Quick Start Lore Guide: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:22, 13 June 2025

Welcome to Neo-Europa. This guide is designed for new readers, writers, and explorers of the world. Whether you're here to browse stories, build your own character, or understand how the setting works—this page will plug you in fast.

What is Neo-Europa?

Neo-Europa is a cyberpunk megacity built on the bones of Brussels, set in the year 2084. It is governed by a ruling caste of corporate aristocrats called the Seven Families, whose members sit on the Council of Nobles.

The city is stratified vertically and socially—from the Gilded Core of the elite, through the Middle Ring, down to the chaotic Smart Slums and irradiated Wastelands Beyond.

Digital reality is as important as the physical. The population navigates a layered cyberspace called the Cypherspace, with sub-realms like the Veil, Depths, and the dreamlike shard-world of Kanturas.

Core Concepts

🧬 Class System

Ladder Class – Citizens ranked by meritocratic and behavioral metrics
Nulls – Individuals disconnected from the Veil; memory-fragmented, often feared
The Driftroot – Nomadic tribal outsiders who live in the wastelands

🏛 Governance

Seven Families – The corporate dynasties that rule the city
Council of Nobles – A consensus-based governing body of aristocrats
Right and Left Hands – Every noble has two agents: one public (Banner), one covert (Dagger)

💾 Cyberspace

Cypherspace – The city’s digital infrastructure
Veil – The avatar-rich surface layer of Cypherspace
Depths – Raw data territory, dangerous and unstable
Kanturas – A dreamlike sub-realm accessible through lucid interface

🕯 Religion & Myth

Chapel Nodes – Rogue AI gods worshipped through hacked shrines
The Pythia – A prophetic Veil oracle shrouded in myth
Echo Saints of the Depths – Digital martyrs and mythologized hackers

⚔ Guilds & Factions

Top Guilds – Organizations within Cypherspace with specific identities and goals
Dream Weavers, Black Pane, Glypheye Assembly – Just a few of the named factions
Republicans & Royalists – Street-level political tensions simmering in the slums

For Writers & Contributors

If you’re looking to contribute:

Use the Style & Tone Guide to match the wiki’s voice
Check out the Worldbuilding Principles for lore consistency
Start with a stub page! Even short concepts help expand the city

Want to Explore Stories?

Visit the Neo-Europa Anthology Hub to browse short stories, serialized fiction, interactive media, and more.

