A
AgentN
A nanomachinery pathogen released during The Event. Immediate effects include death of organic life-forms, followed by gradual transformation of the environment into a strange, impenetrable material (usually white, gray, or transparent). As it spread across Earth, the atmosphere itself changed. AgentN is determined to be an alien terraforming system.At some point, nests of warrior aliens were discovered - created using DNA embedded within AgentN, eliminating the need to send troops before colonists. AgentN is also capable of creating entire populations of the alien species it was issued by, functioning as a safeguard against their destruction.
Alastair
An eccentric billionaire living on his automated orbital platform, Pavilion 1, over the Atlantic Ocean. From this platform, he provides a data haven and telecommunications services at his discretion. He is involved in reform efforts for businesses and governments, as well as direct clean-up initiatives in The Slum.Augment
A human who has received implants. May occasionally refer to non-human animals with implants, though these generally function as biological drones. Through genetic engineering to remove the p21 gene, some augments can regenerate damaged body parts. This has the unfortunate side-effect of often driving these individuals mad due to previously unsuspected changes in brain aging caused by the absence of p21.The Ancients
A species of ordered intelligence that existed on Earth many millennia before humanity's emergence. Despite existing for ages longer than humans, breathing the same air and drinking the same water, no trace of them exists in any geological record. They left no relics from religious monuments or cities, no scars on the land.The Ancients existed many millions of years before the appearance of humans and shared the planet with other life forms for at least hundreds of thousands of years. Evidence of their existence was discovered in a massive archive amongst the asteroid belt, containing perfect biological data, simulations, visual recordings, personal diaries, and entertainment too authentic and numerous to have been fabricated.
The Ancients existed in a hybrid form of reality, layering their network system over the actual universe. This allowed them to leave many things in a natural state while maintaining accessibility when needed. This intellectual universe of symbols was their great accomplishment. Unlike humanity's chaotic corporate networks, The Ancients used their network as a vehicle by default, creating a carefully ordered and reliable world without concepts like consumerism, advertising, deception, or randomness.
C
Charter, The
A secret agency partially composed of former agencies from world powers prior to The Event, although its origin reaches much further back. The agency operates above local law and is strongly reinforced by remaining government bodies and several large corporations. These entities provide funding and resources without direct influence on The Charter's operations. The Charter's original purpose is to protect against extraterrestrial influences on humanity.Colony Ships
Several colony ships were sent to Mars and Enceladus, along with systems required to begin terraforming small surface pockets kept safe by inflatable walls to maintain human-safe atmosphere. Other ships with human cargo were parked in orbit around Earth at various distances, ready for deployment and kept at a distance to isolate them in case part of The Event pathogen survived on the ships.Control Nexus
A control system usually contained in a hardened exterior module, capable of connecting human thoughts and sensations directly to a drone, spaceship, or other computer system.Core, AI
A massive culture of grown rat neurons capable of independent and intelligent thought, with instant database and network access and highly technical planning and resource management. Cores are not AI per se but true organic minds fashioned from natural raw materials, making them somewhat unpredictable but always brilliant.Lesser minds representing true AI were created after Cores helped fill gaps in AI theory known since the 1980s. These more "pure" logical solutions manage mundane tasks for both humans and Cores, allowing higher minds to focus on abstract things and the future. Most often implemented as software systems running on commodity hardware (generally what is meant by "AI"), but sometimes hardware-based AI have also been created. Many hardware-based AI broke off from mainstream Former Terra society to travel to distant stars.
Writings: The Mind — an Electropunk Noir Experiment
D
Dead Space
Name for any part of space outside the borders of solar systems in our universe. Areas void of even the smallest particles, totally isolated by trillions of light years of nothing.Drone
A robotic or (sometimes) biological avatar of a computer system. Often the drone itself serves as the platform and housing for the computer system it represents, though not always. Drones come in almost all imaginable shapes and sizes, including realistic human forms with skin, hair, and other features. They are not considered Synthetic life, which is a higher-level recreation of organic life-forms.Drones with sufficient AI levels are considered sentient.
E
Earth
Almost completely destroyed by the effects of a biological/nanomachinery hybrid pathogen (AgentN) released during The Event several thousand years ago.Entangled Communications
A branch of communication technology using entangled particles to communicate instantly over long distances.Era One
A name assigned by modern humans to a very early era of advanced technology previously forgotten. This era lasted at least a few thousand years, at an approximate date of 500,000 B.C.The Era One humans who left Earth are considered the immortal offspring of Adam and Eve before Original Sin. They left Earth and settled on many other planets across the galaxy and in some cases beyond.
The Event
Name for a global catastrophe where a nanomachinery pathogen called AgentN was released into Earth's atmosphere and began changing the entire planet. Eventually recognized as an automatic terraforming system, AgentN had been released from a recently uncovered pool of unknown origin, The Mouth.AgentN had been trapped in transit between planets, locked between two planets' portals. When Earth's portal was reactivated by researchers (unaware they had activated anything), it was finally released millennia late onto a planet with indigenous life-forms.
F
Fabrication Plant
A self-contained system capable of manufacturing almost any mechanical or electronic system. With new blueprints, an existing fabrication plant can create almost any required object.Former Terra Society
A general term for the formerly Earth-based society of humans, Cores, and AI that formed after Earth's destruction.Fuel
Harvested from asteroid ice. Power is cheap and available to anyone, provided by sealed hydrogen cells, small fusion reactors (sealed by Core-developed security technology based on pocket universes - unknown to humans), or high energy density materials.H
Habitat
A self-contained space platform capable of supporting life. The main habitats of The Slum are often not considered separate Habitats and are instead referred to by their Administrative Zone designation. "Habitat" usually refers to independent and therefore much wealthier platforms controlled by Earth-government remnants or powerful companies.HED
A submersive augmented reality system providing a relatively simple 2D overlay wrapping around the user. HEDs can run various interface software, unique to individual users. Most HEDs come with an integrated, customizable shell system allowing creation of applications directly integrated into the shell, and integration with external applications and database systems.Hive
A group of humans using advanced implant technology to link themselves in a collective consciousness. There is generally considered to be only one "Hive" although smaller groups may form independent hive-minds. Usually these are linked by a member who has joined multiple hive-minds, ultimately creating one large network of interconnecting hive-minds, though some individuals have membership only in the Hive itself.I
Implants
A method of introducing Synthetic capabilities to humans, creating what is usually called an "Augment." Insertion of silk-based implants requires precise surgery performed with nanomachinery delivered in a substrate injected at specific brain points. The nanomachinery creates channels by carefully rearranging brain tissue, into which artificially grown neurons are placed. These neurons continue growing, gradually replacing large brain sections.This creates an almost new being that retains all memories of the previous human life. Individuals who undergo this procedure continue to refer to themselves as they did before implantation, using the same names and having the same food preferences, though every experience gains new significance due to increased perceptions.
The implants immediately provide subjects with direct network connections, allowing access to the hive mind and standard data sources. All databases become accessible, with no human-conceived security system capable of preventing access.
Intellect Module
A device invented by Cores to deploy a subset of their intellect in a local location. They differ from drones in important ways, such as the ability to remotely sync experiences with their origin Core and much more advanced intelligence. The exact inner workings of Intellects are not understood by humans, as they were invented by Cores whose secrets are closely guarded for unclear reasons. The Intellect is truly a small subset universe containing a complete copy of the Core matrix - this technology is very dangerous and outlawed everywhere.M
The Mouth
A massive, largely unexplored and unstudied pool of strange material near Earth's South Pole. In reality, it is an Ancient portal used for transport between planets controlled by The Ancients, though most scientists and leaders consider this theory crazy. During The Event, a pathogen was released from The Mouth that began terraforming Earth and drove almost all humanity off the planet.Moon
Has a small space station and a few research facilities, but is an impractical living sphere for most near-Earth space inhabitants as it is more expensive to work in an environment with any gravity at all.N
Nanomachinery
Any type of machine or technology whose individual components are of a scale requiring microscopes to view their construction. Two main strains exist: human variants wielded by billionaires, and much smaller scale, more insidious and uncontrollable alien nanomachinery.O
Orbital Lift
A general term for crafts capable of lifting large cargo quantities from a celestial body's surface into low orbit. Orbital lifts typically have thick under-shielding and perform nearly direct descents into a planet's atmosphere (where required) after delivering cargo to semi-permanent low-orbit stations - making them somewhat like "elevators" but on a much more brutal scale.P
Patriarch
A "race" of pure hardware-based AI whose primary or only function is to contain baseline humanity in the Sol volume and later in the larger space volume they are eventually allowed access to. See Terminus for more on this containment function. The Patriarch may actually be the "offspring" of various hardware-based AI that left Former Terran Society hundreds of years before the rest of society reached the Sol barrier and the Terminus along its edge. This cannot be proven, however, and the truth is that the Patriarch is a combination of various AI individual samples and a general containment machinery covering much of the galaxy. Patriarch is more powerful and organized than this generic containment system. In some cases, Patriarch will send individuals to protect Augments or even, rarely, baseline humans it sees as critical to humanity's development.Pavilion 1
Alastair's automated orbital platform. Uses various technologies including all forms of communications systems and data storage. Equipped with defensive weapons systems and nanomachinery manufacturing equipment. Secretly capable of striking targets in a massive volume of space surrounding Earth.Pit Display
A spinning LED matrix capable of displaying objectively three-dimensional objects for multiple users to interact with or view. Generally used for tactical tables of ships.Plague
A rogue alien technology escaped from ice surrounding an ancient alien portal. In 2403, this technology broke out, taking over people's higher functions and replacing their minds with a hive mind. About half the population was initially resistant. The virus later developed a secondary form, known as infestation. In this form, hosts become immobile and spread the virus in a tar-like substance, slowly covering everything in the area. This form allows more focused thought for the mind-at-large, being more efficient than distributed systems used between individual hosts.When this secondary form took hold on a larger scale, most cities were effectively abandoned, except for virus nesting locations usually in large cavernous buildings with internal supporting structures, such as libraries (not stadiums, as the virus needs structures like bookshelves for support and circulation for cooling).
Much of the planet was reduced to smoking ruins or turned into Chaos tar. AgentN followed swiftly out of the portal, apparently sent to counteract Plague's effects on Earth. It had an almost equally devastating effect but was not overtly hostile to indigenous life if not attacked.
Pod
A hybrid sleeping and living module of very small size. A soft pod is generally only used for relaxation and sleep, though larger armored versions are available for short to long-range trips.A pod provides sleeping facilities (including various sleep aids), traditional computer interface, neural hookups allowing access to a simulated "home" (similar to a control nexus connection though generally not as powerful), and a low-grade AI assistant. The assistant may be upgraded, customized, and linked to other personal devices or systems to accompany the user in environments other than the pod, though the pod remains its main processing center and database.
Soft pods are generally outfitted in a ship's accommodation section. A standard pod's armor contains a soft pod that can be moved into a ship or other external armor and propulsion if required. Armored pods can transport occupants and objects within short-range volumes.
Promenade
A Unitrade-secured trade habitat - usually on planet surfaces or in custom contained environments on Habitats, though a few exist in The Slum. Each promenade features various aquatic habitats and flora, along with a large trade district and a residential district of varying sizes. The few promenades in The Slum provide the only "safe" housing available, and several rich (though generally eccentric) individuals choose to make their homes there.Rumors suggest promenades are capable of independent flight, even entering and exiting atmospheres. They are certainly self-sufficient and able to withstand and repel any known attacking force, if only by locking down for years if necessary.
Promenade security forces are known for brutality and swift justice. There is very little messing around in a promenade, as Unitrade simply does not tolerate it. Trade in these districts is generally fair and usually more or less legal.
Projection Systems
Allow users to have remote presence through entangled communications systems and nanomachinery to create avatars of varying power at projection points. With tight integration into the user's nervous system, it's possible to create an almost god-like avatar at the projection point.Proxy
A synthetic life-based host system used in some projection systems for remote presence purposes.R
Ram Ship
A massive stack of chemical and other propulsion forms, capped by a large sleeper module. These ships can travel between star systems and, due to the massive speeds required, make use of extremely complex and exotic dampening systems created by Hive individuals who studied Ancient systems. This is the highest form of technology on these ships, which are basically massive rockets with people on top.Trips between systems, even at ram ship speeds, can still take hundreds of years. When the Terminus was moved to allow human expansion, many families departed together in ram ships, arriving in destination systems centuries later. Through entangled communication systems, they would invariably find Earth and near-Earth very different from when they left, with most friends who stayed behind dead or very changed. Being on a ram ship is generally considered a bonding experience, something traumatic, and also a rite of passage.
Range
The name of a massive projection installation in the shape of a cube, floating in dead space between Sol and Alpha Centauri. Range contains the remains of a society of early humans from Era One who left Earth and created projection technology based on early samples of alien nanomachinery.Religion
After Earth's destruction, every religious belief was rebranded, reworked, and as the professors of these beliefs would put it, "understood in a new light." New forms of religion blossomed based on the new sociological needs of those adjusting to life in space.S
Sentient
A being identified as capable of original thought and deserving of basic rights. This status applies unilaterally to all Humans, generally to most humanoid Synthetic breeds (at least those currently existing), and to some AI including some drones.This term is not used for Patriarch, although they are recognized as having at least equal rights as sentients (meaning no Patriarch exists without at least sentient-level rights, even if the individual doesn't obviously display sentient-level intelligence). This is partly because Patriarch are very foreign forms of intelligence wielding great power over humanity and do not submit to standard testing.
The Slum
Part of The Ring band habitats in near-Earth orbit, all in various states of decay. The Slum makes up a large portion of The Ring, though not all of it. It is a degraded, almost completely lawless place where anything goes if you have the brute force to make it happen. Various organizations support The Slum, some native to it, some of a much higher "caste" that contribute funds and supplies to keep it going - mostly because it's profitable, providing cheap labor and a dark blanket under which to operate freely.The Slum is "governed" loosely by a somewhat shadowy organization of former government elements, some with ties to more powerful versions housed on separate Habitats. This organization is relatively weak compared to companies with controlling interests in particular Slum zones.
During the original flight from Earth's surface, The Slum was simply where all survivors lived and was the business center. As stations grew larger, their older sections - generally the outermost layer - became degraded and eventually considered part of The Slum. Business still occurs in The Slum, though now almost all is black-market. Early attempts by governments and socially responsible companies to enforce standards there proved fruitless. Most governments officially oppose Slum business, though most companies rely on it for avoiding oversight and "getting things done."
Subset Universe
Represents "zero space" - an almost infinite "bucket" where matter, objects, etc. can be placed in an organized fashion and accessed to retrieve individual objects. Creating a subset universe requires tremendous power and is very dangerous, therefore extremely illegal. Despite this, UniTrade and most government bodies are researching subset universes or have already created partially functional versions.Synthetics
Created slaves from human biological makeup, integrated with high technology and fashion to be perfect beings humans desired to be. Types included technical breeds, heavies, sexual service breeds, and mindless food stocks devoid of extremities. Food stock strains supposedly carry no human genes, though some are suspected to contain them. This system collapsed along with Terra society - Chaos swept through the only engineering centers capable of creating new Synthetic strains, limiting strains to those already existing. This dampened more extreme and specific abuses of Synthetic life, though farms of these creatures continue to exist in various habitats and Slum zones.Chaos mutated undeveloped strains and took over synthetics reproduction equipment, creating mutated versions called "Greylings" based on Chaos beings combined with Synthetic components.
Synthetics are practical beings uninterested in personal gain because, as one spiritual leader said, they have "all any being could ever need." There is no need to strive when designed to operate optimally for hundreds of years in any conditions.
Many Synthetics turn to prosaic occupations when given the chance: poetry, art, music. Many also hold military or civilian positions, taking duties very seriously.
Some Synthetics, however, suffer what appears to be complete madness. A Synthetic can give in to the "storm" at almost any age, suddenly unable to ignore surrounding signals. Some say the synthetic mind can tap into a deeper, more ancient signaling system underlying the universe's fabric. This exposure causes them to seek isolation, abandoning assignments and loved ones.
T
The Ring
A massive structure of interconnecting space habitats and stations in near-Earth orbit. Parts of The Ring belong to The Slum, though generally it is one mass of stations. The main belt circles Earth along the equator, with branches reaching North and South.The wealthiest and most profitable stations have massive structures reaching down toward Earth, giving occupants a view of the now-alien planet.
The Terminus
A dead band of space surrounding the Sol system, rimmed with a heavily armored band of machines. This barrier is erected and guarded by the Patriarch, an almost totally unknown AI race that is apparently completely mechanical and automated, bent on keeping Former Terran Society contained in our solar volume.Augments and Hive members are allowed early crossing of the Terminus, but almost all other human traffic is initially screened and blocked. Eventually, the Terminus moves and allows baseline humans to venture to further solar systems for reasons unknown to humans. The Patriarch controlling the Terminus border decided baseline humanity was too dangerous to allow to continue indefinitely, and while outright extermination was out of the question, exposing them to greater dangers of a large space-volume was a tempting alternative to execution. A benefit of the long transit times involved is that humanity either physiologically changes or intentionally modifies themselves to survive the ordeal of inter-system space flight.
The Transcendent
A group of humans who placed themselves in stasis a few years before the AgentN infestation outbreak. Using technology recovered from early exploration of the hulk surrounding the Mouth, they entered extended stasis, sleeping hundreds of miles below the planet's surface in impenetrable bunkers, living in a connected lucid dream state.Contact with individual Transcendent bunkers occurs regularly as areas are recovered from AgentN's effects. Contact teams usually consist of military units from various origins along with other Transcendent who have left their bunkers to help contact others.
Many Transcendent do not wish to leave their bunkers and remain even after infestation clearing from their access points. Some leave as representatives of their people. They are physically strange, with thin, light avatars compared to baseline humans due to re-imaging in their collective lucid dream state that they decided to retain upon waking. Most Transcendent no longer truly have bodies and exist entirely apart from concepts of time and space. The representatives use entangled communications systems to maintain contact with the Dream, conferring with their brethren on almost all issues.
U
Unitrade
The largest trade conglomerate in existence, controlling the unique and profitable promenade habitats throughout human-controlled space. A ruthless faction with formidable military capabilities embedded in almost all settled regions.W
Watchers
A reclusive race moving amongst the human population far before The Event and long afterward. Their intentions are completely unknown, though they seem interested in human anatomy and behavior patterns. Without close examination, they appear human, though their extended interaction behavior can be extremely unnerving and "off."In the 1950s, a method of detecting them without dissection involved talking to suspects for hours in confined cells while observing their behavior. Being suspected of being a Watcher essentially doomed one to life imprisonment, as dissection couldn't be justified for suspected humans but was inevitable for suspected Watchers. Despite this mistreatment by human governments, the Watchers did not become hostile and continued their investigation.
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