Memory is a fantasy world of adventure, danger, great love and great evil. In March 2140, an internet game developer, Harris Jean-Pierre and his company BalorIX, utilising burgeoning new AI technology, conducted a series of trials for his new game entitled Belusia. The unique combination of multiple AI, the game world, and input from the BalorIX programmers, caused a unique internal event to unfold. With dramatic implosive force a wormhole through time and space was created, destroying the majority of the company’s locally connected computers and interfaces, but creating an abiding connection with a foreign world and culture deep within the heart of the Andromeda galaxy.

Andromeda variously means ‘ruler of man,’ or ‘to remember man’, or ‘to be wary of men.’  She is Logos for Memory, or the Divine Memory of all things Fantasy and RPG; a milieu of distinct yet familiar characteristics.

No longer in the direct control of its developers, the BalorIX team could only watch as the their game system was taken over by Memory. Andromeda applied its own rules and homeostasis, and took precedence over any prior programming.

Not to just let leave it at that, the programmers discovered that they could watch events unfolding on this planet, and appreciate in full 3D colour the fantastic battles, politics and individual realities revealed there. Quick to capitalise on this “free” cinematic universe, BalorIX was promptly selling subscriptions to Terran viewers. From humans to elves, to mythical beasts and cataclysmic events, it could all be viewed in real-time. Many uplifting, tragic, romantic or dramatic scenes were recorded and watched again and again.

Through another twist of fate Harris Jean-Pierre was able to contact the first of the Seelie Pantheon, Cha-Izaran, the Sun God. He established a contract that would allow select players to completely transfer their consciousness from one world to the other. An unfortunate fact to this arrangement was that it was an irreversible one-way process, from Earth to Belusia only.

Many Earth governments began to ban prolonged viewership of the game-world, in fear that many citizens would depart, whether through boredom, fleeing persecution and prosecution, and other criminal interests – or be forced to depart for the same reason.

These fears were never realised as most viewers were understandably reluctant to give up all modern comforts, family and friends. In addition, because of Memory’s peculiar restrictions many pathological criminals, religious fanatics, the terminally ill, and the hopelessly unfit were barred from full access. The Divine Pantheon of Memory decreed that only certain souls would be chosen, for good or for ill, to aid the various benign, neutral and malign gods in their millennia long struggle.

Anyone who did “pass over” could be watched while they played, but the player would not know it, nor could anyone communicate or interfere in either direction. Sound and vision came through back to Earth, but nothing else tangible.

The subscriptions to view Memory soared even further as earthly heroes and villains became the new superstars, the select few picked as favourites. Internet fan clubs, social network commentary, revolutionary new 3D entertainment systems, and massive betting on various outcomes became rampant.