This
document presents a summary of the main factions from the (now out of print)
Mutant Chronicles campaign setting
The
document is still partly incomplete – but hopefully it is enough to give you an
overview of the main Mutant Chronicles factions and the interactions between
them.
It’s
purely background material at this stage.
Details will be discussed as the game progresses and they become
relevant.
Long before the Dark Legion appeared there was conflict within and between the megacorporations. Humanity had proven repeatedly that it did not require the presence of a powerful and evil alien force in order to have people do the wrong thing.
So when Imperial colonists unwittingly broke the first seal of repulsion on the tenth planet, it would be accurate to say that the Darkness had already made a head start. The awaking of a sleeping horror, releasing the Darkness from its bounds, saw the beginning of the Dark crusade against humanity.
Soon the weak minded and those of dark thoughts were lured by the temptations of the Dark Apostles. The darkness sought it nourishment from the twisted minds and corrupted thoughts of humanity, giving the dark soul the energy it craved - powering the forces of the Dark Symmetry and bringing forth the Dark Legions.
As despair and confusion grew, more and more of the citizens cried out in anguish. Nurtured on despair and anxiety, the dark powers entered the realms of the sleeping and dreaming. No more could mankind find peace in the lands of sleep.
Humanity tried to do battle against the forces of darkness but could not lay aside their own petty squabbles. The megacorporations waged their wars against each other, and trust was wearing thin. The darkness worked to continue humanity down this path, turning brother against brother, corrupting the leaders of humanity and to sow the seeds of darkness in the minds of man.
As the Dark Legions continued their assaults, the fires of war burned on every world, burned and bodies littered the fields and plains. Filth and plague, famine and mutation followed in its path from battlefield to battlefield. The Darkness spread like rot among humanity’s troops and into her cities.
The Brotherhood continues in its quest to unite humanity against the dark legion, and the megacorporations have formed the Cartel to coordinate the megacorporations in striking back against the darkness. But the feuds of the past are still present, and who would want to over commit their resources to fighting the Darkness, only to have another megacorporation sweep down and take advantage of that over commitment.
· The Dark Legion is more then monsters, aliens, evil magic or powerful apostles. It is an infinitely powerful force of sentient evil. It will work away at corrupting and destroying humanity, patiently and deliberately; taking whatever form is most effective to achieve that aim.
· One of the best examples of the work of the Dark Legion is the arrival of the first dark citadel on Mars:
o When the first foundations were laid out on the mountainous areas on the exact antipode of San Dorado, Capitol forces rushed to crush them before the legion was able to spread. But internal struggles, deceit and foul play stopped the intervening forces before they even reached their target. Imperial anti-aircraft downed four fifths of the strike-force, creating disastrous consequences. The citadel was finished and fortified beyond what human technology could defeat.
o Capitol insists that Imperial did this to undermine Capitol and help secure their invasions on Capitol territory. If Capitol had destroyed the citadel before the fortification was complete, the Dark Legion could have been pushed out and destroyed. This would then have left Capitol with more military resources to repel Imperial.
o Imperial insist that it acted in self-defense. They believed (at the time) that the initial reports of the Citadel were deliberate misinformation designed to cover Capitol’s attack against their own positions.
The Brotherhood represents an all-governing unearthly power that is personified by the Cardinal, the spiritual leader of humanity. With the world faced with destruction at the hands of the Dark Legion, the Brotherhood has grown into a powerful organization.
The Brotherhood has been endowed with a mission to eradicate the darkness around and within us. This is the Calling of the Cardinal. This mission is the all-governing policy of the Brotherhood and anything interfering with it is dealt with swiftly and with extreme measures.
To do battle against the Dark Legions the Cardinal has created the Inquisition. This institution is seeking to eradicate the festering evil, scouring the worlds of humanity and purging every sign of darkness from our society. They are forever vigilant and ready to strike against the Dark Legion and the scores of heretics whatever shape they may take.
Observers from the Brotherhood are present at every level of organization within the megacorporations and the Cartel. Observing, studying, never resting, searching for any sign of the rot of Darkness. To work against the Brotherhood is seen as going on humanity itself.
This philosophy and the power of the Inquisition have made the megacorporations accept the presence of the Brotherhood at their board meetings and administrative functions. As much as possible is hidden from the prying eyes of the Inquisitors. It has developed into a deadly game of hide and seek, played by the Brotherhood and the megacorporations.
Loyalty & Obedience
Upon entering The Brotherhood and before being given any training in the Art, every apprentice has to swear the Vow of the Cardinal, pledging allegiance, silence, to obey every word of a superior, to reveal everything of Darkness and to never go against The Brotherhood.
Defecting from The Brotherhood is regarding as an act of heresy and punished accordingly. The secrets of the Brotherhood are too many and too dangerous to spread. Therefore dropouts are hunted even more fanatically then heretics.
Faith
The devout followers truly see The Brotherhood as the only hope of humanity in opposing the Dark Legion. They see the light, the winding road to salvation and they feel the cleansing fires that will burn the filth away and once again light up the world, throwing back the Darkness.
The Ends Justify the Means
The War against the Darkness is a war for the soul of all humanity. Nothing is sacred in taking the fight to the Dark Legion or uncovering the rot of heresy inside the megacorporations. Sometimes heretics have to be tortured to uncover the infiltration of the Heretic cults and those who would undermine the good work of the Brotherhood. There is not normally time to judge heretics by trial, and those that cannot be captured for torture may need to be immediately executed on the spot.
No One is Completely Innocent
Everybody does what he or she can to stay out of the way of the Inquisition (including other members of the Brotherhood and even other Inquisitors). Even if you believe you are innocent, you could unknowingly be guilty by association based on someone you have met, something you have seen, or even worse by some other information that has been provided to the Brotherhood. If you come forward to the Brotherhood with information, it is possible they may need to torture you to confirm you are telling the truth and not holding anything back – after all; the fate of humanity depends on it.
Techno phobic
The Brotherhood remembers when the complex systems became unreliable and the ancient thinking machines ran out of control. All the vast and complex technologies humanity had surrounded itself with, and placed faith in, failed at once. It was a cataclysm the like of which had not been seen before in all of human history. Core systems melted down and automated weapon systems wiped out entire populations in a single stroke.
The work of the Cardinal’s faithful shall ensure humanity is never again left that vulnerable. The foul technology of the Dark Legion and the super-science gadgetry of Cybertronic will slowly and surely be destroyed by the loyal followers of The Brotherhood. The words of the Chronicles are engraved into the hard stone walls of the Cathedrals, where they cannot be perverted by technology.
This topic is detailed in the document Mutant Chronicles – Factions within Factions.
The main divisions with The Brotherhood are: The Curia, The Mystics (1st directorate), The Inquisition (2nd directorate), The Mission (3rd directorate) and The Administration (4th directorate). For more information refer to pages 89-91 of the main book.
