Futuristic Portals to the Afterlife - Lore

[Chordling]

A Scavenger's Survival Guide: 2nd Edition

Be prepared to be extraordinary!

By Non-Professionals for non-professionals

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Our Earth is no longer what it once was. It is different. She has changed. And so must we. The effects which once were myths have become our reality and our responsibility. It is too late to "think of the children's future". That generation missed their opportunity. Earth's conditions are not reversible by mankind. It's a fact that, while morbid, must be faced with honesty, not ignorance.

Over the past couple of centuries, Earth has continued to change, which is why we have brought to you an edited edition of our best-selling book, A Scavenger's Survival Guide.

As before, each page has been dedicated to outlining different topics. These chapters should enlighten you or reinforce your knowledge about our planet Earth and her magic portals. Other topics include important areas, ships, and people. You are free to read our book in any way you desire. It does not need to be read in any particular order.

In this edition, we have added key information about the Ruins, magical portals, and different celebrities. Since Earth's atmosphere is unpredictable, we have left extra pages in the back for you to mark down personal notes of your own.

Purple Titles

Purple titles will signify common knowledge. The average citizen on planet Earth will understand the given material.

Green Titles

Green titles will signify material which is only known by the pirate community. Government affiliated individuals, including scavengers, will have little to no knowledge of the printed information.

Rules
In Character
OCC
Character Signup

 

[Chordling]

Table of Contents​

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Magic Portals

Government & Society

Environment

Technology

Celebrities

Terminology

Acknowledgements

Extra Pages

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[Chordling]

Magic Portals​

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Magic portals are objects which allow one traveler to jump between unique, enchanted worlds. They are commonly perceived as chests or closets but can also take many other forms, like doors, sinks, drawers, and even mirrors. Magic portals may not look the same in different worlds. What was a drawer on planet Earth may appear as a locker on the other side. Before the apocalypse, magic portals would glow with a thin aura, but since then, it is impossible to tell whether something in just an ordinary object or actually a magic portal simply by looking at it.

It is impossible for them to operate without a key. The key usually resembles the portal which it unlocks and functions exactly as any other normal key. Keys are one of the most important tools for using a magic portal. Without the key, a magic portal is impossible to travel through. There is only one key for each magical portal. It is impossible to recreate or duplicate a key. Without the proper key, a magic portal is completely useless. The key allows as many bodies and/ or objects to enter through the magic portal, however, the magic portal will deny any amount greater than which had entered to return back. Travelers must be strategic when they are planning a trip.

Magic portals also rely on energy. The energy used to power magic portals is from an unknown source, regardless, traveling without it is simply not an option. Scientists have discovered a way of "forcing" an opening using magnetic fields. Of course, this source is very difficult to come by, and often requires advanced machine assistance.

The Enlightenment

Humanity's relationship with portals, the most enigmatic feature of Earth, has been a rocky one. In the dawn of civilization man feared them; Gateways to the unknown can worry the bravest hearts. Where did they come from? Why were they here? In the absence of knowledge bad answers spread.

Some ancient folk believed the portals were soul traps designed to lure curious victims inside their dreadful domains. Others were terrified infernal beings lurked on the opposite side, waiting for the perfect moment to strike against man's world. The specifics of the rumors differed by culture, but the conclusions they each reached were the same—the use of portals was forbidden.

Centuries passed like this. Portals, whenever discovered, were cast out of settlements like cursed artifacts. In some rare cases they were sealed, by brick and board, right where they were discovered—the people too fearful to risk touching them. But while humanity's intellectual advancement suffered many setbacks, advance it did.

A generation of great minds cropped up that questioned traditional wisdom. They were curious, confident, and they refused to settle for rumors and superstition. Their intellectual courage inspired the first off world explorers, the first scavengers. And within the span of a generation and a half centuries of unfounded fears were undone.

Once understood portals became sought after. While not every realm they led to could be considered paradise, the reward was worth the risk. Portals that did not lead to desired lands were cast away and labeled as "corrupt"'. Economies swelled, technology made giant leaps, and entire industries sprung from portal scavenging. Humanity flourished during this period, which is understandably called, The Enlightenment.

The Apocalypse

Upon their rediscovery, people were hired to adventure through and bring back the pleasures that these worlds offered. These well respected workers were best known as scavengers and they created most of the economy’s wealth. But then, the apocalypse happened. Pollution storms and waves of radiation began destroying the Earth. Everything was ruined. Nature was wiped clean off the face of the earth. Buildings which stood for countless generations were torn from their foundations. Humanity lost all hope in existence.

As the storm continued, research groups formed to revive or even recreate some of the lost or broken portals in an attempt to bring society back to the Enlightenment. Unfortunately, plans did not go accordingly. Portals no longer opened to promising enchanted worlds. Instead, some led to oblivion. Just space. Nothing. And others opened worlds filled with sin and misery. The desire to scavenge vanished and the bright economy from the Enlightenment died.

By some, the natural energy that was originally used to open portals was thought to be a natural resource, and like any natural resource, it should have to be preserved. Many citizens have concluded that the use of portals have lead to the destruction of the planet but scientists have still yet to find any supporting evidence of this claim. The lack of portal activity has not lessened the conditions of the storm. Destroying or preserving portals have also given negative reports. To say the least, people are unsure what caused the sandstorm.

Destroying the Portals

Thousands, if not, millions of portals existed before the apocalypse. Since then, many of them have gotten lost. The government only stored a small fraction of them. Realizing this, the government sent scavengers and military members to return every possible portal to The Arcaine and have them destroyed. Thanks to the scavengers, they have been able to locate more of them, but there's no way to truly tell whether a portal is corrupt.


As soon as they discovered how to identify portals with magnetic fields, scientists also figured out a way to destroy them using the same technology. Destroying a portal takes energy. Without the use of "modern" technology, energy that is strong enough is hard to come by. However, a new piece of machinery labeled as a magnetic field generator, or "The Mag" for short, has recently been completed. No one knows exactly how many portals remain, and no one really knows if their destruction is making a difference, but the government is determined to rid the world of every portal known to man. They will do whatever it takes.

The Legendary Portal

A pirate's tale spoke of a special portal that survived during the birth of the apocalypse. Men and women alike have searched far and wide for centuries without success. Supposedly, the ancient portal leads to a world filled with the most valuable treasure.

 

[Chordling]

Government & Society​

Reformation

Slowly after the Apocalypse, the economy started to falter. Without these portals, the scavengers were left without any work. However, due to all of the damage given by the storms, there was still an opportunity for gathering items. Of course, the government took advantage of this.

Scavenging was no longer desirable. The workers felt cheated from the government and some even decided to boycott their services. Awareness grew within the government as scavenger activity decreased and strict regulations were placed. However, even with these new laws, piracy continued to grow. As the dissonance between the scavengers and the government grew, punishments started to take place. Those who refused to serve the government, and were caught, were sent through the deformed portals.

Slowly, society rebuilt itself off the ground... literally. Mechanics abandoned cars and renovated a fantastic hybrid between the sailboat and airplane: the airship. The constant raging winds and high demand to move made this new vessel the most employed method for traveling. The skies became home to mankind.

Military Members, Scientists, & Scavengers

The government system has reshaped itself into something similar to a global Democratic Meritocracy, where military officers take power. It is comprised of politicians, military members, and scientists. All military officers serve for an undetermined amount of time. Anyone is allowed to become an officer or promoted, provided that their background meets the requirements, however, ascension through the military is reserved for the privileged.

Members of the military are men and women who serve the government as a politician, soldier, or scientist. Politicians may be previous soldiers who have ascended through the ranks by promotion. They are the main law enforcers.

Scientists are the brainiacs. They are engineers, mechanics, alchemists, biologists, meteorologists, and even botanists. Their research has been responsible for the survival of the human race. Without their help, humans would have been wiped away by the sandstorms hundreds of years ago. Because of their contributions, many folks have referred to them as sustainers.

Every military member is required to have basic training with firearms and swords. Scientists are technically not required to know as much. Politicians and soldiers may be required to receive extra coaching, depending on their rank. All scientists are expected to understand basic mechanics and meteorology and have a stronger understanding in another field of science.

Scavengers are still a minor community who work to find scraps for the government but no one seems to recollect their glory days before the storm. Each scavenger is assigned to a specific ship and is expected to follow demands from their lead officer. Most of their job entails traveling to distant locations and collecting any spare pieces that they can find. All scavengers are provided a small, air vehicle, similar to a motorbike, a radiation mask, a radiation suit, and a leather bag to carry scraps upon hiring. Extra equipment must be purchased separately. Their pay is determined by the weight and quality of their findings.

Pirates & the Judicial System

Pirates are an illegal society of people are best known for their crimes. Most of them used to be scavengers who were exiled from the system for keeping find goods to themselves, but as time has passed, they have been able to grow and breed what once was a small organization into a vast community of wrongdoers. The government does not act lightly with piracy acts and a majority of trials that deal with piracy have ended with the death penalty. Unlike the government, they have no mothership and they have no laws. It is every ship for itself.

In the beginning, most pirates were given regular birth names, then assigned a pirate name once they reached a certain age. This was to create ambiguity, in case someone was caught by government officials. It is more common these days to see people among the pirate society with just a pirate name, since regular birth names are considered "old fashioned".

Most pirate ships run individually. They roam freely through the skies and fend for themselves against competing pirates, scavengers, and government ships. While there is no strict government form, there does appear to be a pirate hierarchy. Dominance is usually observed by a specific family of pirates, who oversee other fleets of airships to keep records of the treasures they find and the adventures they have.

All suspects are given a fair trial. Trials may be public or military exclusive, based on the severity of the case. Public trials are viewable by the everyday citizen. Military exclusive trials are in the hands of a select group of lead officers. Suspects are only granted one trial and the decisions made during these trials are final. Most situations involving piracy are military exclusive. Minor violations are available for public trial.

Pirates Conspiracy Theory

Scavengers always report to government base-ship, Arcaine. Everyone knows this. But the pirate base-ship still remains a mystery.

The theory was created not too long after scavengers began to defect from the government. In many explanations, it points out how similar the pirate system is to the government because of the pirates' past ties with the government mothership, the Arcaine. Therefore, it would seem logical for the pirates to create their own mothership, similar to what the government has. Many artists and scientists have filled libraries with predictions as to what the mystical ship would look like. Mechanics have also taken the liberty to replicate drawings into scaled, functional models. Like today's U.F.O., many citizens have claimed to see a large, unrecognizable ship dominating the skies. Too many of these lack enough convincing evidence, and a lot of the captured images are too comparable to an infamous ship known as The Cold Raven.

With all said, the theory still remains unproven.

 

[Chordling]

Environment​

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All of Earth's diverse lands have transformed into dangerous ruins and floating islands, which is why all of nature's living creatures were forced to live in the sky. Countries no longer exist. The air is polluted with high levels of radiation. Special breathing masks are required to be able to breathe and see. Radiations suits are worn to protect the rest of the body from the storm's harshness. Ships are also equipped with intricate filterings to allow optimal airflow throughout the vessel without poisoning their passengers. Short radiation exposure can lead to serious health conditions. Longer exposures will always lead to death. Any exposure is reason to be placed in quarantine. There currently is no remedy to radiation poisoning.

Ruins

Most of these ruins are uncharted and far too many scavengers have gotten lost within the complex patterns of stone and dirt. New areas are slowly charted when old areas are picked dry of their useful resources by the workers. This, of course, is a long, slow process that can take months, if not nearly a year to complete. Well timed planning is crucial to maintain a balanced scavenger to territory ratio.

The ruins are separated into five sections: North, South, East, West, and prohibited. The cardinal directions are in relation to the government mothership, the Arcaine. Prohibited sections are spotted throughout all of the ruins. It is crucial for scavengers to be knowledgeable of these areas at all times. Cardinal marked locations are healthy areas for scavengers to look for scraps. Prohibited locations are desolate areas that no longer provide useful materials or are too complex in pattern for anyone to navigate through.

