It’s important to develop Aqualex as more than just a faceless enemy. Here’s a character description, keeping in mind that Aqualex is an organization but represented by its key figures like Commander Rexton [CHA-03]:

Aqualex: The Oppressive Force

• Core Identity: Aqualex is a powerful, technologically advanced organization that controls resources and enforces its will in the post-collapse world. They are characterized by:
  • Ruthless Efficiency: Aqualex values order and control above all else. They operate with cold precision, prioritizing results over ethical considerations.
  • Technological Superiority: Their advanced technology gives them a significant advantage. This includes:
    • Drones for surveillance and combat.
    • Sophisticated weaponry.
    • Data networks for tracking and control.
    • Potentially, technology for manipulating or exploiting natural resources (like the algae).
  • Expansionist Ambitions: Aqualex seeks to expand its territory and consolidate its power. They are driven by a desire to rebuild civilization in their own image, even if it means oppressing others.
  • Environmental Exploitation: They see the natural world as a resource to be exploited. This is a key point of conflict in the story.
  • Hierarchical Structure: Aqualex has a rigid command structure. Obedience and loyalty are highly valued. Dissent is crushed.
• Visual Representation:
  • Uniformity: Aqualex personnel often wear uniforms or standardized gear that emphasizes their collective identity and authority.
  • Color Palette: Their colors might be cold and metallic (e.g., steel gray, black, electric blue) to convey their technological focus and lack of warmth.
  • Symbolism: Their insignia or logo should be distinctive and imposing, representing their power and reach.
• Commander Rexton [CHA-03] as a Face of Aqualex:
  • While Aqualex is the organization, Rexton embodies its worst traits:
    • Authoritarian: He is a strict disciplinarian, demanding absolute obedience.
    • Obsessive: His personal vendetta against Kaelen [CHA-01] reveals a capacity for intense, even irrational, behavior.
    • Ruthless: He is willing to sacrifice anything, including the environment and his own troops, to achieve his goals.
    • Arrogant: He underestimates the “primitive” world of the cove and its inhabitants.
• Deeper Considerations:
  • Motivation: Explore why Aqualex is so driven. Are they genuinely trying to rebuild the world, or are they simply power-hungry?
  • Vulnerabilities: Even a powerful organization has weaknesses. What are Aqualex’s? Over-reliance on technology? Internal conflicts? Hubris?
  • Moral Ambiguity: While they are the antagonists, are there any shades of gray to Aqualex? Do they have any sympathetic members or goals?

By developing Aqualex in this way, you create a compelling and multifaceted antagonist that poses a significant threat to the protagonists and raises important thematic questions.