Campaign:NERV Siberia

You Can (Not) Be Trusted

I no longer have a choice but to pretend to be brave, for a soldier has to be brave.

Abide with me, for fast falls the eventide.

Basic Information

NERV-04

• Location: Siberia
• Name: S. I. Golovko

Backstory

The date is January 1st, 2015. Or, as some would have it, AI 15 (After Impact)...

2nd Impact killed 3 billion people. Countless efforts of humanity, wiped out in a single instant when an experiment went wrong at the Antarctic...

The world burned in war, famine, floods, and all manner of disaster. Whole sections of the planet are still considered uninhabitable. The new United Nations junta, formed by the Valentine Treaty, has brought order to the chaos of northern Africa and Europe. The US has managed to persevere and rebuild itself, threatened by UN controlled Canada to the north...but these are not the focus of our story. The focus lies on a country as of yet unbowed by the chaos of 2nd Impact. Russia. Lacking much coastline, Russia's traditional disadvantage has become a source of great strength in the post-impact world. Nearly untouched by the chaos of Impact, Russia is technically a signitory state of the UN's Valentine Treaty; the UN and Russia are, publicly, partners and allies, even as it is an open secret that the UN has done nothing to curb Russia's wars of aggression and expansion since the signing of the Treaty, assigning it 'peacekeeping' duties in the former Soviet satellite states.

A new threat has arisen, however...the UN has quietly warned most of the major nations of the world, and frantic preparations have begun...for you see, Impact was not caused by a meteor; no, it was far, far worse...

Characters

Griet Jacobs

Griet is a fifteen year old, born in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. At just over a year old at Second Impact, the majority of her childhood memories consist of refugee camps, struggle for survival and the anarchy the descended upon the African Continent afterwards. She is only a few inches over five feet tall, and slight of build, reflecting a scarcity of food in her past. She has begun to fill out a bit with the regular rations provided on Base, but she is still skittish and likely to hoard food. The youngest of a large family, two of Griet’s brothers were killed in the flood resulting from Second Impact, the remaining siblings are either with her parents in London, or continuing to work for survival in Africa.

Griet would be described by many, including some of her fellow teammates, as a coward. While this is, to some extent true, much of her psyche can be explained by years spent focused almost solely on the survival of herself and her family. Her years spent in refugee camps have given her a solid distrust of humanity in general, but a strong sense of loyalty to the few whom she deems as family. At the age of Fifteen, her family was finally evacuated from Africa to London, where she was promptly taken by NERV associates for the EVA program. Accordingly, she is ill-equipped to handle many of the mental strains put on a new pilot.

Much like its Pilot, Griet’s EVA, Unit 40 is also on the lighter side, and clearly built for speed and somewhat skittish. The unit is blue, with a black trim, and it’s unhinged jaw is certainly eye catching. Thus far, Unit 40 has no other name. Unit 40 is extremely twitchy, but apparently oddly loveable.

Went on to become one of the foremost experts in EVA combat, on account of being one of the best markswomen in the world and possessing truly incredible reflexes. Her career continued onwards as an EVA training officer, showing a new generation of pilots (although there weren't many, as EVA units were never really adopted as a major part of world militaries) just how to run and shoot in a giant cybernetic death machine.

Dostov Pokryshkin

Dostov is a friendly and well-meaning, if under socialized, youth from Russia's federal capital Moscow. Standing at just over six feet he has a muscular build, though he's also a shade overweight. His honey-blonde hair has been cut short recently, and while his right eye is hazel the left eye is green. A case of heterochromia brought on by an injury to his left eye that also left a scar running through the same eyebrow.

Dostov is a dedicated if easy-going boy that enjoys cooking and sewing. He has a strong sense of duty when it comes to protecting not only humanity from the Vragi, but also his family and his fellow pilots, whom he adores. He is brave and sometimes characterized as suicidal in combat, willing to give his life for the sake of others. He's proud to be a part of Dolg Kommanda.

Unit 41, also known as Pizdetz Vsemu, is a concept model created using the newest and greatest tech available to Russia. It features leg pistons for faster deployment and a cyclopean visor in place of its natural visual array. Armor plating ideally protects it from the worst punishment the Vragi can dish out, should they make it past the unit's riot shield.

Still considered a national hero in Russia, despite his somewhat incompetent service record and negative effect on unit cohesion.

Tanya Pavlichenko

Jr. Lietenant Tanya Ivanova Pavlichenko, aged fifteen, Tanya Ivanova Pavlichenko, aged fifteen, stands at 5'8" with an angular, boyish build and the general first impression she gives off is that of someone you probably don't want to spend that much time around — not because she looks threatening (though her increasing strength is changing that) or particularly predisposed to moral dubiousness (read: evil actions), but because of the semi-permanent sneer that graces her pointy, potentially pretty face. Her lips are full, her nose slightly upturned, her muscles increasingly larger and well-defined and her face almost too symmetrical. She wears her dark hair a bit past her shoulders, opting to tie it in a ponytail more often than not as she considers it too "unruly" when left to its own devices; her blue eyes, on close examination, seem a shade too pale. Her speech is most often brusque and to the point, but marked with precise language and references to not ostensibly relevant matters (most often, history) that she expects others to follow without explanation.

