Age of Silence

The Age of Silence was ushered in at the collapse of the gates. Whole systems are totally cut off from each other as the Interstellar Gates are shut down.
This makes inter-system communication almost nearly impossible, and cuts out whole swarths of territory that now exist in total isolation. The Colonial Earth Empire and the Union of Socialist Systems are completely cut off from each other, on top of their various systems.

Several galactic regions are left in tact, with their gates working between one another, while others are left in total isolation, some reliant on their neighbors for supplies and survival. An increase in Psionic individuals is also noted during this time. In those regions where systems were still interconnected, many descended into chaos and warfare, destroying each other entirely. Great famines swept through the Core Systems, reliant on the agricultural worlds that no longer exist.
This age would only end after over 300 years of chaos and darkness. The gates would once again turn on, creating a new wave of exploration, as humanity sought to find its brethren again.

Date of Setting

0-300 Post-Silence