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An ancient empire, the Reich has a storied history behind it. It, however, became decadent and ineffectual, eventually leading to its collapse at the hands of the Federation approximately 100 years ago. They have reformed into a series of highly effective semi-autonomous elector states.



Two thousand years ago, the Alaricians of Rannert began their spacefaring age. They rapidly advanced, having a natural affinity for the land and how to best use the resources available to them. They focused heavily on space, their homeworld severely overpopulated. Eventually, they created their first FTL drive, the hyperspace engine. Using this new invention, they entered a golden age of militaristic expansion, between two superpowers. These superpowers clashed and competed for power, forging the beginning of the First Rannertian Reich in a crucible of war -- sometimes hot, sometimes cold. Eventually, they decided the terrors of the galaxy were too many to face alone.

This was the beginning of the Rannertian Treaty Organization, a grouping of the two superpowers and their puppet states. They would eventually meld into one over several generations, but for all intents and purposes they were united. The First Rannertian Reich had not been born yet, but it was well on its way. They continued their rapid expansion, until they controlled two entire galactic spirals. Officially, at 7835:03GM, on the Rannertian calendar, the treaty organization federalized into the First Rannertian Reich. It became the Year of the First Reich, 0:03GM. With this federalization came immense power, and the Alaricians enjoyed great luxuries. Over the next 1500 years, they conquered another entire spiral, far to the galactic southwest and southeast.

Tragedy struck the First Reich of Rannert when they fell into decadence, eventually leading into the Federal Conflict, the official name for the war between the First Reich and the Federation. Despite their superior technology, equipment, and numbers, they were beaten into submission in humniliating speed, the Federation owing their victory to the hedonism of the First Reich. The myriad of people in the Reich were added to the federation as citizensallowed to partake in the military, while the leadership and much of the throneworld's population base was exiled to far-flung space.

There, they have reformed themselves, discovered new military strategies and technologies, and now they bide their time to strike back at the Federation in revenge. But first, comes the Daisan Order, who the Second Reich hopes to test their military theory. The date is the Year of the Second Reich, 122:01GM.


Orange sectored area on the map.


Capital
Rammburg









Hervia


















The demographics of the Second Reich are mainly made up of Alaricians, a plant-like tree people originating from the throneworld of Rannert. They are numerous in the Second Reich, with 90% of the population made up of Alaricians.



The government is mainly monarchist, and public opinion does not differ much. The peoples are angry at their defeat in the Federal Conflict, and nowadays are highly xenophobic and nationalist. They are in a war economy, preparing to strike out to expand and regain their power. It is one step short of fascist.


The Reich, when exiled, took their advanced technology with them. They are highly capable scientists, and are among the most advanced in the galaxy, though in recent years the gap has been closing.


Infinite Variable Computing - Though not theoretically infinite, the computing power of the Reich has advanced so far that the limit for variables is practically infinite. It is the final word in computational logic.
Super-Propulsion Systems - These propulsion systems, while not typically mounted on larger ships due to a huge power pull, are often used in the long-range missiles of the Reich, allowing them to speed up their missiles to a fraction of C in minutes rather than hours or days.
Universal Aerodynamics - Designing craft capable of handling the transition from space to atmospheric battle theaters has always been difficult, but a new understanding of air flow under extremes of pressure and temperature has led to universal aerodynamic tech.
Tensor Algorithms - Underpinning advances in coordinating battlefield assets, tensor algorithms marry higher-order mathematics and computable instructions to make systems more reactive.
C5 Systems - Command, Control, Communications, Computing and... C, the speed of light. The final "c" to be integrated into advanced battle systems, the ability to react to masses moving at a measurable percentage of "c" is the final key to handling large fleet maneuvers using advanced technologies.


The industry of the Reich is primarily geared towards a military-industrial complex, and indeed the Alaricians do not have much in the way of consumer good needs. This allows for a higher amount of military factories, which according to their society, is better than more consumer goods factories. They are still bitter over their defeat and it shows. They have many shipyards, allowing for a high rate of ship creation, and their raw resources sector is highly efficient. They have capitalized on reduced waste, and everything generally has a use.


