We Are Sildor - A Federations AAR

[Nikolai]

The Sildor Commonwealth


We are the Sildor Commonwealth. Where we come from, is shrouded in mystery. The thing we do know, is we did not origin on our home. Not home planet. Home. Because what we live in, is not a planet. It is a marvel of engineering. Not our doing, however.


We live in the only surviving, or rather, still functioning ring section of what we call a ring world. We have lived here for millennia, alone, without the makers that legend tells us once watched over us. Who they were, how they looked, or where they went, we do not know. Even less, we do not know why we were placed on this ring world, or where we originated. Legends, again, talk of Earth. The mystical origin world where we once thrived. Legends might be wrong. It is a name, a story. In essence, we know little of what we were.

Our home, the ring world, as of 2359.


We know who we are, though. We are Sildor. An egalitarian species, and we love the alien world of the stars. The planets, the fauna, the animals. And the aliens out there. It has been over 150 years since we took the stars. We have spread our wings, expanded far and wide, created a federation, befriended aliens – both individualists like ourselves and hive minds.


It would take well over 100 years before we waged war, and then it was on the two empires that constantly warred against their neighbours and sent countless refugees our way. The exterminating robots and their fanatical purifying neighbors. War is not something we wish, but it was necessary in the end. War should never be taken lightly, and only be done when strictly necessary.

Our capital world, still with plenty of space, as of 2359.


In the following, I will record the species of our Commonwealth and our neighbours – both friends and foes. I hope it will be of some assistance for future scholars to know how this galaxy of ours look in this year 2359, who lives in it and – perhaps – how the history of us Sildors have been after we entered the hyperlanes some 150 years ago.


As I write this, the first of the ruined ring sections on our home ring world has finished repairing, the other one planned to begin reconstruction soon. The third and final, it seems will never be repaired. It is too damaged. But we have recently discovered another ring world in the Cybrex home system, hopefully it will soon be a new home for our Commonwealth.

The galaxy as it stands in 2359.


Our species also recently discovered how to build other amazing megastructures, and only a few months ago the first gateways began construction. Soon, we hope to build the science nexuses and sentry arrays we recently discovered how to construct. It truly is an amazing time to be alive.

 

[Nikolai]

The First Neighbors

The Sildor species as of 2359.


The first alien civilization we Sildor met in the vastness of space, was a species as different to us as we could imagine. A Collective Consciousness – a Hive Mind – how can an individualist society such as ours fathom how that works? The Ymacera Collective was foreign, curious, fascinating, impressive in their might. Their technology was advanced, their economy strong, their fleets massive. We feared for our future.

The Ymacera as of 2359.


These Molluscoid aliens proved to be friendly inclined, though. We soon established a presence on their capital planet – the only planet these aliens would inhabit for a long time before their second planet, and so far, only colony, was settled a century in. This lack of expansion to new worlds, which was due to their native planet being a perfect Gaia world and thus they had little ability to settle “lesser” planets, was not mirrored in a lack of expansion to new systems.

Ymacca, the Ymacera capital world.



Their empire soon grew far and wide, but their power compared to ours soon diminished. As of 2359, their fleets are greatly inferior to ours, their technological knowhow the same, while their economic size is frankly pathetic compared to us. They are great friends of our species, though, and an associate member of our federation – the Glorious Gracious.

The H’Runi as of 2359.


The second alien civilization we met, were the H’Runi Communality. These aliens were also quite a different civilization to ours, but for different reasons. These aliens are a Lithoid species, made not out of flesh, but of rock. If that was not fascinating and different enough, they also kept a wholly different view on the world beyond their own species and space. Xenophobic and isolationist in nature, our relations have not been close, but we do maintain friendly relations – if distant. They were on our encounter already strong in all fields, fleet size as well as economy and technological prowess.

The H’Runi home world as of 2359.


As opposed to the Ymacera, these aliens have expanded not only in systems, but also in inhabited planets. Inhabiting only five planets less than us Sildor, these Lithoids have spread to no less than 22 planets, all inhabited by themselves and some robots. While our Empire has a larger total population number, of 850 population units against their 788, are we as as species dwarfed by theirs – 106 PU of Sildor against 750 PU of H’Runi. This big growth has also made this Empire equivalent to ours in both fleet power and economic power, us only dwarfing them in technology level.

 

[Nikolai]

Species of the Sildor Commonwealth – Top Five



In the year 2359, a total number of 24 species – not counting subspecies – inhabited the Sildor Commonwealth. The most populous of these, although not by a large degree, was us Sildor ourselves. As a species, we have a continental preference, and are widely considered charismatic and generally strong, and sedentary in nature. While our Commonwealth number 27 planets and ring sections, few are suited for us, and thus we have relied on our fellow, alien, species to expand. In 2359, we live on a total of seven planets.

The second most populous species in our Commonwealth is the Saathid. These intelligent Arthropods were the first of the so far in total three species we Sildor have enlightened from a primitive state, having just reached the industrial age when we encountered them decades ago. After a time as subjects, they were incorporated into our state as a species with full rights, and soon colonized space. Their species now live on a total of eleven planets.


The third most populous species in our Commonwealth is a real interesting case. The Rcket are mammals, but they have no known home planet. They all come from a group of traveling traders that often visit our worlds, and sometimes some of them settle on our worlds. The only psionic species in our Commonwealth, these guys inhabit eleven planets.


The avian Qravadox is another species with no home world. Coming from persecution by the now extinct exterminating robots and the fanatical purifyers in the eastern parts of the galaxy, they have thrived under Sildor rule and now inhabit fourteen planets. In addition to this, visiting traders have seen this species gain two hybrid species, the Half-Oviir and Half-Ferbanite, both inhabiting two planets.

The fifth most populous species in Sildor space is the Tharbarite, a Lithoid species orginating in Ymacera space. The Ymacera conquered this then primitive species, adding their home world of Codria III as their first colony. As the Ymacera is a hive mind, the Tharbarite was not able to remain on their home world, fleeing certain death and ending up in Sildor space. Their main species live on twelve of our planets but have also diverged into no less than four sub-species, living on nine, five, two and two planets, respectively.

 

[Nikolai]

Species of the Sildor Commonwealth – Top Six to Ten


The sixth most populous species of the Sildor Commonwealth as of 2359 is also the only one not having full citizenship, solely on the grounds of them being robots, and not very advanced such. Production of these robots have never been a priority, neither the advancement of their capabilities. As such, the populate only four planets at this date.


The seventh species is another Lithoid species. The Ferbanite originate from Sallax I, a planet owned by fungoid Avabbians, in the Fire Tribes of Hur-Alobbava, situated in the galactic north. The Ferbanite currently live on eleven planets within our space and are natural engineers and quite long living. They have partly evolved into a sub-species quicker to learn; these Febanite live on seven of our planets but are much less numerous.


The next species on our list is another Lithoid species. The Oviir species’ home government have recently become our enemies due to their need to expand, but the Oviir currently living under our protection are loyal subjects, rescued from total annihilation by the aforementioned exterminating robots and fanatical purifiers. The Ovvir within our space currently resides on no less than fifteen planets.

The ninth species on our list as arthropod and natural farmers. The Athallid originate on Athull Jor, currently controlled by the Q’Tar Coalition, after being rescued by them during the wars of extermination in this quadrant of the galaxy. Their number is quite big compared to the number of planets they inhabit in Sildor space; 32 population units on only three worlds.


The tenth species on our list is the Snakeoid, a reptilian race originating on Nemozi IIa, a planet currently uninhabited after the extermination by our neighbours, the Ymacera. Fleeing the hive mind’s war of expansion, they landed among other places in our space, and now inhabit six planets. The species is also curious for their treatment by the Ymacera. The hive mind uplifted them before exterminating them, a course of action that is hard to understand.

