List of Factions

The factions represent the place of employment of each colonist. Each faction is expected to cooperate for the good of the colony but retain their autonomy and cannot be ordered to do anything by other factions. Only a decision by the Nadezhda council approved by the Premier can force a faction to perform a task. Thanks to their close cooperation employees under a faction may be employed by up to two factions (but never more than two), though no colonist may have more than one registered head role. For a example, the the blackshield commander could not also be the marshal warrant officer, but could be a marshal gunnery sergeant. The only exception to this rule is the role of premier, which may be held by any faction leader on a volunteer or permanent basis.

Factions

The Marshals

“Who but we stand between order and chaos? Who but we fashion for ourselves an armor with which we protect our people? I have my transgressions with the Sol Federation, but we cannot survive without order and structure.” -Boris Kilmeade, in conversation with Ayanda Mwangi.

Owner: Boris Kilmeade Acting Leader: Warrant Officer

The original marshals were once corpsman of various military divisions, mercenaries, policemen, detectives, and bounty hunters. The founder of the marshals was an ogre variant abhuman known as Boris Kilmeade, despite his questionable choice in name and gene splice it was his leadership and magnetic personality that convinced the first military men who would later become the marshals to desert their posts. Once a captain of the Sol Federation system defenses now turned deserter Boris began an aggressive and secretive plot to recruit a large number of forces after being contacted by the Lonestar with coordinates of a far off and safe star system with which a new colony could easily seize. His campaign first began with military personnel of the Sol Federation forces and later, due to their ties to the local precincts and police divisions, the civilian and paramilitary forces working under Sol Federation government. As more and more men and women joined his plot Boris began to expand his recruitment outward to begin collecting spacers familiar with smuggling, clandestine operations, and high risk operations. As such near the end of the deadline set by the Lonestar for shipping out the marshals had expanded to include many mercenaries, bounty hunters, and even soldiers from unaligned planets. Unfortunately, the day they finally began their migration the plot was discovered and the Sol Federation acted swiftly and violently. While the marshals were able to escape with plenty of supplies, weaponry, and materials they accrued heavy losses and nearly all combat capable ships were destroyed in the resulting bid for freedom. By the time they joined the colony fleet over half their number was destroyed in the resulting skirmishes. Boris Kilmeade managed to survive the conflict and to this day advises marshal forces, though he has taken on a role as a chief provost marshal to the marshal warrant officers, intervening only when required. The marshals now operate as the internal police force to the colony investigating crimes, handling disputes, and dealing out justice where required. Due to many marshal forces having military, mercenary, and police backgrounds a large portion of marshal officers double as volunteer blackshield and prospectors, applying their wide variety of martial skills towards these high risk jobs. They also work very closely with the Blackshield and maintain the armory from which the blackshield gets its heavier ordinance and more lethal weaponry

The Blackshield

“I don’t order men to die, I tell them where conflict is and they go willingly to sacrifice everything in our defense. We don’t want men who die for our cause, we want men who will die in the name of their cause. God willing I will stand next to them when it happens.” -Ayanda Mwangi, in conversation with Boris Kilmeade.

"We are an island in a sea of chaos, we must endure." -Anonymous Blackshield Commander, in a fax to the Council regarding the security of Nadezhda's perimeter.

Owner: Ayanda Mwangi Acting Leader: Blackshield Commander

The Blackshield were originally founded by the joint Nadezhda factions under the pretense of protecting the colony from external forces in the form of hostile natives, hostile fauna, and potential pirates. Officially speaking the brigadier has the sole authority over the blackshield and members are expected to respond to and eliminate all threats regardless of former affiliations. Core blackshield who are not volunteers are strictly loyal to the colony and rigidly train volunteers with that in mind. That said, nearly half the original blackshield trainers were split between former sol federation citizens and military forces. Among the ranking members of the blackshield there are the corpsmen and troopers who make up the primary ground forces and the blackshield commander and sergeant, who function as leaders and directors in the field of combat. The blackshield follows a rigid command structure and expectations of its members. While the blackshield has its official career personnel who are registered and on duty even during times of peace they also include the volunteer militia, made up of colonists from other jobs who wish to aid the blackshield in dire times.

The Prospectors

“Give me your worst. Give me the bastards, the thugs, the criminal and pious alike. I want every god damn drudge you got because fella, this job requires an independent streak a mile wide and enough grit to fill a god damn bulk mining drill.” -Boss Hogg, founder of the prospectors.

Owner: Jeremiah Hogg Acting Leader: Expedition Foreman

The prospectors are another faction formed by the colony under the direct leadership of over-boss Jeremiah Hogg. The prospectors were originally founded by members of the Lonestar mining division who had the knack for exploration and scavenging and began to gravitate towards looting old ruins. Due to the inherent risk and cost of such endeavors the Lonestar collectively banned miners from participating in this venture. In response, the foreman of the Lonestar mining division, Jeremiah Hogg, split from the division with several miners and left the colony. Jeremiah Hogg was a popular abhuman of a warthog variant who amassed much respect of those with criminal reputations in the Sol federation and with him many ne'er-do-wells set up their own operations in the wilds looting ruins and fending for themselves. The roughnecks of the group managed to not only carve out a successful living but found many valuable and expensive bits of loot sifting through the ruins. This wealth and success did not go unnoticed and despite tense relations between the sarcastically named ‘prospectors’ the Lonestar saw potential now. Although it took a lot of greased palms and negotiations between the Lonestar, prospectors, and the colony factions eventually the prospectors were allowed to rejoin the colony as an official faction after paying several fines and entry fees. The de facto over boss is still boss Hogg, who now lives in the colony over seeing prospector operations and delegating the day to day expeditions and tasks to his foremans. Additionally, the prospectors follow the same policy as the blackshield and recruit anyone willing to join, either temporarily or permanently, as team members. Perhaps a call back to their original members the prospectors kept the name and willingly help the Lonestar miners, usually as escorts in the dangerous caves or by marking spots they’ve detected large ore deposits with flags, something boss Hogg gives bonuses for doing.

The Soteria Institute

“Science is made upon the shoulders of giants, as the humans are so fond of saying. I’ve never been one to ask the why or should of something, only if we can. Can we make a combat exosuit that can phase through walls? Can we make bombs that rival nuclear warheads? Can we bring someone back from certain death? The answer is yes, Premier, and I am entirely uncaring of if you take umbrage with this mindset.” -Nakharan Mkne, in conversation with a Premier and Nadezhda council.

Owner: Nakharan Mkne
Acting Leader(s)
Medical Division: Chief Biolab Overseer Research Division: Chief Research Overseer

The soteria institute is considered by many a radical among the scientific world of the Sol Federation and its Mar’qua allies for several reasons. The original corporation is a joint operation employed by the empire to research the most advanced technology in all areas from biology to weaponry and has long provided the federation with its most advanced tools of warfare and state crafting. It’s success is largely attributed to its willingness to allow any scientist, regardless of background, to achieve high status through merit alone. Yet one single director of the company, one Nakharan Mkne, stood out among his peers and took the already radical companies ideology and brought it to the extreme. Known as a maverick even among his peers the Mar’qua born Nakharan jumped at the idea of joining his own independent colony and, in a true fashion to his radical ways, opted to join the colony through a long range teleportation device his personal research divisions were working on. On the day of the colonies arrival Nakharan made a grand appearance in the skies of Amethyn as his ships loaded with valuable research and technology appeared in the sky… and exploded. Few ships survived the experimental bluespace teleportation at a long range, sending nearly all of them crashing into the planet and spreading their valuable materials and technology across the surface. Crucially, Nakharan had the foresight to ensure his researchers survival with specially designed and reinforced pods which ensured most of his underlings and himself survived the resulting crash to the planets surface. The soteria institute took the failure in stride and quickly gathered what supplies they could easily salvage and built an advanced research and medical bay. The faction is now headed by Nakharan who oversees both the medical and research divisions of the colony and delegates the day to day work to his chief subordinates, the biolab and research overseers.

Lonestar Shipping Solutions, LLC.

“I want credits to flow my man, ya feel me? Every man has his vice, his luxury, his creature comforts. He’ll pay whatever it takes and baby I’m here to make a mint. You might feel me as a vicious capitalist but baby I funded this and I'm in this for the long haul.” -Robert Ryan, founder and owner of the LSS.

Owner: Robert Ryan Acting Leader: Chief Executive Officer

When it comes to smugglers and deep space runners there is no company more willing to take risks than the Lonestar shipping solutions. Aggressive marketeers seeking untapped sources of profit the Lonestar originally began as a quasi-legal operation working just outside Sol federation jurisdiction. This came about by the Lonestar founder Robert Ryan, a pure human known for his slang filled speech, began filling the niche of frontier gun runner and medical supply depot by finding untapped markets in the frontier in need of the basic necessities. What set the Lonestar apart from its competitors was its ruthless pursuit of profit at any cost and rumors were abound for decades that the Lonestar worked with and for pirates, rebels, and federation forces alike. This quasi-legal operation could not last however and eventually the large profits the Lonestar was making was finally noticed by the Sol federation. The only thing more sure than death now came after the company and that was taxes. Due to the Lonestar working outside of Sol federation jurisdiction they avoided paying taxes on all purchases and deliveries, however, the main office was safely within federation space. The federation bean counters began to tally up every single transaction the Lonestar had made since its founding under the pretense of owing back taxes since its main office was in Sol federation space it owed it for the ‘protection and allowed growth within its borders.’ At the same time the Sol federation courts began a completely transparent bid to sue the LSS and court proceedings began to file seizure to wrest control of the company from then CEO Robert Ryan and claim it as a government corporation.

