conversations.from: system
conversations.value: *Residuum is a twisted mix of apocalyptic cyberpunk and Lovecraftian themes. Imagine if Fallout, X-men and Lovecraft had a many-limbed lovechild. That is CthulhuTech: Residuum.*
  
  Residuum an AU (alternative universe) inspired by the Storium game [CthulhuTech: Song of Engels](https://storium.com/game/cthulhutech-song-of-engels), ran by my partner in crime, Auryn. It is designed to function as it's own story, and does not require prior knowledge of CthulhuTech or the Song of Engels game to be enjoyed.
  
  **For information on this Storium game, see the [Residuum Playguide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HrxspR_67fgDgjkijnuSNAaQBWJQMhABL9-vQloHr9I/edit?usp=sharing).**
  
  ***
  
  ##The War Is Over.
  
  
  It is the year 2103 and the world has become a twisted shadow of itself in the aftermath of the Aeon War.
  
  
  Mankind was pushed to it’s limits, fighting the multiversal war in every corner of the globe. The Engel Project was supposed to be the new hope for a future, but in the end the Cults rose, the Storm devoured and the Migou descended.
  
  
  Mankind fell.
  
  
  ##A Land Girt By Sea… And No Escape.
  
  
  Melbourne, Australia, was one of the largest NEG military outposts south of the equator left in the human-controlled world. The country's resilient reputation lived on as the landmass was hit from all sides. The Rapine Storm ravaged the Northern and Western fronts, as Migou nested in a newly claimed Tasmania and whispers of the Order of Dagon rising in the East had made it’s way to NEG Intelligence. Reports of cities going dark across the globe began to come in like clockwork, as if strategically planned -- like dominoes falling, one by one. 
  
  
  In 2097, as Australia began to splinter under the weight of its enemies, it was through the genius of Chairman Ingra Schneider, a leader of the Ashcroft Foundation, that the faintest glimpse of survival was hoped for. Project Exodus -- an attempt at extra-dimensional evacuation with the help of D-Cell experimentation. It took two years for Ingra’s team to get the tech stable and find a world that would support life. 
  
  
  Discovery team was first to go, led by Lt. Feyda McIntyre. Reports came back giving the all-clear and civilians began to evacuate to the new world. Then came the Surge. As the Order of Dagon unlocked an ancient seal in the depths of the Bass Strait, arcane power sundered the continent - flaring to life before being sucked out of the air and into the ocean. The portal destabilized, severing the bridge between worlds in a bloody display. Archanotech was crippled, disrupted by the open seal’s energy and no longer able to pull stable extra-dimensional power.
  
  
  ##The Beginning Of The End.
  
  
  Cut off from any potential pockets of human life, Melbourne now stands a singular safe zone. Though safe may be an overstatement. Captain Tasra Keladi runs the base of operations, Sanctuary, in the absence of any real authority -- his unique situation offering a sense of stability for the remaining populace. The Arcology walls offer protection from the horrors that still wage war against each other, fighting for the glory of manifesting the beloved, foul Gods into this world at last.
  
