"[...] it was only when it laid its eyes upon me, that the fear was replaced with understanding, with knowledge. An understanding that we knew way less than any of us could have ever imagined."
- An exert from a diary recovered outside the perimeter of the 7th Pillar.
Delta End: Chapter -1
Welcome to the City of Soma
...
...
...
bzzzzz
bzzzzz
...?
A weird, black, orb-like object announced its awakening with a quiet, mechanical buzzing, followed by the opening of a circular hole on its surface from which a blue light was emitted. Moments later the purpose of said orb became clear, as the hologram of a blue-haired person started being displayed from the hole. The unknown figure was clothed in a long, blue coat and was wearing a butler's outfit beneath all wrapped together in a blue oversized tie with a glowing blue pearl at its centre. His hair was long and messy, with large bags under his eyes telling the story of an overworked overachiever. His right hand was buried in one of the pockets provided by his coat, while the other was firmly holding a cup filled with what appeared to be a steaming hot black liquid. In a short moment of anticipation, he looked at the viewer of the hologram and mustered up a smile before he finally broke the quiet but deafening buzzing coming from the projector device.
"Congratulations! You are one of the lucky few who were selected to join the newly formed IXth SU's δ division. It must be an exciting prospect to receive a direct invitation to move to the 2nd Pillar! For some, this may even be a dream come true. Now, I am sure that this is news that you would like to properly celebrate, as you very much should! However, I am in the unfortunate position where I must remind you that time is very much of the essence here. After the rather..." The figure could be seen waving their free hand in a circular motion as if trying to find an appropriate word for the situation, "... unfortunate demise of the last unit, structure must be recreated promptly and immediately.
As you are likely aware, crime has been on the rise recently-" After saying that, the hologram changed to a bunch of tables, figures, and graphs, all seemingly showing an increase in something. From the context, it could be deduced that these numbers are in reference to a growing crime rate. "Petty crime in the 2nd has increased quite significantly, the Children of Yhorgul and WIZARD have been on the move more often, and we have had higher than the usual activity of He and above level entities in the 7th. It almost feels like something big is going to happen soon..." The person took a moment to stare into their coffee mug which they had been using to accentuate their words by gesturing with it, before raising their eyes to look directly at the viewer and pointing towards them using the mug.
"But this is exactly where you come in! You are expected to be at the 2nd's Tower exactly 2 days from now at precisely 10 am. Tardiness will be punished with expulsion. Oh and, bring your Anima and some clothes that are well suited for exercise. If you do not have an Anima you will be provided with one. You will need it." The transmission ended with a last smirk from the figure directly at the viewer, before the device shut off. Afterward, a different kind of buzzing noise could be heard as the orb printed and eventually spat out a neon-blue ticket for the hyper-velocity railway that read "VIP Ticket and Travel Permission to: 2nd Tower Station. 1 Use(s) remaining". Then, the machine went completely cold, seemingly having outlived its purpose.
This roleplay takes place in the fictional city of Soma, a dystopian futuristic nightmare of consumerism, exploitation, corruption, man-made (and non-man-made) horrors beyond comprehension, and authoritarian control all glued together by elements of sci-fi and fantasy combined. In this place it is survival of the fittest- Even if not initially apparent through the blinding bling of fortune that the wealthy and powerful few have acquired. Here, you will play a character that joins the recently created δ division of the IXth Security Unit in the 2nd Pillar. There, you will undergo different types of missions that deal with threats that are deemed too big to handle by the common police force, such as magic-wielding delinquents, deeply-rooted crime syndicates, and even the SCP-esque/lovecraftian entities that come from outside the city. As you go along, you will slowly unravel secrets that were never meant to be found while creating tight bond with your fellow members of the δ division, all of which ultimately culminates in events that have been centuries in the making and will shake up Soma to its very core.
If any of that interests you, I welcome you to read through the rest of the post (and the Q&A) that I have written up so far. As always, if there are any questions, just ask! Further below you will find the first glimpse at a database that I intend to keep expanding on as the roleplay progresses. As an additional note: The story will be structured into separate arcs which are further subdivided into different chapters.
Introduction to the Verse and Q&A
What is this verse?
