Hex: The Endless City

“Pain and darkness have been our lot since the Fall of Man. But there must be some hope that we can rise to a higher level... that consciousness can evolve to a plane more benevolent than its counterpoint of a universe hardwired to indifference.” ― Dan Simmons, The Fall of Hyperion     Hex is an inconceivably vast decrepit shellworld with folded layers consisting of Ecumenopoli built on top of one another, supported by a network of massive pillars and orbital rings. This seemingly endless city built to support trillions was once the metropolitan heart of a galaxy spanning empire, now fallen and destitute. Its empty corridors and continent sized expanses lie decaying but not devoid of life. Inhabiting the city is the last of humanity and a handful of different xeno races, clustered in settlements built around enormous fabricators, like candles in the dark. These Fabricator cities are jealously protected by vicious warlords and the remnants of Mega Corporations that rule their citizens with an iron fist. Civil unrest and the struggle for resources is common, creating endless divisions across race and class. Life in the Fabricator cities is a near constant struggle for survival, but outside is much worse. The rest of Hex is haunted by hostile machines, dangerous alien tribes, transhumans, and a variety of other threats. Here Nomads scour wastes for resources like the hunter gatherer tribes of long forgotten times. Elsewhere in the city are vast hoards of AI controlled machines that maintain Hex and its most important critical systems while minding the city's inhabitants with the blind indifference of uncaring gods. The machines that maintain the city are as likely to wipe out entire settlements as they are to renovate decaying habitation centers. How this world came to be is a mystery waiting to be uncovered by the right Hex Runner. Skilled individuals willing to take on incredibly dangerous jobs delving into the infinite corridors of the city and traversing its layers for profit and to hedge the odds of survival aboard this metal hellscape.   Hex: The Endless City is heavily influenced by the works of Tsutomou Nihie and Yukito Kishiro. Hex is similar to the Megastructure from Blame! with some setting elements taken from Gunnm and Warhammer 40K. In addition I will be barrowing ideas from the lore of Eclipse Phase, Cyberpunk Red, and other underrated TTRPGs. I will be using Carbon 2185 (5e) as the basis for the game system along with entirely too much homebrew content.