The world is changing. The relative quiet that society has known for the past century is quickly being shattered by the noise of revolution. Change is never easy, nor is it without cost…yet change is essential to the survival of any living organism and as the world changes, so too must its inhabitants adapt to the ever escalating demands of modern existence. In this spirit, man has begun to evolve once more. His rise from primal animal state to civility was every bit as dramatic as his current ascension from the mundane to the divine. Gods walk among us now, wrapped in skin much like our own but with secret abilities and ambition that the fearful masses can only quake at. Counted among their number are the idealists who use their gifts for the good of the many left behind by nature’s partisan whims. But these heroes are few, vastly outnumbered by the tyrants who follow the dictum of Darwinism; survival of the fittest…kill or be killed. These are the despots who would enslave their former brothers for their own greed or purge the old from the planet completely, committing mass genocide to usher in the new age.
Not all evolution is completely natural. In fact, most super-powers were either created by deliberate or accidental genetic modifications or are fueled entirely by superior (and often secret) technologies. These “artificial” mutants tend to act as the servitors of their parent nations or corporations as only these entities have the funding necessary to produce such individuals. However, they also tend to be a great deal weaker than true mutants and those with the potential to match a “pure-blood’s” power are often free agents who serve no political or corporate agenda. Nonetheless, affluent nations and mega-corporations have begun creating armies of super-soldiers to supplement their existing security forces in light of (or, more accurately, in fear of) the mutant situation.
And just what is “the mutant situation”, you ask? It is the state of change I spoke of earlier. Normally, evolution is an incredibly slow process which takes thousands of years. However, every rare once in a while, a species will change drastically in the course of only a few generations. Scientists can only speculate as to what causes this rapid change. I suspect that the demands of the species’ habitat dictates just how rapidly evolution must occur if the species is to survive. Our modern world is a dangerous and terrible place. Each day, people die by the tens of thousands, falling to plague, war, famine, drought, terrorism, pollution, crime, and a host of both natural and man-made disasters. Truth be known, mankind is on the decline. Many historians and biologists believe we have reached the peak of sustainability and now we are reaping the consequences of our decadence. The crash will leave us in a worse state than our half-primate ancestors, dwelling in caves as environmental issues from overpopulation, nuclear war, and dwindling food sources erase modern society from our minds. The most liberal projections estimate that mankind will be extinct within the next 250 years. If we are to survive as a species, we must change.
Mother Nature seemed to sense our need an answered our prayers in a most peculiar form. In the past fifty years, about one in ten thousand (just under .0001% of the world’s population) children began showing extraordinary abilities which manifested during their teenage years. It was an exciting time for geneticists, and I was one of the world’s leading authorities on mutation. We conducted many experiments on these children which, at the time, seemed both valid and necessary scientific inquiry…in retrospect, we were torturers and butchers. My great guilt and newfound altruism is the dual-headed reason I leave this record behind in hopes that someone will recognize the necessity this new breed of humanity represents and work alongside them to sustain our existence as a species. I fear that if things continue along the route they are taking, it will indeed result in the extinction of mankind as we know him.
For the past fifty years, the mutant (or Metahuman, as they prefer to be called) population continued to grow. As the old cliché goes, people fear what they do not understand and even the greatest minds in the world were unable to completely explain the science behind mutation, let alone assuage the fears of a populace already on edge. Widespread persecution of mutants began. Arrests, detainment camps, lynching…the depravity of humanity at its worst came to bear against the unfortunate few exalted by nature. Some governments went so far as to create the first squadrons of experimental super soldiers to exterminate the “mutant menace” from their borders. It should have been no surprise to us when the mutants struck back with such force we could not have anticipated their unfettered fury. These children, some with the ability to level cities with but a thought, turned their wrath upon us. Led by brilliant and great men endowed with power of their own, they warred against our cities and governments until, after a war which lasted only seven days, they were granted the terms of our surrender; an island nation to call their own. Though many mutants reside there to this day, most remain at large within the wide world either out of necessity, naivety, a desire to change the world or take it over completely.
Despite the outcome of the Seven Day War, there is still much hostility towards super-powered individuals of all origins. And despite that hostility, many still risk their lives daily to serve humanity, using their gifts for the greater good. To offset their efforts, however, the unfortunate majority of super-powered individuals return humanity’s hostility in greater dividends, resorting to acts of super-terrorism which only those paragons of power can hope to fight against. A war is on the horizon and the future of humanity is literally at stake. Our survival hinges on the thin thread of hope that maybe, just maybe, good can overcome evil…that a hero will arise to save the day.
