Post by Lawnmower Joe on Jan 15, 2011 11:25:02 GMT -5
The metro is not a united body, on the contrary, its stations are all divided in different alliances and conflicts, and their power ranges from a small alliance created for survival, to powerful military and economic conglomerates.
Main Factions:[/b]
Polis: A source of light and hope in the dark world of post-apocalyptic Moscow, Polis is the place where most knowledge and technology ends up. It controls four stations: the Lenin Library station, Borovitskaya, Arbatskaya and Alexandrovskiy Sad. None of the other factions in the metro would dare attack Polis due to the fear of retaliation from other factions, as well as a certain admiration and respect for the place, which is oft seen as humanity's last hope. Polis is also known for its armed forces, which include the Rangers. All Rangers are affiliated with Polis.
The Commonwealth of the Stations of the Ring Line/Hansa: The Commonwealth emerged soon after central control of the metro disbanded. As the stations comprising the Commonwealth were all situated on the ring line, they were vital centres of trade in the metro. Soon, these stations understood that their wealth would make other stations envious, so they joined together as the Commonwealth. Hansa is extremely capitalistic and is currently suffering from overpopulation, since the wealth of its stations attract many legal and illegal immigrants.
The Red Line: Extending all the way through the metro like a red slash on the map, the Red Line is a throwback to the days of the Soviet Union. It has every aspect of a police State, with identity controls and arbitrary arrests and imprisonment. It is also one of the most powerful factions in the metro, next to Hansa and Polis, and fought a war with the former at some point in the past. The Red Line is also constantly at war with the Fourth Reich.
The Fourth Reich: The metro also has its Nazis. Probably descended from National Bolshevik and other ultra-nationalist pre-war movements, the Fourth Reich encompasses three stations: Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya and Pushkinskaya. They arrest and murder anyone they consider to be non-Russian, and are also constantly at war with the Red Line and their Trotskyist allies. This, combined with a low female population means that the Fourth Reich's population is diminishing quite rapidly, which casts doubts on the faction's future survival.
Minor factions:
Arbat Confederation: A moderate capitalist autocracy allied with Hansa. It is apparently governed by non-Russian traders. It was very powerful at the beginning of Hansa, but a bloody war with the Red Line, as well as the detrimental effects from the invisible threat from Park Pobedy have lead to its main station, Kievskaya being depopulated. Arbat is now nothing but a weak satellite of Hansa.
The Great Worm Cult: A mysterious and very hostile society living in the blocked off station of Park Pobedy. They were manipulated by an ex-scholar who sought to create a new society based on hatred of technology and the worship of an entity known as the Great Worm. They are cannibals and kidnappers, killing and eating adults from other "evil stations" and indoctrinating children to their religion.
Revolutionaries/Trotskyists: Composed of militants who were expelled from the Red Line for disagreeing with the official ideology of the Communist Party, these small groups conduct raids against the Nazis and try to win over other stations to their cause. Even though they openly criticise the Red Line, they still receive considerable weapon and equipment shipments from them.
VDNKh Commonwealth: An alliance between VDNKh, Alexeevskaya and Rizhskaya. It is headed by VDNKh, and focuses on mutual defence and trade with Hansa, its speciality being tea and dried mushrooms.
Baumanski Alliance: A faction situated in the North-East of the Metro, and whose main goal is salvaging pre-war technology as well as building new technology better suited for the Metro. Like Polis, they recruit a lot of stalkers, although they do have their own squads of well-equipped scavengers whom they send to the surface to look for valuable technology and equipment.
Kitai Gorod and other crime-dominated stations: A collection of stations found throughout the Metro and who are ruled by criminal gangs. There are few laws there, and trade takes on an altogether different aspect since there are no restrictions on what can be sold. Alcohol, weapons, food, clean water, ammunition, prostitutes and drugs can all be found there.
Satanists: Located deep within the Metro, the Satanists are a source of much legend and hearsay. Many do not even believe in their existence, but others claim otherwise. They are a small and fanatical sect who believe Armageddon is coming. They capture people from other stations, caravans and expeditions and put them to work on digging a pit, which they believe will eventually lead into Hell. They are hard to find, as they are very secretive, and few who were captured by them have escaped their clutches.
1905 Confederation: A small confederation centred around the 1905 Goda station. They are remarkably well organised for a small faction, and have strong trading relations with Hansa.
