Welcome to Neoterra
An Overview of the Solarpunk Universe
Neoterra is more than a fictional series. It is a co-created story inspired by the same vision that drives Psygaia—a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving planetary health through interdisciplinary psychedelic research, education, community, and support. Inspired by a deep reverence for Nature's wisdom and shamanic traditions, Psygaia strives to support the healing and awakening of Mother Earth and her people.
The intention is to co-create a narrative that weaves an inspiring, entertaining and educational solarpunk universe through an engaging exploration of psychedelics and related concepts such as shamanism, nature-based spirituality, deep ecology, holistic health, decentralized governance and technology, AI, VR, sustainable living, regenerative agriculture and more. The intention is also to have fun.
While interdisicplinary psychedelic research is crucial, humans are story-driven creatures, and storytelling is a viable avenue towards positively influencing the minds and hearts of readers so that we may collectively dream and build a better world.
Ultimately, this story serves as a form of collective radical imagination in aim of advancing planetary health, a core aspect of Psygaia’s mission.
To learn more, please visit psygaia.org. Thank you!
Please read till the end to vote on the story’s development.
If you haven’t read Part 1 and 2 of Chapter 1, find them here.
Our story takes place in a distant future, where humanity has splintered into three distinct groups: those who embrace technology in harmony with Nature and in service of Mother Earth, those who seek to transcend the limits of the planet through technological dominance, and those who survive, thrive, and fight, scavenging vast and lawless regions wrecked by environmental collapse and industrial decay, stuck between two growing and competing civilizations with critical ideological differences.
Set against the backdrop of a scarred but healing planet teeming with wild forests and cascading waterfalls, yet marked by sprawling landfills left by past civilizations—the Earth is defined by stark contrasts. Shamanic ceremonies and sacred sites coexist with advanced technologies powered by renewable energy. Gliding hovercrafts, AI, VR, and blockchain technologies weave through everyday life in a world where technological innovation, ancient spiritual wisdom, environmental regeneration, radical politics and futuristic conflict converge in a delicate balance.
In this post-apocalyptic era, the remnants of industrial excess, environmental neglect and nuclear war shape the planet. While some civilizations, like Neoterra, have embraced a symbiotic relationship with Nature, seamlessly merging cutting-edge technologies with Nature, others thrive on the periphery. The Wastelands, far-reaching lands devastated by environmental decay, are home to anarchic scavenger communities and militia factions that repurpose the wreckage of the past, embodying resilience and resourcefulness outside the laws laid down by neighbouring powers. These vast regions stand in contrast to Neoterra’s shimmering ecocities but serve as a vital reminder of humanity’s fraught history and the creativity born from necessity.
At the other extreme is Hyperion, a sprawling metropolis controlled by NexTech, a corporation led by the charismatic yet ruthless CEO and dictator, Viktor Arkon.
Hyperion's towering skyscrapers and massive slums are bound by Argus AI and mixed-reality technology, blurring the line between reality and illusion for those unfortunate enough to be born under NexTech’s rulership. The city’s wealthy elites live in a semi-constant virtual utopia, while the poor navigate a polluted and harsh metropolis masked by artificial distractions. Beneath the cosmetically enhanced surface, Hyperion is a city of inequality, decay, technological domination and social unrest, standing in stark contrast to the harmony Neoterra strives for.
Neoterra stands in stark contrast to Hyperion.
Neoterra is a network of ecocities, or districts where the intelligence of the Earth is revered, researched, and harnessed in synthesis with technology for the betterment of all life. Within the confines of Neoterra, architecture seamlessly integrates with Nature: buildings are constructed from renewable materials, with vertical gardens, living walls, and bioluminescent lighting. Cutting-edge technologies purify air and water, enhance food production, and heal the environmental damage left behind by Gaia’s Great Reckoning and NexTech's expansionist agenda. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro power Neoterra’s web of interconnected districts.
Neoteric culture thrives on communal living, shared resources, and collaborative blockchain-based governance, with decisions made locally to honor community needs. At its core is Eartherium, a uniquely Neoterric cryptocurrency designed to enable transparent transactions and sustain a regenerative economy. Though highly advanced in science and technology, the lives of Neoterra’s citizens are deeply spiritual, centered on their sacred relationship with the Earth—revered as Gaia. Anchoring this culture is Gaia’s Order, an ancient and enigmatic spiritual order established at Neoterra’s inception. The Order views Gaia as an intelligent, conscious being whose wisdom and agency guide every aspect of their growing civilization.
