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U.N.I.T.E.D.

unitedlogo1.jpg Founded in 2045 to continue ITP research and prepare to explore whatever new world is uncovered, the United Nations Inter-Terrestrial Exploratory Department (U.N.I.T.E.D.) represents to many the pinnacle of human achievement and co-operation. Though derided by some as a waste of money and resources, the organisation has achieved its greatest goal, a stable portal to another world. In this time of strife, with the nations still recovering from recent war, it is hoped that through the progress and possibilities offered by this unknown world U.N.I.T.E.D. can lead us into a new golden age.

Divisions

U.N.I.T.E.D. has three main divisions, they are the Diplomatic division, the Research division and the Exploratory Division.

Diplomats
To secure the support and cooperation of the various world powers, and in anticipation of future strife, U.N.I.T.E.D. has a large diplomatic core, specially trained individuals to aid in negotiations to ensure U.N.I.T.E.D. has the resources it needs, and to manage the ever-vital PR. The greatest duty of the diplomatic core is to handle first contact with the inhabitants of the parallel earth, their existence having been predicted by the ITP researchers.

Research
Obviously, U.N.I.T.E.D. employs a large number of scientists and researchers to work on both the ITP breakthrough and additional projects to aid in exploration.

Explorers
U.N.I.T.E.D. has trained personnel prepared to travel to the parallel world and explore it. Though little is known about what the other world will be like, these explorers are trained to survive, gather intel and return unharmed.


U.N.I.T.E.D. personnel are typically trained to work in small teams, to maximise efficiency and minimise risk. A member of U.N.I.T.E.D. never has to go on a mission without support, should they request it.

Resources and Technology

U.N.I.T.E.D. also has a large number of assets and resources.

U.N.I.T.E.D.'s headquarters is located on the Ilha do Corvo (Crow Island) in the Azores, the island having being vastly expanded over the last few years. It boasts a large research complex which stretches far underground, housing for the staff and visitors, and the headquarters building itself, which has been prepared to host diplomatic meetings. It is on this island that the greatly anticipated ITP experiment was carried out, deep inside the facility. The island also contains a state of the art medical facility, fully manned and with access to the latest in medical advances, they are prepared for all manner of incidents that may occur to U.N.I.T.E.D. field agents.

Additionally, though hidden from the general public, members of U.N.I.T.E.D. will also be aware of the classified research station, located in Venice, where they carry out even more secretive research.

Due to their research division, U.N.I.T.E.D. has access to a variety of cutting edge technology, ranging from prototype weaponry and vehicles to more experimental devices, though of course, the more dangerous or valuable items are kept restricted or classified even to most U.N.I.T.E.D. personnel. For more information on the level of technology visit the technology page.

Hierarchy

As an organisation containing scientific, diplomatic, administrative and military staff contributed by the governments of a hundred nations and several private corporations the hierarchy in UNITED is complex and frequently rather fluid.

Ultimate responsibility for the Department lies with Director Jefferson, who answers to the politicians in the UN. Reporting directly to the Director are the three Division Heads, and beneath them is an administrative band of project leaders, divisional quartermasters and the like.

Below the administrative ranks are the Inter-Terrestrial Operations officers of UNITED (OOC Note: This is where the player characters start). Personnel at this level have the discretion to shift between active objectives, request funding for new projects and, most importantly, can arrange to use the Gate.

Working beneath the ITO officers sits a great pool of skilled personnel assembled from around the globe.

Powers and Politics

U.N.I.T.E.D. strives to remain on an equal standing with each of the great powers, however it is more closely linked to some forces than others.

The Headquarters is reliant on the North American naval forces for it's defense, in particular the Tranquility, a large aircraft carrier, has been tasked with protecting the island. In return for this they occasionally seek U.N.I.T.E.D.'s aid in the development of new weapons. In addition to this U.N.I.T.E.D. is indebted to the South Atlantic Bloc for helping them establish themselves within their territory. On a similar note U.N.I.T.E.D. owes a lot to the Euro-Rus Union for their cooperation and discretion regarding the Venice facility.

