Astra: Vestiges of Deep Space
Somewhere in the farthest reaches of space, warring factions ruthlessly pursue the wisdom of lost ages— otherwise known as Vestiges.
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Factions
USF
MASTER SET
The United Space Federation initiated humanity’s foray into deep space exploration. Out in the ether, they discovered the first known Vestige. So began a great division among Earth’s elites as they race to decipher the secrets hidden throughout the unfathomable cosmos.
Some would argue that the USF represents the best of humankind; the federation is traditional, relentless, and fiercely competitive. Within the halls of a USF Trireme, rank is everything. A ranking Captain is honored with the confidential knowledge and cosmic gifts the Vestiges bestow, while the remaining crew is left questioning the mysteries and significance of their mission. Crew Members clamor to gain favor among their superiors and triumph over their peers.
Back home, the crew appears organized and united. Out in the vast above, Crew Members secretly compete in a viscous ecosystem yearning to etch their legacy among the stars.
The Corvus Crew
MASTER SET
Not everyone conforms to the ideas of the USF, and one such mutinous, treacherous group is the Corvus Crew. Armed with stolen and heavily modified USF tech, this band of thieving pirates has accrued infamy for their aggressive tactics and harrowing presence.
Their surviving victims tell tall tales of the empty abyss they’ve glimpsed in Crew Members’ eyes. Some of those tales ring true. They care little for the so-called ancient wisdom of the Vestiges; they’re after “The Good Stuff”. The Corvus Crew abuses an injectable serum derived from the ancient treasures—partly for its sinister side effects, and partly as the result of hopeless addiction. It has a euphoric effect on the mind and a deteriorating effect on the body, temporarily coloring the user’s eyes obsidian black. The sight is horrifying to their victims and sadistically thrilling to the Crew Members.
Explorers
MASTER SET
The ever-expanding galaxy affords countless opportunities to profit, for those who are looking for it. To the dismay of the USF, Private investors, sovereign planetary settlements, and large corporations take initiative by funding the most eager and curious human minds in missions of daring galactic exploration. These expeditions are tasked with discovering the infinite mysteries that lie beyond humankind’s grasp, reaching for new heights in fame and fortune. To the headstrong Explorers manning the vessels, the sea of stars offers endless possibilities for discovery.
These expeditions naturally attract some of the most egotistical, charismatic, and outlandish personalities in the business. Beyond the appearance of noble researchers is at its core a group of rich thrill-seekers—too proud to join the ranks of the USF. As part of the Explorers, they enjoy near-limitless funding for their insatiable appetite for adventure.
The Outreach Crew
It has been nearly seven decades since the USF sent its first manned crew aboard a starship equipped with a ZC-Class Battery, capable of withstanding prolonged deep space travel. The men and women aboard the ship were praised as heroes, the so-called Outreach Crew. The official word from the USF is that their vessel experienced critical engine failure beyond the Federation’s reach. There were, reportedly, no survivors.
What the USF’s report failed to detail were the catastrophic symptoms that the unstable engine had on the Outreach Crew. The ZC-Class Battery, they would quickly learn, was highly radioactive and rapidly began to deform the skin and organs of the crew. When the Captain transmitted these effects to the USF, the Federation had ruled it too dangerous to risk bringing the crew back. They were abandoned with a malfunctioning ship and deteriorating health. Drifting in the far edges of known space, they discovered their first Vestige.
All of humanity knows their story, but none know that the Outreach Crew still wanders deep in space. The surviving Crew Members hardly aged since that fateful discovery. Their mission remains the same: to find their way back home and expose the misdeeds of the USF.
Vestorians
To some, the Vestiges of deep space hold the answers to humanity’s most elusive questions. The Vestorians believe that these tangible artifacts were left for them by their deity. As members of the old religion, the Vestiges are their birthright. They see their faith as undeniable and will go to any means necessary to both protect and harness the ancient knowledge of the Vestiges.
The most frightening aspect of the Vestorian faith is how rapidly their collective metastasizes. As news of the Vestiges’ great power spreads throughout the colonies, the Vestorians and their mission are considered a threat to the USF. Most believers practice their faith in secret to avoid punishment from their greater colonial overseers. Some Vestorians even lurk among other factions. Those who refuse to hide their faith evade the USF’s watchful eye by joining the galactic pilgrimage aboard The Basilik, a mothership for the Vestorian religion.