Some multiverses are different from others.  This universe had no more time left.  Its timeline was naturally coming to a close, the time when entropy would overtake everything and the Neverborn would 'live'.  The Yozis and the Incarnae, tipped off by the fleeing Fair Folk, came to an uneasy truce and divested their power in an attempt to stave off entropy.  unfortunately, it was too little too late.  Centuries upon centuries of conflict had left them too weak and so the Neverborn descended on them like vultures on dying lions.

There were few Abyssals at first.  Some were disrupted early.  But the Neverborn grow in power as everyone else wanes; they were able to create more Abyssals.  This was compounded by the treachery of the Sixth Sidereal, Agent Orange the Chosen of Nox, who fed misinformation into the system and assassinated several other Chosen.  This included the Lunars Clare Green and Sylvia Murray, as well as one of the few Sidereals.  The human vigilante group Candlelight was taken over from within, their warriors turned into anti-Exalt shock troopers.

The Abyssals were thus able to work and left unchecked they slowly took over Russia.  Within a year they'd suborned most of Asia, Australia, South America, and parts of North America.  It became clear that the Chosen were fighting a losing battle.

The Infernal Michael Florentine realized that time was short.  Together with Steel Elementals from Chicago and the last vestiges of Sylvia Murray's company, they managed to create a great ship.  The Solar Lucifer fought month-long holding actions against the Abyssal kill-teams to buy them time, occasionally supported by the old Erymanthoi Stoneback and the sniper fire of the Infernal Brahe.  Meanwhile, Solar Jess Maraud worked with her rival, Infernal Red Queen, to rally human survivors across the world.  Solar Lyla Raines worked alongside the Sidereal Secrets in several guerrilla operations, spreading disinformation throughout Abyssal ranks.

Michael found the vast computational power needed to operate the Ark was more than the finest technology could provide.  In a moment of sacrifice (or perhaps ascension) he hooked himself directly up to the Ark.  The power needed to integrate him was too great and nearly killed him; he could never be unhooked again.  He became fused to the machine.  Knowing that the power needed was limitless the last Fair Folk of the universe, White Arcing Lightning, took up her rightful place in the reactor of the Ark.  With the Ark completed, Solar Kyle Weston managed to lift it off with a few million souls intact.  More survivors were picked up from across the world, clustered in besieged pockets.

It has been ten years since the Exodus.  The remains of mankind travel across dying stars in a last-ditch attempt to find what may be the only exit to the Wyld in the universe; a perpendicular timeline.  If they can find it they can find themselves in another universe with more time.

Some say that any talk of the history of the Exodus should begin with the Ark, for the Ark is very important.  Some say the Exodus Fleet as a whole should be considered.  Neither are worth anything without the people they carry.

This list includes some notable members of the population.  Note that the numbers are not exact.  Census taking measures have been undertaken.

Total Population:  ~20,000,000

Current Human Population:  ~8,000,000
2,000,000 United States/Canada
1,000,000 North African/Saharan
1,000,000 Sub-Saharan African
1,000,000 Finland/Nearby Baltic states
1,000,000 Chinese
1,000,000 Indian
500,000 Mexican/Latin American
300,000 Indonesian/New Guinean
100,000 Polynesian
50,000 Japanese
40,000 Taiwanese
10,000 United Kingdom
50 Sentinelese
High Priestess Pauline Smitters, Pre-Exodite
Rusty "Smoker" Shackleford, Pre-Exodite

Current Terrestrial Population: 500
100 Air Aspects
100 Earth Aspects
100 Fire Aspects
100 Water Aspects
100 Wood Aspects
[Nald's Character]

Current Celestial Population:  15
Journeys, Chosen of Mercury, Pre-Exodite
Serenity, Chosen of Venus, Pre-Exodite
Battles,  Chosen of Mars, Pre-Exodite
Secrets, Chosen of Jupiter, Pre-Exodite
Endings, Chosen of Saturn, Pre-Exodite  [NOTE:  One of the Sidereals is canonically an Exodite:  Whoever Zergon chooses to be!]
Pacifica Spacewolf, Chosen of Luna
Mercy Brown, Chosen of Luna
Allison "Spiderweb" Al-Sayegh, Chosen of Luna
Julius "Fossil" Caesar, Chosen of Luna
Park "Kumiho" Nari, Chosen of Luna
Ilari Lievo, Chosen of Luna
Arkady "Mountain" Jones, Chosen of Sol Invictus
Jess Maraud, Chosen of Sol Invictus, Pre-Exodite
Lyla Raines, Chosen of Sol Invictus, Pre-Exodite
Kyle Weston, Chosen of Sol Invictus, Pre-Exodite
Daniel "Lucifer" Matthews, Chosen of Sol Invictus, Pre-Exodite

Current Infernal Population: 5
Shun Xiao, Chosen of Kimbery and Qaf
Nidhi Kapoor, Chosen of Oramus and Sacheverell
Michael Florentine, Chosen of She Who Lives In Her Name and Malfeas, Pre-Exodite
Brahe, Chosen of the Ebon Dragon and Cecelyne, Pre-Exodite
The Red Queen, Chosen of Malfeas and Isidoros, Pre-Exodite

Current Elemental Population: 1,000,000
200,000 Air Elementals
200,000 Earth Elementals
200,000 Fire Elementals
200,000 Water Elementals
200,000 Wood Elementals
10,000 Steel Elementals
Swan Dragon, Pre-Exodite

