recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Malak

The **Malak** is the collective name for spies, agents and infiltrators left behind after each Evolutionary conflict between Seraph and Ophanum.

The current Malak have been on Earth for 10,000 years, acting as intelligence and reconnaissance soldiers. Some are loyal to the Seraph, others to the Ophanum. They initially all remained xenophobic and insular, hiding from mankind as it spread across the planet. When there was nowhere left to hide, some Malak tried to blend into the population, using powers of deception to mask their true identities, avoiding unwanted attention at all costs. Others chose to abandon their duties and become Exiles.

The Malak who remained loyal completed their tasks. They watched and waited, keeping track of the development of the beings that would surely complicate the next Evolutionary War. A few small skirmishes erupted between individual Seraph and Ophanum - battles of myth and legend, witnessed by only a handful of people throughout history. Small skirmishes between Evolutionaries were mistakenly passed down through history as conflict between the forces of good and evil. Stories were told and retold, the truth lost, and humans were left with their false notions of the Seraph and Ophanum.

In 2280 some Malak have warned key Terran personnel about the imminent war, and negotiations are underway to pacify specific Terran governments and keep them from influencing the course of the coming war.
Evolutionaries

**Evolutionary** (also known as **Elim-derived**) is the umbrella term for any being that has alien DNA. The Evolutionary Species are:

* Seraph
* Ophanum
* Nephilim
* Lesser Nephilim
* Anunnaki
* Grigori
* Lesser Grigori

The Evolutionaries have revealed their existence on Earth over the past 150 years. Humanity struggled with the existence of these new species and their own place on the evolutionary ladder. As time passed, cities grew, the arcologies climbed and in some places the Evolutionaries were accepted. In other areas, humanity‘s bigotry and fear kept Evolutionaries on the fringes of society at best. However, in even less tolerant communities, Evolutionaries were persecuted, forced out, killed, and in some cases, legally hunted.
Soft Technology

Bioengineered materials are designed for use in nearly every area of life, from manufacturing and construction to computing and medicine. The design of organic materials is known as Soft-tech.

Moore’s Law reached the summit of its exponential climb in 2099, prompting huge investment in the development of organic computing systems. Soft-tech offers incredible advantages over traditional “hard” technologies. For example, DNA-based computers run most critical infrastructure systems in the arcologies and can be easily adapted and upgraded as the city’s requirements change. Organic computers have also shown an incredible aptitude for learning and creative thought, two aspects which have contributed substantially to the development of AI in 2280. The extreme flexibility and power of organic computer systems has resulted in the near-complete elimination of traditional silicon-based computers, except in situations that require highly durable or simply proven systems.

Other bioengineered substances are in use around the world in countless applications. Bioengineered structures are easily repaired, upgraded, and reproduced. The Cuidad-5 arcology stands as the most impressive example of soft-tech in construction.

Soft-tech is even used to enhance the Human body (3.8.3).
The Ranch

The Ranch is a large walled compound in former Croatia. Surrounded by wilderness, The Ranch appears to be an oasis of safety for weary or injured travellers who make it to the gates. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Upon arrival, visitors are given a hard choice, labour or return to the Wilds. Enforced labour contracts keep The Ranch working and The Ministry of Public Safety well-fed.

The entrance fee to The Ranch is three months of hard labour, either on the off-shore oil rigs, deep in the mining levels under the city proper, or in the agricultural domes to grow and harvest crops or breed livestock. Constantly bombarded by propaganda while they work, the citizens are endlessly reminded of how lucky they are to have jobs, food, a safe place to sleep, and a government to represent them on the global stage.

When citizens fulfil their contracts, they can either sign another, longer contract and remain at The Ranch, or be escorted to the main gate for release. The Ministry of Public Safety does not wish to see any harm come to its former citizens, so they often provide those leaving the city with communication units so they can call for help while travelling near the city.

Several kilometres outside The Ranch are several groups of specially designed creatures that The Ranch commissioned Triton Enterprises to create. Known as Screechers, they are essentially a genetically modified breed of bat. Screechers use signals emitted by the communication devices provided by the communication devices provided by The Ministry of Public Safety to locate the newly freed citizens. When in range, the Screechers emit a terrifying scream and bite their victims, paralysing them with a genetically tailored sedative.