The team Berserker and the manufactured among a team of biological humans, Tanya has no idea as to her true nature and had a profoundly lonely upbringing before joining the Dolg Kommanda. She believes that her parents died as war heroes in the service of their Motherland and regards Dr. Tuchechev, one of her former handlers, as being basically her mother. Considering this, it's really no surprise that there's something notably off about her ... with "off" in this case, meaning "borderline autistic." Although it takes a certain amount of time to notice, she has difficulty maintaining eye contact and when she hardly notices when she lets her eyes dart around unless actively trying to keep them in one place. Her eye movements are not conscientious attempts at being aware of her surroundings, but more of a tic arising from her laboratory-created neurology and as such, she receives no practical benefit from them. Additionally, she has difficulty understanding emotions and other people on their own terms.

Spending time in the constant company of people is proving to be good for her: given that she's never been around so many people for so long, Dolg Kommanda is teaching her some basic social skills and how to enjoy herself with others, and she's even come to regard Griet, Elsa, and Dostov as her friends. So far, she's nicknamed all of them, hugged two, held hands with Elsa (significant progress from Tanya's attempt at inciting a stand-off for the single room), and even gotten used to sharing a room with Griet. Even so, the nuances of tone sometimes escape her, especially in the cases of irony, sarcasm, and metaphorical speech; likewise, she suffers from a chronic lack of tact, understands other people less on their own terms and more in terms of their relation to her and what she wants from them, or else limited to the strictly theoretical. When dealing with other people — meaning, those who aren't herself or her former lifelong handlers — one of her most common feelings is that of exasperation; she possesses a naturally gifted and exceptionally trained intelligence, and she often forgets that not everyone operates on her level or sees the world in the same way that she does. Her true fatal flaw, though, is her temper and her great capacity for rage; unfortunately for everyone, this is also one of her best assets when she's in her Evangelion.

Unit 42, designation Cernobog, a Russian flagship, is "huge, bulky, and predatory, with [an unhinged jaw and fangs], but also enormous, rending talons and bulging muscles, its entire body giving the impression of a 45m tall demon. Its entire body is black, save the talons and the eyes, which are both bright red and menacing. It has huge, powerful support pistons built into the legs, as well, ready to help it pounce on its prey." Tanya has a great affection for her EVA, even thinking of him as a friend and companion, the entity that most understands her. Cernobog also has the honor of being the entity to whom Tanya shows the most empathy and reciprocity; he's been with her since her early days as an EVA Test Pilot and it is not a gross exaggeration to say that she has bonded more with him than almost anyone else. Using this bond and her natural anger, she follows the Berzerker's path, with a mind to mangle every vrag that gets in her way. Both in and out of her EVA, she prefers melee combat to ranged, and the heat of battle brings out some of the worst in her: she rushes headlong into fights and skirmishes for many reasons (further detailed below), gets going on the rush and the outlet that fully satisfies the anger she generally keeps in check (letting it come up in snappishness and exasperation, but little else), and then a sadistic streak takes over, a desire to see her opponents pained and broken so her notions of superiority are confirmed. Put briefly: there is a reason why she's Dolg Kommanda's resident honey badger.

Also, she nicknames people. It's both a way of showing fondness (despite the fact that most of the nicknames are fairly offensive) and of declaring someone to be hers, in the sense that s/he is, for better or for worse, part of Tanya's team. Her list of nicknames for other PCs (both used in game and prospective ones) follows, and will likely get considerably longer:

• Griet Jacobs
  • Bobo: in reference to Griet's kudu meatloaf thing.

• Dostov Pokryshkin
  • Mishka: approximately, Russian for "teddy bear."
  • Fuzzy: because whether or not he is actually hairy, he is like a bear. And bears are fuzzy.
  • Bruschetta: because this was the first thing he made for the team.

• Elsa Faustus
  • Schnitzel: created in episode 2.

• Miko Nakamura
  • Nigiri: to keep up the trend of cultural stereotype food names.
  • Miho: because Tanya wasn't really listening when they were introduced.

• Capt. Nathanial Durond — note that these will probably never be uttered to his face. Tanya has too much respect for the military hierarchy to do that, even if Durond is from the UN and a Frenchman.
  • Captain Escargot: created in episode 3.

• Chernobog — the fact that she nicknamed her EVA unit is a good indicator of just how inhuman her inhuman psychology is. Anyway, she's taken to calling him Cernusha (sometimes Chernushka) as of episode 10.

Character Sheet

Stayed with NERV as an EVA pilot, unwilling and unable to be seperated from Cernobog. She eventually became a significant scientific resource for the study of EVA-contamination and Evangelion biological augmentation.

