This page aims to describe the world the player experiences in Beneath The Order. If you’re interested in what happened until the point the player enters the world, head over to the history page.

The page and all content is work in progress and subject to change at any time! Please note that reading through these details may give some spoilers on the gameplay.

The Aegis

When mankind had to fight against the universe’s raw power, special facilities were built all around the world, constructed to withhold extreme conditions.

“Aegis” was the codename of secret efforts conducted by the US starting in 2035 when the Zeta-1 instability was detected. Between 2035 and 2037, construction for eleven deep underground Aegis shelters was started, with each meant to house up to 5,000 people in a safe and sustainable closed-loop ecosystem.

Realizing that only a tiny fraction of the population could be saved, a distressed construction worker, Carlos Mendoza, turned to the media, sparking public outrage and panic. His revelation ironically caused a massive delay in the completion of the Aegis shelters and similar projects around the world, as secrecy was blown and citizens mobilized across all countries in search for shelter construction sites. This chaos further jeopardized the already limited chances of survival for many.

Eventually, only one Aegis unit could be fully constructed, provisionally equipped and occupied by select individuals: Aegis 9, located in the remains of the Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. This is where Beneath The Order plays.

Vitae

When the gamma-ray burst struck Earth, it caused unprecedented changes to its geology and biochemistry. The intense radiation caused a series of complex nuclear reactions, synthesizing a new and potent power source from previously dormant mineral deposits.

The new substance was discovered by surviving scientists and engineers as they started expanding the Aegis horizontally. The green glowing crystals were highly radioactive, with their luminescence being a byproduct of their radioactive decay. Initial tests revealed its potential as an energy source, leading to the establishment of improvised mining and refining operations.

With conventional energy sources depleting, all utilities, machinery, and the very infrastructure of the Aegis were converted to run on the harnessed energy of this refined material. It became universally known and accepted by all inhabitants as Vitae.

The extraction and refinement process presented significant challenges, not only because of the radioactivity but also due to the fact that it attracted deadly mutants known as Rots, who lived beneath the Earth’s surface and frequently caused fatal incidents in the mines.

Parties

Subsumed

The limited resources of the Aegis made it impossible to establish adequate occupational health and safety measures for the dangerous Vitae mining and refinement process, which led to growing reluctance among the inhabitants to continue working in the mines.

In order to ensure the continued existence of Aegis, the Eminents resorted to drastic measures: under the guise of an anti-radiation measure, they implanted a Neural Regulator into the workers which stripped them of their fear and resistance and created an obedient workforce required to sustain the mining operations and secure the Aegis’s future.

After subjugating the first generation of Subsumed, the Eminents introduced a ritual where every young person underwent implantation, marking their transition from childhood into the working society.

The Subsumed can be identified by a green glowing, Vitae powered part of the Neural Regulator sticking out of their neck.

Eminents

One cohort of the select people who were able to move into the Aegis shelter comprised leading politicians, renowned business people, distinguished artists, and top scientists and engineers. In addition, the group also included high-ranking military officers, medical professionals, and prominent intellectuals and academics. This comprehensive representation of the most experienced, powerful, influential, and resourceful individuals was deemed essential for rebuilding and maintaining society.

This elite group was entrusted with governing the Aegis, overseeing its operations, and preserving the knowledge and culture necessary for the continued survival and prosperity of their community.

Initially, it was simply known as the “Founders.” As years passed by and the Aegis society stabilized, a clear distinction between the ruling class and the general population became more pronounced. The Founders’ descendants viewed themselves as the rightful stewards of society, tasked with preserving order and guiding the less fortunate inhabitants.

The process peaked when the elite subjugated the lower classes by introducing the Neural Regulator implants, a measure which was justified as necessary for the greater good, maintaining order and ensuring the Aegis’s survival.

To solidify their status and differentiate themselves from the rest of the populace, the ruling class adopted the title “Eminents.” This term reflected their self-perceived elevated status and their crucial role in maintaining balance within the Aegis.

Rots

TBD

Implantation

TBD