Piston Hearts

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

North American Motherboard Echoes Project:
Record 5.4.1.11.23.37.11:55:23.


The High-Voltage Blonde was lightning’s soul,
And my six string shreds a trans-dimensional hole.
We explored worlds for the song of liberty,
Then found a dead realm of cold machinery.

A mad inventor replaced life with automation,
And his anvil forged a mechanical legion.
In our duet, he sensed the power to enslave,
And his bleak factory erupted in nuclear rage.

Our bodies connected and bolts shot from her eyes,
The engine pumped, a super-charged power supply.
We hit a cosmic riff, our energy off the charts,
Driving the beat of the future, our piston hearts.

Alternate worlds had their own crazed inventor
With war ships armed to rip life asunder.
His fingers commanded an army of drones,
So we played a tempest down on his throne.

But strong are the hands that seek power,
All his revisions reached for Man’s final hour.
As Death teleported and converged on our space,
We harmonized against foes with a shared face.

Our bodies connected and bolts shot from her eyes,
The engine pumped, a hyper-charged power supply.
We hit a cosmic riff, our energy off the charts,
Driving the beat of the future, our piston hearts.

Up mountains of scrap, we bled and we fought,
But defeat loomed against the massive onslaught. 
“Do not fear,” she cried, our nose touching tips,
“I’ll rise again – only time separates our lips.”

Fusing dimensions’ chorus ‘til she glowed like the Sun,
She detonated with the force of a trillion Gigatons.
The enemies of Man melted, and fate became chance,
And my Muse birthed a Cosmic Child of pure radiance.

Now child and I charge a future off the charts,
Driving the motor of love, our piston hearts.

—

CONTENT CREATOR: UNKNOWN
PORT NAME: Lightning Falls
DATE: 23 Nov 37 AL (first known instance)
SERIES: The High-Voltage Blonde
STATUS: Music lost, only lyrics and logo remain. Record will be updated if more info recovered.

The North American Motherboard Echoes Project is an initiative to archive the societies that have lived and died across the NAM, so humanity can forever remember its lessons.

Electromagnetic

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

North American Motherboard Echoes Project:
Record 5.4.1.05.27.07.00:00:01.

Life was dim ‘til the High-Voltage Blonde,
A Goddess crowned with crackin’ lightning rod.
This electric Muse was a shock from up high,
Ampin’ my guitar to blast our song to the sky!

Chrome heels charged this smokin’ live wire,
Powering her steps and shielding her fire.
Our desires made contact and gravity grew,
Then our lips connected, and all speakers blew.

Sparks showered the sky and electrons flowed,
Our souls transformed, a spiritual overload.
Against its current, the world became static,
Surfing this circuit of love, electromagnetic.

Others tuned to our rock shocking vibe,
And our couple grew to a virtual tribe.
“Our bodies hold potential,” she sang with glee.
“Take my hand and experience pure energy.”

The city fused people into one smart machine,
Taking their knowledge but purging their dreams.
But our power builds civilizations that sing,
So we took to the sky on lightning wings.

Sparks showered the sky and electrons flowed,
Our souls transformed, a spiritual overload.
Against its current, the world became static,
Surfing this circuit of love, electromagnetic.

We play and spin and twist Reality for torque,
Creating a cosmic motor and harmonic fork.
The polarity ramps and transmissions blend,
So we’ll dance and laugh as we transcend.

Our fingers locked and we embraced forever,
As the attraction held our bodies together.
There birthed a new genre: digital romantic,
Energizing this circuit of love, electromagnetic.

—

CONTENT CREATOR: UNKNOWN
PORT NAME: Lightning Falls
DATE: 27 May 07 AL
SERIES: The High-Voltage Blonde
STATUS: Music lost, only lyrics and logo remain. Record will be updated if more info recovered.

The North American Motherboard Echoes Project is an initiative to archive the societies that have lived and died across the NAM, so humanity can forever remember its lessons.