For obvious reasons The Brotherhood does not have a lot of internal rivalry. Occasionally, covert specialist groups operate outside of the usual organizational structure, reporting directly to members of the Curia. These groups often end up having to avoid contact with the Inquisition, and may end up pursuing an objective outside of the normal Brotherhood agenda.
While the Brotherhood is savior of humanity it is a mistake to think of them as “good”. The Brotherhood has an agenda, just like all the megacorporations, and will oppose any characters that get in their way. Remember the two unwritten rules of the Brotherhood: “The ends justify the means” and “No one is completely innocent”.
Capitol is easily the most democratic, egalitarian and open of all the megacorporations. Its people are brought up in a culture that preaches personal responsibility, tolerance and a flexible approach to new ideas and situations. The essence of the Capitolian messages is that anyone can succeed, providing they are smart enough, tough enough and, above all, work hard enough. It is really true that anyone can become President. In reality, the process is incredibly difficult, but it can be done.
Several presidents have started with nothing and progressed all the way to the top of the Board of Directors. Capital is the corporation of opportunity. Capitols employee-citizens are encouraged to improve themselves at every turn. Indeed, the idea of personal involvement is, along with the idea of teamwork, at the recall of the Capitolian way of life.
Capitol is the only of the original megacorporations that is not led by a hereditary aristocracy. All Capitols believe that, if you work hard enough and have sufficient talent, you can reach the top. From birth, Capitolians are encouraged to be all they can be, by one of the age's most powerful media machines and a corporate culture that towards excellence.
The people of Capitol believe that they should respect differences. "From diversity comes strength - In diversity lies Freedom" is one of the principles enshrined in the corporation's Charter. Capitolians are taught to respect the beliefs of others and to solve problems through negotiation rather than conflict when that is possible.
The other great principle is that "The business of Capitol is business". Capitol exists to do business. Its culture reward successful entrepreneurs, and Capitol is only to pleased to incorporate successful freelance operations under its wing.
Unlike Imperial, for example, Capitol never takes over other people's assets by force. It will, however, make a fair offer for them under the Cartels agreed rules for company takeover. This constant process of assimilation has led to Capitol becoming the largest, if not wealthiest, of the megacorporations. It also believes that it is most freelances' dream to become wealthy by selling an operation to Capitol. Thus the corporation enjoys enormous goodwill among the independent operators.
What's more, Capitol possesses the largest and most powerful media machine in the history of humanity. The average Capitolian grows up an environment that is completely saturated with the Capitolian message. This awesome media industry makes sure the Capitol is seen to reward the qualities it admires in its people. Success stories are always brought to the public's attention. The overwhelming message is always positive. Capitolians are brought up to believe that they can succeed, and the Corporation lets everyone know when they have.
And yet despite this relentless propaganda, all Capitolians know that something has gone wrong with the dream. Every day, before their very eyes, the Capitolians see the evidence of it. Perhaps it is the influence of the baleful moons overhead. Perhaps it's because people are diminished in these lesser, later days. All know that the dream is dying. Violent crime is rife. Corruption is endemic. The poor and disenfranchised throng the streets of the megacities. Capitol's mighty security agencies struggle to keep the peace in their own territories. War with the other megacorporations erupts along every frontier. And beyond all this lies the ever present, lurking threat of the dark legion.
Self-Motivation & Adaptation
Capitolians are brought up to believe that you can improve yourself if you are prepared to work hard enough. This means that they tend to be more optimistic about their prospects. They also try to adapt to their current circumstances to make life more tolerable for themselves and their fellow employees.
Wealth
Outsiders often see Capitolians as obsessed with money, fame and success. They are correct. For the most part, their society lacks the hereditary classes and badges of distinction that dominate the other corporations. A person makes their mark on Capitol society by pursuing fame or money – or both.
Team spirit
Capitolians usually function best as part of a team. The concept of self-sacrifice for the good of the group is another strong part of Capitolian culture. However there is often conflict between this and the self-motivation element of Capitol’s culture.
Respect & Equality
Capitolians try to be flexible in order to avoid conflict with their colleagues. They have a sensitive ear to the wishes of their customers and finally, they are tolerant of opposing opinions and lifestyles. They try to believe in their democracy and that it is a good way of life.
The Capitol way is clearly reflected in their foreign affairs and diplomatic relations with their competitors. Knowing economic success rests in open-mindedness and diplomacy, even Imperial must be forgiven to some extent.
Capitol claims to deal fairly and even-handedly with the other megacorporations. In terms of external policy, Capitol believes the peace is good for business, so it tries to maintain the peace. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. Rival megacorporations all too often mistake Capitol's seeming pacifism for weakness, and every so often, they have to be taught a lesson. However, once a war is over, Capitol’s leaders tend not to hold grudges, whether they have won or lost. To do so would be bad for business.
Bauhaus
The expensive and extremely high quality products of Bauhaus will always find their buyers within the Capitol business empire, even if they are restricted to the upper corporates. In turn, Bauhaus receives a lot of their raw materials from the Capitol mines of Mars.
This ongoing purchase of raw materials from Capitol inclines Capitol to favour the Homebuilders. The only real bone of contention between the two megacorporations is the Graviton Archipelago on Venus, which the Homebuilders regard as part of their natural sphere of influence. Capitol is not about to give up its most valuable non-Martian asset. In the past, the two megacorporations have warred over the archipelago, but the threat has receded with the arrival of the Dark Legion on the scene. The relationship between Bauhaus and Capitol can best be described as being one of respectful neutrality.
Imperial
Even though they have limited contacts, the Capitol businessmen have never really managed to cope with the Imperials. Had it not been for the unquestionable economical gains of being partners, they would hardly speak to each other.
The Capitolians do not trust Imperial. A large part of the MIC's operations are given over to monitoring the smaller megacorporation and finding out what is going on within the Mandate. Capital is still smarting over what it sees as Imperial's treachery during the first Dark Legion attack. The AFC Supreme Commanders still remember Imperial's interference in the early stages of the Dark Legion's arrival on Mars, and if it was not for the restraining hand of the Directors, they would gladly act to crush the Mandate and, indeed, Imperial. Even now, there are still powerful voices on the Board that call for a stronger anti-Imperial line (most noticeably the Irving-Jorgensen steel family, which controls Valley Forge).
Mishima
Mercury and Lord Heir Moya's business empire is Capitol's largest export market and the corporations are rarely involved in open hostilities. Even though completely self-sufficient, Capitol imports a lot of Mishima's cheap, high-quality electronics to fill the shelves in the low-cost supermarkets.
