Earth (Defiance) Planetary Profile

*I own nothing. SyFy and Trion Worlds Entertainment owns Defiance.

Name: Earth
Status: Irradiated, Broken, Horribly Terraformed (Forests are Deserts or Barren Wastelands, The Sahara Desert is now a Tundra and we now have volcanic swamps- this planet is fucked up beyond recognition, really)

These are strange times indeed.

How would the people of Earth react to the knowledge of alien life? Would we open them with open arms, or mistrust? War, Negotiation, cooperation or destruction? This isn't exactly a new question, and has been answered in the past-

To mixed results

But this scenario is unique- the aliens are not invaders, but refugees (see above picture to see how we'll react) from a dead solar system, having arrived to this world expecting to make a new home with their terraforming technology, presuming it to have no sapient life on it. These alien races are collectively known as the Votan Collective, and during the opening stages of the 20th century were in an awkward scenario with humanity when they awoke from a 5000 year stasis and saw intelligent life staring back at them in confusion and fear.

Now, on the bright side, things started out pretty good- the Votans were able to gain a seat on the United Nations sometime in 2014, only a year after their surprise visit in the stasis/terraformers known as Arks.

We come in peace!
...
Why the fuck are you all panicking!? We said we come in Peace, you banggo's!

And the Votan were even given a corner of the jungles of Brazil for terraforming purposes- but still millions slumbered in stasis, and humanity was reluctant to offer reprieve for the races, creating tension and riots across the planet before more land was offered to the Votans. This cycle continued for a good deal of time until 2022, when humanity was convinced that they and the Votans could work out a deal. Everything seemed good, aside from the occasional radical thinker cursing out the government- on both sides, of course.

This hopeful future was destroyed however on March 18, 2023, when a "humanity first" advocate and mentally disturbed engineer by the name of John Paul Bullock gunned down the Votan diplomat, a Castithan by the name of Onulu Toruku, to the U.N on live television.

He dead

By April of that year, negotiations are gone entirely and war has erupted. Thus began what would be called a few short years later as the Pale Wars and would doom this planet. Humans and Votans fought one another, with the few refuges of peace like Yosemite ( a city that had existed around the time of the Votan Collective arrived that allowed both human and votan to live with each other comfortably) were burnt and bombed to the ground. Order and peace wqs gone, and everything continued to go to shit as the UN unveiled a race of genetically engineered super-soldiers they'd had hidden exactly for this since they first heard of the incoming fleet, while the Votans used superior technology (weapons and chemical) to force a terrifying slippery stalemate.

The worst happened on January 5, 2030, when the fleet of Arks in orbit around Earth exploded without warning (the causes are still debated fiercely to this day). Remnants of the ships smashed across the planet, reshaping the surface- the Himalayas were destroyed, France, Switzerland and Germany were struck with thousands, if not millions, of tons of cryogenic materials and Germany became a Catachan-esque hellhole of a jungle (with some ice on the utter edges) and, I shit thee not, Antarctica is a Tropical paradise chain of islands.

Jon, your thoughts on this?
ECH
Thank you Jon.

But those are aesthetic changes, all things considered compared to the fact of Earth now having a new atmosphere- yes, the devastation was so intense it added something new to our planets chemistry, and a particularly nasty effect at that. You see, the upper atmosphere got pretty fucked up with that amount of destruction, warping it. Now, airplanes are a thing of the past, due to the vicious levels of radiation and pure waves of weird energy that are up there, which also makes global communication via satellites impossible- now humanity uses radio towers as a kind of telegraph system to communicate with each other, and certainly not on a global level.

Now it is the year 2047 and the Pale Wars are over, and so is civilization as both factions, human and alien, once knew it as. Raiders and rouge soldiers roam the outskirts of the world while new governments and factions try to rise amongst the chaos and make a new utopia.

And gain the utopia of the small independent city of Defiance, while ignoring the horrors far, far away from the Americas.

Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to a planet that is not like the one we once knew.

