Classic_Spaceman

A clear picture of the Space Mining Mech has been released (via Brickset): I am not sure why the arm with the saw is orange, since the rest of the mech is white with a bit of red and dark blue. Unlike the drone, this set is not perfect - The shoulders are rather blocky and the arm-joints protrude too much (though both of these issues should be easy to modify). Additionally, after the excellent Minifigs from the rover and the drone, the absence of one in this set is glaring - Particularly since the mech shares the rover's colour-scheme, so an astronaut from that faction would fit nicely and tie the sets together. That said, the cockpit does look like it can be modified to fit a Minifig, which I like.

@Lord Duvors @Waterbrick Down What, if any, names have you thought of for major planets in the League (aside from Arcadia)? (I ask, because I am writing the Director of Blackstar's research division as coming from a prominent League planet).

OK - I was simply wondering if there were a connection between the two, and if you planned to develop them any more. BTW, I have actually never seen Babylon 5, so any similarities between it and my ideas were purely coincidental! Good. ? Here are a few writeups that I have finished: MagneTronics Engineering (MTE): A fixture in the galactic corporate landscape for over two hundred years, MagneTronics Engineering is the premier manufacturer of heavy machinery in the Euripides Arm. Taking both civilian and military contracts, MagneTronics' proprietary technology can be found anywhere from mining and manufacturing equipment to advanced weapons systems and maglev transit networks. In their capacity as the primary donor to the Nendara Relief Foundation, MagneTronics Engineering has begun to expand their philanthropic work - A move that many see as simply an attempt to improve their public image in the post-War era. Ocquos-Tanaxxis Energy Consortium (OTEC): The Ocquos Mining company was founded roughly one-hundred-fifty years ago from the unification of various smaller mining operations in League territory, but their rise to their current status as a major corporate power would come decades later, following a merger with an older cabal of Pluravvian fuel-merchants called the Tanaxxis Guild. In the wake of the so-called "Elevation of the Merchants" within the Pluravvian Empire, dealings with the Pluravvian merchant class became acceptable, despite the lingering perceptions of criminality. Now called the Ocquos-Tanaxxis Energy Consortium, often stylised as 'Oc\Tan', they are known as an immensely-powerful energy conglomerate that holds a near-monopoly on fuel production and distribution throughout the Euripides Arm. Pharsus ("FARCE-us") and Nendara factor into the backstories of a few of the characters that I am working on, and FreeSpace, IRIS, and Blackguard Security are connected to Blackstar. I will have those writeups (along with backstories for Blackstar Triad personnel and assets) completed soon. Ah, OK. ? @Lord Duvors

A clearer look at the Space Police officer and the alien, from this thread: The Space Police officer is a direct update of the original (even the torso under the armour has the classic SP1/Futuron Black design!), which gives me hope for updates of other factions (M:Tron, Ice Planet, etc) in future series. I am not entirely certain that the alien is a criminal, though. Despite the crowbar and the orange jumpsuit, there is nothing that suggests that he(?) is a prisoner (e.g. a number badge). Combined with the breathing apparatus, the jumpsuit actually looks more like a miner's coveralls. Also, do we know if the head is dual-moulded or two separate pieces? It looks like it could be either. ?

