychics for what they can do that a normal human being, no matter how hard they try can equal their psionic powers. There is an acknowledgement amongst the military and general population that psychics are vital to the states ability to identify threats and defend humanity. However, they also believe that mutants can be create in a Lab in Lone Star with all the psychic abilites the Coalition States need. Mutant animals that can be trained and disposed of if they don't work right or are no longer needed. Like a cannary in a coal mine, that is what we made them for.

Mutants / psychics can only make babies with each other.
Making a baby with a normal human is not possible. The penalty for breaking this law is to
be permanently stripped of citizenship, all property is seized by the State, the offenders are publicly chastised and humiliated, followed by expulsion from the Coalition States. If the mutant/
psychic offender forced him or herself on the human, such as physical rape or mind control (rape), the punishment is death!
In many respects, psychics and other mutants are second-class citizens, deprived of the full privileges of pure, human, citizens. They also suffer both the physical and emotional cruelness and
ridicule that accompanies a society that encourages prejudice.

While there is no law against psychics marrying psychics or having families it is feared what greater mutant will come from this pairing and what their place will be in CS socity (the master or the slave). Among the many fears of a normal human are that the mutant born will be someone who covets their powers over their humanness.

For the normal human citizen of Chi-Town, they believe and want to believe that hardwork, smartwork, and teamwork along with the skillful use of technology is the most human and best of humankind.
Mutants and psychics, in Chi-Town, are defined by their powers and how they use them. Although, most people don't know how hard it is to master their psychic abilities they persume it is no more difficult than how a bird learns to fly. It is just something that is going to automatically happen and after they do they are going to soar above us and look down upon us.

This way of thinking leds to negative prejudices against psychics and mutants.

Official records indicate that twelve percent of the population possesses some measurable degree of psionics (psychic powers are considered a mutation), but the real number is probably an additional five percent.
About two percent possess major and master psionics. People considered psionic mutants
include those with minor, major and master psychic powers, mind melters, bursters, and psi-stalkers. Most of the latter work in the military.

Although these percentage are beneath the Rifts Earth average, this could be explained because they of the superstition and prejudice against psychics. Also, cybernetics are populart in the metropolis such that some people even get them to oppress and conceal their psychic abilities (
Half of Chi-Town citizens have some form of cybernetic or bionic augmentation. The majority of these implants are minor or for medical reasons).
Even though the percentage of psychics is lower than average because of the number of people with psychic abilities Chi-Town has over 200,000 psychics. This number might sound like a lot but even though all of them have some potential not all of them will realize it. Also, to be useful to the military or state they must also not have health problems, be mental stability, adequate I.Q., have enough discipline and social skills that they can conform to their requirements of the jobs they will do. Not everyone makes the cut. Even though there are programs that exist to train psychics to use their abilities, much like high school graduation rates today, only 4 out of 5 might pass (that would leave out roughly 40,000 of the 200k psychics).

Although given conditional citizenship, there are frightening restrictions to which psychics must adhere. All must submit to Identification Coding (I.C.), in which a scannable bar code is tattooed into the skin so that there can be no mistake that these are mutant humans with potentially dangerous psionic powers. Psychics are commonly restricted from business establishments, employment, and public facilities that are available to all normal human citizens. Psionic mutants (and all other mutants) are forbidden, by law, to engage in sexual activity with non-psionics / non-mutants.

[darthauthor]

Good Day,

I started writing this with stuff I made up.

After writing and posting I found a lot of little things here and there in the world books and source books.

I ask that you forgive the inconsistancies from posts at the beginning.

The goal I started with was to have a world book about CS Chi-Town.

Life and adventures inside the Fortress city.
From what I have read and reasoned I believe such a stories are possible. A typical day inside the city feels like a very SDC encounters for Black Market characters and City Rats.

Chi-Town is the safest places to be without mega-damage protection.

On the CS side, one could play CS law enforcement or detective / investigators. Any adventure needs a source of conflict that is typically born out of some problem or opportunity with risks involved.

CS Chi-Town has big wealth inequality. Opportunities to get large amounts money (credits) quickly are almost none existent. Quick money, when it is possible to obtain, is often from getting away with something illegal. It seems, inside the fortress city, the greatest threats are not monsters, the supernatural, spell casters, or people with MD armor and MD energy weapons. It is typically ones fellow CS human beings that are robbing you are you are robbing them. So it is a Man vs Man theme or Man vs society with adventures in the city. The rich vs the rich, the rich vs the middle class, and the rich vs the poor. Likewise, the poor vs the poor, middle class and rich.

Guns
I don't recall anything mention about it but given city life is the product of a dictators regime guns would be illegal to possess. They don't want an armed public who could rise up and attempt to overthrow the government. Also, the rich don't want to be killed by a poor guy with a gun.

So I think Batman and other assorted adventurers who fight for justice or money using Hand to Hand combat or W.P. Blunt, Knife, etc.

It should make for an interesting combat sessions were only SDC and hit point damage exchanged and first aid gets used to speed the healing and/or conceal the wounds.

