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Description
Some notes for "Brave New World"

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Organizations-

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The Integrated Planetary Combine (IPC)

Structure: Fascism (Enlightened Socialism, Controlled Democracy)

Founder: Director Zachary Fullner, instituted August 7th, 2026

Current Leader: Director Shauna Tannenbaum, instituted May 26th, 2104

Influence: Earth, Macbeth, Decanter, most extra-solar colonies with a heavy military presence

Goals: The unification of humanity, the control of science and industry, the insured survival of order

Tender: Credits (Work credits, bucks, creds)

Description/History:

   The Integrated Planetary Combine (More commonly known as simply "The Combine") controls up to eighty percent of the Earth's population. Formed by Director Zachary Fullner in the wake of an Earth-wide economic depression, the Combine was the government's final solution to rampant civil chaos, overextended free rights, and the utter failure of "pure democracy."

   Having replaced the defunct United Nations, the Combine gathered initial influence over all of Europe, South America, Asia and North America. It uses very little propaganda in achieving its goals, instead relying on cloned shock troopers and disenfranchised mercenaries to crush opposition and resistance wherever it occurs.

   Life under the heel of the Combine was initially brutal, but the relaxation of some of its more rigid laws has allowed art, music and recreation to make a comeback. The current Director, Shauna Tannenbaum (a last-minute replacement for a clinically insane Calvin Matterson) is the third leader of the Combine. A military prodigy, Tannenbaum is more concerned with the growing influence of planetary corporations than with enforcing her office's strict regimen of jack-booted fascism.

   The Combine has utter control of two major off-planet colonies, including Macbeth, a cosmopolitan world lightly touched with its earthbound sponsor government, and the industrial titan Decanter. A few other planets have a light Combine military presence, but are owned solely by colonial enterprises like New Horizons and A.E. Industries. The Combine clashes with free businesses frequently for control of its citizenry. Though wealthy, the Combine's main focus is not money-oriented, so it is often hammered by citizens who are willing to enslave themselves to the corporate machine for promises of wealth and
power.

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Liberty's Hand

Structure: Anarchy (Democracy/Technocracy)

Founder: Unknown hackers and tech-pirates, originally called "The Hand of Liberty" in 2055, reformed in 2101

Current Leader: "Old Code" (Nickname/real name unknown)

Influence: Earth, lower-class citizens, "staples," Macbeth

Goals: The return of democracy and freedom to Earth and all its citizens, the destruction of the IPC

Tender: Varies

Description/History:

   Liberty's Hand is a bastardized remnant of the hackers and dissidents who, in 2055, cost the Combine and subsidiary industries almost 5 billion credits. Originally named "The Hand of Liberty," these malcontents were responsible for the complete restructuring of the data-net and its shoddy security protocols. Having succeeded in lessening government restriction under the elderly Zachary Fullner, the group was disbanded. Now, after the recent debacle of Calvin Matterson, a new group of radicals and disillusioned workers have resurrected the old belief of absolute freedom---and the mind-numbing task of undermining the Integrated Planetary Combine.

   With the institution of Shauna Tannenbaum, Liberty's Hand sees a perfect opportunity to deliver a crippling blow to the Combine while its current Director is distracted by a growing corporate threat. The organizations leader, an esteemed member of the original Hand of Liberty nicknamed "Old Code," has vowed to return America and the rest of the world to "the natural and rightful grasp of the people."

   Liberty's Hand keeps a low profile, and meetings for it are clandestine affairs. Most of these events are rarely in person, instead taking place in nigh-impregnable caches on the data-net. The Combine has limited intelligence about the reformation of these anarchist architects, but is doing its best to keep an eye on them.

