Search

The architects of the Dystopian Age, the Covenant of the Enlightened wield their formidable intellects to sweep aside those ignorant or deluded who stand in the way of Scientific Progress. These masters of technology covet knowledge above all things and believe that it is only they who can steer humanity on a path to enlightenment. With their wondrous war-engines, the Covenant of the Enlightened take every opportunity to demonstrate their technological supremacy. The discoveries that were intended to herald a new era for humanity are instead used to punish those who would misuse them. Only when the Covenant are lauded as the rightful leaders of the Earth in this new Dystopian Age can the world be brought into a new dawn of achievement and prosperity.

Augmentation to overcome injury or disability was the goal of the Covenant of the Enlightened when they first began to experiment with grafting mechanisms to flesh. The power source known as RJ-1027 enabled the Covenant to take this intention to an extreme with more audacious and extensive modifications being possible. In the hands of a master of this art, it truly allows individuals to be elevated to super-human levels of physical conditioning. For everyone not so fortunate, this has led to the development of people termed as 'constructs'. Gradual RJ-1027 leakage into their bloodstream, along with the trauma of their surgical augmentation has left the vulnerable transformed into something less than human. But everything has a purpose in the Covenant's technocratic future and constructs have a wide variety of menial or military applications throughout the Enlightened's activities.

Associate members of the Covenant of the Enlightened do not enjoy the respect or prestige that Covenant Peers do, but they are often the ones who do most of the leg work. In order to be officially recognised as an associate of a Peer, an individual will have to put in hours of thankless research and errand running for their sponsoring Peer. Of course like all who are drawn to the Enlightened, being in possession of a keen mind and a drive to push the boundaries of human understanding is a prerequisite. But associates often lack the opportunity or financial means to secure an actual Peerage in the Covenant.<p>Girauld Eres was one such associate, a Parisian naturalist who had developed into a minor celebrity as he toured Paris society with his collection of primates. Girauld's real passion lay in animal physiology and his personal menagerie was home to some impressive specimens. Showing a talent for specimen capture, he was approached by Warwick Hudson and earned a sponsorship into the Covenant as an associate following his collaboration on the spectral containment technology with Hudson and Katherine Holst.</p>

To the common man, the Covenant of the Enlightened are little more than an exclusive club of intellectuals and aristocrats who sit in grand drawing rooms talking much and doing little. While the Covenant are at great pains to show that the reality is far removed from this, it must be acknowledged that there are some groups within the Enlightened who more closely resemble this stereotype than they would like to admit. One such group of these is the Hook and Ladder Club in New York City, so named due to their premises being located in a building that was originally destined for the nascent Fire Department. The club members specialise in the emergent field of parapsychology, a subject that the common man might call supernatural.

The frontier of the Union of Federated States is a wild and often lawless place. Ideal for outlaws, renegades and zealots to prey on the locals. Now a force led by the morally bankrupt Enlightened scientist Gustave Eiffel has arrived in the town of Retribution. The mayor sends out a call for aid and is overjoyed to find that the hero of the Union, Nikolai Tesla is in the area. But as the Union forces pull into Retribution it becomes clear that this is no coincidence and all has unfolded to Eiffel's plans for vengeance. The stage is set for an epic showdown in Retribution between these two rivals.<br /><br />Get into the new edition of Wild West Exodus with Showdown at Retribution - a two-player starter set designed to give you a comprehensive introduction to the savage Wild West in the Dystopian Age. Containing dozens of fantastically detailed Warcradle miniatures, the full third edition rulebook, quick start guide to help you get going straight away and much more - this hefty boxed set is an easy way to explore the game and start your hobby adventure.