"Delta End" is a roleplay taking place in a world created by myself. Now, I'd be lying if I said it was entirely original- While a lot of the aspects are original, I've taken inspiration (sometimes more, sometimes less so) from some of my favourite, lesser-known verses. Nevertheless, this verse is a brainchild of mine and I hope to be able to provide an original-enough verse for it to be interesting! As of now, I have spent a solid chunk on worldbuilding, but I have also planned out a general direction the story will head as well as the first 5 or 6-ish story arcs in greater detail. As such the roleplay will be story-driven primarily- However, as roleplay is inherently interactive, I have several branching points within the story where player choice will lead to different outcomes, sometimes even for individual players alone. Essentially, I act as a sort of pseudo-GM putting you in the general direction of where to go/what to do, but it will ultimately be up to you to uncover the mysteries of this world.
Where can I learn more about the verse?
Naturally, since this verse is made by myself, I have to provide all the information you need to be able to participate in it. For this purpose, I have created a sort of "database" to help new players get situated with the verse. I am not entirely sure yet where the publically accessible version of this database will be hosted, but for now, I have created a few entries further below in this post. Furthermore, a Discord server has been created (which will also be used for OOC communication) which contains further entries. The database will be continuously updated as the story progresses. I understand, however, that this is likely not nearly enough for such an ambitious project so feel free to ask me anything, anytime.
Why is some of the information locked/redacted?
Some of the information in the database is marked as locked. This signifies that it is information you have to learn through playing the story! The database is not just meant as a starting point, I will continuously expand it as the players learn more about the world by playing the RP. What you can see in the database currently is just the tip of the iceberg- I have thought about what to include and what to leave out for quite a while to provide enough information to get started while also not spoiling anything. Part of the fun will be learning more about the world as you play along with your character. Please note: Information that has been redacted or expunged is not locked information, but rather an information that has been removed for IC reasons, such as not having a high enough clearance to access said information.
What about Character creation?
For any character-related questions, you can either ping or DM me at any time. In general: The verse allows for a huge variety of character designs- Visually, any humanoid being is possible. You want to be a human? Sure. Catgirl? A bit overused, but go for it! A six-eyed alien with a beak, 4 arms, and a long, spiky tail? Very much allowed. Soma is filled with oddities and intriguing personalities, please feel free to let your creativity go wild! In general, the Worldbuilding tab should provide enough information to create an intriguing backstory. Similarly, the power system has a definite direction but is generally only loosely defined in what is possible and what isn't. Again, if you are unsure if something is allowed/would work or not, please ask me anytime! During character creation please follow the template provided below (provided you have been accepted, of course).
This template might be subject to slight adjustments. Additionally, I might ask you to provide certain stats for your character- This is still being worked on, however, and might even be scrapped entirely before the start.
Template
Name
Age
Gender
Anima (If applicable)
Personality
A brief description is enough. I prefer if you express your character through play!
Alignment
Backstory
Additional information
Use this to add any other information that you think is relevant to your character, but does not fit into any of the prior categories.
Picture
Add as many as you see fit.
What about the power system?
The power system is a homebrew system based on the usage of a central tool/weapon/wand called "Anima" as a catalyst to perform magical feats with it. Generally, the definitions are kept relatively vague to allow for as much player freedom as possible. For a proper explanation, please view the respective database entry below!
Who/How many players can join?
Currently, I have a small group of players who confirmed their participation in this roleplay. However, I would like to add a few more players to bolster the ranks and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone! This is exactly what this post is for- Recruitment of a few additional players. If you are interested in joining please consider the following: This roleplay and verse are a passion project of mine and it is intended to be a long-term roleplay with proper and detailed storytelling, character development, and payoff. Please do not join if you already intend to drop out again in a month or two! It would be incredibly annoying to have to remove/replace characters in the middle of an ongoing story, especially since player characters will be given individual/unique plot relevance if given the chance. Though sometimes things and situations change, in which case one must drop out which, while unfortunate, is of course okay. Furthermore, I will be a bit selective about who can join the RP to ensure a better time for everyone involved.
Rules?
I have thought for a while about which category to put this rp in, and ultimately decided on the casual section. I do, however, intend to provide a level of detail more in the direction of advanced (thus placing it somewhere between casual and avanced) when it comes to lore/depth of the world. As such I am hesitant to put a minimum post length requirement in place, but I would like the posts to have, on average, at least 2 paragraphs. More is welcome, less is sometimes also okay- The important part is that detail does not get lost due to short-cuts taken in writing. If you can get your point across in less than 2 paragraphs, be my guest, just don't make it a habit.
