recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Dr. Alexander Petrov

> "I should really get back to working on my solution. If this medication works, there will be no need for any sort of glorified space suit. One injection of this solution should protect any troops who walk through the rift."
>
> —Dr. Alexander Petrov

## Unit Information

### Role

Head Serum Researcher

**Dr. Alexander Petrov**, M.D. is a Soviet doctor and researcher working for the Dark Sword Research Group in the USSR. He is most prominently known for his work on reducing the mortality rate of test subjects who attempt to teleport via the DSRG's warp device. He frequently disagrees with a junior researcher in the group, Jozef Kharov, who he believes has naive ideas unworthy of exploring.

## Background

### Working for the DSRG

Not much information is known about Dr. Petrov's background. He used to work as a doctor at field headquarters during the Second World War, until some point where he was invited to work as a researcher for the DSRG. During his career as a researcher, he assisted in making tweaks and modifications to the warp process in order to reduce the number of subjects who returned from the rift mortally wounded. During the Cold War, Dr. Petrov was almost exclusively stationed at a radar base research facility in the frigid north east of the USSR and acted as the primary medical doctor on base for both troops and test subjects.

Dr. Petrov regularly dismissed ideas presented by junior members of the research team (mainly Kharov) for being childishly conceived and lacking any logical reasoning. He usually regarded his own work as fact and disliked being lectured, especially by newer members. One of his biggest feuds with Kharov was the creation of some sort of protection that would keep troops safe as they jumped into the rift. Dr. Petrov believed firmly that no external suits or modifications were needed, and that a serum injection could make humans capable of withstanding interdimensional transport on their own.

### Death

Following the creation of his PA-81b serum, Dr. Petrov was contacted by The World Builder to become the first Fireborne General. He told Dr. Petrov that he would be given the immense power to control Minutemen in exchange for the task of hunting and killing Kharov because he was about to help the Sub-Continuum Force find the location of The Cogworks.

While in Fireborne form, Petrov attacked the SCF members and Kharov as they were extracting him from Muri. After killing Kharov during a battle against the SCF, the operators fired Atlas round bullets against Petrov which killed him instantly.

## Trivia

* Dr. Petrov appeared at the Maxim Radar Station when the Sub-Continuum Force infiltrated and investigated his journals. His life was spared by the operators.
Kwanele Gravetown

The **Kwanele Gravetown** is an abandoned village in central Inyoni approximately 3km due east of the capital. The town was completely destroyed during a mistaken US airstrike targeting Russian armed forces that were suspected to be occupying the town. The destruction of this town led to the formation of the Flightless Crows.

## Town Information

### Geography

Kwanele is situated between two small hills, which is sometimes unfavorable during particularly rainy seasons due to heavy flooding of the valley. The town's position in between the capital and the eastern towns caused it to be a popular trade route, and as such the town received plenty of visitors each day.
Blue Fire

Blue fire is Cody's special attack. It appears blue in color and hurts twice as much as normal fire, and only members of TDK are immune to it. Besides that, it acts and works almost identically to normal fire. It comes out of Cody's hands with great force, allowing him to shoot it in a fight. It also allows Cody the power of flight, allowing him to fly at the speed of approximately 60 miles per hour.
DeRose Trucker Group

DeRose Trucking Group logo.

The **DeRose Trucker Group** is an American criminal organization that specializes in shipping product between other criminal groups between the continental US and countries overseas. The organization is led by John Meredith. In 2023, the organization signed a contract with the Hidden Order, an international criminal syndicate, to help oversee certain high-profile transactions.
North/South Diamond City

North Diamond City is pretty much like normal urban areas, such as New York, San Francisco, etc. North Diamond City has many people, skyscrapers, and all of that kind of stuff. South Diamond City is about the same, besides the fact that it, oddly, has more frequent wildfires in the forests around it's suburban areas. North Diamond City and South Diamond City were once Diamond City, but broke apart. To read more about Diamondia's history, click here.
Andrew Thorpe

**Andrew Thorpe** (1940-2010) was a prominent historian and professor at the University of Glasgow. He was the father of the well-known researcher and explorer Jack Thorpe.

## Early Life and Education

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on February 12, 1940, Andrew Thorpe developed a passion for history at an early age. He pursued his interest academically, earning a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Edinburgh in 1962, followed by a Ph.D. in European History from the University of Cambridge in 1968.

## Career

Upon completing his doctorate, Thorpe accepted a teaching position at the University of Glasgow, where he remained for the entirety of his career. His research primarily focused on the socio-political dynamics of Europe during the Renaissance.

Thorpe authored several academic books and papers, making significant contributions to his field. He was respected in academic circles for his comprehensive understanding of historical contexts and his ability to bring history alive for his students.