History of the Human Genome
For the last 50 years, individuals (known as Metahumans, superhumans, or post-humans among other terms; the word “mutant” usually applies strictly to those born with their powers and holds a rather negative connotation) with extraordinary abilities have steadily begun appearing in greater numbers. Their existence alone has been enough to force changes in the political climates of every major nation in the world. Out of fear, the people of the world despise and hate these super-powered individuals and their governments either sponsor witch-hunts or try to promote understanding and cooperation. Regardless of people’s feelings towards them, mutants represent a permanent change in the genetic code of mankind; a leap forward in evolution. The question of how humanity should view their successors is being addressed daily by both sides. Many in the mutant community feel that the future is theirs for the taking; mankind is weak, corrupt and deserving of conquest. Others feel a more peaceful transition is appropriate…and a small minority believe that peaceful coexistence is still possible.
Regardless, the existence of mutants was the spark that started a fire. Threatened by individuals with the power to invade minds, lift mountains, and level cities, the governments of the world began research into countering such potential disaster with their own armies of super-powered individuals. Mega-Corporations (enormous multi-national companies with all the power and wealth of a government but none of the accountability), either commissioned by governments or of their own accord, also began research into the field of super-genetics and both institutions began creating their own armies of super soldiers to serve their whims and combat the mutant threat. Today, the number of artificial mutants in the world greatly surpasses the number of true mutants, though the vast majority of them are nowhere near as powerful as their pure-blooded counterparts.
When the first mutants appeared, their abilities were met with awe, fear, and even worship. As more and more mutants began appearing, mankind’s collective fear of the unknown began to take a more violent shape. Vicious acts of mutant persecution were common in those days as mobs of angry people protested, ran amok in the streets, and lynched any mutants they could get their hands on. Eventually, the more benevolent governments of the world intervened with mutant registration acts, arresting and detaining mutants in work camps. Especially dangerous or interesting mutants were either executed in secret or ferreted away to dark underground labs where scientists poked, pricked, and prodded them day and night in an attempt to glean some understanding, hoping to harness their powers for themselves. Other countries hunted mutants outright with the first genetically modified super-soldiers, executing them publicly or in mass numbers at death camps. The mutant resistance was disorganized and frenzied at best with no strong leaders to rally mutants against the oppressors…at least until a mutant calling himself Omni arose.
Omni is viewed, both in and outside of mutant circles, as a brilliant philosophical mind, an incredible political leader, and a truely gifted tactician. Views on his greatness are juxtaposed as Metahumans compare him to the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. or Abraham Lincoln while the bulk of humanity compares him to Stalin or Hitler. In any case, Omni was (and still is) an incredibly powerful mutant with great charisma and a natural talent for drawing others to himself. His belief was that mutants were an entirely new, superior species and should leave behind all traces of their humanity to embrace a new, perfect culture that would be ushered in with the rise of Metahumans and the fall of mankind. He abandoned his former human name, taking on the more suitable mantle of Omni and required his followers to do the same, symbolically forsaking their human past and embracing their mutant future. He spent years organizing and training an army of mutants to fight against their oppressors and when things seemed their worst, launched a worldwide offensive against the most powerful nations on Earth. In a scant seven days, his forces had scattered their enemies to the wind, effectively ending organized mutant hunts and liberating those unjustly interred in detention camps.
The terms of international surrender dictated that mutants were to be given their own sovereign nation where any mutant of any nationality could become a citizen. With little other choice, a large island in the southern tropics was offered as land for the newly formed mutant nation of Eden. A great number of mutants from around the world followed Omni and his army to Eden where they live in a thriving mutant utopia (at least that’s what they want the rest of the world to believe). Despite its law that any true mutant from any nation can freely become a citizen regardless of their status as freeman, slave, criminal, or outcast in their homeland, many mutants refuse to become a part of the nation, citing its radical view of humanity or the fact that they would never see their homes, friends, and families again as some of the reasons they remain in the world as outcasts.
Though it is nowhere near the levels of the pre-Seven Day War era, the persecution of mutants pervades to this day, though it is less forthright in its methods. Despite attempts by pro-mutant groups to educate the populace and ease the fearful, mutant/human tensions continue to be a pervasive issue within many countries. Mutants are often unjustly arrested and incarcerated, denied job opportunities, excluded from certain bars, clubs, and restaurants, and suffer the malaise of society’s ill-will towards them. Even superhumans who do not have mutant origins are treated with the same racist touch that society levies against those it cannot understand. Though younger generations and more liberal cities are growing more accepting of the mutant genome, the world as a whole remains covertly hostile to all Metahumans it encounters.
