Vassal Species

Each of the four Factions encompass many worlds, some of which are peopled by vassal species – less powerful or numerous species that are under the protection of one of the main groups. Vassal species can have access to strange powers and abilities based on their alien physiology. However, they generally cannot participate in the society of their parent Faction to the same extent, and draw fewer advantages as a result – although exceptional individuals may be able to work hard to attain equivalent status. Vassal species may have racial abilities assigned by the game team, usually determined by the coolness and size or unwieldiness of their physreps. If you would like to play a member of a vassal species, please contact us with your ideas – a brief synopsis of the kind of species you have planned would be great, as well as your intended physrep plans.

The key points regarding Vassal Species –

• Vassal Species are part of a single Faction. Your vassal species must be linked with one of the existing four factions, which their main government will have pledged allegiance to.
• Vassal Species are distinctive. Your vassal species must be distinguishable from the three main faction species – Humans, Tulaki and Elysians. Therefore all vassal species must include at least some elements of physrep that unambiguously distinguishes themselves from other species. So, very human-seeming aliens like the Betazoids in Star Trek (whose only distinguishing feature is their lack of an ocular iris) will be refused. Same goes for reptilians who might be confused for Tulaki (unless you incorporate significant other elements like feathers or similar), or pointy-eared humanoids who resemble Elysians. Vassal races are a good excuse for you to use cool and elaborate costume, which we would encourage.
• Vassal Species are at a social disadvantage within their host faction. In most Factions, Vassal species will be discriminated against to a greater or lesser degree. The Ascendancy regards their vassals as lower-caste, the Dominion consider them to be lower status until they prove themselves as individuals, and the Commonality tend to be condescending (and Vassals are unable to use certain Elysian psi-tech). Vassals are probably most well-received in the Free Union, but even there they are playing catch-up to the humans. In addition to the in-character disadvantage of this, buying Reputation Skill levels for your own Faction costs 3 points per rank for Vassal species instead of 2.
• Vassal Species, or elements of them, can be vetoed or altered by the Game Team. Please contact us if you want to create a vassal species to play – we would like to integrate your characterisation into the game, but there may be some elements or themes that don’t fit into the game world or that we would rather not see explored. We are unlikely to say no to a concept, but may have some alterations to allow it to fit into the setting.
• For more information on creating a Vassal Species, see the Vassal Species Guidelines page.

• Coronites - energy-bearing lifeforms condensed from interstellar gas clouds
• Urgs - highly resilient and militaristic humanoids with leathery skin
• Sollen - a humble species of spine-crowned beings with natural engineering talent
• Wrathians - humanoids with a highly toxic physiology

• Reskan - Sapient hives of small insectoid creatures
• Lithos - Psionically active silicon-based lifeforms
• Boreans - Green-skinned humanoids with regenerative powers

• Arctonyx - gruff musteloids renowned as starship crew
• Cradians - artistic reptiloids seeking sanctuary after an endless war
• Kelki - highly competitive and combative species of telekinetics
• Xak'noth - a resilient species of heavily armoured insectoids

• Etherna - purple-skinned humanoids with the ability to sense energy fields
• Gardeners - a linked species of parasitic plants symbiotically inhabiting human bodies
• Ikunkuma - nomadic canid mammals who make excellent natural scavengers
• Yelk - pale, sapient fungi with distributed physiology