April 12, 2006, 02:33 p.m.
Chernobyl zone was lit by an intolerably bright light. The clouds were evaporating in the silver bright sky with a thunder and earthquake to follow. People fell on the ground facedown closing their bleeding eyes and ears. The glow spread over an immense territory which was subsequently called the Zone. People ran away saving their lives.It looked like a radioactive explosion at the nuclear plant occurred. The army sealed off the Zone... The explosion epicenter was a kilometre away from the nuclear plant. Obviously, some tests had been held there and they caused the disaster.
Presumably, the entire personnel died within seconds, but still there was a probability of survivals among the staff. It appeared impossible to arrange a rescue operation, as the Zone was characterized by strange energy disturbances posing mortal danger to the explorers. Attempts to use robots were unavailing. Several months after the accident the crisis situation peaked when the Zone abruptly grew five kilometres bigger.
People from nearby towns and villages were urgently evacuated, and the peril of a difficult-to-imagine scope loomed over the world.
Year 2008
The Zone exploded, radioactive clouds covered vast territories. A dreadful amount of people, animals and forests perished. Thirty kilometres of the area got cordoned off by the army, scientists failed to explain what had happened.The Zone grew, various death-bearing anomalies were spotted inside. Some invisible force tore living beings apart, inflicted awful blood-sputtering wounds. Expeditions faced mutant animals, unlikely to have appeared in the Zone through natural course of evolution. The catastrophe, mutants, anomalies, contamination? Everything appeared to be a consequence of some eerie phenomenon?
Year 2010
First expeditions can enter the Zone several kilometers deep without mortal danger. Amateur researchers, marauders and poachers, called stalkers, show up. They move around the Zone searching for various anomalous formations, i.e. artifacts, they would sell to various organizations.Characters
Stalkers
Stalkers exploring the Zone on their own. Most of stalkers are loners as membership in grouping takes valuable time and thus reducing the income; besides, some are just inclined to isolation and independence.Read more
Bandits
Representatives of criminal world who came into the Zone for different reasons: earn from selling the artefacts, hide from the law, buy or sell weapons. The Zone has quite a few of this element, ranging from hoodlums to hardened criminals.Read more
Zombied stalkers
Those who suffered extensive impact of radiators in Yantar or some other sectors. Incautious stalkers quickly become insane, turning into walking semi-corpses. They are plentiful in the Zone, some can even reach the perimeter.Read more
Scientists
Researches of the Zone nature and the nature of its bearings. Under their favourable attitude a lucky stalker can profitably sell the Zone loot to scientists without the dealer’s mediating.Read more
Military stalkers
They may move alone or in groups of up to five people. They do not let regular stalkers approach, immediately opening fire.Read more
Freedom
Anarchists and daredevils who declare themselves to be fighting for free access to the Zone, and consequently find themselves in constant conflict with army units, military stalkers, and Duty.Read more
Monolith
Most stalkers treat Monolith adepts with contempt, and consider them lunatics.From its inception the group has attempted to block progress towards the Zone's centre.
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Dolg
Only Duty representatives refuse to trade unique items from the Zone with the outside world. According to rumours, all artifacts found by members of this group are passed to scientists.Read more
Mercenaries
The most mysterious group in the Zone, the very existence of which is doubted by many.Read more
Monsters
Snork
It appears that these creatures were at one point humans, however it is difficult to imagine the conditions that could turn a human being into this disgusting animal.Read more
Rodent
Determining the species from which the Zone's rodents developed has so far proved impossible although it can be said with certainty that their ancestors were gregarious mammals. Reaching up to 40cm at the shoulder they are more mobile, aggressive and ravenous than the normal desert animal.Read more
Bloodsucker
It seems that these creatures are responsible for the deaths of a large number of stalkers. Few of those who have seen one were lucky enough to survive the encounter and according to them bloodsuckers prefer damp places around marshes and subterranean areas.Read more
Pseudodog
Pseudodogs are about as different from mutated dogs as wild wolves are different from mongrels. The creatures mark and guard their territory, attacking those who enter without mercy.Read more
Boar
Mutagenic processes engendered by radiation and anomalies have played a significant part in shaping these mammals: they have lost all fur in places and grown long, bristly fur in others.Read more
Flesh
Like many other living creatures, domestic pigs in the Zone underwent serious mutation, which affected genes responsible for their metabolism causing the animal's phenotype to change significantly.Read more
Poltergeist
Truly supernatural invisible creatures that can be found only deep inside the Zone and live mostly inside ruined buildings. Nothing is known about their origins.Read more
Anomalies
Vortex
The anomaly remains stationary throughout its lifetime (a week on average). It can be visually detected in daylight by the air fluctuation above.Read more
Burner
When triggered by an object or a living being it instantly heats up to lethal temperatures approaching 1500K.Read more
Electro
When triggered, the anomaly bursts out in dozens of miniature lightnings, causing electric shock, nearly always lethal for all living beings.Read more
Artefacts
Stone Blood
A deformed, reddish object made of compressed, oddly twisted, polymerized scraps of plants, soil and bones. A popular superstition among stalkers is that the strength of people perished in the anomaly is contained in the artifact.Read more
Mama's beads
Anyone carrying the artifact can do without food or drink for an infinite period of time.The only known side-effect is increased susceptibility to radiation.
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Flash
An artifact formed in the "Electro" anomaly.A translucent, amorphous object with light beams pulsating under the surface, occasionally generating miniature lightning-sparks.
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Night Star
The artifact generates a protective field around the bearer reducing damage inflicted by small arms. Highly radioactive.Highly valuable in view of its scarcity. The artifact is of primary interest to scientific organizations and the military.
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Weapons
Obokan
The weapon of the elite troops of the Russian army.It was designed as a replacement for the outdated AK-74.
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Akm 74/2
A Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt, model of 1974.In the Zone it's the main weapon of the army stalkers and of many lone fighters.
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Kora-919
A classical automatic Colt which participated in all the conflicts of the 20th century with honor and entered the new century with confidence.Read more
Screenshots
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