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SINCE 1754

Rift Phenomena and Awakened Overview

A modern fantasy world where Rifts, Sentinels, and Guides exist.

The first Rift was recorded in 1754 near the Ohio Country in North America. Since then, similar phenomena have been confirmed worldwide, and some humans exposed to the Gate wavelengths emitted from Rifts have undergone mutations. In modern times, these mutants are classified as Sentinels and Guides.

New Rifts continue to appear. Simultaneously, many Rifts and their encroachments, which have persisted for decades to centuries, also exist. Depending on the region, they are utilized as disaster management sites, resource origins, protected areas, research sites, industrial zones, or living spaces.

Awakened Basic Information

Sentinels — Humans who have manifested supernatural abilities due to mutations from Gate wavelengths. The manifestation forms vary individually, including physical/sensory enhancement, elemental abilities, search/tracking/empathy, and spatial/material manipulation.

Ability Consumption — With repeated use, output and precision decrease, leading to activation failure and temporary inability to use abilities. This does not result in berserking or death.

Ranks — Classified from D to S class based on maximum output, control, and duration. This does not imply superiority in ability type.

Guides — Mutants who stabilize the effects of accumulated Gate wavelengths in Sentinels, restoring their ability operational status.

Guiding — Achieved through physical contact. Efficiency varies depending on the contact area, duration, and compatibility. It is not a means of life support, nor is it structured to only guide specific individuals.

Awakened Society

The terms Sentinel and Guide are modern classifications. In Eastern cultures, ability users were historically perceived as beings related to supernatural powers. Some organizations centered around martial lineages, families, and master-disciple relationships evolved into modern sects and clans.

In Western cultures, depending on the nature of the abilities and the era, they were called wizards, healers, witches, or blessed knights. Old guilds, originating from knightly orders, monster-hunting parties, and mercenary groups, also exist.

Currently, traditional sects and guilds, corporate guilds, family organizations, specialized companies, non-profit organizations, and freelancers coexist. Simply being an ability user does not obligate one to belong to a specific government agency. Government and local administrations are involved in laws, safety, quarantine, and Rift management.

Rift Progression Stages

Within Rifts, unique environments, ecosystems, and physical laws exist. If Rifts are left unattended, their internal laws can influence reality, expanding the encroachment range.

Stage 1: Opening — The state where reality and the interior of the Rift are connected. External changes are limited.

Stage 2: Leakage — Changes occur in temperature, humidity, vegetation, fauna, soil, and water quality.

Stage 3: Encroachment — The reality space itself begins to transform according to the Rift's laws.

Stage 4: Solidification — The boundary between reality and the Rift is virtually lost. Even after closure, the transformed environment does not revert to its original state.

Anchors and Closure

Anchors refer to points that fix the Rift's unique laws to reality. Living organisms, plants, colonies, minerals, landforms, multiple dispersed points, or specific conditions can function as anchors.

Rift closure is achieved by neutralizing or separating the anchors from the Rift. Destruction of the anchor is not always necessary; capture, relocation, sealing, or recovery may be employed.

The results of the operation are categorized as complete closure, partial closure, containment, management transfer, or withdrawal. Cases where encroachment progression has been suppressed for a long period through partial closure are also evaluated as valid achievements.

Assessment and Closure Difficulty

Assessors estimate the internal environment and anchors by investigating external climatic, ecological, material, and spatial changes around the Rift, as well as Gate wavelengths.

Rift records separately document the encroachment stage, anchor type, and closure difficulty. These three items are independent criteria.

Stage 2 / Dispersed Type / Closure Difficulty B

Results compiled solely from external investigations are considered provisional assessments, while results after internal investigation are confirmed assessments. The difference between provisional and confirmed ratings is not considered an assessment error.

Rift Fauna

Rift fauna is a general term for creatures originating from the Rift's internal ecosystem. It includes predator species, herbivore species, edible species, domesticated species, and protected species. Separate monster strength ratings are not used.

If independent reproduction in reality is possible, they can be classified as settled species. If they have been integrated into the local ecosystem for decades or more, they can be classified as endemic species. Management standards for the same species vary according to regional ecology and laws.

The long-tailed deer is an endemic protected species. In some regions, traces of past hybridization with Rift species have been found in native livestock, and certain breeds have been analyzed to have approximately 18% of their genome originating from Rift species.

There is no confirmed explanation to date regarding the high biochemical compatibility between Rift fauna and Earth life.

Living, Industry, and Management Rights

Stabilized encroached areas are used as farmland, protected areas, tourist sites, research sites, and industrial zones. Biological resources, minerals, special materials, and the environment itself obtained from Rifts can form the basis of regional industries.

Rifts can be granted administrative statuses such as closure, management, preservation, or industrial use. These are not physical classifications and are subject to change based on policy and regional circumstances.

Management rights involve government, local authorities, residents, sects, guilds, and corporations. Conflicts arise in cases where customary rights of organizations that have managed an area for a long time clash with contractual rights under modern law.

Emergency Incidents

Situations that cannot be immediately addressed by existing procedures may arise, such as unexpected activation of conditional anchors, rapid shifts in encroachment boundaries, anchor resonance, large-scale movement of settled species, or chain collapses during closure operations.

In emergency situations, on-site response takes priority. After the situation is resolved, re-assessment, accident investigation, responsibility determination, compensation, and adjustments to management standards are carried out.

The player's ability possession and occupation can be freely set.

Sentinel · Guide · Non-ability user / Rift-related occupation · General occupations are all possible