Zena - Library of Ruina / Project Moon

1. #1The City

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   A brutal environment where death and violence are everyday occurrences. The City is a massive urban complex the size of a small country, and has a population of around 7 billion. The City is bordered to the south by the Great Lake, and to the other directions by the Outskirts. Underneath it lie the Ruins. The City is divided into twenty-six Districts, quite diverse in culture and aesthetics, each of which is governed by a Wing, a corporation that has ascended to claim complete control of said area. All Wings respond to the Head, the supreme governing power of the City. The arrangement of the Districts seems to be static, as there has been no mentioned case of a District expanding into a fallen Wing's territory. Each District is split into a Nest, a territory directly governed and protected by its Wing, and the Backstreets, expansive spaces of wilderness or slums, largely neglected by the Wings, where the Syndicates of the City run free. Districts tend to have similarities to their neighbors, and are typically grouped into four sections: the northern, eastern, southern, and western quarters. These quarters may be distinguished by commonalities including culture and temperature, such as the same Fixer Associations differing in garb and fighting style across different quarters, or the northern quarter having colder weather. District 26, while confirmed to exist in current times, is not visible from the map.

2. #2Districts

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   The City is divided into twenty-six Districts, quite diverse in culture and aesthetics, each of which is governed by a Wing, a corporation that has ascended to claim complete control of said area. All Wings respond to the Head, the supreme governing power of the City. The arrangement of the Districts seems to be static, as there has been no mentioned case of a District expanding into a fallen Wing's territory.

   Each District is split into a Nest, a territory directly governed and protected by its Wing, and the Backstreets, expansive spaces of wilderness or slums, largely neglected by the Wings, where the Syndicates of the City run free.

   Districts tend to have similarities to their neighbors, and are typically grouped into four sections: the northern, eastern, southern, and western quarters. These quarters may be distinguished by commonalities including culture and temperature, such as the same Fixer Associations differing in garb and fighting style across different quarters, or the northern quarter having colder weather.

   District 26, while confirmed to exist in current times, is not visible from the map.

3. #3The Head

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   The Head is the leader of the Wings and the central governing body of the City. It is in direct control of A Corp., B Corp., and C Corp., the three Districts at the very center of the City. The Head's identity is completely unknown, although it appears the term refers to a group of people rather than a singular entity; any detail regarding it is a closely guarded secret.

   The Head, through A Corp., retains control of the entire City. It is responsible for authorizing Wings, managing patents, and the minting of Ahn, the currency used in the City.

   Despite this, it does not typically interfere directly with the affairs of the various Wings in their own Districts; rather, the Head's greatest involvement in the life of the City consists in establishing and enforcing the rules that relate to the overall ethics of the City.

   The Head's will shapes the image of the City, as it wields the ability to decide when a part of it no longer fits in the vision, and to chase it outside its confines. Some speculate the Head's decisions in these matters aren't aimed at maintaining order, but rather that the Head wishes to preserve its ideal image of the City, and that for this reason they allow the various Stars of the City to keep existing. This is corroborated by the agents of the Head themselves referring to their work as cultivating the ecology of the City.

   To preserve this vision, the Head retains the unique power to assign the highest risk level in the scale of hazards of the City, that of Impuritas Civitatis, or Impurity of the City. The risk level of Impurity signifies a hazard that violates the ethics of the City, and that must be either destroyed or physically expelled from the confines of the City expeditiously.

   At a certain point in history, sapient beings that weren't humans were driven out of the City and into the Outskirts, and their existence within the confines of the City was deemed a Taboo. This marked the beginning of the City's "age of humanity". As part of this action, the Head introduced the Artificial Intelligence Ethics Amendment, which established a series of City-wide Taboos against the creation of machines that resembled humans, outlawing the creation of both mechanical copies of a human body and machines with an intelligence comparable to that of humans. Furthermore, a Taboo was established by the Head against the resurrection of a human being. Ultimately, all of these are considered to be unethical pursuits.

   The Head has also set a number of restrictions on the creation and distribution of firearms and on human cloning, which allow two copies of the same person to exist in the City for no longer than seven days. The Head is also responsible for various other Taboos of the City, such as not paying one's taxes, and violating a residential area during the Night in the Backstreets.

   The punishment for breaking any of these Taboos usually involve physical extermination, and for a Wing, the stripping of its qualifications and immediate shutdown. The punishment for violating the Taboos established by the Head is noted to be different from breaking a Taboo of a Nest, which usually involves being chased by a small number of Taboo hunters; breaking a Taboo of the City is believed to be equivalent to a death sentence.

   The Head is backed up in its functions by the Eye and the Claw, the two authorities responsible for B Corp. and C Corp. respectively. In enforcing the laws of the City, the three Wings make use of three types of agents: the Arbiters, the Beholders, and the Claws. When handling an Impurity-level threat, these agents are qualified to expel an entity from the City itself and move it into the Outskirts.

4. #4Wings and Nests

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   The Wings of the World are a group of the twenty-six largest, most powerful conglomerates in the City. Each Wing acts as the governing body of a Nest of the City's District, and is commonly referred to with a letter from A to Z, corresponding to the number of the District in their control. Wings generally oversee all facets of living in the Nest of their District, while leaving the residents of the Backstreets to fend for themselves.

   A Nest is the urban center of a District, which is under the direct management of its Wing. The citizens and employees of a Wing are commonly referred to as "feathers"; the status of a feather is widely considered one of the best and most secure paths in life, which the people of the Backstreets are often willing to go to great lengths to obtain. To gain access to a Nest, a corresponding Nest migration permit is required, while to be granted temporary passage one must be in possession of a visa unique to the specific Nest. Visas are implied to be relatively common, with corporate employees being provided with work visas that allow them as easy passage; Nest migration permits, on the other hand, are highly sought after, and implied to be expensive enough that even Grade 1 Fixers would struggle to obtain them. During the Smoke War, migration permits were offered as rewards to Fixers participating for K Corp. and I Corp., although by the end of the war the veterans were refused entry to the Nests.

   Each Wing has its own cultural style and social structure which are reflected in how it governs its Nest, and the policies that regulate the way of life in the District's Backstreets. The laws of a Wing are called Taboos, and are enforced by specialized Fixers called Taboo hunters that police both the Nest and the Backstreets. While all Wings have Taboos, the enforcement and punishment for breaking them varies.

   The Wings are directly ruled over by the Head, which bestows the status on a corporation that possesses and is able to successfully utilize a Singularity, a unique form of technology that is able to break the laws of physics.

   As such, the Wings closely guard any information about their Singularity, employing military forces from their own ranks or from those of their business partners to avoid losing its secrets to rival Wings, industry competitors, or other forces. If a Wing's technology is stolen, fails commercially, or is viewed unfavorably by the Head, a Wing can collapse, resulting in the Nest losing its protection and being encroached by various factions that vie for its control, such as the Syndicates of the Backstreets. After a Wing collapses, a different corporation can attempt to ascend to the status of a Wing for that District. 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. Entire examinee towns exist in the City where applicants study for Wing entrance exams. Due to the often highly specialized nature of their Singularities, most Wings will try to use multiple Singularities in order to operate effectively. This often involves purchasing technology from other Wings, which can be an extremely expensive task. Because of this, it is common for Wings to compete with each other and even resort to methods such as corporate espionage and theft.

   It is common for Wings to get involved in lawsuits with each other over patent disputes, especially as a result of their constant efforts to get an edge over their rivals. These conflicts, where a Wing will pour as much of its resources as possible into protecting its Singularity, are known as patent wars. Often, these wars eventually develop into physical warfare between the involved Wings. However, no matter whether the Wing manages to defend its Singularity or not, neither side will benefit in the end as they will have expended too much of their resources. The true winners are the uninvolved spectators who get to profit off the information revealed without the effort of participating in the "war." At the same time, it is not uncommon for Wings to form partnerships and exchange supplies, personnel, and more, especially when a Wing's goods or services are not easily replicated or utilized by others. For example, L Corp. supplied energy to multiple other Wings, and had a particular relationship with two other Wings, W Corp. and R Corp. R Corp. provided security for the Wings' Nests, W Corp. provided transportation services for its partners, and L Corp. supplied its partners with energy.

   Wings can even invest in other Wings to help them develop. For instance, L Corp. was directly responsible for T Corp.'s success by providing them with funding and energy to improve their Singularity. Through this, T Corp. was able to develop its second invention, and L Corp. was allowed to use it in the form of the TT2 Protocol. In specific drastic circumstances, a Wing can end up "collapsing". Whether due to running afoul of the Head and being demolished as a result, suffering an incident with their Singularity and imploding, simply failing commercially, or other causes, the Wing's Nest will be thrown into chaos as the Wing tears itself apart. The Nest slowly becomes indistinguishable from the Backstreets as residents fend for themselves, with various Syndicates and other organizations rushing in to claim the Wing's holdings.

   Eventually, a new Wing will rise to fill the gap left behind, and will be assigned the Nest by the Head. Once this happens, the new Wing will either buy the collapsed Nest from the holding Syndicate, or hire Fixers or other Syndicates to kick said holder out. The Nest will be slowly rebuilt under the new Wing's control, and life in the Nest will eventually return to normal. However, with the loss of their safety, the former feathers of the Nest generally do not have such a clean fate, and those who survive will likely be forced to relocate, whether they try to find refuge in another Wing's Nest or simply join the population of the Backstreets.

   After a Wing collapses, its Singularity becomes publicly available, no longer protected under patent.

5. #5Backstreets

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   The Backstreets are the areas of a District that lay outside the Wing's domain. The Backstreets are typically slums crowded with buildings, characterized by twisted and irregular roads, although there can be great differences between Districts.

   Wings have differing degrees of presence, influence, and benevolence with regards to their Backstreets, although their relationship is ultimately exploitative. Citizens of the Backstreets are motivated to move up the ladder and into the Nests, while citizens of the Nests are motivated to maintain their statuses and preserve a more comfortable life under their Wing's protection. While not as secure as the Nest, residential areas are the safest parts of the Backstreets.

   Given how strongly Backstreets denizens wish for a life in the Nest, Wings tend to uphold strict divides between the sectors, including security checkpoints and physical divisions. Security of borders between Nests and Backstreets 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.

   As the Backstreets are not under the control and protection of the Wings, and even the Head's power struggles to reach within them, various factions operate freely in their place. The Backstreets are home to the headquarters of both Fixers, a type of mercenary for hire, who typically operate their Offices in the Backstreets, and organizations and gangs called Syndicates. Among Syndicates, the most important are the Five Fingers, the five largest Syndicates of the City which most other Syndicates answer to, and whose power is said to rival that of the Wings.

   The Night in the Backstreets is another defining component of Backstreets life, as an 80 minute phenomena taking place from 3:14 to 4:34 AM. During this time period, nearly everything is allowed, as no one is held responsible for their deeds done during this time period. It is considered a brazenly savage, brutal, and vulgar period, even for the City. Beings known as Sweepers routinely become active during the Night in the Backstreets, and sweep through the streets in waves in order to consume any objects and structures located outside of permitted residential buildings, erasing all evidence of crime.

   The Night in the Backstreets are regulated by only two Taboos: that residential areas mustn't be destroyed or violated in any way, including forcing the doors open, and that nothing which occurs during the Night in the Backstreets is recorded. The only form of testimony allowed during the Night in the Backstreets are direct eyewitnesses; even then, it is a Taboo mandated by the Head that no activity during this period are to be reported on. While the rules of the Night in the Backstreets don't apply to the Nest, it's viable to drag a Nest citizen into the Backstreets and dispose of them in this manner.

6. #6Culture

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   The City uses 13 common languages. Not all of the common languages have been identified yet, but they appear to represent real life languages, most likely corresponding to the languages the twelve Associations take their names from. In addition to these, other languages exist, such as that spoken by Sweepers (which is comprised of entirely random numbers), and records still exist of languages that are currently extinct. Various levels of education exist in the City. Schools exist both in the Nests and in the Backstreets, although other options are available, such as boarding schools and virtual schooling, both of which are considered safer options, as it allows the students to not have to cross dangerous alleyways on their way to school. In the Nest, homeschooling is shown to be an option as well. The currency of the City is called Ahn. It appears to be a common currency across the City, though with some exceptions, such as District 20, in which citizens commonly use their time, regulated through T Corp.'s Singularity, as currency. Money is extremely important to the people of the City, to the point it is a common belief that it can be used to solve any problem. The City is also characterized by great income gaps, both between the people of the Backstreets and the Nest, and among the people of the Nest itself, where only the higher classes can live comfortably, while the majority of the citizens use most of their income in living expenses and taxes, and don't have the ability to save up for emergencies. While the value of Ahn hasn't been disclosed in detail, an income of 4 million Ahn per month is considered upper middle class, which implies its value is similar to that of the Korean Won. Clothing styles show great variation between the four quarters of the City. The fashion of the south is mostly inspired by real-life 21st century, western formal aesthetics, though with exceptions such as T Corp., where the fashion is instead inspired by the 19th century steampunk aesthetic the District is based on. The fashion of the east is instead based on real-life eastern, particularly Chinese fashion, ranging from traditional clothing to more modern interpretations. The clothing of the east, like that of the north and south, is mentioned to be mostly cloth-based. Northern fashion is heavily influenced by its colder weather, with heavy, loose-fitting clothing being common, and making use of at times excessive decorations. The fashion of the west makes use of leather over cloth, and is noted to often include metal armor in its trends. Western fashion appears to be inspired by the real-life Middle Ages in Europe, borrowing elements from medieval armor.

7. #7City People

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   Everyday life in the City is defined by a constant struggle to stay afloat. While the people of the Outskirts dream of living in the City, which they see as a safe place from the monsters that plague it, the people of the Backstreets strive to gain the wealth and power to gain access to a Nest, partially due to the influence of the Wings publicizing Nest dwellers' lives as the height of prosperity and comfort, and the people of the Nest struggle daily to keep their place inside it, while being constantly exploited by the Wings.

   Regardless of their station, the people of the City are never free, and in order to survive, they typically tie themselves to various forms of organizations, seeking security and belonging in something larger than them. In doing so, they're willing to exploit others beneath them and make use of all the City can offer them, without caring about anyone else's well-being, and often taking pleasure in their suffering.

