Synthetic Support on Aomori

A Brief Resistance

When The High Church declared that Synthetics were not human in 3184, House Reticulum reacted to this declaration with mixed opinions. Synthetics had been a divisive topic on Aomori since their introduction by Cygnus, with some members of Reticulum hailing them as living Shintai even as others declared them abominations. This split nearly caused a second Reticulum civil war when the High Church made it’s declaration. As synths across the sector were decommissioned, a handful of nobles belonging to The Church of Humanity, Repentant and other traditional Reticulum cults rallied to defend their synthetic weapons. These traditionalists vastly underestimated the hold the High Church held over the House, however, and were swiftly defeated. A few were slain in battle, while the rest were defeated in duels of honor or freely surrendered their synthetics. A handful survived to flee to remote portions of the planet, but Venators of The Venatorial Order of Nimfydd were swift in hunting them down, and any organized opposition to the High Church’s doctrine was crushed.

Bastion

Not all synth supporters on Aomori took up arms. Understanding that they could never publicly support the synthetic cause, a small group of nobles hid their synthetic populace and formed a coalition dedicated to hiding them on Aomori. Over the next several years, these nobles dedicated significant funds towards creating a hidden sanctuary on Aomori, culminating in the construction of Bastion. This sprawling underground complex, built beneath a series of crumbling pre-Scream ruins, houses facilities capable of accommodating over a thousand synths and synthetic supporters. Such numbers have never inhabited the sanctuary, but its fervent caretakers ensure that they are always ready. These same caretakers- the original noble coalition and their trusted accomplices- harbor synths not out of kindness or any kind of human connection, but out of a religious fascination with the non-humans.

Gaia Delta and the Shukra Ghost Trees

Though the Bastion sanctuary primarily relies on secrecy for defense, it is also protected by its proximity to the Gaia Delta Terraforming Engine. Located in a relatively uninhabited temperate portion of Aomori, Gaia Delta exhibits the various dangerous effects of other engines during its active phases but is much more well known for its own signature danger- the Shukra Ghost Trees. Roughly 3-4 meters in height, these trees are actually a colony of vines which grow together into a tree-like shape. Their leaves are covered in a dazzling purple and white coloration. Though alluring, these attractive colors hide the Shukra’s deadly nature. These plants emit a bizarre MES field that encourages growth in human cells, causing mutation and cancerous growths. Though these fields can prove deadly after enough repeated exposure to their field, able-bodied physical human specimens have been shown to possess the capability to resist these effects. Synthetic humans, as peak representations of human physicality, are able to resist these effects on a regular basis. For this reason, any overland path of approach through the ruins must first be cleared by synthetic workers before human caretakers can enter the sanctuary.