'Rubble of the Old Church' painting by Howard Claude.​

'Cathedral' painting by Howard Claude.​

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Sandstorms

The sandstorms are a continuous weather condition and are the main source of earth's destruction. They never stop. These raging wings are a deadly combination of sand, debris, and radiation. Short amounts of exposure are enough to cause side-effects, including but not limited to, blindness or impaired vision, hallucinations, severe migraines, coughing, wheezing, and many forms of cancer. Conditions may be temporary but most cases result with permanent damage. There are currently no forms of treatment to the radiation exposure. Exposed patients also risk infecting other citizens and must be quarantined.

To prevent these medical ailments, the government has required for all citizens to wear special breathing masks and suits. Ships have also been equipped with filtration systems that purify the atmosphere within the decks and cabins. Several medical injections to build "immunity" to the radiation have also been explored but have not supported by the government.

The Sunken Forest

The forest is an underwater harvest of flamboyant wood which the pirates use to build and maintain their aircrafts. It was discovered accidentally when a pirate airship crashed into an acidic pond East of the Ruins. A fleet of ships rushed over to save the passengers on board. While no one survived the crash, the airship itself was completely unharmed, and the forest was found. The complexity of the water was harsh enough to cause whatever was living in there before to adapt but not kill it. A variety of plant life grows in the Sunken Forest, but the pirates care most about the trees.

The Sunken Forest is one of the many pirate secrets. If word gets out that you spilled the beans, Captain Woods will personally hunt you down and end your life.

 

[Chordling]

Technology​

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Society has relied on airships mainly for transportation but extensive research has allowed airships to become incredibly versatile. All government affiliated airships are equipped with an atmosphere filtration system, which simply removes all of the harmful contaminants from the air that comes from outside. Most government and scavenger airships are made of metal and rely more on steam engines. Pirate ships are more commonly fashioned from wood and use solar winds for power.

Before a new product is built, the materials must go through special processing to make them buoyant enough to float in the air. This process is predominantly run by steam. Black algae, which grows generously over polluted bodies of water, is used to burn fires. Coal is used as a secondary energy source but it is mainly reserved for emergency cases during technical complications.

Guns, knives, and swords are the most common forms of weaponry. Usually, these are only used during face to face confrontations. Most battle scenarios will involve cannon fire.

The Mag

The Mag is a government created piece of machinery which is used to generate the power to destroy magic portals. It relies largely on magnetic fields, thus the nickname, The Mag, and draws most of its energy from The Arcaine. It is the only machine of its kind that exists. Mechanists have not been able to receive enough materials to replicate it nor the ship strong enough to host it. Smaller versions have been installed on The Arcaine beside The Mag, but these either become a larger extension of The Mag or are simply ineffective.

 

[Chordling]

Celebrities​

People

Admiral Zavier (NPC)
Son of retired Warrant Officer Nicolas Zavier II, a husband, and a father to two sons of his own, Admiral Zavier is a widely celebrated military officer aboard the Arcaine. He has been serving as a ranked officer for over a decade and is Captain Woods' biggest rival. He is one of the most decorated military members alive. The Admiral's accomplishments include coordinating many outings to discover lost portals and is widely acknowledged for his world wide sanitizing project. He is also one of few people who understand how to operate The Mag.

Captain Woods
Captain Woods in an infamous pirate who owns The Cold Raven. In the government's eyes, he is the most wanted man on Earth for his uncountable crimes. There are not too many facts known about Captain Woods. Many people believe that he has lived his whole life on The Cold Raven. Some even believe that he is one of few pirates who was given a different name at birth and uses a pirate name for ambiguity. One thing is for sure, he's a skilled thief, sailor, gun master, murderer, and only wants to place misery onto others.

Airships

The Arcaine
The Arcaine is the most prominent, government run ship. It is a host to many smaller ships, which mostly belong to military operations, and where all scavengers report after outings. The Arcaine itself has thousands of crew members. Each, individual ship is usually run by a captain or general, with several supporting officials, and a substantial amount of scavengers. The Arcaine stores a small fraction of the magical portals that have been found so far. She also boards the magnetic field machine, The Mag.

