- Joined
- Oct 28, 2018
- Messages
- 192
- Thread Author
- #1
When the Black Mesa incident occurred, no one could have possibly known all the consequences it would bring with it. For america is was the devastation of more then half of the nation. For Japan, nothing much but a few city's remain. But in the British Isles something strange happened. Perhaps Xen affected it different, or perhaps is was a portal already there, long since closed, that was just waiting to be opened. Whatever the cause, it is now a fact that a mighty forest, beyond human comprehension, lies beyond the lowlands.
When the disaster struck, the people of the north noticed very little change, a stroke of luck for them, seeing as how the rest of the world fared. But what was to happen there was much more insidious then anywhere else on the planet. The first thing people noticed was how their electrics kept breaking, a radio here, a computer there. It wasn't long before any technology dating after the 40's was rendered unusable. This was the first sign that perhaps the highlands weren't as safe as they seemed.
In the following months many strange sightings of creatures both Xenian and Mythological popped up all over the Highlands, people went missing in the night. The government, already under immense strain from the disaster that was the south simply posted a curfew and allowed the inhabitants to carry guns, most of which were either hunting shotguns or bolt action rifles. This comforted the people, and after a few incidents, people stopped going missing in the towns an city's (although it was advised never to leave civilisation unarmed), but it was not the destiny of the people of earth to remain comfortable, and they were to be no exception.
Very suddenly the grass started to grow, much quicker and taller then it had ever done before. It wasn't long before farmers had abandoned their more remote farms and had to pull back due to the sheer amount of extra effort such fauna caused. But this wasn't such an issue for them, after all, the export markets had long since collapsed and many took it as a sign that they weren't going to be coming back for a long time.
It was 2 years after the incident, that the most famous, and perhaps most identifiable incident happened.
The ancient Caldeonian Forest had re-risen.
When the disaster struck, the people of the north noticed very little change, a stroke of luck for them, seeing as how the rest of the world fared. But what was to happen there was much more insidious then anywhere else on the planet. The first thing people noticed was how their electrics kept breaking, a radio here, a computer there. It wasn't long before any technology dating after the 40's was rendered unusable. This was the first sign that perhaps the highlands weren't as safe as they seemed.
In the following months many strange sightings of creatures both Xenian and Mythological popped up all over the Highlands, people went missing in the night. The government, already under immense strain from the disaster that was the south simply posted a curfew and allowed the inhabitants to carry guns, most of which were either hunting shotguns or bolt action rifles. This comforted the people, and after a few incidents, people stopped going missing in the towns an city's (although it was advised never to leave civilisation unarmed), but it was not the destiny of the people of earth to remain comfortable, and they were to be no exception.
Very suddenly the grass started to grow, much quicker and taller then it had ever done before. It wasn't long before farmers had abandoned their more remote farms and had to pull back due to the sheer amount of extra effort such fauna caused. But this wasn't such an issue for them, after all, the export markets had long since collapsed and many took it as a sign that they weren't going to be coming back for a long time.
It was 2 years after the incident, that the most famous, and perhaps most identifiable incident happened.
The ancient Caldeonian Forest had re-risen.
Almost overnight, across the whole region, a mighty forest appeared, taller then any seen before. It ran between the glens and the mountains, ran from coast to coast in some parts and of course, it was the farthest thing from safe. Under this new faunacated regime of terror, the rumoured creatures of the night had a new playground, and it suited them almost perfectly. In the weeks after, there was a very sudden and rapid moving of the population to more concentrated centres, where the grass could be cut and people were safe. Many simply left the highlands all together, although they would soon come to know that such actions were pointless in a world gone mad.
And so over the next two years the people adapted, they learned to survived within their limits, using ancient technology and wisdom to survive in this new, ancient world. When the invasion occurred, they heard of it through travelling survivors, wandering merchants, the usual trespasser. But those that remained inside the forest never encountered them.
This isn't to say the combine took no interest, but they had indeed decided that it was too much to deal with. An outpost in Sterling was created, dubbed Outpost Bridge by those stationed there, creating a small community of loosely controlled people, often disbanding when the Regional commander gave orders to shoot those that came from the Forest on sight, as the city had become such a large smuggling hub.
And so a status quo settled, those that lived in this land of dark fantasy, free from the oppression of the Combine, but instead under the whims and danger of the forest. Many still die today to the creatures of the forest, only the strong survive outside the towns and villages, it is a wretched life. And yet, the forest brings along with the the smallest sliver of something good, like Pandora box, after all the horrors erupted from within, one thing was left, hope.
People have grown once again accustomed to telling tales, of trolls and of gremlins. But with these tales returns the tale of a king, destined to return to save the isle in its hour of need.
RED: Forested Area
PURPLE: Non-forest, still has no electrical technology
(I'll be developing this region a tad more in the future, with rebel groups, an elite combine hunting group to catch the real troublemakers, and about life in the forest, also about the types of Monsters and plants found)
