the city blahblha

1. #1Fixerselective

   Keys: fixers, fixer

   Fixers are hired hands who perform a multitude of tasks ranging from dangerous activities like combat, assassination, or expeditions to the Ruins, to less directly violent tasks like negotiating contracts or gathering intelligence; in short, any job requiring skills that the average person would not have. Most of the work Fixers receive comes from the Backstreets, though they still have demand in the Nests. While overall rates of crime are lower, Nest residents may still seek the protection of a Fixer, while corporations may require their specialized skills.

   The lifestyle of Fixers is seen by outsiders as idealistic, and many view Fixers as real-life heroes. Common Cityfolk hear the adventures of famous Fixers and view the profession as an escape from monotonous everyday jobs, as well as a chance to make a quick profit. Becoming a licensed Fixer is as easy as passing a physical test given by the Hana Association, the organization officially in charge of all Fixer activities. Unfortunately, this is the easiest part of Fixer life. Putting aside the dangers of the business, it also offers none of the freedom that people would believe it to have.

   Most lines of Fixer work are life-threatening to begin with, on top of the lawlessness of the Backstreets. Even a pack of Rats can potentially overwhelm a novice Fixer. Not even Offices, the business organizations and home bases of Fixers, are safe, as criminal Syndicates will periodically conduct Office raids without warning for various reasons, going so far as to wipe them out entirely; it is not uncommon for a Fixer to lose their colleagues in this way. Because of their high death rate, Fixers tend to avoid forming close social ties with each other. As a result, the common understanding amongst Fixers is to stay professional, keep personal life and work life separate, and avoid any passionate or sympathetic feelings. This doesn't mean that relationships between Fixers, especially romantic ones, do not occur, but they are more likely than not to end in tragedy.

   Earning a living as a Fixer is not as easy as it is believed to be either. Proper equipment and physical augmentation are all but required just for basic protection, both of which can reach inordinate prices, especially in maintenance costs. Making matters worse is a heavy tax levied on Fixers by the Head, on top of other taxes associated with City life.

   Independent work is not easy to come by. Fixers take work based on requests made by a client, and are paid upon each request's completion. There are no restrictions on the type of request or client they receive, though this is not the issue. With the high number of Fixers and Fixer Offices throughout the City, competition is intense, and only those who stand out above the others will be visible to the public. Independent Fixers rarely find success because of their inability to market themselves as well as a formal Office, though this is more of a concern for lower-end Fixers. Under an Office, the freedom of a Fixer is further limited, as any task they try to undertake must be approved by their Office. There are some exceptions and loopholes, but generally, true self-determination without answering to any superior is almost impossible to attain for an average Fixer.

   The only requirement of a Fixer when taking a request is that it must be logged and reported to the Hana Association, and that Fixers must not threaten clients to get requests. However, a common practice is for both sides of a request to make a binding contract, as it is too easy for either side to betray their agreement without one. Entire Offices exist to create, verify, and enforce contracts—the only solid assurances of sincerity in the City.

   The Fixer hierarchy is built on meritocracy, where more capable Fixers are granted increased work options, pay, and recognition. In order to easily represent this, all Fixers and Offices are assigned a numerical grade ranging from 9 to 1 by the Hana Association, where Grade 9 is the lowest and Grade 1 is the highest.

   While Grade 9s are considered not much stronger than a pack of Rats, Grade 1s are seen as capable of handling jobs like bringing down a Star of the City. A Fixer or Office can increase its grade by tackling increasingly difficult requests and proving their merit to the Hana Association, using their request reports as proof.

   Most Fixers belong to an Office, which is a formal business entity that handles requests for multiple Fixers under its ranks. Being a member of an Office is seen as favorable, especially for novice Fixers, because finding work and advertising themselves is difficult otherwise.

   Above the Offices are the twelve Associations, which are major Fixer organizations that manage and regulate all their lines of business. The Hana Association leads the Associations and sets the model for how a Fixer should act, as well as handling the licensing and grading of Fixers, Offices, and requests.

   Fixers work directly under an Association, with more benefits than most Offices can provide, but also more risks due to the higher tier of work that Associations take on. Unlike associate Offices, which are only affiliates and not employees, associate Fixers they are not allowed to conduct freelance work, because their actions will be interpreted as those of their organization. As such, associate Fixers must act with more professionalism and impassiveness.

   Rarely, there are Grade 1 Fixers who greatly surpass others in some way, whether it is strength, intellect, or some other form of prowess. In such cases, the Fixer may be assigned a special title by the Hana Association to distinguish them as the optimal choices for felling Stars of the City, serving as a model for the ideal Fixer.

