From the introduction: The societies - each in decline - are the Insectoids, the Kingdom, and the Free People. The Insectoids are creatures broadly like Terrestrial arthropods, but varying a great deal in size, shape and intelligence. They are the largest of the societies, but fragmented between their hives. Individuals are born to perform a specific task, and there are many kinds. The Kingdom are human and affect the fashions and lifestyle of the late nineteenth century. They regard themselves as the true rulers of the world, and they rely on the slave labour of Insectoids. They live lives of luxury, decadence, and intellectual pursuits. The Free People are a human theocracy, in perpetual low-intensity conflict with the Kingdom and the Insectoids. They worship volcano gods, who must be appeased or they will unleash destruction. The Free People have a ruthless attitude towards any who endanger them in the eyes of the gods. They're also the most technically equipped society in the world, with cybernetics in the form of tiki masks, tiki-styled exoskeletons, laser guns and other marvels otherwise lost to the world.