I knew that they were a different species, but I wondered if they were perhaps engaged in some kind of conflict with the Ancient Empire (or what is left of it). For example: The Benefactors and the Ancient Empire grew into galaxy-spanning civilisations with powerful weaponry, so any direct conflict between them would result in mutually-assured destruction. Thus, they fight each other by starting proxy wars between "lesser" civilisations (of which the Five-Year War is one). Since the Ancient Empire originated in the Euripides Arm, the Benefactors chose to elevate the Ytaxxi with the intention of their eventually coming into conflict with the Ancient Empire's descendants (or something of that nature). BTW, how are you pronouncing "Pluravvian" and "Ytaxxi"? I say "plure-AVIAN" and "yih-TAXI". That is what I had suspected, but I wanted to be sure. OK. How does this look, as a rough general timeline? Pre-War History Pharsian Unification: ~300 Years ago. Calaxxian Reformation (Pluravvian Empire): ~200-300 Years ago. MagneTronics Engineering (MTE) Founded: ~200-250 Years ago. Pharsian Plague Emerges: ~250 Years ago. League of Independent Planets Formed: ~200 Years ago. Tanaxxis Guild Founded: ~200 Years ago. Ocquos Mining Founded:~150-200 Years ago. Elevation of the Merchents (Pluravvian Empire): ~100-150 Years ago. Ocquos Mining and Tanaxxis Guild Merger: ~100-150 Years ago. FreeSpace Founded: ~30 Years ago. Blackguard Security Founded: ~28 Years ago. Five-Year War War Begins: ~25 Years ago. Official Duration: 5 Years (Ending ~20 Years ago). Blackstar Triad Formed: ~23 Years ago. Nendara Gate Collapse: ~3-4 Years after the start of the War (~21-22 Years ago). Ceasefire (Drandora Accords) Signed: ~3-4 Years after the start of the War (~21-22 Years ago). Colonial Secession (League of Independent Planets): ~3-4 Years after the start of the War (~21-22 Years ago). Pluravvian Civil War Begins: ~3-4 Years after the start of the War (~21-22 Years ago) Puravvian Civil War Duration (Official): ~2-3 Years (Ending ~19 Years ago). When was the ITA/Space Police established? BTW, if you can come up with a better name for the precursor to the IRIS Data Network than "FreeSpace", let me know - It was all that I could think of, but I want something better. ? What terminology are you considering? @Lord Duvors I am using the heads only, and they are not really "my" race - I only have one character in-mind who is a member of this species, and his being a Xenyr would not factor into the backstory (in earlier drafts, I just listed his species as "Space-Cat"). I simply wanted to know if they had a canon name. While I like the name "Xenyr" for this species, I am not sure what to call their homeworld (I am not fond of "Xenyr Prime"). Would you prefer to use the mask pieces for the Kimerans and have the Xenyr (and other Chima-head creatures) as a different species, or to have the Xenyr, et al as subspecies of Kimeran? I am using this head. While I am definitely developing them as a "giant shadow corporation that influences everything", they are not quite at that point yet (in-universe). I am trying to stay clear of their being overly involved in having shaped the galactic political and corporate landscape, by having them be founded a few years into the War (thus keeping them from ending up being behind the War itself). One comment after Mission Zero that stood out to me, was that my attempts at worldbuilding and giving Yelana some background often made the quest feel like it was taking place in "Yelana's world", for some players. Despite the fact that I am helping to develop 2.0, I do not want players and QMs to feel that my main faction determines the course of the entire game. Additionally, my goal is for Blackstar to be a usable faction for players and QMs (rather than just background, like the League and Empire), so I am mainly focused on laying groundwork and writing backstories for a few NPCs and the members of the Quorum, but still leaving things open-ended (I do not have a specific arc in-mind for either Blackstar or Yelana, as I want them to be developed by the course of the game). My strategy thus far has been to write Blackstar's actions "between the lines" of existing material (For example: The FreeSpace network (the precursor to IRIS) facilitated the simultaneous rebellions in both the League and the Empire, because it allowed for a means of communicating and coordinating that was not monitored/controlled by the respective governments (Additionally, I believe that Blackstar used the FreeSpace network to help incite these rebellions (possibly in order to put a stop to the War), since I find the coincidental timing of multiple insurrections on both sides of the conflict to be improbable, barring outside interference). Blackstar smuggled weapons and supplies to rebels from both factions, Blackguard Security operated prominently during the War and rose to ubiquity after (as both League and Imperial militaries have been depleted to the point that outlying systems (and even some inner ones) are left unprotected), etc). I am not experienced enough (yet) to run a quest, but I do actually have some ideas for one in-mind, for when I am ready. I am not familiar with the Syndicate/Proggs storyline from 1.0, so I am not sure if the comparison is apt. ? @Waterbrick Down I am not sure what you are asking - Are you referring to the Pluravvian Empire taking significant influence from historical Europe? ?

