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M[i



Chapter one, the Core's Crusade

,.
Dream aspect

I

(Introduction) 3 (Years of Chaos) 70
SHORT LEXICON !MARGINS) 4 INTRODUCING THE CORE 72 ..,

KA"iNAS, PENDULUM, DREAM, DAY AND ERA 4 DROLIATH'S DECREE OF POWER 73
SOH 5 THE CORE'S PRIORITIES 74
WITHIN THIS WORLD, BINARY GEOGRAPHY 6 RECORD FROM THE PRE-CORE 75
,.
GEOGRAPHY, THE DREAM AND THE DAY 8 HISTORICAL EVENTS 76
WILDERNESS 9 THE PRESENT 80

ORPEE 11
5
LINKING THE ECHOES WITH EFLOW 13

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES 14
(The Core's News) 81
APPROACHING CULTURE. ..

DEFINING CULTURE 15
THE CORE'S CHRONOLOGY 82
ABOUT SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS ... 16
MONEY AND NEWS 83

THE CORE HIMSELF'S SPEECH 85
2 THE CORE'S CRUSADE 86
(Races) 17
Walking 86
Marching 87
EMOVANS 18
Crusade 89

FRILINS 21
CREDITS 88
GNATHS 24
THE ARMY AND THE BANK 89
INA'iS 27
THE GEODEM SYSTEM 91
NAYANS 30
SOUTH MAP OF KA'iNAS 92

ODWOANES 33
ENVIRONMENTS 93
SO LEKS 37
POLITICAL SYSTEM 95
VOLKO'iS 40
CITIES AND TOWNS 97
YAKIS 43
Kha'i-Bhek 97

iiNS 46
Danaac 98
Kolester 99
..,

Oce 100
-
(Echoes) 49
Ulabediare 101
Kaderun & Dubarim 102

AWAKENER 50
Vilnaco & Mroa 103
GUARDIAN 52
Kevoy I Set & Uchatere 104
JUDGE 54
Yhrne llemir 105
JUDICATOR 56
SOCIAL SYSTEM
r
106
MIND CHEMIST 58
ECONOMIC SYSTEM. 108
NIGHTMARE
INDUSTRIES 111
OVERLORD
TRUTH CRAFTER
WALKER
WAR ENGINE
S h () rt

K<?v
a n d I o <:;a I fl a v o r'
Naakinis: In the Frilin language,
"Naakinis" refers to something awakened
and immense. In our terms, it could mean
'conscious planet." Because it goes
completely against their views of the world,
however, the Gnoths have banished this word
from their language. To the Gnaths, the idea
of a Iorge, spherical object floating in orbit
for no apparent reason seems a weak theor
and to award if a conscience is ludicrous.
Gnaths don't understand why something
conscious would spin in circles millennia alter
millennia without ever tiring. Furthermore,
while they believe if may be possible to
prove the necessity of the planet's
movement, to justify its consciousness is a
seeniingly impossible task. The Frilins, lna"is
and Emovans, plus some Judges and
Judicotors, however, still maintain a belief
Her, Naakinis. The Frilins, lnais and the
Emovans can justify their faith in Her
because they are emotional characters that
need spirituality. The Judges and Judicators,
however, believe in Her for a different
reason. They recognize that their strength,
impressive even among Echoes, must exist
lor a reason. And they believe that the
conscious planet Nookinis has given them
these powers, as She is the one who directs
and makes sense of the world. It is the Laws
of the Judges and the Reincarnation of the
Judicators that prevent the Gnoths from
discarding this concept entirely.
KBJA6S
The game takes place on Kai"nas, a circle of light nearly 30,000 miles in diameter.
This circle of light is but a small part of the planet called Naakinis, whose size is
perhaps best left unknown ... Surrounding Kai"nas is an intangible black wall
called the Sofe, which rises over 40 miles high. Due to some of Ka"inas'
peculiarities, it is assumed that other "areas of light" (circular or not) exist, and
that there might be other sentient beings in these areas.
PEndulum
Light, instead of being provided by a sun, originates from a Pendulum, a blue
glowing sphere (which, when seen from the ground, appears to be an inch wide).
The Pendulum oscillates as if it were anchored to the center of Naakinis by an
invisible cord. The Pendulum waxes and wanes from east to west, then west to
east, disappearing behind the Sofe for a few hours. The light shed by the
Pendulum does not so much provide luminosity as it provides stability: reality on
Ka"inas is a fragile concept. The Sofe is simply a region on which reality cannot
get a hold: the Pendulum's light is probably too weak for the Safe's density.
TbE DrEBm
When the Pendulum disappears behind the Sofe, its light can no longer reach
Kai"nas. As less and less light is shed on Ka"inas, a phenomenon called "the Dream"
occurs. As the Pendulum wanes in the east, the western cities feel the Dream rise
sooner than the eastern cities (and inversely so). As long as a bit of light remains,
the Dream lingers faintly. When no light is left, the Dream becomes real. The
Dream is the superimposition of the dream world onto reality, which it does not
replace or dominate. Instead, the Dream overlaps onto reality (to different
extents). Regardless of its effects, the Dream fades away a dawn, leaving no trace
at all -other than frightened faces and, perhaps, a few dead bodies ...
TbE 064
On Ka"inas, daylight lasts twenty hours, calculated from the moment the Dream
and the darkness start to fade (because of the high quantity of Kioux, trees miles
high, the Pendulum can rarely be seen as the leaves and branches cover the sky
almost entirely in most places). Because of the Dream, mornings on Ka"inas are
an occasion to revel for a few minutes before reality bites back ... Time being
more difficult, if not impossible, to measure during the Dream, it is estimated
that the Dream lasts ten hours. For this reason, Dream (night) workers' work
shifts last "from dusk 'til dawn", meaning that sometimes they may happen to
work a little more and other times, a little less - depending on the fluctuations of
the Dream. During the twenty hours of daylight, most people work between ten
(best situations) and fifteen hours (normal situations). The poorest people, those
nearest to slavery in some far flung cities, are sometimes forced to work through
the twenty hours of daylight (all races on Ka"inas are much more resilient than
humans). On Kai"nas, weeks are five days long (regulated by the people's need
for orpee, a vital resource that all but one race must eat weekly or die).
TbE EC6
The majority of the residents of Kai"nas live in a world so dangerous (matching
the occult era of the medieval ages to the proletarian revolution of the late 1800's
in our history) that anything outside their immediate surroundings is of no
concern to them. Those who live on Kioux (huge trees that grow miles high)
built platforms at different heights, and thus live in "layered" cites. Those
citizens, in safty, are concerned with things outside their immediate world. The
f nTr o 1J u t t ()
higher the platform and the richer, more civilized and technologically advanced
society there is. They rule this world from above and see the masses below as
nothing but a workforce. They don't live in a medieval world. Rather, they live
in an era of ever evolving science and technology. They don't have to fight for
survival with common dangers of everyday life. Instead they are occupied with
pursuing scientific research or they quest for power. Of course, these cities have
many levels and there are many differences between the f'rrst and last platforms.
The first platforms are often Renaissance-like. The next few levels are more
industrial and some of the highest platforms are, in their own way, very much
like our modern world. Therefore, unless people are lucky and rich, they do not
dwell on philosophy, science or technology because they are too absorbed in
daily survival.
SofE
The potential for scientific discovery by the people on Ka'inas is limited by the
Sofe; a black, ethereal (but solid) wall that entirely surrounds them. The total
surface covered by light averages fifty thousand miles, five times the Earth's
surface if it were flat. The fact that the Soleks recently (three hundred years
ago) emerged from the Sofe proves that it isn't actually the end of the world.
The Soleks are the only race who have been able to survive traveling into the
Sofe. When the Soleks returned to Ka'inas, the inhabitants believed that they
must have come from another light zone because, although the Soleks share the
same language and cultural roots as everyone else, no one remembered them.
They must have left a very long time ago and therefore have been forgotten and
upon their return, mistaken for people of another light zone. For most, that the
Soleks appeared is enough proof that the space "around" is just like the space
"above" and that, with the appropriate means of travel, anyone can reach other
civilizations in far flung regions of the world. (Note: "Ka'inas" refers to the part
of the universe that is light and "world" refers to everything outside this realm
of light.)
Kamas: Created by the Gnaths to replace
the word "Naakinis". This word first meant
territory, region, frontier or limit. The
Gnaths used it to define the circle of light in
which they live. Outside the circle of light is
the Sole. They did not believe in a greater
whole that had unknown purpose. Because
their view was narrower than that of the
Frilins, it was quickly accepted by most as a
manageable explanation of their
world. After the Gnoth's view become
prominent, most people forgot the dualistic
visions of Nookinis and Ko'inos. Soon, the
two words were only used in reference to the
differing ecosystems. People presume that
they live on Ka'inos and that "Nookinis," the
planetary goddess, is a Frilin myth (albeit a
wellestablished one). Those few who realize
that everything cannot be explained by the
....."''"''"'"'"" view of the world believe that the
ns, in the words of Ekoya, "sow
something real, but expldined it incorrectly.
In order to create a new explanation of the
universe, both points of view would
necessarily have to be reinterpreted." To
sum up, the word "Ka'inas" now refers to
both the small ecosystem (the geographic
region limited by the Sole) and the mindset
of those who live in the trees.
Emovans and lna'is, who are very numerous
and dwell under the ground in the water or
Orpee: It is the source of life land
power) on Noakinis. Orpee looks like a small
fruit and is found deep underground. It
contains ellow in small, edible quantities. Its
greatest particularity is that no other known
resource on Ko'inos contains ellow.
Everybody needs ellow to survive, therefore
orpee is a very valuable ond highly prized.
There ore ten known sources of orpee on
Ko\nas. These sources are all controlled by
the lno\s, the only race able to go deep
enough underground to gather orpee.
Eflow: Most people do not understand
what eflow is or how it keeps them alive.
Rother, the masses believe that orpee is the
source of their survival. Eflow exists
everywhere, but in such small quantities th
it is practically impossible to detect. Ellow
gives life if it is infused into a body, and
causes death if it is completely removed
from a body. Whenever the ellow in
someone's body becomes scarce, that person
panics and will do anything possible to
regain his health. Echoes ore able to
recognize ellow powers and use it lor more
than just mointoinin.g their existence. Echoes
use ellow to activate their Gih's powers, and
thus require more orpee (or ellow) that
regular people.
Echoes: These rore individuals manifest
a Gilt and a Whisper at some point in their
life, identifying them as Echoes and
connecting them to a specific type, be it War
Engine, Walker or Judge. Many scientists
believe that Echoes stand on the edge of two
worlds, on the axes of two ecosystems
(Naakinis and Kainas) because they are all
born in the Kainas system and slowly evolve
towards the Naakinis. Echoes ore the most
important phenomenon of this universe and
are found everywhere in high spheres of
power. Echoes have transformed the world
with their discoveries, rulings and feats.
Because there is only one lor every ten
thousand people, each time an Echo Awakens
he has to hide his nature carefully to l!Void
jealousy. Th Echo phenomenon can be
discussed at length, but more details will
appear over the course of the book.
Wilbin Tbis world
In Ka'inas, ten races live together and share the same basic culture, with three
exceptions; the Ina"is, the Yakis and the Emovans. Tnais live in immense under-
ground caves lit by miJJions of artificial lights. Yakis are nomads living in tribes and
Emovans live miles below the surface in underground rivers, lakes, seas and oceans.
All ten races share the same two languages: Frilin and Gnath. The source of the
Gnath language is Frilin, as they were supposedly the frrst race on Kainas.
Every culture, determined more by geographic location than by race, develops its
own dialect. Gnaths, Odwoanes and Volko!s are more gregarious than other races
and tend to gather in cities. Nayans are scattered wherever there are sentient beings.
Upon their return, Soleks created tribes, similar to the Yakis, and they are now
gradually re-integrating into society, either by joining "families" or becoming nomads.
Zms are extremely rare, and therefore are not a real consideration in Ka:inas.
Each of these races or ethnicities (ethnicity, on Naakinis, is a conglomeration of
sedentary people in a given place where location, not race, is the determining
factor) provides a piece of the cultural puzzle to this world, be it how they talk,
eat, act, mate (for those who do) the morals and ethics they adopt, their thought
processes, arts and crafts and the knowledge they value most. Although these
factors are strongly influenced by an individual's race, when culture is fairly
embedded in a certain location, the nature and race of the individual growing
within the culture is clearly affected by it.
As the dust falls to the ground, the sculptor's creation is nearly complete. Holding our
breath, we brush away any leftover dust ... The next parr of the introduction will rake
a closer look at the universe before you actually immerse yourself in it. As we will use
some terms specific to the world that are nor explained here, we recommend you take
a little journey through this book to get familiar with them. Check out the Lexicon,
Races and Echoes-save the powers for another time ...
B i n ~ H 4 gEograp b4
On Naakinis, there are two kinds of ecosystems cohabiting one surface. First,
there's the giant ecosystem that belongs to Naakinis. It's made up of huge trees,
the Kioux, which are miles tall and have roots and branches that cover immense
surfaces on the ground and in the sky. This ecosystem also has large caverns
hundreds of meters deep that shelter millions of lna!s and beasts. The second
ecosystem, the Ka!nas system, is filled with what earthlings consider "normal-
sized" trees growing on the branches of Kioux and on the ground, creating
forests that resemble that of earth's. The animals and beasts inhabiting these
forests range from the size of a rabbit to that of an elephant. The animals of
Ka!nas never grow as large as those of the Naakinis.
Biologists and evolutionary scientists believe that the Naakinis ecosystem came
first and then, at some unknown point in time, the Ka'inas ecosystem emerged,
overlapping the Naakinis ecosystem without causing its disappearance. To
clarify, Ka!nas is a smaller ecosystem that grow faster but has a shorter life span
than the Naakinis system. It is a microcosm of a bigger ecosystem that has
existed for many years (Kioux can live for about a hundred thousand years).
Walking within these lands will make you feel at ease with the scale of things
(Ka!nas) and, at the same time, you'll feel like the tiniest dwarf ever created by
Mother Nature (Naakinis). This is probably what led the Gnaths to first climb a
f nTr o LJ u t t
Kioux, clear it of its dangerous fauna and make it hospitable enough to construct
cities on. When visualizing this landscape, you must remember all the immense
underground rivers and seas, which look like the veins of an incredible giant.
The Yakis travel the lands above on huoras, gigantic beasts that can carry entire
families and their houses on their backs. There are also northern mountains with
incredible peaks. But most important to picture are the Kioux every few miles,
their trunk hundreds of meters wide. They are an overwhelming presence, with
roots that scar the ground and branches and leaves that hide the sky.
Those who live in Kalnas constantly feel the Kioux' overshadowing presence and
much of their efforts are focused on trying to forget it. If a traveler leaves his city
for the first time, for example, he'll leave behind the many years of darkness in
which he lived under the shadows of the platforms above, in the slums or
perhaps on the first or second platform. When he returns, he'll understand all the
pressure the platforms generate and he will realize the clear injustice that hovers
above his head.
At first, the difference between earth and Kalnas might seem trivial. But, despite
thousands of years of living in Ka1nas, its inhabitants still feel like small insects
on the back of a huge beast from another world. For example, the laws by which
the Kioux grow are not the same as other trees; it is not merely a giant species of
an ordinary tree. lnals accept the fact they live in caves way too big to fit their
natural environment, housing millions in each cave. Gnaths, on the other hand,
wish to dominate the Kioux because they feel a need to control their
environment rather than let it dominate them.
Every time someone sees a Kioux, he gets an uneasy feeling and something tells
him "this is not my place". The Core, for example, has built his spiritual strength
on this concept. By replacing the Naakinis goddess of the Frilins with a more
rational world based on perception and experience, the Core has succeeding in
reducing the Naakinisian' environment to a myriad of smaller facets. It is as
though the Core Himself had taken an image too big to be observed and traced
lines on it to create a mosaic, enabling the image to be viewed one part at a time.
Most of the rich cities and towns are constructed in the trunks of Kioux because
they offer great protection from every kind of ground assault. These cities keep
active slums beneath them and those that dwell in these slums, unless they are brave
and experienced fighters, live in a constant state of fear. Of course, the larger a slum
is, the less chance it has of being attacked by beasts. Therefore, old cities with
hundreds of thousands of citizens are relatively safe. Newer cities generally have a
difficult time for at least fifty years, the time it takes for two generations to grow and
for people to come from other places and try their luck within the new city.
Because of these dangers, people get easily paranoid in the slums. They are
accustomed to violence and consider it normal. Cruelty is also considered
natural, be it only because of everyone's need for orpee. However, since the Core
Himself came to power, things have changed because he forces every city within
his Domain to build and maintain very solid barriers around their cities. He
accomplishes this task by hiring teams of hard-core workers, mostly Volkols, to
assist the Lords in building fortifications. And while cities are now safer, life is
still dangerous for those on the frontiers.
()
Half-Echoes: Some people carry a
few particular powers, yet they cannot
evolve through Spheres. They ore Half.
Echoes. Librarians, for example, con stock
and recall astonishing amounts of
information without the slightest error. A
librarian can memorize the nome, function
and affiliation of every citizen within his city
and con recall this information at anytime.
Some Librarians contain information that
every other Librarian possesses, which would
they know the details of about l 0
of individuals by heart. The
of HolfEchoes ore more general
for Echoes, but lock-the clarity that
makes Echoes so easily identifiable. Two
librarians, for example, might hove very
different powers but will still be called
Librarians because of the way they use their
powers.
_, Whisper: The accepted theory about
Whispers names the Whisper as the "voice"
of eflow as it travels through on Echo's body.
As on Echo gains strength, and because he
gains strength, the information flowing
within him begins to crystallize. This
crystallization process forms the Whisper.
When on Echo is born, a small portion of
eflow immediately begins to crystallize
forming the "embryo" of the Whisper and
identifying what type of Gift the Echo will
hove. This Whisper grows more coherent and
understandable as the Echo progresses from
' Sphere to Sphere.
Spheres, Gifts and Powers:
The term 'Sphere" is used to distinguish
between levels of on Echo's evolution. The
more strength he gains, the more knowledge
he gains about the world around him, his
powers and the use of his Gih. When on
Echo is born, he starts his life in the first
Sphere. Through experience, he evolved to
the second Sphere, where certain powers
manifest themselves. The more he grows, the
more he learns oboutthe ellow that
circulates in his veins. There ore currently
only five known Spheres. Although each Ec
is different, the strength of body and mind
needed to surpass the second Sphere is too
great lor many Echoes. less than 5% of
Echoes reach the third level. An Echo
reaching the third Sphere does not
necessarily manifest the some powers as
other Echo at the some level. Furthermore,
although it is not always evident what
Sphere on Echo has obtained, o third Sphere
Echo's confidence and mannerisms clearly
indicate that he is on Echo and very
powerful.
Relics: Echoes creole their own relics.
These relics serve os Ellow containers,
carrying extra stores of Ellow lor Echoes so
they will not risk gelling Eflow burns.
Although relics are safer to use than Ellow
within the body, the Eflow within a relic
quickly loses its 'freshness' and becomes
dormant (Echoes hove special cases into
which they put orpee thotthen hove their
ellow absorbed by the relic) . Dormont Eflow
is harder to use or, more precisely, less
effective, but most Echoes still prefer this
method because using their own Eflow is
dangerous. A fight can erupt at anytime and
Eflow drains out of o wounded body with
great speed.
GEOffrtlp b4
Kainas is mostly covered by jungle and forest, therefore the most common
material is wood. Only in the north can you fmd mountainous peaks and the
single surface ocean of this world is situated in the northeast. Everywhere else
the land is flat and filled with trees from both realms. Should you leave the safety
of your town or city, you'll find a solid sedimentary ground.
TbE DrEam and TbE Da4
When the Pendulum disappears it is called the Dream. Physically, we could call
it "night " for there is an absence of light for a certain number of hours but, when
we look more closely, this analogy crumbles. When the Dream comes,
everything changes to resemble a dream-like state. Most of the time
(approximately 60%), the changes are subtle and soft and intangible. The outline
of things blur, colors fade and sounds become distorted. But occasionally (30%)
things become more like real dreams and strange phenomena can occur. During
this state, you might see moving shadows, hear screams coming from nowhere
or feel texture of something transform (wood feels like bone). In fact, during this
part of Dream, many psychotropic hallucinations may occur. In remaining 10%
of Dream states, manifestations are strongly physical and can be very dangerous.
Corpses can turn into living dead and walk around. Walls become liquid and
change shape and screams become physical. Two triggers of (strong) dreams
have been found to date: the quantity of people around (likely linked to
conscience) and the degree of emotional strength in a given area. Places lacking
history, where everything is always normal and quiet, are less likely to suffer the
effects of such Dreams than places full of passion such as war fields and arenas.
Dreams wJl be discussed further in another section.
The effect of such abnormal nights
makes for a very different nigh-
tlife... Adventurers who, after
rough day, sleep in an unprotected
inn will always take turns being on
guard, exactly as if they were in
the wJderness. With time, many
also learn to predict how the
Dream will be the next day,
simJar to elderly people who can
predict the weather by their
rheumatism. Inhabitants of Ka!nas
are resigned to putting up with
Dream states out of habit; they
have never known another way.
For them, to see their fears
materialize is something horrible
but it does not have the same
repercussions as human dreams.
When the Dream is strong, the
subject is not concerned with
panic but with security measures,
tension and aggressiveness. The
fact that more murders happen
during these nights then at any
other time reinforces this point.
r nTr o 1J u c t 0
ThE wj]dErnEss
No one is innocent to the dangers of this environment. Many things that are taken
for granted on earth cannot be in this world. For example, going for a ride in the
forest is only possible within a few miles of the cities and only when accompanied
by guards to protect you, not necessarily from creatures but from thieves and
rogues. If you venture out any further, the creatures you might encounter are often
too dangerous to handle unless you are fully trained to fight them (there's no
comparison between fighting a sentient being with a head, two legs and two arms,
and fighting a raging "gnasher"' with a six-foot long jaw and very sharp teeth). The
tension emerging from this external environment makes Kamas resemble our
Jurassic era in way. Imagine what it would be like to take a walk with T-rexes and
other flesh-eating dinosaurs in the vicinity. People live in civilized surroundings and
are content to do so if only for the protection it affords them. And although they
exist, people who live in small villages without the protection of the masses are
universally regarded as freaks. For example the Yakis, being nomadic, are regularly
exposed to danger and many would not want to risk living the way they do. Those
who become members of a Yaki tribe often have to sacrifice comfort for protection,
because the armor the Yakis wear help them a lot to survive during their travel, but
is very burdensome.
So with the combination of the Dream and the dangers of the surrounding
wilderness, people can hardly develop a positive perception of the world in which
they live. It seems as though everything is out to get them, be it flesh-eating
creatures, the Dream, the leaders on a higher platform or the orpee, which they
must constantly seek in order to survive.
Precepts: The Judge Precepts are the
highest authority on Ka'inas and never
or interfered with. They represent
the mast fundamental and supreme rules
and are, quite surprisingly, the laws the Core
decided to keep as his government's when he
came to power. By retaining these laws, the
Core melded Ka'inas and Naakinis law for the
first time (since the Judges think of
themselves as children of Naakinis).
Aran world: Stranger than the
and more distant, Aran does not
to be connected wilh Ka'inas reality
because its presence can only be felt where
the Pendulum's light cannot reach; deep
under the water or below the canopy formed
by the dense foliage of same forests and
jungles (a Kioux can sometimes have such
dense foliage at its top that Aran domains
exist within.). The creatures that exist in
these domains obey different laws than the
people of Ka'inas and their functions, actions
and goals have not yet been understood by
anybody, including the Core. Most noticeably,
anyone from Kainas who succeeds in
reaching this territory automatically must
leave all inorganic matter at the entrance.
Once inorganic material has entered Aran, it
loses its substance and disintegrates into
nothing before the bearer's eyes.
Mor<? of FJ
t<? t:h n i t:fll rnfl t t<? r
Kioux: These ore the tallest trees found
on Koinos, often reaching heights of fifteen
miles and a circumference of about live
miles. With so many Kioux at such dose
proximity, their branches interweave to
block out most light, ueating a ceiling of
sorts. The ground beneath the Kioux is made
up of their roots. Their leaves, being almost
transparent at the top, ueate a soft green
iridescent sky with thin rays of light that
penetrate towards the ground, but rarely
reach it in taller Kioux. This is why the cities
built on the Kioux live mostly in shadow.
The biggest Kioux on Ka'inas is Kha'i-Bhek's,
which is 20 miles tall and six miles at the
trunk's base. Most new cities are constructed
on Kioux because they offer shelter from
dangerous beosts that lurk on the ground.
Each Kioux is home to many different
of ueatures, from those who live high in the
tree's branches to those who walk up ond
down the trunk, perpendicular to the
One of every hundred Kioux has almost
perfectly horizontal branches. When a tree
of this type is found, politkal battles are
often waged to determine who should
construct new cities on it.
Kioux are also a great source of row
moteriol. The inhabitants of a Kioux con use
all the wood, resin, leaves, vines and small
uitters they find on the tree. The wood con
be used for construction purposes while resin
is better for carving more specific tools such
as swords. leaves are made into leather
armor by taking two layers and weaving
them together. They also serve as rainproof
rooftops and dothes (the higher in the tree
you go, the thinner the leaves). Vines are
weaved into ropes and used to losh other
structures. (riflers found on Kioux p r o ~ l d e
meot, domestic animals beasts of burden to
work the fields of uops growing vertically up
and down the trees.
f nTr o 1J u t t ()
OrpEE (JbE cEnTEr of lbE world)
J' h ysi cHI
Orpe; is a small fruit. It is round, two inches in diameter and weighs about
100 grams. A mixture of deep brown, green and red shades, it has a rugged texture
that becomes smooth on contact. Orpee grows underground and are harvested
from the deepest recesses of the caves hundreds of miles below. For some reason,
Ina'is being the sole race able to withstand such a massive amount of eflow, in these
depths (the air is saturated with eflow), who watch over the "mining" process very
carefully, possess all known sources of orpee. Orpee is the only known matter that
naturaUy possesses releasable eflow, which is the prime requisite for all life on
Ka:inas. Every living thing contains a little bit of eflow within it and the more a body
can absorb eflow, the faster it loses it. Eflow "seeks" complex organisms, privileging
informative structures. In other words, the more complex and intelligent the life
form, the greater the chance that it carries a significant amount of eflow, which
rejuvenates it. The complete process will be explained later. Frilins, for example,
because they are vegetal, they don't need to eat orpee. They are able to obtain and
diffuse their "used" eflow by E-synthesis, a process much like photosynthesis.
Having eflow in your body is not a choice; it is the most fundamental need of all life
on Ka'inas. Should anyone be drained of all the eflow in his body, he would die in
less than a minute. A quick equation is: eflow=Life and eflow can only be found in
orpee, so orpee=Life.
l'oliti<.:;HI
If orpee is life, then those who possess it would seem to have the edge over those
who don't. However, those who possess orpee are less powerful that one would
first assume because they must maintain control over a very dangerous force. If
orpee is taken away from those who need it, those who need it will have nothing
to lose and will therefore be. willing to risk their lives in a quest to obtain it. This is
common fact, so those who are in power must be careful not to maintain too tight
a grip on their orpee control lest the masses start an uprising and revolt. (Note that
those who have the potential to revolt are always very dangerous, such as Volko'is,
Soleks and Yakis.) So, in this world it is necessary to take orpee into account when
you are determining how to control the masses. For example, as an army leader,
you cannot consider moving your troops very far without reassuring them a
sufficient supply of orpee for the entire length of their travels or else they simply
won't go. Among the powerful, most "games" are centered on orpee because with
orpee you can pay someone, bribe a guard and hire Echoes, among other things.
Ps y<.:;h o logi ca I
The need for orpee is physical but is also deeply anchored in the mind. It is an
addiction that you are born with that stays with you your entire life. For this
reason, it is both banal and of extreme importance. Anyone on this planet,
whatever his personality, race or past, first thinks "how can I get enough orpee to
survive?" The obvious answer is by getting a job but other means of living are
possible for resourceful people. In the frrst few games, the Game Master cannot
stress the importance of orpee enough. Most people who have permanent jobs
never have enough orpee to build reserves and are therefore always worried that
something might happen that would force them to stop working and be unable to
acquire orpee. Those who choose more alternative lifestyles might be able to get
hold of some orpee to store, but they will then have to worry about keeping it safe.
Because someone is in possession of some now does not mean they will
necessarily have orpee later.
Enclave: The Enclave is the politico!
ogglomerotion of the four City-Stoles ond
Kho'i-Bhek, clearly demarcated by o railway
whose !rocks ore laid on o three-mile high
wall linking the four City-Stoles ond Kho'i
Bhek. If you look down on this railroad from
above, the wall !rocks ore shaped like o
lozenge with a cross in the middle, with the
axis being Kho'i-Bhek. Below the railroad, on
the bottom third of the wall, a formidable
fortification keeps enemies and attackers at
bay. The wall also serves as a territorial
marker. Most of the Core's army quarters are
within these walls and patrolling guards use
rail trucks that run the entire loop of the
tracks to keep watch. The Skytrain, as it's
called, carries merchandise, workers,
soldiers, travelers (often business lords)
and safely between the five
_.,lestirratiorns. Should one!ity-State be
attacked, the remaining four regions can
hastily come to its aid.
Core's Domain: This term refers to
everything within the Core, limited only by
the borders of the most distant cities, which
because of the city construction project
(CCP), is continuously expanding. It used to
be just called Domain, but because the
Echoes speak of their range of powers as
domains, to keep things clear everyone now
calls it the Core's Domain.
City!fown: The city/ town distinction is
important to make because where o city
belongs to the Core's system, a town is
independent. A city enjoys benefits and
disadvantages os port of the Core, while o
town focuses its energies on producing or
transforming resources to sell to nearby
villages, towns and cities. A town's only
li mitation is tho! it cannot buy nor sell
products outside of its Geodem triangle (see
figure 1.34, p. 94 ). For details on the
Geodem,
see p.91
City Construction Project
(CCP): CCPs are very prolific lor
investors who convince wealthy people to lend
them money to start the construction of a new
city. Recently, since building cities is as much
a trend as a necessity, new investors shape
the city in original woys in order to attract
Yakis, merchants and Echoes to their city.
Each construction site must follow the Core's
legislation lor new CCPs. The towns ore
always strong (physically, politically and
economically), throwing a wrench into the
plans of people who wont to accumulate more
wealth using the space for more CCPs. These
independent towns continue to function well,
but cautiously, aware of the possibility of
attock at any time.
Sastak: This incredibly versatile
material's basic component is a unique form
of Formed deep underwater where
the pressure is excruciating lor most 1
the Emovons are the only creatures that con
access this precious resource. This explains
why they hove exclusive p;oduction of the
material and why they ore so economically
affluent and influential in the merchant
market. Those who specialize in Sastak crafts
keep its composition a secret and since the
forges are so deep underwater, no one can
spy on the process. Sostak's most important
quality is its malleability, which allows it to
be forged into a wide variety of different
objects. A perfect Sostok blade, lor example,
is able to cut through rock without any
effort. Furthermore, Sostok functions in the
normal world, the Dream and Aran. This is a
great advantage to the bearers of Sostak
weapons because theoretically, only a body
can enter Aran territory, and all material
possessions fall at the gate.

In this world, you cannot to do nothing "productive" with your life. Here,
you either get orpee or you die. It's not a question of becoming rich, it's about
pure survival. And this survival depends on social interaction. One can only
retreat into reclusively if you have enough orpee to last the rest of your life, and
you are sure you'Ll be able to defend it should you be attacked. From one
perspective, orpee is a good thing because it forces interaction and codependency,
creating a productive system in which everyone takes part and wishes to do his
best, for his own good. Of course, there are those who reap littl e benefit from this
system and those who benefit a great deal. In Kha'i-Bhek highest platfoms, the
central city of the Core, the benefits are at their highest while in the slums, they
are at their lowest. So, those who live marginal lives are the real risk-takers,
risking their lives almost every day to keep their integrity and stay as far away as
they can from social mechanisms. That also explains why there are almost no
artists: there is no time nor any reason for frivolous activities and people won't
give anything away unless you're really lucky or in a city where Gnaths aren't
dominant. Finally, the negative side to orpee is that it has even worse effects on
people's actions than money. Killing for orpee is killing for survival and, should
you kill while you still have orpee left, well, you would only be consolidating your
future. In the old laws, killing for orpee was allowed but, due to the disruptions
it caused in the social fabric of the society, Droliath Estolah made killing for orpee
illegal. This pleases some and displeases others. There is a strong black market for
orpee: mercenaries often work for a few Bps and a lot of orpee. Rare things are
also traded in orpee and not money because such transactions are harder to detect
by the Core. Orpee, unlike money, disappears when eaten (money leaves
fingerprints, etc.). Imagine, for a moment, that every neighbor is a potential killer.
If they lack orpee, they just might be willing to kill you for it. Of course in this
world, many refrain from killing. Instead, they gather in small communities
within the cities to help each other instead of risking their lives. But this is very
improbable if no lna'is or Nayans are around, if there are only Gnaths.

