A person, or persons, who do nothing but hang out on corners, alleyways, stoops. Often belonging to a gang.

Gang of mostly Elves. Keeps Westview a "safe" place for people. Arguably the strongest gang due to having the most Ascended within their ranks.

Major gang of Little Asia. They believe in respect and getting the job done. Prefer blades to any other weapon. Heavy hitters, extremely organized. Deals in sex, drugs, and "protection".

Regular street toughs organized into controlling part of The Stacks. They have a truce with The Vixens. Drugs and "Protection" is what they deal in. Along with other crimes such as theft, vandalism, and robberies. Known for assault.

An almost all female gang. As dangerous as they are beautiful, which is very. They deal in sex, drugs, and other petty crimes. They protect their own. Though they deal in sex, it's on their terms. You harm their workers, they harm you...twice as worse. They have a truce with the Renegades. They rule the majority of The Stacks. Often seen as a haven for abused women. They don't force anyone.

Gang of Palm Hills. Dress like they have money, gold chains and all. Open shirts, fancy cars. Bling, bling baby. That's the name of their game. Money laundering, drugs, sex, and more. They are aggressive and volatile. However, if you're one of them, they take care of you. Just don't screw them over.

A tragic tale. A group of individuals banded together under the banner of unity and safety long ago. Taking on the persona of "The Drowned" in order to protect their home. Overtime, this mission of theirs became warped. They truly embodied what they created. Whether they went insane or truly believe they are "The Drowned" they now embody a very dangerous mindset. Still, they hold fast to the family and unity they started from.

Gang of Pendleton. Think Mafia meets London Gangs. Organized and mostly "legal". They are above forcing others into sex and drugs. Though they control most of the brothels in Pendelton. They are on every street corner, every roof, every bar. They are many. With Pendelton's winding alleys close to that of The Stacks, they use these small corners and narrow spaces to lurk. They love their knives.

Swordsmen utilize Mana Breathing to physically enhance themselves, unlike Ascended who can utilize it for a myriad of different effects. Just as the name suggests, one "breaths" in mana and takes it into their body. From their, they spread it throughout their bodies to varying degrees of efficiency depending on skill level.

Only those with a talent for Mana Breathing can even begin to train in it. See Swordsmen for more details.

For Ascended, this is often utilized in their meditation. A way to gather mana from their surroundings and enhance themselves by permanently infusing themselves with its essence. When used outside of meditation, it allows them to use the mana in their surroundings before using the mana they contain within themselves.

They use this for various effects, but just like Swordsmen, it is most commonly used to enhance their physical abilities.

Swordsmen is a term often used to refer to Non-Ascended who can utilize the "Lifestream" around them for as long as they maintain their Mana Breathing (see Mana Breathing: Swordsmen). The Lifestream is what they call the mana in their surroundings. Mana is an invisible force that is hard for those without the talent (or who aren't Ascended) to feel, with some exceptions.

Swordsmen utilize the Mana Breathing artform to enhance their physical skills and create "auras" around themselves and their weapons to varying degrees. Like Ascended, they have ranks among themselves.

• Novice
• Adept
• Expert
• Master
• Grandmaster/Champion

As Swordsmen grow, they often take on unique aspects when utilizing Mana Breathing the more proficient they become at it. These rare few (Master-Grandmaster/Champion) often display some level of supernatural abilities that are similar to Ascended, but not quite on par with the stronger Ascended.

Known Swordsmen:

A person who uses a drug called a "Mana Stim". Most are illegal. It gives a normal person the ability to use magic for a short time. Highly Addictive.

A Mage. Someone who awakened to Magic. Explained slightly in story, but here for quick reference. They are a relatively rare occurrence depending on race.
Humans: Rare.
Elves: Uncommon.
Dwarves: Extremely Rare. 
Orcs: Rare.

Ascended have much more resilient bodies than non-Ascended after awakening. Allowing them to take hits that would otherwise kill normal people.

Most populated race and magically inclined. Ascended are most common among them than any other race, but still uncommon among their own. Most are taller than humans, but not all. Long lived and several different types of Elves populate the world. Dark Elves, High Elves, Valley Elves, Half-Elves, and even Aquatic Elves. Many more live in other areas of the world.

Dwarves, unlike other iterations of them, are not always short. However, they are often stocky. Resistant to magic, yet not immune. Thus, they are among the rarest when it comes to having Ascended. Third most populated race.

Second most populated race. Your normal humans.

Technically the second most populated race but considered an Elf more than humans. Thus, they are counted among the Elven population. Children born from Half-Elves and Elves are most often Elves than anything. This quickly allowed Elves to overpopulate Humans and take first place among the most common race.

The Main Protagonist of the story. He is a product of abuse by his father, Quentin. Working to save his mother from a deadly disease he blames himself for.

Age: 23
Height: Roughly 5ft 8in tall (172.7cm)
Weight: About 135lbs (61.2kg). He has a lean build. His weight is mostly due to malnourishment.
Physical Description: Fair skin, marked by scars from his work and by his father. Blue eyes like a storm. Almost electric blue. Dirty Blonde hair, more on the fair side.
Personality: Kind, but pushed to do things for survival. Trauma causes depressive episodes and self-doubt. Though he pushes through, believing he is a burden otherwise. He learns to lean on others as the series goes along while still doing his best to become stronger.

Selene, also known as Marian and Rosalie, is one of the main love interests of Jace who becomes obsessed with him after she meets him as Marian. She is a Dark Elf with a torrid history of abuse and neglect.

Age: 25 according to human standards.
Height: About 6ft 5in tall (195.58cm)
Weight: You don't ask a lady that. She's well fit.
Description: Light brown skin, like most Dark Elves, with Light Lavender hair which is most often seen as Silver. If you see it described as silver...shhhh. No, you didn't. It's basically silvery lavender, so...close enough. Dark blue, violet eyes.
Personality: Raised to take what she wants, she left in order to find what it means to live. To feel. Meeting Jace opened her emotions, which she has since explored with him as the focus. After all, she still takes what she wants. Even if she's more shy about it now.

She is completely obsessive and protective about those she cares about, Jace more than anything.

Liana is Jace's childhood friend. She's loved him for a long time. She is extremely protective of Jace and will do anything for him. She is also Kiera's girlfriend, who helped her to confess to Jace when the time was right.

Age: 21 by human standards, though older than Jace due to her Elven nature.
Height: Roughly 5ft 3in tall (160.02cm)
Weight: Slender, yet extremely fit with well-toned muscles.
Description: Preferring dark clothing, she has a sort of alternative/punk/goth aesthetic, though tamer than most. Raven black hair in an asymmetrical bob and green-violet eyes. Fair skin.
Personality: Can be hot-tempered like her mother, but extremely caring to those they love. However, they are not above telling them off either. It's all out of love. For Jace, she may be harsh with him, but she will also pick him up whenever he's down. She'd do anything for him. Even if that means dosing with small amounts of poison to build up his immunity...just in case. Kiera isn't exempt.

Liana's girlfriend with a mysterious past she hides even from Liana, whom she loves with everything she has. She will do anything for Liana, even helping her admit her feelings to the dense oaf that is Jace. Though, she herself has come to care for him in her own way, eventually falling for him. She is the third love interest of Jace, with Liana and Selene being the other's.

Age: Unknown, she tells people she's 24 by human standards.
Height: Roughly the same height as Jace, maybe a little shorter.
Weight: Fit enough, though a little more filled out than Liana.
Description: Pink hair with violet on the ends which changes constantly. Sometimes she may also have blonde hair. She changes her hair frequently, but enjoys pink. Her eyes are cybernetic and pink, though may change red. She loves dresses and trendy clothing. Preferring bright colors. She is very much the opposite of Liana's aesthetic.
Personality: Protective of Liana and a lot more playful. She loves teasing Jace, something shared with Selene and Liana. She holds a dark past that she one day hopes to share with those she loves.

Surrogate parents of Jace and the actual parents of Liana. They loved each other and still do. Even as Nadine lives on as a ghost of sorts, though Balek doesn't know...yet. She watches over her family. Liana gets her French accent from her mother. They are caring people, willing to help their friends, and even sacrificing themselves for family, as was the case for Nadine when she pushed herself beyond her limits twice in order to save Jace. The second time ultimately taking her life.

Balek is a large, burly man, though not fat. He fills out almost any outfit he wears and stands about as tall as Selene. Green eyes and dark hair. Fair, though slightly darker complexion than Liana.

Nadine was slightly shorter, yet still rather tall. With a slender, well-fit build. Violet eyes and dark hair. Fair complexion.

Friends with Delilah, Jace's mother.

Jace's mother. Currently in a coma due to Mana Degeneration. A deadly disease. It's not contagious, though expensive to treat. She is as bright as the sun and equally as kind. She is the reason Jace hasn't become cruel. They were each other's strength and light under Quentin's abuse and control.

She tried to see the good in everyone, even at the detriment of herself. She only realized it too late. However, for her son, Jace, and those around her...it's never too late. They will always be there for her.

Beautiful Golden hair and blue eyes with a fair complexion. Though now marred by the black veins of Mana Degeneration. Her hair cut for ease of care.

The name that once meant Neo City in its entirety. Now, only the city center holds that name. The Rich and Powerful live here in luxury. Megacorporations make their headquarters here. It is near everyone's dream to work or live there.

What the rich and powerful came to call the districts surrounding New Eden and The Valley. The rest of the city soon came to adopt the name as well, for its interconnecting roads, tunnels, and other variations that connected the districts. The current districts as I have them are:

• South Canal
• Palm Hills
• Little Asia
• Pendleton
• The Stacks
• Westview
• Rosewood Plaza

Water

district. Plants, factories, and more control the water of Neo City.

Major Gang: The Drowned. Ragged individuals who wear breathing masks

and always wet their hair. Melee oriented, but some use ballistics. Mainly grenades.

Upper Middle Class,

with a Floridian vibe. Complete with Palm Trees and Beaches. Though,

I wouldn't swim in the water if I were you. Toxic. Only safe beach is taken by the areas gang. Major Gang: Highrisers. Dress as if they have money, living in their high-rise

apartments. It's how they get their name, though...everyone lives in

high rises. Pretty lazy name, honestly. Love their automatics.

The

Asian town of Neo City. Yakuza, mainly the Techno Dragons, rule its

streets. Be respectful or be dead. Drugs, sex, and more can be found

if you know where to look. Of course, you go there for the food. Be

careful where you eat, however. The meat may not be what you think.

Heavy hitters, love their blades and small arms.

The

poshest place you can find yourself next to Palm Hills. Neo City's own little London. Fancy

themselves "better" than the rest of the Warrens. More

"civilized", but underneath it was a dirty crime syndicate

just like all the rest. The Sparrows. Quick, quiet, and always with a

knife. Mob tactics are their forte.

Poorest

place of the Warrens. Jace's home. At least, it was until his mother

was hospitalized. Now, it's hard to consider it home, but he knows

every nook and cranny of those streets. Major Gangs: Renegades and

Vixens. Renegades are your typical street toughs, organized into a crime family. Vixens are as beautiful as they are deadly. Explained a bit more in the story but imagine Kowloon Walled City. That's The Stacks in appearance roughly.

One

of the nicer parts of The Warrens. Not much crime, and mostly a

neutral territory, but still as dangerous as any other part of the

Warrens. It's where Balek's Club, Radiance, is located, and currently the place

Jace lives. Major Gang: The Spiders, a gang solely focused on tech.

Mostly neutral so long as you don't enter their web. Noblesse Oblige, otherwise called Nobles, a mostly Elven gang who think it's their "job" to help

those less than themselves...which in most of their eyes, is

everyone. They're dangerous, and the one reason Westview stays

relatively safe.

Closest

thing to New Eden you can get in the Warrens. Settled between Palm

Hills and Pendleton. No gangs. Well taken care of, pristine

waterfront across which you can see New Eden.

Nicest

place after New Eden itself. Lots of famous individuals live there in

their fancy mansions. High Security. Not actually a valley.

Neo City District Map. This is roughly what the districts are arranged as. I thought it would be good to showcase it for those interested.

Another term for a gun.