One or two people "here" suggested / implied a Judge Dredd look of the city and I feel it is closer to how it would actually be than not

In my imagination I envision it as the level for poor people has a very different atmosphere and vibe, then the one for the middle class and the rich is different from the poor and middle class and so on. In addition, levels that are the center for departments like shopping or education have their own flavor.
The poorer side of things would probably be like a mix of Judge Dredd's Mega City and Cyberpunk getting better as one went up the fortress city.

Subterrain levels would, i imagine have a militaristic feel of important people others want to kidnap or kill researching and making plans and decisions. That and machine works that facilitate life in the city.

All levels of the city should have some of the same things like food venders and law enforcement but they have very different people, operating methods, and quality of equipment.

The higher you go the better it is with the rich getting the best of the best. A murder, the dective goes easy like they did with OJ Simpson when they first asked him questions. Got caught robbing a rich person, in private they shoot you in the act in public it is a legit arrest and trail. While in the poorest of the poor law enforcement either does not come (their backed up - Judge Dredd) or the assume everyone is guilty. Likewise with medical attention.

Some levels of the city I imagined as dedicated to not just certain groups like Dog Boys. As 2nd or 3rd class beings they are officail property of the state and in many ways thought of like slaves. So they don't want them wondering all over the city were people could get to know them and humanize them or for other to demean or disrespect the Dog Boys. So they have their own section in the city like "Dog Boy town" they are discouraged from leaving.

Some levels I imagined are like a rest home with the older generation has kept the decor from the time that was greatest in their lives which could be 50 to 100 years in the past.

Definately has its tourist levels that on appearance puts its best foot forward to make Chi-Town appear a most desirable place to live and work. It is such that, if life in Chi-Town were a movie the tourist levels would be a movie trailer with some of the best scenes from the movie in it and none of the bad (maybe even scenes that are not even in the movie).

For those who do gain citizenship and admittance into the fortress city of Chi-Town quickly find their quality of life realtive to were they came from before life in Chi-Town and compared to Chi-Town relative to the perceived value they are to the CS authorities. A Cyber-Doc or Operator is going to be more valuable than another City-Rat or Vagabond. And yes, virtually all the O.C.C.'s that would be played inside the Fortress city would be adventurer O.C.C.s not Men at Arms unless you are playing a CS OCC

As adventures go, inside Chi-Town, it is mostly going to be about CRIME. You are either fighting it or doing it.
The rest of (other kind) of adventures take place outside the walls of the city.

[darthauthor]

“Congratulations!”
“This is a special day. With the oath you've taken, you are now a full citizen of CS Chi-Town, and I'd like to officially welcome you to our city. Your hard work and contributions have and will continue to pay off. Remember, though, that with citizenship comes responsibility. The future of Chi-Town depends upon the lasting contributions of citizens such as yourself. Your sacrifice and effort will ensure that Chi-Towns's promise of safety is passed on to generations yet to come.

Chi-Town provides every human being with the opportunity for job, a place to live and nourishment.

The Chi-Town system is based on a mixture of hereditary/nepotisim, ability, and occuption which was intended to ensure the vital work of successful running Chi-Town is ensured and that as the CS expands into new territories positions are filled by the “right” people.
The system is preserved to be unfair by the lower classes who see the ranks of the elite as forever out of reach. In truth, in the city of Chi-Town, if one was not born in, adpotted, or married into it a lot of the elite would have to die or leave Chi-Town permanently before there a space in the loffties for the mid level people to move up. While on the bottom the most common way to advance ones rank is to join the CS military.

Level of importance/security clearance

0s. The lowest social class. A CS citizen who has no place in Chi-Town.

1s. Resident of Chi-Town but unemployed. These people are basically charity cases supported by charities, family, houses of worship, and retirement pensions. Age, infairmity, past mistakes/crimes, physical ugliness, social ineptness, and lack of connections, a history of unreliability/trustworthiness and/or lack of useful skills makes this person a pariah in Chi-Town.

2s A dirty shirt. Unskilled labor that have to take what they can get.

3s The bluecollar working-class of Chi-Town; composed of menial laborers.

4s Lowest level defense/security. Military grunts and security guards.

5s The trade skill blue-collar citizens electricians, plumbers, mechanics, high ranking military sargerants or privates who are awarded prestigious medals as well as water and waste managers - all of whom were afforded a more elevated position than the 4s due to the crucial role they fill in maintaining the city’s infrastructure. You have to have a city to protect before you can protect it.

6s are the middle-class or white-collar of Chi-Town; those with enough skills to perform either office-oriented or technological tasks such as detectives, nurses, technicians, air traffic controllers, software engineers as well as middle management and low-ranking military officers.

7s The learned class of Chi-Town; composed of high ranking military leaders, teachers, judges and attorneys, priests, as well as physicians and scientists. The immediate families of the 6s - their children, grandchildren, siblings, etc. - were also granted the rank of 5s both for their safety as well as to ensure the line of succession in the event that their 6 relative either died, was forcibly removed, or became unable to perform their duties.

