An original story and concept created by Luphorics. In development since 2019.
Introduction
Welcome to the lore site for my original concept, GENESIS/CODE, a story that blends the genres of cyberpunk, biopunk, and supernatural fiction. This is a personal project that has been in development since 2019 and has gone through multiple incarnations of storytelling, from a short-lived webcomic to a visual novel. As the lore has changed throughout the years, GENESIS/CODE currently doesn't have a main storytelling medium and will remain that way until future plans are set in stone.Do note that a lot of the information here is subject to change. This site can be temporarily taken down whenever I feel like it in order to undergo rework before it goes back up for public viewing.
Things to Keep in Mind
These are generally some little tidbits about my concept among other things, such as what you can and can't do when it comes to engaging with my personal project.
This is a concept in development, so not everything has been solidified and/or perfected. Some things haven't been fully clarified either, besides general lore, so bear with me if there are any unanswered questions.
Please do not criticize my project unless I ask for it. The only exception is if you catch anything that could potentially be viewed as harmful or inaccurate. In that case, please let me know ASAP and kindly educate me where it applies.
If you don't like my project only because you don't like it or any general aspect of it, I sadly cannot appease you, and I won't change my story to fit what you like. This is my project and not yours; keep that in mind.
I'm on the iffy side of people making OCs based in my world for a multitude of reasons. However, my biggest reason is due to interference with the lore of existing characters (which can be a doozy to accommodate, especially with numerous characters not made by me). Additionally, this concept still isn't complete, so it'd already be difficult to try and make a character for my world without too much context. To be safe, please do not make your own characters for my world until I'm ready for it.
Summary
In the nation of Elys Prime, a bizarre event known as The Convergence caused the merging of both the real and a metaphysical "other" world. New lands and life appeared where they once didn’t exist, causing multiple instances of panic and concern throughout the country. However, for overzealous lots such as the powerful ApotheoCorp (APCorp), these new resources acted as their blueprint to further their goals in innovation. Ever since then, the citizens have not lived a day where the world wasn’t constantly changing before their eyes.Many years later, a covert task force known as Quantum was founded in the shadows. A team of exceptional agents was tasked with the goal of defending the world from threats caused by the Convergence. At the same time, they devoted their efforts to trying to uncover the secrets of the other world that chose their own planet as its home.Recently, however, a new phenomenon caused a small population of people to develop a mutation of sorts. While it was harmless at first, the adverse effects rapidly took over. It wouldn’t be long until they turned into uncanny horrors with no traces of humanity left. Elys Prime was then put into a state of emergency while attempts were made to eradicate the mutants. In the aftermath of the chaos, APCorp managed to obtain samples from some of the mutants’ bodies. It was here that they discovered a strange anomaly that implanted itself in the codons of human DNA.The mutation was later dubbed the "Genesis Code", with APCorp reasoning that the isolated mutation—once properly altered under their work—would be "the origin of human evolution". Furthermore, the mutants were given the name "Zeniths" for their extraordinary capabilities. The worldview was divided: some saw the corporation as a pioneer toward a greater future. Others were wary of APCorp's dubious intentions and what could possibly happen once their altered version of the Genesis Code reaches the public.Quantum, on the other hand, is aware that APCorp has more sinister plans set in stone. Besides their whole promise of evolution, word has gotten around that they intend to produce their own biological weapons using the mutation. In an effort to thwart their harmful plans, Quantum has begun focusing their own research on the Genesis Code, hopefully to find a way to undo its effects.
Settings and Entities
Elysia
This is the planet on which all of the recurring events have been taking place. Around a few centuries ago, the planet was discovered by an international space exploration team. Besides the apparent lack of any other life at the time, the conditions of the planet were practically similar to those of Earth, with the exception of the limited number of landmasses where mankind could settle. Years later, a living system was established, as the grouped landmasses would come to be known under a single nation: Elys Prime. Plans were then organized for the first group of humans to settle there, but not without assistance from Earth during its first few years. However, it didn't take too long until Elys Prime was provided with all the resources needed to run autonomously. Assistance from Earth had slowed down by then, but the planet was placed under the newly formed Cosmos Protectorate which recognized Elysia as Earth territory and also provided them with a democracy.As of now, it is currently the only planet other than Earth that has human life thriving on it.