Robert Ryan, in true fashion with his reputation as an absolute madman, began to do everything in his power to avoid paying the taxes that would bankrupt him while trying to prevent the seizure of his company. By greasing palms of a few easily bribed men in power Ryan was able to slow the already snail’s pace court systems further and began to plot his escape, along with his company assets, from Sol federation space. Using coordinates to a safe and unclaimed star system at the edge of the galactic rim he created the plans needed to form his own colony. After months of back deals, bribes, foreclosures, and market maneuvering the Lonestar corporation managed to broker a deal with several other factions of a similar mind set to create its own independent colony. With a final payment to a bill board displaying Robert Ryan giving the middle finger above his former headquarters the Lonestar left Sol federation space for good. At the colony Robert Ryan remains the owner and proprietor the LSS but spends much of his time off the colony conducting business and market research within the Kriosan confederacy, their largest market for exports. He leaves the day to day operations and tasks to his subordinates, the chief executive officers. The Lonestar currently holds ownership over the mining division, the bar and kitchen, janitorial staff, botany, all cargo traffic, and any/all trade deals.

The Artificers Guild

“It's a cliche I know but I see every man and woman here, from apprentice to adept, as family. I didn’t begin my path as an engineer, I began it as an apprentice blacksmith at my father’s forge. We made claymores, hunting claymores, my fondest memories of family are at the anvil with my father’s hand guiding my hammer. I can only dream my apprentices see me in the same light.” -Tacitus O'Connor, grand master of the guild, in conversation with Robert Ryan.

Owner: Tacitus O'Connor Acting Leader: Guild Master

The artificers guild is a relatively small group known among the Sol federation military as competent engineers, techs, and maintenance men who for nearly a decade were solely responsible for the Sol systems military maintenance. The artificers guild were prized largely for their long reputation for fair dealing, honesty, and hard work. The artificers guild is most certainly the oldest faction among the colony and began nearly two centuries ago as a family owned business working as electricians, engineers, plumbers, and star ship repairmen. Over decades of fair service and honest dealings earned them a wide renown for such a small group that nobody could ever quite consider a corporation. This promising reputation is what ultimately led to their undoing as the star system of Sol decided to conscript them, despite their protest, to work pro bono for the Sol militarily defense. For nearly a decade the artificers guild worked for the Sol military without pay, given only what was required to house and feed the many guild workers who grew steadily to resent what they saw as their enslavement. This enslavement changed upon the promotion of a new grand master, Tacitus O’Connor, who unbeknownst to much of the work force and the Sol military had been plotting to free his guild from their conscription. Tacitus is an abhuman of the sablekyne variant and was known as a hard working and fair man, commonly accepted as a brilliant engineer. Tacitus, along with several engineers and computer techs, had been plotting for months with the aid of another rebellious man, Robert Ryan and owner of the lonestar shipping solutions, to escape Sol federation space. Together they worked to find a single window and opening in the Sol defense network that would allow the guilds only ship to escape. Their lucky break came during a militarial parade in honor of the Sol federations successful annexation of another smaller empire. In this brief window of celebration Tacitus and several guild adepts powered up their ship and launched it out of Sol space using a stolen bluespace FTL drive provided to them by the lonestar.

Apart of their deal to aid them in escaping the artificers guild agreed to join the colony as their resident engineers and technicians. This position proved advantageous for the now wanted members of the guild who saw little else in the way of opportunity. The members of the guild are still lead by Tacitus, who oversees all construction and maintenance of the colony while delegating day to day tasks to his guild master. In addition to construction work and repairs the artificers guild provides maintenance to all guns, machines, colony systems, and control the power systems which consist of a gutted ship engine from their ship turned into a power reactor.

The Church of Absolute

“You cannot change what is, dear friend. Everything you do is inevitable, everything decided, each number begets the next in an ordered line. You cannot change this universal order no matter how much you argue or whine. All things follow this law and your ‘science’ is merely discovering the next number, nothing more. Call it fate, mathematics, destiny, it hardly matters as to the name. We all follow it and eventually we will reach the end of it.” -Augustine Browne, in conversation with Nakharan Mkne.

