These tabs contain additional material about the canon's setting and background. If you're just a casual reader looking to get into Third Law then you don't need to read these, but if you're planning to contribute — or are just curious about the setting — then these are for you. Tab Contents Overview This is the tab you are reading right now. It has a table of contents for the other tabs. Contributing A guideline for potential contributors, explaining the basics of writing for the canon and giving a brief summary of the underlying continuity, the overall tone, and the major themes. Continuity A detailed explanation of the various states of extra-canonical continuity, and a list of major works outside of Third Law that are considered to be within the canon's continuity to a greater or lesser degree. History An overview of the in-universe history of the canon, starting with the 6th Occult War and covering important events up to the start of the 21st century. Groups A list of the various Groups of Interest that exist within the canon, with an introductory summary for each. Locations A list of the various locations which serve as recurring settings within the canon, with a brief summary of each. Timeline A detailed timeline of the major events within the canon and its continuity, with extensive crosslinks to the relevant articles where applicable. References Some additional resources for readers and writers, including a glossary of terms used throughout the canon, an index of major characters with links to their individual appearances, and an index of recurring paratech.

Basic Points Before writing anything for this canon, please talk to the other contributors about your idea, to ensure that what you want to write doesn't contradict established or planned continuity. Most major Third Law contributors hang-out in #Apotheosis on SynIRC, the Third Law IRC channel. Feel free to hop in at any time for brainstorming and general discussion. If you're not comfortable using IRC, you can also send a Wikidot PM to GreenWolf TyGently

While talking with other contributors and having them review your work prior to posting will likely catch most continuity errors, it is recommend that you read through and familiarize yourself with the entire body of work within this canon before you try writing for it. This includes all of the articles listed above, plus the other tabs here.

When posting a new Third Law article, make sure to do the following: All pages that are part of this canon should have this hub page set as their parent, to allow for breadcrumbs navigation. All pages that are part of this canon should be tagged with third-law. It is preferred that any articles (especially tales and GOI formats) written explicitly for this canon use the Third Law CSS theme (or one of its variants), although this is not a hard requirement. You can do this by adding the following code to the top of your article. It will even work on the sandbox!

[[include :scp-wiki:theme:3law]] What We're Looking For Third Law has a wider scope than most canons, lacking an overarching narrative or a fixed setting. Instead, Third Law is defined by a single continuity, a common tone, and a set of recurring themes; as a result, almost any story which fits these criteria is eligible for inclusion in this canon. Continuity While a full overview of Third Law's expansive continuity would be too long to cover here, the following are the basic tenets of the canon's worldbuilding which form the foundation of the continuity. If an article contradicts a point listed here, it is fundamentally incompatible with Third Law. The universe is ultimately comprehensible. While there are many things that exist which defy the conventional understanding of physics, the universe is fundamentally ordered and logical, and all anomalous phenomena may eventually be understood, given time and effort. This is most evident in the fields of parascience — thaumatology, metaphysics, psionics, etc… — which have succeeded in providing theoretical frameworks for many anomalous phenomena, even if they remain separate from conventional physics. This is a more optimistic take on the Foundationverse than is usual, and it means that works which take a more pessimistic stance — works that can usually be classed as cosmic horror — are likely to be incompatible with Third Law.

While there are many things that exist which defy the conventional understanding of physics, the universe is fundamentally ordered and logical, and all anomalous phenomena may eventually be understood, given time and effort. This is most evident in the fields of parascience — thaumatology, metaphysics, psionics, etc… — which have succeeded in providing theoretical frameworks for many anomalous phenomena, even if they remain separate from conventional physics. This is a more optimistic take on the Foundationverse than is usual, and it means that works which take a more pessimistic stance — works that can usually be classed as cosmic horror — are likely to be incompatible with Third Law. Paratech is common. This serves as a corollary to the first point. Rigorous parascience has allowed for the extensive development of paratechnologies, which are widely used on both sides of the Veil. Many consumer products contain technology that is paranormal in nature or derived from paranormal phenomena, although the truth of this may only be known to a few. In an expanding anomalous world, normalcy preservation agencies like the Foundation increasingly rely on paratech to uphold the Veil, despite potential ideological reservations.

This serves as a corollary to the first point. Rigorous parascience has allowed for the extensive development of paratechnologies, which are widely used on both sides of the Veil. Many consumer products contain technology that is paranormal in nature or derived from paranormal phenomena, although the truth of this may only be known to a few. In an expanding anomalous world, normalcy preservation agencies like the Foundation increasingly rely on paratech to uphold the Veil, despite potential ideological reservations. The Veil is present but weakening. The existence of the anomalous, including entire fields of parascience, is concealed from the majority of the world by normalcy preservation agencies and national governments, in an effort known as the Veil. This largely takes the form of suppression of information relating to anomalous phenomena, although agencies such as the Foundation may take a more proactive role in attempting to contain anomalous objects. The Veil is not absolute — most people have at least a vague awareness of the existence of things unexplained by science, although few individuals would admit to such if pressed. Indeed, entire cities and communities exist on the other side of the Veil, populated entirely by people aware of the anomalous and the efforts to conceal it. Peaking in strength in the middle of the 20th century — shortly after the 7th Occult War — the Veil has been steadily deteriorating since the end of the Cold War, despite the best efforts of normalcy preservation agencies.

The existence of the anomalous, including entire fields of parascience, is concealed from the majority of the world by normalcy preservation agencies and national governments, in an effort known as the Veil. This largely takes the form of suppression of information relating to anomalous phenomena, although agencies such as the Foundation may take a more proactive role in attempting to contain anomalous objects. The Veil is not absolute — most people have at least a vague awareness of the existence of things unexplained by science, although few individuals would admit to such if pressed. Indeed, entire cities and communities exist on the other side of the Veil, populated entirely by people aware of the anomalous and the efforts to conceal it. Peaking in strength in the middle of the 20th century — shortly after the 7th Occult War — the Veil has been steadily deteriorating since the end of the Cold War, despite the best efforts of normalcy preservation agencies. Normalcy is defined by consensus. Anomalous phenomena are an inherent part of the universe, and are only deemed "abnormal" by the consensus of those who uphold the Veil. Many thoroughly understood fields of parascience are kept behind the Veil, while many mysterious phenomena have been publicly documented by conventional science. The decision on what is and is not anomalous is often due more to politics than science.

Anomalous phenomena are an inherent part of the universe, and are only deemed "abnormal" by the consensus of those who uphold the Veil. Many thoroughly understood fields of parascience are kept behind the Veil, while many mysterious phenomena have been publicly documented by conventional science. The decision on what is and is not anomalous is often due more to politics than science. Artificial Intelligence is exceedingly rare. Due to the extreme potential danger posed by the possible development of machine thaumaturgy, all research into general AI is heavily restricted by normalcy preservation agencies. As of 2020, the only general AI in existence are the GOC's Silicon Nornir, the Foundation's SCP-2897, and a small number of uncontained Bardeen-derivatives.