Dangers of the Modern World
A growing threat to the average person is the existence of super-powered acts of terrorism. Due to the militaristic philosophies of Omni and the inhabitants of Eden, a number of radical mutant groups have begun waging a shadow war against humanity, using their powers to blow up buildings, destroy landmarks, and spread terror through the world. The response to this threat has been to fight fire with fire, and each government maintains a strike force of post-humans it uses to combat the threat of super-terrorism. Additionally, “cape killer” units are maintained by every major law enforcement agency (and Mega-Corp) for the sole purpose of defense against super-powered crime. Cape killers are highly trained men and women with cutting edge technology and tactical expertise. They are ruthless in dealing with post-human threats and while less effective than elite strike teams comprised purely of post-humans, cape killers are possess the advantage of numbers and cutting edge technology to level the playing field.Though strike teams and cape killers provide some means of defense against super terrorism, the enemies of mankind are multitude and the numbers of mutants and other super-humans disenfranchised by the continued misunderstanding and irrational hatred of society far outweighs the handful of altruistic do-gooders and elite troops on the government’s payroll. These terrorist and criminal cells are not only widespread and numerous, but well hidden. Ratting them out is nearly impossible as they often possess powers or stolen technology which helps to conceal them from detection. Even once a cell is destroyed, another rises in its place, often more violent and unpredictable than the first. In the criminal underworld, it’s even worse as super-powered criminals often have a cadre of civilians working alongside or under them. These individuals tend to attract the most power-hungry members of the underworld and hold the pull of a mob boss with the power to level cities at their own personal disposal.
Post-humans have just as much to fear during this turbulent time as the average citizen. Of particular concern to the super-powered community are those cape killers who have gone rogue, operating as vigilantes who hunt both heroes and villains indiscriminately. Some are formed from elite units who simply diverge from their parent organization’s mandate…others are comprised of ordinary individuals who are “taking back the streets”. In any case, these black ops units are highly trained with access to all the necessary tools to hunt and kill any post-human they come across. The most ruthless of these militias even employ experimental robots armed to the teeth with cutting edge weapons to assist in their endeavors.
Perhaps the most genuine threat to all post-humans worldwide comes not from without, but from within. A genetic malady called PHV (Post-Human Virus) has begun ravaging the super-powered population. More commonly known as Kipplin Syndrome or mockingly called the Super Plague, PHV is contagious only in its final stages (about 30 days after initial infection) and does not affect normal humans in the slightest. The first symptoms of the virus strip the infected of their powers, leaving them frail and helpless as it ravages their body, leading to fatality in about 45 days. The disease has a 100% fatality rate; no one who has contracted it has yet survived. Pharmaceutical companies are working (though, in the eyes of many Metahumans, they are intentionally dragging their feet) to produce a cure or at least a treatment but so far nothing has been capable of slowing the virus’s spread throughout the super powered community.
Some believe that the Mega-Corporation, Furukoma Industries, is behind the creation of PHV. Despite these rumors being completely false, there have been a number of super-powered attacks against the company which has led Furokoma to taking action, both legal and illegal, against a number of metahumans implicated in the attacks. The reality is that Furukoma is innocent of all involvement in the creation of PHV. The actual culprit is their chief rival (and the most powerful Mega-Corp on the planet), Nakajima. In an attempt to create a cure for mutation, the company accidentally created and unleashed the virus. Though many of the world’s leaders secretly support the proliferation of the virus, believing that PHV is the answer to all the world’s super-powered woes, the super powered community is fighting tooth and nail to find a cure before all hope for the next generation of mankind is lost.
Mega-Corporations
As powerful as governments are, they are dwarfed in both wealth and influence by institutions known as Mega-Corporations. These multi-national businesses span their empires over many domains; banking, entertainment, research & development, aerospace, transportation, and food production just to name a few. They are rich beyond measure with near infinite resources…enough to buy and sell justice, pass laws which benefit them most, and buy off (or assassinate) any noisome politician who refuses to cooperate. Mega-Corps maintain their own private armies, which are better equipped, trained, and paid than the militaries of any government. Their numbers are supplemented by Metahumans which are either on the company’s payroll (as is the case with natural mutants) or are directly created in company-owned laboratories. No government has the power to oppose a Mega-Corporation and those who understand economics understand that these businesses are the true masters of the world; for as they rise and fall, so do the economies of their parent nations. Even their employees outnumber the populations of many small to mid-sized countries. Mega-corps act in the interest of but one goal: profit. They act outside the law without recourse, showing disdain for human rights, and bullying their local governments into compliance. Currently, there are 6 Mega-corps in the world. They are (in order of power from most to least influential):
1. Nakajima
2. Tri-Global Enterprises
3. Weyer-Hauser Unlimited
4. Millennium Company
5. Furukoma Industries
6. Andromeda Incorporated
The largest proprietors of civil, commercial, and military goods have always been the most important players in the economic world. With the merging of several of these companies about 15 years ago, the first Mega-corporation was born. Tri-Global Enterprises gained an influence in its parent nation’s politics following a downturn in the economy that could have led to a cataclysmic depression if not for the company’s intervention (though many economists believe that Tri-Global was actually the cause of the depression). Parlaying their stranglehold on the country’s economy into political power, Tri-Global was able to act outside of the law. They fortified their position by obtaining monopolies on several key markets and establishing a private security force with strength to rival the nation’s standing army. Fearful of Tri-Global’s economic retribution, political leaders allowed the Mega-corporation to thrive within their borders. Soon, a handful of other companies used the similar techniques of economic blackmail to gain political power and set themselves up as the chief financial and commercial institutions of their parent countries.
Soma
Despite the sparkling sheen of modern society, poverty and crime are still rampant in the streets of major cities. It is estimated that a hefty 40% of all crime worldwide stems from the distribution of a single substance; the super drug widely known as Soma (aka street spirit, ambrosia, or Jekyll & Hyde). Methadone Hydroxyl, as it is properly named, is a psychoactive stimulant which alters mood and gives users mild to extreme hallucinations (depending on the individual, the dosage, and how pure the drug is). Soma is most commonly taken in pill form (a more potent version called Rapture, which is taken intravenously, is also available though less popular) and provides a sense of overwhelming confidence and a predilection towards rash, aggressive, and often violent behavior. As the drug’s effects fade, users experience a warm, soothing feeling that many describe as the most blissful state imaginable. This, of course, keeps junkies coming back for more…that and the fact that Soma is abundant, easy to make with the right equipment, and more addictive than any other drug on the market.
Those taking Soma are likely to attempt the most insane stunts with no regard for the law, personal well-being, or the safety of others. A person high on Soma will attempt to single-handedly rob a bank in broad daylight, engaging armed officers head on during his escape. They will jump from buildings, convinced they can fly. A Soma junkie will attack, rape, steal, and destroy without a second thought while under the drug’s influence. The worst part about Soma addiction is that a junkie will act with the same disregard for human life in order to obtain his next fix, and the physiological need to pop another pill becomes greater with each new high. Those who manage to escape from the drug’s addiction and sober up are rarely able to do so for long as the psychotropic elements of Soma use cause neurological damages which prevent the brain from manufacturing chemicals needed to remain sane; those who quit Soma either go back or go crazy.
Efforts to combat the spread of Soma have led law enforcement officials to take extreme steps such as a military-like occupation of neighborhoods where the drug market festers and boils. But trade in Soma is so lucrative that its peddlers and manufacturers are more than willing to take the risk. Soma lords can mount a force of thugs with enough firepower to rival even police units with cutting edge weapons and armor, and can easily edge out any other gang in the neighborhood. Those who control the Soma trade in each city are powerful people with an almost limitless supply of money, guns, thugs, fences, and resources to keep their positions fortified and hidden away from the law. Some rumors claim that Soma is actually the product of Weyer-Hauser Unlimited, a Mega-corporation who developed the drug while working on another pharmaceutical project. These rumors assert that the Mega-corp is the true head of the Soma trade, rendering all law enforcement efforts to stem the drug’s tide ultimately futile.
Since Soma provides its users with such an overwhelming sense of confidence and self-assurance, it is often abused by those in high-stress positions who need the drug to take the edge off the nature of their work. Though Soma abuse by politicians, soldiers, and high-profile businessmen is commonplace, policemen are particularly vulnerable. An especially dangerous job and easy access to the drug that cures fear and calms nerves makes Soma the secret sin of a startling number of police officers. Of course, the cops on Soma are either especially gung-ho about busting drug rings (to take what they need from the contraband) or reluctant to take any action against the Soma lords who supply them with drugs in exchange for their allegiance….and most Soma lords are into more than just the drug trade. Needless to say, corruption is rampant in the police departments of every major city…and not just because of Soma. Dirty cops make a much better living than clean ones and tend to live a lot longer as well. In an especially dangerous age, most policemen are not adequately compensated for their services. Taking bribes on the side to make ends meet is an unfortunate necessity for many civil servants.
