Chapter 1

The Merger

Just over 400 years ago, the universe was really more like two universes.  One, Takaron, didn’t have much in the way of technology, because the entire universe was filled with thaumic energy, or, as most people call it, magic.  Space travel happened on magical ships that sailed the galaxy really just because a person believed hard enough.  And it actually worked.  There wasn’t much in the way of organization, mainly just a lot of independent planets acting on their whims.  The other, Dek, wasn’t quite so fortunate to have magic involved, but because of it, the inhabitants of that universe grew to utterly master the physical laws of their own universe and create scientific marvels.  Their physical laws were unshakable, and every phenomenon could be explained scientifically.  Both universes flourished on their own until a theorist from Dek discovered evidence of another dimension existing parallel to the known universe.  Simultaneously, one of Takaron’s Master Wizards began sensing more and more of a presence in the universe that she could not explain.  The two, working independently, discovered that there were points in the universe where this presence was not only strong but growing stronger...more

Chapter 2

The War in Heaven

The fact that gods exist in the mortal plane is a serious dealbreaker for a lot of potential worshipers.  It just doesn’t sit well with most sentient beings to be able to physically visit their god.  This means that the pool of potential worshipers is much smaller than it would be normally, so, by necessity, deities are constantly fighting each other in order for access to those people who might actually be willing to become their believers.  Gods need the power of their worshipers in order to survive, so deities send out Priests in order to spread the word out about them, as well as perform tasks in service of their secret agendas.  Some gods work together at times and are friendly.  Some are bitter enemies.  Thus, Gods lend out their power to those who are willing to fight in their name.  Priests are picked either from their utter devotion or from their general willingness to become a deity’s errand boy...more

Chapter 3

Galactic Factions

The galaxy is territorially split up amongst various factions. The Galactic Federation, while one of the major players, is a republic formed by each of its primary member planets. The Galactic Federation is the most political of the factions. As more races are added to the ranks of the the Galactic Federation, the Federation Senate adds to its numbers. The hub of the Galactic Federation is T’Dek, an extremely heavily colonized planet that serves as both a diplomatic and economic hub for the Galactic Federation. The Galactic Federation maintains its own army, called the Galactic Federation Corps, but their greatest asset is the GDMA, the Galactic Department of Mercenary Affairs, which is a comparatively much more impressive military force, albeit a much less controllable one. During serious conflicts, the GDMA is often hired out by the GFC, and the Federation bans any mercenaries from taking contracts with any other empires or from working for certain blacklisted organizations. The GDMA also often acts as a private police force, sending mercenaries in when serious threats arise that planetary police can’t deal with...more