Meridian is a sprawling, grimdark metropolis set in the present day, marked by stark economic inequality. Gleaming skyscrapers and luxurious gated communities contrast sharply with crumbling infrastructure and vast slums. The city is dominated by powerful tech corporations and their massive data centers, creating a pervasive surveillance state with AI-driven facial recognition and predictive policing algorithms. The wealthy 1% live in a separate part of the city, protected by advanced security systems and private police forces. An underground resistance of hackers and activists fights against the oppressive system.