_________________________________________________________ N E W M E M P H I S _________________________________________________________ Core world, capitalist bordello. Humans and everyone caught in between. Loud music, bright lights, fast money.
N E W M E M P H I S ________________________________________________________________________________________
Know how many fake watches you can sell in a 97 km deep city? A lot.
G O V E R N M E N T ________________________________________________________________________________________
AI governance, namely the supercomputer Nine-Oh_One. The nation is run by this AI designed eons ago to create laws, move money, and distribute justice all by algorithm. However, the machine was never designed to be run the way that it finds itself today. It was designed to have the input of the populace, intellectuals, officials, senators and the like to provide it wise council, a heartbeat of the people, the emotional intangibles that no machine can replicate. But over the centuries neglect, corruption, and misinformation campaigns set in; the populace and eventually the government itself began to assume that the input of “flesh minds” mattered for nothing. The people unanimously assumed their voice was never heard and thus not worth offering. Anyone claiming that it did matter was said to be “just looking for a seat at the table,” raking in the cash rewards of “fake-ass government” funding. As such, the only voice that Nine-Oh_One hears now, in the entire sector, is Tom’s, the facility janitor.
D E M O G R A P H I C S ________________________________________________________________________________________
Mostly humans. In reality a vast number of other alien species live in New Memphis’s sentient chattel house, both registered and undocumented. There is little concept of “citizenship” in this nation. Those who come and make money are welcomed. No one really has a concrete voice, no votes are cast, taxes are levied by automated currency exchange, civil projects are contracted out electronically by Nine-Oh_One’s choosing among private industries. The peoples of the universe are free to mingle, trade, and create without limit. Those who are sub-profitable, are quietly managed.
E C O N O M Y ________________________________________________________________________________________
Bustling, noisy, smelly, beautiful, tragic, vibrant, scary, New Memphis. The world is a metropolice with every level of what it takes to “make it” in a modern universe. A world shrouded by kilometers of habitable manufabed layers, there are hustles at every level. Banking is done by the central computer Nine-Oh_One and the credit accounts attached to each resident are the only real markers of citizenship. Culture is vibrant and varied, reflecting the underserved and overworked populations of refugees, wanderers, and pseudo-serfs born in and tied to this endless turbine of the sentient experience. New Memphis is constantly creating, constantly growing, constantly starving. Food, minerals, tech, fuel. She is like a growing teen monstrosity, tearing at its very flesh on the climb upwards. New Memphis has its share of stretch marks: blackmarkets, gangs, trafficking, corruption. She is a city, the size of a system. Noisy, fury, and lights that empty out into the infinite abyss.
M I L I T A R Y ________________________________________________________________________________________
While sentients hold their place in the military, the majority of the true fighting force is automated. Wipers, the constructs are called. An air-space fleet of drones that are designed to police and protect the naval commerce of New Memphis. No one is really sure how they work but they certainly are the hivemind of Nine-Oh_One. By rule, their primary weaponry takes the form of radiation cannons with a pinch of EMP. Designed to shut down their prey and cook the sentient degenerates inside with minimal damage to the external structure of their craft. One simply can’t have debris floating around in front of the jump gate--ghastly for commerce. An entire economy exists around salvaging these “cooked” ships and repurposing them to the needs of whoever has the tech savvy and radiation tolerance to claim the cancer buckets. Labor laws are not a New Memphis strong suit. If you want it and you can sell it, fair game.
The police force, admittedly made up of sentients, is a small army unto itself. And yet despite its size, the hubbub of New Memphis often requires more thorough support of the peace from external sources. Private military companies make a killing--quite literally-- from controlling the unruly crowds that spring up from time to time. In the spirit of the free market, many such international industries set up shop in the global city. International trade corporations often find the robust centralized banking, little if any taxation/regulation, and cheap labor force to be rather enticing; as such, many high end military contracts are established simply to keep the riff-raff of New Memphis out of the penthouse spas.
H I S T O R Y ________________________________________________________________________________________
To ask a commoner on the streets, the response would be, “we been here.” A comment made with pride and a certain wily swagger that is seldom found except on these neon throbbing streets. The reality is that New Memphis was made with blood. It was filled with natives once who lived in the massive aqueous innervation of the prime planet. The soil was rich, waters clean, and lifeforms of all sorts thrived in abundance. Then it was found by humans. The global delta and its riches were settled, used, abused, adopted, formed, claimed, fought over, everything that happens when a sentient species finds something for the taking. Natives were whipped out, buildings were erected, greatness was born. New Memphis’s story is the same as any other. Ain't nobody give a shit. New Memphis is alive--now--and nobody can take back what it took to get it there.
C H A R A C T E R S ________________________________________________________________________________________
Tom Dop - Nine-Oh_One Environmental Services, Janitorial Staff
@RealLiona - Intergalactic influencer, frequent social voice of New Memphis
Government Type: Constitutional Republican Quadrarchy - A representative from each planet in the League is elected, and after a rigorous review process to approve or deny them as candidates they take their place in the Grand Senate with other such representatives. The Grand Senate handles the bulk of the league-wide day to day general bureaucracy and legislative process to keep the League running, and acts to allow the will of the people to be heard and keep the well-oiled gears of the political machine running. They likewise have a general part in enforcing and executing laws within the League to a limited extent, though, while ultimately being a body that keeps the Quadrarchy from being the sole voice in all things. If a Quadrarch wants to pass a law or propose one, it must be done through the Grand Senate.
