Factions of the Inner Sphere
Long ago, the development of the Kearny-Fuschida Drive meant humanity could spread out among the stars and they proceeded to do just that. Over time, distinct states formed out of those colonized worlds and developed their own national identities. The Star League rose to try unifying humanity under one banner, one authority, and succeeded. Humanity had spread out quite far amongst the stars, up to five hundred light years from Terra (and possibly even further beyond), but the Star League had brought almost all systems under their authority. At least until it fell apart in a coup, and a subsequent war, which left many worlds dead and ushered in an era where technology regressed due to the scale of damage being done.
Known space is usually described through three terms, mostly referring to how far a system is from Terra and its authority in the old days. There exists the Inner Sphere, dominated by the Star League and its allies, considered the height of human civilization among the stars with the territory divided across the six noble houses. Along the edges of that was the Periphery, places which had settled outside these dominions for their own reasons and were brought together in unification by force. Beyond even that was the "Deep Periphery", systems which cut themselves off completely to live as they pleased and rarely bound together under any governing body.
After the fall of the Star League, the remaining five Great Houses became the dominant power in the Inner Sphere while the Periphery powers went back to their own independence. The Deep Periphery remains of limited interest to the Houses, being too distant to be worth the effort of conquering. While there are many more factions at work, only a double-handful are significant in the greater scheme of things.
Author's Note: What is provided here contains a mere fraction of information about the Successor States and other factions relative to the campaigns. Plenty of detail is available for these elsewhere, and in greater detail. Rather than copy every detail, I will link the BattleTech Wiki with each of these for further study. There are also a great many more factions to speak of, but I am trying to limit this listing to ones which are intersecting the campaigns.
Despite each state having been deeply influenced by cultural ideals out of the past, the actual ethnicity of people is rarely a concern. Though the ruling Great Houses can be said to represent the average citizens of their territories, this is more in the sense of mentality rather than appearance. Even the most benevolent-seeming ruler shapes the culture of their realm by what choices they make and what ideals they hold dear.
Most know of the Lyran Commonwealth through their wealth and industrial output, or from the stereotypes of ineffective generals failing in war. Truly, there are ample tales of how military officers in the Commonwealth have fallen short of the mark called "success". However, when looked at carefully it can be seen the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces have not lost significant amounts of ground against their neighbors on either border for a long period of time. This has allowed the industrial output to continue producing a startling number of BattleMechs, and continue granting most in this region a comparatively wealthy and stable life compared to other parts of the Inner Sphere.
House Steiner rules the Commonwealth, with the eldest scion holding the title of "Archon", and has done so for just over six centuries. In the year of 3033 the current Archon is Katrina Steiner, and she is expected to be succeeded by her daughter Melissa. A political marriage between Melissa and First Prince Hanse Davion has started the two realms merging into the greater "Federated Commonwealth", which seems capable of dominating the future quite easily if they can work together. For now mercenaries can expect to be used as the tip of the spear in any offensive action, but they will be paid rather handsomely should they succeed.
The Draconis Combine is sandwiched between two Successor States who can match them militarily, which can be a good thing. Long ago, the Combine was founded under an evolution of the bushido code where loyalty and duty were more important than life. There is a complex system of a culture, with many moving pieces meshing together (often uncomfortably) to keep things working. The Coordinator of Worlds, ruler of the Combine, delegates much authority to those they can trust so things can run in accordance with their vision. A vision which usually includes all of humanity under the banner of the Dragon, brought to heel willingly or otherwise. Betraying this trust is a quick way to end up dead, sometimes with the expectation you should do it yourself and save face.
A scion of House Kurita has almost always held the position of Coordinator, and currently Takashi Kurita is in the position. His son Theodore Kurita holds the position of Gunji-no-Kanrei, normally a ceremonial position but as of 3033 this position has been focused on rebuilding and reforming the military. The Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery is a major part of life within the Combine, and making sure it is strong and capable is a constant goal to strive for. The DCMS is relatively larger in scope than other realms' military forces, partly due to a current edict in place vowing "Death to Mercenaries". Unwilling to supplement their forces with freelancers, the Combine instead focuses on raising as large an army as they can sustain.
