The Knights of Altastèr

## Knightly Order of Altastèr

The Knightly Order of Altastèr is an order of chivalrous knights created during the first war against the Curse of Existence by the Altastari (the race who lived in Altastèr), and they are led by the Queen of Altastèr. Armed with ancient power armors, arcane psionic weapons and trained in extra-planar battlegrounds, this knights fight wholeheartedly against the horrendous beings crawling from the core of the galaxy.

## Faction Details

#### **CAPITAL :**

The Order capital is The Ancient Throne, a holy and ethernal city of unknown origin placed in an extraplanar area, connected with the real dimension by the metaphysic networks of the planet of Guardia and the Runegate.
The planet of Guardia is located in the Gran Coruna system, a star system of the Trantum sector.

#### **GOVERNMENT & MILITARY STRUCTURE**:

Army and government in the order are strictly connected, infact a knight is a state representative. His words are words of the order when confronted with religious debates or enacting the order law as long as it follows the Andromedian Code, a codex of laws and moral behaviours that must be followed.

​​​​​​Even if each knight can represent the order, a hierarchical  piramyd has been established for the regulation and administration of the order, here is the list of ranks from the highest to the lowest.

**The Kings and Queens of the Ancient Throne**:

The **​​​​​​**order is led by the royal family of the altastari race. This because the first King was a knight, the most virtous of all, his name was Alejandro the First of House Valtisèr,  and was also the leader of the religious doctrine.The inheritance though is based on an ancient knightly law "Each son and daughter of a knight inherit the title, rights and duties".

Now they are led by the beautyfull and clever Queen Anna the Third of house Valtisèr, as she is more a statist than a true warrior she rarely take the lead in military campaigns. But her powers mustn't be underestimated.

**The Council of Masters** :

This council is formed by the greatest of the knights, and all of them have the duty to help the monarch with the administration affairs of the Order. They usually are 6 each one takes an administrative branch.
​​​​

**Crown Mandator** :
This is a title usually given to a Lord Holder whom has been granted the viceroyalty of a planet. Though, at the end of his life mandate the title will return to the hands of the current monarch.

**Lord Holder** :
Usually given to a Grand Knight who have reached the age of retirement and bestowed by the monarch. The Lord Holder is a knight who was granted a regional dominion of a planet or  granted a space station. This title is inheritable.

**The Grand Knights** :

The Grand Knights are knights who reached leading roles either because of their magical powers, intellect or might, though they all are leaders and must know how to lead. This rank is given and not inherited, and bestowed by the monarchs of the order.

They can lead companies up to a maximum of a thousand knights each. When more Grand Knights unites to lead combined operations it's called a Cycle (the word Cycle is usually accompanied by the name of the military campaign, exemple : The Altastèr Cycle)

**Alfier** :
The Alfiers are knights recognized for their valor and chivalrous attitude in combact, they can lead up to a maximum of 200 knights, and usually they are the ones who guide teams and tactical operations.

**Knight** :
The backbone of the army, their title is inheritable. Though this title is not detainable only for the actual soldiers of the Order, even scientists and magical scholars, engeneers and clerks can handle the title of knight. Though military training is a must as also following the Andromedian Code.

**THE ORDER CHRONICLES (HISTORY):**

The first war : The Galactic Reconquista

"The skies were dark and the ground darker. The only distinguishing lines were the grim reddish horizon and the ashes colouring the surface of a dieing world, signs of thousands of battles. But we were not there to silently commemorate death, we were there do celebrate it through our sacrifice. Because we marched against it with gallant armors made by gold and silver, because we marched all together with our banners and halberds, symbols of our glorious pride and valour made by hundreds of fights.

To repel, to purge, to save our galaxy and our homes, we marched in fields of grim deaths"
- Grand Knight Leopoldo Brandero -

**T**​he First war against the Curse of Existence was fought in all the corners of Andromeda and the knights battled for curing the galaxy from the curse the Altastari themselves had created through large use of psionic weapons for the sole purpose to kill each others for world dominance. This planet in particular became the main battleground of the war, the interdimensional fractures caused by ancient psionic weapons made possible for the spawns to swarm in massess, erecting spaceships with their mere bodies and then invade other planets.

