Avatar AU Meme -- Cyberpunk
I've been working on this universe for some time, and now I'm ready to meme it!
I am aware that "cyberpunk" isn't necessarily the right word for this universe, so I am open to other suggestions!
CYBERPUNK WORLDBUILDING
Background Information
Late in the twenty-third century, a economical/technological war is being waged between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdoms. The Fire Nation is ruled by Firelord Ozai, who is also the president of Firetech; the Earth Kingdoms ultimately answer to Ba Sing Se. Firetech and by extension the Fire Nation focus largely on cybernetics (and androids, some say); the Earth Kingdoms are better known for the biological modifications of their populace. The Air Nomads have disappeared completely following a massive industrial accident a hundred years ago. The Southern Water Tribe has been economically devastated as a side effect of the cold war between Earth and Fire; in addition to this, those among them with the ability to move water - the Waterborn - have vanished one by one. The Northern Water Tribe is economically intact, but they have closed themselves off from the world completely.
The Air Nomads
The Air Nomads have been wiped out, and with them all those with the ability to move air - the Airborn. All four temples were the victim of an industrial accident a century ago, leaving none alive. In recent years, rumours have begun spreading of Airborn being born among the other nations, but there has been no official report of this.
The Water Tribes
The cold war between the Earth Kingdoms and the Fire Nation has left the Southern Water Tribe in dire straits. Economically devastated, very few jobs exist in the South Pole; as a result, many adults among the villages work in the Earth Kingdoms or in the Fire Nation so they can feed their families. The Waterborn among them all vanished fifty or more years ago, some from their very beds in the night. Only one Waterborn remains in the South now - or so rumours claim.
The Northern Water Tribe is still economically intact, but when the Waterborn among their Southern sisters began disappearing, they closed their borders entirely. Little news gets out, though presumably news gets in. Some trade exists between the Northern Water Tribe and both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdoms: It seems quite a few merchants get storm-tossed and find themselves in need of rescue by the Northern Water Tribe.
The Foggy Swamp Tribe is doing quite well in comparison to its polar cousins. Unlike the Southern Tribe, they have retained their Waterborn; unlike the Northern Tribe, they have not closed their borders. However, they act with caution. They claim that the swamp protects them, and in return they seek to protect it - Foggy Swamp forms the heart of the kingdom of Fen Zhao Ze, and they will not risk… accidents.
The Earth Kingdoms
While in general the varied Earth Kingdoms look to Ba Sing Se for leadership, the kingdoms of Omashu, Tiele, and Fen Zhao Ze are independent and seek to remain so. Han-Guk was once among them, but suffered severe devastation through drought and plague and was forced to apply to Ba Sing Se for aid some thirty years ago. Thus far, none of the others have endured similar problems: Omashu is an impenetrable mountain fortress, Tiele is desert, and those who enter Fen Zhao Ze seeking to do it harm never succeed.
With the exception of Fen Zhao Ze, which is more Water Tribe than Earth Kingdom in ethnicity and culture, all kingdoms in the Earth Kingdoms practise some form of biological modifications of their people. While most modifications are done before birth, they can and have been implemented after birth as well. Standard modification for all nations is an immunisation/organ boost; further modification is far more expensive. Common mods include hair and eye colour; the Earthborn - those who can move earth - also usually get a strength mod. From there mods vary according to wealth, future career, and location.
Biological modifications must be recorded and follow the regulations of permitted modifications. Any that don't follow these guidelines are considered illegal. In Ba Sing Se the laws and the social mores are the strictest: to have no modifications is to be a mongrel; to have too many is to be subhuman. The illegally modified aren't even considered subhuman - they are treated as animals and, when discovered by the government, are often disposed of like animals.
The Earth Kingdoms continue their research into biological modifiers, seeking to discover what it is that triggers the ability to move the elements - and to trigger it themselves.
The Fire Nation
Since the Firelords began dabbling in business with Firetech, rumours have flown fast and wide. It is whispered that Firelord Sozin, then the president of Firetech, is responsible for the accident that befell the Air Nomads, but there has never been any evidence that this is the case. Since Firetech's inception, all presidents have been Firelords. Sozin's son, Firelord Azulon, sought to change this: he intended for Iroh, his oldest son, to be Firelord, while his youngest son Ozai was to assume presidency of Firetech. On Azulon's untimely demise, however, Ozai took both the presidency and the throne.