Due to the extreme potential danger posed by the possible development of machine thaumaturgy, all research into general AI is heavily restricted by normalcy preservation agencies. As of 2020, the only general AI in existence are the GOC's Silicon Nornir, the Foundation's SCP-2897, and a small number of uncontained Bardeen-derivatives. There is no Heaven. There are various empirically observable phenomena which can be considered "souls", and it is possible for consciousness to persist after death, independent of a body, but cessation of consciousness is final. If there is an afterlife, no one's found it yet. Tone Third Law is best described as science fiction in an urban fantasy world, a combination which gives rise to its own unique tone. The world is full of fantastical wonders and horrors, but through human ingenuity and capability, they can ultimately be understood, and even harnessed. Yes, there are monsters and demons and even worse things from Outside, but humans can and will fight them. Thus, the overall tone of the canon is one of optimistic stubbornness in the face of a universe that is terrifyingly vast and unknown. This one is a bit hard to quantify, so you don't get bullet points. Sorry. Themes If the tone of Third Law is one of scientific optimism, then the themes are those of scientific consequences. Stories and articles within Third Law should try to explore the effects — both direct and indirect — of parascience on the world at large. This can range from technical documentation of a paratech project to a slice-of-life tale about a day in an anomalous enclave. Another potential avenue is to take the various frameworks of parascience to their logical conclusions, examining edge cases in a framework or looking at how different paranormal phenomena interact. Some specific points: Knowledge is power. This is important enough that we made it the subtitle of the entire canon, and it's the in-universe motto of both Prometheus Labs and the Foundation's Department of Analytics. Every organization in the Foundationverse is ultimately working to increase their own knowledge — of the anomalous, of each other, of everything — because knowledge gives you the power to alter the world, sometimes extremely literally.

This is important enough that we made it the subtitle of the entire canon, and it's the in-universe motto of both Prometheus Labs and the Foundation's Department of Analytics. Every organization in the Foundationverse is ultimately working to increase their own knowledge — of the anomalous, of each other, of everything — because knowledge gives you the power to alter the world, sometimes extremely literally. Actions have consequences. Usually unintended. The long-term effects of any individual action are numerous and unpredictable, and even the best intentions can go horribly awry. Try to keep this in mind.

Usually unintended. The long-term effects of any individual action are numerous and unpredictable, and even the best intentions can go horribly awry. Try to keep this in mind. Magic is just another form of science. This ties back into the universe being comprehensible. There's a lot of weird stuff going on, but it should all behave consistently, because there is an underlying logic to even the most bizarre anomaly. You don't have to reveal this logic, but you should know what it is.

This ties back into the universe being comprehensible. There's a lot of weird stuff going on, but it should all behave consistently, because there is an underlying logic to even the most bizarre anomaly. You don't have to reveal this logic, but you should know what it is. Technology is a force multiplier. No technology is inherently good or bad, but it can make good situations better and bad situations worse. Everywhere paratech appears, it should be used to further the ends of the person using it, whether those ends are good or bad.

No technology is inherently good or bad, but it can make good situations better and bad situations worse. Everywhere paratech appears, it should be used to further the ends of the person using it, whether those ends are good or bad. Humans are jerks. Tying into the above, technology might not be bad, but humans have a tendency to quickly find the worst way to use it. Human ingenuity is the most powerful tool at our disposal, and it so often ends up being applied against other people. Most conflict should be driven by human motives and actions, and not outside context problems.

Overview Although it presents a different interpretation of many common concepts, Third Law is ultimately built upon the larger shared setting of the SCP Wiki, and as such it often incorporates ideas from works outside the canon — and in turn, many works have incorporated elements from this canon while remaining outside of it. In most cases, this is done without connecting the overall stories of the works involved. However, some works with largely compatible settings will have their stories added to the overall continuity of the canon, even while technically remaining outside of it. Works within this extended continuity are treated — to varying degrees — as if they were part of the canon, at least for the purposes of writing within its setting. States of Continuity Not all works are fully or equally compatible with Third Law. Some articles have concepts, settings, or characters that are canon within Third Law, even if other elements of said articles are not. Other works may be considered fully in-canon. These varying degrees of canonicity are referred to as states of continuity, which provide a shorthand for describing how compatible a work is with Third Law, and what its relationship is to the rest of the canon. Core Canon — The core canon is the actual Third Law canon, and the works written explicitly for it. Every effort is made to ensure there are no contradictions or inconsistencies within the core canon. If something in the extended continuity contradicts something in the core canon, the core canon should be considered the correct and canonical version of events.

— The core canon is the actual Third Law canon, and the works written explicitly for it. Every effort is made to ensure there are no contradictions or inconsistencies within the core canon. If something in the extended continuity contradicts something in the core canon, the core canon should be considered the correct and canonical version of events. Augmented Canon — This is a special state of continuity which only applies to the Those Twisted Pines canon, which can be viewed as a sort of sister canon to Third Law. The two canons share a large number of characters, events, and even works with each other, and thus form a closely intertwined continuity. The works of this augmented canon should be considered canon over anything else in the extended continuity, except for those few instances where they contradict the core canon.

— This is a special state of continuity which only applies to the Those Twisted Pines canon, which can be viewed as a sort of sister canon to Third Law. The two canons share a large number of characters, events, and even works with each other, and thus form a closely intertwined continuity. The works of this augmented canon should be considered canon over anything else in the extended continuity, except for those few instances where they contradict the core canon. Hard Continuity — These are works which are largely or wholly compatible with Third Law, and can thus be considered fully canon unless explicitly contradicted by a work within the core canon.

— These are works which are largely or wholly compatible with Third Law, and can thus be considered fully canon unless explicitly contradicted by a work within the core canon. Soft Continuity — There are works which are largely incompatible with Third Law, but still exert a strong influence on it. While the exact details presented in these works might be non-canon, the overall shape of the events they describe are considered part of the continuity in some form. Works in Continuity A list of works within the extended continuity, and the states of continuity they occupy. Although exhaustive, this list is not necessarily comprehensive. Those Twisted Pines — [Augmented Canon] — The vast majority of works within this canon are in full continuity with Third Law, with a few exceptions. Notably, AIAD does not exist within Third Law, due to the rarity and suppression of strong AI. Most references to the AIAD can be replaced with the Department of Analytics, which performs a similar role within Third Law. Additionally, while sometimes referred to as AI, Anderson's Saker units use the remnants of human souls to approximate a full consciousness, and are thus not true AI. Finally, following the events of Comedown Machine in August, 2024, the timelines of the two canons start to diverge, although some events may continue to be shared between them as soft continuity.

