Thousands of years in the future....
pollution has forced humanity to build up, up, up into the sky to escape the toxic clouds of The Smog, an endless fog of pure diesel that burns on contact. assisted by biotech, they take evolution into their own hands and become something more than human. in the towers, these new people are called Gremlins, or "grimelins", melding themselves with machines and living in hulking metal suits that filter through the deisel for each breath, and in the seven spheres floating above, far past any smog, live the Sylphs and Fairies, who used their enhancements and the technology they created to almost turn themselves into living plants. in the spheres, sylphs want for nothing, surrounded by luscious greenery, clean air and water, comfortable lives. fairies toil in a religious fervor to provide. in the towers, noone is clean, and everyone is dying, slow, grease slicked deaths. the two groups havent had contact since the sylphs took to the skies, but something has to give. in this high stakes, low reward world, what will happen when the two are forced to meet? and where will they end up?
The Towers, or the Smog Layers, are complex structures towering far over the ground of post apocalyptic earth, where people self described as “gremlins” live inside the Smog, a dense black cloud of pollution that can burn people under prolonged direct contact with the skin. As such, and due to the larger societies fascination with biotech, these people (called gremlins) wear thick bulky mech suits, masks, gloves, covering their entire bodies, whatever parts of them havent already been replaced with machinery. The smog layers are dark, dangerous, and haphazardly built around over and inside of preexisting architecture as it slowly decays. Injuries are common. The towers were created before the spheres, as a way of building up away from the smog, however as humans rose, so did the pollution, until they were abandoned, leaving the Grimelins behind with a world completely intolerable to life.
These gremlins have no government save for the cultural, almost religious fascination with the Smog. the general consensus tends to be, “what the smog wants, the smog takes.” there are almost no social services, infact most gremlins have a very individualistic mindset, almost to an extreme. The layers closest to the Smog Line (where the smog ends and upper society begins) are the most densely populated, whereas the deeper down you go, the less people. Jobs mostly consist of construction, maintaining the tower structures, or harvesting smog into diesel fuel. The most indemand job is Mechanist, serving dual purpose doctor and bioware surgeon. food is sparse and either diluted into watery packets injected directly in the body or through feeding tubes. Trade and barter is in place of money.
Technology is not as advanced, clean, or nice looking as the spheres have, but it serves the same purpose. Biotechnology is apart of every gremlins life, from the respirators fitted to infants to every type of prosthesis imaginable. Everyone is expected to be scrappy and resourceful if they want to live long, and even when they dont, diesel powered technology is the only protectant from a pain death by smog. The most common bioware “enhancement” is an iron lung, literally lungs made of iron surgically implanted in the chest cavity which manually opens and clothes the airways, usually connected directly to an oxygen tank or rebreather. Enhancements are performed on children without consent often by parents or older children, whatever will give them the best chance to survive the longest, though adults typically choose what they want in their body. Culturally, the tech and the flesh are not considered the same even when they are so intertwined as to be impossible to separate. Because of this, most gremlins are prefer to be called “it” when wearing mech suits, and a more specific gendered pronoun (she, he, xie etc) when they shed their outer layers, though typically only by those they are closest to. The suit is considered an extension of them as much as it is a tool, and gremlins can go an entire life with noone seeing what they look like without a suit.
The towers arent all open smog, however. Large tunnels were constructed before the towers were abandoned, kind of like massive pipes twisting all around and throughout the structures. The entrances are large hatches that airlock, meaning gremlins can remove their masks while inside. This is where the bulk of non work living takes place. Inside these “pipes” are more, smaller tunnels leading to bars, shops, homes.
The gremlins of the smog layers can be generally fit into a few categories:
Those who either voluntarily or out of necessity enmeshed themselves completely with the buildings and technology around them, powered entirely by diesel, living solitary in a great hulking machine until they run out of power or sanity, those who wish to cast off the machines and “breathe free” usually able to be picked apart in a crowd by their visible skin, cracked and burnt black, and insert a third thing here.
There are typically more children than adults at any given moment, complications in childbirth are common and after giving birth, most are rendered immobile due to the large strain on interfaced machinery coupled with the smog ingested during birth. Children not raised by their parents are typically found in packs together, though that “pack” mentality is usually worked out of them if they manage to make it to adulthood. Not all is hopeless, however. Bonds that do manage to form are strong, usually lifelong, and since there is no typical “family structure” any and every combination and grouping of human can be found. The name of the game is adaptability.
Interaction with the sylphs in the seven spheres is almost nonexistent, except for rumors of fairies falling down and assimilating into grimelin culture. Once, the gremlins were in constant contact with the spheres above, having been promised that a space would be made for them in the sky eventually. They began receiving shorter transmissions, less frequently until they just…stopped. Some gremlins still hold out hope that they will come for them one day, while others have completely given up waiting.
The Sylph’s live in giant floating Spheres suspended far above the smog. Having left the world below to try and create a utopia which escaped the failings of past societies. They wanted to create a sustainable paradise, placing a heavy emphasis on reconnection with nature and augmentation of nature. Sylph’s live in what they would describe a socialist society. As they tell it, the government and its people are all one in the same. They work in union to create their society in ways they feel is best for everyone. A strong emphasis on collectivism. Resources are shared as needed, there is no economy or trade beyond small exceptions. Jobs mostly pertain to management of resources, the sciences/research, maintenance, and of course government.
Because they live in these relatively small sphere’s the Sylph society’s population is under STRONG control. At birth, all citizens are chemically neutered. Reproduction happens by committee, test tube babies are born and assigned to large family communities.(Think a more ‘It takes a village’ approach than a Nuclear Family Unit) These communities are well equipped and trained to raise these large groups of children, who shall grow up to be contributing members of Sylph society. Job’s ARE assigned after Children complete education and come of age. Based on their scores in tests and what they showed proficiency in. HOWEVER, citizens work SHORT weeks, and are left plenty of time for hobbies and recreation. So it is rare to hear complaints about assignments, after all none of the jobs Sylph citizens are expected to perform are dangerous.
The Sphere’s operate through a complex system of Biotech built into all of the vegetation that make up the Sylph’s lush Spheres. The Augmented Vegetation acts as a combination oxygen source, power source, and food source. Oxygen is self explanatory. The power comes from a combination of solar panel like technology grafted into heavily genetically modified and biologically augmented plants and fungal life creating a system of power. Foods are similarly produced by biotech plants. Grown as “fruits,” flowered by plants so modified that their produce offers the large range of required nutrients for human sustenance. The Sylphs of the Sphere’s are able to live in relative comfort in a post-scarcity society all thanks to the Augmented Vegetation. This technology is integrated into every facet of living on the Spheres.
However, this seeming utopia does not come without a cost. In every controlled generation born, a select minority are at age 5 declared Changelings and are selected to be taken away from their units to become Fairies. Teary eyed, the caretakers and other children alike say goodbye but they know in their hearts these Changelings will go on to serve the Sphere’s in a way they could never dream. For every 10 children maybe 1 will be chosen to become a changeling. Of those Changelings maybe half will survive the process of being turned to Fairies. It is, from that point onwards, a lifelong process. They are conditioned, both mentally and physically. Taught of the righteousness of their ordained purpose. They are hailed by the Sylphs, celebrating for their noble sacrifice. They are trained and educated rigorously for their future purpose.
More than that, they are modified. Augmented, the same as the vegetation. From their strange pseudo-metal skin, down to their very genetic code. They are molded to be the perfect tool. Their main purpose is to tend to The Augmented Vegetation. They cultivate it, control it, and nourish it. They maintain the Sphere’s themself as well as the very Vegetation that allows these Sphere’s to flourish, as those things are one and the same. They are equal parts gardeners and engineers. They are able to interface directly with the Vegetation, attune to its needs. It is an arduous job. Demanding blood, sweat and tears. Mind, body and soul. It is very much a task ONLY the fairies could undertake.
To list just a few of the ways they are modified to suit their duty: Their flesh is modified so they can survive contact with the Smog without dying (though they still cannot breathe it,) they can go far longer without oxygen than any human, and they can fly.(maybe?) As they are indoctrinated at childhood, most Fairy are completely brainwashed into believing their difficult responsibilities are a noble and just blessing. Though there are rumors of rebel fairies who flee. This is referred to as going “Unseelie.”
The Pipes- airtight way of traveling around the towers. A maze of smaller interconnect pipes that lead other places in and outside.
Radio Towers- at the very very top of the towers sit abandoned radio towers once used for communicating with the spheres.
Lamplight- a bar.
Deep levels- the very lowest down the towers anyone will go. Mostly older people and construction, largely abandoned.
Lower levels-
Mid levels- the most densely populated area, right below the upper levels.
Upper levels- the absolute highest anyone can live. The general consensus is it is “cleaner” towards the top, and on good days you just might be able to see some light.
Gremlin- what the people of the tower call themselves.
Grimelin- what the people above the tower call the gremlins.
Machinist- mix between a doctor and a mechanic. Usually more skilled with machines.
Free breathing- the idea of being able to breath open air without side effects.
Belief in the smogs will- a phrase typically used by the more fervently religious types,said really anytime something happens, usually horrible.
“”- name for those who have completely become their suits.
Smog burns- the chemical burns caused by exposure to smog.
Characters
Ania
Ethel
