[Nexus] Remnant IV

[UncleWolf]

At the start, there had been chaos. There had been no government or police force that protected Inside. The city had only been ran by vigilante justice, completely at the mercy of its inhabitants. However, eventually, order arose with the appearance of a man named Vyrn, and his Empire.

The Empire had stretched a vast distance, easily covering huge expanses stretching from the city, controlling neighboring villages and towns of all sorts, bringing relative peace to the area. With it came dissent, but it was kept fairly quiet through force, politics, and the need to unite against outside threats. It was one of those outside threats that ultimately caused Vyrn's fall. As his personal security grew, so did the unrest within the ranks of the Empire itself. Before long, it grew to its logical conclusion.

A coup.

It was led by Vettel and Noir, power was ripped from the Emperor's grasp, and he was cast down from his tower into Exile. There was only minimal resistance internally, and it led to a more "peaceful" time when dealing with the new Empire. Unfortunately, it would be short lived. Without warning, there was a bright flash of light, and nearly 75% of the people who had been known as The Empire disappeared in an event that came to be known as The Vanishing.

In it's place is a small organization made up of the remains of The Empire. A far cry from the massive mechanized army it used to be, these Remnants have taken it upon themselves to continue on in their duties, to protect Inside and the very people who live within it.

Whether those people appreciate it or not.

Appearance:

Spoiler

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From the outside, Remnant looks more like a Fortress than a Police Station. High white walls surround the base, watched over by several tall guard towers. The walls and towers are always manned by armed Remnants, the former walking along the perimeter. There are three entrances, each one a heavy metal gate, with the Main Gate being larger. Each gate is guarded by a pair of security guards, one on either side of the entrance and given overwatch by towers inside and guards that patrol the top of the wall. Such guards are always one male and one female.

The interior of the base is surprisingly open between the many reinforced buildings that make up the various barracks, offices, Armoury, Motor Pool, Prison-Barracks, Recreation Center, Infirmary, Communication Complex, Interrogation/Interview Rooms, and the Command Center. There are running paths and so-called “Confidence Courses” that line the inside of the perimeter for exercise and a large Parade Field that is in the middle of it all. Instead of a conventional graveyard, a Memorial stands in the middle of a garden tended by the staff. The garden is fed with the ashes of the fallen as all Remnant dead that have no method of reanimation available to them at the time of death are cremated. The Memorial is simple but meaningful, being a shard of the Airship Haven’s hull, etched with the names of the dead and lost.

The more secure areas like the Armoury, Motor Pool, Infirmary, Prison Barracks and the Command Center have extra security. While the entire base is watched with cameras and interlaced with patrols, extra guards watch the sensitive areas.

Beneath the surface is a network of tunnels that lead from one building to another in an intricate web should anything prevent surface action. A backup Command Center, Remnant’s Flight Controls, and Restricted Items room are all here as well. In times of non-emergency, access is completely shut off from the rest of the base. Only a full command override from whoever is leading the chain of command at the time can unlock it.

When in flight, Remnant appears as a great flying fortress, the bottom alight with the magical and technological flight capabilities and offensive armaments. Remnant is slow in the air, but its base is reinforced with layers of materials and fields to help protect it from any attack from the ground.

Command Structure

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To simplify things, I have restructured Remnant’s ranking system to something a bit easier to remember and clearer than the normal “conventional” system of Officers and Enlisted. I freely admit I take much of the inspiration from the way Warhammer 40k Space Marines(copyright Gamesworkshop. Take that you sue hungry moneymongers! ) are structured but with some variation. If you have a Remnant PC already, please look through this. As I lack the capability to write an appropriate flow-chart in a post, I am forced to give a fairly detailed explanation and to list it all in order of Command from top to bottom.

