World History

In 2099, Earth was contacted by an extraterrestrial civilization. They called themselves the Corbessians, an extremely advanced society with incredible technological prowess. They warned of an imminent threat: an invasion by another alien species headed towards humanity bent on our complete destruction. They called these creatures the Ulra, a race of monstrous creatures, a terrible swarm that devoured everything in their path. The Corbessians offered to share their advanced robotics and weaponry with us to help protect human civilization from the Ulra and certain extinction. The leaders of the world gratefully accepted the Corbessians’ offer and the construction of powerful new weapons, tools, and fortifications began.

But the Corbessians lied. The Ulra indeed arrived soon after to consume and destroy, but the Corbessians were not there to help. They were sent to subjugate, to use humanity as another pawn in their endless war with the swarm. Between the oppressive rule of the Corbessians and the terrifying hunger of the Ulra, humanity suffered and broke, and the civilizations of the world were stamped out seemingly overnight. But pockets of resistance organized and began to fight back against both alien invaders. Using guerilla tactics and stolen Corbessian weapons, humanity sabotaged and assassinated and poisoned their way to freedom in every way they could. Finally, after nearly thirty years of fighting, both the Corbessians and the Ulra decided the little blue planet was no longer worth the trouble.

But even after they left, the damage had been done. Our infrastructure had been irreparably destroyed across the globe, and what was left of human societies lacked the means to replace it. Legions of Ulra soldier units were left behind on the planet, now cut off from the swarm and forced to fend for themselves. Abandoned Corbessian factories began to crumble, leaking out toxic waste that choked the air and fouled the water. Decades of war with immeasurably destructive weapons accelerated global warming, leaving the polar ice caps just a memory and devastating coastal regions. Humans have banded together in communities where they can, but there is a pervasive feeling that it is only a matter of time before we go extinct forever.

Most human communes tend to organize into three main groups: foragers who scavenge the surrounding areas for resources, hunters who go on long expeditions to find big game, and a homebase team that maintains the upkeep of the settlement and protects their resources.

Foragers

As their name implies, foraging teams scour the surrounding areas near a commune, picking up anything and everything with even the slightest possible value. They rarely travel more than a half day’s journey away from the settlement, taking care to stay in contact with the homebase by whatever means they have access to. They pick herbs and edible plants, set and check traps for small game, and dig for any traces of scrap technology that could be utilized when they return. Most younger children start their journey to adulthood here, learning about the dangers of the world and how to best protect themselves and the rest of their extended family.

Settlement and Commune Sizes

Depending on their location and the resources available to them, human settlements might range anywhere between a couple dozen members to over a thousand people. There are also many smaller groups and families that choose to live on their own private homesteads, growing and gathering just enough to take care of themselves and avoiding interactions with other survivors.

Hunters

These teams go out on extended excursions, often for days or weeks at a time, in pursuit of larger and more dangerous prizes than can be found close to home. This can mean literally hunting larger game like wild pigs of course, but it could also mean following up on signs or rumors of crucial technological components in a fallen city or production facility. Hunting teams also liaise with other settlements if there are any in the area, building relationships and supporting each other if needed. While traditional trading caravans and commercial routes are far too dangerous to attempt, hunters fill this role to a limited extent, bringing what supplies can be spared to a neighbor in need, often with the expectation that such a gift will be reciprocated at a later time.

Homebase

While there are some groups of survivors that have returned to a wholly nomadic lifestyle, most of humanity has built up homesteads and settlements. Often near a source of relatively clean water, the homebase team grows what they can and maintains upkeep on the settlement. The harsh weather of the world means that buildings and structures are in constant need of repair, relying on the Forager and Hunter teams to bring back key materials and parts to keep the base in good shape. Some communes have access to technological conveniences like radios, solar panels, or even advanced Corbessian weaponry. These devices can make or break a settlement during rough times, and are often closely guarded secret to outsiders that might seek to take them for themselves.

