Podcast Summary: The Strata Presents – Facing Fate: Chromeheads & Corpos, Episode 1 “The Apartment”

Podcast: The Strata
Host: Mark R. Healy (Featured introduction only)
Episode: Presenting - Facing Fate
Date: December 16, 2025
Genre: Cyberpunk Actual Play (Improvised Audio Drama)

Overview

In this crossover episode, The Strata features the first episode of Facing Fate: Chromeheads & Corpos, an improvised actual play podcast in the Cyberpunk Red setting. Listeners are introduced to the residents of Babyuk Gardens, a rundown apartment block in the University District on the edge of South Night City—an area boarding on chaos and combat zones. Through the lens of four eccentric and resourceful tenants, the show explores communal life, personal struggles, and the daily grind under the ever-present shadow of mega-corporations and criminal elements.

The narrative balances noir grit, dark humor, and moments of camaraderie, all steeped in immersive sound design and sharp improvisation.

Key Characters

• Dino Dinovic (“Dino”) (Russ Moore): A heavy-set, affable fixer in a garish velour tracksuit, always looking out for his neighbors.
• Obsidian (Carla Maxted): A slender, tech-savvy recluse who prefers cyberspace over the outside world.
• Glass (Tom Laird): A good-natured if slightly clueless “himbo” type and amateur mechanic.
• Lolly ("Lollipop") (Amy Moore): A bold, charismatic musician determined to get her message heard.
• Kyle Klassen (Game Master): Narrator and referee, voicing various NPCs and driving the narrative.

Episode Structure & Highlights

1. Introduction & Flavor Setting ([00:00]–[01:49])

• Host Mark R. Healy introduces Facing Fate, praising its improvisational style and “chrome and neon” cyberpunk atmosphere.
• Announcer introduces the cast, with snappy character quotes:
  • Lolly (Amy Moore): “People gotta hear my stuff, man. I gotta get the message out.” [01:16]
  • Obsidian (Carla Maxted): “Just come knock on the door. I’m always happy to help.” [01:22]
  • Glass (Tom Laird): “If I come across that guy as a flatline, I won’t be sad about it.” [01:26]
  • Dino Dinovic (Russ Moore): “Sure to get that antibiotic for you there.” [01:32]
• The scene is set in dystopian Night City, themed around survival and community amidst corporate decay.

2. Meet Babyuk Gardens: The Residents

Dino: The Fixer’s Daily Routine ([03:16]–[12:13])

• Scene Setting: Dino returns home, the ever-reliable neighbor with a knack for getting things done and a pang of confusion over his client’s odd behavior lately.
• Interaction with Gina Zepeda:
  • Gina asks Dino to source affordable antibiotics for her sick tortoise, sidestepping the exorbitant prices of Biotechnica.
    • “We take care of our own around here.” – Dino [09:11]
  • Dino offers reassurance, promising to check his night market sources. The exchange grounds the community’s ethos and mutual reliance.
  • Memorable moment: Dino’s casual acceptance of the request, highlighting his role as a fixer for both people and their pets.

Obsidian: The Digital Hermit ([13:18]–[20:24])

• Scene Setting: Obsidian, surrounded by screens, enjoys the distant thrum of music from neighbor Rico’s apartment.
  • “She likes the music. She likes feeling like there’s another person nearby, but not like with her.” – Obsidian [13:18]
• Rico Visits for Tech Help:
  • Rico’s equipment is fried by a power surge. Obsidian deftly troubleshoots and repairs it, leveraging her hacker’s toolkit.
  • “Stop letting people rip you off. Just… just come knock on the door. I’m always happy to help.” – Obsidian [19:31]
  • The exchange highlights both her social withdrawal and her pragmatic support for the building’s creative misfits.
• Solitude & Sustenance: Obsidian’s lifestyle is revealed—subsisting on meal pellets and relishing the efficiency over pleasure.

