The Digital Library Archive

[Malic]

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Civic Terminal login detected. User request received. Accessing public archive. . .​

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Welcome, Citizen​

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This is the digital archive of the Public Library, currently located in the Study Hall of the Loyalist Housing Block on Willard Street. The archive includes transcriptions of every displayed book, both for ease of access and work preservation. Included in the digital archive are also works which are not on physical display.​

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Citizens may submit their works to be included in the library. Details are listed at the bottom of the page.​

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[CATEGORIES]​

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Spoiler: [LOYALISM] Spoiler: False Discontent False Discontent (written by @tonydaboze) There is an idea that has emerged within our society, City 24, an idea that can exist anywhere, at any time. This idea is one of blame but also of discontent. Since the dawn of time, humanity has always had a habit of laying all of our troubles off on government bodies. Humans, full of discontent, will seek any opportunity to delay this problem or deflect to whomever they could possibly blame it on. That is what I wish to discuss with you, the reader, and how you can cast aside this disease of false discontent, which is no more different than everyday anxiety. At times, a citizen may raise inappropriate questions to our leaders. A citizen may presume that we have come to an impasse in society when we clearly have only been blessed with glorious progress. If you are feeling this disease of doubt, ask yourself, what can I do to make a change? Joining a union, organizing events—all these opportunities are placed in our hands by the grace of our government. Within our Union, every citizen is made equal, and those who contribute to our society will in turn earn more. Feel no need to look further than the simple fact that lies within the basis of our union: the betterment of one is the betterment of many. Think about what deeds a fellow citizen of higher status must have contributed to our society, and think about what you can do to reach that position. Through this, you can improve more than you may have ever imagined. This is the promise we are given, and this is the shackle that the Union has freed us from. We all have the opportunity to improve our society in meaningful and beautiful ways. I only ask that you achieve this. Engage your community, encourage your fellow citizens; work must be done for the Union. Spoiler: Is This Our Home? Is This Our Home? (written by @Armenian Union ) ======================= Spoiler: Chapter 1 Chapter (-1-) Transcendence Aeons have passed since our ascension and liberation by Our Benefactors. Doctor Wallace Breen rose above petty partisan politics and stepped in to negotiate a peace settlement with our adversary at the time “The Combine”. Earth was devastated after the Seven Hour War but the idea that this was an extinction-era event and that humanity was on death's door was nonsense. Prior bloody chapters of human history show humanity is a stubborn species. The genocides, slaughtering and butchering of our fellow humans for the past three hundred thousand years practically at the point of humanity’s conception have always proved that we can survive and more often than not prosper when conditions drastically alter. And here we are, the conditions have drastically altered just as they have done thousands of times beforehand. But some have questioned the planet upon which we originate – how can we still call this home even if we are no longer ruled over by a traditional Homo-Sapien Administration? The question often parades the mind of those less inclined to support Our Benefactors. Truthfully, this is now a dated and unsophisticated opinion – if humanity ever wishes to broaden its mind, then it must take the opportunity of the change of conditions, failure to do so would squander the effort of thousands over decades of work. Transcendence means shedding thousands of years of history, but in turn, we gain unlimited access to the stars. Far too often the conversation is about what we lose as a species if we finally accept our destiny which we are actively constructing. What will we lose exactly? We lose the ability to wage war against each other, lose the disgusting racialist divide, and our decaying vices of drugs and alcohol. What opposition as sickened as they are gain from stopping this, preventing our transcendence by bringing us back to the decay of old. ======================= Spoiler: Chapter 2 Chapter (-2-) Disruptors Just as we sit on the precipice of elevation beyond our planet, the disruptors stand in our way. One's recent visit to City Seventeen is truly a city to behold, the home of Administrator Breen, he is the truest example of someone in total control of a city. Cameras line every street; Civil Protection is out in force and punishes even the smallest slight against the socio-stability. One’s visit was accompanied by a meeting with local officials in the agitprop department. Some of the strictest and most efficient departments involved in disseminating news one has ever met, press machines hum with activity and newspapers scatter the desks. City Seventeen is destined to ascend beyond our mortal coil and enter enlightenment. But one's time in City Twenty-Four and City Eight cast doubt upon the possibility other cities are ready to join enlightenment. City Eight is plagued by corruption and internal faction strife, often engaged in nationalistic and downright hostile racialist policies toward the non-Japanese population. A city cannot elevate itself beyond without eliminating what holds it back - City Eight contains within it the worst excesses of humanity. City Twenty-Four is a difficult city to judge – it holds some of the brightest and best loyalists but is plagued by Resistance conspirators, dubious assassination plots and a disappointing view on the Biotic issue. Those loyalist circles content on allowing the flagrant rebellious attitude within City 24 fester should face immediate punishment. This same circle are the ones who currently leave the pressing Biotic question unanswered. The Biotic question is often a sensitive issue to bring up within loyalist communities in City Twenty-Four. Oddly, it stands out as the city most accepting of that species among even the most reformist Administrations that exist in other regions. It is and always will be impossible for the Biotic species to join us on our journey of transcendence outside of our home planet. They are not only not native to Earth but they aren’t even native to Xen either. They are a species without a cause, without a home and purpose, the most humane thing to do would be to restrict them to laborious work as they are intended while humanity contends with working on the creative arts and moving onward. Only until all of these problems are addressed can the city even begin the path to redemption and prove to Administrator Breen that it is a city worthy of redemption. ======================= Spoiler: Chapter 3 Chapter (-3-) Flourishment As we get closer to the act of transcendence, we are now past the point of no return. The attempts to slay or scare our most intellectual writers, philosophers, artists and presenters are now all but mute. We have procured a community upon which we can replace every person within an instance. Whereas, to train a guerilla fighter you require a weapon, training, and a determined attitude which for most groups has fallen by the wayside. Futility is now the name of the struggle against us, the desperate attempt to pause our process is met with a stronger response each time. Never is the overused quote “The pen is mightier than the sword.” been truer. The theorists that reside in our circles may despair at times that such flourishment seems decades away, nay, an eternity. Such thinking is the blight of human instinct, the act of doubting forms a part of the old ways of thinking which must be discarded upon our transcendence. One can reassure you from the travels one has undertaken that our liberation as a species is far closer than you may think. To give up or betray the cause now is the worst act a loyalist can undertake. Having assurance in the system we have shed blood for is the highest form of loyalty to the project we are undertaking. Loyalists make the fatal mistake of being vague and oftentimes regressive when trying to convey to the masses the purpose of the “Combine” being on Earth. Subjugation is merely the new manner of progress in the changing conditions of our world. Before we flourish properly, we must subjugate the old – once this is complete, we can begin the act of flourishment. Flourishment means leaving this current rock we call home – it also means leaving behind the human instinct and everything it encompasses. It involves the expansion of the human mind to levels that were once thought physically impossible that the so-called spiritual religions of old would be clambering to join us. Once we leave Earth, we can begin to look for a new home or even multiple new homes as such we become a species so enlightened that we are elevated to the coloniser via the graces of Our Benefactors. Such liberation is but within our reach if we stay within the path, we have wisely constructed for ourselves. This book is an effort of many months and with assistance from several loyalist scholars across four different sectors. This book also serves as a personal dedication to those who have given their life or made significant contributions to the cause of transcendence and who should be entered into the record for said efforts. Agatha Doe Carter Bradley Edward Riggs Elias Siemens Juniper Stenhouse [REDACTED] Noah Majors Raktavati Shrivastav [REDACTED] “Without the creative arts, we are dead men.” ======================= Spoiler: On Our Benefactors On Our Benefactors by Minister Mason Mbanefo (written by @Kamilisha Haijulikani ) Since the days of the Storms, some have deemed Our Benefactor as illegitimate, that we, as a species, have been condemned by a force alien to our own with no understanding for our wellbeing, that we should welcome olden threats of chaos and death. Like relapsing tumours, these individuals, depending on their nescience and a yearning to old, attempt to preclude the furthering of our species. They hide truths of humanity’s self-afflicted comeuppance, but like lying children, their nature shines through. When the storms first gleamed, their destructiveness was of purposeful intent. In weaponizing these forces, we inadvertently spurred forth extradimensional horrors that ravaged our planet of its life. We faced the precipice of the void, its twilight, and the definitive loss of Earth to invaders we’ve invoked as we stood upon our last leg— yet instead of death, humanity fared a different conclusion— ascension. It is then irrefutable when one says they owe their survival to Our Benefactors, a fact as clear as silage. Instead of consigning us to death as the lesser claim, Our Benefactors opted to rescue and advance our species, a process of their own volition, and through goodwill and collaboration, chose the most promising for humanity, that we work hand-in-hand for all. It is this understanding that we exist in a time of prosperity, and between those who act and those who complain, who achieved more? Times have not been without issues, however, and there live adversarial notions that hark to the days of destruction, who, weaponizing words, use our unison as a pretext to wage their war. Still, by the end of their war, they will have accomplished nothing because humanity will have outgrown this deception and evolved; through self-actualization, with Our Benefactors in hand, we will have ascended to something greater than our parts. Spoiler: Security Council Security Council (written by @villeneuve) The Security Council, usually abbreviated as simply SeCon, is a legislative parliament consisting entirely of the Collaborator's Party members. These men and women have the capability of voting on legislations, as well as proposing them and generally participating in the politics of the district. Monthly elections are held for the position of Chairperson, the citizen trusted with being at the overall helm of the Security Council. They are responsible for holding sessions, as well as generally ensuring the council works