The Quadrarchy is itself composed of the individual ruler of each of the four original member races of the League. These four hereditary kings/queens act as the highest judges in the League, and further will directly appoint system and planetary level judges as well. They further take action in executing laws (executive) and judging upon them (judicial). Their power is rather absolute otherwise, though the League’s small constitution enforces them being fully equal to each other. They act as authorities to balance each other out politically, act as the top four military leaders in the entire League, and generally act to balance out potential factions or corruption or outside influence and such dangerous bodies that might form in the Grand Senate. From the other direction, the Grand Senate keeps them from simply passing laws and actions frivolously or dangerously upon the nation on a whim or the ilk.
Anything less than planetary level officials are generally elected (if possible) or appointed (as needed).
Demographics:
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Homo Formicidae, aka the “Formi/Formians”: A race of humanoid ant-like arthropods, or normally called ‘arthropodic humanoids’, whose form took a similar nature and similar-ish biology to humankind's. This came about due to the process of evolution affecting them ‘somewhat similarly’ to humans and ants on their homeworld, though they have since become classified as a galactic example and proof of ‘convergent evolution’ occuring in the Eden Cluster.
They possess almond-shaped green-colored eyes in a humanoid positioning that lack a distinct pupil, though are capable of ‘seeing’ in far deeper quality and a greater range of colors than most other humanoid species. They have a set of ‘feelers’ on their head, though in their case these developed to host an array of sensory capabilities ranging from detecting movement in the air to sources of heat to wind direction and similar things. They also possess a humanoid-style mouth and nose to boot. Their face, neck, torso, and down to the thighs are covered in a unique and silky smooth chitin variant, one which feels deceptively soft on the outside and very much akin to the skin of an nearly hairless mammal. They even have mammal-like hair on their head tha can come in a range of hues and colors, which hair is itself noticeably less similar to something like humans or mammals due to being composed of rather tough and insulating chitin-infused fibers that remain soft to the touch.
They possess two sets of arms and only one set of bipedal legs, which are themselves covered in a lighter-colored chitin exoskeleton and have very flexible but arthropodic joints. Their hands each possess five fingers, granting far more notable levels of dexterity than lesser-fingered species, and their joints as well as knees and shins are covered in a distinctly stronger and darker-colored chitin than the rest of them for protective reasons. Their feet, however, do end in two ‘clawed’ and rather powerful digits each with the corresponding ‘heels’ of their feet being off of the ground due to how the strength of their feet has evolved and become balanced. Likewise they possess an ant/arthropod-like abdomen hanging down from just above their butts, which has evolved to itself simply take part in the egg-laying part of the reproductive process for females (males get a stinger there instead) as well as become covered in even stronger chitin than the rest of the species’ body is coated in.
In terms of durability they far surpass mammals, but even with an armor-like body they possess they aren’t invulnerable by far. However, in terms of resiliency they possess greater strength for their size and are capable of standing up again after taking some rather notable damage.
As a race they don’t think much about their gender ratio being so highly skewed to being females, because to them it's as natural as breathing air. Males have always been born smaller and far less often, though do bear the distinction of having the only rather venomous stingers of the species, and even at this stage only compose about 15% of the species as a whole. Females, on the other hand, have developed to where males are sources of added genetic diversity but that their bodies can also independently ‘recombine’ additional chromosomes they possess in order to generate fertile eggs and young without a male.
So to them, humans and those others are the oddities! Not being able to have children on a mass scale? Sheesh, talk about inefficient. No protective exoskeleton to make you resilient? Absurd! That being said they are curious about the wider galaxy, and contact with humanity gave them the technology to make it possible long ago. Still, they seek to reach among the stars with their allies and make their people shine!
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A species that evolved as sophisticated creatures able to float through the air, they could grasp onto prey with ease and begin tearing apart prey and plants and whatever fits their omnivorous diet with their larger dexterous ‘teeth’ and further the smaller ones hidden within their open-and-closable mouth on the underside of their body. Their means of ‘propulsion’ and ‘flight’ has been linked to passive psionics the species possesses, that itself explained by the plentiful psionium on their planet that has passively and evolutionarily affected many forms of life there uniquely. In fact, psionium after its discovery and study has beens credited as a possible influence for the species’ very rise to sentience. However, even when living in areas devoid of the substance the Veltron themselves remain unaffected intellectually and otherwise.
Cybernetic implants would only come to affect their psionic capability to fly at an extreme level of replacing their body with cybernetic parts. Up to 50% of their body can be replaced without affecting flight ability, but grows weaker going up to 75% distinctly. They can still fly at that stage, even though it’ll be a struggle, but beyond 75% they have too little flesh to use their psionic flight ability at all. They don’t lose it, it just ‘ceases to function’ at all because they aren’t made of enough flesh. This can be only reversed, however, if properly grown/regenerated flesh and tissue replacements for their body are used to replace the cybernetics.
The species’ exterior is seemingly soft and fleshy, but is in fact very dense tissue and ‘outer skin’ that protects a clear membrane that acts as their ‘inner skin’ and holds the organs and such within. The singular, white-pupiled eye this species possesses is very keen and capable, to the point they have depth perception even without 2 eyes due to how advanced it is, and this eye can be withdrawn into the body and the outer/inner skin layers ‘closed’ to protect it. Similarly they can close up a layer of outer skin over their mouth on the underside of their bodies to protect it as well (not the larger ‘teeth’ though). In this sense one could compare them to an armadillo curling up to protect itself back on the old Earth.
