The Dawn of the Tiberium Age - Additional Info

Detailed information about the two main factions involved in the conflict

The Global Defense Initiative: History Before the Tiberian Dawn

Commonly known as GDI, the organization was first thought of after Great World War II. Because of the great terror the Soviet Union brought over Europe and indirectly over the rest of the world, the United Nations decided to establish a multinational peace keeping force to ensure that no state of world wide emergency would ever be declared again.

GDI originally began as a covert operations group under the designation of "Operations Group Echo, Black Ops 9", but was not truly active on a large military scale. When the Brotherhood of Nod began invading ethnic regions in the mid 1990'ies, GDI was officially enlisted on October 12, 1995 as an international force to counter Nod aggression.

Other than these facts, no true details on GDI's internal structure or functioning were ever released by the UN, as all statistics regarding GDI's military strength, equipment and personnel are classified to this very day. The official UN statement regarding GDI activities and purpose is as follows:

"The Global Defense Initiative was founded to enforce the United Nations Global Defense Act and uphold the ideals as outlined in the United Nations Charter."

The Global Defense Initiative: History After the Tiberian Dawn

At the end of the First Tiberian War, GDI High Command began a huge crackdown, persecuting all remaining Nod officers and officials to ensure the full elimination of the Brotherhood. What they couldn't have imagined, however, was that this course of action would turn out to be a fatal mistake.

GDI neglected to contain the rapidly spreading Tiberium substance for too long, and the results became disastrous. Not only did Tiberium spread at a much more aggressive and faster rate than anticipated, the initial methods GDI scientists developed to stop the Tiberium growth proved insufficient as well. With GDI concentrating all of their efforts on hunting down the remnants of the Brotherhood Of Nod, Tiberium began to assimilate Earth's primary ecosystems causing vast portions of the planet to become uninhabitable. Soon afterwards, the World Health Organization began to receive strange reports from their field personnel about unknown forms of life, which had been spotted in the vicinity of large Tiberium fields. In addition, humans living close to newly forming Tiberium fields began to show signs of heavy mutation, mutations that were frighteningly enough passed on to their offspring as well.

GDI Command Station Philadelphia

Because the Tiberium assimilation of Earth was occurring at a much faster rate than GDI was able to contain and because it was still unknown whether or not a person suffering from Tiberium poisoning could contaminate a non-affected person, GDI began the construction of a large and highly technological orbital space station known as "The Philadelphia", to which they immediately relocated their main base of operations along with all their highest ranking officers and best-educated personnel.

On top of that, GDI High Command made the highly unpopular decision not to allow any humans on board the Philadelphia, which were in any way affected with Tiberium poisoning. After the construction of the Philadelphia, GDI began to organize what would become the most massive evacuation procedure in history, relocating vast portions of the world's populations to areas not affected with Tiberium, mainly the polar regions.

The result of these massive relocations was that large portions of land on each continent become completely uninhabited by humans for the first time in hundreds of thousands of years, causing the birth of large "no-man's lands" all over the world. "No-man's lands" of which GDI was very aware that they were ideal places for Nod to hide and reorganize themselves.

GDI later on began setting up small outposts and bases all over these wastelands, not only to monitor potential Nod activity, but also to better research new methods into halting the Tiberium assimilation of Earth as well as to find a way to reverse the effects of Tiberium poisoning and the mutations it causes to human beings.

Known Facts About the Global Defense Initiative

Ratified: In accordance with the United Nations Global Defense Act (UNGDA), the Global Defense Initiative was founded on the date of October 12, 1995.

Ideology: To enforce the United Nations Global Defense Act and uphold the ideals as outlined in the United Nations Charter.

Official Supreme Commander During the First Tiberium War: United States Brigadier-General Mark Jamison Sheppard, Chief of Staff, United Nations Military Command. Succeeded by Colonel James Solomon in 2026.

Base of Operations: Classified. Relocated to the orbital space station "Philadelphia" sometime after the First Tiberium War.

Military Strength: Statistics regarding equipment and personnel are classified. Official military strength lies within parameters of the UNGDA, Article V, Section 3A, Paragraph 12.

Economic Strength: Funded by the United Nations, various international governments, public organizations and private enterprises.

Political Strength: Not applicable. Operates within parameters of UNGDA and under the review of the United Nations Security Council.

Affiliations: The United Nations.