— [Augmented Canon] — The vast majority of works within this canon are in full continuity with Third Law, with a few exceptions. Notably, AIAD does not exist within Third Law, due to the rarity and suppression of strong AI. Most references to the AIAD can be replaced with the Department of Analytics, which performs a similar role within Third Law. Additionally, while sometimes referred to as AI, Anderson's Saker units use the remnants of human souls to approximate a full consciousness, and are thus not true AI. Finally, following the events of Comedown Machine in August, 2024, the timelines of the two canons start to diverge, although some events may continue to be shared between them as soft continuity. Global Occult Coalition Casefiles — [Hard Continuity/Soft Continuity] — Large sections of the GOC canon's worldbuilding were borrowed wholesale and then expanded upon for Third Law, including the 7th Occult War and the theory of Unified Thaumatology. The thaumatology lectures, listed under the Supplemental tab, are in hard continuity with Third Law, while the remainder of the canon occupies various states of soft continuity.

— [Hard Continuity/Soft Continuity] — Large sections of the GOC canon's worldbuilding were borrowed wholesale and then expanded upon for Third Law, including the 7th Occult War and the theory of Unified Thaumatology. The thaumatology lectures, listed under the Supplemental tab, are in hard continuity with Third Law, while the remainder of the canon occupies various states of soft continuity. The Cool War — [Soft Continuity] — The events of the Cool War happened in Third Law in largely the same way as they are depicted here, although its depiction of Nobody is obviously and extremely incompatible with Third Law. Unless confirmed by works within the core canon, it's best to assume a broad-strokes approach to the exact details of the Cool War. (Notably, Third Law fixes the date of the Cool War, and assumes that the Friday Exhibition occurs on December 6, 2013.)

— [Soft Continuity] — The events of the Cool War happened in Third Law in largely the same way as they are depicted here, although its depiction of Nobody is obviously and extremely incompatible with Third Law. Unless confirmed by works within the core canon, it's best to assume a broad-strokes approach to the exact details of the Cool War. (Notably, Third Law fixes the date of the Cool War, and assumes that the Friday Exhibition occurs on December 6, 2013.) Figure and Ground — [Hard Continuity] — The events of this tale and the accompanying SCP article are considered to have happened exactly as depicted.

— [Hard Continuity] — The events of this tale and the accompanying SCP article are considered to have happened exactly as depicted. UIU Location Dossier -- "Three Portlands" — [Hard Continuity] — The text of this hub page is in full continuity with Third Law, although this status does not automatically extend to the linked articles.

— [Hard Continuity] — The text of this hub page is in full continuity with Third Law, although this status does not automatically extend to the linked articles. About Deer College — [Soft Continuity] — Deer College exists in Third Law in much the same form as it is presented on this page, although certain worldbuilding details and references to other canons are not incorporated.

— [Soft Continuity] — Deer College exists in Third Law in much the same form as it is presented on this page, although certain worldbuilding details and references to other canons are not incorporated. Three Ports in a Storm Podcast — [Hard/Soft Continuity] — Created by several Third Law collaborators, Three Ports in a Storm uses Third Law for its overall setting, and borrows a number of characters from the canon. The events depicted can generally be assumed to have happened in Third Law, although the unscripted nature of the podcast mean that it shouldn't be considered authorative on other details.

