My god, this is amazing! How do you mod/make a custom faction with it's own techs and affinities? I'd love to make my Arhulians an actual reality instead of traits and an arbitrary affinity.

Vicarious wrote:
Those little emo creatures are children of his fantasy after all.

lol



Nice Mod, quite good work so far

Race #1:

PLANARIANS

Home Planet Type: Ocean

Diplomatic Alignment: Neutral

Gameplay: Devour Races

Main Victory Type: Military



Planarians evolved from a primitive race eons ago. These small creatures posses a natural ability to assimilate memories of their prey which led them to quickly develop new technologies. Devouring species also helps to satisfy many Planarians' thirst for knowledge and is used to push the Planarian science forwards. This allows them to focus on developing in other areas, such as art or philosophy. Perhaps the most unusual thing about the Planarians is that their emotions (but not thoughts) are shared in a similar way a hive mind operates. This means that when one Planarian suffers, they all suffer, and when one Planarian feels angry - they all do. That is most likely the reason why they so rarely feel compassionate towards other species.



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Affinity:

Shared Emotions: Each enemy CP destroyed increases empire approval by +3 for 5 turns; each CP lost lowers empire approval by -3 for 5 turns; +5% for each war; +5% for each peace/alliance



Homeworld:

Planarians are an ancient race that only recently started exploring the universe - despite having the necessary technology for a long time. It's because they are so small that it took them eons to actually overpopulate their homeplanet Nyp. Since then, most of the Planarians moved away from Nyp turning the planet into a sanctuary. Nowadays, Nyp looks a lot like it used to before Planarians developed a society. It's almost entirely covered by water but even the deepest oceans are very shallow and do not go below 100 meters in depth. Planarian cities are also well concealed below the surface of the water so there's nothing obstructing the beautiful wilderness above.







Traits:



Advanced Machining 1/1

Being small means that you tend to focus more on the tiny elements that bigger races often ignore. Because of this, the Planarians learned how to use complex machining faster then most other races.



Berserkers* 1/3 -new-

Although feeling the pain of your dying friends can be quite brutal it also sometimes works as a very powerful stimulant. And since the Planarians share emotions they can easily enter a battle trance during which they focus entirely on breaking the enemy's defenses while completely ignoring any physical or psychological pain.



Big Fleets 1/2

Before developing intelligence the Planarians were not on the top of the food chain on their planet. They had to learn to avoid bigger predators and one of their tactics was sticking together to disencourage other animals from attacking. This worked relatively well and the Planarians value strength in numbers to this day.



Crowded Planets 2/2

Small organisms have a tendency of using up less space then the big ones.



Dust Starved 1/1

Nyp is one of those planets that simply do not have any Dust on it so Planarians were forced to look for it elsewhere.



Feeble Warriors 2/2

Planarians may be aggressive and carnivorous but their size doesn't really help when fighting enemies that are about 85 times taller then them.



Fragile Hulls 2/2

Even the smallest breach in one of Planarians' ships means that many of the Planarians will be injured or killed.



Knowledge Gathering 2/2

The scientists do not know how the Planarians are able to assimilate the memories of their pray. How they are able to deal with the trauma accompanying some of the more painful memories (especially considering their shared emotions) also remains a mystery. Some people speculate that the Planarians only assimilate memories of events but not memories of emotions. Others claim that the Planarians simply cannot understand or relate to alien emotions. All in all, this process is still very poorly understood. The only established fact is that Planarians have learned how to enhance their natural abilities and consume bits of memories of the enemies they kill in a space battle, despite the enormous distance between them and their targets.



Metallic Waters 1/1

The oceans of Nyp may be shallow but they are filled with proteins important for Planarian's body as well as various types of metal particles useful in supporting the local industry.



Optimal Structure 1/2

Because of their size, Planarians do not use up a lot of space on their spaceships. Areas like living quarters are much smaller then those of the other races thus allowing the Planarians to install more equipment on their vessels.



Pessimistic 1/2

For an average Planarian every second of existence is filled with unthinkable quantities of contradicting emotions. And even though negative ones are usually balanced by the positive ones, there's one emotion that no Planarian will ever experience - calmness. The lack of it can be quite depressing.



Rebellion 2/2

The Planarians have no mercy when conquering the systems of their enemies. As soon as they gain a hold over one, they immediately start annihilating its native population and replace it with their own people.



Snipers 3/3

The Planarians pay much more attention to details then "big" races. They can spot any weak-point on their opponent's ships and use it to their advantage.



Trait points in total: 68



(*) Berserkers is a new trait. It has 3 levels, costs 5/10/15 points and increases critical chance on weapons by 4%/8%/12%.



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Faction-specific tech:



1) Nanoscale Thermodynamics

Now costs 130 science instead of 1800. Unlockable via Xenology or Soil Xenobiology. Gives access to Improved Fleet Management. It unlocks a new empire improvement: Calmness Biochips.



2) Self-dampening Pain Receivers

Costs 1800 science. Unlockable via Neural Robotics. Gives access to Tectonic Engineering. It unlocks a new empire improvement: AI Analytical Systems.



3) Stasis Fields

No longer unlocks Neutrino Capture. Instead it unlocks Fury Systems, a new power support module.



4) Unified Bloodthirst

Costs 7500 science. Unlockable via Quantum Communications. It unlocks a new empire improvement: Extreme War Effort.



5) Non-baryonic Shielding

No longer unlocks Psychological Insulation. Instead it unlocks Unity Housing, a new system improvement.



6) Anger Enhancements

Costs 3000 science. Unlockable via Plasma Cage. It unlocks a new empire improvement: One Purpose





Faction-specific improvements:



Calmness Biochips

-22% expansion disapproval on system.

Engineering a biochip capable of simulating a psychological effect of being calm requires absolute mastery in creating nano-scale electrical systems.



AI Analytical Systems

+40 research points to the current research for each destroyed enemy CP on empire (stacks with the trait)

AI capable of determining which memories of the stolen memories are worth keeping and which memories to delete is invaluable when extracting large amounts of knowledge. It allows the Planarians to use their natural abilities more efficiently.



Fury Systems

This module costs 440 industry and 10% weight. It grants +7% critical chance on fleet weapons and +33% damage max on fleet weapons.

Systems capable of adjusting their power levels to their crew's emotions are less reliable then normal ones, however they can also overclock to a much higher extend then classic systems without the risk of overheating.



Extreme War Effort

+5% industry and +5 approval for each war on system.

Sometimes sharing negative emotions can be a good thing. With a little bit of psychological conditioning, the Planarians can forge their pain and hatred into strength. A unified empire of bloodthirsty aliens is truly the last thing that your enemies would like to see.



Unity Housing

+2 population on planets with explored moon, +2 population on planets.

Condensed, hive-like housing blocks can be designed to accommodate a significant amount of small beings while still remaining relatively comfortable



One Purpose

After losing a system: +25% FIDS on all systems for 5 turns. This bonus can be cumulated.

The horrific emotions of entire planets exterminated by alien invaders can unify the Planarians under one goal - to rescue their tortured brethren and avenge those who have perished.





Faction-specific hull designs:



Transport

Glory - Industry: 25, HP: 315, Tonnage: 115

-20% support module (civilian) tonnage; -30% support module (civilian) industry cost



Corvette

Vision - Industry: 25, HP: 315, Tonnage: 115

-50% troop module tonnage



Destroyer

Thought - Industry: 25, HP: 315, Tonnage: 115

+50% bomber module tonnage; -75% kinetic weapon module tonnage



Cruiser

Dream - Industry: 100, HP: 840, Tonnage: 230

+1 Special slot, -10% fighter module tonnage



Battleship

Emotion - Industry: 100, HP: 840, Tonnage: 230

-50% support module (power) tonnage



Dreadnought

Unity - Industry: 400, HP: 2100, Tonnage: 460

-20% defense module tonnage

Construction effect: +20% defense on system



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Note on technology: Unlike other races, Planarians focus on empire improvements more then system and ship improvements. They also do not have a specific tech tree they focus on. Such combination makes their playstyle highly adaptive which also synergies nicely with their affinity.

