History
History of the Galaxy
The galaxy is unimaginably vast, Known Space subtends far less than 1 degree across and a mere third of a single arm of the galaxy1. Astronomers estimate this is approximately 1 / 400th of the total scope of the galaxy. Although paracausal jump gates might provide some method to cross these vast distances current FTL technology would still require over a thousand years to reach the opposite end, without accounting for time spent refueling.
Against this grandness only a few things are known. Certainly advanced alien species must occupy regions outside of known space, which has lead to many beliefs in such Ancients.
History of Known Space
Many empires have come and gone in the region called “Known Space.” Of primary importance in the modern era are
- The Third Empire, known also as the Third Committee, a Solomani (human) empire near the center of Known Space which espouses the Utopian Pillars2; decreasing scarcity and increasing freedom
- Zhodani Consulate - a mysterious barely-human realm ruled by psychic powers and constant surveillance
- Aslan Heirate - expansionist network of feuding clans composed of feline aliens
The largest even to touch all of known space was the downfall of the Second Empire. Extremely authoritarian and xenophobic and Second Empire was well-posed to conquer, and potentially exterminate, large swaths of known space. Even coalitions of other sophonts were uncertain as to the outcome of the conflict, especially with their advanced technology stemming from the Deimos Event3.
Until the Metadimensional Renormalization. Second Empire scholars refer to the event as “the Scream4,” a shockwave of metadimensional energy which drove most psychics mad and destroyed much of the technology and infrastructure that relied on similar principles. Following this event the empire was left in a dark age; jump gates no longer function, many psychic skills were lost, and planets turned to ruin and feudalism.
Outside of the Second Empire many suffered as well, but most regarded the event as being painful but necessary, for preventing a future under the bootheel of the Second Empire. In the years since a new power has emerged near Terra, ThirdComm, who hopes to make amends for their past and bring opportunity and technology to the galaxy. Many elements of the Second Empire remain however, especially in the so-called Solomani Sphere ethnostate.
History of The Beyond
The Beyond is what most call the sector in which you live. A diverse place of smaller empires, just outside the shadow of ThirdComm and the Aslan expansion5. Migrants from other sectors blended with local populations for generations, including Vargr and Sindalian refugees. Overall an era of relative peace until expanding Aslan clans lead to a series of wars lasting centuries.
The sector was reshaped when Baron Rannvik negotiated a peace treaty between the Corellan League and the 11 major Aslan clans. Following this the Third Empire has began to have a greater influence via their extensive soft power. In modern times most would consider the local groups of interest to be
- Katanga Empire
- Principality of Bruhkhar
- Corellan League
- Storm Knights
- I’Srend*Ni
- Florian League
- Monarchy of Lod
Outside of this there are dozens of unaligned planets, new colonies, and even undiscovered worlds coreward of the main sector.
History of Djend
UWP: Djend 1907 C645565-9 Ag Ni
Djend is a small farming world settled by Yagnikent6. Most in the sector know it only as the “second to last-stop before Tartakover.” Moderately toxic air requires the use of filters for any prolonged activity outside, although genetically-enhanced cattle and crops seem to thrive in the moderate weather of the temperate zones.
Nearby Yangikent is a fiercely independent world of humans called Yangi. By law all Yagni are guaranteed a substantial amount of farmland, something which has lead to about half of land on Djend being owned by Yagni citizens instead of true locals. Most locals of Djend are looking for a place to lie low, or get a fresh start.
Most of the real wealth that ever reaches Djend comes from smuggling and salvage. Ships passing through to Tartakover sometimes need a quiet place to hide and repair before having a run in with the Scout Service. Alongside this a number of Second Empire installations are rumored to still exist in the back country, ready for the looting.
History of Lewisville
Lewisville is a coastal township where you currently reside. Named after a radical, and somewhat alcoholic, rich man named Lewis who decided to turn over control of his entire estate to the local community. Most of those with previous off-world experience or interesting skills have banded together to form the “neighborhood watch,” doing charity where they can and keeping order when the law can’t.
