Looking Back

Blimnor was the homeworld of the ancestors to Exodians. It was a blue-green world with a rich atmosphere, varied terrain, and covered mostly in water. In addition to the species we call Exodians, there were other sentient lifeforms including Humans, Goblins, Daerans, and High Elves, as well as many non-sentient species, some of which were brought with during the Exodus.

The acceleration of industry and technology on Blimnor lead to an unsustainable increase in the exploitation of natural resources. As a result, the climates of Blimnor changed in a number of ways.

Deforestation resulted in a decreased oxygen content in the atmosphere, while greenhouse gasses trapped heat. Gaps in the ozone layer exposed the surface to stellar radiation which caused mutations among surface-dwelling organisms. The increased heat melted polar ice, but also caused an increased rate of evaporation. With an atmosphere full of moisture, rain and electrical storms constantly battered the globe.

Dwarven mining projects caused a series of spontaneous volcanic eruptions, destroying entire cities and filling the air with ash. Volcanic activity in turn caused seismic ruptures, resulting in widespread destruction along fault lines. Unfortunately, the seismic activity also resulted in enormous waves that forced entire coastal cities to evacuate farther inland.

Dwarves weren’t alone in the fault. Gnomish experiments with radioactive crystals imported from Vorduhr resulted in massive explosions that leveled cities and left toxic gasses which spread quickly through the perpetual storm.

As the surface of Blimnor became uninhabitable, each race had their own plans to survive the uncertain future of their world.

Dwarves modernized their extensive subterranean cities, all-the-while expanding deeper and deeper to accommodate surface refugees.

Gnomes, on the other hand, constructed enormous domes on the surface to keep precious oxygen, water, and life isolated from the wasteland, meanwhile working tirelessly on vehicles that could escape Blimnor’s toxic atmosphere and travel through space.

Elves believed that the global disasters were reversible, formed secretive nomadic communities which navigated the treacherous landscape to perform mysterious ecological experiments, all while scavenging from abandoned resources, and leaving no witnesses to their activities.

Orcs were affected the least by the natural catastrophes, adapting quite comfortably to the harsh realities of surface life. Their ability to operate on the surface meant that their ability to industrialize and develop rocket technology was less restricted, and rivaled that of the Gnomes, if not in sophistication, then in effectiveness.

Halflings, without a unified nation of their own, were forced to rely on the generosity of their gnome hosts. But upon discovering that gnomes had plans to evacuate their civilization to space without offering assistance to the other races, halfling activists leaked classified technology, leveling the playing field and setting the stage for the Exodus.

Humans, sadly, were nearing extinction. Demoralized and without a sustainable population, their contributions to the exodus were negligible, and while some humans allegedly left with a number of colony ships, there are no records of any human surviving the journey to their destination.

The Exodus finally came as rivers of magma oozed across the surface of Blimnor, and the atmosphere was so thick with smoke that it was opaque from orbit. Orbital space docks were abandoned, and the massive colony ships departed.

A loose vanguard of orc and halfling scout ships scattered to nearby stars to search for habitable worlds. Dwarves eventually followed as their cities were flooded with both lava and ocean water. Although many elves left with the colony ships, the remnants of their nations never launched any craft. And there is no chance that anyone or anything that remained on Blimnor survived.

As the generations that followed settled in their new homes among the stars, astronomers who kept an eye on the Blim system observed an astronomical eruption as the star went supernova.

The complete and thorough destruction of their shared homeworld affected everyone differently. Some saw it as a bitter reminder that there was nothing they could have done to save Blimnor. Others saw it as a cosmic punishment for their hubris. Still more saw it as a nudge of destiny to repopulate the stars with fervor. Yet there are some who view the event with skepticism, claiming that there were no signs that Blim was headed toward such an event. Still, the only thing that is certain is that no expedition has found anything but the dark, dense, and deadly pull of the black hole.

Knowing that there was no chance of returning home, the exodian colonists established a new stellar government to provide structure and stability, calling it the Schematic for Cosmic Order.

After the first exodian colony, Eddom Prime, was established, most races were content with the development of the colony and exploitation of local resources. However, the predominantly orc population proposed further colonization and exploration.

Rising gnome politicians, eager to shift the cultural bias in their species' favor, sponsored these expeditions, lending these craft the newly invented Zipp Drives. Each departing craft, a variant of the classic Num rocket, was crewed by a single orc tribe, each with their own separate destination and culture. This second mass exodus, known as the Gurg'm Noujesh, spread orc influence throughout the Graad Ak Sektor and potentially beyond. While thousands of such craft departed the Eddom system, each carrying dozens of orcs, only 24 known tribes survived to establish colonies and subsequently form the Gor Adukk Ma.

A final irony is that while the departure of the orc tribes did make room for gnomes to establish a ruling exodian government, it also resulted in the most rapid expansion of orc territory and forming a military that rivals the SCO in territory and surpasses it in might.

Following the invention of the Zipp Drive, the Schematic for Cosmic Order reasoned that this new form of interstellar travel would enable a rapid expansion of exodians to nearby stars. However, this proposed period of growth would demand a nearly unpredictable amount of raw materials to construct, maintain, and fuel the spacecraft necessary to begin colonizing other star systems. To supply this demand, the SCO turned to the nearby Ubbonex Sector, which was unexplored, but based on deep space scans, and the sheer density of stars, promised to yield the sort of resources they would need. The SCO recruited workers eager for the opportunity to explore the stars, promising them land, and wages dependent on their productivity.

Inititially, the Ubbonex Rush was a popular project. Workers were happy to engage in menial and even hazardous labor if it meant the opportunity to see planets no one had ever set foot on. And the promise of free property once the Rush was over was only the icing on the cake. However, less than 10 years into the development of Ubbonex Sector industry, several glaring issues became evident. The first was that the SCO's oversight of the mining, refinement, and freight systems was minimal. With the majority of their attention on development of the Exodian and Kristaway sectors, Ubbonex projects were left to produce at any cost, and workers became aggressive, competitive, and ambitious. Crews often devolved into gang warfare to secure cargo and infrastructure, knowing that the SCO would not investigate so long as productivity wouldn't suffer. A second issue was that the Ubbonex Sector proved to be extremely hazardous. Many of its worlds were littered with asteroids and radiation fields that meant that even if a laborer was lucky enough to survive the frequent asteroid collisions, he was likely to suffer the slow and miserable torture of radiation sickness and mutation. Finally, and perhaps the issue that became the most inciting, was the lack of habitable and valuable planets in the Ubbonex Sector. It quickly became apparent that whether the SCO knew this or not when they made the promise of land, it was no longer a valuable incentive. Riots were commonplace throughout the Ubbonex Sector, and the conditions were likely a contributing factor in many dwarven mining communities abandoning the project and settling in the Fjotmor Sector instead.

Dwarven colony ships arrived in the Exodian Sector 50 years after their counterparts. As the dwarf population attemped to integrate into exodian culture, they encountered racial prejudice due to their perceived role in the gradual destruction of Blimnor. They also found a lack of available work in the fields of science, exploration, and government. As a result, dwarven populations became more insular, re-segregating and forming large dwarf-exclusive organizations.

To fuel the growing machine of exodian development, the Schematic for Cosmic Order directed these dwarven communities to exploit the Ubbonex Sector. Dwarven unrest festered under gnome rule, finding the gnome mining ethos wasteful.

Gradually, dwarven colonies were established in the Fjotmor Sector, considered uninhabitable by the SCO. As the resources from the Ubbonex Sector were depleted, the newly formed dwarven mining colonies revealed that the Fjotmor Sector was rich in valuable minerals overlooked by SCO surveys. These colonies had hoped to finally use these resources to purchase respect and influence, however the SCO saw this as an illegitimate claim and an attempt at extortion.

By now, dwarven industry was racing to produce spaceworthy ships, knowing that the SCO's technological superiority and political organization would give them little time to establish a navy. However, the dwarven colonies gained an unexpected ally. Halfling agricultural colonies, experiencing similar exploitation under the SCO's government, offered their support, providing both covert operatives and experienced pilots. To complicate matters, the disparate orc tribes of the Gurg'm Noujesh had also united into a single vast stellar navy. Now caught attempting to quell two rebellions and reinforce their borders with the Gor Adukk Ma, the SCO's navy was slow to react and by the time the war reached its peak, it was clear that they could not secure the Fjotmor Sector without losing territory elsewhere. Following the cessation of hostilities, the dwarven colonies signed an agreement that united them as the Union for Private Space.

While the past few hundred years of exodian culture was marked with significant advances in technology, logic, and science, there are always members of society who seek spiritual answers. Our ancestors often looked to the stars for cryptic guidance, knowing little about what they were. Now that we can travel among those stars, this fascination with the notion of a higher order and design is all the more compelling. To provide for those with this inclination, the Temple of Xenoastrology was established by the elf spiritualist Sul Neamhni. It proposed that great knowledge and wisdom could be gained through stargazing, and that should other intelligent life be discovered, it would favor those followers of xenoastrology.

