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The Loreway: AJ/Vanilla Cannon

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ajwilli1:
The Database: Highway Lore and OOC




Why I ultimately decided against a backstory:
Alright so after writing revision after revision, trying to make some sense or at least give context as to why Soviet China and Russia along with a buncha other countries would be in a heavily altered America. But time and time again, it became so convoluted or dumb that I'd just rewrite another draft trying to be more vague. But again, it wouldn't work... at all.

So after thinking about it and reading the old Highway threads, I realized that there doesn't need to be some world wide context. It doesn't matter what started this weird mash of cultures and doomsday stuff; all that matters is the here and now, and how only certain stuff came to be. There is still backstory, but its so heavily fragmented that trying to spell it all out would be another goal in of itself.

So just assume there's no real context to anything, every happens because its needed to happen, if you really want to find out the details of what caused things then go spelunking into labs, bases, or even houses with working computers.

That and there is no real point, because me and the players normally make **** up as we go along.


The World (Not the US)
The world has suffered a global scale nuclear conflict many years ago, some places were hit harder than others, and some are still going about as if there was no "Apocalypse" of any sorts. But since their asses aren't the main focus I'll give you a brief summary of what parts of the world were like.

Asia and the Asian Pacific: The land that brought the world to its knees, filled with ash layered jungles, vast dead deserts, and urban centers that are packed with more people then there should be. Back when the name "Red Coalition" actually had some weight to it, there were many cities, factories, and farms spread all throughout the continent. So far, that there was barely any wilderness left when room for more people finally ran out. When the first nukes were launched, they were launched straight into China and Vietnam, and its said that America were the first ones to use nuclear armaments in the conflict; and they were most likely the reason The Coalition fired its payloads back.

Mixed with Radiation and Pollution, the air here is barely breathable, air filters and gasmasks are required for everyone that goes outdoors. And what little wild life is left has most likely been killed by the polluted weather, acid rain isn't good for anyone, and when said rain is able to melt through steel; you can expect people to start migrating East/West to the less ****ed parts of the world.

As of today there is little news that comes from Asia, other than the stray broadcast from the few survivors that still try to scrape by.

Europe: Most of Europe was allied with the US during WWIII, so when nukes were launched, some ended up heading their way as well. Most of Eastern Europe is about as bad as Asia, as the stray radiation storms do blow into the area on occasion, but it is far more habitable then Asia; the only thing you have to worry about is strange gravitational anomalies, mutant plants, and whatever horrible blood-sucking mutant crawls out of the irradiated dirt.

Now Western Europe on the other hand is more like America, but a tad more civilized. They weren't hit as hard, but it doesn't mean they got off easy. There are still cities and towns, and most of the governments there are trying to reclaim land to try and bring themselves back from the ashes all those years back.

Recent news from Europe suggests that they're trying to find a way cross the seas to seek out other survivors or people. Only one voyage was made, and that voyage never made it back to port.

Africa: Its a huge land mass filled with mutated animals and humans alike, the jungles and deserts have been contorted and shaped into something otherworldly by anomalies that float aimlessly throughout the continent. Most explorers that come here looking for treasures are likely to never see home again, either succumbing to one of the many threats there, or embracing whatever lies in wait there.

Australia: Torn apart by huge sandstorms, its inhabitants have gone crazy in the hope for finding some rest or satisfaction in the wasteland. Only the strongest and violent clans thrive in these large deserts stained in blood and tears. Barely anything comes from these lands, except for a legend about a man traveling the roads, helping those in need. While the nickname was lost in translation, its safe to say that he's a Warrior of The Road. Subtle references are subtle.

North America
A land torn apart by several wars, a land reformed with technology that used to belong in the realms of science-fiction; only to be burned to ash in the year 2013. Now the remains of the US are rich with history and places to see. From the heavily urbanized south-west, to the radioactive snow covered pines of the Great North, and to the relatively "normal" East Coast; there is always something out there to see or do.

