Greeting, GUEST.
Consulate of Greater MTL, CA.
17°
Sunny

SAFEHOUSES & FOLLOWERS

A homebrew conversion of the ideas and mechanics of MCDM's Strongholds & Followers's book to the Cyberpunk Red TTRPG system and setting.

The timeline

1994

  • The Crash of ’94. Canada’s economy is deeply intertwined with the economy of the USA, when the Market Crash of 1994 starts. Canada found its economy crippled as US market manipulation came to light and shook market confidence the world over.
  • The Long Crisis begins. The Crash of ’94 started what later became known as the Long Crisis. For over a decade, Canada found itself dealing with the aftershocks of the collapse of the United States.

1995

  • The 1995 Québec Referendum succeeds. With the world at grips with crises and anti-Authority sentiment running high in Canada, the 1995 Québec Referendum swings in favor of the Yes camp, resulting in a 53.4% vs 46,6% outcome. It quickly becomes clear that the federal government will not respect the outcome, arguing that a 53% vote does not represent a clear mandate of the people. Protests erupt all over Québec, quickly turning violent.
  • Martial Law is declared in Quebec after police forces find themselves unable to prevent the bombing of a federal courthouse in Québec City.
  • Canadian Armed Forces hire the services of Militech, as riots become more and more organized and a new paramilitary force, the Armée du Québec Souverain (Army of Sovereign Quebec) emerges in Québec. Several thousands are arrested by Canadian Police and Armed Forces on charges of secession and treason.
  • The Law on Conscription is passed. As the economy falters and homelessness skyrockets, riots and protests erupt in every province. Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien and his party pass a law allowing Canadian Armed Forces to recruit through conscription. This decision is wildly unpopular, as Canadians know that conscripted soldiers would only serve Canada as glorified police troopers, trained to brutalize fellow Canadians or Americans.

1996

  • The Refugee Crisis. As the Government of the United States fails, millions of Americans try to flee across the border. Between 8 to 20 million Americans cross the border during the years of 1997-2000. The Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian Police Forces are unable to maintain the peace in the Maritimes, Southern Québec, Southern Ontario and British Columbia, as millions of hungry American citizens stream into the country.
  • Canadian Nomads are born. With 1 in 4 Canadians now homeless and a third of refugees unaccounted for by authorities, hundreds of thousands riot for better conditions. Groups of nomadic packs appear in the Prairies and spread throughout the country.

1997

  • Martial Law declared all over Canada. With riots erupting in border refugee camps, Martial Law is extended from the province of Quebec to all Canadian provinces and territories.
  • Bombing of Parliament. A large explosive device by the ASQ is snuck into Canadian Parliament and detonates, causing the death of 17 Liberal and Progressive Conservative MPs.

1998

  • The Drought of ’98. The historic drought reduces the Prairie Provinces to parched grasslands. Farmers go bankrupt as megacorporations buy land on the cheap. By the end of the year, All-foods, Petrochem and Biotechnica become the top real-estate owners in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario.
  • Armed skirmishes with the military are common all over Canada as refugees, sovereigntists and homeless Canadians attempt to steal food and supplies.

1999

  • The Massacre at Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge. In the morning of September 16th, 1999, thousands of homeless American refugee camp near the Ogdensburg-Prescott bridge attempted to occupy the bridge to obtain asylum in Canada. As the crowd gets rowdy, a Canadian conscript opens fire on an approaching refugee. Chaos breaks out as American refugees return fire on Canadian soldiers. The skirmish lasts around 10 minutes. In total, 16 refugees and 3 Canadian infantrymen die by gunfire. Over 100 refugees are wounded and 21 are killed during the resulting stampede and chaos. American National Guard units open fire on Canadian Armed Forces border troops. The political crisis between the US and Canada almost devolves into war.

2000

  • The Wasting Plague hits Canada. The Wasting Plague, which ravaged Europe, enters Canada through the Great Lakes, initially ravaging low-income and refugee populations in Toronto and southern Ontario, before spreading to the rest of the country. A million die in Canada alone.

2001

  • The 5 Advisors. The Canadian Government on the verge of collapse receives help from the “5 advisors”, representatives from 5 megacorporations (All-Foods, Biotechnica, Petrochem, Militech and EuroBank). They come to Canada with monetary, military and advisory help. The massive influx of money, supplies and personnel allows Canada to avoid total collapse. The 5 advisors maneuver sympathetic agents into high positions in the Canadian government.

2002-2004

  • The Food Crisis. Canadian crops fail due to a mutated plant virus. Hundreds of thousands starve as massive famine takes hold in Canada. American, European, and Japanese aid allows Canada to get through the crisis.
  • The Corporate Coup (2004). As the First Corporate war rages, the 5 advisors execute their plan to seize power in Canada. In a bloodless coup, acting prime minister Henry Lehmann steps down, ceding power to fellow parliamentarian Sabrina Cardinal. Cardinal declares Canadian Democracy incapable of dealing with the current crises and organises a Constitutional Commission to rewrite the constitution. The Supreme Court allows this and sympathetic actors from every province fail to object. Riots take place all over Canada but are quenched quickly by the Canadian Armed Forces and Militech contractors.

