01-24-2014, 08:03 AM
A pastebin I found on 4chan's thread of ACV/VD
Fluffy fluff lore stuff. Purty cool.
Fluffy fluff lore stuff. Purty cool.
Armored Core V/Verdict Day side material.
Intro:
All this information comes from the Facebook Armored Core Page, and The Armored Core general on 4 Chan's /vg/
Take any information posted on here with your own discretion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction from Facebook:
PROLOGUE:
The world has been fragmented apart by three rival superpowers, with small-skirmishes spread out across multiple fronts.
Mercenaries, once the shining stars of the war, were shunted to the side, mistrusted for their lack of loyalty as the battle grew to gigantic proportions.
Rescued from annihilation, the world slowly began to rebuild over time.
However, if anything, the fighting had only grown fiercer.
it was the eve of what would come to be known as the Verdict War.
WHAT IS VERDICT WAR?
3 factions clash for World dominance in ACVD in a conflict known as Verdict War.
Players form team and align themselves with one of the major factions to do battle with the other factions’ teams and lead their faction to victory.
The war unfolds on a seasonal basis. Each season ends when one faction remains, or after a set amount of time passed.
Faction affiliation is determined seasonally. Each team selects their desired faction at the start of each season. This affiliation cannot be changed mid-season.
A season’s length may be changed depending on conditions online. The ending date and time of ongoing seasons are announced when the game is started.
THE THREE FORCES
The world struggles to recover from the verge of extinction. Three armed factions vie for control over the ravaged landscape with military might. The factions build their territories around the Towers, structures left behind from the Last Age that still dot the globe. Their desire to expand territory has led to constant conflict.
Sirius Corporation:
initially formed in a merger of small colonies based in so-called “habitable areas”, pockets of land that escaped total destruction. The former organization MoH is said to have been key among the faction’s early constituents. Ample resources enabled a comparatively swift recovery and commensurate expansion, leading to repeated, violent clashes with Venide. With the rise of EGF, that tension has developed into a three-way deadlock.
Venide:
United under autocratic rule, the faction spread its influence by absorbing nearly habitable areas by force.
It is characterized by a strictly hierarchical, quasi-feudal social system, and is known as the most bellicose of the Three Forces. Venide has long history of friction with Sirius due to their similar size, but the recent ascent of EGF has sent that rivalry expand into a three-way standoff.
EGF:
Officially called the Evergreen Family, this collective emerged from the worst-ravaged areas of the world, and remains the least populous of the three-forces. Nevertheless, its peoples’ high degree of adaptability has seen them flourish despite harsh surroundings, and they have been exceptionally proactive in their research of Last Age ruins, including the Towers.
Though they had a later start than the other Forces, their formidable technological mastery has earned them essentially equal standing with their rivals. A formerly nomadic people known as the Cendrillon are said to have been central to EGF’s recovery, and the faction’s present leader is said to be descended from that tribe.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previously on Armored Core V...(Also from Facebook.):
Story Mode:
Generations ago, there was a place known as "The City" in the North Frontier. Don Tyrell, the sole dictator of The City referred to himself as "Father" and enforced a strict apartheid. This was likely the only way to survive in the extreme contamination surrounding them, but it was also a heartless move that came at an enormous cost. The oppressed people went underground, and under the direction of the Representative's former right hand man Jack Batty, formed a resistance to rebel against Tyrell's tyranny.
The resistance, having gathered enough strength, finally set forth to up-heave the tyranny of Father. That which would later be known as the "First Rebellion", ended in an utter defeat for the resistance. The City had already caught word of their plans, and in addition to the City Police, hired a private military contractor known as "The Corporation". They waited, and they prepared. Jack Batty, who took to the front lines in his own Armored Core, was taken down by one of the commanders of The Corporation, known simply as "Chief". The battle left the resistance completely destroyed. However, Jack's loss was not for nothing. His daughter, Francis Batty Curtis, was able to survive the battle. This kept the resistance together, barely.
One year later, Francis continued her father's legacy and became the new leader of the resistance. With her aide Leon, cooperative migrants, and Rosary, she prepared for the final battle. And so the "Second Rebellion" began.
The resistance, facing an insurmountable military force, decided to use guerrilla tactics and attack Father directly. It was a two step plan that used Armored Cores as a diversion, and foot soldiers attacked Father's base directly. The resistance hired a man known as "The Mercenary", and with his help, they swiftly came to the brink of victory. However, as soon as they had captured Father, they were hit by a massive indiscriminate attack by the Corporation.
Francis and her team decided to escape from the chaos of the crumbling city. The Corporation gave chase. At the end of the fierce battle that took place, the Mercenary destroyed the Corporation Chief's mech and escaped to the contaminated outlands with Francis and Rosary.
Now the remains of "The City" are known as Alloy Gate City.
It still barely retains its shape, and the tower, that was once the base for the Father, shows the scars of the fierce battle it saw.
Order Missions:
Two years have passed since the second rebellion. Frances and Rosary once again return to the outskirts of the City and begin skirmishes with the remnants of the City Police and other migrants for supplies. Many ACs seeking to make a name for themselves wished to defeat the legendary Mercenary that survived the second rebellion. This made the confusion amongst factions even more severe.
In the middle of all the different factions fighting, Frances and her team are attacked by a migrant organization know as the "Men of Honor". A leader of the MoH, Regan Stratford, took charge of the attack. She was the older sister of Rosary, aka Cordelia Stratford.
Regan planned the assassination of Cordelia and also planned to defeat the Mercenary and bring him into the MoH ranks, guaranteeing her position in the MoH. Regan tried to send attack squads in numerous times, but the Mercenary's skills overpowered them every time.
One day the group was attacked by a mysterious AC with insanely high skills in battle. The AC had an emblem with a skeleton and constellation motif to it, and was a member of the "Zodiac", a group that had been attacking everything in their path indiscriminately. The Mercenary was barely able to take it down, but because of this, he was now a target for the Zodiac.
Meanwhile, Regan was still waiting for the opportunity to assassinate Cordelia. However, there was no longer anyone on her side. Finally she sent in her personal bodyguard Oswald to fight the Mercenary. Oswald followed orders, knowing very well that he was no match, and fell in battle. When Regan tried to escape, a Zodiac AC destroyed her getaway helicopter.
With this, the battle between the Zodiac's faction and the Mercenary's faction began. Not being able to avoid the assault from the Zodiac, a great battle raged on. In the end, when the Mercenary destroyed the last Zodiac, the command helicopter self destructed, and the Zodiac was no more...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
World infromation:
Contamination (A.K.A. Kojima):
Around the world, there are areas where the atmosphere contains high levels of dangerous materials. These areas are called the "Contaminated Areas" and primarily have the following attributes:
*It is difficult or impossible for living things to inhabit the Contaminated Areas.
*Areas with lower Contamination concentration can be entered with the proper equipment.
*Strange colored clouds cover the sky, and highly contaminated areas have poor visibility.
The merchants that were once called "Migrants" would sell the supplies they found within the contaminated areas to make a living. However, even they were not able to enter the deepest parts of the contaminated areas. Past civilizations, history, and technologies laid lost and buried under the contaminated skies. The only known exception was the City's dictator, Don Tyrell. He led an expedition into the deepest parts of the contaminated area, and this allowed him to take over the City. No one knows what he saw there.
There are many theories as to why the contamination came to be, but everyone agrees that it is most likely not just one reason. One of the many reasons that is hard to deny is a large world scale war that took place a long time ago. The weapons of this war used an energy that utilized harmful substances that remained long after the war had ended.
After many years, the amount of uninhabitable land has decreased, and with it the lives of the people has changed greatly. Small disputes over land were no longer an issue, but at the same time various factions with differing views rose up and began fighting. Thus humanity entered into a new era of fighting.
Part 2:
Generations ago, most of the world was covered in Contamination, and humanity held on to what little inhabitable land they had left. Eventually, the Contamination began to shrink, and people began to inhabit more land. While fighting over territory and supplies also began to take place, communities that spanned long distances began to appear, and humanity started on the road to recovery.
As the Contaminated areas shrank, and the recovery of humanity continued, people began making organizations. Smaller groups joined and parted until eventually, large organizations formed. Eventually, large organizations formed in each region. Those are Sirius Corporations (North Frontiers), Venide (Mid-continent), and EGF (Far East). However, the various lands where these organizations formed were separated from each other by the Contaminated areas. These organizations did not know of each other.
In later years, when the Contamination reached even further, humans were able to inhabit what was once the deep Contamination zone. Large buildings known as the "Towers" were discovered and the three large organizations found them at about the same time. By investigating the towers, new technologies were gained and humanity began to regain its civility.
As time passed, the Contamination between the Mid-continent and the North Frontiers disappeared, and Sirius and Venide cam into contact with each other. These two equally armed factions began a fierce feud. After many battles, it seemed that Sirius was almost defeated, but suddenly EGF joined in the battle and things changed. The EGF faced against Venide, and Sirius took advantage of the situation. Using this to their advantage they were able to restore their previous power. With this, the three organizations began a war that continues on to this day.