The victims miraculously awaken inside the medical facilities of The Ranch, where they are reminded how fortunate they are to have been saved by The Ranch’s security patrols. These victims find themselves with a large medical bill and no Trust with which to pay. From there they are essentially forced to work off the debt (4.3.4).
Gareth Solutions

**Gareth Solutions** is a technology firm that specialises in geological research. They would have achieved little success had they not developed the Gareth Meteorite Detector. Capable of detecting even the smallest fragments of meteor debris, the Gareth Meteorite Detector has become a critical piece of equipment for any meteor hunter or explorer.
Van Mantra

In 2099, mysterious individual named Van Mantra began to appear in the media. He claimed the arrival of two ancient warring species, the Seraph and Ophanum, was imminent. Referring to these two species as the Elim, he claimed that Earth has been their battleground for millennia. Precise cosmic alignments, he explained, enable the Elim to travel to Earth. Van went on to suggest the Elim would be surprised by the progress humanity had made since their last war and that humans must organise in defence of their world. Van also revealed the truth that he was an Evolutionary half-breed and that there were others like him, spawned from the union of Elim and humans, known as the Nephilim. He went on to explain that there were other species, one engineered by the Elim as servants and soldiers, known as the Grigori. Both the Nephilim and Grigori had spawned additional half-breeds, diluting their Evolutionary blood further, creating the Lesser Nephilim, Lesser Grigori and Anunnaki over the centuries. Van explained that these Evolutionaries lived veiled in secrecy, some still loyally serving the Seraph or Ophanum, others operating in an ancient underworld, manipulating the world of humans, amassing wealth and power for themselves. Most people wrote Van Mantra off as just another crackpot trying to spread chaos until more Evolutionaries revealed themselves, some forced from secrecy others doing so willingly (3).

Van Mantra is something of a legend, and whether he is alive in 2280 is known by very few. In fact, in the minds of many, he is more myth than reality.

Van is a Nephilim, and by no means an ancient one in Evolutionary terms. He was the first to publicly proclaim the existence of Evolutionaries, and one of the founding members of Axiom, and one of the organisation’s most aggressive and successful saboteurs. Van made a significant number of enemies attacking and sabotaging known meeting places of Grigori and other Evolutionaries working to prepare for the coming Evolutionary War. He also became the public voice and face of Axiom, taking every opportunity to offer warnings and generate publicity for their cause.

With Axiom’s shift in focus toward preparing the human world for the Evolutionary War, Van became a mercenary of sorts, travelling the globe, offering whatever support he could to Axiom’s allies. In 2230, Van suddenly went silent. His face disappeared from VidNet broadcasts, where his exploits had become news staples. His allies remain tight-lipped concerning his whereabouts, and many of his enemies have claimed victories over a fallen Van Mantra. No one knows the truth (5.1.23).
Valux Corporate Arcology

One of the largest arcologies on Earth (3.2.3). The Valux Corporate Arcology is a massive corp-town in the strictest sense - Valux built and operates the city, employing nearly all its citizens. The arcology is located near the intersecting borders of the former states of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. The city is an ever-growing tower complex, its exterior swarming with Valux drones constantly repairing and expanding the structure, like a massive termite mound.

The city’s primary tower complex is nearly 6 km (3.25 mi) in height and 6 km (3.25 mi) wide at its swooping base, with numerous outlying and support structures scattered nearby.

People

The arcology is home to approximately 60 million citizens, all of whom are effectively employees of the corporation. Recently, however, Valux began striking deals with other corporations, allowing them to bring goods and services into the city and have their employees take up residence inside the arcology.

Government and Travel Controls

Like all major corporations in 2280, Valux values control and security of its city above all else. The city is governed by the Administrative Council, which is appointed by the corporation’s governing board and president. The Administrative Council oversees all aspects of the city’s day-to-day business - everything from safety and sanitation to education and the arts. The city is tightly guarded and heavily patrolled, inside and out. The Valux Corporation’s Security Force is also heavily augmented by the corporation’s tremendous collection of droids.

Every citizen, and those under contract or employed by a partner corporation is issued with an embedded PID. Those born within the city are automatically issued citizenship. The only other way to gain citizenship is to be hired by the corporation or to be invited to become a resident, a practice recently introduced by Valux in an attempt to soften the city’s image as a traditional corptown.

While citizens can come and go as they please, all major gateways to the city are closed to outsiders unable to provide proof of official business or a scheduled visit with a citizen of the city. Despite these security measures, there are regular - and sometimes successful - attempts by other major corporations to steal the research and researchers from the city’s drone development labs with offers of huge salary increases. As a result, Valux now employs both corporate and freelance Headhunters to hunt down scientists who flee the arcology with trade secrets and return with their heads.

Military

In addition to its regular internal security force and border security force, Valux has a significant military force. Joining the Valux military guarantees citizenship and has attracted thousands to the city. This practice has become something of an issue with the city’s administration, as many citizens report mistreatment at the hands of the military. The city has a substantial and well-equipped, if not always well-disciplined, security force (4.1.6).
Strata Free-Form Combat, Strata

Known by most as simply Strata, Free-Form Combat is the ultimate form of entertainment in the New World. Held in massive arenas often seating hundreds of thousands, Strata pits two or more warriors against another in simple hand-to-hand combat.