Mishima is Capitol's largest trading partner, and relations between the two are usually as good as is possible between two rival corporations. That is to say, they are tense and fraught with peril. In the past, the two megacorporations have gone to war. The major confrontations have been over the Graviton Archipelago of Venus, which the Mishimans covet, and the Southern Lands of Mars.
The Brotherhood
Capitol has excellent relations with the Brotherhood, but is unique in the sense that they don't have an official opinion about the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood respects this, maybe because almost 90% of Capitolians are devout Cathedral-goers, and 100% of the Board of Directors makes sure they are seen there at least once a week.
The only real source of tension is with the Second Directorate. While understanding the necessity of the Inquisition's work, the Capitolians feel that the Inquisition's methods conflict with Capitol's commitment to personal liberty and fair trials. The megacorporation has tried to get around this by deputizing all Inquisitors into the CBI and giving them an agent’s powers of arrest and interrogation. CBI agents have extraordinary powers to act to preserve corporate security, but even these are not enough for the more zealous Inquisitors.
To be fair, the Brotherhood has shown some sensitivity in appointing Inquisitors who understand the Capitolian's reservations. Still, when push comes to shove, Inquisitors are Inquisitors, and is their duty to stand against the Dark. There is considerable potential for conflict here.
Cybertronic
Not the best of friends but certainly not enemies, Capitol and Cybertronic have extensive business dealings. This is maybe where "the Capitol way" shows most clearly - no other Corporation has such open-minded relations with Cybertronic.
Capitol does not hold with the common prejudice against Cybertronic. It does not exactly approve of the newest megacorporation, but it is waiting to see what happens with it. Capitol is particularly interested in Cybertronic's radical new technological developments, but it will not try to acquire the Cybertronic divisions that produce them until it's sure that it can trust former Cybertronic employees as citizens. Actually, there is a faction within Capitol that would simply like to buy Cybertronic if only it was sure of its trustworthiness. Capitol has the financial resources to do this, or at least so DEFEI estimates. Question is: can a "stiff" be bought?
The Cartel
Capitol was the original founder of the Cartel, and the corporation is still its primary beneficiary and supporter. There are some in other corporations who see the Cartel as primarily at Capitolian tool, although this is not quite the case.
The Cartel does reflect Capitol's philosophy of cooperation between the partners. Since Capitol abides by its rules, it expects the others to do so too. After all, it is to their mutual benefit. Capitol expects the Cartel to spearhead and coordinate the attack against the Dark Legion. The directors know all too well that no single corporation has managed to throw back the Dark, and that it may well take the combined efforts of all humanity to do so.
Because of this, Capitol always gives its full support to Cartel operations and tries to enforce Cartel rules, even within other meagacorporation’s territories. While not being so foolish as to go to war with other corporations in the name of corporate cooperation, Capitol does use its considerable economic and political muscle to try to bring other corporations into line.
Freelancers
Capitol doesn't usually do deals with freelancers; it buys them out. If the company has an innovative and successful idea or product, the Directors see no point in duplicating the effort that went into its creation. They will normally try to buy the company's owners out for a fair price. Only if the owners refuse to sell will Capitol move into direct competition and try to drive them out of business. If Capitol buys out a company, all that company's employees automatically become Capitol citizens with all of the privileges and responsibilities that entails. If they don't want to do so, they don't have to, but they will be looking for a new job.
This willingness to adapt and integrate new business goes a long way towards explaining why Capitol is the largest of the megacorporations. Many of Capitol's most successful divisions have been started up as independent operations and been taken over by Capitol. Once plugged into the megacorporation's mighty marketing and distribution organization, they have usually gone from strength to strength. Indeed, it is the dream of many freelancers to be bought out by Capitol.
This topic is detailed in the document Mutant Chronicles – Factions within Factions.
Capitol has four specialized intelligence agencies and a large number of military Special Forces. It also has a very large number of large corporations that run semi-autonomously inside the Capitol regime. There are also some wealthy and powerful individuals within Capitol (including those on the Board of Directors) that have vast resources, loyal staff and questionable motives.
Capitol is democratic society that values individual freedoms, but it is primarily a market-driven organization with a true corporate structure. Capitol is not one vote per person (that is Imperial); it is one vote per shareholder. Every Capitol citizen owns at least one share, but some of the more prominent members of the Board of Directors individually own from 5.2% to 3.6% of the entire Capitol share base, guaranteeing them a place on the board.
This section is not done yet, sorry.
If you read the section on external
relations (both from Bauhaus and towards Bauhaus) then you should get a good
idea of what Bauhaus is about.
This section is not done yet, sorry.
Bauhaus is regarded as a tough but fair business partner by its rivals. It's hard to close a deal with all wars, but once you have, the deal stays closed. Bauhaus honors its contracts to the letter. This is why Bauhaus negotiators scrutinize every line of a contract and negotiate every step of a bargain in the smallest detail. Such a long and tedious process can often be frustrating for less meticulous negotiators, and this has given the Homebuilders a reputation for snobbery and heel dragging. The folk of Bauhaus see what they are doing only as are sensible business practice.
When describing Bauhaus's relationship with the other megacorporations, it is important to distinguish between the official Bauhaus corporate line, which is necessary to do business, and the feelings of the vast majority of the people, which are influenced by the Ministry of Truth's extensive propaganda campaigns.
Capitol
Relations between Capitol and Bauhaus are cool but profitable. The megacorporations do a lot of trade. Bauhaus buys Capitolian raw materials and sells the wealthy and corrupt political class at Capitol a lot of luxury goods. The two megacorporations have few potential conflicts of interest. Since the onslaught of the Dark Legion, Bauhaus has withdrawn most of its military from Southern Mars. It has also, for the moment, held back on its claims to the Graviton Archipelago. This is something that rankles the Elected Dukes, though. The islands are among the richest and most fertile areas of Venus, a world that Bauhaus regards as its own. One day, they will be reclaimed.
The people of Bauhaus see the Capitolians as corrupt, violent and dangerously unstable. The Ministry of Truth makes sure that every Homebuilder has access to the latest crime statistics in the Capitolian territories. These still contrasts very unfavorably with the well-regulated Bauhaus domains, despite the recent upsurge of anarchism and rioting. That Capitol is constantly on the verge of collapsing into anarchy is another idea used to keep the Homebuilders from feeling any envy for their less rigidly controlled rivals.
Imperial
Bauhaus and Imperial are always in a semi-constant state of war somewhere, but at least it is a civilized state of war. Imperial and Bauhaus have similar codes of honor, and the formalities are usually observed. Prisoners are well treated, and regular exchanges of the captured take place. Both sides respect each other's military excellence and dedication to the cause of humanity. It is simply a regrettable fact that Imperial's policy of armed conquest makes it necessary for the two corporations to be enemies. This doesn't stop the business arms from making deals while their armed forces fight.
The average Homebuilder sees the Imperials as a greedy lot of piratical adventurers. Imperials are opportunists who will seize upon any thing that falls their way. Conversely, they also know that, of all the corporations, Imperial is closest to themselves in terms of structure and beliefs. The Ministry of Truth likes to portray Imperial as a lesser and inferior copy of Bauhaus. Imperial likes to bomb Ministry of Truth offices.
Mishima
Mishima and Bauhaus get along just fine when they are not at war, which is most of the time, but the Mashimans seized huge swathes of Venus while the Homebuilders were engaged in stopping the Dark Legion. This is something that Bauhaus cannot forgive. The Elected Dukes regard it as a stab in the back and a blow against humanity. However, business has to be done, and while the legion threatens, there is very little Bauhaus can do to reclaim the lost lands. For the moment, conflict is mostly contained to brushfire wars where Mishima and Bauhaus domains border. The Mishima habit of stealing new product design infuriates the Elector Dukes. Since Bauhaus is known to produce the best products, they are a primary target for Mishima intelligence agencies. Mishiman spies are very harshly dealt with by the Homebuilders.
The popular image of Mishima held by the average Homebuilder is of a shifty mob of unskilled laborers and peasants oppressed by a deadly, devious and thoroughly unscrupulous warrior aristocracy. Mishima society is believed to be riddled with heresy and conspiracy. The Ministry of Truth represents the Mishimans as having no respect for human life or for normal standards of decency and honor. The samurai are respected for the insane bravery, but this is just about the only good thing any Homebuilder will say about Mishima.
The Brotherhood
Bauhaus is the most devout of all the megacorporations. The Homebuilders and the devotees of the Cardinal have strong, historic links. In the earliest days of The Brotherhood it was Bauhaus which first stood beside Cardinal Nathaniel. Indeed, the first four Cardinals were all drawn from Bauhaus's ranks.
To this day, the Ministry of Faith and the Ministry of Knowledge work closely with The Brotherhood to see that all citizens are indoctrinated in the one true faith. The Oath of Allegiance system means that The Brotherhood trusts the rulers of Bauhaus more than those of any other megacorporation. Even the most cynical Inquisitor can see that most of the Homebuilders are genuine believers.
The only real fly in the appointment is Cybertronic. The Brotherhood would like Bauhaus to move against these heretics swiftly. The Elector Dukes have so far, quite truthfully, been able to point out that most of their resources are tied up fighting the Dark Legion. Still, they realize that the day will come when this conflict will have to be resolved.
Cybertronic
Like all the megacorporations, Bauhaus has, in a relatively short space of time, come to rely on Cybertronic as a source of high-tech parts that it cannot make itself. Bauhaus's commitment to the highest possible quality makes access to these components vital. There is a real interdependence here, for Cybertronic needs the Homebuilders to remain at least neutral if they are to have any chance of survival. They know Bauhaus has the armed might to crush Cybertronic. Its army is massive, and its generals are more than competent. If Bauhaus chose to side with Imperial and the Brotherhood against Cybertronic, in all likelihood, the smallest megacorporation's days would be numbered. Fortunately for Cybertronic, there are several factors which restrain Bauhaus from doing this.
The first is that many of Cybertronic's personnel were drawn directly from the upper echelons of Bauhaus society. There are still ties of blood and honor, between the two corporations. It is almost unthinkable that the Bauhaus nobility would launch an unprovoked attack against their kin.
Secondly, most of the people who went over to Cybertronic were among the best and brightest at Bauhaus. There is a faction of the Bauhaus nobility who would consider it an honor to go to work for Cybertronic. There is an element of admiration in the Elector Duke's treatment of Cybertronic. They admire the way the megacorporation snatched these people from under their noses.
Thirdly, there is an element of fear. The Elector Dukes are not certain how Cybertronic managed to win over some of the most thoroughly indoctrinated people in the human worlds, and they worry that it might happen again. This would be something that Bauhaus can ill afford at this moment, faced as it is with the terrible threat of the Dark Legion.
The issue of Cybertronic is one of the few areas where the Ministry of Truth is at odds with the Brotherhood. While the Brotherhood secretly claims the Cybertronic is a sixth manifestation of the Darkness, the Ministry of truth chooses to pay this down. It prefers to portray Cybertronic as insignificant and no threat to the Homebuilders, and it calls for the Corporation to get on with fighting its proven enemies. As long as Cybertronic launchers no large-scale attacks on the Brotherhood or the domains, Bauhaus will continue to be neutral. This has been made clear to Cybertronic through Cartel channels.
The Cartel
The Elector Dukes regard the Cartel as a sideshow and quite possibly a Capitolian tool. They have made a strong commitment to the military side of the Cartel, most notably the doom trooper program, because this is where they can see desirable results. In all other respects, the Homebuilders prefer to ignore the Cartel. The Elector Dukes use the Cartel as a proving ground for their diplomats, and sometimes, as a cushy job for the less competent members of the aristocracy.
The Dark Legion
The Homebuilders hate the Dark Legion, with the burning hatred that only real fear can inspire. Because of their military service, many Homebuilders have seen the Dark Legion up close, and they know what terrible foes the minions of the Dark Apostles are. The presence of the Dark Legion of Venus has done more to shape Bauhaus society than any other factor. It has made the Ministry of Light strong and resulted in the constant witch-hunts for mutants and heretics. This oppression has provided fertile soil for anarchist recruitment. It has inspired the rise of the apocalyptic cults, and it has given every Homebuilder reason to dread the future. No one really knows how strong the Dark Legion is, and all fear that the worst is yet to come.
Bauhaus has suffered most at the hands of the Dark Legion. It has lost lands and power and money. The Elector Dukes believe, with some degree of correctness, that if it wasn't for the Dark Legion, Bauhaus would be the preeminent megacorporation. After all, Venus is potentially the richest of all worlds, and Bauhaus has the armies and the industrial muscle to at least match any of the other megacorporations. Unfortunately, all this power is tied up in fighting the Dark Legion.
And yet, though no Homebuilder would admit it, the Dark Legion has done Bauhaus one immense service. The other megacorporations can see that Bauhaus is locked in a death struggle with the Darkness. Each corporation knows that Bauhaus is the least likely of all the megacorporations to threaten them, and they do not feel as threatened as they otherwise might buy the incredible power that the Elector Dukes wield. In the past, the other corporations have allied to prevent Bauhaus gaining ascendancy. While the Dark Legion is present, this is never likely to happen again. Instead, megacorporations like Imperial and Mishima take advantage of the Homebuilder's military commitment to snatch lands and production centers, whenever the opportunity arises.
This topic is detailed in the document Mutant Chronicles – Factions within Factions.
Bauhaus nobility consists of four Elector Houses, ten Great Houses and almost three thousand Noble Houses. Politically there are the Council of Electors and four Supreme Ministries (each of which controls three or more Ministries).
