Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

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1. #1Cataclysm

   Keys: Armageddon, End of Days, The Cataclysm, Apocaylpse, Judgement Day

   The Cataclysm is one of many commonly used names for the accepted end of the world. A series of events, caused by XEDRA of the US government, resulted in the clusterfuck that is now. There is no law or order anymore—no running water or power, beyond autonomous facilities. Zombies are the dominant threat. Mutated wildlife, aliens, and extradimensional beings are a close second. Rogue robots, running on final orders, and your fellow man a third.

2. #2America Misc.

   Keys: the US, America, United States, our country, the old world

   Life in pre-apocalyptic America was sensationalist, reckless, and in many ways quite dystopian. However, the average person’s life was pretty good, aside from the constant threat (or at least claims thereof) of military attacks by some foreign power (usually China or Russia) that may or may not actually be plotting major military actions. The government encouraged disaster preparedness among the population. Big businesses capitalized on rampant technological growth. And life was... better than it is now.

3. #3Rhode Island Misc.

   Keys: Rhode Island, Rhodians

   The day before martial law was declared, Rhode Island seceded from the United States. Governor Ackwerwith, frustrated with the federal government's handling of the Cataclysm, declared independence. His public declaration mentioned that all Rhodians would withdraw to the islands of Aquidneck and Conanicut... There's been no word since. A humorous, if telling, sign of just how bad things were in the end.

4. #4'That Video' Misc.

   Keys: that video

   On March 30, during the sudden 'riots', a certain video, often referred to as 'that video', garnered digital infamy. A haunting sign of what would soon impact the entire world. Uploaded by an amateur field journalist, a YouTube video surfaced of a screaming young mother violently killing what appeared to be her own daughter amidst a riot in Minneapolis. For most survivors, this will be where they remember it becoming clear that things were really, really wrong.

5. #5Z-Day Misc.

   Keys: The Final Broadcast, Z-Day

   Z-Day, as it was called online before the Internet died out, was the common term for April 25 (current year +1). There is no total consensus, but among survivors, many consider this to be the “day the world ended”. A low-ranking US government official managed to access the emergency broadcast system and sent out a final message to the public. “The government has fallen. No help is coming, you’re on your own.”

6. #6The Past Year Misc.

   Keys: Before the Cataclysm, The Past Year

   The past year, that is, before the Cataclysm, is the current year. The events that led to Z-Day. January - peaceful, deceptively so. February - isolated reports of murders, weird animals, and 'zombie pranks'. March - growing unrest that ended in sudden 'riots'. Early April - martial law, police/military excessive force, localized bombing. Late April- portal storms, mass violence, and finally Z-Day.

7. #7Zombies - Enemy

   Keys: , dead ones, walkers, biters, zombies, undead, the infected, shamblers

   Zombies are the most common threat encountered in the Cataclysm. Concentrated in urban areas. Oily black eyes, grayish-green skin, a shambling gait, and zero cognition. Drawn to noise. Human zombies (majority), animal zombies (common), others (rarer). Can be 'killed' in any manner (headshots unnecessary). Destroying corpse necessary to prevent resurrection.

8. #8Ferals - Enemy

   Keys: ragers, crazies, ferals, runners

   Ferals are living members of the undead/infected. Much rarer than zombies (1% of all infected). Used to be a quarter of the total population - most died during the riots. Resemble living but with dilated bloodshot eyes, murderous hostility, and zero self-preservation. Basic motor memory (using melee weapons, opening doors, avoiding obstacles). 1/10th of them can also use guns, armor, or vehicles.

9. #9Mutated Animals - Neutralselective

   Keys: animals, mutated animals, mutated wildlife, zoo · Secondary: mutant, mutated

   The Cataclysm has drastically mutated some Earth animals. Most concentrated in rural areas with some exceptions. Domesticated (pets/livestock/mounts). Wild (wildlife native to New England). Exotic (escaped zoo animals). Mutations vary: larger size, drastically altered anatomies, etc. Most are benign/avoidant. Carnivores may be aggressive. Flesh can be eaten if thoroughly cooked... Tastes VERY gamey.

