The ArcBuilder Universe

From the depths of cosmic history to ten thousand years in the future, there is the ArcBuilder Universe. Created by a civilization lost to time, the ArcWays became the key to creating a true interstellar civilization, allowing instantaneous travel between the stars and maintaining all which truly defines a civilized and cohesive society. Yet Mankind is a trespasser to the ArcWays, using them without truly understanding them, unaware of their effect on previous civilizations, and always holding a subliminal portion of frightened wonder at how powerful their original Builders must have been to create a technology that seems to be so defiant of all known physics.

Yet, perhaps even more frightening than the possibility of encountering those vanished ArcBuilders is a prospect that a very few are even aware of, the prospect of encountering that force contained within the ArcWays themselves which destroyed the Builders one hundred thousand years ago.

	The League of Worlds This is the premiere Human civilization, the hitherto ultimate achievement in culture and society. Spanning the Local neighborhood 200 light years in all directions from Sol, allied with the Orion Corpus, the Garden Oekumene, and in relations with three other major interstellar civilizations, the League is the seat of Humanity and its expansion into the Galaxy at large. * The Office of the President of the League of Worlds * The Congress of Worlds * The Supreme Judicial Office of the League of Worlds * The League of Worlds Wilderness and Historical Department	What's New February 16, 2009 Correcting an oversight, I've added the new and revised Timeline to the site. February 15, 2009 Added the van Maanen's Star System entry into the Encyclopædia Planetae. January 19, 2009 Completed the reconstruction of the Angelic Civilization page, in the Shostak Institute. December 28, 2008 Added a link to the Encyclopædia Planetæ, currently under reconstruction. December 14, 2008 Continued the reconstruction of this page, including the addition of logo images to the different sections. These logos are subject to revision! December 13, 2008 Revamped and combined the old title page with the introduction page, producing this new page. September 14, 2008 Another major revamp and update, this one at the Encyclopaedia Planetae. August 9, 2008 No, the date isn't a typo. It's been just over a year since I've been able to work on anything here. This update includes a major overhaul to the Timeline. August 4, 2007 Added a new image to the Alpha Centauri page. Added new images at the Shostak Institute. July 31, 2007 Added some minor new images to the Alpha Centauri page. July 21, 2007 Updated the Alpha Centauri A System with new text and information. Added a new description for the planet Megiddo, orbiting Gliese 442 A. June 20, 2007 Added the new Department of Colonial Operations page. June 19, 2007 Added a description for the world of Neverwhere in the Kappa Ceti System. Added a few items to this page. Added some new species, both Human derived or relatives, at the Shostak Institute. Updated the Commonwealth Period of the Timeline. June 18, 2007 A new add-on is available for Celestia.
	The Exploration Society For hundreds of years, the Exploration Society has been the forefront of scientific research and investigation in the Local Neighborhood, their programs ranging from the exploration of Earthly ruins, to the bones of long dead alien civilizations. Their education programs have taught countless billions about their surrounding universe, and their publications have brought the wonders of nature to the young and old, the Human and the non-Human. * The Encyclopædia Planetæ last updated February 15, 2009 * The Planetary Classification List * The Shostak Institute of Sapiency and Exobiology last updated January 19, 2009 * The Journal of Sapient Studies * The Department of Colonial Operations
	Interworld Military Affairs Everlasting vigilance, everlasting unity. This is the motto of the Interworld Military, which has served to protect the League from its few enemies, including unfriendly alien polities, and even contentious, sometimes violent Human worlds. A space-based military was once thought to be an absurd concept. It is now accepted as a necessary and indispensible facet of the League of Worlds. * Interworld League Naval Force * Interworld Marine Corps * Wayne's Guide to Military Vessels * Planetary Protection Force
	The Interworld Broadcasting Corporation Not long after the opening of the ArcWays, it was discovered that even inactive ArcWays continued to transmit to each other. When this function was tapped into, the many Human worlds were tied together by real-time communications. Soon after, many different broadcasting corporations were born, and today the largest and most successful one is the IBC. News, entertainment, investigative reporting, everything is covered by "...Your guide to the League of Worlds!" * Interworld Broadcasting News Network * Forever in the Morning Show * Talking Points with Mason Sheppard
	The Interworld Trade Company Some things seem not to change over the millennia. The ITC has been the rallying point for laborers and workers throughout the League for centuries. Protecting the rights of miners, builders, technicians, and many others, it is the glue and the grease for interstellar commerce. Since the inception of its Guild system, commerce throughout the League has flowed uninterrupted, and has extended even to the Orion Corpus. * The Mining Guild
	The Congress of Interworld Faiths and Practices Even considering the depravities of the ancient Dominion, or perhaps because of them, religion in the League is strong, influential, and highly varied. While Christianity and Islam remain highly prevalent, everything from the Wicca Coventry to revived ancient pagan religions to cultist communes have made their appearance in the League at one time or another. It is under the auspices of the CIFP that these many faiths find acceptance and even prosperity. A religion not in the Congress, as the old saying goes, is little more than a passing fad. * The New Church Ascendancy
	Appendixes The resource center for the ArcBuilder Universe. Terminology, people, downloads, all of that can be found here. * Timeline last updated February 16, 2009 * The Omnicon * Dramatis Personae * ArcBuilder Celestia Add-on Downloads * Acknowledgments * Relevant Links

email me at Maastrichian@bresnan.net
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The ArcBuilder Universe is a science fiction project established, authored, and copyrighted by John M. and Margo L. Dollan 2002-2009
Exploration Society Logo by Margo L. Dollan; All other logos hobbled together by John M. Dollan
This page first uploaded May 10, 2002
Most recent update for this page February 16, 2009