Special Interlude The Factions!
The Sol Refuge:
Faction Type: Nomadic Remnant
Governmental structure: Military Council
Culture Type: Authoritarian, Militaristic
Specialties: Areas the People of Sol Excell in
Specialty One: Starship Engineering
Specialty Two: Particle Weaponry
Specialty Three: Torpedoes
Specialty Four: Reactionless Propulsion
Specialty Five: Powered Armor Design
Specialty Six: Mobile Repair and Construction
Specialty Seven: Stealth and Sensor technologies
Specialty Eight: Deep Space Industry
Specialty Nine: Nanotechnology
Unique Technologies: Rydium based Energy Conversion and Absorption Techniques, Rydium Manufacturing, Pulse Wave Engines, Electro Cannons, Energy Webs, Triphasic Shields, Cutting Beams
Notes: The War with the Cathamari Empire devastated humanity. The Sol Refuge is one if not the only faction to have survived the war. Numbering less than a hundred thousand and with only a handful of ships to their name its a miracle the faction has survived as long as it has. Proving that even faced with adversity that humanity is remarkably resilient and resourceful. Given their low numbers and the fact humanity is nearly extinct its not surprising that the fleet leaders have begun to encourage procreation. In addition, laws have been passed to outlaw abortion and birth control. The first was really just continuing the old laws. As Abortion had been illegal in the U.E.F as well, but that was largely due to it being unneeded. It made it easy for parties to outlaw it, when nanite based birth control ensured unwanted pregnancies were a thing of the past. The second on the other hand was not a continuation of old laws. Nanite based birth control had not only been legal in the U.E.F but readily available. In fact thanks to the U.E.F’s Affordable Care Act, it was available to people of all strata.
What the people of Sol lack in numbers they make up for with raw ingenuity and resourcefulness. As they search for a new home, they have already begun to develop new techniques to better enable their small fleet to survive without a home port. The Refuge is also notable for their advanced starship construction and design techniques. Refuge ships are extremely robust, able to take brutal poundings and function even while heavily damaged. In addition, their ships are equipped with a highly effective combination of stealth technologies. Making them quite hard to find when they don’t want to be found. If not for their low numbers they would perhaps be a candidate for Major Power status. As it is Refuge starships are on par with the ships of the Major powers if not superior in some cases.
Additional Notes: This Faction Cannot build Heavy Capital ships (I.E Battleships, Battlecruisers, and Dreadnoughts) In addition, their ability to replace lost vessels is extremely constrained. Making it difficult for them to absorb ship losses. Refuge Ships are more expensive than those of other factions.
The Cathamari Empire:
Faction Type: Young Empire
Governmental Structure: Warlords
Culture Type: Authoritarian, Militaristic, Expansionist
Specialties: Specialty One: Concussive Plasma Weapons
Specialty Two: Hyper Plasma Drives
Specialty Three: Aggressive Warship Design
Specialty Four: Robust Low Cost Hull Construction
Unique Technologies: Human-Inspired Hull Plating
Notes: The Cathamari Empire is a fairly young Empire. Ruled by the Grand Warlord most of it people are either slaves or soldiers. Naturaly an empire built on conquest is unstable at the best of times, so its not that surprising that the loss of the homeworld has led to civil war. Something many factions are keeping an eye on as a stable Cathamari empire represents a major threat. Their focus on slave labor and war allows them to produce large numbers of ships at low cost. Their warships are decently robust with a focus on heavy firepower. Often devastating in a slugging match, especially in numbers. Many young powers have already fallen to them and refugees fleeing their wars have led to instability across the quadrant.
Valorian Trade Confederation:
Faction Type: Established Confederation
Governmental Structure: Corrupt Confederate Council
Culture Type: Mercantile
Specialties: Specialty One: Shields
Specialty Two: High-Efficiency Plasma Weapons
Specialty Three: Low Cost Hulls
Specialty Four: High-Efficiency Sublight Engines
Unique technologies: Pulse Cannons, Omicron Shielding
Notes: The Confederation is one of the more established powers in the galaxy. They have been spacefaring for centuries and haven’t had a major war for many hundreds of years. As a result they have become somewhat complacent and corruption has begun to rot the upper levels of their government. The biggest victim of this corruption is in fact their own navy. As a result the Confederation despites its vast coffers and wealth is militarily weak. Lack of budget means few new ship classes entering the navy and has resulted in a lack of new weapons development. Often the navy has to make do with adapting older designs to suit their needs. Vast territory and poor budget has also forced them to focus on designing cheap, easy-to-mass-produce hulls. These hulls end up being light on armor and structural reinforcement. Another victim of cost cutting, is point defense. Many of their ships are lacking in point defense. Between the lack of point defenses and armor the Valorian ships end up relying entirely on the powerful shield systems, they have for protection. This means they are often quite vulnerable if anything gets past their shields. As they learned when facing Refuge shield penetrating torpedoes.