Weapons and technology:
Many generations ago, when the world was covered in Contamination, the facilities and technology to produce most weapons was lost. Because of this, finding remnants of past battles and reusing them was the primary method of procuration.
Many people were impoverished in their day to day needs, and even the dictators and their constituents were lacking supplies. This prevented the proper repair of weapons, as there was no place to create new parts. Under these conditions, pieces of broken Acs were a precious commodity. The merchant migrants that gathered the left over parts from battlefields around the world prospered in these times.
The only exception to this is what is known as "Ultimate Weapons." These special weapons were created to override the AC system and overpower the weapon to great lengths. These weapons ignore the specifications of the AC, and create a large amount of power. Although it is not certain as to how the Ultimate Weapons were able to work, it can be said that these weapons are a miraculous feat, as they should not have been possible.
As the Contamination receded, humanity began to gradually regain its lost technologies and knowledge from old ruins. However, the single discovery that changed everything was the discovery of the "Towers." Scientists and engineers quickly deciphered the information and facilities found in the Towers, and humanity began to regain its technological knowledge. This lead to regaining the ability to produce ACs once again.
Currently, each faction with their own towers each create their own original AC parts, and the recycling of parts is not utilized as much as it used to be. In recent years engineers and scientists have succeeded in the invention of new types of weapons, and humanity has started to regain its superior technological prowess it once held.
The End and the Beginning (Previously in Armored Core 4 and For Answer):
Long ago, the people created a myriad of weapons, and began the battle of the end. The battle engulfed the whole world, and repeated itself without end, to the edges of victory and defeat. New soldiers and weapons were produced endlessly.
Eventually, special machines controlled by exceptional pilots were created and shook that world of endless battle. They held power beyond normal understanding, and covered the world in filth.
The golden era of the chosen few soon came to an end, but even then, those in power had no intention of halting their battles. They gave birth to colossal, grotesque weapons. Continuing to fight savagely against one another, they devastated the world, and covered the world in even more filth. Even then, the fighting did not stop.
And so, the world was contaminated.
The people of the world were divided, and the cowards fled to the skies. Only now had they begun to fear for their lives.
As long as humans continued to be humans, conflict would inevitably be born, and it would escalate, repeating the cycle endlessly. If that were the case, then only destruction awaited the end of that cycle. In order to put an end to that cycle of conflict, the cowards began to search for a way to break free from it.
The artificial intelligence network they created ran through countless scenarios, searching for the answer. However, the cowards could not obtain the answer they sought.
Despairing, they sealed themselves within colossal buildings, and departed for the cosmos.
Leaving behind the filth they had created themselves, the cowards left on a journey that could only be called "endless." They ran away. The poison they had seeded continued to cover the world, and the people without power continued to suffer.
To disguise their deception from the people, the cowards gave a final directive to the artificial intelligence network: to continue the experiments to regenerate the world, and search for the answer it would never find.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faction infromation:
Sirius:
The Sirius Corporation was founded by what was once the migrant federation known as the "Men of Honor." The impetus for their creation was the return of a de facto founding member of the MoH, Cordelia Stratford. This is because Cordelia would eventually become the founder of the Sirius Corporation.
Originally the MoH was a parliamentary styled organization, but since the return of Cordelia, she had complete control. In the following years, she concentrated on increasing the forces of the MoH, and used her negotiation skills to add migrant groups to their cause. This growth continued on into Cordelia's later years.
After Cordelia's death, the Stratford family reorganized and changed the name of the organization to "Sirius." They eventually worked their way down to the South Frontier and joined other similar factions together under their name. The organization then changed its name to "Sirius Corporation," one of the largest organizations in the world.
With the shrinking of the Contamination, Sirius crossed the eastern seas and came into contact with Venide, the leading faction of the Mid-continent region. From then on, the two forces continued fighting each other.
Sirius aims to bring order to the world, a controlled eternal peace. They view the towers as not only a source of power, but an icon that will bring about world peace. The power of the towers should be properly managed, and spread properly to ensure the prosperity of the people. They fight because they believe in this, their "Justice."
Venide:
Venide is an organization which was was born in the Mid-continent, and the founder is Cesar Venide. Venide was created before Sirius and the EGF were founded, and it was as big as the City in the North Frontier. However, with Cesar's return from the towers, the organization underwent a large change.
Upon returning from the towers, Cesar decided to rebuild humanity. To do this he started to gather more forces. This was not done through politics and negotiations. This was done with brute force, beating the weak into submission. Venide believed that "The weak are weeded out, and only the strong may survive in this world." and used military force to spread its influence across the land.
There is a specific incident that shows Venide's true colors. When Cesar was looking to find a successor before his death, he chose one of his officers over his own children. When his children came to him in protest of this, he purged them. This means that his blood is no longer continued in the leadership of the organization. The man who succeeded Cesar received the name of Venide, and he fulfilled Cesar's wishes perfectly. Venide's policy of "Power over all else" is shown not only in the succession of its leaders, but also power is more cherished than blood.
Eventually, as Venide was spreading its influence and greed for power, it met with Sirius from the North Frontier. The two forces repeated fierce battles constantly, and at one point it seemed as though Venide had won. However, the EGF from the Far East joined the fray, and Venide was forced to spread its forces out. This resulted in the 3-way war that continues on to this day.
Venide aims towards a world of the strong. The Towers are a weapon to get to that end, and Venide are the ones chosen to wield its power. They do not hesitate to make that clear to everyone, and it is not a wish, but a mission that they must fulfill.
Part 2:
Venide has a pyramid style structure with the dictator Carlos Venide at the top. The top ranks consist of primarily commander class members, the lower ranks consist of those who don't participate in battle, and the lowest rank are those who are deemed useless and have no strength.
This pyramid style structure with many steps is based upon a merit system that prioritizes those who get results, and has nothing to do with name or pedigree. Because of this, the son of a peasant can become a high commander, and the opposite is just as true. Those who are viewed as useless are dropped to the bottom of society instantly.
The organization is primarily split into two large groups, the military and the internal government. Both of these wings are completely controlled by Carlos, and he has final say on everything. As long as his ok is there, things can move fairly speedy. However, the military group has its own decision making bodies that can sometime be seen disagreeing under the covers. Carlos's son is the leader of the central body of the military, the "Force Integration Unit", but he got there on skill, and not by pedigree.
Ever Green Family (EVAHGREEEEEN!):
After the battle at The City, Francis Batty Curtis, along with Rosary and the others, headed for The Towers. Francis would eventually become the impetus for the EGF.
She lead a group of wanderers that had been belittled and called "Cendrillon" to a place across the seas known as the Far East. It is not clear as to her goals in going there, but what is certain is the fact that the Far East is one of the most Contaminated places in the land. It is not hard to imagine the trials that faced her.
In those lands, she lead the Cendrillon through many hardships, and it was told that she used their "Crossing" abilities to find a new tower in the Far East. Using the knowledge from the tower, then Cendrillon were able to settle into one place and prosper.
However, after that things became uncertain. Some people say that Francis stayed with the Centrillon until death, and some people say she gathered a few close comrades and left as soon as the Cendrillon settled.
The Cendrillon took all of the information and technology in the tower and created the EGF (Evergreen Family). They pray for the eradication of the Contamination and the return of the once green lands to their former beauty. Along the way, Francis had become somewhat of a god-like symbol to them, but whether or not Francis wanted this is uncertain.
In the Frontiers and the Continent, Venide and Sirius were waging a war with each other. However, as the Far East was far away from the two organizations, they did not participate in the war. After the Contamination began to recede, the Far East and the other territories began trading, but eventually it also meant EGF joining in on the war over the towers.
Part 2:
The highest power in the EGF is the "Elders Council." This is just as it sounds, a religious styled "elder" being gathered together to make the decisions for the EGF based primarily on religious motives.
When the EGF went to war with Sirius and Venide, the organizational structure had changed drastically. The biggest change being the induction of the "Wartime Special Forces Unit, which was blessed by the elders, and consisted of 13 of the most powerful leaders. This was expected to be a sort of central command. This new unit split the organization into 7 areas, and placed a leader in each area that reported back to the Special Forces.
The 13 that make up the Special Forces are all great leaders with plenty of experience, selected carefully from the EGF ranks, but the youngest one, Karin L. Murakumo is by far the most popular of them. As she was not only skilled since birth, but also endowed with a great beauty, she was called the saint of the EGF from a young age. Many people think she is prime to become the next elder.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character files (Translated by an anon):
Extra Personnel File: Cordelia Stratford
During the chaotic era of the Pollution, the scavengers known as Migrants, who mostly worked as lone wolves, gradually began to form alliances with one another, working within a loose organization. Among them were the Men of Honor, establishing their own sphere of influence within the borders of The City.
As the daughter of Elizabeth, the founder of the Men of Honor, Cordelia Stratford was gifted with talent, and was made to shoulder the future of the organization from a young age. Unfortunately, this meant that she was caught up in a succession struggle with her two elder sisters, and with Elizabeth aging and growing weaker by the day, internal conflicts began to arise within the organization. The Men of Honor were in danger of dissolution.
In the middle of the conflict, Cordelia suddenly absconded from the organization, her whereabouts unknown. Disgusted by the power struggle around her, it's said that she sought freedom for herself. However, more than that, she may have hated the personal conflict between herself, her mother, and her elder sisters. She may have believed that if she had left, the feud between her family might finally subside. Knowing her usual personality, it might be a hard reason to swallow, but Elizabeth soon restructured the organization to a council system, effectively ending the the succession crisis.
Cordelia changed her name to Rosary, and, without the backing of her family or organization, she began working on her own as a notorious Migrant. She cooperated with The City's Resistance, and after overcoming numerous trials and dangers together, she had gained irreplaceable comrades. You could say that these were her happiest days, leading a simple and carefree life.
After the downfall of The City, Rosary's past caught up with her as she became involved in a new conflict with Regan, who sought to fortify her position as the head of the Men of Honor, as well as the eldest sister Goneril's latest obsession. Caught up in her scheme, Rosary and her comrades left for the Tower, and all contact was lost.
Although there were rumors of her death, she suddenly reemerged as quickly as she had disappeared. Returning to the organization she had cut ties with, and taking on the name she had thrown away before, Cordelia seized the leadership of the organization in the blink of an eye. After revising the council system of the Men of Honor and removing Goneril from power, she installed herself as its autocratic leader, like her mother before her.
Until the day of her death, Cordelia worked tirelessly to expand the organization, driven by an extraordinary fervor, leading to the Sirius Executives of the present day. In addition, she took in several children and thoroughly educated them to become fine leaders in the future, but it is said that she never showed favoritism to any one particular child.
In the era of the Verdict War, she has already passed on. As for what happened to her during her disappearance, it was a secret she took with her to her grave, and so whether she truly managed to reach the Tower, as well as what she witnessed there, remains unknown to this day.
Extra Personnel File: Goneril Stratford
The older sister of Cordelia/Rosary and Regan. Despite her position as the eldest daughter of the family, she did not appear to be especially gifted in comparison to her sisters, and was neglected by her mother Elizabeth, driving her to become recklessly greedy and hellishly persistent. Having inherited her mother's cunning mind, she remained cooperative with Regan after she took control of the Men of Honor after the death of Elizabeth, while solidifying her position within the organization. When Regan clashed with Cordelia, Goneril did not lift a finger to provide assistance to Regan, adopting a "wait-and-see" strategy.
Learning of the existence of a colossal "Tower," she immediately set out a plan to ascertain its usefulness. She contacted Cordelia and coerced her into accepting a request to investigate the Tower, intending to obtain the technology and resources stored within. However, this plan backfired when Cordelia returned from the Tower and quickly seized control of the Men of Honor from Goneril. It is said that her final moments were quite pathetic.
Extra Personnel File: Cesar Venide
Around the same time "Father," Don Tyrell, established The City in the North Frontier, a man named Cesar Venide founded an organization known as "Venide" in an inhabitable portion of Mid-Continent. Like Father's City, Venide was created on the belief that in order to ensure the survival of the human race, complete control was needed. Amazingly, these two societies had been built at the same time sharing the same ideal.
Monitoring and dictating every facet of life, Cesar ruthlessly crushed any and all rebellions within his organization. His cold and practical approach paid off, and as the Pollution began to subside, Venide expanded into surrounding areas, growing larger. Cesar was a despot and a tyrant who killed countless people, however, if not for his rule, Venide would not enjoy its prosperity today.
On his deathbed, Cesar left behind some cryptic words:
"When there comes a time a rebel threatens Venide, it will assume the form of a dark raven."
Extra Personnel File: Frances Batty Curtis
The leader of the Resistance within The City, her life is full of many mysteries. Her father, Jack Batty, was the original founder of the Resistance, leading them against the "Father" who controlled The City, and who had once been a comrade to Jack. In order to survive the polluted world, they had been part of a group of bandits. Frances was born to one of the members there, and does not share a blood relation to Jack. Her real parents were killed when they were caught up in one of the many battles between Migrants, and she was adopted soon afterwards, spending ten years under his care.
She survived the fierce battle within The City, and escaped its ruins with Rosary, working together as mercenaries until they received a request from the Men of Honor, and left to investigate the existence of a massive "Tower."
What happened to her afterwards is unknown.
She became the leader of a wandering group known as the Cendrillion. She used their know-how on how to cross through the pollution in order to migrate to the Far East, discovering the Tower there and creating what would eventually become the Ever Green Family. There are many mysteries surrounding her relationship with the Cendrillion and her parting with Rosary, one of her closest comrades, but they have now been buried in time.
As for the mercenary who worked with her, there are no remaining records of their existence.
Extra Personnel File: Magnolia Curtis
Magnolia Curtis was born in an area under EGF control. Growing up without her parents, she was instead raised by her grandmother. Although she did not know what had become of her parents, as a precocious child, she did not dare ask about their whereabouts from the elderly woman who was raising her by herself. When her grandmother passed away, Magnolia joined the military in order to survive. With the conflict with Sirius and Venide escalating, the EGF accepted her into the army simply because they were short-handed, but for her, it was from that moment that her future had been set in stone.
She displayed exceptional talent as a soldier, and quickly climbed the ranks to become an AC pilot. She had become an unstoppable threat on the battlefield, but after a while, she began to ignore strategies and caused problems. This was because she had grown bored; no matter how difficult the mission, it could not hold her interest any longer.
However, from time-to-time, she faced those who could make her blood boil. They were known as mercenaries, the stray dogs of the battlefield. Although most of them were no match for her, she greatly admired the way they lived without consideration for danger, fighting only for the sake of the reward. It was a life that seemed radiant and dazzling to her.
In a battle against one such mercenary, she encountered a Storker.
"You've got to live and die by your own rules."
His words left a deep impact on Magnolia, and she soon left the EGF in order to choose the life of a mercenary; to live and die as she pleased.
Storks
Also known as divers, this group specialized in infiltrating the deepest areas of the Pollution that even the most notorious Migrants steered clear from. Their primary job was to rescue survivors within the areas of the Pollution. The group takes its name from Stork, the leader, and consists of Stork himself and only a few other companions. In addition, its members were originally part of a nomadic tribe known as the Cendrillion. Their skills in breaching the Pollution originated from the Cendrillion's knowledge of "crossing."
In order to hire the Storks, money was necessary, of course, but that alone was not enough. They worked only for those they accepted as a "man worthy of trust." Crossing was a very risky and unstable method, and they saw no point in risking their lives if there was no mutual trust between them and their client, and so lent their aid only to those they judged as being trustworthy.
As a result of severe exposure to the Pollution, many of its members suffered from physical disabilities and poor health. They lived knowing that they could die at any moment. However, perhaps because of that fact, their skills and expertise can be said to have been phenomenal. It is said that their creed was to "live by your own rules."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armored Core V side story Forgotten Day:
Side Story - Forgotten Day I: Troublemaker
Fran and Rosary, and the mercenary who accompanied them, had overcome their struggles against Zodiac and the Men of Honor. However, it was not long before they were once again attacked by an unknown group of armed forces. After destroying the enemy squad, they received a hail from its captain, who had pulled back from the battle.
Captain: "You're just as good as I'd heard."
Captain: "Our leader wishes to speak to you."
The captain warned them that if they refused to meet with the leader, their forces would attack them again and again, irregardless of how strong they were. Reluctantly, they agreed to speak with the leader. As if suspecting something, a dark look was cast over Rosary's expression.
The leader behind the raid was Goneril Stratford, Rosary's -- Cordelia Stratford's older sister. Praising the strength of their mercenary, she approached them with a request: to investigate the existence of an "unidentified colossal structure" deep within the Polluted area. Later dubbed the "Tower," it had existed only in rumors, as few had seen it or even believed in its existence.
Goneril: "I want to know more about that tower."
Goneril: "You understand, right? No matter what, I want to know."
Rosary: "You haven't changed a bit."
Rosary: "Always pretending to be so calm. But when you find something that you want, you never give up on it."
Rosary: "No matter what you have to do."
Goneril: "Oh, I don't intend to pick a fight with your friends, Cordelia."
Goneril: "Especially not with that mercenary of yours. He's quite frightening."
Goneril: "But I won't give up. I'll never give up."
Goneril: "So I'll ask you until you agree."
Goneril: "Again and again and again..."
Coerced into accepting Goneril's request, they left on a journey, guided by a man under the Men of Honor's protection, who claimed to have seen the Tower. His body was left in a half-crippled state, and he gave his name only as "Isaac."
