Greetings soldier!
Dinosaur Swamp is often regarded as a no-man's land with little to know civilization, and to a large degree that's true. However, there ARE groups of people who live in the Swamp, or who live nearby and regularly make use of it. Groups of people means that there is society, and society means politics... as well as a plethora of other things that can impact a salvage expedition. As if dinosaurs and other mega-fauna weren't enough to contend with, there is an entire geopolitical landscape that must be carefully navigated. There are barbarian tribes, Native American tribes, Psi-Stalkers, Shemarrians, homesteaders, survivalists, and even the occasional intelligent dinosaur (no, not a joke).
There are several factions, communities and political entities that have staked a claim to Dinosaur Swamp, or at least have some sort of presence there, and many of these forces might not take kindly to outsiders digging around in their territory. Consequently, it behooves you to be familiar with the region's Powers That Be; the local movers and shakers that you'll likely be forced to (or want to) interact with during your time there. Knowing what's what about the peoples and cultures of the Swamp may help to avoid making enemies out of the locals, while also hopefully securing you friends. As a foe, the region's residents could serve to make salvage operations nearly impossible, but as an ally, those same residents could potentially reveal to you the secrets of the Swamp.
Provided below is an IMCN overview of our first major power player - The Shemarrians. The following information has been compiled from multiple sources, including Deearn Neenok's book and in-depth interviews with the expedition's native guide, Jebediah Stone. Keep in mind that this brief is far from exhaustive; much of the goings-on in the Swamp are still a mystery to the outside world.
Let's begin...
Dinosaur Swamp is often regarded as a no-man's land with little to know civilization, and to a large degree that's true. However, there ARE groups of people who live in the Swamp, or who live nearby and regularly make use of it. Groups of people means that there is society, and society means politics... as well as a plethora of other things that can impact a salvage expedition. As if dinosaurs and other mega-fauna weren't enough to contend with, there is an entire geopolitical landscape that must be carefully navigated. There are barbarian tribes, Native American tribes, Psi-Stalkers, Shemarrians, homesteaders, survivalists, and even the occasional intelligent dinosaur (no, not a joke).
There are several factions, communities and political entities that have staked a claim to Dinosaur Swamp, or at least have some sort of presence there, and many of these forces might not take kindly to outsiders digging around in their territory. Consequently, it behooves you to be familiar with the region's Powers That Be; the local movers and shakers that you'll likely be forced to (or want to) interact with during your time there. Knowing what's what about the peoples and cultures of the Swamp may help to avoid making enemies out of the locals, while also hopefully securing you friends. As a foe, the region's residents could serve to make salvage operations nearly impossible, but as an ally, those same residents could potentially reveal to you the secrets of the Swamp.
Provided below is an IMCN overview of our first major power player - The Shemarrians. The following information has been compiled from multiple sources, including Deearn Neenok's book and in-depth interviews with the expedition's native guide, Jebediah Stone. Keep in mind that this brief is far from exhaustive; much of the goings-on in the Swamp are still a mystery to the outside world.
Let's begin...
The Shemarrians: What We Know
In his book, Deearn Neenok wrote about an encounter with a Shemarrian war party. This is what he had to say about them:
"We were skirting along the edges of the South Carolina Piedmont, better known as part of the Horror Forest, trying to avoid some of the more dangerous inhabitants of the deeper woods. As we traveled, we heard the sound of something large lumbering rapidly through the nearby vegetation. The sound was moving in our direction, and my comrades immediately armed themselves, expecting to face another monstrous member of the local wildlife. Instead, we were suddenly greeted by a strange sight. A heavily armored woman rode up to us, rail gun in hand, sitting bestride a gigantic mechanized beast. From her distinct and intimidating appearance, I knew that she must be a Shemarrian. Even as far away as New Lazlo, I'd heard stories about her people.
"'Splugorth?' was the only thing she said; her voice stern and accented.
"Our surprise only permitted us to stare at her dumbfoundedly while pointing her in the direction of several Splugorth Minions that we'd narrowly avoided just a few hours earlier. She nodded, as if to thank us, and whistled, spurring her steed forward. The massive creature let out a piercing bellow and rushed into the foliage. As if on cue, two other Shemarrians, each mounted on large flightless birds emitting beautiful trills, emerged from the surrounding brush. This was succeeded by another five Shemarrians, all riding Monst-Rex mounts similar to the first. All of them rode past us in haste, presumably following their sister into battle.
"We heard the report of their rail guns in the distance later that day."
