announcement wip

Announcement: What We Become Survivor Stories: File 6-9 + 7/28/78

... And we're back! Long time no see. It's been a while, I know, but we've got some exciting news to share. Let's jump right into it.

The launch is imminent. It's coming soon.

By the end of this series of one-shots, we'll announce the release date for What Lies Beneath, which is now being dubbed as SEASON 1 of Ties That Bind. The length of said season will remain the same as implied in previous newsletters - a little over a month - and will lead into SEASON 2, City of Angels.

In the meantime, here are our dates for the upcoming series of one-shots. If you have ANY QUESTIONS about these, please ask away here. I'll answer what I can.



File #6 - Dark Sector
This one-shot acts a baseline test, focusing on general features found in most events.
While patrolling a remote region of the Labrador Sea, the crew of the CDS Roderick J. Wynn discovers a distress signal leading them to the remains of Anton Korshunov's flagship, the CSS Terrafaux, thought to be lost since his defeat at the hands of the alliance five years prior. A team is dispatched to investigate the ship, but once on board the maze-like vessel, the recovery team discovers that it is anything but deserted. It is home to something more deadly and horrific than anything they've encountered in all their years at sea.

The list of information below is not all required knowledge. However, if your character requires it for some reason—or if you are just genuinely curious about the history leading up to this one-shot—please read below. I mainly encourage you to read the lore regarding Korshunov, Celephais, and the Alliance. Thanks.

• Takes place five years after the events of What We Become: Part II.
• Anton Korshunov was the Head Councilor of the Coalition. He is considered to have been a despot, only concerned with spreading his influence and amassing more territory under the Coalition banner.
• The Alliance was a "Grand Alliance" formed from defectors of the Coalition, the community of Monroe, a rebel group known as the Inner Cities Liberation Front, a group of nomads known as the Crows, and a secret military organization known as Brighton. The head of the Coalition side was the former Interim Head Councilor of the Coalition, Leclair Mercier.
• The final battle, as it pertains to Anton Korshunov, took place on two fronts: one in the Nazareth District in the capital city of Pittsford, NY, and the other during the "Battle for Celephais" in Nunavut, Canada.
• The Battle for Celephais was a conflict over what was thought to be a munitions bunker buried under the ice in Nunavut. Also present in this battle were Warlord Carl Miller and his raider band, as well as the inhabitants of Celephais, rumored to be called "Group Six".
• Following Anton Korshunov being overthrown, the Coalition was taken over by Leclair Mercier, who has upheld its council. The role of Head Councilor is up for vote every five years; however, a councilor can continue to run without a limit to their terms.
• The Coalition is run by an executive council composed of fifty council members while a senior councilor governs among them. These council members are picked from the best and brightest both communities have to offer from both the Western and Eastern Front parties. Roles include in the Prime Office include
  • Leclair Mercier - Head Councilor (HCOTC)
  • Cornell Harvey - Deputy Head Councilor (DHCOTC)
  • Byron Gilyard - Prime Office Speaker (POSOTC)
• The Representative Cabinet includes:
  • Cameron Baileford - Representative of State (RoS)
  • Truman Parker - Representative of National Defense (RoND)
  • Linus Mandel - Representative of Trade and Commerce (RoTC)
  • Maggie Clancy - Representative of Food, Agriculture and Self-Sufficiency (RoFAS)
  • Harold Van Buren - Representative of Health and Welfare (RoHW)
  • Dane Mannix - Representative of Justice and Intelligence (RoJI)
  • Martin Findlay Jr. - Representative of Social Affairs and Labour (RoSAL)
• Anton Korshunov is currently serving a life sentence in Pittsford, NY.
• The CMDF stands for "Coalition Maritime Defense Force." It is a reorganized naval force for the Coalition led by Admiral Jonathan Ridley. All ship designations have been changed from the original "Coalition Service Ship (CSS)" to "Coalition Defense Ship (CDS)".
• Other branches of the Coalition Military include and are represented by the Representative of National Defense:
  • Coalition Ranger Corps (CRC) led by William Kozuch
  • Coalition Army (CA) led by Windham Quemada
  • Coalition Aviation Group (CAG) led by Gilberto Jimenez
  • Coalition Homeland Guard (CHG) led by Mindy Hines
• Military and Civil Intelligence are largely controlled by:
  • Ranger Intelligence Group (RIG) led by Jared Vaugerson
  • Office of Strategic Intelligence led by Gabriel Ravendark
  • Coalition Communications Security led by Vincent Shrake
• The last widely reported sighting of the CSS Terrafaux occurred during a raid on Anton Korshunov's forward operating base in Nunavut. It left port undamaged after its sister ship was sunk by a targeted bombing.
• The captain of the CDS Roderick J. Wynn is Kevin Kilean.

Launches: June 8th, 2024

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION


File #7 - Infiltrator
This one-shot acts a stealth/base infiltration test, focusing on features found in those rulesets.
A small group of survivors are left reeling after witnessing the massacre of their friends and families aboard the New Karanda. Driven by revenge, they volunteer for a high-risk mission offering a chance to turn the tide of the civil war and give them a chance to eliminate the two men responsible for the attack: Ranger General Addison Sobic and OSI Deputy Director Lawrence Orman.

The list of information below is not all required knowledge. However, if your character requires it for some reason—or if you are just genuinely curious about the history leading up to this one-shot—please read below

• Takes place after the events of the Season 2 finale of What We Become: Part II.
• The Inner-Cities Liberation Front (ICLF) is a loosely affiliated network borrowing or associating under a core common ideology that started its life as a labor union and advocacy group, fighting for the interests of inhabitants of The Coalition of Pittsford and Fairport. Although recognized by the general populace and media of The Coalition of Pittsford and Fairport as a cohesive group, the ICLF contains many groups and factions, all on varying points on the political spectrum.
  • The United Citizens Group (UCG) represents the largest faction. It began as a labor union based in the Liberty District and is led by Marshall Grant, a former impoverished factory worker and self-proclaimed "brother" to the CPF and its people. Grant has acted as the figurehead of the entire rebel movement.
  • The Dollfaces make up the second largest faction. It began as a street gang composed almost exclusively of escaped prostitutes, formed after the downfall of notorious kingpin Armando Rusk, who largely controlled the sex trade in Pittsford. The group is led by Rhea Varnado, otherwise known as "Barbie Doll," an anarcho-communist who is referred to as the "Queen of Liberty" and its protector. Despite having a complicated relationship with controlling the remnants of Rusk's business, she is considered someone who gives opportunities to people who have otherwise been left behind by society.
  • The Memorial District Patriots (MDP) make up the third largest faction despite its relative newness. It began as an opposition group based in Pittsford's Memorial District, largely composed of government protestors. However, after the Coalition sanctioned fire on civilians during the "Unity Day Riots," the MDP underwent a change in leadership, adopting more radicalized viewpoints, and has since carried out numerous acts of terror against the Coalition Government. These acts include aiding in the Memorial Bombings and tainting the water supply to the upper-class districts. The group is led by Amos Kaffee, but is publicly regarded as acting more as a collective organization rather than under a single figurehead.
  • Bastion Risk Control Services (BRICS) is a paramilitary organization that has offered its services to the civil war efforts under the ICLF banner. It is responsible for funneling numerous munitions and training countless resistance fighters across all factions. The group is led by Rene Ackerman, a former mercenary who built his reputation in BRICS before being left as the man in charge after the death of its founder. Ackerman is well-known for his extensive contacts throughout the city and has been credited with helping change the tide of the war.
  • The Golden Branch Society is considered the smallest of all the organizations involved in the resistance movement. It began as a secret society responsible for a significant portion of smuggling operations in and out of Coalition territories, primarily dealing in unmarked drugs, weapons, and medicine. The Society is also known to have a number of "Elite" members, composed mostly of the ultra-wealthy and even politicians within the Coalition government. These members either act out of a desire for change or satisfy their own perversions by watching the poor destroy themselves in a war they couldn't possibly win. Nobody knows who sits at the head of the Society, and those who do are likely to end up as the next special in one of its many underground "kill clubs."
• New Karanda is a refurbished but beached ship in Irondequoit, NY. It has been used as a pseudo-headquarters for the ICLF since the start of the Civil War and has started to host a number of refugees, as well as families of resistance fighters who have been displaced due to the war. It was the target of a vicious raid carried out by General Addison Sobic and OSI Deputy Director Lawrence Orman, who gave the order to kill anyone on board due to their affiliation with the terrorist organization. While a number of people were able to escape, around sixty percent are reported dead or missing—notably among them, Amos Kaffee.
  • Some members of the resistance have blamed Marshall Grant for leaving New Karanda exposed with inadequate defenses, as he had moved most of the ICLF fighting force back to Pittsford in a last-ditch effort to take the city’s capital in the Nazareth District.
• Pittsford is divided into several districts, including:
  • Nazareth District is an upper-class area, primarily home to government buildings and residential areas for the ultra-wealthy, government officials, and other important individuals. Life here is regarded as the "closest thing you can get" to pre-apocalyptic life in the city. It also hosts the Coalition's capital, the Nazareth University campus, and a beacon—a high-intensity searchlight that has illuminated the sky for years, attracting many people to the safety of the city. Currently, the Nazareth District is in lockdown with a heavy military presence protecting every checkpoint in and out.
  • Alcove District is an upper-class district, primarily housing trade guilds, corporate offices, and other businesses. Its most notable building is KTE Tower, the headquarters of the Kali Trade Emporium, a well-known supplier to the Coalition government. In recent days, Alcove has been heavily militarized and is seen as a frontline in the conflict against the ICLF. Currently, KTE Tower is functioning as a base of operations for the Coalition military following the ICLF's alleged attack on their field office in the Liberty District.
  • Memorial District is an upper-to-middle-class district, known mostly for its commercial areas and a well-kept park dedicated to those lost in the pursuit of progress toward the restoration of civilization in the form of the Coalition. Presently, Memorial District is a warzone and, until a few weeks ago, served as the frontline of the conflict. It is currently under the unstable control of the ICLF.
  • Botha District is a middle-class residential district featuring a cultural hodgepodge of both locals and immigrants currently under the control of the ICLF and has seen heavy conflict since the start of the civil war.
  • Liberty District is a lower-class industrial district that was once home to numerous factories responsible for producing steel and various munitions for the Coalition Government. After the conclusion of the Pittsford-Fairport war, many of these factories struggled due to the shortage of resources necessary for production and a general lack of demand. Over time, the Coalition Government transitioned from localized production to outsourcing munitions from KTE, effectively crippling the population of Liberty District and leaving thousands unemployed with the eventual closure of the factories. Currently, Liberty District is predominantly under the control of the ICLF and has seen little opposition.

Launches: June 15th, 2024

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION


File #8 - Siege
This one-shot acts a PVP test - NPCs included.
In the final hours of the civil war in Pittsford, the stage is set for one final battle promising a decisive conclusion as units from both the Coalition and ICLF find themselves face-to-face in a final battle within the capital, vying for control of the Nazareth Campus. Only one side can emerge victorious, leaving the question: who will it be?

The list of information below is not all required knowledge. However, if your character requires it for some reason—or if you are just genuinely curious about the history leading up to this one-shot—please read below

• Takes place after the events of the Season 2 finale of What We Become: Part II.
• This one shot will continue until one side has been completely eradicated, surrendered, or otherwise fled the area. Last faction standing wins.
• A significant portion of the Coalition Military in Pittsford has either been routed or dispatched to participate in Korshunov's campaign in Nunavut. Consequently, morale is low, and there's sentiment that Korshunov has abandoned his people in favor of a personal vendetta against Max Rutherford, a ex-Ranger and member of the ICLF. Currently, the majority of the remaining military force consists of conscripts recruited from prisons with the promise of freedom in exchange for service.
• A significant portion of the ICLF's fighting force was killed in Marshall Grant's initial siege on Nazareth, as they were utilized in pushing the checkpoints, leaving much of his current force under-equipped and licking their wounds. While word about the events at New Karanda hasn't reached the frontline, there's a strong sentiment among most that Marshall took FAR too many troops away from their home base. Some speculate whether his plan was to lure the Coalition into attacking there, making it easier for his men to breach the defenses into the capital's district.

Launches: June 22nd, 2024


File #9 - Wayward
This one-shot acts a baseline test with a focus on investigation.
After receiving a summon from a revered Monstrophist Digby Sterling and his partners, a team of seasoned hunters descends upon La Rive—a secluded community nestled on the outskirts of Eagle Lake, Maine. The area has been plagued by a troubling string of disappearances.

The list of information below is not all required knowledge. However, if your character requires it for some reason—or if you are just genuinely curious about the history leading up to this one-shot—please read below

• Takes place after the six years after the events of What We Become: Part II.
• A monstrophist specializes in investigating, discovering, and hunting mutated anomalies and evolutions stemming from the Red Eye virus. It is difficult, isolating and oft thankless work.
• A hunter is a seasoned monster hunter for hire, experienced in tracking and eliminating various mutated anomalies. They typically have years of experience under their belts.
• The Monstrophist's Field Guide is a guide for some more common monsters you've probably heard of, or at least encountered in the past:
  • It can be found here: LINK
• Digby Sterling is a renowned monstrophist, known for penning some of the earliest iterations of the Monstrophist's Field Guide alongside his son. He is credited with numerous breakthroughs regarding different variants of pre-existing "core" monsters, as well as the discovery of various regional creatures across both the United States and South America.

Launches: June 29th, 2024

7-28-78
The footage you are about to see documents the harrowing events that unfolded in the typically quiet towns of Walker and Dewitt, Kentucky, on the evening of July 28th, 1978.

Watch the full trailer for 7-28-78 above for more information.

Launches: July 6th, 2024 (Date could change due to holidays)