- Pronouns
- She/Her
Welcome to:
Edge of Empire 2: Farthest Frontier
"I believe that every single one of those stars loves me. Whether they are gods or not. I believe that the universe is a loving place and cares for us. They love the way we dance and build and sing and even fight. Because there is too much beauty and joy for me to ever believe that the universe is a harsh or unkind place."
-Nijole, the first Voidborn, to Vada Cal
-Nijole, the first Voidborn, to Vada Cal
A sequel to my first game, Edge of Empire, I hope to bring y'all a fun and rewarding experience in this original setting of mine. This game will be heavily focused on empire building and diplomacy, with plenty of surprises along the way. You do not need to know the events of the first game to play, all relevant setting info will be given up front and the timeline has advanced 200 years.
If you're interested in having a look and potentially joining, join the discord!
https://discord.gg/krhSD5Hw39
IC thread is now up
The Voidshifter Project.
A dream of an old clutch known as the Frontier Followers, but was long forgotten.
When a body is wounded, it must rest.
The wounds left on lamia society from the times of strife were deep, and so the recovery from them would last long. Homes needed to be rebuilt, trust needed time to regrow, scars needed time to fade. Ambition wasn't something in high demand, and while there were always those with big dreams for now they were content with what they had in their hands. The great ships and mighty constructions of old were powered down, sitting in hangars or retooled for more civilian use, and lamia forgot.
For a time.
Rest reinvigorates the body, reinvigorates the spirit. When slowly the lamia began to awake from their century and a half of slumber, they did so slowly, but with vigour. Once again, lamia began to dream of bigger and better things. Bold new ideas were tried, and the shape of lamian society began to change once again.
Enter the Voidshift Project
Massive carrier ships intended for void jumps well beyond the capabilities of any other ship, jumps that would normally be impossible from any gate ever produced. They were intended to carry colonists and equipment far out into the void to create new bastions of civilisation, and to explore farther than any lamia had ever gone. At long last, the idea appealed to the masses, and so Voidshifters began to be made. Put to the task of creating these gargantuan vessels, lamia were happier than ever before, and the feelings of camaraderie and togetherness were strong.
Selecting the clutches to actually venture out into the unknown was different. There was room for millions, but billions wanted to join. As a result, it became a grand contest all across lamian space. Disputes were settled a thousand different ways for a thousand different lamia, with many clutches calling in every favour and resource they had just to get a seat at the table.
In the end, only the most determined, most dynamic, most skilled got in.
You got in.
Are you ready to venture beyond the farthest frontier of lamian space? To go where nobody has gone before? To see things that nobody could ever imagine?
You better be, because the Voidshifters are starting up and it's time to board.
Setting Lore
Brief Summary
I understand the lore sections all look super imposing, so I'll include a brief summary here that should give you a decent idea of the basics.
Lamia are cold blooded reptiles, with the top half of their body humanoid and the bottom half being the tail of a snake. They have a deep, personal connection to the stone, so much so that they say they are "born from the stone" when their eggs are brought into being, and when they return to the hatchery caves to be laid to rest, they call it "returning to the stone." The truth is they are flesh and bone, though quite tough. Their only significant weakness is that if they get injured, it is often ruinous, and they are rarely able to count on their natural healing to save them.
Lamia are naturally stubborn and fractious, but also deeply compassionate and expressive. A lamia will burn their house down to keep a stranger warm through the night, but on the other hand a lamia will fistfight you over what style of pen is best. They consider arguments and fistfights to be healthy, fun socialisation. This has an impact on their technology, which is chaotic and highly personalised, with no standardisation to speak of, but is often extremely high quality and reliable for what it is.
Their society is based around clutches, which are usually formed when they are children in the nursery where all lamia are raised communally. Clutches are groups entirely dedicated to some specific pursuit, with what exactly that is being person to that clutch. A clutch can have any kind of dynamic, from wives to co-workers. Lamian society freely distributes food, and indeed lacks any kind of currency. Materials can usually be had by just asking, or trading favours, and influence is perhaps the most important resource of them all. There is no government, in the strictest sense, a lamia who "rules" does so only by loose influence and their ability to inspire or convince others.
Almost 300 years before game start, the lamia had an Empire that was formed when they made their first forays into space. It fell apart after the shocking, unprecedented assassination of the emperor, which resulted in 80 years of civil war, the first war in lamian history, and was only ended by the formation of a group known as the United Stellar Front. The Belt, a region outside what was the Empire, felt the effects of this, and was ravaged by remnants of the defeated factions of the war. Thankfully, they had banded together under the banner of the Everflame, a religious group which controlled the majority of belt space, and were able to resist thanks to the help and trust they had in each other, thanks to their desire for a peaceful future.
For more detail, feel free to peruse the sections below at your convenience.
Lamia are reptilian in nature, much of their body is covered by thick armoured scales, in particular their lower body which is a singular long tail that also serves as their primary form of locomotion. The upper body of a lamia is humanoid in appearance, and for most lamia it lacks the scales of the tail. At full extension, lamia measure 3 meters from head to tip of the tail, though the vast majority of that length is in the lower body.
Lamia are ectothermic, and require high ambient temperatures in order to function. Low temperatures make them sluggish and tired, with warm clothing being of no help if it doesn't contain a separate heat source. Naturally, this means that lamia tend to gravitate to warm climates, though not exclusively.
Lamia are strong, and difficult to hurt in any significant way. This hardiness has made them capable of adapting to many environments and situations. However, if something happens to them that overcomes their natural defences, the damage is catastrophic, with weak natural healing and devastating consequences.
At one point it is believed that lamia were obligate carnivores, however in modern times they have adapted to be able to become omnivore. They retain a strong preference for meat, getting by far the most nutrition from it. At times their predator instincts still kick in, and even vegetarian lamia will feel the need to take a hearty bite of something, though a crisp fruit will usually suffice.
It is a common belief that lamia possess different qualities depending on the stone of the cave in which they were born. Some studies have been done on this, and it is true that lamia born in a cave often share notable physical traits, which are often very similar if not identical to traits in lamia born in caves made of similar stones. The traits are notable only in a scientific sense, and pale in comparison to the natural variety of lamia. There is also no actual evidence that personality traits are in any way influenced by the stone of one's birth, though it is a widely held belief that it is the case.
Lamia are ectothermic, and require high ambient temperatures in order to function. Low temperatures make them sluggish and tired, with warm clothing being of no help if it doesn't contain a separate heat source. Naturally, this means that lamia tend to gravitate to warm climates, though not exclusively.
Lamia are strong, and difficult to hurt in any significant way. This hardiness has made them capable of adapting to many environments and situations. However, if something happens to them that overcomes their natural defences, the damage is catastrophic, with weak natural healing and devastating consequences.
