Scenario Background

The year is 2015, and the US has finally pulled its troops out of Iraq. However, in their place remain a number of private military contractors (nominally in the employ of the Iraqi government) acting as police and keeping a full-blown civil war in check. Chief among these military contractors are Blackwater International, founded in the US by Christian fundamentalist Joseph Prince, and Aegis Defence Services, founded in the UK by Field Marshall, The Right Honorable Lord Lockwood KG.

In the parliamentary government, no single group has full control, though the Shiite faction (the Islamic Dawa Party) has a plurality. Other important factions include the Sunni minority (Sunni Party) and the Classical Liberal Party (which support the interests of the US). There is a proliferation of government offices (including Prime Minister, President, and Vice President, along with multiple cabinets), many of which are restricted to members of one religious faction or the other.

While civil war is being held off, there are still a number of insurgents. The Sunni insurgent group has diminished in influence after the Sunnis were granted more power in the parliamentary government. Kurdish dissent remains, though the Kurds hold little, if any, power. However, recent times have seen the rise of a newer insurgent group, Al-Araf. Its stated goal is to "free Iraq of the grasping hands of foreigners."

On February 7th, a terrorist attack occurred in the ruins of Mosul in the province of Ninewah. The attack was accompanied by the release of what is believed to be a toxic gas that killed roughly 50 people. A second attack followed on February 26th in Malhah in the province of Salah ad-Din, claiming more than 1000 lives. The sole survivor appears to have suffered severe mental trauma, presumably from the unknown neurotoxin. Al-Araf has claimed responsibility for both attacks and has called for a meeting with government and international officials. They threaten that, unless their conditions are met, more deadly attacks will follow.

At this meeting will be representatives of Al-Araf, the military contractors, the US, and multiple factions within the Iraqi government. The UN has sent a mediator to guide the negotiations.

Notable Figures:

• Blackwater International
  • Joseph Prince -- Founder. Known to be a fundamentalist Christian.
  • Erik Schmitz -- Prince's right hand man.
• Aegis Defence Services
  • Field Marshall, The Right Honorable Lord Lockwood KG -- Founder and noted businessman.
  • Emma Day -- Lockwood's assistant.
• Al Araf
  • Tariq Ibn Faruq -- Leader.
  • Abd-al Aziz Mamoon -- Holy man.
  • Qamar Abd-al -- Daughter of Abd-al Aziz Mamoon.
• United States
  • Veronica Miles -- Chief representative.
  • Angel Cruz -- Center for Disease Control.
  • Rodney Greiner -- US Congressman and founder of iDroid.
  • Nathan Kennedy -- Bodyguard.
• UN
  • David Kinder -- Mediator.
• Shiite Majority
  • Basit Ibn Karim -- Prime Minister.
  • Imad Ibn Junayd -- Prime Minister's assistant.
• Sunni Minority
  • Wafi Nagi -- Senior politician of Sunni block. Expected to become Sunni Vice President.
  • Sabriyya Nejem -- Guest of Wafi Nagi.
• Classical Liberals
  • Munir Faiz -- Politician and businessman.
  • Emel Faiz -- Munir's Turkish wife.
• The Survivor
  • Nawal -- Sole survivor of the recent attack. Mentally damaged.