This information about the Haliant sector is provided courtesy of the Cogfall News Network.
The Accord
A trade league founded by a partnership of the planets Pelos and Anteros in the year 3489, The Accord has come to dominate much of the interstellar trading community throughout the Haliant sector. Founded upon the principles of free trade and common defence against all enemies, The Accord in many ways resembles the Hanseatic trade league of old Earth. One of the premier powers in the region, The Accord maintains a powerful joint navy dedicated to protecting trade and expanding their influence. Many critics have accused The Accord of using soft power to dominate lesser polities but few can deny the enormous wealth that so often flows from the heart of the sector. Since their founding, membership has swollen as numerous worlds have seen the benefits of joining; and the economic power The Accord wields against those that oppose them.
The Accord’s lack of regulation around private enterprise and reluctance to support income taxes has also led to a number of megacorperations dominating much of the economic and political sphere. Together, these five entities make up almost 62% of Accord revenue through tariffs and hull taxes which in turn leads their critics to suggest that The Accord is little more than the armed division of their corporate overlords.
The Synaptic Federation of Ataia
Ataia is a true hive mind that welcomes everyone, human and alien alike, to join in their technological utopia. They claim to be curing humanity of all of its failings by providing a loving, welcoming great society to allow all sophonts from across the sector to reach their peak potential. Ataia is also confident in the inherent laudability of their goals and are certain that all will welcome them with open arms once they truly understand the hive mind. Despite their peaceful statement of intent they have not been welcomed amongst the wider galactic community who perhaps fear the idea of a hive mind and question the seeming lack of social disorder and what that may truly mean. For now Ataia has avoided any indication of expansionism but this has not prevented them from engaging in power politics with her neighbours.
The Seraph of the Mavri
The Mavri are a theocratic organisation whose central tenants are the reincarnation of humans and the atonement for the past failures of humankind through goods deeds and suffering. By viewing and reflecting upon the horrors of the scream a person can slowly achieve enlightenment while helping to improve the galaxy for the masses alive today. These tenets leads members of the Mavri to travel far and wide on pilgrimages to deliver the holy truth, perform good works, and gaze upon the horrors that mankind has inflicted upon the galaxy. The Mavri are an evangelical organisation, and are often accused of pushing their faith by force, seeking to unite the galaxy under their enlightened guidance. But few can deny that it is the Mavri that have done the most to help the needy, cure the sick, and reduce poverty far in excess of what might be politically expedient. While a Mavri delegation may be frowned upon on many of the civilised worlds, out on the frontier they are seen as beacons of hope that ask nothing in return.
Numerous worlds have nominally declared allegiance to the Mavri because of these gifts, which has given them a rather unique cultural make-up where a starship captain may find themselves rubbing shoulders with a bematist and a chimney sweep at the same bar. All of these pilgrims travel from across the sector to the holy world of Breach to gaze upon the hubris of humanity.
The Nidarian Harmony
The Nidarian Harmony was formed by accident as worlds sought the protection of the Nidari, a species who escaped much of the horrors of the silence through their isolation. Now struggling to come to terms with their new found regional power status the Harmony has been making many promises but have yet to see all of them through. And the practicalities of great power politics have pushed them to expand their their armed forces which has put great strain on their more idealistic members.
The Dominion
The Dominion was forged by the people of Tiberius in the darkest days of the Silence, when the technology of their world proved to be their only salvation. Now they focus their efforts on spreading that salvation and the light of technology to all the dark places of the galaxy; whether they are welcomed or not. While their imperialist bent has made them many bitter enemies, it can’t be denied that worlds are safer and more secure thanks to the gifts the Dominion provides.
The Big Five:
The Demarr Corporation
A powerful industry and technology focused company who is said to devote considerable resources to R&D in the quest to rediscover Mandate technology the old fashioned way. Demarr are often associated with Accord corporate imperialism. The presence of a Demarr office on a world is all too often the first sign of impending invitation to Accord membership.
Tybold Holdings
A primarily banking syndicate that is said to have a financial stake in every other company ever established. Tybold Holdings are incredibly diversified but there is often little indication of the depths of their ruthless grip on the wider sector.
The Zaibatsu Conglomerate
Zaibatsu takes a rather different approach to their competitors due to its organisational structure which allows any other business to join for a simple 5% cut of their revenue in return for all the advantages Zaibatsu can provide. It is not lost on many that this is exactly how a racketeering organisation also works.
Integral Technologies
Integral Technologies are devoted towards psionic technologies and recreating the Mandate’s greatest achievements. They have thus far been enormously successful selling psionic services but many of the great heights once achieved in psionic equipment still eludes them.
Polis Applied Industries
A heavy industry titan that produces more hulls than any other organisation in the sector, and much else besides. Polis is interested in “big” industry; mining, manufacturing, smelting, transport etc. This has given them enormous reach but they do not have the name recognition of the other four.