The Outer Rim has always been one of those vague, unexplored parts of the galaxy. In the interests of safety, nations refrain from sending large fleets into uncharted territory and the probes that are sent tend to wind up mysteriously vanishing. For the longest time, it was unknown how or why the Outer Rim was so unexplored.
Then the Sinnsyk appeared. At first glance these colorful, diminutive creatures don't seem like much of a threat. Who would be scared of a few hooded raiders? But they quickly established themselves as a fearsome pirate group. They could strike deep into the heart of hostile territories with nary a blip on the radar. Top secret military projects were somehow being fielded in enemy hands months before they were officially released. Unmanned probes and drones would suddenly go dark, their information lost. This was the legacy of the Sinnsyk. They went from another snotty pirate culture to fearsome thieves and phantoms of the night, with a ravenous desire for technology
To those who work with the Sinnsyk, they are determined engineers and programmers, machinists in the purest sense of the word. No code is to complex, no machine to big and their ability to find errors in such devices is uncanny. To their enemies, the Sinnsyk represent a subtle, mysterious threat. They strike deep in hostile territory practically unscathed, take what they want and leave. They have ears all over and the Network has its finger in every criminal underworld. This ability to avoid conflict, to hide from danger and to simply learn unprecedented amounts of information in short time spans more than makes up for their physical weaknesses.
Official Name: Sinnsyk Star Network Common Name: The Sinnsyk Government: Federated raider network Dominant Species: The Sinnsyk, uniquely Capital: Whilst the Sinnsyk don't have an official government as such, it is generally agreed that the largest of their star bases is the Stortvarmt Station. Systems Owned: None Planets Owned: 9 fully owned and habitable, though some planets they simply squat on and don't make moves to control. Population: TBC
History
TBC
Starmap Information
Galactic Location
TBC
Major Holdings
Largest Starbases: Stortvarmt Litenkaldt Solopp Kaotiskgalskap Behera
Held Planets from Largest to Smallest: Paardveid Breizh Pfrerdreich Ruiterji Aishite Huilebalk Gesteente Maanaw Stenholm
Social Information
Demographics
The only race that occupies the Sinnsyk Star Network is the eponymous Sinnsyk. Sinnsyk are short humanoids, about four to five foot tall, with white skin, segmental heterochromatic eyes, fluffy, feathery hair that comes in a frankly obscene variety of colours and markings all up and down their body that glow colourfully. Weight swings between 6 to 9 stone by imperial measurements, due to excessively thin muscle and fat mass. Their bodies are covered in soft, supple skin that remains smooth from childhood to maturity. Colouration is always snow white with special markings of a single, bioluminescent color. These markings can range from a few short lines on the face to long complex patterns all over the face and body. They gain nutrition via oral consumption and are particularly dependent of fructose, glucose and sucrose, which they grow and consume in large quantities. Mentally, Sinnsyk are known for their attachment to machines. This attachment has spread deep into their society, with machines of all sorts being used as currency and treasure. This has raised a point of contention amongst scholars; what the Sinnsyk did before discovering electricity is a mystery and no Sinnsyk history source goes back that far. They also have a disturbing reaction to violence - when threatened, they projectile vomit. This puke is highly corrosive and can blind and burn anyone it lands on, with the exception of the Sinnsyk themselves. Again, this is genetically hard coded into their DNA. Disturbing evidence has been unearthed to suggest the Sinnsyk were deliberately genetically engineered, though who and why they did this is as of yet unknown. Their appearances, being highly effeminate by Human standards even amongst males, is consistent amongst them all. Even the most masculine of them is never much more than androgynous - some scholars suggest this points to deliberate genetic manipulation whilst others claim this could be a perfectly natural occurrence. Their consistent desire to gather more technology is present in 100% of specimens, a rate unheard of for a personality trait, even a culturally enforced trait, and their unusual racial unity even amongst different enclaves lacks the tribalism common amongst natural races.
Society
"This is not merely a madhouse designed by a madman, but a madhouse designed by many madmen, each with an intense hatred for the previous madman's unique flavour of madness."
Sinnsyk society is not a hard one to recognise. The colour gives them away. The colour grey apparently does not exist for Sinnsyk, since everything from clothes to ships is painted in bright, intense colours. Colour is present in all aspects of a Sinnsyk's life, and grey just bores the heck out of them, so dont expect to get much eye rest if you decide to visit.