Side Story - Forgotten Day II: Deep Diver
In order to find a viable route to the Tower, the group decided to gather information from their surroundings. Along the way, they were involved in many clashes, and by circumstances, they saved the life of a single Migrant. He introduced himself as Edgar Stork, a "diver," and revealed that it was he who had retrieved Isaac from the Polluted area and saved his life. Stork was the leader of a group of divers known as the Storks, who specialized in breaching the deepest areas of the Pollution.
Stork agreed to help out the group, and related to them the story of how he rescued Isaac.
Stork: "His hometown was probably swallowed up by the Pollution, y'know, the usual story."
Stork: "Back when I picked him up, he was a little better off than he is now, so he and I got to talk a little."
Stork: "He left his little ghost town and started wandering."
Stork: "But no matter where he went, everyone was already dead."
Stork: "He was in a state of shock, and while he was meandering around, he came upon that huge tower."
Stork: "Bigger than anything he had ever seen, there was an enormous shadow floating in the middle of the Pollution."
Fran: "What about you? Were you there as well?"
Stork: "Naw. When I picked that guy up, I didn't see anything like that."
Rosary: "And then you handed him over to Goneril?"
Stork: "Well, when you go around saving people as a hobby, ain't it natural to get a little reward?"
Rosary: "Of course. Because he was a surviving witness, his information could be sold at a high price."
Stork: "Got a problem that? Well, it ended up being much higher than I expected, hahahahahaha!"
Having taken interest in the mercenary's fearsome reputation, Stork agreed to be their guide through the deep areas of the Pollution. What lied ahead of them, no one could have known.
Side Story - Forgotten Day III: Just between you and me
As the group traveled through the Contamination, they came upon the ruins of a strange facility. Deep within the Contaminated Area, they sometimes saw facilities that resembled the place where Fran and her group had once encountered a colossal machine. As Rosary joked that she could make a lot of gold by selling the things she found here, they continued on their way -- when suddenly, they were bombarded from afar. Destroying countless autonomous arms that approached from the outskirts of the facility, the mercenary reached the enemy behind the attack.
It was an enemy they had encountered before, during the battle of The City: an AC using the same parts and emblem of "Chief" stood before them once again. From their communication device, they heard the voice of a woman they recognized.
Carol: "You all are failed experiments."
Carol: "If you intend to go to that Tower, then I advise you to stop. You will surely regret it."
Carol: "You do not understand what you are doing."
Carol "Although it's impossible for you all to understand."
Chief: "Oh, let's not spoil the moment with complex stuff like that, Carol."
Chief: "It's been a while, but let's have some fun, shall we? Hahahahahaha!"
Yet another battle between ACs -- in its midst, Isaac, who had been as silent as a corpse until then, suddenly responded to the woman's voice.
Isaac: "Who are you people...?"
Carol: "Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question."
Isaac: "I need to know... what are you..."
Isaac: "What are we...?"
Carol: "What would you do if you knew? I do not understand."
The Chief pulled back, retreating from the battle.
Rosary: "What's going on? Why is that guy still..."
Fran: "...I think, that those two..."
Fran: "I think they might be something beyond human beings..."
Fran: "Something that's been watching over us, for a long, long time..."
Side Story - Forgotten Day IV: Crimson
The grouped traveled further into the Contamination. Finding an area where the Contamination was relatively thinner, they stopped to take a break. According to Stork, it was not long before they reached the point where he had found Isaac.
Stork: "We better not hang around here for too long."
Stork: "Lately, there's been some strange guys lurking around this place."
Fran: "In a place like this?"
Stork: "Yeah. I dunno what they're up to, but they've been attacking anyone passing through here."
As soon as those words left his mouth, they suddenly came under attack. The mercenary engaged an unidentified enemy squad, destroying an AC that appeared to be their leader. That AC had a crimson emblem affixed that read "Venide."
Rosary: "Look at that emblem. Venide...?"
Stork: "Never heard of it."
Isaac: "...they came from the other side of the sea."
Fran: "You know them?"
Isaac: "There were times when the Contamination would suddenly thin out... these guys came here at that time..."
Issac: "From the sea... from the continent on the other side..."
Rosary: "But why? Why would they come here?"
Isaac: "...maybe they're after the Tower, too..."
As the group continued, another Venide squad appeared before them. Although the unit was few in number, each of them was a force to be reckoned with. Somehow, the mercenary managed to repel their attack. A single helicopter approached, deploying a lone AC; however, it appeared the AC did not intend to fight.
???: "I wish to speak to you, powerful warrior of a foreign nation."
Stork: "Is it a custom of yours to attack people when you're introducing yourself?"
???: "I am on a mission. I will kill anyone that stands in my way."
???: "But I admire those with power, like the pilot of that AC. I respect the strong."
Fran: "Are you from Venide?"
???: "Cesar Venide."
Cesar: "I've come from across the sea, to make that Tower mine."
Cesar: "It has what we need to survive."
Cesar: "It is the legacy of a great civilization, from a time before the Contamination."
Fran: "And what if we said we're heading to that Tower as well?"
Cesar: "Only those with power can obtain what they desire in this world."
Cesar: "That is our belief. It's how we live."
Fran: "What a simple way of thinking."
Fran: "We've met a man like you before... a man who was our enemy."
Fran: "He payed no attention to the weak, and stood against us again and again."
Cesar: "I see. Then we are enemies as well."
Cesar took his leave, promising that they would settle this when they met again at the base of the Tower. On his AC, along with the name "Venide," a Crimson Raven decorated his emblem.
Side Story - Forgotten Day V: Isaac
Finally, the group reached the root of the Tower. However, the Contamination there was thicker than anything they had encountered thus far. It was as though the Tower itself was the source of the Contamination.
They faced off against the forces of Venide. Cesar and his AC appeared to be evenly matched with the mercenary. However, as they battle, they were suddenly surrounded by countless copies of Chief's AC.
Carol: "I warned you that you would regret it.":
Carol: "But I knew you would come regardless."
Carol: "Foolish humans."
Cesar: "Was it you that served as our 'benefactor'?"
Cesar: "The one who supported my father when he created our Venide..."
Cesar: "Was it you?"
Fran: "What are you talking about?"
Carol: "Venide is another future that should not have been possible. Just like you all."
Carol: "Regardless, the experiments will continue."
Carol: "That's the duty to which we've been entrusted."
Chief A: "You're just a bit too curious for your own good, Cesar Venide. You should mind your own business."
Chief B: "Now then, I'm gonna make you -and- that AC disappear, Mr. Dark Raven!"
Chief A "Ahhahahahahahahaha!"
Chief B "HahahaHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chief C "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chief D "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chief E "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Calling for a short truce, Cesar and the mercenary engaged the Chief ACs together and emerged victorious, destroying all of the enemy ACs.
Carol: "Why are all of you here?"
Carol: "We were created to protect mankind, and this world."
Carol: "We intend to fulfill that task."
Carol: "We want to save mankind."
Isaac reacted vehemently to her words.
Isaac: "There's no such worth in saving mankind."
Isaac: "Take a look at our world."
Isaac: "If humans were the ones who destroyed this world, then man was a defective creature from the beginning."
Isaac: "You, created by man, -and- your conclusion are also defective."
Carol: "...Isaac, what is your wish?"
Isaac: "I want to prove that humans are flawed, and bring destruction to all."
Isaac: "I will show you that it was a mistake to take me."
Chief: "Interesting!"
Carol: "Sir, you never care, do you?"
Chief: "I want to see the potential of the human race."
Chief: "Even if it ends in their destruction!"
From the base of the tower emerged a huge unidentified weapon.
Carol: "The two Ravens..."
Carol: "You two wield too much power."
Carol: "You bring only chaos."
Carol: "As I thought, you are simply not part of the program."
Cesar and the mercenary battled the unidentified weapon, destroying it completely. From the wreckage dispersed a tremendous amount of hazardous materials. As Fran, Rosary, and the mercenary were about to be caught in the blast, Stork came to their rescue. With the volume of Contamination the destruction of the unidentified weapon released, they could no longer approach the Tower.
This marked the end of the journey.
Isaac was nowhere to be found.
Side Story: Forgotten Day VI - Epilogue
After the battle, having learned of the overseers watching over mankind, Cesar Venide bid farewell to the group, vowing to rebuild humanity.
Frances and Rosary, seeking to counter the threat of man's overseer as well as Cesar Venide, decided to establish their own forces in order to strike back. Frances also some how had an inkling that the man named Isaac, who had disappeared without a trace, would one day return as a new threat.
The two decided to part ways, seeking different methods and ideologies in order to make up for what the other lacked.
Rosary returned to the Men of Honor, once again taking up the name Cordelia, and confronted her sister Goneril, ousting her from power and taking full charge of the organization.
Meanwhile, Frances left for the Far East, along with Stork, who had led the way to the Tower. Although it appeared to be an aimless journey, she was certain of one thing:
The Tower was not the only one of its kind.
If they could find it... no, they -had- to find it. For if they did not...
They could not hope to stand against the man named Isaac.
