History of the Galaxy

## Introduction

/The Cataclysm/m began in the year previously known as 2020CE. It was a war of unprecedented destruction that ravaged the civilizations, landscapes, and resources of /Terra Veteris/j - then known as the Earth. It divided history in two - no longer was there a Common Era (CE), there was only Before the Cataclysm (BC) and After the Cataclysm (AC). The ecological collapse of Terra Veteris forced much of humanity to build new civilizations, /colonizing other solar systems/j (The Great Exodus). Soon human-kind split into factions scattered across space and time. Still there remained a legend that some /"Old Terrans"/m still remained on the Earth, The Remnant, doomed to fight against the mutated hordes of their home-world for perpetuity.

The /"New Terrans"/j explored the cosmos. Just as a naked and claw-less humanity had once clothed itself with skins and sharpened flint to blades, now each exploration required a new feat of human adaptation. For three-hundred years, humanity's will to survive this Great Exodus drove a revolution in technological ingenuity. But this technology came at a cost - soon enough, fueling this /technological Golden-Age/m became an exercise of plunder, subjugating new civilizations to ensure progress. To the /Massakarians/j, humanity became a /slave-master/m (the Terran slave trade). To the \*placeholder name\* they became a defiler. To the \*placeholder name\* they became a scourge. Humanity prospered regardless.

In this time a new home-world, /Terranova/j, was founded. This new axis of human civilization was built upon the ruins of another, long since extinct civilization - /The Psionari/m. The legend of the Psionari and the widespread reverence of their /relics/j made the establishment of Terranova a stench to many followers of /The Light/m. For others, it symbolized the completion of a prophecy in which humanity was a saviour. But for many more, it was another brazen act of human arrogance.

For all their single-mindedness, the Terranovans were not blind to the benefits of diplomacy. Over time, through the more subtle means of convenient alliances, trade, and guile they began to establish their power and influence across a network of well-populated star systems. But for some civilizations the spell of human benevolence was easily broken. In \*place date here\*AC the Massakarians led an uprising against human colonization. /The Massakarian Uprising/j sent ripples across the civilized star-systems, causing rebellion after rebellion - some were swiftly crushed, some became costly with no decisive victor. During this time the /Terranovan Senate/m began to disintegrate. Populism swept the masses and the vanity of Terranovan military leaders began to threaten the foundations of human democracy. Amid this political turmoil the Senate was split - some still followed the dream of a /"True Republic"/j, some favoured military rule, but some favoured /\*place civilian name of the Emperor here\*/m.

The Senate was in deadlock until the Massakarians took /Galatia-452/j. Seeing the slaughter of Terranovan citizens and how ineffective the Senate had been in taking decisive action, /riots/m erupted throughout Terranova. Capitalizing on this chaos and the tide of populism, \*place civilian name of the Emperor here\* consolidated his power. He formed an alliance with the military and on /one single night/m a Massakarian assassin successfully despatched his great rival, \*placeholder name\*, /the last great hero of the Republic/j. After declaring a week of mourning the state funeral came. \*Place civilian name of the Emperor here\* used his speech to declare his intentions - to decisively crush the Massakarian uprising. After seeing their hero apparently assassinated by the Massakarians and hearing such a moving speech by his apparent successor, the Senate was unanimous. \*Place civilian name of the Emperor here\* was declared Primate of the Terra Novan Republic.

In 415AC, after grinding the Massakarians into submission, \*place civilian name of the Emperor here\* declared the /Pax Terranova/m. Some whispered that this submission was brought about /by genocide/j - by now no one had the power or means to stand against \*place civilian name of the Emperor here\*. During the Pax Terranova, \*place civilian name of the Emperor here\* reinstated the Senate with a sham of a Republic. He chose by hand each Senator and many mysteriously disappeared if they lost his favour in one way or another. Soon after the reinstatement of the Senate \*place civilian name of the Emperor here\* made a very public display of stepping down from his office and chose a new title for himself - the Warden of Unity. To almost all the war-tired citizens of Terra Nova this was the ultimate act of benevolence, sealing his position as the greatest leader in living memory - but a few saw through this act of political theatre. They knew that he still held the Senate in the palm of his hand. Indeed, many citizens across the galaxy had their own name for him - The Emperor. Through his puppet of Terra Novan democracy, The Warden of Unity continued his rule.

On the outer reaches of galaxy unrest rumbles on. The Massakarians have not forgotten their subjugation. The \*placeholder name\* still long for /Psionari's prophecy/j to come to fruition. The \*placeholder name\* still sing in the Temple of Light, and the /Gentlemen of Fortune/j continue to evade Terra Novan justice. No one on Terra Nova has seen the Warden of Unity for many, many years - he has not stepped out of his high tower to address the Senate for a hundred years - the loyalty of his adherents has not dimmed. Some say he is dead. Some say he is dying. Some say he has evolved.

But in truth, The Warden of Unity has that his gaze fixed on a new form of power. He seeks out the relics. He longs to know the secrets of the Psionari.

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