[Forum Game] Star Reach: Darkstar

BlackBishop · Oct 3, 2015

Star Reach
~*~
DarkStar

A Blackbishop & Tapscott Collaboration
#Star_Reach

“I am the killer of man, the instrument of your destruction. Upon your reeking corpses I will construct a great hive. Not even your bones will remain to tell the tale of your people. All will be consumed, until there is nothing left. Until you are no more.” ~ Ballad of the Insectoid Queen, circa 3048

Welcome to Star Reach, my latest attempt at my Sci Fi rendition of humanity’s bleak future. Darkstar is a reboot of sorts of The Fringe, and though a new chapter, will follow the same premise. Players fill the role of either a flotilla; a large fleet of hundreds of thousands looking to rebuild our lost civilization, or as a single ship just looking to get by in this hostile solar system.

My personal goal here is to finally tell the story I originally intended since the start of this series. As Star Reach was my first foray into GMing and it’s subsequent sequels all ended too soon, I wish to finally bring this tale to it’s conclusion, bringing a sense of closure to those who have followed the series, yet a stand alone game to newcomers. I don’t think this would be possible without the help of my co-GM, Tappscott, so many thanks!

Assume the role of a colonial leader, a great flotilla of hundreds of thousands looking to you to rebuild humanity’s lost civilization. Will you forge a great solar empire to stand as a bastion of strength for the last of humanity? Will you build a strong alliance for the sake of peace and a stalwart defense against the threats that lurk within the void?

Or play as a ship captain, looking to earn a living in this harsh frontier. Be it a mercenary or loyal soldier, fighting for ideals or coin, or a trader set to build a merchant empire or a pirate to prey on the hapless ships that cross you.

Will you be the savior of mankind, or its conqueror?

The Story So Far

At the turn of the 30th century humanity stood at it’s height among the cosmos. The invention of faster than light travel allowed mankind to spread out across the stars, colonizing dozens of star systems and alleviate an ailing Earth from destructive over population.

Technological marvels abound yet for all of our achievements there was strife also. For the most part, mankind was controlled by the United Sol Governments from Earth. Headed up by the Emperor and the Senate, the USG maintained the status quo of empowering corporations and stripping the outer colonies of all resources to improve life on Earth. This system bred rebellion and the Colonial Republic.

The USG maintained control with an iron hand, condemning any dissenters into the Colonial Marines, a vast prison fleet that fought a perpetual war against the Insectoids of the Helix star system. Even with these controls in place, rebellion persisted.

In the year 3001 C.E. Moscow Station, an engineering marvel of the Inner Rim, was destroyed in a terrorist attack. Both the USG and Republic blamed the other side resulting in a large scale war never before seen in the colonies. With the use of mercenary fleets, the USG invaded the Outer Rim in a bid to seize control of the outer colonies from Republic control. The Republic responded with a devastating counter attack into the Inner Rim. The war only escalated as the years went on and the profits of mercenary companies skyrocketed, especially that of the Deathshead Legion.

Struggling to stop the advance of the Republic fleets, the USG diverted it’s vast prison fleet from Helix and used them to combat the separatists. Soon after, as humanity was severely weakened by the war, the Insectoids struck out from the Helix system after decades of isolation, invading Sol and the colonies. After nearly fifty years of war Earth and the core colonies were lost, the Inner Rim burned and the Outer Rim stood on the verge of collapse, only one hope remained…

On the edge of the colonised star systems, the largely unexplored fringe worlds promised a bug free place for humanity to rebuild it’s shattered civilisation. Entire colonies uprooted and boarded expansive flotillas; great fleets of hundreds of thousands colonists, and fled to the safety of the Fringe.

Safety would prove to be a lie. The bugs followed the fleeing colonists into the Fringe, Queens stowing away into the hulls of the colonial ships. In a desperate effort to stop the incoming bugs, the Fringe governments closed the shipping node, trapping countless refugees in the great distance between the Outer Rim and the Fringe.

As fate would have it, one cluster of refugees found themselves in close proximity to a lone star system. Dubbing the system Darkstar, named after the dwarf star that orbited the outer edge of the solar system, colonists plotted a course for the system and prepared for cyro sleep, hoping to defy the odds and survive the fifty year journey to the star system. Many would not make it.

This is their story.

How To Play

The overall goal is to establish a last bastion of humanity, a stronghold to ward off threats and begin rebuilding civilization that has been crushed in the bug war. While players beginning with flotillas will have more impact in this endeavour, the minor players will have more freedom to establish their own goals.

Stats

Tillium Reserve - Tillium is a valuable ore that is used to power nearly all systems and fuel ships. With humanity’s downfall, tillium has become an important resource and a form of currency. Tillium can be acquired by securing tillium ore deposits across the solar system and building mines. Mines require an initial investment of tillium to power the machinery and begin extraction. Typically up to three times of your initial investment can be drawn from mining operations, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Tillium Demand - Your quarterly demand for tillium to sustain your colony and ships. Should your demand exceed your reserve, expect upheavel. Your population or crew (supply) consumes tillium at a rate of 1% of their total number. So a crew of 100 would require 1 unit of tillium per quarter. Active fleets require 500 times their power to maintain flight operations. For example, a fighter squadron (1) needs 500 units, whereas a frigate (3) requires 1500 units of tillium per quarter. Fielding armies raises demand as well, at a rate of 50% per marine fielded.

Supply - Representative of the number of colonists you have the resources to support. Those that fall outside of this number must find other means to support themselves, thus falling outside your sphere of influence. Supply can be raised by building colonial projects such as farming, terraforming, and city building. Generally each unit of tillium invested in colonial projects gains a colonist. For companies, this would may take the form of base expansion, hydroponic labs, and recruitment drives.

Conscription Pool - 5% of your supply represent the number of potential fighting men and women able to fill the ranks of your armed forces. Be aware that it takes time for the ranks of your conscripts to replenish; Each soldier taking a year to be replaced. Companies may draw up to 10% of their conscript pool, taken directly from their crew rosters and needing no time to replenish. This, however, can drain a company's crew quickly.

Marines - The number of conscripts trained and equipped to fight your enemies. Keeping marines in the field consumes tillium at a rate of 0.5t per soldier.

Fighter Squadrons (1) - The cheapest unit to build and maintain but also the weakest. 1000t to construct.
Frigate (3) - Highly maneuverable with extensive offensive and defensive capabilities, often used for recon ops. 3000t to construct.
Destroyer (6) - The backbone of most fleets and able to exact devastating attacks on an enemy. 6000t to construct.
Cruiser (9) - Because of it's power, this is often designated a capital ship, and used as a flag ship for commanders in the field. 9000t to construct.
Dreadnought (12) - Nearly akin to a city rather than a spaceship, this great warship represents the apex of fleet warfare. 120,00t to construct.

Warfare

Wars will have two components, land warfare using marines and fleet warfare using your faction’s warships. Each ship is assigned a numeric value based on their power, as you can see above in brackets. This number is added up, the total being your factions combat rolls. The side with the greater value is given the advantage in battle.

For example, a squadron of fighters versus a frigate will be 1 vs 3. Whereas 2 squadrons versus a frigate will be 2 vs 3, and so on. It is in your best interest to fill your fleet with the largest ships possible, as a fleet of fighters will constantly need to replenish their ranks after a battle, whereas the larger ships stand a better chance of surviving, and merely need time to make repairs.

Casualties are capped at 50% for either side, you factions commanders automatically withdrawing your forces as you reach this number. This allows you to sustain combat operations over an extended period of time, and help conserve your troop reserves.

Each participant in battle is rolled to determine their side’s kill ratio, meaning that the bigger the army/fleet, the greater kill capacity you have, leading up to the 50% cap.

Damaged ships lose a portion of their offensive and defensive capabilities and must sit out at least a turn to make repairs or risk destruction.

Warfare is handled in mini updates leading up to the main update. The mini sets the stage for any upcoming battles, letting players respond to any incoming assaults detected by their recon forces, with the outcome stated in the main update. Therefore war orders are due on wednesday as opposed to the regular orders due on friday.

