The Vanguard is the Terran military campaign against the Dark Tapestry and the Great Old Ones. It operates outside the Laniakea Supercluster in the wider universe — most Terrans that outsiders encounter are Vanguard, whether Coro or Machina.
Purpose
The Vanguard exists to contain and combat existential threats from the Dark Tapestry. This includes direct military operations, intelligence gathering, containment protocols, and the development of operatives capable of handling Great Old One-level threats.
Unlike Van’s vision of total mobilization, the Vanguard operates within the broader Terran philosophical framework: the real defense against the Dark Tapestry is maintaining civilizational integrity. The Vanguard fights externally so that Terran society can remain cohesive internally.
Programs
The Vanguard’s most significant programs include:
Template-based Coro creation — using exceptional individuals as biological patterns for new operatives. Templates are selected from the most accomplished Vanguard members, and new Coro are grown from their patterns. One of the Vanguard’s cardinal rules prohibits informing a Coro of their template’s identity, to prevent destabilizing self-perception.
The Nephilim project — a fusion of Coro biology and Machina technology, producing operatives immune to magic. Nephilim represent the pinnacle of Vanguard enhancement and are uniquely suited for operations against the Dark Tapestry.
Relationship to Wiege
Wiege was once claimed by the Great Old One Shubnigoroth as a brood planet. The Vanguard has had presence on or near Wiege in various capacities — Van’s banishment there was a Terran decision, and the subsequent dispatch of Nephilim to execute him represents ongoing Vanguard interest in the world.