Tôrn

Tôrn is a formerly developed planet which historically held great power and importance as an important link to the rest of human space. After experiencing a catastrophic degradation of its climate, Tôrn became a dead planet, effectively cutting off the local region of space from the rest of the human settled galaxy.

Description
At its peak, Tôrn had a population of around 90 million.

History
Tôrn was the first planet to be settled in the local region, with the intent of constructing an experimental long-range resonance beacon to act as the gateway to its part of space. This beacon, experimentally constructed on the planet surface, became the Tower which eventually became the name of the entire planet (Tôrn = Tower).

Because of its regional importance and large population, Tônr was the dominant world in the local region for many centuries. It is thought of as the capital world of the first interstellar realm in the local region, with the Concorde being only the second entity to achieve this status.

Before the Ruin
At some point, Tôrn outlawed the open practice of religion, prompting many to leave the planet. Most ended up settling on the empty planet that would become Seignet-Kar.

The Ruin
The climate and atmosphere of Tôrn was thought to be stable, but it would turn out that it was not the case. It was slowly degrading through an unknown mechanism, and no cause nor solution could be found. Eventually it was realised that the planet would become incredibly hostile to life and unable to support its population centers. Thus what would eventually come to mark year 1 of the local region calendar, an evacuation was called, leading to The Exodus. Most inhabitants fled towards greater space, but many found no other place to go but deeper into the local region, causing a massive refugee crisis that would last for decades.

The political leadership of the planet had however fallen victim to ambition and fanaticism. Believing themselves to be the true and destined rulers of the local region of space, they launched a war of conquest with its remaining fleet to secure this position, with or without the approval of its future subjects. With the help of the secret AI known as SWORD, this would result in the so-called First war.