NATURAL SELECTION[]
Natural Selection is a terrorist and militant organization. It is one of the largest militant groups in the world, comprising several thousand and with numerous large-money backers. The group is large enough and powerful enough to risk direct confrontation with local governments, and operates virtually freely within the borders of Falkovnia. Natural Selection has had several commanders over the course of the last 2 decades; the youngest, most recent, and by far most dangerous is Regina Destralli. It is the intent of Natural Selection's leaders (or so the propaganda says) to torture and murder one non-human for every human injured or killed by non-humans on Fontraile. Governments that are resoundingly inclusive of nonhumans, such as Miranda, are natural targets of Natural Selection, and dozens of cases come in, yearly, of small villages all across Fontraile being "disappeared" by Natural Selection, its occupants later turning up butchered, if at all.
Agenda: Instill terror in governments of countries that are inclusive of non-humans by abducting, torturing, and murdering its citizens and subverting their authority.
Assure Human supremacy over Fontraile and the world.
Structure: Rogue militant group.
Symbol: Unknown at this time (needed from Cham later)
Hostile Factions: Literally every regional government on Fontraile except Falkovnia.
Requisition Limit: Extensive access to military hardware (mostly obsolescent).
Military Strength: Considerable
Overview and History[]
In existence for over 40 years, Natural Selection only rose to the prominence it now has in the last decade. Prior to the coming of its current leader, Regina, Natural Selection was a much smaller and more subtle group simply called "Humanity," founded on the precept of protecting its members and communities from the many threats that the modern world presents. It originally hosted seminars on self-defense, sponsored fingerprinting and other preventive child identification campaigns, and organized community watches. Lodges were praised by local law enforcement groups, honored by other civic associations, and quickly found places in the hearts of the communities in which they opened.
In truth, however, the group was a far darker organization of individuals who despised non-humans and was dedicated to wiping them from the face of the earth. To them, there was no difference between an Viera, an Orc, and a Zombie; they're all monsters and must be destroyed. The local lodges tested each member's loyalty and beliefs until they were certain of who to invite into their inner circle. In these older times, "Humanity" was far more careful in regards to seperating its clandestine activities from its public persona, lest the organization itself suffer for it.
The group's tactics were far more local and meticulous regarding the removal of non-humans than it is now, as well. The group would select a non-human target (or group of targets) by starting and encouraging unsavory rumors regarding the target, then moved about producing falsified "proof" of immoral or illicit activies. Often the group would plant controlled substances or materials at a target's home or otherwise frame them for a serious crime. If the target decided to simply pick up stakes and leave, "Humanity" would send operatives to waylay and kill them on the road. If the target stuck it out, chances were good that the group could arrange so that the target would spend at least some time in police custody - and once there, the other prisoners could be paid good money to ensure that the target didn't survive long enough to be released.
The group did have its more overt components; it routinely operated in the hot-zones of the Ekris War-era Fontraile, ambushing and attacking small groups of non-humans and murdering them during the chaos of the ongoing war. These usually, however, took a backseat to the more covert segments of "Humanity's" goals. The group's shadowy campaign of violence came to an abrupt end roughly 9 years ago, when "Humanity's" founder, a man named Gareth Lyles, was brought to justice. "Humanity" had been sloppy and succeeded in getting segments of the Mirandian and Hevarazian governments allied against "Humanity." He was finally surrounded and captured, whereupon he was put on trial and executed for dozens of counts of murder, arson, and conspiracy.
"Humanity" all but fell apart when Lyles was executed. Some sold their allegiance to new causes; others gathered up what espionage and military hardware the group had and became black marketeers. The command structure of the group was broken, and a good part of its membership was now MIA or had been captured by the local governments. Denied the glory of a world run by humans alone, some former members of "Humanity" clung to their ideals and to one another. From among these people arose a leader - Regina Destralli - who not only espoused the idea of a continent-wide revolution, but offered a plan to bring it about.
When "Humanity" was still a smaller group, Destralli worked as a strategist to collate information and propose plans for Lyles and other command staff in "Humanity" to consider. Regina earned her place by demonstrating strategic brilliance and an aptitude for quick thinking. Unfortunately, leaders other than Lyles in "Humanity" felt she had to be watched constantly because, as brilliant as she was, Destralli's intellect was eclipsed by her remorseless amorality. When given a goal, Regina could be counted upon to create a feasible plan that would quickly achieve the leadership's aims. However, Regina's plans often had unacceptable collateral consequences. To Regina, human beings siding with the non-humans were expendable resources, and her plans often called for massive casualties in order to achieve strategic victory.
