The Story of Vault

“Always Growing”

Agricola Avanzada is the culmination of decades of global food brand mergers. The slow accumulation of food producers seen in the 20th century came to a head with the loss of governments to mega corp powers. After a year of fierce and sometimes deadly negotiations Agricola Avanzada was formed.

Agricola Avanzada now produces the vast majority of the world’s food, primarily the trademarked Algeatein filler substance used to enrich their range of food stuffs. Marketed as health food, these sad consumable pastes and shaped nutrient blocks are really just the alternative to going hungry. Primarily cultivated around the Trashlantis sea colony, Agricola Avanzada used the marvel of super algae to break down the plastics and detritus of Trashlantis. Those algae blooms are regularly harvested and their matter makes for a nutrient rich substance when processed.

Of course not everyone is subject to these lower-class foods. The hyper-wealthy have standing contracts with Agricola Avanzada to grow, harvest, and guard the few farmlands that exist far enough from the megacities to not absorb the myriad pollutants they produce. Meat, exotic fruits, and some of the harder to come-by spices are produced in these facilities which are constantly under threat from lurking monsters in the world’s wilds, and daring thieves.

“The World is on Our Shoulders”

Alistar Corbin, the founder of Atlas, was able to turn a small business in his parent’s garage into the largest corporation the world has ever known. Atlas Industries was created with the merger of Alistar’s existing extensive distribution network and several defense industry giants. Eventually Atlas began to subsume the smaller companies that made the goods they sold as well. What really sprung them into the forefront was the A.I. advancement that Atlas used to update their factories and production methods. This gained them massive contracts for A.I. facilities to combat the Fae.

Once Atlas had its grip on the world economy and the war effort against the Fae they turned their efforts to politics as well. In order to continue his hold Alistar began to exert control over the megacity governments slowly reforming them with the aid of the other large corps both old and new. This led to the creation of the Council of Five that runs each populace center.

With little oversight and the chaos of the continued war against the Fae the A.I. eventually turned on humanity. Many of the greatest weapons that were used to confront the Fae were now pointed back against those who made them. Atlas products stood at the front of this war and earned back the renowned loss due to B0B and other powerful A.I. foes.

The A.I. War never truly ended, and the Corps use the threat of the A.I. to never reduce their personal arms races and keep the populace under strict thumb. Atlas dominates the retail experience selling anything and everything the average person needs. Huge box stores and massive Atlas warehouses sit in every city and nothing seems to be slowing them down.

“We Go, Others Follow”

As the European continent suffered from the melting ice caps Gothique took to the skys. Building platforms for launches and floating facilities on board the mobile island of Trashlantis Known for sleek and unique designs that pushed boundaries and expectations they made great strides in the creation of aerospace vehicles and weapons. Even the corps who make their own aerospace gear find themselves “borrowing” from Gothique, some even decide it’s just worth the cost to buy the superior Gothique model. Having established themselves as the best in their field they viciously hold onto their secrets and researchers, or make a point of eliminating those they cannot hold onto.

“Enjoy Getting There”

Dynamic Exacte is your grandfather’s luxury brand. This Swiss brand specializes in the crafting of fine vehicles for the wealthy and important. D.E. has history and prestige on its side. Because of their clientele the focus of D.E. is on safety and comfort. Handling and speed are an added bonus because anyone who rides in a D.E. is not someone who needs to rush. Often used by the elites of society unless their own corporation can manufacture their own transport.

“Programed to be the Best”

Who doesn’t love science? Well maybe the test subjects. But besides them, nobody loves science quite like Inti Equipment. Want the latest gadget to bring on admission? Want the most advanced drones or vehicle upgrades? Inti is the best stuff under the sun. This South American based corp is notorious for spying on the competition. Not always for the secrets the work uncovers, but often just to test if anyone else’s countermeasures are keeping up with their latest innovations.

“The Price of Beauty”

Jio is the elite's source for fashion, jewelry, and the budding art of cybercosmetics. In stiff competition with the more "organic" solutions offered by Seiko, Jio leans the other way entirely. Jio's offerings enhance a person's physical beauty at the cost of their organic components. The biggest faux pas that the wealthy face now is not wearing the same outfit, but the same face as another party goer.

