Season Zero: Origins

By now the Human Park community has had time to familiarize with Season Zero’s iconic characters. From the exciting unboxing of the Icons to the enthusiastic representation on Twitter, we’ve seen a lot of love for what’s been put out so far this early stage of the Season.

Today, we want to delve a little deeper into who these sharply-dressed Icons are and unpack their backstories you’ve seen — there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface. Let’s get digging.

Season Zero Kicks Off in “The Sector”

Human Park will encompass a multitude of different worlds and settings, but it all has to start somewhere. Welcome to the Sector, a massive city that stands tall surrounded by old ruins and wastelands that stretch out in all directions. Whether it’s the mining tunnels of the lower districts or the upper echelons of the high-rise skyscrapers, the Sector is built around the concept of power versus public.

While the corporations and richer dynasties of the Sector vie for control over mysterious and powerful objects called Artifacts, those in the shadows of the buildings are looking for a way up or a way out. There aren’t many who can stand up to the corporations and their greed-ridden quest to control all the Artifacts in the Sector, but there is one such group that stands out.

So, who are they? Icons are both incredible legends of the Park as well as inspiration and personifications for Noods to take on as they delve into the mysteries of The Sector. Here are a few you may know.

The Psychic

Psychics are preternaturally insightful individuals who are able to predict future outcomes and sway other minds in a way that defies science and reason. These people are not always the most outspoken, but their reputation as truth-tellers and agents of change precedes them — to the delight of some and the fear of others.

The first Psychic in Human Park had a connection to the fabled creators of the Sector, but the moment she publicly demonstrated her full abilities the Psychic was captured by the Corporation for nefarious purposes. Heavy experimentation augmented her abilities to locate Artifacts, greatly increasing the Corporations’ hoard. During a mysterious surge in the facility holding her, she managed to escape and hide in the back-alleys of the Sector.

Weakened and recovering from her escape, she caught the attention of a local ruffian who promised to get her back to her people once she recovered. Since then, she’s come to respect the others in the fight against the Corporation and seeks to bring useful Artifacts back to the people.

The Hustler

Hustlers fight for every scrap of respect they earn. Adept at thriving along the forgotten backstreets of the urban tangle, Hustlers are no stranger to cut-throat competitiveness and rampant acts of violence. And although these jack-of-all-trades have mastered the arts of subterfuge, street fighting and stealth, they yearn for a purpose beyond just survival through intimidation.

The first Hustler to make a name for himself on the mean streets of the Sector grew up in the slums, rising through the ranks of the underworld and developing a reputation for always getting what he wants. It was a life of selfishness and excess up until he met the Psychic and saw an opportunity to finally do something greater and make a true difference in the Sector. While some have questioned his street cred since he started working for altruistic reasons, nobody knows his intentions for sure. What is certain is that he, like the other Hustlers who came after him, does not easily trust others, but can always find a way to use or help others — depending on what they want..

The Explorer

Explorers are free spirits who thrive in ambiguity and seek out unknown adventures. These individuals are mostly left alone by the Corporation — unless they stumble into a territory they’re not meant to see — and are the trendsetters and navigators of their respective tribes.

Smart and cunning, the first Human Park Explorer was raised in privilege by one of the most affluent families in the Sector. Breaking away from her family to pursue the noble task of liberating Artifacts from Corporate acquisition before they could get to them, she lives the life of a rebel seeking out new challenges on the outskirts of the Sector and even in the wastelands — for the good of the cause. Sometimes her past comes back to haunt her, as bounty hunters are on the lookout to return the lost sheep back to her family.

The Engineer

Engineers are preternatural galaxy brains who use their intellect and creativity to solve complex problems. These intelligent individuals are often more focused on working through the tiny minutiae of whatever project is on hand, but their inputs ultimately enable many of the creations their fellow Human Park denizens have come to rely on.

The Corporation’s Chief Engineer oversaw the active recruitment of other like-minded individuals during the early years of the Corporation’s expansion. But as the organization grew he decided to quit, ashamed of all the work he had done to support the Corporation’s dubious cause. Many who followed in his wake were violently “dealt with” by the Corporation, and the surviving ethical deserters have since taken to the back alleys of the Sector and have developed a knack for repairing found Artifacts for those who need them the most. But they must do so in secret, as the Corporation does not like to part ways with their “property” — be it intellectual property or living, breathing humans.

The Punk

Punks are rebellious souls with a proclivity for self-expression. These dynamic individuals are often dark and tortured, but have an uncanny ability to breathe life into every interaction and draw other people to their cause. No two Punks are the same, but their ability to buck the trend and articulate an alternative future sets them all apart.

Formerly a famous singer within the Sector, Human Park’s first Punk was involved in a terrible accident that left him irreparably damaged. Replacing parts of his body with cybernetics, he now grapples with the change and is obsessed over why and how it happened. Before his career as a singer and performer, he led a local gang doing deals for forbidden Artifacts on a black market.But since leaving that life behind, he’s found clues suggesting that his former gang may have set him up in his “accident” because his platform was growing too large. Now part man and part machine, he aims to find out who did this to him, and enact his vengeance.

The Enforcer

Though not a Drifter, Enforcers play a strong role in the quest for supremacy in the Sector. In a world as chaotic as Human Park, some problems can only be solved the hard way. The main Enforcer was once an elite mercenary and has traded the life of stealth for the strength of a corporate military-like power. Within the Sector, the upper echelons of society rule with a heavy hand, and the Enforcers are this hand in the form of a fist.

A run-in with an Enforcer means two things: You’ve pissed off the wrong person, and it’s too late to make amends.

Working for the Corporation, they hunt down others that try to collect the Artifacts so the Corporation can collect them first. A loyal weapon, they also have ulterior motives and share an early history with some of those they are hunting down.

The Story From Here

These are the stories of the Icons in Season Zero, but their story and yours will be determined by you. The fate of the Sector rests in your hands. Good luck, Humans!