Present-day Africa - My next Modern Game

Initial African Studies Notes So I'm using the broad strokes of Demographic and Economic Data, and will proceed to go into more and more detail. I've set up Google Alerts on DRC and Nigeria. I'm slowly learning more and more of the differences. The wife recommeded the IMF data since its more uptodate. I realized I should also use Gapminder.

Still looking for more books on Africa. Ideally Audio Lectures I can play at 1.5x speed. Youtube and Crash Courses has material, there is a Extra History on Zulu Empire. Google Play Books would be nice except its hella expensive, Its where I found $2,000usd books, and only app that uses the Text to Speech API.

I plan to exhaust Wikipedia, and then proceed up to secondary and closer to source materials. Of course doing this while I juggle a bunch of stuff, like my more serious effort in Mandarin Studies.

Predictably, the wealthier and stable countries have the most complete info and commentary. The poorest and least stable has outdated data. The Philippines as an Emerging Economy and the natural inclination to know its neighbors is also adding more context to the subtleties of Emerging and Frontier Economies and Markets.

I want to be a GM and a Person who can differentiate between various African countries, peoples, and politics. Understand it, like the appreciation I've gained in each field of history I've studied and find interesting characters and people from learning more about it.

Africa is the most far removed and alien from my situation. One of the reasons I'm studying Africa is because I believe as the world shifts in the accelerated development of the Pacific Rim nations and South America, India and China, Africa will play a more decisive role and I want to be one of the first GMs running setting as the most bleeding edge near future sci-fi.

Looking for other people who want to work with me fill this spreadsheet up. Again, offering my local expertise of the Philippines in return.

War Beneath Heaven S02 E10 - The End has Arrived

1. Speedy is in the infirmary. Sam was taking care of him. Jeni visits him and this happens while the team was fighting the dragon. Sam notices something odd about Merle and Jakub. Jakub begins having violent seizures. Constanz arrives seems to calm him down. When everyone was distracted, Merle grabs the Sam who manages to escape. Sam tries to escape. Jakub smashes speedy back, and merle begins to strangle jeni. Speedy uses a flashbang, which knocks them out. 
2. The guys get back down only to find Jakub up and Merle standing among st slain staff. Jakub charges and proves very difficult to kill. Merle gets lead in the face and goes down. Zombies attack them from the rear. They manage to kill Jakub by bringing up a thin concrete barrier and shooting through it preventing him from dodging or parrying their weapons from arms reach. 
1. Fish is hurt terribly. The guys go through two M4 30-round mags against Jakub. 
3. The guys discover Speedy, Jeni and Sam guarded by zombies who attack and harm speedy as he tries to escape. The guys make use of the many secret stashes HSS has to scrounge and re-equip. They manage to recover a bit. They proceed to recover more gear in the infirmary. 
1.  All the bases are under attack. 
2. Tasha survives an ambush when she fails to appear in a trap because of her intense hate for Cheng. Cheng sets up a meeting with the partners only to kill them all, Emily survives because she's been too haggard and weak from the constant work. Someone raids his home in brighton trying to kill Emily and Osmans child but they managed to escape. 
3. A lot of time getting ready and doing evaluations.
4. The are able to distract some ghouls enough to get to parking where they were able to load up. A loud car door opener gives away their position, and they rush to get out fighting of two powerful ghouls. Speedy and Eeshu manage to fight them off.
5. Tasha meets them outside, but someone manages to shoot her from the building. She is badly wounded but still manages to drive them. Speedy sends out one of the last remaining drones to check on what happened to everyone
1. They find bodies, Chengs gang being consumed. 
2. they find Cheng impaled in his board room. 
3. They find Killian on the floor dying while Sid defending him. Sid's true form emerges as she fights off well armed and equipped vampires. Speedy detonates one more flash bang before the drone dies. It last vision is another swordsman facing Sid. 
6. The group tries to navigate through the heights but the area has become abandoned and filled with creatures who emerged from the gash in the mountain to feed on the populace. they are trying to getting to Brighton. The encounter one of them, sending it pipe bombs, they manage to bring it down in a rain of meat. 
7. Tasha navigates and Speedy tries to correct her. He is unable to change her mind (fails leadership) and she goes on her expertise. She manages to get them out, but on the forested jungle mountain and into a dead end. 

