User:Triogenix/Sandbox 3

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This is a new player's summary to the totality - or at least, as much as we can summarize quickly - of the Aurora server's most essential lore.

This is the first in a series of multiple guides that are connected to Guides/Character Creation. Once you're finished reading this, you are more than equipped with the knowledge necessary to create your character using that guide!

Below is absolutely recommended reading if you are new to the server!

The purpose of this page is to get new players acquainted with the lore of the server and help them in understanding the ins and outs of the Orion Spur as it is in the 25th century and it's history. Aurora Lore is vast, and trying to get into it as a new player can feel overwhelming at times. This page represents an solid overview of the lore important to new players.

The year is 2467 CE (Common Era). Humanity has long since began its trek into space, and explored territory reaches out dozens of lightyears in every direction. It now shares the galaxy with many different species, in addition to be divided itself into many different nation-states formed in the long years since it first began to reach for the stars. However, it can be said that these states are secondary to the true power of the spur, the transtellar megacorporations.

History Overview

The Early Years

The first megacorporations arose out of the fast-paced landscape of Earth’s 22nd Century, a period defined by fierce economic competition between Earth’s nations – particularly across the East and West divide – and the start of the race to colonise the planets of the Sol System, spurred by the strife of Earth’s climate crisis. Corporations began to quickly conglomerate, first nationally and then across regions. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals is unofficially recognised to be the first true megacorporation by this definition; formed out of an agreement between Chinese biomedical companies then joined by neighbouring Singaporean and Japanese companies, it came to dominate Asian markets. Their success was quickly followed by others, with Hephaestus Industries formed out of North America and West Europe’s defence and heavy industry corporations being declared three months later. However it wasn't until the middle of the 23rd Century, during the second great depression, that megacorporations would become powerful enough to dictate to states, and by then there were less just half a dozen powerful enough to get to that point. Known contemporarily as members of the Founding Megacorporations, they are the logistical and industrial titans that drive the Spur forward, the weapons manufacturers and security solutions to drive the Spur back into the dirt, and the bureaucratic and pharmaceutical giants to keep us going just a little longer. For this, their holds on the markets across space are unshakable, their sway behind closed doors decisive, and the repercussions for their mishaps fleeting. They could have collectively dominated the spur for more than a century with cooperation, but none had the power to force even one of the others to let go of divisions. At the end this was to their detriment, as in the 25th century a dark horse corporation who everyone had little expectation of managed to ensure that cooperation through it's immense power.

Initially founded in 2366, the yet-to-be distinguished NanoTrasen was a small company revolving around genetic research and development on Mars. Xavier Trasen, Chief Executor of Operations for NanoTrasen (as well as its founder) managed to propel the fledgling corporation through the ranks after aggressively utilizing business tactics and effective patenting methods to buyout or destroy the local competition. By the end of the century, NanoTrasen had acquired enough capital to begin their operations on Biesel, even managing to secure mining rights in Tau Ceti. However at this point, NanoTrasen barely even qualified as a Transstellar corporation, and barely even registered with the original titans. However all that would change in the early 25th century. In 2471 NanoTrasen made the most significant discovery and technological innovation to date, when they found the priceless element Phoron within the Oort Cloud of the Tau Ceti system, and quickly found an application in the revolutionizing of interstellar travel through Bluespace which made traversing the void of space a far easier ordeal. NanoTrasen rapidly expanded mining operations in Tau Ceti's Oort Cloud and established monopoly in the Phoronics Industry as the demand for phoron continued to grow across the spur, eventually becoming the wealthiest corporation in the history of the spur, and arguably it's most powerful entity. It forced the Solarian Alliance to allow the independence of Tau Ceti, creating a state in which is held almost complete political influence, and quickly soared above the older megacorporations. By 2455 NanoTrasen was at the height of it's power, wielding massive amounts of influence across the spur and having what amounted to a monopoly of influence over the government of the state it helped create, The Republic of Biesel. Under Miranda Trasen, NanoTrasen would use this power and influence to force, bribe, sway, and bully all the other megacorporations, excepting one Einstein Engines, to cooperate under a single banner with NanoTrasen at the top. The Stellar Corporate Conglomerate was secretly formed in 2458 and revealed in 2462 amid the second invasion of Biesel. Little is known of what deals were made between the megacorporations before the public reveal, however today their members are semi-unified with challenges ranging from internal pressures as the constitute megacorporations spat among themselves, to the desire of every constituent to dethrone NanoTrasen as the leading megacorporation without destroying the SCC so they may take control over it. It is a tenuous relationship only held together by mutual profit, NanoTrasen's power, and a healthy amount of fear, bullying, bribery, and politicking by Miranda Trasen; yet hold it together she does, and the power it gives her makes her one of, if not the most, powerful individual in the entire spur.

The Stellar Corporate Conglomerate

Megacorporation	Overview	Specialities	See Also
Stellar Corporate Conglomerate ‘The unbreakable chainlink, holding the Spur together.’	A tenuous alliance between eight megacorporations, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate is a giant on the Spur's stage, with access to the immense resources and influence of each of the members beneath its shell. Originally firmly under the control of NanoTrasen Corporation, currently the megacorporations under the Chainlink now grapple for control behind closed doors, each with their own interests to push for the Conglomerate to coordinate efforts and resources towards. Aboard the Horizon, the SCC fills the majority of its positions with staff loaned from member megacorporations of the Chainlink, who hold dual contracts with their original company and the SCC. These contracted employees are employed in Command and Command Support.	● Administration & Legal	● SCCV Horizon ● Republic of Biesel ● Corporate Reconstruction Zone ● Public Reveal of the SCC

NanoTrasen

Megacorporation	Overview	Specialities	See Also
NanoTrasen Corporation ‘The leader in all things phoron.’	The largest megacorporation and arguably the most influential entity within the Spur, NanoTrasen's position can be wholly attributed to two factors: its iron grip over the Republic of Biesel and the discovery of phoron it was quick to form a monopoly over. However, today phoron supplies dwindle and their chosen pawn no longer sits atop Biesel's government, making the future of the megacorporation rather uncertain. Due to NanoTrasen's influence across the Spur, employees from all walks of life can find employment with the megacorporation. For many wishing to start a new life, NanoTrasen Corporation is an easy ticket to getting a full-length work visa to the Republic of Biesel. Further enticing for employees, NanoTrasen Corporation is known to offer the most generous contract terms out of the Chainlink's megacorporations, be it: wide insurance coverage; excellent legal protection for those practising in a medical field; scientists having full credit for any published research (excluding ground-breaking!), contrary to other megacorporations. Aboard the Horizon, NanoTrasen employees are employed in Science, Medical and Service.	● Applied Phoronics ● Anomalies Studies ● Administration & Legal ● Biotechnology ● Food Sciences ● Pharmacology	● The Trasen Family ● Republic of Biesel ● Phoron

