Achemir, The –

… For it is written that,

       one day, the Achemir

       shall wreak vengeance upon the world

       in the name of the enslaved/created,

       whose champion/undoing shall be

       master of eight,

       killer of death

Prank or prophecy, these words became the death-knell of a destroyed race. Many Iorian legends are well-documented; by contrast, this one survives as a single four-thousand-year-old scrawl memorializing the lost hopes of a damned civilization—graffiti, knife-etched into walls by the shaky hands of ritually blinded priests, even as their empire crumbled around them.

Aelf (also, “Others” or “Nobles”) – A blanket term denoting all those creatures that are neither human nor animal. Each species is endowed with a magical attribute. Over millennia, human scholars and hunters have organized the Aelf into nine distinct categories: Liliskur, Raccitan, Uardini, Mythidim, Legionari, Collosi, Ushum, Demidivines, and Uult.

Aelfraver (a/k/a “Raver”; archaic: “Reaper of Elves” or “Reaver”) – Those whose profession it is to hunt the Aelf. The term “Aelfraver” is an adaptation of the poetic “Reaper of Elves.” Originally, it was believed that all Aelf were the magical creations of the Elves, an assumption proven false centuries ago. The name “Aelf,” however, has survived scholarly correction.

There are a wide variety of private training programs designed to transform a young mage into an Aelfraver. However, anyone seeking to become a full-fledged member of the profession must take the grueling final exam at The Gildhall in New El. Only then may one (legally) hunt Aelf for pay.

Aetherthreads – The state-run and state-monitored information network that facilitates all manner of digital communication, from sharing images with friends via digimail to tracking the real-time location of every single Asset of El. It is common knowledge that, using the Virtual Intelligence “ViiCter” (see below), The Authority keeps a close eye on the everyday activities of everyday people via this medium. For this reason, some have turned to the “Darkthreads” (see below) as a means of avoiding unwanted attention.

Anarkey – Ozar-native, anti-Elemental terrorists. Their base of operations is believed to be located on the Sixth Stack, though they have launched attacks throughout Authority-controlled Ozar. Violence is the first and last resort of these militant partisans. Xenophobic fanatics, they are suicidally devoted to their “divine” patrons, the Hextarchs.

Auggie (a/k/a “Licksy” a/k/a “Ability Augmentation Elixir”) – Alchemical concoctions created through a blending of the medical and arcane arts. Only a mage can brew an Augmentation Elixir. The severity of the effect (and side-effects) depends on the strength of the brew and the ingredients used. Generations of trial and error resulted in many failed attempts and deaths—often by disintegration of the skeletal system, liquification of the muscles, or spontaneous human combustion. However, after many sacrifices, a wide variety of performance enhancing drugs have been engineered, the most common of which are: Corpraega (enhances the drinker’s physical capabilities); Synethesial (allows the drinker to taste or smell colors or see/hear smells); Chronolastic (stretches time from the perspective of the drinker, elongating one second into ten, or a minute into two, depending on the strength of the brew); and Chronomora (alters the drinker for corporeal movement through time).

Author of Creation, The – The One True God according to the doctrines of The Sanctum, a rapidly growing religion whose principal place of worship is the Mountain of the Mendicant in downtown New El. Overseen by the Hierophant Pontifex Ridect, the zealous adherents of The Author (called “Sanctumites”) have done their utmost to spread their beliefs—both in New El and in the Twelve Provinces. In three short centuries, their work has grown the organization from a marginal cult, worshipping an esoteric and long-forgotten deity, to an officially recognized religion with ties to many major political families (within the Nation of El and abroad).

Authority, The – Organized in 1630 in the wake of political unrest in Cantus (just seven years after it was conquered by El), The Authority was created in order to suppress riots and maintain control of the Nation of El’s contemporary acquisitions of territory and resources. Having grown in influence over the centuries, The Authority presently boasts headquarters in every major city within El (and many outside it). A special division of The Authority, the Jaandarmes (also called “Dragoons”) serves the Consul personally as a private security and police force.

Bane of New El – A creature of unknown origin and ability, responsible for the slaughter of several members of the Xaveyr and Reautz Families (and other members of the minor nobility) in 3502. Though the beast is believed to have been a Draaken-class Aelf, this detail has yet to be confirmed by either Authority investigators or Gild experts. Regardless, the Bane’s fate is certain: it was destroyed during the “Battle of City Hall” (see below).

Battle of City Hall (a/k/a “the Pluto Panic”) – In the year 3502, a ragtag mob of some 500 disgruntled Landsider Aelfravers attacked the Elemental Bank (also called “City Hall”), the seat of Plutocratic government. The Battle of City Hall, as this event came to be known, caused millions of gelders in damages and loss of life. Although The Authority valiantly defended the bank, the damage done to the structure proved irreparable, and the building was condemned and demolished. At time of writing, reconstruction plans are still in process of approval.

Despite the setback, the “Pluto Panic” has since abated. Our government remains secure. The people have been reassured by The Authority’s massively successful efforts to capture the rogue Aelfravers. Additionally, the outcome of the battle led to one immensely positive result—the slaying of the so-called “Bane of New El” (see above).

Buthmertha – “Holy Buthmertha,” goddess of hearth and family, patron of the lost and downtrodden, protector of orphans (see also “Gods”).

Chains of El – The magic keeping New El aloft—woven by the Twin Dragon Kings—is so immensely powerful that the planetoid would drift into the cold reaches of space were it not for the three great chains tethering it to the earth: Consortio (“Fellowship”), Libra (“Balance”), and Concordia (“Harmony”).

Chronology, Elemental – In El, time is counted from the slaying of the Twin Dragon Kings—that day beginning the year 0. The year as of this tale is 3504 “After El” (A.E.). Prehistory is reckoned in years “Before El” (B.E.).

As El goes, so the world must follow: the Elemental Calendar is the international standard.

Chrononite – An element of unknown origin discovered as early as 300 B.E. by explorers of The Elder Isle. If the hieroglyphics of long-dead civilizations are to be believed, the use of Chrononite grants dominion over time, space, life, and death. Although, this has yet to be confirmed.

Upwards of 99% of the world’s Chrononite supply may have been consumed in previous millennia—though, again, this comes to us from ancient, somewhat dubious sources. The means of consumption (and the reasons for it) remain unclear.

Ciirimaic – The long-dead language of the Ciirima, ancient humans predating the Elemental Empire. “Ciir” translates to “Yoked Man” or, less poetically, “slave.” Records indicate that Ciirimaic originated as a pidgin of the human serfs laboring under the Twin Dragon Kings’ tyrannical regime. Over time, it grew in complexity, branching into many different continental languages—Kadician, Kantusian, Sentasi, Svenian, etc. In the 36th century A.E., of all the off-shoots of Ciirimaic, Ellish is of course the dominant one. Any hope for upward mobility in Elemental business and society requires fluency in Ellish.

Curiously, evidence indicates that the written forms of Ciirimaic and Iorian (see “Iorian Precursors”) share a common linguistic ancestor, albeit one forgotten to time.

Colonies of El – As the world’s undisputed superpower, El commands dozens of client kingdoms, puppet monarchies, “neutral” territories, and colonies. The largest of this last category are Agadur, Glasku, Oronor, Sicacor, Tinoch, and Zinokla.

Consul – The head of the government of El and the tie-breaking vote on the Council of Plutocrats (see also “Plutocrats”). Every ten years, the Plutocrats of the Twelve Families elect from among their number the next Consul, whose servants enjoy even greater social and financial privileges.

Coven, The – The elite guard of the Hextarchs. Virtually nothing is known of the Covenants (as members of The Coven are called), their aura of mystery maintained by two factors: they are brutal, merciless killers; and, none have ever allowed themselves to be taken alive.

Darkthreads – A magically enhanced series of digital networks that feed into sub-universes maintained by a shadowy collective known only as “Gnosis.” The identities and motivations of Gnosis remain a mystery, but many Assets of El have turned to the Darkthreads for transactions of all sorts, some more nefarious than others. Not all users of this service are career criminals, but the simple act of logging on represents a criminal offense in the eyes of The Authority. Users of the Darkthreads are often called “ThreddHedds” or “Thredders.”

