Earth

Earth. The cradle of humanity.

When the Crusade came to an end and the process of rebuilding the system afresh began the newly crowned Emperor-Ascendant looked upon Earth and decreed it to be the first. With their terraforming technology, far in advance to that of Sol, the planetary engineers set to undoing centuries of abuse and neglect upon the Earth.

It took decades, but when finally it was done Earth was transformed. It was as it once had been prior to the Industrial Age. The Emperor-Ascendant situated His Palace there, not upon the surface but in geo-stationary orbit; a vast structure tethered to the distant ground below by the Star Tower. The population of Earth was restricted to meticulously planned urban zones adjacent to sprawling nature preserves inhabited by near extinct or extinct flora and fauna. To live on Earth was greatly desired by the wealthy and elite of Sol.

Then the son of the Emperor-Ascendant, the now reviled Great Beast, led a coup against the Crown. Though the coup failed it would trigger a cascading sequence of events including the disappearance of the Emperor-Ascendant, the dissolution of the Imperium and the century long System War that saw billions of lives lost, countless habitats lost and much knowledge reduced to atomic dust.

 

THE SILENT DARK

Whilst most of the system suffered some damage to a greater or lesser effect in the form of battles or atomic, biological and chemical catastrophe Earth was different. Something terrible and unique happened there.

It began with a distress call. A cacophony of them. All crying out for aid. All originating from Earth. Stations on Luna watched and listened with horror as a storm of darkness spread across the Earth. Worse was the silence that followed. What few who had escaped before that dreadful silence claimed that hell had come to Earth. They spoke of madness in the urban zones, of atrocities and nightmares. Even as the System War raged some, whether for altruistic or other reasons, went down to Earth to investigate, their ships descending through the dark clouds and disappearing. The few that returned were haunted by what they had beheld. They, like those who had fled before them, spoke of a world gone mad.

The bickering factions of the System came to an agreement, a remarkable event in itself. Earth was to be left alone. None knew what had happened and any attempt to discern the cause was deemed unwise. The former heart of human civilisation was abandoned.

They called this event the Silent Dark.

 

EARTH TODAY

That was five centuries ago. The darkness that once smothered Earth is gone and once more it glitters like a jewel in the void. The restriction of travel to Earth's surface remains. The Commonwealth claims sovereignty over Earth but has not sought to reclaim it. They attempted, several times, but each occasion was marked with catastrophe.

Earth is a dangerous and unpredictable world now. The descendants of those who were trapped there by the Silent Dark had survived, though were greatly changed. Primitive tribes live in fortified bastions surrounded by a hostile wilderness populated by all manner of dangerous creatures. Worse are the savage clans who desire to topple any vestige of civilisation, however meagre. Cannibals and worshippers of dark and terrible Gods are everywhere. Despite their primitive nature the Commonwealth's army, including the elite Royal Marines, are overwhelmed in spite of their firepower. The entire planet is hostile to outsiders and strange, esoteric forces that defy rational thought and scientific reason render advanced technology useless.

The Commonwealth Navy enforces a no-fly zone in its orbit and those who challenge it are dealt with via great force. That does not stop the foolish and desperate. Treasure hunters brave Commonwealth wrath and try to slip through the orbital blockade for though centuries have passed Ascendant technology remains. Some of it still functional. These desperate fools descend into the wilderness overtaken cities and the great arcologies in hopes of finding the big score. The fortunate find what they seek and escape. Some even reach orbit and evade the Commonwealth ships that seek to capture them. Most though never return to their ships. They are dragged kicking and screaming into the vast subterranean world below the surface by the vile Trogs to be devoured, or sacrificed upon the altars of one of countless nightmarish Gods. The fortunate will be killed far quicker by one of the many predators.

 

For all its countless dangers then, Earth is a beacon for those desperate, foolish or mad enough. Who knows what secrets and what treasures the lucky may find? Perhaps their luck will endure long enough to get home with their prize?