[quote=BBeast]
If cores are expensive, and have to be replaced frequently, then where does that put the running costs of a shuttle or carriage, especially if they're powered by kinetic cores? If that makes them expensive to travel on, how do poorer people get around?
[/quote]

First, consider this: most shuttles belong to the United Continental Army (U.C.A / "you-sah"), which is the military of Leginia. Actually, most air craft does, because the military is more than just means of warfare in this world. Recall that the world is currently in an amazing era of peace, which was brought upon right after a time in which everyone was trying to make technology for the sake of fighting. Because of this, a lot of the technological advancement was headed by the military, and since they have so much damn money, the cost of shuttle maintenance is barely a dent in their pocket. Kinetic cores are rare and expensive, but not unaffordable for the U.C.A. But the thing is, there are a lot of shuttles that belong to private corporations and maybe even a super rich family. Like say a sewage company that needs to quickly get to a house to prevent flooding. They would really need to strategically allocate their resources to be able to fund for the shuttles, especially if they aren't big name industries that nearly everyone in the world uses. I mean, unless you're looking for an actual cost in numbers, that should answer it, but if not, tell me. 

And for the second part of this question, it is expensive to travel on shuttles. The price of the cheapest shuttle rides would be equivalent to First Class tickets on America (in terms of how affordable they are to the average family). Poor people must resort to carriages that they find or taxi carriages. Taxi's are extremely cheap, as carriages are really easy to maintain.

[quote]
Since cores have to be mined, that makes them a finite resource like coal. I can imagine that you could set another RP in this world when the cores have almost run out, and a technology to restore power to cores without using cores is yet to be invented.[/quote]

That's a cool idea, but it also.... um. Damn, I don't wanna spoil, but there are a lot of plot elements that we will discover regarding cores. I have some endings in mind, but this has no set-in-stone path, really. If we all die and everything fails (or something like that) at the end, then yes, maybe. You'll know what I mean when you learn. 

OH AND THAT LEADS ME TO MY NEXT POINT! WHAT SHOULD WE USE FOR CURRENCY?!?!

I was thinking gold, but it's tooooo generic. Then I thought what about "Warrens" for the base currency (like dollars). Any ideas would be appreciated.