Rhona W

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Power Generation and Industrial technology

Towards the end of the 20th century, the evidence of the continued use of Fossil Fuels on the environment of Earth became harder and harder to ignore and dismiss. Not to mention, the realisation that supplies were limited, and at the current rate of consumption, society would run out within the next two hundred years - or less.

The need to change something fundamentally was realised, and in the early 21st century, one of the only things that world powers agreed on was to meet and discuss the issue, and share research and debate ideas about alternatives.
While the conference did not yield any obvious and immediate results, it did point to the understanding of all involved that change was necessary if human civilization was to continue in its' current form.
Resolutions were signed by many allied global powers to devote considerable wealth and energy toward alternative energy sources of all kinds, and to reduce global emissions and pollution drastically.

It wasn't until after the Heavenfall that this really came into effect. With the destruction of so much infrastructure, there was a need for rebuilding. Much of the mechanisms that supported the oil industry were centered around oceans and coastlines, or concerned with pipelines that stretched over vast distances, and were easily disabled or destroyed by the destruction.
Green power became the standard very quickly afterward as a result. Wind, Tidal and Solar power generation were embraced en masse, providing the bulk of power generation worldwide.
Other avenues were followed similarly and invested into heavily. Power generated from biofuels and recycling waste became much more common, and geothermal power likewise took off.
In countries with less stringent regulations, fossil fuels still remained in use, and nuclear powerplants were rebuilt, or built anew. In countries more dedicated to environmental goals and the reduction of waste - including avoiding the production of nuclear waste, and the problems of its' long-term storage - nuclear power remained only for specialist purposes and roles.
Hydrogen powerplants have been constructed and adopted as a backup or for use in areas where other solutions do not work, and hydrogen power and fuel cells are considered to be one of the next main breakthroughs in power generation and production, especially for vehicles and mobile applications.

In urban areas, electric vehicles are starting to become a lot more commonplace where routes are shorter and reliable and constant access to a power grid is available for charging.
For longer distances or in applications where electrical power for vehicles would not work, alternatives such as biofuels have been implemented, especially as they require minimal alteration to the vehicle using them.

Fusion power still remains the ultimate holy grail of power, and is seemingly eternally 'just around the corner'. Many agencies, companies and other organizations world wide pour millions of dollars and just as much time into unlocking the secrets of fusion power, and there have been many close calls, but as yet no reported and confirmed successful self-sustaining fusion reactor. Tokamak-type reactors have come closest, but even they have not yet managed to remain perpetually active.

Industrial processes and technology have been likewise overhauled and adapted to fit with the modern focus on lowered pollution, emissions, and environmental cleanliness. Factories are redesigned and rebuilt to work with the environment and with reduction of waste. Automation has also been a big part of this, and the power and processes used in manufacturing to entirely or at least primarily use renewable energy and resources. Alternatives to petroleum and oil derivatives have been extensively researched and implemented in manufacturing processes as well.

One area that still remains difficult to completely bring in line is that of resource extraction itself. Mining and the gathering and extraction of minerals and elements, especially rare ones, is still a huge industry and an essential part of running society at its' current level of sophistication and demand for such resources is only going up, rather than down.
As such, those that can meet the demands are often sought out. There are many cases worldwide where agencies, groups, corporations, or national or regional governments have turned a blind eye, deliberately obfuscated, or outright used inhumane and aggressive force or tactics to claim deposits of vital or valuable mineral and material resources, displacing people, wildlife or rare biospheres to do so. There is a complex web of crossing paths and lines from all sides on these issues, and it is a very murky, shadowy area of global policy.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Medical Technology, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering

Medical technology rapidly advanced during the later years of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, especially in the wake of the Heavenfall and the rising influence and proliferation of MegaCorporations. New research initiatives and the breaking of the stranglehold of the pharmaceutical industry and medical sector by these MegaCorps and other newly founded entities and agencies allowed for medicine and medical technologies to be put into the hands of more people, as well as exploring new avenues of approach for treatments.

