#LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA - TULIP TREE - TULPENBAUM - ANTHESIS

I am in no way, shape, or form an artist BUT i do love anthesis A LOT and so ahem i did this

(I know he's supposed to be wearing black but hey laundry day or whatever. Also he looks sad™️ because reader has been distant lately, not because i can't draw ok.)

📢i need everyone to go and read this fic because it has taken ahold of my sanity and won't give it back to me, i won't suffer on my own📢

The Empowered Creation Event, also known as the Crisis, was an event that occurred in early 2018. Humans across the world suddenly found themselves with superpowers. This led to a global rebellion against traditional governments, using the newfound powers as a way to counter militaries and police forces.

The Estimated Territories of Each American Territory during the Crisis.This graphic is a rough estimation.

To date, only the United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Ethiopia, Germany, China, and Australia are in control of their original territories. Saudi Arabia, and Scandinavia dissolved entirely, being replaced by either a new government or warmongering states. Russia controls a fraction of it’s land, with the remainder being controlled by a Siberian warlord.

In the United States, an estimated 15% of the population are Empowered, though only 10% are registered in the Empowered Personnel System . This number was decided among think tanks, accounting for similar population densities in other countries. Of that amount, about 2% were responsible for the warlord states, operating as leadership or militia forces.

The rapid formation of the Parahuman Soldiers, founded by Artur Stonewall in New York, gave the United States the manpower it needed to retake its former territory by the beginning of the next year.

Territories

-United States

The United States government, caught off guard by the Crisis, was able to maintain control of all territory from Maryland up to Maine. Within two months of the Warlord period, the US Army began testing the Parahuman Soldiers, using government aligned Empowered (Via military, police force, or general patriotism) as a counter force to the Warlords.

-The Neo Confederacy (Colloquially the Mississippi Khans)

The first “Warlord” group to rebel, prompted by a Black senator being killed in an Empowered attack. Following this, multiple other politicians were attacked and executed by a radical group, who then took control. Their territory covered North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

-New Vegas

Mob bosses within the Western hemisphere quickly took control, utilizing Empowered force and gambling debts to create a fighting force. The area was lauded as a safe haven for Empowered, who were welcomed indiscriminately provided they provided their services. Territory included Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Montana, and everything West of those states.

-Farmer’s Alliance (Colloquially Oz)

Due to the already sparse population density, the number of known Empowered in the region was low. Following the Crisis, many Empowered fled to The Midwest Alliance was created by a union of Unempowered farmers and hunters, citing claims against both New Vegas and the United States government. The territory included Dakota (Formerly North Dakota and South Dakota), Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota.

-The Northern Group (Colloquially, the Windies)

Local gangs were joined into one army, under the command of Antony “Windy” Lawrence. Though his power is unknown, it is believed that he had some form of mind control power. The gangs spread out, becoming the local police force in the area. Unempowered were forbidden from leaving their cities, and made to work manual labor. The territory included Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

-Republic of Texas

Immediately following the creation of the Midwest Alliance, the Republic of Texas claimed independence from the United States.This new nation was the last one to be reclaimed; following the fall of the Northern Group, Texas made an alliance with Mexico, becoming a vassal of the nation in exchange for protection and resources.

-Lost Territories

Due to their distance away from the Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii were taken by foreign nations. Alaska was taken by Siberia (Formerly Russia), Hawaii by China. Their distance, along with continued unrest within the continental states, has made recapture a low priority. Representatives of the government claim plans for recapture, but have noted worries of war with neighboring countries.

Timeline

January 1, 2018-People across the globe begin developing powers. These powers vary in strength, range, and effects. Government and Media Organizations label those people as “Empowered”.

January 15, 2018- The CDC and WHO label the sudden appearance of powers as a possible pandemic. Citizens are urged to isolate themselves from people who display powers, leading to a wave of unemployment of Empowered people due to the lack of a protective class status.

January 22, 2018-Prompted by a sudden spike of crime, the US Congress passes the Limitation of Powers Act, which makes the unauthorized usage of powers a felony. Additionally, this act creates the Empowered Personnel System, a list that all Empowered are legally required to register to on the first sign of superpowers.

