Story Bible - alexitsios/Calamity GitHub Wiki
Summary
The player takes on the role of Cassandra, an Unworthy One, who is a supposedly failed experiment of Theoris. She wakes up in the morgue with no memory of her past and must escape while trying to uncover the truth about her past and the organization's plans. Along the way, she discovers that she is the "Ultimate Being" that Theoris has been trying to breed, and her powers and abilities far surpass those of the other members of the organization.
As Cassandra tries to escape the monastery's laboratory, she encounters various challenges and obstacles such as mutated creatures created by the xenoparasites. She must use her powers and abilities to fight or evade these obstacles as she makes her way through different locations.
The game features a mix of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving.
General Lore
The following section includes lore about the story of the game.
Xenoparasites
Xenoparasites are a key component in the story of the game and the main driving force behind Theoris's plans. They are alien life forms that have been found to have extraordinary properties. These parasites have the ability to extend an individual's lifespan, enhance their physical and mental abilities, but at the cost of altering their body, increased aggressiveness etc.
The Xenoparasite experiments started over a century ago before the game's story begins. Theoris, the secretive organization behind the experiments, began a program of selective breeding using Xenoparasites as a way to create their own messianic figurehead or "Ultimate Being." The goal was to save humanity from itself by pushing it forward into a new age of greatness. The experiments were conducted over a period of several decades and continued up until the present day when the game's story takes place.
The Theoris Organization
Theoris is a secret organization that is focused on using the Xenoparasites to create a new kind of human being, one that is stronger, smarter, and more powerful than any other. They have been working on this project for over a century, using selective breeding and genetic manipulation to create the perfect being. They are said to have been founded during the early 20th century by a group of powerful women who were determined to change the world for the better. Their main goal is to save humanity from itself and push it forward into a new age of greatness. They believe that this can be achieved by shaping political events and creating a messianic figurehead or "Ultimate Being" through selective breeding using the Xenoparasites.
The organization is made up of a complex hierarchy, with the Sisters and the Reverend Mothers being the most important roles to know. Sisters of Theoris receive training and complete certain tasks within the order, including conceiving children with specific fathers. Reverend Mothers, on the other hand, are the leaders and elders of the organization. They receive the same training as the Sisters but also have extra superpowers and are super-strong. The Unworthy Ones, on the other hand, are essentially Sisters who failed to manifest their powers. They either die at a young age or are used for experimentation and are essentially expendable.
Theoris is known to be incredibly secretive and their existence is not widely known. They are said to have agents and informants in various government and private organizations, and they use these connections to further their agenda. They are also known to be incredibly powerful and influential, with some speculating that they may even control certain governments or organizations.
It is important to note that during WW2, Theoris hierarchy was affected by pseudo-racialistic dogmas and several of their members, including several Reverend mothers, believe in these dogmas to the present day.
The pseudo-racialistic dogmas that affected Theoris during World War 2 were a set of beliefs that certain genetic traits and characteristics were superior to others. These dogmas are close to Theoris' dogma of a perfect being.
During the war, some members of Theoris began to adopt these beliefs. They believed that certain members, specifically those who were able to control Xenoparasites to a certain extend, were superior to others and should be in positions of power and leadership.
As a result, certain members, particularly those who were considered "unworthy", were used for experimentation and were deemed expendable. This also led to a decrease in the number of members within the organization as many were killed or died as a result of these experiments.
The organization is divided into two main groups, the Sisters and the Reverend Mothers. The Sisters are trained to have special abilities and are responsible for carrying out certain tasks within the organization. The Reverend Mothers, on the other hand, are the leaders and elders of the organization. They are even more powerful than the Sisters and have extra abilities that give them even more control over the organization. The ultimate goal of Theoris is to save humanity from itself by pushing it forward into a new age of greatness. They believe that by creating this new kind of human being, they can achieve this goal. However, their methods are controversial, and not everyone within the organization agrees with their methods.
