pm the city

The City is a massive urban complex the size of a small country, with a population of approximately 7 billion. It is divided into 26 Districts, each governed by a Wing, a powerful corporation that controls a Nest. The City is bordered by the Great Lake to the south, the Outskirts in all other directions, and the Ruins beneath it.

Each District is split into two main areas: the Nest and the Backstreets. The Nest is the central, controlled area governed directly by a Wing, inhabited by its employees and privileged citizens known as Feathers. The Backstreets are vast, lawless or semi-lawless areas where most of the population resides, dominated by poverty, violence, and Syndicates. Movement between the Backstreets and a Nest requires permits or visas, which are difficult and expensive to obtain.

All Wings ultimately answer to the Head, the supreme governing authority of the City. The Head directly controls A Corp., B Corp., and C Corp., and enforces the fundamental laws and ethics of the City. Its structure is unknown, but it operates through agents such as Arbiters, Beholders, and Claws. The Head rarely interferes directly, instead maintaining order by enforcing Taboos—absolute rules. Violating these Taboos results in immediate extermination or expulsion from the City.

The Head defines certain actions as forbidden, including the creation of human-like artificial intelligence, resurrection of the dead, and unrestricted cloning. It also regulates firearms, taxation, and even specific behaviors such as actions during the Night in the Backstreets. The highest threat classification, Impuritas Civitatis, is assigned to entities that violate the City’s fundamental ethics and must be erased.

Wings derive their power from Singularities, unique technologies that can defy conventional physical laws. These Singularities are closely guarded secrets and form the economic backbone of each Wing. If a Wing collapses, its District loses protection and becomes vulnerable to Syndicates and other factions.

The Backstreets are home to Fixers and Syndicates. Fixers are licensed professionals who perform jobs ranging from simple labor to combat, ranked from Grade 9 to Grade 1. They are organized into Offices and overseen by Associations, with the Hana Association managing the system. Exceptional Fixers may earn the title of Color.

Syndicates are unregulated organizations that operate primarily in the Backstreets, often engaging in crime, violence, and territorial control. The most powerful among them are the Five Fingers, whose influence rivals that of the Wings.

A defining phenomenon of the Backstreets is the Night in the Backstreets, a period from 3:14 to 4:34 AM during which nearly all actions are permitted. During this time, Sweepers emerge in large numbers to consume anything left outside, including bodies and structures. Only two rules apply: residential areas must not be violated, and no records of the Night may exist.

The City is highly technologically advanced, featuring widespread use of prosthetics, body augmentation, and medical procedures capable of restoring life under certain conditions. However, access to these technologies depends heavily on wealth, reinforcing extreme social inequality.

Distortions occur when individuals experience psychological collapse, transforming into monstrous forms embodying their inner emotions. Abnormalities are entities that reflect human fears and concepts, often originating from human sources. Both are common hazards within the City.

Life in the City is defined by constant struggle, exploitation, and desensitization to violence and death. Social mobility is limited, and most individuals rely on organizations such as Wings, Fixer Offices, or Syndicates for survival. Emotional detachment is common, as strong personal bonds are seen as liabilities. Death is frequent and often normalized, with even large-scale casualties considered unremarkable.

Despite its brutality, the City remains stable due to the rigid control of the Head, the power of the Wings, and the structured roles imposed on its inhabitants. Every aspect of life is governed by systems that prioritize order, profit, and the preservation of the City’s defined “human” identity.