Where Remnant was before divided into Officer, Enlisted, and Specialists in a mess that showed no real chain of command between PCs and NPCs, I have chosen to change it so Remnant is now divided into Companies. Each Company is divided according to its own specialty. The Companies are: Linemen, Assault, Heavy Weaponry/Artillery, Infiltration and Scouting, Mobility, The Peacekeepers, Firebugs, and Penal. There are also special units too small or spread out between the Companies to be given their own, but these Designations are Communications, Caster, Supply, Medical, Slayer, Dancefighter, and Research. Designations do not give someone a higher or lower Rank and are instead given in addition to their standard rank telling others of a special talent or skill they have. A person can have more than one Designation. There is also a Civilian category, and while some may have Designations, they do not serve Remnant in combat.

Above the Designations and Companies are the Remnant Commander and the Commander’s Honorguard. Aside from everything however is one final group called The Praetorian Guard. They are not within the Chain-Of-Command at any point and are instead asked to get involved rather than ordered.

Each company is equal to one another in rank. There is no First Company or Eleventeenth to try and jockey for position in. There are also only three ranks in a Company to worry about: Trooper, Sergeant, and Captain of the Company. A Captain of the Linemen is of equal rank to the Captain of Mobile. The only exception to this rule is the Penal Company. While the Captain and his Sergeants are equal ranks with others, the Troopers are considered to be of lower rank than Troopers of other Companies as they are prisoners serving penance for their crimes.

Firebugs and Peacekeepers have different names for their ranks but they are still equal:
Firebug ranks: Firebug, Fire Marshal, Fire Chief
Peacekeepers: Trooper, Sergeant, Chief Peacekeeper

Position and Company Explanations

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Remnant Commander: Currently Commander Vasquez, she holds near ultimate position of authority within the organization. The Peacekeepers and Firebugs report to her just like the regular soldiers do. The only group she has no true authority over is The Praetorian Guard. It is the Remnant Commander’s responsibility to provide tactical and strategic decisions on a grand scale and to use her voice to reinforce what Law there is Inside.

Commander’s Honor Guard: The Honor Guard serves directly below the Commander and is a small group of diversely talented individuals. Even though they do not serve in the Companies, and sometimes may never have done so in the first place, they are highly skilled and are in a position of command and trust. They may act as Bodyguards, but their real purpose is to provide council and to give the Commander their abilities should it prove necessary.

Praetorian Guard: The Praetorian Guard is a very small group of veteran soldiers that have survived through the worst and came back still believing in the ideal that Inside needs to be protected at all costs. Whether that is for the better or worse is still up in the air. There are only ever 14 of them, including their commander the Praefectus. Their role is to take on the worst that the universe has to offer if they are called upon to do so and to obliterate it. The darker aspect of their job is to watch Remnant itself and should the command staff start to go against the purpose of Remnant, they are to kill everyone even remotely involved. They do not have the authority to issue commands, but neither do they have to listen to them.

Lineman Company: The Linemen are the largest of soldier Companies. Recruits start here unless they have a special skill denoting them elsewhere. Overall, Linemen are a little bit of everything. They’re guards and soldiers equipped with basic armor and weaponry but also have a smattering of man-portable heavy weaponry and stealth capability available. They’re used to plug gaps and to defend a position against overwhelming odds. They rely on squad tactics and their ability to adapt to any situation to survive.

Assault Company: Assault Troopers are sent in to break apart groups such as charges and strong defensive positions. Their equipment is tailored to a much closer environment than normal, consisting mostly of powerful melee weapons, shotguns, short range automatics, and flamethrowers. Their armor lacks the capes given to most others and don’t have any stealth capability, but it features a stronger armor with enhanced strength capabilities.