Current God Population: ~100,000 (∞)
Limitless Small Gods
75,000 Servant Gods (Essence 1-2)
20,000 Lesser Gods (Essence 3-4)
5,000 Greater Gods (Essence 5)
50 Ruling Gods (Essence 6+)
Tara-Han, Pre-Exodite
Sunipa, Pre-Exodite
Burning Feather, Pre-Exodite
Five Days Darkness, Pre-Exodite
Lytek, Pre-Exodite

Current Demon Population: ~10,000,000
5,000,000 Stomach Bottle Bugs
1,500,000 Erymanthoi
1,000,000 Tomescu
1,000,000 Demjen
1,000,000 Assorted Other Demons
500,000 Neomah
Florivet, the Whim of the Wind, Pre-Exodite
Alveua, the Keeper of the Forge of Night, Pre-Exodite
Sondok, She Who Stands In Doorways, Pre-Exodite
Old Stoneback, Pre-Exodite
Leanette Akashic Florentine, Pre-Exodite

Current Fair Folk Population:  1 (∞)
Limitless Reactor Goblins
White Arcing Lightning, Pre-Exodite
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:39, Sat 15 Oct 2016.

In Earth's Ragnarok, the Unconquered Sun and Malfeas took physical form to fight alongside each other one last time, buying the Ark just enough time to clear the Solar System.  The Earth cracked and the Sun burnt itself to a cinder as the two titans fought and then finally fell.  Malfeas was crippled, then ripped to pieces by hordes of higher ghosts.  Sol Invictus was pinned and crucified, then finally his heart was inverted and he became the Deathlord Sol Nihilus.

The surge of entropy-power fueled the Neverborn further, who used it to pluck Autochthon from his hiding spot.  Ghosts burrowed into him like hungry maggots, feeding on his creator-essence.  Then they were fed back into a terrible machine designed by one of the Abyssals before the fall, Project Thanatos.  It is through Project Thanatos that the Neverborn could pursue the Ark.

Here is a list of all the known Forces of Ruin.  The Neverborn themselves are not added to this list; not enough is known about them, even their names.

Wretched
There are still some very few living in the Forces of Ruin.  These were traitors to the Living cause who bartered their services for a few decades more of life and leisure.  They lead pampered lives in soft cells, their only duty to breed children that are then promptly slain.

Hungry Ghosts
Formed from the hun-soul of a human, these are mindless ghosts that thirst for life.  Most humans actually possess up to seven hun-souls which merge into one at the time of death.  Some Abyssals know powerful charms and necromancy that can draw out all seven.  There are limitless Hungry Ghosts but as they cannot pilot ships they are often used as boarding troops and security forces.  Even untrained mortals can fight toe-to-toe with hungry ghosts, but numbers usually win out.

Higher Ghosts
Formed from the po-soul of a human, Higher Ghosts are intelligent and retain their pre-death personality.  Some of them retain any power they might have had, but these Higher Ghosts are rare.  Higher Ghosts form the majority of the pilots in the Forces of Ruin.  Most of them are unwilling to fight, but are driven to do so thanks to the domination of their Abyssal and Deathlord masters.

Imperators
These are the Higher Ghosts who had the great fortune of being allowed to rip apart Malfeas's crippled body.  They were infused with some of his strength and authority, allowing them to become unique threats.  Imperators are usually the piloting aces of the Deathlord fleets or right-hand ghosts to Abyssals.
Candlelight Kill Teams
Snapdog
Cygnus, Director of Candlelight
Anna

Deathlords
These are ghosts of powerful spirits and Exalts.  The Deathlords are varied in power and skill, but all are capable of dominating spirits less than them.  They in turn are dominated by the Neverborn.  They are often in control of their own fleet; they seem to have trouble working together.  It is theorized that the Neverborn encourage their competition, the better to create unique plans to capture the Ark.  So far this has had mixed results.
Adorjan, the Screaming Void, Pre-Exodite
Nox, Pre-Exodite
Sol Nihilus

Abyssals
The chosen Exalts of the Neverborn, these include the traditional Abyssal types as well as the manufactured Abyssal known as Project Thanatos.  Abyssals are extremely dangerous:  not only do they possess the same power of the traditional Exalted, but now they have the limitless "resources" of entropy itself.
Set Beckons
Gardener of Screams
Hateful Herald of Horror, Pre-Exodite
Project Thanatos, Pre-Exodite
Yama, Pre-Exodite
Agent Orange, Pre-Exodite
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:23, Sat 11 June 2016.

For all of Humanity's losses, there have been successes.  It's important to remember that these exist.  The universe may be dying but that does not mean there is life.  The universe may be darkness but there is always light.

Here is a list of Humanity's victories:

Creation of the Last Refuge
Escaped With the Living
Destruction of the Dead Moon
The Duel of Ceres
Ambush of the Enemy Fleet at Stone Place
Death of Abyssal:  Guardian of Dead Kings
Death of Deathlord:  God of Death Walkers
Stabilized Population
Creationed First Ship of the Fleet:  Carrier Enterprise
First Exodite Terrestrial Exaltation
Stopped Destruction of the Last Refuge by Overflow
First Exodite Lunar Exaltation
Created First Advanced 'Icarus' Class Starfighter
First Exodite Sidereal Exaltation
Harvested Halley's Comet
First Use of Trans-Light Speed
First Exodite Infernal Exaltation
Escaped Ambush of the Outer Void
Rescued Lytek
First Exodite Solar Exaltation
Defeated Void Demon Rebellion
Repaired Last Refuge's Meteor Shield
Discovered Arcadia XII
Created First Fleet Tanker:  Transport Ice Cube
Destroyed Abyssal Flagship:  Buchenwald
Defeated Candlelight Infiltrate/Kill Team
Rescued Swan Dragon
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:14, Mon 13 June 2016.