Welcome to Animos City

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

A City Shrouded in Mystery

Converted: 36 After Launch

Animos City is a sensory blast of people and culture. While the densely packed urban landscape is a wash of neon colors and skyscrapers, it’s the people that capture the eye: to preserve their strict sense of community-run democracy and free exchange of information, Animos citizens sport a cutting edge fashion sense, portraying their individuality through the masks that conceal their faces.

Animos rose from the ashes of a totalitarian regime. Under the repressive rule of Emperor Kush Chernova, a group of people rallied a resistance and reclaimed their freedom in the ‘Animos Liberation’. With the tyrant’s political purges seared into their minds, the newly freed people took to hiding their identities from any who would target them. The anonymous crypto lifestyle was born. Animos was built on top of that foundation, and now only the famous Library preserves the historical record, protecting the mistakes of the past to safeguard the future.

Because of the impersonal feel, the culture that built up can be harsh and direct. To keep from a centralized authority, members of the community banded together to form the Enforcer’s watch group, with the imposingly large Commander the central figurehead, his thick helmet and reflective visor connected by five thick bolts. Their successes are regularly featured on Animos’ ‘RSS News’ program, the network Anchor’s visage beamed against hundreds of surfaces every night. Animos was a gruff but peaceful city.

That was until Vikky Relay, co-owner of the industrial tech giant Circuit Breaker Manufacturing, was found dead and her husband Tommy at large. Now, with the economy suffering and crime spiking, only a few can see the city’s silent screams, painted across every steel beam, over every glass sheet. And amid this rising chaos, someone new steps onto Animos City’s turf, wielding a metal baseball bat with the numbers ‘.357’ sprayed in runny red ink.

The Hooligan

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

An Anonymous Sleuth

Born: ???

The Hooligan was born to be a crypto. With his BMX bike he easily weaves into the flow of foot traffic across Animos City and blends into its crowded sea of people in his goggles and mask. He is as comfortable by himself in his apartment as he is packed into his favorite anonymous forum. With his limited expressive range, he has developed a lively and animated character that speaks with every motion. Then there’s the number-crunching server strapped to his back, sparking wildly into the air.

A street detective, the Hooligan is a member of a little known subgroup of interested parties that keep their eyes peeled to any strange goings-on, collecting data and analyzing results, all to keep Animos honest and the truth flowing freely. When Vikky Relay, co-owner of Animos tech house Circuit Breaker Manufacturing, is found dead, it’s starting to get more difficult to distinguish fact from falsehood.

Luckily, his goggles are equipped to observe every clue. With the screenshot functionality built into the lens, the Hooligan can remember everything he sees- with the invisible spray paint strapped to his server, he can notate every inch of the world around him. The Hooligan is a different type of detective, able to document the evidence and spread the word. And with all the talk of a failing economy and fracturing culture, his can runs dry.

The Hooligan is an enigma inside a mystery. With his appearance, he brings intrigue, with his departure, he leaves questions: What is he truly after? How do you find a person without an identity? And who is the guy that lies beneath his mask?

The North American Motherboard

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

Welcome To The Configurable Techno Union

There is no place in the world like the North American Motherboard. Spanning the entirety of the continent is a collection of individually governed lands, all part of a larger network, guaranteeing flexibility but ensuring a basic cohesion. Since its launch, the land has fostered unparalleled creativity and rapid growth. The establishment of the NAM ushered the After Launch period human history.

The NAM’s secret lies in the distribution of ZetaPorts across the continent, massive nodes housing advanced technology installed directly into the Earth’s crust that allows lease holders to create societies as varied as their imagination. Over the years, cities popped up all over the map, from the respected Diamond Kingdom to the barbaric Hammer Valley, from the beautiful Blackletter Coast to the mysterious Animos City. By utilizing the port’s natively running Zeta Operating System, leaders can provide their people with unique civilizations, and endless opportunities.

But despite their widespread and unquestioned use, few know anything about the nature of the North American Motherboard, including how ZetaPorts are powered, why some sit abandoned, or who laid the foundation. For now, only rumors persist, and most information remains unverified. What’s heard is brushed off as conspiracy theory, but the few who dare to speak out always seem to start from the same place: The Electron Gods walk the land. Each decides when to reveal themselves, and how.