Sevastopolskaya Alliance: Probably the southermost outpost of humanity in the Metro, the Sevastopolskaya Alliance covers the stations of Sevastopolskaya, Kakhovskaya and Varshavskaya. It is the Metro's main electricity producer thanks to its underground hydroelectric stations, but while these power stations constitute a benediction they are also a curse. All of them are South of the hermetic door, forcing the Sevastopolskayans to leave the Southern access wide open to mutant attacks. The station's precarious position and its electricity production have lead it into developing one of the most powerful armed forces in the Metro, with even children knowing how to use a gun.
Groups that are not factions:[/u]
-The Rangers: Rangers are part of the military branch of Polis and have a large number of former members of the Russian army in their ranks. Unlike more defensive units, the Rangers roam the Metro, assessing threats to Polis and striking wherever necessary. They are greatly feared by bandits, Communists and Nazis alike. Rangers may also help smaller stations exposed to threats from the surface, VDNKh being a notable example.
-Stalker/scavengers: the term "stalker" refers to those men and women brave enough to go to the surface. It is a profession, and stalkers therefore constitute a loose collection of individuals affiliated with various factions. Some stalkers are more akin to mercenaries and travel around the Metro, selling their services and knowledge to the highest bidder.
Legendary factions:[/u]
The Emerald City: A popular legend among the old world's intellectual elite, the Emerald City is a supposedly highly advanced and organised faction located beneath the Moscow State University. It is highly unlikely that such a faction exists, since nobody, not even the Red Line, has ever seen any signs of activity near the blocked off tunnel leading to the University. Attempts were made to reach the building by the surface but were all blocked by chemical contamination on the university grounds or were killed off by mutants. The University's roof is also home to several Daemons, making any attempts to approach the area even more dangerous. It is not surprising that no man or woman has ever set foot in the building.
The Invisible Watchers: A legend based around the existence of Metro-2 (also known as D6). The Invisible Watchers are supposedly members of the government and military using hidden tunnels and facilities to monitor life in the Metro. The legend varies immensely, some versions even implying that Dark Ones are actually the Invisible Watchers. With the discovery and exploration of D6, this legend is losing its popularity.
Mutant factions:[/u]
Dark Ones: Tall mysterious humanoids that once inhabited a hive-like structure at Botanichesky Sad. Their "city" was annihilated by a missile strike circa 2033, leading to assumptions that all Dark Ones had perished in the blast. Various rumours from stalkers, Metro-dwellers and explorers claim that some Dark Ones survived and are now scattered throughout the Dead City. None of these claims have been proved and they remain within the realms of legend and hearsay.
Main Factions:[/b]
Polis: A source of light and hope in the dark world of post-apocalyptic Moscow, Polis is the place where most knowledge and technology ends up. It controls four stations: the Lenin Library station, Borovitskaya, Arbatskaya and Alexandrovskiy Sad. None of the other factions in the metro would dare attack Polis due to the fear of retaliation from other factions, as well as a certain admiration and respect for the place, which is oft seen as humanity's last hope. Polis is also known for its armed forces, which include the Rangers. All Rangers are affiliated with Polis.
The Commonwealth of the Stations of the Ring Line/Hansa: The Commonwealth emerged soon after central control of the metro disbanded. As the stations comprising the Commonwealth were all situated on the ring line, they were vital centres of trade in the metro. Soon, these stations understood that their wealth would make other stations envious, so they joined together as the Commonwealth. Hansa is extremely capitalistic and is currently suffering from overpopulation, since the wealth of its stations attract many legal and illegal immigrants.
The Red Line: Extending all the way through the metro like a red slash on the map, the Red Line is a throwback to the days of the Soviet Union. It has every aspect of a police State, with identity controls and arbitrary arrests and imprisonment. It is also one of the most powerful factions in the metro, next to Hansa and Polis, and fought a war with the former at some point in the past. The Red Line is also constantly at war with the Fourth Reich.
The Fourth Reich: The metro also has its Nazis. Probably descended from National Bolshevik and other ultra-nationalist pre-war movements, the Fourth Reich encompasses three stations: Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya and Pushkinskaya. They arrest and murder anyone they consider to be non-Russian, and are also constantly at war with the Red Line and their Trotskyist allies. This, combined with a low female population means that the Fourth Reich's population is diminishing quite rapidly, which casts doubts on the faction's future survival.
Minor factions:
Arbat Confederation: A moderate capitalist autocracy allied with Hansa. It is apparently governed by non-Russian traders. It was very powerful at the beginning of Hansa, but a bloody war with the Red Line, as well as the detrimental effects from the invisible threat from Park Pobedy have lead to its main station, Kievskaya being depopulated. Arbat is now nothing but a weak satellite of Hansa.
The Great Worm Cult: A mysterious and very hostile society living in the blocked off station of Park Pobedy. They were manipulated by an ex-scholar who sought to create a new society based on hatred of technology and the worship of an entity known as the Great Worm. They are cannibals and kidnappers, killing and eating adults from other "evil stations" and indoctrinating children to their religion.
Revolutionaries/Trotskyists: Composed of militants who were expelled from the Red Line for disagreeing with the official ideology of the Communist Party, these small groups conduct raids against the Nazis and try to win over other stations to their cause. Even though they openly criticise the Red Line, they still receive considerable weapon and equipment shipments from them.
VDNKh Commonwealth: An alliance between VDNKh, Alexeevskaya and Rizhskaya. It is headed by VDNKh, and focuses on mutual defence and trade with Hansa, its speciality being tea and dried mushrooms.
Baumanski Alliance: A faction situated in the North-East of the Metro, and whose main goal is salvaging pre-war technology as well as building new technology better suited for the Metro. Like Polis, they recruit a lot of stalkers, although they do have their own squads of well-equipped scavengers whom they send to the surface to look for valuable technology and equipment.
Kitai Gorod and other crime-dominated stations: A collection of stations found throughout the Metro and who are ruled by criminal gangs. There are few laws there, and trade takes on an altogether different aspect since there are no restrictions on what can be sold. Alcohol, weapons, food, clean water, ammunition, prostitutes and drugs can all be found there.
Satanists: Located deep within the Metro, the Satanists are a source of much legend and hearsay. Many do not even believe in their existence, but others claim otherwise. They are a small and fanatical sect who believe Armageddon is coming. They capture people from other stations, caravans and expeditions and put them to work on digging a pit, which they believe will eventually lead into Hell. They are hard to find, as they are very secretive, and few who were captured by them have escaped their clutches.
1905 Confederation: A small confederation centred around the 1905 Goda station. They are remarkably well organised for a small faction, and have strong trading relations with Hansa.
Sevastopolskaya Alliance: Probably the southermost outpost of humanity in the Metro, the Sevastopolskaya Alliance covers the stations of Sevastopolskaya, Kakhovskaya and Varshavskaya. It is the Metro's main electricity producer thanks to its underground hydroelectric stations, but while these power stations constitute a benediction they are also a curse. All of them are South of the hermetic door, forcing the Sevastopolskayans to leave the Southern access wide open to mutant attacks. The station's precarious position and its electricity production have lead it into developing one of the most powerful armed forces in the Metro, with even children knowing how to use a gun.
Groups that are not factions:[/u]
-The Rangers: Rangers are part of the military branch of Polis and have a large number of former members of the Russian army in their ranks. Unlike more defensive units, the Rangers roam the Metro, assessing threats to Polis and striking wherever necessary. They are greatly feared by bandits, Communists and Nazis alike. Rangers may also help smaller stations exposed to threats from the surface, VDNKh being a notable example.
-Stalker/scavengers: the term "stalker" refers to those men and women brave enough to go to the surface. It is a profession, and stalkers therefore constitute a loose collection of individuals affiliated with various factions. Some stalkers are more akin to mercenaries and travel around the Metro, selling their services and knowledge to the highest bidder.
Legendary factions:[/u]
The Emerald City: A popular legend among the old world's intellectual elite, the Emerald City is a supposedly highly advanced and organised faction located beneath the Moscow State University. It is highly unlikely that such a faction exists, since nobody, not even the Red Line, has ever seen any signs of activity near the blocked off tunnel leading to the University. Attempts were made to reach the building by the surface but were all blocked by chemical contamination on the university grounds or were killed off by mutants. The University's roof is also home to several Daemons, making any attempts to approach the area even more dangerous. It is not surprising that no man or woman has ever set foot in the building.
The Invisible Watchers: A legend based around the existence of Metro-2 (also known as D6). The Invisible Watchers are supposedly members of the government and military using hidden tunnels and facilities to monitor life in the Metro. The legend varies immensely, some versions even implying that Dark Ones are actually the Invisible Watchers. With the discovery and exploration of D6, this legend is losing its popularity.
Mutant factions:[/u]
Dark Ones: Tall mysterious humanoids that once inhabited a hive-like structure at Botanichesky Sad. Their "city" was annihilated by a missile strike circa 2033, leading to assumptions that all Dark Ones had perished in the blast. Various rumours from stalkers, Metro-dwellers and explorers claim that some Dark Ones survived and are now scattered throughout the Dead City. None of these claims have been proved and they remain within the realms of legend and hearsay.