Charon
The planet of Ash's capital city. Around thirteen million souls live here, with more constantly coming in by any means they can. Here, the city is used as the Command Center for the Coalition forces, as well as once a means of evacuation via portals-- At least, until it was proven the enemy could use them as well. Since then, the Coalition has opted to use more traditional means via shuttles to bring evacuees to a secure space station that circles the planet. Four gates, located on the points of the compass are the only ways known to enter the city besides flight.
Notable locales are the following within Charon:
The Command Center "Ragnarok"
The nerve center of the stationed forces. Here, the overall strategy to save the world is made and the Commander-in-Chief and his staff are situated. ODMA also has a garrison stationed here.
The Ragnarok Garrison
Since Charon has been declared under martial law, the Coalition keeps back a task force within its walls. Their objective is to keep the peace and protect the city, from internal forces, riots and enemy spies that may slip through. It's a full-time and thankless job, but an important one.
The Supply Drop
Scattered throughout the city, these are meant to help distribute supplies for the civilians in an orderly fashion. More often than not, its a full-time job to prevent riots over canned food. Thankfully, the city hasn't gotten that dire but fear tends to fill the air like a noxious cloud, threatening the spread of malevolence.
The Cog-and-Sword
Some citizens have thrown in their full support to the Coalition forces in thanks for Ragnarok's dedication, such as the Cog-and-Sword, a friendly bar run by the sultriest bartender you'd ever meet. Great for downtime-- just don't cause a scene.
The United Nations Volunteer Hospital
An entire district of the city dedicated to the wounded and sick civilians, run primarily by the United Nations. Consisting of a mix of the Coalition's Mind agents, local medical infrastructure, and the U.N. people themselves, its primary focus is the civilian population and anyone else who needs them. Led by Dr. Maera.
The Fight Club
Located within the Outer City and hidden from public view, the fight club provides catharsis for war-torn soldiers and escapism for the Upper City elite. It acts as an even, if uneasy, meeting ground for both sides of the war.
The Undercity
Charon is a hive city, and its roots run deep. Down below, lies an entire city in the dark, run by those who keep the machines working. It's a dark existence, but crucial for all it is. What lies beneath, in that labyrinth of metal and shadow though it's anyone's guess.
The Upper City
This is where those who bear influence and money in the city reside, along with their offices. The rich lie blissfully ignorant of the masses around them, barely affected by the Coalition and UN's takeover of the city's infrastructure.
Of note here is the GOC PSYCHE Division Office (a subdivision of the United Nations organization), which holds no official power. The GOC is just here to support Strike Team Phoenix, their Anti-Cult Strike Team. The PSYCHE Division office just has a representative who investigates reports of possible Order activity, and then deploys the Phoenix when necessary.
Medical Director Doctor Aline Maera's lab is also in this section of town. She and several other UN scientists work there in order to provide enough medicine for those in the Volunteer Hospital. It's designed after the Elysium Corporation from her world.
The Outer City
The crime-filled cesspool of Charon. Anything can be bought here: Supplies stolen right off of a UN resupply? Yup, they're here. Want a potent new drug that will be addicting and run you into debt? Yes, that's here. Need your roommate killed? That's definitely something you can get here. However, these things all come at a significant price.
A small sect of the Order resides here, meeting in the bar known as Moonlight. However, they currently don't have a way to contact any of the Order forces outside of the city, and with regular patrols into the Outer City increasing, they're losing.
The Subway
The mostly-abandoned subway system of Charon. While parts of it are abandoned, other parts are used in a similar manner to London's Tube during the Blitzkrieg as shelters and other resources. The line is used as an underground troop transport to deploy troops and deliver supplies to various places around the city quickly and covertly.
Sancta Sanctorum
The GOC's equivalent of a CIA Blacksite. A Sancta Sanctorum consists of guarded weapons caches, supplies, and other resources GOC and UN members require. Frequently, these buildings take up an entire floor of a building, or a townhouse, and consists of an armory, a library of magical tomes, a small command center, and supplies storage.
There are currently three known Sancta Sanctorum on Ash. One underneath the PSYCHE division office within Charon that is used as a shelter for important personnel and storage of important supplies. One located in the Outer City of Charon which is used to collect soldiers before they move into a battleground. It's also used as a place to hold soldiers and supplies during riots. A third located in the Old City on the battlefield, which is used as a Forward Operating Base by GOC and UN troops out in the field. It is also used as a temporary shelter and hospital for the wounded who can't return to Charon itself.
