A BRIEF HISTORY
“When we were forced to leave one of our porters to the wolves of the frozen wasteland, we were already near the fringes of the Ancient Human city center. After a month of trekking, the expedition was exhausted. I had studied Montreal on maps, but the vast, icy ruins were full of surprises. Two members of the expedition had already been lost to bottomless crevasses. Suddenly, we beheld a large, semi-collapsed structure which, after a brief field survey, we surmised to have been some kind of performance venue. (Only later did archaeoscience prove that the Ancients indeed played ‘puck’ in large, roofed indoor arenas). In the courtyard of that building, we saw them: four magnificent statues. Such determination, nobility, the dynamic energy of the body… Sticks in hand, skates on their feet… Truly, they knew how to craft statues in the old days! The figures were so well-preserved they must have been entombed in ice for ages, revealed only by local melting within the last few centuries. We were enraptured. After a long silence, everyone erupted in joy and praised the gods. We knew we would remember that moment for the rest of our lives, but of course, it occurred to no one what a pivotal impact this discovery would have on the future of the entire planet.”
– Excerpt from the diary of Archaeomonk David Puckinstone, Research Director of the Montreal Expedition outfitted by Shagothkin, Commander-in-Chief of His Highness’s Arctic Republic, year 8789.
The world of whipped cream, bicycle helmets, and Seinfeld came to an end in the year 3178. Humanity pressed the reset button: nuclear war.
A nuclear winter followed. Mankind dwindled and regressed. Complex social constructs gave way to small communities and autocracies. Philosophico-technological ambition was replaced by mechano-religious thinking. The daily life of the human species became a struggle for survival in arctic conditions, where well-being was scraped together through primitive farming and heavy industry. On a barren, icy Earth, science, art, and sport withered away. The last bandy player reportedly died on a hunting trip in 3182, and the last curling team was slaughtered in the Stockholm village wars of 3183.
Post-nuclear biological and evolutionary processes took on a life of their own—and as we know, such processes usually go straight to hell. Over thousands of years, the so-called Anthropocene, the human-centered era of Earth, faded away. Mutations began to appear in organisms. The planet transitioned into a phase we might call the Multispocene, the era of many races: the planet was now populated by Gorks, Necralites, Ferris, Radiunites, Trollmen, and all manner of grimaces and deformities.
When the hockey statues of Montreal were discovered, five and a half thousand years had passed since the nuclear war. Artifacts found in the research area suggested that something important lay in Terra Europa, in a remote mountainous region. The ancients had called that area Switzerland. Indeed, the sanctuary of the IIHF organization was found there, along with the rules of the lost sport: ice hockey. According to ancient documents, the IIHF of the old humans was an incorruptible and honorable sporting body—but when it was re-established as a “joint peace project for every creature on Earth” in the year 8000, the organization was anything but. League Leader Ice General Tetsuo II is likely the most corrupt lifeform on the planet.
The new global conquest of hockey happened rapidly. Living amidst the ice and craving bread and circuses, the nations appreciated a sport that was frozen and rugged. Ice was their soulscape; violence was their mother tongue. Star leagues emerged, such as the legendary Golden Circle, but such things are light-years away from the struggle at the grassroots level. Few things on Earth are certain these days, except this: wherever there is life, there will be—in addition to inbreeding and venereal disease—hockey matches. The small stadiums of dim valleys and the grimy rinks of the slums are where hungry hearts beat for the puck and the bookies’ wallets. There, the sweat of passion and the blood of frustration are shed. In thousands of amateur leagues, money is won or lost, lives are spared or taken. You never leave a linemate behind and the coach is a god—until that linemate stands in the way of your promotion, or the god must be forsaken. In these rinks, they don’t just flick the wrist, they slap it; they don’t just hook, they impale—this is where they play hockey!
WORLD OVERVIEW
In the year 3178, humanity pressed the reset button and triggered a nuclear war. What followed was a nuclear winter and a total upheaval of the ecosystem. Permafrost, radiation, acid rain, and toxic winds lashed the planet. Yet, life held on. Initially, mankind dwindled and regressed, only to rise later to a new blos—well, to rise to something!
