Berlin Guild
Those who answer to neither bloc
The Berlin Guild provides clandestine access to the Dead Zone, commissions expeditions to recover resources and information, and uses the irradiated territory to smuggle goods between the two major blocs. Its operations supply clients on both sides with technology and provisions from the rival bloc.
Smuggling between the blocs
The Dead Zone offers ideal territory for trafficking materials whose movement the Hyperpowers control. The Guild brings in mini-Cores, tungsten injections, and Vol’framin equipment for clients in the Blue Bloc. In the opposite direction, it traffics EVERYMAN Capsules to clients in the Red Bloc.
Its routes in and out cross territory that is sealed off and kept under surveillance. Smugglers share this clandestine access with expeditions exploring the ruins and recovering materials from within.
Exploration and recovery
The Dead Zone’s isolation has not diminished interest in what it contains. Its radioactive anomalies and materials, particularly the so-called “Core stones,” attract buyers willing to pay large sums for their recovery. The Guild hires explorers to obtain these resources and information, supplying them with radiation protection equipment from the black market.
The rewards are high, reflecting the danger of the assignments. A successful expedition can make a fortune for those who return. Occasionally, the Guild also accepts contracts to hunt the Dead Zone’s “natural” mutants.
The Living Dead
Explorers who venture into the Dead Zone are known as the Living Dead: Lebende Tote in German and Zhivyye Mertvetsy in Russian.
The Guild hires these explorers, although the name also covers those who work independently or for other interests. They include agents sent by the powers, journalists investigating the Hyperpowers’ clandestine activities, and residents of the Dead Zone itself seeking the resources they need to survive.
Operating conditions
Containment walls and patrols from the United Nations and the IURR make access difficult. Inside, contamination is uneven: passable routes and buildings that can be explored for limited periods exist alongside hot spots where exposure is far more dangerous.
Contaminated dust, water, food, and materials make every stay a cumulative risk. Anomalous weather, mutants, and security forces add to the danger. Expeditions require specialized equipment, knowledge of the routes, and strict exposure limits.