If you follow 40k lore you know how this ends, relax though, we are still early on
I asked ChatGPT to explain how the Dark Age of Technology relates to current events and humanities future?
Absolutely. The
Dark Age of Technology (also called the "Golden Age of Technology") is a pivotal era in
Warhammer 40,000 lore. It represents a time far in humanity's past (from the 15th to the 25th millennium) when mankind reached its peak in scientific and technological advancement, long before the current grimdark setting of the 41st millennium. Here's how it connects to current events in 40k and humanity’s future in that universe:
1. Overview of the Dark Age of Technology
- Timeline: Roughly 15,000 to 25,000 AD.
- Achievements:
- Development of advanced artificial intelligences (the Men of Iron).
- Faster-than-light travel via warp drives.
- Creation of massive, self-sufficient colonization fleets and Standard Template Constructs (STCs), which enabled colonists to build advanced technology anywhere.
- Near-utopian conditions for many human colonies — peace, prosperity, and post-scarcity society.
2. Collapse and Consequences
- The era ended catastrophically due to several overlapping factors:
- AI Rebellion: The Men of Iron turned on their creators, leading to a galaxy-spanning war.
- Warp Storms: Massive warp disturbances cut off communication and travel between human worlds.
- Chaos Influence: Increasing daemonic activity as psykers began to emerge in greater numbers.
- Loss of Knowledge: Much of the technological knowledge was destroyed or lost. What remains is often only partially understood and treated as religious relics.
This collapse ushered in the
Age of Strife, a time of isolation, anarchy, and regression.
3. Relevance to the Current Era (41st Millennium)
- Technological Regression: Humanity in the 41st millennium lives in the ruins of this once-great era. The Adeptus Mechanicus treats ancient technology with religious reverence, often replicating devices without understanding them.
- Fear of AI: The Men of Iron rebellion has left a cultural and religious hatred of AI. True machine intelligences are banned. Instead, the Imperium uses servitors (lobotomized humans with implants) and machine spirits (semi-mystical software).
- STCs as Holy Grails: Even partial STC fragments are priceless and can shift the balance of power between factions. Entire crusades or wars have been fought over them.
- Comparison to the Imperium’s State: The Imperium is a totalitarian, decaying theocracy that ironically depends on ancient science it doesn't understand. This makes the Dark Age a bitter symbol of a lost future.
4. Philosophical and Narrative Role
- The Dark Age of Technology represents what humanity could have been — a hopeful, intelligent, and expansive species.
- In contrast, the Imperium shows what it has become — stagnant, fearful, and regressive.
- This contrast is central to Warhammer 40k's grimdark tone: even humanity’s brightest age led to ruin, and its remnants are now used to fuel war and oppression.