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Last week I dropped a poll on Inside the Lines asking followers to choose a category for our next lore deep dive. Characters surged ahead right away and never relinquished the lead, so as promised, I’ve cooked up a simple “Character Codex” series for the community.
At the very least, I hope this gives you a solid reference point for Parallel’s growing character base heading into the Aftermath drop. It also builds on the content we’ve shared over the past two months. For those of you who are new to ITL, here’s a quick recap of our lore explorations to date.
We started by sharing the skins and titles for all 15 Paragons, followed by our pilot stream on The Game Cellar. Then we dove deeper into Issues 1-4 of The Priming comic series, including some interviews with GL that Parallel shared on their socials. Our Native Language trivia series revealed some die-hard lore goblins, and #ParallelComics contest had tons of unreal entries as well.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce our next community-driven contest in early November, one that we think everyone will love. We also plan to share some early details regarding the 2024 Prime Wiki Awards around the same time.
If you haven’t seen our annual awards project yet, you can view the 2023 PWA website here.
Since this is the first part of a new series, I’ll start with some good ol’ disclaimooors.
With those out of the way, let’s channel our lore goblin energy and dig into the Augencore character codex!
The Augencore may be more machine than man, but that doesn’t mean they lack complex emotions and motivations. Still, due to their reliance on mechanical engineering, automation, and heavy artillery, expect fewer characters compared to a more prolific lineage like the Marcolian or Kathari.
To date, we’ve had very little exposure to Augencore society. Most of what we’ve learned so far comes from Issue 4 of the comic, which I explore a bit more below. Remember, if you ever want to read a comic before purchasing your own copy, just message me.
One thing we’re quickly learning is that two key leadership figures, Arak and Jahn, appear to have polar opposite personalities. Arak is a war-seeking Combat Overseer, while Jahn is a peace-seeking Chief Engineer. Regardless of how long they’ve been at odds with each other, the tension surrounding CAINE-1’s future is reaching a boiling point.
As mentioned earlier, the Augencore way of life is featured in Issue 4 of The Priming, and to a lesser degree in Issue 5.
Not only do we get a solid glimpse of life aboard CAINE-1, but we also see their growing sense of urgency to find a solution to their slowly creeping demise. Simply put, the Augencore either need to find a way to survive or make one.
Issues 4 and 5 of the comic also provide a solid glimpse at the internal conflict within the Augencore leadership circle.
For some additional context, we can point to Jahn gifting the Citrine Rose ship to the Earthen, which is a significant and poignant olive branch.
Jahn’s peaceful act most likely plays a key role in the rising friction with Arak, who simply wants to fight his way to victory. Jahn is clearly on the opposite end of the spectrum and “strives not for Augencore dominance, but for the peace and prosperity of all those in the system.”
Since he’s rumored to be around 1,000 years old, I’m sure some believe that Jahn is simply getting too “soft” in his old age.
On the flip side, Arak’s flavor text reinforces his thirst for blood:
“The Augencore prefer to take care of their business aboard their colossal ships. When they make planetfall, it’s up to the fervent Combat Overseer to take the reigns. Even those within his own ranks whisper of his madness, and that his love for battle verges on an obsession.”
The fact that Arak’s lore directly references Planetfall proves that he’s ready to unleash fire, steel, and blood on his enemies. Meanwhile, the connection between Jahn and the Earthen leaders appears to be rife with [trade] secrets.
There’s plenty more to unpack, but for now, it’s great to see this glimpse of the Augencore leaders, their emerging character base, and the multiple divisions that exist within the confines of CAINE-1. Their lore is still in its infancy, but what we’ve seen already hints at a much more complex, robust, and cutthroat society waiting to be discovered.
Arak, Combat Overseer
Jahn, Chief Engineer
Juggernaut Workshop
Adaptive Tactician
Arak’s Loyal Hammers
Assembly Foreman
Automation Expert
Bionic Tweaker
Cestmir, Descendant of CAINE
Forlorn Companion
Foundry Technician
Hardlinked Pilot
Heroic Pilot
Innovative Apprentice
Ishkur, Arak’s Enforcer
Jahn’s First Ring Engineer
Remote Explosives Operator
Resourceful Smith
Scrapheap Salvager
Security Officer
SMR Technician
T.A.L.I. Raider
Workshop’s Forward Assembly Mechanic
Zealous Machinist
If you’re new to Parallel and haven’t explored the game’s basic lore, below is a series I wrote for Prime.Wiki a few years ago. Disclaimer: Always refer to Parallel’s official website for the latest version of the lore.
Inside the Lines is a program dedicated to Parallel lore. If you are interested in contributing, please reach out at @Goldy_TGG. Don’t forget to follow @PrimeWiki so you don’t miss future posts from Inside the Lines. If you’d like to play Parallel, use our referral link!