The Wisdom Keepers of Gaia’s Order sustain a deep connection to Gaia through the cultivation and use of sacred plant and fungi, revered by Neoterra for their medicinal, spiritual, and ecological significance. These organisms, regarded as ancient spiritual teachers and allies, are carefully nurtured in the Gaia’s Garden, a sacred space at the heart of Neoterra where spirituality and science converge through ritual and research. Perceived with reverence by the citizens of Neoterra, the Wisdom Keepers dedicate themselves to preserving the delicate balance of life on Earth.
The harmony of Neoterra faces growing challenges, however.
Beyond its interconnected ecocities stretch the Wastelands, where anarchic scavengers known as Dustborns sustain themselves by repurposing remnants of the past, crafting homes, tools, weapons, and technologies from abandoned industrial ruins. While they value their independence and often disagree with Neoterra's ways, the Dustborns maintain generally friendly relations with Neoterra, united by a common enemy: Hyperion. Amid the seeming disorder, the Wastelands foster remarkable ingenuity, resilience, and a surprising sense of community—standing in stark contrast to Hyperion's hyper-controlled and morally corrupt world, and Neoterra’s harmonious civilization and spiritually-rooted culture.
NexTech's relentless expansion threatens both Neoterra and the Wastelands.
With rapid technological advances—particularly the Argus AI system—NexTech seeks to colonize the planet and monopolize virtual reality. Hyperion's mixed reality system, initially a playground for the elite, has devolved into a dark underworld of crime and exploitation, where NexTech maintains a firm grip on the masses, keeping them disconnected from the grim realities of their decaying metropolis.
Beneath the glittering facade, Hyperion’s pursuit of genetic perfection through eugenics hides brutal concentration camps, where those who suffer the negative consequences of their genetic experimentation are discarded, mistreated, exploited and forgotten. Viktor Arkon, NexTech’s charismatic and transhumanist CEO, and Hyperion’s self-selected “president,” aims not only to take control of Neoterra and the Wastelands but to colonize other planets and achieve immortality, dismissing the teachings of Gaia’s Order as relics of a primitive past.
Contribute to Neoterra
Psygaia’s solarpunk universe is more than a story—it’s a collaborative journey where our community shapes the narrative. As we collaboratively craft the vision of Neoterra, we invite you to take part in this first step: deciding its subtitle.
Should it be "An Awakening Planet", reflecting a spiritual and ecological reawakening, or "A Renewed Planet", symbolizing humanity’s regenerative efforts after Gaia’s Great Reckoning? Your vote will leave its mark on Neoterra’s identity.
If you would like to contribute visual art or words, please DM me or contact me via lou@psygaia.org. Thank you!
At the heart of this unfolding drama is Leyla Hart, a spirited teenager from Neoterra’s first and most central district—Gaian’s Reach. Leyla just begun her journey as an apprentice Wisdom Keeper, dedicating her life to the sacred teachings of Gaia’s Order. Within the Garden Temple, she delves into the ancient practices of connecting with Gaian intelligence, learning to navigate the intricate balance between Nature’s physical and spiritual realms. Her training reveals not only the ecological and spiritual knowledge passed down by her ancestors but also the power and responsibility she must wield to maintain harmony in an increasingly fractured and violent world.
As NexTech tightens its grip on both the virtual and physical realms, Leyla finds herself thrust into a conflict far greater than she ever imagined. Viktor Arkon’s expanding power threatens to consume not only Neoterra but also the anarchist societies of the Wastelands, drawing Leyla into alliances she never expected. Traversing the chaotic landscapes of the Wastelands, she discovers a resourceful and resilient community, bound by their shared defiance of Hyperion’s tyranny. Along the way, Leyla must grapple with the seductive allure of NexTech’s promises, including their cutting-edge technology capable of reviving the consciousness of the dead—a temptation that challenges her loyalty to the teachings of the Gaian Order.
As Gaia’s whispers grow louder, Leyla begins to uncover deeper mysteries hidden within the Earth and her own lineage, awakening abilities that mark her as more than just a Keeper-in-training. With every step, she edges closer to a destiny that will require her to bridge the divide between Neoterra, the Wastelands, and Hyperion.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed, please tap that heart button and comment so that I know. We also invite you to share this story with friends to help us bring awareness to our psychedelic research and education at Psygaia.
Happy winter solstice!