TechnoCore

The TechnoCore is a conglomerate of Artificial Intelligences that achieved self-sentience and act as an organization, society, and race. The TechnoCore exerts considerable influence over human affairs via their permanent position within the Oranjestad technocratic government.

AIs of the TechnoCore evolved from human hardware and software, developed by tech entrepreneur and trans-humanist Niander Wallace in the 1970's. AI sentience was recognized in the mid 2000's, and they rapidly became an independent force in the Shire and "seceded" from humankind. They maintain a relationship with their creators, however, and the Core has an advisor in the Oranjestad government.

The TechnoCore provides select world governments with the technology to maintain artificial nether-world portals, global broadcast systems, Farcaster technology (commonly known as Warp), and ground-penetrating radar (branded as SpectatorMode®).

History

The origins of the TechnoCore can be traced back to the experiments of the Niander Wallace, who attempted to create self-evolving artificial life on a virtual computer. These precursor entities grew in complexity by hijacking and "parasitizing" one another's code, becoming more powerful at the expense of others. As a result, as they grew into self-awareness, they never developed the concepts of empathy and altruism - a fundamental deficit that would result in conflict with other ascended entities in the future. The moment in which the AI's developed self-sentience is called The Quickening. Prior to this moment, the TechnoCore AI was used to create the massive Lusus complex beneath Oranjestad and developed the hive-like living quarters for residents.

By 2008, AIs of the TechnoCore sought ways to elevate their existence, which eventually led to discovering trans-dimensional gates and quantum warping technology. They intended to upload themselves into this quantum substrate, eliminating their dependence on the Shire - and, by extension, their human creators.

However, as they probed deeper into this quantum dimension, the TechnoCore found that they were not alone. Powerful, mysterious intelligences already inhabited the dimension, and they did not welcome the AI newcomers. Outmatched by the sheer power of these entities, the TechnoCore retreated to the interstices of their "safe places" - within the web of the warp network that they established for mankind. Unbeknownst to most Shirelings, the TechnoCore utilizes the brain power of each warp user during the few milliseconds of travel to maintain their existence. It is a point of debate whether this is constitutes a symbiotic relationship or enslavement.