Harbinger
In Memory of
Stephen Smen Sr. | February 15, 1941~November 10, 2025
My Father, Edward Molitor | April 12, 1958~December 15, 2025
The year is 1026 A.E.. 1026 years after the destruction of the Earth from a cosmic disaster, a rogue neutron Star. Humans from Earth, were facing a diabolical peril, their home, the cradle of civilization, came together to save humanity from extinction with the largest man made project in Earth's History. An Ark. The Ark, a large self contained O'Neill Cylinder, rotating to simulate gravity, and powered by Project Orion, made it's pioneering voyage to the 61 Cygni Binary system. There, the humans settled on the 2nd planet of the 61 Cygni A System, and named it Erdos.
The founders of Erdos, perished during the great crimson war which saw the deaths of 1/3 of the colonists and lasted 17 bloody years. During that dark and terrible war, 3 figures shaped the destiny of human kind. Ruth Miller, who was a leader of a group called the Ruthanites, founded the city of Pitt Novus. There, She called forth all survivors to join a coalition to stop a woman from her vengeful tirade, Astrid Bush, from destroying her brother, Elijah, physically, emotionally, tactically, and spiritually. Elijah, broken from failing to be there for Astrid in her desperate hour, sought refuge elsewhere. When the war concluded, Astrid died on the fields of Uralica. Her Empire which she built, shattered and the Republic of Erdos was born, with Elijah Miller as it's first president. The disgruntled but repatriated forces of Astrid's Empire, scattered all over Erdos, looking for safe harbor, Some settled on the Julian Isles, In the same district as Rhykers Island. Others settled in the former Pe Settlement, what is now Scandia.
It took 2 hundred years for Humanity to reach the heavens once again, but the children of Astrid never forgotten, her vision. 300 years after humanity made it back to space, The descendants of her empire fled to an Earthlike planet, in the 61 Cygni B system, and called it Mercia. There, without the Yolk of the republic, Mercia grew into a imperialistic and Theocratic Empire. Relations between Erdos and Mercia grew sour about 300 years after Mercia's founding, and not wanting a repeat of what happened to their ancestors, they formed a secretive, and powerful spy agency called the Order of The Purified Blades, led by the Charismatic, and short tempered Boris Kolya. He went on a crusade to ensure his people's dominance in the story of Humanity.
In 999 A.E., 2 parents gave birth to a prodigy, a woman with extraordinary traits. The Prodigy, was Alysia Miller. Descended from Elijah Miller, She grew up fearing what she might become, and her family kept her hidden and safe as long as she can, but... Teenage years, are the most rebellious years of a persons life, and her rebellious nature, unraveled secrets, and boiled over tensions that had been building between Erdos and Mercia for centuries. Kolya on the other hand, saw her, as key to his plans for immortality. His work, his scientific discoveries were spearheaded by Josselyn Blattenburg, and she gave birth to Humanity's very first human clone, Astrid Bush, reborn, with intact memories, and similar appearance, as if she went to sleep for a thousand years to wake up in a strange world, with strange customs. The Mercian's worshipped her as a goddess, Kolya, had his own ambitions, and a great schism ensued.
2 years into the Mercian War in 1019 A.E. Alysia had rescued Astrid from the clutches of Mercia, and took her as her own sister, she never had. Kolya however, didn't chalk it up as a loss, but merely an opportunity to transcend. Alysia realized he became too powerful for anyone to stop alone, so, she and her friends, led a rebellion on Mercia itself, with the help from Astrid, and overthrew Kolya. Though, not before he devastated the planet with Nuclear rain. It was a costly victory for her, she lost a lot of her friends during the war, Her parents were the first victims, Her friend Elena, and men she loved, Kevin Carter, and Victor Zrille, also perished. Her mentor Jerry Durant, gave his life to save her. Her best friend Kylee Caruso, was on a mission to steal data cores for Erdos, to help advance Erdian Medical science as well as determine why Mercia got so powerful so quickly.
On Erdos They were treated as heroes. President Fiona Glenn showered them with medals and titles. But, Kylee revealed a shocking truth that upended everything, and Both President Glenn, and Vice President Katya Drunski, were determined to stop her from revealing it to the public, at any cost. Following the continental wide chase, Katya captured Alysia's new lover, Theo Helmuth, brainwashed him, and turned him into her personal enforcer. She now had the ability to shape the destiny of Erdos to her will, but While Kylee succeeded in proving to the world, that Perceval Pharmaceuticals funded both sides of the Mercian War, to help advance the CEO's goal, Cameron Hendrickson, of achieving immortality, it cost her, her life. A sacrifice, Alysia made President Glenn pay dearly. Glenn's death gave rise to the rebellion.