2005

  • Introduction of the Consulate System. The Cardinal Commission ends with the introduction of the new “Consulate System”. Canada establishes 13 Consulates, modeled on the borders of the old provinces and territories, abolishing the old system. The Parliament and Senate are abolished, replaced with a Parliament and Consulate Councils whose representatives are chosen to represent the interests of the most productive private societies or companies of the land. Canada is now effectively an Oligarchy.
  • The abolition of Canadian Citizenship. Canadian Citizenship is no longer guaranteed to people born in Canada. Canadians must prove to be worthy of citizenship, through literacy tests, citizenship fees and by proving that they are a “productive citizen”. Millions of Canadians lose their Canadian Citizenship because they are unable to afford the 500 Eurodollar citizenship application fee.
  • The “Welfare State”. A variety of social programs are created to help Canadians get back on their feet. Most of this government help is only available to Canadian Residents, however and, with homelessness and poverty still astronomically high, most Canadians have no choice but to relinquish their Citizenship to pay the bills. Over 50% of Canadians forfeit their right to vote to obtain material and financial support from the government of Canada.

2006

  • The Long Crisis ends. As President Cardinal is re-elected and Canadian Consulates hold their first elections, it is clear that the Long Crisis is finally over. Canada, the democratic republic, is no more.
  • Bell Media and Québecor merge into Bell-Québecor, allowing them to gain representation in most Consulate Governments. It controls 56 % of all media broadcasting in the country.

2007

  • Revocation of Martial Law and the Law on Conscription
  • Citizenship eligibility is tightened again.

2009

  • The last rogue Nomad Nation disappear from Canada. As the Canada Border Services Agency regains control of the borders, the nomad families which refused to sign agreements with the federal or consulate governments are chased out or exterminated.

2010

  • The Canadian Broadcasting Company is abolished. Most assets are sold to Media Giants Bell-Québecor, Diverse Media Systems and News Network 54. Bell-Québecor now controls 67% of all media broadcasting in the country.
  • Canadian Space Agency is sold to the European Space Agency. After tense negotiations with the NUSA and the EEC, Canadian Space Agency Assets are sold to the ESA. In exchange, Militech and Petrochem obtain short-term exclusive procurement deals with the Canadian Armed Forces.

2011

  • Expansion of the Consulate System. Four Canadian metropolises are chosen to become Consulates. These are the Consulate of Halifax, the Consulate of Greater Montréal, the Consulate of Toronto, and the Consulate of Greater Vancouver.

2012

  • The first consulate elections are held in the Consulates of Montréal, Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver.
  • Massive European Community Investments in the Prairies Consulates to attempt to alleviate pressures on European Food Supplies as Spain struggles through The Great Drought.

2014

  • The City of Montréal declares bankruptcy. Because of economic pressures and bad infrastructure investments, the City of Montréal declares bankruptcy. Most public real estate is bought up by megacorporations.
  • Construction of the Mount Robson Mass Driver begins.

2016

  • The Northern Revolt. Cyber-terrorists cut off power and NET access in Northern Canada. Left to starve and freeze, hundreds of workers in Yukon and in the Northwest Consulate start striking and organizing resistance. The Canadian Armed Forces are dispatched to quell the strikes. Videos from the revolt are released to the public, causing outrage.
  • Foundation of the Tiguaq Nomad Nation. In and around the Bay of Hudson, the culturally Inuit (Kivallirmiut) nomad pack is born and participates in terrorist attacks against cargo ships and corporate installations in Nunavut, Northern Québec, and Greenland.

2017

  • Riots break out in Montréal after the political assassination of a popular activist music band. Most of Downtown burns down due to fires.

2018

  • The Montréal Redlight District is established. Sex work and most forms of gambling are legalised within the newly established Redlight District.

2020

  • There are now 52 million Canadian Residents. Only 1 million of them are Canadian Citizens.
  • Disclaimer

    This is a fan project for our game of the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop role-playing game. Most corporations, game rules and in-universe references are the intellectual property of R. Taslorian Games. Some graphical assets are created by Cédric Duchaineau and Alejandro Olivares were inspired by assets created by CD Projekt Red or R. Taslorian Games.

    Disclaimer

    This is a fan project for our game of the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop role-playing game. Most corporations, game rules and in-universe references are the intellectual property of R. Taslorian Games. Some graphical assets are created by Cédric Duchaineau and Alejandro Olivares were inspired by assets created by CD Projekt Red or R. Taslorian Games.