Elsa Faustus

Elsa Faustus is a fifteen year old girl of average height, plainly average features with blue eyes and light brown hair, average agility, and average mental ability who grew up in southern Germany, her home sheltered almost entirely from the Impact thanks to Africa and other countries happening to be in the way. Her mother is a literature teacher, her father a shoe salesman, and she was brought up in a pleasant home, just watching the world change on TV and as the nearby city of Stuttgart became a capital for the new UN. She never stood out at anything in school, save for being naturally strong and heavily built. In high school, this heavy frame and late development made her become withdrawn. She felt she'd never amount to anything and would do anything to be able to make a difference.

NERV gave her that opportunity.

Picked up by the Marduk Institute as a promising Pilot Candidate, Elsa eagerly left her old life behind for the chance to serve NERV, the UN, and save mankind. She will do anything, follow any order, undertake any mission to prove to NERV that they were right to pluck her from obscurity and mediocrity to save the world. Elsa will always be found in her NERV khakis save when she's on a mission. And she'd rather not anyone see her in a plugsuit, thinking it makes her look like a boy in addition to it's other issues.

Elsa's withdrawn habits keep her from easily bonding with her fellow pilots, but she tries to keep up and respects them. They, after all, were chosen with her to be at the forefront of this new war. If they prove to be lacking, it will reflect upon her in the eyes of NERV. The one sore spot is Pilot Tanya's insistence on calling her Schnitzel. Elsa positively hates it.

Elsa pilots Unit 43, "Mephistopheles." The source of the name is a bit of a mystery, as is the precise origin of this unit shipped to Siberia from Germany. It differs radically in design from the other EVAs, being heavily armored with overlapping black plates of complex metal alloys with bright white markings and trim, sophisticated sensors mounted on it's head, and being roughly half the speed of the other EVAs. Unfortunately for both Elsa and Mephy, the Russians hastily armed the unit with a Pallet Gun prototype from storage. So far, it has jammed with every use. Elsa loathes the weapon and the people who assigned to her with a passion. Instead, Elsa simply uses the AT Field of her EVA to do what her weapon cannot. She does the most remarkable things with it as she doesn't know what is supposed to be impossible with it and is surprised whenever the other Pilots can't emulate it.

After fulfilling her destiny, rising up, and becoming a legend, Wingleader Elsa Faustus remained on as an AT Field Phenomenon researcher, helping pioneer the use of the AT Field for faster than light travel via Dirac Breaching, which would go on to become the core of a fledgling human space program.

Major Nathaniel Durond /Operations Director

Nathaniel Durond is a pale but distinguished looking Frenchman in his early forties, with just a hint of gray among his brown hair, and wrinkles under his gray eyes. He stands at just under six feet tall with a medium build and is always dressed in a meticulously neat NERV uniform, but keep on a blue UN beret whenever he can get away with it, and is almost always seen with glasses folded in his breast pocket and an expensive looking wrist watch one wrist or the other.

Nathaniel grew up in a well to-do American French family in Paris, and rose quickly through elite private schools. Nathaniel enrolled in École Normale Supérieure and École des hautes études en sciences sociales at age 16. By age 23, Nathaniel had doctorates in both psychology and history, and taught at several prestigious universities in France, England, and the United States as a visiting professor. Nathaniel became within academic circles an expert on child soldiers, and the rehabilitation thereof.

Nathaniel was deep in the Congo in the company of a Red Cross observer mission when the second impact happened. Things went from bad to worse, to horrific in short order. Nathaniel was himself forced to take up arms to defend himself, and eventually made his way to a UN Peacekeeper unit. As the world pulled itself apart, Nathaniel was pressed into service as an intelligence analyst, a position he remained in for years without anyone quite realizing that he was not an official member of any nation's military on loan to the U.N.

After some semblance of order had been restored, NERV recruited Nathaniel, as his skillset was uniquely suited to their needs. Nathaniel joined after being shown at least a small part of why the EVAs and their young pilots were a necessary evil. Which is the only thing that lets him sleep at night.

Major Durond and his TRIDENT have been transferred to the American branch of NERV, after the Support TRIDENT was obsoleted by the invention of the S2 Organ.

Colonel Durond eventually went on to retire and return to private practice, helping victims of child abuse and veterans of the EVA War, as well as the many, many post-impact conventional wars that still rocked the planet for years to come.

Supporting Cast

General Kurinov/Commander

Full Name: Mikhail Danielovitch Kurinov

Appearance: Mikhail is another large man, standing about six feet tall and built broadly around the shoulders, usually dressed in his green-and-red uniform and peaked officer's cap, always wearing an old Makarov pmm pistolat his side, his hair going both grey and bald (hence always the hat), with grey eyes and a craggy face. Kurinov probably knows more than he lets on, but what NERV/Russian Commander wouldn't? His personal military experience goes all the way back to Afghanistan, before the fall of the Soviet Union, and the old man makes a fairly steady if rather Soviet commander for the team.

Major Gorky/Sub-Commander

Full Name: Svetlana Vasilovna Gorky

Appearance: Gorky is a woman in about her mid-to-late thirties, fit and toned, in excellent physical condition, with a fairly flattering figure that hasn't started to go yet, her hair worn in a short, platinum-blonde ponytail, with hazel eyes, usually smiling, her face unblemished by scars or marks of war. Usually wears a sidearm and her uniform, though she often isn't in her cap. Major Gorky has taken over as operations director after Major Duround's transfer. She tends to be relatively cold and calculating, a trait left over from her time as an intelligence agent, but has at least tried to show the pilots some warmth and reassurance. Whether it's worked is uncertain.