---Deearn Neenok, The Dinosaurian Swamp: Notes from the Field
The Shemarrian Warriors are an enigma to most of North America. This race of D-Bee warrior women has only ever been sighted in the Eastern Wilds - the vast, untamed wilderness that was once the American East Coast. Starting about fifty years ago, inhabitants of the Eastern Wilds began reporting encounters with these eight foot tall amazonian cyborgs, and Native Americans in the area have claims of sightings going back even further. Though originally found in very few numbers, the last ten years have seen a major upsurge in eye witness accounts and encounters. It's apparent that their population is growing, yet their intentions are unclear. They profess not to be conquerors, but they've seen fit to claim the Eastern Wilds as their territory, without concern for anyone already residing there. They assert that they want peace with others, but aggressively engage the Splugorth, Horune, demons and monsters, as well as intrusive military forces such as the Coalition States.
The Shemarrians appear to have a nomadic equestrian culture, similar to some of the ancient horse cultures of pre-Rifts Earth but with the inclusion of advanced technology and alien animals. They ride massive cyborg mounts called Monst-Rex, though they've also been seen riding bionically enhanced giant birds and giant wolves. As far as anyone can tell, the Shemarrians have no permanent communities; they simply move from place to place and live off of the land. They've organized themselves into tribes, of which there are eight, and each tribe controls its own territory within the Eastern Wilds. The tribes interact and cooperate frequently, and together they form the tribal confederacy that constitutes the Shemarrian Nation as a political entity. There has never been any recorded instance of warfare or conflict between the tribes.
As one would expect of a warrior race, the Shemarrians respect strength, courage, discipline, combat prowess, and honor, while abhorring cowardice, weakness, and duplicity. In fact, their entire outlook on life is about war and preparing for it. They are fond of dueling and contests of strength or skill, and see nothing wrong with using casual violence to solve a problem. The warrior women prefer direct and bold approaches to situations, but they are not suicidal or foolish. They will retreat in the face of a superior foe or superior numbers, and they understand the need for strategy, subtlety, and espionage. They also seem to hold personal freedom in high regard, which may perhaps help to explain some of their animosity toward slavers like the Splugorth Minions and Horune Pirates. The Shemarrian Warriors have no visible interest in music, books recreation, or creature comforts, and they appear to lack a sense of humor (at least humor as we understand it). They find humor, particularly sarcasm, to be pointless (at best) or offensive (at worse).
Shemarrian society is clearly matriarchal, with females serving as leaders and warriors. For a time, there were no reports of male Shemarrians. Some wondered if their species even had men, leading to strange theories about Shemarrian methods of procreation. It has since been confirmed, however, that there are Shemarrian males. There have yet to be any reported sightings of children, though it's assumed that the men serve as their caregivers.
Shemarrian society has a definite caste system in place, albeit the information we have is very general.
There are also reports of several rarer and more specialized castes:
The technology of the Shemarrians is impressive, to say the least, and surpasses Coalition technology in more than a few areas. Their weapons, particularly their rail guns, are legendary among the people in the Eastern Wilds, and their body armor is tremendously tough without significantly reducing mobility or speed (despite its overwhelming bulk). Nearly every female warrior among the Shemarrians is an advanced full (or partial) conversion cyborg, and such extensive augmentation is applied to their mounts, as well. The Shemarrians' bionic bodies bestow them with strength, speed and durability exceeding that of human-made cyborgs, with capabilities more comparable to power armor. Furthermore, psychics and mages who've attempted to read the aura of a Shemarrian are startled to find that they can't see anything; the warrior women appear to be without auras. It's theorized that the Shemarrians are able to technologically dampen their auras, though perhaps they're simply so alien that their auras don't register to others.
All of this makes the technology of the Shemarrians a tempting target for theft or looting. Don't even think about it. Doing so is a violation of IMCN regulations, as it falls under the prohibition against starting conflict with a foreign power - and there's no better way to rile up these warrior women than to abscond with their property. There are stories about Shemarrian Warriors traveling hundred of miles in pursuit of individuals who took nothing more than a single vibro-blade as a souvenir. So trust us when we say that it's not worth it. If the Shemarrians don't get you, the IMCN certainly will.
In his book, Deearn Neenok wrote about an encounter with a Shemarrian war party. This is what he had to say about them:
"We were skirting along the edges of the South Carolina Piedmont, better known as part of the Horror Forest, trying to avoid some of the more dangerous inhabitants of the deeper woods. As we traveled, we heard the sound of something large lumbering rapidly through the nearby vegetation. The sound was moving in our direction, and my comrades immediately armed themselves, expecting to face another monstrous member of the local wildlife. Instead, we were suddenly greeted by a strange sight. A heavily armored woman rode up to us, rail gun in hand, sitting bestride a gigantic mechanized beast. From her distinct and intimidating appearance, I knew that she must be a Shemarrian. Even as far away as New Lazlo, I'd heard stories about her people.
