The galaxy is a stage where countless factions and organizations compete for power and influence. Vast militaries project the strength of governments, while pirate fleets and nomadic warriors operate by their own rules. Towering corporations drive the economy by building everything from toys to starships, and sprawling media empires shape the culture of trillions. This chapter introduces these key players, outlining the groups whose ambitions and conflicts define the galactic landscape.
Military and Mercenaries
Riadian Coalition Military
The Riadian Coalition Military (RCM) is the unified armed force of the Riadian Coalition and the most powerful military in the known galaxy. Tasked with defending Coalition territory, projecting its power, and maintaining peace along its borders, the RCM is a highly organized and technologically advanced force. It is divided into three main branches: the Navy, which commands the fleets of starships that patrol the void; the Marine Corps, an elite force of soldiers trained for boarding actions, planetary assaults, and special operations; and the Army, responsible for planetary defense and large-scale ground campaigns. The RCM is respected and feared for its professionalism, its cutting-edge technology, and the sheer scale of its fleets. However, years of relative peace have led to some complacency and bureaucracy within the higher echelons of command.
The Crimson Fleet
The Unbroken Chain is a lawless region of space, and the Crimson Fleet is its most infamous pirate armada. Led by the ruthless and cunning Admiral Kishar “The Vulture” Zane, the Crimson Fleet is a motley collection of stolen warships, retrofitted freighters, and nimble strike craft, all painted with the fleet’s distinctive blood-red insignia. They are known for their brutal and efficient raids on shipping lanes, corporate transports, and outlying settlements. The Crimson Fleet’s flagship is the Gorgon’s Kiss, a heavily modified battlecruiser that bristles with stolen weaponry. Zane’s inner circle of captains, known as the “Crimson Court,” are all notorious pirates in their own right, each with their own specialized skills and preferred tactics.
The Chrysanthemum Fleet
The Chrysanthemum Fleet is the last remnant of the ancient Elven Empire of Nysaido, a nomadic nation of warships and grand temple-ships adrift among the stars. Centuries ago, after the devastating Chaos Wars, the elves abandoned their adopted home of Riadus, undertaking a grand exodus to find their original homeworld, a paradise they call Althoria, which they believe was reformed during the cosmic upheaval of the Expansion. The Fleet is a seamless blend of a militocracy and a theocracy, ruled by the Solar Empress, who commands both the military forces and the spiritual well-being of her people. She is advised by a council composed of the Fleet’s most senior ship captains and high priests. Their ongoing quest has hardened them into a formidable military power, skilled in fleet tactics and ship-to-ship combat, born from the necessity of defending their people in the lawless voids between systems.
Their unifying faith is known as the Path of the Ashen Star, a religion centered on the memory of Triceal, a sun goddess of honor and fire who sacrificed herself to end the Chaos Wars. Without her divine influence, their priests are not granted magical powers; instead, they are keepers of tradition, history, and morality. They guide their people by upholding Triceal’s code of conduct—a strict set of principles emphasizing honor, courage, and righteous action—believing that by living this code and completing their quest to find Althoria, they will pay the ultimate tribute to their fallen goddess’s sacrifice.
Energy & Industry
Zenith Energy Conglomerate (ZEC)
The Zenith Energy Conglomerate is a monolithic corporation that holds a dominating market share of the starship fuel industry in the Core Worlds. This dominance stems from their exclusive access to the volatile and resource-rich Zentian Spectrum, home to the exotic gases and radioactive elements that are the critical components for the construction and fueling of feydrives and similar engines capable of piercing the Veil to enter Wildspace.
ZEC is known for its aggressive business practices, which border on the exploitation of its vast workforce. These ruthless tactics are tempered only by a fanatical dedication to maintaining a pristine public image on the Gallery, the Spectrum’s primary information network. To this end, the Conglomerate dispatches its own charismatic corporate influencers to advocate for the company and broker lucrative deals with galactic nations. Behind this polished facade, ZEC employs a massive, private security force to ruthlessly protect its assets, supply lines, and interests from any and all threats. Their massive orbital refineries are a common sight throughout the Spectrum, and their corporate headquarters, the glittering Spire of Zentia, dominates the skyline of the capital world, Zentia Prime.
Apex Dynamic
Apex Dynamic is a massive “umbrella” corporation with a presence in nearly every sector of the galactic economy. From consumer goods and entertainment to starship components and planetary development, Apex Dynamic has a subsidiary for just about everything. The corporation’s public face is one of innovation, progress, and corporate responsibility, but behind the scenes, Apex Dynamic is a ruthless and amoral entity, willing to do whatever it takes to increase its profits and expand its influence. Its various divisions often compete with each other as much as with external rivals, fostering a culture of intense internal competition. The corporation is helmed by its enigmatic CEO, the reclusive Lysander Valerius VII, the seventh scion of the powerful Valerius corporate dynasty. He is one of the most powerful individuals in the galaxy, and his true motives and ambitions a subject of much speculation.
