Key Technology
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Red Star Drive
* Description: A revolutionary power source in the old galaxy that was easy to produce. It was used by all levels of societies, often to the detriment of other power technologies.
* Capabilities: Allowed easier access to FTL (Faster Than Light) travel through portal technology and expanded shielding technology.
* Consequences: Weakened the boundary between dimensions in the galaxy, leading to a disaster.
Beast Gems
* Description: These grow in most adept-level beasts or above and are used to store a portion of the Crimson Entity powers.
* Examples: Light stones, water-generating stones, heat-generating stones.
* Usage: Depending on the quality of the gem and strength of the power, they can be used for years or just once before they break. Hunting beasts for gems and taking trials for the material keeps this technology going.
Journal System
* Original Purpose: Designed to send information to Hope from personal logs and health data to reduce mutation and optimize the growth of colonists. It could be modified to add features as needed, limited by the power the body could supply to the minicomputer in the back of the brain.
* Current Use: Used to pray to the Goddess and keep track of a person’s life. After death, they are used to preserve knowledge but will eventually break after many uses. Features can only be accessed through blinking patterns.
* Quest System: A later feature made by Hope after losing direct contact with the colony. It provides goals or objectives based on the user’s needs, avoiding direct quests to prevent instability.
* ID System: Used as an ID system, tracking status in the community (e.g., Exile) and allowing access to trials. It can be accessed by others with permission and used by healers to access health data.
* Index: Systems that grow with the user, allowing quick processing of specialized information. Examples include Scouting, Crafting, Beast, and Fishing. The Journal can only power a limited number of these systems based on the user’s core.
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Power System
Goddess Blessing (Nanite Enhancement)
* Description: A physical enhancement system using nanites to slowly enhance the body to take on powers from Crimson Entities.
* Capabilities: Increases healing, reinforces muscles, strengthens the skeletal system, improves reaction speed and ligaments. Enhances mitochondria and ATP production when a core is added. Adapts the body based on chosen powers.
* Control: Controlled by the Journal system, but the ability to do this on purpose has been lost. Rare individuals can control their own or others’ nanites to an extent, known as Goddess Blessed healers.
Nanite Healing
* Description: The Journal tries to heal everything simultaneously due to limited computing ability, not doing targeted healing unless instructed by another source.
Core
* Description: A new organ made in the body to hold material from Crimson Entities, giving the user powers based on their trials. It also powers the Blessing/Nanite system.
* Categories: Powers come in four categories: Physical, Elemental, Mental, and Special. 90% of the population can take one from each category per tier, while 10% are mutants who can take multiple powers of the same category.
* Issues: Powers in a tier can weaken or be lost due to injury or health problems until the person advances to the next tier.
Power Removal
* Methods:
* Healer Removal: A Goddess Blessed healer can make the body remove meta-material but only works within the same tier.
* Core Removal: More serious, with a high likelihood of killing the person due to shock or lack of power to maintain enhancements. It is the only guaranteed way to remove powers short of death.
Proto Core
* Description: A rare situation where a young child is given a master-level or higher crimson core, creating a pseudo-core and changing the body. It is dangerous and can cause instability and uncontrolled powers.
* Regulation: Generally banned and requires a Trial of Ordeals, facing a challenge seen as impossible.
Powers
* Categories:
* Physical: Super Strength, Enhanced Durability, Regeneration (with one exception), and power storage/generation of core.
* Elemental: Ability to generate an element (e.g., lightning, flame, water). Initial control is low and needs another power for better control.
* Mental: Powers dealing with the mind (e.g., telepathy, empathy, mind attacks, mental shielding).
* Special: Broad category including healing (energy-based, rare), Regeneration (in humans), pyrokinesis (control but not generation of elements), and other unique abilities from Crimson Entities.
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Cycle System
Description
* Purpose: Created by Hope to keep things stable. Each tier has 4 cycles to allow the body to adapt and grow for the next power.
* Process: Cycles happen naturally until saturation, requiring a trial to gain a new crimson orb to start the next. At the end of the fourth cycle, a Crimson Entity of the next tier must be defeated to advance.
* Acceleration: Can be accelerated by hunting beasts and consuming their beast cores, gaining material and extra nanites to speed up the process.