"'Splugorth?' was the only thing she said; her voice stern and accented.
"Our surprise only permitted us to stare at her dumbfoundedly while pointing her in the direction of several Splugorth Minions that we'd narrowly avoided just a few hours earlier. She nodded, as if to thank us, and whistled, spurring her steed forward. The massive creature let out a piercing bellow and rushed into the foliage. As if on cue, two other Shemarrians, each mounted on large flightless birds emitting beautiful trills, emerged from the surrounding brush. This was succeeded by another five Shemarrians, all riding Monst-Rex mounts similar to the first. All of them rode past us in haste, presumably following their sister into battle.
"We heard the report of their rail guns in the distance later that day."
---Deearn Neenok, The Dinosaurian Swamp: Notes from the Field
The Shemarrian Warriors are an enigma to most of North America. This race of D-Bee warrior women has only ever been sighted in the Eastern Wilds - the vast, untamed wilderness that was once the American East Coast. Starting about fifty years ago, inhabitants of the Eastern Wilds began reporting encounters with these eight foot tall amazonian cyborgs, and Native Americans in the area have claims of sightings going back even further. Though originally found in very few numbers, the last ten years have seen a major upsurge in eye witness accounts and encounters. It's apparent that their population is growing, yet their intentions are unclear. They profess not to be conquerors, but they've seen fit to claim the Eastern Wilds as their territory, without concern for anyone already residing there. They assert that they want peace with others, but aggressively engage the Splugorth, Horune, demons and monsters, as well as intrusive military forces such as the Coalition States.
The Shemarrians appear to have a nomadic equestrian culture, similar to some of the ancient horse cultures of pre-Rifts Earth but with the inclusion of advanced technology and alien animals. They ride massive cyborg mounts called Monst-Rex, though they've also been seen riding bionically enhanced giant birds and giant wolves. As far as anyone can tell, the Shemarrians have no permanent communities; they simply move from place to place and live off of the land. They've organized themselves into tribes, of which there are eight, and each tribe controls its own territory within the Eastern Wilds. The tribes interact and cooperate frequently, and together they form the tribal confederacy that constitutes the Shemarrian Nation as a political entity. There has never been any recorded instance of warfare or conflict between the tribes.
As one would expect of a warrior race, the Shemarrians respect strength, courage, discipline, combat prowess, and honor, while abhorring cowardice, weakness, and duplicity. In fact, their entire outlook on life is about war and preparing for it. They are fond of dueling and contests of strength or skill, and see nothing wrong with using casual violence to solve a problem. The warrior women prefer direct and bold approaches to situations, but they are not suicidal or foolish. They will retreat in the face of a superior foe or superior numbers, and they understand the need for strategy, subtlety, and espionage. They also seem to hold personal freedom in high regard, which may perhaps help to explain some of their animosity toward slavers like the Splugorth Minions and Horune Pirates. The Shemarrian Warriors have no visible interest in music, books recreation, or creature comforts, and they appear to lack a sense of humor (at least humor as we understand it). They find humor, particularly sarcasm, to be pointless (at best) or offensive (at worse).
Shemarrian society is clearly matriarchal, with females serving as leaders and warriors. For a time, there were no reports of male Shemarrians. Some wondered if their species even had men, leading to strange theories about Shemarrian methods of procreation. It has since been confirmed, however, that there are Shemarrian males. There have yet to be any reported sightings of children, though it's assumed that the men serve as their caregivers.
Shemarrian society has a definite caste system in place, albeit the information we have is very general.
- War Chiefs: The tribal leaders and military commanders of Shemarrian society. They call the shots and lead war parties. Bigger, stronger and more skilled than most other Shemarrians. Also equipped with better than average Shemarrian weaponry. Each one of these women are said to be able to go toe to toe with a Juicer, 'Borg, or Crazy, so be cautious if ever encountering one.
- Shemarrian Warriors: Your standard soldier of the Shemarrian race. This caste seems to compose the bulk of their society.
- Male Shemarrians: The bottom of the heap, socially. Men are the hunters, gatherers, and caretakers of Shemarrian equipment. Interactions with Shemarrian men, although rare, indicate that they are proud of their subservient role in society.
