Shadowrun: 2097

Monday, August 11, 2025

Dossier: Velaxas

Also known as: The Devourer, The First Scourge, The Hunger That Speaks, The World-Breaker, The Worm That Endures
Possible True Name: Unknown
Apparent Metatype: Great Dragon (black, obsidian-scaled variant)
Current Status: Partially awake; locus of influence believed to be deep beneath the Seattle Metroplex, near/under Mount Rainier
Primary Sources:

Contact with Philip Harrowfield / TB
Contact with Wizkid
Data gathered from the Universal Brotherhood’s Northeastern branch
Fragmentary allusions from other dragons (esp. Lofwyr)

General Profile

Velaxas claims to be the first of all dragons, predating even the First Age of myth. He insists he alone remembers—or has knowledge of—a time before the First Age, when multiple worlds of the Solar System were inhabited by various “peoples” (interpreted as metatypes or similar). According to Velaxas, at some point over five million years ago, all of these civilizations relocated (or fled) to Earth.

He asserts that no trace of these ancient off-world cultures can currently be found because the magical level of the Sixth Age is not yet high enough to perceive the past. When mana rises further—and with billions of metahumans alive now—he predicts their return, or at least the re-emergence of their ruins and artifacts.

Philip, intrigued (and perhaps partially convinced), has engaged Halo to help raise funds for research into the arcano-ancient Solar System. There is suspicion that Saeder-Krupp is already engaged in similar work, based on cryptic remarks from Lofwyr.

The Ages According to Velaxas

(All claims are his own; veracity unconfirmed)

Pre-First Age – Multiple inhabited worlds in the Solar System; all peoples migrate to Earth for unknown reasons. Velaxas already exists.
First Age / First Scourge – Grows tired of “the lesser races” and annihilates them.
Second Age / Second Scourge – Wakes to find metahumanity resurgent; attempts extermination again. Opposed by other dragons, defeated, and imprisoned in an astral prison.
Third Age / Third Scourge – Remains imprisoned, yet claims to have influenced events from afar. Specifically, he takes credit for bringing the Horrors into the world for the first time—whether by summoning, guiding, or manipulating others to do so. If true, this was indirect destruction; if false, it is calculated myth-making.
Fourth Age / Fourth Scourge – Metahumanity seals itself in kaers to survive the Horrors, but Velaxas says he had already corrupted some of their gods (Passions), ensuring the seeds of ruin were inside the walls.
Fifth Age – Slumbers; claims to have gifted “nuclear fire” to the world, though this did not end the Age. Widely considered the weakest part of his narrative.
Sixth Age (Present) – Partially awake; Universal Brotherhood works toward his revival, experimenting on magically sensitive children and possibly creating the first technomancers.

Physical Form

Described as black as night, scales like obsidian, drinking in light rather than reflecting it.
His mere presence is death; his breath will unravel your spirit (allegedly).
Sensed through the walls of his prison as immense, more like a living mountain than a winged serpent.
The sheer scale makes his claims of “world-destroying” power unsettling—but also raises doubts as to whether any single being could truly achieve it alone.

Personality and Modus Operandi

Speaks with arrogance tempered by an ancient patience.
Often plants ideas rather than issuing direct commands.
Views the cycle of Ages—and the destruction of civilizations—as inevitable.
Demonstrates fascination with interplanetary history, using it as a lure for ambitious agents.
Annoyed by the Universal Brotherhood for disturbing his rest—but suggested to Wizkid that subverting the UB to Halo’s cause may be better than destroying it outright.
Confessed to creating the first obsidimen, and has shared methods for controlling them—raising the question: would he give away such secrets if he truly intended to break free, or is this part of a longer con?

Imprisonment & Current Reach

Location: Deep beneath Seattle/Mount Rainier, in a sealed astral prison from the Second Age.
Mind-to-Mind Contact: Can communicate directly with Philip/TB, and has done so with others.
Matrix access: Can link to the Matrix using Resonance.
Redmond Cult: A small, violent group guards the only known tunnel to the barrier of his prison. They believe Philip/TB is Velaxas’s envoy and follow his instructions—mainly to keep intruders away from the tunnel shaft.
Maria Gardner: Philip’s mother-in-law-to-be has been under Velaxas’s influence for some time. Promises to “behave” but is under constant surveillance.

