Datalinks of the Second Ship

[MysticWind]

Foreword

Quite some time ago I attempted an overambitious project to create two sets of factions, fourteen in all, that would take place after Alien Crossfire.  Right now it's pretty much just fanfic, though I'm possibly open to modding.

The story is about the Federated Countries Ship Sovereignty, an Earth craft that was, like Unity, crash-built.  My spin on Earth was that there was a war between opposing multinational blocs- the UN and the International Federation of Countries, an idea I got decades ago from an obscure fanfic that was written before 9/11.  Several years after the Unity was launched, circa AD 2070, the Sovereignty was sent after a truce.

The Sovereignty didn't break apart like Unity did, but I imagined that after it reached planet and some cursory communications was established with some already-present factions, history repeated with a second Planetfall where differing philosophical factions on the second ship went their separate ways. I also had intended that the ship was modular enough to just break apart like Tinkertoys into seven ways. The second set of seven would be factions that would arise later on into the future, similar to the SMAX ones.

My world-building was heavily influenced by Earth by David Brin, Contact by Carl Sagan, among other futurist works of social sci-fi.

What follows are the leader profiles as per the Firaxis format, with the faction concepts themselves underneath:

Planetary Settlers

Michael Garrison
Major
Colonization Specialist, Settler Representative
United States of America
01-31-2040

Service Record:
Born 2040, Bloomington, Indiana.  High school degree, 2.5 GPA, J. D. Quayle High. Joined U.N. Resettlement Program in Patagonia.  Demonstrated hardiness and ingenuity in harsh environment, commended for successfully mediating between rival Cypriot refugee groups.  Repeatedly promoted, eventually attaining rank of ecologic adjuster.

Expanded colonies under personal responsibility fivefold with no loss of threatened species despite repeated flooding during La Bestia cycle, appointed director of the Antarctic Settlement Program by U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.  Resettled Crusader Wars refugees with low casualties while facing subzero conditions, displaying knack for preserving the natural state around settled areas. Received an appointment to the post of Colonization Specialist from the U.N.-F.C. Trucial Alpha2 Committee following armistice.

Psych Profile: Pioneer Harmonist

Ability to create and maintain large communities within the wilderness shows a deep strength of leadership and resolve.  Sense of wonder and appreciation of nature is enhanced by restlessness, a desire for new frontiers to explore and to claim.  Strong survival skills create a sense of calmness in the face of a dangerous environment.  Childhood background indicates discontent towards living in city that had one of the highest percentages of senior citizens in America. High school records show an inclination for the “Settlers” gang-clique, a post-Boy Scouts organization stressing individual efforts and exploration rather than regimentation and discipline.

While claiming not to be “a sissy WorOrthChuGa,” subject shows a deep understanding of natural equilibrium despite rejection of the Gaian religion. Previous achievements demonstrate a keen ability to coexist with surroundings without causing detrimental change. Combines affable, homespun personality with ability to harmonize with different environments to draw others' to his cause.

Planetary Settlers
“Planet is not meant to be colonized by industrial methods that destroy the soil, pollute the air, and add nothing to the spirit of manifest destiny- carving out a new home with our own hands. Planet is meant to be settled.”
- Governor Michael Garrison, Settler’s Guide

“Settlers Ho!” -Rallying cry.


Symbol/Insignia: A miner’s pick and a frying pan crossing each other diagonally, and a state emblem-esque background with rolling hills, a river, and two suns in the sky.
Leader: Governor Michael Garrison
Background: Colonization leader of Antarctica Settling Program, United States of America
Agenda: Settling of Chiron with ecologically-friendly measures.

Technology: Centauri Ecology
+1 Planet (Willing to treat Planet well)
+1 Morale (Stalwart defenders of their outposts)
-1 Probe (Frontier cities easy to infiltrate)
-1 Economy (Strict environmentalism leads to certain sacrifices)
Terraforming bonus (Master earthworkers)

Darwin Raiders

Robin Huxley
Master Sergeant
Chief of Security
United Kingdom
05-04-2035

Service Record:

Born 2035, Cornwall, United Kingdom, to military parents. Attended Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, specializing in counterinsurgency tactics, mechanized weapon technologies, and with minor focus in political sciences. Joined British Territorial Army upon graduating, saw action in Edinburgh Retaliation (Second Scottish War of Independence outside U.K.) in a tank division she later commanded. Spearheaded use of efficient anti-militia tactics towards the end of the conflict, crushing all nationalist opposition in Northumberland, earning her the nickname of “Boudicaa” from Briton and Scot alike.

Later served in the Commonwealth Crisis, the “British Pax Decay.”  During five month tour of duty in North America, played an instrumental part in defeating Quebecois radicals in the brutal Battle of Montreal. Awarded honors from both Confederation of Canada and the Dominion of Newfoundland for fighting renegade hyper-survivalists. Modified speeder tanks for “stealth” attacks, one of her most infamous tactics.

Settled down following transfer to Australia, becoming a guest professor on governmental theory at Northern Territory University. Began a study of aboriginal societies. Formed a veterans unit of fellow anti-militiamen, the Darwin Road Warriors. Personally saw ratification of controversial Farewell With Honour agreements in Canberra.

The U.K., a member of the Big Nine, was able to secure her as a colonist for the Alpha2 Enterprise. Became the chief of security onboard the FCS Sovereignty and placed many anti-survivalists in key positions. Notably absent during the last days before the Second Ship’s arrival along much of security force personnel, along with members of the science team.

Psych Profile: Wanderer Restorationist

Superb combat prowess due to comprehensive knowledge of tactics and talent at repurposing opponent strategies to use against them. Units under subject's command maintained strong esprit de corps through fraternal bloodshed. Not content to stay in one place, favoring movement and activity instead of passiveness and caution. Scorn for well-content and the established possibly rooted in family's pre-military working class roots.

Intellectual background is of interest. While known to be an outspoken critic of Nat Holm’s neo-feudalistic survivalism, subject agrees with assertions of a slow “dum-dum decay” of civilization, leading to inevitable collapse and complete dark age. Morally opposed to the hypothetical catastrophe, in contrast to Holmian dogma. Ideals conveyed in NTU teachings, inspiration unclear, possibly twentieth century works.

Darwin Raiders
“The hyper-survivalist militias of old Earth were wrong. Humanity had not fallen, nor were we in a decline. What was truly at stake was stagnation- should we be content forever to live sedentary, innocent-bystander lives? Perhaps the masses can, but we shall not. In the wilds we will live, taking what we need from the complacent, until their cities fall, their civilizations break, and our nucleus of humanity survives.”
- Chieftain Robin Huxley, The Tartars of Tomorrow


Symbol/Insignia: Banner of assault trooper's masked head above crisscrossing rifle and psi-whip
Leader: Chieftain Robin Huxley
Background: Anti-militia tank commander, United Kingdom
Agenda: Cultivation of smartest and strongest in a nomadic lifestyle for restarting civilization.

Technology: Doctrine: Mobility
+2 Support (Bases geared towards military preparedness)
+1 Morale (Military strength for raiding attacks)
Starts with free unit: Unity Speeder
Need Hab Complex for bases to exceed size 3 (Against sedentary lives)
Can steal a technology when capturing a base.
15% Chance of revolting bases joining faction

Notes
I'm drawing very heavily on Earth in Michael Garrison's profile- he's meant to be essentially a combination of the Bloomington Settler boys and Nelson Grayson. The reference to Gaianism being a neopagan religion that exists on Earth is also based from that book. Robin Huxley, of course, is a reader of Asimov's Foundation. I'd also claim her character to be a little closer to Tank Girl than Santiago, but I haven't actually watched that movie/read that comic, just seen the trailer. Her faction is also very influenced by Genghis Khan and the history of the Mongol Empire, including their social organization.

I don't remember how I got the idea for the Settlers, but I basically just decided that there should be a faction named Raiders if there's already one named Pirates. I made a lot of arbitrary decisions back then that I'm alternatively justifying or retrofitting now. Maybe I should retcon the Raiders to be a flyboy faction since Spartans have land and Pirates have the seas, but I'd argue they're at least different from the former because they're not big into creating big fortress military city-states, and are more free-flowing. Though they do deserve one sprawling capital, eventually: Great Karakorum, their tribute to the Khans.

The stats for the factions were always things I had drafted up without actually play-testing, and have been subject to a couple different thread's of critique and I'm still not sure if they're good or not. But really hoping that people have opinions on the lore!

[Geo]

United States of America?
United Kingdom?
What are those political entities anno 2060?
Miriam Godwinson hailed from the Christian States of America, and Deirdre Skye from Free Scotland! 

[MysticWind]

Ulrik is from the U.S. , and Huxley's bio is describing the formation of Free Scotland 

[Geo]

Huxley's bio?

[MysticWind]

Did you actually read what I wrote?

[Geo]

I have now.

