Known Universe


 * This article is part of The Next Renaissance

Known Universe, also called Known Space or, after 11th millennium UE, Prime Universe, is the universe's corner that had been exploring and charting for over a million year since the event. It wasn't until much later that the civilizations found out the event wasn't just happening on Earth, its spread throughout the universe, letting to countless species and civilizations migrating into this realm.

Theorically, the current prime universe has no boundaries. Space colonization has become among most important economic sectors. Building worlds, mining on galaxies... all are flourish & prosperous. Stories about thrilling space adventures, about exciting lifestyles in frontiers beyond the stars.... become the source for space explorers over millennia. By the dawn of Ninth Era, the official number for galaxies and their sub-units reaches multiple googolplex in prime universe only, including habitable, under terraforming, charted or ongoing exploring systems. The galaxies that are accessible for all spacefaring civilizations are beyond-count, with the most stable & wealthiest ones are easily surpass septillions in number.

The number sentient lifeforms are varied greatly among galaxies. While some of the most sparsely populated galaxies contain about several trillions beings within trillions star systems & obitant objects, the most densely populated systems house at least thousands of decillions, so dense that some solar systems are basically one wholely settlement. All these civilizations that occupy space interact each other through travel, diplomacy, trade, politics, and war. Throughout all history, the prime universe, as well as other ones after 11th millennia, isn't just continuously expanded, but also the prime playground for competitions between spacefaring civilizations, especially those hyperpowers.

Outline

 * For a summary of life and societies in new eras: Outlines - The Next Renaissance

The Prime Universe, as it was commonly referred to after doorways to other ominiverses were found & perfected in 11th millennium UE, is among all universes that exist out there. It was where our current world existed, and become the main stage for events - warfares and golden eras - that happened ever since the event began. By the dawn of the current era, spacefaring civilizations have been in friend-enemy relationships with each other, striking for power, expanding influences and co-existing in a fairly peaceful yet quite uneasy harmony. Full-scaled wars have been non-existence for millennia, although large or mediums ones have not.

Although the true size of the prime universe itself remains mostly estimates and predicts, the current corner is already composed quadrillions of galaxies, star clusters & countless other space obitants. Within it, countless of sentient beings exist: While some galaxies are rather homogenized, many others contain uncountable number of cultures and civilizations. All interwine & interact with each other, to the point whereas the word "labyrith" will never be even close to enough to describe the relation's complexity between spacefaring civilizations, let alone non-spacefaring ones.

For a million year, the prime universe is the main stage for trade, cultural exchanges, technological advancements and uplifting programs, warfares & politics between species and civilizations. After the Second Coming, a majority part of the prime universe was ruined, scorched out of life, which - by a staggingly coincidence - pushed for the universal intergration. Over time, all civilizations, regardless of size or power, are all interwined & interconnected, throughout alliances, trade deals.... so complex and deep that, despite all the heats and confronts between superpowers, no entity or single sentient dare to plot something big toward any particular civilization, for they will instantly jeopardy the whole economy & damage themselves in process, or being attacked by all sides.

Astrography
The prime universe is divided into regions among galaxies. Despite different names, each region has same purpose: the Deep Core served as the galaxy's inmost & brightest lit region. Next to the deep is Core Worlds, usually the most populous, wealthiest and most advanced zone of that galaxy. Most of the time, the core worlds are what human before UE called the melting pots for that galaxy, easily containing several trillions of different cultures and traditions, to the point it's virtually impossible to have a clear definition for their identities. Usually next to core worlds are buffer zones, either Colonies of civilizations in that galaxy or Mid-Rim zones, before the Inner Rim. The Inner Rim, or Inner Circle, is usually the region much less prosperous or stable than the core worlds, although they're also usually a lot quiet and slow-pace of life. Most of spacefaring civilizations have their inner worlds usually more autonomous than core worlds, due to them being far from the central governments. This prove to be a double-edge sword, as those worlds are also easier to be exploit by greedy corporations & corrupt officials. On the outer reach, there will be Outer Rim Territories, farthest reached worlds, before the unknown, unexplored or uncharted space. Worlds within these regions usually are the poorest, or at least most poorly maintain by those post-scarcity. Citizenry in these regions often have their lives similar to many cowboy stories in America, or wuxia in China: those are faster or stronger lives.