Sinnsyk also enjoy duality and opposition, which makes up a large part of their philosophical culture. They believe that everything has at least two forms and that by changing between forms at the right time, one can construct something far greater than the sum of its parts. This duality can be something as simple as broken and functional, on and off or together and apart, or something far greater and more complex. This is one explanation as to why they wear such strange garments - the opposition of the bright colours and comfortable material with the fearsome, terrifying images that are worn on them. Some Sinnsyk use duality and opposition in a different way, such as adorning themselves with dead flowers, their sweet scent being sickening, or making tight, body-hugging suits that sexualise them out of hard, protective materials that prevent entry.
It wouldn't be a raider culture without something to raid. It is the technological, from simple mechanics right up to unimaginable technological wonders, that forms the centrepiece of Sinnsyk society. Every station has a massive electronic footprint, every Sinnsyk room is fitted with a workbench for taking apart and putting together devices. They trade in tech the way other races use currency. Machinery is the lifeblood of the Network and its a Sinnsyk's whole reason for being. Without it, they would have nothing.
Law and order in the Network is a simple affair. Sinnsyk are expected to flout the rules of any planet they set foot on - Such limits only slow them down in their mission. Rape and murder are always forbidden, but there is nothing stopping a Sinnsyk from fighting back if they were attacked first. "Purposefully drawing blood" - with exemption to medical grounds - is also forbidden. They often identify with local criminals and gangs, which often has hit and miss effects. Sometimes they set up large, successful smuggling rings. Sometimes they find themselves locked up sweatshops and brothels. Depends on the gang really.
Internal dissent is very limited, made up of a few small scale grudges or rivalries - nothing that threatens to overthrow the Network as a whole. Sinnsyk treat alien races mostly with respect, unless they have some tech they want. Then they become rivals, but even then Sinnsyk treat rivalries as big games and are never overly violent or cruel.
Government
Sinnsyk have a very... loose government, which isn't the same as none at all. Generally, what happens is that a group of Sinnsyk will band together and work on a project together, then manage it between themselves. None of the Starbases, for example, were commissioned by a governing body by by groups of individual Sinnsyk who banded together to create what they created. Obviously a group of Sinnsyk who governs a Starbase or colonise a planet have more clout amongst the Network than than those who don't, but this disjointed system makes it hard to control certain individuals. It does, however, encourage Sinnsyk to work and achieve based on their own merits, so only the most diligent, most resourceful or most brilliant will climb to the top.
Technological Information
Technology Overview
Tech is the lynchpin of Sinnsyk society. Its like currency to them. The whole society focuses on or strives to gain more technology. They cant get enough of the stuff, it's like an itch that they need to scratch. As such, Technology amongst the Network is a bit chimeric. Nothing ever looks quite right. Its all taken from other nations, then experimented on and changed in ways that most people would either never have imagined or would never have dared. Every machine is unique, every device one of a kind, as every Sinnsyk who makes or steals has their own idea of what good tech is like. The Network thrives on its unique, crazy creativity and the abominations it creates because of it. Many innocent Sinnsyk have lost their minds to the desperate pursuit of more and more complex technology, constantly seeking bigger, better things. Confusingly, many Sinnsyk raiders constantly work on and improve technology purely for the purpose of stealing more technology. Improved stealth systems always get used for stealing things to improve their stealth system. God knows what would happen if the Sinnsyk ever created the ultimate version of something Its not just machines or programmes either, but medicines, chemicals, elements... anything vaguely related to science or technology, they want their own spin on it. Being as chaotic and as unpredictable as they are, the Sinnsyk rarely produce the same thing in bulk and this can make trade a little confusing. They rapidly get bored of making the same things over and over, and turn to grander projects as their minds change, leaving long-term business partners in the lurch. That steady supply of plasma pistols may suddenly become plasma shotguns, then plasma sniper rifles, and they wont understand why you're so upset.
Major Techs
Hand Crank Energy Chargers: Ah, those ancient, obsolete methods everyone else abandoned long ago. How they are sadly underused. Sinnsyk energy weapons are powered by hand-crank batteries, meaning the charge can be easily refilled. On the plus side, this makes ammo logistics far easier, and ensures that Sinnsyk never run out of shot on the field. On the other hand, trying to hand crank a machine gun in the midst of combat aint exactly easy, or quick.
Industry
Its no secret that the Sinnsyk are some of the most diligent engineers and mechanics in the galaxy. Recruiting them is a difficult task but highly rewarding, and since many have connections as part of the Network, what you pay them usually finds its way into circulation back home. Since the concept of money is so foreign to them, these engineers end up driving down the value of nearby techies, whilst lowering costs and raising profit for whatever company employs them - so if a Sinnsyk comes to town, you'll want to snag them before your rivals do.