In the first centuries after the Great Cataclysm, complex social structures reverted to small communities and autocracies. Daily life became a struggle for survival in arctic conditions, where well-being was scraped from subsistence farming and primitive industry. In a barren, icy world, science, art, and sport decayed into hobbies for the few capable of them. Philosophico-technological ambition was replaced by mechano-religious thinking.
With the collapse of nation-states and the international world order, clans, tribes, and local communities rose in importance. Gradually, however, a need emerged to form larger unions based on utility—and subjugation. City-states arose in the few remaining habitable zones. Today, the majority of the population lives in massive megacities where life is bleak for most, but still vastly superior to the alternative: the contaminated wastes, inhabited by savages and ruled by anarchy. Terra Euralis (or the “Old Peninsula,” as romantics call former Europe) is mostly toxic wasteland, but it is also home to the world’s largest megacity: New Londrax, where 75–80 million people chase fortune and bliss. No one knows the exact number, and frankly, no one cares.
The administration of these megacities is built on corruption, personal connections, and economic power. In city sectors, grassroots mock referendums are held to give the illusion that citizens elect representatives to the decision-making machinery. In reality, power belongs—depending on the city—to the mega-corporations that provide jobs and wealth, or to authoritarian rulers with a large enough portion of the military in their pocket. Politicians typically have close ties to corporations, though they occasionally pursue their own deviant interests, allying with citizens (i.e., workers) against corporations in the eternal power game.
The Omnidemocracy is an authoritarian federation formed by three city-states. Omnigrad, Comradgrad, and Democratarsk are the industrial megacities of the Omnidemocracy, whose planned economy devours countless workers and produces half of the world’s industrial goods (including ice skates). “Made in everlasting Omnidemocracy” is among the first sentences many children learn when taught to read. Throughout its existence, the Omnidemocracy has sought to expand, but the loose, ever-fracturing alliance of other city-states has managed to dam its most sinister plans. Fortunately for the rest of the world, warfare is neither easy nor simple in a world where land and sky are choked by pollution—diplomacy and intrigue are often more effective tools. Within Terra Euralis, the loudest neighbors and counterforces to the Omnidemocracy have been the megacities of New Svearik, Ashford Prime, Kaltstadt, Nordhel, and Frosthafen. To the far east, the players checking the Omnidemocracy’s expansion are New Peking, Khongor Khot, and Shuangfeng.
The world outside the city-states is mostly toxic wasteland. As city dwellers say, beyond the walls lies Nullaterra—the “non-land,” the “land of void.” In reality, numerous tribes and even entire nations live in the wastes. Bizarre rumors constantly emerge from the wastelands, and few know what truly happens in Nullaterra. How could they, when the typical urbanite never leaves their city in their entire lifetime? Those who know the wastes best are the mystical Archaeomonks, who travel and study Nullaterra, but even they do not know everything.
THE SPECIES
Humans are no longer the only species on Earth. Over thousands of years, the so-called Anthropocene—the human-centered era—has passed. After the nuclear war, biological and evolutionary processes took on a new life. Natural mutations and strange crossbreeds began to appear in organisms. Due to geography and quirks of nature, mutations evolved in different directions across the globe.
For example, after the Great Cataclysm, some humans found permanent shelter underground. Naturally, refuge from the nuclear hell on the surface was an attractive option. Over millennia, the living conditions and altered mineral composition of the soil reshaped this branch of Sapiens. The strangest change was caused by iron—a common element in the Earth’s crust—which was mobilized by the Cataclysm and integrated into the genome of the subterranean civilization. A new race emerged: the Ferris, who can no longer be considered human. They are shorter, broader, and more robust than humans. Evolution has made their skin pale, almost white. These “Iron-born” practice the noble art of bio-metallurgy: because their bodies contain so much post-Cataclysm iron, they do not reject iron implants. Thus, Ferr “Iron-shamans” can, in their laboratories, fuse imaginative iron applications or reinforcements into the Ferr body to aid survival in harsh Nullaterra or provide an edge on the hockey rink.
