Background
The Human Sphere
Factions
PanOceania
PanOceania is the leading nation in terms of influence, the Number One, the top of the pyramid of power. Thanks to its strong, healthy economy it can boast the best example of a welfare society, and even a leisure society, in the Sphere. Pioneering space exploration and the development of the ALEPH AI, PanOceania was able to harness its technology to gain an edge over other powers. It sees itself as a model for others to follow, and is willing to fight anyone who would threaten its station. In order to maintain its status, the Hyperpower uses the full extent of its influence in international policymaking, safe in the knowledge that it is backed by an army furnished with the most advanced and destructive technology in the Human Sphere. If life at the top is your thing, your place is in PanOceania.
Yu Jing
PanOceania’s challenger, its perpetual opponent, the other great power, is Yu Jing (pronounced you cheeng), the Asian giant. The whole of the Far East, united under the banner of what once was China, has produced an integrated, but heterogeneous, oriental culture. Equipped with a blooming industrial sector, state-of-the-art technology and astounding economic growth, Yu Jing is ready and willing to demand the dominant position to which it feels entitled.
Haqqislam
(From the Arabic Haqq Islam, New or True Islam) Religious doctrine derived from Islamism, and its associated Neomuslim culture. A modern interpretation of the set of dogmas and precepts of the Quran that permeates the everyday lives of its followers. Founded by Farhad Khadivar in the late 21st century, the Haqqislamic movement proposed a philosophical and theological revisionism of the classical Islam, in order to adapt it to the society of its time. Haqqislam proclaims Humanism, the Search for Knowledge, and a set of Metaphysical axioms influenced by Sufi scholars, as the foundations of its doctrine, while simultaneously rejecting religious hierarchies and Sunnah, ‘tradition’, as dogma. Their doctrine is profoundly concerned with political and social issues, and the culture built around it has rekindled the scientific and artistic heirloom of the golden age of Islam.
Ariadna
Ariadna was founded by the descendants of the first human colony ship, thought lost when it disappeared into a wormhole. Left to their own devices on a hostile, resource-poor planet, endurance and mettle had to make up for the lack of state-of-the-art technology. Cossack, American, French and Scottish fought each other and they all fought the planet, and from all the fighting emerged Ariadna, where only the toughest survive. Welcome to Ariadna. Welcome to the army.
Nomads
Three gargantuan spaceships endlessly traverse the Sphere, doing what others cannot or will not do, sticking it to ‘the Man’ and contesting ordinary definitions of normalcy and acceptability. Do you prefer to think for yourself? Do you want to travel? Then you might have a Nomad spirit.
Non-Aligned Armies
The Japanese Uprising and their schism from Yu Jing brings forth the Non-Aligned Armies (NA2), a new faction that encompasses JSA, plus StarCo, the Ikari Company, and the Druze Bayram Security, the new Mercenary Companies.
The Combined Army
The Evolved Intelligence, an alien AI with a vast wealth of knowledge and a cold, relentless will, has conquered, subjugated and annihilated entire civilizations to fulfill its ultimate ambition: Transcendence onto a higher evolutionary plane. To that end, the EI has created a well-honed instrument of conquest: the Combined Army. In it, the AI has gathered some of the most dangerous species from its cosmic domains: the viciously brutal Morat, bred for war and war only; the insidious, sly Shasvastii, capable of anything to guarantee the survival of their species; the Sygmaa Trihedron, race traitors, biotech virtuosos, death dealers. Headed by combat incarnations of the EI itself, they are the most formidable war machine this galaxy has ever witnessed. Now they have set their sights on the Human Sphere...
The Tohaa
The Tohaa are an advanced alien civilization in an open war with the EI and its Combined Army. Custodians of one of the greatest treasures in existence, the Tohaa have resisted the EI’s attacks for longer than any other race in the universe. Tohaa shine in the use of biotechnology, having fearsome viral weapons and tough symbiotic armors, but they are also capable of modifying other races to give them a higher intelligence and make them fight at their direction. Now the Tohaa need allies and humanity seems to be an ideal candidate to act as a buffer in front of the might of the Combined Army.
