Introduction to Proxima
The Shapers and the Voidfall
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the Proxima Galaxy was ruled by the Shapers, a highly advanced race native to the Novis system. While very little is known about the Shapers themselves, it's well acknowledged that they were responsible for numerous advances that helped shape the galaxy into what it is now during their long, galaxy-spanning reign, terraforming and colonising countless worlds, uplifting many species, creating the vast network of Starways that form the basis of FTL travel, mastering the magic-like power of Psionics, and achieving technological advancements that bordered on sorcery, creating a Golden Age (known today as the Novan Age) that lasted for thousands of years.
Unfortunately, at the tail-end of the Novan Age, the galaxy was hit with a mysterious calamity known only as the Voidfall, the result of a massive breach between the material universe and the formless Void beyond that engulfed much of the galaxy, creating a period of chaos that lasted for 500 years (known today as the Void Age). While the actual cause of the Voidfall is, and possibly will forever be, a mystery, its end result is known and clearly understood: When the chaos had finally died down, the Shapers had vanished from the galaxy entirely, leaving only ruins and derelict technology in their wake.
The Age of Discovery
In the millennia that followed, the various younger races across the galaxy would grow and evolve, becoming the masters of their worlds in their own time. Eventually, these races would find remnants of the Shapers in remote corners of their worlds in many forms, from ruined installations to wrecked vessels, and use the technology and knowledge salvaged from them to advance their own by leaps and bounds. These advancements would pave the way for colonisation of other worlds, and eventually interstellar travel, marking the beginning of the Age of Discovery.
Just a little over 150 years since they've left their home worlds to explore and colonise the stars, the various races of the galaxy began encountering one another in space, resulting in numerous first-contact events. Now aware of just how much more crowded the galaxy actually is, these races began a wild scramble for territories and resources, which often resulted in armed conflicts, particularly if any Shaper artifacts or ruins are involved. While the conflicts eventually died down and borders were established, the events of this chaotic time laid the groundwork for intergalactic relations from that moment forward, from the most stalwart allies to the most bitter rivals.
Proxima Today
Currently, the Proxima Galaxy has settled into two regions: Inhabited Space, home to the many species and civilisations of Proxima and further divided between the Alliance and the Dominion, and the Outlier Territories at the outer frontiers of Inhabited Space, frequently plagued by pirate bands and criminal syndicates. Beyond the borders of "civilised" space lies the vast region known as Dark Space, an almost unexplored region of the galaxy filled with Shaper ruins and artifacts, as well as numerous other treasures. Despite the dangers found within Dark Space, this hasn't stopped others from venturing into it in search of the many treasures said to be found within, from looters, to expeditionary forces, to the freelance adventurers collectively known as Wayfinders.
The Inhabitants of Proxima
The Proxima Galaxy is home to numerous sapient species, from the human-descended Exodians, to the technologically adept Veraxi, to the stone-like Orriks, to the Dragon-like Ryugan.
Additionally, while there are just as many star-nations that make up Inhabited Space, they and their inhabitants are a part of four major factions:
- Free Systems Alliance: Considered to be the dominant faction within Inhabited Space, with many star-nations counted among its members.
- Azeth Dominion: An alliance of star-nations formed around and named for the Azeth, who claim to be the true successors of the Shapers.
- Outlier Territories: The regions encompassing the outermost frontiers of Inhabited Space, largely considered to be independent from the factions of Inhabited Spaces interior.
- Outsiders: A classification reserved for any species that originates from beyond Inhabited Space, including those of extradimensional origin.
Technology and Psionics
As far back as the time of the Shapers, the Proxima Galaxy has seen numerous technological advances beyond anything seen in our own. Besides advanced shipbuilding capable of FTL travel and interstellar communication, the civilisations of Proxima also have access to highly advanced cybernetic and genetic augmentations within both civilian and military purposes.
The Proxima Galaxy is also home to Psionics, a power tied to the mind, and capable of various abilities akin to magic. This power can be accessed by certain individuals, known as Espers, and many of the more powerful Shaper relics in the galaxy have been designed to harness this power as a part of their function.
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