Able to dexterously move their larger ’teeth’ in a flexible manner to a surprising and deft degree, however, and as such they can perform complex tasks and do things like hold tools. They also possess a level of telekinesis that allows them to do things such as ‘grab’ objects and ‘touch’ things whilst being able to ‘feel’ and exert a sense of actual touch through their telekinesis if they desire to. It is as natural to them as, well, breathing and eating. They can even speak using their underside mouths, rather fluently with their own proper language at that, due to the advanced and compactly-fit vocalizing abilities they evolved.
For working in general, however, they developed a myriad of robotic/mechanical bodies for home ownership that they can ‘pilot’ for working. These are given modular attachments and such for a given job while working it, and such are removed at the end of the day. The modular attachments are also removed if one leaves that job and goes to another. Etc. Said mechanical/robotic bodies are generally at base four-armed to 2-4 legged, have a durable but slim enough build to be rather practical, and roughly correspond in parallel to a bipedal/upright-humanoid being’s body structure. Such bodies are also used for all foreign relations, having automatic translators built-in to make communication easier for those who do not choose to learn alien/foriegn languages (their diplomats learn to speak languages, as being a diplomat and reliant on ‘translator tech’ is seen as very embarrassing among Veltron diplomats in particular).
Males and females differ visibly only by the non-pupil color of their singular eye, for some obtuse reason in their evolution at least, with males having an orange eye with white iris and females having a light purple eye with a white iris. Likewise outer skin patterns and such are tied to heredity, and are complex to the point that each Veltron has its own unique pattern but also a ‘family resemblance’ that can be seen in them as well compared to other family members. Likewise females then carry young as small eggs protectively within themselves, until they are ready to hatch and are naturally deposited from the mother’s mouth in a safe place (or proper birthing clutch basket in a hospital these days) in order to be allowed to hatch within the next 1-12 hours.
As a species they have generally been technophiles, the kind who like to push development and research to the ‘next level’ due to their rather involved use of it in everyday life and around other species. For their size they are generally very intellectually-minded, though individual intelligence can naturally vary as with individuals in any other species in the universe with or without education, and education is seen as a very much important and emphasized part of civilized society. However, they even among many other species have come to rather understand what it is like to be the ‘little guy’, and how small they are compared to the world. In this sense one can say the species in some sense as a whole can have a certain humility, though again individuals can vary in confidence and pride and humility and other personality traits naturally as with individual members of any other sentient species.
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A sentient fungal species that, for the most part, has no ‘true’ base form. The given ‘model’ of an individual is based on ‘where’ their spores were seeded and what design/designation/role they were given. This has created an incredibly wide range of ‘forms’ for the species, ranging from individuals grown as humanoid-like diplomats to communicate with and meet with humanoid alien species, to beast-shaped individuals that might carry messages or be used to communicate with a bestial-like species, to even combat-oriented individuals grown for use in warfare if/as the need arises. Whilst the rest of the cluster will find themselves normally only seeing the humanoid communications variant, which is still continually tailored over passing fungal generations to better perform its role, those who are unlucky to see this species in war would be subject to the true depths their kind can reach when put on the warpath.
The species as a whole is a very hardy one, having evolved and survived on a homeworld with a wide variety of incredibly harsh and dangerous climates, a toxic atmosphere, and other substances and conditions that have culled any ‘weaker’ species there in good measure ranging from radiation to voracious omnivores that eat about anything they can get their mandibles/teeth/claws into. Even so the Telethoram have grown to become a rather erudite and civilized and even trade-friendly group, producing a civilization that has since first contact adapted to take its place within both the League and the rest of the Eden Cluster at large. Whilst their appearance can be terrifying to some for the first time, especially those unadjusted to the idea of a fungal species whose ‘shape’ can vary immensely, they have often proven themselves adept at negotiations and incredibly adaptable to working in extreme areas and dangerous conditions other fellow sentient races might require specialized suits or protective technologies for.
Being very hardy and versatile workers, they have proven themselves to be of great assistance and use in anything from space-mining operations to living on and gathering resources in otherwise nigh-uninhabitable (if not just outright so) planetary environments. Reproducing by producing incredibly hardy spores, which are ‘preprogrammed’ to take on a certain form at maturity by their fungal caregivers, it isn’t hard for the species to adapt to almost any clime or condition. Truly, they could survive even on a veritable hellscape of a world.
Locally, the species on their homeworld is controlled by an oligarchic council and a system of elected lower officials and council-chosen higher officials taken from the pool of post-term lower officials.
Distinctly reptilian humanoids with some rather minor features reminiscent of insects, the Renalians arose on the large but highly dangerous world of Renali VI. A harsh world filled with ever-present predators, dangerous parasites, and even flora that would like to take a bite out of any foolish creature passing by, they grew and evolved in conditions that frankly would be absurd by the standards of many other species. Even so, it pushed them to treat the loss of parts of one’s body as a trifling matter...and this is primarily due to their biology making it a rather trifling matter. Renalian bodies are ludicrously redundant in their capabilities, with tissues and organs capable of adopting each others’ functions smoothly and disturbingly efficiently. It is thought this evolved as a means of allowing populations to survive in a more primal setting, allowing loss of body parts and great chunks of flesh in order to be able to continue on functioning as individuals incapable of such were rapidly ‘weeded out’ the old fashioned way. A ‘cruel’ way of pushing such evolutionary changes, and yet the extreme environment the Renalians arose in created their frankly equally-ridiculous extreme survival capabilities to survive in it.