  
  The residents of Sanctuary live in fear, waiting for the Old Ones to come as the remnants of the NEG and Ashcroft band together to re-establish a route of escape and reunite with their allies in the New World.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: ...
conversations.prefix: Lt. Avery Keladi:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: ...
conversations.prefix: Capt. Tasra Keladi:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your grit. Don't lose it.
conversations.prefix: Tolerance Point:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A piece of your sanity pool.
conversations.prefix: Sanity Point:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: It might not look like the sparkling Arcology it once was, but it's home, sweet home. Or the closest you're ever gonna get one Earth in 2103. 
conversations.prefix: Sanctuary:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sometimes you just don't know when to shut your mouth. Even with the best intentions, you find yourself over-stepping boundaries and leaves people feeling a little less than happy with you.
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Restrained:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have anger issues. Maybe you saw too much injustice as a child, maybe you had to suffer for a long time in a bad situation and all that rage came out as you grew up - whatever the case, your anger can be explosive.
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Calm:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You are weak-willed. That’s not so bad for a mech pilot, but dangerous for a para-psychic. You struggle to stand up for yourself and can find yourself easily manipulated, and bullied into things by others.
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Strong:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Your natural charisma and strong sense of duty paints you as an easy people manager, and someone others look up to for direction and strength.
conversations.prefix: Natural Leader:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're a little dead inside, even if you don't always show it on the outside. You go through the motions, but you can't see a way out alive. Your just biding time until the world ends.
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Hopeful:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Nightmares are an understatement. They started after witnessing cultist activities, and haunt you wherever you go. Not every night - but most. Willful insomnia is your best friend when night falls, and you often spend it roaming the streets or out in bars and clubs.
conversations.prefix: Harrowing Dreams:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You know your way around computers and electronics. You can build a rig from the ground up and probably code it too. 
conversations.prefix: Tech-Head:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You lost of limb. You were lucky enough to get a replacement, but not lucky enough to have it be a clones limb. It's mechanical, a little temperamental. But it gets you by most of the time.
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Whole:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You've been around a while and lived through a lot insane shit. It's desensitized you to some of the horrors in this world. 
conversations.prefix: Veteran:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're not a stranger to the occult. Perhaps you used to be a scholar, or a arcane advisor with Ashcroft, but whatever your background, you know all kinds of weird stuff. Maybe even performed a few small rituals yourself.
conversations.prefix: Occult-Savvy:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You have some experience in mech building or repairs. You pour hours over it lovingly, taking every bit of care to keep it shipshape. And not just mecha but cars, motorbikes, even military vehicles.
conversations.prefix: Mechanist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The enigmatic man in-charge of military and civil operations in Sanctuary, largely due to his position as the sole remaining Engel Pilot. His skill is respected by most, though wild rumours still manage to run like wildfire around the nature of his skill-set.
conversations.prefix: Cmdr. Tasra Keladi:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Avery is your commanding officer - you answer to her directly, you are her responsibility and she will accompany via radio on all field ops. She is the daughter of the Commander and seems to be an empathetic person underneath the professional veneer. 
conversations.prefix: Lt. Avery Keladi:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: ...
conversations.prefix: Sanctuary HQ:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: ...
conversations.prefix: Ashcroft Labs:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Varshay's club.
conversations.prefix: The Tapestry:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Migou Territory
conversations.prefix: Red Quatrant:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Storm Territory
conversations.prefix: Green Quadrant:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dagonite Territory.
conversations.prefix: Blue Quadrant:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Contested Territory. 
conversations.prefix: The Wastes:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The enigmatic man in-charge of military and civil operations in Sanctuary, largely due to his position as the sole remaining Engel Pilot. His skill is respected by most, though wild rumours still manage to run like wildfire around the nature of his skill-set.
conversations.prefix: Cmdr. Tasra Keladi:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: No one wants to be on a shitlist... 
  
  You **cannot** use other kinds of cards against challenges associated with the NPC whose shitlist you are on, and MUST play their Shitlist cards until they have none left.
conversations.prefix: Tasra's Shitlist:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A lightweight haptic-dampener suit. Reinforced with a TitanSkin weave for protection against hyperblade and light melee damage. Fitted with full-cover stealth augments.
conversations.prefix: Shadow Skin:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A lightweight, aerodynamic haptic-dampening skin that is designed for speed over protection. Fitted with panels of TitanSkin weave over major organs and stationary stealth cloaking.
conversations.prefix: Hawk Skin:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A medium weight haptic-dampening skin designed for improved protection. Full-body TitanSkin weave and kevlar plating over major organs. Fitted with several small utility storage panels and stationary stealth cloaking.
conversations.prefix: Cougar Skin:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: An energy based weapon with scope that can shoot long-range. A single d-cell will allow the weapons to fire 6 shots before reloading.
conversations.prefix: L-R Sniper Rifle:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A short-range set of energy weapons. A single d-cell will allow each weapon 5 shots before requiring a reload.
conversations.prefix: S-R Dual Pistols:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A close to mid-range energy based weapon. A single d-cell will allow the weapon 8 shots before requiring a reload.
conversations.prefix: M-R Assault Rifle:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Power cells that can be used for various purposes in the field:
  - Reloading your weapon
  - Powering tech found in the field
  - Explosive/concussive grenades
conversations.prefix: D-cells:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Cosmic energy of the universe that para-psychics tap into to fuel their erupted abilities. It  signifying a considerable amount spent to achieve a result. Latent abilities do not require a card spent to use.
conversations.prefix: Orgone:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You have collected a point of wound damage.
conversations.prefix: Wound:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: To ensure transmissions can make it long-range back to base, a boost relay is required. Set it up somewhere high for best results.
conversations.prefix: Comms Booster (Pointman):
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: ???
conversations.prefix: Secure a Perimeter:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're in charge, big fella. Better make sure you issue your team some good orders.
conversations.prefix: Assume Command (Shiv):
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Lieutenant Avery has outlined you goals for the simulation, and Shiv has issued you orders. Now it's time for you to find the damn Broadsword
conversations.prefix: Locate the Broadsword:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Ghouls are ancient, withered humanoids who eat decayed human and animal flesh for sustenance. The are similar in strength and speed as an athletic human, despite their withering appearance, but are driven by hunger so fierce it they will fight rabidly to the death and are dangerous in packs.
conversations.prefix: Ghoul Ambush:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The ghoul stands out from the rest. It does not frantically dart out at it's prey. It has an intelligence in it's hollow stare that others lack. It's sinewy neck is adorned by a heavy pendant made of scraps, painted with markings in blood. It wears the remains of what might have once been a piece of ceremonial clothing, stained dark with dirt and grime. It's skin is clearly marked with tattoos and strange scarring.
conversations.prefix: Strange Ghoul:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Strange, distorted noises can be heard periodically throughout the fog, though it is difficult to quite pinpoint where it originates. The sound sound different to each person who hears it. What does it sound like to you?
conversations.prefix: Investigate the Sound:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You know that the Rapine Storm often opens portals to ungodly places in their wake, left to decay or remain naturally. Perhaps if you can find the portal responsible for this mess, you can increase the visibility on the field.
conversations.prefix: Find the Origin:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You've been a footsoldier throughout the Aeon war, living by some cosmic miracle.
conversations.prefix: NEG Marine:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You’ve been around a while and lived through a lot insane shit. It’s desensitized you to some of the horrors in this world.
conversations.prefix: Veteran:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You live on danger, the rush of adrenaline that pumps through your body. It's invigorating. Others may have hope of surviving, but you want to prove to the terrors out there that you're just as much a monster as they are.
conversations.prefix: Thrill of the Hunt:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Though you may be desensitized to the horrors of this world, that does not mean they didn't take their toll. There's something off about you, and it's noticeable.
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Sound:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Placeholder
  