## Personal Life

In 1969, Andrew Thorpe married Eileen MacDonald, a fellow historian. Their only child, Jack Thorpe, was born in 1970. Andrew played a pivotal role in fostering Jack's passion for history and exploration. He passed away in 2010, just as Jack embarked on the journey that would define his career—the pursuit of the Elbekian gold.
Input

### Description

This node lets you set up controls to program your bot. These values will be combined and sent to [Output A].

**Input** is a programming node found in *Main Assembly*.

## Advanced

This node lets you set up controls to program your bot. You can bind one button to it that will send out a positive value and one button that will send out a negative value. These values will be combined and sent to [Output A]. Both keyboard, mouse, and gamepad can be bound.
The Cogworks

**The Cogworks** is a realm in The Multiverse created by The World Builder that does not exist on any planes of time, meaning the realm is completely invisible to The Time Dialer. Due to the limitation of The World Builder's power, he is unable to directly modify worlds after their initial rules have been set and evolution due to the passing of time has begun. The Cogworks is a world out of the metaphysical domain that can be physically altered and manipulated directly by The World Builder.

## History

### Background

Following the collapse of The Founder singularity into two distinct sentient beings, The World Builder developed emotions and became enraged with the evolution of the universes he constructed. Unable to directly manipulate and morph any of the existing universes, he created The Cogworks as an outlier dimension that broke the axioms guiding him to create fair worlds. In this new domain manifested outside of the normal threads of time, The World Builder was able to create whatever he pleased.

However, this power of creation and manipulation was only limited to the bounds of The Cogworks. In order to control the metaphysical realm, he needed to inject massive amounts of energy into their timelines which would cause them to unravel and crumble. In the state of doing so, The World Builder would recreate The Multiverse in his own image of perfection guided by three principle laws.

#### Pillars of Conflict

Conflict drives many of The World Builder's design principles. He expects a chaotic environment where all sorts of strange beings kill one another to assert themselves as the alpha species. As such, all his beings must have an intrinsic sense of competition that triumphs above all.

#### Bridges of Vanity

Vanity in the context of universe design principles explains that each being should strive for perfection. As stated in a memo left by a deceased member of STCTF Generation Chiron:

*"Vanity is the big guy's fancy way of saying each being should strive for its own perfection, but we think it's a metaphor that there is only one true path to perfection--his path. There are some twisted and windy roads heading in all sorts of directions, but only one leads you to a key that marks the task complete." —M's Intel, Cogworks Mission.*

#### Tree of Beauty

Symbolizing allure for a hallmark of being better than others. When creating beings that traverse his mortal worlds, The World Builder ensures they are created with the vision of perfection, and that anything imperfect must cease to exist. A different memo left by the deceased STCTF Gen. Chiron member read:

"The beauty of the magnificent tree is one that anyone can see, and envy. It symbolizes a pure and flawless existence that each being should strive for, but also shows that the beautiful must be protected."*—M's Intel, Cogworks Mission*
Forest Fire Bar

A painting of the Forest Fire Bar on a busy night.

The **Forest Fire Bar** (**森の火災バー**, Mori no Kasai Bā) is a prominent Mahjong bar located in Kyoto, Japan. Owned by Kazuto Imamura, the eldest son of the Imamura crime family and leader of the Okami's weapon trade operations, the bar serves as a front for the criminal organization's illicit activities.

The bar was established in 2009 when Kazuto Imamura purchased a derelict warehouse in the heart of Kyoto's bustling entertainment district. Recognizing the potential of the location, Imamura transformed the space into a modern and stylish Mahjong bar, complete with private rooms and a state-of-the-art security system. The name "Forest Fire Bar" (森の火災バー) was chosen to symbolize the unstoppable growth and influence of the Okami.

## History

Since its inception, the Forest Fire Bar has gained a reputation as a high-end establishment, attracting both local Mahjong enthusiasts and international visitors. The bar's elegant design, luxurious amenities, and high-stakes Mahjong games have made it a popular destination for Kyoto's elite. However, unbeknownst to many patrons, the bar also serves as a hub for the Okami's weapon trade operations.

### Okami Operations

Behind its opulent façade, the Forest Fire Bar is instrumental in the Okami's illegal activities. Kazuto Imamura uses the bar's private rooms for clandestine meetings with arms dealers, suppliers, and customers. The bar's staff, many of whom are members of the Okami, assist in coordinating the logistics of the weapon trade, ensuring that transactions are carried out discreetly and securely.

The Forest Fire Bar's state-of-the-art security system, along with its strategic location in Kyoto's bustling entertainment district, helps the Okami maintain a low profile and avoid detection by law enforcement.

### Notable Events

In 2022, the Forest Fire Bar made international headlines when Kazuto Imamura was arrested on the premises by INTERPOL's special unit ROSE-4. However, due to pressure from Japanese authorities, Imamura was released shortly after his arrest, and the charges against him were dropped. The incident only served to further cement the bar's notoriety in Kyoto's underworld.