Killing of much of the old Cast and Pregens

• avoiding GM PCs. 
• removing the Clutter in the Cast
• More opportunity for the PCs to shine. 

Other Notes

• to build a setting and let it all go to hell to make for a good ending and add drama. 
• When I was preparing my guidelines were - which would make more drama for the character - loved ones and survival were easy marks but I wanted other sources of conflict. When tasha argued with speedy and speedy didnt have any leadership to correct her, it was two friends having a really bad fight and a wounded relationship. 
• Now I'm looking for conflict, as in two beliefes that draw the player in directions they cannot align so easily. 

GURPS Magic Notes 18: Zombies

“The Far East Triad lets everyone know they are into human trafficking, but what they really specialize in is what happens with expired goods” - Killian Tarmikos

Basically magical automations. The hungry zombie is just a zombie inflicted by its mage with uncontrollable appetite (since they are re programmable). They are tools, and much of what made them human became fuel and material for creating the magical automation.

The template explains most, or you can just skip it on to the Template Notes. 

Zombies Template

202 points

Attribute Modifiers [-90]: ST+1 [10]; IQ-5 [-100]

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers [58]: HP+4 [8]; Per+5 [25]; Will+5 [25]

Advantages [135]: Does not Breathe (B49) [20]; Doesnt Eat o Drink (B49) [10]; Doesn’t Sleep (B50) [20]; Immune to Metabolic Hazards (B81) (poisons, disease, sickness) [30]; Immune to Pain (B81) [15]; Injury Tolerance (B61) (unliving, no blood) [25]; Unfazeable (B95) [15].

Disadvantages [-345]: Amnesia (B123) [-25]; Appearance (B21) (unattractive) (universa, +25%) [-5]; Bad Smell (B124) [-10]; Cannot Learn (B125) [-30]; Dependency (B130) (Ambient Mana) (Common, Constantly; 1HP per minute) [-50]; Meta-Trait (B263) (Automaton) [-85]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Short Lifespan 4 (B154) [-40]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-15]; Supernatural Features (B157) (Pallor, No Body Heat) [-15]; Unhealing (Partial; Repaired by Magic) [-30]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25];

Features :

• Affected by Turn and Control Zombie,
• Pentragrams and various magical wards
• No Mental Skills (until they have their sapiens mostly restored), Physical Skills still exist but degraded (half the points)
• Zeroed (Legally Dead)

Zombie Template Notes

• Their appearance makes them look really sick. Make up is needed to hide their symptoms.
• This zombie is pretty much like a machine, you can kill it by shooting at vitals. In WBH organs are converted into something that processes and stores ambient mana.
• No Biological Living habits: no breathing means no chest rising and falling, except when talking, No sweat, no warmth, no blushing, etc… assume Supernatural Features covers all this.
• Slave Mentality and Automaton - they can be programmed, so treat it like a pretty sophisticated computer. Averaging IQ5, its a pretty powerful computer.
• Magical Repair. Assume there is equivalents of the Healing Spells in Necromancy with worse prerequisites of up to 2.
• As a template note how the person died, if they were crippled, the zombie gains the same disadvantages.  Blind zombie can be useless unless the mage does significant repair.
• Automaton and Slave Metality is slow. They need to be updated after every command. Typically commands are programmed. 
• More notes on Weak Dedicated AI (UT26):  
• Coordinating zombies is a teamwork perk specialized with (zombie). Use IQ or Soldier. Complex commands may need a check, or to have less rolling the zombie will interpret it poorly. Typically commands have end statements and conditions, and drills were used to see the parameters of the zombies comprehension.
• Zombies need to be "primed" typically soldiers need to issue commands, followed by confirmations of command receipt. Its complicated and hard, but drills are meant to make it very easy and intuitive. Without Familiarization, penalties of controlling a zombie in combat conditions can be hard to staggeringly impossible.
• Note Language Considerations means, Zombies coming from the poor and uneducated Haven, or possibly african refugees will require different commands. See Modifications.

