The story of AlteranCraft starts in 1979, twenty-five years after the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) was founded. While the majority of CERN research is made public for the benefit of all humankind, CERN has a secret twin whose roots date back to just before the end of the second world war.

While publicly the allied forces were confident of their defeat over the axis powers, contingency plans were drawn up centred around the theoretical existence of parallel worlds. It turns out they aren't theoretical, but very real. And, in 1979, their existence was proven through the accidental activation of a portal, even older than the project itself. Perhaps thousands of years older, perhaps dating back to the formation (or shall we say, placement, of Earth itself). Portal activation only lasted mere seconds, given the enormous power requirements to sustain such a connection, but this achievement gave our story's main antagonists all the encouragement they needed to ensure the project's success.

The Alteran (Alt, Alternative. Teran, Terran; an ancient name for Sol III “Earth”) Corporation was formed to contain the multinational appetite for exploiting what is on the other side of this portal. You, player, join this story at the very beginning.

What will you find? How will you play your name? Whichever route you choose, these are the factions you will have to contend with:

1979 saw the reveal of the groups of enigmatic organisations, each tied to the ancient names of Earth's continents. These organisations, linked to powerful ancient knowledge, shared the goal of protecting the world’s heritage, resources, and wisdom—but each had its own secretive agenda and origins. And now, with a entirely new realm, much larger than Earth, to exploit; they no longer feel the need to remain hidden.

The Libyan Covenant

Derived from "Libya," the ancient Greek name for Africa.

Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In the aftermath of the Ethiopian Civil War, a group of scholars, diplomats, and tribal leaders formed the Libyan Covenant to safeguard Africa's ancient secrets. This organisation believes that Africa holds the world’s most ancient, untapped power in its soil, its people, and its ancient civilisations. It turns out that the soil they are talking about is in another realm. They trace their origins back to the Nubians, Egyptians, and the empires of Mali and Carthage. The group’s founding members secretly possessed artefacts passed down through generations, believed to be remnants of an ancient African wisdom that predated all other civilisations.

The Libyan Covenant seeks to unify the continent by empowering its people with forgotten knowledge. They actively protect sites of historical and mystical significance, believing that Africa is destined to rise as a global superpower once the forgotten wisdom is restored. The Covenant is locked in a centuries-old conflict with external forces that have historically exploited Africa’s resources.

The Libyan Covenant uncovered the lost city of Tanis, buried under the sands of the Sahara, where they found a mysterious stone tablet inscribed with cryptic prophecies about Africa’s future.

The Order of Asu

Named after the Assyrian term *"Asu"* (meaning "to rise"), reflecting the East as the direction of the rising sun.

Headquarters: Mount Kailash, Tibet.

The Order of Asu claims to be an ancient society founded in the Himalayan mountains, where the ancient sages of India, China, and Persia shared knowledge. In 1979, a group of spiritual leaders, dissidents, and scholars from across Asia revitalised the Order to prevent the world from falling into spiritual decay. The group's origins are tied to the Silk Road, where ancient mystics exchanged secrets of immortality, natural power, and celestial wisdom.

The Order of Asu aims to protect Asia's spiritual and philosophical legacy, preserving teachings from the Vedic texts, Confucian philosophy, and the Taoist principles. They see Asia as the cradle of enlightenment, holding the key to a global spiritual renaissance. The Order is known for its secretive monasteries and its influence over governments and religious institutions.

After the fall of China’s Gang of Four, a power vacuum in the political system allowed the Order to reclaim an ancient manuscript believed to predict the future of humanity, said to be buried deep beneath the Potala Palace.

The Europa Consortium

Inspired by the ancient mythological figure Europa.

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom.
  
The Europa Consortium was formed after the second world war by a coalition of European aristocrats, intellectuals, and historians who traced their lineage back to the Crusades and ancient European dynasties. They believe that Europe was the original bastion of human civilisation, having received divine guidance from the gods. The Consortium has always operated in the shadows, influencing Europe’s direction during pivotal moments such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution.

The Europa Consortium seeks to establish Europe as the world’s intellectual and cultural epicentre. They work to recover lost artefacts, manuscripts, and technologies hidden since the fall of the Roman Empire. Their vision is to unify Europe under a single philosophical and scientific banner, fostering a new European Renaissance.

