|
May the Chain guide you
|
|
The controlling, nameless government of the country many of the cast originate from.
History[]
The State is created approximately sixty years prior to the events of AJCO.
Caught between warring superpowers and reduced by a the prolonged and organised global conflict, a small and once prosperous nation begins to crumble and starve. As a last-ditch means of survival, fourteen of the country's finest physicists explore new and unconventional means of warfare. Efficient gaseous diffusion is developed for the enriching of uranium isotopes, and the desperate nation devastates its neighbours with newly discovered nuclear weapons. Suddenly the most powerful country in the world, the fragile, hungry nation coerces the capitulation of its vast opponents. The State is born.
Insular, suspicious, and without allies, the State occupies the irradiated wastes surrounding its borders and begins gathering resources; slaves, minerals, materials. There is a period of prosperity. FACs are built. Appeasement is practised amongst the nation's enemies, and material and territorial concessions are made to the State to avoid further conflict.
The small nation grows rich and strong, but memories of its previous vulnerability remain. The population is closely monitored. Finally, an opposing nation launches a devastating and unanticipated attack when negotiations collapse and the State's nuclear retribution is savage. Now closed to diplomacy with other countries, the nation turns its focus inward. It is sanctioned heavily and rationing is widespread, as is deprivation, misery, and shortage. Its borders are, and remain, sites of perpetual conflict.
A totalitarian regime and new society is slowly forged. A population weary of war is managed with propaganda and controlled media. PRI-FACs are instated, Wards raised. The nation depends on scientific innovation for its security. As opposing governments race to create an armament of equivalent destructive capability to crush the State once and for all, the nation is consumed by vicious purges and total regulation of its citizenry.
After the extradimensional disaster at Aeronautics-ONE, the State turns its attention to the weaponization of Void Particulate - the anomalous technology that might finally mean the definitive destruction of its enemies. But the brilliant researcher responsible for successful weaponization of the material is driven to run from the regime, through world beyond world, to preserve the lives of those she loves. This is the story of AJCO, and forms the basis of the AJCO world story arcs.
Class System[]
Citizen[]
The original denizens of the State, the Citizens are the privileged ruling class...by appearances alone. In truth, Citizens are slowly being picked off, as they are too difficult and costly to control. Citizens are, however, valuable in that they have a capacity for creativity, leadership, and adaptation that most Wards and Assets lack.
Notable Citizens[]
- Frances E. Graye
- Breyos Vesalius
- The Doctor
- Officer Lartin
- Minister Vesalius
- Facilitator Snow
- Asha Vachan
Ward of the State[]
Wards, also known as W-Citizens, are raised from early childhood to work and exist in service to the State. New facilities, named PRI-FACs, were created to raise youth in the ideal image of the State. Intelligent, devoted, and above all, compliant. Each Ward is expected to excel in a particular area, and receive training for their Furtherance at a certain age. They then move on to apprenticeship or work in their area of expertise, until they are inevitably culled.
Wards tend to have health problems associated with malnutrition and life underground in their formative years. They are often sickly, intolerant of sunlight, and are very susceptible to respiratory illness due to the cold, damp, moldy conditions of the subterranean PRI-FAC facilities in which they are raised.
Each Ward is assigned a designation of two letters, standing for their PRI-FAC assignment: Block (letter), Bed (letter), and a serial number unique identifier code.
Notable Wards[]
- Facilitator A_J
- S_K
- Cain
- Commander R_V
- Y_R
- D_R
- The Redribbon
- Captain S_R
Civilian[]
Civilians are the general working class of the State. Not as priviliged as Citizens, and not as strictly raised and shaped as Wards, Civilians are caught somewhere between both. Military and Militia service are common occupations, as well as independant traders and practical work. Education can overlap with older levels of local PRI-FAC, although Civ schools do exist and have their own Furtherance levels. Civilian districts in major cities are considerably more variable in tone and outlook than Ward areas, or even Citizen, with hints and remnants of pre-or outside-State cultures and influences still present.
State Warden[]
While most Facilities are their own unit, sometimes they belong to a larger group within a territory. One Facility is considered the hub, and controls communications and issues orders to the other facilities in the area. Rather than a Facilitator, the territory is controlled by an elite authority known as a Warden.
The Warden generally has access to a dedicated AI, as well as full control of the resources of any facility in the territory. Wardens are also one of the few groups able to communicate directly with the State central government, though the most this ever entails is a telegram.
Wardens can be Audited, but there is no record of it happening.
Known Wardens[]
Asset of the State[]
Assets are the slave class of State society. They are not specially raised, but instead come from cast-away children, criminals, prisoners of war, and the children of other Assets. Unlike Wards, they are not as strictly monitored, but punishments for failure are no less harsh.
Every Asset is assigned a numbered designation, branded over their lips. The number can have up to four digits
Notable Assets[]
- 4_2
- 8_6
Auditor[]
The Auditors are both the voice and the hand of the State, though even they may not be able to tell from whence their orders come. They do have names, but these are almost never known. Very little is known about Auditors, apart from that they are to be feared.
Functionary[]
Administrator[]
Aberrant[]
Aberrants are those marked as inhuman and unfit to serve the State. This can be any creature of magical origin, human experimentation, Void research, or any number of things. It is also often used as an easy way to denounce a person in order to have them removed.
Facilities[]
State Facility uniforms
The State, in its arms race with surrounding countries, turned to more unconventional means of attack, recovery, and growth. New technologies were required, and thus the Facilities were born.
Each Facility has a designation of either a number, the name of its Facilitator, or a term related to its research purpose.
Notable Facilities[]
Facilitators[]
Every Facility is operated by a Facilitator. This position is a combination of CEO and head researcher. Facilitators can be either Citizens or Wards, but never Assets, as Furtherance in at least three areas of expertise is required.
Facilitators are revered by the State, hailed as geniuses and innovators...until their inevitable Audit and demise.
Notable Facilitators[]
- Facilitator A_J
- Facilitator Snow
- Facilitator S_K
- Facilitator Woodrow
- Facilitator Fairfax