| NeoCity Krypteia |
Good evening meat drones. Welcome to the latest neurostream of NeoCity Gangs, where I discuss the criminal organizations who rule our metro cesspit. Tonight’s upload will outline the Krypteia. So verify that datalink encryption and get ready to receive an info dump.
Krypteia are the preeminent urban warfare combatants. Never more than 300 strong per chapter, the cartel operates like an elite mercenary force. Rivals refuse to engage them in gunfights without overwhelming odds. The HoloNet has endless surveillance footage of Krypteia martial prowess, including the slaughter of an entire SWAT battalion. Even detonation of a low-yield fusion device, vaporizing two blocks of Old Downtown, failed to eradicate the group. NeoCity Power Authority insists the incident was a substation relay failure, but I have several grid failsafe logs to prove otherwise.
Joining the ranks of Krypteia is a herculean (heh) effort. It begins each January. Recruits have their dominant arm removed, then endure 120 days of brutal training without the limb. There is immense emphasis on marksmanship, shield proficiency, and esprit de corps. Those who fail milestone requirements are executed to maintain secrecy. Those who succeed consume mutagenic cocktails to enhance human physiology. One in ten survive the transformation and rigorous combat exercises continue unabated for another 120 days. In August, Krypteia vacancies are announced. If too many “booters” remain at this point, a battle royal to the death weeds out the weakest. Selectees are gifted a cybernetic limb to replace the lost original, symbolizing a complete warrior who undergoes four additional months of military training exercise to master its use. If none of that strikes you as bat guano insane, contact your local recruiter to attend this annual celebration for sadists!
The origin of Krypteia is a tabloid speculation hotbed. Accounts range from disgruntled Aussie Water War veterans to an extraterrestrial invasion vanguard. Whatever the truth, we can analyze several factors. Their iconic assault rifles are built from components traceable to New Jerusalem. Decades before the Krypteia exist, within the heart of their territory, a pharmaceutical plant accidently leaked nontoxic chemicals into the metropolitan aquifer. An entire neighborhood, coincidently of course, perished over a six week span from, “asbestos exposure.” Gold plated cybernetic limbs? Components are from European suppliers popular among private military corporations in the southern bloc. The riot shields are unique though… a Kevlar-Titanium weave over hypercarbon plates. In addition, a directional anti-personnel mine is mounted, “front towards enemy.” Nasty. Especially when they line up in side-by-side formation, the Phalanx, to overlap mine dispersion. Useless Factoid: due to battlefield superstition, Krypteia name their shields, but not their guns. Weirdoes. What kind of social outcast does not name a gun?
Krypteia is led by a man who goes by the name of Leonidas. Absolutely shocking, is it not? Memes aside, it is a title and not his true identity, as police forensics indicate Leonidas changed DNA sequence twice during the last decade. On the other hand, we know absolutely nothing about that mutagenic cocktail, so periodic gene recombination could be a side effect. On a functional level, Krypteia is divided into thirty member units called a Phratra. Each functions as an independent micro-gang if cut from the entire legion. These are further broken into fireteams of five for tactical flexibility.
Because of the Catholic Death Cult craze, NeoCity Police investigators initially classified Ordinance as an apocalypse sect. Much of the organization’s attire and lexicon lent credence to that assessment. However the deception became apparent, once illicit activities revealed a pattern for artificial intelligence, cybernetic transhumanism, and milspec hardware. Though elaborate, its religious traits are counterintelligence theatrics to obfuscate observation. Ordinance is now recognized as a rogue espionage operation. An example of incompetent oversight and extraordinary autonomy.
Ordinance betrays its state sponsorship via wanton overkill. Whereas most gangs seek precision to limit collateral damage for resale material to acquire afterwards; Ordinance prefers gigawatt plasma rifles and rotary autocannons with UD-HEAPI (uranium depleted high explosive armor piercing incendiary) rounds to disintegrate targets. Unfortunately an equivalent amount of ordinance is necessary to stop them, due to reinforced hypercarbon dermal armor and duplicate internals.
Since Ordinance has the firepower of first world dictatorships and the cruelty of pre-irradiated Arabian terrorist groups, how do other criminals compete against them? The fake cultists are fake gangsters. Ordinance preys exclusively on military industrial complexes for beta software, robotic prototypes, and experimental weapons. Monetary finances, narcotic supplies, protection rackets, and commercial goods hold no interest for them. It is commonly held they would depart NeoCity upon acquiring such finite technologies. Cartels caught in their crossfire with private military companies are, “at the wrong place, at the wrong time.” Its unique transhumanist composition also limits membership. Police estimate 63 living and 37 undead, without an immediate means to replace lost members; though current criminal activities indicate intention to reverse that situation. Furthermore Ordinance avoids public view, almost to Shadow Broker obsession, since identification constitutes an immediate Continental Military response. Therefore they negotiate ceasefires with other gangs when possible.
Ordinance is led by the Potifex, a frighteningly charismatic figure thanks to subconscious voice modulation. Always in accompaniment are twin Mother Superiors. I believe a triumvirate neural network is the reason. If so, Ordinance is in possession of bleeding edge wireless technologies reserved for elite special forces. That would also explain the zombie-like Zealots. Prior to the Rio Revenant Revelation, militaries utilized cybernetic bodies that could endure far more damage than human consciousness. Zealots are therefore cyborg corpses, reanimated through synthetic intelligence, until the body deteriorates beyond use. The more interesting implication, is Zealots demonstrate combat improvement. This means necromantic learning, not residual synaptics, constitutes programming. Clear violation of several crimes against humanity accords.
Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Role: Skirmisher
Battle Value: 1,379
Cost: 6,601,000 C-Bills
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: 7.5
Engine: 300 19
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 16 6
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 184 11.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 23 35
Center Torso (rear) 10
L/R Torso 16 17
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 12 22
L/R Leg 16 18
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Mass
Large Laser RA 2 5
Medium Laser RA 1 1
LRM 10 RT 2 5
Ammo (LRM) 12 RT 1 1
LRM 10 LT 2 5
Ammo (LRM) 12 LT 1 1
Medium Laser LT 1 1
Large Laser LA 2 5
Medium Laser LA 1 1
Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere [E/X-X-E-D]
Role: Skirmisher
Battle Value: 2,121
Cost: 16,045,750 C-Bills
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: 7.5
Engine: 300 XL 9.5
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 4
Heat Sinks: 19 [38] 9
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 208 13
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 23 35
Center Torso (rear) 10
L/R Torso 16 24
L/R Torso (rear) 8
L/R Arm 12 24
L/R Leg 16 21
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Mass
Plasma Rifle RA 2 6
ER Medium Laser RA 1 1
Ammo (Plasma Rifle) 20 RA 2 2
Ammo (Plasma Rifle) 20 RT 2 2
Plasma Rifle CT 2 6
Plasma Rifle LA 2 6
ER Medium Laser LA 1 1
Ammo (Plasma Rifle) 20 LA 2 2
Jump Jets RL 2 2
Jump Jets LL 2 2
Mass: 45 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere [E/X-F-E-D]
Role: Brawler
Battle Value: 1,063
Cost: 3,751,440 C-Bills
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: 4.5
Engine: 180 7
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 4
Heat Sinks: 13 (26) 3
Gyro: 2
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor (Ferro-Fibrous): 116 6.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 14 17
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 11 14
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 7 11
L/R Leg 11 14
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Mass
Hatchet RA 3 3
Binary Laser Cannon RT 4 9
Large Laser LA 2 5
Jump Jets RL 2 1
Jump Jets LL 2 1
Battlefield control and rearguard support for normal mode difficulty (or lower) in Pathfinder Kingmaker. Effective from first level. Capitalizes on experience points obtained via successful Persuasion and Trickery skill checks. Smilodon provides the melee muscle and tanking. Sorcerer provides buffing on pet and debuffing on enemies.
As the name implies, the Trippin Mad Dawg is all about tripping opponents. Wolf animal companion grants more opportunities, while three levels into Sacred Huntsmaster increase the overall mayhem with Hunter Tactics and Tandem Trip. Requisite feats for maximizing CMB are included in the build: Trip, Greater Trip, Fury’s Fall, and Coordinated Maneuvers. Half-Elf because Half-Elves are just awesome.
Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of, is a tabletop role-playing game published by 
A man of seething spite, Covus survived unbroken decades on the battlefield. The bastard son of an Aquilonian soldier, he was abandon amongst militiamen as an infant. Raised to master the Bossonian bow, Covus became an archer whose exceptional marksmanship has slain many bandits and invaders from safe distance. Even as he approaches advance age, his sharp vision and steady precision remains undiminished.