   In terms of self-determination, not much is different between a Grade 1 and a Grade 9, whatever their affiliation; they all have to obey the orders of their superiors and act to preserve the way of life in the City to keep their lives going. The Color Fixers are the only Fixers who truly have the freedom that Fixers wish for, being able to act more or less independently and with more of a choice in what they choose to accomplish. Because of this, every Fixer who dreams of freedom wishes to attain the rank of a Color, though there are only a select few who will ever reach such a height. Still, not every Fixer may be happy to be a Color, but if they qualify, they do not have a say. The Hana Association will forcibly give them the title with no way to refuse. And even with their greater freedom, they still must work within the confines of the City's status quo, or face being marked for elimination.

2. #2Wingselective

   Keys: nests, nest, wing, wings

   The Wings, also known as the Wings of the World, are a group of the 26 largest, most powerful conglomerates in the City. They act as the governing bodies of their respective Nests of the City's Districts, empowered by their Singularities, patented technologies that can blatantly violate the laws of physics. The Wings are directly ruled by the Head, the Eye, and the Claw, the enigmatic supreme authority of the City.

   There are a total of 26 Wings, each of which has authority over a Nest in a District. However, the recent collapse of Lobotomy Corporation (L Corp.) means that its position is currently vacant and no official governance exists in its territory, Nest L.

   The Wings directly oversee all facets of life in their Nests and generally leave their district's Backstreets to fend for themselves. However, the Wings still remain the highest authorities of their district, and will not hesitate to punish offenders who break the rules established in that district. For example, N Corp. uses specialized Fixers called Taboo Hunters to capture and/or kill any violators of the taboo of District 14, whether in the Backstreets or the Nest. Every District has some taboos, though it is uncertain whether each Wing treats taboo offenders the same way.

   Each Wing has its own cultural style and social structure which are reflected in how it governs its Nest, and the policies the Wing sets also determines the way of life in the District's Backstreets. Wings have differing degrees of presence, influence, and benevolence with regards to their Backstreets, although their relationship is ultimately exploitative, even for more cooperative Wings.[2][3] Security of borders between Nests and Backstreets also vary from plasma walls to mere chain fences, but the Wings' power is such that no one in the Backstreets dares to cross over into a Nest without express permission.

   The only entities in the City which rival the Wings are the Five Fingers, a group of the City's five most influential Syndicates, which not even they can readily interfere with. This is presumably also one of the reasons why the Wings generally neglect the Backstreets beyond setting and enforcing overall policies, as the Five Fingers have designated all the Backstreets in the City as their territory.

   A Wing's position comes from its Singularity and their ability to successfully use it for commercial purposes. As such, the Wings guard information about their Singularity with lethal force. They maintain patents on their Singularity and all related technologies to avoid losing their secrets to rival Wings, industry competitors, and any other interest groups.

3. #3Officeselective

   Keys: offices, office

   Fixer Offices, or Offices, are small professional business organizations run by Fixers within the City.

   Offices are the first step of the Fixer hierarchy, overseen by the Associations. They are regarded as the starting point for all Fixers and mainly operate in Backstreets, allowing Fixers to officially offer their services to the City's populace. It is exceedingly hard for Fixers to find work otherwise.

   Much like Fixers in general, Offices undertake a wide variety of work which is not purely combat-focused, including dispute mediation, investigation, and even psychiatric counseling. Types of Offices include:

   Combat Offices: Specialize in battle. This comes in many forms, be it direct warfare, strategic analysis, or other. Peacekeeping Offices: Specialize in securing and protecting a specified area for a given length of time; the size of this area is dependent on the size of the Office. Notary public Offices: Also known as contract Offices, they specialize in negotiating and enforcing notarial acts (contracts) for other Offices and groups. They are responsible for ensuring that such deals are honored. Though less common than other Offices, the City is divided into "domains," and at least one notary public Office can be found in each domain. One particular type of Office is on the rise, specializing in cases of the Distortion Phenomenon. The growing presence of this threat has quickly made it a lucrative chance for those who are seeking a place in the world of Fixers and have the skills to take it on. Moses' Office is the best example of this.

   New or incompetent Fixers do not have the necessary connections or resources to make it on their own without joining even the worst Office. Fixers of high prowess are sought after by all Offices, and are proudly displayed and supported by the Offices which are lucky enough to have them. The head of an Office is generally called an Operator, and they are the one most responsible for the financial situation of their Office, such as paying the monthly rent for their Office space. When employed by an Office, Fixers are not allowed to undertake work on their own without their Office's awareness and consent. Just like Fixers, Offices are graded on a numerical scale, where Grade 9 is the lowest and Grade 1 is the highest.

   Offices vary greatly in size, method, and style, and can be commonly found throughout every District of the City, even in the Nests. While some Offices can have cooperative, almost familial relationships among their members, others will have Fixers who have no qualms about betraying and exploiting each other to find success. In fact, one-man Offices are also possible, though they are rare. While this can severely limit the amount of work and the income the Office will receive, it also allows for more freedom, since the Office's sole Fixer is effectively self-employed.