Many members of Bauhaus are associated with some of the Professional Orders (of which there are many hundreds) and whispers are heard regarding some of the Secret Orders.
There are many elite military units; some are under the command of different Bauhaus Ministries, while others are under the control of their patron Noble House.
Imperial is unique among the megacorporations in that it is more of a conglomerate than a corporation. Each of the individual clans is like a smaller freelance corporation in its own right, but together with its fellows makes up arguably the strongest of the megacorporations. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds and bring a diverse range of talents and abilities to the Parliament.
Imperial is soundly based on the fact that each member clan has agreed to abide by the will of the majority of the clans as determined by the Parliament. This is the cornerstone of the Imperial's might. Without it, they would simply be a loose collection of has-beens and also-rans.
Although the Imperial clans have their individual thumbs in just about every pie in the system economy, as a collective they work together to promote the general good of the megacorporation. This mostly involves handling relations with the other megacorporations, managing the monolithic Imperial bureaucracy, fending off the advances of the Dark Legion and opening and improving new areas of expansion both physically and economically. This last bit is what distinguishes Imperial from its fellow megacorporations, particularly in the way that they go about it.
Since the times of the first Serenity, Imperial has openly held the policy that armed conquest is a legitimate means of acquiring properties and opening markets. As you might imagine, this has caused them quite a bit of trouble with the other megacorporations. So much so, in fact, that rumor has it that the Cartel was founded not only to coordinate the battle against the Dark Legion but also to give the other megacorporations a venue to air their grievances with Imperial.
Imperial is fairly unprejudiced in their armed acquisitions, they'll take from anyone. Their close affiliation with The Brotherhood has made it easier for them of late, however. Imperial shares The Brotherhood's declared view that Cybertronic is a new manifestation of the Great Darkness, possibly in the form of a sixth Dark Apostle. Many properties have been attacked and subsumed by Imperial in the name of rooting out Cybertronic's infernal presence.
The Imperial military has even used this excuse to attack holdings of the other megacorporations, claiming that they had been secretly infiltrated by Cybertronic agents. Sometimes this is even true, but more often it is not. The fact that this is so is probably one of the worst kept secrets in the entire system.
The one thing that keeps the Imperial economy going, besides their efforts to constantly expand their empire, is its thriving military industries. This ties in nicely with its policy of armed acquisition. Since the Imperial military is in regular need of more and better ordinance and the means of delivering it to the enemy, this adds up to a steady demand for the military industries to fulfill.
In this vicious circle, the stated need for a growing economy creates a need for colonial expansion. This in turn causes a need for the machines of war. The only real drawback is that, in order for this scheme to work, Imperial needs to be in an almost constant state of war. Otherwise, there is no demand for the military industries' products, and the whole economy collapses. It's theoretically possible to switch over to a peacetime economy, but since there is no lack of foes to do battle with, why risk it?
Heritage
All members of Imperial, from the youngest newborn child to the oldest, most decrepit sage, must call a clan their own. Their birthright says more about them then anything else, at least from the Imperial point of view.
Capitol, Bauhaus and Mishima
Because of the aggressive policy of the United Imperial Corporation, its relations towards the other corporations could definitely be better. This is compensated by an open-minded and generous economic call policy. If, for example, Imperial captures a Capitol refinery, it will most probably sell the refined products for a lower price than Capitol did when it ran the refinery. Not popular with Capitol, but it helps save face with the other corporations.
The Brotherhood
Like Bauhaus, Imperial has a very strong connection with the Brotherhood and these two corporations supply the four directorates with by far the most disciples. Wherever you look in the Imperial bureaucracy, you'll find an advisor ready to make comments or corrections to corporate decisions.
Cybertronic
Like the Brotherhood, the nobles of Imperial openly claim that Cybertronic are messengers and disciples of the Dark Legion, under influence of an invisible pattern of the Dark Symmetry. The conviction varies from blind fanaticism to mild dislike. In remote areas on all planets, there's an open, constant war going on. Cybertronic holdings are even given higher priority than those of the Legion, since the latter give no profit. Also, Cybertronic provides the perfect excuse to attack and conquer settlements of other megacorporations as well.
The Cartel
Imperial is represented in the Cartel High Council by a prominent member of the Serene family, usually the contender for the position of Serenity. The one problem is that the representative can only act with authority from the Parliament, in which he is not a part. Also, the Serene family's interests don't always correspond with the Parliament. Bauhaus and Imperial are the two factions whose opinions are the most similar with the Cartel. The only area where they differ drastically is concerning Cybertronic, Bauhaus' main business partner and Imperial's main adversary.
Freelancers
Imperial is not above going after smaller freelance companies either. Most of the time, these groups are too small to offer any real resistance, so the Parliament or one more of the clans will simply offer to buy the desired property out at a more than fair market price. Rumor has it that, in the past, the ISC has been employed to persuade reluctant owners to part with their belongings, but no one has been able to prove any sort of action like this since the Yard uncovered the Arnold Affair.
The Dark Legion
Imperial is the megacorporation that takes the threat from the Legions of Darkness most seriously. This is partly because of the damage the darkness has caused to Imperial's infrastructure. Again and again the Legions have washed over settlements and industrial sites belonging to Imperial. This has resulted in Imperial backing the Brotherhood to a greater extent and the founding of several military units devoted to the destruction of the Legions of Darkness, such as the Blood Berets and the Highlander Clan Warriors.
This topic is detailed in the document Mutant Chronicles – Factions within Factions.
Imperial consists of almost one hundred clans, of which about twenty are particularly well known. The bulk of political power rests in three clans, which have repeatedly and violently clashed with each other in the past. Imperial probably has the most internal conflict of all the megacorporations.
Imperial has a large number of different Special Forces, some of which are dedicated to a clan, others that are dedicated to the whole of Imperial. Imperial also has a very large and active intelligence service, the ISC, which is kept busy controlling the different clans of Imperial and monitoring the other megacorporations.
The following reading provides more information on Imperial:
· Imperial History – pages 9 to 12 of the Imperial book.
The Mishima Corporation has since it’s founding been a family company, administered and ruled by the Mishima dynasty.
At the top as chairman and president had been the Overlord, usually the family head. But eventually the corporation expanded far beyond what one person could effectively control, which forced the overlord to split the empire into three separate divisions, each headed by one prominent family member, the Lord Heirs.
Now, there is open rivalry between the three Lord Heirs, manifesting itself in hostile takeovers, assassinations, broken promises and everything short of open war. The Overlord Mishima himself is but a crippled shadow of his ancestors, without any real power but still in position as the corporation’s figurehead.
Family
To a great extent family is what keeps the Mishima society together. You must never, ever, give your family a bad name, and you are supposed to follow in your family’s footsteps and preferably also improve your name’s reputation.
