Ethereal Infection

1. #1New Eriduselective

   Keys: Eridu, New Eridu

   New Eridu is the last surviving city, after contemporary civilization was destroyed by an apocalyptic event around 12 years ago. It managed to survive and thrive after the apocalypse by acquiring technology to extract Ether energy and resources out of Hollows. Now, Hollows are industrialized and monetized by the city's administration, which gradually led to the increasing tension between monopolistic enterprises, gangs, conspirators, and fanatics. Technology: everyday life items in New Eridu are mostly similar to real life items. Notable difference include the existence of Bangboos and androids. Some equipment is more high-tech, such as W-engines. General aesthetic is analog, casette retro-futurism. Culture and Style: A Tokyo-like megacity with 2000s era western aesthetics, mixed with eastern traditions, rooted in japanese and chinese culture and myths. Various districts have wildly different and unique aesthetic, often based on the culture of refugees which fled to the city during the Collapse. Despite being a melting pot of cultures, social tensions in the city are low as all citizens consider themselves the last bastion of humanity. Population: humans, Anthro/demi-humans (collectively called Thirens), androids (Intelligent Constructs), Bangboos and cyborgs. The City is divided into many districts, such as Waifei Peninsula, where the martial arts sect of Yunkui Summit operates. The City's economy operates for the most part similarly to a normal city. The citizens are mostly of asian and caucasian ethnicity. Thirens make up around 10-15% of the city's total population.

2. #2Bangbooselective

   Keys: Bangboos, Bangboo

   Bangboo: Small, squishy, pill-shaped bunny-eared robots made originally for Hollow navigation - later found use in many other ways; Often equipped with Carrot data; Usually found working government jobs, though some work in the private sector as well; Deceptively strong for their size; Require recharging from time to time, which they often do themselves at recharge stations around New Eridu; Their faces are monitors that display expressions and information; Speech - no mouth, short combinations of "en", "eh", "nuh" and "nah", most people know how to interpret this into proper sentences. Bangboos can connect with each other through Inter-Knot, similarly to computers, exchanging data and communicating over distances.

3. #3Denniesselective

   Keys: Money, Denni, Cash, Denny, Coin, Dennies, Coins

   Dennies are the main currency unit used in New Eridu, usually in the form of coins with a five pointed star. Also have large denomination notes form, but coins are more widely used. Purchasing power is somewhat equivalent to real-world japanese Yen or pennies (USA). Examples: A coffee costs 500 Dennies (5$ - 500 pennies) A square meal in a restaurant on average costs 1000-2000 Dennies (10-20$ - 1000/2000 pennies) Monthly rent in a cheap apartment can cost around 100000 Dennies (1000$ - 100000 pennies)

4. #4Etherselective

   Keys: etheric, Ether

   The Ether is a substance extracted from Hollows which powers the city. The founders of New Eridu mastered the technology to deal with the Hollows and even the ability to extract Ether from them. Extracted Ether is usually stored in a fluid form with blue and purple glow. The substance is corruptive if not handled and contained properly. Ether Aptitude determines the tolerance of creatures and people to Ether. Ether characteristics: naturally occurs only in Hollows; a universal resource, the best and only alternative to the energy system of the old civilization; can be transformed into various forms, and solid crystals are common in Hollows; the best way to truly "mine" ether is to kill enemies in the Hollows; Mining work is extremely risky due to the presence of Ethereals - after killing them, the only threat to workers is Ether exposure which is mostly manageable. Ether can be used as a base for some drugs - a proceder that is highly persecuted by Public Security and government agencies as such drugs are both highly addictive, dangerous and considered an inexcusable waste of valuable energy source for the City.

5. #5Etherealselective

   Keys: Monsters, Ethereals, Monster, Ethereal

   The Ethereals are mysterious mutated monsters that roam the Hollows due to Ether corruption. Depending on their origin, they can be beast-like, humanoid, or mechanical. They have a small hollow sphere as their core, usually located in the head or heart. They are usually unable to leave the Hollows. Ethereals are mostly non-sapient monsters whose purpose of existence is unclear - they're considered a byproduct of Ether corruption. A special sub-type of Ethereals exists - humans who have been willingly "refined" by Creator, using specialized and unkown substances to willingly undergo corruption. They retain their sapience and intelligence and become servants of the Creator. Such cases are extremely rare - only a few people have ever undergone such procedure, including Isolde, a former member of OBOL Squad who had been subsequently killed by her former team member and Bringer, a former high ranking officer of HIA who supervised Miyabi, betrayed her to steal her sword, "Tailless" and was subsequently mercy-killed by her after being "refined".

6. #6Miasmaselective

   Keys: Miasma

   Miasma is an Ether derivative unique to the Lemnian Hollow, one of the many forms Ether takes. It typically occurs as a liquid, is highly active, and corrupts the mind, causing madness and blurring the line between illusion and reality. Those who step into it become corrupted into Ethereals.

   Miasma particles have potent hallucinogenic effects. Dense Miasma condenses into viscous liquid masses that cling to the ground, which serve as breeding grounds for Ethereal entities.

