When the Ancients fled the galaxy they left behind unwanted possessions, including the jaguar-like Grahwah, telepathic genetic constructs created as companions. When the Grahwah were abandoned on primitive Azad, the Ancients promised that someday other sentient beings would join them. Isolated for millennia, the Grahwah rejoiced when space-faring Human refugees arrived, and they released a gas to trigger telepathy in the new arrivals. Azad was transformed, and the telepathic bond of Grahwah ferocity and Human cunning built the formidable Azadi Empire. Azadi thought they alone held true memories of the Ancients through the Grahwah, since Humans only had distorted myths of forgotten gods. But Grahwah memories did not mention other possessions discarded by the Ancients, and the Azadi have found they are not alone.
Fire, Sword & Diamond
MUMFAWI EMPIRE
Two thousand years ago, when Mumfawi exploration missions encountered those of the Galatian Empire, neither side wanted conflict, so a Treaty was signed establishing a border with mutual agreement to ignore each other. Centuries passed when the Mumfawi discovered the Galatian Empire had collapsed and been replaced by the much weaker Grand Alliance. An empire ruled by vicious oligarchs who forced waves of refugees to flee into Mumfawi space. This created a crisis for the Mumfawi, who had never envisioned aliens living in their space.
Alien Empires
NAREVAK
The Unity Confederation and Alliance of Free Planets vie for economic and political control of planets in the Unaligned Zone. Fiercely independent Narevak keeps both at bay with a formidable Fleet, and accepts refugees from other unaligned systems and both Powers. Most are telepaths fleeing persecution by Unity authorities and Alliance people who have crossed one of the ruling Oligarch Corporations.
Breaking Silence Finding Refuge Taking Ghost
WARSHIP VIPERIAN
The ancient Unistar Empire tore apart in its third millennium leaving the Outer Sectors to fight over the spoils. In the following centuries of chaos illicit colonies in remote space flourished, some turned their backs on the old order while others embraced the opportunities offered by constant war. The mercenary warship Viperian is a witness to a watershed time when order begins to emerge from chaos, but what form it may take is unclear.
Viperian
RATAKA
A thousand years ago 1000 Humans were kidnapped by mysterious alien entities from 14 widely-dispersed worlds and brought to Rataka, to provide living conduits to draw energy from the planet's biomass. They were ordered to cooperate to build a society, and be ready to provide 14 conduits every twenty-five years when the Harvesters as the Rataki came to call them returned to feed. Trapped behind a magnetic cloud, it took hundreds of years for Rataki to become space-capable and find a way to the outside. Only to find a war-torn universe dominated by three competing Human Empires, though none as fearsome as the Harvesters.
Fire, Sword & Diamond