   An Office's image is essential for marketing purposes. Formality and professionalism attract clients, and this is reflected most in the attire of the Office's Fixers. Because of this, most Offices use strict dress codes. They will deal with Tailors in order to have attire which will both reflect the Office's class and provide utility in combat situations.

   Offices receive work in the form of requests and are paid upon completion of the request. These requests are often put under strict contracts which act as physical evidence to avoid either side reneging on their deal, as commonly happens without such contracts. Contracts also provide proof of an Office's performance for grading purposes. In fact, certain Offices exist entirely to handle the official and legal matters relating to contracts. Offices can accept work from any client, whether they are an average denizen of the Backstreets or even an executive of a Wing, and are paid accordingly (with room for negotiation.) A request made by a Wing can pay enough to secure three months' of an Office's finances, though the credibility and reputation that a Wing's trust gives is far more valuable to the Office's business.

4. #4Associationselective

   Keys: association, associations

   Associations are comprised of Fixers - both combatants and noncombatants - that specialize in the more dangerous lines of mercenary work, taking the jobs that nobody else wants to. Much like the work taken up by individual Fixers and Offices, this covers a wide variety of work which is not purely combat-based, including patenting, collecting information, and overseeing trade deals. They help manage the majority of the Offices under their contracts, and Associate Fixers (Fixers employed by Associations) are generally allowed much greater pay and more high-tech equipment than they would have under a basic Office. Regular Offices can also agree to enter a cooperative relationship with an Association and become an associate Office, with both benefits and downsides; on one hand, they are guaranteed a stable income from completing requests given to them by their Association, and don't need to worry about other clients. On the other hand, they cannot refuse any request sent by their Association, even ones which greatly risk destroying the Office.

   Because of their larger structure, Associations are capable of covering more ground with their Fixers and can take requests from any District. From their various sectional headquarters, Associate Directors and Fixers manage requests from either the City's various denizens or the Association's own associate Offices.

   The head of an Association is known as the President, while a General Manager also oversees the Association's operations. Each Association is split into four branches based on compass directions and have jurisdiction of the corresponding quarter of the City, and each branch is led by a Branch Manager. These branches are further subdivided into sections, each of which is run by a Director. Sections are ranked from 1 to 6, with 1 being the highest and holding the most experienced Fixers, and 6 being the lowest. There are said to be significant differences in pay grade and effectiveness between each section.

   There are 12 total Associations, and each one has its own uniform, rules, methods, and specialties. The Hana Association acts as the leader of all the other Associations, handling overall management of the Associations as well as Offices and Fixers in general.

   Hana Association=Leader of the Associations; grades all Fixers, Offices, and City hazards. Zwei Association=Specializes in public safety and defense, acting as a police force. Tres Association=Manages Workshops and reviews Workshop weaponry for use by Fixers. Shi Association=Specializes in assassinations and stealth operations. Cinq Association=Represents parties in dueling requests to settle disputes. Liu Association=Specializes in direct combat and warfare against multiple combatants at once. Seven Association=Specializes in gathering intelligence. Devyat Association=Specializes in delivery and transportation. Dieci Association=Also known as the 'Association of Charity,' adopts and raises orphans to specialize in the collection and research of knowledge. Öufi Association=Oversees trades, contracts, and deals, such as gambling in J Corp.

5. #5The Headselective

   Keys: the government, the head

   The Head is the supreme government of the City and the leader of the Wings. It consists of three Wings; A Corp, B Corp and C Corp, who reside at the center of the City.

   The identity of the Head is completely unknown, as they are very reclusive. Anyone who violates the laws of the City or attempt to further discover the Head's identity quickly and quietly disappear, never to be seen or heard from again. They handle managing and granting patents for Workshop technologies. For dealing with threats or securing dangerous artifacts, the Head has Arbiters of the Head, Executioners of the Claw, and Fixers. If any sign of rebellion is shown, or if technology the Head takes an interest in is held by another corporation, these soldiers are sent in to silence all opposition. Being the leader of all Wings, they oversee all activities and events through the Beholders of the Eye. Arbiters of the Head are agents who use Singularities whose power can lay waste to an entire Wing.

6. #6Backstreetselective

   Keys: backstreet, slums, backstreets

   The Backstreets are the dangerous regions of each District in the City, serving as lower-class counterparts to the Nests. They are deadly and crime-ridden, due to high poverty rates and little protection from their respective Wings and instead governed and controlled by the Five Fingers.

