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Futuristic Paragons of Tomorrow: World Building
- Thread starter AtlannianSpy
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AtlannianSpy
Alarmed and Strangerous
World Building
This thread contains information on some of the key concepts, events factions and phenomena you are likely to encounter in Paragons of Tomorrow. Do note this list is an ongoing work, you are highly encouraged to jump into world-building yourself and help bring our setting to life with your own creations.
This thread contains information on some of the key concepts, events factions and phenomena you are likely to encounter in Paragons of Tomorrow. Do note this list is an ongoing work, you are highly encouraged to jump into world-building yourself and help bring our setting to life with your own creations.
Origin
In paragons of tomorrow every supernatural phenomenon can ultimately be traced to one of two origins: Material or Mystical. The two forces have always been acting and interacting in our world, although for much of modern history mystical forces acted within the shadows and most people were unaware that such things existed. Though Material and Mystical phenomena co-exist frequently and it's possible for a single person to wield elements from both. direct interactions or confrontations between them are always unpredictable at best and attempts to outright combine phenomena from both forces has always ended in disaster. To put it simply you can have a laser gun and a magic sword on your utility belt and use them both just fine, but if you try to combine them into a single object that can both shoot lasers and o magic then you are going to run into trouble.
The Material origin represents the natural laws of the material universe and things that arise from it. Science, technology, genetic mutations, that kind of event or super power all stem from order for example. The limitations of material phenomena usually stem from their relationship with the physical: they may require energy or ammunition that can be depleted, or generate excess heat or other by products that need to be managed. Material forces play a pivotal in society, moreso in modern times as our daily lives are dominated by technology, but the more advanced and dangerous expressions of Material forces are often kept secret, controlled by hidden government agencies or reclusive corporations.
The Mystical origin represents forces outside our understanding of the material universe, entities like magic, gods and ghosts all fall under the umbrella of Mysticism. Unlike material forces, mystical forces are often more constrained by semantic or ritualistic elements. Things as arbitrary as the time of day or as ethereal as the emotions of the participants can affect the final outcome of mystic phenomena and very often the whims of mischievous or capricious spirits or other entities can play a role as well. A comparative analysis of mythology and more recent scientific study of mystic phenomena points to the existence of a spiritual realm and plane, hoist to gods and demons and ultimately being where all mystical phenomena originate from. However the exact nature of this proposed realm is highly uncertain with different traditions and sources contradicting each other in their description of it. Possibly there are multiple spiritual realms, or different instances of the realm that function under different rules.
Parahuman
A parahuman is a broad, catch all term for anyone who exhibits superhuman abilities of any sort. Parahumans can be all sorts of people, some are mutants, whose unique genetic code grants them powerful, biological traits, some can trace their lineage back to ancient, mystical entities and can perform feats of magic. Most parahumans were created by the two catastrophes that forever transformed our world, The Firaxon Invasion and the Procession of Numannidia. These two events suddenly transformed the planet by granting people all over the world superhuman abilities, but they aren't the only sources of the Parahuman phenomenon. Some parahumans possessed their abilities before those events, due to belonging to the secretive and hidden world of magic that existed previously, or possibly being the result of many secretive government research programs experimenting with human DNA. Some parahumans are only secondarily linked to the events, such as the children of mutants who have inherited their genetic abnormalities, or the victims of magical conditions such as vampirism or lycanthropy which were spread to them via creatures that emerged as a result of the Procession of Numannidia. Some parahumans are only superhuman thanks to particular items or tools they happen to possess. Parahumans can be any age, race, temperament or moral alignment. While many parahumans simply want to live a normal life many others look upon their new found abilities as a way to change either their lives or the world around them for better or worse.
Hazard Level
Hazard level is a scale used to broadly measure how much damage a parahuman could broadly inflict on human society. Parahumans can range from being more or less ordinary people with a special talent to forces of nature able to contend with entire armed forces on their own so an approximate scale was quicikly deemed necessary to determine what resources should be allocated to monitoring and responding to any particular parahuman. Hazard levels range from 1 to 5.
Hazard Level 1: Hazard level 1 characters have a definite edge over the average person, but not much more, in fact often a fit, healthy person armed and trained is often enough to qualify as a level 1 hazard. In open combat they can usually contend reliability with a handful of ordinary humans but larger or more well equipped groups can often subdue them.
Hazard Level 2: Hazard level 2 characters are serious threats to most people, often being capable of destroying small buildings and overwhelming medium groups of conventional law enforcement personnel. Well trained, well equipped response teams are often needed to take down level 2 hazards.
Hazard Level 3: Hazard level 3 characters are capable of destroying entire city blocks or small towns alone. Level 3 hazards are military grade threats: heavy weaponry such as tanks, air support or artillery alongside fully armed infantry are often needed to defeat them.
Hazard Level 4: Hazard level 4 characters are national level threats capable of wiping out major cities singlehandedly. Conventional armed forces generally cannot engage level 4 hazards without incurring unacceptable losses as they lack the ability to concentrate firepower precisely enough to target them and face the risk of individual elements being defeated in detail. Most nations have secretive forces or protocols designed to neutralise level 4 hazards but for those who do not the only realistic option is often strategic level bombardment
Hazard Level 5: Level 5 characters are destructive and difficult enough to subdue that they can constitute existential threats to most major nations. Conventional weaponry and forces are barely hindrances to level 5 hazards and even the widely accepted standard response (Multiple level 4 hazard response teams working in a coordinated and prepared fashion) are expected to suffer heavy losses when engaging a level 5 hazard.
In paragons of tomorrow every supernatural phenomenon can ultimately be traced to one of two origins: Material or Mystical. The two forces have always been acting and interacting in our world, although for much of modern history mystical forces acted within the shadows and most people were unaware that such things existed. Though Material and Mystical phenomena co-exist frequently and it's possible for a single person to wield elements from both. direct interactions or confrontations between them are always unpredictable at best and attempts to outright combine phenomena from both forces has always ended in disaster. To put it simply you can have a laser gun and a magic sword on your utility belt and use them both just fine, but if you try to combine them into a single object that can both shoot lasers and o magic then you are going to run into trouble.
The Material origin represents the natural laws of the material universe and things that arise from it. Science, technology, genetic mutations, that kind of event or super power all stem from order for example. The limitations of material phenomena usually stem from their relationship with the physical: they may require energy or ammunition that can be depleted, or generate excess heat or other by products that need to be managed. Material forces play a pivotal in society, moreso in modern times as our daily lives are dominated by technology, but the more advanced and dangerous expressions of Material forces are often kept secret, controlled by hidden government agencies or reclusive corporations.
The Mystical origin represents forces outside our understanding of the material universe, entities like magic, gods and ghosts all fall under the umbrella of Mysticism. Unlike material forces, mystical forces are often more constrained by semantic or ritualistic elements. Things as arbitrary as the time of day or as ethereal as the emotions of the participants can affect the final outcome of mystic phenomena and very often the whims of mischievous or capricious spirits or other entities can play a role as well. A comparative analysis of mythology and more recent scientific study of mystic phenomena points to the existence of a spiritual realm and plane, hoist to gods and demons and ultimately being where all mystical phenomena originate from. However the exact nature of this proposed realm is highly uncertain with different traditions and sources contradicting each other in their description of it. Possibly there are multiple spiritual realms, or different instances of the realm that function under different rules.
Parahuman
A parahuman is a broad, catch all term for anyone who exhibits superhuman abilities of any sort. Parahumans can be all sorts of people, some are mutants, whose unique genetic code grants them powerful, biological traits, some can trace their lineage back to ancient, mystical entities and can perform feats of magic. Most parahumans were created by the two catastrophes that forever transformed our world, The Firaxon Invasion and the Procession of Numannidia. These two events suddenly transformed the planet by granting people all over the world superhuman abilities, but they aren't the only sources of the Parahuman phenomenon. Some parahumans possessed their abilities before those events, due to belonging to the secretive and hidden world of magic that existed previously, or possibly being the result of many secretive government research programs experimenting with human DNA. Some parahumans are only secondarily linked to the events, such as the children of mutants who have inherited their genetic abnormalities, or the victims of magical conditions such as vampirism or lycanthropy which were spread to them via creatures that emerged as a result of the Procession of Numannidia. Some parahumans are only superhuman thanks to particular items or tools they happen to possess. Parahumans can be any age, race, temperament or moral alignment. While many parahumans simply want to live a normal life many others look upon their new found abilities as a way to change either their lives or the world around them for better or worse.