Intro:
All this information comes from the Facebook Armored Core Page, and The Armored Core general on 4 Chan's /vg/
Take any information posted on here with your own discretion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction from Facebook:
PROLOGUE:
The world has been fragmented apart by three rival superpowers, with small-skirmishes spread out across multiple fronts.
Mercenaries, once the shining stars of the war, were shunted to the side, mistrusted for their lack of loyalty as the battle grew to gigantic proportions.
Rescued from annihilation, the world slowly began to rebuild over time.
However, if anything, the fighting had only grown fiercer.
it was the eve of what would come to be known as the Verdict War.
WHAT IS VERDICT WAR?
3 factions clash for World dominance in ACVD in a conflict known as Verdict War.
Players form team and align themselves with one of the major factions to do battle with the other factions’ teams and lead their faction to victory.
The war unfolds on a seasonal basis. Each season ends when one faction remains, or after a set amount of time passed.
Faction affiliation is determined seasonally. Each team selects their desired faction at the start of each season. This affiliation cannot be changed mid-season.
A season’s length may be changed depending on conditions online. The ending date and time of ongoing seasons are announced when the game is started.
THE THREE FORCES
The world struggles to recover from the verge of extinction. Three armed factions vie for control over the ravaged landscape with military might. The factions build their territories around the Towers, structures left behind from the Last Age that still dot the globe. Their desire to expand territory has led to constant conflict.
Sirius Corporation:
initially formed in a merger of small colonies based in so-called “habitable areas”, pockets of land that escaped total destruction. The former organization MoH is said to have been key among the faction’s early constituents. Ample resources enabled a comparatively swift recovery and commensurate expansion, leading to repeated, violent clashes with Venide. With the rise of EGF, that tension has developed into a three-way deadlock.
Venide:
United under autocratic rule, the faction spread its influence by absorbing nearly habitable areas by force.
It is characterized by a strictly hierarchical, quasi-feudal social system, and is known as the most bellicose of the Three Forces. Venide has long history of friction with Sirius due to their similar size, but the recent ascent of EGF has sent that rivalry expand into a three-way standoff.
EGF:
Officially called the Evergreen Family, this collective emerged from the worst-ravaged areas of the world, and remains the least populous of the three-forces. Nevertheless, its peoples’ high degree of adaptability has seen them flourish despite harsh surroundings, and they have been exceptionally proactive in their research of Last Age ruins, including the Towers.
Though they had a later start than the other Forces, their formidable technological mastery has earned them essentially equal standing with their rivals. A formerly nomadic people known as the Cendrillon are said to have been central to EGF’s recovery, and the faction’s present leader is said to be descended from that tribe.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previously on Armored Core V...(Also from Facebook.):
Story Mode:
Generations ago, there was a place known as "The City" in the North Frontier. Don Tyrell, the sole dictator of The City referred to himself as "Father" and enforced a strict apartheid. This was likely the only way to survive in the extreme contamination surrounding them, but it was also a heartless move that came at an enormous cost. The oppressed people went underground, and under the direction of the Representative's former right hand man Jack Batty, formed a resistance to rebel against Tyrell's tyranny.
The resistance, having gathered enough strength, finally set forth to up-heave the tyranny of Father. That which would later be known as the "First Rebellion", ended in an utter defeat for the resistance. The City had already caught word of their plans, and in addition to the City Police, hired a private military contractor known as "The Corporation". They waited, and they prepared. Jack Batty, who took to the front lines in his own Armored Core, was taken down by one of the commanders of The Corporation, known simply as "Chief". The battle left the resistance completely destroyed. However, Jack's loss was not for nothing. His daughter, Francis Batty Curtis, was able to survive the battle. This kept the resistance together, barely.
One year later, Francis continued her father's legacy and became the new leader of the resistance. With her aide Leon, cooperative migrants, and Rosary, she prepared for the final battle. And so the "Second Rebellion" began.
The resistance, facing an insurmountable military force, decided to use guerrilla tactics and attack Father directly. It was a two step plan that used Armored Cores as a diversion, and foot soldiers attacked Father's base directly. The resistance hired a man known as "The Mercenary", and with his help, they swiftly came to the brink of victory. However, as soon as they had captured Father, they were hit by a massive indiscriminate attack by the Corporation.
Francis and her team decided to escape from the chaos of the crumbling city. The Corporation gave chase. At the end of the fierce battle that took place, the Mercenary destroyed the Corporation Chief's mech and escaped to the contaminated outlands with Francis and Rosary.
Now the remains of "The City" are known as Alloy Gate City.
It still barely retains its shape, and the tower, that was once the base for the Father, shows the scars of the fierce battle it saw.
Order Missions:
Two years have passed since the second rebellion. Frances and Rosary once again return to the outskirts of the City and begin skirmishes with the remnants of the City Police and other migrants for supplies. Many ACs seeking to make a name for themselves wished to defeat the legendary Mercenary that survived the second rebellion. This made the confusion amongst factions even more severe.
In the middle of all the different factions fighting, Frances and her team are attacked by a migrant organization know as the "Men of Honor". A leader of the MoH, Regan Stratford, took charge of the attack. She was the older sister of Rosary, aka Cordelia Stratford.
Regan planned the assassination of Cordelia and also planned to defeat the Mercenary and bring him into the MoH ranks, guaranteeing her position in the MoH. Regan tried to send attack squads in numerous times, but the Mercenary's skills overpowered them every time.
One day the group was attacked by a mysterious AC with insanely high skills in battle. The AC had an emblem with a skeleton and constellation motif to it, and was a member of the "Zodiac", a group that had been attacking everything in their path indiscriminately. The Mercenary was barely able to take it down, but because of this, he was now a target for the Zodiac.
Meanwhile, Regan was still waiting for the opportunity to assassinate Cordelia. However, there was no longer anyone on her side. Finally she sent in her personal bodyguard Oswald to fight the Mercenary. Oswald followed orders, knowing very well that he was no match, and fell in battle. When Regan tried to escape, a Zodiac AC destroyed her getaway helicopter.
With this, the battle between the Zodiac's faction and the Mercenary's faction began. Not being able to avoid the assault from the Zodiac, a great battle raged on. In the end, when the Mercenary destroyed the last Zodiac, the command helicopter self destructed, and the Zodiac was no more...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
World infromation:
Contamination (A.K.A. Kojima):
Around the world, there are areas where the atmosphere contains high levels of dangerous materials. These areas are called the "Contaminated Areas" and primarily have the following attributes:
*It is difficult or impossible for living things to inhabit the Contaminated Areas.
*Areas with lower Contamination concentration can be entered with the proper equipment.
*Strange colored clouds cover the sky, and highly contaminated areas have poor visibility.
The merchants that were once called "Migrants" would sell the supplies they found within the contaminated areas to make a living. However, even they were not able to enter the deepest parts of the contaminated areas. Past civilizations, history, and technologies laid lost and buried under the contaminated skies. The only known exception was the City's dictator, Don Tyrell. He led an expedition into the deepest parts of the contaminated area, and this allowed him to take over the City. No one knows what he saw there.
There are many theories as to why the contamination came to be, but everyone agrees that it is most likely not just one reason. One of the many reasons that is hard to deny is a large world scale war that took place a long time ago. The weapons of this war used an energy that utilized harmful substances that remained long after the war had ended.
After many years, the amount of uninhabitable land has decreased, and with it the lives of the people has changed greatly. Small disputes over land were no longer an issue, but at the same time various factions with differing views rose up and began fighting. Thus humanity entered into a new era of fighting.
Part 2:
Generations ago, most of the world was covered in Contamination, and humanity held on to what little inhabitable land they had left. Eventually, the Contamination began to shrink, and people began to inhabit more land. While fighting over territory and supplies also began to take place, communities that spanned long distances began to appear, and humanity started on the road to recovery.
As the Contaminated areas shrank, and the recovery of humanity continued, people began making organizations. Smaller groups joined and parted until eventually, large organizations formed. Eventually, large organizations formed in each region. Those are Sirius Corporations (North Frontiers), Venide (Mid-continent), and EGF (Far East). However, the various lands where these organizations formed were separated from each other by the Contaminated areas. These organizations did not know of each other.
In later years, when the Contamination reached even further, humans were able to inhabit what was once the deep Contamination zone. Large buildings known as the "Towers" were discovered and the three large organizations found them at about the same time. By investigating the towers, new technologies were gained and humanity began to regain its civility.
As time passed, the Contamination between the Mid-continent and the North Frontiers disappeared, and Sirius and Venide cam into contact with each other. These two equally armed factions began a fierce feud. After many battles, it seemed that Sirius was almost defeated, but suddenly EGF joined in the battle and things changed. The EGF faced against Venide, and Sirius took advantage of the situation. Using this to their advantage they were able to restore their previous power. With this, the three organizations began a war that continues on to this day.
Weapons and technology:
Many generations ago, when the world was covered in Contamination, the facilities and technology to produce most weapons was lost. Because of this, finding remnants of past battles and reusing them was the primary method of procuration.