Structure
By the time of the 9th age, the prime universe is about 100 ---> 120 quingentilliard googolplex (1 quingentilliard = 103003) across, or about 37 quingentilliard googolplex parsecs and estimately 13.92 trillion years old, much older than a widely previously known number, 13.82 billion years. The exact planet's number in the universe is unknown, of which those within prime universe's boundaries were surveyed by all great powers in 7th age were easily surpass the number of googolplex. Theorically, the whole prime universe cycles around the Center or the Core, a hypermassive black hole that easily massed billions suns, although no real attempt to prove it. Until the current era, only probe droids had ever visited such entity, with only shattered, uncleared images were transmitted back. Before long, most people in community believed that the Core was a doorway to other universes, until doorways themselves were found and perfected in 11th millennium UE. A new theory, whose believers think that the Core is actually a portal to another higher plane or dimension of existences, had since then replaced it.

What's surrounding the Core is refered to as the Layer, the Cocoon, or the Great Barrier. Spanning over trillions parsecs across, it is believed to hold whatever inside the core from getting out, or anything try getting in, although there had been no evidences to prove anything, except stories & legends in various ancient civilizations & religions, about forces "darker than even the darkness", making the likes of The Hand or Time Lords are but bunch of jokers. Toward this region, worlds are very sparse & poor. Poor in materials, in maintains, in everything, these worlds & galaxies are known for being preyed by terrorists, fringer groups or space pirates. No spacefaring civilizations claim sovereign over these regions, although hyperpowers such as the Gran Columbian Union, the Dominion of the Horns or the Second Australian Commonwealth does maintain several colonies here, mainly as prisons for non-fixable, dangerous sentients. About several hundred millions parsecs from this region is the Void, a space with no planet, no galaxy, nothing. It is considered as natural barriers separate the region surrounding the Core with the civilized universe, since the only way to travel through here is by wormholes, maintained by great powers.

Space beyond these barriers to the Halo, a halo-liked region separate Inner and Outer worlds, are the largest & contain some of the wealthiest, tremendous lavishly lives & most influential galaxies. These are collectively refered to as Inner systems (think 1st developed worlds in deep space). Beyond the Halo are the Outer systems. Although not as powerful as their inner counterparts, galaxies in this region have some of fastest growth rates among charted space. Theorically, the universe itself has boundaries, no one ever found them yet, or even found anything about these true final frontiers.

Stars and galaxies
Of all countless natural worlds within the community, 2/3 are orbited by at least one planetary system. 90% of them house at least one civilization, while the other 10% comprised protostars or stellar remnants like white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. Although cross-galaxies once was considered the last barrier for the community, by enabling them in mid-5th millennium UE, the galactic community started expanding to enomours, highly diverse universal community. The larger stars or oval-shaped galaxies - A-, B- or O-class - are actually quite short in life-span, only millions years, so take a whole lot of efforts terraforming them, such as re-aligned the systems, construct the worlds or seeding life.... due to them being almost lifeless all the time. Most habitable natural worlds including M-class or G-class make up 19% of charted galaxies, with 75% have at least one civilization or could be settled with little to no efforts for terraformation. These worlds or galaxies are usually tens of billions years lifespans, giving them vast time's amount for evolutions. Most commonly in known space, however, are K-class, or dwalf worlds. Accounting at least 70% in various galaxies, these worlds however require most amount of times, efforts or resources for terraforming, as they're generally their former self's skeletons, with nothing left but a few rare metals.

Galaxies and star systems
What's constituted as prime universe contains within quadrillions of quadrillions galaxies, with countless inhabited star systems of all kinds, from uncharted smugglers' settlements to planet-spanning ecumenopolis where scarcely a meter of ground remained untouched. By the dawn of Ninth Era, 21% of these are incorporated by Terran members, most powerful empires of the hyperpowers throughout known space, although the number is constantly changing. Most of them are associated or dependencied in some forms, but largely in charge of themselves. 75% star systems across prime universe are under rules from all hyperpowers, which are also employing self-policing and local governing.

From Fourth Era onward, intergovernmental alliances were, and had since been, very popular and spanning across known space, promoting peaceful cooperation & co-existence while preserve each's own culture & tradition. Unlike cross-countries organizations on old Earth, however, these alliances constantly stress for more equality between civilizations, species or sexes. Anyone with a certain advanced & understanding level toward the universal community are welcome to join, no matter size or wealth. Renown examples such as the Animal Planet or the Sky Union, which aren't spacefaring yet, but have enough technological levels & welcoming peaceful cooperation without loosing their own cultures. Due to their sizes & the widely recognized & applications of true democracy & egalitarianism, however, discussing matters among member's representatives, event those within each member's hyperpowers, are easily drag on for years before reaching consensus. Hence the widely popular of life-extension magics & techniques. Each planet or system will have at least one chancelor and one representatives board for their voices in their alliances, as well as the community as a whole. For star systems with too large or too diverse cultures, there will be more than one chancelor, or even abandon the chancelorship. On the contrary, worlds such as the Animal Planet or the Koya Koya Planet from the legendary Doraemon's realm doesn't have any representatives at all, since they're basically running semi-anarchy. Within galaxies, core worlds' elder parts usually are centers of political, economic or technological advancement, while other larger sectors are subservient in representation to zones, subzones & regions.

