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==History==
There were two causes multiple leading to the end of the Age of Technology and the beginning of the Age of Strife: the first was the sudden appearance of [[psyker]]s on every human world. The second This was the compounded by massive and persistent [[Warp]] storms erupting around the Sol System and other parts of the [[galaxy]].In addition, records report that a great war with [[Iron Men|the machines]] began, with humanity battling vast robotic armies.{{Fn|5}}
Psykers had first appeared within humanity towards the end of the Age of the Technology. While persecuted as witches on many planets, on the most enlightened and progressive worlds, they were at first accepted and allowed to explore and develop their powers. As it happened, uncontrolled psykers proved to be a dangerous threat to [[human]]ity, and many worlds fell under hellish dominance, as the minds of these psykers became the gateways through which Warp entities were able to enter the material universe. Only worlds which had rigorously suppressed psykers survived this fate.
The Age of Technology ended catastrophically, as widespread insanity, daemonic possession, and inter-human war suddenly took hold throughout the human worlds. With the emergence of Warp storms through most of the galaxy, travel through the [[Warp]] became more and more dangerous until all but impossible, isolating many planets. Several worlds, particularly [[Terra]], dependent on the export of other worlds to feed their enormous populations, suffered massive famine. Several alien races such as [[Ork]]s, sensing mankind's weakness, raided and devastated many human-colonised worlds. Mankind battled itself, [[daemon]]s, and [[Xenos|aliens]].<sup>1</sup>
Over the long period of isolation new species of humans began to evolve, adapting to suit their new environment, becoming the [[Abhuman]] races: the [[Ratling]]s (adaptation on bountiful worlds), the [[Ogryn]]s (harsh, cold, and barren worlds), and the [[Squat]]s (the barren high-gravity worlds towards the galactic core). The Age of Strife was a time of anarchy, destruction, and regression, lasting thousands of years. Mankind's successes in the Age of Technology were lost, and many human worlds regressed to the level of barbarity.
However some isolated pockets of human civilisation managed to survive and even thrive; mainly those worlds and star systems which were, or became, completely self-sufficient in all vital aspects. Sub-light travel was still possible, and some star systems had several colonies to trade and to share resources. Warp jumps could be made on occasion, as the storms waxed and waned. Some few fortunate star systems were even quite close to each other and tiny "pocket empires" were formed. A known "pocket empire" is the domain of the [[Interex]]. Another is the Squat homeworlds.
*''Renegades'' by Andy Chambers, Jervis Johnson, and Rick Priestley.
*<sup>4</sup>:[[Galaxy In Flames (Novel)|''Galaxy In Flames'']] p. 410, by [[Ben Counter]]
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook]] pg.167
*[[Mechanicum (Novel)|''Mechanicum'']]
*[[Battle for the Abyss (Novel)|''Battle for the Abyss'']]