Additional Notes: Faction lacks heavy capital ships and has few shipyards able to build large-scale hulls. Making it difficult for them to replace lost capital ships. Valorian vessels are much cheaper than those of other factions.
Krall Imperium:
Faction Type: Established Empire
Governmental Structure: Imperial Council Culture Type: Honorable, Scientific, Defined Roles
Specialties:
Specialty One: Plasma Beam Weaponry
Specialty Two: Robotics
Specialty Three: Cloaking
Specialty Four: Multispatial Inversion
Unique Technologies: Inversion Gates, Krall Plasma Beam Cannons, Spatial Torpedoes, Adaptive Cloaking
Notes: The Krall are among the oldest of the established powers, but they aren’t yet old enough to be considered an elder race. Remarkably accomplished in the sciences and driven by ancient codes of honor. Their industry makes incredible use of robotics and large portions of their shipyards are automated. Allowing them to produce their advanced starships at a lower cost than many other powers. The Imperium military makes excellent use of destroyers and few powers can match their battleships in combat. As one of the most advanced races, other powers are often wary to get on the bad side of the Krall.
Additional Notes: Highly efficient shipbuilding industry, Cloaked Krall ships can fire torpedoes while cloaked.
Chi’Ran Commonwealth
Faction Type: Young Xenophobic Republic
Governmental Structure: Elected Leaders
Culture Type: Militaristic, Xenophobic, Aggressive Isolationists
Specialties:
Specialty One: Disrupter Weaponry
Specialty Two: Guided Plasma Weapons
Specialty Three: Advanced Hyperdrives
Specialty Four: Advanced Armor
Unique Technologies:
Notes: The Chi’Ran Commonwealth is one of the more advanced races in their little corner of the galaxy. Their homeworld is located in the politically unstable Lantaro sector. A sector known for its unruly occupants. Surrounded on all sides by hostile powers, its not surprising that they have begun to fear contact with alien races. They tend to shoot first and ask questions later when dealing with aliens, but some of them do the opposite. One of the few powers to successfully resist an invasion of the Cathamari Empire. Thanks to their constant wars they have developed powerful weapons, shields, and engines. Most notable are their advanced armors, they even developed a crude form of powered armor.
Reylar Coalition:
Faction Type: Young Federation
Government Structure: Military Republic
Culture Type: Multi-racial, Militaristic, Aggressive Expansionists
Specialties:
Specialty One: Gunboat Diplomacy
Specialty Two: Guided Plasma Weapons
Specialty Three: Laser Weapons
Specialty Four: Multi-racial Accommodation and Support
Unique Technologies:
Notes: A Coalition of young races centered around the Reylar people. Established in the face of Cathamari aggression the Reylar coalition is a military alliance between several races. The most advanced of which is the Reylar. These races are now sharing military technology and resources and consolidating military power in preparation for a Cathamari invasion. On the same token, they are aggressively expanding into new regions. Seeking new allies and resources against their common rival.
The Voskar:
Faction Type: Young Consortium
Government Structure: Hereditary Rule
Culture Type: Secretive, Mercantile, Militaristic
Specialties:
Specialty One: Cloaking
Specialty Two: Kinetic Weapons
Specialty Three: Small ships design
Specialty Four: Particle Cannons
Specialty Five: Shields
Unique technologies: Hypernova Torpedoes
Notes: The Voskar are a rather secretive race. Not much is known about them as their core worlds are closed to outsiders. Much of their population is made up of slaves, with estimates saying that up to 90% of the population are slaves. Despite the high number of slaves, their civilization is remarkably stable. Slaves are generally treated well and some even manage to buy their freedom. While their core worlds are closed, the Voskar do keep a few free ports, where aliens can visit to trade. At these ports, Voskar mercenary companies are also open for hire.
