Headcannon

## June 3rd, 2015

It's easy to determine what kind of race inhabits what settlement if you pay attention to some key details.
Human towns tend to have homes built with metal roofs (from when acid rain was more common) and salvaged material. Human vaulters grew up learning that ancient technology was sacred and the key to their salvation if they could recover it all. Due to this, many homes have manual electricity. This is usually powered by a river or a bike or some other form of creating it. Electricity is still expensive and hard to come by, but it is picking up. It is moatly only used for heating and lighting. And only sparingly.
Mutant settlements are usually made from more natural materials like wood and stone. Mutants are taught that the End War is how humans destroyed the earth. Their technology is dangerous and leads to corruption. This doesn't stop many mutants from using guns or communication devices. However, they tend to be uncomfortable around things like power plants, construction vehicles, and military bases. They have, however, reinvented things like mills, forges, printing presses, roman style plumbing, and other things. These things are more accessible than electricity.
Ghouls tend to inhabit pre war structures. They lack the capacity to build so they burrow out in broken buildings. The closest ghoul settlement is called Wa\*mat. It used to be a part of a grocery and department store chain. They live inside with little to no plumbing, indoor camp fires under broken sky lights, and meat hanging from racks. These places are dangerous and incredibly infectious. Humans and mutants do not enter them. Ghouls also sometimes live outdoors in abandoned tents or in caves or neighborhoods.

## May 26th, 2015

1. Acid Rain does not affect mutants and ghouls because of the immunities they have built up to radiation and poisons. It still burns through buildings, possesions, and humans. When the acid rain comes, all races will leave with their personal effects until the rain has stopped. What will happen after everyone returns to a damaged area? Band together to fix their environment? Or fight over resources?
2. Our current ammunition is lighter and less accurate than pre war ammunition. It is designed to be reusable and cheaper. When humans returned to the surface and the battles between vaulters and mutant surfacers began, mutants and surface humans developed a new design to some of their bows that allowed them to pick up bullets and sling them right back at their enemies. The thunderbow, z strike crossbow, and strong heart bow are examples of this technology.
3. Humans are able to evolve in their own generation. Normally, the process takes several generations and the change is subtle. In rare but increasing cases, humans with the proper genetics and amount of exposure to radiation can evolve into mutants. The circumstances of these events differ and most humans simply die instead of mutating. Those who evolve do so painfully and more quickly. The process itself can be lethal. This is the only way a child can have mixed parents is if one has mutated after giving birth.
4. Even though plenty of humans remain, having not mutated from the radiation, they have still evolved to the point that killing them is harder. Immunities to sickness have increased as well as constitution and the speed of healing. This is why it's easy to wound someone but they somehow still manage to get back up.

## May 21st, 2015

The Legion is working for the uniting of the United States under the new government, The National Republic. Currently, the Legion has "control" over most of the Eastern portion of the United States, lower portion of Canada, and starting to gain more control over the Mid West. Many cities within those regions have either joined the National Republic, made treaties allowing Legion stationing, or were set up by Legion troops to help locals industrialize and establish societies. Not all cities have joined. Some, with primarily Mutant populations, have stayed away from interaction with the new government as much as possible. The Legion is always attempting to expand the boarders of their country with the intent on a perfect society. Of course, Radicals, such as High Commander Star, wish for the genocide of Mutants, but in fact, most Legionnaires do not. Legionnaires from within the core of the National Republic are more likely to dislike mutants than Legionnaires from the North, South, or Mid-West, as those Legionnaires joined with the mission to protect their land from grifters and marauders. Many of the Legions major leaders are pro mutant. General Christopher Key of the Department of Expansion (Captain Pancake's Boss) believes that everyone can live peacefully together and constantly pushes Legion activity away from Mutant mistreatment.

Does Francis think Star will ever go through with his genocide? Absolutely. He joined so his family would be spared. Does he think he'll make it very far? No. He won't be able to gain enough support outside the Capital to eradicate an entire species on the continent. Grayfell mutants have nothing to worry about.

