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WORLD INFORMATION
Be sure to make this one particularly pretty, it's got the lore.
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The Known World
Map of the Known World
The world of man has shrunk significantly in the last century. While some locations may sound familiar, they aren't quite the same as someone from modern Earth might remember. Only five countries remain, and four of those countries have been chased to the coastline and islands that serve as the final standing settlements of mankind.
That said, some relics of modern life remain. In most parts of the world there is access to electricity, indoor plumbing, and short-wave radio. Modern medicine still exists, albeit only in the major towns and cities; if someone falls ill in a small village they will need to travel to the nearest town in order to seek treatment. Modern modes of transportation like cars and trucks still exist too, but they are tools for the military and the rich only. For most people, public transportation (trains, streetcars, and ships) is the way to travel.
There is a steep divide in living quality between the big cities and the small settlements, though. Especially deep in places like Finland, there may only be one or two important buildings with electricity, and water might have to be pumped in from a well. It isn't uncommon for someone to have to take a day trip to the local town hall in order to send a message somewhere via radio. Likewise, it could take days or weeks for important news to reach the more secluded towns.
The primary language of the Known World is Icelandic, owing to the fact that most of the living population is from Iceland. Speakers of Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian can communicate with each other relatively easily, given the similarities between all three languages. Finally, Finnish has the fewest number of speakers and is from an entirely different language tree, leaving them unable to communicate with others unless they learn another language. There are small communities of people who speak other languages, and there are ongoing efforts to preserve their language and culture. They are the descendants of those from other lands who were in Scandinavia when the Old World ended, and thus are the last known remnants of those people.
The world of man has shrunk significantly in the last century. While some locations may sound familiar, they aren't quite the same as someone from modern Earth might remember. Only five countries remain, and four of those countries have been chased to the coastline and islands that serve as the final standing settlements of mankind.
That said, some relics of modern life remain. In most parts of the world there is access to electricity, indoor plumbing, and short-wave radio. Modern medicine still exists, albeit only in the major towns and cities; if someone falls ill in a small village they will need to travel to the nearest town in order to seek treatment. Modern modes of transportation like cars and trucks still exist too, but they are tools for the military and the rich only. For most people, public transportation (trains, streetcars, and ships) is the way to travel.
There is a steep divide in living quality between the big cities and the small settlements, though. Especially deep in places like Finland, there may only be one or two important buildings with electricity, and water might have to be pumped in from a well. It isn't uncommon for someone to have to take a day trip to the local town hall in order to send a message somewhere via radio. Likewise, it could take days or weeks for important news to reach the more secluded towns.
The primary language of the Known World is Icelandic, owing to the fact that most of the living population is from Iceland. Speakers of Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian can communicate with each other relatively easily, given the similarities between all three languages. Finally, Finnish has the fewest number of speakers and is from an entirely different language tree, leaving them unable to communicate with others unless they learn another language. There are small communities of people who speak other languages, and there are ongoing efforts to preserve their language and culture. They are the descendants of those from other lands who were in Scandinavia when the Old World ended, and thus are the last known remnants of those people.
People of the Known World
Most people in the Known World fall into three general job groups: military, scholar, or peasant.
The military is responsible for fighting back the trolls, beasts, and other nasty beings that try to encroach on human territory years after year. They do not typically do the same job all year, as the needs of the people change depending on the season. Their job is dangerous and brings them in close contact with the monsters of the world, but also well-compensated.
Scholars are the doctors, the teachers, the mechanics, and so on. Any job that needs special training that isn't part of the military falls under the 'scholar' category. Scholars also contain the Skalds, which are responsible for the preservation of knowledge from the Old World.
Peasants make up more than 60% of the population of the Known World. They're the ones that handle any day-to-day work that doesn't fall into the other two categories. These are the farmers, the bakers, the millers, those working on civilian ships, those running the civilian trains, and so forth. This job category is where most of the non-immune can be found.