Glass: The Friendly Mechanic ([21:41]–[27:49])

• Scene Setting: Glass futilely attempts to install a dodgy “flux capacitor” sold to him at the night market, only to realize he was conned.
  • “If I come across that guy as a flatline, I won’t be sad about it.” – Glass [22:58]
• Banters with Dr. Carver:
  • Dr. Carver, the landlord/medic, chats from a window about the reality of rent and favors in Babyuk Gardens.
  • Glass jokes about owing Dino and the price of “getting things done.”
  • Unspoken social contracts and barter are underscored in this neighborhood.
  • “You just gotta give me a ride every once in a while to work and back, you know, Trauma Team doesn’t pick up people—well, unless they’re bleeding out.” – Dr. Carver [26:24]

Lolly: The Driven Musician ([28:46]–[32:44])

• Scene Setting: Lolly, always bold, corners Grant Young (“Royale”) to push for a gig at “The Chain” club.
  • Memorable moment: Lolly uses near-magical sleight-of-hand to present a datastick with her music.
  • “People gotta hear my stuff, man. I gotta get the message out.” – Lolly [30:28]
• Persuasion Roll: In a standout scene of tabletop improvisation, Lolly scores a triumphant persuasion check to secure Royale’s promise to deliver her music for a booking.
  • “You are very persuasive... this is the hardest bargain that you’ve sold... Okay, okay, all right, Lollipop.” – Royale [31:06]
• Community through Play: Lolly is invited to the potluck and card game, underscoring how even the driven outsider is pulled into the communal orbit.

3. Neighborhood Life: The Potluck as Social Hub ([Throughout, 08:14], [11:31], [19:46], [27:10], [31:51])

• Recurring Thread: All character vignettes point toward a communal rooftop potluck and card game, reinforcing the show’s focus on found family and neighborly support amid adversity.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “He’s gotten a little bit of a cough, and I was seeing if you could source me some medicine... hoping maybe you had somebody that could just, you know, get some antibiotics off the back of a truck.” – Gina [08:25]
  • “The more the merrier, because that just means there’s more liquor to... for people to loosen up with.” – Royale [32:21]

4. Tone, Sound, and Style

• Improvisational Spirit: Humorous banter and quick-witted exchanges keep the narrative fresh and the performance energetic.
• Noir & Cyberpunk Grit: Vivid world-building through descriptions of decrepit environments, flickering lights, security issues, and ever-present rain emphasize the cyberpunk feel.
• Memorable Character Moments: The personal quirks (Obsidian’s tech hoarding, Glass’s mechanical foibles, Dino’s fixer instincts, Lolly’s flair for performance) are highlighted.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• “People gotta hear my stuff, man. I gotta get the message out.” – Lolly [01:16], [30:28]
• “Stop letting people rip you off. Just… just come knock on the door. I’m always happy to help.” – Obsidian [01:22], [19:31]
• “If I come across that guy as a flatline, I won’t be sad about it.” – Glass [01:26], [22:58]
• “Sure to get that antibiotic for you there.” – Dino [01:32], [11:19]

Key Episode Timestamps

• [03:16]: Introduction to the Babyuk Gardens and Dino’s character
• [05:59–09:28]: Dino and Gina discuss sourcing medicine for a pet
• [13:18–20:24]: Obsidian helps Rico repair music gear, revealing her lifestyle
• [21:41–27:49]: Glass’s failed car modification and repartee with Dr. Carver
• [28:46–32:44]: Lolly negotiates for a club gig, showcasing character and group dynamics

Conclusion

Facing Fate: Chromeheads & Corpos delivers a lively, character-driven slice of dystopian life, emphasizing resilience, wit, and the spirit of community. The episode offers engaging improvisation, sharply drawn personalities, and authentic cyberpunk flavor—a treat for fans of character-driven sci-fi and actual play podcasts.

If you enjoy grounded, improvisational cyberpunk stories with a dark comedic edge, “Facing Fate: Chromeheads & Corpos” is worth diving into—and the next episode drops in two weeks!