Factions/Kjasjavikalimm Directorate

Kjasjavikalimm have a strong economy that can be crafted during play. It is possible to set them up to be relatively independent of the other players. Recommended for players who enjoy analysis and puzzles.

## Background

By now, the Kjasjavikalimm ("Kjas" for short) should have colonized dozens of worlds. Their many nations competed to perfect hyperdrive technology, but experiment after experiment failed. It was only later that they realized the truth: the Faderan had secretly sabotaged their research for decades, denying the Kjasjavikalimm their destiny.

### Homeworld

The Kjas homeworld is called Stjiror. The climate there is extremely dry. As such, ancient Kjasjavikalimm had two "modes": nomadic, where they followed the rain, and burrowing, where they waited out the worst dry spells. Unsurprisingly, these modes are also regulated with pheromones. Kjasjavikalimm who live in their underground cities are in "burrowing" mode, while those who tend the surface farms stay in "nomadic" mode.

### Society

With underground cities, a single atomic strike can only do so much damage. While Kjasjavikalimm don't tolerate unlimited nuclear warfare, they do engage in what might best be described as "modern atomic siege warfare." Additionally, they don't distinguish between military and civilian targets. Suffice it to say, Kjasjavikalimm warfare is more horrifying than most human wars, and they are very adept at it.

The Kjas use pheromones to regulate group emotions. They are certainly not a hive-mind, but they tend to all feel the same emotion when in a group. Since they invented perfume (in the Neolithic period—indeed, this is the invention that started their Neolithic era), they have "bottled emotions". Individually, they can be as emotional as anyone, but as a whole, they tend to be the most ruthlessly pragmatic species.

To the Kjasjavikalimm, "loyalty" to family is considered an emotion, and therefore, a scent. Back in their Neolithic period, they figured out how to replicate this artificially, and the first nations were born. Kjasjavikalimm are loyal to everyone in their nation in exactly the same way that one might be loyal to one's blood relatives.

As much as they love their nations, those nations need ways to interact other than shooting. And that means having multi-national organizations. These are named "Understandings" (because they're mutual agreements between two nations) and act like something between treaties and corporations. They have a great deal of leeway and power, but any nation under them can leave without notice.

The two most important Understandings are Kelestboijram (Starstrider), which organizes the use of many of the nation's hyperdrive jump cores, and Varalak (the Directorate), which coordinates most of the nations' responses to the aliens in an attempt to dominate or, if feasible, destroy the Confluence.

They don't think of themselves as militant. They simply view everyone else as near-pacifists and incompetent at warfare. Importantly, they don't revel in warfare or violence. It's something they happen to be good at, not a defining trait they see in themselves.

### Language

Kjasjavikalimm language is logographic, like Chinese. That said, it's intended to be written quickly by machine or hand, and lacks any of the beauty of human logographic languages.

### Picture

The Kjasjavikalimm picture shows two Kjas, as they always work together. They are clearly underground, collaborating on designs for a new expansion to their city, in this case, a sports arena. There's a weapon at the left, easily accessible but unused. (The weapon is extremely pragmatic and simple: Kjasjavikalimm don't glorify war, so their weapons are straightforward killing machines. The sight is positioned rather far forward to match their physiology).

### The Confluence

The Faderan offered a new, hollow future in return: become one of many species sharing a galaxy that should have been the Kjasjavikalimm's by right of military prowess.

The Faderan had already managed to forge an alliance of eight species: too many for the Kjasjavikalimm to fight and live. So, grudgingly, the myriad nations allied under a common purpose: to beat the Faderan at their own game and achieve control over the growing society from the inside.

The strong Kjasjavikalimm nationalism comes from their use of pheromones to regulate group emotions and define loyalty. This allows them to cooperate extremely efficiently with anyone who smells like "family"; i.e. their entire nation. Unfortunately, aliens lack strong emotional pheromones, and thus can never be completely trusted.

## Gameplay Information

* Setup: They c*ount as 2 players for Colony Track*
* Colony Bid: They m*ay halve bid to bid a second time*
* They have territory tiles

### Military Might

The Kjasjavikalimm may split their colony bid in half in order to gain two colonies, or otherwise manipulate the Colony Bid.

The colony bid proceeds as normal up until the Kjasjavikalimm would buy a colony or pass. The Kjasjavikalimm have a third option: they can split their bid in half, and go twice later in the Colony Bid. If they choose to do this, they must split their bid into two parts as equally as possible. A bid of 4 becomes two bids of 2, a bid of 5 becomes one of 3 and a second of 2.

When it comes time for the Kjasjavikalimm to use one of their half bids to buy a colony or pass and keep the bid, they can either take a colony where the minimum bid is equal or less than the current half bid, or they can keep that half bid. The Kjasjavikalimm may not split their bid a second time in the same turn.

In between the two half bids, the number of colonies the Kjasjavikalimm have often increases. This will change their tiebreaker for the second half bid. Clever players might choose to use their double bids to block other player's colonization, or threaten to do so for economic concessions.

### Territory Tiles

The Kjasjavikalimm have three territory tiles which represent their growing empire. For all purposes, these three tiles are treated as cards. They start out of play and can be put into play in any order by running the converter along the top. Once in play, they can be upgraded (flipped) by running the converter along the bottom of the tile. Both of these converters are run \*during the Trade Phase. Like all cards with faction names, they can be loaned to other players for a turn.

### Expansionist

When setting up the game, the Kjasjavikalimm count twice towards the number of players for the colony bid track. (Ex: A 5 player game would be considered a 6 player game.)

### Advice

The Kjas need very many colonies to play and flip their territory tiles. If they can manage to purchase colonies from other players, do so. The Kt'Zr'Kt'Rtl are a good source of relatively cheap colonies that the Kjas can use to play and upgrade territories. Other players may also be willing to trade colonies. The Kjas should never play or flip a tile unless they can immediately make full use of its economic converters.

Spending colonies to play an unproductive tile would be effectively throwing those colonies away for no gain. The Kjas are not expected to get every territory tile into play by the end of the game.

1. ↑ Sidereal Confluence Rulebook pp. 3