NEWS

AAA agendas and sliding scale of evil?

  • 43 Replies
  • 18426 Views

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« on: <10-16-13/2242:20> »
Trying to dig up a bit more on the current state of the world, and I was wondering a few things about the corporate court.  First of all, they're all pretty heartless, but some seem to be a bit more depraved and/or insane than others, so if you were going to make a ranking of not simply heartlessness but black-souled evil that is found in the upper echelons of a corp, what would it look like?  Based on what I can tell, Ares seems to have the smallest amount, being motivated solely by their bottom line (even their trafficing with insect spirits seems to be as simple as wanting an edge over everyone else), with Aztechnology being at the top what with their blood magic and attempts to destroy the world.  Are any of the corps worse than the the Azzies in this respect?  Is their something I'm missing about Ares?  I had pegged MCT as second to Aztechnology, and I heard Horizon apparently has an absolutely insane agenda, but can't figure out what it is.  Based on a cursory glance, Evo and NeoNet don't seem as bad as a lot of the others, and I figure that the zaibatsus are bit more ruthless because their culture places a high emphasis on racial purity and honor (read: vengeance).

Secondly, what is the latest dirt on the megas?  I know that Ares is up to something with bugs, and I'm DYING to know what went on with Horizon.  Do we know any other dark secrets or crazy agendas of the Corporate Court?
The power of the Tri-Horse!

Belker

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 402
  • The Butcher
« Reply #1 on: <10-16-13/2304:41> »
...so if you were going to make a ranking of not simply heartlessness but black-souled evil that is found in the upper echelons of a corp, what would it look like?  Based on what I can tell, Ares seems to have the smallest amount, being motivated solely by their bottom line (even their trafficing with insect spirits seems to be as simple as wanting an edge over everyone else),

I think a strong case can be made that "being motivated solely by their bottom line" can lead to a place being pretty damn black and evil in it's heart. Ares is rampant capitalism run amok. That's even before you get to what seems to be some sort of corruption by the bugs, which almost certainly spells Bad Things(tm).

Quote
with Aztechnology being at the top what with their blood magic and attempts to destroy the world

I think the consensus is with you on that one. I don't think there's anyone that doesn't regard the Big A as truly evil at it's core.

Quote
I had pegged MCT as second to Aztechnology

I don't think I'd go that far. The Japanacorps are definitely soulgrinding entities, and MCT in particular is ruthless, but I put them below Aztechnology and IMHO Ares, and possibly Saeder-Krupp.

Quote
I heard Horizon apparently has an absolutely insane agenda, but can't figure out what it is.

Horizon and Evo both have have a lot of transhumanist philosophy in their DNA, Evo more overtly so. Horizon does do some wacky things like fitting everyone with skillwires and using them as interchangable meat-cogs in the machinery of corporate life, but Evo is pushing for the Singularity. Whether or not you class those things as evil is a matter of personal interpretation.

I'm not up on NeoNet's agenda; I suspect the fractured nature of it's leadership has it pretty inwardly focused right now. Saeder-Krupp seems to be largely an extension of Lofwyr's will, and whether he's evil or not, he's certainly one ruthless lizard. I suspect Lofwyr stepping down as Loremaster of the dragons will free him to exercise his will a bit more freely than before.

I don't have a good read on Wuxing.
"Dog says to always wear your seatbelts, kiddies."
Missions Freelancer (CMP 2015 - The Tennessee Suite 1-4)

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« Reply #2 on: <10-16-13/2326:47> »
I imagine I could have a lot of fun with Wuxing.  I live in China right now, and as tied up their corporate cultures is going to be in Chinese alchemy and numerology, they could almost serve as comic relief for me and my buddies over here, though sometimes I can have them do stuff that's crazy in a frightening way.  Upcoming run will see them fighting a Triad squad (not Wuxing, I know, but they subscribe to a lot of the same superstions).  Going to be exactly 8 guys, cause that's a lucky number, and as soon as their numbers drop to four, the leader immediately kills one of his own grunts, because four is wildly unlucky.

As far as Ares go, I see them as having an evil that is palpable but with understandable, even human motivations.  They're ruthless as hell, but they don't strike me as insane.  They do evil to profit from it, not for the sake of evil or in service to some greater evil entity or agenda.  I figure if you get caught by Ares, they'll be like "You aren't supposed to be here and letting you live is a security risk," and then shoot you.  I figure MCT would be like "You have tried to steal from us and now you will die by inches, but first we will need a list of your closest relatives."