- Pariahs: These are warrior women who've been exiled from their tribes. They are easily identified by their lack of bionics, which have been forcibly removed and replaced by biosystems, usually resulting in a tremendous amount of scarring. Unlike normal Shemarrians, these unfortunate souls tend to have a quite and meek temperament. They refuse to discuss the crime that got them exiled, only to say that it is "unspeakable."
There are also reports of several rarer and more specialized castes:
- Shemarrian Berserkers: Warrior women who specialize in melee combat. They use close quarter weapons instead of the typical ranged weapons of other Shemarrians. They also tend to wear less armor; possibly to gain better mobility. Despite the name, they don't seem to actually go berserk. Roughly equal in social status to standard Shemarrian Warriors.
- Shemarrian Spinsters: These warrior women have been deemed unfit for combat, due to either advanced age or physical handicap. As such, they are relegated to being the healers and mechanics of Shemarrian society. Spinsters appear to be low on the social totem pole, but still above the Shemarrian men.
- War Goddesses: This is the rarest and most mysterious cast in Shemarrian society. They are something akin to demigods; massive ten-foot tall Shemarrians bristling with top-of-the-line alien weaponry and armor. Their existence was once thought to be a myth until a wilderness scout working for Free Quebec recorded one on video. He witnessed a single War Goddess destroy two suits of Violator SAMAS power armor and an Imprimer Cyborg (all the while, a war party of normal Shemarrians quietly observed from a distance). No one is certain what role they serve in Shemarrian society since they seem to live apart from other Shemarrians, wandering the Eastern Wilds on their own. It is theorized that they are the top caste (even above War Chiefs), but only assume leadership for major battles or full scale wars.
The technology of the Shemarrians is impressive, to say the least, and surpasses Coalition technology in more than a few areas. Their weapons, particularly their rail guns, are legendary among the people in the Eastern Wilds, and their body armor is tremendously tough without significantly reducing mobility or speed (despite its overwhelming bulk). Nearly every female warrior among the Shemarrians is an advanced full (or partial) conversion cyborg, and such extensive augmentation is applied to their mounts, as well. The Shemarrians' bionic bodies bestow them with strength, speed and durability exceeding that of human-made cyborgs, with capabilities more comparable to power armor. Furthermore, psychics and mages who've attempted to read the aura of a Shemarrian are startled to find that they can't see anything; the warrior women appear to be without auras. It's theorized that the Shemarrians are able to technologically dampen their auras, though perhaps they're simply so alien that their auras don't register to others.
All of this makes the technology of the Shemarrians a tempting target for theft or looting. Don't even think about it. Doing so is a violation of IMCN regulations, as it falls under the prohibition against starting conflict with a foreign power - and there's no better way to rile up these warrior women than to abscond with their property. There are stories about Shemarrian Warriors traveling hundred of miles in pursuit of individuals who took nothing more than a single vibro-blade as a souvenir. So trust us when we say that it's not worth it. If the Shemarrians don't get you, the IMCN certainly will.
A Shemarrian Rail Gun. Unlike the Boom Gun of the Glitter Boy, which is designed for power, the Shemarrian Rail Gun is designed for accuracy, trading raw damage infliction for a frightening degree of precision. Furthermore, the Shemarrian weapon is suspected of having an internalized recoil suppression and dampening system that greatly decreases the kick and noise.
Not much else is known about the Shemarrians. The bulk of the information concerning the warrior women takes the form of stories and rumors, many of which are contradictory. The following is a list of common folklore, rumors, and theories about the Shemarrians, perpetuated among the wilderness folk of the East:
- The Shemarrians aren't cyborgs in the traditional sense. In actuality, their armor and bio-mechanical components grow naturally from their bodies, like hair or fingernails.
- The Shemarrians have a vast, secret underground lair where they house their bionics and weapons factories.
- The Shemarrians are the advanced scouts of an alien invasion force that got cut off from their home world and are establishing a new life in North America.
- The Shemarrians are not nomads. They have a hidden city or base camp, but anyone who sees it is slain or never allowed to leave. This is why no one has yet reported its whereabouts. Some say the city is located in the mountains of West Virginia, others say its underwater with the remnants of sunken Rhode Island, while others still point to Dinosaur Swamp.
- There are no male Shemarrians. The warrior women reproduce by cloning themselves, or by kidnapping young men from wilderness communities. (Note: This is demonstrably false, as the existence of male Shemarrians has been recently confirmed).
- The Shemarrians aren't D-Bees at all, but human mutants. Human mutants who hate men.
- The Shemarrians cannot bear children, so they steal female human infants, raise them as their own, brainwash them, and turn them into cyborgs upon reaching physical maturity.
- The Shemarrians are a form of undead. This is why psychics can't read their auras, and this is why they carry away their dead - to give them time to regenerate and rise from the grave to fight again!
