Loners
Loners are a diverse group of people in the Zone who do not belong to any of the more established factions. As such they have a vast array of motivations, goals, and reasons for their being in the Zone. Loners range from the inexperienced and uninitiated to literal Legends of the Zone, who's deeds are recounted around campfires nightly, each time seemingly against even greater odds. While crossing any one Loner may seem inconsequential, they carry rumors and reputations like plague rats, with very long memories.
Typically smuggled through holes in the fence, bribed military guards, or tunnels, Loners come into the Zone with what they have on their back. With such modest beginnings, survival is difficult and Loner bodies are a typical sight spread across the Zone. Those with the smarts or strength to thrive can amass significant wealth taking jobs for Factions or traders. Although Loners don’t have a single leader, you can consider the almighty ruble to be king for the vast majority of them.
Since they are not under the command of any one leader and are a rough collective rather than an organized group, their equipment will vary greatly from person to person. They can be found wearing a variety of colors although they tend to make sure not to be mistaken for a faction member lest they catch a stray bullet.
Even without the structure or backing of factions, Loners can represent a cross section of the best and worst the Zone has to offer. From researchers, to couriers, to outright murderers, Loners are the Zone’s greatest wildcard.
Brotherhood
The Brotherhood are a criminal empire and one of the primary sources of below-board commerce throughout the Zone. While sometimes discounted as common thieves and cutthroats they are far more than what might initially be expected. Their organization is dictated by respect, power, intimidation, and sheer will.
Members of the Brotherhood are generally individuals of either low or flexible individual morals. They possess a warped sense of honor and respect that dictates most of their actions. While you may not be able to ever truly trust a Brotherhood member, you can always trust their self-interest. Existing within their good graces by plying them with goods and favors can be an effective strategy to staying on the right side of their barrels. When dealing with them, a lucrative proposition is as protective as a plate carrier.
While their organization does have a loose hierarchy to it, and ultimately a defined leader, they generally do not respect authority figures or rules they didn’t create. The only lines they follow are the ones they agree to be bound by. Attempting to exert outside authority over them can be a very volatile experience. They are unlikely to acknowledge the validity of one’s ownership of goods or territory. In an interesting juxtaposition to this, they are very firm on the ownership of their territory and charging tax to travelers that try to pass through. Failure to pay such taxes has a tendency to be fatal.
In order to preserve their interests, they can be very secretive when it comes to relationships, business, and information. While everything has a price to a Brotherhood member, they are keen to keep others in the dark where they can. Information can be a powerful weapon in the Zone, and the contents of a man’s PDA can sometimes be worth more than what’s in his pockets to the right buyer.
The Brotherhood can be recognized by their dark clothes, long coats, and a penchant for track suits. They typically field rather sub-par equipment in comparison to some of the other factions, unless they have recently robbed them of their better wares. Their connections to criminal networks both in and out of the Zone gives them access to a steady supply of contraband, all of which can be had for a price.
Duty
Duty is a paramilitary organization dedicated to the ultimate destruction of the Zone. Formed by former Military members and bolstered by recruitment of those who see the Zone as a blight upon the world, Outsiders sometimes discount them as nothing more than blustering authoritarians, if not outright fascists. In their own eyes, they are the only thing that keeps the Zone from expanding faster and plunging the world into chaos.
Duty soldiers adhere to a strict ranking structure, a holdover from their militaristic background. They are well trained both in weaponry and physical conditioning. Although they are not researchers, leaving such things to the Ecologists, they see a value in understanding their enemy, be it the creatures of the Zone or rival factions. Duty members are resolute with a belief in their ideals that rivals that of even Monolith troops. This level of conviction makes them formidable, as they can rarely be convinced to change their mind. To them, there are no half measures, temporary solutions, or compromise. To a Dutyer, the only victory is absolute victory.
They can be weary of those traveling further north, with suspicions they can be friends or suppliers of Freedom. As stalwart defenders of their principles, Dutyers typically look upon factions that operate on more trivial principles of profit or pleasure with disdain.
While all of their structure and authority may seem stifling, at heart Duty members believe what they are doing to be for the greatest good in saving humanity. They sacrifice any chance at leaving the Zone in seeking a greater calling in destroying it. When peeling back the defensive layers of propaganda and barking orders, they are ultimately laying down their lives in the service of humanity’s ability to overcome the Zone. These principles, while kept close to heart, are what guide their mission and actions.
Duty members can be recognized by their black and dark red clothing. They usually have military grade equipment although it is more often than not slightly outdated and surplus. They decorate their base with trophies of mutants, and regularly form patrols to clear nests and other concentrations around the Zone.
