Just gonna put this here under a read more. The universe lore my players are getting (Under the Read More):
In the beginning, there were two. Primus, Lifegiver and Light Bringer, the great creator of all those who dwell on this great planet. And Unicron, the Unmaker, devourer of all that exists in this life. Brothers, split from the same spark of life and forced into an endless struggle. But Primus was not alone. One became five as the great creator shaped with his servos new beings to assist in this great endeavor.
Epistemus, holder of all knowledge, who granted the ability to learn.
Solumus, the infinitely wise, who granted the ability to use our knowledge as he would.
Adaptus, the ever shifting, who granted the ability to change our forms with ease.
Mortillus, the last, who granted an afterlife and the final fate of death.
Together they formed the Guiding Hand and defended Cybertron from Unicron's dark hunger, banishing him to the far reaches of the universe. So it was for a time, until Mortillus—inspired by the Unmaker—rose against the Guiding Hand to pull all into the embrace of the Well of Allsparks. Thus the God Wars began, the remaining members of the Guiding Hand struggling against one whose domain was death itself. But all was not lost.
Primus crafted two great relics: A sword of blazing fire and a shield of water and wind. With them he struck down their once-friend, trapping him forever within his own creation and granting those of Cybertron life eternal. Though Mortillus was defeated, his end came with heavy losses. What remained of the Guiding Hand was weak and splintered, and knew they had to leave Cybertron behind and ascend to the Higher Realms to watch over from afar.
Not wanting to leave the world they loved unattended, they created a new relic of great power: The Matrix of Leadership. Only the bearer of the Matrix is fit to lead Cybertron and wield Primus's own sword and shield to protect against any threats the planet may face. They also appointed bots to watch over Cybertron in their stead: The thirteen Primes. Of them Zeta Prime was chosen to become the first bearer of the Matrix in all of its glory. But peace, like all things, fades overtime. Megatronus, The Fallen Prime, grew resentful of the power Zeta held and stole Primus's sword, using it to slay Zeta Prime in an attempt to claim the Matrix. But the power of the sword and the Matrix proved to be too great for him, and triggered a cataclysmic event that created the Sea of Rust. In the stellar cycles that followed The Fallen's betrayal and the loss of both the Matrix and Primus's sword, distrust led to infighting and eventually both Primus's shield and the remaining Primes faded into legend.
For ages upon ages the relics and Matrix of Leadership were lost, yet Cybertron persisted. Until one day new bots took it upon themselves to pick up the pieces the Primes and the Guiding Hand left behind. They became the interpreters of Primus's Will and the guardians of the old ways, believing that all bots were forged with a purpose and to go against that purpose would be an unforgivable sin. To put the Will of Primus into law, the Functionist Council also put together a Senate and dubbed its leading members Primes in honor of the protectors who came before. Other senators, nearly all of whom came from the upper castes, did not not share this name. While the Council truly believed Functionism was truly the Will of Primus, the Senate found it to be a sound way to maintain their positions of power. Those few who sought to speak for the citizens of Cybertron and pushed for change, like the now disgraced senator Shockwave, often met with unfortunate circumstances.
Unrest grew under the pressure of Functionism, particularly among those most impacted by its limitations: Miners, laborers, those built for war, and Cold Constructs of all functions. Megatron, a gladiator of Kaon, became a voice of the oppressed, spurring on a revolution united by the promise of a better future. He was supported fully by those who shared his supposed thirst for freedom, including his most loyal supporter at that time: Orion Pax, a miner with dreams of being an archivist. He stayed by Megatron's side until it became clear with his annihilation of the Senate that this was not simply a revolution, but a takeover with the end being Megatron standing above all others and ruling with complete authority. Orion Pax was preset for the attack, having attempted to warn the Senators present before Megatron's arrival. He nobly gave his own live to save the life of one who had been vocal against the Functionist regime, allowing the other to escape in one piece. It is with this act the Matrix returned, granting Orion Pax a second chance to stand and defend the bots of Cybertron as Optimus Prime, the first true Prime since the original 13.
Around the newly ordained Prime formed a faction to rival the Decepticons. The Autobots pledged to fight for true change and the creation of a unified Cybertron where form needn't dictate function. Unfortunately many of the Decepticons had fallen too deep into Megatron's lofty promises to abandon the cause. With the destruction of the peaceful city of Praxus the Decepticons declared war on their new enemies. In the following stellar cycles the conflict only continued to escalate, leading to Cybertron's slow destruction. Energon that once flowed in abundance across the planet began to dry, and as one final desperate act the Autobots scattered across the galaxy. The greatest ship of those that fled was the Ark, whose Autobots were led by Optimus Prime himself, but it was pursued by Megatron and his supporters. The conflict between the two led both ships to crash on a far away planet known by its residents as 'Earth', where the conflict with Megatron and his Decepticons now continues.