These encyclopedia will serve as a way to document information about the world, special enemies, territories and whatnot.
What is a Gear?
A Gear is a mechanic soldier based on human. As such, they possess many things a human has like organs but with mechanical improvements all around the board like stronger organs, more efficient biological systems. Thanks to the Soul Theory, they also possess the general abilities that humans had, i.e. the generation and controls of objects.
What are the differences between humans and Gears?
The main difference, besides the mechanical bodies, is that Gears technically don't have emotions like humans do. Upon their creation, this became a glaring issue as some had little attachments to humanity as a whole, meaning that if not for their own loyalty, they could have turned on their creators. The second phase of the Gear Project aimed to fix this issue as well as granting the Gears another plethora of abilities, but only two handful of Gears actually received what they were supposed to.
How does one Gear obtain a Drive Disc?
The main way was through R&D divisions inside the Gear's Bases of Operation (GBO). Using the studies conducted by the last scientists, Gears were able to make a Drive Discs (DD) few themselves but they, more often than not, didn't function at all.
Another way is through personal development. While Gears don't have true emotions and/or feelings, that didn't mean they couldn't develop any. This is the longer but guaranteed way to form a DD. This method also helps the first one as using Gears that acquired DD are studied to help the R&D divisions.
There is a third way but it is, by far, the least efficient and luck-based way. Sometimes, Drives just manifest out of nowhere in either a pocket dimension or around the planet. Whoever finds one keeps it.
Are Drive Discs transferable between users?
Generally, no. Once a DD is installed in a Gear, there is no way to extract without killing the user and even if it is extracted, whether or not it is useable is a 50/50 chance in itself. There are cases of DD being transferable but they are kept by High Grade Gears and special Production Zones (PZ).
An alternative is to DD are Drive Weapons (DW), a weapon with the characteristics of a DD that can passed from one user to another. This alternative came to be after the realization that it would take a very long time until DD became remotely possible to mass produce.
A Gear with a Drive generally is unable to use a DW but that depends of the DW itself.
What kind of abilities do Drive Discs give to the user?
There are a lot of varieties to that, it can range from physical amplification, to elemental control, to summoning entities. They cover a lot of categories, each with their own conditions of use and effects.
How are Gears made?
The first one were made using humans as blueprints, essentially transforming the body into a mechanical vessel with the soul serving as a power source. Nowadays, only Gears who have Drives are used as models for the creation of new Gears. High Grades can put on special requests if they want to, that is how some squads and special groups are made.
What are the different types of Gear, what are their characteristics?
Executioner, Constructor, Manipulator, Accelerator, Ravager, Detector, Weapon-Meister, Deceit, Serpent and Umbra. Out of these ten, the first five are the originals. The following are improvements on one aspect of the original, a different build for a specific fighting style or an entire new archetype that mixes elements of other ones. All Gears have Soul-Vents (SVs) across their bodies to be able to use their SE and an Add-on that is characteristic to the archetype. The SVs are usually the size of straw but for each archetype comes a different size.
Executioners are a heavy-hitter, using large amount of Soul Energy to bolster their offense, defense and mobility. At low grade, the use of weapons is recommended. The main weakness of an Executioner is the lack of efficiency when using SE, which makes the archetype generally bad in long fights. The armor on their arm, which is also their Add-on, is used to both help control and use the Execution-Mode. Their SVs are overall larger across the entirety of their body.
Constructors are supporters mostly, forming walls and barriers of SE to trap, attack an enemy or help their allies with their constructs. Their SVs are larger in their shoulders, and gets progressively larger in their forearms, wrists and hands. Their Add-ons are long metallic gloves that reach to the middle of their forearms and their vizors, which grant them the Hyper-Construction Mode. Although they share one skill or two with Manipulators, they are not built for straight combat.
