History of the World of Clandestyne, 2010 AD

December 1997
As the antideluvians arise and begin to exert their influence the Exotics watch on from space in interest. The supernaturals of the world join together in magical metaconcert to repel the ancient enemies - there weapon is a being of immense power, the Scourge.

Channelling the immense destructive power of the Scourge they scour the antideluvians from the face of the earth. The Exotics, appalled at this act of violence, turn their backs upon the earth and there is no Intervention.

It is now known that channelling the Scourge had even more dire consequences, the backlash of the immense negative energy generated created the Affliction, a magical disease which slowly destroys and corrupts all those with supernatural magical power it comes in contact with.

Late 1998
The true nature of the Affliction is revealed in late 1998 when the mage Satori Akyazi raises great magical energy in an attempt to reconcile the dominions. Unfortunately the magic has been corrupted by the Affliction and the attempt fails, permanently separating the fifth dominion forever. Not only is there tragedy from the loss of the dominions, but the failed spell accellerates the spread of the Affliction to plague proportions.

Supernaturals around the world begin to die off in large numbers, forever erased from the world. Those suffering from the Affliction have a most horrible fate, and many kill themselves before it runs its course. It starts with the physical degeneration of the body as it slowly eaten away. Meanwhile there is a parallel degeneration of the intellect to an animalistic level. Magical powers still remain, but their use becomes instinctual rather than intelligent.

To make matters worse, any use of magical powers causes pain and accelerates the Affliction. Eventually, through use of their own powers, or through the course of the disease you die, and as you die your presence is erased from all reality.

January 1999
Mankinds reach for the stars falters when hostile (but unintelligent) life is discovered in the canals of Mars and the entire exploratory team is lost. Along with increasing reports of 'strange things' in space (including the disappearnce of several manned craft and authoritative UFO reports) this leads to the abandoment of all off planet expansion in early 1999. Earth barricades and isolates itself from the galaxy.

Early 1999
Surviving supernaturals withdraw more and more from society in an effort to avoid the spread of the Affliction. The death of the magical races is made more bleak by the ignorance of the human population to the plague sweeping the globe. Supernaturals are doomed to an end of anonymity.

With the disappearance of those behind the powers of many world organisations human tensions flare up and many nations erupt in internal conflict. Central Asia, one of the worst hit areas, erupts in civil war until a fascist dictatorship, based in Mongolia, takes charge in early summer.

July 4th, 1999
However the fighting contintues and the world situation does not improve much and the general consensus of the beginning of the end is confirmed when on July 4th an extremist group of anti-zioist fundamentalists, the Guardians of the City (Neturei Karta) let off the Armageddon Bomb in Jerusalem. Although the original bomb was only small yield, it was placed so that it ignited a hidden Israeli nuclear weapons site. The resulting explosion and fallout decimated the holy city and left in uninhabital for the forseable future.

2000 - 2010
With the destruction of Jerusalum, and the dictatorship in Central Asia, the major world religions are thrown into turmoil. Added to the decline in miracles and the powers of the Gods (also affected by the Affliction) this causes many to become disallusioned with religion and mysticism.

Mages from all traditions join forces at the first 'One Reality' convocation, a tragic affair which only helped to spread the disease. All attendants at the original meeting were dead within 2 months. Pocket groups brought together from the disparate forces worked in vain to find a cure until they were infected and destroyed.

Continuing civil war throughout the world breaks former nations into smaller and smaller independent city states. Europe refragments into warring feudal domains and America is divided into competing corporate controlled megacities.

During this time the natural tendency of mankind towards technology and invention leads to many breakthroughs and advances, including working cybernetic implants. The world of the future belongs to the scientist, the supernatual all but forgotten.

Clandestyne
dreaming of a better world

"All the triumph
The tragedy
Of each yesteryear
Seems somehow to stay, forever quite near.
This is the Dreaming.

Tomorrow
Will dawn.
A tomorrow that's clear,
A tomorrow that is not shadowed by fear.
This is the Dreaming."

The year is 2010. Although most humans are unaware of it, the supernatural population of the world has been decimated by over ninety eight percent. In 1997 a virulent magical disease now known as the Affliction appeared in the small supernatural population of Australia. Initially ignored, it broke out in 1998 and quickly spread to the rest of the world. Slowly the supernatural population of the world is dying - and no one has even noticed.

Meanwhile, mortal humanity has continued its progress along the technological highway. The de-humanising of the world has contributed to the global social decline. Gangs from the immense underclass roam the streets of the megacities whilst the few remaining rich live in gluttaneous pleasure, devoid of all spirituality. With rising polution and minor wars raging out of control the earth is on the brink of destruction. With the loss of the supernatural, mankind has lost itself.

Having distanced themselves from the world in order to stall the spread of the Affliction, the magical races have missed much of this social change. In late 2009 a small group of researchers was formed to find a solution. Keeping in contact using technology, and trying to minimise the use of magical powers (the Affliction is transmitted through magical energy) they searched for a solution.

The facts surrounding the creation of the Affliction were slowly pieced together but no major breakthroughs came until the files of a top secret Mossad investigation into potent psychic bloodlines were recovered from the radioactive ruins of Jerusalum. Unfortunately in the process the research group was infected. With their power drained the group could not complete their mission, however they did manage to pass on the information to others in the hope that some may succeed where they had failed.

The only hope to save the world is to try and change the past, a feath through impossible until now. A psychic message must be sent back through time to warn those involved and prevent what they are about to do - othewise all will be lost. The fate of the world lies in your hands. The message must be sent. The world must be saved.