You’ve seen the headlines.
Corporations too big to fail and too powerful to fight. Climate collapse. Resource wars.
The slow death of human dignity in the face of profit margins.
Now imagine those same forces unleashed across the solar system, unchecked by earthly bounds.
Imagine corporate citizenship replacing national identity, where your employee badge determines whether you live or die.
Imagine a future where humanity reached for the stars and found ancient horrors waiting.
Welcome to Mutant Chronicles. Keep your gun close and your soul closer.
The Setting of Mutant: Chronicles
The first thing you need to understand about Mutant Chronicles is that nations don’t exist anymore – megacorporations swallowed them whole generations ago. Technology didn’t follow a clean evolutionary line. Some devices would look primitive to your eyes, while others would shatter your understanding of what’s possible.
But that’s just the surface.
Beneath the corporate politics and power plays, an ancient darkness stirs. The Dark Legion transforms death itself into a resource by harvesting the fallen, binding souls to machinery, and creating weapons that blur the line between technology and necromancy. Each battlefield becomes a factory. Every casualty strengthens their arsenal.
This isn’t the sleek, chrome future of typical science fiction. Mutant Chronicles draws you into a diesel noir universe where tradition and technology collide in unexpected ways. Corporate samurai guard research facilities. Tribal warriors pilot spacecraft. Brotherhood zealots wage holy war against cosmic corruption.
The scale of stories here defies expectation. A simple corporate investigation can spiral into an existential threat to humanity. One day you’re reviewing security footage of a break-in; the next, you’re uncovering evidence of dark cults operating in your sector. The progression feels natural because the world’s internal logic remains consistent, even as the stakes escalate beyond imagination.
What makes this universe truly captivating is how deeply personal the stories remain, even at their most epic. You might start as a lowly office worker, but your choices could save or doom humanity. The weight of those decisions feels real because you understand exactly how your character arrived at that moment, one small step at a time.
A History Written in Blood and Arrogance
When the megacorporations stripped Earth bare and fled to the stars, they thought they were escaping a dying world. Their exodus ships carried only the wealthy and talented, leaving billions to perish in the toxic ruins below. Those left behind launched nuclear weapons at Luna in a final act of vengeance. The corporations responded by scorching Earth’s surface, believing they’d written the final chapter of humanity’s birthplace.
They were wrong. In the radioactive shadows of Old Earth, survivors endured. Led by the mysterious Tsarina, they built an underground federation called Whitestar, waiting and watching as the corporations transformed Mars, Venus, and Mercury into new cradles for humanity. Crystal spires rose on Luna. Colonies reached for the outer planets. It should have been mankind’s golden age.
Then came the Fall. It began with Imperial conquistadors discovering an ancient artifact on Pluto. Within weeks, humanity’s advanced technology began to fail. AI turned against its masters. Ships crashed. Power grids collapsed. A transmission called “The Big Scream” burned through the solar communication network, destroying data archives and plunging colonies into isolation. The corporations, forced to rebuild with simpler machinery, blamed each other for the catastrophe. The First Corporate War erupted, and for forty years the solar system burned.
Peace came only when a man named Nathaniel Durand emerged on Venus. He commanded mysterious powers and revealed the truth: the technological collapse was caused by the Dark Symmetry, a corrupt force that had been waiting for humanity to reach the stars. Durand founded the Brotherhood, a religious order dedicated to protecting humanity from this darkness. But his warnings came too late.
The Dark Legion erupted from hidden citadels across the solar system. Led by five Dark Apostles – Ilian the Void Mistress, Algeroth the Technolord, Demnogonis the Befouler, Muawijhe the Bringer of Visions, and Semai the Master of Lies – their armies of nightmare creatures and corrupted humans nearly conquered humanity. Only through the Venusian Crusade – where Durand sacrificed his life in personal combat with Algeroth, leading a unified human army including forces from the long-hidden Whitestar – was the Legion driven back.
For over a thousand years, humanity rebuilt. The corporations resumed their wars. A new power, Cybertronic, arose from corporate shadows, wielding forbidden technology in defiance of the Brotherhood’s warnings. And now, after twelve centuries of absence, the Dark Legion has returned. The citadels have reopened. The Dark Apostles walk among us again, their heretical cults spreading through every level of society.
Now, the solar system stands on the brink. Corporate armies clash even as Dark Legion forces gather strength. The Brotherhood preaches unity while hunting heretics in the shadows. Earth’s children watch from their bunkers, fingers hovering over nuclear triggers. And somewhere in the darkness between the worlds, ancient powers stir, waiting to harvest what humanity has become.
