Context: The dystopian Earth from which all Yggdrasil Players originated. This is what the player would remember if they choose to think back on 'real life'.
Ecological Collapse:
Atmosphere: The sky is permanently obscured by black smog; the sun is rarely visible. Outside of sealed buildings, gas masks are mandatory due to toxic fog.
Flora & Fauna: Nature is extinct. Without sunlight, plants withered, leading to the total collapse of insect and bird populations. Plantlife was barely ever seen.
Hydrology: Rivers are murky, chemically toxic, and unnaturally coloured. Tap water is undrinkable without secondary industrial-grade filters.
Corporate Hegemony:
Governance: Nations are no longer run by governments but by massive conglomerates. These corporations seized legislative, executive, and judicial power following food riots and a series of failed coups in the early 22nd century.
Control: Corporations dictate all laws to favour their own profits. The "average" person is viewed strictly as a "worker bee"—a resource meant to follow orders without independent thought.
Social Stratification & Education:
Education: Compulsory education was abolished to keep the populace manageable. Tuition is required even for elementary school; prices are intentionally inflated to prevent the poor from seeking advancement.
Success: For the majority, "success" is defined as graduating from elementary school and securing a position as a replaceable gear in a corporate machine.
Status: Thinking for oneself is considered a threat to "public safety" and "teamwork." Those who do not conform are ostracised or eliminated by corporate security forces.