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Information and Rumours: Ciudad Juarez |
By: Dustin M. Ramsey (DustinM@rifts-rpg.com)
Based on Concepts and Game Design by: Kevin Siembieda and
Palladium Books (http://www.palladiumbooks.com)
Through the course of wandering about the city for a few days, a selfish creature of magic may have heard the following rumours and information...
There are over a dozen gangs in Ciudad Juarez, however, there are only a few, significant ones. One of the more powerful gangs is the Psykes.
The Psykes. They are a gang whose only requirement is that you have psychic abilities. The Psykes (pronounced "sikes") tend to be more intelligent, organized, and subsersive than most gangs. They control the west side and the nicer section of the North Town slums. The marority of gang members wear bright, multicoloured ponchos. Their insignia is an eye (as in the psychic third eye) which many members have tatooed in the middle of their forehead. The Psykes are hated and feared by most people in Juarez.
Another big gang is the Guard, a militant vigilante group. They
wander the streets, protecting the citizens of Juarez from criminals,
supernatural monsters, D-Bees, and humans who prey on innocent
people, particularly the citizens of Juarez, however, the justice of
the Guard is very brutal.
The Subs are a 'D-Bees only' gang, allowing only the ugliest and most
inhuman looking to join. They are your typical tough-punk gang of
bullies who use there physical might to get what they want.
Word on the street also has it that despite the claim by the Ciudad
Juarez government that the city is "Vampire Free," there is a
gang of intelligent vampires that prey on and wreck
havoc with the residents of the city during the evening.
The Ciudad Juarez Police force is a haphazard militia that is as corrupt and brutal as the criminals and gangs they allegedly protect the citizens from. Many will deal in bribery, pay offs, extortion, and the sale of information and services. This has its good points, as often the police will overlook minor things (drugs, prostitution, assault, murder) with a bit of financial incentive.
A powerful organization in Juarez is the Blackmarket, which controls much of the illegal operations as well as chop-shops, houses of prostitution, and drug dealing in the city.
Another powerful, yet very secretive organization, is the Guild for the Gifted, also known simply as "The Gifted." The guild is a combination trade union and exclusive club for powerful men of magic and the occasional psychic and super-powered beings. The citizens of Ciudad Juarez avoid all members of the Guild for fear of becoming victims of human sacrifice, plagued by bad luck, or beseiged by demons. Rumours tell of nightly magic rituals, blood sacrifices, visitations by demons and god-beings, summonings of monsters, wizard feuds, and depravities of all kinds.
Armouries: A-Plus Energy Weapons (high-tech and heavy energy weapons), Complete Wilderness Outfitter (many expedition-type supplies and TW anti-vampire weapons), East Leather Goods & Accessories (unusual items), O'Loc's Armoury (new and used armour and weapons), Oficial Wilk's Laser Store (high quality Wilk's equipment and weapons for a very good price), The Power House Armoury (the premier dealer in brand new, perfect condition, mega-damage armour, robots, and weapons), The Thaloc Shop (TW weapons and equipment/vehicles), Quality Used Weapons and Armour (cheap, used armour and weapons for warriors low on cash), and Sergeant Carter's Gun Shop (specializes in S.D.C. projectile weapons, including anti-vampire rounds).
Rough and tough Saloons/Enertainment: The Duke's Card Parlour & Saloon, The Fighting Cock, The Feathered Serpent Tavern (called the "assassin's den" by locals), The Jaguar's Den, The Mid-North Arena (home of monster wrestling), Steve's Gags & Gifts, The South Wall Theatre and Freak Show, Mo's Tavern ("Where the elite meet to drink and eat."), Mind Games Shelter (place for those with exotic and decadent taste), The East Wall Pool Hall, The Hole in the Wall Pool Hall, The Stake & Mallet Tavern, Rickety Wall Dance Hall, and The Juarez Arena.
Places of Psychic/Magic Services/Equipment: Maliki's Curio Shop (magic items and services), Punta's Magic Shop (TW weapons and magic items), The House of Healing (psychic healing for reasonable fees), The Third Eye - Fortune Teller (offers palm reading, tarot cards, and fortune telling), The Thaloc Shop (TW weapons and equipment/vehicles), The Supernatural Protection Agency (escort service and detective agency owned and run by supernatural beings), The Techno-Wizard Conversion House (TW conversion of vehicles, weapons, and equipment; also recharges P.P.E. devices), Mind Games Shelter (almost every possible psychic service available from eroticism to healing; place for those with exotic and decadent taste), and The Wizard's Hut (healing potions, amulets, the occasional scroll or TW item, and magical services).
Popular stories/rumours/information on the street are:
The big thing that crashed in the desert earlier this week was really a Coalition test warcraft. They swarmed over the crash site for days!
The Guild for the Gifted practice their human sacrifices at the ley line nexus just outside of town at a Stonehenge-type circle of stone pillars and archways.
Yet another foolhearty band of two score mercenaries have disappeared into the desert of the vampire infested lands of northern Mexico.
Last week, the great Doc Reid and his fearless vampire hunters saved five hundred people in the village of Dazaxc from an attacking plague of insane, marauding vampires.
You get lots more bang for your buck at Kimmie's.
Intelligent vampires are a rarity; the vast majority (95%) are little more than insane animals dedicated to the destruction of all other life.
A rival gang (probably the Hammer) had Vlad the Inincible, the gang leader of the Subs, taken out.
Avrax the Stupendious is favoured over Kang the Conquerer in the upcoming Arena fight.
Erin Tarn, the famous historian and explorer, was capured and executed by the Coalition.
During the witching hour, one o'clock a.m., vampires are at there most powerful and are only vulnerable to water and the holy wood (dogwood).
The Guard is desperately searching for a dozen children that have disappeared over the past two weeks from the Slums.
Over two dozen bodies, torn to shreads and drained of blood, were found in the old cemetary outside of town.
A big rumble is brewing between the racist Hammer Gang (of El Paso) and the Subs.
Garlic, wolfbay, parsley, fresh spinach, fresh rhubarb, and faerie eyes will hold the undead at bay.
Big shipments of cocain and monst-hash (a potent smokable drug preferred by the Subs and many D-Bees) just came in through the Blackmarket last week.
Water melons can be used as very effective grenades against vampires (do to their high water content).
The big thing that crashed in the desert earlier this week was really a Coalition test spacecraft. They swarmed over the crash site for days!
The Arena pays big bucks to people who are willing to wrestle monsters, and even more to those that beat them!
El Paso police destroyed over fifty of the crazy vampires that had been terrorizing a suburb.
Sunlight, water, wood, silver, electricty, and the touch of the cross will kill a vampire.
Jon Newlove, slumlord, was killed by a demon days after he refused to sell out to the Guild.
Sir Lazarious, Cyber-Knight and general of Reid's Rangers, captured three rare, intelligent vampires that had been behind the unintelligent masses of vampires that had been slaughtering the people of the village of Dazax.
A vampire's victim is cursed to walking the earth for eternity, feeding off of the living.
You can make yourself impervious to a vampire's bite (your blood burns them like acid if they bite you!) if you eat at least a half dozen garlic burritos and drink a liter of your own urine every day.