## In Popular Culture

The Forest Fire Bar has been featured in several works of fiction, including novels, films, and television dramas, often serving as a backdrop for stories centered around the Okami and the dark underbelly of Kyoto's high society.

## See Also

* Okami (crime syndicate)
* Kazuto Imamura
Cardone Island

An early cartographic map of Cardone Island.

**Cardone Island** is a small private island in the Baltic Sea which formerly used to act as a Soviet radar station and training base. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the island was abandoned and sold to a private owner. In July 2023, the island was destroyed by an electromagnetic storm caused by the activation of an experimental Soviet WMD.

## History

### Pre-Cold War

The island was officially named by Italian explorer Raffaello Cardone during a cartographic expedition in the 1600s. It had been routinely visited as a stop-off point for ships travelling through the Baltics, but settlements only began showing up by late 1881.

### Cold War Era

During the Cold War, the Soviets used the island as a training base for troops. The island was eventually retrofitted with sensitive radar equipment as the NATO threat expanded closer to the USSR's borders. Despite the presence of Red Army soldiers, the island was still home to roughly 2000 people in small settlements and towns near the coastlines. Near the end of the war, the islanders were evacuated numerous times due to perceived inbound threats or accidental equipment discharges near civilians. By the 1990s, most of the islanders had abandoned the island.

In 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the now empty island was sold to Matthew Fischer for $400,000 (~$850,000 in 2023). Cardone Island has been privately owned ever since.

### 2023 Lightning Storm Incident

In July 2023, Cardone Island was under siege by a reactivated Soviet death squad who were attempting to steal an experimental Soviet-era WMD that was present on the island. Fischer, the island's owner, detonated the WMD remotely which caused a lightning storm to engulf the island and destroy the invading force. The weather event set off early warning seismic alarms in nearby European countries which triggered a small wave of panic. The incident was investigated by Estonian officials with the assistance of the US.
Principle operator

The **Principle Operator** or **Designated Member** is a role describing the final member of a particular Space Time Continuum Task Force generation to be decommissioned from service, thus marking the end of the generation.

## Usage

The role is not usually decided by acting members of the STCTF generation, but rather is automatically assigned by the Command Mainframe System (CMS) belonging to that unit—sometimes without the prior knowledge of the actual operator. According to the STCTF Codex, all members of a generation must be officially decommissioned before a new generation can be inducted to prevent the occurrence of the Space Creep phenomena.

Principle Operators are sometimes different from Designated Members in the event that the Designated Member is killed in action, in which case the next most eligible operator in the list of Principle Operators (as decided by the CMS) is set as the Designated Member. The job of this operator is to ensure all other operators have been decommissioned, and then they must activate the termination protocol on their CMS in order to wipe the datacenter and all evidence of the unit's existence. After this task is complete, the Designated Member is put into Indefinite Epochogenic Comatose and the CMS self destructs along with the final operator.
Elbeks

Painting of Elbek temple of gold with depiction of large army in front.

The **Elbek** were a civilization of people who existed from 50 BC until their disappearance around 209 AD. The civilization was known for their possession of highly alluring gold that would hypnotize people into desiring it. The Elbeks created the Nihilite Roundel before they were forced out of Europe by the Roman Empire.
Star Team

Star Team logo based on The Orb calling them "Brave Little Stars".

The **Star Team** was an intel gathering and R&D subgroup of the Sub-Continuum Force (SCF). Their specific role was to understand the details of missing intelligence not gathered during Ghost Stories missions. Star Team members were regular operators in the SCF, but were approached separately by The Orb to help piece together meaning in the information gathered during operations, and to relay that information back to the main team. The Star Team was slain along with most of the SCF operators at the end of the Checkmate mission.

The Star Team members operated in the Vietnam War together as Strike Team STAR.

## Operations

The Star Team conducted several small operations to gather intelligence and follow leads that were explored during regular missions. Some of their operations can be found archived below.

* Episode 2.5, Deeper Truth: The Star Team investigates a Soviet Radar Base to try and understand what was really going on in Vietnam when the Sub-Continuum Force investigated it.
* Episode 3.5, Kingpin: A three part mission where Star Team attempts to track down the alternate timeline version of Dr. Alexander Petrov after he goes insane trying to destroy the world with his interdimensional scientific discoveries.

## Research and Development

The efforts of the Star Team developed current iterations of the Atlas and Cardinal rounds which are effective bullets capable of stopping Minutemen, unlike conventional ammunition. They were also in the midsts of developing a third type of munition called the Prophet Round, but it was never completed.

The Star Team was also the first users of the Covert Space Warp Suit, which allowed for clothing to be worn over the suit in order to appear more undercover during stealth operations. This suit is now available for the whole Space Time Continuum Task Force.
The Orb

> "My angels, my little stars. Seven little stars, actually. All of them pointing at their aspirations and goals."
>
> —The Orb

**The Time Dialer** (informally **The Orb**) is an omnipotent inter-dimensional entity who controls the flow of spacetime, and ensures events on the timeline flow and evolve naturally. The orb is one of two sentient beings who create and control the worlds, timelines, and souls that exist within The Multiverse. The Orb inducted the Special Recon Team operators from the Present Day timeline into the Space Time Continuum Task Force during the events of Ground Zero.

## Background

The role of The Time Dialer is to manage the flow of spacetime and ensure that timelines stay on track without overlapping or crossing. These intersecting timelines can sometimes cause irregular occurrences in one or both of the crossing events including skewed laws of physics, confused emotions in living beings, and unusual weather patterns, among others.

The second sentient being is The World Builder who populates timelines with everything from planets and stars, right down to the beings that inhabit them. Together, this duo has harmoniously kept The Multiverse populated and expanding in ways that promote complex natural growth.

### The Collapse

At some point in spacetime, The World Builder became unstable and couldn't understand why he felt his directive wasn't being satisfied by constructing and populating worlds. In an act of madness, he injected loads of energy into various timelines causing them to tangle and collapse. Many events began changing from how they had originally and naturally taken place, and strange anomalies were appearing in every corner of The Multiverse. The World Builder quickly retreated to a sanctuary world of his own creation, and hid away from The Time Dialer while The Multiverse continued to crumble.

Unable to both track The World Builder and prevent the collapse of various timelines, The Orb sought out a group of beings to act as the new Space Time Continuum Task Force to do the tracking instead. This led to the events of Ground Zero, and the induction of the Special Recon Team.

### Abilities

As it is currently known, The Time Dialer radiates enough energy through its singularity point to short circuit electronics in a nearby range, and scramble radio signals from up to 15km away. The Orb can produce warps between timelines for mortal beings known as Time-Gates, which can only be open for short periods of time depending on the depth of the warp. Also, it has been seen transporting the gate across vast distances in short moments, can affect weather and elements near the Time-Gate, and can revive dead members of the STCTF (though it costs a lot of energy to do so).
Maria Sanchez

**Maria Sanchez** (1972-2023) was a Colombian anthropologist and researcher known for her work on pre-Columbian cultures. She was the wife of the renowned researcher Jack Thorpe and was instrumental in the pursuit of the Elbekian gold, a historical mystery that defined their shared career.

## Early Life and Education

Maria Sanchez was born on September 15, 1972, in Medellín, Colombia. Her fascination with indigenous cultures stemmed from her early exposure to the rich history and traditions of her homeland. Sanchez pursued her passion and earned a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the National University of Colombia in 1994.

## Career

After finishing her bachelor's degree, Sanchez moved to England to pursue her Master's degree at the University of Cambridge. Her research focused on the social structures and religious practices of pre-Columbian cultures. Upon completing her master's degree in 1997, she returned to Colombia, where she worked as an Anthropology Professor at the University of Antioquia.

## Life and Work

In 2010, while attending an academic conference in London, Sanchez met Jack Thorpe. The two bonded over their shared passion for history and adventure and married in 2011. Sanchez was a constant collaborator in Thorpe's research into the Elbekian gold, contributing her knowledge of indigenous cultures and rituals to their investigations.

In 2023, while in Sierra Leone, Sanchez and Thorpe were kidnapped by the Yaga Order. When Thorpe refused to reveal the location of the Elbekian gold, Sanchez was brutally murdered as a means of coercion. Her tragic death marked a turning point in Thorpe's pursuit of the gold and his entanglement with the Yaga Order.
Zeus Token

A zeus token taken by a macro lens camera.

A **Zeus Token** is a clue that can be discovered from a **Zeus Shrine** on any map played in the Golden Phantom series. The Token usually comes in the form of a message displayed on the screens of players in the mission and can contain a variety of information ranging from lore to clues for other tokens.

## Shrine Layout

The shrine usually consists of 3 or 4 stone totem statues arranged in a semi-circular pattern around a central podium. Uncollected tokens will appear as a trophy in the middle of a red orb, sitting atop the podium. When a player approaches the shrine, a lightning bolt will strike the podium, and the orb and trophy will disappear. It is at this time where the clue is delivered to players via either an onscreen message, briefing, or text communication. In some rare cases, a message can be delivered via another platform such as Discord or TeamSpeak.

