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Introduction

Imagine a universe three times older than Sol, a universe rich in the history of galaxies, stars, planets, life and civilizations big and small. Imagine a universe so vast that no known race has ever explored more than the meanest fraction of it, a universe where countless generations of sophont races have spread out and left their own mark upon it, the sum of which has made it that almost no star system has been wholly unaffected. This is The Garden Universe. In this universe, humanity has entered a new era. We have learned from the mistakes of our past and spread out into The Star Ocean as a wise and enlightened race worthy of the wondrous sights, artifacts, technology and company of other races that now available to us.

Setting Parameters

Multiverse- The Garden Universe utilizes the concept of the Multiverse. It should also be noted that The Garden Universe is not actually our universe, but a similar one. As of 2009 CE, The Garden Universe would to our current knowledge seem practically, if not identical; you and I exist in it with our pasts intact, the various national presidents are and have been the same, the same known wars happened, etc. The differences will likely end up being limited only to things we don’t actually know today; the number and nature of habitable worlds and alien races out there, Earth’s ice age civilizations, the physics that allow hyperdrives and portals and, of course, anything that happens or is only learned of after the year 2009 CE.

Solar Neighborhood- Stretching 100 light years in every direction from Sol, this was humanity’s proving ground. While a diverse and endlessly interesting region, it is only a fraction of what The Garden Universe has to offer, but it is here that it all began for humanity. This is our original home among the stars.

Human Development- The future has not brought more of the same, humanity has at last transcended its previous shortcomings and atrocities. We are no longer guided by ancient religions or dependent on gods and spirits, we are now guided by a humanist outlook and the lessons of the past. Humanity has embraced new technology, though not hastily, and with it we have engineered ourselves to be free of our past and improve our minds and bodies.

Alien Intelligences- The Garden Universe is rich in sophont life, some primitive and some advanced. Some possess familiar biochemistries while some are downright bizarre. Some races are humanoid, some even look somewhat human, most however, are quite a bit different. Hostile races are rare and almost always under control. The sophonts of the galaxies at the very least tolerate each other and at best coexist amicably and enthusiastically.

Multi-Galactic Setting- The Garden Universe stretches across many galaxies, mostly in The Local Group, but also touches upon even farther galaxies. Travel between galaxies in ships is difficult and time consuming, only by stargate is the trip practical.

Hard Science and Rational Tech (Mostly)- The Garden Universe does not embrace most of the cliché and magical technologies of sci-fi such as healing energy, unexplained shields, teleportation and non-descript blasters and energy weapons. When possible, everything is based on hard science (or at least something that sounds workable), ventures away from this are only to allow for some wiggle room and an admission that not everything in the future will be explainable by our modern science, to believe otherwise would just be arrogant and foolish (not to mention no fun at all). In fact, some things are likely to never be understandable by the modern human mind.

Background

The Garden Universe had its beginnings back in late 2001 during my freshman year of high school. Back then, it was just some basic write-ups I created as an outlet for all the sci-fi fantasies I had. They were simple and none too scientifically accurate.

Over time, these endured countless rewrites and leaps of evolution as I had new ideas, became dissatisfied with old ones and learned more about science. This continued until early 2006, when the works of Orion’s Arm, ArcBuilders, Life on Planet Furaha and Epona Project among other online projects began to inspire me to create something more concrete, something to share with others.

I had also realized that I could not create a full setting by myself and that if I published my ideas on my website like others had done, my ideas would have a chance to grow into something greater, something cooperative and more dynamic. And so The Garden Universe was born, here for all who are interested to see.

-Ares Johnson-

Appropriate credit will be noted on the relevant pages.

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