 | For the Collectible of the same name, see Power Cores.
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A Power Core is Federal Bureau of Control device that supplies limitless power to various machines within the Oldest House. Power Cores were invented by Dr. Theodore Ash, Jr. during the FBC's first expeditions into the Oldest House in 1964. Ash noticed that the interior of the Oldest House teemed with paranatural energy, and built the first Power Core to harness this energy and convert it into electricity. Power Cores can generate power theoretically indefinitely, but they can only function inside the Oldest House.
Power Cores allowed the FBC to greatly reduce its dependence on external power sources as it moved its headquarters to the Oldest House and expanded, but for decades its still had to draw from the New York City power grid. The creation of the NSC Power Plant granted the FBC full energy independence, but Power Cores remained in use into 2019 as a backup power source and to run smaller machines that could not safely draw from the NSC or which needed a completely continuous flow of power.
The Investigations Sector became especially reliant on Power Cores after the FBC apprehended Shaded Hartman. The sector stocked up on extra Power Cores and redundant lighting devices as a contingency against Hartman's escape, which was feared to be just a matter of time due to the nature of his paranatural abilities. Unfortunately this precaution did not prevent Hartman's escape and rampage in 2017, and the Investigations Sector was largely sealed off until Director Jesse Faden destroyed Hartman in 2019, although the presence of the Power Cores and light fixtures did make re-illuminating the sector and cornering Hartman during the Hiss invasion an easier task.