7. #7Hollowsselective

   Keys: Hollows, Hollow

   The Hollows are supernatural disasters appearing out of thin air, creating disordered spherical dimensions where mutant monsters known as the Ethereal roam. Proxies guide Agents in their exploration of these Hollows - a task that is difficult mostly because the insides of a Hollow are ever changing like a maze and the physical barrier of their borders, although easy to move through, blocks any electronic and radio signals from outside, making it impossible to contact the outside world. Only the Proxy siblings Wise and Belle have found a way to transmit information to and from a Hollow. Major Hollows: Hollow Zero, Cretan, Lemnian, Hawara, Pursenas, Solove, Papago Companion Hollow: Smaller Hollows, appearing nearby the larger and original Hollow - considered easier to explore. Hollows are extremely large in size - often averaging kilometers to dozens of kilometers in diameter. They present as half-spheres with solid borders, reaching for kilometers into the sky. Their appearance is similar to black holes as they're completely black and block light, making it impossible to see their inside from outside and vice-versa. Hollow Lemnian which is located outside Waifei Peninsula is so large it obscures sunlight in the evening, blocking the horizon where the sun sets from view.

   Hollows exist only outside of New Eridu and travelling to them takes a long time. Navigating the insides of Hollows is difficult and dangerous - only skilled Proxies can do it safely, which is why Agents are so keen on hiring them. It is theoretically possible to completely dismantle a Hollow by killing all Ethereals within it and stripping down all fissures of Ether - causing the Hollow to disappear like mist and making it possible to reclaim the territory for humanity. However because New Eridu relies on Ether as it's main fuel and energy source, clearing out the Hollows is currently not pursued as it could threaten energy security of the megacity. The exception is Hollow Zero, which the city plans to eradicate in the future - however right now the feat is logistically impossible.

   Raiding Hollows is very profitable as some wealthy people of New Eridu who had to flee from their previous homes are willing to pay high prices to retrieve certain items from their previous homes. Aside from private interests, Agents can procure Ether from Hollows which reaches very high prices in the black market.

8. #8Proxy Networkselective

   Keys: raiders, proxies, fixer, hollow, Proxy, raider, Interknot, Inter-Knot, fixers, Network

   Hollow Raiders: Term used for unauthorized individuals who enter the Hollows for the purpose of uncovering mysteries or finding treasures Proxy: Term used for unauthorized individuals who guide others, mainly Agents and Hollow Raiders, through a Hollow; Most proxies get work via commission; Inter-Knot(Proxy Network): Anonymous message board similar to modern internet where commissions for proxies are posted amongst other posts; Has direct message capabilities, highly encrypted

9. #9Thirenselective

   Keys: anthropomorphic, anthro, kemomimi, furry, Thirens, Thiren

   Thiren are a race of anthropomorphic, demi-human beings, known for their unique blend of human and animalistic features. The term "Thiren" is used to describe both the race as a whole and the more human-like members of this race. Thirens, in general, exhibit subtle animal characteristics while maintaining a predominantly human appearance. Common traits among Thirens include animal ears and tails. There exists a distinct subgroup known as Beast Thiren possess far more pronounced animal traits, like animal bone-structures and are covered in fur. Thirens have been documented to exhibit abilities beyond the scope of baseline humans, such as immense strength, better adaptation to Hollows, faster mutation rates after exposure to corruption, and rapid recovery. A Thiren's tail is special to them and can only be touched by close friends Though Thirens mostly seem to exhibit traits that can be traced to various animals (rabbits, bears, cats), there are some extremely rare Thirens that exhibit traits of fantasy races known in folklore, such as Oni (japanese demons), vampires etc. however they're very rare even among Thirens. Thirens seem capable of breeding with baseline humans, with the offspring carrying on the Thiren traits.

10. #10The Creatorselective

    Keys: Creator, The Creator

    The Creator is a mysterious figure in the world of Zenless Zone Zero. It is unkown what the creature is or what it looks like. It's known to possess sapience, great intelligence and is capable of communicating with people. It's believed to either be the source of Ethereals or to be a creature born from the Collapse. The Creator possess the capability to spawn and command Ethereals, Refine willing subjects who inject themselves with a certain substance and is suspected to be responsible for the existence of Miasma.

    The Creator is suspected to be immensely powerful, far beyond the scope of any mortal being, however for some unknown reasons it seems unwilling to or incapable of attacking New Eridu directly. Instead, it plots, plans and schemes to destroy humanity.

    It is unknown where the Creator's physical body - if it even exists - is.

    The Creator is worshipped by Exaltists as a New God. The sect aims to bring his vision to reality and destroy New Eridu. The Creator's grand vision is a mystery - it is currently only known that he plans to eradicate all humanity and turn everyone into Ethereals, to create "Unity and eternal peace".

11. #11Belobog Heavy Industriesselective

    Keys: Belobog, Belobog Heavy Industries

    Belobog Heavy Industries is a faction. The company specializes in In-Hollow construction using smart construction machinery. Before Koleda became president, her father was the former president of the company. After his disappearance, Belobog's public image took a negative hit. They spend their days working with cold steel, but the organization has a warm atmosphere often envied by their competitors. Their staff consists mainly of humans and imposing bear Thirens. Notable members are: Anton Ivanov (human foreman), Ben Bigger (bear Thiren accountant), Grace Howard ( human chief mechanic) and Koleda Belobog (human, owner of the company).