---

Risen

Structure: Terrorist Cells

Founder: Wu Fai Kwan, 2080

Current Leader: Wu Fai Kwan, various ringleaders

Influence: Earth, Talbon Holtha, Macbeth, Tempest, Viridian

Goals: Monetary acquisition, religious freedom

Tender: Credits, various

Description/History:

   Following the rise of Neo-Christianity in the Foundation Province (Formerly the United States), Wu Fai Kwan worked as an industrial tech in a low-level factory by downtown Angel City. Wu's family was killed and he was beaten nearly to death by J-Juicers in a protest against Buddhists in the community during the summer of 2065. Wu Fai Kwan promised to dedicate his life to destroy Neo-Christianity and the government who he believes (falsely) allowed such people to run free; the Combine.

   Risen was formed 15 years after Wu's experience by like-minded individuals who had been entreating the government to take action against Neo-Christians for their crimes. Sick of waiting for help from the authorities, Wu and a mob of low-level ex-Buddhist workers raided known Neo-Christian homes all over Angel City, putting whole families to death in revenge for that one summer more than a decade earlier.

   After losing a substantial portion of the mob to the Combine's brutal enforcers, Wu and a select few fled to Mexico and Africa, places ravaged by the Errant Reaper virus and largely uninfluenced by the world government. For many years, no one knew what became of Wu Fai Kwan, but in 2098, a Risen One terror squad made a daring raid into the very chambers of Calvin Matterson in New Foundation, injecting him with a modified version of the Errant Reaper virus. Driven insane by the necrosis of his own body, Matterson was deposed in 2101. Wu Fai Kwan tasted revenge once more.

   Risen does not follow most of its original goals anymore. Though it still pursues the right to religious freedom, it mostly involves itself with organized crime, drug dealing and weapons smuggling.

---

New Horizon/A.E. Industries

Structure: Corporate Hierarchy

Founder: David Colwell, 2021

Current Leader: Vincent Colwell, 2099

Influence: Earth, Mars, Jupiter (All moons save Ganymede), Macbeth, Talbon Holtha, Selucarr, Viridian, almost all extra-solar colonies

Goals: Monetary acquisition, market domination, human expansion, alien integration/exploitation/extermination

Tender: Credits

Description/History:

   Before the formation of the IPC, computer software and automotive tycoon David Colwell made a dangerous gamble. Investing all  of his financial holdings into an independent Chinese space program, he demanded they recruit over one hundred thousand potential colonists in a bid for a corporate-owned Martian colony.

   Though his board of fellow brokers raved that Colwell was investing in an insanely stupid decision, he assured them that his "gut" was making the right call. Four years later, as drugged and nerve-stapled miners sent back rare and expensive minerals from Mars, David Colwell was lauded as the "financial genius of the twenty-first century."

   When interstellar travel became possible through shockdrive technology, David furthered his new corporate stock-holdings by building the first "planet-cracking" vessels. Able to strip down entire lifeless worlds for base minerals and other precious resources, these ships soon became the calling card of the newly christened A.E. (Alternate Earths) Industries. Later, as people sought to leave the harsh confines of a Combine-controlled Earth, New Horizons (Also under the control of the Colwell family) allowed such people their dreams...for a price.

   A.E. Industries and New Horizons clashes regularly with the Combine over the control of populations. One side views these people as duty-bound citizens, and the other views them as contract-bound cattle. Both go to harsh lengths to enforce their agendas.

   With the recent advent of alien intelligence in extra-solar human expansion, the new corporate president Vincent Colwell sees a vast opportunity. Though the aliens (particularly the H'ssrek) often make trouble for his company, Vincent understands that alien culture, foods, technology and lifestyle have a tremendous market potential for oppressed clients looking to escape. Thus, he has set up a plan that will not only unify aliens and humans for all time, but make sure that only humanity rises as a dominant force in the cosmos.

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Military Designations (Combine Only):

   The Combine have a rigorous, well-trained and unified military that is arguably the best in history. With its control of human clones, brain-washed criminals and hard-bitten mercenaries, it has grown into an elite fighting force.

   These are some following designations and information regarding its soldier caste and equipment.

---

Combine Centurion

Role: Heavy Assault Shock Trooper

Functions: Crowd Dispersal, Assaults, Siegecraft

Constitution: Clones, "Staples"

Arms and Armor:

Centurion Class Powered Armor

Carnage Anti-Personnel Assault Cannon

Hydraulic Drive Shield

Powered Fist

Shockblade

---

Combine Myrmidon

Role: Death Squad/Assassins/Black Ops Soldier

Functions: Terrorism, Special Operations, Recon

Constitution: Clones

Arms and Armor:

Myrmidon Class Combat Armor

Helix Longshot Rifle

Mono-molecular Razor

---

Combine Praetorians

Role: Enforcers/Fire Teams

Functions: Blitzkriegs, Nanotech Warfare, First Strikes

Constitution: Clones, "Staples"

Arms and Armor (Jumpers Only):

Ascertus "Smartsuit"

Retaliator Heavy Boltgun

EMP/Fireflush Grenades

---

Combine Cambion

Role: Space Marine/Orbital Shock Trooper

Functions: Ship-to-Ship Combat, Orbital Insertion

Constitution: Clones

Arms and Armor:

Cambion Exo-Armor

Adept Railgun

Monofilament Wirechains

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Major World Religions:

Neo-Christianity

Old Christianity

Buddhism

Risen Ones

Shintoism

Agnostics

Xions

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---
---

Comic Settings:

New Foundation

Angel City

Detroit

Tokyo

Shanghai

Victory Bay

Viridian (Reassurance)

Macbeth (Paramount City)

Decanter (Depot-27)

Mars (Crimson Kong)

Exodus

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Key Characters/Descriptions/Affiliations:

---

Shauna Tannebaum:

New Director of Integrated Planetary Combine, Female.

   Military genius, concerned with A.E. Industries aggressive corporate expansion. Rounding up all retired or disbanded units to deal with perceived threat to Combine authority. Has hired former Myrmidon Kyone through a random selection, gives orders through proxy.

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Kyone:

Former Combine Field Officer, Male.

   Ruthless mercenary and hired gun. Human clone with genetic defects. After four years of discharged life, forced back into Combine Forces in the wake of A.E. Industries expansion. Unaware of his connection with Director Shauna Tannenbaum as actual employer.

---

Vincent Colwell:

Latest CEO of New Horizons/A.E. Industries, Male.

   Sly opportunist, seeking to subvert Combine control and also destroy recent alien contacts from within. Uses propaganda and cunning market strategy, unleashed a criminally insane former security consultant on Tempest named Surtur. Hoping a campaign of terror on the virgin colony will distract Combine from his real purpose.

---

Surtur (Alric Jameson):

Former A.E. Industries Security Consultant, Male.

   Once a hard-working family man, now driven mad by psychoactive drugs and encased within an Edict Powered Mech. Subliminally ordered to kill and raze all life on Tempest and other worlds within the Ramayana System. Powerless to stop himself.

---

Annashyla:

Assassin for Liberty's Hand, Female.

   A former pacifist and strong liberal, undertaking self-imposed missions to kill key figures in Combine authority, including commissars, prefects and military brass. Hopes to assassinate Director Shauna Tannenbaum, former pupil of "Old Code."

---

"Old Code":

Speaker for Liberty's Hand, Male.

   Liberal with strong belief in personal freedom, condemns Annashyla's actions as reckless despite her tenure as his protégé. Wants to bring down the Combine through more peaceful, subtler means. Real name unknown.

---

Rasputin:

Risen Minister, Male.

   Elderly Buddhist, advises Wu Fai Kwan loyally, hopes to return Risen to it's original goal of spreading religious freedom. Opposes Min Yang, who wants Risen to become an organized crime supergiant.

---

Min Yang

Risen Minister, Male.

   Descended from Chinese Triad gangsters, wants to resurrect the Triad in the guise of Risen and control all smuggling coming in and off Earth and her colonies. Hates Rasputin, who he believes is weak. Seeks to have him assassinated so he can gain the sole ear of Wu Fai Kwan.