  

How to Modify Zombie

• Zombies can be modified. It takes skill and magic to do so. Fleshcraft is a Hard Technique that defaults at -4 from Surgery or Artist (Sculpting) used to modify the Physical form of the zombie. Anima-Craft is a Hard Technique that defaults -4 from Psychology (familiar with behavioral sciences) -5 or Programming (AI) -5.   
• Modifying a zombie can be treated as an enchantment activity - either quick and dirty or slow and sure. 1FP can modify up to 5 character points worth of changes to the template. The maximum modifications on any one zombie is Fleshcraft skill x2 in FP or Anima-Craft skill x2.
• An Expert in Fleshcraft would have a 15, allowing up to 150 character points of alteration.
• An Expert in Anima-Craft would have a 15, allowing up to 112 character points of alteration.  
• The material costs for such modifications is an additional $10 per FP.  

What can be Modified

• Physical Modifications: Appearance and Bad Smell. As well as some of the damage the body sustained in death.
• Increased Strength and Toughness.
• some features like Payload (a very common practice in haven - typically carrying explosive or gass bombs.
• Partial DR. Some Mages have gone as far as to insert subdermal armor plates and sew the zombie back up. They vitals are protected and allows them to take more damage. Use partial DR rules Or just pay the cost of the armor.
• Zombies which have fuller Sapience (like Zombie companions; IQ6+ and Slave Mentality and Automation is removed) can have increased speed and dexterity.
• Mental Modifications brings the Zombie closest to its original form at great cost. A lesser skilled Mage will probably trade off the Automaton, Reprogrammable and Automation with Phobias, Compulsions, Flash Backs and Phantom Voices and many other psychological syndromes from the brain damage of death. A Zombie cannot have full memories restored and at best have Partial Amnesia (B123).  
• Removing the large, -5 IQ penalty, or Reducing it.
• Cannot Learn needs to be removed in order for the Zombie to learn more about its former identity.
• Modifications cannot grant skills, although once the ability to learn and remember is restored they can start practicing and learning again.
• Cannot Learn Magic or Magery! the zombie’s new form despite how modified has focused most of its resources in animating itself and cannot accomplish that of Ghouls and Vampires in magic and independence.  
• Language Modification requires spells. See Gift of Tongues (M46) 50fp * cost for enchantment. This can be the most expensive part of the zombie.

Zombies Companion

-27 points

Attribute Modifiers [10]: ST+1 [10];

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers [8]: HP+4 [8];

Advantages [120]: Does not Breathe (B49) [20]; Doesnt Eat o Drink (B49) [10]; Doesn’t Sleep (B50) [20]; Immune to Metabolic Hazards (B81) (poisons, disease, sickness) [30]; Immune to Pain (B81) [15]; Injury Tolerance (B61) (unliving, no blood) [25].

Disadvantages [-165]: Amnesia (B123) [-10]; Dependency (B130) (Ambient Mana) (Common, Constantly; 1HP per minute) [-50]; Flashbacks, Minor (B136) [-5]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Short Lifespan 1 (B154) [-10]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-15]; Supernatural Features (B157) (Pallor, No Body Heat) [-15]; Unhealing (Partial; Repaired by Magic) [-30]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25];

Features :

• Affected by Turn and Control Zombie,
• Pentragrams and various magical wards
• Zeroed (Legally Dead)

My Other Notes

This can be a lot of fun, a bit of Trans-humanism in my Modern Fantasy is a way to vent some of my sci-fi urges with out changing the game. I also realized a show called Resurrection also has some interesting ideas that can be applied to the zombie template.

PC should expect Zombies to be the very versatile tools of many baddies, as well as their ally (Cheng Dao). There are many ways to play with them, and use them for encounters.

Zombie, the better Drone

Treat them like a drone. A Zombie fire team lead by a soldier, or one zombie with one soldier. Zombies designed to take the hit and act as cover. They have IQ5 or improved, thats pretty much a sophisticated computer. They could be wearing improvised metal armor (cheap modern, heavy plate torso $500 DR8 3.5kg or 8lbs). Assume they are trained in formations and some carry very durable shields. Weighed down, they probably move-2 or 3.

Scary, would be armored BOMB delivery drones. Soldiers with pre-set detonation charges on the zombies can order them to charge (countered with area jammers) and blow them up on hard points. They can be used for bomb disposal.

I have two factions in WBH that uses zombies with technology as part of doctrine. I've used them in the background as Swarm delivery and insertion.

