Information on GATEs

What are GATEs?

GATEs are establishments built around Althanas in response to several world-threatening events. They are comprised of specialists from around the world but generally from their immediate region. They operate independently of local government and religion as a form of emergency military power. While there are currently four GATEs around Althanas, they all maintain a network of communication and cooperation. Each GATE has a single lead known as the Gatemaster who handles primary operational management and direction of each facility. Each GATE can have different focuses or themes depending on the situation or needs deemed necessary.

To the general public, GATEs are a form of sanctuary, learning, and protection. At the center of each GATE is an academy and the main building to which everything within their walls revolves. These academies house research facilities, classrooms, courtyards, training grounds, offices, libraries, and numerous other facilities. Each GATE also has a housing facility and a barracks which are usually located adjacent or near to one another. Otherwise, the GATEs resemble many other medium to large sized cities with INNs, bazaars, shops, and other common buildings.f

GATE Structure:

GATEs are staffed by specialists of various occupation. Staff members are indicated by a standard uniform and insignia. The insignia always resembles doors or gateways in some manner but vary per each GATE. GATEs have one Gatemaster who is supported by a small group of Administrators. Within the GATEs, positions of interest have earned themed nicknames which personnel have adopted as standard despite being informal in assignment. For example, Administrators are often called Guardians. Lead scientists, generals, professors, and similar ranking specialists are often referred to as LockSmiths. And the students, trainees, cadets, assistants, or general members enlisted are either called Locks, Keys, or Picks. Generally, Locks are the more reliable or studious types. The nickname Key is often reserved for prodigies or those with innate talent. Picks are typically those who are known as troublemakers or those who remain capable in unorthodox ways. Newer cadets and those who have yet to establish report are often lumped in with the other Picks.

GATEs have several departments to facilitate their operation. Some GATEs prioritize certain departments over others. Each GATE has a military branch, research branch, and support branch. Military branches focus on defense of the institution and are treated like formalized mercenaries around the world. They work with local governments to execute odd jobs, provide military assistance, and resolve potential threats to Althanas.

The research branches have several responsibilities. They develop new technology or magical solutions to threats and problems around the world. They also maintain records, archives, and teachings of the past through their libraries and archeological museums. The research branch also tries to anticipate, predict, and plan for all occurrences of the next major threat to Althanas or its people.

The support branch is also diverse in its function. They are responsible for providing medical aid to areas impacted by disaster. They also serve as laborers, craftsmen, and engineers who assist in rebuilding efforts or bringing the products invented by the research department to life. The support branch also consists of teachers, speakers, and politicians to help mitigate more sensitive intelligence matters.

Members within the GATE typically fall under one of the three branches, but certain specialists have roles in several branches to best make use of their skills.

Membership and Responsibility:

To become faculty at a GATE, there are two methods. The first method is how the majority of initial staff came to be; one’s reputation must precede themselves. Many of the current faculty were specialists in their own fields of work but after the Great Calamity, they were uprooted from their lifestyles and called to a greater purpose. Their morals shifted their skills toward the protection and recovery of Althanas and its people. With that common interest, they banded together and formed the initial groups referred to as the Core Collective, Final Guard, and Last Bastion. Some staff were adventures without a cause who were renowned for their efforts or were pivotal in the darkest hour.

The second method of entry and far more common after the establishment of the GATEs, is through application and processing. Many of those who now reside within the GATEs were victims of the Calamity and sought shelter, food, and medicine. Some lost their families or homes with no recourse left to them. Those victims were accepted through processing and are granted temporary residence or permanence based on assessment by faculty.

Others actively sought out the GATEs with the desire to contribute to their cause. Many of these submitted formal applications for acceptance and were subject to assessment and trial. Those who met the standards set by the current faculty were enlisted as Cadets where they would receive formal training in a field of their choice. These Cadets are often referred to by their thematic nicknames of Locks, Keys, and Picks.

On the rare chance, some members were added based on the recommendation of members with high merit. While still processed formally by the recommending individual, these special cases have an opportunity to skip or minimize their training regiment as GATE Cadets. Sometimes even finding themselves advising the GateMasters directly as a member of the Administration.