---

Ushwey

Relgan Immigrant Cook, Female.

   Lonely immigrant, recently arrived on Mars as cook. Barely tolerated, ostracized, friends with Bultrathi dockworker Brakk. Ekes out an living on diminished wages, owes Risen money for fake identification.

---

Brakk

Bultrathi Dockworker, Male

   Former elite Bultrathi hunter, came to Mars to work on a mine, instead received job as dockworker. Protective of Ushwey, tells himself its because the Relgan are a client species of the Bultrathi, but actually has feelings for her.

---

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Glossary

---

Shockpoint (Drive):

   An engine/manifold on a spacecraft allowing faster-than-light travel between star systems. Using small quantities of anti-matter, Shockpoint drives compress gravity and dark matter into something closely resembling a wormhole. After directing and stabilizing this artificial wormhole (called a "shock gate")with solar telemetry/super-magnetic fields, a ship passes through, arriving at its point of designation within a span of hours (Interstellar travel, however, could take months).

   This drive requires an enormous amount of energy to use, and the penning of antimatter for the shock jump is extremely hazardous, requiring an intelligent, experienced crew of engineers. Most ships rarely use their own shockpoint drives, instead relying on fastidiously maintained, corporate-owned shock gates that are operated for a nominal fee.

---

IPC (Integrated Planetary Combine) ((See organizational description above)):

   The world-spanning fascist government, led by militarily appointed directors.

---

Creds (Credits):

   The legal tender for the IPC, whether digital or otherwise.

---

The 8th Regiment:

   Elite military branch of cloned shock troopers solely bred to serve the Combine.

---

"Nuke" (Narcophetamine):

   A modified, cheap drug made from base methamphetamines cut with other psychotropic chemicals. Highly addictive, used for enhanced aggression and euphoria. Side affects include cerebral deterioration, seizures, coma, and random bleeding from extremities, etc.

---

Neo-Christianity:

   After the decline of Christianity in the twenty-first century, a new branch was made to revitalize the dying religion. It has radically altered from its original roots, claiming that God has "changed his mind concerning Judgment Day, and no longer wishes to have anything to do with His children." Evangelists and J-Juicers (also called Jesus Freaks) proclaim that humanity must work to get back into God's good graces by themselves. Therefore, all members are exhorted to respect and tolerate authority (including the Combine), purge and persecute the unbelievers (all non Neo-Christians), and donate half of all proceeds to the Neo-Church. For some bizarre reason, Neo-Christianity holds the highest membership of any religion on
Earth.

---

Errant Reaper Virus (ERV):

   A virus that corrupts and consumes organic matter upon touch. Developed by British scientists in 2032, the original strain of the virus was first tested in Mexico and Africa, respectively. In both situations, ERV mutated when it came into contact with humans. People who died from the virus became reanimated through pathogenic distortion of their nervous system. All victims of ERV are called "zombies" in revulsion and horror, mostly because such abominations eat the flesh of non-infected hosts and
thus spread the virus.

---

Ramayana System:

   One of the most successful extra-solar colonization efforts by humanity. The system contains six human population and industrial centers; Decanter, Tempest, Macbeth, Selucarr, Drater, and Talbon Holtha.

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Viridian:

   A utopian planet lightly touched by the New Horizons Corporation. Largely a forested planet, Viridian is considered a paradise and pilgrimage point for many. Located in the Argus Rho System.

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Exodus:

   A prison planet under the effects of a nuclear winter. Every year, adventurers and vagabonds journey there in order to participate in a deadly contest known as the Dying Ground. Contestants must survive a week facing ERV-infected zombies, serial convicts and lethal radiation. Whoever is alive at the end of the week is awarded with a shockpoint starcraft and a weeks paid vacation to Viridian. No one has survived long enough to claim the prize. Located in the Betelgeuse System.

