Chronicle of Gondwana

A progenitor realm, the star frontier of Gondwana was settled early by humankind but would not be brought into the Celestial Light of the twin civilizations until mere thirteen thousand years ago.

The sector harbors deep histories predating the Terran Empire and Mechanist Union, giving rise to unique worlds and cultures still shaping the interstellar stage. Gondwana is a frontier of myth and wonders, abundant with many discoveries yet beyond reach and knowledge long forgotten in vaults of the ancient peoples.

-unknown // a twilight age Dawn of Gondwana

Dawn of Gondwana

Generation arks bring the first human strands to Gondwana, seeding worlds along the coreward southern edge with terrestrial biospheres.

Von-Neumann automata reach the frontier eastward from greater Orion, building faceless cities in outer system clouds as first cradles of the nanite technosphere.

-150 000 y // an enlightened age Progenitor Ringbuilders

Progenitor Ringbuilders

Along a leyline crossing the Bramble Singularities, Cambria and Mekephau, the progenitor civilization of Ringbuilders arises. Several hundred monument worlds are built, the ruins of which will last through eons. The Zenith of their works is reached in the Ringworld Cambria, consuming at least twelve planets over the course of several millennia of construction.

-100 000 y // a waning age The Demarchist Schism

The Schism of Demarchists

Two civilizations inherit the Ringbuilder's works after their end.

One fraying strand of humankind holds onto the Light, constructing artificial consensus cybernetically. The resulting Demarchy becomes Gondwana's oldest civilization, centered on later Trantor.

Outside the Demarchy, Gondwana's worlds fall into darkness and barbary, until many are absorbed by the parasitic Ursu Firstborn.

-61 500 y // a dark age The Firstborn Eternal Empire

The Firstborn Eternal Empire

As the Demarchy turns ever inward, huddling closely by the light, the Ursu Firstborn clans lay claim to nearly all Gondwana's systems. Melding the flesh of their hosts over generations, their lord symbiotes become immortal and build fiefdoms in their name. The Eternal Empire is born, and they declare themselves God-Kings. Among their people, Terra and the Celestial Light are snuffed from memory.

-50 000 y // an age of renewal The Renaissance of Light

The Renaissance of Light

Far from Gondwana, the fortunes of the One Celestial rise and fall with the tides of distant histories. Rarely do they move the local worlds directly. But on one day, fifty millennia ago, She shakes the pillars of all creation. In an instant, the Renaissance of Light subtly rewrites the laws of the universe, rendering much technology and starward travel obsolete. The Demarchy and Eternal Empire experience a long dark age.

-22 000 y // an age of fire The End of Leylines and the Witchspace War

End of Leylines and Witchspace War

The veils between witchspace and conceivable reality are torn asunder in the unrelenting war against the Prophets Inbetween. To conquer the new domain of interstellar travel, humankind must fell gods.

Gondwana is never at the forefront of those battles but sees Witchspace Titans dead and dying. With the leylines severed, Gondwana becomes cut-off, until the witchspace Rivers Phaos and Akkan are formed.

-13 000 y // an age of promise Arrival of the Nomad Suns

Arrival of the Nomad Suns

Traversing the abyss in the wake of wandering Lodestars, the first clades of the Mechanist Union arrive near Mercuria. As rulers of the Nomad Suns they are from the beginning a major power and quickly subdue all fiefdoms in their path of claiming hallowed Cambria. For many generations, all clades dwell solely on the ring, before the first are compelled by any purpose beyond.

-10 000 y // a bright age The Birth of Calhall and Trantorian Missions

Birth of Calhall and Mission of Trantor

Emissaries of the Terran Empire reach Gondwana along the wild Akkan and settle by the anointed star Calhall. Their ambitions are set on the sprawling Demarchy of Trantor, where they raise splinter sects to begin conversion to the Celestial faith. Millennia of Gondwana's isolation have taken Trantor far from the Celestials Light, but some archivist collectives still speak the universal Lingua Terra and welcome the creed.

-6 000 y // an age of fire The Sundering War

The Sundering War

For millennia Trantor and Cambria carved modest realms from the symbiote lords in slow wars. This changes when a trantorian commander nearly sacks the Eternal Empire's capital, in a brilliant but short-lived bid for conquest. The campaign ignites the vast Sundering War, which goes on to destroy the northern Demarchy and raze many clades.