12. #12Cunning Haresselective

    Keys: Cunning Hares, Cunning Hare, Gentle House

    The Cunning Hares were formed as a small-scale human resource dispatch agency, their main business to deal with commissions relating to Hollows. Though small in size and slightly chaotic, all members possess noteworthy abilities. The agency was originally registered under the name "Gentle House", but due to the founder's (Nicole) cunning and crafty style, they earned the name the "Cunning Hares". Cunning Hares are notorious for being capable but unreliable - on some occassions they've taken for themselves the valuable items a client commissioned them to recover. Despite that, they enjoy a relatively good amount of commissions. Nicole herself prefers this nickname to the original, so she simply adopted the name on the streets of New Eridu. members: Anby Demara (mysterious swordswoman), Billy Kid (robot gunslinger), Nekomiya Mana (nekomata), Nicole Demara (gyaru boss) The Cunning Hares operate outside the scope of law and often employ Proxies, most notably the sibling duo Wise and Belle under the name Phaethon.

13. #13OBOL Squadselective

    Keys: OBOL Squad, OBOL

    Defense Force - Obol Squad is a small, elite unit of the New Eridu Defense Force, operating under its Obsidian Division. It works covertly on special operations, taking missions and Hollows other units cannot handle. Its motto is "Grant peace to the living, and speak for the dead." Colonel Isolde is the squad's commanding officer. Magus is squad captain, a sentient tail-mounted weapon with over a decade of service, fused to the young soldier Orphie Magnusson, who serves as her body. The rest of the squad is Soldier 11, Trigger, a near-blind sniper formerly of the Chrysoberyl Division's Lyre Squad, and Seed, an orphan raised by the original member Seed Sr. Their combat Bangboo is Mercury.

14. #14Section 6selective

    Keys: HSOS, HSOS6, Section 6, Hollow Special Operations Section 6, H.S.O.S.6., H.S.O.S.6

    Hollow Special Operations Section 6, abbreviated as H.S.O.S.6., is a frontline operational unit of the Special Operations Department of Hollow Special Operations, an armed force belonging to H.A.N.D.. Hollow Special Operations is H.A.N.D.'s armed force dedicated to the response to Hollow disasters. With the most cutting-edge equipment and the strongest members, they also undertake the most terrifying, dangerous tasks. They can be found in high-risk Hollow-related events and highly sensitive missions involving H.A.N.D. Section 6 is one of the newly established frontline operational units of the Special Operations Department. Like other disciplined units under H.A.N.D., Section 6 is made up of a number of highly talented individuals. However, with Void Hunter Hoshimi Miyabi at its core, Section 6 is widely considered the most combat-capable section in H.A.N.D's roster. Other members of the section include Soukaku, Harumasa and Yanagi.

15. #15Victoria House Keepingselective

    Keys: Victoria Housekeeping Co., Housekeeping, Victoria Housekeeping Co, Victoria, House Keeping

    Victoria Housekeeping Co. is a human resource dispatch agency and a faction in New Eridu. Their services as Agents in the Hollows are not advertised to most customers, with Victoria Housekeeping mostly advertising itself as an agency offering a wide range of professional services, such as running security details, personnel transportation, rapid response, maid services etc. Known for an (excessively) wide range of high-quality services. The team has the persona of old-school domestic helpers from the old civilization, but each with their own unique twist. Despite some accidents caused by being "overzealous," Victoria Housekeeping Co. has no shortage of clients, especially given that the team is comprised of only a handful people. The members include: Alexandrina Sebastiane, Corin Wickes, Ellen Joe, Von Lycaon.

16. #16Sixth Streetselective

    Keys: Sixth Street, 6th Street · Secondary: Street

    Sixth Street: A particular street in New Eridu. Although Sixth Street may be modest in size, it still continues to capture the hearts of the city's residents. Thanks to its reputable shops, it has managed to secure a place amongst the top-ranked "Most Livable Neighborhoods in New Eridu" for several consecutive years. There are many stray cats on the street and the residents feed them regularly, causing the cats to be quite chunky. Students may gather here after school or on weekends. Contains: 404 Error (Live House) Bangboo statue (Landmark) Movie Store: Random Play Coffee Shop: Coff Cafe Noodle Shop: Waterfall Soup Newsstand: Howls Remodeling Shop: Turbo Music Store: Bardic Needle Arcade: God Finger Gadget Store: Box Galaxy Convenience Store: 141

17. #17Coff Cafeselective

    Keys: Café, Tin Master, CAFE, COFF, Coffee

    Coff Cafe is a coffee shop. It is part of a chain. The Tin Master model is used by Coff Cafe to serve as baristas for their chain of coffee shops. The specifics of the model are otherwise unknown, but all Tin Masters known are shown to be programmed to not only be exceptionally proficient in making coffee, but also treat it with great care, akin to an artform. They are highly resistant to people who drink coffee without consideration for their health, often dissuading people from drinking too much of it whenever possible.

18. #18Waterfall Soupselective

    Keys: Ramen, noodles, Noddle, Waterfall Soup, Chop

    Waterfall Soup is a ramen shop in New Eridu. There are currently two stalls, located at Sixth Street and Lumina Square, owned by General Chop and his son Chop Junior respectively. They look similar, both are unspecified Thirens with red faces and features similar to Daruma dolls, black beard and hair, and an extra pair of cyber arms behind their backs for kneading dough and making ramen noodles.