PLANARIANS

Part 2

Lore:

Even though Planarians existed even before the end of the Dust Wars, the Endless have never discovered them. Nyp, the Planarians' homesystem, is very isolated as it is not a part of any galaxy. Stars located between individual galaxies are extremely rare and for the longest time, the Planarians were certain that the entire galaxy is limited only to their homesystem. After all, no stars are visible from the surface of any planets in Nyp's system, the only exception being the star that Nyp is orbiting. Living at such a lonely location was certainly no easy task and it had a major impact on Planarians' culture and science development.



Evolving the ability to devour memories was a huge milestone for this race. It allowed it gain social consciousness much quicker then normal. Accumulating the knowledge of their pray was invaluable for the Planarians, especially since it allowed them to look at themselves from other species' perspectives. The Planarians realized what their weaknesses were and found ways to overcome them. Since then, they stopped running away from their natural predators. Instead, they actually started hunting them, attacking in their sleep or organizing ambushes. After some time, the Planarians started moving up in the food chain until finally there was no other organism on Nyp capable of hunting Planarians.



Eventually, the Planarians started forming their first tribes and societies. It is speculated that it is around that time when the Planarians started sharing their emotions. Knowing the power of their abilities, the Planarians believed themselves to be deities destined to rule all life on Nyp. A period of prosperity started. With no enemies to fear, Planarians focused solely on developing new technologies and art. Some of the greatest artists in this race's history were born during that time and their works hold great value to this day.









The problems started some time after Planarians had invented computers. When they reached a reasonable level complexity, one Planarian has tried to do something that had never been done before: he destroyed an advanced computer system and devoured its "memories". This event had written itself into the annals of Planarian history. Experiencing the world from a machine's perspective enlightened our curious Planarian. It realized how little the Planarians really know about the universe and that they are not actual deities. What it also realized, was that its race had been stagnating for centuries. It drew the conclusion that Planarians no longer did use their natural talents in the way they were meant to be used - to devour knowledge from stronger, wiser or simply not-fully understood creatures. And these traits no longer applied to any animals on Nyp. Except for the Planarians themselves.



Assimilating a mind of a computer allowed the Planarian to partially ignore some of the emotions coming from other Planarians. This made him do something that had never been done before - he killed another Planarian and devoured its memories and knowledge. He learned a lot more then he expected and his wisdom nearly doubled. Fascinated by the result of his "experiment" he started going on a massive killing spree, murdering dozens of Planarians and destroying as many computer systems as he could.



Eventually its emotions started affecting other Planarians as well. They felt its ecstasy and its sense of power and soon many other Planarians became murderers as well. It didn't take long before Nyp was torn apart by worldwide acts of brutality. Worst part is, the Planarians could still feel emotions of other Planarians. Such a massive input of pain, fear, agony, anger and deviousness drove the entire race mad. All the Planarians could think of was death.









Who knows what would've happened if a small alien spacecraft hadn't arrived on Nyp by accident. It was a scouting ship of the Radiants, an antimatter-based race. The vessel immediately noticed some abnormal activity on Nyp and moved in to investigate. The discovery of Planarians was an important find for the Radiants, eager to study new lifeforms. For the next few years, the Radiants were watching the Planarians from afar, studying their ways. And after deploying a large amount of satellites around Nyp, the Radiants decided to take their chances and sent one of their ships to land on the surface of one of the few planet's islands.



Driven to insanity, the Planarians completely ignored their visitors at first, focused solely on murdering their own kind. Amused, the Radiant scientists kidnapped a few of the Planarians, put them into miniature force fields and returned to space. Little did they know that their actions were going to define the future of the entire Planarian race. Being in space as the first Planarians in history, the kidnapped individuals slowly started recovering from madness. Being in space was an entirely new experience for them and their emotions of surprise, uncertainty and curiosity were shared with the rest of the Planarians.



The Planarians calmed down and started looking up in the sky more often then ever. Slowly they returned to their old ways and cautiously started cooperating with each other to investigate the Radiant fleet orbiting Nyp. And when the next time a Radiant ship had landed on the planet's surface, they were ready. They attacked the alien scientists to devour their memories. What they didn't know was that the Radiants and their tools were created entirely from antimatter. After breaking the weak isolation shields protecting the Radiants, matter and antimatter annihilated each other creating a massive explosion, wiping out the alien scientists and thousands of Planarians.



Angered by this accident, the Radiants bombarded few of the still-standing Planarian cities. Old Planarian weapons were enough to break through weak isolation shields of the Radiant scientists but were no match for military-grade force fields. The Planarians were being slaughtered and had no chance of fighting back. It didn't take long for them to surrender. A cease fire treaty was negotiated and it assured Planarians' absolute obedience towards the Radiants. After the crisis had ended, the Radiants have taken many Planarians to their ships and started experimenting on them - they wanted to learn the secret behind Planarians' natural abilities.









There was only one flaw in Radiants' plans. They didn't know that the Planarians were able to devour memories of not only biological organism but of computers as well. This mistake was their downfall. Some brave Planarians from the resistance movement infiltrated a small Radiant outpost. They had stolen personal isolation shields beforehand so they didn't have to worry about antimatter annihilating them. Once inside the outpost, the Planarians destroyed some of the computer stations and devoured knowledge located within.



It was a revelation unlike any other. The Planarians that infiltrated the Radiant outpost managed to quickly share their newly-acquired knowledge with the rest of their kind. Suddenly, Planarians' technology advanced to an entirely new level and the Planarians were finally able to develop weapons capable of hurting the Radiants. When they were ready, they attacked. Originally the Radiants were not overly concerned as they were sure that it won't take long for them to defeat Planarians again. But then they realized that they had started losing troops and ships at an alarming rate to technology that Planarians shouldn't have.



With each Radiant killed and each AI vanquished, the Planarians grew more and more powerful. The Radiants knew that even if they let the Planarians devour their knowledge and memories, they still have a fleet large enough to not only kill all of the Planarians but even destroy Nyp itself. However, they chose not to do so. Killing all of the Planarians would mean that the secret of their natural abilities could be lost forever. So it was much more beneficial to negotiate yet another cease fire treaty with Planarians.



This time the treaty was far less extreme; Radiants acknowledged Planarians as an independent empire and promised not to interfere with their politics in any way. In return, Planarians signed a non-aggression pact with Radiants, swearing that they'd never attack their empire. What seemed like a precarious deal at first soon turned into a peace treaty and later into an actual alliance. Radiants helped Planarians to discover new systems and new species to feed on and Planarians helped Radiants study the secrets of matter and even shared information on how the mind of some animals works. Both races never fully trusted each other but they were content with the alliance which lasts to this day.



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About the Planarians:

A typical Planarian is roughly 2.5 centimeters tall. They are pentapods and excellent swimmers. They can also use any of their five legs to wield tools. The Planarians are much stronger then other races of this size - they can carry roughly 30 kilograms despite only weighting 0.1 kilogram on average. They have no eyes but they're not blind either; the Planarians can actually listen to light and determine its color and intensity almost as well as races with eyes. All Planarians are carnivores and vegetable proteins are poison to them. They can't really die from eating plants but they will get sick for a long period of time. It should also be noted that Planarians are very resistant to radiation - they can survive a dose of up to 50000 grays. In comparison, humans can die even from 4 grays. The Planarians are however very vulnerable to low pH environments. Basically anything below 8 pH is harmful to their bodies and pH of 6.75 or lower will kill them.



What's interesting about Planarians is the fact that they have three genders instead of two. There are males, females and hamales. The role of Planarian males is identical to the role of males in races using standard binary gamete system, however females are only used to diverse the DNA material and do not carry any offspring - that is the role of hamales. Hamales do not affect the offspring's DNA in any way but they do have a big impact in developing the offspring's mentality. Planarian children are often more similar in behavior to their parenting hamale then their parenting female or male.









Each Planarian's life is centered around its ability to share emotions with other Planarians. While individual Planarians possess unique mentality, most of them are violent towards aliens and feel insecure when facing organisms larger then themselves. At the same time the entire race possesses a strong sense of solidarity and curiosity, enhanced by their natural abilities. Planarians are quick to anger and prefer to avoid taking unnecessary risks. Befriending a Planarian is no easy task and earning their trust is nearly impossible. However, the entire race is very loyal to their friends and will never back-stab anyone. At least not without a fair warning.









The Planarians' culture is a complex one and difficult to understand for aliens. Some of its aspects however, are fairly universal. After the period when all Planarians tried to kill each other has ended, Planarians took great interest in philosophy. Deep studies of their own personalities were necessary to avoid a similar crisis in the future. Archeology is also important for the Planarians as they enjoy studying their "pure" ancestors from before the computer era. This has also lead them to rediscover arts and nowadays most Planarians spend their free time creating new works of art.



Most Planarians are peaceful at heart. They enjoy forging new friendships with other Planarians and do their best to generate as many positive emotions as they can to share with the rest of their kind. It is extremely rare for a Planarian to purposefully hurt any of its friends' feelings as those feelings will be shared with the entire race.









The Planarian empire is based on elective monarchy. After one monarch dies, the members of Planarians' nobility choose the next one. Any Planarian can be a candidate but a monarch is expected to pass the trials of wisdom which are designed to test any future ruler. The amount of nobles in Planarians' society is limited and only the smartest or most creative individuals are accepted into nobility. A Planarian monarch has full control over over the Planarian empire but cannot declare wars without the support of at least 1/3rd of the nobility. A monarch can be overthroned if at least 85% of the nobles are dissatisfied with the current monarch's rule.



[HR][/HR]

Final notes on Planarians:

I really like this race! They are the first race that I developed and one of the more interesting ones as well. They are quite unique in many ways and their gameplay should be very interesting too. Overall, they are easily one of my favorite creations and I hope you like them as well!

NOTE: This faction has not yet been updated with post-Disharmony content!



Race #2:

The Pillagers

Home Planet Type: Terran

Diplomatic Alignment: Evil

Gameplay: Panic & Despair

Main Victory Type: Military

Short Description:

"I am joining the Pillagers." If you ever hear these words, you're likely going to die within the next few seconds as the only way to become a Pillager is to murder all of your relatives and friends. Because of that, the ranks of those fearsome pirates are filled with the worst scum the galaxy has to offer and almost every Pillager is a psychopath. This faction is hunted by everyone, even other pirates who hate them and fear them. The Pillagers never negotiate and never leave any survivors as they do not seek physical gain but just want to watch the worlds burn. They are expert arsonists and tacticians. Their fascination with weapons of mass destruction led them to develop some of the most effective warships in the universe which, combined with their blood lust and disregard for the dead, allowed the Pillagers to create an armada strong enough to threaten even the mightiest of empires.



[HR][/HR]

Affinity:

Ruled by Madness: Planets do not suffer from low-approval industry penalty when building ships. Negative empire approval increases ships' XP gain by 200% and heroes' XP gain by 50%.



Homeworld:

The Pillagers don't really have a homesystem as they usually get bored after staying on a single planet for too long. That said, there is one place that could be considered as "home" to the Pillagers. It's a nameless planet, hidden far away from any trade routes. The entire surface of this planet serves as training grounds for new Pillagers to hone their skills. On this planet they learn how to opress, destroy and kill.

<<Pillagers homesystem starts with Endless Trouble anomaly>>







Traits:



Big Fleets 2/2

Despite their fascination with chaos, the Pillagers realize that numbers can be key to victory. Their training prepares even the most irrational individuals for attacking in as a group. It is also much more fun to burn things when you know that others are watching you.



Black Thumbs 3/3

The Pillagers themselves can't be bothered with such uninteresting things as agriculture. Most of their food supplies come from raided civilian transports. It may be enough for a hungry crew but it usually isn't for Pillagers' slaves who are always on the brink of starvation.



Deadly Weapons 3/3

Almost every Pillager loves guns. Most of them valued good weapons way before joining this faction and they know how to modify their favorite guns to increase their power.



Dust Recyclers 1/2

A typical Pilgrims' armada is always closely followed by their slave ships. After a battle is over those slaves are ordered to search the rubble for weapons that are still usable or could be easily fixed.



Endless Trouble 1/1 *new!*

What else do you expect from a planet that is turned into a giant proving ground? ;P



Eternal War 1/1

It's hardly surprising that people do not really want to risk being at peace with such obvious backstabbers as the Pillagers.



Militarists 3/3

The Pillagers know that being able to produce a large amount of ships is crucial when you attack every race you meet. As such, Pillagers are always keep on kidnapping the best ship engineers in the galaxy, making sure their fleets are always as big as possible.



Optimal Defense 3/3

Despite their disregard for the dead, most Pillagers actually do not want to die. They find pleasure in destruction and they want to be able to experience it for as long as possible. Because of this, their ships are reinforced with the best armor available and there are entire sections of the ship filled with spare parts ready for repairs.



Optimal Structure 2/2

Usually there is little place for petty apparel on warships but most factions allow their soldiers to decorate their ships to a lesser extent. Usually the crew also has access to some basic leisure features to keep their spirits up. That is not the case on Pillagers' warships which only consist of weapons, armor, command modules, basic living quarters and more weapons.



Power Masters 1/2

By carefully tweaking their ships' energy outputs the captains of the Pillagers' ships are able to limit the amount of dust they use during combat.



Sloppy Sawbones 2/2

There is no mercy for the weak among the Pillagers. Captains that lost their battles are usually just left to die.



Snipers 3/3

During the time spent on proving grounds the Pillagers learn to value their ammo. Because of this thay are extremely careful when firing their weapons and do their best to ensure their target's destruction.



Space Cadets 3/3

There's little time for science when you just focus on killing people. Destroying potential test subjects doesn't help either.



Spendthrifts 3/3

Maintaining a large armada is expensive. Purchasing custom, state-of-art weaponry - even more so.



Strong Alloys 2/2

Pillagers' ships critical systems are surrounded by an extra-thick layer of armor.



Trait points in total: 69



[HR][/HR]

Faction-specific tech:

1) Botanical Scanning

No longer unlocks Infinite Supermarkets; instead it unlocks Slave Shopping Malls, a new improvement.



2) Optimized Logistics

No longer unlocks Colonial Rights; instead it unlocks No-Plan Policy, a new improvement.



3) Inter-Species HR

No longer unlocks Unlimited Information Highways; instead it unlocks Emotion Conditioning, a new improvement.



4) High-consumtion Society

No longer unlocks Corporeal Freedom; instead it unlocks Perfect Killer Program, a new improvement.



5) Permanent Advantage

No longer unlocks Permanent Vacation; instead it unlocks Infinite Chaos, a new improvement.



Faction-specific improvements:



Slave Shopping Malls

Food production is never lowered by low system approval (it is still lowered by low empire approval)



No-Plan Policy

+10% food and science on strike approval level. +15% industry on strike approval level. +10 recovery from invasion on star system.



Emotion Conditioning

+50% industry when empire approval is at rebellion. +1 population on planets.



Perfect Killer Program

+12 ship XP on star system when on strike approval level. +10 science to current research for each destroyed enemy CP on empire (stacks with the same improvement on other systems)



Infinite Chaos

Ignore negative effects from low empire approval.





<< Lore coming later, I need to go now D: >>

NOTE: This faction has not yet been updated with post-Disharmony content!



