On a plot of the book series, July 6, 2013 [5] started the third world war, during which due to the large-scale use of weapons of mass destruction (notably nuclear and biological) lost a large part of humanity. Even twenty years after a nuclear war on the surface for the most part there is a high level of radiation, do not allow the person to stay there without protection. The surface is densely populated with all sorts of mutants, mutated forms of normal due to the use of biological weapons. Most of the mutants aggressively adjusted in relation to the person.

The war led to large-scale changes in climate and terrain of the planet: in Western Europe began a new ice age, the Sahara has become a jungle, Venetian lagoon dried up, and the Crimean peninsula separated from the mainland by the Strait of Don. Also, perhaps, he sank the Japanese archipelago.

Survivors took refuge in the shelters underground (subway systems and silos), as well as in areas with low levels of radioactivity, after rallying in the community by geographical or ideological grounds. The number of survivors in 2033 on the order of several hundred million. Community or survivors isolated from each other, or have contact only with its immediate neighbors. Between some communities across the surface ply-caravan traders as part of a well-armed motorized caravan. As universal currency usually used cartridges.