"History - Past, Present, Future" by Adam Stevens

Mankind rose from the disorder and anarchic ways of the twenty-first century, and following a brief, but brutal war between European nations, entered a golden age of discovery and co-operation, culminating in the colonisation of several worlds beyond our solar system. This period of relative peace and tranquillity was to be shattered at the beginning of the thirty-ninth century heralding the beginning of the end. The start of the Collapse. It is unknown exactly what happened, but what is certain is that war ravaged many of the worlds that had been colonised. Almost all of these worlds were reduced to barren wastelands by forbidden weapons, the few unlucky survivors trying to survive in almost primal conditions, most of the necessary survival skills long forgotten in mankind’s life of luxury dependant on technology. Earth was only spared by the nuclear failsafes put in place by the ruling Houses – the leaders of the major continents and nations of the world. As the discontent spread with the war across known space, scientists sought new means and methods of defeating the enemy, some turning to the forbidden grounds of tampering with human genetics. It was here that the ultimate collapse of human civilisation would occur. The attempt to create super-human warriors lead to the enhancement and splicing of human and animal genetic material in a retrovirus that re-engineered the subject’s body. To all intents and purposes, the experiment was successful in every way. Apart from one. The first test subject did not bend to their will as they believed, and instead he broke free, accidentally unleashing the Loki virus which rapidly mutated and became airborne. Chaos ensued as all attempts to catch him failed. As society devolved into riots and skirmishes, law and order broke down; the authorities turning to increasingly brutal methods of control as humanity entered a new Dark Age. Both the virus and escapee were lost in the darkness, and no one cared as mankind destroyed itself internally. In these dark times, it is estimated that over ninety-two percent of the world’s vast population was killed, biological and chemical weapons killing as many as the riots and civil disorder. Several centuries later and mankind is on the rise again, the past has become myth, and only the survival of man is important.

As for the colonies of mankind, all contact was lost with them. Many were destroyed in the raging wars, and a few were unaccounted for. As such, there is a chance that man still walks among the stars. Whether or not he will regain his past glory is unknown, but it is hoped by many that the colonies will return to Earth and restore the Empire of Man.

Following the destruction of all that was once known, mankind clings to existence in small tribes and nomadic groups. Few larger settlements exist, and are often farming communities or small towns. Warlords and self-proclaimed kings battle for control of resources and the few remaining industrially viable cities. These cities are filthy places comparable to those at the height of the industrial revolution before the Collapse. It is here that the weapons of war are made and sold to any who has sufficient in the way valuable of raw materials to afford them. Somehow, amongst the squalor of these stinking, sulphur-filled pits, humanity has managed to regain a level of technology equal to that of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. These place are vast fortress cities covered in a perpetual smog, where the common man lives in the gutter in rags, whilst those in power live in luxury. Clean air is the currency here, and many die before the age of twenty.

In other places lie large castles of a medieval kind, defended by modern weapons and even in some rare cases, aircraft. In most places, religion is rife, and mutation is hunted out and destroyed zealously, the unlucky ones going into slavery. In many societies, a feudal state of affairs governs the every day lives of the populous, technology reserved for the nobles, and upper classes.

Around the world are many various factions and squabbling warlords. From belligerent farmers fiercely defending their borders from incursions to Lords and Ladies in vast, imposing forts, fighting for territory and prestige, a true cross section of human life can be found. Many warlords and rogue bands roam the countryside offering services or terrorising communities for food and other resources. Many of these have access to basic weapons such as guns, or at the very least, crossbows allowing them to pressure those not as well equipped. Small empires exist within human territory; the borders changing regularly as various groups fight their petty squabbles at the expense of the peasants and workers. Life is cheap, and many are squandered uselessly in battle and in the vast industrial cities. Where the mutation of those beings known as morphs of furs are found (often called witches, mutants and other less savoury names as well), those communities unable to capture or kill them on their own will call for external help in the form of Bounty Hunters or Fur Hunters. These undesirables are often ex-soldiers who have left active duty for any number of reasons, and are often very experienced at catching and killing these creatures. They are often found displaying grizzly trophies, including the furs and skulls of those they have killed. Some settlements will even pay for the pelts of these beings, and will use them as rugs and various other decorations and items. The wealthy areas that require more workers will often catch them for slave labour and entertainment such as exotic dancers, gladiators and worse. Those in such a position often wish they were dead.

The fur hunters, despite their skill at deceiving their prey, often find single morphs or small groups, which are easily overcome by weight of numbers and surprise. Rarely do they encounter a trained morph that can put up much of a fight, but when they do, they are made to regret choosing that line of work in the most unpleasant manner possible.

Despite all these disparate groups and squabbling warlords, there is one group that seems to be rising to prominence within human circles. Remnants of the Old Earth Government have returned from their underground bunkers and have set about restoring human co-operation with an iron fist. They possess superior technology, and training, and pose a real threat to the morphs trying desperately to survive.

While this generally varies from group to group, country to country, one thing remains consistent – the belief in the superiority of man, and the renunciation of mutation and alleged witchcraft. As such, many have been unjustly killed for little or no reason as suspicious neighbours accuse each other, pointless and unfair tests being visited on the hapless victims. Despite this, mutation and witchcraft do exist. Mutation can be in any form, often manifesting at birth. Those afflicted are slain without a second thought, the preservation of the ‘purity of man’ paramount. These mutations are as a direct result of the weapons unleashed during the Collapse. The other form of mutation is that caused by the Loki virus, and for which many have been destroyed before they even become aware of what has happened to them. Witchcraft is evolution in evidence. Many humans develop psionic powers during their life, often during times of major stress and which are often brutally suppressed in denial and an attempt to hide from the zealous burnings of the preachers. Few reach a level of any significant power, but those that do are often highly capable and dangerous foes. The more powerful psykers that make it into the wealthier kingdoms will often find employment as advisors and warriors. These positions of trust are rare, and many psykers live in fear of their lives, often leading nomadic lives, or desperately trying to hide their powers.

In terms of technology, the humans that remain on Earth are incredibly varied. The technology level can range from crossbows, swords and black powder weapons in farming communities to psionic weapons, power technology (a disruptive field surrounding the blade of a weapon), the equivalent of twentieth century assault weapons, aircraft and tanks, even as far (in the case of the OEG) of battle mechs and plasma weaponry. However, such advanced weaponry is rare, with the most common being mid-to-late twentieth century technology. Aircraft are used often, but few are better than propeller powered. Slowly, as the OEG expands its territory, the most advanced weaponry is becoming available even to mercenary groups. As such, only the reactions and skills of the morphs from Sanctuary ensure their survival as the technological playing field is levelled. Such a varied technology base makes it difficult for communities to co-operate, one often conquering the other in a brutal arms race.

As mentioned earlier, humanity is evolving into a psionic race, despite the prejudice and intolerance of religion. As of yet, there are four broad categories of psyker that form the basis for the ancient legends of magic, but is entirely dependant upon the user’s willpower as opposed to any specific items providing the user with ability.

The first level requires the psyker to concentrate incredibly hard, often using ‘magical’ objects and incantations, which help to focus their innate powers. As such, their concentration only results in relatively small powers unless they are actually of a higher level than they appear, and may often a psyker in training. Most don’t even reach this level of skill, instead, having abilities that are so subtle as to be unnoticeable such as faster reactions, or light empathy for other beings. Regardless of the actual manifestation, this is still psionic in nature, and often the user doesn’t even realise, or often refuses to accept it.

Second level psykers require gestures and objects through which to channel their powers, often using incantations still despite the fact they don’t actually need it.

Third level psykers don’t need to speak at all, instead only using actions, or using psychically attuned weapons to focus and enhance their power.

