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Divergent Codex: The Revised History of the First Contact War (Mass Effect)

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The history of the Mass Effect Universe rewritten and retold through the medium of in-world Codex entries, with a particular focus on the individuals and events surrounding Humanities galactic debut; the First Contact War. Your decisions will reshape Humanities fortunes, alter the outcome of the war and perhaps even change the fate of the entire galaxy.
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Codex Entry: The First Contact War
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    • Thornez

    Thornez

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    The Channel Islands

    <CODEX LOGIN SUCCESSFUL>

    <WELCOME TO THE GALACTIC CODEX, THE EXTRANETS PREMIER ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA>

    <PLEASE SELECT YOUR DESIRED ENTRY...>    ​


    Human History:
    The First Contact War    ​


    <SELECTION CONFIRMED…>​

    <RETRIEVING ENTRIES…>​

    <PLEASE STANDBY…>​



    CODEX ENTRY: THE FIRST CONTACT WAR

    The First Contact War, also known as the "Relay 314 incident", was a [DATA CORRUPTED] conflict fought between the Human [DATA CORRUPTED] Alliance and the [DATA CORRUPTED] over the course of several [DATA CORRUPTED].

    The conflict began in the year [DATA CORRUPTED] of the Human Standard calendar, year 2657 of the Galactic Standard calendar, shortly following Humanities discovery and subsequent activation of the [DATA CORRUPTED] Relay…


    +++ !!!ERROR!!! +++ !!!ERROR!!! +++ !!!ERROR!!! +++ !!!ERROR!!! +++​


    <SIGNIFICANT DATA CORRUPTION DETECTED>

    <ATTEMPTING DATA RECONSTRUCTION…>

    <PLEASE STANDBY...>    ​


    DP stands for "Divergence Points", they are gained and lost by selecting options that deviate from the established canon of the Mass Effect series. Typically options that hinder Humanity and aid their enemies grant DP, whilst those that help Humanity or weaken their enemies cost DP.

    DP is carried over between updates, so it is possible to bank DP when you think you might need it later, or even go into DP debt if you think that a current option you couldn't otherwise afford is too valuable to pass up. Though be warned, failing to pay off your DP debt for too long may have dire consequences.

    [] 2057 / Charon Relay (+25 DP)
    At that time Humanity would have only barely been considered a space faring species by the standards of the Council Council. Though they maintained several orbital space stations, as well as ambitious plans to establish their first permanent lunar colony by the end of the next decade, they were still primarily confined to their homeworld of Earth. They possessed no knowledge of the wider galaxy, nor were they aware of the existence of Element Zero, lacking even the theoretical framework necessary to infer its existence and properties. As such they were utterly unprepared when one of their unmanned probes, launched years prior to survey what they believed to be an icy moon on the outermost edge of their solar system, inadvertently activated a long dormant Mass Relay….

    [] 2147 / Charon Relay (+10 DP)
    At that time Humanity was still slowly finding its footing as an interplanetary species. Though still confined to their home star system of Sol, they had nevertheless managed to establish several permanent colonies on both their homeworld's large moon of Luna, and the neighboring but barren world of Mars. However a lack of Element Zero within the Sol system would likely have stunted their ability to expand any further, were it not for an otherwise routine scientific survey of the distant moon of Charon on the outermost edge of their solar system. Resulting in the discovery and accidental activation of a long dormant Mass Relay…

    [] 2157 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (Canon) (+0 DP)
    By that time it had been almost a decade since Humanities discovery of the Prothean ruins left behind on the otherwise barren world of Mars, along with a relatively small stockpile of Element Zero and the formerly dormant Charon Mass Relay. These discoveries helped jumpstart Humanities expansion into the wider galaxy, allowing them to rapidly explore and even colonize several worlds within their small corner of the Mass Relay network. Driven by their immense curiosity and desire to further expand their territory Humanity would eagerly, though some would say recklessly, activate every Mass Relay they encountered. Eventually this practice led to the activation of the Shanxi-Theta Relay,as well as its formerly dormant partner, known to the Council Races as Relay 314…

