Rising Thunder: Community Edition

About

20 years ago, crackling orange rifts started to appear over Earth, spewing giant, violent, technically-advanced machines that attacked humanity. Humans exposed to the rifts developed a form of radiation sickness. A tiny percentage of those who survived learned they could co-opt the alien tech (Rift Resonance). These heroes, backed by the United Protectorate (humanity’s pan-government defence force), built powerful suits (armatures) and waged a war to repel/destroy the invaders. 10 years ago, Earth’s hardworking scientists finally figured out how to close the rifts, ending the war. With the threat abated, the United Protectorate judged that the Attuned represented a threat to world order, and called for the decommissioning of all existing armatures. Many attuned, however, are irrevocably connected to their armatures. Now, they are divided into 3 ideological factions: The Villains: Attuned who violently oppose decommissioning. Led by former war-hero Specter, these radicals will do anything to eradicate all threats to themselves. In their first act of defiance, they destroyed the United Protectorate Headquarters, turning most of Paris into a glowing glass crater in the process. The Heroes: These Attuned are loyal to their governments, which are in turn amenable to the guidance of the United Protectorate. They would have accepted the decommissioning, were it not for the threat posed by Specter and his terrorist organization. Now, they are tasked with policing unaligned Attuned eliminating Specter. The Independents: These Attuned are wary of the decommissioning, but also renounce Specter’s violent extremism. Some are loyal to small governments, acting as one-man deterrents against covetous neighbors. Others are self-taught prodigies with home-made mechs. Others still are disillusioned heroes, tired of conflict. They tend to oppose both Specter and the U.P. allied agents sent to monitor or curtail their actions.