The Great Disaster

During one summer morning disaster suddenly struck. Some overwhelming force caused the land to change as if by the whim of the gods. Many believed that this was the punishment the Gods sent upon the mortals, and many believed it was the end of the world. Every bit of land could one moment be overgrown, and the next have rotted away. This made it very difficult for the different races to find ways to survive, as food was scarce for not just for them but also for the beasts that roamed the land. Starvation and the drastic changes in the environment caused a lot of beasts and animals to mutate, creating the majority of the monsters and abominations one can see today.
Every different race and species had their own way to attempt to survive this disaster. Some were more successful than others.