## April 10th, 2015

There are animals indigenous to north america that were not before. And the answer to this is simple. What zoo keeper who truly loves theit animals leaves them to die? After humans went to their vaults, zoos, preserves, sanctuaries, conservations, were raided and the animals were freed. Since then, previously foreign animals have had time to adapt and populate. Horray! Giraffes in the woods

## March 23rd, 2015

So dragons are a thing. Not in the traditional sense, though. Humans aren't the only thing that mutated. Nowadays, we have cats and dogs with armor-like plates, two or more heads, and even hybrid species like the krilp. (Which is basically a bear/puma.) A whole subset of lizards have grown to the size of dogs, humans, and even horses. They cannot breath fire but they are venomous and a very rare few have wings. We also have birds the size of small children with teeth, horses with 6 or even 8 legs called Bileers, and wolves with porcupine needles. Honestly, if you cam think up an animal, it probably exists now. Not all mutations affected the same animals in the same way. Just like you get tribes of animal hybrid or elf looking humans, you also get the random guy with metal for skin.

## March 19th, 2015

Radiation breaks cells apart at a molecular level. Ionizing radiation causes an electron to break apart from the two atoms in it's molecular bond, causing the bond to collapse, and therefore damaging the cell. The damaged cell could then reproduce, creating a cancer, repair and function normally, or partially repair and function abnormally, causing a mutation or disability. So theoretically if it attacked cells in the brain, or other vital areas, especially in young people, it would cause immediate death or depending on genetic code and potential it could cause severe mutation, carried on by breeding and natural selection this could lead to completely different races-ie; altered or mutants.
So Rad-x would in theory be just an energy drink for cells. Radiation poisoning can easily be reversed in small enough doses, like when you get a cut and your skin heals. The problem is our cells don't repair or reproduce fast enough. But if you have them a boost (rad-x) they'd be fully functioning and ready to go.

## March 2nd, 2015

It has been 300 years since the war. Humans have only come out of their vaults within the last 50. Mutants had always thought of themselves as humans until unaltered people exited the vaults. For a while, the groups all spent a lot of time fighting each other. Then simply avoiding each other.
The population is a fraction of what it was. If a city is too big or too destroyed, it is not worth the time, labor, or cost to rebuild. A lot of large cities are destroyed and abandoned. However, mutants and humans didnt just stop advancing.
In the vaults, humans continued to make technology more efficient with what they had. On the surface, mutants built on top of the destroyed world. They went back to farming, smithing, carpentry, necessary professions. The most common homes are wood cabins away from civilization, strip mall and suburban neighborhoods turned into towns, and even underground and treetop homes. There are entire cities (city being over 100 people) of mutants, humans, ghouls and RARELY a combination of 2 or 3 of those races. Think of our world as being close to but not yet a Renaissance /industrial revolution. We have technology. But running water isnt the same. Gas and electricity are exoensive and hard to obtain. Wealthy city folks have it.
We have saw mills, some places have radio, public bath houses, toilets, a lot more advanced holistic/ chemical medical knowledge, new forms of music, breweries, general stores, markets, and everything you would find in a fantasy medieval larp setting minus the magic and plus guns.

## February 18th, 2015

Vaulters and Surfacers often trade fresh food and canned food. Surfacers like having food that is nonperishable and Vaulters have severely missed having fresh fruit, veggies, and meat. So don't worry. The can of soup you're eating isn't 305 years old.

## February 2nd, 2015

Just like any other virus, Z-Omega affects people differently. In the ghoul community, there is a subgroup called "Heretics." It is an evolution of the virus known as Z-Gamma.
While most Ghouls have a strong sense of commraderie, these ghouls don't. They don't play well with others. They have a higher intelligence but are often dilusional, unstable, and sporadic. Omegas don't tend to get along with Heretics. (Think the horde vs those crazy zombies in left for dead that are really fast and climb walls and stuff. But they don't get involved with groups and their minds don't work right. Omegas have coherent and definite thought. They just can't express it to other races very well. Gammas DON'T have coherent thought but have an easier time speaking and using a screwdriver.)

