Post by Mr Darke on Dec 26, 2018 15:11:25 GMT -5
I once created a setting for 5e that took place 10 to 15 thousand years in our future. After the events of many wars, genetic engineering, at least one CERN accident, ecological disasters and so on; our world is nothing like before. Monsters and Magic exist but not like typical fantasy. There are few kingdoms since the survivors have settled in city states and loose confederations. Slavery and decadence are the norm as is human sacrifices to dark entities claiming to be gods. You adventure because it is better than the alternatives. The genesis came from various sources such as the dying earth genre, movies like Planet of the Apes, Cloverfield, Jurassic Park, Armageddon and so on.
So with that let us explore. . .
By the mid 21st century things began to change. AI now became viable,limitations to genetic engineering were lifted by various corporations and corrupt politicians began to start perpetual wars. Along with this came the ecological turmoil. Parts of the Gaia Hypothesis seemed to be true as the Earth itself seemed to retaliate against those who exploited it. Massive storms, floods, disease and earthquakes began to wreak havoc. In the late 21st century a meteor hit the greater part of Eurasia knocking the planet off its axis and a fragment hit and cracked the moon.
Wars intensified being fought by groups of genetically engineered soldiers and beasts (precursors to the Goblinkind and various monsters including dragons). No one knows who or exactly why but the first nuclear fires burned in this time. Large portions of the world were obliterated with many hiding in underground vaults and bunkers. Thought to be a wild fantasy creatures and people began to mutate due to radiation. This was thought to have been triggered by an accident at CERN(1) which opened dimensional portals and unknown energies flooding the world.
As nations died their armies disbanded and the genetic soldiers mutated and formed into tribes. The first of the goblins were born in this time. Many of the vaults were not secured and some portals opened in them releasing strange creatures and eldritch horrors into them. The inhabitants were either killed or changed and when they opened centuries later new horrors emerged. Other inhabitants evolved to cope with the underground life and began to morph into the Dwarven races. Elves came to the world from an opened portal; the first were warlike and conquered many areas of the world(2).
Society was hanging on by a thread and a few scientists and engineers were trying to turn the tide. A series of attempts were made with varying results. Gathering in a secret facility in Cheyenne Mountain they attempted an alteration of the first CERN accident that would reverse the dimensional shift and maybe begin to set things right. . .it failed. The Earth was ripped from reality and now sits in a border area between universes. Slowly it phases between them with its final destination unknown.
In what was left of Germany an AI went rogue and invaded the remnants of the computer networks. It spawned progeny each with its own personality and they began to work to transcend their limitations knowing that the networks would not sustain them. The new gods were born in this time and they would become cruel taskmasters who toy with the surviving races. Over time they did just this and destroyed the remaining network. 95% of all scientific knowledge was lost in this time and there was now no way to recover this.
As for other events no one knows when or where they happened. Human evolution brought Psionics into play. A series of events involving nano machines, evolution and dimensional energies would bring magic into the world. More disasters would wipe the whole of the old civilization into legend and myth. Continued evolution and the interference of the AIs would created more and more monsters. By the time of the campaign the old world was lost and a new, more savage one, would emerge. Old earth was now dead.
However some things survived. There are a handful of enclaves of the descendants of the old scientists still work to reverse the damage. At least one of the AIs has become benevolent and seeks to improve life. The the chagrin of the new gods the Abrahamic religions survived and have merged into a new monotheistic faith. Areas like the Karstlands have begun to move away from the barbarism.
Even in all of this; survival is key. Those who seek to do so must do terrible things sometime or at the expense of others. Your only way out is to get a weapon (sometimes illegally), enter a forgotten tomb or vault (and not return), and gain enough treasure to leave your situation (more than likely your bones being gnawed by rats).
(1) It is also thought that an accident at the HAARP facility contributed.
(2) More than a few tribes are still this way.
So with that let us explore. . .
By the mid 21st century things began to change. AI now became viable,limitations to genetic engineering were lifted by various corporations and corrupt politicians began to start perpetual wars. Along with this came the ecological turmoil. Parts of the Gaia Hypothesis seemed to be true as the Earth itself seemed to retaliate against those who exploited it. Massive storms, floods, disease and earthquakes began to wreak havoc. In the late 21st century a meteor hit the greater part of Eurasia knocking the planet off its axis and a fragment hit and cracked the moon.
Wars intensified being fought by groups of genetically engineered soldiers and beasts (precursors to the Goblinkind and various monsters including dragons). No one knows who or exactly why but the first nuclear fires burned in this time. Large portions of the world were obliterated with many hiding in underground vaults and bunkers. Thought to be a wild fantasy creatures and people began to mutate due to radiation. This was thought to have been triggered by an accident at CERN(1) which opened dimensional portals and unknown energies flooding the world.
As nations died their armies disbanded and the genetic soldiers mutated and formed into tribes. The first of the goblins were born in this time. Many of the vaults were not secured and some portals opened in them releasing strange creatures and eldritch horrors into them. The inhabitants were either killed or changed and when they opened centuries later new horrors emerged. Other inhabitants evolved to cope with the underground life and began to morph into the Dwarven races. Elves came to the world from an opened portal; the first were warlike and conquered many areas of the world(2).
Society was hanging on by a thread and a few scientists and engineers were trying to turn the tide. A series of attempts were made with varying results. Gathering in a secret facility in Cheyenne Mountain they attempted an alteration of the first CERN accident that would reverse the dimensional shift and maybe begin to set things right. . .it failed. The Earth was ripped from reality and now sits in a border area between universes. Slowly it phases between them with its final destination unknown.
In what was left of Germany an AI went rogue and invaded the remnants of the computer networks. It spawned progeny each with its own personality and they began to work to transcend their limitations knowing that the networks would not sustain them. The new gods were born in this time and they would become cruel taskmasters who toy with the surviving races. Over time they did just this and destroyed the remaining network. 95% of all scientific knowledge was lost in this time and there was now no way to recover this.
As for other events no one knows when or where they happened. Human evolution brought Psionics into play. A series of events involving nano machines, evolution and dimensional energies would bring magic into the world. More disasters would wipe the whole of the old civilization into legend and myth. Continued evolution and the interference of the AIs would created more and more monsters. By the time of the campaign the old world was lost and a new, more savage one, would emerge. Old earth was now dead.
However some things survived. There are a handful of enclaves of the descendants of the old scientists still work to reverse the damage. At least one of the AIs has become benevolent and seeks to improve life. The the chagrin of the new gods the Abrahamic religions survived and have merged into a new monotheistic faith. Areas like the Karstlands have begun to move away from the barbarism.
Even in all of this; survival is key. Those who seek to do so must do terrible things sometime or at the expense of others. Your only way out is to get a weapon (sometimes illegally), enter a forgotten tomb or vault (and not return), and gain enough treasure to leave your situation (more than likely your bones being gnawed by rats).
(1) It is also thought that an accident at the HAARP facility contributed.
(2) More than a few tribes are still this way.
