After reading the prologue for your race, the first phase of play will begin. Players must determine between themselves who will go in what order. Alphabetical by real names or screen names is reasonable if no clear decision can be made.
Before anyone begins play however, two cards must be drawn. On the sidebar, Society and Sickle buttons should be pressed by the first player and the Sickle should be recorded.
The Wild is ignored in this round as it will always be true that prior to this point there was a rapid period of unpredictable environmental changes leading to a forced need for greater intelligence to survive.
Structure is ignored as there will not be much if any sort of building at this stage.
The Society card will decide the initial nature of how your society intermingles.
The Sickle card will indicate the very first innovation that is shaking up your society and driving it to suddenly grow more dominant over other beings on the planet.
Once the cards have been established, the first player may now begin.