Matrix Presence & Resonance AbilitiesDragon Politics and Blood Feuds

According to Lofwyr, Velaxas murdered both of his mates across different Ages.
Velaxas, however, has told Wizkid outright that Astrid Nygård (Tallaxia, the Radiant, White Blossom of the Second Age) is one of these supposedly “dead” mates—alive and active in the Sixth Age.
If true, either Lofwyr is misinformed, Velaxas is lying, or Astrid’s “death” was a deception even to her own kind.
This revelation, if real, links Velaxas to Astrid in ways neither may want made public.

Matrix Presence & Resonance Abilities

A fragment of Velaxas—enabled by cooperative technomancers—has learned to access the Matrix via Resonance.
This Matrix avatar interacts with Wizkid and appears less overtly malevolent than Velaxas’s physical/astral self, though motives remain opaque.
Can “hack” certain bioroid models via Resonance and seize direct control. Last such incident ended with a warning from Philip/TB: stop, or there would be no more coexistence.

Threat Indicators

Possible architect of all previous Scourges—directly or indirectly.
Historically able to corrupt divine-level entities (Passions).
Holds knowledge of interplanetary metahuman history and magic (if true).
Linked to the Horrors, possibly their first summoner or manipulator.
Willing to provide others with dangerous magical knowledge for unclear purposes.

Strategic Considerations

Direct confrontation is not advised; historical precedent suggests that only united draconic action can contain him.
His current partial wakefulness may limit direct action, but influence operations are active.
Control of narrative and information critical—Matrix leaks could boost cult recruitment.
Assess long-term risks of employing obsidimen using methods provided by Velaxas—control may be temporary or illusory.

Dossier: Astrid Nygård

Title: Speaker of the Scandinavian Socialist Union
Status: Publicly, head of the Interim Council; privately, believed to be orchestrating a political consolidation/coup.
Aliases/Nicknames: “The Queen of Scandinavia” (media branding, not a title of law), possible true name: Tallaxia (unverified).

Public Biography

Born: Official records place her birth in Trondheim, Norway, 2037. Early life accounts are sparse and carefully curated.
Education: Political science and law at the University of Oslo, with an exchange year in Berlin.
Career Path: Rose through the bureaucratic ranks of the Scandinavian Socialist Union (SSU) with remarkable speed; became Speaker in 2093.
Political Persona: Charismatic, measured, always in control. Prefers strategic long games over dramatic displays. Publicly committed to pan-Scandinavian unity, strong social welfare, and “harmonious modernization.”

Current Role & Power

Interim Council Leadership: Following a wave of “security reforms” and the quiet sidelining (or silencing) of dissenting Council members, Astrid is now effectively running the SSU’s executive branch and is believed to have extensive influence over the industrial-military sector as well.
Behind-the-Scenes Influence: Coordinates state surveillance, regulatory capture, and corporate partnerships through the Alignment Division, a trans-corporate consultancy headquartered in Copenhagen.
Ambition: Rumored goal is nothing less than total oversight of all conscious entities in the SSU — metahuman, AI, and spirit alike.
Political Branding: The “Queen of Scandinavia” image is a deliberate PR campaign, evoking stability and continuity for a population unsettled by economic strain and external political chaos.

Known Affiliations

Alignment Division: Astrid sits on the board. The Division blends public consultancy work with technomantic research and occult experimentation.
Great White Dragon Theory: Shadow sources claim she is secretly a dragon in metahuman form, but there exists no proof, only some very vague circumstantial "evidence."
Historic Ties: Said to have been aligned with certain Awakened resistance groups in her early career, though these claims are largely buried in the public record.

Rumors & Intel (Unverified)

Collected by Wizkid’s network, passed to Philip; reliability uncertain.

True Identity: Astrid Nygård is allegedly Tallaxia, the Radiant, also called the White Blossom of the Second Age.
Dragon Lineage: Tallaxia was once the mate of Lofwyr, Saeder-Krupp’s golden monarch.
Death: Supposedly slain by the dread Velaxas.
Survival Theory: If she truly is Tallaxia, her continued existence suggests either a miraculous resurrection or that the “death” was an elaborate feint.

JOURNAL ENTRY – PHILIP HARROWFIELD // SEPT 17-SEPT 25, 2097

Sept 17 — Seattle
We didn’t go to LA.
We went home.