Part of the appeal of the brand's line is their ever evolving fashions. Finding materials to sate the tastes of its customers is a big part of their success. Occasionally, Jio will put out contracts that seek the capture or poaching of rare and dangerous species. These are then transformed (at great expense) into garments and accessories for their clients.

There is no cost too high or price too steep to create beauty according to Jio, and it seems that their extraordinary profits back up that claim.

“Bigger is Better”

The legend of Jester Kenes, the founder of J.K. Arms, dates back nearly 100 years. Jester was, supposedly, a weapons collector and all things that go boom enthusiast. As the Fae rolled across the Americas, his collection was put to the test. He is credited with over seventy kills, including two building sized Warped Goliaths.

After things calmed down, Jester made it his life's work to conquer and claim every piece of American weapons manufacturing infrastructure that was still intact and JK Arms was born. The company created massive factories and leveraged what they already had stockpiled to get ahead of Atlas, Omnia and their other competitors. Due to their simplified weapon designs, the company had no need to utilize ridiculous tech like A.I. This allowed J.K.’s rugged and niche style to lead the charge against the AI.

J.K. Arms wants each and every individual to be able to level the playing field (along with any other type of field) with their arsenal. They also “negotiate” with every major city council to make their weapons available to the people who need them, you know, everyone. In these dangerous days of crime and mayhem who wouldn’t want to be armed.

“Order and Balance”

Kalaban Data is the most commonly used and widely accepted source of information on the Ouroboros and net 2.0. They maintain the newer internet and ensure information is accessible for a price. The most basic and consumer targeted data is still highly accessible, however, wealthy and prominent figures are able to control and purchase sensitive and classified information. More often than not, corporations or Elite subscribers can request material and the information is transferred. To the standard person, that sort of access is priced out of their reach.

The experts at Kalaban often battle the world’s Information Brokers and hackers in order to protect their data investments. If the world found out just what secrets, information, and files were fought over daily; riots and destruction would surely follow. Beyond that they work closely alongside Hou International to safeguard the server network that stores both the Ouroboros and their data warehouse.

Much like the character in an archaic poet's stories, Kalaban is always after the newest information to horde. The drive to accumulate data rules Kalaban’s organization, they are hungry for it beyond what would seem like business interests. Vault would pay highly for the reason why. To Kalaban, there is no piece of information too obscure to not be secured. Balance must be maintained and order protected.

“Everything breaks, Everything except us”

Kraya Biotehnologicheskaya Korporatsiya (Kraya) headquarters in the unflooded portions of Eastern Europe. They operate a network of departments under their umbrella including cybernetics, bio-medical research, and experimental augmentation to name a few. Kraya is an organization that does not advertise its products, instead embracing a secretive and word of mouth driven customer base. This base consists mainly of large corps who establish specialized contracts with Kraya for particular services, facilities, or moral liberties they lack at their own organizations.

The upgrades created by this biotech firm prioritize pushing bodies past their limits, sometimes dangerously so. Adrenal chemical injections, mystic combat stims, and cybernetic pain-editors allow their users to survive and thrive in the most hostile scenarios even at the expense of great stress on their bodies. If you want to push yourself beyond your own boundaries, look no further, because everything breaks except Kraya.

“Worth It”

Mythril Investment is a Dwarven run Corporation, and something of an oddity. Originally set-up as a bases of operations for the Dwarven explorers during the Faetide, the mountain fastnesses of the world soon became the most secure and best accounted for banks. Hidden to all but the cleverest or most trusted individuals these nearly secret hideaways are an excellent way to protect and store a person’s or organization’s wealth. Another benefit to such sturdy security is they can continue their secondary mission. Mythril is an influential organization with a less than secret goal, to find as many of the Dwarven relics on Earth as possible.

The slogan “worth it,” is a very apt moniker. There is no better record of a more accurate, private, or well invested financial operation. The other unusual aspect of Mythril is its values. The president of the company is adamantine firm on his policies of impenetrable discretion and anti-descrimination for all customers and accounts. Some speculate it's a ploy to monopolize banking, others see it as a challenge to the corp status quo. That being said, if you want to begin a large scale business, a loan from Mythril is your first stop.

“Just Buy It”

The formal conglomeration of the world’s largest organizations. Omnia was the emperor of the corps, whether using shell companies in the shadows or overtly via hostile takeovers it was the largest and most dominant monopoly on the planet. Food, arms, textiles, raw materials you name it and Omnia had an owning share. That was before the Faetide.