Bordering the Lyran Commonwealth and Capellan Confederation, the Free Worlds League is the oldest of the states and is composed of several smaller states banded together under one banner. This diversity has been both a strength and detriment to the League, as they have a decent industrial base and economy compared to the neighboring Lyrans. It is, however, distributed among many smaller regions which have their own representatives and ideas of how to use it best. The Parliament is a means to help all these states have representation, and it more or less succeeds at keeping everything in order. The smaller regions sometimes threaten to split off and exercise self-determination, and sometimes even go through with it. Small-scale internal wars have been fought within League territory, often leaving significant damage where the fighting had been. The most significant of which was the Marik Civil War between two scions of House Marik from 3014 through 3015, while the most recent is the secession of the Duchy of Andurien in 3030.
The Captain-General is the commander-in-chief of the Free Worlds League Military, and is granted broad powers through the parliament to act during military emergencies. It just so happens there has been an "ongoing emergency" since the fall of the Star League, and thus the Captain-General is the top authority in the League. They may be kept in check by limits on their position, as defined by the parliament, but in practice there is still a broad latitude allowed for acts in the name of security. With the limitations on what the Captain-General can order, and what the smaller states have the power to do, mercenaries are quite useful and can find lucrative work in the League.
For most of the history of the Inner Sphere, the Federated Suns have been a significant presence in the Inner Sphere. During the Succession Wars, the Federation was successful in expanding their territory steadily. Notably there was a repeated "back-and-forth" between the Draconis Combine and the Federation, including the infamous Kentares Massacre. The Fourth Succession War, however, saw a rapid gain of territory from the Capellan Confederation due to several surprise attacks. Since the end of hostilities in 3030, tension between both the Confederation and Combine over when hostilities may resume has been in the air.
The rule of the Federation lands in the hands of the First Prince, with the title being held as-is regardless of gender. Liberty and personal freedom are major values held by the people of the Federation, with it in fact being guaranteed by law. The Armed Forces of the Federated Suns is considered one of the most well-organized and prepared forces, utilizing combined arms in most cases. Mercenaries are employed as a deniable asset, and often are handled with a very careful touch to preserve the Federation's good reputation among allies.
When talking about the Capellan Confederation, one refers to the smallest, most concentrated, and newest of the Successor States. Ever since their founding in 2367 there has been significant pressure from their neighbors on either side. Invasions were somewhat common, and territory would routinely be lost in the aftermath. However, the current version of the Confederation benefits from having many potential Jump routes between systems, backed by a nearly-fanatical armed forces ready to push back with all the equipment they can throw at the enemy. Frequently outnumbered and outgunned, the Capellans survive by being prepared to take horrific losses to keep the enemy from victory.
The culture of the Confederation is a socialist police state, where citizenship is not guaranteed to everyone. The word of the Chancellor (His Celestial Wisdom) is law, for all practical purposes, while other parts of a bureaucracy ensure Capellans are kept safe and productive. Recent decades have put hardship on the Confederation, as the Third and Fourth Succession Wars reduced their ability to build new BattleMechs above a certain scale and certain weapons systems are not easily acquired. In the true spirit of adaptivity, Capellans have adapted to find new solutions to old problems. Among these answers are the creation of two new BattleMech chassis and a high-tech electronic suite which is currently undergoing field tests in those BattleMech chassis.
Notably, there is a mutual animosity between the current Chancellor (Maximillian Liao) and the First Prince of the Federated Suns (Hanse Davion). This feud has crossed over into truly vehement territory, and is said to have very personal reasons behind it. Due to many double agents being discovered, mercenaries have a hard time gaining trust in the Confederation. Even after doing so, there is always a chance of becoming absorbed into the regular army.