Beast Core
* Description: An organ in the beast’s body that generates nanites. Beasts’ nanites can be unbound by cooking them to a specific temperature, allowing them to bind to a new host.
* Potency: Beasts grow stronger with age and diet, so their cores range in potency.
Tier Structure
Note: All times assume the user is hunting beasts of their exact tier in potency. Hunting beasts of higher potency, especially consuming their cores, will speed up the process significantly. Conversely, non-hunters, such as local craftsmen, will take six times longer per cycle. This is why hunters who bring back cores and meats from stronger areas can make a decent living.
Tier Advancement: Advancement can only be done with Flame Seekers at the same tier or lower. For example, an Adept cannot go into Trials for Novices, but a Novice can go into an Adept Tier trial to promote.
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1. Novice (Weak Crimson Entities)
* Abilities: Basic abilities and initial nanite enhancements.
* Cycle:
* First Power: Take Trial and defeat Weak Crimson Entities to gain the first power to establish their core.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 1 month or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Second Power: Take Trial and gain the second power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 3 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Third Power: Take Trial and gain the third power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 9 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Fourth Power: Take Trial and gain the fourth power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 18 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Advancement Requirement: Defeat a Lesser Crimson Entity and acquire its Crimson Orb.
2. Adept (Lesser Crimson Entities)
* Abilities: Intermediate abilities with improved nanite integration.
* Cycle:
* First Power: Take Trial and gain the first power.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 2 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Second Power: Take Trial and gain the second power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 6 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Third Power: Take Trial and gain the third power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 18 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Fourth Power: Take Trial and gain the fourth power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 36 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Advancement Requirement: Defeat a Intermediate Crimson Entity and acquire its Crimson Orb.
3. Expert (Intermediate Crimson Entities)
* Abilities: Advanced abilities and specialized enhancements.
* Cycle:
* First Power: Take Trial and gain the first power.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 3 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Second Power: Take Trial and gain the second power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 9 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Third Power: Take Trial and gain the third power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 27 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Fourth Power: Take Trial and gain the fourth power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 54 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Advancement Requirement: Defeat an Great Crimson Entity and acquire its Crimson Orb.
4. Master (Great Crimson Entities)
* Abilities: Significant abilities with near-complete nanite optimization.
* Cycle:
* First Power: Take Trial and gain the first power.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 4 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Second Power: Take Trial and gain the second power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 12 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Third Power: Take Trial and gain the third power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 36 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Fourth Power: Take Trial and gain the fourth power of a different type.
* Hunt: Hunt wild beasts of the same power for 72 months or until the journal informs the user that the body has hit saturation.
* Advancement Requirement: Defeat an Greater Crimson Entity and acquire its Crimson Orb.
Crimson Backlash
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Crimson Backlash: This is a condition where someone has more of the crimson material in their body than it can handle. This generally happens when the body is not fully ready for the added material from a cycle. This can cause the following issues:
* Emotional Outbursts: Overwhelming emotions such as lust, anger, pride, and fear.
* Emotional Numbness: A deadening or loss of emotions.
* Uncontrolled Emotions: Difficulty managing emotional responses.
Cure:
* Goddess Blessed Healer: Removal of excess material from the core by a goddess blessed healer.
* Extended Cycle: Allowing an extended cycle to reduce the effects of the excess material.
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Trials
Trials: Trials come in two types: Life Trials and The Trial. The first type grew out of the culture of the colony, while the second is a more formalized system.
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Life Trials: These include the Trial of Mating and Trial of Ordeals. These are generally archaic laws made in a darker time.
* Trial of Mating: This is a challenge for the right to be the mate of someone who has one. It can be challenged by any gender and is generally used as a means to split a couple. It can even be challenged from one mate to another to break the mating bond. If contested, it is a duel, but killing is disallowed to prevent it from being used as a legal form of murder.
* Trial of Ordeals: This is used in two cases. The first is mentioned in the proto core, and the second is to avoid execution. In the second case, it can be used once in a person’s life, and they are tasked to take a tier higher trial alone and come back with the crimson core of a kill. They are then exonerated of their crimes and given a clean slate. This can be refused by a council consisting of the area commander of the Storm, the area commander of the Vanguard, and the Head Chieftain if the crime is too heinous.