Finally, there are the mages. Those who have been gifted with magic will receive some training to identify their kind of magic and learn how to use it before striking it out into the world on their own. Mages do not fit into any one specific category, as they usually have a second job in addition to being mages.
Approximately 75% of the people in the Known World reside in Iceland. The remaining 25% is spread out relatively evenly among Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
The military is responsible for fighting back the trolls, beasts, and other nasty beings that try to encroach on human territory years after year. They do not typically do the same job all year, as the needs of the people change depending on the season. Their job is dangerous and brings them in close contact with the monsters of the world, but also well-compensated.
Scholars are the doctors, the teachers, the mechanics, and so on. Any job that needs special training that isn't part of the military falls under the 'scholar' category. Scholars also contain the Skalds, which are responsible for the preservation of knowledge from the Old World.
Peasants make up more than 60% of the population of the Known World. They're the ones that handle any day-to-day work that doesn't fall into the other two categories. These are the farmers, the bakers, the millers, those working on civilian ships, those running the civilian trains, and so forth. This job category is where most of the non-immune can be found.
Finally, there are the mages. Those who have been gifted with magic will receive some training to identify their kind of magic and learn how to use it before striking it out into the world on their own. Mages do not fit into any one specific category, as they usually have a second job in addition to being mages.
Approximately 75% of the people in the Known World reside in Iceland. The remaining 25% is spread out relatively evenly among Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
The Silent World
All lands outside of the safe areas of the Known World are called the Silent World. These are the lands that have been left for nature to reclaim. But even though the Silent World is presented as this one dark monolith, there is actually a lot of variety to the lands out there!
The cities and towns of the Old World are the most dangerous locations. When the Rash spread through the world, cities were claimed first, with millions dying or turning into trolls within months of the initial outbreak. Most died in their homes or in hospitals, making cities a hotbed for troll activity. Traveling into the cities of the Old World is advised against, as even large teams of military personnel have been wiped out by the sheer number of trolls present in the cities. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer numbers present in those areas. So while the decaying skylines are clearly visible at a distance, stay far, far away.
The countryside and forests of the Old World, however, are quite different. While there are still dangers to be found- usually beasts rather than trolls- attacks are less frequent and there are more places to safely hide if you come across something dangerous. Small pockets of immune animal colonies can be found out here too, providing travelers with a source of food if they are careful about how they hunt. Even so, it is important to move quickly and quietly while out in the Silent World, even in the relative safety of the forests. You never know what could be lurking out there, ready to hunt you down.
While there is some vareity to the Silent World, there are also universal truths that apply no matter where someone might go. One, it is not a place for anyone to travel for fun. While travel into the Silent World isn't strictly banned, anyone who goes into the Silent World is treated as an infection risk for at least a month after they return from their trip. Secondly, non-immune are often relegated to living in towns far away from the Silent World and are highly discouraged from leaving the safe zones. Non-immune in particular will be under heavy scrutiny if they choose to go out into the wilds of the Silent World and could face extended quarantines and lengthy doctor check-ups to ensure they were not infected. Finally, there is no help. If you choose to go out into the Silent World, it is with the knowledge that there will be no rescues, there will be no backup. You are on your own, and if you run into danger then you have to get yourself out of that danger.
The Cleansed Areas are the border between the Known World and the Silent World. These are the areas that have already gone through the cleansing process, but that are left unsettled on purpose to act as a buffer between man and monster. These areas are routinely checked and cleared of trolls and beasts before they can settle in and make a nest.
The cities and towns of the Old World are the most dangerous locations. When the Rash spread through the world, cities were claimed first, with millions dying or turning into trolls within months of the initial outbreak. Most died in their homes or in hospitals, making cities a hotbed for troll activity. Traveling into the cities of the Old World is advised against, as even large teams of military personnel have been wiped out by the sheer number of trolls present in the cities. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer numbers present in those areas. So while the decaying skylines are clearly visible at a distance, stay far, far away.