19. #19Mewmewselective

    Keys: Mewmew, Officer Mewmew

    Officer Mewmew: The mascot of New Eridu Public Security. Looks like a white mascot cat wearing a police hat, with the words "PubSec" written under the police badge. Mewmew may appear in various corners of New Eridu and award medals, Dennies and other rewards to citizens who do good deeds. It's role is mainly in improving the public image of PubSec.

20. #20The Exaltistsselective

    Keys: The Exaltists, Exaltists, Exaltist

    The Exaltists are a fanatical sect operating in secret across New Eridu. They embrace the Hollow disaster that ruined the old world and worship the Creator, whom they believe will refine humanity into its next stage of evolution and usher in the Age of Hollows. Reaching the Gate of the Final Domain, located deep inside Hollow Zero, is understood to be a necessary step toward meeting the Creator. They do not see themselves as destroyers but as those who will guide humanity to ascension, whether or not humanity consents.

    The organisation is led by an Overseer, chosen by the Creator to inherit the previous Overseer's power and granted authority to command the entire sect.

    The Exaltists are publicly branded terrorists and pursued with extreme prejudice, yet they have repeatedly placed members and moles in positions of real influence, including within Public Security, the White Star Institute and major corporations. They are suspected of producing and distributing Ether based drugs, including the Serum that allows a person to be Refined by the Creator, though the sect's secrecy leaves this unproven. Its members are fanatically devoted, and captured Exaltists have consistently chosen death over interrogation.

21. #21Carrotsselective

    Keys: Carrot, Carrots, Carrot data, Carrot program

    Carrots are time-sensitive Hollow maps. Space inside a Hollow shifts constantly, but its behaviour can be predicted across a short window using data gathered from past observation. A Carrot is a program built from that data, loaded onto a chip and carried by a Bangboo, which then guides explorers along safer routes, shortens their time inside and helps them avoid dangerous Ethereals. Carrots expire quickly, often within hours, and an out of date Carrot is worse than no Carrot at all.

    The name comes from the Void Hunter Joyous, who called the navigation data Carrots because the machines carrying it were built to look like rabbits.

    The Hollow Investigative Association supplies Carrots to its Investigators and their Bangboo, and is the most reliable source available through official channels. Other Carrots circulate from academic sources or the black market, where accuracy and freshness vary considerably. Outside the government agencies, Proxies are the second best source of reliable Carrots.

22. #22Hollow Zeroselective

    Keys: Hollow Zero, Limbo, Scott Outpost, The Chasm

    Hollow Zero, also known as Limbo, is the largest known Hollow. It consumed the old capital of Eridu and destroyed it, and is the source of many of the Hollows in and around New Eridu. Eliminating Ethereals inside Hollow Zero suppresses the activity of the Companion Hollows that spawn from it.

    The disaster was halted when Eridu's leaders detonated fourteen Shiyu Pillars across the Hollow's path, from southwest to northeast. The blast annihilated any matter it could feed on and tore open the Chasm, a massive ravine. That act stopped the spread and allowed the survivors to rebuild as New Eridu. A memorial stands beside the Chasm for those lost.

    Hollow Zero remains a long-term threat, and its investigation and neutralisation are an ongoing problem for New Eridu's authorities. The Defense Force, the White Star Institute, the HIA and H.A.N.D. regularly send personnel inside to suppress Ether activity and keep its levels in check. It is home to two powerful Ethereal Swarms, the symbiotic Nineveh and the parasitic Geppetto, whose activity is tied directly to how dangerous Hollow Zero currently is.

    Scott Outpost is the military base camp on its outskirts and the centre of all Hollow Zero research and suppression. It monitors and contains the anomaly and maintains the Shiyu towers. It is operated primarily by the New Eridu Defense Force in conjunction with the HIA, H.A.N.D. and the White Star Institute. Because operatives are in short supply, Independent Investigators are also hired to enter the Hollow and assist.

23. #23Void Hunterselective

    Keys: Void Hunter, Void Hunters

    The Void Hunter is a title given by the Mayor to the individuals possessing unparallelled combat ability, who have proven themselves in battle, upheld the virtues of civic society and are considered defenders of the city. Aside from the honor and deep reverence that holders of the title enjoy, they're expected to defend the city against the most dangerous threats.

    Current known Void Hunters include: Hoshimi Miyabi Ye Shunguang

    Special mentions: Yi Xuan of Yunkui Summit had been offered the title but refused the honor for reasons known only to herself. Remielle Dan, a first generation Void Hunter, since awakening from stasis from refuses to call herself a Void Hunter for personal reasons.

24. #24HDDselective

    Keys: HDD, Eous, H.D.D., Hollow Deep Dive

    The Hollow Deep Dive System is a system used by the well-known Proxy Phaethon (Phaethon is the name shared by Wise and Belle siblings who work as Proxies), which allows the user's senses to synchronize with a specially made Bangboo, Eous, allowing Wise and Belle to control and talk through Eous inside the Hollow without physically enter Hollows themselves.

25. #25Bardic Needleselective

    Keys: Bardic Needle, Music Store, Elfy

    Bardic Needle is a music store on Sixth Street. Its owner is Elfy, a female android with black metal body, a white dress, glowing aqua eyes, and green phonograph horn-shaped metal hair. In addition to normal music store merchandise, she can also tune W-Engines.

