Bellari Faction Themes: Domination and Mind Control, Diplomacy, Exploration.

Affinity:

- War and Peace:  If you are not at war with any  faction, your empire gains a small bonus to food production and science. If you are at war with any faction and have not taken any hostile actions for a certain amount of turns you instead gain a small bonus to industry  and gradually improve relations (Cannot go over 0).

Traits:

- Shadow Brokers: The Bellari can increase the percentage of support that a political party has. (Example: You can increase the chances for a pacifist candidate to win an election)

HOWEVER, there is a catch in order to ensure that the affinity is not too strong! These special interactions have a chance to be exposed and backfire, resulting in worsening relationships with other factions, or the party  you "support" loses all credibility and the election.

- Aquatic Species: which gives them an increased population cap on Flooded Planets (Ocean, Atoll, Ice) and a decrease on Dry ones (Desert,Arid, Ash, etc). 

- Worthy Cause:  This faction has more hero choices to pick from the Academy. 

Faction Lore:

The Bellari, gentle leviathans of the seas, where the first of five  species to develop sentience on the world of Durral. Petty squabbles between the land dwelling races resulted in devastating wars fuelled by the exploitation of the planet's natural resources and the pollution of its oceans.

As peaceful creatures, the Bellari could only watch at the horrors that unfolded, desperately praying for a miracle. 

Salvation came in the form of a derelict Endless cargo ship, that crashed into the planet's oceans, infusing the Bellari with vast psionic capabilities. It didn't take long for them to use these abilities to take control of the land dwelling races, subtly manipulating them into give up their pointless conflicts.

Centuries later, the Bellari take to the stars in hopes of saving the races of the galaxy from their violent tendencies, by any means necessary. 

EDIT: Made a few changes. Any feedback would be appreciated.