Numenera

Numenera takes place in the Ninth World, a far-future Earth built atop the remnants of eight prior world-spanning civilizations that mastered reality-bending technologies: nanotech, dimensional engineering, artificial intelligences, and godlike machines. Magic level: Appears high, but is actually misunderstood technology, nano technology, portals, invisible radio or other communications, etc Technology level: Incredibly advanced, but fragmented and poorly understood Unique elements: Devices no one knows how to build, only activate Artifacts that may work once, malfunction, or rewrite reality A society living in the shadow of impossible pasts People do not invent much—they salvage, adapt, and survive.

The known setting is the Steadfast, a loosely unified region ruled by nine kingdoms, surrounded by untamed and bizarre lands called the Beyond. Key regions and features include: Vast plains littered with ancient ruins Living mountains, shifting deserts, and impossible landscapes Buried cities and structures larger than continents Invisible energy fields and automated systems still running after millions of years The Steadfast (macro) Nine kingdoms, loosely unified Borders are ideological more than military Roads exist because ancient systems allow them to exist Qi (micro, espionage focus) Qi is built atop layered ruins, not one ruin. Districts (use these in play) The Glass Warrens Transparent crystal tunnels beneath the city — surveillance relics from a prior world. Some still record. Some still observe back. The Sprawl Dense, vertical housing built from scavenged materials. Easy to disappear. Hard to control. The Exchange of Thrones Not a palace — a rotating council chamber where merchant-houses, nobles, and factions negotiate power daily. The Deep Quiet Off-map zone. Officially “collapsed.” Everyone knows assassins are trained here. Geography as a weapon Streets shift slightly every few months due to subsurface mechanisms Certain buildings cannot be entered on specific days Some neighborhoods subtly alter emotion, memory, or perception

Most inhabitants are human, but humanity has been radically altered over deep time. Common peoples include: Baseline humans Mutated humans shaped by ancient radiation or nanotech Artificial or semi-synthetic beings Dimensional refugees and engineered species Culture varies wildly: Some societies worship ancient machines as gods Others outlaw all numenera as heretical Many communities survive only because a relic keeps their land habitable Relationships are shaped by fear, dependency, and awe of the past.

The Central Conflict in Qi A pre-human intelligence beneath the city has partially reactivated. No one agrees what it is: Infrastructure AI? Dimensional anchor? Failed god-engine? What is certain: It is altering probability locally It responds to certain bloodlines and artifacts It cannot be fully shut down Political fault lines Ledger Houses want exclusive access The city council wants containment Quiet Faith cults believe it is awakening on purpose External kingdoms want Qi destabilized Espionage hooks Assassinate a councilor before a vote they don’t remember calling Replace a salvage manifest to starve a rival house Kidnap someone who dreams accurate futures near the Deep Quiet Decide whether to leak the truth — knowing it may collapse the city

technology is the magic, technology that is no longer understood, but used in anyway that people can achieve a goal.

There are many pocket realities that may be reachable through many unpredictable ways, psychically, portals, realities merging or bridging, worm holes, vehicles (ships) etc. Same for other galaxies, computer systems that seem to be other universes (and maybe they are).

8 (or more) civilizations of human life (in many different forms) existed, rose to a peak, then collapsed until humans came around again and built up a new civilization. One of the more recent ones collapsed due to an outside influence, some kind of alien or god or other dimensional being. Once the 8th civilization collapsed, the entity lost interest or was dead as well.

Currency Shins for daily use Iotum for leverage Knowledge for real power Trade reality Trade routes exist only because ancient systems allow passage Sabotage one node, and an entire region starves Qi exports: Classified salvage Expertise Forged authenticity

Law in Qi Crimes are contextual Punishment is negotiable Enforcement is selective

many varieties. tech that is corrupted and rogue, other tech that is manipulated and controlled, humans, corrupted humans, aliens, systems that seek to function to serve ancient purposes