I told the others it was to “take care of business,” which is true — just not all of the truth. The itinerary’s a mess of obligations: Mount Rainier site inspection (progress: measurable, though the work crews look at me like they know I’m the reason the mountain isn’t eating them alive), check-ins with the labs, sit-down with Zara Coatl fresh from the Lost Continent, and the formal offer to my future father-in-law to leave Lone Star and take the post as medical officer. There’s the Brotherhood to probe — again. Mr. Black wanted a meeting, too. It's been too long since we shook hands.

But underneath the to-do list, I can feel the pull. Not in one direction — in three.

Philip Harrowfield — Aztechnology board member, the smiling executive, the good partner, the clean-cut public face — he’s drowning in meetings, memos, and public perception. The “Cheerful Philip” mask is... It's no longer a mask. It has become my face, or perhaps it always was?

TB — the Beast — is studying. Hoarding. Dreaming in sorcerous equations. Pulling threads of power from Velaxas himself, knowing full well it’s a bargain without a contract. The more TB feeds, the calmer the mountain becomes. Cause and effect? Or just two predators circling each other?

Wizkid… Wizkid’s stopped being just a noise in my head and a digital ghost in the Matrix. Blackwell’s robes fit him now. The old adolescent impulse-loop is breaking, replaced by something dangerous: self-direction. Velaxas chats him up between data heists. That version of the dragon is sly, curious — even funny. I don’t like how much Wiz likes him.

Some days, I wonder if this is mental illness with a better wardrobe. But then I remember: in the Awakened world, madness and metamorphosis are cousins. And whatever the nature of this transformation or its ultimate form, we are committed. There is no turning back now. There never was.

Sept 21 — Los Angeles, Public Concert
Back on the tour rails. LA was a riot in the best sense. Halo on a high stage, in front of millions on-site and online, tearing into the set like the old gods were watching. Pyro, AR dragons in the crowd, and enough sonic assault to shake the smog out of the basin.

Sept 22 — Los Angeles, Intimate Concert
No stage clothes. No stage. Just her. Wings unfurled, guitar in hand, voice like a confession. The simsense feed was pure vulnerability, equal parts ache and solace. People cried. People prayed. Some probably converted on the spot.

Sept 23 — Seattle
Back again, and this time with a decision.

The Brotherhood won’t be razed to the ground — not yet. Halo’s going to try something else: subversion. She’ll make it hers, bending the structure to her will until it’s less cult and more congregation. In parallel, Wizkid’s combed through their networks and flagged 1,700 “problematic” members for… further handling. Quiet investigations, selective removals.

And if that fails? We still have the old plan in the drawer — the one with the armed conflict and the mass destabilization. The sword in the stone, waiting for someone to pull it free.

I... that sword. I've dreamt of it, but forgotten. It means... something, but I don't know what. But I will.

Friday, August 8, 2025

Seattle NewsNet - Special Report: Shadows in the Lodge

"Universal Brotherhood: Light in the Streets, Shadows in the Lodge"
By Tara Quinn, Investigative Correspondent
Published: September 14, 2097

A Rising Star with an Old History

The Universal Brotherhood (UB) of 2097 is not the organization your grandparents warned you about. Founded in the late 2040s, it has endured scandal, criminal investigations, and even violent crackdowns. Yet somehow—through relentless community outreach, aggressive public relations, and real, tangible results—it has rebuilt itself into one of the most powerful and admired organizations in the world.

Today, the UB counts an estimated 100 million members worldwide, with nearly half of them in North America. Tens of millions more contribute financially, volunteer, or benefit from its programs. In Seattle alone, it operates dozens of shelters, community kitchens, and learning centers, serving thousands daily.

For the ordinary citizen, the UB is not a shadowy cult—it’s the smiling volunteer handing you hot soup, the job counselor helping you re-enter the workforce, or the tutor coaching your child in math after school.

The Lodge and the Steps

At street level, the UB is about The Steps—a structured self-improvement path blending modern psychology, Eastern philosophy, and mystical symbolism. Graduates often describe the experience as transformative, claiming breakthroughs in confidence, self-discipline, and life purpose.

For the ambitious or the influential, the real draw lies in the Lodge of Brotherhood and Enlightenment. This upper tier—invitation only—functions as a networking nexus for politicians, corporate executives, celebrities, and the occasional academic or military leader. Lodge meetings are private, blending social ritual with “higher teaching” unavailable to the masses.

The UB insists this is simply the natural reward for dedication and service. Critics note the Lodge is where policy is influenced, business deals are struck, and favors exchanged.

The Northeast Question

Recent months have drawn renewed attention to the UB’s Northeastern North America chapter—one of the oldest and most insular branches in the Brotherhood’s network. Unlike their counterparts in the Midwest or Pacific Northwest, the Northeastern Lodge leadership is steeped in secrecy, shunning public appearances and speaking rarely to the press.

Why the renewed scrutiny? It began during Halo’s global tour this summer, when the artist’s team passed through several UB-heavy cities in the Northeast. A handful of anonymous Matrix posts hinted that certain Lodge members were “guardians of a door that should never be opened.” The phrase spread, fueled by fringe trids and conspiracy boards.

Then came a more unsettling detail: the name Velaxas began appearing in these discussions—always in hushed tones, often linked to whispers of ancient things buried in the dark. No one credible claims to know what it is. Some posters say the UB is trying to keep it sealed away. Others claim they are preparing to wake it.

Seattle News Net has not verified any direct connection between the Brotherhood and this “Velaxas,” but the rumors have traction—helped in no small part by a handful of UB defectors from Boston and Philadelphia who describe “unfamiliar rites” in the highest Lodge circles.

Good Works and Bad Optics

Publicly, the UB dismisses the allegations as “fiction born of fear” and points to its decades of proven humanitarian work. And they’re not wrong: in New York’s South Bronx, Brotherhood kitchens keep hundreds of families fed daily. In Detroit, UB-funded job training centers have placed thousands in stable work. In Philadelphia, they have single-handedly rebuilt entire housing blocks.

But optics matter. Even the perception of secret agendas threatens the UB’s hard-won rehabilitation. The older scandals—disappearances in the 2050s, covert research in the 2060s—are still alive in public memory, especially among older generations.

The Arcane Underlayer

Investigators, former members, and a handful of arcane scholars quietly note that the UB has never abandoned its interest in obscure magical research. Only the highest Lodge tiers are privy to these activities, which vary widely by region. In California, UB scholars reportedly study astral harmonics. In South America, they explore pre-Columbian ritual magic. In the Northeast, if the rumors are true, they are dealing with something older, deeper—and far less understood.

It’s worth noting: none of these claims have been substantiated by hard evidence. The Brotherhood’s centralized leadership denies any connection between charitable operations and magical research, insisting such work is “academic only” and “entirely legal.”

An Organization Too Big to Fail?

With its vast membership, deep pockets, and global reach, the UB can weather scandals that would destroy smaller organizations. Even if a Northeastern Lodge were caught dabbling in something dangerous, it’s doubtful the average Brother or Sister running a soup kitchen in Tacoma or Chicago would even know about it.

Yet history has taught us that in the Universal Brotherhood, the line between benevolent charity and hidden agenda can be razor-thin.

For now, the streets remain full of UB volunteers handing out blankets to the homeless, and Lodge members in gleaming halls discussing philosophy over tea. Whether those same halls also echo with the whispers of darker matters is a question no one—outside the inner circle—can answer.

Sidebar: Matrix Buzz

#Velaxas — “You don’t want to know what it is. They don’t either.” — @ColdStorageTruth, ShadowSEA node, Sept 8
#HaloEffect — “Halo’s tour hits Philly and suddenly the UB is pulling old books out of the cellar. Coincidence?” — @SleeplessInBoston, JackPoint, Sept 10
#GuardiansOrCultists — “They’ve been ‘guarding’ it for centuries. Guardians are just the first to fall.” — @DeadLetters, Black BBS, Sept 12
#CharityOrCover — “Soup kitchens in front. Summoning circles in the back. Same as it ever was.” — @TruthByte, ShadowSEA, Sept 13

Seattle News Net – Evening Edition

Broadcast Date: September 14, 2097
Segment Title: Universal Brotherhood: Light in the Streets, Shadows in the Lodge
Length: ~2 minutes

[Opening shot: Montage of smiling UB volunteers handing out meals, children playing in UB community centers, and gleaming Lodge buildings.]

Anchor (on-camera):
"Good evening. Tonight, we take a closer look at the Universal Brotherhood—an organization with over a hundred million members worldwide and a reputation for charity, community, and personal growth.

But behind the soup kitchens and self-help programs, some say a shadow still lingers."

[Cut to: Archival footage of UB Steps seminars, people clapping, inspirational slogans on screens.]

