You will need an exceptional reason and background to come to Shelter from the Outside World because of the heavy quarantine.

📌 Summary

🌐 The Outside World, 🛂 Global Divide, 💸 Trade Over Trust, 🛡️ Fortress Nations

Any territory outside the fractured Americas (which includes everything above the Darién Gap) is considered the Outside World, where life persists, even if it's with a tense kind of normalcy. The infection never took root like it did in the Americas, but its existence is undeniable: leaked footage, cross-border samples, and desperate transmissions are a testament to it.

The firestorms and nuclear fallout from the bombing in 1997 caused worldwide consequences: thick clouds of ash blocked the sunlight, triggering the Long Dark. Temperatures dropped, crops failed, and supply chains collapsed. Even the most stable nations suffered, millions dying of starvation within the first two years.

While some governments called it "American hysteria," others saw it as a warning. Cautionary measures like the tightening of borders, routine biocontainment drills, and the development of emergency plans were established in case the plague spread further.

In the aftermath, the Independent West's Dollar dominated global trade. With American power gone, markets turned inward, favoring caution and control. After the Independent West collapsed in 2029, the Dollar disappeared. In 2031, a new currency, the International Reserve Unit (IRU), was established, backed by silver and gold. This coin is not present in the Americas but is the main currency accepted all over the Outside World.

In 2028, the Outside World witnessed the fall of what used to be considered one of the most powerful continents. No longer did anyone believe the SiB-6 pathogen was fake news. A blockade and airspace restrictions were placed upon the entirety of the Americas to prevent the pathogen from spreading further. No one was to go in or out. The punishment for breaking this new rule (or attempting to do so) was execution. If someone were to succeed, they would still be likely to die due to the hazards within the continent.

This continues to the present day, in 2042.

🎨 Culture: Varies wildly; trending toward nationalist, wary, and media-controlled

💬 Name for Residents: Varied

🖥️ Tech Level: Varied, modern internet like today

🗳️ Government: Mixed; most countries maintain their current systems but with increased militarization

🧭 Location: Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, South America (anywhere beyond the fractured North America)

🧟 Experience with the Infected: Minimal direct contact; some samples for study, high containment success

💰 Currency: The IRU

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to Ask Questions about Chapter 3 and answers related to the Outside World will be added here.

• Do people believe the infection is real?
  After witnessing the fall of the Americas and all the new restrictions established, everyone but the most conspiracy-minded accepts that the SiB-6 pathogen is real.

• Can Outsiders enter the Americas?
  Almost never. All governments banned travel to the Americas. Smugglers, mercenaries, and desperate families are the exception. Just know the reason must be exceptional; otherwise this will likely be denied. You have been warned.

• Is the infection spreading beyond the Americas?
  Not in any major way. The blockade stands and extremely strict regulations are in place to make sure no one goes to the Americas and no one comes out. Governments exterminate any animals except birds as they can all carry the infection now.

• What about (specific country)?
  You're welcome to create lore for your character's region. If you introduce something major, such as a significant faction, conflict, or historical event, please include it in your character application. We will add any important shared details here for others to reference.
  Focus on broad, evocative ideas that inspire stories without locking down an entire area with rigid specifics. For example, "a bandit group known as the Serpents of Chaos was active in the wastes, raiding settlements and caravans. You may have heard that someone took out one of their leaders a year or two ago, and they've been hunting for the culprit."
  This kind of detail invites others to build on the idea without deciding what happened in places like Miami down to the last detail or specific years. Please understand that these stories are background and we want to focus on the players' stories in Shelter.

• What is education like in the Outside World? Like in Europe, are there still universities? Degrees, studies, that kinda thing?
  Yes, things are much the same.

• What about the War on Terror?
  9/11 didn't happen in our story, and the U.S. is fractured entirely. They didn't have any involvement in worldwide peacekeeping after 1998.