They can go without food or water for several weeks without batting an eye, though don’t prefer this since becoming a sentient and civilized species, and as long as their brain is intact can regrow lost internal organs and things like muscle and nervous tissues over time. This does NOT apply to extremities, though tissues in remaining extremities would be naturally ‘strengthened’ to compensate and then some in turn. To this end their skulls are also distinctly much more dense and durable, as if the brain is destroyed out of anything else in their body they will outright just die.
In their ancient days, the Renalians acquired a macabre tradition among those who were ‘warriors’ and raised to be as such. Only the bravest and most resilient would be chosen, those who were predisposed to such a life, and as a warrior grew and earned merits in battle or other tasks they would carve out sections of their own flesh and body. In these spots they would insert sections of carved/forged metal inscribed with the tale of their great deeds. This would go on through an individual warrior’s life until they died in battle or of old age, and for burial these chunks would be temporarily removed and used to read aloud the tale of their life before being put back in and the body buried.
This gruesome tradition has generally survived to this day in some form, however, with Renalian soldiers all around their military are always replacing parts of themselves and chunks of flesh and even their organs with cybernetics and highly-genetically-modified-and-grown parts ritualistically in order to imitate their ancestors. Those with a long career in the military usually remain, becoming functionally immortal due to their biological redundancy and replacing parts and upgrading them over time. Genetic modifications to adapt them to this and enhance soldiers are also common to ensure they can survive extremes of replacing their biological parts and the horrors of war, leading to further ridiculous emphasis on their natural redundancy capabilities to the point that the only parts the oldest of veterans don’t replace are their brain and heart. Of course those going to such an extreme are expected to and only able to have children at a point prior to reaching ‘maximum’ cybernetic conversion, even getting specific military leave legally to do so, as well as only ever replacing reproductive organs as the ‘final’ step in the very long term. Yet by reproducing and getting genetic modifications, there has as a result arisen a great myriad of long-time military families and bloodlines that have accrued the passed-on soldier genetic modifications in their blood and produce the best potential soldiers out of the whole of the Renalian population.
When it comes to an overall breakdown of the League’s economy, the original territories of the founding races tend to follow a certain trend. This was simply a matter that evolved within the League over time due to economic needs and infrastructure development, and of course simply where jobs went and where they were best suited as the League internally developed over hundreds of years.
The original territory of the Veltron, for example, is oriented more towards the development of technology and things such as space mining operations and robotics and handling resource gathering in dangerous worlds/climes. The original territory of the Renalians produces the most farmed livestock and exotic meats and even crops out of all the worlds, and indeed a distinctly larger number of cybernetic soldiers in terms of raw numbers. The original territory of Formians has come to lean more into the gritty nature of processing imported or League-mined resources, as well as providing more numbers of workers going into various areas. Even the Telethoram’s original territory has become more apt in producing/processing various chemicals and creating medicines, alongside their unique bio-organic technology and weapons that has been grown/designed for various uses, and also produce the second largest amount of crops and livestock and foods.
Whilst the internal economy of the League is generally balanced to generally satiate it’s own internal needs, mainly in case of things such as war or isolation, they like any other nation still import and export a lot of things. Luxury consumer goods and entertainment and art from other places are their biggest imports, for example, and various foreign organic and inorganic materials (unavailable in large enough quantities locally or at all in their territory) are imported for the manufacturing, processing, and refining of certain kinds of materials and goods. In terms of exports, on the other hand, outright food and processed/refined materials/goods are their largest exports by far with medical supplies being the third largest area.
Further, in terms of receiving outsourced jobs and offshored work, the League is very much open to it. All a company has to do to get resource rights and such in a given area is get a contract with the League’s government. Such a contract guarantees the profitable conditions such foreign companies would thrive on, but must be renewed every so many years (or if issues arise that result in a negotiation meeting being necessitated otherwise) with the League’s government in order to remain in effect. Failure to renew the contract or accept it is to lose those operations, favorable conditions, and resource rights...which would be quite a net loss indeed.
Military:
-In regards to space warfare:
Destroyers deploying a myriad of smaller spacecraft tend to act as a screening force, boasting low firepower but high armor and shielding as well as much room to contain fighter craft, automated strike craft, marines, drones, and the like onboard. Their main focus is light firepower to counter usually smaller enemy craft and provide point-defense measures to counter incoming ‘larger’ threats. They are also used in smaller operations where the higher-firepower ships are not needed or unable to be used. Mounting substantial weapons on a battleship is rather rare, usually reserved for very unique or very desperate situations. Among these lighter craft can in certain situations be included Renalian “Puncture Ships”, small and very sleek ships shaped for maximum speed and to be penetrated into enemy ships at high speeds...but installed with automated Veltron drones to pilot them. Of course these small ships got their name from the species that first invented and piloted them in battle long ago.