Once enlisted as a member of the GATEs, personnel are granted a uniform and instructed on the responsibilities of their membership. First and foremost, all members of GATEs are to put the safety and wellbeing of Althanas and its people before themselves. This value is held at the highest priority despite the direction and the authority of their superiors. Secondly, members of the GATE are to protect and enrich the lives of those who reside within its walls. The specialists who comprise the GATEs are the backbone of Althanas. Aside from those two primary responsibilities, staff are given roles and responsibilities catered to their strengths by the GateMaster and Administration. It is the belief that those strengths need to be nurtured and grown into specialties which cannot be easily replaced. No one person will ever be considered a “Jack of All Trades” and those that strive to become one always struggle to find their place at the GATEs. Sometimes resulting in demotion to resident, permanence as a cadet, or relocation and severance from the GATE.

The Beinost GATE resides in Raiaera and is also called the Raiaeran GATE. It exists about a four hour ride from Beinost just outside the treeline in an open plain. A small village exists extended from the walls of the GATE and is comprised of farmers, merchants, and local Raiaerans who have some affiliation to the GATE or its members. It is the second largest GATE of the four.

Much like Beinost, it is constructed of both magic and mortar. Of the four GATEs it is the most architecturally advanced. The buildings have the same hues as the dark necromantic structures in Beinost and contrasting elements of lighter tones remnant of old Eluriand. This combination of light and dark is accented by gold and silver throughout. It combines the aesthetic of the pinnacle of Elven society and the harrowing beauty of necromancy left behind by Zem’Zund.

GATE Focus:

The Beinost GATE’s primary focus is researching the cause and source of Althanas’s past calamities. They focus their research on the Tap, its effect on the world, and its source. Given Raiaera’s history as the source of magic, they often seek out magical relics and knowledge from the past. Many of their efforts are focused in the Ruins of Eluriand and the recovering Red Forest.

The GATE also researches alternatives to magic and its potential usefulness or threat. Since their neighboring GATE in Alerar shares their similar zeal for science and information, they often check and balance one another. Much like the politics between the countries, the politics between the GATEs can become challenged at times.

Lastly, a significant amount of research is directed toward the Tular Plains. Much is still unknown about the portals that plague the land and much remains to be discovered about its role in the continent. Much speculation is placed on its potential involvement in several catastrophic events. Political assets are also dispatched to the plains to learn from, negotiate, and monitor the large number of demons which reside there both in crude settlements and refined cities.

The military branch of the Beinost GATE is comprised mostly of mages and those who remain of the old Raiaeran forces. Many of the latter serve as authorities or generals within the branch. They maintain a standard for swordsmanship and traditional weapon training. Both pre-shatter and post-shatter mages instruct the new cadets in order to prepare them for any circumstances. While trained to focus on their strengths, even mages are forced to learn traditional or alternative methods of engagement should there ever come a day where magic were to cease. Compared to the other GATEs, they have the second smallest military branch.

Their support branch is also comprised largely of mages and clerics. Traditional medicine, fabrication, and reconstruction is often supported by magic in one manner or another. While the second largest of all four GATEs, their effectiveness is unmatched. In circumstances where the Aleraran GATE and Raiaeran GATE combine their support efforts, such as the construction of the GATES, nothing can compare to their speed and production. They expedited the construction of the GATEs by up to a tenth of their projected times through traditional methods.

Many of the clerics stationed in the Beinost GATE have been compared to the enigmatic monks of the Citadel. Often able of performing miracles of resurrection without the negative stigma their namesake city carries. These clerics are still stationed at places most heavily impacted by the Great Calamity.

As for their reconstruction efforts, a large portion of manpower is directed toward rebuilding Eluriand and its neighboring Red Forest. Members of the GATE have also found a way to correct the blight left by Zem’Zund and while a slow and methodical process, have begun to reverse the scar left by the undead. Many botanists and zoologists monitor and assist the changes occurring within Red Forest. They strive to find a balance of both Lindequalmë and the Red Forest with hopes to bring such diversity and pride it could be renamed Lodequalmë or “The Grand Forest”.

GATE Administration:

The GateMaster of thes Gate is Baelor Vareski, a Salvic man in his late fifties. Not much is known about his past before the Great Calamity aside from his involvement with the Church of the Sway. As a ranking member, he was one of those permitted to use magic and likely operated as a Mage Hunter. During the Great Calamity, he utilized his prowess with frost magic to stave areas impacted by the super volcano. The magnitude of his skill also extends into wind magic similar to the spells used to prevent the Berevar winds from chilling Knife’s Edge.

