Casket Technology: Origins & History
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Soulstone-Powered Neural Combat Chassis (SPNCC) |
| Common Name | Caskets ("coffins with legs") |
| Inventor | Dr. Bonelord Karath (formerly Dr. Marcus Karathis) |
| First Soul-Binding | Year 0, Day 6 |
Pre-Sundering Origins
What Were Caskets Before Year 0?
Industrial Exoskeletons (Year -50 to Year 0): Heavy-duty powered armor for construction, mining, and disaster response. NOT military equipment...purely civilian/industrial use.
Key Manufacturers
- Titan Industries: Heavy mining exoskeletons ("Titan-class frames")
- Prometheus Corp: Disaster response suits (fireproof, radiation-shielded)
- Atlas Engineering: Construction frames (load-bearing, precision tools)
Pre-Sundering Technical Specs
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Power Source | Miniature fusion reactors (20-year lifespan) |
| Strength | 2-5 tons lifting capacity (model dependent) |
| Speed | 8-12 mph walking (not designed for combat) |
| Armor | Reinforced steel (industrial hazard protection) |
| Control | Neural interface headset (brainwave control) |
Why Caskets Survived the EMP
The Theslar Event (Year 0, Day 0): Electromagnetic pulse destroyed 94% of global electronics. Modern civilization's technology became instantly obsolete.
But Caskets Endured Because:
- Shielded Fusion Cells: Radiation protection (industrial safety requirement) blocked EMP
- Analog Backups: Mechanical hydraulics, not just electronics
- Bioelectric Interface: Neural control used organic signals, not digital
- Result: Most primitive modern tech became most advanced post-Sundering tech
Year 0, Day 6: The First Soul-Binding
Dr. Marcus Karathis's Discovery
The Situation:
Dr. Marcus Karathis (mechanical engineer, age 42) trapped in collapsing research facility after Sundering. Surrounded by 27 corpses, including his wife Dr. Elena Karathis. Wearing experimental Titan-class mining exoskeleton with failing fusion cell.
The Desperation:
No rescue coming. Choice: die in rubble, or try anything.
The Theory:
Thresher studied "bioelectric resonance" before Sundering. Hypothesis: If souls are electrical, maybe they can power machines.
The Breakthrough (Day 6, Hour 14)
- Connected corpse's nervous system to exoskeleton's power interface
- Used improvised resonance chamber (scavenged lab equipment)
- "Tuned" corpse's residual bioelectric field to exoskeleton's frequency
- It worked: Dead colleague's soul began powering the machine
⚠ The First Hybrid System
This first prototype established the dual-entity design that defines all modern Caskets:
- Dr. Marcus Karathis (Living): Strapped inside the exoskeleton wearing a neural interface headset. He controlled the machine's movements. He was the pilot.
- Dr. Elena Karathis (Dead): Her soul was bound to the power core. She provided the bioelectric energy that powered the hydraulics. She was the battery.
He piloted. She powered. Both were trapped. This is why they're called "Caskets"...coffins for the living AND the dead.
Soul-Binding Mechanics
How It Works (Ossuarium Understanding)
1. Soul = Bioelectric Pattern: Human consciousness is electromagnetic field generated by brain. At death, field persists briefly (30 seconds to 2 minutes). Void energy allows this field to persist indefinitely.
2. The Resonance Chamber: Device that captures soul's electromagnetic signature and binds it to mechanical system (Casket's power core). Soul's energy output powers hydraulics, servos, and systems.
3. The Ledger: Ossuarium's master record of all bound souls. Tracks: original identity, binding date, current Casket assignment, "debt" owed. Bonelord Karath's obsession...maintaining perfect records (guilt over using corpses).
Modern Casket Construction (Year 437)
Can New Caskets Be Built?
Short Answer: Sort of.
| Type | Description | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Sundering | Scavenged from ruins, original fusion-cell models | Excellent (if intact) |
| Post-Sundering | Rebuilt from scrap metal and salvaged parts | Inferior to originals |
| Custom Faction | Faction-specific designs (blessed steel, runic plating, etc.) | Varies by faction |
Why Not Mass-Produce?
- No Factories: Industrial infrastructure destroyed
- Lost Knowledge: Engineers who built Caskets dead 400+ years
- Resource Scarcity: Advanced materials (titanium alloys, fusion cells) rare
- Soul Scarcity: Requires constant supply of corpses
Faction Production Capabilities
| Faction | Can Build New? | Method |
|---|---|---|
| The Ossuarium | ✓ Yes (Best) | Industrial scavenging + soul-binding expertise |
| Dwarven Forge-Guilds | ✓ Yes (Limited) | Forge custom frames from scrap (inferior quality) |
| Church of Absolution | ✗ No | Repair only (prayer and penance) |
| The Exchange | ✗ No | Broker only (buy/sell, don't manufacture) |
| Others | ✗ No | Dependent on Ossuarium/Dwarves |
Anatomy of a Casket
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Soul Core | Resonance chamber containing bound soul (chassis center, most protected). Damage = soul released = instant shutdown |
| Chassis | Reinforced steel/titanium frame (800-2,400 lbs depending on class) |
| Limbs | Hydraulic-powered arms/legs (modular, replaceable) |
| Head | Optics, audio sensors, targeting (no brain...soul core controls movement) |
| Deck System | Cards represent soul's memories/skills. Deck size = soul's vitality. 0 cards = soul burns out = death |
The Soul Experience
What Does It Feel Like to Be a Casket?
According to rare Ossuarium soul interviews (controversial):
- Vision: See through optical sensors (monochrome, thermal, or night vision)
- Hearing: Hear through audio pickups (can't speak, radio transmission only)
- Touch: Feel pressure/damage via hydraulic feedback (phantom pain)
- Taste/Smell: None (sensory deprivation worst part)
- Emotion: Range from acceptance to rage to despair
- Time Perception: Distorted (some souls experience centuries as minutes)
- Degradation: Soul's memory/personality erodes over 20-50 years