Race #3:

RADIANTS

Home Planet Type: Terran

Diplomatic Alignment: Evil

Gameplay: Futuristic Warfare

Main Victory Type: Military/Scientific



The asymmetry of matter and antimatter makes it very difficult to even find a star system composed entirely of antimatter, not even mentioning a life form based on it. The Radiants are just that. Their origin is unknown and nobody knows where they came from. It is unquestionable however, that their knowledge of the universe exceeds even that of the Sophons. Forced to adapt to a mostly hostile universe, the Radiants developed technology shielding their antimatter bodies from regular matter, thus preventing annihilation. Although their shielding technology requires quite a bit of dust and is sometimes unpractical, the Radiants know how to use their antimatter mastery to their advantage; their weapons are unmatched and their fuel is perfect in its efficiency. And all the antimatter they don't need, they can sell to other races for valuables or test subjects. That is, if they don't feel like taking them by force...



[HR][/HR]

Affinity:

Antimatter Heritage: Able to spawn antimatter; able to sacrifice your population for bonus science.

Both abilities are star system improvements that you can access from the start of the game. Scroll down to "Faction-specific tech" for details



Homeworld:

Nothing is known about the place Radiants came from. It is unclear where their homeworld is or even if it still exists. However, it is clear that Radiants were born in a place far away from any of the discovered galaxies as none of them contain enough antimatter to justify Ratiants' existence. That said, there is a base of operations for those Radiants who live far away from their homeworld. The base is called "Positron A" and it's essentially a giant island orbiting in space, protected by a sophisticated layer of shields. No alien has ever stepped on Positron A as it's made entirely of antimatter and it's one of the few places where the Radiants don't have to shield themselves from the environment.







Traits:



Deadly Weapons 3/3

In the universe of matter, antimatter is one of the most potent weapons you can find. It takes significant effort to properly shield against it and in the event of defense systems' failure the damage is truly catastrophic.



Deep Roots 2/2

Colonizing a planet is no easy task for the Radiants. They need to set up antimatter spheres where they can spend their free time, conduct research, rest or fight. It takes time to create an environment safe for the Radiants. And it also takes time to undo the changes, should other race capture a Radiants' planet.



Dust Archeology 1/2

The Radiants know that their shields require large quantities of dust to maintain so they always have a small amount of dust saved up for emergencies.



Dust Impaired[/COLOR] 2/2

It is already difficult for the Radiants to create antimatter weapons that explode only when hitting the enemy ship and not before that. Empowering said weapons is possible, but not without a lot of dust.



Entrepreneurs 1/1

The Radiants have little sympathy for other races and they usually take what they need instead of purchasing it. However, they are willing to trade when an alien race has military strong enough to defend their resources. And antimatter sells for a lot.



Fast Travelers 1/2

Radiants' ships are built entirely from antimatter. This includes their fuel and - again - in a matter-based universe, antimatter is an excellent source of both energy and fuel, required for interstellar travel.



Feeble Warriors[/COLOR] 2/2

While an individual Radiant is a big, fearsome creature with limited ability to alter its own body, it must not be forgotten that they're also made entirely of antimatter and even the slightest exposure to regular matter will result in immediate annihilation of the Radiant.



Isolation Shields[/B] 1/1

While other races use Isolation Shields for laboratory experiments, the Radiants adapted this technology to suit their own needs - instead of isolation lab specimens they isolate themselves from the rest of the cosmos.



Masters of Destruction 1/2

The Radiants are experts at creating antimatter and they always have a stable supply of this fearsome ammunition. When used as a weapon, antimatter is light, efficient and cheap (at least for Radiants) so it's only natural that Radiants use nothing else for combat.



Scientists 3/3

Similarly to the Sophons, the Radiants are fascinated by the universe and they want to discover and understand all of its secrets. But unlike the other empire, Radiants do not limit themselves to research that is ethically sound and they also do not conduct research just to help with their curiosity. The Radiants believe that research and science is a merely tool to make them stand above all else and, as long as it pushes their technology forward, they will never hesitate to sacrifice any amount of lives to accomplish their goals.



Spendthrifts 1/3

While antimatter is exceptionally useful when integrating with matter-based universe, it's not very useful potent an antimatter environment. Instead, Radiants use dust as energy source for their cities and other installations that are not meant to be exposed to regular matter.



Unlucky Colonists 1/1

Simply put, it's impossible to find a planet where a Radiant would feel well as no planets in our galaxy are made out of antimatter.





Trait points in total: 60



[HR][/HR]

Faction-specific tech:

1) Isolation Shields

No longer unlocks Public-Private partnerships. Instead, it unlocks a new system improvement: Annihilation Centers. It also leads to the discovery of antimatter.



2) Institutes of Matter

Costs 680 science. Unlockable via Photon Distortion. Gives access to Carnivorus Systems. It unlocks a new system improvement: Interactive Reactors.



3) Carnivorus Systems

Costs 1800 science. Unlockable via Institutes of Matter. Gives access to Wave Function Control. It unlocks a new system improvement: Meatgrinders.



4) Enforced Symmetry Systems

Costs 14000 science. Unlockable via Atomic Substrates. It unlocks a new empire improvement: Empowered Antimatter. (antimatter now gives +2ind; +3science per pop, better then quadrinix)



5) Quantum Inert Alloys

Replaces Lepton Manipulation. Science cost lowered from 36000 to 14000.





Faction-specific improvements:



Create Antimatter (comes from affinity)

Costs 700 industry. Spawns 1 unit of antimatter on a selected planet. The antimatter replaces any other strategic or luxury resource on planet. The process is irreversible.

As beings built entirely from antimatter, the Radiants can easily produce large quantities of it whenever necessary.



Sacrifice to Science (comes from affinity)

Costs 1 population. It gives +30% science on system for 1 turn.

Without the ethical restraints, Radiants can advance their science much quicker then other races. It comes at a price though, as many specimens are bound to die from the experiments.



Annihilation Centers

+1 science per population on planets. +10 science on system. -1 science for each planet on system.

Careful studies of matter and antimatter is key to applied sciences. But while other races struggle to find a good source of antimatter to experiment with, Radiants always have a steady supply of both resources for them to use.



Interactive Reactors

Costs 200 industry. Requires Antimatter. +5 industry and +5 dust per colonized arid and desert planets. -3 dust on improvement.

By allowing for careful interaction between matter and antimatter, a new series of industrial generators and reactors can be produced. Because even a single escaping atom could lead to a disaster, it is impractical to erect these structures outside relatively dry planets.



Meatgrinders

Costs 150 industry and 1 population. Requires Antimatter. It gives +50% science on system for 1 turn.

Some test subject are not meant to stay alive. By utilizing a highly advanced array of meatgrinders, the scientists can be sure that not even a single atom of their research will go to waste.



Empowered Antimatter

Antimatter yields +2 industry per population and +3 science per population (instead of +2 science per population)

Imagine an antimatter version Quadrinix...



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Note on technology: The key gimmick for Radiants is - you guessed it! - the antimatter. With proper technology this faction can turn it into the most powerful resource in the universe. But even in its natural form, antimatter can be extremely useful. If a player is willing to spawn a lot of antimatter (at a risk of not being able to use other resources) he should be able to keep up with Sophons in technology race. And the ability to convert population to science is great for scorched earth tactics.

RADIANTS

Part 2

Lore:

Barely anything is known about Radiants and most of that knowledge comes from their only allies, Planarians. The origins of Radiants are a mystery to all, especially scientists. It was believed that the entire known universe has only bits and drops of antimatter, definitely not enough for there to be a galaxy made out of it. Even an antimatter system is unlikely to exist. But the Radiants must have to came from somewhere. Some of the more popular theories about the origins of this race include time travel and alternative realities. But nearly all scientists agree – there is no place for Radiants in our universe.



Whatever the case may be, there is no doubt that Radiants are a real, very powerful empire. Even their beginnings are far from humble. The Radiants are a product of mutation. Apparently their homeworld (wherever it may be) endured a catastrophe on an interplanetary scale. The details about this event are unknown though it is speculated that Radiants' homesystem was exposed to a large quantity of matter, causing a rapid annihilation which almost wiped out all life on the planet. Almost.



The organisms that emerged from the ashes were unlike any creatures ever seen on the planet. All other animals were normal, to an extent. They were solid. But the Radiants were not as they were made out of a highly concentrated, gel-like liquid. And while other creatures were busy killing each other for food and trying to survive the next day, the Radiants had already developed language and communication skills and started forming societies. From that point, the evolution of the Radiants was extremely quick and their technologies advanced at an impressive rate. Soon, they found a way to travel on an interstellar level. Without doubt or hesitation, the Radiants prepared for a massive exodus, eager to discover what lies beyond their system. They left the youngest and oldest individuals behind and began their journey.









Everyone wants to believe that they have their right place somewhere in the vastness of the universe. And yet no matter where the Radiants went they kept consistently stumbling upon galaxies made out of atoms that were the opposite of the atoms that formed the Radiants' ships and bodies. Billions died from annihilation and when the travelers discovered a way to shield themselves from matter, their numbers have been severely reduced. Shocked by the hostility of the universe the Radiants decided to head back to their homesystem.



But they couldn't. They couldn't find a way back. It didn't matter whether it was a simple navigation error or something far more serious; the Radiants were suddenly left homeless in an universe that wanted their death. Chaos and disorder spread across their ships from which new leaders arose. As members of a very proud race, the Radiants believed that the entire cosmos is a challenge that they have to face. And that only if they fix the universe they can find a way home.



The Radiants' beliefs evolved and as they better realized the unthinkable difficulty of the task they gave themselves they realized that, shall they ever succeed, they will become real deities, capable of manipulating the cosmos without boundaries or limits. From that point in time, every Radiant believes that its live is a small step on the way to ascension. And they will stop at nothing to accomplish it.









The Radiants discovered many species during their travels but most of them were not deemed worthy of Radiants' attention. The few exceptions include races that have long since been forgotten. Some of them were peaceful, some were not but with each war and each peace treaty signed, Radiants grew more and more powerful. Their science was thriving and Radiants slowly started to believe that there is no race in the universe as powerful as them.



Until one day they have discovered Tor and a civilization that arose from this planet - the Endless - at the peak of their glory, not too long after they discovered virtualization. Both races were drawn to each other, excited to find sapient life capable of achieving truly remarkable things. The Radiants were fascinated by the discoveries made by the newly-found aliens, while the Endless were truly impressed that an antimatter life form can not only survive in a hostile universe but even rise to form a great empire.



However, there was no denying that the Endless were more powerful and more knowledgeable then the Radiants. It didn't seem like a problem at first. The Radiants knew that they still had a long way to go before ascension and they were more then willing to learn from a more advanced race. But some of the Endless didn't like the enthusiasm of the aliens. Many incidents occurred during which the Endless found out that the Radiants were gaining more knowledge then it was considered safe. Some of the more pacifistic Endless asked the Radiants to keep their distance and have more patience. The more aggressive Endless believed that this would not be enough and argued that war is the only sensible solution.



But much to the surprise of both parties, it was the Radiants that attacked first. Empowered with the knowledge taken from the Endless and masters at using the antimatter, the Radiants were confident in their victory. After several battles lost to the aliens, the Endless have finally mobilized their armadas and launched a devastating counterattack at the Radiants. The entire war was an epiphany of brutality and many of the tricks used against Radiants were later used during the Dust Wars. The Radiants' fleets quickly diminished and it wasn't long before the last one was completely and utterly destroyed. Endless rejoiced in their victory and after the Great Schism, the Endless have completely forgotten about the war with the Radiants who were never seen again.









Little did the Endless know that the entire war – including the defeat – was planned by the Radiants. They knew that Endless will stop at nothing to win the war and that they will utilize their most powerful weapons and technologies to achieve victory. The Radiants were willing to sacrifice nearly everything to learn the secrets of the Endless and they almost paid the ultimate price for it. But just as their last settlement was about to be eradicated, the Radiants made the biggest technological breakthrough since the dawn of time.



By combining their science with the Endless' technologies they learned the secrets of transdimensional existence. And moments before death the last surviving Radiants ascended beyond what the Endless could ever comprehend. Unable to interact with the Radiants, the Endless thought that they had won. But the Radiants never stopped watching them. And they laughed as the Endless brought themselves to extinction.



Radiants quickly rebuilt and formed an empire that stretched across multiple galaxies. But they knew that they must never repeat the mistakes of the Endless. Determined to not allow any other race to discover what they achieved they came up with a plan. The Radiants decided to separate themselves from other lifeforms completely. With the only exception of expedition parties. Every once in a while Radiants select a few million people to be sent to back to the dimension on which regular life forms live. The memories of advanced technologies is removed from the minds of the chosen ones so that nobody can learn the secrets of the Radiants. And when the time comes, the expedition parties return to their brethren to share the knowledge gained from alien races. After that the process starts over and will continue until the Radiants finally achieve their goal.





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About the Radiants:

It's hard to describe a Radiant as they are antimatter liquid amorphous organisms possessing limited shape-shifting abilities. Pretty much everything about this species is unique, but let's start with the basics. An average Radiant occupies ~0.7 cubic meters of space and can morph into shapes that occupy a similar amount. They weight varies greatly but most Radiants weight around a thousand kilograms. Their DNA is based of an antimatter version of titanium and is highly adaptive.



It should be noted that the Radiants can solidify their form due to their shape-shifting abilities but they cannot go into extremes – morphing into a being as thin as a piece of paper is well beyond their capabilities. The process of changing form is also quite slow and a single Radiant usually does not shape-shift more then once a week.



Another interesting feature of the Radiants is the fact that they basically cannot die. They have achieved biological immortality even before encountering the Endless and since then time was no longer a force capable of killing a Radiant. They can still die from injuries or diseases so it is possible to murder a Radiant who's a part of the expedition party because its not protected by the transdimensional technologies discovered after the war with the Endless.



However it's extraordinarily unlikely to do the same with a regular Radiant as they possess the ability to stretch themselves across multiple dimensions. Destroying their body in one dimension would weaken them but not kill, as parts of their body would still be preserved in a different dimension.



The Radiants reproduce via the process of budding and have no sexes. The offspring's DNA is being randomized as it grows so young Radiants are not just clones of their parent. In fact, there can be barely any similarities between a parent and its offspring. It lead to the death of many Radiant children in the past but nowadays the Radiants use genetic manipulation techniques to ensure the survival of their offspring.









Radiants are a vicious race. Eons of living in a universe that hates them have turned the Radiants into beings with basically no sense of compassion. They have little concern for the lives of other Radiants and absolutely no concern for the lives of species built from regular matter. The Radiants hate the injustice of the Big Bang and all of them seek to liberate antimatter from the tyranny of matter – hence the movement towards ascension, which is the greatest dream of every Radiant.









The culture of Radiants is largely influenced by the loneliness of these species. The Radiants live in a society filled with anger, sadness and longing to their long-lost home. They rarely achieve happiness and cold satisfaction is the most positive emotion an average Radiant will ever feel. Violence is considered a virtue as the universe deserves nothing more.



Because of this even the youngest Radiants are encouraged to fight with each other to master their anger and channel it towards the matter-based cosmos. Murder is not prohibited by law but only when its done on rare occasions. It is believed to ensure the strength of the Radiants as the individuals capable of staying alive are the smartest and strongest of their race.









Surprisingly, the Radiants remain consistently united despite the hatred that is now part of their souls. They have a very powerful sense of solidarity with each other and they quickly forget their disputes when facing the danger of matter-based universe. The Radiants rarely like each other but they naturally form a strong chain of command. The general rule is that a single individual will always serve a more powerful or knowledgeable Radiant. If they feel that they have become greater then their masters, they fight them and the loser has to serve the winning Radiant. Assuming that the battle didn't result in one or both of them dying.



