Lincoln Academy History...

The Lincoln Academy History – The Last 10 Years
The information below is an excerpt from the Player's Handbook.

2002
Agency Technical Research successfully completed the required BMA health trials on their proposed Cybernetic Implants. Following legal approval, mass production of the implants was begun and they were issued to key personnel. Special Branch was formed from these personnel.

B.A.M (Britain Against Mutants) assassinated Terry Stone, the first Supernormal Police Officer. This was a sad day for the Agency, as well as those who knew Terry. Archer Lincoln attended the funeral, and an attempt to “retire” him was made. Special Agent Wildcard, aged 21, prevented this attempt, eliminated the sniper, but was seriously injured in the process.

2003
Known as The Agency, more than 10,000 people had, this year, entered Floral Mansion’s doors and received training. Out of these, a mere 500 decided to stay with The Agency. Various missions were begun and completed successfully. However, The Agency became very public knowledge, not a turn of events that Archer Lincoln took pleasure in. Due to all the stress of the situation, Archer Lincoln suffered a heart attack and stroke simultaneously. He was saved by one of his agents but required the help of a well-known physical and psychic healer to aid his recuperation.

The Alpha Laser was finalised and put into production. The TANK Project was launched by Weapons Branch and ended in dismal failure.

Powers Division was formed in the latter part of the year and Special Agent Gideon was promoted to Assistant Director to head Powers Division.

Assistant Director Luridan (Head of Tech Research) was discovered to be a traitor. Luridan had used the TANK Project to aid his takeover bid for the Agency. Special Agent Phoenix, and Agents Wraith, Shadow, and Scaredycat were instrumental in terminating Luridan. Luridan was succeeded by Gremlin.

The rogue talent assassin named Sullivan, a man gifted with extraordinary psychic powers rivalling Archer Lincoln, was taken into Agency custody.

2004
Fully recovered from his near fatal experience, Archer Lincoln returned to Parliament to secure his next year’s Government funding. By this time, the Agency was under heavy scrutiny from the outside, as well as the inside by Powers Division. Great enmity started to show between Special Branch and Powers Division, and their operatives seemed at times to be working against each other. The Agency seemed to be on the verge of self-destruction as the two “elite” branches collided. Assistant Director Strife stepped into the middle of the fray and disabled 200 Powers Division agents single-handedly using non-lethal force. With their numbers severely depleted, Powers Division broke away from the Agency mainstream and set their headquarters on an abandoned island. Unsurprisingly, tensions between Special Branch and Powers Division eased significantly as a direct result.

2005
B.A.M came to Parliament to protest at the rights given to “talented” people, especially the Agency Personnel. Their protest was heard out, but largely ignored. B.A.M renewed their attacks on Supernormals and the whole matter escalated out of control. Parliament demanded that The Agency intervene. Archer Lincoln recalled every Special Branch Agent from their deep-cover assignments to end the threat. Special Branch operatives were outfitted with the best protective gear possible and, all equipped with Alpha Lasers, they went into Birmingham, where the B.A.M headquarters was located, in force to police the situation. The situation escalated further and there were phenomenal casualties on both sides. The head of B.A.M (Alex Currant) was captured and put to civilian trial in the high courts. He was tried, found guilty and is currently serving 23 consecutive life sentences in a Maximum Security Prison at an undisclosed location. Special Agent Wildcard was found close to death by Assistant Director Gideon, and was taken involuntarily into Powers Division custody. He emerged two weeks later with not a visible trace of a wound but a foul disposition.

2006
The UK began to settle after the trial of Alex Currant and more rights were given to Supernormal citizens. Sadly, Archer Lincoln died peacefully in his sleep on the 30th September, aged 86. The day was marked as an official day of mourning by all Agency personnel. Assistant Director Strife succeeded Archer Lincoln as Director of Operations, a duty he took on with the greatest respect for his predecessor. Strife was, himself, succeeded by Special Agent Spectre, the third most decorated agent in Special Branch. Director Strife put a vote to the council and from 14th October, the Agency became known as The Lincoln Academy in honour of its founder.

The first Supernormal Serial Killer was reported in New York. The killer was eventually terminated in a shootout with the New York Police Department S.W.A.T team. The newly renamed Academy speeds up the reorganisation of its recruitment policy after Lincoln’s death as this incident brings to light how involved he was with recruitment, coupled with the fact that the killer was an unregistered talent.

Powers Division launched a full investigation into the circumstances of Archer Lincoln’s death, and they were given great leeway due to the close relationship Assistant Director Gideon had shared with the late Director of Operations. Eventually, however, their findings were the same as Medical Branch.

2007
Special Agent Wildcard’s disposition failed to improve with the passing of 2 new years. He was again taken, against his will, by Powers Division operatives. This was only brought to light when Security Branch found 10 corpses belonging to Powers Division agents. Director Strife demanded an explanation from Assistant Director Gideon, who was unable to offer one as he had no knowledge of what the agents concerned had been doing. He did, however, shake Powers Division to the ground, ascertaining the culprits and delivering Special Agent Wildcard into the hands of Medical Branch. The agents concerned were put to trial by the council, with the investigation and subsequent hearings being conducted by Agent Dark, a lowly Field Agent. It was Strife’s idea to do this as he could not be guaranteed to be impartial due to his previous links with Special Branch. Special Agent Wildcard was rendered completely blind due to the actions of Powers Division, a fact that Gideon attempted to make right by offering training to Wildcard in the use of his powers to overcome his handicap. It is still unknown whether Wildcard took this offer.

In response to the serial killer incident in 2006, America opens up its own government sponsored Training Academy for Supernormal talents. A small number of Lincoln Academy personnel, torn between their loyalty to the academy and loyalty to their native land, resign and join the American academy.

Over the course of the year, there were a series of (mostly) successful assassination attempts against Agents who used their talents openly while on missions.

2008
Powers Division were officially suspended until Strife could launch a formal hearing due to the events of the past year. The council voted, unanimously, to revoke the current Powers Division charter and re-write it, renaming them Powers Training Branch in the process. Assistant Director Gideon still headed the Branch and discharged his duties with the utmost fidelity. Several members requested immediate transfer to Special Branch, requests that were denied. These agents then chose to retire from the Lincoln Academy. Special Branch were, once again, the elite.

A further 5,000 Supernormals emerged and sought training from the academy. From their number, half decided to join, and the academy’s ranks were swelled.

Field Agents trace the assassination attempts of the previous year to a group of religious fanatics who believe powers are the gifts of the devil. The arrest of the ringleaders brings a halt to the attacks but evidence is found that suggests other such groups exist.

2009
The first war involving talented people occurred in the Former Soviet Republics. While the details are kept classified, it is revealed that only a handful of talented individuals were actually involved. B.A.M and other like-minded groups lobby for an international register (or internment) of all people who display powers. Director Strife vehemently protests the request and the motion is over-ruled at this time but taken under advisement for the future.

2010
Rumours stated that one of the Academy Council members collapsed with what appeared to be an epileptic fit. An extensive combined Medical and Powers Training Brach investigation revealed that the individual’s genetic structure had become gradually unstable. Direct findings concluded that this could, and most likely would, affect all who over-exerted their powers. This condition was named The Logan Effect.

First Supernormal MP was elected in a by-election. Mr Oliver Terrence, a Liberal Democrat representative, underwent rigorous Physical and Psychological screening to confirm his suitability and, after establishing his power could not affect those around him in a distasteful manner, he was allowed to stand for election.

2011
Experimental gene-therapy is developed to stabilise the genetic structure of those displaying signs of The Logan Effect. However, the procedure is not without a side effect, which is described as a reduction in the overall potency of a person’s powers. A major outcry by those displaying The Logan Effect forces Medical Branch to return to working on the cure with an aim to eliminating the side effect. They still work on it to this day.

A Supernormal is found displaying the same neural patterns as Archer Lincoln. After extensive research, because of the similarities and wishful thinking that Archer Lincoln had somehow “came back”, it is realised that the patterns are a hoax and have been deliberately engineered as an attempt to subvert the Academy by a rival organisation.

2012
The current game year, history will now write itself.