The Wraith Vanguard / WVG

The Wraith Vanguard

FOUNDED IN 2437 BY BRANSON URUQHART, THE WRAITH VANGUARD IS A LOOSE ORGANIZATION OF TRACKERS, SCOUTS, AND RANGERS DEDICATED TO EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES OF KNOWN SPACE. THE VANGUARD OPERATES MORE AS AN INFORMAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK THAN A BAND OF BROTHERS, AND AS SUCH IT HAS RARELY GAINED A GREAT DEAL OF PUBLIC RENOWN OR ACHIEVEMENT. ITS MEMBERS ARE FAR MORE CONCERNED WITH MAINTAINING A LOW PROFILE THAN ANY SORT OF FAME, FOR A GOOD MANY REASONS – NOT A FEW OF THOSE OF THE LEGAL VARIETY.

URUQHART WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE COLONIZATION EFFORTS OF THE KUIPER BELT, AND EARNED THE RESPECT OF A MANY OF THE FRINGER ELEMENTS IN THE PROCESS – CONNECTIONS WHICH ARE STILL QUITE ADVANTAGEOUSLY HELD BY THE WRAITH VANGUARD TO THIS DAY.

THE WRAITH VANGUARD HAS A CHARTER OFFICE ON MARS, AND THAT OFFICE IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE ANY NUMBER OF THEIR ILK CAN BE FOUND WITH ANY RELIABILITY. THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION, LARS ULRICHSSEN, HOLDS HIS SEAT IN THE MARS OFFICE, AND HAS LARGELY RETIRED FROM THE SPACEFARING LIFE. THE WRAITHS ARE CURRENTLY MOSTLY EMPLOYED ON THE FRINGES AS SCOUTS AND LIGHT-CARGO HAULERS.

Overview
The Wraith Vanguard are an independent and motley bunch, but can be accurately divided into three main groups: the scouts, the ‘light-cargo haulers,’ (read as: Smugglers), and the infrastructure.

Scouts
Regarding the scouts: if you have a picture in your mind’s eye, it’s accurate. The Wraith Vanguard was founded to push out the boundaries of known space, and without making a fuss – as such, the vast majority of those that affiliate themselves with the Vanguard are self-reliant, determined, highly-capable types far more interested in efficacy than verbal transaction.

“The Vanguard isn’t the largest exploratory organization in the ‘verse, but if you’re looking for efficiency, reliability, and above all else, discretion, we’ll get the job done – for the right price.”

‘Light-Cargo Haulers’
At the risk of furthering common misconception but in the interest of accuracy, it should be stated that the common conception of the fringer light-cargo hauler is almost wholly accurate with regard to those fitting the description within the Wrath Vanguard. They are – absolutely – on the books as legitimate haulers. They – invariably – pay their taxes. They – comprehensively – comply with all of the expected protocols. They – without fail – possess up-to-date registration. They – with absolutely no exceptions – have spotless operating records. But they – and to a man – are absolutely, invariably, comprehensively, without fail and with absolutely no exceptions smugglers of the highest degree and greatest order.

“There may be cheaper ways to get a payload from point-to-point, and there may be one or two that are safer, but there isn’t a one that’s quieter.”

The Infrastructure
There is a common misconception that stretches across history, and is held by almost every race, creed, culture, and species. It is one of the immutable assumptions that unites otherwise disparate parties across all manner of divides, be they moral, spiritual, political, or otherwise. Now, this is not a ‘sexy’ belief. It’s not moral law, nor is it religious dogma. You won’t see a political-action-committee pushing its agenda on the senate. It isn’t, in point of fact, even really divisive. It’s just … Well …

Infrastructure isn’t sexy. Bureaucracy isn’t flashy. Administration isn’t captivating.

You may well believe this. You would be in good company, but you would also be wrong.

One of the many factors – and possibly the most important – that separates the Wraith Vanguard from other organizations of a similar scope is that of planning, and infrastructure. Without question, the operant members of The Wraith Vanguard are a disparate group of willful rogues and independent explorers – and you may well ask, what could possibly unify a varied collection of non-conformists? Need – need and common advantage. The Wraith Vanguard boasts a support staff of communications officers, medical personnel, and intelligence experts that rival many governmental agencies – and do so without the red tape that hinders the bureaucracies of same.

“There are a few people that could get it done. Less that can get it done quietly – and less still silently. But I don’t know anyone else that can get it done silently, every single time.”