Syndicate

Rome will exist as long as the Coliseum does; when the Coliseum falls, so will Rome; when Rome falls, so will the world. ​
- ​THE VENERABLE BEDE (Book 1: Epigraph)

The Syndicate is the unified greater galaxy, which consists of more than three billion independent star systems and quintillions of citizens of various races.[1] Near its center, an ancient Macro AI called the Eulogist extends a benign enhancement zone across several surrounding solar systems.[2][3]

See Also: Category:Syndicate • Category:Syndicate Races

Society

Near the center of Syndicate space, an ancient Macro AI called the Eulogist extends "benign" Enhancement Zones across the surrounding solar systems.[2][3] These Center Systems (or Inner Systems) are the heart of Syndicate society and wealth, where residents enjoy free health care and an abundance of privileges; however, these systems only account for a small percentage of the Syndicate's population.

Like most aspects of the Syndicate, formal Syndicate citizenship is available for purchase.

Government

The Syndicate as a whole appears to be a federation: each star system maintains its own independent government, but ultimately answers to and abides by the laws of a central government.[1][4] This system allows for the simultaneous existence of corporate-governments, monarchies, republics, and more, under a unified Syndicate Council.

Prime Minister Glory is currently the head of the central government. The Syndicate Council relies heavily on a web of subcommittees and red tape to manage the everyday details of the galaxy.[1][5]

Citizens

Syndicate citizens are granted certain rights, though those rights might vary by what system they are in.

Naturally biological citizens are not allowed to have their memories altered (unlike generated NPCs) unless they sign away their rights. [6]

Economy

Capitalism is the general rule in Syndicate space: the means of and rights to production are generally privately owned by corporations, independent governments, and individuals. Citizens may invest and trade in stocks, and the I.R.F. is the galaxy's largest stock exchange.[7]

Credits are the standard unit across the galaxy, and may be transferred digitally or by using the credit card-like credit chits.[8]

Timekeeping

Cycles (also called "solars") are recognized as the Syndicate's standardized equivalent to years, and most likely span approximately 2.25 Earth years. A Syndicate Standard Day is approximately 30 hours and 17.5 seconds.[9]

Culture

Language

Syndicate Standard is generally written and spoken across the galaxy, although star systems, races, religions, cultures, etc. may maintain their own language. Most languages appear to be automatically translated directly in the listener or reader's head by their wetware (also called "implants"), but translation modules may also be sewn into clothing.[10]

Pop Culture

The Crawl Council, a Syndicate Council subcommittee, oversees the massively popular Dungeon Crawler World, although a designated host company is responsible for producing the show. The Syndicate also monitors any production that uses biologically printed NPCs.[11]

The Syndicate has its own logo, a series of loops interwoven together, similar to the Olympic rings. The named trains on the Iron Tangle form the logo. The logo is based on the wormholes linking the Syndicate together. During Mordecai's crawl, the logos were on the Stairwell doors. [12]

History

Many millennia ago, an ancient alien race (most likely primals) distributed Primal Engines across the galaxy, and entire planets eventually grew around the Engines.[13]

The ship Escape Velocity discovered a worm hole to travel to the first system where a Gleener scientific crew was investigating a Primal ship graveyard. The graveyard contained the Vog Generation Ship. A few hundred cycles later, the Syndicate was formed.[12]

When the original Syndicate Council nations first discovered and began to study the then-dormant Primal Engines, they accidentally activated every Primal Engine at once, triggering a chain reaction that lead to overpopulation across the galaxy. After further study, the Syndicate learned how to use Primal Engines to steer and shape development of these "seeded planets" for their own means, and discovered that rare primal elements that could be used as fuel were a "byproduct of the biological overgrowth of the seeded systems."[14][13]

Many years later, Mantids began experimenting with primal technology found in the Hive Home System and determined that Macro AIs were intended to be installed into the Primal Engines of fully matured planets. The Macro AI essentially acts as an "advanced, upgraded operating system," with reality-bending abilities similar to the Eulogist in the center of Syndicate space.[13] When Mantises demanded the ability to field-test Macro AI-generated Enhancement Zones, the Syndicate appointed a subcommittee which ultimately lead to a complex tangle of laws (including the Indigenous Planetary Species Protection Act) and the creation of Dungeon Crawler World.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dinniman, Matt. Dungeon Crawler Carl (Chapter 4)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dinniman, Matt. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Chapter 46)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dinniman, Matt. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Chapter 64)
  4. ↑ Federation. Wikipedia.
  5. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Chapter 8)
  6. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Chapter 3)
  7. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. The Gate of the Feral Gods (Chapter 28)
  8. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. The Butcher's Masquerade (Chapter 25)
  9. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. The Gate of the Feral Gods (Chapter 3)
  10. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. The Gate of the Feral Gods (Epilogue)
  11. ↑ Dinniman, Matt. Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Chapter 3)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Dinniman, Matt. The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Chapter 30)
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Dinniman, Matt. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Chapter 48)
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Dinniman, Matt. The Butcher's Masquerade (Chapter 33)