The Brotherhood: History Before the Tiberian Dawn

Kane and Stalin

Rumored to have been founded around 1800 BC, the exact date of its arrival into existence is unknown. The leader of Nod, a mysterious and charismatic man known only as Kane, is considered to be Cain as in the son of Adam by a large number of his followers, but both the UN as well as Nod itself refuse to either confirm or deny those suspicions. Nothing is truly known about Kane's origins or past until his first appearance in the early 1920'ies when Joseph Stalin took control over the Soviet Union, with Kane apparently being his personal advisor.

In being completely aware of all of Stalin's plans and considering his abnormally high intelligence, it is likely that Kane indirectly ran the Soviet Union and was the person directly responsible for the Soviet invasion of Europe. However, when it became clear that the Allies, brilliantly led by General Gunther Von Esling and Colonel Nikos Stavros, began to manage to stand ground against the military power of the invading Soviet Union and started to rally the United Nations against Stalin, Kane realized that Soviet chances were heavily reduced. He disappeared, leaving Stalin to lose to the Allies and apparently planning to resurface when the time was ripe.

The Brotherhood: History Concerning the Tiberian Dawn

The Brotherhood of Nod appeared out of nowhere as a new religion in the early 90'ies.

It started small at first, but under the leadership of Kane and its access to vast amounts of the newly discovered Tiberium, they began to gain power at an explosive pace. Soon realized by its upper level members that Nod was not simply a religious cult but a highly organized fanatics group becoming a massive and high-tech army, many saw it as an opportunity to secure a share of the world for themselves. Nod started taking over small third world and other disenfranchised nations through mass media manipulation, government infiltrations and sometimes through downright military invasions.

Funded by their Tiberium monopoly, supplied by Iraq, China, North Korea and other nations seeing the Brotherhood as a way to strengthen their position on the western nations, Nod built up immense power at a terrifying rate.

To counter this great threat, the United Nations chartered the formation of the Global Defense Initiative, a worldwide defense force originally promised to the world back when the Soviet Union was out to take over Western Europe. Backed with hardware from such UN members as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Germany, India, South Africa and others, the GDI began to oppose Nod. Surprisingly the war did not go nuclear nor did it go worldwide, but in terms of bloodshed and brutality it absolutely surpassed GWWII on a great many occasions. However, Kane's power didn't simply flow out of military strength alone.

One of the more known and popular reporters of a major television network turned out to be a member of the Brotherhood, giving them access to a vast network of multimedia. Sometime in the middle of the war, Nod broadcasted a number of manipulated news reports regarding a town called Beoulistock which lied in the middle of a GDI-Nod combat zone in eastern Europe.

Kane instructs Greg Burdette.

Nod's report claimed that GDI troops arrived and completely slaughtered the town's population. Although GDI forces were actually there to evacuate the civilians, Nod managed to make the general public see otherwise. The UN was forced to halt GDI funding and begin an internal investigation into GDI activities, and at the same time Nod divisions everywhere struck out at GDI troops. GDI suffered heavy casualties and great loss of equipment, especially in Africa, but due to over confidence and poor leadership of Kane's battlefield commanders, Nod troops failed to gain any major leads against GDI throughout the heavy battle, and then GDI themselves began moving in on Nod strongholds after wrenching Nod's Tiberium supply right out of its hands.

Nod began experimenting with Tiberium, seeing how it might affect humans. These experiments were cut short when James Solomon, a GDI commander, destroyed Nod's Tiberium Biological Research Laboratory, acting on orders that made it out to be Kane's stronghold. Then, after GDI Supreme Commander General Sheppard located Nod's true stronghold at Sarajevo, he ordered Solomon to attack the Nod base, using GDI's most advanced weaponry; an orbital weapons platform known as the Ion Cannon, the Mammoth class tanks, and any Nod weaponry they could get a hold of. Solomon personally oversaw the entire 72-hour lasting operation, and the final charge against Kane's Temple.

During the attack, Solomon destroyed the Temple of Nod using the Ion Cannon, not only bringing its existence to public, but also supposedly destroying Kane, the Temple, and the rest of Nod leadership.

That battle marked the end of the First Tiberium War, as Nod factions everywhere began to crumble, and the GDI proved to be supreme.

