What happened to the Commonwealth or what happened to Earth? Various things happened to Earth. Global warming. Nightsiders and other invasive species. Mineral stripping. Viruses. Laws against genetic engineering when the subspecies appeared, but repealed too late. The Magog.... And then Nietzscheans took it when it was at it's weakest. [There's the smallest hint of hate in his voice for that last one. Fuck those Nietzscheans. He resents being related to them.]