Style Guide

Architecture

Core Themes

1. Functional Simplicity Meets Long-Term Decay

   • Materials: Primarily plasteel panels and reinforced alloys for durability and ease of mass production. These panels are modular, allowing buildings to be constructed and deconstructed quickly.
   • Condition: Buildings and structures show signs of wear, with weathering, patchwork repairs, and grime from centuries (or millennia) of use. Rusted supports, faded paints, and peeling decals are common in poorer areas.
   • Aging Modifications: As buildings age, they are often modified with haphazard additions (extra levels, extended platforms, or jury-rigged supports). These additions can look chaotic, especially in lower-income areas.

2. Layered and Hierarchical Cities

   • Undercities: Lower levels of large cities form vast, claustrophobic undercities with dense, winding streets. These areas are dimly lit, overcrowded, and humid, with constant drips from above.
   • Spire Districts: The wealthy live in towering spires above the pollution, basking in sunlight and clean air. Spires are intricately designed, with pristine plasteel facades, elegant curves, and heavy use of art nouveau ornamentation.
   • Mid-City Zones: The middle layers of cities blend the undercity’s decay with the spires’ elegance. These areas feature cluttered streets, overhead walkways, and flickering neon signs, creating a chaotic but functional urban environment.

3. Prefab Practicality in Frontier and Outposts

   • Design: Frontier towns and outposts rely on standardized, prefabricated plasteel buildings. These are blocky, sturdy, and designed for quick assembly but often blend with the landscape over time.
   • Customization: Over decades, colonists and settlers modify these prefab structures, adding personal touches such as murals, carvings, or salvaged decorations.
   • Weathering: Frontier structures are often battered by harsh planetary conditions, giving them a rugged, patched-up look.

4. Art Nouveau Ornamentation

   • Motif: Even the simplest buildings feature art nouveau-inspired curves, floral patterns, and wrought iron railings. These decorations are integrated into the modular plasteel panels, either stamped or engraved.
   • Contrast: In richer areas, these designs are polished and gilded, while in poorer zones, they are chipped, rusted, or faded.
   • Examples: Doorframes have flowing, vine-like patterns, railings are wrought iron in swirling designs, and public squares feature statues or fountains adorned with elegant curves and human figures.

5. Religious Symbolism

   • The Unfallen: Cities are dotted with temples and shrines to the Unfallen, featuring towering statues, stained plasteel windows, and reliefs depicting humanity’s supposed divine destiny.
   • Integration: Even mundane buildings often include subtle religious motifs, like the Unfallen’s emblem engraved into walls or glowing icons embedded in entryways.

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Key Features by Setting

1. Urban Centers (Major Cities)

   • Skyline: A jagged mix of spires, factories, and habitation blocks. Spires pierce the sky, while industrial smokestacks churn pollution below. Neon lights illuminate the streets, especially in the mid and lower levels.
   • Street-Level Design: Narrow streets crammed with kiosks, vendors, and makeshift housing. Wires, pipes, and conduits hang overhead, creating a web of infrastructure.
   • Public Spaces: Town squares and promenades feature decayed statues of the Unfallen, cracked fountains, and large holographic screens broadcasting propaganda.

2. Undercities

   • Atmosphere: Dark, humid, and oppressive, lit by dim, flickering lights. Pipes constantly drip, and the air smells of rust, oil, and decay.
   • Architecture: Layer upon layer of ancient buildings piled on top of one another, forming a tangled maze. Many structures have collapsed or been repurposed into shantytowns.

3. Frontier Towns and Outposts

   • Layout: Open and spread out, with freestanding prefab structures clustered around a central hub, like a trading post or communication tower.
   • Integration with Nature: Over time, these towns blend into their environment, with buildings covered in dust, moss, or sand depending on the planet.
   • Community Spaces: Central meeting areas often feature murals or carvings that reflect the settlers’ history or resistance against Heimveld oppression.

4. Military Installations

   • Design: Brutally functional and imposing. Walls are sheer and blocky, with minimal ornamentation aside from the Unfallen emblem.
   • Defenses: Automated turrets, energy barriers, and barracks are integrated seamlessly into the architecture.

5. Spire Districts

   • Style: Luxurious and pristine. Every surface is polished, and the air is clean and filled with light. Spires feature private gardens, artificial waterfalls, and carefully maintained art nouveau décor.
   • Layout: Wide promenades and spacious interiors, contrasting sharply with the cramped lower levels.

Description

The architecture of the Heimveld is a testament to its ethos—pragmatic yet grand, utilitarian yet ornate, and always reflective of the relentless hierarchy that governs its society. Buildings throughout the empire are constructed primarily from plasteel panels and reinforced alloys, materials chosen for their durability and ease of mass production. These modular designs make structures simple to assemble, disassemble, or expand, ensuring that the empire’s monumental cities can grow and adapt as needed. However, even the sturdiest materials cannot withstand the passage of centuries unscathed. Across the empire, structures show their age, with rusted supports, peeling paint, and patchwork repairs marking their surfaces. In lower-income areas, buildings are often haphazardly modified with extra levels, jury-rigged platforms, or extended walkways, creating chaotic, cluttered skylines that contrast sharply with the clean lines of the elite spires above.

