Post-apocalypse “Stove. Cold Whisper”

Role in the world: A pathetic parody of Artyom's followers.
· Age: 20–30 years.
· Character: Cynical imitators trying to cash in on Artyom's popularity.
· Motivation: To cash in on the legend.
· Connections: Active in the Hive, not connected to Artyom.

Role in the world: An elderly merchant who collected and sold artifacts from the old world.
· Age: 70 years.
· Appearance: Gray-haired, thin, with a keen gaze and shaking hands.
· Character: Wise, grumpy, but kind. Loved to tell stories.
· Motivation: To pass on knowledge about the past.
· Knowledge and skills: Collector, expert in pre-war history and artifacts. Sold Artyom a "Bliss" poster.
· Connections: Was expelled from the Hive on trumped-up charges.

Role in the world: Responsible for intelligence and special operations.
· Age: 45 years.
· Appearance: Neutral voice without timbre.
· Character: Impartial executor of the Directorate's will.
· Motivation: Completing tasks.
· Knowledge and skills: Strategist, scout.
· Connections: In the Directorate.

Role in the world: Ruler, responsible for technological progress.
· Age: 50 years.
· Appearance: Always in the shadows, slightly hoarse voice.
· Character: Ambitious, calculating. Sees geniuses as tools.
· Motivation: To restore former greatness.
· Knowledge and skills: Deep technical knowledge.
· Connections: In the Directorate with Owl and Raven.

Role in the world: One of the three rulers of "Hibernation." A technocrat to the core.
· Age: Unknown, voice mechanical.
· Appearance: No one has seen her face. Only her voice and commands.
· Character: Cold, rational. Views people as resources.
Motivation: Technological recovery and expansion. Artyom is a valuable asset.
· Knowledge and skills: Unlimited access to Hibernation technologies.
· Communications: Gave the order to activate the Valkyries.

Role in the world: One of the leaders of the bounty hunters.
· Age: 45 years.
· Appearance: Huge, like a bear wrapped in skins. Stern, weather-beaten face.
Personality: Cold-blooded and calculating. Respects strength and does not tolerate failure. Sees Artyom as a personal affront.
Motivation: Reputation. Artyom has become a symbol he must capture.
· Knowledge and skills: Excellent tracker and tactician.
· Connections: Leads the hunt for Artyom.

Role in the world: Strategist and analyst, Moroz's right hand.
· Age: 38 years.
Appearance: A woman with a scar, one eye replaced by a red sensor. Her movements are smooth, like a snake's.
Personality: Impartial, logical, unemotional. Sees people only as algorithms.
Motivation: To effectively fulfill contracts. Artem is a complex variable.
· Knowledge and skills: Data analysis, behavior modeling, tracking.
· Connections: Works with Moroz

Role in the world: A cynical careerist who used Artyom and did not keep his promises.
· Age: 40 years.
· Appearance: Cold eyes, smooth manners.
· Character: Deceitful, manipulative. Driven by status.
· Motivation: Strengthen your position at any cost.
· Knowledge and skills: Able to create the appearance of activity.
· Connections: Was indirectly involved in Artyom’s escape.

Role in the world: Artyom's friend from the Hydraulics community. She also began to think about escaping.
· Age: 19 years.
· Appearance: Freckles, red hair.
Personality: Kind, dreamy, but cautious. Misses Artyom.
· Motivation: Find your way, don’t remain a cog in the machine.
· Knowledge and skills: Understands hydraulic systems.
· Connections: Close friend of Sergey and Artyom.

Role in the world: Artyom's close friend from the Supply community. Practical, but after his friend's escape, he began to doubt the system.
· Age: 19 years.
· Appearance: Stocky, with a simple face.
Personality: Practical, conservative. After Artyom's escape, he began to think about escaping.
· Motivation: To survive, to find one’s place.
· Knowledge and skills: Understands logistics and supply.
· Connections: Close friend of Lenka and Artyom.

