Until Now: part one
We come from another place. This nearly lifeless universe
that humanity believes is its own is not. Humanity comes from a rich universe
that teems with life giving worlds. Humanity, and Earth, instead now exists in
a barren, inhospitable galaxy with habitable worlds few and far between. We
have forgotten our distant past and our great legacy. We carry on, unaware that
it is we that are lost, and the time will come when we are found.
More than ten thousand years ago, Adamar, which we now call
Earth, shared the solar system with a dozen other habitable worlds. Orbiting a
vibrant star called Soulis, these were living counterparts to the barren worlds
we know today. Adamar itself was a lush green and blue world, and on this world
humanity grew and spread to each corner. With easy colonization a sure reward,
humanity eventually crossed the airless gulf to these worlds and settled them,
allowing unique cultures to grow and develop. Called the Nine Worlds, the first
and oldest colonies of humanity became distinct and separate identities.
The Nine
were:
- Izura, the balmy paradise world second to Soulis
- Selen, the small forest world that shares its orbit with Adamar
- Ashur, the sandy world of great deserts
- Kai, the small and windswept world
- The worlds of giant Asar: ancient Tython, Medan, Kallis, and Nethis
Other worlds only sparely habitable were Metis, closest to Soulis and a world locked in day and night, and Heras, a cold distant world orbiting the ringed giant Isys.
Adamar was still remained to center of human civilization. The
antediluvian civilization of this ancient earth eventually consolidated into
the arrogant and powerful Sulari Empire with the Island state of Durinsular as
not only the political but also religious focus point. The Sulari sought to
spread humanity to every world that could contain them. Arks of human colonists
were launched towards distant stars in the hope that eventually whole new star
systems would harbor humanity. It was considered by mean to be a golden age.
Even gold can lose its luster. Durinsular, although built
upon what would be termed science, had its darker mystic side. A sect of arcane
researchers and priests called the Nekralich sought to open doorways through
the universe. Publicly they claimed to want to open new methods of travel and
colonization but others whispered of dark pacts and beings beyond. Many
mistrusted the Nekralich, and other arcane societies such as the Savoth and the
Medikronica publicly denounced them. The Nekralich had a reputation for disregarding
moral constraints in their pursuits. Despite the opposition, the Nekralich
continued to experiment with the very fabric of reality. In the weeks leading
up to The Sundering, people wondered at the strange colors in the sky. Power
outages were common, plunging massive city blocks into darkness. Reports were
common of strange creatures roaming the shadows. Finally, as if in culmination,
a massive tremor spread from the center of the Island. Building collapsed and
power failed totally. The sky shifted and the air seemed to burn. Millions died
within a few hours. Only a few accounts survived of those chaotic days. They
told of a struggle to find food in a ruined landscape and of the struggle
against each other. It was centuries before any sense of civilization returned
to the island.
From space, it was as if the planet suddenly ignited and
what remained was a nearly barren and lifeless world. What was once teeming
with life was gone, replaced with a much harsher landscape. Only Durinsular
remained in place, but the once great city lay in ruins and its people
scavenging and barley surviving. Without Adamar, the other worlds scrambled to
fill the vacuum. Wars broke out and the survivors of Adamar were largely left
to their own devices. It would be several thousand years before Durinsular was
in a position to again affect The Nine.
More to come.
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