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Description
Some notes for "Brave New World"

---

Organizations-

---

The Integrated Planetary Combine (IPC)

Structure: Fascism (Enlightened Socialism, Controlled Democracy)

Founder: Director Zachary Fullner, instituted August 7th, 2026

Current Leader: Director Shauna Tannenbaum, instituted May 26th, 2104

Influence: Earth, Macbeth, Decanter, most extra-solar colonies with a heavy military presence

Goals: The unification of humanity, the control of science and industry, the insured survival of order

Tender: Credits (Work credits, bucks, creds)

Description/History:

   The Integrated Planetary Combine (More commonly known as simply "The Combine") controls up to eighty percent of the Earth's population. Formed by Director Zachary Fullner in the wake of an Earth-wide economic depression, the Combine was the government's final solution to rampant civil chaos, overextended free rights, and the utter failure of "pure democracy."

   Having replaced the defunct United Nations, the Combine gathered initial influence over all of Europe, South America, Asia and North America. It uses very little propaganda in achieving its goals, instead relying on cloned shock troopers and disenfranchised mercenaries to crush opposition and resistance wherever it occurs.

   Life under the heel of the Combine was initially brutal, but the relaxation of some of its more rigid laws has allowed art, music and recreation to make a comeback. The current Director, Shauna Tannenbaum (a last-minute replacement for a clinically insane Calvin Matterson) is the third leader of the Combine. A military prodigy, Tannenbaum is more concerned with the growing influence of planetary corporations than with enforcing her office's strict regimen of jack-booted fascism.

   The Combine has utter control of two major off-planet colonies, including Macbeth, a cosmopolitan world lightly touched with its earthbound sponsor government, and the industrial titan Decanter. A few other planets have a light Combine military presence, but are owned solely by colonial enterprises like New Horizons and A.E. Industries. The Combine clashes with free businesses frequently for control of its citizenry. Though wealthy, the Combine's main focus is not money-oriented, so it is often hammered by citizens who are willing to enslave themselves to the corporate machine for promises of wealth and
power.

---

Liberty's Hand

Structure: Anarchy (Democracy/Technocracy)

Founder: Unknown hackers and tech-pirates, originally called "The Hand of Liberty" in 2055, reformed in 2101

Current Leader: "Old Code" (Nickname/real name unknown)

Influence: Earth, lower-class citizens, "staples," Macbeth

Goals: The return of democracy and freedom to Earth and all its citizens, the destruction of the IPC

Tender: Varies

Description/History:

   Liberty's Hand is a bastardized remnant of the hackers and dissidents who, in 2055, cost the Combine and subsidiary industries almost 5 billion credits. Originally named "The Hand of Liberty," these malcontents were responsible for the complete restructuring of the data-net and its shoddy security protocols. Having succeeded in lessening government restriction under the elderly Zachary Fullner, the group was disbanded. Now, after the recent debacle of Calvin Matterson, a new group of radicals and disillusioned workers have resurrected the old belief of absolute freedom---and the mind-numbing task of undermining the Integrated Planetary Combine.

   With the institution of Shauna Tannenbaum, Liberty's Hand sees a perfect opportunity to deliver a crippling blow to the Combine while its current Director is distracted by a growing corporate threat. The organizations leader, an esteemed member of the original Hand of Liberty nicknamed "Old Code," has vowed to return America and the rest of the world to "the natural and rightful grasp of the people."

   Liberty's Hand keeps a low profile, and meetings for it are clandestine affairs. Most of these events are rarely in person, instead taking place in nigh-impregnable caches on the data-net. The Combine has limited intelligence about the reformation of these anarchist architects, but is doing its best to keep an eye on them.

