The "grassroots" movement that has taken over much of the Verge, propagated by wealthy anti-Combine elite business leaders and hyperwealthy individuals in the Verge Confederation and StarMech who have convinced people that the Combine is bad, the Verge Free Network (also called Verge Free Now!) is one part organization, one part social movement, and odd-ball collective that resembles the Cosmic Rosicrucian Order in practice but is much more dangerous, since it inspires a much more militant mindset. The movement is organized under the VFN, one of the largest organizations in the Verge and Bleed, and brings with it slick propagandists that put on a homespun face on a multi-system wide effort to ensure the Combine never achieves its goals - through any means necessary.
Who the Verge Free Network IsVFN represents a movement that's too broad to be captured in simplistic strokes. At its heart, VFN wants to remove the Combine; the belief is that the Combine should mind its own business and doesn't belong in the Verge. The attitudes the Combine represents have destroyed humanity once before, and only a fool falls for the same trick twice. This seems like a very reasonable position to take - in fact, it's so reasonable that many people in the Verge and Bleed do take it, and this is the start of their memetic, psyops campaign, although few would consider it that since they actively agree with the notion that the Combine should stay out, or, failing that, that the Combine represents bad ideas that shouldn't be tried again. The organization is not as diffuse as it originally looks, however; they're good at making themselves look smaller than more disorganized than they actually are. All of this makes them sound sinister; to many of the individuals within the rank and file, who show up to protest the Combine, it's an organization that promotes a viewpoint they agree with. Combine elite are undermining the Verge in their mind, and so they have to stick it to the elites and the wealthy and powerful by protesting the Combine. For most, this is as far as their involvement with VFN goes; they like and share on social media, spread the disinformation and misinformation memes, and get into arguments online that achieve nothing save increasing their relative blood pressure.
For those dedicated to VFN, however, there's more structure. The organization follows a loos three-ranks structure with the highest rank being the Factor, who acts as the liaison between the various VFN factions across the Verge and Bleed and the megacorp and powerful business interests that fund the organization so it can continue to protest - interests that include the Verge Confederation and very likely the Monarchy, as well as the Umma. This funding usually goes into more memetic campaigns and social media advertising, although like the Rosicrucian Order, each local group, under a Factor, is responsible for itself and organizes itself. And some groups tend to take a more militant approach than others, buying weapons and plotting attacks; this is the militant arm of VFN and they are often classified as terrorists even by those sympathetic to the VFN's ultimate goals. Exactly how much the megacorp and powerful business interests know of the militant arm, and how much they fund that militant arm, is an open question since the funding is nanocleansed and the whole thing is incredibly opaque, largely by design. It's also possible - indeed, very likely - that these militant branches of VFN (and even some of the more law-abiding ones) have connections with various organized crime groups, and may even be connected with the Republic of Letters and local Invisible Colleges, or be manipulated by local Invisible Colleges. Verge Free Net is a near constant source for conspiracy theories; old conspiracy theories are given a fresh coat of paint while new conspiracy theories are developed to deal with the modern era. Many of these theories come across as completely unhinged to everyone but the people who believe them, and they take everything the theory says uncritically. Again, however, this is only the hardcore interior; only little elements of the conspiracy theory slip into the general public through social media, which gives them the impression of being a presentable, loosely organized group. |
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What the VFN Wants
For the average citizen, they want the Combine to go away. They see the Combine as a threat to their way of life and they want to ensure the Combine never achieves its goals, which many feel will be done at their detriment. However, the goals shift further up the organizational chain; each individual network cell or node has their own individual goals in addition to the overarching goal of chasing away the Combine, and the Factor tends to have an inordinate amount of say. Most of the time, the Factor is a public figure who is well known and as a result, can be kept honest (or is just naturally honest; just like all organizations will attract assholes, all organizations will also attract well-meaning individuals, as well). The major disagreement between cells, then, appears to be how that goal should be achieved.
For most, this is done through memetic, advertising, social media, and similar campaigns; spreading information, disinformation, and misinformation. The goal is to counteract any pro-Combine groups that spring up. However, for others, the goal takes on a more militant agenda, and this involves actively attacking and violently harassing politicians who are known to be pro-Combine, bombing pro-Combine businesses, and attacking pro-Combine governments.
For most, this is done through memetic, advertising, social media, and similar campaigns; spreading information, disinformation, and misinformation. The goal is to counteract any pro-Combine groups that spring up. However, for others, the goal takes on a more militant agenda, and this involves actively attacking and violently harassing politicians who are known to be pro-Combine, bombing pro-Combine businesses, and attacking pro-Combine governments.
What the VFN provides
Generally, the VFN watches for their own and they are less likely to help others who aren't part of the network directly, or haven't done work with the network and thus, don't have a high reputation with them. For those who do, some of the things the VFN offers includes:
- Backup. When they turn out for something, they arrive in force, regardless whether it's sign bearers or gunmen and suicide bombers.
- Favors.
- Hideout.
- Provisions.
- Special orders.
- Training, especially in memetics, Public Speaking, and Propaganda.
Rank
0 1 2 3 |
Title
Recruit Promoter Influencer Factor |
Advantages
Rank 0 Rank 1, Public Speaking IQ-1 Rank 2, Public Speaking, Politics IQ-1, Propaganda IQ Rank 3, Intelligence Analysis IQ, Politics IQ |
From Protests to TerroristsThe classification of the VFN is often hotly contested. To many, the VFN is a dangerous threat that needs to be dealt with, given that they have close ties with numerous less than reputable organizations and have had members who have carried out terrorist attacks. Others compare them to the PLO or other groups in the past, pushing to liberate the Verge and Bleed from a "occupying force." The comparisons with the PLO become problematic when one remembers that the Solar Combine is specifically going out of its way to not occupy the Verge and Bleed. Despite this, they are generally allowed to operate without oversight in polities that oppose the Solar Combine, such as the Verge Federation and the Lucullus League, which just further sullies their image in the eyes of many who support the Combine and entrenches those who support the VFN. |
History of Verge Free Now
Unlike others on this list, the Verge Free Now's history is better known. There's still a lot of mystery concerning it and where it came from, but the general details can be ascertained. After the Battle of Storm, it became apparent that the Solar Combine was not going to be leaving the Verge and Bleed alone; the Solar Combine even openly telegraphed its intentions to try and bring the Verge and Bleed into the fold, and together with the Regency of Bluefall's early support, made a number of individuals suspicious of the Combine. The first true anti-Combine protests happened after Storm, when the Combine moved in and started setting up ports on planets that were controlled by its allies. This was a controversial move then and is still one now, many years later. The protests saw the rise of Michael Rivera and Jose de Leon to the forefront, and the formed the Regency Anti-Combine League. The RACL was just one of many anti-Combine organizations during the time, but Rivera and de Leon sensed an opportunity to expand and would eventually meet with Mikhayla Žylinski, an man later implicated as an operative for Nariac. Mikhayla, along with Rivera and de Leon, began to petition a number of wealthy Eloi - the name given to the hyper-elite of the hyper-elite - in the Verge and Bleed who were sympathetic to the causes of the VFN. This worked, and soon the Verge Anti-Combine Organization - VACO - was formed, unifying numerous other organizations.
VACO would eventually shift into the Verge Free Now shortly after the Combine instituted the first iteration of the Laser Program, with a primary focus on New Venice and with the Dione Kritarchy behind it. As the Lucullus League formed around the Dione Kritarchy following the rapid re-ascent of the Monarchy, much of the money behind the VFN started getting funneled into the Verge Confederation instead, as many oligarchs and Eloi saw that as the better opportunity. This forced the VFN to start crowdfunding itself, which mean that more and more dedicated individuals became involved and the organization began to radicalize. The Monarchy would eventually server ties with the VFN following a string of terrorist attacks (although the VFN cites that Charlotte is not interested in protecting the Verge and Bleed and several members have anonymously declared that they are willing to pay for someone to assassinate her). The leadership of the VFN does not directly denounce these, instead offering up non-committal statements that ultimately blame the Combine. The VFN remains a large organization in the Verge and Bleed, although its popularity is waning with time, as the Verge Confederation is looking more and more like the safer bet for the Eloi to invest their money. Ironically, this has made the Verge Confederation a popular target for the VFN, since they argue the Verge Confederation is stymieing the progress of local control.
VACO would eventually shift into the Verge Free Now shortly after the Combine instituted the first iteration of the Laser Program, with a primary focus on New Venice and with the Dione Kritarchy behind it. As the Lucullus League formed around the Dione Kritarchy following the rapid re-ascent of the Monarchy, much of the money behind the VFN started getting funneled into the Verge Confederation instead, as many oligarchs and Eloi saw that as the better opportunity. This forced the VFN to start crowdfunding itself, which mean that more and more dedicated individuals became involved and the organization began to radicalize. The Monarchy would eventually server ties with the VFN following a string of terrorist attacks (although the VFN cites that Charlotte is not interested in protecting the Verge and Bleed and several members have anonymously declared that they are willing to pay for someone to assassinate her). The leadership of the VFN does not directly denounce these, instead offering up non-committal statements that ultimately blame the Combine. The VFN remains a large organization in the Verge and Bleed, although its popularity is waning with time, as the Verge Confederation is looking more and more like the safer bet for the Eloi to invest their money. Ironically, this has made the Verge Confederation a popular target for the VFN, since they argue the Verge Confederation is stymieing the progress of local control.
VFN culture
The VFN doesn't have a unified culture, although there are a number of shared ideologies that come with being a member. The foremost among these is the belief that the Verge and Bleed are being overrun by the Combine and the Combine is going to strip them of their sovereignty, and that the Verge and Bleed are better off without the Combine around. Where one takes it from there depends on how extremists they wish to be, but members range from those who protest online and refuse to spend money or reputation on corporations that support the Combine to those who actively plot attempts to blow up buildings associated with the Combine ∎