As mentioned in the robotics and computing section above, surgery and the field of medicine as a whole has benefitted from and taken advantage of advances in automation. Robotic and hi-tech instruments are more widespread than ever before, and computer controlled surgical tools and robots allow for the most precise and steady surgical procedures ever.
Alongside this, the technology for prosthetic appendages and artificial replacement body parts has evolved rapidly as well.
Artificial muscle fibers, miniaturised, streamlined and highly responsive electric motors and micro-scale processors and other essential components have allowed for replacement appendages that have a fluidity and range of movement that virtually matches the original, and even provides some sense of touch. Such advanced prosthetics are rare, and they are not widespread, but the technology is growing and spreading quickly.
Complex organ replacements, such as eyes and internal organs is still an extremely rare field, with some success in extremely limited and experimental cases with the replacements performed under ideal conditions, but the long-term effectiveness and viability of such replacements is still unknown, and it is an area of great experimentation.
Enhancement and replacement of other sensory or complex organs is also still experimental. The human brain is the one many are eager to work out ways to interface with and enhance through the use of technology, but as yet there has been no reported or verified success, but many, many rumours and supposed accounts are circulated in the darker corners of the internet.
Other artificial organ replacements have been more successful - artificial hearts have developed from their early beginnings in the late 20th century and are often used in cases where someone may have rejection issues with a transplant, or otherwise be unsuitable for one. While they can be expected to live a full and healthy life with an artificial heart, it does still - in most cases - place some restrictions on their ability to do some things.
Similarly, artificial livers and lungs have also been successfully tested, and even used in limited cases, usually along with a firm regiment of medication and other therapies to allow the body to adjust to the new levels of function.

The continuing research into using technology to not only replace function of the human body, but to enhance it also is of great interest, but at the moment lies out of reach by all official accounts, with no confirmed, catalogued and documented programs or experimentation that has been carried out - although, as always, rumours persist.
Ethical considerations have held back much of this research, and even with the current state of MegaCorporations operating in countries with few restrictions, they have as yet not carried out any research or experimentation into this field. Or at least, not that they have willingly verified and released the information on.

Hand in hand with the idea of enhancement through technology and often working with it is the field of genetic enhancement and biotechnological research.
Humans have long known the basic building blocks of DNA and had an understanding of how genes are expressed. Breeding animals and plant life for particular traits has been part of human society for centuries, and the depth and extent of this has only grown over the years, with editing genomes for particular traits in crops and other plants for food, medicine, or other such purposes becoming more and more common and even a point of debate, as to how far it should go and how safe it is to do so.
Much of this reticence and objection disappeared in the wake of the Heavenfall when the need for hardy, productive crops that could grow in any soil became of great importance to feed the world, and those MegaCorporate or other agencies and entities that could provide such crops were in high demand.
With the opening of borders and removal of restrictions on research in some countries, the outgrowth of this was the development of genetically engineered livestock, as well as other animals, eliminating genetic abnormalities or known issues in particular species; gene-editing certain breeds and species to remove the tendency to develop particular ailments, or reversing damage that decades - or more - of breeding had done.

Experimentation into the same thing on humans has still been met with a great deal of resistance in many quarters. While it is not illegal to research human genetic engineering or to perform it in the NCAA where the most relaxed regulations are found, there are still religious and ethical objections. As such, research is slow and often met with a great deal of pushback and debate. Whether genetic engineering and genetic therapies have been utilised and carried out is still a matter of debate, and there has been no official confirmation from anyone. There is a significant amount of evidence that points to the idea that it has been done successfully, but as yet, no official confirmation has been made.

Similarly, more outlandish and borderline genetic engineering and experimentation is well understood, and has been carried out on animals in laboratory conditions - such as giving mice or rats the bioluminesence genes from deep-sea fish - but such editing on human DNA or even on more complex animals in real-world conditions has not been verified as being carried out even under laboratory conditions, let alone in the real world, despite there being considerable understanding and verified theory around it.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Robotics, computing, and Artificial Intelligence

Computer technology developed hand in hand with other advancements in technology. Miniaturisation and processing power increased rapidly, hand in hand, along with the ubiquity of computers and devices that included computer technology. Computers were integrated into everything, along with the increasing proliferation of the internet. This especially took off after the Heavenfall and the period of rebuilding and replacement, as information technology and computer systems and connectivity were built into almost everything.