Identity Theft

Zombies have former Identities. There is a lot of crime that can be used with having an animated dead person giving their ID credentials to open a bank account or funnel money. Suffice to say, this is pretty much the standard criminal activity - from voter fraud, money laundering, and inheritance stealing.

Body Harvesting

Africa is a great resource for Zombies, especially because of the human tragedy that goes on. Expect this to be one of the major underground industries occurring in the continent and in Haven.

GURPS Magic Notes 19: Ghouls

Haven has undead, and its constantly growing population (as it shelters african refugees and lacking of reproductive health care, almost %3 population growth) makes it one of the best places to be if your an undead who needs to harvest human goods.

Ghoul, Lesser

Ghoul is a term being used to describe any Sapient undead. By sapience, this means IQ6 and above. By undead, it means a creature that does not function in a regular biological metabolism - instead they are magically biology. An undead is petty much like a machine, it just works with a differently from the regular biological type. 


Ghouls can be created with the Lich Spell, or a custom Create Ghouls spell (Setting specific Spell) which is much easier to cast. Mages undergo this transformation to allow them to tap into more power and to be able to pursue their magical studies. Its very useful because they can tap into a lot of energy by storing it as HP. So building up HP is a priority as it allows them to cast spells they couldn't do so before as regular mages.  


Hidden Lore (Undead) (IQ/A)

Default: Occult-7, Necromancy Path-4, Hidden Lore (Mages)-4, Thaumatology-6

The most basic understanding and fundamental principles “Undead” or what is essentially, magic powered organisms.

Hidden Lore Skill Feats:

1. Induction or deduction of an Undead’s Nature and capabilities. the more subtle, the more difficult.
2. Name Examples of Undead in occult lore and their cultural lenses. Factual knowledge of undead. Photographic Memory helps.

Appearance

They are more pallor humans, there are only very subtle clues to their being. Their lacking of normal human habits: eating, drinking, and sleeping can show in their demeanor. (this is a fun subtle detective work that would be great for players). They don't sweat, which can be a give a way in certain seasons.
They can eat and can taste food, but it gives them no satisfaction and it exists undigested. 

Ecology of the Ghoul

Ghouls have to actively find life force where they can. They can be very sociable because of such need to be around humans and other mages. They will drain life with skin contact.  

Their hunger cycle is 12 meals (1HP per meal) a day or a meal every 2 hours. Young ghouls can mildly intoxicate humans, a by product of their new physiology when they feed on them.  Although they still need to roll self control vs uncontrollable appetite to prevent them from binging. Binging merely sates them early for the day but any excess HP is useless. Getting control over the appetite tends to be the first lesson they learn. Hunger for life force worsens after ever hour past two - a -1 to self control for every hour. Its easier to think about it as eating, you can pig out that will delay hunger for a longer time but you still get hungry after a number of hours. The most sustainable way is to space out and meet the hunger cycles (pretty much like dieting). 

Ghouls work in highly crowded areas and with a lot of other people, they can access. In close proximity they wear make up and use avoid prolonged touching because it gives away their nature. Airconditioned areas, in Haven's emerging BPO industry, creates a great excuse to have such conditions.  

They can live dual lives since they have no sleep. They can work hard in the day and party all night, since it will keep him near precious sources of life force. Ghouls have no fatigue, which makes them perpetually mentally alert. 

Because the Ghouls Life drain ability is an infectious attack, and there is a limit to the carrying capacity in the population, Ghouls (Mages, and Vampires) cull the undead population. There are professional ghoul hunter mages who look out for outbreaks of undead. Even the undead know that they are dependent on human population so they tend to police their own quite ruthlessly. 

Hunger

Ghoul hunger can be dangerous and transformative. Hunger for many ghouls (even vampires) can cause them to be feral and this is something of a concern for both the undeads and the mages. 

Increased Consumption multiplies the damage taken from Hunger. Ghouls suffer 4HP damage per day of hunger (or 1HP per 6 hours). They heal at their usual rate of drain (1HP per second). Hunger also exacerbates uncontrollable appetite and other personality elements with self control factors (bad temper, blood lust, selfishness etc...) or inflicts it even if the ghoul has bough it off. 

Infectious Attacks

The ghouls life drain can cause it to create a Ghoul if it kills its victim with it. if this happens, typically enforcers find out, and they will take care of the ghoul that cannot control itself. Eventually ghouls get their appetites under control (about 30 points into the template) and they are able to blend in.