The Consortium unearthed the remains of a forgotten Merovingian king in a hidden chamber beneath Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, and with it, a powerful symbol—an ancient crown rumoured to hold mystical properties that could unite the European continent under one ruler.

Turtle Island Collective

Based on the Native American myth of "Turtle Island," referring to North America.

Headquarters: Black Hills, South Dakota, USA.

Amidst growing political tensions and ecological disasters, a group of Native American elders, environmentalists, and historians founded the Turtle Island Collective. They claimed to be heirs to a forgotten alliance of indigenous tribes that once ruled the continent before European colonisation. The Collective believes that the land itself is alive and sacred, and only by restoring balance with nature can North America avoid an impending catastrophe.

The Turtle Island Collective fights to protect the natural world, restore indigenous sovereignty, and revive the ancient spiritual traditions of Native American cultures. They are known for their resistance to government and corporate encroachment on sacred lands and natural resources, and for their belief that North America’s fate is tied to the harmony between humans and nature.

In a secret ceremony held in the Black Hills, long considered sacred, the Collective successfully performed an ancient ritual meant to reawaken the Earth’s natural defences, calling upon the spirits of the land to help reverse environmental degradation.

The Caruana Pact

"Caruana" is derived from the Caribs, an ancient people of South America.

Headquarters: Bogotá, Colombia.
  

South America has long been a land of mysteries, with its vast jungles and ancient civilisations such as the Incas, Mayans, and Caribs. The Caruana Pact was formed by a clandestine group of archaeologists, indigenous leaders, and former revolutionaries in 1979, believing that deep within the Amazon lies the gateway to the origins of life on Earth. The organisation traces its roots back to the Spanish Conquest, when indigenous leaders swore an oath to protect their sacred lands from foreign invaders.

The Caruana Pact’s mission is to reclaim South America’s lost heritage and unlock the ancient knowledge hidden in its rainforests, mountains, and ruins. They believe that the continent’s biodiversity holds the key to humanity’s survival, particularly through medicinal plants and spiritual enlightenment. They work to thwart multinational corporations that seek to exploit the land’s resources.

Deep in the Amazon jungle, the Pact discovered a hidden temple containing what they believed to be the last remaining seed of the mythical Tree of Life, which is said to have the power to cure any disease.

Terra Australis Alliance

Based on "Terra Australis Incognita," the ancient term for the unknown southern land.

Headquarters: Alice Springs, Australia.
  

The Terra Australis Alliance was formed by a coalition of Aboriginal elders, scientists, and adventurers in 1979, following the discovery of a series of cave paintings that seemed to depict celestial events long before recorded history. The Alliance believes that Australia is the last refuge of an ancient global civilisation that predates humanity’s known history and that the continent holds secrets to unlocking humanity’s past—and future.

The Terra Australis Alliance aims to preserve and study Australia’s unique geography and indigenous culture, uncovering the ancient wisdom hidden beneath its deserts, mountains, and coastlines. They seek to protect Australia’s natural and cultural heritage from those who would exploit it, and to discover the truth behind its ancient mysteries.

The Alliance unearthed a set of fossilised bones in the outback that were determined to be from a previously unknown hominid species, potentially rewriting the history of human evolution.

The Antarctic Syndicate

Headquarters: McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

Formed by a coalition of researchers and explorers in the frigid wastelands of Antarctica, the Australis Syndicate emerged with a singular belief: Antarctica was once home to a lost, technologically advanced civilisation. They believe that beneath the miles of ice are the remnants of this ancient culture, preserved by the cold. The Syndicate draws on forgotten scientific and archaeological research, much of which was suppressed by global governments.

The Syndicate’s mission is to explore the depths of Antarctica, uncovering its buried cities and technologies. They believe this knowledge could either save humanity from its self-destruction or, if misused, doom the world. Their activities are shrouded in secrecy, and they have been accused of conducting illicit research on global weather manipulation.

The Syndicate uncovered a vast underground complex beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, containing artefacts made of materials unknown to modern science, furthering their belief that Antarctica was once the cradle of an advanced, pre-Ice Age civilisation.

Together, these seven organisations secretly influence the course of world events, each driven by their own vision of the future, rooted in the ancient past. In the chaos of the late 20th century, they move the chess pieces of global politics, culture, and science, always a step ahead of the rest of the world.