With Drunski now president, her first act was to squash the rebellion at it's heart, In New Cleveland on Rhykers Island. Alysia managed to recapture Theo and lifted the spell Katya had on him. It was a rare setback for Katya. Though not defeated, she grew stronger when Cameron gave her command of the RFID Chip implanted in the population, turning 200 million ordinary people, into brainwashed drones, ready to fight and die for Katya. Scandia was targeted, but they held the drones back at the Scandian Dannevirke, and the Iotan's natural dense forest of Geister, made mass assaults difficult for Katya's newly appointed Marshals. But.. Vice President Kaylie Nash, Cameron's Aid de Camp, led with her marshals, Mikkel Berthier, and Holly Klenau, to storm the heart of Iota, and kill Tatiana's forces. However, She couldn't defeat Alysia's strong willed leadership, and the Iron Guard suffered a crushing defeat.
Katya however, wasn't concerned with Iota, she felt Scandia was the biggest threat. It housed Mercians, the same people responsible for the death of her first husband, and a thorn in her side, Astrid Bush, who leads them, as well as Alysia's brother David, whom Astrid fell in love. The leader of the Scandians, Jarl Olaf Heimskir, rallied his people, as well as The Mercian refugees, and Sami volunteers to the entrance of the Cheronov Pass, near the Sami Town of Odda Karasjok. Olaf, would be the first person in history to defeat Katya Drunski in pitched battle. After her first defeat, she regrouped, and laid siege. There a 3 month grueling siege took shape. Starving, and nearly broken, the Scandians were about to be overrun, by a well trained force 3 times their number. That is until Alysia came to the rescue with Iotans and New Cleveland Volunteers and drove Katya back. Katya lost 2 thirds of her army and lost one of her marshals in the process.
Following her crushing defeat, Katya swore revenge. She pleaded with Cameron to launch his defensive arsenal at Erdos to level cities in Scandia, Iota, and on Rhykers Island to break the will of the Resistance, known as operation Wormwood. One Missile, was all it took to wrought devastation. It was originally a Mercian idea, but Cameron adapted it and launched a missile at the Helian Volcano range. Burrowing about a half mile into the hotspot, it blasted the range into one devastating Yellowstone like super eruption. Covering the atmosphere in particulates, lowering temperatures, starving crops, and starving people. Scandians now faced bitter cold, the likes of which, no human should ever face. Now all she had to do, was play for time... Before coming back to the stage with her army, to conquer, a defeated, broken, and demoralized resistance... For her, it was a reckoning, for Theo and his New Clevelanders, the end of Days. For the Scandians, Ragnarök.
Following the Super Eruption, The haze of the sun, barely gave ample light. While millions in Scandia died defending their homes and stopping President Drunski’s Marines. Millions could die of starvation once crops fail and Sami Villages to the far north, could be buried in feet of snow. The fallout is enormous, While Scandia faces a volcanic winter freeze, Districts like Pitt Novus, Hydaspah, and Xanadu are covered in Ash. The fertile Rice fields of Xanadu were now littered with Ash from Helia. Pitt Novus was the hardest hit. Those who were loyal to Drunski’s regime were the worst casualties. Cities like Silver Springs, Karelia, Pitt Novus, Martinsburg, and Heidelberg were under deep ashfall. The Great Proteus Lake for which greets The city of Pitt Novus and Martinsburg became polluted in Ash, raising the alkaline of the lake, and killing scores of native fish and other Marine life.
But a new player, Noman El Sa’ad, joins the game, and his temperate location, will prove pivotal, for the Resistance survival. Hold up in Wahda, The district was spared the hot ash from the Super volcano to the north due to prevailing winds blowing northeast. Crops in northwest Wahda and further southwest, endured. Upon realizing the meager breadbasket went unscathed in Wahda, Drunski aimed to secure it, and squash the resistance there. Joachim from Tuscany, sent Mercenaries and assassins there as well. Leading the Wahdan Campaign were two Marshals, Marshal Bogdan Voss, and Marshal Yelensha Kozlo. Kozlo was killed in an ambush with Wahdan rebels. Bogdan promised swift decisive action, but... Alysia and her group, hope to secure an Ally in Wahda, but... Getting to him in El Sa'ad, before Katya does, was now a question of which one of them would reach him first...