Elys Prime
The main country of Elysia consists of four closely-grouped landmasses known as districts. However, due to The Convergence, new lands have formed where they once didn't exist. The four main districts are known as Apex, Gloss, Illustria, and Cyris. Each district is greatly urbanized and consists of a vast amount of cultures due to the earliest inhabitants carrying their customs over from Earth.Apex is known to be the nation's "heart of innovation," as the place is more or less a massive industrial park. It is also home to the powerful research lab-turned-megacorporation known as ApotheoCorp (APCorp), which has been influencing the lives of the Elysian citizens due to its acquisition of multiple subsidiaries since its rise to power. The worldview is divided on APCorp's reputation: some see them as the doorway to the pinnacle of technology, while others are wary considering their dubious intentions and history of controversies. Unfortunately, those who are caught in their tangles have a hard time finding a way out, as their services are the only things they can generally rely on.The organization known as Quantum has their main headquarters situated on an unknown island far off from the nation. They were formed for the purpose of protecting the nation against threats caused by The Convergence as well as piecing together the mystery of the other world. More recently, they've been attempting to find a way to reverse the Genesis Code in order to combat APCorp's plan of weaponizing the mutation. Although Quantum's existence is known to some degree by the public, no one has figured out the exact location of their bases or the identities of the various agents working for them.
The Badlands
During the first phase of The Convergence, new landmasses began to materialize on the northern side of the planet. The environment there was initially safe, despite the eerie appearance, and several expeditions were sent off in order to study the new area. Alas, not many answers could be found as there was no prior knowledge of this "other world" ever existing. Furthermore, various places were found inscribed with a foreign language that couldn't be translated. There were plans to later expand the Elysian population further into these areas, but after the second phase introduced supernatural life, it became risky to even try.As the third phase approached, expeditions were halted due to the now toxic atmosphere. This appeared as a strange, reflective sheen that formed within and around the edges of the land. The territory was deemed uninhabitable and dangerous, and by word of the Cosmos Protectorate, the lands were declared forbidden to access. After the third phase, a barrier was built to separate the area from the rest of Elys Prime, which later became known informally as the Badlands.
The Convergence
The Convergence is a worldwide phenomenon that took place 30 years prior to the present day. Although it's unknown what exactly started it, it's hypothesized and heavily implicated to be the merging of a metaphysical "other" world with the real world. The event began when mirage-like illusions flickered across the planet. Following this, the entire nation experienced a blackout and a number of very brief earthquakes lasting an entire day. Over the three decades following the preliminary incident, significant events gradually reshaped the environment in a series of phases.Three phases have occurred since the start of the Convergence, and it's currently unknown whether any more changes will occur.
Phase I
The appearance of new land and flora across the planet. The land was home to otherworldly structures (which gave strong signs that a civilization of sorts existed, but no life was found), floating islands, and peculiar flora. Some of the said changes also happened within the nation: vegetation began growing along the streets or wherever nature was present. Each district also obtained a strange, indestructible monolith covered with foreign runes. Their purpose remains unknown.
Phase II
New life, in the form of supernatural creatures, materialized on the planet. Though they first appeared in the area that would later come to be known as the Badlands, they managed to find their way into the districts. This caused widespread panic, and efforts were made to drive them back to the land they came from. However, not all of the creatures were hostile. Seeing as there were too many to handle, humankind was eventually left to coexist with them.
Over time, many of the creatures were domesticated and now live peacefully with humans. However, some of the much larger and more hostile ones still remained on the outskirts.
Phase III
The most recent phase involved a small population of humans developing a genetic mutation. It caused them to exhibit unnatural physical changes as well as the ability to control an unknown power. However, the mutation proved to be potent, and it didn't take long until the affected humans went haywire from the overwhelming changes. Ultimately, they lost their humanity and began to terrorize the districts. Elys Prime was placed into a state of emergency while the mutants were being fought off.