At the top of their society lies the Council of Ascension. Only thirty seven Radiants can be a part of the Council at any given time and they are the most powerful, intelligent and ferocious of all Radiants. They wield near-absolute control over the empire. Ironically, they are also the only individuals not allowed to kill other Radiants unless they are challenged by someone who is not a member of the Council.



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Final notes on Radiants:

Honestly, I think that the ideas behind the Radiants would be enough to design two or three other races but I like them regardless ^_^ I like their tragic history and how the universe turned them into powerful evil beings with no ethical constraints. Their gameplay is also quite interesting, especially in late game when they thrive the most. I hope you like the Radiants as well!

Race #4:

JUDICATORS OF LYN

Home Planet Type: Tundra

Diplomatic Alignment: Neutral

Gameplay: Each to Their Own

Main Victory Type: Diplomatic/Wonder



The order of Lyn's Judicators has a long history behind it. The Judicators were originally a part of the United Empire and their task was to preserve justice across all colonies. In time, the order grew more influential as it started to assemble its own private army required to control some of the more powerful citizens of the United Empire. The emperor had all rights to be pleased with Judicators' efficiency... until the Judicators turned their eyes on him. After they accused him of corruption, the emperor ordered to terminate the Judicator program but his order was never carried out. Instead, the Judicators of Lyn moved away from the empire and colonized an empty planet, far from the emperor's sphere of influence. Through the means of either diplomacy or mercenary work, their might continued to grow and today the Judicator order is among the most powerful empires in the universe. Yet to this very day they cannot forget the emperor's injustice and plan to return to United Empire... along with a fleet so powerful that not even the emperor will be able to escape the Judicators' judgment.



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Affinity:

Letters of Marque: Able to spawn pirates on enemy systems

This ability is a star system improvement that you can access from the start of the game. Scroll down to "Faction-specific tech" for details



Homeworld:

After being banished from the United Empire, the Judicators had to find a planet to settle. After a long search they found a promising system, far away from the Empire to be safe, yet close enough to make a suitable forward base. Judicators quickly established an outpost on a hazy world they later called “Lyn”, after the first Judicator leader. Lyn is a unique planet, as it always stays in the shadow of a gas giant and the surface of Lyn never sees direct sunlight. However, the light reflected from other celestial bodies is enough for the planet to remain habitable. Nowadays, most of Lyn is covered by towering supercities, housing Judicators' courts and administration centers.







Traits:



Blockade Breakers 1/1

After years of serving under United Empire's rule, the Judicators learned how to manipulate the merchants without breaking the law. Using their wide spheres of influence they are able to trade even with the most unlikely parties.



Builders 1/3

A Judicator's court is his castle. Maintaining an efficient infrastructure is of key importance to Judicators. Because of this, the Judicators employ some of the finest building companies in the sector.



Center of the Universe*** 1/1 -new-

The Judicators have little interest in establishing an empire as big as the galaxy. They only care about justice and being able to preserve said justice without any major complications. Running a small but well-optimized empire is the best way to avoid anarchy, chaos and injustice.



Crowded Planets 2/2

Judicators do not limit themselves when erecting new structures – they build horizontally as much as they build vertically. This results in their planets being covered by towering supercities that can house astonishingly big numbers of population.



Diplomats 1/2

Sometimes diplomacy works better then violence. The Judicators are well-aware of this and they realize that without diplomacy, they wouldn't have been able to become as powerful as they now are. In fact, many Judicators work as diplomats and help to settle various interracial disputes. They treat diplomacy as one of the aspects of justice.



Dust Archeology 1/2

Before their banishment from the United Empire, the Judicators used to be one of the wealthiest order in the entire empire. They had to spend most of their treasury to pay for transporters they used to escape the emperor but they still have some dust left in their pockets.



Elitist community** 1/1 -new-

Only the brightest and most promising individuals are accepted into the ranks of Judicators. They are the best of the best and they don't like the company of less skilled individuals.



Interstellar Duty Free Zone* 1/1 -new-

The Judicators support free trade between all species, as long as no illegal contraband is involved. This attracts merchants and traders but it can also be quite expensive because of the need to search and analyze any commodity that passes through Judicators' territory.



Lap of Luxury 1/1

Years spent under United Empire's rule caused the Judicators to develop an affiliation with richness and well-being. To them, it is only natural that they get properly rewarded for their hard work. The Judicators like to amass wealth and are reluctant to give it away. But make no mistake, as for the Judicators even all the riches of the universe are not as important as justice itself. They do not tolerate bribery, theft or nepotism. Any Judicator caught amassing their riches via illegal means is promptly executed.



Legendary Heroes 2/2

Ever since their establishment, the Judicators were, and still are, one of the most elite paramilitary formations in the universe. A member of any species can join the ranks of the Judicators. However, the candidates have to go through an extremely harsh selection. A popular saying states that it's easier to find a peaceful Hissho then to join the Judicators. Those who are lucky enough to be invited to join their ranks are trained for several years to until they become master tacticians, brilliant masterminds and perfect killing machines.



Sheredyn Integrity 1/1

A Judicator would rather die then break his promise. It is not unheard of and generally speaking, the Judicators only break their promises under direct orders from the Supreme Court.



Spendthrifts 3/3

Living their lives surrounded by riches, the Judicators have somewhat forgotten the concept of poverty and the need to save money. When they want something – they buy it, without even thinking about the costs.



Stellar Guardians 1/2

Many minor factions and civilian sectors pay Judicators for protection and for watching over their systems. This helps the Judicators to extend their sphere of influence by a reasonable amount.





Trait points in total: 70



(*) Elitist Community is a new trait. It has 1 level, costs -5 points and grants you +98% science and -14% science for each system you control

(**) Interstellar Duty Free Zone is a new trait. It has 1 level, costs 3 points and lowers the buyout cost by 40% but increases the cost by 5% for each system you control

(***) Center of the Universe is a new trait. It has 1 level, costs -2 points and negates overpopulation disapproval while increasing expansion disapproval by 50%



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Faction-specific tech:



1) Space Chivalry

Costs 100 science. Unlockable via Unstable Isotope Manipulation. It unlocks Sword Torpedoes, a new weapon module.



2) Inter-species HR

Now costs 300 science instead of 4000. Unlockable via Relativistic Economics.



3) Open Trade Project

Costs 300 science. Unlockable via Sustainability. Gives access to Adaptive Colonies. It unlocks a new system improvement: Agricultural Marketplace.



4) Graviton Manipulation

No longer unlocks Planetary Institute. Instead it unlocks Planetary Air Humidifiers, a new system improvement.



5) Mass Hydration

Now costs 4000 science instead of 36000. Unlockable via Atmospheric Engineering. Gives access to Dusty Dark Energy.



6) Dusty Dark Energy

Costs 7500 science. Unlockable via Mass Hydration. Gives access to Particle Redirection. It unlocks a new system improvement: The Lyn Collider.



7) Particle Redirection

Costs 14000 science. Unlockable via Dusty Dark Energy. Gives access to Universal Constitutions. It unlocks two new system improvements: Asteroid Summonings and Liquified Honor.



8) Universal Constitutions

Costs 25000 science. Unlockable via Particle Redirection. It unlocks Cities of Justice, a new empire improvement.





Faction-specific improvements:



Appoint Corsairs (comes from affinity)

A pirate fleet appears on a random non-allied system. Costs 1 turn for every system you control.

In the times of need, drastic measures sometimes need to be taken. While it will take quite a lot of paperwork to legalize, some pirates may be given an amnesty. But only if they promise to hunt outside of the Judicators' territories.



Corsair Armada (comes from affinity)

Two large pirate fleets appear on an enemy system. Costs 2 turns for every system you control.

After enough indoctrination, corsairs can be 'convinced' to attack even the most intimidating enemies on their own turf. However, it takes a while for the indoctrination to take effect.