Another example of widespread species born of natural mutation are the Necralites. In the beginning, during the famines caused by the Cataclysm, one human community consumed too many contaminated corpses mutated by fallout, triggering a unique evolutionary path. Cellular and genetic changes gradually turned these scavengers into predatory, skeletal, sinewy, sharp-toothed ravagers, though their brain function remained similar to their human ancestors. Although feasting on corpses eventually became a cultural curiosity, the predatory nature of the Necralite body and temperament did not fade; their speed, fangs, and claws still help them hunt prey and eat it raw. Even though modern Necralites eat corpses only during religious rituals and holidays, few people want them as neighbors. Most Necralites live in the wastelands, while urban Necralites form their own districts or blocks where they are left in peace. Urban Necralites look down upon their “savage” kin in the wastes, though they actually have no knowledge of their rural cousins’ culture. Regardless, the Necralites’ suitability for ice hockey has not gone unnoticed, and many Necralite clubs have thrived in the lower leagues. Perhaps one day they will be seen in the Championship League itself.
Mutations and new races have also been developed in laboratories, and some have slipped into the wild, merging into the global population. Among the Archaeomonks who curate ancient knowledge, it has always been known that Gorks were originally a race developed by the Omnidemocracy for warfare. In a closely guarded, sprawling research facility called the Omnidemocratic Replication Center (O.R.C.) the vision of early racial engineers gave birth to a variant called the Gork (short for Green Omnidemocratic Rifleman Kommando). (Another theory is that the acronym stands for Green Omnidemocratic Riflemen Kickoff, referring to the bureaucratic start of the project rather than the result.)
The Gorks were intended to be a physically stronger and mentally remorseless super-race of perfect soldiers. However, the racial engineers were disappointed. While the race’s physical attributes were enhanced, they were far from perfect soldiers because they simply weren’t sharp enough mentally. Their high hopes were not met. Consequently, Gorks have blended into the world as just another race; others do not see them as a super-race, but as green-skinned, semi-erratic beasts of burden. No one but the Archaeomonks remembers the ancient history of the name “Gork,” and the average person wouldn’t even believe the story of their origin—Gorks have become such a normal part of everyday life.
Over thousands of years the races have intermingled. It is not uncommon to see human features in a Gork family or a hint of a Necralite’s predatory teeth in a Ferr lineage. “Purity of blood” has become rare. Among the elite of some megacities, racial purism or nationalism is a popular ideology, and the most purist hockey teams refuse to take any “mixed-breed” players. Earth has moved from the Anthropocene to the Multispocene, the era of many races. Now and in the future, the planet is populated by all manner of grimaces and deformities. One may have many opinions on this, but the essential question remains: can they play hockey?
THE ARCHAEOMONKS
While Archaeomonks live in megacities, their true power lies far in the remote parts of the wasteland, where their mystical research facilities are located. They call these “monasteries” because science and faith blend seamlessly in their theories. Monastery and laboratory are largely the same thing; knowledge is religion. Archaeomonks are dedicated to studying the mysteries produced by the Cataclysm, manipulating nature, metaphysics, and archaeological research. Few outsiders have ever visited a monastery.
The Archaeomonks possess something everyone craves but no one understands. Unless you are born into a wasteland tribe and live in Nullaterra constantly, you cannot travel the poisoned lands without ill effects. The body absorbs the environment, becoming corrupted, mutated, and painfully destroyed. This happens to all city dwellers—except the Archaeomonks. No one ever ventures into the most contaminated zones, but the Archaeomonks travel to the darkest, most ruined corners of Nullaterra without a care in the world. It is as if the toxins have no effect on them at all. Whether they possess secret technology or have made a pact with the gods, no one knows. No one, not even the Omnidemocracy, dares to openly attack or oppose the monks, as everyone is dependent on their knowledge, skills, and aid. Or at least, everyone wants to exploit them. It is also rumored that the Archaeomonks know of areas completely free of pollution—paradises—but they keep that knowledge strictly to themselves.
THE DISCOVERY OF HOCKEY
On the continent of Terra Amerlantis lie the ruins of Montreal, an ancient city of the pre-Cataclysm humans. There, in 8789, an Archaeomonk expedition discovered the legendary plaza of hockey statues. When the expedition led by David Puckinstone looked into the eyes of those four statues, 5,500 years had passed since the nuclear war.
Sources found at the excavation site suggested that something important lay in a remote mountainous region of Terra Euralis, which the ancients called Switzerland. There, the Archaeomonks eventually found the base of an ancient organization called the IIHF and the rules of a sport highly esteemed by the ancients: ice hockey. Today, the original rule documents are a closely guarded relic of the monks, kept in a secret location. Copies exist in every megacity, but the original codex is sacred to the monks.
Hockey spread rapidly among the common people for several reasons. First, there was a demand for a sport that combined violence and skill. The rugged, raw, icy struggle was a perfect match for the children of the nuclear winter. It was “bread and circuses” and raw passion at its best. At the grassroots level, a vibrant betting culture also quickly developed around the sport, making it even more interesting—it was also a way to make money.
Second, the Archaeo-monks promoted the sport’s popularity and fame everywhere through their quiet methods of influence. They surmised that hockey promoted public satisfaction and, through that, peace—and peace and order serve the monks’ scientific and hidden agendas far better than disorder and war.
The third and decisive factor was that once hockey achieved nearly ecstatic popularity among the masses, the administration of the Omnidemocracy saw fit to take it under its wing—to “capture” it, so to speak. Seed money was quickly provided to factories to establish their own teams, and neighborhood teams were given a chance to flourish. The three megacities of the Omnidemocracy each founded their own teams, and propaganda did its best to establish hockey in other megacities around the world. The new global conquest of hockey happened rapidly. Although the sport itself is considerably more violent than the ancient precursor played by the old humans, it worked exactly as the Archaeomonks intended: ultimately, the sport produces peace in the world. It also worked as the Omnidemocracy planned: the sport is a brilliant tool for soft power and propaganda, both toward its own citizens and rival megacities.
HOCKEY DIPLOMACY AND THE FEDERATION
Because hockey is so popular, it has been harnessed as a tool of diplomacy. When a megacity delegation goes to trade negotiations or to settle disputes, they bring their own team to play against the other party’s team. The higher the level of negotiation, the tougher the team brought along. A star team travels with the Emperor of the Omnidemocracy, while a lower-level diplomat might be accompanied by a slum gang whose primary value is that the players’ lives are conveniently expendable.
Beyond diplomacy between megacities, hockey can be a tool for inter-species diplomacy. While teams were initially built naturally around members of the same race, the cultural understanding has broadened. Today, a team may consist of different races (e.g., Gork defenders and Necralite forwards) or even mixed-breed players (depending, of course, on the politics of the venue, though official rules do not prohibit this).
A popular sport also requires administration—a federation. In the spirit of the IIHF found in the Swiss ruins, the IIHOPF (Interracial Ice Hockey Omnidemocrazy Peace Federation) was founded in the Omnidemocracy, under the patronage of the Emperor himself. According to its founding charter, the federation is a “joint peace project for every creature on Earth.” Its main tasks, besides organizing diplomacy matches, are coordinating the upper Leagues, controlling the rules of the sport, and engaging in all manner of skimming, maneuvering, and corruption. It is a great honor to be appointed to the federation’s ten-member Rule Council. It is the ultimate goal of every “hockey politician” (yes, it can be called its own branch of politics). The Federation Leader, titled the Ice General, is the chairman of the Rule Council, and his vote breaks all ties. It is inevitable and natural that the Ice General is the most corrupt politician on the planet.
Due to their history, the Archaeomonks have a unique relationship with the sport. Rumor has it they influence the Hockey Federation’s decision-making heavily behind the scenes, and they hold prestigious posts within the federation. In the Rule Council, Archaeomonks are often conservatives who oppose radical reforms, whereas other power-hungry officials would gladly change the rules to be even more violent and entertaining.
LEAGUE LEVELS
- Beer and Neighbourhood Leagues. Neighborhood-level leagues sponsored by local businesses, communities, or wealthy private individuals. A higher District level team may sponsor a beer league team to groom future players for higher levels. The cramped slums of megacities and the filthy valleys of Nullaterra across the world are full of grassroots teams. Hearts beat for the game, and the betting is hot!
- District Championship Leagues: Teams from within the sectors of megacities or leagues within wasteland tribes. At this level, one already represents a larger ideal. It is a matter of honor to represent your own crew or tribe and beat the hell out of the neighbors. Funding may come from a local politician looking to polish their image or a local corporate sponsor. Occasionally, weekend district tournaments are held during festivals, where the prize for the winner might be a visit to the next level up—the Regional Championship.