Though the Knights weren't formed before a long decade of sufference and surival against the Curse. In those years it spreaded and found other ways to expand, appearing in other planets and devastating them. No one was there to save the many civilization who simply couldn't stand the fight. Many times the spawns invaded entire worlds because of a simple error made by an apprentice mage in some distant star.

​​​​​The Altastari, the race which was the direct fault of the Curse to actually exist in that plane of reality was also the one who suffered more than many others. They suffered because the continued to live. Technology advancements and survival of the fittest were the only things capable of maintaining them alive, as they lived in the same planet were the curse was more rooted.

In a desperate attempt to find a way to save themselves, the altastari created the runegate, a psionic portal of incredible power, made by the pure sacrifice of the strongest psionist of their people. This gate made possible to teleport in any planet of the galaxy, and so it was used to find other survivors or technologies. They discovered how the Curse was spreading but also, in the ruins of the devastated worlds, they found the technologies to create the ultimate weapons to fight the Curse.

​​​​​The Titàn Armor was created, a powerarmor enhancing strength, speed and resistence of the last altastari noble warriors. They contained also magical crystals which enhanced their magical capabilities. From the moment they wore them, the true war started.

Each noble warrior covered their armors in banners and symbols representing their families. They armed themselves with the best enchanted weapons they could forge and then started the Reconquista. A war that lasted 400 years.

​​​​​​At the start there wasn't a true government leading this wandering Knights, but they stayed together and fought together, soon a hierarchy was formed by the strongest and proudest of them, leading them through not only the battlefields of Altastèr but also the runegate, to save the worlds which still had lives to be saved. They knew they couldn't stop the war by fighting only for themselves.  New members from other saved races joined in the knights, they weared their insignas, they adopted the new altastari creed of the Glorious War and they fought as proudly as anyother knight.

The war ended after countless deaths, after sealed all the chaotic portals, even in worlds devoided of life. And after the complete destruction of the planet of Altastèr, by using the very weapon that caused all  of that. "The Jaws of Gorguna" the ancient altastari warmachine was used to collapse the inner core of the planet.

The interwar period :

In the coming millennias after the first war, the Order kept a low profile in the galactic political schemes, thanks to the runegate  and their gatekeepers the knights could teleport wherever and whenever a new psionic fault had been created, exterminating the spawn of the Curse and sealing the chaotic gate. In truth the war never ended but for alot of time they thought and presumed the worst was already over, still they kept recruiting magic users in to their ranks.

Retaining themselves and de facto being the galactic guardians of Andromeda, they slowly became arrogants and less wary as they lived protected by the Ancient Throne.

After the Exodus event :

[Still ongoing, infos will be posted right after the conclusion of the Exodus Thread]

## Faction System

Here is reported the system of Gran Coruna located in the Trantum Sector, next to the galactic core, from the most closest orbit to the Class M Brown Star called Gran Coruna to farthest

11 planets
Class M star : Brown Dwarf
From closest to fartherst

Class 8 Molten world  :  Pater (Moon : 7)
A large molten planet with great deposits of Uranium-Gold and Tungsten

Class 9 Volcanic world : Mater (Moon : 5)
An enormous Volcanic planet absurdly rich of Uranium and Gold

Class 4 Barren  : Atroz (Moon : 4)
Called by the incredibly high temperatures of the planet as it's unnatural transversal ellictic orbit pass near the star.

Class 4 Barren : Eternia (Moon : 2)
Once an habitated planet, now a barren world devoided of life and atmosphere, all caused by the First War.

Class 9 Terran world : Guardia  ( Moons : 4)
This enormous terran world is the only planet of its type. Like Eternia, it was also habitated by the Altastari who left the planet when they decided to isolate themselves in the Ancient Throne. Now it has been invaded by the Curse of Existence who seek to use the planet's natural Methaphysical Network, in an attempt to reach the Ancient Throne and consume their revenge.