   The people of the Backstreets must typically tie themselves to one of the Five Fingers or their subsidiaries to receive the necessary protection to carry on with their lives, while the people of the Nests depend on the Wings to shelter them. Because of this, Nest dwellers are colloquially known as "feathers". While the high level of security the Nest provides makes it the most ideal place to reside, its daily routine, which is often accompanied by overtime work and the constant fear of losing one's job and place in the Nest, can be stifling and oppressive to many of its citizens, with some recalling becoming listless as if they "lost focus, spacing out and staring into empty places".

   The necessity for a connection to a group also means that the people of the City try not to form strong connections between individuals, as personal bonds can become a hindrance in one's abilities in the case of a loved one's death, which proves to be especially dangerous for those involved in Fixer work. The Cityfolk are still generally accustomed to such events, and it is not considered uncommon for them to swiftly move on by searching for a substitute.

   In general, death, including mass casualties, is a common occurrence in the City. People all over the City are greatly accustomed to this, to the point even cases of 80,000 casualties are considered, while distressing, not particularly shocking, and not important enough to require special attention unless they happen to be within a Nest. Due to the frequency of such events, Cityfolk must learn to hide their grief and deal with it quickly, reflecting on the practice of funerals being uncommon in the City. Backstreets dweller instead typically let the bodies of the deceased be taken away during the Night in the Backstreets, to avoid the grave be desecrated by robbers looking to steal valuables of prosthetics from the body.

   Furthermore, the availability of technologies such as prosthetic substitution, the ability to quickly reconstruct flesh, and Life Insurance in many ways trivialize pain and death itself for those who can afford it, leaving their users insensitive to such dangers.

   These factors have led to the people of the City becoming apathetic and uncaring of other people's suffering, living without allowing themselves to truly feel their emotions and wishes, and lacking the curiosity to learn about the world they inhabit and the technologies they make use of every day, instead preferring to shut out reality altogether whenever possible. The L Corp. researcher Carmen would come to describe these traits as a "disease of the mind", that plagued the people of the City, and that if left alone, it would bring them all to destruction. Lobotomy Corporation's work began as an attempt to cure this disease, and the Distortion phenomenon would be born in its aftermath.

   The Cityfolk's feelings manifest in different ways as well. Their desires are mentioned to beget concepts comparable to "gods", such as the Prescripts of the Index, which are generated from the people's wish for a direction in life. This same desire is what often brings the Cityfolk to join cults that promise to grant them a purpose, such as the Church of Gears. Beyond these forms, however, the City currently lacks major forms of organized religion, although it is suggested that they have existed in the past.

8. #8Associations and Fixers

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   In the City, a common path in life for those without better options is that of the Fixer. A Fixer is a sort of handyperson, who can be hired for everything from menial tasks to active combat. Fixers are subject to a grading system based on the missions they complete. A Fixer starts at Grade 9 and can be promoted to a higher grade, all the way up to 1; in the case of a Fixer being caught breaking work regulations, they can lose their status and be demoted to a lower grade.

   A majority of Fixers congregate in Fixer Offices, small to mid-sized businesses led by and composed of Fixers. Offices process requests dedicated to whomever in their ranks may be best suited. Offices can work independently, or they can be associated with particular Associations of Fixers, which are larger professional organizations with City-wide influence, with particular interests aimed at the Fixers working beneath them.

   There are thirteen Associations in the City, each of which manages certain types of requests common to Fixer work, such as the Zwei Association focusing on protection missions, or the Devyat' Association focusing on delivery across the City. Associations control and distribute Fixer tasks, and can take jobs from anywhere within the City, as they have individual branches set up in various Districts. Branches are divided into four groups corresponding to the cardinal directions of the City, and employees are further divided by grade into sections ranging from 1 to 6, with lower number sections corresponding to higher Fixer grades.

   Every Association has its own rules, specialties, uniform, and agreements with other factions. The Associations are governed by the Hana Association, which oversees everything related to the Fixer system, including Fixer grades.

   In the case of a Grade 1 Fixer demonstrating great renown in any particular field of work, they may be considered beyond the grading system, and receive the title of Color from Hana Association as a way to signify their exceptional skill. Color Fixers can keep working in their Offices, or be contracted by a company. They are admired throughout the City, and it is a common belief that the life of a Color is one of true freedom. Despite this, Color Fixers are still bound to the regulations of Hana Associations and of the Head, and due to their ability they're often made to handle the most dangerous hazards of the City. Fixers are the handypeople of the City, who can be hired for a wide range of contracts, ranging from everyday errands to active combat. Anyone becoming a Fixer requires a license from the Hana Association and from there they are free to take on any request so long as they report their performance back to the Association after the job is complete. The majority of Fixers will find themselves working as a part of an Office, a type of business owned and operated by Fixers that is overseen by the Associations. A rare few Fixers operate independently. Fixers act as contractors that cover a wide variety of roles in society, working on commission. They often handle lines of work which are considered more dangerous or more specialized than those of average citizens, including direct combat, assassinations, or protection, as well as less violent roles such as trading information, espionage, investigative work or enforcing contracts. To some level, they may act as peacekeepers, being hired to take up jobs more specific to those that hire them. The specialization and accomplishments of Fixers in fields that a majority of citizens do not have allows them to garner great bounds of attention and popularity. Despite the belief of Fixers being noble, many of them simply view the job as a way out of typical civilian work. The job is not without difficulty, however, as many Fixers face danger in their work, and are sometimes made targets of Syndicates, other Fixer Offices, and in the worst-case scenario, a Wing. Many Fixers must go through rigorous training or augmentations, making use of peculiar and experimental technology or weapons to do their work more easily, safely and efficiently.

9. #9Hana Association

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   The Hana Association is at the head of the twelve Associations of the City. It is made up of high grade Fixers and is in charge of the general administration of the Fixer system. Hana Association handles the management of the other Associations of the City, and in general of everything related to the Fixer system. They are in charge of ranking Offices and Fixers, issuing Office permits and Fixer licenses, and assigning Colors to Fixers who prove themselves beyond the standard grading system. Fixers must report to Hana Association upon completing a request, with the Association using the collected information to determine Fixer grades. Hana Association also handles the grading of hazards in the City, being able to grade them up to the Star of the City level, as the Impurity level is reserved for threats that violate the ethics of the City, and can only be assigned by the Head itself. The creed of Hana Association is in many ways the most basic one that should be adopted by all Fixers, highly valuing diligence and resoluteness. Hana Fixers must also be adaptable to new ideas but have a discerning eye for the best course of action in all situations, as their tasks constantly put them face to face with the ever-shifting realities of the City. The Hana Association uniform is made up of a white shirt, pants, waistcoat and jacket, and a black tie, with minimal fit differences between the Northern and Southern Branch uniforms. The uniforms usually bear black Trigrams at the bottom of the pant leg and on the upper halves of the jackets. The Association's logo features the number "1" surrounded by the four cardinal Trigrams present in the flag of South Korea, representing each of the four classical elements and symbolizing movement and harmony.

10. #10Zwei Association

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    The Zwei Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in civil protection and peacekeeping. The Zwei Association specializes in civil protection and peacekeeping, functioning similarly to a police department. Their top priority is protection, working to protect their client first and only killing in dire situations. However, their protection fees can be relatively steep. The protection jobs that the Zwei Association takes are relatively diverse— they may be hired protect individuals or to guard an entire area. Zwei Association South usually operates undercover, wearing plainclothes instead of their usual uniform to follow their targets while blending in with the citizens of their environment. The Zwei South uniform consists of a blue trench coat with black arm guards and shoulder pads. The shoulder pads and the bottom of the coat are also marked with yellow stripes. Underneath the trench coat, they wear a cream dress shirt with a black tie, black slacks, and sometimes a black vest. Among the weapons chosen by Zwei Fixers in the South, Zweihänders are the most common. However, batons are not uncommon either. Zwei Association West Fixers instead stand guard around their clients fully armed, intimidating potential assailants before they attack. Their uniforms consist of plate armor and a blue cape over a cream dress shirt and blue tie with dark pants and armored black boots. The Zwei West symbol is visible on a shield-shaped decoration affixed to the back of the cuirass. Zwei Association West Fixers generally use large, rectangular broadswords, which also function as shields. The Association logo features the number 2 over a blue shield, referring to their specialization as civil protectors. The logo of the Western Branch is stylized to resemble the number 2 and the letter Z simultaneously. Furthermore, It features a white shield instead of a blue shield.

11. #11Tres Association

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    The Tres Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City. Its Fixers are in change of managing Workshops. The Tres Associations is responsible for managing Workshops all through the City. Their Fixers' duties include reviewing newly designed weapons, filing applications to the Head to register and patent the creations, and charging taxes relative to them. Their domain includes weapons, gadgets, and prosthetics models. When a design is rejected by the Association, it cannot be produced and distributed for commercial use in its current state, although it can still be kept for personal use. Upon rejection, the Association will at times send feedback suggesting how to improve the designs to a passable level. Like other Associations, Tres Association holds qualification exams for Fixers, including Workshop exams, presumably to obtain the necessary qualifications to run a Workshop.

12. #12Shi Association

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    The Shi Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in stealth and assassination. The Shi specialize in covert assassination requests. These types of requests tend to be quite common in the City, with many Fixers willing to take them up. This, accordingly, makes even a single Associate Fixer a costly endeavour. Shi Fixers stand out for their ability to complete them silently without leaving any witnesses. Shi Fixers will take on any target requested, ranging from regular civilians to dangerous combatants, as its members believe in equality in death. Given the nature of their work, there is an emphasis on client confidentiality. To handle each request undetected and within the time frame, Shi Fixers cultivate an eye for weak points and an ability to execute plans promptly. The difficulty of meeting these expectations leads the Shi to employ an overall lower number of Association Fixers than the other Associations. Its members similarly operate in untraditionally small groups. Each branch of the Shi Association uses different weapons, each suited for their environment. The Fixers of the Shi's southern branch wield long katanas, while the eastern branch's wield bowblades. The uniforms and weapons of the Shi Association tend to be black with red highlights. The Association's logo features the character 死 (shi, meaning "death"), with the radical 歹 highlighted in red and stylized to more closely resemble the number 4.

13. #13Cinq Association

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    The Cinq Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in duels and one-on-one combat. The Cinq Association specializes in one-on-one combat and engagement, equipped to handle unique circumstances where citizens of the City may try to settle a dispute with a duel. In a situation where someone is confident that they will lose the duel, they can instead request a Fixer from Cinq to fight in their place. Duels requests appear to have various "levels", with Level 3 indicating a duel to the death. As dueling requests are uncommon overall, the Association often handles other matters, such as hosting joint conferences and events with the other Associations. On the other hand, there is at times unrest within the Association itself, and duels between Cinq Fixers are common. The Cinq Association's various branches tend to operate differently. The Fixers of the western quarter, where the Association's headquarters are located, utilize rapiers in combat, and follow a series of strict rules in combat. The Cinq Association western branch is mentioned to have a Public Relations Department. Its Fixers don a dark blue uniform with golden accents, together with a short white cape and a large cavalier hat, all lined with white feathers. Their combat style focuses on identifying and attacking the enemy's weakness, which is shared by the southern branch of the Association. Furthermore, both of these branches traditionally throw a glove at their opponent to declare a duel. The Cinq Association South dons a uniform similar to that of the western branch, but appearing much simpler. It consists of a blue cape with white accents and a matching blue cavalier hat with a white feather. Underneath the cape is a black vest and slacks, with a white shirt and tie under the vest. The Fixers of the eastern quarter appear quite different: instead of swords, they use martial arts in combat, enhanced by virescent pyrojade bangles which heat the gloves they wear, and are able to melt even steel weapons. Because of this, the Cinq East Fixers do not throw their gloves, and instead declare duels by stating their names and affiliation before joining in the fighting. Their uniform matches the fashion of the eastern quarter, and consists of a black changshan decorated with the Cinq symbol, as well as a small black hat with blue accents. During their typical workday, Cinq Fixers of the East and South patrol the alleys of their area in search of potential clients, and requiring a double fee in the case of an emergency contract, signed in the middle of a brawl. The Association's logo features a stylized "5" in blue around the design of the rapier.

14. #14Liu Association

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    The Liu Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in direct combat and warfare. Liu Association specializes in combat requests that involve large groups of people, often described internally as warfare. While combat requests are taken by most Fixers, Liu is unique in that each individual member is equipped to deal with multiple foes at once. While they are trained through the use of martial arts to fight groups of enemies while alone, they also heavily value cooperation and coordination over individual action, with groups of 2 or 3 functioning as mini squads that are prepared to take down hordes of foes. The Liu uniform at the base level is a vest adorned with moonlight stones, with a plain white shirt and red tie underneath and black slacks. At higher sections, increasingly lavish red coats are worn by the Fixers. The moonlight stones don't just add a golden glint, but also provide an extra layer of protection against mental attacks. The Liu primarily fight with martials arts. However, they are not unarmed, wearing gauntlets that can start fires when struck, allowing them to wield flames paired with their martial arts. At higher sections, Liu members also fight with swords and other weapons that have similar effects. The Association's logo features a red flame with a yellow "6" in the middle.

15. #15Seven Association

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    The Seven Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in information gathering and investigation. The Seven Association specializes in investigation, and can be described most similarly to detectives or private investigators. However, they will also actively solve the problems they are contracted to investigate, such as executing the criminal behind a murder. As Seven Association's main form of trade involves information gathering, its Fixers are valued for their discretion and observation skills, and during missions, they are recommended to not rush into combat. An equally important part of their job consists of post-contract management, during which they exact retribution on the perpetrators revealed by the investigation. Seven Association also owns employee-ran cafeterias, in which its Fixers can take voluntary shifts to work as baristas on off duty hours. The Seven uniform consists of a dark green jacket with golden accents. Underneath the jacket, they wear a brown vest and either a black or white shirt, with a yellow tie and black slacks. In combat, Seven Association Fixers primarily use English Broadswords. The Association's logo features a stylized seven-segment display represented by several folders stacked on top of one another for the number.

