The Unknown Book

American Universes A story of the Chrono Guard Chapter 1: The Consequences of Alcohol Joey was having a really bad day. Actually, it had been a bad week. He’d had one job: protect U1776 from interference from Guild, and then he would have a month of vacation awaiting him. He’d planned on visiting “The Ranch,” on U1814 for a few days and see some of his friends, before going to some world with a fantastic tropical paradise. And maybe go visit one of the edgier universes before heading back to active duty again. It should have been a simple job. Track the Guild agents, prevent their hacking into the computer systems on U1776, and everything would be great. The Guard had received the tip days ago, that Guild agents were on U1776 trying to interfere with an election, and so Joey had been dispatched. The problem was, the tip they had received had bad intel. All signs had pointed to the attempted hack happening in Washington, D.C. This made sense, as it was the American election t...

E va Mahler walked along her street, downhill towards the Westpoint Market, situated at the westernmost point of  Hochmünster Island, facing the direction of the sea, where the Allon River meets ocean, about two miles farther downstream from Eva's peculiar home. It was early summer, and there were flowers in bloom all over the island city, mostly in well-tended flower boxes beneath the windows of the two and three story homes that she passed. It was early, but there were many people on the streets, all walking of course. True, Hochmünster's Shore Road, which encircled most of the island, was wide enough for motorcars, most of the other streets on the island were too narrow and winding and steep for the modern conveyances. Everyone walked. And at just under two miles in length, no place was too far to walk. Eva didn't mind it either. It kept her in shape and she enjoyed the time to think while she walked. And was there ever a lot to think about these days.  Soon the stre...

W elcome to Abhidria, capital of the floating island of Aveera. Home nearly one million inhabitants, Abhidria is the largest city aloft, beating both Asheeri in Rayal and the holy city of Berdaan in Yothara. Founded over six centuries ago by Amon I of the House of Hidra, the city has become the most cultured and innovative settlement in all the lands that float over the World Sea. At the heart of the city lies the port and market district. Daily hundreds of flying vessels come in from all over the world. A quick walk down it's narrow and bustling streets will easily inundate oneself with dozens of languages and the scents of cuisines from near and far. And rising above all the side alleys, warehouses, piers and smaller jetties, are the Grand Market, with room for nearly 1,000 vendors selling their wares, and the Abhidria Central Station, which has mechanized cart trains coming and going at all hours of the day and night, connecting all parts of Aveera to the capital. Passengers dis...