At the remote TA-3 Arctic research site near Norðvik, a team drilling deep into ancient permafrost uncovers unusually well-preserved organic material and a hidden geothermal pocket. A minor, unnoticed breach during sample handling allows exposure to an ancient virus released from the thawing ground. As a severe storm isolates the base and systems begin to fail, the team evacuates—unaware the infection has already taken hold. In the days that follow, early cases appear, but the true source is not recognised in time, planting the seed for what will become The Great Collapse.
Read the episodes here:
Episode 4.1: Well Preserved
Episode 4.2: Ancient Biomass
Episode 4.3: The Storm
A new episode of this seven-part short story will be posted every Friday.
Characters
🧊 Thermal Array-3 Power Research Site
(8 Personnel)
🐾 Command
- General Marvin Huxley — Site Lead / Command
(Hunde — French Bulldog)
🧬 Science Team
- James Earl Jarvis — Lead Scientist
(Human)
- Dr. Elena Varga — Thermal Systems Engineer
(Human)
- Lucas Kovács — Scientist Support / Lab Technician
(Human)
🛠️ Engineering Team
- Markus Weber — Lead Drilling Engineer
(Hunde — German Shepherd)
- Matthias Reinhardt — Drilling Engineer / Support
(Hunde — St Bernard)
🧑💻 Systems & Operations
- Eugene Park — Communications / Data Analyst
(Human)
- Rebecca Collins — Site Operations / Logistics
(Hunde — Border Collie)
🛷 Arctic Division — Sled Team
(3 Personnel)
- General Jake “Ice-pick” Husky — Arctic Division Commander / Sled Lead
(Hunde — Husky)
- Erik “Snow-Hook” Halvorsen — Sled Leader / Field Lead
(Hunde — Husky)
- Sanna “Pulse-Check” Korhonen — Sled Leader / Medical
(Hunde — Husky)
Screw Pile Developments 
We have a new short story in the works a prequel to The Great Collapse. In this short story we will meet Sebastion Jarvis’ father, James Jarvis, the lead scientist for the Thermal Array-3 Power Research Project.
On a remote high-Arctic research site known as TA-3, an international team led by General Huxley and scientist James Jarvis begins testing a new geothermal energy system beneath deep permafrost. The project is successful—but the unexpected heat output melts surrounding frozen layers, exposing ancient, well-preserved organic material. Early anomalies are subtle and dismissed as environmental contamination. Then a severe Arctic storm isolates the site, pushing systems and personnel to their limits. As conditions deteriorate, a one-shot emergency evacuation is ordered. Jake “Ice-pick” Husky and his sled team arrive to extract the eight-person crew under extreme conditions. With no capacity for a second run, difficult decisions are made. Some research material is taken. Decontamination is incomplete. The team survives. The mission appears successful. Unnoticed, something small leaves the site with them—seeding a chain of events that will, years later, lead to the Great Collapse.
This premise is insane. One small mistake, incomplete decontamination, and boom—the Great Collapse. So tense already.
The story is almost ready!