- Regional Championship Leagues: A league covering an entire megacity, reached only by the best District Championship teams. This is a staggering honor! Established Regional-level teams are professionals sponsored by mega-corporations or significant power-players, and the players are household mega-celebrities. The wasteland tribes’ own league also sits at this level, though the situation is officially unclear as wastelanders sometimes make their own stubborn rule variations and league traditions, so the Federation does not officially recognize them.
- The Championship Tournament: Every five years, the best team from every megacity participates in a “World Championship,” the Golden League. The host is always the Omnidemocracy, which enters only one team in the competition. These teams are known worldwide; the players are mega-celebrities across many continents. This is the greatest achievement a hockey player can attain. So far, no wasteland team has been allowed to participate.
THE SPECIES IN DEPTH
OMNIDEMOCRACY, THE EVERLASTING EMPIRE
Omnigrad, Comradgrad, and Democratarsk are the megacities of the Omnidemocracy, whose planned economy devours countless worker lives while producing half of the world’s industrial goods. Propaganda exalts the industrious, strong, and Emperor-obedient citizen.
In their hockey teams, discipline and physicality pushed to the extreme are paramount. Teams become a powerful part of the identity for both players and fans. The state sucks in the most promising children as early as age two into ascetic “hockey academies”—bleak and grim institutions where the minds of little pioneers are broken and rebuilt. Sunlight is suppressed, replaced by implanted aggression, a perfect slapshot, and total dedication to the Central Sports Club. The Central Sports Club is a nationalistic, sacred symbol.
Clubs are mandated to wear the emblems of the Omnidemocracy on their jerseys. In these hockey circles, racial purity is highly valued; although many Gorks live within the Omnidemocracy’s territory, they are a rare sight on its teams. A Gork player in a top-tier team would be unheard of, bordering on sacrilege.
Chemical and hormonal manipulation of the body is common in hockey, but in the Omnidemocracy, body tuning has been taken to the pinnacle. Traits like gigantism, over-tuned senses, super-strong legs, broad jaws, massive hands, or thick necks are useful to the state in factories and the military—but laboratory modifications provide an excellent boost on the rink as well. In state-funded breeding programs, racial engineers develop the perfect hockey player, and various “product trials” are tested in the action of back-alley beer leagues to avoid any major public scandals.
GORKS
Among the Archaeomonks who curate ancient knowledge, it has always been known that Gorks were originally a race developed by the Omnidemocracy for warfare. In a closely guarded, ten-hectare research facility—the Omnidemocratic Replication Center (O.R.C.)—the vision of early racial engineers gave birth to a variant called the Gork (short for Green Omnidemocratic Rifleman Kommando). They possess remarkable physical strength and toughness, large size, and sharp teeth and claws for close quarters combat and foraging. Greenish skin emerged as a byproduct.
The Gorks were intended to be a physically stronger and mentally remorseless super-race of perfect soldiers. However, the racial engineers were disappointed. While the race’s attributes were enhanced, they were far from perfect soldiers because they simply weren’t sharp enough mentally. Their high hopes were not met. Consequently, Gorks have blended into the world as just another race; others do not see them as a super-race, but as somewhat frightening, semi-erratic beasts of burden. No one but the Archaeo-monks remembers the ancient history of the name “Gork,” and the average person wouldn’t even believe the story of their origin—Gorks have become such a normal part of everyday life.
Naturally, the Gorks’ attributes are well-suited for ice hockey, and Gorks are a particularly passionate hockey-people. This is no surprise, as in other areas of life, Gork success is modest; hockey is the only natural source of racial pride and integrity. Gork teams have been involved in the sport from its very first steps, and they even have representation on the Rule Council of the Federation.
NECRALITES
In the beginning, during the famines caused by the Cataclysm, one human community consumed too many contaminated corpses mutated by fallout, triggering a unique evolutionary path. Cellular and genetic changes gradually turned these scavengers into predatory, skeletal, sinewy, sharp-toothed ravagers, though their brain function remained similar to their human ancestors. These beings, born through slow mutation, are called Necralites.
Although feasting on corpses eventually became a cultural curiosity, the predatory nature of the Necralite body and temperament did not fade; their speed, fangs, and claws still help them hunt prey and eat it raw. Even though modern Necralites eat corpses only during rituals and holidays, few people want them as neighbors. Most Necralites live in the wastelands, while urban Necralites form their own districts or blocks where they are left in peace. Urban Necralites look down upon their “savage” kin in the wastes, though they actually have no knowledge of their rural cousins’ culture. Regardless, the Necralites’ suitability for ice hockey has not gone unnoticed, and many Necralite clubs have thrived in the lower leagues. Perhaps one day they will be seen in the Championship League itself.
