terranova || a post-apocalyptic roleplay

Backstory

Terranova is a post-apocalyptic roleplay that takes place within the provinces of Urdania and Terranova, two city-states with tense relations.

Terranova is trying to recapture their past glory of the Information Age in the midst of an apocalyptic wasteland. They are cybernetic punks, wealthy technology moguls and enterprising opportunists.

Urdania lives in the present and within their means, even if it means sometimes going without. They are stout survivalists, stalwart spiritualists, and mischievous magic users.

They are split by the Chasm, which has unknown depths and terrors lurking inside.

So...which will you choose? Magic? Technology? Or...something darker?

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( Welcome to Terranova. )
All Terranovan towns are connected, via large power cables that extend miles, to Nova City. Some, like the Walwoods and Nuevo/Cinders, are very reliant on this energy; others, like Blackrock and Mesa, are more independent.

East and West Walwood
Eytan's hometown. East Walwood refers to "the Walwood (east of) Nova City" and West Walwood refers to "the Walwood (west of) Nova City" —though they are two different towns, they are both connected to Nova City and share the same name.

The Walwoods have the thickest ties to the Terranovan capitol, and a well-worn trade route has been established between them.

East Walwood's residents live in a clean and safe town; that is, because all the buildings are owned by the factory conglomerate Novacorp. Anyone who lives in East Walwood either works for Novacorp or is partnered to someone who works there. The currency in East Walwood is not the standard credits, but rather, NovaCash. Eytan's mother was pressured into a deal with Novacorp due to his father's outstanding debts, and she works tirelessly with little chance of ever leaving the town.

West Walwood is considered the "wrong side of the tracks," though its residents live in relative freedom from Novacorp. The city is especially infamous for its casinos and not-remotely-legal gambling establishments. Every night, there's a party in West Walwood. Behind the glitz and glamour, there are "interested parties" pulling the strings; gang bosses and their rivals, who struggle for power within the underbelly of the town.

Blackrock
Blackrock is the southern-most town of Terranova, situated at the edge of a desert. It started as a community of lean-to's, but slowly grew into a close-knit community. The residents of Blackrock are strong, independent survivalists who are accomplished mechanics and skilled electricians.

In the hands of a Blackrock resident, any tech can be repurposed and reused. There are no secrets between the townfolk; it is hard to maintain a sense of privacy with a population so small. Blackrock residents tend to be generous and kind—until they are double-crossed. Then that tech that so easily turns to life in their hands can and will be used for darker purposes.

Mesa
A town of hippie, clean energy-obsessed scientists living at the edge of the Chasm in Terranova. They built a complex pulley system that allows their scientists to pull up samples from the deep. From Mesa is where the rumors of an underground trading route through the Chasm started (mentioned in Terranova).

Unusual crystals have been found within the Chasm that have properties similar to solar panels. Mesan residents have successfully been able to power small homes with these crystals, but they remain tied to Nova City's power grid.

Mesa has a ritual called the Deep Walk. When someone in the community comes of age, they are forced to spend one night alone in the pitch black of the Chasm. Some don't survive; others come back physically or emotionally scarred. Recently, Mesan youth have started looking for alternatives to becoming part of the community; some going so far as to flee to Nova City if they cannot integrate.

Nuevo/Cinders
The town in which Hikaru and Isaiah stayed, and later, met Lyzea. Depending on who you ask, this town has two different names. Nuevo was a lively and bustling marketplace founded by cyborgs and robots on the outskirts of the thinnest part of the Chasm, where travelers would often cross to and from Terranova. Their relative peace came to an end when the humans burned the town to the ground and renamed it Cinders, as a promise of renewal and rebirth.

Nuevo/Cinders is a town constantly on the verge of conflict. The cyborgs and robots steal electricity to survive. Cinders is very reliant on Nova City's energy, and the more the cyborgs steal, the poorer its human residents get. Lyzea was the crafty leader of the cyborg rebellion. In her absence and the subsequent conflict, the cyborgs have become dispersed and disillusioned, but some still are hopeful that Nuevo can be reborn again.

Urdanian Towns

Urdanian towns, while not physically connected to the Parish, have some alignment with religion or spirituality. For instance, Erding is considered spiritually connected to the Parish; and Redmark as well by sheer proximity. Silverspring has its own religion, and Mesporte tends to eschew all religion, spirituality or otherwise.

Erding
A town targeted in the Urdanian bombings. Eytan saves Imalde's granddaughter and her cat in Erding. Erding is famous for its world-class apothecaries and herbalists. It is located in the foothills of the mountains, next to sulphur hot springs which are said to cure any ailment. They rely on the Parish for their commerce; they are far from Terranova and are generally suspicious of technology and electricity.

As it is close to the mountains, it is said some...strange sightings happen here. Some call it ghosts, others call it fey; but whatever it is, there are spirits that live on the mountain. The residents are mixed; some ascribe to the teachings of the Parish while others have begun to worship the spirits.

Redmark
A town targeted in the Urdanian bombings. Dominique first hears about it in the Parish. Famous for its anise liquor and whiskey distilleries, it has become a secret hideout for priests and nuns looking to blow off steam for a weekend.

Redmark is a town of wealthy farmers and whiskey makers who know more than most Urdanian towns about tech—their biggest buyers are Nova City and West Walwood, after all. Though tech is generally frowned upon in Urdania, some Redmark residents surreptitiously keep hobbies repairing old tech and long to see the other side of the Chasm.

Mesporte
Mesporte is a coastal town and is known for its fishing and beach tourism. Though the Parish has been trying to shut down the beach for its impropriety, vacationers and locals alike snubbed their nose at their Puritan policies. The ocean water rises constantly and Mesporte is always losing ground; it has been rebuilt multiple times.

Sometimes, people can find remnants of old houses and Terra Antiquan artifacts on the beach. Because of this, it is a famous spot for historians and anthropologists to uncover artifacts from the past.

Silverspring
Hikaru's hometown and a town of elves. The town is suspended over a quartz mine and has, for many years, provided Terranova and Urdania with crystals for technology and for amulets, respectively. They also have remained closed off to the rest of the world, preferring to do their business through human third parties to disguise their identities. It is rare for Terranovans or Urdanians to meet an elf; some doubt their very existence.

Silverspring strictly ascribes to a religion headed by the goddess Israh; she is the volcano at which they are situated below. Head coverings are required for all members of Silverspring, unless they are in the presence of a lover. They value family above all else and are suspicious of outsiders.