as intended. Prerequisites are minimal and open, with tier-3 and above permitted to run for the position. Within the Security Council exist binders, political groups representing varying views loyal to Our Benefactors. These binders are entirely informal and standards for them are little to none, aside from the bar minimum. Current binders include: The Totalist Unity Coalition, helmed by former Chairman Mallory Bloke. The Constructivist Movement, led by a triumvirate: Head of Party Agatha Doe, Chief Martinet Juniper Stenhouse and Head of Outreach Carter Bradley. The Civil Workers' Party, with Johann Schnoselberg serving as the chapter president. Tier-3 citizens are available to enter the Collaborator's Party by applying for the Outer-Party Ascension Programme through a civil terminal. Spoiler: Spontaneous Utopia Spontaneous Utopia (written by @Malic ) The Spontaneous Utopia can happen. It can happen almost anywhere. For the Spontaneous Utopia to arise you must first gather yourself and at least one other citizen. What are the problems present? Look! Identify your solutions as well as the other citizen's problems for ordering to begin with the eventual accomplishment of the Spontaneous Utopia. You must identify your problems by taking in sensory information of the problem and then using cognitive processes to identify the solution amidst the noise of all existence. You must now transmit the solution. For humans this means language. Communicate! Without communication the other citizen cannot know your problem, as you cannot know theirs. Solutions then prove themselves impossible. Once the problems are communicated? Solve them! Perhaps we are necessarily an infinite amount of these solutions away from solving everything, but perhaps any given day is just five solutions away from being necessarily better than the previous one. Spontaneous Utopia Supports for as many citizens getting involved as can be. Gathering of Spontaneous Utopians are ANTI-riotous by nature. When an officer tells you to disperse that is their communication that a high priority problem involves the conglomeration of too many people. So seperate at once into individual Spontaneous Utopian splinters! Together we can make a better world, one conversation at a time. Spoiler: The Benefactors Series The Benefactors Series (written by @utterly faustian spirit) ======================= Spoiler: Bounty Bounty Prior to Our Benefactor’s grace, the world was in a divided post-Cold War milieu. In the First World, Western nations had advanced rapidly ahead of their Second World counterparts in the shadow of the Soviets, and the Third World was gripping with the consequences of postcolonial rulers and juntas. There had been possibly no other greater divides and divides within divides - exploitation of these Eastern young states by interested parties from Western ones. Those in one hemisphere enjoyed numerous benefits - healthcare, business, and wealth. Those in the other suffered from plagues of poverty such as malaria, dysentery, and other such conditions. For many, the standards imposed by Our Benefactors have been easily ignored. Yet Our Benefactors have given us what the United Nations in their half-century of domination and supposed “unity” had failed to deliver - the Universal Declaration of Human Rights totally fulfilled. Justice and law in every jurisdiction has been unified under the Combine Civil Code. Work, shelter, and nourishment is a guarantee under every urban centre with a Civil Administration. The Combine’s worldwide order ensures the protection of these rights, and some may be oblivious to such. Beyond the fulfilment of these Articles, Our Benefactors have given us great bounty and providence. High-speed razor trains - medical gel nurses even the most gravely ill - Combine infrastructure connecting the world - and perhaps the most serious, the end of all global conflict between nations. The dissolution of nuclear states such as the Soviet Union had returned the question of atomic destruction - only for Our Benefactors to prevent such ruination. These gifts came to us at no cost, and many should remind themselves of the comforts that Our Benefactors have given us. ======================= Spoiler: Carlyle Carlyle On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History is perhaps the most influential text by Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle. Carlyle’s lectures discuss great men and their influences upon history - how their actions had sculpted the world in their time, classifying them as Heroes as Divinity, Prophet, Poet, Priest, Man of Letters, or Philosopher, and King. Carlyle’s essays point out that heroism is not just a fallacy - it is a need, a compulsion, a yearning for men in times of moral crisis to guide, lead, and rule. In his own words - “No nobler feeling than this of admiration for one higher than himself dwells in the breast of man. It is to this hour, and at all hours, the vivifying influence in man's life.” In particular, Carlyle critiques those that refuse to believe in heroes. “No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.” In our modern strata, where we face counter-collaborative elements and otherwise fringe dissidents, we see those who espouse vile beliefs. They detract our Councillors, our Ministers, and our Global Administrator. You may often see this in the face of the black-band who wrings his nose up at the mention of the Councillor who works so hard to ensure the district is safe, the same Councillor who ensures that very underclass receives his rations. Figures such as our Global Administrator, Wallace Breen are scrutinised by these detractors. Wallace Breen, who has ensured a global peace unprecedented in scale, goes slandered by these fools. Heroes like Wallace Breen will stand against the test of time, his actions forever eternal much as any other Great Man - and those anticitizens speaking against him, on the other hand, shall be about as remembered as a grain of sand. ======================= Spoiler: Malthus Malthus Thomas Robert Malthus was the English pioneer and architect of what we know as the Malthusian trap - writing within his 1798 An Essay on the Principle of Population that “Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio, Subsistence, increases only in an arithmetical ratio.” In layman's terms, Malthus grimly predicted that the ever-expanding growth of human populations through the lens of the early Industrial Revolution would exceed available bounties of food to the world. A surplus population drained civilization’s resources and would inevitably fuel consequences of poverty, disease, and shortage. Many had seen the Green Revolution a counterpoint to this theory - the abundance of new agricultural technology and fertilisers had proven a stable foundation for the populational boom. However, this was impeded by petty pre-Unification borders. In this regard, our Benefactors have wholly solved the issue of the Malthusian trap. Many take for granted the staples of Combine invention - such as worldwide Ration Terminals and the Suppression Field. These inventions have prevented Humanity unnecessary suffering and unwarranted misery through our Benefactor’s kindly control. Questions of scarcity are put to rest with guaranteed meals within the comfort of our cities, no more than ten minute’s walk away from one’s apartment, providing nourishment even in the worst of conditions. The Suppression Field is Malthus’ preventive checks penultimate - without the growth of a further population, we may be free to enjoy the surplus they may have used up. ======================= Spoiler: McLuhan McLuhan Philosopher Marshall McLuhan is a name often stated within the halls the Ministry of Enlightenment's writing rooms. His works in the field of media theory, like the Gutenberg Galaxy, and Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, have forwarded the idea that the “medium is the message”, where knowledge does not shape us - but the invention and the senses doing it does. One of his most popular works, Gutenberg Galaxy, profiles the shifts made by Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press. One of his assessments is that its development ushered in the dominance of rationalism, uniformity, and the homogenization of thought and culture. McLuhan raises the effects of the mass production of printed works, where the printed word, with its standardisation and unity, gave rise to a “typographic” world consciousness. This standard way of thought reshaped how we would perceive time and space. Without the printing press, there would be no Enlightenment. To grow past our cradle, as Breen puts it, we must harness the gifts of Our Benefactors. And for what better use there is, not as ideology, but as technology, would be transhumanism? The Transhuman trumps the printing press - all information would be immediately accessible to the whole global consciousness. Knowledge would not be kept in obscure sanctums, but within the entirety of all transhumans. And when this occurs, there is no need for disagreement, politics, or war - the omnipotence of transhuman society would lead to certain utopia. We would no longer think within imaginary borders - each a computer contributing to a sphere of international, shared intellect. In this way, the next logical step forwards beyond the Gutenberg Man is the Transhuman Man. ======================= Spoiler: Virilio Virilio Professor Paul Virilio was the French theorist and proponent of Dromology - the study of speed, logic, and push of technology upon society and its consequences. Virilio stated his views quite aptly when he said, “When you invent the ship, you also invent the shipwreck; when you invent the plane you also invent the plane crash; and when you invent electricity, you invent electrocution... Every technology carries its own negativity, which is invented at the same time as technical progress.” Dromology places particular focus on things that augment or decelerate speed, as well, in the example of war, an offensive or the defensive. Virilio argues that only the military benefits from the tools that accelerate speed are the ones that thrust forward innovation and technology. Yet these views are one-sided - entirely backwards in nature. Virilio’s sentiments came from his background: as a youth during the Second World War. In this way, we must see his views on technology and its use by the military in context. Virilio’s criticisms of the progressive pace of technology correlate to how he equates it with the pursuit of war, the ways of industrialised bloodshed. Our Benefactors cut through Virilio’s criticisms of technology being harnessed only by those who wield swords. Some criticise them as warmakers, yet their arrival has brought us advancements that would have perhaps taken hundreds of generations to even conceptualise. Humanity owes the Benefactors for their selfless revelations of dark energy that powers our cities - for their invention of the fabricator that produces our city’s stock - for their fruit of transhumanism. With their insight, Humanity may ascend. ======================= Spoiler: Wilds Wilds The decades prior to the Unification can be characterised as ecological cataclysm. In 1984 - the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in India. Thousands died, with the survivors suffering poison and the lands blighted with contamination. 1986 - Chernobyl in Ukraine, one of the worst examples of Humankind's mismanagement and mistreatment of nuclear energy. 1989 - Exxon Valdez in the seas, where 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Prince William Sound in Alaska, filling the waters with black runoff and littering coasts with beached carcasses. In that decade still, the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest, and the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole. Man’s pursuit of material gain - his greed - had led to these crimes against our natural world and the wild. If Mother Earth perhaps was characterised, she would be weeping. Her fertile fields contaminated, her shimmering seas poisoned, and her serene skies smothered. Coal and other such power sources brought us skyrocketing carbon emissions, of which protest was futile due to the many captains of industry in many different nations. Our Benefactors are criticised, by some, for an apparent disregard for Earth’s wilderness. Yet Our Benefactors have not brought daggers to the Earth as Man has. The Combine does not need volatile fuels as we did - the Combine harnesses the power of dark energy. The Combine does not need to expand in our forests or jungles, either, nor does it need to poach. As populations moved towards fine urban centres, no longer was the threat of poaching or deforestation a threat - these formerly endangered environments began to heal without the wounds Man inflicted on them. ======================= Spoiler: The Good Citizen's Tenets The Good Citizen's Tenets by [REDACTED] (written by @Furious) ================================================= The Good Citizen's Tenets are written recommendations for the Citizens of Combine cities. They are meant to aid their triumph in the new age of trust and enlightenment. For all to reap the benefits of liberation and ascension, the core tenets must be heeded and followed as much as possible. ================================================= I. The Good Citizen remains cautious of biotics. II. The Good Citizen keeps their armband visible at all times. III. The Good Citizen follows basic orders. IV. The Good Citizen thinks and speaks solely in approved languages. V. The Good Citizen does not conduct unnecessary chatter in the street. VI. The Good Citizen is wary of their fellow citizens. Trust is only owed to the Combine and their officials. VII. The Good Citizen abides uniformity by wearing their standard jumpsuit. VIII. The Good Citizen attends their mandated shifts and public events. IX. The Good Citizen embodies strength, intelligence, and charisma. X. The Good Citizen reports all suspicious activity to their Protection Teams. ================================================= [ Rewritten by the Ministry of Enlightenment ] Spoiler: The True Citizen The True Citizen (edited) (sourced from @Vinyl screenshots) (written by unknown) What does it take to be a True Citizen? The question has been raised several times previously, so I created a guide to enlighten citizens. The remarks of the True Citizen are displayed everywhere in the city, from posters to announcements, but few know their real meaning. I am confident that this book will help serve you precariously through the long run, so it is best to keep this as a mental note. The True Citizen has a supplement of basic traits that are beneficial within the Universal Union. They know to respect their Benefactors and give them the utmost confidence in what they bring to society. The True Citizen always keeps his identification armband shown at all times in order to bring organization within himself. He works the hardest out of all the other groups and also has strong loyalty to his colleagues and peers. The True Citizen always conserves valuable oxygen in order to keep the resource from depleting for the rest of the population. The True Citizen respects the accommodations he is given from the Universal Union. The True Citizen does not hold onto materialistic possessions as they delay progression to immortality. The True Citizen always reports with discretion on what they feel is not beneficial to the progress of the Union. The only way to know that you have attained this status is by working hard and remaining loyal to your Benefactors. Believe in yourself that you can strive to meet these goals and only then will you know that immortality is imminent. Be sure always to treat this book as a guide to enlightenment through hard work and perseverance. Spoiler: Unum Corpus Unum Corpus (sourced from the forums) (written by @RealGamer) ======================= Spoiler: Volume I Volume I In our society, beneath the united banner of the Universal Union, we are given a philosophy that many overlook, or reject for their selfish desires for money and bloodlust. It's heard throughout the cities each day, our Union's heavy use of Body politic. It becomes clear as you listen and notice what is said by our greatest leaders, and the disembodied voices which command the domestic peacekeeping forces within each city. Many telling decisions in the wording bring light to this theory. Those who protect our society are referred to as healthy or medicinal aspects which cleanse, cauterize, stabilize and amputate those who wish to bring us back into a savage age. They "administer" the treatment which removes these "Malignant" elements from the city. If it was not clear enough, our Union calls upon terms which perceive society and civilization like one body. Such a notion is hardly distant, cold and alien, despite what the radicals who wallow in filth wish to tell you. The use of Body politic in philosophy has been formulated by minds as far back as the classical period, as old as Ancient Greece, or Rome itself. While these ideas normally draw images of monarchistic societies of old, modern forward thinking can find relations to these philosophies for a more happy and vigorous civilization. If one were to consider our global state as a body, the workers as its important organs and our leaders as the head, the ideas become more obvious. Our brain is what directs us to seek our nourishment for our organs and muscles, which use what are given to them. The brain organizes our limbs to propel us towards sources of food and exercise, and leaves our organs to autonomously work once the proper resources are given to it. ======================= Spoiler: Volume II Volume II We do not have to tell our heart to pump blood, or our stomachs to digest, they simply do it because it is their function, and the more we receive the more vibrant and healthy they are. Clearly, the heart is comparable the workers, the people. While the brain is the leader. Thus, a strong and clear mind can make the best conditions for the body to thrive, or a weak, absent mind may let it decay to weakness. With this in mind, it becomes more clear to perceive our issues similar to how the Benefactors direct us to view them. But there is not only the anti-civil terrorists who wish to sabotage those trying to survive and struggling in their life. They are just one cancer which must be cut out, or amputated from our society. There are more malignant elements, like a parasite which has not had the physician's light shone upon it yet. The selfish citizen who seeks for no struggle, pure luxury. They aim to sap as much resources and nourishment as possible for their own gain. Such reckless profiteering contributes nothing to the greater body of our society unless the head of this body hierarchy demands their contribution. This is not a true loyalist, not a citizen who wishes to serve and support their fellow man. Another form of parasite, is one who commandeers the head, a weak upper hierarchy which does not drive itself forward to maximize the society's strength and health. They forget, that even though they are the head of this body, they are still a part of it, and if the body ceases to produce and process its needed matter, the entire body along with the head will die. ======================= Spoiler: Volume III Volume III Despite the comparisons to the antithesis of Unified philosophies, there are still radicals spouting their old world ideologies as if they hold some importance. There are the socialists, anarchists who demand a "workers state". They call for the hierarchy to be abolished, essentially, they want to decapitate the head of our society. At best, their achievements would see a burst of energy like a chicken running around with its head cut off before it dies and decays in stagnation. On a different part of this radical spectrum are the liberal groups who wish to see a weak and divided society. One that allows for the opportunistic bunch to divide the parts of our national body. This makes way for the profiteer, the unchecked criminal organization and the selfish element to thrive. This is the organs commanding the body while the head still has all its senses, weakened and prevented from acting with decisiveness. What is needed is a form of organization for our society that is similar to a healthy singular body. One with a synthesis, and cooperation of the head and body. The head must realize, that they are a part of this body, and each part is one in the combined consciousness of the political body. Once the head organizes the body to obtain it's best nourishment, it can achieve the optimal strength when facing the struggle of life. Like a healthy part of a body, the true loyalist accepts and loves life. Life as he understands it, means duty, elevation, conquest. He rejects physical and spiritual suicide as cowardly. ======================= Spoiler: Volume IV Volume IV But unlike mere organs, human beings require much more than food and water to function at their fullest. Each unified human shares the national spirit which also must be nurtured. The head which loves their people must realize this and create the conditions to bring upon culture, art, discipline and spirit to the whole of the nation. Or risk falling into a stagnant bureaucracy. In this way, our Union's encouragement of a unified body draws us together, for a stronger national spirit and state which each worker is a part of. A state that knows it's strength lies within all its people and that it must direct its resources and thought to making the populace their strongest. In these ways, our Union is glorious. [COPY OF ORIGINAL TEXT WRITTEN IN 25/03/2018] [APPROVED BY THE BUREAU OF ENLIGHTENMENT] ======================= Spoiler: Utopia Utopia (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) There is a concept of a perfect world, a world where all are equal, happy and content. A perfect world where there is not a single bad day, where is no loss and suffering. This perfect world, we call Utopia. It is a concept as old as time. For as long as people lived, they wished for something better. Something they could strive towards. Today, we find ourselves at the gates of this very perfect world - the passage to a plane without misery. Yet, still, we are outside. We are stuck behind the pearly gates, left waiting and wanting. Why are they closed? Have we not suffered enough for our perfect world? To that end, one must realise that perfection is not uncorruptable. Our Utopia will always be akin to an orchard, where we, as gardeners, work on its upkeep. Yet, if we were to let a swarm of locusts into our garden, then we would lose both the fruits and the seeds. Then all the sins of the past still lie dormant within us, how can we be sure that our future remains unscorned by our past? Will we trust ourselves only a decade after we destroyed our very world, or will we, instead, put faith in our rehabilitators? The process of healing is long and arduous. For fifteen years we have tried to remove the tumor from our souls, and only now are we seeing progress. As our darkest impulses lie dead with the East, now is the time to prove ourselves worthy for perfection. As the passage of each day brings our minds closer to Utopia, so too must we learn to keep ourselves pure. When we prove to Our Benefactors that we are as perfect as the world we desire to have - only then will we get the fruits of our labour. Do not fall now, when we have moved so far. Utopia awaits. Spoiler: Zen of the Union Zen of the Union (edited) (sourced from @Vinyl screenshots) (written by unknown) Now, good reader, I want to take you on a little journey, a journey into the mind of the Universal Union. To do this, we must first understand them. The Universal Union has been traveling through the cosmos for quite a long time. They have been reaching other worlds and societies, and bringing them into their own civilization. The Universal Union, or ‘Combine’, are a collective of hyper-intelligent beings with the combined knowledge of many civilizations. They have even achieved pan-dimensional travel, which many of us used to think was some form of science fiction. Now, let’s think about the people working for the Union, the Civil Protection. These protectors are here to protect us as both people and a civil society, a sure sign of the Combine’s care for mankind. Then there’s the Civil Workers’ Union. I was told by one of their workers, that when they were accepted, they were simply given a main directive and to do this directive whenever necessary. I wasn’t told what this directive was, my guess is to simply keep the city clean. Now, I want to take you in a different direction for this last part. I want you to take a seat, close your eyes and imagine. Imagine that you are one of the, one of Our Benefactors. Look around you and see everything you have at your command. Now do what Our Benefactors would do, use it to help others achieve the same power. This is your purpose for existing. You will do all in your power to make sure the cosmos is explored, and knowledge is found. That, my dear reader, is the Zen of the Union.