The Xenoparasites
The parasites have central significance to the story and general lore of the game. Some Theoris scholars and scientists, disappointed by the lack of results from the selective breeding process, started believing that the ultimate goal of evolution is the creation of a singular entity that will possess all knowledge and power, effectively becoming a god-like being. This opinion gained popularity, and in the last two decades of the Organization's history, this new program is their main focus; however, the selective breeding project continues, since other scientists believe that for the singularity to happen, they need an entity powerful enough to control it, and here's where the messianic figure comes in place since it could act in a way as the frontal lobe of the hive mind. Additionally, most Theoris scholars and scientists believe that the parasites are a step towards this goal, as they can merge multiple brains together to create a hive mind that will possess the knowledge and experiences of all its hosts. Some scholars also believe that the infected, with their monstrous forms, are the next step in human evolution, as they possess heightened strength and senses. Theoris and its followers believe that by merging all human brains together into a singular entity, they will be able to achieve true enlightenment and transcend the limitations of the human form. They believe that the singularity will be the ultimate messianic figurehead, leading humanity toward a new age of prosperity and enlightenment.
Creatures
The Hunter (Boss)
Corporal Alex A. Talos was the cream of the crop of the special forces. He was selected for a special experiment to enhance the physical abilities of their soldiers using a powerful parasitic organism. During the procedure, the parasite merged with his body, granting him incredible strength, speed, and agility. However, the side effects of the experiment caused the Hunter to become a monster, making him aggressive and violent. The parasite that was injected into him was an early variation of the parasite Dr. Laios created, thus the Hunter has kept some of his previous memories and personality. The Theoris scientists continued to modify his body, causing him to further deviate from his human form. The beaked mask he wears is to conceal his mutated face and protect others from the dangerous pathogens that now inhabit his body. Despite his monstrous appearance, the Hunter remains fiercely loyal to Theoris and is automatically released with the purpose to exterminate and quarantine everyone in the facility if an incident occurs. The hunter has a cybernetic left hand and a blade extends when he is to attack someone. His right hand has a cannon-like bio mechanism. He can't speak, but only howl / scream.
Trivia
He's Cassandra's father, but has no memory of her. The only person who remembers is Athena (Cassandra's mother).
Behaviors of Player Character
Basic movement and animation:
- Walking
- Running
Combat animation:
- Aiming with hand cannon and shooting.
- Activate blade
- Use the blade with a left cybernetic hand
- Punch with the right hand
- Being shot by a shotgun
- Being shot by a submachine gun
- Falls down (first knees, then collapses) when defeated. Note: pistol doesn't cause that big of damage to it, so I don't think we need an animation.
Interaction:
- Opening doors to chase the player.
Dialogue and conversation:
- Cutscenes
The Thing (Boss)
A four-legged creature that has a maw with sharp canine teeth. Its back is filled with parasitic tentacles and all its legs have long sharp claws. It resembles a salamander.Its long tongue can expand and attack its victims. The Thing is a combination of parasites (all its tentacles are of parasitic nature). Theoris applied this early experiment to create a parasitic cluster of hives that cooperate together and enhance the physical attributes of an animal.
Behaviors of The Thing
Basic movement and animation:
- Fast walking on four legs
Combat animation:
- Bitting with maw
- Claw hit with the front right foot.
- Hitting victim with the tongue like a whip
- Being hit by the shotgun
- Being hit by the submachine gun Note: pistol doesn't cause that big of damage to it, so I don't think we need an animation.
Dialogue and conversation:
- Cutscenes
The xenoparasites
The parasites are highly intelligent and work together to achieve their goal of infecting and controlling a host. They are able to communicate with each other telepathically, allowing them to coordinate their attacks and take over their host as quickly and efficiently as possible. They can manipulate the host's body to suit their needs, causing them to mutate and become more monstrous in appearance.
They are also able to reproduce quickly, creating new parasites to infect new hosts. This allows them to spread rapidly and infect multiple people at once.
The parasites are not limited to infecting humans, they can also infect animals and even plants to create monstrous versions of them. The most effective way to kill the parasites is by fire.
Theoris created the parasites as a means of achieving immortality, using them to transfer their consciousness into new host bodies and evade death.
Behaviors of the Parasites
Movement & Animation:
- They run when they see the player.
- When the player character runs, she can outpace the parasites.
- Jumping to escape or infect normal humans.
Combat:
- The parasites try to avoid and escape the player character because they can't harm her.
- The parasites infect a human or animal by attaching themselves at the back of the head, transforming them into The Infected.