- The Shemarrians are the products of a Coalition genetics experiment gone wrong. After all, if the CS can create Dog Boys and other mutant animals, it wouldn't take much to create superhuman cyborg warriors.
- The Shemarrians are former slaves of the Splugorth, or are refugees from a world that was ravaged by the Splugorth and their minions. As such, the warrior women battle the forces of Atlantis any chance they get.
The Shemarrian Nation
Several years ago most people in the Domain of Man couldn't have cared less about the Shemarrians. They were just another D-Bee race among multitudes... until recent events brought them to "national attention," so to speak. In 97 P.A., travelers from the Eastern Wilds began returning to the Domain of Man with data-stiks that they claimed were given to them by the warrior women. These data-stiks circulated through various information networks and media outlets, eventually making their way to governments like Ishpeming, the Manistique Imperium, and the Coalition States. Each data-stik contained the same footage, which showed a lone Shemarrian Warrior facing the camera and speaking in accented American. She never identified herself or her position among the Shemarrians, but nonetheless insisted that she spoke on behalf of her people. Her message was simple and straightforward: All of the Eastern Wilds - from the Atlantic coastline to the Eastern Wall, and from New Brunswick to Dinosaur Swamp - belonged to the Shemarrian race, and would henceforth be known as lands of the "Shemarrian Nation." She outlined some rules for travelers and made it clear that the region was off limits to all the other continental powers. She also explained that the Shemarrians were not imperialists and had no intention of expanding their territory or conquering other lands.
This official political announcement, known as the "Shemarrian Declaration of Sovereignty," was ignored or dismissed by most nations in the Domain of Man, or denounced as a hoax. The Coalition States, in particular, refuses to acknowledge the rights or existence of any sovereign state of "inhuman monsters." The Declaration also doesn't sit well with some of the native inhabitants of the Eastern Wilds, particularly some of the Native American tribes and tiny feudal kingdoms that dot the region. Most notably the Longhouse Preserve (home of the Iroquois), located in what was once New York State, has made it clear to the Shemarrians that they belong to no nation but their own.
That said, there are wilderness folk who look at the Shemarrians in a different light. Those who've seen the Shemarrians battle Splugorth Minions and Horune Pirates, or who've inadvertantly been rescued from monsters by the intercession of the warrior women, speak about them as though they are heroes and protectors. There are an increasing number of anecdotes that describe the Shemarrians coming to the aid of lost travelers or giving gifts of food to communities that were starving. These stories are difficult to verify, and conflict with the many tales that portray the Shemarrians as brutal, violent, and extremely aggressive. For instance, Shemarrians have been known to beat to death those who annoy them, or accuse people of Splugorth collaboration based on nothing more than circumstantial evidence (after which the accused is executed). Despite whatever nice things you hear about the warrior women, it's the latter stories that you should always keep in mind.
No one knows why the Shemarrians have claimed the American Eastern Seaboard. Nearly all of the Eastern Wilds are an expansive and unruly wilderness full of monsters, dragons, ghosts, demons, pirates, savage D-Bees, and even the occasional Splugorth slavers from Atlantis. Though perhaps not quite as hostile as Dinosaur Swamp, the region is still forlorn and dangerous beyond imagining. There are theories aplenty - the most popular of which is that the Shemarrians have one or more secret cities hidden within the confines of the Eastern Wilds (a few stories point to Dinosaur Swamp as the location). If not a city, then maybe a manufacturing facility of some kind; a factory where they produce their advanced weapons and bionics. Further speculation points to the possibility of a dimensional rift leading to their home world, concealed in the deep wilderness. As with everything else concerning these D-Bee warriors, it's unlikely we'll ever know.
Interacting with the Shemarrians
You're probably beginning to wonder what this has to do with the IMCN and your salvage expedition. Well, it just so happens that the Shemarrians regard North and South Carolina as part of the Shemarrian Nation. They don't claim all of Dinosaur Swamp, mind you, just the Carolinas. However, some of the most potentially lucrative salvage sites are located within those two former states. Consequently, it's unavoidable that you'll be interacting with the Shemarrians at some point.
Despite their claim over the Eastern Wilds, the Shemarrians seem willing to share their land with others. People are allowed to travel through their territory, use its resources, and even stay there (temporarily or permanently), so long as certain rules are observed...