The Battlefield
The heart of the Ashen Front. Located miles from Charon and situated roughly center of the main continent is where the bulk of the battles take place. As this was once the site of numerous Coalition outposts, wreckage and discarded equipment litter the battlefield. The Order enjoy using shadowy means of attack, it is on the battlefield that the Coalition's forces most often meet creatures twisted by malevolence.
Notable locales are the following on the battlefield:
Outway
Before one can reach Charon, they must pass through a Coalition checkpoint. Those deemed suspicious or corrupted by malevolence are turned away. In the time since its conception, this checkpoint has turned into a hub of activity, where traders have set up shop to see to the many that pour through this location. Bartering is the primary means of transaction, with many on the lookout for food, water, health, and safety.
Mercenaries make a name in Outway, tasked with protecting civilians and traders from beasts and people who would wish to hurt them. With the Coalition's attention drawn to other parts of Ash, mercenaries make up the bulk of the protective force around Outway.
The Old City
The old city is a former city a few miles outside of Charon. A hot battle zone, the old city is known for having many places where Order members hide out. An expansive storm drain and subway system stretch beneath the city, giving them lots of places to hide. The Order currently has a dig project to break through into Charon from the underground tunnels.
The Airfield
The airfield is always loud. Planes come in and out, soldiers loading and unloading from them, and cargo being counted and ready to send to supply drops. The old terminal is used as processing for those coming in and out. This is used as a base by the UN, which brings in relief and aid to those who need it. It's a resupply base for the Coalition and UN troops within the city, as well as providing some necessary aid to the affected citizens.
Piper's Landing
A small settlement far northwards of Charon, this village used to hold the site of tribal fiefdoms struggling for the power of Ash's rare resources of grain and wheat. When Malevolence struck ages ago, once lush plains shifted into a horrid swamp. The inhabitants banded together to form formidable self-serving village situated in the middle of the swamp. Once reputable, the village now serves as a den of bandits, thieves, outlaws, and exiles.
No-Man's Land
Situated mostly on the former site of Kerberos is a largely barren land known as No-Man's Land. As Coalition forces dread coming out so far from Charon, the Order enjoys the area for its relative peace. Still, the land has traces of nuclear fallout and is known to cultivate horrible mutants.
Notable locales are the following within No-Man's Land:
The Cathedral
Whoever this cathedral originally belonged to is unknown. The once sacred church has been perverted and corrupted by the Order members that reside within. The grand structure now stands crumbling, surrounded by dense fog. No one knows what lies inside of the Cathedral, as no one has gotten close enough to it, but whatever it is, it spells trouble.
It's the site of a former Sanctum Sanctorum. However, several crazed former citizens have found it and have sort of fortified it against both other citizens, monsters, and anyone else.
The Hunting Ground
Former Charon Upper City elite that have fled the city and established a community on the edges of No-Man's Land have created an area they use for sport. The elite kidnaps men and women from Charon and trap them within an enclosed maze. Often, the elite will hunt them down for fun and bet on the victim's odds of survival, but sometimes they will pit multiple victims against each other or let loose creatures to hunt them down instead.
The Dead Zones
The seas of Ash that have dried up are considered the Dead Zones. No one truly knows what lies within the Dead Zones, for no living being has traveled into them and lived to tell the tale. All technology strangely stops functioning within the zones, even as far as a few miles above in the air.
Ash
Ash was once a major supply planet to the Coalition at its peak, and although it had a largely inhospitable environment, the planet was crucial for natural resources, mostly minerals, and lumber. Not only that, but the near-frozen planet served as a morale boost, showing the strength of the Coalition to send their members to such a planet and have them not only survive but thrive.
The soldiers there were adjusted to very stylistic warfare. Like the British in Isandlwana, the Coalition's troops were trained in a very regimented type of tactics due to limited supplies and the general strategy employed against the Crossed, which was virtually modern firelines. Then, unfortunately, the dynamic nature of warfare had changed.
The planet was evacuated of Coalition forces as a result of a major push by the Arch Demon's forces. What survivors remained turned into despair-ridden mutants or fled underground, though Charon was the least impacted in the damages. Native populations outside Charon would be reduced to something akin to Greek city-states, independent fully from the Coalition and often pursuing their own paths, whether that be militaristic, religious, mercantilism, or what have you.
