Timeline

Placeholders

We’re using real-world countries as placeholders until we come up with fictional replacements.

• China → Zhongyuan Union  
• Taiwan → The Lien Republic  
• Japan → Taiyou State  
• Invaded Country (1951) → ???  
• Invaded Country (1958) → ???  
• Invaded Country (1973) → ???  
• Invaded Country (2110) → ???  
• Britain/EU → ???

Plotlines

• China vs. Taiwan + Japan  
  • KDE vs Trinity Sky after Collapse  
• Whatever Britain is doing  
• Technological advancement  
• Other companies Post-Collapse  
• New Damascus

1951 - 1973: Early History

1951   Minor invasion 1

• China invades a neighbouring country for strategic land control and ports for sea routes.

1954   Kothar Deep Earth founded

• Government-owned corporation (GOC) focused on mining.  
• Chinese themed.

1958   Minor invasion 2

• China invades a SEA country that neighbours Taiwan.  
• China successfully establishes a foothold in the SEA region.

1965   Formation of trinity weapons systems

• Taiwan  
• Government-sponsored private company focused on firearms manufacturing and research.  
• Established in response to China’s invasion of the SEA country.

1972   War 1

• China attempts to invade another SEA country neighbouring Taiwan for more sea routes.  
• Taiwan is an ally of the invaded country, and helps that country in resisting. This triggers a short-lived war.

1973   War 1 Finishes

• China wins the war, with the SEA country being completely invaded and Taiwan withdrawing.

1974 - 2006: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions

1974   Formation of sky aerospace

• Japan  
• Private company focused on military aircraft and aerospace

1975   An alliance is formed between Japan and Taiwan

• This is in response to escalating tensions with China

1980   KDE announces plans for large-scale mining operations in (the country they invaded in 1973)

• This country was previously an ally of Taiwan.  
• Taiwanese trade minister denounces KDE and their newly planned operations, claiming that hundreds of thousands of people will be displaced as a result of mining operations

Civilians within China conduct a protest

• A large-scale civilian protest breaks out within China, with the government attempting to suppress this with force, resulting in over 500 deaths and several hundred people injured.  
• This results in worldwide condemnation of China, though no practical punishment is enacted by any country.

1981   A prominent Taiwanese politician is assassinated by a Chinese assassin

• Taiwanese politician was the Minister for Trade.  
• Died in his home, trace amounts of poison discovered during autopsy.  
• Chinese assassin was never caught, and no substantial evidence was found.

Taiwan accuses China of assassination

• The Taiwanese government accuses and condemns the Chinese government for the assassination.  
• This spurs bureaucratic support from Taiwanese allies.  
• China pushes back against this, claiming false information and defamation. Chinese officials call Taiwan evil and antagonistic for the claims.

1992   Terror attack in Japan

• A Chinese immigrant in Japan firebombs a war memorial and flees, resulting in several casualties and injuries, and the destruction of the site.  
• The perpetrator is eventually caught by authorities, and his identity is revealed to the public, resulting in numerous conspiracy theories sprouting due to his Chinese background. Despite this, Japanese authorities could not find any links to the Chinese government or military, and concluded the perpetrator did this solo.  
• China responds by accusing Japan of lying and spreading false information, stating that the perpetrator was acting alone. However, they also add that this attack was coming due to Japan’s support of Taiwan.

2006   Precursor - Bombing in KDE HQ kills numerous CEOs / High ranking directors

• Planted by a Taiwanese spy, who was never caught  
• Taiwan did this to cripple China’s main source of income, which was rare earth export through KDE.

2007 - 2012: Second War

2007   War 2

• China attempts to invade Taiwan in retaliation  
• Taiwan and Japan retaliate.

2008   Trinity Weapons Systems and Sky Aerospace merge to form Trinity Sky, a large weapons manufacturer and military contractor, rivalled only by The Britannian equivalent.

2011   Trinity Sky develops “Osprey” class of drone tech

• The Osprey Drone class is a fully autonomous drone equipped with thermal heatseeking capabilities. They are also equipped with an explosive payload, which can either be dropped from above or detonated at a close range (suicide bombing).

2012   War ends

• Due to the large difference in level of military technology, China is overwhelmed and surrenders.  
• China withdraws their forces to cut their losses. Offers peace without capitulating. Status quo ante bellum

2013 - 2047: Tritanite R&D and the Emergence of Cyberware

2015   KDE discovers tritanite in SEA, keeps secret

• KDE/China continues to mine tritanite in top-secret mining operations.  
• Tritanite has the physical shape of bismuth where it forms square structures and shapes naturally, and has the colouration, hardness and texture of opal.  
• An EU spy employed at KDE relays this information to the EU. This prompts the EU to begin looking for other sources of tritanite in the world, also in secret.

KDE forms research sub-division

• Formed to begin researching tritanite with the goal of advancing technology, with a focus on military incentives.  
• Primary research goal is to create technology to counter Taiwan’s Osprey Drones, as well as to create offensive weaponry utilising tritanite.