At one point it is believed that lamia were obligate carnivores, however in modern times they have adapted to be able to become omnivore. They retain a strong preference for meat, getting by far the most nutrition from it. At times their predator instincts still kick in, and even vegetarian lamia will feel the need to take a hearty bite of something, though a crisp fruit will usually suffice.
It is a common belief that lamia possess different qualities depending on the stone of the cave in which they were born. Some studies have been done on this, and it is true that lamia born in a cave often share notable physical traits, which are often very similar if not identical to traits in lamia born in caves made of similar stones. The traits are notable only in a scientific sense, and pale in comparison to the natural variety of lamia. There is also no actual evidence that personality traits are in any way influenced by the stone of one's birth, though it is a widely held belief that it is the case.
Lamia are born from eggs, which come from hatchery caves. These caves are deeply important places in lamian culture, and are staffed by a lamia known as a hatchery attendant. According to lamian tradition, they are "born from the stone," though the specifics of what happens within the hatchery caves remain a mystery. It is considered taboo to look into it in any detail.
Once an egg has been obtained, it is brought to the nursery. Nurseries are large buildings which form the heart of lamian neighborhoods, and are where all children are raised. Children are raised together as a unit, and have no concept of direct familial connection. The lamia who bore the egg is irrelevant once it has been delivered to the nursery.
Nurseries are staffed by nursery attendants, who are responsible for feeding, teaching, and entertaining the children under their care. They are helped out in this by the entire community. The central location of the nursery means that many lamia naturally pass through the area, and often spend time with the kids when they do. The attendants also make an effort to have lamia of all kinds come in to introduce the children to new concepts and ideas.
Once a lamia reaches the age of 26, they are considered an adult and are free to make their way in the world. Adult lamia have no specific cycle on which they will lay eggs, though most will feel some urge to at least once every 5 years. Lamian reproduction is very vulnerable to external pressures, with stress and poor conditions often leading to fewer eggs.
Lamia have reached their full adult size by about age 22, and grow very little after that point. However, once they approach the age of 160 they enter a second growth period. This growth quickly outpaces the lamian metablism's ability to fuel the body, which leads to lethargy and restlessness.
When a lamia has decided that it is time, when they no longer feel capable of continuing their life in the way they see fit, they will return to the hatchery caves. There, the attendant will take their hands and lead them into the earth so they may return to the stone that birthed them.
Once an egg has been obtained, it is brought to the nursery. Nurseries are large buildings which form the heart of lamian neighborhoods, and are where all children are raised. Children are raised together as a unit, and have no concept of direct familial connection. The lamia who bore the egg is irrelevant once it has been delivered to the nursery.
Nurseries are staffed by nursery attendants, who are responsible for feeding, teaching, and entertaining the children under their care. They are helped out in this by the entire community. The central location of the nursery means that many lamia naturally pass through the area, and often spend time with the kids when they do. The attendants also make an effort to have lamia of all kinds come in to introduce the children to new concepts and ideas.
Once a lamia reaches the age of 26, they are considered an adult and are free to make their way in the world. Adult lamia have no specific cycle on which they will lay eggs, though most will feel some urge to at least once every 5 years. Lamian reproduction is very vulnerable to external pressures, with stress and poor conditions often leading to fewer eggs.
Lamia have reached their full adult size by about age 22, and grow very little after that point. However, once they approach the age of 160 they enter a second growth period. This growth quickly outpaces the lamian metablism's ability to fuel the body, which leads to lethargy and restlessness.
When a lamia has decided that it is time, when they no longer feel capable of continuing their life in the way they see fit, they will return to the hatchery caves. There, the attendant will take their hands and lead them into the earth so they may return to the stone that birthed them.
The fundamental unit of lamian society is the clutch. Clutches are typically formed within nurseries when lamia meet one or more lamia near their age who share in some common goal or passion. The defining feature of a clutch is that passion, with the entire purpose of the clutch to pair likeminded lamia together so they can pursue their dreams to the fullest. Blacksmithing clutches, farming clutches, clutches based around politics or science, these are all easy to guess, however there are clutches for anything you can imagine. Pipework clutches, fish breeding clutches, if it is something a group of lamia can work obsessively on there is a clutch dedicated to it.
Clutches tend to be up to about a dozen individuals in size, though some can become far larger. Typically after a clutch has formed, it will not accept new members unless under special circumstances. This means that clutches are single generational, and limited in size and thus influence. Sometimes though, clutches will become large enough to attract lamia to join endlessly, creating multigenerational clutches whose influence can balloon and start to soak up the resources that could be used by smaller clutches.
Clutches tend to be up to about a dozen individuals in size, though some can become far larger. Typically after a clutch has formed, it will not accept new members unless under special circumstances. This means that clutches are single generational, and limited in size and thus influence. Sometimes though, clutches will become large enough to attract lamia to join endlessly, creating multigenerational clutches whose influence can balloon and start to soak up the resources that could be used by smaller clutches.
Lamian society is defined by two things, the first is self expression. Its most foundational unit, the clutch, is a group of lamia who share a common goal to bring their vision into the world. From the moment they are born, lamia are taught to be expressive and confident and bold, that their ideas and values are unique gifts to the world that only they can share.
The other most important aspect of lamian society is compassion. It is the fundamental concept that keeps the entire machine moving along, even if its movement is haphazard and strange. One's duty to the community is seen as paramount, and it is rare to meet a lamia who wouldn't give anything to make sure no one else went without. Lamian children are reared with adoration, meeting people and engaging on their terms, taught by patient caretakers how to meet the world in the way that works best for them.
Much time was spent learning and refining how to encourage the growth of these traits into lamian society, and a lot of lamia spent their entire lives on that work. Lamian society is fundamentally a construct created purposefully to achieve a goal, and that goal required a motivated and compassionate populace.
Lamia are not, by their nature, creatures who naturally adhere to large and complex societies. Even in the modern era it is not uncommon for entire clutches of lamia to simply disappear into the wilderness of the planets they inhabit and live their lives without contacting the rest of society. Before the rise of advanced civilisation, lamia lived in nests that were passed on generationally, they kept to their territories and contact was relatively sparse.
These traits make lamia a very coherent and energetic people, with strong ideals and a great deal of power over their course as a society. It does, however, have some secondary effects.
Lamia are stubborn to a fault. Compassion will almost always trump competition, but there are many times when the two are not in conflict at all. It is not for nothing that some people joke that the plural of lamia is "an argument." Lamia will get into intense, impassioned arguments over the most trivial of topics, simply because they believe they are correct. Often, these arguments will devolve into fistfights, which are seen in lamian society as a healthy and natural form of socialisation and rarely involve anything other than bruised egos and sore fists.