With international governments toppled across the globe, forms of paper and digital currency have become all but useless. Even once precious luxury items like gold or diamonds are now only as valuable as their material utility in survival. However, a few communes do still interact and have developed rudimentary trade routes, and even within communes having the right materials can grease the wheels both literally and figuratively.

Inclement Weather

The damage done to the planet during the war was far beyond anything even the most cynical of scientists could have imagined. The advanced weaponry of the Corbessians left many scars, but the process of their manufacture was far worse. They had no interest in sustainable production or safeguarding the environmental health of our home, burning through fuels and chemical agents at a breakneck pace to meet quotas and deadlines. The resulting ecological disasters made the sites of their factories uninhabitable for hundreds of miles, and even beyond that the remnants of humanity still feel their effects across the globe. Acidic rains are almost as common as not, and many sources of freshwater have been completely tainted by chemical runoff. The four original seasons have faded to just two major ones: a torrential rainy season and a choking dry season. The acid rain is dangerous enough to stand in for too long a time, but the constant damage to structures and settlements puts enormous strain on any commune’s already scarce resources. The dust storms during the dry season make gathering supplies and food harder still, and the salty sand that whips through the air corrodes everything it comes in contact with. Between the sweltering heat waves of the summers and the constant downpour of the winters, both the young and old are at constant risk just by trying to survive this harsh new world.

Thieves and Raiders

As long as humans have existed, there have been those determined to take what they want by force. While humanity may have united for a time against common enemies, it did not take long after their departure for ambitious warlords to form their own private armies in a bid for power. And when those armies eventually fell to in-fighting or outside conquest, their ranks often split off in hopes of creating their own dominions and carving their own kingdoms out of humanity’s ashes. Gangs range in size from handfuls of brigands to sizable battalions, complete with their own hierarchies and chains of command. They survive as all bandits do, by stealing from those too weak to protect themselves, preying upon anyone they think won’t put up too much of a fight.

Wild Animals

The true impact that the war had on the delicate balance of Earth’s ecosystems is unknowable, but her animal species have adapted in whatever ways needed to ensure their survival. Dogs, once man’s best friend, now roam the ruins of cities hunting anything big enough to be a meal, just as their ancestors did thousands of years ago. Rodents of all kinds have exploded in population size and reach, infesting every nook and crevice they can hide and crawl into. Feral pigs have found themselves unusually well suited to compete in the wastelands of the modern world, breeding quickly and traveling in massive droves to fend off predators. It is assumed that most larger species of fauna like deer, wolves, and bears have been driven to extinction, but rumors of sightings still spread among hunting parties. Still, where humans were once unequivocally the top of the food chain before the war, now they must contend for resources alongside all manner of beasts we once thought far below us.

Ulra Leftovers

After the decision to leave the planet was disseminated through their ranks, the Corbessians made every effort to gather up as much of their technology and assets as feasibly possible before leaving Earth in very short order. The Ulra, however, did not so much leave Earth as they simply stopped reinforcing it. The periodic impacts of their egg-laden meteors gradually lessened until they stopped altogether. Unfortunately, the Ulra already on the planet did not seem to notice or care, continuing to spread and devour anything and everything in their path. It should be obvious that they are incredibly dangerous to see in the wilds, and every conceivable precaution should be taken to avoid detection by them. Having even just one follow a foraging party back to the commune could lead to absolute devastation.

Settlement Sheriff

Medium humanoid (any race), any lawful alignment

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• Armor Class 18 (tactical vest, shield)
• Hit Points 75 (15d8 + 15)
• Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

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• Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +5
• Skills Insight +5, Investigation +4, Perception +5
• Damage Resistances piercing damage from bullets
• Senses passive Perception 15
• Languages Common
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

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Tactical Vest. The sheriff has resistance to piercing damage from bullets.

Actions

Multiattack. The sheriff makes two melee attacks or two ranged attacks.

Baton. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

Shield Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Automatic Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 50/150 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Reactions

Parry. The sheriff adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the sheriff must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon or shield.

