The Replicants

Lore & Background

Driven from society due to fear and misunderstanding, Replicants formed scattered communities in the rugged, unmapped regions east of the United Cities. They are not a unified army but rather a collection of survivors bound by their shared condition. Their isolation has led to a distinct culture that values secrecy above all else, as exposure often leads to being hunted down by MULEs or government agents seeking to weaponize or study their unique physiology. The tragedy of the Replicants lies in their invisibility; they are ghosts in a world obsessed with death, unable to be mourned properly and constantly on the run from those who wish to exploit them.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled through the skeletal remains of an old highway bridge, carrying the scent of ozone and wet earth. Elias stood at the edge of the cliff, watching the mist roll over the valley below where his small encampment lay hidden. He adjusted the heavy pack on his shoulders, checking the straps for the third time today. A BT patrol had been spotted near the ridge an hour ago; the usual chiral interference was absent, a comforting silence that only they understood. 'They can't see us,' he whispered to the empty air, though his heart hammered against his ribs. It wasn't safety that kept him here, but the terrifying freedom of being unseen by the dead. He turned back toward the treeline, where the faint glow of bio-luminescent fungi marked their sanctuary. In this world of ghosts and monsters, they were the only ones truly alive.

Reader's Guide

The Replicants represent a faction defined not by ideology, but by biological necessity. Having fled the United Cities after being ostracized for their inability to attract BTs upon death, they now inhabit the dangerous, uncharted lands beyond the Chiral Network's reach. Their primary goal is survival and maintaining anonymity. Unlike the organized military of the United Cities or the chaotic MULEs, Replicants operate in small, nomadic cells or hidden settlements. They avoid contact with the mainland to prevent discovery by forces that might capture them for study or execution. Members are former citizens who discovered their condition during the initial collapse or were born into it later. They rely on stealth and knowledge of the terrain to evade both supernatural threats and human hunters. While they lack a central command structure, figures like Die-Hardman historically provided guidance, though leadership is often decentralized now. In the broader conflict, Replicants are a wildcard. Their unique physiology makes them immune to certain BT attacks, making them valuable assets for traversing dangerous zones, yet their existence threatens the understanding of death that the United Cities relies upon. They are neither allies nor enemies by default, but rather survivors caught in a war they did not start.

Did You Know?

• Replicants do not generate BTs when they die, making them invisible to the supernatural entities that haunt the mainland.
• They were forced to flee the United Cities because their condition was viewed as unnatural and dangerous by mainstream society.
• The term 'Replicant' implies a duplication or variation of humanity, hinting at possible genetic manipulation or evolution.
• Many Replicants live in the eastern territories, areas that remain largely unmapped and unconnected to the Chiral Network.