WELCOME
Here you will find a directory of detailed information about the Tantalus lore.
The PROLOGUE
The anomaly gene was first recorded in the year 2102. it was pure coincidence, a woman being treated for a brain tumor had her blood drawn several times over the years. It wasn’t something anyone was looking for until her blood was sent to a research facility. Though she died, her body served two purposes: the medical community founded a cure for her particular strain of cancer. They also discovered a new genome.
Anyone born with this adaptive DNA strand is mostly human, simply more advanced. Their abilities are subtle, a natural progression of the human mind and senses. It manifests differently in each person, as varied as outcomes for the color of one’s eyes, or the pattern of their fingerprints. It was rare, however, and the initial research on it was not taken seriously for several more years.
In the 2200’s it came back into the surface when several world governments began passing laws on genetic research and testing. Hospitals had the technology to test for genetic history, to predict possible diseases or conditions, or even aptitudes. The information was not just given to parents, but quietly sent to their governments as well. As the data flowed in, files with the anomaly began to show up. It was an unspoken secret among the medical research community and a possible new threat among intelligence agencies.
The best course of action, seemed to be to control it, to get ahead of it and so the Tantalus program was birthed towards the latter end of the 2200s. Various governments would monitor the lives of those with the genome, gathering data and information on how these people affected society. Eventually, they began recruiting who they could. They targeted low income families, foster kids, orphans— anyone vulnerable enough to take work from the government.
ABOUT RECRUITMENT
Recruits were brought in as young as possible. In the beginning, adults were tested on. However, when the Tantalus program officially began, they exclusively recruited minors. Nine campuses were created across the world, remote compounds looking something between a boarding school and a military base. Recruits were given education, a roof over their head and food in their mouths, lulled into a sense of security, a sense of trust and indebtedness. They were isolated to the campus and unable to leave for the duration of their education. Once they reached the latter end of their teen years, the combat training would begin. They would be trained just like any other covert operative with one difference: they had medical teams and mentors to help them learn more of their capabilities.
The agents are given a last test before being assigned: one of loyalty. After having controlled examples of their performances, giving them small jobs connected to local law enforcement and federal issues, they are given the choice to continue with the program or leave. Those who leave are dealt with privately, their peers told they went home. In reality, they become lab rats. The small handful which this happens to are often killed. The rest go on to carry out jobs in whatever cities they are assigned. They are passed around to the highest bidder, lent out to anyone who can pay enough. They are monitored with regular exams and blood tests, along with psychiatric evaluation and reconditioning. But for many, it seems like a small price to pay when they were rescued by these people. They are never in want for anything: Housing provided, every meal paid and top of the line medical care. It’s easy to forget they aren’t truly free. Easy to forget they’re owned.
TANTALUS
While the militaristic side of the Tantalus Project is classified and hidden from the general public, they are known to the rest of the world as a genetic research institute. Over the years, many facilities have sprung up around the globe. They have training compounds on every continent, with Africa and Asia both having an extra campus.
Many of the staff who are hired within the research facilities do not know the full scope of the institute for which they work. The medical personnel who care for the assets are only aware they're treating employees for an agency. They're instructed not to ask questions.
While Tantalus has garnered funding from various government officials and bureaucrats, they have sponsors from the wealthy elite. Each asset is given a file which can be viewed by clients who wish to pay for their services. While this was not initially part of the program, officials look the other way and allow it to go on as they benefit from the use of the the agents.
The Anomaly Gene
The Anomaly gene creates an enhancement of the senses as well as heightened agility, endurance and peak strength. Anamolies (formally titled homoproximus) may also present with sharper intuition and instincts. Those with the gene often develop specialized capabilities such as precognition, forms of empathy or telepathy, or any other seemingly psychic gifts. Whatever their skills, the gene seems to increase their awareness of the energetic connections we have to the world. Some might even call it spiritual, or supernatural.
The adaptations of the genes can have natural drawbacks. Being more in tune with the energies around them can be exhausting and overstimulating. At times, using their abilities can cause fatigue. Some subjects report headaches and periods of isolation.
There are some anomalies whose adaptations have come with complications. Sensory processing disorders are rare, but not uncommon. Those who present with these conditions suffer more severely from overstimulation. They might be diagnosed with learning disabilities in their developmental years.
As those with these genes continue to reproduce, the abilities which their offspring develop become stronger.
ASSETS
TRAINING: Assets are typically brought in around 15-16 and spend the next few years finishing their high school education with a lot of specialized curricular to prep them for operative training. After graduating those courses they begin specialized training from around 18-22. After that is completed they are finally each given their first assignments to go out into the world.
