Timeline of the Galaxy

Forward: Galactic history is a tricky business. It’s believed that around half of the civilizations that have ever existed in our
galaxy left no trace behind for us to detect, usually because their planets were completely destroyed. There are three major
historical traditions- which all generally agree after 10,ooo BC or so- the galactic archaeology of the Starfathers (shown in
green), the oral tradition of the Nightskalds (shown in blue), and the particle-scrying of the Quelvala (shown in red). Shown in
black are events from other (usually human) studies of the past, or for which all three major traditions agree.

• Galactic Prehistory- The time before the first modern

intelligent lifeforms achieved sentience. No direct information
exists about this time, and it is the subject of much galactic
archaeology.
• ?- According to the Matter of Glories, the hero-star Mnemnerll
(pink on map) creates the Celestials using his own starlight, in
order to combat the “cast shadows of vile demiurges.” This
moniker is generally applied to the Infernals.
• 8.3 Gya (billion years ago)- The “Crack,” an anomalous radio
signal from a distant starburst galaxy, received by the
Starfathers around the year AD 1424, is believed by some
devout Chaoticians to have accompanied the creation of some
or all Celestial-Infernal pairs. Skeptics have denounced this
interpretation.
• ?- Life and civilization develop within a “hot Jupiter”
originating from Mnemnerll and ejected after a close encounter
with a neutron Star. The Observations Cycle is supposedly a
record of their cosmological studies.
• 4.5 Gya- Earth experiences a massive impact, creating the
moon and collapsing the energy state of local probability,
forming the Firmament.
• ?- Unknown race “Precursor A” (red on map) creates vast
tunnels through large moons for ritual purposes.
• ?- Unknown race “Precursor B” (green on map) develops what Cultural Sites of the Precursors
is assumed to have been a “metastability drive.” Sites found are large, abandoned husks believed to have been vessels.
• ?- “Precursor B” is destroyed in the Second Local Higgs Collapse.
• ?- Evidence of “Precursor B” sites dated to after the Second Local Higgs Collapse (shown as open green circles) supposedly
exists. However, particle-scrying at this timescale (and especially before the Third Collapse) is notably inaccurate.
• ?- The planet-state of “Hyem” (light green on map) develops an intricate system of numerology and mysticism, most of which
is lost after the planet’s destruction.
• ?- Unknown race “Precursor C” (blue on map) creates four superweapons, collectively called the Stambhastrah (from the
Sanskrit “weapons of the pillars.”
• ?- A race called the “Dayforgers” (possibly same as “Precursor C”) embark on Three Great Conquests at the behest of The
Great God Onë, defeating, in quick succession, the “Eight-Tasters,” the “Red Spire Stars,” and the “Less-Whirling” or “Pseudo-
Onëe.” The former are believed to be the creators of Gurdbakj; the middle appear to be worshippers of Damu-Basu; and the
latter are commonly and dubiously syncretized with the Uraster.
• 66 Mya (million years ago)- Asteroid impact in the Yucatán destroys all terrestrial dinosaurs, paving the way for the rise of
humans and dragons on Earth.
• 38 Mya- The city of Gurdbakj crashes in what would become California.
• ?- Unknown race “Precursor D” (white on map) forms “meta-nebulae” that exist fully in the astral plane but project
gravitationally to the physical plane. Believed to have accessed the Cosmic Web to do so.
• ?- Particle-scrying instead suggests that “Precursor D” were not physical beings, and, as the earliest known astral beings, may
be a common ancestor of the Vashaar and terrestrial spirits.
• ?- Unknown race “Precursor E” (yellow on map) destroys “Precursor D” and establishes Great Old Way, believed to connect
dual capitals.
• 8 Mya- The production of Behemoth-class artificial satellites begins at in the Jewel Box Cluster (orange).
• ?- Last common ancestor of homo sapiens and megaloanthropis nephilis (terrestrial giants).
• 4.2 Mya- “Precursor F” (purple on map) establishes a planetary civilization.
• 4.2 Mya (but later)- “Precursor F” is destroyed by impact with an asteroid. It is believed that all life on the planet was
destroyed, with viriform organic bodies eventually producing new life.
• 4.1 Mya- The “Water Stone,” a large structure with the capacity to grant immortality (possible location shown in gray), is
visited by King “I-am-who-seeks” in the Water Stone Cycle.
• 3.8 Mya- “Precursor F” colony ships, with crews in stasis, land on other planets (shown as crosses).
• 2.5 Mya- The date of the only known third-generation “Precursor F” site (shown as a diagonal cross). No written language is
present at the site and it is believed (thanks to interpretations of paintings and pottery at the site) that the stasis process was
imperfect, leading to cognitive loss. The Age of the Precursors ends.