EVE Chronicle: Masks of Authority
Most EVE Online players wouldn't characterize themselves as roleplayers. Simply by piloting their ships as capsuleers -- whether it's to make New Eden a safer place, or to lay waste to every unfortunate soul that crosses their path -- all EVE players assume a role of sorts. However, for those who prefer greater immersion, one of the real strengths of EVE Online is the depth and breadth of its backstory, which provides a gritty setting for players to delve into, should they choose to.
The latest EVE Chronicle provides a look within New Eden's power structures that goes beyond the heads of the four races. "Masks of Authority" sheds more light on the corporate paradigm that governs one's life as a Caldari player in EVE, a system overpowered by the Chief Executive Panel -- eight megacorporations whose collective wealth and influence makes or breaks the lives of all Caldari citizens.
The backdrop for this Chronicle is perhaps best exemplified in The Empyrean Age novel by Tony Gonzales:
"Steeped in martial tradition, the Caldari State is a veritable fortress of corporate dominance, immersed in a culture governed by the laws of competition. From early childhood, the Caldari are taught to embrace conflict, a spartan philosophy which they hold responsible for the survival of their race in the post-EVE collapse era. A testament to natural selection, their behaviour descends from the fortitude of ancestors who inhabited some of the harshest worlds of New Eden."
"Masks of Authority" expands upon this background, revealing the eight corporate police forces of the Chief Executive Panel and the power struggle between them. The Chronicle details the force that a privatized system of rule can exert against enemies of the State, but more significantly -- over its own citizens. It also explains how each of these private militant wings has become part of the cultural zeitgeist. They're intertwined with Caldari pop culture and elevated to the status of icons. As such, their existence pervades most every aspect of a citizen's life in the Caldari State. Read "Masks of Authority" for the full story on what it means to be a Caldari capsuleer, and hopefully to add another facet to your EVE persona.
