Core [REBOOT] - PreNES, Registration, Questions, and OOC

Generation 1 – 35 Years
- Work on Core begins (0)
- Core completed (18)
- Core closed off (35)
Generation 2 – 28 Years (35-63)
- First generation to live entirely within Core
Generation 3 – 24 Years (63-87)
Generation 4 – 23 Years (87-110)
- Last generation with widespread electricity (96)
Generation 5 – 25 Years (110-135)
- Oldest person in Core born (130)
Generation 6 – 22 Years (135-157)
- Alessandri born (140)
- Last generation with modern medical technology (143)
Generation 7 – 23 Years (157-180)
Generation 8 – 22 Years (180-202)
Generation 9 – 6 Years (202-208)
- Contemporary with first game (208)

Language (understood, values done for Generation 9):
75% Spanish
60% English
45% Polynesian languages (Hawai’ian, Maori)
30% Bruíké
15% East Asian languages (Japanese, Tagalog, Malay)
10% Italian
<5% Portuguese, Russian
<1% Other languages (French, Dutch, Native American languages)

Possible start dates:
208 (Generation 9)
– Original game date
– Electricity and fuel near zero
– Widespread starvation, very high mortality rates
– Population of about 1 million
– Rumors of possible escape from the city
– Government collapsing
– Italian Mafia under Alessandri dominant crime

142/143 (Generation 6)
- Some generators
- Few hospitals, running on the last of the fuel
- Population of about 5 million
- Government weak, but has strong control over resources
- Mafias dominant crime

96 (Generation 4)
- Electricity still widespread, but dying
- Resources and food stretched too thin to be distributed
- Insufficient shelter and space
- Frequent blackouts
- Government fighting widespread gang wars, martial law
- Gangs dominant crime
- Population of about 30 million

34-36 (Generation 1/2)
- Electricity and resources available
- Resources and food rationed heavily
- Insufficient shelter and space
- Modern technology, edging slightly into sci-fi in some cases
- Government effective, widespread gang wars
- Gangs/unorganized dominant crime
- Major debate between humanitarian motives (allowing in more refugees) and survival motives (closing the city off)
- Population of about 15 million

The mighty city sprawls across the Panamanian coastline, dominating the surrounding landscape. From a helicopter or plane traveling overhead, a series of several concentric circles is visible.

Within the innermost circle lie gleaming buildings, the hallmark of the recently-completed city, and the true goal of the millions pouring into its walls. This is Core, soon to be the last haven of mankind. The highly-planned city has drained nearly all of the sparse resources the planners had to offer, and seems almost futuristic in nature. The world&#8217;s top doctors, engineers, and scientists live side-by-side with the founders, benefactors, and constructors of the city in an intellectual wonderland, protected by the most effective police force the world can offer. To the eastern edge, the harbor brings in constant waves of raw materials and resources, preparing for the eventual lock of the gates.
Beyond the first wall, however, a dramatically different story unfolds. Urban sprawl and horrific slums take over, as a city designed for a scant million swells to nearly fifteen times that number. Immigrants rush in from the outside, struggling to make it through the difficult entrance process only to find themselves in rapidly-constructed slums, ruled over by violent and disorganize gangs in neighborhoods the police struggle to control. Food and water are strictly rationed, and many make a living by stealing or selling food &#8211; not always from traditional sources.

The lines of immigrants trail out beyond the third wall, clogging the roads that traverse the farmlands, held up at the myriad of checkpoints limiting entrance to the metropolis. Terrorist attacks are common, and many guard stations have either been locked off or turned into militarized chokepoints.

Within the city&#8217;s political sphere, a struggle has long remained in deadlock. On one hand, many feel it is wrong to lock off the city, and condemn millions to death. On the other, the increase in crime and rapid use of resources &#8211; already drawing upon emergency reserves intended for the distant future &#8211; has led to a group calling for the closure of the gates as the only way to ensure any portion of humanity will survive.

Social tensions are not merely limited to these factors, though. The incredible diversity of the city has brought in some incredible differences &#8211; though it officially services all of the Americas and much of the Pacific Rim, Core&#8217;s founders were predominantly from the richer countries of the region, creating a large upper class of Anglophone or Japanese immigrants. Later waves, however, were chosen most frequently for skills or humanitarian reasons, and so a predominantly Hispanic underclass has been created, with strong elements from Polynesian, Filipino, and other minority peoples from the regions. As a result, strong perceptions of ethnic inequality have erupted, and calls for drastic change are far from uncommon.

Lorenzo Michelakos stood at the stern of his ship, perhaps the most unimposing captain in all of history. Middle-aged, balding, and with a pot belly to fit his short stature, the man had a horrible reputation as a con artist &#8211; a completely valid concern, given his presence in the city. All of this was far outside of Lorenzo&#8217;s attention, though, as he stared up at the harbor skyline. Among the many buildings overlooking the shore, he picked out one in particular &#8211; an apartment complex, with a massive top-floor penthouse projecting itself over the water. This was why he was one of the few merchants still willing to deal with Core; his underhanded tactics had guaranteed a seat of luxury at the end of the world. He just had one more shipment to make, the final load of fuel he would deposit along the Panamanian bay. A series of shouts broke Michelakos&#8217; concentration, and he turned in time to feel a wave of heat wash over him, a brilliant inferno of light and sound. Later medical and forensic reconstructions would declare that the Greek felt nothing; his neck had snapped in the initial explosion. The smoldering ship would rapidly disappear beneath the waves, yet another sunken vessel awaiting a dredge call from the docks.

Past the first wall, police helicopters swung away from the tropical slums, leaving Shad Karim bizarrely alone. This neighborhood had recent been burned down; most likely an act of arson. With the area already looted for any valuables, it was temporarily abandoned, leaving the Core-born nineteen-year-old with a brief moment of solitude. Musing to himself, Shad drew a knife from his sweatshirt, before flicking the hood up. His parents had done better than most upon arrival &#8211; being from Chicago, and Marrakech before that, they weren&#8217;t incapable of handling themselves &#8211; but a wealthy family living in the slums was still going to suffer. His mother had died of illness while he was a child; his father caught in a shootout between gangs and police three months back. The orphan had come home to find a charred and raided shack, and Karim had lived on the streets ever since. Glancing up quickly at the wall, to ensure the guards were not watching, Shad returned to his feet, and ducked beneath the nearby overhang. There had to be a way into the main city, if only you knew where to look&#8230;

The central hub of the city, much like the walls, is a circle, ringed by a variety of high-profile buildings. Within one of these, Gautier Michel sat, uncertain of whether he wanted to strangle the man across from him, or jump out the closest window. Arata Hamasaki, the man in question, was rather displeased with the reaction.

&#8220;You do realize, Michel, that this is your job,&#8221; Hamasaki asked, &#8220;and that we no longer have time to wait?&#8221;

Gautier&#8217;s left eye made the slightest twitch in frustration. &#8220;I am responsible for public announcements, Mr. Hamasaki. My job is to tell people what the council decided upon, not that an engineer has decided to kill them!&#8221;

Arata leaned back, pressed his palms together, and sighed. The Tokyo-born doctor bowed his head to the Montréal-born politician, and began again.

&#8220;We have been over this before. Core was designed for approximately one million people, and established resources to support up to three million by the end of the next decade. Our latest estimates place the population at an excess of fifteen million people, and we have already dipped into emergency resources set aside for the next century. We simply cannot continue to support these people. Our capabilities do not allow it.&#8221;

Michel leaned forwards, and responded again. &#8220;I will not condemn these people to death, Arata.&#8221;

&#8220;Then you will condemn all of humanity to death.&#8221;

Gautier remained silent at this. Arata continued.

&#8220;Whether you like or not, Mr. Michel, the matter is decided. You are to report the matter to the public.&#8221;

As the man, one of the few who had designed the city, walked out the door, he turned again to Gautier.

&#8220;Let us not forget who is in charge, Mr. Michel.&#8221;

The Quebecois man bowed his head in defeat, and muttered.

&#8220;I doubt you know who that is any more than I do.&#8221;

Temporary stand in for a character format (suggested guidelines, feel free to vary as you wish. Bonus points if you manage to link it all together into a quality RP, rather than a registration form).

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Physical Description: (Height/weight/build/eye color/hair color/etc. Be very detailed
Origin: (Place of birth, and any other places you may have been. Most people born in Core are under the age of 18)
Occupation: (What you do. Legal or illegal, successful or unsuccessful, doesn't matter to me)
Bio: (As detailed as possible)

Everything should be as detailed and original as possible. Especially original. Non-original characters (including "reskins") are strictly prohibited, and I will not be pleased if I catch one that snuck under my radar.