Hazard Level
Hazard level is a scale used to broadly measure how much damage a parahuman could broadly inflict on human society. Parahumans can range from being more or less ordinary people with a special talent to forces of nature able to contend with entire armed forces on their own so an approximate scale was quicikly deemed necessary to determine what resources should be allocated to monitoring and responding to any particular parahuman. Hazard levels range from 1 to 5.
Hazard Level 1: Hazard level 1 characters have a definite edge over the average person, but not much more, in fact often a fit, healthy person armed and trained is often enough to qualify as a level 1 hazard. In open combat they can usually contend reliability with a handful of ordinary humans but larger or more well equipped groups can often subdue them.
Hazard Level 2: Hazard level 2 characters are serious threats to most people, often being capable of destroying small buildings and overwhelming medium groups of conventional law enforcement personnel. Well trained, well equipped response teams are often needed to take down level 2 hazards.
Hazard Level 3: Hazard level 3 characters are capable of destroying entire city blocks or small towns alone. Level 3 hazards are military grade threats: heavy weaponry such as tanks, air support or artillery alongside fully armed infantry are often needed to defeat them.
Hazard Level 4: Hazard level 4 characters are national level threats capable of wiping out major cities singlehandedly. Conventional armed forces generally cannot engage level 4 hazards without incurring unacceptable losses as they lack the ability to concentrate firepower precisely enough to target them and face the risk of individual elements being defeated in detail. Most nations have secretive forces or protocols designed to neutralise level 4 hazards but for those who do not the only realistic option is often strategic level bombardment
Hazard Level 5: Level 5 characters are destructive and difficult enough to subdue that they can constitute existential threats to most major nations. Conventional weaponry and forces are barely hindrances to level 5 hazards and even the widely accepted standard response (Multiple level 4 hazard response teams working in a coordinated and prepared fashion) are expected to suffer heavy losses when engaging a level 5 hazard.
The Firaxon Invasion
The Firaxon Invasion was a sustained military campaign involving nearly all of humanity and an extra terrestrial species colloquially dubbed "Firaxons". Although the invaders were eventually repelled it was only after Earth sustained heavy casualties and severe damage to population centres across the globe, some of which is still being repaired to this day. When studied in the present day the invasion is currently divided into three phases.
Phase one: Initial Contact: The Firaxon Invasion began on the 24th of February, 2027 with the appearance of an enormous object in the sky above the Earth's atmosphere. The object in question was later determined to be the Firaxon's mother ship, code-named by earth's militaries as Harbinger. The initial contact phase, which lasted only ten days, was marked by very little activity and it appears to have been a kind of reconnaissance or planning phase for the Firaxons. Firaxon operations were limited to scouting operations and during this period most of the world's population was unaware of the true nature or scale of the threat as government entities aware of the Firaxon's existence chose not to make public statements and instead privately activated small taskforces and research teams to tackle the problem without causing a panic: this response would later be criticised as reckless and hopelessly optimistic.
Phase two: Terror: Ten days after arriving at Earth, Harbinger began deploying smaller craft similar to fighters and transports which began attacking human cities. all over the globe. The attacks were widespread, seemingly randomly targeted and primarily targeted civilian populations and infrastructure, spreading terror and unrest over the globe. In many places the only defenses in place were police officers or security guards armed with small calibre handguns and many cities were overrun entirely until the Firaxons withdrew. There has been much speculation as to the strategic aims of the Firaxons during this period. Some theorise that these so called terror operations were a kind of show of force meant to cow any resistance, others propose that the Firaxons were trying to recover previously downed Firaxon craft and simply assumed that they would be located in major population centres. The responses of Earth's governments to these attacks was mostly characterised by the use of small, rapid deployments task forces who had been equipped with secretly developed technology based on reverse engineered Firaxon tech, the primary example being Ex.T.I.R.G (Extra Terrestrial Investigation and Response Group). These teams were broadly capable of going toe to toe with alien forces but were limited in size and extremely hampered by the wide ranging targets the Firaxons chose. Many cities were attacked while all available task forces where elsewhere engaged and were forced to fend for themselves. This period lasted three months, during which economic and social stability fell perilously low.
Phase three: Counter Attack:
By Month three Earth forces had started to adapt to the challenges of the Firaxon invasion. The technology necessary to fight the aliens began to be mass produced and rushed out to troops stationed in major cities, lessening the burden on the rapid reaction taskforces, meanwhile E.X.T.I.R.G planned an operation to take the fight directly to the Firaxon's base of operations, their mothership Harbinger. The details of the ensuing operation are mostly classified, but outside observers generally agreed it involved using a captured Firaxon troop transport to infiltrate a small E.X.T.I.R.G team aboard the ship and sabotage it in some way. Although the precise details of what transpired during the operation are classified the results were plain to see: the ensuing explosion of Harbinger was visible throughout the entire Southern Hemisphere resulting in spontaneous celebrations all over the world. Operations continued for the next two years to hunt down scattered, left behind Firaxon forces but in the present day the Firaxon threat is generally considered resolved. Until they come again that is...
The Procession of Numannidia
The procession of Numannidia was a powerful, magic ritual conducted by members of a shadowy cult some two montsh after the end of the Firaxon invasion. Lasting twelve days and nights, the Procession caused a massive surge of magical energy throughout the leylines and magical loci of the planet, resulting in a massive amplification and multiplication of all kinds of magical phenomena.
Origins
Numannidia was an ancient civilisation that existed over 50,000 years ago, well before commonly understood timelines of human civilisation begin. Although the Numannidians originated on a now destroyed continent, ruins attributed to them appear all over the world and most experts agree they spread over most of the known world through their master of powerful magic, particularly magic related to leylines and natural nexuses of magical energy. Little is known about Numannidia culture and history, to the point that it is uncertain if they were even truly human (some experts believe they were a closely related species such as neanderthals, a more outlandish theory holds that they were aliens, potentially related to the FIraxons who would invade Earth in modern times) What is known for certain about the Numannidians is that their society suddenly collapsed about 50,000 years ago due to an event they called "The WIthering" during which the leylines and nexuses the Numannidians relied on were somehow depleted of their magical energy. Analysed Numanidian artefacts appear to attribute the Withering to an "adversary" of some sort but its unknown if their theory was correct or if the withering was some kind of natural process. Whatever the truth was, this event annihilated the Numannidians and the centre of their empire sunk into the ocean to be forever lost to history.
The procession of Numannidia was first discovered by archeologists during the excavation of a Numannidian outpost in Antarctica, which was found to contain a priceless trove of historical tablets. Translation eventually revealed that the settlements was a kind of research outpost not dissimilar to modern day scientific stations located in the area. Records indicated that the outpost apparently survived for some time after the Withering due to its remote location and self sufficiency, though the inhabitants understood their larger society was no more. These magical researchers, some of the brightest minds of their culture, devised the Procession of Numannidia as a kind of last ditch effort to undo the effects of the Withering and reawaken the Earth's magical energies. Tragically, although the researchers succeeded in devising the ritual they realised that their small settlement lacked the manpower and logistical capacity to successfully perform it as the Procession required rituals be performed at key points across the globe simultaneously. The last act of the researchers and therefore of the Numannidians as whole, was to magically seal the outpost so that their records would survive to eventually be discovered in modern times.
Modern Day Performance
In 2029, 3 years ago, the Procession of Numannidia was performed by a shadowy group known as the Brotherhood of Ashyran. Little is known about the Brotherhood, even the Order of the Hidden Sun, the worlds foremost experts on the hidden clans and secret societies that made up the magical world prior to 2029, now much about them. It's understood that the Brotherhood is a kind of cult, with religious beliefs about Ashyran a god or demigod from Numannidian mythology whom they believe will one day return to rule the Earth; presumably this return has been somehow aided or enabled by the Procession. What is also known about the Brotherhood of Ashyran is that they are extremely secretive and extremely influential, with cells all over the globe and membership including billionaires and powerful world leaders. The cult apparently avoided detection for so long through cunning interplay of magical and financial power: using wealth to achieve their aims when it was necessary to circumvent the magic focused surveillance of the Order of the Hidden Sun and then using magic to avoid detection by conventional human society. Little else if known about the true extent of the Brotherhood's power is, nor what their aims might be now that the Procession has been performed and magic is once more awake on Earth.
