Groups

Organisations

Part Three: "The Flags we weave, always deceive"
(Twelfth Night)

Are countries obsolete? Guess what: they are not.

Atlani Leagues :

Composed of three solar systems, where the Atlani landed after they left the Earth some 20,000 years ago; rather easy going people. The three states composing the Leagues are the forest-covered Listant Republic, the second is the more commercial Brivian Federation and the third, an anachronism in the modern Sphere, the Eokard Kingdom.

Borderline States Federation:

A loose coalition of about 40 planets (a bit less since the Highlander attacks), trying to regain a semblance of composure on the international scene. Security guaranteed (ahem) by the Mercenary Coalition. Otherwise, like a standard borderline, i.e. chaotic.

European Confederation:

All of Europe, plus Turkey and most of western Russia, but without Sweden, Norway and Finland. Socially quite stable (except around Ukraine and Russia), non-expansionist, very active diplomatically, but own nonetheless most of the Sol system as well as five other planets.

Eyldarin Republic:

A dozen worlds that could live in autarchy with a good margin, mainly inhabitated by Eyldar. Very, very quiet, mainly due to the easy-going inhabitants and the banishment of all personal weaponry.

Free City of Copacabana:

Copacabana includes most of the old Rio de Janeiro metropol, as well as bits of the land around it. It's the "mutant city", that is the only place on Earth where mutations and psi powers are not at least frowned upon. There is the only civilian Starport of the Southern hemisphere.

Free City of Singapore:

Singapore is a merchant city, under the untold supervision of the neighbouring Federation, with nearly 200 trading post all around the Sphere.

Highlander Federation

Very large, Earth-based colonialist state. Strange blend of communism, fascism and socialism, it rules over as much as 30 worlds. Not much the "bad guy" types, just that they are very expansionnist, somewhat racist and a bit over- zealous. I admit it makes for a very bad rep among players (especially mutants). The President-for-Life is in charge since 2053.

Israeli State:

Israel managed to survive through the last two World Wars, the Islamic Revolution and the destruction of Jerusalem by fundamentalist Moonists. It even gained more than a few bits of territory, expanding now from the Turkish border to the Suez canal, plus Cyprus, conquered as retaliation to an airplane hijacking. Trading country between Europe and the Highlander Federation, it's a bit like Switzerland in the 20th century: the bank of the world.

Karlan High Command

Even larger a colonialist state than the Highlander Federation, completely in the hands of the military types. In fact, there are no civilians, hence, as they say, no problem. Very quiet on this side of their border, but rumor has it that they have truckloads of trouble inside with the Hjandri rebellion. Since said border is even more hermetic than the late Iron Curtain, nobody could check it out.

North American United States:

Three years after the end of the Chinese invasion, the former USA experienced the joys of a Second Civil War, which led to the constitution of three states:

The USA proper, considerably smaller,
The Free Oil Federation of America (Southern states plus northern Mexico), a mostly corporate state based on petrol, and
The Texas Republic. With lots of Texans. 'Nuff said.

The North American United States were formed in the middle of the 21st century with the three above, plus:

Canada, which has gained the English crown, Alaska and Groenland (but not what's left of Great Britain itself) and is therefore a Kingdom, but has lost
Qu�bec, that became a French-speaking principality of its own fater annoying many people.
And the Central American Socialist Republic, last independant representants of Marxism-Leninism on Earth, that go from the borders of FOFA to Panama and the Highlander Federation.

As a whole, and to make a long story short, the NAUS are a mess, where vehicular and personal weaponry is not only legalised, but also advised.

Siyansk Merchant Guild:

This is a corporate state. A real one. The top twelve corporations rule the score of world they own. What more could I say?

Part Four: Miscellaneous Organizations

The Alternate Way:

A name created by journalists to cover a large Illuminati-like group that covers most of Western America, as well as other parts of the galaxy. Their aims are quite simple, like any Illuminati's: take over the world. They have two main weapons to do this: high tech and psi powers. Makes for great Mad Scientists (TM) and large-scale disasters!

Cash and Kill:

Weapon smugglers extraordinaire, they have a huge undercover network for those with money and urgent need of guns, mercenaries or anything else alike. Only for the elite.

Flying Tigers Enterprises:

Born on Earth in the 1940s, this is a two-faced, Janus-like company, doing various transports, and also offering a mercenary service to whoever pays, but mainly to anti-highlander forces.

Guilde Intergalactique du Commerce:

The G.I.C is one of the latest interstellar transport company. It's also one of the most aggressive. They have nearly the monopoly of transports in the Borderline, due to a non-aggression treaty with the local pirates (among which the Iron lady).

The Iron Lady:

Named after a famous metal band of the late 20th century, this is the most unpredictable, thus dangerous, group of pirates in the Sphere (some people think they are actually quite predictable, doing exactly the worst possible thing at the worst possible moment, but even that has been proven false). Members of the Mercenary Coalition in the Borderline, it's a congregation of serious nutcases and other rejects (as well as some idealists, a few wanted criminals and many broke people).

The Rose of Mars:

Another psi group, much more quieter than the Alternate Way, working for the peaceful recognition of an Arcanist status. Not less dangerous, if need be.

Rowaan Power Force:

Rowaan nation and resistance front. Guns 'n planes 'n choppers 'n bombs 'n no roses.

World Auto Sport Association:

One of the biggest lobbies in the Sphere (but mostly on Earth states), the vehicular duelling federation.

SEPMC, Sphere Economic, Politic and Military Council:

A try for cohesion in this chaos. The SEPMC, much like the UNO, is trying to coordinate all of the Sphere's nations into a much more harmonic whole. It's a hard job, and given the circumstances, they're not doing so bad, but they are a little slow.

Text: St�phane "Alias" Gallay ([email protected])

Images: Alias + Thias (logos)