The split between planets and starbases is simple. Planets are agricultural, starbases are industrial. If you live on a planet, it is expected that you will grow and raise the crops of the Network, which is traded with Starbases for consumption. Some starbases have small agricultural regions, but these are only really present in those bases that are out the way. Starbases' usual product is the various machines, robots and tech that provide the backbone of the Network.
Sinnsyk often find work in the black markets of foreign nations, either as traders and scrappers or as runners. Their short stature and feminine appearances mean they can easily be mistaken for children at first glance, which makes smuggling a lot easier.
Military Information
Military Overview
Space Forces
Navy Doctrine: The navy has a fondness for penetration stratagems. They strike deep into the core of the enemy territory, then go on a raiding spree. Of course this is done quietly and in a seemingly random order, which makes it hard to predict where they'll be next. Their ships are small and light, fast moving and equipped with high-quality stealth devices. This obviously drains from their armour and weapons systems - even the heaviest Network ship does little more than disable any ships and rarely destroys them outright.
Ground Forces
Ground Doctrine: Sinnsyk ground tactics are characterised by their long range, cautious nature, and swift entrance and exit. They rarely attack directly, preferring instead to harass and frustrate enemies, wearing down morale and attacking supplies. They are keen practitioners of the Fabian Strategy, even on foreign ground, and a large part of their strategies rely on remaining undetected for as long as possible. Tactically, they also use long-range harassment tactics. Small fire teams are deployed as opposed to large, overwhelming armies, and combat vehicles focus on speed and stealth, not armour. Even artillery sacrifices power for speed, so the whole theatre of war can be packed up and shipped out as soon as possible. fire team tactics include long-range fire then falling back or going into hiding, so as to frustrate and demoralise the enemy. Civilian casualties are avoided as much as possible.
Demonym: Caelumian Description: Caelum is a nation known for being wild, untouched and unexplored. The natives take only what they need from the land and leave the rest to grown wild. Such a mad, uninhibited land can only prosper with an equally mad, uninhibited populace, right? Calm down, we're not barbarians. Caelum is ruled with a strict hierarchy, with the Queen Lilith at the very top, the Dark Angel Nobles just below her, then all the way through the various castes and classes. Men take castes from their fathers, women take castes from their mothers. That said, there is enough caste leeway to allow someone to rise or fall a few ranks. Caelum is considered a soft matriarchy. Women gold most of the political and religious clout, women are generally of higher classes than their husbands and it falls upon the woman to find a husband, not the man to find a wife. That said, there are no laws inhibiting men or holding back the rights women have from the male populace, so this is strictly a cultural quirk. A rich and cultured nation, Caelum is nonetheless held back from its true potential. Angels have colonised very little of the land, amassing either in large central cities or small agrarian villages that maintain the populace. Most of the land owned by the Queendom is wild and untamed. Many resources remain hidden behind the Queen's arbitrary border. Even though what they have is enough, they are still behind technologically, relying on bows and arrows before gunpowder, and they still use catapults and trebuchet rather than cannons. Caelum is a very colourful nation. Everyone, from slave to noble, is expected to wear bright, merry colours. Everything is vibrant and blooming, even terrifying at times. Fashion is jarring and contrasting. Angels may dye their hair with streaks or stripes just to stand out. Sometimes they spike their hair up or cut it unevenly, doing whatever they can to be as oug there as possible. Dark Angel nobles are the worst for it. Because they dont need the Caste facepaints, Dark Angel nobles are free to apply all kinds of madcap facepaints. Don't mistake this for wearing clown makeup of warpaint - the focus is mainly on the eyes and cheeks, favouring long stripes and big circles. Ideologically speaking, Caelum is hierarchal to the extreme. Everyone has a place. Those at the top must look after those at the bottom and those at the bottom must serve those at the top. This system, in theory, means the weak provide for the strong and the strong provide for the weak. In practice, it means the noble classes are outrageously decadent and the lower classes live in total abject fear of the higher ups. Many castles and keeps are filled with castless slave boys and servant girls who run after the ever more extravagant needs of their mistresses, taken from their families or born in captivity
Government: The nation is a feudal monarchy. All Angels are in thrall to the Dark Angels, who make up the nobility. They are lead by the Queen, Lilith, who has total power over everything and everyone in the nation. Her authority is religiously based, the Creator having given the Dark Angels wardenship over the Angels and the Angels being enthralled to their Queen. Queenhood is passed on via Assignment, however Lilith has been queen for all recorded history. If one has the fortune of being born a Dark Angel, one is destined to become a noble. The region is divided into Holds, each of which is ruled by a local Dark Angel dynasty
Economy: A thriving merchant caste of Angels runs business, however it is strictly inhibited. All trades and profits are, of course, subject to Her Majesty's approval and if she says no, then no is the answer. Local nobles also take a cut, and there are clearly defined geographical boundaries that cannot be crossed. The environment of Caelum is rich and well sourced, holding an incredible amount of rare and precious materials. However, most of this lays untouched. Religious rule declares that since the earth is property of the Creator, it must be protected and maintained. Angels are permitted to use their natural resources only if deemed necessary to survive. What exactly qualifies as necessary to survive depends on the reigning Queen, and Lilith has taken a hardline environmentalist approach, decreeing most of the land sacred. Despite this, Caelum remains an incredibly wealthy nation.
