Futuristic The Rich Live Longer - Lore

[RealisticFantasy]

Constant Work in Progress

– X​

Dictionary - Plot Related
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Intuitech: The primary producer of technology and practically owns everything worth owning. HQ is located on the highest level.

The Network: Also called the Net. Refers to Intuitech’s overarching network that hosts both the time and STATUS systems among other things. Everyone is on the Net.

STATUS: The Sociability, Tactfulness, Amicability, and Talent Universal Score or Scoring system used by Intuitech, ranging from a score of 0.00 to 5.00. STATUS is a social currency. Those will high STATUS can access the higher levels and subsequent “VIP” areas. Those that fall below a 2.50 aren’t often heard from again.

Time: The monetary element of society. While time is literally how much time and individual has left to live, it is also used to purchase goods and services.

The Underground: Refers to the group of individuals who live off the grid, mostly those that are 2.50 and below that escaped or avoided the STATUS Assistance program, or the location in which they live.

Dictionary - Dialogue Flavor

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Chipped: Used by the Underground to refer to someone that’s still on Intuitech’s network. Used as an adjective or derogatorily as a noun.

> “I saw Tommy talking to a Chipped yesterday.”
> “Leave him alone. He’s chipped.”

The Greens: Refers to the upper-level districts where the elite live. Some people refer to the highest levels as the Golden Greens in reference to both the vegetation and sunlight, though they have a somewhat mythic air about them as if they don’t actually exist.

> “If I ever find myself in the Golden Greens, I'll never come back down here.”

The In-Between: The place of residency for those awaiting access to the Underground, literally lying in between Division Nine and the actual Underground. Individuals are screened by Underground enforcers for suspicious activity before becoming dechipped and escorted through the old sewer system to Underground civilization. This is the furthest underground one can go while still being on the Net.

The Neons: Refers to the mid-level districts where the “average folk” live, refers to the abundant use of neon lighting.

> “She got up to the Neons the other day and got us all a little time.”

The Smog: The lower-level districts, dark and dingy.

> “I'm tired of living in the Smog. I need to get my STATUS up.”

Undertalk: Refers to the "language" used by Underground enforcers that makes speech sound scrambled to anyone without the proper permission, used for private communication among enforcers over communication systems or in person.

Timed Out: Ran out of time, died.

> “I'm sorry, but he timed out yesterday.”

 

[RealisticFantasy]

The Underground

Division Ten: STATUS Requirement - N/A​

The Underground is quite literally underneath the foundation of the Division Nine district. Many people believe this to be underneath the Earth's surface but that isn't true. The Underground lies underneath an artificial crust created as people continued to expand outward and upward due to rapid population increases. There is a lot of mythos that surrounds The Underground and its citizens, stories that mark it both as famous and infamous. Those unfamiliar with its existence are uncertain how to even access it. Many people swear it off as rumor perpetuated by Intuitech opposition.

Very few people beyond those that reside in The Underground are aware of its extent. Those that use the phrase are typically referring to the small group of individuals that directly attack Intuitech's systems, vandalize the upper Divisions, and call for radical change. However, that only represents a small portion of The Underground. The Underground is an entire civilization, completely other from the world that exists above it.

Many people of The Underground are happy with their existence, despite its difficulties. They often find themselves indulging in old-world luxuries banned over the rule of Intuitech like books, records, and board games. These, however, are new developments in The Underground as is its going self-sufficiency.

The Underground not too long ago lived up to its lawless wild west reputation. However, The Underground became more civilized under Charlotte Holloway's influence and integration of separate Time system on Intuitech's network. Despite being completely off Intuitech's official grid and free of STATUS, the concept of social currency is by no means absent from the Underground. Your reputation can get you places. More importantly, it can keep you alive.

Many of The Underground citizens have little more than a day's worth of time at any given time. It isn't uncommon to find people "timed out" scattered throughout the sprawl. Few acquire their time through legal means as their mere existence is illegal on the basis of the STATUS system. A handful of individuals of a nameless group often brave the upper Divisions to return with

Time to distribute to the most needy. These individuals also often serve as the unspoken and unofficial law enforcement of The Underground due to their high esteem among the general public.

Still, despite all its increases improvements, The Underground is not foreign to senseless violence and crime. Those new to the The Underground are not often welcomed with open arms, feared to be dangerous criminals or Intuitech insiders and those that are still "chipped" or with high STATUS ratings are sure to have to dodge a handful of attempts of kidnapping or murder. Most knowledgeable citizens of The Underground are armed, dangerous, and know to watch their backs.

 

[RealisticFantasy]

The Smog

Division Nine: STATUS Requirement - 2.50+
Division Eight: STATUS Requirement - 2.75+
Division Seven: STATUS Requirement - 3.00+​

The citizens of The Smog aren't as different from those of The Underground as they like to think. They experience a similar level of poverty and crime rates are about the same, if not worse, in The Smog compared to The Underground. But the society is still held together by the chains of Intuitech. Law enforcement tends to enforce a personal code rather than agreed upon law and it isn't uncommon for them to turn a blind eye toward things they don't feel motivated to be with.

