Varkhír Brotherhood
Overview
The Varkhír Brotherhood is the largest and most populous human nation in the known galaxy, controlling a vast region of space centered around humanity’s point of origin. However, no one knows which planet was once Earth, as the Vendrasi systematically erased all records of humanity’s birthplace in an attempt to further deprive humanity of hope. The Brotherhood’s dominion stretches across millions of star systems, encompassing both heavily populated worlds and strategic industrial zones, making it one of the most powerful political and military entities in existence. While the Brotherhood is a strong advocate for personal freedoms, all aspects of its governance and military operations are deeply intertwined with The Church of the Iron Coffin. The Brotherhood is the Church’s most dedicated ally, going so far as to institutionalize clergy members into its government and chain of command, ensuring that all policies align with the Church’s doctrine. As a result, while its people enjoy relative freedom, that freedom only exists so long as they abide by the laws of faith.Governance & Theocratic Influence
The Brotherhood’s government is structured as a semi-theocratic republic, blending traditional leadership with the spiritual authority of The Church of the Iron Coffin. At its head sits the Grand Executor, the highest-ranking political leader, responsible for overseeing military strategy, economic policy, and diplomatic relations. However, no decision is made without the approval of the Church—every planetary governor, military officer, and legislator must work alongside an appointed Church official to ensure that all actions serve both the Brotherhood and the divine will of the Iron Coffin.Key Leadership Structures:
The Grand Executor – Supreme leader of the Brotherhood, commander-in-chief of its military. The High Ecclesiarch – A senior figure from The Church of the Iron Coffin, wielding equal authority to the Grand Executor. The Iron Synod – A council of high-ranking officials and clergy, ensuring that all laws align with the Church’s doctrine. The Mech-Lords – Generals and war-leaders who command the Brotherhood’s forces in war, each accompanied by a Church-appointed Battle Chaplain. While theocracy dominates governance, the Brotherhood is not tyrannical. It allows its citizens personal freedoms, economic mobility, and cultural expression—but all within the moral and doctrinal framework of the Church. Those who reject the faith are not executed or exiled, but they are often relegated to lower-tier citizenship, barred from holding high positions of power and generally looked down upon by society.Military Might & The Church’s Influence
The Varkhír Brotherhood’s military is one of the most powerful in the galaxy, especially in conjunction with the Holy Crusader Fleets of the Church itself. It is well-equipped, highly trained, and guided by a warrior’s faith, believing that battle is both a duty and a sacred act. The Brotherhood’s armies are unique in that they are fully integrated with the Church, meaning that every major military unit operates under both a commanding officer and a Church-appointed Battle Chaplain. These Chaplains ensure that all soldiers remain spiritually pure, regularly leading them in pre-battle rituals and ensuring that no mech is dishonored in combat.Military Branches:
The Steel Host – The elite mech corps, piloting some of the most advanced mechs in the galaxy, each war machine ritually blessed before battle. The Iron Phalanx – Mechanized infantry trained in brutal urban warfare, equipped with mech support units and mobile artillery walkers. The Penitent Legions – Criminals and unbelievers who seek redemption through battle, often sent on suicidal missions to prove their faith in salvaged mechs often bought from The Reaver Guilds. The Golden Fleet – The Brotherhood’s vast navy, responsible for patrolling and defending the space surrounding humanity’s lost homeworld. The Brotherhood fights not only for survival but for faith, believing that every battle honors the Machine. Their forces are well-funded, disciplined, and fueled by a sense of divine purpose, making them one of the most formidable military powers in existence.The Lost Homeworld & The Vendrasi’s Final Curse
The greatest tragedy of The Varkhír Brotherhood is that they rule over the birthplace of humanity, yet they will never know which world was Earth. The Vendrasi were meticulous in their efforts to erase human history, wiping every database, executing those who sought the truth, and purging all knowledge of Earth’s location. The Brotherhood controls many of the oldest human settlements, some of which may have been established before The Scourge’s arrival, but all identifying records have been lost. Many scientists, historians, and explorers within the Brotherhood have attempted to rediscover humanity’s true origin, but these efforts have always been blocked by the Church. The official stance of The Church of the Iron Coffin is that Earth’s destruction or survival is irrelevant—what matters is humanity’s future, not its past.The Church’s Proclamation on Earth’s Location:
“Earth was the forge. But the machine marches forward. Look not to where we were, but to where we must go.” Despite this, rumors persist of a hidden archive, buried in the depths of ancient starships or forgotten colonies, containing fragments of lost knowledge. Some say that the Vendrasi left behind more than just destruction, that somewhere, deep in the ruins of their fallen empire, the coordinates of Earth still exist.Relations with Other Powers
As the strongest ally of The Church of the Iron Coffin, The Varkhír Brotherhood is deeply involved in holy wars, crusades, and military conflicts on behalf of the faith. While they do engage in diplomacy with secular factions, they have no tolerance for those who reject the faith of steel. Any sign of Vendrasi technology, ruins, or AI remnants is considered an immediate threat and is targeted for destruction.A Nation of Strength & Faith
The Varkhír Brotherhood is a nation of paradoxes—a land of personal freedom, yet absolute religious authority. Its people are proud, its military powerful, and its faith unshakable. They rule over the heart of humanity, but they will never know where it all began. Yet for the Brotherhood, the past is unimportant. They do not seek Earth. They seek the future—and with the Church at their side, they will forge it in fire and steel and quench the blade with blood.
“Stellae pertinent ad imaginem Dei portantes”
(The stars belong to the bearers of the image of God)
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Official State Religion
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Organization Vehicles
Related Plots
Tolerated Vendor
The Brotherhood tolerates the Overseers out of necessity, utilizing them in the vast majority of interstellar voyages, despite their moral hatred for everything the Overseers are and stand for. In an attempt to lighten the moral load of their services, the Brotherhood imposes rules for Overseen travel that other nations do not, though the Guild officially declined several more stringent proposed rules.
Respectful Rivalry
The Varkhír Brotherhood and the Black Star Caliphate share a cautious and begrudging respect, born from mutual reverence for holy mechs and religiously sanctioned warfare. Both see their war machines as divine instruments, and both regard battle as a form of sacred duty—but their doctrines differ sharply. Where the Brotherhood follows the structured, martyrdom-driven teachings of the Church of the Iron Coffin, the Caliphate embraces submission and hierarchy, viewing slavery and obedience as forms of worship. This theological divergence creates diplomatic tension, especially over the Caliphate’s use of slave pilots and its black market dealings, which the Brotherhood considers dangerously impure. Skirmishes along disputed holy pilgrimage routes and contested relic sites are common, but outright war is avoided—each side recognizes the other’s might and the potential devastation such a conflict would unleash.
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