Early Days

The first few months following Impact saw the deaths of hundreds of thousands across the planet. Although they had escaped the looming threat of poisoned air on the surface, the Undersiders soon found that they had bigger problems to face. For one, the space provided by the metros and sewer systems was not nearly large enough to support the amount of people living within them. There were simply too many refugees.

A despairingly large lack of food and medicine quickly became apparent during those first few months. This period in time came to be known as the 'Dark Ages', named after the medieval period. Many starved to death or succumbed to various diseases that surfaced as a result of crowded and dirty living spaces.

Fortunately, as more and more people died off problems began to erase themselves. Life became a case of survival of the fittest. In time, the threat of overpopulation died down and progress could be made towards improving the Underside as a whole. All across the planet, small towns were constructed beneath the Earth's surface. In most cases, these towns were made up of scrap metal and rotted wood, but they were still better than nothing. The survivors worked together as a single mind and quickly established medical clinics. A more organized method of finding and hunting food was established in many locations, and as a whole the quality of life greatly improved.

However, despite these many improvements the various civilizations that made up the Underside remained highly isolated from each other. Everyone was aware of the massive treasure trove that loomed above their heads, but no one knew how to reach it. Then, on the day marking the beginning of the fourth month since Impact, the first surface expedition was made.

Armed with a heavy-duty gas mask strapped to his face, Jacob Carter emerged from the safety of the Underside. The view he was presented with was not a positive one. The bodies of countless animals littered the streets of what used to be his home, victim to the poison that, even now, darkened the sky and blocked out the sun. Shriveled trees dotted the landscape, dead from the lack of sunlight. Mustering up his courage, Jacob pressed on into the wasteland. He was never seen again.

The survivors among Jacob's colony quickly established that he had perished. The news disheartened them, although they had expected no less. However, Jacob's death was not in vain. In the weeks following his expedition, numerous people were inspired to continue experimenting. Eventually, the answer was found. It came in the form of bottled oxygen.

News of this important discovery spread fast as messengers were sent out to search for other survivors. By the time New Years came around, a new age had begun for the Undersiders.