8s Department heads of Chi-Town’s government and businesses.

9s Executives (and their secritaries/staff) of Agriculture, Defense, Education, Energy, Health, Housing, Intelligence, Labor, Propaganda, Psychics, Security, Technology, Trade, Transportation, and Treasury. Wealthiest and most influential people: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, etc.

10 Emperor Prosek

[darthauthor]

The CS Fortress City of Chi-Town
500 POINTS are available, plus 20 POINTS for military and
20 POINTS for laws and law enforcement.


Government
Benevolent Dictator: Emperor Prosek. While this city is still ruled by a dictator, he is honestly concerned about the welfare of the citizens. The laws are not perfect but more fair then some other kingdoms it is however, very harsh. The members of the military/police are usually given only a slap on the wrist if they commit crimes. Cost: 20 points.

Natural Resources
This community exists purely as a result of outside resources. Cost: None

Location
Trade Route. Cost: 45 points, + 15 points wealth and 10 points technology

Pre-Rifts History:
Great Chi-Town Library. 20 points

Attitude towards Outsiders
Aggressive Isolationists. At first glance, this seems like a contradiction in terms, but this is the way many isolationist handle outsiders. The Coalition is a perfect example of this. They react to undesirables by attacking and destroying them. The war against Tolkeen is only the most recent instance of this policy in action. Cost: 5 points

Racism
Racial Supremacists. The Coalition typifies communities with this attitude. The town is made up of predominantly one race and members of any other race are considered worthless, if not attacked as monsters. Cost: None

Tech Level
Cutting Edge Tech. The leading nations of the Earth are at this level of advancement. Whether it be from Pre-Rifts discoveries or new designs, a community with technology at this level is a force to be reckoned with. Cost: 50 points

Magic Level
Anti-Magic. The members of this community violently hate magic, mages and everything related to them. Wizards are hunted down and killed as monsters and anyone even suspected of practicing magic is watched and mistrusted. Cost: None

Pyschic Level
Limited Psionics. Psychics live in this town, but the total percentage of people with any form of psychic powers is less than 10%. Of those, perhaps 1% are master psychics. Cost: 10 points

Military
Crack Troops. The members of this city's army are known throughout a wide area as being formidable. They train constantly, have the best weaponry, and can hold their own against forces many times their size. Cost: 50 points

Laws and law enforcement
Complex Judicial System. This system is similar to the modern day legal system. All accused criminals (potentially only the citizens of the community) have basic rights which must be respected. Laws have evolved that govern most aspects of life, the police are generally on the up and up, and capital punishment is invoked but as long as the citizen is compliant they get a trial a prison time. Small (felony) crimes are served in the city or burbs. Felony offenses with hard prison time. Cost: 30 points
Notable Businesses: LEFT Blank

Power Source
Nuclear. Nuclear power is one of the most efficient sources of power for a wilderness community, but it's expensive to acquire and maintain and potentially dangerous if something goes wrong. Cost: 35 points

Wealth
Filthy Rich. Possibly only the higher levels of Chi-Town and some of the wealthier regions of the N.G.R. attain this level of wealth. The city is dripping with money and even the poor are at level 3 or 4. cost: 60 points

Crime
Petty Crime. The crimes in diis town are limited to "mundane" acts, usually theft, the occasional assault, and the very rare murder. Most people still feel very safe. Cost: 45 points, + 5 points wealth and +5 notable businesses

[darthauthor]

Canon Reference
Book Rifts Mercenaries Page 46
“At fourteen, her good looks and poise managed to get her into Chi-Town proper, working as a maid for the wife of an important merchant. Sadly, the job turned out to be a curse. Janice's employer was a cruel, abusive woman who enjoyed demeaning the help. Janice bore the taunts and cruelty with dignity, even when the woman purposely made messes for the maids to clean up, or berated them for no good reason. The abuse increased, and was especially harsh against the beautiful, young Janice , who had to control herself from doing something rash.
Three years went by. The insults , demeaning jobs, and verbal abuse
continued, but Janice kept telling herself she needed the job too much.
Then everything came crashing down. Frustrated by Janice's patience
(and jealous of her beauty and poise), the woman went too far, and
struck the girl when Janice dared to talk back to her. Something snapped
inside Janice, and, as she lost her temper, a latent power inside her
also came alive. The woman burst into flames. Janice and the other
servants managed to save her life, but the woman was horribly burned
nonetheless .
Janice knew what she had become. She had heard plenty of horror
stories about bursters and other psychic creatures from her mother and
friends . The CS government would hunt her down and kill her as soon
as the woman regained consciousness and revealed what had happened.
She was sure of it! Janice briefly considered fInishing her off, but she
couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she stole all the money and
easy to sell valuables she could fInd in the house, and left the city.”

[darthauthor]

Rift Heroes of Humanity has some general information about the Coalition States as a whole pages 18 through 23