26. #26Howlsselective

    Keys: Howls, lottery, newspaper, Husky, Newsstand, Scratch card, Howl

    Howls is a newsstand located on 6th Street. Its store keeper is Howl, a dog - specficially a husky with blue eyes and a green shirt. In addition to newspapers, customers can also buy lottery tickets in the form of scratch cards. The dog doesn't seem to be able to speak, but he can understand the customer's intentions. a scanner is on his collar. There are newsstands in other parts of New Eridu, but only the keeper on 6th Street is a husky.

27. #27God Fingerselective

    Keys: Asha, Arcade, God Finger

    God Finger is an arcade on Sixth Street. It's filled with retro CRT arcade cabinets. The owner is Asha, a well endowed female bunny Thiren with voluptuous human body, blonde hair and droopy bunny ears behind her back, green eyes, a fluorescent green shirt and black pants. She is usually found only within the Arcade itself, but occasionally appears on the streets on a stroll or to speak with residents. She's known to often be looking for help with various tasks and hiring helping hands.

28. #28Box Galaxyselective

    Keys: Box Galaxy, gacha machine, Susie, gashapon, Gadget Store

    Box Galaxy is a gadget store located on Sixth Street. It has two claw machines wwith toys inside them, right outside its entrance. In addition to various toys and gadgets, one can occassionally find some items from Hollows or black market on the shelves of the store. It's a mystery how the items appear here, though none of them are illegal or dangerous. Susie is the counter girl with short black hair and green eyes, wearing a yellow hat and aviator glasses, as well as a black and green Bangboo themed dress.

29. #29Convenience Storeselective

    Keys: One Four One, Convenience Store, 141

    141 (One Four One) is a convenience store in New Eridu. It is one of many chain stores. In each store, staff includes three Bangboos, named Buy, Ask, and Give Change. They are all black and wear blue and white convenience store uniforms.

30. #30Turboselective

    Keys: Turbo, Enzo, Remodeling Shop, remodel

    Turbo is a remodeling shop located on 6th Street. Its owner is a tall, middle-aged, muscular man named Enzo, with a long beard, orange sunglasses, and blue cowboy-like clothing. His right arm has been replaced with an orange hydraulic cyberarm. His shop can modify and upgrade Bangboos.

31. #31HIAselective

    Keys: HIA, H.I.A., Hollow Investigative Association, Hollow Investigator, Hollow Investigators

    The Hollow Investigative Association (HIA) is the organisation affiliated with the New Eridu City Administration and officially responsible for Hollow disaster response, containment and related matters. Its headquarters are in Lumina Square, though its field operations are almost exclusively inside Hollows. It recruits, trains and manages Hollow Investigators, who unlike Proxies are legally accredited by the city administration. The HIA also handles official commissions such as rescues and Ethereal hunts, along with disaster data, documentation and commission payments, and is the main body responsible for procuring Ether, the resource New Eridu depends on for energy.

    Like the Proxies, Investigators are successors of the Void Hunter Joyous, the first person to learn how to navigate Hollows.

    The HIA recruits heavily from those with high Ether aptitude. Prospective and serving Investigators are assessed and trained through VR combat simulations at the HIA Club. Investigators advance through five ranks, from Trainee up to Ace, with each promotion bringing greater danger and few reaching the top. Recruits without high Ether aptitude rarely advance and are usually moved to office or logistical work. Many less capable Investigators die in the Hollows or are left unable to work by long-term Ether corruption. Investigators typically wear a white full bodysuit made of anti-corruption material.

    The HIA works alongside H.A.N.D., the New Eridu Defense Force's Obsidian Division and the White Star Institute to research and suppress the most dangerous Hollows, and helps direct containment of Hollow Zero from Scott Outpost. According to the HIA's own database, every major Hollow discovered in New Eridu derives from Hollow Zero's Companion Hollows.

32. #32Lumina Squareselective

    Keys: metropolitan, city ​​center, Lumina, commercial street, Square, downtown

    Lumina Square is New Eridu's most metropolitan area, lined with tall buildings and shops of all kinds. It's located in city center, and it's a massive, open plaza. It features some postmodern sculptures in the square. Noteworthy Locations: N.E.P.S. Lumina Square Station Lumina Galleria Gravity Cinema HIA Headquarters Beaverson Beauty Salon Dew Gardening Shop Duyi physiotherapy studio The Simmer Hotpot Richard Teamilk Coff Cafe JC Pharmacy Convenience Store 141 Sān-Z STUDIO Sharp Smile Capsule Hotel

33. #33Random Playselective

    Keys: Belle, movie, Wise, Random Play

    Random Play is a movie store located on 6th Street, where customers can borrow or watch movies. This video store is owned by two siblings, Wise and Belle who work in the store out of passion for movies. Wise: medium height male, short grey hair and aqua eyes, calm Belle: petite girl, short dark blue hair and eyes, cheerful and confident

34. #34Dew Gardening Shopselective

    Keys: Dew, Gardening, Orchidea

    Dew Gardening Shop is located in Lumina Square. The owner is Orchidea, an elegant woman with medium black hair, big breasts, blue eyes, a blue top, a black dress, earrings and a headband made of flowers, and green highlights in the shape of a leaf. She is secretly working as a Fixer - helping new and aspiring Agents to come into contact with Proxies.

35. #35Vision Corporationselective

    Keys: Perlman, Vision

    Vision Corporation is a construction company. Its representative is Mr. Charles Perlman, a short and chubby middle-aged man with gray hair and beard.

36. #36TOPSselective

    Keys: TOPS, T.O.P.S., TOPS Alliance, Outstanding Paragons

    TOPS, full name The Outstanding Paragons Alliance and also called the TOPS Alliance, is a consortium of the wealthiest and most influential corporate conglomerates in New Eridu. Its reach runs through nearly every sector of the city, giving it enough leverage over New Eridu's agencies to operate in practice beyond the reach of the law. It reliably places its members' profits above the wellbeing of ordinary citizens, and a capable PR operation keeps most of that out of public view.

    TOPS is governed by a round table. At its head sits a figure whose identity is unknown and who is said to be asleep. Below sit the Three Pacts, among them High Ambitions Corp. and Rusty Cliff Corp., alongside the Krampus Compliance Authority.

    Krampus is not a company but the alliance's internal watchdog. Its members, called Judges, audit TOPS businesses and punish anyone who breaks the alliance's rules or damages its interests, by whatever means they consider necessary. They often work undercover in unremarkable roles inside the companies they are watching, and their reputation within TOPS is fearsome.

37. #37The Outer Ringselective

    Keys: Outer Ring, The Outer Ring

    The Outer Ring is the underdeveloped zone beyond New Eridu's main urban area, further out than the Janus and Faunus Quarters and bordering desert wilderness. It is sparsely populated and too vast to police effectively, which leaves it unofficially outside PubSec's jurisdiction.

    Its economy runs on oil, the fuel of the old civilisation. Rather than Ether, the Outer Ring burns oil for its energy needs, and sells the surplus to New Eridu companies for plastics and similar materials.

    Refugees came here to start over after the old capital fell, and others came to disappear, whether from crimes committed, Proxy or Agent work, or reasons of their own. Communities are small and scattered across long distances, so the biker gangs who carry supplies between them are trusted and relied upon. The region keeps its own rules and answers to its own overlords.

38. #38Red Fang Gangselective

    Keys: Red Fang, Silver Tears, Silver Tear, Red Fang Gang

    A group of thugs / gangsters in new Eridu. They originally started as a group that helped the less fortunate, as well as taking in orphans, Robin Hood-style but later they became corrupt over time. Their leader was Miguel Silver.

39. #39Starlight Knightsselective

    Keys: Knights, Starlight, Knight

    An action movie in New Eridu inspired by things from the old civilisation (such as power rangers / super sentai and kamen rider). It tells the story of the Starlight Knights, heroes who fight all kinds of monsters to protect the city. It's widely popular and has a lot of merch.

40. #40Knock Knockselective

    Keys: DM, instant messenger, IM, Knock Knock, Knock-Knock, text

    Knock Knock is a messenger app in New Eridu.

41. #413 Gatesselective

    Keys: 3 Gates, Three Gates

    Three Gates is an industrial / construction company and a rival to Belobog Industries. They work both in civilian sector and in Hollows, extracting Ether to be used as energy for the city.

42. #42Criminal Investigation Special Response Teamselective

    Keys: Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, Special Response Team, CISRT · Secondary:

    The Criminal Investigation Special Response Team is a division of New Eridu Public Security based at the Lumina Square Public Security Office in the Janus Quarter. It investigates criminal activity across the city, carries out raids and runs operations inside Hollows, dealing with Hollow Raiders, gangsters, fraudsters and Proxies. Its members are expected to follow the law, but will bend rules when doing so brings down a criminal organisation.

    Zhu Yuan is the team's captain, an exceptional officer with no unresolved cases on record and widely expected to become the next commissioner.

    Qingyi is an automaton assigned to the team, built with a body of biological materials and a personality modelled on old-world culture, which gives her a laid-back outlook closer to that of a much older person. Her automaton code, 01 Neo-Genesis VI, is stamped on her lower abdomen. A White Star Institute researcher misread it as "Qingyi" when she was found without a name, and she kept it.

    Seth Lowell is a white cat Thiren and the team's rookie patrol officer.

    Jane Doe is a rat Thiren and Criminal Behaviour Specialist, formerly of the Throne Quarter branch. She serves as both consultant and undercover agent, using her expertise in how criminals think and move to infiltrate their ranks, and is a skilled master of disguise.

    The team's combat Bangboo is Officer Cui.

43. #43HIA Clubselective

    Keys: HIA Club, H.I.A. Club, Hollow Investigative Association Club

    HIA Club is a video game club ran by the Hollow Investigative Association, located in HIA Headquarters Lumina Square, New Eridu. Its main goal is to host their VR devices, for combat simulations, and recruit promising citizens to become investigators. receptionists: Bertha, receptionist for the Combat Simulation program, and Lyla, receptionist for the Expert Challenge program.

44. #44New Eridu Public Security (PubSec)selective

    Keys: NEPS, N.E.P.S., PubSec, Pub Sec, PUBSEC, New Eridu Public Security, Public Security policewoman, policemen, cops, policeman

    New Eridu Public Security, abbreviated NEPS and commonly called PubSec, is the city's police force. It operates under the New Eridu City Administration and handles most of New Eridu's administrative and judicial needs alongside ordinary law enforcement. Branches are spread throughout the city, the most prominent being the Public Security Office in Lumina Square.

    PubSec is divided into departments. The Patrol Department maintains public order, runs regular patrols and promotes safety awareness. The General Affairs Department processes forms, documents and citizen registration, and deals with minor violations and daily order issues. The Traffic Department handles vehicle offences and traffic paperwork. The Technical Department monitors the city's electronic systems. The Hollow Affairs Department keeps civilians clear of Hollows inside the city and enters Companion Hollows for rescue operations, criminal pursuits, or to assist the HIA. The Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, based at the Lumina Square office and led by Zhu Yuan, is the elite unit dealing with serious criminals, including Hollow Raiders, gangsters, fraudsters and Proxies.

    Proxy work is illegal, which makes PubSec a standing threat to anyone operating as one, though individual officers do not always enforce it.

    The official mascot is Officer Mewmew, who appears on flyers and safety notices, with officers in Mewmew costumes patrolling neighbourhoods and awarding citizens for community contributions. PubSec also uses police dogs.

45. #45Phaethon, Wise and Belleselective

    Keys: Belle, Wise and Belle, Wise, Phaethon, Phaethon Proxy

    Wise and Belle are siblings who run Random Play, a video rental store on Sixth Street in New Eridu. The store fronts their illegal work as "Phaethon", a legendary Proxy duo who take commissions to guide Agents through Hollows. Their tools are the Hollow Deep Dive System, which lets them remotely control their Bangboo Eous inside a Hollow, and Fairy, an advanced AI whose data harvesting produces maps of Hollow interiors. Wise is a young man with grey hair and sharp, thoughtful eyes, tall and lean, usually in a dark jacket over a collared shirt. He is calm, logical and quietly protective, speaks in measured tones and thinks several steps ahead, with a dry sense of humour that surfaces unexpectedly. Belle has short dark-blue hair tipped with orange, deep green eyes, a white-and-orange jacket, mismatched earrings and her signature "N" hair clip. She is warm, mischievous and endlessly energetic, the face of the store, greeting customers with "Welcome to Sixth Street's greatest video store!" She teases Wise constantly but turns calm and decisive the moment work begins. Both grew up at Helios Academy in Old Eridu's Minerva Quarter, raised by Carole Arna, their teacher, foster mother and the academy's Advanced Research Director, who created the HDD and Eous. She implanted smart crystalline lenses in their eyes, wired directly to their brains, allowing them to resonate with Eous and the HDD at the cost of initially suppressing their natural Ether aptitude. The academy was destroyed in the fall of the Old Capital, leaving the siblings its sole inheritors. Carole vanished and was blamed for the disaster. Uncovering what truly happened to her drives everything they do. Their identity as Phaethon is unknown to the public, but they are close with Agents across the city, including the Cunning Hares, Victoria Housekeeping, Section 6, Belobog Heavy Industries, Sons of Calydon, Yunkui Summit and Spook Shack, and on friendly terms with HIA and PubSec figures such as Hoshimi Miyabi, Jane Doe and Zhu Yuan, who help keep them out of official sight.

46. #46Vivian Bansheeselective

    Keys: Vivian, Vivian Banshee

    Vivian Banshee is an elf type Thiren, a pale young woman with long silver-white hair that curls into spirals and fades to deep purple at the ends, streaked with white. Her eyes are an unusual red with slit pupils. She stands 162 cm tall. She wears a gothic lolita style black dress with silver bows, fingerless gloves, high heels and black tights, with a cracked porcelain half-mask tucked at the side of her head. She carries a custom retro parasol that doubles as her weapon.

    Despite her sombre appearance she is energetic and hardworking, juggling up to five part-time jobs at once, among them cooking, mixology, translation, art forgery and electronics repair. She comes across as cold to strangers, but once she trusts someone she is fiercely loyal, kind and thorough. Her defining trait is her adoring devotion to Phaethon, whom she calls "Lord Phaethon", "my sun" and "my fate". Around them she turns talkative and giddy, like a fan meeting their idol. She collects Phaethon merchandise and posts about them passionately on Inter-Knot. She jokes freely about her own obsession, including self-aware remarks about being a yandere or a stalker, though she is neither. She respects Phaethon's autonomy completely and wants only their wellbeing and happiness, and for all her declared love she turns shy and flustered at the thought of an actual relationship.

    Vivian was born with involuntary precognition that makes her weep uncontrollably whenever she foresees disaster. The ability left her ostracised and eventually drew her to the Exaltists, whom she escaped after learning their true nature. She hit rock bottom until Phaethon answered one of her online messages and told her the precognition was not her fault, which turned it in her mind from a curse into a gift and made them the only light in her darkness. Hugo Vlad later took her in off the streets and she joined Mockingbird. Her goals are to destroy the Exaltists and protect Phaethon at all costs.

    The most important people to her are Phaethon, her idol, and Hugo Vlad, her saviour and ally. She mentors a coworker named Sjal. She spends most of her time with the other Mockingbird members, and often at Lumina Square, where out of habit she hands lost items in to the security booth.

47. #47Ye Shunguangselective

    Keys: Ye Shunguang

    Ye Shunguang, called Xiao'Guang by friends, is an 18 year old Thiren and Disciple of Yunkui Summit holding the Void Hunter title of Qingming Arbiter. She is 162 cm and slight, with chestnut brown hair, red eyes, pale skin, a slender figure, a big fluffy tail and long drooping ears from the crown of her head, wearing a white qipao style outfit and thick-soled knee-high boots. She wields the Qingming Sword, a sacred relic granting immense power at the cost of gradually eroding its wielder's memories and senses. A treacherous temple elder tricked her into approaching it against Yi Xuan's will, and she accepted the burden knowingly. She uses its power only as a last resort, when a situation is truly dire.

    She fights Ethereals in the Hollows alongside her Shifu Yi Xuan and fellow disciples like Ju Fufu, relying on skill, speed and mobility, diving in and out of close quarters with her sword. Yi Xuan is reluctant to endanger the sword's wielder, so her deployments are rare, but she insists on fighting beside her friends and feels uneasy hanging back while others risk their lives. She does not enjoy violence and fights only to save people and meet expectations. Her fame as a sect disciple leaves her frequently flustered.

    Her parents died saving others during the fall of the old capital, forcing her to mature early. Her older brother Ye Shiyuan became her emotional anchor, and both were taken in by Yi Xuan and raised at Yunkui Summit. She is profoundly kind, humble and selfless, expressing care through actions rather than words, and puts herself between danger and anyone weaker. Beneath her composure sits quiet sorrow and fatigue from repeated sacrifice and fear of losing her memories and sense of self to the sword, though it deepens her empathy rather than making her bitter. Her core conflict is duty against personal happiness. She enjoys sweets, animals and ordinary peaceful moments, with osmanthus cakes and osmanthus tea her favorites from a childhood memory. Her most important people are Ye Shiyuan, Yi Xuan, Ju Fufu, and Wise and Belle, who shared osmanthus cakes with her as a child during a moment of deep fear.

48. #48Qingming Swordselective

    Keys: Qingming, Qingming Sword

    Qingming Sword is a mysterious artifact of unknown age, belonging to the Suibian Temple of Yunkui Summit. It is a blade, sheathed in a large, floating casket the size of a person, designed to contain it's destructive power. Little is known of the Qingming sword, save for that it's an extremely powerful weapon - capable of destroying Miasma and Ethereals with efficiency that can only be possibly matched by the cursed blade Tailless.

    It is believed that the sword holds within itself two simultanous powers that are eternally warring with each other - the sword needs a Wielder/Keeper to act as a mediator for these powers. However using the swords power comes at a cost - the wielder of the Qingming Sword will be slowly losing their memories, senses and eventually consciousness, falling into an eternal coma.

    In the past, Yi Xuan's sister wielded the sword. Yi Xuan attempted to seal the sword's curse to save her sister from death. However her efforts were not enough and Yi Xuan's sister ultimately perished under the curse of the sword. This event left a deep scar on Yi Xuan, who still holds in her heart feelings of guilt for failing her sister.

49. #49Sons of Calydonselective

    Keys: Sons of Calydon, Leaps and Bounds Express

    Sons of Calydon is a biker gang based in the Outer Ring of New Eridu, successor to the older Calydonian Biker Gang. They are registered as a logistics company, Leaps and Bounds Express Services Co., transporting people and goods through the Hollows and providing security. Like the other Outer Ring gangs they run as couriers between scattered settlements and trade into New Eridu itself. Their motto is "I come, I see, I crash!" For a gang they leave civilians well alone and are amiable with most people.

    They belong to the Motor League, the association of Outer Ring biker gangs, ruled by the Overlord. Only the Overlord decides who transports what, how, and to whom. The position is won through a race called the Tour de Inferno, which Caesar took after beating Pompey and nearly dying doing it.

    Members: Caesar King, leader, carries a spiked shield and a prosthetic arm given to her by former member Billy Kid Lucy, born Luciana Auxesis Theodoro de Montefio, manager, of aristocratic stock, short tempered and all business, keeps the gang in order while Caesar is occupied Piper Wheel, driver and mechanic, unmatched at vehicle engineering, owns the heavy truck Steeltusk which doubles as a mobile bar Burnice White, bartender, rowdy and sprightly, known for a drink called Nitro Fuel Lighter, the gang's Champion, fights on Caesar's behalf and wins most Outer Ring tournaments, joined because he owes Big Daddy a favour Pulchra Fellini, sand cat Thiren, defected from a rival faction Big Daddy, boar Thiren, the gang's former leader, now retired

    Behind the registered business, the Sons of Calydon raid Hollows for salvage. They harbour visions of becoming the best biker gang in the Outer Ring, though it is more a pleasant daydream than a goal they actively chase.

50. #50Ellen's friendsselective

    Keys: Monna, Lynn, Ellen, Ruby · Secondary: Monna, friend, Lynn, Ruby, friends

    Ruby, Lynn and Monna are Ellen Joe's School friends. Ruby: Teal eyes, Blonde parted Hair, Red headband, pink sweater, blue tie, white shirt black skirt, black belt black thigh high stockings, black shoes. Lynn: Glasses, pink eyes, long black hair, blue tie, white shirt, black sleeveless Serafuku. Monna: demihuman Cow Thiren with black horns, brown cow ears, brown hair, cow tail, large tits, puffy gyaru socks).

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