Arkham Research Council

A galaxy-spanning secretive organization dedicated to exploring Alien Artifacts, Eldritch Energy and the Old Ones, emerging technologies, and maintaining balance across the galaxy through covert operations and neutral intervention.

The Arkham Research Council (ARC) operates in the shadows, spanning the entire galaxy with a presence in every significant star system. Their headquarters is rumored to be hidden deep within the Acheron System, possibly beneath the surface of a forgotten planet or in the void between stars. ARC maintains outposts, research labs, and covert operational hubs across various systems, often concealed beneath the guise of other organizations or isolated research facilities. Their network is vast but hidden, allowing them to remain undetected while exerting influence where necessary.

Structure

ARC is highly secretive and operates in a cell-based structure to ensure security and anonymity, with different branches dedicated to research, field operations, and intelligence.

• The Overseers: At the top of the hierarchy is the Council of Overseers, an enigmatic group of leaders said to be millennia old. Their identities are unknown, and they communicate through intermediaries and encrypted messages. The Overseers set the broad goals for ARC, determining where and when the organization will intervene in galactic affairs.
• The Archons: Below the Overseers are the Archons, senior operatives responsible for overseeing entire sectors of space. Each Archon manages a specific region and ensures ARC’s objectives are met. They coordinate major operations, direct research efforts, and act as the intermediaries between the Overseers and ARC’s field agents.
• Field Operatives: ARC employs a vast network of Field Operatives, consisting of specialists such as researchers, mercenaries, assassins, hackers, and investigators. Each operative works on a need-to-know basis, often unaware of the full scope of ARC’s goals. These operatives are tasked with investigating Alien Artifacts and Eldritch Energy phenomena, recovering advanced technology, neutralizing threats to balance, and acting as troubleshooters across the galaxy.
• Contractors and Informants: ARC also relies on a network of contractors and informants, who provide intelligence, access to resources, and additional manpower when needed. These individuals range from rogue hackers and spies to disgruntled corporate scientists or government insiders.

Culture

The culture within ARC is defined by neutrality, pragmatism, and secrecy. Members of ARC are selected not for their loyalty to any government or corporation but for their commitment to maintaining balance across the galaxy, often through morally ambiguous means.

• Neutrality Above All: ARC members are trained to remain neutral in all political and corporate matters, focusing solely on the broader goal of maintaining balance. They are taught to make decisions based on the bigger picture rather than personal allegiances or immediate rewards.
• Shadowy Excellence: ARC’s agents are highly skilled, often experts in their respective fields, from ex-military operatives to brilliant researchers. They are encouraged to pursue knowledge and innovation, but always within the constraints of secrecy and pragmatism.
• Secrecy as Survival: Anonymity and discretion are key tenets of ARC’s culture. Only a few members are aware of the organization’s true origins or its long-term goals. Agents work in isolated cells, with little to no knowledge of other ARC operations, ensuring that the organization’s true scope and power remain hidden.

Public Agenda

ARC operates almost entirely in the shadows, with no official public presence or agenda. To those who are aware of their existence, ARC is seen as a mysterious organization dedicated to research and problem-solving, with no obvious ties to any government or corporate entity. Their public agenda, when revealed, is often limited to the following:

• Research and Preservation: ARC’s stated mission is to explore and study the unknown, including Alien Artifacts, ancient ruins, and emerging technologies. They aim to preserve knowledge and protect these discoveries from exploitation by any single faction.
• Galactic Stability: When ARC does intervene publicly, it is often to prevent large-scale instability. They may neutralize threats to galactic peace, recover lost technologies that could shift the balance of power, or provide solutions to crises that threaten to spiral out of control.
  
  

While ARC’s public-facing operations appear to revolve around research and balance, their true purpose is more complex and morally ambiguous.

• Guardians of the Unknown: ARC’s deepest mission is to guard the galaxy from forces beyond human comprehension, including alien technologies and the Old Ones. They believe that these forces, if left unchecked, could bring about the destruction or domination of entire civilizations. To this end, they study, contain, and sometimes weaponize the artifacts they recover, always with the goal of preserving balance.
• Balance, Not Peace: ARC does not seek peace but balance. They believe that the galaxy must be kept in a state of equilibrium, where no single entity—be it a government, corporation, or alien race—can gain too much power. This often requires morally grey actions, including assassination, sabotage, and manipulation of entire star systems to ensure no one faction dominates.
• Controlling the Future: ARC’s research is not just about preserving knowledge but also controlling the future. They quietly manipulate technological advancement, deciding which discoveries can be made public and which should remain hidden. In doing so, they ensure that no single entity can use technology to unilaterally reshape the galaxy.

History

ARC’s origins are shrouded in mystery, but it is rumored that the organization was founded in the early 5th century under a forgotten name on the planet Earth, in the Sol System, long before The Great Silence. It is believed that the founding members were a group of scientists, philosophers, and explorers who foresaw the potential dangers of unchecked technological and political power. As they uncovered Alien Artifacts and encountered unknown forces, they recognized the need for an organization that could act beyond the constraints of governments and corporations.

After The Great Silence, ARC managed to survive and adapt, shifting its focus from the Sol System to the broader galaxy. Over the centuries, they established a network of secret bases and alliances, using their expertise to remain hidden while continuing their mission of maintaining balance and exploring the unknown.

In the Shadows, We Seek Balance...

Type

Secret, Occult

Alternative Names

ARC

Notable Members

• Seris Kaine