Bertha Schwarzenberg Musical Conservatory
A music school recently opened in Berlin by Baroness Wilhelmina Schwarzenberg. Named after her deceased mother, this music school built on Schwarzenberg property in Berlin. Although only opening its doors in 1938, it has already become on of the top music schools in Europe attracting the best teachers and students to its state of the art facilities and large concert hall. The Baroness was an active member of the school’s administration until her father was killed by a Tower attack in September 1939. Since that time she has virtually disappeared from campus. While some students speculate she is deeply shaken by her father’s death and in mourning, there are growing rumors that she has inherited a secret military project. Reports of strange noises and the constant stream of limousines and trucks at all hours of the day to the main mansion has not done anything to quiet these rumors.
German Union
A confederation of German states. In recent years the different countries within the German Union have been integrating their economic and military ministries and policies, although each state retains a distinct culture and local laws. The three top states of the German Union are Prussia, Bavaria and Austria.
League of Nations/League of Humanity
Founded in 1927 in the aftermath of the destructive Russian Civil War, the League of Nations was formed with the goal of managing international conflicts and preventing civil wars becoming international ones. With the war between the German Union and the aliens of the Tower, the League has unanimously rallied behind the German Union, going as far as renaming itself the League of Humanity. The Supreme Council consists of The United Kingdom, France (seat currently contested), German Union and the League of the Rising Sun.
MUSE Consortium
A group of companies/governments lined up by the Schwarzenberg Group to fund and build MUSE weapons. The companies involved include Messerschmitt, Lockheed, Supermarine Aviation, Nakajima, the USP Yakolev OKB, Curtiss and Fiat. After the first working prototype Me LR 100A was demonstrated, other companies also began submitting bids to the consortium.
Schwarzenberg Group
Founded by the Schwarzenberg family in 1824, this East Prussian Junker family was considered very progressive, selling much of their land and investing this money into the first and second waves of Prussian industrialization. The Schwarzenberg Group focused on steel, petrochemicals and heavy industry. Now the Schwarzenberg Group is one of the leading industrial combines in the German Union, with subsidiaries across Europa. With the death of Baron Frederick Schwarzenberg due to a Tower attack, his son Edwin Schwarzenberg, has taken over. Edwin has insisted that the title of Baron go to his older sister, Wilhelmina, as this is apparently something that was outlined in Frederick Schwarzenberg’s will.
Tower/Tower Forces
The name given to alien forces which have landed in eastern Prussia. They derive their name from the giant Tower that they planted overnight that runs from the surface into the sky. No humans have been able to return with information on the zone immediately surrounding the base of the Tower since its arrival in 01 September 1939, and all communication with people in the region has been completely cut off. The Tower has remained rather silent. An initial scouting force sent immediately after the Tower landed was destroyed on 02 September 1939. The first offensive against the Tower on 23 September 1939 was also destroyed. During the 23 September 1939 offensive, the Tower also launched simultaneous attacks against Berlin and Peenemunde. Since that time, any airborne or ground forces approaching the Tower area have been quickly annihilated by mechanical ground forces and mysterious propellerless aircraft.