@Lord Duvors This looks interesting (and I am particularly curious about what you have planned for the "Benefactors", and what relation they may have to the Ancient Empire), but I do worry that such extensive history might be overwhelming for new players. Would it be possible to make a distilled version of the overall history (things that all characters would know), and either put the full version into an (in-universe) archive or use it as background lore for future quests (or a combination of both)? Also, topical paragraph breaks would improve readability (e.g. "Overview", "Government", "Culture", etc). Additionally, I have a few minor suggestions: Change the name of the "Ombudsmen" to something less Earthlike and more straightforward - Perhaps "Observators"? This fits the overall linguistic style and the theme of either fighting corruption or being corrupt, while remaining sufficiently alien-fantasy. Change the name of the Imperial Diet, as the term is too closely-associated with European history to see as the governing body of an alien race (for me, at least). My suggestion would be "Congregation", as it has religious connotations that fit the semi-theocratic Imperial government. I also have a few general questions and notes: Which pieces are you using for Male and Female Ytaxxi, respectively? What is the overall timeline for these events (both internal League/Imperial history, as well as the War and aftermath thereof)? I have a good bit of lore/backstory written, but much of it is timeline-dependant. Do you have any more ideas for Blackstar? If so, I would like to incorporate them with mine. What, if any, companies and organisations do you have in-mind for the game? I have ideas, but not much is set in stone (aside from Blackguard Security and IRIS Data Services). What is science like in this universe? Blackstar's Research division is the only one that I have not developed (lore-wise), because I am not sure what concepts are going to be used (aside from the general information about Etherium, "Druidic Sciences", and Jump Gates/Quantum Gateways). Do you have a name in-mind for a species that uses the Chima lion heads? I am calling them "Xenyr" (pronounced "zen-EAR"), with their homeworld being "Xenyr Prime", but I am open to other suggestions. Additionally, are there any plans for vampires in this game? I ask, because I have a character who uses a vampire head, but is a member of a reptilian, rather than vampiric, species. I want to make sure that I do not contradict anything.

Unless @Lind Whisperer indicates otherwise, I am treating anything that appears in the quest (pictures, stats, etc) as 'canon' and potentially-relevant. That said, I do recognise that this is a bit of projection on my part, as nearly all of Yelana's offhand comments (with the exception of her attempts to lie about her background) are significant in some way (I.E. references to other characters that I am working on, aspects of her actual background, callbacks to Mission Zero, etc). I am sorry to hear that. We can put the quest on hold for now, while you deal with whatever is going on IRL. Take the time that you need, and we can revisit the game when you are feeling better.

"Ah! Shit! Stupid ant! <Reacquire target> <TARGET LOCKED>" "Nailed it." Yelana flips the rifle onto her back, taking the Fire Bomb as she does. "Thanks - And what the hells was that, anyway? Some kind of acid spit?" Yelana wipes her face with her arm. "Ugh. . . It's in my hair, too." "<Enhance audio and extrapolate relative directions> <ENHANCING AUDIO. . . ATTEMPTING TO EXTRAPOLATE COORDINATES. . .>" "Wait - If we keep going straight - if my scans are correct - we'd still be going south. I know this is a maze, but I don't think we'll make it through by going back the way we came in. And no offence, but the last time you picked a direction, we all got sprayed with ant venom. . . Ugh. Anyway, I'd rather check out that echo - Those voices are probably the 'Wilderness Guard' Magellan mentioned." "Huh. . . Sam - Is this your village?? I didn't think we'd be out of the maze so quickly. We could've gotten turned around - Or maybe. . . <Scan for illusions - Holographic, psychic, anything> <SCANNING. . .>"