Magery

Because of Unkillable 2, Injurious Magic Power, and Immune to Pain, the Ghoul can burn up to, in theory, HPx11 for spell casting. more Powerful ghouls with ST20 or tons of HP can do more. Finally able to create lasting enchantments without followers, although still dependent on life forces. 

Why other mages don't need to go through this method is because Familiars and Followers can grant the mage FP. Its only for Anti-social mages (lolz), and those who like the "solitude" of being such and who don't want to be bothered with messy relationships of being a patron and dealing with clients.

Still being Sociable is a great advantage to a ghoul, for reasons previously discussed. Its not like they can't walk around in the day. 

Ghoul, Lesser
Template notes
Modification Options

• They can gain spell like magical powers because of their magical nature.  

0 point

Attribute Modifiers [10]: ST+1

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers [24]: HP+2 [4]; Per+4 [20]

Advantages [186]: Does not Breathe (B49) [20]; Doesn’t Sleep (B50) [20]; “Life Draining Touch” Leech (P96) (see below) [22]; Immune to Metabolic Hazards (B81) (poisons, disease, sickness) [30]; Immune to Pain (B81) [15]; Injury Tolerance (B61) (unliving) [20]; Night Vision 9 (B71) [9]; Unaging (B95) [15]; Unkillable 2 (Achilles heel, Head Destruction -50%; Hindrance, Silver or Magical Weapons still present in the system, -25%) [25]; Unusual background (Magically Zeroed) [10].

Disadvantages [-220]: Dread (Pentagrams, Wards, Antimagic) [-10]; Dependency (B145) (Ambient Mana) (Constant, Common) [-50]; Increased Consumption (B139) (12HP a day, needs to feed every 2 hours; Starving causes 4HP per day of damage) [-20]; Infectious Attack (B140, B50) (When slaying someone with life drain) [-0]; Restricted Diet (B151) (Common - Life Force, via Steal Vitality or Innate Attack 1HP toxic, 1HP is one meal) [-10]; Secret (“Veil”; on threat of death) [-30]; Supernatural Features (B157) (Pallor, No Body Heat) [-15]; Uncontrollable Appetite (B159) (12) [-15]; Unhealing (B160) (Partial, Must use Life Drain or Leech) [-20]; Vulnerability (B161) (Occassional, Silver x2 damage) [-20]; Vulnerability (B161) (Rare, Magic x4 damage) [-20]; Vulnerability (B161) (Common: Fire x2 damage) [-30];   

Features:

• No FP
• Antimagic Spells or Effects that drain Energy drain HP

• Life Drain Leech Options (P96)
• Default Life Draining Touch [22]: Leech (Contact Agent, -30%; see Affliction for Follow Up) [18]; Affliction (B36) 1 (Follow up Attack to Leech +0%; Causes Tipsy, +10%; Contact Agent -30%; Melee, -30%; Accessibility, only humans -10%; roll vs HT+1) [4];
• Tipsy, -1 to DX and IQ, and -2 to self control rolls. (B428)
• [+1 cp] Drunk, -2 to DX and IQ, and -4 to self control rolls. (B428)
• [+2 cp] Causes Euphoria, -3 to DX, IQ, self control rolls. (B428)
• see B36 for various other conditions, and B428 afor their results.
• Malediction Slow Drain [+23] Leech (P96) (Malediction +100%; Reach +40%; Takes Extra Time 6, 1 minute per HP drained -60%) [45]. this ability lets the ghouls drain someone in a distance without touching.  
• Buy-off Pallor, they can use make up to hide much of their appearance.
• Buy-off Increased Consumption and even get Reduced Consumption.
• No limits to the amount of HP, ST, and Ablative or Semi-Ablative DR (DR 1, 1 point; reduced every 1cp; heals at the same rate as HP) the character can buy.
• They can buy advantages that  augment their magical ability like: they can have a much higher magery (20), mana enhancer,

Design Notes

Ghouls are better as Rogues or Wizards. Their toughness is against mundane threats, they still take damage but can come back thanks to unkillable 2. They are much better as mages, and using their Necromancy spells for Battlefield recovery.