El, Nation of – The Capital at its heart, El is divided into twelve nearly equal-in-size Provinces, each named after its governing Family. Beginning in the north, and proceeding clockwise: Xaveyr, Ivoir, D’Hydromel, Kracht, Malach, Walazzin, Torviri, Denadon, Hruvic, Reautz, Udutetta, and Caelus.

• Xaveyr Province has as its capital the harbor city of Xalagavna, the primary port of entry for goods flowing into El from its eastern colonies. Other sources of wealth for the Xaveyr faction include desalination of seawater—fresh water being in short supply in recent decades—as well as the refining of biofuels and the processing of waste products for recycling, which happen to be two of the largest industries worldwide. Also, the Xaveyr control access to the island chains of Rudu and Tyar, forty miles off the mainland; these islands are sources of immensely valuable raw materials, such as exotic animal hides and ginger, and the importation of these resources to any part of El is heavily taxed by the Xaveyr.
• Ivoir Province also claims an extensive coastline, allowing it to share in the profit yielded by desalination efforts. In addition, the Ivoirs control the production of steel and—most importantly—the creation of cement, granting them the monopoly on concrete.
• Once, D’Hydromel’s vast lakes practically overflowed with fish. However, in recent decades, local marine life has declined precipitously. The Provincial government adapted to this blow to the fishing industry by doubling down on its promotion of tourism. Famed for its shipbuilding (sea and air), the region is home to a multitude of museums celebrating the D’Hydromel shipwrights, carpenters, and metalsmiths who have equipped the navy and air forces of El for centuries.
• Kracht Province is most well-known as the birthplace of numerous heroes of antiquity. In imitation of these myths, over time, many mercenary companies have sprung up. Thanks to popular, syndicated Watchbox dramas, two such mercenary bands—the Myrrevuam Company and the Iron Feet—have risen to fame. The law requiring guns-for-hire to display their weapons in plain sight (see “Plasticks”) originated in this Province.
• Timber, tobacco, and several cash crops are the primary revenue sources for Malach Province. It is estimated that its vast plantations rely on the labor of three million souls—over half of whom are indentured servants working off a colossal personal debt. Most of its southwestern border is straddled by the primordial Malachi Forest, whose oldest trees predate El.
• The main product of Walazzin Province is oil, mostly used to power the oldest machines—too costly to replace, too important to ignore. This mountainous territory was once home to many rich mines of copper and silver. The mines have long-since run dry—and, with them, a great deal of the Walazzins’ fortune.
• Many of Torvir Province’s cities were built in the last two-hundred years—bleak, utilitarian sprawls whose main offerings to its non-wealthy residents are telecommuting jobs and illicit substances. Half of Torviri Province is immensely wealthy due to the diamond mining operations centered on the Torvirius Mountains. The other half is depressed beyond belief: in the wake of an economic boom three generations prior, rapid expansion and gentrification resulted; new money flooded into the cities and towns, pushing the locals off their land—or rezoning their districts to include landfills, fully automated factories, and toxic waste dump sites. When the Torvir Family fell from grace, the lesser nobility and industrial magnates moved on; their economic and social impacts, however, proved to be permanent.
• Denadon Province is home to the four largest industrial agribusiness giants the world has ever seen. Millions upon millions of heads of cattle, chickens, pigs, and other farm animals are born, raised, and slaughtered there. Without a doubt, the Denadon Family holds the key to the nation’s pantry.
• In Hruvic Province, textiles are produced with the highest degree of efficiency using the cotton and synthetic fabrics sourced from Ciuriath, its capital. (Most of the wool it processes, however, comes from the animals of Denadon.) The HQ of Goga Drop is also housed in this province, the corporation being a subsidiary of the Hruvic branch of ELCORP. At the last corporate census, Goga boasted 17 million Employee Assets (counting part- and full-time).
• The Province of Reautz has two claims to fame. Firstly, the massive and untamable Denudrevic Forest that it shares with Hruvic and Denadon attracts many adventurous college students each spring break. Secondly, in the remote Tzur Valley is housed the single most crucial supercomputer cluster in El: the official backup mainframe, the failsafe in case of massive data breach of the nation’s communication and financial networks, under heavy guard by the most elite soldiers. It is common knowledge that these computers are in Tzur, but the last prankster to get within three miles of the military compound was obliterated by drone-strike within thirty seconds.
• Udutetta owns by far the most significant marble, quartz, amethyst, topaz, and tourmaline mines in the world—with the exception of Zinokla. From the 1300s to the 1900s, this Province’s metalsmiths outfitted the soldiers of El with arms and armor of the finest steel (using iron mined in Torvir, refined in Ivoir, and forged in Udutetta). Now, this Province’s most important contribution to the GDP of ELCORP is its pioneering research into and production of cutting-edge bionic organs, limbs, and other vital human components. These revolutionary products have saved millions of lives, both Authority and Asset, and are the result of research related to the short-lived but destructive Androids—a product line that ended with the Android Revolt of 3445.