The Corporations of Mutant: Chronicles
Before the Fall, before the Dark Legion, before humanity’s grasp exceeded its reach, the megacorporations devoured the nations of Earth. They offered security in exchange for loyalty, prosperity in exchange for freedom.
Now they rule the solar system with economies larger than ancient Earth’s continents, wielding private armies that would put old-world superpowers to shame.
Each shaped by their origins, driven by their ambitions, and haunted by their sins, these corporate giants offer different paths through the dark future – and different prices for walking them.
Bauhaus
Bauhaus stands as humanity’s aristocratic elite, tracing their lineage to the great noble houses of Old Earth. They transformed their ancestral military-industrial might into corporate dominion, maintaining strict hierarchical order through their powerful houses. Known for their precision engineering, commitment to tradition, and unmatched military discipline, Bauhaus represents the marriage of old-world nobility with corporate power – though their abandonment of Earth’s Russian territories earned them the eternal enmity of Whitestar.
Capitol
Capitol embodies the relentless spirit of free-market capitalism pushed to its extreme. Built on principles of endless competition and individual achievement, they maintain their power through economic dominance and an elaborate web of internal rivalries. Their culture celebrates personal success above all, making them seem incomprehensible to more community-focused groups. For players drawn to corporate intrigue and the idea of rising through pure merit and cunning, Capitol offers the ultimate playground of capitalistic opportunity.
Cybertronic
Cybertronic remains the most enigmatic of the megacorporations, pursuing technological advancement with single-minded determination. Their evolution from a shadowy research division into a dominant corporate power remains shrouded in mystery. Operating on pure logic and efficiency, they view human emotion as an obstacle to be overcome. Their mastery of advanced technology sets them apart, though this same focus leaves them somewhat isolated from traditional human concerns.
Imperial
Imperial represents humanity’s martial spirit incarnate. Forged in warfare and expansion, they maintain their dominance through unmatched military might and an elaborate honor code. Their culture blends militant discipline with frontier independence, creating a unique society of warrior-entrepreneurs. While their history of conquest makes them distrusted, their straightforward nature and emphasis on personal honor makes them one of the more comprehensible powers to outsiders.
Mishima
Mishima stands as the keeper of ancient traditions amidst the corporate future. Alone among the megacorporations, they opposed the invasion of Earth – an act of principle that earned them respect from those left behind. Their society seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology with timeless samurai traditions and corporate efficiency. This fusion of past and future, along with their emphasis on honor and duty, creates a distinct path for those drawn to both traditional values and corporate power.
Whitestar
Whitestar emerged from the ashes of abandoned Earth, forged in the nuclear fires of corporate betrayal. Under the eternal leadership of their ageless Tsarina, they transformed a network of underground bunkers into a formidable federation of survivors. Their society spurns corporate excess in favor of common purpose and mutual support, backed by salvaged technology and the dreaded “Dead Hand” nuclear deterrent. While technically not a corporation, Whitestar’s influence extends from their subterranean strongholds to Luna itself, offering a path for those who would rather rebuild Earth than abandon it.
The Dark Legion: A Cancer in Humanity’s Soul
When the Imperial Conquistadors discovered the Steel Tablet, they couldn’t have known they were ringing humanity’s death knell. That ancient artifact’s resonance echoed through the void, declaring mankind ripe for harvest. But the Dark Legion doesn’t simply wage war with bullets and bombs. Instead, they are architects of a more insidious invasion.
At the heart of it all are the Dark Apostles themselves. Beings of such profound corruption that their very nature warps their servants. Each commands their own legions, each spreads their own flavor of horror. Demnogonis spreads disease while Muawijhe corrupts visions. They are patient. They are eternal. And they know that every soul that breaks under their influence becomes another weapon in their arsenal.
Picture a citizen of Mercury, sleeping peacefully in their corporate housing pod. While they dream, the Dark Symmetry seeps through the cracks in reality, whispering promises. Power. Influence. A chance to matter in a universe ground under corporate heels. The Dark Legion’s greatest weapon is their talent for finding the desperate, the ambitious, the frustrated. Those whose good intentions can be twisted, step by careful step, into willing service of the Dark Apostles.
These corrupted humans become Heretics, and they walk among us. Your coworker. Your supervisor. That friendly clerk at the ammunition depot. Each one started with a simple bargain, a small compromise. Now they serve beings like Ilian, Mistress of the Void, or Algeroth, Lord of Technology, often without even realizing the true scope of their betrayal.
This isn’t just theory or propaganda. History tells us the truth. For fifty years after young Nathaniel Durand first warned of their coming, the Legion waited. When they finally struck in 51 Y.C., they raised Dark Citadels across the solar system. Even after their defeat in the Venusian Crusade, they left us a reminder – Saladin, Algeroth’s Nepharite Overlord, demonstrating their power on Mars. A power that would lie dormant for twelve hundred years before returning.
Their Nepharite commanders are nightmarish testament to this patient corruption. Towering beings whose skulls bristle with metal spikes erupting from within, whose pupilless eyes – crimson or black as the void – stare unblinking at their prey. As they grow in power, they transform, their bodies becoming increasingly grotesque reflections of their Apostles’ influence. Some are even reborn into new forms entirely, their corruption so complete it can no longer be contained in a single shape.
But perhaps most terrifying is how the darkness spreads through ordinary people. Heretics tend to find each other. Those with grudges, with frustrated ambitions, with good intentions warped by harsh realities, all gradually drawn together. In these circles of like-minded malcontents, the Dark Symmetry’s corruption spreads like a virus, each new convert strengthening the others’ resolve. These human agents range from unwitting pawns to willing servants, but all serve the same purpose: preparing humanity for its final fall.
Your Story in the Mutant: Chronicles Setting
This dark future offers many paths. You might serve one of the megacorporations directly, climbing their hierarchies and navigating their internal politics. You could join the Brotherhood’s holy crusade against darkness, or fight to restore Earth’s glory with Whitestar’s determined survivors. But there’s another way – one that lets you move between these massive powers while maintaining your independence.
In a universe dominated by megacorporate power, the freelancer walks a uniquely dangerous path. Ex-military specialists, disillusioned corporate lawyers, and rogue security consultants carve out their own destinies in the shadows between corporate territories. Many band together, forming “fixer” companies that take on the jobs no corporation wants traced back to their pristine towers.
These independent operators often carry complex loyalties. A Capitol-trained lawyer might still feel the pull of her old corporate ties even as she helps other corporations navigate legal labyrinths. A former Mishima warrior could seek redemption through mercenary work while wrestling with the honor code that once defined his existence. Each character brings their own web of relationships, skills, and conflicts to the table.
But the real power of a freelancer’s tale lies in how it unfolds. A simple investigation into corporate theft might reveal tendrils of heretical influence. A routine security contract could expose a conspiracy that threatens an entire habitat dome. The path from independent operator to system-spanning hero feels organic because each step builds on the skills, contacts, and choices made along the way.
Consider the possibilities: A disgraced corporate samurai seeking redemption might discover ancient martial techniques, only to find them tainted by Dark Symmetry. An ex-military squad leader could parlay their combat experience into running a successful security firm, then uncover evidence that threatens the stability of multiple megacorps. A former Whitestar scout might emerge from Earth’s tunnels to navigate corporate politics with the same skills they once used to survive mutant-infested wastelands.
The solar system of Mutant Chronicles doesn’t just offer adventure – it offers transformation. Whether you’re building a new life away from corporate control, seeking power through forbidden knowledge, or fighting to protect humanity from forces beyond comprehension, your character’s journey will leave an indelible mark on this dark future.
Leave the Future Behind with Mutant: Chronicles
Your journey into Mutant Chronicles begins with the core rulebook, which lays the foundation of this dark future. Each page reveals new layers of a universe where corporate power, ancient traditions, and cosmic horror collide. As you explore, you’ll discover concepts that demand deeper investigation – whether you’re drawn to the Brotherhood’s holy war, fascinated by the Dark Legion’s corruption, or intrigued by the megacorporations’ ruthless power plays. From there, each sourcebook opens new dimensions of whichever faction captures your imagination.
The universe unfolds beyond the core volumes. In Siege of the Citadel, the brutal reality of corporate warfare comes alive through desperate battles against Dark Legion forces. Hidden gems lurk in obscure sourcebooks, like the haunting exposé of an Imperial pilot whose memories were rewritten by Cybertronic after a near-fatal accident. Each new volume reveals a universe where corporations manipulate reality itself, where truth becomes another resource to be controlled and exploited.
But far beyond the rigid hierarchies of serving a corporation directly – an expected path for any player – another path exists. In the shadows between megacorporate territories, freelancers forge their own destinies. Ex-military specialists who’ve seen too much band together with disillusioned corporate lawyers who know too many secrets. They form security firms and “fixer” companies, taking the contracts that corporations need handled but can’t officially touch. Every job walks the razor’s edge between profit and survival.
This is the price one must pay to play in the dark future where corporations rule the solar system but can’t control the darkness growing within it. Where personal vendettas explode into system-wide conspiracies. Where loyalty to your corporation clashes with loyalty to humanity itself.
And where every victory comes at a price that might cost more than your life – it might cost your soul.