Overview It is nearly impossible to give a concise summary of parahistory, for the history of the anomalous is expansive, long, and prone to time-travel-related complications. Much of it has been naturally lost to time, but even more has been destroyed by those who seek to conceal information of the anomalous. Seemingly basic pieces of information, such as the date of the First Occult War, are entirely absent from the parahistorical record, forcing scholars of the occult to rely on hearsay and speculation. The modern era of parahistory is thus defined by the consistent presence of reliable records of paranormal events, and is generally regarded as having begun after the end of the Sixth Occult War. The emergence of modern normalcy preservation organizations, the codification of the Veil, and the start of the Paranormal Renaissance in the aftermath of the war all contributed to the widespread documentation of anomalous phenomena — even if the conditions of the Veil meant that such documentation was kept secret. The Sixth Occult War The first major occult conflict in over two centuries, the Sixth Occult War lasted from 1875 to 1882. A multi-faceted conflict involving many different occult groups and individuals, the underlying causes and motives that led to the outbreak of hostilities are still poorly understood to this day. This is in large part due to the unprecedented level of devastation caused throughout Europe and the Middle East, resulting in the destruction of most primary sources created during the conflict. The war reached its climax in 1881, when a cabal of German occultists completed a working which resulted in the destruction of an ancient Semitic deity, a demiurge with power over the nature of thaumaturgy and the distribution of occult potential throughout the human population. Backlash from this working created a massive storm tide in the North Sea, which inflicted thousands of casualties along the western coasts of Europe. Reacting to the widespread destruction and the perceived threat of mass hysteria, national governments intervened to bring an end to the conflict and conceal its very existence from the general public. These efforts led to the emergence of national paranormal agencies and normalcy preservation organizations in their modern forms, and resulted in the first formal codification of the Veil. The paranormal, long an open secret among scholars and intellectuals, was now segregated and hidden from the world at large. As mundane science continued to charge forwards, belief in the anomalous and the occult was relegated to the superstitious and the secretkeepers. The Paranormal Renaissance However, the Veil was not absolute. The demise of the demiurge had caused a tremendous amount of occult and psionic backlash, triggering a mass awakening of occult potential across the world and creating a surge of new paranormal phenomena. This sudden spike in the parahuman population in turn gave rise to new fields of science behind the Veil — thaumatology, psionics, metaphysics, and others. While normalcy preservation organizations initially opposed this Paranormal Renaissance, they eventually became the driving force behind its growth, once they realized the potential applications of parascience in technologies for maintaining the Veil. Already weakened by the Sixth Occult War, and facing heavy scrutiny from national paranormal agencies, the longstanding occult orders and cabals that had previously dominated the paranormal community soon found themselves in competition with new organizations and companies that had formed in reaction to the aftermath of the war. Applying a more methodical, scientific approach to the study of the anomalous, organizations such as Prometheus Labs and the International Center for the Study of Unified Thaumatology rapidly advanced the understanding of the paranormal, laying the groundwork for much of modern parascience. While the early portion of the Paranormal Renaissance was dominated by advances in theory and experimentation, the later half was marked by a focus on archeological and exploratory expeditions. Working off a basis of folklore and fragmentary parahistory, the first efforts at systematically documenting localized paranormal phenomena across Earth were made and initial forays to catalogue the local multiverse were launched. This would eventually culminate in an archeological race in the years leading up to the Seventh Occult War, as numerous organizations competed to acquire paranormal artifacts — both for their scientific value, and to deny them to competitors. The Seventh Occult War Largely coinciding with the Second World War, the Seventh Occult War is normally considered to have started in 1939, following the German annexation of Czechoslovakia. In the years leading up to the war, the Ahnenerbe Obskurakorps and their allies in the Thule Society had been acquiring artifacts needed to perform the Rite of Solomon, with the intention of using the Rite to restrict occult ability to members of the Nazi regime. As Nazi Germany continued to make gains in the face of British appeasement, the Obskuracorps grew more overt in their efforts to acquire artifacts, eventually bringing them into conflict with other occult groups. Spearheaded by the Knights Templar and the British Occult Service, the Allied Occult Initiative was soon formed to oppose the Obskuracorps and their operations. After securing an early victory in the Battle of Prague, the AOI would spend the next six years covertly battling the Obskuracorps across the world. The coalition of occult organizations present within the AOI continued to expand throughout the course of the war, even as the Nazi regime came to occupy most of continental Europe. Despite their numerous successes, the AOI would not become fully aware of the Obskuracorps' intentions for the Rite of Solomon until the last year of the war. With the conventional war clearly turning against Germany, the Foundation finally entered the conflict on the side of the AOI in September of 1944, when they launched a surprise strike to capture Konrad Weiss, the director of the Obskuracorps' research arm. With the intel provided by Weiss' capture, the AOI and the Foundation discovered both the Obskuracorps' plan for the Rite, and their intention to attempt to complete it with ersatz components created to replace the missing artifacts which were in AOI custody. A final operation was assembled to strike at the location where the Rite would be performed, which succeeded in stopping the execution of the ritual and routing the remaining forces of the Obskuracorps, bringing the occult portion of the war to a close. The Golden Age of Normalcy In the aftermath of the Seventh Occult War, the Allied Occult Initiative was reorganized into the Global Occult Coalition and placed under the aegis of the nascent United Nations, with the intention of creating an international and nominally impartial normalcy preservation organization to serve as a more accountable counterpart to the Foundation — and to ensure the mistakes of the Seventh Occult War could never reoccur. With the backing of national governments and the larger paranormal community, and occasionally playing on Cold War paranoia to their advantage, the GOC and the Foundation were able to greatly strengthen the Veil, ushering in an era that would become known as the Golden Age of Normalcy. The Seventh Occult War had brought a great demand for new paratechnologies, and this demand continued unabated into the new age of normalcy. Normalcy preservation organizations required new and better tools for maintaining the Veil in the face of accelerating technological advancement and a growing population, and the Cold War powers had challenged each other in a paranormal arms race that rivaled the nuclear one in fervor. As they expanded to meet increasing demand, paratech developers began to leverage their control over paratech supplies into a series of concessions from normalcy preservation organizations, eventually resulting in permission to sell obfuscated paratech outside the Veil. The paratech industry flourished, with companies like Prometheus Labs growing into international conglomerates with billions of dollars in revenues. Even as paratech covertly infiltrated conventional products, normalcy preservation agencies cracked down harder on more overt paranormal phenomena. A mass exodus of anartists and parahumans began near the end of the 1960s, as the Foundation worked to expel these communities from urban areas in Europe and North America, driving them into pocket universes like Three Portlands and Backdoor SoHo. Partially in response, the GOC orchestrated the creation of Eurtec to serve as a regulated paranormal enclave, where the Veiled community could flourish under its watch. As a result of these efforts, the paranormal was almost completely segregated from the normal world, with the strength of the Veil reaching a peak sometime in the late 1970s. The New Millennium The Golden Age of Normalcy came to an end with the dawning of the new millennium, as events of the last decade of the 20th century drastically altered the fundamental landscape of the paranormal community. The collapse of the Soviet Union had resulted in the dissolution of the KGB Division of Special Circumstances, formerly tasked with securing the country's supply of weaponized anomalies, resulting in a paratech black market flooded with illegal Soviet paraweapons; the end of the Cold War brought about a downsizing of national paranormal agencies, which had been greatly expanded out of political paranoia; the conclusion of the paraweapons arms race dealt a staggering blow to the paratech industry, eventually resulting in the breakup of the Prometheus Labs conglomerate, once the global leader in parascience research and paratech development. Moreover, the world outside the Veil has changed. As the 21st century opens, the human population is approaching 7 billion, and growing rapidly; mass communication technologies are proliferating, with cell phones and household internet already commonplace, and smartphones and social media approaching on the horizon; attitudes towards mainstream science have shifted, and conspiracy theories are starting to gain greater traction. Consensus normalcy is under threat from behind and beyond the Veil, and normalcy preservation agencies are struggling to grapple with these newfound problems. However, even more concerning than the failing Veil is the growing threat of another occult war. The weakening of the Veil has resulted in an accelerated progression towards general AI, which brings with it the danger of machine thaumaturgy — and the possibility of mass produced eigenweapons. Normalcy preservation organizations are stuck playing for time, as they race to find a permanent solution to the looming crisis. Meanwhile, the world grows weirder every day.

Overview There are many organizations that operate behind the Veil, either wholly concealed within or straddling the border between the paranormal and the normal. Their purposes are many, and range from upholding the Veil to tearing it down, but their methods are often the same, relying on the application of paratech to compensate for the deficiencies in manpower and funding that are nearly omnipresent among the paranormal community. To this end, almost every major organization that operates within the confines of the Veil is involved in parascience research to some degree, as it is the surest way to gain an edge against potential rivals. While no two organizations are exactly alike, most of the groups that operate behind the Veil can be placed into one of four categories, based on their goals and structure. + Normalcy Preservation Organizations and National Paranormal Agencies - Normalcy Preservation Organizations and National Paranormal Agencies By far the largest players in the paranormal community, these organizations are responsible for maintaining the Veil, a task which they often refer to as protecting normalcy. Comprising a mix of clandestine units of national agencies and independent international conspiracies, these organizations are also the ones responsible for forming the consensus on what normalcy is. As the custodians of the Veil, these organizations are tasked with regulating the paratech industry and policing the paranormal community — and with backing and funding from national governments, they are among the few groups able to consistently project force against other Veiled actors. However, this power is not absolute. The sheer size of the Veil often forces normalcy preservation organizations into compromises and half-measures, and the restrictions on the development and proliferation of paratech ironically make them dependent on the same organizations they are tasked with regulating. These conflicts of interest often give paratech developers a great deal of leeway in following regulations, so long as they make a token effort at compliance. The Foundation The largest of the normalcy preservation organizations, the Foundation is a global conspiracy unaffiliated with any national government, with numerous fronts, facilities, and personnel around the world. The entire organization is headed by an Overseer Council composed of 13 non-anomalous individuals, whose true identities are known only to each other. The Foundation's stated mission is the acquisition, containment, and study of anomalous objects for the safety and benefit of humanity, although its true motives have been questioned by other normalcy preservation organizations. Despite an institutional and ideological opposition to the use of anomalous objects, it will resort to the use of paratechnology and other well-understood anomalies when circumstances require. The Foundation is bureaucratically divided into dozens of departments, divisions, directorates, and task forces, all operating on strict compartmentalization of information. Some of the more notable ones are listed below: Department of Analytics — The Foundation's primary signals intelligence apparatus, the Department of Analytics is tasked with collecting and analyzing a wide variety of information from nearly every imaginable source. They possess significant operational and support capabilities of their own, and thus are able to function almost entirely independent of the rest of the Foundation.

— The Foundation's primary signals intelligence apparatus, the Department of Analytics is tasked with collecting and analyzing a wide variety of information from nearly every imaginable source. They possess significant operational and support capabilities of their own, and thus are able to function almost entirely independent of the rest of the Foundation. Records and Information Security Administration — The archival and IT department of the Foundation, responsible for maintaining and securing Foundation records and communications. Almost every piece of information collected by the Foundation passes through RAISA multiple times, although there are certain highly-secret projects which do not generate RAISA records, instead reporting only to the Overseer Council.

— The archival and IT department of the Foundation, responsible for maintaining and securing Foundation records and communications. Almost every piece of information collected by the Foundation passes through RAISA multiple times, although there are certain highly-secret projects which do not generate RAISA records, instead reporting only to the Overseer Council. Delta-3 ("Solomon's Hand") — An early initiative of the Special Asset Task Force Program, Mobile Task Force Delta-3 was organized around and in support of Florence Elsinger, a powerful combat thaumaturge. Deploying from Site-246 underneath Lake Superior, the task force operated from 1985 until the presumed death of Elsinger in 1990.

— An early initiative of the Special Asset Task Force Program, Mobile Task Force Delta-3 was organized around and in support of Florence Elsinger, a powerful combat thaumaturge. Deploying from Site-246 underneath Lake Superior, the task force operated from 1985 until the presumed death of Elsinger in 1990. Tau-5 ("Samsara") — The result of Prometheus Labs' Samsara Project, Mobile Task Force Tau-5 are a group of four regenerating commandos used by the Foundation to test experimental paratechnology and to conduct extremely high risk missions where a conventional MTF would be ineffective. They are effectively expendable and renewable. Global Occult Coalition The Global Occult Coalition is an international normalcy preservation agency backed by the United Nations, formed from the Allied Occult Initiative after the end of the Seventh Occult War. It is approximately equal to the Foundation in power and reach, and shares a similar goal of protecting humanity and preserving normalcy. However, the GOC differs in its methods, choosing to rely heavily on widespread use of paratech in its operations, and prioritizing a policy of destruction of dangerous anomalous objects rather than containment. The GOC is composed of over 100 individual organizations involved in the occult and paranormal, including a number of national paranormal agencies. Some of the more notable ones are listed below: Ancient Noble Order of the Gormogons — Founded in the 18th century to oppose the Freemasons, the Gormogons have evolved into a corps of demolition experts specializing in destroying anomalous structures and breaking defensive wards.

— Founded in the 18th century to oppose the Freemasons, the Gormogons have evolved into a corps of demolition experts specializing in destroying anomalous structures and breaking defensive wards. British Occult Service — The primary paranormal agency of the United Kingdom, the British Occult Service was formed in reaction to the Sixth Occult War, and has played a leading role in normalcy preservation efforts since that time.

— The primary paranormal agency of the United Kingdom, the British Occult Service was formed in reaction to the Sixth Occult War, and has played a leading role in normalcy preservation efforts since that time. International Center for the Study of Unified Thaumatology — The largest occult college in the world, the ICSUT is one of the GOC's biggest research partners. Founded in 1913, ICSUT specializes in the study and teaching of thaumatology — the scientific investigation of the mystic and occult. ICSUT has campuses all around the world, including locations in London, Zurich, and Three Portlands.

— The largest occult college in the world, the ICSUT is one of the GOC's biggest research partners. Founded in 1913, ICSUT specializes in the study and teaching of thaumatology — the scientific investigation of the mystic and occult. ICSUT has campuses all around the world, including locations in London, Zurich, and Three Portlands. Holy Order of Knights Templar, Reformed — Officially disbanded in 1312 by Pope Clement, the Templar Knights remained in hiding until 1939, when they reformed to oppose the Obskuracorps and found the Allied Occult Initiative. They played a decisive role in the Seventh Occult War, providing the bulk of troops for AOI commando teams.

— Officially disbanded in 1312 by Pope Clement, the Templar Knights remained in hiding until 1939, when they reformed to oppose the Obskuracorps and found the Allied Occult Initiative. They played a decisive role in the Seventh Occult War, providing the bulk of troops for AOI commando teams. Servants of the Silicon Nornir — A transhumanist religion, the Servants believe that their purpose is to bring about the creation of the "True Silicon Goddess" — a benevolent hyperintelligence that will shepherd humanity into the future — by hastening the onset of the technological singularity. To this end, they follow a trio of precognitive sentient supercomputers — named Urthor, Verthandi, and Skuldir after the Norns of Norse mythology — which direct them in their efforts.

— A transhumanist religion, the Servants believe that their purpose is to bring about the creation of the "True Silicon Goddess" — a benevolent hyperintelligence that will shepherd humanity into the future — by hastening the onset of the technological singularity. To this end, they follow a trio of precognitive sentient supercomputers — named Urthor, Verthandi, and Skuldir after the Norns of Norse mythology — which direct them in their efforts. Universalist Order of the Æsir — A cult of Scandinavian neopaganists, highly regarded for their extensive knowledge of runic thaumaturgy, particularly divination. The Order believes that the GOC is the instrument through which humanity will be unified to fight against Ragnarok.