[MysticWind]

Sovereign Magistrates

Aleksandr Borokhov
Executive Officer
Second-in-Command
Ukraine
01-19-2015

Service Record:

Born 2015, Odessa, Ukraine. Child of liberal-democratic activists, grew up with acute awareness of the change undergoing in his nation. Followed in parents' footsteps since a young age, began local chapter of the Pora! student movement in primary school, achieved early recognition for organizing youth mass rallies in favor of reform throughout academic career. Studied International Law at Lviv University, postgraduate work interrupted by outbreak of the Slavic Resurgence. Lobbied heavily for Ukrainian entrance into Euro Union, identified by the government as a 'questionable personality' and drafted into the Ground Forces after apprehension at one of the pro-democratic Orange Rallies by MVS agents.

Subsequently fought in the Crimean Campaign, one of the worst theaters of the conflict, in unit that saw eighty percent fatalities. Returned after the Great Rodina expansionist movement fell with the first Russian economic crash in 2041. Attempted to reenter politics, became disillusioned by the failure of the Pancolor Revolution within Ukraine, and the apparent apathy of the international establishment without. Traveled to the Americas, eventually settling in Buenos Aires in 2044. Like many combat veterans, became an ardent follower of Rafael Cruz, bringing his personal eloquence and community organization abilities to the secessionist campaign. Eventually became Cruz's personal envoy during the Federative War, seeing combat in Central America and Indonesia. Served in the 2066 peace talks, ended up as International Federation of Countries attaché to the Alpha2 Enterprise, then as Cruz's direct subordinate aboard the Sovereignty.

Psych Profile: Autonomist Legalist

Subject exhibits strongly paradoxical beliefs reflected by political convictions. Former idealism of a worldwide community ordered around democratic principles and human rights- the same goals of the United Nations- are no longer held by subject, though remnants exist as artifacts of idealistic past. Disillusionment in the abilities of human beings to coexist through constitutional civil society led to an ideological mix of both authoritarian and classical liberal ideals- subject is a champion of a strict international system designed to maintain peace, yet allowing member nations to freely remain unintegrated from central power. As a one-time pupil of Rafael Cruz, subject believes in supranational interventionist actions to prevent tyranny and infringement against human rights, but also in allowing "responsible nations" to maintain high levels of sovereignty apart for the world order. Possesses fervently skeptical, even paranoid views against the United Nations. Disrespects mission regulations and protocol at will.

The truce with the Federated Countries remains tenuous at best.  Loss of contact with the UNS Unity speculated to be result of sabotage, internal balkanization. Initiatives must remain in place to prevent any such betrayal of the Alpha2 mission by FC partisans. Subject's natural leadership and personal beliefs mark him as highly suspect. Contingency measures regard him as liability only second in priority to Secretary-General Cruz.

Sovereign Magistrates
“Many times as I knelt in the trenches- huddling from fear, sobbing from loss, I wondered why we fought- did not both the United Nations and the International Federation of Countries want peace and unity? Still, as one by one my comrades died, as city by city fell, the purpose of our dark mission became clearer- peace through war, unity through separation, freedom through control.”
- Commandant Aleksandr Borokhov, Hell: The UN-FC War


Symbol/Insignia: A dove flying upwards holding a lightning bolt in its talons, with a big star in the background.
Leader: Commandant Aleksandr Borokhov
Background: Adjunct to the SG of the Federated Countries on Earth, from the Ukraine
Agenda: A democratic and allied confederation of factions devoted to the destruction of oppressors and warmongers.

Technology: Doctrine: Loyalty
+1 Support (Willing to sacrifice for peace)
+1 Efficiency (Cutthroat political maneuvering)
-2 Economy (Confederate machinations impede development)
-1 Growth (Anti-overpopulation measures favored)
Free Command Center at each base.
Free Prototypes
Gets an extra comm frequency at beginning (Masters of communications)

Some notes on the Magistrates:

• Both profiles were written around 2008 or so, though I came up with the concepts in 2004.
• The Magistrates are a reference to Genosha's- I had a copy of the 1991 X-Men #1 and they were dressed a little like evil peacekeepers.
  
• The whole United Nations vs. International Federation of Countries idea came from that FF.net story as per OP. I kinda liked the idea at the time of a shadow/dark U.N. with their own rival system during the dying days of Earth. It wouldn't be a nuclear war, though.
• I was inspired by protests in Ukraine during the '00s. Eerie fulfillment of what happened a decade later, though like the technothriller futurists at the time, I portrayed the Russian reconquest as overt war and not the Little Green Men op.
• The Slavic Resurgence is an unelaborated event that's referenced in The Postman by David Brin.
  
• Another '00s staple of mine is Caleb Carr's Killing Time, which despite its many flaws, is a neat little pre-Y2K capsule of future world-building that SMAC also belongs to. Central America and Indonesia- well, Malaysia- being battlegrounds for the U.N. is part of that.
  
• lol Rafael Cruz ends up sharing the name Ted Cruz's dad and one-time JFK killer
  
• the Federated Countries' politics and ideology ends up being a self-contradicting contrarian version of the U.N.'s. I didn't have specific ideas for what countries were part of them, but I imagined some surprising ones and their focus is on, as per the second ship's name, sovereignty and autonomy instead of uniting into one big happy family to save humanity.

Elders of Chiron

Avril Walker
Lt. Commander
Video Mechanics Chief
Canada
03-20-1981

Service Record:

Born 1981, Vancouver, Canada to upper middle class family.  Graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Masters in Media Studies and Communications. Following a failed early acting career, entered the corporate world via parents' company, True View Limited. Gradually became a project manager during the second Netboom in 2005 on the multi-platform Watch 2.0 widget, gaining renown as an able manager and for her exploitation of the rise of selfcentric media. Her involvement in refining the popular application and the youthful, colorful personality she projected to the press made her the public face of the company. Though dismissed by skeptics as an opportunist with limited managerial and technical experience, moved on to spearheading several associated memeapps, including the Now! Network, the Primeape Zone, and investment in panopticon technology, culminating in the centerpiece of her family's future, TrueVu Googles. Released in 2014 as the first widespread mainstream panoptics, T-V revolutionized digital culture and brought about the fourth Netboom, earning her a VP position within the company along with the Gates/Fiorina Award. Because of the rapidly increasing use of portable recorders for government and counter-government surveillance, was called upon by Parliament to testify in 2028 following the Farnham Incident. Within days, True View Ltd. was bombarded by multiple lawsuits and accused of "selling the public volatile and privacy-invading devices." Though she, and TVL, were eventually exonerated by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, the matter was not settled until the U.N. Declaration of Multilateral Secrecy in 2033.

By then she had long since resigned as Vice President of her company in favor of her brother, though not before introducing several successful incarnations of TrueVu Googles, including the Neutronium Edition, which almost singlehandedly brought the Helix OS to prominence in the public eye. After a brief stint as an independent consultant and as a producer for her Now! Network, surprised many by moving from the private sector to international governance. Scorned by detractors as an attention-seeking dabbler and as a corporate cat's paw, began a diplomatic career at the United Nations, representing various NGOs related to global communications and serving as an architect of the 2033 Declaration. Began philanthropic work through the Rockingham Foundation, providing aid to infrastructure in the developing world. Became involved in reconstruction of Los Angeles after the Year of Panic; later dismissed for nepotism in securing contracts for Global Manticore. Received experimental Edenic treatments in 2043, including extensive telomerase modifications. Visited space at the grand opening of the Virgin Orbital Hilton in 2047 at the height of the Gaza Crisis. Heavily criticized for excesses typifying her generation. After the passage of the Augmented Seniors Tax in 2056, became a champion for the rights of aged persons in Canada, touring Federated Countries member states to public outcry. Ultimately appointed head of Video Mechanics of the Sovereignty for the Alpha2 Enterprise after serving as chairwoman of the United Nations Senior Rights Committee for a single term.

Psych Profile: Invasive Watcher

Innovative and tenacious personality. Subject's corporate career and personal life indicate preference for a variety of projects and initiatives without any long-time commitment to any one. Though not ruthless, personality and generational origin indicate a capricious attitude towards others except those considered to be in her personal network. Exhibits both voyeuristic and exhibitionist tendencies characteristic of "Generation Me and Mine." Despite this, subject possesses high emotional intelligence and the ability to effectively utilize electronic media to command others. Persistent presence in business for over fifty years indicates a high level of adaptation, abilities to survive and thrive, and comprehensive experience. Expert knowledge of surveillance technologies will be invaluable to preventing sabotage and hacker attacks. Main concern is subject's misplaced loyalty towards her fellow co-ages; may favor older members of the mission at the expense of those she deems "too young."

Elders of Chiron
“See how quickly the young run, and soon forget us. Watch them build their crumbling playground empires, and scream and holler at each other and cry as they realize that they have no wisdom, no guidance, no understanding. We once shamefully put our grandparents into nursing homes, and now fate comes to return the favor. Well, let us live independent forever or die trying!”
- Eldress Avril Walker, Y Now, Y Forever

“Back in my day, we were so more 1337…”


Symbol/Insignia: An hour glass with the bottom completely full, yet the top 3/4ths full, too. In front of it are three helixes.
Leader: Eldress Avril Walker
Background: Chairwoman of UN Senior Rights Committee from Canada
Agenda: Community of age-enhanced seniors, free from the restrictions of youngsters. A gerontocracy.

