WELCOME TO EARTH, EXILE!
A long time ago the planet Earth, birthplace of the human race, was a beautiful green and blue jewel of a world…the centerpiece of the Sol system! It had sprawling cities with towering skyscrapers, jungles, deserts, rainforests, tundras, oceans, rivers, lakes and a population that numbered in the several billions!
However, that was before the Cleansing deemed the world fit for destruction and the atmosphere was scorched and made unbreathable. Clouds of dust and ash now block the once nourishing rays of the sun, the soil has become contaminated and every living thing that was not relocated to Avalon is now long dead. Once the centerpiece of the system, it is now the one world everyone wants to avoid. It is a barren wasteland of outcasts, criminals, and exiles just like you!
That’s the good news! Earth salvage is one of the most valuable commodities in the system, prized by collectors and scientists from Avalon all the way to Pluto! Objects that were once part of everyday human life are now highly sought-after artifacts of immense value. You will become an indentured scavenger, braving the harsh wasteland in search of treasures worth more than you can imagine. And if you’re lucky, after say, your tenth expedition, you may even be eligible to get a small percentage of the profits! What better incentive to survive this poison landscape than the possibility of earning your own meager pay!
Being an Earth scavenger is not a “success overnight” path. In most cases, it’s not even a “success over several months” deal. But, with the proper training, equipment, and support, anyone can succeed as a scavenger! Sometimes, we even have one or all of those things available to new recruits such as yourself!
Besides the toxic atmosphere and crumbling landscape, what other dangers can you expect to find in the wastelands of Earth? Well, there are mutants, twisted by long-term exposure to the poison air and radiation. “Freelance” scavengers, otherwise known as “bandits” roam the wastelands, some of which have even taken up cannibalism. The once towering skyscrapers are now decaying safety hazards and there are sinkholes, quicksand, dust storms and probably more nightmares than anyone could ever possibly bear. For others, that might spell an immediate “no way, I’m not going anywhere near there”. But, for you exile, it spells adventure.
(Also, you’ve been legally bound to indentured servitude, so it’s not like you have a choice anyway.)
So, go out there and fetch yourself a fortune or at least a fraction of one while you toil away under the moderately brutish leadership of a master scavenger. One day, he may even release you from indentured servitude and you can become a “free” scavenger. That’s right, you too can be your own boss and the entire, muddy, destroyed expanse of a once beautiful planet can be your office!
On the other hand, if you die, please know that we will make every effort to make sure your carcass doesn’t get stolen by cannibals to be used as bait to trap other scavengers with better survival skills than you.
Enjoy your stay and happy hunting!
-Welcome brochure for Earth exiles, produced by Axis Earth Salvage, Inc.
Two women are about to brave the wasteland that used to be the planet Earth to uncover a plot to destory the utopian society of Avalon. One is a hardened spy, the other is a scientist from another time.
Want to find out what happens next? Pre-order now!
Well, I got one last extension, this is now the final 30 days of my campaign. If I don’t make it to Quill, I will gracefully bow out...but, I still believe we can make it! I will be doing a lot of local promotion here in my hometown. I still got a bunch of postcards and business cards to give out and I’m hitting up local sci-fi/fantasy clubs.
This entire thing has been a big learning experience for me and no matter what happens, I’m going to take everything I’ve learned into the future, whether I decide to crowdfund another novel or not. I’m leaning toward the former since I do have a draft up on Inkshares that I’d like to pursue at some point. I now know what has worked, what has kind of worked and what hasn’t worked at all. I think it’s a different journey for everyone and maybe when this thing is done I can share my experiences with the community, whether I’m successful or not.
But, again, I think we CAN be successful and I’m pulling out all the stops to see that happen! Regardless of the outcome, I’m sure someone can benefit from sharing my experiences with both the Nerdist contest and the subsequent campaign and I plan on putting that all down in writing when the time comes.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far, it means the world to me. To those who haven’t pre-ordered yet, now’s your chance! Help me make Quill! You’re doing more than getting a great retro science fiction novel, you’re also helping someone’s dream come true.
Thank you!
Jason