M. Jared Swenson Productions

This blog chronicles my projects, developments, and all things related to tabletop gaming. I will try to avoid rants and reviews. Mostly games I'm developing, and progresses from my campaigns.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Star*Drive Saturday: Thuldan Empire

Last week it was the hedonistic StarMech Collective, this week it is the:

THULDAN EMPIRE
If you have extreme patriotism for your nation, and believe in humanity's manifest destiny united under the banner for a glorious future of mankind, then you might be a Thuldan.
  • Population: 1.1 Trillion Sentients
  • Founding Year: 2263
  • GW2 Alliance: Expansion Pentad
  • Capital World: Thuldan Prime
  • Dominant Faith: Hatire
  • Notable Locations: Filtrane Island, Bluefall, Aegis System (Verge location, shaping to be a beachhead for Thuldan power on the Verge capital world of Bluefall), Alitar, Algemron System (Verge world, Empire fighting a proxy war through their puppet state of Alitar)
At the era of humanities first expansion, Gregor Kent was one of the wealthiest men on Earth, having riches that eclipsed governments. He also had a vision of an independent empire and all of humanity united under one banner to survive the dangers of space. Rumors abound of what Kent did to force people under his will and take to deep space and forcibly cut the umbilical cord that is Earth support, but if the Empire's history has anything to show for it, aggressive expansion has likely been the theme from day one. The Empire's history is ripe with victory after victory. The First Galactic War could be attributed to their fierce independence and the reason to its end. Never has a Thuldan border needed to retreat in any case throughout even the Second Galactic War. It swallowed several weaker nations in the process of its expansion. At the height of its power, the Empire once controlled the areas of space now known as Concord Sagittarius and Concord Taurus. Even today the Empire is the strongest in resources, population, and military of all the stellar ring. The Second Galactic War had slowed to a crawl for the Empire's expansion and the decision of the emperor to answer the call for the treaty summit that would spawn the Concord was one of his hardest decisions to make. The Second Galactic War was the Empire's first battle "lacking a victory."

Even today many Thuldans persist that the Treaty of Concord is merely just a temporary ceasefire. The Empire prepares its citizens for the rigors of war as it always has. Every Thuldan citizen answers to the military, and all adult Thuldans hold military rank and are subject to military orders. Notions of imperialism central to the Empire's belief system meets stiff resistance from other stellar nations. While Thuldans remain interested in exploring new worlds, they are more interested in fulfilling Kent's Vision. Humanity must be unified. Holding to that their definition of humanity has widened. They see nothing wrong with genetic engineering, altering its citizens for missions ranging from assassination to terraforming. Their medical science is also the most advanced known. Their attitude to anything not working for the Vision is less than favorable, and their attitude towards aliens is less so. At best alien species are servants of human destiny. If they do not adapt and accept the Empire's vision of a unified human state controlling the galaxy, they will be eliminated.

Thuldans stride from world to world with pride and patriotism, and more than a bit of arrogance. They are self-confident as a matter of course. Many stellar nations choose to instill or depreciate the Empire's goals, but Thuldans understand that Envy is a common human trait. Thuldans go through their first 2 decades of life with strenuous physical training. Even preschool educators have the souls of drill sergeants. From an early age all Thuldans are taught the importance of a chain of command and the absolute need to follow orders from superior officers. Most youths dream of joining the Legions. Epic poems, art, and stories of conquest fill Thuldan society, and the Legionnaires are always shown in a halo of glory as befits Thuldan champions. However few realize the vision of becoming the elite Legionnaires, serving only a few years before mustering out. But this same military training ensure proficient and skilled Thuldan mercenaries serve in armies and navies throughout the galaxy. Thuldan strength stays focused on the goal of Kent's centuries old Vision. The galaxy will be united under the solid leadership of the glorious Thuldan Empire.

Paraphrased from: David Eckleberry, and Richard Baker. Star*Drive Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.O. Box 707 Renton, WA. 98057-0707: Wizards of the Coast / TSR, 1998.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
Widespread genetic manipulation and centuries-long breeding programs have toughened the Thuldan physique. Moreover, the Thuldan drive for perfection has encouraged ambitious Thuldan physical education. These programs rival the depth and enthusiasm that other nations devote to "useless" academic pursuits. A player may choose to be a Thuldan for his/her race (human only) during character creation. They gain a +1 bonus to stamina and athletics tests.

