Saracen

Overview: Out of Character

Saracen is a work of fiction, and also a long running story arc within the City of Heroes. A number of players have participated across multiple servers, particularly Justice and Virtue. This page is intended as the anchor page for the story as it unfolds.

The posting editor and moderator for Saracen at this time is @Taosin.

Overview

Report: Confidential (Abstract)

Subject: Saracen Briefing

Date: December 2011

Author: Dominic Leon, Phoenix Insurrection

Background: In Praetoria

Approximately forty years ago, a pattern of episodes of rogue psionic individuals began to occur in Praetoria. These rogues would turn, and then later quickly become quite powerful, then act against their friends, others, and such. Nothing really unusual so far, such events have never been too uncommon on either Primal or Praetorian Earth. These occurred from time to time, once a year, perhaps less often. It was later analysis that caught this pattern. We know now not all were detected as similar at the time.

They tapered off about a decade ago. In 2009 they began anew. Again the episodes were similar, but much stronger and more difficult to contain. About this time, a powerful psi code named Abak picked up the pattern and investigated. He determined that there was a continuum and progression of one like thing, perhaps the same root cause, and that each incident showed steps along a mathematical power progression that foretold utter disaster within a small number of years.

He took this to Keyes, and they were alert for the next incident. This turned out to be a criticality, and the first known blossoming of the Saracen matrix (we have to assume there have been previous no one is aware of). It was contained only with great difficulty, and this with the full participation at the very end of Shalice with them and others. The subsequent analysis of Abak and Keyes was given discretely to Marcus Cole, Tyrant.

Fearing that public disclosure would tear (relatively fragile) Praetoria part, and weaken the efforts to defend against primal Earth, and slow or abandon efforts to reclaim areas outside the fenced zones, Cole effectively gave Abak a suspension of the edicts against him, with the proviso he and others must remain focussed solely on the task of Saracen.

However none of this could be acknowledged, and it was a very fine line with little leeway. In essence, this established a 'shadow faction' faction within Praetoria, something not uncommon as it turns out. For example, I have to assume Oberste has his own shadow faction of some kind in operation: shadowy figures within the system with dual allegiances, and so forth. Puppet masters and the like. The Resistance logically would have at least two, by the way. Some Praetor's may have one, or not. Usually, such factions operate to unwritten rules and tend not to operate directly against other factions, it seems.

From late 2009 until now two more Saracen Criticalities have been found and dealt with. The last a few months ago ended with the glassing via an interdict orbital sanitization strike of a small town in old Chile (Praetoria).

Background: Primal Earth

With the opening of effectively permanent transit ways between Praetoria and Primal Earth, Abak (rightly) suspected Saracen may strike here as well. To that discreet efforts on Primal Earth have been made to create a detection network and managing any incipient outbreaks before they gain criticality. This has occurred a number of times, both in Paragon City and isles; as well as elsewhere a few times.

With the intel and data provided by Aivas, we now know Saracen has recently, within the last two months, managed to gain and master a new criticality without detection, shifting the ground and threat levels significantly. The 'fast take' of Solomon Gray demonstrates this. This Criticality is known is coded 'Ternio'.

Whatever Saracen is, it is partaking of qualities we see in the greater Devouring Earth (such as the Hamidon or the tentacled monster Cole fought all those years ago in Mexico), those who have undertaken the trial Primal Earth people call the Well of the Furies, and vast new reaches of psionic power. We know from one previous encounter it is likely to be highly resistant to magic, and energy, and nether, as well. It seems to grow in power geometrically with each criticality.

I hope to have a location for Gray within a short time (measured in days), and know there can only be a short time. Both before he is unable to be reclaimed, and before any detection will cause an authoritative interdict wherever he and this Ternio are located.

Update July 2012

Since the briefings began, several Saracen Criticalities have been found and dealt with. These included

• Reclamation and restoration of Solomon Grey,
• The failure to reclaim and recover Erica D'strell, although the criticality was successfully fractured and in her final moments Erica joined with a Kheldian. Saracen, however, is now known to have several unique aspects of Erica's former abilities.
• The recovery of Janus Irasti, prior to criticality, via the defeat of a new type of Saracen forerunner agent. it is thought Saracen, as yet, has limited means to produce these fore-runners (thankfully).

As at late July 2012, investigation is proceeding into an apparent 'self-healing' criticality that occurred in Praetoria two years ago. No further information available at this time.

The resolution of the war between Praetorian and Primal earths has impacted Sarsen to a degree. Sarsen is the Praetorian-based 'grey faction' that is resourced to over watch and protect form Saracen) to a degree, however resources remain in place at a sufficient level to continue its charter.