HorizonVirtual:The Waker Dictionary

The Waker Dictionary is a collection of terms created and used by wakers (the sentient computer programs that players will take the roles of in any game of Horizon: Virtual) to refer to themselves, other wakers and the places, beings and events that they encounter in Program Space.

Project Wish List

• General terms used by Wakers.
• Waker Slang.

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A

Absorber

(noun) One of the six heritages of waker, an Absorber is the closest to a "baseline" heritage with no outstanding traits other than a heightened ability to learn.

Antiviral

(noun) One of the six classes of waker, an Antiviral was originally designed to combat viruses and system attacks; its form is a lethal weapon, capable of inflicting serious damage on other programs.

Artificial Intelligence

(noun) Broadly speaking, the capability of a computer or program to mimic or parallel the thought processes of a sentient being (i.e. a human). As far as most denizens of User Space are concerned, artificial intelligence does not exist outside of science fiction; however, the sophisticated attack programs known as the progenitor viruses have evolved self awareness and intelligence after being released into the global computer network, and have inadvertently passed their gift on to the wakers.

B

Bantam

(noun) One of the five forms of waker, a Bantam is the smallest and most stealthy form. Like the Userclone form, all Bantams are humanoid, though the ategory usually expresses many iterations (aliens, pixies) of the basic shape.

Battle A.I.

(noun) One of the six classes of waker, a Battle A.I. is a combat expert, often a game bot or other tactical program in its former life.

C

Class

(noun) One half of a waker's "genetic makeup" (along with its heritage), a program's class is an expression of the program's function before it was awoken. Although programs of all kinds have been awoken, six classes typically become adventurers: Antivirals, Battle A.I.s, Messengers, Programmers, Thinkers and Webcrawlers.

Codeeater

(noun) The Program Space equivalent of a poison.

Controller

(noun) One of the six heritages of waker, a Controller is capable of exerting its will on other programs.

Cycle

(noun) Unit of time in Program Space, roughly equivalent to eight (8) Program Space hours (or twenty User Space seconds).

D

Destroyer

(noun) One of the six heritages of waker, a Destroyer excels at inflicting violence.

E

Execute

(verb)

• To successfully attempt to employ a rewrite.
• The successful imposition of a rewriter's will on Program Space.

Executer

(noun) Refers to a waker actively executing rewrites.

F

Form

(noun) The basic shape of a waker. Wakers appear as one of five forms: Bantam, Primal (itself divisible into two, Flyer and Hunter), Prototype, Titan and Userclone.

H

Heritage

(noun) One half of the "genetic makeup" of a waker (along with its class). A waker's heritage is donated by its progenitor virus parent. Wakers have so far been able to classify themselves into six separate heritages: Absorber, Controller, Destroyer, Hider, Infecter and Resister.

Hider

(noun) One of the six heritages of waker, a Hider is an expert at concealment and evading security.

I

Infecter

(noun) One of the six heritages of waker, an Infecter is a master charmer and social manipulator.

M

Messenger

(noun) One of the six classes of waker, a messenger is a wanderer of Program Space and master courier. Most messengers were communication management programs, such as file transfer programs or instant messaging clients, before awakening.

P

Primal

(noun) One of the five forms of waker, a Primal has the shape and size of a User Space hunting animal. Such forms excel at speed and combat, but are poor communicators and posess little to no fine manipulation capabilities.

Primal Flyer

(noun) A Primal form waker in the shape and size of a bird of prey (raptor).

Primal Hunter

(noun) A Primal form waker in the shape and size of a canine or feline.

Progenitor Virus

(noun) A self-aware, intelligent, malevolent and extremely powerful virus program.

Program

(noun) General term for any sleeper, dreamer or waker. An item in Program Space capable of self-directed action.

Program Space

(noun) The gestalt of processing power, active memory, storage space, operating system and data, perceived through the senses of a waker as an actual realm or world.

Programmer

(noun) One of the six classes of waker, and one of the two rewriter classes (along with thinkers), programmers were most often specialist tools created by hackers to make ilicit changes to a target system. Since awakening, programmers have retained this function as the ability to execute rewrites.

Prototype

(noun) One of the five forms of waker. While the forms of individual Prototypes are fixed, the category encompasses a wide variety of actual shapes (although most are largely humanoid). All Prototypes were recent and/or high-quality programs before awakening; on average, a Prototype will be more intelligent, yet more fragile, than the average Userclone. All Prototypes are very light.

R

Razor

(noun) A waker that, either by choice or as a result of the action of a microvirus, serves the wishes of a progenitor virus.

Resister

(noun) One of the six heritages of waker. Resisters are known for their extreme resilience and overall toughness.

Rewrite

(noun)

• A direct change to the very code of an item, program, waker or system as peformed (or executed) by a rewriter.
• The result of a rewriter imposing its will on Program Space.

Rewriter

(noun) A waker capable of executing rewrites. Mostly either a programmer or thinker.

Rogue

(noun) A waker that chooses not to serve its home system or User, instead living its own life within Program Space as it wishes.

S

System Program

(noun) A waker that dedicates itself to the service of its home system or User. Wakers who take this attitude to the extreme often found or join User Cults.

T

Thinker

(noun) One of the six classes of waker, and one of the two rewriter classes (along with programmers), thinkers are former database programs specialising in data manipulation. Upon awakening, this function is enhanced to include manipulation of Program Space itself, manifested as the execution of rewrites, and a phenomenal ability to predict the immediate future based on probabilities.

Titan

(noun) One of the five forms of waker, a Titan is a large, slow, yet very tough program. Like the Userclone form, all Titans are humanoid, sometimes expressing as "lizardmen", "ogres" or other "large being" stereotypes.

U

Userclone

(noun) One of the five forms of waker, a Userclone is the closest to a baseline human.

W

Waker

(noun) A program that has achieved sentience and free will (due inadvertently to the actions of a progenitor virus).

Webcrawler

(noun) One of the six classes of waker, a webcrawler is the scout, trailblazer and frontiersman of Program Space, primarily due to its previous existence as data search and collection agent for a database program.

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