The Brotherhood: History After the Tiberian Dawn

The Brotherhood began to fall. GDI forces began a huge crackdown everywhere, and what was left of Nod was dying. With no leadership, no resources and no luck, they would've been gone soon. However, through pursuing the remnants of the Brotherhood so vigorously, GDI made a critical error: they ignored calls to leave Nod alone and contain the Tiberium substance for too long, and it began to consume the Earth, spreading everywhere where there were sufficient materials for it to grow and reproduce, mainly to areas with large plant ecosystems. Only bodies of water, the Sahara Desert, the American Southwest Desert, Siberia, the Australian Outback and the Polar regions were not affected by Tiberium. GDI then was forced to let Nod go about its quiet business, while it was ordered by the UN to get healthy people to unaffected areas as fast as possible.

As GDI was forced to cut back on their persecutions of Nod's remains, the Brotherhood began to recover. However, without Kane's leadership, the unity was broken as Nod began to divide itself into many small and harmless splinter groups. The largest remaining part of these splinter groups came under the leadership of an Egyptian dictatorial-like character named Hassan. Though this Nod splinter group had enough support among the Nod followers to become a new potential threat, GDI managed to keep their influence under control through infiltration, and under-the-table-deals with Hassan himself - cooperation in exchange for covert GDI support, which would help him to stay in power.

There was however one other Nod group, which had silently remained under ground and out of sight of both GDI as well as all the other Nod groups for decades, patiently waiting for something or sometime. This secretive Nod group was encountered once before by GDI forces during the First Tiberium War, however it was thought to be destroyed when its leader, Gideon Raveshaw, was killed by a GDI commando, Nick "Havoc" Parker, formerly of the Dead-6.

Knowing the inner workings of the Brotherhood like none other, this underground Nod group infiltrated the other Nod splinter groups much like GDI had done, keeping the spirit and faith in Kane alive among the followers over the many years, as well as renewing the already existing hatred towards GDI.

General Anton Slavik, before being saved.

When GDI eventually found out about the continued existence of this silent Nod group and their purpose to ready a new generation of Nod followers and officers, they realized that this group could potentially represent a serious danger to the future of the world. Recognizing the necessity to find and eliminate the leader of this underground Nod group - a man called Anton Slavik, who was an infamous serbian "freedom fighter", nicknamed "The Serbian Wolf" - GDI General Solomon instructed Hassan to arrest Slavik with the intention to have him put to death under the accusation of being a GDI spy. However, both GDI as well as Hassan underestimated the support and great respect Slavik had among many Nod followers.

Slavik was rescued and freed in the midst of his very execution by his second in command, a woman known as Oxanna Kristos, and disappeared once again from sight. But there was one thing Solomon realized all too well. If this Nod group, currently led by Slavik, had remained silent for decades and now suddenly began preparing the followers of the Brotherhood worldwide for a new conflict, it meant something was about to happen.

Only days later, nearly 30 years after the defeat of the Brotherhood at Sarajevo... Kane reappeared alive and unharmed, not having aged a day.

With Kane's "resurrection" reuniting the entirety of the Brotherhood of Nod splinter groups in less than 24 hours, GDI suddenly found itself in the middle of a nightmare it had almost forgotten about. Now, the future of humanity flows directly into a second Tiberium War, with the Brotherhood Of Nod being as powerful as it has ever been and with the Global Defense Initiative being as prepared as it ever was. While all life on Earth is being assimilated by Tiberium.

Now mankind's darkest hour lurks at the horizon.
Now the world and humanity are under... a Tiberian Sun.

Known Facts About the Brotherhood of Nod

Ratified: Exact date unknown. The religion proclaimed itself in the new world around the late 19th century. Some exaggerated reports place its foundation around the year 1800 B.C. Known as "Sha Ae Sheer" or "Path of Nod" among a number of traditional African tribes.

Ideology: To unite third-world nations under a pseudo-religious political platform with imperialist tendencies. In actuality it is a highly aggressive and popular neo-fascist anti-west movement vying for total domination of the world's peoples and resources.

Operates under the popular mantra "Brotherhood, Unity, Peace". The religious viewpoints of the Brotherhood of Nod focus on an alleged Tiberian future for humanity, in which all followers of Kane shall receive "Divination" and flourish in every imaginable aspect.

Current Religious Patriarch: The Brotherhood of Nod operates under the leadership of a mysterious, charismatic and highly dangerous person known only as "Kane", whose IQ is believed to be over 196. No forms of civil registration or birth certificates whatsoever have been found about him by neither Interpol nor any other international investigation services. Believed to be a living Messiah and the son of Adam by a great number of his followers, nothing is truly known about Kane's origins or past.