Where the Earth Kingdoms use biological modifications to make their lives easier, the Fire Nation prefers the use of cybernetic replacements. These artificial limbs are quite advanced; many replacements now not only bear synthetic flesh that disguises the artificiality, cybernetics can be mapped to the body's chi, enabling the Fireborn to move fire with the replacement limb. To do so, of course, is almost prohibitively expensive, and many who require a replacement simply can't afford it. However, upgrading one's current replacement is a simple matter - software within the limbs uses wireless signals to download software upgrades that make the replacements work more and more like normal limbs.
While some seek cybernetic limbs because they wish to be stronger, most Fire citizens don't bother unless they lose a limb or need an organ transplant. What interests most people is the Firenet - a global system of interconnected computer networks. While the Earth Kingdoms have attempted to counter the Firetech monopoly of this communications system with their own World Net, Firenet remains the undisputed king of the cyber world.
The Avatar
There has been no sign of the Avatar since the Air Nomads were wiped out. As the next Avatar was supposed to be Airborn, many believe that the spirits were disgusted by the death of the unrealised Avatar and have ended the cycle of rebirth. As time goes on, more and more people believe that if the war ends, the Avatar will return at last.
Other Information
The cause of the cold war between the Earth Kingdoms and the Fire Nation is largely unknown, but it has been ongoing for roughly a century. Measures are taken to make sure the other nation doesn't get the upper hand. Ba Sing Se, the most extreme example, is considered a "blackout zone" - once the wireless in Firetech uploads the location to the servers, the tech goes "dead" and the software within is wiped. Since the wireless is directly connected to the power source, unless someone knows what they're doing disabling the wireless will also disable the power in the limb. In turn, it is all but impossible to access the Firenet from Ba Sing Se; anyone inside the walls of the city is forced to access the global system via the World Net.
The Rules
Because I know how much you guys love this part of it.
I will not be responding to this meme until after my midterm on the evening of March 25, but I will be collecting prompts starting now. Midterm is done, prompts are being filled! Have fun, y'all!
I'm also looking for suggestions for a 'verse name that is better than "Cyberpunk".
I am aware that "cyberpunk" isn't necessarily the right word for this universe, so I am open to other suggestions!
CYBERPUNK WORLDBUILDING
Background Information
Late in the twenty-third century, a economical/technological war is being waged between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdoms. The Fire Nation is ruled by Firelord Ozai, who is also the president of Firetech; the Earth Kingdoms ultimately answer to Ba Sing Se. Firetech and by extension the Fire Nation focus largely on cybernetics (and androids, some say); the Earth Kingdoms are better known for the biological modifications of their populace. The Air Nomads have disappeared completely following a massive industrial accident a hundred years ago. The Southern Water Tribe has been economically devastated as a side effect of the cold war between Earth and Fire; in addition to this, those among them with the ability to move water - the Waterborn - have vanished one by one. The Northern Water Tribe is economically intact, but they have closed themselves off from the world completely.
The Air Nomads
The Air Nomads have been wiped out, and with them all those with the ability to move air - the Airborn. All four temples were the victim of an industrial accident a century ago, leaving none alive. In recent years, rumours have begun spreading of Airborn being born among the other nations, but there has been no official report of this.
The Water Tribes
The cold war between the Earth Kingdoms and the Fire Nation has left the Southern Water Tribe in dire straits. Economically devastated, very few jobs exist in the South Pole; as a result, many adults among the villages work in the Earth Kingdoms or in the Fire Nation so they can feed their families. The Waterborn among them all vanished fifty or more years ago, some from their very beds in the night. Only one Waterborn remains in the South now - or so rumours claim.
The Northern Water Tribe is still economically intact, but when the Waterborn among their Southern sisters began disappearing, they closed their borders entirely. Little news gets out, though presumably news gets in. Some trade exists between the Northern Water Tribe and both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdoms: It seems quite a few merchants get storm-tossed and find themselves in need of rescue by the Northern Water Tribe.
The Foggy Swamp Tribe is doing quite well in comparison to its polar cousins. Unlike the Southern Tribe, they have retained their Waterborn; unlike the Northern Tribe, they have not closed their borders. However, they act with caution. They claim that the swamp protects them, and in return they seek to protect it - Foggy Swamp forms the heart of the kingdom of Fen Zhao Ze, and they will not risk… accidents.
The Earth Kingdoms
While in general the varied Earth Kingdoms look to Ba Sing Se for leadership, the kingdoms of Omashu, Tiele, and Fen Zhao Ze are independent and seek to remain so. Han-Guk was once among them, but suffered severe devastation through drought and plague and was forced to apply to Ba Sing Se for aid some thirty years ago. Thus far, none of the others have endured similar problems: Omashu is an impenetrable mountain fortress, Tiele is desert, and those who enter Fen Zhao Ze seeking to do it harm never succeed.