Voskar ships are quite different from those used by other factions. The most common example is the Voskar Raider. Ships of the Archetype feature a cloaking device, spinal mounted railgun, high yield fixed particle cannons and rapid-fire defensive turrets. These small ships are extremely dangerous ambush predators, but have poor durability. They don’t fare well in a slugging match. Regardless of these issues, they have built up a fairly powerful fleet and their capital ships are decent. Given their proximity to the Lantaro sector its not surprising that they often patrol that region of space, to keep an eye on possible attacks from their unruly neighbors of course.
Additional Notes: Faction can fire their railguns while cloaked.
Toral Confederacy:
Faction Type: Established Confederation
Governmental Structure: Confederate Council
Culture Type: Militaristic, Honorable, Mercantile
Specialties: Specialty One: Particle Weapons
Specialty Two: Superior Capital ship Designs
Specialty Three: Hyperspace Engines
Unique Technologies:
Notes: The Toral are a long-time Rival of the Valorian Confederation. In recent years relations between the two have become rather tense. Unchecked piracy on the border being one of the chief concerns of the Toral Confederacy. In addition several skirmishs have occured along the borders of the Toral and the Valorian peoples. A war may perhaps be inevitable.
The Malora
Faction Type: Established Hierarchy
Governmental Structure: Monarchy
Cultural Type: Militaristic, Opportunistic
Specialties: Specialty One: Disrupters
Specialty Two: Electronic Countermeasures
Specialty Three: Disrupter Missiles
Specialty Four: Ion Cannons
Unique Technologies:
Notes: The Malora are one of several races that share a border with the Valorian Trade Confederation. Highly accomplished with sprawling industries and a vast military they are one of the more powerful races in the area. The Malora and the Toral have a long history with each other. One marked with a number of conflicts and rivalries.
Ik’til Hives:
Faction Type: Established Hive Governmental Structure: Hivemind
Culture Type: Isolationist
Specialties: Specialty One: Advanced Hyperdrives
Specialty Two: Hyperspace Missiles
Specialty Three: Multi-spatial Sensors
Specialty Four: Hyperspace Communications
Unique technologies: Hyperspatial Psionic Relays
Notes: The Ik’til are a hive-minded race of insectoids. Known for the most advanced hyperdrives on this side of the galaxy. Outside of that little is known of them as they tend to keep to themselves. They are also quite peaceful as long as you don’t provoke them. Most tend to avoid them since they are quite deadly when provoked.
Vok Alliance:
Faction Type: Young Federation
Government Structure: Military Republic
Culture Type: Multi-racial, Militant
Specialties: Specialty One: Disruptors
Specialty Two: Photonic Weapons
Specialty Three: Aggressive Recruiting
Specialty Four: Multi-racial Accommodation and Support
Notes: The Vok alliance formed under the same circumstances as the Reylar coalition. They share similar goals with somewhat different methods.
Wovnar Queendoms Faction Type: Young Matriarchy
Government structure: Theocratic Union of Monarchs
Culture Type: Matriarchal, Religious, Diplomatic, Primal
Specialties: Specialty One: Superior Agricultural Techniques
Specialty Two: Advanced Terraforming
Specialty Three: Planetary Engineering
Specialty Four: Bioscience
Specialty Five: Bioship Engineering
Unique Technologies: Bio-Shock Projectors
Notes: The Wovnar are one of the more unique races in this part of the galaxy. They are quite well known for their policies of aggressive defense, they don’t often declare war but they will aggressively defend their territory. In the past they were quite militant. The Wovnar are also highly religious with unique customs and are known for not wearing clothes. A fact that makes their relations with the Valorians somewhat interesting. Unlike most spacefaring powers they also maintain strong beliefs in their gods. These beliefs affect all aspects of their society. They conduct a number of interesting rituals each year. All of which honor their gods. Also of note in regard to their religion is that they value life itself. They also put a great deal of stock in a simple life. The Wovnar are also highly accomplished in the biological sciences to the point that they use it in all aspects of their society.
Additional Notes: This faction cannot build ships. Instead they grow them. The Wovnar species has an unusually high growth rate, leading to very populous worlds.
The Wovnar do not adapt to alien environments. They adapt the environment to suit them.