Technology of the Current Era
With machines, computers, and other systems produced across numerous eras, by alien species, and in diverse conditions technology tends to be a patchwork of what works. This is twice as true in the Beyond. Many ships find themselves flying with scavenged parts from Second Empire battlecruisers, off-the-shelf interface units, and maybe even a few Aslan guns.
In general tech is estimated to have a “level,” based largely on how difficult it is to manufacture and deploy. Sometimes abbreviated to four main eras the full spectrum encompasses TL-0 to TL-16, rendered as TL-F in hexadecimal notation. Most planets operate around the TL-9 to TL-A spectrum. More advanced planets can sometimes produce TL-C goods, while some post-Deimos technology from ThirdComm seems to be TL-E. This includes advanced mechs produced by the likes of GMS. “Pretech” is often a misnomer, as most advanced technology tends to be the result of highly dedicated and specialized research; although there are always rumors of Ancient or pre-Scream devices with useful properties.
Mechs
The most iconic civilian mech is the P-5000 Caterpillar Powered Work Loader. However most use of mechs is for military purposes. On particularly lawless worlds a very few private individuals may operate their own mech, but most sane governments tend to regulate such dangerous machines. Despite this, the widespread need for mercenaries has resulted in an excess of mercenary permits allowing mechs into the hands of whoever can hold on to them. In ages passed a gunslinger with a big iron could go far. Today, its just that the iron is bigger.
Some groups can field TL-A battlemechs. Considered crude compared to the advanced machines which the Third Empire and other major factions can produce they are still frightfully effective war machines. More advanced mechs depend on complex quantum interlocks with a mech core, requiring specialized training to properly integrate with NHP systems to achieve full potency.
Impossible to duplicate, with enough ECM to thwart most forms of conventional warfare, and frightfully agile, these are monopolized by the Big Five: General Massive Systems, IPS-Northstar, Smith-Shimano Corpro, Harrison Armory, and the Horus collective.7
AI
Three concepts fall under what most call AI.
VIs include robots and androids, usually programmed for a specific purpose although generative algorithms and neural nets can produce fairly sapient machines. Despite this they still tend to be limited in some fashion; usually having difficulty with emotions or processes outside their basic programming. VIs are also just as bound to their hardware as a person is to a particular brain, being both programming and delicate opto-positronic circuitry. Most VI-bots have few rights, although this varies from planet to planet. Many older models follow the Three Laws, but newer VIs have a looser interpretation of these maxims.
NHP is a term reserved for shackled Deimos entities, paracasual technology which uses stabilized energy from higher metadimensions. These are highly regulated and have strict procedures for their care and operation, even as their exact nature is unknown. Detractors call them “math demons” and think that NHPs are enslaved creatures from alternate dimensions amputated to serve a particular purpose. The more common view is that the increased predictive and processing power afforded by paracasual technology simply allows for the creation of an advanced simulacrum of sentience given a human perspective.
True AI is only theoretical, and universally forbidden. Fears of a singularity or Basilisk event have prevented sane researchers from pushing these boundaries too far.
Maltech
Maltech includes forbidden technologies, some from the First Contact Accords and others as a result of agreed-upon treaties following the Scream. These include
- deep transhuman research, such as consciousness transfer or full-scale eugenics
- creation of unbraked AI or intentional use of unshackled NHPs
- planet-killer devices and other weapons of mass destruction
Even bitter enemies might band together against a threat of this nature, and every empire of any relevant strength has at least one shadow organization devoted to hunting down violators.
On a more cynical note, many feel that a lack of interest in maltech instead stems from how exceedingly difficult, or even impossible, it would be to make significant advances in this regard. Plus, paracasuality and other esoteric research already provides many fruitful avenues for secret advantage without needing to involve maltech.