Calendar of the Divide: The History of the Divide

Galactic Timeline

The galaxy’s timeline is divided into distinct eras, marked by significant galactic events. The most universal calendar system, used primarily by the Core Worlds, is the Galactic Union Standard Calendar (GUSC). Time is measured in Galactic Standard Years (GSY), with the current year marking The Divide Era (DE).

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1. Pre-Stellar Era (PSE)

Time Period: ~50,000+ GSY ago (speculative)
Description: This era marks the time before advanced spacefaring civilizations emerged. Early species developed on their home planets, creating foundational cultures and technologies. Artifacts from this time, often buried in forgotten worlds, are rare but immensely valuable.

• First civilizations on worlds like Lashunta’s Castrovel and Kasatha’s Akiton emerge.
• Ancient species (e.g., the Protheans) begin constructing precursors to modern Drift and psychic technology.
• The first psychic nexuses are discovered, often tied to ancient planetary ley lines.
• Primitive spacefaring attempts are theorized based on unearthed artifacts from ancient ruins.
• No universal calendar system existed at this time.

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2. The Stellar Dawn (SD)

Time Period: ~25,000–10,000 GSY ago
Description: The galaxy sees its first interstellar civilizations, often led by ancient empires like the Xarthen Dominion or the Irixal Consortium. Primitive Drift-like technology, alongside psychic nexuses, allows for colonization of nearby star systems.

• Core species form their early alliances and rivalries, laying the groundwork for future political structures.
• Psychic phenomena become key tools for exploration and warfare, with the first documented psychic-enhanced starships.
• Early interstellar wars erupt over access to psychic-rich resources.
• Some of the earliest known artifacts, such as Gap Anchors and proto-Drift engines, date to this time.
• The Xarthen Dominion establishes its first empire-wide calendar system, the precursor to GUSC.

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3. Golden Expansion Era (GEE)

Time Period: ~9,999–6,000 GSY ago
Description: Known as the "Golden Age," this era was defined by the explosion of space exploration and colonization. Drift technology becomes widespread, allowing for rapid expansion across the galaxy. Megacorporations like Takashiro Dynamics begin to emerge, and the seeds of inequality between the Core and Fringe are planted.

• Formation of the Galactic Union, uniting major powers in the Core Worlds.
• Colonization of the Fringe Systems begins, with significant exploitation of their resources.
• Psychic research flourishes, leading to the development of psychic-enhanced Drift engines.
• The first megacities in the Core Worlds, such as Neo-Magnus and Bastion Prime, are constructed.
• Major advances in terraforming technology enable colonization of previously uninhabitable worlds.

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4. The Collapse (C)

Time Period: ~5,999–5,000 GSY ago
Description: This tumultuous era is marked by devastating interstellar wars, economic collapses, and widespread famine. The Core consolidates its power while abandoning many outlying systems, leaving the Fringe in chaos.

• The Xarthen Dominion falls after centuries of internal strife and external conflict.
• Mass migrations to the Core occur as the Fringe descends into lawlessness.
• The Galactic Union becomes the sole governing body, though its reach is limited.
• A series of psychic cataclysms devastate Fringe systems, leaving many uninhabitable.
• Megacorporations tighten their grip on the Core’s economy, exacerbating inequalities.

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5. The Gap (GAP)

Time Period: ~4,999–1,000 GSY ago (estimated)
Description: One of the galaxy’s greatest mysteries, the Gap represents a period of total historical amnesia. No records or memories exist of this time, and even artifacts fail to reveal what occurred.

• It is speculated that the Gap was caused by a galactic-wide psychic or temporal event.
• Many ruins and derelict ships date to the Gap, though their functions are often indecipherable.
• The end of the Gap is marked by the sudden reemergence of galactic civilizations with no memory of the past 4,000 years.
• Post-Gap artifacts show advanced but incomprehensible technology, leading to fierce debates among scholars and scavengers.

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6. The Reconstruction Era (RE)

Time Period: ~999–0 GSY ago
Description: The galaxy rebuilds itself after the Gap, with the Core Worlds leading the charge. Drift technology is rediscovered, and the Galactic Union expands its influence. Meanwhile, the Fringe struggles to reclaim its former strength, resulting in sharp divisions between the two regions.

• Takashiro Dynamics rises as a dominant megacorporation, spearheading new Drift engine designs.
• Psychic anomalies from the Gap spark new research and conflicts, leading to the Psychic Concord Accords.
• Rebel groups in the Fringe, such as the Broken Chain, begin to form, opposing Core dominance.
• First contact is reestablished with several lost Fringe colonies, though many reject Core rule.
• Major trade routes like the Coreward Nexus become vital to economic recovery.

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7. The Divide Era (DE)

Time Period: Current (~0 GSY onward)
Description: This is the current era of the galaxy. The divide between the prosperous Core Worlds and the struggling Fringe Systems grows ever wider, leading to widespread unrest. The rise of factions like the Vanguard Reborn threatens to destabilize the galaxy, while discoveries of Gap-era relics could shift the balance of power.

• Major trade routes are controlled by the Core, leaving the Fringe reliant on smugglers and black markets.
• Psychic phenomena and technology continue to evolve, with unknown consequences for the galaxy.
• Factions like the Vanguard Reborn, the Broken Chain, and the Fringe Liberation Front escalate tensions.
• The discovery of a major Gap-era psychic nexus sparks a race for control between Core powers and Fringe rebels.
• Players' actions in this timeline will shape the galaxy’s future.

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Era Marker System for Calendar

Each era is marked with a prefix to denote its time period. For example:

• A historical event during the Stellar Dawn Era might be marked as SD-7000.
• A significant moment during the Reconstruction Era would be RE-450.
• The current year in the Divide Era is DE-7 (7 years into the Divide Era).