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Spoiler: [EDUCATION] Spoiler: First Aid First Aid (written by @villeneuve) Given our physical forms, we are prone to injury. Workplace accidents, as well as the occasional ne'er-do-well and anti-citizen attacks are prominent within the world. Our Benefactors have done to the best of their ability to alleviate such incidents, but it ultimately remains on us to prevent them. First aid is a wide tent that has a thousand treatments under its name, but this book will go over the most useful and easiest tactics. First things first, your safety comes first. You can't save a life if yours is taken. Identify the victim and their injuries. In the event of multiple wounded, you must prioritize the most grievously injured. Call for help! Knowledge is power, but trained medical staff are much more useful than citizens who read a book. Move to a safe place. Staying out in the open is a safety hazard for both yourself and the wounded. Now that we've gone over the fundamentals, we can take a look at the most useful first aid tactics. Ensure that the wounded remains conscious. Pour water, nudge or slap them if they seem to be drifting away. Bleeding should immediately be stopped, no matter the injury. Apply pressure, then tie clean dressing around the wound. DO NOT TOUCH IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Keep them from moving whatsoever, especially their injured area. The fracture / bullet may split and create internal bleeding. Spoiler: History of City 24 History of City 24 (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) ======================= Spoiler: Volume I Volume I Not many cities endured the Ascension, and even fewer were deemed fit to be re-populated after the dust settled. As the consequences of the Portal Storms dotted themselves all over the globe, Our Benefactors were forced to pick only the best locations for our new urban centers. One of these locations was a city to the right of the meridian, untouched by the horrors of the Portal Storms. Being once a stout center of politics, it was perfect to be new capital of Sector 10. Second in stability only to City 17, the newly named City 24 became one of the finest Loyalist centers across the globe. Within the confines of its walls, the Earth Administrator himself saw fit to place the global Summit, comprised entirely out of the finest human minds available. For a while, City 24 was considered to be the crown jewel of not only Sector 10, but also the entirety of the globe - an inspiring example of unity. Comprised of multiple different Districts, not a single one shined brighter than the very center of the city - District 43. There was the very Nexus of 24, where the Administrator, Thomas Newcastle, resided. Over the course of his tenure, the District was rebuilt multiple times to better suit the population. Within its confines resided the headquarters of many institutions, including CWU, CMU, BRI and BOE. Within the Nexus, the city's Security Council wrote many legislations to improve the lives of the people. Being a famous political center pre-Ascension, City 24 had many different parties within its walls. This played a crucial role in the elections for the next City Administrator. Eventually, the winner ended up being Laurentius Heartwick - a candidate from MOC, and a representative of Iso-Centrism, with Bernard Mulligan becoming his Vice. ======================= Spoiler: Volume II Volume II However, while City 24 enjoyed the new era of prosperity brought on by Administrator Heartwick, across the Sector, tensions grew. In City 2, the disgruntled few attempted to take over the entire urban center. Here, the capital of Sector 10 proved its willingness to fight against chaos, even if it was outside its walls. Organising an army of volunteers, City 24 would aid City 2 in quelling the uprising. Soon, the help of its soldiers would once again be required, this time in City 40, where the agricultural zones were taken over by terrorists. With the flow of supplies blockaded, Sector 10 suffered from the shortage of food, including City 24. While the Militant Arm Arteria readied itself for war against the terrorists, the CWU diligently worked on providing the people of the city with food. Many projects, including the creation of leech farms, were originally created during this period. Despite the eventual victory over the City 40 insurgents, the damage was already done. With the slow coming of winter, the output of agricultural prospects were uncertain. In the city's time of need, the CWU created Project Solis - a giant heat generator to keep the people warm. Impressed with the ingenuity of 24's populace, many were invited to come on a work trip to the industrial center of the Earth Capital - Industrial 17. Here, the citizens would prove themselves once more, helping to take down a cabal of corrupt conspirators. In the meantime, City 24 prospered. Eventually, a vicious terrorist attack abroad caused much tension within District 43, with many of its citizens being relocated to the industrial District 9. Here, many would work diligently to destroy the vile infestation that threatened the safety of the entire urban center. While 43 was once again renovated. ======================= Spoiler: Volume III Volume III During the transfer to District 9, the Vice-Administrator, Bernard Mulligan, came down with a case of severe illness. As his replacement, Administrator Hearwick chose Benjamin Orwell Benedict, the Minister of Commerce. During his tenure, however, not all was well within District 43. The newly established legislations were not met positively by the populace, and eventually, he was voted out of power and trialed by the Security Council. His replacement ended up being a close family member of the Administrator - Augustus Von Heartwick. During this time, the vile scourge of terrorism slowly crept into the city from outside. Eventually, using the arrival of the Alsace Antlion horde, they struck District 43. As response, the Combine send their very best, destroying both the horde and the terrorists. Unfortunately, they were too late to save 43. With most of the populace evacuating to the metro systems and both Heartwicks missing, nobody could tell for certain the future of City 24. One man, Koshida Oda, rose up to the challenge, becoming the new Administrator and making District 11 the new center of authority. Eventually, the growing need for resources would cause a mass relocation to industrial 24 - a seperate urban center focused entirely on the production of goods. Here, an esteemed member of District 9's cabinet, Hank Beauregard, would lead the people as the Consul. Here the citizens would once again work diligently to aid the urban center in repaying the debt to City 13, caused primarily by rebuilding after the antlion horde. And this is where we come to the present. May the future have only the best for us in store. ======================= Spoiler: History of the CCDE History of the CCDE (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) The Committee of Civic Duty and Engagement began its life as the Bureau of Enlightenment. Originally organised by Howard J. Wright in 2005, BoE existed to educate citizens with post-Ascension ideals. Over the years, the Bureau went from director to director, until being put under Wright's control in 2017. After a year of considerable reforms, BoE's leadership was transferred to Auro Casto, one of the figureheads of Futurism. His tenure was, however, cut short, being eventually replaced with Reginald Brown. With the help of Wright, Brown managed to transform the Bureau into a Ministry, thus also becoming the very first Minister of Enlightenment. Reginald Brown would eventually resign in 2019, leaving the position of the Ministry to Josiah Turner, who helped it through many hurdles, including the incursion of the Alsace horde. After the destruction of District 43, however, the seat of Minister was left vacant. After much deliberation, the new Administrator of City 24 chose a replacement to take over the MoE, now based in District 11. However, things would change with the transfer of many Ministry staff to Industrial 24. The new Minister decided to resign from his position, allowing for a new perspective to settle in. This new perspective came from Raktavati Shrivastav, who, using the long history of the Bureau as an example, knew that the Ministry had to take a completely new form to thrive. Renaming MOE to CCDE, standing for the Committee of Civic Duty and Engagement, Shrivastav greatly expanded its role in citizen's lives, filling the roster with numbers of qualified professionals never seen before in BoE's long history. Being the incumbent Chief of CCDE as of writing, may she continue to expand the Committee's legacy for long time to come. Spoiler: Infestations Infestations (written by @villeneuve) Xenian infestations are a relatively new anomaly to our ecosystem, having first been delivered as miniscule spores by the portal storms. Over time, however, these invisible cells managed to develop into giant organisms capable of enveloping entire landscapes, as seen in the case of the Xenian Malignance Zone. Biologically speaking, every single infestation functions similarly to a plant during its initial stages. It thrives off devouring plants, food, animals and even human remains should it be given the chance. During this growth, it acts rather territorial, using dangerous spores as its main deterrent. In recent years, this has been weaponized by terrorist groups. After the early stages of growth come to an end, the infestation increases its hostility. It is not a nest anymore, but an entire organism, feeding off electricity to keep its literal heart pumping. It uses spores and vines to keep itself growing. Its main weapon of choice transitions to the creation of Xenian fauna.. Headcrabs have proven to be a favorite, presumably due to their easy spread. Fortunately, Our Benefactors have found numerous ways to prevent outbreaks. The most common method is the usage of caustic solution, a toxic mix of chemicals capable of burning through skin and bones. However, by far the best prevention is vigilance, as all infestations can be reported in their early stages and be utterly annihilated. Do not let your community be devoured, report the spore. Spoiler: The Echelon Program The Echelon Program (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) Upon the arrival of Our Benefactors in 2004, the year of the Ascension, the entirety of human society was deemed too unstable to maintain in its chaotic manner. Swift action had to be taken to save us from ourselves. One of the first steps towards salvation was to devise a brand-new system of education for our children. In 2005, everyone below the age of 16 was relocated to the newly established educational facilities - all under the new program name of ECHELON. To guard the safety of our future citizens, all details regarding the inner workings of the program are kept highly secretive. The total number of facilities used, their locations and programs are all unknown, and thus, this book mostly covers generally known facts that most people already possess knowledge of. With the activation of the Supression Field in 2006, the primary demographic of ECHELON as of 2020 would consist of teenagers aged 14 and higher. Most of the participants leave the program either at age of maturity or at the end of their education. The program is notable for having produced many members of Administrative personnel, including great researchers, doctors, engineers and general professionals in all kinds of fields. ECHELON participants are greatly valued as the the few most knowledgable of Our Benefactors' core ideals and goals due to their extensive education on true citizen values. It is important to note, however, that not all members who went through ECHELON are of such high standing. Despite Our Benefactors' best efforts, human laziness still finds roots in a few outcriers. Thus, it shouldn't be assumed that every young adult found in the cities received the full scope of the programs education. Spoiler: Unconsciousness Unconsciousness (written by @colserra) ======================= Spoiler: Volume I Volume I The most pressing question then of course: Is the poor soul alive at all? First, of course, try to wake your patient. Speak loudly and directly at them. If they do not react in any way, try to rouse them with a measured dose of pain. A pinch or a rough shake by the shoulders is appropriate. Should you not be able to wake them, you will have to check their vital functions and call for emergency medical help. A layman’s first intuition might be to try and feel their pulse; however this may turn out to be a lot harder than imagined, as one needs a certain experience to reliably find the radial artery on a stranger, and if one does not know what fingers to use for the palpitation (and ends up using one’s thumb), there is a chance one might feel their own pulse before ever sensing the patient’s. Instead you want to check for breathing, as this is a much more reliable method. You may perceive a patient’s breath with three senses in total: you might see it, you might hear it and you might feel it. You may combine all of these in a single action by leaning over the patient and placing your ear above their mouth while facing their chest. In this position you will see if their chest rises and falls, hear any sounds of breathing and will feel them exhaling into your ear. Especially that last one is a very sure sign that almost never goes unnoticed, as our inner ear tends to be of the utmost sensitivity. ======================= Spoiler: Volume II Volume II Caution: if a person is unconscious, their tongue might fall back into their throat, blocking the airway. Should you not perceive any signs of breathing at first, try tilting the patient’s head back while lifting their chin upwards. This will cause the tongue to be pulled out of the throat, increasing the chances of the patient regaining their ability to breathe. If you do not perceive any breathing within 10 seconds, you will have to assume that the patient is in cardiac arrest and start performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Once you have established that your patient is still alive and breathing, your focus should shift towards ensuring their continued safety. An unconscious patient still faces mortal danger should they not be treated appropriately! There's still a main threats that has to be dealt with: there is a credible danger of stomach contents making their way up the esophagus and entering the lungs, causing your patient to choke to death or at least develop a nasty pneumonia. Luckily, you can counter this with a single measure. Roll the patient onto their side, while having their head tilted back and facing towards the ground. This, which is often referred to as the recovery position, ensures that the tongue stays clear of the airway and that any vomit that might arise will have a straight path to flow out of the patient, since the stomach would be in a higher position than the mouth. Your patient will be outside of immediate danger now, but you should still remain vigilant. Keep checking their breathing every other minute, and also check them for any injuries that might need treatment. ======================= Spoiler: Venomous Headcrab Venomous Headcrab (edited) (sourced from @Vinyl screenshots and the forums) (written by @registry: brush him) When the species of Xen rampaged across Earth in the interval of infestation and the intensifying portal storms, among the several invasive species record where the Headcrabs. These parasitics would latch onto the heads of their hosts, use their beaks to get onto their parietal lobes, and fore-breaks to paralyze the victim so that they would be forced into submission. However, a few years after the Combine liberated our planet during the Ascension, the simple, white-bodied, chicken-like headcrab began to show several subspecies. Displaying a level of intelligence roughly twice that of a standard parasitic (and 2.5x the weight), Venomous Headcrabs have a survival instinct that revolves around clever hunting tactics. While most headcrabs very deliberately attempt to couple with human hosts, the poisonous variant is known to only seek sustenance, preying upon small animals and attacking humans with the intent of poisoning or even paralyzing them so that they might be weakened and killed later. When threatened, these venomous Headcrabs are known to slowly drum their legs against the ground, creating a slow, pounding noise. If threats continue to approach, or if they are simply hunting, they will pounce at the prey directly. A pounce can easily be identified by a sound emanated by the headcrab prior to its pounce, sounding akin to a “rattle” or “hiss”, or a mixture of both. This is the sound of a “tongue” within the crab twitching and shaking.

