The Vaelen Crown States are the shattered remnants of the Vaelen Principality, a sprawling, multi-species hegemony that dominated a vast region of the galaxy before the Riftstorm Cascade. They are not a unified empire but a collection of disparate, self-sovereign entities—isolated star systems, heavily fortified colonial worlds, or great fleets of nomadic void-arks—all bound by the common philosophical and legal claim to the ancestral Vaelen "Crown."
The Crown itself is less a physical object and more the concept of sacred, unbroken sovereignty inherited from the pre-Riftstorm era. Each state claims to be the rightful, if temporary, inheritor of Vaelen's authority, preserving its history, law, and culture against the entropy of the Starfall Galaxy.
Noble Enclaves
The internal culture, appearance, and mechanics of a Vaelen Crown State depend almost entirely on the nature of the Principality's dominant Aspect that took control after the collapse.
Coven Archives
Crown states of this tradition are most often found on Isolated, deep-system worlds or megastructures where their focus is on preserving the Principality’s forgotten science and data. These states are highly ordered, run by scholarly councils or prefects with an unwavering dedication to logic and data integrity. Their society is often a rigid, class-based hierarchy defined by technological specialization. These states posses rare, high-level Vaelen-era tech (weapon blueprints, unique medical supplies) but they frequently struggle with power generation and the rift’s chaotic post-cataclysm environment.
Void Pilgrimages
Crown states of this tradition are most often found in Massive, ancient fleets of converted war and colony ships that endlessly traverse the Outer Sphere and the Frontier, seeking a mythical, uncorrupted homeworld promised in ancient prophecies. They are highly adaptable, prioritizing communal survival and mystical forms of Rift-navigation over stationary defense. Their state is a democratic or spiritual meritocracy where the best navigators and healers hold the most sway. These states posses an inherent, almost supernatural resistance to Rift-Taint due to generations of living near the Maelstrom. Their technology is scavenged and patched, but their Rift-Drives are legendary for their resilience.
Spear Concord
Crown states of this tradition are most often found on Planets or asteroid fortresses held by the Principality's former military client species. Their entire culture is dedicated to war and duty, viewing themselves as the last true soldiers of the Principality's glory. Their society is a strict military dictatorship, xenophobic, and resource-scare, constantly training for the day they can "reclaim" the galaxy. These states posses Highly trained, disciplined ground forces, and unique heavy armors and siege weaponry designed for planetary defense that few other organizations can match.
Inter-State Relations
Crown States maintain a delicate, tense equilibrium:
Rivalry and Proxy Wars: They view each other as rivals for the ultimate legitimacy of the Crown. Open warfare is rare, as mutual destruction would be a final failure to the Principality's legacy. Instead, they engage in intense corporate espionage, resource denial, political sabotage, and covert proxy wars using mercenaries and adventure guilds (like PCs).
The Summit of Crowns: A rare, high-stakes diplomatic convention, usually held in a neutral, ancient Vaelen-era station near the Inner Sphere. Attended by the highest representatives, these summits are meant to enforce ancient non-aggression treaties and coordinate defenses against existential threats, but they often devolve into thinly veiled displays of power and aristocratic maneuvering.
Treaties of Restoration: Crown States occasionally sign non-binding "Treaties of Restoration," vague agreements to support one another in case one of them manages to rebuild the Principality to a "critical mass" of power. No state truly believes another will succeed, but the treaties offer a convenient excuse for alliances.
Interactions with the Starfall Galaxy
The Vaelen Crown States see themselves as culturally and legally superior to all other organizations in the Starfall Galaxy:
Inner Sphere Powers (New Republics and Corporate Alliances): Viewed with aristocratic disdain as "upstarts" and "opportunists" who built their nations on the ruins of Vaelen. However, the Crown States are often forced to trade rare, high-end Vaelen technology (like specialized Rift-Drives or medical synthetics) for vital commodities and credits, creating a tense, symbiotic relationship.
The Free Worlds Union: A major political adversary. The Crown States view the Union's focus on self-determination, decentralization, and anti-authoritarianism as a direct threat to the very concept of the Crown. They actively support anti-Union groups and use espionage to destabilize their political structure.
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