Cosmic Union

'The Cycle Breaks' - Motto of the Union

The Cosmic Union is a Major Faction, focused primarily within the Sky River, and it's orbiting Cluster Gyre, the Sky Shore - And arguably, the Faction in the most inherently precarious position. Originating next to the Abyssreach and by extension, the Thalweg, the Union finds itself operating one of the most dangerous, Arcane-dense, and contested territories within the Voidsea. Even contested with other regions, the Era of Evolution was particularly strong where it formed, creating hostile worlds, spacial anomalies, and regions like the Fae Rest, which forever cause unending magnitudes of problems for the Faction.

In spite of this, the Union's territory composes nearly the entire Vetrarsaer galaxy - Though some regions like the Titakataka Stars and and the Vutha Varkla Ridge are not completely Union controlled.

Far from being limited to these regions though, the Union operates anywhere the Voidsea will take them - It has substantial territories in the Sky Shore, and inroads into it's neighbouring galaxies, the Diamond Wake and Emerald Coast, and some in the Twins of Time. A variety of exclaves exist, being connected via a series of wormholes, or having joined the Union through diplomatic means without ever being part of the main territory. Some settlements have even been established settlements inside spacial phenomenon. Despite it's unfathomable size, and it's impressive accomplishments, the Union is engaged in a perpetual struggle to hold it all together.

The Union can be said to be a descendent of a number of pre-Technopocalypse civilisations - In particular, the Voidsea Advent, and the Greater Solar Union. Both played a major role in forming both the galaxy into what the Union would inherit, and in shaping the minds and souls of those within it. The Flygia Riki also is felt in the anatomy of the Union, as many worlds that joined it were once part of the Void Imperator's domain, shaping their cultures and sentiments. One such sentiment was to learn from the mistakes of the past, and ensure that this time, something truly permanent would be built - It would break the cycle of civilisational rise and collapse, and all the suffering that such cycles caused.

Such a challenge is daunting, and considered by many to be the height of hubris - to keep one world from descending into corruption and strife is difficult enough, holding together a territory the size of the Cosmic Union would be near impossible. Yet the Union has held strong for 20,000 years, in spite of everything in their way.

The Union was founded via the merging of several smaller Factions, and is ruled by having many smaller micro-states within itself. Key founding members include the Stjarna Union, the Sonoran Union, the Fasian Dominion, the Hero's Alliance, and Conquistador Bloc, alongside over eighty independent worlds. The War of Blood Money saw the Conquistador Bloc attempt to take advantage and then secede, only to be beaten into the shadows. Following this, several other groups would slowly join the Union over time, including the Realm of Honour, and the Replika Republic.

A key reason the Union has remained together for so long is not simply mutual defence - Each Void Island has discovered ways with which to defend itself against the horde of nightmares the Voidsea has to throw at them. What the Union offers is a vision, and the aid to see such a vision happen. It is the promise of a better future in the midst of the darkness that has kept everyone together for so long, and why many choose to join it willingly. It's conviction is tested daily, as resources and regions find themselves constantly under threat, as Void Islands can go dark before aid can be sent, or other, more insidious machinations prey upon a population centre, and corruption can worm its way in just like any other Faction. Yet the Union has consistently persisted, and it has become very clear to those that once scoffed at the Unions values, that it will not collapse without a fight.

Unbeknownst to many, the Union does have it's backers in the Shadows.

Governance

Economy

The economy of the Cosmic Union as a whole is a complicated subject - Due to the sheer size of the territory, the variety of Kinde within it, and number of member worlds that have their own distinct cultures, histories, and systemic mechanisms, meant that just about every kind of economic system one can imagine is found somewhere within the Union.

Ethics waged a verbal war with perceived practicality - Especially early on in the founding of the Union, it was thought that there was simply no way to enforce a strict, universal system across every world the Union had direct control of. The logistics involved in such an undertaking were massive, and would unquestioningly cause political and sociological issues. Environmental factors also came into play, as various neighbouring Factions were re-arming, and raiding along the borders. And even if none of these factors were at play, it was feared that this would undermine the unity of the recently formed Union. Members had joined with the understanding that they would be free to exist as they had done before, uninterrupted if they did not wish it. It was feared that directly interfering with their economic structures without request would lead to internal political disunity.

As a result, the Union set itself up in a semi-Feudal

To adapt to this, there are a variety of levels, factors, and accommodations that are made to keep everything going.

operates around the basis of utility, maximization of well-being, and equitable distribution. As the Union does not operate with currency, or market economies on a wide scale, resource distribution is based around more pragmatic needs, what various Void Islands require to improve and build themselves up,

The sheer size of the Cosmic Union means that it has access to a near limitless amount of resources of various types.

Despite this, the Union frequently struggles with resource management - Not because it is incapable of doing so, but because of the ever-evolving and brutal nature of the Voidsea. The Eternal War wages all around them, as enemy Factions will constantly probe for weaknesses. Even when that isn't an issue, the many forces of nature like the Silurian Swarm or the Ik'Ik'Vakeria will. Worlds are attacked regularly,

The Union's primary duty is to protect it's members, and thus are obligated to respond to any such threats. But these threats are constant, and require no small amount of resources to do.

The sheer weight of these problems has forced the Union to

By no means does this mean the Union is incapable of distributing resources - However, it takes a utilitarian approach. When faced with the choice of funding a new Void-Station in orbit of a core world, or assisting in an outbreak on the border regions, they will choose to redirect their aid towards the border regions

Foundation

The Union was founded by the same means two of it's founding members were formed - The unification of several factions.

Before the Technopocolypse, the Solar Union was a major power within the Sky River - Controlling vast swatches of territory. Once the Technopocolypse arrived though, much of the infrastructure that allowed the Solar Union to function fell apart, and much of the Union fell apart. The Solar Union remained, fragmented though it was, and was centred around the world of Xeo-Quartz, where it would remain until contact was established with the Stjarna Union.

The Stjarna Union was formed many centuries after the Technopocolypse - the three Central worlds, Venus, Earth, and Mars, united in response to an invasion by the Vystaalan's, whom had been directed to them by the Titanic States of Saturn, in an attempt to weaken both, so as to establish the Titanic States as their Void Archipelago's sole superpower. Following the invasion, the Twilight Imperium also attacked Earth, seeing it as an easy target. Understanding that the Imperium also had it's sights on Saturn, the Titanic States got involved directly. This would become known as the Quartet Conflict.

Reverence

Though officially irreligious, the Union has reverence for three main figures - The Visionary, the Stargazer, the Defiant, and the Persistent. The oldest of these figures is the Visionary, who is held up in the highest regard, particularly among the Kin.

To an outside perspective, this may seem religious in nature, but this is not the case. These are seen as influential figures who played a large role in shaping what the Union would become, or leading the charge of change that would lead their respective worlds on the path towards the formation of the Union.