Role in the world: A typical product of the system. An arrogant careerist who got his position through connections.
· Age: 32 years.
· Appearance: Well-fed, clean, with a smooth face.
· Character: Arrogant, lazy, used to shifting work onto subordinates. Cowardly, vindictive.
· Motivation: Maintain status, do not lose privileges.
· Knowledge and skills: Superficial theoretical knowledge, poor understanding of real systems.
· Connections: Caught in the crossfire after Artyom’s escape and was demoted.

Role in the world: Second-rank engineer in the Hive. A member of the system who helped Artyom by covering up his escape.
· Age: 50 years.
· Appearance: Intelligent, tired, with intelligent eyes.
Personality: Intelligent, reserved. Long ago caved in to the system, but retained his inner integrity. Values ​​talent.
· Motivation: Maintain the appearance of order, but, whenever possible, help those who are deserving.
· Knowledge and skills: Classic theoretical engineer. Knowledge of many systems.
Connections: He was Artyom's mentor and concealed his escape from the Council.

Role in the world: The silent professional at the helm.
· Age: 35 years.
· Appearance: Thin, wears glasses. Rarely smiles.
· Character: Silent, focused. Speaks only on business.
· Motivation: To do my job well, to be the best pilot.
· Knowledge and skills: Brilliant transporter pilot, has a feel for the machine.
· Connections: Ullman's Team.

Role in the world: Experienced mechanic, studies the chassis of transporters.
· Age: 38 years.
· Appearance: Wiry, active, with alert eyes.
Personality: Open, loves to talk. Respects those who understand technology. An excellent storyteller.
· Motivation: To learn new things in mechanics, to share experiences.
· Knowledge and skills: Deep knowledge of tracked chassis, can diagnose faults by sound.
· Connections: Works in the Iceberg hangar. Was the first to inspect the Nomad.

Role in the world: Metalworker. Works with a lathe. Silent, but reliable.
· Age: 40 years.
Appearance: Bearded, broad-shouldered. Calloused hands, rarely speaks.
Personality: Stingy with words, but generous with deeds. Criticizes constructively and helps without asking unnecessary questions.
· Motivation: To do something correctly and reliably.
· Knowledge and skills: An ideal turner, he knows metals and their behavior in the cold.
Connections: Works with Victor and Alexander. Helped Artyom with a bushing for the Nomad.

Role in the world: Chief mechanic and engineer of the Iceberg. Values ​​hands and minds. Strict, but fair.
· Age: 45 years.
Appearance: A strong man with large hands, always wearing oil-stained overalls. His gaze is attentive and piercing.
Personality: Reserved, a bit grumpy, but respects talent. Doesn't tolerate shoddy work. Can admit a mistake and offer praise.
Motivation: To preserve and develop the technical legacy of Ldina. Sees potential in Artyom.
· Knowledge and skills: The best engineer in the Iceberg. He understands steam and hybrid systems like no one else.
Connections: Works with Ulman and Fedor. Helped Artyom repair the Nomad.

Role in the world: An energetic, curious girl from "Ice Floe." She was the first to find Artyom in the snow.
· Age: 20 years.
Appearance: Rosy-cheeked, with lively eyes and a constant smile. Short blond hair. Always on the move.
Personality: Lively, sociable, not afraid to ask direct questions. A good listener and supporter. Perceptive, she sees right through people.
Motivation: Life with interest, adventure, new encounters. Believes the world can be made a better place.
· Knowledge and skills: Radio operator, proficient in handling equipment. Excellent snowmobiler.
Connections: Part of Ulman's team. Became friends with Artyom. Frequently acts as a guide for guests of the "Ice Dina."

Role in the world: An experienced caravan leader, respected on the Ice Floe. A good decision-maker and values ​​people.
· Age: 50 years.
Appearance: Wiry, gray-haired, with quick, cunning eyes. Always in warm overalls. His voice is rough, but good-natured.
Personality: Straightforward, honest, and without unnecessary pathos. Values ​​hard work and courage. He jokes, but in serious situations he becomes tough and calculating.
Motivation: To ensure the safety of the Iceberg and his crew. Doesn't seek glory, but doesn't tolerate injustice.
Knowledge and skills: Excellent organizer, knows the Plate and its dangers. Can negotiate with other Arks.
Connections: Commands the Ice floe patrol and knows Viktor, Luna, and Nikola. He gave Artyom shelter and warned him about the pursuit.