Clear Sky
Possibly the first real faction established in the Zone, Clear Sky is made up of scientists and military members involved in the original experiments that led to its creation. As such they have more knowledge of this place and the strange phenomena that occurs throughout. Taking a less extreme stance than some of the other groups, Clear Sky recognizes the Zone’s dangers but seeks to further their understanding to contain it and keep the outside world from further threat. In their judgment the Zone contains equal parts risk and reward, as decoding its mysteries could very well change the course of history for mankind.
Their expeditions have taken them to many parts of the Zone, leading them to be more familiar with the various paths and dangers than most others. In service of these missions they investigate the nature and source of both anomalies and mutants.
Clear Sky members usually have some level of scientific training or education, which is sometimes augmented with military training as well. They have been known to hire Mercenaries where additional firepower is needed, and execute their operations with tactics and care. As such they are a group not many want to cross, both because they do not hinder most other faction’s interests, as well as the potential of their response when threatened. They are slow to trust, fairly neutral in their stance with most other groups, and generally focus on their own pursuits rather than the business of others.
Despite their usual disinterest for the politics of the Zone, they have crossed with the Renegades on occasion and do not think well of criminals in general. While they will not go to the lengths of Duty or the Military to actively hamper the efforts of the more nefarious groups in the Zone, they do not tolerate such criminality in their territory. They also do not shrink from engaging the Monolith as the two frequently spar as Clear Sky attempts to move further into the Zone and unlock more of its secrets.
Clear Sky members are easy to recognize with a mix of blue and white camouflage. They sport both eastern and western weaponry, although they can sometimes be under equipped due to the length of time they have been in the Zone, lacking any external support. A Clear Sky member is very at home, be it in the north or south, next to a campfire, planning their next expedition and reviewing their notes. No matter where they go, they are seldom lost in position or pursuit.
Freedom
Freedom is made up of a wide range of anarchists, daredevils, and other nonconforming free spirits. They are a far less regimented collective than their rivals in Duty or the Military, believing in a free and open Zone that is beyond the ownership of any one person, group, or government. Members of Freedom can often be found with both joint and drink in hand, relaxed in a way most are unable to achieve within the Zone.
Originally founded by free thinking STALKERs who refused to accept the Military or anyone else’s impositions over the Zone, Freedom has become one of the largest known factions. They occupy themselves more with the north of the Zone, seeking out more interesting artifacts and doing battle with Monolith forces regularly.
A polar opposite of their primary enemy in Duty, Freedom’s belief in an open and free Zone can seem a bit naive at first. But this is a sign of their respect for the Zone, its power, and the need for mankind to coexist with it. As such Freedom is often at odds with those who wish to contain, destroy, or otherwise limit the Zone or movement throughout its lands.
Despite their lack of structure, or perhaps because of its appeal to other experienced STALKERs who join their racks, Freedom is an extremely formidable force on the battlefield. They have captured large stocks of military equipment, are experienced in traversing dangerous areas of the Zone, and have considerable numbers to field when the need arises.
Freedom members are typically clad in Military-esque clothing and equipment. Most of it is captured and commandeered either from the Military or other caches around the Zone. Their flecktarn color patterns are well known to friend and foe alike, and they are not one to hide themselves or their intentions.
Although some may try to dismiss them as a bunch of burnouts and children playing with powers far beyond their comprehension, their continued existence and success in the Zone marks them as a true power to be recognized and respected.
Military
The State Security Service of Ukraine, commonly referred to as just the ‘Military’, is a force deployed by the government to contain and secure the exclusion Zone. This particular branch answers to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and as such is primarily concerned with securing the perimeter and keeping the Zone a secret from the outside world. While they may technically be in the government’s employ, they can still be one of the most corrupt organizations one may encounter. It is typical to see Military members engage in extortion, bribes, and even unprovoked violence. All this while maintaining the veneer of a benevolent security force trying to keep out intruders and secure the outside world from the Zone’s dangers. They have been known to invent new types of ‘licenses’ in order to squeeze further funds out of STALKERs and give them an invocation to confiscate anything they deem ‘illegal’ for possession.
While the Military once enjoyed a strong hold on most areas within the Zone, the emission storms, anomalies, mutants, and other hostile Factions devastated their ranks and have left many of their former facilities as little more than abandoned wrecks. Bodies, vehicles, and supplies bearing Military insignia can be found throughout the Zone, showing how far their control has shrunk. This concerning decrease in territory and personnel has relegated them to glorified border guards, trying to maintain the fence and crack down on efforts to tunnel or bypass the perimeter. They spend their time exerting pressure on Loners and others who cannot properly defend themselves, preferring it to a fair fight with the more capable factions.