   Every District contains Backstreets, separate from said district's Nest. A Wing tends to have little to no influence over its Backstreets, simply leaving its residents to fend for themselves. The level of cooperation between a Wing and a Backstreet may vary, but ultimately it is still a relationship of exploitation. Like Nests, each set of Backstreets has their own culture and social style, dependent on which District they belong to. These characteristics can lead to wildly different environments, such as District 23's Backstreets being known for being traumatic and scarring.

   Syndicates and Fixer Offices are most commonly operated in Backstreets and the Five Fingers are allegedly the primary force that renders the Backstreets nigh-untouchable by even the Wings, the Claw, the Eye, and the Head. However, not all citizens of Backstreets are ruthless and cruel; There are instances of neighborhood watches, peacekeeping forces, and even the Zwei Association trying to uphold a certain level of civility.

   Between 3:13 AM and 4:34 AM every night, the "Night in the Backstreets" occurs, a time where no laws are applied and any crime is acceptable. The only off-limits action is to cause any harm in a residential building, including home invasion or vandalism. As a result, most people stay indoors to avoid dangerous entities and groups such as Sweepers. Besides Night in the Backstreets, the City enforces 'taboos' in each Backstreet, violating these taboos leads to a potentially deadly punishment.

7. #7Featherselective

   Keys: stiff, feather

   Due to their prominence, joining a Wing and becoming a "feather" in their Nest is seen as the optimal path in life by the common residents of the City's Backstreets. Wings are viewed as sources of financial stability and security, as well as social refuge. However, even life under a Wing is not truly free, as the majority of Nest residents live in constant fear of producing insufficient results and being evicted from the Nest. The Wings regularly tax their feathers (separately from the taxes the Head imposes on all residents of the City), and those who cannot pay their taxes are evicted as punishment.

   The process of entering a Wing is not simple, either. Wings use highly selective entrance exams which test applicants' mental prowess (but occasionally also other factors) to determine who will ultimately join its corporate machine.[8] Entire examinee towns exist in the City where applicants study for Wing entrance exams.

8. #8Syndicateselective

   Keys: syndicate, syndicates, gang

   Being the unlawful counterparts of Fixers, Syndicates are made up of thugs and gangsters who commit several shady, dubious activities often linked to organized crime and share a common goal. They tend try to make names for themselves in the Backstreets which they primarily operate in by black markets, contraband, trafficking, and hit jobs to name a few. While they can do jobs Fixers usually are hired to do, it's more risky trusting a Syndicate than an Office or Association. Syndicates formed by denizens of the City and come in different seizes and scopes. Countless of smaller sizes exist, to the extent where Roland considered there to be as many as the amount of Fixers that exist.

   While Syndicates are generally viewed as criminal organizations, not all Syndicates are actually bad though as some choose not to take the responsibilities and restrictions that being a Fixer of an Office or Association brings. Certain Syndicates even exist to hunt down other Syndicates, operating more like unofficial Offices if not resembling something akin to vigilante groups. The guaranteed way a Syndicate to gain power is to raid and wipe out Offices, the bigger and more seasoned an Office is, the larger the infamy is gained.

   Also, Wings sometimes hire Syndicates as thugs to handle business they can't do officially. Syndicates are sorted in a social hierarchical system, with their powerful bosses dictating Backstreets at the top, but the ones that stands above all of them are the Five Fingers who are labelled as the "Stars of the City".

9. #9Singularityselective

   Keys: technology, singularities, singularity, mysterious

   A Singularity is the unique, fantastical technology a Wing possesses which seemingly defies all known laws of physics. The corporation exploits its singularity in order to conduct business.

   Prided as the precious Egg to be protected by the Wing's Nest and 'Feathers', the Singularities possess absurd capabilities and often appear to break conventional laws of physics to consumers, such as providing trains capable of teleportation and time travel to produce time loops.

   Every Wing personally owns at least one Singularity, as patenting such technology through approval from the Head is absolutely necessary for becoming a Wing in the first place. Wings rarely use only one Singularity, often possessing multiple patents in conjunction to their main Singularity — which for one reason or another may be kept confidential to obscure how it works to secure the Singularity from being stolen by outside influences. For example, while W Corp advertises its teleportation technology to provide convenient transportation, the tech was a Singularity bought from a fallen Wing which now acts as the coverup for W Corp’s real Singularity — its body restoration technology. As a result, some individuals attempt to investigate a Wing's singularity, and the information found is often sold to another Wing. This, however, is a crime.

   When a Wing is destroyed for whatever reason, the patent to their Singularity becomes public domain and is free to be bought up by any other party, that is assuming the Singularity in question is even able to be reacquired and replicable in the first place.

10. #10Sweeper

    Keys: sweeper · Secondary: sweepers

    The Sweepers are mysterious beings which roam the Backstreets at night, disposing of humans both alive and dead and leaving nothing in their wake. They dominate the Night in the Backstreets, the period from 3:13 to 4:34 AM, with a fearsome reputation as unstoppable monsters. Because of this, they are accepted as a natural phenomenon of the the City.

11. #11The Library

    Keys: the library, library

    The Library is a library made from the Seed of Light and the remains of Facility X-394 of Lobotomy Corporation. It resides in the middle of the Nest of District 12, replacing the original Headquarters of L Corp, now a fallen Wing. Angela is the director of the Library and its creator, able to control the power within the Library along with the other Patron Librarians. The Library is portrayed as a large, towering structure composed of 10 Floors that contains infinite internal space. It focuses on storing Books from the people who die inside it. To access the Library, an Invitation has to be used, and those who sign the Invitation become the Guests. The Invitation offers Books of interest of the Guests, and if they do survive the ordeals within the Library, they can take the Books and leave. Otherwise, they will become Books.

    Angela: Angela has short light-blue hair, yellow eyes, and pale skin. In her Librarian attire, she wears a dark outfit with a long coat, a white and black cravat, and heels. Her pendant attached to her cravat is an amber color with the orbs on her heels sharing the same highlight color. She always carries a large book with her. She is an android who looks very human.

12. #12Floors

    Keys: floors, floor

    The Floors are the designated sections of the Library overseen by their Patron Librarians to collect and organize specific types of Books.

    Floor of General Works- Patron Librarian: Roland Floor of History- Patron Librarian: Malkuth Floor of Technological Sciences- Patron Librarian: Yesod Floor of Literature- Patron Librarian: Hod Floor of Art- Patron Librarian: Netzach Floor of Natural Sciences- Patron Librarian: Tiphereth Floor of Language- Patron Librarian: Gebura Floor of Social Sciences- Patron Librarian: Chesed Floor of Philosophy- Patron Librarian: Binah Floor of Religion- Patron Librarian: Hokma

13. #13Patron Librarian

    Keys: hod, roland, malkuth, binah, patron librarian, chesed, gebura, netzach, hokma, tiphereth, librarian, yesod

    The Patron Librarians are the main Librarians of the Floors of the Library, being the ones who sort the Books obtained through the Receptions. There is one unique Patron Librarian for each Floor. The Patron Librarians (excluding Roland) were previously the Sephirah of the Departments of the Facility in Lobotomy Corporation.

    Appearances of Patron Librarians: Roland: Roland is a tall man with a thin build, He wears an elegant black suit over a white shirt that he always pairs with a black tie. He has pale skin, black eyes and hair, as well as trousers and shoes of the same colour. Malkuth: Malkuth has brown hair with a lighter brown ombre, long enough to reach around her lower back. She wears the patron librarian uniform: an ochre coat reflecting her floor's color with a white dress shirt and a bow tie adorned with a glossy brooch, along with a black vest, brown low-rise ankle boots and her signature red hairband. She carries a large brown book, with many bookmarks between its pages. She has warm brown eyes. Yesod: Yesod has short, desaturated violet hair cut in an asymmetrical fringe, which covers his right eye. He wears the patron librarian outfit, in the form of a purple coat extending to his knees, with a white tucked-in shirt and an deep violet necktie with a glossy violet brooch underneath, along with purple, straight cut pants fastened with a white belt and black dress shoes. Compared to other Patron Librarians, Yesod's appearance is exceptionally orderly. He has sharp yellow eyes. Hod: Hod has reddish-brown hair, cut to shoulder length, her bangs are held apart by a couple of plain white hairpins and she has a small cowlick. She wears the Patron Librarian uniform: a brown swing coat with a shade similar to her hair, with a white blouse with puffy sleeves and a black knee-long skirt underneath, accessorized with a grey necktie arranged into a bow with a glossy orange brooch reflecting her Floor's color, along with flats with ankle straps and white knee-high socks. She has sky blue eyes. Netzach: Netzach has long green hair, with a choppy, asymmetrical fringe pulled back into a sloppy bun. His face always has a tired expression, and one of his eyebrows has a notch in it. He wears the patron librarian outfit, in the form of a long, green coat left unbuttoned, reflecting his floor's color, with a white button-up worn, untucked, and an undone tie with a glossy green brooch, along with black straight cut pants and plain white sneakers. He has amber yellow eyes. Tiphereth: Tiphereth has bright blonde hair, half arranged into a crown braid and half flowing down and adorned with a bow on the side, similar to her hairstyle in Lobotomy Corporation, though it's cut to shoulder length this time. She wears the patron librarian outfit: a yellow overcoat extending below her knees, with a white blouse and an orange bow tie with a glossy golden brooch, along with an orange shirtdress fastened with two belts with a pouch attached, black leggings and high rise dress shoes. She has green eyes. Gebura: Gebura has long red hair tied back in an enormous, messy ponytail that reaches down to her thighs, with two fringes framing her face. Her face is slightly scarred, resembling her appearance through the cognition filter at Lobotomy Corporation, and she always has a cigarette in her mouth, stating that it's part of enjoying her new human body. She wears the Patron Librarian uniform, in the form of a red jacket with a high collar, a tie adorned with a glossy red brooch, and maroon leggings with what appears to be loafer shoes. She has one amber yellow eye and a dull blue eye. Chesed: Chesed has long and messy blue hair tied back into a ponytail that rests on his left shoulder. He has amber yellow eyes. He is usually seen wearing a casual yet relaxed expression. He wears a blue overcoat that splits in half at the back with white trimming on the front, alongside white stitching on the shoulders with white stripes at the sleeves and 3 small black buttons on the cuffs. Underneath, he is wearing a gray shirt, a deep blue necktie with a blue and black orb on top, navy blue pants and black shoes. He carries around a black coffee cup with the Library logo imprinted on it. Binah: Binah has jet-black hair cut into an asymmetrical fringe, with the left side reaching down to her chest and its backside colored golden. She wears a modified version of the Patron Librarian uniform: a black coat with a golden trim and fur on its shoulder similar to her Arbiter coat. Underneath, she wears a black knee-long dress with a black-yellow necktie adorned with a glossy golden brooch, along with knee high boots. She also has a beauty mark next to her left eye, and wears two rectangular golden earrings in place of the one in her Arbiter outfit. She has black eyes. Hokma: Hokma carries the appearance of a deeply serious person, and one who has lost any and all faith he may have once had. He shows a great distaste for Angela (but the third cutscene shows that he still cares for her), and by extension her 'servant' Roland. Hokma is still loyal to Ayin, who was a colleague he greatly looked up to in his life as a human, believing his goal to have been the right one. He still has faith that the world Ayin dreamed of will one day arrive. He has grey hair, green eyes and pale skin.