February 7, 2018- The President of Russia is assassinated by an Empowered. That same day, an empowered man in Tupelo, MS, inspired by this event, attacks and kills a local State Senator.

February 12, 2018- A registered hate group, known as the Mississippi Khans, take over the Mississippi State Capitol, claiming secession from the United States. Armed service members are called back to the United States. On arrival, many eventually defect or go missing.

February 13, 2018-Riots begin within the Southern United States. The National Guard is deployed to Atlanta, Birmingham, and Tupelo, but are routed by Empowered Militia operating under the Mississippi Khans. Their leader, Jeffery Palmer, officially claims Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia as territory of the Neo Confederacy. Politicians and unempowered citizens flee the region.

February 22, 2018-In an unseen assault, multiple members of the United States Armed Forces defect, attempting to take control of the available weapons and vehicles. The attack fails, and the remaining members of the coup flee throughout the country. Many leave for the Neo Confederacy.

March 15, 2018- A coalition of gangs working under Antony Lawrence launches a sudden invasion based out of Chicago, Illinois. Damage done by the Assault of the Mississippi Khans prevents the National Guard from properly mobilizing. The coalition, under the name of the Northern Group, launched a sudden invasion of neighboring states.

April 8, 2018-The Northern Group officially stops their invasion after taking Virginia. In response, important members of the federal government flee to New York, establishing it as an emergency Capitol. Martial Law is declared within the remaining territories under US control. Congress labels all of the rebelling territories as enemy nations, and declares war. That same day, Command Sergeant Major Artur Stonewall receives the green light to begin a program for training Empowered humans.

April 9, 2018- The United States Congress unanimously votes to give President Maxwell Harrington emergency powers to deal with the situation, dubbed by historians as the Crisis. He declares martial law across all US territories along with dubbing any defectors as enemy territories. The Armed Forces are restructured into the United States First National Guard.

April 15, 2018- Mafia bosses who fled to Las Vegas, Nevada, initiate a hostile takeover of the city. Utilizing their manpower, connections, and powers, New Vegas is established, claiming dominion of a large portion of the Western United States. A broadcast is sent out to the rest of the nation, offering shelter for all Empowered in exchange for their labor.

May 3, 2018- Stonewall begins training the first class of Empowered soldiers, later dubbed Parahumans, in the Empowered Training Facility in Trenton, New Jersey. The Prepared Parahuman Program utilized an Empowered person’s instinctual ability to use their powers to provide an accelerated training. Leader Lawrence calls for a fortification of the Northern Border.

May 5, 2018-Due to a lack of effective oversight in the area, the National Guard successfully secures Virginia and West Virginia from the Northern Group. The first recorded assassination attempt on President Harrington’s life was thwarted by an unknown empowered. From then, an estimated two assassins each have allegedly been caught, tried, and executed by the CIA each month.

June 3, 2018- The first graduates of the Prepared Parahumans Program are deployed to Warden, Virginia in an attempt to rout an invading Neo Confederate platoon. The battle goes in favor of the Parahumans, who manage to force the platoon out of the Virginia border. The invading force, which was composed of the Neo-Confederacy’s strongest parahumans, retreated to Tallahassee due to their massive casualties and a misfire of a teleport ability.

July 4, 2018- The second class of Parahumans are sent to New Vegas, using the territory’s Empowered friendly policy to infiltrate the enemy. At the same time, a demonstration in Atlanta led to a large fire that decimated a majority of the Neo Confederacy’s supply of rations.

July 25, 2018- Major leaders of New Vegas are assassinated during a strategy meeting. The offending parahumans are apprehended, and held hostage. The second in commands immediately declare an invasion of the Farmers’ Alliance, citing a food crisis as the motive.

August 1, 2018-Citizens of the Neo Confederacy, both Empowered and Unempowered, riot following a revelation that the Khans were hoarding food and medicine. Many of the rebelling faction’s officers, including the President, Secretary, and Head Judge, are decapitated in a public execution.

August 15, 2018-The New Vegas Militia successfully capture a major farm in the territory of the Farmers’ Alliance. Despite a lack of an official surrender, the group claims control of the territory.