The cities of the Heimveld are built vertically, mirroring the stratified nature of its society. At the base are the sprawling undercities, a dense, labyrinthine expanse of shadows and grime. These claustrophobic spaces are illuminated only by dim, flickering lights, while the constant drip of condensation and the hum of overworked machinery fill the air. Here, buildings pile atop one another like sedimentary layers, forming a chaotic maze of shantytowns and collapsing infrastructure. Above the undercities are the mid-level zones, where the decay of the lower levels meets the beginnings of the spires’ grandeur. Streets are cluttered with kiosks, flickering neon signs, and overhead walkways connecting one structure to another. It is a chaotic but functional space, a realm of industry and commerce where the Heimveld’s middle classes struggle to climb higher.

Dominating the skyline are the spires, the gleaming pinnacles of the empire’s elite. These towering districts bask in clean air and sunlight, far above the pollution and grime below. The spires feature pristine plasteel facades adorned with art nouveau curves, floral motifs, and intricate wrought iron details. Artificial waterfalls cascade through private gardens, and carefully maintained promenades connect spacious interiors. Every element is designed to exude wealth and power, a stark contrast to the overcrowded undercity far beneath.

Beyond the Core Sectors, frontier towns and outposts are a study in utilitarian survival. Prefabricated plasteel buildings dominate these settlements, their blocky, functional designs erected in clusters around central hubs like trading posts or communication towers. Over time, settlers adapt these standardized structures, decorating them with murals, carvings, and salvaged materials that reflect their individual histories and local cultures. The elements take their toll, weathering the buildings with layers of dust, moss, or sand depending on the planet, giving them a rugged, well-worn appearance. Despite their harsh conditions, these frontier towns often feature communal spaces where murals or carvings use coded themes to show resistance against Heimveld oppression or celebrate local traditions.

Across all these spaces, the influence of the Unfallen looms large. Temples and shrines dominate cityscapes, their towering statues, holographic stained plasteel windows, and elaborate reliefs reinforcing the empire’s divine mandate. Even the most mundane buildings often incorporate subtle religious motifs—an engraved emblem of the Unfallen on a wall, a glowing icon embedded above a doorway. Public squares feature fountains surrounded by statues of the Unfallen, a reminder to the masses of their place within the empire’s unyielding order.

Military installations throughout the empire are starkly functional, their brutalist designs prioritizing defense and efficiency. Sheer walls of reinforced plasteel rise high, broken only by the occasional turret or energy barrier. Inside these fortresses, barracks, command centers, and armories are seamlessly integrated, leaving no room for decoration except the Radiant Circle and the Wreath of Victory. These installations are imposing, intentionally designed to project power and discourage rebellion, their spartan interiors reflecting the military’s no-nonsense ethos.

In the empire, grim and utilitarian take on a different edge, as the spaces and built environment are crafted with care and a mind for longevity. Steel girders are forged with delicately curved webbing, reinforcing ribs are sinuous and beautiful, flowing designs mirroring nature are stamped in mass produced panelling, and artistic flourishes find their way into the smallest corners. The empire’s aesthetic is deeply embedded in its architecture, from the flowing curves of railings and doorframes to the intricate patterns etched into public facades. In wealthier areas, these designs are polished and gilded, gleaming symbols of prosperity. In the slums and undercities, the same patterns are chipped, rusted, or covered in grime, a solid yet decaying echo of the empire’s vision of endless growth.

From the suffocating depths of the undercities to the gilded heights of the spires, every structure tells a story of dominance and decay. Each street, plaza, and fortress reflects the empire’s belief in its own destiny—an unyielding march toward order and conquest, written in steel, stone, and blood.

Machines

Materials and Construction

Casing: Machines are built from reinforced plasteel, chosen for its durability, heat resistance, and ability to endure centuries of wear and environmental exposure. The surfaces are coated with a clear protective sealant that resists corrosion and stains while retaining the tactile texture of brushed metal.
Internal Components: Devices use modular, standardized components for easy repair and replacement. Circuit boards are shielded with a thick, conductive alloy to prevent damage from electromagnetic interference, a common hazard in industrial and military environments. Moving parts are made of high-tensile alloys and lubricated with proprietary oils designed for extreme longevity.
Design Philosophy: Every machine is over-engineered, with a focus on robustness and longevity. Components are oversized to reduce strain, and all critical systems have built-in redundancies. Machines are designed with “field repair” in mind, allowing even minimally trained individuals to maintain them using basic tools.

Power Systems

Stationary Devices: Powered by heavy-duty cabling that connects to local energy grids. The cables are thickly insulated, resistant to physical damage, and designed to maintain consistent power delivery even under extreme environmental conditions. Ports use a universal coupling system for compatibility across the empire.
Portable Devices: Utilize Guild-engineered long-life batteries, typically solid-state energy cores. These batteries hold a charge for decades, are encased in shockproof housings, and emit negligible heat even under heavy use. Charging is rare but simple, performed through induction plates or portable solar generators.