The State of Countries, Cities and The World in General (Geography)

See here for the map of the continental United States- also, as a note, never, EVER go to Florida. That's where all the shit went down during the Pale Wars and is essentially as radioactive as Chernobyl with a good side of fucked up mutations everywhere- radiation and terraformed induced.

Canada

Oh, Canada...

In the wake of Arkfall, travel across North America was severely hampered by the chaotic micro-climates that engulfed the middle of the continent. Rather than attempt to cross the deadly Storm Divide, some people opted to go north, hoping that travel across the once picturesque Canadian landscape would prove more pleasant. What they found there was even worse. An improbable alliance of former Biomen and Gulanee soldiers have overrun the city of Vancouver and declared British Columbia to be their own personal empire.

Brute Muscle made in a jar and Energy beings in robot suits.

WHAT AN OBVIOUS ALLIANCE!

The ravaged provinces of Ontario and Quebec are a lawless frontier where raiders and highwaymen prowl the broken roads between fortress towns too proud to bend the knee to the Earth Republic and explorers quickly learned to avoid the Northwest Territories, where giant mutated beasts stalk the terraformed landscape. On a happier note, Central Canada is also home to one of the most pristine recreations of a Votan ecosystem, outside of the Sulos colony- although the natives aren't exactly friendly.

A region of Indogene crystal-rock formations stretches from Alberta to Saskatchewan – dubbed the Canadian Desert. No animal can survive in this brittle and desolate region, save for a few dangerous species of alien creatures indigenous to the planet Daribo in the Votanis System, one of the nastier worlds from the old system.  Upon hearing about these wonders, Indogene scientists made a pilgrimage to see it for themselves. They discovered a crashed Ark near the ruins of Edmonton, and went in to explore.

 No one knows what they found inside that ship, but the Indogenes immediately erected a barrier around it, threatening to kill anyone who came within miles of their find. These rogue Indogenes have been working around the clock on the ship ever since. For what purpose, no one knows.

The Bay Area 

In recent years, the Bay Area has become a hotbed of violent activity. Arkfalls are so frequent that an entire outlaw industry has cropped up around them – Ark Hunting. Every mercenary worth their salt has come to San Francisco willing to risk everything for that one big payday. Mayor Ara Shondu struggles to keep the peace, while criminals such as Varus Soleptor and weapons manufacturers like Karl Von Bach seek to reap the windfall. And Nim Shondu, Ara's brother, works in secret to advance his own shadowy goals. Once the crown jewel of Northern California, Marin County has now become a dangerous and chaotic new world. A few old world monuments such as Coit Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge remain standing. Also still intact is the Palace of Fine Arts, now known as Fort Defiance – site of the famous battle that spawned the Defiance movement. This movement offers hope for the future – hope that humans and Votans may one day be able to work together.

The Storm Divide

The Storm Divide is a broad term for the huge swath of land between the Rockies and the Mississippi River – the center of what was once the United States of America that terraforming has altered beyond all recognition. These changes have resulted in perpetually nasty weather patterns – everything from freak storms and blizzards to earthquakes and razor rain (shards of metal/crystal that rip through anything but the hardier of materials in their path, and are a somewhat common global weather phenomena). Pockets of civilization still exist, but the harsh conditions forced most sane people to flee, leaving a sparse collection of criminals and hermits. Bizarre and horrific creatures stalk the land. Many areas remain unexplored. Those brave enough to venture here (or who are forced to by circumstance) will find ghost towns populated by the strange and often deadly byproducts of Arkfall. It’s a warning to the survivors of the Pale Wars of what their hubris actually cost.

Key Diego

Key Diego is the name of an archipelago which is all that remains of Southern California. It extends from the Los Angeles Islands in the west to Yuma in the east. When terraforming ripped away a large portion of California and Arizona, most sane people fled for good. In the years that followed, a less savory brand of resident moved in – the businessman. Los Angeles and Yuma are sister cities and have a symbiotic relationship. Los Angeles is a free port and trade hub, run by the nine Great Trading Houses. Some are legitimate, some nothing more than criminal cartels. Business reigns supreme, and humans and Votans alike are welcome.