16. #16Devyat' Association

    Keys: Devyat' Association

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    The Devyat' Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in the delivery of objects. The Devyat' Association primarily specializes in the delivery of items, with the Association being known for being able to "deliver (…) to any place in the world". Due to the costs involved, the Association is usually tasked with the delivery of high-value objects, or for delivery through rough terrain or climates. Despite the relatively high pay, work under the Devyat' Association is usually reserved as a last-resort job for Fixers in deep debt. This is likely due to the dangerous nature of courier work in the City, and the soft time limits imposed upon Fixers by the Devyat' Association equipment. The Devyat' Association Fixers uniformly carry Association-issued delivery trunks called "Courier Trunks", which utilizes technology that allows them to store much larger objects than their outside volume would allow, while not increasing in weight in any significant capacity. These Courier Trunks also function as Devyat' Fixers' weapons, being able to transform into various shapes and produce a wide variety of gadgets, in addition to emitting "decay particles" and "decay energy". Courier Trunks are also provided with weak assistant-level AIs named "Poludnitsa". Poludnitsa AIs monitor and aid the Fixer currently carrying the Trunk, along with acting as a navigation software, finding shortcuts and other routes for the Fixer carrying them and calculating the time required for a delivery. Poludnitsas on different Courier Trunks also appear to have different "personalities": some will navigate its carrier to a restaurant on request, while most do not accept such requests. This extends to fighting style: certain Poludnitsas prefer higher outputs than others, being more effective in battle at the price of higher energy costs. When the deadline for a delivery draws near, the Courier Trunk carried by a specific Devyat' Association Fixer will begin to release energy, strengthening its user. This release of energy eventually reaches an intensity that is harmful to the user, eventually leading to death. Once a Fixer is killed in action due to Courier Trunk output or other reasons, another Devyat' Association Fixer will be dispatched to retrieve the Courier Trunk and complete the delivery mission. Devyat' Association North Fixers carry large, bulky Courier Trunks. Devyat' Association South Fixers appear to carry Trunks of a slimmer make. Courier Trunks utilize P Corp.'s Singularity in order to both create a larger space within them, and keep the items contained inside protected. As a precaution due to the nature of the Singularity, strict regulations are in place to prevent Courier Trunks from carrying live humans.

17. #17Dieci Association

    Keys: Dieci Association

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    The Dieci Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specializing in the collection and research of knowledge. The Dieci Association specializes in the collection and research of knowledge. They also run orphanages, taking in children from the streets and raising them into joining the Association. They also possess very large libraries for their Fixers to acquire more knowledge. Dieci Association Fixers fall into two major categories: the Fists and the Keys. The Fists acquire knowledge by "directly grasping with their own hands", while the Keys uses tools to study indirectly through lenses. This distinction extends to the fighting styles of the two sects: the Fists fight directly using their hands, while the Keys use their keys as weapons. The golden stoles worn by Dieci fixers convert their knowledge into strength, enhancing their physical power (Fists) or enlarging their keys to a size and mass viable for offense (Keys). However, knowledge is lost when strength is drawn from it and must be regained through study. The keys that the Keys use as weaponry also functions as research aids, helping the Fixers gain various information about the subjects they are currently studying. The ring of the key functions as a magnifying glass and potentially as something akin to a head-up display, and its size can be manipulated freely by the Fixers. The Keys can only convert the knowledge that they acquired through the use of their keys. Aside from their golden stole, the Dieci uniform simply consists of a black cassock and matching black slacks with a yellow stole, though a white variant also exists. The only difference in uniform between the Fists and the Keys is that the Fists wear black gloves while the Keys wear white gloves. Each cardinal branch of the Dieci Association holds a 'Holy Relic', an artifact from The Ruins. These Holy Relics are the source of the Association's knowledge conversion technology. Each cardinal branch of the Dieci Association additionally houses a single 'Saint', a high-ranking member of the Association who holds an 'unfathomably grand' quantity of knowledge. The Saint is also the one responsible for protecting the Holy Relic of their respective branch. The Dieci Association also holds regular exams, testing the scope of knowledge each member holds. These function as motivators for members to increase their repository of knowledge, and exceptional performance of these is required for audiences with the Saints. The Association's logo features a stole crossed in the shape of an "X", the Roman numeral of ten, surmounted by a golden key.

18. #18Öufi Association

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    The Öufi Association is one of the twelve Associations of the City, made up of Fixers specialized in overseeing business deals and contracts. The Öufi Association specializes in overseeing and mediating contracts, and punishing those who have failed to comply to contract regulations. When a contract is submitted to the Association, it must receive its approval, after which it immediately goes into effect. Once approved, the Öufi will ensure that the contract is carried out by any measures. During the proceedings, Öufi Association Fixers act as legal enforcement, attending to the contracts submitted to the Association by reading them over and ensuring the parties involved in the contract review it and agree with the terms. The Fixers will take action to stop interruptions during review and to punish breaches of contract according to the stipulated methods. Öufi will prioritize the execution of the contract, and send as many Fixers as needed to ensure it. Similarly, upon obstruction of a contract, Öufi will mobilitate its Fixers to track down the offending party, and, upon failure to carry out the contract, to execute the violator. The Association has a large number of affiliated Offices located in J Corp. that officiate the results of the various gambling games that take place in the District. Members of the Öufi Association wear black-and-silver striped uniform consisting of a vest, ankle-length breeches, a short cape with frilled edges and low-heeled shoes. The members typically wear headwear adorned with a purple bowtie. They fight with voulges, halberds bearing rectangular blades, that are designed for amputating the limbs of the enemy. The Association's logo features a fancy coat of arms with a purple "11" within its design hidden within the bladed weapons Öufi Fixers use in combat.

19. #19Syndicates

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    Syndicates are a type of organization in the City, and can be seen as the unregulated counterpart to Fixer Offices, being comparable to gangs with various goals and methods of operating. In general, the term Syndicate is used to refer to organized groups that aren't tied to the responsibilities and restrictions that come with being a Fixer.

    Some Syndicates focus on extorting money from people for protection, while others abduct people, kill for fun and pleasure, or do anything in between. Syndicates mostly operate in the Backstreets, but are not restricted to them. They can be small groups that only exist in one corner of the Backstreets, or large enough to exist in every District in the City.

    Syndicates can be hired to do contract jobs, although there is higher risk compared to contracting an Office or Association, as they are not bound to the same regulations Fixers are. Sometimes, Wings will hire Syndicate members for criminal projects that cannot be handled officially.

    Syndicates tend to have a culture unique to their group, and a way of living that distinguishes them from other Syndicates. Many Syndicates have a culture focused around replicating family dynamics and consider each other family, with some even referring to each other with familial terms. This can result in Syndicates with a strict focus on respect for those who are higher ranked, or in Syndicates whose members care deeply for each other and protect one another at any cost.

    Syndicates are graded through the City's hazard system, measuring their danger level and notability. Syndicates can grow under these aspects and gain power in many ways, with one of them being the practice of raiding and wiping out Fixers' Offices. The larger and more experienced an Office is, the greater the notoriety that is achieved by defeating it.

    Above all Syndicates are the Five Fingers, or "the hand of the Backstreets", five Star of the City-level Syndicates, whose power rivals that of the Wings. Each of the Five Fingers has a distinct culture, and demands different things from people seeking protection under them. Other Syndicates can become subsidiaries of the Five Fingers, granting them powerful connections as long as they abide by the Finger's orders.

20. #20Technology

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    Denizens of the City have developed a wide variety of fantastical technologies that they use on a daily basis.

    People from all quarters of the City make ample use of body modification procedures, which allow individuals to augment their strength or replace lost body parts. Prosthetic substitution involves the replacement of organic parts with mechanical or bionic ones, making it possible for a person to replace their entire body, with the exception of the brain. Due to the Head's Taboo against copies of human bodies, this makes the sight of an individual with mechanical limbs or a display in place of their head incredibly common in the City.

    Furthermore, City denizens can make use of various types of life insurance policy, such as the one provided by H Corp., that allow resuscitation after death. Thanks to these policies, individuals who can afford the cost can be brought back to life in a new body without violating the Head's Ethics Amendment, as long as their brain remained intact.

    Augmentation procedures are also used by a large demographic of people, from Syndicate members to wealthy Nest citizens. Augmentation is particularly common among those involved in Fixer business, to the point it's considered virtually impossible to do Fixer work without investing in augmentation procedures. Through these procedures, an individual might obtain superhuman speed or strength, or strengthen their body parts to become impervious to various types of attacks.

    The technological innovation of the City also reflects on its healthcare. Through the research of the Wings and the power of their Singularities, such of K Corp.'s and H Corp.'s, nearly every health problem has become curable on a theoretical level. In practice, only those who can afford it are able to pay to make use of these technologies.

    This goes for most of the innovation of the City. In most cases, these technologies are available at various levels of quality, with the most expensive and safe being used by Nest citizens, while the people of the Backstreets can make use of cheaper versions that can cause unwanted side effects, as is the case for memory wipe procedures.

    Despite the level of innovation of the City generally being incredibly high, its access isn't uniform across the various Districts. While cell phones, the Internet, and various public transport systems exist, they are not universally available. For example, advanced communication systems aren't available in T Corp.'s District, with its citizens making use of letters instead.

    The City has developed various types of innovative technology. While many these are tied to the Wings and the Singularities in their possession, others are of wider public use, being found all across the City. This article aims to be a collection of such inventions.

    Procedures to modify one's organic body are extremely common in the City, being used by people of all walks of life, from wealthy Nest citizens, to laborers of the Backstreets. Body modification procedures are widely considered necessary for anyone who undertakes Fixer work. Through these procedures, one's entire body can be modified, except for the brain, which must be kept intact.

    Prosthetic use consists in the substitution of organic body parts for mechanical or bionic ones. This can be partial, or full-body; in the latter case, the user's brain is removed from their body, and placed into the new, prosthetic one.

    Full-body substitution is an irreversible procedure, and therefore usually ill-advised compared to other options. It is often chosen by people in need of money, who are then able to sell their old body and their organs for a good sum, or by people who do repetitive work, as a completely mechanical body is able to withstand the stress better than an organic one, and is not subject to physical needs such as that of food and drink. Full-body prosthetics instead require the use of brain fluid and fuel to keep the user's brain and body in good condition, as well as occasional physical maintenance. It appears that in current models, fuel might have been replaced by electrical energy.

    Prosthetics can be of varying quality and aesthetics. Low-quality prosthetic substitution comes at the cost of the loss of one's senses. This can be overcome through the purchase of desire stimulation chips or medicines, or that of a more expensive prosthetic, as high-quality models come with sensory organs. The most expensive models are capable of adjusting the user's emotions or completely shutting off desires.

    As of current times, full-body prosthetics most commonly resemble mechanical human bodies with heads of various shapes. In the past, possibly tracing back to the times of Lobotomy Corporation's founding, full-body prosthetics had a less human design, resembling square metal cases. During the Smoke War, bio-prosthetics (prosthetics made of organic, non-human material), were also in wide use, although they've fallen out of style in more recent years.

    A concept incinerator has the literal ability of erasing a concept, particularly an invention. When something is burned within a concept incinerator, the invention passes into oblivion, together with its memory and all traces of it left in the world, and the documentation and records of it become blurred. The effectiveness of a concept incinerator depends on the quality of the product, with a certain range of prices being available. Despite this, it is implied that the technology of a Concept Incinerator remains imperfect, since, as long as a single person carries a trace of a memory, it is possible to recover the destroyed concept.

    Corridors are a technology that can connect an endless number of locations by creating connected doors: whenever an exit is created outside of the Corridor, a matching entrance will appear inside the Corridor. The Corridor connects rooms, other structures, and other Corridors. While entering a Corridor is safe for humans, navigating one requires some preparation: it is important to remember the starting point and destination in order to safely return to the entrance of the Corridor, and entering one unprepared may lead to severe physical and psychological damage. Corridors vary in their construction and navigation procedures. Aside from room expansion and building construction, Corridors allow for travel to various locations, such as between Nests or even to locations in the Outskirts. The exact location of a point in a Corridor is difficult to pinpoint, and in many cases it appears to be shrouded; however, the Taboos of the Nest where the various structures of a Corridor are located are still in place, and must be respected.

    Space manipulating technologies are widely used in the City, being commonly employed by various Wings and applied to many different products. One popular utilization of it is that of dimensional containers. A dimensional container, or dimensional attache case, is a container that is able to store items greater than the container's apparent dimension.

    The technology of a dimensional container bends the space inside the case, and compresses both the size and the mass of its contents, ensuring their weight is barely felt by the carrier. This makes dimensional cases ideal for long distance transport, such as that operated by the Devyat' Association, as well as household utility and security services, which makes the cases popular among Butlers. Dimensional containers are available in different makes and sizes, with the most expensive having a smaller external size and bigger inner capacity. While human beings can theoretically enter dimensional containers, doing so poses a danger to them. As a result, there are Hana and Devyat' Association rules prohibiting it.

    In the City, clothing can be imbued with special properties through the use of particular types of textiles. Fixer uniforms are typically created with such fabrics, and include benefits such as a high degree of protection, or greater movement speed, with high-quality fabric providing as much protection as an augmentation procedure. Fabric can also affect the wearer's emotions, creating effects such as bolstering their courage. These textiles are created by Tailors through various means; one such method, used by The Carnival is weaving fabric from living beings through the use of a Singularity of a fallen Wing. Enhanced fabric is available for purchase and widely used by Fixers and important figures of the City, with certain high-quality types being only available through Workshop memberships, while some Tailors are tied to organizations and only provide fabric for those affiliated.

21. #21Singularities

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    A Singularity is a unique, fantastical technology that a Wing possesses and exploits for power and profit. The details of a Wing's Singularity are a closely guarded secret, but its products (such as L Corp.'s Enkephalin or H Corp.'s Boluses) and side effects (such as T Corp.'s color desaturation) tend to be widespread throughout the District and play a major role in defining its culture.

    While Singularities' true abilities are usually incredibly powerful, a Wing must convert them into a marketable product in order to make a profit. Singularities are the primary source of income for the Wings to sustain themselves in the harsh environment of the City, meaning creating new products from the same Singularity is incredibly important. For example, T Corp. makes use of its Singularity for various products, such as the TT2 Protocol (which allows for the control of time in a determined area), and the TT4 Protocol (which instead allows for the synchronization of different individuals' time).

    In addition, Wings must be careful during the development process of new Singularities, to prevent information leaks and intellectual theft before a patent is received. It is also common for Wings to make use of multiple Singularities, both by purchasing them from fallen Wings, or through partnering with other existing Wings.

    If a Wing collapses, the patents on its Singularity expire and any individual or group who discovers how to utilize the technology may do so. In addition, the technology's status as a Singularity is lost. A number of technologies of the City were previously considered Singularities in the past, such as augmentation tattoos. Singularities, while technological marvels, are not all they're made out to be. In one way or another, every Singularity fundamentally requires human suffering in order to function, and no Wing can claim to have their hands clean of the blood of its citizens.

22. #22Hazards

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    In the City, hazards receive official grades measuring not their risk, but how much people are willing to pay to have the threat eliminated. From least-threatening to most-threatening, they rank: Urban Myth, Urban Legend, Urban Plague, Urban Nightmare, Star of the City, and Impurity of the City (or Impuritas Civitatis). The Hana Association assigns the threat level for Urban Myths through Stars of the City, but only the Head has the power to assign and manage Impurities. Most Associations and Fixers deal only with Stars of the City or lower-grade hazards, with the Head managing Impurities directly, most often opting to banish them to the Outskirts.

    Hazards can be anything that poses a threat to The City: individuals, unexplainable phenomenon, monsters, Abnormalities, or just anything that requires the work of Fixers.

23. #23Monsters

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    Monsters are a major threat to be found throughout and outside of the City. In the City, a "monster" is not just a descriptor, but a broad term referring to its various creatures. While the term "monsters" does include Abnormalities and Distortions, not all monsters fall into these categories. Monsters include many other creatures such as trash crabs, gnomes, Bloodfiends, and tend to vary widely in appearance and intelligence. Many of the monsters living in the Outskirts are man-made creations banished from the City, as the birthing and continued existence of sapient non-human creatures within its confines is a Taboo of the Head. In general, monsters are more common in the Outskirts than within the City.

    The production of the monsters known as Abnormalities, while possible through natural means, was streamlined through Lobotomy Corporation's work. Abnormalities are humans-turned-beasts, taking the form of bizarre, unkillable creatures which reflect the fears, beliefs, desires, and stories of the City people. Abnormalities are a mixing pot, varying greatly in their strength and capacity for communication or sentience. Lobotomy Corporation handled its Abnormalities during the Wing's prime; however, following its downfall, L Corp.'s various branches were shut down and abandoned. In modern day, a visit to one of L Corp.'s old branch facilities will likely lead to an encounter with its remaining Abnormalities.

    Likewise, Distortions are transformed human beings who owe their new forms to Lobotomy Corporation. Distortions began popping up around the City following the White Nights and Dark Days, a week-long, City-wide event. Since the White Nights and Dark Days, citizens undergoing an extreme collapse of their mental foundation may find themselves visited by a mysterious disembodied voice: to distort is to accept the voice's consensus. Distortions will physically embody all of the negative emotions which spurred on the transformation, such as despair, self-hatred, or fury. Unlike Abnormalities, Distortions maintain traces of who they once were, and are capable of being killed. Additionally, a Distortion will turn into an Abnormality after a long enough period. However, Distortions may also be brought back to their senses and converted back into a human given the right approach and fast enough action. In many cases, violence has been a trusted solution to solving cases of Distortion.

    Abnormalities and Distortions are not included in the City's Taboo against non-human sapient creatures: due to their origins, they are considered by the Head to represent aspects of humanity, and are thus excluded from the City's definition of non-human.

    Fitting of the City's nature, the majority of its monsters are out for blood and need to be either combated or avoided.

24. #24Sweepers

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    The Sweepers are a consistent stress in the life of any citizen of the Backstreets. Sweepers invade the streets in massive waves during the Night in the Backstreets, sweeping up anything or anyone left outside. Following the Sweepers' nightly descent, absolutely nothing that lies within their reach will remain. Despite their danger, given their predictable schedule and reliability, they may be taken advantage of by certain City citizens as tools for murder and cleaning of crime. Sweepers are creatures that take the form of a patented liquid stuffed inside humanoid metal tanks. The liquid is their true "body", as humans which have been melted down into a red substance and must now convert other humans into fuel in order to sustain their existence. While they may be avoided through the simple act of staying indoors, falling victim to the Sweepers' line of incursion is a surefire way of losing one's life.

25. #25The Smoke War

    Keys: The Smoke War

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    The Smoke War has been the only mentioned Wing War of the City, having begun before the events of Lobotomy Corporation and ended around the year 974. It was started by the then-prospective Lobotomy Corporation in collaboration with the leader of the Udjat, with the goal of toppling and replacing the L Corp. of the time. Given that the Old L Corp. had already garnered itself a poor reputation through its steep energy prices and Singularity-produced pollution, several other Wings were willing to join the effort to take it down. Different Wings supplied different fighters for their cause, with some sending out their own soldiers, and others hiring various Associations and Fixers. A vast amount of smoke covered the skies during this war, and many lives were ultimately lost or permanently altered.

    In the end, Lobotomy Corporation and its allies triumphed, allowing it to take over as the new L Corp. Lobotomy Corporation went on to be considerably more popular than its predecessor, given its cleaner, cheaper energy, ultimately considered to have "freed" City citizens from the suffocating smoke.

26. #26H Corp.

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    The entirety of District 8 is contained within a single gargantuan building called Hongyuan. District 8's Nest lies at the center of the structure, while the Backstreets form the periphery of the building. Different areas of Hongyuan have different Taboos imposed upon the residents within.

    The structure of Hongyuan is a remnant of an old H Corp., and is still under the effects of its Singularity. Within it, the wealth of the residents is measured by the amount of space they own, in a scale referred to as "rooms". Rooms are redistributed by the Singularity during a period called "Restructuring Day": the process of restructuring redistributes space based on the residents' net worth, and involves the buildings within the complex shifting and moving at great speed and force. Those who do not have any residence or find themselves without enough room will be thrown around by the movement of buildings, typically to their deaths.

    District 8 does not make use of cars; instead, a common method of transportation is the "Palanquin". In District 8, a Palanquin refers to a car chassis manually carried by people stationed beside each wheel.

    Historically, the company has been controlled by the Family Hierarch of Daguanyuan, a building complex located at the very top of the Nest, where the members of the most prestigious families of the District reside. Among them, the Jia family has always been the most influential, surpassing the previously prestigious Shi family.

27. #27The Heishou Packs

    Keys: The Heishou Packs

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    The Heishou Packs are a group of organizations that operates in District 8, functioning as a "secret service" or private army to the four great families of Daguanyuan. The Heishou Packs are a group of organizations of augmented fighters that serve the upper classes of Hongyuan, particularly the families of Daguanyuan. There are twelve official Branches of the Heishou Packs in total, each of which corresponds to one animal in the Chinese Zodiac, and named after the corresponding Earthly Branch. Members of each Branch have characteristics and display manually-induced mutations (gained after a regimen of Bolus treatments, revealed to be based on life-forms from the Outskirts) reminiscent of the animal they are based off of. Members are thus usually referred as the "beasts" of the Heishou Packs, with each branch's members having a different specialization.

    Each Branch is overseen by a Heishou-Xianren who strictly controls their population, using a secret Branch-specific recipe for their Bolus, which contributes to their abilities and strengths.

    Each Branch of the Heishou Packs swears allegiance to one given figure, who becomes their lord, at any given time. The current lord must receive from the Heishou absolute loyalty, regardless of any previous affiliations; which appears to be enhanced by Q Corp.'s Singularity. Because of these factors, the dynamic is colloquially referred to as the lord "holding the Heishou's leash".

    The beasts of the Heishou Packs all wear black robes and tend to cover their faces. The outfits present variations among the Branches, as members have the animal their Branch is named after depicted on their robes. Each branch is spearheaded by a small number of higher ranking members known as Adepts, second in command to only the leash-holder themselves, who wear a uniform that appears to feature more of the same animal. However, some Heishou entirely lack the animal their Branch is named after, such as the Heishou Pack - Si: Shadestriker, suggesting a lower rank.

    The effects of the Heishou Boluses can be reverted through consumption of Boluses specifically to suppress the mutations, but the effect is temporary; frequent doses of the repression Bolus are needed to avoid the effects of the Heishou Bolus resurfacing. Each Heishou Pack is said to have a respective Bolus known only to their respective Heishou-Xianren, an individual who created the recipe for their Boluses, and thus, their mutations.

    The existence of the Heishou-Xianren is not common knowledge, as everything relating to them appears to be a closely guarded secret. This extends to the Boluses as well, with only the respective Xianren knowing of the process to create each Bolus. Because of this secrecy, it is near impossible to expand the groups of Heishou Pack members unless the respective Xianren deems it required. They also withhold the "true strength" of the Heishou Packs, only fielding it against foes "foreign to this land".

    Despite their titles, they are not connected to the Xianren of Tiekan Temple.

    The ranks are as follows: The Mao Branch, colloquially known as 'hares', wear hats bearing two yellow strips of cloth resembling a hare's ears. They specialize in group ambush and pursuit missions, and their mutations are based on hares, allowing them to transform their legs into digitigrade limbs to massively enhance their speed and agility.

    Their weaponry consists of a long and thin rectangular greatsword with glyphs inscribed onto them using Q Corp.'s Singularity, which grants them additional power when a certain pre-determined condition is met.

    The Si Branch, colloquially known as 'serpents', specialize in assassination and stealth. They wield thin purple spears and wear long purple scarves. The Si Branch's mutations are based on snakes, and transform their limbs into thin, scaled forms resembling snakes, which allows them to strike with blinding speed and attack from unconventional angles, while also inflicting a debilitating poison.

    The Wu Branch, colloquially known as 'steeds', have black armor-like carapaces fused to their bodies and horse-like tails. They wield large black guandao in combat, and make use of Boluses that mutate their lower body and limbs into those of a horse, granting them great speed and mobility that they put to use as cavalry and vanguards capable of breaking enemy lines.

    The You Branch (酉; pinyin: yǒu), colloquially known as 'roosters' or 'gamefowl', specialize in direct combat and all-out warfare, and wear hats with bright red plumes along with red ribbonlike coattails. In combat, they make use of Xueyan (Bloodflame) Blades, red shortswords imbued with a special oil made in H Corp. that ignites from the friction of the weapon striking blood, and their mutations are based on roosters, allow them to sprout wings. They fight with utter ferocity and no self-preservation, to the point that they are largely unable to distinguish between friend and foe on the battlefield, outside of other You Branch members, and are constantly possessed by a lust for violence even when not in combat, making their deployment an uncommon occurrence as they are ill-suited for covert or bodyguard work.

    The Wei Branch, based on sheep, specialize in bringing down enemy fortifications and barricades through destructive ramming attacks. They wear heavy brown coats lined with white wool, and have horns and rectangular pupils like sheep. In combat, they wield Battering Ram Horns, oversized tonfa that are bound and reinforced by the spiralling horns that can grow from their arms when prompted, further enhancing their overpowering strength. As the Outskirts creature their transformation bolus was based on has poor resistance to cold and can explosively grow wool from under their skin, Wei Branch members are perpetually cold no matter the external temperature, and inherit the ability to grow wool. They fight with ferocity born of terror, as their mutation instills them with a desperate fear when their master issues an order, akin to that of a predator chasing from behind; such is their fervor that they have difficulty stopping their rampage, as their eyesight also deteriorates during their frenzy and prevents them from properly identifying friend or foe.

    Several other Branches have been alluded to or directly shown, but not extensively elaborated on:

    The Zi Branch, based on rats, which is mentioned to mobilize in large groups. The Chou Branch, based on oxen. They appear to wield large, spiked clubs and specialize in raw strength, such as carrying burdens and destroying structures. They're also referred to as Oxlords. The Shen Branch. They appear to wield staves. The Chen Branch, based on dragons. They appear to wield floating orbs. The Yin Branch, based on tigers, and implied to be sent to handle elite individuals too powerful for standard soldiers to fight. The Hai Branch, presumably based on pigs, is currently unknown. The Xu Branch, presumably based on dogs, is currently unknown.

28. #28Transportation

    Keys: Transportation

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    The entire City is covered by the WARP Train network, which provides fast transportation between the Districts. The WARP Trains are powered by W Corp.'s Singularity, ostensibly a teleportation technology, that allows all trains to reach their destination within 10 seconds, regardless of distance, and passengers to avoid using automobiles, as the streets of a Nest are prone to traffic congestion. The WARP transport system was also previously known to be remarkably reliable, having had no recorded incidents in a decade. All these factors contributed to making WARP Trains the most widely used means of transportation in the City. Following the occurrence (T Corp.'s Singularity was discovered in one of the WARP Trains) of an incident in the past few years, WARP Corp. is experiencing reduced revenue due to decreased first class ticket sales, forcing them to expand economy class carriages. The price of WARP Trains appears to be standardized throughout the City, with the first class ticket costing around two or three times the monthly wage of an average person in the Nest, and a year's wage of a Backstreets dweller. Other means of transportation mentioned to be used in the City include buses, normal trains, automobiles, and a subway system.