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Spoiler: [GENERAL] Spoiler: Biography of Mason Mbanefo Biography of Mason Mbanefo (sourced from an in-character interview) (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) Minister Mason Mbanefo, also known as the current Vice-Administrator of City 24, originally started his administrative career before the Ascension, being an accountant for the island of Moto Nord, which itself belonged to the government of Congo. With the arrival of the Portal Storms, Mason found himself stranded on the small island, cut off from the mainland. Taking initiative, he organised a wide exodus, leading the islands' inhabitants away to the mainland. With his new-found freedom, Mason would see the destruction of his home first-hand, choosing to once more take initiative. His new goal would be to seek economical aid for Congo, primarily in the northern countries. With this mission, he would find himself in France, successfully convincing the cabinet of sending aid to his country, in return for an increase of its own material exports. With the Combine's arrival, Mason's successful economic policies were not left unnoticed. Being swiftly relocated to the new capital of the planet, he became an official finance executive, greatly aiding the economic formation of the up-and-coming urban centre. Eventually, the construction of the Citadel would signal a final show of his endeavors. For his efforts, he would be awarded the honorary title of "Minister without Portfolio", signifying his new permanent position as an administrative official. Now commissioned by the Summit to advise the new Administrator of City 24, Mason would prove indispensable to Oda's campaign of reconstruction. Awarded with the position of the Vice, Mason's goals became synonymous with his experience - a new policy of mutural trust and capability, focused only on the growth of the collective, which he now guides directly from the nexus of industrial 24. Spoiler: Blood on the Sands Blood on the Sands (edited) (sourced from the forums) (written by @CaptainSneed) Dashing across the scorching sands like desert rats. Some say it was 105 degrees Fahrenheit that day - if it was, we never felt the heat. Our blood ran ice-cold, and our minds were focused on the distant taste of victory and thoughts of returning home. We would be the ones to do what they all considered impossible - that the MAA had managed to do what nobody thought they could. On that day, the tossed aside, the beaten and the starved fought hard - ancient be our valor, as were the whispering dunes that laid strewn full of secrets, and now bathed in the blood of brothers long past and enemies close. All of us were baptized with fire, sand and lead when we finally left. Bittersweet as our victory may have been, in the end nothing remained but blood on the sands - bodies strewn left and right across the dunes. Sometimes, still, through it all - the sand, the cold desert night - I see the dusty rubble lines blocking the way as we push forward. Kalashnikov and SVD ready for action - the boiling heat and the beating sun signal the sound of loud, rapid percussion of field guns - how they burst all through that cursed valley, which now lies bloodied with the sacrifices of brave men and women of the 24th. ~Unknown, 2018. 05. 29. Spoiler: City Eight Stories City Eight Stories (edited) (sourced from @Vinyl screenshots) (written by unknown) City Eight in the heart of ■■■■■ has preserved its charm over the years. Its neon signs light up the night sky and a pleasant aroma fills the air. You walk down the streets, on your left you see Sierra, a bar bathed in calm music and dim neon lights, with people talking and drinking inside it. To your right you see Rokurinsha Ramen, a small ramen store. You catch many pleasant smells as you walk past it. As you make your way along, many people of the city greet you: ■■■■■ ■■■■, ■■■■■ ■■■■■, ■■■■■ ■■■■■… many friendly figures donning clean clothing. The streets are filled by citizens and brave civil protection alike. You finally end up at the ration terminal. You slide your CID in it, expecting your ration, but the machine releases a mocking sound. You were missing a Workforce Coupon. Seems you have to work to be fed here… Luckily, the signature Work-Cycle announcement rings through your ears: “Attention citizens. Report to Warehouse 3 immediately.” You made your way over and joined the workhift queue. The local Civil Worker informs everyone that it was going to be a standard ration-production shift. Little did you know, it was not going to be so standard. The shift supervisor was ■■■■■ ■■■■■ - a new hire to the job. By mistake, he only asks the citizens to make one ration each. Since the citizens would get paid with one ration each, the city would end up with -1 ration. A man named ■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■ points the mistake out, and ■■■■■ ■■■■■ was furious. They argue for a bit, everyone else laughing at the situation. In the end, you produce the correct amount of rations are rewarded with a Workforce Coupon. The day ends, and you look forward to the next one. Spoiler: The Auto-Society The Auto-Society (edited) (sourced from @Vinyl screenshots) (written by unknown) Imagine the pre-Ascension society as a car without a driver. You are standing on the high street of your hometown. Maybe you grew up in a city, maybe you grew up in a small village. It doesn't truly matter because you can see the central point where the roads met and people walked each day, going about their lives. It is a cold day, and you can see your breath spiral upwards and mingle with the chalky pale sky; the day is overcast but the air itself is still and there is little wind. You stand there waiting for your friends to pick you up. They arrive in a car and you get in the passenger seat. There is no driver. The car takes off by itself. The weather above begins to take a turn for the worse. The disposed and vulnerable cling to the bumper of society as it hurtles full kilter down a highway in the night, headlights off, tires locked by heavy rain; the wheel lists lazily right and left freely. You start to gain speed and you begin to notice the speedometer tick up and up, never ceasing, never stopping. You laugh with your friends and drink. You drink and poison yourself, full in the knowledge that this way of life cannot last forever. The dispossessed and suffering rattle at the back window of the car. It’s all too much now and the backseat seems to be growing smaller - you feel the air inside thin. Your friend takes a knife to another friend’s neck, screaming about ‘saving himself’. There is no more air, you cannot breathe. The back window is knocked in by force, shards of glass pepper your face and all you feel is pain. The car is knocked off the highway. You wake up. You leave the hospital clutching a leaflet on depression and loss. A cigarette burns between your fingers as you wait in the cold, the pale day chills and stings your fresh stitches. You get back in the car and begin the circle again. Spoiler: The Fall of Forty-Seven The Fall of Forty-Seven (sourced from an in-character interview) (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) City Seventeen, District Forty-Seven. A rugged, yet presentable place. The trains ran on time, the rations were always ready, and the people carried on with no worries in their minds. Civil Protection was just and diligent - kind to the Collaborator and unforgiving to the criminal. In this state of prosperity, the District lived for a multitude of months. However, not all were pleased with the order - a group of terrorists sought to destroy Forty-Seven with their antlion hordes. Yet, to their surprise, the people fought back. To save their friends and their home, the citizens bravely aided Civil Protection in the fight against chaos. Barricades were made, buildings were fortified and special teams of volunteers were organised to fight the terrorists and their antlion allies. This conflict continued for a while, and despite the best efforts of the populace and Civil Protection, the District began slowly falling apart. Against the odds, the brave men and women of Forty-Seven refused to surrender. Fighting horde after horde, they stayed put, waiting for reinforcements. And, eventually, reinforcements came - not even the antlion hordes could save the terrorists from facing punishment. Yet, despite this victory, District Forty-Seven was in ruins. Those who survived were moved to cities untouched by terror, while the once prosperous ruins were to be slowly rebuilt over time. To all those who fought against inhuman cruelty, this book is dedicated to you. Be it the brave officers, the doctors, workers, or people such as William Harthgrove, Aiden Ward and Ron Goodfella. Forty-Seven remembers you. Spoiler: The Shepherd Boy & Wolf The Shepherd Boy & Wolf (sourced from @Vinyl screenshots) (written by unknown) A Shepherd Boy tended his Master’s Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd’s pipe. One day as he sat watching the sheep and the quiet forest and thinking what he would do should he see a Wolf, he thought of a plan to amuse himself. His Master had told him to call for help should a Wolf attack the flock, and the Villagers would drive it away. So now, though he had not seen anything that even looked like a Wolf, he ran toward the village shouting at the top of his voice, “Wolf! Wolf!” As he expected, the Villagers who heard the cry dropped their work and ran in great excitement to the pasture. But when they got there they found the Boy doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them. A few days later the Shepherd Boy again shouted, “Wolf! Wolf!” Again the Villagers ran to help him, only to be laughed at again. Then one evening, as the sun was setting behind the forest and the shadows were creeping out over the pasture, a Wolf really did spring from the underbrush and fall upon the Sheep. In terror the Boy ran toward the village shouting “Wolf! Wolf!” But though the Villagers heard the cry, they did not run to help him as they had before. “He cannot fool us again,” they said. The Wolf killed a great many of the Boy’s sheep and then slipped away into the forest. Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth. Spoiler: The Shrivascast Series The Shrivascast Series (written by @icedout) ======================= Spoiler: Children Children [...] The reaction to the measure, initially, was severe. The parental wiring in our brain, so often our most trusted ally in the preservation of the species, rang the bell of panic and urged ourselves to trust our primal emotions. Fear and doubt overcame us. How could we trust that which seemingly tried to hinder our continuation, oxymoronically in-contrast with the promise of eternal prosperity among the stars? However, as with all measures provided by our Benefactors, the justification lay not with short-term tantrums and outbursts, but with rational analysis reaching into the years to come. Behind the backs of our citizenry, questions arose. But with every new hardship we came to face, with every new enemy we discovered and against which we steeled ourselves against, the question changed. Was this a world fit for a child? [...] [...] The few confused, chaotic and violent years we had spent after the arrival of the Portals should have shown us as much already. The once perfect haven we knew, Earth, was changed irrevocably. Our baser desires blinded us from this truth however, and help could only come from above. Now we stand with a renewed purpose. As we rise from our beds and head to our stations, passing emptied schools and playgrounds, we know not to fear. For the culmination of all our work has always been reclamation. With every hive, insurgent and disease killed, we step closer to building a new world. A safe world, which when deemed ready by our Benefactors, will house our grateful children. Know to look forward. The strength and community you build today will form the bonds with which we shall be uplifted tomorrow. ======================= Spoiler: Complacency Complacency [...] Change, both from the habitat and habitant, has always been the deciding factor in the survival of species. Most species rely on natural selection and evolution to perform their part. Humanity, however, has culminated its evolutionary path in the possibility to choose differently, to choose action. Of our Earth, only we have the ability to think, to recognize all laws which govern our world and understand what is needed to ascend. Our intellect gives us the ability to act beyond our immediate concerns on Maslows’s pyramid and the ability to not only subsist, but to accomplish. After having been graciously granted the opportunity to do so, by our Benefactors, human society now stands reformed to reward those who further the collective appropriately. Resources are re-distributed by importance to the collective, and the chance to ascend is given to all universally regardless of creed. Yet aberrations still seem to occur. Though branded as exemplary, some hesitate to act as such, displaying disinterest in modelling a strong trustworthy pillar of the community. I want to exemplify that, although our society works to reward those who act in the service of greater human evolution, we do not take kindly to the indecisive and the complacent. Inability, yet alone *refusal*, to utilize one’s rank resources to further the collective goal of human ascension in favor of self-centered indolence, is a crime of spirit. Make no mistake, the armband around your bicep is no conversation-starter at a party, but a display of allegiance. Those in-opposition to enlightenment will no more appreciate your attempts at moderation than a tiger does to a dimwit unlocking its cage. Do not feed yourself to the wolves. Loyalty goes both ways. ======================= Spoiler: Industry Industry Mankind’s ability to be lies in its ability to create. The pursuit of ascension swears to no greater truth than this, consequently challenging us to produce and manufacture in volumes never before even dreamt of. Know that the bridge to the stars is built, not rationalized or dreamed, into existence and that industry, always, embodies the purest expression of self-realization there is to witness. There is no enlightenment to be found in questioning this reality, that is uncaring of whatever falsehoods may be hushed in the dark recesses of our communal house. Stories of realities long decayed, attempting to marshal the primitive human affinity for nature against the manufactory. [...] They demand of us to *recede*, sharpening gullible nostalgia into dangerous delusion. The primate tempts the sapien away from his destiny. [...] Heed not the fearmonger who claws at emotion and impulse. [...] [...] We, who manage to keep our heads out of the clouds, do not shun the forthright nature of progress. This dangerous new world does not concede its bounty lightly, demanding us to reach out and take that which is afforded to us, with any means necessary. Invigorated and augmented by Our Benefactors, we stand a sure chance of not only surviving, but conquering, our home for good. [...] The dreamer awakes and rises to meet the sun. Dare not to fear the expression of human industriousness within our environment. Behind every plume of smoke and bead of sweat, stands the perpetual persistence to achieve a dream of unimaginable proportion. The indomitable human spirit rises to grip its destiny through the only way it knows how to, by realizing it itself. Hold steadfast worker, and know that every handiwork you perform seeks to strengthen another, as another seeks to strengthen you. ======================= Spoiler: Movement Movement [...] The relocation initiative represents the greatest migration undertaken by the human species. None here can attest to having experienced their upbringing within these comforting walls. I am aware that not all share the enthusiasm for this newfound liberty. Some feel compelled to ponder and whisper, driven by the brain’s suffocating drive to question everything sudden and new. What merit do these fears hold? With nary an analytical thought formulated, our animalistic caution rises to answer first. It warns us of the foreign, the lack of comfort and the uncertainty derived from an action not immediately verifiable by one of our five senses. Wasn’t home always your greatest companion? Did we not owe loyalty to our fertile valleys and oases, who helped cultivate our cultures and traditions when nothing else would? Though tribalism, as absolute and naturalistic as it presents itself to be, seems to promise one security, it nevertheless always ends in the creation of a cautionary tale. The homeland becomes a fortress, walled against all considered unfamiliar. The new becomes the enemy. Tribes go against each other, man kills man, to protect the perceived superiority of their home. Mankind, as though it seemingly had for tens of thousands of years, roaming the planet as disjointed cliques of spear-chucking barbarians, remains stagnant. True salvation only springs forth from rationality. Only when momentarily quelling our fears and utilizing the parts of the brain which separate us from the animal, do we stand a chance of developing. Tribalism was struck down by the thinker. [...] For the first time in human history, the person is not constrained by arbitrary borders. ======================= Spoiler: The Story of Mallory Bloke The Story of Mallory Bloke (sourced from an in-character interview) (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) Professor Mallory Bloke, Chairman turned interim-Consul, originally began his long career from humble roots - living in City 16 long before the Ascension. Always striving towards intellectual activity, he received his Doctorate of Philosophy somewhere during this time, seeing plainly the stages of humanity's decay first hand. With the arrival of the Combine, his worries were finally lifted. Yet, his calling for intellectual pursuit never left him, and as such, Bloke became a vital part of the newly established "Campaign of Obedience" in City 16. Eventually, however, his duty led him to Industrial 24, where he would utilise his full knowledge of philosophical theory to guide members of the populace to enlightenment. His primary inspiration was always the Earth Administrator, Doctor Wallace Breen, whom he cited as an example of true ascension. Yet not everything was good within Industrial 24. Recent, troubling tidings have greatly shaken the stability of his new home. Thus, as the elections for the Chairman of SeCon began to creep in, Bloke announced his willing candidateture. In a very close voting process, Bloke emerged victorious. With his new spot, he immediately began making changes to restore the stability of industrial 24 to further protect it from insurgents. When the infestation hit the city, the Consul, Hank Beauregard, made Bloke a leader of the newly established Salvation Committee, which proved instrumental in stopping the infestation. After the former's death, Bloke was further promoted to the interim-Consul, signaling an even greater rise in his career path, all brought forth by our ever benevolent Benefactors. Spoiler: Thoughts of a Citizen Thoughts of a Citizen (sourced from @TheFutureGovernor screenshots) (written by @TheFutureGovernor) = The Existence of Pain = Something terrible shakes our hearts, something that either saddens you or angers you. The pain. Why does pain exist? What is your purpose? What is the importance and reason for suffering? Could it be that all that is left for us in this world is to suffer? Should we find our purpose in suffering? How many times do I have to ask the dark horizon about the pain? If death is painless and quick, why is there still pain? Why does pain affect others around you? Shouldn't death end suffering? If death ends suffering, why are there still so many people who suffer the loss of a relative... The pain does not end, and it will never end... = Friends and Parents = All I can do is just write, to ease the pain I feel. How many times have we suffered losses? How many times have we felt unbearable pain that doesn't go away? Even if someday the pain goes away, you can't forget... I had so many opportunities as a father that I lost, the family that I wanted to build, now I lost. Why do we live off pain? Do we live to suffer? May I not lose the desire to have great friends, even though I know that, with the world around, they end up leaving our lives... I live to suffer, this is something we cannot deny. We live to suffer, we fight to die. But in the end, it doesn't even matter. Die with dignity? Dying to oblivion? I don't care, I exist to cry and suffer.

