One hundred million years ago, Humans lived on a planet called “Earth.” Then the Overlords came. Earth’s defenders were defeated in hours, and Humans were enslaved.
The Overlords had done this millions of times before, and Earth was not even the hardest target. Indeed, Humans, though clever and inventive, were militrily no match. Never even stood a chance.
The Overlords controlled EVERYTHING- Especially the starships that carried the merchandise of their empire around- Including Slaves.
Then, without warning, a massive virus swept through the Overlords and other species of intelligent life. Millions of species were wiped out- Humans and a few others survived mainly because so many were on ranch-worlds, where they were left to their own devices. Sometimes these ranch-worlds would be forgotten for hundreds of years. These were the worlds where the virus didn’t reach. Every other world was devastated for ALL life, animal or vegetable, as the virus literally consumed everything in its path.
The overlords gone left the survivors free- But stranded. Worse, even basic electric tools were forbidden. The only tools slaves were allowed to use were those the Overlords LET them use, and they only allowed slaves to use the tools the Overlords needed them to use. Even to look upon a ship, unless a Slave was to be loaded onto it, could carry a punishment of death. So the survivors didn’t have a clue how to use even the most basic tools, beyond to push a single button.
But Humanity was able to rebuild in some places. They knew what body armor was and how it worked- So slowly they figured out how to make it once again. They knew what castles were, and this was in fact one of the few things they had been allowed to build under the Overlords. Guns they had forgotten, but simply adopted the Overlords energy-based weapons- Difficult and expensive to make, and therefore under the control of only the wealthiest and most powerful.
Evey planet is under the general control of One Baron, who rules over the rest of the baronies and Duchies, but there’s usually one or two baronies or duchies that are powerful enough they, while they can’t actually overthrow or declare independence from the Lord Baron, they can maintain a degree of autonomy. Mixan’s Baron MEEKS, for example, can keep the Draconis Combine (Dragon Baron) in check, but can’t force them to obey him totally- They pay him fealty, but don’t obey all his laws (just the ones they want to).