The Cold Raven
This infamous ship belongs to Captain Woods, the most ruthless pirate in history. It is intimidating by its size alone. Most scavenger ships are about one-one hundredth of The Cold Raven. Compared to the Arcaine, it is practically equal in size. Other distinguishing features include its tattered, coal-black, sails and strong, polished oak. It is strongly believed that the ship's previous owner was Captain Woods' father. Despite its unique size and physical appearance, sightings of The Cold Raven are incredibly rare, but her presence can only mean two things: thievery and murder. For years, the government has sent out their best men to shut Woods and his operations down. Their missions have yet to be effective.

Pirates & The Giovanni

Granger (NPC)
Granger is famously known among the pirate community as the owner of the Giovanni. His second claim to fame is as Captain Woods' father. In his younger years, he lead a crew aboard The Cold Raven but never managed to make a strong name for himself.

Now, he runs a fucking tight ship and he’s a mad tycoon. It’s all about expanding and maintaining his family legacy. His father owned the Giovanni, and so did his grandfather, and his great grandfather etc etc etc. Someday, he would like to offer the Giovanni to his only son, Martin. He is incredibly strategic and knows how to use a gun. He’s not afraid to kill.

Belladonna (NPC)
She is Granger’s beloved wife of 20 years. She adores her family and will sacrifice just about anything to benefit them. She’s an excellent acrobat and is a master at mixing deadly drinks and poisons. Her son is her most valued treasure.

The Fleets of Giovanni
The Fleets of Giovanni used to be a specialized group of pirates who served the current captain by scouring the ruins for lost treasures, including portals. An unfortunate turn of events disbanded the group, however. The exact details are long forgotten but many suspect that the government likely played a role or two. Now, the term, Fleets of Giovanni, applies to any ship who continues to bring treasure back to the mother pirate ship in exchange for fair rewards.

As before, The Fleets of Giovanni is an anonymous group. The government is under the belief that such group does not exist. If any rumor of The Fleets is leaked, the perpetrator is sure to face Captain Woods' wrath.

The Giovanni
The Mothership of all pirates, The Giovanni is to the pirates what The Arcaine is to the scavengers. She is used as a docking station for pirates from across the planet. Some even have their treasure recorded and safely stored. The ship is even more impressive in size and is at least a thousand times larger than The Cold Raven. Additionally, The Giovanni also has hundreds of cabin sections, which provide residents and visitors alike a place to rest.

As the ultimate pirate secret, the Giovanni is equipped with advanced cloaking technology, which uses the sandstorm and clouds to conceal the entire structure from sight. Approaching the Giovanni is not an easy task. Because the technology attracts all types of clouds and radiation, there is storm constantly raging as an extra protective layer. The extra self defense was a complete coincidence but nonetheless greatly valued.

 

[Chordling]

Terminology​

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Corrupt
A magic portal which leads to an underworld like environment.

Military Official
A person who serves the military. This list of people include but is not limited to politicians, soldiers, judges, and scientists.

Sustainer
A term which specifically refers to a scientist.

Outings
A mission operated by military officials that are performed by scavengers to look for scraps in a specific Ruin area.

Sanitizing
The process of riding all piracy from an area.

Quarantine
A person who has been exposed to the sandstorm radiation. A ship specifically designated to contain people who risk exposing healthy individuals to radiation.

Pirate
A person who disregards all government guidelines. They run independent ships and only look for valuable scraps. In most cases, they only serve for themselves and have no direct association to a particular organization or authority. They may be former scavengers.

Scavenger
Scavengers are employed by the government. They are assigned to a specific ship to be given independent tasks. Most of their job entails traveling to distant locations and collecting any spare pieces that they can find. They are provided a small, air vehicle, similar to a motorbike, and a leather bag to carry scraps. Their pay is determined by the weight of their findings.

 

[Chordling]

Acknowledgements​

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Thank you to our main publishers from Airgrown Thoughts for making this second edition possible and to our sponsors from Arcaine Sciences and Expert Explorers of the Ruins. Special thanks to Bone2pick for their brilliant, scientific contributions that have made this roleplay possible. Lastly, we would like to thank you, our readers, for supporting us and our work.

~Non-Professionals

 

[Chordling]

Extra Pages.