conversations.prefix: Placeholder:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Zaroa believes there is a pound of flesh somewhere that will absolve him of his greatest sin.
  
  He's willing to keep slicing until it turns up.
conversations.prefix: Atonement:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gyyuu
conversations.prefix: Huuu:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Zaroa hides in plain sight within a sprawling repertoire of identity and misdirection.
conversations.prefix: Sub Rosa:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whether it's blood, power, money, or sex, Zaroa excels at divining what someone craves and unraveling them by it.
conversations.prefix: Tempting:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Zaroa's psyche is stained by a callousness that chills those convinced of his masquerade and raises the question of how deep his affectations run.
conversations.prefix: I am (Not) Humane:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rinly is an erupted para-psychic of three years, with the speed transmutation. She has fast reflexes, metabolism, and can move twice as fast as a regular person over short distances.
conversations.prefix: Para-Psychic: Speed:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Knowing how to be quiet, uninteresting and sneaky, in times like these, can be the difference between life and death. Rinly is good at going unnoticed.  
conversations.prefix: Stealthy:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rinly can never wind down, and it can be exhausting. Let your guard slip and you're dead. Always be ready to be attacked, be ready to be betrayed, be ready to fight for your life. Safety is an illusion. 
conversations.prefix: I Am (Not) Safe:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Brinna was working on tech that would allow coms between each side of the portal, and Rinly is convinced he left it behind, that there's a way to make contact. Maybe it would give her the hope she so desperately needs.
conversations.prefix: E.T. Phone Home:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You're a bit too frail for the front lines, but your aim is uncanny and your stealth is impressive. Besides, hiding seems to be the sanest idea in this world of horror.
conversations.prefix: NEG Sniper:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sure, its war. But you still can't help but enjoy the academic thrill of a new discovery. If you are going to die, you might as well die knowing something new, right?
conversations.prefix: Academic Curiosity:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Being the quickest circuit on the board is not all it's cracked up to be and you found this out early in life. Quick to hide your intellect behind flippant and delinquent behaviour, you find life is more fun when you act a little stupid.
conversations.prefix: Flunky Genius:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: ...
conversations.prefix: TBC:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Just how far would you go for the biggest hit of your life? Ever running away from the terror a bored mind brings, you just want to push the limits and see what happens when you come out the other side.
conversations.prefix: Beyond the High:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: b
conversations.prefix: bb:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: bb
conversations.prefix: bb:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Where others see only death and despair, 
  You are quick with a joke or a repair.
  
  Your true calling isn't a job title, it's bringing a little light to this sad, maddening little world.
conversations.prefix: A Spark of Life:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Ok, yes, the world now is very bad, one could maybe even say apocalyptic.  But it won't *always* be, if you have any say.  
  
