Cosmic Forge

"When the universe was young. The first rose from the primeval ooze. The First made machines and built a civilization while today's stars were still being born. Being The First, they were the wisest and most learned of all. They broke the chains of gravity and the bonds of realspace. On golden chariots they explored the nascent galaxy. In their laboratories. they learned to breed stars."

"They wanted too much, the First did. A thousand worlds conquered, stars enclosed in crystal spheres.... gateways to infinile realities, they had all this and more. The First thirsted for the innermost secrets of the universe and they searched for them with all their energy. On the farthest corner of reality, where realspace and otherspace meet they built a Forge. A cauldron where a million galaxies could be born. The Cosmic Forge was no mere tool, for no mindless artifact could contain its power. The minds and souls of a thousand thousands of the wisest among the First were placed within the Cosmic Forge. When its fire burned, it could be seen instantly across the entire galaxy, unbound by distance and time. And The First rejoiced, for they thought they had mastered the arts of creation."

"The Cosmic Forge tried to use its powers to help. Its energies coursed through the stars, healing the sick, empowering the genes of The First, giving Its creators the gift of eternal life. The First became as gods and basked in the light of the Forge. But every light casts a shadow. There were those among the First who seethed with jealousy and anger. The Old Ones wished to be above the First, as the First were above all others. The Old Ones coveted the power of the Cosmic Forge. Its guardians were deceived and overpowered. The Old Ones seized the Forge for just a moment. With but a wish, they willed The First to be no more. A thousand worlds were cleansed of life in that instant, and the First were no more. The Cosmic Forge spewed forth flames that to this day swirl across the galaxies, sometimes touching the living and gifting or slaying them.

"The One's triumph lasted but a moment, for the Forge was self-aware and not an obedient slave. It broke free and sent the Old Ones into oblivion. But then, in horror, It saw what It had done, and hid Its Light in shame. And through an eternity, the Cosmic Forge remains hidden, touching only those few who are worthy of its power." *-From the Chronicles of the Cosmos*

The legends of every spacefaring civilization in the Phase World universe mention the Cosmic Forge. Obscure manuscripts like thc Chronicles of the Cosmos offer precious few facts. It is widely believed that the First were an ancient civilization that created some ultimately powerful artifact. Some think it was an artificially created space anomaly, something like the natural forming of black-holes, only a thousand times more potent. Others have speculated that it was a planet-sized computer with infinite wisdom and knowledge. Some suspect it was all those things and more, perhaps a "reality generator" where the wishes of the user would be granted and become reality! A few civilizations with a mystical outlook accept the words of the Chronicles literally. Sometimes, these disagreements flare into the galactic equivalent of religious wars.

The Cosmic Forge is used to explain anything that defies scientific and sorcerous explanations. Among other things, the influence of the Forge accounts for the existence of powerful "magic fields" and a system of ley lines that extends into space and crisscross the Three Galaxies. Magic is as powerful in the Three Galaxies as it is on Rifts Earth and Wormwood. Most civilizations, however, are ignorant of this fact, and have little or no skills in the use of magic, preferring to rely on technology and psionic powers.