Sword Torpedoes

Costs 5 industry and 12/10/9 tonnage. Accuracy 0.4/0.7/0.95, Damage min 390/247/197, Damage max 390/247/197, Interception Evasion 28/21/18, 1 projectile per salvo, 3 rounds before reach, 3 rounds to reload. Do NOT require Titanium-70

Who said that swords are outdated? A few atoms-thick blade can cut through almost any material, disabling key systems of an enemy ship. You just need to tie some sort of jet propulsion to the handgrip and you’re good to go!



Agricultural Marketplace

Costs 220 industry. 50% of value is also added to . -2 dust on improvement.

The Judicators are quite the mall dwellers. They enjoy spending their money and time in a mall, buying all sorts of luxuries. Food can be one of those luxuries. By importing the most exotic, delicious and expensive food from all around the universe, you can keep your Judicators happy and well-fed.



Planetary Air Humidifiers

Costs 180 industry. +6 per colonized planet on system. -2 dust on improvement.

After decades spent on Lyn, the Judicators have grown quite fond of its humid air and overall haziness. That's why they try to replicate the effects of Lyn's purple fog on every planet they control. Having achieved that, it makes them much more motivated to do their job.



The Lyn Collider

Costs 720 industry. +160 on system. Bonus reduction by -20 per system controlled. -5 dust on improvement.

The infamous Lyn Collider is the modern response to the Philosopher's Stone. It is a giant snake-like structure that uses Dust to accelerate dark matter particles to breach the boundaries of our time line. This creates a temporary chaos field which allows to make an ideal copy of virtually any object. However, it appears that the amount of things generated this way is fixed. When asked why this is, the scientists just shake their heads and walk away.



Asteroid Summonings

Costs 2600 industry. Only available in systems with less then 6 planets. Spawns an uncolonized tiny asteroid belt.

Universe is full of junk. Literally. By controlling the particles residing in a system's vicinity, the Judicators are able to merge most of them together into a whole bunch of reasonably big rocks in space. The asteroid belts formed this way may not be the prettiest but they make valuable outposts.



Liquified Honor

Costs 1800 industry. +8 FI per population on system. Bonus reduction by -1 FI per system controlled. -9 dust on improvement.

It is a little known fact but honor can be extracted from one body and transferred to another. The Judicators use this method to split the honor evenly between themselves, resulting in a happier and more just society. This method proves to be especially effective amongst small, elitist groups – the larger the society, the more honorless bastards there usually are.



Cities of Justice

+2 population on planet.

The final step in creating a perfectly just society is designing an environment which not only rewards justice but also makes injustice almost impossible. To achieve this, laws need to be designed in such a way to affect the subconsciousness of every person aware of the law's existence. It is a tricky thing to do but – given enough time and overly-intelligent lawyers – it can be achieved.





Faction-specific hull bonuses:



Transport

Judge: -40% support module (civilian) tonnage



Corvette

Law: No bonuses.

Construction effect: +5% Dust on system



Destroyer

Punishment: -50% troop module tonnage



Cruiser

Court: No bonuses.

Construction effect: +10 approval on system



Battleship

Conviction: -20% power module tonnage; -10% armor module tonnage



Dreadnought

Justice: -90% point defense tonnage; -20% defense module tonnage



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Note on technology: Ah, the good, old Judicators. They're here to prove that Endless Space is ready for empires that do better when they're tall then when they're wide. As Judicators you want to make sure you stay at ~4-5 systems at all times - and then witness mi

JUDICATORS OF LYN

Part 2

Lore:

The fact that United Empire is run by powerful and greedy corporations, which control its citizens via the means of wealth, blackmail, corruptions and other things that involve vast amounts of dust, is widely known. However, even a society built almost entirely on injustice and greed needs to be controlled, otherwise UE would collapse into anarchy. Many generations ago, an UE emperor was facing a serious problem; his vassals were becoming too powerful to control and the empire was on the brink of extinction. The ruler would do anything to avoid civil war but it seemed like there was no way to control the most disobedient corporations. Desperate, the emperor asked his most intelligent adviser – an ex-Sheredyn agent known only as Lyn – for guidance.



As it turns out, Lyn already had a plan for his monarch. He requested to be given the authority to reform the entire judiciary of the UE and to be given an absolute freedom in controlling the judiciary. The emperor was suspicious at first, not a trusting person that one, and his other advisers – mostly the leader of the Sheredyn – were strongly against this idea. But Lyn convinced his ruler somehow and so the order of Lyn's Judicators was formed.



Lyn was a genius and an inspiring leader. He also loved justice almost to the point of obsession. It only took him several months to create the foundations of the new judiciary, which at some point became a paramilitary organization. The first Judicators were handpicked and trained by Lyn himself. They finished their training just as one of the most powerful corporations in UE declared independence. Lyn was waiting for this – after a short session in court, all members of the rebelling corporation had been declared guilty of treason and sentenced to death; Lyn had no mercy for those who didn't abide the law.











Of course the rouge corporation laughed out loud when it found out about the trial it didn't even attend to. It had a powerful military, strong enough to withstand the emperor's attacks; it certainly didn't fear a single man leading a bunch of zealots dedicated to preserving justice. The corporation honestly didn't expect Lyn to back his words with actions. As such, its members were utterly surprised when HMS Justice – Lyn's private warship - arrived at their doorstop. And when Lyn offered the rebels a chance to surrender in exchange for an appeal, the corporation was convinced that this was all a joke. At least until Justice opened fire.



What can a single ship do against an entire fleet? As it turns out, it can do quite a lot when its led by Lyn himself. HMS Justice was a small destroyer-class ship but it was equipped with powerful weapons, overclocked to their fullest potential. They made short work of one of the enemy's dreadnaughts hangar doors and Lyn flew right in. From inside, he and his elite troops took control over the ship. But then Lyn surprised the corporation again; he didn't use the newly acquired dreadnaught to fight the enemy fleet. Instead, he pointed the ship right at the corporation's headquarters on a nearby planet and set the engines to full power.



A dreadnaught turned into a gigantic missile devastated the corporation's headquarters. The blast should've been enough to reshape the face of the planet, however Lyn set the dreadnaught to self-destruct just before it hit the target, weakening the impact severely. He was a Judicator, not a mass murderer. And when HMS Justice flew right out of the dreadnaught just before it was destroyed, people knew that Lyn was either a genius or a mad man. Either way, the surviving members of the corporation decided to capitulate. On that day, the Judicators' path to glory started.











Over the course of generations, the Judicators grew in power as they slowly cleansed the UE from corruption and injustice. The process was not an easy one; the Judicators were few and the corrupted corporations kept growing. But so was the Judicators' fame. Tales about their prowess in battle and unquestionable love for justice spread across the UE and beyond. Soon, the formation started attracting non-human species. In the dark worlds of UE, the Judicators were the torchbearers, a bastion of safety and the oasis of decency on the desert of greed and corruption. The poor saw the Judicators as heroes, supporting them wherever they went.



Armed with new recruits and reinforced with the public support, the Judicators were able to judge more and more corporations. Even the wealthiest and most powerful couldn't escape their justice. Everything was going well in the empire. Until one day, the Judicators challenged the emperor himself. He accused him of corruption and nepotism. In one moment, the most useful of emperor's organizations turned into an enemy. The monarch, furious with the accusations, condemned the Judicators and officially removed them from power.



For some time, it seemed like the Judicators would treat the emperor like yet another rogue corporation and drag him to court against his will. But this time they wouldn't just have to face a single decadent corporation. This time they'd have to break through the emperor's armada, the Sheredyn armada and the combined forces of all the corporations that feared the Judicators' judgement. Even with the public support, the Judicators were horribly outnumbered. They had no choice but to run, far away from the Empire.