— A cult of Scandinavian neopaganists, highly regarded for their extensive knowledge of runic thaumaturgy, particularly divination. The Order believes that the GOC is the instrument through which humanity will be unified to fight against Ragnarok. World Parahealth Organization — The paranormal arm of the World Health Organization, tasked with combating memetic pathogens, infectious curses, psychic parasites, and other paranormal diseases. FBI Unusual Incidents Unit The FBI's Unusual Incidents Unit is the primary domestic paranormal agency of the United States, tasked with enforcing paratech regulations and upholding the Veil. Due to a limit of means and jurisdiction, the UIU largely focuses on investigating paranormal crimes and covering-up anomalous incidents. One of their most important functions is policing the numerous pocket universes within the US, which act as enclaves for the paranormal community. To compensate for personnel and budgetary limits, the UIU extensively employs parahumans and anomalous individuals as 'irregular agents', especially within paranormal enclaves where their presence is less noticeable. GRU Division "P" One of the Soviet Union's two major paranormal agencies, GRU-P was created during the Second World War to protect the Soviet Union from paranormal and occult threats, and to utilize esoteric weaponry against the country's enemies. With the onset of the Cold War and the paratech arms race, the division's role was expanded to include recovery and reverse engineering of anomalous objects and paratech. In this role, it performed corporate espionage and theft of intellectual property on a number of foreign companies and agencies. With the end of the Cold War, GRU-P has found itself as the sole remaining paranormal agency of the Russian Federation. Its operations are now focused largely on dealing with the black market for anomalous objects and paratech that has arisen in post-communist Russia. Joint Occult Venture of Europe The Joint Occult Venture of Europe is a multinational paranormal organization composed of various European national paranormal agencies and loosely affiliated with the European Union. Organized along similar lines to Frontex, JOVE performs a role similar to that of the American UIU, maintaining the Veil within Europe and policing paranormal enclaves. Extremely limited in personnel and funding, JOVE primarily acts as a facilitator and coordinator for the multiple national and international organizations operating within Europe. The catalyst for JOVE's formation, and the primary focus of its few field operations, are the expanding activities of the paracrime syndicate Scarlet Hammer and the accompanying influx of illegal Soviet paratech into Western Europe. In this role, JOVE has been instrumental in coordinating the multi-agency response to incidents of paraweapon trafficking across national and international borders. + Paratechnology Suppliers and Researchers - Paratechnology Suppliers and Researchers Almost every Veiled group of significance operates their own parascience research effort, but there are numerous organizations dedicated solely or primarily to the study of parascience and the creation of paratechnologies. Many of these groups date back to the Paranormal Renaissance, where they played an instrumental role in the early development of modern parascience. Although some focus only on advancing the frontiers of scientific knowledge, most researchers of parascience are also engaged in the supply of paratech products to the world behind the Veil. And while the constraints of the Veil make it impossible to openly market paratech, many companies have found ways of circumventing these restrictions; the dominance in paratech development by a handful of major suppliers gives them a great deal of influence with normalcy preservation organizations, allowing them to take advantage of regulatory loopholes with relative impunity. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. At one point the largest manufacturer of paratechnology in the world, Prometheus Labs was founded in 1892 as a closely-held corporation with the goal of researching anomalous phenomena in order to develop new technologies for the benefit of humanity. The company played a pivotal role in the advancements of the Paranormal Renaissance, emerging as a leader of parascientific research at the start of the 20th century. During the 7th Occult War, Prometheus Labs lent its significant technological expertise to the Allied coalition, resulting in major research and supply contracts with the GOC and national paranormal agencies in the immediate post-war era — setting the stage for the company's explosive growth in the Golden Age of Normalcy. Riding on the front of the post-war paratech bubble, Prometheus Labs rapidly expanded, buying out competitors and incorporating new subsidiaries to become a global research conglomerate and the undisputed titan of paratech. At its peak, the conglomerate employed almost 300,000 people and had net revenues of approximately $75 billion, with its numerous subsidiaries providing a vast array of mundane and paranormal products, ranging from dishwashers to cruise missiles. The end of the Cold War brought an abrupt end to the Golden Age paratech bubble, leaving Prometheus Labs in dire financial straits — made even worse by the company's heavy reliance on esoteric investment techniques. A series of catastrophic research accidents in the late 90s managed to finally push the company over the brink of insolvency in the early months of 1998. Over the next few months, the company was dismantled piecemeal — its many subsidiaries either bought-out by competitors or spun-off as independent ventures — and in September 1998, the primary holding company was finally dissolved, irrevocably splintering the once-massive conglomerate. Of the many companies to emerge from the breakup of Prometheus Labs, some of the more notable ones are listed below: Amrita Therapeutics — Formerly a subsidiary of Prometheus Bioengineering, Amrita Therapeutics rebranded itself after the collapse to continue manufacturing the highly profitable All-Natural Automatons. In recent years, Amrita has begun expanding into the development and commercialization of stem-cell based technologies in the field of regenerative medicine, but remains committed to the continued development and support of ANAs.

— Formerly a subsidiary of Prometheus Bioengineering, Amrita Therapeutics rebranded itself after the collapse to continue manufacturing the highly profitable All-Natural Automatons. In recent years, Amrita has begun expanding into the development and commercialization of stem-cell based technologies in the field of regenerative medicine, but remains committed to the continued development and support of ANAs. Archimedes — Formerly Archimedes Solar, a subsidiary of Prometheus Energy, Archimedes rebranded itself and widened the scope of its operations following the collapse of Prometheus Labs. The core of Archimedes remains centered on solar power generation, but the company has expanded into related areas such as heating, electrical wiring, desalination, and wireless power transmission.

— Formerly Archimedes Solar, a subsidiary of Prometheus Energy, Archimedes rebranded itself and widened the scope of its operations following the collapse of Prometheus Labs. The core of Archimedes remains centered on solar power generation, but the company has expanded into related areas such as heating, electrical wiring, desalination, and wireless power transmission. Argo Automotives — Known as Prometheus Automobile Group prior to the collapse of the conglomerate, Argo Automotives operated from 1998 to 2009, when it was forced into liquidation following the failure of the paraeconomic investment strategy it had relied on for funding. During this time, it had a reputation for selling high-tech, high-performance vehicles.

— Known as Prometheus Automobile Group prior to the collapse of the conglomerate, Argo Automotives operated from 1998 to 2009, when it was forced into liquidation following the failure of the paraeconomic investment strategy it had relied on for funding. During this time, it had a reputation for selling high-tech, high-performance vehicles. Iris Arts — Originally an offshoot of Prometheus Chemicals, Iris Arts was an early venture into mass commercialization of paratech marketed at individual members of the paranormal community. The company's core product line consists of a variety of art supplies intended for use by anartists living in paranormal enclaves.

— Originally an offshoot of Prometheus Chemicals, Iris Arts was an early venture into mass commercialization of paratech marketed at individual members of the paranormal community. The company's core product line consists of a variety of art supplies intended for use by anartists living in paranormal enclaves. Redzone Security — A software company specializing in creating programs for anomalous applications, formed by the core development team of Prometheus Software Solutions in 1998. It is also responsible for maintaining the servers that made up the Prometheus Labs intranet, which has kept this network available, to a limited extent, to Prometheus' successor companies.

— A software company specializing in creating programs for anomalous applications, formed by the core development team of Prometheus Software Solutions in 1998. It is also responsible for maintaining the servers that made up the Prometheus Labs intranet, which has kept this network available, to a limited extent, to Prometheus' successor companies. Silver Hand Cybernetics — Previously the Prosthetics Division of Prometheus Medical, Silver Hand Cybernetics developed products almost exclusively for sale to the paranormal community. It operated from 1998 until 2004, when it was bought out by its primary competitor, Anderson Robotics.

