The Royal Belt

The Royal Belt is a legendary space raiding cartel that emerged between the establishment of CFS and the first 50 years of The Confederation. The exact date of its founding remains unknown, as several independent criminal groups claim to be the first to fly under the Royal Belt flag. Originally comprising around 10 individual raider groups, the Royal Belt aimed to elevate its status in the Palas system. While their primary targets were anyone except the Belters, the organization eventually split into two factions—one in favor of raiding the Belt and the other opposed to it. The Royal Belt served as the progenitor of three other present-day criminal organizations.

## Separation of Nether from the Royal Belt

Nether, the oldest of the three organizations that originated from the Royal Belt, quietly separated from its parent group. Although Nether did not recruit many former members of the Royal Belt, they managed to enlist independent raider groups to join their cause. The rift between Nether and the Royal Belt occurred 270 years ago following a significant event involving the Confederation's flagship vessel, "The Silent." This separation led to a substantial number of Belter Raiders joining the newly established Nether.

"The Silent," the Confederation's pioneering warp-drive spaceship, encountered a catastrophic incident 270 years ago when it shipwrecked in the asteroid belts of the Palas System. A raider vessel from a group known as The Void Patrol stumbled upon the almost abandoned ship less than two hours later after crew had abandoned ship in fear of a reactor leak. By that time, only a few engineers and the bridge crew remained on board, while the deserters fled in small ships and escape pods, assuming the ship had been destroyed. News of this event quickly spread, leading to a significant influx of Belter Raiders who joined the newly formed Nether.

## The Tears and Internal Power Struggles

The Tears, another faction within the Royal Belt, was established following a five-year conflict approximately 150 years ago. Internal power struggles nearly brought the Royal Belt to its knees during this period. The primary cause of the conflict stemmed from differences regarding the raiding of the Belters themselves. Eventually, the two factions agreed to a split, creating a non-aggression pact that defined territories and prohibited raids across their borders. While The Tears primarily focused on space raids, the Royal Belt continued their raids on spaceships for another century while also plundering mining bases operated by corporations.

## Evolution of the Royal Belt

As the Royal Belt expanded its influence, it began looting mining territories previously controlled by corporations. To maintain favor with the Belters, the Royal Belt distributed a portion of their spoils as gifts and giveaways in mining stations. This strategy allowed the criminals to gradually assume control over the mining territories, sometimes masquerading under the former owners' names to maintain appearances. The corporations, deeming it costly and time-consuming to combat rebellious workers and criminals, largely turned a blind eye to the Royal Belt's activities. However, recent developments have seen the Royal Belt launching attacks on inhabited areas within the Belts. As a result, corporations have begun retaking their properties, as criminal enterprises operating under their name damage their reputation. While the Royal Belt expanded its operations, they sporadically welcomed individuals from one-ship crews, gradually strengthening their fleet.

## The Formation of Flotsam

Flotsam, a splinter group from The Tears, emerged less than 100 years ago when The Tears of Virgo went rogue and began raiding under their own flag. Limited information is available about this organization, but rumors suggest that Scurvy Kane, the current leader, is the son of Ginny Nine-Lives, the former leader of The Tears of Virgo and potentially the first commander of The Flotsam.

The Royal Belt, with its origins and subsequent separation from Nether, has cemented its reputation as a notorious crime cartel within the Palas system and beyond.