Fringian Dark Age

The eight-century long period that the Voyagers dwelt within the Distant Fringe region, beginning in 3730AD with the first sightings of Voyagers in the spinward systems of Halcyon Sector, and ending around 4570AD.

Description / Specifications

The technology of the Distant Fringe was a waiting banquet for the mineral-hungry Voyagers. Lanthanum-rich starships were a particularly juicy morsel and fusion reactions seemed to draw their attention: space travel of any kind became impossible and interstellar commerce collapsed. Many worlds died, particularly those with hostile environments or those that were reliant on deliveries of supplies. Other systems became barren through natural disaster, by being evacuated, or simply through bad luck. But many systems did survive.

The Voyagers had no taste for base materials such as steel and plastics and technological levels across the Distant Fringe fell to industrial levels or lower – levels that didn’t attract the Voyagers' attentions. Some societies went as far as forsaking advanced technology altogether.

History & Background / Dossier

During the centuries of isolation worlds developed their own unique traditions and customs and linguistic peculiarities, gradually becoming less "Terran". Knowledge wasn’t necessarily lost, but it was hidden safely away until a time when it could be applied and exploited. In many places, advanced equipment and supplies were concealed in deep caches until it was safe to recover them.

The end of the Dark Age began with the events of Slaver Year (4498AD): the last verifiable observation of a Voyager was in 4570AD from the Mengo system (2837 Shadow Rift), on the very coreward edge of the Distant Fringe. The Dark Age was followed by the Renaissance.

References & Contributors / Sources

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• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science