The Amarazin

 ~"Peace Imposing Demigods"

Lore/History

The Amarazin were originally a civilization torn apart by a great war causing widespread surface destruction across their planet.  A sub-faction, known as Amataham, existed in a network of safe strongholds seeking peace but knew it was far too late.  The Amataham  instead sought an experimental escape to survive the war.  In secret they developed radical dust based bodily infusions and powerful shield technology to protect themselves while they altered their physiology to be resilient to the warfare present on their planet.  While establishing a massive and powerful energy shield around their strongholds they cocooned themselves as they transformed into new beings.  Their shield technology is so advanced that they are protected with impunity as the planet around them is ravaged by escalating war.  Several hundred years later they emerge having detected the intensity of war to have deescalated.  Physically they possess larger bodies and a fierce aura.  What little remains of their race outside is so battered it cannot threaten newly transformed Amarazin.  Diplomatic unification occurs when all realize their planetary surface is all but annihilated as well as nearly all of their population.  A philosophy of pacifism is founded and their charred homeworld serves as a permanent reminder.

Faction Traits and Affinities

*All stat values are subject to balancing of course

Main Affinities:

• Philosophical Influence Sphere - Neighboring systems (excluding their own) enveloped by their influence radius are forced to adopt attractive propaganda based on the Amarazin's current dominate political ideology.
• Powerful Presence - Systems containing Amarazin experience a net change in approval rating for the system owner per population point of Amarazin based on all known diplomatic relations in the galaxy.  +2 Approval per Peace, -2 Approval per War, +2 (extra) Approval per Alliance per population point.*
• +2 Influence Per Population*
• Actualizing Mood - At estatic approval,  %  FIDSI bonus per Amarazin population on system.* 
• Increased Science output during war.

Traits:

• Cannot Declare War/Cannot initiate an attack on another fleet
• Self Restraint - Drastically decreased offensive capabilities in battle (-50% or more globally)*.
• Celestial Fortress - Strong armor on ships and extremely strong shields on ships.  Ships are much larger per ship class and provide more customization slot capacity but have reduced movement and increase command point cost.
• Expansive Shield Citadels - Intricate and massive planetary shield systems lead to greatly increased system defense pool (not offense).  However, they have decreased system defense recovery after attacked.
• Demigod Bodies - Increased food growth requirements due to their altered physiology and being larger beings.  Amarazin population contribute to increased system manpower and are much harder to kill during an invasion because of their durable body and extra energy projected arms***.
• Guardian Formation - The traits of each ship class are intended to fill roles that protect other ships in the defending fleet.  (ie A ship that has the ability to draw ordiance towards itself and tank it, cloaking shields, damage reflect etc)

Faction Specific Technology

The Amarazin are supreme shield manipulators, bringing exotic capabilities with their use of shields.

• Damage Reflect: Two Variants
  • Scatter Reflect - A small percentage of damage taking is instead dealt back to the attacker
  • Direct Reflect - A significant percentage of damage is dealt back to the attacker (only unlocked through Militant political ideology)
• Astral Futility - Any fleet within the influence radius of the Amarazin has its offensive power reduced and its defense increased.  This applies to fleets of any faction.
• Shield Absorption - Specific larger Amarazin ships (ie dreadnaught class) have the ability to attract damage during a battle and tank it to protect other weaker ships.
• Cloaked Shields - Specific smaller Amarazin ships (ie destroyer class) have the ability to avoid damage for a round of battle

Notable/Intended Emergent Effects

The nature of this faction is intended to be based on the properties and traits of its people and their effect on the galaxy.  Game bonuses to FIDSI based on approval ratings become their bonuses or penalties.  Their existence on a system regardless of the Empire owner must be considered as they contribute approval rating based on all known diplomatic relationships of the Amarazin.   For example, 4 existing factions would have 6 knowable diplomatic relation connectors (or 8 would have 28). Because of this approval dynamic, the Amarazin must strive to not only be peaceful but must also actively seek to bring peace to the galaxy through diplomatic means.  Any empire with a significant population of Amarazin assimilated will find that peace a priority.  Even if the entire Amarazin empire is wiped out they can still have a lasting effect on gameplay (assuming a defeated empire's population remains in game) since the faction traits are intrinsic to the population of Amarazin and not the empire itself.  The presence of Amarazin results in a push away from isolationist diplomacy. 

Whilst having powerful defensive ships and strong system defense, they lack any practical offensive capability.  When attacked they gain increased science output (paralleling their origin lore).  This is intended to mandate the faction seek a diplomatic ceasefire or peace quickly.

In short this faction is intended to bring peaceful relations between empires in the galaxy.  Militarily this faction is a protector.  Any and all strife causes them anguish which is in turn brought to the system that they dwell.

Main Victory Type

Diplomatic - The Amarazin are given incentive to spread peace and alliances 

Expansion - At a certain threshold, the prevalence of Amarazin people in the galaxy causes a singularity of peace.

***For reference this appearance is intended to be loosely based off of Asuras from Indian/Vedic mythology.

**I will edit this entry to correct grammatical issues as I find them and from feedback!
Thanks!

~snip 

For example, 4 existing factions would have 6 knowable diplomatic relation connectors (or 8 would have 28).

Update*

I added some clarification for the number of relationship connections used in calculation net approval for the Powerful Presence affinity.