NΞOSTRAMO

Origins

Neo Canberra exists because of the Third World War. The conflict devastated most of the planet, and in its aftermath, Australia made the decision to close its borders and rebuild independently rather than take part in the reconstruction efforts of the rest of the world.

This isolation turned out to be an advantage. Beneath the outback, large underground freshwater reservoirs were discovered, along with deposits of rare earths and metals that had become scarce elsewhere. At the same time, Australian researchers made significant advances in biotechnology and medicine. Over the following years, cybernetic enhancement became increasingly normalized, as people began replacing body parts with technology to become stronger, faster, and more capable.

The Dome

The region's extreme heat and UV radiation levels made long-term survival on the surface increasingly difficult. In the early 2060s, Aegis Shield Tech led the construction of a self-sustaining dome designed to shield the population from these conditions. The city was built directly above the freshwater reservoirs, which is why this specific location was chosen. The dome's construction is what allowed Neo Canberra to exist in its current form.

Water Control

Despite the reservoirs beneath the city, water access is heavily restricted inside the dome. This is not caused by an actual shortage. Aquifex, the corporation that controls the reservoirs, supplies real, clean water to its own industrial operations and to the upper class. Workers and favela residents don't get that water. Instead, they receive HydroDrip, a substitute product that contains a mild hallucinogen. Its function is not to hydrate, but to keep them docile and easier to control.

Social Structure

Life inside the dome is divided sharply along class lines. The upper class does not work. Its members spend their time at social events and hold most positions in internal and external politics, a system that is largely defined by corruption. Open contempt for the working class is common among them.

The working class lives in sealed-off sections within the dome, in architecture that is far simpler than the rest of the city, dense, uniform housing blocks rather than the ornate colonial style seen elsewhere. They are the ones who keep the dome running. Without them, the entire system would collapse.

To prevent unrest among the working class, Aquifex developed HydroDrip. Uprisings still happen from time to time, but they are usually put down violently by Division 8. Oracle Grid supports this control through constant propaganda, telling workers that they are irreplaceable and that life outside the dome would be far worse. Oracle Grid also organizes the annual Grand Prix Australia, with free admission for everyone, a deliberate distraction, bread and circuses for those who keep the city running but never share in its wealth.

The Favelas

Not everyone was granted access to the dome. Many people came to the region because of the available work and water, but were denied entry. Over time, they settled just outside the dome's perimeter, close enough to make use of what the city discarded, but without any legal claim to what was inside. Life in the favelas is defined by survival. With no legal access to the dome's resources, residents rely on robbery, killing, scavenging material discarded by the dome at scrapyards and landfills, and smuggling to get by.

The Nomads

Away from both the dome and the favelas, nomadic groups have adapted to the region's flora, fauna, and harsh climate. They live largely among themselves, trading only occasionally with the cities. For drinking water, they rely on old-method seawater desalination and a network of small, well-hidden deep wells scattered across the land. Their main trade goods are meat and furs.

The Underground Scene

A growing number of people are seeing through the corporations and starting to push back. Weapons are hard to come by, so resistance takes other forms: pirate radio stations broadcasting music that speaks to the reality of life in Neo Canberra, graffiti, protests, and independent underground newspapers, all operating outside the corporations' control. The Bogans are part of this scene, known locally as "the Streets." It consists mostly of teenagers and young adults.

Flora and Fauna

Decades of industrial waste and Aegis Shield Tech's field experiments have left their mark on the region outside the dome. Wildlife and plant life across the outback show consistent, low-level mutations, from bioluminescent markings to toxin-resistant tissue, traced back to two sources: toxic runoff from industrial contamination, and direct exposure to Aegis ShieldTech testing. The changes are minor and haven't visibly altered behavior, but their long-term effects on the ecosystem remain unknown.

Aquifex was the first corporation present in the region, arriving when the underground freshwater reservoirs were first discovered, decades before the dome existed. The company operates through Hydro Processing Towers, District Pump Stations, retail kiosks selling rations and HydroDrip, a Lower-Level Reclamation Plant, and a Corporate Water Control Center that oversees consumption and distribution city-wide. Its stated goal is to guarantee clean water for Neo Canberra. In practice, its real purpose is to maintain exclusive control over the region's water supply, reserving it for its own industry and the upper class while presenting itself publicly as the city's lifeline.

Founded in 2051, Aegis Shield Tech partnered with Aquifex in 2053 to plan the construction of Neo Canberra's protective dome, completed in 2060. The company is organized into a Dome Engineering Division, Trauma Response Centers, Bio-Forge Laboratories, and Executive Recovery Suites. Aegis leads the region in medicine and biotechnology and continues to maintain the dome infrastructure the entire city depends on. Persistent, unconfirmed reports point to classified research beyond standard ethical limits, operating under the company's highest internal clearance level.

Oracle Grid was founded shortly after the dome's completion, formed out of divisions split from Aquifex and Aegis Shield Tech, with a specific purpose: controlling the working class. It operates a Broadcast Tower HQ, a Central Newsroom, a 24/7 Transmission Center, and a Public Screen Network covering every district of the dome. Oracle Grid shapes what the population sees, hears, and believes, working closely with corporate and political interests to suppress dissent and reinforce the message that life inside the dome is the only life worth having.

Apex Corp. was founded around 2039, formed from the remnants of Australia's former military. Its operations run through a Robotics Foundry Complex, an Autonomous Systems Laboratory, Chassis Assembly Yards, a restricted Military Contracts Division, and citywide Maintenance & Retrofit Depots. Apex builds everything from civilian assistant units to full military chassis, and its robotics form the backbone of the dome's daily infrastructure and security. Division 7, Apex's mech corps, operates alongside Division 8's regular troops in enforcing order throughout the city.

Pacific Tactical split off from Apex Corp. in 2062, specializing specifically in firearms and cyberware. The company runs a Weapons Development Division, Cyberware Integration Labs, Precision Assembly Foundries, a Testing Grounds & Ballistics Range, and a Corporate Contracts Bureau. Pacific Tactical is the market leader in weapons and cyberware, supplying every class from the upper-class elite to the underground, and stands in open, ongoing rivalry with THD for dominance of the weapons market.

Founded in 2049 to drive the country's reconstruction after WW3, THD originally supplied the building materials and heavy machinery used to construct the dome. Once construction was finished, the company was nearly rendered obsolete, and pivoted into weapons manufacturing instead, quickly becoming the second-largest name in the industry. THD's operations include a Heavy Weapons Division, an Excavation Foundry Complex built on its old mining infrastructure, Industrial Retrofit Yards, THD Racing Works, and the Grand Prix Dome Circuit Control Center, from which it organizes the annual Grand Prix Australia.