-Asteroid Belt-  : Cinturón d'Aureos
An asteroid belt known for its golden colour, cause by the large deposits of gold.

Class 10 Hydrogen Gas Giant  : Azul (Moons : 565)
A large blue and white Gas Giant rich of Hydrogen.

Class 1 Barren World : Ignis (Moons : none)
A small planetoid of no interest.

Class 4 Frozen World : Frejo (Moons : 2)
A planet suited for life in the more temperated equator, though the temperatures are incredibly low and only with the right equipments it can be colonized.

Class 3 Desolate World : Altastèr (Moons : 2)
Once the homeplanet of the Altastari, now a monument to the First War. Torn in to pieces with an solid metallic core absurdly rich of Uranium and steel.

Class 8 Barren World : Argenter (Moons : 8)
A large barren rocky planet, everything normal if not that it's largely covered by a thick and silverish forests of a weird plant capable of living without water and still producing oxigen, making that little atmosphere the planet haves.

Class 2 Frozen World : Tia (Moons : 1)
A small and frozen world at the edge of the system, many frozen areas may hide deep oceans of fluid water and maybe life.

At the edge of the system there are two enthities:

An unstable wormhole used by the Curse of Existence to reach the system.
A warpgate built hundreds of years ago by the Alliance for intergalactic travel.

## Cultural Perks

#### **RELIGIOUS PERKS**

**Sermons of Superiority**: Before every battle is duty of an Alfier or a Grand Knight leading the army to repeat passages of the Altastèr Cycle or anyother order's Cycle.  Those are epic narratives, poethically describing battles and the virtous characters usually located in the age of the First War.   (All military units gain +1 firepower).

**United by Faith**: The Glorious War is a religion of galactic unity against great odds and perils, thus seen multitudes of different  species fighting and living together for the common goal it always reassure even the most nihilistic minds.(Each new species added to the nation gives +10% happiness when converted to the faction’s religion).

**Instruments of the Gods**: Each member of the Knighthood is not a mere individual, he represent the hopes of the people, of all the livings of Andromeda and beyond. There is not greater responsability than the life of the many in your hands and not greatest honor to follow the metaphysical orders of the ancient spirits of previous knights. They are the instruments of the will of the many. (All military units gain +1 firepower).

**Chosen by Heaven**: One of the main creeds of The Glorious War is that by only embracing the Andromedian Code and joining the Order you are blessed by the ancient spirits to fight as equal against the Curse. (military losses do not create morale penalties during war)

#### **TECHNOPHILES PERKS :**

**Knowers of the Unknown**: ​​​​​​Since many expeditions occurred using the runegate, they reached places in the galaxy unknown to the many. There in the ruins of ancient space civilization they found technologies to reverse engeneer and use against the Curse.  (Gain one additional free tech at the beginning of faction creation provided the prerequisite technologies are already unlocked)

**Sheltered Scientists**: The knights scientists are a precious resource for the Order, they are the ones who improve and grow the efficiency of the army thus their vessels must be built with extra security systems. (All science ships gain +1 sensors)

**Dedicated Learners**: The Altastari race has always been focussed on engeneering and improving technologies, their doom was base upon this behaviour. Though is also a characteristic of the order, scientists and magic scholars are helped to grow their interests on studies, even more if those are personally choose. There is no enforcing in learning. (Research facilities have halved monetary upkeep costs)

#### **PACIFISTIC PERKS** **:**

**We come in Peace**: The Knights are well known for their neutrality on foreign affairs. They are also known through tales, they don't visit often  the same planet, but when they do is always to save it. Thus tales about the valiant knights saving the local people spread around the planet, after thousand of years their heroic reputation although covered by a mist of fantasy is remembered deep in the root of the civilizations. (NPC factions will be more accepting of peaceful relationships with this faction, Pirates and other ‘always hostile’ NPCs do not count)

