Understanding The World of Terra

Understanding the World of Terra:

The intent of Dark Renaissance is to provide members a place to create and interact with other writers in a way that spans genres, encompasses, and embraces new ideas while ensuring stability and continuity. This begins with choosing a base world with a history and physics the writers are familiar with, and opening the door to all the possibilities that could be. By opening the door to these possibilities together we can create a word where writers are free to explore the genres they wish: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Survival, Political Intrigue, Romance, Action, and Drama.


What is Terra?

Terra is the planet Earth as it exists in an alternate timeline, chosen to give writers a world and history that they are already familiar with as a foundation. History unfolded as it had for us until the date August 4th, 1945, when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. The Others were only creatures of myth and legend, as they are in the real world, until they declared war on humans. This creates a divergent timeline where magic and myth are proved to be true, and almost anything can happen. During the war with Others, humans rediscovered magic along with the ancient name of the planet. Over time and interaction with the Others, the name Terra was embraced by all replacing Earth.


What is the Timeline of events?

Earth Year: 1945 AD Terra Year: 1945 AD WWII ended using atomic bombs.

Earth Year: 1945 AD Terra Year: 1 AC Others declared war on humans beginning the war

Earth Year: 2012 AD Terra Year: 67 AC Present year for us. War continue to rage on for them

Earth Year: 2157 AD Terra Year: 212 AC The Enlightenment: Global cataclysm that almost destroys the entire world

Earth Year: 2157 AD Terra Year: 212 AC Survivors are forced to end the war and declare a truce

Earth Year: 2167 AD Terra Year: 222 AC Current year. Surviving and rebuilding a broken world


What is the current state of Terra?

Terra is a world that was devastated by 200 years of world war, before it suffered a global cataclysm. Earthquakes, tidal waves, tornados, great fires, and magical storms raged across the entirety of the planet destroying life and landscape alike. The shapes of the continents are virtually the same, and similarly named as writers know them. Cities however were either destroyed by war or the natural disaster known as The Enlightenment. Ten years later the concentrated efforts of survivors have rebuilt a few massive cities to house them all. Resources are limited. Nature does not flourish easily. Wastelands exist in places that once supported life. Magic is unstable, and brief tears open in the fabric of reality.


What are the Major Locations?

Bastion: The human citadel located on the North American continent in the state of Maine. A massive city built behind high walls, housing thirty million humans. Bastion is the seat of the ruling government of human civilization.

Elyria: The homeland of The Others that spans the state of South Carolina. Although fewer in number, fifteen million, the varied population of The Others has caused them to settle across a wider area of land for its geographical diversity. Dwarves burred deep into the stable mountains, elves attempt to nurture the few surviving woodlands, and other races try to reclaim the lives that ended when the war started. The main settlement is built on a convergence of Ley lines that it draws power from to fuel life functions.

Librium: Located in the state of Pennsylvania, the city of Librium is the largest of the three main settlements. Built on the site where the peace treaty was signed between Humans and Others, Librium is an attempt at coexistence. Without the assistance of governments, the surviving corporations banded together and began the construction of the city. Its population has swelled over the last decade to include thirty million humans, and five million Others. It is a center of commerce acting as a neutral mid-ground between the two cities of Bastion and Elyria. It has its own local government made up by the leaders of the various companies. Being human they are beholden to the Government in Bastion and its laws, but for the most part freedom to rule as they see fit.

Celestis: Celestis, now known as The Fallen City once inhabited the sky, kept aloft by extremely powerful magic. The manna storms that raged across Terra during the Enlightenment caused it to fall to the ground. Over the last decade, the Avian Race of Others has worked tirelessly to one goal, restoring Celestis to the sky where it belongs. The city fell to the ground in the state of Indiana.

The Wastelands: The wastelands are large areas of land that have become largely inhospitable to human life either because of damage done to the land by war, The Enlightenment, or the Rifts.


Who inhabits Terra?

There are a number of different races that inhabit the world of Terra. The most numerous of them are humans. The Others are the collection of races that are non-human. Among them are Elves, dwarves, Faries, Avians, and almost any race from myth and legend. Writers are encouraged to submit races that they wish to write to the staff for approval, thus enriching the world of Terra with their contributions. A smaller segment of the population of Terra are Humans with Abilities. These Humans have developed ‘differences’ from their brethren because of the last two hundred years, and discussed in depth later. Vampires, werecreatures, celestials and fiends also inhabit the world of Terra and are discussed in depth later.


What are Humans with abilities?

They are humans who either have:

1. Ancestors who cross bred with Others to create a hybrid with a latent ability
2. Are the result of wartime experiments with technology, magic, or both.
3. The offspring of people who were altered using technology, magic, or both, and had abilities passed down through their lineage.
4. Suffering from manna exposure, much like radiation sickness, and mutated and the resulting form has abilities.


What types of characters are Prohibited in Dark Renaissance?

To keep the world fair and uncomplicated for all those who share their time and efforts here, there are a few character types that are prohibited from being created. This list is fairly short but may need to be updated as the site and membership grows.

1. Dragons
2. Gods, Fallen Gods, and or Gods bound to mortal form.
3. Characters so old and or powerful you may as well be a god.

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