Vampires are tougher than Ghouls, but ghouls walk around in the day. Playing a ghouls means being smart about the "smart" advantages like not-needing sleep or immunity to disease and poison.

War Beneath Heaven S02 E07: Lost Leader

• Cheng Dao and HSS decide it is best he represents HSS and Purchase the Title for Prince of the Heights. The cost would be brokered by Dylan Baker of the Tower and negotiated with all the participating Domain Mage Lords conceding to Cheng after they get their cut. (old fashioned feudalism which pretty much how things work in established and stable oligarchies).
  • Bill has a “recent” acquisition but Cheng is too busy expanding and wheeling and dealing to pay closer attention.
  • The underground tunnels was an old water way and logistics network more than 1000 years ago.
  • HSS plans to expand their secret network using the tunnels, and Bill's knew “friend” gives them a way to be ignored by the Tunnel's pale serpantine dragon guardian.
• Cheng was able to pony up the money because he plans to let the Russian Vampire Clans settle in his high population territory. Undead don't really deal with Mages unless there was a way to enforce the deal, so the Russian Orthodoxy is brokering the deal with Cheng. Its a Win-Win... if you can call having a vampire clan move into your neighborhood a “Win”
• The party gains a Vampire Enforcer and his Handler: Sergei and Dimitri. Sergei has been as sleep for a long while and has come out of retirement. He's politics are simple and effective for this purpose: Police the Russian Vampire Clans/Mob – which means he has to make sure they don't gobble up more territory than the deal suggests and that they keep their numbers and activities in Check.
• The problem of the Dragon and the Kaeneen aka Devourers was settled... kinda. Osman and Thomas have been very poor in their Ops decisiveness. They did a terrible decision in leaving it up to a group decision. (Note: they should assign one of the PCs as Team or Project Leader). What happened is they ended up pursuing BOTH avenues by talking to the Far East Triad (Local Chinese Mafia which operate in the Economic Autonomous Zone). Chengs sends them with the Vampire hoping they can negotiate with the FET... without a plan.
• The meeting has been set up and some days pass, with the team doing their other responsibilities.
  • Speedy and Fish gossip with Jeni as they go about doing the Infra Duties and Responsibilities with building an underground network. Perfect: A Miner (and Explosives Expert) and an a Network guy.
• When they come to the meeting, obviously Thomas and Osman dropped the ball. They go down to a shielded room only for Cheng to prepare them terribly for the negotiations.
• They meet Willian Lao (Wu Lao) and his representative a Miss “Xin”. They find the information of the team useless and are far more interested in Killian. Bill was trying to sell his brother out, but the FET cannot believe such a man would do so, so quickly. When a gun fight was about to errupt, Miss Xin concludes the negotiation quickly by taking the information they desire from Fish and giving them the identity of the Dragon.
• The Dragon is working for Quijolo Group, a proxy of the Chinese government (and what should not be as surprise – a Rival of the Triad.
• The Party leaves and find out that Cheng's fortress is again attacked. Cheng uses excessive force: Fire magic to deal with the Devourers which attack them with Swarms and a well-Trained militia. Fires rage in the area, destroying the Shanties and causing much of the population to scatter.
• The Party rushes in and dispatches them, catching them by surprise. They seem to have taken out 18-19 Opfors...
• Post battle analysis looking dire as it may be a probing attack. Further Attacks on Cheng make him look weak to the other Domain Lords. After the battle, he wants Blood, he needs them to make an example of the Devourers. Osman and Thomas, are swayed to agree. They argue that to deal a decisive blow quickly to the Kaeneen – one that should end this would bring stability and lower the loss of life. They seem to change their minds quite quickly, asking the party to delay the attack on the Dragon for the Devourers.   

GM Notes. 

Give more room for players to Improvise. 

Give more "Flexible" time so that each turn is more satisfying. 

I have to tweak things to speed up combat flow. 

New Player, New to GURPS a session to show the system and build a character. 

Haven Headlines

Headlines are topic of conversations and potential plot hooks.

"Conservative Party" wins Majority in the Senatorial Elections
"Liberal Party" contests winnings

2,012 elections related violence incidents, down 500% from last elections. Analysts are optimistic.

Legba Group Ground Breaking of the New Commercial Business District.

Internet Campaigns Criticism

East Haven District, Former Mayor Charlie Wu contesting Richard Nuggo's win.