The countryside and forests of the Old World, however, are quite different. While there are still dangers to be found- usually beasts rather than trolls- attacks are less frequent and there are more places to safely hide if you come across something dangerous. Small pockets of immune animal colonies can be found out here too, providing travelers with a source of food if they are careful about how they hunt. Even so, it is important to move quickly and quietly while out in the Silent World, even in the relative safety of the forests. You never know what could be lurking out there, ready to hunt you down.
While there is some vareity to the Silent World, there are also universal truths that apply no matter where someone might go. One, it is not a place for anyone to travel for fun. While travel into the Silent World isn't strictly banned, anyone who goes into the Silent World is treated as an infection risk for at least a month after they return from their trip. Secondly, non-immune are often relegated to living in towns far away from the Silent World and are highly discouraged from leaving the safe zones. Non-immune in particular will be under heavy scrutiny if they choose to go out into the wilds of the Silent World and could face extended quarantines and lengthy doctor check-ups to ensure they were not infected. Finally, there is no help. If you choose to go out into the Silent World, it is with the knowledge that there will be no rescues, there will be no backup. You are on your own, and if you run into danger then you have to get yourself out of that danger.
The Cleansed Areas are the border between the Known World and the Silent World. These are the areas that have already gone through the cleansing process, but that are left unsettled on purpose to act as a buffer between man and monster. These areas are routinely checked and cleared of trolls and beasts before they can settle in and make a nest.
The Rash
The Rash itself is a nasty disease. It is named after the easily-identifiable rash that spreads across an infected person's body approximately 10 days after infection. From that point, the infected individual will either die or transform into a troll within 20 days. Approximately 80% of those who catch the rash die outright, while the remaining 20% transform into trolls.
The Rash is infectious to all mammals, excluding cats. Even sea mammals can catch the Rash if exposed. The death-to-transformation rate is roughly the same among other mammals as well. The Rash does not affect non-mammals, but the mass disruption of the food chain has led to both overabundance of some animals and mass extinction of others.
Back in Year 0, the Rash ravaged the world. More than 97% of the population of Scandinavia was killed or transformed into trolls, with the remaining tens of thousands barely scraping by. Most of the survivors fled to islands or secluded lands far away from the cities, and they secured the area to make a new home there. Small villages of survivors suddenly became the big population centers, and everyone had to learn to live in this new reality.
There is no vaccine for the Rash, but some people (and mammals) are naturally immune to it. Immunity rates vary by country, but across the Known World about 48% of the population is immune. These rates are higher in some places (like Finland, where they had few natural defenses against trolls and beasts and had to rely on immunity to survive attacks) and lower in others (such as Iceland, where the ocean acts as a natural barrier to most vectors of infection and immunity wasn't as important to survival). Those who are immune have much more freedom to travel and take jobs that just aren't available to the non-immune. Additionally, in locations where more than half the population isn't immune, there are often mandatory quarantines before anyone can enter that area. Even the immune have to go through quarantine, just to be safe.
The Rash is infectious to all mammals, excluding cats. Even sea mammals can catch the Rash if exposed. The death-to-transformation rate is roughly the same among other mammals as well. The Rash does not affect non-mammals, but the mass disruption of the food chain has led to both overabundance of some animals and mass extinction of others.
Back in Year 0, the Rash ravaged the world. More than 97% of the population of Scandinavia was killed or transformed into trolls, with the remaining tens of thousands barely scraping by. Most of the survivors fled to islands or secluded lands far away from the cities, and they secured the area to make a new home there. Small villages of survivors suddenly became the big population centers, and everyone had to learn to live in this new reality.
There is no vaccine for the Rash, but some people (and mammals) are naturally immune to it. Immunity rates vary by country, but across the Known World about 48% of the population is immune. These rates are higher in some places (like Finland, where they had few natural defenses against trolls and beasts and had to rely on immunity to survive attacks) and lower in others (such as Iceland, where the ocean acts as a natural barrier to most vectors of infection and immunity wasn't as important to survival). Those who are immune have much more freedom to travel and take jobs that just aren't available to the non-immune. Additionally, in locations where more than half the population isn't immune, there are often mandatory quarantines before anyone can enter that area. Even the immune have to go through quarantine, just to be safe.