This product creates a complete economy in and of itself. People work to buy their
weekly dose of orpee; industries create products to allow them to gain some control
over the distribution of orpee. Every person's dream is to feel safe and content
because they possess enough orpee to survive. Without orpee, a purely savage
capitalist economy would rule this world. With the orpee, however, it's a funda-
mental economy. Everyone needs it to function properly, so even rebels don't want
the system to crumble completely (The Years of Chaos made a third of the popu-
lation died and no one wants this to ever happen again.) Often, people prefer to get
paid in orpee rather than money, mostly because of the psychologically soothing
effect getting paid in orpee has. Some merchants have perfected techniques that
allow them to make a few extra Blood pieces (BPs) out of almost any deal by
offering a rounded up amount of orpee instead of money. As a general measure, one
orpee is worth one week of work for the common worker, without taking into
account the money he also receives, which is often only enough feed him and his
family. He receives one more orpee per child under working age, which is twelve.
no logical
For the rich and the Echoes, orpee means power; technological power for rich
people and "spiritual " power for the Echoes (see below). Many inventions, from
the smallest lantern to the most gigantic engine, are literally fuelled with orpee.
Because it is so rich in properties, orpee can be used to fuel many things, such as
r nTr o u u <.: t
swords and armor to name a few. Many materials are porous, so they can easily
be filled with orpee. Being more versatile, consistent and energetic than most
fuels, orpee can be imbued with properties whereas other fuels cannot. Truthfully,
the degree of power it possesses has yet to be fully understood. Engineers and
Weirdsmiths (Echoes who will appear at a future time) and all kinds of
mechanical creators use it, whenever they can afford it, to create something that
works with ef1ow. These inventions are always referred to with an E before the
name, such as an E-sword, or E-bike. This E-technology is considered to be the
most advanced system to have been developed so far. Every major mechanical
object works better with orpee, so it has become dominant everywhere. This has
made orpee essential for any "real" crafter, too. Since the discovery of the fuelling
properties of orpee in mechanical engines, the demand for orpee has quadrupled
and the lna'is aren't sure what to do about the Gnaths requesting so much orpee.
They are unsure whether orpee will at some time in the future become a scarce
commodity, making it more precious than it already is.
Spiritrwl
The relics are something that bridge the technological and spiritual fields. These
objects can store ef1ow which people can carry on themselves when traveling or
stacked in bigger quantities in their vehicles. But the Echoes are the ones who really
know how to use and take advantage of these relics by triggering their powers.
The biggest users of orpee are the Echoes. Since their Gifts works with ef1ow,
this makes all Echoes very unstable. Each time they use one of their powers, they
lose some of their own ef1ow. Besides the obvious power factor, many questions
arise for the Echoes; why is there orpee; why are they the only ones who can
really use ef1ow; why are they the only ones to use relics; and why are they the
only ones with such powers? Echoes know that orpee is only a vehicle for ef1ow
and that every bit of their Echo self is linked to it. How exactly can Echoes alter
the course of reality through its use?
Linking lbE EcboEs wilb Eflow
Another key element of this world is the Echoes. These are rare individuals of any
race, one in about ten thousand, whose powers are more suitable for the Naakinis
ecosystem than the Ka'inas ecosystem. In fact, they seem to be creatures born in
the Kai:nas ecosystem that developed powers suited to the Naakinis ecosystem.
The Whisper inside an Echo rarely manifests itself at birth. It seems to have to be
triggered in a way related to that particular Echo. A Walker, for example, will
trigger his Whisper on an exploration, and a War Engine will do so in his first
fight. Despite the many theories that assume the Naakinis ecosystem is old and
dying, the existence of Echoes seems to prove that it is still alive and growing, if
they too are Naakinisians. Furthermore, since the Echoes appear to become part
of the Naakinisian ecosystem as they grow in power, they are often seen as
deserters, as ones who switch axes or as "secret members". If the Whisper every
Echo carries within himself is a phenomenon originating from Naakinis, the
situation can be interpreted the following way: Naakinis was the first ecosystem,
at the scale of the universe, then Ka'inas, an ecosystem at the scale of the
Pendulum's array of light, a kind of parasite growing on the older system. Now
Naakinis, growing old, needs to gather new strength from its own parasite; the
Whisper's presence is a parasite to Ka'inas in return.
()
The Dream: As soon as the Pendulum
disappears, the Dream creeps in, corrupting
all until the Pendulum reappears. Although
scientists study the Dream constantly, it is
unlikely they are making any progress. It is
that the Dream is somehow
to eflow, but there have yet to be
connections drawn between the two.
the last few centuries, <the number of
Dream creatures has increased dramatically.
There hove even been Legend births (Dream
manifestations which are imbued with
personality and conscience. It is also the case
that fear of the Dream has increased over
the last few centuries. One theory to explain
the increase in fear stems from the concept
of Recognition (a person's perception of
reality). In essence, the more you perceive
danger and feel afraid or fearful, the more
likely it is that real danger and cause for
you to fear will develop. Fearful things, such
as the Dream, feed and depend on o
person's fear in order to grow stronger.
KEY FfGfJRES
Droliath Estolah: Also known os
the Core Himself, Orolioth Estoloh is the
most famous nome in modern history.
Through his coming to power and the
creation of the (ore, Orolioth Estoloh is the
symbol representing the achievements of the
Gnoths. Orolioth entered history slightly
more than o century ago, three years alter
the suicide of Tosroth. He come to the
Council of Twenty with o well thought out
pion that promised the complete 1
of order alter years of anarchy, lull-scale
terrorism and pillaging. The Council of
Twenty, laced with no alternative, were
forced to accept all of His conditions.
Oroliath's stipulations in His plan are not
well-known. In fact, not much is known
about Him at all. That He was a small but
important figure in the politics of the
northern city of lchamor is the only
information on record. His role, as
chamberlain of the lord in lchomor, enabl
him to study and understolid the art of
politics and ruling. His character is typical of
most leaders; headstrong, efficient, bright,
aggressive and willful. Complete books could
be and will be written about Oroliath, the
new hero of the people, lor alter creating
the Core, restoring order, expanding orpee
distribution methods, creating the Geodem,
using the Judges' lows as his own, creating
the Skytrain, forcing the cities to make their
slums safer and constructing highways so
that everyone could travel in relative safety,
he gained most people's trust, and it seems
this is only the beginning of his reign.
Furthermore, his loyal underlings consist of
the lour lords of the City-States, to which he
has given almost autonomous control.
CulTural djffErEncEs
As it is mentioned above, the cosmology, geography, ecosystems, races (Nayans,
Gnaths and Ina'is mostly), the basic need (orpee) and the presence of Echoes are
all important factors when it comes understanding the resulting culture. All that
follows relates to cities. Yakis, Emovans and Ina'is, dealing in a more communal
manner, avoid these individual stresses. Orpee shapes things in such way that no
one, except the richest, can even contemplate words such as "leisure",
"enjoyment" and "relaxation". If anyone doesn't have reserves of orpee secured
in their home, they are constantly thinking about it. Cities and towns have inns
and taverns where people can spend an evening, but it's not like our society
where you go out for the entire evening after eight hours of work. Almost
everywhere in this world, the work schedule is similar to that of our industrial
revolution: people work four or five days a week for 15 or 20 hours a day.
Exhausted after their long day, they rarely can afford the energy, time and
money to spend their evening drinking with their friends . Most of the time, they
don't think of anything other than the bare necessities.
R i1 ee-s
In cities, people don't have time to make friends . In any case, trust is a very rare
thing. Everybody knows that you can't trust Gnaths, who long ago set the
standard of social interaction by sheer number at first, and then by their
overwhelming power over the land. Almost everywhere in this world people
don't know their neighbors and are suspicious of everything around them. The
furthest you are from Khai'-Bhek (which represents the center of this
movement), the less apparent this phenomenon becomes. The bucolic
countryside, however, is not a familiar concept. Peace by any means is almost
unconceivable. If your neighbor isn't the most dangerous thing you've met, the
creatures that live nearby probably will be. So in this conception of a social
environment, places where people gather to meet in joy and harmony are very
rare. There are lots of places where people gather but the mood always
resembles a shady bar atmosphere. If you happen to visit a town with almost no
Gnaths, you might experience a feeling of subtle warmth. Or-of course-
should you enter an lnai's hearth or Emovan fraternity, social interaction is of a
much more pleasant vein.
Edwe-s
An Echo's presence signals to the common person that something is wrong. They
are Living, breathing proof of injustice, as they clearly do not spend much time
thinking or believing that everyone is equal. There are those that are born to suffer
in their environment and those who are born to dominate it. If, at birth, Echoes and
non-Echoes were two distinct species, the inequality between them could be
acceptable. But, the fact remains that those who dominate the environment are
taken from the ranks of those who don't. Therefore, when Echoes are around,
automatic feelings of jealousy, fear, despair and a sense of ultimate insignificance are
triggered in non-Echoes. This varies greatly from Echo to Echo and it also depends
what Sphere the Echo has reached. First and second Sphere Echoes do not have a
strong aura but those in the third and fourth Spheres can become unbearable.
Walkers have the particularity of never becoming intimidating unless they want to,
while Judges, from birth, have crushing characters and they become worse as they
grow more powerful. This split in the social fabric cannot really be mended. In fact,
it becomes slightly bigger every time a new Echo is born or when an Echo becomes
famous for one feat or another. Social Echoes, such as Overlords and Truth
Crafters, have to learn to disguise their powers and f'md a way to let people know
I
f nTr o u u {; t 0
who they are without making them jealous. To do so, most Social Echoes learn to
trigger in non-Echoes the opposite effect to jealousy: identification. With subtle
manipulation, Social Echoes are able to make people identi(y with them and see
them as heroes. Finally, Echoes are like small grains that prevent the water from
transforming into ice. Their mere presence keeps things in motion and occupy many
important roles in almost every field.
Approfl(;hing <_;11lt11n" from its roots
The Gnaths that are dominant in the system have never tried to explain the
mysteries of creation (be it the creation of themselves or of the whole world) and
those who did try, mainly Frilins and lna'is, were soon set aside for their
metaphysical thinking. The result is that everyone remains fearful of the
unknown, specifically the properties of the universe. When the Core came to
power, he eliminated people's concern about the unknown by focusing everyone's
attention on more basic questions for which he could provide answers (the
territories, the orpee distribution problem, the lack of days off for workers and
the precarious economical situation). By concentrating on matters at hand, people
became more willing to work and obey more quickly. It has only been a century
since the Core came to power and already it seems that questions such as "what
is the Sofe?" have never existed for some people before. Of course, the Core is
still desperately seeking answers to these questions. So, culturally, this world has
shrunk from something vast, vague and fJled with unknowns to a smaller, more
reassuring world. Of course, the concepts are not all concrete, but they give the
masses something to latch onto until the Core Himself fmds the answers.
0 <? fi n i n g <_; 11 I t 11 r <? fl n d fl r t s
Before the Core, culture was almost non-existent. It was rare to find someone
who could write, read or perform any "secondary" thing. People worked five
days a week, fifteen hours a day. The fears that would have developed from
gaining an education kept it from becoming popular: ignorance was a necessity,
a dogma and a choice. A few noble children from the upper platforms, having so
much spare time, slowly created a culture that evolved from century to century.
Being so few in number, establishing contact with one another was difficult until
cultural groups were formed that attracted other poets, musicians, writers and
painters. 'I:hese groups melded together and blended their art together too.
There will eventually come a point in time when specialization becomes
inevitable but, for now, these cultural groups manage to make all of these art
forms evolve together. It is possible these artists will split up into narcissistic,
self-centered groups (each with their own art medium), but things look like they
are going to change in another way: their common background should serve as
a common link for all of them, even in the future.
As a rule of thumb, groups of artists don't gather below the fourth platform of
any city. Before the Core came to power, only 80 groups of 10 to 50 artists were
known. Currently, with the release of the metaphysical pressure weighing them
down, these groups are increasing both in number and quantity and some are
even starting to form on the lower platforms. People on the third platform and
above hear a little about these cultural groups because newspapers have been
invented within the Core's rule. Some cities even give stipends Gust enough to
live) to a few artists of reputation. Academies are opening their doors to an
infinitely small portion of the population for study such as sciences, design,
architecture and literature. Most people are still ignorant but education should
Tasrath: The would-be leatter'f(at came
before Drolioth, he represents, lor the
people, disaster and failure. He is famous
not because of his success or failure as a
ruler, but because he committed suicide from
the top of a twohundred floor building. His
mother rebuilt his body after this suicide
attempt and then crystallized him into a
statue on the central square of the
commercial district of the seventh platform.
is statue, which supposedly houses his
trapped spirit, is on display so that people
will remember what failure looks like.
Although the details surrounding Tosroth's
suicide are vogue and inconclusive, it's likely
that he was overwhelmed with responsibility
because the Monarchic system had grown
obsolete in the face of on evergrowing
Empire and population. In fact, a cult of
hatred had grown up against Tasrath because
years leading up to his death were so
"" But possibly the most important
fact about Toroth is that the lock of
Kian: He was a Frilin who created a type
of Echo (on Orchestrator) of his own as well
as o complete race, the Kion-kitus-four-
legged cold-brained creatures with extremely
long, prehensile toils who could adopt to
survive in any environment. Hot much else is
known about him. Drolioth is aware Kion has
the potential to be a very strong Echo,
possibly stronger than the (ore Himself_ But,
no one has seen nor heard from Kion in four
centuries and the rare Kion-kitus that live
within the (ore's Domain retain no memory
nor knowledge of him in their minds.
Because there has been no concrete
information about him in so long, there ore
plenty of legends, rumors and speculation-
so much so that Truth Crofters cannot wade _,.,_.,,...-
through it all to find any truths. The (ore
Himself enlisted the help of inlunteers
(information hunter volunteers), promising a
great reword to anyone who could provide
information about Kion or discover his
hideout. The information available about
Kion is found in volumes Vjiillen by old
students, masters and friends. Because Kion,
before becoming on Orchestrator Echo, was a
social Frilin, thriving on the communication
of knowledge and interested in the question
of transmission of knowledge through the
ages.
Tasphir: A lin Judicotor, Tosphir has
accomplished so many heroic leafs that even
on archivist couldn't count them. More than
six thousand years old, he shattered the
lin's bound to the Frilin. It also means that
Tosphir has witnessed nearly every historical
event. The latest and greatest deed that
Tosphir achieved was pushing bock a legion
of Sole invaders, giving the Empress enough
lime to prepare the Volkols for war.
reach the slums before the next century if things keep moving along at the same
pace. Meanwhile on the upper platforms, people's knowledge is expanding more
than ever before. For now, the Core mostly encourages the education of those on
the higher platforms, but if he will do so in the future is still a secret.
Abo11t hospitals
and otiH'r in st itntions
For the last three centuries before her rule ended, the Empress tried to establish
real institutions but her actions have not been very effective: the system in place
djd not allow for governmental institutions and therefore it was extremely
difficult to effect any changes.
Nonetheless, the Empress' ideas put people in the right state of mind to be
accepting these institutions when the Core, with his more flexible structure,
developed them further. In fact, you could almost think of the institutional
system in place here as similar to that of our modern, occidental world; there are
fire departments, police departments, hospitals and schools. The major
difference in this world is that every institution is paid for with the profits from
the orpee the government gathers from the lna'is. Although this may seem
altruistic, the government knows keeping the social structure intact makes things
run more smoothly. By paying to keep the institutions functioning, the
government is effectively allowing people to live tax-free (even though the
payment a worker receives is equivalent to the amount he would have after he
paid taxes) . Furthermore, the Core has absolute control over these institutions.
And, every time you require a service, you pay for it. If your house catches on
fire and firefighters are required, you will have to pay the bill. If you can't pay,
it is deducted from your salary. If you kill someone and get caught, you pay the
guards, the judge and for the cell. If you lack the funds to afford payment, the
debt will pass onto your family, from father to son and so fort h. If you don't have
any family to assume your debt, you are either sold to someone else or killed.
Clearly, the Core has dictatorial powers over these institutions but because they
have only recently become an accessible option to many, people still think highly
of them and do not question the logic or justice of having to pay if their house
catches fire. Ina'is and Emovans have copied these institutions but rather than
paying individually, they all share the costs.
Emovans
H?prodndion
Pregnant female Emovans migrate to aquatic
cities to lay their eggs deep underwater.
Groups of females share tasks including
watching over each other's eggs. During this
time, each group is guarded over by powerful
Emovan, Aran and Dream warriors. Most
females can only breed once in their lifetime,
so these breeding grounds are as sacred as
the Emovan store of orpee. Usually, a female
will lay between ten to fifty eggs, with eighty
percent of her offspring surviving to
maturity. This high survival rate is partially
due to the high security and supervision
Emovan eggs receive. As a result, the
Emovan population has grown dramatically
in the last two centuries, and they recently
have begun to migrate northwards.
l
()
. ()
Ebone, great Emovan weapon smith.
is painted by the famous Gnath artist
Nay Xeulor, after his most renowned
crafting prowess: a perfect
full body plate of perfectly merged
"Blood" and sastak!
Etno vFHl
Young Emovans are raised in a large
community in which no parental nor
familial bond is formed. The only social
distinction between Emovans is age.
Because it takes more than a year for an
Emovan egg to hatch, however, bonds
often form between Emovan parents. The
hatching process is highly organized, so
most eggs in a specific group hatch
simultaneously and the young mature in
synchronicity. Everyone is a brother or
sister to an Emovan. An Emovan never
knows who his real parents are, and nor
does he care. All parents love and care for
each Emovan offspring, regardless of its
paternity. The word "parent" does not
exist in the Emovan language. They have
no real notion of "individuality" as their
entire sense of self is as part of the whole.
Ph ysi<.;Ft I p::t r'ti<.;nl::t ri
Emovans generally reach maturity around
25 years and continue to evolve slowly until
they reach 150 years old before they begin
to show signs of aging. Most Emovans
reach 250 years before they die. They
rarely contract illness or disease caused by
nervous tension and so avoid stress with
ease. They are astonishingly graceful
swimmers. On land, Emovans also move
fluidly, although there is an element of
unease, as though they were slightly unsure
of how to travel without water.
p::trt i<.;nl::t r i t i ?s
Living underwater is relatively safe.
Because the aquatic world is filled with
silence, Emovans are quiet and contempla-
tive folk. At a young age, Emovans are
taught the wisdom of listening and
observing. Emovans think in an informed,
emotional manner, free from the logical
limits of reason. They seldom require
speech in order to understand another
Emovan.
20
IH' EAII\.
rtn n :'
Young Emovans remain in close-knit communities until they reach the age of 20.
At this time, they are separated from their community in order to learn their craft.
This learning process can take from five to ftfty years. Few Emovans fai l to
complete their education, and rare is the Emovan who rebels against the system
or his community. Even rarer is the Emovan who can leave his community
without remorse and emotional turmoil. The bond between members of a
community are strong, and breaking them is difficult for all but the strongest
Emovans (who most often turn out to be Echoes).
th
Death is not much more than a change of reality for Emovans. Underwater,
changes to the body are much different than on land. Because everything
moves more slowly, information contai ned within t he cell s and eflow of a
creature do not return to an original, larger source. Rather, the dispersed
information of a "dead" Emovan generally succeeds in finding its way back
together, often returning to inh bit a body shape si mil ar to the one in which it
--Wa.S--pre-iousl tained. Most ften, however, a "dead" Emovan's eflow energy
returns in the shap of a Dream r Aran "inhabitant" a whJ e later. Only a Dry-
death, one that ace rs on land, is permanent for an Emovan. There is no chance
that their eflow wil reconnect on land to inhabit even a Dream or Aran form, so
elderly Emovans wto have made heir home on land try their hardest to return to
the water before di e.
On th? Drv
The underwater Dream is much more gentle and smooth than its dry-land version.
Life, for Emovans, is inseparabl e from the fluid liquid in whi ch they li ve. Should any
Emovan go "above" into the Dry World, they are struck with fear and awe. On land,
there is no substance through which to move, no soothing pressure and no abi li ty to
float. Emovans feel more comfortable during the Dry Dream, as its environment of
altered forms and blurred shapes is more similar to life underwater. It is said that
some experienced Emovans can swim in the thick air of the Dream.
On S FI SU-lk Ftnd
Since they are the sole producers of sastak and the sole providers of fresh water,
every city must trade with Emovans. The trade of sastak made the Emovans rich a
long time ago and they have used it to their advantage ever since. Their ski ll s are
essential to everyone on the Dry as every CCP requires tunneling down to reach an
underground water source. Emovans trade most often with the lna'is and because of
this constant rapport, mutual respect and trust has sprung up between these two
races. Emovans trade sastak to the lna'is at a reduced cost and the lna'is reliably
supply the Emovans wi th orpee. The orpee is stored in heavi ly protected shell s that
are di stributed equally to each Emovan on a weekly basis. They are not, therefore,
worried about lacking orpee and can go about their daily endeavors without stress.
The result is that Emovans are very socially and politically powerful.
Bi rth
According to available informa-
tion, Frilins are the original race.
They are made up entirely of
vegetal matter. They grow in a
similar way to trees, reaching up to
fifty yards in height over a course
of two thousand years. Their birth
is a most strange phenomenon; in a
random spot in the wilderness, a
small whirlwind of eflow and tiny
particles appear, slowly attracting
any vegetal debri s in the area. As
this spinning mass grows more
powerful, it uproots grass, plants,
flowers and even small trees. This
- en1argmg"Ball "of111icK-yegetation
several monts before
the swi rling slows and begins to
take on an, ovoid form (a protective
shell into which, after a complete
year of maturation, a Frilin will be
born).
Cflllin u
0
When a Frllin is born, another
Frilin heed the calling of a newborn
Mind. This calling can be heard
over a hundred mil es (but it has no
echo). The Frilin responds to the
call by making his way to the spot in
which the new Frilin is being "born", and helps untangle this new Frilin
from its protective shell . It is then the older Frilin's responsibility to
tutor the newborn. Because there is no exchange of genes during
"conception," genetic exchange between Frilins seems to occur after
birth, between the minds of the tutor and pupil. Each new Frilin possesses
its own personality, fiercely engrained into its very being, so there is almost no
possibili ty of brainwashing: a newborn Frilin is always a perfect combi nation of his
natural disposition and the knowledge that he gains from his tutor.
Ed ncfl tiqn
A Frilin's educational process is long and complex. Through the tutor's effort to
discover the dispositions and nature of his pupil, and through the pupil's efforts to
discover himself, hi s tutor and the world, the pupil learns to position himself clearly
in a cultural, geographical and historical setting. No Fruin in charge of the
education of another Frilin will ever"
to teach him all he knows about these
subj ects, which makes the ed
process very personal. Until a Frilin is
"shaped", he will not be allowed to go
into the world. Obviously, this
manner of respecting every newborn
integrity, and of stimulating
disposition he has throughout the
educational process is essential to shape
Mind walkers into the geniuses they are.
lin, Rg?
Most of the time, master and student
become friends for life, creating an in
form of lineage similar to the Judicators:
tutor introduces his pupil to his own
who, in turn, introduces him to his
tutor, etc. This helps the Frilins to keep
clear track of their cultural and soci
heritage. They know who did what
when in their community. When the
will hear a Calling himself, he will in
introduce his pupil to his
something sets him at odds with h
Often, the traditions of one lineage
focus on one specific aspect of
them a mark of nobleness and,
more efficient delving into Natu
mysteries.
Bodv
Frilins sleep during the night. It is rare
a Dream is able to affect them, even if it
a high reality factor. They do not make
Dream workers for this reason.
natural rhythm is much slower than ot
races. Given time, they can accomplish a
task much more successfully than any
race. However, if they are forced to
they will often fail. Similar to Emovans
the sedentary lna'is, they move fl
through life. They also lack concern
orpee because they can replace their
They are acrively-
...ot>n ... r hon by the Core's
abduction.
theft.
I'P{nnnl,milllll/ in vandalism.
for orpee by meditating. Also, their body
is free from urges and instincts. Things
such as aggressiveness, sexuality and
jealousy do not exist for a Frilin. They are
' uniquely able to think with absolute
clarity - something other races have
" to learn for decades before
attaining some mastery. This
also contributes to their
incredible intelligence and
Mind. Of course, it is not
innate, but Frilins can
become truly awesome
as they age and gain
control over their
Mind.
II (' rll' t
rilins aren't overly
emotional. They consider
emotions as potential dan-
gers and since they aren't
attracted or in need of such
things, t hey will most often avoid
t hem, preferring concepts such as
r'espect and mutual help over love and
friendship (which are all less stable and
short-lived).
Mind
Frilins possess the abili ty to Mind Walk,
meaning they can enter the Minds of
others. Unlike other habitants of Ka'inas,
Frilins have the abi lity to construct
themselves from the inside out. They most
often live within their Mind, forming,
building, constantly redesigning them-
selves into better creatures. Although
others can make "changes" in their life
(new diet, better clothes, different values),
Frilins can actually change the contents of
their Minds, how they function, store and
process information. Because they have
this ability, however, they are very solitary
creatures, spending much time "inwards".
They rarely let others into their Minds,
preferring to keep them closely guarded.
They do occasionally develop
a nodding acquaintance with
other Frilins, but it is rare.
Learning to guard his Mind
against penetration by others
is another tool the Frilin
youngster learns from his
tutor. He will learn to
carefully archive data to
keep his memory in order,
and construct impenetrable
defenses against attack by
other Mind Walkers. He will
also learn to craft, and then
hide, weapons, armor and
other such tools in his Mind
to defend himself. A Frilin's
etiquette requests that one
announces his visit when
within someone's Mind, and
since any Fril in is able to
detect an intruder automati-
cally unless they are espe-
cially subtle, Mind Walking
without first announci ng
oneself is considered an
outrage worthy of death.
Because they more often live in their Mind
than anywhere else, old Frilins often come
to mingle with others in strange Mind
cities: Frilins entwined together in a whole,
immobile, living together in one immense
Mind. Of course, these Mind cities are
impregnable fortresses and only the most
foolish or honest ones will go to these
places. Frilin elders have many strong
powers, but they are still not understood
completely. For example, it is still not
known why Frilins have the abil ity to
Mind Walk.
So<-: i ('ty
On occasion, Frilins do tend to act like
ancient lords dispossessed of their realms.
It is conceivable that in some ancient time,
the world moved slowly enough that
Frilins could reign. Today, because of the
speed at which the world functions, Fril ins
would not be able to rule efficiently and so
many consider the Frilins an obsolete
race. Consequently, Frilins have
distanced t hemselves from
civilization and are t herefore
easily misunderstood. Many
forget, upon meeting a Frilin,
that they are geniuses capable of
leaping into anyone's Mind and altering
it. The Core Himself, however, cannot
begin warni ng people about the possible
dangers of interacting with a Frilin
wit hout aggravating tensions between
politically implicated Frilins and the Core.
Gnalbs
To many, Gnaths are machine-/ike in
almost every aspect. They are extremely
versatile- quick moving as well as quick-
thinking. They are highly efficient.
egocentric. selfish and ambitious. The
slightest flaw or weakness will be
uncovered by a Gnath and exploited to his
advantage: give a Gnath an inch, he will
take a mile. Those in positions of power
and authority, often Gnath and thus fully
aware of this,fear other Gnaths because it
is likely their system is flawed to some
degree.
r n tr'odnclion
The term "Gnath" evokes many
From efficiency to pain to cunning, th
are plenty of things not to like about
Gnath race. But there is no denying
their creations benefit those
regardless of their intentions.
Gnaths direct and order
empires, constantly invent new
ideas. They are the brains and
behind the societal system. And t
their entire lives suffering.
As soon as young Gnaths become aware
their destiny, they begin thinking up ways
escape. Gnaths feel imprisoned in
bodies similar to someone trapped in
eflow cell feels. Therefore, as soon as
Gnaths become aware of their destiny,
begin thinking up ways to
Consciously or unconsciously, Gnaths
everything they can to escape the stingi
pain flowing through their bodies from
until death.
horizon toward The
. in The direCTion of
hoping ThaT is
will arrive in
Approacb
of Gnalb bEbavior
Bodv
For some inexplicable reason, eflow
traveling through a Gnath's body is
extremely painful; from all reports, it feels
as though razor blades are slashing them
from inside. With time, a Gnath learns
how to manage his pain, to control it
enough that it ebbs and flows in three hour
intervals. The pain, however, does not
mind a clock and will often strike during
the Dream. The worst part about it is that
Gnaths, like most other races, require
orpee to survive. They crave and need,
therefore, somet hing that causes them
excruciating painful episodes.
Childhood
Gnath children spend their first few years
of life unable to control, fight or monitor
their pain in any way. Parents can do little
to ease their suffering, but they keep their
children under tight supervision until they
are about fi ve years old. During these
formative years, only a Gnath's instinct for
survival keeps him alive. All other aspects
of hi s life are consumed by agonized
suffering, either because he is in severe
pain or because he is ant1c1pati ng its
reoccurrence. Therefore, Gnaths develop
strong willpower and mastery over
themselves when they're young.
Mating is also a painful ordeal, as it implies
a psychological and philosophical problem
for Gnaths: by procreating, they wiU be
bringing an infant into the world that will
know only pain and suffering, something
that drives many insane. It requires a Gnath
an inner strength equaled only by Soleks to
simply accept their reproduction instinct.
The children are usually kept under close
control by their parents until they are
capable of sustai ning the pain, which takes
between three and five years, depending on
the health of the individual. To endure the
screams of their child is undoubtedly one of
the worst things in a Gnath's existence, and
no other race can claim to have a life as grim
as theirs. But the one beneficial thing that
arises from procreation is the relationship
that develops between the parents.
Watching their offspring suffer and not
being able to relieve the pain brings adults
together. These formative years shape a
young Gnath by developing willpower that
helps him deal with the
pain from which he must
suffer throughout his life.
(; ro wth
Gnaths spend every
minute of their life trying
to escape the hostile,
painful environment that
makes up their existence.
When the world around
is dangerous, most are
able to turn inward and
depend on themselves
for shelter. Gnaths are
unabl e to find shelter or
comfort within them-
selves and so they are
driven to find something
that will occupy their
time, provide distraction
from their constant
suffering. This drive is
often stronger than the
tightest bonds, pushing,
forcing, screaming its
way into a Gnath's daily
functioning.
It is easy to see why
Gnaths are selfish crea-
tures. They are consumed
with pain and cannot spare an instant to
dish out compassions, pity or even
sympathy for someone else's plight. They
tunnel all of t heir strengt h, anger,
frustration and inability to deal with pain
into building and creating cities and
systems. They keep their Minds closed,
and so only the mightiest of Frilin Mind
Walkers are able to penetrate the fortress
of a Gnath's Mind.
26
un:An'e
Es<.:Fip ing
Anything a Gnath does, he does it with ferocious energy. It is common for a Gnath
to work more than eighty hours a week, throwing himself into work in an attempt
to ease the pain for a moment or two. This energy and determination makes a
fierce combination in anything a Gnath sets out to do, be it fighting,
merchandising, thinking or creating. In battle, Gnath soldiers are the most
dangerous warriors. It is rare to win a fight against a Gnath: total and
absolute control and focus on your target is the only way to compete and you
have to be willing to risk it all. Death is not feared by Gnaths. In fact, it is
almost certain they seek it wherever and whenever possible.
So<.: i <? tv
At just a billion, the Gnath race is the largest (followed closely by
Odwoanes). As a whole, they are quite imposing and serve many functions
in this world, from managing cities on Ka!nas to directing technological
evolution. They are cunning, fast and precise, setting the current rhythm of
society's progress, leaving Frilins in the dust as they push harder and move
faster. The downfall of having Gnaths in power is that they become neurotic
and lack the sensitiveness necessary to be successful leaders. By strength and
will, Gnaths conform society to their own ideals - that leaves very little space
and for a better Dream.
lna1s
Abon t
The Ina"is live in huge caves, 5 to 10 miles underground, about halfway between
the Emovans' watery home and above ground. Within these caves are hearths in
which the lna"is make their homes. Each hearth (there are ten) has an entrance to
dark, cold caves that lead to orpee mines, thousands of miles below the surface.
Only the oldest and most powerfullna'is can access the orpee supply.
The hearths are faintly lit by tiny particles that f"Jter through the trees, roots, earth
and rocks to reach the lna"is caves. Although the Pendulum is far away, its rays
have the ability to penetrate many obstacles and for many millions of miles. This
light is supplemented with the refl ected red glow of orpee torches that bounce of
the shiny bits of sastak embedded in the cave roof and walls. The result is a lounge-
like atmosphere where soft red light spreads itself gently around the rooms, leaving
darkened corners everywhere
TIJ .,
lna"is are fit for a sere9e and comfortable life with the Dream, for the shapes the
Dream takes at night te always gossamer and quiet. Because day light does not
into th ir caves, it always seems as t hough the Dream lingers
making orn:rs blur and echoes reverberate for hours. Dream
IS s1 ong o: da.nge. us the caves t.he:efore the Ina"is se.em to hve at one
with 1t, bsorbmg 1ts di ers1ty by becommg sunilar to the Dream m body (an Ina'is
is made up of increaib y soft, muted colors and outlines).
Abont of
Ftnd pFt ss ion
The lna"is are almost the complete opposite of the Gnaths in every way. They are
the embodiment of well being, peace and harmony. Consuming eflow is absolute
bliss for an lna"is, and it flows through their veins a smoothly as silk. They have
a deep-seated source of warmth and energy within themselves that helps
them face any obstacle, attain any goal and endure anything without
being broken. It is impossible to defeat this inner energy of spirit that
the lna"is possess. If you torture them, for example, they will suffer
similar reactions to other races; cry, scream, wish for t heir death and
beg. When the torture is over, however, they will not be scarred or
27
changed in any way. Unlike other races, they do not have to give up part of
themselves to imbue themselves with more willpower. This is why they are
considered the mightiest of all races.
Abo11t p ? rsonFII

About 80% of lna'is' are born, live and die
their hearth. The rest are scattered
Ka'inas, mostly wanderers, Echoes and a
who grew up in a hearth but have been,
some reason, determined to make their
in the world. These are the three types
lna'is: sedentary, nomadic and impassion
These types can be represented as the
trunk and branches of a tree. Disposi
are hereditary and reinforced by early I
experience. It is possible, however, th
nomads may some day grow tired of movi
and become sedentary and a few seden
lna'is have been convinced to leave
hearth and try out the life of the wandered
Fl d i (.; r n Fl.l. ,,
These lna'is thrill to feel their inn r
burning fiercely. They thrive on pa sion
stability, intensity rather than
nomads .are responsible for su
I na'is soc1ety does not stagnate. Th,by
a need for bars, restaurants and cafes, for
Dreamlife and service market, tangli
sedentary lna'is' into their web as they
from one place to another. Because
Dream is not painful nor uncomfortable
lna'is society, Dreamlife is becoming
and more popular with all types of lna'is.
has become profitable for many, and
outlet for younger lna'is looking to be a
bit wild and reckless.
tnais lady.
arrends to the
,,rrt .,OYC in the caje
she still works for a
more days. Since she
Awakened as a
Crafter Echo. her
will soon change in