The life of a lamia mostly consists of self directed work, pursuing their passions, and engaging in community projects. Their food needs are met, and they can usually get whatever materials they need without trouble from other clutches. In many ways, it is idyllic.
While they love fighting, Lamia have no real concept of war. As ambush predators, lamia have a deep instinct to avoid lethal confrontation, or even any confrontation that could result in major injury, and so killing is not only seen as morally repugnant, it's almost inconceivable. Murder rarely, if ever, appears in lamian stories, they have no truly modern weapons, it simply isn't in their nature. It would take a massive shift in circumstances and a sudden massive stress on lamian society for them to devolve into violence.
The other most important aspect of lamian society is compassion. It is the fundamental concept that keeps the entire machine moving along, even if its movement is haphazard and strange. One's duty to the community is seen as paramount, and it is rare to meet a lamia who wouldn't give anything to make sure no one else went without. Lamian children are reared with adoration, meeting people and engaging on their terms, taught by patient caretakers how to meet the world in the way that works best for them.
Much time was spent learning and refining how to encourage the growth of these traits into lamian society, and a lot of lamia spent their entire lives on that work. Lamian society is fundamentally a construct created purposefully to achieve a goal, and that goal required a motivated and compassionate populace.
Lamia are not, by their nature, creatures who naturally adhere to large and complex societies. Even in the modern era it is not uncommon for entire clutches of lamia to simply disappear into the wilderness of the planets they inhabit and live their lives without contacting the rest of society. Before the rise of advanced civilisation, lamia lived in nests that were passed on generationally, they kept to their territories and contact was relatively sparse.
These traits make lamia a very coherent and energetic people, with strong ideals and a great deal of power over their course as a society. It does, however, have some secondary effects.
Lamia are stubborn to a fault. Compassion will almost always trump competition, but there are many times when the two are not in conflict at all. It is not for nothing that some people joke that the plural of lamia is "an argument." Lamia will get into intense, impassioned arguments over the most trivial of topics, simply because they believe they are correct. Often, these arguments will devolve into fistfights, which are seen in lamian society as a healthy and natural form of socialisation and rarely involve anything other than bruised egos and sore fists.
The life of a lamia mostly consists of self directed work, pursuing their passions, and engaging in community projects. Their food needs are met, and they can usually get whatever materials they need without trouble from other clutches. In many ways, it is idyllic.
While they love fighting, Lamia have no real concept of war. As ambush predators, lamia have a deep instinct to avoid lethal confrontation, or even any confrontation that could result in major injury, and so killing is not only seen as morally repugnant, it's almost inconceivable. Murder rarely, if ever, appears in lamian stories, they have no truly modern weapons, it simply isn't in their nature. It would take a massive shift in circumstances and a sudden massive stress on lamian society for them to devolve into violence.
Government as most people would understand it is a foreign concept to lamia, they are far too fractious and belligerent to accept centealised rule. Instead, the direction of society is done by ambitious lamia who dream of things beyond their immediate ability to create, and use persuasion, influence, gifts, and plans to sway others to their point of view and have them assist in their enseavours.
There is, however, something resembling a government. Known as the central market, it is an establishment which is responsible for the collection and redistribution of food and other resources. Their mandate is narrow, and they are acrutinised heavily to ensure fairness, and so far in lamian history there have been relatively few incidents around their conduct. Thanks to their tireless work, lamia remain fed and have what they need to live their lives.
The Central Market is partially staffed by clutches who are dedicated to it, but moat of their staff comes from those lamia who were, for whatever reason, unable to find a clutch. Maybe they were the only person with an interest, or had too hard of a time getting along with others, or maybe they simply lack the drive to join a clutch at all. Whatever it is, they join the Market and work for the benfit of everyone, and are adored for their efforts.
If, at any time, a clutchless member of the Market finds a clutch that feels like home, they are allowed to join without restriction. Leaving or joining a clutch after leaving the nursery is rare, but not stigmatised. For those with nowhere else to go, there is always the heart of the community.
There is, however, something resembling a government. Known as the central market, it is an establishment which is responsible for the collection and redistribution of food and other resources. Their mandate is narrow, and they are acrutinised heavily to ensure fairness, and so far in lamian history there have been relatively few incidents around their conduct. Thanks to their tireless work, lamia remain fed and have what they need to live their lives.
The Central Market is partially staffed by clutches who are dedicated to it, but moat of their staff comes from those lamia who were, for whatever reason, unable to find a clutch. Maybe they were the only person with an interest, or had too hard of a time getting along with others, or maybe they simply lack the drive to join a clutch at all. Whatever it is, they join the Market and work for the benfit of everyone, and are adored for their efforts.
If, at any time, a clutchless member of the Market finds a clutch that feels like home, they are allowed to join without restriction. Leaving or joining a clutch after leaving the nursery is rare, but not stigmatised. For those with nowhere else to go, there is always the heart of the community.
As one might expect from a people as utterly unorganised as lamia, their spirituality is complicated. Most lamia are spiritual to some extent, with the dominant faith being the worship of the goddess Hvare Khshaeta, the goddess of warmth and the sun. Her worship takes a thousand different forms over a thousand different lamia, but her name is recognised and beloved by all.
While it may be the dominant faith, its presence on society is anything but. Very few lamia consider religion to be the most aignificant part of their lives, and it has little impact on social policy. It is instead seen as an enriching presence that enhances what exista already, a way to connect with others and the world around you
Many other faiths exist in lamian space, too many to count. The predominant features are worship of stars and flames, heat sources being very important to the cold blooded lamia.
Outside of religion, many aspects of lamian society take on spiritual aspects. For example, the close connection lamia feel with stone is more emotional than physical, but the vast majority of lamia feel deeply uncomfortable going into space for long stretches of time. They believe that being separated from the stone for so long is bad for them in a way they cannot quite explain.
While it may be the dominant faith, its presence on society is anything but. Very few lamia consider religion to be the most aignificant part of their lives, and it has little impact on social policy. It is instead seen as an enriching presence that enhances what exista already, a way to connect with others and the world around you
Many other faiths exist in lamian space, too many to count. The predominant features are worship of stars and flames, heat sources being very important to the cold blooded lamia.
Outside of religion, many aspects of lamian society take on spiritual aspects. For example, the close connection lamia feel with stone is more emotional than physical, but the vast majority of lamia feel deeply uncomfortable going into space for long stretches of time. They believe that being separated from the stone for so long is bad for them in a way they cannot quite explain.
It would be a mistake to try and pin lamia down to any singular "level" of technology. To speak of levels of technology would speak to standardised practices, widely adopted and common systems and consistent development across more than one sectors. To pit it bluntly, pamia do not have that.