Then behind these you get the Cruisers, which themselves are generally meant to be mobile weapons platforms, being equipped with sets of superfiring turrets and space torpedo tubes and additional defensive countermeasures. Whilst not being as heavily-defended as battleships, they do sport much higher firepower and carry further added countermeasures to support smaller ships such as the destroyers and smaller combat spacecraft.
Then comes the Battleships, space-faring combat craft designed with heavy ordinance and weapons in mind. Big guns, great missile/torpedo silos, and usually a very large weapon mounted on the front for even greater firepower, they can lay down firepower capable of crushing lesser ships with raw strength and the sheer volume of weapons being fired off. They have strong frontal shields, though to conserve power these and their frontal armor are shaped more to minimize damage and deflect impacts/explosions. They are, however, less intensely-defended from the top, bottom, back, and sides.
Alongside the Battleships usually come the Carriers, considered the greater cousins of the Destroyer. Whilst lacking in any proper weapons aside from point-defense and high armor/shields being installed, they can deploy and carry smaller cruisers and destroyers and even smaller attack craft to be released. High-value smaller ships and weapons can be stored on these as well, especially with their far more well-covering defenses and use of even more extensive countermeasures.
However, there is a class of ship that surprasses even the battleships...and these are the Juggernauts (aka: “Moving Fortresses”). To say these are moving death machines or “massive mobile fortresses” is an understatement. They are equipped with super-heavy and plus-sized weaponry, ranging from massive oversized autocannons to gigantic rail-weaponry to great x-ray lasers that can wipe out a number of smaller ships when actually charged and fired. The exterior of these ships are coated in layers of high defenses, ranging from high-density energy shields to superheavy armor to another. Their unique defense of a several-layer-thick coating ‘sea’ of liquid ‘living metal’ alloys can absorb explosion and solid impacts, whilst outright soaking or deflecting directed energy weapons and thermal energy. These layers of defensive coatings are capable of regenerating, made with a ‘living metal’ developed by Veltron scientists for such a use, and hundreds of floating defensive turrets/silos and point-defense systems that can be deployed on the surface for defense and be retracted to keep them safe. This alongside large docks that can launch and store a decent number of ‘lesser’ craft to some extent.
The Juggernauts are a ridiculous class of ship unique to the League and developed extensively within it, super-sized ships of war that contain a myriad of agriculture, living, medical, processing, recycling, cloning, farming, and other blocs internally that make them moving, self-contained, self-sufficient supercities of their own. Of course they need occasional resupplying for some things once in a long while, but on their own they can operate in the field for a rather long time before needing to dock or get shipments or the like. They contain a massive amount of troops and engineers and the like for battle, and even a massive civilian population to ensure the place keeps running, and frankly speaking naturally number far, far less than any of the other types of ships in the League’s military for very obvious and costly reasons. Even so, they are very effective and very hard to crack if they actually get involved. Even so they are like any other ships or space fortresses in that they aren’t perfectly impenetrable or uncrackable.
-In regards to planetary warfare:
Land battle doctrine within the League is generally a flexible and 'modern' type of approach.
The average or "base" tactic is composed of mixed mechanized infantry and tanks initiating combat, utilizing hyper-advanced all-terrain track-based movement systems, stacked anti-mine and other such defensive systems/countermeasures, durable designs, and raw speed/firepower to push into a given area first and secure a foothold. This push is supported by drone attacks and long-range vehicles such as advanced multiple rocket launchers made for hit-and-run tactics to avoid getting caught in-place. Air support in the form of drone strikes and air/space vehicle bombardment tends to follow or also accompany this, and the use of cluster munitions is at times used to soften up targets ahead of time or during battle in tandem with these things to hit the enemy hard. In short, a very high-firepower and very aggressive style meant to deploy and move rather fast in effect. Coordination between various units over spectrum-frequency highly-encrypted comms systems, made to be durable in the field, and similar measures in order to maximize efficiency in such planetary operations. Aside from these larger-scale tactics for larger battles, the use of snipers, spies, saboteurs, ambushers, and sub-units of elite commandos sent in to tear up the enemy and strike from the shadows to cause confusion, acquire information, instill fear, and weaken enemy lines is another more common means of approaching combat by League soldiers when a direct assault isn't viable enough. When taking up defensive positions a number of things are also used, including: mini-shield generators to filter out harmful gases and such, automated mechanical or bio-tech defenses, and traps such as landmines and advanced 'invisible fences' are employed alongside ever-changing patrol schedules to ensure a careful vigil is maintained. (In other words, a generally scifi-ish means of warfare based on modern day in some manner or another.)
However...this is the public manner of performing military operations. Efficient, smooth, sleek, and overall very well-armed and generally well-planned-out from the tech/weapons used to the manner of deployment. Even Telethoram assault forces grown and designed for each battle, potentially implanted with tech or cybernetics and gene mods or such additionally, are able to be employed in both aggressive and defensive manners alone, alongside normal troops, or the like. Alternate forms of tactics can also be employed depending on situations and opponents and other conditions, of course, though this isn't all. While a 'kosher' and 'standard' and 'ethical' means of warfare is generally enforced in accordance with the Eden Accords, there is also a far darker means in which League warfare can be and is conducted in a far less visible, vastly more secretive and macabre fashion.