Sector
One of the basic political entities within galaxies is sector, mostly artificial space divisions grouped or regrouped for political, economic or cultural similarity reasons. During the first centuries when superpowers from Earth started colonizing beyond Milky Way, sectors were usually limited to 50 sub-units per se. Each one had substantial population & economy. As empires pioneering in space exploration, such as the Japan Star Empire or the Maghreb Union expanded, however, the sheer sector's numbers led to deadlock within their ruling bodies. Many sectors later were even more expansive, containing thousands of inhabiting worlds, as star-faring civilizations keep enlarging per year, until the number reached millions.

Core Worlds
An ancient zone that surrounding and bordering the outlying areas of the deep, Core Worlds are some of the  most prestigious, well-developed, well-known, and heavily populated galaxies across known space.


 * The central power hub here is the Laniakea and its surrounding space. Currently, all galaxywide polities were born here and spreading out into space. The 5 main factions, noble houses... hold extremely high influences over this region, while virtually all corporations and banks have offices here.

Various worlds across this region remain most important, being either great powers' capitals or economic, cultural centers. Generally speaking, worlds and galaxies under APAC, AFRICANA or NON-ALIGNED's influences, whether trade or culture, are highly advanced and extremely luxurious; while those under EUROPA and AMERICANA and, to some extend, AFRICANA, are often bear the image of high fantasy works, mostly anime, manga and RPGs.

Colonial Region
The Colonies, or Colonial Region, is the name of a space zone between the core and inner rim. This is the first space region formed composing of first colonized galaxies outside the core. Characteristics here including heavily populated and rich cultured. Despite have some of the most industrialized worlds in universe, the space zone itself remain the largest food producers and exporters.


 * Nightclub_entrance_streetview_by_mrainbowwj-d6uxo94-1-.jpgre Industry, a controversial but extremely prosperous economy gain significant footholds here, especially during various space races, when vast number of star fleets stopped there. A legalized sex industry, it aimed at fulfilling physical human needs first during the New Age's dawn, but later expanded into all species. Various worlds, stations or colonies here are universal famed with bursting lives and great debauchery enjoyments, day and night.

Most worlds along this zone are under great influences from NON-ALIGNED great powers. The  Capellan Confederation, the Earth Alliance, the  Solarius Empire and the  Valhalla Consortium are among the most active universal polities here. One characteristic is that worlds along this zone usually heavily populated, industrialized, and richly cultured.

Inner Realm
The Inner Zone, or Realm, is a universal region connect between Colonial Zone and Expansive Realm. Its original name was only the Rim or the Border, as this was support to be the farthest extent of the known universe for centuries, until star fleets from various great powers and independent exploring vessels located and opened the Expansive Realm within hundred years of Inner Realm.


 * Many great powers, like the Outworlds_flag.png Outworlds Consortium or the Flag_of_noravea_by_garudateam-d5lz7lx.png Noravea Worlds Triumvirates, are actually original from here. Monarchy, socialist- or anarchist-leaning and feudalism are unexpectedly popular within this region. Most races here are humanoid, letting to somewhat human-centrism-leaning cultural spheres. In recent centuries, however, this region witness various non-humanoid, even non-corporeal, species mass-migration, challenging many last traditions here.

The society here, despite still enjoying tremendously benefits from the Core, is less stable & occasional being threaten by terrorists, usually from the hardliners and those represent mankind's worse characteristics, and criminals. For centuries, slave traders and piracy have been among the most concerns in this region. Despite various efforts to maintain order by great and even regional powers, illegal activities, mostly slave trading, persist and remain quite high here.

Expansive Realm
Expanded Realm, or Expansive Realm, was, for centuries, thought to be the last frontier of civilization. That is, until space armadas from European League,  Greater Swiss Confederacy,  Burmese Throne and  Van Lang Regime entered this region. Since then, this region is usually governed by a mixed system between corporate capitalism and Scandinavian-liked welfare states.


 * For a short period, however, wealthy conglomerations and powerful great houses tried to monopoly the region, exploit its worlds filled with materials. Eventually civil unrest spread from system to system. The great powers and noble houses eventually had to took control over the region, due to mounting pressure from the population across universe by limiting or evicting corporate interests. Various worlds and galaxies in Expansive Zone continue to be leading exporters of various raw materials and suppliers for various service-based sectors, including leisure industry.