He is a stoic man with a gentle expression that strongly contrasts his muscular and war torn features. His posture is reminiscent of a high ranking military man and exudes an aura of command. He keeps his full head of peppered black hair slicked back with one cowlick always defiant over his forehead. The color of his eyes resemble cold steel, but are not easily noticed through his thin gaze. He is not often seen with his Administrators as they are well aware of his capabilities.

As the GateMaster of Beinost, he delegates responsibilities from the secrecy of his office in the academy’s penthouse office. It is rare if at all to hear him issue command in public, but he makes a point to delegate commands personally as often as possible. As a result, his subordinates have a great respect for him and the GATE runs efficiently under his watch.

Of those immediate subordinates, he currently has three Administrators that directly oversee the separate branches of the GATE. Elythis Ieralithe, a Bladesinger that served directly with Lady Nalith Celiniel oversees affairs with the GATE’s military branch. He was born prior to the fall of Eluriand and witnessed the effects of the Eternal Tap. He also witnessed the devastation caused by the Forgotten Ones after emerging from hiding. Much of his memories during that time are still skewed by their old magics despite many of them being slain. His survival and service for hundreds of years earned him his position without refute. The Generals that now serve under him have all had some manner of swordsmanship lesson from him and use his teachings for the newer cadets.

Elythis is taller than most human men due to his High Elven lineage. His features are angular and slim, but not to be underestimated. In comparison to human counterparts he appears to be in his mid to late years of life. He maintains long silvered hair which is always braided or put up with elegance. One of his ocean blue eyes is grayed from a run in with an undead corpse eater decades ago. Much like his vision in that eye, his scars are faded but stand testament to his fortitude. He is often short and concise with his colleagues, but possesses vast knowledge of tactics and Raeairan geography. Debriefings directly from him are rarely incorrect.

Madeline Briarthorn oversees the research and development of the GATE. Madeline grew up as a daughter of an Istien Academy professor who survived the Corpse War and fled to Tor Elythis. Her father was a lesser Bard and still serves in the academy at Tor Elythis. Her mother was a human woman that helped her father when he fled and they grew intimate with one another. She was in the equivalent of her twenties when the Great Calamity struck and thanks to her father’s influence, had already become a renowned scientist. During the events, she used her knowledge of physics, the stars, and properties of molten rock to increase effectiveness of recovery efforts.

Since the end of the Great Calamity, she has been obsessed with determining the cause. Her research has consumed her to the point that some experiments have cause harm to the test subjects. Since she did serve as a member of the Core Collective, her knowledge and persistence gained her great reputation from her peers. Now, with the facilities of the GATE at her disposal, she is able to carry out her research without limitations.

Madeline stands at about the average size of a human woman. He silky black hair is cut high and short with her jawline and often pulled out of the way of her face. She does wear glasses, but only for reading. Her frame is average with less womanly assets than most. Her personality is short and pointed, always interested in the facts and useful information. She is known for her delicate tastes in tea and is often seen alone, rarely with company outside of her lab.

Maerci Van Tesafellene heads the support branch and originates from a small chapel on the border of Raiaera and the Tular Plains. Before the Great Calamity, she used to take in orphaned children made homeless by demon raids in the south. While not elven, she worships and teaches the Elven Pantheon who have blessed her with their gifts. She is able to work The Miracles of the Seven, a trait uncommon in the faithful. It was when her mentor, a high elf woman that survived the Corpse War wrote her of the events in Corone that Maerci decided to offer her services under the condition that the GATEs provide food and shelter for her children. Sadly, that letter was the last she ever heard of her mentor who would have likely served in her stead if she were still alive.

Maerci is in her early thirties but beautiful even by elven standards. Her voice is soft and gentle like sweet honey, but her ability to oversee even under stressful conditions has earned her the position she holds. She is stern and disciplined without being overbearing and her ability to perform The Miracles of the Seven makes her more than able to handle herself. She stands just shy of six feet, tall for her kind, and is as close to a goddess as a mortal could be. She is chaste, and despite several attempts of men to taint her faith, she remains pure.

She is often seen among the people and advises the GateMaster of their needs and opinions. Many respect her and seek her guidance especially in these dark times. Even the masons and smiths are familiar with her. It is a common, but shocking site to see her fair skin soiled when she helps construction efforts or even forging steel. She is truly a wonder.

Under these three, there are several other highly respected specialists in their individual fields. Those members are known as the LockSmiths by the cadets and perform other managements tasks of their peers and subordinates. There are many noteworthy individuals but as is common in the GATEs, their actions speak louder than words.

The Dragon GATE resides in Alerar and is also commonly called the Aleran GATE. It resides to the Far East near the Mountains of Dawn. Specifically, it is built close to the location of Dragon’s Folly where the Alerar Air Force fought and killed one of the very few remaining dragons. Its corpse decayed and affected several caves, local flora, and fauna. Now, Dragon’s Foley is known for its unique collection site of poisons, elements, and oddities. That is what influenced the location of the Dragon GATE to be built. As a combined effort of the Dark Elves, Dwarves, and Last Bastion, the Dragon’s gate takes on a very metallic and rigid aesthetic. The buildings are forged mostly of metal and are afforded the luxury of Ettermire’s cleanest burning steam technologies. Much of the advancements there are powered by modern engineering feats with alchemical influence. The focal point of the facility, the Academy, is even forged with Dragon Ivory harvested from the epicenter of Dragon’s Folly. Hence, the locals tend to call it the Dragon GATE instead of the Aleran GATE.

The uniform for the Dragon Gate is charcoal grey and closely resembles the average skin tone of the local Dark Elves. Accents of crimson red pepper the uniform near the neck, sash, and over the right shoulder. The insignia is worn proudly on the breast and resembles a dragon’s rib cage as seen from the side with one wing sprouting from the top. It is embroidered in an off white like bone.

Outside of the Dragon GATE is a supplementary military hangar used to house various types of airships. Here, the research branch experiments on several types of air vessels. The finished products are built to completion within the security of the GATE walls, but are stored in the external hanger due to the sheer square footage needed. This external facility is heavily guarded to deter theft from individuals looking to prosper from cutting edge technology. Aside from the GATE and its Hangar, the surrounding area is framed by plains, woodland, and mountains. A river cuts through the middle of the plains and provides the necessary resources for growing food and powering the steam technology in the GATE grounds

GATE Focus:

The primary focus of the Dragon GATE is to further advancements that are independent of magic. In the GATE specifically, there still is the use of magic despite many of Alerar’s occupants being completely cut off from both the Pantheon and the Tap. Research is heavily focused on alchemy, physics, biology, and science. Their military branch is also heavily armed with the newest advancements in Althanian technology. Newer and more efficient weapons are being developed regularly as well as protective methods against said weapons. It is the mantra of the Dragon GATE that every creation must have an opposite. It is with this mantra that the turn towards Althanas’s recent calamity and seek to find its opposite.

The GATE also strives to research the unusual weather phenomena to the north. Given the country’s close alliance with Salvar, traffic between the GATE and the non-magical northerners is frequent and common. Since the removal of the Forgotten One posing as the head of the Church of Ethereal Sway, the intense northern winds still threaten the city. It is part of the Dragon GATE’s mission to pinpoint the cause of this and determine whether or not the source is a threat to the rest of southern Althanas.

Between the Alchemy and steam technology of the Dark Elves and the smithing knowledge of the Dwarves, the Dragon GATE also focuses on refining and developing new techniques for forging metals and equipment. This technology is invented with the purpose of supporting and aiding in reconstruction around Althanas as well as reinforcing key structures for future events. The research team is also using this partnership as an opportunity to research the history and lore of the Dwarven people in-depth. Much of their archives are dedicated to this research.

Of the four GATEs, the Dragon Gate boasts the second largest military force. While not as large in quantity, the weapons and armaments their elite are trained with could easily compete with the world’s standard military. This technology also makes the Dragon GATE one of the most well fortified establishments across Althanas including automated golems and steam turrets. Paired with their airships, the Dragon GATE is commonly conscripted for military aid in suppressing rebellion, quelling rabid wildlife, and covertly silencing political threats. This focus on military power has earned them a more negative stigma compared to the other GATEs but is often kept in check by the Beinost GATE and Jagged GATE of Corone.

Their support branch is the second smallest of the four branches but where they lack numbers, they excel in production. Their investment in alchemy has made them effective in the administration of traditional medical aide, but they excel in providing reconstruction support. Between automated golems, steam engines, dwarven engineering, and alchemical compounds, the Dragon GATE is a welcomed sight for sore eyes. Their production values can shorten a construction timeline by half easily. In conjunction with magical support from the Beinost GATE, there is no force able to complete a project quicker. Their support branch is often conscripted by factions around the world for mass production of weapons, armor, and building supplies.

