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The raven technocracy

Finally updated James Abrasax's factbook. It's still kind of a mess, as are the rest of the Technate facebooks, but I'll sort them out someday. Hoping to use James some more in the future if I can find an excuse to.

The raven technocracy

Technomancers:
A rare subset of Banshee and Banshiek, Technomancers are innately gifted with technology, being able to manipulate and command it with ease. They have an innate understanding of technology of all kinds, and tend to be brilliant engineers. A Technomancer who is control of his or her abilities can be a truly terrifying foe to face, because they can take remote psionic control of vehicles, AI, robots, and even guns; all of which would be impossible normally. They can repair damaged machines or corrupted AI with a touch, supernaturally repairing them, and can upgrade things without needing parts, simply willing new features or devices into existence from local materials.
Within the Technate, Technomancers are known by several names, but the most common is“Machine-Touched”. They are revered within Technate society as minor Mercerist saints, because they are so rare. Technomancers are typically destined for great things within the Technocratic government and military command structure. There are rumors that Technocratic-Director Abrasax is a Technomancer. He has not denied the claim, and there is significant evidence which suggests he is, but he has not outright confirmed it, for purposes unknown.
Redlight explicitly seeks out Technomancers to infect, because the ability to remotely manipulate technology and turn it against its master is something which appeals to Elizabeth Green, given the technological sophistication of her primary foes, and the fact that Redlight’s already-existent equivalent Technopath forms created by Redlight require the integration of Smart AI, and most Smart AI will willingly destroy themselves rather than allow themselves to be corrupted by Redlight.

Thoughts, if any? If The Founder weren’t Human, I would say he probably qualifies.

Cybus1 wrote:Alex was stunned by the news. Of all the things he had feared, this was completely unexpected. For a moment, he was almost relieved. Turner may have been a violent and terrifying manipulator, but he, like all sociopaths, was eminently calculating and unwilling to take risks beyond that which were necessary for the completion of their goals. He briefly wondered if he even needed to get involved; Turner had not ever gone to war with his Empire, nor had he antagonized it beyond threatening Wagondia, there was a chance that he had no plans involving his Empire, however slight. He decided for the direct approach; ask. He began searching for unidentified psionic signatures, and located a very powerful one, with a cluster of five others, which Alex assumed were the shards. He reached out with his mind.
"Turner Jackson. It has been a very long time since you last drew breath. We have never met, but I'm sure you recognize my voice. I am Alexander Mercer, the Cybusian Emperor. I know you have a plan of some sort - you always do -, and you have acquired the first half of the Amulet of Kre. One of your species named Park tried to use it in its entirety. She is dead now. I have a statement and a question. First, I am no fan of the Ocearan Founder. He has become a god through cold hard technology; a rival. His nation is a socialist stain upon the cosmos. Make of this what you will. Second, and remember, I will know if you lie; Does your new plan involve my nation? If so, does it involve my death or the conquest or destruction of my nation? Finally, because time travel is a variable one must always account for, do you plan on going back to the Rebellion? The reason I ask these things is that, in a few seconds, I will have to respond to the Ocearan call to arms. Depending on your answers, I can either fight alongside them and, in all probability, kill you, or I can 'fight' you and purposefully hold back. In effect, if you don't intend to bother me and my Empire in any way, I can let your plan go forward without interference. I can even help you deal with Nyarlathotep; I'm fairly sure he had something to with this, he's always involved in horrible things."
Sixty seconds later, Alex contacted Forge and informed him of the news. Forge seemed oddly nonplussed by the news, and in fact quickly came to the same conclusion Alex did, Nyarlathotep had been involved and Turner would want to reconquer his Empire, his likely next target being Oceara. He was less willing to negotiate than Alex, pointing out that the modern Imperium had more or less normalized relations with the Empire; a considerable step in Evolved-Orsonian relations. Turner likely held a more negative view.
The Orson Empire

If Alex switches sides.. he may force the Founder's hand to use that necklace I mentioned in my post to begin his plan of last resort.

(Hey guys, I watched an interesting video the other day and it got me thinking of this question)

Does your military have any law enforcement power within your nations? If so, is it the entire military or just a specific part? (eg. US Coast guard is a military branch but due to being apart of Homeland Security, gives them law enforcement powers)

In the Mamaran Empire, we have a branch of the military called the Military Police Corps (sometimes referred to as the Mamaran Imperial Police Force). They are somewhat in the middle of our military and law enforcement spectrum as they are considered military, but have law enforcement authority in both military and civilian settings.
They serve as essentially a national police force and have full imperial authority, though they can still be deployed overseas if needed to fulfill military obligations.

They were created in the wake of an event that occurred in the 1980s when an off duty soldier committed a murder, but when pursued by law enforcement, took cover in his military installation and began a debate of whether or not civilian law enforcement could intervene or if the military had the right to protect its fellow soldier. So Emperor Andres decided to create this unit and thus, the Mamaran Military Police were formed and now hold offices in every major military installation and civilian center across the empire.

They also serve as our counter terrorism force, similar to SWAT and respond since they are equipped and trained military soldiers, with the authority of a law enforcement branch.

Socialist Republic of Andrew wrote:(Hey guys, I watched an interesting video the other day and it got me thinking of this question)

Does your military have any law enforcement power within your nations? If so, is it the entire military or just a specific part? (eg. US Coast guard is a military branch but due to being apart of Homeland Security, gives them law enforcement powers)

In the Mamaran Empire, we have a branch of the military called the Military Police Corps (sometimes referred to as the Mamaran Imperial Police Force). They are somewhat in the middle of our military and law enforcement spectrum as they are considered military, but have law enforcement authority in both military and civilian settings.
They serve as essentially a national police force and have full imperial authority, though they can still be deployed overseas if needed to fulfill military obligations.

They were created in the wake of an event that occurred in the 1980s when an off duty soldier committed a murder, but when pursued by law enforcement, took cover in his military installation and began a debate of whether or not civilian law enforcement could intervene or if the military had the right to protect its fellow soldier. So Emperor Andres decided to create this unit and thus, the Mamaran Military Police were formed and now hold offices in every major military installation and civilian center across the empire.

They also serve as our counter terrorism force, similar to SWAT and respond since they are equipped and trained military soldiers, with the authority of a law enforcement branch.

The Ocearan Empire uses it's military for police duties in areas directly administrated by the Imperial Government and lack their own local government and police. However, they have no inherent authority in law enforcement without specific authorization by the Intelligence Forces, which are both the Intel agents, Investigators, and prosecutors in the Ocearan Empire. While a declaration of Martial law serves as a blanket issuance of Authorization to the military for law enforcement operations, the Military is kept in check by the OIF regardless due to the OIF's ability to jump the chain of command all the way to the head of the Intelligence forces very quickly and from the head directly to the Emperor's absolute authority.

Despite the usual problems of using military personnel for law enforcement, Abuse of power and other injustices by these personnel are very rare as the OIF keeps close tabs on all military personnel -- especially those they have assigned on police duties.

Socialist Republic of Andrew wrote:(Hey guys, I watched an interesting video the other day and it got me thinking of this question)

Does your military have any law enforcement power within your nations? If so, is it the entire military or just a specific part? (eg. US Coast guard is a military branch but due to being apart of Homeland Security, gives them law enforcement powers)

In the Mamaran Empire, we have a branch of the military called the Military Police Corps (sometimes referred to as the Mamaran Imperial Police Force). They are somewhat in the middle of our military and law enforcement spectrum as they are considered military, but have law enforcement authority in both military and civilian settings.
They serve as essentially a national police force and have full imperial authority, though they can still be deployed overseas if needed to fulfill military obligations.

They were created in the wake of an event that occurred in the 1980s when an off duty soldier committed a murder, but when pursued by law enforcement, took cover in his military installation and began a debate of whether or not civilian law enforcement could intervene or if the military had the right to protect its fellow soldier. So Emperor Andres decided to create this unit and thus, the Mamaran Military Police were formed and now hold offices in every major military installation and civilian center across the empire.

They also serve as our counter terrorism force, similar to SWAT and respond since they are equipped and trained military soldiers, with the authority of a law enforcement branch.

The Taiwanese government has its own branch of Military Police forces separate from the Army. These forces, simply known as the Taiwanese Military Police, perform a variety of tasks such as special security duties, counter-terrorism duties, enforce military discipline, support military operations, execute military justice and law enforcement missions, and maintain public security. In cases of emergencies the Military Police also support regional disaster prevention and ensures social stability and national security whenever and wherever necessary. When it comes down to standard law enforcement duties, the Military Police perform in the same manner as local police forces for investigations.

Also, members of the regional forces of the Military Police tend to develop fewer ties with local residents in comparison with local police departments. In cases of prostitution and human slavery, this makes the Military Police the preferred law enforcement unit for public prosecutors because of minimal information leakage and less interference from domestic politicians. Meanwhile, in cases of fugitive recovery, the Military Police are sometimes utilized for large-scale searches and arrests due to their ability to provide massive manpower with good discipline and fewer gang-related interpersonal relationships.

Socialist Republic of Andrew wrote:(Hey guys, I watched an interesting video the other day and it got me thinking of this question)

Does your military have any law enforcement power within your nations? If so, is it the entire military or just a specific part? (eg. US Coast guard is a military branch but due to being apart of Homeland Security, gives them law enforcement powers)

In the Mamaran Empire, we have a branch of the military called the Military Police Corps (sometimes referred to as the Mamaran Imperial Police Force). They are somewhat in the middle of our military and law enforcement spectrum as they are considered military, but have law enforcement authority in both military and civilian settings.
They serve as essentially a national police force and have full imperial authority, though they can still be deployed overseas if needed to fulfill military obligations.

They were created in the wake of an event that occurred in the 1980s when an off duty soldier committed a murder, but when pursued by law enforcement, took cover in his military installation and began a debate of whether or not civilian law enforcement could intervene or if the military had the right to protect its fellow soldier. So Emperor Andres decided to create this unit and thus, the Mamaran Military Police were formed and now hold offices in every major military installation and civilian center across the empire.

They also serve as our counter terrorism force, similar to SWAT and respond since they are equipped and trained military soldiers, with the authority of a law enforcement branch.

Torchwood has a section devoted to internal law enforcement, in a manner similar to the FBI. They are most well-known for helping local police forces deal with crimes that extend beyond the planet they are on, such as trafficking or serial murder. They also act as a step beyond SWAT-type tactics, being called in when things get too hard for police SWAT units to handle.
The Imperial Military is only used for policing areas where martial law has been declared. There are Military Police units as well; while technically they only have jurisdiction over the military, they can be deputized by other police units should the need arise.

The raven technocracy

Bulwark Class Tank:
Armament: 1 Arc Cannon, 1 Dark Matter Cannon, 2 Rad Cannons, 2 Arc Auto-Repeaters and 1 co-axial weapon (Rad Cannon or Arc Auto-Repeater)

The newest tank developed by the Technate, the Bulwark is an antiquated looking contraption that one might say belongs in a museum. Designed and produced entirely within the Technate as opposed to relying on Cybusian components like the other tank in Technate service, the Knight, it has sponsons with weapons, like an old WW1 tank, yet also has a double barreled turret atop it’s oddly arranged chassis, thick plates of sloped armor giving the tank a bulky and industrial appearance. Despite this, the Bulwark is a lethal machine of modern warfare. It is heavily armed, the turret holding a powerful Arc Cannon, which requires a short lock-on period of 2 seconds, but then discharges a devastating and massive arc of energy, many times more powerful than any lightning bolt, to overwhelm shields and slag armor. In addition to mounting an ordinary co-axial weapon (for a given value of ordinary, as this is often a Rad Cannon or Arc Auto-Repeater), the Bulwark also mounts a Dark Matter Cannon, which can fire more quickly. The Bulwark mounts two sponson-mounted Rad Cannons, to kill biological targets and irradiate enemy equipment, as well as a pair of Arc Auto-Repeaters, capable of chaining between targets, making them ideal for destroying hordes of robots. Finally, there are two small independently targeted 40mm grenade launchers mounted atop the turret, to engage targets with a rapid-fire rain of explosives, plasma, GLOO (to incapacitate targets and gum up vehicles), or more unique warheads.
The Bulwark lives up to it’s name, featuring an impressive 5 feet of ACE and ERA armor layers, and no less than three shield generators, enabling it to withstand punishing enemy fire and survive intact. The tanks have earned a reputation for being hard to destroy, Technate tank crews telling stories of incredible punishment being ensured without the crew being injured, and often customizing their tanks to whatever extent they can. Bulwarks are also equipped with an Arc Field Generator, absorbing energy weapons fire, but permeable to objects. Unauthorized objects which penetrate the field are zapped by arcs of energy, vaporizing them or continually hitting the target until it is dead or deactivated.
The Bulwark, as with most Technocratic vehicles, mounts a Neurostatic Emitter, as well as a device mounted on the rear of the tank to spray billowing clouds of Smoxin to obscure enemy sensors. The Bulwark is equipped with treads, but if faced with mines or trenches, can activate antigravity-devices to hover over them and gain greater speed.

Thoughts? Meant to be a slow but indomitable tank, capable of destroying armor and blasting through fortifications, to advance with unending waves of Synths while the faster Knight tanks engage additional enemy armor and deal with the flanks. It is also heavily inspired by the tanks of WW1, given the Technate's generally WW1ish motif.

Post self-deleted by The Orson Empire.

The raven technocracy

Updated some more factbooks, added in some more Arc weapons, the Gamma Repeater, elaborated on the Rad Rifle. Also added the Bulwark, some ship designs, and removed the Ajax walker, deeming it impractical.

I also have realized just how much the Technate relies on psychological warfare. Many of its weapons are designed to cause terror, be it gruesome radioactive deaths, corpses being reanimated by fungi, chainsaw bayonets, billowing clouds of choking gasses, or Buzzer shells, most go out of their way to terrify the enemy.

The raven technocracy wrote:Updated some more factbooks, added in some more Arc weapons, the Gamma Repeater, elaborated on the Rad Rifle. Also added the Bulwark, some ship designs, and removed the Ajax walker, deeming it impractical.

I also have realized just how much the Technate relies on psychological warfare. Many of its weapons are designed to cause terror, be it gruesome radioactive deaths, corpses being reanimated by fungi, chainsaw bayonets, billowing clouds of choking gasses, or Buzzer shells, most go out of their way to terrify the enemy.

Had an Idea for the 2436 war, Thrax could arrange for a target of his to annex to launch a false-flag operation to frame torchwood for mesmerizing a PDSS world into swapping sides.