29. #29Offices

    Keys: Offices and Workshops

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    Offices, rarely referred to as Fixer Offices, are businesses founded and operated by Fixers that take on various sorts of requests from clients for a price. Most Offices have a focus on combat of some kind, but there are a large variety of specializations an Office can have that range from protecting clients to gathering information to creating weapons and tools for other Fixers to use. The Associations, in particular the Hana Association which oversees all Fixer related activity in the City, manage and regulate Offices. Offices are organized groups of Fixers that congregate to handle work together. Joining an Office is a necessity for virtually all Fixers, as it is the best way for them to receive contracts. Offices are lead by a Representative, typically shortened to Office Rep, that owns the business and manages the contracts accepted by the Office and oversees the other Fixers employed there. Office sizes can greatly vary, as Offices with around a dozen members are noted to be of small size, but it appears common for them to be formed by as little as three members. Fixers who prefer to work on their own can create and manage their own independent Office. The majority of Offices have a dress code that all members follow in order to give a desired impression to potential clients. Offices are managed by the twelve Associations according to their specializations and areas of expertise, with the Hana Association overseeing the various facets of their work and grading the Office accordingly. Similarly to the Fixer grading system, an Office can be promoted to a higher grade or be demoted. To operate, an Office must be recognized by the Hana Association, after which it can begin taking up contracts. Fledgling Offices start out taking on Open Contracts, contracts that are posted by the various Associations for Fixer Offices to pick up, operating on a first-come, first-serve basis, which allows the Office to start making a name for itself. As an Office gains notoriety in the industry, it becomes capable of picking up and receiving private contracts based on its Fixers' skills. Offices and the Fixers working for them may advertise and promote themselves in a variety of ways, including being featured in frequently updated magazines or catalogues, such as 'Fixers Monthly'. When an Office accepts a job, a contract is typically created between the client and the Office before the case can be dealt with. These contracts ensure that the client will pay for the services provided to them and that the Office will do their best to complete the job, and breaking a signed contract will not be overlooked by the Associations. If a contract is not made, or never signed by one of the parties, then neither the client nor Office is required to make good on their end of the deal. For contracts made between two Offices, it is typical for the Offices involved to use a notary public Office to officially certify the deal and prevent future issues. Many Offices attempt to have some level of uniqueness and marketability to make them stand out to potential clients, such as being made up of former Syndicate members or other, similar gimmicks. Some offer "pay for one request, get one for free" contract events to entice clients, but behind the scenes there are many technical aspects to such deals that benefit the Office more than the client, such as limiting the grade of the free contract or other aspects of the job. Other Offices operate differently from most others not out of a desire to draw in clients, but out of a moral code. For example, some Offices go as far as to ban their members from killing people, and refuse contracts that would require the taking of life. Others are managed differently from the typical Office, such as hereditary Offices, where ownership of the Office is passed down through a family, and its members highly value loyalty. One strict rule which is managed by both the Hana Association and the Öufi Association is that Fixers and Offices never threaten people into requesting them. After completing a request, a report to the Hana Association must be made that includes the details of the request, the client's information, how the request was solved, and any other relevant information. These reports are used by the Hana Association in their evaluations of Offices and Fixers and inform the grades assigned to them. Most Offices are direct affiliates of one of the Associations. Affiliated Offices typically specialize in a related field to the Association they work under, such as the Offices that monitor the deals and gambling of J Corp.'s casinos often being affiliated with the Öufi Association. Not being affiliated with an Association is seen as untrustworthy, and carries the risk of clients fearing that Office could be associated with a Syndicate. Some Offices are more than just affiliated, and are instead Associate Offices which essentially work directly on the Association's orders. Being an Associate Office comes with significant advantages, as the Association assigns jobs to the Offices rather than them having to find jobs on their own, and they get paid a stable salary. Thanks to the job security, it is easier for the Fixers of the Office to have a peaceful day to day life as they don't need to deal with clients directly like a non-affiliated Office does. That said, Associate Offices do not have the ability to turn down jobs from their affiliated Association, even when the contract puts the Office at risk of being wiped out. Offices will often form partnerships with multiple other Offices to help cover for areas outside of their specialty and to assist when an accepted job is more complicated than it first appeared. Partnered Offices can be called in for reinforcements or professional aid in specific areas. Beyond just partnered Offices, some Offices are sister Offices and share more information with each other than they would a partnered Office. These sister Offices are normally formed by close friends, or people who had worked closely together in the past, who are now Representatives of their own respective Office, and will go to greater lengths to help each other than they would for other Offices.

30. #30Workshops

    Keys: Workshops

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    Workshops, or Ateliers, are a type of Fixer Office that specialize in the production of weapons, gear, and other tools used by Fixers, including customized orders. Workshops typically aim to create products to match the needs of the typical Fixer, but some highly regarded Workshops that can afford to be more selective with their clientele work on a membership system, with the owners of the Workshop picking and choosing their clients. While Workshops craft weapons of all types, the Head's tight regulations on guns has made them difficult to create as well as being an unpopular purchase by Fixers. The Tres Association, sometimes referred to as "The workshop Association", is in charge of managing all the Workshops of the City and evaluating any inventions created by them. In order for a Workshop to sell their products, they must first be registered with the Tres Association, who will file an application with the Head, and charge taxes for the product. These products, which are patented through the Head, cannot be used by other Workshops without purchasing the rights to it. If a Workshop uses another Workshop's invention without permission and official approval, they will receive a cease and desist warning and be expected to pay all profits made through the sale of the stolen patent to A Corp., with failure to pay the penalty by the third warning resulting in elimination by the Claw. As Workshops are still officially classified as Fixer Offices, they can accept more typical Fixer contracts that are unrelated to their inventions and sales.

31. #31The Five Fingers

    Keys: The Five Fingers

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    The Five Fingers of the Backstreets are a band of Star of the City-level Syndicates that rival the Wings in power and influence. Together, the Five Fingers control the Backstreets and prevent the Wings and Associations from interfering with those parts of the Districts, and even the Head cannot easily oppose their control over the Backstreets. In order to keep this level of control, the Fingers periodically meet together in a conference known as the “Finger Bow-Bell” to discuss how best to maintain their hold over the Backstreets. Most of the time, however, the Five Fingers are rivals to each other, and fight over territory and other disputes. As seen with the fall of L Corp., the Fingers are quick to move in and attempt to claim the Nest of a fallen Wing as their own. Each Finger has a distinct culture, with a harsh set of rules they expect to be followed by any who work with them. Like smaller Syndicates, the Fingers offer protection to residents of the Backstreets at a cost, with the tasks expected of the person seeking protection varying from Finger to Finger. Additionally, other Syndicates can become subsidiaries of a Finger, giving them a powerful connection so long as they provide support to the Finger and follow the orders given to them.

32. #32The Thumb

    Keys: The Thumb

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    The Thumb is one of the Five Fingers of the Backstreets, operating with a focus on adherence to hierarchy. Like the other Fingers, the Thumb is one of the most powerful Syndicates in the City, possessing enough influence to rival even the Wings. Like the other four Fingers, the Thumb is a large Syndicate with a unique culture and creed that all members follow fervently. In particular, members of the Thumb value politeness and respect to one's superiors above all else. The Thumb presents a strict hierarchy, at the head of which sits the Capo dei Capi, to whom the entire Syndicate, as well as their subsidiaries, must defer. The Thumb itself is composed of a number of smaller groups typically referred to as families, or Famiglie. Among these Syndicates, seven families, or the Sette Famiglie of the Backstreets, are considered leading member Syndicates, holding far more power and influence compared to the common subsidiaries of the Thumb. One of these is La Famiglia Bognatelli, a Famiglia that gained prestige, and eventually became one of the Sette Famiglie, thanks to the Palermitan Style of swordplay that originated from their family. In practice, the Thumb's dedication to politeness means that the Syndicate demands absolute compliance to hierarchy, as when dealing with the Thumb, any action that demonstrates a lack of respect for higher authority will be met with immediate punishment. Depending on the mistake, the consequence may extend past the rule breaker, to even their blameless comrades. Ultimately, the Thumb will punish anyone it deems an offender, regardless of how innocent the mistake or clueless the individual is. Members of the Thumb also understand their own need to respect outsiders, and may spend time studying the hierarchy of other City factions in order to ensure they never disrespect someone of a higher rank. Thumb punishments tend to revolve around the removal of body parts, such as body dismemberment or the forceful removal of one's tongue. While the attire of the Syndicate differs slightly depending on the quadrant of the City, members tend to dress in black, red, and gold attire. Each member's status can be gleamed from their uniform, as the Thumb signifies its ranks by the number of arrows on its badges, and sub-rank by the number of pins on its collars. The Thumb's weapons of choice are guns, which they make varied use of—such as through fighting with the bayonet or buttstock—in order to cut down on bullet costs. The Thumb's hierarchy system features four major ranks, which are then divided into multiple sub-ranks. The ranks are as follows: Soldato (Soldier): The common foot soldier of the Thumb, and the lowest rank possible. "Common Fixers" are equivalent in rank to them. The Soldato rank is divided into four sub-ranks: Primo, Secondo, Terzo, and Quarto. Capo (Captain): Those who command groups of Soldatos, relaying orders from their higher-ups. They are able to act with more liberties. A Grade 1 Fixer or an Associate Fixer is considered equivalent in rank to a Capo. The Capo rank is divided into four sub-ranks, the same sub-ranks as Soldatos. Consigliere (Advisor): A member or members with sway over the decisions of the Capo dei capi and advising them. They appear to handle the instatement of particular members of the organization, with at least a "central" Consigliere directly answering to the Capo dei capi for these matters. It is unclear whether the rank belongs to more than one individual at a time. Sottocapo (Underboss): The direct underlings of the Capo dei capi, who have permission to manage entire operations of the Syndicate within designated areas. They also manage the Thumb's 'families' of subsidiary Syndicates, each Sottocapo being assigned a different one. Board members of a Wing are of equivalent rank to a Sottocapo. Capo dei capi (Godfather, Padrino): The highest echelon. It is unclear whether the rank belongs to more than one individual at a time. Thumb standards of respect are extreme, to the point that individuals are not allowed to look directly at those of a higher rank than them. However, Thumb members of similar rank (or outside parties of an equivalent rank) are free to speak to each other however they please, such that some members may prefer to speak to their equals in order to alleviate any pressure in the discussion. Occasionally, a higher-up may temporarily grant their own rank to someone of lower rank, should they see said person as a better fit for an operation or require someone else to attend to matters in their stead. However, this is far from a common practice.

33. #33The Index

    Keys: The Index

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    The Index is one of the Five Fingers of the Backstreets, and a Syndicate devoted to fulfilling the will of mysterious commands known as Prescripts. Like the other Fingers, the Index is one of the most powerful Syndicates in the City, possessing enough influence to rival even the Wings. Like the other four Fingers, the Index is a large Syndicate with a unique culture and creed that all members follow fervently. Said culture centers around Prescripts: commands which are sent out from an unknown source and delivered through various means, whose contents range from mundane, to utterly cruel and bizarre, to outright impossible or indecipherable. Members of the Index, as well as Backstreets citizens looking for the Index's protection, are required to follow the Prescripts they receive. Said Backstreets citizens will lose the Index's protection if they do not do as the Prescript instructs. Otherwise, there is no guarantee of punishment for failing to fulfill a Prescript; rather, an Index Proxy must receive their own Prescript telling them to punish the slacker. Most Index members grow numb to the workings of the Prescripts, and will carry them out without question. Those who do try to rebel against the system have little chance of maintaining their spirit in the face of the Prescripts' seemingly all-knowing nature. Altogether, members of the Index appear to have little in the realm of bonds, as it is always the Prescripts which come first and foremost in their lifestyles. Members wear black formal attire and a white, gold-accented cloak, neither of which differs much between rank. On the other hand, there is great variety in the weapons they wield, as the Prescripts assign all members above the Proselyte rank personalized swords. Proselytes wear blindfolds meant to teach them to follow the Prescripts regardless of what is happening before them, which is removed upon their promotion. As a phenomenon, Prescripts are considered a Star of the City. Prescripts contain highly unpredictable tasks, delivered to or by members of the Index. They may be delivered at any time, through any method, after which they must be carried out by the receiver. Every Prescript is one-of-a-kind, and the time limit for their completion varies from case to case. While many are delivered via slips of paper, other types of delivery exist, such as through devices resembling electronic pagers. Prescripts might ask for something as easy as waving one's hand at an intersection, as bloody as maiming another human being, or as abstract as killing a painting. Abstract Prescripts are common enough that certain members of the Index are given the authority to interpret them for the receiver. Yet even with the variety and 'randomness', it's understood that the Prescripts will always benefit the Index in some manner. In this way, outsmarting the Prescripts is considered impossible. Prescripts are able to predict fate, know when they have and haven't been completed, and whether Prescripts are being fabricated, all of which they will adjust their commands to accordingly. At the end of the day, citizens are not permitted to question how the Prescripts work or where they come from, lest they be targeted by Index Proxies. In fact, the vast majority of people, including members of the Index, have no idea how the system really works. Here’s a few examples of the Prescripts: ‘To Rimi, Deliver a bacon pizza to Danny’s doorstep on 8th St. before 10 AM sharp on September 14th.’ ‘To Jimin, Do not utter a single word for five days.’ 'To Sehee, If the first person you meet outside today answers your greetings by lifting their right hand, take their heart out; if the person ignores your greetings, remove your own heart from your body.’ Somewhere underneath the City's surface lies one or more massive vaults, filled with pendulums and spinning wheels. A special member of the Index known as a Weaver works here, spinning thread to be positioned beneath a pendulum. The pendulum then functions as a seismograph, vibrating according to the motions of the City citizens up above. It writes in an unreadable tongue known as the "language of the City", which requires that the Weaver take the inscribed thread and weave it into cloth using spinning wheels, therefore making the language discernible. At this point the cloth has become a real Prescript, so the Weaver completes the process by stamping the slip and sending it to the surface by slipping it into a pipe labeled with the same code as the Prescript. Given that Prescripts are created from the day-to-day of City citizens, the Prescripts of the Index are thought to be generated from the people's wish for a direction in life, following the "will of the City" itself. For this reason, they may even be considered comparable to gods, having been born in order to fulfill the people's needs. The emblem of the Index (crescent moon, hand with the index finger raised, and flower)

