Freedom is hard-won, but harder still to hold on to. The Free Union of Sovereign Worlds came together to defend themselves in the midst of a brutal war between our distant authoritarian rulers and a relentless aggressor, and have been fighting to keep that freedom ever since. In throwing off the yoke of the Ascendancy and earning the respect of the Dominion in battle, the Sovereign Worlds became the most recent of the four Factions to come into being.

The Sovereign Worlds lie distant to Sol and Terra, and encompass some of the most recently founded human colonies, as well as a host of other sophont species. The only thing that unites them is their commitment to self-government, and the cooperation that that commitment requires of them. Each member world has a representative in the Union Council on Concord, where the messy business of democracy and compromise takes place. The Free Union holds together more by the threat of conquest than any other factor, as the other Factions will likely exploit a world that tries to strike out completely alone.

The citizens of the Free Union are a diverse bunch. Although the majority of the population is human, there is a whole host of alien sophonts who live and work amongst them. The anarchic spirit that permeates the Union, though it is often a source of internal friction, also has its benefits. The Free Union of Sovereign Worlds has produced technological and social developments, and fostered MegaCorps that would have taken far longer to become established in more ordered and restrictive cultures.

The Free Union of Sovereign Worlds was formed as recently as 3370 PT, and although it has survived for nearly five centuries, is still considered to be an upstart, barely coherent Faction by outsiders. In the lead-up to the formation of the Free Union, first contact with the Tulaki had occurred, and their invasion fleets were pushing deep into Ascendancy space. The Terrans had withdrawn much of their forces closer to the Sol and Trappist systems, which left the relatively new human colonies at the fringe of Ascendancy control operating virtually without support or oversight, under threat from Tulaki scouts and Elysian infiltrators, and retaining only nominal authority over dozens of alien vassal worlds. Without the threat of the Terran Navy backing Ascendancy authority and culture, their influence waned and alternative ideals gained prominence. After almost a century of being ignored and under threat, a group of 51 isolated human colonies turned to diplomacy to survive. In the spirit of desperation as well as cooperation, the Free Union was agreed as a compact between the 51 colonies and their vassals, to grant relative equality, representation, freedom and independence within an overarching confederation. The new polity swiftly press-ganged independant ship crews into service and fought a guerilla resistance against the oncoming Dominion fleets.

By the time the Dominion advance was blunted, the Free Union had built up enough military force to prevent its re-annexation by the Ascendancy, and a new Faction was born. In the centuries since its formation, the Free Union has expanded outwards, establishing new colonies as well as discovering new ones created by the great wave of Terran sleeper ships. They have brought many new alien species into their confederacy, swayed by the promise of an equal voice at the table.

Life on Free Union worlds is highly dependant on the situation on your individual planet. There is little oversight or applied cultural pressure on any one world from the Faction authorities. Some worlds are capitalist democracies, while others are feudal monarchies or authoritarian hives. Overall, there is a tendency towards egalitarianism and representation, and most worlds use some kind of voting by the majority of citizens - either for representatives or directly. Many aliens preserve their own individual cultures, older Terran colonies lean more towards blood-minded independance, and newer discovered colonies may retain some of the trappings and attitudes of Pre-Fall Terra.

In play, the Free Union has the fewest “cultural requirements” of all the factions. Representatives of each group are expected to meet fairly regularly and keep each other relatively well-informed, but there is no real obligation to do so. A representative from the Union acts as a liaison between those present and the Free Union assembly, as well as having a mediation role between groups in dispute. Free Union “vassals” actually enjoy pretty much equal status in their Faction, but are usually perceived as being subservient to the humans by other factions. The Free Union as a whole does lean towards egalitarianism and collective decision-making, but not in a structured fashion across the civilisation. Individual teams or groups are free to develop their own internal structures.

Free Union Terrans are a hardy and resolute folk

Although politically the equals of their alien vassals, the majority of the Free Union's population are human. Descendants of those who fled Terra in a desperate rush for survival, they survived on a plethora of blindly-established and radically different colony worlds. The Terrans of the Free Union are diverse in their genetics and attitudes, but universally committed to their independence and dogged frontier spirit.

