Timeline

### **c. 13.7 billion to c. 1 billion BC: First Epoch**

**c. 13.7 billion BC:** Big Bang. Birth of the universe caused by the collision of two (mostly) empty 3-branes in **The Bulk**. Hypothetical **Alpha Civilization** arises.

**c. 3-2 billion BC:** Presumed flourishing of the **Kappa** **Khitai Civilization**, the oldest known interstellar civilization in the Milky Way. This civilization, which inhabited Titanian-type worlds, is known only from evidence of planetary type modification and transplanted lifeforms. There are no known spaceship or building ruins and no record from other alien civilizations on the appearance or behavior of this species. It is believed to have encompassed around 20 systems at its height.

**c. 1.45 billion BC:** Estimated time of the activities of the **Archivist** entities.

**c. 1.10 billion BC:** Earliest evidence of the **Jacks**, a technological and sentient gas-giant species that underwent several cycles of interstellar expansion followed by die-backs in the next several hundred million years.

### **c. 1 billion to 100 million BC: Second Epoch**

**c. 788 million BC:** Second flourishing of the **Jacks**.

**c. 780 million BC:** Earliest evidence of the **Halogenic Civilization**. At its height this civilization encompassed around 25,000 systems, though these were sparsely spread throughout their volume: The Halogenics only seemed interested in worlds that could host chlorine-based life. Presumably the Halogenics themselves were chlorine-based or at least their civilization included some species who were. Believed to be extinct or sublimed.

**c. 560 million BC:** Flourishing of the **Thiogen** **civilization**, a sulphur-based civilization that inhabited around 150 systems at its height.

**c. 500 million BC:** Construction of **Oceania Ultima** (Note: This time is a very rough estimate.) Its builders are unknown, and though the wormhole network that leads to it is intact and functioning, none of the other worlds on the network show signs of past intelligent habitation.

**c. 400 million BC:** Appearance of the **Omicron Hygeras Object**, at least according to the best available translation of the warning beacon left beside the object by another civilization, believed to be one of the waves of **Jacks**. According to the beacon, this object is trans-dimensional and was associated with several mass extinctions when it appeared. However, it has been apparently dormant throughout all of recorded history.

**c. 380 million - 330 million BC:** Time of the **Tkzeph Empire**, the first true interstellar empire in the modern sense. At its height, it had a presence on an estimated 38% of systems in the galaxy.

**c. 330 million BC:** Fall of the **Tkzeph Empire** after its encounter with the **Hov's'sa**, an aquatic species apparently confined to one world, but likely with a transdimensional and/or sublimed patron, which eliminated or at least severely reduced\* the **Tkzeph** species after they attacked this world. The fall of the Tkzeph Empire is the earliest event attested to in the written records of multiple civilizations in the Milky Way. As such, 330 million BC is often seen as the beginning of galactic history.

(\*The **Black Acropolis I civilization**, if it existed, may have been a surviving offshoot of the Tkzeph.)

**c. 190 million BC:** Flourishing of the **Maker civilization**, an alliance of five species that encompassed 29 systems at its height and was eventually destroyed by a civil war arising from a dispute over how to fight a nanoswarm of its own creation. The Makers are the first interstellar civilization for which we have detailed historical information, largely from the time of its collapse.

The **Epsilon Sculptoris Object**, the first object indisputably the creation of a non-hominid alien civilization, is believed to be a Maker artifact.

**c. 180 million BC:** Rise of the **Muuh** civilization. It is from the Muuh that we know much of what little is known of the early galaxy. They are the oldest extant civilization in the physical Milky Way, having neither destroyed themselves, been destroyed by others, or sublimed in all of their long and remarkable history.

### **c. 100 million to c. 10 million BC: Third Epoch**

**c. 90 million BC:** Most recent known wave of **Jacks** civilization

**c. 50 million BC:** The **Muuh** discover C-class **wormhole technology**.

**c. 40 million BC:** Estimated origin of **Steelcliff**, the oldest known surviving geo-computer. The historical records of Steelcliff provide corroborating evidence for some (though not all) of the events recorded in the **Muuh** histories.