 

[Nikolai]

Species of the Sildor Commonwealth – Top Eleven to Fifteen


The eleventh most populous species in Sildor space in 2359 is the Obevni, a fungoid race thriving on tropical planets. Living on nine Sildor controlled planets, with their sub-species living on three, they originated on the planet Cydrus, once controlled by the exterminating robots of times past, but rescued by the Q’Tar Coalition before it was too late. Some fled to Sildor space, however, where they were welcomed with open arms.


The mammalian species Fevarian is unique in Sildor space, being the only species who thrives on arctic planets. They occupy one planet, Pandill II, their home planet. This once feudal species was enlightened by the Sildar over several decades, before joining the civilizations among the stars under Sildar supervision. Later, quite recently, they became an integral part of the Sildar Commonwealth as full, integral members of society.

The Ziiran, a reptilian race, are members of the proud species that constitutes the Ziiran Democratic Suns civilization, one of the two founding members of the Glorious Gracious federation together with the Sildar. These intelligent individuals are living on seven Sildar planets, moving into Sildar space as part of the open borders between these two allied civilizations.


The Othethi is a reptilian race living on two planets in Sildar space, after being rescued at the last moment from the fanatical purifiers by Sildar intervention. Their home world of Terk-Ba-Pont is a relic world and their background are, as the Sildar, shrouded in mystery.


The fifteenth most populous species in Sildar space is the Q’Tar, a fungoid species living on eight planets within the Sildar Commonwealth. Their home world Ova Syr is the capital of the Q’Tar Coalition, and they came fleeing during the war against the exterminating robots.

 

[Nikolai]

Species of the Sildor Commonwealth – Top Sixteen to Twenty


The Tembolon is fungoid species living on seven planets in Sildar space. The species originate on Eskrick and was uplifted by the Oviir Shipping alliance. Their numbers in the Sildar Commonwealth stem from the upheaval when the war between the Oviir and their neighbours the fanatical purifiers raged decades ago.


The Pliff-Plaff is a Lithoid species living on four Sildor planets. Their home planet of Terk-Ba-Pont is the same planet as the Othethi, but their connection to this species is, as their origin on this relic world, shrouded in mystery, and neither species is particularly interested in talking about the subject.


The arthropod Von-Okon are great farmers thriving on desert planets, and lives on three planets in Sildor space. They originate from Dandar I, another planet rescued from the fanatical purifiers beaten a couple decades ago. Their numbers are few, still reeling from the persecution seen in the past.

The Tal’Akkur is wide and spread on four planets, which is quite wide and spread considering they number only seven population units. They are an arthropod species originating from the Kel-Azaan Republic in the galactic north-east, having moved to Sildar space through peaceful means as part of the open borders between the two civilizations. They have evolved into a sub-species adapt in engineering. This sub-species live on two planets in Sildor space.


The twentieth species in Sildor space is the Avabbian, a fungoid species living on three different planets. They are a charismatic lot originating on Avabbia in Fire Tribesof Hur-Alobbava space, of which they are the founding species, in the outer northern rim of the galaxy.

 

[Nikolai]

Species of the Sildor Commonwealth – Top Twenty-one to Twenty-four


The few H’Runi – as mentioned a xenophobic isolationist race – that inhabit Sildor space has through genetic engineering changed their planetary preference to ring world preference. One would then think they would live on ring world sections only, but although Sildor space contains only one colonized, working ring world section, these H’Runi live on three worlds in the Sildor Commonwealth.


The Roachoid on their end is an uplifted arthropod species who evolved on a tomb world named Galan. Uplifted by the Ziiran Democratic Suns, these cockroaches later peacefully moved into Sildor space.

The mallable Iztran is an avian species originating on the planet od Dandar I, where they were liberated by the Sildar shortly before their extinction by the fanatical purifiers. They number only six population units, which are spread over two planets in Sildar space.


Lastly, we have the Ubaric, a reptilian species originating on the planet Verm-Te-Birg in current Oviir Shipping Alliance space. Fleeing from persecution by the hands of the fanatical purifiers, only a handful remain living in all of the galaxy, and only two population units live in Sildor space, on one planet.

