Dark Eden Preview

BACKGROUND

And then came the Great Exodus.

The Earth, defiled by the Corporations’ years of environmental abuse, inevitably showed humanity the consequences of their indifference. Her riches and resources exhausted; the pure atmosphere slowly replaced by the heavy pollution spewed out by the Corporate societies.

Like mutated children, new diseases emerged out of mother Earth’s womb. The viruses spread like wildfire, some more fatal or dangerous than others. All Corporations issued mandatory virus tests to their billions of members. Those unfortunate or unlucky enough to succumb to the most heinous ones were stripped of their corporate affiliation and shipped like cattle in huge transport vessels to enormous underground quarantine bunkers in South America. In the end, South America was completely isolated and its civilization left to its destiny. But this was not enough.

The corporate leaders, working together for the first time in centuries, enacted massive plans to save their people, and their livelihoods. Luna, Mars, Venus, even Mercury were terraformed to accept humanity. Enormous arks were constructed to carry the best and brightest to their new homes. Capitol ventured to Mars; Bauhaus tamed the wild jungles of Venus; Mishima dug deep and fortified themselves in the scorched soil of Mercury; Imperial, ever unwanted, sent their Conquistadors to every corner of the solar system, only to settle among the floating rocks of the Asteroid Belt. The brightest of humanity was saved.

But that is another story.

The vast rest where left behind, plagued by disease, ruin, famine and anarchy. Our planetÔs climate and environment changing rapidly. The ozone layer, as frayed and torn as an old mildewed blanket, yielded to strange greenhouse effects which changed and twisted the Earth, as well as all creatures left to rot upon its desolate surface.

And then the Dark Symmetry awoke.

Paranoia and corruption clutched what was left of civilization. Small groups of chosen people were evacuated in makeshift underground shelters as nuclear launches targeted the Earth’s continents in a last attempt to wipe out all sources of disease. South America was struck worst, much of it sinking into the Atlantic. The skies blackened with nuclear dust and ash. The Chosen ones ascended from their makeshifts as the remnants of civilization struggled and died. Entire nations formed, and fought. Empires expanded. In what was known as Europe, four major powers came into being: Crescentia, The Templars, The Sons of Rasputin and the Lutherian Triad.

And amongst it all, the Dark Legion toiled. They befriended tribal leaders, and made enemies of the pure. They coexisted with humanity, and were welcomed with open arms by many. They taught, they controlled, and they grew in power with their human allies.

And during all these centuries, one common thing was remembered by all: how their off-world kinsmen had abandoned them. Far away on Luna, the Brotherhood became aware of the reawakened Earth. They saw the progression of civilization, and they felt the taint of the Dark Legion. They looked down upon their long-forgotten birthplace with dread. For they knew a new paradise had formed during these thousands of years. A paradise formed of warfare, desolation, and the taint of evil. A paradise re-evolved into a travesty of its own past. And they renamed the Earth in its new image. And they called it DARK EDEN.

INTRODUCTION

DARK EDEN is a new collectable card game based on the MUTANT CHRONICLES techno-fantasy setting. You may already be familiar with the first MUTANT CHRONICLES collectable card game, DOOMTROOPER. While DARK EDEN and DOOMTROOPER do share a conceptual origin, they are completely different games, with different goals and different strategies. You do not need to be familiar with DOOMTROOPER to play DARK EDEN.

In DARK EDEN, each player plays a Commander on forsaken Earth, struggling to develop and maintain their Dominion against the invading hordes of other players. As Commander, you must defend your Turf, while at the same time send your Warband out to invade your opponents’ Dominions. In addition to all this warfare you must balance the essential Resources necessary to build your Turf, train your peoples, and develop new technologies. In order to win the game you must Raze your opponents’ Dominions to gain Victory Points (VPs). The first player to reach a predetermined number of VPs wins the game.

