Mithril

[Tarsier]

Faction Name: Mithril
Government: Paramilitary chain of command
Capital: Tuatha de Danaan
Territories: Merida Island, various safe houses
Population: Under 500
Goals:
Eliminate terrorist organizations.
Focus human military on extraterrestrial threats.
Bring order to chaos.
Ensure the safety of the Whispered.

History:
Often considered nothing more than a rumor, Mithril was founded in AD 2877 as an independent counter-terrorist organization. Along with intervening against any actions that may destabilize efforts against extraterrestrial foes such as the BETA or Invaders, Mithril has devoted itself to researching the Whispered, their origins, and the Black Technology they develop. Because of this, they stand opposed to the terrorist organization Amalgam, believing them to be a danger to the Whispered's freedom.
Mithril's first actions began almost immediately after their founding; after learning about an Amalgam facility testing Whispered Resonance, Capt. Cunningham gathered a team to rescue the prisoners. Although the mission was a success, the Special Response Team was decimated in the process. In order to prevent a similar disaster, any further operations require the approval of at least two members of the Tuatha de Danaan's bridge crew. Of the two rescued Whispered, one has obtained a new identity and disappeared from Amalgam's radar, while the other has joined as a member of Mithril's R&D team.
By rescuing and recruiting Whispered, plundering abandoned projects, and stealing data from Amalgam, Mithril is far more technically advanced than its size would suggest. A handful of the technologies developed are distributed through shell companies, securing funding and informants to continue operations. These are nothing more than supporting enterprises, however; Mithril's priorities are centered on the Tuatha de Danaan's operations before anything else.


Look and feel:

Although Mithril has a standard uniform, its regulations are loose enough that some personnel instead alter their own old uniforms, or simply wear casual clothing. A stock of stolen and donated uniforms is maintained to disguise Mithril operations.

Special Response Team members use a form-fitting armored pilot suit, enhanced by Black Technology to lighten and strengthen the plastics protecting vital areas. Although it's primarily designed for Arm Slave operation, modifications for use in other Mobile Weapons have spread throughout the team.



Notable Individuals:


Tuatha de Danaan Bridge Crew:

Eric Cunningham

Leader and face of Mithril, captain of the Tuatha de Danaan. Upon learning of its location, immediately stormed an Amalgam facility to rescue Whispered. Impulsive, and must be regularly reminded of Tuatha de Danaan's mass.

Aurea bas Valaren

Representative of Vintus Ironworks, former airship captain, now XO of the Tuatha de Danaan. Believes the current focus on Magitek will leave Garlemald under armed against any native faction. The sole voice of reason among Mithril's command staff.

Minerva Bradley

Whispered and helmsman, married to pilot Johnathan Bradley. Eloped with him and went into hiding after he rescued her from Amalgam. Usually calm and collected, but eager to demonstrate more intensive maneuvers when her husband has sortied.

Shinobu Kobayashi

Whispered and SRT commander. Used her position as Amalgam's Mr. Iron to build up Mithril with stolen equipment and poached personnel. Rarely at her post on the bridge, instead preferring to command from an Arm Slave.

Falke Pilots:

Adrian Bauer
[Database error. Check physical records or consult system administrator.]
Former member of the gang Steel Samurai, under Shinobu's leadership. After being conscripted into a penal legion, used a Sutherland to fight a Codarl to a standstill. His Falke is loaded with multiple weapons, which are abandoned as emptied.

Johnathan Bradley
[Database error. Check physical records or consult system administrator.]
Married to the Tuatha de Danaan's helmsman. After anonymously learning of her kidnapping, stole a KMF to save her. His Falke maintains a mostly standard loadout, but boasts the highest Lambda Driver output of the three when in contact with the Tuatha de Danaan.

Celestine Dumont
[Database error. Check physical records or consult system administrator.]
Retired Cascadian TSF pilot. From a family of fighter pilots, she dreams of wiping the BETA out of the sky and flying freely. She has had an Emergency Booster integrated into her Falke and loaded with spare aircraft weaponry.

 

[Tarsier]

Production MWs:

M6A2 Bushnell

A 2nd generation Arm Slave, the Bushnell is the closest Mithril has to a standard Mobile Weapon. Unable to keep up with the M9 in mobility or close combat, most teams instead support a Bushmaster in providing long ranged support. A handful of M6A3 Dark Bushnells are also used, but have only marginal improvements over the A2.

M6A2E2 Bushmaster

A Bushnell variant, the Bushmaster is retrofit with a 105mm cannon and heavier armor. Although this cannon can be purged and hand operated, the recoil makes it infeasible to use on any other platform. The shoulders feature the same weapon pylons as Mithril's helicopter fleet.

Elite MWs:

Brain Powerd

Brains aid Mithril as air and marine support, a role in which they excel. The handful that support Mithril are beloved by the Arm Slave teams they support, and doted upon by the crew of the Tuatha de Danaan. Unfortunately, as its hangar was designed for the smaller Arm Slaves, it's cramped with a full team of four and a pair will sortie as an escort whenever feasible.

M9 Gernsback

The 3rd generation Gernsback boasts agility and flexibility comparable to the human body, powered by a silent Palladium Reactor and supported by an AI system. Combined with their diverse armaments, advanced ECS and Fairy's Eye systems, and expert pilots, the M9 is a deceptive and powerful Mobile Weapon. Squad leader models feature an alternate head with more advanced ECM functionality.

Ace MWs:

M9D Falke

An M9 refit with a Lambda Driver and tuned to perfection, the Falke is the ultimate production machine under Mithril's command, and their counterpart to Amalgam's Eligor. The onboard AI and Driver are calibrated to its pilot's psyche, making it fully functional without the use of drugs, but worthless to anyone else. The Falke is fully compatible with the standard arsenal of the M9, and a handful of more advanced weapons are reserved for their pilots.

Command MWs:

ARG-8 Arquebus
[Data classified to Grade S clearance. Consult department head for access.]




Class: Tuatha de Danaan
Name: Tuatha de Danaan
Unit Type: Assault Landing Submarine
Manufacturer: Mithril
Operator: Eric Cunningham
Dimensions: 218 m x 44 m
Displacement: 44,000 tons
Propulsion: Propeller, EMFC, Superconductive Propeller
Mobile Weapon Capacity: Arm Slave x6, Brain Powerd x4
Fixed Armaments:
All-Purpose Vertical Missile Launch Tube x10
-Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile
-Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Torpedo Tube x2
-Mk48Mod6 ADCAP Torpedo

Equipment and Design Features:
Launch Catapults: One + Vertical Launch Tubes
Palladium Reactor x3
DANA: Onboard AI. Supports the captain's orders and can operate all functions of the Tuatha de Danaan, if less skillfully than a trained crew.
Lady Chapel: TAROS interface for Whispered. Allows full control of the Tuatha de Danaan as if it was the user's body.
Superconductive Propeller: Propellers made of shape-memory alloy. Allows for increased speed and stealth.
Electromagnetic Fluid Control: An electromagnetic field used to suppress turbulence and sound while traveling at high speeds.

Technical and Historical Notes:
Designed by helmsman Minerva Bradley and built in secret from the leftovers of an abandoned Cascadia project, the Tuatha de Danaan is an incomparably silent submarine, even compared to those more conventionally sized. In preparation for Shinobu Kobayashi's split from Amalgam, the vessel is crewed by family, old friends and enemies, specialists from affiliated organizations, and turned or dissatisfied Amalgam personnel.
In addition to bleeding edge stealth systems like the superconductive propellers and EMFC, the Tuatha de Danaan is equipped with the AI DANA and the Lady Chapel, alternative control systems intended to be used if the bridge should become inoperable, or crew disabled; these systems also allowing a complete override by Shinobu is no secret to the bridge crew.
The Assault Landing Submarine's most prominent characteristic is its hangar, designed for a standard mission loadout of six Arm Slaves plus equipment - the Arquebus, two M9s, and the three Falkes - along with six Pave Mare helicopters to transport them, escorted by a team of four Brain Powerd. If a more exotic loadout is needed, there is enough space to accommodate 20 Arm Slaves or 10 Brains.


Other Information:
Mithril's limited personnel and high-performance MWs forces them into guerilla tactics, harassing the enemy before disappearing and continuing the attack elsewhere. Naturally, when combined with their roster of deserters and mercenaries, this draws comparisons to the terrorist organizations they oppose.
The unique systems used by their Arm Slaves are primarily designed to counter the Lambda Drivers used by Amalgam; the Fairy's Eye by displaying where the Driver is influencing, and the Fairy's Feather by negating it entirely. Any interactions these have with other, similar systems is currently untested.
No governments currently believe the Tuatha de Danaan exists, although rumors of the "Toy Box" persist within military circles. A handful of captains have had the misfortune of being chosen as targets for her training maneuvers.