Thread: Tainted Trials (YourFavoriteSenpai & Umbrale)

Islands in the sky. Once a dream or fantasy of children flew above the heads of those who were considered tainted by the dwellers above. To live a life of luxury, that never was the case for those unfortunate enough to live on the ground. A dark green fog covered the landscape underneath, toxins and chemicals were abundant. Many lost their minds in these unforgiving lands. Those who haven't lived alone, finding different means of sustaining themselves. Even the most pure knights from above wouldn't last long against those who lived underneath. This was hell to those from above. This was home to those who had no other choice. Streets laid covered in a gangrenous green substance it being spread across the walls, over the floors, and around the streets. Broken syringes, rusted blades, shells of bullets, and other's of the like were far too common on the road. In the shadows were those who took advantage of any opportunity, no matter how heinous. Innocence and purity were qualities that brought death. Those who lived long enough understood that rule personally. The needle dug deep into his flesh. It was what he needed to last throughout the day. Hmph. The man bit his lip. Fuck. Inside the syringe was a glowing blue substance extracted from a mold that grew on the dead. Also know as angel glow , it was known for its effects of removing taint and decreasing the amount of pain that one took. However, to gather this mold was a venture in itself. It only grew on fresh corpses which dissipated during the day. The only way to gather it is to find it from the blue glow that irradiated from the corpses it fed upon. It was a strange fungi that few particularly took inside their own body. For those who are tainted, it was known as truth serum. It forced those who injected themselves with it to see the world for how it was, how fucked up it can be. Many of the tainted chose to avoid it for the sheer fact that reality wasn't worth finding out. For the tainted . This place was heaven. The man laid back onto his recliner, his homemade pistol resting on the table nearby. On the table was a radio that played the same songs, with only enough range to reach those on the ground. From time to time, there were talks about a place known as New Haven . Apparently there was a place that was considered safe and pure on the surface. What a load of shit. The man punched his radio. Turn on the damn music already. No one cares about New Haven. It's all a damn lie anyways. He picked up his pistol. Place is shitty enough already. Might as well make the most of it yourself. There's no point of helping others if they don't give two shits about you. The pistol was made out of pipes which used a heat rune to propel projectiles using steam. It may not have been enough to kill one of the larger beasts that roamed through the zone, but it was enough to stop conflicts with the nearby gang. Walking towards the door, he placed his long coat to keep him warm. Unlike the steam mines , his zone was cold. The toxic clouds cloaked the slums from the sun, thick enough to force a permanent winter. As such, the beasts from the steam mines never set foot in his region, making it a nice place for him to call home. Across the long coat was his secondhand breathing mask and a couple filters. No matter what, breathing the toxins corrupted the body. Due to his mask being broken, he needed angel glow to keep out the taint, despite it affecting him the longer he spent outside. Each day, he would go out to scavenge for both food and angel glow, forcing him to hunt and kill nearby living things. It didn't matter if they were people or animals anymore, the angel glow had to come. These tainted people weren't people anymore, they were monsters. The only place that is safe around here is the damn cities in the skies anyways. Floating islands. Fuck, why isn't there space for all of us? He grumbled, placing the mask on with it's appropriate filter. Damn. Out of food again. He walked down, heading towards the darker parts of the slums. Recently, there wasn't enough animals to go around for everyone. Many people of different races turned to devouring each other to survive. This man was one of them. Cannibalism wasn't always looked down upon, but it usually brought taint into those who consume it. Hence the need for angel glow just to stay alive with a mind of his own. Terms Angel glow - Fungi that grows on fresh corpses. Used to create the truth serum. It removes taint and increases ability to handle pain. Side effects are unknown. Tainted - OrganismAnimal, monster, or human that chooses to live in the world without protection. Considered brainless by those who aren't, they are run by their more carnal desires. New Haven - Location in Zone 5 that claims to be free of taint and offers safety to those who aren't one of the tainted. Steam Mines - Location in Zone 1 known for harboring dreaded steam beasts. Also known for being a place full of usable flame runes and metal scraps.