Canadian Canine Resistance (C.C.R.)

The CCR was a rebellion faction and beast-created militia in the war-years 45 years prior to the events of the space-faring story. Founded in the year

3148 when the New American republic began its push into Canada in need of resources due to the damage done to the country by the bloodiest war. The militia, rather large and not initially supported by the Canadian government(who quickly helped support them as a mutual duel-force preventing excursions by the NAR into Canadian territory) was mostly built of wolves and other various canine-beastmen. They were well known for their use of the wild and rough terrain of Canada plus guerilla warfare tactics to prevent any attempts at excursions by foot or air into Canadian territory for years at a time. Battles often took place along the border and in the mountains with troops being ambushed by clever traps set by the wolves.

## Technology:

Notable for their rudimentary but wildly versatile and potent technology flash-developed to bolster their power and strength against the advancing NAR; the C.C.R developed quite an arsonal of standard weapons and technologies that made quite the difference. Plasma tech, shield tech, and more aggressive styles of combat focused less on magic or firearms and more on strategy and ambush which defined their ranks and tactics.

### Common weapons:

Most troops had some loadout of the handful of mass produced weapons; though some batallions and specialized fighters were given more unique one off weapons. Some of the most frequently used and popular weapons among the wolves were:

##### *Electric Claws:*

Large metal attachments like open nonrestrictive gauntlets that you wear on one or both hands, they had several long fingers that attached to your own and acted as long razor sharp extensions. The blades could retract to prevent injury and allow operation of machinery and weaponry with them on. The handle in your palm has a toggle button you can trip by squeezing your palm to turn the element effect on or off. When it was triggered, electricity, or fire(depending on the type of claw you prefer) would spring to life in the claws, acting to assist in taking down N.A.R. troops who didn't have too much to defend against such close range power. One could wear only one on their non-dominant hand and hold a small fire arm or lob grenades in the other.

##### *Laser-bow:*

The coveted and most revered weapon popular amongst the ranks(*And Ruth Blackclaws weapon of choice*), the Laser-bow wielded rudimentary but incredible plasma-charge based technology that fused scientific advancements pioneered by the wolves with magic itself to make first of its kind magictech.

It's basically a bow and arrow, but more insane. It's a solution for the need for expensive explosive ammo shells in fire arms and a much lighter weapon to carry around which aids the C.C.R. tactics significantly. It's a modified modern bow with a aiming sight, but the ammunition you use is specialized laser rods. One only needs to pull the string back to reload as it will be focused and put in place by the bow mechanism. There is a 'clip' you can load the rods into constantly, up to 20 at a time as they are rather thin and small. Releasing the bow string and launching the projectile throws the laser rod through a specially designed magnetic field which activates the 'laser' part to its full strength and delivers a searing blow to whoever or whatever's on the other side. Imagine the cross bow in half life 2 but as a regular bow. That's what this is. Be afraid. Special ammunition existed with 'explosive laser rounds' that acted like lobbed small grenades upon impact. They caused a lot of fire troubles so they were avoided unless inside urban combat. The laser bow emits a powerful deep whirring sound like a lightsaber and a lightning gun being used at the same time with a wicked crackling sound as the bullet passes through the engagement hoops.

The laser-bow had a few little controls, as one would expect, which help tune and control the rather volatile rounds and how they behave. On the left side of the main handle above the arrow shelf is a red switch which primes and engages the weapon, and acts as a kill switch if flicked off in operation should the bow start to try to violently cook you and your team mates. Next to that is a safety/standby switch which is dominantly used either for, well, safety, or putting the bow into recovery mode(regenerating battery reserves.) when not in use or between bursts of action. Upon being turned on, the bow's induction rings and magnets will begin to heat up from the energy flowing through them and the stresses of the induction stresses; turning safty on disables discharge of the induction mechanisms but does not cool them down and keeps them in an idle but prepared state.

Above the arrow shelf attached to the clip is the loading lever which will load a laser rod into the arrow shelf and prime the plasma induction rings/magnets for firing. The lever above that with the black handle switch switches between the two sides of the clips on models that still support the separate types of rounds; or just to the other side of the clip for more capacity if one so wishes.