Anchor (voiceover):
"Founded in the late 2040s, the Brotherhood combines a self-improvement philosophy with large-scale humanitarian outreach. Their Steps program has changed lives. Their shelters feed thousands every day. Their Lodges connect politicians, business leaders, and celebrities in what the UB calls a fellowship of enlightenment."

[Cut to: Graphics of a map of North America, highlighting the Northeastern UB territory.]

Anchor (voiceover):
"But in recent months, the Northeastern chapter has faced whispers—spread through the Matrix—of secret rites.

Some claim the Lodge there has been 'guarding a door that should never be opened.' Others… say they’re trying to open it."

[Cut to: Grainy Matrix-style screenshots of posts with usernames blurred, quotes on-screen.]

On-screen quotes:

‘Guardians are just the first to fall.’ — @DeadLetters
‘Soup kitchens in front. Summoning circles in the back.’ — @TruthByte

Anchor (on-camera):
"Seattle News Net has found no verified evidence linking the Brotherhood to anything illegal. And their good works are undeniable—from rebuilding neighborhoods in Detroit to funding schools in New York.

But the Brotherhood has a long history… and not all of it is clean. In past decades, investigations uncovered secretive research, missing members, and arcane experiments—scandals the UB insists are long behind them."

[Cut to: Side-by-side split screen – left: UB volunteers serving food, right: shadowy Lodge hall interior.]

Anchor (voiceover):
"With their size, influence, and resources, the Universal Brotherhood may be too big to fail. But in an organization this vast, what happens in the highest Lodges can stay hidden from the rank and file for years."

Anchor (on-camera, closing line):
"For now, the streets still see warm meals and open doors. Whether the inner halls echo with the dark whispers—only the Brotherhood knows.

Tara Quinn, Seattle News Net."

Matrix Reaction – Thread Extracts

[Thread: #UBSeattle]
@ColdStorageTruth — "Northeastern UB? Figures. That branch is the oldest. If there’s an ancient monster under the bed, those guys probably built the bed."
@BlackSnowCrash — "Hold up—why the Northeast? If you want creepy Brotherhood stuff, you go to Seattle. Mount fraggin’ Rainier. That place is a nightmare in waiting."
@KantStop — "Wrong decade, chummer. Seattle Lodge got ‘restructured’ after the ‘incident.’ Official story says financial mismanagement. Unofficial story says spirits. Or maybe they were too clean for their own good."
@DocksideSaint — "Clean? Nah. They cut a deal. You don’t get to keep the real estate unless you play nice with the locals. And in Seattle, the locals aren't very nice.

[Thread: #GuardiansOrCultists]
@TheVelvetPawn — "If they’re guarding it, they’ll fail. If they’re waking it, we’ll all fail. Pick your apocalypse flavor."
@RedactedRumors — "Heard it’s an old UB project—Arcana 9 or something—meant to harness ‘deep-entity energy.’ Sounds like a trid, but so did half the drek we’ve seen in ‘97."
@Polyphage — "Nah, it's a person. Or was. Or will be. Time’s funny when you’re dealing with lodge-level mojo."

[Thread: UB Northeast – Too Big to Fail?]
@SnafuBlues — "Look, I hate the Brotherhood as much as the next sane human, but they do keep people fed. If they’re up to something shady in Boston or Philly, the rest of the chain probably has no fragging clue."
@SleeplessInBoston — "Sure, but that’s how you run an op. One cell cooks soup, another summons demons, and they both think the other’s doing the same thing."
@RustedHalo — "It isn’t demons. It’s older. Think deep ocean, but in the astral. And the NE Lodge found a way to talk to it."

[Thread: Remember the Purge?]
@GutteredLight — "Seattle Lodge got nuked in ‘93, remember? Official statement was ‘internal corruption’ and ‘alignment with criminal elements.’ Translation: they pissed off the wrong people."
@Inkline — "Or they went too far with their pet projects under Rainier. Rumor says they cracked open something they couldn’t put back. That’s why the new Lodge in Seattle is just charity and job training—public-facing, no deep lodge."
@ByteRiot — "If the NE Lodge is digging where they shouldn’t, maybe they didn’t learn the lesson from Seattle. Or maybe… it’s all the same project, just moved east."

Seattle News Net — Special Feature: Halo Tour Leaving Chaos

Title: From Chicago to Denver: Is the Halo Tour Leaving Chaos in Its Wake?