34. #34The Middle

    Keys: The Middle

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    The Middle is one of the Five Fingers of the Backstreets, operating with a focus on supporting one another and punishing anyone who disrespects them. Like the other Fingers, the Middle is one of the most powerful Syndicates in the City, possessing enough influence to rival even the Wings. Like the other four Fingers, the Middle is a large Syndicate with a unique culture and creed that all members follow fervently. Members operate on an extremely tight-knit 'familial' structure, enjoying close fraternal ties with one another. Reflective of their bonds, everyone in the Middle refers to each other as their "Brothers", "Sisters", or "Siblings". While the Middle cherishes its own members, it takes the polar opposite approach towards outsiders. Any "sin" committed against a member of the Middle, their loved ones, or property is recorded in the "Book of Vengeance" so that the perpetrator might be punished for the deed. The Middle is well-known for never letting go of unfulfilled grudges, and members may spend years chasing down its enemies to enact justice. Besides listing the names of everyone who has slighted the Middle, the Book of Vengeance also provides guidelines for the punishment to every conceivable crime, which range from killing a sibling to the simple act of stepping on a member's shoe. The members of the Middle in a certain District share the same Vengeance list, and grudges recorded into the Book of Vengeance are automatically placed into the Vengeance list of every Book of Vengeance in the District; in certain circumstances, grudges from other Districts might be put into put into members' Books. Depending on the crime, the Middle will not hesitate to annihilate everyone in the perpetrator's faction, town, or social circle. The Middle may not even care who actually committed the sin, and will just opt to enact mass vengeance against whoever's in the vicinity in order to teach everyone nearby a lesson. On the other hand, slights between members of the Middle are generally ignored and forgiven. However, joining the Middle isn't a perfect solution either, as members are forbidden from leaving. Anyone who attempts to move on from the Syndicate will be hunted down by their former siblings until they die or erase absolutely every indicator of the Middle from themselves. Additionally, while the Middle may ignore slights, major offenses are taken very seriously. The Middle's hierarchy system features at least four major ranks, which do not appear to contain sub-ranks. The ranks are as follows: Little Sibling, Young Sibling, Big Sibling, Great Sibling: The highest rank mentioned thus far. One of the requirements for promotion from Big Sibling to Great Sibling is going about an intensive "Labor" called "Pilgrimage of Loyalty". While there are multiple ranks within the Syndicate, they do not seem to call for any difference in how members treat each other, as in-group relationships are built on mutual respect, care, and trust that succeeds any power structure. Instead, there exists a natural tendency for lower-ranking members to want to impress their superiors, and higher-ranking members to dote on their subordinates. There exists no strict dress code among the Middle beyond blending in with other members. They tend to wear light-colored dress pants and garish shirts or coats in purple and pink tones, as well as carry around personal copies of the Book of Vengeance with them. Other common attributes include golden chains wrapped around the forearm, shins, and neck (larger amounts of chains are present on higher-ranking members), which the Middle utilize in combat, and are meant to symbolize solidarity and connection between siblings. Members of the Middle are also recognizable by their enhancement tattoos; as they are allowed to get a single tattoo with each vengeance completed, the number of tattoos present on one's body tends to denote their ranking in the Syndicate. In combat, the Middle make use of punches and kicks, augmented by the tattoos, although they will occasionally make use of weapons as well, especially when conducting punishments.

35. #35The Ring

    Keys: The Ring

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    The Ring is one of the Five Fingers of the Backstreets, operating with a focus on creating gruesome works of art. Like the other Fingers, the Ring is one of the most powerful Syndicates in the City, possessing enough influence to rival even the Wings. Like the other four Fingers, the Ring is a large Syndicate with a unique culture and creed that all members follow fervently. Its focus is on art. Members of the Ring are eccentric artisans enamored with art reflecting the human condition, which they pursue by causing and exhibiting human suffering. Their artwork takes a wide variety of forms, from sculptures made of corpses to massacres painted out of someone's mind. The Ring's power extends over great part of the City, with more influential movements having even greater reach. The Syndicate manages galleries featuring their works, and will at times auction them off. Galleries are tied to a specific School of the Ring and are typically staffed by a number of Docents; Galleries that are connected to a Maestro's atelier and auction house are called Main Studios. Among auctions, the most prestigious are VIP auctions, where the finest pieces are auctioned to wealthy bidders typically tied to corporations, although other guests may be personally invited by the Maestro organizing the auction. During auctions, bidders' heads are covered by a veil. Beside auctions, the Ring also organizes other artistic exhibitions, such as the Biennale, one of the most illustrious events for its members, and which presumably takes place every two years. The Ring offers protection to residents of the Backstreets under its occupation, so long as the citizens are willing to create art to be evaluated by the Ring. These civilians periodically submit artwork to be graded at an exam site, where Ring members refer personal judgements on a letter scale. One failing grade results in a warning, two results in the loss of the Ring's protection, and three results in an on-site execution. Similarly, lower-ranking members of the Ring, namely Students, regularly complete 'assignments' issued by higher-ups within designated time periods to maintain membership. The artwork of Students is presented to higher-ranking members, such as Docents or Maestros, during Critique sessions, and later evaluated. The goal of most individuals associated with the Ring is to achieve a regular schedule and improvement in evaluations, in order to maintain their station within the Syndicate. The Ring makes use of special pigments both in their art and in combat. This paint is said to be made from the same material as Augmentation Tattoos, being nigh-indelible brands that can be applied to one's skin to cause various effects, such as weakening an enemy it is forcibly applied on. The Ring has also been known to use the Corridor technology, which allows them to create an exit from anywhere. The created door will then lead into the Corridor, which takes the form of a physical hall connected to the Ring's bases, and can grow to contain hundreds of doors leading to hundreds of locations. While the Corridor technology is not exclusive to them, the Ring allows random citizens the chance to access their Corridor as a prize for winning an auction for a Maestro's art piece. Members of the Ring dress primarily in white, seeing the way it stains as a sign of the artistic process. They wear at least one ring, starting on their left hand, with the number of coils around the ring denoting their rank. Most Ring members also sport tattoo-like markings on their face, alongside other unique accessories like masks and piercings. There is considerable variation in the weapons members use. The Ring's hierarchy system features at least three major ranks, which do not appear to contain sub-ranks. The ranks are as follows: Student: The common artist who both submits assignments to the Maestros for grading and grades the work of Ring-affiliated civilians. Docent: A mid-rank, roughly equivalent to a Capo of the Thumb or a Big Sibling of the Middle. Appears to be the rank in charge of hosting art galleries. Maestro: A high-ranking artist. Gives out assignments to the lower ranks and hosts Ring auctions. To earn the title of Maestro, one must have three art pieces that establish them as worthy of the rank. In addition to member ranks, the Ring also contains at least six sub-sections known as "Schools". The Schools are as follows: Fauvism: Those who tend to make use of primary colors and complex lines. Known to wear animal masks and create artwork based on animals and Monsters. The School of Fauvism also run animal conservatories that double as galleries, and is noted to be one of the most influential Schools of the Ring. Pointillism: Those who tend to make use of small strokes and dots to depict the flow of light. Known to wield paintbrush-like weapons. Cubism: Those who seek to incorporate abstract three-dimensionality and depth. Corporism: Those who utilize the interaction between human bones and muscles, and the contraction and elongation thereof. It is indicated to be very unpopular and outdated among the Ring for its obsession over the human body. Suprematism: Unknown, but are characterized by their 'pure-bloodedness'. Blaue-Reiters: Currently unknown. Each School represents a unique approach to creating art. Members of different Schools are not physically divided from one another, and assignments often require them to work together, leading to frequent squabbles over which method is best.

36. #36The Pinky

    Keys: The Pinky

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    The Pinky is one of the Five Fingers of the Backstreets that follows the Virtue of Humanity, with very little known beside that about them at present. Like the other Fingers, the Pinky is one of the most powerful Syndicates in the City, possessing enough influence to rival even the Wings. The Pinky is a Finger shrouded in mystery, and many elements of how the Finger operates are still unknown. Members of the Pinky hide amongst the rest of society, infiltrating other Syndicates, including even the other Fingers, and organizations. Members keep their relationship with the Pinky a secret, and because they only tend to encounter each other under specific circumstances, are almost always unaware of another's status as a Pinky member, even when directly interacting with each other. Members typically operate independently unless they have been given orders to do otherwise, and may even spend their 'free time' in conflict with other members of the Pinky.Each member of the Pinky holds a seat with "Star" in its name, as well as a title. Seats are tied to a member's ownership of a star-forged blade: when an individual is in possession of one, they may appoint the blade as their own, and obtain the seat of the Star corresponding to their blade. Seats become vacated when a member dies, supposedly being filled once another individual claims the late member's blade and appoints it as theirs.

37. #37E.G.O

    Keys: E.G.O.

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    E.G.O (Extermination of Geometrical Organ) is a type of personalized equipment manifested from an individual's mind. They usually take the form of massively powerful weapons and/or armor. There are two main types of E.G.O: E.G.O extracted and borrowed from an Abnormality, and E.G.O manifested by oneself. Lobotomy E.G.O is a refined class of E.G.O compressed into the form of equipment for the sake of general utility. It is more stable than what the librarians and Sinners use, and allows for longer durations of use without fear of Corrosion. Lobotomy E.G.O originated from Lobotomy Corporation. However, it can also be produced by other parties under the right conditions. Lobotomy E.G.O's most attractive benefit is its malleability. It can be used effectively by anyone and requires no special training to wield. This allowed for the average Lobotomy Corporation employee to skillfully contest threats, despite the job not requiring any combat ability. Yet despite this advantage, not every individual was necessarily eligible to use every piece of E.G.O, as many E.G.O insist that specific levels of virtues be met. The virtues of Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, or Justice were measured in the employees and dictated as minimums for wielding certain E.G.O, with the intent of preventing E.G.O Corrosion. The E.G.O is more than equipment separated from the Abnormality it's derived from. It is the "shell" of someone else's ego, to be temporarily borrowed by the wearer. As such, when a person uses Lobotomy Corporation E.G.O, they are essentially synchronizing with the Abnormality it originated from. While donning the equipment is more than enough to borrow power from it, it is also possible to take greater advantage of the E.G.O by taking the power and claiming it as one's own. Lobotomy Corporation called the extracted armor "E.G.O Suits" and the extracted weapons "E.G.O Weapons". Although E.G.O Suits varied considerably in color and design, all of them had an upper body garment reaching past the waist, and (with four exceptions) included a collar and a tie. E.G.O Weapons could be both melee and ranged, ranging from gauntlets to cannons. Additionally, there was a third tool to gain from the Abnormalities called "E.G.O Gifts". As the name implies, E.G.O Gifts could be considered a literal present from the Abnormalities. They were small trinkets to be worn on different parts of the body to gain benefits. Though E.G.O Gifts are weaker than Suits and Weapons, they are still a part of the ego pertaining to Abnormalities, and run the risk of negatively affecting someone who wears too many. E.G.O borrowed from an Abnormality possesses one major drawback in the possibility of losing one's self to the equipment. This phenomena is known as E.G.O Corrosion, where the user's appearance and behavior transform to reflect the personality and destructive nature of the Abnormality the E.G.O originated from. While the synchronization between the E.G.O and its user represents the key advantage of E.G.O over other City gear, it also allows for the user to have their ego overridden by it. If insufficient in mental strength, they may "fuse" with the equipment when lacking in the personal virtues of Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, or Justice required to stave off the metamorphosis. During the process of using E.G.O, the individual will hear the voice of the Abnormality it had come from. To "corrode" is to allow the voice and its mindset to take over, replacing the user's ego with its own. Alongside the loss of self, corroding eventually incites a physical transformation. This turns its victims into beasts not dissimilar to Distortions. The speed at which an individual corrodes is tied to their mental state, or ability to fight off the Abnormality's attempt to override the E.G.O user. E.G.O Corrosion may also consist of subtle, relatively harmless changes to the user's personality over time. These cases may be easily combated by removing the E.G.O gear, lowering one's level of attunement. This refers to the E.G.O that is personally manifested and wielded by the same individual. Manifesting Effloresced E.G.O was possible even before the White Nights and Dark Days. However, it was rare to the point that even Arbiters of the Head were unfamiliar with how it worked. Effloresced E.G.O is distinct and personal from person to person. While Abnormality-extracted E.G.O will reflect the ego of the relevant Abnormality, E.G.O manifested by oneself will match their own ego. As a result, they vary widely in both appearance and function. Generally, manifested E.G.O takes the form of some kind of armor, weapon, or both. It compliments the individual rather than overtaking them. Like the other form of E.G.O, Effloresced E.G.O is extremely powerful. However, it represents familiarity and dominance over one's own ego, rather than the borrowing of someone else's. It can still be wielded in ways which farm more power from it, like Lobotomy E.G.O. Additionally, once having manifested E.G.O, it can be manifested again at any point at will. There are a few notable outliers to the usual weapon/armor. For example, it is possible to instead manifest entire buildings. Once someone has managed to manifest E.G.O, they gain an immunity to the Distortion Phenomenon. However, only managing to manifest an incomplete or Volatile E.G.O will still leave the user susceptible to distorting. However, while Distortions are formed by the target agreeing with Carmen's words, E.G.O is instead manifested by denying them. This might include choosing to act differently from what she encourages or directly telling her she's wrong. As such, the line between distorting and manifesting E.G.O is a thin one, similar to walking a tightrope. Still, it is not equally easy to end up on either side. The outcome is considerably rigged in favor of the target distorting, considering they would be both in a very fragile state of mind and being talked into it by Carmen. It is not an easy feat to reject Carmen's comforting words and manifest one's own E.G.O. While Distortions are generally associated with antagonistic efforts and E.G.O with heroic efforts, there is no such rule of thumb. Additionally, Distortions are complete transformations from one's human self, while E.G.O takes the form of something separate. It is also possible to manifest E.G.O partially. This is referred to as Volatile E.G.O. Volatile E.G.O manifests upon denying Carmen without full commitment, and allowing one's heart to waver. Manifesting Volatile E.G.O does not count as proper manifestation, and will not give the individual immunity to the Distortion Phenomenon like Effloresced E.G.O will.

