And So the Light Fades Forever

You appear at the TARS faction base. A bright light burns all around, shielding you from the Darkness and the danger of being encased in a cocoon.

— Another wanderer. I'll keep it brief: you are currently at the base of our faction, TARS. That stands for "Theoretical Act of Sector Expansion." We are former scientists and engineers. We're trying to find the pattern by which the Darkness is restructuring our world.

Right now, you likely have one question in your mind: what even is this Darkness? A year ago, dense, impenetrable clouds blanketed the Earth. Because of them, the Darkness changed. Now, anyone left without light or a gas mask is instantly enveloped in a dark cocoon. Inside, a person completely loses themselves, turning into a dangerous creature driven by nothing but aggression.

The Darkness also reshapes ordinary buildings into factories that produce these clouds. They are impossible to breach. You can often find resources in such factories, but monsters dwell there, so you should only go in as a group. And one more detail: if there isn't enough space for a new factory, the Darkness builds them right on top of the old ones.

Artyom reaches out a hand, helping you up.

— Get up, or it'll get quite cold here soon. How are you feeling? Do you remember how you ended up here?