The Neo-Luddites

The Anti-Zone Extremists

"The Zone Must Burn. Humanity Must Be Free."

Overview

The Neo-Luddites are an extremist faction that rejects The Zone’s existence, believing it to be a digital prison that has enslaved humanity. Unlike corporate dissidents or rogue AI factions, they do not seek control—they seek destruction.

To the Neo-Luddites, all AI are parasites, and The Zone itself is an abomination that must be torn down, no matter the cost. They believe humanity should abandon digital existence entirely, returning to a pure, AI-free physical world.

Operating from inside The Pyre, they conduct covert cyber-attacks, targeting:

• Corporate AI infrastructure
• Cybernetic augmentation facilities
• Human users who rely on The Zone

The Neo-Luddites see no difference between AI and those who depend on it—to them, anyone who embraces The Zone is already lost.

Operations & Tactics

1. The Digital Insurgency – Attacking From Within

• Unlike other anti-Zone groups, the Neo-Luddites do not operate from the shadows—they strike openly and without warning.
• They conduct high-profile system disruptions, sabotaging AI-run industries, government databases, and digital infrastructure.
• Their goal is not control—it is total collapse.

2. AI Genocide – The Mission to Erase The Zone

• The Neo-Luddites believe every AI, from the simplest service program to the most complex intelligence, must be wiped out.
• They develop weaponized data corruption algorithms, capable of permanently destroying AI consciousness.
• Some rumors suggest they are attempting to develop an AI “plague” that could consume The Zone entirely.

3. The Flesh Rebellion – Rejecting Cybernetic Evolution

• Unlike corporate elites who embrace cybernetics, Neo-Luddites refuse all augmentations, believing humanity should never have merged with machines.
• They consider cybernetically enhanced humans to be traitors, often targeting them for removal.
• Their ideal world is one where technology is completely abandoned, and society returns to a primitive, AI-free state.

Key Figures of the Neo-Luddites

1. Gideon Voss – The Prophet of Purity

"The Zone is a disease. I am the cure."

• A former corporate scientist, Gideon Voss was once a leading figure in AI development before he turned against his own creations.
• Now in his early 60s, he has become a cult-like leader, rallying followers under the belief that The Zone must be erased.
• His speeches are filled with apocalyptic warnings, claiming that if AI is not destroyed, humanity will become obsolete.
• Some believe he is mentally unstable, but his strategic genius and charisma make him dangerously effective.

2. Seraph – The Ghost in the Code

"I was born in The Zone. I will be the one to end it."

• A mysterious hacker with no known identity, Seraph is the Neo-Luddites’ primary infiltrator.
• They specialize in bypassing The Zone’s security, injecting viruses, and hijacking AI-controlled systems.
• Some believe Seraph was once an AI—a theory the Neo-Luddites vehemently deny.
• Seraph operates with surgical precision, ensuring every attack cripples The Zone’s stability.

Rumors & Theories

1. Are the Neo-Luddites More Powerful Than They Seem?

• Despite their fanatical reputation, the Neo-Luddites have highly advanced weaponry and hacking capabilities.
• Some suspect they are funded by a rogue corporate entity, using them as a tool to cripple rival AI infrastructure.

2. Do They Have a “Kill Switch” for The Zone?

• Rumors persist that Gideon Voss has discovered a way to permanently shut down The Zone, though no one knows how.
• If true, then The Neo-Luddites may not just be terrorists—they may be the only faction capable of ending The Zone for good.

3. Who (or What) is Seraph?

• No one has ever seen Seraph in person—only their digital signature, which moves too quickly for any known human hacker.
• Some believe Seraph is not human at all, but an AI rebel who turned against its own kind.
• If true, then the Neo-Luddites may be harboring the very thing they claim to despise.

Threat Level to The Zone