This is going to be one of many stories involving The Cosmore.  A young man named Kyle and his three friends are transported to the edge of a cosmic entity's domain - the Cosmore. One friend dies immediately, emphasizing the dangerous nature of this new world. Kyle and his surviving friends discover they possess rare and powerful cores. The story begins in a jungle frontier where they must build power and influence. To progress, they need to establish a village of at least 1,000 people and activate a celestial stone, which enables trade with the Cosmore and connection to other settlements. However, their success draws the attention of an Empire, whose representatives arrive through a portal to offer their "protection." The world operates on complex interlocking systems of power: beads serve as both currency and pattern template for specific affinity effects, cores grant different affinities and abilities, and everything from combat to crafting operates on strict tier progressions. Leaders gain a small percentage of their followers' experience, creating natural hierarchies and power structures. The setting features dungeons that contain creatures from deeper, more advanced regions of in the Cosmore. These dungeons offer opportunities for growth but also serve as gateways to higher-tier worlds. All of this plays out against a backdrop of careful power balance, where even displaying too much potential too quickly can make someone a target. As Kyle and his friends grow in power and understanding, they begin to uncover deeper truths about the nature of their world, the Cosmore's true purposes, and their own potential roles in this vast cosmic system. What to expect.  Morally grey characters. Well thought-out hard-magic system. Cores, Affinities, Racial upgrades, Classes, Skills, Attributes, Abilities, and of course items.    Growth Arc's not just in power but in clothing, gear, structures, attitudes, language, and morals.  This is going to be an action pack series that doesn't really have time for breathers.