Synedrion

Synedrion was built on a dream. A world without hierarchies, without leaders, where human beings could embrace the potential of technology without its destructive side-effects.

The radicals of the old world had been proven right: the status quo could not sustain itself. But what now? What was the next step?

Some argued for co-existence with the Pandoran ecosystem, hoping for a peaceful solution. Others advocated putting humanity before Nature and claiming the planet for themselves.

Trusting in the safety of their havens, the people of Synedrion argued about the best way forward. But the Pandoravirus had little interest in their arguments, and its power was still growing...

Nikolai

A brilliant geneticist and a committed Marxist, Nikolai was one of the founders of the Firebird Initiative, an independent research outfit that attempted to find a scientific solution to the Pandoravirus.

When the Initiative's lab was destroyed by an ecoterrorist bombing, his right eyeball was destroyed by shrapnel, and people say he's not been the same since.

He and his husband Stas have been involved with Synedrion since its earliest days, and Nikolai has emerged as a leadership figure.

He is opposed to compromise with Synedrion's political enemies and has no problem using force where necessary, putting him at odds with the pacifists in his faction.

Although Synedrion's structure is fluid, he is often seen as representing the Terraformers tendency, strongly arguing for complete human control over Earth's ecosystems.

He has little patience for "ecological mumbo-jumbo about balance" and prefers hard scientific facts.

Athena

Athena was a hairdresser in crisis-stricken Greece. Dissatisfied with the system, she became a union organizer.

When conditions deteriorated even further, she became a revolutionary, first fighting the government, then the Pandorans - sometimes both at the same time.

After joining Synedrion, she helped plan the evacuation of several major cities during the Second Mist and kept fighting well into her 60s.

A friendly figure who tries to keep the various internal arguments from spinning out of control.

Athena is highly respected by all of Synedrion's internal factions, especially since no-one wants to get on her bad side.

Zhara

Born to Kurdish and Ethiopian parents, Zhara has been involved in the struggle for radical change since her early teens.

Despite having witnessed the fall of Rojava and many other atrocities, she remains steadfast in her commitment to her principles, even when they are challenging to implement.

Inspired by the writings of Murray Bookchin, she contends that humanity's dysfunctional role in the ecosystem can only be changed by eliminating all hierarchical systems.

As such, she is a prominent representative of the Polyphonic Tendency and the idea of finding a way to co-exist with the Pandorans, although she does not consider herself a leader, only a passionate proponent of certain ideas.

Synod of Yearning

The Synod of Yearning is a compound being brought into existence by the Exalted.

Its creation, accomplished by the "melding together" of the high priests of the Children of the Black Tide, the Holy Disciples of the Xenoglossic Doctrine, and the Order of Anu marks the beginning of the Disciples of Anu as we know them today.

According to the teachings of the Exalted, the Synod represents the human yearning for transcendence and has authority in all matters except spiritual doctrine.

Our analysis suggests that the Synod of Yearning is the actual political leader of the Disciples in day-to-day matters, with the Exalted remaining a remote figure dedicated to her own pursuits.

Taxiarch Nergal

Before joining the Disciples, Taxiarch Nergal was a military officer who participated in several of Earth's major wars, eventually becoming disillusioned by the horrors he caused and losing all hope.

The Exalted saved him from his despair and transformed him into the being he is today, giving him a renewed sense of purpose and faith. Now he is her most loyal servant, fighting the Pandorans in her name and winning many major victories.

That, at least, is the story told in a popular pamphlet entitled The Acts of Taxiarch Nergal. Nergal is something of a folk hero to the Disciples, and he appears to be allowed to act outside the usual constraints of the hierarchy.