Heavy Weapons/Artillery Company: A Heavy Weapons Trooper is almost a One-Man Army and is a mobile artillery platform. They are given the second strongest armor(the strongest being Praetorian) and have access to nearly any weapon they could desire. Their suits have vastly enhanced strength capability, allowing them to carry multiple Heavy Weapons at a time if needed. Despite all of that however, a Heavy Weapons trooper is as slow as molasses and as obvious as white after Labor Day. A Trooper in this Company can expect to be slow getting to places and even slower leaving. They lack any stealth and don’t have access to the flight boots that others might. They also aren’t meant to be in the front lines. A Heavy Trooper finding himself being surrounded by blades likely has a short life expectancy despite their tank like armor. There aren’t many Heavy Troopers, so they are sent out only in twos or threes, but sometimes that’s all that’s needed.

Infiltration and Scouting Company: They are the quickest, sneakiest, and possibly the deadliest of the Companies, but they are also the smallest. Their Wraith Suits provide little protection, but give them nearly unparalleled cloaking and sensing capabilities. They are snipers, assassins, and scouts and tend to work individually. Sometimes a pair or even three will be sent out together, but most times a single Scout is enough. Unless forced into it or sent to kill a specific target, they are kept out of combat, but may be sent to provide demolition work. Their Wraith suits are very light, but their cloaking abilities transcend most others known in the field.

Mobile Company: This company consists of the few vehicles that Remnant has, as well as their drivers, pilots, and repair crew. They are fast units meant to strike and harass a target without being hit in return for the most part. They are primarily equipped with Assault Bikes, but Remnant still has a small air force containing a handful of transport ships capable of air-dropping Mobile units in, and a jet-bomber. When off of their vehicles, Mobiles have only light arms and Lineman armor.

The Peacekeepers: Where the previous Companies were soldiers, this one is made of civilians. These are people who’ve chosen to forgo most of the fighting aspect of Remnant and take up the long arm of The Law. They lack the power armor of the soldiers for the most part, and much of the firepower, but they tend to be a dedicated force of police officers and investigators. There are quite a few of them spread out through Inside in the various precincts. When stuck in a sticky situation, these are the people who are likely to stick to their wits and gumption to get through.

The Firebugs: Like the Peacekeepers, the Firebugs are a mostly civilian force. Instead of fighting people and chaos though, they fight fire and disasters. They’re the ones who respond to the infernos and collapsed buildings and craters to search for survivors and prevent more damage to the area. They lack conventional weapons, but their armor is incredibly tough and can withstand the odd point-blank explosion depending on magnitude. The backpack sprayer units that they carry can be loaded with a wide variety of chemicals ranging from liquid nitrogen to napalm. They can also double as Riot Suppression units if outfitted with Goober tanks.

Penal Company: The Final Company is a mixture of soldier and civilian personnel. The majority of people in the Penal Company are scum, dirt, murderers, thieves, and worse that have agreed to risk their lives in order to serve their term in a quicker manner. Many don’t survive. They are given rough training, rougher treatment, and given weapons and armor before being thrown into the meatgrinder again and again. They’re sent into the worst of situations to fight for their lives or throw them away. Rebellion and disobedience within this Company can be met with swift death if it’s seen fit.

Communication Designation: This is the neural network of Remnant. Radio operators, computer technicians, Tele-Net Workers, and message runners. They’re interlaced all through the various Companies and many work in the Communications Center itself, keeping all the aspects of Remnant in touch with one another and reporting if something goes awry. In combat Companies, they’re the ones that keep an ear open for new orders and situations being reported in that can turn the entire thing over. The symbol for this designation is a small Radio Antenna patch.

Caster Designation: Arcane and Divine Casters receive this. They are the battle mages and combat priests as well as the magical healers that work behind the line. If you can cast a spell, this is you. The symbols for these are either the person’s holy symbol or a lightning bolt patch.

Supply Designation: Mostly drawn from Non-Combatants, there is a surprisingly small number of these people for such a large organization. This is due to the small area that Remnant oversees. Supply includes chefs, armorers, janitors, deliverymen, and some administrative personnel. Despite the lackluster jobs, Remnant couldn’t get along without them and pays them surprisingly well. After all, if no one was willing to take out the trash, the place wouldn’t be able to support the rest of the personnel. The symbol of Supply personnel is a RemEx patch in purple and gold.