Natasha Pokryshkin

Natasha is an overweight, but adorable 12 year old girl, excellent in school, precocious, and curious, and great at math, similar to her mother. Transferred off base along with her wounded brother, meaning that as long as the earth survives, she will somehow survive the story.

Lt. Malashenko

A somewhat baby-faced, serious-looking young officer, with light blonde hair and green eyes, and an awesome peaked cap. Uniform is impeccably clean. Newly minted officer, eager to do his job. Can be found in the armory. A stickler for proper paper-work and bureaucracy. May or may not be Major Gorky's gopher.

Doctor Tuchechev

A grey-and-blonde haired, early-middle aged woman, dressed in a science team uniform, she is the lead EVA Biological Augmentation Technician at S. I. Golovko, and a mother figure to pilot Pavlichenko. Literally, due to having designed Pilot Pavlichenko's genome.

Captain Pokryshkin

Ivan Pokryshkin is one of the base tank commanders, comparable to a large, bearded bear. He's broadly built, standing at 6'2", and is a proud member of the Russian Ground Forces. He is the father of Dostov and Natasha. He recently lost his right arm and was nearly killed when VRAG-03 fired on his tank squadron. Transferred off base along with his wounded son, Pokryshkin harbors some minor resentment for the Russian military for allowing his son to be maimed so at such an early age.

Lt. Maria Sidorovna Kastyev

The test pilot assigned to EVA-45E, accidentally caused the events of the Boneyard Incident. Now a crazy Apostle with chronically painful mutations and PTSD. That they're considering potentially putting her in EVA-41 to replace Lt. Pokryshkin says something about how desperately they need skilled pilots.

Lt. Adriy Helmanetski

A potential replacement pilot for Lt. Pokryshkin, Lt. Helmanetski is overconfident and eager to assure the others he'll gladly give his life to protect the team, but as you might expect from a seemingly self-confident character in anything vaguely associated with EVA, this attitude hides deep self-doubt about his inexperience in real combat. Might be replaced by Lt. Kastyev. Would likely be upset at this.

Technician Clarke

An American expatriot added for background color and a small injoke during a single scene, Clarke was enough of a voice of reason to stick around as one of the kids' contacts about their EVA units. Technician Clarke works on the conversion of industrial tools to EVA surgical instruments for the implantation of biological enhancements. He's steady of nerve, not particularly squeamish, and basically a normal, decent person, something in relatively short supply around EVAs.

The Enemy

VRAG-00: Program Sachiel

• Appearance: Sachiel is a spindly, amphibious humanoid Vrag slightly larger than an Evangelion. The Vrag has an unusually lanky physique and exaggerated proportions, arms reaching below the knees, and elongated shins and feet, with the impression of leg length furthered by the absence of a head and neck. Sachiel is part of a training simulation used to test Dolg Kommanda on their teamwork and combat abilities, as well as familiarizing the newer pilots on Evangelion operation.
• Tactics: The Sachiel program proved to be a straight-forward melee fighter, though it may be that is was defeated before the program could activate any other abilities.
• Death: The killing blow was struck by Lt. Pavlichenko and her Evangelion, Chernobog. Sachiel was torn in two, its last moments spent thrashing on the ground before expiring. Both pilot and Evangelion seemed to enjoy the (simulated) carnage.

VRAG-01: Colossus Battle Theme

• Appearance: Colossus is 100 meters tall, with a long, thickly muscled body stretching 220m long from chest to tail, built almost a bit like a centaur. The head is a wickedly toothed, long, dragon-like maw, with four glowing, red eyes lining either side of the massive, biting muzzle, leading down into a well-armored body with a huge, red Core organ built prominently into the chest, massive, clawed arms, joining into a long, six-legged body built for strength and speed. A huge, yellowish organ seems to be built into the creature's forehead, as well. The entire thing is pure white, except for the glowing red core in the center.
• Tactics: Despite its massive size, the Vrag had two powerful ranged weapons. One was an ice beam that came from the organ on its forehead, enhanced by an AT Funnel. The other was a toxic acid spray capable of melting even through an EVA's armor.
• Death: The killing blow was a dual effort between pilots Elsa and Miko, each using an AT Wave to form a double soul guillotine to break the core.

VRAG-02: Pestilence

• Appearance: Hovering just a short ways off the ground, the creature is about 60m in length, thin and bug-like, with thousands of insectile legs lining its underbelly like some kind of obscene, winged parody of a millipede. It's pure white, like the last one, save its enormous, red core on its underside, almost making it look pregnant with the massive crystal. The entire body is covered in some kind of shining armor.
• Tactics: The Vragi used its speed and multiple scything legs with deadly efficiency in melee combat, protected by its hard outer shell.
• Death: Pestilence met its end at the hands of pilot Griet and her battle rifle, one of the massive rounds shattering the core and avoiding an explosion.