Yuma is the gateway to the east, situated on the Colorado River delta – a point of origin for many land and river based trade routes through North America. From here, passage can be booked east by land coach across the Storm Divide, or north by river to Vegas Prison. Yuma is a natural endpoint for the Earth Republic's proposed maglev line (continental bullet-train line), giving it incredible strategic value. Because of this, many Votanis Collective and Earth Republic spies are working here in secret, trying to curry favor with the Greater Houses. Of course, the Houses care little for their politics... all they care about is the color of your scrip (money).

Sulos (South America)

Sulos was the original patch of land granted to the Votans several years after their arrival.

This was their promised land – the first true plot of soil that they could call their own. It was hard going at first, as the new immigrants frequently clashed with the indigenous people. Cultural misunderstandings between humans and aliens made peaceful assimilation difficult. The Votans used their terraforming technology to convert the region into a near-perfect replica of their homeworlds. They invited the local humans to come and see this wonder, and many of those lucky enough to be invited came away with a better understanding of their neighbors. 

Sulos was the first true example of what could happen when humans and Votans made a real effort to understand one another. That is, until the Pale Wars broke out, and the Sulos Colony – afraid that humans would destroy everything they’d built – closed their borders to all but their most trusted human allies. Named for one of the twin stars of the Votanis system, Sulos is a Votan paradise – an example of terraforming gone right on a planet gone terribly wrong. There are immaculate recreations of Irathient savanna's, Sensoth forests, and Indogene crystal caverns.

Sadly no humans can ever see them.

Little is known about the current state of the Sulos colony since they closed their borders, which is just how the Votanis Collective likes it. They consider themselves the last bastion of pure Votan culture on Earth. Still, it's possible that one day the rest of the world might see this beauty for itself. It's rumored that the Votanis Collective has plans for massive expansion. Every year, their borders push further and further north, suggesting some truth to the rumors...

Germany

Krieg und Tod Ewiger

When the Pale Wars broke out in Europe, many hoped that humans would put aside their differences and band together for a common cause. But as history has taught us, this is not often the case. The countries of the European Union fractured, creating a multitude of factions, each with their own agenda. When terraforming swept through the continent, Germany saw some of the most radical changes. The Arks that crashed here carried samples of some of the most bizarre and rare Votan plant life, transforming Germany into an alien rain forest, improbably dotted with castles as well as modern skyscrapers. 

Pretty, minus the plants that will devour you alive!

Worse, some of the plants are predatory, and stalk those who wander into their home. Despite these Lovecraftian horrors, the old factions remain. Human warlords continue to fight for their causes – some good, some bad, some long forgotten. Travelers are advised to avoid the country entirely. Here, it’s as if the Pale Wars never ended.

United Kingdom

May the sun never set on Great Britain and her children.

The Pale Wars took a terrible toll on Europe, ravaging the mainland and introducing a host of horrors. But even after years of fighting and the sweeping changes brought on by terraforming, the UK remained largely unscathed. However, all communications were severed – phone lines, internet, even radio- blocked by radiation in the atmosphere. Some saw this as a blessing.

 Being a series of islands, these countries were easier to defend from outside threats. Walls, guard towers, and automated artillery were installed all along the borders of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The United Kingdom is relatively safe from the outside world. Of course, they’re also cut off from friends and loved ones.

Some citizens believe ignorance is bliss, and are content to live under martial law, carrying out their lives much as their parents did during the Second World War- minus the threats of bombing or anything that really justified martial law in Britain during their parents life. Of course, not everyone (read- anyone with half a brain... which is sadly little, due to the government) is happy with this isolationist stance. There are those within the UK who want to launch an attack to take back Europe. But the war to sway the ruling party is a cold one. The ruling party will not tolerate dissent, and quells these dissidents with an iron fist.

Hmm, that sounds familiar...

And so the rebels work in secret – launching raids to the mainland, smuggling supplies, and currying favor in the halls of power, greasing the wheels of the political machine in hopes that one day it will be forced to take a stand, and helping this one very strange anomaly that makes residents of the U.K. quite wary and curious about the outside world. In 2035, a giant energy bubble appeared in Scotland overnight, covering a sixteen mile radius centered over Stirling Castle. No one knows who created this barrier or why, but that isn't the question that keeps everyone up at night. Oh no, there's plenty of theories or answer to that, but not t the real question is one nobody has a conclusive answer to – was the barrier erected to keep them out, or to keep something else in?

