Aegyn (Cosmoria)

"This is the home-world of our species? This derelict world with hardly any inhabitants? Frankly, it is embarrassing for humanity that our home world remains in this condition. Craters from constant shelling, a sea floor littered with ruins, and the remainder of once-great structures overgrown with plants not even native to this world. I cannot think of a world less fit to serve as a symbolic capital." -Chancellor Eris Sailem (89,217 CE)

Aegyn is the fourth world around Helyar located in Aylathiya. Just like its binary sun, Aegyn is accompanied by Olaris, both of which are temperate ecumenopoli. These planets are home to the first Humans and collectively have a population of six billion. Once the center of Aylathiyan politics, Aegyn has since fallen by the wayside. Today it is a mostly derelict world that has still not recovered from its countless wars.

Humans first colonized the planet in about 1,500 CE. From there, they remained stagnant as development slowed to a crawl under the repressive First Aeternal Society. After the civilization collapsed in 7,500, Aegyn remained a backwater only reachable by Magi. Sedrua discovered the planet in 54,752 CE and granted its inhabitants minor technology in exchange for loyalty. After the galaxy suffered through the Sedrua-Triumvirate War, the Triumvirate Civilization won control of the Helyar-Byutix system. Aegyn would go on to become the center of galactic politics; its massive population, production capabilities, and its potent Magi population cemented it as a nexus of the vast galactic trade network.

With the collapse of the Triumvirate, Aegyn still clung to its high status. In 84,417 CE, it became the capital of Erstes Konsortium, a nation created by Human merchants collaborating with Florenta. Aegyn remained the capital of Erstes Konsortium until it was sacked by the Neo-Terran Party in 87,840. From there it fell into disrepair as refugees fled the planet in large number. By 90,000 CE, less than one billion people called the planet home. It wasn't until a recolonization program initiated by the Confederacy of Borealis that the population began rising again in 99,056. It has consistently remained in the background since then, only receiving enough outside support to maintain profitable tourist areas.

History

Prehistoric Era

Aegyn first formed 4.9 Gya and first hosted life 4.0 Gya. The life remained as simple bacteria and archaea until 1.2 Gya when the first complex cells emerged. From there, life exploded into a large variety of organisms from plants to complex animals. It would never quite make it onto land as various impacts consistently reset life's tentative presence beyond the oceans. 176 million years before the present day, Ma'eau came across the world only to discover that it hosted a locally-evolved ecosystem filled mostly with single-celled life. Wasting no time, Ma'eau spread this life to Olaris, preserving it. Furthermore, Aegyn's carbon-phosphorus architecture inspired Ma'eau to use phosphorous instead of arsenic in its creations.

Father Zaphenim created Humans on Olaris, their first target for colonization was the planet of Aegyn whose fertile soil, unparalleled oxygen concentration, and vast seas made the world more desirable than their home. By 1,000 CE, several million lived on Aegyn and a smaller more loyal number resided on Olaris. Aegyn at this time had very little in the way of industry, economic output, or even anything beyond a subsistence economy. These early humans were potent users of Thaumaturgy, meaning they had no need for technology to advance. Even after Zaphenim's civilization collapsed, Humans lived on Aegyn undisturbed for thousands of years.

In about 38,700 CE, the cousins of the Aegan Humans returned. This group, called the Svartálfar people, originated on Eos and possessed not only powerful magi, but the technology to make Thaumaturgy far more useful. They introduced millions of engineered land species onto the already-oxygenated world, they were able to make it habitable for themselves within a handful of centuries. They referred to the natives as the Dökkálfar, a term that was originally a mark of respect, this people being far closer to the, by this point, mythological Zaphenim.

With time, the line between the two peoples would disappear, both forgetting their heritage amongst the stars of Aylathiya and instead worshiping the twin suns of Aegyn, spirits, ancestors, or any other conceivable deity. Their technology was useless without Thaumaturgy and the art had long since fallen into obscurity after large-scale suppression by the ruling class. Over centuries, the practice was replaced with other far less effective means of channeling magic, such as astrology or geomancy. Over several more centuries, the population began rapidly falling as global cooling greatly reduced the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Ma'eau did not intervene, preffering this more humble Human presense.

