POWEREDS!

division

Initially founded in the 70s by researchers working in conjunction with two powereds - colloquially known as operatives Nil and Null - Division is now a large governmental organization that receives very little oversight and huge amounts of funding. It is broadly divided into two branches: research and active ops, with the former concerning itself with the study of all aspects of the powered form, along with tracking down and acquiring newly born powereds; and the latter (supposedly) focused on working on behalf of the government, improving national security and neutralizing external threats.

life in division

Division (the place), is the primary center for the training and upkeep of fully fledged operatives. Currently located on an outcrop of the Shetland Islands, it is an all-in-one facility. When not on an active mission, operatives are in residence here. They train, eat, sleep, are given outlets during their downtime as rewards for obedient behaviour, and then train, eat and sleep some more.

Internal comms are provided by an in-house network that operatives and employees can access through smart devices. External signals are blocked; assume Division employees can monitor all operative exchanges.

Meals are three times a day in a communal operatives' mess; the janitorial staff take care of the actual running of the building. There is an in-house medical team, along with psychological services which provide a softer touch as an alternative to the conditioning team.

The residential facilities are clean and comfortable, if extremely utilitarian. Artifical light and climate control ensure operatives' circadian rhythms are kept constant.

From the outside, Division looks like a nuclear bunker, a remnant from the height of the Cold War. There are six subterranean levels.

    Level -1 In-house security station, decontamination facilities, vehicular & weapons store; control room for active ops.
    Level -2 Medical facilities, isolation rooms, research & tech labs.
    Level -3 Food halls & living quarters: north-side for operatives, south-side for Division employees.
    Level -4 Training facilities.
    Level -5 North-side: entertainment and leisure facilities; south-side: facility operations offices, comms/network hardware.
    Level -6 Classified.

Transporting operatives in and out of the facility involves a rather archaiac blindfold and airtransport on/off the island.

TRAINING & CONTROL

Most powereds are now successfully identified shortly before or after their birth, and are immediately acquired and brought to Division nurseries, where they are assessed and reared according to a strict regimen. They are put into one of three streams by the time they are ten: SPAR, SPY, or SUPPORT.

    SPAR operatives are those powereds who possess abilities which are primarily regarded as destructive and/or otherwise favourable for combat. (Your Winter Soldier types, capable of great feats of violence and endurance.)

    SPY operatives possess abilities which are primarily regarded as favourable for reconnaissance. (Your Black Widow/Red Sparrow types, ideal for espionage and honeytrapping.)

    SUPPORT operatives fit into neither the SPAR nor SPY classes. They tend to possess abilities which can be seen as helpful adjuncts to the operatives on the field, such as technopaths, healers and those with transport-based powers.

All Division operatives are trained in martial arts, classical dance, and various forms of combat (unarmed and armed), alongside a more generalized education.

Control is maintained through the implantation of a device situated within the forebrain, which serves not only as a kill switch (a more recent addition), but also releases a proprietary chemical that directly interfaces with their olfactory bulb. Training also involves a plethora of techniques anyone would view as brainwashing. Through all this, operatives are kept loyal and largely compliant (stronger personalities are permitted to develop, within reason - operatives aren't robots! just very disciplined); deviance from the party line is usually met with a period of re-conditioning.

Until such a time researchers are able to control the procreation of powereds, all operatives are reversibly sterilized.

THE DIRTY 30

The two operatives who instigated the only known breakout from Division are Velvet Glove and Iron Fist, two seasoned operatives who, over time, were able to overcome the chemical conditioning and coordinate mass desertion. They specifically selected the operatives that ended up being part of the group known as the Dirty Thirty, chosen largely for their abilities and experience in the field, and the presumed ease with which they'd be convinced to abandon Division. Since the breakout, one former operative has been apprehended by Division (fate unknown: presume it's bad), and seven have been killed during their various encounters with active Division operatives.

With 22 rogue operatives still at large, Division has redirected much of its resources to reaquiring its lost assets before they cause further trouble.

MISCELLANY

WHAT IS DIVISION DOING ABOUT THEIR ROGUE POWEREDS?
    The mission to apprehend the Dirty Thirty is known as Operation Lure; approximately ten operatives have been assigned to a task force that is solely focused on its execution. Other operatives continue to work on different briefs, but all are expected to report sightings of the Dirty Thirty, and may be re-tasked should the situation call for it.
WHICH GOVERNMENT?
    It doesn't matter. Division has essentially grown too big for its boots and sees itself as beholden to no one. They sell their services to those who have the resources to pay for them, no matter how morally questionable.
HOW MANY OPERATIVES ARE THERE?
    At its peak, there were just under 100 operatives active in Division's roster of powereds. Losing almost a third of them was a huge blow to their operation.

    The number of juvenile powereds under Division's custody is a closely guarded secret.

WHY 'OPERATIVE'?
    Operatives are not titled 'agents' as the argument is that they have no agency.
HOW ARE JUVENILE POWEREDS RAISED?
    Division's nursery, the Creche, is based in an undisclosed location in the United States of America. The Creche also serves as the training facilities for juveniles, where young powereds start the intensive phase of their training from as young as five years of age.

    At sixteen, young powereds "graduate" and are moved to adult facilities. These are currently located on an outcrop of the Shetland Islands, and are colloquially known as Division (the place).

DO THE FUGITIVE POWEREDS KNOW WHERE DIVISION IS?
    No. Division hauled ass after the breakout, so our Dirty Thirty have no idea where the current facilities are located.
Where are the Dirty Thirty?
    Those who are still at large have either banded together (our motley crew) or gone into some form of hiding, preferring to brave it out by themselves. The ten that are playable characters have rallied together with the aim of bringing Division down and liberating the other powereds still under their control. This, of course, requires resources, a few bases, and some allies; whether these have been acquired through honorable or underhanded means is entirely up to the players.