For all your interstellar communication needs, there's ComStar. From the last remnants of Star League Commnet, Jerome Blake managed to build a corporation to manage faster-than-light communications. ComStar now manages every Hyperpulse Generator (HPG) in the Inner Sphere (and beyond), handling the transmission of messages across vast differences. This monopoly led to the development of a currency, the "C-Bill", which is used as a common currency across all Successor States alongside their own currencies. Another thing to be aware of is how ComStar handles problems - by cancelling service to the offender until they make amends. As the Adepts are the only ones left who are knowledgable about how to run the HPG stations, this naturally winds up being a significant setback. When necessary, ComStar is known to employ mercenaries to take care of problems which require a military-style solution.
During the Fourth Succession War, Dame Catherine Humphries saw an opportunity to break away after it appeared the Free Worlds League was uninterested in fighting seriously. Declaring independence in 3030, then swiftly allying with the Magistracy of Canopus, the Duchy of Andurien began a war against the Capellan Confederation with the intent to make them lose more territory. Over the next three years, this had mixed success as the Capellan Confederation was able to pivot attention to dealing with the invasion. The Free Worlds League has apparently not decided exactly how to deal with this "rogue state", but a decision is likely coming soon.
While the Republic is a fairly new state formed out of systems belonging to both the Lyran Commonwealth and Draconis Combine, there is a significant amount of history involved. The "Rasalhague Military District" had always been a region straining against the rule of the Coordinator, and causing trouble for the Combine. According to records, one of the citizens of this district was responsible for the assassination of the previous Coordinator, Hohiro Kurita. A compromise was made after the end of the Fourth Succession War to release these systems into their own state, partly to create a buffer state between the Combine and the Commonwealth. Of course, part of the other reason was to avoid having to keep dealing with the rebellious spirits. The solution did not please many people not native to the region, and it touched off a short but intense war between rogue DCMS units and the new state. Lyran nobility who had interests in the area similarly were unhappy valuable worlds were taken out of their hands. Mercenaries are quite valuable to the new state, as they have not quite raised their own army just yet.
Located in the rimward Periphery, the Magistracy of Canopus spans a considerable amount of territory for a Periphery power. Most in the Inner Sphere know one of two things (or both) about them: they are a matriarchy, and they are a region open to debauchery of any sort. The first aspect is quite true, as the Magestrix rules here as an elected official. Any woman can hold the position, though this usually stays in the keeping of House Centrella. The Magistracy also does permit many things which are frowned upon in other places, having a very open view of personal freedoms. This also means what happens between consenting and well-informed adults is often "not anyone else's business". The Magistracy has kept out of Inner Sphere politics for most of the Succession Wars, but recently there are rumors about an alliance with the Duchy of Andurien.
Also in the rimward Periphery and sharing a border with the Federated Suns and Capellan Confederation, there is the Taurian Concordat. Traditionally, Taurians have been isolationist and very antagonistic towards the Inner Sphere. There are many good reasons for this, starting with many crimes done by the Star League in the name of unification. Ever since returning to independence, the Taurian Concordat has made efforts to strengthen their defenses to avoid being taken advantage of again. The Protector of the Realm rules with the advice of a council, and the Protector is a hereditary position held by House Calderon. Currently, the Taurians have been "enjoying" quiet feuds with the Federated Suns and speculation about when it might become loud conflict instead.
A very small Periphery state near the Taurian Concordat, the Aurigan Coalition has barely managed to avoid total collapse in the face of recent hardships. Founded in the chaos of the Third Succession War from a group of worlds in the "Aurigan Reach", House Arano took advantage of the chaos to gather frontier worlds to the Coalition. However, in 3022 a power-grab by Santiago Espinosa changed the Coalition to the Aurigan Directorate and started a civil war which lasted until 3025. Most current maps have left off the systems of the Aurigan Reach as the ravages of war were unable to heal and the realm declined. Though some of the worlds remain strong, the Coalition itself is a state in name only. Most regard it as only a matter of time before it fails completely.