## February 1st, 2015

Radx was invented by a doctor and scientist but the name of Edward Howe about 50 years ago. Shortly after it's production in his vault, the first vault was opened (vault 13). He then sent the formula to other vaults. For the last 50 years, humans have been returning to the surface. Before that time, mutants and ghouls believed them to be nearly extinct and did not refer to themselves as other races. Humans started that trend. (A lot of mutants call themselves "altered" now.) There are still a good handful of vaults that have not been opened. Some because humans are afraid to venture outside and others don't have the resources to make radx and will have to Wait for the surface radiation to die down.

Other chems like Pierce, Rocket, and the Stimpack were invented by his nephew, Gregory Matric. He brought these formulas to the surface so they could be mass produced at an alarming rate.

Also, **it is official the year 2325**! Happy new year!

## January 15th, 2015

During the End War, a lot of religious zealots believed the rapture was close at hand. When it didn't happen, many of the major religions lost faith in their gods. Since vaulters are the only ones who retained the old knowledge on things like religion, they tend to either be atheist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu. Surfacers see church buildings and Bibles but tend to be less certain as to what they are and often miss the connection. Those who follow any form of religion do so in an unstructured or cultlike manner. They believe in ancestors, old gods, nature spirits, or even brand names they see on billboards and assume are important. (Nix's old tribe saw McDonald's everywhere and assumed they must be significant and possibly a place of worship. Clowns are gods of happiness, grim reapers are death gods, buddhas are peace gods, the monopoly guy is a travel God, and the Michelin Man is a God who watches over children. Teddy bears are his minions.)

Also, if you guys are curious about something in kasm, you can ask about it and I'll post one of these. I have a lot of this in my head but I don't want to bombard you with headcannons. I will probably write a book/manual sort of thing about life in kasm for anyone who wants to read it.

Religion is not usually a big deal to people in Kasm unless they are part of a cult. So seriously you can get creative with it if you care to have a faith at all. These are just popular beliefs for people in a world full of things that don't make sense to them.

## January 14th, 2015

Since all 3 races have very different DNA, it is genetically impossible to have an interracial hybrid child. Interracial relationships are incredibly uncommon and usually only happens in cases such as "political pairings," if one lover is infected with the ghoul virus during the relationship, and if the couple is very against having children. Love pairings where one race falls for another is extremely rare.

## January 8th, 2015

Just like in any former war, medics are not supposed to be attacked. Battlefield etiquette.
Unlike any other former war, medics have armor and weapons. In a lawless world, plenty of people do not care about battle etiquette.
Think of it this way, if you consider yourself of high morality, you will not attack a medic. Especially while they are healing.
If you are of low morality, you won't care.
If you are of neutral morality, you will judge it by the situation. Like did they attack you first?
Medics do not usually attack other medics. Common curtsey among healers. There are exceptions. (Like when their group tries to rob your base. By that point, you probably aren't worried about being Nice.)
Just a general guideline for different moral alliances.

## January 6th, 2015

Most grifters don't admit to being grifters. They lie and say they are pilgrims or nomads or whatever. Unless they are notorious and everyone would recognize them, what criminal actually ADMITS to being a criminal Unless you are in their home turf?

## October 29, 2014

Mutants have an inaccurate and skewed view of history. Since humans took as much knowledge underground with them as they could, mutants were left to theorize and guess as to the functions and origins of past structures and images. (Ex. Nix's old tribe used to worship clowns since they assumed McDonalds must have some sort of religious importance due to the fact that there are so many of them. They found out in recent generations that they were places to get food.) Most still have no idea what on earth gas stations, telephone poles, and fire hydrants were used for. Many of them also do not know how to use guns and are afraid of them. (Nix had never held a gun until she joined the Family and swears up and down that humans have an extreme fondness for birds since telephone poles are obviously large bird resting places.)