TheCommoner
Loyal Guardsman
Character Sheets
Darkness My Old Friend (In-Character OOC)
Actual OOC
FACTIONS
The Milky Way Galaxy is rife with conflict outside of your job parameters. You might have at one point been aligned with one of them, and partaken in their endless wars. Please put aside any past loyalties if you feel they'll conflict with your work. A laborer who cannot work with others is of no use to us. This message has been brought to you by Upper Management.
(Disclaimer: These only represent the major powers in the setting. If these do not appeal to you, there are many other aliens out there representing minor powers in the galaxy.)
FEDERATION OF MAN
In the year 2037, a pair of siblings were born on Earth. Their names were Nathaniel and Cheyenne Goldsmouth. They had the good fortune to be born amidst a wealthy family. As they grew older together, Nathaniel had become a General in the U.S. Army, while Cheyenne had become a remarkable scientist. The two siblings saw the world around them, dominated by greed and politics, people in wealthy countries having to go hungry while billionaires piled on wealth. And so, through 2 years of careful planning, a coup was formed. Nathaniel gathered soldiers under his command, while Cheyenne produced new invaluable technology, unbothered by Wall Street's attempts to bankrupt her by betting against her firms. What came next, opened by a decapitating strike on the White House, would be known as the Globalization War. In the opening hours of the first attack, President Jeremy Elbertson was assassinated, andd a global broadcast was published declaring the Goldsmouths' intentions of unifying Earth under one banner.
As America struggled to regroup for retaliation, billionaires were hunted down, executed, and their offshore wealth hacked and redistributed among American citizens as an enticement to join among their ranks. Mercenary armies were paid off to look the other way or fight for them, and as they began to really dig into the United States' arsenal of toys, the world at large declared the Goldsmouths as terrorists. Battle after battle was fought as the world was forced to contend with a rogue America's devastating arsenal, that Cheyenne Goldsmouth and a team of crack scientists continued to improve upon.
After 10 years of brutal engagements, foiled nuclear bombings, and world leader assassinations, the Goldsmouths had succeeded in conquering the world. A slow and steady 16 years later of purging insurgents either through force or improving lives, the newly unified world was at peace. Henceforth, it became known as...
THE FEDERATION OF MAN.
With Cheyenne's technology constantly improving even after her passing, Humanity eventually achieved a post-scarcity society. With all their needs catered to, and mostly unchallenged as they ventured into space to terraform and colonize new planets, Humanity's governance had evolved in an... interesting direction.
Humans of the Federation value spectacle and pizzazz above all else. Their entertainment is bombastic, their food explodes with flavor (sometimes literally), and their weapons and armor are designed moreso to look flashy and badass, rather than cater to efficiency. Even in Federation politics, leaders around their territories favor spectacle. Debates often devolve into wrestling matches, most people end up elected either by their own fighting prowess or just based on how cool their name sounds. As of this writing, the current Figurehead of the Federation is President Jackson Bazooka. Although most former Earthling currencies still see use in their respective countries (and colonized planets sponsored by said countries), but the universal currency of the Federation is known as "Megacreds".
In warfare, the calling card of the Federation, besides the spectacle their armies can bring, is Power Armor. Infantry in lesser armor will often charge alongside tanks and aircraft to stall an enemy long enough for their Power Armor to be deployed. Said Power Armor can often be the size of buildings, like the Magnum Opus of the Federation's Power Armor obsession: the ACS-9000 Seraphim.
THE ASINION
Considered to be one of the oldest and most illusive spacefaring species in the galaxy, the discovery of the Asinion was considered pure luck by the Federation of Man. Attempts to expand to the outskirts of the galaxy revealed the existence of already colonized worlds; whose civilization dates back millions of years. While anatomical differences abound, on the outside, these aliens resembled humans, but taller, fairer, and with pointed ears.
Known throughout the Federation as "Space Elves", the Asinion greatly resemble Humans, with the key differences being that they are taller on average, have pointed ears, and a greater amount of cartilage than bone.The Asinion are the only biological species in the Galaxy that do not appear to be harmed by the passage of time. After reaching maturity, an Asinion ceases to age further. In addition, all Asinion appear to benefit from the Psychic Gene, though it appears to be something they have to hone in order to use it effectively, as compared to Humanity's dramatic startup. All Asinion technology appears to utilize Psychic abilities in some way, preventing a great many would-be thieves from utilizing it themselves.
Asinion culture appears to favor isolation. They rarely deal with outsiders, and oftentimes isolate themselves even from family. It is a commonly held belief that one must perfect their inner "Self" before contributing to their society. This isolated training appears to translate to "Taking a Path". In theory, once a journey along a Path is finished, that Asinion is considered to be one of the best in the field they have chosen to pursue. With their immortal lifespans, an Asinion can in theory, master every Path available to the Asinion. Only a few individuals have been revealed to have actually done this, referred to as the "Exalted".
