Basic Setting Summary

The Pinwheel is a vast spiral galaxy, far far away. The galaxy, despite many factions and races inhabiting it and exploring it for a very long time, is still largely unexplored, with even entire societies remaining undiscovered.

The galaxy is mostly divided among two factions: The Arkenian Empire, and the Galactic Confederation Systems Authority.

The Arkenian Empire has its capital on a planet known as Arken, in the Arkus system of the eastern expanse. It is run under a dictatorship, by a man calling himself the First Minister. The Empire is an oppressive police state disguised as a democracy, complete with rigged elections and a false legislative body that has no true power, and an emperor who is legally considered the god of the Empire. Arken orbits a red giant star that’s slated to go supernova in approximately 1.6 Million Years.

The Empire was formed over 500 years ago, when the previous government of the region was overthrown by a popular military coup by a group promising safety, progress, and security, and an end to rampant corruption...albeit at the cost of the rights of the people. Crime is punished harshly, with executions and even public crucifixion commonplace. In addition they promote a religion that condones human supremacy and sometimes even enslavement of certain races as a way to maintain order.

The Systems Confederation in contrast, believes in due process, democracy and the rule of law. The Northern Arm is the main region of control for the Confederation Systems Authority. Their government is led by a popularly elected President, and is led by three different parties: the Moderates, the Libertarians, and Socialists. The Libertarians have long held power in the Alliance Government, but the other two factions are beginning to slip into power. Their Military Arm,which is also known as the CSA or Systems Authority, engages in everything from Warfare to exploration to colonization. The symbol of this military force is the Assault Carrier, which is used to carry fighters, troops, and MECA Vehicles into battle. Speaking of MECA, which stands for Mobile Exoskeleton Combat Automata, are large armored humanoid vehicles armed with a variety of weaponry. They’re used in the role of the CSA’s Armored unit. The Confederation is known to suffer from internal infighting and corruption, the CSA not even being known to be immune to this. They’re known to impose taxes on member worlds who sometimes aren’t even fully given freedom to choose whether or not to join, although publicly the CSA claims any world can leave at any time.

There are other smaller factions as well, like the Order of the Infinite Void, who believe the galaxies use of DEM Tech violates the sacrality of the universe and Spacetime itself, and will attack anyone they see using DEM Tech on sight, before destroying it and executing everyone involved for their supposed sins. Their “holy crusade” has caused a lot of problems across the galaxy. Due to their lack of effective FTL Technology their spread has been halted to the Frontier systems, but they are an ever-present danger to explorers.

There are also a variety of privateers, pirates, and opportunists among the Stars. The galaxy is too vast to stop them all, and so it’s usually up to the crews of ships themselves to defend themselves from pirate attacks until military forces can assist.

= Regions =

Eastern Expanse
The Eastern Expanse is home to a majority of the currently discovered habitable worlds within the Goldilocks zones of their respective star systems. It's nearly under the complete control of the Arkenian Empire. The Empire's poor respect for the ecosystems of the world’s here has led to a lot of dead, wasteland planets within this region. However the expanse's size also makes it the most diverse region in the galaxy.

Core Regions
The Core Region is a goldmine of resources of all types, as well as an erratic area due to the constant skirmishes and general lawlessness within the region. The core region is constantly being disputed between the Systems Authority and the Empire. The intense solar radiation of this region has led to a lot of radioactive elements finding their way onto these worlds, leading them to be excellent sources of starship fuel.

Northern Arm
The Northern arm is the home to the United Systems Authority. The worlds within this region tend to enjoy a higher degree of comfort and freedoms thanks to the Systems Authority. The Authorities care for the ecosystems of the world’s under its control means there are a lot of lush, beautiful, and interesting worlds within the Northern Arm.

Frontier Systems
The Frontier Systems is the least explored area of the galaxy. What has been explored is currently controlled by the United Systems Authority for the most part. There are many strange and anomalous worlds here, many of which are still waiting to be discovered. This also makes the frontier systems the most scientifically valuable region of the galaxy.

= Technology =

Dark Energy Manipulation(DEM) Tech
DEM Tech is the most important technology within the galaxy, bar none. Originally invented by a mega-corporation by the name of DEMTech Galactic LLC, said company was dissolved by force in the armed revolution that established the empire, meaning any company could now make DEM Tech.

DEM Tech is powered by Negative Matter, specifically, Negative Mass Rubidium. It is created by supercooling it into an Einstein-Bose Condensate then forcing it into a backward atomic spin, giving it negative mass. This allows for the manipulation of local dark matter and energy, allowing for the indirect bending of spacetime.

The most famous use of DEM Tech is its use as a method of Faster Than Light travel: FTL drives used DEM Tech to bend spacetime in front of a starship, “Folding” it to allow a starship to travel from point A to point B faster. On a smaller scale it’s used to power kinetic barriers that protect combatants on the battlefield. This is why kinetic barriers cause a wave effect on the air when you fire on one. DEM Tech has a variety of more uses as well, making it one of the most important and useful technologies in the entire galaxy. However DEM Tech also exposes people to Dark Energy, which at first seemingly had no effect, but over time, it causes mutations that allow people to perform very minute bending of spacetime themselves, resulting in Cyonics, a sort of “Superpower” granted to a person.

= Minor Factions =

Order of the Infinite Void
The Order of the infinite void is local to the Frontier Regions, believing any manipulation of spacetime will bring on the wrath of the Eldritch Horrors, and therefore will confiscate any DEM technology and attack or kill any that resist.