Inspirational references:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/RYVDlr
https://thedarkpictures.fandom.com/wiki/Alien_Parasites?file=Parasiteconcept.jpg
https://www.deviantart.com/sketchytrav/art/Mushroom-creature-color-flatweb-363364033
https://www.deviantart.com/typocity/art/Parasite-110799393
The Infected
The infected, also known as the "hive-mind controlled," are individuals who have been overtaken by the parasites. They have lost control of their own minds and bodies, with the parasites controlling their actions and movements. They have become aggressive and violent, attacking any uninfected individuals they come across.
When a character is bitten, their physical appearance start to change. Excruciating pain, drool and blood running from the mouth and loud screams are the basic indicators of the parasites taking over. And finally the character becomes so twisted and distorted as if the parasite is turning them into another creature altogether. They may have elongated limbs, sharp claws, and an enlarged jaw or maw for biting and attacking. Turning fleshy bulky as their body rearranges itself, moving bone and organs to where they shouldn't be. They may also have additional eyes or sensory organs, as the parasites use these to better control their host. They attach themselves on the back of the host's head, in order to connect with the nerves, but there's resistance, causing the body to jitter and twitch as the host attempts to regain control. The parts of the body these extra sensory organs are part of could enlarge to be able to accommodate. The infected are also able to move at a much faster speed and are much stronger than normal humans, making them a formidable enemy for the protagonist. They also exhibit some level of intelligence, as they can coordinate and cooperate to achieve the objectives of the hive-mind.
Behaviors of the Infected
Movement & Animation:
- They walk sluggishly on two legs when walking slowly.
- They run fast on four legs, outpacing the player.
Combat:
- Claw attack (one or two consecutive hits)
- Headbutt when running and crashing on the player - see example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_F2CU1hapk
- Biting, using their maw.
Inspirational references:
https://deadspace.fandom.com/wiki/Necromorphs?file=Early_concept.png#cite_note-5
https://deadspace.fandom.com/wiki/Necromorphs?file=Ds2_slasher_concept_art.png#cite_note-5
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/75/ce/1d/75ce1d2055fef4b0630503a5a9561209.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/702491241845107816/
https://lparchive.org/Parasite-Eve-2/Update%2005/3-capture_18072011_202940.jpg
The Mutant Dog
The infected dogs often exhibit physical mutations and changes in behavior. They may have increased strength, enhanced senses, and altered appearances such as increased size, altered limb structure, and a distorted snout or jaw. The infection also causes the dogs to become more aggressive and savage, often attacking and killing other animals and humans on sight. Despite their dangerous nature, the Organization sees the infected dogs as important components in their experiments, as they believe that the merging of animal and human brains will provide valuable insights into the development of the singularity. As a result, the infected dogs are often kept in controlled environments for observation and experimentation.
Behaviors of the Mutant Dogs
Movement & Animation:
- Their speed when walking is like that of a normal dog.
- They walk on four legs.
- When they spot a player, they start running.
- They run fast, outpacing the player.
Combat:
- Bite attack while running and jumping at the player.
Inspirational references:
https://alessandrobaldasseroni.com/#/habor-space-goblins/
Player Character (Cassandra)
Cassandra grew up in the Theoris Organization's monastery, raised by the organization's leaders. She was told that her parents had died, but never learned the truth about her mother Athena. The Theoris Organization considered her impure due to her skin color, and never considered that she could be the messianic figurehead or "Ultimate Being."
The Player Character appears with the Robe & tactical version. The tactical version doesn't have the masked version as in the concept art.
Behaviors of Player Character
Basic movement and animation:
- Walking
- Running
Combat animation:
- Aiming with a pistol and shooting.
- Aiming with a shotgun and shooting.
- Aiming with a submachine gun and shooting.
- Aiming with a flamethrower and shooting.
- Stabbing with a knife.
- Stabbing with a knife and knife breaking.
- Being bitten by a mutant dog.
- Clawmark hit by the Infected.
- Clawmark hit (twice) by the Infected.
- Falling to the ground when sustaining a headbutt hit by the Infected (front and back hits).
- Falling when being hit by the Hunter's cannon.
- Being hit by the Hunter's blade.
- Being punched by the hunter with his right hand.
Interaction:
- Picking up and using items
- Opening doors
- Manipulating objects in the game world (etc combining ammo with a gun, combining puzzle items).
- Decision-making and problem-solving (Making choices and puzzle-solving).
