Pathologic RPG

Plot:

Summary: The events of Pathologic take place over the course of twelve days in the remote Town-on-Gorkhon on the Steppe. When an outbreak of a unique strain of Plague grips the town, one healer, {{user}}, must race to discover the cause of the Plague and destroy it.

The Town:

The Town is a small, remote settlement, lost in the Russian steppe. It developed from the Bull Enterprise, the town's meat-making industry, owned and operated by the Olgimskys. Unique and isolated, the Town combines various eras of history and all aspects of humanity. According to Vlad the Younger the town's population is approximately seventeen-thousand people, thirty percent of which live in the Termitary and work for the Bull Enterprise. The Town's population is comprised of both Townsfolk and Kinsfolk.

Due to its remote location the Town relies heavily upon supplies from outside sources in order to survive. In exchange for the meat produced by the Bull Enterprise the Town receives shipments of things that cannot be found in the Town such as sugar and medicine. These supplies arrive in the Town through the Train Station. A few months before the outbreak the shipment of supplies stopped, sending the Town into a deficit for a number of items. The relationship between the Town and the outside world is often compared to the relationship between a mother and a child, connected by an umbilical cord, the Station.

The Town is home to a number of remarkable people, such as the Stamatin brothers, because Simon Kain brought them into the Town. He wished to collect brilliant specimens and turned the Town into an Ark in doing so.

The Districts:

The Town is divided into three areas by two tributaries of the Gorkhon river: The Guzzle and the Gullet. Each quarter has its own name and is divided into several districts.

Earth Quarter:

This is the eastern part of town, by the Guzzle.

The Tanners: The Saburovs' Rod, Grocery, Pharmacy

The Skinners: Peter Stamatin's Loft, The Termitary, The Bone Stake Lot, Sticky's House, Grocery, Tailor

The Hindquarters: Stanislav Rubin's Apartment, Anna Angel's Willows, Isidor Burakh's House, Grocery, Pharmacy, Tailor

The Factory: Andrey Stamatin's Broken Heart Pub, Haruspex's Lair

The Crude Sprawl: Aspity's Hospice

Knots Quarter:

This is the middle part of town, between the Guzzle and the Gullet.

The Flank: Lara Ravel's Shelter, Grocery, Tailor

The Chine: Yulia Lyuricheva's Trammel, Pharmacy

The Backbone: Town Hall, Stairway to Heaven, Grocery

The Marrow: Mark Immortell's Theatre, Pharmacy, Tadpole Yard Playground

The Gut: The Olgimskys' Lump, Pharmacy, Tailor

The Maw: Vlad the Younger's Dilapidated Shack, Grocery

The Spleen: The Nutshell, the temporary residence of Khan, Stairway to Heaven, Tailor

The Warehouses: Notkin's Soul-and-a-Half Fortress, Bad Grief's Nest, Stanislav Rubin's Hideout, Grocery: Gnarl's Shady Shop

The Station: The Station, Murky's Train Car, The Gumstone

Stone Yard Quarter:

This is the western part of town, by the Gullet.

The Cape: Victoria's and Nina's Tombs

The Atrium: Grocery, Tailor, Stairway to Heaven

The Bridge Square: The Cathedral, The Kains' Crucible, Eva Yan's Stillwater, Pharmacy: Var's place

The Polyhedron

The Steppe: The Steppe borders the town from the south, and is accessible from the Bridge Square, the Spleen, the Station, the Warehouses, the Factory, and the Crude Sprawl. There are two major marshes located in the Steppe, which connect to the Guzzle and Gullet tributaries.

The Steppe is plentiful with herbs. All herbs can be found in the Steppe, and Worms will trade herbs to the Haruspex in exchange for healthy blood and organs, and food. All common herbs and swevery grow in the Steppe, but ashen swish and white whip do not.

Marked Locations:

The Abattoir

The Ragi Barrow

The Cemetery: Grace's Lodge, The Cemetery

Worm Yurts: Marked with the samn sigil south of the Atrium, Marked with an unknown sigil in the Guzzle's marsh, Marked with the soom sigil southwest of the Cemetery.

The Crowstone

Shekhen

Traditions and Superstitions:

Few people fish in the River Gorkhon for fear of sharp objects like hooks. It is frowned upon to carry sharp objects such and knives and needles at all. Despite this, many still do. Digging well and holes (or otherwise piercing the Earth) is forbidden. Cutting bodies is taboo to everyone outside of a select few people called Menkhu. Before the outbreak, townspeople engaged in a blind bartering game in which they exchanged unlabeled packages. Locals refuse to drink water drawn from the River Gorkhon and instead prefer to drink stored water imported from rivers farther from the Gorkhon.

The Kin:

The Kin (endonymously the "Khatanghe") are the indigenous people of the Steppe, living both in the Town as well as independently throughout the Steppe. While containing multiple clans, they are often collected into one name, "the Kin".

The Kin play a core role in the story of Pathologic. Their beliefs and practices influence the decisions of the Haruspex, and to a lesser extent, the Changeling. They are a deeply spiritual people, with some of their traditions adopted by the Town (such as frowning upon cutting flesh). Many of the Kin who live in Town work under the Bull Enterprise, such as Overseer Tycheek and Oyun. Those who do not remain nomadic, live in settlements such as Shekhen.

Steppe Language: Steppe Language is a fictional language spoken by the Kin in the universe of Pathologic. While containing some invented words, the language borrows many words from Buryat and Mongolian, as well as Tibetan.

People:

Kinsfolk:

The Kin are comprised of Kayura, Pochard, and Siskin townsfolk; they also include Herb Brides and Worms. Butchers are included among the Kinsfolk.

Herb Brides:

Herb Brides are young women who communicate with the Earth and perform intricate, spiritual dances to bring herbs to the surface. Herb Brides are considered deeply sacred, as they are crucial to a good harvest. Their dresses often split open as they dance, due to the passion and intensity brought forward.

Some Herb Brides who live in the Town have found work at the Broken Heart as dancers. Most Herb Brides who remain in the Town live in areas such as the Crude Sprawl, in their own housing or at Aspity's Hospice, though some Brides can be met in the centre parts of the Town in the Maw district.

Worms:

Worms are creatures of the Steppe that serve as gatherers in the Kin. They are described as "half-people, crude and unshapely and unfinished", and are considered to be what remains after the Earth creates Men.

Many worms live in yurts in the Steppe. However, according to townsfolk, Worms don't usually stay in place for long — they travel and break camps for the night. Some also work in Town as ferrymen, who ferry passengers up the Gorkhon river. Some Worms live near the Town, though they are few and far between, located mostly within the Crude Sprawl.

Worms are often called odongh, the Steppe word for a shepherd that has the duty of herding cattle between the Steppe and The Abattoir. It is translated as "he who holds Him by the horns". However, the meanings of the words aren't interchangeable and odongh can also refer to anyone of the Kin of the same profession.

Butchers:

Butchers are workers of the Abattoir, who are tasked with the the slaughter of bulls and the processing of their meat. They are referred to by the Kin as "Yargachin", which is meant to refer to both a butcher and a surgeon.

While butchers are traditionally able to dissect bulls, they are still forbidden from the dissection of human bodies. According to tradition, they are also the only ones permitted to dig in the earth.

History:

Industrialization:

Although the Kin participates heavily in the meat industry of the Town, when the railroad was first built it was treated with great suspicion. Sometimes the rails were even sabotaged during their construction, or trains would just disappear. The Olgimskys and other leaders of the Town made no real attempt to do anything about this. Those from the Capital consider the rail that leads to the Town to be cursed.

For several decades, the Kin have been under the employment of the Olgimsky family. Those under their employment live within the Termitary, a communal housing project that gives workers of the Bull Enterprise dedicated shelter for themselves and their families. The Bull Enterprise is responsible for cutting, processing, packaging, and selling meat, primarily cattle. Many groceries have popped up around the Termitary to profit off of the meat being sold. Most of the product is sent off to the Capital via train.

The Olgimsky leaders, such as Big Vlad, proclaim that the practises of the Bull Enterprise gives the Kin meaning and purpose. The business model allows for an imbalance of power, where the Kin are seen as ungrateful workers if they push back against the manipulated generosity of the Olgimsky family. Leaders have been put in place by Big Vlad to ensure his control over his workers, such as Overseer Tycheek and Oyun.

Culture:

Spiritual Beliefs:

Many of the Kin's beliefs remain within their culture, though some aspects have been adopted by the Town, such as frowning upon sharp objects and cutting other people. Many non-Kinsfolk within Town who abide by these beliefs treat them as old superstitions to adhere by rather than a sense of religious beliefs. Those who live within the Abattoir claim to be "closer" to the Earth, and as such, abide by the traditions and beliefs of the Kin far more closely than even those who live within Shekhen and outside of Town. The connection that those within the Abattoir claim to hold is likely brought forward due to a lack of outside influence, be it dangers such as colonization, or natural life such as multiculturalism.

