The Big Four MiA Suit Stellar Culture Hierarchies FtL Drive Wands Con-Federacy Star Tribes "Shariain" nFold Pentacles Technic League Star Guilds "Sûqim Phase Cups El-Qalifa Star Cults "Sufim" *Jump Swords The Realm Star Houses "Sharif" SubSpace (See also GeoPolitics.) The ConFederacy King: (HubWorld) "Odora" some 4 billion humans squeezed onto the poles of a supra-tropical planet; co-habited by the 'nothanx' a race of hive minded bugs with a technology sufficiently advanced to require constant suppression! Queen: (HomeWorld) "Arge" 3 billion inhabitants firmly under the thumb of a ruling thanotocracy. You don't get the vote until you die! Cavalier: (Military Base) "Quillun" 2 billion fortunately not all of them 'under arms'. Page: (CommerceWorld) "Tell -z" Roughly one billion sophonts so busy trading with each other that the ConFeds have to hire non-national merchant ships on a regular basis. plus another 10 worlds (with populations ranging from ten: Pilcz ~90 million; 9: Nihul ~80million; 8: Iliph (70mill); 7: Haloti (60); 6: Mantell (50); 5: Padagan (40); 4: Deibas (30); trey: Zimm (20); duce: Bropha 10; ace: Lyod 1 million) in total 14 post-human cultures. Each with equal ranking in the Council. Except that some Councillors are more equal than others. Technic League King: (HubWorld) 'Hera' Queen: (HomeWorld) 'Halcyon' Cavalier: (Military Base) 'New Hannapolis' Page: (CommerceWorld) 'Hallelujah' Plus ten other major colony worlds tamed by rugged individualists and their extended families: Halcyon, Hope and Hespera are the three other main worlds and Haven; Hevia; Hestia; Hamadryad; Hyssop; Hidalgo; Havoc... (Actually the list is endless!) El- Qalifa "The Kaliphate" The four worlds of the *Hajj: King: Gedîd Makkah {Mecca and the Earth are both lost amongst the Stars!}; Queen: Gedîd Medina; Cavalier: Gedîd Najaf; Page: Gedîd Sammara With 10: El- Quirah (Cairo) as the corrupt commercial centre. Meanwhile the Kaliphs of Amman, Damascus, Tehran, Baghdad, Basra, Ninevah, Babylon, Umma, Kish, Dergobar. Vie with each other for approval of the Padishah Emperor. The Realm Excalibur is the seat of the Utorian Regency. The rival crown prince(s): Gawain, Peter and Beowulf have dutchies on Galatine, Rhindon and Hrunting respectively. Meanwhile the Dukes and Earls of: Avalon, Lyonesse, Albion, Herne, Camelot, Huy Braseal, Ivanhoe, Caledonia, Hibernia, Hode conspire whilst finding that the Peasants are Revolting! Whilst these four *Cultures and many other lesser groupings could be contiguous; a rational could be developed for various T-Type Cultures being established as isolated islands in an otherwise unexplored sea of stars. Travelling between these centres involving natural perils and nasty pirates.

• Principle Hominid *Cultures a.k.a "The Big Four" (Ro.)
  (For inspiration rather than imposition.)
• Status divisions (Peasants, Merchants, Priests and Nobles in a Hi-Tech setting.)
• The four principle FtL Drive Technologies although some 21 different techniques of Interstellar Travel have been developed (ibid.)
  
• The four principle *Craft manufacturers
  
• Cultural Relationship between the nominally Terran 'Master' Culture and the local sophont species. (u.i.)
  
• Alien Divisions the four principle 'biochemistries' (u.i.)
• Planetary Divisions the four principle planetary types
• Geopolitical spheres or rather one sphere and three shells of any given *Culture
  

The ConFederacy "The Protectorate" Dynamic hegemonists dedicated to maintaining the status quo by interfering in everybody else's business. ConFeds like to think of themselves as an Interstellar Police Force but more often as not "The Protectorate" is just a thinly disguised protection racket.
Theme: Contemporary Geopolitics.on an Interstellar Stage.

Technic League "Heinleiners" Hard headed, hard nosed, hard science. Heinleiners tend to hitch their umbilicals to any passing star wagon. They would build log cabins on an asteroid if they could find the wood! Heinliner worlds use their brains to outwit duller opponents and always have access to the cutting edge of whatever technology is going. Rugged individualists the Technic League is a cooperative that comes together whenever the safety of  an individual member is being threatened.
Theme: The Wild West(ern Spiral Arm)

El- Qalifa "The Kaliphate" An enlightened and tolerant interstellar Islamic culture still praying to Mecca even though the homeworld of  The Prophet (Peace be unto him.)is filled with abominations ...if not lost forever amongst the stars! Infidel (principally Heinleiner) Technology is strictly monitored for the antithetical. Genetic Manipulation, cloning and Transhumanist works contrary to God's plan are generally banned.
Theme: Sinbad the Star Sailor and other mythic adventures.

 The Realm "Sword Worlds" An aristocratic (decadent) * Culture living on past glories. Or a glorious experiment in neo-feudalism and a return to an honour based society. Try not to get involved in the court intrigues... and watch out for the Space Vikings!
Theme: Piracy and Swashbuckling on the Stellar Seas...

Sirius Ships [ConFed] are primarily a civilian outfit and outfitters; providing the most agile *Craft in Known Space. The Elver range (+14/+4) of StL pleasure craft can be found flitting with superior agility between the planets in systems across the Arm. The Eel class (+13/+3) of Armed Merchants are the most sought after in the second hand market; whilst their ubiquitous Shark class (+12/+2) Luxury Ftl Yachts have a multitude of head turning configurations. Finally the massive Manta Class luxury liners (+11/+1) are naturally the most graceful *Craft in the Galactic Milieu.
Alas for all that, the ConFed utilise the Sub-Space Drive which may be the safest but sure is the slowest...
However their reseaarch into taming the n-fold Drive is by far the furthest advanced!

Athena Yards [Technic League] Have the largest range of  contracts for exploration, research and survey vessels specialising in high levels of sensor-cybernetic integration. Needless to say the shipboard A.I.s are the most stable in KS. Essential if the entire crew is suffering from Phase sickness! Most are custom configured for a particular task or mission but four generic types are often found in salvage yards and odd back water planets beyond the explored limits:!

• Galileo class (+1 +11) StL system survey shuttles are used for that 'close up' study of planetary bodies and are capable of landing and surviving in the harshest of atmospheres and gravities, up to and including the super-jovian 'unstars' and super-earths.
• Hubble class  (+2 +12) stellar cartography cruiser dispatched to the fringes of KS to further expand the final frontier.
• Sagan class  (+3 +13) 'first contact' monitor. Massive vessels with the support personnel to unravel the complexities not only of a complex biosphere but a planetary culture as well!
• Hawking class (+4 +14) congruency cutter, subspace subtug etc.; cutting edge scouts that seek out and chart the vagaries of subspace, peer into wormholes, map out hyperspacial congruencies and generally investigate the inexplicable.

Cetus Corp manufacture, through closely guarded processes, the strongest hulls in KS. These spherical hulls ranging from the 10 metre diameter General 'Porpoise' Hull (+1 +11) through the 100m 'Pilot' (+2 +12) and 1000m Orca (+3 +13) classes to the massive 10 klick Blue Whale class colony ship. Interior fittings and purpose is left to the buyer. Prime contractor to the Fedayeen Navy for their nazca "Meteor" Class Kutters,  kôkab "Planet" Class Kruisers, nidgima "Star" Class Karriers and infagar "SuperNova" Class Krushers.
Whilst Kaliphate *Craft efficiently utilise the pre-eminent Phase Drive elsewhere in the Known Universe, inside Kaliphate Space the Umma have the most advanced *Jump Network of all the four Humanoid *Cultures

Sword Industries [Sub-Space Drive] the primary Imperial manufacturer of  Military spacecraft for The Realm with 'state of the art' Combat systems; ranging from the Dagger Class Interceptors: Stiletto; Poignard; Misericorde, MainGauche,
...to the varients on the Broadsword Class (+14/+4) Destroyers: Claymore, Katana,...

TechnoPagans - a collective of off-planet nature (cosmos) worshippers whose remit now extends to astral intelligences [AIs] and the 'Songs of the Stars'... Appeals and incorporates the philosophies of other dynamic alien cultures. The more obscure the better!

The Path of Universal Truth - an umbrella organisation whose tenet is 'self knowledge' using techniques taken from Hindu scriptures, Buddist philosophy,.. and even Gnostic writings. Naturally incorporating the various xeno-philosophies encountered to date. Appeals to all rational minded sophonts. Many of whom have similar teachings...

The Host - a (con) fusion of the various Christian teachings from the Coptic to the Christian Scientists!

The Umma - a post reformation union of Islamic (Sunni and Shia) teachings wedded via Sufistic philosophy.

Fringers a polycultural amalgam of hardy pioneers, explorers and general malcontents; who just want to keep pushing the envelope. Both culturally and physically. If not promoting some new revolutionary agenda on the HubWorld; they are becoming dissatisfied with the 'good life' provided by some god(s) foresaken outpost. And preparing to up roots and move out there... somewhere!
Usually saying: "A rock under thrust gathers no sunflowers!"

The Sophististate prizing knowledge and its dissemination, above all else, this collective recruits its collegiate from the advanced centers of learning in the Hub to 'primitive' cultures on the Rim. Although not everyone can be pure intellectuals the Collective insists on self improvement and training at all levels of intellect.
Usually saying: "Even the dimmest lume provides a degree of illumiation!"