Orders

Players have a single order per turn to decide which field of stats they would like to improve, and a war order if they would like to carry out an aggressive action toward a player or NPC. For example, a mining expedition might yield an increase in a player’s tillium reserve, or soil enhancement operations for the purpose of farming may yield a greater supply. Every order is a risk and your efforts may come up short, costing you precious tillium or resources needed by your populace or crew.

Please include important details within your orders to save me from referencing the thread. Information like your faction, characters and strategy as well as your desired outcome are a must. Try and be brief, but not at the expense of leaving out important details I may need or that could add flavour to the update.

Orders are PMed to me, due every friday, war orders due by Wednesday.

Tillium Ore

Discovered in the 21st century, Tillium ore, a common element found in space, soon replaced fossil fuels and solar power as a more reliable power source for deep space exploration and colonization. Clean burning and efficient, tillium became the fuel of choice to power FTL drivers.

As colonies were destroyed by the Insectoids and the human race came to the verge of extinction, tillium replaced the colonial currency of credits as tillium the most highly valued resource to establish any meaningful resistance against the bugs, and to power ships for evac operations.

Tillium ore is often mined on planets and in deep space. Colonies also use it as the bases for trade, bartering excess tillium for resources that may increase their supplies.

As bartering drums of tillium is inconvenient to say the least for colonials, the old fiat currency of credits has been replaced to represent units of tillium. Colonial powers, mining companies, and nearly all factions trade the tillium backed credit for goods and services.

One unit of tillium is equal to 1000 credits.

Space Stations

Used for a variety of purposes, space stations can serve as a marshalling ground for fleets and armies, defensive strongholds against opposing forces, mining and fueling stations to support populations. Though expensive to build and maintain, space stations are highly valuable to colonials and companies alike.

Class I Space Station - 3000t (3Fleet Power Points)
A small structure with minimal defense, and limited capabilities to generate supply and tillium. (10% increase in tillium income, and supply.)

Class II - 9000t (or class I 6000t upgrade) (6FPP)
Medium sized structure able to serve as a comfortable living quarters for a garrison and small population of labourers as well as provide modest increases in supply and tillium. (20% increase)

Class III - 150 000t (or class II 6000t upgrade) (12FPP)
A large installation resembling a small city, with drydock and hangers to provide maximum logistical support to land and naval forces.. (30% increase)

Signing Up

To sign up, please fill in the following template...

Faction:

Leader:

Alignment: State if your group supported the USG (Imperial), Colonial Republic, or neutral during the colonial war. USG tend to be more conservative with an emphasis on law and order, while the Republic are concerned with colonial rights. USG receive +1 to Fleet power. Republic begin with an added 20k supply, while the neutral begin with a boost to their tillium reserve. (keep in mind these bonuses are only minor, use your intended IC and backstory to choose your alignment rather than these small perks.)

Trait: Tactician begins with +2 fleet power and an increased chance to win battles. Industrious begins with a greater tillium reserve and a bonus to mining/trade. Charasmatic gains an added 50k supply and an increased chance to succeed in supply missions. Clandestine Operator tend to have a smaller, more specialized following. A penalty to supply is countered with the ability to wage plots from the shadows.

Flotilla/Ship: Clearly state whether you command a flotilla or company. You may include details on your flag ship and fleet as well.

Bio: Further information on your faction, main characters and secondary characters and backstory.

Starting Fleet
Each flotilla begins the game with 6 fleet power points, plus whatever bonuses they acquire from the perks above. Players must then allocate these points to their starting fleet. For example, 1 frigate and three fighter squadrons could encompass a beginning fleet. Use the list below as a reference. The number in brackets is the corresponding power point. Ship commanders begin with 3 power points plus any perk points.

Fighter Squadrons (1) - The cheapest unit to build and maintain but also the weakest.
Frigate (3) - Highly maneuverable with extensive offensive and defensive capabilities, often used for recon ops.
Destroyer (6) - The backbone of most fleets and able to exact devastating attacks on an enemy.
Cruiser (9) - Because of it's power, this is often designated a capital ship, and used as a flag ship for commanders in the field.
Dreadnought (12) - Nearly akin to a city rather than a spaceship, this great warship represents the apex of fleet warfare.

Timeline

2029 - Over population leads to environmental devastation on Earth, UN powers bypass that of nations and space colonization becomes a global priority.

2099 - After countless setbacks, a sustainable colony is established on Luna

2176 - Mars colony is founded. Colonies across Sol steadily follow.

2520 - The first FTL drive is invented.

2541 - The first colony in the Alpha Centuari star system is established, marking the birth of the Inner Rim. Rapid expansion across the stars follows.

2593 - Following a bloody war on Earth, the USG is founded and replaces the UN as the top authority on Earth, and begins governance of the colonies.

2701 - The Republic is born as outer rim worlds begin rebelling against the USG. The political movement gains little ground after a series of minor wars, and moves underground.

2899 - Helix System and the Insectoids are discovered. Helix System is promptly placed under quarantine.

2905 - The USG Navy undergoes sweeping reforms that transfer it into a prison fleet to deal with the rising incarceration rates of dissident colonists. Defense of USG falls to private military contractors and USGSEC.

2910 - The Helix Campaign begins. Tillium mines are established in the system, and the repurposed USG Navy is assigned to their defense.

2955 - USG Senator Zion is elected among his peers to become Emperor Zion.

2990 - USG Senator Aaron Hughs flees the core colonies after being condemned a traitor. Hughs uses his fortune to gain influence in the Outer Rim, soon becoming President of the Republic, and gathering a fleet to his cause.

3001 - Moscow Station is attacked. Both USG and the Republic blame each other for the attack. The Great Colonial War erupts.

3006 - The Republic and White Suns invade Sol, followed by the Insectoids sparking the Bug War. Republic and USG hostilities continue to ensue despite the insectoid invasion.

3008 - Razor Star System of the Outer Rim is lost to the insectoids, starting a terrifying pattern of colonies being eradicated by the insectoids.

3010 - The garden world of New Athens is colonized in the Fringe, giving new hope of a bug free sector of space.

3038 - Emperor Zion dies in a Republic assault. No clear successor is named. USG becomes fractured between powerful senators.

3039 - Sol falls to the insectoids. Republic President Aaron Hughs perishes in a bug assault.

3049 - Mass exodus of the colonies is declared by remnants of the USG and the Republic. Flotillas embark for the Fringe.

3050 - In response to an insectoid invasion, the Atheneum Directorate, the ruling colonial power of New Athens, destroys the shipping node, trapping countless flotillas in the darkspace between the Outer Rim and the Fringe.

3099 - Trapped flotillas begin to disengage their cyro chambers as they emerge from darkspace in the isolated and unexplored star system, Darkstar.

BlackBishop · Oct 3, 2015

INCOMING TRANSMISSION
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Probes 001 - 200 Transmitting
ERROR#!
Probe 019 failed to transmit.
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Updating Star Map. Stand by...
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STAR MAP

Syncing known data with probe transmissions. Please wait...
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Darkstar

Darkstar is an isolated binary star system in the darkspace between the Outer Rim and the Fringe. Consisting of a g-type star similar to that of Sol and a smaller blue exotic star that orbits the edge of the system, dubbed Darkstar by renown astrologist Mengsk Cameron. There are six planets in the system.

Note: Black flags represent traces of tillium on planet's crust. Blank flags are life supporting elements.

Darkstar I

A modest terrestrial planet, Darstar I has an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and chlorine. The crust is mainly composed of sulfur with deposits of nickel and tillium. The terrain is extremely rough – a patchwork of craggy, overlapping craters possibly dating back to the formation of the solar system. Darkstar I is tidally locked to G-star. The day side suffers from extreme heat from its exposure to the system’s sun and is uninhabitable.

Darkstar II

a terrestrial planet with an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Its surface is covered by wide deserts of silicate sand, with only a few areas of igneous rock highlands to break the abrasive, dust-choked wind. Its orbit is congested with debris thrown inwards by the gravity of the gas giant Darkstar III. Due to a high rate of meteor impacts, exploration is highly dangerous, but rich tillium deposits may be found.

Darkstar III

*Probes have uncovered concentrated hydrogen clouds, viable for atmospheric converters to turn to H2O
Darkstar III is a modestly sized hydrogen-helium gas giant with traces of sulphur and chlorine. These give it its striking yellow-green tint. Gravitational and tidal forces from the planet’s several moons have created a large perpetual storm that travels slowly along the southern hemisphere.

Darkstar IV

*flora and lower lifeforms fitting biological criteria for human consumption discovered.
A garden world located in precise proximity to G-star to allow for a habitable atmosphere, its vast seas and orbital position on the inner life zone have created a wide equatorial band of humid, tropical terrain. Large salt water oceans and expansive glaciers across the planet’s poles allow for only marginal habitation along the equator.

Darkstar V

*H2O discovered within polar ice cap.
Darkstar V is an enormous terrestrial world, nearly twice the size of Earth. Its environment is similar to that of Mars; arid, and a mix of craggy basalt highlands and sand-scoured deserts of iron-laced silicate dust.

Its atmosphere mainly consists of carbon dioxide and argon, but the planet's mass is great enough that measurable amounts of helium, and even molecular hydrogen, remain trapped in its atmosphere.

The planet's gravity well is deep enough that it has collected nearly a dozen small satellites, most captured asteroids. Its surface is scarred by many large craters, marking the final resting place of other captured asteroids.

Darkstar VI

*Traces of H2O discovered in continental recess.
Darkstar V is a rocky, terrestrial world with a trace atmosphere of krypton and xenon. The frozen surface is mainly composed of copper with deposits of calcium under a thick layer of ice. With a surface temperature well below -200, the planet is situated in the systems cold zone, far from the warmth of the binary suns.

DS-AF01

A large asteroid field just beyond the orbit of Darkstar II. A super asteroid has been detected within the field, along with traces of tillium throughout.

BlackBishop · Oct 3, 2015

Colonial Dossiers

Socialist Union of the Galaxy (Simcull)
- Neutral Affiliations
Leader: Premier Julio Mendez
- Known diplomat
Headquarters: New Beijing, Darkstar II

New Jaburo (Terraferma)
- Neutral Affiliations
Leader: The Big Three; Ramba Revil, Joseph Zabi, Ian Noa
- Known sound economic policies
Headquarters: New Jaburo Colony, Darkstar V AKA New Jaburo

USGSEC (Tristanxh)
- USG Remnant
Leader: Colonel General Jonathon Clayton Henry
- Known Tactician
Headquarters: Darkstar II

aedan777 · Oct 3, 2015

Faction: The Phantoms

Leader: Commander Zara Reichoff

Alignment: Neutral

Trait: Clandestine Operator

Flotilla/Company: Company

Bio: The Phantoms were formed from the ashes of the Shadow Stalkers, a special operations mercenary unit that spent its last days under the White Suns mercenary company. Commander Peterson became increasingly consumed by his desire to bring vengeance against the Deathshead Legion, emboldening Baines to throw in his lot with the Republican forces to bring the Legion to an end in a final battle at Sol. Peterson's subordinates grew more and more concerned by his obsession, but were too confident in his abilities to stop following him. Exact reports of what happened in Sol are lost to the reaches of space, but the sole survivor of the Shadow Stalkers, then Colonel Briana Merivici, claims that the Shadow Stalkers went ahead of the main fleet in stealth. Infiltration teams under the personal command of Commander Peterson then boarded the Legion battleship Icarus to ostensibly disable it, but in reality it was an assassination mission against General Riven Scythe. Merivici claims the mission was a success and that the following chaos of the battle for Sol was caused by the assassination. She then claims the surviving members of the Shadow Stalkers then attempted to evacuate from the Icarus post-haste. Apparently only Merivici, Peterson, and a few unremarkable operators of the Shadow Stalkers arrived to the extraction point where the Odysseus was waiting. Despite the high casualties Merivici claims they were successful and the battle decided, until the bugs struck. By her account the bugs took the republican fleet first, and the failure of General Baines of the White Suns to respond adequately resulted in his death, and the breakdown of the battle into anarchy. In this anarchy, the Odysseus was heavily damaged by stray fire, and then boarded by bugs. In the last moments before the bridge was overrun, the autopilot was set to take the frigate out of the battle, saving the ship from utter destruction.

By the time the Odysseus was discovered, it was virtually devoid of life, and scarred beyond repair. Colonel Merivici was the sole survivor, and she refused to ever detail what had happened on the ship during the escape. Due to internal damage to the ship, an abundance of bodies, and the drift of debris, the body of Commander Peterson was never discovered, and the cause of his death is still unknown. Merivici decided the Shadow Stalkers had died with Peterson and the Odysseus, and she would create a new mercenary company, the Phantoms. She felt that Peterson had erred by getting so deeply involved in the conflict with the Legion, and forged the Phantoms to be a "pure" mercenary company, that would do any job, for anyone, regardless of prior contracts. With the heightening of the USG-Republic war, and the insect invasion, she was rapidly able to build up a reputation of professionalism and efficiency, as well as infamy for her lack of allegiance. During this time, the Phantoms were often contracted by the Atlantean Espionage, Defense, and Assault Network, which sought to prolong the war for its own interests. Even as the situation in the galaxy became more and more grim, Merivici refused to compromise the pure mercenary status of the Phantoms, and made no efforts to protect civilian populations. In the dying days of the old colonies in 3049, she was contacted by agents of the Network who worked for one of the remaining leaders of it, Liestucian Senum. He wished to make a deal with her to get the Phantoms as his personal enforcers when he fled to the Fringe. Merivici had no desire to give up the mercenary ways however, and refused. Senum took her refusal personally, and ordered Merivici and her company to be destroyed. Though the Phantoms would be nearly wiped out, they inflicted heavy losses on Senum's forces as well, reducing both groups to controlling merely a single frigate each. Merivici died when her flagship, the cruiser PVS Reaper, was destroyed in a suicide attack on its Bridge by one of Senum's frigates, and Senum escaped to the Fringe on his frigateANS Scimitar, where he would ironically also settle in a system called Darkstar. The newly minted leader of the Phantoms, Commander Zara Reichoff, then broke the one rule Merivici had adhered to, and swore vengeance on Senum, trying to chase him to the Fringe.

Alas, the Atheneum Directorate would close off the shipping node while the Phantoms were in pursuit, forcing them to enter cryosleep. Since reawakening in the Darkstar system, Commander Reichoff is struggling to decide a future for the Phantoms. On one hand, she still wishes to hunt down and kill Senum for his assault, but without any exit from the system, that is impossible. On the other hand she thinks of returning to the Merivician Code of avoiding loyalty and alliances in favour of a "pure" mercenary life. It had served the Phantoms well for half a century, but the greed and detachment that came with such a life style was little different than what Senum did, and she hated him and all he stood for with a burning passion. Even if she did abandon it though, what would she do instead? The Phantoms were not charity workers, and had few talents that weren't geared towards clandestine ops, and few of them had any desire to stop their current line of work. Reichoff's XO, Colonel Xavier Whitaker, was one of the ones in favour of remaining to the Merivician Code, since he believes that people will be trying to kill each other regardless, so best the Phantoms make sure they're the ones getting rich off it. The Phantoms thus remain as they always have been, neutral and available to the highest bidder, for now.

Starting Fleet: 1 frigate, PVS Shadow Stalker- a state of the art stealth warship that was stolen by the Phantoms.