Pre-Space Civilizations

Civilization reemerged on the continent Yoasobi in about 54,099 CE. These civilizations started as fairly small city-states surrounded by farmland. Throughout the centuries, they became sprawling empires complete with writing systems, an advanced grasp on mathematics, and territory taking up the entirety of their continent. Around this time, they began spreading out from their home-continent in the first ocean-faring vessels. They first colonized the continent Aimer, a northerly continent cooler than Yoasobi. They went on to get the other 4 major land masses of Rin, Ninelie, Oxt, and Ayaka. These landmasses, more accurately described as large islands, were accompanied by well over one million smaller islands who were finally colonized dozens of millennia after civilization began.

These civilizations remained fairly primitive for the next one thousand years; those living on Yoasobi rediscovered iron in about 55,000 BCE. Around this time, a probe from Sedrua encountered humankind. Wasting no time, it signaled home and began using its language algorithms to figure out how Humans communicated. Fortunately, it was the easy-to-decode sound-based languages, allowing for a message to be quickly sent. The 20 most influential governments on Aegyn, all of which located on Yoasobi, would be contacted in their dominant language. While it took quite a lot of explaining to get them to understand their place as the new subjects of a galactic empire as well as their standing as the descendants of it, they would eventually accept.

Legend has it that one leader refused unless Sedrua proved who they were by granting their wish. Their wish was to have "unlimited material to finish their monuments." Sedrua secured an asteroid for the planet, processed it, and placed it into orbit around Aegyn. Each of the governments were given a set allotment of resources that would fall from the sky periodically. Convinced by Sedrua's true dominance over the universe, every nation would declare loyalty. The flag of Sedrua flew over the capitals of each nation as per the deal. Their religions abandoned, Aegyn's nations converted to Sedrua's Aeternalism.

Rise of Anthrovia

After the 20 civilizations achieved peace, prosperity, and unlimited resources, they would dominate their regions with their monopoly on material, technology, and infrastructure. Every conceivable resource became common. Gold lost all value, food became plentiful as rock phosphates fertilized fields, and there was no shortage of labor. Immense megastructures composed of what were then considered exotic materials, namely steel and aluminum, sprung up across the land. Vast temples, palaces, cities, and complexes emerged even on the distant continents. With an infinite supply of material came an infinite lust for growth.

The 20 civilizations eventually blended together, creating a continent-spanning empire called "Anthrovia" meaning "land of the Humans." This sprawling nation had a single king and dozens of lesser lords beneath them. Beyond the largest continent, the so-called "barbarians" ruled. The smaller island nations remained independent due to the still-limited shipping technology. Despite their best efforts, they would never receive resources from Sedrua, forcing them to mine for their own. These barbarians would remain technologically on par with the main continent however, any advancement made there flowing out to all Humans on Aegyn within a decade.

In 61,138 CE, the Triumvirate Civilization created a large number of probes to monitor primitive races throughout the territory they gained during the Sedrua-Triumvirate War. The probes would eventually detect and destroy Sedrua's stations around Aegyn. As they noticed the populace loyal to Sedrua on the ground, they nearly obliterated Anthrovia until a signal from the home world spared them. The Triumvirate drafted a treaty in which humans would gain sovereignty over a vast tract of space in exchange for absolute allegiance. Even though the Humans had no way to travel through space or understand the world around them, they signed the treaty out of fear of losing their resources. Anthrovia would become a province within the Triumvirate.

Era of Magocracy

The birth of Moonmoon began a new era on Aegyn. Within the next few centuries, the practice of Thaumaturgy became common. While most civilizations gain access to Thaumaturgy well after having the science to explain it, Humanity had no ability to parse this strange new phenomenon. Moonmoon's new religion, giving glory to a being called Silverstar, would rapidly gain popularity as well. With Thaumaturgy came a new class of people, the Magi. They soon conquered Aegyn, imposing their rule not only over Yoasobi but the entire planet. Given their vast magical power, subjugating the free societies across the world became a simple task. Olaris became a penal colony the Magi would transport prisoners to. The mostly undisturbed indigenous people of Olaris resisted fiercely. Unlike on Aegyn, Humans on Olaris maintained the Thaumic arts. Millions of Aegan commoners died during the colonization of Olaris.