At first it was treated with amusement as a loose community of poorly-educated people. However, as its membership grew, and congregations became more public and full of spectacle, the SCO was forced to treat Xenoastrology as "Intellectual Terrorism", undermining their scientific authority. As arrests were made, and meetings banned, the fascination with the expanding cult exploded. With multiple domestic and international conflicts brewing, the SCO was forced to acknowledge the Temple of Xenoastrology as a legitimate organization. In order to expel the religion from SCO space, they relinquished their claims on certain systems in what is now called The Home sector and offered them as protected reservations for the members of the Temple of Xenoastrology.

With their newfound legitimacy, the Temple of Xenoastrology rebranded themselves as The Family, to capitalize on their image as friendly, helpful, and open to all who seek their answers.

Just four years ago, the four major governments met to discuss a treaty that proposed a number of international laws in the hopes that it would discourage aggression for territory and resources, while promoting civil rights and shared scientific progress. While many of these points may have become common sense in only a short four years, it is important to reflect on what they are.

1. Affirmation of Superweapon Nonproliferation Proposed by The Family, this agreement both prohibits the development of new technology for the use of mass destruction and ensures that any progress already made toward such weapons is halted.

2. Universal Access to the ExodiaNet Proposed by the Schematic for Cosmic Order, this agreement ensures that any star system may have installations connecting it to the ExodiaNet, regardless of controlling faction and that no local fees or restrictions may be applied to its use. Additionally, local crews may be responsible for its maintenance.

3. Neutrality of Zipp Travel There was a great deal of contention between the factions due to Experifact's monopoly on the manufacture of Zipp Drives. Eventually a consensus was reached that Experifact would release the rights to repair, disassemble, and manufacture Zipp Drives, however they retain exclusive rights and secrecy to the parameters applied to these devices to maintain reliable and accurate use. Furthermore, Experifact must maintain and monitor congested Zipp Space without prejudice, and their vessels must be unharmed.

4. Exodian Alliance The Gor Adukk Ma proposed a pact that would create a fleet comprised of warships from every major navy, provided that exodians were to come under attack by an alien threat. While the proposal was largely stripped of its power by requiring that a threat be identified, proven to be incapable of reason, and be overwhelming in destructive power, it stands as a potential solution in the unlikely case that such an invasion occurs.

5. Treatment of Non-Combatants Prior to the Pan-Exodian Accord, informal rules discouraged the mistreatment of civilians, medics, and other non-combatants during hostile engagements. However, The Family secured this as international law. While this has become the most universally supported article of the Accord, it is remembered for sparking the Gor Adukk Ma representative's infamous rebuttal, "We don't have any non-combatants."

6. Freedom to Modification Civilians and their ships have long been equipped with the latest in commercial weapons and technology. However, the Union of Private Space secured a right for private citizens to wholly own a purchased device or vehicle. Less than a decade ago, 46% of spacecraft and 27% of technological devices were purchased under a limited license from the manufacturer, restricting users from performing certain maintenance or modification without approval. Now, thanks to the Pan-Exodian Accord, owners may subject their property to any manner of alterations they desire, provided that they adhere to local laws. As of now, this law does not apply to cybernetics, Zipp Drives, or registered transponders.

7. Commercial Regulation The Union of Private Space proposed a law that would place certain restrictions on the ability of governments to tax goods traveling to or from their systems. While this was ultimately ratified, it was with certain additional policies that were less favorable to the UPS. Local governments have the right to declare a commodity wholly illegal, and confiscate it should it be discovered on a vessel in a controlled system. This has also enabled the reliable purchase of ships and technology across political borders, making it commonplace for military organizations to own a variety of technology that had previously been exclusive.

8. Protection of Digital Property Rights While the Freedom of Modification stripped away many of the rights of manufacturers, new copyright laws were proposed by the Schematic for Cosmic Order that strictly protected the rights of individuals and corporations whose intellectual property was transmitted through the the ExodiaNet. Since then, the industry for digital entertainment, software, data, star charts, and numerous other content hosted through the Net has exploded. Now many tools, weapons, and components must install specialized software in order to properly function. And the SCO Media Optimization Committee utilizes a sophisticated system for automatically identifying and terminating violations of these laws traveling through the Net.

That brings us to the present, 217 After Exodus. The Schematic for Cosmic Order continues to promote its science and policy across the Starcog Cluster. The Union of Private Space pushes forward industry and commerce. The Gor Adukk Ma grows and strengthens their military. And The Family promises spiritual fulfillment and transcendence. Gnomes, Halflings, Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves all follow their passions and professions to create a good life for themselves, or at the very least to survive. But many say that these are uneasy times we live in. Beyond our borders lies the unknown with all its indescribable threats and discoveries, and within our societies people of incompatible beliefs struggle to be heard.

What sort of Exodian will you be?