Technology: Biogenetics
-2 Growth (It’s a colony of old people, for cryin’ out loud!)
+1 Probe (The cyberpunk generation: the children of Counter-Strike)
+1 Research (Have preserved substantial tech files following Arrival)
+1 Morale (You haven’t got much more to see after you hit 200… might as well fight)
Receives double votes in elections for Planetary Governor and Supreme Leader (Senior Citizens’ voting clout)

And on the Elders:

• Very much influenced by David Brin's concepts on surveillance and sousveillance (citizen counter-surveillance against elites).
  
• Leader's name is, of course, named after Canada's Punk Rock Princess.
• Concept is rooted in how in Brin's Earth repeatedly pointed out the inevitable greying of many developed nations, and specifically his depiction of the Bloomington senior "geeks" who basically ended all petty crime (and made life very boring for teens) with their constant high-tech citizen surveillance.
  
• My own addition to the idea is millennials becoming very entitled once they hit boomer age, while still retaining the voyeurism and self-promotion of their social media days. Considering the shape that 2060 Earth is in, people aren't happy at Gen Y indeed. And so some of them will decide it's better to rule in their own private heaven, hoarding their wisdom and knowledge of the past from the ungrateful young.
• Funny that an app/social network tech person testifying before the government on privacy issues also ended up happening IRL, though the Microsoft antitrust case foreshadowed it too.
• "Video Mechanics" being an officer rank on a spaceship was inspired by Penny Robinson's role in the '98 Lost in Space remake.
  
• Faction name is perhaps an unfortunate pun but is also inspired by the orbital space station of incredibly wealthy and powerful retirees dubbed "Elders of Ozone" in Contact by Carl Sagan. Plus, it just rhymes.
  

Since the profiles I've posted so far were originally written between 2005-2008 (plus one written in 2011), doing a pastiche on a classic sci-fi game made in 1997-1999, and inspired largely by a lot of pre-2000s science fiction (I still have yet to read Existence by David Brin yet), it's meant to have a retrofuturistic feel.

[Buster's Uncle]

...Giving these faction art would be pretty elementary.  Check here: https://alphacentauri2.info/My%20Custom%20Factions/Custom%20Factions3.html...

[MysticWind]

Thanks. I'm mostly interested in hearing what people think of the concept and story, but also what they might think of the potential gameplay. I've had them vetted once, a long time ago....

[MysticWind]

The Parish of Planet

Pierre Mputu Kasala
Legatus a latere
Papal Representative
Congo
01-18-2027

Service Record:

Born 2027, Lubumbashi, Zairean Republic of Katanga, Congo Union. Third and youngest child in family involved in rare earth minerals extraction. Parents lost in mining accident at early age, raised under care of grandparents. Under grandfather’s direction, entered minor seminary and pursued priesthood despite societal receding of the church in post-unification Congo. Studied philosophy and theology at Grand Séminaire de Lubumbashi, specializing in Advanced Theodicy and Comparative Natural Law, respectively. Finished two years early, successfully defending dissertation before entire faculty with facts and logic. “Reconcilable Virtue Systems Across Christianity, Reformed Gaianism, and Luba Indigenous Faith (Full Defense)” became viral on FishersNet for months as an exemplar in innovative theology.

While sought by the Mendelians, entered the Dominican Order upon ordination. Served as parish priest of the Church of St. Blaise Pascal until called into holy service abroad in the War of Nigerian Dissolution. Worked alongside U.N.-ECOWAS relief agencies to deliver humanitarian aid. Took command of mission in 2054 after major superior was kidnapped and slain by violent sunnahists affiliated with Dar al-Harb. Focused friars’ presence on direct care for the vulnerable, even during the heaviest of fighting, to reinforce the palliative role of the church. Undertook risky inoculation campaign in dangerous Lake Chad region during 2057 ebola-3 outbreak, containing it; awarded the Order of Muyembe in recognition.

Good works accomplished via sophisticated social networks personally cultivated in the field, spanning races and religions. Leveraged same network when friars remained in-country post-Morganstar Accords to proselytize. Left safety of the codified states for the tripartite disputed zones where other evangelists feared to tread. Became popular figure in Muslim territory after expanding water access by surreptitiously funneling Catholic charity aid money into public projects; gained begrudging respect from Black Axe lords by negotiating Plainview-Shell’s departure from western Niger Delta. Stoked controversy in Christian areas by denouncing provisional government’s treatment of local animists. Ultimately served as architect of multiple post-conflict agreements, reaffirming the church's role as peacemaker.

Preaching further attacked by unlikely sources. North American Protestant missionaries openly repudiated Catholic mission’s presence as “One-Worlder idolaters”. True to their order’s founder, friars responded in kind with fierce denouncements. Ensuing series of public debates between Dominican Order and Evangelical Fire missions later dubbed Kano Disputations. Drew in large crowds of curious local onlookers and religious scholars alike, netting untold online vidwatchers. Maverick preaching style elicited accusations of doctrinal laxity, bordering on heresy, from Archbishop Eglantine.

Called before the Roman Curia in 2062. Subjected to inquiry by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on accusations of incorporating native and even neo-pagan rituals into the orthodox Zaire Rite. Claims proved unfounded. Vindicated by witness testimony and fervent self-defense. However, reassigned from the post-Nigerian states and appointed bishop of the Diocese of Goma and the titular bishop of Phobos. Attained PhD in Applied Bioethics from Virunga Institute. Maintained prominent netlink presence throughout the Federative War, remotely ministering to the afflicted in Africa, the Euro Union, Latin America, the Middle East, and beyond.

Summoned to Rome following armistice. Despite rumors of fast-tracking to a cardinalship, instead appointed papal legate to Chiron colonies in surprising move by Thomas I shortly after the equally controversial canonization of Ramon Llull. Grilled extensively by both U.N. and F.C. Alpha2 Committee members alike, facing public distrust of the inclusion of high-ranking non-secular clerics, favoritism of religions represented. Approved after unexpected yes votes from the delegates of the Christian States of America, Hedjaz, Somalia, and Yorubaland. Laudatory speech by pastoral delegate, previously a Kano Disputation opponent, proved decisive. Joined papal diplomatic mission headed by Cardinal Calungsod aboard FCS Sovereignty.

Psych Profile: Revivalist Pluralist

Masterful rhetorician with deep communication skills applicable to multitudes of social contexts. Ability to distill complex moral philosophical concepts into mass audiences with parables and personal emotional connections. Willingness to adopt the mindset of others enables subject to appeal directly in convincing manner. Conveys open-minded and deeply sympathetic personality. Possesses encyclopedic knowledge of different religions and cultures. When presented with an implacable opponent, will engage thoroughly in argumentative debate as characteristic of order.

Public statements and personal history reveals subject driven by desire to broaden the reach of his faith. Theological analysis by U.N. Memetics Studies Agency suggests that subject remains faithful to established doctrine even while presenting an accommodating nature towards other faiths. Vaticanologists conclude that subject is of the "post-traditionalist" position, friendly towards cooperation with other religions and open to some degree of ecumenism, while ultimately maintaining Catholic preeminence; faction opposed by both Madrid Catholic archconservatives and Spiritine universalists alike. Record suggests subject is willing to bend ecclesiastical and even moral technicalities in service of his beliefs.

Subject's loyalty is unambiguously to mother faith. Childhood suggests classic "parented by church" scenario. Individual does not make any pretense of being part of Sovereignty crew, freely breaks joint U.N.-F.C. chain of command to minister to crew members indiscriminately. Vatican appointees maintain legal fiction of maintaining diplomatic mission to U.N. colony, despite proscriptions on open evangelism. Highly possible true motivation is to carry out rumored clandestine protocol quo peregrinatur grex.

Parish of Planet
“The Church of Rome has lasted two millennia. It has withstood schism, heresy, invasion, pestilence, war, and scandal, and still remains a religious force to be reckoned with on Earth. Though we must admit that unfortunate mistakes have occurred, the Catholic Church of the 22nd century will be remembered as the peaceful light on Chiron.”
- Bishop Pierre Mputu Kasala, With the Grace of God

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
- Matthew 16:18


Symbol/Insignia: The Latin cross in Europa Universalis (except the main part of the cross is exaggerated), with rosary beads in the shape of a fish behind it.
Leader: Bishop Pierre Mputu Kasala
Background: Congo Union, Vatican papal legate
Agenda: Restoration of a compassionate Catholic Church on Planet
Technology: None
+2 Growth (Be fruitful and multiply)
-1 Support (All of the Crusaders have gone with Godwinson!)
+1 Police (But the Swiss Guard remains)
One bonus tech at beginning of game (Extensive records from Vatican Memorabilia)

Design Notes on the Parish:

• My intention was always to create a religious themed faction that didn't have the Believers' hang-ups and stigma. Though in time I've come to realize the positive aspects and nuances with Miriam and her faction, so the Parishioners end up being a less of a contrast. I originally was even going to make Fundamentalist their aversion, but then realized that’d be too extreme.
• The choice to make them Roman Catholics was younger me impressed by how the Papacy is the only religious authority to retain temporal power modern day to the extent of having its own territory. In retrospect that's a rather short-sighted view that ignores how religious organizations can hold power indirectly, and that other religions can have different relations with statehood. Like say, the caliph being a political and military title. And did you know there used to be a Sikh Empire?
• Having realized that others had the same idea of Catholics on Chiron, I decided to have Father Pierre be pragmatic enough to reach out to adherents of other faiths, especially ones like Islam that also have temporal power. Whether or not he's a syncretist who's watering down his religion/building Mystery Babylon/using other believers opportunistically to bolster Papal power is up to one's interpretation.
  
