Authors Note: rpCHI:BI takes place in a world similar, yet very distinct from our own. Although many countries and names will be familiar to you, others are entirely fictional and are not meant to reflect upon what we know as reality in any way. If it helps, think of the world of rpCHI:BI as being a parallel universe - one which has turned down a very different path to our own...

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The term "rpCHI:BI" is an amalgam of two abbreviations: "rp" and "CHI:BI". The first, "rp", stands for "Reality Player" and is used to denote anyone who uses CHI:BI units in battle, either as part of an organized competition or for personal gain. The second abbreviation, "CHI:BI", stands for "Cyber-Harmonic Inerface: Basic Induction" unit.

CHI:BI units were first introduced into the world by the Japanese military, who initially developed them as part of a remote attack program. They operated by utilising the bio-electric field that is emitted by all living creatures. By harnessing this energy, the military discovered that not only were they provided with a virtually inexhaustable power supply, but were also afforded a degree of control never before seen. Special silicon-crystal hardware was quickly designed that could make full use of this energy and so was born the first CHI:BI unit.

From the first came many more, and with each new model came new upgrades and soon the units began to be seen in every area of the Japanese military, from foot troops to espionage and intel. Of course, this quickly brought the CHI:BIs to the attention of the other world powers and so began an industrial race to create bigger and better CHI:BIs that would lead to the greatest World War in recorded history.

This story begins 15 years after the signing of the Sun-Ama Peace Accord which brought the World War, which had lasted 12 years, to an end. CHI:BI units are now everywhere, having been adapted during the years of war into the private sector as construction, transport, resource gathering etc. units, and are now a vital part of every major country's economy. As well as this, private CHI:BI contracters hired during the war and now out of work managed to exploit a loophole in their country's non-disclosure agreements and have begun manufacturing CHI:BI units for personal use. Current surveys indicate that over 80% of families throughout the world now own at least one CHI:BI unit, and five years ago (SA 10) a private organisation based around private CHI:BI-battles (Known as "rpCHIBI") was officially recognized by the American government. Today, rpCHI:BI spans four continents and is the most popular televised event in the world.

How Do CHI:BI Units Work?
Note that this is not necessary to know, but may help in your understanding of the comic.

These days, the various forms of CHI:BI are as numerous as those of insects - each with its own method of operation and handling. This article will deal with that form which most concerns this comic - that of battle units.

The CHI:BI battle unit works by bombarding a person with a high level of low-amperage electricity to stimulate the body's bio-electric field (As pioneered by Dr. Kirlian) and then focusing that electrical energy through a special silicon crystal known as the "Harmonic Resonance Device", or "HRD". This crystal attunes the resonance of a person's bio-electric field and focuses it into a physical form. This form is called the "skeleton" of the CHI:BI unit, or "phantom" as it is more popularly known.

With the "phantom" formed, the host (The person from whom the phantom originated) can then affix special silicon-hardware to it, thereby providing the phantom with a tangible "body" and allowing it to interact with objects. At this point, the phantom becomes known as the CHI:BI unit. The unit can then be commanded through mental or vocal commands (Although alteration of Hardware is done through manipulation of the HRD).

Silicon Hardware is divided into "Units" - One Torso, one head, two arms, two hands, two legs and two feet - with the Torso Unit being the base that all others derive from. Each of these Units is of a designated "Type", each possessing characteristics such as fire-retardance (F-Type), water-resistance (W-Type), triple-plated armour (A-Type) and so on. Some Types will allow any Unit to be attached, whereas other Types may have restrictions (A-Type, for example, will only allow A-Type "legs" to be attached).

As well as Silicon Hardware, CHI:BI units are also capable of receiving "Modifications" in the form of "CDDs", or "Crystallized Data Disks". Moulded into the shape of triangular cards, these disks contain "Modification" information that can be read into an HRD and uploaded into the CHI:BI unit itself. Modifications include such abilities as Electrification, Stealth, Flight and so on. Each modification can be uploaded into any Unit (Head, Torso, Leg etc.) and will affect any adjacent Unit of the same Type. So uploading the Stealth Modification, for example, into an F-Type Torso will grant the Stealth ability to any adjacent F-Type Units. If your CHI:BI was composed entirely of F-Type Units, then the entire CHI:BI would have the Stealth Modification. CDDs dissolve into the HRD's data stream upon upload.

Due to the potentially lethal aspects of CHI:BIs, each one comes with a dead-chip integrated directly into its cortical hardware. This dead-chip ensures that the CHI:BI is only able to be generated within properly sanctioned playing fields, and not anywhere outside this area. Should anyone attempt to form a battle "phantom" outside of a battle arena, the dead-chip will kick in and immidiately - and permanently - shut down the CHI:BI. Also, as it is wired directly into the cortical hardware of the CHI:BI units, it is impossible to remove the "dead-chip" without destroying the CHI:BI.

However, there are rumours of home-made battle CHI:BIs... Ones without a dead-chip. And such rumours have been growing stronger in recent months...

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