Welcome To San Waterdeep

The year is 2983 DR. Faerun has become quite a different place. Progress happened day by day. Our buildings grew stronger, taller, more sturdy. New metal smithing techniques led us into a period of progress of which we've never seen. Those damn tinkering Gnomes even figured out the damned microprocessor.

Infused with magic, technology has blanketed the world. Soon the same powers that sought the magic of powerful artifacts to rule lands, now sought the power of profits to rule the world. Corporations have divided the city of San Waterdeep into sections and vie for control of them. Even damned dragons have risen to power, nearly every corporation is headed by an elder dragon. Their treasure hordes are no longer literal, but are numbers in a bank account. They've probably lived long enough to see the entire world progress.

Global networks cover all of Faerun, and even more rural locations have plenty of security and surveillance. A special magic imbues most of the technology as well so this has led to a rise in magic users with techromancy skills. The ability to manipulate technology around them with magic. This has been highly suppressed by security firms working for the corporations in the city. Most times techromancers are given stacked trials and death sentences for even trivial use of their powers if they go against the wishes of a corporation. Though many corps have employed techromancers for their own nefarious uses.

Cosmetic implants, and some cybernetic implants are not completely unheard of, although flashier ones cost far more than smaller utility stuff. Most beings have some form of connected implants, and most of these can be seen on the global net.

These days it's all a person can do to get a few gold credits transferred over for a job well done, and it's even more for that job to be a clean one. If you're lucky you're not dumping bodies in the harbor, instead you're slicing terminals to try and swap something more valuable than the treasure chests of old, information.

Humans are probably still one of the more predominant species around, with others filling in various roles they are quite good at, although race doesn't necessarily determine your social status, being half-orc, or part goblin may give you very detrimental disadvantages in the eyes of many citizens. Prejudices run deep.

The goblins and other more chaotic races are nothing more than thugs, biker gangs, and drug dealers. Running not very organized crime. Though some may aspire to more, it's a tough crawl out of that pit.

Large corporations and security firms have even hired some of the more villainous creatures, such as the mind flayers to 'interrogate' persons of interest to the firm. Though most positions within the corps are fairly respectable mid-level positions there are executives working with teams who are kept under the tightest security and secrecy. These shadowy arms of corporations are generally kept out of the public eye, but then again you aren't the normal public.

Yours is a merc group working for various contracts, and in varying shades of grey as far as morality is concerned. This doesn't mean you aren't noble warriors, but even a noble warrior has to dirty his boots to help people out. The work has been dwindling lately, but with this latest contact, you may just be able to retire from the work and finally take it easy for once.

[ GM: I'll be updating this thread more with more detail about the city. Feel free to ask questions and I'll detail our more lore on topics. ]

The corporations that run San Waterdeep
In the past the factions of Waterdeep vied for power and control, and they still do to this day. Though the control is much less cut and dry. Now split into mega corporations with shadowy research arms, medical experimentation, or dubious security practices, most of these have a small privatized army at their disposal. The 4 largest players in the city are:

Shield Security Systems, Inc
Shield Security Systems, or just Shield was once the Knights of the Shield, a faction already known for dealing in, and manipulating, information. They now own most of the digital systems within San Waterdeep. If you need to slice your way past a door, or hack into a security system you are generally dealing with Shield tech.

As the second largest power in San Waterdeep they also have a large portion of enforcers walking the streets to keep peace.

SWPD, Inc
The old city guard became the local police force. Once privatization took over they themselves became a security corporation that works to keep and enforce peace to the best of their capabilities. They are generally lowest on the level of government funding and as such haven't risen to as much power as the other corporations. They work hard to maintain friendly contact with the public, but have also been accused of many scandals that never seem to produce the proper evidence to prove.

Silver Star Biomedical Corp
The Silver Stars, once the charitable clerics of the city of Waterdeep have become the largest sellers of medical implants and enhancements, as well as pharmaceuticals and surgical supplies. You can't take a scratch, or lose a limb without putting some money into the pocket of the Silver Star Biomedical Corp to get it fixed.

Grey Ballistics Corp
The Grey Hands, a once powerful force for good have fallen over the decades. After a power struggle for control the Grey Hands simply became weapons dealers and manufacturers. Where once they did good, now they sell the weapons that help you to do good. Unfortunately, they are often less particular about who the buyer is. Many shady dealings have brought them to power over a good portion of San Waterdeep. You will seldom see a gun in the city that doesn't have the Grey Ballistics logo stamped all over it.

Criminal Element:
Within the city of San Waterdeep ganger activity is almost non-existant in the primary districts. Head down to Skullport and you may have a different story. Most common street gangs are unorganized and deal in small weapons, drugs, or they may just rob you blind for fun. These factions always come and go and consist mostly of smaller more chaotic creatures. There however exists at least two major criminal organizations.

Kraken
The Kraken Society have always been ones in Waterdeep to deal in anything shady. They currently have eyes and ears all over San Waterdeep. They are the most prominent, and organized criminal society. They also operate the most noteworthy black market in San Waterdeep. If you are looking for secure firearms, hacked droids, or illegal weapons and body mods, you want to find the Kraken Society. There are even rumors that the original leader of the Kraken Society, Slarkrethel, may still live to this day, but these are more whispered as ghost stories in the night.

The Reds
The Reds, or Red Sashes as they used to be known, are sought out by the corporations not because their illegal activities are evil, but because they act in a much more chaotic good fashion. They exist in more of a rebel form than an organized crime fashion. They seek to do good where they can, but seldom will they follow the letter of the law. If you stay on their good side they can offer safe houses, basic supplies, and even healing services that won't leave a paper trail.

[ More information to fill in soon ]