Many people were impoverished in their day to day needs, and even the dictators and their constituents were lacking supplies. This prevented the proper repair of weapons, as there was no place to create new parts. Under these conditions, pieces of broken Acs were a precious commodity. The merchant migrants that gathered the left over parts from battlefields around the world prospered in these times.
The only exception to this is what is known as "Ultimate Weapons." These special weapons were created to override the AC system and overpower the weapon to great lengths. These weapons ignore the specifications of the AC, and create a large amount of power. Although it is not certain as to how the Ultimate Weapons were able to work, it can be said that these weapons are a miraculous feat, as they should not have been possible.
As the Contamination receded, humanity began to gradually regain its lost technologies and knowledge from old ruins. However, the single discovery that changed everything was the discovery of the "Towers." Scientists and engineers quickly deciphered the information and facilities found in the Towers, and humanity began to regain its technological knowledge. This lead to regaining the ability to produce ACs once again.
Currently, each faction with their own towers each create their own original AC parts, and the recycling of parts is not utilized as much as it used to be. In recent years engineers and scientists have succeeded in the invention of new types of weapons, and humanity has started to regain its superior technological prowess it once held.
The End and the Beginning (Previously in Armored Core 4 and For Answer):
Long ago, the people created a myriad of weapons, and began the battle of the end. The battle engulfed the whole world, and repeated itself without end, to the edges of victory and defeat. New soldiers and weapons were produced endlessly.
Eventually, special machines controlled by exceptional pilots were created and shook that world of endless battle. They held power beyond normal understanding, and covered the world in filth.
The golden era of the chosen few soon came to an end, but even then, those in power had no intention of halting their battles. They gave birth to colossal, grotesque weapons. Continuing to fight savagely against one another, they devastated the world, and covered the world in even more filth. Even then, the fighting did not stop.
And so, the world was contaminated.
The people of the world were divided, and the cowards fled to the skies. Only now had they begun to fear for their lives.
As long as humans continued to be humans, conflict would inevitably be born, and it would escalate, repeating the cycle endlessly. If that were the case, then only destruction awaited the end of that cycle. In order to put an end to that cycle of conflict, the cowards began to search for a way to break free from it.
The artificial intelligence network they created ran through countless scenarios, searching for the answer. However, the cowards could not obtain the answer they sought.
Despairing, they sealed themselves within colossal buildings, and departed for the cosmos.
Leaving behind the filth they had created themselves, the cowards left on a journey that could only be called "endless." They ran away. The poison they had seeded continued to cover the world, and the people without power continued to suffer.
To disguise their deception from the people, the cowards gave a final directive to the artificial intelligence network: to continue the experiments to regenerate the world, and search for the answer it would never find.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faction infromation:
Sirius:
The Sirius Corporation was founded by what was once the migrant federation known as the "Men of Honor." The impetus for their creation was the return of a de facto founding member of the MoH, Cordelia Stratford. This is because Cordelia would eventually become the founder of the Sirius Corporation.
Originally the MoH was a parliamentary styled organization, but since the return of Cordelia, she had complete control. In the following years, she concentrated on increasing the forces of the MoH, and used her negotiation skills to add migrant groups to their cause. This growth continued on into Cordelia's later years.
After Cordelia's death, the Stratford family reorganized and changed the name of the organization to "Sirius." They eventually worked their way down to the South Frontier and joined other similar factions together under their name. The organization then changed its name to "Sirius Corporation," one of the largest organizations in the world.
With the shrinking of the Contamination, Sirius crossed the eastern seas and came into contact with Venide, the leading faction of the Mid-continent region. From then on, the two forces continued fighting each other.
Sirius aims to bring order to the world, a controlled eternal peace. They view the towers as not only a source of power, but an icon that will bring about world peace. The power of the towers should be properly managed, and spread properly to ensure the prosperity of the people. They fight because they believe in this, their "Justice."
Venide:
Venide is an organization which was was born in the Mid-continent, and the founder is Cesar Venide. Venide was created before Sirius and the EGF were founded, and it was as big as the City in the North Frontier. However, with Cesar's return from the towers, the organization underwent a large change.
Upon returning from the towers, Cesar decided to rebuild humanity. To do this he started to gather more forces. This was not done through politics and negotiations. This was done with brute force, beating the weak into submission. Venide believed that "The weak are weeded out, and only the strong may survive in this world." and used military force to spread its influence across the land.
There is a specific incident that shows Venide's true colors. When Cesar was looking to find a successor before his death, he chose one of his officers over his own children. When his children came to him in protest of this, he purged them. This means that his blood is no longer continued in the leadership of the organization. The man who succeeded Cesar received the name of Venide, and he fulfilled Cesar's wishes perfectly. Venide's policy of "Power over all else" is shown not only in the succession of its leaders, but also power is more cherished than blood.
Eventually, as Venide was spreading its influence and greed for power, it met with Sirius from the North Frontier. The two forces repeated fierce battles constantly, and at one point it seemed as though Venide had won. However, the EGF from the Far East joined the fray, and Venide was forced to spread its forces out. This resulted in the 3-way war that continues on to this day.
Venide aims towards a world of the strong. The Towers are a weapon to get to that end, and Venide are the ones chosen to wield its power. They do not hesitate to make that clear to everyone, and it is not a wish, but a mission that they must fulfill.
Part 2:
Venide has a pyramid style structure with the dictator Carlos Venide at the top. The top ranks consist of primarily commander class members, the lower ranks consist of those who don't participate in battle, and the lowest rank are those who are deemed useless and have no strength.
This pyramid style structure with many steps is based upon a merit system that prioritizes those who get results, and has nothing to do with name or pedigree. Because of this, the son of a peasant can become a high commander, and the opposite is just as true. Those who are viewed as useless are dropped to the bottom of society instantly.
The organization is primarily split into two large groups, the military and the internal government. Both of these wings are completely controlled by Carlos, and he has final say on everything. As long as his ok is there, things can move fairly speedy. However, the military group has its own decision making bodies that can sometime be seen disagreeing under the covers. Carlos's son is the leader of the central body of the military, the "Force Integration Unit", but he got there on skill, and not by pedigree.
Ever Green Family (EVAHGREEEEEN!):
After the battle at The City, Francis Batty Curtis, along with Rosary and the others, headed for The Towers. Francis would eventually become the impetus for the EGF.
She lead a group of wanderers that had been belittled and called "Cendrillon" to a place across the seas known as the Far East. It is not clear as to her goals in going there, but what is certain is the fact that the Far East is one of the most Contaminated places in the land. It is not hard to imagine the trials that faced her.
In those lands, she lead the Cendrillon through many hardships, and it was told that she used their "Crossing" abilities to find a new tower in the Far East. Using the knowledge from the tower, then Cendrillon were able to settle into one place and prosper.
However, after that things became uncertain. Some people say that Francis stayed with the Centrillon until death, and some people say she gathered a few close comrades and left as soon as the Cendrillon settled.
The Cendrillon took all of the information and technology in the tower and created the EGF (Evergreen Family). They pray for the eradication of the Contamination and the return of the once green lands to their former beauty. Along the way, Francis had become somewhat of a god-like symbol to them, but whether or not Francis wanted this is uncertain.
In the Frontiers and the Continent, Venide and Sirius were waging a war with each other. However, as the Far East was far away from the two organizations, they did not participate in the war. After the Contamination began to recede, the Far East and the other territories began trading, but eventually it also meant EGF joining in on the war over the towers.
Part 2:
The highest power in the EGF is the "Elders Council." This is just as it sounds, a religious styled "elder" being gathered together to make the decisions for the EGF based primarily on religious motives.
When the EGF went to war with Sirius and Venide, the organizational structure had changed drastically. The biggest change being the induction of the "Wartime Special Forces Unit, which was blessed by the elders, and consisted of 13 of the most powerful leaders. This was expected to be a sort of central command. This new unit split the organization into 7 areas, and placed a leader in each area that reported back to the Special Forces.
The 13 that make up the Special Forces are all great leaders with plenty of experience, selected carefully from the EGF ranks, but the youngest one, Karin L. Murakumo is by far the most popular of them. As she was not only skilled since birth, but also endowed with a great beauty, she was called the saint of the EGF from a young age. Many people think she is prime to become the next elder.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character files (Translated by an anon):
Extra Personnel File: Cordelia Stratford
During the chaotic era of the Pollution, the scavengers known as Migrants, who mostly worked as lone wolves, gradually began to form alliances with one another, working within a loose organization. Among them were the Men of Honor, establishing their own sphere of influence within the borders of The City.
As the daughter of Elizabeth, the founder of the Men of Honor, Cordelia Stratford was gifted with talent, and was made to shoulder the future of the organization from a young age. Unfortunately, this meant that she was caught up in a succession struggle with her two elder sisters, and with Elizabeth aging and growing weaker by the day, internal conflicts began to arise within the organization. The Men of Honor were in danger of dissolution.
