Sixth World Africa Options

[Socinus]

I'm curious if there is any detailed information about Africa, specifically Somalia, in the Sixth World.

There seems to be spatterings of information around, but I cant find any devoted information. The most info I've found on Africa period is in the Sixth World Almanac and there is zero on Somalia. The only information I've found on Somalia PERIOD is a few sentences in Shadows of Asia.

EDIT: It seems modern Somalia has become part of the Ethiomalian Territories, but there isnt much info on that area either.

[BishopMcQ]

Somalia is now part of the Ethiomalian Territories--there is a brief blurb in Feral Cities (p. 73), the SoA blurb you found, SOTA: 63 (p. 67). The largest source of information is in War! (p. 121-2)

[CanRay]

Take Africa today, add in Megacorporations, remove the support they're getting from the UN, and there you go.

Actually, one of the characters I have has a Sister that's doing Missionary work in Africa as a Nun. She was sent there by the Vatican because she learned something that wasn't meant to be known...

[ggodo]

Ghouls. Ghouls EVERYWHERE!

Well, that's just Asamando

[Megu]

Personally I'd treat it as a relatively blank slate, as War is the only fairly definitive information, and War wasn't well received in general anyways. I think I could have done something cooler with the hook in Feral Cities than they did in War, in any case.

[CanRay]

Personally I'd treat it as a relatively blank slate, as War is the only fairly definitive information, and War wasn't well received in general anyways. I think I could have done something cooler with the hook in Feral Cities than they did in War, in any case.

I wish War! never happened.

Although, that might be because I read it in the ER Waiting Room...

[The Shuhite]

there was some info on Africa mostly west Africa and Madagascar in CyberPirates. Nothing on Somalia though.

[Hagga]

I wish War! never happened.

Although, that might be because I read it in the ER Waiting Room...

Those grenade spells and military tech toys aren't balanced out by the fact that they called spirits.. what was it, maelstrom and oblivion? Why not just call them NASTY and MEAN?

[hermit]

I'm curious if there is any detailed information about Africa, specifically Somalia, in the Sixth World.

War! had the following to say about Somalia:

Hurr hurr hurr da [Bad Word!] haz no water cuz da Arabs stealz it hurr hurr no dey shooz each ozers durr cuz dats what da [No! Terms of Service!] r good 4 DURRRRRR

Sadly, this is all there is to go on about Somalia. Basically, it's today's Somalia teleported into a future where Global Sandstorm behaves like some sort of 80s cartoon supervillain and steals their water for the purpose of EVULZ. Seriously. Now it's a desert and people are shooting each other in the face habitually.

Africa got the shit treatment in SR anyway, especially in the Almanac, which is the most unimaginative description of Africa possible - labeling 60% of the continent "here be [No!!]s" would at least have been somewhat ironic. the way they did it, they basically said the same, only in a tone that implied they're actually being serious. Africa's just out of luck with SR writing. Findley supposedly was working on an Africa book, but died before it became anything remotely publishable. And 4th Edition - while covering Africa a fair deal now - is just bad. The Nigeria writeup contradicts previous lore - Cyberpirates put Nigeria as a fairly stable, developed nation, whereas Feral Cities makes it out to be - today's Nigeria with Horizon franchises and a thriving slave trade that would sell everyone in the country to the ghouls in a decade if you actually do the maths, for GRIMDARK or whatever. How imaginative, CGL.

Do yourself a favor, make something up. It can't possibly suck as much as the canon treatment of Africa in SR4.

[Wakshaani]

Yeah, information is scarce.

You have three options, really.

#1: African Hellhole. Resources tapped out, no money, people back to tribalism and murder.

#2: Modern life but a bit further along. This allows them to be developed for the third world, semi-stable and with a functional, if corrupt, government, and facing periods of growth interrupted by crippling famine.

#3: Economic force/corporate playground. In today's real word, Eastern Africa is getting quite a bit of investment from Chinese companies looking for the cheapest places to outsource factories. Projecting and Shadowrunning it up, you can toss a few corporations into Ethopia, maybe an arcology or three, and use the locals as cheap labor for factory production. Aztechnology is an obvious pick, but also Shiawase and Renraku. All three do a lot of consumer goods, which need cheap production, with the Azzies also being big supporters of the food industry ... having them run gene-fixed grain plantations, for example, and clothing sweatshops fits right in. Ethopian citizens endure it because, well, it's actually a better life than before, with money flowing in, a corrupt governmental body that grows fat from kickbacks, and being able to look at neighboring countries that are falling/have fallen apart. It's a win for everyone, but dark and depressing at the same time.

[Wakshaani]

A quick peek at teh Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia

Shows that it's teh second-most populous nation in Africa after Nigeria and talks about the wildly diverse terrain. MASSIVE potential for hydro-electric power, which means Shiawase Envirotech, top producer of coffee and honey (Aztechnology) and cattle (Uhm. Hrm. No idea who makes actual *meat* in 2072! Let's give it to Renraku, just 'cause.) Best economy in eastern AFrica (for whatver that's worth), oldest Christian nation, and thought to be the birthplace of humanity itself (Hello Atlantean Foundation!)

You have a landlocked nation, so, if they're making things via megacorp, they have to ship stuff. You have four neighbors ... the large Sudan, which has corporate backing via S-K, the smaller Eritrea, the tiny Dijbouti, and the large Somalia... and right about now is where I realize you wanted info on Somalia, not EThopia. Crud! Well, I'm on a roll, so let's keep it going. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) You could have the Etheopian military roll into a neighbor and take it over, but, instead, let's make Dijbouti a "Free city" type, where anything goes and the corporations have expanded the ports, allowing shipment from Etheopian factories. The three megacorps that are prominant have an unspoken contract that, while you can do runs against one another, the docks are off limits in the name of profits for all. Somalian pirates are still active, trying to pick off shipments that leave Dijbouti filled with Megacorp riches, but the 2072 level of response to such actions is pretty high. Lots of dead Somalians, but, you also have other corps slipping them some support to harass the three that are active in Ethiopia.

And just like that, you have an economy, a shadow economy, and storylines to work with.

[sabs]

Also remember that anywhere form 75 to 95 percent of the African Population DIED between VITAS I and VITAS II. Madagascar is basically lifeless. SubSaharan Africa is a giant "There be strange things here" spot. Barely any humans left, and rampant magical jungle of doom.

There's a full fledged Ghoul nation.
There's some astronomical number of people living in Nigeria, except they have no way to grow food.

Basically, do what you want with Africa. It can't possibly be worse than what Shadowrun has done over the years.

[hermit]

Ethiopia also is by far the oldest African nation. It existed as a semi-united state as far back as the crusades (the fabled Kingdom of John the Priest King, which totally failed to help the crusaders). Also, it's only been landlocked since Eritrea decided it would be much cooler to declare itself independent, because being their own hideously dysfunctional nation just rocks the boat. The two states then spent all development aid dumped on them for a terrifying WW1 style trench warfare themed war over a bit of desert for a decade. Oldest Christian nation is in dispute with Armenia though.

Uhm. Hrm. No idea who makes actual *meat* in 2072!

All CC-recognised AAA megas have a natural food subsidiary, and then there's second-tiers like Yakashima (who, amongst other things, farm whales), Ingersoll, AG Chemie, Meridional, Monobe ... and then there's Carnation Farms in Snohomish, Seattle, with their skyscraper farming buildings.

You could have the Etheopian military roll into a neighbor and take it over

Yeah, they tend to do this every other decade.

All in all, plausible scenario. And a whole lot better than the turdistan they wrote up for War!.

[CanRay]

I really need to write Kraplakistan.

[Megu]

Do yourself a favor, make something up. It can't possibly suck as much as the canon treatment of Africa in SR4.

I agree, mostly, but I want to add the caveat that I really like what they did with Nairobi. Largely because they went for something other than Dark Continent bullshit with it, and didn't just read from the news and assume it'll be the same in sixty years. That's my problem with the Somalia. It's like people have forgotten that Somalia was one of Africa's more successful countries in the Siad Barre era. I would do something with Mogadishu other than make it a war torn hellhole, personally.

[hermit]

Right, forgot Nairobi, but that's too much McCorpstate for me. But I agree, at least it's not yet another African hellhole.

I mean, look at Benin. They covered Benin (okay, glanced it) in that Artifacts module and Feral Cities. Now Benin has a fascinating, long and definitly usable history and, given the awakening's tendency to recreate historical oddities, it could have been something very unique and interesting (the fabled Amazon state, at least, should be doable; really, you only need to play Empire:TW for that). But no, it's a generic African hellhole. Like all of Africa, most of which has been lumped into a giant territory namend here be [No inflamatory words!] Kongo Tribal Federation or somesuch. It's not like any place anywhere on this continent has a past beyond "they live in huts" after all.

The writing about Africa, exempting Nairobi, has been incredibly lazy and downright racist in SR4.

[Fatum]

Take Africa today, add in Megacorporations, remove the support they're getting from the UN, and there you go.