This would immediately spark war before either side could properly investigate and get a chance to calm things down, but have the war come to a close quickly once it is found out that it was a false-flag. Then the Ascendancy could invade on that justification and the Ocearans would be beaten to the punch, leaving Ocearan commanders to decide that also invading would be too risky with the Colluxians already being in the chaos of battle.

Then the ascendancy would only need to justify annexation to it's Cybusian allies, the Ocearans simply wouldn't care as long as the original government is toppled in the end.

Oceara wrote:Had an Idea for the 2436 war, Thrax could arrange for a target of his to annex to launch a false-flag operation to frame torchwood for mesmerizing a PDSS world into swapping sides.

This would immediately spark war before either side could properly investigate and get a chance to calm things down, but have the war come to a close quickly once it is found out that it was a false-flag. Then the Ascendancy could invade on that justification and the Ocearans would be beaten to the punch, leaving Ocearan commanders to decide that also invading would be too risky with the Colluxians already being in the chaos of battle.

Then the ascendancy would only need to justify annexation to it's Cybusian allies, the Ocearans simply wouldn't care as long as the original government is toppled in the end.

Hmm. That could work. A resource rich target which has managed to remain independent of any of the major powers bordering it up until then, but envious of the technology and capital available just across the border in Oceara. That would give the Ascendancy more resources, a greater population, and expand its borders.
He could have Pact infiltrators manage the false-flag, have MODUS and infiltrators in Torchwood acquire a series of Mesmerization Burst Warheads, and then have them detonate them, while pinning it on Torchwood, but leaving clues that would trace things back to the independent power as a false flag operation. Thrax personally hypnotizes members of the intelligence and military command structure of the target into thinking they planned the whole operation. As they are being extradited to Oceara after the annexation is complete, the transport is attacked by pirates and they are tragically killed in the ensuing firefight. This ensures there are no loose ends, Thrax's puppet president orders an anti-piracy campaign, and the matter is closed.

The Tercian Republic:

A fairly small nation of only 8 star systems, the Tercian Republic is a small and resource-rich but economically struggling nation. It struggles to attract capital for investments to develop the technology to extract its resources, much of which is readily available in other nations, such as iron and titanium. The primary driver of the economy is the republics large Hydrium gas supply, which it extracts and sells to the Empire. There is also a substantial amount of uranium in one of the northernmost worlds, where the Republic extracts the resources for its nuclear program.
As of late 2435, is slipping closer and closer to a military coup, the leaders of the military believing a change in leadership will help the struggling economy, perhaps drawing them closer to the Empire and make the Republic more attractive to Cybusian companies. President Blume is unaware of any plotting, and has been struggling to convince parliament to lower corporate tax rates to try to get companies to invest.
The Republic has a fairly small navy consisting largely of older Cybusian vessels and a core of several Felucian Star Destroyers, and the Navy maintains a nuclear arsenal, with approximately 100 nuclear warheads of varying yields.
The Republic is bordered by the Cybusian Empire to the west, the Ocearan Empire to the east, and the Collux Ascendancy and Raven Technate to the south.

Socialist Republic of Andrew wrote:(Hey guys, I watched an interesting video the other day and it got me thinking of this question)

Does your military have any law enforcement power within your nations? If so, is it the entire military or just a specific part? (eg. US Coast guard is a military branch but due to being apart of Homeland Security, gives them law enforcement powers)

The Empire of Wagondia restricts all military personnel, including military police, from operating in a civilian law enforcement role. Servicemen are permitted to intervene to stop an off-base crime, but must immediately turn suspects over to civilian police. In this regard, their powers are no different than the average Wagain citizen.

A strong separation between civilian law and the military has been in force since the formation of the Wagain Empire in the early 19th century. Though it was a controversial question at the time, efforts to distinguish government from the military (as well as the church) were essential in preserving federal, democratic government.

Cybus1 wrote:Valkyrie Class Battlesuit:

The Valkyrie Class Battlesuit is an Imperial design intended to be an equivalent to Sterkian Mobile Suits. Like most Cybusian designs, it is a fast, maneuverable, and multi-purpose design, capable of engaging all manner of targets. It is more easily comparable to an oversized suit of power armor than a mecha.
In the left arm, there is a Dark Matter Cannon, which, while not able to destroy ships, can certainly obliterate small craft or destroy equipment and weapons on larger vessels. The right arm bears a pair of Dark Matter Auto-Repeaters to engage infantry and small craft. The left shoulder bears a Gatling Laser capable of tracking and engaging targets independently of the suit, while the right shoulder supports a rapid-fire missile pod which emerges from the back of the armor. Finally, there are two retractable Hardlight blades on the arms.
The Valkyrie is armored with 2.5 feet of ACE armor and 1.5 feet of ERA armor, protected by three shield generators. The Valkyrie, unlike its Sterkian counterpart, has a wide array of advanced sensors, a communications array, and an onboard AI. The Valkyrie has yet to receive its baptism of fire.

Streamlining my facebooks, but I'm not sure what it fits into; Army or Navy

Should I keep a separate factbook for robots and droids?

Cybus1 wrote:Streamlining my facebooks, but I'm not sure what it fits into; Army or Navy

Personally, I'd say Army. I'm not saying it wouldn't be effective in the Navy, or anything like that, but it seems more like an Army thing (if it had to be in one of the two branches).

Felucian Planetary Republic wrote:Personally, I'd say Army. I'm not saying it wouldn't be effective in the Navy, or anything like that, but it seems more like an Army thing (if it had to be in one of the two branches).

Good point. Thanks! Or I might put it in the Marines, since it is often deployed from spacecraft.

Updated and condensed/created factbooks for the Imperial Army, Navy, Marines, and Torchwood.


Conglomerates

The Barit Group:
A megacorp with ties to everything from banking and refueling stations to biotech and private security, the Barit Group is one of the Empire’s largest companies. The Barit family has a long and chaotic history; following the First Alexanderian Refounding, Chulpa Barit, a Charoda gifted with precognition, foresaw the Rebellion and that her own alcazar would be only lightly damaged. She then embarked on a campaign of subterfuge. She secretly worked to undermine the interests of the Empire while outwardly presenting herself as a faithful servant; purchasing Orsonians and secretly freeing them from indoctrination before reselling them, or secretly funding deviant Orsonian groups while also sacrificing subjects to Alexander. Barit Wholesalers was founded in 62,999 BC as a slave wholesaler and reseller, secretly helping free Orsonians. Chulpa made an agreement with Charles Orson himself; the Barit family would aid the rebels in return for being largely spared.
The Brits survived the Rebellion reasonably intact, funding both sides. The Barit family continued to "faithfully serve”, until The First Orsonian Incursion, where Chulpa was -rather ironically- killed by one of Charles Orson’s surviving officers who refused to their deal and strangled her.
Descended from Barit Wholesalers, the Barit Group underwent a dramatic shift after the Rebellion. The brand is nearly ubiquitous, but it does have stiff competition in certain areas, especially in the telecom, transportation, refueling stations, and private security sectors. The company is currently headed by Veronika Barit, and is divided into six divisions:

Division One- Dining and Entertainment: Following the ban on slavery, the Barits converted many of their slave shops into casual diners, cafes, clubs, refuel and repair stations (in the same vein as Red Rocket) movie theaters, and other venues. Larger markets were converted into warehouses and fulfillment centers. They have a massive presence in this sector of the economy, making them a staple of Cybusian entertainment culture.

Division Two- Technology: BG continues to manufacture countless consumer appliances, including fabricators. Hovercars and shuttles are also sold. A subsection of the division is biotechnology, which includes Charonetics- the equivalent, and direct competitor to the Gene Tonics and Plasmids of Ryan Industries.

Division Three- Telecommunications: BG is essentially the Comcast or AT&T of the Cybusian world. It provides radio, internet, telephone and television connections, while also hosting its own channels. It also has contracts with the government and military for these services.

Division Four- Banking and Finance: BG operates numerous private banks, while also marketing insurance, loans asset management, and wealth management.

Division Five- Security Operations (SecOps): This is a private, highly-trained security force that can be hired as mercenaries by other organizations, while also providing protection for all BG facilities. SecOps can perform a wide variety of duties from acting as bouncers at nightclubs to investigating industrial espionage on a production line. Many members are hired from the military, often just after being discharged. Additionally, SecOps has private detectives and provides risk management consulting, background checks, and crisis management services. This is undoubtedly the most secretive division of the company, with the Barits often using SecOps operatives to gain dirt on a political enemy or infiltrate a rival company to conduct espionage or sabotage their systems.

Division Six- Logistics: The most recent division. It is responsible for manufacturing and operating all cargo shuttles necessary to transport supplies for other divisions, and it also takes contracts from other corporation. It was designed both to compete with and eliminate reliance on Taggart Trans-Imperial.

Ryan Industries:
Founded in New York in 1925 by Andrew Ryan, an immigrant from Lucija, Ryan Industries has since become a world leader in the fields of genetic modification, cybernetics, robotics, and weapons manufacturing.
Andrei Rianovski was a young man in 1917, born to a prosperous family of merchants. The Russian Civil War brought chaos and disruption to his life in Minsk. The family business was looted and destroyed as the Bolsheviks made major gains in the urban areas, attracting the support of the workers; in their bitter struggle with the White armies (which eventually ended up winning, creating the modern Lucijan state), they began to use drastic measures. Several members of the Rianovski family, including Andrei’s aunt and uncle, were executed for “counter-revolutionary activities”, and young Andrei’s hatred of communism was cemented from an early age. He managed to flee with his father, first to Constantinople and then to the US. Arriving in the United States in 1919 and anglicizing his name to Andrew Ryan, Ryan threw himself into building himself back up.
Ryan was lucky, striking oil fairly early on in a venture in Texas, but it was not just luck; after his father’s death in late 1920, Ryan used what was left of the family fortune to make excellent investments in up and coming companies throughout the 1920s such as RCA and Raytheon, having a keen eye for business and having his finger on the pulse of innovation. By 1924, Ryan had made his first million. Ryan Oil was one of the fastest growing suppliers of oil in the nation, and Ryan had control over a not insignificant amount of coal mines and several railroads.
Ryan Industries was founded in New York in 1925 to manage his various business interests. Ryan diversified into various industries, with Ryan Areonautics developing a prizewinning seaplane used by the Kosarek Trading Company for transatlantic mail services.
In the 1930s, Andrew became increasingly alarmed by both the social welfare of the New Deal and the rise of totalitarian regimes such as Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, seeing both internal and external forces as “parasites” intent on the destruction and subjugation of man. He began to make plans for what he dubbed “The North Atlantic Project”. The Second World War merely confirmed Ryan’s fears. Ryan Industries and Ryan Aeronautics supported the war effort, while Ryan began drafting plans for what would become Rapture.
Convinced that big government would use atomic weapons to destroy whatever could not be seized, and that nuclear war was inevitable between the various superpowers, Ryan began taking steps to create Rapture.
Ryan began to steadily liquidate his assets and secretly began contracting advanced submersibles and alloys, and by 1946, Ryan Industries had begun the work of laying foundations for Rapture. Cooperating with Cybusian engineers, a super strong alloy dubbed Ryanium was developed, capable of standing up to the pressures and corrosion of the North Atlantic. Ryan’s immense wealth was augmented by that of other entrepreneurs and magnates who feared nuclear power, “socialism”, or oppression. An eccentric member of the Kosarek family, Alexander Kosarek, also swung the families considerable resources behind the project and arranged a secret but profitable contract for Kosarek freighters to transport the materials and pre-fabricated structures to the building site. Furthermore, a mid-Atlantic seaplane and shipping facility anchored to the seafloor, originally built by the Kosarek’s, was offered as a surface base for construction workers. The Kosarek’s would later be instrumental in helping Ryan negotiate the Treaty of Rapture.
The cities first structures were pre-fabricated on the surface and then sunk and anchored to the foundations, and on November 5th, 1946, the first permanent residents of Rapture moved into the first buildings. Ryan had traveled the world recruiting likeminded men and women, as well as launching something of a civilian equivalent of Operation Paperclip, convincing scientists and engineers to come to Rapture. Many of these talented individuals would become Ryan Industries employees, such as Dr. Yi Suchong, a Korean doctor and collaborater with the Japanese, or Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum, a talented geneticist and Holocaust survivor. Others were independent individuals who would prosper in Rapture, such as American artist Sander Cohen or Charles Milton Porter, founder of Rapture Central Computing. Other recruits included Australian Humans and Kãpok Orsonians dissatisfied with the Empire and the destruction wrought by WW2, such as Stanley Kyzburg, a talented electrical engineer, and Naledi Atkins, an ace pilot who later helped design and test Rapture’s fastest submarines and bathyspheres.
As Rapture grew and prospered into the 1950s following the signing of the 1949 Treaty of Rapture with the Cybusian Empire (whose sensors had detected the activity on the ocean floor on their arrival in 1946, but dismissed it; the treaty saw Rapture and Cybusian companies gain access to each other’s markets, and Rapture’s sovereignty would be guaranteed by the Cybusian Empire), so did Ryan Industries.
By 1956, Drs. Suchong and Tenenbaum had developed the first primitive gene tonics, and had developed Electro Bolt, the first plasmid by 1958. These and other genetic products went on the Rapture market by late 1958, and by 1960, were increasingly successful. Simultaneously, efforts were taken to experiment with cybernetics, as part of continual efforts to overcome the disadvantages of the human form, enabling humans to stand up to Blacklight-based life.
By the late 1970s, Ryan Industries had developed the Vita-Chamber, the one coming online in 1977. Cybernetics and genetic modification products contained to advance throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Since the 2000’s, Ryan Industries has continued to develop cutting-edge technology like the Neuromod and the Braindance system, which allow for knowledge and experience transfer, respectively. Ryan Security is arguably one of the most advanced fighting forces on the planet, and had achieved a sterling reputation for professionalism and achieving victory against seemingly impossible odds thanks to cutting-edge equipment and enhancements. Ryan Industries has also expanded into robotics and arms manufacturing, developing the advanced Operator robot, and an advanced arsenal of advanced energy weapons which rival Cybusian weapons. It has also ventured into shipbuilding, Ryan Aeronautics legacy being carried on by the incredibly fast Lancer Class Strike Corvette and the agile Akula Class Variable Environment Fighter.

The Ryan Industries catalog


Ryan Armaments is, despite it's prodigious output, one of the smaller branches of Ryan Industries, but has a reputation for excellence. The Debater 10mm pistolis seen across the Empire, as is the powerful Ember series laser weapon. Ryan weapons are powerful, deadly, and versatile, being heavily modifiable and robust.