* Trial of New Life: This is a trial imposed on every childbearing female in the colony before they are allowed to take their first Trial. They must bear a child either in body or through giving their genetics to a House of Hope to keep the population stable and avoid genetic issues that may arise from a core. They can keep the child if they wish, or the child will become a child of the people and be raised in a family that wishes to have one, as fertility drops at an exponential rate the higher the Tier of the person. There is no stigma on the child or the mother in either decision, and once adopted, the child can go through a blessed healer and be bound to the new family by blood right, changing them into a biological child of that family.
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The Trial: The Trial is a massive labyrinthine construct built under each City State that is shielded and has a Red Star drive to allow Crimson Entities to spawn from their dimension. It is split into tiers and allows people to gather materials by defeating its denizens.
* Initiate Trial: This is the first trial anyone can take to get their Novice core. It can be taken by up to two people at a time: one combatant and one who has listed themselves as a noncombatant occupation (Blacksmith, Carpenter, Healer). The Crimson entities for this are captured by specialists in the Crimson Vanguard and taken to a special room for this trial so that the participants can get the first power they requested.
* Standard Trial: These are taken either to gain money by hunting the Crimson Entities to get gems made or for advancement. The max size for entry is five and can only be done by people of that trial level. Many parties will take one to two noncombatants who wish to increase their cycle or even tier. This is very lucrative for the Flame Seekers and keeps the whole system afloat.
Organizations
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Crimson Vanguard (AKA Vanguard)
* Purpose: To manage and oversee the Trials, ensuring they are fair, challenging, and beneficial to the colony. The Crimson Vanguard also provides support and resources to participants, helping them enhance their powers and abilities through the Trials with training.
* Known Members: None at this point in the story, but most people who have passed their age of majority and novice trial have a membership to this organization.
Luminaries of Lore
* Purpose: Dedicated to recovering and preserving lost knowledge. They believe that by studying the data and entries in the Journals, they can unlock deeper truths about the universe and their existence. They also serve as the teachers in society, with much of their funding going to this effort. Their mission is to recover lost knowledge from the time when they were in contact with the Goddess Hope.
* Known Members:
* Icthia: The head of the local Luminaries of Lore branch and keeper of the library. She is also the teacher of all the children in the village and the village councilor representing this organization.
Healers of Hope
* Purpose: Focused on maintaining the health and well-being of the colony. They believe that Hope’s guidance is crucial for healing and providing medical support to the colonists. They have the vast majority of healers under their banner and are known to aggressively recruit healers to join and participate in their breeding program to increase the success rate of people with either Goddess Blessed healing or energy-based healing.
* Known Members:
* Tessa Thunderstrike: Healer of the village and trainer of Lyra.
Warriors of the Storm (AKA The Storm)
* Purpose: Dedicated to protecting the colony from external threats. They see Hope as a warrior spirit who provides strength and protection, and they train rigorously to defend the colony. By mandate, they train all people in combat regardless of class, as the Goddess had said that all people need to be able to fight when needed. Everyone must pass the novice training of the Storm before the age of majority or be stuck with a stigma for the rest of their life. They also work as the organization for mercenaries, caravan guards, and any need for martial work outside a village or city.
* Known Members:
* Votan Counselor: Main trainer of the village, known only as Drill Instructor until the trainee proves they will survive either by beating him in a duel or through some other deed.
The Harmonizers
* Purpose: Dedicated to bringing balance and harmony to the colony. They believe that Hope’s guidance helps maintain balance between physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. They are the diplomats between city-states, a police force that is not bound to cities, and have generally taken over law enforcement in most areas. They wear gear that anonymizes them while on the job to prevent retaliation on the families of the enforcers.
* Known Members: None at this time.
Church of the Silver Flame
* Purpose: The worship of Hope as a goddess and to spread her teachings. (Will expand when they become more relevant to the story)
Seasons and Months
Each month has 30 days.
Winter
* Blizzard (December)
* Ice Storm (January)
* Hailstorm (February)
Spring
* Thunderstorm (March)
* Tornado (April)
* Dust Storm (May)
Summer
* Monsoon (June)
* Cyclone (July)
* Hurricane (August)
Fall
* Typhoon (September)
* Derecho (October)
* Sandstorm (November)