General information

## Common Knowledge

Set in a modern world where highly advanced motorized in-line skates / rollerblades exist, called Air Trecks (or ATs for short), it's popularity is vast among extreme sports fans and just those seeking freedom or power, or just an out of the ordinary experience. The reasons to start up ATs can be incredibly different, as can the experiences lived on them.

A common theme associated with ATs, is freedom, be it to chase after it or to take it from others, again it varies from rider to rider. To some, ATs are a means of power, while for others, it's merely a weapon. To some, it's the ability to fly and be free, and to others it's just a magical piece of mechanical engineering that is capable of great feats, and anything in between. Riders' reasons and experiences vary so greatly, they end up being free to be whatever person they want to be.

Storm Rider is a term coined by those skilled at using ATs. It's to differentiate those who merely own and run around in ATs, and those whose passion and skill for it, resembles an actual storm, making the entire world their path to ride on, as opposed to just the empty streets like normal AT owners.

Within the underground culture of Storm Riders, there is a ranking system, consisting of Classes and a skill level.

Despite all of this, ATs aren't just about the beauty it can bring, there's a dark side to it as many use it to fight and hurt one another, and as the power climbs up, so does the potential damage and danger. Even without others to hurt someone, the complicated tricks and stunts pulled off can lead to death, as it has many times in the past... Many people have died because of ATs, but that's generally the case for Storm Riders, and not mere AT owners.

## Air Trecks

   **Air Trecks** or **ATs** are high tech motorized inline skates that were originally designed as a revolutionary new propulsion system that combined efficient energy circuits and an energy recovering system. Air Trecks can be generalized as "high-end, customizable, motorized inline skates". They are composed of four major components: Wheel Motor, Hydraulic Cushion System, Structure Frame and Power Injection System. A Braking System is incorporated with most, equipped with a power-lock switch built on the outer sole of the skates, which enables it to break and also to have the ATs function as regular rollerblades, or even as just shoes (since the wheels too can be fully locked, preventing any possible rotation/movement on them)... Though despite this, Storm Riders eventually develop braking skills that go beyond using the mere Braking System, such as the U-Turn stop, and the more advanced Spin-Turn-Stop technique. Each pair comes installed with a special memory stick, called the R.E.A.D. Memory Stick.

* **Wheel Motor:** Coming with pressure plates installed, it responds to the amount of pressure that the rider puts on it. More pressure equals more power output from the motors, and thus more speed. It's mainly responsible for acceleration and movement output.
* **Hydraulic Cushion System:** Almost like impregnable bubbles of air throughout the frame, they are responsible for dampening all impacts of falling and/or landing, providing the rider with a smooth experience for the most part, and even avoiding accidents or injuries of landing/falling from buildings, provided the rider lands on their "feet" and retains their balance.
* **Power Injection System:** Responsible for delivering the electric current from the self-sustained and self-recovering batteries (to the motor and circuitry), as well as air and wind from the rider's usage, into the air cushions (to constantly keep them inflated for the smooth landings). It also keeps the internal energy circulating as part of the energy recovering system.
* **Structure Frame:** Everything else about the ATs, what holds it all in place and connects the various components and parts together. The possibilities and diversity here are just too many to mention.
* **R.E.A.D. Memory Stick**: Every AT has one inside, it keeps track of the rider's progress. Every trick, every turn, every jump, every slide, every run, from the millimeters you've rode to the time you did it, all the details of how you've rode using your ATs, are contained and recorded in here, and backed up to the main database/server, a virtual world where the information of every rider exists. And at the end, all that data is analyzed, compiled and used to formulate a number. The READ Level. It shows how good of a Rider you are, and that number is used to determine the Class within the Storm Rider ranking system.

Air-Trecks are very expensive, and require regular maintenance and tuning (if used beyond mere AT-owning level, for those who become skilled enough to be considered Storm Riders).

While each part/component has a set function, those functions can be vastly/extensively changed through the modifications done to them, by those who make and sell parts (usually covertly or "underground") to Storm Riders. These are known as Link-Tuners (see: Ring Road), and shops like the Glum Slum Shop, also sell said parts.

Most standard-issue parts are available at sporting goods stores, that can be found easily, even in shopping malls. They are perfect and adequate for those just starting out, but inefficient for anyone with enough skill to become a Storm Rider.