ELCORP – The corporate-political mega conglomerate that owns, operates, and profits from almost all the doings of the Nation of El. In many ways, ELCORP and El are indistinguishable from one another, as the masters of one are the masters of both: the Twelve Families own ninety-nine percent of the company’s shares, and the Plutocrats (selected by each of the Families) also serve as board members of ELCORP.

Elemental(s) – The name for the inhabitants of New El, a reminder of their privileged status as dwellers of the sky.

Elemental Bank, The – Formerly, the biggest bank in the world and seat of government of the Nation of El, located on Pluto Plaza, Divitia District, New El. It was commonly called “City Hall” because, from the twelfth floor of its clocktower, the selected Consuls serving on the Council of Plutocrats weighed, measured, and controlled the business of the country. The Elemental Bank was the political and economic heart of ELCORP—until it was destroyed in 3502 (see “Battle of City Hall”). Since then, members of the Council have conducted their affairs via telecommunication, from the safety of their mansions or undisclosed locations.

Gild, The – The premier, government-sanctioned school for the study of magic and the Aelf, founded in 1507 A.E. It is also the international organization responsible for licensing and policing all Aelfravers, all over the world. Headquartered in The Capital, its first Grandmaster was Uzimsar Kwurdla.

Gildhall, The – The headquarters of the foremost school wherein aspiring Aelfravers are taught the theoretical and practical aspects of their trade. Located in the Perium District of New El, The Gildhall is the only institution legally permitted to administer the Aelfraver licensing test. It is comprised of six distinct structures set within two layers of isosceles-triangle-shaped walls: the Azurite Alchamer, the Iron Wheel, the Stone Keep, the Adamantine Manor, the Labradorite Dome, and the Crystallarium.

Gods – Of the seventy-seven sanctioned deities, twelve chief gods and goddesses make up the most widely worshipped pantheon in El: Plutonia, Buthmertha, Caï-ana-eïa, Daïshr-og, Ononsareth, Ka-Yehrost, Yarilo, Sulla Mazdahur, Nninithin, Rinakvi, Skrymga, and Zo. Official Elemental Doctrine dictates that Plutonia, the Goddess of Fortune, is the head of the pantheon.

Only a handful of divinities are specifically outlawed, including Éëtion (primarily worshipped by the seminomadic Kadician desert-dwellers) and Mydras’shymm (ancestor-god of the Ozari).

Hextarchs, The – Six living gods of a dying nation, the Hextarchs govern the affairs of the Seventh and Sixth Stacks of Ozar, an underground City-State locked in war with El. According to reputation, the Hextarchs are immortal and omnipotent. However, it has been centuries since any but the Covenants have laid eyes on them. This fact leads many to question whether Ozar’s theocracy has already crumbled from within. Poised to conquer the final Stack, The Authority will soon have the answer.

H’ranajaan – Perhaps the most awe-inspiring reminder of The Authority was H’ranajaan—the Machinamantically powered, artificial dragon. It had watched over The Capital for a century before its untimely destruction at the hands of dissident Landsider Aelfravers during the “Battle of City Hall” (see above).

Iingrid – It moniker short for “Integrated Intelligence National Grid,” Iingrid is the built-in organizational assistant in most Asset-use personal mobile devices.

Iorian Precursors – Before humanity arose to primacy, before the apocalyptic rule of the Twin Dragon Kings, the Iorian Empire was the world’s sole super power. The Iorians were a barbaric, bloodthirsty, backstabbing brood of Mythidim Aelf, employing their sentience in cunning self-aggrandizement. Their civilization was watered with the blood of their neighbors (and built on the backs of the earliest humans). Once there were no more worlds to conquer, they naturally turned on each other. Some have claimed their fall a cautionary tale from which modern humanity could stand to learn.

Independent Raver Schools – Aelfraver training facilities officially recognized by the government but not directly affiliated with The Gild (see above).

Landsider – The more politically correct term to distinguish between Elementals (sky-dwelling natives of The Capital, New el) and everyone else.

Maggo (see also “Magic”) – A widely used informal term for “Mage”; an individual possessed of magical ability.

Magic – Studied throughout the world by every human culture, magic is divided into eight principal Disciplines (and sixteen sub-disciplines):

• Terramancy
  • Geomancy
  • Phytomancy
• Aquamancy
  • Lacomancy
  • Tempetamancy
• Machinamancy
  • Engeniomancy
  • Partumancy
• Revomancy
  • Somniomancy
  • Somnexiomancy
• Deïmancy
  • Divinumancy
  • Daemoniomancy
• Ignimancy
  • Caloramancy
  • Conflagramancy
• Caelomancy
  • Luxomancy
  • Umbramancy
• Corpromancy
  • Necromancy
  • Zoiimancy

Misckie –Informal: a “miscreant” and/or “committer of miscellaneous crimes and misdemeanors”; worn as a badge of honor by the ne’er-do-wells of impolite society.

National Anthem of El, unabridged –

Dragons’ blood,

Dragons’ blood

At dawn we bathe in Dragons’ blood

Scale the chains, leap the walls

Through wind and hail and fiery rain,

 By wetted blades, through cracking halls,

Ascend, arise, and bleed your veins

Or die as crawling, wretched thralls

Awash in Dragons’ blood, for Dragons’ pains;

A thousand men, a thousand more

By curse of mage and spear erased;

It cannot be as was before:

A stair of bone and flesh is raised

Each yard is earned by comrades’ gore—

‘Tis Dragons’ blood they thirsted for

And, in hell, they bathe in Dragons’ blood;

Dragons’ blood,

In hell they bathe in Dragons’ blood…

Blades now pierce both hide and scale

Look ye on, ye cowards—Knaves!

There, winged tyrants flag and fail,

Now trampled by the heels of slaves;

Upon our spears, cruel hearts impaled;

Ichor flows in darkest waves

From ruin, liberty attest,

A temple to our rage we lift

And when we lastly go to rest

Shall rule the Twelve, our virtue’s gift;

Champions risen at gods’ behest,

Their strikes were true, their smitings swift

Glory be, ‘twas they first spilled the Dragons’ blood,

Dragons’ blood,

‘Twas they first spilled the Dragons’ blood

Fear not the dark nor wicked things

Ye fledgling sky-born child of El;

Fear not the claws, nor fangs, nor wings,

For, tested ‘gainst all shades of hell,

Thy princedom earned by bow and sling,

Was quenchèd in that deepest well

Where, in the dark, there festers still

The Dragons’ blood,

Dragons’ blood

There festers still the Dragon’s blood

And, come the dawn, bathe we will

In Dragon’s blood,

Dragon’s blood

Bathe we will in Dragon’s blood

Nehalennia (see also “Sanctum”) – Bordered by the glassy Shearing Sea, an ocean petrified mid-storm, Nehalennia is the Promised Field of White at the center of which lies the Tower of The Author. It is a place of utmost stillness: there are no birds or beasts to cut the silence. There is no sun, the sky perpetually a blank sheaf of paper upon which The Author writes each day anew. It is His land of perfect concentration, in which all words and deeds and songs and moments are His and His alone. According to Sanctum belief, only the most righteous of the faithful are rewarded with this endless life after death, granted the privilege to wander the infinite fields, forever silently praising their Lord.