**Peaceful Traders**: The Altastari traders from the Order are composed and always gentle, fair affairs and good manners are always expected when dealing with them, mostly thanks to the discipline based on the Andromedian Code. (all trade deals net 10% more monetary reward than usual)

#### **MILITARISTIC PERKS :**

**Honor bound Warriors**: Before rank comes the respect of a leader, his honor like everyone else must remain intact, a knight who taint his honor by acting against the Andromedian Code will not get the respect by the others and so the power to lead them. (When fighting an enemy of greater relative military strength gain +1 firepower for the duration of the battle).

**Stalwart Defenders**: Chivalry, proudness in combact, everything to get glory in the battlefield. The knights deep in their attitudes knows that by following those they can fight against monsters than normally was impossible to do. Defending an entire galaxy needs an approach that normal soldiers may not have. (All units gain +1 armor)

**Warrior Society**: Everything in the Order is focussed on the war effort, everyone must know how to fight and must be ready at anymoment to defend the life of their species and Andromeda. (All military units gain +1 training)

**Defensive Initiative**: The rich nobility of the Altastari race, though slowly weavering in numbers, is still a large strong institution in the society, they purchase and produce equipments and weapons, thus easing the state spendings on the military. (All units may be purchased at half monetary costs)

**Rite of Passage**: Not everybody can join in the knighthood. After being a squire for the time needed to train enough to be prepared to be a knight, a rite of passage must be passed to actually become one. This usually consisting in fighting a battle in the extraplanar training ground, virtually facing the monstrosity which is the enemy. And if the squire survive and doesn't report any post battle Nightmare cause by the Curse he will join in the Knighthood. (All infantry units gain +1 training)

**Masters at Arms**: Daily trainings and ancient martial arts are the daily bread of the knights. Making them one of the most well trained in ground combat of the galaxy.(All military units gain +1 firepower.)

#### **EGALITARIAN PERKS :**

**Diverse Society**: Many different species, even the most unknown can be seen in the Ancient Throne, the grand capital of the Order. (each new alien species in the faction adds +5% happiness)

**Equal Service, Equal Duty**: All men and woman of any race and specie are citizens of the order and must follow and do everything for his defense and prosperity. (all species buffs are halved for this nation’s military but all species debuffs are halved for its military as well)

#### **INDUSTRIALIST PERKS** :

**Military Industrial Complex**: Private owned industries, controlled by the nobility, often produce weaponries for the noble houses of the Order. Though each family protects its products secrets from the other ones, and so their industrial complexes tend to be heavely guarded. (All military facilities gain +1 armor)

**Electrical Personalities**: Energy is the fuel that runs everything, from the vessels to the power armors the knighthood use. In thousands of years the Order has become a master on managing the production of it. (all power producing facilities produce +1 power)

**Industrial Investment**: No war goes on without an industry to support it, the Order knows that and large investments are put on the expansion of it. (all industrial tech costs are -5 research points to research)====

## Species

All species are welcomed to join as individuals in the order, as long as they are ready to pledge loyalty to the Monarch and to take the oath on the Andromedian Code.

## Anything Else?

**POLICIES** :

​​​**War focus**:
Infantry focus: all infantry gain +2 armor, +2 training and +2 firepower

**Conscription focus**:
Volunteer professional army: +3 training but extremely raised upkeep and costs. These units will never surrender or retreat unless ordered.

**Extra stuffs**:
Prisoner conscription: -1 training for any unit built from prisoner conscription but heavily reduced costs

Warrior caste: heavily increased costs of units built from this caste get +2 training

**War docrtines**:
Rapid Deployment: +3 mobility, -1 stealth

No Retreat: +3 armor, +3 firepower and +3 sensors but units can NEVER retreat from a battle even if defeat is certain.

Slavery : Prisoner Labor
Border Policy : Open
Species allowed into the nation : All
Market type : Mixed
Schooling : Private
Information access : Censored