Art by Jim Beckman
Atlas Invictus
A self-proclaimed grass-roots movement, Atlas Invictus shuns no methods to stop Outsiders and their collaborators from corrupting their world.
The exact origins of Invictus are unclear, but it is assumed it was formed by Lost Numbers of the Association based on the fact they use Atlas, the Association's designation for their Plane, in their name. Some believe this is a coincidence. However, it is beyond doubt Lost Numbers have aligned themselves with Invictus.
Invictus isn't a unified group but consists of local cells that are in contact with one another. Therefore there isn't a unified goal or idealogy. Some groups sought to overthrow local governments to mobile the communities of Aniti-Rift Actions. Others prefer to operate covertly.
Although the goals align, Invictus considers the Association to be lenient at best. Most believe the Association has been compromised as they have given amnesty to various Outsiders.
Baset, Dousack & Suun (Subject-32)
S-32’s representatives introduce themselves under various names. But they are usually referred to as Baset, Dousack & Suun.
S-32 is not a single legal entity but rather a network of traders and experts, operating both legally and clandestinely, who have an affinity for Rift Related Artifacts of both archaeological and extraterrestrial nature. For that reason, it is hard to trace their origins.
According to their affiliates, S-32 arose from the chaos of the French Revolution and subsequent wars to protect historical artifacts from revolutionaries, mostly through clandestine art sales to ensure these objects would be secured in private collections.
For the Association, making agreements with S-32 is, from a pragmatic point of view, essential to its operations. However, for all intents and purposes, S-32 is considered a hostile force. Though their representatives might tell their clients otherwise, their trade practices violate the 1851 conference's stipulations on the acquisition and selling of rift-related artifacts and consumer goods, making them a threat to humanity and, therefore, the Association's enemy. No matter what name they might operate under.
The Eriduan Brotherhood
The Servants of Utu, the Sun God, claim their founding can be traced back to the reign of Alulim of Eridu, 5900-4300 BC. They believe the Rifts are gateways to Eriskigal's domain.
They are awaiting the return of Dagan and his servants, the Nafi.
Jupiter Power Unlimited
JPU is an international power company revolutionizing the market with its massive wireless energy towers that provide affordable energy without the need for power cables. With almost limitless access to energy, they are at the forefront of remote control and radiocommunication. Their massive towers are protected by heavily monitored perimeter fences and wireless drones to prevent corporate espionage. The Association of Ishtar, however, suspects ulterior reasons.
The Lions of Judah (Subject-78)
This monastic order of monks and friars is probably one the strangest and most worrisome reactions to the Rifts the Associates have come across thus far. The Rifts inspired many conspiracies and fledgling religious sects. Among more conservative communities, a new breed of hunters emerged to cleanse the world of Rifts and whatever this spawn. But these Catholic zealots are a whole new category.
On the surface, their sermons preach the typical fire and brimstone and how the Rifts and a sign of the end times. But once the Association discovered its convents, a whole new image was formed.
According to their scripture, the order came into being around the dawn of the 19th century. One night a catholic priest from Italy, father Abraham Albert, was awoken by an angel. The being guided him to a Rift, which led to a paradise, which the Lions claim to be the Garden of Eden. Then Alberti was led through another Rift. This one led directly to one of the circles of Hell. The angel explained to the priest the Rifts are either divine or satanic portals.
The Lions believe there are nine such Hellgates to be used by satan's legion, waiting for the seven trumpets to be sounded that announce the Apocalypse. The only way for humanity to redeem its wicked ways is by destroying these gates, so the way to the Lord's embrace, Heaven's Gate, will reveal itself. Until then, these Hellgates will continue to corrupt the minds of men.
S-78 by Janneke Stam
Religious beliefs aside, the Association's biggest concern is the Perfecti. The most senior members of their order, in order to serve the Lord, have given up their human form to combat satan's forces in their monstrous form. Although they are articulate and capable of reason, their likeness is that of Tier III Outsiders, whose shapes are grotesque to most. But to the friars of the Lions, they look upon them as if they were angels and hope that one day they are pious enough you join their ranks.
The Associate's relationship with the Lions is complex, as their goals align. Their methods, however, resemble those of the Old Testament.
Lost Numbers
These are former Associates who have betrayed their vows and are now wanted for treason. Their reasons for doing so are many. Some disagreed with the Association's policies. Others did so for personal gain, or personal convictions. Now they are fugitives, often aligning themselves with other organizations for protection or profit. Usually both.
Although Associates have dispatched of Lost Numbers in person, the Association prefers to take on contractors to do this work for them.
