BACKGROUND, FACTIONS, & CHARACTERS
TIMELINE OF EVENTS (Present - Near Future) The United States Congress renews and makes permanent the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994. A significant increase in domestic militia activity immediately follows. Charles Semu, a charismatic senior commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), splits from Joseph Kony and declares himself God’s new messenger on Earth. Semu is able to draw several hundreds to The Lord’s Army and moves his operation to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Richard E. Palmer, a well connected former US congressman and CEO of P3 Arms International, arranges an introductory meeting between Abdul Majid al-Nasri, a dissident Libyan politician, and Takashi Ota, a successful Japanese businessman and member of Aum Shinrikyo. This is the first of several meetings. Al-Nasri recruits Mustafa Umar, self-proclaimed “Mahdi” and leader of the pan-Arabist Jeish al-Mahdi, and convinces the young radical to expand and focus his revolutionary efforts in Libya. Aum Shinrikyo, a mysterious and rapidly growing Japanese religious cult, begins solidifying its foothold in the Russian Arctic. Al-Nasri secretly meets with Charles Semu and agrees to involve him in his partnership with Ota. P3 armor, weapons, and equipment begin to increasingly find their way onto the black market. Ota begins funneling funds and support through al-Nasri to Umar and Semu. Six months later, several gas attacks break out at major tourist destinations throughout Cairo and Tripoli. Jeish al-Mahdi claims responsibility. Authorities are unable to determine how the group came to acquire chemical weapons. Two days later, dozens of bombs simultaneously go off throughout the Tokyo Metro and Toei subway networks. US Embassies in Nagoya and Osaka are also bombed. A few hours later, the Japanese Embassy in Nairobi is also bombed. Aleph immediately becomes the prime suspect for the attacks in Japan; however, the group denies any involvement. The Lord’s Army claims responsibility for the bombing in Kenya. A week later, Jeish al-Mahdi seizes the city of Surt in Libya. The country’s Defense Minister barely manages to survive an assassination attempt while the Internal Security Minister is killed in a similar attack. Civil war breaks out across the country and soon begins to affect neighboring countries. Two weeks later, Charles Semu and The Lord’s Army, aided by hundreds of foreign fighters, assault the United Nations Base in Bunia, DR Congo. Semu seizes the base and takes several UN Peacekeepers and international aid workers hostage. Aleph is absolved of any wrongdoing in connect with the terrorist attacks in Japan. Authorities begin seeking out local members of Aum Shinrikyu, a breakaway of Aleph.
The UN Security Council convenes for a three-day session on the string of recent worldwide terrorist attacks. Among many other recommendations, the Council suggests the creation of an elite, multi-national counter-terrorism force called UNATU (United Nations Anti-Terrorism Unit). At this same time, sarin gas attacks break out throughout the London Underground. Although authorities suspect a link between the attacks in London and Cairo, investigators are unable to identify the perpetrators. The majority of UN member states approve the UNATU Resolution. The Lord’s Army begins to rapidly expand further into Central Africa, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania; Jeish al-Mahdi regiments begin to emerge throughout the Middle East; and Aum Shinrikyu continue their attacks on high profile, overseas US targets. Three weeks after receiving UN approval, Spider Division, the first assembled division of UNATU, begins worldwide operations.
FACTIONS
“THE BAD GUYS” – THE HOLY TREATY ALLIANCE The Holy Treaty Alliance (popularly referred to as the Holy Terror Network) is an international network of nearly a dozen independent, multi-religious terrorist organizations, chief among them: Jeish al-Mahdi, Aum Shinrikyo, and The Lord’s Army. These groups have agreed to temporarily cease hostilities, pool their resources, and work together to combat the “secular, oppressive, and corrupt powers of the world.” Although the network’s origins are shrouded in mystery, some believe that Richard Palmer, a well-connected former congressman and CEO of P3 Arms International, had a role in arranging preliminary discussions between the two individuals accused of being the masterminds behind the HTA—Abdul Majid al-Nasri, a dissident Libyan politician, and Takashi Ota, the disgraced CEO of Ota Technologies, a major R&D enterprise based in Tokyo.