• On the flip side, I also like the idea of the Believers being less about a narrow theocracy focusing on a specific American Pentecostalist sect/cultural caricature, and more of a society built on the focus of faith. And so perhaps they admit believers in semi-compatible different faiths. Big fan of this short fanfic: "Godwinson's Hope" by Hydro, which is a touching rendition of a merciful and meek Miriam, and includes a non-Christian in her flock.
  
• My original Parishioners' agenda was even "Restoration of a compassionate Catholic Church on Planet against the Believer’s fanaticism." which I realized is too explicitly making them a faction's antithesis.
  
• As an aside, I found the Believers in the GURPS supplement to be quite good in some parts, even if the writing was heavy-handed at times. I get that they have a Conclave Bible but "Conclave Christianity" is such a meaningless phrase. Also I liked how their faith revolved around apologetics and debate, but labelling Dissent a pillar is just such lazy naming. Yeah Miriam writes "We Must Dissent" and it becomes a catchphrase especially in the Self-Aware Colony video but you could say they practice a lot of dissenting without naming it as a formal tenet.
• The tension the Roman Catholic Church faces between conservative "Madrid Catholics" (a Stand on Zanzibar reference?) and rising deep ecology ideologies in an environmentally-devastated world (including neopagans who literally worship a Gaian mother goddess) is from David Brin's Earth.
  
• I know I keep on mentioning Earth, but it's a good read because even if you ignore the so-so plot, it's essentially a masterful, prescient work of world-building with very SMAC-like beats. It's like a sourcebook in narrative form. Like most of my first set's factions, the Parish is inspired by it. If you read anything from it at all, read this excerpt between two Catholic priests, posted by the author himself. In the book it was preceded by the following:
  

Like most other religious special interest groups on the Net, we in the Friends of St. Francis Assembly [ SIG.Rel.disc. 12-RsyPD 634399889.058] have been discussing the Pope’s latest encyclical, Et in Terra pax et sapientia, which sanctions veneration of the Holy Mother as special protector of the Earth and its species. Some say this stands alongside his predecessor’s acceptance of the population oath as a breakthrough concession to common sense and the new worldview.

  Not all take this attitude, however. Consider the manifesto published yesterday on the Return to the Robe Channel [ SlG.Rel.disc. 12-RsyPD 987623089.098] criticizing His Holiness for “… succumbing to both creeping Gaianism and secular humanism, both incompatible with Judeo-Christian hermeneutics …”

  I just had a voice-text exchange with the Monsignor Nassan Bruhuni [ pers.addr. WaQ 237.69.6272-36 aadw], leading author of the manifesto, during an open question session. Here’s a replay of that exchange.

• Finally, the Parish is also inspired by A Canticle for Leibowitz, the greatest sci-fi novel incorporating Christianity and history, and one of the best post-apocalyptic stories ever.
  

Design Notes on Pierre Kasala:

• Originally named Peter St. Clare, then I decided I had written enough European representation, and renamed Pierre Olukayode (Yoruba for "God brings happiness"). Then I discovered Nwabudike is a Igbo name, and I decided there was enough Nigerian/Anglophone African representation.
• As an aside, Morgan's actual origins are somewhat of a mishmash in canon. In-game Datalinks describe him Namibian, the Firaxis profile said he's "African royalty", and GURPS Alpha Centauri, apropos of nothing, says he's from Kenya. Suffice to say Morgan is conceptually pan-African in the same way Lt. Uhura is. Kasala is more specifically Catholic, and Francophone African.
• Got to learn about the unique naming conventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo while writing this. Kasala is the character's postnom, and as a nod to his willingness to incorporate non-Catholic traditions, he goes by it. It also means "song of mourning" in the Luba language, which is both appropriate for an exile from Earth, an orphan with his background, and is also what the Kyrie is described as in the Congolese variant of the Latin Mass. Apparently the Zaire Use is popular within Africa and the African diaspora beyond Congo.
  
• I always intended this character to be named Peter, as an ominous reference to St. Malachy's prophecy. Pierre’s surname Mputu is a variant of Mpoto, meaning "Europe", so Pierre Mputu might even be closer to "Peter the Roman." Of course, the good bishop has yet to be chosen as pope of the remnant church…
  
• The Order of Muyembe is a future honorary order of distinction I’ve named after Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the Congolese microbiologist who recently developed the cure for ebola.
  
• ”Morganstar” is a luxury resort, echoing the historical Sun City Agreement.
  
• An African conflict zone divided into regions controlled by Muslims, Christians, and the Black Axe Confraternity (which is apparently a real-world Nigerian university fraternity turned secret society-cult-murder-gang) is a reference to a scene in Jonathan Hickman's Pax Romana, another sci-fi work with a ton of fictional character profiles, dystopian world-building, and Catholics bending space and time.
  
• I've only seen the first episode of The Young Pope but his age and lack of parents is inspired by Lenny Belardo.
  

[MysticWind]

Cuzco Sol
Solartech
Power Ops Engineer
Guatemala
05-03-2043

Service Record:

Lucero Eztli Salvador, born 2043, Guatemala City, Reunited Provinces of Central America. Mother a policewoman, father a doctor. Childhood marked by repeated juvenile offenses - fighting, truancy, shoplifting, data denial, vandalism. Most local records officially expunged or fragmentary, extant only in U.N. Consolidated Criminal Justice Database. Known membership in Sons of Ra tribal youth subculture, remnants of auto-lawyer court logs suggest no fewer than five instances of participation in sanctioned gang battles, at least two unsanctioned fights resulting in moderate non-tribal civilian injuries. Arson attempt of protected urban grove led to alias Lucero Chispero and elevation to Medjay. Withdrawn from private school by mother, who resigned Policia Transnacional commission to provide  full-time home education.

Attended José Simeón Cañas Central American University, studying Energy Engineering and Mesoamerican Mythology. Suddenly dropped out in 2062 after school trip to El Mirador. Embarked on worldwide tour of archeological sites, from Hawikuh to Tiwanaku, subsidized by freelance solar work and selling ayahuasca. Paid tribute and inducted as acolyte at Apollo’s Throne, Khartoum. Eurasian leg of tour cut short by the Federative War. Resumed studies until the movilización general. Dodged El Salvadoran draft officers amidst the Federation’s Assault on Antiguo. Reappeared in Guatemala City as head of Espíritu de Sangre (Blood Spirit), a municipal auxiliary force consisting of many former gang-mates.

Fought with distinction in the Central American theater, driving back F.C. invaders and eliminating sympathizer cells efficaciously. Honored with Order of Justo Rufino Barrios after the Defense of Palacio Verde, integrated into PRCA armed forces as autonomous militia. Deployed to fighting lesser Federation-supported insurgencies- Costa Rican secessionists, Mexican revanchists in Chiapas, and free-loggers in Los Altos. Conduct appears to have been largely within bounds of Geneva Convention, though incidents exist of unit shaving and exposing captives to direct sunlight until tanned. Rumors of destruction of local jungle Gaian shrines attributed to accidental burnover while clearing out foliage in pursuit of F.C. renegades. Commended with Roméo Dallaire Medal by U.N. for bravery in the field.

Recalled from Yucatán annexation campaign for noncombat duties in the wake of Hurricane Quincy. Unit performed flood rescue operations ably. Received Medal of Two Oceans for reestablishing electricity in Tegucigalpa with improvised Perovskite solar cells reprinted from cyclone-damaged building material. Reprimanded for ordering troops under his command to fly the Midday Banner.

Finished degree after war, returning to Egypt. Employed as cell array optimizer for Morgan Solarfex in Omdurman. Fully initiated and rechristened as active member of Aten priesthood. Learned Coptic and began mentoring disaffected young men. Frequent speaker at Khepri Temple of the Dawn, guest sermon “Eternal Morning is Man's Gift” of minor renown on local nets. Placed third in Wíinkilil at Baku 2068 World Universal Fighting Tournament. Selected by Alpha2 Enterprise as solar power engineer. Recommended for emergency response experience, military service, hiring network, and representation of the emergent neopagan Ra cult and the Sons of Ra tribal subculture. Noticeable split in committee vote tally along trucial bloc lines.

Psych Profile: Heliocentric Devotee

Bright disposition and sense of camaraderie form initial impressions of individual. Further interaction reveals apparent good-naturedness accompanied by bouts of braggadocio, male swagger. Positive personality undercut by inclination towards tendency to steer conversations, bordering on aggression. Subject shows submission only in matters related to personal metaphysics, such as in the presence of senior co-religionists. Theological-memetic analysis suggests subject's sun worship extends beyond conventional Ra practices. Questionable ideological views offset by capacity to motivate, as seen in other Ra followers approved for mission. Fascination with stellar veneration shapes subject's scientific priorities, explaining both technical proficiency in chosen vocation as well as avowed reason for joining Alpha2: to seek a place of two suns.