With the exception of Fen Zhao Ze, which is more Water Tribe than Earth Kingdom in ethnicity and culture, all kingdoms in the Earth Kingdoms practise some form of biological modifications of their people. While most modifications are done before birth, they can and have been implemented after birth as well. Standard modification for all nations is an immunisation/organ boost; further modification is far more expensive. Common mods include hair and eye colour; the Earthborn - those who can move earth - also usually get a strength mod. From there mods vary according to wealth, future career, and location.
Biological modifications must be recorded and follow the regulations of permitted modifications. Any that don't follow these guidelines are considered illegal. In Ba Sing Se the laws and the social mores are the strictest: to have no modifications is to be a mongrel; to have too many is to be subhuman. The illegally modified aren't even considered subhuman - they are treated as animals and, when discovered by the government, are often disposed of like animals.
The Earth Kingdoms continue their research into biological modifiers, seeking to discover what it is that triggers the ability to move the elements - and to trigger it themselves.
The Fire Nation
Since the Firelords began dabbling in business with Firetech, rumours have flown fast and wide. It is whispered that Firelord Sozin, then the president of Firetech, is responsible for the accident that befell the Air Nomads, but there has never been any evidence that this is the case. Since Firetech's inception, all presidents have been Firelords. Sozin's son, Firelord Azulon, sought to change this: he intended for Iroh, his oldest son, to be Firelord, while his youngest son Ozai was to assume presidency of Firetech. On Azulon's untimely demise, however, Ozai took both the presidency and the throne.
Where the Earth Kingdoms use biological modifications to make their lives easier, the Fire Nation prefers the use of cybernetic replacements. These artificial limbs are quite advanced; many replacements now not only bear synthetic flesh that disguises the artificiality, cybernetics can be mapped to the body's chi, enabling the Fireborn to move fire with the replacement limb. To do so, of course, is almost prohibitively expensive, and many who require a replacement simply can't afford it. However, upgrading one's current replacement is a simple matter - software within the limbs uses wireless signals to download software upgrades that make the replacements work more and more like normal limbs.
While some seek cybernetic limbs because they wish to be stronger, most Fire citizens don't bother unless they lose a limb or need an organ transplant. What interests most people is the Firenet - a global system of interconnected computer networks. While the Earth Kingdoms have attempted to counter the Firetech monopoly of this communications system with their own World Net, Firenet remains the undisputed king of the cyber world.
The Avatar
There has been no sign of the Avatar since the Air Nomads were wiped out. As the next Avatar was supposed to be Airborn, many believe that the spirits were disgusted by the death of the unrealised Avatar and have ended the cycle of rebirth. As time goes on, more and more people believe that if the war ends, the Avatar will return at last.
Other Information
The cause of the cold war between the Earth Kingdoms and the Fire Nation is largely unknown, but it has been ongoing for roughly a century. Measures are taken to make sure the other nation doesn't get the upper hand. Ba Sing Se, the most extreme example, is considered a "blackout zone" - once the wireless in Firetech uploads the location to the servers, the tech goes "dead" and the software within is wiped. Since the wireless is directly connected to the power source, unless someone knows what they're doing disabling the wireless will also disable the power in the limb. In turn, it is all but impossible to access the Firenet from Ba Sing Se; anyone inside the walls of the city is forced to access the global system via the World Net.
The Rules
Because I know how much you guys love this part of it.
- Everybody gets three prompts; I promise to fulfil at least one.
- Comments are a balm for the soul, and will lead to a willingness to continue work on the meme. Even a "thank you" is appreciated, and only polite.
- I already know what everybody is. No asking for, say, biomod!Zuko or cyborg!Katara
- No shipping requests! While there may be crushes every which way, all pairings will line up with canon pairings. Yes, this does mean I will be writing Kataang, God help me.
- If your request doesn't mesh with my plans for this 'verse, I will either modify it so that it fits within the universe or I will ask you to submit a new request.
- I am not disallowing Jet on this meme! I am attempting to get over my dislike of him, but to do that I need your help. I am, however, pre-emptively disallowing any requests that involve Jet stalking Zuko or being pissed off that Zuko is Fireborn. Be creative, people.
- Added 30 March 2010: Read the comments to make sure you're not requesting something that has already been requested! It helps a lot.
I will not be responding to this meme until after my midterm on the evening of March 25, but I will be collecting prompts starting now. Midterm is done, prompts are being filled! Have fun, y'all!
I'm also looking for suggestions for a 'verse name that is better than "Cyberpunk".