coalition - TheGiraffe3/Endless-Sky-Creators-Handbook GitHub Wiki
Original text by Michael Zahniser
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GREAT HOUSES
First contact
Reputation raises to 10 once you make first contact, 20 once you visit the Ring of Friendship and become “known to the Heliarchs,” and 30 once you have done enough jobs to qualify as a “contributor to society.” Metropolitan worlds suitable for first contact have required reputation of 0, the Ring of Friendship has required reputation of 5, most other worlds require 15, and a few high tech and military worlds require 25.
History
20k years ago the Quarg were tracking the development of three new sentient species on the southwestern galactic arm. Because of their location there was no way for the Quarg to let the eldest of them (the Saryds) expand without overrunning the territory of the Arachi (the youngest of the three). So, the Quarg had to keep all three somewhat bottled up, which led them each to view the Quarg as oppressors.
To reduce the negative effects of being bottled up in so small a space, the Quarg gave each of the three species a few jump drives and facilitated contact between them. Because they all viewed the Quarg negatively, the three species chose to work together to drive the Quarg out of their space. Their coalition called themselves the Sun Lords (Heliarchs) because they wanted to be in control of their own star systems instead of being Quarg vassals. They developed new technology specifically designed for fighting Quarg ships. The Quarg retreated and left their ringworlds to the Coalition.
The Coalition discovered how to open hyperspace routes between the three ringworlds, uniting their territory. They set up a new government with equal numbers of leaders chosen from each of the species. When the Quarg observed that this new government appeared to be stable, they chose to remain at a distance and not intervene. (But, they still secretly control much of the technology on the ringworlds, and could sever the hyperspace connections if necessary to prevent war between the Coalition species.)
The Quarg say: “Once or twice every century we fly through Coalition space and disable a few Heliarch ships. Our weapons are very precise and we are careful not to cause any casualties. The stories they tell about us are not true, but those stories hold their civilization together, so it is proper for us to play the role that they have scripted for us.”
Timeline
17 kya: Saryds developed space flight. 14 kya: Kimek developed space flight. 10 kya: Arachi discovered space flight. 6 kya: Coalition formed to drive out the Quarg.
Kimek
Planet names are the planet’s color and position in the system, e.g., “Inside Cerulean” or “Third Grey.”
Arach
Planets are named after people, plus an attribute of the planet:
- Delve,
- Garden,
- Forest,
- Stronghold,
- Holding,
- Prize,
- Plunge,
- Well,
- Tap,
- Refuge,
- Burrow,
- Seam,
- Water,
- Flow,
- Weir,
- Stand,
- Copse,
- Plantation,
- Portion,
- Placer,
- Mine,
- Village,
- Waypoint,
- Market,
- Crossroads,
- Meeting,
- Rest,
- Compound,
- Dwelling,
- Table,
- Workbench,
- Hammer,
- Forge
Arachi are often affiliated with one of the great Houses:
Great Houses
House Bebliss (Flugbu)
communication, encryption, and translation. A small house, but traffics in useful secrets and other information. Rumored to be associated with the Resistance. Maintains the hyperspace communication relays throughout Coalition space.
House Chamgar (Debrugt)
technology and innovation, particularly around aerospace and space weaponry. The house that contributed the most to driving out the Quarg; now focuses on understanding and duplicating the technology found in the ringworlds.
House Ablomab (Bloptab)
raw materials, particularly mining and refining of metals. Powerful house due to control of the means of production, but generally not involved in anything political or controversial. Strong interest in automation.
House Mallob (Gupta)
merchants and shipping (both terrestrial and interstellar). Maintains large merchant fleets that travel throughout Coalition space. Very complex and convoluted financial structure.
House Oberegt
biotechnology and medicine. Has access to treatments that can extend lifespan significantly and prevent mental deterioration over time. Rumored to have the means for enhancing the mental capacity of an individual, as well. Interested in human biology and medicine for any areas of overlap with Arach physiology.
House Plumtab (Blugtad)
finance and lending. By far the richest of the houses, and controlled by a very small number of individuals. Extensive speculation in businesses run by the other houses; seen as an essential ally by nearly all of them.
House Garbarag (Tebuteb)
agriculture and longcow ranching. Generally viewed as the most down-to-earth and honest of the houses, although their genetic enhancements to the longcows and to various crop species are a tightly guarded secret.
House Debdo (Belugt)
service industries: hospitality, retail, etc. Basically functions as a large labor union of service workers.
House Ibdriss (Ablub)
computers, electronics, software, miniaturization, and robotics. Runs small labs to experiment with everything from nanobots to optimization algorithms to AI. The vast majority of these experiments fail, but some succeed spectacularly.