To the untrained eye, our planet had been deserted.
Within a barren wasteland, few species
survived the destruction. Only sea creatures,
burrowing mammals, insects, and plants were left.
Millenniums passed. The waste and radiation were
gradually absorbed by the Earth. Across the damaged
landscape, wounds healed and scars faded. The natural
world took over and the landscape was green once
again.
On the surface, things seemed quiet.
Life had been disrupted and food chains decimated.
Those who had survived were cautious. The world was
fragile. And yet, below the ground, the creatures were
still strong.
Aldricus was the founder of
the new world. He found the gemstone of sentience deep
within the crust.
No one knows what lead
Aldricus to dig so deep. Some say he looked into the
Moon and knew what was to come. In his feral state,
all he knew was he must dig. He burrowed down without
rest or explanation, working on pure faith. Legend
says the Moon chose him. Only he could begin the New
World.
Deep within the Earth’s crust, the
chemicals of the old war had pooled together. Here,
they reacted with the minerals and made the gemstone
of sentience.
Aldricus burrowed down and
found the gemstone. With just one touch, he knew what
he was…a Goofy Gopher.
Aldricus named the
stone Gopherite and brought it to the surface. When
Spring came and breeding began, Aldricus littered the
ground with Gopherite. This was the birth of Gopher
society, and the world was at their burrowing
claws.
Gopherite gave them a sense of
identity. They gave each other names. Now they could
make memories and form plans, process past and future.
They had a language with which they could communicate.
They could share great ideas, visions, and inventions.
They were blessed with new emotions and passions.
Aldricus was declared King. Those of his blood were
royals. Gophers believe the royals have a direct
connection to the fate of their race. Just like
Aldricus, royalty must know how to lead the Gophers
out of the darkness.
Under the reign of
Aldricus, the first mines were built. Using their
natural skills and enlightened minds, the Gophers
created history’s most effective mine systems. With
the materials, they could create tools and objects,
flexing their new powers of invention and
imagination.
A strong fascination with
Gopherite developed in all the Gopher people. They
began to experiment with it, intent on unlocking its
powers. When set alight, green flames erupted from
it’s surface, burning bright and warm. Put in water
the Gopherite turned into a restorative potion.
Gophers added it to food, creating a new spice that
increased the intensity of flavours. Not only that, it
stopped food from going off. The more the Gophers
learned, the more valuable Gopherite became.
Feral
Gophers were drawn by the scent. Groups of
missionaries were sent to convert the Gophers of the
World. Their numbers grew. Not every Gopher reacted
the same. Some saw the future clearer than the
present, gifted with clairvoyance. Pups were born with
Gopherite in their blood, some began to display
strange abilities beyond scientific explanation.
Aldricus
guarded Gopherite against other creatures. Gophers
were to be the only animals to ascend into civilised
society. He decreed that the Gopherite mining should
be monitored, only what they needed right now should
be brought to the surface. This became difficult as
more Gophers became obsessed with gathering
Gopherite.
Aldricus’s eldest son Juniper
wanted more. The mining restrictions seemed pointless
and strangled growth. He demanded an explanation but
Aldricus told him to simply follow his orders. Juniper
resented his father and felt he didn’t listen. Juniper
began mining without supervision. He would bring the
people more Gopherite.
Whilst he was mining alone, a support beam fell and
crushed the young Gopher's arms. He couldn’t dig.
No one knew he was there. When they found him, it was
too late.
This was the first time Gophers
had felt grief. Hurt ran thick and deep. For a Gopher
to die in a mining accident…it was unthinkable. Some
believed it was a sign from the fates. The King took
it as his own failing. With his ultimate power, he had
made the ultimate sacrifice.
A castle was
built. Opposite the throne room was the ‘Juniper’
room. A council of state was formed. Parliament would
meet in the ‘Juniper’ room. The King’s late son would
serve as a reminder that the monarch should explain
and listen. Gophers would be ruled in a just
constitutional monarchy and could vote on issues that
affected their community. Juniper had become a symbol
of understanding, communication and transparency. A
tragedy like this would never happen again.
Theatres, towns, Colosseum and great
universities rose. Places to live, entertain and learn
a trade or an academic discipline provided work and
opportunities. Sport and sparring were devised for
entertainment. Games to show off physical prowess
became popular.
Tests were given to young
pups to see if they possessed magical abilities.
Orders were formed to teach young Wizards and advance
Gopher society. Those interested in protecting,
hunting, defending, and sparring became brave
warriors. Those skilled in sales became merchants.
Great traders facilitated the movement of goods all
across the lands. Gophers were trained by the previous
generation. Knowledge is passed on and shared. Some go
against society and have become thieves, excited by
the risk of being caught and the thrill of success.
However,
most Gophers prefer to mine. They live and work
underground. It is where they feel most at home. They
go up to the surface for entertainment and food.
Society flourishes. The Earth is blessed
with a second chance.