**c. 33-30 million BC:** Height of the **Tunneler civilization**. The Tunnelers are responsible two of the ancient C-class wormhole networks that have enabled the fast expansion of the Terran Sphere. Little is known about them, though their wormhole AI are still active. The AI will say nothing more than that the Tunnelers "abandoned their duty" and that the Terrans are not the first non-Tunnelers to use the network.

**c. 31 million BC:** Approximate time of the **War of the Lost**, between an alliance of the **Muuh** and three other spacefaring civilizations against an aggressive newcomer to their volume. The Muuh alliance was victorious.

**c. 28-23 million BC:** The **Soft Ones** are uplifted to sentience by the **Muuh**. The Soft Ones spread slowly using worldships, and even today occupy a relatively small volume of space, and claiming only worlds (usually ice moons) which they can naturally inhabit, never entire systems.

**c. 25 million BC:** Species known only as The Bad Idea uplifted by the **Muuh**. This species was somehow both sessile and very fast, proved aggressive and expansionistic, and eventually destroyed itself in a civil war. A few remnants of The Bad Idea may have escaped this war in engenerator ships, and may be responsible for some of the reports of aggressive plant-like raiders at the edge of the Terran Sphere.

**c. 16.0 - 14.8 million BC:** Flourishing of the **Black Acropolis II** civilization, named for their distinctive Dyson swarms. According to the **Muuh**, but no other sources, the original Black Acropolis civilization (known provisionally as Black Acropolis I) was an offshoot of the **Tzekph** which survived when the main Empire was obliterated by transdimensional forces.

Again, according to this account, Black Acropolis II emerged over 300 million years after Black Acropolis I, perhaps emerging from a Lazarus Module left behind by Black Acropolis I, but was itself destroyed after it earned the ire of *three other* transdimensional civilizations, known as the "Logics," the "Aesthetics" and the "Enigmas."

(There is archaeological and non-Muuh textual evidence for the existence of Black Acropolis II, but as for its origins and the forces responsible for their destruction, we have only the Muuh account. There have since been Black Acropolis III and IV civilizations, the fourth of which is extant and is even said to include some **Ultimate Humans**.)

**c. 14.8 million BC:** The **Muuh** lose a war against an unnamed civilization and for a time withdraw from interstellar politics. It is unknown if this war is connected with the nearly simultaneous destruction of Black Acropolis II.

**c. 13 million BC:** Estimated origin of the **Cybyota Terraforming Swarm**, which is still active and expanding. The originating civilization is believed to be far outside the current Terran Sphere.

### **c. 10 million to c. 1 million BC: Fourth Epoch**

**c. 8.3 million BC:** The **Soft Ones** are again contacted by the **Muuh**, the first known return of the Muuh to inter-species contact since 14.8 million BC.

**c. 7.9 million BC:** Spread of the **Iahi Daon** interstellar colonial worldships. This is considered to be an event in interstellar history, though it is not certain that any these ships successfully established colonies.

**c. 4.9 million BC:** Apparent time of the **War of the Directives**, between the **Muuh** and their allies and three civilizations which the Muuh claim had sublimed patrons. These may have been connected to the same three forces which eliminated Black Acropolis II. According to their own account, the Muuh lose this war and again withdraw from interstellar politics for a time.

**c. 4.7 million BC:** The **Soft Ones** achieve starfaring capability. They begin sub-relativistic colonizing of nearby star systems. Friendly contact with a number of other civilizations.

**c. 3.6 million BC:** Estimated time the **Auld Limner I civilization**, which left mysterious stone carvings on many worlds. The Auld Limners were known to use AI and advanced nanite technology, and may have been associated with some offshoots of the **Soft Ones**(specifically the Artisan Clade), though this is disputed.