Coalition
A group with the power to travel to different parts of the multiverse and who seek to eliminate threats to the multiverse as a whole. Their members enter Murder Games of their own free will in order to sabotage them, while also fighting in areas rife with instability.
Malevolence
The participants of one of the earliest recorded Murder Games were imbued with an excess of the Arch Demon's demonic energy months over time. This energy, called Despair Energy (or Malevolence), was generated when the excess of negative emotions exhibited by the Murder Game's participants was cultivated by the Arch Demon, fueling his life and powers. Malevolence takes many default forms across the universe, though it is tied mostly to dark and chaotic energies. High concentrations of malevolence are seen as a threat to the multiverse, and thus purging this energy is a goal of groups such as the Coalition.
Murder Games
At the height of his power, the Arch Demon scoured the multiverse in search of sustenance to maintain his great power. He eventually discovered that the strongest source of power was the fear brought on by the pain and anguish of sentient beings. Tied to his own universe, the Arch Demon was forced to spread his influence across the multiverse in order to manipulate and control others into orchestrating events that would come to be known as Murder Games.
The Arch Demon
Now deceased. Having required drastic measures to prevent himself from being eaten away by his own source of power, the Arch Demon began to scour the multiverse to find suitable sustenance to allow himself to maintain his strength. Discovering the strongest source of power being the fear brought on by the pain and anguish of sentient beings, the Arch Demon began to orchestrate situations in which many strong souls were brought together and forced to participate in events that would soon be dubbed Murder Games.
The Order
A doomsday cult operating within certain vile pockets of the multiverse. Through the use of his power and having access to multiple time periods of any given universe, the Arch Demon came as a vision upon high ranking members of The Order in its early days and managed to insert himself as one of the religion's revered beings. The group's insignia, known as the Halo of the Sun, became synonymous for the Arch Demon. Despite his death, The Order still follows his ideals and work to spread an energy known as Malevolence across the multiverse.
United Nations/United Universes
A group that protects the Multiverse. The UN is responsible for organizing and monitoring the other groups, delivering aid and resources to areas in need, and supporting organizations that defend the Multiverse. They have worked closely with the Coalition.
Strike Team Phoenix
A Global Occult Coalition Anti-Cult Strike Team. They are a subdivision of the United Nations. Phoenix is a remade version of a previous team and is now focused on taking down the Order. Their responsibilities are to monitor the Order and similar organizations and to take them out with extreme prejudice.
Brotherhood of Steel
The BoS is a quasi-religious paramilitary organization stemming from the Fallout Alpha world. Despite ideological differences between multiple geographic chapters, the Brotherhood of Steel generally believes in the collection and preservation of technology. They have heavily supported the Coalition in their efforts.
The Torch
The Torch, a Coalition based located on the main continent of an obscure world, is the first place new recruits visit in order to get a feel for the organization as well as train and decide which branch of the Coalition they feel most suited to, these including the Sword, the Forge, the Mind, the Cloak, and the Wand. Even non-magical folk, for example, can join the Wand, acting as either special forces, scouts or research assistants. It's all a matter of organization and, considering the role they find themselves in, it's something they can't afford to ignore.
Gaius
Current Commander-in-chief of the Ragnarok forces. Gaius is also a high-ranking member of the United Nation's security division. He was brought on due to his military expertise and as a result of the Coalition giving the United Nations commander privileges of the Ragnarok project.
Gonosz Parasit (Wicked Parasite)
Nickname(s): Evil Worms, Mind Eaters
The Gonosz Parasit are a parasitic species twisted by Malevolent Energy and are capable of entering the head of a living being to take control similar to several other parasitic creatures encountered by Coalition forces. First contact involved Agents Whisky, Hotel, Zulu, and Hot-Spice mapping a collapsed metro tunnel. Reportedly, the parasites did not initially act hostile until Agent Hot-Spice accidentally stepped on one causing a high-pitch squeal akin to a bird or a kitten.
Though they were individually weak, they made up for it through overwhelming numbers and Agents Hotel and Hot-Spice were dragged further into the metro. Whisky and Zulu were able to escape when an exploding pipeline erupted fire, causing the parasites to retreat. It has since then been discovered that these creatures have a crippling fear of fire. Just seeing it is enough to make them flee.
Hotel and Hot-Spice were later discovered in the general area by Team Diamond. The team attempted to recover said Agents, but the two attacked Diamond. The following is a recording from the encounter:
Diamond Alpha: "Command, we see two missing Agents, Hotel and Hot-Spice. Moving in."
