Standing as a technological marvel which bore the weight of eons, the Sacred Sedruan Gates are an intricate, almost mystical network of ancient yet powerful wormhole passages. Creeping through the clouds of Aylathiya, the Gates were initially planned by the Oculus of Truth, utilizing its boundless knowledge with Sydiah. Both worked in tandem to establish an efficient, streamlined method of interstellar travel. Aiming to bless her people with the freedom of navigation, Sydiah worked off the Oculus' plans and founded the gateways alongside other collaborators. In its initial heyday, the Gates were several hundred strong, allowing Sedrua's common people to thrive without the use of relatively slow warp technology. Only when Sedrua fell to a great revolutionary fire were the Gates effected at all, as they were modified by juvenile nations shortly after. In the ages since, the Gates have been greatly modified to a near-unrecognizable extent. Thousands of wormhole gates, imperious over most of Aylathiya, sprung up in Sedrua's absence and became the foothold for new expansion.
Modern industrial and commercial wonders would not be nearly as easy without the Gates. It is told that Sedrua's rebels would form as isolated, disconnected shells of their true potential, locked away from their brothers and sisters for eons to come. It is speculated whether or not nations like the Commonwealth could even exist without the Gates, making their importance even more obvious. With its prestige, the Gates have transcended its derelict borders, greatly evolving past the control of Sedrua. Many have personally bestowed the Gates under different titles, often calling it "The Gates" or the "Sacred Gateways". Effectively, this construct has fallen out of the hands of Sedrua, becoming a commodity for every developed nation across the galaxy.
As of the modern day, the Gates have become essential for a great amount of Aylathiya's shipping and generalized travel. Thousands of important star systems are in reach of the gates, while millions of other sparse systems are linked by ancient leylines and other passages. Every last entrance, line, and back road is fiercely defended by the nations who claim the Gates as theirs, producing a peculiar dynamic of trade across Aylathiya. The Gates themselves also continue to change and evolve, especially after the foundation of SICTIRIAD and the advancement of the Thaumic Drive. Nevertheless, they have accommodated, lasting through the ages as a core aspect of Aylathiya.
Use
Use of The Gates varies widely, with nations using them as a form of trade or colonization. While the vast majority of nations only use the network for trade and immigration, the more developed countries are able to utilize it completely, for commerce and resource extraction. Traffic near The Gates is managed by the Commonwealth's department of Transport and Commerce. It regulates immigration, transport, and any corporate affiliation to the network. Other sections are directly managed by departments of the Confederacy, the Quintet Payotari Association, and most recently Sedrua.
The Gates has had varying levels of use throughout the modern era, with its usage growing at a rapid pace in the last few millennia. During other times in history, The Gates was used for transportation of military assets, and has been a major factor in warfare since Aylathiya's Totality. In its more ancient days, The Gates was mainly utilized for the purposes of colonization. Sedrua was most able to colonize worlds in distant regions, which was able to bring their empire to a larger extent while maintaining cohesion.
History
The Gates were first founded by Sedrua during 126,413 BCE, as a way to connect various points of the nation. Sydiah initially authorized their construction after a request by Itrian Yutira, as he desired to keep cohesion and observation of colonized areas. With time, the first gateways were constructed, with expansion starting from the center of the Suvaren Field. As Sydiah's Architects grew its influence, The Gates strengthened in numbers. Further creation of Sydiah's Architects also allowed The Network to expand. The Gates eventually covered most main routes in the Suvaren Field when Sedrua was founded.
The Gates only grew from there. The fall of the United Provinces civilization made much of Via Aylathiya free for Sedrua, bringing The Gates with them. It would predictably become very large after many millennia, with Sedrua incorporating numerous species and rapidly cloning them to create a large population. Megastructures would be built in tandem with gateways, which permitted the growing population to both live and travel freely. This practice would continue for many years, until Sedrua began an age of isolationism. Progress on the Gates was placed on an indefinite hold as the Wane of Reality effected most of Sedruan territory. Following revolts and social changes to full isolationism left some of The Gates to be abandoned. Many gateways were scrapped or destroyed upon the fall of Sedrua.
Ever since Sedrua regressed, The Gates had minimal use. This lasted until the 30,000s CE, when expeditionary fleets from the Commonwealth detected abandoned yet salvageable stations. Re-activation was very difficult, though it was possible and soon the Commonwealth had a rudimentary network. The Confederacy of Borealis and other nations never had to restore large portions of their network as it was continually used since it was created. The two distinct networks became linked together shortly after the Commonwealth repaired a node leading to the Borealis Arm in 30,811 CE. With this, travel between territory was made much easier, though attempts at recreating gateways was met with failure. Up until Aylathiya's Totality, the Sacred Sedruan Gates remained this way.
During and after the Via Aylathiya's Totality, nations gained knowledge on Sedrua's modern self. Salvaged technology also helped with understanding the gateways, which were soon understood. Over the course of many years, engineers added to The Gates hubs and more efficient paths leading to newly populated worlds. The Gates would not be effected by the War of the Ancients much, but not for a lack of trying. A large portion of the war was fought over control of the network. The Quintet Payotari Association eventually created their own network. It was connected to the Commonwealth's after relations settled. The Gates remains this way today, with over 2,300 connected gates across Aylathiya.