Music Appreciation Society (Fallout Supplement)

The Music Appreciation Society, also known as the Society or MApS, was formed in Vancouver, Canada. They are deicated to stopping slavery, and strive to create a world where everyone will have a right to education, food and safety.

History

The Society saw it's beginnings in 2153, when Community Vault 760-C opened to the world. This Vault's particular mission was to preserve the greatest music in history, and those born and raised in the Vault held reverent attitude towards music. However, the Vault's "Community" directive prevented it from reserving space for musicians, who were instead sent to Vault 92 new Washington, D.C.

The survivors emerged into the post-apocalyptic ruins of Vancouver, British Columbia. While Vancouver was never directly hit during the nuclear war, 76 years without caretakers left the city in terrible condition. The people of Vault 760-C took it upon themselves to rebuild Vancouver, while combing the surrounding wastes for surviving music that had not been saved by the Vault.

For over a century, the people of Vault 760-C ran Vancouver as a nuetral city, unconcerned with political issues raging in the world around them. Inside Vancouver, one could find lodging, food and all manner of weapons for surviving in the wastes and original musicians were treated almost as royalty. Slavery has never been tolerated, and any slavers who entered the town were imprisoned, and their slaves freed. Many escaped slaves made their way to Vancouver, the only place that would guarantee their freedom.

Birth of a Society

Eventually, Vancouver became the wealthier than any of the nearby tribes, and the people of Vancouver decided to do something about the miserable wastelands around them. After what later became known as "The Great Debate", they crafted a series of principles that would not be compromised, and founded the Music Appreciation Society (MApS), dedicated to civilizing the world. In the course of 20 years, the Society eliminated dozens of bands of raiders, slavers and others who would stand in the way of civilization, and assimilated those in agreement with the Society's goals.

The Legion and the Republic

In 2282, Society scouts ventured south, where they discovered the bloody, stagnant war of the New California Republic and Caesar's Legion. The Society fought alongside the NCR, but with the Legion's new assaults into Society territory, the resources they were able to spare made very little impact on the war. Over the course of 10 years, the battle lines moved fluidly back and forth, as the society worked constantly to reclaim lost territory.

Eventually, the losses of all 3 tribes forced them to negotiate a truce. Known as the "New Vegas Concord," definitive borders were drawn. If any citizen of one alliance strays into the other's territory, they are at the mercy of the invaded tribe. In most cases, the Legion will execute the alien, whereas the Society will immediately return the potential spy. For the past 40-odd years, the borders have been quiet, save for minor clashes.

The Northern Expansion and the Russo-Canuck Encounter

After the New Vegas Concord was signed, the Society was unable to expand further east or south, lest they inadvertently begin another war with the Legion. As the Society finished its exploration of habitable regions in Alaska, they set their eyes further west. After refurbishing several ice breakers, Society scouts pushed onward towards the shores of what once was Russia.

Meanwhile, the Reborn Coalition of Soviet Nations had also begun crossing the sea towards Alaska. The RCSN ships reached Alaska days before the Society ships landed on Russia. The RCSN scouts encountered the Society's outposts on the Alaskan shore, and as soon as amicable relations were established, they warned the RCSN back at Russia of the incoming Society scouts, which were promptly brought to harbor by Coalition welcoming committee. In the ensuing weeks, MApS and the RCSN reached relatively limited trade agreements, largely for Coalition technology and Society pharmaceuticals.

Principles

The result of the Great Debate, the Treaty of Vancouver governs the Society's actions in almost all cases. Any and all who wish to be a part of the MApS are required to review and agree to the Treaty's principles, even if they were born into the Society. The MApS wants all of its members to be truly dedicated to the Society, not because they were born to it, but because they agreed to join it. Here are the higlights:

A military may be maintained, though war is only waged after mutual agreement by the entire Council.
Slavery and the disenfranchisement of anyone within its borders will not be tolerated.
Members of the Society are exempt from certain taxes, and are guaranteed medical care, housing and education.
The Society will maintain a radio broadcast throughout all of its territory, to provide music, information and warnings to its citizens
The Society is not a democracy. The Council handles all important decisions in accordance with the Treaty of Vancouver's principles.

Philosophy: Aperture Field Theory and Haddock's Assertions

Shortly before the Resource War, a Canadian think-tank known as Aperture Scientific developed a number of radical theories in physics. Many of these theories were impossible to test, and quite soon the organization's lack of truly scientific research caused it to collapse, leaving behind several eccentric physicists with unconventional scientific theories. During the nuclear exchange, none of these physicists survived, though their theories lived on as part of the knowledge stores in Community Vault 760. For decades, no one touched the incomprehensible texts of Aperture Scientific. At least, not until aspiring philosopher Nicholas Haddock rediscovered them.

Haddock (2126-2165) discovered the forgotten files as he read through Vault 760's data stores. Only one of Aperture Scientific's theories struck him as interesting: Aperture Field Theory. Aperture Field Theory held that all of the universe is a collection of interacting energy waves, and that matter was simply our interpretation of the peaks of high energy waves. Haddock took this theory a further step, and believed that humans were not simply individual waves, but instead part of a larger function that was humanity as a whole. Haddock argued we must help each other, if for no other reason than what happens to others affects us, even if only in a roundabout way.

Haddock spent his time in the Vault trying to convince others of his worldview. While many agreed with the sentiment, few actually believed that humans were simply sympathetic waves of energy. Haddock died at the age of 39, 13 years after the vault was opened, stopping an armed gunman who threatened to kill 10 hostages. His sacrifice is largely what has kept him and his philosophy alive. Haddock's Assertions of the interraltion of humanity were a key point of the Great Debate, and today, most citizens of the Society agree with the Assertions, in one form or another.

Technology

The Society has scavenged technology from the wastes that surrounding it, and has attempted to replicate the technology it has found, with limited success. Gun and ammunition manufacturing has been a priority, providing the army of the Society with a decent and reliable supply of ammunition. The creation of new technology has not been well funded, since education and other programs take a considerable portion of the MApS' funds. Thus, the army of the society is conventionally aremd, but well taken care of.

Important Members

Nicholas de Marco

Gender: Male

Species: Human

Class: Charismatic, Ambassador

Role: Councilman, Diplomat

The youngest citizen of the Society to have taken part in the Great Debate, de Marco is currently a member of the Council. His specialty is diplomatic relations, negotiating peace with various tribes who refuse to join the Society. In the event of the discovery of Caesar's Legion, he would almost certainly refuse to speak to any of their diplomats, unless the Legion were willing to give up slavery. While he would not relish war, he may find it unavoidable, with such violations of the Society's morals taking place.

Cefour Leight

Gender: Male

Species: Human

Class: Charismatic, Personality

Role: Radio Host

In a civilization dedicated to music, those who bring the music through the air waves are perhaps the most prominent public figures. Few approach the notoriety of Cefour Leight, host of the Late Update, a nightly radio broadcast of recently discovered music, news, public announcements, and other information considered relevant in the wasteland. A winning personality and easy-going manner make Leight almost instantly likeable. Perhaps the most trusted authority on the air, many of the Society's more contreversial announcements are made on his broadcast, often ensuring widespread public support. If you need people to hear and trust you, the fastest way is through the Late Update.

Linda Shane

Gender: Female

Species: Ghoul

Class: Smart, Field Officer

Role: Military Commander

Where most tribes revile mutants, the Society accepts them like any other human. No better example exists of the MApS' radiation blindness than Linda Shane, one of the highest ranking military field officers of the Society. A member of the Society's Armed Forces for the better part of three decades, she discovered an uncanny nack for exploiting tactical weaknesses of enemies. Ever eager to prove herself equal to any smoothskin, Shane is often on the frontlines of operations against large groups of raiders. Linda Shane was the first proponent of war against the Legion, and her brilliant strategies stopped the brutal advances of the Legion.

Relationships

New California Republic: Despite the apparent similarities between these two tribes, there are fundamental differences between their cultures which can cause friction at a later date. Whereas the Society holds that the government's function is to defend and provide for its populace, while the Republic believes the government needs only to fend off violent threats. While MApS is far more involved in the welfare of its citizens, the NCR maintains a system where citizens can make their own way, though NCR citizens often have difficulty negotiating for resources that are controlled by a few oligarchs. The two are allies and trading partners for now, though if for any reason the Republic falters, the Society will be far more likely to assume control than to help the NCR rebuild its government. The same also applies the Republic, though . . .

Caesar's Legion: The Society and the Legion are virtually on opposite sides of the spectrum; while the Society works to provide for all of its citizens, only the strong survive in the Legion. The Legion sees a nation that coddles the weak. The Society sees a nation of slavers that care nothing for the innocent. A conflict between the two was almost unavoidable.

European Union: The Music Appreciation Society has similar goals to the Union, and the two maintain an amicable relationship. The physical distance between the two nations makes close interaction almost impossible, though.

People's Republic of Asia: While the People's Republic has adapted to an extremely different situation, the Society and PRA have extremely similar aims, philosophies and methods, and are close allies. Trade between the two is quite free, and largely involve surplus PRA weapons and MApS pharmaceuticals. Due to the Pre-War history of China and the U.S., the PRA and NCR simply don't trust one another, and both are wary of the Society's associations with one another. The Society struggles to moderate interactions between the two, though mounting tensions will likely force MApS to align with one or the other.

Reborn Coalition of Soviet Nations: Despite ideological similarities, the relationship between these two tribes is strained at best. The RCSN is riddled with corruption, and its territory is simply too large for the government to make any distinct impact on citizens day to day lives. However, the Society must maintain amicable relations, lest it lose its primary naval routes to the People's Republic of Asia.

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