Resource Management

Access to water, the most precious commodity on Duskara, defines wealth and power. Families with significant water quotas or control over distribution systems are among the societal elite. Water tokens, ceramic discs marked with settlement glyphs, are physical representations of water rights. Beyond their economic value, they are instruments of authority and autonomy, physically required to authorize critical actions within a settlement’s water systems, such as overriding automated valves. Linked to an individual's specific role and identification, the possession or coercive withholding of a token can become a significant source of personal and political power. They are often passed down through generations or traded as part of alliances, symbolizing both status and survival.

The tokens contain psychic authentication signatures embedded in microscopic grooves during their creation. Each settlement's glyph (Aurora Bastion's spiral-and-crescent, for example) identifies origin, while groove depth analysis detects forgery attempts. These tokens function as both economic instruments and legal evidence, with chain-of-custody protocols governing their inter-settlement trade.

Every able-bodied individual is expected to contribute to resource maintenance. Whether repairing wind turbines, overseeing water systems, or protecting trade routes, these duties are seen not just as civic responsibilities but also as spiritual obligations. Such collective efforts reinforce a communal mentality, binding settlements together in shared purpose.

Conflicts over resources are resolved through council hearings, where representatives mediate disputes. Water judges, specialists in the allocation and conservation of water, play a central role in maintaining order and ensuring fairness. Population control policies further safeguard against resource overstrain. Birth quotas are strictly enforced, with larger families permitted only in times of demonstrated surplus. These measures, overseen by local councils and elders, tie population growth directly to communal prosperity.

Water Judge Training and Duties

Water judges undergo specialized training in data analysis, token authentication, and crisis assessment. Marked by blue-gray robes, they operate from underground monitoring chambers—typically 30 meters deep—where geothermal fixtures illuminate banks of tablets displaying hydroloop flow rates, aquifer depth readings, and atmospheric condenser outputs. Their duties extend beyond allocation: they verify water token authenticity through psychic signature analysis, maintain archives of inter-settlement water rights trades, and present crisis data to councils using projection systems during emergency audiences.