HOME: Assets are generally sent to a city for months at a time, sometimes years, depending on their uses and the sort of jobs they are given. While they are stationed somewhere their assignments will be located in the surrounding area and they will also have a long term job to consult on for local government per the requirements of Tantalus’s funding. This can include law enforcement, intelligence agencies, medical establishments or even just doing security for public officials.
ASSIGNMENTS: Assets typically are given solo assignments and stationed on their own: meaning while they might work with other agencies and corporations, they are placed there without other Tantalus employees. That being said, there are times two might be hired together for jobs. Especially those whose abilities compliment each other.
FINANCES: Assets are not paid directly. Their finances are handled by their handlers. They are given credits which allows them to purchase anything they need. Everything is provided for them and their individual spending of those credits are monitored. There are restrictions. a lot of assets don’t even have a full concept of money because it hasn’t even been something they have to think about since they were kids.
TEAM: Each asset has contacts which tend to stick with them throughout their lives. There are teams of handlers and psychologists who have a handful of recruits they’re in charge of monitoring. Handlers are the ones assigning cases to each asset and giving them the information and resources they need. They monitor their spending, select housing options, etc. Psychologists are there to work both as regular therapists, and to manipulate assets. They also make the call as far as if an agent needs to be brought back in for reprogramming.
IMPLANTS: Each agent from the first classes was brought in during their mid twenties for surgery. They were told they were given medical monitors for their handlers to keep track of, which was only a half truth. One implant is a tracker and monitor, the other is a kill switch. If turned on it will send sends a shock to stop the heart as well as releasing poison which shreds the nervous system to ensure they cannot be resuscitated. Most agents are not aware of the kill switch, Emil Kindell is one of the few given his abilities it was impossible for him not to know. A few others have likely figured it out.
WORLD-BUILDING
The genre and general setting for this lore is solar-punk. Essentially cyberpunk, but eco friendly. The majority of cities and the population run off of sustainable energy, particularly solar power. Visual examples may be found here.
Societies as a whole appear to be advanced and utopian: beautiful, high tech cities, wonderful education systems, healthcare, environmentally conscious practices and laws etc. But, there is always a dark underbelly. There is still a class system and hidden away from the pristine cities and flashy wealthy elite are regular people trying to get by. Advancements were built off the backs of the working & lower class. There are crime networks all over the world who are the ones generally hired to carry out all the dirty work for richer classes. Tantalus merely capitalized on this and the agency is generally hated by these freelance networks, as it hurts their business and has taken away huge portions of clientele.
A lot of countries are somewhat more like territories/states. There’s a general unification of countries across the globe. However, there is still a great deal of corruption in the government, wealthy elite and politics. These treaties and unifications have more to do with consolidation of power and creating more advantages for those on top, than it was for any sort of peace.
It isn’t unusual for agencies unrelated to tantalus to recruit individuals with the a-gene. This was especially common before the program was officially started. A lot of the people who were researching and monitoring them have been hired out by tantalus, though. Most people hired by agencies are not aware of their genetic being a factor in it.
Much of the technology is advanced (nanotech, 3D printing for organs, hyper realistic robotic prosthetics, body moddding etc). Medical care is free globally, though this does unfortunately give the ability for governments to monitor the rise of the a-gene by having data sent to them.
It has become a legal requirement across the globe for students to be taught conversational local sign language in schools. Accessibility laws have improved and continue to be built upon to make infrastructure better.
There are many global organizations and governing branches. Among these include: The Global Parliament, Global Investigations Unit and Global Peace Core. The Global Parliament as a whole was not aware of the Tantalus project and when the institute is exposed, they are the ones holding trials. The G.I.U. was responsible for the official investigation.
PLOT TIMELINE
ARC I: It's been around 17 years since the first classes of recruits were brought onto the compound. Tantalus has become cemented itself globally, now the go-to agency for governments to outsource and for those rich enough to acquire assets for personal vendettas. While things appear to be a roaring success, internally there are ripples of dissension.
ARC II: While Tantalus has been working to launch their next phase of recruits, some assets are beginning to stir up trouble. With the help of a technopath who disabled his tracker and kill switch implant, Emil Kindell fled with the next generation recruit known as Saige Coleman. He had been sent to retrieve her after her escape and instead defected. Along with him, Aspen Monroe left as well. The circumstances of their defection is yet unknown to Tantalus. But their goals are clear: to acquire more allies and sabotage the program.
ARC III: Tantalus has been exposed to the public. Not only are the researchers and staff at risk of legal prosecution, but the politicians, bureaucrats and paying clients have all been put in the public eye for their involvement in the exploitation of assets. Many assets went underground while others took deals with their respective governments, given immunity in return for testifying.
Towards the end of the trials completion, The Global Investigations Unit launched a project to give ex-assets and civilian anomalies an experimental department. The hope is to shift the public's view towards the positive and restore relations with anomalies.