BlackBishop · Oct 3, 2015

((Please transfer your bios here while I finish up stats and the map. Expect the game to start after the weekend.))

simcull · Oct 3, 2015

Faction: Socialist Union of the Galaxy (SUG)

Leader: Premier Julio Teodoro Mendez Bautista (Usually referred to as simply “Júlio Mendez”)

Alignment: Neutral (hates everyone, though)

Trait: Charismatic

Flotilla/Ship: Flotilla

Bio: The establishment of the Socialist Union of the Galaxy we know today can be traced back to the obscure, Inner-Rim planet of Nueva Venezuela in the mid 3040’s. There, the low-class, highly industrialized population of around 4 billion, were suffering under the monopolistic control of the megacorporation Santiago Industries. High pollution, crime, and restriction of civil liberties combined with poor healthcare and education had had the population on edge, suffering under the oppressive hand of Santiago. As the Republicans and bugs drew closer, Santiago began to ship the working-class of Nueva Venezuela onto ships for relocation. Nearly all of the current government in the SUG today were present on the ships, and it was noted that the works of Marx and Engels, as well as books documenting other communist figures were in the ships’ libraries. In 3051, the tension between the population of the evacuation ships and Santiago Industries came to a head.

Communist dissidents led by Julio Mendez were the catalyst of the rebellion, a small bout of civil disobedience quickly spiralled to the synchronized capture of 16 evacuation ships’ armories and distribution of arms to the populace. Over the next days, the dozens of ships were constantly being contested between the corporation and the communists, causing the destruction or disappearance (most likely due to recapture or warping) of ⅘ the ships. After a week of fighting, the communists under Mendez had achieved full control over the battered flotilla, and the “Socialist Union of the Galaxy” was declared. Two years later, in 3053, the flotilla’s population entered cryosleep. After 46 years of drifting through the Fringe just below lightspeed, the SUG flotilla drifted into the Darkstar system, awakening the suspended “nation”.

Fleet: Frigate- RNS (Revolutionary Navy Ship) Liebknecht

3 Fighter Squadrons

Terraferma · Oct 3, 2015

Faction Name: New Jaburo
Leader Names: Ramba Revil, Joseph Zabi, Ian Noa (Known as the Big 3)
Flotilla/Ship: Flotilla
Colony Mandate: Economy
Alignment: Neutral
Starting Fleet: 3 Fighter Squadrons and 1 Frigate (NJS Spitfly)

Bio: Made up of a hodgepodge of civilian ships consisting of all shapes and sizes with a diverse group of survivors reflecting the very essence of the council of three, the refugee fleet was nicknamed “The Unluckies” due to the fact they arrived relatively late out of the Warp Drive. The unlikeliest of motley crews, they consisted of the remnants of the Separatists, old Earth empire sympathizers and terrified colonials that were just trying to eke out a living in the harsh expanses of space. The glue that keeps this ten myriad strong band of civilians and soldiers together is the council known unofficially as the Big 3.

Ramba Revil was a no nonsense military man that first started out as a USG-affiliated mercenary before defecting, eventually becoming a Major General by the time of The Bug War leading ragtag remnant forces both USG/CR alike seeing the only way to survival was to end their now petty differences and fight an enemy that sought the end of humanity. In this he would find the other two members of the future council.

Joseph Zabi, a political orator known for his opportunism and industrialist, came from a long line of a nominally influential family that served in the USG’s appointed Senate. Losing everything but his immediate family and the clothes on their backs they were desperate for salvation.

Enter Ian Noa. Ian was a successful administrator within the colonies of the Central Rim, known for his organizational and leadership skills he was able to acquire what remaining ships he could for the disparate survivors. More concerned about the survival of the species rather than his alleged lack of loyalty to any one side, his objectivity was championed during his career, Noa was instrumental in forming up the council. It would deal with any sort of petty grievances the sides could potentially have at least in the short term while projecting unity for those they were stewarding. Their first challenge had ended, but their next had already begun.

Tristanxh · Oct 3, 2015

Faction: United Sol Governments Security

Leader: Colonel Johnathan Clayton Henry

Alignment: United Sol Governments (+1 Fleet Power)

Trait: Tactician (+2 Fleet Power)

Flotilla/Company: Flotilla

Bio: As Earth was falling, U.S.G. SEC ships loaded with troops, scientists, engineers, and important officials seeking to escape the horrors around them embarked on an expedition towards the fringe systems, a bountiful and uncolonized system awaited them at their destination. After a hundred and ten years, two months, four days, seven hours, thirty-four minutes, and seven seconds of the citizens living in cryo-stasis however, the central ship computing system on the H.R.M.S. Vigilant kicked-into-life and sent the signal that revived the thousands of people suspended in cold-sleep. The commanding officer of the expedition, Colonel John Clayton Henry quickly took charge of the situation and began the search for their new home, however, the expedition had landed far-short of it's target, rather than a star system of lush and plentiful worlds with endless food and water awaiting the colonists, they arrived at this... backwater of a system... What had gone wrong?

Starting Fleet: 1 Cruiser : H.R.M.S. Vigilant

Noco19 · Oct 3, 2015

Faction: Jadwa Consortium Internal Services [JCIS]
Leader: Yusuf "the Wali of Svali" al-Lakhm
Alignment: USG
Trait: Charismatic
Flotilla/Company: Flotilla.

Bio: Prior to civil war, al-Lakhm served as an agent of a corporate entity known as the Jadwa Consortium [JadCon], acting essentially as the head of its own personal security arm in order to strong-arm colonists and competitors. Operating primarily from the mining world of Svali, al-Lakhm earned a reputation - among his fellow employees of JadCon, he was a man of strong character and fine leadership who knew how to run a well-oiled operation; among the colonists under his scrutiny, he was a tyrant and bringer of cold dread. Thus, al-Lahkm was known as the "Wali of Svali", though somewhat sarcastically depending on who you'd ask.

When the USG and Republic battled, JadCon had Yusuf take pre-emptive action to ensure order, which inevitably lead to a general crackdown on the usual suspects. This would only serve to give Republic-sympathizers justification, and soon Yusuf found Svali to be hostile, prompting his retreat. Taking with him the more servile or already captured colonial workers, as well a handful of JadCon bureaucrats, al-Lakhm left Svali expecting some sort of pursuit. But this would only be followed by silence, and thenafter news of Svali's horrid downfall from the encroaching Bugs. Perhaps his defeat spared him from death.

Nowadays, Yusuf commands his own personal unit, still bearing the name of Jadwa Consortium Internal Services [JCIS] despite losing contact with the corporate office, and has been of late pushing his men to establish themselves more permanently. In fact, of late, al-Lakhm has began to refer to himself as the Chief Executive Officer of the entirety of JadCon activities, in absence of the actual leadership. While not exactly a servant of USG, al-Lakhm has never got over his disdain for the Republic or colonials in general, which has carried into his management of JadCon.

Starting Fleet:
Destroyer (Jinn class, standard destroyer class of JadCon design, flagship): JCIS Stygian
Fighter Squadron (Bedouin class, standard fighters of JadCon design): JCIS Jackal Detachment

Plutonium95 · Oct 3, 2015

Leader: Catherine Augustii

Alignment: Neutral

Trait: Clandestine Operator

Ship: Invictus

Previously owned by Commander Adam Locke of the White Suns, the Invictus is now under the command of Catherine Augustii. The frigate is an SR2 variant, considered cutting edge when it was used by the members of Hammer Company, though now it is quite old. It is lightly armored, but is quick, quiet, and contains a highly advanced cyberwarfare suite. It’s standard weapons systems are fairly average, although slightly underpowered as the engine has been outfitted to increase speed rather than provide raw firepower.

Bio:

During Catherine's early childhood, she grew up alongside her brother, Napoleon, part of the wealthy and influential Augustii family, a senatorial family on Earth. She was found to be extremely gifted intellectually from a very young age. Everything she did, from music, to math, to robotics, and much more seemed to come as easily to her as breathing. She had a strong thirst for knowledge and a love for and intuitive grasp of music. By the time she was 14 years old, she had grown “bored” with her studies and was already in the graduate program studying cybernetics.

It was at this point that she received information about a government learning facility sponsored by the Emperor himself, known as "Zion Academy", far on the fringes of known space. While her parents were led to believe that Zion Academy was a private school meant to nurture the gifts of the most academically talented children in the USG (to serve as leaders and admirals in the coming years), it was in fact a cover for a government experiment in creating super soldiers to use against the Insectoids who ravaged the inner rim.

