Earth Abides

This entry is part of the PBM List.

Costs: Free
Frequency: 3-5 times per week.
Email: sharlene79@mindspring.com [ok]
URL: http://www.ongoingworlds.com/games/484 [ dead link ]
Type: Post Holocaus (Disease), Opera, Society Building
Last-Update: 2013Jan20
Keywords: free, open-ended, www, human, modern, economic, rpg, abstract

Description

Men go and come but the earth abides. - George R. Stewart (1949)

Based very loosely on the book Earth Abides by George R. Stewart, The Stand by Stephen King (who was inspired by Earth Abides), and the TV series Jerico. The game opens in the winter of 2012 to 2013 around early December. The population of the Earth has been devastated by a plague. (No, no nuclear wars or zombies.) It wiped out over 99% of mankind in a little over a month starting in early October. Most who were still alive at Thanksgiving were those still alive today. A harsh winter ahead is expected. Most people will be surviving off of scavenging.

It has been two months. The cities are no longer safe. Roads in areas not impassable due to snow are starting to crawl with vermin called Road Trash - gangs that have taken to marauding for spoils of civilization. Road blocks are starting to make travel through some areas impossible or unsafe. What the plague didn't kill off is starting to kill off whatever remains.

In remote areas there are small towns that have enforced a quarantine and shoot anyone who approaches, unwilling to take a chance on letting the plague in.

In other places, small bands of survivors have adopted a survivalist philosophy and trust noone but their own.

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This is the story of the birth of Eden, USA, a town that is forming, made up of survivors with an interest in building a future - or defending it. Some will be farmers. Others will bring technical skills. Still others may be more artistically gifted. And some may bring nothing but good hearts and a willingness to be part of the future. But the general goal is to salvage what was best of the past - while staving of the predators that will almost certainly seek to take what they can.

Eden USA is has yet to be founded. There will be several game locations rather than everything occurring in one place. Once founded, the town will send out a few recruiters to look for good candidates to help establish the town. These will be very well geared men (many will be cops, ex military, forestry service, etc) and they will travel across the USA in search of good people. Scavenger teams will also be sent out to gather supplies to build the town (food, seeds, books, power supplies, fuel, parts, medicines, etc). And of course there will be those who remain behind at Eden, to defend her, or build her.

NOTE: The Moderators are looking for a suitable location.

      


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Greg Lindahl