Warlion
Character Background: Mutant Soldier
High Attributes: Fighting and Acquiring
Archetype: Warrior
Bred as the perfect soldier, Warlions were an elite corps of engineered mutants who served as assault troops and commandos during GW2. A number still serve the Thuldan military, but others have mustered-out to build their own lives. They generally have the following advantageous mutations (listed here, in my Rogue Space Star*Drive supplement book [2] Weapons and Technology): redundant organ (2nd heart), improved attribute (fighting), and night vision. And the following mutation drawbacks: physical change (leonine facial features) and reduced attribute (scientific).

Ex-Legionnaire
Character Background: Elite Soldier
High Attributes: Fighting and Acquiring
Archetype: Warrior
When one makes it into the Legions, they never leave. It is a call for life, and their reputation is as infamous inside the Empire as it is without. But you didn't make it all the way, or were forced to leave. Perhaps you failed a mental exam, received an injury that would prevent you from performing up to their extremely high standards, or you may be a rebellious soul, and didn't like the future you had in the Legions. Whatever the reason there is one thing you picked up from your time as a Legionnaire, and that is how to be an exceptional soldier. Few can rival your battle prowess and efficiency. Joining an expedition or trader ship into the verge makes you a valuable asset for defense and tactics.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

On 3D Printing

I have been following the progress of 3D printers for a while now, since about the inception of the old RepRap, the open source printer that was lauded to be able to print a copy of itself (which is not true, you could print some of the pieces, but much still needed to come from conventional means, but it's still fun to think about). Especially the progress of the Makerbot. As many of you know I have been saving money to buy one. There are other 3D printers on the market, and I have looked into several, weighed the pros and cons, and carefully considered them all, and I just keep returning to the Makerbot.
Well they announced the latest model, the Replicator 2, which has an amazing software suite (which is one of the important factors for me) and now has an excellent resolution, of 100 microns. When printing things for games and toys, resolution is important. 3D prints of this method would form this ribbed texture, or ridges, from the layers being built up one small later at a time. Low resolution prints have thicker layers, therefor more ribbed texture, therefor less detail. High resolution prints have thinner layers, and therefor less ribbing, and a smoother appearance. 100 microns is a lot. For personal home 3D printers, that's a milestone. All other printers on the market can achieve this with careful calibrating and sometimes special tooling, but with the new Replicator 2 it is built right into default mode. This is very attractive to me.

Unfortunately there is a downside to this: expense. As Makerbot is upgrading their models, the price is rising higher and higher. My savings goal was $1800 to buy one of these, but now with this newer model it will need to be $2100. When I first started this little fund, the saving goal was about $1500. It's a shame because as I slowly build the money, the goal keeps getting farther and farther away. So I will have to get a loan to buy one.

I wanted to seriously avoid getting a loan to buy one because you generally do not want to take out loans to get things you do not really NEED. I have some plans of turning one of these into a small business, and even prototype products I would like to get made in much larger quantities, so my thinking is this will eventually hopefully turn into a business, which would justify the loan part. However, I still would like to avoid getting the loan because if my little venture amounts to nothing then I merely ended up with a cool toy. Now the risk with taking a loan is if it fails, I have a cool toy, and a monthly bill.

So Beth and I have decided to get to a certain point with our finances, which will hopefully be soon, use the current money I have saved up to help reach that financial safe point, then take out the loan. I can promise you that when I do get it, this will be ground zero for an explosion of cool stuff and projects I make with it.