The Triumvirate government would not step in despite Moonmoon's pleas. The prophet was directly opposed to the state religion and, given that the Triumvirate directly benefited from Magi rule, they had no reason to intervene. Moonmoon, distressed by the global empire Thaumaturgy created, began a new school of study, Esoteric Thaumaturgy. This field of study would remain fairly fringe, allowing for Moonmoon to control exactly who would gain the powers.

As more time passed, the Magi would realize that flying to other planets, and even stars, was relatively simple. The first Thaumic Ships created by Humans were crude pressure vessels containing colonists bound for new worlds. The first Humans to stand on a planet outside of Helyar's system were Magi who landed on the nominally habitable planet of Albedo in 61,204 CE. This world and its 15% oxygen atmosphere, while hypothetically habitable, killed the vast majority of the commoners forced to settle it. Those that could adapt would be put to work turning the planet into an outpost for further exploration. Petra and Thalsiedeln were the next planets colonized.

Around this time, Esoteric Thaumaturgy became increasingly common amongst those living on the remote islands of Aegyn. As it did, Silverstar himself would protect its practitioners from the Magi ruling class. Silverstar, not using any of the more classical thaumaturgy, would go undetected by the Triumvirate, meaning his worshippers could practice in peace.

Anthrovian Civil War

Main Article: Anthrovian Civil War

Humans developed the scientific method around 69,850 CE as the Esoteric-dominated world began a sort of enlightenment period. Technological development erupted from there and within one thousand years, it became advanced enough to deliver power across Aegyn. The Magi ruling class hated this new technology and did their best to disrupt its advancement, but the Triumvirate usually stepped in to make sure its subjects advanced. By 70,200 CE, common Humans brought nuclear power to all of its colonies, shed the need for Magi in most areas, and had begun encroaching on the dominance of the ruling class. The moment Silverstar was sealed away in Azurullya, the Magi organized an interstellar movement to crush their opposition. Coinciding with a rebellion against the Triumvirate by nearly all of its provinces, the Magi were left undisturbed, free to attack their rivals. This caused the Anthrovian Civil War, an interstellar conflict lasting over fifty years.

The conflict began as the former ruling class unleashed their exceptional abilities onto the populace, causing vast numbers of casualties within the opening hours. The esoteric magi soon struck back, buying the commoners enough time to organize effective defenses against the superhuman magi. Esoteric Magi were not the only group targeted by Aegyn's nobility. Paladins devoted to Alkanism had long since been a disruptive force. The art of being a Paladin was available to anyone who truly believe in their cause. Since Paladins had superhuman abilities and could even counter Thaumic attacks, this peaceful group was not spared.

With large armies of immensely powerful people clashing over entire cities, over a quarter of Aegyn's population perished in the opening moves. Both sides drafted civilians for their cause, holding onto cities was impossible without hundreds of thousands of soldiers after all. Not just a war of power but of propaganda, the two sides remained locked in seemingly endless conflict until the bombing of Ongak, the then capital of Aegyn. Decapitated, the Magi were slowly pushed back as soldiers from the Great Intendancy, the Triumvirate's police force, landed on Aegyn. The Intendancy occupied Aegyn for a century afterwards.

Post War

The Triumvirate placed a large number of resources into Aegyn after the war. The vast cities and megastructures continued expanding as they were repaired, slowly creating a planet-wide city simply called "Anthrov City." Aegyn's populated leveled out several years after the war at 43 billion, with the total population of Anthrovia becoming nearly 100 billion. After advances in medicine raised the average lifespan to nearly 200 years, Aegyn's population exploded as death became far less common. This sudden increase lead to large numbers of colonists leaving the planet as it became increasingly crowded. Space habitats greatly increased in number during this time. Even Eos was not safe from human colonization, with large numbers moving to that world.

Until the beginning of the common era, the status quo remained unchanged. The planet had become an ecumenopolis following explosive population growth brought about by the deposing of the Magocracy. With over one trillion people living on the planet by 75,000 CE, Aegyn saw a period of sustained growth culminating with almost 2 trillion souls occupying the planet. Such a large population lived in massive cities and orbital habitats artificially lit by fusion reactors. Large numbers of humans migrated from Aegyn to surrounding star systems.

As the Triumvirate rocketed towards collapse, Aegyn would enjoy steady economic growth and a vast productive capability. Even as the civilization collapsed, Aegyn's prosperity remained.