Omnia has since lost its place at the top to Atlas Industries, and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon. Omnia has been in slow decay, divesting pieces of itself to stay in the game. These pieces find their way into the hands of the other corps and the occasional entrepreneurial startups.

Not to say Omnia isn’t a threat. Being the former emperor does have its perks. Omnia has some of the most advanced arms and armors from the Faetide and AI war. Omnia is trusted, reliable, and organized, if stagnant. There are few mercs who would turn down Omnia gear, even if used or scavenged, you can't go wrong with their stuff.

“We Bring the World to You”

Every show, every game, every movie River has a say. Even the news is the purview of River’s network of coverage and communications. If a signal is sent to your in-home entertainment unit, or a Net 2.0 domain is set-up River sees a cut.

With this hold over media River uses the platform to target Atlas and their position as the world’s largest corp. Their rivalry is tremendous, but even they must cooperate from time to time due to the nature of their monopolies. One might see a “news” program blasting Atlas’ manufacturing practices and as soon as they go to commercial it’s an ad for Atlas’ latest product line.

Of course this media proliferation also includes game shows. Titles like Your Bitz or Your Body is a big hit, but the largest viewership is for the Prosthetically Improved Tournament which pits captured mercs and unproductive employees against armed and armored combatants for big prizes and a chance at freedom. Vault has a long standing agreement with River to exclude mentions of mercs from media publications. This helps immensely with the public image for the organization and anonymity for the mercs themselves.

“Affordable Protection”

If you need protection on a budget, call Round Table. Round Table is the most economical security company with the most expendable guards. Never mind the high turnover and casualty rates their employees suffer. If you encounter these rent-a-cops on a mission you are very likely to succeed. Also whatever you are targeting might be a low value target based on the expense spared. But if you need some token force or to keep pencil pushers in line, Round Table is your go to.

“Immortality”

Founded post AI war, Seiko is run by Yui Seiko, an ambitious young academic who is deeply controlling of her business. The Pharmaceutical business became much more interesting after regulations ceased to hold sway. An industry which had been the target of so much oversight over the decades was now free to experiment with impunity. Seiko and others like it made rapid but costly progress especially with the addition of new species to examine and study, in particular the slow to age Elfkind.

The scale of medicine became staggering, especially with the availability of magical and otherworldly components to increase the potency. The most wealthy can now receive treatments to prolong youthful appearance and longevity. Nevermind that the raw materials for these drugs are donated by unsuspecting peoples looking to earn a quick buck.

“Hold the Sword”

A firm destined to push the limits of weapons and gear. One of the premier companies of the Indian Subcontinent, Talavaar Designs is focused on going beyond the boundaries and pushing the bleeding edge of discovery and innovation. What was once the purview of science fiction and wild conceptual technology is rapidly becoming a reality with sleek designs and groundbreaking research. Talavaar sets themselves apart with expensive and innovative toys.

Some conflict arises between Talavaar and the Dwarven firm Mythril Investments, and the two organizations always seem to sow discord wherever they both have a presence. What those outside of the two organizations do not know is that Talavaar has been secreting away Dwarven relics. These marvels are the basis of their revolutionary work, and they don’t seem very willing to hand them over anytime soon.

“We Grant Wishes”

WFA is the wildest of the mega corps. An organization focused on the rules of the fae courts more than the profits of the human world. WFA is more likely to trade in favors and promises than Bitz, much to the chagrin of their rival corps. WFA produces enchanted items, magical baubles, and the occasional Fae prank or trick. The magical saturation of their North Pole headquarters is so dense that pure iron or silver is not allowed within a mile of the facility. If those substances are present they cause dangerous fluctuations. The other corps are always looking to learn the secrets of magical item creation, however, this magically inclined corp usually has little track with the capitalist nature of the other corps.

WFA is intriguingly not on the council of 5 of any of the mega cities. Their eccentric leader instead chooses to spread their influence in other subtler ways. The other corps will usually do just about anything to gain weapons of legend, mythic charms, or spell powered devices and this leverage seems to be used towards wild and inexplicable ends. No one outside of the fae courts knows much about WFA’s leader or workings, but it has been rumored that a contest may be held soon to find worthy individuals to join WFA’s ranks.