Imagine what the world would have been like if primers were dropped in the middle of an iron age civilization that contained all the information they needed to reach a space-age civilization. Some technology would be easily understood and adopted quickly while other technology would be more difficult to understand or require infrastructure to implement. The result would be a divergent landscape full of technologies from a wide range of scientific ages.
In this installment of lore for the Sci-Fi novel, "Drifters: Origins," that is exactly what happened.
Spurred on by the advanced technological wonders that lay all about them, the inhabitants of New Hope threw themselves into learning the scriptures and attempting to learn from the primers left behind for them by the Humans of Refuge. Despite their enthusiasm, the Beast Humans struggled to grasp the advanced concepts behind the seemingly miraculous technology that had been gifted to them. Fortunately, they found the task of learning the plainly-written scriptures much less daunting and were soon comfortable enough in their understanding to begin sending out missionaries.
It wasn’t long before the missionaries realized that they would need to organize their efforts in order to reach all of Corinth effectively. After much debate and fervent prayer, the missionaries designed a system that would withstand the test of time. Rather than relying on the scattering of already literate individuals, the missionaries of New Hope set about designing a school system in which all interested comers would be taught how to read and be prepared to teach others. When their own educations were completed, each missionary would be assigned a part of Corinth to both minister to and educate. These missionaries chose to name themselves the Waykeepers.
Later, when a sound understanding of the foundational knowledge left behind by the Humans of Refuge had been obtained, it was the Waykeepers who were given the additional task of spreading the knowledge to the rest of Corinth. This set the once simple group of missionaries and educators on the course to taking a leading role in technological development and instruction that would last for generations to come.
In the following years, the technology level of Corinth began to quickly rise from mid-iron age and sped along into a strange late steam-age where highly refined steam engines, beasts of burden pulling carts and wagons, electric lighting, early computers, and other conveniences coexisted in an increasingly diverse landscape. It was at this point that progress began to slow with the realization that simply racing from one technological era to the next was resulting in inconsistent adoption of technology and wasted resources.
The First Technological Congress, made up of world leaders, experts from various economic sectors, and leaders of the Waykeepers convened to discuss the matter. At the conclusion of the Congress, it was requested that the Waykeepers hold back the release of the more advanced technological primers until the entirety of Corinth in all sectors had reached what was defined as a “Unified Advanced Computer Age.”
This decision ushered in what was to be the greatest Golden Age in the history of Corinth as the Beast Humans raced toward a unified technological goal. With the removal of many obstacles to survival, such as food scarcity, Corinth also saw the beginning of a massive population boom. To Corinthians, it seemed as though the golden age would never end, that is until it was decided that the next technological primers should be released. The new series of primers, dubbed the “Space Age Primers” seemed to make a sudden leap in technological advancement with no clear progression from their current level and led to stagnation.
It was feared that the Golden Age had come to an end when two families in neighboring nations, the Drackens in the Fox Nation and the Osmarins in the Wolf Kingdom, rose to prominence. Both families had achieved a remarkable understanding of the advanced concepts that the next technological age was based. Each family grew incredibly influential on the global stage and wealthy as they led Corinth into a continued Golden Age.
In the next installment of Drifters lore, we'll take one step closer to the time period in which "Drifters: Origins" takes place. I previously mentioned that I had a special surprise, but it isn't quite ready yet. Instead of delivering it this week, I'll work up to it in a more appropriate manner. Until then, you can look forward to another short story, random ramblings, and whatever else may come your way. Enjoy and read on!
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