Ingram Bostock has done a number of salvage operations in the Eastern Wilds and, as such, has had to deal extensively with the Shemarrians. His experiences with them have been vital in informing our strategy for this expedition. The Shemarrians are protective of the ecology and natural beauty of the Eastern Wilds, which means that they frown upon activities that stand to cause lasting damage to the environment, such as mining, demolitions, deforestation, large scale construction projects, and salvage digs. Even before the Declaration of Sovereignty, those who attempted to build new towns, dig for minerals, dump waste, or test weapons in the Eastern Wilds were met with swift retribution from the warrior women. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the wilderness on the other side of the Eastern Wall is still so untamed.
The Bostock Expedition, with its heavy machinery, loud vehicles, and high number of men, is not going to please the Shemarrians. In the past, they've been very resistant to salvage operations. The exception to this, however, seems to be ruins. Apparently, pre-Rifts ruins are considered to be land that has already been irredeemably despoiled from an earlier time, and regarded as separate from the rest of the natural landscape that they're trying to preserve. Make no mistake, the Shemarrians still regard all ruins in the Eastern Wilds as part of their territory, but they aren't quite as protective of them.
In his previous digs, Bostock came to an agreement with the Shemarrians. They allowed him to perform salvage ops in some of the ruins within the Eastern Wilds under the condition that he kept his operations contained to ruins that have yet to be reclaimed by nature. This meant places that were still clearly and obviously dominated by ancient concrete, asphalt, abandoned structures, and other remnants of pre-Rifts Earth; places yet to be encroached upon or covered up by trees and plant life. No salvages ops were permitted in any areas of natural wilderness, including ruins that had long been overtaken by nature.
This time, Bostock - by way of his long range advanced scout and representative Jean St. Jean - has hammered out a similar arrangement with the Horrorwoods Tribe, the tribe of Shemarrians that claims the Carolinas. These warrior women, known for sporting dino tooth jewelry and riding bionically enhanced dinosaur mounts, have agreed to permit salvage crews to work within (and only within) the local ruins. Any attempts to dig in areas beyond those clearly defined as ruins will elicit a response of extreme violence. Now this does restrict the scope of the expedition's operation in some respects, since some ruins are beneath the ground of serene natural spaces, having been swallowed by the earth during the Great Cataclsym, or have become inseparably mixed with the surrounding forest. Still, Bostock and the IMCN are confident that the ruins available to Golden Age Salvage will yield more than enough of a pay day. And for those of you concerned about the integrity of deals made with "D-Bee savages," keep in mind that the Shemarrians have a preoccupation with honor. The likelihood of them breaking their word or violating their end of the arrangement is minimal, unless one of you does it first.
The Shemarrians tend to ignore lone travelers or small adventuring parties, but definitely take notice of large groups, convoys, or military forces. Overt displays of numbers, technology, or firepower usually cause war parties of Shemarrians to gather nearby. They don't attack (unless attacked first or one of the above rules is violated), but they certainly make their presence known, following and watching the group from a distance. This is obviously done to send a message. The Shemarrians have made it clear that they will not tolerate incursions into their lands by other continental powers. So far, no one is known to have entered their territory with more than a hundred men at one time; the equivalent of a small army company. Consequently, its uncertain how the warrior women would react to a truly large force. The Bostock Expedition - with its 80+ members, massive hauler, score of additional vehicles, and armed soldiers - is going to be pushing its luck. Even though the Shemarrians have agreed to permit salvage operations in their territory, they're still unlikely to be thrilled with your presence. It's safe to say that they'll be on high alert and watching your every move. Please make sure you don't give them any reason to pick a fight.
Several years ago most people in the Domain of Man couldn't have cared less about the Shemarrians. They were just another D-Bee race among multitudes... until recent events brought them to "national attention," so to speak. In 97 P.A., travelers from the Eastern Wilds began returning to the Domain of Man with data-stiks that they claimed were given to them by the warrior women. These data-stiks circulated through various information networks and media outlets, eventually making their way to governments like Ishpeming, the Manistique Imperium, and the Coalition States. Each data-stik contained the same footage, which showed a lone Shemarrian Warrior facing the camera and speaking in accented American. She never identified herself or her position among the Shemarrians, but nonetheless insisted that she spoke on behalf of her people. Her message was simple and straightforward: All of the Eastern Wilds - from the Atlantic coastline to the Eastern Wall, and from New Brunswick to Dinosaur Swamp - belonged to the Shemarrian race, and would henceforth be known as lands of the "Shemarrian Nation." She outlined some rules for travelers and made it clear that the region was off limits to all the other continental powers. She also explained that the Shemarrians were not imperialists and had no intention of expanding their territory or conquering other lands.