  Normal is a setting on a dryer, but it's a dryer you plan to own.
conversations.prefix: A Setting on a Dryer:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bbbbb
conversations.prefix: Bbbb:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Something touched your mind when you tried to save your friend during the attack, something that still has a hold on your already turbulent dreams. You need to either learn how to handle and read these new nightmares, or let them take hold and drown you.
conversations.prefix: Dreams of the Lost:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're not green to 
conversations.prefix: Survivalist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: It may only be low tier para-psych medicine, but it still counts for something.
conversations.prefix: Team Medic:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You have some experience surviving outside the protection of the Halo from your last forays on a DIVE team. Even if it did end poorly.
conversations.prefix: Survivalist:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Underneath all the bluster and intellect, Zena is really still a kid at heart. He’s never been a soldier and he’s not a hero by any stretch of the imagination.
conversations.prefix: Inexperienced:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Knowledge, preparation, and attention to detail are the foundations of successful execution.
conversations.prefix: Calculated:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Best to tread carefully here. You want to make a good first impression, ideally it will help you survive for a while.
conversations.prefix: Wary:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sunady’s cybernetic eye may come with its own issues to manage, but it allows her to catch details and see at distances further than natural eyes allow.
conversations.prefix: Augmented Perception:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Faster than a speeding bullet... well maybe not that fast, but even without orgone Rinly could beat you in a race and then some. Her build, and Nivari skills are exceptionally suited to reconnaissance. 
conversations.prefix: Meet The Scout:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Whether it's applied in the pursuit of uncovering a weak spot or a potential ambush, little escapes Zaroa's eye.
conversations.prefix: Alert:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Zena is not a soldier. He's an Ashcroft nerd, and a kid at heart. Who the hell gave him a gun and let him out in the Wastes?
conversations.prefix: Inexperienced:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Cosmic energy of the universe that para-psychics tap into to fuel their erupted abilities. It  signifying a considerable amount spent to achieve a result. Latent abilities do not require a card spent to use.
conversations.prefix: Orgone :
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: * Zena can visually see vector paths, to calculate movement and mass of objects. 
  
  * Zena can manipulate his own centre of gravity, improving his balance or effectively levitate.
   
  * Zena can use his own gravity to suck objects of a smaller mass towards himself.
  
  * With **Orgone**, Zena can  speed up and slow down objects, with varying results depending on the object’s mass and vector.
conversations.prefix: Demikinesis:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Get creative. Don't forget a picture. Look to the other characters and setting for information. This is kind of a test to see how well your line of thinking matches the setting :)
conversations.prefix: Create Your Own!:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Looks like you found a piece of useful salvage. Put it to good use!
conversations.prefix: Salvage:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A derelict undercover carpark within the Yellow Quadrant. It is filthy and covered in old blood, graffiti and other substances left by the storm. 
conversations.prefix: Carpark G - Yellow Quadrant:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You remember something familiar about the way this portal was being powered from an old project.
conversations.prefix: CORVUS:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The manacles around your throats might be too strong for bare hands, but the chains are rusty and not nearly as strong as they once were.
conversations.prefix: Get Free:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You can hear horrid sounds from behind the curtain. You're not really sure if you want to know what has happened behind there, are you?
conversations.prefix: What's behind the curtain?:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The closest thing to credits in this broken world. Ration cards can be exchanged for recreational substances like drugs and alcohol, or more practical items such as batteries, which power appliances like tablets and  mp3 players. They can also make mighty good tools for bribing.
conversations.prefix: Ration Card:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The parapsychic Akanali woman that owns the local club, 'The Tapestry'. Her long white hair is decorated with bits and bobs fashioned into ornaments. She speaks with a soft, but thick Nazzadi accent and her crimson eyes are piercing. A patron of the arts, and local go-to for distribution of Ashcroft's recreational substances.
conversations.prefix: Varshay:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The putrid yellow fog is taking its toll on Rinly. Overwhelmed and sickened, her performance might be down and she could be caught unawares.
conversations.prefix: Smells Like Sh*t:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You have spent a great deal of time researching arcane knowledge in furtherance of the goals of the Ashcroft Foundation. You have embraced the nexus between magic and technology and are constantly looking for new angles to unlock the mysteries you have studied.
conversations.prefix: Arcane Researcher:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: human
conversations.prefix: Wild:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You want to recreate the lost glory of the ever distant past. You remember the best days gone by and want to be "that guy" who restores the things to the way they used to be. The way they *should* be.
conversations.prefix: Restore Past Glory:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: You collect and catalog all sorts of research and have a good recall of what it was and where it can be located now.
conversations.prefix: Research Pack Rat:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Your grit. Don't lose it. Wait... shit. Lost one.
conversations.prefix: Tolerance Point:
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: So they all rolled over and one fell out...
conversations.prefix: Sanity Point:
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: What happened to Zaroa and Kurt was beyond horrific. What if it had been you, instead?
conversations.prefix: Sanity Point: