THE SIDE CHARACTERS OF ICARUSCODE - LAUD SADE

Sentience may not be as unique as we think.


Abel Alexander

Age: Unknown / Gender: Male

  • One of the Original Ones, the first people ever to be born into Laud Sade. Though the process of someone awakening Vector powers happens seemingly at random, all of the Original Ones held considerable Vector might. Once part of an experiment to simulate and examine the human condition, Abel quickly won over the hearts and minds of his peers, becoming the ruler of the Original City and what would eventually become Novuso Finé. However, the truth of his creation still eluded him in the early hostility of this world, causing him to search tirelessly for answers. Eventually, Abel settled on the indisputable fact: this world was created for him to shepherd, for everyone else loved him so and deemed it to be true.

    Using a certain Construct, Abel experimented on this world so much that he learned a partial truth about its reality. By finding and altering his code, he had become immune to aging and, by proxy, death. What was once an elected body became the sole ruler of the realm, lasting beyond the generations that came after him. His alliances with the elite of other foreign powers were merely an illusion, as at the end of the day, all they did was help eliminate any obstacle to his power. The Original Ones eventually faded into myth, yet no one in Novuso Finé or the other nations realize that one of those progenitors still walks among them, waiting for the day where he can finally meet his creators. However, Abel’s isolation keeps him away from the other nations’ Constructs, who would destroy them before they ever fall into his hands. This, in turn, condemns Abel to never knowing their truths.

    Abel overseeing the progression of the world inspired both a sense of wonder and fear inside of him. At the risk of the world falling into chaos stemming from various disagreements, he encouraged two others to form their own nations at two other corners of Laud Sade; these would eventually become Soliso Radium and Originem Pluvia. In an attempt to establish a human presence across the land with like-minded ideas congregating together, he hoped this would advance mankind to a utopian state. However, even this could not alleviate his pain as he watched the world move on without him, both through suffering and success. With his original comrades gone and future generations losing sight and interest in the Constructs, the Handlers, the Original Ones, and their perceived original mission, he tightened his grip on the world he once loved. The Aeon Hands are the final act of Abel’s plan, as they weed their way into these lands as undercover agents, destroying the foundations from within. This fear and confusion over who Abel really was and his role in this world consumed him, leaving him with only his shining blade… the last remnant of hope in passing his creators’ eternal test.

 

Admin Ark

Age: Unknown / Gender: N/A

The enigmatic bodyguard of the Aeon Guardian; you will not see the leader of Novuso Finé without this machine by their side. This Ark unit rarely fights, but it has been rumored to have toppled some of Laud Sade’s oldest nations that have only brief footnotes in the history books today. This has never been proven however, as these societies are generally not mentioned in official texts and only are briefly mentioned in independent archeological journals for lack of significant evidence. The Admin Ark has been there since the beginning, and it was heralded by the Original Ones as the voice of the Handlers incarnate. Despite this, it doesn’t seem to be loyal to the Original Ones exclusively; only those who have proven their strength appear to be blessed with this Ark’s guidance.

 

Aeon Ministry

The overarching governmental body of Novuso Finé, comprised of the Minister of Humanity, the Minister of Infrastructure, Ministress of War, Minister of Economics, and the Aeon Guardian. These departments perform checks and balances on each other, such as the Minister of Humanity making sure the soldiers under the Ministress of War are being taken care of properly and receiving proper food and shelter. However, all ultimately answer to the Aeon Guardian, a mysterious helmeted figure that serves as the leader of the country. The title has been passed down many times, but as only the predecessor and the successor meet face-to-face, no one knows who’s truly under the mask.

 

Amadea Norgo

Age: 30 / Gender: Female

The woman responsible for the Nil Generators and the gradual deletion of the world. Once an experienced assassin, she was partnered with a man named Damon, and together they carried out many missions for the Novuso government. Despite not knowing each other before their newfound careers, they hit it off almost instantly. An unbreakable pair, they were some of the most feared people throughout the world of Laud Sade.

Amadea and Damon were among the elite due to their skills and reputation, being given insider intel on Novuso Finé, though at the cost of being on a tight leash. Because of this, they were targeted by other rival nations. During a routine assassination, they were cornered by those from the nation their target was from, thanks to information provided by Novuso itself. Realizing that this was impossible unless they were baited into a trap, Amadea and Damon began to realize how little they meant to their nation, and had no choice but to fight.

Damon was killed during this battle, and Amadea barely escaped. Alone and broken, she was an enemy of the world. All nations were in leagues to eliminate her, alongside anyone else deemed too dangerous. She sought death, only to find an essence of the world itself: raw, rogue data in the form of a chip that was able to be integrated directly into her brain. This glimpse showed her all she needed to know: Laud Sade was artificially designed, and only she and the Aeon Guardian knew the truth. She then found Trialys, who experienced similar events, and the two began to create the Nil Generators in order to end the suffering caused by their Handlers.

 

Celiel Olivier

Age: 31 / Gender: Female

A traveling trader that deals in the secrets of the Original Ones. As this is forbidden knowledge in all three nations of Laud Sade, Celiel only deals with people she trusts. Gain enough reputation with the other traders that wander the lands, and she may impart some knowledge on you. While a scholar at heart, she knows how to defend said knowledge, being a skilled gunslinger in her own right. From texts, artifacts, clothing... history, despite needing to move forward, also needs to be preserved.

 

Centuripod

The silent and highly advanced guardian of Amadea Norgo. It is actually a special Bug from the rifts appearing in Laud Sade, but not much is known about it. It follows Amadea’s orders without question using a vast array of Vector abilities, far beyond what any human Vector can use.

After Amadea’s end and surviving the fall from the Paradise Pylon, the Centuripod ravenously fed on many strong Vector users and absorbed remaining members of its own kind. This is the true form of Amadea’s guardian and the strongest Bug that is known. Its original, human-like form sees itself modified into a more celestial appearance as it dons two feather-like blades. Wielding its unparalleled might, it will raze this land and finish what Amadea started, forever loyal to his partner.

 

CONSTRUCT;NF_ARBITER

A remnant from the birth of the world. Like the Original Ones, three AI Constructs were also there since the beginning, later being divided up between each progenitor nation. They were then modeled after each of their Founders. Each serves as a head computer of sorts, containing a vast quantity of information about their world, though certain concepts can only be truly understood when all three come together. They can also be programmed to act in self-defense if attacked or operated on by an unknown entity. While for the other two nations they are the last remaining memory of their Founders, this one is a reminder of Abel’s sacred duty to shepherd the world to please his creators. The Constructs, unknown to even the Original Ones, are in fact gateways that can lead beyond their world and into another. None have unlocked these secrets, not even Abel, and it’s a wonder why they even exist in the first place if their world was supposed to be self-contained.

 

Esla Lightfield

Age: 23 / Gender: Female

One of the few members of Neo Genesis that still holds some reverence for The Handlers. Esla once traveled across all three nations to deliver her divinations, foretold through pyromancy, to their leaders. However, over time, her divinations and mindset seem to have shifted, viewing the nations as straying from the path laid out for them. This intuition was confirmed in her eyes when Novuso Finé put a bounty on her on the charge of heresy, deeming her methods blasphemous to The Handlers and misleading to the public. It is here that Esla left her wandering troupe and joined Neo Genesis, determining that erasing the world that went against The Handlers' wishes was a foregone conclusion.

 

Founders

Some time after the Original Ones’ descent from the Paradise Pylon, their villages soon began to splinter off into three large nations, each with different beliefs and ideologies about the true nature of their existence. While the Original Ones were all powerful Vectors, those that came after seemingly gained Vector abilities at random. Some began seeing this as a sign to cull those who did not gain the Handlers’ favor. Others rejected the ides of the Handlers outright. Abel Alexander, disguised due to achieving longevity, encouraged these groups to form their own nations in which a common path forward would surely arise if peace is kept. However, these divisions became too great, leading to the ongoing war between Novuso Finé, Soliso Radium, and Originem Pluvia. The Founders of these nations built them into what they are, each convinced that their ideology is just and true.

  • Novuso Finé: Abel Alexander

  • Soliso Radium: Shi Xen Solen

  • Originem Pluvia: Alladian Tsang

 

Nami White

Age: 27 / Gender: Female

Once a marine biologist for Originem Pluvia, Nami sought to protect the wildlife of Laud Sade in addition to assisting the nation's task of mapping out its oceans, which remain completely unknown. However, the funding and research that she helped gather ended up being used for the war effort between the three nations instead, with Originem Pluvia's other biologists taking part in the nation's secret biological weapons project. With no one left in the nation with any power to stop this endeavor, protect the environment, or seek answers to Laud Sade's ocean mysteries, Nami regrettably decided to join Neo Genesis' mission to erase this world from existence to prevent it from being exploited any further.

 

Neo Genesis

A terrorist group created by Amadea Norgo and Trialys Ravitas. After finding out the truth of Laud Sade, the two began to build the Nil Generators, massive machines that are essentially a virus that gradually corrupts the entire system. Recruiting anyone with skill they come across who also share their desire for oblivion, the group not only aim to prove to the nations of Laud Sade that some things are beyond their control, but also to make a point to their Handlers that all who create life must take responsibility for their creations. Eventually, the group also learned that their immense Vector abilities allowed them to command the Bugs, mysterious creatures that spawn from the rifts of corrupted code caused by the Nil Generators.

  • Neo Genesis commanders include:

    • Amadea Norgo: The leader and a wind Vector

    • Trialys Ravitas: The second-in-command and a gravity Vector

    • Shail Origo: Rank number three and an earth Vector

    • Salen Miller: Rank number four and a steel Vector

    • Shea Dorcha: Rank number five and a darkness/nothingness Vector

    • Roben Blackwell: Rank number six and an electric Vector

    • Rucrea Nihilox: Rank number seven and a light Vector

    • Nami White: Rank number eight and a water Vector

    • Esla Lightfield: Rank number nine and a fire Vector

    • Yvonne Hyeon: Rank number ten; not a vector, but very adept with machines

    Members who are not Vectors are typically support, foot soldiers, or in behind-the-scenes roles as they cannot control the Bugs. Weaker Vectors participate in direct attacks, sometimes with a Bug under their command.

 

OMNIEYE

OMNIEYE is the central intelligence network of Novuso Finé, an AI security system that automatically tracks and processes information spanning across the nation. In addition, special devices can be planted at various points around Laud Sade to increase OMNIEYE’s scope of surveillance. Once the AI has detected a threat to Novuso Finé’s public order, it automatically dispatches police forces and even special ops if the situation demands it to subdue the threat. Though not known to even among some of the most high up on Aeon’s corporate ladder, OMNIEYE also is responsible for dispatching and processing the work of the Aeon Hands, a secretive invasion force that is waiting until the time is right to topple and assimilate Soliso Radium and Originem Pluvia into Aeon’s new empire. OMNIEYE is not intended to fight itself, but it is equipped with advanced and strange mechanisms to throw off and eliminate any attackers that wish to destroy it.

 

Original Ones

The first people born into Laud Sade. The Original Ones came into this world suddenly, all armed with significant Vector might. Their origin was atop the Paradise Pylon in the center of their world; however, unlike the generations that would follow them, they were seemingly placed here grown and with foundational knowledge by some higher power. With them were three Constructs, computer systems that contained information about Laud Sade… though many secrets were locked behind methods beyond their understanding. As these pioneers grew tired of their lofty home, they descended the Paradise Pylon to eventually form the three nations in place today.

 

Pardoner Petra

Age: 21 / Gender: Female

One of the Original Ones who died long, long ago. Once part of a special trinity made up of the brightest and strongest of these progenitors, a betrayal that shook the foundations of their society ultimately ended up taking her life, as well. Wielding the power of light and a spear that doubles as the flag of their people, she was a shining hope for all to see before her light was snuffed out. After her death, the relations between the Original Ones would never be the same again.

 

Roben Blackwell

Age: 53 / Gender: Male

Roben's expertise in robotics was supposed to serve Novuso Finé, both in everyday tasks and in the arts. This profession was in its rudimentary phases in Laud Sade; the scope of the project never reached the heights it was promised after Roben defected to Neo Genesis. Fearing the use of his robots for war, he inflicted the remaining ones with a virus that incapacitates them permanently. However, he kept and modified his two favorite ballet robots in order to help enact the organization's goals, making them an unfamiliar force of devastation that the world's armies were totally unprepared for. Only the mysterious Admin Ark that accompanies the Aeon Guardian can compare in terms of technological mastery.

 

Rucrea Nihilox

Age: 19 / Gender: Female

A strange and silent girl that serves under Neo Genesis. Though a commanding officer due to her cold and calculated precision strikes on the nations’ militaries, Rucrea often prefers to be around the fauna of Laud Sade than armies or her fellow members of Neo Genesis. She has taken a shine to the Jellex species in particular, who she appears to be able to communicate with in some way. She wields the power of light, utilizing odd tricks with the Jellex to enhance her abilities. An attack from her or the nature she commands comes unnoticed and from anywhere. While most of Neo Genesis have a story that led them to their race to oblivion, Rucrea’s past is as mysterious and silent as she is.

 

Salen Miller

Age: 26 / Gender: Male

  • A member of Neo Genesis that went rogue. Over the course of his time in the organization, he grew disillusioned with their end goal. Though Salen went along with them at first due to his depression from being a drifting trader after losing everything, this depression turned into a rage that was left bubbling beneath the surface. Keeping his Vector abilities hidden, he became a tamer of the Bugs that appear from the rifts caused by the Nil Generators, teaching the other members to control them. He eventually came to the conclusion that he should not be punished for the world's wicked ways; he, instead, will be the one who casts judgement on them all. This world cannot end, as it needs to know the fear and ridicule he once faced. Laud Sade, if it desires war and conflict, will receive this anger and hatred as Salen and the massive Bug Copeglaucantia begin their reign of terror through the cold steel of retribution.

 

Shail Origo

Age: 30 / Gender: Male

A former resident of Soliso Radium and one of the earliest members of Neo Genesis, joining soon after Amadea and Trialys founded the organization. Shail, however, is less concerned with the world's destruction and moreso joined in order to further research the Original Ones. The Original Ones and their history have largely been lost to time, thanks in part to the Founders making this all forbidden knowledge. The settlements that the Original Ones made after descending the Paradise Pylon had been razed long ago, becoming the Ruins of Genesis that lead to the Paradise Pylon's entrance. Shail, as an earth Vector, feels quite at home here as he searches the ruins for knowledge that has never been unearthed before. On the down-low, Shail has also taken interest in Trialys' Proto-Transmission Construct project, using the information he uncovers to assist in its creation. This is because, despite his findings on the Original Ones, the tactical formations and iconography found in the Paradise Pylon don’t match anything in Laud Sade’s history; he must find their source to find the truth.

 

Shea Dorcha

Age: 33 / Gender: Female

A former commanding officer of Soliso Radium, one of the three nations of Laud Sade. She served her nation dutifully, earning much recognition in the process. Her ruthlessness was well known across the land, as Shea's blitzkrieg tactics decimated squads far larger than hers. Despite this, she does occasionally show a caring side, most notably to her fellow comrades in arms and to her sister, who was known to be bedridden at home. Because of her status, Shea was a common target during raids. Assassins occasionally tried to eliminate her, but her loyal comrades managed to stop them at every turn. However, while out on the field, she once received notice of a village that had been all but destroyed by a new prototype weapon from Novuso Finé. When she arrived, both her small town and her sister had been totally razed by an experimental plasma cannon, with blueprints designed by up-and-coming arms developer Heather Hyeon. She now wants to see the world go down in flames, both to end her suffering… and to end those who caused it.