I would LOVE to hear more about what Horizon and Evo are into, because that sounds downright creepy.  On a similar note, what's the deal with Gary Cline?  Not being too familiar with canon, I don't feel so bound by it.  I was going to cast him as the archvillain in my game, acting in private a lot like Handsome Jack from Borderlands, with an ultimate goal of creating a global cult of personality around himself.  I dunno, I like that idea, but if there's something darker or more interesting in canon, I'd love to hear it.
The power of the Tri-Horse!

Black

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1620
  • Rocking the Shadows since 1990
« Reply #3 on: <10-16-13/2335:32> »
Pretty subjective but perhaps a bit of fun:

Most Evil to Least Evil
Aztechnology
Blood Magic, Human Sacrifices, links to evils from beyond, war and ruthless war crime type tactics, bonded human slaved (Mecurial), human experiments on sinless (DNA DOA), Efficiency Experts who really are happy to make 'cuts'...  However, they balance it out with Stuffer Shacks.  Stuffers balance every out...

Ares
Only because of the Bugs.  Still, happy to start wars to increase arms sales.  Otherwise, mostly harmless...

Mistuhama
Too closely linked to the Yakuza.  Tend to be fairly Ruthless.  Experimented on Technomancers

Evo
hmmm... Experimented on Eghosts.  Might be less evil then Mistuhama.  Better corp since breaking from its Japcorp roots and embracing metahumanity.

Horizon
Did they mess with technomancers and free spirits?  faked war crimes.  Most likely 'not the good guys' they pretend to be.

Saeder-Krupp
Lowfyr.  Most likely not an overtly evil corp, but is an extension of the great wyrms power.  Lowfyr has not been potrayed as an overt evil force... but not a good guy either.

Renraku
ignoring the Deus incident, fairly harmless.  Have started kidnapping CAS politicians for some reason.  General rumours are that they have been 'too quiet'.

NeoNet
Almost as harmless as Shiawise, except they have a dragon.  Dragons change everything.

Wuxing
Low profile.  May even be a good corp... but most likely they just slip under the radar

Shiawise
Most harmless of the corps.  More dangerious to itself then others.
Perception molds reality
Change perception and reality will follow
SR1+SR2+SR3++SR4+hb+++B?UB+IE+W+sa+m-gmM--P

SnackerBob

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 160
« Reply #4 on: <10-16-13/2347:18> »
Renraku
ignoring the Deus incident, fairly harmless.  Have started kidnapping CAS politicians for some reason.  General rumours are that they have been 'too quiet'.
It's strange to me that Renraku was always one of the main Bad Guys in the videmo games. Also, they allied with the UB before Cermak, where they were using homeless folks as hosts/test subjects.
I don't remember the reason they felt the need to ally with a non-profit, but there you go.

RHat

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 6317
« Reply #5 on: <10-16-13/2352:48> »
As far as MCT goes, I'd like to add one thing for consideration, which I suggest makes them worse than Ares:  Vivisections.

Notable, Ares research into Bugs might have horrible consequences, but that doesn't intrinsically mean that the motivations for the action are evil - hubris seems more to be their downfall there.
"Speech"
Thoughts
Matrix <<Text>> "Speech"
Spirits and Sprites

CanRay

  • *
  • Freelancer
  • Mr. Johnson
  • ***
  • Posts: 11141
  • Spouter of Random Words
« Reply #6 on: <10-16-13/2356:21> »
Horizon is batdrek insane, not evil.  Of course, part of their being insane is that they don't know what evil is, so thusly...
Si vis pacem, para bellum

#ThisTaserGoesTo11

The Wyrm Ouroboros

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4470
  • I Have Taken All Shadowrun To Be My Province
« Reply #7 on: <10-16-13/2356:57> »
Pretty subjective but perhaps a bit of fun:

Most Evil to Least Evil
Aztechnology
Ares
Mistuhama
Evo
Horizon
Saeder-Krupp
Renraku
NeoNet
Wuxing
Shiawise

*laughs hysterically*
Pananagutan & End/Line

Old As McBean, Twice As Mean
"Oh, gee - it's Go-Frag-Yourself-O'Clock."
New Wyrm!! Now with Twice the Bastard!!

Laés is ... I forget. -PiXeL01
Play the game. Don't try to win it.

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« Reply #8 on: <10-17-13/0030:57> »
Horizon is batdrek insane, not evil.  Of course, part of their being insane is that they don't know what evil is, so thusly...

I keep hearing this, but why?!  What did they do?  What about them is so crazy?  I wanna know!
The power of the Tri-Horse!

Black

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1620
  • Rocking the Shadows since 1990
« Reply #9 on: <10-17-13/0032:32> »
Pretty subjective but perhaps a bit of fun:

Most Evil to Least Evil
Aztechnology
Ares
Mistuhama
Evo
Horizon
Saeder-Krupp
Renraku
NeoNet
Wuxing
Shiawise

*laughs hysterically*
:o  Okay Wyrm, your turn then  8)
Perception molds reality
Change perception and reality will follow
SR1+SR2+SR3++SR4+hb+++B?UB+IE+W+sa+m-gmM--P

CanRay

  • *
  • Freelancer
  • Mr. Johnson
  • ***
  • Posts: 11141
  • Spouter of Random Words
« Reply #10 on: <10-17-13/0331:11> »
Horizon is batdrek insane, not evil.  Of course, part of their being insane is that they don't know what evil is, so thusly...
I keep hearing this, but why?!  What did they do?  What about them is so crazy?  I wanna know!
Basically, "The Consensus".  ;D
Si vis pacem, para bellum

#ThisTaserGoesTo11

RdMarquis

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 62
« Reply #11 on: <10-17-13/0708:51> »
Horizon is batdrek insane, not evil.  Of course, part of their being insane is that they don't know what evil is, so thusly...

I keep hearing this, but why?!  What did they do?  What about them is so crazy?  I wanna know!

In short, they want all of (meta)humanity to be good, decent people.

...at any cost. Brainwashing was only one of their earlier projects. They've moved on to subtler methods, like programs that condition you to eat healthy and avoid violence (with unintended side effects). That said, Horizon was initially founded to be a force for good, and for a time, they were.  Problem was, they didn't consider that Horizon employees, executives and wageslaves alike, could be capable of doing bad just like any person. Gary Cline may very well exemplify this fact. The Twilight Horizon is probably your best source of information on the beginnings of a possible downward spiral into genuine evil.
« Last Edit: <10-17-13/0710:44> by RdMarquis »

Nath

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 587
« Reply #12 on: <10-17-13/0722:21> »
(3rd) Mistuhama
Too closely linked to the Yakuza.  Tend to be fairly Ruthless.  Experimented on Technomancers

(9th) Wuxing
Low profile.  May even be a good corp... but most likely they just slip under the radar
Wuxing connection to the Triads is as strong as MCT connection to the Yakuza. It's just that the Triads presence in Hong Kong is so pervasive that they don't need something as obvious as stockholding and board seats.

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« Reply #13 on: <10-17-13/0741:40> »
Horizon is batdrek insane, not evil.  Of course, part of their being insane is that they don't know what evil is, so thusly...

I keep hearing this, but why?!  What did they do?  What about them is so crazy?  I wanna know!

In short, they want all of (meta)humanity to be good, decent people.

...at any cost. Brainwashing was only one of their earlier projects. They've moved on to subtler methods, like programs that condition you to eat healthy and avoid violence (with unintended side effects). That said, Horizon was initially founded to be a force for good, and for a time, they were.  Problem was, they didn't consider that Horizon employees, executives and wageslaves alike, could be capable of doing bad just like any person. Gary Cline may very well exemplify this fact. The Twilight Horizon is probably your best source of information on the beginnings of a possible downward spiral into genuine evil.

That is delicious.  What about Evo?  What's their brand of evil?
The power of the Tri-Horse!

Crunch

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 2268
« Reply #14 on: <10-17-13/1000:29> »
Ares
Only because of the Bugs.  Still, happy to start wars to increase arms sales.  Otherwise, mostly harmless...

Isn't Ares pretty much the UCAS/CAS military industrial complex as well as the cops in much of the country? Even without the bugs this is the company that North American conspiracy theorists have the most reason to fear after Aztechnology.

Quote
Renraku
ignoring the Deus incident, fairly harmless.  Have started kidnapping CAS politicians for some reason.  General rumours are that they have been 'too quiet'.

The Deus incident was the result of a long set of AI experiments that had repurcussions beyond the arcology. Aren't they also a driving force behind the new Matrix GOD squad?

Quote
Shiawise
Most harmless of the corps.  More dangerious to itself then others.

Haven't they had a number of reactor meltdowns and toxic spills?