Administration

The Gatemaster at the Dragon GATE is a dark elf by the name of Seever “V’Shaladin and previously advised the Monarch of Ettermire, Edari’axa. He is a Graf that owns a large plot of land to the northeast of Ettermire which is largely undeveloped or utilized. His Economic influence helped to fund the construction of the Dragon GATE and he oversees its operation with stern precision. He is often accompanied by his Guardians both as habit from being nobility and precaution. He exhibits somewhat of a God complex when dealing with offenders of the GATEs rules and acts independently as a judge, jury, and in some cases, executioner. He stands just over six feet with an average build, pitch dark skin, red eyes, and ashen hair carefully straightened and maintained to his mid back. He always walks with posture expected of nobility and carries a newly developed prototype rapier at his side.

One of the two Guardians which commonly advise and accompany him is General Toland Heresyne. Toland was born as a servant to Seever when he was still advising the King. In the events of the Great Calamity, Toland fended off a group of rogues that made an attempt at Seever’s life in hopes of commandeering his wealth. Toland dispatched the assassins, rallied his fellow servants who had mixed opinions of Seever, and raised their encampment in the nearby forest with extreme effectiveness. Once chosen and situated as the Gatemaster of the Dragon GATE, Seever appointed him as the General of their specialist division. Since then, Toland has been effective in his discipline and training of those chosen to serve.

Toland is young compared to the other faculty at the Dragon Gate and is a hybrid of Dark Elf and human. His skin resembles a muted chocolate. His hair is short, dark, and curly but shaved at the sides. In imitation of Graf Seever, he maintains a noble posture despite his diminished social status. He is built like stone and is bulky for his thin and tall frame partially due to endless hours of manual labor and personal determination to his training. Toland has eerie yellow eyes and is just as stern as Graf Seever. On days when he is not escorting the Gatemaster, Toland is found in the barracks or training grounds vigorously engaging his cadets in military drills. He is an expert marksman with a hunting flintlock, but prefers the axe for general combat. When not in the GATE uniform, Toland wears a new form of composite body armor that hugs his form closely, maintains range of movement, but also affords the protection of full plate. This set of armor was a gift given to him by Seever during his promotion to General.

With Toland, another General occupies the Gatemaster’s side. Her name is Emilia Firebrand. She is a rare half dwarf who was exiled from the Kachuck mines with her father, a human, after being born. They settled in Ettermire where her lineage and her father’s knowledge introduced her to smithing and engineering. In the events of the Great Calamity, her father left for the frontlines and died due to excessive ash inhalation. She was left in charge of the forge and projects her father worked on. These projects were only a part of a larger blueprint for a new flying machine to be produced by Alerar. Given the increasing ire and blame Alerar placed on their neighboring country after the Calamity, Emilia took the plans and work with her and applied to the Dragon GATE. She was swiftly accepted and promoted to General of the Aerial Division of their military branch.

Emilia stands no taller than five feet and has a full, curved figure. While most dwarven women are often confused as men, her human liniage clearly remains. She is strong as the mountain children but exudes a kindness expected of her alluring face. She has thick, fiery red hair which either hangs loosely over her chest or braided behind her. Her eyes are verdant green and she speaks commonly with the voice of a concerned mother. However, when dealing with situations pertaining to her father’s research, she becomes stern and defensive. Emilia does have a tendency to imbibe Dwarven fire wine and it hits harder than most dwarves thanks to her father’s genetics. Her behavior under the influence of alcohol is questioned around the GATE, and several stories circulate. Whether or not truth exists in the rumors remnants to be determined.

There are also two heads of the research branch at the Dragon GATE. Each focuses on their own specialized fields of study, but often meet to find opportunities and connections between the two. The Lead Specialis that handles all the advancements in Alchemy is none other than Rachne Korr. His history is largely a mystery and is kept that way by many in the Administration. He was recommended by Gatemaster Seever and appointed directly to Guardian. He keeps to his quarters and lab, rarely seen by residents or cadets. When he is seen in public, he is often in comapny with the Gatemaster or Toland.