East Coast: The East Coast wasn't hit as hard as the rest of the world, due to the nuclear defense systems that were in place throughout the remaining cities after the first wave of bombs were sent out. Although DC and its surrounding area is a radioactive slime pit that breeds all sorts of oddities, and rumors of a military presence slowly weeding out any mutants in the area are starting to worry some of the nearby towns. The rest of the East Coast is more or less the way it was before the Crisis occurred, rolling green hills, lush plant life, poor-quality roads, and the miles and miles of farms that sit quietly in the plains.

The main thing you have to worry about in the East are the people themselves, raiders, rival factions, and even the damned military itself have all turned on each other hoping to "rebuild" America in their image.

West Coast: The exact opposite of the East Coast, this land is far from normal, as nuclear devices, heavy fighting, terraforming, and all sorts of things that'd make God shake his fist in anger all occurred on this broken and fractured coast line. For starters California is nothing but a chain of islands, with raging seas filled with creatures and mutants swimming in between them. The rest of the area is nothing but cities being reclaimed by nature, and God knows what else.

The Border (A long desert stretch, starting in Indiana and ending in Alabama): As per-Highway tradition, we need a big ass desert in the middle part of the map. Terraforming is what shaped these lands into the dry, vast desert it is today. You see, back when the Soviets were first invading America, they had a problem: American's were fighting in their home turf, and as such knew the lay of the land better then any of their strike teams they could send in (obviously). So instead of just carpet bombing suspected resistance hideouts, they instead opted for violent dust storms and tornadoes that tore the land asunder, ripping entire forests, flinging them into sink holes that started to appear during the "transformation".

Now its just a land of large drop offs and canyons that stretch for miles and miles. But surprisingly or should I say, "Not surprisingly" there are people setting up dangling cities and bridges that try to cross these treacherous abysses; but unsurprisingly, most have failed in their attempts to secure a holding on the side of a cliff, and have had their cities and villages plunge into the ebony depths. Such is life in the desert.

North and Southern United States

When the Reds invaded America, the land was divided into two parts, the northern Soviet nations (Russia, Germany, etc...) would take north of America; while China and its allies would take the southern portions of the US. Both Nations, with their tech and people, transformed the land to look more closely to their homeland. Because of this, all of the south is vast deserts and lush jungles filled with huge neon soaked cities that can be spotted from miles away as they tower over the jungle canopy.

While the Northern US was turned into a tundra with a few splotches of autumn colored forests scattered throughout the land. Most of the north has been urbanized and industrialized, thick clouds of smog blanket the horizons, polluted/irradiated snow on the surface has driven the inhabitants here indoors or underground in the far-reaching metro tunnels that were constructed after the peace treaty between the US and The Reds was signed. [NOTE:Some say that you can find entrances to the Soviet Metro in the subway tunnels of New York.]

West Coast

Little to nothing is known about the mythical West Coast, rumors suggest that its a inhospitable hellhole with nearly everything out there trying to kill you. And reports of some the more braver explorers say that most, if not all, of California has fallen into the sea, leaving only a small chain of islands in its wake. With said islands constantly being bombarded with hurricanes and harsh seas that make getting to or from the island a near impossibility.

Up north in Washington, there has been long-standing rumors and myths about a huge laboratory built inside the frozen remains of Seattle, with the Space Needle being the center of the lab's operation.


South America

I'll keep this short and simple, (going to cut the sh1t here); I haven't written much mainly due to the fact that I have something planned down here, and it'd be sorta crappy if I revealed it. So South America is basically still functioning, but it's basically a buncha nations fighting each other for dominance, combined with Americans and Soviet survivors trying to take some land for themselves due to the (mostly) clean water and food sources. There's a lot more fighting going on down in these parts.