**c. 1.2 million BC:** Emergence of the **Black Acropolis III** civilization.

### **c. 1 million to c. 100,000 BC: Fifth Epoch**

**c. 600,000 - c. 550,000 BC:** Apparent time of the flourishing of the **Massilia civilization**\*, known to the Droyne as the "Primordials." This civilization apparently underwent a chaotic mass transcension that was partially successful, but also left large segments of the population dead or insane.

According to Droyne legend, Masilian technology apparently included organic starships, cities located in pocket universes in order to keep their garden planets pristine, and a method of interstellar travel that somehow used V-class wormholes as a general transit method. Most find these tales less than credible, and nothing resembling the Massilia civilization appears in the Steelcliff Record, although Steelcliff and Masslia are on near-opposite sides of the Terran Sphere.

The **Temple Barge** and the **World Sibyls** may be remnants or offshoots of this civilization.

(\*"Massilia" is the name given to this civilization in the Terran Sphere, after the ruins which may be associated with them which were discovered on a planet of that name.)

**c. 470,000 - 290,000 BC:** Flourishing of the **Ancient Droyne civilization**

**c. 310,000 BC:** **Vargr** transported from Earth to **Lair** by the **Ancient Droyne civilization** and uplifted.

**c. 300,000 BC:**

Early humans (*Homo Heidelbergensis)* taken from **Earth** by the **Ancient Droyne civilization** and transported to a number of worlds and uplifted and genetically modified. The total number is unknown, but it is at least 90, with 49 surviving to the present day. Notable worlds with transplanted human populations include **Vland**, **Zhodane**, **Sylea**, **Five Sisters**, **Lemuria**, **Ilelish**, **Shiwonee**, and **Darrian**. This program established what is today known as the **Old Hominid Sphere**.

Elements of the Ancient Droyne civilization briefly visit **Mercury**, for reasons unknown.

**Rosette of Tireen** constructed by the Ancient Droyne civilization.

**c. 290,000 BC:** The Final War between **Grandfather** (leader of the **Ancient Droyne civilization**) and his rebellious children leads to the downfall of the Ancient Droyne Empire. Grandfather is known to have escaped into a branching universe through a portal in the system of **Braykossa**, but the portal has been sealed from the far end since that time.

**c. 290,000 - 10,000 BC: Years of the Long Silence** in the **Old Hominid Sphere**. Little space exploration or commerce between solar systems in this region, as automated defenses ("autowars") left behind by the disintegrated **Ancient Droyne civilization** suppress any large-scale incursions from other civilizations. There were a few brief visitations of Earth during this era, including by the Reticulans, but no large-scale interactions.

**c. 200,000 BC: Shrieker** **cilvilization** begins to emerge.

### **c. 100,000 to c. 10,000 BC: Sixth Epoch**

**c. 75,000 BC: Droyne Renaissance** on around 20 separate worlds, perhaps psionically coordinated.

**c. 64,000 BC:** The **Lemurians** discover V-axis wormhole technology.

**c. 50,000 BC:** Unknown species builds the **Pyramids of Yorbund.**

**c. 50,000 - c. 38,000 BC:** Estimated time of the **Auld Limner II civilization**

**c. 40,000 BC:** The **Lemurians** establish a colony on **Terra Astra**.

**c. 35,000 BC:** Earliest evidence of the **Shining Path** **civilization**, a potential offshoot of Black Acropolis III.

**c. 30,000 BC:**

Last of the **War Machines of Vland** powers down. General breakdown of the Droyne autodefences. Gradual migration of outside species into the Old Hominid Sphere begins, but it is very slow due to lingering concern over leftover Droyne autowars.