The wheel model type can vary in the following way:

* **2-Wheels:** Simply put, each "foot" of the AT has two in-line wheels. This is the most standard and common model, most people use these, as they give the most speed, generally, as well as good maneuverability. While it can ride off-road, it's not very efficient at it.
* **3-Wheels:** More reliable than the 2-wheel model, this one allows for more stability in turning and landing, greater comfort even, though the speed isn't quite as efficient. Somewhat efficient on off-road terrains. The wheels can either be in-line or have some different schematic to it.
* **4-Wheels:** A highly stable model that makes turning even easier, and landing far more comfortable even from great heights. It's even capable of efficiently riding even while off-road. Despite this, it lacks in speed (but not by a lot) when compared to the previous models.
* **Tracks:** Rather than wheels, this model basically has tracks like a tank does. It's the slowest model there is, but it's more durable, more resistant, doesn't get affected by pebbles and potholes or other minor obstacles on the way, and can ride at full efficiency in any terrain, having the advantage on off-road terrains.
* **Ball Roller:** Considered the 'niche' model, it's slightly more expensive than other models. Instead of wheels, it's essentially a shoe with many tiny balls protruding out of it. Those balls roll to grant the rider's mobility. It's not as fast as the 2-wheel model, but grants omnidirectional movement and allows for instant change in trajectory (not requiring any sort of turning to actually change direction).

## Teams

While some prefer to stay alone as solo riders, a lot of Storm Riders end up forming or joining a team. Teams are groups of Storm Riders who come together, for any number of reasons, seeing that one Team can be radically different from any other Team.

Some Teams are about helping each other climb to the top. Other teams are close groups that care deeply for each other. Some are essentially just using each other for their own purposes and reasons. Some are just a way of having people to compete with in specific ways (like who can set the best time/record on a certain course, for example, and then constantly try and beat that record, keeping track of it, etc). Some Teams are basically gangs. Some Teams just exist for stronger riders to help out and protect the weaker riders.

Teams, just like Storm Riders, are ranked by Classes. Instead of ranking up via increase of skill (measured by the R.E.A.D. Level), Teams rank up by winning in Parts-Wars against other Teams. 3 victories against a team of the same Class, or 1 victory against a team of a higher Class, ranks up to the next Class. Parts-Wars always include bets, and through said bets, a team can be forced to disband. For a disbanded Team, they have a few choices:

* They can reform with a new Emblem design and new team name, back in F-Class.
* They may also choose to join the opposing Team (if allowed, meaning the winning Team would "eat" the losing Team, like a hostile merger).
* They can just all become solo Riders or join new teams.

Teams who lose 3 consecutive Parts War races/events will also rank down in class if they're higher than F-Class.

## Parts-Wars

Parts War is a battle between Storm Riders to gain AT parts, emblems, territories or money (or really anything they'd like to bet). They also compete in these battles to advance their team to a higher rank. A team has to bet something in order to battle, while solo Storm Riders can battle without betting. Teams will usually bet parts, thus the name Parts War, or a team can bet their emblem. If a team bets their emblem and loses, that team must disband.

Parts War actually began as a website where riders simply traded parts with other riders. Someone later developed the website into a never-ending tournament, that today consists of the ranking system for Storm Riders. The person who created of the current Parts War system is unknown to all, one of the greatest mysteries of the world of ATs and Storm Riders.

To start a Parts War with another Team there are 2 different ways:

* Find a Teams Sticker tagging their area and place your sticker over it.
* An opposing team places their sticker on yours

(Note: In a Team Parts War, the challenging team is at a disadvantage since they have to fight on the enemy's home turf. The opposing team has full knowledge of the battle arena and is the only one who can set the rules and the game. The challenged team picks out the class of match they do.)

(See: Classes)

## Tricks

The heart and soul, core of the Storm Rider's "run", they are elaborate mixture of stunts and movements that add up and get named, into what's called a Trick. It *can* present a Rider with a great advantage over those who don't use it, and in some specific situations, tricks are really required. That aside though, Storm Riders create Tricks simply because they are... Well, cool. Impressive. Awesome.

Tricks of a higher class will always be more efficient at what they do, than tricks that do the same but with a lower class (example, two tricks that both give speed, one is F-Class, one is S-Class, the amount of speed gained is universes apart, can't even be compared), though being higher in riding class also helps improve the efficiency of your own tricks.