The following set up was hugely inspired, or should I say almost completely based on the plot of the movie STALKER, which, in turn, was a very loose adaptation of Strugatsky Bros. novel “Roadside Picnic”. In fact, the circled letters on some characters’ clothes stand for Brothers Strugatskie (БСТ - Братья СТругацкие)!
The story takes place in an Eastern European city situated very close to the anomalous Zone, which appeared as a result of a catastrophic event 50 or so years before the beginning of the narrative. It’s a forbidden territory about the size of a small country, and any unsolicited breach of the border is punished by death or at the very least extensive jail time. Nobody really knows how the Zone works, some even believe it has a life of its own. One thing is for certain though - people are fascinated by it!
There is a huge research facility right on the edge of the Zone, which is the main source of the city’s funding, along with the many factories sprinkled all around the place. However, there is another kind of profession that became pretty prominent over the years - the so-called stalkers, who help people illegally enter and then (sometimes) exit the Zone.
Children of those who have been exposed to the zone for extensive periods of time are very likely to be born with some kind of mutation - KT’s rapid flesh growth being one of the more extreme examples and Sanya’s albinism being one of the milder ones. The mutants whose abilities present particular scientific interest or are deemed too dangerous are taken into the research facility. Sheltering mutants and possession of anomalous objects without special governmental permission is illegal.
Places of interest:
Places of interest:
Places of interest: