Introduction
I previously never wanted an intro to my story so that you could dive right in, but since it's optional I thought I'd add one just for fun. The information given here is nothing more than what is included in the story, but will give you some helpful background information about the world you are about to delve in.
Around 1000 years ago, a nuclear war devastated the earth, known simply as the Great War. Every nation was involved, whether it wanted to be or not. And as many times in war, there was no victor. Much of the earth was decimated, and even that which wasn't destroyed in the blast fell victim to radiation and fallout. Few bastions of humans were sprinkled throughout the Earth, those who had stockpiled and made fallout shelters for such an event. Those left unprotected either quickly died or suffered a fate much worse.
The radiation horribly disfigured many who didn't have adequate protection , being turned away by those who had made it to shelters for fear of contamination. Yet these poor souls somehow survived, managing strongholds underground, in caves and wherever they could.
Despite horrible conditions, they lived on as their bodies were ravaged by fallout, procreating with others affected and had offspring even more hideous than they. Over time, they became unrecognizable as human due to evolution and were later called goblins. Because of being turned away by mankind, they have a deep-seated hatred for any humans.
As the world slowly rebuilt over time, it was reborn very different than the world we know today. Many struggled with the idea of advancing technology as it was the reason for destroying their world. More often than not, those opposed to advancing technology were magic-users, and thought the world was better off with only magic to sustain society. This was thought partially due to radiation hindering their magical abilities, but there were many factors involved.
A rift slowly began with the mindset of magic vs. technology, and two major continents were established in what was once Canada/North America and South America. These continents were known as Nostromus (north) and Latheria (south). With this divide, Latheria was established as a place you'd consider a medieval society with a class system and king. Nostromus was more modern society, but not a 20th or 21st century one.
Both continents agreed together that guns or any sort of firearms were simply a gateway to more destructive means and were strictly prohibited for any sort of manufacturing. Latheria banned firearms entirely, while Nostromus only allowed the use of firearms under extremely strict provisions. Those who dared to oppose the laws against firearms or similar destructive means paid a heavy penalty. This kept the focus of any technology on information, convenience, and production.
Nostromus maintained themselves to the present in an Industrial Revolution, despite much of the oil and gas supplies being lost in the nuclear war. Mostly everything now relied on electricity and steam engines, or some combination of both. These advancements are frowned upon by Latherians, but peace is kept between the continents regardless.
In fact, the world was unified long ago during the Restoration era , and symbolized by the Terra Magnus Flag, also known as the World Peace Flag. It dons a simple sunflower with seven leaves, each representing the major continents. The sunflower was quickly put into mass production worldwide as it held the best properties to combat radiation, the first step to letting mankind heal from its self-inflicted wounds.
I've prattled on about my mythical world long enough, but I hope it proves useful for your reading. Enjoy my first step into this wondrous world with the story of Zenapharr in What Memories Remain....
