For millennia, the nine worlds of Sol existed in fragile balance — bound together by trade routes, treaties, and the thin promise of mutual survival. A galactic federation governed from Earth, keeping order across the system. It was not peace, but it was enough.
Then the Void came.
A wave of unknown energy swept through the solar system, scorching the space between worlds. Communication networks collapsed. Trade convoys vanished. The federation fractured overnight as each planet turned inward, scrambling to secure what remained. In the chaos, old alliances dissolved and new powers rose — warlords, industrialists, scientists, and soldiers — each claiming authority over the stations and resources of their world.
The planets of Sol are all that remain of civilisation. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the distant outpost of Pluto — each a sovereign world with its own people, its own politics, and its own ambitions. Players on the same planet share a treasury, elect a leader, and can coordinate their efforts — or tear each other apart from within.
Planetary leaders set their world's posture: a Green status prioritises economic growth at the cost of military readiness, while Red status fortifies defences but chokes production. Choose wisely — your neighbours are watching, and war between planets is never far away.
Beyond the reach of mortal politics, the realm of Asgard exists outside normal space — equidistant from every world, yet belonging to none. Here dwell the Ancients: thirty-two beings of immense power, named for the Norse Gods of old. Odin and Thor rule as Elder Gods, their empires dwarfing even the mightiest human commanders. Below them stand the Major Gods — Loki, Freya, Tyr, and others — each formidable in their own right.
The Ancients do not sit idle. They watch. They raid. The strongest players in the system draw the wrath of Dog himself, while lesser gods test the defences of those still growing. Challenging Asgard is the ultimate gamble — defeat an Ancient, and the plunder is legendary. Fail, and your fleet burns in the void.
History in the Scorched Void moves in cycles. Each round is a new age — a fresh start where empires rise from nothing, compete for dominance, and are eventually measured against one another when the round ends. The strongest commanders are immortalised in the archives. Then the cycle begins again.
You begin with a handful of stations, a small population, and a choice: what kind of ruler will you be? Engineers build vast networks of stations at a fraction of the cost. Economists generate wealth that others can only dream of. Miners extract the raw materials that fuel expansion. Researchers unlock devastating technologies. Soldiers crush their enemies with superior firepower. Or you can walk the Standard path — balanced, adaptable, with a growing population ready for anything.
Build stations. Construct mines, reactors, and shipyards. Train scientists to unlock new technologies. Raise fleets of destroyers and battleships. Probe your enemies for weaknesses, then strike when the time is right. Trade on the open market, forge political alliances, or wage planetary war.
The void is scorched. The gods are watching. What you build from the ashes is up to you.