Impact
Though the mana surge associated with the ritual was temporary the Procession has permanently altered society. Magic was formerly a secret, kept hidden from the general populace thanks to the efforts of the Hermetic Order of the Hidden Sun, but this deception became impossible to maintain as magical creatures and abilities ran rampant all over the planet. Vampires, zombies witches and warlocks emerged from centuries long slumbers and ordinary people with traces of magical ancestry awakened those ancient abilities. The Order of the Hidden Sun was forced to announce itself and hold a press conference explaining the existence and principles of magic and work openly with world governments to subdue various supernatural threats. Meanwhile many secretive magical orders and cults took advantage of the temporary boost to their powers to conduct high profile crimes, obtain long sealed away artefacts of power and conduct rituals previously beyond their abilities. Although the mana surge eventually ended and most of the active threats associated with it were either suppressed, destroyed or at least driven into hiding the world has been made permanently more magical and many things that were once sealed away are now active and working their influences upon the world...
The Firaxon Invasion was a sustained military campaign involving nearly all of humanity and an extra terrestrial species colloquially dubbed "Firaxons". Although the invaders were eventually repelled it was only after Earth sustained heavy casualties and severe damage to population centres across the globe, some of which is still being repaired to this day. When studied in the present day the invasion is currently divided into three phases.
Phase one: Initial Contact: The Firaxon Invasion began on the 24th of February, 2027 with the appearance of an enormous object in the sky above the Earth's atmosphere. The object in question was later determined to be the Firaxon's mother ship, code-named by earth's militaries as Harbinger. The initial contact phase, which lasted only ten days, was marked by very little activity and it appears to have been a kind of reconnaissance or planning phase for the Firaxons. Firaxon operations were limited to scouting operations and during this period most of the world's population was unaware of the true nature or scale of the threat as government entities aware of the Firaxon's existence chose not to make public statements and instead privately activated small taskforces and research teams to tackle the problem without causing a panic: this response would later be criticised as reckless and hopelessly optimistic.
Phase two: Terror: Ten days after arriving at Earth, Harbinger began deploying smaller craft similar to fighters and transports which began attacking human cities. all over the globe. The attacks were widespread, seemingly randomly targeted and primarily targeted civilian populations and infrastructure, spreading terror and unrest over the globe. In many places the only defenses in place were police officers or security guards armed with small calibre handguns and many cities were overrun entirely until the Firaxons withdrew. There has been much speculation as to the strategic aims of the Firaxons during this period. Some theorise that these so called terror operations were a kind of show of force meant to cow any resistance, others propose that the Firaxons were trying to recover previously downed Firaxon craft and simply assumed that they would be located in major population centres. The responses of Earth's governments to these attacks was mostly characterised by the use of small, rapid deployments task forces who had been equipped with secretly developed technology based on reverse engineered Firaxon tech, the primary example being Ex.T.I.R.G (Extra Terrestrial Investigation and Response Group). These teams were broadly capable of going toe to toe with alien forces but were limited in size and extremely hampered by the wide ranging targets the Firaxons chose. Many cities were attacked while all available task forces where elsewhere engaged and were forced to fend for themselves. This period lasted three months, during which economic and social stability fell perilously low.
Phase three: Counter Attack:
By Month three Earth forces had started to adapt to the challenges of the Firaxon invasion. The technology necessary to fight the aliens began to be mass produced and rushed out to troops stationed in major cities, lessening the burden on the rapid reaction taskforces, meanwhile E.X.T.I.R.G planned an operation to take the fight directly to the Firaxon's base of operations, their mothership Harbinger. The details of the ensuing operation are mostly classified, but outside observers generally agreed it involved using a captured Firaxon troop transport to infiltrate a small E.X.T.I.R.G team aboard the ship and sabotage it in some way. Although the precise details of what transpired during the operation are classified the results were plain to see: the ensuing explosion of Harbinger was visible throughout the entire Southern Hemisphere resulting in spontaneous celebrations all over the world. Operations continued for the next two years to hunt down scattered, left behind Firaxon forces but in the present day the Firaxon threat is generally considered resolved. Until they come again that is...
The Procession of Numannidia
The procession of Numannidia was a powerful, magic ritual conducted by members of a shadowy cult some two montsh after the end of the Firaxon invasion. Lasting twelve days and nights, the Procession caused a massive surge of magical energy throughout the leylines and magical loci of the planet, resulting in a massive amplification and multiplication of all kinds of magical phenomena.
Origins
Numannidia was an ancient civilisation that existed over 50,000 years ago, well before commonly understood timelines of human civilisation begin. Although the Numannidians originated on a now destroyed continent, ruins attributed to them appear all over the world and most experts agree they spread over most of the known world through their master of powerful magic, particularly magic related to leylines and natural nexuses of magical energy. Little is known about Numannidia culture and history, to the point that it is uncertain if they were even truly human (some experts believe they were a closely related species such as neanderthals, a more outlandish theory holds that they were aliens, potentially related to the FIraxons who would invade Earth in modern times) What is known for certain about the Numannidians is that their society suddenly collapsed about 50,000 years ago due to an event they called "The WIthering" during which the leylines and nexuses the Numannidians relied on were somehow depleted of their magical energy. Analysed Numanidian artefacts appear to attribute the Withering to an "adversary" of some sort but its unknown if their theory was correct or if the withering was some kind of natural process. Whatever the truth was, this event annihilated the Numannidians and the centre of their empire sunk into the ocean to be forever lost to history.
The procession of Numannidia was first discovered by archeologists during the excavation of a Numannidian outpost in Antarctica, which was found to contain a priceless trove of historical tablets. Translation eventually revealed that the settlements was a kind of research outpost not dissimilar to modern day scientific stations located in the area. Records indicated that the outpost apparently survived for some time after the Withering due to its remote location and self sufficiency, though the inhabitants understood their larger society was no more. These magical researchers, some of the brightest minds of their culture, devised the Procession of Numannidia as a kind of last ditch effort to undo the effects of the Withering and reawaken the Earth's magical energies. Tragically, although the researchers succeeded in devising the ritual they realised that their small settlement lacked the manpower and logistical capacity to successfully perform it as the Procession required rituals be performed at key points across the globe simultaneously. The last act of the researchers and therefore of the Numannidians as whole, was to magically seal the outpost so that their records would survive to eventually be discovered in modern times.
Modern Day Performance
In 2029, 3 years ago, the Procession of Numannidia was performed by a shadowy group known as the Brotherhood of Ashyran. Little is known about the Brotherhood, even the Order of the Hidden Sun, the worlds foremost experts on the hidden clans and secret societies that made up the magical world prior to 2029, now much about them. It's understood that the Brotherhood is a kind of cult, with religious beliefs about Ashyran a god or demigod from Numannidian mythology whom they believe will one day return to rule the Earth; presumably this return has been somehow aided or enabled by the Procession. What is also known about the Brotherhood of Ashyran is that they are extremely secretive and extremely influential, with cells all over the globe and membership including billionaires and powerful world leaders. The cult apparently avoided detection for so long through cunning interplay of magical and financial power: using wealth to achieve their aims when it was necessary to circumvent the magic focused surveillance of the Order of the Hidden Sun and then using magic to avoid detection by conventional human society. Little else if known about the true extent of the Brotherhood's power is, nor what their aims might be now that the Procession has been performed and magic is once more awake on Earth.