On the string-draw there are a few more controls which are handy for those looking to eek out more performance and practicality out of the rather volatile and dangerous weapon. There's a long grip-button along the length of the grip facing outwards towards the main bows body which engages the drawing magnets and lets you draw the plasma round back with the string for firing. A red switch on the left side of the handle lets you switch firing modes from normal(plasma bolt) operation to a weaker plasma variant where the energy from the plasma that would be enshrouding the round is instead used just for the round's contact burst function(which disperses the plasma in a glorious POW when it hits someone). This makes the round's dispersion burst much more punchy and powerful at the sacrifice of range and initial *umph*. It's great for close quarters !(this with explosive rounds is a recipe for disaster, good or bad.)

Above the switch there are two thumbwheels on a silver plate tilted off and up to the side for ergonomics which let you further finetune and hone each of the firing modes. In normal operation, the upper(green) wheel controls the speed and energetics(power output) of the round/firing force of said round. The blue wheel controls the discharge properties which can hone it to be more piercing or more splatter-burst-y on contact. Using these you can add variety and precision to your shots; from long-range high speed piercing rounds to shorter range punchy power in close quarters, this bow lets you adapt your strategy and approach constantly, or just to match what works best for you. (Or be like Max Ankh and just run it cranked to max power all the time, if you so desire.)

Using the plasma bow requires a little bit of strategy-- the bow relies on its energy reserves, which will deplete if you are haphazardly discharging rounds left and right by the second clip by clip. The batteries will recharge gently off of the mana field at a controlled pace any time they are not in use, so waiting between shots can gain you another shot or two of power when you might need it later. Adjusting the power settings with the thumbwheels for the range and target required(as well as firing mode, too!) will definitely give you many more shots in a shorter time period, and let your bow recover more and wear less(these are expensive, you know.) Ruth Blackclaw is a bonfire master at bow strategy and is the pinnacle of employing all these techniques together.

***Firearms*:** Generic fire arm supply was usually a sort of pistol, a semi automatic carbine, and for specialized troops, sniper rifles when needed for open spaces. There existed a C.C.R. weapon that was a fusion between a laser bow and an automatic carbine-like rifle that was rather dangerous to use, but was very effective for mowing down rows of NAR troops. These were reserved for heavy squadron dealing with the heavier fire power that would come behind the more agile guerilla tactic focused groups if they were needed to help drive home the point to STAY OUT OF CANADA.

***Explosives:*** Explosive use was mainly within sabotage type settings using lobbed grenades and rudimentary explosives to damage NAR equipment and temporary set ups but mines were a frequent part of hit and run tactics where enemies would be lured into mine ridden territory and the survivors driven back or picked off by troops.

***Shielding:*** The C.C.R. had a little nifty item that saved a few lives. A one shot magnetic/mana-loop repulsion field that would save your ass if so much any projectile came towards you with it enabled. It was a small ball shaped device worn on the belt, and one could fit one or two of them on their belt which could save a troop from a potentially fatal gunshot wound. Additionally, one could toss these as a sort of low-explosive no splash damage grenade that can throw and toss people about without any fire or shrapnel. Ruth Blackclaw is rumored to have even once shot one of these off the end of a laser round of a plasma bow to air-burst a group of 15 N.A.R. soldiers.

## Notable characters:

**Ruth Blackclaw — former Commander within The C.C.R..** She fought from the age of 16 within the rebellion, working her way quickly up the ranks to become Commander of a sizable squadron well regarded within its ranks for its high performance and frequent 'acts of badassery'. She carried her post out for 7 years as Commander with Corperal Ramona 'Mouse' Adler at her side and the rest of her versatile crew. Two years into her stay in the CCR, she lost her right eye to a bayonet to the face. Eventually in a large and decisive battle against the overwhelming might of the NAR, Ramona was killed and Ru, her lover, lingered by her side past the retreat. This got her captured by the NAR and brutally interrogated until she eventually gave up vital information which led to the immediate and swift destruction of major assets within the CCR's supply chain, leaving it crippled and near dead in a single hour.