The Corps with the trappings of a military esprit, this extended multi-species clan provides expert mercenary services to planetary governments and private individuals alike. Various 'gens' within The Corps specialise in propaganda, logistics, combat engineering as well as guerilla tactics command, control and communications.
Usually saying: "Sir Yes Sir"

The Volk A strange amalgam of outcasts, pariahs, xxx, and unpersons lost between the stratified layers of the Cosmopoli. Tracing their roots back to gypsies, vagrants, hobos and itinerant wanderers of the dim past. They have developed HiTech solutions to smuggling themselves and others across the interstellar void merely to see what lies on the other side. In settled communities they make a surprisingly good living from the cast-offs and surpluses of the modern consumer society.
(These are not to be confused with the more feral gangs inhabiting the average Undercity. The Volk are largely decent people who will merely charge a fee to return you to where you should have been in the first place.)
Usually saying: "Hey Rube!"

MiA Suit	'Aberrations and Abominations' Trans-Human Abilities
Wands	Chimerae: 21 adaptations to planetary extremes
Pentacles	Psi-tanists: 21 levels of skill (q.v. Grammarye)
Cups	C60hanglings: 21 'mutant' powers
Swords	Noomancers: 21 encephalo-enhancements

• Psionic Modes
• 'Rational' Magical systems permitted(?) by a D/M comfortable with the extremes of 'Science Fantasy'.

MiA Suit	Astropolitical Relations	Notes
Wands	Planet bound 'Protectorates': subject (slave!) races	These may be pre-intelligent spp. sequestered by an enlightened *Culture from cultural contamination. At the other extreme entire planetary populations may be Uplifted into slavery, leaving the planet for  rapacious exploitation...
Pentacles	Space going but non FtL capable 'Clients'	The capability for orbital travel generally goes 'hand in tentacle' with the ability to lob Nuclear Bombs on your global enemies. Such races must be exploited with more care and encouraged to disarm first! Races occupying entire solar systems are even more difficult to conquer...
Cups	FtL capable 'Neutrals' (when it suits them!)	With FtL comes respect and, in some cases, recognition!
Swords	FTL capable 'Rivals'	Once the race has gathered a power grouping of their own the real planet trading can begin. Rival *Cultures are more likely to sit down at the FtL communicator than fight an Interstellar War and warfare by economic means is always a viable option.

MiA Suit	Epithet	Notes
Wands	Plasmoid	Bound by coherent energy, these beings: graze on the surfaces of stars; dance in the chaos of stellar nurseries; infest the gravitational whirlpools of  stellar black holes and other such implausibilities...
Pentacles	Gas Bag	Evolving in the metal poor but hydrogen rich atmospheres of the very first planets, the Gas Giant Gas Bags are a Carbon based life form but not as we know it!
Cups	IceBaller	These cold chemistry races evolved on the moons of the early gas giants breathing a range of atmospheres and utilising a range of  solvents from liquid methane to liquid helium!
Swords	Lavaballer	These hot chemistry races evolved on the inner worlds with a similar range of  conditions. Some even eschewing Carbon based chemistries for those based on Silicon, Sulphur and other elements capable of forming long chain polymers.

	Wands	Hell Ball generally a cis-solar planet located in the Pyro-Shell or GoldShell. A Rockball with a gravitational well sufficient to retain a thick atmosphere. Also included in the category are the smaller Lavaballs with a dense volcanically outgassed atmospheres. Super-volcanos, earthquakes and other tectonic events are countered by the high pressure chemistry and corrosive weather. Earth falls within the category!
	Pentacles	Ice Ball generally a moon of a Gas Giant located in the Cryo-Shell but sometimes freely orbiting planet. Ice Balls generally have a Methane-Ethane hydrosphere and active Ammonia-Water driven plate tectonics. Although there are more exceptions than examples...
	Cups	Snow Giant an outer Gas SubGiant to HyperGiant with a deeply cold atmosphere.
	Swords	Steam Giant a Gas SubGiant - HyperGiant with enough heat to support life but not enough mass to become a Brown Dwarf.

	Wands	Periphery  a constantly expanding or contracting frontier depending on who is invading us this NewFortnight! Which makes for a lot of excitement, intrigue and combat.
	Pentacles	Fringe generally a shell of competing interests,  new discoveries, fresh settlements,... what the Fringe lacks in prosperity it makes up for in serendipity.  Especially off the beaten path.
	Cups	Core typically three times the diameter of the Hub the Core is the industrial and agricultural heartland of the *Culture. Life is orderly with occasional incursions by unwanted factors. In short boring but essential.
	Swords	Hub at the very centre of the KU or *Culture are the principle worlds of:  agriculture {& population!} (Wands); culture (Coins); commerce (Cups); and ...preminently politics (Swords). Usually separated by just a few tens of lytes.  The starlanes are packed the systems patrolled and the regulations stifling. But this is where the Power is.
	MaA	THE DEEPS where anything can happen and usually does....