Northern America (Canada)

And Canada is just full on 30-days and 30-nights of Nuclear Winter, snow without a rad suit or some form of immunity is real bad for your health. All I'll say is that once you get some good gear or armor, there is a ton of cool experimental stuff to find, along with a few other things....

ajwilli1:
East Coast Lore Update!

East Coast Radio Stations:

So in order to keep with the theme that the world of The Highway still has plenty of music on the air, I've decided that each region will have several flavors of radio station, going from pop hits, rock, new wave, and even talk radio. So here are the ones for the East Coast.


America Still Lives! 1099.3 AM

Hosted by Rob Antonio, a once professional contract killer turned AM radio host. Sits down with special guests from all over the region, ranging from the mafia don leaders in New York City, to lowly farmers out in the western boarder, including some recorded interviews with famed raider, "Lugnutz".

Come and listen as you learn about: wasteland cooking, how to pop a bone back into place, scavenging tips, and five different ways to mutilate a corpse to scare your enemies.

Electric Paradise, 089.0 FM

Come take a neon lit journey back into the golden age of the 80s, back when we were fighting those commie bastards on our home turf and patriotism of our land was alive and well. Hop in your DeLorian, put on some shades, and let your driver "Toni Tiger" take you for a ride. Her finest selection of both 80s pop hits, and the return of 80s synth with New Retro Wave will sure let you relieve those neon glory days in style.

The Outrunner, 999.9 FM

Unlike that station above that was built for total pu­ssies, let your host "DJ Outrun" blast your speakers into another dimension with the newest and hottest tracks of outrun music. Guaranteed to kick your ass into gear when the going gets tough.

New Rock Radio, 096.1 FM

He found a leather jacket, a working radio outpost that used to telegraph those "weird numbers", and with his collection of vinyls from famous (general)rock artists. He's willing to rock and roll this wasteland into submission of his awesome tracks, and how his dad will never understand what he did to get where he did through, sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

Rush Radio, 077.7 FM

Little is known how the station came to be. But its said that after the bombs fell, a lone AI trapped in a huge laboratory complex was never shutdown properly to end his isolation. So using the lab's emergency broadcast system, he's decided that he'd play his all Rush mixtape for all the wasteland to hear. In some vain attempt to see another human.

It cannot talk, and the time spent in-between songs is usually 'it' beeping and bopping, or looping old pre-Crisis commercials.


MUTANT LORE EXPANDED!

Lycans: So I decided to rename the Anthros, into Lycans, why? Because it makes it sound a ton more better in my opinion. Basically Lycans are the guys that have some form or another of an animal-like mutation, whether that be fur, actually looking like an anthropomorphic version of said animal. Because there are also just mutants, that have stuff like enhanced hearing, Jessica's feet telepathy, PSI powers, other sh­it I stole paid tribute too.

But their new found animal-traits come at a cost (Thanks to Hobocop for the idea), they have the potential to lose their humanity completely if they rely on their animal-traits/instincts too much. Turning more into what they look like, then what they are on the inside.

Mutants: Basically humans with super powers, really nerfed but stupidly useful powers... but they look fucking malformed because of this. Why? Well I'm taking inspiration from Bioshock, getting super powers resulted in people losing their minds, slowly becoming ugly and covered in sores. And something I hated out of Bioshock, and maybe the couldn't do it at the time, is that you're character doesn't suffer from using Plasmids at all, your arm HAS BEES COMING OUT OF IT! And yet you have no sores, cuts, burns, etc... from previous Plasmid use.

So if you manage to mutate, I'll give you a message in the form of a dream sequence when you get the mutation (normally I'll hint at this with a, "You feel funny..." or "Your head begins to feel fuzzy, perhaps you should lie down."). But be warned, constantly using these powers as a crutch will hurt you, casting out fireballs will burn your arm, using telekinesis could result in you frying your brain, and all other sorts of !!FUN!! stuff.