On the other side, there is slight tension between the Oceanic Alliance and U.N.I.T.E.D. due to fact that many of the Alliance's top scientists left to work for the Science Division and while the Oceanic Alliance are cooperating and allowing U.N.I.T.E.D. access to their own research and technological advancements, this situation could change. Finally, the Pan-Asian Cooperative helps provide U.N.I.T.E.D. with the energy and occasionally the materials it needs to conduct its research, granting the use of the Atlantic pipeline that helps power the island facility.

U.N.I.T.E.D. is a large organisation, and within it many of the main ideologies are expressed. It gains particular support from the Technocrats for obvious reasons, but is also well linked to various corporations, which provide funding for U.N.I.T.E.D. in the hopes that the ITP breakthrough and the new world will be profitable.

The Gate

Entering the gate felt like pushing through a wall of cling film- faint resistance followed by a sensation of something tearing in front of you. Once within the gateway the feeling was more like being swept through an underground river: absolute darkness and the liquid pressure of a strong current dragging you forward. The experience seemed to take several minutes though my blackbox marked only 5 seconds elapsed before we were ejected through the terminus point.

- Excerpt from Commander Smith's mission report

In the depths of the island research facility, far underground, the ITP experiments have been performed since the organisation's founding in 2045. The initial experiments of the 2040s generated small tears between the realities, through which bizarre readings were observed, which seemed to match nothing on this Earth. Over the following years it was theorized that there were at least eight different alternate worlds, each corresponding to a set of the readings. Over the course of the decade there were many attempts to create a stable portal, and yet despite a few breakthroughs success was elusive and dead ends continued to surface through the late 2040s. It was feared that U.N.I.T.E.D. would not achieve their goal.

Progress had ceased until, in 2049, a sample giving off some of the same readings was found on Earth. A small, spherical, translucent object, the sample matched no known element on Earth, and was named Element Zero by the media. It was theorised that a larger, permanent gate might be established by using this sample to aid in calibration. A few months later, in 2050, a stable, self-sustaining inter-terrestrial portal was established, linking the Earth to a parallel world known by the designation AM021-X. The gate stands, a golden shimmering portal 6.5ft square, bordered in the four corners by the devices used to create and calibrate it.

Early attempts at reconnaissance using drones proved fruitless, seemingly due to some manner of interference through the portal. Instead, a U.N.I.T.E.D. team was sent through, with the mission of quick reconnaissance, taking as few risks as possible. They returned with tale of a city encircled by gigantic walls, within it contained great halls and numerous treasures. Upon inspection of the pictures taken, the researchers discovered the similarities with ancient descriptions of the mythical realm of Asgard. The next day the first Aesir stepped through the portal, to be greeted on Earth by the people of U.N.I.T.E.D.

Notable Figures

Director Jefferson

In charge of the headquarters, the director leads with a strict and direct philosophy. Having risen through the ranks in his previous military position (though much of the details are classified), the director is seen by many as the face of U.N.I.T.E.D, and as such must ensure that results are achieved, and incompetence dealt with.

Doctor Rosales

Co-director of the Research division and appointed for political reasons to appease the Global Peace Initiative. Comes with a fairly unsavoury reputation and a philosophy that the ends justify the means.

Ambassador Kim

Head of the Diplomatic division, Ambassador Kim is rarely seen at the Headquarters. Evidently his job requires him to travel far afield, however there are rumours of disagreements between him the Director, who apparently finds his rather eccentric personality grating.

Commander Jane "Damocles" Smith

Commander Smith, known better by her callsign “Damocles” is the recently promoted head of the Exploratory division, and is notable for leading the first team through the ITP gate.

Colonel Busia

Colonel Busia is the head of the Ragnarok Taskforce. Having coordinated rescue and reconstruction efforts following the Quake of '32, the Colonel is considered the practical authority on disaster scenarios within UNITED.

Professor Radha Sarala

The world's foremost expert on ITP physics, and the premier mind behind the development of the Gate. Professor Sarala was lost two weeks ago in a Gate malfunction, and as she has not arrived in Asgard, current theories suggest she was probably the victim of an unsuccessful transition.

Professor Eleanor Garland

The most senior anthropologist in UNITED's Research Department. Her expertise on ancient Northern European culture is considered second-to-none world wide and she was rushed into Ilha do Corvo at great expense after the initial ITP excursion.

u.n.i.t.e.d.1382399794.txt.gz · Last modified: 2013/10/21 23:56 by gm_harry
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