Fourth level psykers require only thought with which to use their powers. They can manipulate awesomely powerful forces, and the only limit on their abilities is their own willpower, or another psyker. Despite this, most psykers of this level become arrogant and overconfident, and can fall prey to simple tricks through underestimating their opponent. They enjoy showing off, and will often put on a frightening display of power where only a simple lightening bolt or fireball is needed. Due to this, it is both the most powerful and dangerous time for a psyker, and they must be careful not to become complacent an underestimate their opponents. For those with access to more advanced technology, psykers can become almost unstoppable. Several pieces of wargear are available, and can make the difference between survival and defeat. The most common piece of equipment is the force weapon, but despite this is incredibly hard to obtain. A psychically attuned weapon of any sort, it’s structure laced with psi-conductive material which channels and focuses the user’s latent powers into a devastating attack on a par with power weapons. In addition, the adept is able to channel a blast of energy into their opponent through the weapon. On it’s own, these weapons work like any other, but when in the hands of a trained psionics expert, can unleash terrifying attacks. The second piece of equipment that a psyker may carry is called a psychic hood. This may take many forms dependent on where it is manufactured and for whom. In it’s most basic form, it covers part of the user’s head, and focuses their power, making it easier to manipulate. It also enhances their ability to nullify their enemy’s powers. Some of the more advanced ‘hoods’ cover the entire body, the psi-conductive material being woven into their clothing or armour. The effect of such pieces of equipment can be absolutely devastating even in the control of lower level psykers.

Finally, there are psicannons. These weapons fire specially created ammunition, and are often found in the hands of Demon Hunters, or Witch Hunters. Each round is artificially impregnated with a potent psionic charge that is highly damaging to Demons and psykers, the very energy that aids them, being the most damaging. These weapons are especially dangerous to Demons who lack any physical armour, the psi charge capable of nullifying any ethereal defences they may erect. These weapons are very rare and valuable, often being very ornate. However, it is not the weapon that makes them so useful, specifically, the ammunition. As such, they are highly sought after, and are the same to a Demon as Silver is to Vampires. Psicannons can fire conventional ammunition as well as their more specialised rounds, the users being incredible sparing in how much they use due to the rarity and utility of these powerful and rare pieces of wargear.

Prior to the Collapse, a genetic experiment was underway to create a new breed of soldier to end the war. The virus itself was based on a form of cancer that ate away at the bone marrow of the host. The resultant strain then proceeded to replace the marrow with a new version, which was a hybrid between a set creature and the human host. It was called Loki after the Norse God of deception. Depending on the strain of virus, the overall species combination could be one of three (vulpine, canine or feline) with the most compatible subspecies being selected for the host by the virus. The virus itself is unable to affect any host other than human, with only a twelve-percent chance of a successful genetic match. If a match is not found, then the virus moves on to its next victim. The virus is unable to directly affect an adult body, instead requiring a growing form with which to change. As such, early experiments resulted in the deaths of many adults through directly induced change; instead, scientists turned to the use of children, their still-growing bodies allowing the virus to change them. If it weren’t for the first morph escaping, there would be none today, and man would be alone on this planet. However, this was not to be, and with the escape of the first, the virus was unleashed on Earth’s inhabitants, stealing people’s lives and innocence, a burden that Whitemane must live with for the rest of his life. The virus does not affect just anyone, although it has been present in about eighty percent of humans at some stage. Only certain genetic patterns will allow the virus to attack the body and those who possess psionic powers no matter how small seemingly increase this chance. As a result, the majority of morphs have some kind of power but by no means all of them. The transformation itself is always incredibly painful and slow. Normally, the victim will continue changing up to two months after being infected, after which, the virus will leave the host. The changes have little in the way of consistency apart from the fact that the victim becomes totally unaware of their surroundings, often blacking out in pain. They all change at different rates and in different ways, but the end result is normally the same. When the virus finally leaves its host, the person has to adapt to their new life in order to survive. They must learn to accept and override their animal instincts, must learn to walk upright again (due to the genetic tampering, morphs are able to walk upright and on all fours just as easily) and some must also learn how to talk again. For some, they get on with their lives, and learn to survive, whilst others wallow in self-pity and eventually die. In this way, only the strong are left in a harsh Darwinian world. One last kind of morph remains. Some survive the changes, but become immersed in the instincts of their animal. These feral beasts lose almost all traces of their humanity, and become hulking savages, killing almost anything that they come across. It is from these creatures that the legends of the wolfen and other such monstrosities originate. Most cannot be retrieved from the darkness that engulfs their humanity, but some can be salvaged. Although rare, it is not unheard of; often friends or family triggering the recognition needed to bring them back.

Besides the humans and morphs that cover the Earth, there are other creatures that stalk the shadows. Some of these creatures are as old as time, others are more recent, resurrecting ancient myths. Although various beings exist, there are three that pose the greatest threat to humans and morphs alike.

Possibly the most common are the wolfen, twisted parodies of human and animal, and not just restricted to lupine forms, as feline, vulpine, and canine versions have been seen. These creatures are savage killers that have excellent senses, and little sense of emotion save for pain, and even that is barely existent. They fear nothing, and will carry on fighting regardless of their injuries. The only way guaranteed to stop them is to either shoot them in the head, or sever it from the neck. This is more difficult than it sounds, as the virus which created them, also enhanced their reactions. This, combined with massively increased strength, speed, stamina and raw ferocity, makes them an opponent to be feared even by the morphs, which generally lack the vast strength of these creatures, but still maintain the enhanced reactions and most importantly, superior intelligence. These beings are ruthlessly hunted down and exterminated by all, as they are capable of annihilating entire settlements in their blood-rage induced rampages. Wolfen are the failed transformations of the victims of the Loki virus.

Vampires. These insidious creatures have existed for as long as humans have walked the Earth. Before the Collapse, these parodies of humanity owned or controlled over ninety percent of the planet, their corrupting influence spreading rapidly. Many of the legends are true, and one of the few things that can harm the is silver, their bodies having vast allergies to the metal resulting in them almost bursting into flames such is the effect of this unusual allergy. Similar in many respects to sickle celled anaemia, the affliction of the vampire can be transferred to others in a bite. Whilst superior in many ways to humans, they are unable to enter areas where extensive ultra violet light is present if they are unprotected. These creatures try to maintain secrecy, often rising to the top of social circles without anyone becoming suspicious. In the New World, these twisted beings still exist, rising once again to the top of the food chain as they once did through subterfuge and deception in the larger cities of man. In the wilds however, these night stalkers are reduced to feeding off animals and raiding villages at night, often hiding in caves during daytime to avoid the sunlight. These beings are very dangerous, and while their disease cannot affect morphs, their reactions are such that they are comparable to many feline morphs. In addition to silver, psi energy is highly dangerous to them, meaning that force weapons and psicannons are able to inflict massive, irreparable damage that they would otherwise be able to regenerate. Despite this weakness, it is next to impossible for a human to defeat them, and almost as hard for a morph.

Finally, there are Demons. Normally, these creatures dwell in the shadow realm. The ethereal world from which psi energy is drawn. The increasing amount of human psi activity is attracting these creatures which manifest in this world through the weakest point – untrained psykers. A psyker in training is possibly at the most dangerous stage, as they are increasing their power, drawing these beings to them. Only the most strong willed can resist an attack by a Demon, and many are possessed, or swayed under the control of these dread creatures. Old beyond time, they are able to manipulate incredible powers, and once they have fully manifested in their true form, are immune to all but the most powerful psychic abilities and weapons. They are the true horrors of this world and thankfully, are very rare, but when they do appear, only destruction follows despite the promises of power and immortality they whisper of. Where they tread, the ground burns and withers as if trying to get away from these abominations. Only the most experienced Demon Hunters have a chance of defeating them, often having to combine technology, and psi power to win. Demons may take almost any form, but rest assured they will always show their true shape at some stage, revealing a hideous and terrifying visage on their massive frames, which tower over lesser beings. Even the wolfen have learned to fear these creatures such is the evil and malevolence that they exude.

Victims of the Loki virus will often find themselves targeted by humans who fear them and what they might do. Sometimes they are killed, and their fur and bodies are used as trophies, rugs, and other such items. Such horrific treatment of these people has earned enmity and mistrust, escalating the conflict. If they are not killed, then the chances are that they will be enslaved, or go into the wilds. If they are taken as slaves, then they may end up as physical labour, or personal servants to wealthy humans. Some may be able to escape the harsher treatment if they show talent in the correct places, and some are taken as exotic dancers. The vast majority however, do not escape punishment altogether. Whilst the occasional few are lucky and get caring masters of mistresses, most are treated worse than animals, often caged and chained with steel collars. Some may even have to perform various personal acts for their owners, which will leave behind permanent mental scars, as many free morphs will testify. Those who go into the wilds may not even be better off, surviving on instinct; these people may even start losing their humanity altogether. Some do manage to find others, and they will often form small communities trying to avoid human contact at all costs. In these communities, some are even born morphs, and know nothing of humans save that taught to them by their parents. Fur hunters prey on such settlements regularly, often taking slaves, or trophies, easily defeating the morphs who have little experience at fighting, despite the fact that their reactions, strength and speed are superior to the humans. Only one known morphic settlement of any scale can be found. It is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, and stretches over a hundred miles across. A vast city by any standards, it is called Sanctuary, and contains over a million morphs and a hundred thousand humans. All the buildings are built in and around trees and plants in a mutually beneficial way. The technology here is far superior to any that the humans possess, their scientists long since entered a new Golden Age. Most morphs just want to get on with their lives with as much normality as is possible, and their society could in many ways be compared to human society in the late twenty-third century. Teams are constantly sent out to recover morphs from around the globe and return them to the safety of Sanctuary. These morphs are highly trained, and are more than a match for any human equivalent. Founded over ten centuries ago, the city has grown, and many generations of morphs have been born there, as have many humans. Overall, most morphs are peaceful, despite their appearance, and just want to get on with their lives. They are however trained to fight in case of an attack on the city. Military and civilian operations are kept strictly separate, in the interests of ease of administration, the government having nothing to do with the armed forces. There is no set currency in Sanctuary, most people earning electronic credit, the primary means of purchasing being bartering with paw-made goods, often made by themselves. As uneven as this sounds, there are no morphs who would be called ‘poor’ especially by the standards of those living elsewhere on Earth, if they want something, then they will more often that not make it themselves, or barter for it, using skills that they possess.

In general, felines make up about thirty percent of the total population of Sanctuary, as do the vulpines and canines, with ten percent of the population being human. This balance of power is coincidental, but helps the sense of competition between the three to be friendly, and constructive. Morphs are only able to bear offspring of the same species, i.e. feline to feline, and usually are of a similar subspecies, although mixed subspecies parentage is not unknown.

There is no fixed religion, the various morphs coming from around the globe with their own traditions and beliefs. Many still believe in a God, but they all worship them in their own ways. The most prevalent belief system is comparable to Buddhism, teaching morals and tolerance as opposed to a strict adherence to a religious code and a belief in a ruling deity.

There are three main groups of morph within Sanctuary; they are feline, canine and vulpine. Each has it’s own general speciality, although these by no means apply to all morphs. Felines are generally known for their reactions, and operate as pilots, assassins, and close combat experts of the highest degree. Felines also have a superior sense of eyesight and hearing to the other two groups. They have an excellent sense of balance, and are very practical people overall, if a bit prone to emotional releases at times in terms of anger and frustration. The next group is the canines, including lupines, or wolves. These are generally built for strength and endurance, and have an excellent sense of smell. Their reactions are a little better than a human’s. They have no real operational specialities, although their endurance makes them great for extended operations in the field. Finally, you have vulpines. These morphs aren’t particularly strong, or fast, or have spectacular senses. They do however have an innate understanding of all things technical, and are particularly adept at understanding and solving complex problems. In the field, they specialise as medics, techs, radio operators, pilots, and operators of various machines. As such, they perform a vital and almost indispensable role in society.

In terms of appearance, all the races have a fairly even cross-section of subspecies, apart from the canines, where wolves are the most dominant group. Generally, colour schemes match those of the species; i.e. a lioness would be golden brown. However, some creatures bear distinctive marks that wouldn’t normally be found on their kind. For example, Kayla, a red fox doesn’t have the black ‘gloves’ that her kind normally does, but she does have a distinctive black star-like patch of fur over her right eye. The reason for these markings is unknown, and Sanctuary’s scientists are no closer to finding out why. Most morphs have hair, often of a darker colour to that of their fur, but occasionally of a different colour altogether.

Generally, morphs wear very little clothing, the material making them uncomfortable, especially in warmer climates. Usually, they wear tabards with which to cover their modesty, and little else, preferring to feel the wind in their fur. Mostly, clothing is used for utility (they need pockets as well, you know) and for protection against either the elements or from combat. In Sanctuary itself, morphs will wear normal everyday clothes, ranging from jeans to suits, but never shoes. Outside of sanctuary, clothing depends on what the individual can find or make do with. Jewellery is worn by most, often paw-crafted, and often takes the form of tribal patterns, or those related to their nation’s ancient history. Beads and feathers are common as decoration, and few morphs are found without at least one item on them, even when in slavery they will manage to find something, which they can make.

Unlike the humans, the morphs co-operate extremely well with each other, their extended life-span (around four hundred on average) and shared experiences help with the bonding. As such, they have reached a level of technology far surpassing anything that the humans can make. They have developed a whole range of wargear and equipment ranging from void shields to plasma rifles. They have made the first tentative steps back into space, and are set to start building the first space station in millennia. Despite this edge, the morphs are unwilling to commit valuable resources to combat unless necessary, almost all of their military capability designated to defend Sanctuary. They have built several large-scale battle mechs, have four squadrons of fighters and bombers, and twelve Stormhawk gunships. In addition to this, they have numerous smaller attack aircraft for close range support. Only the Stormhawks ever really leave Sanctuary, and then only to shuttle the rescue teams and recovered morphs around the globe. Mechs patrol the area around the city constantly, as do many fighting vehicles and tanks, the inhabitants taking no chances. The only military forces to deploy into the field are the salvage teams, which constantly patrol the Earth. If a particularly large group of morphs are discovered, then more forces may be moved to recover them. Rarely does this happen, but when it does, they take no chances. Survivability is what morphs value above all else as any loss of life is considered a failure. They equip their soldiers with the best wargear available, another reason there are so few forces to commit, as the armour is made by paw and carefully assembled on and individual basis. The armour is easy to field repair, but still takes time to get the proper replacements. The field teams that rescue lost morphs rarely carry such armour, the reasons are twofold. Firstly, they need to move quickly and quietly, battle armour would be too cumbersome and noisy, and secondly, they do not want such valuable equipment to fall into human hands, as they are adept at reverse-engineering technology.

In terms of psionics, the morphs are ahead of the humans in many respects. Despite the fact that the powers often only manifest themselves in times of stress initially, the morphs take steps to recognise these individuals, and give them strict and structured training in how to control and manipulate their powers in an attempt to prevent demonic incursion. Only morphs with more obvious powers are given such training, as those with lesser powers that are intuitive are in no danger. This method is not failsafe however, and some problems have occurred in the past. Every team that goes into the wilds is equipped with a battle mage capable of communicating with Sanctuary, should radio communication be lost. They also provide much-needed firepower courtesy of their skills. These warriors are often formidable opponents in close quarters and are always equipped with psicannon and force weapons of some description, almost always forged by themselves. They normally wear a psychic hood of some form, although this is occasionally incorporated into their weapon. They are trained to fight Demons, and although success is not guaranteed, it increases their chances of surviving such an encounter.

This is the past and the present, the future is yet to be decided, and can swing in any direction. War rages, and countless lives are lost each year, often the innocents bearing the burden of death. What will happen, few can tell. The prophecies that run are vague and inconclusive, but they all point towards the same event.

Dire portents wax nigh.

Death will rain from the skies and the earth will be stained with blood.

Humans and furs alike will be caught up in this unholy slaughter.

The way forward is simple.

Unite or die.

Those who fail to do so will be swept away in the crimson tide forever lost on the sea of souls.

This is my warning to you. Heed it well, for it is the harbinger of your doom.

Death itself has come and no mortal may stand against the tide of destruction that will sweep this land.

A fall from grace

Fire in the sky.

All stare death in the face

A hero must fly

In order to save all.

Sheets of flame

An ancient enemy

Only one shoulders the blame.

All must be lost

Destruction will reign.

A phoenix from the ashes

Heralds a new dawn.

The death of a hero

And all will mourn.

The phoenix has fallen for the final time.

These prophecies point the way forward, yet none heed them. May the Gods have mercy on their souls and guide those in need. For the hour of darkness is near, and none can hold back the approaching tide.