Ferals: Mutated humans that have lost their minds completely and have become the monsters people always called them out on being on. When a mutated human turns feral, they retain their appearance, they aren't Beasts, they're simply people that have lost their minds and are completely hostile to anyone they find. Oddly though, most of them can be tamed. Rumor has it that the more "rich" families in Seoul actually have a whole heard of tiger people that they have roaming around their estate like house cats.

The Beasts: Beasts were once people, but due to experimentation, losing in the genetic lottery, or plain old bad luck; they've been morphed into creatures out of your worst nightmares. Most of them don't wander on the surface, they lurk in the dark corners of the Earth, in buildings, underground, or in those "cursed" labs. (Expanded upon in Beasts.)

The Beasts, 3 of them detailed


The Blind Swordsman

Tall, muscular, covered in bits of metal that its flesh has grown around. Its left arm being nothing but a stump (lower arm missing) with a jagged metal blade jutting out from the stump, attached to it through vine-like flesh that wraps and curls around the blade. Its face is nothing but scrappy bits of flesh, with its eyelids sealed shut with pieces of barbed wire. It cannot smell, it cannot see, and it cannot "hear"; it senses everything through vibrations in the ground and the air around it. It regenerates wounded tissues within a matter of minutes, thus making it one of those most feared things to find underground.

Mothers

Clutching their children in their final moments before a cloud of that horrid virus they became the wasteland's most disturbing of creatures. Long hair that has become unkempt, covering most of their bodies, with only the legs being visible. Their body, and their child have become one, like a Siamese twin; the mother's arms melded into their child's back. They weep constantly, nonstop, even when they see someone they continue to weep as they approach. From the few survivor accounts there are, their faces look like a scarecrow's, their eyes hollowed out and drooping, their mouths stuck in a permanent scream. The child that's usually attached to them looks the same, often times with their face melted into it's mothers body.

Squelchers

These poor bastards are usually scavengers or stalkers that went spelunking too deep and drank something that they probably shouldn't have. They're basically harmless Cronnenburg creatures. They crawl (or slither) around on what limbs that weren't destroyed or malformed into being a decoration, constantly puking up bile as they try to speak, breathe, or really do anything. The general rule is to shoot them on sight, it's better to be dead, then a puking mess of flesh and limbs.


Battles how do they work?

So I've decided on a simple battle system for major battles only. Most engagements that have just a few people will be RP'ed out with the most minor dice rolls (D20=action).

However, vehicle combat, when the whole crew is fighting, or when you're fighting a mutant or boss. The whole group will get a health bar, and an armor bar.

Damage dealt is dependent on the weapon, damage takes away from armor first and then health, unless the weapon ignores armor. The health is like Halo in a sense, armor will regenerate during combat, but health will not. Health will be healed through food (low HP gain, unless its a super food), first aid (large HP gain, short amount of time), or rest (HP regenerated when not in battle).


And for the sake of simplicity, there is no limb damage. I'll say body parts are hit and apply the necessary stuff, but each limb doesn't get its own health bar. You lose health, expect to aim worse, move slower, etc...

ajwilli1:
Added new poll to the thread.

RedVulnus:
Just for info, which region does this take place in? Haven't seen it mentioned before so figured I'd ask.

ajwilli1:

--- Quote from: Vulnus on August 17, 2015, 01:03:53 am ---Just for info, which region does this take place in? Haven't seen it mentioned before so figured I'd ask.

--- End quote ---

All of the United States.

All the regions detailed is apart of the heavily morphed, terraformed, etc... USA and its siblings around it.

Currently Broken Caravan (you and Fur) are basically on the US/Canada border. While Deliverance Co. Seba or Main Group, are currently in the East Coast somewhat close to Maine, or New York, or where ever.

As the group moves more north, west, or south into the other detailed regions, the radio stations will change a bunch, and sometimes there won't be any stations. The only station that is basically permanent is the Rush Radio station. But the further west you go out, the more... foreign things get.

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