Locations
Earth
Over the years, the cradle of Humanity and PanOceania has seen its demographic density significantly drop. Cities and regions preserve their natural and cultural treasures, but large areas of population have decided to seek a future beyond the stars.
Neoterra
The first planet discovered by PanOceanic explorers was Neoterra and it was the first to be colonized. It is the pillar of support for the most prosperous nation of the Human Sphere. There you can find Government offices, the Church (the Basilica of San Pietro - the residence of the Pope of all Christian citizens) and its Military Apparatus. In addition, it is the financial and technological core of the entire sphere. With all of this being said, it is safe to say that we can consider Neoterra as one of the most important planets to the future of mankind.
Acontecimento
The second system to be discovered was Acontecimento. It was colonized on a massive scale by Latin nations and other PanOceanian "minorities". It’s a planet of extreme contrast; you can find fields of extensive farming and livestock (that’s the reason it’s best known as “PanOceania’s barn”), and large industrial complexes that represent its tradition of commercial manufacturing. The exploitation of its resources provoked the destruction of all its ecosystems outside of one: the Great Arboreal Reserve - one of the most spectacular Natural Parks that humanity has ever set eyes upon.
Varuna
The third system to be discovered was Varuna, an oceanic planet where huge bodies of water covered most of the surface. Its native inhabitants are a semi-intelligent species: the Helots. The economy of Varuna is centered around industrial biotech firms, factories and marine farms where the Helots are the main working resource. From time to time, isolated cases of violence stem from an insurgent group of Helots known as Libertos break the peace and harmony of this idyllic planet.
Yutang and Shentang
At first, the Yu Jing leaders didn’t trust space exploration. They were fully convinced wormholes were just a whimsical concept created by their PanOceanian rivals that couldn’t end well. When the discovery and subsequent colonization Neoterra revealed the potential of Jump Gates, Yu Jing had already crippled their research in space development. To make up for it and mitigate PanOceania’s clear technological advantage, research funds were redistributed and entire universities redirected their curriculum plans. This powerful industry supported the investments by providing the support material needed by the scientists involved in space exploration. In a remarkably short period of time, Yu Jing discovered two fertile planets suitable for life: Yutang (the empire’s capital) and Shentang.
Bourak
The Haqqislamite movement that had emerged on Earth was seeking a territory of its own to establish its nation. The Sufi astronomers worked tirelessly to find a solution. The first thing scientists determined was the space quadrant where the mosque was located on the night of Muhammad's ascension in Jerusalem. They were able to find its location after recreating the astronomical position and comparing it with the current firmament. The Sufis were absolutely positive this area would be the key to the stars for the Haqquislam people - and they were right.
The viability of the project was already collapsing after a massive amount of failed attempts when a steady wormhole connected with a promising new system: Bourak, a system with four planetary bodies. Later on, it was known only that the third one was suitable for human life. However, soon the explorers realize not all that glitters is gold. The habitable planet wasn’t the promised paradise that it first seemed. Its orbit was too close to its sun, and the average temperature was so high that most of its surface was located between the tropical and equatorial areas. It was obvious that life in Bourak wouldn’t be easy.
Concilium
The system of Concilium belongs to the international organization O-12. Its foundation is built on the coalition of democratic nations that decided to replace the obsolete and inoperative UN as an autonomous institution. The purpose of this organization is the continuity of peace and security throughout the Human Sphere, and development by encouraging friendly relations between states. In addition, O-12 takes care of the study, analysis and resolution of international economic, social and cultural problems.
Hlökk Station
A failed mining colony in the Brísingamen Asteroid Belt in the Concilium system. The events of Operation: Crimson Stone take place here.
Raveneye Orbital Complex
A defensive military compound disguised as a communications relay station.
Darpan Xeno-Station
Darpan (दर्पण, “mirror”) Xeno-station is one of the many secret research facilities hidden deep in the jungles of the Durgama region, on Concilium Prime. It’s a joint-initiative put forward by O-12 and the Darpan Corporation, a PanOceanian company dedicated to food-related and genetic research. Although these kind of joint-initiatives are commonplace for O-12's research programs, the work conducted in Darpan is distinctive in that they are being carried out under the patronage and supervision of ALEPH.
The purpose of the research done at Darpan is to make use of the knowledge on alien biology gathered from the many Paradiso Offensives in order to develop innovative technologies that could prove beneficial for the human race. Its main goal is improve agricultural yield through the introduction of species hailing from systems outside the Human Sphere, both the ones brought here by Combined Army troops and those provided by allied Tohaa forces.
However, these genetic studies appear to have a much greater depth and reach than what the official documents would lead us to believe. Darpan Xeno-station has a very strict extra layer of security: it’s believed that genetic research aimed at developing biological weapons coded specifically for alien DNA is also being conducted. In this regard, a connection seems to exist between the failed operation known as Massive Filter in occupied territory on Paradiso and the research being carried out by the Iatromantis Pandora of the SSS. Some sources indicate possible infiltration by the techno-terrorist group Equinox among the scientists of the Xeno-station. It’s worth noting that the Darpan Company is reportedly owned by the MagnaObra Corporation through various shell companies. Also noteworthy is the fact that a possible link between MagnaObra and the Equinox group has been suggested more than once by several intelligence agencies across the Human Sphere.[1]
Svalarheima
Svalarheima is the main source of natural wealth for the whole Human Sphere. However, its harsh weather condition make it difficult to live away from the equatorial regions of the planet. The snow and cold conditions of this planet wasn’t enough for PanOceania and Yu Jing to stop fighting over the vast amount of Teseum found on this frozen hellscape.
Paradiso
The Emerald Forest, better known as Paradiso, is the system chosen by the Combined Army to carry out its offensive against Humanity
Dawn
“Project Dawn” was the name given to the most ambitious space colonization operation in the final decades of the 21st Century. The international program was carried out by NASA, the European Space Agency, and Roscosmos - the Russian Federal Space Agency. An exhaustive biophysical investigation on the surface of a newly discovered system’s fourth planet showed its habitability. It was baptized “*Dawn”* shortly after because it represented the dawn of a new era for humanity. The construction of the huge seed ship Ariadna allowed the company to carry the first settlers to the planet.
After the success of the mission, the Earth decided to send a second ship, the Aurora. Its catastrophic destiny is well known: the wormhole collapsed, leaving the Ariadnan settlers completely isolated from the rest of Humanity. Sometime later, the PanOceania inhabitants were accidentally redirected into the new wormhole that led to the Dawn system, and the rediscovery of the lost colony on this new and dangerous planet.
Comment from Human-Sphere:
"Dawn" is the name of the planet that is home to Ariadna, the faction. "Ariadna" is the name of the country/faction that calls Dawn home.
Khurland
A region on dawn and the setting of Infinity Deathmatch: TAG Raid.
Splendor of Xanadu
A Nomad station orbiting the planet Dawn. The location of Dire Foes Gamma: Xanadu Rush
Bakunin
One of the three Nomad motherships. Also known as "The Soul".
A place where anything can be found: any specialty, any skill, any ideology, any conceivable perversion. Bakunin tolerates almost anything, as long as it remains within its appointed module.
Tunguska
One of the three Nomad motherships. Also known as "The Money".
Tunguska is the home of secrets, a strongbox adrift in space, a cupboard for all skeletons, a truly dark place… in every sense of the word.
Corregidor
One of the three Nomad motherships. Known as "The Hand".
The ship’s prison past that is always at the forefront of the minds of its citizens, a point of pride for the toughest bastards in the galaxy.
Human Edge
The Human Edge is a tumultuous system due to the wealth of its asteroid belt and gas giants. As is always with humanity, this system has piqued the greed of all of the great powers in the Human Sphere.
Circulars
Systems communicate with each other thanks to The Circulars- a vast cargo system capable of traveling through wormholes. Circulars keep the commerce flow through the entire Human Sphere.
Technology
Wormholes
Teseum
Quantronics
Silk
Tactical Armored Gear (TAG)
TAGs (Tactical Armoured Gear) are single-seat armored weapons platforms. They are characterized by their humanoid, arachnoid, or avian-like forms, which gives them an advantage when in an off-road environment. TAGs are designed to have a higher range of mobility and maneuverability to that of the human body. They are much less bulky than any light infantry support armor and almost as fast.