Manipulators are masters at condensing SE to blast their enemies and control their environment. They are the best at long range, can also hold their own in medium and close range and they only archetypes that can also levitate. Their SVs are focused on their arms. the same as Constructors, but also their legs. Their Add-ons only consist of gloves that stop only at their wrists. Their main weakness is their frailty, they can handle themselves against weaker opponents or foes with low durability but against durable ones, this archetype struggles a lot.
Accelerators are all about speed, they can cover immense distance in short time and are known to blitz enemies, assaulting them so fast that they barely react. Their SVs are enlarged in their legs and their Add-on are mini propulsors embedded in their heels. They can boost themselves even more with Projection Mode. The main weakness of the archetype is the lack of actual strength, if they are unable to use their speed, they are by far the weakest.
Ravagers are hand-to-hand masters with some medium range capabilities. Their fists are powerful enough to smash through ranks of enemies with little difficulty. Their SVs are mainly focused in their muscles and skeletal structure, their Add-On are knuckles-reinforced gloves and they have a special application of SE called Flare that empowers their fists. The main problem of the archetype is the lack of range.
Detector is the first archetype derived from original archetypes, namely Manipulator and Constructor. They play support for the majority but they can also operate solo. They have senses far more sensitive than any other archetype, which lets them see, hear or feel through walls and barriers alike. Their SVs are focused on the nerves and different sensory organs, their Add-On is their monocle-like lens that replace the left eye. Even though they are capable on their own, they are still supporters, so they are best when coupled with other archetypes as they are decently frail.
Weapon-Meister is a derivative archetype from Executioner and Ravager and also the first to have tailored SVs per user of the archetype. They abandoned the armored arm and a different, more refined SE usage for themselves and the weapon they wield, which offers them great versatility, mobility, offense and defense. Because of that, the archetype is locked to only weapon type. Their Add-on are exposed mechanical spine that goes up to the arms or legs. Like the Ravager, they have the ability to Flare, granting their weapon an extra power boost and other properties that are unique to the archetype. Their main issue would be if they encounter a specific enemy made to counter them, as they would lack the tools to properly fight them.
Deceit are masters at fooling an enemy, mixing in different movements and forms to throw off an opponent or to bring their focus at the wrong spot or time. They are derivative purely of Executioners. They have a lighter version of the armored arm, which grants them less protection but more maneuverability. They fight by using moves of other archetypes alongside their own, fusing hand-to-hand with weapon usage, and unlike Weapon-Meisters, they are not locked to a singular weapon type. This archetype is quite adaptable to enemies who think they have them figured out. Their principal is their frailty as they are the most fragile archetype out there, which can be a problem since they don't have range capabilities and thus only operate at close range. Their SVs are like Executioners, only smaller in size.
Serpents are similar to Deceits in the way that use moves from other archetypes to fool the enemy but the biggest difference between the two is Serpents' abilities to sap their opponent's strengths for themselves while preventing whatever is in front of them to regain said strengths. They are derived from Accelerator, Manipulator and Ravager. This archetype relies solely on their fists and legs to fight as their Add-on is located on their knuckles and feet. Like Deceits, this archetype is harder to use than most others, plus it lacks the ranged capabilities known to Manipulators.
Umbra is the newest archetype, focused on agility, mobility and stealth. Their Add-On is a set of small daggers especially made to work with them. They push opponents away to then appear behind to strike or disengage if need be, which makes them almost impossible to catch. They are capable to make quick attacks, hit incredibly hard or switch in and ally. This archetype requires a bit of planning to use properly.
What are Grades and Ranks?
Grades are a way to quantify a Gear or a Starless' strength. Ranks are roles the positions and qualification occupied. As time goes on, the terms for a specific Grade is redefined.
What are the known Grades and Ranks?
For both Gears and Starless, Grades go from 4, 3, 2, Semi-1, 1, Semi-Special, Special and Maximum.
Ranks for Gears are as follow: Trainee (T), Member (M), Vice-Leader (VL), Leader (L), Master (M), Grand Master (GM).
Starless are ranked by Threat Grade, which is how much of a danger they are.