Base of Operations: Globalized, command posts identified at:
Kuantan, Malaysia;
Somewhere in Ar-Rub'al-Khali, Saudi Arabia;
Tokyo, Japan;
Caen, France.
Main headquarters were located at the end of the First Tiberium War in the vicinity of Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Military Strength: Initially considered to be a small terrorist organization, a scandal involving US and European defense contractors confirms beliefs that the Brotherhood of Nod is well equipped and has a large arsenal of land, sea, and aerial military operations as well as highly advanced technology of which it is unknown where Nod derived it from.

Economic Strength: Considerable assets believed to be in excess of US $255.2 billion, based on audits of seized financial records (see CIA docket 3231.54776-FIA). Economic strength stems from near-monopoly of Tiberium harvesting in the late 20th century as well as cult-like money seizure and money laundering with Russian, Cuban, Columbian and various other mafia Cartels.

Political Strength: Believed to be the sole backers of the Fist of Allah party in Jordan (52%); United We Stand America party in the US (12%); Albion First party in the UK (25+%), among others.

Affiliations:
Irish Republican Party;
Various Islamic Jihad groups;
Khmer Rouge;
USSR;
The People's Republic Of China; others.

Details About the Brotherhood of Nod Philosophy

"The Brotherhood had its beginnings with the first downtrodden who looked for a better way."
 - Kane

The following section contains some of the history of the involvement that the Sha Ae Sheer had in political matters as well as many other things throughout history. Recorded by the scribes of the Godan Tribes, it historically accounts how the Sha Ae Sheer plans to unify the people of Earth under one nation and one rule. This section is also dedicated to proving how the Brotherhood of Nod plans to invoke its philosophy on the world.

The following text is a written recording of a speech Kane addressed to volunteers who wished to join the Brotherhood during the 1990'ies.

"Welcome to the Brotherhood of Nod, sometimes referred to as the Ways of Nod or the Sha Ae Sheer. I prefer just the Brotherhood, for that is what we are truly striving for; a brotherhood of mankind, where all can live in peace and share the struggles of life as one.

As long as man has had breath the Brotherhood has existed. For from the beginning - when man's struggle was with nature, not knowing where he might sleep, how he would eat, or whether he would survive to see the light of dawn - there have always been those who would lord over others. People who believe that they, by some unseen right, are granted power over others, and would push others down so they might climb, are the greatest threat to mankind's existence. For many years has one man or one race prospered on the sweat and work of others.

Such injustices are not just a sin against mankind, but also a sin against God. The Brotherhood had its beginnings with the first downtrodden who looked for a better way. These oppressed sought a path that would allow them to gather fruits of life and achieve enough resources and wealth that they and their families could survive and advance with the rest of mankind. Too often have these people been crushed beneath the boot of others, their measly gains stripped from them. Throughout history the "overlords", often self-appointed rulers, have forcefully taken the resources of those who could not defend themselves.

Whether we consider the pharaohs of Egypt, the Caesars of Rome, the kings of England, or the emperors of China, it was always the blood and sweat of others that created their empires. Today, it is the capitalists of the western nations that are sucking the life out of the rest of the nations of the world. While capitalist barons sit in their mansions, drinking their expensive champagnes, the workers of the world continue to die from starvation and disease. Workers are forced to sleep on the ground without shelter in the sweltering summer heat and may die from frostbite in the depths of winter, their cries for help never heeled by the nation of the western bloc, whose citizens sleep soundly in their beds at night. The imperialism of these nations is even more insidious than that of ancient times.

When the pharaohs and Caesars ruled the realm, at least one knew one's standing at all times. No pretense was ever made that a man or a race was other than what they were. Slaves were slaves; they knew this and expected that they would be treated as such. They were never seduced into believing that they were free men able to achieve what they pleased. It was never suggested that they might be able to do something about their fate and rise above the station into which they had been born. By contrast, the western nations have created a world of slaves without the general populace ever realizing it. Although the so-called free nations claim they are helping to advance the world as a whole, it takes only a moment to see through this pretense and realize that the only ones advancing are the free nations.

