Lore Codex

Lore Codex Entry 1. House Lycanis

There is no higher virtue to House Lycanis than loyalty. Loyalty to the Emperor first, to Lycanis second, and to the Empire third… Or so it was meant to be. Somewhere along the way, the proud leaders of this family chose loyalty to their own first, second, and last. Much as some might think Lycanis’ actions were driven by an ideology that was to see the Empire radically transformed, none dare to voice such heresy—especially not after the rebellion’s brutal purge.

No House worked as one quite the way Lycanis did. Whether in combat or across negotiation tables, the chosen of this House struck with singular intent, maneuvering their foes with pack tactics developed to perfection. For purposes of communication, Lycanis developed both an intuitive sign language for use during combat and a secret code based on everyday language that allowed House diplomats to communicate sensitive information to one another in plain view.

But Lycanis’ strength in the bond between its people is also its weakness. A vengeful House, it leaves no slight against one of its own unpunished—even when the politically sensible choice would dictate a different course. Other factions within the Empire found the nobles of this House too hot-blooded—the murder of high-ranking member Julius Lycanis proved as much. For all that weakness, House Lycanis had a history of successful diplomats, even having chaired one of three Imperial positions on the Universal Council for an extended period of time. Lycanis saw any opportunity to serve the Empire as a chance to further the House standing and interests.

Perhaps it was inevitable that this opportunism would see Lycanis make moves against the Emperor. Perhaps the House allowed Gloria Morell’s dulcet tones to silence the voices of reason. Whatever the case—there will be a steep price to pay.

Lore Codex Entry 2. House Lycanis Part II

Loyalty to the Pack

Marcia gazed at the approaching starships through the viewport of The Clavalum. The battered flagship vessel of Lycanis, the Wolf-Hound, was escorted by a pair of dreadnoughts. They couldn’t be more different than one another and still of Imperial make: the austere, functional design of the Neputus vessel was contrasted by Neru-Gal’s craft. The very sight of it awakened some primal fear in Marcia.

Was this to be their home’s destiny? One ship to provide the veil of legitimacy; the other to do Solas Craine’s dirty work? Marcia brushed two fingers against the sole ring resting on her hand. The compartment within held a small capsule. Taking it would provide a quick, painless exit from her current bind. An insurance policy against a far more unpleasant alternative, cooked together by a Gorgona contact ages ago. Marcia was sorely tempted to take it.

They had been so close. Gloria’s plan had worked to perfection, at first. The break-away Houses’ united front had blindsided the loyalists, their astonishment allowing Lycanis and its allies to carry one devastating coup after another. It had all seemed to click in those final hours that led up to Solas’ terrible reversal. Now? They had lost. Gloria had lost, Marcia had lost, and all Lycanis would pay for it.

A shuttle each broke away from the dreadnoughts. The ring on Marcia’s finger grew heavier by the second as she watched them close the distance.

“Ma’am?” One of the pilots said. Some distant kind of cousin, no doubt, he had the look about him, the bone structure that announced his bloodline better than anything else could. “If we engage The Clavalum’s Drive now, we might be able to get away before the shuttles board.”

Marcia shook her head. “Where would I go? No Imperial House, no matter how friendly, will risk Craine’s wrath.”

“Perhaps the Federation, or the Union—”

She gave a bitter laugh. “Perhaps. And be treated as a curio, all of us dragged across their newsrooms and made mouthpieces in their propaganda machine? Or worse, conform to the Union’s demented views? Is a little living worth such compromise? I ask, how many of you—”

The intercomms display came alive without warning, cutting her off. The aged face of High Lord Marcus Lycanis, now bloodied and bruised, looked upon Marcia. Behind him, she could see a few familiar faces—Aki, a few of her other brothers-in-law.

“Father,” Marcia forced out. Not hers, but Julius’s, though that had never made a difference in the old man’s eyes. Their shared grief over these last two months had reinforced an already powerful bond, made both rely on the other like never before. To see him beaten to a pulp lit a rage inside her, made impotent by the knowledge that she could do nothing to remedy the injustice of it.

“Marcia. I have news.” He glanced to the side—was that shame, or was he reading something? She did not know. “After Gloria’s broadcast, he contacted me. Forgiveness for our allies, mercy for Lycanis rather than eradication. That’s what the Imperator offered. I—I took the deal.”

This was not all he had to say to her. She knew it by his eyes, by the trembling in his voice. “Solas Craine’s mercy always has a sting,” she told him at last. “What else did that man demand?”

“Forgive me, my blossom,” Marcus said. “The Imperator, may he outlive the stars—” the words were a curse from his lips, “—demanded that, for his mercy, I sacrifice what I hold most dear.” His eyes filled with tears. “It’s your life I had to trade, to spare us all.”

Marcia’s breathing slowed as she turned her gaze back to the viewport. She rolled the ring on her finger, again and again. Julius’ last gift to her, that. What would he have done? Marcia pulled the ring from her finger, let it fall down with a clank.

“My life for Lycanis,” she said to no one.

Lore Codex Entry 3. Federation Corporation PMG Security

Federation Corporation PMG Security

PMG Security is among the faction’s biggest military contractors, a corporation with the capacity to deploy massive Federation fleets at nearly any point across the faction’s territory within days or even hours of a hostile act of violence. Static, automatized defenses carrying the PMG logo are arrayed across the faction’s borders, equipped with scanning tech aimed at monitoring for breaches, courtesy of espionage industry leader OTK Comms. This corporation has attempted to provide candidate-pilots for VasTech’s powerful experimental weaponry but has been stonewalled by VasTech. The move has turned the relationship between the two corporations bitterly adversarial.

While PMG Security holds some of the biggest-name contractors any entity in the Federation could have, that isn’t to say they don’t offer smaller security packages for the deep of pocket. These are tailored to the client’s needs, often following exacting specifications. Suppressing riots, protecting officials, and cleaning up corporate experiments gone terribly wrong are all commonplace assignments to cells within this military outfit. When it comes to corporate espionage, PMG Security prefers to outsource, attempting to either bribe personnel members at their competitors or else hire Nexus Divers to raid their mainframes. Like with military expenditure, PMG does not cut corners when it comes to intelligence—they have been market leaders in the field of security for a long time and intend to remain such.