#Lore24 Weekly Post (14/52) - The Collapse
The Collapse was a nearly century long event that was kicked off after extraterrestrials visited the Solar System, with notable excursions made in Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars between 2091 CE - 2093 CE. The 21st century was rife with conflict, and humanity's relationship with extinction, survival, and thriving were constantly in flux. One of the main patterns established in the lead up to 2091 CE was the issue of balkanization, a response to the extremely turbulent period.
Balkanization allowed humanity to feel as if it was making progress on their own terms. The communities that could save themselves, did so. Those who could not, did not. There were periods where the small and secure city-states assisted the struggling nation-states, and longer periods where they left them to their circumstances. Material inequality skyrocketed during the 2030s - 2040s before plateauing during the 2050s, when the population and geopolitical developments of humanity began to coalesce around wealthy developed city-states surrounded by barren, contested nation-states.
The alien visitations were seen as eerily appropriate or timely, due to the previous stagnant decades. Large-scale wars stopped by the 2050s and in its wake was filled with border conflict, episodes of domestic & foreign terror, and territorial skirmishes roused by paramilitaries and terrorist organizations that kicked off many of the initial wars from decades prior. By the 2080s, humanity was tired; frustrated; desperate; its spirit, defeated.
The visitations did not come as a surprise, however -- a handful of bustling states with space industries intact were surprised by odd data readings from outside of the solar system as early as 2089. Readings from within the solar system, from the outer ring, crept in around 2090 through early 2091. These readings made some of the remaining major powers anxious, and they desperately tried to keep the information under wraps from the rest of the world and from each other.
In the summer of 2091, aliens made contact with humanity by interacting with materials and machines operating on Mars. More panic, more attempts at secrecy -- but word quickly got out that non-human beings were on Mars interacting with leftover and recent clandestine equipment and machines from Earth from the early 21st century space missions.
More episodes like this occurred -- on Mars, on Mercury, Venus, and finally on Earth itself. Humanity collectively held its breath. First contact with an extraterrestrial species is always a sobering and confusing task, and for humanity it was no different.
Humanity gained access to some of the remnant alien material from the first contact event. The extraterrestrials, though enigmatic and largely non-communicative, left behind artifacts and devices that were beyond human comprehension. With relentless determination, scientists and engineers across the globe began deciphering these alien relics. The alien technology spurred rapid advancements in various fields: energy production, material science, and information technology, among others. For the first time in decades, humanity experienced a resurgence of hope. New industries emerged, economies that had been stagnating for years found new life, and the general quality of life improved.
For a brief moment, humanity basked in this new era of prosperity. The innovations derived from alien technology led to cleaner energy sources, which reduced environmental degradation significantly. Mega-cities that had once been on the brink of collapse were revitalized. Advanced medical technologies extended lifespans and eradicated diseases that had plagued humanity for centuries. There was a renewed sense of global cooperation, as the remnants of nation-states and city-states worked together to unlock the secrets of their alien benefactors. This era was marked by a renaissance of culture, science, and global unity, as the promise of a brighter future seemed within reach.
However, this newfound prosperity was not without its pitfalls. As humanity experimented with alien technologies, the advanced materials and energy sources proved to be volatile and difficult to control. In their ambition to harness these powerful tools, mistakes were made. Small accidents began to occur, followed by larger, more catastrophic events. The alien technology, while immensely powerful, required a level of understanding and responsibility that humanity was not prepared for.
Social and political tensions resurfaced as different factions vied for control over the alien technology. This was a result of the treasure trove of alien materials nearing exhaustion--for several decades following the 2090s, any properly supported expedition that sought out these seemingly paracausal materials could locate it and secure some for themselves, given time and effort. However, once these treasures became rarer and rarer, the greed and short sightedness that had plagued humanity in the past reemerged. Corporations, states, and other factions continued to vie over the remaining treasures--but by the year 2137, these expeditions frequently turned violent and disastrous. Wars broke out on Earth over brief skirmishes that erupted between expeditionary forces on Mars, and on Luna--sometimes less.
Ultimately, humanity was unable to be responsible with the opportunity they were gifted. The very tools that had promised a new era of prosperity and hope became the instruments of their downfall. In a series of devastating events, from environmental collapse to internal conflicts over the control of these alien materials, humanity's population dwindled. By the end of the 22nd century, the last remnants of human civilization had vanished, leaving behind a planet scarred by their ambition and hubris.