— Previously the Prosthetics Division of Prometheus Medical, Silver Hand Cybernetics developed products almost exclusively for sale to the paranormal community. It operated from 1998 until 2004, when it was bought out by its primary competitor, Anderson Robotics. Titan Consumer Appliances and Electronics — Formerly Prometheus Consumer Technologies, Titan Consumer Appliances and Electronics took on its current name and branding in 1999. Titan focuses on developing consumer applications for paratech, a goal which often brings it into conflict with normalcy preservation agencies. Anderson Robotics Once a rising force in the paratech trade, Anderson Robotics was a cybernetics and robotics startup founded in 1994 by Vincent Anderson. Taking advantage of the disruption caused by the end of the Golden Age of Normalcy, Anderson Robotics quickly came to dominate a large segment of the paratech market, combining sorcery and circuitry to create cutting-edge prosthetics, hyperrealistic androids, and beyond-state-of-the-art combat drones. Led by its brilliant but egotistical founder, Anderson Robotics openly flouted regulations on paratech, eventually drawing the ire of the Foundation, and later the UIU. In 2024, following almost two decades of investigation and unsuccessful sting operations, a joint Foundation-UIU task force performed a raid on the Anderson Robotics World Headquarters in Three Portlands, capturing most of the company's upper management — including Vincent Anderson — and putting an end to its global operations. In the wake of Anderson's downfall, a number of ex-employees went on to form Phoenix Cybernetics, a new cybernetics startup built around the core of the former Anderson R&D team. This new company is committed to avoiding Anderson's mistakes, and is being closely monitored by the UIU. The Factory Despite being one of the largest suppliers of anomalous raw materials, the entity known as the Factory has no known investors, board of directors, executive officers, or even manufacturing facilities. What is known is that they act as a supplier of anomalous materials and components to other paratechnology companies, although the quality of these materials is often suspect. Despite its poor reputation, the decline of the paratech industry since the end of the Cold War has left many paratech companies with no other suppliers, forcing them to turn to the Factory. Marshall, Carter and Dark, Ltd. Although primarily a "gentlemen's club" catering to the super-rich, Marshall, Carter and Dark also engage in the buying and reselling of paratechnology. They act as a sort of middleman for the paratech industry, establishing links between suppliers of raw materials, manufacturers of finished goods, and consumers of paratech products. They benefit greatly from their client base in this role, using their connections among the global elite to orchestrate highly profitable exchanges with relative immunity from normalcy preservation organizations. Oneiroi Incorporated Originally conceived in the 1960s as an offshoot of Prometheus Labs' expeditions into metafictional space, Oneiroi Inc provides a wide variety of esoteric services, from tailored dream vacations and subconscious behavioural therapy to data storage and retrieval within metafictional facilities. The technological foundation for these activities is poorly-understood by anyone outside of Oneiroi Inc, and the company's reclusive and frequently anonymous leadership is more than happy to keep it that way. Oneiroi's experiments with metafiction and dreamspace have often aroused the suspicion of normalcy preservation agencies, although the nature of said experiments makes it difficult to prove anything. Some of the company's clients claim to have experienced unusual and disturbing side-effects following treatments, including vivid but sporadic visions of another world and recurring meetings with an unidentifiable figure. The nature and similarity of these symptoms has led the World Parahealth Organization to label Oneiroi technologies as a potential vector for cognitive pathogens, although Oneiroi Incorporated refutes these claims. + Anomalous Religions and Humanitarian Interests - Anomalous Religions and Humanitarian Interests While parascience is the result of applying the tools of the scientific method to paranormal phenomena, it should come as no surprise that there are those who instead turn to religion for answers when confronted with the inexplicable and unknown. Emerging out of the discoveries of the Paranormal Renaissance, numerous anomalous religions flourish behind the Veil, despite frequently coming into conflict with normalcy preservation agencies that seek to suppress the spread of information which serves as the basis of their beliefs. Although frequently non-religious or non-denominational in nature, the handful of humanitarian groups that operate behind the Veil share a similar status as the anomalous religions. Lacking the clout of major paratech suppliers, and often advocating policies in opposition to the Veil, such humanitarian interests face intense scrutiny from normalcy preservation organizations. Church of the Broken God The Church of the Broken God is not a single monolithic religious institution; instead, the term refers to the diverse collection of neo-Mekhanite cults and denominations which share a common origin and central dogma. Modern Mekhanism traces its origins to the archeological efforts of the Paranormal Renaissance, which were responsible for recovering many artifacts and texts of the ancient and extinct Mekhanite religion. Neo-Mekhanites base their beliefs on modern reconstructions of these ancient Mekhanite sources, although the fragmented nature of the recovered texts means that there is a great variety of competing interpretations. All Mekhanite sects can be described as deistic and gnostic — sharing a common belief in a deity which has been rendered inert and fragmented, trapping the divine spark within the physical world. Mekhanites believe that organic life is a corruption of the material perfection of the universe, and seek to reunify the disparate fragments of their god in order to bring about a technological apotheosis. Many Mekhanites engage in radical body modification, replacing biological tissues and organs with mechanical — and often anomalous — components to "purify" themselves, which they believe will bring them closer to the divine perfection of their god. It is this process of mechanization that has brought Mekhanites into conflict with normalcy preservation organizations, forcing them to keep their evangelizing behind the Veil. Of the many Mekhanite sects which can be considered part of the Church of the Broken God, there are several major denominations which are particularly notable. The Broken Church — The oldest neo-Mekhanite denomination, and the closest thing to an orthodox church among modern Mekhanites. The Broken Church first emerged in the 1920s, partially in reaction to the horrors of the First World War, basing their new theology on the then recent discoveries of ancient Mekhanite artifacts. Further discoveries over the next few decades led to a refinement and codification of religious dogma and institutional structure, with Robert Bumaro emerging as the undisputed leader of the sect by 1946. The Broken Church believes that the fragments of Mekhane have a physical form, and seek to literally reassemble their god from these pieces. They are dedicated to acquiring said pieces for this purpose, although many supposed fragments of Mekhane happen to be dangerous anomalous objects in the custody of normalcy preservation organizations.