The Oberon Confederation is a grouping of systems aligned with Hendrik Grimm III, the latest in a line of rulers, and straddling the line between "organized pirates" and "disorganized microstate". Situated in the coreward Periphery just outside the Lyran Commonwealth and Draconis Combine, the Oberon Confederation has a history of being a nuisance for worlds settled within a few jumps of it. There is very little concrete information available about this state to those who aren't near or within it, other than the reputation for raiding for whatever they can't make for themselves. Recent decades have had very little proven action on the behalf of the Oberon Confederation towards the Inner Sphere, though they are at odds with the nearby Greater Valkyriate.
Formed from two breakaway factions of the Oberon Confederation, the Greater Valkyrate exists largely out of spite towards Hendrik Grimm III. As with the Oberon Confederation, there is a lack of good information about this power other than its animosity towards the other "bandit kingdom" in the coreward Periphery. It is known this kingdom has no qualms about pirate actions, and is generally capable of fighting off minor actions from the Lyran Commonwealth meant to keep the piracy in check. Maria Morgraine and Redjack Ryan have a reputation for cruelty, though mercenaries without other options have found work with them and left without incident.
Known space is usually described through three terms, mostly referring to how far a system is from Terra and its authority in the old days. There exists the Inner Sphere, dominated by the Star League and its allies, considered the height of human civilization among the stars with the territory divided across the six noble houses. Along the edges of that was the Periphery, places which had settled outside these dominions for their own reasons and were brought together in unification by force. Beyond even that was the "Deep Periphery", systems which cut themselves off completely to live as they pleased and rarely bound together under any governing body.
After the fall of the Star League, the remaining five Great Houses became the dominant power in the Inner Sphere while the Periphery powers went back to their own independence. The Deep Periphery remains of limited interest to the Houses, being too distant to be worth the effort of conquering. While there are many more factions at work, only a double-handful are significant in the greater scheme of things.
Author's Note: What is provided here contains a mere fraction of information about the Successor States and other factions relative to the campaigns. Plenty of detail is available for these elsewhere, and in greater detail. Rather than copy every detail, I will link the BattleTech Wiki with each of these for further study. There are also a great many more factions to speak of, but I am trying to limit this listing to ones which are intersecting the campaigns.
Successor States
The so-called "Successor States" exist as five divisions of the Inner Sphere, encompassing the majority of inhabited systems. They carry this name as each one claims to be the successor to the fallen Star League, though none of them are capable of pressing the claim without the other four quickly making a mess of such plans. This has been proven in four clashes for dominance over the last two hundred years, where bitter fighting steadily caused widespread loss of access to technology and knowledge outside of how to wage war was given less interest. Recent decades have seen an attempt to reverse this process, though success has been minimal when it happens at all.Despite each state having been deeply influenced by cultural ideals out of the past, the actual ethnicity of people is rarely a concern. Though the ruling Great Houses can be said to represent the average citizens of their territories, this is more in the sense of mentality rather than appearance. Even the most benevolent-seeming ruler shapes the culture of their realm by what choices they make and what ideals they hold dear.
Lyran Commonwealth
House Steiner
Capital: TharkadMost know of the Lyran Commonwealth through their wealth and industrial output, or from the stereotypes of ineffective generals failing in war. Truly, there are ample tales of how military officers in the Commonwealth have fallen short of the mark called "success". However, when looked at carefully it can be seen the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces have not lost significant amounts of ground against their neighbors on either border for a long period of time. This has allowed the industrial output to continue producing a startling number of BattleMechs, and continue granting most in this region a comparatively wealthy and stable life compared to other parts of the Inner Sphere.
House Steiner rules the Commonwealth, with the eldest scion holding the title of "Archon", and has done so for just over six centuries. In the year of 3033 the current Archon is Katrina Steiner, and she is expected to be succeeded by her daughter Melissa. A political marriage between Melissa and First Prince Hanse Davion has started the two realms merging into the greater "Federated Commonwealth", which seems capable of dominating the future quite easily if they can work together. For now mercenaries can expect to be used as the tip of the spear in any offensive action, but they will be paid rather handsomely should they succeed.
