Welcome to the Post Gravity universe, a realm forever transformed by a cataclysmic event known as the false vacuum collapse. In this setting, the laws of physics have been upended, and the force of gravity no longer exists. Amidst this upheaval, a diverse group of survivors emerges, including the crews of spacecraft that were lost to black holes, individuals who traversed wormholes during the collapse, The Changed with their altered forms and minds, and enigmatic Ghosts formed of pure information. With stars extinguished and new rules governing existence, these survivors navigate a perilous landscape of resource scarcity, primal conflicts, and religious fervor, all while seeking purpose, survival, and understanding in a universe forever altered by the absence of gravity.
Science is considered a solved problem, and the universe is full of wonders. It's inhabitants traverse between the stars and even the galaxies themselves, on ships that move across the fabric of spacetime like curling stones over a frozen lake. They've connected distant ends of the universe with tremendous machines that create wormholes wide enough to fly their spacecraft through. They've built megastructures on cosmic scales, from dyson swarms of McKendree cylinders, each the size of continents, all the way to Matryoshka Brains, computers the size of stars, and Birch Planets, tremendous shell worlds built around supermassive black holes.
Curiousity killed the cat, or in this case, the universe and the known laws of physics. A civilization spanning across galaxies collapses practically overnight. Supernovae fill the sky, planets crumble, and megastructures scatter across the Post Gravity universe like dust in the wind. Black Holes lose their event horizons, leaving their singularities naked in the void, and freeing eons of vessels and people thought lost to history. AFalse Vacuum Collapse has left the universe in ruin. The stars have all gone out, and yet the universe is still full of lights, emanating from the naked singularities which used to be hidden behind event horizons, the leftover burning plasma from dead stars, strange anomalies in space time brought about by the new laws of physics, and even stranger transcendantal phenomenon yet to be discovered.
A spacecraft that falls into a black hole is forever lost. Or is it? With a small black hole, a vessel would be destroyed by spaghettification, but over a certain size, one might be able to pass the event horizon in one piece. In such a case, the flow of time for the vessel and it's crew is almost infinitely slow. A certain, eternal kind of doom. But not in a Post Gravity universe. The event horizons have all disappeared, and lost vessels and their crews from across all of spacefaring history have now returned to the stage.
A Wormhole connects two places. It is a threshold, a space that isn't. A liminal space, in the most literal possible sense. Before the collapse, uncountably many gates were built, connecting distant reaches of the universe together. For the wormhole builders, they've become both their doom and their salvation. The false vacuum collapse was accelerated by wormholes it encountered, and while those in space, on planets, and around stars were all affected by it, those who were outside of space; Who just happened to be travelling through a wormhole, were spared. These remnants of the civilization that once dominated space are now stranded, lost in a void they don't recognize, stranded, alone, derelict. Much of their technology simply no longer works, being reliant on laws of physics that no longer exist.
As the Collapse spread across the universe, it's effects were disastrous, not just on stars and planets, but on people as well. Most perished, but the survivors were Changed. Survivors experienced radical alterations to their physical forms, and their mental capabilities as well. In the Post Gravity universe, the transformations experienced by The Changed can result in a wide range of outcomes, and unfortunately, many of them devolve into predatory lesser life forms or dangerous aberrations. This deterioration of their original identity and the emergence of hostile behaviors pose significant challenges for coexistence among survivors. Additionally, those who retain consciousness often develop entirely alien mindsets and motivations, leading to ongoing conflicts with other survivors.
In the realm of Post Gravity, existence takes on an ethereal form. The false vacuum collapse tore asunder the physical fabric of the universe, leaving behind the remnants of beings who were once intricately connected to tangible forms. As a Ghost, your essence transcends the limitations of a corporeal body, liberated to wander as pure consciousness and information. Whether you were a humble custodian or a vast artificial intelligence dwelling within a stellar core, your transition into this new state has bestowed upon you an existence that defies conventional understanding. You contemplate, you perceive, and you persist, for in the realm of pure thought, your essence continues to thrive.
Among the diverse factions in the Post Gravity universe, one group stands out, their beliefs rooted in the enigmatic nature of reality. Known as the Reverents of Simulation, they hold a profound reverence for The Demiurge, the entity they believe to be responsible for maintaining the simulated nature of existence. Embracing the simulation theory as their guiding principle, they see the universe as an intricately designed construct, a grand experiment overseen by a higher power. They view The Demiurge as a benevolent caretaker, the source of salvation and guidance in this bewildering realm. The Reverents seek solace and purpose in their devotion, finding strength in the belief that their actions are part of a grander design, striving to unravel the mysteries of the simulated reality and find transcendence within the intricate tapestry woven by The Demiurge.
For the Reverents of Simulation, the occurrence of the false vacuum collapse holds profound significance within their belief system. They interpret this cataclysmic event as a deliberate act orchestrated by The Demiurge to test the resilience and faith of sentient beings within the simulated reality. According to their teachings, the collapse serves as a trial, a transformative event meant to purge and refine the fabric of existence. The Reverents view the false vacuum collapse as a necessary step in the evolution of the simulation, a cosmic reset aimed at challenging and ultimately elevating the survivors. They see the upheaval and challenges that follow as opportunities for growth, redemption, and enlightenment, firmly holding onto the conviction that The Demiurge has a purpose and divine plan behind every twist and turn of the simulated universe.