A Brief History

This is for those unfamiliar with the Firefly Universe or just looking for a quick refresher. If there's a need for additional details just ask.

## History Summarized

By the 22nd century conditions on Earth became so bad that it could no longer support human life and humanity needed to find a new home. A new star system was discovered and plans were made by Earth’s two remaining superpowers (The United States & China) to colonize it.

The two terrestrial worlds that orbit the primary star make up the core planets. One is predominantly Western in culture, the other pan-Asian. This fusion of Western and East Asian cultures results in mixed linguistic and visual themes for our game. The dialogue tends to be a bizarre purée of wisecracks, old-timey Western-paperback patois, and snatches of Chinese. (Which is why we curse in Mandarin but feel free to use English or refrain altogether.)

The core planets are the base of power behind the governing and military body called The Union of Allied Planets or simply The Alliance. Their power and control extend to the other planets, but the further out you go the less it means. The central planets are firmly under Alliance control, but the outlying planets and moons resemble the 19th-century American West, under little governmental authority. Settlers and refugees on the outlying worlds have relative freedom from the central government but lack the amenities of the high-tech civilization that exists on the inner worlds. In addition, the outlying areas of space ("The Black") are inhabited by the Reavers, a cannibalistic group of nomadic humans that have become savage and animalistic.

There was resentment between the outlying worlds and the Alliance. It resulted in the Unification War, a failed attempt by the outlying worlds (the Independents) to resist the Alliance's control. The resistance fighters of the outer planets were known colloquially as Browncoats due to their customary brown trench coat and attire. They lost completely, lacking the resources to wage a proper war in the first place even if they possessed the heart. Years later that division between the rich and poor still exists. The resources and financial aid promised by the Alliance in the wake of the war was short-lived and did little to improve the lives of those living outside the practical control of the Alliance. A veteran Browncoat soldier went on to scrape a living doing the odd jobs with his ship, some of it was even respectable work. But the winds of discontent are blowing again and people are talking about a Second Unification War. Once you put on the Browncoat you never take it off and if there was going to be another war, Captain Keller would be there to fight the good fight. But wars required resources and they’d lost the first one precisely because they lacked those resources. He needed allies and money which meant he’d be doing some good deeds for good people and some bad deeds for worse people. But first, he’d need a crew.

## Browncoats and the Independent Planets

   Browncoats were soldiers who fought for the Independent Planets, who lost to the Union of Allied Planets in the Unification War. They were named after the simple, brown leather trench coats they wore as uniforms. They also wore red scarves around their necks. The simplicity of their gear was greatly due to the fact that technology and resources were scarce on the Outer Planets. Conversely, the Alliance's soldiers were called "Purple Bellies", because of the purple-tinted body armor they wore on their chests.

After the war's end, clothiers made good money dyeing brown coats blue or gray as folks wanted to forget the past and let the past forget them. Those that still "wear the brown" do it on purpose.

## Alliance and the Union of Allied Planets

   The Union of Allied Planets or Universal Alliance or Anglo-Sino Alliance is the central government and law-enforcement organization of the Verse. In its present form, it came about after the Central planets fought the Unification War against the Independent Planets that wanted to break away from Alliance jurisdiction. The war raged for nearly six years. However, by 2511 the Alliance had prevailed, and an armistice was signed.

## Unification War

The Unification War was a war fought between the Union of Allied Planets and the Independent Planets from 2506 to 2511. The Central Planets had taken much of the system resources and technology and left the outer planets to fend for themselves. After years of unsatisfactory talks, the outer planets seceded from the Alliance and gathered support of other planets. Their aim was to start their own alliance, without the interference of the center planets. The Alliance could not accept this loss of face and so the war began. The Alliance was victorious, and those surviving independents migrated towards the outer planets.

## Battle of Serenity Valley

The Battle of Serenity Valley was a battle fought during the Unification War in Serenity Valley, located on Hera, and was considered to be the final decisive battle in the war. The battle began in May 2511, and while not the final battle of the war, was generally considered the end of the war for the Independents, who had lost almost all of the sixteen brigades and twenty air-tank squads they committed to the battle.

## Companion's Guild

A Companion is a skilled, well-educated and well-respected member of a guild of professional courtesans/entertainers, somewhat similar to oiran. While they do frequently engage in a form of state-sanctioned prostitution, they are nonetheless treated with a great deal of respect and deference by nearly everyone, though non-guild prostitutes are generally treated in the reverse, even if they are former Guild members.

## Reavers

To the people of the Core Worlds, Reavers are a campfire tale and bedtime story; to the people of the Border Worlds and Colonies, Reavers are very real.

Reavers are believed by most of the 'verse to be men that went insane at the edge of space and became savage. They stared into the void beyond and became what they saw: nothing. They gave into their primal nature and all that was civilized was discarded.

However, key members of the Alliance's Parliament know better, and the crew of Serenity eventually discovers their true origin. Most folks believe that Reavers are no longer human. It's easier to believe they have nothing in common with the rest of humanity.

## Had Enough?

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