Draconis Combine
House Kurita
Capital: LuthienThe Draconis Combine is sandwiched between two Successor States who can match them militarily, which can be a good thing. Long ago, the Combine was founded under an evolution of the bushido code where loyalty and duty were more important than life. There is a complex system of a culture, with many moving pieces meshing together (often uncomfortably) to keep things working. The Coordinator of Worlds, ruler of the Combine, delegates much authority to those they can trust so things can run in accordance with their vision. A vision which usually includes all of humanity under the banner of the Dragon, brought to heel willingly or otherwise. Betraying this trust is a quick way to end up dead, sometimes with the expectation you should do it yourself and save face.
A scion of House Kurita has almost always held the position of Coordinator, and currently Takashi Kurita is in the position. His son Theodore Kurita holds the position of Gunji-no-Kanrei, normally a ceremonial position but as of 3033 this position has been focused on rebuilding and reforming the military. The Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery is a major part of life within the Combine, and making sure it is strong and capable is a constant goal to strive for. The DCMS is relatively larger in scope than other realms' military forces, partly due to a current edict in place vowing "Death to Mercenaries". Unwilling to supplement their forces with freelancers, the Combine instead focuses on raising as large an army as they can sustain.
Free Worlds League
House Marik
Capital: AtreusBordering the Lyran Commonwealth and Capellan Confederation, the Free Worlds League is the oldest of the states and is composed of several smaller states banded together under one banner. This diversity has been both a strength and detriment to the League, as they have a decent industrial base and economy compared to the neighboring Lyrans. It is, however, distributed among many smaller regions which have their own representatives and ideas of how to use it best. The Parliament is a means to help all these states have representation, and it more or less succeeds at keeping everything in order. The smaller regions sometimes threaten to split off and exercise self-determination, and sometimes even go through with it. Small-scale internal wars have been fought within League territory, often leaving significant damage where the fighting had been. The most significant of which was the Marik Civil War between two scions of House Marik from 3014 through 3015, while the most recent is the secession of the Duchy of Andurien in 3030.
The Captain-General is the commander-in-chief of the Free Worlds League Military, and is granted broad powers through the parliament to act during military emergencies. It just so happens there has been an "ongoing emergency" since the fall of the Star League, and thus the Captain-General is the top authority in the League. They may be kept in check by limits on their position, as defined by the parliament, but in practice there is still a broad latitude allowed for acts in the name of security. With the limitations on what the Captain-General can order, and what the smaller states have the power to do, mercenaries are quite useful and can find lucrative work in the League.
Federated Suns
House Davion
Capital: New AvalonFor most of the history of the Inner Sphere, the Federated Suns have been a significant presence in the Inner Sphere. During the Succession Wars, the Federation was successful in expanding their territory steadily. Notably there was a repeated "back-and-forth" between the Draconis Combine and the Federation, including the infamous Kentares Massacre. The Fourth Succession War, however, saw a rapid gain of territory from the Capellan Confederation due to several surprise attacks. Since the end of hostilities in 3030, tension between both the Confederation and Combine over when hostilities may resume has been in the air.
The rule of the Federation lands in the hands of the First Prince, with the title being held as-is regardless of gender. Liberty and personal freedom are major values held by the people of the Federation, with it in fact being guaranteed by law. The Armed Forces of the Federated Suns is considered one of the most well-organized and prepared forces, utilizing combined arms in most cases. Mercenaries are employed as a deniable asset, and often are handled with a very careful touch to preserve the Federation's good reputation among allies.
