State of the Horizon - CC61

GM tool

Checking on the Coriolis Discord, I read that the publishers are OK with players recreating tables, figures and data from the RPG source material where the only purpose is the facilitation of playing their game and I hereby promise this is my only intent with this article. The background here is taken from the Core Rules, organised into a summary I can give to my players - Doctor Weather

First-come legacy

Capital, First-come planets culturally dominate local areas
For the most part these are ruled by elites tracing their history back to colonists arriving well before the Long Night and have nothing to do with the Horizon's now-powerful Factions:

• Algol
• Dabaran
• Mira
• Sadaal

They have their own internal politics and power struggles and mostly confine their interstellar influence to Faction channels. Lower-tier colonies nearby these capital worlds were once heavily influenced by their powerful neighbours but the balance in recent generations has been significantly altered by the Zenithians.
Two First-come locations are entwined with a current Faction: one the Nomad Federation and another the Order of the Pariah
Altai and Zalos punch well above their expected political weight by the respective presence of the Nomad Federation and the Order of the Pariah. The trade routes and interstellar connections the Nomads kept up during the Long Night allowed them to maintain a strong influence off their ships and homeworlds, which persists even despite the Zenithian attempts to undermine and displace it. As for the Martyrs, as the only Faction to maintain relatively common use of technology lost to most others in the Long Night, their military might gets them into any conversation to which they demand access.
Other Factions are influencers - some centre stage, others behind the scnes
The Church of the Icons influences by harnessing the power of the Icons and so the will of the people. They naturally influence the politics of their homeworld, Mira, but their aims are foremost Horizon-wide. Ahlams Temple has no homeworld, working in the courts of the Horizon at large. We might mention the Draconites here too, but their aims are purposefully hidden.
JUMP TO CONTENTS

Zenithian influence

The Consortium leads the way, with Legion assistance
Responsible for the reconnection of the Horizon, they have links everywhere, for the most part through trade. Where conversation needs more-firm support, the Legion steps in on behalf of their Consortium paymasters. This is ostensibly to curb piracy and other 'illegal' activity but people know that this is not a hard limit to their missions. Most often, colonial policing and control is done by local forces, the Legion acting as a private military to protect interstellar operations but the Legion takes local contracts too, when invited... or 'encouraged' by the Consortium.
The Free League and Sydicate offer competition of sorts
Both are mostly content to confine their politics to trade and the economy. As things get more difficult they are increasingly involving themselves in larger affairs, though they aren't always welcome.
The Hegemony has other aims
Confilcting subgroups with the Hegemony all agree on one thing: Zenithians should rule the Third Horizon - specifically those of the Hegemony. The Consortium knows this and is happy to leave well alone whilst the Hegemony has only the power to spout rhetoric. The Hegemony longs for the day when they can do more than just talk and slowly builds their capability.
JUMP TO CONTENTS

Balance of power

Wherever you go in the Horizon you will find the Factions, fighting for control
The capital worlds usually have all the Factions present to some degree. The further you travel from civilised space the more this influence drops off and in different degrees for different Factions in different systems.

Consortium and Legion conduct trade	The Consortium is present in the courts and bazaars, influencing politicians and getting its fingers into as many deals as possible. Its Colonial Agency seeks out new colony locations near new resource fields and the Bulletin keeps the Horizon informed of the glorious new capabilities brought forth by the Foundation and trade companies. The Legion hunts pirates, protects compounds and generally keeps a Pax Consortium.
Church of the Icons keeps the people safe from the Dark Between the Stars	Whilst the Consortium and Legion keep the peoples' bodies safe, the Church looks after their eternal souls. Should a local or even Faction ruler fall from good conduct, the Church can also be there to offer them guidance.
Free League and Syndicate offer competition	The Consortium always state that competition is good for the economy. They mean within the ranks of their own companies but the Free League ensures that the common worker is thought of, not just the company owners. And where there's no hope of spreading the wealth far enough, the Syndicate offers anyone a... different choice.
Ahlams Temple maintains a balance of power and watches for political threats from without	Working as advisers and experts in all the courts, the Temple makes sure that no one power becomes too strong to destablise the whole Horizon. They have a keen interest in the goals of the Hegemony at this time. But there are other threats to watch out for too. The Temple was the first to see the danger of The Nazareem's Sacrifice and were instrumental in its downfall. The Temple remains vigilant for the return of this most-dangerous foe.
Draconites and Order of the Pariah	Both these Factions watch for danger in the Dark as Ahlams Temple watches for it in the people. The Martyrs and Draconites alike seek out Dark creatures and dangerous technology that should not fall into ignorant hands, either of which could be corrupting. The Martyrs take this one step further by offering 'assistance' of a kind to the Church of the Icons, by also seeking out ideologies that will lead people to moral and spiritual corruption. To this end they seek out and destory people, texts and even records of history that might tempt the innocent down a dangerous path.
Nomad Federation seeks its dues	The Nomads were keeping a connected Horizon well before the Zenith appeared but didn't have the ambition of scope the Zenithians had and so found themselves supplanted. If they could organise themselves as well as the Consortium has, the Federation could be a serious competitor but such has yet to happen.
The Zenithain Hegemony seeks to realise its birthrite	The Horizon's most obvious antagonist is always seeking to increase its power. Other Factions wish it would calm down and keep to itself, but this only enrages the Hegemony's sense of position further...
Politcal power to influence local rulers	Major players: Ahlams Temple Consortium Influencers - small power everywhere or stronger local power: Church of the Icons Nomad Federation Zenithian Hegemony
Economic power to influence local rulers	Major players: Consortium Influencers - small power everywhere or stronger local power: Free League Nomad Federation Syndicate Zenithian Hegemony
Military power to influence local rulers	Major players: Legion Order of the Pariah The Legion has the largest fleet by far but the Order has the stronger individual ships through more-advanced technology - they remain in an assymetric balance for now Influencers - small power everywhere or stronger local power: Nomad Federation Zenithian Hegemony - rumours of their plans...?
Cultural power to influence local rulers	Major players: Church of the Icons Influencers - small power everywhere or stronger local power: Ahlams Temple Consortium (Bulletin) Order of the Pariah

JUMP TO CONTENTS

CC 61, segment of The Deckhand

Contents

• First-come legacy
• Zenithian influence
• Balance of power