Joining the discord server is not a necessary requirement, but strongly encouraged/preferred/wanted for OOC communication.
English is not my first language. Because of that, I make mistakes every now and then. Thus I am not expecting perfection from the players either- However, I am doing my best to write on a decent level and I would expect everyone to do the same.
Some closing words before the infodump
I would call this section "TL;DR", but I would like any interested person to actually read the entirety of the post above, so we are all on the same page here. To reiterate: This post serves both as an interest check and recruitment at the same time. The RP will happen, the question just is if any additional players would be interested in joining! Below there will be example entries from the database to show some of the worldbuilding that I have been and will be doing. Again, keep in mind that it just represents the tip of the iceberg. The Discord server contains more entries and many have been omitted so they can be revealed as the story goes on.
If any of what you read in this post intrigues you enough to give it a go, please express your interest below! If you are convinced, you can even apply directly here. I am very much looking forward to welcoming you to this roleplay and finally get it going!
Database
A few exemplary entries
Soma
The city of Soma was founded █████ years ago by the council of [DATA EXPUNGED DUE TO REQUEST BY OVERSEER]. It is home to over 8.5 million citizens who all live distributed in one of 7 different regions. These regions are called "Pillars" and are self-governing districts within Soma. Each region is separated by closed borders which can only be passed with permission from the respective authorities, and only using one of the many hyper-velocity trains that conduct transport between Pillars. Any attempt to circumvent these restrictions is punishable by death in every Pillar. At the center of each Pillar stands a large, sky-piercing structure called the Tower. Each Pillar's Tower contains the governing council, all governmental employees, as well as the Security Units responsible for that Pillar. Therefore, the Tower is the most important structure of every Pillar. For more details on every Pillar, please view the respective sections below.
Never-Ending Fog
Soma is surrounded by a seemingly never-ending area covered in fog. Expeditions into said fog have most of the time resulted in the complete annihilation of the exploration teams that have dared to enter it. As far as it is known there is no end to the area covered in the fog, but even if there was, reaching it would be an impossible task because of the fogborn creatures that roam outside of the city perimeters. These creatures can range from as small as mice to as tall as entire buildings and are the main reason why expeditions into the fog have mostly ended in failure. Each creature is assigned a certain threat level for classification. The threat levels are as follows:
Most creatures are either Zayin or Teth. Any entity classified as He poses a serious threat to the safety of citizens and the city itself, while Waw-level entities are extremely dangerous and can only be defeated by high-ranking personnel, should it come to a confrontation. So far only 3 Aleph-level entities have been confirmed to exist, all of which have shown to pose a threat to the very existence of Soma itself. It is very likely that a singular Aleph-level entity would be able to wipe out an entire Pillar on its own. Many higher-ranking entities are capable of aetherial manipulation similar to how Animas operate, however, it is currently not completely understood how exactly this works [INFORMATION LOCKED]. To give some perspective on the danger that entities pose, please view the database entry on the 7th Pillar and the entity database.
Terra Deorum
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Metropolis
The 2nd Pillar, also known as Metropolis, is the main living space of Soma. It directly borders every other Pillar except for the 7th and surrounds the 1st Pillar, thus being the only Pillar directly bordering the 1st. It is made up of several smaller zones each with distinct personalities representing the different classes of people living in the 2nd. The landscape is one filled with skyscrapers, neon lights, and the busy bustling of an overpopulated capital.
Those fortunate enough to live in Metropolis generally belong to the middle and upper classes of society, with most poor people and workers being forced to live in the lower Pillars due to the high cost of living in Metropolis.
The 2nd Pillar is governed by politicians selected by the 1st Pillar every 2 years, thus directly obeying orders from the 1st. Six of the available 14 Security Units are stationed in the 2nd, with the 2nd's Tower being quite proximate to the border to the 1st Pillar.
The border to the 1st Pillar consists of a gigantic wall, made of an undisclosed material. Its incredible height means that one cannot see the top of the wall from the ground as it is way above the clouds. There is only one entry point into the 1st which is heavily guarded at all times. Thus it is thought to be impossible to enter the 1st without prior permission.
The 2nd Pillar is made up of the following zones:
Civitas Divitiarum
This zone primarily consists of large, glass skyscrapers with luxurious penthouses, gold-laced walkways, and spacious roads. Only high society and people with enormous wealth can afford to live in this zone, thus giving it an aura of prestige and accomplishment. It is generally the safest place to live in Soma outside of the 1st Pillar due to the strongly increased governmental and personal security of its citizens. People who live in Civitas Divitiarum typically are highly successful businessmen, influential personalities, or high-ranking politicians.
Commercial District
The commercial district of the 2nd Pillar is famous for its wide variety of stores and restaurants. Gigantic shopping malls with brightly lit stores that are open 24/7 line the streets of this district. Anything that can be legally purchased within Soma can be found here: Be it food, clothing, entertainment, technology, vehicles, or even the rare Anima- If it is legal, it can be found here, albeit at a decently high price.
Residential District
The Residential District is the equivalent of Civitas Divitiarum for middle-class citizens. It consists mainly of large, concrete skyscrapers with several smaller roads and also smaller houses available for the upper middle class. The local infrastructure allows for quick travel to the Commercial District and outside of the 2nd Pillar. Most citizens of the 2nd Pillar live here as it is the most affordable place within Metropolis.
Security District
Due to the increased security presence within the 2nd Pillar, a special zone was established to provide housing for the security personnel and their families. This district is structurally and visually similar to the Residential District, with the only difference being the 2nd Pillar's Tower being positioned in the center of it.
Silva
The 3rd Pillar, also known as Silva, consists of a large forest surrounding an ancient mountain in the middle of the Pillar, at the top of which the region's Tower can be found. A few rivers and lakes can be found throughout the larger area. Generally, not many people live here, although a few smaller settlements have established themselves under the governance of Silva. Railways can be found all throughout this Pillar, serving as a pseudo-hub for connecting some other Pillars with one another.
Other than the few settlements that exist, low threat-level entities can be found living within this area as they are deemed too weak to pose a threat and thus are allowed to live in the relatively untouched nature of Silva.
Similarly to other Pillars, the 3rd Pillar can be further divided into smaller zones:
Main Forest Area
This area encompasses the majority of Silva and contains most of the settlements found within the 3rd.
Primordial Tree
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Mt. Zeno
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Subterranean Cave-system
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Stickerbush Canopy
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
The Valley of Giants
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Fortuna
This Pillar is the smallest when it comes to sheer size, and also has a rather small amount of inhabitants. It mainly contains large, colourful hotels, neon-covered casinos, and overpriced bars selling drugs that most people have never even heard of. It is the main vacation spot for people living in the 2nd Pillar as a stay is quite costly. However, should you have the money it is the perfect spot to feed one's gambling addiction and to make life choices that will surely be regretted later. If you can enjoy yourself in such an environment you will love the 4th Pillar, just don't look too closely at the shady business happening behind closed doors. The 4th Pillar is unique as most of its structures are directly adjacent to its Tower, making the entire region highly localized. It is governed by a council composed of high-ranking members and owners of the largest local hotels, casinos, and other businesses.
Industrial Complex
The 5th Pillar, also known as the industrial complex, mainly contains large industrial buildings, factories, and storage units. This is where most of the products and consumer goods available within Soma are produced for later distribution. It is a place of physical labour, typically under horrendous and exploitative conditions. The 5th is not a place where people go because they want to work there, but rather where they go because they have no other options to find jobs, as many people cannot afford to live in the 2nd and also have no chance of getting a job there.
As a place of production, the 5th Pillar is governed by a council put together by the 7 largest companies within Soma. This council is in charge of overseeing all matters related to politics, security, and worker safety. As such the security units stationed within the 5th Pillar all belong to one of these companies and are directly under their payroll. Needless to say, corruption and exploitation run rampant within the walls of this Pillar.
The Slums
Dirty, rodent-infested streets, overcrowded small living spaces, the highest crime rate out of any Pillar- Once you fall into the deep hole that is the Slums, it is nigh impossible to make it out again. The 6th Pillar is a hole both figuratively and literally as it was built into a naturally occurring valley. From the outside, the only thing visible above ground level is the Tower in the centre of the Slums.
Some people who work in the 5th Pillar live within the Slums, although most people that do end up living in the makeshift buildings of the 6th Pillar are beggars and barely get by on what they can make, if at all. However, since the 6th is governed by a puppet council under direct orders from the 5th Pillar it is unlikely to change anytime soon, as the Industrial Complex requires miserable conditions so new workers are willing to sign incredibly exploitative contracts that bind those workers to the companies for the rest of their lives.
Several local gangs have arisen from within the Slums, the biggest names being ██ ████████ ███████ ███ ██████████ ███ ████ ███████████ ███ ██ ████ ████ ███ ████████ [INFORMATION LOCKED]
Outskirts
The 7th Pillar also referred to as Outskirts, is technically the largest district albeit with the least amount of inhabitants. It is a donut-shaped area surrounding the other Pillars and directly borders the neverending fog. The landscape is mainly made up of large concrete ruins and destroyed houses with large patches of emptiness sprinkled between; a wasteland filled with the broken ruins of a once thriving metropolis.
Over █████ years ago, when Soma was first established, the 7th Pillar was created as a means to border the mysterious fog and provide safety for those who could not afford to live in the richer, higher Pillars. However, around 850 years ago, the outskirts were completely wiped out by multiple Waw-level entities. The attack was thought to be orchestrated by an Aleph-level entity operating from within the fog, although [INFORMATION LOCKED].
As a result of this attack, the area has been deemed uninhabitable and nowadays serves as a sort of wall against the fog with Agents, Fixers, and Handlers alike working to keep the entities of the fog at bay. Despite the danger of living in this Pillar, several groups of nomads, gangs, and those rejects that did not even find a place in the slums of the 6th Pillar, can still be found roaming this wasteland, dwelling in the lawless nature of the post-apocalyptic landscape. It is said that those who do not find a home within the unforgiving Soma often find comfort in the freedom given by the 7th Pillar.
The 7th Pillar itself has no governing unit, as its Tower was destroyed in the eradication event, and is overseen by a council of specially chosen leaders from each of the pillars, with the 1st Pillar having the biggest influence. Generally, most decisions in relation to the 7th Pillar are taken with an "out of sight out of mind" approach.
Lastly, the 7th Pillar, similarly to the 2nd Pillar and 1st Pillar, is further divided into multiple smaller areas named "Zones". The zones are as follows:
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Introduction
Within this world, there are 3 planes of existence:
The physical plane encompasses everything one can see, hear, smell, and feel; Down to the very building blocks of creation. Whether it is a building, a painting, a liquid, or a molecule- They all are part of the physical plane of existence and thus consist of everything which gives structure and is itself lifeless.
The ethereal plane encompasses that which would commonly be referred to as life and is mainly made up of souls. It contains the souls of every living person, animal, plant, and every other form of life. Each living being has its own unique soul which is created out of the ethereal plane upon birth and (usually) dissipated upon death.
The aetherial plane encompasses an invisible form of energy with limitless potential, often referred to as aether. While this energy has neither life nor form, it is capable of creating either if given enough direction.
A lifeform, for example, a person, comes to be when a soul binds itself to a physical body. Therefore, a person is defined by their soul and not by their body. Notably, since a person is the soul bound to a physical body, they also interact with the physical world using said body. Furthermore, objects existing in the physical plane cannot make use of the limitless energy found in the aetherial plane, whereas souls from the ethereal plane are able to use it. This means that a person, made up of a physical body, normally cannot interact with the aetherial plane (aether) without the usage of an ethereal (soul) bridge or catalyst.
Anima
This is where the Anima come in. An Anima is a catalyst that is created using a unique soul. It is formed from a soul and is essentially a soul given physical form- and thus can be used to interact with the aetherial plane using the ethereal soul as a bridge. Therefore, an Anima allows a normal person to create amazing feats by directly tapping into the nearly limitless energy accessible in the aether. By giving aether direction, an Anima's user has near endless possibilities, all based on the Anima; From wielding mighty flames, to even bending the very fabric of reality itself. Each Anima is unique. Its form, effects, and strength directly depend on the soul from which it was created- It can be a weapon, a tool, armor, or even a vehicle. For example, a fiery, hot-blooded soul would likely result in an anima that allows the creation or manipulation of flames or similar heated elements.
When wielding an Anima, a connection between the soul of the Anima and the soul of its wielder is created. This connection allows the user to always inherently know how to use an Anima, with the strength of the connection directly correlating to the effectiveness of its usage. For example, a sword-type Anima will allow its wielder to instinctively know how to swordfight with a higher degree of skill coming from a stronger connection with the Anima's soul. The bond between an Anima and its wielder typically increases with prolonged usage and is affected by the affinity between the two souls.
It is common for Anima users to adopt one or more personality traits from the soul of their Anima. While this effect is typically mild, it is more pronounced if there is a larger difference in strength between the user and their Anima. If an Anima is much more powerful than its user can handle, it might even cause the user to have mental breakdowns, aggressive episodes, panic attacks, and various physical side effects. Despite this, however, the security council of the First would like to remind you that Anima are not sentient themselves, they merely mimic and adopt aspects of the soul used for their creation.
Soul Resonance
One more important aspect when it comes to Anima wielding is **Soul Resonance**. This is a highly advanced technique that requires the wielder's soul to be perfectly in tune with the Anima's own. During Soul Resonance, the user's soul fuses the Anima with themselves, mixing both souls together for a state of harmony and synchronicity. Typically the wielder stays in control, though should the Anima possess a much more powerful soul the wielder can lose control over their own body. Soul Resonance is a highly exhausting technique but allows the wielder to unlock the hidden potentials of their Anima by making it part of their own body. Most Fixers and above are capable of Soul Resonance, but it is rare for Agents to be able to do it.
Entity HE-244 "Fogwalker"
An instance of HE-244 was first discovered during a routine exploration mission before the fall of the 7th Pillar. Due to their sheer size and physical fortitude, they have been given the threat level of He, however, they do not appear to possess aetherial capabilities. While most instances of HE-244 are harmless, they have been known to attack unprovoked. Due to their size and weight, it is easy to spot them from far away, even with the low visibility provided within the fog. Therefore, normal protocol is to avoid them entirely if possible.
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
Depicted is an artist's rendition of an HE-244 encounter.
Entity WAW-26 "Seasaw"
WAW-26 was first discovered during an attempt to map Lake ███████████, accessed directly from the zone █████████ of the 7th Pillar [INFORMATION LOCKED]. The entity appears to live within the lake, the depth of which is currently unknown, and emerges when the lake is approached. WAW-26 is extremely hostile, shows a high degree of physical resistance and strength, and is able to conduct aetherial manipulation which typically manifests in the creation and manipulation of water. It carries a rusty 2-sided handsaw which is currently thought to be the source of its power. Additionally, the barnacles which grow on its back have been shown to be extremely resistant to any physical trauma and have made any attempt to terminate WAW-26 unsuccessful. Combined with its shown ability to split entire buildings in half with one swing of its weapon means that it is a threat that most teams will not be able to handle. Therefore, the current protocol dictates avoiding going near Lake ███████████ during exploration missions. The humanoid depicted next to WAW-26 was not able to be identified.
[INFORMATION LOCKED]
The Council
Every Pillar, except for the 7th Pillar, is governed by a council of high-ranking politicians, consisting of variable numbers. The council is responsible for establishing laws, dealing with civil matters, cross-Pillar cooperations, and they directly command the Security Units stationed within their respective Pillar. There are no elections within Soma as every council member is appointed through different means, usually from a higher-ranking authority such as the 1st Pillar's Council. Notably: The 1st Pillar's council stands above all. For further information on each Pillar's Council, please refer to the respective entry in the "Locations" database.
Security Units
There are a total of 14 Security Units (SU) present within Soma. They are distributed throughout the Pillars according to several parameters, such as population size, population density, local threat level, and governmental interest. The purpose of a Security Unit is not synonymous with everyday police work, as there already is dedicated police for that. Security Units deal with larger threats, such as fogborn entities or Anima-wielding terrorists, and as such members of an SU are expected to show a high degree of combat ability and prowess, physical and mental fortitude, as well as a high degree of flexibility. Each SU can further be divided into 5 different subunits named after the greek alphabet (α, β, γ, δ, and ε). Some SU's, however, are an exception to that rule: [INFORMATION LOCKED]. Security Units typically have their HQ located in their Pillar's respective Tower from where they plan their operations, do training missions, undergo survey expeditions, and socialise among colleagues. In some Pillars, the Towers also function as the Agent's living space with dedicated housing units available either inside of the tower or in the immediate vicinity.
Each SU stands under the direct command of its respective Overseer, while the Overseer directly responds to the Pillar's respective Council. If there are multiple Security Units in one Pillar, there are also multiple Overseers who are strictly responsible for their own SU.
Agent
"Agent" is the title given to the most basic member of a Security Unit, outside of utility staff (Secretaries, maintenance staff, IT staff, etc.). They are the lifeblood of each SU and each respective subunit as they make up the bulk of the manpower that gets sent out to deal with any threats and situations that SU's are tasked with. Therefore, most Agents come equipped with their own Anima, typically one which they have obtained in their past or one which was given to them by their Commander. Some SU's and subunits have a specific uniform which the Agents are required to wear, though typically only a badge is needed and the Agents are allowed to dress as they please, within reason.
The job of an Agent, while incredibly dangerous, is highly sought after, as the pay and benefits are quite impressive by Soma's standards. As such, there are numerous people that regularly apply for the job, even though, on average, only about 1% of applicants get accepted and are able to become an Agent. Additionally, about half of all new Agents are recruited without an application via an internal selection process that uses highly efficient intel gathering technology and personnel, namely BIRD, to select fitting individuals from the population of Soma. Typically, these people are already notorious, such as well-known Handlers, or people who are known to possess a powerful Anima.
Fixer
"Fixer" is a title for a specific security force outside of Security Units. Fixers are highly skilled agents who are recruited based on exceptional performance within a Security Unit after which they undergo special training. It is not possible to apply for the position. Fixers are called in when a Security Unit struggles to suppress a threat without the usage of excessive personnel and resources. Therefore, Fixers enjoy a certain reputation and rank within each Pillar's government and are generally given higher pay, benefits, trust, and access. Typically Fixers are able to easily provide their family and themselves with a comfortable life in the higher echelons of the 2nd Pillar, a very desirable position to be in. Fixers are under the direct control of each Pillar's Overseer, however, given the increased trust, Fixers typically enjoy greater liberty and more leniency from the law than common Agents.
Upon promotion, Fixers are typically given a more powerful, rarer Anima, if their own was found lacking for the rank of a Fixer. Those high-grade Animas are highly sought after on the black market, often making Fixers a target for powerful criminal Anima-wielders, such as Handlers contracted to some of the more powerful crime syndicates. Given the fighting strength of Fixers, most of these attempts are, however, unsuccessful.
High Fixer
High Fixers are the most exceptional Agents one can find- If a Fixer performs to the highest of standards during their work they may be invited for a promotion to the rank of High Fixer. High Fixers only exist within the 1st Pillar and are directly under the command of that Pillar's sole Security Unit: Unit I (Roman 1). There are only a few High Fixers that exist within Soma and they possess some of the most powerful Animas to have ever been created within the city. They are the equivalent of an unstoppable force or a natural disaster. Thus, they are only used when absolutely necessary.
Commander
"Commander" is the title given to the leader of an SU's Subunit (for example, the leader of Subunit α of the XIIth Security Unit would be considered its Commander). Commanders are chosen only in rare circumstances, as not many of them are needed. However, should the need for a Commander arise, the Overseer is responsible for filling the vacant positions in their respective SU. Anyone who is deemed suitable for the position by the Overseer can be chosen- Whether Agent, Fixer, High-Fixer, or any other member of the SU. Any major misstep done by the Commander will fall back on the Overseer, which is why only the most trusted of people are typically promoted to this position. Being a Commander usually requires fighting prowess at least on the level of a Fixer, excellent leadership skills as proven by years worth of work as an Agent or above, repeatedly demonstrated flawless behavior, and strict and unshakable loyalty to the law, Soma, and, most importantly, the 1st Pillar.
BIRD
BIRD is the name of a highly secretive intel-gathering unit that operates from the 1st Pillar. They are ██ ████████ ███████ ███ ██████████ ███ ████ ███████████ ███ ██ ████ ████ ███ ████████ █████ ███ ███████ ██ ███ ███ ███████ ████████ ████ ██████ █████ ████ ███ █████████ ███████ ███████████ █████████ ██ ███ █████ ██ █ ██████████ █████ ██ ████ ██████ ████ ████ ██ ██ ██████████ ██████ ████████████ ████████.
"Handler" is the title given to what is, essentially, a mercenary. Handlers do the dirty work for anyone who pays them enough money- Those actions typically involve criminal activities, as Handlers are often employed in gang wars that occur frequently within the 6th Pillar. Though beyond that, Handlers can be found anywhere within Soma. Being a Handler is not necessarily illegal, however, doing criminal acts as part of one's contract is still punishable by law. On rare occasions, Handlers are even contracted by SU's, such as when they needed to help suppress entities in the 7th Pillar. Since the jobs that Handlers do are very broad and loosely defined, there is a surprisingly large amount of variety and difference between individual Handlers, the most powerful of which are closely and constantly tracked by the Security Units' intel gathering specialists.
