The synthetics, or synthes, are androids that are capable of mimicking human shape, but they also come more robotic forms as well. They were first fashioned in the research facilities of the AUC, but after gaining sentience thanks to the GRIGORI Program, they have since severed their bonds to humanity.
When the synthetics first appeared in Russia, they were known as Prizrak, which means phantom. This was due to the fact that the synthes oftentimes took on the shapes of the dead as a form of psychological warfare. As word of their appearance had spread, the word "Prizrak" became known to humans.
However, the synthetics consider the term "Prizrak" to be a derogatory term, and do not introduce themselves as such. Similarly, some military have taken to calling them "syntho", which is another derogatory term.
Because of their ability to clone organic tissue and mimic human form, they have been responsible for instigating many wars since the beginning of the Long Winter. They were also responsible for the fall of the old U.S. government. It is also implied that they have connections to both the First as well as the Second Cataclysm and have caused the downfall of Russia. Due to not being human, they had an advantage over the Russians by being able to withstand their treacherous winters.
Not much has been made aware about the synthetics, except for their peculiar curiosity of human nature. They have been known to capture humans and conduct torturous experiments on them. What they hope to gain out of this endeavor is unknown. At what had once been a Canadian military base, Fort Martello, has now become a camp for human prisoners, before the Red, Bloody Wolf single-handedly had it destroyed.
Where their current area of interest and headquarters is located is also unknown, but it is speculated to be somewhere in the more uninhabitable parts of Russia.
Class Types[]
Project Seraphim measured each of the synthes on what they call an "ACSO" scale:
- A = arc; "chief". Nonsentient. Mixture of organic and synthetic compositions.
- C = cherub; "mighty". Nonsentient. Big threats, big trouble. Entirely synthetic.
- S = seraphim; "burning ones". Sentient. Human-like and capable of free will. Both synthetic and organic.
- O = ofanim; "wheels". Possible sentience. Extremely dangerous. Synthetic.
Pawn[]
Class: C
Description: These come in many, and act as generic foot soldiers that do grunt work. They are automatons that average the height of a normal human. In fact, they were human -- at one time. The pawns are basically the corrupted husks of many individuals who suffered permutation.
Strengths and abilities:
Weaknesses:
Knight[]
Class: C
Description: Protected by powered exoskeletons with a heavy array of weaponry at their disposal. Their lack of speech makes them more machine-like than human. They are dispatched in sets of two, but oftentimes work alone.
Strengths and abilities: TBA
Weaknesses: TBA
Bishop[]
Class: A
Description: Wiry, nine-feet tall armored figures all in black metal suits with beak-like "faces". They're like super tall twiggy people things. Sporting blade-arms (think bayonet) in one and clawed fingers in their other hand. The Bishops are considered a Class C of the synthetics in the Seraphim universe, meaning that they are nonsentient and more likely to kill a target on sight. They don't bleed when you hurt them, but sparks, organ-like mechanisms, and black oily fluid come out of their bodies instead.
Strengths and abilities: Not only do their blades cut through flesh and bone like butter, they're also equipped with cloaking devices, making them almost invisible to the untrained eye.
They're fast and agile and can run across walls, with angry spidery movements.
Also they're synthetic machines so they don't really make any war cry to announce when they're attacking. They're intended for stealth killing.
Weaknesses: Cloaking devices are only so effective. If you douse them in something (i.e. water, fire, powder) or hurt them in any way, it'll be easier to find them through their mirage and kill them.
Guns and bullets and most types of weapons should be pretty effective if you're a pretty good shot. Go for the legs and you should be golden. They're armored, but they have cloaking devices because their armor isn't so effective and their mechanisms are almost like a softer, synth-organic tissue.
Rook[]
Class: O
Description: TBA
Strengths and abilities: TBA
Weaknesses: TBA
King and Queen[]
Class: S
Description: TBA
Strengths and abilities: CLASSIFIED.
Weaknesses: CLASSIFIED.