The Platform - Faction Information

[The Platform]

Faction Cells)

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The Gloaming Flotilla Quick Info ■ Cell prefix: GFS ■ De-centralized civil militia ■ Social & political advocates of martial guardianship ■ Nomadic anarchist populace Cell Objectives ■ The establishment of anarchist territories with the intent to house and support a civilian populace escaping authoritarian corpo-state oppression. ■ Organize an armed civil militia capable of resisting state militaries and corporate security while providing mutual aid to supressed populations forced into unfair conditions and demands for basic needs.

Summary ) The Gloaming Flotilla originated as a group of Bundschuh who protested Klugmann having been declared persona non grata by Party Leader Freya Eistochter and her protege Jana Haupt. Accordingly, they joined him in exile using whatever ships and belongings they had, in effect punishing and depriving the Bundschuh for having passed that decision. They fled into the Crow Nebula; both to escape the Party’s retribution, as well as to exploit growing political and economic instabilities in the Sigmas. They subsisted as a decentralized mini-fleet, living aboard the likes of Spatial and Pelican-class ships, recycling what they could, and attempting to pilfer opportunistically from anyone unlucky enough to cross their paths - Particularly the likes of the GMG, Outcasts, and Cryer. A high-minded effort to hypothetically secure the means to produce or store H-Fuel, Cardamine, and Stabiline was unfortunately not feasible with what little true combat capabilities the Flotilla had. Klugmann used the opportunity of these political followers’ presence to test the feasibility of a “communal” and non-hierarchical system of living in the blue mists, to mixed results. The Flotilla had established a “cultural identity” and rapport from years of close living, by the time Klugmann led it out from the Sigmas to supply the Pennsylvanian rebels. Now integrated into the wider Platform sect of the Bundschuh, it serves as a de-jure “Crew Union” to which membership is optional. Ironically, its collective bargaining power for working conditions and resource distribution is levied against Klugmann himself; though he has offered little actual resistance to the majority of their feasible demands since their return to the Bundschuh fold.

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Damnatio Memoriae Quick Info ■ Cell prefix: N/A ■ Enigmatic & socially seclusive. ■ Origins within Thuringia. ■ Considered the 'Covert' cell. Cell Objectives ■ To maintain the eyes and ears of Bundschuh intelligence capabilities as insurance for the Platform's survival in an ever changing universe. ■ Expansion of fringe-sciences and Sirian knowledge while consulting on ethical use of advanced technologies in line with public safety. ■ The abolishment of the deeply integrated 'Sirian financial credit' system.

Summary ) "The Platform of Thuringia" internally known as the "Damnatio Memoriae" are somewhat different from their counterparts elsewhere; a dangerous stellar graveyard system isn't where one would usually find permanent residents living in personal comfort. Many see them as an almost bland rendition of figure and personality, supplanting the social skills necessary for casual interaction with a relentless fervour to the task at hand. Informal rumours and opinions from within the Platform assign them the unsavoury reputation of the “covert” branch, with all the intrigue and mystery the trait implies. Their true purpose for choosing Thuringia over other Bundschuh sectors is unknown, but is certainly in keeping with their members’ reclusiveness. In essence, their concept of what brings them happiness in their life is in their selfless service to others. Many of these broken men and women wholly synthesized their labours to supplant their former personalities and identities. There are no shortage of whispers and speculations about their ulterior motives, but most Platformers put those reservations aside when the Thuringians prove their worth by actions. True to their reputation, their signature cultural trademark is an almost permanently bound helmet when within potential public view–those with a desire to “pry behind the visor” are sometimes met with a contemptuous lecture about the DM’s personal boundaries, and the members’ dissatisfaction to be seen without it. While being one of the original cells that supported Klugmann and his goal to remove the corporate power that have had a stranglehold on Rheinland for so long. Understanding the goal of the Platform to organize an opposition its material exploits their corner of space. Although the seclusive nature of their home have brought questions onto what exploitations they're fighting, having considerable insight into matters that seem to exceed Rheinland and its inter-human politics, yet stand firm that the ethical right of what the Platform stands for is rooting itself in their home. Levelling an amount of suspicion to their goals and blind trust with other cells calling them 'devout allies'.

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The Black Flame Quick Info ■ Cell prefix: BF ■ Military hierarchical internal command ■ Battleship Klaxon enables rapid deployment ■ Origins within Liberty and its insurgencies. Cell Objectives ■ With the assistance of the Platform, the Black Flame have sworn an oath to bring the firepower necessary to combat brutal regimes and to pass on its combat teaching as a professional military to the decentralized militia. ■ To ensure the survival of the Klaxon as a vessel and home for those who have fled liberty and its occupied free-states.

Summary ) The Black Flame's origins lie with the Battleship Klaxon and its snubcraft compliment. The core of the cell are the Klaxon's ‘lifers’—one-hundred-thirty-odd crewmates and fighter jockies who have been with the ship since its days in the Liberty Navy, or old Legion personnel who found themselves rotated into its group from other Insurgent squads and decided to remain through the exfiltration to Rheinland. During the Klaxon's three year ‘long wait’ at Bielefeld, the crew made themselves useful to the Bundschuh by assisting with the relocation of refugees, most of whom were from Munich, Pennsylvania, and Freeport 9. Many of these refugees found themselves swayed by the Platform's radical message, and swore oaths to serve aboard the Klaxon until such day as those who had wronged them could finally have justice visited upon them. With the injection of this fresh blood into the ragtag band of grizzled veterans, the Black Flame was born. Their position within the Platform is a precarious one, as in truth many of their members are not anarchists; some of the Klaxon's lifers might be more aptly described with even more colourful terms owing to the sheer vitriol with which they express their hatred towards the House governments. This group has caused the Black Flame to be viewed with suspicion by their more ‘ideologically pure’ counterparts, a fact which is not helped by the Flame's continued adherence to a military hierarchy and ranking structure. They defend themselves by asserting that they are soldiers fighting a war, and remind their fellow Platformers that not only is membership within the cell entirely voluntary, but they also adhere to a democratic structure alongside the hierarchical one. Despite the controversies, however, none can deny that they are fierce and capable fighters, and that they and their home—the Battleship Klaxon itself—are an invaluable asset to the entire Bundschuh. While the Black Flame's only true home is the Klaxon, many members of the cell operate out of Bielefeld or Bruchsal. When the sleeping giant awakens and the agèd battleship sees deployment, the forces of the Black Flame are possibly the most vicious and effective of all cells within the Platform.