POSTHUMANS

## SUMMARY

Cold, calculating, and operating with a religious dogma, the Posthumans are possibly the most formidable of the factions within Alta Turre.

## HISTORY

After the LCD was capture, the Posthumans wasted no time in delving into the goods they had seized. The syndicate quickly realized they had stumbled into a goldmine of REMAP materials and facilities. Knowing the power that this technology held, they were careful in planning their next move.

As tensions grew between the Enforcers and Sisters, the Posthumans made it immediately clear that they were taking a stance of neutrality, wishing only to be left to their own devices. What they did not announce is that they had begun work on developing a super-soldier program through radical genetic alteration. The Posthumans were cautious, carefully planning the combination of alterations for their intended goal, using what cryptechs they had to scour the net for any documentation on existing REMAP formulas. When it was deemed time for testing, those that volunteered made one of the first deals with the Bankers, paying a modest fortune for the safe storage of an imprint of their original genetic profile.

With the first round of testing, it became clear that their extensive research had paid off, creating a batch of eight Posthumans that were the first to bear the title. Over the course of several months after the treatment, their bodies began to morph, assuming the form they had been given. The average height of the group increased by over eight inches. Their skin was more resistant to bruising, and their muscle density had nearly doubled. These newly formed gods amongst men were given the highest honor amongst their peers, elevated to a symbolic status within the syndicate.

As time progressed, so too did the intensity of the treatments, going far beyond what had ever been attempted to create something entirely different to humanity. After a short five years of experimentation, newly formed Posthumans were no longer able to interbreed with unaltered humans, a feature they considered to be a sign that they truly had become something greater. The majority of narcotics no longer had any effect of their physiology, and those that did were typically unpleasant. Between this enforced sobriety and their trans-special nature, the culture within the Posthumans syndicate became nearly religious in nature.

New castes were formed, with the original eight at the helm. Their structure resembled a ministry, with superiors holding both a practical and spiritual command over their subordinates. The values they preached were that of purity, moral strength, cunning intellect, and a cold indifference to the humans they viewed as beneath them. The syndicate ceased collaboration with other factions within the city, as well as becoming the only group not to enlist the help of freelancers. This closing of the gate inspired an air of exclusivity to form around the syndicate, resulting in civilians requesting the ability to join. While requests were initially rejected, a new tradition formed around choosing the best recruits. Posthumans would perform an initial inspection of a hopeful's capabilities under stress by assigning them to assist with a dangerous task, should they seem up to the challenge. If the hopeful survived, initiation required both a complete renouncement of their former self, as well as the completion of rites, an excruciating and accelerated form of REMAP that the Posthumans had developed without the inclusion of sedatives. Many who were given the opportunity to attempt their rites would die of shock, with fewer surviving than not.

In 2110, the third generation of ATAS was announced. The Posthumans saw this as an omen of what was to come, understanding that there was a significant chance that further development of the ATAS could lead to a return of law into the LCD. In preparation for this day, they relocated their command to the Sub-Stacks, brokering a deal with the residents below in order to foster a peaceful relationship. They left only minimal personnel within the LCD, given no other choice due to their need to both operate and protect the REMAP facilities that could not be relocated. While the Posthumans had figured out a way to replicate the equipment wherever they chose, they would not risk the technology falling into the hands of any outside of their own family within the LCD.

Ten years later, the Posthumans were proven right in their suspicions. As the other Syndicates warred against the ATAS above, the Posthumans waited comfortably in their newly constructed fortress.

In 2133, the syndicate was given a reminder, however, that there are other things than themselves to be feared within the city walls. One early morning, before the residents of the Sub-Stacks had awoken, a horde of pale-skinned abominations sieged the slums, bringing with them massive casualties. The Posthumans responded with force, driving the invaders back, and chasing them down in an attempt to rescue those that had been stolen away. Their attempts were without success. By the time that the war party had reached the location of the creatures, all who had been taken were dead. The majority of the party that had followed the creatures into the dark zone would also perish without returning to their home. Those that did return were sure to convey the severity of the situation to their command, who responded in turn with orders for the construction of a retaining wall.

While the attack shook the peoples' faith in the Posthumans' ability to protect them, the construction of the retaining wall earned them some good will. So long as they kept the wall strong and well-guarded, the people of the Sub-Stacks would continue to peacefully coexist within the bounds of their original deal.

## REFERENCES

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