SWAE.SF.StarLaw

HISTORY OF THE STELLAR CLUSTER (FRONTIER SPACE)

Sometime around the late 24th century Humans from Earth found a stable worm-hole in the Sol System some 600 years ago. Massive amounts of colonization took place for almost 100 years after it was discovered, settling on the planet Gateway, a habital lush garden world on the other side of the worm hole in a stellar culster several hundred thousand lightyears from Sol. Strange astrological quirks lead to the development of faster-then-travel within this Stellar Cluster at around the same time that the worm-hole suddenly closed some 500 years ago.

As Humans spread out from Gateway they quickly discovered that they were not alone in this region of space and made contact with over a dozen different Stellar Governments and Alien societies (some with FTL some without it yet). Early on the various groups negotated a peace accord between the different governments and groups to form a huge Neutral Space between and among them. This space would eventually be formally called the United Frontier Space (UFS) as a semi-independent boarder region of interstellar trade and cooperation.

This treaty was called the Concord of Frontier Worlds was formally signed by most of the princale members some 400 years ago and the formal start of the United Fortiner Space. The UFS serves to bring the variousty worlds and species together, and although it strives to maintain order and peace through diplomacy and judicious use of military force, it has proven ineffective in dealing with the galaxy’s criminal elements and hostile xeno/alien species. To deal with these hostile aliens, criminals and criminal organizations, the UFS formed the Regulators -- a quasi-military/law enforcement agency with the power and resources to locate and arrest criminals on any Frontier world and aid any resident against hostile external threats. Although the Regulators activities are closely monitored by the UFS’s intelligence community, the agency has been given sufficient latitude to pursue its directives as it sees fit.

The chief rival of the Regulators and the UFS is the criminal organization known and the Galactic Cartles, The Malthar Crime Family and the Shadow Worlds. The Galactic Cartles are smugglers (especially weapons and illegal tech) and pirates. The Malthar Crime Family are lead by a group of renegade dralasites and specialize in slavery and forced labor but also competes with the Cartel on piracy. The Shadow Worlds are simply worlds that don't adhere to UFS laws or are not part of the Concord of Frontier Worlds. Many are inhabited by hostile aliens (and a few Humans) who are extemely xenophobic or are primative and under protection from the UFS so as not to be exploited unfairly. This also makes these worlds attractive to criminals or wanted outlaws and anyone not wanting to draw UFS attention to themselves.

Another threat to the UFS are the alien, called the 'Clicks', due to their disctinctive clicking noises they made. UFS Intelligence has no idea what they call themselves as they have refused all forms of communication, including telepathic requests. It is not even known if they are sentient or controlled by another species but they do have access to somekind of advanced tech. Unfortuniaty for UFS Intelligence and the Regulators when one is killed its body rapidly starts to decompose and their technology with it. It is believe some kind of acid is responsable but again... unknown.

The heroes are officers working for the Regulators. Such officers are drawn from all corners of the Stellar Cluster, but they share an unwavering sense of duty to protect the innocent and uphold the laws of the Frontier. Every year, thousands of hopefuls apply to the Regulators, for the job of a Officer is one of neverending exploration, excitement, and peril. However, only a few hundred applicants can pass the rigorous physical, intellectual, and psychological testing, and even fewer make it through the months of training and indoctrination once they’re accepted.

A Regulators campaign consists of a series of missions, and almost all missions begin the same way: A squad of Regulators Officers receives an assignment to locate a capture a wanted criminal (or gang of criminals) or to protect a settlement from hostile forces or rescue endangered citizens, etc. How they pursue their assignment is up to them; sometimes the direct approach works best, but Regulators Officers must also be prepared for undercover work, relying on their keen wits as well as sharp reflexes to take down their targets.

Other Historical Setting Notes...

The Fraal are from outside the Stellar Clusters (as are the Aleerin) and their legends talk about something they called the Scream that originated from the Stellar Cluster some 2,000 years ago. They were far enough away that they suffered little effects from this event but there are ruins of various technologies with super advanced Psitech found shattered thoughout the Stellar Cluster. The other species native to the Stellar Cluster all have legends of a time where they encounterd strange "space gods" who were all wiped out during this event (along with many of the psychically empowered memebers).

The first star-faring species native to the Stellar Cluster where the Vrusk some 900 years ago. The Dralasite and the Yazirian quickly followed suite some 700 years ago. The Fraal immigrated into the Stellar Cluster on great generation starships some 650 years ago while the Aleerin arrived on their huge trading/space-colony starships some 500 years ago. The T'Sa are native to the Cluster and developed stardrives around 300 years ago. The Weren are a primitive people still and were only "discovered" by others in the last 100 years. They are not offically members of the UFS instead their homeworld is still considered a Shadow World (most Weren on the planet are still very xenophobic and hostile to outsiders).

The Stellar Cluster...

The Stellar Cluster itself includes maybe a thosand stars and there are thosands of planets within it and several hundred that are habitable by most of the species. No one really controls more then a few star systems, the Vrusk Collective (as their society is called) has the most with control of 13 systems. The Humans of Gateway have formed what they call the Stellar Alliance of six systems. All of these colonies though are at least partially part of the UFS. The Yazirian have a loose collection of four worlds they call the Sendi-Clans of States that includes their homeworld. The Fraal had settled on three worlds that the called the Foundation Worlds, the T'sa control their homeworld and one other colony. The Dralasite only control their homeworld (and then with a very loose form of government) where most of the colony worldds joined the UFS or remain independent. The Aleerin have no permanent worlds that they have settled in any numbers and prefer their huge space-colony ships to this day. They often travel throughout the UFS on these ships, trading or simply exploring.

Most other planets have been colonized by multiple species are part of the UFS government. United Frontier Space includes well over a hundred worlds. This is where most of the game will be set.

Tech and Starships...

Most of the UFS is Tech Level 3-4 (a bit lower on newer colonies, higher in the core worlds or oldest colonies) with a few pieces of 5 (mostly artifacts of the old Space-Gods or specific tech advences by certain member species). The Weren are only around 1 (pre-industrial but with musket weapons).

Starships in this setting use Spike-Drill Drive. Most are rating only 1 or 2. Drive 3 are available but tend to be very expensive and used only by the extermely wealth and elite. The Stellar Cluster has been fairly well navigated and mapped but there is a lot of unnavigated space and Shadow Worlds that have never been visited (at least not by any offical UFS ships).

The Regulaters will be assigned a starship for mission and most players should have a few skills that allow them to assist in normal ship functions (pilot, enginer, captain, etc.)