Raven Corporation

## Backstory

### Origins

Raven Corporation was founded in the year 2182 as a transport company by John Sinclair, a wealthy businessman. At first they were a small company only fielding a few freighters that were able to capitalize on the new BlinkDrive technology. Demand grew rapidly during the First Pan-Galactic war as we were supplying both sides of the war. Our playing both sides made our freighters targets and the cost of losing merchant ships kept climbing higher and higher. The solution to this came in an unlikely form. one day a flotilla of Raven Dragoman Class Freighters were running an expensive haul of Ylkoppian Cube-Snails when a group of unknown ships appeared. Following standard protocol we immediately opened communication. That is when they identified themselves as the MAW, a band of pirates. Thinking quickly our freighters made an offer too foolish to pass on. Seconds felt like hours as the pirates deliberated their options. After an eternity they reopened communications and accepted the offer to escort the freighters to their destination in exchange for a hefty sum of credits and a recurring escort role for all Raven trade goods.

Somewhere in the early 2800s Raven Corp opened trade negotiations with ‘SivCorp’ welcoming them to the galactic market. Years passed and the cost of continuing to pay the now renamed ‘Retrograde Solutions GmbH’ and the increase in piracy due to the failing Republic finally made the board decide to create their own security force. They started by buying outdated warships but the needs kept growing so Raven started designing and building their own ships. This success had drawn the attention of the new Imperium that replaced the fallen Republic, thus the feud began.

### Imperium Era

Seeing a potential threat emerging with the authoritarian Imperium, Raven began to research and design their own classes of warships. This rapid militarization did not go unnoticed on the galactic scale. The Imperium sent a cease and desist notification which went largely ignored. And the long standing trade partner SivCorp took particular interest in forming an alliance to deter military actions from the Imperium. The propaganda war began in 3325. A conglomerate formed between Raven Corporation, Tankium Syndicate, SivCorp, and Retrograde Solutions GmbH in 3326 after the discovery that the Imperium was building superweapons capable of destroying entire planets. For 2 and 1/2 years the conglomerate searched for these massive planet killers. Upon their discovery the conglomerate disagreed with how they should be dealt with when SivCorp decided to steal them instead.

Over the next 6 months the Imperium raided system after system killing anyone in the way trying to find their lost weapons. The conglomerate declared war in 3329, thus starting the Third Pan-Galactic War, when the Imperium crossed a line by using a superweapon to destroy one of their own planets just as a show of force. Shortly after the Conglomerate renamed themselves to the United Coalition.  The war lasted eight long bloody years at major cost in both money and lives on both sides leaving entire sectors uninhabitable.  In the end the Imperium had fallen and in its place formed the pan-galactic council. All the major factions had their roles to maintain the new order. Each was to have their own standing defense force under the agreement they would cooperate should order be threatened. Many years of peace followed the revolution. With piracy on the decline the factions downsized their military assets. We didn't know how big a mistake that was until the unthinkable happened.

### Calamity

  The event known as Calamity. Rifts tore through space blocking major trade routes and cutting off contact entirely with the systems within what is being called the Great Barrier. It wasn’t long after we lost contact with systems closer to home outside the barrier. We sent scouts to investigate and when we didn't hear back from them we sent in a fleet. What happened next no one could have predicted. The fleet consisting of two cruisers and 5 Destroyers only one ship made it out to warn Raven Command HQ. Many of Ravens ships were outdated, underequipped, or long overdue for refits. Some still lacked even shield generators or advanced railguns still relying on antiquated cannon technology. Even Raven’s newest ships, the Archon class, were outmatched and too limited in numbers to be an effective deterrent. The Xsotan’s arrival managed to break up the Pan-Galactic Council as many member systems were caught up fighting the Xsotan. Raven attempted organized military strikes with their allies but all efforts proved fruitless as the kill to loss ratio was too great to justify offensive operations. Raven withdrew its surviving forces and quickly put their best minds to work designing a new frontline battlecruiser to swing the odds into our favor. In the 6 years it took to design the Sovereign class and all military assets were pulled from mothballs and put into active service as a stopgap to fend off the aliens a while longer. Time was not on our side as the Xsotan took system after system suffering only minor losses at the hands of some of the more advanced races of the galaxy. The first Sovereign came off the line in 3719C.E. and was just the thing needed to boost the morale of the people.