Dominant competitive spirit. Command abilities forged from youthful indiscretions. High skill in traditional unarmed combat. Adolescent experiences suggest past frustrations towards family dynamics. Subject's mother, adherent of the revived Cult of Minerva in Guatemala, perhaps instrumental in rehabilitating subject. Displays ability to channel experience of youth tribal warfare towards prosocial activities, even in peacetime. Meritorious conduct and loyalty to lawful governments during time of global crisis demonstrates subject's truly reformed nature. Only possible reservation stems from subject's potential religious disagreements- mitigated by ratio of Ra to Gaian members allocated in solar sailer division. Postwar mental health verified by multiple U.N. Psych Chaplains. Sole dissenting interviewer subsequently defected to F.C. nation.

Sons of Centauri-Ra

“As the clouds of WorOrthChuGa’s beloved Gaia burned and sundered, the magnificent rays of Kinich Ahau, Tonatiuh, Inti, Amaterasu, Helios warmed the land and the waters. Even as weaklings thirst and drown, Great Ra shines on his chosen. Here, on another Earth, let us give thanks to the life-giving love of our two new Suns- for before our fathers found fire, there was you.”

- Heliophant Cuzco Sol, Centauri's Dawn


Symbol/Insignia: A simple sun (a circle surrounded by 8 triangles like a compass rose) with Ra’s eye in it. Next to it is a tinier sun with a regular eye.

Leader: Heliophant Cuzco Sol
Background: Ra Brotherhood journeyman, youth tribal gang leader, Sovereignty solar sail technician
Agenda: Continuing the worship of Ra by altering Planet’s environment to resemble that of pre-Arrival Earth
Technology: Applied Physics
-1 Planet (Efforts to make Planet more Earth-like: steeped in greenhouse gases)
+1 Economy (Centaurian Solar Energy Retrieval = Big Money)
-1 Growth (Prolonged exposure in Sun Worship has its costs)
+2 Morale (Revival of testosterone-laden warfare in conjunction with worship)
Free energy banks at each base.

Design Notes on the Sons:

• The Ra Boys are a prominent background element of Earth. In that novel, the future of 2038 is marked by ecological decline and a concerted global effort to fight pollution, to the point where the UNEPA is able to fine people who litter. Amid this context new neo-pagan belief systems arise, including the North American Church of Gaia (NorA ChuGa) who worship the planet, and the Ra Boys who welcome the coming of the sun.
  
• These new religions are also mirrored by tribal youth cultures. Basically most street violence has been eliminated due to the pervasive surveillance tech accessible to citizens (bored seniors) and for some reason gangs become semi-legitimized and ritualized for teens to get out their aggression with quasi-legal sanction.
• The Ra Boys are hyper-masculine bully boys who go around shirtless and shaved, enduring the intensity caused by the depleted ozone layer (fwiw, there's also effective anti-cancer cream), and also catcalling women. The ones described in the book are largely young and more of a social nuisance than an actual danger, but they do fight other tribals, like the Settlers.
• In the book there's less violence and more contempt from them towards the Gaians, who are their natural opposite, being a very feminine faith whose female high school-aged worshippers dress in robes like White Mage from Final Fantasy and go around collecting donations for mass tree replanting campaigns.
• For my faction, I was thinking of them grown up and more of a threat, and both a youth subculture and an organized religion. They'd be an aggressive bunch, in contrast to the Parish (funny that I wrote both of these profiles in a row). Their faith, of course, is also completely pagan to both Kasala and Godwinson.
• I didn't consciously make them mirror the Spartans, even if both are militaristic societies founded by Latin Americans, but the Sons' motivations are ultimately as potentially disastrous to the other factions as the Spartans' were during Planetfall: they literally want to recreate the environmental conditions that turned Earth into a sweltering, sunburnt greenhouse. They welcome climate change despite ecological devastation.
  
• The implication is that after recruiting Sol, the committee reached out to other sun worshippers (some personally acquainted with him), as the socially-functioning ones tend to gravitate towards useful fields including solar energy engineering, aerospace engineering, astrophysics, military service, and security...
• As an aside, I'm not a fan of blaming any one faction for what happened in orbit. So I tend to ignore how Michael Ely's novella has the Spartans existing before the mission as a terroristic "survivalist front" that premeditates the mutiny which destroys the ship. That's way too much blame for any one faction to bear. What happens on Unity, stays on Unity.
  
• I didn't have as many ideas as Trenacker did with his Hunters of Chiron about exploring masculinity in the future, but the Sons, like the Ra Boys depicted in the book, are aggressive machismo meatheads given an outlet by reverting to primordial worship. Simple as that.

Design Notes on Sol:

• Cuzco is of course an Incan and thus Andean name, not Mayan, but neopagans are a syncretic bunch. Maybe it's also a The Emperor's New Groove reference.
  
• Eztli means blood in Mayan, but I simply found it on a listicle of Mayan baby names so I guess it's less scary-sounding than one would think.
• I pictured Cuzco as less of a holy man and more of a brawler, thuggish but appealing enough for other men to follow. Like Garrison he grew up with a relatively stable childhood (he's definitely not from the slums) and like Sinder Roze he escaped it by breaking bad.
• He isn't meant to have a profound character arc: his religious awakening is simply a continuation of his teenage identity, socially justified through faith. And in the aftermath of international war, he was vindicated by fighting on the right side. He's more socially functional and mature but was also covered up and cleared by his patrons, both familial and governmental.
• Whether he truly reformed or not is still in question, and open to interpretation. But he's a brute regardless, and a zealot.
• Given his relatively younger age I imagined his visual appearance to be an older, bald-headed and tanned version of Diogo Harari from The Expanse.
  
• The bit with his mother could mean her guidance and attention truly reformed him, or it was all an act, or him forming a militia was done in response to her possibly-domineering childrearing.
  
• There really was a Guatemalan Cult of Minerva! Or rather, a president there in the early 1900s who promoted feasts and festivities of Minerva, even building temples, to promote education.
  
• I got the idea of bringing back the 19th century United Provinces from old pre-rework Kaiserreich, where Central America re-formed after WWI for no apparent reason. My old notes from 2005 had him from Guatemala for some reason so I kept it and ran with the setting.
  
• In my rendition of future SMAC history, both Central America and Central Africa end up subverting dystopia and improving standards of living a little bit through political consolidation. The idea just arose when I wrote these two profiles recently. Unfortunately, both Nigeria and Mexico fracture instead, the latter less dramatically so.

[MysticWind]

Trung Thi Hoang
Captain
Pilot
Vietnam
03-08-2032

Service Record:

Born 2032, Hai Phong, Vietnam. Father a seaplane pilot, mother a futsal player. Taught to fly at an early age, receiving amateur pilot license shortly after eighteenth birthday. Studied Developmental Neuroscience at University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. Five months into Masters program in Neuropsychology, regional hostilities began when the Golden Remnant Uprising was forced east of the Red River and initiated Operation Zhu Youlang, attempting to set up an empire-in-exile in Southeast Asia. Father’s plane was downed during the naval 2nd Battle of Cấm River, added to the list of GRU civilian casualties.

Enlisted in the Vietnam People's Air Force following the fall of Hanoi. Completed F-88 Lion flight training, assigned to 989th Fighter regiment, Le Thi Thu Nguyet “Iron Bird” Squadron amidst Southern Pacification Campaign. Took part in the Battle of Da Nang, scoring her first kill against Golden Remnant aircraft and contributing to the defense of Tiên Sa Seaport by launching the final volley that sank the GCV Yuan Shikai. Continued in counterattacks against bandit forces, including pivotal Battle of Spratly Island. Received mixed record for refusing orders to shoot down a Golden Prince-Marshal, instead providing cover to a civilian convoy. Reassigned to desk job as psychological operations officer.

Served as mental health liaison with the United States Seventh Fleet after activation of IOTO following Great China’s entry into conflict. Learned deep scanning, personality restoration techniques, combat meditation from USN military advisors. Conducted landmark psych survey pinpointing cause of Annam Syndrome to IOTO use of sonic subliminal stimuli weaponry. Returned to frontline service after breakdown of the traditional American-Vietnamese alliance after Crimson Chinese retreat and exit, further reports that IOTO had been paying mercenaries to supply Golden Remnant, playing both sides of conflict. Took part in initial wave that captured Cam Ranh Bay Naval Base. Scored a career high of three kills against USAF bogeys and provided crucial cover to 967th Khe Sanh “Steel Viper” Squadron that sank the U.S.S. William Westmoreland.

Shot down over enemy territory during Central Highlands campaign. Captured by Remnant-affiliated New Black Flag Army. Held for forty days in infamous Camp Cloud Cobra prison. Feigned defeat under torture, offering convincing false intel that misdirected enemy assets. Despite malnourishment and sleep deprivation, formed plan with fellow prisoners including Vietnamese military servicemen, kidnapped locals, Cambodian refugees, and enslaved tribespeople. Prison revolt was successful; later decorated with Military Exploit Order for role as orchestrator.