The Signalites (S-09)
Officially known as the Followers of the Signal, they believe they are in contact with a wireless signal sent from within the Multiverse. Their movement, created by Robert Mozelian, emerged among a slew of New Age communities. But instead of seances, they listen to valuon radios transmitting secret codes that have to be deciphered by special means.
They encouraged technological progress and transhumanism
in the 1860's the movement became popular, almost the elite believing the Signal was transmitting the knowledge to create a future Utopia by transmitting human consciousness to the Nexus from their main temple on Druid Isle. However, officers of the Dover police uncovered Signalite clinics, which believed in providing prosthetics for the needy, fitting criminals and revolutionaries with advanced prosthetics, and turning them on homunculi, known as Nyctolar. Their plot, however, was uncovered. Realizing their intentions to overthrow the British government were compromised, their Leader, actress Clara Lantry, put their plan into action. This violent uprising, known as the Emergency, was crushed within a couple of days.
Although it is widely accepted many Signalites were not involved in the emergence, many were arrested, and most lost their jobs. With their main temple destroyed and its land confiscated
The Ascentialists
A split of remnants of the Signalites. After the Emergence of May 1876, many Nyctolar became disillusioned with their cause. Some went into hiding, while others fled into the underground to become hatchetmen. Few, however, continued their mission on their own, believing they could bring about a revolution. The Ascentialsist, however, organized themselves and created a closed community in the French Pyrenees. From there, they broadcast their message across the ether, encouraging stray Nyctorlar to join them.
Overall, they are peaceful isolationists, persisting they are Mozelian's true disciples. When the Association became aware of them, they have
NOVA ERA
Nova Era consists of various groups with different spiritual convictions. Their beliefs vary, but its member groups all draw inspiration from texts attributed to Hermes Trismagistos and belief in magical practices, alchemy, and the Rifts being gateways constructed by the Gods to ease their return to the mortal realm.
Although Nova Era insists they are merely a forum for practitioners of responsible hermetic practices, its members seem to be under a sway of a certain Shakerley Marmion, who claims to be the intermediary for Thoth; a God of Antiquity who is central to Hermetic thought.
The Association believes that supporters of Nova Era are mostly a danger to themselves as they have often been involved in lethal Rift Related Incidents initiated by their incompetence. However, more dangerous individuals have been identified among their ranks who might use Nova Era's enthusiasm for their own ends.
THE TARTARIAN SOCIETY
The Tartain Society is a world-spanning organization that aims to promote international collaboration in containing and investigating Rift Related Activity. They allocate funds to protect affected communities from anamelies and help and assist in the reconstruction effort. They organize conventions to spread awareness in academia and
Thanks to their benefactors and connections to every major government, they have ensured RA's continued existence and the funding of the increasing upkeep of containment operations.
The Association, however, believes the Tartarians have ulterior motives and suspect their research is more self-serving than its members let on. In its manifesto, the Society has stated its desire to establish a world government to lead humanity into Opened World: a state in which the Rifts are so numerous they shape most of the world's environment. Individual members have pushed for eugenics programs to create a 'better human' to create stronger individuals. However, Tartarians have also advocated communal living to create communities capable of thriving amidst the encroaching anomalies.
Due to their mixed messaging, and lack of a united vision, most believe the Society's bolder ambitions to be nothing but grandstanding—however, most believe the Association to be nothing but harmless eccentrics.
THE TECHNOCRACY
Once the Rift's potential was discovered, people desired to accumulate as much technical knowledge as possible for their own purposes. These like-minded individuals organized in the World Futurist Forum and funded expeditions into the Rift. However, when the Den Hague convention was announced, they immediately jumped into action to stop it from being signed. It was even speculated some of their more radical members attempted to blow it up. The Treaty was signed regardless, and acquiring technology without explicit consent from the new Committee of Rift-Related Activity (RA) was outlawed. This didn’t stop the WFF from promoting their ideas.
However, the Association discovered they were still sending out Sliders to acquire [Rift Tech] and decided that they needed to be made an example of to show what would happen to anyone who willingly ignored the Den Hague treaty. On the Feast of Ascension 1861, high-level members of the WFF died under mysterious circumstances.
The survivors went underground, taking their experiments with them. For years they gathered their resources and reestablished their networks. In clandestine laboratories, they revived their experiments and trained their own Sliders. Sometimes they would even augment them with prostheses and serums to increase their performance. This network of clandestine organizations, known as the Technocracy, seeks out Otherworldly Technology to bring about a Cybernetic Utopia.
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