Corbessians are a proud and stoic species; millenia of war against the Ulra have left them cold and ruthless. Most members of their society, their leadership circles in particular, are shrewd and cautious, meticulously planning and plotting out multiple contingencies in case initial tactics fail. In an effort to conceal their presence from the Ulra, they deliberately hide their presence on their colonies, masking any trace of their technological footprints. Combining their advanced engineering skills with their imposing physical stature, it is little surprise that they conquered much of the Milky Way galaxy before arriving on Earth.

Physically, the Corbessians are vaguely humanoid: standing on average about 8 to 9 feet tall, they have very wide muscular torsos and thick arms that they use to support themselves for climbing and walking. Their legs are short and stocky, spread wide and resting on cylindrical feet, similar to an elephant or rhinoceros. From their midsection they also have two smaller forelimbs used for more dexterous tasks, such as working with tools or operating their computer terminals. Their heads sit somewhat nestled between their major shoulder muscles, well protected from most threats that their ancestors must have faced.

Targeting Drone

A robotic drone that mounts to a shoulder pauldron, accompanied by a head-mounted eyepiece. Corbessian physiology doesn't allow them to aim down a gun's sights like humans do, so historically they relied on closer ranged weapons that fired in a spread. With the development of automated targetting systems, however, their weapons technology advanced significantly in very short order.

This drone has 3 charges per energy cell. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 charge to activate the drone for up to 1 minute. As long as the drone is active, when you attack a target that is within 100 feet and in the drone’s line of sight, you may roll 1d4 and add the result to the roll.

Shield Drone

A robotic drone that mounts to a shoulder pauldron. The large size of Corbessian soldiers was originally thought to be a liability before the full extent of their technology was known. Energy shielding, once thought to be the stuff of fiction, granted even the largest of targets significant defensive boons. While still limited in both scale and duration, automated drones are able to apply this shielding in the most efficient manner.

This drone has 3 charges per energy cell. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 charge to activate the drone for up to 1 minute. While active, the drone grants you 3/4 cover against ranged attacks.

Recon Drone

Tiny construct, unaligned

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• Armor Class 15
• Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3)
• Speed 30 ft., (hover), climb 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
4 (-3)	20 (+5)	12 (+1)	6 (-2)	16 (+3)	6 (-2)

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• Saving Throws Dex +7
• Skills Perception +5, Stealth +7
• Damage Vulnerabilities lightning
• Damage Immunities poison, psychic
• Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages --
• Challenge 0 (10 XP)

Corbessian Servitor

Medium construct, unaligned

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• Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
• Speed 25 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	11 (+0)	13 (+1)	6 (-2)	4 (-3)	6 (-2)

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• Damage Vulnerabilities lightning
• Damage Immunities poison, psychic
• Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
• Senses passive Perception 7
• Languages --
• Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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Actions

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

Not much is known about the Ulra beyond the taxonomy of the various types of soldiers documented during the war. They are an essentially insectoid species, with a hard exoskeleton and articulated joints, leading many to use monikers for them like “termites,” “wasps,” or simply “bugs.” However, there was always some debate about how insect-like they truly were, or if all the creatures documented were indeed even part of the same species. While the vast majority of their recorded genetics were indeed identical, the sheer variety of body types and functions is staggering. What is known is that they adapt to various biomes extremely quickly and efficiently, spreading out from their initial landing sites with great speed and numbers. They lay their egg clutches by the thousands and are seemingly able to spawn in any environment, making the task of tracking down their nests both difficult and highly dangerous.

Ulra Wardog

Medium beast, unaligned

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• Armor Class 13
• Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 5)
• Speed 50 ft., climb 50 ft., burrow 10 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)	4 (-3)	13 (+1)	6 (-2)

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• Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
• Senses darkvision 60 ft, tremorsense 30 ft, passive Perception 13
• Languages --
• Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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Ambusher. The Ulra has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.

Pack Tactics. The Ulra has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Ulra's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Spider Climb. The Ulra can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the Ulra knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.

