Heroic Lore #4: The Specialist and the Aether Consortium
about 7 years ago – Tue, Apr 04, 2017 at 11:56:31 PM

Even in the shining jewel of the Sorium Accord, or the peaceful worlds of the Core, shadows exist. If left unchecked, they spread like an invisible web of darkness, vying for power while the rest of society remains unaware. Specialists work their craft between the judicial societies of the Core, and the shadows of the galactic underworld.

Proficiency and Prowess

Though outfitted with an arsenal of Esper powers and gadgets, the Specialist also relies on their skill and instincts to overcome obstacles. They have a wealth of expertise, from figuring out the weak points of any adversary to being able to find their way through the trickiest of tight spots.

Many specialists function as operatives, trained in the art of information gathering and spy work, often referred to as spooks or ghosts. Others specialize in infiltration and acquisitions, while some, like the artifice, are masters of using their implant controlled gadgets and weapons to stand toe to toe against even the toughest of soldiers.

Specialists are as comfortable working alone as they are in the various organizations and factions that make use of their skills. They tend to keep a long list of private contacts, including those on the ShadowNet, the highly covert "deep web" of the Silrayne Intergalactic Matrix.

Threads of Power

Of the existing mega-corporations whose name and influence carry even as far as the Outer Zones, few have as numerous and varied connections as the Aether Consortium. Starting off as a manufacturer of the revolutionary Series Alpha Sorium Implant, their wealth and popularity grew at an exponential rate, allowing them to quickly expand into other aspects of business.

Now a conglomerate of multiple corporations, "AetherCon" has made itself a galactic household name, with massive commerce centers on every major planet within the Arc. But, as anyone who works the shadows will tell you, a corporation so massive is bound to be built upon a mountain of skeletons.

Many shady dealings have links heading back to some subdivision of the Aether Consortium. The Nebulus Umbra criminal syndicate, the mercenary arm of the Star Reaver faction, as well as the Crimson Omega gang operating deep in Sector 77, all have obscure ties leading back to AetherCon. There are very few, however, with both the courage and foolishness to pull on that first hidden thread.

Heroic Lore #3: The Warrior and the Fist of Guraal
about 7 years ago – Tue, Apr 04, 2017 at 06:43:35 PM

Regardless of origin, species, or culture, all who live within the Silrayne Arc know the perils of war and conflict. Each society and organization has its soldiers. Though anyone can be taught to fight, the Esper Warrior has learned to combine their cosmic energies with their martial skill, evolving into something far beyond a mere soldier or mercenary.

Focus and Fury

Warriors who have achieved Esper Genesis are all are trained in the most advanced weapons, armor, and gear, many of which are powered by the Sorium ore harnessed from the Crucibles. This is where their similarities end. Each warrior has many paths to choose from in which to master their art.

Though their training is versatile, it is their chosen specialty that makes the skilled warrior a force to be reckoned with. Some, like the Commando, specialize in advanced high-tech weaponry, energy fields, and Sorium powered gadgets. Others, such as the Forge Guards, prefer a single chosen weapon which they imbue with elemental energy, unleashing them upon their enemies with devastating force.

Within the Arc, there are a few organizations where some warrior Espers find their place. The Order of Infinity guards the core planets against intergalactic threats. The Resurgence is a spacefaring mercenary army that will gladly take on any threat to society in any galaxy, so long as it's for the right price.

Dark Destinies

The Lorendi have various factions that operate within their militaristic societal structure. Few are more dangerous than the elite army known as the Fist of Guraal. Those within their ranks are completely devoted toward their goal, the subjugation of cultures deemed "worthy" of assimilation, while culling all those who are not.

Their devotion being primary over all else, soldiers of the Fist undergo a number of highly experimental biological and cybernetic enhancements in an attempt to achieve perfection. Each soldier holds the belief that they are destined to be heroes, and save the universe from destroying itself from within.

One such experiment caused an biological event at a stardock near the edge of the Valnese system. An experiment caused a viral spread of corrupted matter throughout the station. Those that did not survive were the lucky ones.

Heroic Lore #2: Melders and the Fury of the Velbast
about 7 years ago – Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 03:13:06 PM

Channeling the eternal energies of the Crucibles can often come at great cost - something that the powerful Melders know all too well.