This official political announcement, known as the "Shemarrian Declaration of Sovereignty," was ignored or dismissed by most nations in the Domain of Man, or denounced as a hoax. The Coalition States, in particular, refuses to acknowledge the rights or existence of any sovereign state of "inhuman monsters." The Declaration also doesn't sit well with some of the native inhabitants of the Eastern Wilds, particularly some of the Native American tribes and tiny feudal kingdoms that dot the region. Most notably the Longhouse Preserve (home of the Iroquois), located in what was once New York State, has made it clear to the Shemarrians that they belong to no nation but their own.
That said, there are wilderness folk who look at the Shemarrians in a different light. Those who've seen the Shemarrians battle Splugorth Minions and Horune Pirates, or who've inadvertantly been rescued from monsters by the intercession of the warrior women, speak about them as though they are heroes and protectors. There are an increasing number of anecdotes that describe the Shemarrians coming to the aid of lost travelers or giving gifts of food to communities that were starving. These stories are difficult to verify, and conflict with the many tales that portray the Shemarrians as brutal, violent, and extremely aggressive. For instance, Shemarrians have been known to beat to death those who annoy them, or accuse people of Splugorth collaboration based on nothing more than circumstantial evidence (after which the accused is executed). Despite whatever nice things you hear about the warrior women, it's the latter stories that you should always keep in mind.
No one knows why the Shemarrians have claimed the American Eastern Seaboard. Nearly all of the Eastern Wilds are an expansive and unruly wilderness full of monsters, dragons, ghosts, demons, pirates, savage D-Bees, and even the occasional Splugorth slavers from Atlantis. Though perhaps not quite as hostile as Dinosaur Swamp, the region is still forlorn and dangerous beyond imagining. There are theories aplenty - the most popular of which is that the Shemarrians have one or more secret cities hidden within the confines of the Eastern Wilds (a few stories point to Dinosaur Swamp as the location). If not a city, then maybe a manufacturing facility of some kind; a factory where they produce their advanced weapons and bionics. Further speculation points to the possibility of a dimensional rift leading to their home world, concealed in the deep wilderness. As with everything else concerning these D-Bee warriors, it's unlikely we'll ever know.
Interacting with the Shemarrians
You're probably beginning to wonder what this has to do with the IMCN and your salvage expedition. Well, it just so happens that the Shemarrians regard North and South Carolina as part of the Shemarrian Nation. They don't claim all of Dinosaur Swamp, mind you, just the Carolinas. However, some of the most potentially lucrative salvage sites are located within those two former states. Consequently, it's unavoidable that you'll be interacting with the Shemarrians at some point.
Despite their claim over the Eastern Wilds, the Shemarrians seem willing to share their land with others. People are allowed to travel through their territory, use its resources, and even stay there (temporarily or permanently), so long as certain rules are observed...
- Mind your own business. Don't bother the Shemarrians, don't follow them, don't spy on them, and stay out of their way. The warrior women have shown themselves to be an insular folk, and they don't appreciate intrusiveness, nosiness or questions.
- Respect their property. Don't touch or steal anything belonging to the Shemarrians. They are fanatical about recovering stolen or lost gear, be it armor, weapons, bionics, or anything else. It's uncertain if there is a religious or cultural component to this behavior, or if perhaps they simply want to protect the secrets of their technology. Even if the property was accidentally discovered or picked up off of the ground, the warrior women will demand it back. Refusal to do so, or requests for compensation, will not end well.
- Respect their injured. A Shemarrian who is too wounded to leave the battlefield of her own power is carried off by her mount or by other Shemarrians. Anyone who attempts to interfere is beaten to an inch of his life, if not killed outright. Reportedly, the D-Bee warriors almost never leave their injured (or her belongings) behind. Even in situations where the warrior women are forced to retreat and abandon some of their dead or injured, they always return later on with reinforcements in order to recover their wounded and fallen sisters. Shemarrians also never accept medical attention from non-Shemarrians. Even when mortally wounded, they refuse aid from anyone other than their own kind. Regardless of whatever humanitarian inclinations you might have, it's advised that you respect their wishes.
- Respect their dead. The Shemarrians have a cultural practice that involves carrying away the bodies of their deceased, presumably to be honored by the tribe. This includes gathering up the possessions (weapons, armor, etc.), and even the mount, of their fallen sister. Where exactly these bodies are taken is unknown, and those who attempt to follow them are dealt with harshly. Do not disturb a Shemarrian corpse, and certainly don't loot it. The Shemarrians generally beat or kill anyone found messing with their dead, which includes touching the body or its belongings, moving it, mocking or disrespecting it, and even just studying it closely. Likewise, do not interfere with their retrieval of the corpse.