In the aftermath, a strange energy that resonated from the monoliths ended the peril. The mutants and a number of the hostile creatures entered a trance state before migrating to the Badlands. Since then, they've never returned. A barrier was built to separate the now highly toxic and dangerous region from the rest of the nation.
The Zeniths
Zeniths are the names given to the mutated humans by ApotheoCorp. It's a rather ironic name, as the megacorp marvels over their extraordinary abilities, which were gained at the cost of their own lives. Zeniths came to exist due to a genetic mutation that suddenly appeared in their DNA, and the changes occurred rapidly. In the early stages of the mutation, it would appear as though branches of light were overtaking certain parts of a person's body. Over time, those branches began to overtake the body further, altering human behavior and causing their physiology to change into something seemingly uncanny. Finally, the cycle concludes with the complete loss of humanity.Zeniths possessed enhanced abilities such as inhuman strength and agility, and such skills were far beyond what technology could help accomplish. They also had some degree of a supernatural power that allowed them to alter the behavior of the creatures, thus bringing back the effects of the second phase. Even some domesticated creatures that had long been docile suddenly became violent, but not all were affected so long as they weren't in close vicinity of a Zenith.ApotheoCorp plans to crack down on the secrets of the mutation in order to alter it for the purpose of "evolution", and so they coined it the "Genesis Code". Quantum and other skeptics, however, are aware of their dubious intentions. There are heavy suspicions that they could weaponize the mutation and possibly bring humankind to its downfall if they're too careless.Ever since the end of the third phase, all Zeniths have retreated to the Badlands and no further mutations have occurred. Despite the barrier being built, many citizens still live in fear that they might have grown in number since their disappearance. It's even possible that they could return out of the blue.
The Genesis Code
It is an enigma on its own, telling a story of both wonders and horrors. In short, it's a mutation discovered within the DNA sequence of a human; it is the propagator of the Zeniths. How it manifested is unknown, other than the monoliths being responsible for its appearance. The other peculiar thing is that not every human in the population was affected by this mutation, nor did it seem transmittable. APCorp is currently studying the mutation's properties and altering it in a way that would allow it to be safely spliced into DNA. If successful, they would achieve a major breakthrough in bioengineering.Whoever was originally affected by the Code met a cruel fate by chance. However, unbeknownst to APCorp and most of the public, there exists one person whose fate was not so unlucky.
And Then There Was One...
Though it seems they're no longer within the walls of the nation, Quantum has recently acquired a rookie agent by the name of Sione Kalani, who is revealed to be a Zenith that didn't fully succumb to the Genesis Code's adverse mutations. He possesses most of the characteristics seen with them, but with a clear number of differences:
The biggest one is that he evidently retains all sense of humanity.
Unlike the rest of the Zeniths who couldn't control the rapid changes of their bodies, he's able to change the physiology of his body at will and weaponize it. For example, he appears capable of shifting his right arm into dangerous tendrils, which can also harden together to become a blade.
Sione seems to have a number of other unexplored supernatural abilities besides what was just witnessed by the Zeniths during the third phase.
Sione can somewhat understand the otherworldly runes and translate them. However, it's unknown if the other Zeniths could do that despite their rampant behavior.
Sione is the only known individual with this condition, and knowing that APCorp would see him as the perfect lab rat to further their shady research, Quantum has placed him under heavy protection.
Timeline
Latest time periods appear on the top. However, events from within each time period are ordered from the earliest being up top to the latest being towards the end.
2200s
2256
December 15: Carolyn-Jean Mae is born
2257
Convergence Phase I begins: Citizens began witnessing flickering "mirages" within the the city, with some even claiming to have briefly hallucinated another world when they looked beyond the sea. Not too long after, a worldwide blackout and a series of brief earthquakes lasted for a whole day.