DARK EDEN features the following affiliations:

THE SONS OF RASPUTIN. The Sons Of Rasputin are strong in the northern and northeastern portions of the area once known as Europe. Their vast smoke-spewing, coal-driven cities are like blisters on the surface of the world, augmenting the already-polluted atmosphere. Their constantly-expanding reich knows no bound, and anyone who refuses to surrender to their huge war machines and technological advantages will suffer dire consequences.

THE TEMPLARS. The Temple of the Deified Children of Mother Earth reigns supreme in the southwest and central part of what used to be Europe. Their symbol of supremacy - two crossed tusks - is everywhere. Not only are they the most organized of the European tribes, they are also the most zealous. They are a race of genetically mutated humans, perfectly adapted to the Earth’s toxic environment. The Templars have proclaimed themselves the true rulers of Dark Eden, and feel their genetic evolution is nature’s way of saying they are the justified heirs of the Earth. They see the “normal” people as slaves and workers in this new world - their new world.

THE LUTHERAN TRIAD. In the northwest, the Lutheran Triad struggles to defend their lands against the ruthless Sons of Rasputin invading from the east and the malicious Templars from the south. Hopelessly outnumbered, they place their hope in kin, courage and faith. Their holy Patriarchs lead them with words of devotion and self sacrificing rituals. In order to survive in their forsaken world, each Lutheran is surgically altered at birth, resulting in a completely smooth lower face. Communication is by telepathy and sign language. Filtered ventilation and nutrition is provided by a small metallic apparatus inserted into the back of the neck, its dual pipes thrust into the gullet and windpipe. This necessary mutilation combined with telepathic bonds have a powerful effect on their common faith and dedication to the tribe.

CRESCENTIA. With roots in southeastern Europe, the nomadic tribes of Crescentia constantly move on in their eternal quest to find a home. These nomads breed tremendous beasts that serve as workers, protectors and battle support. The largest beasts are used to carry whole parts of their villages from locale to locale. Their chosen leader, the Khan, guides them with pride, confidence and the power of their legends, spoken or visualized through the holy Prophets.

THE DARK LEGION. Throughout the solar system, the Dark Legion descended upon the worlds of mankind like a scythe, leaving destruction, despair and corruption in its wake. Their huge citadels discharge hideous monsters bent on total domination. Valpurgius, former Archmagus of the nepharite Alakhai, rules the forces on Dark Eden with a mix of overt power and subtle manipulation. Some suffer from the Legion’s horrific onslaughts, others actually welcome their influence and aid. Whatever the method, the Dark Legion is dedicated to the complete overthrow of humanity.

THE MEGACORPORATIONS. During the Great Exodus, which the inhabitants of Dark Eden refer to as the Great Abandonment, the four dominating corporate powers, Bauhaus, Capitol, Imperial and Mishima, constructed massive arks to carry their essential personnel away from the Earth, never to return. They colonized the inner planets and quickly expanded their already-great empires. Recently, a new major corporate power has emerged, Cybertronic, increasing interplanetary conflicts. All five Megacorporations have ignored Dark Eden until recently. Perhaps they have come back to take what little natural resources are left. Perhaps they require more room to expand. Or perhaps there is another reason....

THE BROTHERHOOD. Rising above the unending corporate wars are the members of the Brotherhood, the spiritual guardians of humanity. At their head stands the Cardinal, and beneath him are countless Missionaries, Inquisitors and Mortificators ready to purify the souls of humanity with the mystical powers of the Art. In this age of conflict, dark influence and heresy, the power of the Brotherhood knows no bounds. For centuries they have watched the Earth, awaiting the fateful day when the Cardinal’s Cleansing Flame would find a new target.

DARK EDEN is designed by Bryan Winter (me), and developed by Stefan Ljungqvist, who also developed the KULT CCG and helped make it such an EXCELLENT game (yes, even better than DOOMTROOPER)! That’s about all I can tell you now. But I will add this one thing: if you think this is going to be some sort of “Mad Max” post-holocost setting, think again! The events described above happened a LONG time ago, and the Earth has re-evolved into an ENTIRELY new, EXTREMELY different and VERY Mutant Chronicles-esque place! Keep checking back for more updates!

	THE SONS OF RASPUTIN. The Sons Of Rasputin are strong in the northern and northeastern portions of the area once known as Europe. Their vast smoke-spewing, coal-driven cities are like blisters on the surface of the world, augmenting the already-polluted atmosphere. Their constantly-expanding reich knows no bound, and anyone who refuses to surrender to their huge war machines and technological advantages will suffer dire consequences.
	THE TEMPLARS. The Temple of the Deified Children of Mother Earth reigns supreme in the southwest and central part of what used to be Europe. Their symbol of supremacy - two crossed tusks - is everywhere. Not only are they the most organized of the European tribes, they are also the most zealous. They are a race of genetically mutated humans, perfectly adapted to the Earth’s toxic environment. The Templars have proclaimed themselves the true rulers of Dark Eden, and feel their genetic evolution is nature’s way of saying they are the justified heirs of the Earth. They see the “normal” people as slaves and workers in this new world - their new world.
	THE LUTHERAN TRIAD. In the northwest, the Lutheran Triad struggles to defend their lands against the ruthless Sons of Rasputin invading from the east and the malicious Templars from the south. Hopelessly outnumbered, they place their hope in kin, courage and faith. Their holy Patriarchs lead them with words of devotion and self sacrificing rituals. In order to survive in their forsaken world, each Lutheran is surgically altered at birth, resulting in a completely smooth lower face. Communication is by telepathy and sign language. Filtered ventilation and nutrition is provided by a small metallic apparatus inserted into the back of the neck, its dual pipes thrust into the gullet and windpipe. This necessary mutilation combined with telepathic bonds have a powerful effect on their common faith and dedication to the tribe.
	CRESCENTIA. With roots in southeastern Europe, the nomadic tribes of Crescentia constantly move on in their eternal quest to find a home. These nomads breed tremendous beasts that serve as workers, protectors and battle support. The largest beasts are used to carry whole parts of their villages from locale to locale. Their chosen leader, the Khan, guides them with pride, confidence and the power of their legends, spoken or visualized through the holy Prophets.
	THE DARK LEGION. Throughout the solar system, the Dark Legion descended upon the worlds of mankind like a scythe, leaving destruction, despair and corruption in its wake. Their huge citadels discharge hideous monsters bent on total domination. Valpurgius, former Archmagus of the nepharite Alakhai, rules the forces on Dark Eden with a mix of overt power and subtle manipulation. Some suffer from the Legion’s horrific onslaughts, others actually welcome their influence and aid. Whatever the method, the Dark Legion is dedicated to the complete overthrow of humanity.
	THE MEGACORPORATIONS. During the Great Exodus, which the inhabitants of Dark Eden refer to as the Great Abandonment, the four dominating corporate powers, Bauhaus, Capitol, Imperial and Mishima, constructed massive arks to carry their essential personnel away from the Earth, never to return. They colonized the inner planets and quickly expanded their already-great empires. Recently, a new major corporate power has emerged, Cybertronic, increasing interplanetary conflicts. All five Megacorporations have ignored Dark Eden until recently. Perhaps they have come back to take what little natural resources are left. Perhaps they require more room to expand. Or perhaps there is another reason....
	THE BROTHERHOOD. Rising above the unending corporate wars are the members of the Brotherhood, the spiritual guardians of humanity. At their head stands the Cardinal, and beneath him are countless Missionaries, Inquisitors and Mortificators ready to purify the souls of humanity with the mystical powers of the Art. In this age of conflict, dark influence and heresy, the power of the Brotherhood knows no bounds. For centuries they have watched the Earth, awaiting the fateful day when the Cardinal’s Cleansing Flame would find a new target.