Following the dissolution of "Humanity," Regina first contacted members of the group that most fanatically believed in the group's goal. To these core people she explained her plan to take advantage of the political climate of post-Ekris War Fontraile, and of the opportunities brought about by Tal's forces. Only two of these people refused Regina's temptations and the peer pressure of the rest of the unit. When it became clear they could not be convinced, Regina killed them both. She calmly explained to her now-panicked audience that the new "Humanity" did not have the luxury of room for dissent or disloyalty; if knowledge of their plans leaked to the outside world before their group had gotten on its feet, they would become targets for assassination from every major government on the continent. Anyone that was not fully trustworthy was to be killed - there was no other option.
Regina then had her newly-formed elites contact the most disenfranchised members of "Humanity" - those that were left jobless and penniless or who survived through crime. They leaped at the opportunity to join the new "Humanity," which Regina had entitled "Natural Selection," happily agreeing to whatever Regina asked. These people had already felt betrayed by their government, and were thrilled to join a group that would one day pave the way for humanity ruling the world. From here, Regina began securing resources - both through her family's holdings and through blackmarket connections - and began to make ties to governments more friendly to Natural Selection's cause. She contacted more former members as well - spies in foreign nations, black marketeers, crime lords, arms dealers - and played on their old loyalties. In a matter of months, the fledgling organization had considerable military prowess and a network of agents that was far more extensive than most other merc organizations operating in and around the core. Much larger and much more obvious now, Natural Selection now is big enough to harass and attack governmental forces all across Fontraile, though its forces have more in the way of courage than skill and the group can usually rarely stand up to any organized military in a direct confrontation. Guerilla actions and quick raids are thus NS's stock and trade.
Structure[]
The current incarnation of Natural Selection is considerably different than the organization that it supplanted. Regina Destralli leads the group, her first recruits form the next tier of leadership, and so on. The group gains considerable support from wealthy groups that share Natural Selection's goals, providing weapons and money through blackmarket contacts. In addition, there are many people who work for Natural Selection that are wholly unaware that they are serving it. These are members of legitimate and illicit businesses alike, started by splinters of the original "Humanity," and they have no official or obvious ties between them and Natural Selection.
Natural Selection operates in individual force groups - each group is self-contained and has its own infantry, vehicle, and airborne detachments. These force groups vary in size from small task groups assigned to secure a minor objective (such as dealing with a specific non-human threat), to large groups at near-battalion strength for heavy lifting and grunt-work. Each group is responsible for its own maintenance and equipment, though any can requisition troops and gear directly from local NS bases. The militants of NS that make up its rank-and-file mostly comprise rebels and malcontents from all across Fontraile. NS actively attempts to recruit from areas victimized by Tal's forces - such individuals make for more-easily-obtained recruits. They also hire from warzones and mercenary rosters. Natural Selection has an ongoing alliance with the Falkovnian Military, and the two do not hinder one another in the slightest.
NS shows suprising caution in spite of its forces being at the fore so often; Regina realizes that NS needs to keep its forces active, but not so active as to provoke major offensives into its territory. If Regina's long-term goals became known, or if the strike groups wound up causing so much damage as to provoke a response from a local government, local governments cheerfully unite against it. To help deal with this, Regina maintains smaller groups and contain information leaks, Natural Selection usually shifts blame for botched assignments onto local criminal groups (and fairly effectively). On top of this, Regina closely monitors every single officer Natural Selection has - she knows every major member's face and has memorized volumes of information regarding their families and histories. She knows their personality quirks, flaws, and secret desires. This knowledge gives Regina tremendous power over every major unit in Natural Selection; she can tailor any approach or interaction on any mission to take advantage of her individual units' goals and biases.
Base of Operation[]
Whilst Natural Selection has strike groups in isolated locales all across Fontraile, these all stem from smaller bases that are hidden away all across the continent. Many of these are converted facilities from Tal's forces; others are makeshift and/or mobile command centers they can operate from. Of course, Natural Selection has, as its HQ, a major base of operations - a sprawling, massive complex built under the streets of Falkovnia's capital city - one that was intended for use by Falkovnian cabinet members in the case of a thermonuclear attack. Official records indicate that the complex had been dismantled and filled in with cement, but Regina used her own money to complete the construction. When the base was finished, Regina offered the construction workers involved the opportunity to join Natural Selection. Those who agreed now work in the base they built beneath the capital - those who declined now lay in unmarked graves beneath their coworkers' feet.
The main base of Natural Selection is protected from NBC attack and is built to allow both survival and comfort in the wake of an apocalyptic event. In addition to barracks, bunkers, hospitals, computer centers, communications hubs, and so on, the base has civilian amenities, including pools, restaurants, shops, and luxury living quarters. At Regina's order, the entire base can be sealed off, all entrances locking completely, and a thousand or more residents could live here comfortably without ever needing to go to the surface for rations or supplies. NS maintains a large number of surface facilities as well; Falkovnia is the one location where Natural Selection operates with 100% impunity, and with the support of a local government.