Once a powerful order within the empire, now hunted down by their former emperor, the Judicators settled on a peaceful planet they called after their legendary leader and founder. There, they created a small outpost, planning for the future. But then, unexpectedly, a stream of UE civilian ships appeared, heading for Lyn. On board were many of the poor that once supported the Judicators. They acquired transport ships using any means they deemed necessary, often selling literally everything they possessed for a transport to Lyn. And they weren't the only ones that followed the Judicators to Lyn; stories about their strength and love for justice attracted skilled individuals from many systems across the universe. This is when the Judicators realized that they do not need the empire to fulfill their duties.



They happily greeted everyone on their planet and entered a period of rapid growth. The most promising refuges were trained to enter the ranks of the Judicators while the rest of the population was a full spectrum of rights. Those people, while not being official members of the order, all shared a love for justice and the liberties it brought them. They would sacrifice everything for the Judicators because they expected nothing else from their protectors. In a word of greed, evil and corruption, someone needs to protect justice. And the Judicators were the right people for the job.



Now, with the most efficient law enforcement system in the galaxy and with a population fully dedicated towards preserving justice, the Judicators are once more a force to be reckoned with. And they have never forgotten about the injustice that still plagues the UE. Their people look to the sky, knowing that one day they will bring justice to the emperor. The legacy of Lyn continues...





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About the Judicators:

A member of any race can join the ranks of the Judicators. That said, only a handful of individuals makes it past the selection process. Only the most promising candidates are given the training required to become a Judicator. As such, the ranks of the Judicators are filled with various races from across the universe but they are always the finest representatives of any given race. Physically and mentally superior to their average brethren, they make a fine addition to the Judicators' ranks.



This does not apply to the average citizens living under the Judicators' protection. Most of them are normal people, however they are usually healthy and generally in good form.











There is one thing that every Judicator and every citizen living under their protection have in common: the love for justice. It is what dragged those people to Lyn, it is what made them forget their past lives and travel far away from their homes. The population of Lyn has no tolerance for anyone who doesn't obey the law. They don't care about their neighbor’s race, religion or political ideals. All that matters is that they do not disrespect justice.



This does not necessarily mean the society of Lyn can be described as “good” but only as “just”. The supporters of Judicators describe them as peaceful but determined people who obey the laws and help those who suffered from injustice. Others however claim that the Judicators are often cold and unforgiving, reluctant to give aid or do anything if there isn't a law saying they should.











The Judicators' nation is too young to form its own, distinct culture. Right now it is a mixed bag of cultures brought from many distant parts of the galaxy. You can see Horatios gazing in the mirrors on one side of the street and then see a Hissho mastering his fighting skills on the other side of the street. With that being said, most of Lyn's population believes in chivalry and they often have great interest in law or learning fighting techniques.











The highest power among the Judicators is wielded by the judges of the Supreme Court – it is an institution which unifies legislature and judiciary. All of the most vital decisions concerning this faction are made there and only the most experienced Judicators can become judges of the Supreme Court. All less pressing decisions and disputes are settled in one of the minor courts. It is important to know that from a technical standpoint, the people living on Lyn are not part of the order; only the Judicators are. Instead, the civilians are treated as people who agree to respect and abide Judicators' laws and are given full protection in return. In no way can a non-Judicator have any influence on any of the courts.



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Final notes on Judicators:

An idealistic faction, this one. I know I wouldn't want to be a part of it – law are cool and all but only to a certain degree and the Judicators cannot really tell the difference between freedom and obedience. That said, they are pretty cool. I wanted to have a neutral faction, one that isn't really seeking for endless greatness and/or domination but instead something that is humble at times and ferocious when necessary. And I'd say I did a pretty decent job

MOAR



Really great stuff there!

Any idea when this will be published? The new factions and traits are awesome!!

Since modding Disharmony is more interesting than playing Disharmony, I've made an attempt to add the Planarians to the game.







The mod is still WIP, planarian faction-specific planetary exploitation (it may be built only on planets in fully populated star systems with approval status "Happy" or "Ecstatic") will most likely be nerfed. If Panczasu doesn't mind, I'll upload the mod soon. Those little emo creatures are children of his fantasy after all.

<< Please note that Pillagers and Radiants are not yet updated for the Disharmony. Planarians are already updated >>



Hey

This is a twin thread to [WIP] PANCZASU's Faction Pack (yes, this is a link, click it!). I created it to discuss the design behind my upcoming mod. It will feature 11+ new factions, each with their own lore (and lots of it), traits, affinities and technologies.



This first post will be used as a hub that connects all of my planned factions. Since I want to create a ton of them, posting a new topic for each one would hardly be appropriate. Rather, I will devote a single post to all of my factions and link them in here. Feel free to discuss my ideas, that's why this thread is here in the first place!



Oh, btw, because I sadly do not have a limitless supply of time I cannot post a lot of information on each of my faction straight away. So I will start with one and update the thread as I find more free time.



Here's a list of the factions I plan to include in my mod. Links for easier navigation included:

• Chantri
• Sujeong
• Illuminant
• Templars
• Judicators of Lyn (Part 1) (Part 2)
• Ophio Corporation (Part 1) (Part 2)
• Planarians (Part 1) (Part 2)
• Ouroboros Consortium
• Radiants (Part 1) (Part 2) <= Not yet updated!
• Siafu
• Pillagers (Link) <= Not yet updated!
• UKSPA
  
  

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In case you are curious about my planned affinities, here's a quick summary of each of my faction's affinity. Please not that I'll go into further details once I publish the official lore of each faction. Factions that are already published are omitted. Also, these might still change if I deem this necessary

• Chantri - Nature Synergy (kinda like locust points in reverse)
• Sujeong - Arts of Meditation (multiple benefits to a peaceful playstyle, focused on cold planets)
• Illuminant - Celestial Masters (Can spawn and colonize the Void, a new planet-like. Huge penalties for colonizing everything else) (I had the same idea as Sovereign with his "Legion" faction but since he was first I had to think of something new)
• Templars - Crusaders (you can announce a crusade which works like war but it's way more high-risk, high-reward)
• Judicators of Lyn - Letters of Marque (already published)
• Ophio Corporation - Telepathy (already published)
• Planarians - Shared Emotions (already published)
• Ouroboros Consortium - Singularity Transporters (old name) (can create decoy/stealth ships)
• Radiants - Antimatter Heritage (already published)
• Siafu - Living Weapons (all ships have a few free weapons already installed)
• Pillagers - Ruled by Madness (already published)
• UKSPA - Unstoppable Love (units become more effective as they take more damage)
  
  

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If you desperately want to learn more about my factions, feel free to watch my video below. I created it for the purpose of my youtube let's play series but if you watch it (and pause the video at the right times) you can see a short summary of each of my planned factions as well as their traits. Skip to 4:13 for the summary of my custom factions

Vicarious wrote:
Since modding Disharmony is more interesting than playing Disharmony, I've made an attempt to add the Planarians to the game.







The mod is still WIP, planarian faction-specific planetary exploitation (it may be built only on planets in fully populated star systems with approval status "Happy" or "Ecstatic") will most likely be nerfed. If Panczasu doesn't mind, I'll upload the mod soon. Those little emo creatures are children of his fantasy after all.

Nice work! It looks awesome. Maybe, if you haven't planned on doing it, I can contribute some ship models if I get the time

Stealth_Hawk wrote:
Nice work! It looks awesome. Maybe, if you haven't planned on doing it, I can contribute some ship models if I get the time

It would be cool! I have no idea how to make ship models.

This is all... really... really cool.

So, just don't laugh lol, but I have some concept models for a Planarian ship. I didn't even sketch or render these, so needless to say these are VERY rough.



However, it would be nice in PAN would chime in so I know whether or not to pursue this kind of design, and if so what should I do different? *looking at you, Pan*







Sorry about image size lol thats as small as I can get them.

What a nice flunder lol



Nah, they are fine, don't worry

I'd say they are more than "fine" What kind of hull is that?

Vicarious wrote:
I'd say they are more than "fine" What kind of hull is that?

With a little more work, I think it could make a cruiser. For now though, I need to work on making models that are UVW friendly and meet the poly limit lol