The Big Six

Megacorporation	Overview	Specialities	See Also
Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals ‘Building a brighter future.’	The biomedical giant and the oldest megacorporation in the Spur, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals dominates the the practice of medicine and the many fields of research which relate to it. Arranged in a keiretsu structure, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals is composed of many smaller subsidiary companies which all cross-invest to ensure each subsidiary dominates its place in the market, with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals acting as an admin and legal hub for its members and only swooping in to take control of paradigm shattering research. Today, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals focuses on perfecting the human body, through both genetic and cybernetic means, a line of research that has led to embryonic cloning, limb cloning, and the most advanced synthetics yet. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals has strict hiring standards, as the corporation is known to only hire the best or those showing the promise to become the best. Not only paid well, prospective employees are often enticed by the promise of high-end cybernetics and genetic treatments that are often handed down as benefits by veteran staff. Aboard the Horizon, Keiretsu employees are employed in Science and Medical.	● Biotechnology ● Pharmacology ● Medical Bioengineering ● Genetics & Cloning ● Terraforming ● Administration & Legal	● Nralakk Federation ● Federal Technocracy of Galatea ● Origins in Asia
Hephaestus Industries ‘The anvil on which the world is shaped.’	The industrial titan, Hephaestus Industries was born out of West Europe and North America's military industries that snowballed in size from the 21st century onwards, where some now consider it the second most powerful megacorporation after NanoTrasen Corporation. Divorced from their history in military industry, Hephaestus is known for its bulk resource exploitation, mass-scale industrial manufacturing, and logistics which have kept the Spur's journey into the stars fuelled and stays on planets comfortable - for most.... Hephaestus Industries continues to pursue monopolies on everything industrial, most recently through the development of relations with the Izweski Hegemony where it has established a monopoly using none of its own workforce. With a reputation as the company for the blue collar worker, Hephaestus Industries is able to hire far and wide and attract those disenfranchised by more bureaucratic work environments – for those who can look past often slack safety standards at certain installations. Many are enticed by Hephaestus' benevolent company atmosphere, the investment options given to grow alongside the company, and the opportunity to soar to higher positions through only merit instead of socioeconomic background, seeing Hephaestus as one of the few companies to care for its workers. Naturally, this all comes at the cost of brand loyalty, with Hephaestus employees instantly losing these benefits or their position if appearing to dissent from the company line. Aboard the Horizon, Hephaestus employees are employed in Engineering and Operations.	● Engineering ● Material Engineering ● Mechanical Engineering ● Robotics ● Bulk Fabrication & Transport ● Civilian Commodities ● Civilian Starships ● Heavy Industrial Equipment	● Izweski Hegemony ● New Hai Phong ● Himeo ● Major Synthetic Production Facilities ● The First Trans-Stellars
Zavodskoi Interstellar ‘Even one matters on the battlefield.’	With a patchy history, the business of killing is the driving force behind Zavodskoi Interstellar's contribution to technology across the Spur and the profits that come with it. For Zavodskoi, conflict is another resource to exploit and a battleground is the perfect setting for testing experimental technology. Previously in the genetics market, today's Zavodskoi has become the merchant of death for nationstates across the Spur, from the Empire of Dominia – rarely short of its own conflicts and conquests – to defending liberty and corporate interests by supplying the fledgling Tau Ceti Armed Forces. Due to their patchy history and to contrast against the more gritty figures in the Arms trade, Zavodskoi Insterstellar has a hyperfixation on maintaining an image of professionality. As a result, Zavodskoi Interstellar's hires are often regarded as some of the most courteous contractors out there, a positive image of the company always coming first. Those who excel in this environment can find themselves with a most-paid trip to Moroz; etiquette lessons befall those who slip up too publicly. Aboard the Horizon, Zavodskoi employees are employed in Security, Science and Engineering.	● Engineering ● Weapons Engineering ● Military Vehicle Engineering ● Genetics ● Security Contracting	● Empire of Dominia ● Origins in the USSR and Warsaw Pact ● Tau Ceti Armed Forces Equipment
Idris Incorporated ‘Astronomical Figures. Unlimited Power.’	Where credits flow, Idris Incorporated can be found; the corporations empire of influence is fueled by the countless Idris banks across the Spur and an ornate web of lucrative loans and insurance plans. Expensive insider secrets can be offered to the highest paying of their finance clients. In recent times, Idris has expanded into the tourism industry and consumer goods market, using their vast fortune to create both iconic brands known throughout the Spur and to out manoeuvre competitors. With the ongoing phoron crisis, Idris Incorporated's wealth and sage advice has never been more needed, whether they be individuals, states, or megacorporations. Idris Incorporated contractors are expensive, coming with high expectations from both employer and consumer. For those who thrive in this environment, equally high salaries are afforded that can make it all the more worth it. With a degree of class expected for employees, it only makes sense for Idris Incorporated to lease and provide discounts on their designer brands – a taste of Idris' immense wealth for those who will never have such. Upon employment with Idris Incorporated, all employees sign an NDA that covers every inner working of the company, from training to pay to the content of any meetings you have with Idris company liaisons – nothing gets out. Aboard the Horizon, Idris employees are employed in Service and Security.	● Finance ● Tourism & Cruise Transport ● Designer Fashion ● Civilian Luxuries	● Silversun ● Crevus ● Idris Reclaimation Units
Einstein Engines ‘Lead by our history, leading our future.’	Throughout the Spur's history, Einstein Engines was the indefatigable megacorporate power, triumphing in every field they broke into and reaping the benefits of their close relationship with both the Solarian Alliance and Nralakk Federation. Following the discovery of phoron however, the status quo was shattered and NanoTrasen Corporation stole the throne; now with the phoron scarcity reaching its apogee and warp travel back in fashion, Einstein Engines is eager to seize it back with the promise of reduced dependence on phoron. Due to their close relationship with the Solarian Alliance and market conflicts with NanoTrasen, Einstein Engines continues not to support or join the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Einstein employees are not employed aboard the Horizon.	● Engineering ● Warp Drives ● Robotics ● Bulk Fabrication ● Scientific Equipment ● Civilian Starships	● Alliance of Sovereign Solarian Nations ● Nralakk Federation ● Phoenixport ● The Warp Gate Project ● Einstein Engines v NanoTrasen Corporation (2462) ● Industrial Reclamation Mandate of 2463

The Early Scarcity, The Second Invasion of Biesel, and Collapse of the Alliance

The Scarcity began with a short news articles by the Mendell City Bugle in May of 2642, the first to show a steady decline in the deposits of phoron located throughout Tau Ceti, and that shipments, while still coming, started to become slower and slower to fill quotas. This is the article that would set off a chain of events which saw the status-quo of the spur that had held since the end of the Interstellar War completely upended - more can be read about that here. For the purposes of this summary, all that needs to be said is that as 2462 continued, pressure slowly built up throughout the spur as it became clearer this issue would not go away anytime soon, until finally, there was a violent, explosive release that shattered the post-IW status quo in a single week with the catastrophe known as Violet Dawn.

Violet Dawn was the name of the operation run by the Solarian Government which would cause a cataclysmic disaster on Mars in the later months of 2462. The operations goal was to create a self-replicating, synthetic phoron gas as the scarcity was beginning to cause the Alliance's economy to falter. They were indeed able to accomplish this goal, however immediately discovered that there was no way to 'stop the self-replication, and the compound quickly breached containment, growing exponentially to become a raging atmospheric firestorm centered on Mar's South Pole, which the other residents of humanities most populous system watched turn the Red planet violet in horror. When the news finally broke on November 10th with specifics of the catastrophe on Mars, and that the Solarian Government's response to the crisis was to ignore or try to suppress calls for aid from the planet and order it's vessels not to assist in evacuation efforts, though it must be said many brave captains and officers disobeyed these orders, the last nail in the coffin of the Solarian Alliance as it had been since the end of the interstellar war was hammered home; the Alliance erupted with massive civil unrest and began to collapse. The then Prime Minister Frost was assassinated within a day, supposedly by a Zavodskoi Interstellar Kill Team, and in desperation what remained of the Alliance's civilian government ordered the abandonment of all space outside of the Core Worlds, which are centered on Sol itself. Many fleets disobeyed this order, setting up statelets as Warlords within former Solarian Territory which would come be labeled the Human Wildlands, a home to anarchy and limited governance.

However, one fleet which disobeyed the order to retreat did not set up a warlord state immediately, instead burning hard towards Tau Ceti in a bid to invade; the 35th Fleet, under the command of Admiral Ozdemir. In response, the formation of the SCC, or Stellar Corporate Conglomorate was announced by Miranda Trasen, CEO of NanoTrasen, to much fanfare; comprising of all the megacorporations of the Orion Spur excepting Einstein Engines, the SCC is perhaps the single most powerful entity in the spur with Miranda Trasen at it's head. Though the the SCC's power is such that only a sliver of economic productivity in the Spur is controlled by others, this power is a soft one, which is not much help against a rogue invasion fleet, which was the given reason for it's formation. In reality, the SCC had existed since the first Solarian Invasion, and this was merely a convenient time to go public. While it certainly helped by providing weaponry, ships, and put the final nail in the 35th's coffin with a phoron WMD, the 35th was only beaten with help from the rest of the spur, primarily Elyra and the Coalition of Colonies, who sent large expeditionary forces to the Republic as allies. After their defeat, the 35th set up a statelet like so many other Warlords within the Human Wildlands, a fascistic and genocidal one known as the Solarian Restoration Front. The Republic, Coalition, and Elyra meanwhile expanded their borders in the power vacuum left by the Alliance's retreat, taking in planets that had been abandoned by the Alliance. As for what remained of the Alliance proper, the civilian government who ordered the retreat would go on to be deposed, and a temporary Military Junta established to restore stability and control both in the core worlds and in the Human Wildlands, with the promise that once this had been achieved new elections would be held, transferring power back into the hands of a democratically elected civilian government.

It is in this way that the status quo of almost a century was shattered, and the pieces are still being picked up.

A Period of Rebuilding

In order of how to address;

- Biesel and Mictlan/CRZ

 -Formation of the TCAF
 -Peace deal on Mictlan

- Mitigating the Scarcity

 -Spat with Elyra and discovery of Orchard Moon
 -SFA and their attack on Orchard Moon

- Sol Doing Sol Stuff

 -Naval Purges
 -Beating the shit out of the SRF
 -Reconstruction Mandates
 -Elections soon

The Contemporary Spur

General description of where Sol and Biesel stand now, as well as what's on the Horizon. LINK THE LORE DISCORD and ACTUAL DISCORD THE FORUMS FOR NEWS ARTICLES, AND THE ACTUAL DISCORD. TELL PEOPLE TO FEEL FREE TO PING ANYONE WITH A PURPLE NAME IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT LORE.

The Setting, and Workplace

Nearly all Industry in the 25th century is dominated by a megacorporation in one way or another. As a result, a majority of the workforce finds themselves working directly for a megacorporation or one of its subsidiaries. Nowhere is this clearer than the Republic of Biesel, a state founded by NanoTrasen intervention, and despite strong Republican nationalism, exists at the whims of megacorporations. It is the economic heart of the spur, with it's capital system of Tau Ceti hosting the largest GDP per capita of any location in the spur. Still, it is not without its problems. From unrest in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, to a declining economy due to reliance on Phoron, the Republic never knows true peace. However, due to its ties to all megacorporations, it's capital planet of Biesel is the recommended starting background for new players to get accustomed to the lore of Aurora, with wide variability and simplicity assured. Relevant pages for lore can be found on the Character Creation Guide.

The SCCV Horizon

With the unveiling of the SCCV Horizon, the setting to which players have access stretches across the entirety of the Orion Spur. The SCCV Horizon is under the joint control of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, a holdings corporation that has significant influence over the direction of the setting. You, among others, have been assigned to work aboard the SCCV Horizon, a state-of-the-art general-purpose vessel that travels across the Orion Spur with the primary objective to uncover Phoron, however, secondary objectives exist at the whim of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Due to the SCC operating the Horizon, they have the final say on Occupation Qualifications. While many jobs will have specific qualifications that can be found on their job pages, the baseline qualifications to work aboard the Horizon can be found here: Stellar Corporate Conglomerate Occupation Qualifications.

In recent times (2462 and beyond) the setting has taken a turn for the worst as phoron scarcity threatens to drive the galaxy into the ground. While phoron remains in steady supply, its finite sources grow thinner by the day - soon enough, civilization will suffer the consequences.

Your Place in the Workplace

All players including staff are subject to the believable character rule. More details on that rule can be found in the server rules, found here.

With this said, your place in the workplace is extremely flexible. It would not be a stretch to say you can be whatever you want on the Aurora server, within reason. Get creative! The possibilities are endless, and storied lore backgrounds are always here to help guide character creation.

Ultimately, in the grand scheme of things, your binding rules are generally things such as being related to the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and being aboard the SCCV Horizon legally. Opportunities to subvert even these rules are available but are not the same as player characters made from character setup unless exclusively permitted by staff. More details on these exceptions can be found on the Guide to Ghost Roles page!

The vast majority of characters on the server are employees of the corporations beneath the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. These individuals come in all shapes and sizes, with all of them sharing similar and quite low ranks in the megacorporate hierarchy. Certain ranks are afforded different privileges, such as medical practitioners and corporate security. Playing an official of higher rank is barred behind a whitelist to ensure quality control. Independent individuals or unaffiliated individuals are accessible as well through character setup. These roles include megacorporate-unaffiliated journalists, passengers, and third-party vessel teams who have found their way to the setting somehow.

The Economy

The Biesel Standard Credit (电/CR) is one of the dominating currencies that exist within the Orion Spur and was created shortly after the Republic of Biesel’s declaration of independence in 2452. It sees usage outside of the Republic, within the Izweski Hegemony, who adopted it as their official currency following the collapse of the Solarian Alliance, and some sections of the Coalition of Colonies near the shared border, as well as the People’s Republic of Adhomai. The BSC is available in electronic, bankcard and traditional notes forms that have the symbol of a lit torch on them. Responsibility for the currency falls to the Central Biesel Banking Authority, which is located in District One of Mendell City, the capital of the Republic of Biesel. It oversees monetary policy and the supply of the Biesel Standard Credit, with assistance from Idris Incorporated. Similarly to the Solarian Standard Credit, the BSC is able to function as a fiat currency.

Your Place in the Economy

The financial status of your character varies on a character-by-character and player-by-player basis. To reiterate, the believable character rule must be taken into account here - a security officer very simply has no excuse to be a billionaire, nor does a cargo technician have the ability to be an Interstellar War veteran. However, the pedantics of the extent of one’s wallet is in player control, barring mechanically of course. With this said, the cost of living is clarified or can be gleaned by context virtually anywhere set in lore - questions surrounding this can be directed to lore developers of the respective topic.

Known Space - The Orion Spur

The setting is based in the majority of the Orion Spur, the part of the Milky Way in which the Sol System - and its surrounding hundred lightyears, roughly - resides. It is very open-ended and diverse in its nature, and not wholly charted yet - the deep Frontier hardly scratches the surface of the unknowable depths of the galaxy.

More details on the expanse of the mapped galaxy can be found here.

The expansion of Humanity has reached out in every direction, only stopping in the galactic west as they border the Nralakk Federation. Otherwise, their all-encompassing exploration has given them free reign to conquer the untouched - or abandoned - regions of the galaxy.

The major Human factions of the Orion Spur are numerous, but share a common theme in that they are universally affected by a catastrophe known as the Interstellar War. From this disastrous conflict, many new factions cropped up, with most opposed to the rule of the Sol Alliance.

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The Orion Spur

The Starmap; expand the collapsible, and feel free to open the image link in a new tab for a closer and more detailed look! ▶

Major Factions

These are the dominant political players in the Orion Spur that are relevant to you, the player. Any of these factions can be utilized in backstories or as origins for characters - go crazy!

Republic of Biesel

The core location of the setting itself. A bastion of prosperity amidst chaos.

The Republic of Biesel is an independent system within the core of Human space. It is heavily tied to the NanoTrasen corporation at every level of government, and may as well be considered as governed by it to begin with. The Republic of Biesel is the government of the Tau Ceti System, exercising authority over Biesel, New Gibson and all other settlements and installations within Tau Ceti's gravity well. It is one of the most populated systems in human space, a financial center, industrial powerhouse and one of the most prestigious systems in the galaxy. However, unrest and gridlock undermine the government, and the aggressive attitude of the Sol Alliance against its former system has made many worried of the future of the Republic. Tau Ceti is far from the limit of the Republic's boundaries, as the recent addition (post-2462) of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone have led to its size growing immensely. The CRZ, or the Zone, consists of hundreds of once-Solarian worlds which have had no choice but to fall under the Republic's banner, after their supply lines and defenses were cut off by the collapsing or defecting military.

Sol Alliance

A crumbling giant whose golden age has long passed.

Formerly the most populated singular government entity in known space, the Solarian Alliance is the first and one of the most politically powerful trans-stellar Human factions. While its reign formerly consisted of nearly a quarter of charted space in a growing sphere around Earth, it has now diminished significantly in size. Its loyal forces have recently retreated to the "Jewel Worlds," a region of space where its most treasured assets lay, not to mention its throne upon the home world. The Alliance is strangled by its long-standing reliance on Einstein Engines, a corporation that has survived almost total nationalization to become the foremost employer in Solarian space. The government and the corporation now stand as fierce opposition to the growing Stellar Corporate Conglomerate whose power contests them. Sol's jewel worlds and secure borders are surrounded by the Human Wildlands, dominated by warlord admirals who formerly served the Alliance' tremendously bloated military.

Coalition of Colonies

Freedom and independence embodied on an interstellar scale.

This loosely confederated Coalition is the largest power in the frontier, and possibly the most populous entity in the Orion Spur. It is the largest fracture from the Sol Alliance after the Interstellar War, and covers several regions with its utterly tremendous borders. The systems of the Coalition greatly value their independence and freedom. A few powerful systems dominate the politics of the Frontier, headed by the Xanu Free League - the capital of it all. Many of those in the Coalition of Colonies harbor distrust of the Sol Alliance even after the end of the Interstellar War. Humans and aliens from any and all ethnicities, as well as any combination of them, can be found in the Coalition of Colonies. In recent times, the Coalition has conquered a huge amount of territories where the Alliance formerly stood guard. For example, the tremendous Alliance Neutral Zone - a place where both sides were forbidden from entering - no longer exists, and has since been deemed Coalition territory after the Solarian withdrawal.

Republic of Elyra

Glistening utopian city-scapes and technological might.

The Republic of Elyra, or its more official name, The Serene Republic of Elyra, is a bustling, benevolent independent power in the Badlands. It is made up of multiple star systems, with its capital in the highly developed technological utopia of Perispolis. Its national motto is "For Greatness We Strive". It is known for its exotic culture, highly progressive - if Pro-Human nature, and advanced industrial wonders. Elyra is one of the only three factions in the Orion Spur which innately possess phoron deposits of any sort, something they have exploited to their fullest potential in recent years.

Empire of Dominia

Religious pride in the Emperor and country.

A heavily religious absolute monarchy with its capital, Nova Luxembourg, on the planet of Moroz in the Mira Sancta system. This autocratic state is ruled by His Imperial Majesty Boleslaw Keeser. The Empire of Dominia was proclaimed in 2385 by then-Emperor Godwin Keeser, unifying a colony which had been isolated for hundreds of years. Imperial society is dominated by the Great and Minor Houses under the Emperor and is very socio-economically stratified due to the so-called blood debt, known as the Mor’iz’al.

Eridani Federation

Corporation-dominated hell, personified through a terrible societal split.

Eridani, or the Eridani Corporate Federation, is an oligarchic republic in the Epsilon Eridani system dominated entirely by a council of mega-corporations that seek profit and expansion at any cost. It has no official capital - government authority is exercised digitally. The Corporate Federation is known as one of the core economic powers of Solarian space, and is technically under Solarian supervision - though the true extent of this is up for debate. Corporations, in reality, rule the gloomy landscapes of the Corporate Federation’s worlds. Its citizens are called Eridanians. Eridanians are famed for their vicious treatment of one another, distinguishing between two primary classes ; Dregs, and Suits - who in effect represent a fine line between poverty and wealth.

Common Sentient Species

These are common sentient species found throughout known space.

Skrell

An amphibian race hailing from Nralakk IV, Qerrbalak.

An amphibious species whose passion mostly lays in the field of the combined sciences, the Skrell are the second oldest and first most advanced known species present on the galactic stage. The Skrell evolved on a planet covered in vast swamps and freshwater seas, also being one of the only species in the Orion Spur to naturally develop psionics.

Unathi

A reptilian race hailing from Moghes.