Free-Form Combat evolved from the martial arts and wrestling competitions of the 21st century. Professional matches take place on a large, raised, slightly concave platform that rotates above the arena floor, often referred to as the Bowl. Here, the world’s greatest athletes, men and women of every species and of incredible athletic prowess, face each other in hand-to-hand combat. Strata fights are fast, vicious bouts with very few rules. To win, one must disable the opponent either by rendering them unconscious or throwing them from the platform. Victory can also be attained by forcing the opponent to yield. The most successful fighters are not simple brutes, but highly trained fighting machines, versed in a variety of combat styles and athletics.

The spectacle surrounding Strata is unmatched in the entertainment world. Championship combats are promoted for weeks, sometimes months. The streets of every major city are plastered with massive banners that cover the walls of skyscrapers. The images of Strata fighters are everywhere and its champions are among the most recognisable and popular celebrities in the New World.

The most popular fighters are celebrities of unmatched fame and fortune. While careers are often short, the rewards are extraordinary, and any fighter that retires in reasonable health - with his/her fortune and reputation intact - is almost instantly a legend, and held in the same regard as VidStars.

Strata arenas can be found in every arcology, save Città Santa, and in nearly every other city - along with fighter stables, which function as training, management, and housing facilities for most up-and-coming fighters.

Like many sports throughout history, Strata has attracted more than its fair share of criminal interest. Entire underworld syndicates have formed around the shadowy world of Strata. Rarely do elite fighters have any tangible ties to organised crime, but in the smaller arenas, particularly those in the Freezones, crime is rampant (3.4.8).
Elim Exiles

**Elim Exiles** is a catch-all term for Seraph or Ophanum agents who have gone rogue. Sometimes referred to as "going native", they have opted to make their own destinies on Earth. Of course, this places them at odds with loyal agents (called the Malak) as well as the Seraph and Ophanum themselves.

Exiles have been operating in an ancient underworld, manipulating the world of humans, amassing wealth and power for themselves. Over the thousands of years they have remained on Earth, the ease with which they could use their powers to influence the emerging human world proved too much to resist. Now that the Malak are preparing for the return of their superiors, the Exiles are being put to the test.
Aducssus and Avanna

**Aducssus** is a fiercely built humanoid AI and field commander of AIAA-12. Although technically genderless, Aducssus is clearly modelled on a human male of incredible stature. He is continuously upgraded and carefully maintained with the most sophisticated, cutting edge technology available from Loth Foundry’s design and engineering cells. When not preparing for combat, Aducssus is clothed in the humanoid dress uniform of the Foundry: a neatly tailored black suit with double-breasted jacket and low-fitting black beret.

Aducssus is closely connected to Loth, the Foundry’s central AI, communicating almost continuously over the Foundry’s encrypted links. Aducssus also remains in regular contact with his subordinate commanders as well as the Foundry’s primary Relations Officer, Avanna.

Aducssus is well known for his commitment to the Foundry’s troops; treating even the most rudimentary AI as though they were younger brothers. However, during combat and security operations, Aducssus is all business and is willing to sustain casualties to satisfy the needs of a client. Aducssus prides himself on the impeccable combat record of AIAA-12 and its reputation for surgical precision.

**Avanna** is AIAA-12’s primary Relations Officer and chief contract negotiator. She is an attractive humanoid AI, obviously designed to serve as the professional face of Loth Foundry. Like Aducssus, Avanna is state of the art, continuously upgraded and meticulously maintained. She is as well known for her warm, polite demeanour as the Foundry’s spokesperson as she is for her professionalism and strong negotiation skills.

Both Aducssus and Avanna report directly to Loth. However, both are also completely autonomous and responsible for final decision making in their respective areas of responsibility. Their cutting edge construction has led many to mistake both Aducssus and Avanna for humans in the employ of the Foundry. In fact, Avanna maintains several homes around the world and is rarely at the Foundry.
Insight Intention

**Insight** is a Wielding Intention within the Order Realm.

The Insight Intention enables Wielders to look into the minds of those around them, hear their thoughts, feel their emotions, or even see their memories. This can provide valuable information that can be used against the target. It can also be used to see faraway locations or hear distant conversations. The Insight Intention can be used to protect targets from any Effects that may be affecting their senses or their ability to detect what is going on around them. Insight Effects can be used to counter or undo Ignorance Effects.
Grigori State-Shifting

**State-shifting** is an ability possessed by some Grigori and Lesser Grigori. It allows them to manipulate as aspect of their physical, emotional, or mental state, and in some cases, the state of those around them.

In the Evolutionary Wars that that the Seraph and Ophanum wage against one another, the Grigori are an intelligent form of military asset. Their Innate Wielding gives them powerful, specialised abilities of destruction, protection, or healing that play a pivotal role in the outcome of battles. As such, State-Shifting has been genetically imprinted into Grigori to give them secondary, specialised powers, providing increased versatility and survivability on the battlefield.
Alpha and Omega

**Alpha and Omega** are abstractions of the driving force of the universe according to the Wielding Cosmology. Most Wielding researchers and philosophers agree that Alpha and Omega are symbiotic - that their relationship is cyclical and necessary. The notion of Alpha and Omega as moral principles - Good and Evil - is overly reductive in the minds of most modern thinkers. On the other hand, those that cling to the physical world see Alpha and Omega as the necessary cycle of creation and destruction, the beginning and the end.