Radical bioweapons in the form of fungal-grown monstrosities tailored with things such as emitting toxic gases and mind-warping spores or shapeshifting abilities, generically-engineered beasts beyond all recognition that were implanted with cybernetics rendered invisible to thermal systems by adapting to local conditions and used to drag enemy soldiers off into the dark of the night screaming, deployment of bio-mechanical-nano-machine clouds that devour organic tissues or consume/drain the energy from shields and enemy cybernetics/machines, experimental weapons unleashing toxic cocktails of chemicals and gases that destabilize molecular bonds and liquefy those unfortunate enough to enter their effective area, toxic serums that only affect the genes of psionic individuals or target the presence of psionium in the tissues of targets and have a lethal and truly horrific reactions with psionium, clouds of microorganisms that rapidly reduce the temperature of an area and flash-freeze victims caught within as they unleash hallucinogens that disorient the soon-to-be-dead, stealthy assassinations and wholesale brainwashing of enemy agents or soldiers or the like, and more are among the secretive and darker means of warfare that the League's planetary forces can commit. Whilst some would see this as war crimes, cruel measures, unspeakable horrors, and terrifying things that should never have seen the light of day, the League sees these things as measures and the like meant to be "deployed as needed" and at the League's discretion. Extensive programs and measures are taken to develop as well as conceal or 'smudge over' and cover up these operations and types of warfare, and a myriad of potential sources of blame and even scapegoats for such actions have already been prepared and constantly updated extensively and in intense detail. It isn't perfect, no systems of concealing such is for any race anywhere, but it would be a very tough nut to crack indeed when deployed.
Indeed, if there is one thing that the League has learned in their time in the Eden Cluster, not all 'play by the rules' and even more will play their hands under the table or in dirty ways. If such measures are felt to be needed, then such assets will be deployed without hesitation. The Eden Accords were signed by themselves and others for the sake the Cluster itself, but only a fool would leave themselves vulnerable to the atrocities of the past. To seek knowledge of them, to understand them, to grasp the nature of them, and more is something of value in regards to ensuring the League's survival among the stars. Of course the deployment of these things isn't a super-casual, as within the League's military there is a very distinct and protected chain of command and codes and the like for such things to be approved for deployment, but at the same time it is what it is no matter how one sugar-coats it. No nation in the Cluster, or perhaps beyond, is ever beyond having a 'dark side'. No amount of speaking to 'truth' and 'justice' and the like would ever be able to truly bury the dirty actions any government has done. No amount of scapegoats and blame-takers and the like will be able to wipe away the sins committed by those willing to do so. This is the truly dark side of the League's military that doesn't often rear its head, like a great, slumbering beast that lies in the darkness of a great cave, but when it does awaken and emerge...one does not want to be on the opposing end.
History: A nation born from the early days of the Eden Cluster, forged from the races and planets and people affected by contact with humanity and the technological rush and advancement they brought with them. Yet with the Jump Gates came incredible change and growth regardless. Spreading to other systems, places, and climes never before seen, the tendrils of life itself stretched out like an ever growing web in the northern end of the Eden Cluster. The strong yet peculiar Formians, the technophilic yet diminutive Veltron, the resilient yet alien Telethoram, and the brave yet primitive Renalians, all would eventually come to be affected by this era of new understanding in more ways than one. Some of these races had barely touched space, some not at all, and others had a little more experience than the rest. Still, all these groups would come to run into each other and start the foundations of something great. Indeed, in 175 EC these races would band together in the face of dangerous enemies and an uncertain future to form the The Forveliam League.
Initially beginning as a confederation and league of sorts, then tightening as conditions changed and the flow of time went on, the name of the League stuck for heritage’s sake even when eventual (if not inevitable) reforms created the current system they use today. Among those involved in the Frontier Wars, and among the nations wary of the ITC, the League seeks to cement its future in the Eden Cluster and show itself as a power to not be messed with.
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Characters:
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Other: Capital is on the Formi/Formian homeworld of Balor. Has trade with the Confederacy.
The Federated Systems Alliance (FSA or SA) is a political and economic alliance comprising of currently four species working together. The Midgarian Confederation, Terra Nova Republics, Krentasian Empire and Meivun Empire. The Alliance is a federal type of government.
The Federated Systems Alliance is governed by a president who is nominated by the ruling council and is confirmed by all the member worlds of the Alliance. It should be noted that the member worlds retain their own governments and leaders, and the Alliance president is not in a position of direct command over their internal affairs. The president acts, in many ways, as chief administrator who organizes and manages the various elements of the organization. In the larger context, the FSA acts as an umbrella under which members can collaborate on various issues as they relate to diplomacy, trade, exploration, humanitarian aid, defending members and those who may ask for assistance against hostile powers and piracy.
The advisory board for the Alliance is made up of senior representatives from each of the major Alliance powers, including the vice president. The council acts as a cabinet to the president advising him on events, supported by functional officials such as the Director of Covert Intelligence and the head of the Alliance Fleet along with the head of xenobiological research authority. Their other main role is nominating a new candidate for president when the current one is unfit, dies or decides to leave office.
The ruling council of the Alliance is composed of ambassadors of the major powers of the Alliance, wherein each member of the FSA Council has an equal vote and voice in the Alliance government. It is also the Council that foreign Ambassadors from other nations also meet with to discuss anything of importance from the likes of for example trade, Diplomacy or events that are happening around the Eden cluster.
FSA Covert Intelligence is the main intelligence gathering body for the Federated Systems Alliance. Soon after the formation of the Alliance, it became clear that the Alliance needed an organization to keep track of what the various nations were doing, and to keep track of various external and internal threat including other Alliance members.