“THE GOOD GUYS” – SPIDER DIVISION – UNITED NATIONS ANTI-TERRORISM UNIT (UNATU) Following weeks of investigations into an unprecedented number of seemingly related terrorist attacks on international targets, the UN Security Council convened for an emergency session to review findings and provide recommendations for facilitating communication between at-risk nations and deterring further attacks. Although authorities identified several key perpetrators and terrorist organizations involved in the attacks, they were unable to uncover any information detailing the apparent links between the terror groups. In order to effectively combat this evolved and intricate global threat, the Security Council approved the creation of the United Nations Anti-Terrorism Unit (UNATU), an elite, multi-national strike force comprised of the world’s greatest military, counter-terrorism, and intelligence specialists.
BACKGROUND CHARACTERS
THE HOLY TREATY ALLIANCE Richard Erle Palmer, III The well-connected CEO of P3 Arms International, based in Houston. Palmer was formerly a two-term US congressman. He is a political power donor, war profiteer, and advocate of the growing “Republic of Texas” secessionist movement. Involved in clandestine funding and support of several foreign terrorist groups. Through proxy, Palmer had a partial but significant role in introducing and arranging preliminary meetings between Abdul Majid al-Nasri and Takashi Ota. Abdul Majid al-Nasri An influential senior member of the General People’s Congress of Libya. He acquired the majority of his wealth by way of his family’s lucrative oil export business. Nasri is one of the leading members of “The People’s Revolution” a small dissident group within the Libyan government. For the past twenty years, Nasri has actively and covertly been seeking assistance in fomenting a popular religious uprising to overthrow the regime of Moammar al-Gaddafi. He has found his answer in Mustafa Umar. Mustafa Umar A radical, young Egyptian cleric. He is a self-proclaimed “Mahdi” and leader of Jeish al-Mahdi, a pan-Arab terrorist organization. Umar is convinced by al-Nasri to expand his revolutionary movement into Libya. Mr. Takashi Ota Founder and CEO of Ota Technologies, a major R&D enterprise that primarily specializes in advanced technology and aerospace manufacturing. Ota is a devout member of Aum Shinrikyu, an emergent Japanese religious order based on the teachings of Shoko Asahara. The rapidly growing movement is has begun to strengthen its presence in Russia and Australia. Charles Semu The charismatic leader of The Lords’ Army. After a private internal spat with Joseph Kony, Semu splits with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and forms The Lord’s Army. He claims to have been told by God that he is displeased with Kony and wants Semu to be his new messenger on Earth. Semu is able to draw several hundreds of new recruits into his ranks.
PLAYABLE CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Note: The following is not intended to be in-game text – just brief character background and physical description for artists to draw from. The concept artist will need to ensure UNATU units are easily distinguishable from Holy Treaty units. Nick – it just occurred to me that instead of making the fourth character “unlockable,” you could allow the player to select any character from the onset, and have him/her work to unlock each of the alternate outfits. SPIDER DIVISION – UNATU UNATU units should share some degree of similarity in their appearance. Because all of them are affiliated with an international military or police force, they should be dressed for the part – combat gear, camouflage, earth tones and colors reflecting military and authority (green, tan, blue, gray, etc.). Most of their uniforms should include surnames, appropriate national insignias (US, UK, Japan) on the right shoulder, and an eight-legged UNATU spider logo on the left. Lastly, keep in mind that these guys are the “best of the best” – they don’t need to adhere to strict rules dictating their dress and appearance. Misc. Reference Images: http://estore.websitepros.com/stores/1284105/catalog/pvc-v547-Complete%20vert.JPG http://rap4.com/images/vest/Vest_10_Pod_Back_500.jpg http://www.extremeoutfitters.us/ProductImages/camelbak/60436_TacticalVest.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/JDF_Uniform01a.jpg http://www.freewebs.com/penguingeneral/ACU-5.jpg http://www.ghostrecon.net/fileman/users/scubaman/Nice%20ACU.JPG http://criousgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/lost-planet-pc-2.jpg * http://www.casenet.com/movie/SWAT_Group_1024x650.jpg * http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Joes2.jpg