## Alpha

Alpha is best described as the universal creative force. It emits energy that nurtures all living things and inspires the creation of new life. This energy is felt here on Earth and is recognised every day. It appears in many forms, from the smallest kind gesture or the creation of new life to the eons-long formation of mountains or the growth of a forest. The limited capability of the human mind to truly comprehend the energy emitted by Alpha has forced us to use words like “goodness”, “positivity”, “happiness” and “caring” to describe it. Most believe this energy promotes such ideals as love, trust, cooperation and protection. To those aware, Alpha is the source of all things good on Earth.

## Omega

Omega is best described as the destructive force in the universe. It emits energy that corrupts all living things and inspires the destruction of life. That energy is also felt on earth and is seen everyday as war, murder, hatred, cruelty, and death. In the same way the human mind struggles to comprehend the true meaning of Alpha, Omega is known by many inadequate human terms like “evil”, “negativity”, “apathy” and “disdain”.

## Wielding Alpha or Omega

Alpha and Omega are the only Sources available to Spiritual Wielders. These unique Sources are only effective against the spiritual world and its entities. Due to their contrary nature, no Wielder can use both Alpha and Omega. Spiritual Wielders must dedicate themselves to one of the two Sources, drawing power accordingly.

In terms of the mechanics of Wielding, Alpha can only be used to affect the dark and evil entities spawned of Omega energy. Although Alpha indirectly influences living beings, it cannot be used as a Wielding Source to affect physical creatures or objects, except to protect them from the influences of Omega. Omega can only be used to affect the good, benign spiritual entities spawned of Alpha energy. Although Omega indirectly influences living beings, it cannot be used as a Wielding Source to affect physical creatures or objects, except to protect them from the influences of Alpha.
Max-plex

**Max-plex** was the world's first successful arcology project. Developed as an experiment in "insurgency proof" communities, several corporations worked together to create Max-plex in California in 2035.

Max-plex was composed of three massive towers, 500m (546.8 yd) in diameter; each reached an astonishing 1.1 km (0.7 mi) into the sky. The towers were linked at several points by crisscrossing bridges, through which monorails travelled. A network of high-speed elevators carried people up and down the structure. The city quickly became home to 950,000 people. Dozens of suburbs, commercial districts, and parks sprang up around the base of the towers. Plans for expansion were put into action almost immediately after completion, as hundreds of thousands flocked to the corporate city to be part of the new phenomenon. It did not take long for other corporations to notice the incredible influx of human capital to Max-plex and begin plans for their own city complexes. The rise of the city-states was underway, and before too long, the arcology towers disappeared into the clouds.

More than 200 years after its construction, the urban area surrounding Max-plex has itself grown into a massive city and is protected by a sophisticated wall. Max-plex is the smallest arcology on Earth, and is now considered by many to be little more than a large building inside a walled city.
The New World Science and Engineering Commission

The Commission’s current executive director and senior research lead, Paul Silvine, is among the New World’s power brokers.

Health Sciences and health Care are regulated independently by the cities, although most major city-states try to adhere to the standards laid out by the New World Science and Engineering Commission (3.8.1).

In 2136, numerous corporate and academic leaders came together for a conference in the Lavana Trade and Education Commune, which would later become Lavana Free City, to discuss the prospects of forming a global body to regulate and enforce intellectual property rights and standardisation. The discussions were unsuccessful; a consensus could not be reached. However, several of the conference’s participants recognised the need to re-establish global standards for science and engineering, even if they were only to ensure compatibility and consistency of seemingly mundane things like measurement standards. Numerous corporations, eager to improve their image as cooperative forward-thinkers, offered support. Several universities follow suit, and in 2137, numerous corporations and universities returned to Lavana and founded the New World Science and Engineering Commission (NWSEC). Their first order of business: to publish a standardised system of measurements for use in science and engineering. Very shortly thereafter, the Commission offered its resources to revive the old Request for Comments system of research and innovation, providing an open forum for the discussion of ideas. Given the protective nature of most corporate researchers, use of the forum was light initially, but momentum built and the New World Science and Engineering Commission quickly began arranging and hosting an annual symposium on science and engineering, attracting many of the world’s brightest minds. It quickly became a bi-annual event, which led to a flurry of publications in support of common standards and research principles. The Commission was gaining clout and buy-in, and was becoming a friendly face in corporate circles and in the media.