The Power Schism

There are many Espers who use implants or Sorium devices to wield their powers. Melders know no such limitations. Their entire essence is infused with the power generated by the Crucibles, allowing them to draw matter and energy from around them and shape it to their desired form before releasing it.

Melders commune directly with the Crucibles in a system of codes and formula translated into controlled forms of energy. It is almost a language on its own, requiring a strong psyche to focus upon and comprehend as they "speak" with the forces around them. Once such a code is mastered it becomes part of the Melders repertoire of Talents. The most powerful of Melders view the forces of creation as one great cycle of energy, waiting to be tapped into.

Channeling such massive surges of energy takes a toll on both the body and mind. It is almost as if they have two personas within them at the same time, each with a completely different train of thought. Once a Melder reaches their limit, they must recover their strength. If pushed further, they run the risk of both physical debilitation and possible descent into madness.

Beasts of Oblivion

Nearly a millennia ago, the catastrophic battle known today as the Nesieve Conflict caused a mass spread of spatial anomalies in various regions of the expanse. These distortions, thought by the Eldori to be pockets of anti-matter, bonded with whatever nearby inorganic material it could locate. These were the first Velbast. These terrifying constructs have evolved over generations, sustaining and growing their species by consuming beings capable of channeling the Crucibles' energies.

There are numerous types of Velbast today. They are able to channel destructive elemental forces and generate waves of dark matter. They destroy, consume, and move on, constantly evolving. Many attempts have been made to understand their language. The Dendus have been the most successful, some discovering basic rudimentary code shared by the cybernetic beasts. They also hold the theory that the energy that powers them is the antithesis to that which is generated by the Crucibles themselves.

Questions about Melders or the Velbast? Feel free to ask us in the comments section below!

Until next time!

Heroic Lore #1: The Engineer and the Shadow Technocracy
about 7 years ago – Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 01:26:06 PM

During the final days of the campaign, we'll be presenting some more information about the game world, including one of the character classes and one of the major story arcs within the setting.

The Engineer Class

Engineers are espers who channel their powers through modern day inventions, robotics, computers, and chemistry. A Sorium implant grants them a physical and neural link to a personalized arsenal of tools and gadgets commonly referred to as a "Rig".

An engineer's rig has a vast array of materials, all powered by the mysterious energy harvested from the Crucibles. Through the use of Forging Techniques, an engineer is able to manipulate the energies within their rig, instantly crafting nanobots, assault and medical drones, and plasma weapons. The same techniques may also be used to alter or deconstruct matter and provide bio-enhancements to themselves or their allies.

As the rise of rogue automatons threatens many within the Arc, Engineers have developed specialized techniques to counteract their function, as well as limit the infectious spread of their masters, the Blackguard A.I.

Information Shadow-highways

There are many criminal underworlds that exist throughout the Silrayne Arc. One, in particular, has appeared seemingly from nowhere. Though made up of smaller groups that go by different names, many have come to know all of them as the Shadow Technocracy. Their upper echelons are made up of cyber-enhanced alien beings that operate from invisible space holds hidden deep within the great expanse.

Very few have even a small idea of their overall goal. Through attacks, both physical, financial, and electronic, they have spread fear throughout the populace, brought small governments and mega-corporations to their knees, and have accumulated massive amounts of information and wealth in a short period of time.

Their enforcers are terrifying robotic beasts known as Kanasi. They are able to operate both within the physical world and within the Silrayne Intergalactic Matrix. There are some that even treat the ST as some sort of cult. Many of their underlings undergo strange cybernetic or bionic alterations and wear digital markings on their clothing that only bear meaning to those within their circles.

Questions about Engineers or the Shadow Technocracy? Ask us in the comments below!

Until next time!

Stretch Goal #2 Unlocked! - Expanding the Database
about 7 years ago – Tue, Mar 28, 2017 at 09:01:22 PM

Hello, Espers! Thanks to all of you, we've passed our second stretch goal! This increases both the size and quality of the Silrayne Threats Database, as well as add four new threat types for GMs to use in their epic combat encounters. They are: