Join the Legion

When I was a young lad, a good thirty years ago - I liked broadcasts of this old show about mercenaries. One of them had the catchphrase "No Ma'am, we're not from the government, we're here to do what is right".

That really is the central tenant of our group. I'd love to believe that the old government is the best way to continue on from here and bring the country back to as it once was. Perhaps they even are. How many city state leaders have run anything bigger than church social? Not many. But on the other hand, the social triage the governments have run seems a bit too harsh.

So the legion steps in.


Most seekers work in small groups - using speed and stealth to recover a little here and a little there. We have the do more, to both retrieve the large equipment to get farms and factories running, and keep all those safe.

To get a nuclear reactor to work - you need critical mass - enough fuel to get a chain going, that grows and energizes. Be our fuel - help us get more done.

Hunter's Legion

Known Markings:

A large triangle with its hypotenuse facing up, with the bottom half covered by a smaller triangle in a similar orientation. From either of the angled sides of the smaller triangle, and the center top of the large one is a is a right angle crook. Overall, it gives a very rough impression of an eagle with wings spread.

Members are encouraged to have the glyph on armbands or other adornments, but otherwise there is no standard dress code.
 

Leadership:

The group is run rather like a parliamentary monarchy. Octavius Hunter maintains himself as the moral center with oversight, but most decisions are determined democratically by a representative from each century (80-100 people).

Estimated Forces:

 So far, they are far short of the 1000 member goal, counting only 345 in the ranks.

 

Notable Equipment:

The Legion is not particularly well equipped, but it does have a lot more good will than most groups. Oftentimes, the group will donate equipment to those who need it. However, the group has managed to acquire a few pieces of very heavy equipment - helicopters and tanks - though only about a half dozen of each. However, as tools to resupply those in need or break blockades, they have earned quite a bit of non-combat goods in thanks.

 

Philosophy: 

"As the old saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day. But it may well have been created in one. No projects, no armies, no planning - just people agreeing that they had something good worth protecting." - Legionnaire Octavius Hunter.

 

Background:

Octavius saw the Event as the sad ending of a chapter of humanity. However, this also meant a new chapter was beginning. A chance to inscribe a new book of life, a clean sheet free of previous injustice. 

Mr. Hunter set the goal of creating a full century of a hundred men, then expanded it to a full cohort of ten such centuries. He felt that if he could raise a full thousand people dedicated to helping others without allegiance to an old state or new city, he could truly change the world.

 

So far, he counts about 345, though a number of these are not quite the good people he'd like. 

 

Many see Hunter as too soft hearted for the zone. He often grants refuge, and although he might expel a member based on accusations, he won't turn them over to a mob or settlement seeking damages or revenge.

More of a problem is that there are more ruthless people who want to run things. They're just waiting for the legion to get strong enough and then stage a coup once a full army can be theirs.

 

For the time being though, it is still a nomadic group dedicated to delivering messages, helping others, and combating bandits. This has earned a lot of good will from other groups, even the notorious tower Reversed is fairly respectful of them. However, many of the bigger establishments find the group troublesome. New Birmingham doesn't like the idea of new Romans, the US government finds their refusal to commit themselves to the old nation troubling, and bandits in general don't like a bunch of goody-two-shoes.  It is unknown ho long the Legion can last under these conditions.

 

As an aside to new readers - this blog will be returning to its normal Monday-Wednesday-Friday Posting beginning next week,  and will continue as such barring the need to make up for further missed entries. Thanks for making June the month with the highest amount of views yet. 

Raider Week: Star Sinister

Known Markings:

A simple pentagram with an outward canting sword extending through the points on either side.

Most Star Sinister equipment is painted in bright hues shifted towards the blue/violet spectrum, including a few odd colors that luminescence under certain conditions. It looks rather garish to most humans, but the aliens in the group seem to think its a rather impressive display.

Leadership:

Authority mostly lies with the aliens due to their access to heavy weapons and control of technology. However, the humans are not necessarily second class, as they are the ones who know the terrain and scavenge.

Estimated Forces:

Enrollment may be as high as several hundred, in part because star sinister has far lower requirements for joining than most other large raider groups.Tower Reversed looks for smart opportunists over simple bandits, Ambulance Chasers want medics first, Hunter's Legion makes recruits swear in to a set of ethics, and Stalin's Posse wants loyal communists or good spies. Star Sinister doesn't care - bring a tithe of guns, food, or equipment, and prove you've got a skill for shooting or beating people with your bare hand, and you're in.

Notable Equipment:

Given that the group is a collaboration between humans and aliens, more than a few pieces of alien tech have made it into the group's armories. These include Eekaidie armor, small laser towers, gyrojet weapons,and even radiation cannons. Due to limited availability of spares for these items, they are often only used in special occasions - intimidating towns, defending the home base, or high value convoys. Outside these alien additions, most of the group is fairly poorly equipped, and must make do with normal personal weapons and a few technicals.

Philosophy:

This rapidly switches between "He who dies with the most toys" and "We are the brotherhood of the damned". On one hand, the group offers protection to just about anyone who cares to sign up - far better than going alone. However, it is very much a gang of criminals and has its share of psychopaths and scum that wouldn't get into a more savvy raider group.

Background:

It is unknown what the Planetary Citizen code of justice is like, but every society has its criminals. Between limited supplies, the demands of colonization, attacks by abominations, and militias of former residents - all on top of preexisting faction tensions - its little wonder that some citizens go rouge.

Nor is it odd that some zone wanderers would want to meet up with these wayward Citizens. Just having an alien ally brings mystique and intimidation. Fast reflexes, keen senses, and small size make them excellent scouts, while the power of an Eekaidie is not to be dismissed. Most groups only find one or two such PCs, if any at all - but Star Sinister has several dozen in their ranks.


The Sinister ones rely mostly on numbers granted by unrestricted recruiting, and the ruthlessness of including hardened criminals in their ranks.  Many bounty hunters know that a Star Sinister Camp is the first place to look for their quarry, and the last place to seek them out - as the group is quite protective of its bivouacs and somehow enforces a regular order within them not seen when the group members are anywhere else. Only the Tower Reversed seems willing to fight this group on its home turf, and that is as much because banditry pushes into their desired territory as altruism.

Raider Week: Stalin's Posse

Known Markings:
A crossed sickle and rifle is the main glyph.

Member attire tends to alternate between two extremes. Often the ideal is "simple proletarian dress" to blend in with outsiders and show their commitment to austerity. Other times, its starched uniforms to show unity and the efficiency of their new reign.


Leadership:
In theory, the group is run collectively based on the model of the old Soviet Union - part parliamentary democracy, part three way power-sharing between the elected officials, military arm, and intelligence group. It is hard to tell how well this holds up, as there are visible schisms in the groups leadership between those who desire communist government rule forever, versus those who see it as a temporary measure only.

Estimated Forces:

It is unknown how many people comprise this group. They use a great deal of subterfuge in their dealings, and carefully disguise their true strength. Most groups that lay claim to a unifying sign and ideal tend to be between fifty and a hundred members, but occasionally more.

However, it is known that unlike other groups, they do have dedicated arms of intelligence.

Notable Equipment:

The group maintains a few power-armors for its own use, and holds them up as a sort of ideal.

More impressively they have an excellent network of cell towers, ground-lines, and drop-boxes. Although their transmissions aren't as reputable as those from 104.3, New Birmingham, or really most other sources of news - their communications and intelligence gathering abilities are nearly unmatched.

Philosophy:

To rebuild quickly, the people must accept strong rule and forced allocation of resources for the time being. Perhaps the council of soviets will obsolete itself, or perhaps new technology will never make it irrelevant.

Background:

This group can be summed up in two words: Communist Robinhood.

If the country is to be rebuilt, you can't say "please". Stalin was able to build a nuclear armed military second to none from a feudal agricultural system - all in spite of the occasional famine or fascist. Stalin's Posse members often see themselves as the ones taking charge and making the hard decisions to rebuild, rather than the president hiding in Vegas or theocratic clowns down south building their own city on the hill. Furthermore, it would seem that modern technology - from polling the populace through the SPHERE to micro-factories to handle local shortfalls, a non-free-market based system could work.Central banking and credit has already been discarded out of necessity - why not ditch the rest of the system?

Of course, much of this may be nostalgia tinted by sixty years of no Soviet Union.

Unlike many other groups, they tend to avoid relying on brute force. Instead, they put on shows of efficiency while wearing uniforms, and other times seem to disperse, their members entering other settlements and groups to observe. Materials are taken through redirection, lost vehicles, or internal blackmail, rather than boldly stopping caravans. Of course, their communication networks allow for rapid mobilization and response giving a great impression of numbers and force.

Oftentimes, the SP acts less as outright bandits, than king-makers for political machines. They promise agricultural machines, arms, food, and electronics to those who agree to support a communist regime. When there are internal arguments, they favor the side that seems to mirror their views. When there is no internal conflict, SP members will try to create one.

Although the Free City of Tesla seems to have a socialist system in place, they do not maintain ties to this Raider group.

Raider Week: Ambulance Chasers

Known Markings: 

Officially the symbol is the Caduceus (a winged rod with a helix of serpents) rendered in blue and red. The easier to draw graffiti tag is a crossed scalpel and syringe. Other common medical signs rendered in odd colors (such as a yellow first aid cross) are occasionally used as well.

Personnel are encouraged to dress in a manner according to their profession - lab coats or EMT jumpsuits.Even without uniforms, they tend to have arm or headbands with medical symbols. Most of their vehicles are marked with a first aid cross.

Although it it a common mistake, first aid is not symbolized by a red cross - that is the mark of an international aid agency. A first aid indicator is a white cross on a green background.

