Voltara's ESG Lore Manifesto

The purpose of this document is to record, propose, & establish the fundamental aspects of ESG lore for the sake of internal consistency and facilitating interactions/plots between members. It is written for the perspective of someone who is familiar with the science fiction genre, but who is otherwise completely unfamiliar with the ESG universe; as such, the document will try to cover every conceivable angle. Consider this a 'beta' version of the manifesto. Once it has been thoroughly examined and given the green light, it can be prepared for public usage if-so desired.

Author's Note: A few of the ideas listed in this document are utilized in my own personal project, Darkfire. I have no qualms whatsoever with the ideas being shared. This statement is to avoid any potential confusion/issues.

Meta Information
Epics of a Shattered Galaxy (ESG) is a collaborative science-fiction project centered around a shared universe in which users utilize worldbuilding, stories, roleplaying, and other creative mediums to create and chronicle the universe's narratives & lore. As a setting, ESG sits somewhere roughly in the middle of the spectrum of hard & soft science fiction; ESG does not strive to conform to real-world realism, but does make the effort to detail how technology works whenever possible/applicable, even if all of the terminology is fictitious. The primary focus of the setting is set on the societies and species that inhabit the Galaxy. While technology whose functionality may as well be magic is permissible (see Technology for more information), literal magic and/or psychic powers are not a part of ESG; everything within the setting is strictly scientific, even if said science is not understood.

As a group project, collaboration between members is strongly encouraged:


 * While users are free to independently create lore for their own race(s), they are encouraged to share their work and to brainstorm ideas with their peers; nevertheless, a race(s)' owner has the final say in what is canon unless the idea in question is breaking established guidelines.


 * Proposals that affect the setting as a whole must be decided as a group.


 * Users are expected to collaborate when developing plots/interactions between races.

There are, however, a few key points to note:


 * Creators retain ownership of their race and all associated ideas, but once a race is accepted into official ESG canon, that race becomes a permanent part of the lore. If a user leaves, the user is free to continue using their ideas/races elsewhere, but their work within ESG itself will remain and can be used by other members. These are refereed to as 'orphaned' races.


 * Orphaned races may be given a new writer to oversee their development or may be made 'public access', in which ESG users collectively own the race in question.

It should be noted that the following lore maxims are more akin to a set of guidelines rather than rigid, set-in-stone rules; their purpose is to provide users with the tools necessary to create a consistent and engaging story; as such, these guidelines can be played with on a case-by-case basis based on the demands of the story. If something is out of line it will need to be changed, but users are otherwise free to do whatever with the tools (maxims) provided.

Premise
Epics of a Shattered Galaxy revolves around the conflict known as the Great War, an ideological/military contest between two alien coalitions: the Peacekeeper Alliance and the Warlord Pact. Amid these two giants exists a plethora of neutral states and third-party organizations whose goals range from retaining their own autonomy in an increasingly-polarized galaxy to profiting from the chaos.

Peacekeeper Alliance
"Protect and Police, to defend those who cannot defend themselves from tyrants and conquerors"

Established amid the rise of tyranny and imperialism across the Kentaurs Sector, the Peacekeeper Alliance is an intergovernmental organization founded on the belief that all species and nations have the right to exist and join the greater galactic community. Initially an ad-hoc coalition, the Peacekeeper Alliance has evolved into a full-fledged interstellar power in its own right, featuring its own government, military, and laws.

Though founded with good intentions, the Peacekeeper Alliance has come under increasing scrutiny over the years due to its mounting influence and the disposition and actions of some of its members, with critics accusing the Alliance of corruption, hypocrisy, and imperialism. Additionally, the long, bloody years of the Great War have seen a rift form within the Alliance itself between those loyal to Peacekeeper ideology and those who believe that the Peacekeeper's enemies must be defeated no matter the means. The outcome of this debate may well determine the Alliance's fate.

Warlord Pact
"Freedom and Sovereignty, to safeguard the ideals of our culture."