Religion: Caelum follows a primitive religion centred around the god-queen, Lilith - who remains the current monarch. Insulting Lilith or her children is considered blasphemy, and is punishable by oubliette. Lilith claims authority by a God higher than her, the Creator, through which all was made and unmade. Lilith, therefore, is the Creator's emissary on earth and is the ultimate authority after the Creator. Supposedly the Creator made the Dark Angels to watch over their paler cousins and the Angels themselves were made to protect the earth from all threats, demonic or otherwise. The religion is strict and elitist, essentially placing Dark Angels above all others. What little "worship" there is takes the form of a cult of personality.
Geography: Trees. Seriously. Enough with the trees, guys. Trees are EVERYWHERE in this nation. You cant take five steps without seeing a tree. You get out of your tree house and eat breakfast made from the fruit of a tree then go to your tree work to plant trees for the woman living in a big tree. Trees goddamn everywhere The trees are so thick and so omnipresent that Caelum is written in most maps as the "Caelumnian Forest". To make matters worse, the whole goddamn country is canyon after canyon. High plateus and deep canyons, all covered in forests thicker than a feminist's underarm. As if all that wasnt enough, the number of caves and caverns underground mean that even if you do get out the trees, you have to navigate a labyrinth of cave after cave after cave. To top all THAT off, the nation is scorching, being a jungle and all. If getting lost in a tangle of vines and caves, getting eaten alive by insects and beasts and dying of heat exposure is your bag, come down to Caelum!
Population: 8,700,000
Demographics The most common description of the creatures that inhabit Caelum is "angels". Standing between a rather short three to four foot, with woman generally taller than men, these creatures boast an impressive pair of multi-coloured wings, each as long as the person it carries. However, these "angels" have some conventionally un-angelic features. Their skin is pure white. Not simply pale, but white, like porcelain or snow. Their eyes, like their wings, are an array of colours, both in iris and sclera. Likewise, their hair grows in naturally a wide variety of colours, such as purple, blue, pink, green and orange. Blonde is the only "human" colour that appears common amongst Angels. Angels are sexually monomorphic, meaning other than genitalia and breasts there is little discernible difference between males and females. Both lack body hair beyond head and genitals. Both sexes are described as "feminine", "fragile" and "girlish" by outsiders. Their metabolisms are incredibly fast, allowing them to break down poison and fat quickly, but also making it incredibly difficult to develop muscle. Their bones are hollow, making them very lightweight and swift, but easily injured.
A male looks over his sister's head as she poses for the artist. Notably, there is not much difference in their facial features, despite their different sexes. The paint on their face is symbolic, denoting caste and rank - the male is of lower rank than the female in this instance. Also notable is the male's hood - The eyes and mouth serve to intimidate foes, be they bandits or animals and is commonly worn by hunters.
There is an exception to this rule. Dark Angels, as they are nicknamed, fly in the face of most Angel conventions. Unlike their porcelain counterparts, they have dark skin and are far hardier, with slower metabolisms and thicker bones . As is typical of Angel fashion, they cover their faces in warpaint, but since their skin is dark enough that they don't really need to mark their caste, this is pretty much just for The Gigz.