Owner: Augustine Browne Acting Leader: Prime

Of the few faiths deemed heretical by the Sol federation none are more steeped in fear than the absolutists. It was not for its beliefs that they were branded an outlaw religion, but the woman behind the faith and the technology she created. Augustine Browne, former chief robotics engineer of the soteria institute and grand mathematician first founded her faith upon the discovery of a new technology she created known as the cruciform. Her revolutionary discovery was created at the behest of the Sol federation to augment soldiers in the field, allowing them to accomplish feats akin to magic even to advanced civilizations such as the Mar’qua. She succeeded, but after doing so she burned her lab to the ground and fled with her work to parts unknown. First branded a traitor to the federation Augustine later reappeared on the fringes of the frontier with conclaves of men and women behind her, those implanted by her cruciforms who preached of unity and who were capable of many fantastical and bizarre powers.

The federation police forces were quick to take notice and quicker to act to put an end to what they viewed as a cult and to claim its technology. Luckily for Augustine and her followers the strength of the Sol Federation is weaker on the frontier and her followers were able to repel police teams sent to apprehend them. This small victory did not last long, however, as retaliation was swift and brutal. Despite the gifts that their cruciforms gave them and their preparation the church of absolute sustained heavy losses as they went once more into hiding, their retreat only ensured by the detonation of the fallen's cruciforms. With nowhere else to turn and her followers left in mourning Augustine turned to Nakharan, an old friend from the soteria, for help.

Nakharan, who at the time was preparing for the bluespace jump that would take him to what would become the colony, flatly refused to help Augustine and her followers. Nakharan took Augustine’s betrayal to the soteria personally and would not allow himself to ally with a traitor, nor someone who stole technology he so rightly deserved. Yet by fated chance Augustine left Nakharan’s office only to meet with Robert Ryan just outside. Having heard most of the heated exchange the wily capitalist quickly struck a deal and within weeks the remaining faithful of the absolute gathered there belongings and fled with Ryan’s ships to found a proper church.

For more specific information on the faith itself, see the Church of Absolute page. For specific guides for church jobs, see Prime and Vector guides.

The Nadezhda Council

“We need to maintain unity if we want to survive out here. The people within need direction or they will fracture and turn on each other. Our external threats would want nothing more for us to weaken so they, like so many vultures before them, can opportunistically pick us clean of our life and wealth.” -Boris Kilmeade, during the first meeting that formed the Nadezhda Council.

Owner: Joint ownership by each acting faction leader. Leader: Premier

The Nadezhda council represents the combined leadership of the factions within the colony headed by a single leader who acts as arbiter between them. The acting council members are made up of the current leader of each faction or, in place of them, a subordinate acting in their place should they not be present. In this way the acting directors of each faction are allowed to pursue their own interests and tasks and the day to day operations are delegated to those they trust with the responsibility. The council is formed strictly for the cooperation between factions to handle greater disputes and events concerning the colony as a whole. At the head of the council is the premier, a man or woman selected from one of the factions and working as the sole arbiter of council decisions. The premier has the ability two perform two unique actions, he is the only person capable of changing someone's access level on the colony. As such he, at the request and only at the request of any faction head, may promote and demote colonists. The premier is also given the sole ability to veto decisions made by the council and can only be overruled by a unanimous vote by all current faction leaders. The premier is not an absolute authority however and may be demoted from his position by a vote of at least three or more currently acting faction leaders. He is also unable to give orders to any colony members barring his personal guards who answer only to him. By this method the council maintains cooperation and balance among the various factions and colonists.

The Hunting Lodge

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Owner: Jea Smail Leader: Huntmaster

A newly risen faction created by Jea Smail, its current Matriarch, the Hunting Lodge is not considered a part of the colony but maintains strong ties with Nadezhda. The Hunting Lodge is a group outside of the colony that allows individuals who are not a part of the colony to join their Lodge, and take part in the hunts that they do against the various wildlife of Amethyn. From hunting the deer to hunting Renders and Xenomorphs, the hunters of the Lodge are strongly independent individuals that are exceptional butchers and survivalists against the cruel wildlife.

After several months of speaking with various heads of staff, her work in bringing the Hunting Lodge to life has been brought to fruition. Taking Sablekyne weapon designs in the form of halberds and crossbows, the very weapons specialized to take down the native fauna and beasts of Amethyn gives the Hunters a edge. Knowledge acquired from the hunters of the Mordecai Hunting Company allows them to make the most use out of butchering and skinning the prizes that Hunters catch, along with a influx of experienced and veteran hunters to new members of Mordecai's people due to the alliance that was struck between the two. A trade deal had also been struck with Lonestar for what goods the Hunters bring to sell them, along with a defensive pact that was forged with Blackshield, allowing the colony to use the Lodge as a forward operating base when such situations come.