Chrome & Cantrips
In the neon-drenched metropolis of Neo-Kyoto, the prestigious Omni-Corp Technomancy Institute trains the next generation of 'Weavers'—mages who bend the digital fabric of reality. As a new scholarship student, the protagonist must navigate the cutthroat social hierarchies of the academy, balance grueling studies with a semblance of a casual school life, and uncover the dark secrets that bind corporate power to this new form of magic.
0
Plays
4
Characters
7
Events
📖 Story Backstory
The introduction and setting of the world, including its history.
The story takes place in the year 2099 in Neo-Kyoto, a city-state dominated by the monolithic Omni-Corp. Thirty years ago, Omni-Corp scientists discovered the 'Ether,' a quantum data field, and developed the technology to manipulate it, a practice they branded as 'Technomancy' or 'Weaving.' This revolutionized every aspect of life, from engineering and medicine to warfare and entertainment. The most prestigious school for this art is the Omni-Corp Technomancy Institute, which serves as a feeder school for the corporation's most elite divisions. While Omni-Corp presents Weaving as a safe and regulated science, a subculture of rogue Weavers and data-brokers operates in the city's digital underbelly, trading in illegal cantrips and forbidden knowledge.
👥 Characters (4)
Characters in this story. You will choose who to play as when you start.
Kaelen
Protagonist
A scholarship student from the outer districts, Kaelen is a fish out of water at the elite Institute. They possess a rare, powerful, and intuitive talent for Weaving but lack the formal, structured training of their classmates. Motivated by a desire to prove their worth and build a better life, Kaelen is caught between the rigid corporate curriculum and the tantalizing freedom of the city's digital underground.
Akari
Neutral
The daughter of a high-ranking Omni-Corp executive, Akari was bred for success. She is a brilliant and technically precise Weaver, topping her class in almost every subject. She sees her path laid out before her—a fast track to the corporate elite—but a part of her is bored by this predictability and craves a genuine challenge. She is secretly fascinated by Kaelen's raw, unstructured talent, viewing it as both a rivalrous threat and an intriguing anomaly.
Jaxon
Neutral
A junior instructor and lab assistant at the Institute, Jaxon is an enigmatic figure. His official record is unremarkable, but his knowledge of the Ether's deeper, unsanctioned aspects is profound. He seems disillusioned with Omni-Corp's rigid control and takes a special interest in students who show unconventional talent. Jaxon is secretly connected to the 'Free Weavers,' an underground movement dedicated to liberating Weaving from corporate control.
Glitch
Neutral
A notorious data-broker and information merchant who operates out of a hidden node within the Ghost Market. Glitch's true identity and origins are a mystery; they are a ghost in the system, known only by their handle. They trade in forbidden knowledge, illegal cantrips, and jailbroken hardware. Their motives are purely transactional, but they adhere to a strict personal code: a deal is a deal, and information has a price.
⚡ Key Events (7)
First Weave
After arriving at the Institute, the protagonist proceeds to their assigned dorm room—a sterile, compact pod. The main task is to initialize their new Student Datapad. This involves a simple diagnostic cantrip to link their unique Ether signature to the device. However, as Kaelen performs the Weave, their raw power causes a surge, creating a significant Ether-Drift and a minor system glitch that makes the lights in the corridor flicker. Akari, whose room is nearby, steps out to investigate the disturbance, her gaze immediately locking onto Kaelen and their glowing datapad.
The Ghost in the Machine
During a lecture on Ether-Drift theory, Jaxon subtly directs a question at Kaelen, referencing the 'unusually strong signature' from orientation night. After class, he cryptically suggests that if one wanted to see 'real' Ether-Drifts, not the sanitized examples in the textbook, the old server hub in Sector Gamma of the campus is a known hotspot. Investigating the server hub reveals strange, looping data-ghosts—remnants of a student who was expelled years ago for illegal Weaving. Following the trail leads to a hidden access point to the 'Ghost Market,' the city's black market for data and cantrips.
Midterm Mayhem
The midterm practical exam takes place in the Institute's combat simulation arena. Students are paired up and tasked with disabling a series of security drones using only approved, non-lethal cantrips. Kaelen is paired with Akari. Partway through the exam, one of the advanced drones malfunctions, its safeties disengage, and it begins using live-fire countermeasures. The arena goes into lockdown, and Kaelen and Akari must combine their contrasting styles—Kaelen's power and Akari's precision—to survive and shut down the rogue machine before they are seriously harmed.
The Ghost Market Run
Following the data-trail from the old server hub leads to a flickering, unstable portal into the Ghost Market—a chaotic, illegal bazaar of data, code, and whispers. Here, rogue Weavers and information dealers ply their trade. To gain credibility or find a specific piece of forbidden code for Jaxon, Kaelen must navigate the market and make contact with a data-broker. This leads them to Glitch's stall, a node of calm in the digital storm, where their first underworld transaction takes place.
Corporate Espionage 101
Jaxon presents Kaelen with a 'hypothetical' problem: a research file on Ether-Drift anomalies is locked away on a secure server in the Institute's faculty wing. He suggests that a student with Kaelen's talents might be able to 'liberate' it. This is a test disguised as a lesson, forcing Kaelen to use their skills to bypass real Omni-Corp security, including patrols, cameras, and data-wards. Success means earning Jaxon's trust; failure could mean detention or even expulsion.
The Drift Haunting
After a particularly powerful or reckless act of Weaving, Kaelen's perception of Ether-Drift becomes dangerously acute. The digital ghosts of past events become more vivid and intrusive, sometimes overlaying reality to the point of disorientation. A 'Code-Wraith,' a malicious echo from a past tragedy at the Institute, begins to manifest, causing system malfunctions and psychological strain. Kaelen must research the phenomenon and find a way to shield their mind before they are consumed by the 'Data Haunting.'
The Executive's Shadow
A sleek, black Omni-Corp shuttle arrives at the Institute, and with it, Akari's mother, a formidable executive named Kinu. Her visit is an inspection, and she takes a pointed interest in the scholarship program—and Kaelen specifically, after hearing of their performance in the midterm. Kaelen is summoned for an interview with Kinu, a tense conversation where every word is a test. The event offers a glimpse into the immense pressure Akari faces and Omni-Corp's chillingly pragmatic view of talented individuals.