PRINCE HAMILTON, “Prince” Prince is an African American in his late 20’s, early 30’s from Marietta, Georgia. Prior to joining the Spider Divison, he and his team of US Special Forces were tracking down high value targets in the vicinity of Najaf, Iraq. His specialties lie in demolitions and heavy weapons. Prince appears the brawniest of the bunch, keeps a shaved head, and bears a full goatee. He bears a single silver stud in his left ear lobe. Desert (Primary): Prince’s desert gear is a stripped down version of a standard issue US Army Combat Uniform (see link for ACU). He sports a bulky, black vest of armor, loaded with all sorts of trinkets and combat accessories, over a tight-fitting, faded, tan muscle tank top and a pair of standard ACU trousers with kneepads. A pair of dog tags hangs around his neck
and a green US flag tattoo is visible on his right shoulder. Prince also wears a pair of black, fingerless gloves and a utility belt equipped with a variety of ammo cartridges and grenades. Jungle: Snow:
JONATHAN JOSEPH COX, “J.J.” or “Joxy” The foul-mouthed, wisecracking Joxy hails from London’s famed East End. His peers consider him one of the world’s greatest sharpshooters. Joxy appears to be in his early to mid 30’s and although a bit of a gangling, he seems to be the tallest of the group. For a soldier, Joxy tends to spend quite a bit of time and effort into making sure he’s always looking his best. He keeps a clean shave and his shock of blonde hair is usually spiked or fashioned into a faux-hawk. Snow (Primary): Joxy is outfitted in a heavy white-gray overcoat with a hood, lying unworn, lined with brownish fur. His coat contains a variety of large and small pockets, and falls just above his knees. A sleek pair of snow goggles is stretched around his forehead, sort of like a headband. Strapped around his shoulders is a bulky gray backpack, containing most of his combat gear. The worn traces of a small British flag emblem are barely visible on the top. Joxy also wears a pair of white-gray slacks and darker, insulated snow boots. Desert: Jungle:
KATSUO OGAWA, “Ogawa” Ogawa is a model member of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force. Over the course of his career, he has earned numerous awards and turned down several promotions in order to remain an infantry soldier. Most recently, Ogawa was serving as a UN Peacekeeper in Bunia, DR Congo. After the Holy Treaty assault on his UN Base, he was one of the first people tapped to join the Spider Division. As far as appearance is concerned, Ogawa plays it by the book and chooses to keep to standards. He appears to be in his mid-20’s, is of average stature, cleanshaven, and has a buzz cut. Jungle (Primary): Ogawa is dressed from head to toe in dark jungle camouflage. He wears a fedora and is outfitted in typical green-brown-black fatigues. He has a matching vest of lightweight body armor buckled around his upper body with a utility belt holding combat accessories. Most of his gear is stored in a long, loose duffel bag he carries on his back. JGSDF and Spider insignias adorn his shoulders. Desert:
Snow:
RIPLEY IBN KARIM, “Rip” (Unlockable?) Rip is the only member of Spider Division that doesn’t have a military background. A fourthgeneration Arab American born and bred in New York, Rip brings necessary Arabic translation skills to the team. His other specialties, gleaned from his experience in New York SWAT, include hostage rescue and counter-terrorism. He has a fair complexion, dark, ruffled brown hair, and is of average height. He also has a light, closely trimmed goatee. Reflecting his urban, police background, Rip’s uniforms appear typically darker than those of his teammates. Desert (Primary): Rip’s desert uniform should bear some resemblance to Prince’s; however, it’s a full uniform as opposed to Prince’s bare bones version. Rip wears a darker set of standard ACU trousers and boots, complimented by a similar top with shoulder straps and rolled up sleeves. Both articles of clothing have numerous pockets. He also wears a utility belt and an armored vest similar to Prince; however, Rip’s is smaller and lighter. US and Spider insignias adorn his shoulders. Jungle: Snow:
