Tagline: The Gods are dead. We are just mining the scraps.
Millennia ago, mountain-sized Titans waged war until they rusted where they stood. Now, the world is "The Scrapyard," a vast desert where civilization clings to the corpses of clockwork gods. Boomtowns nest inside iron ribcages, hiding from the sun, while miners drill into spinal columns to harvest volatile "God-Oil." In this age of Industrial Archeology, technology isn't invented; it is excavated, repurposed, and jury-rigged to keep the lights on.
The Resource: Ichor (also called "God-Oil" or "Liquid Gold"). A highly volatile, glowing amber fluid mined from the Titans. It powers everything from steam-trains to prosthetic limbs.
The Danger: The deeper you drill into a Titan, the more active its "Immune System" becomes. Automated repair-drones still patrol the deep arteries, treating miners like viruses.
The Pollution: Burning Ichor creates "Rust-Smog," a heavy, orange fog that causes the "Ferrous Affliction" (turning skin to metal) if breathed in for too long.
The Ancient Enemy: The Titans were built to fight the God of Destruction (G.O.D.). They didn't just die; they "Overclocked" simultaneously to release a planetary EMP field that froze the G.O.D. in the upper atmosphere. Mining them weakens this field.
The playable area is a geographic bowl defined by the bodies of the fallen gods, surrounded by the infinite "Deep Rust" of the Scrapyard.
Rib-Cage Ridge (Central Hub): The metropolis of the Grave. Built suspended from the massive iron ribs of "The Warden" (a humanoid Titan). The Warden died kneeling to shield civilization from the final blast, forming a permanent metal canopy. It is a vertical city of chains and neon.
The Spine-Mountains (North): A literal spinal column of a serpent-like Titan that forms the northern border. The vertebrae are so massive they act as individual mountain peaks.
The Oil-Sea (South-East): A depression where a Titan bled out, creating a 400km-wide toxic lake of rainbow-colored fuel and sludge.
The Hand of Sol (West): A massive mechanical hand reaching out of the sand. Each of the five fingers is a fortified tower/outpost acting as the gateway for the railroad.
The Junkyard Jungle (East): A 300km forest of tangled copper wire and fiber-optics growing from the ruptured core of "The Weaver" Titan. "Scrap-Jaguars" (camouflaged drones) hunt here.
The Gear-Graveyard (West Hazard): A valley filled with loose, building-sized gears that still grind and turn in the wind, crushing the unwary.
The Glass-Glass Dunes (South): A 400km expanse where a heat-ray misfired, turning the sand into a sea of razor-sharp glass. Requires "Sand-Skiffs" to traverse.
Titan Aquis (North-East): "The Broken Canteen." A Titan designed for water purification. Its internal reservoirs are the only source of pure water, controlled by ruthless Water-Barons.
The Iron-Vein (Transit): The colossal railroad track that bisects the map, carrying the city-sized train "The Gilded Serpent."
Standard fantasy races are replaced by species evolved for the industrial wasteland.
1. The Scrap-Kin (Constructs)
Concept: Sentient robots built by Titans, now free. They patch themselves with spare parts. They don't age, but they rust.
Vibe: Wall-E meets The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
2. The Dust-Striders (Insectoids)
Concept: Four-armed, chitinous natives. Natural engineers who use extra limbs for climbing and repairs. They revere Titans as ancestors.
Vibe: Thri-Kreen mechanics.
3. The Ichor-Blood (Mutants)
Concept: Humans adapted to the smog. Their veins glow amber. They can "Overclock" their bodies for speed at the cost of health.
Vibe: Mad Max War Boys meets Sorcerers.
4. The Gentry (Pure Humans)
Concept: Un-mutated humans who survive via immense wealth and filtration masks. They are the Rail-Barons and Snobs who live above the smog line.
Vibe: Victorian Nobility with gold gas masks.
Classes are defined by their job on the mining crew, utilizing unique resource tracks.
1. The Cog-Jockey (Tank/Muscle)
Role: Pilots a "Steam-Strider" mech or wears hydraulic power armor.
Resource: Fuel.
Subclasses:
The Iron-Clad: Heavy Defense/Armor.
The Steam-Strider: High Speed/Cavalry.
The Siege-Turret: Ranged Heavy Weapons.
2. The Rig-Doctor (Healer/Support)
Role: Part medic, part mechanic. Heals flesh and steel alike.
Resource: Spare Parts.
Subclasses:
The Sawbones: Organic healing and combat drugs.
The Grease-Monkey: Construct healing and armor buffing.
The Chem-Baron: Acid and Poison gas attacks.
3. The Nitroglyc-Ranger (DPS/Scout)
Role: Explosives expert and sniper.
Resource: Black Powder.
Subclasses:
The Deadeye: Long-range sniper focus.
The Demolitionist: AOE grenades and bombs.
The Dune-Drifter: Stealth and invisibility.
4. The Galvanist (Mage/Controller)
Role: Channels static electricity and magnetism.
Resource: Static Charge.
Subclasses:
The Ferro-Mancer: Magnetism and metal control.
The Storm-Caller: Lightning damage blaster.
The Neon-Adept: Illusions and hard-light holograms.
5. The Huckster (Face/Buffer)
Role: Gambler, manipulator, and leader.
Resource: Luck Chips.
Subclasses:
The Card-Shark: Throws magical playing cards.
The Snake-Oil Salesman: Random buff potions/tonics.
The Rail-Baron: Minions, bribery, and mind control.
A progressive disease caused by breathing Rust-Smog or being bitten by Rust-Zombies.
Stage - Name - Mechanical Effect
0 - Clean - No effect.
1-3 - Joint-Lock - Speed -5ft. -1 to Dexterity Checks.
4-6 - Iron-Skin - Natural Armor +1 AC. Speed -10ft. Disadvantage on Stealth.
7-9 - Heavy Metal - Natural Armor +2 AC. Speed -20ft. Vulnerable to Acid. Sink in water.
10 - The Statue Petrified. - The character becomes a permanent landscape feature.
The Cure: "Scour-Salts" (Rare) or high-level De-Oxidizing magic.
The Graveyard: Those who reach Stage 10 are ferried to the "Frozen Graveyard," a field of silent iron statues.
Visuals: Orange rust, blinding white sun, black oil, brass gears, glowing amber lights.
Sounds: The rhythmic thump-thump of oil derricks, the hiss of leaking steam, the screech of metal on metal, harmonica music.
Themes: Greed vs. Survival, The Past vs. The Future, Man vs. Machine.