Emerging Developments
The technology level of the world continues to increase at an exponential rate and some individuals use highly advanced devices to imitate the powers wielded naturally by Metahumans. Though such technologies are not available to the public as a whole, the leaps and bounds ushered in by their necessity have given the average person access to wonders they may not have imagined possible as far back as ten years ago. Cities are powered by clean nuclear fission, which provides low-cost, high-yield energy. Cars too are clean-powered and self-driven devices which fill the world’s highways and byways, moving at speeds topping 200 mph with perfect precision and safety. The internet has coated the entire surface of the planet; nowhere on earth is it impossible to access the global network with the personal phone/music player/internet module that about 75% of the world’s population owns. An army of satellites circle the planet, broadcasting radio, television, internet, and a host of other signals down to the world below. Cities grow high, scratching the bellies of the clouds and spanning vast miles of earth. Most of the world’s inhabitants live in these jungles of glass, iron, and cement, living in post-modern cultures which worship the gods of consumerism and celebrity.
Startling new developments that will shape the ever-changing face of modern society are just over the horizon. While many are still in their testing phases, developers are hopeful that, within the next ten years, they will be available to the public at large. Truth be known, the technologies are nearly perfected and available to the corporations (and parent Mega-Corporations) who develop them. The span of time between when the product is finished and available to the public is filled with testing, marketing, and conceiving more diabolical uses for the technology which the public will remain blissfully unaware of.
The field of robotics has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade. Artificial facsimiles of human beings, called Androids, are currently being tested and less anthropomorphic versions of these artificial people are already available to the excessively wealthy. It won’t be long until there is a robotic servant in every first-world household, their expense just rivaling that of an automobile. Of course, pure robots have been working in industry for quite some time, replacing workers and performing hazardous jobs in environments unsuited for human hands. All robots operate on a version of limited AI; that is, they are able to think and reason to a point. No robot has the true capacity for completely original thought and their creators would like to keep things that way so as to avoid the possibility of a robotic revolution any time in the future. Whatever their capabilities and shortcomings, all robots are programmed to adhere to the Three Laws.
These laws are hard-wired into the brains of every robot for the safety and protection of the humans they were made to serve. The laws state that 1) a robot may never harm a human or, through inaction, allow a human to come to harm, 2) a robot must obey any order given to it by a human unless that order would conflict with the first law and, 3) a robot must do all it can to preserve its own existence unless doing so would conflict with the first or second laws. Occasionally, a robotic assassin is built without the first law ingrained into its circuits. These killing machines are extremely dangerous and unreliable, however, as they are likely to turn on their masters when presented with the opportunity. Because of this “killbots” are used by military and criminal organizations only in situations where the killer’s loyalty isn’t a requirement; killbots are used less like foot soldiers and more like grenades. Aside from these renegades, the vast majority of AI systems are programmed with the Three Laws to ensure their continued compliance with the will of humanity.
Research in robotics has also yielded a breakthrough in medical technology; cybernetic body parts to replace missing or dysfunctional organic parts. This cutting edge technology is surgically implanted and maintained at great expense (though, as the process becomes more mainstream, costs will likely decrease), but offers not only a replacement for damaged parts, but increased functionality; a cybernetic eye, for instance, can zoom in on far away targets, see in infrared, and withstand damage that would disable an organic eye. Military grade cybernetics are virtually non-existent; it is neither practical nor wise to replace one’s arm with a grenade launcher or a machine gun. Of the many strikes against such augmentations, ammo would have to be surgically reloaded, a gun hand is no longer useful as a hand (which, in most circumstances, is a more useful tool than a gun could ever be), and military mods are both clumsy and unwieldy – an actual gun or rocket launcher (which can be discarded at will) has a much easier bearing. Carrying arms in public (whether intentionally or not) is a faux pas of massive proportions and likely to land one in constant trouble with the police. Even criminal circles shy away from military grade cybernetics due to the ridiculous cost to obtain and maintain such relatively useless hardware.
Genetic and chemical treatments for disease can put the majority of cases into remission. But viral diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, meningitis, and a host of STDs are on the downturn in developing countries thanks in no small part to the wonders of Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is a field of research which emphasizes using self-replicating, microscopic robots to manipulate matter on a molecular scale. By programming and controlling these nanites, as they are called, researchers became capable of operating within the microscopic world.
