Incandescent Scission: A Chronicle of the Divide's Aftermath

The world of Incandescent Scission exists in the aftermath of a history profoundly divergent from conventional timelines. The Mali Empire, under the astute leadership of Sundiata Keita, expanded its dominion across North and West Africa, forging a legacy of power and influence that resonated through centuries. This formidable empire experienced further consolidation under the administrative reforms enacted by Mansa Musa, whose reign cemented the dynasty's legendary status. Despite the calamitous assassination of Mansa Musa and subsequent fragmentation of the vast realm, the Malian heartland remained a bastion of strength. Critically, early access to firearm technology, coupled with the formidable military prowess of Shaka Zulu, enabled the Malian empire to effectively resist European colonization, a fate that befell much of Africa and the Americas in our own history.

This altered historical trajectory set the stage for a dramatically different 21st century. In 2030, a global arms race centered on advanced nuclear weaponry and defensive shield technologies reached a critical juncture. A catastrophic accident at a clandestine research facility in Texas precipitated a chain of events that would irrevocably reshape the world. The resulting nuclear fallout devastated Texas and contiguous states, creating a vast, irradiated wasteland known as the Neon Divide. More alarmingly, this cataclysmic event tore rifts in the fabric of reality, leading to the spontaneous emergence of monstrous entities drawn from alternate dimensions – creatures echoing those documented in speculative bestiaries such as Monster Hunter and ARK: Evolved. This unprecedented incursion initiated a period of monstrous conquest across the North American continent, which was subsequently termed Neo-America.

From the ashes of this global upheaval, three dominant superpowers ascended to prominence, each characterized by unique specializations, cultural identities, and geopolitical strategies: the Neo-Holy Roman Federation, the Malian Technocratic Empire, and the Mongol Dominion.

The Scars of Cataclysm: Environmental and Spiritual Shifts

The nuclear catastrophe of 2030 wrought profound environmental transformations. Radiation-induced mutations triggered rapid evolution across both flora and fauna. Among the most significant outcomes were:

• Emergence of Radium Crystals: Deep within the Neon Divide, geological processes catalyzed by intense radiation resulted in the formation of Radium Crystals, precious crystalline structures that serve as potent energy sources. These crystals became the lifeblood of post-apocalyptic technology and a focal point of global resource contention.
• Development of Specialized Flora: Certain plant species adapted to the irradiated environment, exhibiting unique properties. Some developed bioluminescence, illuminating the blighted landscapes, while others manifested potent medicinal or energy-generating capabilities, becoming highly sought after resources.
• Creation of the Neon Divide: The former American continents were transformed into the Neon Divide, a sprawling expanse of irradiated wasteland. This region is characterized by varying degrees of radiation intensity, bizarre mutated ecosystems, and remnants of pre-disaster civilization, making it both a perilous frontier and a treasure trove of resources and technological artifacts.
• Manifestation of Demon Spirits: A phenomenon with both tangible and esoteric dimensions accompanied the environmental devastation. In the wake of the catastrophe, entities known as Demon Spirits began to manifest, particularly within Neo-America. These entities, bearing resemblance to the spiritual beings described in ancient texts and mystical traditions, are believed to be fragments of the monstrous incursions, imbued with residual energy. Remarkably, these Demon Spirits can be harvested from slain creatures within Neo-America and, through specialized techniques, fused with human beings, granting enhanced abilities and serving as power sources for advanced technologies. This fusion process, often likened to a form of symbiotic integration, has become a cornerstone of post-apocalyptic human augmentation.

The global repercussions of the Texas cataclysm and the subsequent monster incursions were far-reaching. Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa experienced massive influxes of refugees fleeing the ravaged American continents. While these regions were largely spared from direct radiation effects due to their geographical distance from the epicenter, the emergence of monsters and the dramatic shift in global power dynamics fundamentally reshaped the geopolitical landscape. The old world order fractured, giving way to a new era defined by the ascendant superpowers and the pervasive influence of the Neon Divide.