Rachne is pale for a Dark Elf and has light grey skin. He wears a contraption over his left eye and is lean to the point of seeming sickly. Rachne’s hair is pitch black and dense, but he keeps it no longer than his chin line. His attire is almost always a white lab coat. The stains of which raise many questions with the residents of the GATE and many are afraid to approach him. However, his contributions to the medical shops, support team, and general quality of life improvements afford him the silence he likely desires. It is without doubt he is a genius, but his purpose and goals remain vague.

Much to his antithesis is Rachel Grandsteel. She heads the steam division of the research branch and used to serve as a lead mechanic for Ettermire’s public service department. As a human and female, she was never presented the opportunities to advance in Ettermire, but possessed a brilliance and innate ability with steam tech. When most of the technicians left aboard the airships dispatched to the locations of the Great Calamity, Rachel stayed behind and handled the operation of Ettermire. Since she lacked the respect of her peers to command, she took most of the work upon herself and kept Ettermire running efficiently. It was during this time that she earned the respect of her peers. Upon the return of the surviving mechanics and engineers, Rachel was offered a senior position but declined. Instead, she applied to the Dragon GATE on recommendation of a member of the Core Collective. She was accepted and quickly proved her prowess as a leader. She now serves as overseer of the airship and steam technologies used at the Dragon GATE with little or no protest of her peers.

Rachel is a brunette with shoulder length frizzy and curly hair often specked with oil. Though she has occasionally attempted to appear more effeminate, her line of work always resumes her to a state of frazzled mess. Her face is honest and eyes just as dark brown as her hair. She is loud, friendly, and outgoing. One might consider her somewhat of a tomboy since her passion is focused on engineering, thermodynamics, and hydraulic technologies. She loves the hum of machinery and finds excitement in designing and creating things which defy expectations. She frequently works with Emilia and dreams of creating a vessel that will take her higher than the clouds — high enough to touch the stars.

Last of the Administration is Gurrelle Damnfrost. He is an old, stocky, angry little dwarf that was exiled from Kachuck due to his awful demeanor. He, believe it or not, heads the Dragon GATE’s support branch. His focus is construction and with the expectations of a generation long gone. No matter the effort put toward the projects he oversees, Gurelle always expects more. Beyond his grumpy and bitter exterior, he genuinely cares for his line of work and the people it impacts. He would be caught dead admitting it, however. While some of his subordinates resent him for the type of manager he is, others can see into his depths and respect what he demands from them.

During the Great Calamity, Gurelle injected himself into as many recovery efforts as he could. Despite his age, his level of production rivaled some of the best the youngest recruits could offer. He worked tirelessly and earned great praise from the Last Bastion. Originally, he was slated to serve as Gatemaster but stepped aside the responsibility because he “didn’t want to babysit no cry babies”.

Gurelle is shy of a full five feet, but is still just as much a child of stone as any dwarf. He wears a patch over his left eye which is often obscured by unkempt, wavy white hair. His rough skin is littered with scars and scrapes earned from hard labor and a lack of “whining like a newborn slag skipper”. He harbors a soft spot for those truly in need but masks his kindness with copious amounts of colorful insult. Despite his hostilities, Gurelle rarely degrades himself to common slang or slander. Many of his outbursts are hard to understand but are spoken with such gravelly ferocity that the only way to accept it is as an insult or jeer.

Jagged GATE



Notes:
Corone GATE called Jagged Gate. Situated to the NorthEast opposite the tail end of the Jagged Mountains and Comb Mountains. Two valleys through the lower peaks of both ridges connect them to the Radasanthian Plains and northern settlements of Akashima. To their west is beach and harbors that hold their impressive Naval forces. They also boast Scale Riders from Akashima, large reptilian mounted units which are known for their nimble movement on land and sky. Largest Military force. Largest Support Force. Second smallest research department.

Dhethain GATE aka Luthmor Gate is built on the central isle within the Maw Cape. Newest of all four GATEs and more akin to an encampment than a fortress. Smallest overall GATE in all departments but most open for improvement. Research focuses on new fauna, flora, and archeological discoveries of the Fae and Draconian people. Military is unique and unorthodox, but most diverse of all four. Even consists of Fallien militia that have been exiled or interested in seeing the world outside their Xenophobic borders. Their support group is mainly focused on survival squads and dispatched in hazardous areas where only certain racial traits become of assistance. They prove effective in guerrilla warfare and fallout scenarios where more modern niceties are not available.