### Possible Information

Most maps since the Inyoni campaign contain at least one Zeus Shrine, but are only found if players stumble upon them or actively search for them. Not every shrine contains a clue, but finding them provides the most additional details compared to other lore-building methods. Information that can be found in a Zeus Token includes:

* Lore or story building information
* Clues to finding the next shrine (if available)
* Clues pointing to a corrupted timeline that needs to be visited
* Explicit instructions on next steps

## Trivia

* At least 6 Zeus Tokens existed in missions between the Flightless Crows Rebellion campaign and the Golden Phantom series.
* Sometimes taking extra actions during gameplay can reveal the map's Shrine location such as text-chatting with civilians.
Space Creep

The **Space Creep** phenomena is a theoretical concept explaining potentially irreversible damage to a timeline caused by an unnatural reduction in universal entropy. This phenomena only occurs when the probability of disorder is decreased due to the foreknown outcome of an event by a participant or external observer. This reduction in system entropy results in significant stress on the universe which can cause timelines to become damaged or unravel completely.

This phenomena describes why some of the rules are set in the STCTF Codex.

## Introduction

The second law of thermodynamics defines one of the most fundamental laws of nature, discerning that randomness (or disorder) in the universe is constantly increasing as systems tend to move from a state of ordered behaviour to disordered behaviour. An example of this flow can be illustrated by a block of ice's transition from solid to liquid, but not the other way around. All things in the universe that flow (be it a block of ice or a ball at the top of a hill) naturally flow downhill, but never in reverse—this also includes the natural flow of the universe.

The principle of randomness can be measured using Entropy, which is the level of disorder in a specific system. The more possible states a system or event can be in, the higher the entropy. If a process is reversible, there is no change in the system's entropy. However if the process is irreversible (the ice cube example), the entropy will always go up. It is for this reason that the entropy of the universe should always be increasing.

## Correlation to Temporal Activities

A foundational principle of quantum mechanics is the concept of quantum superposition, whereby the state of a particular event can be determined by forcing all possible states to collapse into a single state, usually by externally observing the event. As the Space Time Continuum Task Force learns more about The Multiverse with the assistance of The Time Dialer, they begin to learn of outcomes that would normally be unknown until the time of the event. This causes the total number of possible states in the universe (the entropy) to decrease.

Since the second law of thermodynamics only includes two rules for the change in entropy (no change or increase), the decrease causes a contradiction in the fundamental laws of the universe which causes it to become "damaged". The natural reaction to these inconsistencies in the universe is the mass formation of Epochium, which can cause serious damage to the timeline itself.

A single generation of STCTF should not be able to learn enough on their own to cause significant damage to The Multiverse before the completion of their contract, however by building upon the knowledge of previous generations (or even knowing of their existence) it is possible to put considerable pressure on the flow of time. It is for this reason that the STCTF Codex establishes that a new generation of STCTF cannot be inducted before the decommissioning of the last one.
Sawtooth Island

**Sawtooth Island** is a remote data archive belonging to the Sanctuary City of Vermouth in Vermouth Bay, Harscod. The island is used as a permanent library of information about Sanctuaries since the Fallen War and is usually maintained by Sanctuary Bookkeepers. The infrastructure of the island was built surrounding a small volcanic coral outcrop and prominently features a lighthouse and marooned shipwreck.

## History

Vermouth's original library archive was located inside the walls of the city just on the outskirts of the downtown core. During Chancellor Hustin's reign, the archives were publicly open and accessible to anyone. However, as the city population increased, Bookkeepers expressed concerns about vandalism and theft of both physical and digital materials. These concerns would not be addressed until the end of the Chancellor's tenure.

During Chancellor Roe's administration, the contents of the library were transferred to the Sawtooth Island and restricted access from the public. The remote island was located in rough waters which made it inaccessible for wilderness dwellers as well, and it was protected by Guardsmen patrolling at all times. The locked down state of the island remained until the Sand Walkers rebellion assaulted and took over the island as part of an intel gathering operation.

## Operation

Sawtooth Island is almost fully autonomous and does not need any human involvement in the Bookkeeping role as much of the data is secured by an artificial intelligence. The system has an interface for humans, however information can be transferred much more efficiently between the docking terminal and Sanctuary Sentinels.
Lucas Greyson

**Lucas Greyson** is an informant and private investigator living in Fort Torres, Isla Fortuna.

## Background

Little is known about Greyson's early life and his career before becoming an informant. His role is primarily to provide vital intelligence to the agents of the Hidden Order in and around the Punta Castillo archipelago. He has done informant work for Marshal Fischer and team Monochrome, with whom he has a history prior to their induction as Knights of the Syndicate.
City of Vermouth

Downtown Vermouth.

The **City of Vermouth** is a Sanctuary City on the Island of Vermouth in Western Harscod. The city is the only major Sanctuary on the island and presumably in the entire region. Described as some of the harshest conditions on the continent, Vermouth Bay continuously harbors inclement weather and toxic sandstorms. Despite this, the city refuses passage to wilderness dwellers and employs steep requirements to becoming second-class citizens via its remote district Sanctuary City of Pyro.

## History

### Foundation

Prior to the calamity brought forth by the perigee of Talman's Comet, Vermouth would have been situated near the Middle East and Mediterranean Sea. Following the mass terraforming of Earth during the comet's passing, the sea expanded further east into Asia and formed a massive bay with a single island cluster in its center. It is said that Vermouth is one of the earliest Sanctuary cities developed on Harscod.

The original construction of the city is largely undocumented, however Sanctuary Bookkeepers suggest that it's construction spanned between 2-5 years and employed the help of over 8,000 workers. Upon the city's completion, citizenships were granted to most qualifying wilderness dwellers which drove the population of the city up to over 300,000 in the first decade alone.

### Chancellor Roe

Following the death of the city's premiere founder, Chancellor Hustin, his closest advisor was appointed to the position of Chancellor and promptly carried forth with the governance of the city. Over the course of the next half-century and following sporadic civil unrest, Chancellor Roe would eventually tighten up restrictions on entry and double down on the "savage" wilderness dwellers using his Raider force.

Roe would further go on to draft plans with his military cabinet for a remote district Sanctuary city that would house the Raiders and any second-class citizens. Before his retirement, the City of Pyro was constructed and the Raiders began embarking on peacekeeping operations outside the city walls. His method of authoritarian governance was carried forward by each successive Chancellor.
Marshal Kirsch

**Steffen Kirsch** is one of the Marshals of the Hidden Order. His operations within the organization span a wide variety of industries and as such he possesses one of the largest Knight teams within the Syndicate, Hacksaw Team.

## Background

Marshal Kirsch holds client accounts in many operations across the globe including weapon trades, precious metals, and security. His Hacksaw Knight Team, led by agent Jana Shultz, conducts missions internationally for a wide variety of account holders.

Kirsch was originally a cold rival with fellow Marshal, Matthew Fischer, but eventually became business partners with him in the wake of a precious metals surge in the Caribbean. Kirsch was the main supporter of Fischer and his Monochrome Knight Team in their battle against the Yaga Order during the second act of the Hidden Order Saga.
IRV

The **IRV** is the most successful Russian-backed militia in the Middle East and Central Asia, most notably known for their hit-and-run assault tactics on US forces in Kazakhstan. Although the name appears to be an acronym for something, there have been no officially recorded titles for the group.

## Background

In late 2019, Russia announced a plan to become the first nation to establish a celestial human presence, beginning with a lunar base. In response, the US and China also published statements claiming a similar goal. In order for such a large amount of personnel and material to be transported to space without the dangers associated of launching near civilian centers, all countries involved searched for alternative permanent launch sites. Kazakhstan—a neutral Central Asian country—became designated as a prime location due to its large open areas and scarcely clustered populations. The first nation to sign a formal agreement with Kazakhstan was the US.

In an effort to slow down the militarization of the Kazakhstani desert by the US military, the Russian government provided support for insurgent groups in the region. Of all the groups which were funded, the IRV achieved the greatest power due to their strong decentralized leadership structure and unconventional attack strategies. As the IRV claimed more and more territory in Kazakhstan and surrounding countries, they posed a direct threat to the US' plan of launch facility construction.

The group expanded their assets and relationships well into the mid 2020s where they partnered with a private arms retailer to provide refurbished and used Russian armaments from the Cold War to today. This partnership with the arms dealer, Olev (no surname recorded), led the US to deploy the Special Recon Team to directly locate and destroy weapon caches and outposts operated by Olev and the IRV.

The IRV is believed to be based out of Kryukov, a region in Northern Kazakhstan.

## Name and Misconceptions

When IRV footmen were interviewed covertly by British journalists in late 2019, the soldiers stated that they did not know what "IRV" stood for, and simply thought it to be a "nice sounding name".

A January 2020 case study by the University of California, Berkeley, suggested that the name was shortened form of the Russian name Irvine (Ирвин) which could be pronounced easily by speakers of many different languages. Criticisms of the study later pointed out that the name did not have a direct-sounding translation in Arabic, where soldiers would often call the organization ayref (ايرف). It is generally accepted that the name is an abbreviation of Irvine Canoska, one of the founding officers of IRV.
Kevin Lopez

A portrait of Kevin Lopez.

**Kevin Lopez**, also known as **The Dogfighter** was the main antagonist of the second act of the Hidden Order Saga, known for his leadership role in the secretive Yaga Order. Born and raised in an impoverished village in Veracruz, Mexico, Lopez ascended to global prominence through his involvement in the international organization, which he tried using to achieve his goal to overthrow the current world government.

## Early Life

Lopez was born in a neglected village in Veracruz, Mexico, to an American father and a local woman. His father, an American expat, abandoned the family after brutally abusing his mother. Left with the responsibility of caring for his mother and younger brother, Lopez turned to crime at a young age, doing favors for local cartels and even committing murders. His charisma and anti-establishment sentiment garnered him a large following among people in his locality.

## Career

### Rise in the Yaga Order

At the age of 18, Lopez was contacted by the Yaga Order, an international organization with roots tracing back to the 13th century, known for its attempts to incite violence and bring about socio-political change. Recognizing his potential, the order inducted him into its ranks. Lopez's charisma, strategic mind, and ability to inspire loyalty quickly caught the attention of the high ranking individuals in the order, propelling him up the ranks.

Lopez eventually earned a place on the Yaga's council, known as The Fingers, where he was given the responsibility of overseeing the North American operations. Under his leadership, he established Astra Inc., a cover organization based in the Kiros Islands, designed to facilitate the Yaga Order's activities and cloak their operations from international scrutiny.

### The Dogfighter's Plan

Lopez, as part of his leadership role in the Yaga Order, devised a bold and potentially world-changing strategy. Drawing upon ancient legends he had learned growing up, Lopez sought a "magical gold" said to possess persuasive properties. He aimed to manipulate world leaders into initiating a nuclear war, after which the Yaga Order planned to seize power in the ensuing chaos.

## Personal Life

Kevin Lopez maintained a private life away from his role in the Yaga Order. He was known to have a deep appreciation for literature, especially Latin American authors, and is said to have had a collection of rare books. Despite his international activities, Lopez had never forgotten his roots and reportedly supported various local initiatives in Veracruz, often clandestinely.

## Death

Kevin Lopez was killed on January 8th, 2025 when his private ship was struck by a missile and sunk after having attempted to steal the Elbekian gold from its hiding place. Lopez was pursued by agents of the Hidden Order after having attacked them directly in an attempt to learn more about the whereabouts of the strange gold.
Minutemen

The **Minutemen** are human-like creatures that act as The World Builder's personal military unit. They are responsible for security around the sanctuary gate, and jump into timelines at the will of their commander. The Minutemen are distinguished by their bush-like appearance and dear-skull masks but appear to have human faces underneath.

## Appearance and Behaviour

Minutemen are dressed in ghillie-style attire that blend them into most foliage. They have deer-skull masks with glowing red eyes, so they are very noticeable at night. Most carry some form of high-caliber marksman rifle, but others can carry assault rifles, plasma weapons, or even nothing at all. Under the mask, Minutemen appear to be humans with severely burned or scarred skin.

Minutemen seem to be aggressive to threats, and will actively hunt prey in a stealth manner by slowly approaching their enemy's location and striking quickly. Despite this, on several occasions they have acted passively around members of the Space Time Continuum Task Force even though they were engaged in combat only hours before. An example of this can be seen during the Carpe Noctem mission.

The movement of Minutemen is not only limited to walking, as they appear to have the ability to teleport short distances when engaged in combat or retreating to their allies. This high level of mobility gives them the ability to quickly sneak up on enemies with little resistance.

## Background

Little information is known on the origin of the Minutemen, however some members of the STCTF have speculated that they could be former operators working under The Time Dialer who were apprehended by The World Builder. This theory suggests the STCTF has a much more rooted history with several generations of operators before the present day US Special Recon Team operators. The first known appearance of this unit was during the Carpe Noctem mission, however knowledge of their existence extends to intel collected during the Truth Plains mission.
Cabán Cartel

Insignia of the Cabán cartel.

The **Cabán Cartel** is a Cuban gang operating out of the micronation of Punta Castillo. The gang is notoriously well known for controlling many of the island's silver and gold mines, and regularly engages in turf wars with rival gangs for control of these operations. Their leader is Marvin Cazares.

## Background

### Mining Operations

Much of Punta Castillo's fortune comes from its copper, nickel, silver, and gold exports. The Cabán were a cartel originating out of Cuba, but moved operations over to Punta Castillo due to the lack of control imparted by the government. During a power vacuum in authority, the gang was able to sweep ownership over many of the island's government owned mineshafts.

Due to the power of the gang, it now sells directly through the government and is unofficially pardoned for their crimes due to the amount of revenue the island receives from mining operations.

Upon discovering the existence of Soviet WMDs stockpiled inside mineshafts from the cold war, the Cabán began selling these weapons to insurgent buyers overseas for a sizeable profit.

### Espinosa Incident

In early 2023, a rival gang known as the Espinosa Cartel took over a large portion of the Cabán's mining sites in a bloody turf war. As such, many of the highest value Soviet weapons were also captured in the exchange, which put the Cabán at a huge disadvantage. In order to not lose one of the most lucrative sales they were going to make, the Cabán requested the assistance of the Hidden Order and its Knights of the Syndicate to retrieve the WMD cargo and complete the transaction.
Okami

Okami gang graphic.

