Last Light Consortium

The **Last Light Consortium** (L.L.C.) are one of the five Factions in the planet Solace in Battleborn. The Last Light Consortium are War Profiteers in the known universe, interested in arming whichever side of the conflict. They run Minion Robotics which makes the robotics, and sell to all the different factions.

## Faction Info

The mostly-cybernetic **LLC** (Last Light Consortium) is the greatest economic power left in the universe, defined by a relentless pursuit of profit, no matter the cost. Once a constituent body of the United Peacekeeping Republics, the LLC abandoned the coalition when it became clear that principles and purpose did little to contribute to the bottom line. Owns and operates Minion Robotics, the largest weapons manufacturer still standing.

## Who are the Last Light Consortium?

The LLC are the aristocratic merchant class of the galaxy at the end of the universe. They are the money and manufacturing arm of ...well, everything that is left. They are makers, and bankers, and entertainers, and traders, and sellers, and inventors, and war profiteers. Their ingenuity is only surpassed by their desire to turn a profit.

Originally a sub-group within the United Peacekeeping Republics (UPR), the Last Light Consortium parted ways a few decades back when the Peacekeepers attempted a forceful settlement of the Eldrid homeworld, Ekkunar, and failed. When the Eldrid resisted, the LLC decided to turn the turmoil into a business opportunity, mainly so they could keep selling war machines to both factions!

Having always been experts at making robots and artificial intelligences, the LLC long ago accepted and recognized artificial intelligences (known as "Magnuses") as equal members of their society – mostly thanks to a number of robotic revolutions and tentative, but profitable, peace negotiations. Now, the faction is split nearly equally between humans, Magnuses, and hybrids of the two, and they have avoided additional robot revolutions for nearly two centuries now!

## Taking Care of Business

The LLC are comprised of dozens of guilds and corporations - with the most notable of these being Minion Robotics. In a universe where combatants are running low, Minion Robotics positioned itself to become the "premier provider of custom-built – and cost effective – war machines for every need in the modern military campaign." They have become the dominant, if not monopolistic, crafter of death-dealing droids, ships, and weapons. Their products (including minions, sentries, and buildable battlefield augmentations) are in high demand from every corner of the rapidly-shrinking universe.

Minion Robotics has been around for nearly 500 years, and for most of that time was led by the Magnus CEO, ISIC. During the Great Severance, ISIC left Minion Robotics to seek other "interests." For a brief stint, the CTO of Minion Robotics, Gunnar Kleese, took over as CEO. Well, at least for a few hours until it became painfully apparent that no human could perform the complex administration needed for optimal efficiency.

## Profit, Luxury, and Invention

The Last Light Consortium avoids anything that’s bad for business. Even during these end times – when there are fewer potential clients – the LLC works tirelessly to expand profit margins and discover bold new financial paradigms to exploit. For many years, the LLC was run by a trade-specialist artificial intelligence, known as the Magna Carta. It officiated all of the trade compacts and agreements for the faction. To join the LLC required an established permanent link to the Magna Carta who administrated the position within the organization.

Profit, luxury, and invention are behind every LLC initiative. In fact, they are so incredibly wealthy that they value excessive demonstrations of that wealth, favoring overly-stylish design in every facet of daily living, from dress to their machines of war. It is the ultimate realization of corporate culture and unchecked capitalism – and, to them, it’s glorious.

Things that jeopardize their interests: Radical mysticism, uncontrolled theft, non-renewable markets, and impediments of bureaucracy... basically, anything that threatens boosts to quarterly revenues. Oh, yes, and the end of the last star in the universe.

## The History Of The Arcfleet

The Last Light Consortium (LLC) Arcfleet began out of necessity. After all, if the Varelsi are destroying every planet you set up manufacturing facilities on, it’s hardly cost effective. With the universe going dark, mobilizing your workforce is necessary for peak efficiency (and survival). Hundreds of years – and hundreds of thousands of ships – later, the LLC Arcfleet is a commercially-driven armada operating primarily to optimize profits, even in the face of certain extinction. While there are no celestial bodies attached to the LLC, their incredibly ornate Guildships signal the technological opulence valued throughout the LLC’s Arcfleet.

## An Interconnected Society

The LLC has flourished as humans, Artificial Intelligences, and "augmented human hybrids" have figured out how to co-exist: their love of upgrading and improving technology. And profit. Lots of profit. So, with 3,800 Guildships and nearly 250,000 arcships in the fleet, the LLC rely upon a networked system of AIs collaborating to do everything from coordinating fleet travel to outputting new lines of sentry drones at Minion Robotics.

## Ports of Interest

While there are entire Guildships loaded with inhabitants according to trade - artisans, lawyers, and accountants to name a few – there are a handful of exceptionally exquisite ships in the Arcfleet. Beyond the behemoths responsible for manufacturing drones for Minion Robotics, here are a few of the more notable ships:

* The Hemsworth Guildship - Home of one of the oldest and most prestigious human-based dynasties in the LLC. The Hemsworth family owns a massive percentage of the manufacturing power of the LLC, including Minion Robotics. It is also the home of renowned adventurer and heir to the Hemsworth fortune, Phoebe.
* Drone Carrier Thrax – While the AI Magnus, the Magna Carta, has been hard to pin down to one location, it has long been rumored that the entity is housed on a massive AI drone carrier which it uses to defend its interests.
* The Galactic Holo-Arena – What do you do when you have time, money, and a nearly endless supply of combat robots? You FIGHT! And bet on the outcomes! Then find tax shelters to conceal any winnings! Any sentient being, robot or otherwise, is invited to participate in one-on-one combat in the Galactic Grand Championship which is broadcast live across the fleet (and to other subscribing faction stations) from a central Holo-Arena arcship. This is where the legendary El Dragón made a name for himself, as a human fighting all-robotic challengers. If anyone were to place bets and sell a pay-per-view live feed for the end of the universe – it’d likely happen right here.

## References

1. ↑ https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-sorting-out-the-last-light-consortium/
2. ↑ https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-the-llc-arcfleet/