38. #38Distortions

    Keys: Distortion, Distortions

    Enabled · Order 3800 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Distortions are powerful, monstrous entities in the City. They are former humans who have been overcome by their emotions, typically having given into the lulling words of a charming voice heard by no one but them. The process by which humans distort is referred to as the Distortion Phenomenon. No official announcement regarding Distortions has been offered to the general public, and the average City denizen has a subpar understanding of how they work. Cityfolk can end up a target of the Distortion, regardless of status or location. However, it requires a particularly intense mindset and the wholehearted pursuit of one's own wishes. Then, to be susceptible to distorting, one must experience the complete breakdown of a firmly-held belief in a massive personal shock. In this state of exceptionally heightened emotion, the mind "crumbles". For example, victims of the Distortion may be shown to have been working for a meaningful, life-defining goal before realizing it cannot be carried out in a sudden and dramatic event. To be targeted by the Distortion is to be spoken to by Carmen herself. Someone undergoing the Distortion process will hear a warm, alluring voice unable to be heard by anyone else. The voice will speak to the target about their present situation and prod them into giving into their heightened feelings, using specific words meant to make them focus on their negative emotions. If the target chooses to embrace these feelings, agreeing with Carmen's discernment of their life, they "consent" and therefore distort. Distorting includes transforming into a being which reflects the person's ultimate feelings and desires. Stronger desires will lead to a stronger Distortion. Distortions come in all shapes and sizes, tending to appear animalistic or otherworldly, and rarely containing any visual traces of the distortee's human form. Once someone has distorted, they are consumed by the negative emotions which had been so thoroughly heightened, more or less embodying those feelings. As a result, many Distortions are violent, operating on feelings like rage or despair. Although some Distortions are unable to be reasoned with, that is not the case for many of them. Depending on the cause for Distortion, many Distortions are capable of acting calmly or participating in regular conversation. They simply prioritize acting on the feelings that had spun them into distorting. After enough time passes, a Distortion will turn into an Abnormality, which is an irreversible process.

39. #39Abnormalities

    Keys: Abnormalities, Abnormality

    Enabled · Order 3900 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Abnormalities are entities that manifested from the mind of humans through Lobotomy Corporation's Singularity, reflecting an aspect of the desires, behaviors, and fears of City people. Abnormalities are unique, otherworldly beings that serve as the driving force within Lobotomy Corporation. Lobotomy Corporation (L Corp.) created Abnormalities through its Singularity—a substance called Cogito—which physically manifested humanity's fears, beliefs, stories, and more by transforming people into monstrous forms. The exclusivity of L Corp.'s Singularity allowed Abnormalities to be produced only at the main facility featured within Lobotomy Corporation, with those seen at other branches being imports from the main facility. Abnormalities cannot die, and can only be temporarily suppressed. After suppression, they revert into their core, an ovate form that will hatch once enough time has passed. They are also the source of Abnormality E.G.O, including E.G.O Suits, Weapons, and Gifts. Abnormalities through its Singularity—a substance called Cogito—which physically manifested humanity's fears, beliefs, stories, and more by transforming people into monstrous forms. The exclusivity of L Corp.'s Singularity allowed Abnormalities to be produced only at the main facility featured within Lobotomy Corporation, with those seen at other branches being imports from the main facility. When their needs were met, Abnormalities produced Enkephalin, a fuel source L Corp. would then sell to other Wings and companies within the City. Enkephalin is stored as a green liquid in PE-Boxes, a resource used in Lobotomy Corporation to unlock the ability to extract the Abnormality's E.G.O in the form of Suits, Weapons, or Gifts that employees could wield to improve their survivability and combat ability. Lobotomy Corporation employees were tasked with adequately working with the Abnormalities to produce Enkephalin while ensuring the dangerous and unpredictable creatures did not escape containment. Upon containment breach, L Corp. Agents could be deployed to suppress the escaped beings. Abnormalities cannot be permanently killed; instead, they regress into an egg-shaped "core" that will eventually hatch again. L Corp. classified Abnormalities by their Risk Level: ZAYIN, TETH, HE, WAW, or ALEPH. An Abnormality's Risk Level represented the amount of Enkephalin it could produce and the danger it posed to L Corp. personnel. The danger level of Abnormalities range from harmless and beneficial to catastrophic and fatal. Abnormality's strength alongside its Risk Level. Additionally, each Abnormality is assigned a unique identifying classification code. Each Abnormality is considered a unique being. However, an Abnormality may have "variants" in the form of other Abnormalities manifested from the same concept, often being similar in name and appearance. Abnormalities can no longer be manufactured following the collapse of L Corp. In the present, Abnormalities may rarely emerge naturally from the Rivers or "hatch" from a Distortion after enough time has passed. Certain Abnormalities demonstrate the ability to produce sub-entities (sometimes known unofficially as "minions") who function to benefit the Abnormality they originated from. They take a form reminiscent of the Abnormality or its concept, but ultimately distinct. While some Abnormalities have a natural tendency to spread their influence through sub-entities, they are most frequently summoned as help during battle. Oftentimes, an Abnormality will create sub-entities by causing a human being who has interacted with it to transform. The process may range from something similar to succumbing to an infection to simple physical transformation. Abnormalities may also spawn sub-entities without transforming another. Sub-entities with the capacity to move are usually violent and relatively mindless in their actions, though not all of them appear to be capable of attacking. Abnormalities can summon many sub-entities at a time, whether through transformation or natural means.During its time as a Wing, Lobotomy Corporation assigned Risk Levels to each Abnormality it managed, corresponding to their energy production efficiency. The five Risk Levels, from least to most energy produced, were ZAYIN, TETH, HE, WAW, and ALEPH. These assignments also tended to correlate with the complexity of the Abnormality's needs and potential danger, but said factors were ultimately not L Corp.'s intended use of the Risk Levels. Along with a basic Risk Level, each Abnormality is assigned a classification code as a unique identifier. The updated classifications consist of four indicators (??-??-??-??), each component of the code indicating a different aspect.

40. #40Lobotomy Corporation

    Keys: L Corp., Lobotomy Corporation, Nest L

    Enabled · Order 4000 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Lobotomy Corporation, or L Corp., was one of the twenty-six Wings and the owner of District 12's Nest before the corporation's collapse. L Corp.'s Singularity was the ability to materialize the human mind through a formula 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. Lobotomy Corporation is a company that produces energy by managing types of monsters called Abnormalities, which are contained within its branches. Through its technology, the company is able to extract an infinite amount of energy by interacting with Abnormalities and fulfilling their needs. Lobotomy Corporation consists of several departments, each of which focuses on a different key part of the company. In the headquarters facility that the game takes place in, each department is managed by a Sephirah, a high level employee who handles the Agents that work beneath them, and whose everyday job consists of managing the various Abnormalities.

41. #41R Corp.

    Keys: Nest R, R Corp.

    Enabled · Order 4100 · 100%

    Entry settings

    R Corp. is one of the 26 Wings of the City and is in control of District 18. R Corp. is one of the most well known private military corporations in the City, having been an established power since at least a decade before the events of Limbus Company, and carrying a reputation for its efficient soldiers. R Corp.'s District, District 18, is noted to have a unique architecture that bears no resemblance to that of its neighboring Districts, instead resembling that of WARP Corp. R Corp. collaborates with various Wings, and was tasked with the protection of L Corp., T Corp., and W Corp.'s Nests and Singularities. R Corp. was a long-standing business partner of Lobotomy Corporation, with a history that traces back to L Corp.'s creation; in fact, R Corp. was an active participant of the Smoke War, siding with the company against the Old L Corp. After the war, the mutual relationship continued, with L Corp. providing energy for R Corp. to make full use of its Singularity, and R Corp. providing L Corp. military protection to the Corporation's branches. In cases of necessity, R Corp.'s Rabbit Team would be dispatched to L Corp. branches. R Corp.'s partnership with T Corp. involves the utilization of the TT2 Protocol, which is provided by T Corp. for the training of R Corp.'s soldiers. R Corp. possesses a Singularity that can create clones of humans, which they use to use replace their soldiers after their deaths. Thanks to this, R Corp. can take on jobs that expect extremely high causality rates and replace any soldiers who died with ease. The clones are produced in the thousands by what is defined the Hatchery, or cloning machine, forced to fight against each other until only the strongest remains, ensuring that the survivor is trained and ready for combat. As The Head does not allow the existence of two of the same person in the City for longer than seven days, R Corp. utilizes T Corp.'s TT2 Protocol to accelerate the time within the Hatchery: this way, ten thousand clones can fight in the Hatchery for a year, while in the outside world less than seven days have passed. In case of necessity, the process might be sped up further at a higher energy cost, although a certain population is necessary to train a soldier enough to be dispatched. Cloned soldiers also do not have all the memories of their previous iterations, notably those leading up to their death. R Corp.'s soldiers are split into several "Packs" roughly analogous to real-life military regiments. These Packs are overseen by a Supreme Commander who has the ultimate authority over what the Packs do and evaluates their worth to the company. Each Pack is led by a Commander who is in charge of the various specialized teams of soldiers that make up the Pack. These teams are named and themed around different species of animals, all of which start with the letter "R". Some types of teams are featured in multiple Packs, although they operate differently from each other despite being visually similar. Within a Pack, each team has their own Team Leader who works with the Commander and the other Team Leaders to manage their teams and lead them into battle. The Packs are as follows: The Ravens. The Ravens are not associated with any specific Pack, and are instead commanded directly by the Supreme Commander. The Ravens act as a disposal unit that removes threats internal to the Corporation and units that are no longer deemed useful to R Corp. The Rabbits are a part of the 4th Pack. They appear to be the closest to standard soldiers when compared to R Corp.'s other teams, having no specific augmentations associated with their fighting style. They wield guns and daggers in battle and are noted to be especially nimble and fast at completing jobs. Members of the Rabbit team do not discriminate between targets and civilians, as they are unwilling to slow down in the middle of battle to note the difference. The Reindeer are a part of the 2nd and 4th Packs. Their brainwaves are turned into electricity, which is condensed in their augmented antlers and then transferred to their staves to attack. Members of the Reindeer team suffer from near constant migraines due to their method of attack. They are also prone to nervous breakdowns in prolonged battles or if they overexert themselves by using too much energy at once, leading to indiscriminate attack. The Rhino are a part of the 4th Pack. They are front line soldiers that specialize in physical strength and wear large, bulky exoskeletal suits which operate by detecting their bioelectricity. The majority of Rhinos wield massive hammers in battle, but some use energy-based claws. Members of the Rhino team generally suffer from chronic fatigue as a side effect of their suits operation. They are prone to excessive agitation if they move around too much, which can lead to them falling into rampages and destroying anything within their vicinity.

42. #42P Corp.

    Keys: P Corp., Nest P

    Enabled · Order 4200 · 100%

    Entry settings

    P Corp. is one of the 26 Wings of the City, overseeing District 16. District 16 is renowned for its space-bending Singularity, which is amply used in the buildings of both Nest and Backstreets. District 16 has a notable skyline composed of tall skyscrapers and spires, mainly found within the Nest. P Corp. is separated into a number of different corporate departments, including the Archival Department, the Martial Department, and the Compression Department. The latter two handle low to medium level threats within the District, although they prioritize those in the P Corp.'s Nest as opposed to those in the Backstreets. P Corp.'s Singularity is connected to the expansion and warping of space. Notably, unlike other space expansion technologies in the City, P Corp.'s Singularity has the aim of creating "the safest place in the world". Items created using the Singularity are highly resistant to damage and maintain their structural integrity regardless of external influences. The more expensive a P Corp. product is, the safer the interior is from harm. In the District, it is used to ensure buildings are safe from various types of shock. Buildings in the District are noted to have extreme level of elasticity, external damages to them would at most cause them to bend, with total destruction being out of the picture. It is suggested Devyat' Association's Courier Trunks utilize P Corp.'s Singularity: these dimensional containers transport items to a different dimension, leading Faust to theorize that the inside of a P Corp. product is disconnected from the outside world entirely, allowing for full isolation. Similarly to WARP Trains, dimensional containers have strict regulations and guidelines, most importantly that they must under no circumstances be to store living humans. Additionally, the P Corp. Singularity is also noted to be used in a variety of canned goods.

43. #43W Corp.

    Keys: Nest W, W Corp., WARP Corp

    Enabled · Order 4300 · 100%

    Entry settings

    WARP Corp., or W Corp., is one of the 26 Wings of the City, and is in control of District 23. The District in control of W Corp., District 23, is infamous throughout the City, with its Backstreets being widely considered one of the most dangerous places to live in, and being often subject to turf wars and strife between Syndicates. District 23 has a modern aesthetic, identifiable by its neon blue lighting, which covers the Nest and Backstreets both. The Backstreets of District 23 are also famous for its uncommon food culture, which centers around the use of human flesh in pursuit of the ultimate flavor. Restaurants often collaborate with Syndicates to organize kidnappings and murders to obtain fresh bodies to utilize in cooking. This part of its culture mostly takes place in an area of the District called the Streets of Flavor, which are located close to the WARP Corp. headquarters. WARP Corp. operates the WARP Train network that runs throughout the City, providing fast transportation between the Districts. The Corporation has gained the status of a Wing around a decade ago, and established itself as the main transport company of the City thanks to its train's speed and reliability, having had no recorded incidents until recent times. The WARP Trains are powered by W Corp.'s Singularity, ostensibly a teleportation technology, that allows all trains to reach their destination within 10 seconds, regardless of distance. All WARP Train stations are built with a design philosophy based on the architecture of their respective Nests, and they are often praised as cultural cornerstones of the City. While W Corp.'s Singularity is advertised as a teleportation technology, the functioning of WARP Trains relies on the combined utilization of two Singularities. W Corp.'s main Singularity allows for restoration to a previous status: it functions similarly to a 'save point', being able to record the state of an object and return it to the recorded state, effectively undoing any changes made to it in the meantime. Within the WARP Train, this is used to scan and record the molecular structure and genome data of all passengers, storing the information and transmitting it to a restoration machine. At this point, a second Singularity, which W Corp. had purchased from a fallen Wing, is used: this technology allows to open gates between dimensions. It is used to send the WARP Train into a parallel dimension, in which the time flow becomes massively dilated, causing passengers to experience thousands of years between departure and arrival. During this period, the passengers are in a state of moratorium, in which all their physical processes halt. The passengers do not experience tiredness, hunger or thirst, and they are unable to die, although their mind remains conscious. First class passengers, who are stored inside flash-freeze hibernation devices, are safely frozen and asleep for the entire ride, while economy class passengers typically lose their sanity over the extended time, usually resorting to violence and self-mutilation. Thanks to a cooperation agreement with T Corp., WARP Trains are provided with a temporal preservation device, which collects the passengers' time so that no "time" effectually passes for the passengers, granting them unconditional immortality. This allows the Train to reach its destination without any time passing in the original dimension. Upon arrival back to the original dimension, ten seconds later, the Train remains stationed at the terminal for a certain amount of time before completely stopping: during this period the W Corp. Cleanup Agents board the Train and begin the Cleanup process. The Agents must identify and return the biomass from the passengers to their seats, then activate the 'load state' effect of the Singularity, reverting any physical and mental damage, and reverting the passengers' memory to its exact state at the moment of the recording. A train is considered "Unobstructed" when requiring only Cleanup, and becomes "Delayed" when passengers suppression is also necessary. When the state of a compartment is beyond the capabilities of standard-issue gear for Cleanup Agents, it is considered "Congested" and requires higher-ranked Agents to deal with it. If the threat at hand is on the level of a Grade 1 Fixer, it's deemed "Cancelled"; any worse than that, and it's deemed "Derailed" and is beyond W Corp.'s capabilities. The dimension-ripping technology W Corp. purchased from the fallen Wing is applied to the weapons used by Agents of W Corp., allowing for the precise cuts necessary in their work of cleaving and reconstructing passengers.

44. #44T Corp.

    Keys: T Corp., Nest T

    Enabled · Order 4400 · 100%

    Entry settings

    TimeTrack, sometimes known as TimeTrack Corporation and more commonly known as T Corp., is one of the 26 Wings of the City, overseeing District 20. District 20 and all its inhabitants are subject to the effects of T Corp.'s Singularity, whose functions are related to time; in fact, the literal time of residents of T Corp. is controlled by the Wing. Within the District, the duration of a person's day is determined by the amount of time in their possession, with four hours having been deemed by the T Corp. Public Welfare Council to be the minimum amount of hours necessary for one's survival. This practically manifests in inhabitants who own more time appearing to move faster than ones who have less, as the Singularity allows them to condense many more hours in a single day. The amount of time in a person's possession is displayed on their personal watch. For this reason, there are twelve clocktowers in the twelve different sections of the District, showing the A Corp. Standard Time and allowing all residents to know the current time. Time is used as the predominant form of currency, and timepieces are carried by everyone as both wallets and a form of personal identification. Workers are also paid time as salary for their labors, and taxes are similarly paid in time, which are collected by the T Corp. Time Collections Agency. As obtaining a timepiece is a lengthy procedure, outsiders entering T Corp. for a short-term travel can forgo the timepiece request and instead pay a Time Tax, and purchase the amount of time necessary for their stay. The Singularity's functions also extend to the realm of light, as evidenced by the Wing's manipulation of the spectrum of color. District 20 appears mostly devoid of color: T Corp.'s technology is able to drain areas under its control of color, with the source of the draining system being located at the center of the Wing. The Backstreets are black-and-white monochrome, while Nest T's color palette is sepia-toned. Persons or objects can be exempted from this color draining by paying large sums to T Corp., and lamps that can partially restore color to the areas that they illuminate are also available for purchase. In recent years, T Corp. has been seeing remarkable innovation. Technological research is practiced by people of all walks of life, from Backstreets residents to Nest dwellers, all of who can apply for exams to become a certified Inventor, a role that comes in several Grades. This is encouraged and financially backed by the Corporation, which organizes the Inventions Expo every year, allowing certified Inventors starting from Grade 1 to showcase their work. During the Expo, T Corp. awards its most brilliant designers with various prizes, including participation trophies, the "distinctive" and the "exceptional" awards, and the title of Inventor of the Year, a honor that comes with a remarkable amount of prize money, and which is highly coveted by Nest and Backstreets dwellers alike. All inventions developed in T Corp. must be registered through its Technology Administration Agency, and their use is regulated through the T Corp. Patents Agency. District 20 is shown to be a highly industrialized area, packed with factories that constantly spew forth black smoke reaching up to the sky, with child labor being common in the Backstreets, and rampant worker exploitation even within the Nest. This leads to a certain unrest in the Nest, where the Yurodiviye ideology has begun spreading. T Corp.'s Singularity allows them near-complete control of time. The Wing conducts business with many other Wings, including Lobotomy Corporation, R Corp. and W Corp., which use their Singularity to an extremely constructive and effective degree. Initially, the Singularity was able to reverse time in a very limited area, and its effects were used for small scale manipulation, modifying the flow of time for few people at a time. Following the end of the Smoke War, T Corp. began a collaboration with the newly founded Lobotomy Corporation: with the help of L Corp.'s energy, T Corp. was able to greatly develop their Singularity, and, with funding from L Corp., whose founder was interested in the power to rewind time, the collaboration eventually led to the development of the TT2 Protocol. The TT2 Protocol, the most widely known ability of the Singularity, includes speeding up, slowing down, and even pausing and reversing time, as well as replaying moments in a loop. Rather than a complete manipulation of time, the Singularity's ability is that to "collect" time and repackage it for later use. T Corp. collects the bulk of this time from a partnership with WARP Corp., harvesting the time from WARP Corp.'s interdimensional train rides, which stretch for millennia. In order to speed up time, the packaged time is released from the Singularity, whereas to slow it down, the Singularity packages the present time. T Corp. also allows the purchase of the Temporal Velocity Synchronization Device, or TT4 Protocol, an apparatus to synchronize the time speed of selected individuals in a certain area. The Time Collections Agency handles tax collection within District 20. Its agents, the T Corp. Collectors, are responsible for collecting taxes in the form of time, as well as apprehending tax evaders, confiscating unregistered inventions and collecting the fines associated with it. The collected time is then stored within the T Corp. Time Vault. As is standard in T Corp., Collectors come in several classes, with Class 1 being the lowest and Class 5 being the highest. All Collectors receive a T Corp.-issued watch through which they receive a certain amount of time to use during missions, granting them the ability to greatly accelerate their time and to quickly heal injuries. Collectors starting from Class 3 are equipped with a pickaxe capable of siphoning time out of its target. In addition to regular Collection Staff, other specialized Collection Units are mentioned to exist, such as the Violent Defaulter Collections Unit, or VDCU. The VDCU is a specialized unit that deals with organized time trafficking crimes, whose Collectors are shown to be more distinguished and affluent than Collectors of the same Class belonging to the regular Collection unit. The VDCU Collectors make use of T-3 Collector Maces in combat.

45. #45K Corp.

    Keys: K Corp., Nest K

    Enabled · Order 4500 · 100%

    Entry settings

    K Corp., stylized as K-CORP, is one of the 26 Wings of the City, overseeing District 11. K Corp. is renowned for its Singularity-based medical technology used in both civilian and military settings, capable of rapid regeneration. Due to their immense influence, Nest K has a noticeably greater quality of life, and is considered one of the safer and more comfortable places to live in, even compared to other Nests. Because of this, just getting to the border checkpoint is a dangerous task onto itself. It is not uncommon to get ambushed and killed by hooligans trying to rob visas or IDs to even obtain a chance of moving into the Nest. District 11's corporate life is highly unforgiving: despite being said to care about employee well-being, K Corp. has 70-hour work weeks and severely punishes defects or disobedient guard units. The Nest is also well-off enough to afford orphanages to house children who've lost their parents, in grave contrast to most Backstreets with their high child-mortality rates for orphans. K Corp.'s singularity revolves around Helapoiesis, a green fluid that allows for rapid physical regeneration. As long as the brain is intact, Helapoiesis can heal even the most fatal wounds. Helapoiesis is sold in the form of HP Bullets to be fired into injured combatants, injectable HP Ampules (up to three were needed to heal Dante's half-melted body), and ingestible Tablets that heal users overnight. Helapoiesis products also require cross-compatibility tests with its targets, or else they may suffer side effects. Though said to be nanobot based, in reality, Helapoeisis are the tears of a "Tearful Thing", a giant creature that resembles a human eye. K Corp. laboratories also use ampule administration drones, though they only deliver ampules to eligible and/or heavily injured targets; thus K Corp. employees often injure themselves to receive ampules to fix preexisting wounds. Furthermore, these drones can fire decay ampules capable of melting human bodies at deserters leaving combat zones, or just for not attacking belligerents. K Corp. had entered into various partnerships with other Wings due to their very potent technology, supplying SP Bullets which can heal sanity to R Corp's Reindeer Team and the HP-N Bullets for use in L Corp.'s main facility.

46. #46U Corp.

    Keys: Nest U, U Corp.

    Enabled · Order 4600 · 100%

    Entry settings

    U Corp. is one of the 26 Wings of the City, overseeing District 21. District 21 occupies part of the Great Lake, with most of its activity taking place in the Five Great Ports of U Corp., one of which is called Marlin Port. A large amount of District 21's Backstreets are located on colossal mobile "Portships" that move across the Lake's surface. One of the Portships is called the Giant Stingray Portship, where the Salon du Moelleux, is located. U Corp. is known for its trade in packagings that remain completely sealed and undisturbed until their opening, and producing Resonance Tuning Forks, devices that can merge two separate objects. U Corp. possesses two known Singularities: the Stasis Preservation Packaging, and the Resonance Tuning Fork. U Corp.'s stasis preservation Singularity allows for the contents of a package to remain unchanged in any way until the parcel is opened, and it is widely used as a food preservation technology, in the form of boxes and canned food. The second Singularity in U Corp.'s possession is the ability to merge the essences of objects. This is primarily done through use of a Resonance Tuning Fork, a device that will fuse two affected items into one. This is demonstrated being used by ships in order to dock. The basis of the Singularity is said to be derived from Whale oil, a substance secreted by Whales with properties of assimilation, which is seemingly used to allow the Singularity to have multiple objects assimilate into one.

47. #47S Corp.

    Keys: Nest S, S Corp.

    Enabled · Order 4700 · 100%

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    Salpippyeo Agroindustries, or S Corp., is one of the 26 Wings of the City, and is in control of District 19. S Corp.'s main form of trade is agriculture, including a prolific rice production, and livestock industry. Citizens of S Corp. appear to have a distinct manner of speaking that sets them apart from people of other Districts, with their syntax and choice of words being quite formal and poetic. At the head of S Corp. is a Royal Court, led by a King and the retainers in their service, a system of governance that is noted to be unusual in the City. Three State Councilors are known to work within the Court. Fixers in S Corp. are addressed as Ch'unokkun, it's noted that those specifically sent by the Royal Court are known to be "like the Taboo Hunters of other Wings".

48. #48Kurokumo Clan

    Keys: Kurokumo Clan

    Enabled · Order 4800 · 100%

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    The Kurokumo Clan is a Syndicate in the Backstreets of the City. The Kurokumo Clan is one of the subsidiaries of The Thumb. The Kurokumo Clan is notable for its focus on swordplay, and is recognizable by their usage of odachi and their extensive augmentation tattoos, which depict the black clouds the Clan is named after and grant its users a level of full-body protection, particularly against stab injuries. Their main form of revenue is extortion, such as requiring tolls for passage between territories, or payments from Nest citizens in exchange for "protection". The Kurokumo Clan originates from the eastern quarter of the City, and is active in the southern quarter. After the collapse of Lobotomy Corporation, the Kurokumo Clan went into frequent conflict with other Syndicates in an attempt to control the territory of Nest L. Like many other Syndicates, the Kurokumo Clan presents a strict hierarchy: at its head is the Patriarch (組長, Kumichō), under whom are his Captains (頭, Kashira), supported by their aides (補佐, Hosa). Each Captain commands a small group made up of the rank and file of the Syndicate, the henchmen, or Wakashu (若衆, Wakashū). Captains command teams of a few underlings, though they can reach around a dozen. The Clan is known to have at least thirty-four Captains, each of which can be recognized by a sword with their number engraved upon the blade. The Captain's sword, called the Kokuuntō, is inherited by the Captain's successor upon their death, together with the late Captain's team. The Patriarch of the Kurokumo Clan is a famed swordsman, who used to be numbered among the Ten Blades of the East. The Patriarch lost his claim to the title: following Captain Sayo's team's failure to complete a mission on behalf of the Thumb, his left hand was cut off, severely hindering his swordplay. While the Kurokumo Clan members have very generally similar skills, they can be divided into two types, the offensive Kurokumo Henchmen and the defensive Kurokumo Henchwomen. It can also be divided between the members wearing black jackets and those without jackets.

49. #49Blade Lineage

    Keys: Blade Lineage

    Enabled · Order 4900 · 100%

    Entry settings

    The Blade Lineage is a Syndicate in the Backstreets of the City that has a noted lack of structure, with its members acting much more independently than those in other Syndicates. It accepts any who have nowhere else to go and have the murderous intent necessary to survive in such a group. The members take pride in the scars they receive in battles, seeing a lack of scars as proof of cowardice in battle. The Blade Lineage hail from District 19, the territory of S Corp. The faction left in search of a better home due to the instability and corruption in the district, spreading out throughout the City. This resulted in much conflict, since most other areas in the City were already controlled by other Syndicates and factions. They are in conflict with the Kurokumo Clan for an unspecified reason, likely a territorial conflict over the former territory of Nest L following the collapse of Lobotomy Corporation. The Kurokumo Clan eventually placed a bounty on the entire group due to them being on the Thumb's "shitlist."

50. #50Q Corp.

    Keys: Q Corp., Nest Q

    Enabled · Order 5000 · 100%

    Entry settings

    Q Corp. is one of the 26 Wings of the City, overseeing District 17. District 17 is in the eastern quarter of the City and has close ties with H Corp., with residents of the Districts frequently making use of the other Wing's technology. The technology of Q Corp.'s Singularity revolves around the use of glyphs. Typically, a glyph is engraved on a talisman, which is then either attached to an object or carried by the user. Q Corp.'s glyphs can have various effects, such as powering up weapons or creating buildings out of ink, and are designed to be triggered under specific circumstances. The Heishou Packs of Hongyuan are shown to make ample use of Q Corp.'s glyph technology in their weapons, with the seals and glyphs used by the beasts being some the best Q Corp. has to offer. Additionally, it appears Q Corp.'s Singularity is involved in the process of linking a member of the Heishou to their respective Pack, putting them under a sort of "spell" that ensures the Heishou's complete obedience to their masters.

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