Ryan Arms Small Arms, Energy Weapons:
Disruptor Stun Gun

Debater 10mm Pistol

Argument .500 Revolver

Eliminator 10mm Submachine Gun

Terminator Assault Rifle

Enforcer 12-gauge Shotgun

Silencer .375 Sniper Rifle

Strikebreaker 40mm Grenade Launcher

Ryan Armaments L-71 Ember Class Modular Laser Weapon

Ryan Armaments L-98 Ashmaker Gatling Laser

Ryan Armaments P-45 Torch Class Plasma Weapon:

Eradicator Portable Auto-Turret


Ryan Industries BD-15 Progress Class Exosuit


Ryan Robotics is one of the newest branches of Ryan Industries, but has quickly exploded in size, producing the very popular and versatile Operator series of drones, coming in 5 different varieties (Medical, Engineering, Science, Security, Military), as well as a collaboration with robotics giant RobCo to create the deadly Flycatcher droid fighter.

Ryan Industries Operator

RobCo/Ryan Arms PD-179 Flycatcher:

Ryan Arms Rarog Combat Drone



One of the largest divisions of Ryan Industries, Ryan Genetics produces wonders on a daily basis. Plasmids allow users access to seemingly supernatural powers thanks to advanced genetic modification, letting you light a cigarette with a snap of your fingers, while Gene Tonics provide more passive benefits, boosting cognitive performance or improving one's speed. Thanks to the Vita-Chamber, Ryan Industries has even cured death itself! Furthermore, thanks a collaboration with other branches of Ryan Industries, the Braindance system allows even a person's individual experiences to be transferred to another person, allowing for innovative therapies (pioneered by Dr. Sofia Lamb) or unique sexual experiences.
For simplicity's sake, a brief overview of Ryan Industries cybernetics has also been included here, as Ryan Genetics collaborates with other branches to create the cutting-edge cybernetics which make Ryan Security operatives the best in the business, best exemplified by The Chainbearers, the Ryan Security elite.

Ryan Industries Vita-Chamber

Ryan Industries Neuromods

Gene Tonics and Plasmids

Braindance

An Overview of Cybernetics in Rapture


Trauma Team

Vostrov Industries:
One of the oldest companies in existence, the economic titan that is Vostrov Industries predates the Rebellion, and has always been headed by a member of the House of Vostrov. Vostrov’s products include the ever-present and ubiquitous fabricator and Stimpack, as well as energy weapons, small craft, and other products. Vostrov has since been challenged by newer corporations, namely RobCo, Ryan Industries, Stoneheart Industries, but remains one of the largest and most successful corporations in the Empire. Some of their products include the fabricator, the Stimpack, most of the small arms used by the Imperial Military, the highly adaptable MPMS-36 missile system, most of the small craft used by the Imperial Navy (with the exception of the Crow, Osprey, and Volcra dropships, and the Corvid shuttle, all of which are Colossus Defense Engineering products), and the Courser Class Utility Vehicle used by the Army. Vostrov, in cooperation with Colossus engineers, are also responsible for creating Jaunt Drives.


Stimpack:
An advanced drug consisting of several advanced stem cells intended to rapidly ‘plug in’ to wounds and fix them, a coagulant to stop bleeding, immune boosting drugs to ward off infection, and various other compounds, both synthetic and occurring naturally on Arcadia, Stimpacks are a staple of every med-kit, every Cybusian medics gear, and are generally omnipresent throughout Cybusian and Cybusian-aligned societies. Capable of stabilizing large wounds within minutes and completly healing small (cuts, scrapes, generally non-life threatening injuries) wounds in seconds, Stimpacks allow a soldier who has sustained a crippling injury to survive to fight again. Mostly used by non-Evolved.

Strix Class Interceptor

Storm Class Hardlight Auto-Repeater

Courser Class Utility Vehicle


Entertainment

The Dark Adventure Media Group:
An independent powerhouse in the Imperial media landscape, the Dark Adventure Media Group has sometimes been referred to by Timmians as “the Disney of murder and mystery”. Headquartered on Kozrova, the Dark Adventure Media Group produces a wide variety of media, from the highly popular Dark Adventure Radio Theater, to the popular television show The Dark Adventure Hour, and everything in between including the very start of the Dark Adventure media empire, Dark Adventure Mystery Stories Magazine, but all of them have one thing in common: the stories tend to be dark, either in terms of lighting (in the classic noir styles) or in tone. Murder mysteries, psychological thrillers, classic film noirs, detective dramas, horror, daring tales of explorers, science fiction, and other such things are all produced by the company, and the incredible popularity of the various media allowed the Dark Adventure franchise to become its own entity independent of any owners. While Dark Adventure does not have a film studio component, it does have an agreement with two major film studios (Makechek Studios and Kinenza and Morgan) where it will occasionally authorize film adaptations by one of the studios, with Dark Adventure personnel retaining significant amounts of control over the script and production.
Nathan Hale, CEO, was the editor of the Dark Adventure magazine, and continues to lead the company to greatness.

Food and Beverage

Barankov Bottling Co.:
One of the largest soda companies in the Empire, the Barankov Bottling Co. is also most likely the oldest bottling company of any kind. Known for it’s Barankola (among other brands) and distinctive rocket-shaped glass bottle, Barankov is a highly popular Cybusian brand, and is commonly viewed as a staple of Imperial “soft power”, alongside Mercerism, Red Rocket gas stations, and IWC broadcasts.
The Barankov Bottling Co. dates back many centuries, before even the Alexandrian Refounding. Nikolai Barankov was a humble traveling merchant, eking out a living in the rolling hills of the Varykino region of Arcadia, selling religious trinkets to local farmers. While wandering one day, he stumbled across a small spring which was supposedly miraculous, healing injuries and relieving the pain of those who bathed in it. Though Barankov did not know it at the time, the water from the spring was mildly irradiated, explaining it’s seemingly miraculous effects. Barankov smelled an opportunity for profit and began to sell bottles of the water to visitors, using the proceeds to set up a small hut from where he sold “Barankov’s Blessed Water”, as the spring was supposedly blessed by a Saint. He quickly fell afoul of the Mercerist Church, who being integrated into the state at the time, was displeased by his profiteering off of an unconfirmed and possibly fake blessing, and promptly shut down his operation. Undeterred, Barankov simply reopened under the name “Barankov Water Bottling Co.”, to placate the religious authorities, later shortened to the Barankov Bottling Co.
Barankov began selling the irradiated water, quickly becoming fairly popular, especially as he started to experiment with adding various additives and flavors to the irradiated water, creating a flavorful and refreshing tonic. By the time of the Rebellion, Barankov had become the primary provider of beverages in the Empire that weren’t coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverages. Barankov weathered the Rebellion relatively well, making less use of Orsonians than other companies.
Barankov has since expanded, branching out into new products. Because Orsonians did not tolerate radiation as well, a new variation of the classic Barankola was created, Barankola Light, which unexpectedly proved more popular than the original, because the flavors were apparently more pronounced without the buzz of the radioactive high in Evolved. Thus, standard Barankola lacks any radioactive contamination and is safe for all species to ingest, while Barankola Classic is still mildly irradiated. Both versions of Barankola are available in a variety of flavors, such as Barankola Vanilla, Orange, Cherry, and other such flavors. A version full of energy providing substances is dubbed Radi-Pep, and is popular with busy executives.
Barankov is known for it’s catchy jingles and slogans (one notable example being “Drink Radi-Pep! Remember, the R is Radium-yum-yum!") and it’s signature rocket-shaped glass bottle, leading to the slogan “Blast off with Barankov for an explosion of flavor!” Barankov has expanded throughout the universe and continues to test new flavors and products. Barankov has recently tried to branch out into the tea and coffee industry, but is facing stiff competition from established brands.

Metallurgy and Mining

Rearden Metal Co.:
A company founded in the late 1890s by young entrepreneur and metallurgist Henry Rearden, Rearden Metal Co specializes in creating extremely high-strength metals and alloys. The brilliant metallurgist rose to prominence after developing an entirely new alloy which was stronger and lighter than titanium, capable of absorbing a large amount of energy. Deeming this “Rearden Metal”, Rearden was able to secure several patents and large loans, taking advantage of the fact that his contract did not stipulate that new inventions by employees were property of the company. Rearden founded his own foundry in 1894 on Novo Tolchkovo.
Henry Rearden was born in 1845 to a modest family of merchants on Novo Tolchkovo. Rearden knew his family couldn’t afford to send him to college by themselves, so he worked hard in school, excelling in mathematics and taking engineering courses. Because of his talent (and extreme work ethic) he distinguished himself by graduating magna cum laude from his high school, and earned a full ride scholarship to the Tolchkovo Institute of Engineering, where he majored in metallurgical engineering and minored in structural engineering. However, the metallurgical industry on Novo Tolchkovo was actually oversaturated, and he struggled to find work. To help pay the bills, Rearden took a job in one of the few mines still open on the planet, which faced the threat of being shut down in the face of increasing automation and the development of industrial fabricators. He engaged in backbreaking work, spending the next three years working in the mine and extracting ore, ignoring the pain and saving up money. Finally, in 1873, Rearden was hired by Associated Steel, a minor steel mill which primarily made steel for railroad lines and bridges.
Rearden quickly established a reputation for being an extremely industrious worker, albeit one who wouldn’t hesitate to voice his opinion, no matter how controversial it might be. By 1880, Rearden was the chief metallurgical engineer at Associated Steel, and, under his guidance, began to grow into a major player in the local steel market. Rearden, not satisfied with simply producing steel, began to conduct experiments with various alloys. By 1887, he had conducted several thousand tests and tested countless formulas, but continued to work. He often went days without sleep, and was hellbent on creating what he called “the perfect metal”.
On September 2nd, 1889, Rearden’s latest formula showed promise. Creating a few ingots for testing, Rearden tested his new alloy. He was astonished; the material surpassed his wildest expectations. The new alloy was both much stronger and slightly lighter than titanium, seemingly rustproof, had an extremely high melting point, and was capable of absorbing large amounts of energy with no ill effects. Despite meticulously testing, re-testing, and cataloguing all results, when he went to the owner of Associated Steel, Orrin Boyle, he was rebuffed. Boyle refused to do anything with the new alloy, afraid it would render conventional steel obsolete.
Simply calling this “Rearden metal”, Henry decided to strike out on his own to create a new foundry dedicated to the creation of Rearden Metal. Rearden Metal Co. was founded in 1891, and promptly began to create Rearden Metal. At first, there was no business, but Rearden began to advertise and promote his new alloy around Novo Tolchkovo. Henry began to publicly demonstrate the power of Rearden Metal through dramatic public tests. His first client was a local railroad which sought to test the feasibility of Rearden Metal rails. The rails proved to be an improvement by every metric; they were more stable, longer-lasting, and were much more resistant to warping or failure of any kind. Following the stress testing and the demonstrations, the first train on a line using Rearden Metal rails -running on the Vilaisaiv-Ostrakirk line- helped boost confidence in the product.
Despite this, Rearden’s big break did not come for several more years, when he approached a local shipbuilder with a proposal; that together they create a vessel constructed almost entirely of Rearden Metal. The vessel, which Rearden had a personal hand in designing, was officially named Rearden Metal Test Starship 001, but Rearden convinced a local Prokhar to bless it, and the vessel was christened The Spirit of Free Enterprise. The vessel was small, more like a large fighter than the corvette it was billed as, but was quite fast and armed with four laser cannons -for self-defense- and a single shield.
Launching the Spirit of Free Enterprise on October 12th, 1903, Rearden invited a small cadre of journalists to accompany him on the vessels maiden voyage. To their shock, after an initially pleasant in-atmosphere and circuit of Novo Tolchkovo, Rearden revealed he had installed a Jaunt Drive and took the ship to a system known to be home to pirates. True to its reputation, a pair of pirate corvettes and a destroyer set upon The Spirit of Free Enterprise. Rather than flee, Rearden terrified and astonished the journalists by engaging the pirates in combat, using the superior maneuverability of his ship and his own piloting skill to swiftly knock one of the corvettes out of action. The shield of The Spirit of Free Enterprise fell after fire from the destroyer caught it. To the astonishment of the journalists, the hull of Rearden Metal weathered the laser barrage with only minor damage, and, with every shot, the shield came closer to being recharged; Rearden had adapted the energy-absorbing abilities of his alloy into a primitive form of ERA armor. The shields recharged, Henry expertly piloted his ship and used surgical strikes to take out the major systems of the pirate destroyer and proceeded to chase down and cripple the fleeing corvette.
Rearden’s astonishing dogfight and display of superior technology brought him attention from the wider Empire. In addition to press attention, the Imperial Military took an interest in Rearden Metal, seeking to develop the rudimentary system he had developed into a more advanced system for their vessels, and to make massive orders of Rearden Metal. Henry immediately agreed. The system ultimately developed into what is now known as ERA armor, combining Rearden Metal with a number of other compounds and alloys to create an extremely advanced armor system. Rearden Metal is now used across the Empire, in everything from Taggart Trans-Imperial ships to structural reinforcements, from starship armor to car bodies and even jewelry. Henry has continually modified his signature Metal and improved it’s formula many times over, and continues to experiment; the company sells various grades of Rearden Metal, as well as other alloys Rearden has developed.
Henry Rearden himself is somewhat of a controversial figure. He has a habit of very bluntly speaking his mind and ignoring or disregarding opinions other than his own, and has been called “cold” and “emotionally distant”; one tabloid even claimed he was a sociopath -Rearden sued for libel and won-. He is an outspoken Objectivist and a good friend of Dagny Taggart, Andrew Ryan, and Francisco D’Anconia, as well as Brad Atlas and Nikolai Vostrov. He is unmarried, but rumors swirl about a possible romance between Rearden and Dagny Taggart, and the two have been spotted dining at Spiro’s together many times.