Capellan Confederation
House Liao
Capital: SianWhen talking about the Capellan Confederation, one refers to the smallest, most concentrated, and newest of the Successor States. Ever since their founding in 2367 there has been significant pressure from their neighbors on either side. Invasions were somewhat common, and territory would routinely be lost in the aftermath. However, the current version of the Confederation benefits from having many potential Jump routes between systems, backed by a nearly-fanatical armed forces ready to push back with all the equipment they can throw at the enemy. Frequently outnumbered and outgunned, the Capellans survive by being prepared to take horrific losses to keep the enemy from victory.
The culture of the Confederation is a socialist police state, where citizenship is not guaranteed to everyone. The word of the Chancellor (His Celestial Wisdom) is law, for all practical purposes, while other parts of a bureaucracy ensure Capellans are kept safe and productive. Recent decades have put hardship on the Confederation, as the Third and Fourth Succession Wars reduced their ability to build new BattleMechs above a certain scale and certain weapons systems are not easily acquired. In the true spirit of adaptivity, Capellans have adapted to find new solutions to old problems. Among these answers are the creation of two new BattleMech chassis and a high-tech electronic suite which is currently undergoing field tests in those BattleMech chassis.
Notably, there is a mutual animosity between the current Chancellor (Maximillian Liao) and the First Prince of the Federated Suns (Hanse Davion). This feud has crossed over into truly vehement territory, and is said to have very personal reasons behind it. Due to many double agents being discovered, mercenaries have a hard time gaining trust in the Confederation. Even after doing so, there is always a chance of becoming absorbed into the regular army.
Other Powers
Among the Successor States are lesser powers which exist alongside them, often rising and falling to be absorbed back into the major states. The weight the Houses can throw around to get their way is often only matched by another House's efforts, and minor powers tend to fall apart within a generation or two. Only one of these powers listed here, ComStar, has lasted longer and this is due to many extra circumstances. These examinations will be brief, though this is not to downplay how these minor states exist and fight to keep going for as long as they can.ComStar
Headquarters: TerraFor all your interstellar communication needs, there's ComStar. From the last remnants of Star League Commnet, Jerome Blake managed to build a corporation to manage faster-than-light communications. ComStar now manages every Hyperpulse Generator (HPG) in the Inner Sphere (and beyond), handling the transmission of messages across vast differences. This monopoly led to the development of a currency, the "C-Bill", which is used as a common currency across all Successor States alongside their own currencies. Another thing to be aware of is how ComStar handles problems - by cancelling service to the offender until they make amends. As the Adepts are the only ones left who are knowledgable about how to run the HPG stations, this naturally winds up being a significant setback. When necessary, ComStar is known to employ mercenaries to take care of problems which require a military-style solution.
Duchy of Andurien
Capital: AndurienDuring the Fourth Succession War, Dame Catherine Humphries saw an opportunity to break away after it appeared the Free Worlds League was uninterested in fighting seriously. Declaring independence in 3030, then swiftly allying with the Magistracy of Canopus, the Duchy of Andurien began a war against the Capellan Confederation with the intent to make them lose more territory. Over the next three years, this had mixed success as the Capellan Confederation was able to pivot attention to dealing with the invasion. The Free Worlds League has apparently not decided exactly how to deal with this "rogue state", but a decision is likely coming soon.
Free Rasalhague Republic
Capital: RasalhagueWhile the Republic is a fairly new state formed out of systems belonging to both the Lyran Commonwealth and Draconis Combine, there is a significant amount of history involved. The "Rasalhague Military District" had always been a region straining against the rule of the Coordinator, and causing trouble for the Combine. According to records, one of the citizens of this district was responsible for the assassination of the previous Coordinator, Hohiro Kurita. A compromise was made after the end of the Fourth Succession War to release these systems into their own state, partly to create a buffer state between the Combine and the Commonwealth. Of course, part of the other reason was to avoid having to keep dealing with the rebellious spirits. The solution did not please many people not native to the region, and it touched off a short but intense war between rogue DCMS units and the new state. Lyran nobility who had interests in the area similarly were unhappy valuable worlds were taken out of their hands. Mercenaries are quite valuable to the new state, as they have not quite raised their own army just yet.