Medical Designation: Medics are spread all throughout Remnant with a large number of them always being assigned to the Infirmary to take care of the wounded that come in. Magical healers and mundane ones both get this. Those who enter combat are required not to be pacifists however. The symbol is, of course, a red cross.

Slayer Designation: Slayers are people who have trained to kill a specific type of enemy. They can be in any Company, but at any time they can be called upon to kill the type of creature they hunt. Vampire Slayers, Dragon Slayers, and even Blob Slayers are available and welcome to join. They are given access to any weapon they require to do the job. Their symbol is a guillotine.

[i]Dancefighter Designation[i]: As silly as it sounds, Dancefighting is an approved and needed method of combat. Dancefighters are the bards of the back alleys and singers of strife. They use their musical and rhythmic abilities to manipulate friend and foe alike in attempts to turn battles in their favor. Any genre of music is welcome. Their symbol is a music note.

Research Designation: The final designation is that of the research division. The majority of inventors, mechanics, and datajunkies in Remnant are kept away from the front line and are put to work building, tinkering, and inventing new pieces of equipment for Remnant to use. Of course, once in a while, a Researcher may have to field test a piece of equipment. Their symbol is an Atom.

People and Their Positions:
(Coming Soon)

[UncleWolf]

Location details, weaponry, vehicles, and other equipment

Coming soon!

[UncleWolf]

Infirmary

"Yes, Sir," Missy says again. She's already ranted at herself for it, but in fact, she isn't usually involved in criminal investigations. That's Peacekeeper work. In fact, the only reason she was involved in this incident was that the criminal claimed they would only surrender to her.

I should have brought him in and turned him over to someone else to question. It isn't my speciality, and the personal connection should have been enough to keep me out of it.

Infirmary

Vasquez starts to leave, but pauses one more time. "If you feel like you do need to get something off your chest, we'll be here for you." She tells Missy before heading off, meaning Remnant as a whole.

When she leaves, Jyarl leans over to rest his head on Missy's shoulder. "Love you." He whispers as he watches Jefferies draw.

[happyturtle]

Infirmary

"Love you too," Missy mumbles. Soon afterwards, she drifts to sleep.

A nurse comes in to check on her, and seems pleased with the readings. "No injuries or undue strain. She should be ready to be released by morning."

[Gullara]

[Infirmary - Bug's Office]

As Bugs is sitting in his office, all alone working on some paperwork, the doors suddenly swings open. The good doctor looks up to see Sequoia leaning against the door frame. She's not wearing her uniform as usual, however, and this is clearly no official visit.

Oh no no no. The dryad wears a floor length, yellow dress that worships her every curve. This was a dress made to show off, and show off it does. The neckline plunges downward just the perfect amount; if Sequoia weren't so tall, Bugs would have to watch himself from getting lost. Her dark skinned leg peaks out from a long slit in the skirt that goes all the way up her leg and stops on her thigh, just short of those full hips. Aside from the dress, behind her back she holds a large bouquet of pink flowers. Despite only being a decade younger than Bugs himself, Sequoia's fey nature leaves her with the looks and figure of a woman in her early thirties.

Sequoia full, darkly painted lips turn up in a mischievous smile as she let's Bugs marvel for a moment. "Hello there, handsome. Is the doctor in? I have something I want to ask him."

Despite all the flirting these two have engaged in, this level of boldness from Sequoia comes completely out of nowhere. There was no preparing Bugs for this moment.

[UncleWolf]

Infirmary - Missy

Jyarl nods to the nurse and waits for Jefferies to start to get tired before he sets her on the bed to snuggle with Missy. Once she falls asleep, he leaves the room for a moment to watch and listen to the video from the interrogation room. He plays it several times, taking in each and every detail of his brother's death before heading back in, searching for the ring wherever Missy put her effects.