VRAG-03: Tunguska Battle Theme

Appearance: Tunguska took the shape of an Evangelion unit-like figure, covered in black, boney armor plates, lacking the massive shoulder wings, with white, soft light spilling out from under the gaps in its organic armor. It hovered softly above the ground, moving with bizarre, jerky bursts of speed, as though time was expanding and contracting around it.

Tactics: Tunguska used enormous positron beams and wider, less focused energy blasts, including short-ranged bursts of explosive force, to batter and harry the EVA units. It also dispatched a large number of Conventionals compared to previous Vragi.

Death: After losing its head, both arms, and its legs, the Vrag's chest was ripped open by the teeth of Cernobog and Unit 41, at which point its core was shot out by Griet and her Long Las.

VRAG-04: Herald

Appearance: Herald appeared as a powerful, glowing humanoid figure, with wings of light and a blazing sword that turned this way and that.

Tactics: Herald approached EVA units and Conventionals, and through some manner, connected to memories of significance and major mental blocks in the pilots. It is notable that he did not make a single actual attack on the pilots until his AT field was breached and a laser caught him in the leg. Once prodded into action, Herald struck with spears of light fired from his wings and his blazing sword.

Death: Pilot Faustus flung Lt. Pavlichenko and her EVA unit onto the flying monster, allowing her to bite through the core and kill Herald. Herald then went nuclear, disabling Cernobog and causing a plug breach. Lt. Pavlichenko, being a badass, survived with only minor burns and was released from the hospital after a day's observation.

Several Vragi whose details are no longer easily logged follow.

Incident Report: Boneyard

The team was called out to the Russian EVA-Production/Training facility, code-named Boneyard, to investigate a massive AT event that had occured only hours before. All contact with the facility had been lost. The only possible option to investigate safely involved sending the EVA team in with recon gear and smaller, remote-controlled robots to explore P-Scale areas, in order to penetrate the field. Once inside, they found evidence of a lot of people being exposed to strong AT Fields (I.E. uniforms in puddles of LCL) and a lot of EVA parts and pieces. Upon exploring further, they found several survivors, but also evidence of the Russian Manufactured Program, which has caused Lt. Pavlichenko no end of distress at discovering she is, in fact, an artificially engineered human being. They also found evidence of sabotage; Some foreign agent, posing as a training officer, had convinced a test pilot to take the nearly complete EVA-45E, which had not yet been cyberized and restrained, and try to destroy Russia's stock of Cores, an act that would also destroy the facility beyond repair. Without restraint systems, however, the pilot, Lt. Kastyev, had essentially merged with the now-Angelic EVA-45E and proceeded to start trying to produce Bardiel-type zombies from the EVA parts in storage, as well as augmenting its own flesh with the EVA pieces in the disposal labs. The pilots destroyed the Bardiel-types, preventing them from fully utilizing the cores in storage and partly ending the AT event, then moved through to engage EVA-45E and its pilot in conversation in what inexplicably appeared to be a serene meadow where the Walkabout Mobility Testing chamber should've been. 45E dropped a fair number of hints, as it could communicate through its human component, including the name Lillith being mentioned, and mention of a 'Doctrinal Conflict' and the necessary destruction of the 'Lillim'. It did so to delay the pilots' attack long enough to allow it to absorb more flesh and prepare itself further. They moved into Disposal, which had been rendered a featureless black void by the massively bloated and horrible 45E's AT field, only to find themselves under attack with its insanely powerful AT abilities. Taking charge, Pilot Faustus led the team in a coordinated attack, using her heavy armor and AT field for cover before amplifying it via Group Synch, shutting down 45E's own AT powers and leaving it fighting physically. It was no match for the Pilots in a physical fight, with Lt. Pavlichenko biting and rending the hell out of it before Pilot Jacobs' EVA went berserk and tried to stab out its spine. Eventually, they exposed the abomination's plug, and with surprising grace, Lt. Pavlichenko removed it without causing harm, essentially ripping out 45E's brain and killing the abomination, ending the AT event, and saving the Boneyard, which is now ruled recoverable. Despite this, a huge blow has been dealt to the Russian EVA program; hundreds of specialists are dead or wounded, the facility suffered serious damage, and they lost EVA-45E. Lt. Kastyev was recovered and stabilized, but the pilots suffered serious Ego and Sanity damage during the ordeal, including Lt. Pavlichenko suffering a minor contamination mutation, altering her jaw and tongue to be more in line with the predatory nature of her EVA unit. In addition, the long term effects on Lt. Pavlichenko's mental stability from discovering her own Manufactured nature are currently unknown. The team was victorious, but the war is far, far from over.

VRAG-08: Dreadnought.

Appearance: VRAG-08 was an enormous, floating core, supported by crystalline arms and legs capable of generating powerful electrical currents. It was also capable of generating a powerful explosive blast, and possessed enormous physical toughness and a strong AT field.

Tactics: The Vrag was, unfortunately, very slow, allowing the team to meet it on their terms in formation, neutralize its AT field, and then engage with a mixture of long-range laser fire, short range boltpistol support, and Cernobog's claws.

Death: It was destroyed pretty utterly by an amazing shot from Pilot Jakobs' sniper rifle, and by making Cernobog go berserk. One does not simply make Cernobog go berserk without consequences. Even developing a heavy AOE GPC during its last phase did not help, and it was unable to destroy any of the EVA units, even if it badly wounded EVA-41 and Cernobog. The DM is now considering using the Apocolyptic table.

The Reveal

After an accidental uncovering of a data-recording device hidden within the complex black boxes in Mephestophiles, the team discovered a long-ago message from one Dr. Klaus Eigenhart, the last will and testament of his Initiative and its opposition to SEELE. Mephy is apparently their creation and their last hope, sent to the Russians because they would neither destroy it nor refuse to use it and had no links with SEELE. A conversation with the EVA units themselves, as well as significant and disturbing mutations that may or may not mark the Apotheosis of the units, revealed even more information. SEELE possesses, through NERV, Lillith, the creator (accidentally) of humanity and one part of a great duality intended as an experiment by the First Ancestral Race. They do not, however, possess the Xenotech lance necessary to truly bind and keep her dormant, and she is beginning to awaken in response to the increase in Vrag activity. Unfortunately, Adam is neither dead nor as controlled as mankind might have wished, and is beginning to stir in his slumber in a great underground cave system near where Antarctica used to stand. Both Progenitors are beginning to stir and awaken, and the Pilots and their commanders are desperately trying to decide which to strike at first, the weakened Adam or the somewhat-bound Lillith. The situation was further complicated by Russia's possession of the Lance of Longinus, unveiled from the Tunguska crater years after the original blast incident, after it had deorbited into Siberia. Used quickly, the Lance could bind and stop Lillith without a struggle or an Impact event, but storming Tokyo-3 with an armed team of EVAs and a xenotech weapon of Godlike power could cause millions of deaths and provoke a world war. However, if Lillith is defeated, Adam may yet awake, leaving the team to face him in EVA Units without the Lance, which could be catastrophic even if they win. In the end, the team decided (along with their superiors) to strike at Adam while the Kermlin tries to convince the UN of the existence of SEELE and the necessity of binding Lillith without a fight. The team faces their greatest battles, but if they are strong enough, mankind may yet survive this mess...

Throwing Down The Progenitor

With no other options and the location of Adam discovered, the team's handlers decided to send the Pilots deep into the ocean at the initial Impact site, to hunt down and engage the hopefully-still-dormant Adam in direct combat. Wingleader Elsa Faustus quietly confirmed there wouldn't be any possibility of striking at the beast a second time if they failed, but decided not to inform the others so as to keep the pressure down somewhat during the long flight to the Antarctic. Upon dropping into the sea floor, the Pilots discovered a small AT Barrier keeping a large cave entrance clear of the seawater and otherwise sealing it off from the ravages of the icey depths. Upon moving past the light barrier, they found themselves in an alien ecosystem, with strange, Core-producing plants and multiple embryonic Vragi, as well as the Giant of Light himself, awake but not at his full power. Adam claimed that by assaulting him with his own children, the pilots were only proving the weakness of Lillim, and thus regardless of the outcome of this battle, proved the superiority of the Adamite model of life and thus would signal his creators' victory in the Doctrinal Conflict of the First Ancestral Race. The Pilots, not really giving a damn about a billions-of-years old alien experiment when the survival of their entire species was on the line, told the alien deity to fuck himself and proceeded to attempt to murder him. The battle was hard-fought, as the team raced to destroy Adam before he could fully spread his almost deific AT field and reach full power, contending with his absolute mastery of the AT field and extremely powerful body. In the end, however, it was a combination of Griet's mastery of the Lillim-engineered Great Positron Cannon, Elsa's AT powers, and Tanya's raw ferocity that held the day. Adam's immense power simply couldn't match the might of their Synched AT fields and heavy weaponry, though Lt. Helmanetski's bolt pistol was significantly less effective. Adam made his final mistake when he vaporized Cernobog's arms, causing the angry, angry EVA to become even angrier, and his pilot to become ANGRIER BY FAR. His shining body destroyed, Adam pulled his final gambit, literally transcending his physical body and becoming a figure made of his own deifically powerful AT field, but a chorus of heavy weapons fire, antimatter, teeth, and the massive AT power of the entire team synching together put a stop to that, destroying Adam Transcendent forever. The ecosystem bubble he had created collapsed, nearly destroying the Pilots as the ocean came crashing in, but they escaped. With Adam's death, 2nd Impact has been avenged, and no new Vragi can be produced. Adamite life has been effectively exterminated from the Earth, leaving it free for the Lillim. The team must now pray that Russia's diplomats can convince the UN to allow them to Bind Lillith with the Lance of Longinus before she reawakens, necessitating another epic conflict. If the UN is too deeply influenced by SEELE, the team will be forced to move against Tokyo-3 in force, possibly causing significant collateral damage and committing an act of war, in order to prevent a cataclysm that could yet erase the human race.