**c. 25,000 BC:** War between the **Lemurians** and the **Atlanteans** leaves **Terra Astra** largely depopulated.

**c. 10,000 BC:** First **Vilani** interstellar voyages. End of the Long Silence in the **Old Hominid Sphere**.

### **10,000 to 1000 BC: Seventh Epoch**

**9301 BC:** **Vilani** world-state established

**9235 BC:** **Vilani** discover C-class **wormhole technology**, major interstellar expansion begins.

**c. 5400 - 4,100 BC: Vilani Consolidation Wars** fought between the **Vilani** and various other nearby states which had begun to expand using Vilani-derived wormhole technology, which they had begun to use off-license. Often described as the bloodiest copyright dispute in galactic history.

**5273 BC: Ziru Siirka** (Grand Empire of the Stars, also known as the First Imperium) established by the first **Shadow Emperor**.

**c. 2900 BC:** First contact between the **Vilani** and the **K'Kree** , one of the first species to aggressively expand into the **Old Hominid Sphere**. Vilani expansion largely ends, perhaps as the result of K'Kree memetic subversion.

### **1001 to 2000 AD: Second Millennium**

**1947:** First known **Reticulan** visit to **Earth**.

**c. 1960:** Radio astronomers on **Earth** claim to detect evidence of alien civilizations, though this claim remains controversial for some time.

### **2001 to 3000 AD: Third Millennium**

**2041:** First synthetic life created on **Earth**.

**2042: Watson** achieves full sentience.

**2047:** A majority of households on **Earth** own virtual-reality devices.

**2057:** First permanent base (Artemis) established on **Luna**.

**c. 2060:** Widespread use of regenerative medicine makes significant life-extension available to the majority of **Earth's** population.

**2065:** A majority of households on **Earth own personal robots capable of accomplishing most domestic tasks.**

**2067:** *Homo Sapiens* develops its first indisputably super-intelligent AI systems. Onset of the **Second AI Revolution**.

**2068:** Beginnings of the **Burning Library Project**. First crewed mission to **Mars**.

**c. 2070:** Direct Neural Interface (DNI) technology becomes widespread on **Earth**. Suborbital Flight is the main method of intercontinental (and some long-distance continental) travel.

**2075: Ken Ferjik** born.

**2078:** First orbital hotel constructed around **Earth** ; The majority of vehicles on Earth are self-driving.

**2079:** Room-temperature superconductors discovered on **Earth.**

**2081:** First inter-city VacTrains enter service in **China**.

**2087:** First commercial fusion reactor build in **France**.

**2089:** First attempts at asteroid mining in the **Sol System**.

**2091:** First civilian city on **Luna** (**Aldrin**); After years of study, Very Large Interstellar Observation Array announces the existence of artificial megastructures in the region of the **F-Class Anomaly**, around 1600-5000 lightyears away, though other research institutes claim their evidence is insufficient for such an extraordinary claim.

**2098:** First commercial-scale magnetic launch facility built on **Luna**.

**c. 2100: Ruth Duorkin** becomes the first "true cyborg" on **Earth**.

**2104:** First *Homo Sapiens* child born from an artificial womb;

Various militaries develop the first swarm-level nanotechnology

First crewed expedition to Venus, which is also part of an ambitious colonization attempt known as **Project Thistledown**.

**2106:** Earliest conjectured origin of the **Packrat Spores**, though most historians place their creation decades or even centuries later.

**2110:** First geosynchronous space habitat, the **Heaven Habitat**, established around **Earth**.

**3001 to 4000 AD: Fourth Millennium**

**3460:** Discovery of the **Epsilon Sculptoris Object,** the first object indisputably the creation of a non-hominid alien civilization.

### **4001 to 5000 AD: Fifth Millennium**

**4316:** First contact between the **Vilani** and the humans of **Earth**. The Vilani were rouge traders are official contact with the main Vilani state - the **Ziru Siirka** - does not occur for another five years.

**4371:** Seige of Earth by the **Ziru Siirka**. It is unsuccessful, though **Earth** suffers a minor nuclear bombardment.

**4422 - 4615: Interstellar Wars** between the **Terran Federation** and the **Ziru Siirka**.

**4615:** Fall of the **Ziru Siirka**. The **Rule of Man** (officially: Second Grand Empire of the Stars) is established in much of its former territory, with a rogue **Terran Federation** admiral declaring himself the ruler of this new state and the Federation fleet headquarters at **Dingir** its new capital. The Federation, without the bureaucratic capability to govern such a vast expanse of rapidly collapsing civilization, quietly accepts this arrangement.

**4815:** Capital of the **Rule of Man** transferred to **Hub Ershur** by the **Empress Elize**.

**4823:** After the ascension of the **Empress Elize**, the **Rule of Man** splits into two factions, the Hub Faction and the Antares Faction, the latter mainly consisting of worlds settled by the colony ship ***Antares***. For a while they maintain a common monetary system and pretend they are two parties within a single government, but they are increasingly seen as two separate states.

### **5001 to 6000 AD: Sixth Millennium**

**5024:** The Central Bank of the **Rule of Man** refuses to honor a draft from a branch bank associated with the Antares Faction, thus brining an official end to the "Ramshackle Imperium." The territories belonging to the Hub Faction begin to disintegrate. **Antares Empire** declared.

**5274: Antares Empire** collapses. By this time, most of the former Hub territories are in chaos also. **Long Night** begins in the former territories of the **Rule of Man**. This time sees the origins of many later states such as the **Sylean Federation** (later Empire), the **Gashikan Empires**, and the **League of Antares**.

**5336: Sack of Gashikan** by the **Vargr** ends the **First Gashikan Empire**.

**5567: Project Wolfsbane** conducts a successful biowarfare campaign against the **Vargr** in the Gashikan Volume, paving the way for the rise of the **Second Gashikan Empire**. This massive genocide is often considered the nadir of the **Long Night** in the Old Vilani Sphere.

**5965:** Discovery of the first ancient C-class wormhole network, the **Tuhn Network**. Beginning of the **Sagittarius Expansion**.

### **6001 to 7000 AD: Seventh Millennium**

**6800:** The **Sylean Federation** declares itself the successor to the **Ziru Siirka** and the **Rule of Man**, and begins calling itself the Third Imperium, though outside of the Old Vilani Sphere it is mainly known as the **Sylean Empire**.

**c. 6900:** The first **Ultimate Humans** supposedly join the **Black Acropolis IV civilization**.

**6975-6991:** War between the **Sylean Empire** and the **Julian Protectorate**, a hybrid human-Vargr state. Result is a Julian victory.

### **7001 to 8000 AD: Eighth Millennium**

**7768:** First official contact between elements of the Terran Sphere and the **Black Acropolis IV civilization**.

**7905:** The **Zhodani Consulate** encounters the **Temple Barge** and the **World Sibyls** during one of its **Core Expeditions**.

**7916: Sylean Empire** collapses after its Emperor is assassinated. Several successor states arise, including one led by a clone of the assassinated leader.

**c. 7925: Cymbeline Virus** infects a number of AI-run interstellar craft, leading to the **Virus Wars** and the creation of the **Vampire Fleets**. The worlds of the former Sylean Empire are the most heavily affected by these developments due to the political chaos in the region, even though **Cymbeline** itself was never part of the Empire, and, at the time of the Empire's collapse in 7916, it lay well outside of the Imperial borders.

**c. 7950:** A subgroup of the rogue AI infected with the **Cymbeline Virus** carve out the so-called **Black Imperium** from a section of former Sylean territory. The **Sephirotic Council** declares the Black Imperium to be a **Blight**.

### **8001 to 9000 AD: Ninth Millennium**

**8001:** A powerful wave of psychic energy known as the **Empress Wave** begins to wash over the Terran Sphere. This is eventually traced to a radiation warning sent out by the **Yaskoydri**, but it causes much panic and social change as it sweeps through the region, most notably causing the collapse of the psychic-oriented **Zhodani Consulate**.