don't mind me with some more...really late...shameless self-promo...
I'm a HUGE fan of guideverse (aka sentinels & guides), and as such, am currently four (published) chapters deep in a kokonui guideverse au story~
(this is all explained at the start of my fic, but copying it here for posterity) for those who don’t know, guideverse (also referred to as sentinels & guides) is similar in nature to omegaverse. for that reason, things may get a little dubnoncon due to the inherent nature of the genre, so please proceed with caution if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing c:
like omegaverse, each author might put their own little spin, flair, or flavor on their take of the genre. because of that as well as guideverse being not as well-known (-SOBS IN UNDERRATED-), time for a little lore crash-course pertaining directly to my story, abysm!
espers: (the term that I prefer to use for “sentinels,” probably bc I read a lot of manhwa that uses it) are superpowered beings that (typically) use their abilities for the greater good, engaging in heightened physical and/or psychic combat for national defense purposes. however, their power comes at a cost — without regulation or overuse of their powers, espers can experience episodes of emotional dysfunction and mental and physical collapse that may manifest as destruction, rage, shutdowns, etc. in this fic, I primarily refer to this phenomenon as ‘destabilization’ or 'rage.'
guides: likewise are superpowered individuals, though instead of their powers coming in the form of offensive power, theirs is more aura-based and used to calm, soothe, and stabilize. you see where I’m going with this. guides are the individuals tasked to regulate, or guide espers. guiding can be achieved in a gesture as simple as sharing space with an esper, though the power is more effective through touch. the more intimate the touch, the stronger the effect — so if you’re thinking, ‘ah, so guideverse is basically just a plot device to get the leads to start banging,’ you’d be (mostly) totally right. c;
dungeons: are supernatural portals that are basically glitches in the matrix. in my lore, they essentially rip through time and space and lead to other planes of existence. they open up randomly and wreck havoc — sometimes, things exit from them. nobody can enter willingly aside from an esper or guide — only they have the correct dna signatures, though things (or people) can unwillingly be dragged into them. espers are dispatched to destroy dungeons and the horrors within them as they appear, though doing so often comes at great cost and is taxing, both mentally and physically (hence, the frequent need for espers to receive guidance).
bonding: similar to omegaverse, bonding in guideverse is when an esper and a guide share an exceptional match percentage and experience a stronger gravitational pull, potentially even a higher vulnerability to one another. in my verse, I toy with temporary bonds as well as “true”/permanent ones. true bonds are treated as a pretty rare phenomenon, akin to imprinting, and it must be mutual/reciprocated. basically, it’s marriage at a molecular level and two souls just pointing at each other and going, “THAT ONE. THAT ONEEEE,” and can happen without the subjects even really realizing it. (but their souls know. lol.)
Japan Esper Commission (JEC): the central authority overseeing esper and guide registration, assignments, research, and national security regulation. their ethics are questionable.
guilds: independent organizations, often for-profit, which grant semi-autonomous authority to the espers and guides under their employ. some are elite, some are exploitative — at the end of the day, all fall under JEC jurisdiction.
stabilizers: technological devices for espers, often worn as jewelry, designed to mimic the effects of a guide’s aura with some known limitations. sometimes mocked or looked down upon and can be viewed in a similar vein as “collaring,” which can be controversial especially in instances of non-consent.
suppressants: highly controversial, bioengineered chemical compounds used intravenously to prolong periods between guidance. susceptible to tolerance-building and/or resistance. these treatment methods are often reserved for the most elite espers and were originally designed for such due to a sheer shortage of high-enough powered guides.
anyway, without further ado, if you think you might be into this sorta verse, check it out!
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