Military soldiers can often be found rounding up Loners to search and question within Cordon. Military patrols can go as far north as Limansk at times depending on the scope of their mission, and they frequently escort the Ecologists to various sites for field research. Due to a large number of former Military members in Duty, the two groups are usually on favorable terms, while the Brotherhood and Freedom are seen as common criminals. They are leery of Clear Sky as a non-government controlled entity conducting research in the Zone, threatening the security of information around the Zone’s existence.
Military members are easy to spot, sporting their officially issued uniforms in most cases. When on special assignments to harsher areas, it is possible to see them adopt SEVA, Sunrise, or even CBRN gear, particularly for high risk missions in the most dangerous areas of the Zone. They enjoy easier access to equipment from the outside world than most others, although the Ministry of Interior is getting stricter by the day as the expense of containing the Zone goes on with no end in sight.
Ecologists
The scientific arm of the government’s efforts to understand the Zone, the Ecologists are premier scientists, technicians, and researchers. Their expertise covers a wide range of subjects including physics, biology, geology, and psychology. One might initially consider such educated men misplaced in the Zone, their unique perspective and thoughtful approach can often lead to solutions no weapon could achieve.
The government has spent considerable effort to keep the Zone a secret from the outside world, they recognize the value of trying to understand it. Much of the Zone’s phenomena goes against known scientific laws, and could have the potential to lead to world changing breakthroughs: Limitless clean energy, transubstantiation of materials, perhaps even teleportation. Before any of these can happen however, the properties of anomalous materials and mutants must be quantified. It is to this end that every Ecologist works, confident that with their discoveries may come new technologies and innovations to change the course of human history.
Headquartered at the FOB deployed at Lake Yantar, Ecologists enjoy a more secure position than many in the Zone. The main bunker of the FOB is made to withstand even the strongest storms, and its perimeter fence helps keep it secure. Inside the bunker are a wealth of devices to measure, study, and simulate. Armed with this equipment, the Ecologists conduct regular experiments with anomalies and organic mutant tissue. Such experiments can be far safer than expeditions outside the FOB, and are preferable when practical.
While they are a singular faction, there can be multiple types of personnel found wearing an Ecologist patch. Doctors, scientists, technicians, and even guards make up their ranks. Even for their more scientific personnel, each member is trained in basic firearm usage and expected to help defend their fellow researchers.
Ecologists can be recognized easily by their bright orange environmental suits which they typically wear when outside the FOB. While at home they wear everything from lab coats to fatigues depending on what their current activities dictate. They have access to better protective equipment and medicine then most, and it is not uncommon to see injured or highly irradiated personnel brough to the FOB for treatment.
Mercenaries
Perhaps one of the most enigmatic entities operating in this field, the Mercenaries or ‘Mercs’ can be found carrying out contracts throughout the Zone, usually for exorbitant pay with no scruples as to what or why. True professionals, they can be hired to do almost anything so long as your pockets are deep enough to satisfy them. While escorts and hits are common contracts for a Mercenary, they have an assortment of skills and tools that makes them effective at a wide range of missions. Since the ultimate question is always price, the limit of a Mercenary’s abilities is often the limit of their client’s imagination.
Many theories swirl around the campfire as to the true motivations, goals, or source of these enigmatic figures. Tales of outside governments looking for a deniable way to get an inside look at the Zone are common, while others suggest it is merely a global corporation taking advantage of the latest open market for wanton violence. Whatever the answer may be, their shadowy movements and refusal to engage in any nonbusiness related conversation keeps intel on them to a minimum. Even if a Mercenary knows why they are here, or who’s pulling the strings, it is unlikely anything will get that information out of them.
While they may not have the raw numbers of some of the larger factions of the Zone, they more than make up for it with superior training, equipment, and tactics. One of the hallmarks of their work is to complete a contract without anyone seeing them travel near the area it was conducted in. It is rumored they often go under cover and gather information disguised as common Loners. In this state they are able to endear themselves to other Loners or factions and expand their burgeoning dossiers on all the other players in the Zone.
In summation this group of NATO-clad forces can be a blessing or a curse depending on the day, and if your enemies have the means to set them against you. Safety is a matter of weighted circumstance in the Zone, and the Mercenaries can tip the scales in a way few others can.