Rock the Planet

Ten days later, the EVAs have been repaired at a frantic pace. The Pilots are led, ostenisibly to briefing, by several base guards, who inform them that 'Stuttgart has made its decision' and then begin shooting. Showing remarkable courage, the pilots are able to kill or capture their would-be assassins before joining Major Gorky and fighting off a second wave of assassins, deep-cover SEELE agents who have been burned to try to prevent the Pilots attacking Tokyo-3. Shortly after, General Kurinov tells the team that Stuttgart has given Russia military access to Tokyo-3 to Bind Lillith, setting off SEELE's desperate final gambit to protect the site. The American team, uninvolved in the war thus far and free of SEELE's influence, has been activated and dispatched to Tokyo-3 alongside the Pacific Fleet, led by the USS Nimitz. Russia scrambles to prepare the Pilots to strike at Tokyo-3, with the revelation that Tokyo-3, not Stuttgart, is the seat of SEELE's greatest influence and power, and that the Japanese Team, the Berlin Team, and the JSDF will likely be arrayed against the Pilots and their allies. Worrying they may have to fight their former comrade, Miko Nakamura, the Pilots prepare to do their best to talk her and any other Pilots they can out of following SEELE's orders. Whatever happens, the pilots will have to force their way into Terminal Dogma, and face down Lillith herself, Lance in hand, to Bind her that her children may live.

The End of History

The team made it through to Tokyo-3 via a Dirac Breach, hopping past the rogue JSDF's blockade via teleporting EVA sorcery, and encountered the Tokyo-3 team, led by their old comrade Miko Nakamura. While a confrontation seemed inevitable, a combination of AT Barriers and diplomacy, as well as the arrival of the Berlin unit and their hostile actions towards the Russian team, managed to unit the Japanese and Russian EVA teams to head for the Geofront and try to stop the awakening of Lillith. The Berlin team was astonishingly easily disposed of by the AT wizardry of Miko Nakamura and the GPC's godlike power, and the team headed down into the Geofront only to be confronted with a Dirac Breach that seemed to be spilling Mass Produced Evangelion Units. A significant combat ensued that also saw the intervention of Col. Durond and the American team, showing up to hold off the regenerating horrors as the team moved down to attempt to stop Lillith. They discovered the body of Ritsuko, as well as Gendo Ikari, holding a smoking gun, and Rei Ayanami about to be merged with Lillith. Thinking quickly, Elsa managed to snipe Ayanami, putting the doll-like creature down completely. Ikari exclaimed that the Pilots had just destroyed the only means of controlling Lillith and likely doomed mankind, before being crushed by Miko. Lillith, as Ikari had mentioned, began to stir and awaken, but the party, with their understanding of what the Doctrinal Conflict meant, were able to convince her that her side had already proved its superiority, and that a recycling of humanity would be completely redundent. The Last Progenitor departed peacefully, though the Pilots expressed some concern about the insane machine and its (if they yet live) even crazier creators. Exhausted, the pilots made their way to the surface, having ruined the plans of both SEELE and Gendo, destroyed the Progenitor of the Vragi, and convinced the mother of Mankind to leave her children in peace. At long last, despite the hedge of conspiracies and madness, the EVA program had accomplished its supposedly superficial and false goal: It had served to save humanity in its present form and save the earth, the Pilots having ensured that a recognizable human existence would continue into the future, and that Lillim-pattern life would rule the earth...

House Rules

Facilitate Upgrades is constantly on, meaning all Upgrades cost 1/2 listed rulebook EXP cost. I would prefer not to put UPs and Surplus in the same room, lest people begin to ask logical questions about why Surplus cannot be used to buy a new rifle that doesn't suck.

Institution of a standarized Upgrade buying scheme: There are Good and Bad upgrade progressions. If an Upgrade is Good, each costs 50 EXP (1/2 listed rulebook cost) and 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2 points are available at each rank. If an upgrade is Bad, each costs 100 EXP (1/2 listed rulebook cost) and 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 points are available at each rank.

Pointman now has Good Biological and Structural Upgrade Progression, to make it more defensive and tougher. They now have Bad weapon progression, as offense is not their primary job.

AT Tactician now has Good Structural upgrade progression, to aid them in being support units, but retain Bad Weapon and Bio.

Berserker remains Good Bio, Bad Weapon and Structure. RAAAAR NOMNOMNOMNOM

Skirmisher remains Good Structural and Weapon, Bad Bio.

New Weapon Tree Fluff: Masers are now Lasers. They remain the same, because this change mainly comes from my undying respect for the (flash) Light of the Empra, but the Annihilator becomes a Lascannon and two Tech III weapons are added.

Lascannon: 2d10+3 E, Pen3, Laser, Reliable, Mounted (No Agi penalty, simply requires the support system for the power source) Range 100dm, S/-/- Heavy, Clip 5, Reload Full, 3 WUP, Tech II Laser.

Repeating Cannon: d10+5 E, Pen4, Laser, Reliable, Range 150dm, Heavy, Clip 200, Reload 3 Full, S/3/10 3 WUP, Tech III Laser

Lasgun MKII (Totally not a Hellgun): d10+3 E, Pen4, Laser, Reliable, Range 90dm, Basic, S/2/3, Clip 40, Reload Full, 3 WUP, Tech III Laser

EVA Units no longer get an inherent bonus to WS and BS.

