Golden Phantom Series

Golden Phantom Series poster

The **Golden Phantom Series** is the main mission series of the Golden Phantom universe that follows the adventures of the Space Time Continuum Task Force (STCTF). The series encapsulates several other timelines into the main lore including Ghost Stories, Flightless Crows Rebellion, and the Sanctuary, among others. The story follows the STCTF, an interdimensional task force contracted by The Orb to locate and stop The World Builder from destroying The Multiverse. As The World Builder injects massive amounts of energy into various timelines causing them to transform and collapse irregularly, the STCTF attempts to locate the final sanctuary belonging to The World Builder to put a stop to him.

## Full Timeline of Events

Due to the time-travel based mechanics of the story, the full timeline of events will follow the chronological order as experienced by players of the STCTF and related casts.

### Introduction

A new space age was dawning on the earth, with many global superpowers investing heavily into the creation of their space military branches. One of the major contenders in this new space-race was the United States of America, who planned to establish the United States Space Force in a remote area of the world where military rocket launches would not affect civilians living in the immediate vicinity. Kazakhstan was selected as the most appropriate location due to its past history being used for rocket launches by Soviets, and due to its remoteness from any human population.

As geopolitical discussions between countries waged at the United Nations, a more secretive operation was developing on the ground. Several large nations deployed military forces into the region to assess optimal areas for their space force operations, and to maintain some military influence on opposing nations. As tensions grew at the high table with regards to which nation possessed military rights on Kazakhstan's sovereign territory, so did tensions on the ground between military opponents.

### Ground Zero

(Read more: Ground Zero Mission)

On July 1st, 2020 a US Special Recon Team (SRT) is deployed to north-western Kazakhstan following the crash landing of an unidentified flying object in a remote field. The nature of the crash was peculiar due to the immense stable energy radiation emitted from the crater. The crash site immediately became an object of interest for several global superpowers operating in the area including Russia, China, and the USA.

The SRT abandoned their previous objective and relocated to the crash site to investigate the crater. Upon arriving at the crash region, the team discovered the presence of other military special forces including British SAS (all K.I.A.), Russian Spetsnaz, and Chinese Special Forces. Despite no nation having formal clearance to operate in the area, the forces had still set up temporary camps and outposts awaiting confirmation from their political leaders for clearance to investigate.

In a sudden provocation, the three groups engaged in combat attempting to gain the upper hand in the region. Gunfire erupted which led to a lengthy tactical operation to clear enemy troops from the area. As night fell the SRT was on its last leg of combat, having sustained casualties and taken refuge inside the massive crater of the crash site. While their enemies were distracted fighting one another, the team investigated the center of the crater. Through the darkness, they discovered something odd—a massive stone gate with glowing yellow orbs within its archway.

Stunned and confused by their shocking discovery, the team attempt to retreat from the crater as darkness, rain, and fog overpower their ability to see. In a flash of red, their whole area illuminates and the team hear the voice of The Orb, a sentient omnipotent being who claims to control the flow of time. The surreal (and dire) situation compels the team to listen to what The Orb has to say. It explains that there is more to their world than what they understand and that it needs their help. The Orb asks directly *"Do you wish to see it? The future, the past, the multiverse?".* In a daze of confusion and distraught, the team agrees to help this mystical being and are promptly whisked away in a flash of lightning.

### Prologue/Olev's Arms Yard

(Read more: Prologue Mission)

Having been inducted into The Orb's Space Time Continuum Task Force, the operators requested if it was possible to induct their fallen members of their recon team due to the temporal powers of The Orb. The Orb accepted this request, and so the team was warped to the day before the events of Ground Zero to induct their comrades who had fallen during the future operation into the STCTF.

Olev, a Russian backed arms dealer in Kazakhstan, had been tracked by the SRT and was almost captured before the priority command came in to investigate the crash site. The STCTF operators warped back to their assault on Olev's compound (on June 30th, 2020) and convinced their fellow teammates that they were going to die in less than 12 hours, and that they needed help in their interdimensional task force. After some persuasion, the remainder of the team agrees, and the whole task force was completed.

While engaging the arms yard for a second time, the STCTF operators discover a strange ancient shrine in the middle of this desert complex. Appearing out of place, the team investigate it and discover it is a strange anomaly left by The World Builder with a clue to where another shrine is located.

### Forgotten Past

(Read more: Forgotten Past Mission)

Upon determining the next location on the timeline, the STCTF requested from The Orb to go to an alternate timeline where they believe the next clues were to be. This alternate location was deemed to be Inyoni (December 22nd, 2022), a southern African country that was split due to a control war put forth by US and Russian forces. In order to warp the team to an alternate universe, The Orb opened a Time Gate which is used as a vessel to transport entities between non-native timelines for short periods of time. In order to warp safely without experiencing the adverse effects of Temporal Paralysis (a condition where non-natives to a timeline experience fatal illness) the team also wears Space Warp Suits designed to protect them whilst operating in alternate timelines.