Most Smogdwellers don't have to hide their eccentricities that are frowned upon in the upper divisions. Personalities, fashion sense, and habits vary greatly from person to person as they do in The Underground. Many that live in The Smog as accustomed to making do and upcycle as much as they can. They don't do so for the sake of the environment; They have little concern for flora and fauna. Very few have update-to-date tech and much of what exists in the smog is pieced and patched together older iterations that survived the tumble downward from the upper Divisions.

Jobs often include repairmen and factory workers. Some workers from Division Seven apply for and receive work permits that allow them to travel a Division or two up for the sole purpose of work. When they are in a higher division than permitted, STATUS reports are on double damage - negative ratings bring down a rating twice as much but positive ratings maintain the same weight. Despite their rough and tumble demeanor, most Smogdwellers are law-abiding citizens despite often vocalizing anti-Intuitech sentiments.

The lights of the upper Divisions are sometimes thought to be the stars among the hopeful Smogdwellers as many are unaware of just how far down the totem pole they are. The air quality is very poor and there are often days where citizens can't leave their homes without a filtration system. Division Seven finds itself as an interesting blend of Neon and Smog and citizens often consider themselves separate and better than the Divisions below. Those that embrace the Division Seven lifestyle strive to incorporate as many neon colors and lighting in their appearances and their homes to differentiate themselves. While rare, it is possible for an individual to move from The Smog to the Neons if their STATUS increases.

 

[RealisticFantasy]

The Neons

Division Six: STATUS Requirement - 3.25+
Division Five: STATUS Requirement - 3.50+
Division Four: STATUS Requirement - 4.00+​

Aptly named due to their abundant use of neon lighting, "The Neons " refers to the three Divisions among The Smog. Beginning with Division Six, citizens really begin to embrace a sense of uniformity, following old trends from the high-level Divisions whether in food, fashion, or anything in between. Most citizens find themselves obsessed with "the next big thing" in an attempt to increase STATUS ratings. Inter-Divisional travel becomes common in The Neons because citizens find their STATUS fluctuating greatly from day-to-day as trends die.

The Neons are so crime-ridden as the Divisions below as complacency is more heavily enforced. There is greater wealth distribution in The Neons and the wealth disparity between Division Six and Division Seven becomes evident.

Particularly in Division Four, a career of "influencer" has developed in The Neons. An citizens of The Greens chooses to "sponsor" an influencer by providing an income of time. It began as an attempt to increase the influencer's STATUS and encourage alignment with Intuitech but has now become a game among citizens of The Greens. They will often provide their sponsored influencer with a large sum of time in exchange for behaving a certain way or wearing certain clothing that subsequently tanks their STATUS ranking. Despite their known and apparent risk, many citizens will accept sponsorships in hopes of boosting their STATUS. Some of the most interesting influencers are televised with their sponsor receiving monetary support while viewers vote on the influencer's STATUS.

It often "rains" throughout The Neons as runoff from The Greens pours into the Divisions below. The high-level Divisions use an excessive amount of water to support their vegetation and there is little else for it to do than pour into The Divisions below. The Neons suffer occasional flooding in parts but much of the Divisions has been modified to collect and reuse the runoff.

The Neons have their own black market for unapproved modifications for tech and someone citizens make their living their way. With the increase in quality of life comes an increase in leisure time. The Neons have a growing market for drugs and gambling, both of which expressly illegal. There are rumors of potential to buy an artificial boost to your STATUS in The Neons which can send an individual to The Greens.


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[RealisticFantasy]

The Greens

Division Three: STATUS Requirement - 4.45+
Division Two: STATUS Requirement - 4.60+
Division One: STATUS Requirement - 4.85+​

The Greens are nicknamed, of course, after the abundant vegetation in these Divisions. They are the only Divisions with access to organic vegetation, sunlight, and clean freshwater that hasn't been filtered and recycled. Despite these things and their rarity, they are appreciated solely for their appearance. Appearance is the number one priority in The Greens followed by STATUS and then time. The Greens are filled with politics and petty drama among the elite and even among those that are the "common folk" of these Divisions.

Existence in The Greens is flooded with leisure time which it typically utilized for gambling, drinking, drugs, and sex. Parties are constant occurrences, though they range from drug-fueled benders to prim and proper dinner parties. What you do isn't as important as who you do it with and you can be sure rumors and gossip spread like wildfire throughout all three divisions.

Intuitech's headquarters are safely nestled away in the center of Division One. Very few people have been inside the building and even fewer know what goes on within those walls. On the other hand, everyone knows that Intuitech's word is law and whatever new gadget comes out of those doors is an absolute necessity.

The average citizen values form over function. After all, someone deserving of high STATUS should never get their hands dirty. Citizens watch every detail of every person, waiting for an opportunity to take down their competition by tanking their STATUS. Some even go to the extent of fabricating these opportunities by forcing others into situations unbecoming of them.

Citizens are, by and large, whistle blowers. As the old adage goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. It isn't uncommon for citizens to befriend perceived enemies for the soel purpose that they might reveal something that could tank their STATUS.

Most events and venues are STATUS-specific and it's common for them to advertise such. Many casinos, restaurants, and the like will boast their average patron STATUS, updating it daily, and even turn away individuals that deem to have detrimental STATUS. Those with high STATUS get better deals, faster service, and an all-around VIP treatment while those with borderline STATUS often get alienated from friend groups and isolated.