First off, I apologize for this lengthy post. But in order to give you a clear understanding of everything, I think this is necessary.
So I've been creating a world which has suffered through an apocalypse roughly 200 years ago, seen from the point where the story is supposed to start. However, I am worried the progression of events as I have created it may not make sense.
Before, the civilization on that planet was technologically very advanced. In fact, roughly 70% of them had some sort of body-augmentation, basically making them cyborgs. These augmentations could range from an arm or leg, to almost their entire body. Most people lived in skyscrapers in big cities. Economy and production depended on machinery, most of which was entirely automated. All record-keeping had been moved to digital media as well, making paper unnecessary.
Then came the apocalypse, which is basically the thing introducing a fantasy aspect into the story. It didn't happen entirely without warning. Over the course of a year, people started to notice that the animals all throughout the world started to become more aggressive over time. This change happened a lot slower in domestic animals than in wild animals though. Also, some of the wild animals, whose breeding wasn't watched over by the people, started to change over the course of several generations. It was not rapid, yet faster than normal evolution should be. Scientists researched the matter, but while it was unsettling, their level of technology and advanced weaponry allowed the people to continue living in safety and comfort. Therefore, most of the common populace didn't pay much mind to it.
Until the big event happened. One day, all technology stops functioning. Not only that which relies on electricity, but it seems all man-made technology above medieval level stops working for reasons unknown. This obviously also includes the crumbling of the whole economy, money system and all records of knowledge. Also, body-augmentations cease working as well. A lot of people die immediately, due to vital parts of their bodies stopping to function. The rest are left in a world where all economy, all chance of remote conversations, and all knowledge they were able to access is gone. Also, they lost that which kept them safe from the animals, which have grown more aggressive.
During the time which passes after that, people don't have problems regarding food for quite a while, as there are still many warehouses stocked and a lot less people to feed than there were before. However, most of them know nothing of basic craftsmanship, agriculture, or other basic concepts of everyday life. Most don't even know how to cook properly. Adding to that is the new danger from the outside.
Over the next 100 years, people learned to adapt. New generations were born, which knew only this world. Knowledge and culture was slowly thriving, as it had taken them a lot of time to relearn what their early predecessors, who didn't have technology, once knew. In the meantime, their surroundings changed as well. The animals were not the only things changing rapidly. Their change had not ended with that event, they continued to change shape and get other traits with each generation that passed. However, the other thing changing were the plants. Mostly the forests. Area was reclaimed by plantlife a lot faster than should be possible. Also, it seemed that the adaptations of the animals were mostly for them to adapt to the newly growing forests.
Going forward until 200 years after said apocalypse. People have reestablished life in small towns, some of them built in old ruins, but most of them built entirely anew. Mostly, their technology-level is at that of medieval times, since any progress beyond that is still hindered by whatever makes everything else cease functioning. Around the towns are areas where there are fields, surrounded by plains of either cut-down or burnt trees. Around these areas, dense forests cover most of the planet, aside from the oceans obviously. Most people never leave the town and the safe areas around it. Only those who go out to forage and hunt venture into the woods. And of course, those who search the old ruins. Because rarely, parts of old technology are still working, for reasons unknown. Most towns are further apart from one another, causing each to have it's own culture and in some, even religion. Travel or deliveries between towns are lengthy and dangerous.
That's basically the progression of events. To clarify a few things:
- The race living on the planet and the planet itself are similar enough to humans and earth that we can assume them to be humans on earth, for the simplicity of this question.
- The apocalyptic event and the changes in the surroundings are the fantasy aspect of the story. Therefore whether those make sense doesn't need to be discussed here.
- The state of the world where the story is supposed to take place (200 years after the apocalypse) is set and I would like to do as few changes to it as possible. The events leading up to that and the state of the world before the apocalypse can be changed though.
And now to my actual question:
- Does the progression of events make sense? As in, would this race develop as it did or would they reach another state at the end of these 200 years?
- If they would reach another state at the end of these 200 years, how would I need to adjust the timeframe or the events to get things to fit?
Edit to clarify:
- The changes made by that apocalypse are still in effect. No technology (electric and non-electric) above medieval level functions, even if built correctly. Also the animals continue changing and becoming more agressive over the time after the apocalypse.
- Even though for the simplicity of this question I asked we see this as humans on earth as base principle. It's not today's humans on today's earth.
- As stated, before the apocalyps almost all knowledge was changed to digital media, with libraries being only kept here and there as remnants of the past.