At its formation, membership in the Alliance was offered initially to the Midgarians, Terrans (Humans). Krentasians and Meivuns joined at a later time. Before becoming a fully-fledged member, each new member must agree to abide by and uphold the Alliance's laws. Each member world or race assigns an ambassador to the Alliance, where they act as a legislative body who may get positions into the FAS Council and Advisory board depending on the availability candidates to take on such roles.
Demographics
The Midgarians are a humanoid simultaneous hermaphrodite species, they have an endoskeleton, lips, teeth which is similar to that of humans. They have two luminescent eyes with glowing irises, eyelids and tear ducts; this means the eyesight of a Midgarian is pretty standard during the daylight, they are able to see normally during extreme darkness or night. This 'night vision' does come at a cost, however, their focus on distant objects can be slower than that of a normal human as their pupils do not dilate. they also have five fingers, one of which is a thumb along with five toes on each foot, The Species reach approximately 5'6 to 5'10 on average and weighting 158 to 170lbs on average.
In appearance, however, the Midgarians are distinctly feminine, at least to other humanoid races. They have a slender feminine build with slight muscular tones and curves, their skin colour is usually purple, blue or pale grey which is of a smooth leathery texture. Generally, Midgarians reach maturity around the age of 22 years old with a lifespan approximately 300 years, Midgarian facial structure and hair actually makes them close to humans in physical appearance. Their physical strength is similar to humans within their own natural gravity of their home world, however; Arinar's gravitational pull is many times greater than the planetary average., a Midgarian possess elevated strength and resilience in environments with an Earth-like or similar gravity, with some human's often joking they have super-strength.
Midgarian's have a complex endocrine system, having several more hormones and chemicals than humans. Although internally, Midgarian's have less glands than the human endocrine system, The Midgarian system produces a greater variety of hormones for each gland present. The most notable of these hormones is the calming chemical known as Relaxitin, which is released from the Midgarian equivalent of the adrenal glands when severely stressed. Relaxitin attaches to the areas of the brain that produces stress, causing the cells to calm and release dopamine, creating an effect similar to the effect of THC in humans.
Unlike most other organisms, The Midgarian's have a specialized desalination gland, located about 3 centimetres from the mouth, allowing them to drink both salt water and freshwater. When salt water is ingested, the gland produces several enzymes that remove the salt from the water. The removed salt molecules are then transported by the blood to the skin, where it is then released from the body, much like sweating in humans. While the species has a robust cellular regenerative system, they do not heal faster than other species. Midgarian blood also differs from most other species as it is a blueish purple colour, this is due to the trace amount of Cobalt in their blood instead of Iron.
As a simultaneous hermaphrodite species, as each individual possess both male and female reproductive organs with the latter being a similar internal reproductive biology to a female human. As a result, there are no gender differences, or gender-based issues which could be common to other cultures. Each individual has a smooth scalar prehensile tail hidden away in their body’s lower back, which acts as the male reproductive organ at the tip. This tail on average is about a meter long, sometimes longer. At will, though usually easier when sexually aroused, they may “grow” the tail out of their body but they prefer not to. Although it may seem that a Midgarian may reproduce without a mate having both a male and female reproductive organs, in reality it doesn't work as they have a protective mechanism against self-fertilization.
The Krentasian’s are, at highest recorded height of 3 meters (10 feet) tall, with smooth, Green-coloured skin, almost hypnotically golden eyes, and long, sweeping tails. Their bodies are more Muscular than humans. Their skin is surprisingly smooth, iridescent, and Green in colour with Krentan (Male) being darker than the Krentas (female). Their bodies have Draconic-like features such as long sweeping tails, pointed ears and triangular faces with flat bifurcated noses. The skeletal structure is reinforced with naturally occurring carbon fibre, they have roughly four times the strength of the average human.
The average Krentasian life span is longer than that of a human, approximately 30% longer, though they mature more rapidly while an average Krentan is approximately 2.7 meters (9 feet) tall; Krentas slightly less, average 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall, a Krentan has a mass around 210 kg (approximately 463 pounds), a Krentas mass slightly less, around 190 kg (419 pounds) due to lighter build and slightly shorter stature. While the males of the species emanated an aura of bulk and strength, the females have a distinctive air of grace, elegance and agility about them. Both genders of the species have fairly thick and long tails while the ones on the Krentas are thinner, their tails can be moved and controlled like any other appendage and is used primarily for balance, it can also be used to express emotion.
Krentasian’s have hair on their heads, but appear to have no other body hair, with the exception of eyelashes, eyebrows, the tips of their ears and a small "bob" of fur on the end of their tails. The reproduction mechanics are similar to humans and other. However, it should be noted that although Krentas have breasts similar to those on female humans, also used to nurse their infants, they are not placental mammals and, as such, the actual internal reproductive biology is quite different from humanity. Dentition is similar to that of humans, though the canines are more pronounced, this is because they are an omnivorous species. They eat meat as demonstrated by their hunting practices and pronounced canines but have also been seen to forage, demonstrating their consumption of plants and other produce.
Despite their green skin colour, the Krentasian’s have red blood, they also have very strong immune systems and thus quite resistant to many diseases and biological attacks, But not all. However, they can still act as carriers where other races may be more susceptible to infection. Members of species have shown to exhibit psychic abilities.