Splitting off into two groups, the STCTF operators move towards the expected locations of the ancient shrine in Kwanele and Mansoa, Inyoni. Upon getting closer to the coordinates, they notice a large military presence of US soldiers in the area. The soldiers had blocked the entire town off and erected a dome around the shrine. Despite being part of the US military in another timeline, the team proceed to engage any soldiers who are spooked and make their way to the dome while under heavy fire. As the operators approached the shrine, they hear a voice in their heads from The World Builder.

*"My temple stands upon a landmass of stone, green as far as the eye can see. You may wander for days without ever reaching my safehaven, and even if you do, my vanguard are on alert. No mortal has ever set foot within the bounds of my domain, and those who come close are admitted through the gates of hell without hesitance. 4d 61 6e 73 6f 61"*

The team takes the code and returns to the Time Gate as strange anomalies begin occurring all around them.

### Truth Plains

(Read more: Truth Plains Mission)

Decoding the clues left in Inyoni by The World Builder, the STCTF operators discover the next location they need to visit. The team warps to central Belgium, 1815 during the final months of the Napoleonic Wars. Upon arriving they discover that contradictory to history, the British are losing the war severely and the French have established an almost permanent foothold on this key region. Moving to an ill and damaged British camp, the team finds soldiers who at first are baffled by the strange modern gear the operators are wearing. The soldiers explain that the French had incurred some incredible firepower at the exact same time a strange plague has befallen the British soldiers. The team decide to locate their clue while also balancing the playing field by engaging French forces.

When engaging a large camp of French soldiers, the team notice that they are not carrying their standard musket style rifles, but rather modern AK-47s and other mag-fed weaponry! Due to the injection of energy into the timeline by The World Builder, otherworldly objects began raining into the world, including modern war weaponry. As the world around them begins to deteriorate, the team rush to the location of The World Builder's sanctuary key that they need in order to enter his ultimate realm. The French soldiers, however, have completely garrisoned the ancient structure which results in a firefight to reach the top of the ruins. Touching the obelisk at the top of the tower caused a voice to be heard in the operator's head:

*"...Now that you've found the key to my hidden 'paradise', all that's left is for you to find the door and open it, I daresay. I hope your guts run out before you reach that point, for if you enter my realm—my SANCTUARY—your very souls may be erased from all existence. You've been warned."*

Taking their next clue, the team retreats to the Time Warp as this timeline begins to collapse as well. In great flashes of light, strange anomalies begin occurring. From the sky, modern tanks and planes begin flying around and fighting. Out of nowhere, large platoons of soldiers fully equipped with M4s and AKs begin fighting and the team is caught in the crossfire. Fighting their way back to the Time Gate, the team leave from the corrupted timeline just as it falls apart, yet again.

### Carpe Noctem

(Read more: Carpe Noctem Mission)

Finally locating the entrance to The World Builder's sanctuary called The Cogworks, the team warp to Åkersvika, Norway (April 22nd 2042) where they have deemed the portal gate to be. The wetlands are now flooded ruins of old towns, recently being searched through by Russian soldiers due to the presence of the rare non-earth material of Epochium. The high presence of this element only occurs in areas of high temporal energy caused by either The World Builder or The Orb. As such, the team determines that they must be close to his gate.

Moving through the swamps towards the suspected location of the gate, the team locates a blinded and injured Russian soldier who they decide to speak with using their Space Warp Suit's translate functionality. The man claims that a strange beast with the head of a deer skull attacked and slaughtered his whole squad and blinded him when he looked in its eyes. While recounting his memories, the man succumbs to his injuries. The team now become aware of The World Builder's personal soldiers, the Minutemen. These man-like beings have burned skin covered with natural foliage, and wear a deer skull with glowing red eyes. They equip both high caliber weapons as well as no weapons at all and are extremely difficult to kill with conventional firearms.

As the team traverses the marshes and avoids contact as best as possible with the Minutemen (who appear more often in continuity zones) the group locate a massive sinkhole guarded by Russian forces who appear to be attempting a dive into the waters. After a short firefight, the operators look into the water and see a large glowing symbol with red floating particles around it. Minutemen appear around them but do not fire their weapons or act hostile at all, they only watch and wait. Seeing no other way out of the situation, the team jump into the water and are warped away to The World Builder's Cogworks, leaving without a trace.

Once they've warped, The Orb loses the track signal on the team who have now completely disappeared from the apparent multiverse, and they can no longer be aided by The Orb's powers.

### Ghost Stories

In between the events of Carpe Noctem and Cogworks, The Orb attempts to seek help from another group of people in the multiverse to track down and find the STCTF operators before it is too late. This leads to the creation of the Sub-Continuum Force and the events of the Ghost Stories Series.

### Cogworks

The Space Time Continuum Task Force take on The World Builder at his sanctuary called The Cogworks where they must complete the tasks of the Arena to defeat him. Following the events of the Ghost Stories Series, The Orb has finally located the STCTF Operators and joins the final battle to stop the destruction of The Multiverse.