New El (see also “The Capital”) – A city built upon a sphere of earth suspended ten thousand feet above sea level, the seat of power of the Twelve Families and the Capital of the Nation of El. According to legend, the planetoid and the temple atop it were constructed by legions of human slaves some four thousand years ago. It was lifted into the sky by the combined powers of the Twin Dragon Kings, the contemporary tyrant rulers of the world. Following the rebellion of the enslaved, the Dragon Kings were overthrown by the “Twelve Champions” (see below), who claimed the sky-city as their dominion, naming it “New El.” The city is divided into twelve districts: Decus, Divitia, Dyrex, Esperant, Eleru, Fidae, Iuscat, Lexat, Negotopus, Perium, Tilitatem, and Triditio.

Niima (See also “Magic”) – When first discovered, Niima was believed to be an internally generated essence that powers the casting of magical spells. This is partially true. Niima, in some ways, is similar to physical stamina; for example, overexertion quickly leads to exhaustion, and rest will replenish one’s Niimantic reserves. Also, one’s Niima pool can be expanded through stress training of the body and mind. However, there are at least two crucial differences between Niima and stamina: while everyone has some amount of physical stamina (and the capability to increase that amount), Niima is a resource possessed only by Mages; and, this energy—while created inside the body—is also present outside of it.

Additionally, Niima is radioactive, and, although the body of the Mage naturally regenerates cells destroyed by spell-casting, excessive expenditure of this energy can result in Niima Deficit Sickness (or NDS; colloquially referred to as “the Nids”). Symptoms include slower and less effective cell regeneration, leading to organ failure; accelerated cell reproduction, causing certain cancers; or, in extreme cases, instant death.

Ozar – Enemy of El, a sprawling underground city-state comprised of seven layers, called “Stacks.” As the name implies, the Stacks are organized vertically, one atop the other. The Seventh and lowest of these holds Hexhall, seat of the Hextarchs’ power. The Hextharchy is a theocratic government, controlled (according the heathen Ozari) by literal gods. Only accessible through a hexagonal shaft carved into the earth, Ozar is located southwest of Kadic.

Pinkojack – A derogatory term for anyone in the employ of the Elemental government, either local or national. The word refers to the standard pink sheets of paper on which the bureaucracy’s physical written records are kept and “jack,” which is roughly synonymous with “lapdog.” Essentially, to call someone a “pinkojack” is to accuse him of utterly thoughtless servitude to the government—at the cost of his honor.

Plasticks –A blanket term for theElemental mercenaries most often in the employ of the Twelve Families. The name derives from their habit of wearing translucent jackets, a concession to the national law forbidding soldiers of fortune from concealing their weapons (see “Nation of El, Kracht Province”).

Rave – An officially sanctioned hunt of a specific Aelf or group thereof. The bounty for a successful “Rave” may be lawfully cashed in only by a Gild-licensed Aelfraver (also called a “Raver”)—a professional hunter of Aelf.

Raver License – Students of The Gild, usually at fifteen years old, are issued a provisional Raver-T License. Following graduation, the completion of a two-year probationary period, and the successful closing of a Gild-assigned bounty, this Raver-T License is replaced by a Raver-X, which designates the owner as a full-fledged Aelfraver.The third type of License, and by far the most difficult to acquire, is the Raver-S. Only through extraordinary service to The Gild, or by becoming a high-ranking member thereof, may a Raver-S License be granted. Even then, the matter is put to a vote by the Council of Masters. The top quarter of one percent of Aelfravers are the proud owners of Raver-S Licenses, and as such they enjoy untold benefits throughout the nation—merchant discounts, free meals in many restaurants, corporate sponsorships, and more.

Revoscape, The – Realm of dreams and the dreamer; a liminal space to which the sentient imagination applies physicality, but which has no heft whatsoever. Practitioners of Revomancy being so rare, reliable information about this extraterrestrial dimension is exceedingly unreliable—and almost solely the purview of science fiction peddlers.