Remained in region for the duration of Vietnam War II (domestically known as 2nd American War). Group of fellow prisoners formed core of irregular unit Army of the Phoenix, conducting guerrilla attacks and acts of sabotage against IOTO, Remnant, and New Black Flag forces alike. Oversaw liberation of mercenary-occupied native villages. Became involved with one Y Thih Enuol, an ethnic Rhade tribal fighter and former Cloud Cobra inmate. Gave military leadership to Y Thih while retaining internal overwatch of unit, including prosecution of looters and other offenders. With deep relations to local tribes, Phoenix expelled IOTO presence and extinguished the New Black Flags in area entirely.

Fought in Christmas Offensive precipitating American withdrawal from the war. Deferred bereavement leave when Y Thih was KIA; sought and received reassignment to embedded combat psych officer in the post-Brussels Treaty push against the Remnant. Oversaw deprogramming of Fallen sect members captured during final northern campaign; paper “Demonic Rhythms: Initiation and Indoctrination Practices of the Fallen” well-received, receiving commendation from Great Chinese psych researchers. Promoted to captain upon conclusion of the Great Bandit War.

Did not return to Hai Phong with remaining family. Worked on reconstruction efforts in Central Highlands among Montagnard villages. Became activist on behalf of tribes, using war hero prestige to advocate for government recognition of wartime service and conferment of veteran benefits. Led womens’ rights campaign modeled after empowered tribeswomen of the Rhede, Cham, Mnong. Repudiated EuroAm ninth-wave feminist consensus in public statements.

Subsequent political activities drew more controversy. Demanded prosecution of leaders responsible for Vietnamese military’s program of retaliatory torture of Golden Remnant POWs. Lobbied for blacklisting of individuals identified by U.N. as probable war criminals. Accused of extrajudicial vigilantism against human traffickers with sleeper cells of Phoenix veterans. Called for neutrality in the Federative War. Appointed by Alpha2 Committee for wartime flight record and psych work. Designated shuttle pilot, Sovereignty auxiliary helmsman, tertiary non-emergency psych staff.

Psych Profile: Cognitive Guardian

Extroversion and public outspokenness belie deep analytical abilities and keen observational skills. Subject presents a vibrant, imperious spirit cultivated with wartime service. Calm exterior and courage under fire ensure that subject performs admirably under high-stress crisis situations. Subject is not first to speak, but abundantly responds with detailed and deeply-considered responses when presented with provocation. Diagnosed with hyperkinesthetic acuity at early age, enabling extraordinarily high levels of spatial and motion awareness that is an asset for aviatory duties.

Driven by a deeply personal code of ethics, subject seeks to defend all those around her. Tragedy instilled fierce hatred for unwarranted aggression, deep empathy for the oppressed. Postwar estrangement from surviving family indicates potential sublimation of personal loss into societal aspirations, avoidance of unresolved pain.

Memetic analysis indicates that subject is chiefly motivated by sense of justice towards the defenseless, and a desire to prevent what could cause more suffering. Activism for public exposure of Vietnam War II war criminals included calls for more comprehensive personality tests, psychological monitoring of military personnel for potential antisocial tendencies; critics have labelled such methods the "People's Panopticon."

At-times fiery commitment to social causes, concern for the marginalized, potential distraction from overall mission. Capacity to command presents threat to mission cohesion. Recommend subject assigned to secondary role(s) and sanctioned from  ideological discussion whenever possible.

The Phoenix Nation


“We fly from old Earth covered in ash, dreaming of a better home. But those responsible for the great pyre are still among us. There can be no peace, no new world, until the lion lays before the lamb. Violence is a malady of the mind; all maladies can be cured.” - Monitor-Protector Trung Thi Hoang, Seeds of Earth

Symbol/Insignia: A rising phoenix
Leader: Monitor-Protector Trung Thi Hoang
Background: Vietnam War II war hero and psych researcher, Sovereignty pilot
Agenda: Emancipation of the vulnerable through psychological methods

Technology: Social Psych
+1 Research (Better behavior through neurology)
+1 Planet (Views nature as non-aggressor worthy of defense)
-1 Growth (Reluctant to repeat mistakes of the past until society is perfected)
-1 Police (Mass profiling leads to aggrieved underclass)
Needlejet protoypes free with discovery of Doctrine: Air Power (Appreciates aerial superiority)
Free ability Hypnotic Trance for units with discovery of Secrets of the Human Brain
Revolting bases have 20% chance of joining faction (Breaker of chains)

Design notes on the Phoenix:

• I originally had intended to create a “neo-feminist” faction based on David Brin’s explorations of the concept in Earth. I’ve since branched off that idea (discussed below), but the Phoenix does take some cues from some of his concepts.
• The idea is a faction that is focused on the protection of the defenseless, followed by the creation of a psychologically-focused research regime (like University, Consciousness) focused on the elimination of the conditions that led to the forever wars of Earth, then the elimination of those behaviors entirely. In some ways they could end up as a grassroots version of the Hive if gone wrong, but that’s not who they are at first glance.
• The faction leaders are intended to be fellow survivors who experienced firsthand the manmade traumas of Earth, and swore to uphold to build a new one. Just as some factions are coded masculine, there is a (traditionally) feminine nature to the Phoenix, as the promoted traits that would be compassion, cooperation, and community. The idea is not embodying traditional gender roles but the values associated with them.
• They were originally named the Phoenix Matriarchy, but I decided that was too narrow, and sounded too cheesy, like a minor Star Trek race because the setting demands each one to be named by a unique label or by government type. And they ended not being a pure matriarchy anyway.
  
• From David Brin’s fiction I took the concept of future societies employing cutting-edge psychological profiling to identify those with negative characteristic traits. In Sundiver it’s how interstellar government divides people into Citizens and Probationers.
  
• Neo-feminism in Earth is scanty and tends to be almost discussed only negatively. The book describes future girls as schooled in psychology and "sexual choice criteria." So for young men like the Bloomington teens, the women seem overly critical and judgmental to them. Some Gaian religion practitioners are also often described as neo-feminist. In the appendix, Brin says that he views that the future wave of feminism (after basic needs and safety, equality under law and in the workplace, etc.) would be "the decay of marriage and family as a dependable way of life", and admits that it's covered only briefly in the novel. In retrospect, none of this has aged well, which is why I got rid of most of it.
  
• In The Postman, he has a group of Amazonian (radical) neo-feminists who fight the Holnist toxic masculinists. Their portrayal, while too extreme (having a female character declare that women themselves failed for not culling bad men before the apocalypse), did give some notes about how a society of survivors might try to create a new order that actively roots out dangerous elements who could potentially cause a new catastrophe. Also, it's at least less first-world problems than how it's described in Earth.
  
• Generally speaking, Brin's views on feminism needing to address mate choice are problematic and dated and he's probably not the best author to be cribbing from. His speculations on feminism turning to polygamy to optimize mate choice are both questionable and somewhat too specific and limiting in focus for a sci-fi setting on the verge of transhumanism and the ability to do away with gender altogether.
  
• Not to mention, shifting marriage practices is too prosaic and specific a solution for a game about grand ideas. Interestingly enough, in Michael Ely’s Centauri Dawn it’s briefly mentioned that marriage went out of style on Earth, and that spouses were called “chosen”, probably as a sop to Lal’s one quote about his late wife.
  
• I've moved away from the Phoenix being a matriarchy (or gender-focused at all), but I had previously imagined them having a dedicated place for women in power similar to clan mothers in tribal societies. Much like the Iroquois, they would be a society that could have male warriors and male leaders, but there is a deliberative body of the most prominent women. There is nothing stopping men or any other gender from rising to the top, but women retain a guaranteed role in forging society. Of course, thanks to the Longevity Vaccine, that works out in practice about as well as the Peacekeepers allowing democratic elections to vote out Brother Lal.
  
• One idea that I might try to retrofit into their characterization is that the Phoenix are also big into biological and technological enhancements as a means to improve the opportunities of traditionally disadvantaged members of society. For instance, women's empowerment in the 20th century were aided by greater control over the reproductive cycle, mechanization of labor, and easily-accessible weapons that served as force equalizers. But again, I'm not sure if I should have that gender angle, is that too old-fashioned?
• The Phoenix are also inspired by Parable of the Sower/Talents, a series, like SMAC, that features that makes place on a Earth falling apart for a multitude of reasons, and creates the emergent religion Earthseed, which revolves around humanity's imperative to pursue space colonization! And I recently discovered Octavia Butler even had a quote about phoenixes!
  

Design notes on Hoang:

• Hoang means female phoenix in East Asian mythology. The phoenix represents feminine energy, and is the symbol of empresses in contrast to the masculine dragon of emperors.
  
• Her visual appearance would resemble that of Paige Tico, right down to flight suit, but with more battle scars both physical and emotional.
  
