Veskarium

The **Veskarium** is a militant interplanetary empire located in the Ghavaniska system. It is the inhabited solar system nearest to the Golorion System, and is named after its dominant species, the Vesk.

The might of the Veskarium was at it's peak in 704 PE as they had colonized multiple star systems throughout the Milky Way Galaxy, were actively waging war against the Pact, and had just completed the Conquorer's Forge. Their numbers have dwindled since the release of the Bolzenplod during the Secret War.

The Veskarium still hold a firm grasp on their native Ghavniska System. Any opportunity for further conquest would put their species survival at risk due to their extremely low birth rates.

## Territory

The Veskarium's core territory consists of the eight planets orbiting the star Ghavaniska, their moons and the space station Conqueror's Forge. Except for Vesk Prime, homeworld of the vesk and the Veskarium's seat of power, these planets officially have no names, only numbers correlating to their distance from the sun (such as Vesk-6). Outside of the Ghavaniska system, the Veskarium also controls a few colonies scattered across both Near Space and the Vast.

## History

The Veskarium Empire formed 3000 years before the Pact was formed, when the Vesk banded together to eliminate all other sapient life on their homeworld of Vesk Prime. After discovering space flight, the Veskarium became interplanetary, conquering their nearest neighbouring planet, now known as Vesk 2 in 1900 BPE. The rest of the Ghavaniska System was under Veskarium control by 461 BPE.

The Vesk never dicovered the Signal when it was sent out in 600 BPE. Scholars believe that any Kishalee artifacts in their star system were destroyed in their nuclear conquest. Some scholars simply believe the Vesk were too simple decipher the message.

In 80 PE a Shirren Starfinder team from the Pact made contact with the Ghavniska System. After realizing the military prowess of the Vesk, they traded their knowledge of the Drift and the Signal for aid in the ongoing Swarm War. By 300 PE the Swarm were declared extinct, and the Swarm War concluded. As a reward, the Pact gifted the Vesk an uninhabited hospitable planet, now known as Nuveskia.

The Vesk used their new Drift technology to explore and colonize vulnerable planets and stat systems throughout the galaxy. This put a strain on their relationship with the Pact, which reached a boiling point when the Veskarium attacked Triaxus in 693 PE, initiating the [[Silent War].

As the war waged on, the Vesk completed construction of the mighty Conquorer's Forge. In response, the Kasatha released the Bolzenplod, a biological weapon that altered the reproductive systems of the Vesk, causing mass infertility. The conflict still continued for another 250 years, but as the Vesk population numbers dwindled so did their military might. Known the survival of their species was at stake, the Veskarium finally surrendered.

In the aftermath of the Silent War. the Vesk were left in shambles. Many Vesk refused to surrender, and had to be wiped out by Kasatha forces. The defeated Vesk sought out opportunities amongst the galaxy. Many offering ther services as paid mercenaries, or pirating the frontiers of space with the Free Captains.

The Vesk maintained their hold on the Ghavaniska System, as well as a few other colonies in Near Space and the Vast. While the opportunity for expansion was always tempting, it was too much of a toll on their population to begin new conquests.

In 2175 PE the Veskarium sided with the Pact in the Azlanti Crusades, defending Near space from the invading forces.