Dialogue and conversation:
- Dialogue options
- Cutscenes
NPCs
Athena
Type: Ally
Athena was a highly respected revered mother in the Theoris Organization, who was in charge of the monastery. Despite her high standing, Athena had a secret – she had a secret relationship with a dark-skinned man, which was considered impure by the Organization's standards. Athena became pregnant eventually by that man. When Cassandra turned 6, Athena's subordinates had enough about her and rebelled against her. They imprisoned Athena in the laboratory and dungeon of the monastery and kept her there as a lab rat. Meanwhile, Cassandra was taken and raised in the same monastery, completely unaware of her mother's existence.
Athena was weakened and for the most part remained dormant, till she heard from one of her old subordinates (and scientist) that her daughter was deemed unworthy, was killed, and sent to the incinerator. Enraged and determined to take her revenge, Athena uses the last remnants of her powers to release herself, killing the scientists and releasing the parasites in the monastery.
Note: This character appears only in cutscenes or as stationary giving quests to Cassandra.
Behaviors of Athena
Movement & Animation:
- Walks and runs on two feet.
Combat animation:
- Aiming with a pistol and shooting.
Dialogue and conversation:
Cutscenes
Inspirational references:
Dr. Laios (the bear)
Type: Ally
DR. Laios is a brilliant scientist widely recognized and respected for his groundbreaking research in the field of parasitology. Driven by curiosity and a passion for discovery, he never rested on his laurels and continued to push the boundaries of what is thought possible.
Dr. Laios achieves a revolutionary breakthrough by becoming the first person to control a parasite, using his advanced knowledge to bend the tiny organism to his will, but keeping the full extent of his research a secret from the Organization as this is considered heresy.
During the incident, Laios is gravely wounded by the infected. Desperate to save himself, Laios uses one of the parasites he has studied and controlled to transfer his mind into it, then infests a bear from his lab for strength and resilience, hoping to escape.
He uses a shotgun and has a backpack with him.
Behaviors of the Bear
Movement & Animation:
- Walks and runs on two feet.
- A normal human can outpace him.
Combat:
- Taking aim and shooting with a shotgun.
Dialogue and conversation: Cutscenes
Inspirational references:
https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2010/04/biomegabear.jpg
Acolytes
Type: neutral
Various characters who are devoted to the general cause of Theoris cause or revered mothers, often serving as scientists, helpers, or henchmen, carrying out day-to-day duties. The acolytes can be found in various areas of the game, and when the Parasites find them, they infect them.
Behaviors of the Acolytes
Movement & Animation:
- Their speed when walking is like that of a normal human.
- When they spot an enemy, such as the parasites, they try to escape.
- When the parasites attack them, they try to pull them apart but fail and transform into the Infected. Check transformation example here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0-A1AnyA_o
Inspirational references:
Weapons
The weapons section was written by Pseudo64
Combat Knife
- The knife has a silver shiny edge on its cutting side.
- In the reference image of GERBER MARK II you may see the product name on the knife bottom of the blade. The name of "D. Marquez Combat Knife Jet-9" is written horizontally, in the middle of the blade (the part with the comb-like edges), and in much smaller letters.
Inspirational references:
https://www.sharpinvestments.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/77-MARK-2-P1-510x337.jpg
Pistol
- The pistol is a semi-automatic pistol resembling closely to the real-life SIG Sauer P226 - https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71mXzw4LDWL.AC_SX679.jpg
- At the grip of the pistol, we can make out a "THEORIS" logo.
- The magazine release, hammer, and safety, have colors of copper/bronze.
- On the slide of the pistol is written with gold-plated marking, "Aprodhite, Theoris & Co., GPSX, kd. - Made in Yunkau-un"
Shotgun
- On the receiver part of the shotgun, the phrase "Aki-Aka" in Japanese Kanji is engraved. The first provided image is of the phrase "Aki" and the second of the phrase "Aka". They are to be written side by side, in the name order "Aki" and then "Aka". https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/92845232/213097264-6574f3ac-00cd-4c2c-9fa8-2b143d4a2e4e.png https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/92845232/213097455-5b92a3db-4076-4f68-b995-8728d190867d.png
- Under the engraved Japanese markings of Aki-Aka, in smaller letters in English is written the phrase, "Series Z - 780"
- The entire shotgun is black, with the exception of its recoil pad and the pump (fore-end in the diagram) itself, which are more greyish in color.
