War and Conflict: Battles and military strategies influencing the larger narrative.
Archeston, the upper half of Gates City, is a dark cyber metropolis suspended high above the planet’s atmosphere, beyond the dangers of the surface below. Governed by the Heavens, this city thrives within the endless clouds, where perpetual rain never ceases. Though Archeston spans 10 kilometers in width and 5 in height, its defining characteristic is its immense verticality—monolithic towers stretch endlessly into the sky, interconnected by massive bridges. A strict order governs its people, with every citizen assigned an occupation that best serves the Heavens' rigid structure.
The Anyth was constructed in the immediate aftermath of the Terra War, a groundborn city raised as a last answer to collapse. In its earliest era, it was a different place: brighter, more open, and unmarked by the Colossal Pillars that now dominate its skyline. The Anyth predates everything that came after. It was built by those who remained on the planet while the Heavens lingered above, distant in orbit.
Centuries later, the Heavens returned. Rather than founding something new, they built on top of the Anyth, expanding and reshaping it into the vast, stratified metropolis now known as Archeston. The Heavens also call it the “Gates”, because it functions as their gateway to Heaven, a literal and symbolic threshold between the world below and the promise above. This return, defined by the Heavens’ decision to exploit the Anyth’s people as a living foundation for their ascent, is remembered as The Great Recapitulate: a reinactment of old hierarchies, repeated at colossal scale.
In later retellings, the tragedy is sharpened by a single decision. The Anyth’s Founding Fathers reached out to the Heavens, offering unity and a shared reconstruction of humanity “upwards.” The Heavens accepted, but only as an opportunity. What was offered as partnership became subjugation, and what was built as refuge became the base layer of a city designed to serve someone else.
Automation dominates daily life. Machines oversee nearly every function, from maintenance to governance, reducing human labor to mere obedience. A vast transit system operates throughout the city, where trains—hanging from colossal metal beam cables—glide silently through the skyline, ferrying citizens from sector to sector.
However, life in Archeston is not without hardship. The thin atmosphere makes breathing difficult, and only those acclimated to the environment can survive unaided. Visitors from the Heavens require ventilation devices and masks to endure the city's harsh conditions. Despite its vast scale, Archeston is sparsely populated—not due to overpopulation concerns, but because of scarcity. Food shortages are frequent, and when resources dwindle, the Heavens conduct a brutal "Purge." Led by the feared Saint Monark, wielding the Weeping Gavel, the Purge is a merciless and random culling of citizens deemed unworthy. The executed are discarded over the city's edge, their bodies vanishing into the abyss below, serving as a grim reminder that only the useful are permitted to live. Approximately 48,000 people live in Archeston.
Across all territories—from the Gates through Archeston, down to the Anyth and even the depths of the Metradome—currency is standardized under the name "Keys," universally accepted and utilized across all divisions.
Yet, for those who remain, life offers little beyond servitude. There is no exploration, no entertainment to consume, no art to create—only survival and the company of others, equally trapped. With no purpose beyond their assigned roles, many turn to crime or the Revolt, though both are strictly forbidden. In Archeston, there is no escape, only the endless cycle of work, fear, and silent submission beneath the watchful eyes of the Heavens.
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The Moon
In Archeston, under the laws of Heaven, all citizens are required to have a micro device, known as the "Moon," implanted within their eyes at birth. This device stores crucial information intended for the Heavens, including all visual data they observe.
To access the data stored in the Moon, a specialized scanner is necessary. This device not only deciphers an individual's entire biological makeup but also retrieves the visual data they've observed. Only Heaven authorities possess this advanced equipment.
The process of scanning involves positioning the device in front of the individual's eyes. A small pinhead needle emerges from the top of the scanner and pricks the forehead, allowing the device to analyze both the person's blood and eyes.
In addition to their scanning technology, Heaven authorities possess a weapon known as the Weeping Gavel. With this, they can neutralize the Moon device, which results in the death of the individual bearing it.
Interestingly, the Moon device functions exclusively at night. Its name derives from an actual transmitter computing device that the Heavens have installed on the moon itself. This device communicates with the Moon implants, allowing the Heavens to oversee their citizens during each night cycle. However, as dawn breaks and the sun emerges, the device's efficacy diminishes.
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The Blue Lick
A widely used drug in Archeston takes the form of a blue adhesive patch, resembling a simple bandage. Manufactured and distributed from the Anyth through underground networks known as Sedars, this substance is not just a vice—it’s a crucial source of funding for the Revolt.
Citizens across the city rely on the patch for escape, relief, or focus, applying it directly to their skin. Most place it on their face or neck for ease of use, while others discreetly attach it to their arms or body to avoid detection. Despite the Heavens’ strict control, the drug circulates freely, a silent act of defiance embedded in Archeston’s underbelly.