Byline: Jordan Reyes, Culture & Crisis Desk

Dateline: Denver, PCC — September 17, 2097

Chicago’s Halo concert earlier this month should have been remembered for its cutting-edge stagecraft and record-breaking live attendance. Instead, insiders describe it as “a disaster narrowly averted” — though you won’t find that in the official feed archives.

Multiple independent sources — including emergency medtechs, freelance mages, and concert staff — confirm:

Astral Incursion: During the public show, dozens of attendees became suddenly possessed by hostile entities. Several attacked fellow concert-goers, staff, and even Halo herself.
Magical Storm: At the intimate lakeside performance the next night, a massive magical tempest — purple lightning and all — formed over Lake Michigan, only to dissipate mid-show. Some claim Halo dispelled it herself.

If that wasn’t strange enough, maritime cargo trackers have noted unusual readings on the Great Lakes since the concert, with multiple vessels reporting sightings of “an immense, storm-wreathed shape beneath the waves.” Sources in Manila whisper the name Atlacoatl — the so-called Storm God — last seen in the Philippine archipelago.

And now? Riots in Denver.
On the eve of Halo’s latest performance, street unrest has broken out across the city, accompanied by fresh reports of spirit incursions — a different astral signature from Chicago, but no less dangerous.

Officials dismiss the connection, but the pattern is hard to ignore:
Philippines. Cairo. Chicago. Denver.
Magical anomalies, public unrest, and political instability — all following the same global tour.

So is Halo bringing the chaos?
Or is she the only thing keeping it from consuming us?

Matrix Buzz — Thread Snippets Following SNN’s “Storms, Spirits, and a Sprawl on Edge”

@LakeWatcher: Spirits loose on the Great Lakes, riots in Denver, astral anomalies in Chicago… all within two weeks? Yeah, that’s not “coincidence.” That’s a pattern.

@FaithfulFrame: And the pattern’s got a name — heard it from a UB contact: Vaxas. They say their order’s been guarding the world from it since before history had dates.

@SmashCache: Oh, here we go. The guardian cult myth. Pretty story until you realize it’s the same cult that’s been linked to blood magic blacksites and mindwipe “retreat centers.”

@PikeSpike: You’ve got it backward. The Brotherhood’s not guarding this thing — they’re trying to wake it. Whisper campaign’s been running for years, ever since the early technomancy experiments. Same word kept turning up in the data: Vel-axas or taxas-axas or something like that.

@Bleedline: Doesn’t matter which story’s true — if the name’s leaking into public chatter, someone wants it out there. And someone else is going to bleed for it.

@FogLurker: Or maybe we’re just feeding the legend for free. That’s how it gets strong enough to break loose. That’s how they’ll tell it anyway… after the fact.

Seattle NewsNet — Special Feature: What’s Really Happening at Rainier?

Title: Shadows Over the Mountain: What’s Really Happening at Rainier?

Byline: Kara Dempsey, Senior Investigations Correspondent

Dateline: Seattle Metroplex — September 19, 2097

In a quiet but unmistakable move, the UCAS Federal Land Office has confirmed the leasing of nearly 1,200 square kilometers of Mount Rainier National Park to a newly-formed “security cooperative” led by Aztechnology.

The lease term? Ninety-nine years.
The details? Sealed under corporate privilege.

Through a combination of satellite imagery, on-the-ground reporting, and leaks from inside the Department of the Interior, Seattle News Net can confirm:

Joint Operations: The cooperative includes Saeder-Krupp, Vivekan Federation security firms, Tir Tairngire magical consultants, and several First Nations paramilitary contractors.
Obsidimen Sightings: Multiple witnesses describe towering, stone-skinned humanoids patrolling newly-erected perimeter fences.
Mage Recruitment: Classified recruitment drives for “Class-A magical personnel” have spiked in Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver over the past month.

The UCAS Government insists this is “routine private leasing of underutilized federal land.” But why lease a dormant volcano to a consortium of the most secretive megacorps on the planet? And why now, in the wake of an uptick in seismic activity in the region?

Seismologists note the mountain has registered a dozen deep tremors in the past 60 days — more than in the previous decade. Official agencies call it “minor magma movement,” but other sources speak of something stirring deep underground.

The last time Rainier erupted, in 2078, Seattle was spared the worst. But whatever this project is — and whoever it’s meant to keep out — it’s clear Rainier is no longer just a national park.

