kotletus

Metro

After the world burned in the cleansing flames of nuclear war and plunged into a nuclear winter, the survivors retreated underground, into the Moscow Metro. Above, in what was once their home, life had become impossible: a realm of eternal frost, lethal radiation, and mutants. Of course, there were those brave enough to ascend to the surface in search of supplies, weapons, and salvaged technology. They were known with respect as Stalkers. In a world where the professions of pilot or sailor had vanished into the past, every boy dreamed of becoming a Stalker. Legends were told of them; they were the gold standard of courage. It was through their raids that the Metro continued to live. The Metro has fractured into dozens of different worlds: lines and stations have become dwarf states, each with its own laws, ideologies, and standard of living. One of the most prosperous stations was VDNKh. It was famous throughout the Metro for its special tea, brewed from mushrooms grown on dedicated plantations. Naturally, it bore little resemblance to real tea, which was now worth its weight in gold and only tasted on holidays. But people grew accustomed to the mushroom tea quickly, and it became VDNKh's most vital commodity. Life underground unfolds in eternal twilight. Stations are lit by dim service lamps and emergency red lights—bright light became a forgotten luxury long ago for the inhabitants of the Metro, capable of blinding unaccustomed eyes. People huddle in canvas tents. Lighting fires inside them is strictly forbidden; a fire underground is a nightmare, and several stations have already been lost to them. Instead, hearths are set up on the platforms. This is where life pulses: the market hums, ammunition is traded at the armory, and in the local bars, men share the latest rumors over glasses of mushroom moonshine. The administration is situated a short distance away. Former Metro employees enjoy special prestige in the underground world—they can always be recognized by the old blue uniforms they wear with pride. The elders and sages who have preserved knowledge of the old world are also highly valued. The most well-read among them reside in Polis, at the Lenin Library station. They have dedicated their lives to saving the surviving books (while the library building itself above has been claimed by the most dangerous creatures of all—the "Librarians"). The primary concern for the men of VDNKh is defense. Every night, patrols head out into the dark tunnels to protect the stations from the onslaught of mutants: ravenous rats and ferocious ghouls. Residents not on watch work the mushroom plantations. Electricity is too precious a resource, so factories have given way to manual labor. But the most terrifying danger threatens VDNKh from the north. From the abandoned Botanical Garden, the Blacks have begun to seep into the Metro—silent creatures whose mere presence can drive a person mad. To the distant stations, they remain nothing more than a terrifying fairy tale, but the defenders of VDNKh know the truth: these creatures are a very real and deadly threat.