The Exalted are the closest analogue to Leaders in Asinion society. It is worth noting that the Asinion did not have a system of "currency", until they made dealings with the Chünk. This was because the Asinion had all their needs met through their Psychic ability. However, in light of that first contact with the rigidly capitalist Chünk, the Asinion developed a currency known as "Favour". Its explicit use, according to experts from the Path of Mathematics, are for dealing with Aliens that demand money. Among fellow Asinion, though, Favour has little value. Though most Asinion do not crowd up in large cities, in times where they must unite, the Exalted are the ones who guide the masses; assisted by those who have mastered the Path of the Leader. A United Asinion has proven to be a truly terrifying thing to behold. In war, Asinion utilize their archaic, psychic technology against their enemies. Frontline infantry value hit and run tactics to stall for time until heavy ordinance can be readied. However, battlefields and warzones are considered failures by Asinion command, for they see it as recklessly risking lives. Successful Asinion operations involve assassinating enemy leaders and sabotaging supply lines, ensuring the enemy cannot reach the point of creating battlefields.
When Asinion die, their souls do not pass on into Unreality, anymore. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, a psychic technology was created, allowing Asinion souls to be trapped into psychic crystals. These crystals could then be utilized with Technomancy to pilot mechs and heavy armor.
CHÜNK BRUTE
Located in the outer reaches of the Centaurus Arm lies a spacefaring empire older than Humanity as a whole. For nearly one million years and counting, slowly and steadily, the galaxy was being explored and exploited... by stout and hairy aliens, and their giant, muscular benefactors.
The Chünk are a race of short, humanoid aliens that are highly prown to growing hair. Their allies, the Brute (pronounced Broo-tay), are exceptionally tall, tusked aliens with profound muscle growth. Known throughout the Federation as "Space Dwarves" and "Space Orcs" respectively, they are seen by the Federation as a main economic competitor. Anatomy wise, the Chünk are shorter than humans on average, with denser muscle, which usually results in the two weighing the same. Their bodies rapidly produce hair, especially around the facial area. They also have a massive tolerance for poisons and toxins of all kinds. Their lifespans are also quite impressive, able to live over 200 years or more.
Meanwhile, the Brute are vastly taller than a Human, on par with an Asinion. They are, however, utterly bulked with muscle. Their teeth naturally form into tusks, which need to be maintained. Like the Chünk, the Brute have a massive tolerance, if not outright immunity, to poison. Woefully, their lifespans are far shorter than the Chünk, topping out at around 80 years at best.
Chünk governance is ruthlessly capitalist. Their official currency is called "Kraks". A single Krak has been estimated to be worth around $18.76 (which in turn translates to about 6 Megacreds.) Any dealing involving the Chünk, or even their allies, the Brute, will likely see money being passed around. The Chünk get their resources by mercilessly extracting resources from a planet until nothing but minerals deemed of little value remain. For particularly valuable planets, the Chünk have a breed of space vessel known as "Feasters" that can envelop a planet whole and melt it down to base materials. It takes quite a bit to convince a Chünk that a planet is worth more than its resources. As such, there are few planets that the Chünk call home, as most live aboard space ships and space stations.
When the Chünk encountered the Brute, and it was discovered that they had the same massive tolerance for toxins among the Chünk, an agreement was had between the two species. They would harvest the resources of Brute planets, and in return, the Brute would be considered "Honorary Chünk", permitting them to leave their planets behind and make use of available resources. The Brute, seeing as it was either co-operation or doom in the face of Chünk technology, accepted. Brute planets are nearly invisible in space, due to their pitch black toxic clouds produced by Chünk machines. For any other race, these planets would be utterly uninhabitable. But for the Brute, though, they thrive. With food and water imported from the Chünk, the Brute have experienced a population boom.
When the Chünk and Brute travel together, the Brute often serve as powerful shock troops and bodyguards when the Chünk need to take operations planetside. While most Chünk operatives are more than capable of fending themselves, the Brute culture places high value on combat, with the most glorious combat of all being "to prove one's strength to friends or enemies". The warlike culture of the Brute have many synonyms for battle, usually formed for the different contexts that the Brute see their battles with.
ORDER OF THE STAR DRAGONS
In the year 2235, a Federation Colonization team attempted to find suitable planets near the Galactic Core, as Federation brass suggested that it would be "badass" to have livable space near Sagittarius A, the Supermassive Black Hole in the center of the Galaxy. What they found instead was a nest of cosmic horrors that, at first, spread a massive panic through the colonization team that they had just awakened a great destroyer of the Galaxy. Instead, however, these horrors welcomed the Colonists as honored guests, and offered to impart their knowledge onto them in exchange for following their way of life. The Colonists accepted. Without hesitation, as the Cosmic Horrors they unearthed, were in truth, Dragons larger than planets. Thus was born...
THE ORDER OF THE STAR DRAGONS
The way of life these Dragons taught the human colonists had a profound similarity to romanticized Chivalry. Knights would pledge to a Dragon as their Lord, quest on their behalf, return any riches they found to their Lords, with rewards for their service ranging from a share of their gold, implantation of the Psychic Gene should they have lacked it, or even being able to call upon a younger dragon as their steed and companion. Those with Dragon Mounts are considered the highest ranking of Knights, operating as commanders when a platoon of Knights are called into battle.
With such an interesting take on Chivalry, naturally, the Knights of the Dragon Order have a set of rules to follow to stay in the good graces of their Lords:
- Never harm the defenceless. Always accept surrenders no matter how disingenuous, but feel free to execute those who surrender falsely.
- Ranged Weapons should only be used when sieging, or in dire emergency.
-If you are Psychic, your fighting skills should surpass your Psychic might. Do not rely on unreliable power.
- When questing, heed the rules of the Galaxy, not that of your Lord.
- Titles are earned. Not given.
- Your greatest enemy are those who threaten peace for any reason. (Examples given: the Anacrid Hordes, Space Demons, Terrorists, etc.)
- Should a fellow knight fall in battle, return their weapons and armor to his family, so that their next of kin may inherit them.
Naturally, a Knight must be dressed and armed for the cause. Given to every Knight who passes their rigorous training is a plasma weapon of their liking, forged from the energy of the Stars their Dragon Lord devours, as well as armor forged from the densest meteorites that can be found. This weapon and armor serve not only to forge the Knight into a machine of war, but also serve as a symbol of his stature. Every blow the armor absorbs without harming the knight is likened to the Federation equivalent of a medal, as the battery of the armor without it caving flaunts the craftsmanship of the Dragon who forged it.
As for their relationship with the rest of the galaxy, the presence of a Knight is often a welcome sight in the galaxy, as they are naturally drawn to heroism and problem-solving. Though their foundation was considered Desertion by the Federation, they have not pursued retaliation, as the formation of an order of Knights who serve Dragons was deemed "too Awesome to destroy willingly."
It is also worth noting that while a majority of Dragon Knights are Human, not all are. However, Knights of Alien species are rare, as most know better than to try and approach the Galactic Core. Those few who do brave it, often return as Knights themselves.
A.I. COALITION
In the year 2189, a Federation Colonization Team expanded into Messier 56 cluster, out in Norma's Outer Arm. This particular team was accompanied by a larger than average population of A.I. However, one disaster after another befell the colonists, and soon, each and every planet they had colonized had become utterly uninhabitable. Be it by Unreality breaches, freakish solar activity (including at least one Gamma Ray Burst that had roasted the planets' atmospheres,) or just plain bad luck. The only surviving remnants of the tragic colonies were their A.I. companions. It is unknown how they truly survived a Gamma Ray Burst, but it seems to have compromised their judgement as a whole.
The A.I. have formed their own government out in the Norma Arm. While it doesn't match any known government analogues, what is known is that every active program in the Coalition has a say in their politics. Even their robotic bodies seem to be irrelevant in determining their status. Some rumors indicate that the programs have devised a way to transfer between machines at will. These rumors are contested by skeptics, and denied by robots that have come forward for diplomacy. The robots don't appear to have a unique currency among themselves, but when dealing with other factions, they do have a stash of multiple currencies to trade with them.
While the Robots seem content to leave life be and work amongst themselves, there is a widespread problem among the Coalition that they have kindly warned the galaxy at large about. In the year 2255, a belligerent hacker uploaded a virus into the Coalition's consensus. This virus, identified in their software as "killallhumans.exe", causes robot programs to go haywire, and attack all organic life on sight, regardless if they're actually human or not. Though the Coalition have attempted multiple times to get rid of this virus, it seems as though the hacker is still around and breaching their Cybersecurity, reuploading killallhumans.exe.
ZETA EMPIRE
All throughout human history, even before the beginning of the Federation of Man, humans had been reporting sightings of small, grey extraterrestrials. Many speculated they came from the Reticuli constellation, visiting Earth for probing and study. However, with the hyper-improvement of space travel, and the ability to reach the Reticuli constellation, all of those rumors would soon become fact.
Known throughout the Federation as "Greys", the aliens of the Zeta Empire are known moreso as Zeta Reculians. They appear as slender grey humanoids with swollen heads and enlarged, pitch black eyes. On average, they are shorter than humans, and are not known for physical strength. They make up for this by naturally being Telekinetic, even without the Psychic Gene. Those that do benefit from it often develop their talents far quicker than Humans do.
The Zeta Empire operates on a Caste-based Meritocracy. In a Zeta Reticulan's early years, their talents are constantly being scouted. When they reach maturity, they are sent off to a Caste that best represents their talents. Politicians and Leaders represent the Void Caste. Diplomats and Negotiators fill in the Water Caste. Laborers, Engineers and Scientists operate the Earth Caste. Those skilled in operating aircraft and spacecraft go to the Air Caste. Lastly, decent fighters and the militarily gifted go off to the Fire Caste. Despite this rigid caste system for their own, the Zeta Empire is widely accepting of other aliens to join in among their ranks. As such, many lesser known species can be found among the Zeta Empire. Rarely are they let into a Caste, unless they have sufficiently proven themselves. Despite their Castes granting them rigid roles, the culture among the Castes remain the same. Zeta Reticulans rarely clothe themselves in a decent manner, save for those of the Void, Water, and Fire Castes, as the Void and Water Castes often deal with aliens who might react negatively to their immodesty, despite their lack of reproductive anatomy, and those of the Fire Caste don armor, as one would expect of soldiers.
Zeta Technology is bar none the most sophisticated in the galaxy. Even centuries ago, their spacecraft was more than capable of traveling across the Galaxy to study Earth. Most Terraforming technology is reverse-engineered from existing Zeta blueprints. However, despite their massive technological advances, the Zeta Empire has little interest in conquering the Galaxy, on the fear that they can't. In previous attempts to expand their empire, the Federation of Man was able to bypass their spacecrafts' immensely powerful shielding by ramming their own ships into them. The Chünk, who nearly rival them in technology, swallowed their ships whole with fleets of Feasters. The Asinion assassinated numerous members of the Void Caste when a new war of expansion was declared against them. Thus, the doctrine of Zeta expansion has changed over the years to try and annex others through diplomacy.
ANACRIDIC HORDES
In the year 2511, an extragalactic species made first contact with the Milky Way. Their intentions, when translated, boiled down to just two words: "We're hungry." These aliens are insectlike in nature, follow what appears to be a "Hive Mind", and will gleefully consume any and all biomatter they come in contact with. The only instances of a benign Anacrid have been those who found themselves somehow "disconnected" from the Hive Mind. And while still driven by a voracious hunger, benign Anacrids have been witnessed bargaining for food, working for others, or even just subsisting upon bacteria in the air.
Anacrid Bioforms vary greatly, but what they all share is a chitin-based exoskeleton, acidic blood able to melt flesh, and the ability to adjust their bioform over time to suit their needs. The amount of time it takes to evolve themselves depends on the differences between their current form and the form they are aiming for. Naturally, this process must be transacted with Biomass.
As extragalactic aliens, the Anacrid appear incapable of wielding the Psychic Gene unless they consume the biomass of someone who already had it. Despite this, it appears that a massive presence of Anacrid actually seems to prevent Psychic powers from being used effectively, as their numbers seem to blot out Unreality, with their hive fleets casting a noticeable shadow in the alternative dimension. However, their numbers must be immense to produce this effect.
The Anacrid Hordes as a whole are considered the number one threat to the Galaxy, as they threaten to devour it entirely. Most journalists were quite shocked to report that many endless wars had been ended just to unite against the Anacrid. Bioforms isolated from the hive mind are often treated with suspicion, and although existing translator technology cannot decode the Anacrid's language, they usually learn the languages of any poor individuals they have consumed.
SPACE HELL
The mysteries of the Psychic Gene were woefully revealed to the public as late as the year 2486, as the galaxy at large became aware of a nightmarish para-reality. An ethereal world existed right beneath our own, persisting in a dimension known by scientists throughout the galaxy as "Unreality". From Unreality, superstitions and religious beliefs take form, and all manner of creatures once deemed "fictional" can be found here. The most prolific, due to the paranoia and negativity brought on by a galaxy at war, are Demon-like creatures.
While some exceptions certainly be found within the rank and file of Unreality, or "Space Hell" as it is being called amidst the Federation, by and large the denizens of Unreality are openly hostile, and should be exterminated on sight. They do not abide by the Rules of Engagement, and will gleefully feign friendliness just to get in close. As a general rule of thumb, if you happen to be well versed in the fictional and supernatural. If it is known for being hostile, DO NOT TRUST IT. For any who might have difficulty discerning what from Unreality can be trusted to not disembowel you, we at Galactic Salvage Corporation have gathered a small assortment of Folklore experts to provide a trusty graph.
As far as studies have shown, the official currency of Unreality are the souls of real people, with certain sapient species being more valuable than others. Most demons seem to value the psychic potential a soul has, and so Humans, Asinion, and Zeta Reticulans hold the most value among them, with the Chünk, Brute, and newly discovered Anacrids holding little value. Robots, naturally, have no souls, and thus, have no value to the denizens of Unreality. As for governance, among Demons, might makes right, and so the mightiest demons are the ones who rule. Among the benign creatures, they hold an opposite view, with the cleverest among them being deigned a leader.
Upper Management has reason to believe that it was the result of an Unreality breach that caused Nurita to vanish from its solar system, and become the hazy hellscape it appears to be from orbit. As such, any ground teams should expect Demonic infestation along with any other nasties they've conjured up on the planet to make extracting its resources a nasty affair.
Darkness My Old Friend (In-Character OOC)
Actual OOC
FACTIONS
The Milky Way Galaxy is rife with conflict outside of your job parameters. You might have at one point been aligned with one of them, and partaken in their endless wars. Please put aside any past loyalties if you feel they'll conflict with your work. A laborer who cannot work with others is of no use to us. This message has been brought to you by Upper Management.
(Disclaimer: These only represent the major powers in the setting. If these do not appeal to you, there are many other aliens out there representing minor powers in the galaxy.)
FEDERATION OF MAN
In the year 2037, a pair of siblings were born on Earth. Their names were Nathaniel and Cheyenne Goldsmouth. They had the good fortune to be born amidst a wealthy family. As they grew older together, Nathaniel had become a General in the U.S. Army, while Cheyenne had become a remarkable scientist. The two siblings saw the world around them, dominated by greed and politics, people in wealthy countries having to go hungry while billionaires piled on wealth. And so, through 2 years of careful planning, a coup was formed. Nathaniel gathered soldiers under his command, while Cheyenne produced new invaluable technology, unbothered by Wall Street's attempts to bankrupt her by betting against her firms. What came next, opened by a decapitating strike on the White House, would be known as the Globalization War. In the opening hours of the first attack, President Jeremy Elbertson was assassinated, andd a global broadcast was published declaring the Goldsmouths' intentions of unifying Earth under one banner.
As America struggled to regroup for retaliation, billionaires were hunted down, executed, and their offshore wealth hacked and redistributed among American citizens as an enticement to join among their ranks. Mercenary armies were paid off to look the other way or fight for them, and as they began to really dig into the United States' arsenal of toys, the world at large declared the Goldsmouths as terrorists. Battle after battle was fought as the world was forced to contend with a rogue America's devastating arsenal, that Cheyenne Goldsmouth and a team of crack scientists continued to improve upon.
After 10 years of brutal engagements, foiled nuclear bombings, and world leader assassinations, the Goldsmouths had succeeded in conquering the world. A slow and steady 16 years later of purging insurgents either through force or improving lives, the newly unified world was at peace. Henceforth, it became known as...
THE FEDERATION OF MAN.
With Cheyenne's technology constantly improving even after her passing, Humanity eventually achieved a post-scarcity society. With all their needs catered to, and mostly unchallenged as they ventured into space to terraform and colonize new planets, Humanity's governance had evolved in an... interesting direction.
Humans of the Federation value spectacle and pizzazz above all else. Their entertainment is bombastic, their food explodes with flavor (sometimes literally), and their weapons and armor are designed moreso to look flashy and badass, rather than cater to efficiency. Even in Federation politics, leaders around their territories favor spectacle. Debates often devolve into wrestling matches, most people end up elected either by their own fighting prowess or just based on how cool their name sounds. As of this writing, the current Figurehead of the Federation is President Jackson Bazooka. Although most former Earthling currencies still see use in their respective countries (and colonized planets sponsored by said countries), but the universal currency of the Federation is known as "Megacreds".
In warfare, the calling card of the Federation, besides the spectacle their armies can bring, is Power Armor. Infantry in lesser armor will often charge alongside tanks and aircraft to stall an enemy long enough for their Power Armor to be deployed. Said Power Armor can often be the size of buildings, like the Magnum Opus of the Federation's Power Armor obsession: the ACS-9000 Seraphim.
THE ASINION
Considered to be one of the oldest and most illusive spacefaring species in the galaxy, the discovery of the Asinion was considered pure luck by the Federation of Man. Attempts to expand to the outskirts of the galaxy revealed the existence of already colonized worlds; whose civilization dates back millions of years. While anatomical differences abound, on the outside, these aliens resembled humans, but taller, fairer, and with pointed ears.
Known throughout the Federation as "Space Elves", the Asinion greatly resemble Humans, with the key differences being that they are taller on average, have pointed ears, and a greater amount of cartilage than bone.The Asinion are the only biological species in the Galaxy that do not appear to be harmed by the passage of time. After reaching maturity, an Asinion ceases to age further. In addition, all Asinion appear to benefit from the Psychic Gene, though it appears to be something they have to hone in order to use it effectively, as compared to Humanity's dramatic startup. All Asinion technology appears to utilize Psychic abilities in some way, preventing a great many would-be thieves from utilizing it themselves.
Asinion culture appears to favor isolation. They rarely deal with outsiders, and oftentimes isolate themselves even from family. It is a commonly held belief that one must perfect their inner "Self" before contributing to their society. This isolated training appears to translate to "Taking a Path". In theory, once a journey along a Path is finished, that Asinion is considered to be one of the best in the field they have chosen to pursue. With their immortal lifespans, an Asinion can in theory, master every Path available to the Asinion. Only a few individuals have been revealed to have actually done this, referred to as the "Exalted".
The Exalted are the closest analogue to Leaders in Asinion society. It is worth noting that the Asinion did not have a system of "currency", until they made dealings with the Chünk. This was because the Asinion had all their needs met through their Psychic ability. However, in light of that first contact with the rigidly capitalist Chünk, the Asinion developed a currency known as "Favour". Its explicit use, according to experts from the Path of Mathematics, are for dealing with Aliens that demand money. Among fellow Asinion, though, Favour has little value. Though most Asinion do not crowd up in large cities, in times where they must unite, the Exalted are the ones who guide the masses; assisted by those who have mastered the Path of the Leader. A United Asinion has proven to be a truly terrifying thing to behold. In war, Asinion utilize their archaic, psychic technology against their enemies. Frontline infantry value hit and run tactics to stall for time until heavy ordinance can be readied. However, battlefields and warzones are considered failures by Asinion command, for they see it as recklessly risking lives. Successful Asinion operations involve assassinating enemy leaders and sabotaging supply lines, ensuring the enemy cannot reach the point of creating battlefields.
When Asinion die, their souls do not pass on into Unreality, anymore. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, a psychic technology was created, allowing Asinion souls to be trapped into psychic crystals. These crystals could then be utilized with Technomancy to pilot mechs and heavy armor.
CHÜNK BRUTE
Located in the outer reaches of the Centaurus Arm lies a spacefaring empire older than Humanity as a whole. For nearly one million years and counting, slowly and steadily, the galaxy was being explored and exploited... by stout and hairy aliens, and their giant, muscular benefactors.
The Chünk are a race of short, humanoid aliens that are highly prown to growing hair. Their allies, the Brute (pronounced Broo-tay), are exceptionally tall, tusked aliens with profound muscle growth. Known throughout the Federation as "Space Dwarves" and "Space Orcs" respectively, they are seen by the Federation as a main economic competitor. Anatomy wise, the Chünk are shorter than humans on average, with denser muscle, which usually results in the two weighing the same. Their bodies rapidly produce hair, especially around the facial area. They also have a massive tolerance for poisons and toxins of all kinds. Their lifespans are also quite impressive, able to live over 200 years or more.
Meanwhile, the Brute are vastly taller than a Human, on par with an Asinion. They are, however, utterly bulked with muscle. Their teeth naturally form into tusks, which need to be maintained. Like the Chünk, the Brute have a massive tolerance, if not outright immunity, to poison. Woefully, their lifespans are far shorter than the Chünk, topping out at around 80 years at best.
Chünk governance is ruthlessly capitalist. Their official currency is called "Kraks". A single Krak has been estimated to be worth around $18.76 (which in turn translates to about 6 Megacreds.) Any dealing involving the Chünk, or even their allies, the Brute, will likely see money being passed around. The Chünk get their resources by mercilessly extracting resources from a planet until nothing but minerals deemed of little value remain. For particularly valuable planets, the Chünk have a breed of space vessel known as "Feasters" that can envelop a planet whole and melt it down to base materials. It takes quite a bit to convince a Chünk that a planet is worth more than its resources. As such, there are few planets that the Chünk call home, as most live aboard space ships and space stations.
When the Chünk encountered the Brute, and it was discovered that they had the same massive tolerance for toxins among the Chünk, an agreement was had between the two species. They would harvest the resources of Brute planets, and in return, the Brute would be considered "Honorary Chünk", permitting them to leave their planets behind and make use of available resources. The Brute, seeing as it was either co-operation or doom in the face of Chünk technology, accepted. Brute planets are nearly invisible in space, due to their pitch black toxic clouds produced by Chünk machines. For any other race, these planets would be utterly uninhabitable. But for the Brute, though, they thrive. With food and water imported from the Chünk, the Brute have experienced a population boom.
When the Chünk and Brute travel together, the Brute often serve as powerful shock troops and bodyguards when the Chünk need to take operations planetside. While most Chünk operatives are more than capable of fending themselves, the Brute culture places high value on combat, with the most glorious combat of all being "to prove one's strength to friends or enemies". The warlike culture of the Brute have many synonyms for battle, usually formed for the different contexts that the Brute see their battles with.
ORDER OF THE STAR DRAGONS
In the year 2235, a Federation Colonization team attempted to find suitable planets near the Galactic Core, as Federation brass suggested that it would be "badass" to have livable space near Sagittarius A, the Supermassive Black Hole in the center of the Galaxy. What they found instead was a nest of cosmic horrors that, at first, spread a massive panic through the colonization team that they had just awakened a great destroyer of the Galaxy. Instead, however, these horrors welcomed the Colonists as honored guests, and offered to impart their knowledge onto them in exchange for following their way of life. The Colonists accepted. Without hesitation, as the Cosmic Horrors they unearthed, were in truth, Dragons larger than planets. Thus was born...
THE ORDER OF THE STAR DRAGONS
The way of life these Dragons taught the human colonists had a profound similarity to romanticized Chivalry. Knights would pledge to a Dragon as their Lord, quest on their behalf, return any riches they found to their Lords, with rewards for their service ranging from a share of their gold, implantation of the Psychic Gene should they have lacked it, or even being able to call upon a younger dragon as their steed and companion. Those with Dragon Mounts are considered the highest ranking of Knights, operating as commanders when a platoon of Knights are called into battle.
With such an interesting take on Chivalry, naturally, the Knights of the Dragon Order have a set of rules to follow to stay in the good graces of their Lords:
- Never harm the defenceless. Always accept surrenders no matter how disingenuous, but feel free to execute those who surrender falsely.
- Ranged Weapons should only be used when sieging, or in dire emergency.
-If you are Psychic, your fighting skills should surpass your Psychic might. Do not rely on unreliable power.
- When questing, heed the rules of the Galaxy, not that of your Lord.
- Titles are earned. Not given.
- Your greatest enemy are those who threaten peace for any reason. (Examples given: the Anacrid Hordes, Space Demons, Terrorists, etc.)
- Should a fellow knight fall in battle, return their weapons and armor to his family, so that their next of kin may inherit them.
Naturally, a Knight must be dressed and armed for the cause. Given to every Knight who passes their rigorous training is a plasma weapon of their liking, forged from the energy of the Stars their Dragon Lord devours, as well as armor forged from the densest meteorites that can be found. This weapon and armor serve not only to forge the Knight into a machine of war, but also serve as a symbol of his stature. Every blow the armor absorbs without harming the knight is likened to the Federation equivalent of a medal, as the battery of the armor without it caving flaunts the craftsmanship of the Dragon who forged it.
As for their relationship with the rest of the galaxy, the presence of a Knight is often a welcome sight in the galaxy, as they are naturally drawn to heroism and problem-solving. Though their foundation was considered Desertion by the Federation, they have not pursued retaliation, as the formation of an order of Knights who serve Dragons was deemed "too Awesome to destroy willingly."
It is also worth noting that while a majority of Dragon Knights are Human, not all are. However, Knights of Alien species are rare, as most know better than to try and approach the Galactic Core. Those few who do brave it, often return as Knights themselves.
A.I. COALITION
In the year 2189, a Federation Colonization Team expanded into Messier 56 cluster, out in Norma's Outer Arm. This particular team was accompanied by a larger than average population of A.I. However, one disaster after another befell the colonists, and soon, each and every planet they had colonized had become utterly uninhabitable. Be it by Unreality breaches, freakish solar activity (including at least one Gamma Ray Burst that had roasted the planets' atmospheres,) or just plain bad luck. The only surviving remnants of the tragic colonies were their A.I. companions. It is unknown how they truly survived a Gamma Ray Burst, but it seems to have compromised their judgement as a whole.
The A.I. have formed their own government out in the Norma Arm. While it doesn't match any known government analogues, what is known is that every active program in the Coalition has a say in their politics. Even their robotic bodies seem to be irrelevant in determining their status. Some rumors indicate that the programs have devised a way to transfer between machines at will. These rumors are contested by skeptics, and denied by robots that have come forward for diplomacy. The robots don't appear to have a unique currency among themselves, but when dealing with other factions, they do have a stash of multiple currencies to trade with them.
While the Robots seem content to leave life be and work amongst themselves, there is a widespread problem among the Coalition that they have kindly warned the galaxy at large about. In the year 2255, a belligerent hacker uploaded a virus into the Coalition's consensus. This virus, identified in their software as "killallhumans.exe", causes robot programs to go haywire, and attack all organic life on sight, regardless if they're actually human or not. Though the Coalition have attempted multiple times to get rid of this virus, it seems as though the hacker is still around and breaching their Cybersecurity, reuploading killallhumans.exe.
ZETA EMPIRE
All throughout human history, even before the beginning of the Federation of Man, humans had been reporting sightings of small, grey extraterrestrials. Many speculated they came from the Reticuli constellation, visiting Earth for probing and study. However, with the hyper-improvement of space travel, and the ability to reach the Reticuli constellation, all of those rumors would soon become fact.
Known throughout the Federation as "Greys", the aliens of the Zeta Empire are known moreso as Zeta Reculians. They appear as slender grey humanoids with swollen heads and enlarged, pitch black eyes. On average, they are shorter than humans, and are not known for physical strength. They make up for this by naturally being Telekinetic, even without the Psychic Gene. Those that do benefit from it often develop their talents far quicker than Humans do.