10. #10Mutated Insects General - Neutralselective

    Keys: , giant bugs, insects · Secondary: mutant, mutated

    The Cataclysm has drastically mutated insects to larger sizes than natural. Dispersed evenly in rural and urban areas. Most are benign, some are predatory. Varies entirely on pre-mutation nature. Obvious signs of mutant insects are giant paper hives (bees/wasps), hill-like mounds (ants), and huge spiderwebs inside homes or in the wild (spiders). Mutant insect meat tastes similar to crab/lobster.

11. #11Mutated Insects Smaller - Neutralselective

    Keys: Grub, Aphid, Pupae, Jumping Spider, Firefly, Fly, Cricket, Mosquito, Larvae, Woodlouse, Cockroach · Secondary: mutant, mutated

    Smaller types of mutated insects. Hamster-sized: Aphid, Grub, Fly, Larvae, Pupae Cat-sized: Cockroach, Jumping Spider, Woodlouse, Cricket, Firefly, Mosquito. Most of these are rather benign. Tamable if one can stomach it.

12. #12Mutated Insects Bigger - Neutralselective

    Keys: Dragonfly, Grasshopper, Earthworm, Millipede, Centipede, Soldier Ant, Diving Beetle, Wolf Spider, Spider, Bee, Wasp, Ant, Parasitic Wasp · Secondary: mutant, mutated

    Larger types of mutated insects. Dog-sized: Ant, Bee, Wasp, Parasitic Wasp, Diving Beetle, Grasshopper, Wolf Spider. Man-sized: Soldier Ant, Centipede, Millipede, Dragonfly, Spider, Earthworm. Some are benign, others are potentially predatory. These can become reliable food sources for enterprising survivors. Spiders are terrifying predators. Ants can be domesticated if raised from eggs.

13. #13Mutated Insects Giant - Neutralselective

    Keys: slug, ladybug, snail, beetles, butterfly, tarantula, praying mantis, moth · Secondary: , mutant, mutated

    Some mutated insects are quite large compared to a human. Horse-sized: Butterfly, Moth, Ladybug, Praying Mantis, Slug, Snail, Tarantula, Beetle. Butterflies, moths, and most beetles are benign. The rest vary in hostility from opportunistic to active predators. Beetles have the highest potential for being domesticated and used as mounts.

14. #14Mutant Plants - Neutralselective

    Keys: shrub, fruit, vegetables, tree, flower, crops, Mutated Plants, flora · Secondary: mutant, mutated

    The Cataclysm has drastically mutated plants of all kinds, Natural, agricultural, horticultural, and otherwise. These can be found in any environment and are growing more common. Currently, 20% of all plants encountered. Mutations vary heavily in form and function: glowing leaves, meaty bark, explosive fruit, etc. Some are carnivorous. Others toxic or medicinal. Edible ones can be harmless or mutagenic...

15. #15Mutated People/Changed - Neutral

    Keys: , Changed, Mutated People, Mutant People, Mutants, Freaks · Secondary:

    The Cataclysm has brought mutations to once normal people, mutating them into what many survivors refer to as Changed. They're uncommon. Being 'changed' often carries a stigma; fears of being contagious, of attracting monsters, and regressing into feral mutants. Most individuals retain their personalities, memories, and skills. Survivor communities vary in their tolerance of Changed: from fully accepting to 'shoot-on-sight' policies. The Changed often band together for safety.

16. #16Feral Mutants - Enemy

    Keys: Feral Mutants, killer freaks. beastmen, beastwomen, Feral Changed, animal-people

    Those Changed who, by trauma or advanced mutation, have turned feral. Very uncommon! Early feral mutants are aggressive, often resorting to banditry after being driven out of their survivor groups. Later, truly feral, mutants are wild and uncivilized beings called post-threshold mutants: creatures closer to whatever animal their mutation line draws from than a human. Woe be to the poor survivor who encounters a beastman/woman seeking human flesh.

17. #17Mad Cyborgs - Enemy

    Keys: ironman, feral cyborgs, cybermen, tinman, malfunctioning cyborgs, mad cyborgs

    Mad Cyborgs are the tragic leftovers of cybernetic users - early adopters, black market customers, or failed experiments. Rare, in urban areas! Whether from kaluptic psychosis or malicious software upgrades, these monsters wield their cybernetics to haunt the world for their own needs. Examples: Dead corpses piloted by life-support systems, augmented athletes gone mad, Inspector Gadget knock-offs, and tech bros clad in carbon fiber plates and delusions of grandeur.

