Kuivuse

Kuivuse is a fictional environmental phenomenon used in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing settings to describe an extreme, persistent state of dryness that alters landscapes, weather patterns, and human systems.

The term is inspired by the Estonian word kuivus meaning dryness, and is used as a proper name within these narratives to convey a sense of aridity beyond ordinary droughts.

In such settings, kuivuse may be caused by a combination of atmospheric shifts, depleted aquifers, and feedback loops in desertification. It is characterized by rapid degradation of soil structure, increased dust storms, and water scarcity that affects agriculture, energy production, and urban planning. Technologies may evolve to harvest moisture from the air or reuse condensate; societies adjust to longer supply chains and decentralized water management.

Kuivuse is often used as a plot device to explore resilience, governance, and ecological ethics. It appears in novels, games, and film settings to examine how communities respond to resource stress and environmental uncertainty.

See also drought, desertification, climate fiction, and resource management.