The applications for nanotechnology are vast and hold immense impact for humanity. In fact, every human being on planet earth has been affected by nanotechnology; the earth’s sphere was scrubbed clean by nanomachines, putting an end to global warming in the process. Medicinal uses include surgeons directing nanites to perform surgery on a microscopic level, opening and sewing up injuries faster, cleaner, and more accurately than a knife or laser ever could. Nanites injected into the bloodstream can help injuries heal faster and can be programmed to help the body’s immune system in fending off foreign pathogens. Nanovaccines have helped curb disease in the developing world and are responsible for the decline in HIV/AIDS worldwide.That’s not the say that disease is non-existent – far from it. In fact, it seems that mankind has traded one villain for another in terms of communicable diseases. New strains of bacteria have mutated from old ones, some adapting to the changing world on their own and some adapting with the help of modern science. PHV seems immune to nano-treatments, capable of evolving and fighting back faster and more intelligently than any previous infection in recorded history. Other modern diseases include a new virus which targets the RNA of the infected. After the victim dies, they rise to life within a few moments, becoming a walking corpse. These “zombies” retain no trace of their humanity, existing only to feed and spread the virus (known colloquially as Z or the Z Virus), which is transmitted through bodily fluids such as saliva or blood. They are characterized by extreme aggression and a tendency to hunt in large packs of a hundred or more individuals.
Though it can be used to cure disease, nanotechnology can also be used to create new diseases. Since nanites are essentially programmable robots, they can be programmed to act like a virus, mutating and replicating throughout the body. Their tiny size and ever changing properties make it exceedingly difficult for a body’s immune system to fight them. What’s more, they can take on the symptoms of virtually any disease, baffling doctors and defying treatment. Infection by a nanodisease means certain death for the infected unless the one who programmed the nanites is also able to rein them in and put a stop to their behavior. Nanites can also be used to track an infected target’s movements and provide internal diagnostics, allowing monitors to know not only where the target is, but when he is awake, sleeping, injured, fatigued, ill, healthy, etc.
By using nanomachines to move atoms and molecules around, the technology has the potential to create something from “nothing”. The process is still in its infancy and is mired in controversy. Though everyone agrees that the capability to create food, water, and shelter from raw dirt and other unrefined junk materials could solve global poverty, economists and politicians worry that the capability to “create” consumer goods could also lead to a world-wide economic upheaval as the means of traditional manufacture become antiquated and countries without access to nanotechnology become unable to compete on the world market with countries who do have the technology. Natural resources also become a thing of the past as every country is able to produce its own steel, plastics, and whatever other materials are needed for growth. Wealthy nations fear their enemies stand to gain the means to take away their greatest global advantage; material wealth and resources if they are able to lay hold of this application of nanotechnology. As a result, development in this particular field of research is mired in bureaucracy and legal issues, causing progress to move at a snail’s pace. However, current developments in this field have led to improved materials for industrial manufacture; plastics, metals, and fibers stronger than any natural material have been produced and integrated into industrial machines, military weapons, and various types of body armor.
The only significant threat presented by the technology itself is the possibility for what some scientists call “gray goo”; a self-replicating mass of rogue nanites that consume everything they come in contact with, growing larger and larger as they travel. Thus far, such an incident only occurred once, leaving a swath of destruction as it destroyed the remote laboratory and carved its way through the countryside before it was stopped with an Electro-Magnetic bomb. Most scientists agree that disaster was an isolated incident unlikely to occur again and, even with the inherent risks, the ability to clean pollution, stop disease, and manufacture goods from “nothing” is worth the risk.
As the population on Earth continues to grow at an exponential rate, mankind has begun looking towards the stars as the next frontier for habitation. Though terraformation is quite a long ways off, the first logical step in the colonization of space is the creation of orbital space stations around the planet. To this end, several governments and Mega-Corporations have begun working together to create a number of habitable space stations. Currently, there are seven space stations (Tian Station, ISS-10, Columbus Station, Orion Station, Kerimov, Armstrong Station, and Ishida Station) in orbit between the planet and its moon, each accessible only by ground-based rocket. These massive monoliths are the size of small cities and capable of housing populations upwards of one million people. Though the majority of people living on the stations now consist of research crews, a select number of colonists from a diversity of nations have already begun inhabiting these stations and for the past 3 years, the experiment has been a great success. It is only a short matter of time before these cities in the sky are opened to colonization by the public at large. Though there are a handful well-known “floating cities” in orbit, a number of Mega-Corporations maintain smaller facilities where research and development that is either impossible or illegal on the planet takes place. Some even house orbital lasers capable of leveling entire cities with a single blast of hellfire through the atmosphere.
The Secret Wars
Unknown to most people in the world, a startling number of the technologies which define modern life are actually made possible by the reverse engineering of alien devices. Many weapons used by government agents and technology-based superpowers originate from a secret war which took place between the super powers of Earth and a hostile alien force. Details of the event are classified above top secret, but what the average citizen will never know is that for decades, a race of aliens known as the Ghant lived among humanity, scouting and spying to determine our weak points before calling in their armada to strike. Fortunately, the governments of the world uncovered their scheme before they could finish gathering intel. A coordinated strike team of Metahumans was able to bring down the Ghant’s operation without alerting the public at large. The campaign against the Ghant is known as the Secret Wars and those super humans who served during this time are now part of an international task force known as S.W.O.R.D (Secret Wars Office of Research and Defense) dedicated to protecting the planet from further alien incursions and keeping the secrets of extraterrestrial life ferreted away from public knowledge.
