Plains of Pain

Humanity stood at the peak of technological achievement when it all went wrong. For reasons no one could explain, the sun began unleashing colossal solar flares—so powerful they vaporized Mercury and Venus within days. Earth was next. The heat rose, fast and merciless. Panic spread like wildfire. The world’s leaders didn’t save anyone. They saved themselves. In a secret evacuation project, the powerful and the wealthy abandoned Earth, leaving the rest behind to face the inferno. Civilization cracked, then crumbled. What was once a thriving world fragmented into chaos and dust. The land is now a scorched wasteland. Blistering heat and relentless drought have drained the planet dry. Most of the remaining survivors lost their minds long ago—wandering the deadlands in search of scraps of food or drops of water. Two factions now fight to bring some semblance of order to the madness. Each claims to be humanity's last hope—but they have very different visions of what the future should look like. If you don't have reputation with them, you're nothing. Just another ghost in the heat. And this is where your story begins. You're no one. No past, no protection—just the will to live. Survive however you can. Earn trust from the factions... or walk your own path. Stay neutral, or pick a side. There are no easy choices. Trade, build, explore. Dig into the ruins of the world and decide for yourself who’s right, who’s wrong—and who’s already lost.