Amazon, the Endless City

Thousands of years after the fall of human civilization, a merging of ancient forces set a new society in motion. Distant relatives of fey ancestry came together and performed the Primalux; a ritual which was finished on the first day of spring in the first year of the Bionuva (1 BN). Humanoid features, heightened levels of consciousness, and a rebirth of magic were thrust upon the fauna which otherwise struggled to survive in the ruins of this concrete jungle. Over time, a new social order had risen. Those with wings, ruled. With few places to burrow and fewer trees under which to shelter, even the apex predators on land stood little chance against far seeing eyes and razor sharp talons of the raptors. The corvids used their long memory to outwit political opponents. But most powerfully, the owls’ long lifespans allowed them to wisen, and indoctrinate the populace in a new religious doctrine. During the winter months, the dominance of the birds receded, and chaos reigned in the streets. The populace starved, neighbor hunted neighbor, generational homes would be lost in single nights. These slaughters would be used to justify the morality of the winged domination. But ultimately, they were just another protection racket. Families learned to protect themselves. Gangs of like-minded and often like-dressed soldiers claimed their turf. Sometimes they protected the local citizens from the extortion of the birds, other times they simply sought out their own sources of power. A tenuous balance had been reached.