Tendrils of the network seep into every facet of the modern world. It seeks knowledge for knowledge’s sake. No ethos or moral code binds it — in fact its members are rarely aware of each others identities (though there are exceptions). As such its gains can be used for good or ill.
Though funded by the esoteric and obscenely rich, it operates on a mutually beneficial basis — assuming you have something of value to offer. This forms the only real rule; that to learn from the network, you must also be willing to share — whether the trade is financial, informational, or in the form of a favour.
Those who take without giving back are unceremoniously cut off.
It is heavily focused on the occult, having found its earliest roots in the clandestine investigation of Ascendancy, but inevitably has many political ties also. Members joke of the network’s omnipotence — that one may ask it anything, and if the price is agreed then the answer may be found.
He called himself Alvis and spoke of a thousand and more cells, a loose virtual network that spider-webbed the globe. Collating knowledge. Unearthing the supernatural, the strange, the unexplained. Their omnipotent eye had been caught by an anomaly at Raigmore hospital months before, and when the threads started shivering in the ether – her own search for answers – they reached out a curious hand. The women die early, he told her, else are too young to easily pluck from their families. It was a bonus that they’d never observed a change of the wolf ones.
He smiled. Told her they had an offer.
By its nature it is both elitist and secretive. You discover the network by asking the right questions at the right time (plus a dash of luck) or because you are, for some reason, an individual they reach out to; usually because you are of use to a member, or something to study.
The network is a tool rather than a true organisation (for instance, it has no leader). Many members of other secretive organisations make use of the network. For example, it is likely utilised by members of the Di Inferi.
Members:
- Alistair Grey – heavily involved and ploughed thousands in funding before he was imprisoned. He wields the network like a weapon, often to sinister ends.
- Sören Lindgren – uses the network to discover channelers that might be of use to him, and often liaises in person against normal convention.
- Ephraim Haart – CEO of Paragon, also a member of Di Inferi. It is heavily insinuated that the rumour of Paragon’s more nefarious experiments are fed back into the network.
- Morven Kinnaird – became involved in order to save her wolfkin sister; she shares information about channeling and her ability to heal, but has never asked for anything in return since they saved her sister’s life.
- Seven – initiated by his mother, who used it to bury charges of arson and wrongful death lodged against her son. In return, Seven responds to the Network’s needs as requested.
- Kristof DeGarmo – former employee of Orion Pharmaceuticals, and an associate of Alistair Grey.
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