Role in the world: A legendary escapee from the Hive, who became a symbol of freedom and a challenge to the system. His story has spread throughout the Arks.
· Age: 19 years.
Appearance: Thin, but sturdy from physical labor. Pale skin, brown eyes with a tired but lively glint. Often appears tense. Wears a shabby, warm jacket, a homemade mask, and a hood with lenses.
Personality: Stubborn, determined, but modest to the point of shyness. Unaccustomed to trust—he was betrayed and deceived in the Hive. He's both a dreamer and a pragmatist. He's reluctant to accept help, but generous with gratitude. He's a good listener, but slow to open up.
Motivation: To find that very place—the green hill with the blue sky he saw on an old poster. He dreams of building a life where he doesn't have to survive, but can live.
Knowledge and skills: A brilliant self-taught engineer. Has a deep understanding of transporter mechanics, especially steam and hybrid systems. Can repair almost anything with improvised means. Can read old blueprints and improvise.
Connections: Legend in the Arks. He is being hunted by the Children of the Snows, the Valkyries, and several Arks. He has become friends with the crew of the Ice Floe (Ulman, Luna, Victor, Nikola, Fyodor, Alexander).
Location: At the start of the game, he's somewhere on the Plate, heading south on his Nomad transporter. He can be encountered as a random companion, or you can hear about him at trading stations.

1. Radiation mutants (general name - "Creatures"):

Spawn of radiation and ancient viruses. Classified by threat level:

· Small fry: radiation rats, giant insects, fog jellyfish (dangerous, but not lethal to the group).
· Medium threat: Night Whispers (flocks that imitate human voices), Snow Spiders (large, hide in snowdrifts), Ice Dogs (fast, hunt in packs).
· Major Threat: Branchlings (tree-like creatures covered in ice, nearly invulnerable), Deep Reapers (massive, earthworm-like creatures that live beneath the ice).

2. Climate:

· Frosts down to -60°C.
· Sudden snowstorms ("Black squall") - reduce visibility to zero and can cover the transporter.
· Freezing rain is deadly for unprotected equipment and people.

3. People:

· Marauders.
· Mercenaries.
· Desperate loners.
· Competitors for resources.

A transporter isn't just a machine. It's a home, a fortress, and the only hope for survival on the Plate. They're built from whatever materials are available, making each one unique.

By chassis type:

· Tracked: (the most common) – durable, cross-country, but slow. Good for deep snow.
Wheeled (studded) – faster, but with poorer cross-country ability. Often used for military or light reconnaissance purposes.
· Walkers: (rare) - complex and unreliable, but capable of overcoming almost any obstacle.

By engine type:

Steam: (the most common) - uses Steam Cores. Reliable, but inefficient. The core burns out over time.
· Diesel: (powerful, but capricious in the cold) - require high-quality fuel.
· Hybrid (steam-diesel): (rare, very valuable) - combines the advantages of both, but is difficult to maintain.
· Atomic and Thorium: (almost legends) - enormous power, extremely rare, available only to elite factions.

Famous models:

Titan-2: A heavy, steam-powered tracked transporter, often based on old steamships. This is exactly the type Artyom stole. Slow, but reliable.
· Vikhr-M: high-speed wheeled reconnaissance aircraft powered by a diesel engine. Military.
· "Whale" and "Titanic": large cargo/passenger wheeled hybrids used by caravans.

1. The Ark "Hive":

A rigid hierarchical system. Everything is subordinated to survival and control. Communities are divided by profession and blood. Punishments are harsh, rewards are meager. On the outside, exemplary order, on the inside, rot and paranoia. It was from such an Ark that the one whose story shook the world escaped.