Impact
Though the mana surge associated with the ritual was temporary the Procession has permanently altered society. Magic was formerly a secret, kept hidden from the general populace thanks to the efforts of the Hermetic Order of the Hidden Sun, but this deception became impossible to maintain as magical creatures and abilities ran rampant all over the planet. Vampires, zombies witches and warlocks emerged from centuries long slumbers and ordinary people with traces of magical ancestry awakened those ancient abilities. The Order of the Hidden Sun was forced to announce itself and hold a press conference explaining the existence and principles of magic and work openly with world governments to subdue various supernatural threats. Meanwhile many secretive magical orders and cults took advantage of the temporary boost to their powers to conduct high profile crimes, obtain long sealed away artefacts of power and conduct rituals previously beyond their abilities. Although the mana surge eventually ended and most of the active threats associated with it were either suppressed, destroyed or at least driven into hiding the world has been made permanently more magical and many things that were once sealed away are now active and working their influences upon the world...
Verity Point
Verity Point was at one point a fairly ordinary, medium sized city in central Iowa, but it has changed significantly in recent years. Unbeknownst to most of the population, Verity Point is host to two locations that played critical roles in the Firaxon Invasion and the Procession of Numannidia: the nearby Mcbradmanara air forces base was secretly host to a critical Firaxon wreck and the city was heavily targeted by the alien innvaders. Meanwhile the Verity Point Standing stones: a palaeolithic monument atop Verity Point mountain turned out to be a nexus of potent magical energy and was used as part of the Procession of Numannidia, resulting in various paranormal disasters that affected the city heavily. In the aftermath of those disasters the city was heavily damaged, but it saw rapid expansion as government and private corporations flocked to the city to study phenomena related to the event. To facilitate these activities generous grants were awarded to the city for construction and the town not only managed to repair most of the damage inflicted on it but expand rapidly to meet the needs of the immigration influx.
Such explosive growth came at something of a price however, the heavily expedited grant approval process lead to widespread corruption on the process and many unsavoury characters profited from the construction boom: on top of that the rapid population growth combined with the challenges of policing parahumans (who Verity Point has more of per capita than any other city in the United States) has lead to an explosion of crime the police department has been unable to handle. What was once mere street crime has evolved rapidly into a sophisticated network of organised, super powered gangs and shadowy backers and many residents believe certain local underworld figures hold more sway over the city than the authorities. The lack of an effective response towards this problem has lead to many residents wondering if someone else should take matters into their own hands.
Despite the many challenges facing the city, many residents still express a fierce sense of loyalty towards the city. It is has survived two of the most dangerous crises in human history and those who have been here since the good old days feel a stong sense of community. For newcomers Verity Point epitomises the crossroads facing all of humanity: although the emergence of parahumans has presented new dangers and obstacles it has also brought incredible growth and opportunity. Many feel that if the city can come together and craft innovative solutions to the issues it faces it can become a world leader in new and exciting fields.
Verity Point was at one point a fairly ordinary, medium sized city in central Iowa, but it has changed significantly in recent years. Unbeknownst to most of the population, Verity Point is host to two locations that played critical roles in the Firaxon Invasion and the Procession of Numannidia: the nearby Mcbradmanara air forces base was secretly host to a critical Firaxon wreck and the city was heavily targeted by the alien innvaders. Meanwhile the Verity Point Standing stones: a palaeolithic monument atop Verity Point mountain turned out to be a nexus of potent magical energy and was used as part of the Procession of Numannidia, resulting in various paranormal disasters that affected the city heavily. In the aftermath of those disasters the city was heavily damaged, but it saw rapid expansion as government and private corporations flocked to the city to study phenomena related to the event. To facilitate these activities generous grants were awarded to the city for construction and the town not only managed to repair most of the damage inflicted on it but expand rapidly to meet the needs of the immigration influx.
Such explosive growth came at something of a price however, the heavily expedited grant approval process lead to widespread corruption on the process and many unsavoury characters profited from the construction boom: on top of that the rapid population growth combined with the challenges of policing parahumans (who Verity Point has more of per capita than any other city in the United States) has lead to an explosion of crime the police department has been unable to handle. What was once mere street crime has evolved rapidly into a sophisticated network of organised, super powered gangs and shadowy backers and many residents believe certain local underworld figures hold more sway over the city than the authorities. The lack of an effective response towards this problem has lead to many residents wondering if someone else should take matters into their own hands.
Despite the many challenges facing the city, many residents still express a fierce sense of loyalty towards the city. It is has survived two of the most dangerous crises in human history and those who have been here since the good old days feel a stong sense of community. For newcomers Verity Point epitomises the crossroads facing all of humanity: although the emergence of parahumans has presented new dangers and obstacles it has also brought incredible growth and opportunity. Many feel that if the city can come together and craft innovative solutions to the issues it faces it can become a world leader in new and exciting fields.
P.H.I.R.A
The Para Human Investigation and Response Agency. PHIRA is the USA’s specialised executive body for handling the challenges of superhuman abilities. PHIRA was secretly founded some forty years ago as a sub branch of the CIA but has come into its own as a public, independent organisation when it acted decisively to manage the Firaxon Invasion crisis and subsequent emergencies. The agency has faced fair criticism for its heavy handed response to those emergencies and an overall culture of secrecy permeates the organization thanks to its clandestine origins. Nevertheless most citizens would agree that PHIRA, or at least something like it, is probably a necessary evil.
PHIRA’s main duties include coordinating responses to super human threats; deputizing super powered citizens for work as heroes and developing the US’s super human capabilities through research and recruitment. PHIRA has authority to utilise law enforcement, military and intelligence assets and personnel but it's rumoured that its own internal response teams are even more capable thanks to secretive technology programs.
Order of the Golden Sun
The Order of the Hidden Sun is a hermetic order of sorcerers devoted to managing the impact of magic and gods on human society. The order was first formed in the Middle Ages in Europe in response to the increasing prevalence of tyrants and other villains using magic to persecute the innocent. At that time mystical forces were more widely known and the order determined that the best way to prevent the misuse of magic would be to have it become a closely guarded secret known only to the worthy.
Throughout the Middle ages and through to modern history the Order strove to push magic and the supernatural into the shadows. They convinced practitioners of magic to go into hiding; they apprehended those who tried to use magic openly and they gathered up and sealed away powerful relics and artefacts.
The Order of the Hidden Sun was broadly successful in this campaign of secrecy, as indicated by the lack of belief in magic among much of human society for most of the modern age. This curtain of shadows was stretched nearly to breaking point by the advent of the internet and camera phones but it ultimately held fast up until the disaster following the Procession of Numannidia, which triggered a massive surge of magical energy that temporarily empowered magic users all over the world and reawakened magical abilities in bloodlines that long been thought to have gone dormant and been allowed to integrate into human society.
The sudden emergence of magic all other the world forced the Order of the Hidden Sun to go public and now it works as a kind of international NGO, coordinating with governments to improve their ability to manage magic and its societal impacts and sending out agents to apprehend dangerous magic users and artifacts. Although the Order provides invaluable support to governments it is widely criticised for its secrecy; it's high handed, somewhat patronising attitude towards its mundane allies and its casual disregard for matters such as jurisdiction, procedure and laws.
The Brotherhood of Ashyran
In 2029, 3 years ago, the Procession of Numannidia was performed by a shadowy group known as the Brotherhood of Ashyran. Little is known about the Brotherhood, even the Order of the Hidden Sun, the worlds foremost experts on the hidden clans and secret societies that made up the magical world prior to 2029, now much about them. It's understood that the Brotherhood is a kind of cult, with religious beliefs about Ashyran a god or demigod from Numannidian mythology whom they believe will one day return to rule the Earth; presumably this return has been somehow aided or enabled by the Procession. What is also known about the Brotherhood of Ashyran is that they are extremely secretive and extremely influential, with cells all over the globe and membership including billionaires and powerful world leaders. The cult apparently avoided detection for so long through cunning interplay of magical and financial power: using wealth to achieve their aims when it was necessary to circumvent the magic focused surveillance of the Order of the Hidden Sun and then using magic to avoid detection by conventional human society. Little else if known about the true extent of the Brotherhood's power is, nor what their aims might be now that the Procession has been performed and magic is once more awake on Earth.
The Firaxons
The Firaxons are an extra terrestrial civilisation composed of several alien species. The Firaxons are highly skilled at and highly reliant upon genetic modification and so there is no consensus among experts as to whether all of the observed genetic variations were originally all one species or whether they are the result of some kind of inter-species confederation. What is generally agreed upon though, is that the Firaxons employ a rigid, caste based model of society where in certain species are relegated to jobs they are suited for (and most likely genetically modified to further suit those roles). The leading cast is assumed to be the rarely observed Firaxon Primes: slender, floating humanoids with powerful psionic abilities whihc form the basis for all of the Firaxons more advanced and esoteric technology.
The Firaxons have apparently been observing humanity for some time, possibly centuries, with many strange phenomena and encounters throughout history now being attributed to them. However our alien visitors were only conclusively proven to exist during World War 2, when technological advances such as radar and more specialised anti aircraft weaponry conspired with a heightened state of alertness among terrestrial armies to down several Firaxon aircraft. The wreckage from these craft were concealed from the public and secretly studied by major world governments and these hidden troves of technology were secretly a key factor in the balance of power of the later Cold War. Reverse engineering of these crafts lead to many groundbreaking technological breakthroughs, but most of these were concealed from the public by various governments to maintain an edge over their rivals.
In the year 2027 this status quo was shattered when a Firaxon Invasion fleet appeared in orbit above earth, signifying the beginning of the Firaxon invasion. Though the Firaxons were eventually driven off nobody is really sure how much of their full strength they committed to the invasion and if or when they might return for round two. The aftermath of the Firaxon invasion has had tremendous repercussions for humanity. For one the conflict forced the governments of the world to reveal the various technologies they had kept secret in order to fight with the more advanced Firaxons but most people agree the most radical shift came due to the debris of Firaxons ships and weapons which was scattered across nearly every major city on the planet. These ruined devices emit a poorly understood kind of radiation which appears to have mutagenic effect on DNA and now people all over the world exposed to this radiation are displaying unnatural abilities akin to what you might see in a comic book or superhero movie. The rapid appearance and growth of these individuals, known as Para humans, is widely agreed to be the greatest challenge facing society in the current day.
Agent Liberty
An inspiring figure widely considered to be "the first real-life super hero" Agent Liberty (Special Agent Lorraine Weaver) is the leader and spokesperson of P.H.I.R.A's Special Response Group, a collection of Parahumans with law enforcement backgrounds who act as first responders to the nations most dangerous threats. Originally an FBI agent, Weaver like many Americans was subject to mysterious, DNA altering radiation emitted by Firaxon technology while assisting with the evacuation of Verity Point during the first Firaxon assault on the city. In fact more than being exposed, Weaver was at ground zero for what should have been a lethal burst of radiation when a damaged Firaxon attack ship crashed on top of her but she miraculously survived and received abilities far beyond what even most Parahumans are capable of. (For the benefit of children who happen to be listening, Weaver credist her survival to eating her vegetables as a child) From that point Weaver would go on to be instrumental in the defence of Verity Point, single-handedly repelling waves upon waves of Firaxon attackers and when the city was secure she went on to participate in defensive actions and counter attacks all over the country and is even rumoured to have participated in the climatic infiltration of the Firaxon mother-ship. After the Firaxon Invasion Weaver accepted a position with P.H.I.R.A, the US's agency for Parahuman matters, and has split her time between advocating for Parahuman rights and helping them integrate their new abilities into society with directly fighting against crime or terrorism when threats that necessitate her tremendous abilities. For many Lorraine Weaver, Agent Liberty, has become a powerful symbol of humanity, a remainder that sometimes, when given the opportunity people can do great things for one another. In particular Agent Liberty is beloved by young Para humans, many of whom aim to emulate her example and become heroes themselves in some fashion.
Imperator
Just as super heroes have made their way into real life, so have super villains, the first and most prominent of which is Julius Kaiser, also known as Imperator. A multi billionaire from his family's long dealings in the arms trade, Kaiser was known to be an eccentric figure even before the rise of parahumans. Obsessed with obscure and arcane artefacts from different cultures and time periods, Kaiser was suspected to possess a collection surpassing most world museums, though few back then could have guessed at his true intentions or the lengths he was willing to go to in order to achieve them. Secretly Julius Kaiser had always been obsessed with power, not mere financial power or political influence such as he already wielded effortlessly but true, unbridled power over reality itself. Magic is what Julius Kaiser had always longed for. For most of his life, Kaiser's search for magic proved futile. Most of the world's magical artefacts had been drained of their power over the centuries and those few that still functioned where kept closely guarded by the order of the golden sun or other, even more reclusive groups to prevent them from falling into hands like Kaiser's. Although Kaiser was able to obtain many items with magical history, they had all long since fallen dormant and useless to his plans. That was, until the procession of Numannidia was performed. Overnight, magical energy surged throughout the world and overnight Kaiser's collection of dusty relics and antiques were restored to their full power and glory, rituals and incantations Kaiser had dismissed as fraud or fiction suddenly worked perfectly. Quite suddenly, Julius Kaiser had become one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Kaiser immediately began wielding his power, using his newfound powers to defend his holdings and employees from Firaxon invasion and various magical threats; focusing his attention especially on his weapon factories in the small, Eastern European country of Markovitrea. Using his abilities to earn both respect and fear in equal measures, Kaiser was eventually able to usurp the democratically elected government of Markovitrea and remake it into his own personal kingdom, taking for himself the title of "Imperator". While the rest of the world battled external threats, Kaiser sealed away Markovitrea, using its people resources to further his magical experimentation. After the conclusion of the Firaxon invasion the world turned its attention to more minor threats and a P.H.I.R.A taskforce lead by Agent Liberty infiltrated Markovitrea, deposing Imperator and forcing him into hiding. Despite the loss of his position Imperator's extensive network of black market contacts and his powerful magical abilities make him the most dangerous and wanted criminal in the world.
The Para Human Investigation and Response Agency. PHIRA is the USA’s specialised executive body for handling the challenges of superhuman abilities. PHIRA was secretly founded some forty years ago as a sub branch of the CIA but has come into its own as a public, independent organisation when it acted decisively to manage the Firaxon Invasion crisis and subsequent emergencies. The agency has faced fair criticism for its heavy handed response to those emergencies and an overall culture of secrecy permeates the organization thanks to its clandestine origins. Nevertheless most citizens would agree that PHIRA, or at least something like it, is probably a necessary evil.
PHIRA’s main duties include coordinating responses to super human threats; deputizing super powered citizens for work as heroes and developing the US’s super human capabilities through research and recruitment. PHIRA has authority to utilise law enforcement, military and intelligence assets and personnel but it's rumoured that its own internal response teams are even more capable thanks to secretive technology programs.
Order of the Golden Sun
The Order of the Hidden Sun is a hermetic order of sorcerers devoted to managing the impact of magic and gods on human society. The order was first formed in the Middle Ages in Europe in response to the increasing prevalence of tyrants and other villains using magic to persecute the innocent. At that time mystical forces were more widely known and the order determined that the best way to prevent the misuse of magic would be to have it become a closely guarded secret known only to the worthy.
Throughout the Middle ages and through to modern history the Order strove to push magic and the supernatural into the shadows. They convinced practitioners of magic to go into hiding; they apprehended those who tried to use magic openly and they gathered up and sealed away powerful relics and artefacts.
The Order of the Hidden Sun was broadly successful in this campaign of secrecy, as indicated by the lack of belief in magic among much of human society for most of the modern age. This curtain of shadows was stretched nearly to breaking point by the advent of the internet and camera phones but it ultimately held fast up until the disaster following the Procession of Numannidia, which triggered a massive surge of magical energy that temporarily empowered magic users all over the world and reawakened magical abilities in bloodlines that long been thought to have gone dormant and been allowed to integrate into human society.
The sudden emergence of magic all other the world forced the Order of the Hidden Sun to go public and now it works as a kind of international NGO, coordinating with governments to improve their ability to manage magic and its societal impacts and sending out agents to apprehend dangerous magic users and artifacts. Although the Order provides invaluable support to governments it is widely criticised for its secrecy; it's high handed, somewhat patronising attitude towards its mundane allies and its casual disregard for matters such as jurisdiction, procedure and laws.
The Brotherhood of Ashyran
In 2029, 3 years ago, the Procession of Numannidia was performed by a shadowy group known as the Brotherhood of Ashyran. Little is known about the Brotherhood, even the Order of the Hidden Sun, the worlds foremost experts on the hidden clans and secret societies that made up the magical world prior to 2029, now much about them. It's understood that the Brotherhood is a kind of cult, with religious beliefs about Ashyran a god or demigod from Numannidian mythology whom they believe will one day return to rule the Earth; presumably this return has been somehow aided or enabled by the Procession. What is also known about the Brotherhood of Ashyran is that they are extremely secretive and extremely influential, with cells all over the globe and membership including billionaires and powerful world leaders. The cult apparently avoided detection for so long through cunning interplay of magical and financial power: using wealth to achieve their aims when it was necessary to circumvent the magic focused surveillance of the Order of the Hidden Sun and then using magic to avoid detection by conventional human society. Little else if known about the true extent of the Brotherhood's power is, nor what their aims might be now that the Procession has been performed and magic is once more awake on Earth.
The Firaxons
The Firaxons are an extra terrestrial civilisation composed of several alien species. The Firaxons are highly skilled at and highly reliant upon genetic modification and so there is no consensus among experts as to whether all of the observed genetic variations were originally all one species or whether they are the result of some kind of inter-species confederation. What is generally agreed upon though, is that the Firaxons employ a rigid, caste based model of society where in certain species are relegated to jobs they are suited for (and most likely genetically modified to further suit those roles). The leading cast is assumed to be the rarely observed Firaxon Primes: slender, floating humanoids with powerful psionic abilities whihc form the basis for all of the Firaxons more advanced and esoteric technology.
The Firaxons have apparently been observing humanity for some time, possibly centuries, with many strange phenomena and encounters throughout history now being attributed to them. However our alien visitors were only conclusively proven to exist during World War 2, when technological advances such as radar and more specialised anti aircraft weaponry conspired with a heightened state of alertness among terrestrial armies to down several Firaxon aircraft. The wreckage from these craft were concealed from the public and secretly studied by major world governments and these hidden troves of technology were secretly a key factor in the balance of power of the later Cold War. Reverse engineering of these crafts lead to many groundbreaking technological breakthroughs, but most of these were concealed from the public by various governments to maintain an edge over their rivals.
In the year 2027 this status quo was shattered when a Firaxon Invasion fleet appeared in orbit above earth, signifying the beginning of the Firaxon invasion. Though the Firaxons were eventually driven off nobody is really sure how much of their full strength they committed to the invasion and if or when they might return for round two. The aftermath of the Firaxon invasion has had tremendous repercussions for humanity. For one the conflict forced the governments of the world to reveal the various technologies they had kept secret in order to fight with the more advanced Firaxons but most people agree the most radical shift came due to the debris of Firaxons ships and weapons which was scattered across nearly every major city on the planet. These ruined devices emit a poorly understood kind of radiation which appears to have mutagenic effect on DNA and now people all over the world exposed to this radiation are displaying unnatural abilities akin to what you might see in a comic book or superhero movie. The rapid appearance and growth of these individuals, known as Para humans, is widely agreed to be the greatest challenge facing society in the current day.
Agent Liberty
An inspiring figure widely considered to be "the first real-life super hero" Agent Liberty (Special Agent Lorraine Weaver) is the leader and spokesperson of P.H.I.R.A's Special Response Group, a collection of Parahumans with law enforcement backgrounds who act as first responders to the nations most dangerous threats. Originally an FBI agent, Weaver like many Americans was subject to mysterious, DNA altering radiation emitted by Firaxon technology while assisting with the evacuation of Verity Point during the first Firaxon assault on the city. In fact more than being exposed, Weaver was at ground zero for what should have been a lethal burst of radiation when a damaged Firaxon attack ship crashed on top of her but she miraculously survived and received abilities far beyond what even most Parahumans are capable of. (For the benefit of children who happen to be listening, Weaver credist her survival to eating her vegetables as a child) From that point Weaver would go on to be instrumental in the defence of Verity Point, single-handedly repelling waves upon waves of Firaxon attackers and when the city was secure she went on to participate in defensive actions and counter attacks all over the country and is even rumoured to have participated in the climatic infiltration of the Firaxon mother-ship. After the Firaxon Invasion Weaver accepted a position with P.H.I.R.A, the US's agency for Parahuman matters, and has split her time between advocating for Parahuman rights and helping them integrate their new abilities into society with directly fighting against crime or terrorism when threats that necessitate her tremendous abilities. For many Lorraine Weaver, Agent Liberty, has become a powerful symbol of humanity, a remainder that sometimes, when given the opportunity people can do great things for one another. In particular Agent Liberty is beloved by young Para humans, many of whom aim to emulate her example and become heroes themselves in some fashion.
Imperator
Just as super heroes have made their way into real life, so have super villains, the first and most prominent of which is Julius Kaiser, also known as Imperator. A multi billionaire from his family's long dealings in the arms trade, Kaiser was known to be an eccentric figure even before the rise of parahumans. Obsessed with obscure and arcane artefacts from different cultures and time periods, Kaiser was suspected to possess a collection surpassing most world museums, though few back then could have guessed at his true intentions or the lengths he was willing to go to in order to achieve them. Secretly Julius Kaiser had always been obsessed with power, not mere financial power or political influence such as he already wielded effortlessly but true, unbridled power over reality itself. Magic is what Julius Kaiser had always longed for. For most of his life, Kaiser's search for magic proved futile. Most of the world's magical artefacts had been drained of their power over the centuries and those few that still functioned where kept closely guarded by the order of the golden sun or other, even more reclusive groups to prevent them from falling into hands like Kaiser's. Although Kaiser was able to obtain many items with magical history, they had all long since fallen dormant and useless to his plans. That was, until the procession of Numannidia was performed. Overnight, magical energy surged throughout the world and overnight Kaiser's collection of dusty relics and antiques were restored to their full power and glory, rituals and incantations Kaiser had dismissed as fraud or fiction suddenly worked perfectly. Quite suddenly, Julius Kaiser had become one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Kaiser immediately began wielding his power, using his newfound powers to defend his holdings and employees from Firaxon invasion and various magical threats; focusing his attention especially on his weapon factories in the small, Eastern European country of Markovitrea. Using his abilities to earn both respect and fear in equal measures, Kaiser was eventually able to usurp the democratically elected government of Markovitrea and remake it into his own personal kingdom, taking for himself the title of "Imperator". While the rest of the world battled external threats, Kaiser sealed away Markovitrea, using its people resources to further his magical experimentation. After the conclusion of the Firaxon invasion the world turned its attention to more minor threats and a P.H.I.R.A taskforce lead by Agent Liberty infiltrated Markovitrea, deposing Imperator and forcing him into hiding. Despite the loss of his position Imperator's extensive network of black market contacts and his powerful magical abilities make him the most dangerous and wanted criminal in the world.
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AtlannianSpy
Alarmed and Strangerous
Verity Point
Districts
Sheffield Industrial Park (orange)
Sheffield Park was once the primary economic muscle of Verity Point, with a healthy manufacturing sector supplying thousands of citizens with stable, fair paying jobs. The trends of modernization and globalization hit Verity Point's manufacturing just as it did many other cities and so until relatively recently much of the industrial park lay fallow and rusting,. The fortunes of the park began to change after the devastation of the Firaxon Invasion. Reconstruction efforts required as many willing hands and as much machinery as possible and Point Verity became something of a hub for related industries in the region leading to an employment boom.
Central (blue)
The beating heart of Verity Point's commercial system, Central is a bustling hum of activity nearly all hours of the day. The Riverside part of Central is mainly shopping and service based, with lots of trendy eateries and boutiques hoping to cater to the reasonable flow of tourists to the city while the innermost sections of the district are predominately taken up by office buildings and the like. A notable contrast to the mostly urban Central is the vibrant Welkynde Park. The land for the park was donated to the city by the influential Welkynde family and has remained a point of civic pride ever since, often playing host to local events and festivals.
Neo Verity (green)
Verity Point's newest district, Neo Verity was constructed after the invasion to house new arrivals and current residents whose homes were unsalvageable. Utilizing the most modern construction methods and materials, Neo Verity was intended to be a monument towards the city's resilience and revitalization, a shining beacon for the future. The execution of this ambitious project has been partly successful. The new district has successfully contained the city's population boom with good access to utilities and amenities but the high population density means Neo Verity has also become the swirling epicentre of Verity Point's rising crime problem. Organized crime in particular has taken root especially well in Neo Verity, some speculate that the urgency with which construction was approved on the new district allowed corruption to seep in at the very start while other blame the influx of new arrivals chasing easy money and not putting down roots or joining the community. The real answer is likely to be complex intermingling of several factors, but the reality is that Neo Verity is more dangerous than its shiny exterior might suggest.
Arlington (yellow)
Verity Point's very own white picketed slice of the American dream, Arlington is chiefly a suburban housing district. Originally constructed to house the families of the Mcbradnamara Airforce Base, Arlington soon expanded rapidly after that to house factory workers of Sheffield Park during the city's first industrial boom. Arlington has always retained this middle class, family focused character and aside from houses it mostly contains family focused amenities and businesses, such as the local high school, the water park, the Arlington Mall and so on. Sadly, due to its proximity to the airforce base Arlington suffered heavily during the Firaxon Invasion as the base was the aliens' primary target. Thanks to the bravery and sacrifice of the Airforce personnel and city police most of the civilians in the area were safely evacuated but many of them lost their homes and possessions. Many of those families later ended up resettling in Neo Verity and Arlington's redevelopment lagged behind the rest of the city. NOoadays, with the growing crime rates in Neo verity there is once again demand for a more suburban life style and Arlington is becoming more desirable once again.
Verona Heights (Purple)
Verona heights is the oldest and most affluent of the city's several districts. Nestled up against the base of Mount. Verity, The heights play host to the who's who of Verity Point and their palatial homes, although as one travels closer to the city centre mansions give way to the slightly more modest large homes of successful professionals. Right at the edge of the city Verona Heights opens out into farmland, though the farms tend to be more on the boutique and stylish side, with most of them doubling as rustic gourmet eateries and stores. In contrast to Neo Verity which represents the future of Verity Points, Verona Heights is most keenly tied to the city's past and many of its residents are of a traditionalist bent and resent the city's new arrivals.
Locations
1. Mcbradnamara Air Force Base: Established in 1962, when Verity Point was much smaller, Mcbradnamara air force base is a high security facility known to house salvaged Firaxon technology. During the Firaxon Invasion the base came under heavy attack by the alien invaders who were only repelled from it with great difficulty. In the aftermath of the invasion Mcbdnamara was reconstructed and according to official sources the firaxon wreckage it held was relocated, though it remains a highly secure classified facility and nobody is really sure what is housed there now.
2. Mount. Verity: Verity Point's namesake, Mount Verity is not especially large by national standards but it is highly visible thanks to the largely flat terrain surrounding it, so has functioned as a landmark even before European colonization and the city's founding. THe mountain is of some interest to geologists, as it does not appear to belong to any known ranges or fault lines and the mechanism behind its creation is somewhat uncertain. The hermetic order of the Golden Sun have also confirmed that Mount. Verity is an arcane nexus of some importance, 3 years ago cultists of the Brotherhood of Ashyran performed part of a worldwide ritual to bring magic back to the world at large which caused a surge of arcane energy in the area that effected the citizens of Verity Point in ways that are stull being unravelled to this day.
3. Welkynde Island Verity Point is bisected by a modest river known as Whately River and in the middle of that river is a small island. Welkynde island is so named for its owners, the powerful and mysterious Welkynde family, who purchased the entirety of the island at the height of their prosperity and established a family estate and manor. Tragically the manor also proved to be the Welkynde family's undoing, only two decades after its construction in 1943 the manor burned down in a mysterious fire which killed the entire family. The island has been abandoned ever since, though it remains private property held by the Welkynde foundation and trespassing is strongly discouraged and prosecuted.
4. IPHEE: IPHEE is a the Institution of Parahuman Experimental Education, Established to help Verity Point integrate its abnormally high parahuman population, IPHEE is a first of its kind facility, with state of the art technology and specialist staff all dedicated to helping parahumans manage any complications that arise as a result of their new abilities. IPHEE is chiefly focused on teenagers, offering comprehensive secondary schooling in addition to its specialized parahuman content however the adult learning annex attached to it offers shorter courses for adult parahumans.
5. Welkynde Park: A large and vibrant space of greenery in the middle of Verity Central. The land for the park was donated to the city by the influential Welkynde family and has remained a point of civic pride ever since, often playing host to local events and festivals. A large pond within the lake plays host to a popular paddle boat service.
6. Verity Convention centre: One of the centrepieces of the Neo Verity's modern architecture sensibilities, the convention centre is a sprawling, somewhat abstract building intended to host large gatherings with the hope of driving tourism and commerce.
7. Verity Base Hospital: Verity's Point's major medical facility. The hospital receives standard funding and is also patronized by several wealthy local donors and so is quite well equipped and expansive, though the recent increase in violent crime has sparked greater use of some of the hospital wings.
8. Whately River Commercial wharf: A small commercial wharf for boats looking to fish the Whately river that runs through Verity Point. For a time runoff from Sheffield Industrial Park had a deleterious impact on local fish populations but in recent years they have slowly recovered and now the river supports a modest industry, most of which goes towards supplying local restaurants and markets.
9. Verkor Power Plant: Verity Corp Utilities is the company that runs most of Verity Point's basic services. The power plant was Verkor's first business, initially a coal fire plant it was later remodelled extensively as a nuclear plant. Though this decision was initially controversial the nuclear power plant has since supplied the city with energy reliably and and without incident, though some citizens find its heavy security measures a bit off putting.
10. Verkor Waste treatment facility: the less glamourous but equally profitable side of Verkor's business. The waste treatment facility was previously responsible for much of the pollution leaking into Whately river, but modernization efforts in recent decades have eliminated this issue.
11. H2whoah Water and Fun Park: Verity Point's premier provider of aquatic fun to the families of Arlington, despite its odd name, the water park is a fairly standard example of its type.
12. Arlington Mall: A slightly aging example of a typical shopping centre, the Arlington mall has survived chiefly due to its convenient shopping, allowing suburbanites to handle most of their shopping without traveling all the way into Central. The decor is a little bit dated but the air conditioning still works and the food court Chinese is mysteriously delicious.
13. Vicktor Welkynde High School: Verity Point's more traditional educational institute, Victor Welkynde High School has been instructing the children of Verity Point since its founding in 1944. Although VW offers no specialized parahuman curriculum or facilities plenty of parahuman students choose to attend it anyway, in some cases due to mistrust of IPHEE and in some cases simply due to wanting to live a more conventional life style.
14. Verity Point University: Verity Point's only university, it is a mid ranking college with a small but comfortable and well appointed campus. VP U is unlikley to be anyone's dream college, but it is a very solid option for locals or those looking to take advantage of the city's open job market to work during their study. The University's basketball team, the VP Mountaineers also put on a respectable showing at the state level most years, although its been some time now since their last win.
15. Verity Point Golf Club: An exclusive golf club intended to serve Verity Point's upper crust. TO play on the course one must either be a member or receive an invitation from one and membership is only offered to the connected and well to do. Rumours of shady business deals being conducted on the green have always dogged the establishment but the club protects its members' privacy strictly so these rumours are difficult to confirm. The course is well regarded by players though it is considered quite challenged as it backs out onto the beginning of Mount. Verity's slope and the changes in elevation make shot placement tricky.
Districts
Sheffield Industrial Park (orange)
Sheffield Park was once the primary economic muscle of Verity Point, with a healthy manufacturing sector supplying thousands of citizens with stable, fair paying jobs. The trends of modernization and globalization hit Verity Point's manufacturing just as it did many other cities and so until relatively recently much of the industrial park lay fallow and rusting,. The fortunes of the park began to change after the devastation of the Firaxon Invasion. Reconstruction efforts required as many willing hands and as much machinery as possible and Point Verity became something of a hub for related industries in the region leading to an employment boom.