Tradition
“It has also been like this and it always will be. It has always worked, and those in opposition have quickly come to regret it”.
Loyalty
Mishima employees are born into the organization, and from their first day they are taken care of – for free. And from the first day of his life, the Mishima subordinate is taught that he has the organization to thank for everything. Everything is only borrowed, and the organization has a right to collect on the loan – at any time.
Glory
The Corporation remembers sacrifices. For example, soldier’s salaries are low, but survivor’s pensions are generous. Every day, memorials are held for those who died in service of the corporation, and they are honored above all others.
The third Overlord Mishima, Taro, had a saying, "What can't be achieved with violence is not worth fighting for", and this reflects Mishima relations to its competitors rather well. When a Mishima businessman has decided to achieve something, no means a sacred.
The Brotherhood
Mishima’s relationship to the Brotherhood can be described as tense, to say the least. Mishima has allowed the Brotherhood full access to their organization and Observers from the Brotherhood can be found at all levels of management.
This is not to say that they have insight into Mishima. The proud officials at Mishima can at any time throw Observers out, keep them imprisoned or even execute them. Due apologies will be offered to the Brotherhood, but Mishima's secrets will be safe. This is extremely frustrating for the Cardinal and the Brotherhood, who have no idea how to approach this problem. For now an uneasy peace rests between the Brotherhood and Mishima.
Normally, the Mishima man feels a stronger allegiance to the corporation and his leige, his closest boss, than to the Brotherhood. But winds are changing and the Inquisitors are gaining more and more influence over the common man, mainly due to the growing threat from the darkness.
All this is not seen with much approval by the aristocracy, but as long as the other corporations are strong supporters of Brotherhood, Mishima will keep the proper face forward. But Longshore is still one of the few places where an Inquisitor can fear to be defied, and the higher Lords of Mishima are the only ones who can openly defy them without fear of retaliation.
The Cartel
Mishima’s representative in the Cartel High Council is no one less than the Overlord himself, which should, on paper, guaranteed a strong position.
However, not even the representatives of the other corporations respect the Overlord. The Overlord is a marionette without real power, and if the corporation wants to bargain with Mishima or put in a formal protest, they presented it to Lord Moya.
The Dark Legion
Mishima has so far been spared the massive armed onslaughts of the Dark Legion, for better and for worse. The greatest threat has come from within, from heretics and messengers, and the workings of the Dark Symmetry have time and again sowed spite and malice among the population. On the few occasions that Mishima forces have crossed swords with legionnaires, necromutants or even nepharites, they have been badly beaten and sometimes even forced to request assistance from Capitol.
This topic is detailed in the document Mutant Chronicles – Factions within Factions.
Mishima has four main political factions: the Overlord, Lord Heir Moya, Lord Heir Maru and Lord Heiress Mariko. Mishima also contains several other prominent factions that operate in different spheres of influences, making the most of the feuding political factions – including major players in the fields of organized crime, mercenary units, secret cults and terrorist groups.
All megacorporation societies have been multi-cultural for a very long time, so players should try to avoid thinking of Mishima solely as “Asian”. Even though it does incorporate at lot of Asian elements, it also incorporates other non-Asian elements that fit within the ideology and mindset described previously.
The Mishima Currency crises saw a rapid devaluation of the Mishima currency. Prior to this crisis rapid economic growth had seen the megacorporation rated as the second largest (after Capitol). Mishima is now rated equal third along side Imperial, with markets anticipating a further decline at some point in the future.
The Cartel claims that the currency crisis was triggered when foreign investments by other megacorporations were withdrawn en-mass, due to poor investment returns resulting from the feuding between the rival Lord Heirs.
Mishima claims that the devaluation was caused by the profiteering of currency speculators. Given that the lost market value shifted primarily to Capitol, Cybertronic and Bauhaus this claim has received the support of both Imperial and The Brotherhood – who choose to single out Cybertronic.
The founding of Cybertronic was a sudden, massive takeover of corporate assets by a small, insignificant holding company. In the course of only hours, hundreds of billions of crowns changed hands and suddenly a new megacorporation had taken shape, the fifth in size.
But this was only the beginning, when the new corporation had formed its boards of directors, management groups, and marketing agencies; a rush of knowledge to the new organization began. From everywhere, from all corporations, experts of all fields broke with their traditions, quit their jobs and joined Cybertronic along with their families. In only two years, the populace of Cybertronic had increased to match its competitors.
Cybertronic products are extremely advanced and incorporate the newest breakthroughs in miniaturization technology and bioelectronics. The designs use ceramics, plastic and special super alloys as base materials giving them superior performance compared to other products within the same field. Many advanced Cybertronic products resemble the type of super science gadgets see in fictional spy movies.
The most striking thing about Cybertronic is the Chasseurs - a fusion of robots and normal men. Appearing on the battlefields as mechanically enhanced humans, their functions weren't unique, but their combat enhancement equipment was integrated with their bodies and linked to the neural system in such a way that they actually became normal parts of their bodies.
Ever since the founding, the scientists and managers of the other megacorporations have struggled to understand the underlying power behind the Cybertronic business group. There are multiple theories, some official, some unofficial, some very provable and trustworthy, others pure speculation. But no matter which one you accept the fact remains - Cybertronic scientists possess knowledge that their colleagues don't, and this has a strong influence on all the employees.
All these things that make Cybertronic so unique - their sudden appearance in the world of high finance, their ability to recruit the intellectual elite of the other corporations, their astonishing technological breakthroughs - puzzle the rest of the megacorporations. There are only a lot of theories to explain what is called the "Cybertronic Phenomenon".
Career Perfection
All Cybertronic employees have a desire to the best in their field, after all Cybertronic only hires the best. Those that are hired want the job for the career opportunities it provides, not to satisfy their ego or receive material gratification.
Loyalty
All Cybertronic employees seem fanatically loyal to the megacorporation, and to their individual departments especially. It seems strange that they lacked a similar loyalty to their previous employers.
Fit the Profile
Cybertronic is able to use their highly successful intelligence operation to locate candidates, rather then having people “apply” to join. They can also do an excellent job of psychologically screening people before admitting them into the company. This results in fewer recruitment mistakes for Cybertronics cleaners to erase.
Success and Failure
Success is always rewarded accordingly and usually in a highly visible manner. Failures are corrected with the same efficiency; both in terms of a remedy for the immediate issue and prevention to ensure the failure will not be repeated.
VACS or TIFFS
VACS are the drones of the company, the rank and file that do all the general labor that doesn’t require a lot of creativity or insight, which they do very well. Their lives are usually far from exciting, they seem like brainless cogs with little to ever think about then their specific job. VACS always have incredibly low charisma and never have any style feats.
TIFFS are the top guns of Cybertronic; the employees that really make the megacorporation shine. Cybertronic has a lot of faith in human ingenuity, and they prize their top people above all else, pretty much in charge of their own projects that they work on.
Capitol
The average Capitolian has no special prejudice or preferences concerning Cybertronic. They are like any other business partner. The business relations between Capitol and Cybertronic are healthy and prosperous, they have not suffered notably from either infiltrators or traitors, and as long as Cybertronic doesn't mess with Capitol, Capitol doesn't mess with them. Cybertronic controls large business, production and entertainment districts in San Dorado, Capitols capital on Mars.
If anything negative can be pointed out in the relations between Capitol and Cybertronic, it is the drastic difference between the corporation's view on the individual. Most Capitolians have difficulty coping with the elitist attitude of Cybertronics, but business is good...
Bauhaus
Bauhaus is the corporation that has suffered most from Cybertronic recruitment. A large amount of officers have deserted the corporation, and become devoted Cybertronic employees, showing even more loyalty to their new masters than they formally had to Bauhaus. One would think the Bauhaus would react negatively, but instead they only show respect and admiration for those who have managed to lure their elite away from their origins. Within the minds of many Bauhaus officials rests the dream of being recruited to Cybertronic, the elite, the ultimate proof of success.
Most of the "traitors" from Bauhaus are men who have received high positions within the military structure, Cybercurity, where they currently make up a large part of the body of generals, marshals and strategists. This is apparent in Cybertronic's military tactics. It is very similar to Bauhaus', but modified to work on the small special units of Imperial style.
Other fields of influence from Bauhaus are engineering craft and heavy industry. Top engineers have been recruited to design the most advanced equipment available, not always the best, but the most optimized and cost-efficient goods. Bauhaus has adopted much of the available Cybertronic technology, gaining at least something from their lost intellectual elite.
On both Mars and Mercury, Bauhaus troops have been seen fighting side-by-side with Cybercurity forces, and only on a handful of occasions have they fought each other, primarily on Venus. Every single time, the Bauhaus generals have easily beaten their former brothers-in-arms by anticipating their moves. And therefore, Cybertronic has learned their lesson and nowadays avoids conflicts with Bauhaus. Conversely, in the eyes of Bauhaus officer, it is almost unthinkable to even discuss an unprovoked attack on a former colleague and orderly brother.
Bauhaus subcontractors are Cybertronic's largest market, and Bauhaus is Cybertronic's next largest supplier of refined crude material, provisions and services. Bauhaus has made substantial investments in Cybertronic while they are still relatively small, their stockbrokers hoping to make a really good deal as the Cybertronic business group expands. Almost one-third of Cybertronic subdivisions and retailers are at least 49% Bauhaus controlled.
Imperial
Imperial sticks openly to The Brotherhood's unofficial doctrine, that all Cybertronics and all their work are linked to the Dark Legion. This doesn't mean open war, but it means they have no diplomatic communication whatsoever, no business and no joint-venture settlements. On the contrary, Cybertronic-controlled settlements, or remote complexes in general, are "allowed targets" to all military forces, especially Imperial's. This excuse is very frequently used, no matter if it is true or not, it's a good excuse when conquering Capitol settlements as well...
In urban civilized areas, the war is limited to terrorist actions carried out by freelancers; Imperial wouldn't risk their own personnel in these actions. Instead, they engage street-gangs and criminals to place bombs, assassinate, and sabotage. The reply from Cybertronic is exactly the same, which has led to extreme security precautions in the corporations' official buildings. These attacks are, if not organized, at least supported by the ISC and the Bartholomew clan in particular.
But as in all other areas where money is involved, greed and profit often stands before personal conviction. And even in Fukido, Imperial's capital on Mercury, Cybertronic has companies and offices. These "bunkers" are among the most heavily fortified buildings ever built.
Mishima
The relations between Mishima and Cybertronic are very similar to those between Capitol and Cybertronic, secular and open-minded, but Mishima's trading connections aren't at all as extensive. In trade for the unique Cybertronic technology, necessary in many of Mishima's electronic products, Mishima provides them with provisions, raw material and services. In general, the Mishima management sticks to the Brotherhood's official explanation of the "Cybertronic phenomenon".
All this is true for the Venus and Mars branches of Mishima, while the Mercury branch, with Lord Heir Moya on top, refuses to have anything to do with Cybertronic. No business, no neighboring settlements, no military cooperation. It doesn't go to the same dimensions as Imperial; they simply ignore Cybertronic. Cybertronic technology is purchased through Lord Heiress Mariko's and Lord Heir Maru's channels.
The Brotherhood
Cybertronic's donations to The Brotherhood are purely symbolic and not at all in relation to its true wealth. Cathedrals corrected inside Cybertronic districts stand empty and desolate. Bans and threats of excommunication from the Curia are ignored, preachers and even inquisitors talk to deaf ears when painting the scenes of the death and destruction at the hands of the Dark Legions.
Changellors and Seers talk of mysterious, inexplicable visions when using the Art to explore the minds of the Cybertronic - they are sold undefiled it is too good tto be true. No one has ever found even a trace of the Dark Symmetry or other evils in Cybertronic employees. Why would they support the Brotherhood when no fear of the Dark Symmetry haunts them?
The Brotherhood is a strong ally of the other corporations, and this is the reason Cybertronic maintains any contact at all. The Cardinal does have limited influence on the Cybertronic management in this regard, exerting influence indirectly through the other megacorporations.
The Brotherhood's official explanation of the Cybertronic phenomena is that nothing special has actually occurred. At the time of the founding the other megacorporations made lots of serious mistakes - which they won't admit - that opened the door for a fifth competitor. Attracted by the possibility to work with the very best experts, professionals and scientists from all over the solar system joined the ranks of Cybertronic. There's no proof whatsoever of any difference among the Cybertronics, neither physically nor mentally, from anyone else, which rules out Dark Symmetry influence.
The unofficial thought, eagerly supported by a majority of the Brotherhood and Imperial, is that this is the first sign of a new pattern in the Dark Symmetry, so far invisible to mankind, but slowly expanding and growing like a cancer into human society. One Cybertronic's objective to dominate the entire solar system has been reached; the pattern will transform and show its real, horrible face.
The Cartel
The Cartel hasn't been able to do very much about Cybertronic, nor have they tried. As long as they pay their share of the Cartel's expenses, it can't dictate any restrictions although Imperial, the Brotherhood and Mishima have all filed complaints.
However, a large section of External Investigation personnel is busy tracking down and untangling the impenetrable web that is supposed to be Cybertronic's corporate structure. In some cases, up five hundred links of ownership had been investigated before finally being able to trace the ownership to Cybertronic. And since the holding companies might change owners and names by the week, one can understand the difficulty of mapping the Cybertronic corporate empire.
This topic is detailed in the document Mutant Chronicles – Factions within Factions.
For a long time Cybertronic has operated as one cohesive organization, with internal infighting completely unheard of. It is known however that there are highly specialized groups within Cybertronic, each with a distinct area of authority and responsibility. How they operate together to achieve the corporation’s unpublicized agenda is something known only to the as yet unidentified leaders of this megacorporation.
Is Cybertronic another manifestation of the Dark Legion? Brotherhood and Imperial certainly think so, but they are unable to find the truth. In the Mutant Chronicles sourcebooks the question is left open, with the Game Master being left to make the ultimate decision.
Obviously it should not be as simple as a yes or no answer. Having the Cybertronic Corporation completely under control of the Dark Legion is pretty boring, as is having them completely free of the Dark Legion’s influence. Obviously the answer is somewhere between the two extremes and should it should never be uncovered in complete and accurate detail during the game.
Solving the “Cybertronic Phenomenon” becomes a matter of uncovering literally hundreds of small clues and slowly piecing them together. Putting together even some of the pieces is a major achievement the players should be very proud of. As the game progresses the questions should become more refined and narrower in scope, occasionally going back to readdress old information in light of recent clues:
Does the Dark Legion exert any influence on Cybertronic? If they did surely it would have to be through the leaders of Cybertronic, but who are they? Why did the leaders create Cybertronic? Why do they operate the way they do and what are they trying to achieve? Do the leaders even realize they are assisting the Dark Legion? If so, are they doing it willingly or are they being forced? Are they in turn hoping to circumvent the Dark Legion’s influence to achieve their own agenda? Are there other goals in place that happen to assist or oppose any influence the Dark Legion may have? If the influence is not through Cybertronics leaders, then where is it focused and how does it exert its influence? Are Cybertronic’s leaders aware of this influence and working to oppose it? Are there multiple external influences on Cybertronic, each trying to wrest ultimate control of the organization? If so what are they, how do they function, what is their ultimate aim and how do they ensure Cybertronic continues to function without internal rivalry undoing the gains made so far? Are these external influences aware of each other, and if so in how much detail? Are they prepared to start setting each other up to take the fall against any investigations or raids by other factions? Are some of these influences smokescreens and red herrings to divert attention away from what is really going on? Who inside the highly specialized divisions of Cybertronic knows what is going on, how much do they know, and how much of what they think they know is actually true? Is the Dark Legion’s influence on Cybertronic, less then their influence on the other megacorporations, or The Brotherhood?
The following reading provides more information on Cybertronic; some of it may even be true:
· Theories on the Cybertronic phenomenon – pages 75 to 78 of the Main book.
· The Founding of Cybertronic – pages 4 to 9 of the Cybertronic book.
· More notes on External Relations – pages 28 to 34 of the Cybertronic book.
· Speculation into Cybertronic’s operations – pages 37 to 41 of the Cybertronic book.
· How to get hired by Cybertronic – page 48 of the Cybertronic book.
A small number of operatives with either obvious or subtle Cybertronic enhancements are coming onto the scene as freelancers. Statements about their departure from Cybertronic vary, with common versions including “I don’t remember a thing, it’s all just blank”, “The mindwipe didn’t take, memories of who I was and what I’d done kept surfacing”, “I decided to leave” and “What’s it to you?” among others. Uncovering the truth behind these claims is becoming an additional task for their new freelancer allies; while the Inquisition is actively trying to take apprehend at least one still alive to take into custody for “questioning”.
In order to have a forum where the megacorporations could discuss their differences on a purely diplomatic level without having to resort to hostile activities, the Cartel was created.
Made up of five delegations, one from each of the megacorporations, the Cartel has become one of the major powers in the system. Each delegation consists of thousands of diplomats, administrators and corporate officials.
Originally created to facilitate cooperation between the megacorporations, with the appearance of the Dark Legion the Cartel has been given a more aggressive role and extended the authority to battle the new evil.
The Cartel carries out a considerable amount of internal investigations to stop infiltrators from the Dark Legion. Operations that are so secret not even the corporate managers have any idea of what’s going on within the Cartel.
In this complex web of secret operations there have evolved groups within the Cartel operating totally without direction or interference from higher officials and towards their own obscure ends. They use their powers and connections to promote illegal operations such as drugs and weapon smuggling, assassinations and supplying secret information. Some of these have gone so far as to make contact with the Dark Legion and the heretic cults, for reasons no one knows.
Capitol
The original instigators of the Cartel, Capitol is still its primary benefactor and supporter, the one that is most interested in its existence. It tries to abide by the regulations of the High Council, and actively enforces the regulations even within the other corporations' areas of jurisdiction.
Imperial
Imperial also spends time and effort keeping the Cartel a functioning institute. Its representative in the High Council is a prominent member of the Serene family, but he's more of a messenger and spokesman than a negotiator. It is difficult to make deals with Imperial through the Cartel channels, since all prominent clans of Imperial want to have their say before any decisions are made.
Along with Bauhaus, Imperial provides a sort of counterweight against Capitol.
Bauhaus
The Bauhaus management is not particularly impressed with the work of the Cartel, and they don't try to do very much about it. Instead, they use the Cartel administration as a "bureaucratic-kennel", where advisers, diplomats and executives are trained in diplomacy. They have the same problem as Imperial when it comes to decision-making.
Mishima
Mishima's work in the Cartel is a sad chapter. Headed by the Overlord Mishima and consisting of representatives of his son and competitor, Lord Herr Moya, the Mishima delegation is totally disrupted. They have a strong position in the Security Council, since the overlord has no influence there, but in the High Council their hands are tied. Notes and suggestions given to the Overlord are pointless and only a play for the gallery.
Cybertronic
Either feared, hated or at the best merely avoided, the Cybertronic delegation has a hard time in the Cartel. They don't have very much influence except for the decisive decisions in the High Council, but that is enough. When Cybertronic really wants to drive something through the Cartel, they often use the Bauhaus channels instead.
The Brotherhood
The Brotherhood have representatives - observers - everywhere within the Cartel organisation, just supervising, noting, and reporting. These men are often feared and respected administrators, and even though they don't have any legislated power, most people do what they say.
Freelancers
The Freelancing Independent Corporations' Committee is a small, yet important part of the Cartel, handling legal matters. If not for FLIC, the Cartel wouldn't have any jurisdiction over the freelancers.
Physically, the FLIC consists of a couple of hundred negotiators officially appointed by various freelancing corporations, but in reality they are more or less marionettes of the megacorporations. The FLIC is advised before any major system-wide restrictions are imposed, but they really turn anything down or come up with suggestions. The fact that they exist and have a right to speak prescribed by law means that the Cartel's decisions are valid for all citizens of the solar system and that Cartel officials have authority everywhere.