10
Juicers Today
Circa 105 P.A.
Despite the Coalition ' s laws and persecution, Juicers are
fairly numerous in many parts of North America. Kingdoms like
Ishpeming make extensive use of these augmented warriors, and
offer the conversion process for sale to those who can afford it.
Unlike the "super-soldiers" of the past, most Juicers become
what they are for selfish reasons, not patriotism or a just "cause."
Some see themselves as heroes and heroines, but many others
just want to enjoy life to the fullest while they can, regardless of
the consequences.
Becoming A Juicer
The road to power and glory is not an easy one. People be
come Juicers for a multitude of reasons, and those who wish to
become Juicers often fail to achieve their dreams. Some com
mon patterns among those who choose the short life of the su
per-warrior are described below. They can be helpful for players
wishing to develop a Juicer character, and for Game Masters
who wish to treat Juicer non-player characters as something
more than combat monsters to throw at the adventuring party.
Common Juicer Volunteers
"Are you nuts? You wanna die or something? "
"We all die, old man. I wanna live the good life first!"
-Conversation overheard outside a Body-Chop-Shop
Who wants to become a Juicer?
The shortcomings of the process are obvious and well-publi
cized; most notably, a very shortened life span and violent death.
Coalition propaganda depicts Juicers as insane psychopaths who
will die horribly in a few years and, thus, have no respect what
soever for human life or decency (in many cases, true). Still,
there are many for whom even these facts and dark reputation
are no deterrent. Among them are the following:
The Young and the Stupid:
Many people in their late teens
and early twenties feel immortal, and think that nothing terrible
is really going to happen to them. Most of these people have no
combat experience and do not realize that death has no respect
for age or youth. Also, despite the warnings, propaganda and
cautionary tales, many people actually do not believe the process
is lethal ! Even if it is, they reason, they still have a chance to de
tox after three years (a long time in their minds). Their plan is
simple, they tell themselves: undergo the process, make a pile of
money and "retire" after three years. Easy and exciting, they fig
ure. They are wrong.
Mercenary recruiters for independent kingdoms love this type
of foolish "volunteer." They can hire them relatively cheaply
(the cost of the Juicer conversion plus some form of stipend or
salary), plus these new Juicers are likely to be loyal as long as
they believe there is hope. Eventually, however, Juicers who
hang around others of their kind see the price of power first
hand. They soon realize that they are probably doomed to die in
the throes of a drug-induced bio-overdrive or blasted to atoms on
1 1
the battlefield. Even worse, most o f them soon become totally
addicted to both the enhancing drugs and, more importantly, to
the feeling of super-human strength, speed and physical perfec
tion. They get a rush when people whisper in fear, "Oh my god,
a Juicer," and often mistake fear, hate and awe with respect and
power. Their carefully crafted plans soon collapse and they be
come addicts with no way out, or bitter, often mentally twisted
men and women who feel life has handed them a raw deal.
Most Juicers of this ilk end up with an anarchist, miscreant or
diabolic alignment, always looking out for number one. Many of
them start with unscrupulous or even good alignments, but the
discovery of their predicament often leads them astray.
The Obsessed:
Some people follow the Juicer's path with
their eyes open, knowing full well the consequences, and not
caring. Among them are those who want to be able to strike back
at a former tormentor or oppressor. This enemy could be any
body, from an individual to an entire species. Many former vic
tims of supernatural predators such as vampires or the minions
of the Splugorth have undergone the Juicer conversion for a
chance to get revenge on them. Some would-be revolutionaries
or former enemies of the Coalition States have done the same,
hoping that in the five to seven years they will have left to live,
they will be able to do enough damage to compensate for their
sacrifice. Personal conflicts are also a common motivation;
many are the tales of Juicers who lived for the day when they
could confront somebody who offended or brutalized them or
their loved ones. Bullied children often dream of gaining the
Juicer's powers so they can teach their tormentors a lesson.
The biggest problem these avengers have is the high cost of
the Juicer process. Unlike the more mercenary Juicers, the ob
sessed do not want to spend two or more years of their lives
working off their debt. Instead, they try to sell what little worldly
goods they have, or raise the money through more illicit means.
A few pretend to accept the terms of an employer, and then es
cape as soon as they undergo the Juicer conversion. These oath
breakers are often pursued by their angry ex-employers, beaten,
enslaved and/or executed.
Most obsessed Juicers are anarchist, aberrant or diabolic;
their driving goal has become so important that they will gladly
sacrifice not only themselves but anybody or anything to achieve
it. Some may hesitate before harming the innocent - after all,
many of them were former victims themselves - but others
simply don't care anymore.
The Insane:
You don't have to be crazy to be a Juicer, but it
helps. A significant percentage of these augmented warriors are
indeed psychotic or delusional. Some think they will beat the
odds and survive longer than the allotted five to seven years;
others are so far removed from reality they only have a vague
idea of what is happening to them. The worst of the lot are the
true psychotics, people who have no respect whatsoever for hu
man life, and who do not have normal emotions and feelings.
These madmen have no remorse or compassion, and often kill
for no good reason. Fortunately, psychopaths do not survive
long in civilized areas; as soon as their true natures are revealed,
they are often killed by lynch mobs, champions of justice like
Cyber-Knights, and even their fellow Juicers. However, psycho
Juicers in the wilderness can indulge in their insanity without
fear of reprisals, especially among the most brutal outlaw gangs
that terrorize the countryside.
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