In the middle of the conflict, Cordelia suddenly absconded from the organization, her whereabouts unknown. Disgusted by the power struggle around her, it's said that she sought freedom for herself. However, more than that, she may have hated the personal conflict between herself, her mother, and her elder sisters. She may have believed that if she had left, the feud between her family might finally subside. Knowing her usual personality, it might be a hard reason to swallow, but Elizabeth soon restructured the organization to a council system, effectively ending the the succession crisis.
Cordelia changed her name to Rosary, and, without the backing of her family or organization, she began working on her own as a notorious Migrant. She cooperated with The City's Resistance, and after overcoming numerous trials and dangers together, she had gained irreplaceable comrades. You could say that these were her happiest days, leading a simple and carefree life.
After the downfall of The City, Rosary's past caught up with her as she became involved in a new conflict with Regan, who sought to fortify her position as the head of the Men of Honor, as well as the eldest sister Goneril's latest obsession. Caught up in her scheme, Rosary and her comrades left for the Tower, and all contact was lost.
Although there were rumors of her death, she suddenly reemerged as quickly as she had disappeared. Returning to the organization she had cut ties with, and taking on the name she had thrown away before, Cordelia seized the leadership of the organization in the blink of an eye. After revising the council system of the Men of Honor and removing Goneril from power, she installed herself as its autocratic leader, like her mother before her.
Until the day of her death, Cordelia worked tirelessly to expand the organization, driven by an extraordinary fervor, leading to the Sirius Executives of the present day. In addition, she took in several children and thoroughly educated them to become fine leaders in the future, but it is said that she never showed favoritism to any one particular child.
In the era of the Verdict War, she has already passed on. As for what happened to her during her disappearance, it was a secret she took with her to her grave, and so whether she truly managed to reach the Tower, as well as what she witnessed there, remains unknown to this day.
Extra Personnel File: Goneril Stratford
The older sister of Cordelia/Rosary and Regan. Despite her position as the eldest daughter of the family, she did not appear to be especially gifted in comparison to her sisters, and was neglected by her mother Elizabeth, driving her to become recklessly greedy and hellishly persistent. Having inherited her mother's cunning mind, she remained cooperative with Regan after she took control of the Men of Honor after the death of Elizabeth, while solidifying her position within the organization. When Regan clashed with Cordelia, Goneril did not lift a finger to provide assistance to Regan, adopting a "wait-and-see" strategy.
Learning of the existence of a colossal "Tower," she immediately set out a plan to ascertain its usefulness. She contacted Cordelia and coerced her into accepting a request to investigate the Tower, intending to obtain the technology and resources stored within. However, this plan backfired when Cordelia returned from the Tower and quickly seized control of the Men of Honor from Goneril. It is said that her final moments were quite pathetic.
Extra Personnel File: Cesar Venide
Around the same time "Father," Don Tyrell, established The City in the North Frontier, a man named Cesar Venide founded an organization known as "Venide" in an inhabitable portion of Mid-Continent. Like Father's City, Venide was created on the belief that in order to ensure the survival of the human race, complete control was needed. Amazingly, these two societies had been built at the same time sharing the same ideal.
Monitoring and dictating every facet of life, Cesar ruthlessly crushed any and all rebellions within his organization. His cold and practical approach paid off, and as the Pollution began to subside, Venide expanded into surrounding areas, growing larger. Cesar was a despot and a tyrant who killed countless people, however, if not for his rule, Venide would not enjoy its prosperity today.
On his deathbed, Cesar left behind some cryptic words:
"When there comes a time a rebel threatens Venide, it will assume the form of a dark raven."
Extra Personnel File: Frances Batty Curtis
The leader of the Resistance within The City, her life is full of many mysteries. Her father, Jack Batty, was the original founder of the Resistance, leading them against the "Father" who controlled The City, and who had once been a comrade to Jack. In order to survive the polluted world, they had been part of a group of bandits. Frances was born to one of the members there, and does not share a blood relation to Jack. Her real parents were killed when they were caught up in one of the many battles between Migrants, and she was adopted soon afterwards, spending ten years under his care.
She survived the fierce battle within The City, and escaped its ruins with Rosary, working together as mercenaries until they received a request from the Men of Honor, and left to investigate the existence of a massive "Tower."
What happened to her afterwards is unknown.
She became the leader of a wandering group known as the Cendrillion. She used their know-how on how to cross through the pollution in order to migrate to the Far East, discovering the Tower there and creating what would eventually become the Ever Green Family. There are many mysteries surrounding her relationship with the Cendrillion and her parting with Rosary, one of her closest comrades, but they have now been buried in time.
As for the mercenary who worked with her, there are no remaining records of their existence.
Extra Personnel File: Magnolia Curtis
Magnolia Curtis was born in an area under EGF control. Growing up without her parents, she was instead raised by her grandmother. Although she did not know what had become of her parents, as a precocious child, she did not dare ask about their whereabouts from the elderly woman who was raising her by herself. When her grandmother passed away, Magnolia joined the military in order to survive. With the conflict with Sirius and Venide escalating, the EGF accepted her into the army simply because they were short-handed, but for her, it was from that moment that her future had been set in stone.
She displayed exceptional talent as a soldier, and quickly climbed the ranks to become an AC pilot. She had become an unstoppable threat on the battlefield, but after a while, she began to ignore strategies and caused problems. This was because she had grown bored; no matter how difficult the mission, it could not hold her interest any longer.
However, from time-to-time, she faced those who could make her blood boil. They were known as mercenaries, the stray dogs of the battlefield. Although most of them were no match for her, she greatly admired the way they lived without consideration for danger, fighting only for the sake of the reward. It was a life that seemed radiant and dazzling to her.
In a battle against one such mercenary, she encountered a Storker.
"You've got to live and die by your own rules."
His words left a deep impact on Magnolia, and she soon left the EGF in order to choose the life of a mercenary; to live and die as she pleased.
Storks
Also known as divers, this group specialized in infiltrating the deepest areas of the Pollution that even the most notorious Migrants steered clear from. Their primary job was to rescue survivors within the areas of the Pollution. The group takes its name from Stork, the leader, and consists of Stork himself and only a few other companions. In addition, its members were originally part of a nomadic tribe known as the Cendrillion. Their skills in breaching the Pollution originated from the Cendrillion's knowledge of "crossing."
In order to hire the Storks, money was necessary, of course, but that alone was not enough. They worked only for those they accepted as a "man worthy of trust." Crossing was a very risky and unstable method, and they saw no point in risking their lives if there was no mutual trust between them and their client, and so lent their aid only to those they judged as being trustworthy.
As a result of severe exposure to the Pollution, many of its members suffered from physical disabilities and poor health. They lived knowing that they could die at any moment. However, perhaps because of that fact, their skills and expertise can be said to have been phenomenal. It is said that their creed was to "live by your own rules."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armored Core V side story Forgotten Day:
Side Story - Forgotten Day I: Troublemaker
Fran and Rosary, and the mercenary who accompanied them, had overcome their struggles against Zodiac and the Men of Honor. However, it was not long before they were once again attacked by an unknown group of armed forces. After destroying the enemy squad, they received a hail from its captain, who had pulled back from the battle.
Captain: "You're just as good as I'd heard."
Captain: "Our leader wishes to speak to you."
The captain warned them that if they refused to meet with the leader, their forces would attack them again and again, irregardless of how strong they were. Reluctantly, they agreed to speak with the leader. As if suspecting something, a dark look was cast over Rosary's expression.
The leader behind the raid was Goneril Stratford, Rosary's -- Cordelia Stratford's older sister. Praising the strength of their mercenary, she approached them with a request: to investigate the existence of an "unidentified colossal structure" deep within the Polluted area. Later dubbed the "Tower," it had existed only in rumors, as few had seen it or even believed in its existence.
Goneril: "I want to know more about that tower."
Goneril: "You understand, right? No matter what, I want to know."
Rosary: "You haven't changed a bit."
Rosary: "Always pretending to be so calm. But when you find something that you want, you never give up on it."
Rosary: "No matter what you have to do."
Goneril: "Oh, I don't intend to pick a fight with your friends, Cordelia."
Goneril: "Especially not with that mercenary of yours. He's quite frightening."
Goneril: "But I won't give up. I'll never give up."
Goneril: "So I'll ask you until you agree."
Goneril: "Again and again and again..."
Coerced into accepting Goneril's request, they left on a journey, guided by a man under the Men of Honor's protection, who claimed to have seen the Tower. His body was left in a half-crippled state, and he gave his name only as "Isaac."
Side Story - Forgotten Day II: Deep Diver
In order to find a viable route to the Tower, the group decided to gather information from their surroundings. Along the way, they were involved in many clashes, and by circumstances, they saved the life of a single Migrant. He introduced himself as Edgar Stork, a "diver," and revealed that it was he who had retrieved Isaac from the Polluted area and saved his life. Stork was the leader of a group of divers known as the Storks, who specialized in breaching the deepest areas of the Pollution.
