Tech and Cybernetics
Lore
History of Technology
Reignsrest is experiencing a boom in technology and advancements as they enter a "golden age" of technology and cybernetics. A massive network spans the region and connects the cities and its people, as well as pokemon in a few unique and exciting cases. Behaving like the internet we all know and love, this allows humans to communicate quickly and easily with each other no matter their distance, and takes it a step further by providing connection to things such as databanks, pokebanks, and many more online features accessible right on an individuals own personal system.
Technology, Cybernetics, the massive Network, and all that entails is widely accepted in the region. It has been around for nearly 80 years and at this point is a fact of everyday life. Farmers use the network to send and receive instant updates on their soil qualities and livestock, while popular internet icons can communicate and interact with millions in seconds. Those who do not take advantage of technology are far more rare than those who are well-accustomed to it, and characters will reflect that in this world.
Walking down the streets of Grovehart, you may find trees made entirely of holograms, complete with falling petals you can't quite feel on your face. Brookfell employs skiffs and hoverboards to navigate it's rocky terrain more quickly, and large domed shields to prevent sandstorms from ravaging the city. Rivertide boasts incredible hologram displays during parades, Gyrados the size of a building will float right over the city in a spectacular show. Perhaps most impressive of all - Wintervale uses the best technology has to offer to float it's entire city over the ruins of what it once was.
Cybernetics and Installation of the Core
The Procedure is a known medical procedure that nearly all residents of the pokemon universe go through in order to be connected with the Virtual Network as well as the medical system. It is considered a celebratory occasion to represent coming of age, though people are known to slip through the cracks. The government will always recommend users to go online for their safety, security, and well being. They only want the people of Reignsrest to be of top priority and health!
In terms of cost, especially for trainers who do not have the financial support or the same opportunities, the Core and first Technological Display (TD) is compensated and free of charge to all individuals within the region. No matter a individuals age, no matter their origins, it can be installed at any time.
Cybernetics and implants used to enhance the lives, or simply for aesthetic purposes, are quite common in Reignsrest. With a market full of advanced technology the options are quite endless and nearly anything is possible, and very little is prohibited, when it comes to cybernetics. The quality and safety of implants may come into question depending on the source, with higher end installations being more safe than back-alley surgeries, but sometimes the means are justified in this world.
Mandatory Augments
These are augments that a trainer must have if they intend to have implants, cybernetics, or take part of the massive Virtual Network spanning the region - no exceptions!
Technical Terminology
Technical Display (TD)
These devices are often found on the temple of a human, and are used to control their own personal systems and allow the user to see data throug the use of projectors they can interact with. Multiple sensors can be installed for ease of use and accessibility, and the shape can be customized upon installation or during an upgrade. The colors present on the TD can show a user's stability, indicating to those close to them if they are in danger or stressed.The TD can be used to pair with another system, an act considered important for couples and familiar bonds with children as it gives both users access to system information such as location, health status, and more. When done between two individuals, it is considered a sign of a strong bond or committment. The act of pairing is usually a simultaneous press of the TD on both involved, and the devices will sync shortly.
Those familiar with hacking or other technology can use their TD's capabilities to access systems and other networks or subnets, though this is often illegal and ill-advised as it opens the user to counter-attacks and potentially dangerous viruses or anti-virus programs that exist on the net.
The Core
The core is the component a person has that is solely responsible for most of their bodily maintenance and functions. Think of it as the CPU for the body, everything runs through it and it decides which area gets the resources it needs to do things like fight infections, heal injuries, and replenish energy. It also keeps a databank of information for health officials and law enforcement (or undesireables) to use when necessary.Damage to a person's core can be catastrophic, and must always be tended to as soon as possible. Specialized doctors and surgeons are the only ones capable of fully repairing a core and system as it is integrated so fully with the body using neural networks and precise technology. If the core is too damaged and beyond repair, removal and a clean installation is the only solution, and still only has about a fifty percent success rate as the body may reject the new system due to trauma.
The core color is often used to display the immediate health status of an individual, but it can also be customized for a large fee as those familiar with the technology are few and far between. The shape is also able to be customized along with the color.
Core Color Indicators
| Color | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | Stable, healthy | Daily life will see blue cores going strong. |
| Yellow | High Stress, Warning, Calm your Breathing | Panic attacks, extreme fatigue, physically strenuous activites, fear |
| Orange | High Alert, Seek assistance | Injury or dangerous illness to the individual, risk of losing conciousness |
| Red | DANGER - [REDACTED] | Mostly seen on trauma victims, those who are very ill, or those who are experiencing [REDACTED] |
Essential Link (EL)
The Essential Link is a microchip found inside the Core casing, which is built specifically around this chip to protect it. It contains the databank information of the user, and basically serves as a record of the person from a biological standpoint, right down to their DNA. It also controls the Core's functions, much like the neucleus of a cell, and is responsible for running software for implants or health protocols. If the Essential Link becomes de-synced with the Core at any point, it can lead to catastrophic failures, illness, and hallucinations or other anomalies. Without the Essential Link installed, a Core is simply a powered unit to direct energy and workflows, but serves no other function and a user cannot connect to any networks or services.Essential Links are often the target of theft for very rich or prominent figures, and are considered a sacred and highly coveted item. While the technology can easily be replaced, the data on them cannot without extensive transfer, and in the case of theft this is often not possible without a backup on the cloud.