Robotics is intrinsically linked to computing. However, robotics developed less quickly. Robots as seen in science fiction works did not come about. Bipedal robots or even walking robots in every-day life or even specialised roles did not appear in great numbers, and have still remained highly specialised and restricted to very narrow fields of use, and are mostly experimental. However, industrial robots such as in manufacturing, scientific, industrial and other applications have become more widespread. Medical robots have also been in use, along with others in fixed or semi-mobile locations. Such robots only have limited capabilities, and conduct their actions based on limited programming for specific tasks.
Some industrial robots are more mobile and adapatable, and can undertake multiple tasks and roles, though these also tend less to be humanoid, and more designed and shaped to take on their roles and in their environments. Some are used in construction applications, for everything from lifting and carrying, to actual construction tasks themselves.
Some robots are used in search-and-rescue applications, especially in hazardous environments and areas, such as for fire rescue, or in other such areas. Others are used in scientific research, such as underwater survey and exploration, in below-freezing temperatures, or many other such places less hospitable to human life.
Military robots have not been extensively adopted, or at least; not in the sense of land-based ones. Smaller mobile automated platforms are occasionally used to carry cargo across rough terrain. Automated or remotely-piloted drones have been used in the air for reconnaissance and surveillance and even in light ground-attack roles on occasion. They are frequently used for maritime patrol and surveillance of borders. Derived versions are also often used for things like geological and geophysical surveys, air sampling, weather reconnaissance and monitoring and other such useful roles.

As the development and employment of semi-autonomous robotic platforms grew, the need for more and more sophisticated programming went along with them. Artificial Intelligence has always been a 'holy grail' of development and research for information technology and computing, and this is still very much the case.
Full artificial intelligence has yet to come to pass. No 'sapient' or even 'self-aware' Artificial Intelligences have ever publicly been revealed or declared, although increasingly complex, reactive and sophisticated computer programs and systems have been deployed and developed at faster and faster pace, dealing with all manner of aspects of life, from running and managing power, systems, utilities and other such tasks at large industrial complexes, other large installations or facilities, and even cities.
Claims of artificial intelligences being created or present in the world are made frequently, but as yet; no proof has been found.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Weapon Technology

With the Cold War continuing and escalating, the development and production of weapon systems and technology continued apace throughout.
Despite the continuation of the tense conflict, the agreements between all powers involve to reduce their nuclear stockpiles lead to increased development of conventional weapons, especially considering that large-scale conventional conflict would be foremost.

While no tremendous or incredible breakthroughs in the nature of weapons used was made, with kinetic projectile weapons remaining first and foremost along with explosives such as bombs and especially guided missiles, there were many advancements in those particular fields.

Most of this was in the shape of guidance, as well as the size and payload of such explosive weapons. Miniaturised guided weapons such as the AGM-124 Wasp, a pod containing several guided missiles in a single pod pointed to the way forward for missiles. Other such sophisticated missiles, like the AGM-136A Tacit Rainbow anti-radar cruise missile went into full development and production, making the battlefield even more deadly and hi-tech. Advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground, or even multi-purpose missiles are in development and limited deployment, enabling aircraft, vehicles, and ships to utilise the same kind of munitions and in larger numbers. Hypersonic missiles with extreme ranges are under heavy development, as are stealth missiles for various roles.
Warheads for such munitions are also under heavy development and research. Conventional explosives still hold the crown and lead position, and likely will do for decades to come. But continued interest in alternative warheads such as thermobaric warheads and even plasma and other 'exotic' types are under development. Especially with the idea of 'programmable' yields for plasma warheads.

