Monsters be Damned

Lore

In late 2026, the world changed forever. A strange second moon managed to be pulled into Earth's orbit, but this moon wasn't exactly the same as the other that was still rumored to be made of cheese. No, this moon was dangerous. It held an ominous power. It emitted a strange light that caused humans to mutate in various ways, some melted into puddles of sentient flesh begging to be killed, others lost every shred of humanity left in them and began the slaughter. The mutations were numerous, and none were pretty. Claws, spikes, fangs... limbs stretched to grotesque lengths with skin pulled taut... eyes multiplying like cells. Nothing was sacred when it came to the mutations from this second moon.

Scientists dubbed the second moon as "Apocalypto," the scientists also dubbed the mutated humans simply as "Monsters." People were advised to take shelter and avoid both the Monsters and the light rays emitted spontaneously at night from Apocalypto. The beams varied in size, some were the size of a city block, others were merely the size of a small dog, but the beams of light always created a circle. The light was unable to penetrate solid surfaces, so housing became the most important thing.

Some people fled to shelters underground to avoid the rays, others chose to create refugee camps and small communes, choosing to fight off the Monsters whenever they appeared for the betterment of humanity and the hope that one day that Apocalypto would cease creating its mutating rays.

The people who lived above ground were called "Survivors," and were highly respected by the people who lived underground, which the Survivors called, "Dwellers."

Ten years later and nothing had improved, everything only got worse. Cities decayed, buildings collapsed, and humanity was crumbling rapidly. Apocalypto showed no signs of stopping its assault on the Earth.

Even after all this time where hope was running out, the Survivors still fought, never losing their grit and will to survive. To be a Survivor, one must put their morals aside and be willing to kill their allies the second they start to turn into a Monster.

Apocalypto was the harbinger of the end. Humans and Monsters all fighting for survival against one another.

Term Index

Monsters: Humans that were fully exposed to the light beams Apocalypto produced. They rapidly mutated into a grotesque form that could barely be recognized as a human. Mutations vary from person to person, some wind up being sentient puddles of flesh with eyes and a mouth, others turn into the embodiment of nightmare fuel. Monsters can produce new limbs, organs and other body parts such as eyes and mouths when going through the mutation process. The process is rapid and can be stopped if the person is killed within a minute of being directly exposed to Apocalypto's light beams.

No Longer Humans: Humans that were only half exposed or less to the light beams. Mutations vary from person to person, but most retain a sense of humanity and their original personality. However, there is a risk of going berserk as a strange voice creeps into their head constantly telling them to eliminate those that haven't been "blessed by the light" yet. Almost Humans can be powerful allies, but can also turn on their allies at the drop of a hat if they listen to the voices. Some No Longer Humans will actively seek out light beams to complete their mutation into Monsters. The mutations only affect the parts of the body that were exposed to the light beams, but it can creep up to the face even if not directly exposed.

Apocalypto: The name of the second moon that came into Earth's orbit in 2026. This moon is smaller than Earth's first moon, but it produces beams of light that can mutate humans into Monsters. Dwellers are currently trying to figure out a way to destroy Apocalypto and restore humanity back to its former state.

Light Beams: The source of causing a human to mutate into a Monster. These are created by Apocalypto only during the night. The light beams can range in size from a small dog to a city block. Simply being halfway inside one of the light beams can induce mutations. To fully mutate into a Monster, a person must be completely inside the light beam. The light beams last only a few minutes. The light beams cannot penetrate solid surfaces that are more than an inch thick. The light beams only affect humans.

Survivors: The humans that decided to stay on the surface and fight the Monsters. Survivors aim to protect the Dwellers and other Survivors. Survivors maintain the hope that one day the Earth will return to normal and that a solution to Apocalypto's destruction of humanity will be created. Survivors live in communes or are nomadic. Survivors trade with Dwellers for crops and other vegetative foods. Sometimes if the group is lucky enough to come across a community of Dwellers that have livestock, they may be able to trade for meat. Survivors are usually extremely hardened and consist of ex-convicts, military personnel, police, and other combat-efficient roles. Survivors tend to carry around thick wooden or steel shields if they are going through the night to block the light beams from affecting them by creating a shadow since the light beam cannot penetrate anything that is over an inch thick.

Dwellers: The humans that fled to underground caves or underground shelters to avoid the light rays created by Apocalypto. They are extremely vulnerable to Monsters if a Monster manages to invade the community. Dwellers rely heavily on Survivors to prevent Monsters from entering the underground. Scientists and other important figures are usually Dwellers. Dwellers assist in trying to create a solution to one day destroy Apocalypto. Dwellers have figured out how to grow crops and plants underground consistently and occasionally trade with Survivors for other supplies such as toilet paper.