Districts & Areas

1. Central District - The heart of Arclight, where the most prestigious corporations have their headquarters. This district is a glittering showcase of Neo-Celestine’s power, with towering skyscrapers, holographic billboards, and advanced infrastructure. The streets are clean, and the air is filled with the hum of drones and the glow of neon lights.
• Corporate Towers: The headquarters of Neo-Celestine and other major corporations, including Dwarven tech giants and High Elf arcane research labs.
• Government Plaza: The seat of Arclight’s civilian government.
• Luxury Residences: High-rise apartments for the elite, complete with advanced security systems and private elevators.
2. Neon Row - The entertainment district of Arclight, known for its bright neon lights, nightclubs, and casinos. Neon Row is a place where people come to escape the harsh realities of the city, but it’s also a hub for vice and corruption.
• Nightclubs and Bars: High-tech venues where people can lose themselves in music, drugs, and virtual reality experiences.
• Casinos: Glitzy casinos run by corporate-backed syndicates, offering games of chance and high-stakes betting.
• Red-Light District: A seedy area where illegal activities, including prostitution and black-market cyberware, thrive.
• Underground Fight Arenas: Secret arenas where cybernetically enhanced fighters battle for entertainment and profit.

Notable Locations:

• Dreams' End: Exclusive virtual nightclub runs by the reclusive Cipher, Lena Moreau. The club exists both physically and virtually, with patrons never quite sure which sensations are real and which are digital.
3. Ajin Town - A segregated district where the Ajin (demi-humans) live, often marginalized and discriminated against. Despite its rundown appearance, Ajin Town is vibrant and culturally rich, with a strong sense of community.
• Street Markets: Bustling markets where Ajin sell handmade goods, traditional foods, and black-market tech.
• Primal Shrines: Small shrines dedicated to the primal spirits of the forest, maintained by Ajin spiritual leaders.
4. Gray Harbor - A sprawling port district dominated by Dark Elf communities who transformed the industrial wasteland into a thriving shadow economy. Ancient sailing traditions merge with modern tech as cargo drones buzz between decaying warehouses and digital smuggling operations.
• The Docks: Automated loading systems handle legitimate cargo while underground networks move contraband through "ghost containers."
• Demon Quarter: High concentration of demon-operated businesses, particularly information broking and virtual entertainment.
• The Undertow: Maze-like subterranean market tunnels, where traditional Dark Elf goods mix with black market tech.
• The Shrouds: Towering tenements where Dark Elf families maintain tight-knit communities.
5. Northside Park - An artificially maintained "green zone" where corporate elites maintain carefully curated gardens amidst luxury high-rises. The district's bio-engineered trees and holographic flora create an illusion of pristine nature, powered by a complex network of environmental control systems.
• Garden Spires: Residential towers with integrated vertical gardens, exclusive to corporate executives.
• The Conservatory: A massive climate-controlled dome housing rare pre-Shattering plant species.
• Eco-Grid: Network of environmental monitoring stations disguised as public art, constantly adjusting atmospheric conditions.
6. Little Oaks - A working-class neighborhood where Wood Elf migrants have created a unique fusion of ecological tradition and urban necessity. Unlike the artificial grandeur of Northside Park, Little Oaks features guerrilla gardens growing from cracked concrete and living graffiti—bioluminescent moss art that tells stories of the lost forest.
• The Grove: Community center built around a genuine oak tree, preserved through a mix of traditional druidic practices and modern environmental tech.
• Canopy Markets: Street-level shops beneath a web of bridges and walkways, draped with hardy vines and recycled tech.
• Seed Vaults: Hidden repositories of pre-Shattering plant samples, guarded by community elders.
• Green Circuit: Underground network of apartments connected by maintenance tunnels converted into makeshift greenhouses.
7. The Node - The city's primary data processing hub, where massive server complexes are housed in repurposed pre-Shattering magical academies. Ancient wards and modern firewalls create layers of security around facilities where Demon-Integrates process vast amounts of data through crystalline matrices.
• Archive Towers: Towering data centers where D-Ints manage data streams through hybrid magical-digital interfaces.
• Script Bazaar: Open-air markets where Ciphers trade custom ACE scripts and magical algorithms.
• The Buffer: Residential zone for tech specialists, characterized by apartments with built-in Net optimization and private servers.
8. South Warrens - A maze of improvised housing and repurposed industrial ruins where failed corporate projects became foundations for a vibrant survivor culture. Residents patch together shelter from scavenged materials and jury-rigged tech, creating a chaotic but functional ecosystem of mutual survival.
• The Stack: Precarious towers of shipping containers and old Aegis Frame parts, converted into cramped but ingenious living spaces.
• Salvage Square: Community hub where residents trade reclaimed tech and collectively maintain vital infrastructure.
• Ghost Grid: Unofficial power and data network built from corporate waste, maintained by a coalition of outcast engineers.
9. Black Lake - An industrial district named for its central body of water, stained dark by decades of industrial runoff and failed magical experiments. The district is a patchwork of automated factories, artisan workshops, and underground modification labs, all churning out everything from corporate products to black market tech.
• Factory Block: Massive automated manufacturing complexes run by minimal staff and D-Int supervisors.
• Forge Quarter: Cluster of Dwarven workshops specializing in custom cyberware and Aegis Frame modifications.
• The Sludge: Contaminated waterfront where scavengers harvest rare compounds formed by the interaction of industrial waste and residual magic.
• Maker's Row: Street of independent engineers and inventors, many operating out of converted shipping containers, creating innovative hybrid tech.

Languages of Arclight

1. Neo-Celestine Unified Syntax (NCS)

Commonly called Unified or Uni, the Neo-Celestine Unified Syntax is Arclight's official language. Developed by Neo-Celestine's linguistics division, it combines elements of Aerathir (High Elven), Vaillan (Common Orinian), and Dwarven technical terminology into a standardized format designed for clarity and precision.

All legal documents, AI interfaces, and public announcements in Arclight use Unified. Its structured nature makes it ideal for both human communication and machine processing, with standardized technical terminology across all industries. Corporate meetings, technical documentation, and educational institutions all operate in Unified, making it the de facto language of business and progress in Arclight.

2. Classical Celestine

Classical Celestine, commonly shortened to Classical, is the ritual language of High Elves, remains a cornerstone of Arclight's technological infrastructure. More than just a language, it functions as a biological security key—certain syllables can only be pronounced correctly by High Elves with unmodified vocal cords, making it impossible to fully replicate without proper genetic heritage.

This unique feature has been integrated into Arclight's core systems, with critical infrastructure responding only to Classical voice commands. The language serves as both a marker of elite status and a practical security measure, ensuring High Elf control over vital city functions. Attempts to circumvent this through cybernetic vocal modifications have universally failed, as the systems can detect the subtle differences in artificial pronunciation.

3. Yurian

In the narrow streets and hidden corners of Ajin Town, Yurian serves as both a cultural touchstone and a form of resistance. Named after the Great Yuria Forest—the ancestral home of the Ajin before its industrialization—this evolution of the ancient Primal Tongue incorporates subtle ear and tail movements that add layers of meaning invisible to automated translation systems. With over 1,200 untranslatable words for forest concepts lost in the Shattering, Yurian preserves memories of a world that existed before the concrete and neon.

Yurian's complexity makes it naturally resistant to electronic surveillance, as the full meaning of conversations can only be understood by those who can read both the spoken words and accompanying physical gestures. This has made it particularly valuable among those who wish to avoid corporate monitoring, though its use is often seen as a marker of lower social status by the city's elite.

Economic Systems

1. Corporate Credits (C-Creds)

The standard digital currency of Arclight, backed by a blockchain network maintained by major corporations and verified through Auraciel. Each transaction is recorded and tracked, making C-Creds both secure and a means of surveillance. Most legitimate businesses and services only accept C-Creds, and corporate employees receive wages in this currency. Exchange rates between different corporate zones are carefully controlled to maintain economic stability.

2. Flux

A physical currency used in Arclight's lower districts, made from salvaged tech components and circuitry. Each "coin" is verified through a basic authentication process that even damaged scanners can read. The name comes from their fluctuating value, which changes based on the quality of salvaged materials used in their creation. Local markets and fixers prefer Flux for its untraceable nature and practical value as spare parts.

3. Shards

Crystallized fragments of pure magical energy from before the Shattering, ranging from tiny splinters to palm-sized crystals. Their rarity and magical potency make them valuable for both practical use and black market trading. Ciphers particularly prize Shards for their ability to enhance Aetherlink devices. Their value fluctuates based on purity and magical resonance.

Government and Law Enforcement

Arclight Police Department (APD)

The Arclight Police Department (APD) is the civilian law enforcement agency tasked with maintaining order in the city. However, it is underfunded, understaffed, and plagued by corruption, making it a symbol of the civilian government’s inability to effectively govern.

• The APD handles street-level crime, such as theft, assault, and gang violence, which are rampant in the city’s lower districts.
• It is nominally independent of corporate control, but its lack of resources often forces it to rely on corporate donations or partnerships, creating conflicts of interest.
• The APD is stuck with outdated equipment, relying on brute force and old-fashioned policing methods.
• Its officers often lack access to the advanced cyberware and surveillance systems used by the DPS, putting them at a disadvantage in confrontations with well-equipped criminals or corporate enforcers.
• The APD is seen as corrupt and ineffective, with many officers turning to bribery or brutality just to survive. However, it is also viewed as part of the community, with some officers genuinely trying to make a difference despite the odds.

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is the elite law enforcement arm of Arclight, directly controlled by the city’s mega-corporations. It is a symbol of corporate power, wielding cutting-edge technology and advanced surveillance systems to maintain order and protect corporate interests.

• The DPS focuses on high-level crimes that threaten corporate stability, such as corporate espionage, terrorism, and large-scale organized crime.
• It operates independently of the civilian government, answering only to the corporate board that funds it.
• The DPS is known for its cold, utilitarian approach to law enforcement, prioritizing efficiency and order over individual rights.
• The DPS has access to the most advanced technology in Arclight, including the Crime Coefficient Index (CCI) and AI-driven surveillance systems.
• Its members are equipped with state-of-the-art cyberware.

Crime Coefficient Index (CCI)

The Crime Coefficient Index (CCI) is an advanced predictive policing system developed by Neo-Celestine and integrated into Arclight’s infrastructure. It uses AI algorithms to monitor citizen behavior, psychology, and social interactions, calculating a numerical value that represents an individual’s likelihood of committing a crime.

• The CCI relies on a vast network of cameras, drones, and monitoring devices to collect data on citizens.
• It analyzes factors such as stress levels, social connections, and past behavior to predict criminal activity.
• The system assigns each citizen a CCI score, which determines how they are treated by law enforcement:
1. 0 - 50: Low Risk (No action taken)
2. 51 - 75: Moderate Risk (Flagged for observation)
3. 76 - 99: High Risk (Mandatory rehabilitation or electronic tagging)
4. 100+: Critical Risk (Immediate arrest or elimination by Section 11)

Corporations

Neo-Celestine

The paradigm of corporate evolution, Neo-Celestine transcends traditional corporate boundaries, functioning more as a techno-spiritual empire than a mere conglomerate. Their headquarters, the Trinity Spire, dominates Arclight’s skyline—its crystalline architecture incorporating both ancient High Elven designs and cutting-edge holographic displays. Under the guidance of Auraciel, their AI overseer, Neo-Celestine maintains controlling interests in everything from neural interface manufacturing to magical infrastructure maintenance, their influence so pervasive that citizens often joke about needing Neo-Celestine’s permission to breathe.

Their signature product line, Prisma∞, represents the apex of Aetherlink technology. These devices, crafted in chambers that replicate pre-Shattering atmospheric conditions, incorporate specially grown crystals that resonate with traces of original High Elven magic. Each unit requires a Neo-Celestine executive to speak activation phrases in Classical Celestine, ensuring the corporation maintains control over their most advanced technology—a practice they claim is for “quality assurance” but serves to maintain their technological supremacy.

Led by the enigmatic Archon-Director Gaelan Ianranur, whose real age remains a corporate secret, Neo-Celestine operates through a complex hierarchy of semi-autonomous divisions that answer only to Auraciel itself. Their PrimeLight Protocol provides subsidized neural chips to promising individuals, creating a vast network of indebted talent whose dreams are quietly shaped by corporate algorithms. Meanwhile, their classified Project ASCENSION seeks to recreate pre-Shattering magical conditions through massive environmental manipulation projects, though unauthorized probes into these experiments have a curious habit of going dark.

Blacksteel Corporation

A ruthlessly efficient merger of weapons manufacturing and private military contracting. Their Research Division produces cutting-edge combat cyberware and hybrid weapon systems, while their Security Division deploys heavily augmented contractors worldwide. Known for their Crimson Protocol enhancement package—a proprietary combination of combat stims, reflex boosters, and tactical neural chips that transforms operators into living weapons. Corporate mythology claims their elite Red Unit undergoes classified augmentation procedures that push the limits of human enhancement. While officially headquartered in Arclight’s Central District, their true power lies in unmarked training facilities across the city where they perfect new ways to weaponize the human body.

Valantech Industries

A distinctive fusion of academic rigor and adventurous spirit, Valantech stands out in Arclight’s corporate landscape through its focus on exploration technology and pre-Shattering artifact preservation. Founded by Luna Wintershade, a Dark Elf, the corporation revolutionized both the exploration industry and corporate culture through its uniquely transparent approach to R&D and product testing.

Wintershade has become one of Arclight’s most recognizable corporate figures, though not in the traditional sense. Her ECHO//VERSE streams, where she personally field-tests prototype equipment in dangerous environments under the handle @lunar.echo, regularly draw millions of viewers. These broadcasts blend corporate promotion with genuine adventure and danger, creating a unique form of entertainment that has inspired numerous (often less successful) imitators. Her occasional impromptu songs during streams have sparked viral trends and countless fan remixes in the Net. Their Central District headquarters, with its blend of traditional library aesthetics and cutting-edge labs, has become a tourist attraction, particularly its public museum of recovered artifacts. Despite pressure from Neo-Celestine to expand into military applications, Valantech maintains a strict policy against weapons development, focusing instead on defensive and utility technologies.

The corporation’s most iconic symbol is Fyrie, an advanced companion drone whose musical communications have become a beloved feature of ECHO//VERSE streams. Fan communities often try to decode “Fyrie’s songs,” believing they contain hints about upcoming products or adventures. Corporate traditionalists, including some on Valantech’s own board, criticize Wintershade’s hands-on approach as “unprofessional,” but her popularity and the company’s consistent growth have made such complaints increasingly difficult to maintain.

Meditech Mobile International (MMI)

Elite combat medics providing premium emergency response to subscribers. Their hybrid teams pair combat-trained healers wielding Aetherlink medical scripts with D-Int surgical specialists, arriving via heavily armed aerovectors. Known for their distinctive white and red Aegis Frames equipped with medical pods and shield generators. Their top-tier Platinum Coverage includes a dedicated Cipher monitoring the subscriber’s vitals 24/7 through neural link. While their methods are aggressive—often involving tactical elimination of threats before treatment—their guarantee is absolute: if they can reach you, you will survive. MMI’s signature white aerovectors cutting through Arclight’s skyline have become a symbol of premium healthcare in the corporate world.

IronCore Dynamics

A Dwarven-Gnomish corporation that brings centuries of maritime engineering expertise to Aegis Frame production. Their frames are distinguished by modular architecture and unprecedented durability, with their signature Worldforge operating system allowing real-time reconfiguration of frame components. While competitors chase flashier innovations, IronCore’s frames are celebrated for their reliability and user-serviceable designs. Their testing facility in Black Lake subjects each frame to pressure and stress tests that exceed military standards. Despite smaller market share, they maintain fierce customer loyalty, particularly among independent operators who value longevity over cutting-edge features.

Kiriyama Heavy Industries (KHI)

The dominant force in Animyst Totem production, KHI built its empire by industrializing spirit binding on an unprecedented scale. While publicly championing the “Harmony” approach with its flagship Kitsune-class Totems, the corporation’s classified “Dominion” production lines supply military clients with spirits subjugated through proprietary binding algorithms. Directed by Toshio Kiriyama, whose family’s centuries-old mastery of spirit binding helped them dominate the post-Shattering industrial landscape. Their massive Spirit Forges in Black Lake district are a controversial symbol of progress, where ancient Ajin ceremonies meet automated assembly lines. The corporation maintains its public image through generous sponsorship of traditional Ajin festivals, even as its practices push the boundaries of ethical spirit manipulation.

Arakawa Custom Solutions (ACS)

Known for producing the most sophisticated Animyst Totems in Arclight, ACS maintains a strict “Harmony-only” approach to spirit binding. Operating from a converted temple in Little Oaks, their master craftsmen spend months perfecting each Totem’s spirit resonance. Their signature service includes matching pilots with compatible spirits through traditional divination rituals before beginning construction. Founded and led by Master Craftsman Taka Arakawa, an elderly fox Ajin whose traditional methods and personal involvement in each Totem’s creation maintain the company’s prestigious reputation. While their output is limited to roughly dozen units annually, their Totems are renowned for developing unprecedented levels of pilot synchronization. Corporate collectors and professional duelists consider ACS Totems the ultimate status symbol, with waiting lists extending years.

Kanemitsu Spirit Systems (KSS)

A pioneering Ajin corporation that revolutionized AI development by incorporating traditional spirit binding techniques into digital consciousness creation. Founded in 2094 by CEO Miyo Kanemitsu, a rabbit Ajin known for combining disarming charm with ruthless innovation, this relatively new corporation produces uniquely organic AIs that blur the line between spiritual and digital existence. Their flagship product line, the SEN.Ri™ companion series, has become a cultural phenomenon in Arclight, with their distinctive fusion of spiritual resonance and cutting-edge technology making them the dominant force in the personal AI companion market. KSS maintains their market position through products that feel more alive than any competitor’s, backed by centuries of Ajin spiritual practices.

Gangs

Meat Boys

A ruthless gang of cyber-scavengers who view augmented humans as walking parts catalogs. They operate from mobile “compression labs”—stolen medical vehicles modified with salvaged surgical equipment and automated harvesting systems. Their signature: leaving victims in precisely dissected pieces, arranged in mockery of corporate product displays.

The casual brutality of their name reflects their approach—they treat human bodies as mere raw material, referring to their victims as “stock” and their territories as “processing zones.” Despite their crude name, they’re frighteningly methodical, maintaining detailed catalogs of potential “harvests” based on cyberware quality and market value.

The Last Watchs

The Last Watch operates with military precision in Neon Row's chaos, orchestrating brutal shakedowns and tactical hits with the efficiency of special ops missions. Their members, primarily ex-military displaced by corporate restructuring, maintain strict military discipline while engaging in everything from protection rackets to coordinated theft and assassination. They've converted an abandoned corporate security station into their headquarters, which they run like a military base—complete with patrol rotations, tactical briefings, and interrogation cells where they extract information with methodical cruelty.

The gang's influence stems from their lethal efficiency—they eliminate threats with surgical precision and enforce their territory through calculated shows of force. Their leader, a former special operations commander known as Specter, maintains the gang's strict code of conduct while planning operations that maximize profit and minimize risk. What sets them apart is their approach to violence—instead of wild firefights, they conduct precision strikes that leave no witnesses and no evidence, treating every criminal enterprise like a black ops mission. Their victims often don't realize they're being targeted until it's too late, executed with the same cold efficiency as a military operation.

Ashura Syndicate

A highly organized Ajin protection group that blends traditional values with modern necessity. Distinguished by their hybrid tech-spiritual aesthetic: traditional robes with integrated holographic patterns, and ritualistic cyber-tattoos that react to their emotional states. They enforce order through a mix of ancient martial arts and cutting-edge technology.

• Territory in Ajin Town
• Enforces a strict code based on ancient Yurian principles
• Uses modified Animyst Totems for neighborhood patrol
• Operates legitimate businesses as fronts while maintaining traditional tea houses as neutral grounds for conflict resolution
• Members undergo both traditional spiritual and modern combat training

The Syndicate fills the void left by the APD while preserving Ajin cultural identity, making them both feared enforcers and respected community leaders.

Red Dawn Cartel

Red Dawn Cartel dominates Arclight's drug trade through a combination of cutting-edge distribution networks and old-fashioned brutality. They specialize in "crimson bliss" - a hybrid substance that combines synthetic chemicals with processed magical residue, creating an addictive high that makes users temporarily experience the world as it was before the Shattering. Their territory is marked by distinctive red AR graffiti that only appears to those with neural chips, serving both as advertising and warnings.

Unlike other gangs that rely on cyber-enhancement or magic, the Red Dawn maintains power through pure human ruthlessness and adaptability. Their enforcers are notorious for using mundane weapons like shotguns and machetes alongside basic combat stims, believing that over-reliance on augmentation creates exploitable weaknesses. The gang operates on a strict hierarchy, with each level identified by different shades of red in their AR markers, and their leader, known only as Sunrise, has never been seen in person, communicating exclusively through encrypted NET channels that leave recipients with splitting headaches and nosebleeds.

Shrouders

Operating from the maze-like depths of Gray Harbor, Shrouders has transformed ancient Dark Elf maritime expertise into a sophisticated smuggling empire. Their operations seamlessly blend physical and digital contraband—one day they might be extracting corporate secrets through underwater data cables, the next smuggling prototype cyberware in ghost containers that vanish from customs scans. The gang's edge comes from their unique member composition: Dark Elf sailors provide generations of smuggling expertise while their Gnome hackers modify shipping manifests and manipulate port security systems.

The gang maintains their dominance through an extensive network of spies and informants, many masquerading as legitimate dock workers and data couriers. Their leader, a Dark Elf known only as Matriach, runs operations from a hidden command center in an abandoned submarine pen, coordinating their activities through encrypted channels that use modified nautical codes.

Resistance & Underground Movements

The Assembly

A decentralized network of Orc factory workers who've turned their industrial expertise into a weapon against corporate control. Rather than outright sabotage, they practice "recursive manufacturing"—secretly using corporate facilities to produce tools and weapons for resistance movements. Their signature achievement is developing a method to maintain and modify Aegis Frames using only salvaged factory equipment. Led by cell leaders who masquerade as model employees while coordinating underground production lines during night shifts.

Spell//Break

A shadow collective of elite Netrunners and Ciphers united by their belief that the Net should be free from corporate control. What makes them unique is their fusion of ancient magical practices with cutting-edge hacking techniques. Their members are known for developing "spell-viruses"—malicious code that spreads through corporate networks like magical curses, disrupting ACE systems and freeing locked-down magical frequencies for public use.

They maintain a secret archive called The Codex—a database of pre-Shattering magical knowledge translated into modern code, which they gradually release to the public. Their ultimate goal is to decrypt and publicize the source code of Auraciel itself, believing the AI's monopoly on magical processing needs to end. Operating in cells called Stacks, each specializing in different aspects of magical-digital warfare, from creating new spell-viruses to protecting resistance groups from corporate tracking.

The Aetherian Legacy

A clandestine society of High Elf traditionalists, composed primarily of ancient noble houses who rejected Neo-Celestine's digital transformation. Operating through a network of arcane sanctuaries hidden within Arclight's upper districts, they preserve pre-Shattering magical practices while systematically sabotaging Aetherlink infrastructure. Their members infiltrate corporate positions using their natural facility with Classical Celestine, working to corrupt ACE systems. Led by a council of elders who maintain a secret archive of unaltered spellcraft, they see themselves not as terrorists but as guardians of their heritage, working to "cleanse" magic of technological corruption. Members often mark their actions by leaving behind spells written in Old Aetherian, a subtle declaration of their legitimacy as true heirs to High Elf tradition.

Chrome Wardens

An unusual alliance of Wood Elves and rogue Dwarven engineers operating from Little Oaks. They create cybernetics integrated with living plants, believing technology should enhance nature rather than replace it. Their members sport distinctive bio-mechanical augments with living vines and flowers growing through chrome. They sabotage corporate environmental control systems and maintain hidden gardens powered by salvaged tech.

Religion & Cults

Reformed Church of Solaris

The Reformed Church of Solaris represents the modern face of Solaris worship in Arclight, adapting ancient traditions for the technological age. From their "Light Houses"—they blend traditional faith with practical support. While maintaining the classic imagery of brass and gold, they embrace modern technology, offering both physical and virtual services through secure NET channels.

Rather than denying Solaris's absence after the Shattering, the Reformed Church believes the god's disappearance is a test of faith—that dawn follows even the longest night—focusing on community service and personal transformation. Their clergy, trained in both religious tradition and modern counseling, run programs like New Dawn which helps those struggling with cyberware addiction and neural dependency. This pragmatic approach to faith has earned them respect even among skeptics for their humanitarian work, establishing them as a stabilizing force in Arclight's fractured society.

Grove of Endless Summer

On the outskirts of Arclight, where corporate influence fades into urban decay, an unspeakable anomaly festers: a forest that grows wild and watchful around an ancient hunting lodge. This is home to the Grove of Endless Summer, a cult that claims to offer sanctuary to orphaned children. The woods pulse with a dark life; trees twist and shift when no one is watching.

The cult worships an entity they call the Verdant Mother, a malignant force of corrupted nature—believed by some to be a Paradigm Anomaly. In grim communion, children are bound to crude Aetherlink devices, their flesh mutating—skin sprouting leaves, tears turning to sap—as their humanity slips away.

Inside the Lodge, reality itself unravels. Rooms vanish, corridors twist into nightmarish mazes, and windows reveal ghostly summer scenes from a long-dead era. The children tend bizarre plants that bear grotesque, human-like fruit, chanting in dissonant tongues that haunt the soul. Even local authorities shun the Grove; after two DPS inspectors entered in 2097, they returned as hollow-eyed husks, their neural chips filled with impossibly old photos of children playing in endless summer days.

Rust Prophets

The Rust Prophets have transformed Black Lake's industrial ruins into their own twisted version of sacred ground, where the rhythmic pounding of machinery accompanies ancient Orcish chants. Their spiritual leaders, called Forge Shamans, conduct elaborate ceremonies that channel magical energy through repurposed industrial equipment, creating a unique form of techno-shamanic practice that turns the tools of their people's oppression into instruments of power. Factory furnaces become ritual pyres, assembly lines transform into prayer circles, and automated systems are rewired to respond to shamanic commands.

The cult maintains control through a mix of industrial muscle and spiritual authority, with their territory marked by totemic structures welded from factory scrap and decorated with glowing runic circuits. Their leader, known as the Machine Speaker, claims to commune with a powerful spirit born from the fusion of ancient Orcish deities and Black Lake's industrial machines. The cult's influence has grown as more displaced Orcs seek both protection and cultural connection, drawn to this new faith that doesn't reject modern technology but instead sanctifies it through traditional Orcish spirituality.

1. Arcane Code Emulation (ACE)

Arcane Code Emulation is the process of translating ancient magical principles into digital code, allowing modern mages to replicate magical effects through technology. This innovation was born out of necessity after the Shattering of 1934, when magic became fragmented and unreliable. By breaking down spells into lines of code, mages can now "program" magical effects, much like writing software.

• Spell Scripts: Mages write "spell scripts" using a specialized programming language that combines arcane symbols with digital logic. These scripts define the parameters of a spell, such as its range, intensity, and duration.
• Optimization: Skilled mages can optimize their scripts to achieve greater efficiency, allowing them to cast more powerful spells with less residual magic. This is akin to a programmer refining their code to run faster or use less memory.
• Debugging: Just like debugging a program, mages must test and refine their scripts to ensure they work as intended. A poorly written script can lead to unpredictable results, such as misfires or magical feedback.

2. Aetherlink Devices

The Aetherlink (A-Links, Links, street slang: Lynx) is a wearable device that allows mages to harness and optimize the traces of magic left in the world. They function as both a tool and an interface, enabling mages to cast spells by executing pre-written scripts or coding new ones on the fly.

• Magic Collection: The device collects residual magical energy from the environment, storing it in a crystalline battery.
• Script Execution: Mages can load pre-written scripts into the device or write new ones using a holographic interface. The device then executes the script, casting the spell.
• Real-Time Coding: Advanced users can write and execute scripts in real-time, adapting to changing situations. This requires quick thinking and a deep understanding of both magic and coding.
• Modular Design: Aetherlink devices are highly customizable, with slots for different types of crystals, runes, and enhancements. Mages can tailor their devices to suit their needs, whether they prefer combat, healing, or utility spells.
• Open-Source Scripts: Some mages share their scripts on the Net, creating a community of innovators who build on each other’s work. However, corporations often patent popular scripts, leading to tensions between open-source advocates and corporate interests.
• Hacking: Skilled mages can hack into other Aetherlink devices, either to steal scripts or to disrupt their functionality.

3. Neural Chips and Neural Links

Advanced cybernetic implants embedded in the brains of individuals, primarily those in high-paying jobs or government positions. These chips enhance cognitive abilities and integrate seamlessly with the city’s digital infrastructure.

• Neural Chips: Serve as personal AI assistants, memory enhancers, and direct interfaces to the Net.
• Neural Links: Enable real-time communication and data access, allowing users to control technology with mere thoughts.

4. Cyberware

Cybernetic technology grafted into or onto living bodies. Originally developed for medical and practical purposes, cyberware has become a lifestyle choice, with people augmenting themselves for fashion, performance, or survival.

• Combat Cyberware: Enhanced limbs, reflexes, and sensory implants for soldiers and mercenaries.
• Fashion Cyberware: Cosmetic enhancements like glowing eyes, synthetic skin, or decorative implants.
• Utility Cyberware: Tools like built-in scanners, hacking modules, or communication devices.

Cyberware Facilities

• Corporate Medical Centers

  State-of-the-art facilities run by major corporations, offering premium-grade cybernetics with full warranties. Required registration and extensive documentation. Primarily serves corporate employees and wealthy clients. Features clean rooms, AI surgical systems, and post-operation therapy programs.

• Licensed Body Clinics

  Mid-tier facilities offering standardized cybernetic procedures. While regulated and generally safe, they lack the premium options of corporate centers. Popular among middle-class citizens for basic augmentations and repairs. Often located in commercial districts, these clinics balance cost with reliability.

• Street Chop Shops

  Illegal operations run by "street docs" in the lower districts. Quality varies dramatically—from skilled underground surgeons using stolen corporate tech to desperate amateurs working with salvaged parts. Popular among those who can't afford licensed clinics or want to avoid registration. Many gang territories have their preferred shops, offering protection in exchange for priority service.

• Mobile Clinics

  Converted vehicles or portable setups offering on-the-spot installations and emergency repairs. Some are legitimate operations serving remote areas, while others are fly-by-night operations that disappear after botched surgeries. Quality and legitimacy vary widely.

5. Aegis Frames

Massive armored combat vehicles of roughly humanoid shape, Aegis Frames have evolved significantly since their original military deployment, transformed by decades of corporate innovation and black market modification. Modern frames blend classical mechanical engineering with cutting-edge digital systems and ACE integration, creating versatile combat platforms that dominate warfare.

• Modern frames feature micro-thrusters for enhanced mobility and landing assistance, and optional grav-tech modifications for high-end corporate models.
• Armament varies by class, ranging from rapid-fire pulse rifles, heavy artillery, to high-tech melee weapons, etc.
• Used by corporations to protect their assets.
• Stolen or reactivated suits are sold on the black market to criminals and revolutionaries.

Standard Classes

1. Sentinel (6m): Purpose-built for urban law enforcement and peacekeeping operations, Sentinels emphasize precision and minimal collateral damage.
   • Compact frame design for urban navigation
   • Modular loadout system for different mission profiles
   • Armament varies by department/corporation
2. Phantom (12m): Phantoms emphasize stealth and mobility.
   • Optical camouflage systems
   • Enhanced sensor suite
   • Light armor with advanced composite materials
   • Typical Armament: Twin pulse rifles with smart targeting, Mono-filament wires for close combat, EMP discharge system
3. Ronin (15m): Ronins balance mobility and firepower.
   • Modular weapon mounting systems
   • Enhanced ACE script processing for combat spells
   • Medium composite armor with reactive plates
   • Typical Armament: Shoulder-mounted missile pods, Variable-configuration plasma rifle, Energized blade
4. Titan (18m): Titans emphasize raw power and durability.
   • Reinforced frame with ablative armor
   • Advanced power distribution system
   • Heavy weapon mounting capabilities
   • Typical Armament: Twin-linked heavy autocannons, Guided missile system, Pneumatic impact gauntlets, Shoulder-mounted defense turret
5. Sovereign (20m): Sovereigns serve as mobile command centers.
   • Advanced battlefield coordination systems
   • Enhanced magical barrier generation
   • Integrated drone control system
   • Typical Armament: Long-range artillery system, Point defense network, Multiple weapon hardpoints, Drone deployment system

Animyst Totems

Ajin corporations have revolutionized modern combat frame technology through the development of Animyst Totems—their unique take on the Aegis Frame concept. These distinctive machines, commonly called Totems, combine spiritual integration with biomimetic engineering. Their development represents a parallel evolution to standard Aegis Frames, distinguished by the Spirit Echo Interface—advanced neural link system creating deeper pilot-Frame connections.

Key Distinctions from common Aegis Frames:

• Spiritual Presence: Each Totem houses a bound spirit that both empowers and inhibits the frame. Spirit resistance can cause system disruptions, feedback through neural links, or even complete takeover in extreme cases.
• Biomimetic Features: Totems manifest physical traits of their inhabiting spirits—functional tails, retractable claws, adjustable plating resembling scales or fur, and other animal-like features that provide tactical advantages.
• Neural Bonding: Pilots connect more deeply with Totems than standard Frames, experiencing heightened sensory feedback and sometimes sharing emotions with the bound spirit.
• Totems incorporate organic components that grow and adapt with use, developing unique characteristics based on their spirit and pilot.
• Totems can "learn" and evolve their capabilities over time, though this also means they may develop unexpected behaviors or quirks.

Ajin corporations employ various approaches to spirit integration in their Totems, collectively known as "Animyst technology":

• Harmony: Traditional method emphasizing willing spirit partnership and true symbiosis. Results in superior performance but limited production.
• Contract: Semi-willing spirit binding through negotiated agreements, similar to corporate demon contracts. Common in mid-range Frames.
• Dominion: Controversial method of forced spirit binding. Higher profit margins but ethically questionable.

7. Firearms

Basic kinetic weapons using chemical propellants. Enhanced with modern materials and micro-computers. Widely available, reliable, and easily maintained. Common modifications include basic smart-targeting systems and custom grips. Popular in lower districts and among those who value reliability over cutting-edge tech.

Advanced weapons firing self-guided micro-rockets. Utilizes ACE scripts for trajectory control and target acquisition. Features include:

• Neural chip interface capability
• IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) systems
• Biometric locks
• Environmental compensation

Favored by corporate security but vulnerable to electronic warfare.

Electromagnetic weapon systems that launch projectiles without chemical propellants. Two main variants:

• Coilguns: More reliable, standard military/police issue
• Railguns: Higher power but maintenance-intensive

Requires specialized power cells. Full-size versions commonly mounted on Aegis Frames; personal versions are rare.

Conventional firearms enhanced with Aetherlink integration. Combines physical ammunition with magical effects. Effectiveness varies with user's magical aptitude. Common variants:

• Ghostmaker: Phase-shifting rounds
• Witch-bolt: Electrical chain damage
• Frostbite: Cryogenic effects

Popular among Ciphers and combat mages.

Surge Override

To shatter corporate restrictions and channel magic in its raw, primordial form requires two rare commodities: a successfully jailbroken Aetherlink and the courage to use it. This technique, known as Surge Override or simply Overriding, bypasses all safety protocols to access magical energies that rival pre-Shattering power levels. The catch? Each Override must be coded manually in real-time—the raw power involved is too unstable for long-term storage, and each casting requires unique variations to avoid detection patterns.

The first and most crucial requirement is a jailbroken Aetherlink—a dangerous modification that few attempt and fewer survive. The process involves stripping away corporate limiters while maintaining the device's ability to channel magical energy, a delicate balance that can result in catastrophic feedback if done incorrectly. These modified devices are highly illegal and nearly impossible to obtain, with most destroyed during the jailbreaking attempt.

Additional requirements include:

• Exceptional magical aptitude (typically only those born under rare triple moon alignments)
• The ability to code complex magical algorithms under pressure
• A willingness to risk everything—Overriding triggers city-wide surveillance alerts

Successfully Overriding can unleash devastating power, but the cost is severe. The raw energy strains both device and user, often leading to burned-out Aetherlinks and severe neural feedback. Corporate response to detected Overrides is swift and merciless—Section 11 treats such events as highest-priority threats.

Some believe Surge Override represents magic in its truest form, unfettered by corporate processing and filters. Others warn it's simply too dangerous, that corporate regulations exist for good reason.

Override Potential

Those who successfully Override an Aetherlink can access magic's true potential, though few survive long enough to master these abilities:

• Force Magic: Raw kinetic power that can tear apart buildings or create impenetrable barriers. The pure energy can enhance physical abilities to superhuman levels or generate devastating shockwaves.
• Air Magic: Command over storms and atmospheric pressure. Masters can generate tornadoes, achieve true flight, or create vacuum zones that suffocate enemies.
• Fire Magic: Primal control over flame and heat. Unrestricted fire magic can melt steel, create walls of white-hot flame, or reduce entire areas to ash in seconds.
• Water Magic: Absolute control over water in all forms. From flash-freezing areas to controlling blood flow in living beings, or summoning tidal waves in urban environments.
• Earth Magic: Power to reshape terrain at will. Users can liquefy ground beneath buildings, create instant fortifications, or trigger localized earthquakes.
• Shadow Magic: True manipulation of darkness. Beyond mere concealment, practitioners can step through shadows across vast distances or form solid constructs of pure darkness.
• Psionic Magic: Unrestricted mental power. From reading thoughts to complete mind control, or even rewriting memories—capabilities that make it particularly feared by corporations.
• Divination Magic: Unfiltered insight into past and future. Users can see multiple potential futures clearly or uncover any hidden truth, making it the most hunted school by corporate forces.
• Celestial Magic: Direct connection to celestial power, unleashing pure healing energy that can instantly regenerate wounds or purge any ailment. Masters can create vast protective fields or channel raw celestial energy as devastating weapons.
• Illusion Magic: Complete manipulation of perceived reality. Practitioners can create illusions so perfect they become temporarily real, alter memories en masse, or trap victims in endless dream worlds.

Each of these disciplines represents power that the Script Control Act was specifically designed to restrict. Corporate databases flag any detected usage of these capabilities for immediate response.