After power was restored, the first phase of the Convergence had already completed. New lands were discovered beyond the sea as well as peculiar changes within the nation. One such example is the sudden appearance of strange monoliths located in the outskirts of every district.
Between this time and before the second phase, several expeditions granted by the Cosmos Protectorate were sent out to explore the vast unknown lands. The discovery of several ruins, foreign scripts, and murals provided proof of a civilization. However, no life was found. It was hypothesized that a metaphysical world merged with the real world, but how exactly that began for what reason remains a mystery.
Extensive research (especially by ApotheoCorp) was done on the new environment, but
2259
July 8: Elijah Oliveira is born
September 19: The Park twins (Hyun-Woo and Song-Hee) are born
2260
April 24: Xuan Yen Tran is born
June 21: Tahmina Farahmand is born
2261
August 17: Amani Kimetto Maiyo is born
2262
October 22: Sione Kalani is born
2275
Carolyn joins the Elysian Aegis as a soldier straight out of high school.
2278
Convergence Phase II begins: The second phase of the Convergence begins. Aegis soldiers standing on lookout
2279
Hyun-Woo joins Caduceus First Response as a paramedic.
Amani begins her professional career as a singer at Quicksilver Records, a music label co-owned by APCorp.
2280
Carolyn excels in their performance and accomplishments ever since joining the Aegis, and so much so that they earn the rank of Captain at an astonishingly young age.
2281
Tahmina is employed at APCorp's R&D team to assist in the creation of future technology and services via the resources obtained from the Badlands.
Not even long after Carolyn is promoted to Captain, a fellow lieutenant's death sparks controversies of fabrications regarding the incident. Having lost complete faith in the Aegis despite fruitless efforts of clearing up the situation, Carolyn gives up their rank and parts ways with the army.
2282
Quantum is formed sometime shortly before Phase III by a mysterious figure named Upsilon. Within the operation are the earliest set of field agents, an otherwise small team sent to gather intel from various landmarks around Elys Prime that were changed by the Convergence. At this time, their main goal was to formulate a clear understanding behind the other world that merged with Elysia, while also protecting the nation from any remaining threats that originated from the Convergence. A few of their operatives also included former APCorp associates who were willing to divulge sensitive information, and so on a great degree, many of them oppose the megacorporation.
Convergence Phase III begins: The third phase begins not too long after the second. Eerie sounds originating from the monoliths began to play, sending a pulse of energy across the nation. Nothing seemed to occur for the first few days, until a small number of citizens spoke out about strange sensations and "something growing on their bodies".
Over the course of a week, these humans slowly began to exhibit unusual behavior, along with the growth that quickly took over. Several medical labs offered to quarantine the affected while looking for a cure. However, they began to exhibit unstable behavior, making results difficult to come by.
Hyun-Woo was assigned to rush infected citizens to hospitals. However, one such citizen suddenly began exhibiting heightened levels of violence while inside the ambulance. She managed to break out of her gurney and attack the crew, killing his partner while another fled the scene. Hyun-Woo was ultimately left for dead until he was miraculously rescued by Commander Hasegawa and a team of Quantum agents. Among one of the agents is a recently-recruited Carolyn.
By the end of the week, the quarantined humans had already turned into uncanny horrors with inhuman abilities. Any semblance of their humanity was lost. Without any regard to reasoning, they broke out of confinement and went berserk. If any creatures were present, docile or not, the mutated were seemingly able to control them into joining their rampage. The nation was immediately put into a state of emergency.
Hyun-Woo, feeling betrayed and also disturbed by the deaths of the others, chooses to become an agent for Quantum. After informing the rest of his family of his whereabouts, he's trained by the organization as a combat medic.
2287
Present day/current events of the story (~Late February)
2100s
Pardon the dust! This page is still being refined at the moment.
Main Characters
The story primarily revolves around a seven-man squad of agents named Team Solaris who work for Quantum. Keep in mind that these are condensed descriptions and obviously do not tell the full extent of their lore. Such information will be elaborated in a future section.
Carolyn
Xuan Yen
Sione
Carolyn-Mae Lagana
30 years old | December 15th, 2256 | They/She
The head of the team and a former captain of the nation's army, the Elysian Aegis. Carolyn was considered a prodigy in the Aegis for having claimed her rank at a young age. However, they immediately parted ways after an incident left them in bad standing with the army. Shortly thereafter, she was scouted by Upsilon and her associates to become one of the first set of agents for Quantum. Despite being one of the youngest founding members with an opportunity of becoming a higher-up, they opted to become a squad leader instead. Cool and collected, it's often hard to tell what Carolyn could be thinking or feeling. However, their strong sense of leadership coupled with their team's strong bond shows that they're not someone without mercy or care.
Quyen Tran
26 years old | April 24th, 2260 | She/her
Underground DJ during the night, and a socialite by day. Quyen was briefly apart of the renown Meridian Industries before APCorp acquired its businesses. She and her fellow employees were forcefully laid off after participating in a strike against APCorp's takeover. In the end, she was able to pursue a better calling in the world of EDM. With her family's money, she took on the alias Trax and began her vibrant crusade, producing mind-permeating music with anti-APCorp themes. She joined Quantum sometime later, after they offered to take in some of the workers who had lost their jobs. Xuan Yen is considered the team's dynamo and carries an air of confidence and friendliness wherever she goes.
Sione Kalani
24 years old | October 22nd, 2262 | He/him
A kind-hearted university student who is also the newest member of Team Solaris. He is actually a Zenith, one of the few members of the human population affected by the Genesis Code. However, he is the only documented individual who did not succumb to the adverse effects of the mutation. Ever since Quantum took him in for his protection, he's been the talk of the town, although others are understandably wary about his condition and the chances that he could possibly lose control. Either way, he hopes he can provide help with Quantum's own research and possibly have some of his questions answered.
Amani Kimetto Maiyo
25 years old | August 17th, 2261 | She/her
Better known as Mila Muse by the public, Amani is a rising singer in the popstar scene. Of course, nobody technically knows that as she is represented by a virtual avatar per suggestion of her music label. [WIP]
Hyun-Woo Park
27 years old | September 19th, 2259 | He/they
Coffee is always the way to an insomniac's heart, or so he's at least trying to recover from it. Hyun-Woo was a former paramedic for Caduceus First Response. He played a major part in the Convergence's third phase as he helped rush citizens to hospitals for quarantining, and nearly at the cost of his own life due to their increasing violence. He's also one of the earliest agents of Quantum, having been rescued by Commander Hasegawa and her strike team after being left for dead in a Zenith attack. He now acts as a combat medic for Team Solaris, always being the one his team counts on for patching them up. Needless to say, he's pretty damn good at his job.
Tahmina Farahmand
26 years old | June 21st, 2260 | She/her
WIP
Elijah Soares Oliveira
27 years old | July 8th, 2259 | He/him
WIP
Pardon the dust! This page is still being refined at the moment.
Quantum
Upsilon
56 years old | ??? | She/her | Director of Quantum
Joaquin Serrano
45 years old | ??? | He/him | Quantum Commander
Kadri Hasegawa
40 years old | ??? | She/her | Quantum Second-in-Command
Phurim Heang
60 years old | ??? | He/him | Research Director of Quantum
ORACLE
5 years in operation | 2282 | Any pronouns | AI Computer System of Quantum
ApotheoCorp
Cedric Zachary
63 years old | ??? | He/him | CEO of ApotheoCorp
Serena Zachary
32 years old | ??? | He/him | COO of ApotheoCorp & Cedric's daughter
Alicia D'agostino
41 years old | ??? | He/him | Executive Assistant of APCorp
Citizens of Elys Prime
Sudiksha Baral
26 years old | ??? | She/they | Journalist
Jae-Hee Park
27 years old | September 19th, 2259 | She/her | Café Owner
Spotify Playlists
Side A
Side B
Work in Progress
Pardon the dust! This page is still being refined at the moment. Check back soon!