The World of Dystopia Rising

Dystopia Rising takes place in a post-apocalyptic landscape, multiple generations after The Fall, which took place in the late 1990s. The Fall was not a singular event, but rather the convergence of multiple factors that led to societal breakdown. Humanity as we know it no longer exists. Instead, due to a fungal plague known as Infection, the people who occupy the world are of distinct Lineages, which in turn consist of three Strains. All Lineages and Strains have their own strengths, weaknesses, cultures, and ways of life that inform how they have managed to survive. These people may not always get along, but they co-exist in a world that’s horrific and often merciless, plagued by zombies (Zed), Raiders, and other terrors.

Because the game world is so far removed from our world, time wise, the past is not known concretely and is often interpreted through the present, post-apocalyptic life and landscape. Even those who study Pre-Fall History can never be 100% certain about all of the details of Pre-Fall life, though they can make their best guess.

Technology in Dystopia Rising consists of salvaged scrap and things that have been cobbled together, patched, reused, broken down, and recycled again. The world is a hard, unforgiving place. Survival is difficult, and no one has managed to live completely unscathed.

Dying is a common occurrence in the wastes, but it’s not necessarily the end. Strains can resurrect through Morgues after going through the Mortis Amaranthine, a liminal space. This can be added to a list of other pseudoscience concepts that exist in the world, such as Aberrant abilities.

Despite the world’s mysteries, some things never change: political tensions, fighting over resources, and allegiances made and broken are all common. In short, people—even fungal people—are still prone to the virtues and vices that affect us today.

Note: this write-up was written by Dystopia Rising: Michigan for ease of reference, based on Dystopia Rising Live’s Genre Overview. Please see this overview for more specific information and world/genre breakdown.