An enlightening example may be in computing technology. Since lamian clutches spend their entire lives devoted to specific pursuits, it isn't surprising that the quality of every part is high, but that isn't the issue at hand. No, the issue is that every lamia, every clutch, thinks that they are the only one who can make the best operating system.
It isn't uncommon for computers to be entirely unique, with operating systems that were custom built for that machine and never used again. Even when they are part of a set, the sets are small and will all have individual changes to them. Lamian computers work exceptionally well, but since every new clutch reinvents the operating system, they remain at relatively crude levels. There is simoly a lack of iteration and collaboration.
This, of course, means that there is no lamian internet. Nobody would be able to agree on a standard system for connections, it would simply be impossible. Lamian technology fiercely resists all attempts at standardisation, any attempts to flatten their self expression into easily copied imitations. A lamia will fight you over what gause of pipe to use.
A significant, and notable, exception to this is in the field of medicine. The lamian body heals poorly, and damage can be catstrophic. As societies became more complex, lamia began to believe that maybe iniuries which were once fatal might be solved by medicine. Medicine is the field in which lamia are the most advanced, the most consistent, and the feats of healing they have accomplished are genuinely remarkable.
Perhaps the most novel new medicine might be bio stone. A product of the inventive minds in the Belt, biostone doesn't work as traditional medicine. Instead, it acts as triage, stabilising a wounded lamia until help can arrive. Every day, lives are saved by biostone in all manner of accidents.
If we were to speak in generalities about lamian tech, the key word would be reliable. The need for infinite flexibility means that oamian engineering needs to be flexible and efficient, while being bery difficult to break. This has led to a widely held central philosophy where machines should be rugged and reliable. It is often said that you have to try quite hard to break lamian equipment, and even then you need some luck.
The other key aspect is quality, lamia pour everything into everything they do, and its not uncommon for a piece of machinery or a vehicle to be made out of what others would consider masterworks. The overall aesthetic tends towards the chaotic and messy, as different clutches argue and differ on style and design. It's not uncommon for every section of a ship to be distinct in build and appearance from the other. Yet it works, and it works well, because the effort was put in to make them work together while keeping the creators' visions intact.
One rechnological marvel that is quite new is the advent of AI, artificial intelligences. Their origins are conteated, but in general they are simply seen as more lamia who happen to be different. There are many clutched with an AI among their number, some AI attend nurseries, and there are entire cybernetic clutches. AI navigate the world in a bewildering array of fashions, befitting the lamia who made them.
An enlightening example may be in computing technology. Since lamian clutches spend their entire lives devoted to specific pursuits, it isn't surprising that the quality of every part is high, but that isn't the issue at hand. No, the issue is that every lamia, every clutch, thinks that they are the only one who can make the best operating system.
It isn't uncommon for computers to be entirely unique, with operating systems that were custom built for that machine and never used again. Even when they are part of a set, the sets are small and will all have individual changes to them. Lamian computers work exceptionally well, but since every new clutch reinvents the operating system, they remain at relatively crude levels. There is simoly a lack of iteration and collaboration.
This, of course, means that there is no lamian internet. Nobody would be able to agree on a standard system for connections, it would simply be impossible. Lamian technology fiercely resists all attempts at standardisation, any attempts to flatten their self expression into easily copied imitations. A lamia will fight you over what gause of pipe to use.
A significant, and notable, exception to this is in the field of medicine. The lamian body heals poorly, and damage can be catstrophic. As societies became more complex, lamia began to believe that maybe iniuries which were once fatal might be solved by medicine. Medicine is the field in which lamia are the most advanced, the most consistent, and the feats of healing they have accomplished are genuinely remarkable.
Perhaps the most novel new medicine might be bio stone. A product of the inventive minds in the Belt, biostone doesn't work as traditional medicine. Instead, it acts as triage, stabilising a wounded lamia until help can arrive. Every day, lives are saved by biostone in all manner of accidents.
If we were to speak in generalities about lamian tech, the key word would be reliable. The need for infinite flexibility means that oamian engineering needs to be flexible and efficient, while being bery difficult to break. This has led to a widely held central philosophy where machines should be rugged and reliable. It is often said that you have to try quite hard to break lamian equipment, and even then you need some luck.
The other key aspect is quality, lamia pour everything into everything they do, and its not uncommon for a piece of machinery or a vehicle to be made out of what others would consider masterworks. The overall aesthetic tends towards the chaotic and messy, as different clutches argue and differ on style and design. It's not uncommon for every section of a ship to be distinct in build and appearance from the other. Yet it works, and it works well, because the effort was put in to make them work together while keeping the creators' visions intact.
One rechnological marvel that is quite new is the advent of AI, artificial intelligences. Their origins are conteated, but in general they are simply seen as more lamia who happen to be different. There are many clutched with an AI among their number, some AI attend nurseries, and there are entire cybernetic clutches. AI navigate the world in a bewildering array of fashions, befitting the lamia who made them.
To move between the stars, lamia invented the void gate. These titanic constructions are closer to moons in size than conventional space constructions, with their surface covered with dozens of docking bays. When a ship wishes to travel between the stars, it will enter the docking bay and radio their destination to the gate operator. Then the bay doors close, there is a lurching sensation, and the ship has arrived at a corresponding bay in the destination sector.
The trip is near instantaneous, though the docking process and undocking process can take about an hour each for larger ships. The only limitation is that a gate can only send a ship to a gate to which it is linked via special connection. There is a limitation to the range of these links, in addition to other limitations, and so some trips will have to go through several gates to reach further destinations. This adds trivial amounts of time, however, and lamia travel far and wide freely.
To go to a system without a gate requires a great deal of power and precision. Aerials on the side are used to prepare a ship, probe, or future gate for what is known as a "void throw," a blind jump into the unknown. Without a gate to return, this is ordinarily a one way trip, however the energy used by the void throw is so significant that a ship's warp drives can hook back on to it and pull themselves back to their destination. The window to do is narrow, but in emergencies it is absolutely essential.
The exact mechanics of the massive void generators (known to the gate crews as "hearts") are poorly understood outside of the specialised circles of lamia who run the gates. Lamia don't tend to think about it much. It works, and it's never not worked.
The trip is near instantaneous, though the docking process and undocking process can take about an hour each for larger ships. The only limitation is that a gate can only send a ship to a gate to which it is linked via special connection. There is a limitation to the range of these links, in addition to other limitations, and so some trips will have to go through several gates to reach further destinations. This adds trivial amounts of time, however, and lamia travel far and wide freely.
To go to a system without a gate requires a great deal of power and precision. Aerials on the side are used to prepare a ship, probe, or future gate for what is known as a "void throw," a blind jump into the unknown. Without a gate to return, this is ordinarily a one way trip, however the energy used by the void throw is so significant that a ship's warp drives can hook back on to it and pull themselves back to their destination. The window to do is narrow, but in emergencies it is absolutely essential.