For right now I will keep the little thermometer to the right up, but not updating the number anymore. It's to be a reminder for me.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Star*Drive Saturday: StarMech Collective

Last week we covered the money greedy nation of Rigunmor Star Consortium, this week it is the:

STARMECH COLLECTIVE
If you are raised in a hedonistic lifestyle and live for fleshy pleasures, as well as a genius mechanic, then you might be a Starmech.
  • Population: 530 Billion Sentients
  • Founding Year: 2312
  • GW2 Alliance: Profit Confederation
  • Capital World: Delight
  • Dominant Faiths: Hedonism
  • Notable Locations: Tendril System (Verge system, closest verge system to the stellar ring, currently trying to legally get it back), and various robotic probes sent out to deepspace to establish territory.
Colonization into space during humanities first strides were chaotic. Hundreds of companies and nations claimed worlds for their own. StarMech Inc. almost went unnoticed as it relocated its headquarters. They specialized in the manufacture of advanced machines and robotics. Slowly they grew an enjoyed the benefits of a large artificial workforce: time for recreation and play. They weren't ready for the First Galactic War, and many outlying colonies vied for unification. They settled on a mutual defense to preserve a tense peace. At the conclusion of the war, the company wanted to legally acquire the surrounding colonies, so they threw one of their infamous, often deviant, parties. Legends claim that when the diplomats awoke the next moring, StarMech had the signatures to guarantee a diplomatic coup. This convinced everyone to recognize the formation of the Collective, and born as a nation in 2312, at least on paper. But over time and through the Second Galactic War the union became stronger, and StarMech advanced robotic proceeded to produce the best driveships in the galaxy.

Today the Collective embraces a level of unification and organization that only two galactic wars could bring. Every citizen is a shareholder in StarMech Inc., possessing one share of the company and ability to elect the administration. The Collective society grants most democratic freedoms to its citizens - freedom of speech, religion, and leisure is taken for granted. StarMech shipyards are rightfully the pride of the Collective and the source of its interstellar trade. They are the unquestioned reliability of StarMech engineering; their ships never fail to pass inspections.

StarMech engineers conceive brilliant theories, unorthodox designs, and fantastic models. Then the robots do the work. The Starmechs enjoy the opportunity to have a good time. They don't suffer from any overpowering need to collect material possessions, or even to acquire wealth. They have a special cleverness that goes into manufacturing ships and robots. These robots fulfill most of the needs of their society, and they are comfortable with their mechanical servants, treating them as dogs or children. Most Starmechs prefer to travel with at least one robot servant.

Paraphrased from: David Eckleberry, and Richard Baker. Star*Drive Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.O. Box 707 Renton, WA. 98057-0707: Wizards of the Coast / TSR, 1998.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
StarMech's excellent education and occupational training give the Starmechs a natural flair for all things technical. A player may choose to be a Starmech for his/her race (human only) during character creation. They gain a +1 bonus to vehicle (including spaceships) mechanics and ship systems tests.

Ship Engineer
Character Background: Engineer
High Attributes: Repairing and Scientific
Archetype: Technician
The crew knows you as the weird person who sleeps in the engine room, gets high too often, and throws the best parties. You try to always make sure things on the ship stay pretty level, and people shouldn't stop having fun. While on the outside it doesn't seem like you take your job seriously or may be unreliable at best, but nobody can argue with your results. The mass reactors and stardrive run at peak efficiency at all times, and the captain would want no one else in engineering during battle. Truly a befitting companion for the dangerous voyages into the Verge.

Roboticist
Character Background: Roboticist
High Attributes: Repairing and Scientific
Archetype: Technician
Lot's of people have friends, but you have a lot of friends. These friends though are mechanical in nature. Wherever you go, they go, and are often followed by a small army of robots. Whatever the team needs, you generally have a robot for that. You have controlling and coordinating them down to an art, and when other robots are often encountered during your adventures, you are the one to either hack it, destroy it, or preferably, steal it.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Minis Showcase: Decker Lugstampf

One of the genres I love is Steampunk. Many may know it by the weird fashion statement and people who dress in Victorian clothing with gears glued over everything. No matter what way you take it, I have a certain fondness for impossible tech from a bygone era. So when I stumbled on Reaper Miniature's steampunk minis, like Decker Lugstampf here, I bought him up immediately, took some extra time painting him, and imagined the awesomeness that is steampunk.

Jarom thinks so too, so for a while we have been working on a game setting of our own called Cognitive Flux. It's still in initial 'idea' phase, and I previewed a piece of his art here.



Saturday, September 15, 2012

Star*Drive Saturday: Rigunmor Star Consortium

Last week we covered the science worshiping Orlamu Theocracy, this week it is the:

RIGUNMOR STAR CONSORTIUM
If you believe that the noblest pursuit for anyone is life, liberty, and the pursuit of profit, then you might be a Rigunmor.
  • Population: 740 Billion Sentients
  • Founding Year: 2299
  • GW2 Alliance: Profit Confederation
  • Capital World: Bazaar
  • Dominant Faiths: Humanity Reformation
  • Notable Locations: Aleer (Inside Rigunmor boundaries. Homeworld to the Mechalus), Lison, Oberon System (Verge world, contains the Verge's largest source of Rhodium, a material necessary for stardrive travel. Just recently wrested free from Rigunmor control.)
The Rigunmore Star Consortium can trace its origins clear back to the mid 21st century of earth, even before the birth of stardrive. During an era of unprecedented prosperity brought on by the fusion reactor, earth's superpowers knit itself into a single economy. Trade for common and cheap goods crossed the globe. Independent traders flourished. In this the Rignunmor Consortium began as one of the many trading guilds at the time to compete with the countries and international corporations, and in turn increase their influence. Some of these business unions and cooperatives died when met with tougher resistance, but others evolved into corporations themselves. By the 22nd century, Rigunmor had not only survived, but developed into the largest economic affiliation of its kind. It had made its profits arranging the transfer of product and finance from one party to another. The psychology of convincing both seller and buyer that they had made a good deal came naturally to the Rigunmors. Then humanity leaped to the stars. This only further catalyzed Rigunmor success. They became a popular source of trade among early colonies and even established worlds of their own. In 2273 they discovered a system that had been fully explored by an alien species, the Mechalus. Without stardrive they had been limited to their own star system, but despite this, many Mechalus technologies rivaled that of humanities best. The Rigunmor deal with the Mechalus meant they would join the Star Consortium peacefully, but individual Mechalus were free to explore the rest of the galaxy at will. The Mechalus mastery over computers, cybertech, and the grid gave the Consortium a distinct advantage against VoidCorp during the Second Galactic War.

Within the Consortium, background, birth, and ethnic origin are unimportant. Those who rule are those with the most. Only the wealthiest command the respect of Rigunmors, and have the talents necessary to administer in the Consortium. Travel is also important. The ability to trade and transport goods are the source of many a Rigunmor's wealth stream. Although others may mock the motto "greed is best", the Rigunmors accept it as a philosophy of life. The only thing they claim that has remained constant throughout all of histories wars and times of peace is the human avarice. They deal with this mentality with a simple honesty. The veil of ignorance about human nature is removed, and they know in their hearts what everyone is after. Of course this honesty is not the approach that most operate their business on. Rigunmor way of life is subtle and manipulative. Often a Rigunmor victim will walk away happy and content, unaware he or she has been swindled. Thus have they gained the reputation as interstellar swindlers and con-artists. Ambitious young traders take to the starts to make their fortunes, wary of becoming poor, often desperate to make names for themselves, traveling far from home seeking a chance for riches.

Paraphrased from: David Eckleberry, and Richard Baker. Star*Drive Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.O. Box 707 Renton, WA. 98057-0707: Wizards of the Coast / TSR, 1998.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
As many have observed, Rigunmors have a talent for making customers comfortable with even the most outrageous deals. As members of the wealthiest stellar nation, Rigunmors generally start off with more funds and assets than your average hero. A player may choose to be a Rigunmor for his/her race (human only) during character creation.They may start play with 1d6 x 1,000 starting out credits as apposed to the regular amount for beginning characters.

Interstellar Trader
Character Background: Trader
High Attributes: Acquiring and Empathy
Archetype: Rogue
You seek profit where you can get it. You have found that in areas like the Verge, independent trading is very much in need, as many small colonies aren't self sufficient enough to produce all the essentials. You know how to haggle down the seller, as well as overcharge the buyer, just enough to line your pockets without making your wares completely out of reach. But life out here has not always been so simple. Lawless pirates and thieves can present a challenge, but luckily your resourcefulness and quick witted attitude gets you through.