14. #14Librarian

    Keys: nugget, librarian

    The Librarians are the former personnel of Lobotomy Corporation's main facility, who were subjected to its endlessly-repeating time loop in order to carry out the plan of the company's founder, Ayin, and finish the Seed of Light project. The Patron Librarians, with the exception of Roland, were the Sefirot who helped manage the facility, while the Assistant Librarians were the employees of their respective departments. Following the completion of the project, the Seed of Light was released, but was then hijacked and interrupted by Angela. Unwilling to let their sacrifices be in vain, the Sefirot—aside from Binah, who sided with Angela—led the employees to fight Angela and restore the Light. They were ultimately unsuccessful, yet Angela did not finish them off, possibly due to her empathy for how they had also been exploited. With no other options, they accepted a deal offered to them by Angela and become part of the Library that she then created with the Light, becoming bound to the Library as entities made of Light, functionally immortal but unable to ever leave its confines. Becoming Librarians, the personnel were put in stasis while Angela prepared for the Library's "opening." In order to maintain their physical form, Angela bound each of them to a Book, leaving them inactive but still partially aware of events in the Library around them. As the Library receives more Guests and grows in power, she is able to awaken more of both the Patron and Assistant Librarians. Ultimately, Angela aims to recomplete the Light by collecting the "One True Book" in the hopes of freeing not only herself, but also the rest of the Librarians from their cycle. Despite being immortal, the Librarians can still be "killed," though they only dissolve into Light and revert to their Book forms as seen when they are defeated in a Reception. During Receptions, the Librarians are made to forget that they can revive in order to make them feel as if they are fighting for their own lives, thus maximizing their Emotion Levels to draw out the Library's full power. However, there is a limit to their immortality in that they are bound to the Library, thus the fate of the Library determines the fate of the Librarians. From their combat dialogue, it can be seen that despite having differing outlooks and varying degrees of enthusiasm and confidence, the Librarians are all generally unfazed at the types of opponents they face and are also somewhat unaccustomed to fighting without the E.G.O. gear they had back in L Corp.

15. #15Abnormalities

    Keys: abnormalities, abnormality, abno

    Abnormalities are entities that manifested from the mind of humans, and as such reflect an aspect of desires or fears of people. There are several classes of abnormalities. Zayin, Teth, He, Waw and Aleph. Zayin abnormalities generate the least energy and typically easy to suppress, but Aleph abnormalities generate a lot of energy and are typically hard to suppress. Being cognitive beings made manifest into the current reality, Abnormalities are entities representing various concepts born from the human mind. Ranging from human fears, complexes, and desires, these phantoms can be considered a different form of humanity and an existence considered as “human” as mankind itself. Each ‘species’ of Abnormality possesses a unique physiology and appearance, ranging from inanimate objects to humanoid beings; some Abnormalities even lack a physical form entirely and exist as an intangible phenomena themselves. Given the fact that they are human fantasies made real, Abnormalities don’t abide by the conventional laws of physics, nor possess functional anatomy analogous to those of normal living organisms—regardless of outward appearance, they all possess a will and desires of their own. Because of the basis of their existence, every Abnormality is immortal, and will come back from any and every wound—no matter how many times they're smashed, split, strewn apart, and suppressed. Abnormalities were the main source of energy for Lobotomy Corporation.

