Settlers III begins when three gods: Jupiter (leader of the Roman Pantheon), Horus (the falcon-headed Egyptian sun god) and Ch'ih-Yu (the legendary Chinese dragon). A messenger arrives with a message from the god's god telling them they must find a worthy leader to make a new people and wage them against each other - the winner escapes eternal punishment, in this case, repainting the entire universe white. You will assume the role of the leader trying to prove they are talented enough to impress their god by conquering other civilizations and capturing as many territories as you can.