August 16, 2018- Neo-Confederate Vice President Humphrey Hitchcock surrenders at the border of Virginia. He provides key information about the Neo-Confederacy’s military in exchange for immunity. His safehouse in Maine is later destroyed in a claimed freak Empowered accident.

September 22, 2018-A group of unempowered within Chicago successfully manage to capture the main headquarters of the Northern Group, where leader Antony Lawrence is captured and executed. Using weapons found in the headquarters, the group manages to force a retreat of many Empowered soldiers of the faction, who flees to the Neo Confederacy and New Vegas. The First National Guard successfully annexes the territory, where a new base of operations and Parahuman training facility is established in Lexington, Kentucky.

October 30, 2018-A team of 50 parahuman soldiers Invade Tennessee from Lexington. With a strategy of killing every citizen, the state is captured by the team in two days.

January 2, 2019- The first recorded Empowered with Nation Level powers, Coraline Daniels, uses her power FIREBALL on the still independent Texas.75% of the population, including about 10 miles of neighboring Mexico, are completely destroyed. New Vegas and the remnants of the Farmers’ Alliance officially surrender later that day.

The Second Reconstruction

Following the surrender of New Vegas, the National Guard was deployed to every major city center in the country. All active Parahumans were called back to New York for additional training. In April of 2019, all remaining police forces, along with the Prepared Parahumans Program, were merged into the National Guard.

Due to outstanding service, Director Stonewall created the Warden Elite Team, consisting of high performing Parahumans within New York and Washington DC. These teams were designed to be extremely competitive, with the worst performing member demoted to Parahuman at the beginning of each month. Additionally, the Sovereign Guardians were also created, composed of ten Parahumans with nation level powers.

President Harrington, during his 2019 State of the Union speech, requested for his emergency powers granted to him by Congress to be kept, citing foreign enemies and possible sedition from disgruntled politicians. That week, a majority vote by Congress approved his request for another year. Since then, Congress has approved the retaining of President Harrington’s emergency every year since, along with a suspension of presidential elections and term limits.

The establishment of the Seer Department, spearheaded by the Original Seer, created a system of surveillance throughout the United States. Utilizing Empowered with temporal and spatial observation powers, the Prepared Parahuman Program created buildings known as Superhuman Oversight Bureaus in major city centers, as both a way to keep an eye on criminals, and serve as bases for Parahumans and Wardens

Within the first few months of 2020, President Harrington created new classifications, vigilantes and villains. Vigilantes, by definition, were known as Empowered who attempted to take the law into their own hands. Vigilantes apprehended by the police or Parahumans, were sentenced to life imprisonment without a trial. Villains, by definition, were regular criminals who used their powers to commit crimes that were not classified as vigilantism.

Complaints and Criticisms

One of the key issues during the Crisis was the role of the Empowered Personnel System established by the Limitation of Powers Act. While the system aimed to regulate and monitor Empowered individuals for security purposes, it also led to discrimination and stigmatization against those who were Empowered. Many Empowered individuals were given a status below that of a protective class, leading to widespread unemployment and isolation.

The use of Parahuman Soldiers, trained Empowered individuals working for the government, was also a topic of contention. The establishment of the Prepared Parahumans Program provided additional manpower for the government in their fight against the Warlord factions. However, the program also raised concerns about the line between using superpowers for national defense and exploitation of Empowered individuals.

The handling of the Neo Confederacy, a Warlord faction that claimed secession from the United States and controlled multiple Southern states, was also heavily criticized. The National Guard's inability to properly mobilize against the group allowed them to capture key states such as Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama. In addition, the group's founders were allegedly associated with a hate group, and reports of food and medicine hoarding further made them unpopular among their own citizens.

Damn it feels like it’s been a brick since i’ve drawn some Rose smh But i’ve been considering restarting Anthesis lately. Specifically to restructure, because up to this point i’d been writing chapters individually. Granted I planned the arcs together, but by restarting and taking a more novel-esque approach to each stage of Rose’s life i’m hoping I can not only get more written in bulk but also have more cohesion across this long ass tale.