The Drowned Earth

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The ruins of the jungle whisper that The world of The Drowned Earth was not always as it is now...Folk stories tell of boiling black skies raining fire, while the sea rose up to break the land asunder. Tales are told of floods and devastation, death and destruction, earthquakes, choking winds and a world wreathed in flame. The result? A timeless and world spanning civilisation crushed in an almighty cataclysm the likes of which has never been seen before or since. But slowly, nature has found equilibrium, and reclaimed the world.

Many hundreds of years later, the nature of "The Event" is still a mystery. Some say it was the retribution of the gods, punishing the arrogance of "The Builders" of this mighty civilisation. Others say it was a terrible war. But however utter the devastation, the evidence of the ancient world still surrounds us today.Waters have risen and nature has healed the scars of The Fall, but the once majestic towers of their cities still stud the jungles and wetlands of The Drowned Earth like so many mouths of broken teeth. Hiding in the ground are ancient and fascinating artefacts. The broken remnants of their lives lie crumbling in the dew covered forests, ready to be discovered.

The game of The Drowned Earth takes place on the continent of Ulaya: a place of tropical heat, of Rain Forest, lagoon, brackish swamp and island archipelago. Even the inner highlands are drenched with monsoon rains and mountain rivers. And these jungles and swamps are dangerous places to travel. Ruined buildings and ancient artefacts are not the only things The Builders left behind. Only the strongest and most tenacious wildlife emerged from the years of near extinction which followed The Fall.  Often the strongest were the species created in the laboratories of the Pre-Fall Civilisation. Huge predatory reptiles stalk the forests and terrifying calls tear through the peace of the night, reminding anyone who hears them what lurks beyond the safety of their settlement. But these prehistoric monsters are not only a threat. Over generations, many have learned to domesticate certain of these creatures. Some serve as beasts of burden, while others provide transportation or security. Some even provide companionship! Lastly, some types can be trained as fighting animals, loyal guards, or terrifying war-dinosaurs!

Predatory dinosaurs were not the only legacy of the laboratories of The Builders. Sentient species too were created. Living amongst the descendants of The Builders, often in vibrant, mixed communities, are other intelligent, non-human life forms created by the scientists of the Pre-Fall Civilisation. The true origins of these species is a secret known only to a few, but for the most part people are more concerned with the necessities of their daily lives.

Looking to the future the challenge is set- progress is inevitable, but who will control it? Ordinary people, or those who wish to subvert the freedoms of others? Will you uphold freedom, progress and a bright future of cooperation and shared endeavour, or will you sow nothing but chaos, and reap only the rewards others have worked so hard to earn? The future of The Drowned Earth is in the hands of people like you: How will you choose to shape it?