The last five years have seen the NWSEC become a media mainstay and hub for the meeting of great thinkers. The NWSEC has also won over the confidence of consumers as a respectful, honest, and objective body of experts. An endorsement from the NWSEC can make or break a product or a professional’s career and almost every major corporation and institute of higher learning has membership and voting rights on the Commission (3.8.2).
Dr. Rictor Beniton

**Dr. Rictor Beniton** was a pioneer in genetic engineering, or 'soft-technology'.

The soft-tech revolution reached extraordinary heights in 2050, when Dr. Rictor Beniton perfected and went public with his Mesh technology, a series of procedures used to re-engineer or replace genetic code in a patient. Mesh effectively enables people to completely transform their physiology in the same way a software developer rewrites code to perform new functions. The possibilities were endless and so were the ramifications. The genetic Pandora’s Box had been opened and there was no way to close it.

Sao Paulo is home to the Rictor Beniton Research Centre one of 2280’s leading genetic research firms. The Centre has become the heart of Sao Paulo university and a hotbed for both pioneering research and violent protest. The Centre has been targeted numerous times by radical anti-genetic-research activists who bombed the building twice and attacked several scientists and students (4.2.5).
Agony Intention

**Agony** is a Wielding Intention within the Bane Realm.

The Agony Intention can be used to inflict mental, physical, or emotional pain and damage upon living creatures. Agony attacks can have immediate, damaging Effects meant to kill, or can induce damage over time. Agony Effects can be used to counter or undo Deliverance Effects.
Bio-engineered Rights Movement

The **Bio-engineered Rights Movement** aims to safeguard the rights, liberty and well-being of Bio-engineered people on Earth.

Early bio-engineered endured treatment equal to that accorded to slaves and drones. Their corporate manufacturers, and even small independent producers, generally developed bio-engineered to fill roles deemed too dangerous or unsavoury for Humans, but which required Human-like faculties. In particular, bio-engineered served as test-subjects, labourers, and security personnel. Some were created to serve as companions, personal security detail, and even courtesans. Treatment and wages, if any, were considerably less than those of most Humans performing similar tasks. Discussions of the Protection and Valuation of Artificial Life Accord under the Global Accord on Artificial Life (GAAL) bolstered the emerging Bio-engineered Rights Movement. With time, and aid from activists, many cities adopted the terms of the GAAL with regard to bio-engineered. However, most city-states under corporate or dictatorial rule dismissed these discussions as the foolish sign-waving of a few bleeding hearts.

The Bio-engineered Rights Movement is currently locked in disputes with Bio-technology companies over growing reports of mental illness among Bio-engineered. Such companies argue that such reports are anecdotal and need not colour the perceptions of work that is or is not suitable for newly-grown bio-engineered.
Markus Venlu

**Markus Venlu** is the CEO of Venlu Corporation, a global initiative for the incarceration of criminals and agitators.

Venlu approached the heads of the major city-states and offered them an opportunity to rid their cities of expensive and unsightly prisons, promising to take any and all prisoners off their hands, while abiding by the penal system requirements of each city-state government. For many the offer was too good to pass up - Venlu was willing to handle the most dangerous criminals and shoulder the responsibility of their incarceration. Venlu quickly became a major player in the New World’s corporate power game.

It was not long before Venlu had enough contracts and Trust to expand its operation. The construction of the Venlu Island prison quickly followed. In 2274, Venlu Corporation moved into Guadalupe Island and established the world’s first corporately run island prison.
“Muiray”

Max Hogan’s Net persona is a fantastically skilled netster and outspoken critic of AI engineering firms, such as Vidal Corporation and Loth Foundry. Muiray’s attacks on Vidal Corporation are legendary in the Net underworld. His exploits have not gone unnoticed, and both Vidal Corporation and Loth Foundry have placed sizable bounties on Muiray’s head, making Max Hogan’s alter ego a carefully kept secret (5.1.16).
Loth Foundry

Few walled cities are as imposing as **Loth Foundry**, headquarters of Artificial Intelligence Android Army 12 (AIAA-12).

Located on the central plains of what was once Canada, Loth Foundry is a simple symmetrical array of five massive, black pyramids, with one incredible pyramid towering above the others at the array’s centre. Each pyramid glistens during the day, protective shielding reflects the sun like some colossal obsidian megalith. At night, the complex glows eerily, lit only by luminescent power plants within the central pyramid. The five pyramids are linked by a web of passages that intersect in the central pyramid. The entire complex is wrapped by a similarly sleek, black wall, topped periodically by gigantic weapons turrets and communication arrays. The scope of the entire fortress is staggering. Its breadth spans 6 km (3.7 mi) and the central pyramid rises 2 km (1.2 mi) into the lively prairie sky. The mathematical precision of the complex and simplicity of its design are characteristic of its AI builders and residents.

Inside, Loth Foundry is a dark, ceramacrete maze of interconnecting tunnels and massive rooms filled with industrial machinery of every description. The walls and ceilings are completely unadorned, except for an unending web of precisely organised pipes, wires, and conduits. The sounds of machinery and the stomp of constant patrols can be heard through the halls and passages. Tiny drones zip about the floors and climb along the walls and ceilings, avoiding the feet, tracks, and wheels of other drones as they move through the complex. The Foundry is a hive of activity, always alive and constantly abuzz with the hum and pounding of machines.

Each of the five pyramids serves a specific purpose. The first of the exterior pyramids is used for storing raw materials and fuel. The second is used for manufacturing and repairing droids, weapons, and other equipment, while the third and fourth pyramids house droids and equipment ready for action. Finally, the massive central pyramid houses the Foundry’s power plants, critical infrastructure, command, and research and development cells. Deep below the central pyramid, an enormous black vault lies buried, home to Loth, the army’s loaded AI and central mind.

Outside the walls of Loth Foundry lie barren plains, empty for kilometres in every direction, except for the continuous patrols, tests, and drills of the android army.

Few have ever visited Loth Foundry, save the employees of authorised resource gathering companies with raw materials for sale. The android army would as soon kill them as permit them entry, the latter only occurring on authorisation from Loth itself. Loth Foundry exists for its own sake - to protect Loth and to propagate its army; its dealings with other species are extremely grudging and limited. All but the invited are captured for interrogation or killed on sight.
Vidal Corporation

An AI engineering firms. Muiray’s attacks on Vidal Corporation are legendary in the Net underworld. His exploits have not gone unnoticed, and both Vidal Corporation and Loth Foundry have placed sizable bounties on Muiray’s head (5.1.16).

The Vidal Corporation is 2280’s leading producer of AI. It is also the most polarising, in terms of public opinion.

Vidal Corporation is headquartered in the Vidal Corporate Arcology, east of Old New York. Estimates place the corporation’s workforce somewhere between 90,000 and 150,000, although official data is not available to the public. The arcology houses nearly all its employees in a massive 600 floor tower. The arcology is protected by a sophisticated and well-equipped security force composed of human and AI troops.

Public opinion regarding Vidal Corporation has been dramatically polarised since 2258, when Vidal added a range of military-specific AI to its massive product offering, which had traditionally catered to residential and business consumers. Vidal quickly followed its foray into military AI with a line of adult companion or “Pleasure-Bot” AI and terminated its support of the AI in the Classroom programme. From that point on, public opinion of the corporation has wavered significantly. Corporately, Vidal has never been better. Profits are up dramatically, and they are the only human-run corporation in the world to have brokered a development deal with Loth Foundry.

Vidal Corporation has attempted to improve its tarnished public image by working again with schools and security forces. It has even launched an entire business unit devoted to AI pets and companions for small children. However, a dark cloud hangs over the corporation. Rumours of slave labour, AI abuse, and the rise of anti-AI movements are again threatening Vidal Corporation’s image. The corporation’s CEO is Marzan Oferdeson, an often ruthless businessman with numerous and well-known underworld ties - ties Marzan is not afraid to call upon (5.2.6).
Insanity Intention

**Insanity** is a Wielding Intention within the Chaos Realm.

The Insanity Intention can cause even the most dependable to become overwhelmed by seemingly simple situations and render them unable to perform basic actions. It can also induce paranoia or an inability to discern fact from fiction, making a target more susceptible to the effects of illusion. Insanity Effects can be used to counter or undo Clarity Effects.
Hong Kong

**Hong Kong** is now one of the largest conventional cities on Earth. The city is a world leader in numerous high technology fields, particularly artificial intelligence and software. It is home to Niaming Technologies, the world’s foremost producer of biological computer systems, including cutting-edge systems used in many of the latest free-floating AI models.

Hong Kong is known for its particularly violent underworld, which is closely entwined with that of Divinus. This underworld has seen the assassination of a number of mid-level crime bosses and gang leaders in the past several months, causing paranoia and suspicion amongst the criminal classes. Rumours have begun circulating that much of the violence is sponsored by freelance teams of assassins hired by the security forces of Divinus and Hong Kong to prevent underworld leaders from becoming a threat to legitimate governments of both cities.

## History

Hong Kong has endured significant damage, beginning with attacks in 2060. Decades later, it was hit by several small meteors, adding to the destruction. Undeterred, the city pushed on and continued to thrive. In 2063, with the People’s Republic of China unraveling alongside the world’s other major nation states, Hong Kong declared itself an independent state, becoming the first of what would soon be many city states.

Hong Kong has since expanded dramatically. It is also home to Yudon Arena, the second largest Strata arena on Earth. Yudon is located on the southern coast of Hong Kong island and is a marvelous spectacle of statuary, gold leaf and soaring glass windows.

## People

Although no formal census has been taken in nearly 200 years, the population of Hong Kong is estimated at more than 70 million. However, the borders of the city-state seem to expand continuously, and it is possible the city may be home to more than 100 million.

Citizenship is only available to those born in Hong Kong, although over the last 20 years it has begun issuing naturalised citizenship status to those who prove they have lived and worked within the city for at least seven years. All citizens are issued with an embedded PID that carries proof of their status.

## Government and Travel Controls

Hong Kong is overseen by a House of Representatives elected by its citizens every five years. It is also subdivided into numerous wards, each with its own elected governing council.

Travel in and out of the city is relatively easy given its incredible size and countless access points. Security is tightest at the city’s tow airports and the major gateways to the heart of the city’s largest island.

## Military

Hong Kong has a formidable military force and numerous internal security forces. The city’s military is known for its aggressive defence of the frontier areas surrounding it, which are rapidly being developed and inhabited. Hong Kong’s military is also renowned for its sizable navy, which is continuously active in the waters surrounding the city. With the growth of Hong Kong’s underworld and its links to the city’s highest levels of administration, these waters have become a haven for pirates in recent years.
The Baja Divide

On 12 July 2050, the Baja Divide, the last major Divide to form, separated the Baja Peninsula from the mainland, creating a channel linking the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. The damage caused by the quake was phenomenal, levelling the city of San Diego and almost swallowing the city of Tijuana (4.5.1).
Innate Wielders

**Innate Wielders** are blessed with the genetic predisposition for Wielding one particular Source and a select few Intentions. This power comes from within and can only be described as an intangible part of their being.

Although no one knows for certain, most speculate that Innate Wielders have come upon their powers through some genetic accident, exposure to meteor debris, radiation, or some trait specific to their species. Many Innate Wielders have chosen to ignore or even hide their abilities for fear of being shunned by those close to them, or in certain extreme cases, for fear of persecution as dangerous mutations unfit for life in the city-states. On the other hand, some who discover their Innate Wielding abilities proudly showcase them whenever the opportunity arises. However the truly wise Wielder makes use of their abilities only when required.
Lothan Hunt

**Lothan Hunt** is 2280’s most recognised celebrity. His status as the current Strata Battle Champion has given him prestige few can match, making him one of the world’s wealthiest and most celebrated athletes.

Lothan is a towering Lesser Nephilim of statuesque proportions and staggering good looks. If you did not know he made his living as a professional fighter in the Strata arenas of Divinus, you would most likely assume he was a VidNet star. When not training or fighting, Lothan is the consummate celebrity playboy, flawlessly groomed, dressed in the latest fashions, and surrounded by fans.

Lothan enjoys every luxury and perk offered by his career. He frequents the finest dining and night spots of Divinus, always with one or more models or actresses on his arm. Everywhere he goes, he is treated like royalty. Lothan’s home is a sprawling 200th floor penthouse in the Divinus Vodega Tower, the city’s most exclusive high-rise complex. In spite of it all, he is astonishingly grounded and takes his career very seriously. Lothan’s team of trainers and coaches put him through a punishing training regimen every day, pushing his Nephilim genetics to the limit.

Lothan’s celebrity status has not come easily. He is the world’s most accomplished and successful Strata Battler, with a professional full-contact record of 52 wins and 2 losses. He is one of the world’s deadliest hand-to-hand combatants and a fiercely competitive athlete. Lothan has his share of battle scars and has had to deal with countless underworld threats. The criminal trade in performance enhancing drugs, gambling, and fight fixing have all had a significant impact on Lothan, who is constantly under the watchful protection of a small army of security professionals and managers.
Hada AI Collective

The **Hada AI Collective** is a group of criminal AI whose exploitation of human vices has become legendary. Their most profitable venture has been the creation of a drug called Sweet in the Hong Kong underworld. Continued use of the drug causes a break-down of the Limbic system. This degeneration triggers unpredictable emotions, particularly rage.
Mihai Lucescu

**Mihai Lucescu** is the seemingly immortal founder and ruler of Sanctuarium, the Necrosi birthplace and homeland. Lucescu supervised its construction and had a strong hand developing Necrosi culture.

The story of the Necrosi began with the acceptance of a proposal by a wealthy, Romanian nobleman named Mihai Lucescu to purchase a large section of the Badlands area of South Dakota. Normally, this would have never been considered by the United States Government, but the area had been devastated by meteor impacts, and the government was desperately trying to cope with the economic and sociological strain created by a string of natural disasters. Believing it could retake the area by force anytime it wanted, the United States Government accepted Lucescu's offer. He and his extended family moved into an abandoned mental sanitarium which they converted into a palatial mountain top residence named "Sancutarium".

With the help of Marlayne Praska, the leader of the religious group "Children of the Ophan", word of the safety offered by Lucescu's abode spread to hundreds of thousands of religious exiles who were persecuted for their beliefs. The refugees soon found a home at Sanctuarium, exchanging labour for safety and freedom. Lucescu and Praska became leaders of a powerful legion of followers with a common hatred for their former oppressors.