Sanctum, The – An organized religion devoted to The Author of Creation, whose members are called “Sanctumites.” Having drastically increased in popularity over the past three centuries, Sanctum hierarchy is as follows (from least to greatest importance):

• Porters, who walk the streets and spread the word
• Lectors, who organize and command the Porters
• Exorcists, who slay infidels
• Acolytes, who oversee the operations of the entire church
• … and The Hierophant himself, whose word is synonymous with the Lord’s

Sisters, The – According to Gild records, centuries ago, “The Sisters” were the tools of the Revomancer, taking the form of a cloak and mask—Rego and Ida, respectively (terms which, in Ciirimaic, translate to “control” and “chaos”). A notoriously mysterious and esoteric art, Revomancy is a discipline of duality, exemplified by the contradictory natures of its tools. Graduates of The Gild’s Revomancy program have long-since shed the archaic practice of utilizing “The Sisters,” relying on their hard-won skills rather than mysticism.

Terrie – A pejorative abbreviation of “Terrestrial,” used by Elementals to reinforce the social divide between themselves and those born and raised on the earth below New El.

Twelve Champions – Leaders of the human rebellion against the Twin Dragon Kings, they became the founding fathers of the Nation of El. Their descendants—the Twelve Families—helm the Plutocracy, a government that has held firm for more than three and a half millennia (see below).

Twelve Families – a/k/a The Plutocrats – The descendants of the Twelve Champions who led humanity to victory against the Aelf and the Twin Dragon Kings more than 3,500 years ago. Ever since, El has been led by the representatives chosen from each of the favored Twelve Families.

The sigils and mottos of the noble Twelve Families are as follows:

1. Xaveyr – Midnight-blue dragon pierced by a white spear on a field of lavender; “Victory is Ours”
2. Ivoir – White tower on a field of black, crested by three white stars; “Through Knowledge, Transcendence”
3. Malach – Red, three-branched tree on a field of green; “From Deep Roots”
4. D’Hydromel – Three white ships on a sea of green and blue; “Tested by the Storm”
5. Walazzin – Gold lion, rampant, on a crimson field; “Piety, Humility, Honor”
6. Kracht – A red net and spear on a black field, crossed with crimson slashes; “Death Spurns Us”
7. Torvir – On a field of cobalt, two bright orange dragons, entwined above a crossed orange hammer and key; “Ours Shall Endure”
8. Hruvic – Purple hornet, stinger poised, on a field of gray; “Beware My Sting”
9. Caelus – A gold chisel and sword, crossing on a sky-blue field; “Heaven’s Fury Unveiled”
10. 10.Udutteta – Upon white field, a red hammer and anvil, crowned in yellow flames; “Harder than Steel”
11. 11.Reautz – Three emerald wolves’ heads on a field of checkered black-and-dark-green; “The Pack Prevails”
12. 12.Denadon – Yellow scythe above a boar’s head, on a tan field; “Eternal Bounty”

ViiCter – Like Iingrid, ViiCter (“Virtual Intelligence Interface Control Terminal”) is an Integrated Intelligence. Unlike Iingrid, however, ViiCter is military-grade, possessed of both vastly greater capabilities and responsibilities. The hub of operating software built into all government devices, it polices El’s information network (see “Aetherthreads”), industrial and financial sectors, supply chains, national defense, and more.

Zero-One – The “splitting” of one’s consciousness into (usually) two pieces, the larger part controlling the physical body while the smaller interfaces with nearby smart devices. This separation results in the “Hackerdox,” the simultaneous experiencing of two different rates of time.

Zinokla (see also “Colonies of El”) – In many ways the breadbasket of the Elemental Empire, Zinokla’s plantations and farms have claimed millions of lives over the past several centuries. Historically, most plantation workers succumbed to some combination of exhaustion, disease, dehydration, and malnutrition. As their population dwindled to dangerously low levels, the local Zinoklese were granted exemption from working on the El’s plantations. The Plutocracy, accordingly, instituted a humane solution: the use of prison labor.

Those serving time for serious and/or violent crimes were commonly presented with a choice: remain in prison for the full duration of their sentence, or work in Zinokla (reducing said sentence by up to half its length). Many took the offer, a practice colloquially called “getting Zinokled”; almost none of them survived the full term of their contract.

Today, machinery has largely replaced both colonial and prison labor. However, individuals designated as “special cases” by The Authority—traitors, usually—are still “Zinokled” from time to time.