Command: "Copy."
Diamond Beta: "Uh, sir, I think they're trying to say something?"
Unidentified –* incomprehensible, pained muttering*
*Human-like shrieks, sound of running feet and gunfire*
Diamond Alpha: "What the fuck? Command, Hot-Spice and Hotel just tried mauling us!"
The rest of the recording is irrelevant
Autopsies were later conducted revealing that the parasites had grown and were attached to the brain. Multiple, smaller parasites were discovered in the digestive tract suggesting that the creature absorbs nutrients from food consumed by the host.
Since then, the Gonosz Parasit have been found regularly in metros gathered around organisms with a chest cavity. Several have been identified as missing agents, others are mutants or civilians. Theories as to why range from being used for food, breeding, or both.
Different forms have also been discovered, indicating that not all 'infected' individuals are used for food and/or breeding.
The following is a list of known stages:
Larval Stage
Weak alone, strong in numbers, the larval form is the most common encountered member. They're typically found in the collapsed metros of Charon surrounding a dead organism, as well as some of the remaining underground tunnels.
Their primary method of attack is to keep charging until the majority of its numbers are cleared if a fire is unavailable. Once the parasite manages to bury into a person, they proceed to drag the individual away from any allies where they become a host.
Infected Stage
Infected personal can be identified by a high fever, whimpers and moans, paled skin, blood dripping out of the mouth, nose, and eyes, and an urge to attack any non-infected by latching onto them and vomiting black bile.
The bile that has been researched has been found to contain the parasites.
It's known that a transferal of fluids can carry a similar sickness. Known infected must be quarantined at first possible opportunity.
Divert Stage
The Divert Stage is where the infected becomes a new nest for the parasites where they rapidly increase in number until the body can't handle the strain and explodes. From there the Gonosz Parasit spread out in search of new hosts.
If they go on to reach the Adult Stage, reproduction skyrockets until a certain point and mutations occur, powering the Infected and enlarging and elongating muscles and bones.
Adult Stage
The Adult Stage is the supposed last stage of the parasite's life cycle. Once the mutations are completed, reproduction is halted.
The Adult form is rare, powerful, and intelligent. They're capable of leaping two stories and can withstand a hail of bullets. To add to this, they're capable of using weapons and limited speech. Fire still has an effect, though, but is subdued. Though if set aflame, this can trigger a rage state where the infected will rush haphazardly, possibly creating more destruction than before.
This is all the information known on Gonosz Parasit as of this date and this entry will be updated as new info becomes available.
Other Creatures
Further possible creatures on Ash can be found on this page.
Hun'Gar
A race distinguished by a reptilian snake-like appearance, named after an ancient nomadic people and a type of ancient fish. They were born via mutation when certain humans were exposed to malevolence on Ash. They have a human build but are covered in layers of scales. Their heads most imitate that of a snake's, but they retain the vocal chords necessary for human speech.
Though many are disgusted upon first witnessing one of the Hun'Gar and first view them as evil entities, those of the Hun'Gar have shown themselves to be a peaceful sort who value diplomatic solutions. Since finding each other and gathering largely into a single tribe, the Hun'Gar have kept good relations with the Coalition, supporting them in their efforts.
Fern
A mysterious race of botanical humanoids who are believed to be native to Ash. They lived above ground in the earliest days of Ash, tending to the meager foliage that would otherwise have died off in Ash's harsh climates. They were believed to sustain a symbiotic relationship with the trees they tended to in some manner, which most reason is linked to an ancient magic. They have plantlike features, such as leaves for hair and bark for flesh. Many find them to be irresistibly beautiful.
When man first came from the underground, the Fern retreated from them in fear. There was little contact between the Fern and the others. When the foliage and trees the Fern had cultivated began to be used as resources, the Fern developed a deep hatred for those unlike themselves that has sustained until the present time. The Fern keep to themselves, supporting no one, though it is known for beautiful plant-like enchanters to lure humans out alone, only for them to never be seen again...
Nomad Factions
A number of those living on Ash live outside the major areas of activity, either preferring a nomadic lifestyle or simply having no choice. Many new kinds of beings came into existence following the rise of chaos on Ash, and so many have gone undocumented or unseen. It's known that the Nomads divide themselves into factions, with some at war with others. The Nomad factions are made up of all kinds of beings, human and alien alike.