Sedentary Ina'i; are calm and poised. They
provide stability for lna'is society. They
place the highest value on things that last:
love over desire, tenderness over passion
and peace of mind over excitement.
Sedentary lna'is have close-knit families
and are actively involved in creating better
societies. The concept of family for an
lna'is is just as important as it is for
nomadic Soleks and Yakis. The typical
family is matriarchal, with dedicated,
industrious parents who would do
anything for their children. Most Ina'is
who live in a hearth work with orpee, be it
packaging, distribution, safe-storing, etc.
rd nw t!H,i t y
Ina"is are raised by their parents and they
reach maturity about thirty years old.
Most recently, some young Ina'is have
started to go to school and afterwards to
the academy. Although their dominant
emotional nature would suggest that they
praise arts over sciences- this is not the
case. Ina'is are open-minded and curious
about everything. At thirty years old, an
lna'is is considered fully formed and his
learning will have covered a wide variety
of subjects-including military training.
-----

The impassionate lna"is are
the rare kind (less then one
for every thousand). Their
inner flame is like white-hot
lava overllowing everywhere.
These lna"is are easily recognizable as
even their mere appearance betrays their
Passion -a passion that is unique to each
lna'is and drives his entire life from birth to
death. Their place in Ina'is society 1s
dictated and devoted to this Passion.
Childhood
Nayans are born with a moist, almost liquid
skin of the most beautiful deep blue color.
Their eyes reflect the soft glow of the
Pendulum's shadow on the northern ocean.
Young Nayans are "concentrate essence of
Nayans" -energetic whirlwinds of activity
until they mature and their energies are
directed towards some dellned direction or
goal.
There is no dellnitive Nayan society since
they are dispersed throughout the populated
areas of the realm. Instead, they share and
accept the culture of the city, town, platform,
tribe or village in which they live, raising
their children (usually three or four over a
50-year period) by local customs. Although
this may contradict the values and attitudes
of the parents' education, as long as it is not
perceived as harmful, children I from
the culture that surrounds the The
Withered, for example, can never n ~ - r r m ~ r P
in the education of children because
harmful; they are too depressing too
in a Nayan's life. But these Withered not
shunned either. Parents do not remove their
children from the vicinity of Withered
Nayans because it is part of a Nayan's
education to learn to be open-minded, to see
and understand everything and everyone
around them. It is not beneficial to a Nayan
to be naive but it is important that they be
impartial.
')(\
-..... ,,. _f
'-7 .. ~ '

You can't miss a Nayan in a crowd. An
aura of confidence and inner strength
surrounds them and so, their social
strength is more than often overwhelming.
Every one of their movements, words or
thoughts is soft, fluid and caressing. When
they move, you are transfixed by their blue
bodies moving, dancing and swimming
gracefully through the air. Similarly, when
they speak, all fall silent and listen to their
voices, deep and reassuring.
Sil U'i fi
The notion of sacrifice is intrinsic
to a Nayan. Unlike other races
that require willpower or love to
make sacrifices, Nayans do so
naturally. It is the most basic
action a Nayan can take. Nayans
frequently sacrifice their life to
save another's in battle. But it is
instinct more than heroism that
drives a Nayan to commit these
acts. Clearly, many Nayans lead
short, productive lives. It is rare
to find a Nayan who happily
embraces his innate desire to
sacrifice as heroic. Most struggle
to subvert this tendency or
refuse to accept praise and
reward for their actions.
Snblinwt ion
This sacrificial urge is so strong that it is
almost as though a Nayan desires to kill
himself. However, any Nayan who has
lived for any significant length of time is
able to tell at least one tale of control over
his instincts. So, it is not as though a
Nayan wants to commit suicide, but rather
something innate is driving him to sacrifice
his life despite his thoughts or feelings
about the subject. Many Nayans manage
to subvert this drive by choosing a highly
demanding occupation so that their
actions, thoughts and emotional energy are
devoted exclusively to one "generous and
helpful " task. If this task benefits others in
some way, a Nayan can almost always
control his self. This explains why most
Nayans dedicate their lives to politics,
social engineering, diplomacy, psychology
or medicine.
32

Most Nayans are obsessed by the concept of their own death. They tend to dwell
on gaining morbid knowledge about decay, death and suicidal tendencies. ln a
social context Nayans are extremely pleasant. When alone, however, this
obsession often overwhelms them. It is commonly believed among Nayans that
each must carry this burden alone. Displaying a friendly, easy-going manner
to others is also expected. These appearances are protection not from the
world around, but to protect the world from themselves; Nayans are too
noble and polite to expose their suffering to others.
Cynit:i slll
However nobly a Nayan acts, there remains a paradox between what he is
and what he appears to be. This "game" to keep the world from knowing
their true nature can be very difficult. Nayans who grow up in healthy,
privileged environments tend to be better equipped to deal with their two
selves than those who grow up in the slums. When a Nayan stops making
an effort to subvert his desire to sacrifice himsel f for the good of others, a
number of things may occur. Reactions range from throwing down armor in
the midst of a battlefield and walking headlong to meet the enemy's arrows,
to slowing beginning to cynicism becoming second nature to them.
Lr-G-h-t't-tt ( T h lJ olw n f;:d I)
fu a Nayan he slowly d9cays; his skin turns from blue to grey to white.
They lose the aqukticness about them and the weight of the world seems to slow
them up. Their eyes lose brilliance. It is called "La Chute." Middle aged Nayans
fear th is Downfall 'more than others fear death. Once the aging process has begun,
it is almost impossible to reverse it. Their massive reserves of energy begi n to turn
inward and implode, devouring them alive. Nayans who succumb to the Falling
become the Withered, pale shades of their once vibrant selves. The Withered can
be extremely dangerous because they have nothing left to lose. When you do not
fear dying, you are often willing to do anything to anybody because there are no
repercussions. You do not worry about getting killed and if you get caught, suicide
is a way out that you are willing and able to take.
outstanding Nayan emissary Evano. waiting for the answer of her
to her peace proposal: if he refuses. war will occur between both
. She never failed to install a truce before. She doesn't look very
to lose this one either.
a

OdwoanEs
Nobody remembers Their real name-if They ever had one. As long as I
can remember. we called Them rhe "odd ones". AlThough iT is spelled
many differenT ways (oddwoanes. odoanes. ado onos) no one seems ro
care abouT Their name. especially Them. Many called Them "Tic racs".
originally because They funCTioned on an inner rhyThm. a clockwork-like
Ticking rhar made up a parr of Their every movemenT and ThoughT.
Seboyan. Frilin Librarian
Within the last two hundred years, the "odd ones" or Odwoanes have
infJtrated our city. There used to be an average of 2050 workers in the
workshops, 80% of which were Gnaths. The remaining 20% were mostly
Volkols, Ina"is, Soleks and exiled Yakis. Two hundred years ago, this city was
brand new. The Core was not established but Odwoanes had begun to
spread everywhere. This city was just waiting for them to arrive, I guess. It
felt as though everything, everyone was tip-toeing around on egg shells,
waiting. Waiting for the flrst Odwoane to be spotted. We were not many in the
city, there were no p11tforms yet. I'd guess there were only 50,000 people here.
- And-t?ach of them wasl waiting.
I
It all began one day when a guard on watch suddenly shouted, "an Odwoane! "
Even throughout the realm they were as populous as the Gnaths, it was as
though we were seeing an Odwoane for the flrst time. And there he walked-
alone! -right down the middle of the road towards us, towards our city. He
appeared to be traveling with only a small piece of cloth holding his orpee and
tools, one imagined. He had a dagger and rugged leather armor on his body. How
had he survived his trip to this city?
He drew near the gate, and more and more of our citizens swarmed out on the
ramparts to watch him. We were probably 300 strong. He did not flinch or
withdraw. He merely plodded along with his Pendulum-like movement,
approaching the city at a steady pace. I couldn't believe he was
fearless, willing to walk into our midst without knowing whether we
would kill him or welcome him.
He stopped a few feet in front of me and glanced around him. The silence
33
and suspense weighed heavily on the crowd. No one spoke for several minutes.
Finally, some poor soul could stand it no longer.
"Hi!" he shouTed ar The Odwoane.
-Hi!" the Odwoane replied.
And the spell was broken. The sea of citizens fell away and a path opened up for
the Odwoane. He strode confldently into our city.
Within minutes, the peace we had known
was shattered by an industrious Gnath. He
approached the Odwoane and asked if he
was looking for a job.
"Yes: the Odwoane replied.
Our fate was sealed.
The next day, the Odwoane rented a room to
store the few belongings he had and then
went straight to work. I recall the moment
he walked through the doorway. I was
questioning why we hadn't killed him when
we had the chance. I was sure I was not the
only one. But the Odwoane sensed nothing,
or pretended to sense nothing. He merely
took his place beside the other workers,
observed them for a few moments, and
began working as though he had been doing
it all his life.
Another one arrived three days later. This
time the guard did not shout. she

did not want to be responsible for
This new Odwoane headed straight for the
workshop and greeted the boss. e boss
was more than delighted to have
Odwoane on-board (they eat half
the other races do).
Two more arrived two days later. The next
day, four more. Eight more three days after
that. In all sixteen arrived and settled in our
city. The boss was pleased. We workers
were not. We felt as though they were
stealing our jobs, and we wanted revenge.
But for some reason none of us could bring
ourselves to strike or kill an Odwoane.
Something about their weird, mechanical
habits kept us at bay.
34
hntl'lnYtmlfn, taken by the
Awakener.
during the
speech of the
of the Core. by the
Within a year and a half, our city was filled
with Odwoanes. They did most of the
manual labor. And they lost several of their
own kind in accidents or during a Dream
frenzy (in which they kill Gnaths). But
when one dies, another appears and takes
its place, living in the same house, in the
same family, playing the exact same role as
the one he replaced - whatever it was -
even at work. It seems as though death,
love, mourning and friendship have no
place in an Odwoane existence. Even
Gnaths seems more sensitive than these
Odwoanes.
Their arrival, however, provided me with
the opportunity to find a better job. Now
there are only 700 workers in the
workshops, mostly Odwoanes. They are
cheaper, faster and more efficient than any
other race, so it takes fewer of them to
accomplish the tasks at hand.
Account from Frankos d'Arcise. Volkoi Walker of the Third Sphere.
I brought one of them with me into the
wilderness. I thought he might
crumble. being forced out of his daily
routine. I was wrong. He felt no
longing, no fear. no sense of
helplessness this jar from his home.
Rather. he spent the entire trip
imitating what I did. He easily learned
as much as my previous apprentices did
on similar journeys. When we came
across dangerous beasts. he fought
bravely by my side without being asked.
Within a month. the Odwoane had
learned enough to survive on his own
in the wilderness.. He knew each and
every creature that roamed the area. I
nearly jell in love with that Odwoane.
He was so open-minded and willing to
learn. The most amazing thing about
our trip was that he began to think for
himself within a jew weeks. This. of
course. Jed to his ability to carry a
conversation. I began to understand.
His mind was simply an embryo.
possessing each component necessary
to evolve into something bigger. and
lacking only in stimuli. An Odwoane
does not grow or Jearn until he is
presented with a new environment. He
always follows the flow of knowledge
and information without questions.
absorbing as he is carried along. Keolo.
"my" Odwoane. still travels at my side
after all these years. We've become
inseparable friends. and he as acquired
more than enough conscience and
consciousness to be a complete entity
into himself. But. he still mimics me
and others with an ease and naivete
that never seizes to amaze me.
nThe suprising results of an Odwoane's mimetism."
SolEks
0 11 t of t h ~ S o f ~
In the year 2508. two hundred and
fifty years before the Core came
to power. a huge tribe emerged
from the Sofe. Their bodies were
scarred and distorted by wounds.
disease and mutations. Their skin
was as black as ink and no matter
how hard you stared, you could
not locate Their eyes. They
emerged from the Sofe. a million
strong, silent and brooding. Their
leader marched a hundred or so
yards ahead of the immense mob,
tall and stoic. She was obviously
an Overlord. The armor that
covered her body appeared to be
made of spines and strange Sofe
roots. It moved of its own will as
she stood there. silently, glancing
neither right nor left.
... Find into so<.;i?tv
How the Soleks survived in" the Safe is
mystery. It is clear, however, that they
have orpee. Their return changed
things on Ka'inas. Primarily, they needed
be factored into the society
functioning on Ka'inas. The Soleks
to have a good grasp on customs indigen
to Ka'inas despite their distorted .auF>u'""'"'
As no Frilin or Mind Chemist was able
penetrate their minds to fmd out who
were, where they came from and how
managed to survive the Sofe, they
perceived as a potential threat to
They were, therefore, divided up into
thousand tribes to keep their cohesiveness
a minimum. These tribes eventually split
smaller bands of Soleks that sp
throughout Ka'inas. Some tension
between the Soleks and the Yaki tribes,
because the Soleks knew they were
carefully watched for any sign of ""''"""'r'
weakness, they remained passive.
began to adjust to these silent,
creatures and soon Soleks
themselves in new cities,
impressive fighters and builders.
With str? ngth
Once unknown, the Soleks
engrained in the very fabric of society.
resilience, confidence and willpower
them courageous in dangerous si
excellent workers and well respected l
for Volko'is and Yakis.
Hnn i I y
Soleks retained their pragmatic, stoic natu
as well as many habits that are not com
on Ka"inas. Similar to the lna"is and
populations, Soleks are matriarchal. A
Salek bears between one and five eggs a
times during her life in her fortified, """'"-'"""'
womb. Soleks do not need copulation
order to reproduce. Once a female
maturity, she becomes a "breeder"
') ()
0()
approximately 15 years. Males, since they
are not needed for child-rearing, focus on
defense, organization and movement.
Because of this, they have a high degree of
respect for females of all races.
Throngh sil <!." n<.; <!."
Soleks never waste anything, be it time,
energy, space or words. They speak very
infrequently. It is almost as though they
already know all that needs to be known
and have no use for any other information.
Talking to a Salek is often uncomfortable
because they do not spend time being
polite or discussing mundane, unimportant
issues. It is best to be straightforward and
clear when one is speaking with a Salek ..
... And Ft<.;tion
This utilitarian behavior is carried over to
all aspects of a Salek's life. If you engage a
Salek in combat, do not expect mercy. He
will disregard any sort of fighting etiquette
and will not restrain himself for any
reason. To a Salek, a person is entirely
responsible for their actions. They do not
believe in jokes or sarcasm so an honest
and direct approach is the best way to deal
with them. They have confidence in
themselves and their judgment and will
always see an "appropriate" course of
action through to its conclusion.
OrgFtniziltion
Soleks are self-disciplined warriors. They
understand the necessity of being their
own masters and being responsible for
their actions. Each member of a tribe, or of
an association within a city, can fulfill
many roles. A Salek who only does one or
two things is probably a very young Salek.
They do, however, choose a leader once
every ten years to oversee the tribe's well-
being. They most often choose an Echo
who, as long as he proves himself worthy
of the Soleks' trust, might be selected again
and again. Because Soleks are so intuitive,
it is unlikely that anyone would succeed in
getting away with trying to take power
away from this leader. Soleks who unco-
vered any plot of treason would simply kill
the guilty party and explain to the leader
what had happened. This straightforward,
honorable nature is engrained, part of
Soleks' survival mechanism.
ActnFtlity
Most people have come to accept Soleks.
They have won trust from those around
them as they are hard-working, diligent
and powerful. Paranoid minds, however,
remain suspicious of these stoic, quiet
creatures. They believe the
Soleks are plotting against
them. Soleks have managed to
infiltrate themselves into all
sectors of society. While the
majority remains within their
tribe, many Soleks function
within the society of the Core,
and there have even been
reports that some Soleks live
with the lna"is.
Oddly enough, a relationship
has developed with the Yakis,
with whom the Soleks did not
get along when they arrived. A
shamed and discredited Yaki will
often seek refuge in a Salek
tribe. Similarly, young Soleks
who are ignorant of their Sofe
past and feel oppressed by their
kin will turn to a Yaki tribe.
It is hard not to feel intimidated
when a tribe of Soleks arrives to
trade in your village. One thou-
sand strong, they often over-
whelm the residents of the
village, making them either feel
absolutely safe or completely
threatened. Finally, an important
difference between Salek and
Yaki tribes is that while the second almost
always refuses new "recruits", Salek tribes
accept anyone they
feel is worthy.
Volko1s
llistory
1343-0 I: Scouts return from the frontiers of
the Sofe. Invaders from the Sofe are slowly
marching, seemingly towards Kha'i- Bhek,
where the Empress lives and reigns.
1343-0:?: A ring of Gnath and Frilin Echo
scientists offer their services to the Empress.
They have created an egg filled with
exceptional nutrients and energy so that the
creature emerging from it can grow to its full
potential in only three months. The
manufactured and cloned eggs produce war
machines unlike anything seen before. The
ethical questions concerning breeding of a
new race are ignored because the solution
seems so prom1smg.
~ n
~ ~ ~
Mi'shere. the legendary
Fourth Sphere Overlord.
standing up a hill and
looking toward his
opponent's troops. It is
said that he saw over
300 battles and is over
450 years old !
1343-0o: The first Volko'is reach maturity
at the same time as the invaders are
nearing Kaderun. Genetically modified to
intuitively know how to fight, their bodies
are imbued with natural weapons and
armor so that no equipment and no
training are required for them. They are
sent to battle while more Volko'is are
created. The Empress worries about what
will happen to this race once the war is
over and assigns half her own personal
Echo guards to watch over them.
134o-04: Many Yaki tribes and a large
quantity ofVolko'is troopers fight to defeat
the enemy. The battle is won at Kaderun.
The Empress veils the actions of the group
of scientists so that historians lose track of
their whereabouts. The Empress struggles
with the question of what to do with the
enormous amount of Volko'is fighters of
which she cannot easily dispose.
l34o-05: Volko'is manifest hyper-activity
begin to cause riots.
134o-Oo: A consortium of merchants and
city-builders unite under the highest
platform of Kha'i-Bhek. Three days later,
they are granted audience to the Empress.
Here, they expose their simple yet effi cient
proposal; put the Volko'is energies to work
in a constructive manner.
134o-07: Volko'is were required to reunite
in Kaderun. The Empress spoke directly to
them, recognizing them as a new race and
explaining how they would fit into the
social system. Their assignment was to
construct new cities. The Volko'is accepted
their role in society, and 400 years later
were given complete control over their
own creations. Future generations of
Volko'is (which were cloned) were weaker
than the original powerhouse machines.
134o-Ol:: Many Volko'is were dispatched
to the far reaches of the Empire to work on
various CCPs of the time. Not all Volko'is
became workers. Some remained in the
older cities, working at other types of jobs
that required great strength. Because the
Volko'is were spread across a vast region,
however, uprisings and riots were kept to a
mmunum.
"We had ro change all of
our equipment... Before. we had
strengthened wooden roofs and wea-
pons made our of resin. In the first days,
they broke everything because they
were roo powerful. When attacked. they
used their own body instead of our
weapons because they were rougher.
We gave them steel roofs coated with
sasrak veins. It cost a lor bur the
investment was worth ir. as they soon
learned rouse and fight with their roofs.
They worked four rimes faster than the
others. The mortality rare of workers.
which previously was around rwenry
percent, dropped ro three percent per
week. They even gained a secondary
income by selling what they could from
the beasts they killed. Meanwhile. in rhe
city. the others gathered together. They
starred organizing themselves based on
our models, and so they became micro-
societies completely integrated into
ours. At long last they were unified as a
race.
- Fkina. Gnarh business lord
42
M?thA \iCR L IJ!'EAII\:,
As(;t>nsion
Volko'is proved much more worthy than expected. Their massive reserves of
energy, strength, willpower and organization (Volko'is communities are amongst
the most effective) quickly began to reflect in their characters. Volko'is are
extremely adaptable, finding jobs to do wherever they are, from the battlefield to
CCPS to outposts to business lords.
Mod t>rn i tv
Volkoi's are the" most modern race in Ka'inas. They are not burdened with the
ancient traditions and beliefs, unlike many other races. Few Volko'is bother with
the Naakinis/Ka'inas dichotomy. They leave mythological and rel igious questions
to others, believing that seeking answers to these topics is futile and will not
improve living conditions. Favoring pragmatic precision over faith makes the
Volko'is race stand out. Knowing exactly where they came from and what their
primary purpose is, however, contributes to this disinterest in philosophical
subjects. Also, few Volko'is believe that the other races were created differently
than they were ...
the Volko'is have spread themselves even further
into society, tplicated in in both arts and sciences. In fact, because they
are so adaptable, Volko'is slowly gaining control over many things that were
once exdusii e to the of the Gnaths and Nayans.
The Core, jetermined to give the Volko'is a voice in politics, encouraged a
democratic ay in which Volko'is could speak their opinion. They formed a Volko'i
counci l to represent the interests of their race, permanently located in Kha'i-Bhek.
Droliath Estolah met with the council for a four-day assembly, in which, amongst
many other point, both sides agreed to terms that stated the Volko'is would never
breed more than a million offspring per year, thus curtailing any possibility of a
future Volko'is hegemony.
Yakjs
They travel while we remain fearfully trapped in our local city or village. They
sleep wirhour rhe protection of rhe Core's walls. yer rhey are safer than us. They
travel in regions rep/ere with beasts bur their mortality rates are lower than ours.
They accept suffering as ir is necessary and this makes rhem strong. They know
how ro think. ro fight, ro hare and ro love. The aggressive. challenging environment
in which rhey live has shaped them into much more complete beings than us.
- Aa'mao. Nayan village elder
I ,FISt
In ancient times, Yakis were the sole providers of natural resources harvested from
the wilderness. They were also the only race willing to travel
between cities and towns in order to supply these goods
to citizens. The Yakis succeeded in "conquering" the
dangers and challenges of the wilderness by banding
into tribes and traveling on huoras.
Essential for orpee distribution
..,..___-----lfr,onrthe- [na'is hearths to the c1t1es, Yak.s became
indispensable as traders. Any companies who
tried to inf! .i.nge on Yakis territory suffered the
consequenc s (often violent). Only when the
Soleks arri
1
ea were the Yakis predatory instincts
tamed. Soon Yakis were forced to share their duties
with their worthy opponent, the Soleks.
Division
Within a century after the arrival of the Soleks,
the Yakis tribe split itself into two factions; the
traditionalists and the modernists (who'd later
give birth to the techno tribe). The traditionalist
tribe valued dominance and supremacy above all,
and their ferocity increased according. Members of
this faction bonded smaller tribes together to form
groups of several thousand Yakis urged on by a desire to
destroy the Soleks and their kin belonging to the modernist
tribe. Luckily, nothing major occurred despite the
traditionalists' attempts (the remaining Yakis,
Soleks and the Empress' forces were too
strong to defeat). The modernists, on the
other hand, negotiated trade routes
with the Soleks, forming alliances that
weeded out and ruined the small and
medium-sized trade companies that
had been trying to break into the
These modernists acknowledged the
as their equals and soon after, the
Modernists were content to allow the Ztn
dominate the upper echelon of the
hierarchy, while the Soleks, Yolko'is
Yakis remained one tier below, c
superior to all other races.
D r ? illll
The Yakis are t he only race to use
Dream. Some tribes, called Dream
live only by night, riding the Dream in
similar manner to the Emovans who are
to swim in it. These Dream tribes sleep
day in the highest branches of a kioux
another Naakinis tree. Each tribe has one
more Dream shaman to harness and co
the Dream, helped by the Dream
who are the shaman's physical helper
right hand. In the Dream tribes, almost
of the Yakis are shamans and tamers
several others specialize in the domain of
Dream. This strange ability to control a::: nt=-- -t+'MI
use the Dream makes Yakis e treme
dangerous, for they alone dare strike
night. Some elderly tribes even ave
power to summon small Dreamst rms
they weave around their tribe,
protection or in preparation of an
Tril v ?l
Almost every Yaki tribe travel on huoras,
beast from Naakinis on which two or
Yaki families can li ve. Each huoras has
lengthy appendages (up to 150 yards).
huoras are capable of killing Ka'inasians in
single blow, moving spear-armed Yakis in
out of battle seated on the tip of
appendages. Huoras can also "walk"
any terrain easily, using their appendages
feet to run or as arms from which they
at the tops of trees, protecting their
families from harm during the night.
44
M:> t A\iC;-1L IJrEA
'Aer. of The Kularans.
nnnlnP'WtvAwakened aS a
Echo, swifTly
head roward The
sound ThaT he
heard a jew hundred
away aT his righT.
Yaki tribe has a specialized way of
traveling, fighting and defending itself and
their huoras adapt accordingly. In some
cases, Yakis use other Naakinis creatures
(not huoras), but it is all to the same end.
W<1 rrn th
No Yaki tribe will ever refuse shelter to a
traveler, but neither will they trust an
outsider. If a stranger proves trustworthy,
however, he will be welcomed warmly into
the Yaki tribe. Yakis feel an overwhelming
sense of friendship for their tribespeople,
which helps to preserve their mental
health and strength, avoiding the pitfalls of
bitterness and hostility.
For a Yaki, there are two things that are
more important than the individual: his
famJy and his tribe. If a Yaki does not
devote himself entirely to these two things,
he risks becoming selfish, cold and wJI
inevitably be forced to suffer the Curse of
the Nightmare. In this case, the Dream
(which normally is on the side of the
Yakis) turns grey and sickly around the
selfish individual. These types are quickly
thrown out of the tribe and this spells out
a fate much worse than death for the
outcast. Yak is must stick to the only ways
of survival they know: trust, number,
fortitude and tenacity.
II i (" t' <l r<.:h y
Necessity is the final force to which, in the
end, each Yaki shall obey. They are very
committed to accomplishing tasks of
necessity. Without hesitation, Yakis can
i n ~ i c t terrible pain upon themselves or
others to achieve their goals. As such, the
hierarchy is not composed of levels of
power but rather is divided by task.
Although each tribe has a slightly different
structure, the basic "tasks" are similar
throughout. They are:
Tribe leaders (five, reevalu-
ated at any time) plus
diplomats, protectors, sur-
vivors, warriors ( and some
others) as dictated by each
specific group.
F<1mi l v
Yaki famJies often possess
their own seal, symbol and
craft. Each family's armor
has its own colors, shapes,
textures and powers ac-
cording to the model of the
tribe, which allows Yakis
to recognize each other
even when they come from
different tribes. At birth, a
newborn Yakis' placenta is
preserved and placed in a
special box created by Yaki
Awakeners. At six years of
age, a child is given the part
of his armor that has grown
during his youth. The
armor will continue to
grow and change until it
finally covers his entire
body (usually occurs about
in about 20 years). As it
grows, the youngster learns
to understand and use his
armor. Plenty of pressure is
put on a Yaki during these
formative years so that he
will develop the resilience,
the ability and confidence
to take on necessary tasks
in the tribe. It is the duty of
families to see to their
child's "formation" so if a
Yaki turns out to be weak,
the whole family is blamed.
Z1ns
M Ft 11 y mi ll?n n iFt Ftgo ...
The Frilins created the Zins, a race designed
to combat and protect them against Naakinis
beasts. During their creation, a Ritual was
established in which an Aran creature was
"infused" into each Zin Mind. This Ritual
was the best option for the Frilins; while
Mind Walking in a Zin's Mind, a Frilin
would have access and control over this
Aran creature. The idea behind these Aran
creatures was that a Frilin could Mind Walk
into a Z"in's mind in order to invoke the Aran
creature, and then take over control of its
Zin host and protect Frilins from dangerous
situations.
In creating this race with such potentially
powerful capabilities, the Frilins needed
assurance that they would never lose control
... - - - . - - ! - - - - ' ~
of the Zins, in which case they
dominated by them instead of
them. During the conception of
therefore, they included several
to assure themselves that young,
(essentially aU Zins) would remain under
their control. To this end, the Frilin creators
made each Zin hate the sight, sound and
smell of any other of his race. This would
prevent Zins from grouping together or
acting in any sort of organized fashion that
might result in a threatening situation for
Frilins. Furthermore, this hate that they feel
for others of their race extends so far as to
impede a Zin's quest for knowledge about
himself. And because each Zin is focused on
limiting the effect his Aran creature has on
his mind, he is unable to concentrate long
enough to become any sort of leader or
authority figure in any society.
M:'<.:;h \iCa L urE Al
Thsphir
One of the first Zins, Tasphir, was also the
first known Judicator and through his
Vocation, strove to liberate not only
himself but other Zins as well. He and the
other liberated Zins went on a rampage
- each in their own way - , attempting to
kill as many Frilins as possible in order to
exact revenge. Because of the violent Zin
nature, however, Frilins weren't the only
ones to suffer from Zln attacks. Instead of
being tools for Frilins to control and use as
protection, the Zins became, in a sense,
psychotic predators, stalking all Frilins
who were known to be in possession of a
Zin, hunting them down and killing them.
Ironically, the creatures designed to
protect them in the end were the ones
that handed them their death. They
stopped "manufacturing" Z'ins.
Even though Tasphir succeeded in
"liberating" many Zlns from their Frilin
owners, he could not stop himself from
killing many as well. His "genetic makeup"
could not be changed. He still hated all
other Zins and felt an overwhelming urge
to kill them. He could not successfully rid
himself of the primal urges to kill violently
and without conscience.
l ~ o m br(:"' d (:"' 11:1 sph i r
Zins young and old learned Tasphir's
legend and used his name often as a mode
of protection. In an attempt to control their
deathly urges, generations of Zins retired
to the wilderness. It was a place where
their instincts to hunt could be satisfied
without harm coming to other
races. Young
~ : .
Zins had little chance of survival as they
were hunted down by Frilins or died
before they found a city in which they
could find food or shelter. Other Zins died
as well, after battling too many beasts or in
fights with other Zins. Slowly, each
surviving Z'in realized that if he wanted to
continue to exist, he would need to figure
out two things; how to tame the Aran beast
inside and how to control his urge to kill.
(; (:"' 11 (:"' ti (;S
Their strong genetic makeup has not
alternated over time. During birth, the
Ritual still occurs, so each Zin, old and
newborn, possess an Aran creature in their
Minds. Their predatory instincts are also
strong, making them dangerous enemies
and as fierce competitors today as they
were when they were first created. More
recently, Zlns have mastered the ability to
Mind Walk, which at the least allows them
to control (or at least subdue) their Aran
beast. Zins cannot, however, Mind Walk
in other people's minds because they do
not possess the necessary empathy to gain
access to another's Mind.
II is tory
Because Zins do not talk to one another,
nor can they bare to listen to stories
about other Zins, they have no
history, no documented
evidence of their existence,
no method of passing on
information about themselves.
Each newborn Z'ln (who reaches
47
adult size in three days) must rely on the
kindness of strangers to take care of him
until he can fend for himself. Some people
have heard tales of the Zin, and fewer still
have encountered Zins personally.
Because Zins abandon their babies at
birth, aU newborn Zins are technically
orphaned and need someone from another
race to educate and raise them. If not, they
4
()
()
M ~ t h A \i Cill IH' EAil'e
risk death. And if they do manage to survive on their own, they will be completely
savage, unable to control the Aran beast and a serious danger to any civilization
they come across. Taking in a newborn Z"tn is not an easy task as he will never be
studious, calm or subdued. However, he can learn to read and write, to listen to
the history of other races, ethical codes of conduct, to refrain from kil ling in cities
and town, not to attack convoys and how to avoid his own death as well as the
death of others.
Soci (" ty
In society, even though their appearance is extremely rare, Z"ins always leave a
strong impression on those around them. Because t hey are unable to enter into
anything but superficial relationships with others, however, they rarely stay in a
populated area for long. If they need to earn money in order to purchase orpee,
they do thei r job extremely efficiently, receive t heir pay and move on. They can
only relate to creatures that are similar in someway to them, so Zlns usually find
themselves outsiders unless they are with a group of brave and adventurous
Echoes.
Most eo le do not know what to make of Z"ins. Some believe they are extremely
arrogant, while others think they are an entirely unique species that does not need
and is..com.pletely-unconnected to others, possibly from some other place besides
Ka!nas.
The lin walked qut of the forest. He was stained with blood. some of which was
his own. Ar that ;moment. he would have killed anyone in sight. Only someone as
powerful as a T1ird Sphere War Engine might have been able to end his f ury. His
right hand tightened the grip on his blade. blood dripping f rom his claws to the
ground. He plowed the earth forward before him as he stomped out of the foresT.
In the end. his greatest enemy was himself. He wished he could end his own life.
but as a lin. he was too proud. While Gnaths commit suicide. Nayans Wither.tnais
die of love and Yakis sacrifice themselves for their tribe. lins survive. He
sharpened his senses and could hear creatures far and near fleeing. Under his
heels. he felt the earth dissolving with his every step. He imagined stomping on the
heads of the hundreds of corpses he'd kill while transformed. The lin closed his
eyes and breathed deeply. He tried to push the thoughts and memories of his
recent deathly deeds our of his mind. but they only came back stronger.
His hands were soaked in her blood: he had just slashed. speared and cur his mare.
and yet. she survived. Clutching her womb with both hands. trying to keep her
organs inside her body. she lay on the ground in pain. But when he charged her. she
charged back at him. They could nor resist each other. and it was over in less than
a few minutes. He stood up to leave. He had not killed her. Within a few hours. a
newborn lin would make its way our of her womb. She would suffer once again.
resist the urge to murder her young and struggle away from the baby before it
tried to harm her. For a moment. he felt a twinge of compassion for her. But then
it was gone and he walked away. the same as his father had done before him.
M ECIIA \I CAL DREAM

As its most basic level, life is the most natural of things. Its complexity surpasses the most significant technologies
and it is more beautiful than the most melodious poetry. Life Is.
And yet we take advantage of it, forget its importance and significance. We focus on ourselves and forget that life
is what gave birth to us, what gave birth to All Things. Eflow is its method, its mode of giving birth to the world to
creating conscience, intelligence and perception. It flows everywhere, in all bodies, in everything. The sooner we
open minds to the awareness t.hat .eflow cour.ses through t.hings, th.e possess E"' I
the abihty to hear the murmur of hfe, 1ts harmomous notes gently mfusmg us w1th tranqmhty. c

Developing a conscience is a long pro-
cess, evolving over time on an individual
basis. One can evolve and become a truly
advanced, wise being and yet his child
does not inherit these traits. The child
will have to start all over again and suffer
through the same trials and tribulation in
order to achieve a more fully evolved
conscience. There is also a "collective"
conscience that develops at a much
slower rate. Only through centuries of
hardship, generation after generation,
can our conscience evolve collectively.
We Awakeners are not prophets or magi-
cians, able to turn you into noble and
wise creatures in a day. Rather, we are a
piece of the machinery of evolution. Step
by step we help conscience grow, century
by century and over millennia.
Vitali tv
We are patient and stalwart at the same
time. Those who slumber must be
Awakened. Those who plot to gain
control of the masses must be destroyed.
In the Core Himself we seem to have
finally found a great leader. He should
never be permitted to abuse his power
and you should never be afraid to rise up
against him, to sacrifice your life for the
good of society, should his actions be
unjust or cruel. Remaining Awakened,
conscious despite what pain you may
suffer is all a part ot life's process. We
must suffer in order to live. But for now,
until he acts differently, all should
support The Core for as long as he leads
effectively and efficiently.
Rituals
Characteristic of Awakeners, our rituals
are a method in which we not only enter
into contact with slumbering beings but
invoke them into a state of life, confer
upon them a conscience that gives them
the freedom to act and react, to learn and
understand, to voluntarily transform into
something else. The road by which we
infuse conscience into a being is long and
complex. Awakeners need to learn and
accept the value of sacrifie to survive.
Awakeners must also be of sufficient
maturity to be able to move through the
progressive stages of Awakening.
_ _J !
H1 rn iIi a rs
All familiars created with
good intentions, from most
simple to the most complex, are
considered "family" by Awakeners. It is
very rare that an Awakener creates a
familiar for practical purposes only. An
Awakener would have to overcome an
extremely strong inner compulsion to
love every living thing in order to create
anything that might have destructive
tendencies. Anything that is destructive
is transformed or destroyed. Innocence,
overconfidence and too much forgiveness
are all possible seeds of Abuse.
En vi r'o n rn t
The notion of environment is always of a territory, a grid on which a number of elements are always found. These
elements can be made up of someone or something. The distance between elements, often, is connected to their t 1? r
relationship. Obviously, conscience and intelligence permits, through understanding, the [, I
manipulation of these elements. c . 'l () s
Stability
The continuity of an element in a specific
place is a method by which one can
judge its stability. Fixed objects, like
Kioux, are intrinsically stable. People,
depending on their daily routines, can be
more or less stable. Knowing the degree
of stability of elements within a territory
makes it easier to keep things secure.
Kn(>wing
our'
To know yourself, to know your geo-
graphical position as well as under-
standing your emotional, social and
intellectual situations is the only way in
which we are able to achieve a sense of
freedom. Only when we know where we
are in the metaphysical sense of the
word, can we stop searching and just be.
Progress is possible, but only when we
are aware that we are traveling in a
specific direction with a specific purpose.
Movement for movement's sake is useless
and a waste of time and energy.
To
not
We were created for protection. In
contrast with other Echoes, we were
designed to last.
Awakeners, Judges, Judicators, Over-
lords, certain War Engines and Truth
Crafters will risk their lives for their
cause. We believe it is in our best interest
to survive. These Echoes take their role
too seriously, every little detail is too
important to them. A little bit of
perspective on the situation is all these
Echoes need to make things easier on
themselves. It makes all the difference.