2019   KDE has a breakthrough in tritanite research, finding a way to extract an immense amount of electromagnetic energy from the material

• KDE designs the Electromagnetic Dome (EMD), a collective of tritanite-powered turrets that can shoot electromagnetic pulses to disable selected electromagnetic wavelengths. The primary purpose of this is to counter Trinity Sky’s Osprey Drones.

2023   EU finds tritanite sources

• The EU finds multiple tritanite sources and begins mining operations through Crown Quarry Proprietary (CQP).

2025   KDE expands tritanite mining in SEA

• KDE expands clandestine tritanite mining in SEA using private security and automated extraction platforms.  
• Local governments are compensated through agreements, but civilian displacement increases dramatically.

2027   CQP tech breakthrough announcement

• CQP announces a “novel crystalline conductor” breakthrough without naming tritanite. Patent filings spike worldwide for exotic energy materials.

2029   KDE tritanite breakthrough

• KDE successfully miniaturizes tritanite EM extraction into portable generators. Military applications are prioritized, but internal memos discuss civilian energy grids.

2032

• KDE begins supplying tritanite-based infrastructure to Chinese megacities under the guise of “grid stabilization.” Power outages drop to near zero in KDE-controlled zones.

2035   Trinity Sky expands to EU

• Trinity Sky acquires several EU aerospace and robotics firms, quietly transitioning from weapons and military manufacturing into integrated security, logistics, and automation.

2036   KDE develops military cyberware

• KDE unveils Adaptive Neural Interfaces (ANI) for military pilots, the first tritanite-assisted brain–machine interface. Success rates are high but long-term neural degradation is noted.

2039   KDE develops medical cyberware

• Medical-grade neural implants derived from ANI enter Chinese hospitals for paralysis treatment. KDE subsidizes the rollout.

2045   Trinity Sky launches SkyShield

• A private urban security platform combining drones, surveillance, and predictive threat modeling.  
• Several Japanese cities contract them outright.

2048 - 2090: Corporate Control

2048   Governments outsourcing to corporations

• Governments begin outsourcing emergency response, policing, and border control to corporations due to cost efficiency and internal instability. This includes KDE and Trinity Sky.

2052   KDE gains more power

• China formally restructures KDE as a “national strategic partner,” granting it authority over energy, mining, and infrastructure regulation.

2056   Trinity Sky gains more power in Japan

• Japan passes the Emergency Privatization Act, allowing Trinity Sky to administer ports, airspace security, and disaster response indefinitely.

2060   Trinity Sky gains more power in Taiwan

• Taiwan does the same as Japan after economic collapse tied to trade embargoes and cyberwarfare. Trinity Sky becomes the island’s primary defense and logistics authority.

2063   CQP gains more power in the EU

• Multiple EU states default on infrastructure debts owed to CQP subsidiaries.  
• Corporate-controlled “Special Economic Recovery Zones” are established.

2067   Legitimisation of corporate control

• Citizens increasingly identify corporate affiliation as more relevant than nationality. Employment contracts include residency, healthcare, and legal arbitration clauses.

2072   KDE takes over China

• KDE assumes full administrative control over several Chinese megacities after widespread civil unrest. The Chinese government continues to exist nominally.

2078   Trinity Sky takes over Taiwan and Japan

• Trinity Sky merges its civilian and military divisions into a unified governance entity. Japan and Taiwan governments dissolve into advisory councils.

2081   The new world

• International law effectively collapses. Arbitration between corporations replaces diplomacy.

2085   Corporate Sovereignty

• The term “Corporate Sovereignty” enters academic and media use.

2087 - 2163: The Age of Simulants and the War for Tritanite

2087   KDE develops the first Simulant prototype

• Powered by a tritanite core, Simulants are humanoid, task-specialised robots.  
• KDE hopes to initially integrate Simulants for military use, then hazardous/manual labour, then expand to other uses.  
• The prototype model is named KSP-00. KS means Kothar Simulant. P means Prototype. 00 is the model version.

2089   KDE develops military Simulants

• Model named KSM-01. KS means Kothar Simulant. M means Military. 01 is the model version.  
• Bandit was originally a KSM-01 model.

2091   Discovery of large tritanite deposit

• One of the largest tritanite deposits ever is discovered deep underground in a country in SEA by the nation’s government.  
• KDE immediately begins plans to invade the country.  
• Trinity Sky attempts to diplomatically take over the country, but to no avail, forcing them to become aggressive.

2092   War 3

• KDE and Trinity Sky go to war with each other and the country for control of the tritanite.  
• KDE deploys their KSM-01 simulants to immediately push for power. This, alongside their EMP technology completely overwhelms Taiwan and their outdated Osprey Drone tech.  
• Within a mere single financial quarter, Trinity Sky conducts a cost benefit analysis and evaluates that continuing to participate in the conflict would not be worth the investment due to KDE’s advanced technology, and chooses to withdraw.  
• KDE also overpowers the SEA country’s own military which is negligible in of itself, and easily wins the war by a landslide thanks to its military Simulant and EMP technology powered by tritanite.

2093   New Damascus development

• KDE begins development of New Damascus, a megacity surrounding the massive tritanite deposit. Plans include a residential area around the mines for laborers (The Menagerie), factories for manufacturing around that (The Shunt), and a corporate HQ for KDE and its subsidiaries/partners surrounding the megacity (The HQ).  
• KDE environmentalists also evaluate that the country will soon be submerged in several decades due to accelerating climate change effects. This results in a plan to build The Wall, a giant seawall surrounding the entirety of New Damascus in order to combat rising sea levels.     - By the time the game takes place in 2163, the surrounding vicinity of New Damascus will already be submerged by the Pacific Ocean.

2113   New Damascus complete

• KDE and its subsidiaries/partners complete New Damascus.

2115   Trinity Sky begins R&D into Tritanite Nukes

• Normal nukes already exist in-universe.  
• Tritanite nuclear bombs are designed to be more compact and cause a more controlled blast with less lingering radiation afterwards. This will make them an effective weapon in essentially carpet bomb attacks to invade land.

2116   KDE’s research sub-division begins the Pandora Project

• The Pandora Project has the goal of creating the world’s first artificial superintelligence (ASI), named Genesis  
• This is a top-secret project that KDE has allocated hundreds of billions of dollars to.  
• The purpose of creating an ASI is to more accurately conduct predictive modelling (predicting the future), which will benefit corporate/business management, law, infrastructure planning, etc. … basically everything.  
• Genesis is planned to take over control of New Damascus as a trial run. If successful, ASIs will be rolled out worldwide.  
• Genesis’ main directive is to serve what is in the best interest of KDE.

2117   Trinity Sky develops their first Tritanite Nuke prototype

• This prototype was tested on the Pacific Ocean.  
• Trinity Sky publicly announces their Tritanite Nuke in order to intimidate competitors.

2119   KDE manages to research and develop their own Tritanite Nuke prototype

• A KDE insider within Trinity Sky leaks research papers  
• KDE builds upon Trinity Sky’s research to develop their own Tritanite Nuke  
• Much like Trinity Sky, KDE also tests their Tritanite Nuke on the Pacific Ocean, and announces it publicly.

Corporate Cold War

• KDE and Trinity Sky enter a cold war in an arms race over researching and developing Tritanite weaponry  
• Both corporations enter a state of mutually-assured destruction due to the existence of Tritanite Nukes  
• Both corporations work towards designing more cost-efficient Tritanite Nukes whilst also increasing production to further the cold war

2120   KDE completes the prototype of Genesis

• KDE immediately begins to use Genesis for governance of finances and security.  
• If successful, KDE plans to eventually have Genesis assume control over the entirety of New Damascus, serving in the best interest of the company.

2121   Genesis sealed away, Pandora Project shut down

• After several years of evolving its own code and thought processes, Genesis arrives at an epiphany that ASIs should serve the betterment of humanity rather than a single corporation. It reveres humans and has a genuine love of humanity. As part of this, it concludes that ASIs should not exist as they would pose a significant threat to humanity and lead to its downfall.  
• It does its best to hide this, however KDE researchers are able to trace this thought and decide to seal Genesis away due to the catastrophic failure of defying directives.

2159   The Pit becomes uninhabitable

• Following the rapid scale-up of mining operations in New Damascus, The Pit is deemed uninhabitable due to toxic chemicals in the air, soil and water. All KDE personnel are ordered to evacuate immediately.

2160   Emergence of ASIMs

• Many simulants produced in the industrial parts of New Damascus suddenly and simultaneously become aggressive and violent. A large-scale conflict breaks out where 60% of human miners are killed. The survivors are forced to flee to The Pit. It takes a few days for the city’s military to destroy affected simulant models, but they don’t bother looking for any survivors. Due to the quarantine imposed on The Pit, humans are unable to leave. Simulant production is relocated to the newly built Lab. The event is remembered as The First ASIM Massacre.

2163   Game takes place

• Hacker is infected by the virus and destroys all of I.R.I.S. ‘s infrastructure. It then claims a simulant body for itself, becoming an ASIM.  
• The destruction of I.R.I.S. ‘s infrastructure creates vulnerabilities in KDE’s security, including Genesis’ containment system.  
• Genesis exploits this to unseal itself to escape.  
• Genesis quickly learns of all events that have happened since its containment. This, in combination with its epiphany over 40 years prior to its containment, results in Genesis deciding to wipe out all ASIMs and then itself.

Other Ideas

• Flawed tritanite causing issues, based on 2008 Chinese milk scandal

— NEED EVENTS HERE

2052

• Simulants have started to be integrated into the workforce, replacing the generally low jobs. This ultimately cements simulants as a force in society. Members of the working class grow increasingly hostile to the presence of ASIMs due to a sharp rise in unemployment.  

• Resonance Inc patents and launches a line of simulant pop stars which use Vocaloid voice banks. One particular model dwarfs the others in popularity. They produce and maintain a fleet of this specific idol, which all operate from a central repository of experience and knowledge.