Neon America: Zones of Hazard and Opportunity

Neo-America, the blighted expanse of the former North American continent, is geographically and ecologically segmented into three primary hazard zones, each presenting distinct challenges and opportunities:

Outer Zones: The Fringes of Radiation

The Outer Zones of Neon America constitute the regions with the lowest levels of residual radiation. These areas, typically situated near coastal regions or geologically stable landmasses, offer relatively safer havens within the ravaged continent. Characterized by diminished radiation levels, they are nonetheless scarred by the cataclysm and populated by mutated flora and fauna, albeit of less extreme varieties than those found in the deeper zones. The Outer Zones have become magnets for diverse populations:

• Scavengers: Independent individuals and small groups who eke out a living by salvaging pre-disaster technology, resources, and artifacts from the fringes of the Neon Divide.
• Small Settlements: Fragile communities that have sprung up in pockets of relative safety, often focused on subsistence farming of radiation-resistant crops or rudimentary resource extraction.
• Minor Mutated Creatures: The Outer Zones are inhabited by mutated creatures, generally less formidable than those in the inner and Deep Zones, but still posing dangers to unshielded individuals.

The primary resource of economic interest within the Outer Zones is low-grade Radium Crystals. While less potent than higher grades found deeper within the Neon Divide, these crystals are more readily accessible and serve as a crucial energy source for settlements and scavenging operations in the outer regions.

Inner Zones: Bioluminescent Wilderness and Urban Echoes

Venturing deeper into Neo-America leads to the Inner Zones, regions characterized by moderate to high levels of radiation. These zones exhibit bizarre and often beautiful mutated ecosystems. Bioluminescent Forests, Glowing Swamps, and urban ruins illuminated by eerie radiation become commonplace. The Inner Zones represent a significant escalation in hazard level compared to the outer zones:

• Bioluminescent Forests and Glowing Swamps: Unique ecosystems have emerged, where flora has adapted to high radiation levels by developing bioluminescence, creating surreal and dangerous landscapes.
• Urban Ruins: Remnants of pre-disaster cities stand as silent monuments to the cataclysm, often containing caches of pre-disaster technology and resources, but also harboring mutated creatures and environmental hazards.
• High-grade Radium Crystals: The Inner Zones are significantly richer in high-grade Radium Crystals than the outer zones, making them a more lucrative, albeit far more dangerous, prospect for resource extraction.
• Pre-disaster Tech Caches: Urban ruins and abandoned research facilities within the Inner Zones often contain valuable pre-disaster technology, including advanced robotics, cybernetics, and weapon systems, attracting scavengers and corporate expeditions alike.

Operating within the Inner Zones necessitates advanced radiation shielding or aura-based protection. Expeditions venturing into these regions typically rely on specialized environmental suits, vehicles equipped with radiation countermeasures, or individuals skilled in Nen techniques capable of generating protective aura fields.

Deep Zones: Apex Predators and Storm-wracked Coasts

The Deep Zones of Neo-America represent the most extreme and perilous regions within the Neon Divide. These areas, often encompassing the coastal regions battered by intense Radiation Storms and the innermost reaches of the wasteland, are characterized by exceptionally high radiation levels and the dominance of apex predators. The Deep Zones are largely inhospitable to conventional human life, but hold the promise of immense rewards:

• Coastal Regions Battered by Radiation Storms: Coastal areas are subjected to relentless radiation storms, making them incredibly dangerous and prone to unpredictable environmental shifts.
• Apex Monsters and Elder Dragons: The Deep Zones are the hunting grounds of the most formidable mutated creatures, including Apex Monsters and entities colloquially referred to as Elder Dragons – colossal and immensely powerful beings capable of devastating ecosystems. These creatures, derived from the Monster Hunter and ARK: Evolved bestiaries, represent the pinnacle of mutated evolution.
• Elite Operations Only: Survival and operation within the Deep Zones are only feasible for highly specialized and elite teams. These expeditions are typically composed of individuals augmented with advanced Cyberware and capable of Demon Spirit fusion, granting them the enhanced resilience and combat prowess necessary to confront the extreme hazards.

While exceptionally dangerous, the Deep Zones are rumored to contain the richest deposits of Radium Crystals, the most valuable caches of pre-disaster technology, and the most potent Demon Spirits, making them a magnet for the most daring and well-equipped expeditions from the global superpowers and independent factions alike.