Energy weapons have long been a goal of military leaders and scientists, but have always been just out of reach, forever 'ten years away' for the last thirty years.
Progress has been made on this, mainly in the shape of space-based weapons for use against hostile satellites, spacecraft or Ballistic Missiles in their boost or re-entry phases.
Miniaturising these weapons has been an ongoing process, and so far they have been effectively demonstrated as close-in-defence weapons (CIWS) on ships or ground-based installations against aircraft and missiles. Other versions have been tested as defence on armoured vehicles for the same purpose, but so far have not been known to be employed on the battlefield or deployed knowingly by any group worldwide. Other laser weapons are rumoured to be in development, or even in use, but have not had any definitive reports or accounts so far.

Railguns, coilguns and other such electromagnetically-powered kinetic weapons have not yet been successfully deployed, and only known to be fired in laboratory conditions. The power requirements and the wear and tear on components has been the issue unable to be overcome so far, but rumours persist as does research into the concept, and how it could be deployed en masse, with naval applications or as anti-armour weapons being the primary interest so far.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Technology, Science, and Industry

The continued drive for advanced technology as part of the competition of the Cold War lead to a constant state of advancement of technology. While it was primarily related to military technology, the benefits made their way to the industrial and private sectors.

Following the Heavenfall, as society had so much rebuilding to do, the opportunity arose for new developments and ideas to replace long-held and used ones. New power stations and infrstructure needed to be built; new hospitals, airports, ports, transportation networks, and more. Urban areas could be renewed and reoganised, avoiding many of the issues that had delayed or prevented large-scale plans from being undertaken previously.

The desperate need for large amounts of rebuilding and manufacturing lead to the embracing of the pioneering automated manufacturing plant technology. Developed in parallel by the growing MegaCorporations, this technology utilised the extensive and growing computerisation of the world and society allowed for the wealth of archived plans, designs and schematics to be utilised to efficiently and quickly reproduce - and modify - the product being manufactured as needed. This allowed for the rapid production and rebuilding of society, as well as a following proliferation of technology, devices, vehicles and weapons through society and worldwide.

The continuing rise of MegaCorporations and their unrestricted research and development has continued to contribute to the advancement of technology, with more and more advances appearing seemingly every day, and things seen as science fiction becoming fact ever more rapidly. Where the ultimate end point of this is, no-one can be sure, especially when the restrictions and rules are so hard to control.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The WANC

The White American Nationalist Coalition (or, previously 'Clan'), are a paramilitary organisation based on Racial and Nationalist supremacist ideals and concepts that have extremely Facistic, Right-Wing concepts woven deeply into their structure, outlook, ideology and mission.

Originating from the Mid-West and Southern regions of the United States, the WANC was a uniting of numerous white supremacist, nationalist and neo-N4zi groups and movements, many of them also part of militias, survivalist movements, and other such 'good old boys' that had paramilitary ideas, organization and structure.

When the Heavenfall came, the various groups that would go on to make up the WANC saw this as their opportunity. The end of the world they had been preparing for had come, and all of their preparation and training had been for something. They mobilised, and in many cities, counties, and areas of the USA they were prominent in, seized control of these areas. In some, the government officials and even members of the police, emergency services, national guard or other organizations were part of the groups or aligned with them. In others, they made alliances or overthrew and seized control of assets.
With much of the US governments' legitimate armed forces engaged in fighting elsewhere, they were rushed back to the continental USA to fight what was becoming a civil war.
The legitimate forces quickly ousted the opposition, which had banded together into the beginnings of what would become the WANC.
It was at this point they earned the nickname 'WANCers' after the acronym, a name that unfortunately stuck.
The WANC retreated from the continental USA with the assets they had managed to seize, and rampaged across the Carribbean and Central America, engaging in drawn-out confrontations with the CAA. The WANC used their military assets to seize further assets from the regions occupied by the cartels, before moving into the Carribbean and sweeping across the islands there, frequently engaging in barbaric and inhumane acts of ethnic cleansing.
Currently, they seem to be biding their time and rebuilding forces, gathering assets, and attempting to gain control of WMD's and long-range forces.
On the global scale, their ambitions seem entirely focused on the USA and its' immediate region, and they are currently in a 'hibernation' period, and kept somewhat at bay by the ongoing territorial conflicts with the CAA.
Should the WANCers gain an upper hand or access to the strategic resources and assets they need, they could become a much larger threat to global stability, and as such, a careful and critical eye is being kept on them for the future.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Eternal Church