“Oh, really? I thought the southern pole was called the ‘Krysto Region’ - By the way, have you tried their Iced Whisky? It’s good - Pretty strong, though, so I wouldn’t advise more than a bottle. . . or maybe two, in your case. Trust me. Krysto Ale’s good too, but it’s probably a bit light for your tastes. And bubbly.” “Huh. . . Well, you don’t look like it.” Yelana reached for her belt, then paused. “Oh, so that’s where all my gold went. . . Kidding - I’m just kidding! I’ll have to trust you on prophets - I’ve never actually met one.” “Well, I’m glad you trust him, but I still have my doubts.” “He was being dodgy from the time I asked about them, saying that only someone who’d known a person for their entire lives would be able to notice the difference in their behaviour - And that hardly sounds like ‘living without living’, to begin with. And I didn’t stop asking questions because I was mad - I mean, I was, but I stopped after he said that there were other changes, but someone with my ‘temperament’ wouldn’t be able to understand. Whatever that means. I figured I wasn’t getting anything else out of him, and we needed to get moving anyway.” “See, that’s what’s so sus about it all, for me - Like, why would he characterise people as ‘living without living’, only to not be able to describe what the hells that actually means. I’m still sticking with my zombie theory, for what it’s worth - It makes the most sense, given what we know right now.” “I saw all that, but I still think he should’ve been dying after a hit like that. And I never said I knew what Magellan’s game was - Just that I don’t trust him.” “That’s exactly what I’m worried about - And it may even be what happened in Magellan’s village. Remember, we’ve only got his word as to what went down - He could’ve been lying.” “Like I said, I hope you’re right, but also like I said, something’s not adding up.” “Um. . . You do realise ‘she’ is standing right here, right? And to answer your question - No, not necessarily.” “Interesting. . .” “Really? I was just about to suggest that we do go that way - I’m not sure if you could see it, but. . . <Enhance last scanned image and project> <ENHANCING>” “This. The snake has what appears to be a female Humanoid on its back - She might be able to tell us how to get through this maze. Are you just scared of snakes, or do you know something I don’t?” Yelana smirked. “Don’t worry - I won’t rat on you about it. . . That is a thing people say here, right?” Yelana sighed. “You know, I don’t think they liked being called ‘vermin’. So much for communicating with them. . . <Tag location - One and a half klicks south of second saved coordinates> <COORDINATES SAVED>” “I’m on it.” Yelana took a step back, flipping her rifle over her shoulder as she did, then aimed it at the rat. “<Target locked>” OOC: I saw that, but 8/70 damage is fairly low (particularly after having been hit by a powerful attack), so Yelana’s point about Magellan being relatively uninjured still stands. BTW, I apologise for not being as active as usual - Depression is not fun! ?

"OK, that's. . . not what I thought. Like, at all. Also, that's very imprecise - How the hell is that a standardised unit of measure??" "I mean, yeah, but he didn't act like that was the case, though - In fact, he seemed like he was in a good mood. I don't know, maybe he's in shock, but something's not adding up about him." "Well, we've got advanced tech, but we're pretty insular - Wait. . . Is that what you're calling it? I guess it makes sense, 'Northern Expeditionary Outpost' and all, but it's not really a kingdom. Interesting. . ." "No, but I assumed you were the best - And you're kinda making my point for me." Yelana twists the chopstick between her fingers, tensely. "See, that's the thing - Magellan never said how he and MONAD started fighting, or why he managed to be the only survivor of the battle. He kept dodging my questions about the people who 'live without living', like he didn't want me finding out more. Maybe he just feels guilty over his role in allowing MONAD to 'heal' those people, but he definitely didn't act remorseful." "I didn't think that - I. . . I think he and MONAD may be working together. Think about it: When MONAD hit Magellan with that blast, he acted sure that it would kill him, but when I actually scanned Magellan, he barely had a scratch. Either MONAD is way weaker than we all think - which I doubt, though I couldn't get a full readout on his abilities - or he threw that fight. Either way, something's up. Like, I hope you're right, and I'm just being paranoid, but what I've seen so far isn't adding up." "No, no - I totally get that, but I also know there are people who'll use that attitude to their advantage. At best. We need to be careful who we trust." "Not a good idea, Angor - I'm trying to get a read on that movement, but whatever it is, there's no point in making any more enemies. Also, if it does turn out to be something we need to fight, I want to know what we're up against." "More like intel. I might be able to communicate with them - If they haven't gone crazy, that is. Maybe being farther away from MONAD reduces his effect on them? It's worth a shot, anyway." Yelana slides the chopstick back into her hair, adjusting her bun slightly as she does. "<Enhance visual - Identify> <SCANNING. . .>"

“He said he was fine. I think he just doesn’t take me seriously - That or he’s hiding something. . . Maybe both.” “Yeah, I’m sure. I wanted an exact location on those passages, which you can’t get just by looking - Besides, I’ve found that looks are often deceiving. You seriously don’t have holograms or cloaking devices down here? Weird.” “. . . No? And a klick’s a unit of distance, where I’m from, at least.” Yelana scoffed. “You clearly know nothing about me, and. . . You know what - You’re obviously not going to give me the intel I need, so there’s no point in trying to defend myself to you. Taking a chopstick out of her hair, Yelana walked back to the party. Yelana lowers her voice to a whisper. “Sam, are you sure that’s a good idea? I don’t trust him, and even if he weren’t so suspicious, MONAD is probably following him. Your people are unprotected right now - The last thing they need is someone like him around.” “<Tag location - Three klicks east of first saved coordinates> <COORDINATES SAVED>” Yelana twirls the chopstick between her fingers, as she looks towards the south. “<Enhance visual and run biosign scan - Identify> <SCANNING. . .>”

Yelana reached her hand in front of Sam. "Let me take a look at that. . . Excuse me." "Yeah, and? What's your point?" "OK, that doesn't sound like 'living without living' - That sounds like having minor, and totally reasonable, personality changes after a literal brush with death. I'm going to need something more useful." Yelana crossed her arms and sighed, impatiently waiting for an answer. "If it's all the same, I'm not exactly in the mood to answer any more personal questions." Yelana turned briefly back to Angor. "It's not you." "I don't know what the hell that is, and I don't think I want to. Anyway, I ran a quick scan of the area - It looks like we've got three ways out of here, to the north, the east, and the west, relative to our current position. All three are less than two klicks away, but I can't get anything else - There's some kind of interference. Sam, Mags: It's your call - My head's spinning from just being in this damn place." Yelana looked around, then tapped her visor. "<Tag this location - Use landmarks if you can't get a proper fix> <SCANNING. . . COORDINATES SAVED>" OOC: Just to clarify (in case it is not obvious), Yelana is angry, not me. ?

My first thought when I read this was some combination of Galactus and the construction of the Death Star and Starkiller Base, so I am not sure what you mean by "too modern day political". ? Is this related to the "Saturn Family" that you referenced during Mission Zero?

I think that it could be more complex than just those two options. For example, I see the O’Ko’ruk as having developed sublight propulsion (solar sails and ion drives, specifically) themselves, then traded with other species for FTL technology once they began to venture further from their homeworld. Additionally, though all O’Ko’ruk clans are capable of using FTL ships and Jump Gates, some still prefer to use the old-style solar-ion hybrid drive systems for travelling between planets in their territories (in keeping with their nomadic roots). Ah, OK. Many of the lava monster heads have designs similar to the old orc heads, just in red (Compare this and this, for example), and “Red Orcs” do exist. The reason for the apostrophes is to offset the syllables a bit, since each is pronounced somewhat distinctly (“oh-CORE-ook”). I actually like that better, as well. I was already trying to come up with a new name, since having “matter” in the name of a substance that is distinctly not matter seemed like a bit of a misnomer. I did want a veneer of scientific explanation, though, since I find it difficult to believe that no one has attempted to study magic scientifically, but I intentionally made “Protomatter” vaguely-defined and limitless in its potential applications, in order to prevent this sense of over-quantification. This is very similar to what I had in-mind for the progression and outcome of the war. ? Is this the Ancient Empire that you mentioned before, or something else?

“No, no - We’re up further, towards the pole. Lots of ice, and. . . that’s pretty much it.” “I’m - Wait, what the hells?! Yeah, we have a name for them - ‘people’! Just because someone was grown in a vat doesn’t mean they’re not a person - And I’d bet all of them could’ve gained sentience if you’d given them enough time for full neurocognitive development, instead of working them to death!” Yelana bit down on her lip hard enough that she tasted blood. “What are - You know what, walk and talk, before I get any more pissed off.” Taking a deep breath, Yelana tried to focus her attention on the mission at hand. “The people who ‘live without living’ - What are they like? Like, what are they doing? If I’m right, and MONAD’s got some kind of control over them, that could give us a clue as to what his plan is.

@Lord Duvors: While I was working on writing responses to your feedback, I realised that my ideas were far more interconnected than I had previously thought. As such, I will jot down what I have been thinking about, and compile everything into a list of bullet-comments and short writeups, so that we can all be on the same page. BTW, Who are the Krassar? I like what I have heard thus far (The name, Roman-styled lizard aliens (which sounds like something from Doctor Who! ?)), so I am interested in hearing what else you have in-mind for them. To the matter of species creation/development, what about taking a hybrid approach by combining old and new elements? This would keep the story from focusing entirely on either new or classic races (or mixing the two in such a way that results in excessive overlap between cultures), better accommodate part-availability, and allow for more diverse/interesting RP opportunities. For example: The O'Ko'ruk (Alternatively "Oruk" (by people who struggle with the native pronunciation) and "Orcs" (as a pejorative)). Though typically red (Nexo Knights lava monster pieces), green O'Ko'ruk are not uncommon. O'Ko'ruk designs are vaguely Asian, particularly in clothing and weapons (Ninjago pieces). The O'Ko'ruk are strong and smart (many are excellent strategists), and their culture is one of clan-based nomadism. Rarely remaining in the same place for long, the O'Ko'ruk rely on trade for goods that they cannot produce themselves. The O'Ko'ruk possess a strong sense of clan sovereignty, and loyalty to one's clan is of paramount importance in their culture. As a result of this, and of their nomadic lifestyles, the O'Ko'ruk have become known as skilled warriors (though they are not inherently warlike). That said, rival clans will often fight over resources and territory, but most clans just keep out of each other's way. Many O'Ko'ruk find themselves working as mercenaries or protectors, as their strength and skill in combat are highly-valued (particularly in the more lawless regions of the Euripides Arm). Something like this (which I only just thought of) blends classic Orc tropes with a Mongol-Samurai-inspired culture, as well as facilitating the building of characters, as it relies primarily on recently-produced parts. As for the issue of scale, while I think that the destruction of a galaxy is a bit too large for the story that we seem to be working on (since whatever could wipe out an entire galaxy is far more powerful and threatening than any of the factions/characters of the Euripides Arm), I have no problems with a refugee species from a destroyed planet (I actually think that such a race could be very interesting and compelling). Also, as a side-note, there are other ways of rendering a planet uninhabitable aside from just blowing it up - Pollution, climate-change, intense seismic/volcanic activity, disease, fallout from a war, overpopulation, depletion of resources, etc (or some combination thereof). I like this - I actually had a similar idea (Re: tangibility of deities), but that gods/demons/other supernatural beings would be extradimensional creatures. Additionally, this works well with my idea that magic stems from the manipulation of a substance called "Protomatter" (Neither Matter nor Antimatter, Protomatter was the initial material state of the universe, prior to the M/AM split (and subsequent annihilation of Antimatter). Some Protomatter remained, however, and controlling it grants almost limitless possible abilities). Deities could be beings of pure Protomatter (hence their ability to create/destroy/alter conditions/etc), and the use of magic would be the low-level equivalent of these powers. Other ideas on this subject: 1.) Universes that consist mainly of Protomatter theoretically exist, and tapping into one would be an immense source of energy. 2.) Jump Gates would be powered by an accumulation of ambient Protomatter.

"'Rebreather' - And you sure? I've got plenty." "Huh. . . Angor said I looked familiar, so you've probably just not been around where I'm from - Not many people have." "Interesting. . . So what exactly do you do?" "Wait, sorry - What's a 'Moppet'? I've never heard of one before. And how are the undead 'free labour'?" "'Living without living'. . . Not undead. . ." Yelana twirls a chopstick between her fingers, before slipping it back into her hair. "Sounds like zombies - Not the 'Grrr, brains!' kind, magically-enslaved people who live only to serve their master. If that's the case, this op just got a hell of lot more complicated." "Yeah, good question - It seems like things had already gone to shit by the time he arrived, though, so MONAD could just be an opportunist."

I lengthened the duration of the war primarily so that it would encompass multiple generations, and because I am not really sure what the status quo was before the war (since most of the changes to the galactic political dynamic have occurred since the war’s end). Rereading your original post, it seems that you had an overall younger universe in-mind, while I was thinking of something much older. ? When I said “space-WW1”, I meant it in an extremely general sense (you clearly know more about the conflict than I do!), and was focused more on the idea of trench warfare (long periods of stagnation between brief-but-deadly battles, little territory actually gained, an overall atmosphere of tension, etc). As for the duration, this is a universe with magic and Undead and long-lived fantasy races, so the idea of such a protracted war is completely believable to me. Most of my ideas are actually things that I am thinking about, with a few specifics jotted down. I find that it is easier to develop ideas via discussion, since I often have general themes or character-elements that I know that I want to use, but that I am unsure of how to work into a complete story (Case-in-point: I was working on some broad ideas for the Blacktron faction, but it was not until I saw your original ‘Black Sun’ writeup that I had the necessary framework for developing those ideas). Moreover, I do not want to spend time working on an extensive backstory, only for it to end up contradicting core elements of your plan. ?

In my mind, I was not cutting them out of the war, but rather making them a product of the war. They still have a connection, just of a different kind. Additionally, my writeup still has the Orcs as a major player going forward - I just pushed the timeline of their rise to power forward a bit (after, rather than during, the war). That said, since I took more of an internal perspective with my history, I can see how that may have been lost. This actually fits extremely well with my ideas for the Orcs, and with the internal and external views of the Red Banner’s symbolism (outsiders see the skull as a symbol of violence, and many of the Orcs themselves feel that the placement of a quasi-sacred image on the banner of unification to be disrespectful (Perhaps the Oruk first developed the culture of individual autonomy, which was then passed down to the Orcs, so the use of an Oruk skull on the Red Banner is seen to run counter to what the Oruk actually stood for)). BTW, are you planning to use this piece for the “Red Banner”? Individualism would extend to the family/clan level, though. I see the League as characterised by collaboration more than pure individualism (since, as they have a central government, some ideological autonomy would need to be sacrificed for the sake of unity). Until the Red Banner, the Orcs never had any form of central authority - Each clan ruled itself as it saw fit, and the clans generally had a sort of agree-to-disagree policy towards each other. Were you thinking of the Orcs’ family/clan-orientation as a focus on tradition? I was actually envisioning the Elves as the traditional species, given their (typically) long lifespans. I was actually thinking more about Klingon-Federation relations (specifically the Battle of the Binary Stars and the Khitomer Accords) than Kahless.

Would you be willing to PM me about this, as well? I have been working on additional lore/background (for Blackstar (primarily), the Elves, additions to the lore surrounding Jump Gates, and a minor rework of the Colonial Alliance), and I want to make sure that my ideas will fit with what you have in-mind.