16. #16Enkephalin

    Keys: green stuff, enkephalin

    Lobotomy Corporation had the unique ability to produce "Enkephalin", a substance extracted from Abnormalities whenever they feel satisfied. Enkephalin was typically manufactured by isolating Abnormalities into Containment Units and providing stimulation through interactions such as play, conversation, or violence. The refined version of the substance appears as a green liquid kept in PE-Boxes, but Enkephalin can be kept in a gaseous form depending on the extraction method. Strictly purified Enkephalin possesses a psychotherapeutic effect on those that consume or are exposed to it, thus it can be used as a recreational drug in addition to its energy production. Due to its soothing nature, Enkephalin is regularly administered towards L Corp. employees to subdue their mental stress, ranging from standard liquid doses, to even Enkephalin gas—which fills the departments throughout the facilities. The SP-E Bullets made available to the manager to restore the sanity of Agents were developed through the use of Enkephalin’s therapeutic uses as well. Because Enkephalin was highly valuable as an efficient fuel source and was advertised as an eco-friendly form of energy, L Corp’s status as a Wing was elevated far above its peers and cemented the megacorp as a major power within the City.

17. #17E.G.O

    Keys: e.g.o, ego, ego gear

    The E.G.O Equipment given to employees are weapons and suits extracted from Abnormalities' beings, appearing in various forms. E.G.O (or Extermination of Geometrical Organ) is in itself the archetype of an Abnormality, drawn out and compressed into equipment form. It is said that the moment someone equips E.G.O, they'll instantly know how to properly wield it, regardless of fighting background. As this type of equipment is essentially independently functioning archetypes of an Abnormality, it is no mistake to say that Agents wield the same kind of power and danger that Abnormalities possess.

    All E.G.O Equipment produced and distributed towards L Corp’s employees are extracted by the Extraction Team under the Lobotomy Corporation Headquarters. Due to their nature of essentially being Abnormalities stabilized into suits and weapons, those with weak minds and wills will risk having their egos consumed by E.G.O Equipment beyond their capabilities. Thus L Corp. only assigns E.G.O towards employees with appropriate levels of Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance, and/or Justice to avoid such risks.

    When a human equips E.G.O they are not mentally prepared to wield, the Abnormality within the equipment will one-sidedly whisper into the mind of the user until it eventually takes over their mind. This process is known as E.G.O Corrosion, where the Abnormality’s personality gradually overrides the wearer like a ‘shell’ until the equipment in question completely overtakes them, physically transforming the wielder into a monster acting as another instance of the original Abnormality, albeit slayable.

    Apart from direct extraction methods, Abnormalities can also provide trinkets or even their own body parts to employees they fancy. These presents are collectively known as E.G.O Gifts, and will either permanently integrate into the employee’s anatomy or form an attachment with the Agent that makes them reluctant to cast the gift off. Though E.G.O Gifts are of a lesser degree than regular E.G.O Equipment, they are still a part of the egos of the Abnormalities they originated from, and carry the same risk of mental deterioration if too many Gifts are taken by an Agent.

18. #18Lobotomy Corporation

    Keys: lobotomy corp, L corp, lob corp, lobotomy corporation

    Lobotomy Corporation, or L Corp, was one of the twenty-six Wings and the owner of District 12's Nest before the corp's collapse. L Corp's Singularity was the ability to materialize the human mind called Cogito, and the company used this to market itself as an eco-friendly energy producer for the City and the other Wings. Secretly, this was done through the creation and use of Abnormalities, monstrous and highly dangerous entities created from experiments with L Corp's Singularity.

    As a Wing, L Corp. operated as an energy producer and supplier, entering mutual business relationships with a number of other Wings, including W Corp, R Corp, and T Corp. As much as L Corp. benefited each Wing, they also assisted it in turn (unknowingly allowing its plan to occur.) For example, T Corp. granted the use of its TT2 Protocol which was used to alter and loop the timescale of L Corp's main facility, while R Corp's Rabbit Team was contracted to act as security for the facility.