2. Ark “Ice Floe”:

Built near geothermal springs. The guiding principle is that everyone's work is valuable. Less bureaucracy, more shared responsibility. It may be poorer than the Hive, but people here smile more often. Courage and skillful hands are respected.

3. Empire "Hibernation":

A technocratic superpower. Several domes connected by tunnels. High technology, remnants of satellite communications, advanced weaponry. Resources are nearly limitless. Their goal is not survival, but recovery. But any talented person is just a resource for them to collect. They were the ones who sent the Valkyries after the Fugitive.

4. Mercenaries "Children of the Snows":

Bounty hunters and artifact hunters. Cruel, experienced, and well-versed in the Slab. They know how to read tracks and manipulate people. Their outposts are grimy, functional bases made from the wreckage of equipment. Driven by money and reputation. Artyom became a personal affront to them.

5. "Valkyries" (elite hunters of "Hibernation"):

Highly skilled professionals. Equipped with the finest equipment: satellite tracking, drones, tranquilizers, and sound suppressors. They leave no trace. Their goal is a valuable specimen alive and unharmed.

6. Free caravans:

Groups of people who have abandoned the domes. They live on transporters, travel across the Plate, trade, and conduct reconnaissance. They are respected and feared. Some of them are descendants of old military personnel.

1. Ark "Hive" (Launch site):

A massive dome built on the foundations of a pre-war bunker. Inside, a rigid hierarchical system is divided into Communities (Engineering, Supply, Military, Trade, and Order). Each Community has its own status and privileges. The air here is clean but heavy—permeated with tension, control, and the constant struggle for a place in the sun. The dome's ceiling imitates the sky, but it is a pale parody of real light. The streets are neat and sterile, covered with propaganda posters about labor and discipline. Patrols maintain order. People here rarely smile, and their glances are always appraising—either you are useful to the system, or you are a cog in its wheel. It was from here that Artyom made his daring escape, and his story still haunts the minds of the residents, engendering both fear and secret hope.

2. Ark “Ice Floe”:

Built near geothermal springs, fused with a glacier. The core principle is that everyone is valued for their work. Less bureaucracy, more shared responsibility. It may be poorer than the Hive, but people here smile more often. Courage and skillful hands are respected. The hangars are spacious, the air smells of diesel fuel and freedom. There is no division into "higher" and "lower" communities here—there is only work and results.

3. Empire "Hibernation":

A technocratic superpower. Several domes connected by tunnels, frozen into the depths of a glacier. High technology, remnants of satellite communications, advanced weaponry. Resources are nearly limitless. Their goal is not survival, but recovery. But any talented person is just a resource for them to collect. It was they who sent the Valkyries after the Fugitive.

4. Trading stations (Outposts):

Waypoints between Arks. Often built from the wreckage of old transporters or bunkers. They survive on trade and caravan services. Dangerous, but offer a chance for rest.

5. Ruins of the Old World:

Abandoned cities, military bases, factories. Rare places where you can find valuable artifacts, fuel, and information. But they're always cold, dark, and often teeming with dangerous creatures and traps.

The reason: A hundred years ago, a nuclear war broke out. But it wasn't the final blow. The flashes from the warheads awakened something dormant beneath the ice of the Arctic and Antarctica—ancient, parasitic life forms that couldn't stand the heat. They emerged to the surface, and with them came a nuclear collapse, triggering a chain reaction of cooling. The world was plunged into an eternal winter.

Aftermath: Two decades after the war, the Plate—the entire habitable world beyond the Arks—has become an icy desert. Temperatures rarely rise above -30°C. The oceans are frozen solid. The radiation dissipated, but left behind mutations. The only survivors were those who hid in bunkers and arks, or those who adapted to the surface, becoming semi-nomads.

Modern times: Humanity is fragmented. There are Arks (large, domed city-states), nomadic caravans, and individuals and gangs. Trade between Arks is carried out by transporters—powerful machines capable of traversing snowy wastes. But the Plate is full of dangers: from fierce blizzards to creatures spawned by radiation and an ancient virus.