The Reich can be best described as a military with a state, and this shows. They have a particularly large and impressive military, and they rule with an iron fist over their space.


The Reichsflotte, as the navy is called, is a navy made up of plenty of missile-based capital ships and smaller close-quarters cruisers, destroyers, and corvettes. They tend to tie up an enemy with the smaller ships, while the capital ships fire missiles from across the solar system. There are many types of ships in the Reichsflotte, such as:









(Describe your ground forces, too. This is especially important in this RP since ground/planetary combat will enjoy a spotlight. So we do suggest you to take extra attention to this section.)

Ground Doctrine: How do your ground forces operate in a general sense? What are the strategies and tactics commonly employed? What design philosophies are used and how are the affected by your country’s strategies. In short: what can we expect to see from your country’s ground forces? Bonus points if you give your doctrine a real name such as human wave.

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Luxans are an aggressive warrior race bent on conquest. About 70 years ago they used to be a major power in the Stormlosweg Sector but since losing their home they were reduced to mere tribal broods and raiders, harassing their neighbors. They use their unique invasive biology as their technology and capable of evolving to adapt against their opponents. While weak as a state Luxans in battle should never be underestimated. As raiders in space they are infamous for their lightning fast attacks by abusing their slipspace drives.


The origin of Luxans is shrouded in mystery. No Luxan was found willing to communicate and it's plausible that not even the Luxans themselves know the details. It can be safely said that they were born on Lux sometime around or after the Kilonova Catastrophe. Some Mortean scientists theorize the Luxans were a biological experiment to create a lifeform capable of surviving in the new hostile environment. Others claim the original inhabitants of Lux turned themselves into these creatures. Whichever is the case by around VR100 they've taken over the planet and permanently transformed it to their nesting ground. Mortean records in earnest begin with VR11 when the Luxans invade Mortis for the first time. They lacked FTL and supposedly used standard propulsion to reach the Todderstern system. Regardless after just recovering from the Karan'esh the Morte were unprepared to face an entirely new threat. Whatever remained of thinning atmosphere of Mortis was lost and turned to corrosive gases by the invaders and in spite of their limited resources it took two decades to get rid of the Luxans. The shock of the First Luxan War also lead to the Morte abandonning their republican system and put power in the hands the charismatic general turned hero, Karl von Metzel. His dynasty ruled Mortis for centuries.
[...]
By the time of the 13rd Luxan War the Morte grew into a formidable body owning multiple star systems. With the balance of power flipped over the Morte chose to be on the offense and after decades of intense warfare they began the siege of Lux. After sacrificing many billions on both sides the Morte Imperium triumphed and the Luxans were scattered. Losing the Lux didn't just set back their industry but also lead to losing their most sacred place while sacrificing nearly all their leaders. It was inevitable that the Luxans would scatter into numerous small broods. Descending into a borderline tribal state the Luxans busy infighting unless there's a valuable prey nearby.


The green area shows which parts of the Stormlosweg Sector aren't held by the Morte Imperium yet. Most broods reside somewhere in this area although more and more Luxans settle outside of it and began to spread towards the Yrrkeltharl Coalition

Unknown, they used to have Lux as their homeworld and primary nesting pool but since then they splintered into dozens of broods. Due to the meticulous way to cover their tracks there's no information about the exact location of any of these broods.


Luxans are a strain of organism supposedly created on Lux. Their unique cels have the ability to absorb genetic materials and utilize them to better themselves. Primal Lux are the caste of sapient species of their kind. They have largely humanoid features but mixed with the characteristics of many other creatures. Luxans have a deep seated desire to consume and conquer which could be the driving force behind their warlike tendencies. They are a warrior race that values strength, cunning and brutality. Physically they could have varying characteristics albeit generally Primes have a distinct look which makes them easy to identify. Luxans partially earned their names for their relationship to the stars. Collecting radiation is essential for Luxan breeding and hatching mechanism which naturaly makes them dependent on stars. Albeit in the Stormlosweg region they have quite a few more option which is partially why they remained there. Luxans can live in space without much of a discomfort albeit they prefer to fill the air with toxic gases. Lastly, Luxan genetic material is infectious and when implanted to other organisms have a high chance of leading to a fatal disease. The Luxan cells consume the foreign body as they multiply, if completely successful this eventually results in the target creature turning into some sorts of Luxan itself. As such close combat and physical methods are best to be avoided with Luxans.