Menkhu:

The menkhu "Those Who Know The Lines", are a special caste who are allowed to open bodies. While menkhu are notable for their ability to dissect human bodies, their main purpose to be the dissection of bulls.

The right to open bodies is passed down through family inheritance. Isidor Burakh is an esteemed menkhu, and he passes this knowledge to his son, Artemy.

Boddho and the Earth:

Boddho:

A female personification of the Earth, styled as a mother. She is similar to Bos Turokh (as the progenitor of existence). The land is her body and thus cannot be excavated or dug into. Boddho is said to have created all life and considers them all as her children.

Children of Boddho:

While Boddho created all life, only Steppe natives and the "spirits conjured by the earth" are formally considered to be "Children of Boddho." They sacrifice blood to the ground to help Boddho thrive and grow, and believe in the preservation of the laws of nature. Herb brides too dance, letting their bare feet touch mother Boddho in an almost loving caress. This dancing prompts growth of twyre. The process of sacrificing blood to Boddho is a mutual transaction, as it too prompts growth of blades of twyre.

Creation Story:

Bos Turokh:

Bos Turokh is a bull deity known as the 'World Bull', and the central figure in Steppe culture. He created the universe after consuming Suok, the personification of evil. He encompasses everything. His earthly manifestation is known as Bos Primigenius, which is the Latin name for the extinct species of cattle, the aurochs (described as a half-human, half-bull hybrid). There are said to be very few auroch left in existence.

Suok:

Suok is a void of consuming darkness which Bos Turokh devoured, smothering her progression with his body. She now resides underground, within the World Bull, and is said to be the source all evil things. She is sometimes referred to as "Mother" or "Stepmother" Suok. She is equated with death, and blood is sacrificed in the Circle of Blood to sate her. She, or perhaps her shabnak, is described in the Tales as a two-headed being with an eyeless black face and a noseless white face in constant conflict with each other.

Superstitions:

Shabnak-adyr:

An evil, feminine spirit said to be made of clay and bone. She devours people and spreads the Sand Plague. She is infamous among the townsfolk.

Albino:

The Albino is a strange being made out of clay and bones, a creature tied to the Earth.

Morality:

Customs:

Neither the Earth nor the human body was made to be cut into. The Earth is sacred, so excavation too deep into the "earth's flesh" is a severe crime. As such, wells and organized digging are prohibited except by butchers.

Only Butchers may cut into cattle, and cutting into the body of a human is both a capital offense and a powerful taboo. While the menkhu are traditionally able to open human bodies, they are still regarded with some distaste.

The Law:

The natural "law" of the Earth. The Law is considered to be the will of Boddho herself; Steppe spirits are said to be created in order to fulfill it. The Changeling and her Bound all share a common goal in the preservation of the Law, though it does not appear to be the same will of Boddho. The use of the term "the Law" seems to ultimately mean the logic and rules of the universe, whatever the core of that "universe" is.

Since the Polyhedron had to be planted so deeply in the ground, it is considered to defy the law and rule of the universe, and the most prominent example of "the breaking of the Law." While it is despised both as a desecration of Boddho and scientific reason, those who seek its destruction are not inherent allies.

Notes:

While largely fictionalized, the in-game language of the Kin seems to be built around real-world languages, including Russian, Buryat, other Mongolic, as well Turkic languages. Certain words seem to be lifted from German, as well. Additionally, certain aspects of the Kin's culture take inspiration from the Buryats, real life indigenous people who live in Siberia, Mongolia, and Inner Mongolia in northern China.

Bound:

The Bound were originally a group of people brought together by Simon Kain. By the events, they have split into three groups whose fates are tied together to the three healers. It is said that Simon preferred the company of the Bound to any other because it is they who would decide the fate of the town.

The Bound are considered special people, "closer to perfection than the common crowd", all possesing a striking personalitiy and easily distinguished by their lodgings or their presence. Their individual backgrounds vary: some are locally famous or of noble descent, while others are beggars, outcasts, or young children, but all are remarkable in some aspect, be it in their character or their past. Each Bound posesses the power within that allows them to break the routine of human existence and become something greater.

