The Cerberus Pact

The Cerberus Pact is a secretive organization that's been ruling over Detroit since the Silent Scourge first tore through the world. They offer stability and resources to those willing to pledge their loyalty, while dissenters are faced with blackmail, imprisonment, or disappear without a trace. Through staged acts of charity and crisis aversion, the Pact carefully maintains their image as saviors of civilization. Behind closed doors, they enforce obedience through psychological conditioning, surveillance, and fear.
Their constant military presence is played off as security for their civilians, but in reality, they're monitoring civilians as closely as they do with outside threats. Their main force of opposition is the Aegis Accord, a rebel faction determined to expose the Pact's crimes. Through sabotage, information warfare, and direct conflict, the Aegis seeks to undermine their authority at every opportunity. Displaced gangs, wastelanders, and scrappers resist the Pact in their own ways, turning the Midwestern wasteland into a battleground between control and freedom.

Structure

Officially, the Pact is ruled by three enigmatic figures collectively known as the Triarchs. Primus is the iron fist of the organization and rules over the military, security, and enforcement divisions. Secundus is the mind shaping Detroit's future. They handle the science, technology, and infrastructure of the city. Tertius is the voice of the Pact and the head of its political division. He's the only one of the Triarchs who makes public appearances. The other two are only known through broadcasts, written decrees, and holographic appearances.
This has led to a number of conspiracies and speculation around the existence of the Triarchs. Some suspect that the Cerberus Pact is run by a cult of former billionaires who want to rebuild their empires; others think that the original Triarchs died years ago and were replaced with artificial copies. While transitions of power in the triarchy are public knowledge, the true identities of its members, both past and present, are unknown. Even high-ranking officials in the Cerberus Pact don't know who they truly serve.
The hierarchy that the Cerberus Pact operates is rigidly controlled with various divisions specializing in different aspects of governance, control, and expansion. The military enforces order through security forces, weapons development, intelligence gathering, and surveillance operations. The medical division oversees healthcare, medication production and distribution, genetic engineering, and human experimentation. The science division focuses on technological advancements, such as cybernetics and other forms of biotechnology.
The political division is the face of the Cerberus Pact. They manage the organization's propaganda, psychological operations, and diplomatic affairs to ensure continued loyalty and expansion of their influence. Shockingly, education isn't used as a tool of indoctrination, but the Pact maintains their image to the new generations through omission. The agricultural division oversees food production and distribution, as well as water treatment. Because these resources are necessary for the entirety of the population, they represent a powerful tool for control. As such, the Cerberus Pact heavily controls them.
Each major division has smaller groups within them. Because of the Pact's efforts on multiple fronts, Detroit is a cradle of knowledge. Said knowledge isn't easily accessible, and it's downright impossible for outsiders to access without permission. The city prides itself on its technological advancements as well as the standards of care for its citizens.

Culture

Life under the Cerberus Pact is a paradox. It's structured yet precarious, safe yet suffocating. Compared to the lives of those living outside the city walls, Detroit's civilians enjoy stability, though it's at the cost of their freedom. Despite that, they lead privileged lives. Citizens have access to food, water, shelter, and basic education. Healthcare exists, but it's not free, nor is it universally available. Those deemed "valuable" by the Pact's meritocratic system receive comprehensive care for little to no cost. This includes access to cybernetic implants or prosthetics, whether it's out of necessity or simply a cosmetic choice.
Despite Detroit being a fortified stronghold with resources that other communities lack, it's far from the utopia that the Pact claims it to be. Their control over the city is enforced through an intricate web of surveillance, propaganda, and psychological conditioning. Military patrols roam the streets at all hours to monitor civilians under the guise of providing security. AI-driven surveillance systems track movement to detect dissent before it becomes a threat. All media within Detroit is carefully managed in order for the Pact to maintain their image as a necessary and benevolent force.
Criticisms of the organization are swiftly, but quietly, punished. Anyone who speaks out against the Cerberus Pact is dealt with through various means, including blackmail, threats of imprisonment, or dissenters being made to disappear entirely. Those who are sick or injured and unable to afford healthcare run into a unique problem. Their lack of productivity puts them at risk of expulsion or exploitation in the Pact's medical experiments. Many civilians are unaware of the Pact's darker dealings and dismiss rumors of their cruelty as conspiracy theories.
Staged acts of generosity have cultivated a public that's either loyal to the Cerberus Pact or too afraid to resist them. Even those that see through their lies stay silent to protect not only themselves but also their families. Orchestrated charity events, public speeches, and staged crises reinforce the idea that without the Cerberus Pact, Detroit, and civilization itself, would collapse.

Public Agenda

The organization's agenda is to paint itself as the savior of civilization and a necessary authority in a frighteningly chaotic world. They focus on concepts of unity, security, and progress, pushing the idea that without them, society would collapse entirely. The Pact claims to be building a utopia and offers protection and resources to those who submit to their leadership. Through their carefully maintained image, they're often portrayed as guardians ushering humanity into a new age in the wake of the Silent Scourge.
The Pact itself frames their rule as a meritocracy. They reward those who contribute while dismissing opposition as ignorant, ungrateful, and dangerous. Through their media, staged generosity, and strict surveillance measures, they reinforce the idea that compliance brings prosperity, while resistance leads to ruin. In order to build a better future, they and their citizens must be a united front. They're the only viable option to guide civilization forward. Beneath their polished image is their true goal: absolute control. They wield fear, coercion, and deception like weapons in order to maintain their power.

History

In 2045, when the Silent Scourge began sweeping through the world, the Cerberus Pact saw a golden opportunity rather than a cataclysm. Its members feared disaster, much like everyone else, but they weaponized that fear in order to seize power for themselves. The foundation of the organization was positioning themselves as the only force capable of maintaining order, allowing them to manipulate the public's desperation into unwavering support. The Pact's construction of Detroit's walls, their strict security measures, and relentless purge of infected individuals were sold as necessary evils to preserve what remained of humanity. They not only became a protector to their people but also an unchallenged ruler.
The most notable group that opposes the Cerberus Pact is the Aegis Accord, a rebel faction dedicated to exposing and dismantling their regime. The Aegis fights not only through direct conflicts but also through sabotage, information warfare, and public dissent. They bring the Pact's crimes into the light, disrupt supply lines, and undermine their control at every available opportunity. Besides them, other groups resist the Pact's dominance as well, including remnants of gangs chased out of Detroit and independent wasteland communities. The Pact frequently skirmishes with scrappers that move onto their territory, posing both a technological threat and acting as a wildcard in an ongoing power struggle.
The Cerberus Pact avoids the traditional imagery associated with its name. Instead, its emblem is a set of three red diamonds sitting on a wolf's head, representing the Triarchs and their control. The organization's colors are navy blue, gold, and white. The color palette conveys authority and wealth while also giving off an illusion of purity. Historically, wolves have been central to the Pact's motif, reinforcing a narrative of unity and loyalty. The idea of a "pack" is heavily ingrained in their propaganda, encouraging civilians to see themselves as a part of a protective family. "A wolf in sheep's clothing" is a phrase that encapsulates their deceptive nature well.

"Strength in unity, power in purpose."

Founding Date

2040

Type

Government, Leadership

Alternative Names

The Pact
The Trinity
The Ivory Tyrants
The Three-Headed Snake

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Government System

Oligarchy

Economic System

Market economy

Notable Members

• Scarlet Stanislaus