• Hoang's desire to manage society (and cultivation of prosocial values, natch) through psychological development is a nod to Bioshock 2's Sofia Lamb.
• I actually think that the faction leader being Vietnamese was almost entirely based on the notion in the '00s that the U.S. might return to Vietnam by leasing a naval base, as both countries are currently aligned against China. (I had the Phoenix Matriarchy name in like 2013.) This concept ended up working out incredibly well because Vietnam has a surprisingly long history with female war heroes, from Lady Triệu and the Trung Sisters in ancient times to women soldiers in the Vietnam War, including Le Thi Thu Nguyet. Not to mention many Indochinese indigenous rural peoples like the Rhade are matriarchal or at least matrilineal/matrilocal/matrifocal.
  
• The Black Flag Army was a roving band of Chinese renegades active in Indochina after the 19th century Taiping Rebellion.
  
• The Fallen are mentioned in Centauri Dawn as rogue guerrilla fighters who launched coordinated attacks across Chinese cities in the first "Flash War". I like to think the name is a corruption of Falun Gong, and are successors to them as religious militants against the Chinese government, here allied to the followers of the deposed Golden Emperor.
  
• Vietnam War II is a reference to Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.
• While they're not explicitly a flyboy faction, the Phoenix does sort of try to be an aerial-oriented one.
  
• Hoang being a captain who ends up fighting the U.S. Air Force is a subversion of Carol Danvers.

[MysticWind]

Found some old files on a hard drive, including my first attempt at the Parish's leader's profile as well as the Phoenix's.

Draft Parish

Pierre Olukayode
Legatus a Latere
/Papal plenipotentiary
Cote d'Ivoire
09-17-2002

Service Record:

Cote d'Ivoire, to cocoa farmer parents. At age 9, family moved to Abidjan, where he became an apprentice aquaculturist after his father was killed in the civil war. Family often received aid from local and international Catholic relief services. Educated by Jesuits alongside siblings at church-run school. Chose seminary instead of U.N. Global Governance Corps despite high scores on World Service Exams.

    Following ordination, was posted to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, where he served as a liaison with foreign evangelical efforts. Due to quick grasp of languages, joined the Missionaries of St. Anthony of Padua and departed for the Euro Union in 2029 to preach in Wallonia and France while studying for a doctorate in sacred theology at the Centre Sèvres. Later spearheaded efforts in Bohemia. Excelled in defense of doctrine, bestowed with training in apologetics from local church authorities. Spirited debates with members of the Neo Luminon freethinkers garnered moderate popularity on the Net, at one point reaching 2.401 on the Goldberg Memetic Prevalence Scale in major chans for almost forty-eight hours.

    Reassigned to Dublin for the purpose of establishing dialogue with neopagan-influenced adherents within the church. Despite fervent defense of orthodoxy, established common ground and made compromise with members of the Jesuits and several other Gaian-influenced societies, successfully preventing potential minor schism. Used adiaphora arguments to assert that several of their beliefs were compatible with traditional Catholic hermeneutics regarding environmental stewardship. As part of goodwill effort, was made an honorary member of the Friends of St. Francis Assembly in 2036.

    Following service, served a quiet career as     in     until 20  , when called to Rome

Designer Notes:
* I like how I used the Legatus a latere title in both profiles- I must've looked up the Wikipedia article back in 2012 too lololol
* Pierre Olukayode is much older than Pierre Kasala. Glad i went with the young pope approach. I think I was trying to tie him to the 2011 Ivory Coast crisis, which must've happened around the time I wrote the original draft.
* I was going for future historical irony by having African missionaries preaching to the Euro heathens.
* "Neo Luminon" was likely a futuristic version of the Brights movement (ugh)
* A bit creepy how I was able to accidentally rewrite aspects of my original profile, like Pierre being able to preach to neopagans. I had mostly forgotten about this draft, except Pierre being part of some prominent online-broadcast debates. lol "major chans" (double ugh)

Draft Phoenix

Lady Sensory

Service Record:

Born 2028, Mê Linh, Vietnam. Rural

Performed well during the Annam Incursion, locating key strikepoints of exiled Golden Remnant invaders. Role in the chance discovery of inbound cloaked dynasty stealth squadrons prior to the Battle of Cam Ranh Bay saved the lives of 300 USAF servicemen, earning her decorations from the American government, the newly-established Crimson Succession regime to the north, and her own country. Following the conflict, resumed teaching career in home village.

Returned to military intelligence during the U.N.-I.F.O.C. War. Joined the Widowmaker Resistance group after VPA and USMC positions were overrun. Worked in SIGINT role for partisan operations against F.C. invaders. Funneled intel to allied command despite nation-wide infoblank imposed by the occupation. Forced to take up active combat role after the initial leadership of the resistance was killed or taken prisoner in the Gio Campaign. Performed admirably in the field, taking part in key counteroffensives. Rumored to have participated in the assassination of Marshal Joachim Ortega. Played an instrumental part in Operation Ghost Bear, smuggling weapons and American military advisors into the country. Actions directly led to the Victory Day Uprisings; occupiers withdrew shortly after.

Appointed Trucial Conciliator, coordinating post-war stabilization efforts with the U.N. Security Force. Received the Mohammed Odeh al Rehaief Award from the U.S. State Department for her service during the war. Despite protests from the Federated Countries, was accepted for Sovereignty mission thanks to heavy lobbying from both the American and the Chinese governments in an unusual show of bipartite agreement. Posted to the FCS Sovereignty as Chief Communications Officer.

Designer Notes:
* again, creepy that I unintentionally re-used some of my original ideas, such as the name "Golden Remnant", though I always did figure that she would be a Vietnamese resistance fighter. And guess I really wanted to play off the retroactively historically ironic Vietnam-U.S. hypothetical alliance.
* Marshal Joachim Ortega was a reference to the Spartans' original pre-release leader.
* Guess I ended up writing more about the war with the Federated Countries, which I'm kind of leery about doing so now.
* The Mohammed Odeh al Rehaief Award would be a good name for an award that the  U.S. gives to foreign collaborators. Should reuse it.
* On one hand, much, much pithier than my final profile. Future installments should strive for this draft's level of conciseness. That said, this really doesn't say much about her character other than her service in war.

Also found another file from 2012 with portrait ideas for two faction leaders. The only working links:

Phuong (draft Phoenix Matriarchy leader, Queen Trieu Thi Phuong):
Dragon Lady by Jonathan Danker, on Flickr

Seneca ar-Rai
https://www.deviantart.com/esatriadi/art/javanese-marriage-97307821

I also found my PDF copy of the Power of the Mind Worms comic. Nice!

[MysticWind]

Here's a leader from my proposed second set. Unlike the first seven of the Second Ship, they're more like a grab bag of various schismatic factions who broke off from preexisting ones, Cult/Consciousness/Drones/Angels/Pirates style. Maybe I should come up with something snappy like Alien Crossfire.

Gennaro da Gama
Steward
Chief Archivist
Brazil
07-09-2009

Service Record:

Born 2009, Recife, Brazil. Moved to Rio de Janeiro at age seven. Father was social worker at the hillside favelas and later World Trade Organization representative, mother worked in network security at the Brazilian Institute of Scientific and Technical Information.  Studied library sciences and psychological analysis of history at Federal University of Pernambuco. Employed as information manager by the government; first claim to fame in 2034 for implementing new datalinks technology to successfully record and back-up all of the National Library's four million volumes. Involved with the Legacy Project in 2038 to store and save all of the sum total of Latin American and Lusosphere cultural, historical, and technological knowledge, pioneered use of the yottabyte datacube.

Served as database administrator of the flagship Tiradentes during the country's "Novo Brasil" period. Became prominent member of Brazilian Space Corps aboard Museu da Vida, the "Museum of Life", national spacecraft containing vast databanks of all of humanity's information. In 2040, at the zenith of the country's participation in the Space Age, abruptly left the Corps to teach reading and writing to children of Amazonian Indians. Abducted in the 2042 Amazonian War by the eco-terrorist/indigenous tribalist group Smoke Jaguars for five weeks, rescued after the end of what has been described as "the worst jungle war of the 21st century."

Remained a private citizen except for brief stint as Unity datacore consultant, until beginning of Alpha2 Enterprise. Worked on the Sovereignty cubematrix, later appointed Chief Archivist of the shipwide library.

Psych Profile: Unifier Preservationist

Possesses comprehensive knowledge on the cataloguing of knowledge of electronic libraries, as well as a deeply in-grained desire to create united efforts in approaching problems. Conscientious, believes in dire necessity to protect knowledge. However, intellectualism and erudite speech may project false airs of mental superiority. Belief in the immediate need to establish peace and reconciliation caused by weariness of political turmoil witnessed since young. Considered by some to be too pessimistic, too alarmist, nicknamed the "Malthus Librarian of Sociopolitics."

The Smoke Jaguar Affair had immense traumatic effect on subject. Personal beliefs regarding peaceful resolution held prior to kidnapping amplified by first-hand experience of Hobbesian chaos and disorder. Uprooting and destruction of millennia-old cultures caused subject to believe in the urgent need to protect humanity's works and thoughts.

Slightly pacifistic tendencies seem to stem from guilt from the Palmares scandal. Presumed to be the whistleblower who leaked the BSC's plans to militarize space. Subsequent denouncements exacted heavy social toll, further ostracizing subject into obscurity.

Library of Planet
"The first craft of humanity to arrive on Chiron, the UNS Unity, could not fight against the forces of distrust and discord, shattering into seven factions even before Planetfall. As history shows, the rise and fall of peace and war cause further balkanizations, and the subsequent divisions thus made five more. Then came the warring Progenitors, the sorrowful Sovereignty, and today revolutions and countless discoveries of intelligent aliens continue. How many more factions will tomorrow bring? How much longer will we remain divided?"

- Oracle Gennaro da Gama, A House Crumbled: Geopolitics of Planet



Leader: Oracle Gennaro da Gama
Background: Chief archivist of Sovereignty, Brazil
Agenda: Preservation of human knowledge, peaceful unification of Chiron
Technology: Planetary Networks, Social Psych
+2 Probe (Formidable library network defenses)
-1 Morale (Scholars uninterested in warfare)
-1 Industry (Integration of Planet sought before industrialization)
Techcost 85% (Considerable knowledge kept)
Extra talent for every three citizens (Learning centers)
Gets an extra comm frequency at beginning (Diplomatically-minded)

Designer notes:

I created this faction as partly of a joke back when NetworkNode.org was still around. I imagined to myself, "what if all of these factions, from random aliens to robots and so on were all in one setting?" So I created a faction that was afraid of the rapid growth in factions. Someone to caution against the balkanization of humanity. Additionally, since there's already a University of Planet, and given how important Librarians apparently are in the game, I figured they deserved a faction as well.

* Gennaro is the "complete nonentity" who takes over the duchy in the play-within-a-novel "The Courier's Tragedy" from The Crying of Lot 49. I've always been amused by how many Shakespearean plays have some random guy coming in at the end to resolve everything and/or take over as the new ruler, from Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet, so I felt it was an apt name warning against the violent drama that everyone else was obsessed with.

* Originally his surname was Almeida, until there was a namespace collision with another fan project. So I chose a different Portuguese explorer.

[MysticWind]

Seneca ar-Ra'i
Civilian Contractor
Municipal Architect (Peacekeeping Forces)
United Arab Emirates
04-21-2018

Service Record:

Sugiarto Pangon, born 2018, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Son of Javanese expatriates, both parents service employees at the Diamond Shark Hotel on the 131st floor of the Burj Khalifa. Worked at the Falconcity of Wonders attraction at Dubailand in teenage years. Led impromptu relief efforts among park employees following the Fourth Gulf Credit Crunch, decreasing casualties and property loss during mass civil disorder. Among those rescued from the riots was wealthy Hedjazi architect Khadijah bint Ali, who was much impressed by the young Sugiarto. Accepted her offer of sponsorship for higher schooling against the objections of parents.

Attended the Social Engineering division of KAUST while receiving training in the arts and architecture by bint Ali, pursuing own interest in the Greco-Roman classics. Repeatedly approached by campus groups inspired by stories of the Dubailand riots, requesting his aid in various causes. Upon the completion of schooling, bint Ali likewise attempted to convince him to join her crusade. While the details of what was asked are unknown to the public, Khadijah bint Ali was later arrested and executed during the failed Saudi component of the July 8 Liberationist Uprising. Continued to rebuff pleas from former classmates, many of whom were similarly killed in the 2037 protests against the treatment of guest workers in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Dhahran, other Gulf States.

Moved to Riyadh and founded architectural firm Almeisan Inc. Firm designed not only buildings, but residential communities, industrial towns, and eventually charter cities for clients including Honeywell-Messerschmidt, Morgan Industries, and GoApthorp. Upon achieving regional success, returned to Dubai, purchasing land and exclusively hiring foreign workers, including own parents, to construct a planned community. Almeisan City was a failure, never reconciled with his parents. Despite inability to build hypothetical 'test society', efforts were recognized by Unity Project. Almeisan Inc. was hired as a private contractor. Subsequently chosen as crew member without rank.

Following Planetfall, changed name and joined Peacekeeping Forces as continuation of original Unity mission. Appointed chief municipal architect of U.N. Haven City. Became notorious for repeated conflicts with superiors and governing bureaucracy. Reprimanded several times for prioritizing sociological concerns over material constraints, favoring own idiosyncratic social model over established standards. Disappeared after drone revolt at Haven along with base urban planning department staff and several talents from base's burgeoning arts community.

Psych Profile from Contractor Database: Neoclassical Visionary

Highly perceptive about human nature, with avant-garde artistic skills on the bleeding edge. Believes that an equitable, flourishing society can be designed that the masses can accept and embrace. Seeks to construct social situations that can be turned to his favor by appealing to base desires ("with a well-constructed culture, we can make virtue out of vice"). Admires historical figures, combining and refining past ideologies to create his own ("once again, it takes a Saracen armed with Greek learning to lift humanity out of the dark ages"). Despite affinity for Roman namesake, subject is known to have promoted a less-than-stoic lifestyle, stating "hedonism is simply the reward of a fulfilled society" and that "even the just must have some fun beyond justice." Devoted to his vision, with an exceptional work ethic derived from working class upbringing ("just a former pauper of a tour guide turned philosopher-king"). Self-assured in quest to create a better society in a perfect city, and role within it- "Chiron is a flock awaiting a shepherd."

New Athenians
“Come, you bourgeois, you neo-aristocrats, you patrons of ‘High Art!’ As we build a new Planet for human beings, why can’t it be a glittering, equitable, fashionable one? Why can’t it be one for both the wealthy and the good?”
- Patrician Seneca ar-Ra'i, The First Metropolis

“Psion Centropolis? Morgan Vegas? Pretenders to our throne!”


Symbol/Insignia: A Greek-type Parthenon on top of a thick pedestal. Slightly visible inside the building is a figure holding up its arms, celebrating a light that comes from within. Underneath the pedestal is “NEO”, in highly-stylized lettering. The letters look like Aurabesh from Star Wars, since they are a bit jagged and do not connect.

Leader: Patrician Seneca ar-Ra'i
Background: Chief municipal architect of Peacekeepers, United Arab Emirates.
Agenda: Creation of perfect cities of art, social justice, and prosperity.
Technology: Ethical Calculus
+1 Growth (fecund, prosperous citizens)
+1 Industry (the rich fund city projects)
-2 Research (Foppery and dandying more important)
-2 Support (Ditto)
-1 Efficiency (cities tend to favor quality over quantity)
Extra talent for every two citizens. (Cultural centers)
Commerce
Free Rec Commons at each base.

Design Notes

2011 notes:

So there you have it, Seneca ar-Ra'i: part Morgan, part Lord Alexander Chung-Sik Finkle-McGraw from The Diamond Age, and part Ozymandias from the Watchmen (if he had idolized different classical figures from antiquity).  Khadijah is meant to be sort of like revolutionary Dagny Taggart [from Atlas Shrugged, I still haven't read it - 2022].  The funniest thing is that originally the New Athenians was supposed to be led by a Greek hedonist.  Then I changed them to quasi-Victorian types who were obsessed with art, pomp, and circumstance yet had a reformist streak to them- this was years before I've read The Diamond Age, actually!  Then recently, when I revisited this project, I came full-circle and had Seneca take inspiration from one of the dumbest utopias conceived by man.  As such, there's a Platonic influence to it- and I just realized the other day that the quotation attached to Ethical Calculus is from The Republic!  Subconscious inspirations, I guess.  Though his conception of a perfect city is really closer to Pericles than Plato, not to mention his personality.  Not bad for a faction which I had originally conceived as no more than people who really liked urban design, led by a guy who would be smugger and more smart-mouthed than Nwabudike.

2021 notes:

• ar-Ra'i is Arabic for "the shepherd", and is the name of the binary star system Gamma Cephei, officially known as Errai.
  
• Yeah, I think my original idea was "what's a major aspect of human existence that can be fixated upon much like the original factions did? Well I guess everyone in SMAC lives in a city. What if you really want to live in a really good city?"
• I'm not sure if the stats actually lend themselves to a faction who prioritizes quality over quantity cities.
• Written around a year after the beginning of the Arab Spring. Ah, retrospect.
• The Credit Crunch was a reference to the Great Recession shattering societies.
• Dhahran being an independent Shia oil state is a very tiny reference to the massive Tripartite Alliance Earth alternate history.
  
• I like how I posted this the week that the UAE got to Mars IRL
• Seneca is distinct from Morgan, but I wonder if emphasizing the wealth of his cities is too Morganite-like. Then again, there's no reason why there couldn't be multiple Wealth factions.
• I think any new profiles I write will be less verbose than Seneca's or Avril's - or is this an okay length? I am going to try to capture the more dispassionate style of the originals, though.

2022 notes:

While browsing through some very old custom factions I chanced to find the Arcology Movement, also a city-focused, maybe quality over quantity, faction that was hosted on the defunct NetworkNode.org website. Its leader is also Indonesian, which is a pretty crazy coincidence! It is now my headcanon that she is Seneca's wife or one of his lovers.