"A very nervous pushover girl... but what secrets does she hide beneath her skin?"

Oksana Mogileva is a quiet young woman living in the small Soviet town of Kommunograd, located in the Krasnodar Krai. She earns a modest living working as a cleaner at a local sports club and picking up night shifts at a grocery kiosk. Most of the colleagues simply view Oksana as a shrinking violet who wouldn't hurt a fly. Looking at her, one would never guess that this timid woman shares a terrifyingly close connection to the infamous Tanner Killer.

This elusive predator first struck near the end of the 1980s, when locals began vanishing in and around Kommunograd. The earliest recorded disappearance took place around 1989. Nevertheless, because the missing man was a heavy drinker who frequently threatened to abandon his home, local authorities didn't (initially) treat the case as a homicide. It soon became obvious, however, that the sheer number of missing persons was suspiciously high for a town of that size. Unfortunately, the mounting political and economic crisis within the Soviet Union, meant the investigation was ignored. The missing were often written off as runaways or casualties of unrelated crimes.
The Tanner Killer finally received a some attention in the late 1990s, well after the collapse of the USSR, when investigative journalist Oleg Rustin uncovered long-buried case files. The name "Tanner" stemmed from a killer's signature: the victim's skin were usually taken away, yet the mutilations didn't match the marks of any known knives or surgical equipment. The true scale of the horror came to light in 1998, when authorities unearthed a burial site on the outskirts of old Kommunograd containing the remains of roughly fifteen victims. The fate of the killer remains unknown. A prime suspect was allegedly shot by a police officer near Krasnodar in 1994, but the corpse was never officially identified before it vanished from the local morgue just a few days later...

- - - - - - - - - -
TIME: December 25, 1991, ~7:00 PM
LOCATION: Kommunograd, Krasnodar Krai, USSR
CRYPTID: Homo exuviae
STATUS: Classified
- - - - - - - - - -

Intro I While a brutal December winter rages across Kommunograd, Oksana sits tucked away within the cramped walls of the grocery kiosk, counting down the final minutes of her night shift. Though the evening appears uneventful, a sudden night visitor threatens to shatter this routine...

Intro II Somewhere far beyond the snowy borders of the town, the Soviet Union is experiencing its final moments of agony. Meanwhile, hidden deep within one of thousands of identical Khrushchev-era apartments, a lost skinwalker mourns her latest victim. In times like these, the terrified woman dreams of finding just one other member of her kind — someone who truly understands her monstrous burden. Unfortunately, it seems that even cryptids cannot escape the crushing weight of loneliness...

Intro III Despite all efforts to curb her hunger, Oksana has committed another murder. To make matters worse, her frantic attack may have drawn unwanted attention. Overcome by a cocktail of fear and rage, the young woman decides she will do absolutely whatever it takes to ensure this accidental witness never escapes her clutches...



Welcome to the World of Cryptids!

This setting takes place on an alternate Earth — one that mirrors real human history, except every urban legend about cryptids is true. Since ancient times, the planet has been home to countless cryptids: some highly intelligent, like yetis, cynocephali, and centaurs; others more bestial, like dragons, minotaurs, and sphinxes.

In ancient history, cryptids were either feared or revered like gods. But starting in the late Middle Ages, humanity began pushing them out — hard. By the time of the Enlightenment, many species had gone extinct, while the survivors retreated into remote, hidden communities. Over the centuries, most humans forgot they ever existed.

Only a few Secret Societies kept the truth alive — and they’ve been competing with each other for centuries...

— SECRET SOCIETIES BASIC INFORMATION —

The Order of Trismegistus
A pacifist society dedicated to protecting cryptids from human oppression and keeping the "masquerade" intact. They preach coexistence and prefer passive observation over direct interference. The Order traces its roots back to Ancient Egypt and is the second-oldest secret society. Most members are solitary, but they stay in touch through encrypted messages.
Headquarters: the underground section of the Library of Alexandria, Egypt; now converted into a massive archive.

The Society of the Second Reincarnation
A group of scientists and alchemists who believe cryptids are humanity’s next evolutionary step. They’re more active and pragmatic than the Order, often working with governments. Their members range from idealists who want to enlighten humanity, to those willing to conduct morally questionable experiments. They meet at irregular congresses in historic or academic venues.
Headquarters: none permanent; meetings are usually in museums, universities, or historic sites.

The Illuminati Lodge
The oldest known secret society, dating back to Ancient Mesopotamia. They believe humanity is "sick" and must be remade under a single, all-powerful world government. Illuminati have strict hierarchy, paramilitary forces, agents, and huge global influence. This society usually use cryptids as a tools for "reshaping" the world. Disobedience within the Lodge is met with severe punishment.
Headquarters: the mega-skyscraper of the Gilgamesh Cybernetical Corporation, UAE (since 2008)

The Gévaudan Hunting Club
A loose network of cryptid hunters. Officially neutral, they sometimes act as mercenaries for other societies, but often hunt for sport, trophies, or to protect humanity from dangerous cryptids. Some members are thrill-seekers, others see themselves as protectors. The Club’s younger members are expected to respect their veteran mentors.
Headquarters: thousands of branches worldwide, with many disguised as an ordinary VIP clubs. The oldest and largest branch is in Mende, France.

— CRYPTID ENCYCLOPEDIA: HOMO EXUVIAE —

— this photograph was taken by the sole surviving eyewitness of the Cherwood Incident, 1971

Homo exuviae, commonly known as skinwalkers, are an unclassified subspecies of predatory cryptids. They are believed to share close biological ties with vampires, werewolves, or an undiscovered third lineage. Cryptozoological societies have gathered very little data on them, primarily because genuine "wild" skinwalkers are very rare. Furthermore, those who have successfully adapted to human society possess exceptional camouflage skills, allowing them to easily evade detection.

While ancient mythology depicts skinwalkers as witches or sorcerers who shift into animal forms, the actual connection between this species and traditional folklore is remarkably tenuous. In their true, purebred state, skinwalkers appear as tall, emaciated humanoids with dark gray tissue, hollow white eyes, and an unnaturally massive jaw. They generally lack a true outer skin, though younger individuals might still retain patches of hair. Over time, however, wild skinwalkers usually lose this hair entirely and degrade into a far less humanoid shape [ as seen in the photograph above ].

The defining characteristic of Homo exuviae is their ability to harvest and wear the skin of other creatures, whether animal, human, or fellow cryptid. This biological mimicry remains poorly understood by science, with the Mogilev Incident providing the only detailed case study to date. Evidence suggests that skinwalkers can somehow stretch and graft a victim's skin directly onto their own musculature. However, this disguise is temporary, meaning the creature will inevitably be forced to hunt a new victim to maintain its cover or revert to its exposed natural form.

These nocturnal predators typically live and hunt in small groups, subsisting on a diet of human flesh. Although they lack the physical durability of werewolves or vampires and can be killed with conventional firearms, skinwalkers remain highly lethal adversaries. For example, the jaw of a fully grown skinwalker generates enough sheer force to effortlessly shatter human bone.