Pharmacuticals

Stoneheart Pharmaceuticals:
A relatively new player on the economic battlefield, founded in 1952, Stoneheart Pharmacuticals is among the largest pharmaceutical companies in the Cybusian Empire, thanks to it's excellent products and it's founder recognizing the relatively untapped market potential in the Empire. It is headed by the enigmatic Thomas Eichhorst, and is headquartered in Berlin.
Founded in the 1950s, Stoneheart Pharmaceuticals’ first product was an anti-Rage compound for Orsonians meant to help stop an in-progress Rage State by rapidly stabilizing neurotransmitters: this product was deemed too slow to act, but after some modifications and a new method of administration, the compound was adapted as a syringe-injected chemical capable of being injected from a moderate range by a specialized injection gun. The compound, deemed Calmex, continues to be a standard tool in Cybusian police arsenals; recently Stoneheart has released a gas-based version which is faster-acting, and is attempting to sell the compound to the Wagain and Mamaran militaries for use against Orsonians in combat.
A variation of the compound, Serenex, has been released for use for Humans, proving highly adept at rapidly stabilizing patients in periods of intense mania, and other similar incidents.
Since the success of Calmex and Serenex, Stoneheart turned its attention to painkillers. Because Evolved could simply deactivate nerves on command and Charodey could use healing magic to deal with any pain they experienced, there were few painkillers on the market in the Empire, and the few there were cost quite a bit due to the niche usage by non-Evolved and lack of competition. Stoneheart, after testing a vast array of Cybusian flora and fauna, discovered that the pheromones emitted by Ormann could be concentrated into a powerful analgesic effective, to varying degrees, across species. The new painkiller was called Med-X, and is available in varying strengths and modes of ingestion, from injections to pills. Med-X has become a popular painkiller across the Empire, and was the first true “breakout product” that led Stoneheart to become one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the Empire, second only to Vostrov Pharma, which produces the ubiquitous Stimpack. To the frustration of Stoneheart, Med-X has become a popular recreational drug, producing a pleasant numbness.

Various Orsonian-oriented mood stabilizers meant to keep Rage in check.

Psycho:
An Imperial combat drug which impacts the body in several ways. It massively increases the ability of the body to regenerate wounds, increases strength, speed, and deadens nerves, while briefly enhancing an individuals psionic potential, allowing them limited access to magic. Called ‘Rage in a syringe”, Psycho is usable only by Evolved, Orsonians, or Charodey, and will prove lethal to human users. The effects of Evolved on Psycho has been compared to the Orsonian ‘Rage State’, a terrifying whirlwind of destruction. Most commonly used by The Imperial Marines who act as stormtroopers, Psycho also sees use by the Imperial Army. Torchwood’s Shadow Class Power Armor has five auto-injection ports, which can inject Psycho to augment a Kill-Team Agents capabilities even further. The Imperial Military developed Psycho with the help of Stoneheart, and a few drops of processed Drakul blood are among the ingredients, being responsible for the regenerative boost. Limited to military customers only.

Jet:
A synthetic and safe variety of amphetamines, Jet is an advanced combat drug produced by Stoneheart. Jet produces a reduced reaction time and amps up the senses, while also creating an altered state of consciousness, affecting the users perception of time; allowing them to seemingly move with supernatural speed in a world of slow and sluggish foes; this is the brains attempt at rationalizing the enhanced reaction times and enhanced senses. Used by Imperial forces, particularly Torchwood Kill-Teams, who find the altered reflexes help when entering and clearing a room, before the enemy can even draw their guns. Limited to military customers only.

Mentats:
Another drug developed by Stoneheart, Mentats are a powerful nootropic in tablet form, known to speed mental processes, boost creativity and memory related processes, and generally improve mental processes of any kind. Less effective with Evolved due to the lack of a central processing unit (ie, a brain, since in Evolved, vital processes like cognition, sensation, etc, are distributed across the body rather than a single organ), there are versions with Evolved-grade strength. Coming in a variety of flavors, Mentats are popular across Imperial society, from writers to scientists, and are freely available on the open market.

Robotics

RobCo:
Headed by Robert House, RobCo specializes in robotics. Their Protectron and Mr. Handy series is seen across the Empire in countless roles, and their Securitrons are popular security droids. The Assaultron and the Vanguard Sentry Bot are used by the Imperial military, as are Eyebots. RobCo also manufactures the PIP-series of computers, phones, smart-watches, and micro-computers known as PIP-boys. They also make large profits by selling robot parts to the countless engineers and budding mad scientists in the Empire.

The RobCo catalog:

RobCo Mr. Handy Series:
A RobCo droid, the Mr. Handy is a versatile droid intended for domestic service. It’s spherical chassis houses its micro-reactor, processors, and antigravity drive which allows it to hover. It has three eye-stalks, affording it an excellent range of vision, and a trio of mounts for systems to be attached near the repulsorlift. Most often, this consists of a pair of manipulators and a third arm which houses a combination scrubbing brush and dispenser for various cleaning fluids or chemicals. The Mr Handy is an efficient butler, but its AI is remarkably advanced, capable of carrying on conversations or offering advice in a manner very much akin to a biological, helped by their human-like vocoders.
A Handy unit can maintain itself, and switch out arms on its own to better tend to whatever the situation calls for, such as lighting a fire or a cigarette, cutting down weeds, cooking, ironing, or any other task they could be asked to preform. Due to their versatility and advanced AI, Mr. Handies have been adapted to a number of very different purposes, such as maintenance, janitorial duties, serving as waiters, couriers, farmhands, or even security personnel, but this is a task better suited to other RobCo droids.

Mr. Gutsy:
A military version of the Mr. Handy, the Mr. Gutsy is a good all-round combat robot, and is cheaper than some other RobCo military robots, making it a good choice for a less wealthy nation. Typically armed with a laser, buzzsaw, and manipulator arm, the Gutsy is armored with two inches of soifidied Hydrium armor and a single shield generator. It is not exactly a juggernaut, but it is quite maneuverable, able to strafe opponents to dodge fire while continually firing at them with their onboard laser, which can be switched out for a fabricator-fed anti-material rifle or Hardlight pistol. Mr. Gutsies are sometimes used by the Imperial military for patrol duties or to provide security for outlying outposts in low-risk areas, and are popular with LPCN nations.


An iconic RobCo product, the Protectron is slow but sturdy, having a streamlined, Art Deco inspired frame. Equipped with two general-purpose manipulators at the end of its arms, the Protectron sports two lasers which have both stun and lethal settings. It’s frame is heavily armored with titanium and solidified Hydrium, and it’s slow legs can be replaced with an anti-gravity unit to improve speed.

RobCo Assaultron:
A sleek military and advanced private security product, the XA-1 Assaultron is a thin, bipedal droid, humanoid with a well-armored chassis. It is armed with a pair of claws on the end of the arms, each claw also capable of being electrified, and can spin, shredding targets to pieces with the retractable blades mounted on each claw. It also has a high-powered, long-range laser firing from its head, which can easily target vehicles, aircraft, and infantry alike. The Assaultron is thus equally at home engaging at close and long ranges.
It's chassis houses a pair of shield generators, the chassis itself is made of Solidified Hydrium, making it very lightweight. The Assaultron is quite fast, capable of achieving speeds of up to 50 miles per hour at top speed. Assaultron's are also equipped with an encrypted communications suite.

Assaultron variants:
Assaultron Corsair: Intended for boarding actions, both of the Corsair's claws are replaced with blades. This version is also equipped with a teleporter.
Assaultron Assassin: Equipped with a StealthBoy as standard, the Assassin is armed with a Terminator Class Sniper Rifle and a blade on the other. Used by the military.
Assaultron Poltergeist: The Poltergeist is designed for psychological warfare operations, and is equipped with two blades. It also has a skull built into its face, with two Mesmer devices replacing the laser. The Poltergeist is equipped with a teleporter, StealthBoy, and a jamming array, as well as a detailed knowledge of human psychology so it can analyze its foes and learn how to terrorize them better. Torchwood is fond of this version.
Assaultron Crusader: Designed for anti-Drakul operations, the Crusader has one arm replaced by a silver blade, and the other arm replaced by a rifle equipped with silver ammunition(the Assaultron is programmed for maximum accuracy, with headshots whenever possible). The Crusaders laser is replaced by a pair of high-powered UVC lights.


RobCo Eyebot:

A small droid, intended for reconnaissance, advertisement, and observation purposes, the RobCo Eyebot is a small hovering droid. Roughly spherical, Eyebots have a rather advanced network of sensors, scanners, and other equipment, making them ideal recon droids. They have powerful speakers, a feature often exploited by corporations and such who use them as roving advertisement droids, and by governments to proclaim emergency alerts and other announcements. Most Eyebots have a compartment to hold supplies or samples. All Eyebots can operate in atmosphere or in space. There are a few versions of the Eyebot.

Military: Equipped with a single small shield generator and an integrated Hardlight pistol, military-grade Eyebots are deployed in droves to conduct recon and observe the battlefield. They are agile, but quite fragile. They compete with the 585 Hannibal Military Operator for sales, being just as fast and agile as the Operator, but smaller and less well armored, but cheaper. Where the Eyebot outshines it’s Ryan Industries competitor is its advanced sensors and its ability to help allied forces target enemies using its network of designators and sensors, and the ability to fabricate grenades and ammo. They can also designate targets for missile, artillery, and air or orbit attacks, making the otherwise unassuming Eyebot surprisingly dangerous. RobCo Corporate Security versions are armed with LAERs and often deploy alongside the bulkier Securitrons to scout out targets.

Commercial: A stock Eyebot, these are often used as mobile radios or ad bots, announcing sales and deals, or used by governments to announce states of emergency or new legislation being passed. These Eyebots are sometimes equipped with stun lasers to defend corporate assets, but this is a rarity. Many models have a holographic projector as well, allowing visual information to be portrayed alongside the audio projected through its powerful speakers. A common sight on Imperial planets and Earth territories.

Medical: A model created with the help of the Followers of the Apocalypse in exchange for a cut of the profits which were then used to fund Followers operations, medical Eyebots are equipped with a red and white paint job and have injectable medical supplies such as Stimpaks to stabilize a wound or Med-X to help with pain until dedicated medical teams arrive. Deployed in droves during disasters and other incidents, medical Eyebots are less capable than a 385 Hippocrates Medical Operator (which can preform field surgery, unlike the Eyebot, which acts more like a mobile injector), but are faster and cheaper. The ICDC uses them in large numbers during disasters and disease outbreaks for mass inoculation and disaster relief. ICDC Hostile Response Teams, aka “Canary Teams” use them to monitor and track Drakul, and transport small biological samples from Drakul between facilities without risk of infection by roving Drakul.

Repair: Repair Eyebots are fast, cheap, and capable, equipped with a small set of tools on collapsible arms, using it’s small stock of spare parts, fabricator, wrench, welding torch, sealants, and other tools to make quick repairs. It achieves a rough parity with the Archives Engineering Operator, though it lacks the lifting power to move cargo containers or other equipment like the Archimedes. However, repair Eyebots are cheaper and can do the same things as the Archimedes, making it a popular choice. Common everywhere in the Empire, especially on frontier worlds and in garages and spaceports.


RobCo Vanguard Class Sentry Bot:
The most powerful and largest RobCo droid, the Vanguard Class Sentry Bot is a heavily armed and armored droid intended for military service. Unlike the agile and sleek Assaultron or Legionnaire, the Vanguard is a fairly bulky machine with heavy armor. The Vanguards arms terminate in weapons, often a Hardlight Gatling on one arm and a missile launcher or Dark Matter Cannon on the other to engage vehicles and armor. They are also often equipped with shoulder-mounted mortars or grenade launchers to further engage targets.
These bulky droids are centered around an onboard Tesla reactor, centered in the rear of the droid behind heavy armor plating, approximately two feet of ACE and one foot of ERA armor, accompanied by a pair of shield generators. This heavy armor allows the Vanguard to withstand heavy fire in assault or defensive operations. The Vanguard is also equipped with a target designator to call down artillery or missile strikes on targets, as well as nano-repair system to repair itself or disperse as a cloud to repair other droids.In addition, the Vanguard also has a bubble shield generator to envelop a five meter radius around it to protect allies within, though once this shield fails it cannot be recharged without returning to a base. The Vanguard is fairly slow, but can reach speeds of up to 50 MPH in short bursts of around 75 seconds, at the cost of its shields during these bursts of speeds. It’s vocoder is quite loud and booming, though distinctly inhuman and electronic, and it has a single dark red photoreceptor. It is programmed to make use of basic tactics, such as using cover by hiding as much of its frame behind cover when possible, ambushing targets, or prioritizing targets such as Ocearan Sentry Striders. They often boom out taunts and Imperial propaganda in between communicating commands to allied units.

In defensive actions, Vanguard Sentry Bots are to work alongside biological infantry, drawing fire for infantry, and acting as a heavy defensive asset which can both receive and return heavy fire, drawing fire due to its bulk and firepower, and booming electronic vocoder and ominous red ’spotlight-style’ photoreceptors.
In offensive actions, Vanguards work best in concert with another RobCo product, the Assaultron. The Vanguard lays down heavy fire to suppress enemy units while Assaultrons move into close combat range. The more expensive Legionnaire droid is an all-around infantry droid, and makes a perfect companion to the Vanguard for medium or long range combat, but suffers in short range, where the Assaultron excels. The Vanguard also works well in concert with infantry, providing heavy firepower and drawing fire away from infantry.
A Crow Class Dropship can carry a single Vanguard and five soldiers (a basic Imperial military fireteam), or two Vanguards and no supporting infantry. The Imperial Marine Corps makes heavy use of Vanguards, valuing their toughness and heavy armament, deploying them in large numbers via their Volcra Class Assault Dropships and Osprey Dropships.
Through unknown means, the Ultra-Mercerist group The Sons of Mercer have acquired several Vanguards, using them to protect their leader, Johnathan Cawl. RobCo uses them for protecting factories and VIPs, equipped with Gatling Lasers and miniguns rather than Hardlight and missile launchers.


RobCo Securitron

The Securitron is a powerful security robot designed by RobCo for corporate defense, paramilitary, private security, and military use. It is equipped with a single puncture-proof wheel, often replaced with an anti-gravity device as an optional upgrade, and has a large armored viewscreen and two manipulators which can open doors or otherwise interface with the environment. The Securitron is quite heavily armed, with a pair of shoulder-mounted Obliterator missile pods, two Striker grenade launchers, a pair of Hardlight Gatlings, and a pair of stun lasers and Surge stunners to capture droids and enemy personnel should the situation require.

Securitrons are surprisingly fast for their bulk, and their missile pods can collapse in and swivel backwards on a hinge behind the view screen if a door is too narrow to accommodate their bulky bodies. When then occurs, they are rather narrow, general enough to squeeze through a door. A Securitron is protected by several inches of solidified Hydrium armor, replaced by ACE and limited amounts of ERA armor in military service, and all models have a shield generator.