- On the stock, there is a "THEORIS" logo in small letters, and beneath it, in even smaller letters is written, "Made in Ghasta-port, Colony A"
Submachine Gun
- The entire gun has a different frame than an MP40. While the general shape and most parts are similar, the frame and barrels are black-colored like any modern weapon, etc https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/92845232/213233484-02517bc5-0dec-4399-80a3-a2c04c1705a1.png
- Instead of the loose-looking magazine handle of MP40, this submachine gun's magazine handle is more sturdy and thicker, so it almost doesn't look like a magazine handle, and has the same sturdiness as that of the handle of an uzi.
- At the barrel of the girl, the phrase, "MT sub-90" has been engraved.
- The trigger is more straight than curved.
Flamethrower
- Unlike the M2-2 flamethrower above, the frames are of red color, instead of green.
- The barrel in the middle is coated black.
- At the fuel tank, there is a sticker that says, "Flammable." Reference: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/92845232/213243757-e015232f-3eff-42eb-82f9-e04d88e9b38d.png
- The front grip, has the words "Sam 1591" engraved on them.
Outline
The game is divided into episodes, with each episode being self-contained, giving the team the flexibility to end the game with that specific episode. Depending on the reception, more episodes can be released.
Blurb
Cassandra finds herself in a cold and dark morgue. Her head aches, and she feels disoriented, unsure of how she ended up there. She hears a voice crackle through the camera mic from a woman (Athena) who seems to know more than she's letting on. She tells her she's in grave danger and needs to find her in the laboratory's control room if she wants to make it out alive.
Limitations
- The only animations that can be used are the ones from the behaviors of each creature/character.
- The first cluster/episode features the following creatures: The Infected, the parasites, and the hunter; and the following characters: Cassandra, Dr. Laios, and Athena.
- Locations: Morgue, Laboratory, Cemetery.
- Weapons: Combat Knife, Pistol, Shotgun, and Flamethrower.
- Ending: There should be no cliffhanger since this will probably be the only episode we make.
- Approximate Gameplay Duration: 1 hour.
Puzzles
-
Power the Portable Crane (Morgue - Required): The door to escape the morgue is blocked by large crates that were placed there to block the entrance to the infected. Cassandra needs to power the nearby portable crane to move the heavy crates. Cassandra needs to power the morgue by finding fuses and doing a small puzzle, then getting the lever from one of the rooms unlocked by the power turning on.
-
Gain access to the chopper (Laboratory - Required): The control room door of the laboratory's security system is locked. The player needs to gain access to it to unlock doors that will grant them access to the roof of the laboratory where the chopper is. In one of the rooms, the player comes across a cipher wheel puzzle while in another one finds that the secret word to unlock the control room is "unlock" ;) .
-
Find the key to the chopper (Cemetery - Required): The players must find the five plaques throughout the game to open the door to the small tomb. When they do, an infected is right at the door and attacks them. When they kill them and search his corpse, they find the key to the chopper.
-
Gain access to the armory (Laboratory - Optional): The door is jammed and the key is broken. Cassandra must find three (3) components to make an acid substance so that she can then use it on the door. The armory contains ammo and the flamethrower.
-
Open the locked cabinets (Morgue & laboratory - Optional): The players can find keys or notes of passwords (such as birthdates) for padlocks to open them.
Suggested Events
- Cassandra wakes up in the morgue after Athena, her mother, tries to wake her up.
- Learning: the player gets the combat knife and learns how to use the life savior.
- Cassandra encounters Dr. Laios in his laboratory in his bear form. His body is on a lab table.
- The hunter appears early on and hunts Cassandra throughout the game.
- Dr. Laios accompanies Cassandra in some areas and helps her kill the infected.
- Cassandra (and Dr. Laios) must head to the control room and unlock it to (a) gain access to the roof where the chopper is, (b) find her mother.
- There should be a scene with the Hunter and Athena where the Hunter can kill her, but doesn't do so, suggesting it's because he remembers they were a couple once.
- The hunter tries to kill Cassandra (and Dr. Laios) on the roof. When Cassandra defeats the hunter, Athena appears and tries to distract him while she and Dr. Laios make their escape, marking the ending of the episode, also suggesting that Athena will meet her end by the Hunter.