Bugs' Office

Bugs doesn't look up from his paperwork until the dryad talks. When he does, his eyes widen and his jaw literally drops a little. He's silent for a long time, unable to think of anything before shaking his head to clear the thoughts out for just a moment. "By the gods, if I didn't know you were just a little younger than me, I'd tell you to be ashamed of yourself." He tells her with a voice of wonder before breaking out in a grin.

"As it is, I can say for sure that the Doctor is In. Though I get the feeling that I'll be "Out" soon enough. What can I help you with?"

[Devixer]

Recreation Center

Iamar is sitting in a chair, reading a novel. It'll be hard for anyone to see which one, since it's written in Arabic. This is a rare occurrence where most of her weapons have been stowed away, leaving only her sword and the blade hidden under her wrist.

[UncleWolf]

Recreation Center

Iamar might find one of the combat mages, named Aliz, looking over her shoulder, trying to find out what she's reading. Unlike many, he actually can read Arabic.

Aliz is one of Rem's elementalists, one who once served on Mortal Coil itself, and is a tall, thin, darkly tanned man with a thick head of black hair. He has a long thin beard that's tied together, and even though he's wearing pants, he isn't wearing a shirt, revealing ritual scarring and tattooing all over his chest and arms. The tattoos have little true design to them, but appear to show channels along which power might flow through him, marked in blue and red to represent coming and going respectively. "What are you reading?" He asks, rather intrigued by this point.

[Gullara]

[Bugs' Office]

Sequoia saunters into the office and sits on his desk. She puts one foot up on its surface, giving him a good look at her long, bare leg. "Me, you, a long walk under the stars followed by a bottle of wine. What so you say?" She leans over to present the flowers to him. Her little smirk suggest she knows exactly the kind of view that gives him.

[UncleWolf]

Bugs' Office

The doctor takes a long look at the leg. A real long look before he blinks and answers the question. "Yeah. Sure. The leg sounds good." he says before he catches himself and winces. "Wine. I meant wine. Dammit, do you know how old I am by human standards?" He asks with a teasing smile as he gets up from his chair and pulls off his lab coat to drape on it.

[Gullara]

[Bugs' Office]

Sequoia laughs and stands up again. "Don't worry, it's an distinguished old." She teases. "Now you put something nice on, and I'll meet you outside. I already arranged for a ride." She wasn't planning for a no at all.

[UncleWolf]

Bugs' Office

Samuel smiles and doesn't bother replying with anything other than with a nod before reaching into a drawer to pull out a neatly folded and pressed suit. She can stay if she likes, but she'll end up watching him change entirely in his office. Not that he minds of course.

Either way he heads outside when he's done.

[Gullara]

[Bugs' Office]

Oh no, she won't do that. they haven't even had their first date. Nope, she heads right out and waits for him there. On her way out she grabs a basket, presumably with at least the wine within. She gives him a smile when he joins her. "My my, don't you look handsome. There's a cab waiting outside for us." She offers her arm to him.

[UncleWolf]

Leaving

Unlike most people, Bugs has chosen to wear a white suit with a red tie. He's also armed underneath, but Sequoia doesn't need to know that the "kind old doctor" is packing las.

"I can't wait. Lead on." He tells her as he loops his arm within her own, walking with her.

[Devixer]

Recreation Center

Iamar doesn't bother closing the really long book, she doesn't think Aliz can read her language. She studies him with a critical eye, wondering what exactly the tattoos mean. "It is called Romance of the Three Kingdoms," she says. "It is about a nation that's east of my own."

[Gullara]

[Leaving]

And so the cab departs to Outside with the two inside.

[UncleWolf]

Rec Center

The mage tilts his head in thought for a moment before he nods and turns around for to grab one of his own books to offer to her, written in Arabic as well. "Not sure if you'll care for it too much, but I find this helpful on occasion." He admits.

If she takes it, the title will read The Gospel of Bugs Bunny: How to Outsmart Any Opponent Through Mundane Means.