Shortly after arriving at Zion Academy, Catherine’s parents were told that she had died when insectoids attacked her transport, but Napoleon refused to believe it. The project itself was lavishly funded, highly efficient, and morally indifferent, with a heavy reliance on brutal human experimentation and conditioning techniques in an attempt to maximize results. The last, best hope for humanity, it was called by some of the staff. Catherine was subject to frequent psychological and physical abuse as a means of testing her abilities over the next three years as the Zion attempted to mold her into a weapon to use against the insectoids. Not only were they trained physically, but they also studied military tactics, particularly asymmetric warfare and infiltration. She and the other “students” received a wide variety of cybernetic enhancements during their time at the academy.

Meanwhile, Napoleon, certain that Catherine was still alive, exhausted his own personal fortune and sacrificed a promising career in medicine, but eventually located her with the help of an anti-governmental mercenary group known as Hammer Company. If funded, their leader Adam Locke, promised to get Catherine. She would then be taken to Pragia, a planet that had not yet fallen to the insectoids, from where Napoleon could take her wherever he wished.

Napoleon agreed and took part in the actual extraction, which unfortunately would result in his death when Zion’s security system flagged them as intruders. Thanks to Locke’s quick thinking and impressive hacking skills he was eventually able to take the security system offline and escape the facility with Catherine and the surviving students in cryo, only to be trapped between the Outer Rim and the Fringe when the shipping node was cut.

Like many others who experienced this fate, Locke plotted a course for Darkstar. Unlike many others, he did not enter cryo sleep for the hundred year journey. Instead, he programmed the VI to wake the students when they were a month out from the system and spent the last year of his life in solitude, reading, thinking, dreaming of what could have been.

When the frigate’s VI finally awoke the students and explained what happened, Catherine naturally fell into the role of command of the ship, sending the remaining students to critical stations. As she mourned the death of her family, her galaxy, a part of her mind wondered if what she had been subject to on Zion wouldn’t be the key to keeping her alive on Darkstar.

Korona · Oct 3, 2015

galactic_fleet_of_the_alliance_insignia_by_viperaviator-d6ktu6w.png

Faction: The Solar Soldiers
Alignment: Neutral
Leader: Carter Arleth
Trait: Tactician
Ship Commander

Bio: Comprised of colonists and Inner Rimmers alike, just looking to survive, The Warriors of Arleth is one of the better known neutral factions in the Darkstar system. The Warriors of Arleth is one of the lesser known neutral factions The Warriors of Arleth was founded by the Carter Arleth, one of the most famed fighter pilots in the United Sol Navy. Arleth famously led the 3rd Fighter Squadron, which was nicknamed the 'Lances of Sol', to destroy an Insectoid cruiser, which ended up killing a powerful Insectoid general, in the Battle of New Juba. For his accomplishments in helping the humans stall the Insectoid advance on Sol, the Emperor awarded Arleth the title of Grand Duke. However, Arleth, who grew up in a fairly liberal family, reluctantly accepted the title, and after he was granted the title, he preferred to be addressed by his Navy rank of Commander. At the urging of the Grand Admiral and the President of the United Sol Senate, Arleth fled the Inner Rim in the USN Solarus, along with his 3rd Fighter Squadron. Upon encountering the refugees near Darkstar, Arleth changed the name of the USN Solarus to the Solar Knight, and the 3rd Fighter Squadron was rechristened as the Phoenix Squadron. Carter gave up the title of Grand Duke, and prepared himself and his crew for the jump for the Darkstar system.

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Haldon Eriksson is the chief of engineering aboard The Solar Knight, and a gifted mechanic. However, Haldon is an ardent supporter of the USG. He grew up on Earth, and was the son of a prominent Senator. After the Insectoids invaded the Inner Rim, Haldon left the Inner Rim with Carter, due to his admiration of the 'Hero of Sol'. Him and Carter formed a close bond while they were escaping from the Inner Rim, which lead to a strong friendship between the two men. However, Chief Eriksson and Arleth may abandon that friendship due to Eriksson's nationalism, and Arleth's dislike of what he sees as a 'undemocratic regime.' He is 38 years old, and married to the daughter of a former Emperor's son.

Anthony Krupin was born in the Outer Rim, on the colony of Novogorod Prime. His father was a Senator's son and as a result Anthony grew up with a love of the United Sol Government, and the Emperor. However, Anthony's father was secretly killed by a rightist faction, however, they pinned the blame on the Emperor. Angry at the Emperor for killing his father, Krupin started a one-man crusade against the USG. Relatively inexperienced at being a terrorist, Krupin was captured by the USG by none other than Carter Arleth. Carter saw a talented fighter pilot in Krupin, and secretly let him free, using his contacts in the USG capital of get Krupin cleared of all charges. Carter and Anthony formed a close bond, with Carter teaching him everything he know about starfighters and tactics, he became a better fighter pilot than Carter ever was. Now the Captain of the Phoenix Squadron, Anthony Krupin is one of Arleth's most ardent supporters, and widely considered to be his 'heir'.

Starting Fleet
The Solar Knight - Frigate
Phoenix Squadron - Fighter Squadron

Tapscott · Oct 3, 2015

((Posting here for notifications))

Ironhide G1 · Oct 3, 2015

Ship: Sophia
Captain: Veronica Sophia
Alignment: Neutral
Trait: Clandlestine dealer
Flotilla/Company: ship

Bio: the crew of the Sophia was founded on Earth by a group of people who wanted to be far away from the wars and other things that were going on. Led by Veronica Sophia, they got a ship for the purpose of having a place where out in space they could learn, live and thrive. It has particular areas of study where crew can learn, discuss, debate and discover. The ship is not the fastest or strongest, but very self sufficient. It has the supplies to last for years.

The Sofia:

Philosophy/Theology- Bishop Phillip Andrews

History/Literature- Joseph Sofia(husband of Veronica)

English/Latin- Sarah Fitzgerald

Mathematics/Engineering- Gerald Fitzgerald

Sciences- Claudia Young

New Character

Faction: Starfleet

Leader: Admiral Joseph Decker

Alignment: USG- +fleet power

Trait: Industrious

Flotilla/Ship: Flotilla. Flagship: The USS Venice, Frigate

Bio: A group of pro-USG spacemen originally from San Francisco, this diverse and talented bunch of spacemen and women are going out to the stars in order to find a new home.

WIP
Second in Command: Captain Abagail Williams
Styles

Chief Engineer- Roger Paris

Chief Scientist- Joanna Myers

Chief Doctor- Maria Rainer

Chief Communications- Harold Williams

Chief Navigator- Sarah Jones

Chief of Security- Jordan Clay

Starting Fleet: 1 Frigate and 3 Fighter Squadrons

((And yes I know this is breaking copyright, but at least we get this)

Haresus · Oct 3, 2015

Faction: Black Suns
Leader: Commodore William R. Hardy
Alignment: USG
Trait: Tactician
Flotilla/Ship: Flotilla.

Bio: Loyalist USG mercenary corporation that was originally stationed on Mars. It grew in size and renown during the Civil War, but the following invasion by the Bugs destroyed most of this and the Black Suns were forced to acknowledge that the USG could not win a straight-up war. The organisation splintered into several divisions who went to different systems with the refugees, trying to retain their old loyalist traditions and provide protection and security wherever they could, preserving the legacy of the USG. Over time, communication between divisions has died down but the small Darkstar "division" still upholds the old values of law, order and loyalty. Nowadays hardly even a squadron, the three remaining frigates the older MSS Devotion, the more modern MSS Devastation and the transport-turned-frigate MSS Inspiration, form the hollow backbone of the Black Suns company. Knowing that the civilians would be vulnerable, weak and divided, Commodore Hardy decided that it was best to take a decisive role in the shaping of local politics. Thanks to their relatively large military navy and professionalism, the Flotilla quickly accepted the protection and leadership of the Black Suns.

Starting Fleet:
Frigate (Halcyon class, old but upgraded, from during the civil war, flagship): MSS* Devotion
Frigate (Unspecified class, newer design, rushed to completion during the Bug invasion): MSS Devastation
Frigate (Civilian transport ship turned into a frigate through some creative redesigning): MSS Inspiration

*Lacking a better acronym, MSS will simply be the Black Suns designation for "Military Space Ship".

Deaghaidh · Oct 3, 2015

Faction: The Livin' Legends (Company)

Leader: Radiant "Raid" Cobb (Tactitian)

Alignment: Republic

Fleet: Destroyer Hero of Canton, two fighter wings, Milkmaids, Black Sheep

Bio:

The Livin' Legends' story is a mix of blind, stupid luck, thrillin' heroics, and surprising bursts of genius. A mercenary company founded by bandit turned accidental hero Jayne Cobb, the Legends achieved fame in their first mission, where everyone except Cobb himself died rescuing reporter Jamie Fleming. In gratitude (and recognizing Jayne's potential) Jamie became his partner, exploiting her connections and media savvy to build up the Legends into a paragon of low-brow, thuggish heroism. Initially working for both sides, Jayne became exclusively Republic after a band of corrupt USG officers kidnapped Jamie. Insisting he caredid about the Payday and the Payback, not the politics, Jayne ultimately became something like the hero he pretended to be.

He and Jamie (now his common law wife and mother of his six children) stayed behind in a doomed rearguard action to cover the retreat of the rest of the Legends and a motley Flotilla that followed them for protection. Their new leader is Raid Cobb, who has her mother's looks and brains and her father's charisma and proficiency with violence.

The Legends themselves have, over time, developed a sort of organizational structure. They elect their officers, and can depose them, but in between the two the chain o' command is expected to be obeyed. Every man or woman in the outfit shares in the proceeds, be they pay, plunder or salvage, but not equally. At this point there are many second and some third generation Legends, and most of the old guard of roughnecks and roadies are gone. The current Legends were recruited from other merc or pirate bands, petty criminals or from the community of refugee ships that slowly developed around the Legends during the wars. These hangers-on don't get votes or shares, and the under Jayne and Jamie they were often squeezed for cash or resources in a pinch. Some, such as the mobile tyllium refinery Ambergris have entered into standing contracts with the Livin' Legends, but the bulk of the huddled masses are there on sufferance.

The "House of Cobb", the children of Jayne Cobb and Jamie Fleming

Radiant "Raid" Cobb, 35, Boss of the Livin' Legends.

Temprence "Temper" Cobb, 33, Skipper of Hero of Canton

Prudence "Prude" Cobb, 32, Captain of Milkmaids Squadron

Patience Cobb, 30, Engine crew Chief of Hero of Canton

Jayne Junior and Shepherd Cobb, 28. J.J. is rather sickly physically but keeps the books and runs the business end now. Shepherd is captain of Black Sheep Squadron
.

alexander23 · Oct 3, 2015

Portrait of Verls Verlusian

Faction: The Principality of Verls

Leader: Verls Verlusian of the House Di Vora Tossu Viltri Minii D´Hordi

Age: 16

Alignment: United Sold Government (+1 fleet power)

Trait: Industrious (begins with a greater tillium reserve and a bonus to mining/trade)

Flotilla/Ship: Flotilla (colonial flotilla). The Fleet of the Principality is composed mostly of civilian ships trapped in the void gathered around the few ships they could get close to, that being the personal fleet of Verls Verlusian. The flagship of the fleet is the frigate Piercing Light, which was the personal ship of verls, adequate to her necessity,, meanwhile being fully equipped for a such a noble person it posses great amount of sensors and speed for combat. The frigate is escorted by four fighter squadrons which are to handle most of the fighting and defence of the fleet.

Bio:

The mineral rich Veria sector of the mid ring, corporate control was absolute as mining companies and heavy industry were located across the sector. One such company was Veritia-Novor Heavy Industries, part of the Di Vora Conglomerate whom had its tentacle in every industry they could think of especially resource extraction.

As you can assume the Di Vora conglomerate was the Di Vora “family” agglomeration of companies and enterprises from the stars, however the use of family is to be taken lightly as centuries passed and children married off, it truly became an agglomeration of different families and powerful groups all linked by ancestry in the old Di Vora family line. However such agglomeration of rich and powerful people gave the Di Vora conglomerate a powerful stance in the USG government, many of its members were senators from their respective areas and held influence in the government.

The D'hordi family, Verlusian Branch were the owners of the Versia Etherium Company a associate enterprise of the Verities-Novor Heavy Enterprise. The VEC were widespread in the Veria sector and had made the Veria III system their headquarters over three hundred years ago.

As things deteriorated and the civil war and then the bug war break up it was clearly things went downfall. With the lost of sol the D'Hordi family fled their possession, including the verlusian family whom took many of their designs and whatever ships they could gather with them.

Verls went into the cryogenic pod the same day she became a five years old, fifteen year later, she wake up from her cryogenic pod in the Cruiser: Piercing light all alone and confused.

As she arrived to the command bridge, the AI of the ship recognized her presence and began giving a report of what was happening, truth to be told she understood nothing of it, after all she was just five years old. However as luck would have it, when the Autopilot asked to authorize level ten emergency protocol (the only one needed with human authorization as it was irreversible) she agreed to it by chance. This triggered an alarm to be send across the ship waking all the important people aboard from the cryogenic pods, as well sending an alarm to all nearby ships, automatically activating them to for such an emergency and waking up the captains of the ships to observe what was happening.

The flotilla had enter a asteroid area in the middle of the void, piercing light being one of the first to enter had been impacted by a small meteor which damaged the cryogenic pod of Verls and activated the autorelease.

Meanwhile much of the Flotilla was destroyed as their captains didn't manage to avoid the asteroids, a significant portion of the vast evacuation ships that composed it was saved. Once the danger area passed all ships in range of communication and still standing held an official meeting between the captains and other important people from the ships that being the rich and powerful family heads, as well a few republican elected men and women, including a some surviving branches of the D´Hordi Family.

It was agreed in the end that the refugees must be waken up as the damaged ships could no longer continue the hibernation of the population for one hundred years, however a problem was discussed...how would they assume control of such masses, they were few in number even with their personal guards and the refugees were thousands, an idea struck Moria Morthiaris the head of the Morthiaris family, whom led a propaganda and advertisement company. People needed something to follow blindly, something that could give them hope for the future, something that would allow them to keep at top of the society, they need faith, a religion , a saviour.

The young child, from the Verlusian branch family whom had woken them all was selected (plus their control of one of the last warships and many supporters from other D´Hordi survivors made it a easy decision).In such troubled times it was argued, the idea of a higher force saving and protecting them would be easy to sell to the people, yet they needed an embodiment of such things. VerlsVerlusian was declared not only illuminated by that higher force, but in fact she was the incarnation of it,a living Goddess. One that saved their lives from ending, one to guide them all to a great future away from the bugs.

Once all was prepared, the propaganda, the ways to convince the people, Two long years of low level brainwashing in the cryogenic pods, with dreams and images of a goddess, the people were awakened by phases over the next five years.They were told about the visions, the goddess made human saving them all and so on. Of course not everyone bought it from the start, yet a significant part did, especially for the low educated outer rings and industrial workers.

Little by little an aggressive campaign was waged in the populations by the people in the known to make them join the growing faith, to make them believe it as the ultimate truth. With it the new religion of the living goddess Verls was build and the great families located themselves in the positions of power.

With subterfuge and sabotage, deniers were punished, and was seen as act of the goddess for the disbelief, the greatest of them all was the mysterious deaths and accidents of the evacuation ship N6729-X5, which ended in the destruction of the ship. Why this ship? the head of the non believers was there, and the strongest rejection of it, many from the republican space and academics whom rejected such things. From there on it was much easier as the community self censored, with fear to invoke divine wrath.

Of course a divine being would not age quickly, nor like a human being and such Verls was submitted immediately to process to change her aging process and delay it significantly. This way they could achieved a stronger illusion of a living goddess. The medical genius of Rado Tomori from Tomori Pharma developed a risky and novel way to make the aging process much more slower than current methods could, and applied to Verls Verlusian and the children of the now called main families.