Guardians are not cynical, but we do
believe that attachment to others is not
the most efficient and effective way to
do our job. Focusing on the task at
hand, rather than emotional bonds, is
necessary for the security of the Empire.
We may seem aloof to those who do not
understand our methods of interaction.
But let it be known that we are not
mechanical creatures without feelings.
We believe in love, and the strong bond
that lovers feel towards each other.
What we also know, however, is that
keeping enemies apart is a successful
way in which to protect because
distance implies an inability to interact.
If enemies are forced to remain far away
from each other, they cannot and will
not fight; therefore confrontation and
violence are avoided.
Tactics
Our defense tactics may
seem strange and paradoxical

to some. In order to ensure the
protection of the Empire, Guardians do
not fight on the front lines. We need to
protect ourselves in order to protect you.
Therefore, we are rarely found on the
forefront of a conflict. We are aware that
this, perhaps, does not seem like a noble
approach to protection tactics. To some,
it may seem as though we are putting
lives at risk (others', not our own) for
our own purposes so that we may not be
harmed. In actuality, we are looking at
the bigger picture. While one warrior
may be killed in battle, hundreds of
thousands of others are saved because of
this warrior's actions. We devote our
time to protecting those who need
protection. Those who are willing to die
do not need our protection.
Responsibility
Responsibility is a word many people know, fewer people understand and less put into practice properly.
Responsibility is the ability to carry the weight of our own actions. Furthermore, everyone should be equally
responsible for his own person. No one should have to carry more than they are able, to be responsible for more
than they can handle. Furthermore, no individual should unload their responsibilities on someone or something
else. Unfortunately, however, the burden of responsibility has shifted from the individual to society. In factories,
for example, machinery removes responsibility from each individual worker. Workers have an extremely
narrowed scope of actions that they are responsible for. Yakis and Soleks, on the other hand, maintain crucial
roles with their tribe. are for their own actions, and their ability to perform E" I
directly effects the well-bemg of the1r tnbes. c
_ _J !
t
The weight of responsibility has already
made countless individuals crumble under
its pressure. Most people, at an early age,
learn to reject and displace their respon-
sibility so few are able to withstand the
pressure. Together with the Overlords, the
Judges are the pillars of the world, holding
up the weight of responsibility that others
have so casually dismissed.
C ( > n fi d '? n t; '?
Apart from responsibility, one other thing
is essential for the well-being of the system:
confidence. Confidence is the resistance an
individual puts forth against attempts to
break the social tissue. Only a responsible
individual can inspire trust and confidence
in other members of society. Extreme
confidence brings about Faith.
Faith
Those who want a better order, a better
society and a bigger system are those
capable of having faith. Faith is not a blind
belief, nor is it a desperate hope. Faithful
people are not necessarily overly attached
to the system. Faith is just an extreme of
confidence. Those who have proven
themselves worthy of the trust put in them,
who have always been able to fulfill their
duties without failing, they alone can
inspire faith. Faith is built on confidence,
hope and time. Faith is confidence
projected on the future. It is a belief that
breaks down contentions, permits us to
have more freedom and offers us a way in
which our community can come to a
concensus about the future.
J ustic'?
The one who carries respon-
sibility instills faith and fear
in others, whose precepts are
the laws, who the Core Himself
considers as a brother, this one
who can Judge is the one in charge of
Judging. His arm will be heavier with all
the Judgments but he will only become
stronger and will no longer fear any
enemies. He will emanate faith, not faith in
himself but faith in others. Judges are the
foundations of equity and justice in this
world, the medium through which confi-
dence and faith can bloom. No matter
what actions are necessary, no matter how
much pain it takes, a Judge must accept
that his role is more important than
anything else. To fail is impossible; he must
suffer through the completion of his duty.
MECIIA\fCAL DHEAM
Birth
My name is ljono, son of Noko, daughter of Kolnece, of a Zln lineage. My mother sacrificed herself to give birth
to me. She left me to be raised by her father. He told me that my mother would reappear in a few decades. She had
been very powerful before she had me, so it would take her almost a century to return to her former level of power.
We are not like you. We are from every race, yet we are alone. We have no father or mother. We have
no culture. We are Judicators, sons and daughters of our own kin, alone in your world, guided only
by the Judges. They are our sole masters. Judges are Pillars and one must respect and obey them.
If they ever lose their way or stray from the destined path they must be killed.

Here is my Blade, Zohy. I created it as
I was being created. It has served me
faithfully throughout my life. It grows,
lives and fights with me. It is my sole
companion and the only thing to which
I would trust my life. Zohy will never
leave me and never falter. It is my true
face. It increasingly gains strength and
power, wit and intelligence, becoming
more and more like me until one day we
become one. A Judicator is nothing
without his Blade. What he cannot do
with his Blade, he cannot do at all.

Judicators have traveled long and wide.
Unlike Walkers, however, our path always
leads to danger, to evil places. We, along
with the Judges, are the only pure Echoes.
Other types can get misled, caught up in
extraneous causes and activities that
prevent their evolution. It is not our choice
to be pure. It is a fact of our nature. We
cannot deviate from our course and
therefore we do not demand admiration.
We request respect, that is all.
From birth we are dedicated to the
guidance and policing of everyone on
Kainas (normals and Echoes include).
We also are determined to protect and
police Naakinians too, as soon as we are
able. Our Blades are our only tool.
Anyone who earns our trust will be
accepted and Protected. Anyone who
tries to abuse us, confront or undermine
us will be killed. We never underestimate
or overestimate: our justice is simple and
straightforward. Any abuses of strength
deserve a death penalty.
r ntirnidation
We do not have many enemies. A Judicator
that is killed will return to life stronger,
more powerful. Judicators, even in death,
do not forget so it is not safe to make
enemies with us. We will never kill people
who do not deserve it. If we, for any reason,
feel as though we may be in error, we will
consult a Judge. Any enemies we have,
who success in disposing of us temporarily
will have to reckon on our return. Many
turn to suicide in this case. We can respect
that. One's redemption is always more con-
vincing when applied by the self to the self.
R
When we die, the information contained in
our "eflow" is not absorbed back into the
larger stream of eflow. Rather, the core of
Judicators retains a Judicator's vital
essence and with time, it is possible for that
Judicator to recreate himself. We are in a
semi-vegetative state during this recons-
truction, slowly piecing the bits of
ourselves together like a puzzle.
We drift far from civilization
where the eflow streams are
much calmer. When we are
7
ready to be resurrected, three
lightening strokes (Body, Mind and
Blade) bring us back into one piece, alive
and immediately functional. We are
electric to the touch and contain enough
eflow to last a month.
!'\. : ,oc,or.. r..
1
y
( ' ' .... \...., \ j .......
With each rebirth, we grow stronger
and so do our Blades. Our Blades
develop of their own accord. They have
the courage to shed blood at anytime, to
risk damage on the toughest of armor
and mechanical beasts. Danger is not a
consideration for Blades. They (and in
part, we) do not care about being
bruised, broken, tortured or killed. We
do not fear death and subsequently we
are not heroes. Heroes are pure, white,
gleaming actors devoted to saving lives.
We are stained, dirty, corroded and
indifferent to our job. We are children of
Necessity. We do not choose to fight,
but we cannot resist Necessity.
4Q
\1 LCIIA \!CAt I> BEAM
Newbl>rns
Mind Chemists, once they obtain the skill of being able to penetrate a Mind, are overwhelmed by the experience. They
are thrust into a completely new and unexplored universe. Some adapt easily to the landscape of the Mind while others
become, over a period of years, completely paranoid. Successful Mind Walkers explore the Mind exactly as a Walker
explores the territory of Kainas. Their goal is to learn more about the Mind in order to help those who suffer from
af8ictions of the Mind. These Chemists, who basically become walking scalpels, inspire fear in the entire population.
There are millions of secrets locked within the Mind that we Mind Chemists do not understand and cannot decode.
breed, so there is no history, no documented evidence or a "wise one" who can teach us age-old [...,.
Why and how are Mind Creatures born, for example? We are explorers of a new world; Mind Chemists are a new l t , ~ r
Mind Walking methods. We are as vulnerable in the Mind of an individual as they are in reality. ~ - ~ c . 1 () ( ~ s
- - ~ ~ - - - - ~ ~ - 7
The Mind
and Ooubt
The Mind is a fascinating construction.
It is home to an individual's memories,
ideas, fears and dreams. Amazingly,
mental illness manifests itself in various
physical forms. Mind Chemists struggle
with the paradox of whether the idea of
a Mind gives birth to the Mind or is it
the Mind that gives birth to the idea of
itself?
Uncovering the truth about a Mind's
functioning is a tall order. Mind Chemists
must learn early on to recognize that in
the Mind, everything can be different,
even if they seem similar to what we
know as "reality." Within the Mind, one
is constantly losing touch with "funda-
mental reality" as it blurs, fades and
disappears entirely. All the laws of
psychology that we know disappear as
well with the discovery of a new reality
that shines new light on fundamental
reality. Mind Chemist will learn and
understand these new realities in order to
better explain the workings of the Mind.
Pr,isrnatic
Morals, Ethics, Truth, Objectivity and
Subjectivity; these are the structures
Mind Chemists have to mold into entirely
different shapes in order to begin
understanding how the Mind function. If
you can figure out how to embrace Truth
as a three-dimensional whole without
ignoring or being blind to any of its
facets, you have succeeded in reaching a
Mind Chemist's point of departure.
s ~ ~ n s ; ~
We struggle with trying to make sense
of our thoughts, of any Mind's thoughts.
How can we tell the difference between
a "fake" and real thought? How does
one separate himself from the primal,
instinctive self that has thoughts rooted
in fear? Is it possible to free ourselves
from these chains in order to think
freely on our own, devoid of baggage?
Ernotions
What makes an emotion true
or false, real or fake? If a
feeling is evoked by external
stimulus feels as real as one that
comes from within, is it a false emotion?
What tools do we use to judge the validity
of an emotion; Mind or instinct ? What is
the role of conscience in emotion? Is it
merely a buffer to your intellect? Do we
suffer more than animals and beasts
because we have a conscience? Is this
conscience meant to "show" us our inner
beast?
)lLCilA \fCAl DBEAM
Sons and daughters of rhe Dream. who come find us when our hour has come, hear me.
1 am rhe firsr of rhe Dream prophers. rhe firsr of us. rhe firsr of you. I have rhe nighr and
irs screams in my veins. everyThing rhar appears when rhe day disappears makes up my
bones and my flesh. I am made up of all your fears. When rhe Dream speaks, we become
irs voice. When rhe Dream howls. we become irs cry. When rhe dream acrs. we perform
irs acrions. irs gesrures.
Spirit
We are the link between the Dream and
reality. We can always feel the material
aspect of reality (even when it's barely
perceptible) no matter how much
control the Dream seems to have over
our Minds. In a sense, we are possessed
by the Dream, which is neither easy nor
comfortable. It is a process as painful as
being a Gnath child, suffering endlessly.
Our spirit is transformed. The Dream
destroys our bearings, our memories,
our morale and our logic. We are not all
as strong as the Frilins, able to resist the
Dream. We are more like the Odwoanes,
whose Minds, on occasion, are penetra-
ted by the Dream to the point of
becoming crazy and go on a Gnath
killing frenzy. Those among us who do
not accept the Dream in their spirit get
killed easily and quickly, as the Dream
becomes their spirit. Those who accept
the Dream watch their thoughts,
emotions and perceptions transformed
by and for the Dream's purposes. Some
will become blurred while others' Minds
become incredibly vast and intuitive,
allowing permutations, changes, psychic
shock and difficult mutations of reality.
For a number of years, the Nightmare is
completely lost and it only has its pulse
to preserve a few parcels of itself. Our
obsessions about life and death are the
only direct links to our souls: everything
else is curves, spirals and other undistin-
guishable shapes that are of no use to
the Mind. We tighten our grip on those
direct links as the Dream becomes
comprehensible, as we start to under-
stand it. Our obsession about Death is
almost always the strongest, the direct
line to the destruction of whatever
target, of an individual that will then
become our prey.
Hunt
We only have one thing on our mind
when we go on a hunt and that is the
blissful feeling of liberation when we are
ravaging our prey. At this moment the
shackles of the Dream are thrown off and
we gain awareness, strength and freedom.
In total ecstasy, we explode in a bloody
frenzy, killing our prey with a bone
crunching, flesh ripping satisfaction. We
are confirming and acknowledging our
existence as we stop, for a second, living
in dangerous abstraction and become one
with reality.
Ag(?
of
61
With a little luck, age and maturity, we
learn to understand this existence, and
we learn the way in which to survive, to
co-exist with the Dream so that it does
not drown us but merely wash over us.
We become the Dream, but in turn the
Dream becomes us. Fear is the root of
the Dream. When we give up our role as
puppets for the Dream that is when the
real Nightmare will be born.
MECIIA \fCAl DREAM

We are the leaders, the Alphas, the shepherds, the kings and the rulers. We are the heroes and simultaneously the
creators of history. We are a Kioux that extends its roots in the soil of reality and its leaves into the substance of
the sky. We regulate your present, condition your past and determine your future. We are the pilots of the
magnificent ships constructed by the Engineers and Weirdsmiths. We are in control of every aspect of every city,
be it politics, social or military. We control everything with efficiency and confidence. E"" I
No one can do the JOb better than an Overlord. c
-- _J !
/

We are made up mostly of legendary
Echoes, about one quarter of all those
who have achieved unparalleled feats.
We are not visible for good reason. We
have enemies who wish to fight us and
gain control of our resources. But our
unbearably strong superiority succeeds
every time to dominate lesser beings.
Those who threaten and challenge our
control are merely providing us with a
chance to brush up on our fighting skills.

Being dominant demands immense inter-
nal strength and a total lack of humility.
We are capable in every avenue and not
about to waste time pretending we are
not. Acting in a manner considered
worthy of inner beauty is frivolous
unless necessary. Furthermore, people
do not want get to know you and your
inner self. They would rather want you
to be for them what they need or want.

Without us, society would have no
stability, no order and no sense of direc-
tion. People with weak minds do not
realize that there is more than orpee.
Our actions may seem rash and illogical.
Leading thousands to their death on a
battlefield, on the surface, is a horrible
action. But letting invaders into the
realm would sacrifice many more lives
and the safety of our world.
Consider us the skeleton of society. We
are the spine, skull, ribcage of the
collective conscious beings who may
individually be strong, but together lack
strength and structure. We provide that
internal structure. Truth Crafters also
play a role but they act more as biological
regulators rather than the backbone of
the structure. We must endure any
wound without flinching. We must heal
any bruised muscles or bones that result
without causing instability. We do not
have the choice. We are Overlords.
63
Pilots
Pilots are our kin and yet they are most
dissimilar to us. They are strange Overlords
who completely relinquish their desire to
control others. These Overlords (they
refuse that name and are called "Pilots"
instead) direct and live with their beast or
vehicles, thriving on speed, adventure and
physical relationships. They prefer to ride
their bike or venture into the most dange-
rous regions of Kainas rather than control
an entire army. The violent nature which
they reject by denying their controlling
nature is redirected into their work with
animals and objects. They are forced to
create Gifts that are only effective with
creatures and vehicles. Of course this
means they are the most awesome pilots on
Ka'inas.
1-1 is tor v
This is the word that will ever exist. History transcends such pecuniary concepts as "Naakinis" or
"Kalnas". History is the only possible "god" in this world as metaphysics and such have never succeeded in proving
anything. Even the reincarnation of the Judicators finds a reason, cause and purpose in History. The mighty
Mechanical Weavers, the builders of reality, end up repairing the strands of History that get tangled and confused.
We are History's fundamental masters.
History along is a brainless power. It is the greatest force in the universe that lacks sense and direction. The Truth
Crafters harness History and control it for our own purposes. All can be made to fit into its pattern as a weak but
necessary part of its being. Without conscious beings, History would be meaningless. Without us, History would
have b_ut would lack With our Crafter, History becomes the greatest tool E' I
by wh1ch to ach1eve power: bend H1story and all w11l bend. c
!
IJ r, :!"'a rn i n g
R :!"'alitv
When a Truth "crafter submits to
one of his visions, he might
ter
To make History stronger, one needs to
alter reality. It is so powerful, however,
that losing control of it can happen
easily. One needs to be wary.
Unlike the Overlords, most of us are
fond of people, masses and individuals of
every race. We love to share moments
with you, to tell our tales and see your
faces full of horror, amusement, love or
hatred. Truth Crafters enjoy spending
time with you in order to amuse you, to
relieve you from the massive pressures of
everyday life (if only for a little while) .
We know we are the only Echoes who
can provide you with an escape from
reality for a while, and we are very
proud of our abilities in this area.
vanish from the scene for as
long as it is necessary to
complete or satisfy his dream.
This can last decades or centu-


We make civilizations rise and accompany
them in their decline. We control and
direct mass movements in a similar way to
puppeteers pulling invisible strings to
make their puppets dance. Reality is
nothing but a kaleidoscope of light and
shadow, a question of level of observation.
The mind functions through perception
of things in its environment. Truth crafts
can alter all that you perceive, reshape it
until you see what we want you to see.
We delve deep into the unconscious of
crowds in this manner, subtly manipula-
ting people to our own ends. Obviously
masses (large crowds) are our greatest
tool for any large twist or turn we'd like
History to take.
We are visionary fanatics who wish to
create a better world and have all the
tools we need to succeed. Long ago we
recognized the vast scale of the tasks
that we have taken on. For this reason,
we all need some sort of driving force to
see our goals through. We are, therefore,
Dreamers. Forget the cold, razor-sharp
calculating abilities of the Overlords. We
dream about tomorrow, our hopeful
futures. There is no denying that we do
calculate and control whenever we feel it
is necessary for the good of society and
History. But, our dream, perhaps, will
one day belong to you.
ries, and often require that we leave
our friends and ourselves behind. We
exist in no other place but in the concept
or the project in which we are ensnared.
Many Truth Crafters weave small "reality
holes" on purpose. They hide in these
holes, 5toring orpee and entering into a
"hibernation" in order to think about all
that needs to be done to complete their
plan. When their plan is constructed, they
emerge from their hiding place. Never
doubt that we are leaving or forsaking
you. We are not wasting time either. The
task of the Truth Crafter, as the name
implies, is a heavy one. Our work is
clearly important and essential to the
Judges, Overlords and War Engines.
I
~ 1 ECJI A \I CAL DREAM
All
We are silent, observant, fluidly absorbing every color degradation, movement and sound in their environment.
We are alone, yet one with everything around us. We are part of the trees, the grass, the beasts and yet a separate
entity. Walkers are accepted easily into any social setting as a trusted friend. A Walker's Mind can ..,. I
reach it recognizes something familiar. Our Minds are constantly urging growth, discovery and ( c 1
understanding of the unknown. ;
c
ll,a v Sirnplit:ity Knowledge 6 7
We travel everywhere. Our home is
everything we know and everywhere
we've been. We are everywhere we go.
We talk to everyone and try anything that
we come across, be it food or activity or
language. Walkers look at something over
and over again in order to find something
new, a different mood or nuance that we
may have missed the first or ftftieth time
around. We should never stagnate, stay in
one place too long. Inertia is the only
death we can possibly suffer from.
ll,ust
People's trust stems mostly from a feeling
that they get. We are to them what the
World is to us; an immense, complex,
amazing entity that is Real. We are real
to others and ourselves. We are infused
with peace. We keep our eyes open so
widely and perceive so clearly that
mirrors and masks are transparent to us.
What is Real is that which is not mani-
pulated to feel otherwise by the Mind.
Things can be manipulated into some-
thing other than their natural state. Some
changes are positive (evolution) while
others are destructive (transforming
someone into a slave). These fluctuations
in the nature of things is why so many
people fear change. It is unpredictable
and often unsatisfying or dangerous. We
are not unpredictable. We do not shield
ourselves behind masks and armor.
Movement and appearance is not what
makes something Real.
Masks
and rnirr,or,s
Avoid those who wear masks to protect
themselves. Never hesitate to destroy or
otherwise confront those who wear
masks to deceive others. Do the same
for mirrors that reflect your desires and
fears as their own. Those two kinds are
dangerous to all, including themselves.
Explore, feel, broaden your
Mind, permute, analogize, fight,
love, hate, think, evolve; Walk, relent-
lessly, this is the mandate of a Walker.
(I
MECIII\.\'(Al

E
All War Engines emit a pulse, a rhythm of energy powering through their bodies. They are born from this energy
and it defines them as a species. A War Engine will never lose his rhythm and he has an unlimited source of energy
that rumbles and vibrates all things around it.

Being a War Engine comes from harnessing the strength of our own inner energy and rhythm and creating within
ourselves an echo so this energy emanates from our very being. When we rage, others rage. When we fight, others fight. i- ,o r
People do not motivate on their own. They need to be motivated, inspired. They need goals and a path to -.. I .. '
follow. Overlords push people to activate but they do so by pulling invisible strings. People controlled by [ c . \ ( ) rO
Overlords do not use their will or soul. ! \.. \ )
Similar to the Walkers, we show them
the way, open doors, but do not drag
them along. We lead and allow them to
follow if they so choose, so they feel alive,
inspired and brave. If a warrior is forced
to fight ten times in a row, he will desert.
If that warrior is brought to fight ten
times by following your steps, he'll start
convincing himself he's a real warrior
and will then be able to fight on his own.
We are unstoppable once we have started
down a path. The day we become War
Engines we do not stop acting, moving,
or reacting until we die.
" /a r
In a more peaceful world, it is likely our
energies would be used to gather and
organize people in more constructive
patterns. Things being what they are,
however, we must do our duty. And
I could not imagine living without battle,
without the adrenaline high I get during a
fight, the loyalty that binds one side
against another. The emotional intensity
of war is unlike anything else. War is
necessary and catastrophic at the same
time. Those who survived are overjoyed
to have escaped with their life, but mourn
heavily the loss of those who died. Ware
engages us. It ensnares us. It motivates
us. Being on the battlefield makes you feel
absolutely invincible and absolutely
vulnerable simultaneously. War is Life
and Death.