The Warlord Pact is a diverse coalition of states and organization united by their mutual opposition towards the Peacekeeper Alliance. The Pact's core principle is that every species has the right to live as they see fit, even if it is at the expense of others; ultimately, only those who can prove their worth have the right to rule the stars. The Pact welcomes all who oppose the Peacekeeper Alliance, whether they be jingoist conquerors defending their holdings or nomadic merchants fearful of Alliance regulations.

The Pact's tenets are simultaneously their greatest strength and their most crippling weakness. The Warlord's willingness to accept almost any aspiring member have brought a number of major military powers into the Pact, many of which have no qualms employing whatever means they deem necessary to achieve victory; if united towards a singular goal, the Warlords would almost certainly have both the resources and the manpower to achieve anything they desire. However, because the Pact is united solely by its desire to defeat the Peacekeepers, members tend to pursue their own agendas and often distrust one another; rather than a single, unified force, the Pact is comprised of a network of cliques, some of which are prone to arguing or even infighting if there is no figurehead to lead them.

Neutral Powers
The neutral powers are not a unified faction, but instead encompasses the major powers that have, for one reason or another, not officially joined a side in the Great War, though they may still offer support to their preferred faction. Some Peacekeepers and Warlords alike have denounced neutral powers throughout the war, Alliance members viewing neutral states as enabling Warlord atrocities while some Pact states regard them as indecisive cowards. Whatever the case, the neutral states value their own goals above the politics of the era and carve their own path through this tumultuous time.

Tertiary Powers
Tertiary describes states and organizations which do not play a direct role in the war, but are nevertheless caught in the crossfire. Tertiary powers can range from opportunistic mercenaries and pirates to fledgling states that lack the manpower and resources to seriously affect the war.

(!) Important Notice: Whereas Peacekeeper, Warlord, and Neutral are all playable factions, tertiary races are, with a few notable exceptions, predominantly background/NPC races that play a secondary role in the setting. (!)

Cosmology
The universe of ESG can be divided into three 'realms':


 * Realspace is the universe/galaxy itself


 * Subspace is a nebulous, uninhabited 'realm between realms' frequently used to facilitate faster-than-light travel (see Technology for more information).


 * Abyssal Space is an alternate dimension home to its own entities and physical laws wholly alien to those of realspace. With most races only learning of its existence over the course of the Great War, Abyssal Space is poorly understood by much of the galactic community and is the subject of numerous research projects.

Astrography
Excerpt Taken from Astrography, all credit goes to Corv.

Astrography refers to the mapping of space and the topology of celestial objects that make up the universe. The universe can be observed as having a hierarchical structure. When regarding a galaxy as the highest level component of assembly, the constituent parts can be categorized in sets:

• Galaxies:

Gravitationally bound systems of stars and interstellar matter such as dust and gas.


 * • Arms:
 * While some galaxies are morphologically irregular, spiral galaxies like the Galaxy can be divided into arms; the structures which extend from the galactic core that are made up of billions of stars.


 * • Sectors:
 * Groups of star clusters. At present, there are two primary sectors: the Kentaurs Sector and the Tomastahl Sector. The boundaries of sectors are artificially defined because they are contingent on the near-insurmountable barriers which exist in travelling between them, not because of any astronomical distinction. The immense distances between sectors means that traversal between them is limited to the most resource-intensive, largest and most technologically advanced starships and as a result they are largely culturally and ecologically isolated from one another.


 * • Clusters:
 * A cluster is a group of systems. Contemporary space travel technology enables imperial navies to move between and patrol multiple systems and therefore many clusters are officially affiliated with specific races. Other clusters are officially neutral while others are the site of conflicts.
 * For a list of clusters in the Local Sector, see Kentaurs Sector Astrography.
 * For a list of clusters in the Tomastahl Sector, see Tomastahl Sector Astrography.


 * • Systems:
 * A system composes of a gravitationally-bound area of space caused by one or more stars and typically also refers to the astronomical bodies in the star or stars’ orbit.


 * • Astronomical Bodies:
 * An astronomical body is any contiguous entity which exists in the orbit of a star. Some astronomical bodies are naturally occurring, such as planets, moons, asteroids and comets. Other astronomical bodies can be defined as artificial, such as satellites and derelicts.

The Galaxy
One of tens of millions of galaxies, the Galaxy is a barred-spiral galaxy with a visible diameter of approximately 176,000 lightyears. It contains hundreds of billions of stars and countless planets arranged into spiral-shaped concentrations known as ‘arms’. At the centre of the Galaxy lies the galactic core, a supermassive black hole around which the rest of the galaxy orbits.

Conventionally, the name ‘the Galaxy’ is capitalised to indicate it is a proper noun and refers to this one in particular.

Local Arm
The Local Arm is the spiral arm of the Galaxy which contains the Kentaurs Sector and the Tomastahl Sector. The arm is 3,500 light-years wide and approximately 10,000 light-years long. Known Space encompasses only a fraction of the Local Arm with the territories outside the two sectors being largely inaccessible and unexplored by the denizens of Known Space. Travel outside of the Local Arm has not been developed by any race, leaving the rest of the Galaxy shrouded in mystery. What life exists beyond Known Space is indeterminable with the limitations of technology.

Kentaurs Sector
A sector in the Local Arm which is native to most of the races involved in the Great War.

See: Kentaurs Sector.

Tomastahl Sector
The nearest neighbouring sector to the Local Sector, into which the Great War has expanded.

See: Tomastahl Sector.

Neutral/Unclaimed/Unexplored Space

 * Neutral space can denote territory owned by a neutral power or an area that is considered 'neutral ground' by both Peacekeeper and Pact forces for one reason or another. For example, systems rife with Xenochytrid may be temporarily declared a neutral zone as troops work to eradicate the infestation.


 * Unclaimed territory is any area that has not been claimed by any (known) party, regardless of whether or not it has been explored. Some unclaimed regions are inhabited by civilizations that have yet to attain space travel technology. While official Peacekeeper policy regards such areas as claimed, others dispute this due to the fact that such civilizations are secluded to their homeworld.


 * Unexplored space is any region that has not been thoroughly explored and mapped out by the major factions. The vast majority of the galaxy remains unexplored.

A Note on Maps/Cartography
Users are free to create maps for planets, systems, star clusters, and even their own empires if-so desired; however, ESG does not have a map representing the entire setting and has no plans to draft such a map. There are a few reasons for this decision:


 * The main issue is one of logistics. Any map will need to be constantly updated and would need space to add new races. Additionally, depending on where empires are placed, it may make interactions between them and certain other races appear difficult/impossible, placing what we feel are unnecessary limits on writers & players.


 * The map would need the consent of every member not just on empire placement, but also on relative size/distance from one another (see Scale for in-depth information regarding the scale of the setting).


 * The map would be limited to a 2-dimensional plane whereas space is 3-dimensional; while this is ultimately a minor point, it only adds further difficulty to the above points.


 * Ultimately, avoiding a map of the setting allows for more story opportunities/makes it easier to integrate new users and races. If users wish to make their own maps, as mentioned at the intro, they are free to do so. Users can also collaborate to make shared maps, but a map of the Kentaurs sector as a whole will not be added to the canon anytime soon.

Scale; Why Numbers are (Mostly) Heresy
A common saying within ESG is that numbers are heresy, which is derived from the fact that when it comes to details surrounding the scale of the setting, such as the number of planets/troops a race possesses, exact numbers are avoided. Much like how galactic maps are avoided, keeping the numbers vague gives users more freedom when writing stories; instead of having to rely on any mathematical guidelines, they can instead use whatever is necessary for the story being told. This also serves an in-universe purpose: the Galaxy is really, really big, and any attempt to apply exact numbers to it will appear either silly, ridiculous, or downright overpowered.

To illustrate the scale of the Galaxy and the complexity of the issue, consider the following:


 * The entirety of ESG at this moment takes place within roughly 1/2 of 1 arm of the Galaxy.
 * Using the Milky Way Galaxy as a reference, this area of space could contain over 25 billion stars on its own.
 * If each star has at least one planet, then there are, at a bare minimum, just as many planets as there are stars, of which an indeterminate number are potentially habitable (or can be terraformed into a habitable state).
 * Virtually every astronomical body will likely contain at least one valuable resource such as water, metals, or gasses.

