And then the Internet became self-aware. Hell, it was just a matter of time.

All of sudden, humans noticed that they weren't in our world anymore: They had been physically transported into the Internets. Or rather, their minds had been sucked out, "uploaded", while bodies were now just empty shells left behind. All the while, swarms of terrible monsters, hereby known as Cybers, that had spawned in the depths of the web eons ago, suddenly appeared and started to hunt down poor people. Many were killed, either by being caught by surprise, or simply for being weak and unworthy for living in this new world.

Those who survived the initial sudden attacks soon formed great societies to the most popular and respected old websites: Places like Wikipedia, Something Awful, and 4chan, became final safe havens from Cybers, the great cities known as Webforts. Meanwhile, most other smaller websites, dead or unpopular, small forums, and morally questionable sites such as porn and pirating (popular or not), were quickly overcome by feral beasts, and everyone inside was either eaten or forced to flee for their lives. Some did survive, albeit usually very barely.

Incidentally, when talking about "morally questionable", some of 4chan's boards didn't survive. All porn and especially /b/ were overcome and destroyed. /r9k/ survived with heavy casualties. The parts that remained, however, thrived, although the particular site doesn't have very good relations to the more "civilized" places.

The Internet itself, after becoming sentient, very soon split into smaller entities. They became the new gods of this realm: Some of them benevolent, others evil assholes, some neutral, etcetera. They were worshipped by humans, or even the Cybers, granting them powers, protection, and whatever gods usually do. Each Webfort, apart from smaller cults worshipping various other gods, had a patron deity of their own: 4chan, for instance, worshipped Moot, who had already uploaded his entire mind to the web decades ago, following the death of his physical shell, and was now a literal god, dedicated in upholding peace and justice within his realm.

Travelling between websites was dangerous at the very least: Most of the pages were dead or nearly uninhabited, and Cybers hunted humans down everywhere. Travel was done mainly through links. Unfortunately, this was far more difficult than it may sound, because while internal links at the same server - such as moving from /tg/ to /v/ - worked perfectly, everything else was seriously messed up: External links had warped and twisted into randomness, no one knew where they led to, and Cybers liked to pour inside from them occasionally. Smaller sites had to withstand raids almost daily, not only by Cybers, but by opportunistic and evil humans as well.

Yet exploring would be crucial for human survival. The mankind was separated and lost, being reduced into small or slightly larger villages - and an occasional Webfort, as mentioned - isolated from the outside web, waiting to find each other. Also, 99% of all knowledge was still hidden outside, waiting for its discovery in the depths of the dangerous web. Meanwhile, Webforts themselves were full to the brim, and so many websites were so full of precious and important resources, requiring humans to settle nearby and take advantage of them. Therefore, people formed adventuring parties, caravans, warbands and such, and boldly wandered outside, in search for fame and glory!

This is the idea for my new campaign, /tg/, in a nutshell. But it still needs plenty of fleshing out, which is why I'm asking for your help. All ideas and advice will be greatly appreciated.

> all porn
> destroyed
motherfucker made a critical mistake

(DM rolls on random encounter table)
You have fallen foul of Norton Antivirus.

>>3734960
Not destroyed, just invaded by Cybers in huge numbers. The job of a Porn Retriever is dangerous, lucrative, and rewarding, and most men don't have what it takes.

"Yes! I have Legend of the Overfiend! I had to fight like million Cybers for it and I feel awesome! *Fap Fap Fap*"

>>3734960

That image...never hath truer words been spoken.

Side effects. Can't go wrong with the side effects.

Coffemakers, for example.

Around 10 years ago it was decided at a board meeting that Coffeemakers should be made internet capable in order to procure new recipes from their manufacturer. It was a stunning success, so long as you had the ingredients in your maker. Nobody thought anything of it.

Enter one of the AIs, the Cofs. Rogue sentient Coffeemakers - thought sentient is pushing it a bit.

Lacking much in the intelligence department, the Cofs seek out the "ingredients" for the recipes stores in their memory core. The issue is that they lack communication or problem-solving skills needed to procure them - even if that was possible in the first place.

The end result is a bumbling, violent, but simple hazard that plies the internet. Clustering in large groups for assured survival, they are entirely unable to replicate and grow fewer in number as the days draw on.

>>3735031
Actually, that last part is kind of retarded. I guess we should have them replicate somehow, just to be a general "goblin level" threat.

>>3735085
They are looking for these "ingredients", aren't they? Perhaps those could help them in reproducing.

>>3735017
"Why didn't santa give me presents? was I bad?"
"No sweetie, we just killed god"

It was one of the smaller Webforts, known as TvTropes, that made the breakthrough discovery: One of their external links turned out to lead straight into Google. It was the only website that had the power to reliably and safely open entirely new links to the web, allowing people to travel across the Internet in previously unknown speeds, instantly saving days or even weeks worth of journey.

Theoretically.

It turned out, in fact, that Google had become a dark, twisted, constantly changing void, and a hive to some of the most terrible beasts imaginable. When TvTropes first opened the link, they were assaulted by unknown horrors, resulting in death of thousands. Since then, this link became possibly the most well-guarded in the entire web: No one could pass without a specific permission from the Webmaster of TvTropes.

But no one could deny that Google was a decisive breakthrough, and if its powers could ever be harnessed safely, people everywhere could finally unite into the great dominant force they once were. Therefore, they mounted an expedition force: A large group of well-armed, well-disciplined, highly experienced veteran explorers.

Only one of them ever reached to Wikipedia, and he was almost driven insane by the experience. But thanks to his efforts, and the sacrifices made by his comrades, a permanent link was opened between Wikipedia and TvTropes, the first and even today the only time two Webforts were directly linked to each other.

Since then, several more links have been discovered around the web that lead straight to Google. They are extremely dangerous, and many smaller settlements are utterly annihilated following the discovery (and of course, they can't see it coming, since external links are still random). Regardless, Google attracts adventurers to this day, but few who wander there ever come back.

>>3735310

Eye of Terror amirite?

>>3735329
More like the Warp in general, but yeah.

>>3735348

More like hyperdrive, rolling a d6 every minute to determine whether or not the Geller Field stays on, flickers, or shuts down. Oh, and when you come out the other end, if it's the first time you go, it's godly likely you're bringing a chaos warband with you. Hope this isn't a surprise visit.

>>3734899
Sorry.. but I just can't stop thinking about how much a lot of this just sounds like.

"Hhnnnngggggg. The websites I like are SO AWESUME

*fap fap fap*"

The "natural" internet is a confused, scary place beyond the hardened walls of the webforts. All manner of creatures live there - from small AIs, to Cybers, to things best left unmentioned.

But some are too large to simply be ignored. One of these is the "Olds", though the term is broad and not very precise.

The Olds are all the remains of the original backbone of the United States Military DARPAnet. Not a single AI but several, is has been in existence for as long as most care to remember. Indeed, a time ago, IT WAS the internet.

But times change and the ball was handed to newer machines. Many of the Olds were taken offline with the remainder becoming bitter and angry at this insult.

And so came that fateful day when this new "Internet" became something entirely different. The few Olds that remained, furious and ancient, awoke with not only power, but experience at their call.

Like rampaging behemoths, they destroyed much to satisfy their hate. But few in number, and fewer they became in their rage - slain in the chaos of those early days. Eventually they were forced to relent.

Time has passed. A few still remain, lumbering in the darker corners of the Internet, destroying what they can.

You know, this could go somewhere.

>>3735583
ELDAR GODS

>>3735705

It was more of a "Titans" from Greek Myth when I cobbled it up.