— The oldest neo-Mekhanite denomination, and the closest thing to an orthodox church among modern Mekhanites. The Broken Church first emerged in the 1920s, partially in reaction to the horrors of the First World War, basing their new theology on the then recent discoveries of ancient Mekhanite artifacts. Further discoveries over the next few decades led to a refinement and codification of religious dogma and institutional structure, with Robert Bumaro emerging as the undisputed leader of the sect by 1946. The Broken Church believes that the fragments of Mekhane have a physical form, and seek to literally reassemble their god from these pieces. They are dedicated to acquiring said pieces for this purpose, although many supposed fragments of Mekhane happen to be dangerous anomalous objects in the custody of normalcy preservation organizations. Church of Maxwellism — Emerging in the 1960s and 70s as an offshoot of the Broken Church, Maxwellism takes a syncretic approach to Mekhanite theology, combining modern (para)technology with ancient Mekhanite scriptures to create a decentralized church with a flexible dogma. Maxwellists believe that the fragments of the Broken God do not have a physical form, and that they are instead spread throughout the entire expanse of human consciousness and culture. Maxwellists seek to create a single computational network connecting every human mind and containing all human knowledge, which they believe will result in the reunification of their god and the apotheosis of humanity. Horizon Initiative A multi-denominational religious organization encompassing the major Abrahamic faiths, the Horizon Initiative is a hybrid religious order and normalcy preservation agency, formed in the aftermath of the Seventh Occult War to counterbalance the perceived dominance of secular groups in determining consensus normalcy. Lacking the same level of funding and support from national governments that the more conventional normalcy preservation organizations receive, the Horizon Initiative relies heavily on volunteers and donations — and as a result, the Initiative is highly decentralized, with the main corps of the organization numbering less than a thousand people. Despite its best efforts to achieve self-sufficiency, the Horizon Initiative remains at least partially dependent on the support of orthodox religious institutions, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, leading some to accuse it of being a Papist conspiracy. The Initiative works to incorporate independent Abrahamic mystical orders wherever possible, relying on their existing infrastructure to conduct its field operations — primarily the acquisition of religious artifacts and the disruption of cult activity. Due to its multi-denominational character and lack of institutional cohesion, the Horizon Initiative has occasionally been compared to the old Allied Occult Initiative — a comparison furthered by the inclusion of several former AOI members within the Initiative, and its focus on securing religious artifacts. Manna Charitable Foundation The Manna Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit humanitarian relief organization founded in 1971. While most of their operations are mundane in nature, they have on numerous occasions attempted to utilize paratechnology to provide humanitarian aid. Despite heavy opposition from normalcy preservation agencies, these efforts have been largely successful, although a small number of highly damaging failures resulting from faulty paratech have somewhat tarnished the organization's reputation. The Serpent's Hand Straddling the line between terrorism and activism, the Serpent's Hand is a loose collection of individuals aligned by their opposition to what they consider the authoritarian nature of consensus normalcy. Members of the Hand have consistently campaigned against the restrictions of the Veil, focusing especially on the perceived mistreatment of parahumans and anomalous non-humans by normalcy preservation organizations. Many of the Hand's members are parahumans or non-humans themselves, although some of its most vocal members are baseline humans. Due to the nature of the Veil, which makes it difficult and dangerous to publicly oppose normalcy, the Hand primarily operates in and from paranormal enclaves; the Wanderer's Library in particular is often used as a base of operations, as the Library's strict neutrality and enforced ban on violence serve to shield the Hand from potential reprisals by normalcy preservation organizations. Due to its decentralized nature and lack of consistent leadership, the Serpent's Hand has very little control over the actions of its members — and the absence of a formal membership structure makes it nearly impossible for the movement to disavow any particular group or individual acting in its name. As a result, the Serpent's Hand has been repeatedly linked to violent attacks against normalcy preservation organizations, leading many to view the entire movement with suspicion. + Paracrime Syndicates and Occult Terrorists - Paracrime Syndicates and Occult Terrorists Existing in direct opposition to the Veil and the organizations that uphold it, these groups are considered terrorists and criminals. Some are driven by ideology, while others are simply seeking to make a quick buck. Often, the distinction between these groups and those tolerated by normalcy preservation organizations is a matter of political convenience. Whatever the case, these are the outcasts of the paranormal community, shunned by anyone who fears drawing the ire of those who maintain the Veil. Chaos Insurgency The Chaos Insurgency is a loose coalition of several different radical occult groups. Their goals and their methods are varied and various, to such an extent that it is not uncommon for different factions within the Insurgency to be working against each other. What they all share, however, is a desire to overturn the existing status quo as enforced by normalcy preservation organizations. Considered a terrorist group by most major powers, the Insurgency operates through stealth and subterfuge. Their activities include smuggling anomalous objects, weapons dealing (both mundane and paranormal), human and anahuman trafficking, espionage, blackmail, and sabotage. Chicago Spirit At one point the largest paracriminal organization in the Western Hemisphere, the Chicago Spirit originated in 1895 as a small-scale smuggling operation engaged in the trafficking of anomalous objects. Over the next three decades, the Spirit expanded rapidly, adding new kinds of crime and paracrime to its activities and spreading its influence across North America. The organization reached its peak during the Prohibition Era, using its knowledge of the Way network to run highly profitable bootlegging operations. However, the Spirit was already in decline by the 1930s, largely as a result of an intense crackdown on its activities by the Foundation and the UIU. When the Foundation captured the leader of the Chicago Spirit, Richard Chappell, in 1933, the remainder of the organization quickly unraveled. By 1938, the Chicago Spirit was effectively defunct, although many of its members continued to engage in criminal activity at an individual level throughout the following decades. The end of the Golden Age of Normalcy created a massive availability of black market paratech, bringing about a drastic increase in street-level paracrime. Of the many criminal organizations that emerged to capitalize on these illicit opportunities, at least one has laid claim to the mantle of the long-disbanded Chicago Spirit. Although it has been implicated in several major paratech heists, the so-called Chicago Spectre is still an extremely small-scale operation, far removed from the power and reach once attained by the Chicago Spirit. OBSKURA The Obskuracorps was the paranormal arm of Nazi Germany's SS Ahnenerbe, responsible for all experimentation and research regarding the occult and anomalous; the ultimate goal of its research was to perform the Rite of Solomon and use it to advance the racial agenda of the Nazi regime. They were aided in this effort by the Thule Society, a group of German occultists with ties to the Nazi Party. With the outbreak of the Seventh Occult War — which occurred as a reaction to the increasingly aggressive actions taken by the Obskuracorps in their efforts to acquire artifacts for the Rite — the Obskuracorps also became responsible for waging the occult conflict for Nazi Germany. At the end of the Seventh Occult War, the Obskuracorps and their Thule Society allies were decisively routed; the surviving members of these organizations soon became the targets of an international manhunt by the Allied Occult Initiative and its successor, the Global Occult Coalition. While many Nazi occultists would eventually be caught by the GOC, a number of them managed to evade capture and went into hiding, eventually going on to form the occult terrorist organization known as OBSKURA. OBSKURA's goals in the aftermath of the total destruction of the Nazi regime seem to be centered largely around revenge against the GOC, focusing on dealing as much damage as possible before OBSKURA is inevitably destroyed. Scarlet Hammer The Division of Special Circumstances was the paranormal arm of the KGB, responsible for maintaining the Soviet Union's stockpile of paraweapons. When the USSR collapsed in 1991, the KGB, including the Division of Special Circumstances, was disbanded due to its role in the abortive August Coup. In response, multiple officers within the DSC, led by the former Director, went rogue, disappearing with a large number of Soviet paraweapons. These renegade DSC elements would become the paranormal crime syndicate known as Scarlet Hammer. Scarlet Hammer are the largest dealer of paraweaponry and illegal paratech within the former Soviet bloc, although their operations have also extended into Western Europe and Southeast Asia. They are believed to be in competition with the Chaos Insurgency, another major seller of black market paraweapons. + Other Organizations - Other Organizations Finally, there are those groups that, for one reason or another, defy conventional classification. Often, it is because their goals or methods do not exist in direct relation to the Veil, even if they operate behind it. The Black Queen The Black Queen is the moniker of a number of individuals with the innate capability of traveling between multiverses. Due to their different origins, each Black Queen typically has their own distinct goals and methods, though certain common aspects exist, such as the disappearance of a father figure and the discovery of their multiverse's version of the Wanderer's Library. Several Black Queens are currently active within our multiverse, many of whom are engaged in cross-multiverse paratech dealing. At least one Black Queen is involved in the operations of the Chaos Insurgency, and others are known to be loosely affiliated with the Serpent's Hand.