Considering these factors, it is therefore theoretically possible for nations to achieve a post-scarcity state (barring extreme circumstances) which could sustain a genuinely incomprehensible number of inhabitants and produce an equal number of products (keep this in mind for the 'Warfare' section of this document). Attempting to calculate all of this to exact numbers is little more than a futile exercise.

That being said, ESG does have a few loose guidelines/suggestions in regards to numbers & scaling:


 * As a rule of thumb: the bigger the scope, the less important the numbers. If a story follows a particular squad, then it helps to know how many soldiers are in said squad. If the story is instead following a general and his armies, then there is no real need to make an exhaustive list detailing the army's personnel & equipment. The death of one individual soldier in an army generally has little impact on the narrative compared to the death of a squadmate.

Empire Scale/Population

 * It is within reason to establish the number of planets/systems/clusters a particular part of an empire may hold; likewise, the population of individual planets/systems can also be tallied if desired/relevant to the story. Problems emerge whenever attempts are made to calculate the total colonies/population of the state.


 * It is worth considering that an empire's total number of colonies is not an indicator of that empire's strength. If an empire controls 100 colonies, but 80 of them are relatively recent and not yet thoroughly developed, then only 20 of that empire's colonies can seriously support the war effort; this is still a huge number, but would be dwarfed by 100 industrialized colonies. In fact, those 80 colonies may prove to be a detriment if the empire lacks the troops to reliably protect them all.
 * By extension, a relatively small but thoroughly-developed empire can be just as if not more dangerous than their bigger neighbors.

Military Scale/Numbers

 * Much like an empire's total population, avoid listing the total number of enlisted personnel in your empire's military.
 * Likewise, there is no need to list the total number of troops/vehicles/ships in any particular army/formation. In this particular instance, context is key:
 * It is fine to list the total number and types of troops/vehicles/ships present in a military's infantry/vehicle/starship formations, but listing how many such formation are sent to a particular engagement/theater can cause issues. Refer to the guiding principle: the smaller the engagement, the more relevant the numbers. Context is key.


 * When it comes to measuring the size of individual units, such as buildings, vehicles, and starships, there are no official guidelines besides some discretion. Empires can and do have multi-kilometer starships and walkers hundreds of meters in height, but such units are not the mainstay of any military. The bigger it is, the rarer it is.

The bottom line of scaling is to simply not worry too much about it; work with yours peers and employ whatever fits the given narrative. ESG is not a competition to have the biggest empires and armies and the group strives to avoid being bogged down in math.

Build-an-Empire Workshop
When joining ESG, new users are required to submit a race sheet summarizing their race(s)' ideology, homeworld, culture, history, military, and administration (if applicable). Races/states collectively serve as player characters, each driven by their own beliefs and motivations and controlled directly by their creator or foster(s). Designing a race is therefore the single most important part of ESG as it will fundamentally affect everything from story arcs to character-building.

Barring the adoption of orphaned races, users are allowed to create up to three races, one for each of ESG's major factions (Peacekeeper, Warlord, Neutral), though if a user wants to, for example, have two Warlord powers, that is fine. However, users are expected to thoroughly develop and use each of their races. If a user's current race(s) are deemed underdeveloped, that user will be barred from making any new races.

Sheet Template
All credit for the current template goes to Hangling

All race sheets must use the following template and fill out every applicable spot. Users do not need to write an essay for each part, but the sheet must be detailed; skeletons will not be accepted.


 * Creator Name: You of course, or what you'd like to be referred to as.


 * Race Name: The name of the race you're applying with, both as a species and as a group. (Applying with Humans, as the Terran Republic)


 * One-Sentence Description: A single line that describes the general aspects of the race, the 'elevator pitch' of sorts. (The Terran Republic is an aggressive military focused segment of Humans from the far reaches of the galaxy that use primitive technology.)


 * Faction: Which faction the race is part of or is most strongly involved with, or potentially neither. (The Terran Republic is Neutral-aligned, seeking independence from the Warlord terror and the oppressive Peacekeepers)


 * Homeworld: The race's homeworld and a bit of information regarding it. (The Terran Republic is from Terra, a verdant world of rolling oceans and landmasses stained in areas with the fires of conflict. It is the economic and cultural hub of the race.)


 * Descriptions: Physical descriptions and general personalities of the race alongside any unique features.


 * Recent History: Some samples of events that happened to your race prior to or involving the Great War


 * Great War Initiation: What is the key point or interaction where the race becomes primarily invested in the conflict? As note, the race can and usually does exist 'in canon' before this period or action, but this is the key point where they are considered 'involved' in the conflict on a large scale.


 * Culture, Government, and Ethics: Two-three paragraphs detailing some of the information about the culture, the lifestyle, the government, and the ethics of the race. General information about them, and thoughts about how their society works and thrives in the universe. What do they do? What do they excel or falter at? Are they well known or eager to trade with others, etc.


 * Military: What is your races military like and/or how does it function, does it excel in a certain aspect or have issues in specific encounters? Does your race have specific military doctrines it follows or tactics it likes to use in engagements?


 * Questions: Questions for us, questions you have about your race, questions about anything. Inquire here, and we'll work to figure it out.

Advice/Considerations/Rules
Significant leeway is given to users in how they design their race(s). There is one single guiding principle, which boils down to "If a race is extremely good in Y, then they should have a proportional disadvantage in X in order to maintain balance." Continuing the player character analogy, these drawbacks would serve as their weaknesses and/or character flaws. Examples will be provided where appropriate.

Biology
Races can be any of the following:


 * Animal analogues (Mammalian, reptilian, amphibious, avian, insecta, aquatic, etc).
 * This does include uncommon/unorthodox lifeforms such as jellyfish, slime molds, worms, bacteria, etc).


 * Inspired by mythology, barring any magical/supernatural properties (chimeric, draconic, centaur, etc).


 * Cybernetic (in this context by necessity) or fully mechanical.


 * Uplifted and/or engineered by a previous civilization.


 * A hivemind intelligence.

There is no set standard as to how a race's anatomy/evolution must function, though it does need to make some amount of sense depending on the circumstances. One can make a species of sapient ants that breathe nitrogen and live in the tundra, but it'll probably seem odd if they're not covered in fur or some other insulating material.

Below are a few examples of existing ESG races and their 'character flaws':


 * Hailing from the high-gravity world of Diablos, the Diabs are a race of tall, mammalian humanoids famous for their immense strength. However, they require regular exercise to maintain their strength in low-gravity environments and require a large amount of calories, limiting their numbers.


 * The Rach are fast, agile reptilians. Natural-born thieves, the Rach are experts in camouflage and infiltration. However, their somewhat frail bodies put them at a distinct disadvantage in direct confrontations.


 * The Arkevon are saurian-like beings with impressive strength and even more remarkable endurance, often capable of going several days without the need for food. Their sizeable 'wings', which are primarily used to vent heat from their blood, are especially susceptible to frostbite and physical damage, which can lead to potentially lethal blood loss if left untreated.

Ideology/Culture/Government
There is little to say besides these three statements:


 * A player's race does not need to have an organized government body. They can be nomadic fleets, a loose confederation, or whatever the player desires.


 * A race's beliefs & culture can be anything; shoot for the stars, the only guiding principle is internal consistency. Races can theoretically be crafted to do or believe anything so long as there is a reason for it. It does not have to be a reason that is wholly rational to outsiders, only one that makes sense to its practitioners.


 * Out of all of a race's aspects, their economic system is very rarely of any importance; unless it is pertinent to the story/the race's identity, economies can be left vague without issue.

Military
Most any military doctrine/structure can be made to work in some way or another unless it is severely anachronistic, such as using formations of clustered (organic) infantry against entrenched enemies. As such, there is significant leeway in how a race's armed forces is created.

A race's military does not need to exclusively be good in one aspect of warfare and bad in another; it remains an option, but users can also create specific elements within a military that each have their own distinct specialties/roles. To demonstrate:


 * The Terran Armed Forces specializes in attrition warfare & sieges, but this leaves them vulnerable against fast, mobile opponents & guerilla tactics.

