# The Dark Decade

A makeshift refugee camp during the Dark Decade.

## Overview The ten year period spanning from [The Crash](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/history/the-crash) in August, 2052 until the [New Dawn Declaration](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/gata/history/new-dawn-declaration) in November, 2062. In The Crash, nearly every device on the planet with a general-purpose processor was irreparably corrupted, dealing an instant death blow to power, communications and the entire global supply chain, plunging the world into a brief, but perilous new dark age. Believed by many researchers to have been caused by the [Daemon Virus](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/science-and-tech/the-daemon-virus). The Dark Decade was a global event that instantly dissolved the existing world order, resulting in famine, disease, violence, and mass migrations, punctuated with more localized atrocities and environmental hazards. During the first 6 months of the Dark Decade, 1.2 billion people lost their lives, primarily due to famine and disease. Over the following 9 years, an additional estimated 3 billion people perished due to causes attributed to the Dark Decade. *** ## Timeline of Events * **August 2052, The Crash:** Sudden corruption of general-purpose processors globally, leading to the immediate collapse of power grids, communications, and supply chains. * **Late 2052:** Rapid onset of famine and disease due to the breakdown of food distribution and healthcare systems, leading to widespread mortality. * **Early 2053:** Emergence of localized gangs, warlords and factions vying for control over remaining resources, resulting in oppressive practices and cyclical violence. * **Mid 2053:** Environmental disasters worsen as nuclear reactors, dams, and other critical infrastructure begin to fail, and ecological profiles shift without human influence, leading to additional destabilization. The [Joint Atlantic Command](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/gata/history/the-joint-atlantic-command-jac) carries out missions around the world to address these existential threats. * **2052-2056:** Mass migrations as people flee uninhabitable areas in search of food, water, and safety, exacerbating tensions in less affected regions. * **2056:** The New Dawn Declaration and formal founding of [Atla](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/gata/key-locations/atla) by the civilian and military population living in the Joint Atlantic Command flotilla. Atla begins to establish stable refugee camps across the Atlantic Ocean's coastal territories. * **2056-2060:** Grassroots efforts to rebuild society begin to emerge, focusing on sustainable living and the re-establishment of local communities, laying the foundations for the eventual emergence of the [Free Territories](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/free-territories) movement. * **2061:** Atla implements the first build of The System, a new model for infrastructure design prioritizing resilience and decentralization to avoid past vulnerabilities. * **November 2062: The** [New Dawn Accords](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/gata/law-and-order/new-dawn-accords) are ratified by Atla and signed by many of the provisional governments of Atla's refugee camps. The [Greater Atlan Territorial Alliance](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/gata/the-basics) is formed. Considered by many historical scholars to be the end of the Dark Decade, and the beginning of the [Reconstruction era](https://wiki.codauniverse.com/coda-universe/world/history/the-reconstruction). ***