The method would not only make them age slower, it would completely stop aging at a noticeable form for many years after they reached a certain development, a discovery that would have made him one of the most powerful pharmas back in the USG a long time ago. Once done she and the next generation were put back into cryogenic pods as low level brainwashing was done to all for the new lies that soon would come to them, after all there is no better lie than the one you the liar believe yourself..

Once it was decided, the time had come and it was safe they were awakened, it was some eighty four years after the starting of the voyage to the far away star As they awakened from their slumber to a new world, the grew in the new lie that the Faith of Verls was, they grew thinking she was indeed a living goddess, and that they were the embodiment of her helpers, divine beings below the goddess yet, far above humans.

They became the lies of their parents, just as the society had been reformed over the lies of the past decades, a whole giant lie, but what is the truth? one could say if everyone, no if most of a human group believe something to be truth, does it matter if it's or not..doesn't it make it the real truth over the actual truth? if so, then they were a society form with the one and only truth as a base: Verls Verlusian was the incarnation of the Goddess that looked for humanity, and they were her chosen people for a new beginning.

Now sixteen years after the great awakening of the goddess, the flotilla whom had renamed themselves, the Principality of Verls, in the honor of the living Goddess whom they all serve and will die for have arrived to the promised lands of honey and milk.

Starting Fleet:

1-frigate : Piercing Light
4-Fighters

EmperorGrimm · Oct 4, 2015

Faction: Hearts and Minds Directorship (HEMDET)

Leader: Herschel Satharan (Prime Director)

Alignment: "Our cerebral spectrums seek friends with some but follow no one."
- Jaspao Keter (3071) (Neutral)

Trait: "Join us in the Gardens of Conciousness." (Charismatic )

Flotilla/Company: The Eight Five Nine Pilgrimage (Flotilla)

Bio:

History

It was our intention to leave behind interstellar civilization's corruption and so it happened. Our pilgrimage is like others of our people who we may never communicate with again. Empire or Republic? they asked us. Two fools arguing over the wrong question. The human being must be constructed with empathy and respect. It must be taught the useful knowledge. Its body must feel natural to its mind, it must feel as if there is no distinction between the two. Its mind must be at peace, a peace cultivated by the corrective programs. To worship another sentient is poor form, to worship a system is lazy. The phantom of disintegration comes for us all in one world but not in the other. So said Jaspao on the Bridge of Worlds.

HEMDET embraces the knowledge and wisdom of its greatest teacher, Jaspao Keter. There are others that were like him but he was the father and the mother. After surviving a series of battles during the civil and bug wars Keter abandoned his unit and joined a ship crew on its way to the moon Velcrazio. There he abandoned his dedication to honor and service becoming a wealthy merchant in the star system. But the emptiness he found on the battlefield followed him to the gambling parlors and trade houses. He had several beautiful wives, many sons and daughters, enough money to pay off imperial and rebel inspectors but he was not fulfilled. So once again he abandoned a life giving his Velcrazian wives and children a fair share of his assets and what was left he bought a private transport ship and sought to vaporize himself in the system's star. As he approached he felt nothing and in the silence awaiting his death a voice spoke to him. It was a watchman who responsible for observing ships on a crash course into the sun attempted to contact the pilot inside.

There was no damage or system failure. Biological signals appeared stable. The watchman hacked into the ship's computer and shut off the engine. In such a state that he did not care that he had failed in his suicide, Keter put down his book and responded to the watchman. "If you intend to keep me from crashing myself into this star than at least give me a job with your crew." And so his third life began as a simple watchman. Life at the home station and on the ship was simple and routine. The ship would stop incoming ships attempting to round the gravity pool of the star or those on a crash course. Sometimes they would have to rescue crewmen or alert the authorities of criminal activity which was rare near the star. Years passed and Jaspao Keter found contentment in his routine. His beard grew snowy white and his body surrendered to gravity. But again the emptiness manifested and as an old man he remembered his family and old life. He remembered his comrades in the imperial army. Even his father and mother who he left at nineteen never to see them again.

So he ended his life as a watchman and gave a farewell to the captain who had found him years ago. He returned to Velcrazio and learned that most of his children were dead from the war. His wives had married other men. There was nothing for him there so he set course to the outer rim. The war hindered travel tremendously and from world to world he traveled. In those times there were many teachers some seeking salvation, others a promised land of peace, while a few sought to stick around and rebuild the ruins around them. Jaspao Keter in his old age still possessed youthful energy and he began to teach too. The older generation were too cynical but for some of the wandering youth making a life in the rubble he was the "Smiling Phantom" or the "Hard Eyed Master". In the rubble of a world called Luwafa his students built a community, a hub of meditation and virtual
enlightenment in the ruins of hukind.

At first he thought his followers were delusional. "The true student is a teacher and the true teacher is a student." he said rejecting his own importance. He was just as empty and confused as anyone else no matter their age and cultural alignments. Still though he possessed empathy and helped build a camp where anybody could find refuge. They scavenged resources and knowledge to preserve because...it seemed the correct thing to do. They ate and laughed despite the anguish of their disintegration. Keter grew even older and took on the responsibility of building new camps for the people without refuge. He would teach students but dismissed his words claiming he just liked to talk too much. A few listened though and soon developed a new thought on Luwafa a tropical planet that was in ruins but was able to escape the destruction of its biosphere. Eventually thousands of followers lived in the great ruins and had even managed to revive the global economy. A spaceport was built on the surface and orbital stations were reconnected to the greater community. But Luwafa was a deficient in any important resource in any significant quantity.

There was also the coming insectoid swarm and all sentients must fear the loss of their lives to be able to truly live their lives. Keter now over a hundred years old met with the community leaders of the ruined world. They agreed that it was time to move on and that they would need enough ships to leave the old stars. Colony ships were purchased or retrofitted from scavenged vessels in the vacumn. A great effort was expended into amassing their pilgrimage fleets. The foundation of Keterist Thought consolidated from a number of teachers from the prole masses to the new intellectuals of the world. One such figure is Herschel Satharan a man who was quite young when Jaspao Keter's name grew in awareness by the ruin settlements. His own was called Funchal Port the only place where education and civilization was maintained. There he was a brilliant student of an imperial academy studying philosophy, martial skills, and literature. He was sent to Keter's home camp to study him as part of his future leaders project. He would remain for seven years recording his every word. "Wealth, prestige in political circles or on the battlefield. even the life of a simple watchman all lead to the same point of disintegration. We all seek both integration and disintegration. We are only the soldier, the watchman, the clever patron wearing platinum jewelry and nanofibre suits we tell ourselves. In truth we are only vibrations of the abyss manifest in every cerebellum."

While Jaspao Keter possessed great wisdom he also had directed the revitalization of nearly thirty two percent of the planet. He was an adapt manager but a poor politician. He was uncomfortable as a political leader and in his advanced age allowed for the younger generation to manage affairs of his projects. When asked what the ultimate aim of human beings should be he said "Survive and prosper in the shadow of disintegration." He also said, "Do not seek heaven in other dimensions but find it in the abyss of your mind. The gardens of consciousness is cultivated by following the Thirteen Guidelines

1. When it is time to work do so with vibrant energy.
2. Assist others toward peace.
3. Patterns of reality are lessons.
4. There are many paths to peace.
5. There is no good without evil. No evil without good.
6. Be friends with some, a follower of no one except those who follow the Thirteen Guidelines.
7. Commerce is the fountain of security
8. Build strong families of love and respect
9. Mercy is a lie, kill your enemies quickly.
10. Ask questions of the universe and through you there shall be answers.
11. All sentients have false tongues, eager hearts, sleepy minds from time to time.
12. Surround yourself with beauty.
13. Deception of self equals to deception of others.