### Surviving

The Sovereign class was a game changer for Raven, being equipped with the latest technology “acquired” from allies and enemies alike. Their  introduction opened a new chapter for the RCN. Many ships would come in the following years bearing the advanced technologies pioneered on the Sovereigns. While these ships still couldn’t win on a one to one basis they were far closer in relative power as to pose a meaningful threat allowing Raven to push back out and aid the allies they had abandoned for so long. Relations were strained with even long standing allies that were left to the wolves for all those years. Regardless of personal feelings at the time they needed all the help they could get so we assisted with any ships we could spare. Several years of struggle followed and we were finally starting to get a handle on the Xsotan, so much so that open trading even resumed by those who were still able and relief efforts sent to those unable. There was still a major hurdle in the way in the form of the great barrier. There is currently no known way to cross into the core systems if they even still exist, but that hasn’t stopped the galaxy's best minds from trying to find a way to pass through the barrier.

### Turning the Tide

In the year 3758C.E. a patrol fleet near our home sector picked up some strange readings on their scanners and went to investigate. Upon arrival to the signal they found a drifting Xsotan Decimator completely intact but seemingly offline. Reporting their findings command quickly dispatched a research team to study the ship. After determining the ship was no threat they brought in a reclamation team and brought the ship to a secured location for further study. For 3 years tests were conducted until a prototype ship was created using the reverse engineered technology. With the advent of this powerful new technology the Xsotan no longer had superiority over our own ships, no longer were our ships outmatched. Many new ships would be designed and built in the coming years to create a powerful new fleet.

## Structure

Raven Corporation is comprised of three branches. Each represented by a one of the three hexagons in their respective logos. No one branch is more important than the others as all have their roles to play in keeping Raven and its people a successful state.

#### Raven Corp Transportation

This was the founding branch underneath John Sinclair himself. This branch is responsible for all trade, shipping, and handling.

#### Raven Corp Navy

Founded in middle years of the Warring Factions Era as a replacement for a hired security force this branch is responsible for all militant actions within to defend Raven's and their allies assets.

#### Raven Corp Senate

Formed as a result of needing a formal government to manage its growing assets during the Period of Prosperity. This branch is the formal government of Raven, managing politics and diplomatic relations, as well as appointing lesser governing bodies in their territories.

## Ships

### Early

Early Raven ships weren't the most advanced in the galaxy, but they were decently constructed and able to hold their own in combat against most of the threats at the time. If equipped with shields at all they were older generators and the weapons were ballistic cannons and missiles.

* Oberon Class Corvette
* Forerunner Class Frigate
* Noble Class Destroyer
* Arbiter Class Light Cruiser
* Regal Class Carrier
* Monarch Class Battlecruiser
* Archon Class Cruiser

### Calamity

The 2nd generation of Raven Corp ships were far and beyond superior to their first generation counterparts. Featuring domestically built shields and advanced Rail weaponry as well as an complete doctrine rework.

* Oberon Mk.2
* Forerunner Mk.2
* Noble Mk.2
* Arbiter Mk.2
* Sovereign Class Battlecruiser
* Kaiser Class Command Ship

### Modern Designs

Utilizing the captured Xsotan Decimator advanced our technology several fold. The limiting factor of power generation was no longer of concern, meaning we could field much more powerful shields, engines, and weapons. Including the advanced plasma weapons used by the Xsotan themselves.

* Archon Mk.2
* Noble Mk.3
* Baron Class Escort Carrier
* Duke Class Electronic Warfare Cruiser

* Bishop Class Heavy Cruiser

## External Links

WHS\_Hitman Workshop - https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198092490835/myworkshopfiles/?appid=445220