With their abundance of resources and technology, the free nations have made economic slaves of the Third World. The disadvantaged Third World countries have had their resources stripped away, education denied, and technology withheld to keep them from threatening the power of the western bloc. And the western nations enslave not only the populace of the Third World, but also many of their own. It is not uncommon to find the squalor characteristic of the Third World right in the heart of all major cities in the supposedly enlightened nations. This lack of caring for one's fellow man, so pervasive in the West, is what causes the Brotherhood to flourish.

The fact that millions upon millions can reach only a poverty-level existence, unable to even feed their own children, is a sin against the nations that cannot be ignored. The Brotherhood has always existed to help those in need. By gathering the resources of our flock and obtaining additional material from our enemy in any manner deemed necessary, the Brotherhood continues to grow and gain power.

We have always been here, behind the scenes, the guiding hand. Empires have fallen by our influence; leaders that could have caused our plans to go awry have silently vanished. The Brotherhood is always in the background, careful to make sure others do not notice our activities. We periodically supply aid to other causes to pull attention away from our true goal. We have slowly and steadily increased our power, but still were never truly able to confront the forces of evil head-on. For thousands of years we have waited for a sign, something or someone that would allow us to mount one last, great Jihad. That sign has come in the form of Tiberium.

With the unstoppable growth of Tiberium across the Globe, most of it occurring in nations friendly to the Brotherhood, our time has come. The vast wealth and resources gained from Tiberium have given us the ability to come into the open and challenge our antagonists face to face. Across the Globe, GDI and Nod forces now clash in a titanic struggle that will decide the fate of mankind for all time.

The GDI hides behind the facade that they are here to help the free nations in their struggle against those they would name terrorist. We in the Brotherhood know the truth. Our fight is for all mankind, not for those cherished few who sit behind desks all day, with no greater worry than whatever it will rain and cancel their tennis dates.

Such uncaring attitudes to the peoples of the Earth can be tolerated no longer. The Brotherhood will unify this world no matter what the cost. Our movement has always striven to be one of peace, but as we all know, the road toward peace is often paved with the blood of those who would prevent peace. The Brotherhood has already taken great strides for global unity. With our advanced technology in Tiberium gathering, we have been able to push GDI forces out of many of the world's nations. The people will follow the Brotherhood - unfortunately, governments do not, and it is the governments that control the armed forces. These self proclaimed governments of the people are using their military forces to keep their populace quelled, to such an extent that the people do not rally to the Brotherhood's banner for fear of repercussions against them and their families. We must show the people that by entering the fold of the Brotherhood they will be safe and taken care of. Their hopes and dreams will be fulfilled only if they place their lives in our care.

Their needs will be taken care of and their families protected - all that is required is that they give of their finances and labor to the Brotherhood. With the guidance of the Brotherhood helping them along the true path, together we will bring the world to a higher state than ever existed before. We will bring about one world, unified, living in peace, and following a single path toward a common goal of equality, all held together by the benevolent supervision provided by me, Kane.

There are many obstacles blocking my path to this magnificent unity; means must be found to surmount these difficulties.

We now come to the addition of you to my fold. The EVA operator interface is the way of the future: combat being directed by a general safe behind friendly lines, but still receiving data of the mission as it occurs. It would take the demented minds of the GDI to come up with a plan like this. How can a man know fear, feel for his comrades, or taste victory in all its sweetness if he sits so far from the battle that the only screams he hears are simulated by a machine? Be that as it may, the EVA system is the best means available to the Brotherhood to ensure our purification of the world.

You have been recruited by the Brotherhood because your views closely mirror our own. Leave behind the dogma of GDI and bring the training and education supplied by them to my cause. We will feed the Tiberium fields with the lifeless bodies of GDI, continuing the struggle until no one and nothing stands in the way of global unification. Your expertise is needed in this glorious struggle. You shall give of yourself body and soul in the service of the Brotherhood, and in return for your efforts you shall become greater than you ever dared imagine. Know your abilities well, but never be satisfied with what you can do today. Strive to surpass today's feats tomorrow and each day thereafter. Do not fail me, for your failure could mean my failure, and I will NOT fail. Up link to your system and lead our forces to splendid victory!"
 - Kane

Nod's theory on combat is as follows:

"It is more important for us to employ intelligent combined-arms tactics than it is for GDI because it is the Pen that is mightier than the Sword. And we are both the Pen and the Sword when skilled modern armies are commanded by intelligent strategies brought upon by a true military strategist..."
 - Nod Commander Anton Slavik

"The Brotherhood exists wherever there is need."
 - Kane