Matrix Buzz — Thread Snippets Following SNN’s “Shadows Over the Mountain”

@GeoHack: Ninety-nine years? That’s a land grab, chummers, not a lease. You don’t dig in for a century unless you’re hiding something that’s already there.

@BasiliskBoi: Heard from a cousin in Tacoma Port Authority — Aztech’s been unloading “geo-containment modules” the size of arcology cores. Whatever’s under Rainier, they’re building the cage first.

@GhostChord: And yet we’re all ignoring the whisper-name going around: the Devourer. No one will say what it is, just that it’s “older than the first sunrise” and “hungry.”

@StaticRitual: I dug through some internal field from our feathered friends, and they have a name for it, something they tried to redact, but it seems like it's “Vel-ax-something.”

@SoftSignal: Funny how that name popped up right after Halo did Berlin. Coincidence? I think not.

@GraveLight: Keep digging, and you’ll wind up under that mountain too. Mark my words.

OPINION: The Halo Tour Was Never Just a Tour

By Dr. Selene Hartmann, Senior Fellow, Global Media Economics Institute

The narrative in the mainstream is that the Halo “Darklight” World Tour is a once-in-a-generation artistic phenomenon — a perfect storm of talent, technology, and timing. That may be true in part. But any seasoned observer of the media economy should see a deeper truth: this was no organic explosion of cultural relevance.

The proof lies in the infrastructure. The kind of sponsorship latticework Halo’s tour operates on does not appear overnight. It is a pre-built, highly optimized revenue architecture — something that takes years to assemble — suddenly revealed in full form the moment the tour began to crest. Every step since has been about cashing in.

The Asia-Pacific, India, and Egypt legs? They weren’t the payoff. They were the hype cycle, carefully curated to feed the legend, build irresistible momentum, and drive scarcity. The European and North American legs are the harvest — where scarcity becomes premium access, premium access becomes a subscription model, and every replay, merch drop, and “limited” VR experience is part of an integrated monetization cascade.

Yes, concurrent viewers are down from the 1+ billion highs. But revenue per viewer is up. Way up. By some estimates, return on investment is already in triple digits, a figure more commonly associated with speculative finance bubbles than entertainment events. The parallels to a Ponzi scheme are hard to ignore: early spectacle drawing in mass attention, late-stage capitalization drawing in cash — the difference being that this time, there’s no collapse on the horizon for the organizers.

Because when the music stops, Aztechnology won’t be left holding the bag. They’ve already been paid. It’s the sponsors, the second-tier investors, and — inevitably — the fans who will cover the bill.

The artistry may be real. The resonance of Halo’s performance may be genuine. But the business model is as manufactured, calculated, and deliberate as anything the megas have ever sold us.

#Thread // HALO TOUR HIT PIECE — Dr. Selene Hartmann is FULL OF DREK

@TrueLight777: Oh, frag off, Hartmann. You wouldn’t know art if it Resonance-pulsed you in the skull. Halo’s shows feel real because they ARE. You think corporate scaffolding makes you cry in your seat? No. That’s Halo.

@Ch33pThr1ll: lmao “Ponzi scheme high” — lady, every blockbuster ever made is structured like this. Get over it. At least this one’s got good music.

@ex_arkhan: This is the first piece that actually makes sense. Y’all are blinded by the lights and VR overlays. The “Asia hype / Euro cash-out” theory checks out. Go look at the sponsorship roster changes after Cairo. It’s all corpo whales now.

@Bleeding_Heart_Bandit: Who cares if the corps are making money? I’m making money scalping intimate tickets. Long live the goose.

@ghostnode92: The “built overnight” angle is dumb. Skyway Elite has been grooming Halo for YEARS. The moment she went public, the machine was ready. Doesn’t mean the art isn’t hers.

@FragYouPayMe: ROI triple digits? Sounds like she should be running Aztechnology, not singing for them.

@pureSynapse: If you think the tour is “fake,” try being in the simsense feed during the Chicago storm or the Giza show. You can’t fake that. Not even Aztechnology has tech for that.

@NoiseJunkie: Hartmann’s just bitter she didn’t get comped VIP. You can smell it between the lines.

@Orchid_Prophet: Mark my words: when this thing winds down, there’s gonna be a massive write-off somewhere. Probably some shell corp in Lagos takes the fall, and everyone else walks away rich.

@Br1xSh1fter: Imagine writing “the music is real” like it’s some shocking twist. No drek, Selene. Welcome to the party.

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