The **Okami** (Japanese for "Wolf") are a Japanese organized crime group that operate out of Kyoto, Japan. The group regularly partakes in crimes involving human and drug trafficking, weapon trade, and assassinations among other things. The Imamura family currently leads the group and much of their influence reach beyond the borders of Japan into South Eastern Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

## History

The Okami rose to power in the late 1940's following the post-war recession experienced throughout Japan. The wealthy Imamura clan regularly aided communities out financially and eventually became an unofficial bank of sorts with steep punishments for failing to repay. The family eventually spread its power over much of Kyoto as people who could not pay back their debts were forced to do labour instead or risk being injured or killed.

In modern day Japan, the Okami's influence is still greatly seen around metropolitan Japanese cities due to their primary trade of weapon trafficking in East-Asian countries with strict weapon laws. The weapon trade is headed by the eldest living son of the clan, Kazuto Imamura, who operates many of his business locations out of Mahjong Bars and casinos.

## Organization Structure

Imamura family members lead most operations of the Okami separately from the main entity. The group is currently led by Michiaki Imamura in Kyoto Japan, and each of his five children manage sub-operations in various locations. The known operations are listed below:

* **Weapon Trade**: Foreign and domestic arms trade headed by Kazuto Imamura in Kyoto, Japan.
* **Drug Trafficking**: Narcotics distribution throughout Japan headed by Mamoru Imamura in Osaka, Japan.
* **Private Security & Hitmen**: Personal private protection on people, assets, or property belonging/associated to Okami activities, headed by Yui Imamura in Kyoto, Japan.
Soviet Radio Spectrum Analyzer

The **Soviet Radio Spectrum Analyzer** (shortened **SRSA**) is a digital radio wave detection and decoding device developed by the Soviet Dark Sword Research Group during the Cold War. The purpose of the device was to isolate a specific type of radiation created by interdimensional entities for easier geolocation by ground troops.

## Function

The SRSA is a handheld radio device that picks up a wide range of radio waves based on proximity and orientation to the target. The device was originally planned to be used as a short range jammer against NATO communication arrays, but was put to other use when the Soviets discovered strange radiation signatures from unearthly artifacts. The device was retrofitted with a monitor that could identify the direction and magnitude of the radiation on specific frequencies emitted by interdimensional entities such as Time Gates, Continuity Zones, and Epochium shards.

## Frequencies

Over the course of the Ghost Stories series, the Sub-Continuum Force was able to identify which frequencies matched which interdimensional entities. Their results are recorded in the table below:

Interdimensional Entity Frequencies
 Time Gate
 Fireborne
 Strong Anomaly
 Rift Tear
Iver Ruud Arctic Storage Facility

IRASF #1 at the north of the quarantine zone.

The **Iver Ruud Arctic Storage Facilities** (abbreviated **IRASF**) are a series of container storage yards located in the northern tundra region of Norway on the border of Russia. Due to its close proximity to the border, the Russian military stores old projects and supplies at these remote facilities in a deal with the Norwegian government. IRASF station #1 most notably holds projects once belonging to the disavowed Dark Sword Research Group, a cold-war science group involved in the research of Dimensional Warfare.

## Notable Projects

* Soviet Radio Spectrum Analyzer: A handheld radio-frequency analyzer device that can detect broad spectrums of Epochium energy.
* High Energy Radiation Analyzer: A sensitive radio-frequency analyzer machine that pinpoints exact sources of Epochium within an area of large ambient radiation.
Spirit of the Beast

**Spirit of the Beast** is the ninth and final mission of the Golden Phantom 2 Series. After rigorous preparation, the STCTF finally execute their operation to lure out and capture the Ephemeral Orm that has been hunting them across The Multiverse.

## Synopsis

With all the components of the operation finally setup, the STCTF operators embarked on the final task of their employment with The Founder. The team moved north through the Kryukov region towards a small town where they would set up the Project Zero device to later capture the Ephemeral Orm. The Orm would be summoned in a different location so as to not risk damaging the Project Zero device.

After some resistence from local IRV forces, the team deployed the Project Zero device (loaded on the back of a truck) to the small township and moved north to the summon zone. Once the larger town to the north was cleared of IRV forces, the STCTF pilot team used their fire-fighting plane loaded with an Epochium-based gel to coat the town and lure out the Orm. Once it had appeared, the team attempted to get its attention by driving near it and shooting at it in order to lure it towards the project zero device.

The STCTF operators successfully led the Orm to the device and attempted to activate it remotely via LAMBDA, which ultimately failed due to a connection error. Ultimately, operator Steve Austin volunteered to activate it manually, which he succeeded at doing, but unfortunately could not escape the explosion and was killed in action. The Orm was captured in a Divergence Reliquary and disappeared.

The team (excluding Austin) returned to the Time Gate one last time.