Early History

The period preceding the rise of the Empire is among the least understood eras in human history.

Unlike the Age of Empire, which left behind vast ruins, archives, and surviving institutions, the civilizations that existed before it are known primarily through fragmented legends, scattered archaeological discoveries, and traditions preserved by a handful of surviving cultures. Most records from the period have been lost, destroyed, or rendered impossible to verify.

As a result, historians often disagree on where history ends and mythology begins.

The First Kingdoms

The oldest surviving traditions originate within the Starcrest Protectorate.

According to Protectorate histories, the earliest known civilizations were a collection of rival kingdoms scattered across the region of space that would one day become Protectorate territory. These kingdoms fought wars, forged alliances, and established dynasties that endured for centuries.

Little is known about the societies themselves. Surviving accounts describe hereditary monarchies, warrior aristocracies, and noble bloodlines, but provide few concrete details beyond this. Archaeological evidence suggests that humanity had already achieved interstellar travel by this period, though the technology appears to have been far more limited than that used in later eras.

Most notably, there is no evidence that War Mechs existed during this time.

The origins of faster-than-light travel are generally believed to lie somewhere within this era, though exactly how humanity first achieved interstellar travel remains unknown. The engineers, scientists, and civilizations responsible have vanished from history.

The Blood of the Titans

Many traditions from the First Kingdoms revolve around a concept known as the Blood of the Titans.

According to Protectorate mythology, the ancient kings claimed descent from colossal beings known as Titans. These figures are variously described as giants, demigods, ancestors, or creators depending on the source. Some legends portray them as physical beings who once walked among humanity, while others treat them as symbolic representations of power, destiny, or divine favor.

The exact meaning of these stories has been debated for centuries.

Modern historians generally regard the Titans as mythological figures, noting the complete absence of reliable evidence for their existence. Nevertheless, belief in the Blood of the Titans remains an important part of Protectorate culture.

House Konnen, rulers of the Starcrest Protectorate, continue to trace their lineage to the ancient kings and are traditionally regarded as bearers of the Blood of the Titans. While few outside the Protectorate take such claims literally, the symbolism remains politically and culturally significant.

The Rise of the Imperium

The next major period of recorded history begins with the rise of House Lytherius and the formation of the Imperium.

According to surviving accounts, the invention of the first Mech fundamentally transformed warfare. The technology gave House Lytherius an overwhelming military advantage over its rivals and allowed the fledgling Imperium to expand at an unprecedented rate.

Over the following centuries, the Imperium conquered much of known human space, absorbing rival kingdoms and establishing what was, at the time, the largest political entity in recorded history.

For many generations, the Imperium dominated human civilization.

Though greatly diminished compared to its ancient height, the modern Imperium remains the only major power that can trace its existence directly back to this era.

Before the Empire

At some point after the rise of the Imperium, a new power emerged.

The details are unclear. Surviving records become sparse, contradictory, and increasingly difficult to verify. What is generally accepted is that a civilization larger and more powerful than the Imperium eventually conquered the known worlds and established what would later become the Golden Empire.

Who these conquerors were remains unknown.

No reliable accounts identify their place of origin, their leaders, or the circumstances under which they unified human space. By the time detailed historical records begin to appear, the Empire was already firmly established as the dominant power in the galaxy.

As a result, the transition from the age of kingdoms and early empires to the Age of Empire remains one of the largest gaps in recorded history.

Humanity's Lost Origins

→ See also: Humanity's Lost Origins

Among all the mysteries of early history, none is greater than the question of humanity's origin.

No world can conclusively claim to be humanity's birthplace.

No surviving archaeological record identifies a first colony, first civilization, or homeworld. Ancient migration records have long since disappeared, and competing traditions place humanity's origins on dozens of different worlds.

Some scholars argue that the evidence was simply lost during the Fall and the Dark Age. Others believe humanity had already spread across so many worlds before reliable record-keeping emerged that identifying a true point of origin may be impossible.

Whatever the answer, it lies beyond the reach of modern history.

Humanity's homeworld, if such a world can still be identified, remains unknown.