Transcendence Organization and Daily Life
Transcendence is composed of approximately 100 individuals, many of whom are still housed in an underground facility. Their “environmental affinities” relate to jungle, and cavern. Transcendence utilizes a wide variety of essences, but specialize predominantly in mutagenic essence.
History
The beginning of the era of strife for Transcendence is hallmarked by a period of unbearable toxicity, where aboveground life was not feasible. After a generation or two of strictly underground life, some aboveground forays became possible. Study of surviving fauna lead to an understanding of certain bio-adaptations that Transcendence was able to co-opt, and this broadened their capacity to live above ground. It was after emerging that the existence of a competitor came to light.
Much of the conflict between Transcendence and competing entities was handled through advanced means of proxy warfare - utilization of chemical weaponry and the corralling of dangerous creatures. This conflict would eventually come to a conclusion when Rainworks lost control of its bio-weapon development programs.
Mistakes in the organization’s past have continued to breed conflict regarding ethical concerns and progress in research. Bio-development has greatly slowed, and many researchers have come to feel constrained. While use of primary facilities is generally preferred, the age of discovery has ushered in the founding of a number of affiliated but independent labs managed by teams or individual researchers. These labs often enjoy more freedom, but have fewer resources and may be subject to stigma from the primary facility. Relations teams are making an effort to keep tabs on independent labs to curb dangerous rumors about the company.
Locations
Transcendence Corporate Headquarters
The primary domicile of the bulk of the company. Primarily underground, with an attached above-ground settlement.
Warehouse #
Associate Laboratory - (codename)
Various warehouses exist in remote locations to store materials or enable off-site experimentation. Full knowledge of warehouse locations and contents is reserved for high-ranking individuals, but many contain materials recovered from toxic locations or partially salvaged Rainworks labs.
Various scientists operate laboratories outside of the main facility in order to conduct experiments with greater independence. Official partners sometimes receive resources from the main office, but are subject to heavy scrutiny and may not always receive accolades in accordance with their successes.
Certain operations or projects are also assigned codenames.
Organization
Transcendence organizes in a series of small teams of researchers and operatives, and has a number of personnel strictly dedicated to maintenance and upkeep. Oversight is handled by a board of directors composed of citizens with seniority and important responsibilities, generally the heads of the largest teams in conjunction with lead maintenance personnel.
Rankings:
Young or new members will act as apprentice researchers or apprentice to maintenance workers. This can begin as young as 14.
Each team within a department will have a Team Leader, this role will sometimes rotate as a team transitions through various endeavors. Each department has one department head as a title of responsibility, though functionally a department head is not very different from a director, the actual responsibilities and powers largely overlap.
Any individual recognized by the community as making substantial contributions and possessing sound judgement can possibly be named a director. Wealth and speaking talent are very valuable in this role, leading to an overrepresentation of the Relations department.
All Directors will be enumerated by staff. Directors seldom leave the home facility, with possible exception of directors on the public relations team.
Departments (approximate personnel numbers 2 years after age of discovery):
Bio-development
Toxicology (4 personnel)
Bio-procurement (6 personnel +1 director)
Patterns Research (8 personnel +1 director)
Agriculture (10 personnel)
Engineering
Facilities Maintenance (9 personnel +2 directors)
Cybernetics (5 personnel)
Relations
Personnel Coordination (6 personnel +2 directors)
Public Relations and trade (9 personnel +2 directors)
Other/Civilian (approx. 35)
Retired (13)
Underage (22)
Following the age of discovery, the company has both lost members and recruited. There is a population of “affiliates” only accurately known to upper management, and some teams operate in secret without submitting to any census.
Diet/Lifestyle
Much of the diet available to those in the underground is based on carefully cultured fungi, offering only slight variety. Occasionally some mole-like creatures will breach portions of the facility, these provide some availability of meat. In more recent years, above ground agriculture has expanded, additional crops have become available and foraged fruit has become staple in primary facilities.
Materials were somewhat scarce throughout the age of strife, leading the culture to focus on cleanliness and renewability. It isn’t peculiar for a given member of transcendence to be somewhat thrifty or environmentally conscious. This trait is less prominent among former Rainworks employees, and it is rumored that some advanced fabrication technology is still lost in old Rainworks facilities.