This page explains what happened to the point where the game starts. If you’re interested in more details on the game world, head over to the game world page.
The page and all content is work in progress and subject to change at any time! Please note that reading through these details may give some spoilers on the gameplay.
2035: A Surprising Detection
In the year 2035, advanced space telescopes and AI enhanced space photography detected unusual activity in a star system located 1,000 light-years away: a massive star showed signs of nearing the end of its life. Observations revealed increasing instability and unusual gamma-ray emissions.
The star was called Zeta-1, and it was teetering on the edge of destruction.
International space agencies and scientific communities held emergency meetings to assess the potential threat. Predictions were dire: a supernova was imminent, and with it, a gamma-ray burst aimed directly at Earth.
2035 – 2036: Increasing Instability
Continuous, high-resolution monitoring of Zeta-1 revealed violent stellar flares and energy surges. Predictions estimated a supernova within months.
With the clock ticking, the world braced for impact. The construction of secret underground facilities was started, each designed to shield a select few from the coming storm. Such facilities were equipped with advanced life support systems, food production units, and communication arrays.
On 27/03/2026, a Mexican construction worker employed on a top-secret shelter project in the United States, Carlos Mendoza, came forward with information about the limited capacity and scope of underground shelters being built.
In an interview he stated: “I couldn’t keep this a secret any longer. The world deserves to know the truth. They’re building these shelters, but they can only hold 5,000 people each, and only a few are being constructed in time. Millions will be left with nowhere to go. People need to prepare and demand answers from those in power. We can’t let them decide our fate behind closed doors.”
The worker’s whistleblowing sparked widespread outrage and panic. Protests and riots erupted. Amid the chaos, governments imposed martial law to maintain order and protect the construction sites. Emergency services and law enforcement struggled to manage the escalating violence and civil unrest.
Early 2037: The Final Countdown
The star’s behavior reached a critical phase. Astrophysicists predicted the supernova could occur at any moment, causing heightened alertness worldwide.
Mid-2037: Supernova and GRB
Zeta-1 exploded in a supernova. A gamma-ray burst was emitted, with one of its jets directed toward Earth.
The gamma-ray burst reached Earth within minutes, overwhelming the atmosphere with intense radiation. The ozone layer was obliterated almost instantaneously.
Radiation caused immediate deaths across the globe. Surface life was decimated, and ecosystems collapsed. Only those in sufficiently constructed and well-shielded facilities survived the initial onslaught.
2037 – 2038: Aftermath and Survival
The atmosphere darkened as nitrogen oxides formed, blocking sunlight and causing rapid global cooling. Earth entered a sudden and severe ice age.
Survivors in underground facilities experienced long-term radiation challenges. Those left on the surface suffered from acute radiation sickness.
The collapse of the food chain affected both plant and animal life and led to severe shortages and a struggle for resources.
2039+: Struggle for Existence
In the aftermath of the gamma-ray burst, underground survivors relied on life-support systems, hydroponic farms, and strict resource management to endure. Isolation and dwindling supplies tested their mental and physical resilience.
As decades passed, the Deepborn – children born underground – became the backbone of the shelter’s survival. Unlike the Skyborn, who carried memories of the lost world, the Deepborn knew only artificial light, recycled air, and the depth of the hollow Aegis core. They excelled at maintaining critical systems, exploring forgotten tunnels, and adapting to life below ground.
Yet, dreams of reclaiming the surface never faded. Shielded from the Subsumed, scientists from the Eminents began creating protective suits, UV-resistant crops, and radiation shielding in anticipation of careful surface explorations.