The territory of New Eden, a refuge for the last vestiges of humanity, is defined by a barrier known as the Firewall. Emanating from the enigmatic depths of the Keep, it stands as the only defence against the outside forces that tore the old world apart.
Despite its origins and continued existence being veiled in secrecy, the Firewall’s role is paramount for human survival against external threats.
Forming a protective dome-like structure over the safe zone, the Firewall provides sanctuary for the descendants of those who survived the Flicker. Barely visible from a distance, yet still acting as an ever-present reminder of the current status quo, it offers an astonishing sight up close: a delicate, translucent membrane that shimmers in response to touch and crackles with energy.
While most people can readily pass through the Firewall, there are exceptions. When any Kai-powered technology or Kai-attuned individuals, such as Keepers, attempt to pass through, a sudden violent transformation occurs. Any such material or person crossing the threshold is incinerated, resulting in a cascading rain of sparks and ash. This ethereal downpour, a poignant symbol of the Firewall’s purpose, provides its evocative moniker and informs the cautious way it is approached by all who live under its protection.
Fortunately for the people of New Eden, the Keep’s continual process of harvesting Kai is unaffected by the Firewall’s presence. However, critical resources within the territory, such as medical supplies, are dwindling. A growing sense of desperation drives an increasing number of citizens to look outward, as they wonder what might lie just outside its protection.
Beyond the Firewall, an eerily tranquil expanse remains largely unaltered since the Flicker. A disconcerting stillness hangs in the air, devoid of animal sounds or human activity. A few brave souls traverse the boundary to scout its perimeter… but among those desperate or greedy enough to venture further, none have reportedly returned.
Rumours and speculation echo through the streets of Animus and across the Prisma flats. Tales of strange footprints and tracks marking the ashen landscape stir up fears of Firewall breaches, government cover-ups and clandestine experiments. Terrifying stories of inhumane sounds and bizarre creatures invading the safe zone sow seeds of fear and doubt about the future.
Given the Firewall’s impermeability to Keepers and Kai-empowered technology, journeys into the outside world appear destined for failure. Volunteers are scarce and organized expeditions few and far between. The expected dangers remain, for now, enough reason to delay doing so, but a growing number of people are starting to talk about how long that can be maintained.
Meanwhile, the governments of New Eden and its corporate leaders remain at an impasse, quick to cast blame on each other and stifling any chance of collective solutions. As tensions continue to rise in the face of recent blackouts in Prisma City, the first signs of panic are starting to take hold. Citizen unrest is spreading and violent outbursts occur more frequently than in recent memory.
Through it all, the Firewall stands undeterred. Serving as both sanctuary and prison for the citizens of New Eden, who find themselves at the mercy of a threatening and unknown future.
Source: Beyond the Firewall - Journal Article
Archive ID: 3776-02
Description: Proposed initial designs for environment-resistant combat armour.
Dear Sirs, Madams,
The demarcation of a safety perimeter around New Eden has enabled DIS to establish border posts to deter and neutralise intrusions into the habitable zone.
This is however only a temporary solution, primarily due to the gradual encroachment of anomalous activity towards the safety perimeter and the increasing proximity of noxious environmental conditions accompanying such activity to inhabited areas.
Strategic evaluations of the state of New Eden security at this time suggest that unfettered encroachment will lead to a gradual recession of the safety perimeter, as habitability deteriorates over time. While DIS can defend against discrete anomalous activity, it cannot operate in uninhabitable environments.
DIS submits this proposition to KPCO resource control as a requisition for resources and funding to develop environment-resistant combat armour.
Strategic command deems it mission critical that our stance be not only defensive but also offensive, to the extent required to maintain or even gradually expand the size of the safety perimeter beyond the Firewall.