Is just as valid as:


 * The 7th Terran Legion specializes in urban combat & boarding operations, but is ill-equipped for open field battles, a situation better suited for the 3rd Legion.

Below are a few examples of existing ESG armies:


 * The Diablos Marine Corps is the terrestrial fighting force of the Empire of Diablos. The corps excel in shock tactics and 'blitzkgieg' warfare, often relying on their powerful infantry and small but potent arsenal of vehicles. Unfortunately, their disposition and relatively small numbers leaves them ill-prepared for defensive operations and wars of attrition.


 * The Rach military prior to the First Battle of Norsus relied almost exclusively on the Rach's mastery of speed & stealth to consistently outmaneuver their foes and wear them down through hit-and-run tactics. However, their minimal protection combined with a lack of any real experience with warfare left them woefully unprepared for the combined Margan & Zaretian invasion.


 * 537th 'Fate's Reckoning' armada of the Telkevan Armed Forces specializes in siege & armored warfare, employing a vast number of vehicles and artillery pieces to trap and pummel its foes into submission. Though excellent against static targets, the 537th's tactics falter against those who can slip past their curtains of artillery-fire.

Technology, one Step Removed from Literal Sorcery
The technology of ESG is vast and diverse. The following is a generalized list summarizing the technology of ESG and its functionality. It must be noted that this list is not exhaustive; race-specific variations are abundant and often encouraged unless otherwise stated.

Space Travel
Realspace, subspace, and abyssal space can each be utilized for faster-than-light travel, each having its own set of advantages and disadvantages:


 * Jump drives are realspace FTL drives which 'bend' space between the vessel and its destination; once ready, the ship is then flung towards its destination in a manner similar to that of a slingshot. Jump drives are limited by their long charging & cooldown period, which can trap users if they jump into an unfavorable situation. Additionally, jump drives can only go in a straight line and have no means of concealment.


 * Subspace drives facilitate subspace FTL travel and are the default method of travel for most races. Subspace is comprised of an ever-changing network of 'currents' influenced by gravitational bodies and abyssal anomalies. To travel with the current is the fasted method of subspace travel, but is not the only way; ships can fly against or even outside of the currents, though this will increase travel time. Subspace travel is faster and more precise than jump drives, but requires more energy to utilize and significantly more computing power to navigate.


 * Deepdrives, known also as trenchdrives, are a relatively new development for most of the races of ESG. Deepdrives enter abyssal space to facilitate FTL travel. While undeniably the fastest and stealthiest form of FTL travel, as most do not fully understand how to counter & detect it, it is by far the most dangerous form of travel. Abyssal space itself is poorly understood and boasts hazards such as gravitational anomalies, time dilation, and potentially hostile 'energy beings' which often attack those unfortunate enough to encounter them. Deepdrives also require even more energy and processing power than subspace drives, severely limiting the vessels capable of equipping them.

Space Travel Infrastructure
Specialized installations can be used to either streamline or hamper FTL travel:


 * Jump gates are mobile space stations used to 'fling' vessels towards their destination with the vessels having to use their own engines. Jump gates are one-way; if used in place of jump drives, vessel will be entirely incapable of independent faster-than-light travel. Efforts to create similar gates for subspace engines are often frustrated by Subspace's constant state of flux.


 * Anchors operate as lighthouses for subspace engines; they monitor the local currents and relay this information to nearby ships, reducing the processing power required for jumps and thus accelerating travel. Some states are experimenting with abyssal anchors for deepdrives.


 * Null-fields produce artificial gravity wells which can render subspace travel in the field's vicinity difficult if not outright impossible.

Communication
Instant cross-system communication is achieved via a complex network of relay stations and space-bound messenger stations. Relay stations, installations typically found on colonies and starships, serve as a focal point for local communication networks and transmit data to the messengers, which guide data towards its intended destination. If a relay station is put out of action, the resulting blackout can cut off entire colonies from the rest of the state. If messengers are destroyed, data will be delayed, lost audio & visual quality, and in the worst-case scenarios, result in a blackout along the messenger's route.