TAG engineers have used the most advanced technologies to achieve the best performance - reaching outstanding results in the combination of armored protection, firepower, mobility, and agility.
In a nutshell, TAGs are huge, fast, lethal, and resilient war machines at your disposal. Most importantly, they are ready to be the spearhead in your army list![2]
Maya
Maya is a mesh network that connects almost all humans save for the Nomads.
Corporations
Submondo
Timeline
In general, Infinity lore takes place in the order it was released, with exceptions being explicitly called out, such as a portion of Campaign: Paradiso that tells the ill-fated tale of the second colony ship, the Aurora-Dawn, originally intended to supplement the colonists on Dawn. 62 and earlier: Aristiea! The game
63: 2nd Edition / Revised
64: Second Paradiso Offensive Begins
65: Paradiso Affairs begin, Dire Foes 2: Fleeting Alliance
66: ITS S8: TAGLINE, Tohaa Contact (Campaign:Paradiso), Dire Foes 5: Viral Outbreak,
67: Operation Icestorm, Operation Red Veil, Flamestrike, RPG corebook, Knauf Affair (Outrage),,
68: Strikezone Wotan, Dire Foes 3: Dark Mist, Dire Foes 7: Candy Cloud, Dire Foes 1: Train Rescue, Dire Foes 6: Defiant Truth,
69: ITS9: Treason, Dire Foes 4: Flee or Die, Japanese Uprising (goes to january 70), Kurage Crisis
70: Faction RPG books (Some are earlier, some are later, depending on publication)
71: Third Offensive, Operation Coldfront, ITS10: Xenotech, Daedalus Fall, Dire Foes Nocturne, Spiral Corps Booklet
72: Operation Wildfire
73: Defiance, Asteroid Blues
74: ITS11: Stakeout
75: , Dire Foes Datacash, Operation Kaldstrom, Dire Foes Retaliation
76: Cerberus Crisis (N4 Begins), Dire Foes Void Tango, ITS12: BREAKDOWN, Operation Crimson Stone, Dire Foes Xanadu Rush
77: ITS13: FROZEN ROADS, Raveneye, Duraga Offensive
Chronology
According to Gutier Lusquiños, this is the "official" chronology of Infinity lore (as of September 2020):
Operation: Icestorm Battle Pack Booklet
Operation: Red Veil Battle Pack Booklet
USAriadna (USARF) Army Pack Booklet
Strikezone Wotan Narrative Campaign
Uprising ([H-S]: which includes the Dire Foes released up to this point.)
Kurage Crisis Narrative Campaign
Operation: Coldfront Battle Pack Booklet
Guardians of the Gate Mission Set
Nocturne Dire Foes Mission Pack
Spiral Corps Army Pack Booklet
Operation: Wildfire Battle Pack Booklet
Asteroid Blues Narrative Campaign
Infinity Betrayal (graphic novel)
Datacash Dire Foes Mission Pack
Operation: Kaldstrøm Battle Pack Booklet
Retaliation Dire Foes Mission Pack
N4 Per Gutier, Infinity N4 has the same content of N3 but updated to 180 years in the future, whereas N1/2/3 were 175 years in the future.
Void Tango Dire Foes Mission Pack Beta
Operation: Crimson Stone Battle Pack Booklet
Xanadu Rush Dire Foes Mission Pack
Dire Foes Mission Pack 10: Slave Trophy
Operation: Blackwind Battle Pack Booklet
Dire Foes Mission Pack Delta: Obsidian Head
Durgama Takeover Narrative Campaign
Dire Foes Mission Pack 11: Failsafe
Human-Sphere: The N2/second edition lore was superseded/replaced with N3.
Human-Sphere: Releases after September 2020 have been added in chronological order.
- ↑ https://infinitytheuniverse.com/blog/xenoestacion-darpan Published August 1, 2022
- ↑ https://infinitytheuniverse.com/blog/the-arrival-of-tags-at-infinity-codeone Published November 20, 2020