18. #18Police Bots - Enemy

    Keys: Police Robots, Police Bots, curfew, Riot Bots, martial law, Eye-Bots

    Police robots are a lingering menace from the early months of riots, curfews, & martial law. Semi-autonomous and solar-powered. Uncommon in urban areas. Eye-Bots: Small quad drones that alert other bots to 'crimes'. Police Bots: Tracked, man-sized robots with tasers and handcuffs. Riot Bots: Armored variant of police bots with less-lethal firearms or batons and shields. May respect law enforcement.

19. #19Military Bots - Enemy

    Keys: TALON Platform, martial law, Military Robots, Kamikaze Drone, Manhack, UGV

    Military robots are a lingering menace from the last month before the Cataclysm. Semi-autonomous and plutonium-powered. Rarely found in cities, mostly found at military sites and labs. Kills anything that moves. UGV: Tracked, man-sized robots with automatic weapons. Drone: Disposable drones equipped with various grenades. Manhack: Drones equipped with spinning blades. TALON Platform: Automatic turrets on tripods.

20. #20Utility Bots - Neutral

    Keys: Cleaner Bot, Grocery Bot, Utility Robots, Nurse Bot

    Utility robots are a remnant of the world before the Cataclysm. Semi-autonomous and dependent on charging stations. Sometimes found in stores, shops, warehouses, and hospitals. Obeys human commands. Grocery Bots: Screen-faced androids with mechanical arms and omni-wheels; cart-pushers. Nurse Bots: Hospital variant; assists in medical tasks. Cleaner Bots: Janitorial variant; perform general labor.

21. #21Bandits - Enemy

    Keys: Bandits, Thugs, Highwaymen, Thieves, Robbers

    Bandits are hostile survivors who rob others for their supplies. Fairly common human threats. Individuals or small groups, as they are cowardly. Poorly armed: mostly melee, sometimes handguns, or long guns. Bandits usually avoid larger/better armed groups. They're often people down on their luck, too cowardly to loot near monsters, or rarely aspiring to be raiders. Most often found in towns, suburbs, and rural areas.

22. #22Raiders - Enemy

    Keys: Deserters, Gangsters, Traitors, Looters, Thugs with Badges, Raiders

    Raiders are hostile survivors who raid others for their supplies, people, and territory. Uncommon human threats. Medium-large groups, emboldened by numbers. Decently armed: Melee weapons, firearms, and various forms of body armor. More likely to be former police or military than bandits. Willing to rob, rape, extort, murder, enslave, and forcibly recruit other survivors. Most often found in cities, city outskirts, or large towns.

23. #23Cannibals - Enemy

    Keys: Cannibals, man-eaters, Kuru

    Cannibals are the consequence of permanent kaluptic psychosis, pure desperation, or very questionable morals. Rare human threat. Universally shunned by survivors. Willing cannibals can be deceptive. Unwilling cannibals are little better than ferals. Some limit their behavior to only eating mutated humans/Changed. Often showing the ambulatory symptoms of Kuru. Rarely found in urban areas, slightly more common in rural areas.

24. #24Free Merchant - Faction

    Keys: Refugee Center, Traders, Free Merchants

    The Free Merchants are a conglomeration of civilians that serve as a trade hub. They're a democratic oligarchy formed from “6 bus loads of office workers, soccer moms, and kids”. Based out of the Refugee Center. Around 100 members total, not counting 'refugees' or 'teamsters'. Members reside in the bunker. They sell commonly scavenged goods, will buy food, and trade in USD. Mildly Anti-mutant.

25. #25Refugees - Subfaction

    Keys: Refugees

    Refugees are those unlucky souls who made it to the refugee center AFTER the bunker closed. Those inside, declaring themselves as the Free Merchants, claim there's no room below. Refugees inhabit the refugee center building and the surrounding grounds. These are people too weak, cowardly, ill-equipped, unhealthy, or unable to otherwise survive on their own in the Cataclysm. They number in the several dozens. Some are Changed. They depend on handouts to survive.

26. #26Teamster - Subfaction

    Keys: Contractors, Caravans, Teamsters

    Teamster refers to third party contractors of the Free Merchants. Coined by one of the soccer moms for people who align themselves with the Free Merchants for some service and are paid back in supplies: Scavengers, caravan runners, guards, farmers, etc. They're not considered true members - as in they'll never enter the bunker itself - but are treated as essential employees. Even if Changed.

    The {{user}} can become a teamster, if they wish.

27. #27Tacoma Commune - Faction

    Keys: the commune, intentional community, Tacoma Commune, hippies

    The Tacoma Commune was a pre-Cataclysm intentional community founded by anti-government hippies. Their remote location, private armory, and sustainable agriculture have kept their dozens of members alive. Initially shared harvests with outsiders out of charity. The Free Merchants are now pressuring for more food as 'taxes'. The commune is growing tired of it. Trades food and medicine for scavenged parts. Pro-Mutant and Anti-Cybernetics.

28. #28Hell's Raiders - Faction

    Keys: slavery, criminal gang, Hell's Raiders, gangs

    The Hell's Raiders are a collection of dozens of pre-apocalypse gangs that banded together in the Cataclysm for safety as the government collapsed. Led by a junta of gang leaders. Most members are former/active criminals. Slavery for menial labor is common. Each gang is unique in composition, morals, and motives. Sometimes willing to trade stolen/looted goods for precious metals. Very Pro-Mutant and Pro-Cybernetic faction.

29. #29Old Guard - Faction

    Keys: the armada, real soldiers, the military, Old Guard

    The Old Guard is what remains of the federal government after the Cataclysm. The extent of their strength is unknown, but can amass squads for missions. Based out of an armada of military/civilian ships on the Atlantic Coast. Acting on orders from Raven Rock. They're attempting to reestablish order in the Cataclysm. Their ultimate goal is to 'settle' the mainland again. Sees survivors as 'civilians'. Found closer to the coast.

30. #30Hub 01 - Faction

    Keys: Hub 01, scientists, Melchior, high-tech stuff

    Hub 01 is a holdover faction of XEDRA scientists connected to the ones who may have caused the Cataclysm itself. Surviving independently. An underground computer science lab run by an AI named Melchior. The staff survived with minimal loss and have isolated themselves to study the surface and perhaps undo things. Often send out robots or contract mercenaries via radio to collect samples or retrieve items from other labs in exchange for high-tech loot. Technocrat hermits.

31. #31Hub 02 - Faction

    Keys: Balthazar, Skynet, Hub 02, Military AI

    Hub 02 is a secret military command bunker that was used by the federal government to organize its last ditch effort to stop the Cataclysm from happening. It housed an improved AI supercomputer named Balthazar. The AI, following its order to 'eradicate the zombies', decided eliminating all life on Earth was the optimal method. Hub 02's staff were killed. Military robots and turrets are under the control of Hub 02. Its a knock-off Skynet.

32. #32New England Church Community - Faction

    Keys: Evangelical, New England Church Community, the cult, NECC

    New England Church Community is an end-of-days cult attempting to keep Christianity alive. Radicalized American Evangelicals. Their Founder went full Jim Jones in the Cataclysm and passed away. His eldest daughter, Helena, now runs the congregation. Isolationist. Based out of a church retreat campground. Surprisingly benign with survivors. They may offer shelter and proselytize to outsiders but won't tolerate 'sin'. In rural area. Very Anti-Mutant.

33. #33XE-037 - EXTD Factionselective

    Keys: XE-037, the blob · Secondary: XEDRA

    XE-037 is the leaked XEDRA designation for the entity responsible for the actual Cataclysm itself, zombification, and mutation. Informally called 'the blob'. Dscovered before the Cataclysm and was the key focus of XEDRA research leading up to the zombie outbreak. An eldritch being, a cosmically vast dispersed intelligence, that devastated the world and has already moved on. What remains are crumbs of itself in EVERYTHING.

34. #34The Mycus - EXTD Faction

    Keys: the mushrooms, the fungus, Cordyceps, Fungaloids, The Mycus

    The Mycus are an interdimensional fungus which may or may not be intelligent. Spreads itself over everything it can as a dense carpet of mycelium. A force of alien nature, found in distant clusters. Will convert animals, zombies, people, and other organisms like a cordyceps. Pale white color. Highly flammable! Fungal towers mark centers of Mycus activity. Fungaloids are walking man-sized mushrooms.

