The FBI's Unusual Incidents Unit is the primary domestic 
paranormal agency of the United States, tasked with enforcing 
paranormal regulations and upholding the Veil. Due to a limit of 
means and jurisdiction, the UIU largely focuses on investigating 
paranormal crimes and covering-up anomalous incidents. One of 
their most important functions is policing the numerous pocket 
universes within the US, which act as enclaves for the paranormal 
community. 


The UIU has played a vital role in tracking down Prometheus Labs 
assets that were lost or stolen during the breakup, which has limited 
the growth of the black market paratech trade within the US. 


GRU Division "P" 


One of the Soviet Union's two major paranormal agencies, GRU-P 
was created during the Second World War to protect the Soviet 
Union from paranormal and occult threats, and to utilize esoteric 
weaponry against the country's enemies. With the onset of the Cold 
War and the paratech arms race, the division's role was expanded 
to include recovery and reverse engineering of anomalous objects 
and paratech. In this role, it performed corporate espionage and 
theft of intellectual property on a number of companies, including 
Prometheus Labs. 


With the end of the Cold War, GRU-P has found itself as the sole 
remaining paranormal agency of the Russian Federation. Its 
operations are now focused largely on dealing with the black market 
for anomalous objects and paratech that has arisen in post- 
communist Russia. 


Joint Occult Venture of Europe 


The Joint Occult Venture of Europe is a multinational paranormal 
organization composed of various European national paranormal 
agencies and loosely affiliated with the European Union. Organized 
along similar lines to Frontex, JOVE performs a role similar to that of 
the American UIU, maintaining the Veil within Europe and policing 
paranormal enclaves. Extremely limited in personnel and funding, 
JOVE primarily acts as a facilitator and coordinator for the multiple 
national and international organizations operating within Europe. 


The catalyst for JOVE's formation, and the primary focus of its few 
field operations, are the expanding activities of the paracrime 
syndicate Scarlet Hammer and the accompanying influx of illegal 
Soviet paratech into Western Europe. In this role, JOVE was 
instrumental in coordinating the multi-agency response to Incident 
Shattered Gyro, in which elements of Scarlet Hammer attempted to 
use salvaged Soviet paraweaponry to provoke a resumption of 
hostilities on the island of Cyprus. 


The Factory 


Despite being one of the largest suppliers of anomalous raw 
materials, the entity known as the Factory has no known investors, 
board of directors, executive officers, or even manufacturing 
facilities. What is known is that they act as a supplier of anomalous 
materials and components to other paratechnology companies, 
although the quality of these materials is often suspect. 


The disruption of the paratech industry caused by the collapse of 
Prometheus Labs has afforded the Factory an opportunity to expand 
their operations. While most of the companies that emerged from 
the breakup are aware of the Factory's poor reputation, many of 
them have no other suppliers to turn to. 


Anderson Robotics 


A rising force in the paratech trade, Anderson Robotics is a startup 
founded in 1994, which specializes in the development of advanced 
robotics and cybernetics. Their interactions with Prometheus Labs 
prior to its breakup were limited and few; Prometheus Labs had 
already started on the path that would eventually lead to its collapse, 
while Anderson Robotics was still in its infancy. 


The dissolution of Prometheus Labs was a boon to Anderson 
Robotics, as it removed a large potential competitor from the market 
and provided them with the opportunity to hire many of the 
conglomerate's now-unemployed robotics researchers. Since then, 
Anderson Robotics has grown into the world's foremost supplier of 
robotics paratechnology. 


Marshall, Carter and Dark, Ltd. 


Although primarily a "gentlemen's club" catering to the super-rich, 
Marshall, Carter and Dark also engage in the buying and reselling of 
paratechnology. They act as a sort of middleman for the industry, 
establishing links between suppliers of raw materials, manufacturers 
of finished goods, and consumers of paratech products. They 


benefit greatly from their client base in this role, using the 
connections this affords them to orchestrate highly profitable 
exchanges. 


While the collapse of the Prometheus conglomerate has robbed 
them of one of their most profitable business partners, it has also 
given them an opportunity to grow their network. Where previously 
Prometheus Labs would handle exchanges of assets between its 
subsidiaries on its own, the collapse of the conglomerate has left 
this role vacant. A role which Marshall, Carter and Dark have readily 
filled. 


Manna Charitable Foundation 


The Manna Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit humanitarian relief 
organization founded in 1971. While most of their operations are 
mundane in nature, they have on numerous occasions attempted to 
utilize paratechnology to provide humanitarian aid. These efforts 
are, for the most part, successful, although a number of highly 
damaging failures in the 1980s and 1990s have tarnished the 
organization's reputation. 


Like many organizations that depended on Prometheus Labs as a 
paratech supplier, the Manna Charitable Foundation has suffered 
from the collapse of the Prometheus conglomerate. The loss of such 
a large source of dependable paratech has forced them to rely on 
aging supplies of existing paratech, and less reliable anomalous 
methods in order to continue operating on the same scale. 


Church of the Broken God 


The relationship between the Church of the Broken God and 
Prometheus Labs (and its successors) was and remains 
complicated, due to the heavily sectarian nature of the Church. 
While the Broken Church was largely indifferent towards 
Prometheus Labs, the same cannot be said of the religion's other 
two major sects. 


The Cogworks Orthodox Church was highly critical of, and even 
overtly hostile towards, Prometheus Labs, as their strict adherence 
to the use of purely mechanical machinery and denouncement of 
electronic devices is at odds with the founding principles of the high- 
technology conglomerate. The Patriarchs of the Cogworks 
Orthodoxy declared the company to be blasphemous through its 
very existence; they celebrated its dissolution as the demise of a 
great evil. 


In contrast to the Orthodoxy, the Church of Maxwellism endorsed 
Prometheus Labs and its products, and collaborated with them on 
several computing and cybernetics projects. Many of Prometheus' 
employees were adherents of Maxwellism, which only furthered the 
ties between the two groups. The breakup of the conglomerate was 
seen by Maxwellists as a terrible catastrophe; this sect of the 
Church has actively worked to try and stabilize the paratech market 
in the wake of this event, and has lent its support to the numerous 
successor companies that emerged from the breakup. 


Servants of the Silicon Nornir 


A transhumanist religion and GOC member organization, the 
Servants believe that their purpose is to bring about the creation of 
the "True Silicon Goddess" — a benevolent hyperintelligence that 
will shepherd humanity into the future — by hastening the onset of 
the technological singularity. To this end, they follow a trio of 
precognitive sentient supercomputers — named Urthor, Verthandi, 
and Skuldir after the Norns of Norse mythology — which direct them 
in their efforts. 


As a member of the GOC, the Servants are afforded a great degree 
of leeway, which allows them to maintain a larger and more 
centralized structure than other transhumanist religions like the 
Church of Maxwellism. The Servants have used their position of 
relative immunity to help grow the paratech industry. The most 
visible effect of their influence is the pocket universe and 
megalopolis of Eurtec, which functions as a hub and haven for 
paratech research. 


International Center for the Study of Unified 
Thaumatology 


The largest occult college in the world, the ICSUT is a GOC member 
and one of their biggest research partners. Founded in 1913, ICSUT 
specializes in the study and teaching of thaumatology — the 
scientific investigation of the mystic and occult. ICSUT has 
campuses all around the world, including locations in London, 
Zurich, and Three Portlands. 


Historically, ICSUT collaborated extensively with Prometheus Labs, 
most notably in the creation of the Everhart Resonator. With the 
decline and dissolution of the Prometheus conglomerate, ICSUT has 
shifted its focus towards research into theoretical thaumatology. 


Serpent's Hand 


The relationship between Prometheus Labs and the Serpent's Hand 
was an odd one. While both groups seek ever greater understanding 
of the universe(s) which they inhabit, many of the members of the 
Library disdained the Labs' methodologies, likening them to tomb 
raiders and commonly referring to them as 'Pilferers'. For its part, 
Prometheus Labs remained totally unaware of the existence of the 
Library... though there are rumors that some of their more esoteric 
discoveries were not entirely their own. 


Following the collapse of Prometheus Labs, some of its employees 
discovered the Library and quickly found a new home there. Most of 
these members tend to be secretive about their time at Prometheus, 
but will readily share their knowledge of paratechnology with anyone 
who wants to learn. 


The Black Queen 


The Black Queen is the moniker of a number of individuals capable 
of traveling between multiverses. Due to their different origins, each 
Black Queen typically has their own distinct goals and methods, 
though certain common aspects exist. These include the absence of 


in Saturnian 
orbit with no 
other effects 
on other 
celestial 
bodies. 
11/02/2007) -.000512 770 244 years, 8 lapetus 
months, 23) achieves a 
days close flyby of 
Dione prior to 
impact with 
Saturn, 
causing 
slight 
changes to 
Dionian and 
Saturnian 
orbits, with 
no other 
effects on 
celestial 
bodies. 
07/17/2008) -.000883 1.23 d 231 years, 5 lapetus 
months, 2 | achieves 
days close flybys 
of Dione and 
Tethys prior 
to impact 
with Saturn, 
causing 
major 
changes to 
Tethys’ orbit 
and inducing 
its own state 
of orbital 
decay. 
01/08/2009} -.000919 1.59d 216 years, | lapetus 
11 months, |8 collides with 
days Rhea prior to 


her father and the discovery of the Wanderer's Library. 


