LORE (Sovereign City)
| LORE | |
|---|---|
| Leader(s) | Chief Administrator George Schmidt |
| Alliances | none |
| Rivalries | Triple Helix |
Founded in 1908, LORE is an expansive group of rogue scientists, and their Sovereign City department is one of their more profitable arms. The glut of high-tech corporations and laboratories in the city provide a wealth of targets for the theft of equipment and research.
Because there is little overlap between the crimes committed by LORE, and those committed by other gangs, LORE manages to maintain a fairly neutral position in the city's hierarchy. Only Triple Helix go out of their way to shut down LORE's activities, and vice versa, because of the lucrative business LORE has in supplying superpowers to paying customers.
Though responsible for the creation of six of the ten most dangerous scientific abominations of the 20th century, LORE's machinations have never extended to world domination - just the constant, reckless advancement of science. Unlike civilian or superhero scientists, ethics are not even optional in LORE. Human testing is standard, and too many failures can result in members of LORE (commonly called "yellowjackets" or "wasps" due to their yellow-and-black labcoats) being used as test subjects for the latest scheme.
Unpredictability and technological superiority make up the bulk of LORE's tactical advantages. New weaponry and gadgets are always field-tested, meaning that LORE's equipment changes from mission to mission, and individual yellowjackets will always make their own personal modifications. There is no "standard issue" in LORE.
The key territories held by LORE are mostly districts containing their favourite targets - such as InTech Labs - or their own dummy corporations. However, they also hold sway over Exeter Isle Nuclear Power, using it as a stranglehold on the city's supply of depleted uranium, and for the occasional extra power requirements their experiments need.
Key Members
George Schmidt
The chief administrator of the Sovereign City branch of LORE, who gained his position through a combination of naked ambition and scientific acumen. He is more of a manager than a scientist, but is aware of that, and keeps his subordinates on a long leash - allowing them the freedom to take personal initiatives, but always knowing exactly what they are up to.
Imogene Paris
The head of biological research, including the granting of superpowers to paying customers. Is quite vain, and has put extensive hours into tweaking her own genetics to make herself as stunningly beautiful as she possibly can. Though she is in her late 40s, she still looks like a woman in her early 20s, and probably will continue to do so for the next century.
Benjamin Franklin Frost
The head of technological research, and the originator of some of LORE's most successful weapons. A child prodigy with a chip on his shoulder, the 15-year-old Frost has a short temper and an open disgust of anyone with an IQ below 200. He is rarely seen outside of his laboratory, and leaves dealings with the rest of LORE to his personal assistant AI, Cryptic.
Cryptic
Not just the personal AI of Frost, Cryptic runs the entire computing network of LORE, monitoring experiments and research. Though a formless program by nature, she projects herself around the different LORE compounds as a hologram when she wants to be seen "in person" - which is usually when filling in for Frost.
