Imagine you're born in a world where monsters used to be people.
A world where using magic was once common -- until everything went wrong.
Now, people live in walled towns. Technology is stuck somewhere around the early 2000s. And outside the walls? There are Rogues -- mutated, dangerous beings who were once human, but lost themselves to power they couldn't control.
That's where the Core System comes in.
Every person has a core in their body -- specifically, in the center of the chest, around the solar plexus. For most people, that core stays dormant forever. But under the right conditions -- usually by drinking a rare, dangerous potion -- a person's core can awaken. (Though you could still awaken it without drinking a potion if you train hard enough.)
When it does, that person gains access to something called an archetype.
Archetypes:
An archetype is like a class or role, but based on myth and personality. You choose it -- but if your archetype is far from your personality -- your body splits and turns rogue.
Most common potion types:
Knight – Protective, strong, honorable.
Scout – High stamina, fast, acrobatic
Healer – Support, intellegent, weak on combat.
Beast – Instinctual, aggressive, deeply physical, infectious when has rabies and rogue.
Vampire – Bloodthirsty, aggresive, burns in the sun, infectious when bites.
Your archetype affects your powers, your fighting style, and how your core evolves.
Core Stages:
Stage 0: Unawakened
Normal human. No access to core powers.
Stage 1: Awakening
Physical abilities increase (strength, reflexes, perception).
Can use Flux -- a type of energy (like mana) that flows from the core.
Gain basic archetype abilities.
Can store small, simple objects in the core space (like a dagger or coin).
Stage 2: Projection
The user gains an invisible spirit form that can act separately or enhance the body.
Can project Flux outside the body (for attacks, defenses, illusions, etc).
Illusions or effects based on archetype start to develop.
The user also gains spirit vision, meaning they can see rift monsters, invisible rogues and spirit body users.
Stage 3: Realm
User gains a personal, inner world where time and space behave differently.
Can train safely inside it.
But emotional instability can corrupt this realm and cause Rifts -- dangerous tears in reality that spawn monsters based on fear or trauma.
Stage 4: Domain
The user can bring their Spirit Realm into the real world.
Inside this Domain, they are in full control of the rules -- stronger, faster, and harder to beat.
Very few ever reach this level.
What Happens When You Die?
When an awakened user dies, their core doesn't vanish right away. It crystallizes for a short time -- and can be taken. These cores are dangerous but valuable. People use them in rituals, as power sources, or even try to implant them.
This is illegal. And very risky. But that doesn't stop some people.
That's the basics.
There are more details -- like special potions, rare archetypes, and what Rogues really are -- but this is enough to understand the system.