Pyrrhic Drake

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

A Raging Inferno Across the Battlefield

Born: 23 April 14 After Launch

Pyrrhic Drake’s reputation for battle was famous in his pocket of the North American Motherboard. Word spread of his many accomplishments and eagerness to engage any enemy. That drive led to a revolution against the tyrannical leader of his home, freeing his countrymen. Hailed as a revolutionary crusader by the elite, King Diamond charged Drake to lead his army, a promotion to the highest seat in the Diamond Kingdom’s military.

Like the Diamond Knights under his command, Drake’s armor is light weight but well reinforced, perfect for an aggressive and fluid fighter. His helmet is the center piece of his battle gear, with two long sets of tubes running down each cheek, giving them a reptilian cut.

His life of battle has tightened his offense. To defeat Drake, one must look past his frightful body, and discover why his anger burns so strongly. No one dares comment on how he got the scars around his mouth, deforming his lips, or his hairless head.

Especially after Drake assassinated the king and assumed his throne. Riding low under a wave of public discontent, he seized his opportunity to impose his will, leaving Princess Alex Diamond the lone figure to stand against him. But a question dances in the air like a flame: is the Dragon acting alone, or does someone else hold his leash?

The Diamond Kingdom

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

A Monarchy Awash in Neon

noodles-conceptConnected: 30 After Launch

The neon purple beam shooting from the Diamond Castle is visible for dozens of miles outside the kingdom’s border, casting royal Light over all within. It was a reassuring reminder of the Diamond Family’s warmth and wisdom.

The Diamond Kingdom was designed to give its people the freedom to pursue their dreams. From the rich farmland to the concrete suburbs to the steel-beamed high rises, the kingdom was able to sustain its land and retain its lease on the North American Motherboard.

The Kingdom’s culture is varied and ample, where people could buy a steaming bowl of ramen from Noodles’ mobile stand, take classes at the prestigious university, and cheer on the Diamond Cutters at the stadium. With opportunity came wealth, and happiness followed. But turmoil seeped from below. Nobody knows for sure when the switch was flipped and neighbors went to war.

Built on a robust social networking suite, the kingdom’s citizens freelyknight-concept exchange information, commenting on the news, and engaging in open debate free of reprisal. Their chatter is constant and quick, the public’s mood ebbing and flowing in real-time for all to see. But with all the openness, you never really know who is listening, or who knows what.

To ensure that the law is upheld, the military was divided into two branches: the Diamond Knights to protect the people, and the Royal Guards who protect those that serve them. And at their breasts the badges that show their rank, and communicate their division.

But things changed when Drake, celebrated leader of the Diamond Knights, turned his sword towards the man that gave him his title. Now, with the land on edge and loyalties split, the young Princess Alexandria Diamond charges toward an unknown future.

*Concept art by Christine Chan

Alex Diamond

Posted on by The ZIGZAG All-Stars

A Sporty Samurai

Shot CallerBorn: 4 July 28 After Launch

From the moment the video of her father’s assassination hit the net, Princess Alex Diamond knew she would be fighting the battle of her life. Walking streets thrown into chaos, she defends her people from those on both sides that wish them harm. With her mighty baseball bat the .357 in her hands, she will save every life that is endangered, by putting her own on the line.

Since she was young, King Diamond had instilled in his daughter personal responsibility and a desire for self-improvement that has guided her actions. Because she believes herself an agent of her people, she pursues an objective rule based on liberty and law. Luckily for her, the voices of her people are constantly streamed through the pair of headphones she wears atop her crowned head, keeping her mind on what’s important.

Like the Diamond Kingdom itself, Alex grew up with a love of baseball, and the purity of sport between two skilled competitors as they teeter between tragic defeat and joyous success. Alex’s quiet stoicism and clarity of thought let her rise to any situation, and emerge victorious against any threat.

But a new game has started that promises to tear her home apart. Her family’s legacy in ruin and enemies hiding in every level of her government, Alexandria Diamond is forced to lead a team of one, unable to tell friend from foe, as a maleficent presence stalks her from the shadows. And with every second, the play clock approaches zero.

*art by Mieart