Settlements of Neon America: A Patchwork of Factions

Neo-America is not a unified territory, but rather a fragmented landscape of diverse settlements and factions, reflecting the chaotic aftermath of the cataclysm and the competing interests vying for control and resources within the Neon Divide. These settlements can be broadly categorized:

Nomadic Survival Groups: Roaming Enclaves of Resilience

Nomadic Survival Groups represent a distinct form of societal adaptation to the Neon Divide, eschewing fixed settlements in favor of mobile existence. These groups have embraced nomadism as a strategy for survival, resource acquisition, and evasion of larger, more established powers:

• The Hollow Vaults: An exceptional case of subterranean adaptation, The Hollow Vaults are not nomadic in the conventional sense, but represent a form of mobile settlement. This network of pre-disaster underground bunkers has been transformed into a sprawling, AI-governed city. Controlled by a rogue artificial intelligence known as The Caretaker, The Hollow Vaults operate as a technologically advanced feudal kingdom beneath the surface of Neo-America. Safe from radiation and surface hazards, The Hollow Vaults strictly regulate access and trade with the outside world, maintaining a self-contained and enigmatic existence.
• The Rust Nomads: Embodying true nomadism, The Rust Nomads are scavenger clans that traverse the Neon Divide in massive, Cyberpunk-style convoys of heavily modified vehicles. These clans specialize in scavenging rare pre-apocalypse artifacts and salvage, acting as mobile traders who interact with all factions within Neo-America. The Rust Nomads are constantly at risk of attack from corporate agents and superpower militias seeking to seize their valuable salvage or control their trade routes.
• The Obsidian Enclave: A clandestine settlement, The Obsidian Enclave is a hidden city constructed within the ruins of a collapsed super-skyscraper. This urban redoubt is home to rogue scientists, mercenaries, and exiles from the World Exploration Academy and other pre-disaster institutions. The Obsidian Enclave is rumored to be engaged in clandestine research and development, secretly working on hybrid Cyberware-Demon Spirit weapon technologies, seeking to carve out a niche of power and influence within the fragmented landscape of Neo-America.

Big Settlements: Hubs of Trade and Research

In contrast to nomadic groups, Big Settlements represent more permanent concentrations of population and infrastructure within Neo-America. These settlements often serve as crucial trade hubs, research centers, or nascent cities, typically under the control of corporations or family-based organizations:

• Habsburg Prime: A corporate outpost established and controlled by Habsburg Industries, Habsburg Prime serves as a forward operating base for resource extraction, research, and corporate security operations within Neo-America.
• Keita Biocenter: The headquarters of Keita Biotech within Neo-America, Keita Biocenter is a major research and development facility focused on Bioengineering, Eco-engineering, and Demon Spirit stabilization, leveraging the unique resources and mutated ecosystems of the Neon Divide.

Military Bastions: Fortified Footholds of Superpowers

Military Bastions are heavily fortified cities established and controlled by the global superpowers. These bastions serve as strategic footholds within Neo-America, projecting power and securing vital resources for their controlling nations:

• New Bastion: A major Military Bastion under the control of the Neo-Holy Roman Federation, New Bastion serves as a launch point for NHRF expeditions into the Neon Divide and a critical defensive hub against monster incursions threatening NHRF interests in the region.
• Keita’s Haven: Established and garrisoned by the Malian Technocratic Empire, Keita’s Haven functions as a Malian military center within Neo-America, securing resource extraction zones and serving as a staging area for Malian military operations within the Neon Divide.
• Khan's Gate: A Military Bastion representing the Mongol Dominion's presence in Neo-America, Khan's Gate is a strategically important outpost facilitating Mongol trade networks, resource scavenging operations, and projection of Mongol influence within the region.

The Freeholds: Independent Enclaves of Defiance

The Freeholds represent a diverse array of independent settlements that have emerged within Neo-America, resolutely refusing to submit to corporate or national control. Governed by local councils, mercenary leaders, or powerful Nen practitioners, The Freeholds embody a spirit of self-determination and resistance:

• Smugglers and Outlaws: The Freeholds often harbor individuals operating outside the established power structures, including smugglers, outlaws, and those seeking refuge from corporate or superpower authority.
• Experimental Nen Practitioners: Some Freeholds have become centers for unconventional or experimental Nen practice, attracting individuals seeking to explore the boundaries of aura manipulation beyond the doctrines of established factions.
• Constant Threat: The Freeholds are perpetually at risk of coercion or outright attack from larger factions seeking to expand their territories and bring these independent settlements under their control.