RADMONTON – THE SHITTY HOCKEY CAPITAL
Radmonton, a megacity of 30 million people, considers itself the cradle of New Hockey. Before the Omnidemocracy turned hockey into an organized sport for all the world’s nations and developed the league system, the game was played spontaneously in various forms among different peoples. No one knows for sure where hockey was first played: it might have happened in Radmonton, or it might not.
The inhabitants of Radmonton live in the deep end of hockey culture and know their ancient history well. These megacity dwellers are convinced that Radmonton sits on the exact same site as an ancient human city called Edmonton. Players from that legendary hockey city are held in the status of literal saints in Radmonton. When heading from the locker room to the ice, players might touch a picture of Grant Fuhr by the doorway or utter a prayer on the ice: “The Great One, holy Wayne, grant me strength.” Fans may keep small Mark Messier dolls on home altars, honoring them daily with a small piece of canned food. In addition to modern fan merchandise, tourists are sold Connor McDavid lucky charms “blessed in Radmonton,” and so on.
The environment surrounding Radmonton is exceptionally polluted, and a persistent megatrend lives on in the cultural heritage: the belief that by playing hockey, the nuclear waste surrounding the city is somehow kept at bay. Although Radmonton presents itself as the “Golden City of Hockey,” it has never achieved international success. The population’s labor in contaminated gas fields and mines takes toll on the gene pool’s potential to the point that reaching the top tier is out of the question. However, there is no shortage of beer and district-level teams. The density of shitty and scruffy hockey gangs in Radmonton is surely among the highest in the world.
The people of Radmonton especially hate the Omnidemocracy, as the superpower is thought to have outrageously appropriated the sacred sport for itself, leaving Radmonton with nothing but the crumbs.
RADIUNITES
After the Cataclysm, only those few with a shred of natural radiation resistance survived in the most contaminated areas. In their descendants, this resistance has gradually strengthened, leading scientists to speak of a new human species: Homo radiodurans. A human capable of enduring radioactive radiation. One such people—or rather, a coalition of human abominations—are the Radiunates. For centuries, they lived isolated from other nations due to their strange appearance and the prejudices surrounding radiation resistance, but when hockey was discovered, they integrated the sport into their peculiar culture.
Over the millennia, the Radiunates have been exposed to cellular regeneration disorders caused by radiation. The body has developed new tissue types, including a thick, plate-like skin on certain parts of the body—a so-called “biological lead layer” that limits radiation from reaching internal organs. Singular mutations also run in Radiunate lineages: some possess only three fingers, while others might have a third, smaller arm. There have even been sightings of Radiunates with two heads.
An isolated life in the wastelands has made the Radiunates resilient and superstitious. A floating feather, a glint on a skate blade, or tracks in the sand are omens to them. The glaciers of the Terra Euralis mountains are sacred places, as are the few stunted natural gardens found within the sandy barrens. In addition to a tactical coach, a Radiunate hockey team always includes a spiritual advisor—usually a Radiunate shaman or an archeomonk familiar with their culture. When a Radiunate player is honored and their jersey number is “frozen,” the jersey is not raised to the rafters; instead, their body is literally placed beneath the ice of the home rink. This way, even in the afterlife, they can enjoy hockey matches until the end of time.
HULDRAFOLK
In the Scandinavia of the old world, even before the Cataclysm, there dwelt a race that lurked in forgotten forest paths, rocky crevices of the wilderness, and the shadows of the marshes. Mythology called them trolls. When the Cataclysm wiped out a large portion of humanity and freed up living space, the trolls emerged and merged with the surviving Scandinavian humans. The cultural exchange was profitable: humans gained protection from radiation, while trolls gained a terrestrial, more advanced culture. Over millennia, the races merged into a hybrid called the Huldrafolk (“the forest folk” or “the folk of the forest nymph”).
