Maiko's Note
“There are no straight lines in the dance of gods and gravity.”
– Inscription, Sector 7
When the Theseus veered into that silent, dark wound in space, a thousand plans died — and a thousand lives began. Without that detour, there would be no Madun. No forest homes, no tide-born outlaws, no carved stone memories of Earth.
The Incident wasn't a malfunction. It was a rupture.
A tearing open of fate that let something new in.
The Incident
Shindjal: Te Vynutel
Faction:
Rothbard Foundation
"There are no straight lines in the dance of gods and gravity.
The stars pulled - and the ship obeyed."
– Inscription found carved into the observation deck ruins, Sector 7, Lower Hall of the Theseus
1. Overview
The event known to Imperial records as The Cause refers to the moment the generational ship Theseus was thrown violently off its original trajectory by an uncharted black hole. This unforeseen encounter altered the future of the entire human race - leading to the crash-course arrival in the Daninsha system and the eventual colonization of Madun. It is the single most significant event in human post-Earth history.
2. Origins & Background
The Theseus was Earth’s final great venture: a libertarian-colonial starship meant to carry the seeds of a new, free civilization far from the ruins of Earth’s decaying powers. Midway through its voyage, the ship passed unknowingly near a previously unmapped black hole.
The gravitational pull of this anomaly slingshot the ship at immense velocity, accelerating it far beyond intended speeds and into a region of space far removed from its course. All fuel reserves were exhausted in a desperate attempt to slow down - not to stop, but simply to survive.
By the time Theseus decelerated enough to regain control, the red star Daninsha had entered visual range. It was a miracle: the ship had not careened into void but into a system with viable planets, abundant ice, and asteroid resources.
The crew quickly began mining outer system bodies for hydrogen and construction materials. A small tender craft was sent ahead to explore Madun, the most promising planet for habitation. The decision was made: begin descent.
3. Cultural / Environmental Context
Every faction interprets the Cause differently:
The Hanjelani consider it a divine redirection - proof that destiny favors the Earthborn.
The Endulani see it as an act of cosmic humility - forcing humans to return to the natural world.
The Kosuklani view it as a punishment for technological pride, the black hole a dark judgment.
The Drabàshi suspect it was no accident - that the AI saw something worth turning toward, even if it meant breaking the plan.
4. Role in the World
The Cause remains the origin event of all Madun civilization. Its effects include:
The formation of all settlements - including Danlina, built beneath the tether tower
The division between Earthborn elites and surface-born generations
The creation of myths around the Shattered Course, the Red Star, and the Wound in the Sky
The possibility that Theseus remnants (or its mainframe AI) still exist in orbit or buried beneath the planet
Despite its clarity in scientific records, imperial doctrine controls its narrative, painting it as fated and noble rather than chaotic or accidental.
5. Language & Terminology
The Cause (Imperial Term): Official name used in records and doctrine
"Slingshot of the Dead Star": Folk term for the black hole encounter
"Trail of Ash": Phrase for the lost fuel and burned hydrogen during deceleration
"To ride the Cause": Drabàshabal idiom meaning to accept fate or embrace chaos
6. Lore Snippets or Anecdotes
“We did not choose Daninsha. She chose us - when all other stars had vanished.”
— Final log of exploration pilot Karesh Dunn
“The course was not broken. It was rewritten.”
— Carved beneath the central vault of the Formularium
Maiko's Note
“There are no straight lines in the dance of gods and gravity.”
– Inscription, Sector 7
When the Theseus veered into that silent, dark wound in space, a thousand plans died — and a thousand lives began. Without that detour, there would be no Madun. No forest homes, no tide-born outlaws, no carved stone memories of Earth.
The Incident wasn't a malfunction. It was a rupture.
A tearing open of fate that let something new in.