 

Smoke Vulture

Age: 22 / Gender: Female

Smoke Vulture, aka Carmen Wispell, was the daughter of a wealthy family. However, when she was 12 years old, her parents were killed by unknown assassins who were never brought to justice. Forsaken by her family’s former friends and contacts, Carmen was raised as an orphan on the streets, vowing to build up their empire once again through her clothing brand and exact revenge on her parents’ killers along with anyone who didn’t help her in her time of need. She had a camaraderie with Heather, who helped her out from time to time due to a shared trauma. However, after Heather tries to discover what happened to these missing people, she revealed the truth. Smoke Vulture was not just a brand or an alter ego; it was the name of the monster Carmen tamed, a rare and feared beast who was ordered to devour all of those involved in shattering her dreams.

 

Thoxen Ortheo

Age: 36 / Gender: Male

The Minister of Humanity and a friend of Jack Adams. They met when Jack first joined Novuso’s army. He is responsible for the wellbeing of Novuso Finé’s citizens, maintaining order and ensuring that their needs are met. However, the other members of the Aeon Ministry often shoot down his humanitarian proposals on the reasoning of overstepping his authority. Thoxen wants the best for not only his citizens but the people of all three nations, something he keeps to himself as it would be deemed traitorous. He does what he can within his limits, but when Jack and heather end up going after Neo Genesis, he decides to make a decision he hopes will save all of Laud Sade.

  • Thoxen is the mysterious contact that gives the locations of the Nil Generators to Heather and Jack, in addition to leading them to old archeological sites that gradually reveal the true history of Laud Sade. In doing so, he aims to use Heather and Jack to destroy not only Neo Genesis but also the Aeon Guardian themself in order to bring peace to the land. He has secret contacts in Soliso Radium and Originem Pluvia to use for this purpose, as well.

 

Trialys Ravitas

Age: 48 / Gender: Male

A former physicist for the Novuso Finé government, tasked with various experiments pertaining to Vector energy and assisting engineers of the nation’s advanced hovercrafts and other vehicles. In addition to these studies, Trialys became interested in what lies beyond the world he lives in, not content with the excuse of an infinite, stormy sea that surrounds the continent. The Aeon Guardian, the ruler of Novuso Finé, expressed interest in this as well and promoted Trialys to spearhead this research. Through the Aeon Ministry, Trialys had all the clearance and resources he needed to find the answers he was looking for.

Through extensive projects utilizing the natural elemental abilities of those who can wield Vector energy, Trialys was able to awaken his own Vector abilities: spacial manipulation. This allowed both he and his team to achieve multiple breakthroughs in understanding the world around them, opening up new doors for the purpose and essence of humanity in the process. Perhaps these powers would even let them reach the other end of the expanse that surrounds them.

One day, Trialys’ lab was raided by assassins from Novuso Finé and the other two nations of Laud Sade. No researcher made it out alive, and all of their notes and findings were deleted… except for Trialys and the data at his home lab, which was unknown to the elites. Trialys managed to eliminate these agents, and through their crests, figured out the truth: the nations, though all vying for dominance, ally with one another to eliminate those who could threaten the power that their leaders have built up. All rising stars at risk of deification must be struck down, but unfortunately for them, Trialys has no intention on letting the confines of this existence stop him from moving beyond.

 

Yvonne Hyeon

Age: 16 / Gender: Female

Heather’s sister. After the deaths of their parents in a research accident years prior, Heather has taken it upon herself to raise her. Heather and Yvonne both have an affinity for technology like their parents did, but while Heather is more interested in weapons thanks to her love of detective films, Yvonne studied general applications to make people’s lives easier, helping advance infrastructure and general commodities. They shared an intense bond, but one day Yvonne left with an unknown man, leaving Heather to search for the only family she has left.

  • This kidnapping would change the course of her life. With Neo Genesis revealing the truth of the world to Yvonne, she finds herself beginning to understand their plight. Though she has no Vector abilities, her skill with technology and machines in addition to insider information she can provide about Novuso Finé would still prove to be useful to Neo Genesis. Eventually, after Heather and Jack start eliminating the group’s members, Trialys takes drastic measures. Yvonne has been transformed into a new being, both part human and part machine. While Trialys appears to be behind most of the modifications, some of them seem eerily close to what Yvonne herself was working on, suggesting that her transformation wasn’t entirely against her will. Words now appear to be useless against her as her mind is set on erasing this world, just like Neo Genesis.