The Otherworlders
Otherworlders started showing up in the general area of Saimaa, Finland in Year 98. So far there has been no explanation as to where they come from or how they even arrived. At first the military in Saimaa thought it was some elaborate hoax, or that perhaps some people were merely trying to enter Finland without proper paperwork. But as they talked to the individuals who had arrived, it quickly became clear that these people were not from this world.
The stories they told were fantastic at times. Many told of a world like the Old World, but some spoke of lands that were entirely different from any book on record. The military would have thought that these were just made up stories to be confusing, but the people telling them certainly didn't look like they were from any of the Scandinavian countries. Hell, a couple of them didn't even look human at all. And while the numbers were small, more were arriving every week. They couldn't just keep these people at the military base indefinitely, they would run out of space before they found any answers.
The other world governments were reluctant to step in. Some offered aid in the form of supplies, but they all refused to take any of these 'Otherworlders' into their lands. They were sympathetic, but this was Finland's problem to deal with, and it would remain as such until Otherworlders started appearing in other countries on their own. It left Finland in a difficult place: what do they do with these people that won't risk leaving the Finnish population at risk?
Their answer, it turned out, was simple: give them land to live on while looking for the answers of "where did they come from" and "how did they get here". There were already several islands in the Saimaa lake system that had the basic necessities for survival: a few buildings, plenty of land for growing food, and most importantly they were secluded and away from other islands. These islands were all settlements that had previously fallen to trolls, but in the intervening years and decades had been cleaned out in preparation for resettlement. So why not test the 'resettlement program' with these Otherworlders? It gave them a place to live while the military did their research, it kept those islands inhabited and less likely to be retaken by trolls and beasts, and it kept the Otherworlders away from the general Finnish population while the military sorted out if they were dangerous or not. Positive outcomes all around meant that the plan was put into action almost immediately.
As of May in Year 99 (current day), there are four established settlements for Otherworlders, with a fifth opening up soon. There are also talks about allowing travel between the Otherworlders' islands, though that thought has not been settled yet.
The stories they told were fantastic at times. Many told of a world like the Old World, but some spoke of lands that were entirely different from any book on record. The military would have thought that these were just made up stories to be confusing, but the people telling them certainly didn't look like they were from any of the Scandinavian countries. Hell, a couple of them didn't even look human at all. And while the numbers were small, more were arriving every week. They couldn't just keep these people at the military base indefinitely, they would run out of space before they found any answers.
The other world governments were reluctant to step in. Some offered aid in the form of supplies, but they all refused to take any of these 'Otherworlders' into their lands. They were sympathetic, but this was Finland's problem to deal with, and it would remain as such until Otherworlders started appearing in other countries on their own. It left Finland in a difficult place: what do they do with these people that won't risk leaving the Finnish population at risk?
Their answer, it turned out, was simple: give them land to live on while looking for the answers of "where did they come from" and "how did they get here". There were already several islands in the Saimaa lake system that had the basic necessities for survival: a few buildings, plenty of land for growing food, and most importantly they were secluded and away from other islands. These islands were all settlements that had previously fallen to trolls, but in the intervening years and decades had been cleaned out in preparation for resettlement. So why not test the 'resettlement program' with these Otherworlders? It gave them a place to live while the military did their research, it kept those islands inhabited and less likely to be retaken by trolls and beasts, and it kept the Otherworlders away from the general Finnish population while the military sorted out if they were dangerous or not. Positive outcomes all around meant that the plan was put into action almost immediately.
As of May in Year 99 (current day), there are four established settlements for Otherworlders, with a fifth opening up soon. There are also talks about allowing travel between the Otherworlders' islands, though that thought has not been settled yet.