Beyond the city walls lies the Woods, a transitional exploration area between major locations, offering additional activities and quests. It is a place where the controlled world ends and uncertainty begins. Deep snow slows movement, limits visibility, and turns every expedition into a measured decision. Exposure becomes as dangerous as anything that moves.
The Woods are the best hunting grounds. Various animals roam the area, providing food and materials essential for survival. Hunting requires preparation and the right tools. Traps can be set along animal paths, bows allow for silent and precise kills, while firearms offer raw stopping power when things escalate, always at a cost.
Serving as a natural protective barrier for the military zone and its heart, the Bunker, the Woods hide more than wildlife. The Bunker itself has been seized by the Moon Cult, and their patrols now move through the surrounding area, claiming this territory as their own. Scattered throughout are secrets, forgotten structures, and remnants of humanity's failed attempts to tame nature before the apocalypse. Small abandoned settlements dot the landscape, each one a testament to those who tried desperately to reach the Bunker and failed.
Among these landmarks stands Hunters Glade, a weathered tower that rises above the treeline. It serves as both an advantage point and safe haven. Here dwells the legendary hunter known only as Skinwalker, a figure of expertise and knowledge, but shadowed by a tragic past. The forest is not just a resource. It is a boundary, a test, and a stage for countless stories of survival, desperation, and betrayal.
The Woods remember every failed expedition, every moment of weakness, every choice made when hunger or cold pushed someone beyond their limits. It is a reminder that survival in Permafrost extends far beyond the warmth of the settlement.