"It's a little more helpful than it sounds." Aliz says with a wry smile, perhaps making her doubt whether he's being serious or if he's being playful instead.

[Devixer]

Rec Center

Iamar takes the book, and then looks at the cover. Then she looks back at Aliz, then at the cover again. "...Who is Bugs Bunny?" she asks, closing her own book. At least she could understand the writing on this one, unlike so many of the other books she'd seen.

[UncleWolf]

Rec Center

Aliz sits down next to Iamar if she lets him before explaining. "Honestly? A cartoon rabbit made for children that outsmarted most of his opponents through superior thinking, misdirection, sleight of hand, and simple common sense. The lessons he taught are still important though, and all should know them. Especially here."

[Devixer]

Rec Center

Iamar gives a pointed look at Aliz, but lets him sit down. Though she wants to ask more questions about how a cartoon rabbit was any different from a normal rabbit, she gets the feeling she'd just be wasting time with that. She quickly thumbs through the book, wondering what information would be in here that she didn't already know. "Ah, my thanks. I will look through it." She also doesn't ask why a stranger was giving her this.

[UncleWolf]

Rec Center

The man offers his hand after she says she'll take the book. "Aliz. And sorry for imposing. I was just trying to be sociable." He tells her, thinking that perhaps he'd made a poor mistake. Even so, he was going to keep trying. "Need a drink?"

[Devixer]

Rec Center

Iamar shakes Aliz's hand. He may notice, if he'd looked before, that the ring finger of Iamar's left hand is missing. "Iamar. You aren't imposing, most people just don't talk to me." Probably not surprising, given that she nearly always carries her weapons, and she still wears that hood of hers. She takes a moment to consider if she did want a drink or not before nodding. "Tea would be fine."

[happyturtle]

Infirmary - Missy

He won't find the ring among Missy's things. She left it in the interrogation room, and it would be among Javert's effects. Pride is likely there too, in whatever containment is used for cursed items.

[UncleWolf]

Infirmary - Missy

Jyarl doesn't say anything when he doesn't find it and heads back to his seat where he reaches over to gently take Missy's hand as he leans his head back, falling asleep as well. He'd find the ring in the morning.

Then, he had a trip to make.

Rec Center

Strangely enough, Aliz is missing the pinky of his own left hand. The combat mage gets up to get their drinks and returns, offering her a cup so he can pour her some jasmine tea. Once he sits, he'll pour himself some as well. "I think it's the fact that you're an assassin." He says with a shrug. "It tends to make people shy away, even if you're on the same side. But no worries, I tend to be ignorant." He tells her with a teasing smile.

[Devixer]

Rec Center

Iamar takes the cup, inhaling the aroma before taking a sip. "I suppose they can think how they will. I do not mind the solitude," she says. She glances at Aliz and then adds, "Some company now and again is appreciated, though."

[UncleWolf]

Rec Center

"How did you get into it?" Aliz asks as he inhales the soothing aroma of the tea before taking a sip. "Born into it?"

[Devixer]

Rec Center

Iamar hesitates for a moment, considering exactly what she can say without any risk. Aliz will probably note the pause before she responds. "I was born into it."

[UncleWolf]

Rec Center

"I suppose that makes it easier for you to cope with it." Aliz says as he leans back a little, putting one leg across his knee. "I mean, it's probably nice not to have to worry about whether you're doing something against who you are. Some of us could probably use some of that." He admits, swirling his tea while he looks into it, reminiscing a little.

[Devixer]

Rec Center

"I take it you were not born into this?" Iamar asks, hiding her eagerness to get the conversation away from her past. She looks up a little, and Aliz will be more able to see her face under that hood. "When did you start?"

[happyturtle]

Infirmary - Missy

The next morning, Jefferies is the first to wake, which is followed within seconds of her waking her parents. "Wake up, mommy! It's time to go home!"

"Hey, you guys didn't need to spent the night here. What about Gorgutz?" Missy says, ruffling Jefferies hair.