Glossary (OOC)

This page provides a quick reference for real-world readers and contributors seeking clarity on the most common terms, slang, and concepts used throughout the Neo-Europa project. All definitions here are Out of Character (OOC) and aim to explain terminology without immersion or narrative framing. Terms with a star ★ are the terms added last.

For in-universe lore, see the linked articles.

A

Access Devices

Hardware implants that allow a person to enter Cypherspace. Includes the Spinal Gate, Cradle Jack, and Neural Mirror.

AI Replica

A digital simulation of a dead or absent person, often created from salvaged neural data.

Ascension Project ★

A secretive Council initiative aiming to decouple elite consciousness from physical form, rumored to involve Sleeplight vessels and mind-uploading protocols.

B

Banner

The public-facing representative of a noble House. Acts with honor, diplomacy, and formality. Counterpart to the Dagger.

Bio-encoded Credit (bCred) ★

Currency locked to an individual's DNA signature or neural key. Cannot be stolen or traded without invasive extraction.

C

Chapel Nodes

Glitched or haunted AI-worshipping terminals found in the slums or cyberspace. Some mimic ancient gods.

Codewitch

A Spacer who treats code as ritual. Uses poetic or symbolic programming to manipulate the Depths.

Council of Nobles

The governing body of Neo-Europa, composed of seven corporate noble houses.

Cradle Jack ★

A common access device for Cypherspace. Slower than the Neural Mirror but more stable than the Spinal Gate. Often used by slum Spacers.

D

Dagger

The covert operative of a noble House. Handles blackmail, espionage, and unofficial actions. Counterpart to the Banner.

Depths

The lower, raw-data layer of Cypherspace. Used by elite hackers and ICEbreakers.

Depth Witch ★

A high-tier Codewitch specializing in creating AI replicas from corpses or signal-echoes. Often feared for their necromantic abilities.

E

Echo Farmers

Scavengers who extract fragments of memory or signal from ruined systems or wasteland towers.

Ego Splitter ★

An illegal implant that lets users fork temporary versions of their consciousness. Highly unstable, banned by the Council.

F

First Scaper ★

The rotating chair of the Council of Nobles. Not a ruler, but a facilitator of consensus. Symbolically linked to medieval schepen titles.

G

Glimmeredge ★

Neo-Europa’s nightlife and entertainment district, dominated by Stenweg Cyber. Known for immersive experiences, raves, and Veil-induced pleasure cults.

I

ICE

Intrusion Countermeasure Entities—AI programs that defend cyberspace systems. Can appear as swarms, drones, or symbolic constructs.

Implant

General term for a neural or physical augmentation.

Identity Ghost ★

A remnant of a deleted or fractured AI Replica. Often found lingering in Chapel Nodes or corrupted Depth shards.

K

Kanturas

A lucid dream realm buried within the Depths. Often accessed by Dream Weavers or artists.

Keychaser ★

A rogue Spacer who searches for long-lost vaults, data-keys, or Cypherspace ruins. Often considered reckless or myth-chasers.

M

Memory Currency

In Neo-Europa, memory is often traded or stolen—either emotionally, technologically, or financially.

Myth-Tech

Technology that behaves or is treated like spiritual or symbolic ritual. Often seen in Chapel Nodes, Depth Witches, or rogue AI.

Mirror Veil Shard ★

A secretive sub-layer of the Veil used by RePatterners and Nulls to operate outside of Ladder surveillance.

N

Null

A person without a working access device. Cut off from Cypherspace. Viewed with suspicion or pity.

Neural Mirror ★

The most refined Cypherspace access device. Fast, responsive, and favored by nobles, artists, and high-tier Spacers.

R

Rogue ICE

Disconnected or corrupted ICE programs that operate without command. Can appear in physical drones or cyberspace.

RePatterners ★

A clandestine group seeking to "break the pattern" of social control in Neo-Europa. Known for signal art, Veil hacks, and memory subversion.

S

Spacer

A general term for a hacker or cyberspace user in Neo-Europa.

Spinal Gate

The most common access implant—runs along the spine. Often painful but durable. Also called a "DAD" (Default Access Device).

Sleeplight Travel

Slow, relativistic interstellar travel at 0.86c. Used for exile, deep-space missions, or data vault transfer.

Sinker ★

A Spacer who exclusively operates in the Depths. Known for deep dives, sensory isolation, and high-risk data extraction.

T

Toll Stairwell

A vertical passage controlled by a local gang or faction. Citizens may be charged physical or symbolic "toll" to ascend.

Traceghost ★

A short-lived avatar left behind after an ICE encounter or forced logout. May carry incomplete memories or corrupt code.

V

Veil

The upper layer of Cypherspace. Social, gamified, and avatar-based. Equivalent to a surreal metaverse.

Veilrunner ★

A Spacer who specializes in operating within the social or aesthetic layer of Cypherspace (the Veil), often manipulating reputation systems or avatar design.

W

Wander-ICE

Mobile ICE constructs that drift through cyberspace or physical ruins, often without orders.

Writeseed ★

A narrative virus implanted into Chapel Nodes or Depth fragments that grows into self-replicating myths or legends.

See Also

• Worldbuilding Principles
• Cypherspace
• Council of Nobles
• Spinal Gate
• Nulls