Several Black Queens are currently active within our multiverse, 
many of whom are engaged in cross-multiverse paratech dealing. At 
least one Black Queen is involved in the operations of the Chaos 
Insurgency, and others are known to be loosely affiliated with the 
Serpent's Hand. 


Scarlet Hammer 


The Division of Special Circumstances was the paranormal arm of 
the KGB, responsible for maintaining the Soviet Union's stockpile of 
paraweapons. When the USSR collapsed in 1991, the KGB, 
including the Division of Special Circumstances, was disbanded due 
to its role in the abortive August Coup. In response, multiple officers 
within the DSC, led by the former Director, went rogue, disappearing 
with a large number of Soviet paraweapons. These renegade DSC 
elements would become the paranormal crime syndicate known as 
Scarlet Hammer. 


Scarlet Hammer are the largest dealer of paraweaponry and illegal 
paratech within the former Soviet bloc, although their operations 
have also extended into Western Europe and Southeast Asia. They 
are believed to be in competition with the Chaos Insurgency, 
another major seller of black market paraweapons. 


Chaos Insurgency 


The Chaos Insurgency is a loose coalition of several different radical 
occult groups. Their goals and their methods are varied and various, 
to such an extent that it is not uncommon for different factions within 
the Insurgency to be working against each other. What they all 
share, however, is a desire to overturn the existing status quo as 
enforced by normalcy preservation agencies. 


Considered a terrorist organization by most major powers, the 
Insurgency operates through stealth and subterfuge. Their activities 
include smuggling anomalous objects, weapons dealing (both 


mundane and paranormal), human and anahuman trafficking, 


espionage, 


blackmail, and sabotage. 


Glossary of Terms 


Definitions of some of the most commonly used terminology in this 


canon. 


+AtoD 


Amnestic — Amnesia inducing drugs, widely 
utilized by normalcy preservation agencies to 
conceal the existence of the anomalous. 

Anart — Short for anomalous art. Used to refer to 
artwork which was created with or incorporates 
anomalies. 

Anahuman — Abbreviation of anomalous human. 
An individual who possess anomalous abilities or 
attributes. Generally does not include 
thaumaturges or non-human humanoids. See also; 
Parahuman 

Anomalous — A catch-all term to describe things 
which seemingly violate the known laws of nature 
and defy explanation. When used alone as a mass 
noun, it can also encompass the occult and 
paranormal. 

Antimeme — An idea with self-censoring 
properties; a meme which discourages 
dissemination or is impossible to remember or 
transmit. 

Apportation — An occult method of instantaneous 
teleportation. The extreme EVE requirements and 
the magnitude of the resulting backlash make 
apportation impractical in most instances. 

Aspect Radiation — EVE emissions with an 
intensity great enough to alter reality. 

Backlash — Randomized alterations to local 


reality, occurring as a result of thaumaturgy and 
similar occult activity. With sufficient planning and 
preparation, backlash can be directed and partially 
controlled. 

Cognitohazard — Anything which, when 
perceived, induces anomalous or harmful effects in 
the observer. 

Concept — A concept is the fundamental and 
ultimate encapsulation of the qualitative properties 
of a thing, and represents the basic unit of 
metaphysics. Concepts exist (metaphysically) 
independently of the things they describe, allowing 
for arbitrary manipulation of reality by modifying a 
thing's concepts. 

Conceptual Machinery — Machines that are 
composed of basic concepts, commonly appearing 
as translucent structures that are quasi-physical, 
resembling physical objects while lacking 
corporeality. These are commonly used in 
conceptual modification. AKA conceptual 
structures, "conceptech." 

Conceptually Null Clearsolids — Glass-like 
materials that possess paradoxical concepts, such 
as the concept of having no concepts. Organic 
material that comes in contact with it experiences 
the rapid modification and loss of concepts. AKA 
"CNC." 

Conceptuvore — An entity that feeds on or 
consumes concepts. 

Counterconceptual — Something which is 
impossible to perceive or conceptualize. A 
paradoxical or incomprehensible concept. 

Demon — A loosely defined term used to refer to 
a wide variety of anomalous creatures originating 
from other regions of the multiverse, most of which 
are hostile to human life. 

Demonarcotics — The practice of using 
anomalous creatures, in whole or in part, as 
components in performance enhancing drugs. Also 
refers to the drugs created through this practice. 


Demonics — Refers to the application of demons 
in integrated circuits, through the use of solid-state 
demon summoning devices. 


+EtoN 


Ectomorph — Paranormal entities composed of 
ectoplasm, sometimes created by the death of a 
living organism. Also known as ghosts, spirits, 
specters, and shades.