Artificial Stimulation (AS)
This is a program contained within the Essential Link found in the Core of a human's system. It runs the most basic functions needed to operate a body, as well as any cybernetics or implants they may have. It is often customized to specialize in a users health, and in times of extreme distress it can overcome involuntary shock symptoms to take control of the body and preserve life by redirecting functions in traumatic situations.The disabling of this program is not always catastrophic, as a user will often keep living as they always have. However, if they rely on the chip to regulate things such as hormones, health concerns, or auto-functions, it will be immediatly noticeable when those things no longer function. Likewise, if the program is hijacked and take over by another program or a hacker, it can be used to cause ireeperable damage to the individual. Luckily, this is an extremely difficult thing to do, even for the regions best of the best, and only a few recorded cases of this happening are documented.
The Network
Often referred to as the Internet, or just The Net, it is the massive cloud service and overarching web of servers and connected systems that connect all users and devices around the region. Comprised of millions of users, devices, servers, and platforms, the extensive web encompasses the widest range of services and content one could ask for - and it connects people directly too.Just by having a Core and System installed in oneself, you are automatically connected to the Network. Privacy, while important, is mostly a thing of the past as government agencies, health officials, and others can essentially find you at a moments notice if necessary - often saving lives in the process. This constant state of connected and being connected represents itself almost as a feeling - and when someone is disconnected they feel it more strongly than ever before. Phones are not uncommon, but they are not a substitute for a physical connection to the network and the millions of lives around.
System Types
Off Grid
Users that have never had The Procedure done, or had any system installed in their body, would be considered off the grid. Sometimes these users have a replaced arm or leg with cybernetics, but the mobility is standard and even sometimes limited due to the lack of connection to the equipment.Sometimes, rarely, there will be users or families that do not believe in being connected to the network, and will refuse the procedure to gain a system and partake in that culture. Sometimes the body is not strong enough to undergo the procedure, or there are other limiting factors at the time in life one would normally get it. These users can still use a holopad or phone to access the network and services, but will be quite limited in other areas - specifically medical care and emergency services.
The procedure can be done at any age! Those wishing they had gotten one are free to receive theirs no matter thir stage in life.
Stable System
Stable users make up the bulk of the population, and are considered functioning and well-rounded citizens. They receive the greatest protections and medical services available to them, and accidents or misfortune rarely befalls them as they are well connected. They will rarely, if ever, get sick due to the fact their systems are very stable and regulating their Cores well to prevent illness.Public opinion of those with stable systems is:
High, trustworthy, safe.
Colors acceptable for stable systems are in the cool color ranges such as blues, greens, and purples.
Damaged System
Damaged systems can be short-term or long-term. Long-term damaged systems are often those who have gone offline for various reasons, or their systems have become corrupted or physically damaged and not repaired. Malfunctions are rare and don't usually cause this without outside influence such as electric attacks or physical damage. The choice for a damaged system is up to the player.Users with a damaged system will have to explain themselves to medical professionals and authorities, as they often mimic hacked system behaviors and are seen as suspicious. This can get them on watch-lists or forced into repairs depending on the situation.
Public opinion of those with damaged systems is:
Wary, Suspicious, sometimes pitiful.
Hacked System
Hacked systems are very uncommon, and not flaunted in society. Those with modified systems, for any reason, are often posessed by people who wish to remain hidden and under the radar as having a hacked system is considered an illegal activity. If found, these users can face jail time, a forced reinstall of their software, or complete removal of their system if they're deemed enough of a threat.Hacked systems are very vulnerable, depending on the users skill level, to things such as viruses. They can become infected themselves and spread them to other users easily, putting many at risk if they're not careful. Users with a hacked system often have a greater control over their own functions, as well as being able to access restricted materials on the network through the means of hacking.
Users with hacked systems can use any available colors, and will often mimic stable colors or medical injury in order to avoid capture and detection.
Public opinion of users with hacked systems:
Very low, dangerous, untrustworthy, fear.
Hacked systems are not recommended.
Cybernetic Enhancements and Implants
Users modify their bodies for a multitude of reasons, and the act of judging each other for those choices is nearly passed entirely with how prevailent it is now. Users may choose to replace their eyes for aesthetic or vision-imparement issues, or they may need implants to overcome a weakness in their immune system. Whatever the reason, they are extremely common and there is a large market for such things in the region. While most are cosmetic there are many life-saving enhancements as well.While cybernetics will not affect gameplay (at this moment), how it affects your character and what that means is up to the player to decide. Most cybernetics are purely to replace something lost, but that is not always the case. There are some limits to cybernetics - they cannot contain weaponry for example - but a robotic arm is a robotic arm, and it will always be stronger than a flesh and bone limb.
There are precautions in place to regulate cybernetics and implants, to prevent humans from crossing lines that shouldn't be crossed, but it is always the most extreme of examples. Things like gender-transitioning or implants that greatly improve a users life are never prohibited, and are encouraged.
Technology Peripherals
Holo-pads, or phones, are considered every day items even for those connected to the network. Sometimes it's easier for someone to pull out a holopad than it is for them to seemlessly make a call with an implant in their head. Screens are largely customizeable in size and function, and are prevalent everywhere in the world.Holograms are a newer technology, but very advanced. Able to see 3D live images, or recorded messages, holograms offer a unique take on things like trees, decorations, and even business meetings.
