The apocalypse, as utilized in fiction, typically means the destruction of civilization, resulting in a drastic discount of information and bodily capabilities. That is mirrored traditionally, resembling when Mycenaean (early Greek) civilization fell and the area misplaced literacy itself for hundreds of years. The setting itself, which is usually the first antagonist, is outlined by shortage and excessive challenges, the place life is scrappy and exhausting.
Frequent Causes of Civilizational Collapse
For designers, selecting the reason for the apocalypse defines the whole tone and out there assets of the marketing campaign. Causes can vary from Pure Disasters like famine, prolonged drought (which ended empires like Akkad and Harappa), meteor strikes, or large volcanic eruptions inflicting worldwide local weather change. The destruction may also be organic, attributable to a Plague/Illness far worse than the Black Loss of life; a illness that killed most meals vegetation, as an example, would definitely destroy trendy civilization’s meals base.
Extra fantastical causes embrace large numbers of Zombies or a Magical Breakdown. Nonetheless, a magical apocalypse might need much less far-reaching results—except magic itself was restricted or eradicated. Conversely, a Nuclear Struggle or atmospheric ruination is more likely to depart a setting finest performed with “sticks and stones,” as Albert Einstein implied.
The Harsh Realities of Survival
The focus of a post-apocalyptic setting must be on scarcity and survival. Life is violent and unpleasant, placing massive strain on survivors, as seen in Mad Max and various zombie settings. The difficult realities to remember when designing these worlds include:
- Transport is Primitive: Horses are often quickly eaten, leaving only bicycles, donkeys, or mules for transport. Long-distance travel is rare and extremely dangerous.
- Health is Fragile: Even a minor injury or bruise might cause death due to the complete lack of modern medical care.
- Basic Necessities are Luxuries: Hygiene, beauty products, and many complex modern medicines are entirely unavailable.
- Violence is the Norm: Armed and lethal raids are common, and life is violent and unpleasant.
- Social Stress is Extreme: Survivors are often forced to interact with people they fundamentally disagree with to survive, and the individualist usually fails the fastest—everyone needs help to survive.
The drawback of using the apocalypse is that its scale is likely to dominate almost everything in your setting and gameplay, which might stifle variety over a long campaign. For this reason, many DMs prefer to run an apocalypse “before” the campaign starts, making the devastation a fixed backdrop rather than an ongoing plot engine. (See Campaign, Sequence, or One-shot and How Long is Your Game Meant to Be?)
The Fundamental Question
The ultimate power of the post-apocalypse setting is not the destruction itself, but the way it forces players to confront the most fundamental questions of human nature. As designers, we must recognize that a long campaign cannot sustain a constant, desperate Sequence of survival. Instead, the apocalypse serves gives the DM the freedom to:
- Define the Scarcity: Decide which resources are truly gone (e.g., fuel, knowledge, magic), and which remain (e.g., pre-apocalypse artifacts, unique skills).
- Control the Focus: Use the massive devastation as a fixed backdrop to elevate the importance of human stories—the rise of new communities, the restoration of lost knowledge, or the search for a new ‘safe haven.’
- Choose the Scale: Determine whether the goal is grim, desperate survival (suited for a Sequence of play) or a decades-long narrative of rebuilding (suited for a Campaign).
The Apocalypse is a canvas of consequences; the DM’s job is to paint the story of hope, or the lack thereof, upon it.
Your Turn: How have you incorporated an apocalypse into your setting?
