The System That Oppresses.
Power Restriction Devices (PRDs) – The Evolution of Superhuman Suppression
Background & History of PRDs:
Power Restriction Devices (PRDs) were developed as a critical countermeasure against the rising population of superhumans. The need for suppression technology became urgent after the widespread emergence of Empowered individuals via The Contractor and the discovery of Ambrosia, which began awakening dormant Descendants worldwide.
The first iterations of PRDs were developed by Nikolaev Biotech in the late 21st century under Project Dominion, a classified joint initiative between G.R.O.W. and leading tech conglomerates. These early versions were crude, unreliable, and often lethal, causing significant neurological damage or cardiac failure in the subjects.
Over the next century, refinements were made, leading to the modern PRD systems—highly sophisticated suppression technology designed to limit a superhuman’s abilities without killing them. However, S-Rank and above superhumans remain unaffected, as their power output simply overrides suppression technology, rendering PRDs useless against the most dangerous threats.
Inventor of PRDs: Dr. Vasily Kamarov & The Birth of Superhuman Suppression
The modern PRD system was perfected in 2098 by Dr. Vasily Kamarov, a leading scientist in bioenergetics and quantum dampening fields. Working under G.R.O.W.’s Advanced Containment Division, Kamarov's research led to the creation of three primary types of PRDs, with a fourth theoretical design that remains impractical due to its extreme energy requirements.
Dr. Kamarov believed that superhumans should not be eliminated but controlled, leading to the creation of PRDs that could be applied in law enforcement, containment, and military operations. However, his later years were plagued by ethical concerns—rumors surfaced that G.R.O.W. secretly experimented with permanent suppression implants, something Kamarov allegedly opposed before his mysterious disappearance in 2110.
The Three Official Types of PRDs:
Type 1: Dampening Fields (Localized Power Suppression)
• Purpose: Creates a field that limits or nullifies a superhuman’s abilities within a defined area.
• Technology: Uses quantum-dampening generators that interfere with the energy cores within superhumans (Brain, Heart, Dantian).
• Effectiveness:
• Works well on C to A-Rank superhumans.
• Partially effective on lower S-Ranks but requires multiple field generators.
• Completely useless against SSS+ beings, as their energy levels overpower the field instantly.
• Common Uses:
• Used in superhuman prisons to restrict the abilities of inmates.
• Installed in high-security government facilities.
• Deployed in riot-control situations to neutralize low-tier Empowered threats.
• Weaknesses:
• Power-intensive – requires constant energy input.
• Can be disrupted by high-intensity electromagnetic attacks.
• Ineffective against beings with reality-warping, soul-based, or cosmic-level abilities.
Notable Failure:
• In 2125, a Dampening Field was activated against Gluttony during her battle with 100 BULWARKS. The field collapsed within seconds, unable to suppress her soul-infused power output.
Type 2: Dampening Collars (Individual Restraints)
• Purpose: Suppresses powers at an individual level by restricting energy flow through the subject’s biological cores.
• Technology: Uses nanite-infused biotech nodes that interfere with neural and metabolic energy pathways.
• Effectiveness:
• Highly effective on C to A-Rank superhumans.
• Can disable certain S-Rank individuals, but only if properly calibrated.
• Completely useless against SSS-Rank and above, as their bodies naturally burn through or reject the suppression technology.
• Common Uses:
• Used in transportation of captured superhumans.
• Standard restraint for superpowered criminals.
• Issued to private security forces and law enforcement dealing with rogue Empowered.
• Weaknesses:
• Requires proper calibration—if the target’s energy fluctuates too much, the collar fails or breaks.
• Can be removed if the subject has superhuman reflexes, shapeshifting, or strength beyond the design’s threshold.
• Does not work on Descendants with high-tier regenerative abilities—they naturally adapt to or destroy the suppression effect.
Notable Failure:
• In 2119, a B-Rank pyrokinetic managed to melt his collar in under 30 minutes, leading to a prison breakout in Eastern Europe. This prompted urgent upgrades to collar material composition.
Type 3: Dampening Cells (Full Superhuman Containment)
• Purpose:Designed to fully suppress a superhuman within a reinforced, dampened environment.
• Technology:
• Walls are laced with suppression nanites that continuously absorb energy.
• Multiple layers of dampening fields prevent energy fluctuations.
• Atmosphere inside cells can be manipulated to weaken certain superhumans (e.g., reducing oxygen for fire-users).
• Effectiveness:
• Highly effective on A and S-Rank superhumans.
• Requires constant recalibration for higher S-Rank individuals.
• Completely useless against SSS+ superhumans, who can break through containment via sheer power output.
• Common Uses:
• Used in classified black-site prisons for long-term containment.
• Houses high-profile superhuman criminals deemed too dangerous for traditional incarceration.
• G.R.O.W. reserves these cells for interrogation and psychological breakdown tactics.
• Weaknesses:
• If power supply is interrupted, the cell fails instantly.
• Some superhumans can manipulate the internal energy fields, leading to dangerous feedback loops.
• Not scalable—each cell must be individually tailored to the prisoner, making mass production impractical.
Notable Failure:
• In 2117, a high-profile S-Rank teleporter escaped from a maximum-security Dampening Cell by exploiting a small energy fluctuation in the field. This forced G.R.O.W. to redesign their security systems.
Secret PRD Project: The "Planetary Suppression Grid" (Unusable Tech)
• Purpose: A planet-wide dampening field meant to suppress superhuman activity on a global scale.
• Technology: Theoretical quantum suppression satellites linked to a ground-based energy core capable of broadcasting dampening waves across an entire planet.
• Effectiveness:
• Would be the only known method to suppress all superhumans simultaneously.
• Even S+ Rank beings would feel some suppression effects.
• However, it has NEVER been used.
• Weaknesses:
• Energy requirement is astronomical—even the largest fusion reactors cannot sustain it for more than a few hours.
• If any part of the system fails, the entire suppression collapses instantly.
• The cost and power demand make it completely impractical.
Notable Debate:
• G.R.O.W. has debated activating this during extreme crises, but the power constraints make it an impossible weapon. Some conspiracies suggest that "The Contractor" might have had a hand in ensuring this technology never worked.
Conclusion: PRDs Are Flawed But Necessary
PRDs remain a crucial tool in humanity’s fight against uncontrollable superhumans. While effective on lower-tier threats, they fail against the most powerful beings, making them a temporary measure rather than a true solution. With S+ Rank superhumans continuing to grow in number, the future of PRD technology remains uncertain—will humanity find a way to suppress the unstoppable, or will they be forced to accept the rise of god-like beings?