Aurelian
Aurelian is a boutique starship manufacturer renowned for producing high-end luxury and high-performance vessels. It is a symbol of immense wealth, discerning taste, and a passion for uncompromising speed. Their ships are sleek, aggressive works of art, blending cutting-edge, often experimental, propulsion systems with opulent, custom-fitted interiors. To own an Aurelian is not just to own a starship; it is to make a statement. Their most legendary model, the Aurelian Corusco, is a masterpiece of stellar engineering, a vessel so breathtaking in its design and performance that its arrival causes all other activity at a spaceport to momentarily cease, as onlookers and pilots alike stop simply to watch it pass.
Holt Universal
A fixture in every starport and on every terrestrial highway, Holt Universal is the vehicle manufacturer for the everyman. Their designs dominate the civilian market, offering a vast range of reliable ships and ground transports for interstellar travelers of all types. From family-model skimmers to dependable trade haulers, Holt is the name the general populace trusts. Their reputation is built on tough, practical engineering, ensuring their vehicles can endure the rigors of Wildspace. The legendary Pioneer-class cruiser remains a favorite among independent explorers, while the ubiquitous Stallion ground car is a familiar sight on countless worlds, a testament to Holt’s legacy of building vehicles that simply get the job done.
Kintrel
Operating from the massive orbital shipyards above the industrial moon Kassia Two, Kintrel builds starships with a philosophy of practical empathy. Their vessels are defined by a minimalist aesthetic, focusing on long-term comfort, intuitive systems, and unwavering reliability. Kintrel’s designers intentionally provide a clean, functional framework, believing that a ship should be a personal sanctuary tailored by its captain. They build a durable and dependable foundation with the express purpose of allowing the owner to customize, modify, and make it uniquely their own. As a result, veteran Kintrel ships are prized possessions, each one a distinct and personalized reflection of its owner’s history and character.
Kinetic Solutions
If a projectile weapon is fired in the galaxy, chances are it was forged by Kinetic Solutions. The undisputed titan of conventional weaponry, the company’s reputation is built on a philosophy of rugged reliability. They are the manufacturers of the galaxy’s most common firearms: the ubiquitous C-series Autotarget Rifle used by countless planetary militias, the brutal “Breacher” scattergun favored by boarding parties, and the dependable P-22 sidearm found in the holster of everyone from corporate security to frontier settlers. Their products are not flashy or elegant; they are tools designed to work in the frozen void, the humid jungles of a backwater moon, and the grit-choked streets of an industrial hive. Kinetic Solutions also produces a wide array of high-quality melee weapons, from shock batons for law enforcement to durasteel combat knives and vibro-blades for military application.
Harcrow Industries
Harcrow Industries is the galaxy’s premier innovator in directed-energy weaponry. Their armaments are prized for their unique tactical advantages, capable of overcoming conventional armor and functioning reliably in exotic environments where projectile weapons might fail, such as zero-gravity or underwater. The company produces a wide array of energy-based arms, including precision laser rifles, debilitating cryo-pistols that encase targets in ice, and versatile arc rifles that can disable electronics and organic targets alike. Their signature “Sunfire” plasma rifle remains a terrifying weapon, capable of melting through most personal defenses, making Harcrow the final word in advanced energy-based armaments.
Viperion Edge Technologies
Operating in a highly specialized and often secretive market, Viperion Edge Technologies crafts the galaxy’s most advanced and exotic melee weapons. They are less of a corporation and more of a collective of master weaponsmiths and materials scientists, producing bespoke items for a very select and wealthy clientele. Viperion Edge is the creator of the legendary plasma sword, a magnetically-contained blade of pure energy; the phase cutlass, which can momentarily shift its molecular structure to bypass armor; and the nano-rapier, a flexible blade comprised of microscopic, self-repairing machines that can dissolve matter on contact. Their most feared creation is the disintegration lash, a monofilament whip that severs molecular bonds. To wield a Viperion Edge weapon is to carry a piece of deadly, high-concept art, and their clients range from elite assassins and corporate duelists to special operations units with black-book budgets.
Aegis Armorworks
Aegis Armorworks is the premier name in personal and vehicular protection. A sprawling military-industrial giant, their catalog is vast, covering everything from lightweight composite vests for law enforcement to the colossal “Hoplite” class of powered combat armor used by the RCM Marine Corps. Aegis doesn’t just sell armor; they sell survival systems. Their armor suits often feature integrated systems such as threat-detecting sensor suites, bio-monitors with automated medical stim injectors, and personal energy shield emitters. The corporation also maintains several successful subsidiaries producing combat-related gear, including cybernetic augments, advanced scanning devices, and a limited line of close-quarters weapons like power gauntlets and tactical shields. Aegis products are considered the galactic standard—highly effective, modular, and built to withstand the harshest conditions imaginable.
Haus Falkenhain
Haus Falkenhain is the nexus of high fashion and functional protection. For the galactic elite—corporate executives, diplomats, celebrities, and spies—protection is often a matter of subtlety and style. The fashion house caters to this demographic, creating bespoke, armored clothing that is as beautiful as it is durable. From custom-tailored business suits woven with ballistic-resistant micro-fibers to elegant evening gowns embedded with personal force-field emitters disguised as jewelry, their creations are masterpieces of form and function. While designed primarily for discretion, the integrated defenses can easily turn aside a knife, a low-caliber bullet, or shrapnel, all without wrinkling the wearer’s silhouette. To wear Haus Falkenhain is to make a statement: that you are important, you have taste, and you are not an easy target.
Nexus Industries
Nexus Industries is a sprawling technology conglomerate that rose to galactic prominence through a ruthless and methodical strategy of acquiring its competition. In the public eye, Nexus is a beacon of progress and innovation. In the corporate world, it is known as the machine that absorbs all rivals. Its most famous acquisition was the once-dominant Eclipse Innovations, which now functions as a core subsidiary. Nexus has refactored its acquisitions into specialized divisions, creating a technological empire whose products are ubiquitous in every corner of the galaxy.
- Prometheus Drives (Propulsion & Energy Division): This division focuses on the core technologies of starship travel and power generation. Prometheus develops and manufactures some of the most efficient FTL drives, sublight engines, and power cores in the galaxy, making them an essential supplier for nearly every major starship manufacturer.
- Eclipse Innovations (Software & Data Division): The original Eclipse Innovations now serves as the software and data-processing heart of the Nexus conglomerate. They design the operating systems for Nexus hardware, develop cutting-edge virtual intelligence (VI) and artificial intelligence (AI) systems, manage the galactic data-net infrastructure, and create the most sophisticated computer systems on the market.
- Ares Cybernetics (Augmentation Division): Ares is the galaxy’s leading designer and manufacturer of cybernetic enhancements. From advanced prosthetic limbs that outperform their organic counterparts to military-grade combat augmentations and neural interface systems, Ares technology seeks to perfect the fusion of flesh and machine.
- Svarog Armory (Advanced Weaponry Division): While Kinetic Solutions dominates the plasma and laser market, Hephaestus Armory specializes in more exotic and experimental weaponry. They are pioneers in sonic weaponry, graviton distortion projectors, and advanced missile guidance systems. Their projects are often highly classified and sold exclusively to the Riadian Coalition Military and other clients with the highest security clearances.
Media & Entertainment
Nexus Relay
Nexus Relay is the architect and operator of the Gallery, the foundational social media and entertainment network of the Zentian people. It utilizes a proprietary system of manifold relays to achieve near-instantaneous information distribution across the entirety of the Spectrum Nebula. The corporation’s sole responsibility is the administration of these relays; it maintains the complex routing and information protocols that keep all content on the Gallery universally accessible. Nexus Relay creates very little content of its own, serving almost exclusively as the impartial conduit and custodian for the media of its countless users.
Spectrum Entertainment Group
The largest and most prolific media creator in the Spectrum Nebula, Spectrum Entertainment Group (SEG) offers a vast, ever-expanding library of entertainment for every possible taste. The company is renowned for its lavishly produced exclusive serials—gripping dramas, elaborate comedies, and speculative fiction that generate widespread cultural discussion. Alongside these premiere productions, SEG cultivates a thriving environment for independent creators. It provides a platform for countless personalities to host their own unscripted series, competitive events, and personal broadcasts, often elevating the most successful channels with lucrative sponsorships and production deals. This vast media empire is deeply intertwined with the Zenith Energy Conglomerate (ZEC). While SEG maintains its own corporate identity, the financial backing and political influence of the ZEC are an open secret, often shaping the pro-corporate narratives found within its programming.
Riadian Broadcast Network (R-Net)
The Riadian Broadcast Network, distributed as R-Net among its various broadcast stations, is the primary source of entertainment and information for citizens throughout the Riadian Coalition. Its programming schedule is robust and diverse, featuring gripping serial dramas, spirited athletic competitions, insightful docuseries, and network-exclusive premier features. With a strong focus on family-oriented and child-friendly content, R-Net aims to provide something for every household. The network’s news division is highly respected for its professionalism, delivering informative and relevant reports with in-depth analysis of current events. While R-Net rarely imports media from outside its borders, its most successful productions are often exported, finding great popularity across the Core Worlds. Despite the network’s reputation for integrity, a persistent sentiment exists among some circles that its broadcasts are subject to government oversight, though no evidence of such censorship has ever been brought to light.
Voidstream Media
If pop culture in the Core Worlds has a single, driving engine, it is Voidstream Media. This is a true entertainment mega-corporation with divisions in holofilms, music publishing, print and digital media, and a sprawling network of broadcast stations. Every successful Voidstream franchise spawns a universe of merchandise such as toys, collectibles, clothing, and branded items that are ubiquitous in households everywhere. Their most famous endeavors include their numerous theme parks based around their longest running franchises such as Aethelveil’s Adventureland and Velocity Park. Voidstream’s mission is simple: to capture the hearts, minds, and credits of everyone in the Core Worlds.