THE HOLY TREATY ALLIANCE Because these units aren’t affiliated with any government or standing military, and because they are so diverse (in terms of funds, strategy, specialties, beliefs, geographic origin, culture, etc.), there aren’t any strict rules in regards to how these characters are outfitted. In general, their uniforms should appear more civilian than military. While their uniforms may lack the authenticity of a military unit, they should appear no less intimidating or commanding of respect. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Male_with_Shemagh.jpg http://www.talkingproud.us/ImagesIntlrelationships/IraqWatch2005/Elections/Insurgent.jpg http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/5/57/Congo-AK-47SA.jpg/500px-Congo-AK-47SA.jpg http://www.holored.com/media/images/Classic%20Episodes%20IV,%20V,%20VI/Hoth%201/Ho thTrenches3.jpg http://unitedcats.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/blackwater_mercenaries.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1397/1255658527_bbbc22a9b2_m.jpg
UBADAH QUREISHI Ubadah is a young man (early 20’s) from a lower middle class background in the Egyptian Sinai. He tends to have his dark hair trimmed very short but keeps a very lengthy beard. His beard is
often covered with keffiyeh that is also wrapped around his neck. Ubadah is of average height and semi-muscular build. Desert (Primary): Ubadah’s simple attire allows him to quickly blend into civilian populations. He wears only a thick, white t-shirt; a dusty, torn pair of blue jeans held up by a large utility belt; and a black-and-white keffiyeh that covers his neck, mouth, and face. Over his shirt, he wears a plain green vest fully equipped with grenades and ammo cartridges. Ubadah also wears a pair of black hiking boots and a small black wristwatch on his right arm. Jungle: Snow:
PAUL KAGWA, “THE COMMANDER” One of most feared footsoldiers of The Lord’s Army, Commander Kagwa is also one of Charles Semu’s most trusted friends. Born and raised in the northern region of Uganda, Kagwa quickly earned himself a notorious reputation as a member of the LRA. He is older than most of his allies, somewhere in his late 30’s to early 40’s. He has short, thick, curly hair with a few perceptible areas of gray. He is well built and usually dressed in a combination of military fatigues and civilian clothing. His outfit should reflect his rank. Jungle (Primary): Kagwa is dressed in an unbuttoned jungle camouflage military uniform with rolled up sleeves. He wears a maroon beret, a green t-shirt, and has blood stained bands tied around his biceps. He bears a slim black belt around his waist and dons a pair of dark boots covered in mud. Kagwa wears absolutely no armor. Desert: Snow:
JURO TSUMURA Once a promising student of Japanese history and philosophy, Juro abandoned his academic endeavors once he became exposed to the teachings of Aum Shinrikyo. After a few years of rising through the group’s ranks, he was allowed the opportunity to move to the cult’s base in the Russian Arctic. Juro is lean and fairly tall, keeps his hair close cropped, and usually dresses in accord with his upper class upbringing. He is in his mid 20’s. Snow (Primary): Juro is outfitted in a white, lightweight combat jumpsuit. He wears a bulky, black/dark blue utility vest over his white turtleneck, and a matching set of large, dark boots. Only his eyes are visible behind a white mask that appears to be part of his jumpsuit.
Desert: Jungle:
BILL ERVING PRESCOTT, “BLOODY BILL” (Unlockable?) Not much is known about Bill Prescott. He is an extremely skilled sharpshooter and an expert in hand-to-hand combat. Prescott is a former mercenary and militiaman recruited by Richard Palmer to be his personal bodyguard. At times, Palmer deploys him to hotspots around the world to tip a battle in his favor. Prescott is tall and has a muscular build. He has a brown handlebar mustache and appears to be in his mid to late 30’s. Desert (Primary): Prescott’s trademark is his wide-brimmed, black cowboy hat. He wears it with a pair of green tinted sunglasses. He is usually dressed in a faded, red, patterned, short-sleeved dress shirt with a black, armored combat vest worn over it. He wears a pair of tight black jeans and a slim, similarly colored leather belt with a fairly large gold/bronze buckle in the center. The buckle is emblazoned with a cow skull in the horns. Jungle: Snow: