Metro 2033: Ascension (Committee)

## Committee Blurb

Based on the expansive world painted in Dmitry Glukhovsky’s famous series
of the same name; Metro 2033: Ascension takes place 5 years following WWIII and
the nuclear attack that sent hundreds of Soviet citizens fleeing into the
Moscow metro system. As the guards pulled the doors to the metro shut, the
deafening noises from outside the Metro slowly grinded to a halt. Safe from the
nuclear warheads and anguished cries of their compatriots, it would seem that
for the residents of the Metro, the worst might have come to pass. However,
despite the peace secured through their survival, it did not take long for
sadness and shock to give way to aggression and violence.

The first few years were headlined
by relative peace and prosperity, but it wouldn’t take long for outbursts of
violence and rage would cause groups of survivors to engage in conflict against
one another. Old foes became older, small gangs became bigger, until factions
and conflict were inseparable. Killing and conflict was no longer action
spurred by sudden passion or emotion, it became a calculated and systematic
affair, where dignity and loyalty cared not for the guilty or innocent. This
bloodshed would soon mark the origin of the Metro civil war.

Recognizing the threat that these skirmishes could have on the survival of
the Metro; the leadership of numerous independent stations at the northern tip
of the Metro banded together to form a consolidated front against the civil
war, and to preserve their way of life. They were not the richest, nor the
strongest. They did not have vast amounts of territory nor all the pleasures of
life. But they would fight to protect what was theirs, for they were the
Coalition; the last bastion of humanity in the metro’s darkened corridors.

## Background Information

Following the end of WWII, former superpowers America and the Soviet
Union (U.S.S.R.) found themselves in a bitter rivalry that would grow in
aggression for the next few decades. This “Cold War” eventually escalated into
World War III, wherein tensions reached culminated in the launch of nuclear
armaments by both governments. This plunged much of the world into a nuclear
fallout, destroying cities and decimating much of humanity.

After sounding sirens warning them to find shelter, the hallowed doors
to the Metro accepted flows of Soviet citizens into the depths below before sealing
the towering metal entrances to the Metro shut. The screams of those on the
other end of the door, as well as the whistling of bombs eventually subsided, with
the survivors taking refuge throughout the intricate Metro system and
attempting to continue their lives. For a while, things went smoothly. Small
farms were erected; fungi and plants were harvested, military caches filled
with food and supplies were shared. Although extremely simple and eventually
contrived, small tribal communities were formed, becoming the basis for present-day
Metro communities. Early communities followed a general trend towards
technocracy; experts were given leadership roles, though this dynamic slowly
shifted as these initial technocrats opted to roles befitting life above ground
as opposed to underground. Most stations ultimately transitioned into a form of
meritocracy placing great focus on the latent skills of those in charge and how
they could use these skills to better develop these communities. Things were
not great, but they were far from terrible, and many found comfort in the
resilience of humanity in their new unnatural home.

However, it did not take long for their peace to be disrupted. Being
trapped in the claustrophobic tunnel system and struggling to attain resources,
groups of survivors rallied together to form factions aimed at consolidating
territory and power amongst the Metro. Munitions from military bunkers and by
soldiers spared their nuclear fate intensified tensions within the Metro… and
it did not take long for blood to be spilt on the rails that once carried
thousands of people around the city. It should also be noted that numbers
of Moscow’s already existing factions found their way underground where they
continued the ambitions of their people to the new inhabitants of the Metro.

## Primary Topics:

### Topic One: Survival

Survival is not the only concern of the council. Though occupying very
little territory at the beginning of the committee, the location of the Coalition
puts delegates in a strong position to expand their territory and influence. As
mentioned previously, there will be various ways of consolidating this influence,
and the manner in which the council aims to pursue this goal will affect later
events and outcomes of committee itself.

To survive also means to be able to defend allied stations from other
factions, as well as to ensure safety and security within the areas themselves.
Proper resource management, security allocation, and trade agreements will be
vital to fulfilling this goal. Opting to take a friendlier route and to enter
negotiations with other stations and factions will be helpful at maintaining
greater survivability through numbers, while ruling with an authoritarian fist.

### Topic Two: Expansion/Pacification

Survival is not the only concern of the council. Though occupying very
little territory at the beginning of the committee, the location of the Coalition
puts delegates in a strong position to expand their territory and influence. As
mentioned previously, there will be various ways of consolidating this influence,
and the manner in which the council aims to pursue this goal will affect later
events and outcomes of committee itself.

Delegates wishing to expand the influence and dominance of the Coalition
can opt for a more aggressive form of outreach, pushing forward and recruiting
other stations to their side via force and violence. Delegates preferring
pacification and relations with other stations achieve this via trade
agreements, traditional means of discourse, and diplomacy. Regardless of which
path is ultimately taken, delegates will have to exercise caution for their
Coalition’s size and reputation as it can attract both the right and wrong sort
of attention; and neither path will come without its consequences.

### Topic Three: Research and Development

One of the benefits of becoming a coalition is the ability to pool
collective resources aside from mere survival. Countless technological
breakthroughs became the necessity of life following the arrival of people in
the Metro, whether it be transportation, security checkpoints, or even
makeshift weaponry that was to be prepared for life underground. Delegates will
have the ability to shift some of their resources in researching technology at
R&D locations within the Metro to better their existence while living
underground.

Research into technologies like munition and armour improvement can give
delegates an upper hand when combatting rival factions. Developing stronger
trade routes that increase market reach of existing resources will ensure continued
prosperity. There is also talk of places of immense wealth in the Metro,
untouched by human hands presumably because of the dangerous nature of these
areas. Perhaps it is worth looking into these points of interest... at least
with proper gear and equipment.