James Steele, Sex Scandal

Twelve Mining Contracts have all failed bidding.

Has Dambala vs Idamaz Political Rivalry turned a corner?

"Ghost Ship" Sighted on the South West Coast of Haven.

Police Uncovered Cargo Container with 3 tons of dog skeletons Wednesday Evening.

Police say Heights Apartments Killings, may be linked to "the Cannibal"!

Human Rights Watch, over 50,308 Teenagers and children still missing. HRW says there may be tripple the number of undocumented missing.

Political Prisoners call for Appeals, after Conservative Victory.

The new Ferrari Lannister Edition sighted in Haven Streets!

GURPS Modern Fantasy - Pregens and Characters

Here are the characters so far. No one has made claims to the Pregens yet, and the game will be up soon. Finished most of my prep, what is left is dry runs to make sure everything is working. Worse case scenarios Technical Planning is in order. 

I will continue the game even if two players will be available by game day.  

Edit: Character

I'll try to add "Non-Combat" Tactics, but i

 +Vaclav Tofl  Jack Smith, Bouncer/Bartender

 +Jarad Jones "the Cowboy"

Speedy programmer http://goo.gl/eBohF

Notable Skills: Programming-17 (plus single minded +3), Acrobatics (Free Running)-17.

The Action Star http://goo.gl/VAfDu

Notalble Skills- Perfomrance-16, Combat Art: Karate-18

Savy Biz Man http://goo.gl/cQy6n

Notable Skills Streetwise-15, Merchant-18

 Modern-day Prince http://goo.gl/exciD

Notable Skills Psychology-20,

Modern Fantasy Setting: Haven

Taken from Digger2000 from campaign cartographer

here is the Roll20 map
Country population 150Million
Land Area: 300,000 sqkm or 114,000 sqmiles
Wealth: Poor (Middle Class CoL is $7200USD a month - including HOUSING)
Health: Poor (except for Gated Communities in Central Business Districts).
Metropolis Pop Density: 30,000 pop per square km or 68,000 pop per sq mile
Industry: Mining, Light Manufacturing and BPO,
Government: Publicly Democracy (realistically Plutocracy)
Settled Ethnicity: 40% African, 15% Western, 10% Middle Eastern, 10% Indian, 8% Asian and a small minority of various other cultures.
National Language: English, Havani
Culture: American and African
Religion: 60% Christian (protestant), 20% Muslim,
Law Levels: No Lethal Weapons Allowed (very poorly enforced).

Basic History.
One of the Spanish assets lost to the US-Spanish War of the turn of the 20C. This little gem is a large island east of Madagascar, discovered by the Spanish on their return from circumnavigating the globe.

Features:
Walled Cities. Prior to the 2009 recession, there was hyper infrastructure projects that created a property bubble. When the recession hit, this bubble created so many mega-residential towns that had no buyers. Eventually squatters moved in and several dynasts and triads seized the land and created their own micro-towns.

Floating Shantie Towns. Ships that were being given away for scrap has found themselves new services as Triad Factories. Many Cargo haulers and mega freighters find themselves as personal "fiefs" of many crime families.

Traffic Notes. (Driving +4 routine mundane task; crit failure is accident)
Rush Hour 7am-10am, 5pm-8pm (monday to saturday) 10 min / 1 mile.
Medium or Light Train is 5 mins / 1 mile. (because of the Line and not the train)
Non-Rush Hour 5 mins / 1 mile.
Empty Hour 1am-6am  2 min / 1 mile

Commuting is x2 the amount of time vs Driving.

To speed up use Hasten Rules, -1 per -10%, Crit Failure is an accident. Heavy Bikes and Scooters have +2, and Light Bikes have +3.

Area Knowledge to Commute or Navigate

Economic outlook.
Corruption is rampant and more powerful than local law-enforcement. The triad power-levels have risen but there are many and they are thoroughly balkanized. This equal and almost homogeneous criminal and corrupt element has made the area effectively free trade.

Many speculate the Triads are going to go to war eventually, but right now economic prosperity has allowed everyone to live and let live.

Personal Notes.
Love Walled Cities and Ship Towns - they basically are modern dungeons basically the GMs can fire up the dungeon generator and VIOLA a modern day encounter LOL!