The Saga

The survivors memorize fragmented stories of events, legends, dreams and prophecies. But the truth is mostly more complex and multi-faceted, mostly obscure and interwoven with the fate of thousands. The chronicles of Synthesis resemble a dense jungle, in which layer upon layer of plants and creatures populate the ground, flourish in abundance and color only to finally wither away and make room for the new. 

Stories weave along the trees, seeking and finding their way to the light, breaking through the surface, the canopy, silently intertwining over time with our identity, which in turn is just a complex tangle of stories.

It is unclear exactly, where and when the grand narrative begins, if it ever ends, and with whom. Life reaches into each and every one of us, interconnected in our communities over thousands of years.

Nevertheless, an event forms the sure trigger of the new era and thus also marks the center of gravity of our story. The apocalypse; which grasped life as it was known, only to release it in complete indifference into the torrent of everything and nothing. 

Civilizations, like wilting blossoms, detached themselves from their green skeletons after a rich summer, lost themselves, and disappeared into the nothingness of oblivion. 

The apocalypse will always appear to the mind’s eye as a tunnel in which we all got lost. Framed between elementary forces and time, at the mercy of fate, the primeval striving for survival came to the fore in every thought and action. In fact, however, something else has also been related to the end of a world ––– one thing is inseparably interwoven: the new beginning. Catharsis. The cleansing power of a salvation that encompasses everything and everyone: the farewell, dissolving in the fog of a fading past. 

Our lives, which we proudly carry within us, are primeval, born of the surviving communities of previous generations. 

It is difficult to say, how and when each community evolved, as there is little lore from immediately after the apocalypse. After power grids collapsed, groaning and groaning under the weight of natural forces, much of our electricity-centric world collapsed, including news channels, their associated communications, and the collective memory of the time: the internet. The warnings, ignored, disregarded, heralded the end. A few lights were still flickering in the ruined cities ––– dust was already carefully replacing them.

What we do know, however, is that in this unmerciful world, different types of survival communities formed, which secured their survival either through their proximity to the light, to the dark or through their skill and technical affinity, and which have survived to this day.

First, humanoid groups with the irrepressible will to survive. They became masters of engineering and of building machines and forts, merging over time into one large and cohesive entity. Over time, more and more new and vibrant networks of humanoid settlements emerged. The humanoids have a good knowledge of the natural sciences, are robust, inquiring and sometimes go in groups, sometimes on their owns: into the dense forests. Due to the scarcity of resources and the limited possibilities of production, they are masters of recycling and of inventing resource-saving and sustainable solutions. Their collaborations with the other tribes range from simple bartering to protective communities. They are known as intelligent, helpful, stubborn, enthusiastic and for not knowing the meaning of “no”. They find their way through the apocalyptic world through confidence, creativity and optimism. 

But the dark alliance gained ground, too. An initially loose and then growing collection of underworld beings and devotees of dark magic who roamed the mist-shrouded forests like scattered wolf packs, settling where the aura of darkness was felt most strongly. Nonetheless, they are neither malicious nor disputatious – yet dangerous. They are seductive, carry all the answers to mankind’s dark longings within them and act according to their own patterns, which outsiders cannot see through. They are undoubtedly wise and know the mysteries of the mortal world. Due to the mysteriousness of their tongues, with which they share their knowledge, they always leave a questioning uncertainty in the other person. You can feel their presence, feel their auras – often without seeing or hearing them. The dark alliance is to be treated with caution, to say the least. 

And finally, their counterweight emerged: The light force, gathering within its ranks all that is enlightened and peaceful; fairies, high magicians and figures of light, elves and witches who used their magic to set up protective force fields around themselves and their settlements. They stand for the emotions, the pure, the high scouts. Contrary to expectations, they are not found hidden in the depths of the forest, but in the mountains, in open spaces and under the bluesky, in lush meadows and glades, where they find happiness spun out of wisdom under their dome-like energy domes. Their contexts of meaning testify to goodness and are made up of: love, care, joy, happiness, radiance of confidence, warmth and protection. 

Each tribe found its niche in the new world order, specializing over centuries—establishing new and vibrant knots of life. Each tribe is united by the belief that a fourth tribe, long gone, will return. Those ancient traditions that evoke a better future, a new beginning, always rejoice. In each tribe, a prophecy tells of a crucial peace-bringing moment when the delegations of all tribes will stream thousands of kilometers to the place of new beginnings to proclaim peace together: Synthesis.