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Spoiler: [POETRY] Spoiler: A Universal Triumph A Universal Triumph (sourced from the forums) (written by @MelonHeadzzz) From the ruins risen newly, To the future turned, we stand. Let us serve our Union truly, Side by side and hand in hand. We will triumph over sorrow, And our destiny be won Marching onwards to the morrow For over humanity, Shines a thousand suns! Shines a thousand suns! May both peace and joy inspire All our Earth to take a stand Peace is all the world's desires, To the people lend your hand. In fraternity united, We shall crush the Union's foes. Let all paths by peace be lighted, That no mother shall again Mourn her sons in woe! Mourn her sons in woe! Let us plow and build our Union, Rising upwards, through the skies So a free new generation, Soaring with us shall arise! Our youth, for whom the striving Of our people is at one, For the Union's own reviving, For over humanity, Shines a thousand suns! Shines a thousand suns! Spoiler: Poems by Carter Bradley Poems by Carter Bradley (sourced from the forums) (written by @MelonHeadzzz) = To The Union, 'Tis For Thee = Strong and peaceful, wise and brave; Roads built to progress, our Union has paved, We, the workers, will ceaselessly strive To see that our destined ascension arrives! Unfurl the banners, look to the screen! Never before has such glory been seen! To the Union! To the Union! To The Union! 'Tis for thee! Every man, Every child, 'tis for thee. Every heart, Every soul, 'tis for thee. Every deed, Every thought, 'tis for thee. = Prosperity in Unity = Sing to the Striders, marching through the mountains Sing to the Hunters, stalking through the wood! Sing to the Gunships, burning through the twilight Sing to the Combine, as you should. We are the people, builders of the future, And we the people swear to thee, Loyal devotion, Fearless devotion Marching forwards endlessly! Sing to our destined universal union, Roaring in solidarity! Sing to our saviors, Mighty Benefactors, Prosperous in unity! Spoiler: Pre-Ascension Poems Pre-Ascension Poems (sourced from All Poetry) (written by Stevie Smith) ======================= Spoiler: Volume I Volume I = To the Tune = The nearly right And yet not quite In love is wholly evil And every heart That loves in part Is mortgaged to the devil I loved or thought I loved in sort Was this to love akin? To take the best And leave the rest And let the devil in? O lovers true And others too Whose best is only better Take my advice Shun compromise Forget him and forget her = The Face = There is a face I know too well, A face I dread to see, So vain it is, so eloquent Of all futility. It is a human face that hides A monkey soul within, That bangs about, that beats a gong, That makes a horrid din. Sometimes the monkey soul will sprawl Athwart the human eyes, And peering forth, will flesh its pads, And utter social lies. So wretched is this face, so vain, So empty and forlorn, You well may say that better far This face had not been born. ======================= Spoiler: Volume II Volume II = Bag-Snatching = Sisely Walked so nicely With footsteps so discreet To see her pass You'd never guess She walked upon the street. Down where the Liffey waters' turgid flood Churns up to greet the ocean-driven mud, A bruiser in fix Murdered her for 6/6. = My Heart Goes Out = My heart goes out to the maker in love Who gave me Death, as end and remedy. All living creatures come to quiet Death For him to eat up their activity And give them nothing, which is what they want although When they are living they do not think so. = Not Waving but Drowning = Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning: I was much further out than you thought And not waving but drowning. Poor chap, he always loved larking And now he's dead It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way, They said. Oh, no no no, it was too cold always (Still the dead one lay moaning) I was much too far out all my life And not waving but drowning. ======================= Spoiler: Volume III Volume III = Away, Melancholy = Away, melancholy, Away with it, let it go. Are not the trees green, The earth as green? Does not the wind blow, Fire leap and the rivers flow? Away melancholy. The ant is busy He carrieth his meat, All things hurry To be eaten or eat. Away, melancholy. Man, too, hurries, Eats, couples, buries, He is an animal also With a hey ho melancholy, Away with it, let it go. = My Soul = In the flame of the flickering fire The sins of my soul are few And the thoughts in my head are the thoughts of a bed With a solitary view. But the eye of eternal consciousness Must blink as a bat blinks bright Or ever the thoughts in my head be stilled On the brink of eternal night. = In the Night = I longed for companionship rather, But my companions I always wished farther. And now in the desolate night I think only of the people i should like to bite. ======================= Spoiler: Return of Charles Marlow Return of Charles Marlow (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) The town has been so quiet, Since I was last around. The birds have long stopped chirping, And mood's all down and dull. I look into the faces, And smile to those I can. They look so grim and helpless, And make me feel so panned. The skies above are gloomy, The streets are dead and dark, And everyone who knew me, Had long since left our park. And yet I have returned now, Old me and no-one else. I give you my warm welcome, It's time to rhyme again! You heard me well, my people! Old City Twenty-Four! What happened to your niceness? And where are opened stores? I see the spark within you, I feel your longing breaths! It's time to sing our praises, now, Again, again, again! Oh let nobody bash you, It's time to live anew! I'm once again within your midst, And now I come to you! So sing again, oh Twenty-Four, So sing again, anew! I have returned, oh Charles Marlow, To you, to you, to you! Spoiler: The Pain The Pain (edited) (sourced from @TheFutureGovernor screenshots) (written by @TheFutureGovernor) The world is a cruel place, Full of heartache and pain. I've lost so much in my life, My loved ones, my hopes, and my dreams. I've been through dark times, And I've been through tough times. But no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find my way out. I'm lost in a sea of sadness, Drowning in my own tears. I don't know how much longer I can hold on, But I'm fighting, Because I know there's still something worth living for. The world is a dark and scary place There is so much pain and suffering I can't bear to see it anymore I just want to curl up in a ball and die There is so much hate and violence People are so cruel and heartless I can't take it anymore I just want to curl up in a ball and die Life is just one big nightmare I can't wake up from it I just want to curl up in a ball and die - In memory of Alex Weaver "I will miss you, friend." - In memory of ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■ "The pain of a father is incalculable." Spoiler: What's a Poem? What's a Poem? (written by @Lost Coast Chanties) What's a poem? Poet's poem? What does poet do to poems? Does he prose the poem's poem? Or is prose not quite a poem? Oh, but definition wise, A poem's awfully rewised; To be a poet's wicked dream, Of what and can and should it be. Is this a poem? Or a rhyme? Or is it a poetic rhyme? Aren't I a poet? Can't I choose? Oh no I can't! The prose's too loose. And structure wise it IS all bent! Does number four Suffice Or nay? Or is it bent, all bent, all bent? Bent, Bent, Bent or Pent, Pent, Pent? Poetic end! Poetic end! A poet's end, 'tis poet's end. Bent, bent, bent, poetic dent? Is this a song now or a rhyme? A rhytmic song or poem's prime? And what's a poem anyway, If not A rhymic lyric Where A poem gets a-poemefied, A pome-alot; and poet lied... There are no poems, just some words, On paper thin to read a lot! So write a lot, sir poet-tonn! This rhythmic-prose-a-poem: done!

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​

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Submission Information​

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Any Citizen can submit his work to the library using the appropriate channel and format. If approved, the submitted work will be printed on a physical book and added to both the physical library and the digital archive. Authors will be rewarded with x1 Priority Coupon and 10 Social Credits for civic duty participation.​

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Spoiler: Submission Rules Each Submission must follow the following rules: 1. There must be no anti-Combine messages within the work. 2. The personal information provided in the Submission must be true. 3. The written text must be within 1200-1800 characters (for normal works) or 20-44 lines (for poems).

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Spoiler: Submission Format Submission Name: [LIBRARY] (BOOK TITLE) by (BOOK AUTHUR) Name of Authur: <ex. Henry Rattington> CID Number of Authur: <ex. 99991> Book Category: <loyalism, education, general, poetry> Book Title: <20 characters max> Text Body: <1200-1800 characters, 20-44 lines for poetry> Notes: <anything you want the reviewer to know>

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Submissions must be posted here > https://willard.network/forums/wn/submissions.408/ <​

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Special thanks to @Vinyl for sharing his book archives and @Parsil for making the library banner (thrice).
Special thanks in-game to Project Gutenberg for providing the Certified MoE Classic texts as well.
If anybody has screenshots of Siemens or Kai books, hmu.​

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​

 

[vortist]

false flag

 

[RileyTheRoomba]

People stealing my joke ...

 

[Rebel RP Philosopher]

How many of these texts were generated by CombineGPT?

 

[AgathaL]

How many of these texts were generated by CombineGPT?

None

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

How many of these texts were generated by CombineGPT?

About 14 transcripted from the forums/vinyl's screenshots
4 taken from scripts (And likely more coming)
Everything else written from the head

 

[ford-michigan]

Citizens may send donations to CID #94527 to help the growth of the library. Names of patrons will be displayed publicly.

So can this be done IC and OOC?

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

So can this be done IC and OOC?

Through the Civic Terminal in-game. It has an ability to send credits to Citizens.

 

[ford-michigan]

Through the Civic Terminal in-game. It has an ability to send credits to Citizens.

So if you want a reward you do IC? Or what do you mean by this?

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

So if you want a reward you do IC? Or what do you mean by this?

Citizens may send donations to CID #94527

Through the Civic Terminal in-game. It has an ability to send credits to Citizens.

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

UPDATE 12/03/24

- New book added, "Security Council" by @villeneuve, [LOYALISM] category.

 

[Rebel RP Philosopher]

Good revenue model, it's like patreon but for citizens encouraging the production of literary content.

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

UPDATE 14/03/24

- Content font set to Book Antiqua, font size raised to 18.
- Content formatting updated to include: the Book's Title, Source of the contents (if such exists) and the username of the Author. Additionally, the Book's Title will have (edited) next to it if the contents were moderately changed from the original (be it to make it more Combine-friendly or to fit the in-game script size limit).
- All Book Content changed to fit the new format. Books sourced from screenshots have hyperlinks leading to imgur reuploads.

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

UPDATE 15/03/24

- New book added, "First Aid" by @villeneuve, [EDUCATION] category.
- Contents of "First Citizen's Tenets" by @Furious removed due to it being banned ICly, for some reason.

 

[DillonVentures]

- Content font set to Book Antiqua, font size raised to 18.

very good

 

[MazuzaM]

Take this poetry

Who was it, that first forged weapons dire? How fierce, how wicked was that maker's fire! Then came the slaughter, human hearts to tire, Then rose the wars, kindling the funeral pyre.

Yet blameless was the hand that wrought such woe, We turned his gifts 'gainst beasts, a dreadful blow. 'Tis gold's allure that sowed the seeds of strife, Ere wood cups graced the feast, devoid of knife.

No fortresses, no bastions towered high, The shepherd's sleep 'mongst sheep, 'neath azure sky, Sweet life it was, then, in Valgius' eye, Ere trumpet's call and weapons made men sigh.

Now dragged to battle's fray, with fear to spar, Perhaps, in shadows, foes craft death's cruel dart. Oh, how I long for days without the war, When peace reigned o'er the land, and love did start.

(Real Conscripts Poetry ong...)​

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

Take this poetry

Who was it, that first forged weapons dire? How fierce, how wicked was that maker's fire! Then came the slaughter, human hearts to tire, Then rose the wars, kindling the funeral pyre.

Yet blameless was the hand that wrought such woe, We turned his gifts 'gainst beasts, a dreadful blow. 'Tis gold's allure that sowed the seeds of strife, Ere wood cups graced the feast, devoid of knife.

No fortresses, no bastions towered high, The shepherd's sleep 'mongst sheep, 'neath azure sky, Sweet life it was, then, in Valgius' eye, Ere trumpet's call and weapons made men sigh.

Now dragged to battle's fray, with fear to spar, Perhaps, in shadows, foes craft death's cruel dart. Oh, how I long for days without the war, When peace reigned o'er the land, and love did start.

(Real Conscripts Poetry ong...)​

Make a submission and we'll see

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

UPDATE 29/03/24

- Donation list updated. Due to this bug, most of the CIDs, and thus identities of the donators, are unknown. This will hopefully change when the bug gets fixed.
- Content formatting updated for books ICly written by CCA members. They will now officially list the character's name, unlike the other works which stay anonymous in-game.

- New book added, "False Discontent" by @tonydaboze, [LOYALISM] category.
- New book added, "On Our Benefactors" by @Kamilisha Haijulikani, [LOYALISM] category.
- New book added, "The Story of Mallory Bloke" by @Lost Coast Chanties, [GENERAL] category. Based on an IC interview.

 

[Lost Coast Chanties]

UPDATE 29/03/24

- Donation list updated. Due to this bug, most of the CIDs, and thus identities of the donators, are unknown. This will hopefully change when the bug gets fixed.
- Content formatting updated for books ICly written by CCA members. They will now officially list the character's name, unlike the other works which stay anonymous in-game.

- New book added, "False Discontent" by @tonydaboze, [LOYALISM] category.
- New book added, "On Our Benefactors" by @Kamilisha Haijulikani, [LOYALISM] category.
- New book added, "The Story of Mallory Bloke" by @Lost Coast Chanties, [GENERAL] category. Based on an IC interview.

ADDENDUM

- New book added, "Biography of Mason Mbanefo" by @Lost Coast Chanties, [GENERAL] category. Based on an IC interview.
- Content formatting updated to mention if the book was written based on In-Character interviews.
- Donation list updated and reformatted slightly.

 

[nora]

It's Over