How does this look? Orc Clans Until recently, the idea of Orcs at the head of a major power would have garnered laughs at best, and outright derision at worst. Seen by most as little more than savage barbarians incapable of even ruling themselves properly (much less a major galactic government), and raiders who periodically attack planets that border their space, the Orcs are, in truth, a profoundly misunderstood species. Highly intelligent, artistic, and resourceful, the Orcs place high value on individualism and personal and ideological sovereignty, preferring nomadic lifestyles wherein each clan can actualise its own ideals. As a result of this diversity, Orcish culture is multifaceted and characterised by artistry and passion in all areas of life. Tending to view "politeness" and "manners" (as other cultures put these concepts) as not only deceitful but outright disrespectful of one another, Orcs can be extremely blunt in their interactions and quick to fight. The Orcs are far from warlike, however, as they simply regard conflict as an inevitability of the acknowledgment and respect of differing beliefs - Two Orcs might greet each other with an argument and a fistfight, only to sit down and share a meal together. This embrace of individual autonomy means that their fights are generally conducted over personal differences, rather than years of built-up resentment, thus tending to be brief and without many casualties. Orcish society was upended, however, upon the surprise entry of the Elves as an independent faction in the war, and the subsequent signature of the Drandora Accords - a peace agreement between the League of Independent Nations and the Pluuravian Empire. Fearing conquest, now that the major powers of the Euripides Arm were no longer preoccupied by centuries of near-constant war, the Orc clans broke their most deeply-held convictions and unified under the infamous "Red Banner", in an attempt to project a protective image of strength. This cultural shift was despised by nearly every clan, and it remains such to this day, but it was made under the belief that no other options were available. In the view of the majority of the Euripides Arm, the Orcs represented a fragmentary society, once perpetually at-odds with itself, that had suddenly turned outwardly-violent, and the major powers scrambled to address the situation. Unthinkably, to outsiders, at least, the unified Orcs not only accepted an invitation to attend subsequent peace talks at Drandora, but they also agreed to retain their current borders and halt expansion - even agreeing to membership in the newly-formed Interstellar Trade Authority. Internally, however, resentment amongst the Orcs has been building over the "Red Banner" of unification. Chosen to symbolise ferocity and singularity, many of the clans find it a despicable reminder of how many already see them - A monolithic and brutal race, who know only the language of war. I changed the Orcs from having been the third faction in the war, both because of @Waterbrick Down's concerns that they would fill too similar a role here to theirs in the original game, and in order to give them more concrete motivations. Additionally, I wanted to establish the Orcs as a diverse and dignified species by recoding/reframing the traditional tropes of Orcish culture, so that the faction would not fall into real-world racist stereotypes (Orcs in fantasy are often portrayed as strong, dumb, warlike brutes (in contrast with more "enlightened" species, such as Elves), which reflects historical (and, sadly, modern) views of Africans, Native Americans, and other colonised peoples). I also stripped out some of the more obvious references to Klingon history. I am not sure how well this fits with your plans, since I changed the duration of the war significantly (I envision the war between the League and the Pluuravian Empire as a sort of space-WW1 - A centuries-long war of attrition with heavy casualties and extensive manoeuvring, but with little progress for either side), but my intention in doing so was to make the current state of galactic politics a major deviation from an extended status quo (and, thus, a time of great change and barely-concealed turmoil, that could be ignited by almost any new power or change within an existing power). BTW, I have some ideas for the Elves (specifically how and why they became the third major faction of the war), that I will post once I finish writing them.

This is a reference to Syn'ara Adhira, Director of the Blackstar Triad's Intelligence branch.

"OK, HOLY SHIT - That actually WORKED! I mean, I figured it would, but still! I. . . I need a sec - That was. . . Wow! OK. . ." "Uh, can you not? And what's with the cough, anyway - You said you were fine. . . Sorry - That was kinda rude. I guess Director Adhira's really rubbing off on me. Do you need a rebreather mask? I've got a few extras." "Hey, any fight you walk away from counts as a win - And we'll deal with MONAD, eventually." Yelana flicks her eyebrow nearly imperceptibly. "Interesting name - Yelana Fennix, I'm with the Bla. . . I'm from up north. You're lucky I got here when I did - I'd just met up with the rest of the group, when we came across your fight with MONAD. Anyway, you said you're a prophet? Tell me more about that."

"Yeah, yeah - You keep saying that." "Couldn't agree more." Yelana tosses her Smoke Bomb into the air with a smirk. "We'll stop you, MONAD - Just maybe not today." As the smoke engulfs the area, Yelana whispers to rest of the party. "Run. Now! Go!" OOC: Agreed. ? This should be (0/6), not (6/6).

OOC: @Lord Duvors posted while I was still writing, so I only saw his Battle Order/actions after I had posted mine. ? BTW, what are Mags' preferred pronouns? While you generally use they/them, I have also seen she/her used.