Control Interfaces

Input Mechanisms: Controls favor mechanical interfaces—rotary dials, toggle switches, analog buttons—designed for tactile feedback. Controls are built to withstand intense use, with no degradation in performance over centuries.
Feedback Systems: Machines provide clear audio, visual, and tactile feedback. A dial might emit a precise click for each increment, while indicator lights use durable crystal housings to emit soft, colored glows. Audio signals are non-intrusive, often deep-toned or low-frequency, minimizing user irritation.
Displays: Screens are ruggedized and glare-resistant, featuring monochromatic displays (or limited color palettes) for readability in all lighting conditions. Advanced systems use holographic projection, but only for high-priority equipment.
Language and Symbols: Interfaces display instructions in the standardized Heimveld language, supplemented by universal pictograms for illiterate users. Guild emblems and serial numbers are engraved on every unit for identification and tracking.

Performance Characteristics

Functionality: Machines are designed for simplicity and reliability. Every function serves a practical purpose, and unnecessary complexity is avoided to reduce maintenance requirements.
Efficiency: Systems prioritize energy conservation. Air conditioners, for example, use heat exchange loops that require minimal power, while lathes have variable-speed drives optimized for different materials.
Resilience: Machines operate in harsh conditions without performance degradation. Fridges maintain precise temperatures in high-humidity or low-gravity environments; air conditioners filter particulate-heavy air in polluted cities.

User Experience

Sound: Machines are deliberately quiet but not silent, with sounds tuned to reassure the user of proper operation. A vending machine might produce a low hum, while a rifle emits a crisp clack during cycling.
Tactile Feedback: Every interface offers resistance proportional to the action—levers require a deliberate pull, buttons depress with a firm snap, and knobs turn with a smooth but weighted motion.
Scent: New devices carry the faint aroma of plasteel and oil, while older units may develop a warm, metallic scent mixed with the environment.
Decorative Features: Casings are embossed with subtle, decorative patterns—curved, organic designs reminiscent of flowing vines and waves. These are functional as well, preventing surfaces from becoming slippery in damp or greasy conditions.

Standardization and Longevity

Pattern Codes: Each device is built to a standardized pattern, ensuring universal compatibility across the empire. A rifle made in one sector is functionally identical to one from another, save for serial numbers and minor regional flourishes.
Maintenance: Machines are designed for ease of maintenance. Panels can be removed with simple tools, internal components are labeled and diagrammed, and the Guild provides detailed manuals for all equipment. Replacement parts are stocked universally in Guild stores.
Heritage and Durability: Devices are intended to last centuries, often becoming family heirlooms. A rifle or lathe might have visible wear from generations of use but remains fully functional thanks to its timeless engineering.

AI Spirits

Superstition: Users commonly refer to the embedded diagnostic and operational subroutines within machines as “machine spirits,” believing them to be temperamental entities requiring appeasement. This belief has fostered rituals like tapping machines in specific patterns, speaking respectful words before use, or even leaving offerings of small trinkets. Failure to adhere to these habits is thought to anger the spirit, leading to malfunctions.
Reality: These “spirits” are, in fact, highly sophisticated but limited artificial intelligences. Designed by the Guild, they monitor the machine’s functionality, optimize performance, and provide user feedback. The AIs are programmed with a degree of adaptability, learning user preferences and compensating for wear over time. Their quirks—such as pausing during a task or issuing unexpected alerts—stem from self-preservation protocols or environmental adjustments. These behaviors, while practical, often fuel superstitious interpretations.
Interaction: Users interact with the AI through simple commands or manual controls. The AI responds with audible tones, blinking indicator lights, or text on displays, always designed to be clear but unembellished. More advanced systems may emit synthesized speech, their tones calm and authoritative, but even these follow strict patterns of behavior to ensure consistency.
Legacy and Reliability: The Guild designs these AI systems with unparalleled robustness, ensuring that even centuries-old devices retain their functionality. However, as machines age, their AI can develop subtle “personalities” due to algorithmic drift or prolonged adaptation to specific users, reinforcing the perception of living machine spirits.

Vehicles

Shared Characteristics Across Vehicles:

• Durability: All vehicles are designed to last for centuries with regular maintenance. Replacement parts are standardized and widely available across the empire.
• Power: Fusion cores are the standard, offering decades of reliable power. Portable vehicles feature highly efficient plasma batteries as backups.
• Aesthetic: Functional, industrial designs with subtle artistic embellishments. Etched patterns and embossed decorations pay homage to the Guild’s craftsmanship.
• Controls: Physical controls with simple, intuitive layouts. Voice commands supplement manual operation but are often regarded as unreliable by users due to temperamental machine “spirits.”
• Sound: Quiet, with the hum of fusion cores and occasional mechanical whirs. Larger vehicles emit a low, steady drone when operating.
• Smell: A faint tang of ionized air from fusion power systems and the sterile scent of plasteel interiors. Over time, vehicles absorb the smells of their environments, making each uniquely familiar to its owner.