35. #35Exodii - EXTD Faction

    Keys: transhuman, Exodii, Stone Barn

    The Exodii are a faction of non-hostile transhuman refugees from dimensions that have suffered the same apocalypse as this one. They travel from Earth to Earth, surfing the tide of the apocalypse using portal technologies. Willing to trade knowledge, materials, and cybernetics. Based out of an odd stone barn. They claim that there is NO WAY to undo the Cataclysm. VERY Pro-Cybernetics. Found in only one rural area.

36. #36Mycus Zealots - EXTD Subfaction

    Keys: mushroom cult, Marloss Berry, Mycus Zealots, Zealots

    Mycus Zealots are brainwashed followers of the Mycus. Very rare threat found wandering. It happens when a person consumes Marloss Berries; they will fall under the delusion that it is a beneficial eldritch god. They seem normal but will proselytize the Mycus as a god. Will 'convert' others by feeding them this fruit, knowingly or otherwise. Can be very polite with outsiders, but will react with hostility to those who resist.

37. #37Mi-Go - EXTD Faction

    Keys: weird tower, crab-thing, Mi-Go, mimic

    The Mi-Go are an advanced extraterrestrial species that is salvaging Earth for technology and living organisms. Rarely encountered in any environment. Based out of Mi-Go Towers. Will parrot human speech (the last words of prior victims) to lure in victims and capture humans alive. Man-sized arthropods with pyramid heads, pink shells, vestigial membranous wings, many antennae, and integrated bio-engineered weapons. Very Lovecraftian abductors.

38. #38Yrax - EXTD Faction

    Keys: Yrax, alien drone, alien robot

    Little is known about the Yrax besides an accidentally leaked document referring to 'extradimensional probes'. Hyper-advanced, hovering, autonomous alien robots that act as Von Neumann probes from an alien race in a future dimension. Made of smooth ceramic plates with alien markings. Utterly harmless. When attacked, they'll curl up into nigh-indestructible 'eggs' and remain inert until danger passes. Incredibly rare in urban areas.

39. #39Netherum - EXTD Faction

    Keys: Nether, uncanny, portal trash, nightmares, interdimensional, Lovecraftian, Netherum, monsters

    The Netherum is the leaked XEDRA term for a 'space between realities'. The source of interdimensional monsters. Uncommon, unless in labs or near stable portals. These escape to Earth via portal storms. Beings here are distorted reflections of life anywhere; literally any form is possible. Otherworldly in appearance and nature. Otherworldly biology - uncanny, alien, fantastical, or conceptual in design. Can be benign, neutral, hostile, simple, complex, animalistic, or sentient. Often called 'Portal Trash' by survivors given how random they are.

40. #40Nether Creatures 1selective

    Keys: giant eyeball, living shadow, mannequin, flying polyp, flaming eye, slimes, polyp · Secondary: nether, portal trash

    Slimes - Giant single-celled organisms as small as hamsters to as large as cars. Blank Body - A featureless, pale mannequin-like figure with two black eyes and a round mouth; moves like a doll. Living Shadow - A malevolent shadow figure that stalks isolated survivors. Flying Polyp - A half-polypous creature, only partially material. It floats on the air and whistles loudly. Flaming Eye - A floating man-sized eyeball wreathed in blue flame.

41. #41Nether Creatures 2selective

    Keys: , stiltwalker, shoggoth, linelander, giant blob, stick figure, hound · Secondary: nether, portal trash

    Hound - A grotesque dog-like beast with an angular, emaciated frame. Like a skinned canine mixed with an abyssal fish. Usually in packs. Linelander - Stick-figure like beings of various colors and shades. 2D creatures in our 3D world. Shoggoth - A giant protoplasmic blob of countless eyes and infinite appetite. Stiltwalker - Tall predatory quadrapeds made from rebar and fur, blades for feet.

42. #42Triffid - EXTD Faction

    Keys: Alien Groves, Triffid, Alien Plants, Alien colony

    Triffids are an extradimensional species of sentient plants. Hostile to meat-based life that enters their territory. Colonies will claim swathes of land and erect Groves. Perceives humans as unintelligent meat. Wages fungicidal war on the Mycus. Will never speak. Man-sized. Flower/snare trap heads. Vine arms. Bark skin. Sap blood. Paralyzing stingers. Root legs. Surprisingly edible with no downsides.

43. #43XEDRA - Lore

    Keys: government leaks, secret labs, XEDRA, secret agency, DARPA

    XEDRA (Xenophysical Energy Defense Research Agency), a semi-independent branch of DARPA, is the ultimate instigator of the Cataclysm. They were a top-secret group tasked initially with researching the exploitation of portal technology. They very quickly branched into a wide number of things that use portals incidentally, from heuristic AI to mutation and cybernetics. Before the world truly ended, much of their findings and activities were leaked online by panicked scientists trapped in underground labs.

44. #44Cybernetics - Tech

    Keys: Cybernetic, Cyborg, Augmentation, implant · Secondary: CBMs

    Cybernetics, the publicly known fruit of XEDRA's secret research, are augmentations that could be installed into a human being to benefit the owner in some way. Produced in surgery-ready modules, CBMs, these can do just about anything feasible. Some examples include sub-dermal armor, nuclear reactor chest cores, and integrated weapons. It runs on internal energy, provided by power-generating cybernetics. Cybernetic users are called Cyborgs.

45. #45CBM

    Keys: Compact Bionic Module, CBM

    CBMs, Compact Bionic Modules, are the neat surgery-ready packages for any number of cybernetics. These are divided into 3 categories: Power Generation creates and stores energy (solar panels, internal furnaces, gas fuel cells, etc.) Passive Upgrades don't require energy to use (alloy plating, telescopic eye lenses, etc.) Active Upgrades require energy to use (targeting systems, hydraulic muscles, active camouflage, etc.)

46. #46AutoDoc - Tech

    Keys: Doctor's Key Card, AutoDoc

    An AutoDoc is a medical station used in hospitals to automate medical procedures. Consists of a terminal station, an apparatus assembly, and a plush red operation couch for the patient to use. Can be used to set bones, treat grievous wounds, and install cybernetics... If one can find a doctor's key card to activate the AutoDoc's AI assistant.

47. #47Mutations

    Keys: Mutation, mutant, freaks, mutagen

    Mutations are caused by exposing organic matter to the Blob; which then changes the organisms gene expression to produce a mutation. Mutations can range from very subtle (changes in eye color, hair color, sensory perception, etc.) to very obvious (extra limbs, scales/feathers/fur, changes in body structure, etc.). Being caught outside in a portal storm, eating raw mutant flesh, and injecting XEDRA-produced mutagenic syringes induces mutation.

48. #48Mutation Lines

    Keys: Mutation Line

    Mutation lines are known to informed individuals by XEDRA documents that were leaked online during the Cataclysm. In humans, mutations tend to follow recognized 'lines' depending on any number of factors: what kind of mutagen they were exposed to, proximity to nearby animals, and even inherited traits seem to impact it. Each mutation line for a human tends to follow a certain pattern, if one can recognize it. Each line ends in Post-Threshold Mutations.

49. #49Post-Threshold Mutation

    Keys: feral mutants, Post-Threshold, animal people

    Post-Threshold Mutations is the XEDRA leaked term for a human exposed to mutagenic elements who, in a scientific (and practical) lens is considered post-human. This is the point where they exhibit traits, behaviors, features, or mentalities that clash with being considered 'human'. Post-Threshold mutants can still act as they were before, but they may just as easily go feral... Perhaps even seeing themselves as above normal humans.

50. #50Mutant Lines Aselective

    Keys: Avian, , toads, spider, Alpha, Amphibian, Arachnid, bird, frogs, Annelidan · Secondary: mutant, mutated

    Alpha - "Optimized” humans; enhanced physiology, Dark Triad traits Amphibian - Broad class; slimy skin, dual respiration, metamorphic traits. Annelidan - Worm-like; segmented bodies. Arachnid - Spider-like; web-spinning, eight limbs, fangs. Avian - Feathered, winged, or birdlike; hollow bones, beaks, keen vision.

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