In the first half of 2013, one of the Secret Subreddit's various parallel universes, which had run unattended for weeks on accelerated time, was discovered to have developed various sentient species, including but not limited to the Mad Mud Men, the Enlightened Bird Men, the Enlightened Clock Men, the Twice Great Sky Squids, the Enlightened Fish Men, the 747th World Pirates, the 1000th World Problems Hive, the Order of the Snake, the Reptygon Militia, and the 347th World Problems. Furthermore, these species were engaged in an all-encompassing war with each other.
To negotiate peace, an Unintentional Intelligence Committee was formed of Seraphnb, Aes419, and Sathion. Seraphnb departed into the other world to run relations from that side. Unfortunately, these attempts were futile; the Mad Mud Men refused to accept peace and ally with their enemies, despite the fact that they were losing the war.
Seraphnb returned unsuccessful in November 2013. Behind him, it seems that the Mad Mud Men escaped with him and began living in the vents as gnomes, kidnapping people and causing general problems. This led to the Great Gnome Pandemic of November/December 2013.