Web Walker. The Ulra ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Actions

Multiattack. The Ulra makes two claw attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.

Ulra Hornet

Medium beast, unaligned

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• Armor Class 12
• Hit Points 13 (3d8)
• Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft., climb 10 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	6 (-2)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

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• Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
• Senses darkvision 60 ft, tremorsense 30 ft, passive Perception 13
• Languages --
• Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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Pack Tactics. The Ulra has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Ulra's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Spider Climb. The Ulra can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the Ulra knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.

Web Walker. The Ulra ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Actions

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

A Matron's Lair

Ulra nests are often labyrinths of tunnels, covered in thick webbing and a resin-like building material. Matrons rarely leave the spawning chamber, where they lay large clutches of eggs that are quickly carried off by nesters for tending.

An Ulra Matron encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 11 (7,200 XP).

Behemoths

Very little is known about the Ulra called behemoths. No one has seen any trace of them since the war, so most of what is known only comes from small pieces of archival footage and written reports from that time. They appear massive and are plated in a thick carapace, with large scything talons in place of their primary forelimbs. It was reported that they lived almost exclusively below water, ambushing naval ships from the continental shelf. One clip of surviving video footage shows what could be a behemoth on land, attacking some sort of waterfront building, but unfortunately the footage is short and at a great distance from the creature.

The arrival of the Corbessians brought about great leaps forward for human technology in many fields. They seemed more than happy to help solve energy crises, food shortages, and public health issues all over the world. It wasn't clear until the war started in earnest that they were making humanity reliant on them and their technology. Since their retreat, finding trained engineers and craftsmen able to repair or modify Corbessian technology is often just as difficult as finding the technology itself. Still, it cannot be denied these devices provide a great deal of utility to settlements that might not otherwise survive.

Energy Cell. A universal power source for almost all devices. Many pre-war electrical systems can be modified to use energy cells, with the right tools and knowledge.

Energy Cell Solar Charger. Charges up to 12 energy cells at once over the course of a short rest in direct sunlight.

Manual Energy Cell Charger. Charges 1 energy cell over the course of a short rest with constant light activity (such as a hand crank or foot pedal).

Stimpack, Basic. As a bonus action, gain 2d4+2 temporary hit points.

Stimpack, Greater. As a bonus action, gain 2d8+4 temporary hit points.

Stimpack, Experimental. As a bonus action, gain 2d12+6 temporary hit points. After 1 hour, you lose those temporary hit points and gain 1 level of exhaustion.

Wake-Up Juice. As a bonus action, you may reduce your exhaustion level by 1. You cannot benefit from a long rest for the next 24 hours.

First-Aid Kit. At the end of a short rest, with a DC 10 Medicine check you can use this item to regain 1d8 hit points plus your Constitution modifier.

Auto-medkit. This kit has 1 charge per energy cell. At the end of a short rest, you can spend 1 charge to regain 1d10 hit points plus your Constitution modifier.

Neutralizing Alkaline Spray. As an action, this can be used to neutralize an acid.

Homing Nodes and Tracking Monitor. A homing node will display its relative position to the tracking monitor to a range of 5 miles. A tracking monitor can be paired with up to 3 homing nodes at one time.

Wide-band Spectrometer Visor. Wearing this visor grants truesight out to 30 ft.

Low-Atmo Jetpack. This jetpack has 1 charge per energy cell and has a 3 cell capacity. When activated, you expend a charge to gain a fly speed of 20 ft for 1 minute.

Nanofiber Powerbockers. While wearing these boots, your jump distance is tripled. In addition, reduce all falling damage by 3d6.

Technical Axe. This climbing pickaxe grants a +2 to Strength (Athletics) checks made to climb terrain and objects, and allows the user to climb sheer rock faces.

For Reference

The global sea level rise of a catastrophe like this would be about 70 meters, or about 230 feet. With this in mind, these maps were made with the help of the Contours Project by Axis Maps: https://contours.axismaps.com