Longtimelurker's Thread of Worldbuilding and other things

[Longtimelurker]

Second Dark Age: Introduction

The New Dark Age Setting is one that I have been toying around with, off and on, for the past few years. I've ran a few RPG campaigns in it, and generally used it as a something to write about. At some point, I've decided it does me no good to endlessly turn it around like Gollum with the ring, and that I should share it and see what other people think.

The General, out of universe Overview is something like this: At some point in the next century, the Modern World goes the way of the Western Roman Empire/Bronze Age Near east and entirely collapses. The centuries after this are called the Second Dark Age. However, the wheels of history don't stop turning, and technologically advanced civilization has recovered all across the world, and beyond. In fact, technology is in many cases more advanced than now - there is permanent habitation all across the solar system!

Earth, the Moon, their orbital space, as well as several of the nearby Lagrange points are called the inner sphere, its permanently inhabited by baseline humans and are relatively well connected to each other. The inner sphere is the most well characterized by the people of the inner sphere, the farther you get from them, the more alien and poorly understood it gets.
The Inner sphere has seen its share of history and intrigues, from the rise and fall of the PanPacific League or long war fought between a Second Tsarist Empire and an alliance between a reborn Commonwealth and a democratic brotherhood of Middle-Eastern Nations, to the conflict and reconciliation between the Union of the Southern Cross and the Sebastian Empire in South America.

As of "Now" the event in the inner sphere is the conflict between the expansionist Phoenix Empire, and a coalition of states who don't want to be conquered, as well as alliance of nonstate actors called the Unbound Sons. Afro-Eurasia is very rapidly being forced to take a side. Meanwhile, the Americas deliberately hold themselves aloof from the rest of the world, as the new alliance between the USC and SEB seek to unite the rest of the continent into a common trading and political bloc.

Beyond the inner sphere towards Sol are the Angels of Venus and the Sheiks of Mercury. The collection of habitats that orbit the toxic gas of Venus were long a focus of colonization during the second orbital Age. As such, they are very developed, mixed, and much more Terran in outlook compared to the other Spacers. The major power in Venus are a splinter faction of the Phoenix Empire. How this will develop, no one will know. The colonists of Mercury maintain the colossal solar collectors around the sun which provide energy for many in the solar system and beyond. Though they are in theory wealthy from it, what good is wealth that cannot be spent?

Mars was always ignored by the great powers, but this has changed. One of the states of Earth called the NAR has decided that they will terraform Mars, whatever the cost. And they are. They will turn Mars into a new home, which will be for their use alone. However, they still operate a great skyhook around Phobos, which connects the inner sphere to Sol, the Belt and far beyond.

The different Thedes of the Belt have had long years of conflict. They were the far-flung colonies of the inner sphere, essentially giant mines, who's populations were only permanent because it was not effective to replace them. With distance from Earth and relative uninvolvement, the colonists of the Belt were able to develop in a way that became typical of Space-born people, but much more strongly. With the turning of the years, and the great distance to earth, the Belters were able to become their own masters. Each Thede struggles with all the rest, seeking to become the hegemon of the belt. Now, it seems that unity has come, as union of colonies in Ceres called the Telluric League have united the Belt under them.

The Spacers live in an environment with no room for error, and have been changed by this. To them, the collective is all, and individual is nothing. There is only the slimmest margin between life and death, and only constant maintenance keeps the population from death. Outsiders are distrusted, and shunned save for a few. The Spacers have also embraced genetic and cybernetic augmentations as tools to help them survive; the Belters cybernetics give them an almost spider-like appearance.

Beyond the Belt is the Trans-Belt, and there be dragons. The inner sphere knows almost nothing about who, or what dwells there. Rumors abound. Some say that the denizens of the Trans-Belt have used cybernetic and genetic technology to change themselves into something that no longer even resembles a human. But the truth may be stranger still.

Generally, the world is a much larger and darker place. Cults, conspiracies, and strange events are common. In the Shadows, Criminals, Cultists, and the Secret Services of many nations and no nation at all wrestle with each other, seeking advantages both temporary and transcendent. And then there is an enigmatic group that call themselves The Savants.

I don't really know what parts I should talk about first. I will talk about whatever sounds interesting