An extremist, radical offshoot of a Christian church from the US Mid-west, the Eternal Church was founded by a fire-and-brimstone preacher and his family after they were found too radical for other churches and groups.
They appeared during the 1990's and were of little note, other than numerous cautions and overnight stays in the local jail for disruptive and anti-social behaviour for some of their extremist protesting and demonstrations, especially at sensitive occasions.
Their church managed to grow through appealing to the downtrodden, outspoken, and overlooked; offering them a place to be themselves, appealing to their nature and desire to belong, and giving a voice and attention to their views, and offering approval from on high for their radical thoughts and ideas.

The Heavenfall was a - literal - godsend for them, as they claimed it was a holy act of retribution for all of societies' excesses, and punishment for the heathens, blasphemers, apostates and sinners. Their survival - being as how they were already partly an apocalyptic survival cult, and had squirrelled away supplies and shelter - and then their sharing of these supplies with their local community and providing a measure of disaster relief and preaching their survival and the impact itself as divine action, encouraged more to their side.
Among these were several notable and high-profile converts, whom used their influence, following and wealth to further the message of the church, and it quickly took on a much larger, higher profile, message and scope.

At the same time, the apocalyptic element of their preaching, along with the elitist aspects and selectivity became more and more involved. The group grew larger - almost improbably - and they clashed and butted heads with local authority more and more. Illegal weapons charges, refusal to allow access to law enforcement to their compounds and facilities, and even suspicion of coercion, abduction - especially of minors - and other major and minor charges were all levelled against the group over time, as well as numerous country of evading arrest, violation of parole, failure to show up for court, and violation of conditions of bail.
There were also frequent accusations of threatening and destruction of property of other churches of religious organisations or groups, and especially against non-Christian denominations and faiths.

Eventually, with so many charges levelled against them, the group - now calling themselves the Eternal Church - left the USA and moved to a compound in the ruined wastelands of what was Russia, hiring mercenaries and PMC forces to take control of the area, and carve out their own territory.
Isolated and with no law but their own to follow, they made quick work of fortifying their position and establishing a functional, self-sufficient territory.
Their beliefs and ideology grew more and more obscure and layered in shadowy ritual, twisting and obscuring the original words of the bible and judeo-christian beliefs into something outlandish, extremist and mired in layers of secrecy, interpretation and contradiction. The exact nature and word of these texts are unknown to outsiders, but the idea of eternal life through diligent and ceaseless service, faith, belief and sacrifice to crusade against the heathen belief and lifestyle of outsiders is the only way this is guaranteed.
Recruitment into the church is selective, but targeted, and induction involves brain-washing techniques and forced separation from friends, family, and installing feelings of belonging, and of a new family. Leaving or doubting is framed as betrayal and is associated strongly and heavily with ideas of guilt and shame.

The Eternal Church uses vicious tactics against those it and its' faith see as threats or the focus of its' hateful and isolationist preaching - liberal governments, alternative lifestyles or families, other religious groups, and virtually anything else they see fit at the time. Capture of resources and materials to expand their infrastructure, influence and power are also frequent targets, and have made the group a destabilising regional influence.
Internationally, groups of 'missionaries' travel worldwide to 'preach' their faith, often in secrecy as the group are considered a terrorist organization by the N/UN and many other regional or international groups.

Though they currently possess little in the way or military-grade vehicles or aircraft, this has been slowly changing as their influence expands and grows, and they are known to possess substantial ground combat forces and self-defence weapon systems.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Elysium

Elysium came to prominence during the closing years of the Cold War and the immediate period following the Heavenfall.
The organization only became recognised after they were traced as the source and originator of several high-profile incidents world wide. Primarily attacks on population centres, government offices and infrastructure and other such 'mechanisms of society'. They were also traced to courting recruitment of, and even the abduction of high-profile scientific, engineering and other such persons engaged in hi-tech research and development.