---

Risen

Structure: Terrorist Cells

Founder: Wu Fai Kwan, 2080

Current Leader: Wu Fai Kwan, various ringleaders

Influence: Earth, Talbon Holtha, Macbeth, Tempest, Viridian

Goals: Monetary acquisition, religious freedom

Tender: Credits, various

Description/History:

   Following the rise of Neo-Christianity in the Foundation Province (Formerly the United States), Wu Fai Kwan worked as an industrial tech in a low-level factory by downtown Angel City. Wu's family was killed and he was beaten nearly to death by J-Juicers in a protest against Buddhists in the community during the summer of 2065. Wu Fai Kwan promised to dedicate his life to destroy Neo-Christianity and the government who he believes (falsely) allowed such people to run free; the Combine.

   Risen was formed 15 years after Wu's experience by like-minded individuals who had been entreating the government to take action against Neo-Christians for their crimes. Sick of waiting for help from the authorities, Wu and a mob of low-level ex-Buddhist workers raided known Neo-Christian homes all over Angel City, putting whole families to death in revenge for that one summer more than a decade earlier.

   After losing a substantial portion of the mob to the Combine's brutal enforcers, Wu and a select few fled to Mexico and Africa, places ravaged by the Errant Reaper virus and largely uninfluenced by the world government. For many years, no one knew what became of Wu Fai Kwan, but in 2098, a Risen One terror squad made a daring raid into the very chambers of Calvin Matterson in New Foundation, injecting him with a modified version of the Errant Reaper virus. Driven insane by the necrosis of his own body, Matterson was deposed in 2101. Wu Fai Kwan tasted revenge once more.

   Risen does not follow most of its original goals anymore. Though it still pursues the right to religious freedom, it mostly involves itself with organized crime, drug dealing and weapons smuggling.

---

New Horizon/A.E. Industries

Structure: Corporate Hierarchy

Founder: David Colwell, 2021

Current Leader: Vincent Colwell, 2099

Influence: Earth, Mars, Jupiter (All moons save Ganymede), Macbeth, Talbon Holtha, Selucarr, Viridian, almost all extra-solar colonies

Goals: Monetary acquisition, market domination, human expansion, alien integration/exploitation/extermination

Tender: Credits

Description/History:

   Before the formation of the IPC, computer software and automotive tycoon David Colwell made a dangerous gamble. Investing all  of his financial holdings into an independent Chinese space program, he demanded they recruit over one hundred thousand potential colonists in a bid for a corporate-owned Martian colony.

   Though his board of fellow brokers raved that Colwell was investing in an insanely stupid decision, he assured them that his "gut" was making the right call. Four years later, as drugged and nerve-stapled miners sent back rare and expensive minerals from Mars, David Colwell was lauded as the "financial genius of the twenty-first century."

   When interstellar travel became possible through shockdrive technology, David furthered his new corporate stock-holdings by building the first "planet-cracking" vessels. Able to strip down entire lifeless worlds for base minerals and other precious resources, these ships soon became the calling card of the newly christened A.E. (Alternate Earths) Industries. Later, as people sought to leave the harsh confines of a Combine-controlled Earth, New Horizons (Also under the control of the Colwell family) allowed such people their dreams...for a price.

   A.E. Industries and New Horizons clashes regularly with the Combine over the control of populations. One side views these people as duty-bound citizens, and the other views them as contract-bound cattle. Both go to harsh lengths to enforce their agendas.

   With the recent advent of alien intelligence in extra-solar human expansion, the new corporate president Vincent Colwell sees a vast opportunity. Though the aliens (particularly the H'ssrek) often make trouble for his company, Vincent understands that alien culture, foods, technology and lifestyle have a tremendous market potential for oppressed clients looking to escape. Thus, he has set up a plan that will not only unify aliens and humans for all time, but make sure that only humanity rises as a dominant force in the cosmos.

---
---
---

Military Designations (Combine Only):

   The Combine have a rigorous, well-trained and unified military that is arguably the best in history. With its control of human clones, brain-washed criminals and hard-bitten mercenaries, it has grown into an elite fighting force.

   These are some following designations and information regarding its soldier caste and equipment.