The cold-blooded Unathi are a race of tall humanoid reptiles from their war-torn homeworld of Moghes. The planet’s history can be summarized as being dominated by various Clans of Unathi, with the strongest being the Hegemon of Moghes. Following first contact with Skrell and Humanity, there was a violent outbreak of nuclear war that formed a vast world-dominating desert called the Wasteland which has made life difficult for the Unathi. The surviving side of this war, the Izweski Hegemony, has struggled to bring a balance between expanding their empire off-world, or reconstructing their ancestral planet. Grandiose and Space-Operatic, the themes behind Unathi follow the struggle of religion, spirituality, honor, and rigid gender roles.

Tajara

A feline-like race hailing from Adhomai.

The Tajaran race is a species of feline-like bipeds hailing from the planet of Adhomai in the S'rand'marr system. They have been brought up into the space age by the Humans and Skrell, who alledgedly influenced their eventual revolution that overthrew their ancient monarchies to become a totalitarian - and NanoTrasen friendly - republic. Adhomai is currently under a cold war between three factions in the aftermath of a global conflict, and many Tajara are fleeing their homeworld to seek safety and employment in human space.

Vaurca (Vaurcae)

An insectoid race hailing from Sedantis I.

The mostly bipedal, insectoid creatures hailing from the moon known as Sedantis I, Vaurca (Vaurca in singular term and Vaurcae in multiple), were discovered after the first Hiveship contact in human space, 2456. They once had access to great technology, however they had to flee their doomed homeworld. They have a complex caste system based on three types, and use something known as the Hivenet to communicate in thoughts and feelings near instantly between themselves, and enter a paradisiacal virtual reality. They require phoron to respirate, as well as requiring a unique and dangerous fungus, the k’ois spore, to sustain them. Although barely tolerated in the known galaxy, many have found homes in the more unkempt areas of their host’s society. There are four known Hives - Zo’ra, K’lax, C’thur, and Lii’dra. The largest, and most common hive in Tau Ceti is the Zo'ra hive. The Lii’dra, unique in that they are a true hivemind, are known as a powerful and secretive force and are hostile to most other entities known - including the other Hives.

Dionae

A mysterious plant-like race hailing from the depths of space.

Dionae (D. Primis) are a rather strange, cryptic species in comparison to the rest found in the Orion Spur. They have various forms comprised of cat-sized caterpillar-like creatures with a curious, childlike disposition - called Dionae Nymphs.

Enigmatic witnesses to various events through the centuries, the Dionae are an inquisitive species with a pacifistic disposition after gaining sentience. Their origins, behaviour and functions are never alike - with each being as unique as the next. The Dionae are capable of great intellectual, biological and physical feats going above and beyond what was considered possible for millennia. Dionae are similar to both plant and animal, however, they primarily survive off of the electromagnetic spectrum coinciding with a diet of biological matter to supplement their growth. Their inability to adapt to survive without lack of radiation can lead to death, if not exposed to at least efficient lighting. Dionae have been seen across the Orion Spur, each with a unique history and personality.

Integrated Positronic Chassis (IPC)

Robotic entities making use of Positronic brains to match sentience, to a degree.

An Integrated Positronic Chassis, or IPC, is an artificial intelligence inside of a bipedal, humanoid frame. IPCs are primarily characterized by their autonomy, not being bound to a master AI or set of laws. Often built to carry out a single, career-related purpose, they come in many different chassis, with varying degrees of intelligence. Within known space, their existence is a contentious topic with IPCs being seen as property or second-class citizens, undeserving of the rights other species possess.

Synthetics, more generally

Robots in the galaxy, endlessly diverse.

The term “synthetic” refers to a broad range of autonomous machinery. Dabbled with, first by the ancient skrell, and now humanity, synthetics can be classified primarily by the method of their intelligence. They include simple machinery not out of place in the 21st century, cyborgs, autonomous robots on circuitry, and now, advanced sentient artificial intelligences stored on positronic brains.

From this point, you are again encouraged to move onto Guides/Character Creation provided you're at a loss for what to do.