In this crossbreed, the harshest troll features were softened, but the troll genes determined their stature: Huldrafolk stand between 80–110 centimeters tall. Typical troll traits include black hair, dark eye sockets, broad cheekbones, bushy eyebrows, green eyes, and a short, thin, black tail. From the humans came breadth and muscle power, as ancient trolls were very lightly built. The limbs of the Huldrafolk retain the speed of the trolls, while their minds hold the stubbornness and “sisu” of the Scandinavian humans. The body is strong yet supple.
In addition to spoken language, the Huldrafolk have a signal language based on whistling, which hockey teams also use on the rink. Fans have developed most peculiar whistling concerts to distract opponents and support their own team. The Huldrafolk draw from ancient Scandinavian mysticism, and players attach talismans made of natural materials to their bodies. Trees are sacred, and sticks made of wood are sacred. One does not make sticks from just any tree; often the material is taken from the most sacred ones. The stick is everything to a Huldra player, and the most superstitious players believe the stick listens to speech and commands if the relationship with it is sound.
The Huldrafolk preserve the ancient heritage of the old humans’ Scandinavian mysticism in their names, even if the semantics are no longer known: Untamo, Kullervo, Joukahainen, Louhi, Marjatta, Kyllikki, Ahti, Hervör, Gute, Odin, Thor, Loki, Frigg, Tyr, Heimdall, Freyja…
ASHFORD PRIME, THE STATE OF THE PAST, FUTURE, AND FREEDOM
At the time of the Cataclysm, a significant ancient research facility in the region of Terra Amerlantis exploded, releasing the fruits of nanotechnological research projects into the people living nearby. The facility, specialized in data processing, had been developing nano-scale data storage and the integration of nanotechnology into the human body. Among its features was the direct connection of the global data network, the Internet, into the human physique. Those exposed began to carry nano-sized shards of data from the destroyed networks, AIs, and memory banks of the old world. For millennia, this code—bearing the memory of the ancient world—has been passed down. Although only a few thousand were originally exposed, their descendants now number an estimated 40 million, most of whom live in the megacity of Ashford Prime.
The biological nanodata latent in their bodies has diluted over the centuries. For some, the data is completely dormant, and they almost never have data-contact with the old world; in others, fleeting info-shards or mental images flicker through their minds and bodies. It may also happen that a person never remembers anything from thousands of years ago, but one day they “open up” and suddenly remember or know something with absolute clarity. Those who open up repeatedly may even be regarded as sacred seers.
The presence of the old world’s memory bank has led to deep cultural nostalgia. Regardless of socioeconomic class, nostalgia is always in fashion in Ashford Prime. Thanks to authentic memory particles, people are well aware of the mythical National Hockey League (NHL) of the ancients. Players might, for example, take stage names inspired by cute “proto-hockey” (Jane Wrecksky, Karomir Kabel, Yari Curry, Ted Flash Nothill, etc.), and ancient styles are worshipped. At times, the fashion is Elvis, Madonna, or the 1960s hippie look; at others, 1980s mullets, the 1990s rap scene, heavy metal, or punk. Some treat these cultural memories as fun curiosities, while others take the subcultures as seriously as they were taken in their own time.
FERRIS (“THE FERRIBORN”)
Refuge from the nuclear hell on the surface was an attractive option, and thus some humans found permanent shelter underground after the Cataclysm. The subterranean civilization survived and multiplied, but over millennia, the living conditions and altered mineral composition of the soil reshaped this branch of Sapiens. The strangest change was caused by iron—the most common element in the Earth’s crust—which was mobilized by the Cataclysm and gradually integrated into the genome of the subterranean civilization. A new race emerged that can no longer be considered human: the Ferrs.
Ferrs are shorter, broader, and more robust than humans. Life underground has made their skin pigment pale, almost white. These “Iron-born” practice the noble art of bio-metallurgy: because their bodies contain so much elemental iron, they do not reject iron implants. Thus, Ferr Iron-shamans can, in their laboratories, fuse imaginative iron applications or reinforcements into the Ferr body. A body might contain tools such as blades, drills, hooks, or other implements. The body can be reinforced with iron materials like armor. Broken bones or lost teeth are replaced with iron counterparts; screws and rivets are handy gadgets if the body needs to be patched together. In some professions, chains or cables integrated into the body are beneficial. The products of bio-metallurgy also provide an edge on the hockey rink. For top players, iron helmets may be fused directly to the head, or iron sticks crafted as permanent extensions of the arm.