Lucescu heavily influenced Sanctuarium’s training and education programmes. Necrosi are encouraged to explore the world and learn everything they can, reporting back to Sanctuarium as often as possible. All such reports are brought to the attention of Lucescu. He is respected for his strong and thoughtful leadership, and feared for his ruthless elimination of those who cross or conspire against him.
Vision Enhancements

Binoculars

Full-size binoculars provide the greatest possible hand-held vision magnification, and are a critical piece of any Freezone traveler's kit. Binoculars provide a 60x optical magnification and 200x digital magnification. The system's range finding capabilities extend to 15 km (9.3 mi) and provide detailed information on the exact distance to any object within the system's view.

Infrared Goggles

Infrared Goggles enable users to identify and track targets in complete darkness or sense temperatures without risking exposure. Infrared Goggles enable users to see in the infrared spectrum, effectively seeing heat.

Optical Surveillance System

Why carry binoculars when you can have vision magnification, augmentation, and electronic signature detection in a pair of lightweight goggles? An Optical Surveillance System provides a 30x optical vision magnification and 100x digital magnification. The system also includes low-light capabilities, enabling the wearer to see normally in conditions with light similar to that of the moon.

Vi-Corp Ultra-light Optical Augmentation Frame U-12

With the U-12, Vi-Corp delivers the world's finest adaptable optical augmentation. Built with adaptability in mind, the U-12 can support a variety of optical augmentation systems, enabling complete user customisation. Any of the following optical systems can be installed in the U-12 Frame for additional cost:

* Low light Vision
* Infrared Vision (Range 50m / 164.0 ft)
* Laser Detection (Range 50m / 164.0 ft)
* Ultrasound Vision (Range 10m / 32.8 ft)
* Vision Magnification x10
* Electronic Signature Detection

Vi-Corp Ultrasound Viewing System

The Vi-Corp Ultrasound Viewing System enables users to see a fully rendered 3D image of their surroundings - even see through some solid objects. The Ultrasound Viewing System has a viewing range of 10m (32.8 ft).

Vi-Corp Visual Augmentation System

The Vi-Corp Visual Augmentation System is the ultimate in handheld viewing augmentation. This system includes low-light, magnification, infrared, range finding and electronic signature detection. The Vi-Corp Visual Augmentation System enables the user to see in lighting conditions similar to moonlight. The system provides 50x optical magnification and 150x digital magnification. The system's infrared capabilities extend to 500m (1640.4 ft). The system's range finding capabilities extend to 10 km (6.2 mi) and provide detailed information on the exact distance to any object within view. The system's electronic signature detection has a range of 50 m (164 ft) (9.3.3).
Vul

Few Evolutionaries have remained on Earth as long as the ancient Seraph known as Vul. Like all Seraph, Vul is monstrous in size and stature. She bears all the characteristics common to Seraph: statuesque features, pupil-less eyes, feathered wings, and incredible supernatural powers. Very few have met her in person. Instead, Vul has adopted the New World business practice of virtual meetings over the Net. Those who have met Vul reportedly remark on her incredible grace, good nature, and generosity.

Vul’s existence became relatively public knowledge in 2211, when her convoy was attacked by Mezin assassins while travelling in the south-eastern foothills of Senegal. The attack drew substantial attention when several containers of unstable meteor debris exploded, unleashing a catastrophic blast that spread lethal radiation across the countryside. The Freezone communities of Nadaji and Safaya were completely obliterated, and tens of thousands were killed. Vul and the few survivors were captured by local security forces, with local VidNet reporters in-tow. However, they were held just long enough to escape.

Over the centuries, Vul has taken incredible measures to hide her existence. Even those aware of her rarely know where she actually is. Since her earliest days on Earth, Vul has rarely left the African continent, where she has established a network of followers and safe houses. Vul has also devoted a great deal of time and energy to amassing a substantial fortune spread across countless investments, including precious stones, various natural resources, and ancient artefacts. The few who have dared to cross her - in business or otherwise - most often end up dead, or captured and sold into the African continent’s underworld (5.1.26).
Swarm

The backbone of the Net - a massive array of small, cheap, and easily deployed satellites that carry the vast majority of the world’s Net traffic (3.1). Those destroyed during the years of meteor impacts have been replaced with vastly improved models, and new technology is deployed continuously. Satellite technology and control over Net traffic have become indispensable benchmarks for the corporations and city-states (3.4.6). The Swarm links every major city-state and most urban areas through hundreds of thousands of small ground stations scattered world-wide (3.1).

Swarm hops are tiny satellite ground stations that link a local area‘s communications network or comp-grid to the Swarm. Most Swarm Hops are roof-top devices, resembling overturned hemispheres (3.1). They are usually found atop buildings, on street lights, or scattered on the exterior of an arcology. Most ground stations are nothing more than a hand-sized satellite dish or small dome linked to a wireless array and a power source, but they are linchpins, linking businesses and residents to the rest of the wireless world. In the Wilds, ground stations are often much larger and designed for durability rather than concealment. They are also rare and generally built to service trade routes or large communities. Those that do exist outside of the cities are ferociously defended by the corporations or communities who own them (3.4.6).