<:l ,.,,
.... f: .t jl
Fear inhibits movement. Courage is the
only thing that can resist fear. The
courageous one knows fear better than
the coward, and by knowing it, he can
resist it. He can dominate it and use fear
to his advantage. Every warrior must
learn to harness the power of fear and
turn it into a powerful motivator on the
battlefield. Otherwise he will die.
Motion
Without movement, things
stagnate. Inertia is the worst
of all your enemies. Inertia
burns energy and wastes it.
Motion uses energy. Movement creates
movement until it is perpetual. Without
movement there is no rhythm and without
rhythm there is no intensity. A War
Engine's movement and energy can be
used by anyone. It can help instill rhythm
in your workers and courage in your
warriors. Our footsteps are permanent
and mark the beginning of all motion .
They indicate which direction to follow.
We are the original Echoes. We motivated
the first movement and set the rhythm and
pace of all things.
M?thA \iCll L urEAm
Before Droliath-Estolah came to power, there had
been nearly 200 attempts to overthrow the Frilin Council of
Twenty. Each of the perpetrators tried and failed to
overcome the Council by force. Droliath-Estolah, however,
had a different idea about how to gain control of the
Empire. of using force, he wisely requested an
interview the Frilin Council. Five days later,
as Droliath won the Frilins over. He
"" prbu<!fJ strode into the Empress's chamber with the entire
following him submissively. Even the most
Frilin, Psykere the Preservator, walked in with his
head hewed. Droliath was in control.
'Jbe changes that Droliath has brought about in the
years since the beginning of his reign are
, even for a quick-moving Gnath. A vast
network to secure centralized orpee distribution was
organized. What was once a chaotic system now runs
oothly along fortified highways, through Kha'i-
Bhek to outlying areas. All employees
of the Core's Orpee Distribution
System (CODS) are I 00% loyal
and dedicated to their J. obs.
"1.
This introduction is the work of Loka'Jun. Nayan historian.
There is no orpee loss and little corruption in this well-oiled
system.
With everyone so pleased with new orpee distribution,
Droliath took the next step in his grand scheme and
declared himself supreme ruler, the Core Himself. People
were' quick to adapt to the Core's reign, as it was more
secure, safer and more stable than that of the Empress. That
he wanted to call himself the Core Himself seemed
undaunting to his followers. Most easily accepted
him and his regime.
The Core Himself instated the Judge's
Laws system to synchronize the Naakinis and
Ka'inas way of life. All creatures were
punishable under the same set of rules.
Droliath encouraged the conquered people
to listen to his wisdom:
"Leave everything that can't help build the
future behind. What you cannot hold on to. you
cannot use. Live by what you know. nor what you
believe. Let curiosity lead you to learn more. On
these foundations will we erect a new society.
~
Many fell under his spell and the outgrowth was a
surprisingly obedient society that willingly adhered to the
Core's rule. He was their hero (albeit a somewhat strange
one) who had managed to solve the orpee distribution
problem, put the Judges' Laws into practice and make
everyone accept that in order to start fresh, everyone
needed to let go, to forget their spiritual beliefs about
Naakinis. Droliath encouraged his followers to develop a
1. Droliarh-Esrolah. with the full support of the Frilin
council of Twenty and the special recommendation of the First
Preservaror Psykere. establish myself as the new ruler of these
lands which shall from now on be called the core's Domains:
This system shall be referred to as the core and I shall be
referred to as "The Core Himself.
The rules by which my subjects shall live will henceforth be
the Judge's Laws. The Judge's Laws will be the Law. For reasons
that will be outlined completely in appendix 1.3. no actions will be
taken against Naakinis believers except that they will nor be
recognized by the Core. Any Naakinis rebels who prove to be
disruptive ro the social structure of the Core will suffer drastic
consequences. Heralds will be sent Jar and wide to proclaim the
destructive effects of the Naakinis belief system. Any concerned
citizen may contact our Faith Department.
It is the Core's ascerrarion that the old system of
government was archaic. non-functional. costly and ineffective.
Therefore. a new system will be introduced and integrated into
the existing structure over the next so years. Many facers
you will be unfamiliar with and may be angered by the
changes we pur forth. However. the Core recognizes
that the deep-rooted suffering that many have
suffered under the old system needs an alternative.
The Core. therefore. is seizing this opportunity ro
rebuild and refashion society for the mutual
benefit of all members.
critical mind, always quest10mng their
situation, their environment, their life.
Today, the Core's grand scheme-the
Domains, the CCP, the Geodem system, the
CODS, other committees and structures-
is successfully in place.
The Core's Geodem system will encourage
constructive and efficient geo-demographic
developments. There will also be a new national
army. the Core's Army. which will primarily
serve ro protect the Core's Domain against
invasion or arrack. The Core's Army will also be
responsible ro mediate internal wars. should
they occur. Additionally. the army will consist of
a special police force with extensive
jurisdiction. The Core's Army has the power to
act anywhere and anytime within the Core.
Alternate constabulary forces will be restricted
ro their local jurisdictions.
A new centralized orpee distribution
system (CODS) will be pur in place immediately.
We will also found a department of Culture.
History and Science (CHS). These changes will
encourage the development of a society based
on knowledge rather than spiritual beliefs.
Many other local and global changes will
eventually rake effect. due to and indirectly due
to our leadership.
Heralds will inform society about changes
in effect. To contact the Core with questions.
visit a Core kiosk near you. run under the
direction of the CSRM. These kiosks will be rhe
bridges between each citizen and the Core
Himself. He will hear every whisper. so use
these kiosks with wisdom and humility.
This statement is valid beginning on the
first day of the year 15ysc.
...
(IJroliath Estol<1h)
1) Make the orpee distribution safe, fair and secure
everywhere. Create a centralized system in which to do this;
CODS.
2) Erect a society based on tangible and concrete values
such_ as- engagement and historical know-
ledge, than faith and greed. Everything and everyone
th1!t within the Core's Domain is part of the Core. The
oecome the most powerful force any society has
seen. Kiosks will link citizens to the Core Himself. They
are al::.Q a source of knowledge and information for political
transpaRency.
3) Increase the Core's Domain in a steady, safe and
consistent manner through the Geodem system (see p.91).
The CCP will be used to achieve this goal.
4) Promote researchers, both in laboratories and in the
field. Scientists may work in the Core's universities or in
academia and be assured good pay and a secure home. Field
researchers will also be adequately rewarded for producing
information.
5) Make cities within the Core safer. Research a way
in which to eradicate the Dream and investigate other
alternatives.
6) Build up a knowledge base about the Sofe
in anticipation of arriving at some answers as to
why it is there and what lies beyond it. Securing
this information will ensure a better, more
reliable and predicable future. Expeditions will
be sent out to investigate the Sofe.
Records from the pre-core system and
some other histoncal features
The Empirical System
This conversation was recorded during a political
session between a few of her Empress' advisors, four years
before the overthrow of the system by the Core.
we are now in a strenuous situation. Fear is among us and
everybody secretly hopes that the son of our Empress won't
assume her power and take control. The despotic system in place
is no longer appropriate. There are too many people for one
leader to control. we are her advisors" and aid her in her duties,
but we can be sure that the world will crumble if she dies.
Nobody has her knowledge of this world. Everybody here knows
this!"
"Yes, we all know that our Empress -even as powerful an
Overlord she is - is getting old. We are also aware that none of
us can take her place. We may all aspire to it, but none of us is
capable of doing her job. Look at her son. We are barely aware of
his existence. Imagine the amount of time he must spend trying
to learn all that she has to teach? What pressure he must have
on his shoulders. Each and everyone one of us is over two
hundred years old- he is twenty years old!- and yet we shirk
from assuming her role. Will he be a successful, competent
leader? We must find an alternate solution. Even the Empress
recognizes that there is a necessity for change if this world is
going to survive much longer.
"Well, does anyone have any suggestions? We cannot and
will not overtake her or successfully convince her to leave us
with more power in the event of her death. we cannot approach
her son nor can we desert them, or rally against them using the
banner of some other leader. There is not other leader. The
only rebels in our realm do not have nearly enough
strength to pull off a coup and be potent allies for the
council. "
1 suggest we simply wait until her death and
try to prepare shelter for ourselves and those near
us for when these times come. Perhaps ,from now
on. we can try to establish a plan that would allow
us to save some part of our society. I would even
suggest we ask for guidance from the Council of
Twenty.
This excerpt illustrates the political
climate just before the Chaos unfolded. The
advisors sought and listened to the advice
of the Frilin Council, which helped them
overcome many problems for the f'trst year.
But the Empress grew suspicious of her
advisors, believing that they were looking
after their own interests before those of the
Empire. She used spies to discover that
each had arranged for protection from the
downfall they all seemed to know was
inevitable. Deep down the Empress knew
that her advisors were right, that power
was slipping from her control, but some
visceral feeling overwhelmed her rational
approach and she opted to believe in her
ghostly son's ability to rule. The result was
that the Empress and her advisors grew
further apart, communication halted and
she withdrew from public scrutiny, shied
away from public appearances. People
suspected that she was sick and too old to
carry on ruling.
The Empress ruled using a monarchic
system; one ruler, a small board of advisors,
the Frilin Council of Twenty and many
executives. It was clear to many that this
system was eventually bound to fail
because a single head ruling over fifteen
billion people is illogical and impractical. A
monarchy functioned well when the
population was of manageable size and had
worked for millennia before the Empress
came into power. During her reign,
however, there was immense expansion in
the realm and soon the monarchic system
became ineffective.
There is little doubt, in retrospect, that
the Empress was aware of the failings of her
government. While at the time many called
her "stubborn and blind" it is more likely
that she had no choice but to continue in the
vein in which she started. By the time she
recognized that restructuring would be
necessary to maintain power, she was too
old to begin such an undertaking. Historians
are certain the Empress knew her system'
M:'(;IIA \iUH. DrEAm
would crumble and her son would fail in his attempt to take
over after her death. The system had fallen into such
disrepair by the Empress' final years that a drastic overhaul
of the monarchy was the only way in which the decline into
chaos could be stopped. The Core's overthrow of the
government was perfectly timed.
After the Core's ascension to power, small rulers in
towns and cities around the realm cried loudly that their
way of life was being squashed. They wanted to keep their
power intact. The Core heard them in his own twisted way
and created rules especially for these power-hungry leaders.
Although they were not absolute or despotic leaders, they
retained enough power to feel as though they were in
control of their own cities.
In some ways, the Empress' monarchy had given way
to a democracy, although the Core's strength and power
over the entire system was more than the Empress had ever
known. Because individual rights were highly protected,
from the proletariat to the nobles, the Core Himself did not
come across as a dictator but rather the president of a huge
company. The Core was at the center of an immense
organization in which orders were passed down through the
ranks to different levels of leaders who each wielded their
own power at their own level. Within the Core's strict
regulations there was possibility for freedom of thought,
movement and action. Furthermore, because people had no
other alternatives presented to them, and the Core managed
to dissipate the chaos at a fairly quick rate, most willingly
submitted to the Core's system of rule.
Droliath-Estolah has a huge responsibility on his
hands. While the Empress may have lost control in the fmal
years of her she had successfully kept her subjects in
check nearly thousan? The Core
muc "'fess expenence at bemg lfl power. However, It IS
ob.vio "' o even the most common of folk that he has
mas.tered the art of leadership. It is clear that he studied the
actions closely and while he does not use her
system, of government, he mirrors her strengths perfectly.
as one who has a thousand year of experience, not
hundred.
Hi storical
Major events
Carsfin-Oersal (The firsT Echo)
Although much is unknown about Carsfin-Oersal,
most believe he was a Frilin who, after awakening from
centuries of meditation, became a Preservator after having
an Illumination. Although there is no proof, this event
supposedly occurred approximately ten millennia ago,
which would make Carsfm-Oersal the most powerful Echo
on Kamas, if he is still alive. Far more powerful than
Droliath Estolah, Kian or Tasphir, there is little doubt he is
able to hide his true shape and thus escape detection.
Carsfin-Oersal is renowned for introducing the belief in the
existence of Naakinis to the realm. He put forth a spiritual
belief in Her as the sole explanation for the world's '
existence for all those who will "follow in ever increasing
numbers". Ironically, it is this idea, the concept of a spiritual
explanation for the world that ultimately caused the Gnaths
to rise up and claim a culture of their own, one that is fact
and knowledge based. Perhaps if Carsfm-Oersal had not
introduced spirituality, the Gnaths would have remained
part of the whole rather than the engine of the machine.
The creaTion of The GnaTh Empire
The Gnath Empire grew powerful in part because of
lax governing of neighboring Ina:is and Frilin empires. And
although their ascension to power is not completely
understood, it is clear that about three millennia ago, _
something allowed them to take control of the system and no
one has successfully been able to dislodge them since. The
Gnaths have not enslaved other races. Their rule has
taken the form of having Gnath social and political
values prized more highly than those of other
races. The other races had to choose between
adapting and being pushed aside.
Gnaths are not interested in how they
succeeded in becoming the dominate race but
others are. The Core, therefore, is trying
desperately to gain hold of this knowledge
before someone else does so that he may
control and use it for his own purposes. The
only factual information that is known is
that Gnath domination began when a group
of Gnaths started to build Kha!-Bhek.
Creation of the Council of Twenty
Along with the rise of the Gnath empire and the
creation of Khai'-Bhek came the creation of the Council of
Twenty. According to a Gnath edict, as long as Gnaths rule,
a council of 20 Frilins, presided over by a Preservator (the
rarest kind of Echo) would monitor Gnath actions to
prevent any grave injustices. Given the nature of Gnaths, it
is certain they did not request the Frilin Council. Therefore,
the Frilins either forced their way into the Gnath
government or proposed a deal the Gnaths could not refuse.
Either way the event seems miraculous. It is most likely that
each member of the council is an Echo and therefore
powerful in his own right. The combination of these
powerful Echoes was impossible to resist, even for a
growing Gnath empire.
It is possible that Droliath Estolah renegotiated a deal
with them since he came to power. Evidence for this is
suggested in the Core's adoption of the Laws of the Judges.
These thousand year-old Frilin Echoes most likely remain
hidden on the highest plates, attending to duties and
occupations of one kind or another.
Creation of Khai-Bhek
Because there is written testimony by the architect and
other legal documents, the information we have about the
construction of Khai'-Bhek is precise and well documented.
The construction of Khai'-Bhek began 3,500 years ago and
took five centuries to complete. The original concept was to
erect a city not only around but on a kioux. City planners,
therefore, used the biggest kioux they could find. The plan
was to build a city that would hold three platforms, over
which could be constructed new, higher platforms if
needed. As soon as the first three platforms were
finished, nobles gathered from far and wide in
Khai'-Bhek. The city offered three important
things; security (away from the dangers on the
ground), an abundant and available work-
force, and an access to an infinite number of
resources and contacts for possible partners
(this would be the embryo of capitalism that
would grow exponentially with Core's reign).
The advantages to living on Khai'-Bhek
forged many alliances amongst nobles and,
with time, living in relatively close quarters in
the city taught them to evaluate power in
terms of wealth rather than land. In turn, a
more diversified system of goods and
services blossomed. Hard working peasants
specialized in a craft and were able to carve
a niche for themselves in the growing
merchant market.
Within a thousand years, three new
platforms were added to Khai-Bhek. The
middle class was granted access to the lower
(new) plates while the nobles remained on
the highest three. The slums (where most
workers were found) were situated on the
ground spreading for miles in every
direction. As the wealth and power of Khai'-
Bhek grew, three more platforms were
added. The political and economic situation
of this city was more powerful than the
founders ever imagined.
There is little information on the
Emperors that governed Khai-Bhek. All
documented sources claim that when the
last three platforms were added, the "true
nobles" took over the new platforms (which
were built at the top of the city) while the
successful merchants, rich craftsmen and
nobles migrating from other cities laid claim
to the middle three platforms. A selected
blend of people from all races, social groups
and backgrounds were chosen as the new
"middle class" and were invited to reside on
the bottom three platforms. Many of these
"new middle class" people had military
background training and so were obvious
choices to make up a society that was
willing to obey orders and remain perfectly
disciplined.
The lnais Declaration of Independence
The growth in strength and power of
the Gnaths horrified the Inai's. By nature,
the lnai's hold almost the complete opposite
values to the Gnaths and it is a wonder they
ever cohabited with Gnath society at all. It is
no surprise, therefore, that after the Gnath
rise to power, the lnai's declared themselves
independent of the Gnath Empire and fled
M"(:;hA \iCHL DrEAm
to orpee mining areas. The lna'is announced publicly that
any Ina'is seeking asylum could Gnd it within the ten orpee
mines and most left their jobs and the cities run by the
Gnaths in order to take up residence in the mines with their
own people. This rebellion was not looked upon favorably
by the Gnaths, but they had little choice but to let the lna'is
go. Attempting to slaughter them could only cause the lna'is
to fall into a war-hungry frenzy in which they would become
extremely dangerous to everyone.
Construction of the Foyer d'Ambre
The mine that benefited the most from the exile of the
lna'is was situated nearest to Kha'i-Bhek. Close to three
hundred million individuals could live in this huge cavernous
mine, also home to an underground sea. The sea, which
divides into three rivers, provides an easy route for trading
with the Emovans. This mine, called "Foyer d'Ambre," is lit
by hundreds of thousands of tiny lights on the ceiling of each
cavern. These lights, coated with a semi-transparent amber-
colored liquid gives the lna'is mine, and largest city, its name.
Foyer d'Ambre is Khai-Bhek's main rival and its complete
opposite.
Although Kha'i- Bhek was a place for high level political
and economic decision making, its strength and domination
over its people was crushing to individualism and creative-
ness. Everything that was forbidden or lacking on Kha'i-
Bhek flourished in Foyer d'Ambre. Soon lna'is and non-lnais
alike flocked to Foyer d'Ambre seeking asylum (mostly
Nayans, sedentary Yakis and Emovans). These races were
warmly welcomed into the city and it remains today one of
the most culturally active cities of Ka'inas. All
poets, ' writers or philosophers with enough money
""' head t5'Foyer d'Ambre, a place where every mind can create
L
J;ree.y .. .,._,
of the Kinthai's
, ..
Although there is no documented proof of an invasion
creatures of the Safe, there are several wastelands in
which everything has been burned to the ground and
is unable to regenerate. These wastelands are
distorted, strange and places where the
Dream is extremely dangerous. The most
powerful Echoes interested in scientific
phenomena conduct their experiments
here. But few others dare venture
-...
anywhere near these places. There is only one real suspect in
these invasive attacks, as there is only one known race living
in the Sofe: the Kinthais.
The Economic Crash
During the time in which inventions were popping up
everywhere, one particular machine designed to allow
millions of people to work at the same time was being tested
when disaster struck. The machine, which pumped boiling
water from the Emovan underground seas through a series
of pipes, emitted a chemical which blocked the evaporation
of the steam. In turn, the water rose to three hundred
degrees and when the pipes burst, nearly five million people
died because they were scalded with hot liquid. This sudden
shortage of workers had an immediate effect on the
productivity of the market place. The result was an
1
economic slowdown in which entire regions struggled for
survival. Family fortunes were ruined or squandered as
inflation made prices rise steeply. Many sold themselves
into slavery to the few remaining rich families and are still
enslaved today, although Droliath claims to be trying free
these slaves from their masters. Because of this economic
downturn, the middle class went into decline as the gap
between rich and poor widened.
Slaves
Not many people can afford slaves because, on Ka'inas,
they are relatively expensive to keep (one orpee per head
every five days). However, if you can afford them, they are
still a great symbol of wealth. Living conditions for slaves
differ greatly from master to master. Some are kind, while
others use slaves to show their dominance. Masters,
however, do have a limited amount of power over
their slaves because all legal slaves sign a
contract with their master which includes rules
and conditions for action and behavior. If any
of the rules are broken, a slave is free to go.
The Restructuring of the Industry
After the economic crash, industries were
forced to consider new methods of production.
They organized themselves in huge
conglomerates of producers and the notion
of "investor" was created. Many of those
who lost their companies managed to save most of their
goods but lacked the necessary resources to continue to
produce in the future. Because they wanted to avoid falling
into a similar trap, and because most of them were just too
old to start from scratch again, they sought young,
resourceful people to manage companies and resources
while they became investors in the industry. For Droliath
Estolah, this necessary component of any capitalist system
was already in place when he came to power, making his job
much easier. Each new company now had financial backup
and could therefore afford to take a little more risk than
perhaps was impossible without the monetary supplement.
Droliath came to power 60 years after the birth of
Capitalism in this world but he has been so agile at taking
advantage of it that some wonder if he was not somehow
involved in the process from the beginning.
The Aging of the Empress
Although the Empress used every method known to
preserve her health for as long as possible, when her brain
cells began to weaken, she chose to accept death as it came
to her. As a stubborn Overlord Echo, she refused to let any
Mind Chemist enter her mind in order to heal her brain
cells. Others, however, believed that there were other
reasons (besides decay) for her death. All were wary of her
son and the possibility of his ascension to power. Changing
rulers was always a radical time and although the Council
of Twenty would be supervising, change was inevitable and
no one likes change.
The Crisis' Embryo
During the last years of the Empress's reign,
while she was busy fending off and then
succumbing to death, a crisis erupted. Families
began f1eeing the empire to newly created cities
that were in the process of proclaiming their
independence from the monarchic system. In
all, fifteen cities succeeded in obtaining
independence before the Core came to power
(and three chose to rejoin the empire once the
Core took over). These cities were all situated
in outlying areas. The cities around Kha!-
Bhek remained loyal.
Also during this time, fear and panic
spread throughout. There were even a few
internal wars that took place in the north
east. Things looked ugly and the situation
grew worse.
The Fall of Tasrath
Three thousand years of imperial rule
ended with the fall of Tasrath. Overwhelmed
by the tasks that awaited him on his
ascension to the throne, Tasrath committed
suicide. The Empire had grown too large to
control and Tasrath knew he lacked the
necessary ability to institute a new system, or
alter the old system to better suit the growing
needs of his people. There are several
suspicious rumors, however, that claim
Tasrath not only feared becoming ruler, but
also something else. It is said that when the
Mind Chemists entered Tasrath's dying
brain, they found absolutely no memory. Had
someone or something erased his memory?
Speculation, of course, fell upon
Droliath Estolah. Was he this great threat
Tasrath was avoiding? No one would know
for sure, but when Tasrath committed
suicide, rumors about his death spread like
wildfire. Crowds of people spilled out of the
Empire's cities and f1ooded the smaller
towns situated on the outskirts or just past
the border of the realm. Thousands died on
their way to a new city or during the battle
waged to gain entrance to these towns that
began refusing entry to outsiders.
To add to the mass confusion, the
Empress ordered Tasrath's dead body
restored and set up as a statue for display in
the market place of Kha'i-Bhek. Horrified
by his inability to master his own fear and
stride proudly into the face of fate, the
Empress wanted to immortalize Tasrath's
terrible, weak act for all to see and
recognize the Complete Gnath Failure that
her son underwent by committing suicide.
Her final act ended when the statue was
erect. Then, she died.
In the meantime, the Council of Twenty
found itself in the worst possible of
Moth A \iCH l OrE Am
predicaments, with no leader and no appointed heir to the
thrown. The Frilin Council proved to be unable to deal with
the practical problems of the Empire even though they were
wise to the ways of the world. As the Book of History,
written by the highly regarded Consortium of Historical
Truth Sayers, records, the Council was caught in the biggest
mess History had ever seen. A practical, logical, pragmatic
approach was needed in order to keep the situation from
becoming completely chaotic.
The Years of Chaos
After Tasrath's suicide and his mother's death, three
years of anarchy followed. The Empire lacked the unified
voice of a leader and tons of would-be rulers fought to gain
control from the Council. Approximately two hundred
individuals or parties tried to wrestle their way into power
during these three years. Due to the disorganization and
inefficient, out of date systems, a third of the population
died of orpee starvation. As everything slipped further
down the slope of destruction, Droliath Estolah appeared.
J- r' .o. .o. tl t
\... \ j \. . .,
The rise of Droliarh Esro/ah
This Gnath came from the northern countryside and
was unknown except to a few people in Kha'i- Bhek. When
the Council read is plan for a new system of government,
they immediately recognized that he was offering them a
solution they could not turn down. The Council willingly
accepted his plan even though it stipulated that he become
the supreme ruler, the Core Himself. They did not know
much about him but they were faced with no alternative. It
is unlikely that they recognized that he would start a full-
scale revolution. History would have to be rewritten.
The birrh of rhe Core - and rhe Core Himself
With the-rise of the Core, a new system of demographic
the Geodem cycle was put into place.
#'Naaki1\ls and spiritual belief was discarded in favor of the
strict,' qq ei-vable phenomena limited by the Sofe around the
circie of light. When Droliath came to power he reestablished
the of the orpee distribution so successfully that
many thaught of him as a hero. Even though people noticed
as very radical, everybody understood that he needed to
at way. He had killed thousands of leaders to solidify his
position and chose four of his best friends to rule over
each of the city-states around Kha'i-Bhek.
Everybody accepted him as the new leader
and they all rejoiced.
The esrablishmenr of rhe Core's Domain. /egis/arion
and rhe Enclave
After fifteen years in power, the Core Himself sent
heralds to spread the word of a new book of Laws. At ftrst
people were fearful of what these Laws might entail; but
they soon realized that the set of rules the Core Himself was
putting in place looked very much like the Precepts of the
Judges: strict but moral. But, it did not stop people from
accepting the Core's orders and way of life. Some merchants
and politicians were unhappy with the new morality code
and set of regulations, but on the whole few complained.
The Enclave, the Core's Domains, the CCP were all set in
these books of laws.
The crearion of rhe Skyrrain
This moment of technological advancement
happened at the same time as Kai'nas rose above
Naakinis. It represents a great achievement on
the part of the Core because it bowled
everyone over with its ingenuity and mastery.
When the Core Himself created the Skytrain,
he promised that in time, it would link every
city in the Core and every platform. There
would always be a safe mode of travel.
Ninth Plate
The First Century of the Core
After the Years of chaos
Population: 5 000 000
Mortality: 0.1 %/year
OFFICIAL FLAGS AND
Leasure: 10%
SYMBOLS OF THE CORE
llCore's Domain
lOB 1--
C Core's Army
Bank

f..
Sixth Plate

"""
20 000 000 .._.
. 0.3%/month
The CORE Himself
<..) Leasure: 5%
. f9
VCERM
Gore's Economical Ressource

Management
,...


,...
Core's Political Ressource
r-
Fourth Plate
Management
Population: 26 000 000

f
Mortality: 0.4%/month
Core's Social Ressouce

Leasure: 4%
Management
Third Plate
;;;>
$-
Population: 25 000 000
INDUSTRIES

Mortality: 0.7%/month
Leasure: lo/o
4 BES
(I
Basic Economic Society
*'-
Second Plate

Population: 12 000 000
*lAS

Intermediate Economic Society
Mortality: 0.6%/month
('
Leasure: Oo/o
......,.
** AES
Advanced Economic Society

First Plate
,...
Population: 10 000 000
# SES
Mortality: 0.7%/month Superior Economic Society
<..)
Leasure: Oo/o

V.tt.V.tt.V Himse f
e The Core's :'\e\\ s
B2 THE CORE CHRONOLOGY
0 Droliath Estolah comes to power.
2 Droliath establishes COOS, centralized orpee distribution
system.
5 Droliath organizes his future government, creates alliances,
hires the Scourge to be his First Lieutenant.
l 0 Droliath officially announces the creation of the Core.
He becomes known as the Core Himself.
15 The Core Himself spends five years promotes
the Law of the Judges, setting up communication
between his government and his people.
20 Order has been restored to the Empire. Political factions spring
up either for, against or neutral towards the Core's rule.
22 Plans are made to build the Outpost of Kaderun,
a stronghold for the south.
24 A million workers are hired to build the Skytrain.
The Enclave is conceived.
26 Oce starts the construction of VIlnaco.
30 The zeal of the Scourge has considerably enlarged the territories
of the Core (over the past 20 years).
45 The independent City-States of Yhrne Llemir blocks the Scourge
from going any further eastward.
53 New City are born in the North after the Scourge's conquests.
Many cities are assimilated.
57 Outpost is completed, providing high security
in the south on the edges of the Sofe.
7 4 The official opening of Vunaco creates a massive exodus:
four platforms are already built.
89 The Skytrain (and Enclave) are finished with unprecedented
speed and efficiency.
90 The Core announces the construction of platforms 10 to 13 in
Kha'i-Bhek.
109 The Scourge fails to beat a worthy opponent in the Northwest.
The reasons remain unclear.
110 Today.
POPULATION
This data is based on studies carried
out by the Core Himself in all known
regions of Kai:nas over a period of
20 years. During the years of Chaos,
the Emovans regained their indepen-
dence thereby drastically lowering the
percentage of active population and
solving a lot of management problems.
INSIDE THE CORE: 5.5 billion inhabitants
OUTSIDE THE CORE: 6 billion inhabitants
GRAPH SHOWING
THE POPULATION DENSITY
BY RACE.
INSIDE THE / OUTSIDE THE CORE:
EMOVANS: 20 million / 3 billion
FRILINS: 10 million 130 million
GNATHS: 2 billion I 1 billion
INAiS: 300 million I 1.5 billion
NAYANS: 500 million I 200 million
OOWOANES: 2 billion I 200 million
VOlKOlS: 500 million I 50 million
SOlEKS: 20 million J 30 million
YAKIS: 100 million I 150 million
tiNS: -100 000 - no allegiances.
MONEY
Apart from orpee and occasional
barter, the main currency is the Blood
piece (Bp) so named because of its
color.
The material used to make these coins
is found deep in the heart of the
biggest Kioux, where the resin
crystallizes into a mineral substance.
The deep-red colored mineral is
harvested from the kioux and forged
into coins, one inch in diameter and
an eighth of an inch thick. One side
marks the coin's value (1, 5, 10, 25 or
100 units) while the other bears a
symbol of the Core. One orpee 1s
worth 25 units in most places.
There's also Sastak paper money,
ranging from 1,000 to 1,000,000 units.
The worth of this money is determined
by the thickness of the paper; a paper
brick about one foot long, four inches
wide and two inches high is worth
100,000 Bps). Obviously these Sastak
bills are more common to rich people.
They are popular because their value
does not fluctuate (except during the
years of Chaos). This paper money
can be crafted into ornaments,
weapons or anything else and its value
will not change. Furthermore, Sastak
money is recognized outside the Core
and two independent cities have
equivalent currencies.
NEWS
rh(" ll("W platforms
of K IHl'i-Bh("k
Many workers engaged in the
construction of the Skytrain feared
that the period of prosperity would
end when the Skytrain was completed.
When the Core Himself announced
the construction of four additional
platforms, everyone was shocked! It
meant more work, and higher up.
Workers were ecstatic because, for the
sake of convenience, they would be
permitted to live on the highest
platforms ever completed during
construction.
Using strong branches high up in the
Kioux, engineers will be able to cons-
truct four platforms with a 5, 4, 5 and
7 miles radius respectively. Estinlates
state that about 500 million individuals
can live on these new platforms. The
commercial areas will be spacious and
there will be public gardens and nature
parks on each of these higher spheres.
THE ENCLAVE OVERVIEW
The Enclave
Rnd the SkvtrRin
Both are complete. Security for Khai-
Bhek is now at an all-time high. A
quick, efficient, secure system of trans-
port now exists between five City-
States and Khal-Bhek. The Skytrain is
reliable and easily managed. Each city
controls its own departures and coordi-
nates with other cities if there is a
problem (although there are rarely any
problems).
Kolester
Kaderun
e Core Center
.City State
-SkyTrain
1------1
dem1 inch 75 miles
B3

f
()4
()
e The Core's News
T S<.:;o n
The Scourge recently suffered his fll'St
large-defeat. His army was turned away,
blocked by Yrhne Llemir from advan-
cing to the Northeast. Although it was
not a huge defeat, the loss was
punishing for morale. The Scourge was
put in a precarious position in that he
would have to decide his next move
carefully. It was possible that his plan to
take over the Northeastern territories
that lead to the mountains (rich with
valuable resources) would be thwarted
in the wake of losing to Y rhne Llemir.
People began to grow wary of the
Scourge and his tactics, for if he cannot
progress to the East nor Northwest and
if there is nothing North and only the
Sofe to the South, what will his troops
expend their energy doing? The Core,
as well, is keeping a watchful eye on the
Scourge's movements.

;:.nd tJ dl a
Since the defeat of the Scourge and
his army, these two City-States have
been closely monitored by the Core.
The Core is clearly aware that while
Yhme's troops are as zealous as the
Scouge's army, it is the Yhrne's techno-
logical advances that made the win
possible. The Core's spies have infJtra-
ted these cities in .order to gather as
much information as possible regarding
their technologies and battle tactics.
And whil.e the Core's spies are
thorough, the alliance between Yhrne
Llemir and Uchatere is strong and so
the Core is up against not one but two
potentially dangerous enemies and must
move carefully.
Outpost
of
Engineers, warlords, Echoes and
other Wise Ones believed that the best
way in which to protect their cities
from an invasion from the races that
inhabit the Sofe is to build a strong
defense in Kaderun's Outpost. After
35 years of planning, as far as anyone
can tell, Kaderun is Safe-proof. Even
the strange substance (emitted from
the Sofe) that decimated areas of the
territory before can no longer harm
Kaderun's Outpost. Kaderun, there-
fore, can concentrate its efforts on
offensive rather than defensive mea-
sures. Only the Core Himself knows
all of Kaderun's strengths.
;:.nd V'ilna<.:;o
The relationship between these two
City-States is excellent. VJnaco has an
average population of l 0 million
inhabitants and so Oce and the Core's
army provide some of their troops to
protect VJnaco. Many jobs have been
created because of the close alliance
between the cities. Some families,
therefore, have already been able to
leave the slums for the higher platforms.
Workers in these cities recognize that
they owe a lot to their city.
SPEECH
AT THE lOOTH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
OF THE CORE
THE CORE HIMSELF GAVE A SPEECH IN CELEBRATION OF THE lOOm BIRTHDAY OF THE CORE. IN A DEMONSTRATION OF STRENGTH. HE
SPREAD HIS MIND INTO 6,000 INDIVIDUALS SIMULTANEOUSLY. THESE WILLING PARTICIPANTS HELPED ILLUSTRATE THE SUPERIOR
POWER THE CORE HIMSELF POSSESSES WHILE ENABLING APPROXIMATELY 1,000.000,000 INDIVIDUALS TO HEAR THIS SPEECH LIVE:
"It has been a century since we started
ruling this new world together and it
has never been as big nor as beautiful.
We have grown from an immense,
chaotic and restless nation to one that is
united in an effort to better ourselves,
our knowledge and our futwe. For
100 years we have constructed wonders
with unprecedented zeal and
artisanship. Khai'-Bhek took 1,000.
years to be built and yet we doubled its
size in just 100 years. If you have not
understood this, I will teU you
again. I am only a receptor for your
ideas, your vision of the future. I am the
catalyst for the revolutionary changes
that have taken place in the Empire.
I am you. My strength is in you. You
dictate my decisions. The time of the
Awakening is corning."
"In the past century we have created
the Skytrain, a monumental work of
art and practicality. Built by the
people, for the people, this massive
unk between our five cities unites us
as one. You have cleared a way to the
future. The solid walls that now
protect us from Naakinis creatures
belong and are a part of you. Each of
you is as colossal as the ramparts that
protect and shield us from harm. You,
the people, have created, built and use
this necessary tool of unity."
"Each day, new cities, towns and
villages ally themselves with the Core.
Yaki and Solek tribes constantly
request to be allowed to trade safely
within our borders. Today, seven new
cities are under construction. Vtlnaco,
Kolester, Kevoy/Set are wildly success-
ful offshoots of KhaY-Bhek. Ulabediare
has regained its vigor and Kaderun's
impenetrable fortress protect us from
any attack by creatures from the Sofe.
The academies of Oce and other City-
States are constantly discovering,
learning and teaching our up-and-
coming students about the wonders of
our natural world."
"As our collective knowledge grows,
workers continue to dedicate their
streng'th, heart and energy to the
creation of new structures. Workers
are the pillars of ow society, without
which we should crumble shamelessly.
You, who suffer ufe in the slums,
struggling to survive the reality of
daily life, have faith! You are working
towards peace of mind. You must be
proud to be martyrs in a quest for
freedom."
"Advancements in lechnologies conti-
nue to bring new techniques, methods
and inventions to our workforce,
easing the burden of hard labor. We
have also successfully developed ways
of controlling the Dream. Each year
we grow stronger. Our scientists and
Wise Ones continue creating neces-
sary conditions for our workers to
create machines, buildings and cities
in order to achieve our ultimate goal of
developing a knowledge-based society
that is safe, secure and flourishing
both intellectually and emotionally.
You, the people, are the ]jfeline of the
Core. You are the Core's flesh and
blood. Remain dedicated to your
work, your niche. No job is left
unnoticed, no task unimportant.
Continue to struggle in pursuit of
freedom, of life, of knowledge. The
future embraces us as we rush to
embrace it. Let us continue to work
together, to strive for unity of purpose
and action. We are in the process of
becoming. We have achieved much,
and yet have so much more to
accomplish."
"Some day, there will be Leisure and
Hope for aU!"
f


,_
4-



C'*'d
ce
,_

() r:)


f
e The Core's News
THE CORE'S CRUSADE
The Core Himself has used the word
"crusade" to describe his plan for the
future of the Empire. However, one
must be wary in interpreting the use of
the term, as he is not above using
specific turns of phrase for propaganda
purposes. While this "crusade" for
knowledge and wisdom are important
to the Core's plan, they are not the only
goals that he has in mind. Many, in fact,
fool themselves into thinking that the
Core Himself is not fully aware of what
the future holds or how his plans are
going to unfold. One must recognize
that the Core manipulates information
for his own purposes. How much, for
example, do we really know about the
independent city states ofYhrne Llemir
and Uchatere? What is their economic
and military potential? While an intense
confrontation with these cities is not an
impossible scenario, no information to
reassure the public has been provided.
To take these questions one step
further, one . could ask; who is this
Droliath Estolah, as the Core
Himself? Can anyone lay claim to
knowing him well? We have all seen
him in action, watched him rejuvenate
the Empire &om chaos to prosperity,
and yet no one can say they fully
understand the extent of his plan.
There is an lack of information
about Droliath Estolah, his history, his
ambitions, his ultimate quest. The more
one investigates the Core Himself, the
more one grows frustrated at the dead
ends and lack of tangible evidence of
his actions. I suggest, therefore, that we
launch a full-scale investigation into his
"crusade," his intentions and his
motives. What does he want to do with
the Echoes? Why is he so interested in
the Sofe? Why is he on a constant
search for knowledge and what is be
going to do with this accumulated
information?
Keokeme. Nayan.
Oce academy for political studies
Below are the major points of the Core's crusade, which can be broken-down into The ftrst part (Walking)
of his plan addresses the Core's immediate concerns with the Empire. The second category (Marching) deals with the
secondary goals the Core Himself would like to implement once the Empire is stabilized to make his regime more run more.
efficiently. The third category (Crusade) is concerned with the ultimate goals of the Core. These long-term goals may not
be easily understood but will eventually be revealed as time passes.
Odwoan<::'s
The Odwoanes remain the most
dangerous race in the system because
so little about their nature and
behavior is understood. They are
clearly very hard workers, perhaps too
good at tlteir }ob. Unfortunately, since
the Odwoanes themselves do not know
who they are, obtaining information
about them is extremely difficult and
we cannot hold them accountable for
their actions. We cannot blame them
for being potentially dangerous.
WALKING
Yhrn<::' [. l.?mi r
and Llchat,?r<::'
Before the Core came to power, these
City-States never constituted a threat
because they had been stagnant for
centuries. However, since we have
launched our policy of expansion, they
must choose to join us or become our
enemies. Currently, the 100-year truce
between our governments which was
forged when they defeated the Scourge
is still in effect. Negotiations between us
will surely follow but it is very difficult
for us to predict their decisions. Yhrne
Llemir and Ucbatere are not to be taken
lightly. They have plenty of support
from neighboring cities and towns as
well as their Emovan and Inais
neighbors. They also have an immense
wealth of resources at their disposal.
Talks are underway between the Core
and these two City-States. If Yhrne
Llemir and Uchatere see past their
immediate concerns to the future and
the bigger picture, ultimately they will
make the decision to join our ranks. If
they fail to reach this conclusion, we
will have to make them submit by using
force. Anyone wishing to take part in
defense or espionage activities can
apply at any one of our CPRM kiosks.

Invasions from the Sofe are rare and
information available about them is also
slight. Our understanding of these
invasions is subsequently limited to
being aware that they always attack in
the south, where Kaderun has been
built. The duty of every City-State is to
help Kaderun to protect us from the
Sofe and these attacks as they are lethaL
After the last attack, the Volkois saved
us, but it is unlikely they will be able to
save us a second time. New defenses
will have to be built at Kaderun.
T h K now l?d
The more we spread knowledge, the
powerful we become. Knowledge
must manifest itself concretely through
the creation of academies. As more
people become educated, knowledge
will spread from the higher spheres to
the slums. It is our hope that one day
education will become not the
responsibility of the academies but of
individual families. We feel it is not in
our best interest to homogenize
education since each race needs to
learn things specific to their race.

The expansion of the Core is essential
to both progress and the success of our
regime. The Core has been growing for
100 years and continues to expand. We
require more territories to secure the
Enclave, access to more resources and
and Vilnaco
Solidarity between individuals has
now expanded to include City-States.
The alliance between these two cities
is respectful and mutually beneficial.
Each city is prospering as their
resources grow indefinitely.
It is clearly in the best interest of the
Core to subsidize these cities in support
of their relationship. Mutual respect
and confidence must be an integral part
of our system in the highest spheres of
influence and should be reflected in the
City-States of our realm. We invite aU
City-States to establish positive
relationships for the benefit of the
whole.
MARCHING
a pattern of growth. Time is not
immobile. Things change and if we do
not change with them, others will and
will crush us in the process. We must
grow for the sake of our own crusade
and to protect weaker entities from
those that threaten them.
militarization of

A strong and complete military force is
the basic defense needed for any city.
An army is the last resort when danger
strikes. It is the responsibility of the
army to protect and resist any attack
until sufficient backup arrives. A City-
State's army is required to help the Core
in whatever capacity necessary. In
order to be a powerful, well-respected
city, an army is needed to maintain
order, security and confidence. Each
aja
Eli-Naja is, together with Yhrne
Llemir, the biggest challenge we will
have to face. It might seem strange to
consider a single individual as a major
threat to the Core, but she alone
convinced the Scourge to give up his
plans to conquer the North. We were
able to demonstrate that the Scourge
had not been manipulated in any way
during their discussion. This Nayan is
not a Mind Chemist but she is surely an
Overlord. All relevant information that
can be provided about her will be
highly appreciated.
City-State within the Core will keep
one percent of its population militarily
active. Each city is also required to have
a viable defense in place to combat
Against Naakinis Creatures (ANC).
The Core has created four structures at
your disposal to deal with ANC.


Work is a powerful and necessary social
tool. A job gives people a purpose, a
rhythm and responsibility. The Core
wishes to instill a pride in one's job
through a combination of technological
advances and leisure activities. Core
projects will not be slave-driven but
instead will encourage workers to
proudly and successfully commit to
their tasks. Our goal is to lighten
workloads and encourage productivity.



('
......
ct

..,;..,.
07
0

f
()()
00'
e The Core's 0lews
CREDITS
Mechanical Dream creators: Francis Larose and Benjamin Paquette
Author: Benjamin 'Paqzu" Paquette
Development: Benjamin Paquette and Francis Larose
Editing: Alison Fischer (Dream side); Lars Townsend and Bernard Adams (Mechanical side).
An direction: Francis Larose and Benjamin Paquette
Interior art: Donald Caron and Yano Leroux
Cover, art and design (back and front): Tommy Asselin
Layout: Jean-Phillipe Gaudet, Francis Larose and Tommy Asselin
Typesetting: Jean-Phillipe Gaudet
Playtesting (et merci All of the team (of course), cedric Champagne, Tili et Andre Laflamme (the F'aithful ones).
Jean-Fraru;ois Picard, Vronique Beaudin, Girouard, Joel Beaupre, Maude Leonard-Contant, Eric
Robitaille, Loui!l Lachapelle, &!basrien &!basrien Granger, Sreven .. LongFeret" Mckare, Martin Paquette.
Alain Berneche .
Special Thanks to: JY\aman Nicole et Papa Yves (pour tout!), Normand et Jean (surtout pour Ia conf.ance, et un peu
pour !'argent :P!), Jf Ferland, pour les Warmors, les gadgets et tout ce qui va suivre!, Steven (you stepped in at the
right moment}, Luke Walker, for the incredible and generous support from New Zealand!, W:ro, J F et Isabelle
(sincerement, et malgre tout!), Clo and Simon (last-chance salvation), Colin (from afar), Etienne, pour nous avoir
endures tout ce temps! Daniele (me rei pour le pn!sent, mais surtout pour l'a venir)! A tout le staiT du Camellia
Sinensis, pour le support moral et Ia theine. Tbx to the many ' M" qui nous ont aides, que ce soil Maude, Marie-Brosse,
Eve, Manouche, Mireille, Melanie ... ( et les autres lenres aussi ). Finalemenl, mercia tous ceux qui nous ont
supportes, in faith or disbelief!
Top-notch. high-end, bleeding edge totally tremendous thanks: JP and Alison (simply for being vital.\
f'odll(of'd nud by
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Product# SLG-1000 Mechanical Dream: the Core's Crusade
Dep6t legaux: Mars 2002
Bibliotheque Nationale du Quebec
Nariooal Libraty of Canada
ISBN 0-9730153-0-6
First Printing: Printed in Canada
kgalstuiT:
Everyone involved in the construction
of the Skytrain and Khai-Bhek's new
platforms should be proud and will be
recognized for their achievements.
Th? Emovans
a n d t h <? r n (l'j s
Their resources are vital to us and
therefore so is their role in our society.
Moreover, these noble races are free of
the problems we, the Cnaths, Nayans
and Zlns encounter daily. Trading with
them is safe, healthy and rewarding. It
is therefore important that we promote
their activities. Long ago, the Emovans
were an integral part of this empire.
The Years of Chaos liberated them and
the Core never wanted to take them
back. Like the Ioa'is, the Emovaos
need to be free from any restrictions on
their way <?f life to fulfill their true
_potential. :We depend on lna'is for
orpee. We three nations can benefit
from better trading grounds for Sasta.k.
and so trading with these two races is
encouraged and endorsed.
J
2002, Steam Logic Editions Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publishers is expressly forbidden,
except for the purposes of reviews. and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only.
Steam Logic and Mechanical Dream and registered trademarks of Steam Logic Editions inc. All right reserved.
All characters, names, places. and text herein are copyrighted by SteamLogic Editions inc.
The mention of or reference to any company or pnxluct is nor a challenge to the trademark or copyright concemed.
Any similarities to characters, situations, institutions, corporations, etc. (without satirical intent) are strictly coincidental.
Join for<:;<?s with th(
Eeho<?s
Their strength and knowledge must be
shared and used to its full potential. The
Echoes are the key to understanding the
nature and inner workings of Naakinis
(and subsequently the Core's unifination
of this world). The Echoes, with their
superior abilities, can lead us to the
source of all knowledge in this world.
Every Echo is welcome to join our
crusade. With the help of Echoes, we
will master all domains of Knowledge
and hopefully discover new subjects of
interest. In turn, we anticipate being
able to aid Echoes in their quest to
understand their own nature.
Eflo w
-
The Echoes and eflow are intimately
}inked together in many ways. We
be1ieve that Echoes may help us
understand the nature of eflow. If this
is not the case, it might be in our best
interest to try and Emovans and
lnai.s to discover its nature. Clearly a
more complete comprehension of eflow
and its energyfmformation exchange
system will benefit our society as we
strive for perfection. Several eflow tests
are currently underway and we are
CRUSADE
hopeful they will provide enlightening
conclusions as to eflow's nature.
KHinas ilnd

Ultimately. we will have to stop being
parasites on Naakinis, at the mercy of its
creatures and its ecosystem. We, crea-
tures of Kainas, have to stop taking the
superiority of Naalcinis creatures for
granted. We have to start to value our
intelligence, imagination and our will-
power over their sheer size. To "know
our enemy" is crucial to survival, but just
as crucial is knowing our a!Ues, our
resources, our strengths and weaknesses.
Metaphysical questions about Naalcinis
are not of immediate importance. Rather,
gaining control of our own lives, learning
to live and not merely survive, is of
primary concern. Only once we are in
control of our own lives can we start
dealing with our spirituality. We have
many teams of scientists in our academies
devoted to the study of Naakinis and
Kainas, of its creatures, its flora, its
geological phenomenon. Those wishing
to join our ranks should take the
admission test at one of our academies.
An admission form can picked up at one
of our CSRM kiosks.
-
Or('am, Aran,
ilnd th('
p,!:' n d u 1u rn
What in ancient times was a metaphysi-
cal certainty, today is just a series of
events that we more or less understand.
We may not have detailed answers to
what the Dream, Aran, our own reality
or the Pendulum are, but we are in the
process of investigating these phenome-
na. This research, carried out by our
scientists and explorers, is done in an
attempt to better comprehend our world
and the distinction between Naakinis
and Kainas. If you wish to participate in
any of these studies, contact one of our
academies through the CSRM kiosks.
Sof ('
The Sofe remains our ultimate enemy.
We do not currently know what it
contains nor what can come out of it.
We are currently focusing on protecting
ourselves from the Sofe. Once we are
adequately secure, we will investigate
it further. When all of Kainas is
unified, the only barrier left between
us and freedom will be the Sofe.
THE ARMY AND THE BANK
These entities, the Core's Army and the
Core's Bank, are under the exclusive
control of the Core Himself. The Core's
reasoning is that he needs some form of
autonomy from his subordinates in the
event that "problems" occur. Obviously
many powerful people fear both the
Army and the Bank, as they take orders
from the Core Himself.
Army
Different from the constabulary forces
that are found almost evel}'Where, the
Army is a very specialized elite force
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dedicated exclusively to the "promo-
tion" of the Core. The Army deals with
two -kinds of situations; emergencies
and centers of specialization. Emer-
gency situations consist of rebellions,
hostile takeovers in cities, attacks by
Naakinis beasts or attacks by indepen-
dent cities on cities of the Core, illegal
traffic and massive Echo reunions
(with a large potential for danger).
The specialized centers include trai-
ning, science, development and other
domains in which a soldier is trained.
The Core Himself chooses the most
talented soldiers in Kainas and once
absolute loyalty is assured, each soldier
begins his training (which will make
him an extremely dangerous fighter).
These soldiers represent the pinnacle of
strength, speed, toughness and mental
agility. This specialized training is
completely secret. Other than using
techniques he has learned, no soldier of
the Core's Army can reveal anything
about his training. Apart from soldiers,
scientists of every kind are also hired
and subsidized to complete their
studies or to start new development
projects. The Core Himself, being the
fust leader to promote science to such
an extent, gained an edge over his
opponents. These training and develop-
ment centers are all located in the
highest plates of Kha'i-Bhek, secure
and hidden from curious minds and the
Nightmares.
The Army is intimidating and an
impressive force and therefore the Core
avoids using them for common tasks
whenever possible. The less the Army
is seen, the more successful they are
and so they therefore act undercover
most of the time. To heighten security,
the location of labs and complexes
where research takes place is highly
secretive. The results and products
achieved in these technologically
advanced facilities are also kept secret
from the general public.
<>Core's Bank
The Core's Bank is simply the Bank.
More powerful than A.e.s., S.e.s. and
even the CERM, the Bank reports only
to the Core Himself. Orders come
directly from Droliath Estolah through
no intermediary. If the Army represents
the Core's raw power, the Bank repre-
sents its economic strength. It is the
backbone on which the Geodem, the
CODS, S.e.s. (such as Secure Stock)
are built. It houses massive funds in
order to fund many large projects.
There is a branch of the Core's Bank
in every town and city.
The Core Himself is working very
hard to make his bank as user-friendly
as possible and to boost the popula-
tion's confidence in the bank.
7\nyone who applies will be granted a
loan from this bank. If he cannot
repay it, the debt will pass on to his
family, generation to generation, until
it is repaid. If he has no children, he
has to sell himself as a slave to repay
his loan. His value as a slave depends
_of ,his card. If he bas no
card, he is worth nothing unless he
can prove otherwise. Most people,.
therefore, sign up for a citizenship
card before dealing with the bank.
And the Bank is as visible as the Army
is invisible. Core wants to flaunt
his economic strength as a sign of
social health to his enemies.
R--........
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Droliath Estolah
THE
GEODEM
SYSTEM
DCore's Domain
The Core Himself established the
Geodem system ten years after he came
to power. Geodem is short for geo-
demographics, or "the way demography
adapts to a given geographical environ-
ment." The Geodem was created to
control demographic growth by out-
Gning a clear and precise pattern of
development for cities to follow. These
policies were clearly different from the
old way of waging war in order to gain_
control of a region, claim it and build a
_new city on its biggest and most central
kioux.
Wars have many benefits; they encou-
rage economic growth, create social
movements, prevent overpopulation
and encourage technological develop-
ments.
The Core, however, believes that there
is a better, less violent way to expand
the Empire. The Core hopes that within
a century, the majority of the population
will recognize the atrocity of war and
accept the Geodem system as the
proper way in which to expand an
Empire.
In technical terms, the Geodem is a
geographic expansion system that
regulates everything surrounding the
expansion of the Core's Domains from
its core (Khai'-Bhek) to the limits of
the realm. AU new cities, for example,
must be created by a mother city
which must first achieve a certain
degree of economic stability and
establish some diplomatic ties within
the nine platforms of Khai'-Bhek.
Every CCP (City Construction Project)
must first be approved in Kha'i-Bhek
and the construction work mustJollow
a strict set of rules. Should a city
disobey these orders, rash measures
will be taken by the Core.
PROTOCOL
FOR THE CREATION
OF ANEW CITY
Th(' moth('r city
l. A city that wishes to breed a new
cit;y must have been loyal to
the Core for a hundred years
(exceptions will be dealt with
on an individual basis).
2. The city must provide proof
of its economic stability for
the past fifty years.
5. The cit;y must provide proof that
it is able to economically sustain
the new city for the first
fifty years of its existence.
4. The city must provide at least
1,000 pre-paid workers contracted
for ten years.
5. The city must provide at least
200 pre-paid accredited securit;y
wamors.
6. The cit;y must provide proof that
the promoters and future leaders
of the new city are eligible.

1. The promoter(s) must have been
implicated in the political
or economical scene of the realm
for at least a thirty years.
2. The promoter(s) must have no
criminal record. Special cases may
apply for pardon (decided during
a public audience).
5. The promoter(s) must supply
specific details about construction
of the new cit;y. These might
-include but are not limited to:
Reasons behind the choice of the
construction site.
Predictions for economic, social
and political relationships with
neighboring cities and towns.
Policies for action against beasts
attack, trading with Soleks and
Yakis, discovery of rare or
unknown sources of materials,
communication with foreign
civilizations
The expected demographic and
physical growth of the city
The expected economic growth
of the cit;y
The plan of action io cases
of political invasions
4. The promoter(s) must make
his construction plans completely
accessible.
5. The promoter(s) must sign a global
peace treat;y with all neighboring
cities. In case the contract is broken
the "victimized" party can legally call
upon the Core for help or reparation.
6. The promoter(s) must sign a
contract by which he concedes
any discoveries made about orpee


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to the Core, especiall:y
new orpee m!lles.
7. The promoter(s) must sign a
contract in which agrees to support
the Core whatever the direction it
takes, to obey all orders.
8. The promoter(s) will provide
shelter and safety for all of its
workers, with secured quarters
including a wall five yards high
that will serve as the ci!J''s defense
during (and possibly after)
construction.
9. The promoter(s) must sign a
contract in which he accepts and
agrees to follow all of the Core's
laws, regulations as well as any
changes the Core may make.
10. In case of rebellion, the mother
city pledges to take care of the
rebels all by itself. If she is unable
to handle the situation herself, the
Core will step in but severe
penalties will be imposed on the
mother city for failing to subdue
the rebellion on her own.
SOUTH OF KAINAS
The Enclave position is 0,0 (The Center of the known world, Kha'i-Bbek)
Kioux Density
Jungle
High
D Medium
D Low
D Desert
CITYGnath
Caption
_ .......... , __


Independents city
* lnai's Hearth
Mountain
Wasteland
Sofe
Ambre Hearth
5000
2500
0 2500
5000
The Core's News: CIL\Prt.R 0:-.:1, The Core's Crusade Vol. 110 n45 CORE's I'LBLISIII:\C
Printed on IOOo/o pure Kioux leaves. Manufactured by Kioux Leaf A.E.S., in Khai-Bhek on the fourth plate at 467, Ouigorn street.
ENVIRONMENTS
Here are the different sorts of environments that can be found within the Core
KHAI-BHEK
Located in the southwest, 1,000 miles
away from the southern edge of the
Sofe, Kha'i-Bhek is the original city of
the Core and now functions as the
central nervous system, heart and brain
of the Core's Domain. According to the
Core's centralized orpee distribution
system, any harvested orpee musf
travel through Kha'i-Bhek where it is
redistributed and sent to the outlying
areas of the realm. Kha'i-Bhek is also
the mother and father of each new city
in the geodem, serving as a model and
guide to all new cities. wealthiest
people live in Khai'-Bhek the most.
politically powerful people.
Khai'-Bhek does not control the four
City-States situated within the
Enclave. Rather, the hub city
supervises the other four, stepping in
only if one should begin rebelling
against the Core. Kha'i-Bhek is also
responsible for CERM, CPRM and
CSRM as well as the management of
its own nine platforms (soon to be 13).
THE FOUR
CITY-STATES
(THE ENCLAVE)
Ulabediare, Kolester, Oce and Kade-
run make up the four City-States.
Laid out in a diamond shape with
Khai:-Bhek situated in the middle, the
City-States provide immense points of
defense protecting the head city of the
Core. The Skytrain unites the five
cities, and the four outlying City-
States are the only points of access to
the outside world. They give Khai:-
Bhek power over its realm while Kha'i-
Bhek in return' offers political strength
within the Core's Domain.

Cities are fortified areas housing
conglomerations of people who follow
the Core's regulations and laws. A city
breeding a new city is referred to as
"mother" and the new city is called its
"offspring:' until it survives 100 years of
autonomy. Most often, both for
protection and because of the possibility
to expand vertically, these cities are
constructed around a kioux so that,
when the economy is successful,
wealthy people can construct new
platforms based on the Kha'i-Bhek
model.
The cities have, as a primary goal, to
expand the Core's Domain by creating
a "safe zone." This area, with a ten mile
radius; is only relatively secure. Cara-
vans have guaranteed security on the
highways and hunting tracks in these
areas. The secondary goal of cities is to
deploy outposts in order to find places
to start new cities and expand the
Empire. Once there are a sufficient
number of outposts a new location for
a city is chosen.
Cities are politically responsible for
everything within their geodem
triangle (see figure 1.34). Similar to
City-States, they must deal with any
attacks on their own or pay a penalty
if they enlist the help of the closest
City-States or the Core.
Town!-;
Towns are neutral to the Core, allowing,
for example, the Core's highways to
pass through their areas and the Core's
subjects to trade with them. They do
not, however, necessarily follow the
Core's laws. They do not construct their
towns in accordance with the geodem
laws and they do not refer their political
and economic matters to the Core. They
are independent without being rebels.
They do not resist the Core but do not
let it engulf them either. Towns are not
protected by the Core's Army and are
therefore at the mercy of any attack.
Neighboring cities sign treaties which
forbid them from attacking any city or
town within their domain without a
valid reason. Towns are either viewed
as poetic rebels leading an unstable life
of spiritual freedom. and independence,
or as headstrong rebels who raid lands
around them and rally against the Core
from within the Core's Domain.


These areas are autonomous, living
without the rules or protection of the
Core. Most of these places have access
to Inais orpee mines or have some sort

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of long-term agreement with them to
guarantee that they receive enough
orpee to survive. Secure in the
knowledge they have a constant orpee
supply makes these independent cities
powerfuL Furthermore, they often
have goods that the Core needs and
therefore require trade agreements
between the Core and these areas. The
Core is unsure how to treat these
independents. If he waits until the Core
is strong enough that they are forced to
submit to its rule, it could take
centuries. If he attacks these cities, he
risks putting his Empire in danger.

Three populations who have declared
their independence from the Core's
Domain can also not be excluded from
the realm. They are the Inais hearths,
the Emovan underground cities, and
the Yaki and Solek tribes.
r na'is u rth s
Housing the only known sources of
orpee, lnais hearths are the most well
protected zones in Kainas.
Furthermore, since they are the most
fair and efficient of all the races, they
are best suited to controlling the orpee
production, although the Core
disagrees. The hearths are found in
enormous caves. Echoes from every
Sphere are regularly assigned to assist
in the protection of each of the ten
orpee mines. Each Echo dedicates
approximately one or two months a
year to protect these mines.
The mines are also guarded closely by
2,000 Volkois and 10,000 guards made
up of many other races. As a last resort,
one third of the Ina is population of each
hearth is trained to fight. Few dare mess
with the Inais and their hearths because
they provide the source of life.

u n d<?"t'gto u n d
As it would be impossible for the Core
to rule over ground and underground
(especially underwater), everything
more than a mile below the surface is
considered Emovan territory and free
from .the Core's jurisdiction. The
Emovans are also the only race who can
master the very lethal Sastak craft, so
aggravating them is an extremely
dangerous option. Finally, the Emovans
have proven to be inoffensive, peaceful
crafters and spiritualists who are
perfectly content to remain hidden in
their strange, three-layered world and
are therefore not rebellious or a threat
to the Core.
''"' k . (>
(1nd Trib<?"(-)
These are simply the most efficient,
versatile, useful, energetic and
powerful nomads around. They are
very spirited and the love the nomad
way of living and freedom of mind.
Controlling them is not an option and
killing them is out of the question. The
Core, therefore, reached a compromise
with the nomads and agreed that when
the Yakis hold trade fairs, they can sell
and buy anything they want as long as
they conform to the Core's law when
they travel within a city. This simple
mod s vivendi is very civilized and a
pleasing arrangement for everyone.
NOTE ON QUADRANTS
AND GEODEM TRIANGLES
QUADRANTS: Everything within the
Enclave is property of the Core. The
ninety degrees of territory possessed by
each City-State calculated from Khai'-
Bhek is only taken in account once
outside the Enclave. This ninety-
degree arc is a quadrant and so there
are four quadrants, each one controlled
by a City-State. (See figure 1.34)
TRIANGLES: The "geodem triangles" are
the three borders (created by the linking
highways)that limit a city. Often, towns
are limited to trade in their triangle, so
are B.e.s. (See figure 1.34)
Highway
Sky Train

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The Core's i\'e\\'s: CtL\PrU{ 0:\1. The Core's Crusade Vol. 110 n45 CORE's I' CBLISIII :\G
Printed on IOOo/o pure Kioux leaves. Manufactured b Kioux Leaf A.E.S., io Khai-Bhek on the fourth plate at 46i, Oui orn street.
POLITICAL SYSTEM
In order to control his immense
Domain, the Core Himself created
three sections within the Core; the
economical, social and political fields,
each divided into four divisions.
THE THREE SECTIONS
I: Political
(CPRM)
The political section is backbone of the
Core's entire system. In charge of laws
and regulations (including controlling
the po1ce forces) the political force is
also involved in all diplomatic
relations. This section represents the
politicians, police force and the law.
They are the most visual aecessible
of the three sections; this part of the
Core's organization is responsible for
forming alliances with cities within and
outside of the Core's Domain.
2: Eeonomi<:;
(CERM)
This section oversees internal mercantile
affairs as weU as the trading activities
between merchants and nobles. They
make sure that the Core's economy is in
good shape and they deal with everyt-
hing regarding the Core's Bank. It also
oversees the orpee distribution process
and re-draft the government's economic
program every five years. They repre-
sent the economists, market strategists
and the brain behind the Core's system.
3: So<:;ial
(CSRM)
Primarily responsible for monitoring
and controlling the demographic
increase, this section deals with
citizens' legal status. They inform
Section 1 and 2 about the most basic
happenings with the people in the
Core's Domain. This section watches
over every social aspect of the Core's
system, carefully monitoring the rise
and fall of everything political or
religious. They are in charge of
making sure that the social tissue of
the system remains intact. They are
the "figure makers," the diplomats,
the social probes working undercover
and with a much lower profile than
the other sections.
THE FOUR DIVISIONS
JST: This layer is made up of the Core
Himself and his immediate subor-
dinates, the rulers of the four City-
States (Oce, Ulabediare, Kolester and
Kaderun themselves). The Council of
Twenty is also involved at this level,
dedicated to the well being of the
people and in place to prevent rulers
from becoming dictators. These ruling
officers deal mostly with 2d Division
leaders, focusing on theoretic rather
than practical matters. They also focus
on creating new sciences to secretly
and subtly direct the movements of the
masses. 1" Division officers never
speak with 4h Division officers and
only 3'" Division officers on very rare
occasiOns.
2N: These officers report directly to
their 1" Division leaders as the 3'"
Division officers report directly to
them. In charge of political (CPRM),
economic (CERM) and social (CSRM)
aspects of life in the Core, they organize
theories, concepts and formulate regula-
tions created by the 1" Division. This
2d Division functions as a "bridge"
between the theoreticians and those
that apply the theories. They silently,
smoothly coordinate between the ideas
of the "mind" and the functioning of
the ''body." If they do their job well,
these officers are invisible; their tasks
go unnoticed by the general public,
who are aware only of the Core
Himself and the 3'" and 4h Divisions.
They establish a plan of action that is
then implemented by the lower
divisions.
3R
0
: The officers of the 3 Division each
control one particular establishment
(police, hospitals, neuroscience, Mind
repair centers, education systems) and
their authority is restricted to their own
domain. They are the "ground workers"
for Divisions l and 2. They are the
most visible "officers" of the system,
executing orders and plans that have
come down to them from their
superiors. Power hungry people most
often envy these 3d Division officers as
the embodiment of power. Their
positions, therefore, are constantly in
demand and therefore there is a high
job turnover in this division. Since
murder is condemned by the Core
and the Judges, both combined and
increased their efforts , in order to
prevent homicides of 3'" Division
officers. Instead of murder, people now
have to resort to more subtle means of
acqmrmg power.

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4
1
": These workers have a very limited
sphere of control, ruling over a specific
section of each establishment, Fire-
fighter guard post n 22, for example.
They are the workers of the system,
the firefighters, town guards, nurses
and doctors who report directly to
their superiors in Division 2. These
jobs are also in high demand, seen as a
"way in" to the more powerful 3'"
Division jobs.
NOTE: An officer with an idea that
might be useful has to follow the proper
channels in order to have it heard. He
must report it directly to his superiors
who then submit it to their division for
discussion. If that division accepts it, it
is again sent up until it is rejected or
approved by the 1" Division.
WITHIN THE SYSTEM
In the 2 and 3'd Division there is a
hierarchy of power with four levels of
power similar to the four Divisions.
The 1" and 4h Divisions have one
authority figure and four subordinates
who direct the matters at hand
together, delegating to those within
their division who work for them.
Only the leader or leaders of each
Division may report to the superior
Division.
THE SECTION'S
DIVISIONS
In every Section, the 1" Division is
the Core Himself and his subordinates,
watched over only by the Frilin
Council of Twenty.
POliTICAl DIVISION:
Core Political Resource Management
(CPRM)
2"
0
: This Division is made up of
politicians that make up the government
of cities. They are responsible for
maintaining order between cities,
applying the Laws of the Core and
systematically dealing with any errors,
flaws and breaahes their political
structure has. The officers of this
Division function as of the
CPRM. Tbis Division is also made up of
the Army generals, high-end tacticians
and advisors who direct and help
control the Army's movements. This
Division is particularly secretive.
3R
0
: This is made up of the
judges, police sergeants, lawyers and
advisors of each city. They .constitute
an efficient bureaucracy and are the
very public face of the political system
in their city. They are the first officials
called to duty if a crime is committed
or an action against the laws and
regulations of the Core is col\)mitted
within the city in which they work.
4TH: Made up of bureaucrats, Army
grunts (soldiers), police force and
jailers, 4h Division jobs are severely
limited in the amount of power any
officer can exert.
ECONOMICAL DIVISIONS:
Core Economic Resource Management
(CERM) I
2N: This Division is made up of
Economists who regularly revise the
Core's annual budget and deal with the
fmancial state of the Core. They exert as
much control over the economy as it is
necessary to keep it on track. These
officers are almost completely devoid of
moral or ethical behavior, with so much
responsibility that .they will do just
about" anything in order to secure the
well being of the monetary and orpee
distribution systems.
3RD: Consisting of specialized Econo-
mists who conduct surveys and
regularly report to their superiors, often
work specifically in one city. They often
report to an Economist from the 2nd
Division (each responsible for one of
the four City-States and all the cities
within that City-State's control). The
Core's merchants also belong in this
level. Their focus is the primary
resources and goods produced by the
Core. These merchants do not travel
from .place. to place selling wares.
Rather, they oversee others who
actually do travel, controlling theiJ:
supply and distribution of the profits.
Because they control the legal markets,
a strong black market has developed
over the years. .
4
1
": Consisting of the Core's traveling
merchants who are viewed by the
population as power-hungry. Low level
economists who conduct studies on
potentially profitable ventures are also
part of this Division. They are called
"profit spies" and roam the country in
search of opportunities in which the
Core can prosper.
SOCIAL DIVISIONS:
Core Social Resource Management
(CSRM)
2N: This Division is comprised of
experts in different social sciences
who gather on regular basis to discuss
the newest discoveries in psychology,
sociology and group dynamics. These
thinkers are the main source of social
inventions (like education) within the
Core and are mostly preoccupied with
future events. They are highly elusive
and much more secluded from the
general public than other 2'd Division
officers.
3RD: Concerned with the present, on
how people react to recent changes in
the system, accept or reject the Core's
propaganda. These officers are the
direct links between the Core leadership
and individuals. They are media and
educational personnel, psychologists,
sociologists, anthropologists, historians
and psychiatrists. Although many are
wary of these "experts", they remain
the pipeline to better mental health
(a common affliction on Kainas). They
are more soph;sticated than the social
structure of Kainas is able to handle,
most of the time, but they do reach some
people and will continue to have success
in the future.
4: These social radicals are propa-
gandists, zealots, fanatics of the Core's
system. They are hired, in essence, to
express their Love and Devotion to the
Core. They are visible and actively
encouraged to sing the Core's praises.
After five years of dedicated service
and a psychological evaluation to
detect if their belief in the Core's cause
is real, a zealot or propagandist is
"released" and is free to travel to which
ever city he'd like to spread the good
work, often becoming a teacher in a
local academy. This Division also
houses the thousands of spies the Core
uses to gather information on a wide
variety of topics.
CITIES AND TOWNS
THE CORE
KHAI-BHEK
Kha.I-Bhek is the Core's central city. It
was the first city to .be constructed
using platform technologies, and was
able to support this system because
KhaY-Bhek is built on the largest kioux
on Kainas. Currently there are nine
platforms on Kainas, but four more
have been slated for construction.
To get to Khai-Bhek from outside
the Enclave, you must either follow
one of the four City-State highways
or ride the Skytrain to the third
platform. Once you reach the outskirts
of the city, you must travel through
120 miles of "safe zone" before
reaching the trunk.
If you imagine looking down at
the city from the top of the tree, it
appears as though there are two
"rings" around the tree. Farms
and fields make up the outer ring
while the second ring is made up
of the slums close to the tree's
base.
Many small towns and communities of
workers are scattered around the fields
performing specialized tasks (mining,
woodcutting, herding, cultivating).
The trees roots are so large and
proliferous that no other kioux can
grow within 10 miles ofKhar-Bhek. On
and between these roots you'll find the
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slums. Closer to the trunk the slums are
older and therefore more safe. As they
spread outwards, however, they
become more and more dangerous.
Eventually, in order to impose a
hierarchy on the slums, "horizontal"
platforms were created for the slums.
Four walls demarcate the slum's outer
limits.
Travelers are welcome on these
platforms but in order to live here,
especially if you wish to move to one
of the higher platforms, is a privilege
one must earn. The first three zones
are at their maximum capacity. It is
much easier to move horizontally
along a platform than it is to move
vertically up to the next, and more
lavish, platform. The horizontal divi-
sions within a platform merely make
life more complicated, being a maze of
streets, alleys and dark comers that
are indistinguishable from each other.
Furthermore, living in such squalor
reduces people to more base behaviors
such as killing, thievery and deception
to name a few.
The vertically stacked platforms of
Kbai:-Bhek are much more diverse in
terms of living conditions. The bottom
platforms are made up of slums and
richer quarters where the leaders live.
On the higher plates there are entire
sections exclusively for the wealthy, a
symbol Kha!-Bhek's prosperity. To
get from the slums to the upper levels
you must travel by elevator. There are
16 elevators in total, four elevators
per highway entrance. To ride these
elevators you need a merchant's pass,
an appropriate citizen's card or a
special pass (diplomatic, personal
privilege). Echoes need only demons-
trate their power to be admitted up to
the sixth platform. Adventurers with
goods to sell but no passes may climb
to platforms three or four by bribing
the guards. Yaki and Soleks are
allowed to travel as high as their
"rank" will allow.
Peasants and workers have very few
opportunities to move to a higher
platform. One worker per year is
promoted to live on an upper platform
with his direct platform. Because
travelers are allowed to use the
elevators and the masses are not, they
are not well liked or accepted in the
slums. In fact, rumors have it that
locals will go so far as to "eat"
strangers at night if they find
themselves trapped .in the slums.
Each platform is merely a larger
reproduction of the one below it with
more people, more buildings and more
modern architecture. Technology and
organizational methods improve the
higher you go. The slums disappear
after the third platform, and poorer
people live in "ghettos" that are more
segregated that the slums.
Platforms one through five were
designed and constructed in a rush
whereas platforms six through nine
have only the best elements of
architecture, organization and design.
Gnaths prize architecture as the
highest form of artistic expression so it
is no surprise that the upper platforms
are home to beaut iful buildings,
structures and spacious design
concepts. All industry is of good
quality and business only sell high-end
products. There are also luxurious
cafes, restaurants and shops on these
upper plates.
In Kbai'-Bhek, those with guts and
special abilities can rise up the system
quite quickly. For this reason,
migration to Khai-Bhek is very
common: the jobs opportunities alone
are a good enough reason to come and
try your luck here many die in the
process because they have no
contacts, the locals won't help them, or
simply because traveling to Khai'-
Bhek is very dangerous. One in 100
manages find success in Kha'i-Bhek.
DANAAC
This vast underground Emovan city is
situated underneath Kbai-Bhek. It is
vital to Kbai:-Bhek's prosperity for many
reasons, first among them that it
supplies the entire Enclave with water.
This city is also the only direct link the
Core has to the Emovans. In exchange
for freedom from the Core and other
demands, the Emovans install, supply
and maintain huge hydraulic systems
under every city to serve as powerful
water pumps and power the elevators.
In recent years, those of wealth have
installed smaller pwnps to assure their
water quality. Emovans profit from
managing a city's water supply and use
the extra money to research and develop
new, more advanced technologies.
Danaac was developed because tbe
Core offered the Emovans freedom in
exchange for their services. It was the
The Core's :\e\\ s: Cit \I' II R 0:-;t The Core's Crusade \'ol. II 0 nt'i COR I.'s I'll\ I lSI II:\(,
first city of its kind and serves as the
model for all other underground
Emovan cites. It is designed in a
simple, efficient fashion with two
mandates: pumping water to the city
above and preserving the well being of
the fam.ily. The second task is
accomplished by placing one family in
charge of each pump system (since
there are 500 to 1,000 members of
each Emovan family).
The underground equivalent of Khai:-
Bhek in size and influence, Danaac
functions very differently from the city
it supports. Because Emovans evolve
very slowly relative to fast-living,
short-lived races, their culture and
societal structures are more stable.
'While live on Kha!-Bhek is dynamic,
Danaac functions on a well-structured,
well-established set of the.
city has three layers. The frrst layer is
an immense beach situated under the
Printed on 100% pure Kioux leaves. Manufactured b
trunk of Khai'-Bhek in a gigantic hole
left by the roots as they pushed
outwards and upwards. The Beach
city extends for three miles in slightly
downward slope to the south to the
Sandy Falls (a large cliff). This 90-
degree plunge is replete with stairs,
elevators and "roads" for extreme
vehicles. If you travel down this wall
you will reach the Root City, so called
because thousands of Emovan houses
here are carved right into the tree
roots. This part of Danaac is extremely
moist. Everything is always damp,
here, as the roots need to stay wet in
order to keep the kioux alive.
The third part of Danaac is the Water
City, accessible from Sandy Falls or
the Root City.
This city is absolutely beautiful, home
to awesome underwater architecture.
This is the largest part of Danaac, it is
also the most remote and least
accessible to visitors. With a radius of
ten miles, this section is home to
Emovan scholars, merchants, travelers
and Echoes. Furthermore, everyone
swims as a mode of transportation in
the Water City. The Root and Beach
cities are capable of housing merchants
and traders but the Water City is much
more difficult to visit, as it is extremely
expensive to afford a suit which you
must don in order to be able to breathe
underwater.
CITY -STATES
(these are named after
their leader's name)
KOLESTER
Austere, radical with slightly erratic
patterns of architecture, Kolester
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radiates a feverish type of energy.
The upper platforms are home to
passionate movements and a fondness
for growth. In combination with Oce,
Kolester is the most productive and
innovative of the four City-States. It
has a tenacious will and immense
social conscience, a hotbed of logical
thinking with an emotional twist. In
contrast to other City-States, the
Gnath way of life dominates on only
the first two platforms. Higher up,
workers and the wealthy exhibit an
almost righteous zeal and rigor. This
is most likely attributed to the city's
Nayan leader. Furthermore, this
leader (and by association, Kolester)
is devoted to the Core and its
ambitions. The city is fiercely loyal to
the Core Himself and is duly
recognized and rewarded.
OCE
Like Kolester, the ideals and beliefs of
Oce reflect those of its leader,
Mroberut Oce. The city and its
citizens are eclectic, enthusiastic,
passionate, curious and in a constant
state of growth. Its architecture is
outdated but yet it is still respected.
The atmosphere of the city is very
similar to a Yaki fair. You might hear
four different dialects on one platform!
Every scientist, artist, eccentric or
simply curious individual is welcomed
and often fmds his home here. In Oce,
people move, think, act, try, fail, try
again, fail again, learn and grow. It is
little surprise that technology in the
slums has advanced farther than any
other city. It is Mroberut who created
the first academy based on a scientific
method, where people met to learn and
discuss new ideas.
Since the creation of this "Academy"
many others have opened in Oce. More
are beginning appear in other cities;
each specialized in a particular field.
Kolester, being such close allies with
Oce, has several academies. These
academies are independent (Oce
publicly declared that no academy
would be stopped in its researches as
long as they were motivated by social
progress), something the Core isn'f
happy about. However, the ideas
generated at these academies are due to
the freedom of action and mind that is
encouraged. The Core, on the other
hand, believes that progress is achieved
through mastery of technique.
Outsiders feel a strange mix of jealousy
and awe towards Oce and its
inhabitants. Oce has been lucky enough
to recetve the Core favor and what
many deem as "special treatment."
However, recently it has drawn a lot of
attention to itself politically, transfor-
ming the CPRM into a sort of circus. In
order to remedy the situation, Oce will
need to dissociate itself from Vtinaco.
ULABEDIARE
The city of Ulabediare possesses a
strength that many envy. Its kioux
seems weak and unhealthy; the leaves at
the top are almost all grey and dying.
This is odd because generally the health
of the kioux is of utmost importance
when choosing a site for a new city. The
light that shines through these grey
leaves isn't crisp and clear but dull and
flat. The architecture mirrors the light
with sober, dark, heavy stone buildings.
A gloomy shadow hangs heavily over
the entire city.
To the well traveled, the Dream in
Ulabediare seems worse than anywhere
else. According to statistics, however, it
is less dangerous than many other
places. And in contrast to many other
cities where the slums and industrial
sectors are more directly affected by the
dream, in Ulabediare the Dream affects
everything and everyone with the same
intensity. The wealthy and poor alike
are grey, sober folk with little sign of
excitement or life in their veins.
Led by an Inais Overlord, he is ruled
by his emotions rather than rationality
and logic. His goals and motives are
unclear and his stance on specific
issues change frequently. His advisors
struggle daily with trying to
comprehend what their leader wants.
When this Inais chooses to act, he
does so with violence and passion.
Enemies must always be on their
guard and allies must constantly
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monitor the city in case Ulahediare's
leader suddenly decides dislikes or
distrusts them.
The only certainty with Ulabediare is
that it is true to the Core Himself.
Despite the atmosphere, the city has
great potential for achievement. With an
unpredictable leader, however, buildings
can be built and then immediately
destroyed. Improvements are made to
the system and the city in a haphazard
fashion, when the leader feels inspired
or creative. Many fear Ulabediare (both
City-State and leader) and few
understand it. Soleks, it seems, are the
only race that flourishes under this sort
of uncertain government.
KADER UN
Similar in some ways to Ulabediare,
Kaderun is dark and melancholic. It is
also steeped in analytical methods and
values mind power highly; opposite to
Ulabediare. As a city, it is extremely
prolific and active in an aggressive but
brilliant way. The leader of Kaderuo is
a Gnath who would do anything to
have Frilin mind powers.
There is a frenetic rhythm in this city
as though it is constantly striving to
overcome its state. This Gnath leader
focuses his energy on the mechanical
aspects of being rather than the poten-
tial that we aU have to become some-
thing creative. The city is fashioned in
its leader's image: black, burned,
mechanic and cold, yet, efficient and
with great direction.
In Kaderun, everything functions in a
highly precise manner under this
borderline dictatorship.
Those who enter Kaderun for the first
time are overwhelmed by a sense of
anguish pervading the landscape: the
aridity, people who ignore you or assess
your worth in a look. Even the
merchants who travel to Kaderun admit
they have to put themselves in a
ruthless frame of mind to trade there.
Here, there is no happiness nor sadness:
only efficient survival methods.
MOTHER CITY
DUBARIM
As a youthful city, this place bubbled
with creative energy. It became a hub
for modern architecture, scientific
study and the arts. Within 50 years of
its creation, it became economically
stronger than its Mother-city. People
began to move from Kha'i-Bhek to
Dubarium because it was the center for
advancement and activity. There was a
freedom of expression on Dubarium
that few had seen anywhere else and
many sought. However, after some
obscure problems with Lemaive, the
leader of Dubarium began to withdraw
his funding for the arts, the academies
of Oce and other culturally and socially
progressive institutions. The govern-
ment of Dubarium instead opted to
focus its energies on trading with the
Soleks and Yakis of the Northern
Peaks. Many citizens were upset
because this trading was not only
culturally stifling but dangerous, as
these Yakis and Soleks dealt mostly
with weapons trade. Not only was this
trade dangerous, but oftentimes illegal
according to the Core's regulations.
The Core's CPRM and Army now
watch over this city closely for signs of
descent and illegal behaviors.
Perhaps the problems with this city
stemmed from its hasty growth.
Because many flocked to J?ubarium to
experience its liberal attitudes, six.
platforms were constructed, which are
!lOW only partially occupied. Currently,
trust in the government by the people is
at an all-time low and many allies and
neighbors are wary as well. A lawsuit,
in fact, is pending. It is highly likely
Dubarium's leader will be sued by the
CPRM for governmental irrespon-
sibility. The result of this lawsuit will
likely be that a new leader will be
awarded control over the city.
But there is also the problem of
Lernaive and there are many
unanswered questions about the
relationship between these two cities.
These events make for a very
suspicious, confused and unhappy
population. The citizens of Dubarium,
especially those in the slums who are
still crammed together like sardines
while the upper platforms are half-
empty, are uncomfortable and angry
with their city's leadership. Further-
more, they fear that if the Judges
determine their government is guilty of
irresponsible actions, they fear power
will not be handed over without a fight.
VILNACO
More than the "child" of Oce, VJnaco
is more like Oce's twin city. ln fact,
during a meeting with the Core
Himself, Vilnaco "surrendered" to
Oce. VJnaco deemed Mroberut Oce a
better candidate to rule over the
eastern City-State. In return, Oce
promised Vilnaco he would help biro
create a new city and then consider it
Oce's equal. Therefore, as soon as Oce
gained control of the eastern city state,
he ordered a highway built to an
outpost that would serve as the basis
for the new city of VJnaco. To secure
this alliance, Oce promised to build a
pendulum that would oscillate until
the new city was constructed or he
would surrender control of Oce to
VJnaco. As promised, the pendulum
was built and it swung until six
months after the new city was formed.
Vilnaco (in a 700 page document)
proposed to Core Himself that his city
be considered a fifth City-State
annexed to Oce. The Core agreed and
these two cities were therefore able to
fuse their economies, police forces and
commercial contracts. Other City-
States were displeased with this
arrangement but the Core Himself
merely replied that if they would like
to create a strong alliance with another
city, he would also grant them the
same privileges.
The two cities shared much, including
academies, alliances with Yhrne Llemir
and other mutually beneficial interac-
tions. Both cities are stable and evolving
economically, politically and socio-
culturally.
MROA
Mroa is small in comparison to other
cities, with a mother-city that only has
five platforms. It has no Skytrain or
protective walls. From Mroa, travelers
can follow the highway from Kolester,
through Mroa and onto Kevoy/Set. The
structure of this city is different from
others as the lowest platform is much
higher off the ground. The roots of the
Mroa kioux were shriveled and popped
above ground in many places, creating
gaps underneath the trunk. The slums,
therefore, extend directly under the tree
and the highway passes directly
beneath the trunk from one side to the
other. Mroa is strongly influenced by
Kolester, similar in so many ways that it
seems eerie and a bit odd.
There is little difference between the
economy, architecture and even the
mood between Mroa and Kolester.
Mroa lacks individuality, as a city, but
still manages to remain strong because
of its function as tbe bridge between
Kolester and Kevoy/Set. Traffic
between these two areas is huge so
Mroa makes quite a tidy profit on both
the taxes of Kevoy/Set and the tolls at
its pay posts.
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CITY
KEVOY/SET
n stood on bare plains. 1 could not
believe that for about three miles
around Kevoy / Set, there were no
Kioux in sight. The sire looked
desolate. The ground seemed to be
made up of ancient Kioux roots
which gave one the feeling of
walking on the wooden floor of a
house or platform of some ancient
Kioux-grown city ... On the left was
the mark of Gnath leadership and an
S stretched over it. On the right door.
a hammer with the mark of the Core
on its head and the letter K written
over it ... As we stepped inside, I could
see that ro the right was the city of
Kevoy and ro the left, Set. clearly
delimited by a large highway"
-Walker's Walk
With Volkois in Kevoy and Gnaths
occupying Set, these dual cites are
highly successful. Competition between
the cities simulates both economies and
challenges both political systems to
fulfill their potential. Since only 20
yards separates one from the other,
clearly they ~ h a r e many of the same
values, ideals, merchandise and trade.
There is however, a growing tension
between Kevoy and Set.
Loyalty to their city is highest in
citizens of Kevoy and Set. The Volkois
have an extremely strong feeling of
patriotism and love for Kevoy and its
leader, the charismatic War Engine
nicknamed Rakar. The Gnath leader,
on the other hand, is rather obscure
and his affiliations to his city not clearly
understood. His nickname is Tag'n and
he is rumored to be a Fourth Sphere
Orchestrator (although what an
Orchestrator does in such a remote
area is confusing and slightly sus-
picious to most questioning minds).
INDEPENDENT
CITIES
Independent cities exist outside the Core's
realm and regulations. By one mean or
another. these cities manage to subsist
without the Core. They are powerful
(usually because they are situated near
an lnais Hearth and therefore have
access to the essential
nutrient for life) and run
by brilliant leaders.
Although there are many
independent cities, only
two examples will be
discussed here.
UCHATERE
"Uchatere is perhaps the most complex
city of all time," according to the
annual CPRM council report. For
most, it is an abomination. Constructed
with only the newest raw 111aterials,
everything in this city is metallic.
There is no wood, resin, vines or
animals skins to be found here, only
twisted, colorful metal. Furthermore,
the city is stacked on top of itself rather
than layered on a kioux.
Uchatere was conceived and designed
by two Fifth Sphere Echoes, a
Conductor and a "Kisim". Poor people
live at the bottom of the city and the
rich and powerful people live on the
top layer, just like every other city.
But, tht> uni9ue thing about Uchatere
js that there-are no slums. Those stuck
on the ground, however, have little
protection from the elements and.
beasts of Naakinis as there is no wall
protecting them like on Khai'-Bhek. It
is not a pleasant place to visit and only
Emovans and Soleks find it easy to
adapt to the metallic surroundings.
One can easily enter the first layer of
this city, walking through the city
doors. The second layer is accessed
through the doors in the central hall.
The third level requires a pass if you
are a resident or with your goods if
you are a merchant. The first layer is
composed of workshops and factories.
The second layer is mainly residences
for the workers of the first layer.
There is a communal train (the frrst to
be built within a city) for those who
need to venture from level to level.
The frrst level also houses the guard
posts, since any attack on the city
would have to originate at the ground
level.
.
The second level IS not in the least
commercial, housing only the workers
~ h o live in a sort of metallic peace with
the usual institutions (libraries,
hospitals, police posts). Level three is
filled with taverns, shops, boutiques
and restaurants. Goods and services
are sold here in a lively manner
reminiscent of the major streets in Oce.
For bureaucratic institutions, from
academies to government offices, you
must go to the fourth level. And the
fifth layer is home for the wealthy
people of this city. There are vast
houses spread out over large, open
areas. It is very aesthetically pleasing to
the eye, and unlike the crowded second
layer. If you look up from the fourth
layer, many of the manors and noble
houses are visible through carefully
orchestrated "holes" in the layer.
Like many independents, the political
position or Uchatere is unclear to all.
Although they do not accept the
Core's rule, they also have no alliances
with neighbors. The city has no
known enemies either as they are not
hostile and their political tactics are
unassuming. The Core has many spies
throughout this city but he has
gleaned little knowledge about its
leaders or their intentions. Rumor has
it that the Core is trying to force\hese
elusive leaders to join the Core or else
they will be attacked.
YHRNE
LLEMIR
Yhrne Llemir is a very old city that has
not modernized its architecture in all
its centuries of existence. The city is
constructed next to a large stone pit.
The rocks that can be gathered from
this pit possess properties that allow
the Weirdsmiths easy manipulations.
Beralt Sieniten, a Weirdsmith genius,
found a way to relate the rock
properties of density to weight,
inverting them and thus granting the
stone a stronger density (structure) for
a smaller weight. These almost weight-
less rocks (that are stronger than s t e e ~
were used to build the entire city,
including the platforms. Artisan stone
carvers from the far reaches of the
realm were invited to join in on the
building of this city because the city's
leader wanted it to be both solid and
beautiful. There is a baroque quality to
Yhrne Llemir, each building intricately
carved by master crafters while at the
same time of considerable bulk. Even
the slums have protective stone walls
50 yards high, offering workers more
protection than any other city. This
creates a sense of security and a quiet
peace because workers are not always
on edge, fearing for their lives.
Yhrne Llemir's political stance is clear;
the city is culturally for the Core and
politically against the Core. The city's
leader publicly denounces the
rampant totalitarian rule that the Core
is already beginning to put in place,
the capitalist despotism that is bound
to develop from economic prosperity.
Change and growth in a positive
manner will not happen until the Core
Himself abandons his despotic role,
according to the inhabitants of Yhrne
Llemir.
Oddly enough, this city looks a lot like
a mini-Core. Many, in fact, believe
that Yhrne's ruler is merely jealous of
the Core Himself. Still, more side with
the city's beliefs that the Core is a very
viable and efficient system. It allows
progressive change and it is fit for the
control and distribution of immense
quantities of both orpee and people.
The problems arise with the Core
Himself. Yhrne Llemir is unwilling to
link itself with the Core until its leader
proves himself worthy of trust.
Commercially, Yhrne is very power-
ful. Located at the junction of three
important Yaki travel roads, they are
often supplied with rare goods and
equipment of quality, plus the great
intellectual movements that occur
from all these travelers spending time
in the city trading ideas.
105

Core's Social Ressource Management
e The Core's News
I Of) SOCIAL SYSTEM
SOCIAL LAYERS
There are as many kinds jobs as there
are lifestyles. There are jobs in the
slums which are different from those
in the wilderness, which are different
from those on platform five or six of
one of the City-States. Similarly, if you
hold a specific job on platform four of
Kha'i-Bhek, it is unlikely that someone
on Oce on the fourth platform does
the same job. Resources of a particular
city or area determine what types of
jobs are available and while general
areas of travail are similar between
cities, specific positions are not.
The social mechanics of a city are
finely tuned, categorized in minute
detail to keep track of who does what
and where. Although no two cities are
exactly alike, understanding the social
structure of Kha'i-Bhek will provide
you with enough detail to understand
any other Core city's basic structure.
KHAi-BHEK'S
HIGHEST PLATFORMS
With the exception of the scientific
research teams and the Core's Army,
jobs on the highest three platforms of
Kha'i-Bhek are all bureaucratic. The
leaders on these platforms manage
the entire Core, the CPRM, CSRM
and CERM. Most everyone within
the Core can only dream of working
as a bureaucrat at the highest levels; a
job that comes with security, good
pay, social advantages is for Gnaths
(and others) a symbol of success.
Corruption and death by any other
means than illness or old age is rare
here. There is no better place to live
than on Khai:-Bhek's upper plates. It
is also exclusive, as few vacancies or
new jobs are created each year.
Anxious to preserve the prestige of
working at this level, the Core Himself
makes sure that security and health
care are top notch for the inhabitants of
these levels. This not only benefits the
upper three plates but gives those who
live on the lower platforms something
to aspire to. Kha'i-Bhek's elite society is
admired by all those who wish to rise in
the ranks, who for a moment hope to
better their standing.
KHAi-BHEK'S
MIOOLE PLATFORMS
Many people who live in the middle
platforms, although they lead privileged,
secure lives, wish for nothing more than
to move higher. Outsiders and people
who live in the slums can imagine no
better fate than to successfully rise to
live on these middle platforms, ' where
jobs are good and the environment is
not stifling. Although security is not as
strong as on the upper platforms, it is
still enough to prevent riots and
external attack. Living in the middle is
not all roses because workers at this
level suffer double the pressure than
those above or below them. While those
in the upper platforms work hard to
keep their jobs, those in the lower
platforms work hacd to secure what
they've got. Inhabitants of the middle
plates must both work hard to secure
what they've got while at the same time
struggle to move up and take over
someone else's job higher up. Their jobs
are threatened by motivated individuals
from below, outsiders from other cities
as well as those above who always risk
being demoted to the "middle class".
The middle class has the most diversity
in terms of job opportunities. Many
have strong technical qualifications
and the job industry is driven by the
ideas and concepts that the upper
platforms produce. Workers in the
_middle platforms put these ideas and
concepts into concrete terms, planning
and using skilled labor to create_
products. They are engineers and
technicians. They are the glue of the
whole city, connecting the upper and
lower through their logic
and practical applications.
KHA'i-BHEK'S
LOWER PLATFORMS
Populated by qualified manual laborers,
the lower platforms have no "slums"
like there are on the ground. Rather,
everyone on these platforms works long
hours on specific tasks. The pay is not
too high but security is assured to a
certain degree, so while there is not a
large community feeling, most of these
workers have ambition to rise to the
next platform or higher. Few achieve
upward mobility but many successfully
work throughout their lives and avoid
most danger by staying out of the slums.
KHAi'-BHEK'S
SLUMS
Below the platforms, unsheltered on
the ground sprawls Kha'i-Bhek's vast
network of slums. Because they are
protected by the Enclave's walls,
however, these slums are considered
the "best" on Kainas. In fact, the Core
refers to them as the Slums in order to
differentiate from other cities' slums.
Because the Slums of Kha'i-Bhek are
so far-reaching, although Oce first
produced slum-technologies, it was
Kha!-Bhek that claimed that success
as their own. The Slums obtained and
quickly popularized slum-technologies_
in such a fashion that most people
believe slum-technologies were
in the Slums of Kha:i-Bhek.
All workers hold jobs in the industrial
sectors. You can fmd almost anything
in the slums, if you know where to
look. But, they are also extremely
dangerous to the uninitiated. The
Slums in particular are the most
aggressive of all the cities. They have
the biggest mazes of streets, the most
complex gang system and the most
dialects of any slum. It is as though the
slums are a universe unto themselves
where you'll even find evidence of
happiness, honesty and friendship if
you search hard enough.
Surrounding the slums are the fields,
farms, mines and forests. These small
villages produce essential resources
for Khru-Bhek and the Enclave. They
use small roads to travel to and from
the slums in order to transport their
wares. These villagers are rough,
strong folk who are used to fighting
rogue bandit troupes and wild beasts.
But they are mostly peaceful folk who
enjoy manual labor, from the tame
farming of herbivore beasts to the
extremely dangerous task of mining
for resources.
People who have no fear of danger
live in remote villages and outposts
for the new cities under construction.
Because the situation is so dire (wild
beast attacks are common), pay for
working in these areas is high and if
workers survive their assignment,
such as building a new city, they can
usually retire soon after their work is
completed. Jobs offered in this realm
are manual, from construction work
to building weapons to repairing
vehicles. All interested parties are
tested before they may venture out
into the unknown, unsettled areas to
make sure they are worthy of the task.
The job contracts in these places
usually only last for a couple of years
and so many of them travel in small
bands from outpost to outpost,
seeking work and developing strong
bonds with others who do similar
jobs.

AND UNDER<JROUNDERS
The nomads are mostly Yakis and
Soleks but sometimes other races might
merge with their tribes or a bunch of
Volkoi:s and Gnaths might decide to
become nomadic merchants. This way
of life usually brings death or success:
those who manage to make a place for
themselves in this nomadic way of life
usually gets paid well, according to the
risk involved. New nomad groups have
to make sure none of their potential
trading routes already belong to a Yaki
or Solek tribes before they attempt to
get into the game.
The waterfolks are mostly Emovans
save a few Yakis tribes who specialize
in under/above-ground exchanges. The
Soleks and so can Frilins also have the
capacity to walk underwater with ease
although not all of them make use of
this talent. Many who try the
underwater lifestyle never return above
ground because they come to love the
Emovan way of life. These waterfolk
are divided into two distinct groups:
sedentary and nomadic. Both are
mirror images of their "above-ground"
versions. The sedentary folk deal in
crafts of aU kind, vegetal culture and
herding (for transportation, food and
defense) while the nomads travel the
underground rivers from one region to
another (much faster than above-
ground travel).
The undergrounders are mostly lnais
living in their hearths, although other
races do have representation under-
ground. Nearly all undergrounders,
regardless of race, are dedicated to
gathering a particular resource, usually
housed deep within a cave. Half a
million workers, for example, toil daily
in the orpee mines, either mining,
packaging, distributing or one of many
other processes required to harvest and
ship the orpee to Khai-Bhek.
107
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Core's Economic Ressource Management
e The Core's News
THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Besides Bps (the Core's Blood pieces),
orpee is the most common currency.
Independents may also use the barter
system in their economic dealings.
"The industries are very important
ro our society for they help us grow
and evolve both as individuals and as
a social entity:
Droliath Estolah.
Corporations, industry and merchants
of all trades are generally encouraged
to expand and grow their trade. The
Core Himself wishes to increase the
speed of evolution of his society he
believes that for this to happen, people
need to work harder and more
successfully. A thousand slaves may
be able to construct a pyramid but ten
engineers and a hundred skilled
workers with a plan will do it more
successfully and in a shorter amount
of time. The Core Himself, therefore,
wants his Citizens to become
physically and mentally healthier. At
all costs, he wants to discourage
laziness. He therefore encourages
competition amongst workers. Those
that do similar jobs are often enemies.
Corporate wars and tensions between
merchant associations are ever
present, although the Core tries to
prevent them. Most industries are
short-lived in this environment. As
long as a company complies with the
Core's regulations, it receives some
backing and protection from the Core.
These companies often grow at a faster
rate and are more successful, so it pays
to follow the Core's rules. And since
many companies and industries were
all but destroyed during the Years of
Chaos, new companies stand a pretty
good chance of turning a profit if they
do things right.
Like any capitalist system, companies
are out to make a pro'f1t and if they
have control of the market, will charge
high .prices for goods and services.
People recognize the situation, but are
powerless to stop it. There are four
types of Core companies: the Basic,
Intermediate, Advanced and Superior
Economic Sm:iety. (There are also
independents, which will be treated
separately). These companies can be
diagrammed in a pyramid-like struc-
ture. The numerous B.e.s. make up the
base while the rare S.e.s. are situated
at the peak. This hierarchic system
limits power relationships to the
biggest companies.
The Core Himself finds this system
useful because it enables his government
to monitor and influence evecything
from their lofty position of power. To
some extent, the Core is able to foresee
or predict economic movements and
manipulate the market accordingly.
Companies, therefore, tty to get in the
Core's good books, to gain his support
and respect so he does not disrupt the
success of their particular business.
B.e.s. are the equivalent of the craft
men of the middle ages while the I.e.s.
would be the investors of the
industrial revolution era. The A.e.s. is
contemporary and the S.e.s. are
"super-corporations."
There are many advantages to
becoming commercially legal. First you
get a B.e.s. stamp beside your
company's name. You are archived at
the Core's CERl\!llibrary, which means
that anybody that needs your product
can fmd you in this catalog. You can
also benefit from a yearly CERM loan
ro help you out (the maximum amounts
are different for each grade: $1,000,000
for B.e.s., $10,000,000 for l.e.s.,
$100,000,000 for A.e.s. and
$1,000,000,000 for S.e.s.). Finally,
there is an implicit protection for those
who are "part of the Core": there is a
possibility that the CERM will help
you if you get robbed or struck by any
other kind of disaster. Note that this is
all new and that the Core Himself
created it to promote economic growth
and show his good will towards
industry.
B . ~ . s . : 4
These small companies are local: their
power is restricted to the city to which
they belong. B.e.s. cannot import any
goods nor export their product. They
must deal only in local resources in all
aspects of their trade, indirectly aiding
the locaJ economy. Many companies
try to use raw materials or a paxt of the
workforce that has not yet been used
by other companies. If they need
something that cannot be found in their
city or region, they have to ask a bigger
company to import it for them,
allowing the larger company to
The Core's :'\ews: CIL\PTJ.R 0:\L The Core's Crusade Vol. 110 n45 CORJ:'s PLBLISIII :\G
supervise and monitor their develop-
ment closely. Usually, B.e.s. will center
their operations on one or two
products, craftwork or basic resources
(for example, the bark of a particular
tree and its resin). It is family owned
and operated, generally, with few
personnel and rarely over 100 workers.
Inventive B.e.s. will develop more
complex products that may interest
bigger companies. If that is the case,
the B.e.s. becomes an l.e.s. or an A.e.s.
so that they can benefit from its
product too. This is a survival case of
the fittest: Think globally, act locally. -

These companies are restricted to a
quadrant (see Geodem system p.91). In
many ways they resemble the B.e.s.:
they cannot import nor eXP,ort anything
from the three other quadrants and they.
must deal with the materials, products,
workforce and wits available in their
quadrant. Most companies remain at
this level for decades or even centuries
before graduating to A.e.s. status. These
companies' main purpose is to profit
from the vast array of new products
they bring to the market, hopefully
products not found in other quadrants.
They use the B.e.s. as subcontractors.
Similarly, they often serve the purposes
of the A.e.s. who will subcontract them.
These companies often hire up to a
thousand employees in their different
workshops and businesses, and they
sometimes control up to ten stores
within their quadrant.

The advanced companies are those
who achieve sufficient commercial
success to be able to export and import
Printed on JOOo/o pure Kiou" leaves. Manufactured by Kioux Leaf A.E.S .. in Khai-Bhek on the fourth plate at 467, Ouigorn street.
anywhere within the Core. Those A.e.s.
caught dealing with independent cities
are severely punished. A.e.s. are very
powerful and rich, able to influence
many sectors. They are not completely
autonomous, as S.e.s. and the Core
supersede them, but they do possess
enough power to be dangerous. These
companies work quickly and invest
plenty of time and money into their
product so that otheP.A.e.s. companies
do not fill the market before they-do. To
become an A.e.s., you must also be
visionary, intelligent, perseverant, witty
and aggressive. You cannot expect
your good ideas to fulfill themselves on
their own-you must carry yourself to
the top and be prepared to crush your
opponents to do so. At this level, there
is no friendly relationship between the
employees and the boss. There is no
spirit of camaraderie like in the smaller
enterprises. This is a multinational on a
mission to become an S.e.s. A.e.s. can
be as small as a thousand employees
dedicated to a single product (high-end
weapons, for example) that is in a
constant state of development. They
can ;lso be as large as 100,000
employees for companies dealing with
food, clothing, basic weapons and
supplies. Those who specialize often opt
to hire brilliant researchers and
development teams to keep their
product evolving constantly while the
others focus on maximizing the size o'f
their market. Their economic income is
very substantial, although some
actiVISts, like Awakeners, Truth
Crafters and Judges, often try to
transform them into fairer companies.
Just like I.e.s. and B.e.s., many such
industries were destroyed during the
Years of Chaos so there are plenty of
vacant areas in the economic district.
B.e.s. and I.e.s. reconstruct easily as
you only have to muster some support,
relocate your workers in the workshop
and start the engines again. It is more
difficult for A.e.s. who function on
contacts and inunense sources of funds
to sustain onerous wars against
commercial opponents and to finance
their strategists and scientists.
S
.Q <.. ' "*-
' ...... . ,:').'
To any non-S.E.S, the S.e.s. represent
power and freedom. They are free to
deal with anyone they want, even
independent cities. They are even able
to trade with new civilizations that the
Core Himself has never heard of. They
can assist and vote in the CERM
debates and reunions, meaning they
hold some political sway. The Core
Himself, however, as veto rights over
every decision. Currently there are
eight S.e.s. and none of them crumbled
during the Years of Chaos although
they suffered some setbacks. The
economic growth promised by the
Core Himself, which seems to now be
on its way, is supposed to create
between 5 and 15 new areas for S.e.s.
expansion. S.e.s. deal with very rare or
specialized components, products or
services. Although orpee is central to
most of them, it is a domain which the
new S.e.s. won't have access since it is
a saturated market. Whether this
means these new companies will be
able truly equal in status to the original
eight is left to be seen.
An example of a current S.e.s. is Secure
Stock, a company that provides
security for orpee distribution to
companies, cities and private organiza-
f
109

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Core's Economic Ressource Management
e The Core's News
tions who can afford such services.
Given that nearly everyone with more
orpee than he can carry must secure it
somewhere, Secure Stock offers an
essential service for many. Plus, this
company has a large advantage over its
competitors as it was the first offer this
service and has had more time to
perfect its technologies. Furthermore,
with orpee being such a valuable
commodity (possession), people are not
about to risk storing their supply with
an unknown company. Even high
Spheres Echoes store their orpee with
Secure Stock. The company employs
millions of workers and is opening up
facilities regularly in new cities. Since
they can import anything from any
region, they have a strong say in which
company will climb up the pyramid and
which one will fall. This is of the utmost
importance because it changes the
dynamics of what happens below,
Forming relationships with such
companies is extremely important for
smaller enterprises.
CondnRion
While I.e.s. function as a bridge
between two levels of business, the
A.e.s. possess a large amount of power,
yet still remain under the thumb of the
S.e.s. and the Core. As small as they
are, B.e.s. can perform miracles with a
little bit of luck and a great product.
Those above control those below and
with a snap of the fingers, can crush the
dreams of a company, or lift it to star
status. In theory, things are very clear
but, in practice, corruption is
omnipresent. The presence of Echoes
in the economic sector (mainly Truth
Cratters, Overlords, Nightmares and
some Mind Chemists) can also
complicate things.
r
These merchants are mostly Yaki who
refused to become part of the Gnath
system. Although they do not form
companies, they offer similar goods
and services. In essence, the only thing
holding them back from becoming
officially recognized companies is
their nomadic nature. According to
the Core's regulations, you need a
personal and a business address to
start a company.
These merchants do not submit to the
Core's regulations. They are as free as
S.e.s. but they are prevented from
traded commercially dangerous
products to avoid competition with
local companies.
For example, Yaki tribes usually use
spies in the cities they deal with to
know what goods are lacking so they
do not try and sell into a market that is
saturate. These merchants are not
protected and cannot go to the Core
for money if they get into a jam. It is a
risky business which prevents many
from getting involved.
CERM 001: Upon registration of a
company, its shareholder (s) must bring
proof of residency. They must also give
notice of any change of residence within
ten days. They must also bring a proof
of their commercial address.
CERM 002: Every company must
archive all of its commercial activities.
A Core's Archivist must compile these
every two months. A yearly report is
also required.
CERM 003: Every comp<lny must
comply with the rules regarding its
commercial status. The territories of
each are strictly defined under the
Geodem section.
CERM 004: Any eligible company
can ask to be raised to the next
economical status. The rules of eligibi-
lity are as follow:
l. The company's business must reach
all the normal estimations for at
least five years in a row. The Core's
Archivists, upon the creation of the
torrtpan,Y: set those estimations.
2. The company must be of good
reputation for at least twenty years:
3. The company must reveal its goals
and must prove the necessity of
revised status.
4. The company must sign a new
contract in which it engages to
follow the regulations regarding its
new status.
(Here are the specifications and
details regarding each of the parti-
cular cases).
CERM 005: Every Company willing
to engage in a new kind of economic
activity must notifY the Core's Archi-
vists within a month.
INDUSTRIES
Here we will outline a few companies
ranging from B.e.s. to S.e.s .. Some of
them started way before the Core was
created, but they all have remained
very productive and loyal to the Core.
BASIC
ECONOMIC SOCIETIES
J:. "'ood 111 Fl box (FfB)
Deliciously tasty and almost divine, our
food just gets better the longer it stays in
its box: We use boxes filled with natural
flavoring agents that also serve for
conservation, so the equation is simple:
the longer the better! Store food for
months, it will only become tastier
without losing a single bit of its
nutrients! Use them when traveling,
store them at home or throw them at
your enemies to knock them off! FIB
food can serve more than one purpose!
Can opener not included. On sale, only
found on fourth avenue in your loyal city
of Duoarim, in front of the fighting halls.
Some of our canned meals:
l.Vegetal compost (canned vegetables):
Vegetables pressurized and canned
(different varieties, mixed or not).
2.Tasty pasty: A classic dish. A hearty dose
of fruit rolled in an earthy pastry.
3. Live bugs: a selection of carefully
handpicked bugs, packed live so that you
can choose when they're ripe enough for
you! We recommend a month for a perfect
taste.
We expect a rapid increase in the demand
for our miraculous products (ask the
Echoes!) also we expect to reach the status
of l.e.s. very soon. So stay with us!!!
In our small family, the tradition of
engineering and metal work has been
passed on from generation to
generation. Our fathers taught us
everything there is to know about steel
and motion (engines, propellers), and
our products are the result of three
hundred years of hard work, constant
research and an obsession for
reliability and durability. Since we
only work on orders, come to our
home-shop in Cudhrema to check out
our products: you'll be amazed to see
what we can do with our hands and
solidarity! You should expect a month
for delivery unless special arrange-
ments are taken. We're located near
the northern gate, near the ten-yard
long spike.
Two of our models:
l.Wheelderness: eight motorized wheels
allowing for optimal traction on any surface.
With its C22, this little wonder can reach
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1 I I

VCERM
112
Core's Economic Ressource Management
e The Core's News
up to 80 mph, and with its exclusive gravity
compensation system, it makes no
difference whether you're on a 1:1at surface
or climbing up a tree.
2.Crindrider: We know that many of you
like your bike to have a little extra bite.
This bike has lots of it. The main innovation
consists of layered wheels which can grind
the ground as well as peel off the skin or
your enemies -your choice. For complete
technical details, come to our store.
I u I
For those who can afford to spend
some real quality time. For those who
are bored of the Gnath's rhythm of life
and prefer to make some sacrifices in
order to preserve some mental well
being.
For those who like to travel slowly but
safe and sound. Our beasts are not the
fastest - they don't need to be fast-
neither do you. Instead of buying the
noisiest and fastest new super-bike,
why don't you just sit down for a
minute and take a look at our
sympathetic creatures. Learn about
their personality and about whom
they are and you will buy a lifetime
friend. Vehicles come and go - we
guarantee that our mounts are all
unique: each of them is lovely in its
own way, waiting for you to discover
its faithfulness and loyalty. Treat them
well and, in a hundred years, they will
still be there working for you, stronger
and bigger than before, and with a
lifelong bond to you. And think about
money: our prices are modest, and
additional costs are lower, too:
vehicles have to be fuelled everyday
and they break so easily. Our mounts
need only to be fed with some basic,
cheap cereals (they all are
herbivorous) -and should you go in
the wilderness, you won't need a two
tons fuel tank!
Mounts:
l. Crandatorus: This Incredible creature is
one of our best sellers: its long back
four passengers to mount it. It can speed up
to a decent 20 mp/h independently of
whether it is in high or low ellow region or
if it is walking up hills or through dense
jungles. Even more, this creature's meat is
so disgusting that animals sense it from far
away. This helps to avoid attacks that are
common when mounting other animals and
it can also go as far as preventing attacks on
other mounts!
2.Joo: This beast is nicknamed Joo to
compensate for its unappealing presence.
This sludge-like mount may seem diSgusting
at first but, once you get use to it and learn
all about its qualities, you won't ever travel
without it. It's slow but it can easily adhere
to any surface at any given time. It can go
anywhere, even those horrible slippey
surfaces at the base of city kioux truaks l
3.Larowg: These huge beasts are perfect for
traveling to far-Bung regions. Look at them:
immense and powerful, they are as efficient
as the Yakis' huoras! WeU, almost. They
won't go as fast and they won't climb up in
trees but it will take some real pain before
they stop or even hurt a little. If yott ask
me, these creatures are simply adorable. If
you have a family of them (six or more)
they all gather around you when the night
comes and make an impressive barrier,
which allows for a very safe rest!
lwlp
iLh t ht> hf' Jp of \iHIII' f')
Everyone works too hard these days.
Nobody takes care of himself or herself.
If you don't have time, don't you think
someone should? We do care for you
and, if you trust us, we will compensate
for everything you lacked for before.
Our herbs, medicines and potions are
customized to YOUR needs: if we don't
.have it in store, we will create it for
you and we will even give you free trials
until you are satisfied! We will design.
soothing herbs for your mind, blood-
stoppers, body regulators, cures for all
kinds of diseases ... whatever you might
need and it's all The plants and
animals around us provide us with
everything we need to stay healthy. You
just have to know how to use them -
and we do.
You can find us in Kevoy/Set, Kevoy
side, near the northern exit on the
highway.
Samples of our products:
Herbal cookies: This is perhaps our most
prized. Their natural virtues aren't as
astonishing as some of our other products
but their price tag more than compensates
for it and they are a delicious way of staying
happy and healthy all your life!
The Core's 0-:ews: Cll \PTLR 0:\Jc. The Core's Crusade Vol. II 0 n45 CORE's PL llLISIII:\C
Vitadrink: Extracts of plants, orpee
infusion, kioux leaves juice and water from
the deepest oceans! This drink could revive
the dead! One whole drink will keep you
awake and fully alert for ten hours
whatever your state of fatigue. In cases of
"near death" we can guarantee four hours of
alertness. Warning: This solution can have
some dangerous side effects on old people.
They should use it in smaller doses or avoid
drinking it altogether.
Harmony: This pill was conceived to
regulate "fluctuating" metabolisms. Should
you be bleeding too much, having a bad
allergic reaction, or anything else of the
sort, this pill will Ji" it up in less then one
minute. Of course its effects are only
temporary and you 'II have to Gnd a more
permanent solution afterwards (we have
many products which might do the trick,
but they simply take more time to have an
effect on the metabolism, and so they nee<l
to be used in combination with our
Harmony line of products to be efficient).
T rrific!
I X I
"Gather here everyone! Everyone,
who can ever claim to be safe enough?
No one. We sell the best weapons and
armors in the entire city. This week we
have a great sale on these and many
more: the Kioux spiked mace, the
armored pads and the True blade -
our latest, meanest inventions to
date!! No! NO!! NO!! Here, over
here!! Come back! What the \\\\?!
Come back I said!! We're in Kha'i-
Printed on 100% pure Kioux leaves. Manufactured by Kioux Leaf A.E.S., in Khai-Bhek on the fom1h plate at 467, Oui orn street.
Bhek's slums, northern commercial
section 3! You losers! We are not in
the slums of some vulgar city!!
Kiou.x spiked mace: Our blacksmiths have
taken a great deal of time to perfect their
technique using the flesh ofkioux, which
we can easily admire by looking at the rich
deep red texture it turns into when it is
perfectly treated. Like you can see, this
mace comes with the maximum number of
spikes possible- take a look, not a single
spike could be added to it! Light, easy to
handle, crushing and piercing, what more
can you ask of a weapon down here? Sure!
You won't kill Elite guards with it! But you
can take on your neighbor anytime!!
Pads: Molded right on you! Three special
types of resin have been used to create a
pad that is easily molded and very reliable
once solidified. The blue glow on it is due to
the more special of the three resins. Some
rumors say this resin is only found in the
northern wastelands, which would explain a
lot of things! You can use them as
kneepads, elbow pads, shoulder pads -
whatever you like! Did I hear "a full body
padding"? Sold to this aggressive little
gnath over there!
True Blade: You have probably heard of or
seen some jislane. Well, this ordinary
looking plant can be craved into almost any
shape without losing any of its properties of
durability and flexibility. Our famous
unique 'Emovan carver crafts it! He went
back home for teo whole years to learn the
craft of Sastak! And now, using the same
methods with other materials, he crafted
these True blades just for you! They are
perhaps what are closest to a Sastak blade.
You perhaps won't be able to slice creatures
from the Dream in two but you sure won't
have any problems with rogues anymore!

Some enterprises offer you the end of
the world, a door through to the Sofe,
a ladder to the Kioux's limit or
whatever. We don't. These companies
most likely think that you are stupid,
that you all dream of impossible things
and that you will buy almost anything
even if you don't need it. We have
much more respect for you than that.
What we offer you is the things you
live with, the things you see around
you. Of course we might provide a
better quality, perhaps reinvent them a
little to better suit your needs, but we
try to remain as honest as possible. Do
you really need more lethal weapons
and heavy armor? Do you need
backpacks when you never leave your
home to travel? We don't think so.
That is why what we try to do is not to
invent a new life for you but to make
your current life better. No revolution:
only a strong commitment to a better
quality of life. Some examples of the
products we offer: folding chairs and
tables, removable cushions, furniture
for any section of your house, blinders
(use them instead of curtains to give a
very modern, high plate look) and the
list goes on and on. You can fmd us in
Oce on the south quarter, in the
second commercial section, a five
minute walk east of Oce Pendulum:
Visit us!
I 13
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Core's Economic Ressource Management
114
e TheCorc's:\c\\S
INTERMEDIATE ECONOMIC
SOCIETIES-
Brflin
therapies never hurt anybody's psyche.
Brain problems are real problems that must
be treated accordingly.
Combat
..._________.I I
Lacking productivity? Having problems
concentrating? Your lifestyle is driving
you insane? Paranoia? Schizophrenia?
Difficulty to deal with the Dream's
presence, the plates over your heads,
your dangerous neighbors in the slums?
Don't wony; we're here. You can
consult us at any of our branches in the
northern quadrant of Kolester.
Efficiency and discretion is assured.
BRAIN SIGHT (THREE LEVELS):
Brain check-up: overall check-up of your
neurological functions for synapses and all
the other things that can block them ...
recommended if you want to avoid having
to hire very expensive services later on.
Brain probe: Overall check -up for deeper
problems, profound scars and hidden
traumas. Might be required for severe cases.
Psyspy: At least one Mind walker is
required for this service. An all-out
investigation of the patient's Mind. This
service is required for mind bombs,
dangerous viruses or serious mental
illnesses.
Brain repair: A complement to our Brain
sight service. This service is always
administered on the basis of the Brain sight
results and so there are no pre-established
prices or descriptions. For those of you who
would feel unsafe with this, we can only say
that we are professionals and that our
Have you ever realized why some
fighters always have an edge on the
others? Often it is because they use E
(eflow)-weapons. Every single piece
of equipment we have in our stores
can be E-enhanced and this can bring
very powerful results. We won't brag
about our strengths any further; we
will let our creations do the talking.
We can be reached in any city in the
western quadrant ofUlabediare -look
for the smoking sword sign on top of
our stores.
E-Slash blade: This weapon bas been
designed to reduce the weight of the
weapon and maintain a perfect balance no
matter how it is swung. Two functions are
imbued to the weapon: Def and Dam. Def
increases the blade's response to circular
and vertical movements (ideal for parrying).
Dam creates another kind of vibration,
which allows attacks to be more effective.
Impact war-hammer: This E. weapon bas
been designed on the basis of the plans the
lna'is Weirdsmith Mali-Shora used to make
hammers out of uncraftable materials ... So
this war-hammer was conceived for
maximum impact on contact with another
surface. The required material and
technique to allow for this makes this
hammer very heavy and so, only strong
fighters will be able to use this three-handed
monstrosity in combat (mostly volko'is ... ).
Once triggered, the Impact doubles the
actual strength of the blow by releasing a
pressure surge equal to the present
pressure.
E-root ring mail: This ordinary-looking
armor can actually absorb and store a
considerable quantity of Essence, which can
then either be slowly absorbed by the body
through connections to the armor and/or
release itself in one dose to absorb the
damage of a blow. This is actuaUy a very
potent and popular version of a stronger
armor but many adventurers now rely on
this one.
l...____R ____.I
Perhaps you thought that you could
learn everything about the laws and
numbers, two things that makes half
of the starting companies crumble
within a year under their dire
complexity - and run your company
meanwhae ? Now that you're in, you
probably understand how numbers
and laws are amazingly complex- and
that you don't have the time to both
run your company and do your
accountancy. Now that you do know
about us, wouldn't you like to save a
lot of time, to maximize your gains and
to secure your situation should any
problems occur, all this for only a
small monthly fee? A contract with us
is virtually buying our lifetime loyalty.
Take a look at the most common
services we offer and, if you come to
reason, contact us at: Kaderun, 3.v
plate, 4h section, 1353 Kise Hall (turn
right after the Core's stand by the
main street). Note: every member of
our personnel is a distinguished
member of the Core's CERM
Academy (with various grades).
Accounting: This is our basic service. For a
monthly fee, we keep your books up to date
and, since all of our Accountants are
accredited by the CERMA's, there is no
need for the Core's archivists to double-
check their work (which should please
many of you).
Advisors: This optional service is offered to
you as soon as you hire one of our
accountants. Advisors can only be contacted
in person and their fees are charged on an
hourly basis.
Representative: Perhaps you really need a
contract with a company but they are based
far away and you don't have the time to go
meet them. We wiU. Our representation
officers will travel anywhere at your
expense to represent you and your
company. Warning: Numbers and Lawyers
refuse all responsibilities for unsuccessful
negotiations and so no lawsuits can be
engaged against us. In case of success, our
fees vary according to the length of the
negotiations, the quality of the required
representatives, etc. It is always best to
come and discuss those things personally so
we may custom our services to your needs.
Lawyers: We can provide you with the best
lawyers for any problem and in any
situation. This might give you the edge you
often need in critical situations.
Printed on I 00% Kioux leaves. Manufactured Kioux Leaf A.E.S., in Khai-Bhek on the fourth
I
A young Ina'is from a northern hearth
decided to dedicate her whole life to
nurse and cure the courageous lnai's
warriors who so regularly fought
bravely to prevent invasions or simply
patrolling the caves. She had such
prodigal talents, love and dedication
that she built up an entire organization
within a few decades. Soon, biological
and medical scientists living in the
same hearth flocked to her help and
within a century, Kora Medica became
what it is now. Despite its large range
of products and high (you can
see our products everywhere in the
Kolester's quadrant) every ooe of Kora
Medica's products are home made with
the same fervor and dedication. We
simply understood that others also
suffered and needed our help and so
we decided to offer our services to as
many people as possible. As you know,
our hospitals are our main achieve-
ments but we also developed high
pharmaceutical products. For a
complete selection of our products,
come and see us in our hospital stores
in aliuost every city within the
Kolester's quadrant.
!.Healing patches: These patches will help
your wounds to close in no time. Apply
softly on the skin and secure it with the
adhesive bandage included in the package.
Leave it there for ten minutes for light
wounds and ten hours for deep wounds: it
will feel like the wound is completely
healed: it won't be! The patches are
designed to close the wound to prevent
viruses from infecting it, not to heal the
wound (we'd love to find a way to make
that possible with patches but we haven't
succeeded at this yet).
2.Detoxer: If you have been drugged or
poisoned, this little potion might be your
only chance. This detoxer comes in four
formats (soft, moderate, strong, lethal) and
will automatically detect the components of
the poison and act accordingly (quickly for
fast acting poisons and so on). The only
thing you have to do is to either drink it or
inject it with the needle enclosed in the
package (You don't need to hit a vein: the
detoxer will fmd its way in).
EnhiltH.: {"r
You know the shoemaker repairs your
shoes, the dressmaker repairs your
clothes, the blacksmith repairs your
tool, etc. Do you know anyone who can
repair your steel sword - let alone
enhance it? We do. Our trade is to take
your old stuff and make it not only
better looking but also generaUy better.
For our fancy clients, we cao even
afford the rare service of a Weirdsmith
should it really require his presence!
Neither Sar're, Olre or me are Echoes.
lu fact, we don't need to be Echoes: our
volkoi' arms are stronger than steel and
our Volkoi' will help us to be even
stronger whenever needed. We'll take
that hammer and make it so easy to

f
I 15

VCERM
116
Core's Economic Ressource Management
e The Core's l\ews
handle you won't ever understand how
it happened. We'll take that armor,
reshape it and we swear you won't
recognize it: tougher, comfortable and
most of all, beautiful: the look is very
important for any warrior who respects
himself and we are here to demonstrate
this fact to everybody. Come and see us
in our shop, we are located in Khai-
Bhek on the fifth plate. Just ask about
us -you will find us in no time. Once
you step in, don't be surprised to fmd no
weapons: our tools are your weapons.
Many ask: "why are you still only an
I.e.s. ?"The answer is simple: we don't
need to be bigger. We're within reach
of every resource we need. All we
need now is your confidence, and it
seems to be growing. Our tower in the
distant mountains, we have all the
time and tranquility required to craft
the perfect cyberware you have
traveled so far to get your hands on.
We don't need - let alone want - to
move near a city. Our cyberware
demands masterful crafting and only
by creative ritual can we achieve this
degree of quality in our products. Our
master, the great Engineer Juo, taught
us to create our cyberware not only
with our hands and eyes but also with
our entire self.
Allow yourself a few days when you
come to buy from us. Our cybernetic
products means changing parts of
your body, which means you must
first ask yourself some questions.
Are you your body? What is you?
Are you the of physical,
emotional and mental parts? If yes,
are you really ready to change one
of your body parts for something
more efficient but obviously "less
personal"? Possibly disrupting the
harmonious eflow within your body?
There are a lot of questions related to
the creation and application of
cyberwares. Losing a limb in combat,
these questions would have been less
important: necessity sheds light on
many things. We don't offer a catalog
nor do we stock our products in
warehouses: each cyberware is
created and customized expressly for
our clients. Those cyberwares that
are created in advance are to be seen
and felt by your own eyes and hands.
To find us, follow the virtual highway
that would exist Northwest ofVunaco
if a city would exist after it. Keep
following that straight imaginary line
until you see an immense dead kioux
with a lot of broken branches on the
ground. You'll probably hear the loud
grinding noise of the worms inside the
tree eating what's left of its flesh. On
the ground, you will see a particularly
straight branch, seemingly pointing
north-northwest. Starting from there,
follow the line for eight walking
hours: you will come within sight of
an immense fortified tower. That is
where we are. Although the surroun-
ding region has been cleaned, stay
alert ... this is always and will always
be wilderness.
ADVANCED ECONOMIC
SOCIETIES
Birth of II
I I
Echoes! We are what you need. Have
you ever thought of acquiring a
reputation? No! Not that useless
ordinary Echo reputation, but a real
reputation. We mean that your name
will be known everywhere, your deeds
will be archived every time you will send
the records to us (we tell you right now:
no lies, our specialists will see right
through them!) Additionally, every
good become a Tale and 10%
of the profits will go back to you. Truth
Crafters wishing to play with your past_
will fmd it problematic since you'll be
more rooted in reality than any Echo
who doesn't already deal with us! Apart
from that, we contacts throughout
the Core that can allow you to mingle
with influential people should you travel
to their city and need a band getting on
the upper plates: every one of our office
holds a monthly updated copy of your
fJe so we can serve you anywhere - and
this is just the beginning. Just come and
see us in person and we will teU you
more about it tben. For now, just take a
look at our basic services:
l.Reprecord: Every time you send us some
information about yourself, we update your
folder so that we may know where you are
should you require anything else from us. Of
course, you can choose to keep your folder
confidential or restricted- it's entirely up to
you. This archive is the basic service we offer
and it is required for all the other services.
For more complete information about our
reprecords, come to one of our offices.
2.Representation: We can represent you
officially whenever you wish us to (let's say
you can't appear at a really important
public event: if you consent, your personal
delegate will make sure that you are
perfectly represented (the more information
we have on you the better) ... here again,
visit us for more information.
3. Taletellers: As soon as you give us the go
ahead, you become pati of our Hall of flame.
Of course, you'll start down the ladder but
you can climb as you evolve - it's aU up to
you: many Echoes wish to be on the top so,
the faster you evolve, the better are your
chance of coming within range of the top few.
Even if you're the last in our Hall of Fame,
your adventures will be told by_ our trafty
Taletellers - each of them are half-Echoes H
And since every one of our Taleteller uses the
txact same basic story despite his own
method and style of interpretation, these
stories are much more convincing than the
usual inconsistent legends!
4.Cleaners: Perhaps you did something you
would rather keep for yourself- but
someone saw or heard you and now tbe
rumor is spreading ... We can help ... no
questions asked.
Everyone knows that violence ts
everywhere: this world was created
that way- or so it seems- and avoiding
that fact is like being blindfolded in
front of an execution squad. Our
weapons are designed in this spirit: no
quarters. No armors, no shields or
whatever, only weapons. Pikame, an
impressive Solek Nightmare and
Tanhraro, an even more impressive
Volkoi' War Engine, initiated this
company. Both fourth Sphere Echoes,
they understood the world like very
few do and their answer was simple yet
complete: this worlA is. war . . Don't
avoid this truth, don't hide in a corner,
don't dream of a better world! Make
your place in this one with its very own
remedy: violence. Of course not
everyone is fit for this challenging life
and sesgids will be on the look for
gains, but we are here to avoid this.
When you come to our shop you will
undertake a mental test: should you be
weak, lame or coward, you will be
rejected: our weapons are for real
warriors, for aggressive warriors who
want to attack with these weapons -
not for the ones that want to defend
themselves with them. AB if you didn't
already know. This is our only
trademark: the .fighters who bear our
weapons are amongst the best .fighters
on Kainas. ShouJd you be eligible to
wear our weapons, you'll become part
of our great fraternity of killers. One
thing: we like fighters, we love
indestructible warriors, we admire
berserkers but we hate psychos.
Psychos are weaklings wbo can only
find strength in madness. Madness is
the final, most primitive form of fear in
front of adversity, in front of reality.
Psycho murderers are the weakest of
all sentient beings: they failed to exist
in the real world and try to convince
others of the opposite ...
Note: as a member of our Fraternity,
your membership fee will fall as your
membership ages and your war exploits
become known of and you will be
eligible for our yearly contest of True
Warrior. Of course carrying such a
weapon - out tags can't be missed -
also has dramatic effects on your
enenues.
l.The Drill: This spear-like weapon will
pierce through any armor in a second and
through any structure in a minute. Once
you activate it, the piercing sound should be
more than enough to warn your enemies of
their error ...
2.Reactor sword: Have you ever seen one of
these new Yaki techno-tribes? Nearly all of
these new tribes now have a squad, which
consist of up to ten Yakis riding their swords
with steel soled boots to keep a better grip
of the weapon during combat, recklessly
driving through any obstacle until they
strike down their enemy with a single,
deadly blow. These triangular blades carry
numerous small yet powerful reactors on
one side that are strong enough to allow its
wielder to ride the blade on the other side
by raising the sword to an adequate angle.
The reactors statis or stops on the push of a
knob (we are designing a modular version
right now). Needless to say that those who
are fierce but lacking natural strength will
love a compensation of that kind.
3.Boomer axe: This axe blade (sastak)
mounted on a long staff (steel) with an
invisible sastak rope allows its wielder to
throw the axe with a forceful swing, striking
the target with the blade, perhaps cutting a
head or two on the way, and then bringing
the blade back to the top of the shaft as long
as its held in front of the incoming blade - all
of this within ten seconds. Of course, you
can fight in close combat without throwing
I
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VCERM
Core's Economic Ressource Management
I I B
e The Core's r\ews
the blade, or you can use the blade with one
hand (there's a grip designed for this
purpose) while you use the steel staff with
the other hand, perhaps using the rope to
strangle an enemy, entangle a weapon or to
pany and incoming attack: the number of
ways you can fight with this weapon haven't
all been found yet!
lhols of tJHHi S
<.:onr-;trnHi on (Tom(;)
We've seen it all, traveled the highways
of the Core, reached every point no
matter how far, we know every one of
the new cities and we know about
every enhancement to any existing city.
Even Kha.'i-Bhek, which recently
promoted us to the highly recognized
A.e.s. rank, gave us a contract to
provide the tools and machinery
needed for the construction of its four
new plates. Yes, within the next two
centuries, Kha'i-Bhek will reach the
incredible total of thirteen plates and
we are very proud to be a vital part of
this project, along with our partners,
City-Builders. The vast success of our
enterprise is mostly due to our
professionalism: our competence in
crafting the tools or machinery you
need, complemented with a vast array
of pre-constructed products and
machines allows us to promptly and
efficiently respond to any specific
demand. If we don't have the
machinery you need, we will create it
within the shortest possible delays.
Finally, our rental option often allows
those who only want to use our
products once or twice to make
considerable savings. Here are two of
our most popular models. You can
order our complete catalog by mail at:
Kha'i-Bhek 7'h plate, 3452 Main Street.
Or come and see us at this address or at
any other one of our branch offices (full
retailers list at verso).
Note: most of our machines comes in
three size: Kainas, Echo and Naakinis,
which. is self-explanat01y (see each
model for the specs difference).
l. Huoradozer: These are the basic tools you
will need if you which to build a new
project on top of old foundations. The
huoradozer will flatten any surface,
crushing anything in front of it so it is easier
to remove afterwards. Our huoradozers
come only in Echo and Naakiois size.
2.Real Chainsaw: Some chainsaws are fit to
fight critters and some are adequate to cut
trees. When the trees are bigger, those
chainsaws are usually worthless and that is
when our Real chainsaws come in handy.
Our chainsaws are designed to cut through
any kind of wood: the immense sastak teeth
of our chainsaws will even find their way
through the jungles where several species of
trees are exceptionally strong and resistant.
The required machines to handle this
Chainsaw come separately in different
models to suit your particular situation.
C i ty-b ui ldf'rs
We are proud to announce that,
together with Tome, we have been
chosen by the Core to construct the
four new plates of Kha'i-Bhek, which
should only enhance our reputation.
Our centuries of experience in our
domain have proven valuable and
have been rewarded accordingly. We
are also proud to announce that, upon
completion of the project, we will also
be promoted to the highly regarded
S.e.s. rank. We would like to thank the
Core for their interest and trust in us.
Since our reputation stands on its
own, we will only give you a quick
outline of the different services that
have made us so popular, like the
planning and construction of
Cudhrema's offspring, the supervision
of the creation of the last plate of
Kolester and finally, our participation
(alongside many other respected
companies) in the construction of the
jnGredible ~ a r v e l that is the Skytrain.
As always, you can reach us in Kha'i-
Bhek's seventh's plate, three blocks.
away from Tome (3482) because our
policy is to handle our business on a
personal basis: after aiJ, you are not a
number.
Services: Our services cover every step of
the creation of a new architectural
structure, ranging from a simple building to
an entire new city with as many plates as
you may want. We offer advisors and
evaluators (where is the best place to build
that building, that city?), architects and
specialized planning officers (Now that we
know where to build, what do we build and
how?), organizers for the ftrst degree of
applications (who do you need to contact to
get these materials, which company will
offer the best deal to buy or rent tools,
where do we get all of the required guards
to protect the construction site and the
workers, what about aU the orpee required
for such a project ? Etc.), to its final
application: workers, site coordinators, and
so on. We offer all you need for the
conception, evaluation, logistic and
realization of you project. We offer partial
and complete services, ranging &om a single
architect to entire troops of construction
workers. The Core's project takes most of
our time right now, but we will do
everything in our power to keep our
subsidiary branches functional so that we
can continue to help you create a better,
bigger and safer society for all.
Every gnath always wishes to climb.
higher. Since they are always the first
!o attempt anything new, others follow
quickly after them, creating a very
narrow gap between the gnaths and
the others. What is important is not
who climbs first, but how we climb. At
Roof breakers, we offer you the
possibility to make others look like
crawling worms when they climb.
How? We simply make you fly. Did
you ever see an emergency unit of
firefighter on one of the upper plates?
This thing flies doesn't it? Well you
can fly too - for a moderate price of
course. Since the creation of the Core
our business has risen to
unprecedented heights, so much that
we will soon be promoted to the rank
of S.e.s. alongside the prestigious
"Orpee anywhere" and "Secure
stock". We conceive, assemble and
pilot (if you wish us to do so) every
one of our aircraft. Here at Roof
breakers, everyone undergoes twenty
years of training before becoming a
full-fledged member of our working
team where we create the ONLY
aircrafts in Kainas. We only use top
quality materials and, in one hundred
and ftfty years of existence, we have
never seen one of our aircraft go down
because of a technical hitch: the
Echoes that inspects our aircrafts
simply make them perfect, and that is
why other companies are reluctant to
challenge us in a domain where our
extensive knowledge and dedication
have made us the unquestionable
masters of the air. With our aircraft,
you'll be able to carry out your
business in complete security and in a
record time: no wonder Secure stock
deals with us whenever they need a
quick delivery and no wonder the
Core's Cods is so efficient: we are
there to vigilantly keep a caring eye
upon the orpee distribution within the
Core and, as the Core Himself knows
it, we will give him our full support
should any crisis arise. Here are two
of our models but of course, our
engineers have many more surprises
for you at: Roof breakers, Khai-Bhek,
9th plate, Monarchic district, 34042
Iregors street (near the statue of
Tasrath). Also, expect our Special
Core's' Army Flying Unit (SCAFU)
over your heads soon.
1. Bellyglider: This is our most simple and
popular model: the Bellygl ider does not
bave a striking appearance; neither does it
have awesome speed. However, the
Bellyglider is our biggest and strongest air
carrier. It can carry over FIVE
HUNDRED TONS thanks to some of ours
Weirdsmiths manipulations. Tbe only limit
is tbe entry points: half of the cargo
compartment can be lifted so that even Yaki
huoras could climb in. If you ever find
something bigger- that flies- tell us ASAP.
2.Death spinner (helicopter) (defensive
unit): This spinner has been designed for
defensive wars against strong opponents.
ef:low and fuel capacity bave been limited so
that tbe maximum number of bombs, guns
and ammo can be loaded on board. The
versatility of this flying weapon makes it the
perfect all around choice for any wealthy
city wishing to impress its enemies or to
strike them down quickly and definitely.
Many armies have fled to the sight of a few
of these machines. There is a defmite
element of surprise as not many people have
been able to afford them -but those who
are able to afford it often prove to be the
reat masters.
SUPERIOR ECONOMIC
SOCIETIES
Orp'!"? flnywh?r? (OA)
Historical features: Orpee anywhere
was created twenty-two centuries
ago, under the reign of the great
Nayan Truth Crafter Iako Lai'Scinza.
The founder of this enterprise, the
Yaki Overlord Torea, was one of the
most important figures of that time,
known and loved by the lords for his
wisdom and vision. She was the only
one who was able to foresee what we
are living today, centuries ahead of
her time. Perhaps it is for this reason
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VCERM
Core's Economic Ressource Management
120
e The Core's :'-le\\'s
that she created OA, a company
dedjcated to the safe transport of
orpee anywhere on Ka'inas and
beyond- if possible. At first her entire
Yaki tribe carried the orpee safely
from a region to another, a city to
another but the demand grew and
other Yaki tribes were asked to
become part of OA: a few accepted
(six at that time, nine would join a
century later for a total of sixteen
Yaki tribes). The already solid
reputation of the Yakis in
transportation and delivery helped
the growth of OA: many doubt that
the initiative would have been such a
success if gnath or ina'is had thought
of it. The problem for the Yakis was
that at least one tribe always bad to
wait at the headquarters so that the
service could remain consistent. As
the company grew dramatically, Yaki
tribes began to be insufficient- things
were mature for a change. Torea was
waiting for this moment: she launched
a vast publicity campaign both to
offer the services of the company,
putting a definite stop to the rumors
saying the company would soon crash
under the pressure, and at the same
time offering many jobs at different
positions within the organization.
Torea had created the first
commerc'ial and the first recruitment
campaign at the same time and so, the
first economic society. lt is her
concept of" economjc society" that the
Core decided to keep as his own. OA
had ruspatched "troops" in many
places within Kainas and had opened
stands in almost every city and town.
Their elite service was composed of
old and powerful Yaki tribes while the
regular service was done by the new
contingent and is known as OA
caravans. What you now know as OA
is the final, perfected result of this
impeccable organization, of this
immense economic society with so
much experience behind it that it can
deal with any situation. Our founder
Torea is now long dead but she would
have obviously been proud of the
evolution of her company, for she
always wanted it to be efficient and
near the peo.ple, emphasizing service
over profit. Obedient; we followed
her personal vision and we are proud
to say that, with each passing year, we
gain a little more of an advantage on
our competitors - both with our
prices and our services.
As you undoubtedly already know,
OA offers orpee distribution services
anywhere on Kainas and is t;he official
orpee distributor of the Core, working
under the regulations of the Cods.
Also, note that every one of our guards
undertakes tough training for several
years to perfect their fighting skills
and to learn how to efficientlJ' deal
with the unexpected. For any
information regarding OA services, go
to the nearest stand in your city. Here
are our two of our most popular
semces:
!.Caravan (normal service): For
Q;ansportation of huge quantity of orpee
between two cities or more. Our caravans
come with twenty guards per wagon in
addition to whatever we judge necessary
(certain regions require two or three times
that number of guards) with any extras you
are willing to pay for.
2.Yakjs (elite service): For the
transportation of important but limited
quantities of orpee (under a hundred
thousand usually but it varies from tribe to
tribe) in very dangerous or hardly
accessible regions and in record time, our
Yaki tribes are purely exceptional. Also, as
you probably know, receiving orpee &om a
Yaki tribe is a mark of honor and
appreciation, which can be useful in some
situation and necessary in others ...
Se- enre- Sto<.:k
Our company was created two
hundred years after OA, in the
beginning as an affuiate but we later
became independent for economic
,reasons. As. OA became strong and
influent and orpee began moving in
increasingly big quantities, the need for.
securing this immense mass of Life
became critical. And so we came,
fathers of stone carrying immense
cages in our giant's hands, walking
amongst you for the last time, because
as soon as we'd rise, we'd lose the
ground under our feet and the air on
our cheeks, aU this to become your
servants. And we rose. OA was
increasing its activities everywhere and
we were always behind with our cages
and our safes, our warehouses and our
towers, our outposts and our renowned
guarruans. And so, here we are now,
everywhere: our duty is to stock, secure
and protect orpee and to protect orpee
means being ready for anything: how
many ill-intentioned (and young)
Echoes do you think plan to bust one of
our warehouse every year?
Our estimations is two hundred ... No
matter how much you crave for orpee,
everybody knows that attacking one of
our outposts is like committing suicide.
The only ones who will dare to try are
powerful planners and mind masters.
They hire professionals, they are
professionals and they know they have
to face the best of professionals, so they
gear themselves - oh yes they do!
Thought most of the times things seem
quiet around our warehouses, this
quietness is our most dangerous
enemy: we are the guardians of your
life: we can't let anything happen to
that orpee. Do not wonder why in
every city there is at least one Secure
stock warehouse: we are the ones to
watch over your most prized good. Our
warriors are as strong as OA and twice
as strong as any volko"i warrior. Our
equipment is up to date with the latest
technologies and our engineers design
ever stronger materials to protect your
orpee and think ahead of our enemies-
because they are OUR enemies and we
are what you need.
We take a 10% cut on anything you
store: stock ten and we take one.
Quarters are paid in cash. Once you
open an account at Secure stock, we
will take your address and inform you
of our policies. We are entirely
responsible for any orpee loss. After
each year of storage, another ten
percent is taken as an additional fee
for the space taken. That's all.
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