RobCo Legionnaire Droid
Legionnaire Class Droid:

A droid designed by genius septillionarie Robert House to supplement the Imperial infantryman, equal and surpass Ocearan combat robots, and provide a powerful but not overly complex droid for Imperial and allied military service, the Legionnaire is a bipedal droid, built for combat. It has a humanoid frame, using legs and arms which are based on the Assaultron. It is heavily armored with both ACE and ERA armor, and equipped with a shield generator. It has human-like hands, enabling it to pick up and fire most weapons, even enemy weapons if the mission profile calls for it, and the Legionnaire is typically armed with a Hardlight Auto-Repeater, and is fully capable of using a sidearm, typically a Hardlight pistol.
In the event it is disarmed, the Legionnaire is equipped with several onboard weapon systems. Both hands can collapse into the arm, revealing a miniaturized Hardlight Auto-Repeater in the left arm, and a launcher for grenades or micro-missiles in the right. Supplementing this, the Legionnaire is equipped with a pair of fold-out blades which can be sheathed in Hardlight, for close combat, as well as a small pop-out plasma thrower which emerges from the left wrist, allowing it to spray bursts of superheated plasma like a flamethrower up to twelve meters. Finally, if it is completely disarmed, the Legionnaire is programmed to ‘play dead’, then self-destruct when enemy units close within range. This self-destruct sequence can only be triggered by the onboard AI and not from outside commands, and consists of a series of liquified plasma charges, which then activate nano-clusters which disintegrate the remnants of the droid to prevent technology from falling into enemy hands.
The Legionnaire is equipped with a semi-sentient AI, capable of complex problem solving. It is fully integrated into the Imperial Battlenet, sharing targeting data with other units and coordinating with other Legionnaires and other units to prioritize and terminate greater threats or high value targets. The Legionnaire is also capable of short-range teleportation, thanks to an onboard Displacement device, making it a very unpredictable foe to face due to its ability to quickly change location. Interestingly, the Legionnaire is fully capable of wearing standard Imperial power armor, capable of interfacing with its systems, thus giving it a great advantage in terms of protection, and, having no need of the complete NBC protection, can simply discard the gloves and lower arms, enabling it to use its onboard weapon systems. As with many Imperial designs, the Legionnaire has a distinctly Art Deco appearance.


Service Industries
Red Rocket:
A Cybusian refueling and repair chain, Red Rocket had become a highly recognizable sign of Cybusian expansion into new markets, thanks to its distinctive Art Deco rocket logo, robot mascot, and stellar service.
Until the foundation of Red Rocket, most refueling and/or repair locations were run by local chains, where service could vary wildly, and some planets only had the handful of government created repair facilities which only rarely serviced civilian vehicles. Founded in 1942 by Nicholas Bayers on Anaxes, Red Rocket was meant to replace this fractured network of local chains with a single company that could provide the same excellent service anywhere in the Empire. Bayers was a mechanic through and through, working for a local chain, but knew something better could be made, if he could simply get the funding.
He approached RobCo with an offer; if he was provided with funding, he would order custom RobCo robots en masse to act as service station attendants, and would feature them heavily in advertising. RobCo executives were hesitant, but Robert House saw the wisdom of this move; if the chain expanded, they would be placing huge orders, and the robots would help associate RobCo with helpfulness and efficiency.
The Red Rocket/RobCo partnership quickly bore fruit. The robot designed for Red Rocket was a custom model, a highly Dieselpunk design complete with parts reminiscent of car fins and headlights, streamlined components, and a non-threatening design. This robot was known as “Red Rocket Robert” and quickly became the mascot of the company, featured in advertising and found at every Red Rocket station. Robert’s are designed to be polite, friendly, cheerful, and have a wealth of knowledge of the area where they are assigned, so that they may offer recommendations, and make sure every Red Rocket station is kept clean and well organized (in contrast to many rival stations where organics have little time to clean). Robert’s are fully capable of quickly diagnosing and repairing issues with a massive number of vehicles, and local planetary manufacturers can upload their blueprints into the Red Rocket database so their vehicles can be serviced as well. Robert’s are supervised by at least one biological supervisor per station. Red Rocket Robert is known as the company mascot, appearing in ads of all sorts.
Each Red Rocket station offers reactor coolant (the most advanced civilian vehicles can create their own coolant, like military vehicles), fuel for “antiquated” vehicles that still use gas, charging ports for electric vehicles, automated repair facilities (at least one repair bay in even the smallest Red Rocket stations), and several helpful Robert bots to pump coolant, conduct repairs, and handle sales. Each station has a small shop with an assortment of food, beverages, convenience items and reading material. Of course, every Red Rocket station has the large signature Red Rocket, lit up crimson at night, a reassuring red glow to let travelers know that full service is just around the corner. Larger stations have old-fashioned diners attached, branded as Cafe V8, and are known for their signature Rocket Fuel coffee - which has proven so successful it is now available in stores, opening up another revenue stream for Red Rocket, and there are plans to expand the Cafe V8 brand independently of Red Rocket. The largest stations (typically located on major trade routes) have showers and even beds for rent for travelers, comfortable and fitted with Red Rocket sheets. Red Rocket Mega Stops are larger still, and can fully refuel, refit, and repair spacecraft if need be.
The signature Red Rocket rocket and Robert robots have become famous across the universe; just as McDonalds “Golden Arches” are associated with the spread of Timmian influence, market share, and soft power, Red Rocket is closely associated with Cybusian influence. Although the founder, Nicholas Bayers, died in a Drakul outbreak, his successor, Maria Issacov, is dedicated to expanding Red Rocket across the stars, and ensuring that the warm crimson glow of a Red Rocket rocket can be seen over every horizon.

Taggart Trans-Imperial:
Taggart Trans-Imperial is the largest shipping and transportation company in the Empire, rising from the Rebellion, after the stranglehold the Imperial Navy had on interstellar transport was broken. Founded by Nathanial Taggart, a moderately wealthy Arcadian trader who rose from a handful of small ships to massive success due to his efficient management, his early expansion into the passenger trade, and his sheer force of will. Taggart Trans-Imperial swiftly became the most popular Arcadian shipping company, due to the competitive shipping rates, the speed and efficiency which characterized its deliveries, and the speed and luxury of its passenger services, gaining Nathanial a solid customer base which let him expand quickly. Nathanial was uncompromising and refused to resort to force or fraud, and insisted on letting the company succeed and prosper on the merits of its service alone, rather than engage in political or backroom deals or any kind, quickly earning a reputation as being incredibly stubborn but honest. Taggart is hailed as one of the great Imperial businessmen, and is touted as a shining example of Cybusian entrepreneurship because he had little inherited wealth and rose to success on his own.
Taggart Trans-Imperial now runs the largest shipping and passenger transportation network in the Empire, maintaining a vast fleet of huge cargo-haulers, luxurious passenger vessels, as well as in-system transport vessels, and on-world transportation networks, including luxury or cargo airships, aquatic vessels, ground vehicles, and trains. It is the primary shipper for Vostrov Industries and Ryan Industries, and countless other corporations and small businesses across the Empire and beyond. While RobCo trusts its automated cargo vessels for interstellar deliveries, it contracts it’s planetside delivery operations to Taggart. On Earth, D’Anconia Holdings contracts with Taggart for any shipments to or from Cybusian customers or suppliers, but Wagain companies are employed for all other shipping needs, due to Francisco’s desire to help both the Cybusian and Wagain economies.
The Taggart passenger services are known for their speed and luxury, especially the renowned Taggart Comet, which is a regular service from Arcadia to Anaxes, Earth recently being added to its route, and the famed Capital Circuit, which runs from Arcadia to Collux, Corixis (the Technate capital), Earth, and then back, both of which have only stopped running or been delayed due to wars or pandemics, otherwise having a perfect record of on-time arrivals. Taggart is also known for its superb customer service and the efficiency and politeness of its staff.
Taggart is currently run by Dagny Taggart, a direct descendant of Nathanial. She is a socialite, but is also known for her efficiency, her ‘workaholic’ tendencies, and her uncompromising and direct nature has embroiled her in several social scandals due to her being very unafraid to speak her mind directly. She gets along fantastically with Francisco D’Anconia and Dana Mercer as a result. She, like Nathanial, believes in quality service above all else. Her friendship with Dana has been slightly strained after Dagny, an ardent atheist, argued with Alexander about his divinity, much to his annoyance despite numerous demonstrations of might.

Shipwrights

Colossus Defense Engineering:
One of the largest and oldest shipwrights in existence, Colossus Defense Engineering has been around since before the Rebellion. Founded by Pytor Atlas, the company gained a reputation for powerful and sturdy warships, and quickly gained the Emperor's favor, becoming the primary shipyard for the Imperial Navy. It weathered the Rebellion well, earning a huge profit during The Great Reconquest, and is still the primary shipyard of the Imperial Navy. Headed by Brad Atlas, Colossus has expanded into other areas, but their focus remains shipbuilding. Their ships are known for their efficiency, power, and durability. Their more well-known products include the Avenger Class Destroyer, the Crow Class Dropship, and the ancient Tesla Class Battleship used during The Rebellion. It also produced its replacement, the Forge Class Battleship. They have expanded into other fields, and their engineers have aided in the production of a multitude of Imperial Army and Marine vehicles, the most prominent examples being the Knight Class Tank, the Crusader Assault Striker, Rook IFV, and the mighty landship that is the Linebreaker Heavy Assault Transport.

Credit for The Barit Group and the Barit family goes to my talented regionmate, The Orson Empire.
Read factbook


Made a factbook on Imperial corporations and their products, but I can't help but think I'm missing something important.

Novo Wagondia wrote:We will be opening new consulates in Breslau and Königsberg (to use the Germanic names); Wagain tourists will be surely flock to the region's many historic castles and gardens, as well as the excellent ski runs of the Carpathian Mountains.

Professor Feliciano Abudarham of the University of Zulia in Maracaibo is interested in running an study on religious conversion within Cybusian Poland. He is looking for a research grant to track the religious makeup of Polish villages and cities over the next decade, with particular focus on the effect of Mercerism spreading into 'virgin' land where it would have scarcely existed before. Professor Aburdarham is also studying the effect that a Mercerist nobility and governing class will have on the politics and culture of traditionally Catholic Poland.

Somehow I stumbled across this, and I'm curious as to what Professor Abudarham has discovered, if anything.

Cybus1 wrote:

Conglomerates

The Barit Group:
A megacorp with ties to everything from banking and refueling stations to biotech and private security, the Barit Group is one of the Empire’s largest companies. The Barit family has a long and chaotic history; following the First Alexanderian Refounding, Chulpa Barit, a Charoda gifted with precognition, foresaw the Rebellion and that her own alcazar would be only lightly damaged. She then embarked on a campaign of subterfuge. She secretly worked to undermine the interests of the Empire while outwardly presenting herself as a faithful servant; purchasing Orsonians and secretly freeing them from indoctrination before reselling them, or secretly funding deviant Orsonian groups while also sacrificing subjects to Alexander. Barit Wholesalers was founded in 62,999 BC as a slave wholesaler and reseller, secretly helping free Orsonians. Chulpa made an agreement with Charles Orson himself; the Barit family would aid the rebels in return for being largely spared.
The Brits survived the Rebellion reasonably intact, funding both sides. The Barit family continued to "faithfully serve”, until The First Orsonian Incursion, where Chulpa was -rather ironically- killed by one of Charles Orson’s surviving officers who refused to their deal and strangled her.
Descended from Barit Wholesalers, the Barit Group underwent a dramatic shift after the Rebellion. The brand is nearly ubiquitous, but it does have stiff competition in certain areas, especially in the telecom, transportation, refueling stations, and private security sectors. The company is currently headed by Veronika Barit, and is divided into six divisions:

Division One- Dining and Entertainment: Following the ban on slavery, the Barits converted many of their slave shops into casual diners, cafes, clubs, refuel and repair stations (in the same vein as Red Rocket) movie theaters, and other venues. Larger markets were converted into warehouses and fulfillment centers. They have a massive presence in this sector of the economy, making them a staple of Cybusian entertainment culture.

Division Two- Technology: BG continues to manufacture countless consumer appliances, including fabricators. Hovercars and shuttles are also sold. A subsection of the division is biotechnology, which includes Charonetics- the equivalent, and direct competitor to the Gene Tonics and Plasmids of Ryan Industries.

Division Three- Telecommunications: BG is essentially the Comcast or AT&T of the Cybusian world. It provides radio, internet, telephone and television connections, while also hosting its own channels. It also has contracts with the government and military for these services.

Division Four- Banking and Finance: BG operates numerous private banks, while also marketing insurance, loans asset management, and wealth management.

Division Five- Security Operations (SecOps): This is a private, highly-trained security force that can be hired as mercenaries by other organizations, while also providing protection for all BG facilities. SecOps can perform a wide variety of duties from acting as bouncers at nightclubs to investigating industrial espionage on a production line. Many members are hired from the military, often just after being discharged. Additionally, SecOps has private detectives and provides risk management consulting, background checks, and crisis management services. This is undoubtedly the most secretive division of the company, with the Barits often using SecOps operatives to gain dirt on a political enemy or infiltrate a rival company to conduct espionage or sabotage their systems.

Division Six- Logistics: The most recent division. It is responsible for manufacturing and operating all cargo shuttles necessary to transport supplies for other divisions, and it also takes contracts from other corporation. It was designed both to compete with and eliminate reliance on Taggart Trans-Imperial.

