Origin takes place in a cave system referred to by its inhabitants as Origin Cave. As far as the creatures of Origin Cave know, there is nothing beyond the cold stone walls of this extensive cavern. There are no skies or endless plains, there are no mountains or oceans. These creatures know nothing of the stars or clouds or what the surface of the planet looks like. It is an unfortunate reality, but it is the only one that the residents of Origin Cave know.

There is no prior history of the cave that is currently known to its residents, simply that one day, Gembound creatures began awakening and roaming the tunnels. The Great Awakening begins in May 2015, as large cognizant creatures began to emerge from their chrysalis. They make what they will of the cavern, slowly unraveling its secrets: who else lives here, how old is the cave, and more importantly, why are they trapped here?

Months are referred to as Cycles; this is how characters keep track of their age and the passage of time. There are no seasons. Conditions within the cave remain the same throughout the year, provided nothing happens to upset that delicate harmony. Some believe that Origin Cave is a living, breathing entity, just like them and that it can spawn changes of its own accord, but evidence of that has yet to surface. Flora and fauna are naturally occuring in the cave in the form of plants (ranging from mosses to trees), fungi, and smaller Gembound creatures incapable of cogniscence. Water is always present in the cave; some sources may be crystalline and pure while others are murky and tainted. Organic matter has a tendency to break down quickly in the cave due to the abundance of hetero- and necrotrophs.

One particularly interesting kind of creatures are the Golems. Golems consist of a collection of enchanted rocks and boulders - magically infused stones that haven't developed into Gembounds. They are moving manifestations of magic, and while they possess no brain or any senses, they can sometimes be seen roaming the tunnels. As all magic is attracted to itself, Golems are drawn towards sources of magic. They have been known to protect the chrysali of developing Gembounds, later adding the shattered chrysalis to their own body. At the moment, it is undetermined whether or not they are hostile towards Gembounds.

Light in the cave is provided by glass orbs suspended by ropes found along the walls in every room. Some larger rooms have orbs suspended from the ceiling as well. The lights are powered by the generator in Polaris, and though it is now functioning, its effectiveness fluctuates. The lights may flicker, dim, or turn off completely every now and then. Feel free to include these occurences in your roleplay.

Fauna includes Cave Deer, Cave Rabbits, Cave Rats, Cave Mice, Cave Bats, Cave Birds, Cave Spiders, Cave Fish, Cave Insects, and Misc Cave Animals.

Cave fauna may become familiars with the aid of the Non-Elemental Magic spell Familiar Forge. This creates a sensory bond between the gembound and the familiar. One can only have one familiar at a time. This spell requires a successful roll of 15+. The familiar can only do minor rolls and do not gain extra intelligence from this spell. ¹⁾

Flora includes Trees, Flowers, Shrubbery, Cave Fungi, and Other Flora.