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“The crew and passengers rallied behind their leadership; and from the thrill and challenges of life on the move in space, grew an unshakable bond.” -Parallel
In the Parallel universe, the human race had to overcome unfathomable odds to survive their exodus from Earth. Despite fracturing into five different groups, each one still found a way to overcome perilous obstacles and keep on living. With these five streams of evolution adding more context to the game’s main storyline, I thought it would be fun to reflect on each Parallel’s emerging lore and archetypes.
Up next in the series is the resourceful Augencore.
Just like the other Parallels we’ve explored so far, the Augencore story is full of remarkable feats and scientific advances. While I reflected on their lore, I was reminded of a classic scene from the epic HBO series Game of Thrones. It takes place in Season 1 when Robert Baratheon is speaking to Cersei Lannister about the possibility of a Dothraki invasion.
“Which is the bigger number, five or one?” King Robert asks her.
“Five,” she reluctantly replies.
Robert holds up one hand and all five fingers. “Five,” he says adamantly.
Then he holds up the other hand and turns it into a fist, swiftly hammering home his point.
“One. One army. A real army. United behind one leader, with one purpose.”
I feel like the Augencore were so strongly united in their fight for survival that, in a way, their ship was their one true leader. Originally called The Fortitude, the crew on board slowly transformed it into a literal titan in the sky. It was built into a god-like machine that not only preserved their civilization’s history but also allowed for their future wealth and prosperity.
Later renamed CAINE-1, the ship was also the harbinger of a technical revolution that brought humans and machines together in unimaginable ways.
In order to produce like a machine, you have to try and think like one. This is no simple task, but since the Augencore’s survival completely depended on it, their behaviors and ways of life shifted drastically. As the artificial gravity on their ship slowly destroyed their bone density and structure, they discovered ways to enhance their relationship with machines.
For example, they designed hydraulic-driven exoskeletons with the capacity to carry heavy weaponry and performance-enhancing modifications. They also enhanced communication operability, became master engineers and metallurgists, and leaned on expert resource-gathering skills to thrive.
I mean, just take a stroll down to the CAINE-1 foundry and take your pick from an endless supply of Upgrades:
Amperage, Cutting Edge, Enhanced Exoskeleton, Graphene Batteries, Instant Replicator, Kethtrexamine, Kill Switch, Ocular Implant, Scanner Array, Trade Secrets, Upcycled Technology.
I’m always partial to the PS-15 cards, so “Keth” and Graphene Batteries are a great reflection of the intense power that bloomed from their collective genius. Their ability to master graphene capacitor technology allowed them to create doomsday machines with deadly precision, and their ability to use tools like Reclamator also provided plenty of raw resources to work with.
Aside from their loyalty to the cause, the Augencore will forever be known for their work ethic. Driven by an innate desire to uphold the legacy of the ancient workers before them, they have sacrificed blood and bone to accomplish their tasks. This unrelenting pursuit is admirable, noble, and intimidating.
It is also the one thing that still makes them human.
The Augencore may be simply labeled as “part machine, part human” by scribes and poets, but as long as they remain united behind the sole purpose of survival, they will never lose the essence of their humanity. This idea was beautifully reflected in the line, “Each was given a funeral befitting a hero.”
While they are clearly heavily mechanized people, the Augencore do not view themselves as serial numbers in a giant factory of workers and pilots. They are a family of passionate and loyal servants, and they will always retain a human’s touch when using their powerful machines to take back earth.
Official Lore: Click here
Landscapes: CAINE-1
Location: Deep Space
Ship: CAINE-1 (formerly The Fortitude)
Paragons: Arak, Jahn, Juggernaut Workshop
Effects: Improvised Projectile, Ship’s Armory, Unfair Advantage
Upgrades: Amperage, Cutting Edge, Enhanced Exoskeleton, Graphene Batteries, Instant Replicator, Kethtrexamine, Kill Switch, Ocular Implant, Scanner Array, Trade Secrets, Upcycled Technology
Card List: Click here
Play Style: Combo / Aggro-Control-Combo