Factions

The Bureau of Unusual Affairs is a government agency of the Colonial Alliance that is dedicated to investigating strange and extraordinary phenomena. Since the Psionic Holocaust of 2,450, the world of Elysium has seen more individuals with astonishing abilities that are beyond simple explanation, or any control. In addition, the world of Elysium has to contend with the remnants of the High Tech past and the individuals that seek to possess their power, or at least replicate it with the nascent Steam technology. On top of that, Elysium is a world with dangerous and unknow creatures, with only about half of the planet been thoroughly explored. Unknown dreadful and terrible creatures continue to bludgeon civilization back against progress.

But perhaps, the ultimate questions to answer are those regarding The Event. The greatest unusual affair to affect Humanity on the Victoria star system.

The agents of Bureau, codenamed Custodians, keep looking into these mysteries in order to safeguard Humanity and acquire the knowledge to better fight such terrors.

The Elysian League of Explorers is a gentlemen's club that was founded around 30 years ago with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The original organizers of the club were well-to-do individuals that realized that with about 50% of the world of Elysium still unexplored, there is much potential for gaining prestige and profit. Since then, they have funded many expeditions and safari to some of the most inhospitable and isolated areas of Elysium, many of which have ended with few or no survivors due to the highly hostile nature of the environment beyond the confines of civilization. But still the explorers press on.

Nowadays, the league consists mostly of big game hunters, brave scholars, and a few rich individuals looking for adventure, but at least they have become more progressive in recent years and began accepting women in their ranks. They have lodges located in several locations around the world, and the exploits of their members fill the newspapers with a touch of adventure and daring-do.

The Ruritanian Imperial Ministry of Security, or as they are commonly known, "The Emperor's Presence", are the Ruritanian intelligence agency tasked to protect and secure the interests of the Ruritanian empire on the domestic and international arena. They are the eyes and ears of the emperor, rooting out dissent at home, or gathering intelligence in clandestine missions on other countries. Only the emperor himself is free from constant scrutiny by them. Even the highest echelons of Ruritanian society must comply to the inquiries of the Presence.

On foreign missions, they are known to be bold on their approach, using methods such as espionage, assassination, and theft in order to further the goals of the Ruritanian empire. Their agents, formally called the Imperial Arbiters, but better known as the Widowmen, are feared by the Ruritanian populace and those in other countries that know of their reputation.

A notorious organization of technologists and scholars created during the the earlier years of the Elysian Age of Enlightenment. Their main goals are to rediscover lost knowledge, to find, and if possible reverse-engineer, high-tech from the past, and to promote creativity and scientific curiosity. They publish a monthly scientific journal for their members, The Lighthouse Science Journal Illustrated in which they share news and discoveries. It is a matter of professional pride and a great honor among people of science and intellectuals to be asked to join the society. The Pharos Society has assisted with funding for important research and several expeditions to find lost high-tech that has helped the technological advancement of the planet Elysium. Yet even though their principles seem to be benign, they have faced criticism by some groups and individuals that consider the society a guild of mad scientists and quacks with less than benevolent intentions. Their current president is Dr. Santiago Uriza.