Paths
Path of Harmony
- Wellspring
A lush oasis in the dry wasteland of New Earth, Wellspring is shielded by a volcanic mountain range that allowed some extremely tough plants to survive the cataclysm and flourish on for decades. This growth was centered at a mysterious spring, giving life to a wide range of strange new species of plants. The most important of these species is the Talma, the Path of Harmony’s symbolic and mysterious clambering plant that grows upon the gigantic trellis dome raised above the city, creating an effective natural protection against the harsh outside weather conditions and the toxic atmosphere. It took decades for the settlers of Wellspring to establish the safe haven that it is today but what they created truly resembles a paradise on Earth - people living in perfect balance with themselves and the surrounding nature, respecting other lifeforms just as much as their own.
Path of Dominance
- The Atlantean
At the time of the Day of Purgation 300 years ago, the Atlantean, now home to the Path of Dominance, was a state-of-the-art military vessel used to evacuate doomed cities and transport the greatest minds of humanity to relative safety. However, it quickly became the only safe place for the crew and the passengers to survive - powered by solar panels and packed with supplies, food, and a prototype water purification system, the Atlantean was equipped with everything needed to go on almost indefinitely without docking. In the following decades, the Atlantean grew from a simple battlecruiser to a gargantuan floating city that retained some ship-like features. For this constant expansion, the ship’s engineers had to use materials salvaged from ruined coastal cities and shipwrecks, giving it a fairly chaotic overall look.
Path of Progress
- The Apex
If the Apex of Humanity – the sprawling, hovering capital of the Path of Progress – had to be described with one phrase, it would be "Venice of the Skies." The city’s architects carefully preserved the Byzantine, Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles of the original, now submerged Italian city. However, at every corner, classical architecture is entwined with state-of-the-art technology, showcasing that the Path of Progress is second to none in scientific advancement. They also preserved humanity’s thirst for culture; with many galleries, cafés, museums, and theaters, the Apex is home to a new renaissance in art, poetry, and film. The city’s beautiful buildings are connected by the Cloudways, a high-speed transport network where Sky Gondolas are the most common form of transportation.
Path of Salvation
- The Purgatory
Today, the breathtaking, underground realm of the Path of Salvation is called Purgatory: a vast network of halls, tunnels, and caverns that sprawls deep beneath the surface. The huge subterranean halls are dimly lit with sunlight, which is channeled in through grooves hollowed in the rocks. These grooves are filled with diamonds and other kinds of precious gems – perfect materials for transmitting light, being devoid of any financial value in the new world. The subterranean city gives the mixed impression of a medieval settlement equipped with modern technology. Power and hot water are supplied by geothermal plants deep below the cityscape, circulated through the Purgatory in a massive pipeline network. Living underground for generations made the denizens of the Purgatory adapt to the harsh circumstances – they are pale and short in stature but incredibly strong and tough. Over the decades, their sight gradually weakened by the dimly lit environment, but their hearing and smelling became much better than that of the surface dwellers.