Luxans long lost any resemblance to a proper government and now considered a group of "Broods" united by a Matriarch each. This can be best approximated as a tribal system with the next biggest authority being the Alpha Prime who's the physically strongest or at least the most successful Prime Lux in their brood.

Luxans use biotechnology derived from their own genes. In essence everything they use are also Luxans themselves. Regardless their biotechnology evolved to the level of matching other factions which is obviously a no small feat. Luxans use lower ranking strains like other civilizations use machines. Instincts, reflexes and various forms of biological intelligences replace computers and AIs. They can excrete materials tough enough to compete with advanced materials invented by other species. Their bioreactors are capable of using strangely technology like mechanisms to match Mortean advancements. Even their weapons are often living creatures that are altered to serve their function. Luxan biotechnology in an abstract way resembles the developments of other races yet the fundamentals are quite different.

- Weinol: Name of the family of unique Luxan structural materials, named after a Mortean scientist who synthesized a few variants of it. While in Morte their understanding of Weinol is only sufficient to make them into replacement of plastics the Luxan build their entire civilization on this. It could range from extremely tough yet light and diamond hard armors to powerful muscles or even unique variants to catch antimatter unscratched. The potential applications of Weinol are seemingly limitless.

- Spore Launcher: Common kinetic weapon of the Luxans using yet not exactly understood mechanisms to launch tiny armored spores at hypervelocity. The "spore" can be microscopic or even the size of a huge boulder (for starship weapons) and can take up various shapes and functions. In essence these spores are bioengineered organisms designed to fulfill a certain purpose after impact. For small arms this usually involves just injecting Luxan DNA into bodies to act as poison while at larger scales they can act as explosives, chemical delivery systems, breeding pods to spawn creatures inside enemy ships and so on. Spores of higher complexity also often have their own maneuvering methods and guidance. Some spores may even contain multiple smaller spores. When a spore has significant self-propulsion instead of being launched it's called Locust and it could be the Luxan equivalent of missiles.

- LVASS: Licht-Verstärkung durch Antistof-Stimulation (LVASS, its Mortean name) is a sorts of gamma ray laser utilizing the energy of pair annihilation for a more focused and powerful laser. Also called as bio-laser for its distinct nature but it should not be confused with Yrrkeltharl Coalition's own bio-lasers that are more of a catch-all term for terrestrial weapons. In Luxan context only laser weapons but both for space and terrestrial use are called as bio-lasers, even those that may not use LVASS mechanism.

- Blink Drive: Around IR200 the Luxans found a derelict Ekhrilthurian spacecraft with its slipspace drive intact. After decades of effort they made a biotech replica of these and finally attained means to FTL. Over the time they made their own adjustments to the long outdated design, while not quite improving it they engineered it for better and better performances. Luxan drives could never achieve long jumps, nor the speeds plausible for modern slipspace drives. Instead they managed to overclock it, allowing fast entries and escapes for their speedy raids. Few hundred years later after the discovery the Luxan were a known menace that could appear almost anywhere within the Stormlosweg sector and when you the least expect it.

- Adaptive Biology: As a result of every piece of Luxan technology being alive these are loaded with a wealth of sensory information along with the inbuilt versatility results in what the Luxans' enemies refer to as "adaptation". After experiencing a new threat this produced a feedback which can be analyzed and using the Luxans' technology base alter their technology to adapt the best way they can know. This can result in unexpected changes in Luxan combat units over the course of a long battle. Luxans don't magically grow immune to enemy attacks but they change to better handle the threat. This can be direct like developing a different kind of armor (switching from anti-DEW to anti-kinetic properties, for example) or a more proactive response that deals with the threat by most likely killing it better (ie.: sensors to spot snipers or growing sniper weapons themselves).


Luxans are warlike and most of their society focuses on their ability to fight. Since their technology is biological containing their genetic materials it could be said those are also Luxans. For them fighting is less about political aims but to propagate their kind. Luxans corrupt worlds into their own image and this hostile terraformation is sometimes even part of their military strategy. Once they landed in sufficient mass it's plausible the very planet turns against the defenders.