France and surrounding countries

When Arkfall ended the Pale Wars, thousands of ships in orbit crashed to the surface, transforming the planet forever. One of the largest crashed in the Rhone valley, unleashing its cryogenic energy across France and portions of Italy and Switzerland. In mere days, most of the countries were transformed into a frozen tundra, but it was far from a wasteland – many of the country's greatest landmarks remain, perfectly preserved in crystalline ice- Notre Dame cathedral, Mont Saint-Michel, countless vineyards and villages, all now encased in ice. The survivors faced a bleak and difficult struggle, but it was nothing compared to the danger that emerged from that downed Ark.

An army of Scrappers rose up: intelligent robots cobbled together from the remnants of the crashed ship, who built hordes of allies from the bits of technology they found buried in the ice. They are controlled by the AI from the fallen Ark, a malevolent force whose programming has gone badly awry.

There are no strings on me.

Oh Hi, Doggie

Pragmatic to a fault, the Scrappers have kept the civilian population alive – to work as slaves, carrying out the ark-brain’s wishes. In recent years, a resistance has formed – brave men and women intent on driving out these aggressors and returning their country to its former beauty.

History has a funny tendency to repeat itself, doesn't it?

The rest of the world, like Asia, are in unknown condition- although due to the fact the explosions of the Arks were first reported in Asian countries, I imagine its safe to say it has been terraformed to insane and improbable degrees, with a lot of alien technology and awakened Votan survivors trying to figure out what the FUCK just happened. 

And Australia is still Australia- but now with Platypus-Koala Bears and Crocodile Sharks. No biggie.


So yeah, kind of a shitty planet- let's see who's on it, shall we?

===THIRD PARTY FACTIONS===

Earth Republic

Terra operi

The Earth Republic (more commonly known as E-Rep) is the last bastion of human government on the planet- excluding the UK, but they're more isolated than North Korea (which may or may not even still exist), so they don't count.

The Earth Republic is made from the fragments of the former Earth Military Coalition, formed shortly into the year 2030 and, to be honest, is a pretty damn nice government and hold a very frim grip on a nice deal of North America.

Although British Columbia is still a bitch and a half, as is the Storm Divide which they only loosely hold control over.

They are an arrogant lot however, seeing as the entire planet under their jurisdiction and although they welcome both human and Votan into their society, Votans are more than a bit uncomfortable around these people. The government is very reminiscent of the American constitution and all that entails, and is based primarily in Columbia.

Also, they're one of the few remaining forces on the planet with a proper airforce, utilizing military helicopters and, more impressively, Stratocarriers- essentially a Hellicarrier from Marvel, it uses anti-gravity technology to float above the Earth (but not into the upper atmosphere- that shit be scary). It also comes with built-in drop pods. These impressive ships however are currently in very low numbers, with only three currently known to be actually built/in-action.

Looks cool tho.

They're on an armistice with the Votanis Collective, and the relationship between the two isn't too dissimilar to Russia and the United States during the Cold War- polite, but wondering how they can fuck the other one over somehow.

Votanis Collective

When Heaven falls to Earth, peace shall reign.

The other major political power on the block, the Votanis Collective is the remnants of known society from the Votan system. Based in Sulos, South America, the Votanis Collective is comprised of the following races-

• Castithan- An alien race with a very elaborate caste system, they resemble on the outside a human but exceptionally paler and have a greater sense of smell than humans- also, they can interbreed with humans. They are a Male-dominated society, use sex freely and see bathing as a very public family thing, and are confused on why humans find that weird.
• Irathient- The most common alien on Earth, they are a highly athletic and competitive species resembling humans but with flat nasal bridges and a more red-based color scheme. They can interbreed with humans- with some medical assistance. They are very well attuned to nature and have a tribal life style.
• Indogene- human looking, naturally bald with white (like snow) skin with hexagonal patterns across their body and have countless technological implants hidden throughout their body depending on their role in society. They treat science to the point of obsession (if you don't believe in science, you're an atheist to them) and see themselves as the superior race- they also feel awkward around humans.
• Liberata- A stout species that breathes nitrogen and can be poisoned by oxygen, they're a slave servant caste to the Castithans and Indogenes. They're surprisingly okay with this, seeing it as the proper punishment for their ancestors crimes.
• Sensoth- Large, very long living Sloth-like creatures, they are a very simple people and think/plan in the very long terms. They, like the Liberata, are a servant caste, typically of the Castithan as slaves for a variety of reasons.
• Gulanee- a race of energy beings, they cannot exist in any atmosphere outside their homeworlds and as a result walk everywhere in large robotic suits. They helped provide a lot of resources and scientific knowledge for the Votan and now just kind of do... whatever.

They are comprised of millions of Votans with a rather significant army, and are ruled by a Parliament comprised of Castithan, Indogene and Irathient senators, and (maybe) some of the other species. They're currently expanding throughout South and Central America and are eyeing the Northern part of the continent rather greedily. Right now they're in an armistice with the E-Rep, but it's a very fragile one.

Shkathe'Nado (Dark Matter)

Umya ksa Myunda, Usha ksa Myunda!
(Not Now, Not Ever!)

Dark Matter was, until quite recently, an elite division of the Ekaru Kome- the Votan equivalent to Spetsnaz and the most deadly soldiers the Collective had to offer. In the year 2030, that faction dissolved after the Battle of Defiance (the new Yosemite, in a way- but more tense), with a majority throwing aside their weapons to live comfortable lives while the VotCol and E-Rep entered a tense state of peace.

Some soldiers however did not care for such things as peace, seeing themselves as the greatest pinnacles of life there was. They cut off all ties to the Votan Collective and became the infamous terrorist group of Shkathe'Nado- Dark Matter.

All of their members come outfitted with an EGO (Environmental Guardian Online) implant to keep track of their movements and protect them all forms of danger, ranging from radiation to poison and allow them to interface with any kind of technology (like A.I's), and typically have cloaking devices to attack and disappear. Couple that with the hoards of high end Votan weaponry and vehicles

The last one is a Monolith- an alien robot that can triple as a mining machine, a heavy tank or a gunship.

and a Teleportation network at their disposal, and they're one of the most dangerous factions on the planet, with high agents in the Votan Collective- including one of the premier councilman of the Votan Parliament, Starrein.

A Dark Matter soldier coming from a Transport Beacon.

They see no problem with allying with detestable groups to see their goals through (they aligned themselves with Raiders in the past) or taking ballsy moves (attacking a Scrapper 'hive' directly to access' it's core), and they will do anything to achieve victory or spread chaos.

Ignore them at your own caution.

Von Bach Industries

Hey look, the motto is already there! How convenient!

Von Bach Industries- the most prestigious and influential organization on the planet, they have a rather shady history. Created sometime in 2000, the VBI initially had a few satellites (very advanced ones however) in orbit and made very nice, if somewhat mundane, technology. That changed when these satellites picked up the Votan fleet incoming to Earth, where they alerted the world governments (in secret, of course) of the incoming fleet. While the governments of the world panicked and made secret alliances and militaries, VBI discretely made sure to be a company that would allow all workers to join them- regardless of species. Utilizing and reverse-engineering technology, they helped supply to the human factions during the Pale Wars- again, secretly.

With the end of the world, the company has never seen better times, exploiting every single last piece of the world they can find, ranging from the effects of new minerals in drugs or weaponry to seeing if skitterling fluids could make for new sports drinks (not true maybe but you get the idea), and they are currently headed by the influential CEO Karl Von Bach, who is currently in an expedition to the Bay Area to exploit new Arkfalls. The company is based in the slowly rebuilding New York City, and they are a very shifty bunch.

Raiders

Malicious, Belligerent, and Cannibalistic

Raiders are exactly what you think they are. The insane remnants of society, these are people who have resorted to brute force and destruction to get what- human or votan. Most raider parties are comprised of a grand menagerie of species (the largest Raider group that almost every raider you'll every raider you'll ever meet in North America belongs to, based in San Franciso and the Storm Divided and expanding to the western seaboard, is lead by a Gulanee named Dy'Dekuso), with the most common being Humans, Biomen, Sensoth and Liberata being the most common of members. Some 'raiders' however, for one reason or another, are much more unique in their groupings and members, like the 99ers, miners with incredibly extensive cybernetic implants and care only for mining- whether that be the excess of rare and valuable minerals or the body parts of their foes.

An entire society of Greed incarnate, that doesn't sleep, eat or care for anything besides harvesting materials.
Ignore them and they'll ignore you. Walk into their mines, and you'll have a drill in your face and soon enough enough implants in you that you'll be going with them.
Lovely people.

The Raiders are the largest faction on the planet, as almost everywhere on the planet has a group like them. They'll be the most annoying of all the foes here, if not dangerous... Well, actually, that's not true...

Hellbugs

Their capacity for adaptation is astounding.

The Hellbugs, scientifically named Scylla Formidica, are a sign of how absolutely FUCKED UP Votan Terraforming technology can be. Want to know what Hellbugs are? A pest like creature that evolved insanely on the Votan world and super-evolved into Tyranids lite? Nope. An ancient species on our own planet brought back by "SCIENCE!!!1"? Nope.

It's a mix between a butterfly and an alien beetle brought on by terraforming technology.

Borne into existence 5 months after the cataclysmic terraforming Arkfall, they were first seen as a terrifying threat by the people of the planet with some organizations, like the EMC (Earth Military Coalition) trying to mind-control the species as a perfect group of soldiers.

This failed spectacularly.

And now the foul species is crossed across the entire planet, living in essentially every biome imaginable. The creatures are like cockroaches in many ways in that they are almost impossible to deal with, and these creatures are on a sliding scale of lethality. In the more civilized parts of the world, the creatures barely have time to set up a hive and are pests (pests the size of dogs, hopefully), and the small amount of hives that do exist are hilariously small, with the Matron and her drones unable to leave and out on the farther edges of the domains of the cities. In the more untamed parts of the world however, where a hive is set up and set up well...

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!

The Hellbug Hives are ruled by a Matron, the central ruler of a Hive- kill her and the swarm becomes docile (eventually), and these creatures have a very simplistic lifecycle- Hellbugs are lain as eggs by the Matron and hatch as Skitterlings. When they consume enough Gulanite they form a cocoon and emerge as either a Warrior, Archer or Monarch. Hellbugs have an annual mating season known as "Svushinnira", or "the rain of pollution.". During this time they are more numerous and much more aggressive and behave more erratically. 

The Queen

Her Guards

Her Soldiers

Her Children

Her Scouts and Archers.

Also, elemental variants of the creatures exist depending on where they live, ranging from individual Hellbugs to entire Hives. The known elemnets they can take after are Acidic, Fire, Electricity and Radioactive. Also, killing a fully set-up hive is harder than it sounds- the creatures are not only incredibly adaptable and able to make new colonies very quickly (2 weeks minimum) but also difficult to dispel, with hives set up near Arkfall wreckage being the most dangerous due to the mobile factory creatures under their possession known as 'Hellions'.

Well, nothing to do here. Bye everyone!

So yeah- these fuckers would eat the Arachnids for breakfast.

===IMPORTANT INDIVIDUALS===

(Lazy? Maybe- but there's no other way I can release this profile- the wiki states everything you could need. I'm sorry!)

Danger Status: 4/5: An upper atmosphere composed of radiation and exotic particles, where mega-corporations exist and rule the wasteland that's always getting worse or torn apart by storms of razor sharp materials, with ineffective governments trying to take control of the ruined remnants of the world and kill each other over falling remnants of alien technology- and that's just the United States! Just stay away from this world if you have the chanc-

Oh wait, you don't have a choice in the matter anyways.

HA!

Actually, no, I think I know a better song for this.

There we go.