    [] 2257 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-10 DP)
    By that time more than a century had passed since Humanities discovery of the Prothean ruins left behind on the otherwise barren world of Mars and the formerly dormant Charon Mass Relay. In that century they had managed to steadily expand outwards from the Sol System, utilizing their newfound access to the Mass Relay network to establish numerous extrasolar colonies. It was during this period of interstellar growth that Humanity would eventually stumble upon the dormant Shanxi-Theta Relay, which unbeknownst to them, would finally bring them into contact with the wider galactic community…

    [] 2357 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-25 DP)
    By that time more than two centuries had passed since Humanities discovery of the Prothean ruins and the formerly dormant Charon Mass Relay. In that time they had slowly but steadily expanded into the wider galaxy beyond their home system of Sol, establishing not only numerous extrasolar colonies, but even forming several independent interstellar nations. It is conceivable given Humanity's moderate rate of expansion up to that point, as well as the various internal issues plaguing Humanity at the time, that it could very well have taken several more centuries before first contact was made with the wider galactic community. Were it not for the fateful discovery and subsequent activation of the Shanxi-Theta Relay…

     
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    • [X] 2057 / Charon Relay (+25 DP)

    Well, this looks like it'll be interesting. I do favor an early start myself, just due to the possibilities involved as well as more oppurtunities for things to diverge.
     
    I'm torn.
    2057 could be an underdog story where Humanity is immediately turned into a Turian Protectorate as soon as they establish a presence in space.
    2357 is so late to the party that the Galaxy could be being cleaned up by Reapers or everyone's long dead and the Reapers are dormant again.

    [X] 2357 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-25 DP)

    I look forward to the horrors of a dead Galaxy.
     
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    [X] 2357 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-25 DP)
    [X] 2257 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-10 DP)

    I desire a much t h i c c e r humanity.

    Plus, we can see that the GALACTIC date is already locked in at 2657, and the Relay 314 incident. That means that, no matter where OUR calendar is, the 'Turian' fleet is still led by Desolas, Saren is still a young lad, and the Reapers are decades out.
     
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    I would also argue. If we are going to go into debt. Better to do it at the start, and give humanity the best foundation we can for the future. Rather than leaving ourselves to be as small as possible from day one.
     
    [X] 2147 / Charon Relay (+10 DP)

    [X] 2257 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-10 DP)

    [X] 2357 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-25 DP)
     
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    [X] 2147 / Charon Relay (+10 DP)
    [X] 2357 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-25 DP)
    [X] 2257 / Shanxi-Theta Relay (-10 DP)
     
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    Everyone voting for the Charon options, please take note.

    You are voting for a Systems Alliance with no colonial holdings. The Contact War will ravage Earth itself, and possibly Mars. And have humanity step onto the stage as a single system power. Which presumably also means a much smaller fleet and worse technology since we get far less time to delve the Prothean Archives.

    This does NOT affect the timeline for the Citadel either. The date for the greater galaxy is fixed in place at 2657. We dont know if the Reaper invasion will be pushed up or not, but the wider galaxies history and current state will not change.
     
    [X] 2357/ shanxi-Theta relay
    Roaming_Guardian said:
    Everyone voting for the Charon options, please take note.

    You are voting for a Systems Alliance with no colonial holdings. The Contact War will ravage Earth itself, and possibly Mars. And have humanity step onto the stage as a single system power. Which presumably also means a much smaller fleet and worse technology since we get far less time to delve the Prothean Archives.

    This does NOT affect the timeline for the Citadel either. The date for the greater galaxy is fixed in place at 2657. We dont know if the Reaper invasion will be pushed up or not, but the wider galaxies history and current state will not change.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Yeah...
    no we shouldn't chose the charon option we need a humanity that's at least one decade or two decade in space and has a lot more resources and territories for the reapers or the batarians or even the citadel council themselves if went to war
     
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    Nope. I honestly think 2357 may be a bit too far for the long run. But my preference of 2257 seems unlikely to win, so I'm supporting my second pick.

    I'm even considering throwing in a 2147 vote, just to make sure 2057 doesnt win. Because it is objectively the worst possible option.
     
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