-5 500 y // a rekindling age Forming of the Clades Superior and Imperial Houses

Clades Superior and Imperial Houses

With the fall of several symbiote lords in the Sundered War, the twin civilizations resolve to hold their erstwhile territories. On Trantor the imperial houses are founded under the council regency. From Cambria, new Clades Superior depart to build grand realms beyond the Ring. An interstellar order recognizable to the present takes shape, albeit in territories much smaller than they are today.

-4 000 y // a prosperous age Trantor and Cambria entwined - Gondwana's Twin Civilization arisen

Trantor and Cambria entwined

Across Gondwana, the interstellar realms of Imperial Trantor and Mechanist Cambria continue to grow. In established systems, witchspace relay networks are built, and seminal cultures form on the star frontier. The long war against the Eternal Empire grows cold after Trantor claims the Vale Aureate. Among the Clades Superior of Cambria, different paths of purpose have crystallized.

-3 500 y // an age of sundering Coming of the Ummon Hegemony

Coming of the Ummon Hegemony

Through the northern passage of the Marred Frontier arrives a force hitherto unknown. The Ummon Hegemony is an ancient enemy of the Firstborn, yet ever renewed. Fighting with ferocity and purpose at the side of living machines, they prove highly adaptable in the ways of unbound war. Becoming a tide unstoppable, they herald a new Dark Age, as all efforts of Gondwana must be dedicated to the war.

-3 000 y // a celestial age Founding of the Laurentia Palatinate

Founding of the Laurentia Palatinate

Heeding calls of the Imperial Houses united, the Celestial Crown sends Paladins to stem the Hegemon tide. Over two centuries of reconquest, the Palatinate of the Hallowed Glaive is founded and the young House Kamadriisi initiated. The Glaive begins waging the eternal Unbound War and raising worlds of Simulacra to combat the existential threat.

This war lasts into the present.

-2 500 y // a fearful age Inferno of the Lighthouse War

Inferno of the Lighthouse War

Compelled by an unprecedented confluence of Noosphere Unity, Clades of Cambria launch an all-out assault on the Imperial Houses. Though unstoppable at first, the campaign falters on the approach of Trantor. The unity of purpose is broken and the war ends as abruptly as it began. None of the inciting clades remain, either falling to the war or escaping it through ascendnace.

-2 200 y // an age of hope The Archon Ascendant's Birth of the Federation

The Archon Ascendant's  Birth of the Federation

The swath of conquest is named the Stricken March, where clades and imperial remnants mingle.

Intent on safeguarding peace, Cambria's last Archon Clade produces as its final creation the psionic Vulpecula and gifts them technological ascendency. Bound by this purpose, they form a Federation of silent watchers and mediators, reclusive yet ever curious.

-1 500 y // a gilded age Last Summer of Gondwana

Last Summer of Gondwana

From the banks of the Wilding Phaos, the Essatiri Metaculture begins migrating towards the Marred Frontier, founding the northernmost exclave of human civilization.  The Young House Kamadriisi envelops Almaganz and begins heavily trading with further Peripheral Powers.

Only the successful crusade of the symbiote lords from Ursuskara blemishes the Golden Age.

-1 100 y // a frozen age Winterfall at the Ardent Range

Winterfall at the Ardent Range

A Wounded Titan of the Witchspace War emerges from the deep, brushing against the veils of Gondwana. Its coming heralds the beginning of a new Dark Age, as cosmic cold descends from the rimward north onto the whole Frontier. Signals falter and witchspace travel becomes exponentially more hazardous. Over the next thousand years, the Winter of Gondwana isolates most worlds.

-600 y // an age of silence Midwinter upon Gondwana

Midwinter silence upon Gondwana

The cosmic glacial maximum reaches as far south as Calhall and the Winterreach. All worlds north of the Vulpecula have fallen silent, and no starships venture beyond the immediate streams of Phaos and Akkan. The Dark Age of the last Millennium has reached its height and rumors abound of reclaimed firstborn strongholds, pushes of the Hegemony, and cultish interlopers.

-100 y // an age of spring Ardent Flames and receding Glaciers

Ardent Flames and receding Glaciers

Much like its emergence, the passing of the Wounded Titan is steeped in myth. Great works upon Cambria, Calhall, and Trantor result in the banishment of much of the cosmic cold. Many suns regain their strength and dark matter bonds are broken, leaving witchspace once again undimmed by the shadow. Interstellar communications resume, and the high worlds of Gondwana re-assert their realms.

-present // a dawning age Fire upon the Ring

Fire upon the Ring

Blue light dances upon Cambria, a beacon for all worlds to awaken. The Wounded Titan has passed and winter with him. It is time for the powers of Gondwana to venture forth and build a new Golden Age.