The Basics

Introduction

Hello and welcome to Flexible Survival. The game, a MUCK that plays similarly to a MUSH, developed by Nuku, and given a setting in the west coast USA, at least primarily. Through this article, you will be introduced to some basic concepts. There are many other articles to assist in building on this basic understanding, as well as the Newbie Chat in MUCK to assist with your questions. So, lets begin!

Where are we?

Before we delve into the what, lets look at the where. Most action and agents choose to stay in Fairhaven which is located somewhere in the middle sections of coastal California. Contained within is the corporation Zephyr, and the small town community of New Dawn home of the Prometheans. There are also a wide verity of other locations, both made by staff and players to be explored and enjoyed. Next, in mid-Washington is Woodfield, home of the RSX group. Less player activity occurs here, however, it is a very interracial and interesting area as well. Other areas that play a part in the grand story are Eureka, a town in California, Clairmont, and Glenstock in central Oregon. Other locations of note but don't play much active part in the story are New York, China, Canada, Detroit, Texas, and, nearly the whole world.

What has happened?

The world has discovered Nanites! Small machine proteins that are capable of manipulating matter, thought processes, biochemical processes, just about anything and everything, depending on the grade of nanite of course. Mako Nanites are the most powerful, able to perform just about any function, including functions far outside normal Nanite Limits. What this has meant for most of the world was another industrial revolution! Medicine, power, fabrication, everything has been revolutionized. However, this also came with a price of throwing most of the world into world war three! Early on in the development of nanite technology, a great disaster struck in the USA involving these nanites, resulting in rampant mutations, changes, and alterations. The majority of people died, most of those who survived became instinct and/or sex driven insane mutant creatures. You play one of the few. Those who are fortunate to be one of the following. Survived outside of the immediately effected areas and have been recruited in by one of the companies/communities. Survived so far and wandered in, somehow due to your odd biological nature or exceptional force of will, do not go absolutely insane. Have lived within one of the major effected zones, having been taken care of by one of the major companies/communities. Or, recently recovered from being insane, also called Feral. During all this massive loss of life and general fall, almost all infrastructure, such as power, running water, etc, have completely failed almost universally.

What is happening now?

Over the last six years, things seem to have mostly stabilized within the confines of the major corporation/community regions. Zephyr in their lofty tower have power, water, food. Same goes for the Promethean community of New Dawn. RSX in their headquarters are doing fairly alright for themselves. However, outside these major regions, almost everything is a hell hole. Rampaging ferals who desire to sate their needs and desires using your body roam the streets and countryside. Streets crumbling from lack of work, the towns, most of them anyway, in a state of gradual ruin due to Nanite Degradation, and unless you belong to one of these companies/communities, even Food and Water can be a fight to come by.

The Supernaturals

The exceptional loss of life, and the massive upheaval that followed, brought with it the attention of some very powerful beings. Coyote, Eros, Odin, Bast, Anubis, Fenrir, and even a few unheard till this happened, Dusk Dragon, Uber Fox, Talakai, have come to seek out new blood to dedicate to their way, their path. A few others, Einherjar, Planar Hound, are less sworn to a particular supernatural, and more to a supernatural ideal or plane!

• To note, not all dedications are supernatural, some, such as Cow Maiden, Mall Rat, Recursion, and Nanite Adept come from community, research, or even zealotry.

A few things to keep in mind

First, no matter how something seems, the nanites are experts at making something look like something it isn't. All players and creatures are still human under all that fur, scale, metal, latex, etc. There are limits to the powers that can be pulled up, be them Nanite Limits or Magic Limits. Some extreme examples may push the limits to their very edge, but these limits are still followed. A wonderful example of something that pushes these limits is Nanomagic