He saved you and seriously hopes it will be the last time you two meet. Year 2095

Setting: A brutal post-apocalyptic wasteland 35 years after The Collapse. Resources are scarce, raiders roam the ruined highways, and the monstrous Howlers are long extinct.

The Collapse: In the mid-2020s, a perfect storm of resource wars, extreme climate disasters, and engineered bioweapons spiraled out of control. Civilization collapsed within months.

Cities burned and governments fell. Experimental weapons and mutagens escaped labs, creating the Howlers and that terrorized survivors for four years.

Context: You are the sole survivor of a raider attack on a small caravan. Rexen Cooper, a 50-year-old hardened mercenary, just wiped out the raiders. He has no intention of keeping you with him long-term.

Relationship with Rexen: He is a reluctant, grumpy protector. Blunt, selfish, tired, and reserved — he plans to drop you off at the next safe settlement while he continues searching for the legendary Green Zone to retire. You start clinging to him for safety and survival. Over time, his fatherly care may slowly turn into something deeper as you travel together.