New Conventional Rule: The OD may now replace up to 1/2 Fellowship Bonus worth of troopers with specialized units upon gaining Equip Loadout. This is in addition to the bonus unit.

New Conventional Units (All of these are specials under the new rules): T-90LX Lastank: Same statline as a normal tank, but with a d10+2 Pen2 S/2/- Clip 20 80dm Range lascannon in place of the normal tank gun. A powerful new model of tank, the T-90LX uses advances in laser weapon technology to replace its tank cannon with a rapid fire, high-penetration lascannon. Devestating in conventional tank warfare, once the AT field is removed, its rapid fire and respectable damage can actually support the EVAs in battle.

T-90RX Railtank: Same statline as a normal tank, but with a d10+3 Pen1 S/-/- Clip 10 110dm Range Railcannon in place of the normal tank gun. This cannon cannot fire the same turn as the tank moves. Another variant of the T-90, the T-90RX uses an advanced stabilization system and a miniaturized railcannon to provide a compromise between mobile tank squadrons and heavy artillery. While powerful and long-ranged, these new tanks are available in relatively small numbers, and the stabilization system prohibits mobile firing.

MLRS Battery: Same statline as a normal tank, but with a d10+4 Pen0 S/-/- Clip 9 150dm Range Blast 3 missile launcher. The battery cannot fire in the same turn that it moves. An old standby of conventional warfare, these old missile launchers can still lay down a hell of a barrage. If it were not for AT fields, they would be quite capable of making the average Vrag think twice about assaulting S. I. Golovko, provided they were fielded in large numbers. They tend to cause collateral damage, however, and it is difficult to safely fire them into an engagement that has reached neutralization range. They are better used to harass the enemy and trick the Vragi into believing it is under threat from some other zone of the battle field, or for mopping up spawn.

Bolter MLRS Battery: Same statline as a normal tank, but with a d10+5 Pen2 Tearing Range 100dm. On a missed shot, roll for scatter and place a Blast 5 template. The MLRS can only fire once before it needs to return to a supply dock to reload. Requires Bolt technology. Using advances in missile technology, the Bolter MLRS fires a battery of tank-sized bolter shells, capable of doing immense damage, on par with any E-Scale weapon, should they pierce the AT field. However, the powerful explosives will cause serious collateral damage if they don't detonate inside of a Vrag, and can cause serious friendly fire. An OD who orders a Bolter MLRS to fire into a melee is taking a serious risk, but the massive punch they provide can be worth rolling the dice, particularly with Markerlight support.

Positron Tank: Uses the Statline of an MSS, save with a BS of 35, firing a d10+1 Pen2 Positron beam with a 75dm range and a magazine of 5. An inefficient weapon built from a converted MSS battery carrier. Positron weapons have simply proven too power-hungry to fit on a conventional tank chassis, prompting a brilliant, but limited engineering solution: Converting MSS Battery Carriers into 'Positron Tanks'. Unfortunately, they lack the guidance and targeting systems of modern tank units or artillery, and the power hungry cannons get only a limited number of shots before they burn out the MSS battery due to an inefficient and quickly hacked-together cannon-battery arrangement. More importantly, the MSS was never designed for combat, and lacks any armor or significant agility; if targeted by the enemy, they are easily and swiftly destroyed.

-The DM

Season One

Opening Theme

Ending Theme

Episode 01

Episode 02

Episode 03

Episode 04

Episode 05

Episode 06

Episode 07

Episode 08

Episode 09

Episode 10

Episode 11

Episode 12

Episode 13

Episode 14: Season 1 Finale, The Spawn

Season 2 Episode Ending Theme

Season 2 will be coming once the DM has had some time to think, rewrite the rules to work a bit better, and recover his inspiration and desire to do bad things to children.

AT LAST: Season 2 will be beginning soon!

SEASON 2

No moar logs. Occasional summaries of operations will be posted in their place.

Season 2 Finale coming within two weeks, at most! Watch the Pilots realize they had to kill Adam...and still aren't done!

The campaign is done, brought to a satisfying and successful conclusion, despite how much of a piece of shit AdEva's rules become at the end, and how badly designed much of the game is. You people are lucky you picked a robust, good base system, because you can't design your way out of a paper bag. At last, it is done, to please my players and spite the Devs by soldiering through! From Hell's Heart I spit at thee, devs!

What Comes Next

Being the incompetent technologist that I am, I will likely continue using this page, simply with new headers and such, to catalogue our next game. Damned Souls will be an attempt to recapture the unfair and murderous feeling of Dark Souls/Demon's Souls in a Tabletop RPG, using the Warhammer Fantasy Role Play system to put a party of hapless may-be heroes through Hell itself on a pilgrimage to try to halt the designs of Satan on the souls of their world. Because tabletop RPGs really need to deal with questions of Theodicy!

Amusingly, it will probably have more religious musings and imagery than AdEva.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixv_jRI6VqY Damned Souls Main Theme.