    L Corp. was the product of a radical plan to fundamentally change the mentality of City life, carried out by its founding members in its main facility, by collecting Light and using it to release the Seed of Light over the City. This would allow all individuals to come to terms with their emotions and subsequently manifest E.G.O. The success of the Light's collection and release led to the White Nights and Dark Days and caused the collapse of the Wing and its branches. However, the Light's release was interrupted by Angela, who sought revenge for the suffering the plan inflicted on her and also freedom from L Corp, indirectly causing the Distortion Phenomenon in the process. Angela proceeded to remake L Corp's main facility into the Library to bide her time and plan for her freedom, all while the City's many factions are beginning to eye the sudden power vacuum in L Corp's former Nest to make their own fortunes.

    Branch X-394: The main facility of L Corp, although initially buried underground, at some point, it rose above-ground and caused the White Nights and Dark days incident. Eventually converted into the Library by Angela

19. #19The Seed of Light Project

    Keys: seed of light, seed of light project, the seed of light project

    The Seed of Light was an idea started by Carmen. It’s supposedly a miracle medicine that can cure the illness of the mind of all denizens of the city- restoring light and hope in the hearts of all. The project of "The Seed of Light" started with an experimentation supported by Elijah, Gabriel, Giovanni, and Michelle, along Kali and Daniel. There were also other coworkers who helped in the project. The personnel put their efforts into work to achieve Carmen's goal, but there were flaws in the eyes of Ayin about the employees; a lack of competence, excessive rationality, uncontrollable fear, recklessness in their ideas. But Carmen believed more in such positive efforts and Ayin began to lean by her side.

    Time passed and still no result were obtained to make a major step. They had the research of Cogito, which required a human subject to test it on. Carmen was found to be the most optimal candidate, but something unexpected happened; Enoch showing interest in the project and wanting to find that meaning of life with the light. Despite Carmen's numerous discouragements, he still wanted to participate, putting the harsh decision of Carmen accepting the use of Enoch as a subject. Unfortunately, Enoch dies, and Lisa mutters hateful things against Carmen in that she should have died instead, and she lost faith in herself. Carmen fell into a deep depression, losing her naturally charismatic and bright stance completely. Ayin was concerned for her but couldn't keep an eye on her all the time, allowing Carmen to attempt suicide in a bathtub by slitting her wrists.

    Ayin found her unconscious in the bathtub, bleeding from her wounds in the unsuccessful suicide. Ayin managed to salvage her body and immerse her in a cryogenic chamber. However, this state allowed the decision of using Carmen as a key part of the project that failed before. Ayin removed Carmen's nervous system from her body and placed it in a reservoir where she began to produce Cogito for continuous experimentation and become the "The Well", where the substance is drawn out from. Even with her nervous system as the only remaining part of her body, Carmen still lives on in the chamber, though she cannot see, hear, talk, or otherwise communicate with those that remain.

    Carmen's death heavily shook the already unstable team, but the experiments continued because they still believed in the vision that Carmen had brought them together with. However, more issues began to appear again related to the Cogito research. Elijah took an unauthorized injection to help in the research on humans, but died in the process. Gabriel wanted to moderate this but eventually fell to insanity and died as well. In a method to control the doses of Cogito, he required volunteers, which Giovanni accepted to be part of the experiment, but with the fake hope of saving Carmen with it and succumbing to death like the ones before. After witnessing so much death, Michelle finally broke down, and confessed the workings and dealings of Lobotomy Corporation to an Arbiter of the Head, Garion. Garion soon after followed up on Michelle's information, infiltrating the facility and coercing Daniel to open the Abnormality containers. Garion then proceeds to wreck havoc alongside the Abnormalities, annihilating much the remaining researchers Daniel included. Kali eventually fought her way to the Arbiter, and managed to bring Garion to her knees, mortally wounded, at the cost of her own life. In the end only Ayin, Benjamin, and a handful of other workers remained after the massacre.

20. #20Books

    Keys: book, books

    Books are items obtained in the Library by defeating Guests during a Reception. Books are needed to register Invitations to the Guests who will end up coming to the Library. Defeated Guests will turn into Books and they will be added to the collection of the Library.

    Books are made from the Library's Light. An infinite number of Books are found within the Library, though the contents of most Books created as part of the Library are meaningless gibberish. A Guest who is defeated while within the Library becomes a Book that contain the Guest's memories and experiences. According to the Patron Librarian Tiphereth, books are consumed once a being fully understands its contents. Books, however, may change from reading to reading, forcing one to read one book multiple times in order to fully understand it.

    The Library director Angela intends to collect the "One True Book", a special Book that holds information capable of making her human—freeing herself from Lobotomy Corporation's facility X-394—and freeing the facility's former Sephirot.

    Upon Lobotomy Corporation's collapse and transformation into the Library, the Wing's former employees, as well its contained Abnormalities, were also turned into Books. These employees and Abnormalities were effectively placed into stasis to await reawakening by Angela. The employees became Librarians. The Abnormalities were notably given Books with environments specially designed for them.

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