Corporate Rule
After resource wars and ecological disaster devastated the previous two cities of Sydney, the megacorporations that emerged from the conflict seized control of the state and began to rebuild the world’s cities in their image.
The sprawling megacity of Sydney3 stands now as Goliath’s crown jewel and testament to the unrestrained corporatocracy that has taken hold at the turn of the millennium.
Life in Sydney3 is rough for anyone who is unable to climb the corporate ladder and most find themselves struggling in the lower levels for survival.
Privatised Police
Control over the city is maintained by an armed police serving Goliath’s interests through the use of a mostly ceremonial police Commissioner that reports directly to the Corporate Council.
Thanks to extensive funding from Goliath, the S3PF is considered one of the most armed and dangerous forces on the Australian continent.
A career with the S3PF continues to be a highly aspirational goal for a large portion of the lower level’s population as it comes with greater job security and guaranteed housing in the police precinct on the surface of Sydney3.
The Pitt Street Housing COmplex
What was once known as Sydney Harbour has long since been drained of water and in the bedrock below, Goliath began the construction of the largest housing project in human history.
Forming the foundations of Sydney3, The Pitt Street Housing Complex is a sprawling network of service infrastructure mixed with low income housing that barely meets any reasonable standard.
For many in the city, the choice is either live on the streets and be subjected to extreme weather, predatory street gangs, and police brutality or spend the majority of their weekly wage struggling to stay in one of the subterranean apartments.
The Vrmin Plague
No one really knows what started the VRmin Plague, but it started in the Lower Levels and has been spreading throughout the city ever since. Many believe that it was originally a new product from Goliath that went wrong, but with little information provided to the public it remains nothing more than a popular conspiracy theory.
To defuse increasing frustration with Goliath’s inability to deal with the untreatable condition, Commissioner Roe has implemented an extensive marketing campaign to shift the focus away from the company, instead blaming VR addiction and black market vendors for the cause.
Pockets of Resistance
Hidden amongst the towering factories of the Industrial Sector, disparate groups of black market dealers and rogue hackers form tentative alliances in hopes of escaping the relentless persecution from the S3PF.
In one of the last dead zones in the citywide surveillance network, plans are being made to destabilise Goliath’s control over the Sydney3 and in doing so, return power to the people.
Unfortunately, the recent spate of Mass Hacking incidents has drawn the ire of the S3PF and it’s only a matter of time before the Cyber Crimes division makes a break in the case and finds the enigmatic hacker group known as Faux/Pass.