Post-Collapse Era

In 84,417 CE, Erstes Konsortium emerged as Human organizations from across the Triumvirate banded together to preserve their interests. Aegyn would be the capital of this new nation. The new order was quite different however. The leader of Erstes Konsortium, called the Kaiser, would allow for relatively tolerable organizations to manage order across Erstes Konsortium in exchange for joint sovereignty over the territory. Since the Kaiser directly controlled the population centers, this would result in a mutually beneficial deal for worlds across the Kaiser's domain. Normalcy soon returned as Aegyn continued receiving large volumes of trade now from other nations such as the Commonwealth of Aggregate Aylathiya.

Aegyn remained under the control of the Kaiser until 88,752 CE when the Neo-Terran Party shelled the planet, killing the Kaiser. Aegyn's status as the center of Erstes Konsortium was removed as the Neo-Terrans moved the capital to Albedo. While the planet still received large amounts of trade, the Party would soon ban trading with the world to starve out the loyalists occupying the planet's vast cities. As vast numbers of people fled the planet to nearby systems, the Party would eventually open up trade, but by then it was too late, the planet was decimated.

Several centuries later, the Confederacy of Borealis would occupy the planet and turn it into a minor production hub before the Great Empyreal Crusade rendered the planet all but uninhabitable. To this day, few call this planet home. Even though there are restoration efforts underway, Humanity has largely moved on from their home world. Once an economic powerhouse, Aegyn has been reduced to an irradiated wasteland.

Geography

Aegyn's oceans occupy over 80% of the planet's surface. In the past, the figure was much lower at 65% before the Great Empyreal Crusade in which the planet was attacked dozens of times. The planet's original continents of Yoasobi, Aimer, Rin, Ninelie, Oxt, and Ayaka have all since been buried by the remains of the once great ecumenopolis covering the planet. Most of its great buildings have fallen into the seas, their weight sinking the continents.

When Aegyn began falling into disrepair, various sections of the continental shelf had sunk below sea level, flooding many of the cities. Unchecked plant-growth began overtaking much of its infrastructure. By the time Martial Space recovered from the Great Empyreal Crusade, most of the planet was uninhabitable. The regular bombardment served to almost completely flatten all but the sturdiest of buildings as well as greatly increase the amount of water on the planet. The original continents have all flooded, leaving only artificial structures poking out of the waves. The bombardment killed most native life to the point that few of the original species remain extant.

What remains of the "land" is mostly sandbars made up of smoothed shards of metal, plastic, rock, and other common substances. The largest of these islands manage to house limited ecosystems made mostly of genetically modified or foreign species. Few animals live in these environments. Aegyn's oceans are devoid of multicellular life, the large amounts of pollutants in the water killed most complex life. Most of the ocean's inhabitants are bacteria which managed to adapt to the polluted seas or genetically modified algae which maintain Aegyn's atmosphere. Several newly-created artificial islands also exist on the planet which serve to house the newest wave of colonists.

Civilization

Aegyn is notoriously hard to govern given its nature. Many criminals and organizations reside in the vast underground catacombs carved by ancient Anthrovia. Anywhere from deeply-bored tunnels reaching well into the mantle to the ruins of space stations orbiting the planet, one can find dangerous criminals, rogue machines, and all other manner of unsavory individuals the government would rather do without. During the late War of the Ancients, the Confederacy of Borealis would release war criminals, deserters, and certain prisoners of war onto Aegyn. This practice continued well beyond the War of the Ancients until the early 99,000's CE. Aegyn's isolated position and lack of resources made it the natural choice for disposing of inconvenient individuals without outright killing them.

By the time the program ended, Aegyn was already teeming with a large number of underground organizations and dangerous individuals. The local government of the region decided to cull the population of the planet by subjugating Aegyn to punishing levels of radiation, only serving to drive the populace deeper underground. When the latest recolonization effort began in the early 99,000's, the colonists had to contend with limited funds, hostile natives descended from deportees, and a dangerous atmosphere. Despite being the home-world of humanity, only a relative handful of individuals volunteered for recolonization. These individuals exclusively live in one walled city, Tshenst. Tschenst is the one place on the planet which can be considered habitable by legal standards. Everywhere else on the planet, especially underground, is a hostile environment foreign to most living in post-scarcity civilizations.