Old School IC Chat

The “Old School Chat” got its name owing to the antique protocols and equipment used in its creation. Simplistic to a fault, the nearly century old design is virtually unhackable. Some runners mistakenly believe that this is due to the antiquated protocols and hardware which most spiders wouldn’t even know how to begin to exploit, but this is only partly correct. The simplistic design of the data transfers are so minimal, one would have a hard time even finding the data they need to hack to begin with. This is not without limitation. In exchange for this security, the Old School Chat is incapable of larger data transfers typically seen in more modern host chat rooms. However, in conjunction with the ShadowHaven Host, links to other files may be posted, allowing encrypted copies of larger files to be transferred.

The Old School Chat itself is run via antique hardware found by SysOp TANJ in Glow City. The exact physical location is supposed to be a secret, but the events of The System Is Down revealed its location to a team of runners when it became necessary to repair the failing system.

Hardware

The hardware is encased inside a thick lead casing SysOp TANJ calls “The Shell”, resembling a safe with a few giant heat syncs on the side. The main purpose of the shell is to protect the system from nearby radioactivity and incidental damage, as well as make tampering difficult. A trail of antennae are embedded into the shell’s exterior, leading through a small hole only large enough for the wire. Opening the shell requires a 4 digit combination on an old mechanical combination lock conveniently located on the bottom of the unit to discourage anyone who casually comes across it from immediately assuming there must be something valuable inside. Once the safe has been tipped over and the combination has been entered, the hardware becomes accessible.

The actual hardware appears to have been cobbled together from various antique video game consoles. It is a small miracle that any of this still runs.

Location

The Shell can be found deep within Glow City. The exact location being selected for the abundance of natural defenses to keep away anyone nosey enough to go poking around a strange lead safe.

Specifically, The Shell is directly inside a large den of feral Radhounds. While vicious, the pack has no interest in the big metal box, but will defend their den to the death if necessary.

Acting as additional (unknowing) protectors is a rad-cult calling themselves The Children of The Glow, led by a toxic shaman who preaches that radiation is the key to the next step in metahuman evolution. The cult does not know about The Shell. Their only interest in the location is that they consider the den to be a holy site, believing Radhounds to be divine creatures blessed by “The Glow”, and proof of their teachings.