---

Combine Centurion

Role: Heavy Assault Shock Trooper

Functions: Crowd Dispersal, Assaults, Siegecraft

Constitution: Clones, "Staples"

Arms and Armor:

Centurion Class Powered Armor

Carnage Anti-Personnel Assault Cannon

Hydraulic Drive Shield

Powered Fist

Shockblade

---

Combine Myrmidon

Role: Death Squad/Assassins/Black Ops Soldier

Functions: Terrorism, Special Operations, Recon

Constitution: Clones

Arms and Armor:

Myrmidon Class Combat Armor

Helix Longshot Rifle

Mono-molecular Razor

---

Combine Praetorians

Role: Enforcers/Fire Teams

Functions: Blitzkriegs, Nanotech Warfare, First Strikes

Constitution: Clones, "Staples"

Arms and Armor (Jumpers Only):

Ascertus "Smartsuit"

Retaliator Heavy Boltgun

EMP/Fireflush Grenades

---

Combine Cambion

Role: Space Marine/Orbital Shock Trooper

Functions: Ship-to-Ship Combat, Orbital Insertion

Constitution: Clones

Arms and Armor:

Cambion Exo-Armor

Adept Railgun

Monofilament Wirechains

---

---
---
---

Major World Religions:

Neo-Christianity

Old Christianity

Buddhism

Risen Ones

Shintoism

Agnostics

Xions

---

---
---
---

Comic Settings:

New Foundation

Angel City

Detroit

Tokyo

Shanghai

Victory Bay

Viridian (Reassurance)

Macbeth (Paramount City)

Decanter (Depot-27)

Mars (Crimson Kong)

Exodus

---

---
---
---

Key Characters/Descriptions/Affiliations:

---

Shauna Tannebaum:

New Director of Integrated Planetary Combine, Female.

   Military genius, concerned with A.E. Industries aggressive corporate expansion. Rounding up all retired or disbanded units to deal with perceived threat to Combine authority. Has hired former Myrmidon Kyone through a random selection, gives orders through proxy.

---

Kyone:

Former Combine Field Officer, Male.

   Ruthless mercenary and hired gun. Human clone with genetic defects. After four years of discharged life, forced back into Combine Forces in the wake of A.E. Industries expansion. Unaware of his connection with Director Shauna Tannenbaum as actual employer.

---

Vincent Colwell:

Latest CEO of New Horizons/A.E. Industries, Male.

   Sly opportunist, seeking to subvert Combine control and also destroy recent alien contacts from within. Uses propaganda and cunning market strategy, unleashed a criminally insane former security consultant on Tempest named Surtur. Hoping a campaign of terror on the virgin colony will distract Combine from his real purpose.

---

Surtur (Alric Jameson):

Former A.E. Industries Security Consultant, Male.

   Once a hard-working family man, now driven mad by psychoactive drugs and encased within an Edict Powered Mech. Subliminally ordered to kill and raze all life on Tempest and other worlds within the Ramayana System. Powerless to stop himself.

---

Annashyla:

Assassin for Liberty's Hand, Female.

   A former pacifist and strong liberal, undertaking self-imposed missions to kill key figures in Combine authority, including commissars, prefects and military brass. Hopes to assassinate Director Shauna Tannenbaum, former pupil of "Old Code."

---

"Old Code":

Speaker for Liberty's Hand, Male.

   Liberal with strong belief in personal freedom, condemns Annashyla's actions as reckless despite her tenure as his protégé. Wants to bring down the Combine through more peaceful, subtler means. Real name unknown.

---

Rasputin:

Risen Minister, Male.

   Elderly Buddhist, advises Wu Fai Kwan loyally, hopes to return Risen to it's original goal of spreading religious freedom. Opposes Min Yang, who wants Risen to become an organized crime supergiant.

---

Min Yang

Risen Minister, Male.

   Descended from Chinese Triad gangsters, wants to resurrect the Triad in the guise of Risen and control all smuggling coming in and off Earth and her colonies. Hates Rasputin, who he believes is weak. Seeks to have him assassinated so he can gain the sole ear of Wu Fai Kwan.