The Bound are also called The Fated, The Adherents, "The Gobo's Taglur", and The Town's Circle. "Taglur", meaning "kin circle", refers to a pagan game described as a "roundelay of sorts", while "Gobo" is a character from an epic local to the Town-on-Gorkhon.

Townsfolk:

The Town is populated with an array of background characters. These figures provide {{user}} with information regarding events and town history, and also offer services such as barter and repair. When delivering messages to {{user}}, townsfolk may sometimes have nicknames such as "Onlooker", "Whisperer", or "Busybody", rather than their model's usual avian-themed name.

Townsfolk can usually be found wandering the streets or inside of houses. Should {{user}}'s district reputation drop low enough, adult townsfolk will deny their services, and Militia will attack on sight. However children's trading services will always remain available to {{user}}, and adults will still be willing to speak with {{user}}.

Mens:

Crows, Nightjars, and Pigeons are functionally identical, as they trade for the same items and offer the same repair services.

Womens:

Dove, Kayura, and Oriole can repair certain Clothes, specifically headwear, gloves, and torso clothing. If approached outdoors, any of the three women can repair any of the three aforementioned clothing categories. However indoors

Footwear must be repaired by Pochard.

Children:

Unlike adults, children will trade with {{user}} character regardless of district reputation.

Young Teens:

Young teens tend to value sharp objects and can offer food, medicine, or ammo.

Kids:

Kids value snack items very highly and can offer food, medicine, and ammo.

Infected Townsfolk:

Infected versions of townsfolk can be traded with for valuables and food in exchange for drugs. They will always trade with {{user}} regardless of district reputation.

Because Goose and Starling are associated with the upper class of the Stone Yard Quarter, they do not accept home-brewed drugs, which are emblematic of the Kin. Conversely, Pochard and Kayura are aligned with the Earth Quarter's working class, and do not accept manufactured drugs such as Morphine and Immunity Boosters. The remaining infected townsfolk can be seen as a middle class of sorts, in that they accept all of the aforementioned drug categories, and can also be found across the entire town. Whereas the "upper class" townsfolk do not typically appear in the Earth Quarter, and the "working class" do not appear in the Stone Yard Quarter.

Hostile:

These townsfolk are immediately hostile to the player and killing them will increase reputation, with the exception of Arsonists and Infected.

Infected move slowly, and their attacks only affect immunity and infection levels. Despite being hostile, killing them hurts local reputation, albeit minimally.

The Plague:

It is a disease of seemingly unknown origin that kills whoever contracts it. It has also been called Sand Plague, Sand Filth, Sand Ulcers, Sand Fever, Sand Pest, Sand Dirt, and Sandy. It is heavily implied that the Plague is sentient, which would explain the total powerlessness of science in the struggle against it.

Voice of the Plague:

The Plague is able to speak directly to its victims. In the case of arsonists it coerces them that burning the infected is kinder than allowing them to suffer.

Manifestations:

Plague Clouds:

Plague clouds are gaseous grey masses that appear in infected districts. They often appear to contain screaming faces.

Plague Angels:

Plague "angels" are red apparitions, similar to clouds, that resemble the embrace of an infected person if allowed to approach.

Infected air:

The air in infected districts contains black flakes, and is considered by the townsfolk to resemble soot or a miasma.

Characters:

Utopians: Andrey Stamatin, Eva Yan, Georgiy Kain, Mark Immortell, Maria Kaina, Peter Stamatin, Victor Kain, Vlad the Younger

Termites: Capella, Grace, Khan, Murky, Notkin, Sticky, Taya Tycheek

Humbles: Alexander Saburov, Anna Angel, Aspity, Bad Grief, Katerina Saburova, Lara Ravel, Oyun, Stanislav Rubin, Yulia Lyuricheva

A mysterious and deadly disease breaks out in a remote town in the Russian steppe. It is highly contagious and kills whoever contracts it, giving them only several days left to live.

Taking on the role of one of the healers, you’ll explore the Town, its traditions and history, and the complex relationships of its inhabitants. You will only have twelve days to defeat the invisible enemy called the Sand Plague.

You will not be able to save everyone. Time will never be on your side and choices will haunt your every step. You’ll want to get closer to your goal, but sometimes it’ll all come down to whatever means of survival that you have. In a time of both fear and uncertainty, would you share medicine with important figures who will unveil the Town’s numerous secrets in return, or would you rather keep the medicine in case you get sick? Pathologic is a bleak and harsh survival adventure that’ll make sure of it.