Elysium only revealed their presence in full during the post-Heavenfall chaos. This was through cyber-attacks on numerous key infrastructure and military targets. The scale and speed of these attacks was unprecedented, and they were virtually impossible to counter. The incidents lead to numerous deaths and even more injuries and widespread devastation.
Most notable was the seizing control of several orbital weapon platforms, and them being used to attack and destroy a US Navy aircraft carrier battlegroup in the North Atlantic ocean, before the satellites were disabled.

The attack was traced back to a facility in Eastern Europe, hidden in an old submarine base. There was a short, but intense pitched battle and much of Elysium's high command escaped. Analysis and examination of what was left pointed to there being numerous other worldwide facilities and branches, but their locations were indistinct.
The exact goals and purpose of Elysium are still unknown, but they appear dedicated to an almost fanatical level to the pursuit of technology and the furthering and development of it, regardless of social or ethical considerations. The few agents or members that have been captured and interrogated showed a dismissive, even indifferent attitude toward human life or human nature and emotion, and to the ideas of law and social mores, etiquette and convention.

Elysiums exact forces, disposition and resources are unknown; though it is believed that they have access to high-tech laboratories and manufacturing facilities, as well as high-end weaponry and equipment, albeit in limited quantities.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The ISL

The ISL, or Islamic States League is a loose coalition of organizations, groups, and former governments that banded together in the middle east, particularly in the Persian Gulf region.
After the Heavenfall - and indeed, immediately before it - many of these nations were predominantly Islamic in faith, but maintained forms of government other than Theocratic or religious-lead. When the Heavenfall occurred and the disasters that came with it.
The ISL currently occupies Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and parts of Iran. They have attempted to expand into neighbouring nations, but with little success.
The main issues that have held the ISL back from further expansion are internal conflicts, factionalism, and disagreement. The leadership of the ISL have claimed a Caliphate, but this is not recognised universally, and this has been one source of continued disagreement.

Other issues that consistently dog the ISL in its' aims of establishing an Islamic state regarding these internal disagreements are its' levels of education, material and resource wealth and production - especially in high-tech industries - and its' lack of willing to deal with organizations, corporations, or nations that it sees as 'infidels' and 'heretics' - many of whom are the same that produce these competitive and sought-after devices, equipment and components, as well as those needed to continue to operate the equipment they use.
Friction between more moderate and extremist factions within the ISL prevent them from taking too much of a larger step and being a greater threat on the global stage, and even maintaining consistent and comprehensive control of their internal territory.
The only reason that they have not been attacked or moved against is this lack of global threat, as well as the regional threat to friendly powers from their possession of intermediate-range ballistic missiles and other weapons of mass destruction such as chemical, biological and radiological weapons. They have actively been pursuing nuclear weapon systems and capabilities, with particular interest in acquiring former Soviet nuclear weapons, but have - luckily - had no success to date.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Ideological movements and organizations

Standing apart and aside from the various criminal enterprises, but often linked with them or using the same methods and having similar effects or repercussions are the various ideological movements or organizations that have sprung up worldwide.
Most of them have in pre-Heavenfall origins, getting their roots in ideals and concepts founded before the disaster, and taking advantage of it to come into the light and exercise their ideas without as much control to restrain them or respond to their activities.

These groups tend to rally behind some form of ideology, usually radically opposed to society as it is and concerned with instituting some kind of 'new order' that fits with their personal ideologies, ideals, and beliefs and their particular ideas of 'morality'.
The roots and origins of these codes of belief stem from various sources. Some are religious groups, some are political ideologies, and some are based in ideas of ethnic, racial, or other forms of 'belief' and theory.

The organizations outlined below are the most well-known and far-reaching ones, with access to resources - such as capital wealth, materiel, weaponry and equipment, and even - in some cases - land and territory to base their operations out of.
Many other smaller organizations exist worldwide, with all manner of origins, ideas, and ideals, and likely with aspirations to being larger, even if they lack the ability or means to become such.