Free Union Terrans have 2 locational hits and a Death Count of 200 seconds.

The Free Union has no rule advantages, although they offer more freedom for creating diverse character concepts and have fewer cultural restrictions and requirements than the other Factions.

The Etherna are a humanoid species from the relic world of Thern II, just on the edge of the Gulf of Cetus. Thern II is very close to its star - too close to be within what most species would consider a habitable zone - and the planet's surface is volatile and partially molten. Thern II is riddled with a network of ancient advanced technology of unknown origin, which projects a powerful layered energy field around the world that extends to the planet's thermopause. The Etherna rose to civilisation under the protection of these primordial barriers, and developed an innate sensitivity to their fluctuations and inconsistencies - which could cause catastrophic earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or exposure to lethal levels of solar radiation. The drive to understand the ancient devices that keep their homeworld together pushed the Etherna towards desperate technological advancement and discovery.

By the time they were discovered by explorers in 3510 PT, the Etherna had constructed an extensive network of orbital stations in their home system and developed FTL drives capable of 500c speeds. First contact between Etherna and Free Union occurred as relative equals, between two survey ships scouting for nearby colony candidate planets. After signing up to the Free Union Accords in 3580 PT, their natural wanderlust and desire to explore has encouraged them to spread out broadly, and they are rarely found in large numbers except from on their home world. They are well-regarded as starship crew, and their inquisitiveness and natural energy sensitivity are generally seen more as assets than liabilities by Free Captains.

Character: As a species beset with historical hardship, the Etherna are somewhat dour and taciturn. They are often slow to contribute to conversation, except when discussing their obsession - etheric science. The Etherna's natural sensitivity to energy fields has engendered a deep and abiding fascination with the discipline, and many patrons of bars and taverns in the Sovereign Worlds have been taken aback by the fervour at which the usually withdrawn Etherna rant about reactor optimisation and the latest discoveries in particle science.

Appearance: Etherna typically share the same build as Terrans, but with purple skin that reflects some of the ultraviolet radiation that the Thern star emits. The skin of most Etherna has been darkened by exposure to a deep purple colour, and all have a scattering of irregular paler pigmentation along the hairline and scalp, similar to leopard-pattern. These elements can be accomplished with makeup.

Etherna have large, pronounced ears, which serve as a means of heat dissipation. Their ears have pointed tips and are long and often broad or - this look is achievable using prosthetics - such as the examples here and here. The Etherna have a diet rich in protein, and have elongated canine fangs optimised for tearing at flesh. Some Etherna however, especially those who spend a lot of time with Terrans, file down their fangs as other species can find them intimidating.

Abilities: Etherna have 2 Body Hits, and a Death Count of 200 seconds. If an Etherna Character purchases the Scientist skill, they immediately gain 1 rank of the Etheric Science skill at no additional cost.

Their innate sensitivity to energy fields allows them to pick up certain phenomena in a manner similar to a scanner or analyser, although the process takes longer. By roleplaying investigating and concentrating for at least 2 minutes, an Etherna can scan the local area for Etheric Science phenomena (they cannot pick up other types of phenomena). Once an Etheric Science phenomena has been identified, they can further investigate it to uncover more information - this process requires at least 5 minutes of additional appropriate roleplaying, and unlike an analyser only returns vague impressions rather than specific information. Both of these investigative abilities require a referee.

The Yelk are a race of sentient fungi, occupying the caves of Fornax XII in the Veil Sector. The surface of Fornax XII is periodically bathed in lethal radiation from its star, but life thrives in tunnels carved by rivers into the calcium-rich rock that is abundant on the planet. The Yelk evolved as an extremely cooperative society to exploit resources and protect themselves from predators, and were making the first steps towards interplanetary spaceflight when their radio signals were discovered by the Ascendancy in 3294PT. Due to the First Tulaki Invasion occurring at the time, the majority of contact between Terrans and Yelk was visits by independent traders and scientists, most with separatist leanings. The Yelk were among the initial signatories of the Sovereign Worlds Charter in 3370PT.

Character: Yelk are a highly cooperative species, and enjoy being close to others. They have a tendency towards empathy and being tactile with their friends and allies. They form strong communities and firm friendships in those they trust.