The exact mechanics of the massive void generators (known to the gate crews as "hearts") are poorly understood outside of the specialised circles of lamia who run the gates. Lamia don't tend to think about it much. It works, and it's never not worked.
A long, long time ago, some lamia had a dream.
Before lamia had come together as a people, some lamia looked to the stars and felt a profound yearning to go up and join them. From that catalyst came the impulse to create a society which could achieve that dream.
Brick by brick, idea by odea, lamia society as we know it was built by those dreamers and those they passed their aspirations down to. Every piece of lamian society is built to create the conditons for that dream to become reality. The relentless pursuit of dreams and hopes was what lamian civilisation was built on.
Once lamia reached space, things became complicated. The old ways of undirected and loose coordination creaked under the weight of rapid colonisation and expansion. It was decided that a figure was needed to keep things moving along, and so the title of Emperor was claimed by the boldest lamia with the strongest plan for the future.
Yet lamia chafe under rule like that, they squirm and thrash and seek ways to forge their own path. The Empire swiftly began to crack under its own weight. Pieces of the Empire began asserting more independence, and attempts to reassert control and direction only worsened tensions further. Soon, practically all of lamia space had devolved into local power mongers railing against imperial control. Colonisation ground to a halt, though the empire already spanned a gargantuan amount of territory, and the deadlock seemed fit to burst at any moment. The only thing that mattered was what the trigger would be.
Nobody saw it coming.
One day, without warning, the Emperor was assassinated. The first assassination in lamian history. Something that would happen less than a half dozen times in all the turmoil that followed. The Emperor was dead, and tensions boiled over.
For the first time, lamia were met with an unavoidable conflict that could not be resolve in any other way but violence. Nobody could back down, nobody could simply stay put. Everyone believed that the Empire must be reunited, lamia needed to be whole again, but who would be on top was what was in contest.
What followed was 80 years of brutal warfare, much of which was invented as it happened. Lamia fought with whatever was available, and entire new industries grew to support the war effort. It is important to remember that despite the scope of the violence, actual losses were miniscule by the comparison of industrial scale warfare, but for the lamia the loss was traumatising. Another point, that was illustrative of lamian values, was that despite the viciousness of the fighting, certain boundaries were never crossed. There were no bombing campaigns, no targeting of civilians, not even any fighting in cities. Heavy automatic weapons and field artillery were invented, only to be discarded. Even in the heart of the greatest conflict in history, there were lines that these lamia knew shouldn't be crossed.
To do so would mean they could never go back.
Before lamia had come together as a people, some lamia looked to the stars and felt a profound yearning to go up and join them. From that catalyst came the impulse to create a society which could achieve that dream.
Brick by brick, idea by odea, lamia society as we know it was built by those dreamers and those they passed their aspirations down to. Every piece of lamian society is built to create the conditons for that dream to become reality. The relentless pursuit of dreams and hopes was what lamian civilisation was built on.
Once lamia reached space, things became complicated. The old ways of undirected and loose coordination creaked under the weight of rapid colonisation and expansion. It was decided that a figure was needed to keep things moving along, and so the title of Emperor was claimed by the boldest lamia with the strongest plan for the future.
Yet lamia chafe under rule like that, they squirm and thrash and seek ways to forge their own path. The Empire swiftly began to crack under its own weight. Pieces of the Empire began asserting more independence, and attempts to reassert control and direction only worsened tensions further. Soon, practically all of lamia space had devolved into local power mongers railing against imperial control. Colonisation ground to a halt, though the empire already spanned a gargantuan amount of territory, and the deadlock seemed fit to burst at any moment. The only thing that mattered was what the trigger would be.
Nobody saw it coming.
One day, without warning, the Emperor was assassinated. The first assassination in lamian history. Something that would happen less than a half dozen times in all the turmoil that followed. The Emperor was dead, and tensions boiled over.
For the first time, lamia were met with an unavoidable conflict that could not be resolve in any other way but violence. Nobody could back down, nobody could simply stay put. Everyone believed that the Empire must be reunited, lamia needed to be whole again, but who would be on top was what was in contest.
What followed was 80 years of brutal warfare, much of which was invented as it happened. Lamia fought with whatever was available, and entire new industries grew to support the war effort. It is important to remember that despite the scope of the violence, actual losses were miniscule by the comparison of industrial scale warfare, but for the lamia the loss was traumatising. Another point, that was illustrative of lamian values, was that despite the viciousness of the fighting, certain boundaries were never crossed. There were no bombing campaigns, no targeting of civilians, not even any fighting in cities. Heavy automatic weapons and field artillery were invented, only to be discarded. Even in the heart of the greatest conflict in history, there were lines that these lamia knew shouldn't be crossed.
To do so would mean they could never go back.
After 60 long years of war, some major players began to emerge. A lull in the fighting allowed a reassessment and recovery period, in which some immediate contenders to unite the empire came to light. Key among these, with the benefit of hindsight, were the Stellar Coil. The Stellar Coil fought not with ideology, or economic power, or with overwhelming force, instead they fought smart and worked hard to put in the political work on bringing the empire back together.
In about a decade they had control over the majority of the Empire, and were poised the finish the job, only two factions opposed them: The Ivory Tower, a group that valued peace and stability above all else while retaining firm control, and the wild card, the United Lotus Front.
The ULF was brand new on the scene, a conglomeration of warlords who set aside their differences in exchange for the protection of numbers. They had a novel approach to unity, where instead of anyone being in charge, instead they constructed a massive moving station which travelled between worlds and acted as a kind of forum for people from across the ULf to settle disputes, make plans, and air grievances. The weakest of the three by far, they were the key.
Or they were, until Nazanin's assassination.
A repeat of the event that precipitated the war was a shock to everyone, and the sight of the Ivory tower collapsing left a deep impression upon those watching it unfold. Sanaa, leader of the Stellar Coil, made an appeal to the ULF to hold an emergency session. There, she suggested unity, because the war had done so much damage to who they were that if it carried on any longer, then there was no guarantee they could ever go back.
The empire was tired of war, and despite some impassioned speakers arguing to continue the carry the banner and push for victory, nobody had the heart for it. By a narrow margin, the resolution passed, and the ULF and Stellar Coil united. At last, the empire was restored, as the United Stellar Front.
Since then, the USF has proven itself time and again as a functional and effective way to balance the lamian spirit with the need for some kind of structure for an entity as large as the USF is. Disasters have been averted, aid has been delivered, and everything is well. The future is bright, and the scars of the war are being healed every day. For most people, they hope that is never repeated ever again.
In about a decade they had control over the majority of the Empire, and were poised the finish the job, only two factions opposed them: The Ivory Tower, a group that valued peace and stability above all else while retaining firm control, and the wild card, the United Lotus Front.
The ULF was brand new on the scene, a conglomeration of warlords who set aside their differences in exchange for the protection of numbers. They had a novel approach to unity, where instead of anyone being in charge, instead they constructed a massive moving station which travelled between worlds and acted as a kind of forum for people from across the ULf to settle disputes, make plans, and air grievances. The weakest of the three by far, they were the key.
Or they were, until Nazanin's assassination.
A repeat of the event that precipitated the war was a shock to everyone, and the sight of the Ivory tower collapsing left a deep impression upon those watching it unfold. Sanaa, leader of the Stellar Coil, made an appeal to the ULF to hold an emergency session. There, she suggested unity, because the war had done so much damage to who they were that if it carried on any longer, then there was no guarantee they could ever go back.
The empire was tired of war, and despite some impassioned speakers arguing to continue the carry the banner and push for victory, nobody had the heart for it. By a narrow margin, the resolution passed, and the ULF and Stellar Coil united. At last, the empire was restored, as the United Stellar Front.
Since then, the USF has proven itself time and again as a functional and effective way to balance the lamian spirit with the need for some kind of structure for an entity as large as the USF is. Disasters have been averted, aid has been delivered, and everything is well. The future is bright, and the scars of the war are being healed every day. For most people, they hope that is never repeated ever again.
The largest power outside empire space, the everflame was a project started by the clutch of the same name. Zahira was the driving force of the clutch, though Hebes was nearly her equal in dynamism and power. Together they ventured far beyond the borders of the empire and began to make a future that was distinctly theirs.
The organisation is based around the eponymous Everflame, a literal fire housed in a gigantic station which orbits the everflame capital of Ashen View. Larger than most buildings, the roaring inferno is protected by endless layers of security, and is a major destination for believers. Key to the religion is that Zahira, the Guardian of the Everflame, is the spirit of the flame taken form. It is believed that so long as she lives, the flame will not go out, and so long as the fire burns, she will not die.
So far there is nothing to disprove that theory. Despite illness and near death experiences, Zahira survives to this day, and the fire has not gone out once. It is under constant surveillance, and always surrounded by lamia, so even the slightest flicker would be noticed. Zahira is today the oldest lamia in recorded history, well over 300 years old. She is so large that she can no longer leave the room built for her in the Shrine of the Everflame, and is easily able to hold other lamia in her hand. Her lethargy is extreme, however, and she spends most of her time resting, causing much anxiety in her followers.
The Everflame was central to the War in the Belt, presenting a united front against the crisis and surviving it instact, though battered.
The organisation is based around the eponymous Everflame, a literal fire housed in a gigantic station which orbits the everflame capital of Ashen View. Larger than most buildings, the roaring inferno is protected by endless layers of security, and is a major destination for believers. Key to the religion is that Zahira, the Guardian of the Everflame, is the spirit of the flame taken form. It is believed that so long as she lives, the flame will not go out, and so long as the fire burns, she will not die.
So far there is nothing to disprove that theory. Despite illness and near death experiences, Zahira survives to this day, and the fire has not gone out once. It is under constant surveillance, and always surrounded by lamia, so even the slightest flicker would be noticed. Zahira is today the oldest lamia in recorded history, well over 300 years old. She is so large that she can no longer leave the room built for her in the Shrine of the Everflame, and is easily able to hold other lamia in her hand. Her lethargy is extreme, however, and she spends most of her time resting, causing much anxiety in her followers.
The Everflame was central to the War in the Belt, presenting a united front against the crisis and surviving it instact, though battered.
The Belt was considered a lawless place, filled with bandits and good for nothings, dreamers and dropouts. This wasn't entirely unfair, but the truth was that most of the Belt was perfectly civil and sophisticated, every bit as much as the old Empire. Over time, they were all gathered under the banner of the Everflame, and lived mostly at peace with each other.
Until the crisis began.
It started inconspicuously, probes disappearing, unable to report anything when sent to far away systems. Then, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, they appeared. The major factions who had lost in the civil war in the Empire had fled to deep space, only to turn around and try to reclaim their place at the head of lamian society. More desperate and extreme than ever before, what stood between them and the war weary Empire, was the Everflame.
They came in massive armadas of top of the line ships. They were the Free Federation, the Order of a burnished Star, the Bloody Reavers. They scored massive wins against the Everflame and their allies who had never expected to face such a challenge. Everyone expected them to fold under the pressure.
But they didn't
The Belt banded together and invented new technologies, built ships, and buckled down for the fight of their lives. Almost every single battle in the war included more than one faction present on the Everflame's side, a cooperative effort that showed their determination and bonds forged between them.
Their foes fought alone.
That was it, in the end. The imperial remnants thrashed against the Everflame, throwing everything they could into it, and they came up short. The final battle happened over Ashen View itself, with well over a thousand ships participating it was the biggest battle to ever be fought in the Belt.
The Everflame won, though only barely.
The survivors of the imperial remnants needed a long time to adjust to societies not dedicated to war, to heal from their bitterness and grief, but they had time. They had all the time in the world. With the USF in ascendance and the war in the belt over, peace had finally come. Hopefully for good, this time.
Until the crisis began.
It started inconspicuously, probes disappearing, unable to report anything when sent to far away systems. Then, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, they appeared. The major factions who had lost in the civil war in the Empire had fled to deep space, only to turn around and try to reclaim their place at the head of lamian society. More desperate and extreme than ever before, what stood between them and the war weary Empire, was the Everflame.
They came in massive armadas of top of the line ships. They were the Free Federation, the Order of a burnished Star, the Bloody Reavers. They scored massive wins against the Everflame and their allies who had never expected to face such a challenge. Everyone expected them to fold under the pressure.
But they didn't
The Belt banded together and invented new technologies, built ships, and buckled down for the fight of their lives. Almost every single battle in the war included more than one faction present on the Everflame's side, a cooperative effort that showed their determination and bonds forged between them.
Their foes fought alone.
That was it, in the end. The imperial remnants thrashed against the Everflame, throwing everything they could into it, and they came up short. The final battle happened over Ashen View itself, with well over a thousand ships participating it was the biggest battle to ever be fought in the Belt.
The Everflame won, though only barely.
The survivors of the imperial remnants needed a long time to adjust to societies not dedicated to war, to heal from their bitterness and grief, but they had time. They had all the time in the world. With the USF in ascendance and the war in the belt over, peace had finally come. Hopefully for good, this time.
Chargen
Welcome to Chargen. Each of you will be playing as an influential clutch who has managed to charm, convince, fight, or otherwise sway enough other clutches to your side that you are able to form your own faction that will lead one of the colonies to be made by the Voidshifter Project.
To repeat: All Player Characters Are Lamia
Lamia are an all female species, closely tied to snakes and to the stone. If you're looking for name inspiration, I tend to default to persian names, or other styles of name in the region, but go nuts! Lamia care deeply about self expression, there's very few names that would be off limits.
The deadline for applications is APRIL 22nd. I will be around in the discord, so please ask me questions.
First, select what type of clutch you are. This is a broad strokes category you fall into, and may not even define what your clutch focuses on entirely, you have room to fluff out the specifics.
Scientists:
- Scientist lineages are exactly what they sound like. You are researchers in some field of your choice. More importantly, you know how to work with other researchers, how to encourage development of projects and implement new technologies. Scientist clutches gain the ability to research new technology.
Voidborn:
- Voidborn are those few lamia who prefer to live amongst the stars. Most lamia don't feel truly comfortable without natural rock beneath their scales, but you are different. Voidborn are the only clutches who know how to build and live on habitats.
- Your clutch proudly owns a Vyreen, a golden coin which was made long ago as a sign of one's trade acumen. You know the best deals, and how to profit the most from them. You know who to find for what job, and what to give in return. Merchant lineages can engage in trade, giving them boosted revenue... so long as they have friends to trade with.
- Long lost, with the awakening of the lamia came the rediscovery of an old concept. Megastructures, the earliest ones pioneered by Gorgon of the Everflame. You are one of the first to latch on to the concept, and you can build them when no one else can.
Naga Invictii:
- A religious sect with strong ties to the belt, the Naga Invictii know the value of community and discipline. They have a lot of traditions, and many unique forms of sport and exercise. Some of the hardiest lamia around, they are strong and ready to face whatever the future may hold.
- Aren't you just the best listener? Never wanting for friends, you can get into any social circle you want. Coincidentally, you might hear all sorts of things. Socialites gain the ability to conduct espionage against other lamia.
- Your clutch has some kind of firm religious conviction that is fundamental to your lives and shapes your worldview. It has also let you surround yourself with likeminded lamia, whose faith together can move mountains. Spiritualists get bonuses when acting in accordance with their faith, and penalties when acting against it. You are allowed to flavour your own faith, but I will have the final say on its tenents.
Next, you have 5 points to choose from the following options. Flaws can increase the points you have to spend, but you can never spend more than 10 points total
Bearer of the Everflame: 5
- You are not only a disciple of the Everflame, but a delegate. The guardian herself has entrusted you to be the beacon in the dark of the farthest reaches of space, and you consider this sacred duty to be of utmost importance. You bring with you a smaller everflame, and will never let it go out.
**This trait has significant story implications, and will be under heavy scrutiny
Strategic Resource: 5
- The world you found has a resource with properties never before seen by lamia. You immediately take advantage of this, and its use will likely radically alter your society. The effect will be chosen after the game begins
No Colony: -5
- Well, this is bad! You don't have a colony at all! The system that you jumped to had looked like it had one, but it didn't. You manage to repurpose some equipment so you have some mining operations set up to make up for the lack of a colony's production, but you were forced to turn your colony ship into a home for now.
**Mutually exclusive with: Extra Colony, Strategic Resource, Large Planet, Small Planet
Patron: 3
- You were not the reason you made it aboard the great vessel, someone else was. They have decided to place their faith in you, and in so doing have made sure that your journey will be as smooth as possible. Once you reconnect with lamian space, you can expect significant benefits... so long as you return the favour.
Benefactor: 2
- Someone looked kindly enough on you to send you on your way with some extra help, and will likely continue to help when you reconnect with lamian space. You can't expect anything major, but they aren't expecting anything from you either. No strings.
Dubious Reputation: -2
- Whether true or not, there was a lot of grumbling about you around the project. Maybe people think you cheated your way on, maybe they think you're just a Big Jerk, maybe there's something deeper that they dislike. Whatever it is, people keep their distance from you.
Extra Colony: 5
- Lucky you! Either you swayed enough lamia to your side to commandeer an extra colony ship and gate, or you brought one along of your own. Regardless, you get a slither ahead of the competition by settling on two planets instead of one. The second colony isn't quite so developed, but who cares? Two planets baby!
Vassal: 4
- You have some clutch that is influential in its own right, but tied to you through bonds that simply cannot be broken. Some kind of agreement, or maybe a promise made long ago. Whatever it is, it leaves them to act... mostly independently, but you are tied together forever. Unless somethign drastic happens.
- The planet you found was larger than most, and rich in resources. You will be able to grow the cities here into a mighty hub of lamian civilisation. Lucky you!
Small Planet: -3
- You only get one chance with a void throw, and you didn't luck out. Your planet is smaller, lacking in resources and room to grow. Better find more space soon, because the ceiling here is low.
Strong Start: 3
- Maybe your planet just rules, or maybe you just prepared way better than everyone else. Whatever the case, you've started off with an economy significantly stronger than your peers, poised to hopefully keep growing.
Weak Start: -2
- Bad luck? Sabotage? It couldn't have been your fault, clearly! Someone's dastardly plan means that you've started off on the wrong scale and have fallen behind the others. Better get wiggling, you'll need to catch up!
Belter: 1
- You were born in the Belt, and that matters to you. Belter lamia tend to be risk takers, dreamers, go getters. The Belt draws the type of lamia who want to change the fundamental nature of the galaxy. You get along with other Belters, and have decent relations with the Belt's main power, the Everflame, but you and Imperials don't mix as well.
Imperial: 1
- You were born in the Empire, and that matters to you. You may have grown up still seeing the scars of decades of conflict, and it has likely made you more cautious, thoughtful. Not that you lack ambition, or else you wouldn't be here, but you consider your risks more thoughtfully. That said, you are likely very community oriented, and are used to being around many lamia at once. Imperial lamia get along with each other well, and respect Petal Representatives, but tend to have some disdain for Belt lamia.
Former Petal Representative: 1
- As staff, or seated in the Hanging Gardens itself, you were a representative of a Petal state in the USF and you carry that with you wherever you go. This doesn't actually give you any real power, and you certainly didn't get a ton of resources from it, but there is a certain respect the position carries. Fellow Petal Representatives share the experiences with you, and you tend to get along, and Belt lamia see you as having worked for the greater good. Everflame Devotees and you have some friction between you though, nothing serious but worth remembering.
Everflame Devotee: 1
- You believe in the Everflame, really truly believe, enough that it is a core part of who you are. The fire above Ashen View is the centre of your galaxy, the light that drives you forward, that provides you warmth. You haven't devoted your life to serving it, but you are counted among the faithful. Other adherents of the flame appreciate your company, happy to be in the presence of others, and Belter lamia in general see you fondly thanks to the Everflame's long protection of the Belt. You don't get along so well with the Petal Representatives among the crew, thanks to the historical tension between the Belt and Core.
Unexplored System: -1
- For some reason you don't have good data on the other planets in your system. Maybe the probe didn't work properly, maybe you just misplaced the information. Whatever it is, you start out with a mystery you need to solve.
- You brought extra stuff along, or you talked someone else out of their extra stuff. An easy option you can pick multiple times.
Fully completed you application should look like this:
Faction/Clutch name:
Matron name:
Clutch type:
(Optional) Story:
Point Buy Options:
As a note, if there's something you want that isn't covered by these, talk to me! I'd much rather we work something out and find you the ideal application than you feel constrained by my own lack of imagination.
Mechanics:
The Most Important Rule:
Be Inventive!
Have an idea other than what's listed above? Talk to me, put ti in your orders, try it out! Be passionate about what you do and I will bend over backwards to make it work.
You will achieve the best results by attaching compelling narratives and descriptions to your orders, by turning these into setpieces of a story and giving them loving descriptions. Name your planets! Name your systems! Tell me about the clutches working on these mining operations! Not only will I endeavour to showcase your work, but these will have real, tangible gameplay effects.
Quick references for costs and rules will be on the server, and I welcome questions about anything, at any time. Don't worry, you'll be alright!
Now for the actual rules.
The fundamental building block of Edge of Empire 2 is the credit. This is the resource you spend to accomplish just about everything, and is generated by your planets, mining operations, and who knows what else.
Your orders will be sent in via SV DM. There is no word limit, or action limit, on your turn. The only limiting factor is your credits. Go nuts! Get detailed. I adore plans, and am always happy to talk them over with you. I also make a habit of sanity checking plans with players before processing them in a turn, so don't worry too much about mistakes.
Important Note: Credits are NOT money. Lamia have no concept of currency, and so there is no way to abstract a currency for them. Instead, credits are an abstraction of a collection of resources, influence, favours, and knowledge that is applied towards a problem. The name is credits only because that is a term that we readily associate with a resource we generate and spend as players, they do not use the term "credits" in universe.
Credits are primarily produced by colonies and mining operations, both of which are built on planets. Each system is semi-randomly generated when it is first explored by a probe. When you scan a system, you'll get a list of planets, along with their size and any notable features. Worlds marked with an R have mineral resources you can exploit, but are unsuitable for life at significant scale, making them suitable for mining operations. Planets marked with an H are fully habitable, and can be colonised with the help of a colony ship, which is consumed in the process.
Basics covered, let's get to specifics:
Some prices for important things:
Probe (explores a system, single use): 5 credits
Gate: 20 credits
Void Throw Array (can make a single void throw): 10 credits
Colony ship: 20 credits
Mining Operation: 15 credits
Starbase: 20
Warp travel rules:
Gates are linked to other nearby gates by default, and have a maximum range that cannot be overcome. Travel within a gate network takes a trivial amount of time, so long as gates are connected you can be there.
Void Throwing:
To reach a system that doesn't have a gate, or the gate has no connection to your own, you need to "throw" whatever you intend to send. Doing this occupies the entire turn of both the gate, and the thing being thrown. The destination has to be specified in advance as well so the gate lamia can do the necessary calculations.
No ship can be thrown more than once per turn. Hard Limit.
Ships that are thrown have a brief window where they can "tether" out, but the window is very brief and if you want to be safe, send a gate, or a void throwing array if you don't want a full gate present for whatever reason.
Technology:
You specify the project, and decide on a price. I will then see what you get for the combination. There is room for negotiation here, but ultimately it's a pretty soft system, no hard rules.
Espionage:
To conduct espionage, you need access to the system. From there, you establish a network on the planet by paying 10 credits. With a network established can then pay 5 credits to acquire a "favour". Favours remain between turns, and can be spent to engage in operations.
Counter Espionage:
Hate being spied on? You could pay 15 credits to establish counter espionage on your worlds, where you will passively generate defence against operations. This won't be perfect, but it will make things more difficult for people spying on you. Everyone can do counter espionage.
Trade:
Merchants can establish trade agreements with other factions. When they do, they get a flat 10 credits per turn, and the other faction gets 5 credits per turn. You must remain connected via gate network for this to work.
Vassals:
Vassals operate under different rules, going with a more vague approach to development. They tend to be quiet, not doing a whole lot on their own. You are able to give them directions on what to do, and they will do so to the best of their ability... assuming they like you. Vassals cannot do special actions granted by clutch type.
You can create vassals out of colonised worlds if you want.
By default, vassals send you a number of credits every turn, roughly equal to about 15% of what I think their income should be.
Planets and construction:
When a colony ship arrives at a planet, it needs two turns before it can start producing credits for your faction. After that setup period, it starts as a level 0 colony, producing 20 credits per turn.
A colony can be upgraded a number of times equal to the size of the planet it is on. Each upgrade costs three times its current income, so to go from level 0 to level 1 costs 60 credits, a major investment!
You can build other things on planets, anything you can imagine really. Upgrades cover basic infrastructure and giving local lamia the resources they need to establish their own industries, but there may be all sorts of specialist needs you have. Unique buildings cost 15 credits by default, but I may charge you more under special circumstances.
Mining operations cost 20 to set up, and each upgrade costs an additional 20. Just like colonies, they can be upgraded a number of times equal to the size of the planet they were established on.
A basic mining operation makes 15 credits per turn, and each upgrade adds 5 to that value.
Colonies and mining operations can only be upgraded one level per turn.
Habitats:
Habitats act as worlds which can be constructed. Voidborn are the only ones who can bring a habitat beyond a level 0 colony for any reason, and if a habitat changes control from voidborne to a non-voidborn faction, it will revert to a level 0 colony.
Habitats can only be built around planets of size 3 or above, and cost 80 credits to build. All habitats act as size 2 worlds by default, but extra additions can be made that can radically expand their abilities. You can request that your starting colony be a habitat if you are voidborn.
Once constructed, a habitat is immediately colonised as a level 0 colony that can then be upgraded up to the size the habitat allows.
Worlds with habitats in orbit cannot be used for anything else. No colonies, no mining.
Starbases:
You can spend 40 credits to build a starbase. Starbases give you uncontested control of a system, nobody can colonise a system you have a starbase in without your express permission. Multiple starbases can be built in a system.
Starbases may prove to be more useful as time goes on...
Megastructure:
A soft system, megastructures are new to lamia society and so they have little conception of what they "should" look like. Go nuts! Tell me what you want to make and how many credits you're sinking into it. These are going to be huge and customisable, so make them your own.
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