The History of The Orpheus Universe
Date System: #Millenia Before Third Communion – (Duration of Era)
The first period of recognised civilisation, spanning all the way from the Neolithic era to the globalisation of Centarion.
Due to the constant conflict, this period was in schism – humanity’s default state of being according to the Communion.
8000 Years
The first true period of unity, marking the rise of the new world order – the Communion. This society was forged from the suffering of the old when division became too dire and unity became dear. The diplomats of the last free city, Xarinthia, played a mighty hand in bringing about the unification of the one hundred nations into one state. The fledgling Communion was thereafter protected by the Xarinthian Alliance, who later became known simply as the XA. Their city became the Capital of the world, and the world was renamed Centarion in honour of the old nations. Then as attention turned to the sky, the solar system became known as Centar.
4000 Years
As technology spiralled and new corporations formed, humanity naturally spilled into space. Suddenly, there were new worlds to explore, new resources to harvest, new lands to claim. Such a new frontier sparked a long lost instinct – greed and separation. Unity fell apart, and Centarion and the XA watched as humanity broke into unspeakable conflicts.
There were a number of planets in the Centar system along with hundreds of moons. Nearly each was contested by the new Interplanetary Nations. The Schism came to an end after the cataclysmic War of the Planets.
1000 Years
Humanity’s golden age. With the unification of Centar, all helped to restore Centarion to its rightful place as the seat of the Communion. Resources from all over the solar system were brought in for ambitious projects that would see the species reach new heights.
Work on existing skyscrapers saw them rise into the edge of space. They became known as skybreakers.
Work on a new surface which would eventually cover the entire planet started. This was called the Great Resurfacing.
Perhaps most importantly, construction began on the moon of Centar’don. This project was proposed by one of the oldest recorded megacorporations – the Titan Conglomerate. Work on the moon would stretch on for millennia, however, the nature of the work would eventually become highly secretive and controversial. This coincided with the rise of the Olympus Corporation, a former subsidiary of the Titans who bought themselves out and then rose to the top. It also coincided with the discovery of interspace – interstellar travel – and therefore the birth of the next schism. Although, shrouded from history, towards the end of this era there was a military conflict forming between the Communion and the Megacorporations; interspace played into the hands of the corporations who used it to derail society, ultimately destroying the Communion.
4000 Years
The beginning of this period was marked by the bloody war between the rising Olympus Corporation and the collapsing Titan Conglomerate. After a period of ten-years of competing over the market-share, things turned violent, and many of the Titans were killed by the three Olympian brothers. The surviving AI consciousnesses of the Titans were then imprisoned in huge Tartarus Engines.
It was the Olympian and Titan quest for true immortality that led to the explosive discovery of interspace – a new science that would finally allow humanity to explore the galaxy. Under the strict rule of the now immortal Olympians, humanity massively expanded – with corporations being given Imperial Charters to colonise new star systems. On many occasions did neighbouring colonies quarrel and fight for control over star systems, meaning that this was a relatively dangerous time to be alive, with near constant conflict even. Over time, when successful colonies had shown their potential, the Olympians would swoop in, wiping out the Corporate Leaders and recentralising the colony under their Empire’s rule from Centar.
Whilst corporations were responsible for the civilian expansion, the Olympians set themselves towards grander pursuits – namely crippling any alien races that they encountered, so that no one would be able to threaten their galactic rule. Harpies, Nymphs, Sirens, Cyclops, amongst others – very few escaped unscathed. (During the Third Communion, it was falsely believed that the Raptids were the only other alien race. Little did people realise that the Raptids were the genetically damaged descendants of the Harpies, and but one of many victims of the Olympian conquest).
Over thousands of years’ rule, the Olympians gradually designed more and more systems to ease the burden of their rule. They became seldom seen, but when they were, things of cosmic significance were usually at play. However, for those who lived under the Empire of Olympus, oppression was rife and control was often enforced by mysterious, robotic entities, now known as souldroids.
Eventually, numerous colony worlds banded together, forming a rebellion on the metal moon of Centar’Don. For unknown reasons, the Olympians refused to destroy the moon, and it became a safe-haven where the fires of rebellion grew until the new “Third Communion” consumed and killed almost all of the Olympians. Hades was the only one left, surviving a face off with the whole galaxy. Upon his retreat, he left a wake so large that it altered the orbit of the very planets in the solar system, and he birthed a new empire for the sole purpose of ensuring his enemies would never find him. For thousands of years, the “God of Death” was the Olympian’s only link to the living, and he nurtured their souls in supreme engines, finally realising their path to immortality. From these engines, the Olympians could inhabit synthetic “Divinity Droids” which allowed them to continue living a semblance of the lives they once had.
14,000 years later, during the Third Communion, any knowledge of the Empire of Olympus have faded. During the Second Great Reset, the government was able to successfully white wash any trace of the Olympians and their Alien Crusades from the history books, replacing it all with their idealised version of events. It is unclear whether the current Communion Secret Service understands the true history, and whether they are aware of the very real threat that the Olympians still pose. It is only a matter of time before they come to reclaim their throne!
6000 Years
14000 Years
They are back!