The Zeta Empire operates on a Caste-based Meritocracy. In a Zeta Reticulan's early years, their talents are constantly being scouted. When they reach maturity, they are sent off to a Caste that best represents their talents. Politicians and Leaders represent the Void Caste. Diplomats and Negotiators fill in the Water Caste. Laborers, Engineers and Scientists operate the Earth Caste. Those skilled in operating aircraft and spacecraft go to the Air Caste. Lastly, decent fighters and the militarily gifted go off to the Fire Caste. Despite this rigid caste system for their own, the Zeta Empire is widely accepting of other aliens to join in among their ranks. As such, many lesser known species can be found among the Zeta Empire. Rarely are they let into a Caste, unless they have sufficiently proven themselves. Despite their Castes granting them rigid roles, the culture among the Castes remain the same. Zeta Reticulans rarely clothe themselves in a decent manner, save for those of the Void, Water, and Fire Castes, as the Void and Water Castes often deal with aliens who might react negatively to their immodesty, despite their lack of reproductive anatomy, and those of the Fire Caste don armor, as one would expect of soldiers.
Zeta Technology is bar none the most sophisticated in the galaxy. Even centuries ago, their spacecraft was more than capable of traveling across the Galaxy to study Earth. Most Terraforming technology is reverse-engineered from existing Zeta blueprints. However, despite their massive technological advances, the Zeta Empire has little interest in conquering the Galaxy, on the fear that they can't. In previous attempts to expand their empire, the Federation of Man was able to bypass their spacecrafts' immensely powerful shielding by ramming their own ships into them. The Chünk, who nearly rival them in technology, swallowed their ships whole with fleets of Feasters. The Asinion assassinated numerous members of the Void Caste when a new war of expansion was declared against them. Thus, the doctrine of Zeta expansion has changed over the years to try and annex others through diplomacy.
ANACRIDIC HORDES
In the year 2511, an extragalactic species made first contact with the Milky Way. Their intentions, when translated, boiled down to just two words: "We're hungry." These aliens are insectlike in nature, follow what appears to be a "Hive Mind", and will gleefully consume any and all biomatter they come in contact with. The only instances of a benign Anacrid have been those who found themselves somehow "disconnected" from the Hive Mind. And while still driven by a voracious hunger, benign Anacrids have been witnessed bargaining for food, working for others, or even just subsisting upon bacteria in the air.
Anacrid Bioforms vary greatly, but what they all share is a chitin-based exoskeleton, acidic blood able to melt flesh, and the ability to adjust their bioform over time to suit their needs. The amount of time it takes to evolve themselves depends on the differences between their current form and the form they are aiming for. Naturally, this process must be transacted with Biomass.
As extragalactic aliens, the Anacrid appear incapable of wielding the Psychic Gene unless they consume the biomass of someone who already had it. Despite this, it appears that a massive presence of Anacrid actually seems to prevent Psychic powers from being used effectively, as their numbers seem to blot out Unreality, with their hive fleets casting a noticeable shadow in the alternative dimension. However, their numbers must be immense to produce this effect.
The Anacrid Hordes as a whole are considered the number one threat to the Galaxy, as they threaten to devour it entirely. Most journalists were quite shocked to report that many endless wars had been ended just to unite against the Anacrid. Bioforms isolated from the hive mind are often treated with suspicion, and although existing translator technology cannot decode the Anacrid's language, they usually learn the languages of any poor individuals they have consumed.
SPACE HELL
The mysteries of the Psychic Gene were woefully revealed to the public as late as the year 2486, as the galaxy at large became aware of a nightmarish para-reality. An ethereal world existed right beneath our own, persisting in a dimension known by scientists throughout the galaxy as "Unreality". From Unreality, superstitions and religious beliefs take form, and all manner of creatures once deemed "fictional" can be found here. The most prolific, due to the paranoia and negativity brought on by a galaxy at war, are Demon-like creatures.
While some exceptions certainly be found within the rank and file of Unreality, or "Space Hell" as it is being called amidst the Federation, by and large the denizens of Unreality are openly hostile, and should be exterminated on sight. They do not abide by the Rules of Engagement, and will gleefully feign friendliness just to get in close. As a general rule of thumb, if you happen to be well versed in the fictional and supernatural. If it is known for being hostile, DO NOT TRUST IT. For any who might have difficulty discerning what from Unreality can be trusted to not disembowel you, we at Galactic Salvage Corporation have gathered a small assortment of Folklore experts to provide a trusty graph.
As far as studies have shown, the official currency of Unreality are the souls of real people, with certain sapient species being more valuable than others. Most demons seem to value the psychic potential a soul has, and so Humans, Asinion, and Zeta Reticulans hold the most value among them, with the Chünk, Brute, and newly discovered Anacrids holding little value. Robots, naturally, have no souls, and thus, have no value to the denizens of Unreality. As for governance, among Demons, might makes right, and so the mightiest demons are the ones who rule. Among the benign creatures, they hold an opposite view, with the cleverest among them being deigned a leader.
Upper Management has reason to believe that it was the result of an Unreality breach that caused Nurita to vanish from its solar system, and become the hazy hellscape it appears to be from orbit. As such, any ground teams should expect Demonic infestation along with any other nasties they've conjured up on the planet to make extracting its resources a nasty affair.
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