GH1 (OLD)

The universe as we know it could be considered a living being. The reality that we reside in could be considered its body, the incomprehensible facets of its subsistence and adaption being the soul. When these two elements are joined, they, in turn, create the mind, and therefore humanity. Humanity has many forms throughout the universe, but all share the same three elements as their resident universe.   This is describing, however, the universe that holds all we consider to be our universe and that of all other forms of life. You could call it a 'multiverse' of sorts. The true vastness of this multiverse is far beyond our ability to comprehend, as are the smaller ones inside of it. These smaller universes act as cells to the much larger entity. They grow, adapt, and die from a number of factors both within and outside of their control, mirroring the traditional cell processes of apoptosis and necrosis. Unlike the familiar cell system, however, there's no equivalent of phagocytosis or a method of protecting neighboring universal cells from the others' released contents.   The result of this neglect is the frequent "infection" of universal cells. The effect is subtle, but certain aspects of foreign universes start cropping up in the infection's host. These aspects can range from exotic technology to entire species and even deities. Most of the earth's unexplained phenomena can be traced back to an undetected infection, explaining the common implausibility of their physiology and habitats. Any debate concerning religion is often highly contentious due to a number of seemingly conflicting evidence and history.   GH1 is another one of many universal cells infected by a number of neighboring ones early in its lifespan. One of these infections came in the form of insight to the soul. A wave of enlightenment hit humanity during its early stages, leading to the formation of various sciences and philosophies surrounding the various complexities of human souls. A transhumanist movement quickly enveloped numerous fields of research, eventually leading to a sort of "Inner Space Race" towards true understanding and application. Despite this wild revelation, however, humanity has progressed down a relatively similar path to ours with only some deviations in historical events and technological advancement, about a decade further in advancement in regards to the latter.   In the year 2012, an unforeseen disaster leaves the world in flooded ruins. While billions died in the event, a large amount of the population was able to seek refuge on several overseas platforms retrofitted from colossal abandoned oil rigs along the Atlantic ocean. Even with the refugees severely thinned out, these platforms didn't provide nearly enough resources to sustain such a community. The bridges that stretched between the platforms had to be repurposed into adequate living spaces for the excess population, creating an "endless city" that spans across a majority of the ocean. Losses were high, but eventually, society was able to stabilize and rebuild itself to at least a shadow of its former glory. What was in their future, though, was anyone's guess.