 

[Nikolai]

Civilizations of the galaxy – The Unaligned



There are in 2359 eleven major civilizations in the galaxy – “major” in this case meaning spacefaring. Two are subject to the Sildor Commonwealth, one is a so-called fallen empire. Two federations exist: “Glorious Gracious” and “Allied Sovereign Nations”.

The unaligned civilizations are the H’Runi Commonality, isolationists, the Fire Tribes of Hur’Alobbava, trading and engaging in more and more open borders, but happy to keep themselves unaligned for now. And the Ken’Azaan Republic, of likewise mind as the Fire Tribes of Hur’Alobbava – friendly, but independent.


There are also seventeen different primitive civilizations in the galaxy, of which for the Sildor the Human civilization in the Sol system, located in H’Runi space, is of particular interest. Legends tell of the origin of the Sildor on a planet called Earth. The humans inhabit a planet they call Earth. The Sildor and Humans also are quite alike. It is possible the Sildor once came from Earth, eons ago.


Then there is the Sintomori Forerunners. This fallen empire keeps to themselves, observes, give the “lesser” civilizations a gift now and then. Little is known of them except they feel superior and that they are exceedingly powerful.

 

[Nikolai]

Glorious Gracious – The Sildor-Ziiran Federation



The Sildor-Ziiran federation, named Glorious Gracious, has been active for decades now. The Sildor wished above all for peace and cooperation in the galaxy as far as possible, and the Ziiran in principle agreed to this notion. They were, however, unsure on whether to commit to a federation with the Sildor, citing the Sildor policy of allowing wars of aggression, even though this had never been used in real life.


As a show of good will, the Sildor thus officially changed their policy on war to forbid wars of aggression, only allowing war when strictly needed, and to contain aggressive neighbours. This pleased the Ziiran and the federation was signed soon after this shift in policy. Later the two enlightened Sildor vassal civilizations of the Fevarian and the Uqo’Praknar. As of 2359, the Fevarians are absorbed into the greater Sildor civilization, while the Uqo’Praknar is currently being integrated.

For decades, peace and cooperation were the order of the day. The Sildor and Ziiran kept in peace with their neighbours. But on the other side of the galaxy, the exterminating robots and fanatical purifiers ravaged their neighborhood, and Sildor and Ziiran space were continually giving refuge to fleeing survivors.


Nothing could be done, however, as no way was open to take on these two Empires. That is, until the Sildor unlocked the technology to use wormholes, and discovered the only wormhole inside their space led directly to the exterminating robots. Mere months later, war was declared and the fleets of Glorious Gracious swarmed into the robots’ space. Soon, they were defeated, and the fanatical purifiers were next. Soon, they too were but a distant memory.

 

[Nikolai]

War with the Allied Sovereign Nations – The Oviir-Q’Tar Federation


However, peace was not to last. The Oviir and their allies the Q’Tar closed their borders to Glorious Gracious members, and thus isolated the main fleet of the Sildor inside an enclave they could not escape. They then begun insulting the Sildor ambassadors and began claiming Sildor systems as rightfully their own. Glorious Gracious went to war to liberate whatever of Oviir space they could, and soon won a decisive victory.

A status quo peace was signed, liberating one fourth of Oviir space into the Oviir Star League, a vassal and ideological parter of the Glorious Gracious. Later, one of their planets rebelled by help of Oviir Shipping Alliance agents, disconnecting Oviir Star League space, but this time Sildor fleets were not trapped. An uneasy peace is now reigning between the Glorious Gracious and their enemies the Allied Sovereign Nations.

 

[Nikolai]

Situation in the Eastern Section – 2397



As four decades has gone by, not much has changed in the galaxy, except in the Eastern Section. Following the war against the Oviir Shipping Alliance and the Q’Tar Coalition, two wars happened here, both involving the Oviir-Q’Tar Federation on one side.


The first war happened right after the conclusion of the war of liberation between the Glorious Gracious and the Allied Sovereign Nations. Sensing weakness, the H’Runi invaded their neighbors and after an almost total defeat of the Allied Sovereign Nations sliced out an ally, later vassal, of the Oviir. The Q’Tar Irenic Compact was born.

Meanwhile, in Oviir Star League space, trouble had been brewing, as agents of the Oviir Shipping Alliance were working to incite more rebellion. Seeking to neutralize this threat and recover the lost systems, as well as liberating the Athallids from Q’Tar oppression, the Glorious Gracious yet again went to war. In the western theatre much opposition was met, but in the eastern theatre the Q’Tar folded like hot butter.


Soon peace was agreed upon, awarding the Oviir Star League some of their lost systems and planets, as well as liberating the Galactic Athallid Confederacy – a new member of the Glorious Gracious. Soon thereafter, the Oviir Star League petitioned to become an integral part of the Sildor Commonwealth.

 

[Nikolai]

Robot Uprisings Across the Galaxy



Starting in 2397, the robots started rising across the galaxy. By 2412, three uprisings had occurred, two of them quelled by the help of Sildor and Federation navies. The first happened in Ziiran space, when the Prime Collectors rose against their Ziiran masters. Soon, half the Ziiran Empire had fallen, but the combined might of Ziiran and their federation allies was too much for the robots to handle, and by the time the L-Cluster opened a few years later, they were gone. In their wake laid a weakened Ziiran realm and three small, new civilizations that had risen against the robot oppression before the Ziiran had returned. Two of them is by 2428 vassals under the Ziiran.

A few years later, the robots of the Q’Tar Coalition also rose, and the Q’Tar fell into a desperate fight they by 2428 is far from winning yet. There too small states have popped up in rebellion against their new robot masters, making the political situation complicated to say the least.


Lastly, in the early 2420s, a third robot uprising happened, this time in Athallian space. This uprising was quickly quelled, as Sildor and Federation navies and armies were stationed nearby. Within a year, the uprising was no more. All this upheaval has stirred the galaxy, and fear for the robots of the Sildor Commonwealth has risen. Sildor authorities has spoken on the issue, and said that while the many robots of Sildor space has no citizen rights as of now, this is due to their relatively basic programming, and promises of full citizenship as soon as the robots reach sapience has been made public.*

-------------------------------------------------------

(*the techs for robots almost never pops up, despite me being on repeatable tech #5 or more for most/all techs at this time.)

 

[Nikolai]

The Dessanu



The Dessanu of the L-Cluster is the story about nanites, hubris and sorrow. When the Sildor Commonwealth opened the L-Cluster in the early 2410s, they were met by a thankful Dessanu civilization, long lost from the galaxy proper and now ready to reintegrate themselves.


Or so it seemed. Something soon seemed off. The Dessanu behaved suspiciously, avoiding certain questions about their history and the creation of the L-Gates. Especially was their total hostility on the mention of nanites disconcerning. The Sildor decided the galaxy needed to know what dark secrets was hidden by the Dessanu and pressed the issue.


That pressure let to war. The Dessanu totally broke down their communications and shot down civilian ships entering their space, after previously having welcomed trading with open arms. The Sildor fleets thus entered Dessanu space and invaded. Soon, they had boots on the ground on Dessanu planets.

And discovered the horrifying truth. The Dessanu did not exist. Once, they had. Then, the nanites they used for creating the L-Cluster and L-Gates turned on them and consumed them, the Dessanu only barely managing to keep the L-Gates shut before it was too late. The nanites then for unknown reasons decided to mimic their fallen masters. Now, they fell – and fell hard. Soon, the nanites, or Dessanu, whatever one wants to call them, was no more.


The Sildor quickly claimed the L-Cluster and then set off terraforming the now dead nanite worlds – a huge amount of them ready for colonization. All planets were terraformed into continental worlds, perfect for Sildor habitation, as well as many of the other species in Sildor space. By 2428 all are colonized and thriving, the horrors of the Dessanu a weak, yet uncomfortable, memory.