In 2104, lithological excavations at the Fourth Mars Colony unearthed

an artifact of unknown, seemingly non-human origin; an icosahedron of

an unrecognized, non terrestrial metallic composition, inscribed with

strange, indecipherable sigils and glyphs.



After long months of intense study, epigraphy experts on Earth ascertained

a tenuous parallel between the unknown language on the icosaherdon and

certain obscure Aztec hieroglyphics, and thus were able to extrapolate

a meaning from the unearthly inscriptions.



The translation spoke of a legendary repository of ultimate knowledge

known as the Empyreal Lexicon... a codex of alien origin said to contain

incredible cosmic secrets; arcane words and psionic waves of power which

were the keys to unlocking a network of cerebral-transferrence portals

linking the myriad galaxies of the multiverse, and also the means to

transcend the boundaries of the space-time continuum, enabling corporeal

beings to travel between dimensions and traverse at will the unknown

realms which lay between universes, tapping into the limitless energies

which permeated the sidereal fabric of the cosmos.



The translation of the Mars icosaherdon also hinted disturbingly at a

great pangalactic conflict which was waged over the possession of the

codex between the mysterious cosmic beings who had appointed themselves

the keepers of the Lexicon and some terrifying shadowy foe mentioned

only fleetingly in the alien text.



The final battle in this cataclysmic power struggle was apparently fought

in Earth's own solar system, and the Keepers of the Lexicon, their power

depleted and teetering on the verge of defeat, shattered the codex into

a myriad shards, scattering the fragments across the star system in order

to prevent the secret