Terrans and Humans are physiologically almost identical since they were exactly the same species, However, there was one physiological difference; Terrans are a bit more sensitive to bright light. During the early years of colonizing the Eden cluster an Ideology was formed. A decision was made to call themselves Terrans, seeing themselves different from the rest of humanity of the Eden cluster, often witnessing slavery and fascists movements of those times.
A new better form of humanity had to learn from the lessons of old Terra, Terrans descendants of the old world had to not do a repeat of the same human mistakes that were endemic to it. As a society this ideology developed from the issues that the first ark had and the impact of those events that occurred. Terrans view this connection with Terra after the second ark’s help brought a chance of saving this new colony which became appropriately named Terra Nova. This caused a deeper connection to the saving of old terra, and the chance for a better future where Terrans work hard to reject the mistakes of the past and do to better of themselves for a brighter future.
The Meivun race stand at a height of 5'6 to 5'10, for females and 6'1 to 6'8 for males making them generally taller, Slim but with a muscular build, resembling humans in terms of basic skeletal structure with five digits on each hand and feet with a typical Meivun having a blue to purple skin complexion, though a teal complexion is possible albeit seemingly rare. In the place of head hair, Meivuns possess semi-flexible, cartilage-based scalp-crests that grow into shape. These structures are rigid, and do not "flop around".
They have very similar internal makeup, differences being that they utilize a six chambered heart and their lungs are generally one times the size of a human’s. This allows them more stamina than the average human. They also have a thicker bone structure. Their physical strength is similar to humans, but have better Agility, Stamina and Endurance due to their genetic makeup.
Meivuns are also known for a rather unique biology that differentiates them from other species of Eden as they have clusters of non-differentiated cells. These cells allow the Meivuns limited regenerative abilities, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to its environment, such as developing thicker skin after being burned or increased musculature to survive in high gravity. When a Meivun is injured or in distress, these cells move to the affected area and rapidly (~1 week) mature to specialized forms that will alleviate the issue. This also makes them immune to almost all diseases.
The Meivuns are deeply religious and spiritual people. They are polytheistic and believe in a pantheon of Gods. It is from one of their religious stories that they derived the tradition of the daggers and the reason why all Meivuns are trained in the art of making them.
Meivun Gods
Rihann
The Father God and High Lord of the Divine Pantheon. He rules over the other Gods with a firm and just hand and is the Patron God of fatherhood.
Rihun
The Mother Goddess and High Lady of the Divine Pantheon. Queen of the Gods, she rules beside her mate Rihann and is the Matron Goddess of motherhood.
Lestan
Lord of Fire and inventor of the forge. He is the God of fire, metalworking and craftsmanship. He is the Patron God of smiths and craftsmen. It was his forging of blades for Rihann and Rihun that caused the Meivuns to create the blade ceremonies.
Kriash
Lord of War. He is the God of war and the Patron God of the Meivun Military. It is said that his son is the Guardian of the afterlife and only through proving one’s Honor to him can they enter the Great Thereafter.
Lias
Lady of Water. She is the Goddess of Water and Life and children. She is the wife of Lestan and sister of Kriash. It is said that when a child has an imaginary friend, it is Lias in child form watching over the child.
Usnalal
Lady of Air. She is the Goddess of Air and Wisdom. She is the Matron Goddess of Scholars and most educational institutions. She is the wife of Kriash. Her son is the Guardian of the Great Thereafter and one can only enter by proving his/her Honor to him.
Leadership.
Economy.
The FSA’s is the major export within the shipbuilding and vehicle industry offering up wide variety of design of ships and vehicles to buy or rent for the public and private sectors covering a wide range or areas such as Medical, science, freight, passenger, exploration, mining and salvage and the odd luxury. It was bolstered by an FSA initiative after the great Eden war called ‘Project Horizon’ to help companies and individuals with good legal standing to mostly help improve conditions on Frontier/Tertiary worlds but also Peripheral/Secondary worlds can still benefit. In addition, a FSA subsidy is being offered to discount the bulk purchase of ships and vehicles.
Other imports and exports include raw metals, alloys, minerals, foodstuffs, Articles of apparel & clothing accessories, industrial machines and Medicinal & Pharmaceuticals. There is free education and healthcare within the FSA.
Military.
Alliance Navy
Infineon Class
Stabia Class
Polaris Class
Ares Class
Stingray Class Stealth ship
Scimitar Class
Orpheus Class
Katana Class
Storm of Olympus class
Dauntless Class
Eternal Vigilance Class Heavy cruiser
Icarus Class combat carrier
Vindicator Class
Liberator Class
Januotha Class
Excalibur Class
Leviathan Class
Valkyrie Class.
Thanovus Class
Nefraya class Fighter/intercepter
Lucen Class superiority fighter
Remora Class anti ship Fighter
Polaris Class anti ship Fighter
Vindicator Class Fighter/Bomber
Mantis class super heavy bomber
Spectre Class Dropship
Phantom Class heavy Dropship
Thunderhawk Class super-heavy dropship/transport
Alliance Troopers Valkyria Squads.
Alliance Commando
Alliance Psi Commando
Enforcer Squads
Sniper Squads
Intelligence agents
Light Assault/Recon Vehicle
Kodiak Infantry Carrier Vehicle
Heavy multipurpose utility vehicle. -Mobile utility platform.
