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Magic was the foundation of this world for a long time, it was carefully cultivated through ancient rituals and became stronger and more advanced through innovations. At last all this led to the creation of its own rules and laws. Many schools and academies were established to create talented magicians.
At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, a group of magicians-researchers wanted to develop moving around the world, and they were working on a grand project to theorize instant teleportation that would turn the world upside down! One of the magicians created a technomagical device intended to stabilize and maintain a portal's operation without constant support from the magicians. But something went wrong. The portal opened, revealing an entirely different planet inhabited by beast folk. The portals indeed turned the world upside down!
Everything progressed at a furious pace – relationships with the beast folk world were established, new portals opened, and flows of technological knowledge were successful. The center of all this activity became the human world, subsequently coded as C-N-T-R.
The global network, called the "World Sponge" due to its extraordinary transition structure, grew year by year. It helped to develop trade, diplomatic relations and tourism but… Not everybody welcomed the intrusion of outsiders into their life. Under the slogan of "stopping the monopoly of the C-N-T-R world," and after numerous rebellions, mutinies and attacks the great war of the 14th century broke out. Periods of calm and active combat were alternating for many years. At last the Alliance of Worlds, led by C-N-T-R, established the Bureau of Inter-world Defense. This organization was created to keep order among the interconnected worlds and control the portal system.
The Bureau assembled the best fighters from the Alliance. Slowly but surely they crushed a rebellion, took control of the portal system and finished the war that had been lasting for almost two centuries. The worlds of the Alliance were being recreated with joint efforts. The Bureau also was reorganized, divided into two structures: the Bureau of Inter-world Control, responsible for Inter-world border functions, and the Bureau of Inter-world Order, designed to prevent any events that could lead to a new war.
However, now, at the end of the 19th century, a wave of terror has swept the Alliance worlds, and the Bureau again is involved in events that could lead to the worlds' collapse.
Chronology by centuries
In the 9th century, applied magic was discovered and actively studied.
At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, portal technology was discovered.
In the 14th century, the Great War of Worlds began.
In the 16th century, the Great War of Worlds was finished. The Bureau was reformed into the Bureau of Interworld Restoration, aiding war-ravaged worlds. After completing its work, it was reformed once again into the Bureau of Interworld Contacts, becoming the only legal means of interworld travelling.
In the 17th century, the Bureau of Interworld Contacts established a subordinate structure to keep order and law, preventing the outbreak of a new war. This structure was traditionally named the Bureau of Interworld Order. The primary function of the Bureau of Interworld Order was policing, but it also had special units conducting unique missions.
By the 18th century, the Bureau of Interworld Contacts had been turned into a sort of customhouse and "world port," allowing smooth movement between the worlds. The Bureau of Interworld Order became a fully independent structure, dealing with keeping order, investigating crimes and eliminating terrorism. Special schools and academies were established to train new agents of the Bureau of Interworld Order.
By the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the protagonist finishes training at the academy and enters service in the Bureau of Interworld Order of the C-N-T-R world.
Past events began to repeat themselves but not in such an overt manner. In some worlds there was displeasure with the monopoly of the Bureau. Gradually, disparate groups of smugglers, bandits, and terrorists teamed into a powerful Organization of Resistance to the Bureau. This organization included not only the above mentioned rabble but also various wealthy and influential individuals who assumed leading roles. By the time of the game's events, the Resistance had amassed enough strength to openly confront the Bureau. Without sparing anything, the Resistance prepared, buying whatever could be bought and selling whatever could be sold, and hit a coordinated blow to the Bureau's warehouses. The Resistance placed its people on managerial positions in several worlds and also invaded or purchased important locations to fulfill its plans. One of the results of their activities was the production of a special potion. Although it retained the nature and character of creature that took it, it made the creature subject to whoever gave it, altering its thoughts as if the affected one arrived at the idea of collaboration independently. As the game unfolds, it is revealed that creature can break free from the potion's control either by abstaining from it for an extended period, which is difficult, as those under its influence continued to drink it, or if the creature is in a near-death state.