• Baronage
The Baronage lineage stems from the original inhabitants of Earth’s Moon. These families were the wealthy and the elite of world.
There are less than two hundred of the original family titles remaining today. The surviving Baronage are among the strongest and shrewdest of the lines. The baronies are locked in constant battle for supremacy, but it is doubtful any of these families will die out any time soon.
The Barons are responsible for the Terra Restorative Initiative. The Terra Foundation is devoted to restoring Earth to its former splendor. In order to restore the Earth, certain pieces of equipment must be built from the materials of the Galaxy. Once all these pieces are in place it will take many generations to revive Earth. The planet of life now sits as a tomb--an Eden locked---a shrine to the memory of the perfection that had been.
It is in this crusade that the Barons go to war. They carry the banner of the Foundation but only pay it lip service. Thousands of the crews work day in and day out to create the equipment, only to have it destroyed in a surprise raid by a rival Baron or baroness. And so the polluted Earth continues in ruin.
• Baronial Law
The law and government style of each Barony is different in each system, region, and planet. Some baronies are an oligarchy where power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society distinguished by status and priveledge. Other baronies or Mogul-run regions are more plutocratic-- where economic inequality is high and social mobility is low. All of the baronies use some form of traditional authority or domination that is almost feudalistic in that a ruling regime's legitimacy is largely tied to tradition or custom.
However, one law is absolute among the Baronage. The Baronial Law Against Guns.
Since one stray bullet could cause serious damage aboard a space shuttle or space station, the Baronage has outlawed the possessions of guns in space. Possession of a firearm or its major components is punishable by the death of the owner and the entire crew associated with its transportation.
Shuttles are also forbidden to carry firing systems, armament, or missiles--mostly because of the expense of such shuttles. In the minds of the Baronage, crews are expendable. Shuttles are not.
• Heritage
Ethnicity across the Galaxy has become completely mixed. Since there were only so many families that could escape from Earth, in time, all of the ethnicities became intertwined. Now, there is no longer talk of “race” or “ethnicity,” but rather Heritage is what people refer to as a defining characteristic of their past.
List of Heritage Major Heritages (in order of population)
Asadian
Alamanz
Ynde
Rhosian
Eurysan
Terrajin
Kroy
Kal'Kerishim
Stelan
Austeri
Bryttasish
Gothal
Espanese
Gieish
Vendels
Baltanes
Na’Gnasci
• Moguls
Sometimes, the Baronage sets aside their mutual hatred in order to drive out an even more despised enemy: the Moguls.
Thousands of Baron-like lords called “Moguls” have taken the place of the fallen Baronage. The Moguls lack the pomp of the Baronage and are even more ruthless and dishonest.
• Galaxy
The Milky Way Galaxy is nearly 90,000 light years wide, and some 200 billion stars illuminate the Galaxy.
It is a cold, dark place, and great distances separate the few pockets of civilization--keeping the inhabitants in ignorance. Thousands of space-stations and rare planets side TerraBases are all that is left of humankind.
TerraBases are large domes that synthesize a planet’s natural atmosphere and produce an environment suitable for human life. Several million people can live in one TerraBase at a time, and many planets connect their Bases through underground tunnel systems. However, there are no planets with the oxygen rich environment like Earth. Some planets do have an atmosphere that is similar enough for limited planet-side exposure however.
• Space Travel
Although ordinary vessels cannot travel faster than lightspeed, some special Kalsan shuttles boast the capabilities for "Faster-Than-the-Speed-of-Light" (FTSL) travel. Actually, it is believed these vessels distort space and time to shorten the distance from two points and reduce the time spent travelling rather than break the speed limit of light. However, only the most powerful Baronies can afford the equipment necessary for FTSL travel. The launch facilities require an entire dedicated warehouse of equipment--the secrets of which are jealously guarded.
• Technology
Besides the necessary advancements made by the Kalsan, technology has not advanced much from the time of the Earth exodus. There are no anti-gravitational space ships with lasers… no androids… no civilizations of clones... not yet at least.
Humanity has searched far and wide but has mainly just uncovered rock and debris. There are no alien or non-human intelligent life forms in the galaxy, but bacteria and other simple microorganisms have been found throughout the systems—giving hope that some other intelligent life may be found someday.
• Time
The Baronial Calendar is divided by Tag (day), Monat (month), and by the current Dynasty of the Gates Baron. There are 100 Tags in one Monat. Since there have been ten barons and baronesses in the Gates Barony ruling over the Baronage, it is the 10th Dynasty in the current timeline. The calendar also measures how many consecutive days the current Baron Gates has held power over the galaxy.
When traveling at FTSL, time is relative to the speed at which one travels. Regardless, the Baronial Calendar is the standard measuring device for time.
• Communication
Advanced Kalsan technology enables communication across great distances.
Kalsan embassies physically send the messages through the FTSL System. The Kalsan send these messages instantly, de-encrypt the communication on the fly, and then transmit it locally using an interconnected series of powerful satellites--all in fractions of a second.
• Great Philosophies
In space, there are no atheists. When confronted with the vastness and great distances of the galaxy, daily existence can not function without discipline or dogma.
However, back planetside, the secular Baronage has eliminated all traces of Earth’s former religions. These traditions have continued in The Great Philosophies. The Great Philosophies continue to be a source of struggle throughout the systems and the Baron’s are happy to exploit this situation for their profit.
List of Great Philosophies
In order of galactic dominance, the Great Philosophies are:
Haelan
Saliman
Firmus
Sagement
Wolic
Formless
Tertuism
Way
Cosmicolitan
Principalian
• Language
“Baronspeak” is the trade language of space. Most people are taught Baronspeak first and then their Heritage Language.
The Kalsan speak their own cryptic language that is difficult for other’s to understand. Speak abbreviated version of Baronspeak. Use tones and notes to convey sub-messages.