Leadership:
Medical training is considered a prerequisite to gaining voting rights in the group. The leader is known by the title of "Head Surgeon" and is assisted by administrative staff. Beyond that the chain of command is quite short - most are grouped into response teams of varying specialties - surgery, fire, vaccination, attack, support, and scavenging. Each team in turn is equipped with vehicles as necessary to find suitable locations to set up clinics.

Estimated Forces: 

The group is known to have at least two hundred members, drawing from army doctors, fire fighters, police, and other first response groups. An even larger number of people willingly following to gain access to health care and other services.

Notable Equipment:

The group maintains at least two functioning hospitals, and has set up several smaller clinics. At this time, they seem unable to manufacture nano-medicne, but are capable of creating at least some standard vaccines and other medications.

They maintain a number of fire engines and ambulances - which most other scavengers tend to overlook due to size, fuel requirements, and all too high visibility. Enough other high-performance vehicles are on hand to lend credence to the rumor the group is more about racing than medicine. Supposedly, they control a bio-fuel refinery to feed all these machines, though no outsider seems to know where it might be.

Although not a large military force, they do have a few emergency response power armors, and often take payments in the form of arms. Many of their unofficial followers are willing to fight for the medics to repay services rendered. They are not to be under-estimated, but are one of the more peaceful groups under the raider heading.

Philosophy:
According to the scholar Desiderius Erasmus, "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." In the land of the diseased, those with medical knowledge should be elevated.

Background:
Many of the good doctors died in the Event - on their feet and trying to help during the panics and turmoil. Most surgeons had been replaced by more precise computer controlled robots and nano-machines - the EM pulse quite literally erased that profession.

But paramedics are survivors, trained to move fast, think fast, and heal fast.In turn, linked by their common experience, many came together.Eventually, they formalized a coalition dedicated to acquiring healing supplies any way necessary and tending to those in need.

Despite their seemingly altruistic origins, they are not above the occasional theft or hijacking. Acquiring faster or more rugged vehicles is seen as a service to the greater good - they can respond to emergencies easier. Attending one of their clinics can also be a pricey experience, though they are willing to waive fees on occasion, and are professional enough to treat first and demand later.

Ambulance Chasers are proof that not all gangs are simply out for themselves.

Raider Week: Tower Reversed

Known Markings: 

There are two widely used symbols. Those with an artistic bent or time draw an inverted rook chess-piece. A quicker short form is an upside down "R" with a horizontal bar along the vertical leg to make a "TR"

No standard dress code is enforced amongst the members. However, their esprit de corps shows as each might refer to them-self as a Man (or woman) or the Tower.

Leadership:
Many of the leaders are highly educated, and the rank system is based on school administration.Dr. J.C. Kurtz is the acknowledged Superintendent, and overall leader of the group. Beneath him are deans, professors, TA's, and then simply members.

Estimated Forces: 

The full roster is unknown, but lower estimates place the group in four to five hundred, split between at least half a dozen bases and depots. Some have guessed the figures to be as high as twothousand, though this seems unlikely. Members come from all walks of life, though no Citizens have been spotted in their camps.

Notable Equipment:

Being such a large group with a huge territory, they have been able to recover a great deal of equipment. Their vehicle allotment cover everything from Armored Personnel Carriers to Zodiac inflatable boats. Rumors hold that the group could probably hold their own against any city state army aside from the Vegas Armored corps.

Philosophy:
If there is any one unifying belief, it is that the best way to operate is the carrot and the stick. Those who surrender or pay tribute are treated well, while those who do not may be slaughter by the dozen to serve as an example to others. Anyone who falsely presents themselves as a member can expect to spend a long time dying, because TR takes the groups image and the accord they have struck with surrounding communities seriously.

Background:
Contrary to popular belief, the Death tarot card is not a bad sign. Nor is the fool (often depicted as a man walking off a cliff) an indication of poor fortune ahead, and the hanged man can be a good sign as well However, the tower card always heralds disaster, drawn reversed, only meas there is some mitigation to the tragedy.

Society was falling apart, and the government was proving itself increasingly inadequate to the task of  protecting anyone. Dr. Kurtz took the time to show his ruthless and calculating side, in turn creating one of the smartest and savviest raider groups of the North American Anarchy Zone. His only long term goal seems to be run rampant as long as possible while making a good life for his underlings.

Men and Women of the Tower do not deny being a band of criminals. However, they believe their execution of cruelty to be fair in its own way. The Tower Reversed is the closest North America has ever come to having a Mongolian horde of their own. Kurtz, like the Khans, usually limits the banditry of the group - instead collecting tribute from those who surrender, and making the occasional bloody example of those who do not.

If there is a silver lining to being in the tower's territory, it is that they exert control by being smart, rather than simply ruthless. Usually the group avoids open conflict, instead using blockades and sabotage to wear down enemies. None of the groups leadership sees utility in being evil for evil's sake. Furthermore, TR will often hunt down smaller raider groups or concentrations of reanimates, earning the begrudging gratitude of towns under their thumb.