---

Ushwey

Relgan Immigrant Cook, Female.

   Lonely immigrant, recently arrived on Mars as cook. Barely tolerated, ostracized, friends with Bultrathi dockworker Brakk. Ekes out an living on diminished wages, owes Risen money for fake identification.

---

Brakk

Bultrathi Dockworker, Male

   Former elite Bultrathi hunter, came to Mars to work on a mine, instead received job as dockworker. Protective of Ushwey, tells himself its because the Relgan are a client species of the Bultrathi, but actually has feelings for her.

---

---
---
---

Glossary

---

Shockpoint (Drive):

   An engine/manifold on a spacecraft allowing faster-than-light travel between star systems. Using small quantities of anti-matter, Shockpoint drives compress gravity and dark matter into something closely resembling a wormhole. After directing and stabilizing this artificial wormhole (called a "shock gate")with solar telemetry/super-magnetic fields, a ship passes through, arriving at its point of designation within a span of hours (Interstellar travel, however, could take months).

   This drive requires an enormous amount of energy to use, and the penning of antimatter for the shock jump is extremely hazardous, requiring an intelligent, experienced crew of engineers. Most ships rarely use their own shockpoint drives, instead relying on fastidiously maintained, corporate-owned shock gates that are operated for a nominal fee.

---

IPC (Integrated Planetary Combine) ((See organizational description above)):

   The world-spanning fascist government, led by militarily appointed directors.

---

Creds (Credits):

   The legal tender for the IPC, whether digital or otherwise.

---

The 8th Regiment:

   Elite military branch of cloned shock troopers solely bred to serve the Combine.

---

"Nuke" (Narcophetamine):

   A modified, cheap drug made from base methamphetamines cut with other psychotropic chemicals. Highly addictive, used for enhanced aggression and euphoria. Side affects include cerebral deterioration, seizures, coma, and random bleeding from extremities, etc.

---

Neo-Christianity:

   After the decline of Christianity in the twenty-first century, a new branch was made to revitalize the dying religion. It has radically altered from its original roots, claiming that God has "changed his mind concerning Judgment Day, and no longer wishes to have anything to do with His children." Evangelists and J-Juicers (also called Jesus Freaks) proclaim that humanity must work to get back into God's good graces by themselves. Therefore, all members are exhorted to respect and tolerate authority (including the Combine), purge and persecute the unbelievers (all non Neo-Christians), and donate half of all proceeds to the Neo-Church. For some bizarre reason, Neo-Christianity holds the highest membership of any religion on
Earth.

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Errant Reaper Virus (ERV):

   A virus that corrupts and consumes organic matter upon touch. Developed by British scientists in 2032, the original strain of the virus was first tested in Mexico and Africa, respectively. In both situations, ERV mutated when it came into contact with humans. People who died from the virus became reanimated through pathogenic distortion of their nervous system. All victims of ERV are called "zombies" in revulsion and horror, mostly because such abominations eat the flesh of non-infected hosts and
thus spread the virus.

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Ramayana System:

   One of the most successful extra-solar colonization efforts by humanity. The system contains six human population and industrial centers; Decanter, Tempest, Macbeth, Selucarr, Drater, and Talbon Holtha.

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Viridian:

   A utopian planet lightly touched by the New Horizons Corporation. Largely a forested planet, Viridian is considered a paradise and pilgrimage point for many. Located in the Argus Rho System.

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Exodus:

   A prison planet under the effects of a nuclear winter. Every year, adventurers and vagabonds journey there in order to participate in a deadly contest known as the Dying Ground. Contestants must survive a week facing ERV-infected zombies, serial convicts and lethal radiation. Whoever is alive at the end of the week is awarded with a shockpoint starcraft and a weeks paid vacation to Viridian. No one has survived long enough to claim the prize. Located in the Betelgeuse System.

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