Luxan starships are semi-living creatures created entirely through unique biological processes. As such there's no uniform design and each ship can change or even grow over their lifetime. Luxan utilizes ships for two purposes. One for patrols and raids, these ships are made for battle and are fairly compact in size. Another category is for behemoths of starships specializing to drop spore pods containing swarms of Luxan troops. While tough and heavily armed with usually a fleet of podcraft as escort they aren't really meant for actual combat. There used to be a class for dreadnoughts but these fell out of favor and after the fall of Lux they are no longer have the means to supply these gigantic beasts so it practically disappeared.

Podcraft: Equivalent to starfighters these large organism are varied and often altered by their mothership prior to launch to fit a certain puprose. Most podcraft are giant sentient creatures approaching the intelligence of Prime Lux. In a sense they are like biological drones. Albeit occasionall podcraft are modified to hold a Prime as its pilot or carry cargo/troops as an alternative to Spore Pods. Podcraft can be occasionally capable of Slipspace travel albeit they need a bioship to open a rift for them in order to do so.

Spineship: 120-400m long bioships with elongated shape made for agility and a decent loadout of weapons. It usually has one or a few spinal mounted weapons but unlike for the Morte they have an almost secondary role compared to locusts and weapon batteries. Spineships are again designed for agility and this is reflected in their Blink Drives that are fast and capable of performing two or sometimes more jumps in succession in order to confuse the enemy. Of course that also takes up extra space and requires even more time to recharge but for the Luxans the tradeoff worths it.

Behemoth: 1000-2000m long bioship with plenty of place for carrying warriors as well as breeding new tools to fight with. While compared to a Spineship they're more powerful they aren't even nearly a match for Mortean Dreadnoughts. Most of their weapons are defensive and they're reliant on swarms of Podcraft for protection. They also launch Spore Pods for either bombardment or more commonly to land units for assaults. Their Blink Drive is optimized for distance and can only do a single jump before requiring to recharge.


TBA

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The Outer Rim has always been one of those vague, unexplored parts of the galaxy. In the interests of safety, nations refrain from sending large fleets into uncharted territory and the probes that are sent tend to wind up mysteriously vanishing. For the longest time, it was unknown how or why the Outer Rim was so unexplored.

Then the Sinnsyk appeared. At first glance these colorful, diminutive creatures don't seem like much of a threat. Who would be scared of a few hooded raiders? But they quickly established themselves as a fearsome pirate group. They could strike deep into the heart of hostile territories with nary a blip on the radar. Top secret military projects were somehow being fielded in enemy hands months before they were officially released. Unmanned probes and drones would suddenly go dark, their information lost. This was the legacy of the Sinnsyk. They went from another snotty pirate culture to fearsome thieves and phantoms of the night, with a ravenous desire for technology

To those who work with the Sinnsyk, they are determined engineers and programmers, machinists in the purest sense of the word. No code is to complex, no machine to big and their ability to find errors in such devices is uncanny. To their enemies, the Sinnsyk represent a subtle, mysterious threat. They strike deep in hostile territory practically unscathed, take what they want and leave. They have ears all over and the Network has its finger in every criminal underworld. This ability to avoid conflict, to hide from danger and to simply learn unprecedented amounts of information in short time spans more than makes up for their physical weaknesses.



TBC


TBC



Largest Starbases:
Stortvarmt
Litenkaldt
Solopp
Kaotiskgalskap
Behera

Held Planets from Largest to Smallest:
Paardveid
Breizh
Pfrerdreich
Ruiterji
Aishite
Huilebalk
Gesteente
Maanaw
Stenholm


The only race that occupies the Sinnsyk Star Network is the eponymous Sinnsyk. Sinnsyk are short humanoids, about four to five foot tall, with white skin, segmental heterochromatic eyes, fluffy, feathery hair that comes in a frankly obscene variety of colours and markings all up and down their body that glow colourfully. Weight swings between 6 to 9 stone by imperial measurements, due to excessively thin muscle and fat mass. Their bodies are covered in soft, supple skin that remains smooth from childhood to maturity. Colouration is always snow white with special markings of a single, bioluminescent color. These markings can range from a few short lines on the face to long complex patterns all over the face and body. They gain nutrition via oral consumption and are particularly dependent of fructose, glucose and sucrose, which they grow and consume in large quantities.
Mentally, Sinnsyk are known for their attachment to machines. This attachment has spread deep into their society, with machines of all sorts being used as currency and treasure. This has raised a point of contention amongst scholars; what the Sinnsyk did before discovering electricity is a mystery and no Sinnsyk history source goes back that far. They also have a disturbing reaction to violence - when threatened, they projectile vomit. This puke is highly corrosive and can blind and burn anyone it lands on, with the exception of the Sinnsyk themselves. Again, this is genetically hard coded into their DNA.
Disturbing evidence has been unearthed to suggest the Sinnsyk were deliberately genetically engineered, though who and why they did this is as of yet unknown. Their appearances, being highly effeminate by Human standards even amongst males, is consistent amongst them all. Even the most masculine of them is never much more than androgynous - some scholars suggest this points to deliberate genetic manipulation whilst others claim this could be a perfectly natural occurrence. Their consistent desire to gather more technology is present in 100% of specimens, a rate unheard of for a personality trait, even a culturally enforced trait, and their unusual racial unity even amongst different enclaves lacks the tribalism common amongst natural races.


"This is not merely a madhouse designed by a madman, but a madhouse designed by many madmen, each with an intense hatred for the previous madman's unique flavour of madness."

Sinnsyk society is not a hard one to recognise. The colour gives them away. The colour grey apparently does not exist for Sinnsyk, since everything from clothes to ships is painted in bright, intense colours. Colour is present in all aspects of a Sinnsyk's life, and grey just bores the heck out of them, so dont expect to get much eye rest if you decide to visit.

Sinnsyk also enjoy duality and opposition, which makes up a large part of their philosophical culture. They believe that everything has at least two forms and that by changing between forms at the right time, one can construct something far greater than the sum of its parts. This duality can be something as simple as broken and functional, on and off or together and apart, or something far greater and more complex. This is one explanation as to why they wear such strange garments - the opposition of the bright colours and comfortable material with the fearsome, terrifying images that are worn on them. Some Sinnsyk use duality and opposition in a different way, such as adorning themselves with dead flowers, their sweet scent being sickening, or making tight, body-hugging suits that sexualise them out of hard, protective materials that prevent entry.

It wouldn't be a raider culture without something to raid. It is the technological, from simple mechanics right up to unimaginable technological wonders, that forms the centrepiece of Sinnsyk society. Every station has a massive electronic footprint, every Sinnsyk room is fitted with a workbench for taking apart and putting together devices. They trade in tech the way other races use currency. Machinery is the lifeblood of the Network and its a Sinnsyk's whole reason for being. Without it, they would have nothing.

Law and order in the Network is a simple affair. Sinnsyk are expected to flout the rules of any planet they set foot on - Such limits only slow them down in their mission. Rape and murder are always forbidden, but there is nothing stopping a Sinnsyk from fighting back if they were attacked first. "Purposefully drawing blood" - with exemption to medical grounds - is also forbidden. They often identify with local criminals and gangs, which often has hit and miss effects. Sometimes they set up large, successful smuggling rings. Sometimes they find themselves locked up sweatshops and brothels. Depends on the gang really.

Internal dissent is very limited, made up of a few small scale grudges or rivalries - nothing that threatens to overthrow the Network as a whole. Sinnsyk treat alien races mostly with respect, unless they have some tech they want. Then they become rivals, but even then Sinnsyk treat rivalries as big games and are never overly violent or cruel.


Sinnsyk have a very... loose government, which isn't the same as none at all. Generally, what happens is that a group of Sinnsyk will band together and work on a project together, then manage it between themselves. None of the Starbases, for example, were commissioned by a governing body by by groups of individual Sinnsyk who banded together to create what they created. Obviously a group of Sinnsyk who governs a Starbase or colonise a planet have more clout amongst the Network than than those who don't, but this disjointed system makes it hard to control certain individuals. It does, however, encourage Sinnsyk to work and achieve based on their own merits, so only the most diligent, most resourceful or most brilliant will climb to the top.


Tech is the lynchpin of Sinnsyk society. Its like currency to them. The whole society focuses on or strives to gain more technology. They cant get enough of the stuff, it's like an itch that they need to scratch.
As such, Technology amongst the Network is a bit chimeric. Nothing ever looks quite right. Its all taken from other nations, then experimented on and changed in ways that most people would either never have imagined or would never have dared. Every machine is unique, every device one of a kind, as every Sinnsyk who makes or steals has their own idea of what good tech is like. The Network thrives on its unique, crazy creativity and the abominations it creates because of it. Many innocent Sinnsyk have lost their minds to the desperate pursuit of more and more complex technology, constantly seeking bigger, better things. Confusingly, many Sinnsyk raiders constantly work on and improve technology purely for the purpose of stealing more technology. Improved stealth systems always get used for stealing things to improve their stealth system. God knows what would happen if the Sinnsyk ever created the ultimate version of something
Its not just machines or programmes either, but medicines, chemicals, elements... anything vaguely related to science or technology, they want their own spin on it. Being as chaotic and as unpredictable as they are, the Sinnsyk rarely produce the same thing in bulk and this can make trade a little confusing. They rapidly get bored of making the same things over and over, and turn to grander projects as their minds change, leaving long-term business partners in the lurch. That steady supply of plasma pistols may suddenly become plasma shotguns, then plasma sniper rifles, and they wont understand why you're so upset.


Hand Crank Energy Chargers: Ah, those ancient, obsolete methods everyone else abandoned long ago. How they are sadly underused. Sinnsyk energy weapons are powered by hand-crank batteries, meaning the charge can be easily refilled. On the plus side, this makes ammo logistics far easier, and ensures that Sinnsyk never run out of shot on the field. On the other hand, trying to hand crank a machine gun in the midst of combat aint exactly easy, or quick.


Its no secret that the Sinnsyk are some of the most diligent engineers and mechanics in the galaxy. Recruiting them is a difficult task but highly rewarding, and since many have connections as part of the Network, what you pay them usually finds its way into circulation back home. Since the concept of money is so foreign to them, these engineers end up driving down the value of nearby techies, whilst lowering costs and raising profit for whatever company employs them - so if a Sinnsyk comes to town, you'll want to snag them before your rivals do.

The split between planets and starbases is simple. Planets are agricultural, starbases are industrial. If you live on a planet, it is expected that you will grow and raise the crops of the Network, which is traded with Starbases for consumption. Some starbases have small agricultural regions, but these are only really present in those bases that are out the way. Starbases' usual product is the various machines, robots and tech that provide the backbone of the Network.

Sinnsyk often find work in the black markets of foreign nations, either as traders and scrappers or as runners. Their short stature and feminine appearances mean they can easily be mistaken for children at first glance, which makes smuggling a lot easier.




Navy Doctrine: The navy has a fondness for penetration stratagems. They strike deep into the core of the enemy territory, then go on a raiding spree. Of course this is done quietly and in a seemingly random order, which makes it hard to predict where they'll be next. Their ships are small and light, fast moving and equipped with high-quality stealth devices. This obviously drains from their armour and weapons systems - even the heaviest Network ship does little more than disable any ships and rarely destroys them outright.


Ground Doctrine: Sinnsyk ground tactics are characterised by their long range, cautious nature, and swift entrance and exit. They rarely attack directly, preferring instead to harass and frustrate enemies, wearing down morale and attacking supplies. They are keen practitioners of the Fabian Strategy, even on foreign ground, and a large part of their strategies rely on remaining undetected for as long as possible.
Tactically, they also use long-range harassment tactics. Small fire teams are deployed as opposed to large, overwhelming armies, and combat vehicles focus on speed and stealth, not armour. Even artillery sacrifices power for speed, so the whole theatre of war can be packed up and shipped out as soon as possible. fire team tactics include long-range fire then falling back or going into hiding, so as to frustrate and demoralise the enemy. Civilian casualties are avoided as much as possible.