Expedition Patron
Character Background: Entrepreneur
High Attributes: Empathy and Acquiring
Archetype: Rogue
There is so much money to be made in the frontier of the Verge, and you are not sitting idly to let that slip by you. A scientist with hot ideas believes in something amazing out there, and needs someone to fund the trip in exchange for the fame of its discovery. You are merely in for the profit potential. You spent your life savings and a huge investment in a ship and crew to go out there and find it. You asked to accompany the rest on this adventure, and while some may not be as comfortable with the 'rich guy' on board, they may come to see how a man of your business savvy and etiquette can get them to places the rag-tag group could not otherwise go.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Minis Showcase: The Zoidbergs

While it's not a deal like the minis from this post, it's not a bad deal for a box of german-themed scifi troops.
Wargames Factory is known for making some decently priced box sets. They do a lot of zombies (i did a sprue of zombies up for my wife, who loves anything zombie) and historical figures. I bought these shock troops because I liked the look of them, and it was only $20 for 18 of them.

Because I actually pre-ordered mine, each sprue in the box came with a special alien head that you could use on them. That fascinated me more than making them how they were on the box, so here they are:
A couple comments: Yes I have seen Futurama, and am familiar with the idiotic Dr. Zoidberg. But never once did that occur to me as I painted these guys with red skin. It was not until later when someone pointed it out to me and well... cannot be unseen.

It's ok. I mostly did it for the fun of it and to experiment with painting styles. I wanted them to look completely alien with very minor conversion and painting alone. The pointing-captain (as every unit of minis needs) has some sort of halo piece around his head with gives him that extra sense of authority, and the crystals on the ground adds to the alien environment they may hail from.

The plastic sprues themselves are not of the highest quality. The arms are really big and may fit together clunky, but they're still a good deal for miniatures.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Star*Drive Saturday: Orlamu Theocracy

We are counting down the stellar nations. This is 7 of 13. Last week it was the diverse nation of Orion League, now it is the:

ORLAMU THEOCRACY
If you have a undeniable need for traveling the stars and uncovering science's greatest mysteries, then you might be an Orlamu.
  • Population: 782 Billion Sentients
  • Founding Year: 2211
  • GW2 Alliance: FreeSpace Alliance
  • Capital World: Prophetholme
  • Dominant Faith: Orlamism
  • Notable Locations: Kurg (Inside Orlamu boundaries. Homeworld to the Weren), The Lighthouse (Traveling fortress ship in the Verge. Also headquarters to Galactic Concord presence in the Verge.)
Orlamus happily attribute the origin of their society to a scientific advancement. Their origin is tied directly with the creation of the stardrive. On 2159 the first test took place in orbit of Mars. They activated the engine and soon the test satellite disappeared in a spectacular wave of light. This was the first recorded starfall. The destination was only the other side of the Sol system, so research vessels waited there. They expected it to reappear after minutes, but the wait turned to hours, then days. This panicked the scientists. Then exactly 121 hours after starfall, the ship came out at its destination, and was immediately surrounded by military and science vessels. The experience during the starfall was a unique one for the charismatic scientist, Jeff Sendir, the only one aboard during the test. Unprepared for a long departure in an unexplored dimension, Sendir struggled to survive. The satellite's sensors drew no readings from drivespace, reporting it was surrounded by a featureless void the whole time. But Sendir's report said otherwise, like unto a dream, he felt a presence with something greater, like a massive expansive intelligence. Vast unfathomable ideals floated through him. Many wrote this off as an anomaly as no other test pilots reported a similar experience in later tests. Sendir stayed active in the scientific community for another decade, working diligently to advance stardrive technology.

At age 45 he took many of his colleagues with him in establishing an independent academy for the study of drivespace and dark matter energies. The Orlamu Foundation, devoted to unlocking the mysteries of drivespace, always had religious overtones. Even while his scientific pursuits attempted to deepen the knowledge of drivespace, Sendir continued to develop religious views, and they spread throughout the scientific community. The foundation claimed several systems of its own, and in 2211 became the Orlamu Theocracy. Shortly after, the new theocracy discovered the Weren on the planet Kurg. Despite the Weren's own never ending civil war, they were peacefully integrated into the theocracy over the following years.

Despite it being a religious organization, drivespace research and stardrive development remained the nation's principal focus. It remains a scientific body first, and a religious organization second. This propelled the Orlamu economy to a great deal of success. Orlamu stardrives run in almost a third of the galaxy's ships, and are counted among the most reliable and efficient. Intellectual freedom are accepted as a matter of course by the Orlamus. Even as most follow the Orlamist faith, most hold the theocratic government as a necessary evil, not a divinely inspired power, as bureaucracy of any government exists in full. Weren have flourished under Orlamu guidance. Their violent tendencies have made integration difficult, but talented Weren are growing more common. The people of the theocracy maintain a belief in scientific revelation. Along with their allegiances to the most advance disciplines of science, the Orlamus gaze with wonder at the marvels of the universe - the beautiful balance of energy and matter, and the existence of life itself. And in these marvels, they see witness of a conscious divine will. Orlamus obsess with drivespace, they hold a great deal of reverence for all things drivespace touches, and perform most of their meditations traveling through drivespace, or as they call it, the Divine Unconscious.
Left to right: Weren, Orion, Orlamu, and Fraal
Paraphrased from: David Eckleberry, and Richard Baker. Star*Drive Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.O. Box 707 Renton, WA. 98057-0707: Wizards of the Coast / TSR, 1998.

Rogue Space Character Ideas
The Orlamus attempt to reaching a better understanding of the universe and their place in it has met with great success. Pioneers in many realms of science, Orlamus pride themselves on their use of scientific methods and instruments to discover truth. A player may choose to be an Orlamu for his/her race (human only) during character creation. They gain a +1 bonus to star navigation and physical science tests.


Navigator
Character Background: Pilot
High Attributes: Acquiring and Scientific
Archetype: Technician
You live for drivspace. To you, entering the Divine Unconscious is always an enlightening experience. You may even politely request your crewmates show some degree of reverence during a starfall. Being ship's navigator allows you to hone your talents, even able to do most of the necessary course calculations in your head without the need for computer assistance. Mapping routes and piloting the ships make you a valuable asset to any ship's crew.

Starborne
Character Background: Any
High Attributes: Empathy and Scientific
Archetype: Mindwalker (Special) or Rogue
Born in drivespace. The theocracy holds a special admiration for your kind. Anyone blessed with their first moments of life while in drivespace means they have been touched by the Divine Unconscious in a special way. For many it unlocks powers and special talents. Because a higher than usual amount of human psionic talents come out of the Theocracy, a majority of those are Starborne. You may have been granted special schooling and opportunities, and often pampered. Once you get to the harsh realities of the Verge, you may yet use your gifts for something greater.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Facility: Room Tiles

In one of my last Wednesday posts I talked of making games with 3D printers, and I announced my project; Facility - A Wartech boardgame. That was also when I talked of a great in-browser 3D program called Tinkercad. I've been working on it a lot, and have made some pretty cool stuff. These are all things planned for Facility. The sad thing is I can't see how they will turn out until I get the actual printer. But at least I'm getting some practice in.
These are the hallway tiles. 2 of this file is to be printed off. All pieces follow the same basic dimensions, which will be true for all other tiles. This is so any configuration will follow a grid-like pattern, to prevent awkward meetups and connections.
Rooma A. I had fun coming up with the different style of rooms you would find in a spaceship or an undergound facility. Even though all the rooms are treated the same, I still wanted all players to feel as though they are exploring an actual functioning facility, and not just exploring featureless rooms for objectives.
Rooms B. So this and the image above comprises the rooms you build with. See if you can guess what some of the rooms actually are.
Door pieces. I definitely had fun designing all sorts of different scifi doors for this game. When setting up the board, you also place door, and they are designed to slide in between the walls of 2 interconnecting tiles. Doors can halt or impede the progress of your opponent, and just add another piece to the visual feel of the game.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Star*Drive Saturday: Orion League

Last week it was the communistic nation of the Nariac Domain, now it is the:

ORION LEAGUE
Cultural diversity and tolerance is a source of pride for Orions, and they come from all different cultures and walks of life. If it is the same for you then you might be an Orion.
  • Population: 893 Billion Sentients
  • Founding Year: 2321
  • GW2 Alliance: FreeSpace Alliance
  • Capital World: Jaeger
  • Dominant Faith: Orlamism, Humanity Reformation, and Old Earth Faiths
  • Notable Locations: Bluefall, Aegis System (Verge world - independent government and paradise world, but strong ties remain with the Orion League)
In the first wave of expansion from the Sol system, hundreds of independent colonies migrated toward the constellation of Orion. Just about every single old Earth culture had a representation in the Orion colonies. By 2260, eighty six independent governments were functioning in Orion space. Then the first galactic war hit and changed everything. Some of these colonies were absorbed by the other stellar nations, but most combined to consolidate their forces. What remained were four centers of power: The Orion Nation, Nordic Independent States, Free Kyrene Society, and New Columbia. The war had been devastating for everyone, and they needed to rebuild. The four nations met in a conference on the Orion Nation capital planet, Jaeger. It was to iron out an agreement so they could live together peacefully. But during the delegations there had been raids on their border worlds by Austrin-Ontis and the Thuldan Empire. The four nations found they could unite to halt the enemy progress. With these successes, they outreached to other colonies and the four nation convention on Jaeger became a permanent forum.

The nations grew entangled until 2321 when Kathryn Brown, president of the Orion Nation, offerered to combine the four nations into a league and prepare for the coming war. After much politicking and debate, it eventually happened. Jaeger became the capital, and Brown elected president. Her first act was to commission a charter and a bill of rights. Freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly for all sentients was declared throughout Orion space. Ethnic and species discrimination was denounced. The Orion League grew and aliens, especially Fraal, flocked to its banner. This alliance helped in surviving the Second Galactic War. With a brutal lock of the other nations' alliances, the heroism and sacrifice of Orions president, Warthen Hale, brought peace to the galaxy when he convened with the other major nations to create the Galactic Concord.

The nature of politics in Orion space today keeps power decentralized. Individual worlds and systems are free to conduct their own business and laws, as long as certain broad laws are followed. The chief functions of the league are to maintain peace between its member systems, guard against foreign aggression, and set fair trade practices. Each system elects representatives based on population and meet in the legislative house on Jaeger. Their capital planet is one of the few planets where visitors from foreign stellar nations and empires are welcome. This tolerance is a source of pride for the Orion peoples. Founded on freedom and equality for all, the Orions accept dissidents and refugees no matter what their origin. A prime example to this is their willingness to ally with Insight during GW2. While this leads to clashes with other nations, it contributes to the League's strength. The League made it's contributions of resources and personnel to the Galactic Concord willingly. Many Orions consider the Concord their own child.

It's impossible to categorize a typical Orion. From its' exploration centuries ago until today, tolerance and diversity have illuminated Orion space. However their own diversity can keep their society in a constant state of turmoil. Individual systems retain a great deal of autonomy. Other stellar nations often view the chaotic nature of politics in the League as a weakness to be exploited. In times of crisis they have been proven wrong, as the shared ideals of the nation pulls its disparate groups together. For the most part patriotism squashes outside attempts at fermenting dissent and chaos. Personal freedoms are taken for granted. Orions traveling outside the League are often astonished at both the interference and the subsidies that foreign governments inflict on their citizens: licenses, high taxes, economic support, and denial of basic rights. Checks on the free practice of speech or religion are practically unheard of within the league.

Paraphrased from: David Eckleberry, and Richard Baker. Star*Drive Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.O. Box 707 Renton, WA. 98057-0707: Wizards of the Coast / TSR, 1998.
 
Rogue Space Character Ideas
With its emphasis on the need for civilized interpersonal and intercultural relations, the league has instilled its founders' values within its individual members. They have an easier time familiarizing themselves with different cultures. A player may choose to be an Orion for his/her race (human only) during character creation. They gain a +1 bonus to interaction and culture tests.

Due to the varying nature of the hundreds of different Orion worlds, it is hard to boil down how a typical Orion is, or what is a typical Orion career. They come from all walks of life and careers. Orions are sought after for all sorts of different professions throughout the Verge. If you have an idea what your character's homeworld is like, it probably exists in Orion space.