- Don't start trouble. Put simply, don't do anything that creates chaos or disturbs the peace. Don't pick fights with the Shemarrians, raid local villages, get into huge battles, set off explosions, or cause a general ruckus. If it's disruptive enough to catch the Shemarrians' attention, then you shouldn't have done it.
- Don't despoil the land. The Shemarrians are fine with people hunting, fishing, cutting down trees, and making use of other natural resources, so long as its done respectfully and in moderation. Those who damage or pollute the land, or who get too greedy about resources, will face the Shemarrians' wrath. This pertains doubly so to salvage operations.
- Don't be Splugorth. This one is easy. The Shemarrians despise the Splugorth and their minions; the reasons of which are unknown. Not only do they target Splugorth slavers and raiding parties, but they also attack known Splugorth associates such as Horune Pirates and Black Marketeers. If the Shemarrians even suspect that you provide aid to, or engage in dealings with, the forces of Atlantis, you're going to have a lot of problems.
Ingram Bostock has done a number of salvage operations in the Eastern Wilds and, as such, has had to deal extensively with the Shemarrians. His experiences with them have been vital in informing our strategy for this expedition. The Shemarrians are protective of the ecology and natural beauty of the Eastern Wilds, which means that they frown upon activities that stand to cause lasting damage to the environment, such as mining, demolitions, deforestation, large scale construction projects, and salvage digs. Even before the Declaration of Sovereignty, those who attempted to build new towns, dig for minerals, dump waste, or test weapons in the Eastern Wilds were met with swift retribution from the warrior women. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the wilderness on the other side of the Eastern Wall is still so untamed.
The Bostock Expedition, with its heavy machinery, loud vehicles, and high number of men, is not going to please the Shemarrians. In the past, they've been very resistant to salvage operations. The exception to this, however, seems to be ruins. Apparently, pre-Rifts ruins are considered to be land that has already been irredeemably despoiled from an earlier time, and regarded as separate from the rest of the natural landscape that they're trying to preserve. Make no mistake, the Shemarrians still regard all ruins in the Eastern Wilds as part of their territory, but they aren't quite as protective of them.
In his previous digs, Bostock came to an agreement with the Shemarrians. They allowed him to perform salvage ops in some of the ruins within the Eastern Wilds under the condition that he kept his operations contained to ruins that have yet to be reclaimed by nature. This meant places that were still clearly and obviously dominated by ancient concrete, asphalt, abandoned structures, and other remnants of pre-Rifts Earth; places yet to be encroached upon or covered up by trees and plant life. No salvages ops were permitted in any areas of natural wilderness, including ruins that had long been overtaken by nature.
This time, Bostock - by way of his long range advanced scout and representative Jean St. Jean - has hammered out a similar arrangement with the Horrorwoods Tribe, the tribe of Shemarrians that claims the Carolinas. These warrior women, known for sporting dino tooth jewelry and riding bionically enhanced dinosaur mounts, have agreed to permit salvage crews to work within (and only within) the local ruins. Any attempts to dig in areas beyond those clearly defined as ruins will elicit a response of extreme violence. Now this does restrict the scope of the expedition's operation in some respects, since some ruins are beneath the ground of serene natural spaces, having been swallowed by the earth during the Great Cataclsym, or have become inseparably mixed with the surrounding forest. Still, Bostock and the IMCN are confident that the ruins available to Golden Age Salvage will yield more than enough of a pay day. And for those of you concerned about the integrity of deals made with "D-Bee savages," keep in mind that the Shemarrians have a preoccupation with honor. The likelihood of them breaking their word or violating their end of the arrangement is minimal, unless one of you does it first.
The Shemarrians tend to ignore lone travelers or small adventuring parties, but definitely take notice of large groups, convoys, or military forces. Overt displays of numbers, technology, or firepower usually cause war parties of Shemarrians to gather nearby. They don't attack (unless attacked first or one of the above rules is violated), but they certainly make their presence known, following and watching the group from a distance. This is obviously done to send a message. The Shemarrians have made it clear that they will not tolerate incursions into their lands by other continental powers. So far, no one is known to have entered their territory with more than a hundred men at one time; the equivalent of a small army company. Consequently, its uncertain how the warrior women would react to a truly large force. The Bostock Expedition - with its 80+ members, massive hauler, score of additional vehicles, and armed soldiers - is going to be pushing its luck. Even though the Shemarrians have agreed to permit salvage operations in their territory, they're still unlikely to be thrilled with your presence. It's safe to say that they'll be on high alert and watching your every move. Please make sure you don't give them any reason to pick a fight.