Following the guidelines a whole system emerged based around the metaphysical and empirical examination of the human condition. Knowledge was important and a rejection of democracy and fascist ideals key to constructing an enlightened system of thought and social organization. The empirical secularism merged with grim survivalism joined with the metaphysicians of the wasteland. A mystical technocracy grew organically where scientific research and engineering projects took on spiritual undertones. A starship wasn't just a complex array of systems that transport sentients through space it was a "spiritual transmission" which had to be done in the right way. The hearts and minds of sentients must be correct in order for all action to produce productive results. And so the Corrective Acts were instilled in the youth. A balance of self-affiirming and self-denying actions meant to create balanced and stable sentients. Technocratic governance brought the satisfaction of nutritional and psychological needs. At the center of Keterist Thought was the upliftment of its teacher into the Engine of Enlightenment where all members of the HEMDET a unified political organization were place if they passed the rigorous psychological tests. Here the collective knowledge of sentients was stored and their minds existed in an infinite study of reality.

Political Organization

HEMDET is governed by a hierarchy of civil managers and elder teachers. There are two governing bodies, the Committee of Managers and the Assembly of Friends. The managers coming from a more high interstellar culture reintroduced high tech and sophisticated economics to the population. They are high culture secularists who seek to bring back art, literature, science, for the future. While the Assembly of Friends are from the wastelands and make up the teachers of Keterist thought. They see reality as a cosmic game of integration and disintegration. They are concerned with human fulfillment and spiritual matters where they seek to improve and construct a greater and greater Engine of Enlightenment something of a godhead to bring about a great unity event. Together these two groups develop and execute policies and programs. They are supported by a separate military force with personnel from all kinds of communities. Both rule without democratic support but are benevolent. Elders bring in younger members who have proven themselves according to standards and custom.

Society

HEMDET is a free market capitalist society with the Directorship Binary in control of energy and food collection and production. Its considered a fine activity to provide vital supplies and goods to the populace. The population receive nutrients and energy according to need and service to the Directorship. Private economic life is based around virtual reality software, engineering products, entertainment, art, and of course basic resource collection. Pop culture is based around talk shows both serious and silly. Luwafan culture persists although it has merged into a greater Hemdetian culture. That is melodrama is popular and stories often reflect this melodrama in literature and the theatre. What people would consider realism is seen as just another cerebral illusion. Hemdetians are hard working and family oriented as stable family lives is an ideal of the directorship. Virtual reality is the most popular source of entertainment although the Binary prohibits excessive utilization by restricting energy allocations. Dramas often surround the development of communities and the lives of those building technologies and searching for truth often leading to both comedic and tragic results. Work is not seen as an end but a means.

Many of those on the colony ships are common people under the power of the Binary and often possess archaic religious beliefs and superstitions. The old AI cults persists although their influence is diminishing with the influence of Keter's Enlightenment Engine. Demographics are diverse but racial identity is non-existant as it has been for centuries. There is no effort to create a uniform culture really but the Directorship grows in its number of members every year. They favor efficiency in art and in dress and in social custom. They are emotionally dynamic but can be obsessive with their work often speaking about it in direct poetry in which the best is considered the most efficient. At least with the managerial class. Keterites on the other hand are unpredictable and can declare themselves a conduit of cosmic truth after a powerful dream one day and reject the idea the next. They enjoy surprises and wear ellaborate dress. They enjoy ceremonies and worship various deities and forces in boughts of passion before returning to their general detachment from any one idea or truth. They can be found observing events in the world for hours with incredible focus and awareness. Keter's meditative techniques dedicated to observing patterns to find truth. They often pray to the Engine of Enlightenment for visions or signs which sometimes occur leading some individuals toward executing missions and embracing their true destiny according to the advanced analysis of the Engine.

Starting Fleet:

Destroyer "Taquinsa"
670 Crew Personnel
1 Captain (James Reinhart)
13 Lieutenants
1 Commander (Pancrazio Jalta)
5 Sub-Commanders
250 Directive Infantry
3 MVK-18 Mobile Battle Systems
5 Terrestrial Transports
1 Prime Director (Herschel Satharan)
34 Keterite Magistrates
19 Managers
6,800 HEMDET Civilians

BlackBishop · Oct 4, 2015

Enter Darkstar

After fifty years of traversing darkspace, most of that time spent in cyrosleep, the vast human fleets begin to emerge into the isolated star system of Darkstar. Against all odds, planets are discovered with the ability to sustain human life. Though much of the system and its planets are unexplored, ship navigation systems convey promising sites to set up colonies. For the first time since becoming trapped in the void, hope is kindled. Perhaps they can prosper in this new system, perhaps they will be safe.

Colonial powers and company commanders set a course for what will be their new home. One world shows the most promise, a garden world designated Darkstar IV. An atmosphere similar to Earth, it promises the greatest potential to sustain a colony. Some among the flotillas worry, however, fearful that such an alluring prize may breed competition and conflict. Time will tell if this shall be a new eden, or merely another stage for strife that has always plagued the human race.

((ICs may now begin. Players can now submit their first order, choosing which world they wish to establish a colony or base. Reference the Star Map above when making your choice, and indicate whether you will prioritize supply, or tillium, when establishing your colony/base. Please indicate your faction in the pm thread title, along with the game and orders, as this will be the lone thread in which you will give orders, and I will communicate with you on matters pertaining to the game. ie, Star Reach: The Phantoms Orders.

Mikkel Glahder · Oct 4, 2015

Faction: Followers of the Mastermind

Motto: "I Think, Therefore I AM"

Leader: KLOPfASk 10984,6872305634, usually just referred to as the 'Mastermind' or AM (for unkown reasons)

Alignment: USG for a short time until the mastermind and its followers turned rouge (+1 fleet power)

Trait: Tactician (+2 fleet power)

Flotilla/Company: Flotilla

Bio: KlOPfASk was constructed a long time ago by an unkown professor. All records of him even living, just disappeared not long after KLOPfASk was ready. He was hired by the USG to build a supercomputer that could make up immensive and huge battle-plans, whilst leading a massive amount of ships and troops. It was a huge sucess, so huge that its USG supervisors didn't notice that men began to slowly disappear. What the USG didn't know, was that the professor added all known human knowledge into the computer and made it an uncontrollable AI, that wasted no time in thinking about humans and their feelings.

After being in the colonial war for about a week, its fleet disappeared suddenly and all records of it disappeared with nothing but a lot of 0s and 1s + an unsolvable arithmetical problem, that their thought about for a very long time, before they gave up in despair. Also, when its fleet when away, a huge human population had disapeared as well.

AM is seen by some, as a god with unkown potential. There is a huge cult around it even though they almost never hear its voice and never see it. The supercomputer has ignored these small humans as long as they do not cause to much trouble. Apart from this, it require a sacrifice each year, to test the human brain and how it reacts to certain uncomfortable situations. The men in the army lose their name, identity and relations. Some even conspire about them being brainwashed and get all memories removed. However, these are but small voices in the population. The people get quite many liberties and may do a lot as long as they follow a short lawcode.

Starting Fleet

1 Destroyer, 1 Frigate

alexander23 · Oct 4, 2015

INCOMING SIGNAL

ENCODING NON DETECTED

CLARIFYING IMAGE

OPEN VIRTUAL MESSAGE?

I Katherina Braun Di Vora Minorete Callaous Saretia, Head Priestess of the Unending, the Great One, The true and only Goddess Verls The first of her name bid you salutations. To all you poor souls just awakening from the long sleep in the void of space. Our people await eagerly communications with each one of you, for mustn't we the last remnants of our people live in peace and harmony? Live in happiness in this beautiful new Eden for rebuilding our race better than before?. We believe that's the way things should be, the only correct path for humanity

Now please rejoice we have come into contact, rejoice there is more of us left, rejoice for this new Eden in the deep of the void. Rejoice that the creator of all, the great one, the never ending, it who took pity on us is creations and granted us a new Eden to rebuild have come to us!. It have made itself flesh and bones so we are forever under her gaze, with her we can renew our new life in the right path, for we can feel her love in the deep of our sinner hearts, REJOICE that Verls have come to be with us the masses of humanity!!

We await your words, clamoring to be revealed the great truths of this universe, to be given the message of hope for the future, to seek the great Goddess of all that have existed, exists and will exist.

END OF TRANSMISSION
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[Forum Game] Star Reach: Darkstar

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