*** WARNING ***
The following story is based on the original design for Tabula Rasa. Most of the details no longer apply to the game; it is included here for reference purposes only.
THE GREAT FISSURE
Long ago the battle for control of the cosmos was lost…
When the first great civilization in the universe at last solved the problem of interstellar travel, they did this not with colossal space ships, but rather wondrous machines that could transport people across the vast distances of outer space. With great excitement, they set out to explore, fully expecting to find other races more advanced than their own.
They never found such a race and soon came to believe they were the first interstellar travelers. However, they did discover beauty and wonder throughout the cosmos. They contacted other civilizations and shared with them the mighty secrets they had discovered. Happy to act as mentors and teachers to these younger civilizations, the race that called themselves the Eloh became known as the Benefactors.
Over time, events unfolded that led to a tragic rift among the Benefactors as a malevolent rebel group festered and grew into a splinter faction known as the Thrax. The sparks of that schism erupted into a war that ultimately resulted in the disappearance of the Benefactors. With an insatiable hunger for absolute power, the Thrax now search the galaxy for races advanced enough to exploit or dangerous enough to exterminate.
SANCTUARY
Sanctuary, the last remaining evidence of the great Benefactors’ sacrifice, is a protected place, deep within a massive black hole. Entry and egress is possible only with the special knowledge of the Benefactors and not possible for even the advanced intellects of the Thrax who lack the one essential element to gain passage: compassion. Thus, Sanctuary provides a safe haven in which to prepare and train for battles against these dread adversaries.
EARTH AND THE BENEFACTORS
Earth has been visited by both the Benefactors and Thrax since the dawn of civilization, both openly and covertly. Many myths, technological breakthroughs and religions have been spawned by interpretations of these encounters. Some creatures considered by modern man to be purely mythological do truly exist, but in highly different forms on other planets. The knowledge of these creatures, it seems, has been altered in the telling and retelling from generation to generation.
Believing the societies of Earth to be primitive, as evidenced through both the indifference and violence of man against man, the Thrax have largely ignored our planet while focusing on more pressing conquests. It is, however, only a matter of time before they focus their gaze – and unleash their malignity – on Earth.
THE INVITATION
Though the Benefactors have long since departed, they remain in spirit, their brilliance and hope shining through in the very architecture of this timeless Sanctuary.
Their invitation does not arrive conspicuously on luminescent parchment. Its wispy touch is delicate, subtle. It is a sense of knowing, a gentle pull toward a somewhere that is unknown, yet familiar. It is the voice you hear inside you, at this moment, bidding you to come, to learn and to join in the good fight alongside your fellow man.
Heed the call. The power to save the universe lies within you.