Appearance: Yelk are entirely white-fleshed, as befits their fungal nature, although some exposed parts may have become beige or brown due to UV light exposure triggering a protective melanin coating – but their irises will always be white (you can use contact lenses to achieve this effect). Yelk have an array of long, thick hyphae extending down from their “head” structures (this vaguely resembles smooth dreadlocks), rather than anything resembling hair.

Abilities: Yelk do not have internal organs – their specialised tissues are distributed fairly evenly across their entire body. As a result, they do not have locational hits – instead, they have 6 global hits, and become unconscious when this total is brought to 0. Each +1LH they would gain normally instead becomes +3 Global Hits. Armour worn by a Yelk functions as normal (i.e., it is locational). Yelk have a Death Count of 200 seconds.

Rebel Alliance (Star Wars); Frontier Worlds/ Browncloaks (Firefly/Serenity); Early Federation (Star Trek); Tau Empire (Warhammer 40,000); Belters (The Expanse)

Fashions in the Free Union are inspired by the 19th-21st century of Ancient Terra

Fashion and culture in the Free Union is extremely varied, as it has been influenced by the various species that comprise it as well as whatever trends are prominent at the current time. There is a tendency in the Free Union to remain distinguishable from the austere culture of the Ascendancy, as it formed as a breakaway from that faction. Often this tendency expresses itself as deliberately embracing flamboyant, colourful and impractical attire, but resource scarcity and impracticality frequently makes these fashions out of the reach of the ordinary citizen. As the Free Union operates at the fringes of human space, it contains the greatest number of young colonies from Terra’s pre-cataclysm period, and the sleeper ships that seeded them actually held what is now the most complete archive of pre-Imperial human cultural history. Currently, the Free Union is enamoured by what cultural fragments remain from the 19th-21st centuries on Terra.

General everyday clothing has little uniformity, and even military uniforms can vary a lot between different groups. Although the styles seen in the Free Union are Wide-ranging, there is a general tendency towards loose, tough and “simple” clothing. Many tend towards a “frontier” look with breathable cotton layers, denim and oiled textile or leather coats. The wealthier fashionistas of the Union have currently embraced a retro trend that combines elements of Victorian and interwar garb with more modern and even futuristic elements (t-shirts and wearable tech being some examples, though not steampunk). Aliens in the Free Union are free to wear their own cultures' clothing or Terran fashions.

With its greater proportion of young colonies and alien worlds, Free Union tech is often jury-rigged from spare parts or repurposed from other devices, and has a cobbled together look. Panelling may be painted in different colours, and wiring might be visible (but if you are using electronics be sure that no components carrying a charge are exposed, for safety reasons). Resource scarcity could lead to bodged repair jobs, with components bolted together or even duct-taped - this sort of rough-and-ready look is very appropriate for more frontier-focused Free Union characters.

See this Pinterest board for an overall impression of the intended look and feel of the Free Union of Sovereign Worlds.

Our diversity makes us stronger. Non-Terran citizens of the Free Union are treated as equals to the Terrans. Although some societal prejudice and xenophobia does exist, it is the exception rather than the rule. Among spacefarers, who regularly encounter aliens, xenophobia is rare.

The crushing authoritarianism of the Ascendancy is an affront to the dignity of their citizens. The Free Union was fortunate to be able to escape their grasp, but they are still one of the most powerful entities in Known Space, and must be, if not respected, at least feared. Individual Terrans might be honourable and useful, but beware that an Ascendancy friend might be ordered to betray you at any time.

Honourable and driven, but their strange religion and drive towards total competitiveness can make them unpredictable and dangerous. The Dominion as a whole does seem to have a certain respect for the people of the Free Union, but wars have broken out between the two factions on multiple occasions in the past 500 years. Their traders are generally fairly reliable as long as you don't provoke them into a “challenge”.

Too patronising by far. The strange powers of the Elysians make dealing with the Commonality a risk. However, they seem to prefer dealing with the Free Union over the Ascendancy, and do seem willing to assist and trade with Free Union colonies from time to time. They seem to have an interest in what explorers can discover in space most distant to their own, and place a high value on such knowledge.