Stork agreed to help out the group, and related to them the story of how he rescued Isaac.
Stork: "His hometown was probably swallowed up by the Pollution, y'know, the usual story."
Stork: "Back when I picked him up, he was a little better off than he is now, so he and I got to talk a little."
Stork: "He left his little ghost town and started wandering."
Stork: "But no matter where he went, everyone was already dead."
Stork: "He was in a state of shock, and while he was meandering around, he came upon that huge tower."
Stork: "Bigger than anything he had ever seen, there was an enormous shadow floating in the middle of the Pollution."
Fran: "What about you? Were you there as well?"
Stork: "Naw. When I picked that guy up, I didn't see anything like that."
Rosary: "And then you handed him over to Goneril?"
Stork: "Well, when you go around saving people as a hobby, ain't it natural to get a little reward?"
Rosary: "Of course. Because he was a surviving witness, his information could be sold at a high price."
Stork: "Got a problem that? Well, it ended up being much higher than I expected, hahahahahaha!"
Having taken interest in the mercenary's fearsome reputation, Stork agreed to be their guide through the deep areas of the Pollution. What lied ahead of them, no one could have known.
Side Story - Forgotten Day III: Just between you and me
As the group traveled through the Contamination, they came upon the ruins of a strange facility. Deep within the Contaminated Area, they sometimes saw facilities that resembled the place where Fran and her group had once encountered a colossal machine. As Rosary joked that she could make a lot of gold by selling the things she found here, they continued on their way -- when suddenly, they were bombarded from afar. Destroying countless autonomous arms that approached from the outskirts of the facility, the mercenary reached the enemy behind the attack.
It was an enemy they had encountered before, during the battle of The City: an AC using the same parts and emblem of "Chief" stood before them once again. From their communication device, they heard the voice of a woman they recognized.
Carol: "You all are failed experiments."
Carol: "If you intend to go to that Tower, then I advise you to stop. You will surely regret it."
Carol: "You do not understand what you are doing."
Carol "Although it's impossible for you all to understand."
Chief: "Oh, let's not spoil the moment with complex stuff like that, Carol."
Chief: "It's been a while, but let's have some fun, shall we? Hahahahahaha!"
Yet another battle between ACs -- in its midst, Isaac, who had been as silent as a corpse until then, suddenly responded to the woman's voice.
Isaac: "Who are you people...?"
Carol: "Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question."
Isaac: "I need to know... what are you..."
Isaac: "What are we...?"
Carol: "What would you do if you knew? I do not understand."
The Chief pulled back, retreating from the battle.
Rosary: "What's going on? Why is that guy still..."
Fran: "...I think, that those two..."
Fran: "I think they might be something beyond human beings..."
Fran: "Something that's been watching over us, for a long, long time..."
Side Story - Forgotten Day IV: Crimson
The grouped traveled further into the Contamination. Finding an area where the Contamination was relatively thinner, they stopped to take a break. According to Stork, it was not long before they reached the point where he had found Isaac.
Stork: "We better not hang around here for too long."
Stork: "Lately, there's been some strange guys lurking around this place."
Fran: "In a place like this?"
Stork: "Yeah. I dunno what they're up to, but they've been attacking anyone passing through here."
As soon as those words left his mouth, they suddenly came under attack. The mercenary engaged an unidentified enemy squad, destroying an AC that appeared to be their leader. That AC had a crimson emblem affixed that read "Venide."
Rosary: "Look at that emblem. Venide...?"
Stork: "Never heard of it."
Isaac: "...they came from the other side of the sea."
Fran: "You know them?"
Isaac: "There were times when the Contamination would suddenly thin out... these guys came here at that time..."
Issac: "From the sea... from the continent on the other side..."
Rosary: "But why? Why would they come here?"
Isaac: "...maybe they're after the Tower, too..."
As the group continued, another Venide squad appeared before them. Although the unit was few in number, each of them was a force to be reckoned with. Somehow, the mercenary managed to repel their attack. A single helicopter approached, deploying a lone AC; however, it appeared the AC did not intend to fight.
???: "I wish to speak to you, powerful warrior of a foreign nation."
Stork: "Is it a custom of yours to attack people when you're introducing yourself?"
???: "I am on a mission. I will kill anyone that stands in my way."
???: "But I admire those with power, like the pilot of that AC. I respect the strong."
Fran: "Are you from Venide?"
???: "Cesar Venide."
Cesar: "I've come from across the sea, to make that Tower mine."
Cesar: "It has what we need to survive."
Cesar: "It is the legacy of a great civilization, from a time before the Contamination."
Fran: "And what if we said we're heading to that Tower as well?"
Cesar: "Only those with power can obtain what they desire in this world."
Cesar: "That is our belief. It's how we live."
Fran: "What a simple way of thinking."
Fran: "We've met a man like you before... a man who was our enemy."
Fran: "He payed no attention to the weak, and stood against us again and again."
Cesar: "I see. Then we are enemies as well."
Cesar took his leave, promising that they would settle this when they met again at the base of the Tower. On his AC, along with the name "Venide," a Crimson Raven decorated his emblem.
Side Story - Forgotten Day V: Isaac
Finally, the group reached the root of the Tower. However, the Contamination there was thicker than anything they had encountered thus far. It was as though the Tower itself was the source of the Contamination.
They faced off against the forces of Venide. Cesar and his AC appeared to be evenly matched with the mercenary. However, as they battle, they were suddenly surrounded by countless copies of Chief's AC.
Carol: "I warned you that you would regret it.":
Carol: "But I knew you would come regardless."
Carol: "Foolish humans."
Cesar: "Was it you that served as our 'benefactor'?"
Cesar: "The one who supported my father when he created our Venide..."
Cesar: "Was it you?"
Fran: "What are you talking about?"
Carol: "Venide is another future that should not have been possible. Just like you all."
Carol: "Regardless, the experiments will continue."
Carol: "That's the duty to which we've been entrusted."
Chief A: "You're just a bit too curious for your own good, Cesar Venide. You should mind your own business."
Chief B: "Now then, I'm gonna make you -and- that AC disappear, Mr. Dark Raven!"
Chief A "Ahhahahahahahahaha!"
Chief B "HahahaHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chief C "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chief D "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Chief E "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Calling for a short truce, Cesar and the mercenary engaged the Chief ACs together and emerged victorious, destroying all of the enemy ACs.
Carol: "Why are all of you here?"
Carol: "We were created to protect mankind, and this world."
Carol: "We intend to fulfill that task."
Carol: "We want to save mankind."
Isaac reacted vehemently to her words.
Isaac: "There's no such worth in saving mankind."
Isaac: "Take a look at our world."
Isaac: "If humans were the ones who destroyed this world, then man was a defective creature from the beginning."
Isaac: "You, created by man, -and- your conclusion are also defective."
Carol: "...Isaac, what is your wish?"
Isaac: "I want to prove that humans are flawed, and bring destruction to all."
Isaac: "I will show you that it was a mistake to take me."
Chief: "Interesting!"
Carol: "Sir, you never care, do you?"
Chief: "I want to see the potential of the human race."
Chief: "Even if it ends in their destruction!"
From the base of the tower emerged a huge unidentified weapon.
Carol: "The two Ravens..."
Carol: "You two wield too much power."
Carol: "You bring only chaos."
Carol: "As I thought, you are simply not part of the program."
Cesar and the mercenary battled the unidentified weapon, destroying it completely. From the wreckage dispersed a tremendous amount of hazardous materials. As Fran, Rosary, and the mercenary were about to be caught in the blast, Stork came to their rescue. With the volume of Contamination the destruction of the unidentified weapon released, they could no longer approach the Tower.
This marked the end of the journey.
Isaac was nowhere to be found.
Side Story: Forgotten Day VI - Epilogue
After the battle, having learned of the overseers watching over mankind, Cesar Venide bid farewell to the group, vowing to rebuild humanity.
Frances and Rosary, seeking to counter the threat of man's overseer as well as Cesar Venide, decided to establish their own forces in order to strike back. Frances also some how had an inkling that the man named Isaac, who had disappeared without a trace, would one day return as a new threat.
The two decided to part ways, seeking different methods and ideologies in order to make up for what the other lacked.
Rosary returned to the Men of Honor, once again taking up the name Cordelia, and confronted her sister Goneril, ousting her from power and taking full charge of the organization.
Meanwhile, Frances left for the Far East, along with Stork, who had led the way to the Tower. Although it appeared to be an aimless journey, she was certain of one thing:
The Tower was not the only one of its kind.
If they could find it... no, they -had- to find it. For if they did not...
They could not hope to stand against the man named Isaac.
![[Image: tumblr_nlicspm8s41t88vp6o2_1280.jpg]](http://40.media.tumblr.com/e5c24df62ae011cafe2c9674f3bdcf49/tumblr_nlicspm8s41t88vp6o2_1280.jpg)
