Writing an Entire Universe (part 4)

We needed a solid history for the Solar Echoes universe, to explain how everyone had arrived at the point where you, as a player character, enter the game. We drew up territories for each of the races, deciding on their locations in the universe, figuring that this might help provide a starting point for their histories. Their personalities and cultures helped shape their histories based on their proximity to each-other. For example, the aggressive, expansionist Chiraktis bordered the territory of the Krissethi, so it was logical to conclude that the two fought countless wars against each-other. The Omuls bordered the Erwani territory, and the weaker, Elder-faction of the Erwani that refused to use technology provided the perfect victims for the Omul conquests, which also prompted some of the growth of the technological Erwani faction—these Erwani became the defenders of their Elders, even though the Elders had cast them out for their “apostasy” for using technology. When the Reln encounted the humans, trade and knowledge was exchanged, though some aid was given to the humans in dealing with the warlike Krissethi on their own borders. The Inter-stellar Union (ISU) was formed to facilitate peace among the races, starting with the defining of territorial borders, which thankfully helped placate the warring races. Through joint explorations, the reclusive Archaeloids were discovered upspin of the Chiraktis and Krissethi territories, and they also decided to join the ISU, though their increased military build-up had many of the races concerned. The Archaeloids explained that they hope they'll never need it, but knowing now of the other races and their warring histories, the Archaeloids think it is foolish to assume that the peace will hold forever, or that the 7 races are the only life in the universe.