The UN is still around, why wouldn't it lend support? Sure it's not all too powerful, but it's about as powerful as it is now.

[Brazilian_Shinob...]

The UN is still around, why wouldn't it lend support? Sure it's not all too powerful, but it's about as powerful as it is now.

I would say even less, since national states lost a lot of its leverage and influence to the Megas with the single exception of Japan (and this only happens because 3 of the AAA are japanese).

[Megu]

I mean, look at Benin. They covered Benin (okay, glanced it) in that Artifacts module and Feral Cities. Now Benin has a fascinating, long and definitly usable history and, given the awakening's tendency to recreate historical oddities, it could have been something very unique and interesting (the fabled Amazon state, at least, should be doable; really, you only need to play Empire:TW for that)[...]

The writing about Africa, exempting Nairobi, has been incredibly lazy and downright racist in SR4.

Now there's an idea! I really like that. And I agree, there is something very colonialist about the "it's all the same hellhole" depictions.

[hermit]

I do, too.

Quick references:
Wikipedia
TW Wiki
A local museum
Wikipedia again

A quick and dirty idea: During the Year of Chaos, the State of Benin disappeared between warring tribes. Benin went trhough a phase of desolation and despair as VITAS, VITAS II and various warlords hit the place hard. During the 2030s, backed by Meridional Agronomics, Fon Warlord Nikopol Dayori Boni managed to carve out a relatively pacified territory around the former capital, where Meridional had set themselves up, backed by a militia of Eurowars veterans from Spain, France and Austria mainly. Soon he controlled most of the majorly Fon Territory - Zhou, 4 thru 6. He allied himself with Yoruba warlords [name] and [another name], and the Adja tribe who then held the old Benin capital of Abomey.

Nikopol, a very devout follower of Vodoun, also had a series of visions accredited by him and his Mambo to Oigun himself, patron god of the Fon in his local variation of voodoo. Hence, he recreated the Mino, who quickly developed a nasty reputation as the King's (he now called himself King Glélé secret police and brutal shock troops. Trained by Amazonian and French mercenaries and armed by Meridional with Euro-Wars ordinance, they led the King's armies on and helped the state of Benin survive to this day.

Hooks and oddities:
- who is the King's Mambo, and what is her hand in this?
- The Mino, despite decapitationg their enemies and putting heir heas on spikes, also have a shitload of voodoo themed adepts. Horizon is curious but after having been sent the heads of a research team, they rather send runners instead.
- Black Mamba, the Jackpointer, has some sort of hate towards the Mino. People wonder why.
- The Mino also specialisie in anti-Ghoul warfare. Supposedly, they have a cure for HMHVV III.
- Despite frequent clashes, the Dahomey also tolerate slave trade. A nosy reporter sees Meridional implicated and wants to snoop around.

You could take the Amazons aka Mino either in the direction of fierce monster/spirit slayers (more like less armored and black Sisters of Battle) orm as a relatively common african army that is all-female and has lots of magic (which doesn't mean they're just another army; honestly, check out some real-world militias from the Liberian and Sierra Leone civil wars, or the Congo. NUTS doesn'T begin to describe them).

[Wakshaani]

Huh.

You almost think that we should come together as a community and hammer out a 'Shadows across Africa' book.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Huh.

You almost think that we should come together as a community and hammer out a 'Shadows across Africa' book.

Yeah, because that worked Oh So Well for Alt.War... Even after all the hate, and pledges that the community could do so much better, and on a decent time frame (that was deadlined months ago), it STILL has not flown all that much. So much for the "We can do better Attitude." There is good stuff in there to be sure, and Dumpshock has access to some very talented people. But I am just not seeing it.

[Fatum]

Yeah, because that worked Oh So Well for Alt.War... Even after all the hate, and pledges that the community could do so much better, and on a decent time frame (that was deadlined months ago), it STILL has not flown all that much. So much for the "We can do better Attitude." There is good stuff in there to be sure, and Dumpshock has access to some very talented people. But I am just not seeing it.

I don't know about deadlines (cause I weren't around when those were set) but my part of alt. War will be out. I'll return to it as soon as I'm done with my exam session.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I don't know about deadlines (cause I weren't around when those were set) but my part of alt. War will be out. I'll return to it as soon as I'm done with my exam session.

And I thank you for that Fatum... You are definitely one of the ones I was praising when I said we had very talented people here. Your work is solid. I may not agree with it all, but I do like it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Fatum]

Nothing I write is set in stone before it's out in final illustrated pdf (and even then...), so I'm very much willing to hear your objections and corrections. "alt.war: Russia - quo prodest?" would be a better place than this thread, though, I believe.