Notable Locations Auria - The capital city and largest city in Caelum, this militant city stands proud and strong against all comers. The only real "city" in Caelum is home to Heaven's Throne and the Aeternia family, headed by the Queen, Lilith. Everyone here lives in actual homes and a white stone wall has been erected around the city, making it unique amongst Caelumnian cities
Personalities of Note (Your ruler, perhaps your highest military officers, generally just use this space to help us keep track of your POV characters)
Institutions: The Rangers - Brave members of the Warrior castes may elect to become Rangers. Rangers are in charge of looking after the vast forests and mountains that make up Caelum's wilderness. There are many threats in the wilds that make this job incredibly dangerous as well as vital. The work of a Ranger is one of monitoring and preservation, and its because of the careful work of Rangers that Caelum's wilderness is one of the best kept in the world Caste Keepers - When one's rank can be determined by the painting their face, it becomes vital for someone to keep records of who does what. Caste Keepers do this job. They are the only ones who can make the special paints that permanently mark one as a member of a caste, and they are the only ones who know how to remove the aforementioned paint
Military: Organization:Battlemages are organised into Colleges, where they study and practice magic. These colleges can be called into war if the situation demands it. In addition, most nobles keep Honour Guards and retinues that they train and assign themselves and the Rangers are well trained in guerilla warfare. Troop Total:43,500 Army:The standing army consists of the Battlemages. Battlemages are a queer lot, combining both magic and physical soldiery in a very literal interpretation of the phrase "spellsword". Their shields and weapons are summoned through magic, and some adept units can even summon armour. Their magic focuses less on the typical fireballs and blizzards and more on glyphs, runes and healing. Basically, imagine normal soldiers who use magic instead of normal gear. Makes it easier to supply them, but the training is a bloody nightmare Navy:The Navy consists of three elements - The Naval Guard, the Merchant Navy and the Colonial Fleet. The Naval Guard is the militant branch of Caelum, serving as their "watchers in the water". Their job is to watch over the seas, monitor sea life and protecting against anyone who wishes to disturb it. The Merchant Navy is the economic branch. They collect the goods produced at home and take them abroad to sell. This part of the navy is the largest and most well funded, since they are most likely to be hit by pirates. The Colonial Fleet is the... Well, the colonists. They find, occupy and explore new locations, increasing the size of the Queendom and its power. Other:Jaegars - Dissatisfied with their caste, a group of Angels have reformed into a mercenary company. These Jaegars are particularly adept scouts, manhunters and assassins, often either supplimenting a normal military or serving in an elite capacity.
Other:
Lots of money and resources Highly defendable Racial Hierarchy restricts foreign interference.
Religious Intolerance Growing resentment for the upper classes Lots of nasty wildlife
Rolls
Basic Demographics & Government Info Population: 8,700,000 Territory Size: 5. Your nation is "blessed" with a significantly larger than average amount of land. While you may have a great deal of opportunities to utilize both your ample farmlands and wilderness, your borders are hard to defend and your settlements are spread out which can impede communications. Technology: 3. Slow modernization, you're lagging behind somewhat and still catching up to your neighbors in the rest of Albion. Prevalence of Magic: 3. You have a fair amount of magic proficiency but relatively few users. Government Type: 3. Your society is a feudal monarchy. Quite typical, there is a king who inherited the throne from his father, and then there are all manner of other aristocrats: dukes and barons and knights all swear fealty to one another in exchange for control of land, all in a complicated system of legal obligations... Political Stability: 2. Your people are growing increasingly discontent, but so far it hasn't boiled over to the point of violence. Or if it has, your government has found a way to suppress it before it erupted into anything major.
Economy
Overall Wealth: 6. Opulence and obscene wealth define your nation. Your streets might not be paved with gold, but great monuments, beautiful works of art, and a large variety of public works stand testament to your economic power. Your government of course has the funds to do almost whatever it wants. Urbanization: 4. Your nation is decently urbanized with the fair balance of towns and rural areas Agriculture: 9. Your nation relies heavily upon orchards and fruit plantations. Coconuts, dates, or perhaps even bananas are your main crops. For some reason all this fruit seems to make your sailors a lot less likely to get scurvy. Notable Resources: Citrus, salt, iron
Military Military Structure: 4. A school of battlemages, but little else to serve as a standing army. Levies and mercenaries both utilized during times of war to create an army of average size. Military Focus 5. Emphasis on light infantry and skirmishers. Navy: 3. Average navy, has limited force projection capability Military Leadership 5. Generals are somewhat competent; competitive; mixture of hereditary nobles and soldiers that rose to the rank through battlefield exploits Military Reputation 3. Many call your forces valorous; others say that they are brave to the point of stupidity.