Ryan Industries:
Founded in New York in 1925 by Andrew Ryan, an immigrant from Lucija, Ryan Industries has since become a world leader in the fields of genetic modification, cybernetics, robotics, and weapons manufacturing.
Andrei Rianovski was a young man in 1917, born to a prosperous family of merchants. The Russian Civil War brought chaos and disruption to his life in Minsk. The family business was looted and destroyed as the Bolsheviks made major gains in the urban areas, attracting the support of the workers; in their bitter struggle with the White armies (which eventually ended up winning, creating the modern Lucijan state), they began to use drastic measures. Several members of the Rianovski family, including Andrei’s aunt and uncle, were executed for “counter-revolutionary activities”, and young Andrei’s hatred of communism was cemented from an early age. He managed to flee with his father, first to Constantinople and then to the US. Arriving in the United States in 1919 and anglicizing his name to Andrew Ryan, Ryan threw himself into building himself back up.
Ryan was lucky, striking oil fairly early on in a venture in Texas, but it was not just luck; after his father’s death in late 1920, Ryan used what was left of the family fortune to make excellent investments in up and coming companies throughout the 1920s such as RCA and Raytheon, having a keen eye for business and having his finger on the pulse of innovation. By 1924, Ryan had made his first million. Ryan Oil was one of the fastest growing suppliers of oil in the nation, and Ryan had control over a not insignificant amount of coal mines and several railroads.
Ryan Industries was founded in New York in 1925 to manage his various business interests. Ryan diversified into various industries, with Ryan Areonautics developing a prizewinning seaplane used by the Kosarek Trading Company for transatlantic mail services.
In the 1930s, Andrew became increasingly alarmed by both the social welfare of the New Deal and the rise of totalitarian regimes such as Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, seeing both internal and external forces as “parasites” intent on the destruction and subjugation of man. He began to make plans for what he dubbed “The North Atlantic Project”. The Second World War merely confirmed Ryan’s fears. Ryan Industries and Ryan Aeronautics supported the war effort, while Ryan began drafting plans for what would become Rapture.
Convinced that big government would use atomic weapons to destroy whatever could not be seized, and that nuclear war was inevitable between the various superpowers, Ryan began taking steps to create Rapture.
Ryan began to steadily liquidate his assets and secretly began contracting advanced submersibles and alloys, and by 1946, Ryan Industries had begun the work of laying foundations for Rapture. Cooperating with Cybusian engineers, a super strong alloy dubbed Ryanium was developed, capable of standing up to the pressures and corrosion of the North Atlantic. Ryan’s immense wealth was augmented by that of other entrepreneurs and magnates who feared nuclear power, “socialism”, or oppression. An eccentric member of the Kosarek family, Alexander Kosarek, also swung the families considerable resources behind the project and arranged a secret but profitable contract for Kosarek freighters to transport the materials and pre-fabricated structures to the building site. Furthermore, a mid-Atlantic seaplane and shipping facility anchored to the seafloor, originally built by the Kosarek’s, was offered as a surface base for construction workers. The Kosarek’s would later be instrumental in helping Ryan negotiate the Treaty of Rapture.
The cities first structures were pre-fabricated on the surface and then sunk and anchored to the foundations, and on November 5th, 1946, the first permanent residents of Rapture moved into the first buildings. Ryan had traveled the world recruiting likeminded men and women, as well as launching something of a civilian equivalent of Operation Paperclip, convincing scientists and engineers to come to Rapture. Many of these talented individuals would become Ryan Industries employees, such as Dr. Yi Suchong, a Korean doctor and collaborater with the Japanese, or Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum, a talented geneticist and Holocaust survivor. Others were independent individuals who would prosper in Rapture, such as American artist Sander Cohen or Charles Milton Porter, founder of Rapture Central Computing. Other recruits included Australian Humans and Kãpok Orsonians dissatisfied with the Empire and the destruction wrought by WW2, such as Stanley Kyzburg, a talented electrical engineer, and Naledi Atkins, an ace pilot who later helped design and test Rapture’s fastest submarines and bathyspheres.
As Rapture grew and prospered into the 1950s following the signing of the 1949 Treaty of Rapture with the Cybusian Empire (whose sensors had detected the activity on the ocean floor on their arrival in 1946, but dismissed it; the treaty saw Rapture and Cybusian companies gain access to each other’s markets, and Rapture’s sovereignty would be guaranteed by the Cybusian Empire), so did Ryan Industries.
By 1956, Drs. Suchong and Tenenbaum had developed the first primitive gene tonics, and had developed Electro Bolt, the first plasmid by 1958. These and other genetic products went on the Rapture market by late 1958, and by 1960, were increasingly successful. Simultaneously, efforts were taken to experiment with cybernetics, as part of continual efforts to overcome the disadvantages of the human form, enabling humans to stand up to Blacklight-based life.
By the late 1970s, Ryan Industries had developed the Vita-Chamber, the one coming online in 1977. Cybernetics and genetic modification products contained to advance throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Since the 2000’s, Ryan Industries has continued to develop cutting-edge technology like the Neuromod and the Braindance system, which allow for knowledge and experience transfer, respectively. Ryan Security is arguably one of the most advanced fighting forces on the planet, and had achieved a sterling reputation for professionalism and achieving victory against seemingly impossible odds thanks to cutting-edge equipment and enhancements. Ryan Industries has also expanded into robotics and arms manufacturing, developing the advanced Operator robot, and an advanced arsenal of advanced energy weapons which rival Cybusian weapons. It has also ventured into shipbuilding, Ryan Aeronautics legacy being carried on by the incredibly fast Lancer Class Strike Corvette and the agile Akula Class Variable Environment Fighter.

The Ryan Industries catalog


Ryan Armaments is, despite it's prodigious output, one of the smaller branches of Ryan Industries, but has a reputation for excellence. The Debater 10mm pistolis seen across the Empire, as is the powerful Ember series laser weapon. Ryan weapons are powerful, deadly, and versatile, being heavily modifiable and robust.

Ryan Arms Small Arms, Energy Weapons:
Disruptor Stun Gun

Debater 10mm Pistol

Argument .500 Revolver

Eliminator 10mm Submachine Gun

Terminator Assault Rifle

Enforcer 12-gauge Shotgun

Silencer .375 Sniper Rifle

Strikebreaker 40mm Grenade Launcher

Ryan Armaments L-71 Ember Class Modular Laser Weapon

Ryan Armaments L-98 Ashmaker Gatling Laser

Ryan Armaments P-45 Torch Class Plasma Weapon:

Eradicator Portable Auto-Turret


Ryan Industries BD-15 Progress Class Exosuit


Ryan Robotics is one of the newest branches of Ryan Industries, but has quickly exploded in size, producing the very popular and versatile Operator series of drones, coming in 5 different varieties (Medical, Engineering, Science, Security, Military), as well as a collaboration with robotics giant RobCo to create the deadly Flycatcher droid fighter.

Ryan Industries Operator

RobCo/Ryan Arms PD-179 Flycatcher:

Ryan Arms Rarog Combat Drone



One of the largest divisions of Ryan Industries, Ryan Genetics produces wonders on a daily basis. Plasmids allow users access to seemingly supernatural powers thanks to advanced genetic modification, letting you light a cigarette with a snap of your fingers, while Gene Tonics provide more passive benefits, boosting cognitive performance or improving one's speed. Thanks to the Vita-Chamber, Ryan Industries has even cured death itself! Furthermore, thanks a collaboration with other branches of Ryan Industries, the Braindance system allows even a person's individual experiences to be transferred to another person, allowing for innovative therapies (pioneered by Dr. Sofia Lamb) or unique sexual experiences.
For simplicity's sake, a brief overview of Ryan Industries cybernetics has also been included here, as Ryan Genetics collaborates with other branches to create the cutting-edge cybernetics which make Ryan Security operatives the best in the business, best exemplified by The Chainbearers, the Ryan Security elite.

Ryan Industries Vita-Chamber

Ryan Industries Neuromods

Gene Tonics and Plasmids

Braindance

An Overview of Cybernetics in Rapture


Trauma Team

Vostrov Industries:
One of the oldest companies in existence, the economic titan that is Vostrov Industries predates the Rebellion, and has always been headed by a member of the House of Vostrov. Vostrov’s products include the ever-present and ubiquitous fabricator and Stimpack, as well as energy weapons, small craft, and other products. Vostrov has since been challenged by newer corporations, namely RobCo, Ryan Industries, Stoneheart Industries, but remains one of the largest and most successful corporations in the Empire. Some of their products include the fabricator, the Stimpack, most of the small arms used by the Imperial Military, the highly adaptable MPMS-36 missile system, most of the small craft used by the Imperial Navy (with the exception of the Crow, Osprey, and Volcra dropships, and the Corvid shuttle, all of which are Colossus Defense Engineering products), and the Courser Class Utility Vehicle used by the Army. Vostrov, in cooperation with Colossus engineers, are also responsible for creating Jaunt Drives.


Stimpack:
An advanced drug consisting of several advanced stem cells intended to rapidly ‘plug in’ to wounds and fix them, a coagulant to stop bleeding, immune boosting drugs to ward off infection, and various other compounds, both synthetic and occurring naturally on Arcadia, Stimpacks are a staple of every med-kit, every Cybusian medics gear, and are generally omnipresent throughout Cybusian and Cybusian-aligned societies. Capable of stabilizing large wounds within minutes and completly healing small (cuts, scrapes, generally non-life threatening injuries) wounds in seconds, Stimpacks allow a soldier who has sustained a crippling injury to survive to fight again. Mostly used by non-Evolved.

Strix Class Interceptor

Storm Class Hardlight Auto-Repeater

Courser Class Utility Vehicle


Entertainment

The Dark Adventure Media Group:
An independent powerhouse in the Imperial media landscape, the Dark Adventure Media Group has sometimes been referred to by Timmians as “the Disney of murder and mystery”. Headquartered on Kozrova, the Dark Adventure Media Group produces a wide variety of media, from the highly popular Dark Adventure Radio Theater, to the popular television show The Dark Adventure Hour, and everything in between including the very start of the Dark Adventure media empire, Dark Adventure Mystery Stories Magazine, but all of them have one thing in common: the stories tend to be dark, either in terms of lighting (in the classic noir styles) or in tone. Murder mysteries, psychological thrillers, classic film noirs, detective dramas, horror, daring tales of explorers, science fiction, and other such things are all produced by the company, and the incredible popularity of the various media allowed the Dark Adventure franchise to become its own entity independent of any owners. While Dark Adventure does not have a film studio component, it does have an agreement with two major film studios (Makechek Studios and Kinenza and Morgan) where it will occasionally authorize film adaptations by one of the studios, with Dark Adventure personnel retaining significant amounts of control over the script and production.
Nathan Hale, CEO, was the editor of the Dark Adventure magazine, and continues to lead the company to greatness.

Food and Beverage

Barankov Bottling Co.:
One of the largest soda companies in the Empire, the Barankov Bottling Co. is also most likely the oldest bottling company of any kind. Known for it’s Barankola (among other brands) and distinctive rocket-shaped glass bottle, Barankov is a highly popular Cybusian brand, and is commonly viewed as a staple of Imperial “soft power”, alongside Mercerism, Red Rocket gas stations, and IWC broadcasts.
The Barankov Bottling Co. dates back many centuries, before even the Alexandrian Refounding. Nikolai Barankov was a humble traveling merchant, eking out a living in the rolling hills of the Varykino region of Arcadia, selling religious trinkets to local farmers. While wandering one day, he stumbled across a small spring which was supposedly miraculous, healing injuries and relieving the pain of those who bathed in it. Though Barankov did not know it at the time, the water from the spring was mildly irradiated, explaining it’s seemingly miraculous effects. Barankov smelled an opportunity for profit and began to sell bottles of the water to visitors, using the proceeds to set up a small hut from where he sold “Barankov’s Blessed Water”, as the spring was supposedly blessed by a Saint. He quickly fell afoul of the Mercerist Church, who being integrated into the state at the time, was displeased by his profiteering off of an unconfirmed and possibly fake blessing, and promptly shut down his operation. Undeterred, Barankov simply reopened under the name “Barankov Water Bottling Co.”, to placate the religious authorities, later shortened to the Barankov Bottling Co.
Barankov began selling the irradiated water, quickly becoming fairly popular, especially as he started to experiment with adding various additives and flavors to the irradiated water, creating a flavorful and refreshing tonic. By the time of the Rebellion, Barankov had become the primary provider of beverages in the Empire that weren’t coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverages. Barankov weathered the Rebellion relatively well, making less use of Orsonians than other companies.
Barankov has since expanded, branching out into new products. Because Orsonians did not tolerate radiation as well, a new variation of the classic Barankola was created, Barankola Light, which unexpectedly proved more popular than the original, because the flavors were apparently more pronounced without the buzz of the radioactive high in Evolved. Thus, standard Barankola lacks any radioactive contamination and is safe for all species to ingest, while Barankola Classic is still mildly irradiated. Both versions of Barankola are available in a variety of flavors, such as Barankola Vanilla, Orange, Cherry, and other such flavors. A version full of energy providing substances is dubbed Radi-Pep, and is popular with busy executives.
Barankov is known for it’s catchy jingles and slogans (one notable example being “Drink Radi-Pep! Remember, the R is Radium-yum-yum!") and it’s signature rocket-shaped glass bottle, leading to the slogan “Blast off with Barankov for an explosion of flavor!” Barankov has expanded throughout the universe and continues to test new flavors and products. Barankov has recently tried to branch out into the tea and coffee industry, but is facing stiff competition from established brands.

Metallurgy and Mining

Rearden Metal Co.:
A company founded in the late 1890s by young entrepreneur and metallurgist Henry Rearden, Rearden Metal Co specializes in creating extremely high-strength metals and alloys. The brilliant metallurgist rose to prominence after developing an entirely new alloy which was stronger and lighter than titanium, capable of absorbing a large amount of energy. Deeming this “Rearden Metal”, Rearden was able to secure several patents and large loans, taking advantage of the fact that his contract did not stipulate that new inventions by employees were property of the company. Rearden founded his own foundry in 1894 on Novo Tolchkovo.
Henry Rearden was born in 1845 to a modest family of merchants on Novo Tolchkovo. Rearden knew his family couldn’t afford to send him to college by themselves, so he worked hard in school, excelling in mathematics and taking engineering courses. Because of his talent (and extreme work ethic) he distinguished himself by graduating magna cum laude from his high school, and earned a full ride scholarship to the Tolchkovo Institute of Engineering, where he majored in metallurgical engineering and minored in structural engineering. However, the metallurgical industry on Novo Tolchkovo was actually oversaturated, and he struggled to find work. To help pay the bills, Rearden took a job in one of the few mines still open on the planet, which faced the threat of being shut down in the face of increasing automation and the development of industrial fabricators. He engaged in backbreaking work, spending the next three years working in the mine and extracting ore, ignoring the pain and saving up money. Finally, in 1873, Rearden was hired by Associated Steel, a minor steel mill which primarily made steel for railroad lines and bridges.
Rearden quickly established a reputation for being an extremely industrious worker, albeit one who wouldn’t hesitate to voice his opinion, no matter how controversial it might be. By 1880, Rearden was the chief metallurgical engineer at Associated Steel, and, under his guidance, began to grow into a major player in the local steel market. Rearden, not satisfied with simply producing steel, began to conduct experiments with various alloys. By 1887, he had conducted several thousand tests and tested countless formulas, but continued to work. He often went days without sleep, and was hellbent on creating what he called “the perfect metal”.
On September 2nd, 1889, Rearden’s latest formula showed promise. Creating a few ingots for testing, Rearden tested his new alloy. He was astonished; the material surpassed his wildest expectations. The new alloy was both much stronger and slightly lighter than titanium, seemingly rustproof, had an extremely high melting point, and was capable of absorbing large amounts of energy with no ill effects. Despite meticulously testing, re-testing, and cataloguing all results, when he went to the owner of Associated Steel, Orrin Boyle, he was rebuffed. Boyle refused to do anything with the new alloy, afraid it would render conventional steel obsolete.
Simply calling this “Rearden metal”, Henry decided to strike out on his own to create a new foundry dedicated to the creation of Rearden Metal. Rearden Metal Co. was founded in 1891, and promptly began to create Rearden Metal. At first, there was no business, but Rearden began to advertise and promote his new alloy around Novo Tolchkovo. Henry began to publicly demonstrate the power of Rearden Metal through dramatic public tests. His first client was a local railroad which sought to test the feasibility of Rearden Metal rails. The rails proved to be an improvement by every metric; they were more stable, longer-lasting, and were much more resistant to warping or failure of any kind. Following the stress testing and the demonstrations, the first train on a line using Rearden Metal rails -running on the Vilaisaiv-Ostrakirk line- helped boost confidence in the product.
Despite this, Rearden’s big break did not come for several more years, when he approached a local shipbuilder with a proposal; that together they create a vessel constructed almost entirely of Rearden Metal. The vessel, which Rearden had a personal hand in designing, was officially named Rearden Metal Test Starship 001, but Rearden convinced a local Prokhar to bless it, and the vessel was christened The Spirit of Free Enterprise. The vessel was small, more like a large fighter than the corvette it was billed as, but was quite fast and armed with four laser cannons -for self-defense- and a single shield.
Launching the Spirit of Free Enterprise on October 12th, 1903, Rearden invited a small cadre of journalists to accompany him on the vessels maiden voyage. To their shock, after an initially pleasant in-atmosphere and circuit of Novo Tolchkovo, Rearden revealed he had installed a Jaunt Drive and took the ship to a system known to be home to pirates. True to its reputation, a pair of pirate corvettes and a destroyer set upon The Spirit of Free Enterprise. Rather than flee, Rearden terrified and astonished the journalists by engaging the pirates in combat, using the superior maneuverability of his ship and his own piloting skill to swiftly knock one of the corvettes out of action. The shield of The Spirit of Free Enterprise fell after fire from the destroyer caught it. To the astonishment of the journalists, the hull of Rearden Metal weathered the laser barrage with only minor damage, and, with every shot, the shield came closer to being recharged; Rearden had adapted the energy-absorbing abilities of his alloy into a primitive form of ERA armor. The shields recharged, Henry expertly piloted his ship and used surgical strikes to take out the major systems of the pirate destroyer and proceeded to chase down and cripple the fleeing corvette.
Rearden’s astonishing dogfight and display of superior technology brought him attention from the wider Empire. In addition to press attention, the Imperial Military took an interest in Rearden Metal, seeking to develop the rudimentary system he had developed into a more advanced system for their vessels, and to make massive orders of Rearden Metal. Henry immediately agreed. The system ultimately developed into what is now known as ERA armor, combining Rearden Metal with a number of other compounds and alloys to create an extremely advanced armor system. Rearden Metal is now used across the Empire, in everything from Taggart Trans-Imperial ships to structural reinforcements, from starship armor to car bodies and even jewelry. Henry has continually modified his signature Metal and improved it’s formula many times over, and continues to experiment; the company sells various grades of Rearden Metal, as well as other alloys Rearden has developed.
Henry Rearden himself is somewhat of a controversial figure. He has a habit of very bluntly speaking his mind and ignoring or disregarding opinions other than his own, and has been called “cold” and “emotionally distant”; one tabloid even claimed he was a sociopath -Rearden sued for libel and won-. He is an outspoken Objectivist and a good friend of Dagny Taggart, Andrew Ryan, and Francisco D’Anconia, as well as Brad Atlas and Nikolai Vostrov. He is unmarried, but rumors swirl about a possible romance between Rearden and Dagny Taggart, and the two have been spotted dining at Spiro’s together many times.

Pharmacuticals

Stoneheart Pharmaceuticals:
A relatively new player on the economic battlefield, founded in 1952, Stoneheart Pharmacuticals is among the largest pharmaceutical companies in the Cybusian Empire, thanks to it's excellent products and it's founder recognizing the relatively untapped market potential in the Empire. It is headed by the enigmatic Thomas Eichhorst, and is headquartered in Berlin.
Founded in the 1950s, Stoneheart Pharmaceuticals’ first product was an anti-Rage compound for Orsonians meant to help stop an in-progress Rage State by rapidly stabilizing neurotransmitters: this product was deemed too slow to act, but after some modifications and a new method of administration, the compound was adapted as a syringe-injected chemical capable of being injected from a moderate range by a specialized injection gun. The compound, deemed Calmex, continues to be a standard tool in Cybusian police arsenals; recently Stoneheart has released a gas-based version which is faster-acting, and is attempting to sell the compound to the Wagain and Mamaran militaries for use against Orsonians in combat.
A variation of the compound, Serenex, has been released for use for Humans, proving highly adept at rapidly stabilizing patients in periods of intense mania, and other similar incidents.
Since the success of Calmex and Serenex, Stoneheart turned its attention to painkillers. Because Evolved could simply deactivate nerves on command and Charodey could use healing magic to deal with any pain they experienced, there were few painkillers on the market in the Empire, and the few there were cost quite a bit due to the niche usage by non-Evolved and lack of competition. Stoneheart, after testing a vast array of Cybusian flora and fauna, discovered that the pheromones emitted by Ormann could be concentrated into a powerful analgesic effective, to varying degrees, across species. The new painkiller was called Med-X, and is available in varying strengths and modes of ingestion, from injections to pills. Med-X has become a popular painkiller across the Empire, and was the first true “breakout product” that led Stoneheart to become one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the Empire, second only to Vostrov Pharma, which produces the ubiquitous Stimpack. To the frustration of Stoneheart, Med-X has become a popular recreational drug, producing a pleasant numbness.

Various Orsonian-oriented mood stabilizers meant to keep Rage in check.

Psycho:
An Imperial combat drug which impacts the body in several ways. It massively increases the ability of the body to regenerate wounds, increases strength, speed, and deadens nerves, while briefly enhancing an individuals psionic potential, allowing them limited access to magic. Called ‘Rage in a syringe”, Psycho is usable only by Evolved, Orsonians, or Charodey, and will prove lethal to human users. The effects of Evolved on Psycho has been compared to the Orsonian ‘Rage State’, a terrifying whirlwind of destruction. Most commonly used by The Imperial Marines who act as stormtroopers, Psycho also sees use by the Imperial Army. Torchwood’s Shadow Class Power Armor has five auto-injection ports, which can inject Psycho to augment a Kill-Team Agents capabilities even further. The Imperial Military developed Psycho with the help of Stoneheart, and a few drops of processed Drakul blood are among the ingredients, being responsible for the regenerative boost. Limited to military customers only.

Jet:
A synthetic and safe variety of amphetamines, Jet is an advanced combat drug produced by Stoneheart. Jet produces a reduced reaction time and amps up the senses, while also creating an altered state of consciousness, affecting the users perception of time; allowing them to seemingly move with supernatural speed in a world of slow and sluggish foes; this is the brains attempt at rationalizing the enhanced reaction times and enhanced senses. Used by Imperial forces, particularly Torchwood Kill-Teams, who find the altered reflexes help when entering and clearing a room, before the enemy can even draw their guns. Limited to military customers only.

Mentats:
Another drug developed by Stoneheart, Mentats are a powerful nootropic in tablet form, known to speed mental processes, boost creativity and memory related processes, and generally improve mental processes of any kind. Less effective with Evolved due to the lack of a central processing unit (ie, a brain, since in Evolved, vital processes like cognition, sensation, etc, are distributed across the body rather than a single organ), there are versions with Evolved-grade strength. Coming in a variety of flavors, Mentats are popular across Imperial society, from writers to scientists, and are freely available on the open market.

Robotics

RobCo:
Headed by Robert House, RobCo specializes in robotics. Their Protectron and Mr. Handy series is seen across the Empire in countless roles, and their Securitrons are popular security droids. The Assaultron and the Vanguard Sentry Bot are used by the Imperial military, as are Eyebots. RobCo also manufactures the PIP-series of computers, phones, smart-watches, and micro-computers known as PIP-boys. They also make large profits by selling robot parts to the countless engineers and budding mad scientists in the Empire.

The RobCo catalog:

RobCo Mr. Handy Series:
A RobCo droid, the Mr. Handy is a versatile droid intended for domestic service. It’s spherical chassis houses its micro-reactor, processors, and antigravity drive which allows it to hover. It has three eye-stalks, affording it an excellent range of vision, and a trio of mounts for systems to be attached near the repulsorlift. Most often, this consists of a pair of manipulators and a third arm which houses a combination scrubbing brush and dispenser for various cleaning fluids or chemicals. The Mr Handy is an efficient butler, but its AI is remarkably advanced, capable of carrying on conversations or offering advice in a manner very much akin to a biological, helped by their human-like vocoders.
A Handy unit can maintain itself, and switch out arms on its own to better tend to whatever the situation calls for, such as lighting a fire or a cigarette, cutting down weeds, cooking, ironing, or any other task they could be asked to preform. Due to their versatility and advanced AI, Mr. Handies have been adapted to a number of very different purposes, such as maintenance, janitorial duties, serving as waiters, couriers, farmhands, or even security personnel, but this is a task better suited to other RobCo droids.

Mr. Gutsy:
A military version of the Mr. Handy, the Mr. Gutsy is a good all-round combat robot, and is cheaper than some other RobCo military robots, making it a good choice for a less wealthy nation. Typically armed with a laser, buzzsaw, and manipulator arm, the Gutsy is armored with two inches of soifidied Hydrium armor and a single shield generator. It is not exactly a juggernaut, but it is quite maneuverable, able to strafe opponents to dodge fire while continually firing at them with their onboard laser, which can be switched out for a fabricator-fed anti-material rifle or Hardlight pistol. Mr. Gutsies are sometimes used by the Imperial military for patrol duties or to provide security for outlying outposts in low-risk areas, and are popular with LPCN nations.


An iconic RobCo product, the Protectron is slow but sturdy, having a streamlined, Art Deco inspired frame. Equipped with two general-purpose manipulators at the end of its arms, the Protectron sports two lasers which have both stun and lethal settings. It’s frame is heavily armored with titanium and solidified Hydrium, and it’s slow legs can be replaced with an anti-gravity unit to improve speed.

RobCo Assaultron:
A sleek military and advanced private security product, the XA-1 Assaultron is a thin, bipedal droid, humanoid with a well-armored chassis. It is armed with a pair of claws on the end of the arms, each claw also capable of being electrified, and can spin, shredding targets to pieces with the retractable blades mounted on each claw. It also has a high-powered, long-range laser firing from its head, which can easily target vehicles, aircraft, and infantry alike. The Assaultron is thus equally at home engaging at close and long ranges.
It's chassis houses a pair of shield generators, the chassis itself is made of Solidified Hydrium, making it very lightweight. The Assaultron is quite fast, capable of achieving speeds of up to 50 miles per hour at top speed. Assaultron's are also equipped with an encrypted communications suite.

Assaultron variants:
Assaultron Corsair: Intended for boarding actions, both of the Corsair's claws are replaced with blades. This version is also equipped with a teleporter.
Assaultron Assassin: Equipped with a StealthBoy as standard, the Assassin is armed with a Terminator Class Sniper Rifle and a blade on the other. Used by the military.
Assaultron Poltergeist: The Poltergeist is designed for psychological warfare operations, and is equipped with two blades. It also has a skull built into its face, with two Mesmer devices replacing the laser. The Poltergeist is equipped with a teleporter, StealthBoy, and a jamming array, as well as a detailed knowledge of human psychology so it can analyze its foes and learn how to terrorize them better. Torchwood is fond of this version.
Assaultron Crusader: Designed for anti-Drakul operations, the Crusader has one arm replaced by a silver blade, and the other arm replaced by a rifle equipped with silver ammunition(the Assaultron is programmed for maximum accuracy, with headshots whenever possible). The Crusaders laser is replaced by a pair of high-powered UVC lights.


RobCo Eyebot:

A small droid, intended for reconnaissance, advertisement, and observation purposes, the RobCo Eyebot is a small hovering droid. Roughly spherical, Eyebots have a rather advanced network of sensors, scanners, and other equipment, making them ideal recon droids. They have powerful speakers, a feature often exploited by corporations and such who use them as roving advertisement droids, and by governments to proclaim emergency alerts and other announcements. Most Eyebots have a compartment to hold supplies or samples. All Eyebots can operate in atmosphere or in space. There are a few versions of the Eyebot.

Military: Equipped with a single small shield generator and an integrated Hardlight pistol, military-grade Eyebots are deployed in droves to conduct recon and observe the battlefield. They are agile, but quite fragile. They compete with the 585 Hannibal Military Operator for sales, being just as fast and agile as the Operator, but smaller and less well armored, but cheaper. Where the Eyebot outshines it’s Ryan Industries competitor is its advanced sensors and its ability to help allied forces target enemies using its network of designators and sensors, and the ability to fabricate grenades and ammo. They can also designate targets for missile, artillery, and air or orbit attacks, making the otherwise unassuming Eyebot surprisingly dangerous. RobCo Corporate Security versions are armed with LAERs and often deploy alongside the bulkier Securitrons to scout out targets.

Commercial: A stock Eyebot, these are often used as mobile radios or ad bots, announcing sales and deals, or used by governments to announce states of emergency or new legislation being passed. These Eyebots are sometimes equipped with stun lasers to defend corporate assets, but this is a rarity. Many models have a holographic projector as well, allowing visual information to be portrayed alongside the audio projected through its powerful speakers. A common sight on Imperial planets and Earth territories.

Medical: A model created with the help of the Followers of the Apocalypse in exchange for a cut of the profits which were then used to fund Followers operations, medical Eyebots are equipped with a red and white paint job and have injectable medical supplies such as Stimpaks to stabilize a wound or Med-X to help with pain until dedicated medical teams arrive. Deployed in droves during disasters and other incidents, medical Eyebots are less capable than a 385 Hippocrates Medical Operator (which can preform field surgery, unlike the Eyebot, which acts more like a mobile injector), but are faster and cheaper. The ICDC uses them in large numbers during disasters and disease outbreaks for mass inoculation and disaster relief. ICDC Hostile Response Teams, aka “Canary Teams” use them to monitor and track Drakul, and transport small biological samples from Drakul between facilities without risk of infection by roving Drakul.

Repair: Repair Eyebots are fast, cheap, and capable, equipped with a small set of tools on collapsible arms, using it’s small stock of spare parts, fabricator, wrench, welding torch, sealants, and other tools to make quick repairs. It achieves a rough parity with the Archives Engineering Operator, though it lacks the lifting power to move cargo containers or other equipment like the Archimedes. However, repair Eyebots are cheaper and can do the same things as the Archimedes, making it a popular choice. Common everywhere in the Empire, especially on frontier worlds and in garages and spaceports.


RobCo Vanguard Class Sentry Bot:
The most powerful and largest RobCo droid, the Vanguard Class Sentry Bot is a heavily armed and armored droid intended for military service. Unlike the agile and sleek Assaultron or Legionnaire, the Vanguard is a fairly bulky machine with heavy armor. The Vanguards arms terminate in weapons, often a Hardlight Gatling on one arm and a missile launcher or Dark Matter Cannon on the other to engage vehicles and armor. They are also often equipped with shoulder-mounted mortars or grenade launchers to further engage targets.
These bulky droids are centered around an onboard Tesla reactor, centered in the rear of the droid behind heavy armor plating, approximately two feet of ACE and one foot of ERA armor, accompanied by a pair of shield generators. This heavy armor allows the Vanguard to withstand heavy fire in assault or defensive operations. The Vanguard is also equipped with a target designator to call down artillery or missile strikes on targets, as well as nano-repair system to repair itself or disperse as a cloud to repair other droids.In addition, the Vanguard also has a bubble shield generator to envelop a five meter radius around it to protect allies within, though once this shield fails it cannot be recharged without returning to a base. The Vanguard is fairly slow, but can reach speeds of up to 50 MPH in short bursts of around 75 seconds, at the cost of its shields during these bursts of speeds. It’s vocoder is quite loud and booming, though distinctly inhuman and electronic, and it has a single dark red photoreceptor. It is programmed to make use of basic tactics, such as using cover by hiding as much of its frame behind cover when possible, ambushing targets, or prioritizing targets such as Ocearan Sentry Striders. They often boom out taunts and Imperial propaganda in between communicating commands to allied units.

In defensive actions, Vanguard Sentry Bots are to work alongside biological infantry, drawing fire for infantry, and acting as a heavy defensive asset which can both receive and return heavy fire, drawing fire due to its bulk and firepower, and booming electronic vocoder and ominous red ’spotlight-style’ photoreceptors.
In offensive actions, Vanguards work best in concert with another RobCo product, the Assaultron. The Vanguard lays down heavy fire to suppress enemy units while Assaultrons move into close combat range. The more expensive Legionnaire droid is an all-around infantry droid, and makes a perfect companion to the Vanguard for medium or long range combat, but suffers in short range, where the Assaultron excels. The Vanguard also works well in concert with infantry, providing heavy firepower and drawing fire away from infantry.
A Crow Class Dropship can carry a single Vanguard and five soldiers (a basic Imperial military fireteam), or two Vanguards and no supporting infantry. The Imperial Marine Corps makes heavy use of Vanguards, valuing their toughness and heavy armament, deploying them in large numbers via their Volcra Class Assault Dropships and Osprey Dropships.
Through unknown means, the Ultra-Mercerist group The Sons of Mercer have acquired several Vanguards, using them to protect their leader, Johnathan Cawl. RobCo uses them for protecting factories and VIPs, equipped with Gatling Lasers and miniguns rather than Hardlight and missile launchers.


RobCo Securitron

The Securitron is a powerful security robot designed by RobCo for corporate defense, paramilitary, private security, and military use. It is equipped with a single puncture-proof wheel, often replaced with an anti-gravity device as an optional upgrade, and has a large armored viewscreen and two manipulators which can open doors or otherwise interface with the environment. The Securitron is quite heavily armed, with a pair of shoulder-mounted Obliterator missile pods, two Striker grenade launchers, a pair of Hardlight Gatlings, and a pair of stun lasers and Surge stunners to capture droids and enemy personnel should the situation require.

Securitrons are surprisingly fast for their bulk, and their missile pods can collapse in and swivel backwards on a hinge behind the view screen if a door is too narrow to accommodate their bulky bodies. When then occurs, they are rather narrow, general enough to squeeze through a door. A Securitron is protected by several inches of solidified Hydrium armor, replaced by ACE and limited amounts of ERA armor in military service, and all models have a shield generator.

RobCo Legionnaire Droid
Legionnaire Class Droid:

A droid designed by genius septillionarie Robert House to supplement the Imperial infantryman, equal and surpass Ocearan combat robots, and provide a powerful but not overly complex droid for Imperial and allied military service, the Legionnaire is a bipedal droid, built for combat. It has a humanoid frame, using legs and arms which are based on the Assaultron. It is heavily armored with both ACE and ERA armor, and equipped with a shield generator. It has human-like hands, enabling it to pick up and fire most weapons, even enemy weapons if the mission profile calls for it, and the Legionnaire is typically armed with a Hardlight Auto-Repeater, and is fully capable of using a sidearm, typically a Hardlight pistol.
In the event it is disarmed, the Legionnaire is equipped with several onboard weapon systems. Both hands can collapse into the arm, revealing a miniaturized Hardlight Auto-Repeater in the left arm, and a launcher for grenades or micro-missiles in the right. Supplementing this, the Legionnaire is equipped with a pair of fold-out blades which can be sheathed in Hardlight, for close combat, as well as a small pop-out plasma thrower which emerges from the left wrist, allowing it to spray bursts of superheated plasma like a flamethrower up to twelve meters. Finally, if it is completely disarmed, the Legionnaire is programmed to ‘play dead’, then self-destruct when enemy units close within range. This self-destruct sequence can only be triggered by the onboard AI and not from outside commands, and consists of a series of liquified plasma charges, which then activate nano-clusters which disintegrate the remnants of the droid to prevent technology from falling into enemy hands.
The Legionnaire is equipped with a semi-sentient AI, capable of complex problem solving. It is fully integrated into the Imperial Battlenet, sharing targeting data with other units and coordinating with other Legionnaires and other units to prioritize and terminate greater threats or high value targets. The Legionnaire is also capable of short-range teleportation, thanks to an onboard Displacement device, making it a very unpredictable foe to face due to its ability to quickly change location. Interestingly, the Legionnaire is fully capable of wearing standard Imperial power armor, capable of interfacing with its systems, thus giving it a great advantage in terms of protection, and, having no need of the complete NBC protection, can simply discard the gloves and lower arms, enabling it to use its onboard weapon systems. As with many Imperial designs, the Legionnaire has a distinctly Art Deco appearance.


Service Industries
Red Rocket:
A Cybusian refueling and repair chain, Red Rocket had become a highly recognizable sign of Cybusian expansion into new markets, thanks to its distinctive Art Deco rocket logo, robot mascot, and stellar service.
Until the foundation of Red Rocket, most refueling and/or repair locations were run by local chains, where service could vary wildly, and some planets only had the handful of government created repair facilities which only rarely serviced civilian vehicles. Founded in 1942 by Nicholas Bayers on Anaxes, Red Rocket was meant to replace this fractured network of local chains with a single company that could provide the same excellent service anywhere in the Empire. Bayers was a mechanic through and through, working for a local chain, but knew something better could be made, if he could simply get the funding.
He approached RobCo with an offer; if he was provided with funding, he would order custom RobCo robots en masse to act as service station attendants, and would feature them heavily in advertising. RobCo executives were hesitant, but Robert House saw the wisdom of this move; if the chain expanded, they would be placing huge orders, and the robots would help associate RobCo with helpfulness and efficiency.
The Red Rocket/RobCo partnership quickly bore fruit. The robot designed for Red Rocket was a custom model, a highly Dieselpunk design complete with parts reminiscent of car fins and headlights, streamlined components, and a non-threatening design. This robot was known as “Red Rocket Robert” and quickly became the mascot of the company, featured in advertising and found at every Red Rocket station. Robert’s are designed to be polite, friendly, cheerful, and have a wealth of knowledge of the area where they are assigned, so that they may offer recommendations, and make sure every Red Rocket station is kept clean and well organized (in contrast to many rival stations where organics have little time to clean). Robert’s are fully capable of quickly diagnosing and repairing issues with a massive number of vehicles, and local planetary manufacturers can upload their blueprints into the Red Rocket database so their vehicles can be serviced as well. Robert’s are supervised by at least one biological supervisor per station. Red Rocket Robert is known as the company mascot, appearing in ads of all sorts.
Each Red Rocket station offers reactor coolant (the most advanced civilian vehicles can create their own coolant, like military vehicles), fuel for “antiquated” vehicles that still use gas, charging ports for electric vehicles, automated repair facilities (at least one repair bay in even the smallest Red Rocket stations), and several helpful Robert bots to pump coolant, conduct repairs, and handle sales. Each station has a small shop with an assortment of food, beverages, convenience items and reading material. Of course, every Red Rocket station has the large signature Red Rocket, lit up crimson at night, a reassuring red glow to let travelers know that full service is just around the corner. Larger stations have old-fashioned diners attached, branded as Cafe V8, and are known for their signature Rocket Fuel coffee - which has proven so successful it is now available in stores, opening up another revenue stream for Red Rocket, and there are plans to expand the Cafe V8 brand independently of Red Rocket. The largest stations (typically located on major trade routes) have showers and even beds for rent for travelers, comfortable and fitted with Red Rocket sheets. Red Rocket Mega Stops are larger still, and can fully refuel, refit, and repair spacecraft if need be.
The signature Red Rocket rocket and Robert robots have become famous across the universe; just as McDonalds “Golden Arches” are associated with the spread of Timmian influence, market share, and soft power, Red Rocket is closely associated with Cybusian influence. Although the founder, Nicholas Bayers, died in a Drakul outbreak, his successor, Maria Issacov, is dedicated to expanding Red Rocket across the stars, and ensuring that the warm crimson glow of a Red Rocket rocket can be seen over every horizon.

Taggart Trans-Imperial:
Taggart Trans-Imperial is the largest shipping and transportation company in the Empire, rising from the Rebellion, after the stranglehold the Imperial Navy had on interstellar transport was broken. Founded by Nathanial Taggart, a moderately wealthy Arcadian trader who rose from a handful of small ships to massive success due to his efficient management, his early expansion into the passenger trade, and his sheer force of will. Taggart Trans-Imperial swiftly became the most popular Arcadian shipping company, due to the competitive shipping rates, the speed and efficiency which characterized its deliveries, and the speed and luxury of its passenger services, gaining Nathanial a solid customer base which let him expand quickly. Nathanial was uncompromising and refused to resort to force or fraud, and insisted on letting the company succeed and prosper on the merits of its service alone, rather than engage in political or backroom deals or any kind, quickly earning a reputation as being incredibly stubborn but honest. Taggart is hailed as one of the great Imperial businessmen, and is touted as a shining example of Cybusian entrepreneurship because he had little inherited wealth and rose to success on his own.
Taggart Trans-Imperial now runs the largest shipping and passenger transportation network in the Empire, maintaining a vast fleet of huge cargo-haulers, luxurious passenger vessels, as well as in-system transport vessels, and on-world transportation networks, including luxury or cargo airships, aquatic vessels, ground vehicles, and trains. It is the primary shipper for Vostrov Industries and Ryan Industries, and countless other corporations and small businesses across the Empire and beyond. While RobCo trusts its automated cargo vessels for interstellar deliveries, it contracts it’s planetside delivery operations to Taggart. On Earth, D’Anconia Holdings contracts with Taggart for any shipments to or from Cybusian customers or suppliers, but Wagain companies are employed for all other shipping needs, due to Francisco’s desire to help both the Cybusian and Wagain economies.
The Taggart passenger services are known for their speed and luxury, especially the renowned Taggart Comet, which is a regular service from Arcadia to Anaxes, Earth recently being added to its route, and the famed Capital Circuit, which runs from Arcadia to Collux, Corixis (the Technate capital), Earth, and then back, both of which have only stopped running or been delayed due to wars or pandemics, otherwise having a perfect record of on-time arrivals. Taggart is also known for its superb customer service and the efficiency and politeness of its staff.
Taggart is currently run by Dagny Taggart, a direct descendant of Nathanial. She is a socialite, but is also known for her efficiency, her ‘workaholic’ tendencies, and her uncompromising and direct nature has embroiled her in several social scandals due to her being very unafraid to speak her mind directly. She gets along fantastically with Francisco D’Anconia and Dana Mercer as a result. She, like Nathanial, believes in quality service above all else. Her friendship with Dana has been slightly strained after Dagny, an ardent atheist, argued with Alexander about his divinity, much to his annoyance despite numerous demonstrations of might.

Shipwrights

Colossus Defense Engineering:
One of the largest and oldest shipwrights in existence, Colossus Defense Engineering has been around since before the Rebellion. Founded by Pytor Atlas, the company gained a reputation for powerful and sturdy warships, and quickly gained the Emperor's favor, becoming the primary shipyard for the Imperial Navy. It weathered the Rebellion well, earning a huge profit during The Great Reconquest, and is still the primary shipyard of the Imperial Navy. Headed by Brad Atlas, Colossus has expanded into other areas, but their focus remains shipbuilding. Their ships are known for their efficiency, power, and durability. Their more well-known products include the Avenger Class Destroyer, the Crow Class Dropship, and the ancient Tesla Class Battleship used during The Rebellion. It also produced its replacement, the Forge Class Battleship. They have expanded into other fields, and their engineers have aided in the production of a multitude of Imperial Army and Marine vehicles, the most prominent examples being the Knight Class Tank, the Crusader Assault Striker, Rook IFV, and the mighty landship that is the Linebreaker Heavy Assault Transport.

Credit for The Barit Group and the Barit family goes to my talented regionmate, The Orson Empire.
Read factbook


Made a factbook on Imperial corporations and their products, but I can't help but think I'm missing something important.

Mercer Industries is not in the factbook.

Felucian Planetary Republic wrote:Mercer Industries is not in the factbook.

Good point. I'm kinda conflicted on what to do with that; it seems a tad odd for the Emperor to control the largest company in the Empire, but I'm not sure who else would be put in charge of it. Maybe Dana? She doesn't seem the corporate type.

Cybus1 wrote:Good point. I'm kinda conflicted on what to do with that; it seems a tad odd for the Emperor to control the largest company in the Empire, but I'm not sure who else would be put in charge of it. Maybe Dana? She doesn't seem the corporate type.

I think if Dana was in charge of any company, it would probably be a fairly neutral-viewpoint media one. She strikes me as someone who would have a passion for writing and reliable news reporting over propaganda.

Cybus1 wrote:Good point. I'm kinda conflicted on what to do with that; it seems a tad odd for the Emperor to control the largest company in the Empire, but I'm not sure who else would be put in charge of it. Maybe Dana? She doesn't seem the corporate type.

As for Mercer Industries, could be that Alex made it but then was encouraged to make it publicly traded (and thus not really owned by him anymore) rather than keep ownership to keep it from being a conflict of interest.

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