Central (blue)
The beating heart of Verity Point's commercial system, Central is a bustling hum of activity nearly all hours of the day. The Riverside part of Central is mainly shopping and service based, with lots of trendy eateries and boutiques hoping to cater to the reasonable flow of tourists to the city while the innermost sections of the district are predominately taken up by office buildings and the like. A notable contrast to the mostly urban Central is the vibrant Welkynde Park. The land for the park was donated to the city by the influential Welkynde family and has remained a point of civic pride ever since, often playing host to local events and festivals.
Neo Verity (green)
Verity Point's newest district, Neo Verity was constructed after the invasion to house new arrivals and current residents whose homes were unsalvageable. Utilizing the most modern construction methods and materials, Neo Verity was intended to be a monument towards the city's resilience and revitalization, a shining beacon for the future. The execution of this ambitious project has been partly successful. The new district has successfully contained the city's population boom with good access to utilities and amenities but the high population density means Neo Verity has also become the swirling epicentre of Verity Point's rising crime problem. Organized crime in particular has taken root especially well in Neo Verity, some speculate that the urgency with which construction was approved on the new district allowed corruption to seep in at the very start while other blame the influx of new arrivals chasing easy money and not putting down roots or joining the community. The real answer is likely to be complex intermingling of several factors, but the reality is that Neo Verity is more dangerous than its shiny exterior might suggest.
Arlington (yellow)
Verity Point's very own white picketed slice of the American dream, Arlington is chiefly a suburban housing district. Originally constructed to house the families of the Mcbradnamara Airforce Base, Arlington soon expanded rapidly after that to house factory workers of Sheffield Park during the city's first industrial boom. Arlington has always retained this middle class, family focused character and aside from houses it mostly contains family focused amenities and businesses, such as the local high school, the water park, the Arlington Mall and so on. Sadly, due to its proximity to the airforce base Arlington suffered heavily during the Firaxon Invasion as the base was the aliens' primary target. Thanks to the bravery and sacrifice of the Airforce personnel and city police most of the civilians in the area were safely evacuated but many of them lost their homes and possessions. Many of those families later ended up resettling in Neo Verity and Arlington's redevelopment lagged behind the rest of the city. NOoadays, with the growing crime rates in Neo verity there is once again demand for a more suburban life style and Arlington is becoming more desirable once again.
Verona Heights (Purple)
Verona heights is the oldest and most affluent of the city's several districts. Nestled up against the base of Mount. Verity, The heights play host to the who's who of Verity Point and their palatial homes, although as one travels closer to the city centre mansions give way to the slightly more modest large homes of successful professionals. Right at the edge of the city Verona Heights opens out into farmland, though the farms tend to be more on the boutique and stylish side, with most of them doubling as rustic gourmet eateries and stores. In contrast to Neo Verity which represents the future of Verity Points, Verona Heights is most keenly tied to the city's past and many of its residents are of a traditionalist bent and resent the city's new arrivals.
Locations
1. Mcbradnamara Air Force Base: Established in 1962, when Verity Point was much smaller, Mcbradnamara air force base is a high security facility known to house salvaged Firaxon technology. During the Firaxon Invasion the base came under heavy attack by the alien invaders who were only repelled from it with great difficulty. In the aftermath of the invasion Mcbdnamara was reconstructed and according to official sources the firaxon wreckage it held was relocated, though it remains a highly secure classified facility and nobody is really sure what is housed there now.
2. Mount. Verity: Verity Point's namesake, Mount Verity is not especially large by national standards but it is highly visible thanks to the largely flat terrain surrounding it, so has functioned as a landmark even before European colonization and the city's founding. THe mountain is of some interest to geologists, as it does not appear to belong to any known ranges or fault lines and the mechanism behind its creation is somewhat uncertain. The hermetic order of the Golden Sun have also confirmed that Mount. Verity is an arcane nexus of some importance, 3 years ago cultists of the Brotherhood of Ashyran performed part of a worldwide ritual to bring magic back to the world at large which caused a surge of arcane energy in the area that effected the citizens of Verity Point in ways that are stull being unravelled to this day.
3. Welkynde Island Verity Point is bisected by a modest river known as Whately River and in the middle of that river is a small island. Welkynde island is so named for its owners, the powerful and mysterious Welkynde family, who purchased the entirety of the island at the height of their prosperity and established a family estate and manor. Tragically the manor also proved to be the Welkynde family's undoing, only two decades after its construction in 1943 the manor burned down in a mysterious fire which killed the entire family. The island has been abandoned ever since, though it remains private property held by the Welkynde foundation and trespassing is strongly discouraged and prosecuted.
4. IPHEE: IPHEE is a the Institution of Parahuman Experimental Education, Established to help Verity Point integrate its abnormally high parahuman population, IPHEE is a first of its kind facility, with state of the art technology and specialist staff all dedicated to helping parahumans manage any complications that arise as a result of their new abilities. IPHEE is chiefly focused on teenagers, offering comprehensive secondary schooling in addition to its specialized parahuman content however the adult learning annex attached to it offers shorter courses for adult parahumans.
5. Welkynde Park: A large and vibrant space of greenery in the middle of Verity Central. The land for the park was donated to the city by the influential Welkynde family and has remained a point of civic pride ever since, often playing host to local events and festivals. A large pond within the lake plays host to a popular paddle boat service.
6. Verity Convention centre: One of the centrepieces of the Neo Verity's modern architecture sensibilities, the convention centre is a sprawling, somewhat abstract building intended to host large gatherings with the hope of driving tourism and commerce.
7. Verity Base Hospital: Verity's Point's major medical facility. The hospital receives standard funding and is also patronized by several wealthy local donors and so is quite well equipped and expansive, though the recent increase in violent crime has sparked greater use of some of the hospital wings.
8. Whately River Commercial wharf: A small commercial wharf for boats looking to fish the Whately river that runs through Verity Point. For a time runoff from Sheffield Industrial Park had a deleterious impact on local fish populations but in recent years they have slowly recovered and now the river supports a modest industry, most of which goes towards supplying local restaurants and markets.
9. Verkor Power Plant: Verity Corp Utilities is the company that runs most of Verity Point's basic services. The power plant was Verkor's first business, initially a coal fire plant it was later remodelled extensively as a nuclear plant. Though this decision was initially controversial the nuclear power plant has since supplied the city with energy reliably and and without incident, though some citizens find its heavy security measures a bit off putting.
10. Verkor Waste treatment facility: the less glamourous but equally profitable side of Verkor's business. The waste treatment facility was previously responsible for much of the pollution leaking into Whately river, but modernization efforts in recent decades have eliminated this issue.
11. H2whoah Water and Fun Park: Verity Point's premier provider of aquatic fun to the families of Arlington, despite its odd name, the water park is a fairly standard example of its type.
12. Arlington Mall: A slightly aging example of a typical shopping centre, the Arlington mall has survived chiefly due to its convenient shopping, allowing suburbanites to handle most of their shopping without traveling all the way into Central. The decor is a little bit dated but the air conditioning still works and the food court Chinese is mysteriously delicious.
13. Vicktor Welkynde High School: Verity Point's more traditional educational institute, Victor Welkynde High School has been instructing the children of Verity Point since its founding in 1944. Although VW offers no specialized parahuman curriculum or facilities plenty of parahuman students choose to attend it anyway, in some cases due to mistrust of IPHEE and in some cases simply due to wanting to live a more conventional life style.
14. Verity Point University: Verity Point's only university, it is a mid ranking college with a small but comfortable and well appointed campus. VP U is unlikley to be anyone's dream college, but it is a very solid option for locals or those looking to take advantage of the city's open job market to work during their study. The University's basketball team, the VP Mountaineers also put on a respectable showing at the state level most years, although its been some time now since their last win.
15. Verity Point Golf Club: An exclusive golf club intended to serve Verity Point's upper crust. TO play on the course one must either be a member or receive an invitation from one and membership is only offered to the connected and well to do. Rumours of shady business deals being conducted on the green have always dogged the establishment but the club protects its members' privacy strictly so these rumours are difficult to confirm. The course is well regarded by players though it is considered quite challenged as it backs out onto the beginning of Mount. Verity's slope and the changes in elevation make shot placement tricky.