Mid Realm
A ring-liked zone, composed of countless of worlds with harsh condition, few resources and constantly under threats from pirates, murderers, illegal slave traders and hostile, oppressive and frustrating blocs. this region has a lot fewer natural resources (and therefore a smaller population) than neighboring regions, Mid Realm is a society of No pain - No gain, where everyone has to work their ass off if they're to earn something. As a result, many planets & systems in this area build impressive economies, sometimes even more competitive than the Inner.

Outer Realm
A last widely expansive region before the wild and the unknown. Most worlds here are characterized as obscure worlds, and rugged, primitive frontier planets. Few stellar nation or polity could rise up from here, and vast number of worlds across this region often are considered non-important. During 17th century U.E, however, this region was the only one where war almost broke out between rogue state and many great powers. Although no stellar polity or bloc here achieves more than regional power status, various number of great powers held many important outposts here.

Wild Space
This zone is the last frontier of society, separate between known space and the unknown. Alternately, Wild Space could also be described as the borderlines between the civilizations and the uncharted space. Much like how American Wild West was fictionalized in the past, this region is the only one in universe that is largely orderless. It should be noted that the Wild Space doesn't necessary mean the frontier of known space. It also mean the fronline between charted space between stellar nations  and the uncharted.

Unknown Realms

 * Unknown Region, or Unknown Realms, is the term referred to the space which is still under exploration and/or uncharted. Unknown regions aren't limited to the space currently outside the border of the Civilization, but also numerous realms in which for various reasons, there's currently little to no knowledge at all has been given, despite them very close, even within, sovereignty borders of intergalactic governments, even the hyper ones.
 * The "Unknown Realms" are include, but not limited to, uncharted areas in dense nebulae, globular clusters, and many galactic halo. They are also composed of the regions outside of the current known space, in which some are ruled by failed worlds. There have been various expeditions being funded and lauched by numerous hyperpowers or joint projects between them and lesser civilizations in attempts to explore and conquer the sectors over there. Past the region's outer edge, including the seven dwarf satellite galaxies, was the hyperspace disturbance beyond the edge of the known space.

Governments and politics

 * For more information: Intergalactic Governments, List of Intergalactic Hyperpowers

Economy

 * For more information: Universal economy

The universal economy is extremely diverse and complex. However, on the inter-systems scale, the major superstates had been developed & maintained many common units and models, such as currency (Universal credit) or freedom of movement.....

Races and species

 * For more information: Species

Following mysterious events in 21st century such as the Event or the re-appearance of Atlantic continent, a vast number of species and races from fantasy-based realms (mainly from Japanese/Korean popculture such as games, anime, manga....) and scifi-based realms into our world, led to the Next Renaissance, bringing with them enormous knowledge and archives of magic and technology.

The number of species through out Known Universe, by 24th century, were deemed Uncountable, although recent estimations settle about 100 - 400 quadrillion beings, but the number of major ones only around 1/1,000, with mankind being one of largest races.

There are currently 10 intergalactic species: Angel, Demon, Dragons, Dwalves, Elementals, Orcs, Faeries, Elves, Lycanthropes and Human. These dominant races are originally all from the Core, among the ancient species & basic of intergalactic governments through out the Civilization. Sentinels other than humanity specifically & than that of other dominant races are referred to as Alien, which also distinguished as humanoid or not.

Although not required by law at a whole, vast number of intergalactic powers usually prefer Alien to maintain humanoid form most of the times. Droid, A.I sentinent, isn't traditionally considered as main race, though they form vast, considerable parts, helping and coexisting with the population. In recent decades, growing number of the people, as a result, demand them to be considered as a race independently.

Communication

 * More information could be found here: Languages

Through out the Civilization, the intergalactic lingua franca was evolved from those of Human, Elves, Dwalves and Demons into Intergalactic Standard Chart. Its origins could have been vernacular speeches from Earth, vastly from Human's and Elves', and partially derived from several ancient languages in Terran. With Human being one of the dominant species along the Universe, non-human species also adopted the Chart as main language as well.

However, it is not unheard of one entity know more than a dozen of languages. Enormous advancements and improvements in technology also create vast benefits for education, among them is the ability to almost instantly and fast language learning. By imprint the basic of desired language direct into brain, people could learn up to 20 common-used languages in the matter of days.

It was possible for droids to have fluency in millions of forms of communication, and based on them, could also understand and improvise in even more. Protocol droids were essential in interspecies relations as translators and interpreters.