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-So you’ve read a story set in Neo-Europa? Excellent. Whether you just met a glass-and-steel Noble, a broken hacker in the slums, or an AI that speaks in riddles—this guide will help you step into the deeper layers of the world.
+'''Welcome to Neo-Europa.''' This guide is designed for new readers, writers, and explorers of the world. Whether you're here to browse stories, build your own character, or understand how the setting works—this page will plug you in fast.
-== 🌆 What is Neo-Europa? ==
+== What is Neo-Europa? ==
-Neo-Europa is a massive vertical mega-city built on the bones of Brussels. It is ruled by seven ancient noble families who now operate as megacorporations. These Houses sit on the [[Council of Nobles]], the ruling body of the city.
+Neo-Europa is a cyberpunk megacity built on the bones of Brussels, set in the year 2084. It is governed by a ruling caste of corporate aristocrats called the '''Seven Families''', whose members sit on the [[Council of Nobles]].
-'''Population:''' ~96 million
+The city is stratified vertically and socially—from the Gilded Core of the elite, through the Middle Ring, down to the chaotic Smart Slums and irradiated Wastelands Beyond.
-'''Atmosphere:''' Neon-lit, vertically stratified, cyber-feudal dystopia
+Digital reality is as important as the physical. The population navigates a layered cyberspace called the [[Cypherspace]], with sub-realms like the [[The Veil|Veil]], [[The Depths|Depths]], and the dreamlike shard-world of [[Kanturas]].
-'''Tagline:''' "Where bloodlines meet bandwidth."
+== Core Concepts ==
+'''🧬 Class System'''
-== ⚖️ Who Rules the City? ==
+* [[Ladder Class]] – Citizens ranked by meritocratic and behavioral metrics
-The city is governed by the [[Seven Families|Seven Families of Neo-Europa]], each a fusion of medieval dynasty and corporate power. Their Council members are accompanied by two operatives:
+* [[Nulls]] – Individuals disconnected from the Veil; memory-fragmented, often feared
+* [[The Driftroot]] – Nomadic tribal outsiders who live in the wastelands
-* '''Banner''' – Public face, upholder of honor
+'''🏛 Governance'''
-* '''Dagger''' – Shadow hand, operative of influence
-Example Nobles:
+* [[Seven Families]] – The corporate dynasties that rule the city
+* [[Council of Nobles]] – A [[Consensus Governance in Neo-Europa|consensus]]-based governing body of aristocrats
+* [[Right and Left Hands]] – Every noble has two agents: one public (Banner), one covert (Dagger)
-* [[Julia Clutine]] – Urban icon, secretly torn between power and conscience
+'''💾 Cyberspace'''
-* [[Quinty Codenberg]] – 90% machine, 100% in control
-* [[Ray Stenweg]] – A pleasure-seeking philosopher who worships Dionysus
-== 🏙️ Where Does the Story Happen? ==
+* [[Cypherspace]] – The city’s digital infrastructure
-Most stories take place in one of three major city layers:
+* [[The Veil|Veil]] – The avatar-rich surface layer of Cypherspace
+* [[The Depths|Depths]] – Raw data territory, dangerous and unstable
+* [[Kanturas]] – A dreamlike sub-realm accessible through lucid interface
-* 🏛️ [[Gilded Core]] – Elite zone for the Nobles and their towers
+'''🕯 Religion & Myth'''
-* 🏢 [[Middle Ring]] – Massive residential/commercial belt, hyper-regulated
-* 🔧 [[Smart Slums]] – Neon chaos, Chapel Nodes, Butcher Shops, and rebellion
-Each zone is wired into the city’s neural web, known as the [[Voice Grid]].
+* [[Chapel Nodes]] – Rogue AI gods worshipped through hacked shrines
+* [[The Pythia]] – A prophetic Veil oracle shrouded in myth
+* [[Echo Saints of the Depths]] – Digital martyrs and mythologized hackers
-== 🧠 What Tech Powers the People? ==
+'''⚔ Guilds & Factions'''
-Neo-Europa runs on invasive, omnipresent technology:
-* [[Spinal Gate]] – A default cybernetic implant allowing brain-computer interface
+* [[Top Guilds]] – Organizations within Cypherspace with specific identities and goals
-* [[CortexOS]] – The operating system in your head
+* [[Dream Weavers]], [[Black Pane]], [[Glypheye Assembly]] – Just a few of the named factions
-* [[Butcher Shops]] – Slum-run implant clinics offering upgrades (or horrors)
+* [[Republicans]] & [[Royalists]] – Street-level political tensions simmering in the slums
-* [[ICE Drones]] – Bee-like security AI enforcing digital boundaries
-* [[Chapel Nodes]] – Semi-sentient shrines where AIs pose as ancient gods
-== 💥 Who Are the Rebels? ==
+== Suggested Starting Articles ==
-The [[Smart Slums]] are home to two major factions:
-* [[Royalists]] – Loyal to the Noble Houses, led by [[Roland Weinvlit]]
+* [[Neo-Europa]] – Overview of the city and its history
-* [[Republicans]] – Fight for slum sovereignty, led by [[David Sanderson]]
+* [[A Day in Neo-Europa]] – Story perspective of middle-class life
+* [[Fashion in Neo-Europa]] – Explore how style reflects class and identity
+* [[Music & Sonic Culture in Neo-Europa]] – Discover the city’s soundscape
+* [[Shades of Grayscale]] – A popular in-world VR detective drama
-Others operate in shadows:
+== For Writers & Contributors ==
+If you’re looking to contribute:
-* [[Depth Witches]] – Use memory tech from corpses
+* Use the [[Style & Tone Guide]] to match the wiki’s voice
-* [[Nulls]] – Ghosts of identity who have left the system
+* Check out the [[Worldbuilding Principles]] for lore consistency
-* The mysterious [[The Pythia|Pythia]] – A rogue AI oracle who speaks in prophecy
+* Start with a stub page! Even short concepts help expand the city
-== 🗂️ Want to Explore More? ==
+== Want to Explore Stories? ==
-Here are some quick article links:
+Visit the [[Neo-Europa Anthology|Neo-Europa Anthology Hub]] to browse short stories, serialized fiction, interactive media, and more.
-* [[Neo-Europa]] (core summary)
+== See Also ==
-* [[Council of Nobles]] (governance system)
-* [[Voice Grid]] (neural broadcast network)
-== 🛠️ How To Use the Wiki ==
+* [[Glossary (OOC)]] – Definitions for setting-specific terms
-The Cybernaut Wiki is built like a '''living encyclopedia'''. You can:
+* [[Contact]] – Reach out with questions or to join the worldbuilding project
-* Use the search bar to jump to people, tech, or districts
-* Follow in-universe links from story footnotes Step out of the story. Step into the archive. Neo-Europa is waiting.