Periphery Powers
In the Periphery, there are a broad variety of powers which have arisen over the centuries - and survived. Some of these are states which do not want to be part of any Inner Sphere state, and others are pirate kingdoms ruled by the strongest hand. Most stable states exist on either the rimward or coreward sides of the Inner Sphere, with one exception (the Outworlds Alliance) keeping themselves out of Inner Sphere politics due to having their own serious problems to attend to. Many of the Periphery nations struggle with industrial or technological inferiority to the Successor States, but many of them are strong enough to not be outright absorbed into their neighbors.Magistracy of Canopus
House Centrella
Capital: CanopusLocated in the rimward Periphery, the Magistracy of Canopus spans a considerable amount of territory for a Periphery power. Most in the Inner Sphere know one of two things (or both) about them: they are a matriarchy, and they are a region open to debauchery of any sort. The first aspect is quite true, as the Magestrix rules here as an elected official. Any woman can hold the position, though this usually stays in the keeping of House Centrella. The Magistracy also does permit many things which are frowned upon in other places, having a very open view of personal freedoms. This also means what happens between consenting and well-informed adults is often "not anyone else's business". The Magistracy has kept out of Inner Sphere politics for most of the Succession Wars, but recently there are rumors about an alliance with the Duchy of Andurien.
Taurian Concordat
House Calderon
Capital: TaurusAlso in the rimward Periphery and sharing a border with the Federated Suns and Capellan Confederation, there is the Taurian Concordat. Traditionally, Taurians have been isolationist and very antagonistic towards the Inner Sphere. There are many good reasons for this, starting with many crimes done by the Star League in the name of unification. Ever since returning to independence, the Taurian Concordat has made efforts to strengthen their defenses to avoid being taken advantage of again. The Protector of the Realm rules with the advice of a council, and the Protector is a hereditary position held by House Calderon. Currently, the Taurians have been "enjoying" quiet feuds with the Federated Suns and speculation about when it might become loud conflict instead.
Aurigan Coalition
House Arano
Capital: CoromodirA very small Periphery state near the Taurian Concordat, the Aurigan Coalition has barely managed to avoid total collapse in the face of recent hardships. Founded in the chaos of the Third Succession War from a group of worlds in the "Aurigan Reach", House Arano took advantage of the chaos to gather frontier worlds to the Coalition. However, in 3022 a power-grab by Santiago Espinosa changed the Coalition to the Aurigan Directorate and started a civil war which lasted until 3025. Most current maps have left off the systems of the Aurigan Reach as the ravages of war were unable to heal and the realm declined. Though some of the worlds remain strong, the Coalition itself is a state in name only. Most regard it as only a matter of time before it fails completely.
Oberon Confederation
Capital: OberonThe Oberon Confederation is a grouping of systems aligned with Hendrik Grimm III, the latest in a line of rulers, and straddling the line between "organized pirates" and "disorganized microstate". Situated in the coreward Periphery just outside the Lyran Commonwealth and Draconis Combine, the Oberon Confederation has a history of being a nuisance for worlds settled within a few jumps of it. There is very little concrete information available about this state to those who aren't near or within it, other than the reputation for raiding for whatever they can't make for themselves. Recent decades have had very little proven action on the behalf of the Oberon Confederation towards the Inner Sphere, though they are at odds with the nearby Greater Valkyriate.
Greater Valkyriate
Capital: GötterdämmerungFormed from two breakaway factions of the Oberon Confederation, the Greater Valkyrate exists largely out of spite towards Hendrik Grimm III. As with the Oberon Confederation, there is a lack of good information about this power other than its animosity towards the other "bandit kingdom" in the coreward Periphery. It is known this kingdom has no qualms about pirate actions, and is generally capable of fighting off minor actions from the Lyran Commonwealth meant to keep the piracy in check. Maria Morgraine and Redjack Ryan have a reputation for cruelty, though mercenaries without other options have found work with them and left without incident.
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