The governments of the world each viciously fought to claim the technology these Ghant scouts possessed. Blasters, x-ray goggles, rocket boots, cloaking devices, and a cadre of other useful technologies which government agents and technology-based super humans utilize are all reverse engineered from the original Ghant devices (at least those which humanity was capable of understanding the function of) which survived the Secret Wars. The majority of space age materials and scientific breakthroughs that have given modern man his current standard of living are a direct theft of Ghant technology (which some researchers believe were actually stolen from other worlds the Ghant conquered). Despite humanity’s success against the Ghant’s scouts, the bulk of the roaming ravagers still scour the Universe for planets to consume. The loss of their scouting party on Earth has drawn their attention and a larger force is currently on its way to exterminate mankind like roaches and strip-mine the planet.
On Earth, little is known of the Ghant, but other sentient species in the galaxy refer to them as The Locust Horde. They are a species without a home planet who roam across the cosmos in a vast fleet of ships, new and old, stripping every planet they come across of all life and resources. Their army is larger than any force in the known universe, their tactics are brutal, and the juggernaut of their conquest is unstoppable. Many species have been able to appease the Ghant with regular offerings of resources, but this will not appease them forever. Eventually, the Ghant will wipe out all other life in the galaxy and, once every planet has been devoured, the Ghant themselves will sputter out and die. With their sights set on consuming Earth, there is little that even the most powerful beings in the world can do to fight against the Ghant as a lone, blue planet.
Playing God
The field of genetic engineering has contributed much to the standards of modern life. Through the efforts of geneticists, mankind has been granted immunity or at the very least, an easily accessible cure to some of the most terrible diseases on the planet which, decades ago, killed by the millions. HIV/AIDS, Cancer, Smallpox, and a number of other virulent diseases have been rendered inert by vaccinations or genetic treatments rendered to infants in utero. Even in poverty stricken third-world countries, disease is slowly being eradicated as the World Health Organization brings vital treatments to the far corners of the Earth. Genetic engineering is responsible for more than curing disease, however. Other gene treatments can revitalize the body, restoring the appearance of youth, vitality, and longevity to a person as they age. On average, citizens of first-world countries live to be 150 years, dying most often of heart, liver, or kidney failure. Crop and livestock yields have also been increased by this technology, putting a serious dent in world hunger.
One of genetics’ most significant developments in the past 15 years has been the perfection of the cloning process. The perfection of human cloning has allowed medical scientists to clone specific organs and blood types for surgical procedures. These tissues are grown on “farms” where they are harvested when a patient is in need of a transplant. Countless lives have been saved using this procedure. Cloning has also allowed mankind to resurrect the dead. Not only have a variety of extinct and endangered plant and animal species been resuscitated (dinosaurs have yet to be cloned as there are too many holes in the fossilized genetic sequence to make an adequate clone – however, geneticists are optimistic), but any creature that leaves behind a genetic sample can be recreated by cloners. Of course, this process has been abused on more than one occasion by both governments and Mega-corporations. The existence of flash clones, in particular, is disturbing; flash clones, are human beings cloned from volunteers deemed genetically suitable and incubated in laboratories until they reach full maturity in roughly a month. During their developmental stages, flash clones are educated through subliminal processes, being inundated with basic military training and language protocols. Though not as smart or strong as a home-grown soldier, flash clones make excellent drones as they do exactly as they are told with no regard for their own well-being. In many ways, flash clones can be considered mentally retarded as they never develop social skills or problem solving abilities. The typical flash clone lives for 8-12 months after “birth”, and that usually suits his creators just fine; the poor souls are used as cannon fodder in ground operations (they are considered too stupid to fly planes or operate machinery – even when trained during development to do so, they lack creativity and the ability to improvise when necessary) and though condemned as inhumane, are often seen as a necessary evil in wars against other nations and super-beings gone rogue.
Though it is possible to recreate any organic being with a small sample of genetic material, there is something in the superhuman genome that is not yet understood completely by geneticists. This “x-factor”, as it is called, prevents scientists from cloning superhumans. Though it is possible to recreate any post-human in appearance, the powers of such individuals are impossible to perfectly duplicate at this point in time. To counter this drawback, a genetic drug called Faust was developed. Faust is a genetic treatment which mimics the x-factor to a lesser degree, imbuing a person with a measure of superhuman abilities. The drug, however, is imperfect and still under development. Its effects on an individual are wildly unpredictable; in one person it can manifest as slightly enhanced strength and endurance and in another it manifests as the ability to crush buildings with a single punch and still another it endows with phenomenal psychic power. Most individuals receive little more than a generic boost from Faust…but every rare now and then, it creates a true superhuman. The drug is the brainchild of Dr. Heimrich Faust, a leading geneticist at Tri-Global (one of the world’s most powerful Mega-Corps) and has a number of imitators (Nakajima’s “Chikara” and Weyer-Hauser’s “Wendigo” to name a few), but no true rival.
It should be noted that, despite the prevalence of super-soldier serums among Mega-Corps and governments, the majority of artificial superhumans do not obtain their power intentionally. Whether through the dictum of fate or pure coincidence, post-humans who were not born as mutants often gain their powers through freak accidents that would normally prove fatal, such as exposure to high levels of radiation, a volatile and inimitable mix of chemicals, untested gene treatments, or other unexplainable phenomenon. To the untrained eye, this may seem like pure happenstance…but to those more familiar with the supernatural workings of the world, these events run much deeper than accident.
Supernatural
Though the science of the world dismisses such claims, there have been supernatural forces at work within the world since the dawn of time. Granted, these forces were much weaker during man’s past than they are today. Centuries ago, feats of true sorcery, the existence of supernatural creatures, and arcane artifacts which bend the very fabric of reality were little more than the fevered dreams of overactive imaginations. But in the modern world, such wonders are very possible for those in tune with the mystical forces of the world as wizards, necromancers, and beings of purely supernatural origins manipulate the turbulent maelstrom of invisible arcane energies towards both good and evil ends.The reason that true magic has moved from the realm of myth to reality in recent years is due to the gradual weakening of the barriers between the Earth realm, where mortals dwell, and the Golden Lands; a chaotic realm of whimsy and elemental energies inhabited the Fair Folk. Normally, these two opposing dimensions rest peacefully side by side on two entirely separate planes of existence. However, a vastly powerful hive entity known to sorcerers of both worlds as The Incarnum has been steadily eating away at the walls between worlds like a colony of termites since the beginning of history. There is no known way to stop The Incarnum and the greatest supernatural minds of both worlds fear that within the next thousand years, the two realms will become one in a cataclysmic disaster that could destroy everything within the opposing worlds.
As the barrier between Earth and the Golden Land wears thin, it has become possible for sorcerers in the Earth realm to wield the forces of magic which, in the Golden Lands are as commonplace as technology is on Earth. Likewise, tinkerers in the Golden Land have begun to construct crude technological devices thanks to their newfound ability to invent and maintain complex machines. In many places, the walls between worlds are incredibly thin or non-existent, allowing the denizens of both worlds to pass between the two. However, these holes in reality quickly close and those who cross dimensions often find themselves stuck in a world unlike their own with no conceivable way to return home. Thus, vampires, werewolves, demons, and other creatures of folklore have begun appearing in the Earth realm, much to the surprise and shock of all who see them, though organizations of both mystical and mundane origins (such as S.W.O.R.D.) try to neutralize these situations as quickly as possible. Likewise, many a human has become lost in the Golden Land when investigating a “haunted” house or by simply stepping into a wardrobe…
Even though the barriers between reality and fantasy are blurring, wielding the cosmic force of magic is no mean feat. Those who study the arcane do so as a lifelong pursuit, dedicating the entirety of their minds and souls to understanding its mysteries. Only through acquisition of erudite knowledge, memorization of chants, rituals, and gestures, and a focused mind and spirit can one hope to bend reality to his desires. Those who can wield this incredible force do not consider themselves the same breed of post-human as mutants or other Metahumans. To them, the power of magic is completely unnatural (though certainly earned through hard work – unlike other Metahumans who attain theirs by right of birth or freak accident), putting them in an entirely different class. Though ordinary people can sense something peculiar about them, the tendency of most people is to brush the guy in robes off as a hippie or crazy person; the average human is completely unaware of the mystical even as it roars all around him.
Archmages who understand intimately the workings of the mystic as it flows through reality know that the recent emergence of mutants and other Metahumans is no coincidence. It seems that the universal force which the more simple-minded would call fate has been busy, endowing certain individuals with a great destiny and the power to fulfill that calling. This, more than genetics, more than chemistry, more than technology, is the driving force behind the recent emergence of super powered heroes and villains into the world. Whatever the reason for this, only time will tell if the machinations of fate prove to work for the benefit or ultimate end of mankind.
