We still have three people who can pick factions - Gunslinger, hgfs, and myself. Now that Commune and Psychologist Foundation have been picked, I'm  perfectly happy to bite the bullet and pick Theocratic Institutions as my faction choice.

Re: noble faction. I think its best to see what Gunslinger and hgfs pick as factions before deciding who the nobles are. Both the Dunedin and Darakhin as nobles have possibilities but if someone else picks military junta or even imperial bureaucracy this could readily represent the Dunedin crusaders. I'm easy for either though as I get the feeling people are happy with the core concept.

I'll go with organized crime as my faction of choice.

Ok, we just have hgfs's faction left. He can post it whenever he gets the chance, and we'll alter as appropriate. Let's move onto the next set of questions.

Here's another biggy:

What's the system's attitude towards the Vaylen?

Educated or Informed - The populace is educated, albeit not to a high degree, about the Vaylen, how hulling works, and they know that the Vaylen want to infest all of mankind without exception. Generally, this is done through propaganda rather than systematic education.

Hysterical Fear - This doesn't necessarily mean riots in the streets, but it does mean constant pressure on the government to act against the Worm, whether the threat is real or not. Witch hunts and sporadic violence against "worm lovers" are common, but the populace is generally more ignorant than effective. Social institutions are under a great deal of strain to do something, anything, to fight off the Worm.

Ignorant - The world doesn't know jack about the Vaylen. They either know nothing at all, or have a completely wrong-headed idea about what they are (Frex, a virus, agents of another government)

Indifferent - The world knows about the existence of the Vaylen, but is too wrapped up in its own affairs to really be interested in fighting the Worm. They know a little bit, but don't consider themselves really at risk.

Paranoid - The population is paranoid on a cultural level. They know a little bit about the Vaylen, and this drives them to suspicion and skepticism about everyone around them. This differs from Hysterical Fear in that violence is generally rarer, and the pressure on the government to fight off the Vaylen is more constant but less extreme. Social institutions aren't collapsing.  Paranoia can range from vicious-but-comparatively-mild McCarthyism to something like the Stalinist Great Terror.

Personal Experience - The world has fought off the Vaylen before. It knows of their existence, their methods and their interest in the planet. It does everything it can to stop them, and the people are much more effective because of the capability their knowledge gives them.

Quote from: GunslingerI'll go with organized crime as my faction of choice.

Cool. Do you want this to be the pirates, or something else? The Merchant League could also have a secret subdivision specialising in goods the Theocracy doesn't approve of.

Quote from: PseudoephedrineOk, we just have hgfs's faction left. He can post it whenever he gets the chance, and we'll alter as appropriate. Let's move onto the next set of questions.

I'm still waffling.  All the best ones have already been said!

QuoteHere's another biggy:

What's the system's attitude towards the Vaylen?

Educated or Informed - The populace is educated, albeit not to a high degree, about the Vaylen, how hulling works, and they know that the Vaylen want to infest all of mankind without exception. Generally, this is done through propaganda rather than systematic education.

Hysterical Fear - This doesn't necessarily mean riots in the streets, but it does mean constant pressure on the government to act against the Worm, whether the threat is real or not. Witch hunts and sporadic violence against "worm lovers" are common, but the populace is generally more ignorant than effective. Social institutions are under a great deal of strain to do something, anything, to fight off the Worm.

Ignorant - The world doesn't know jack about the Vaylen. They either know nothing at all, or have a completely wrong-headed idea about what they are (Frex, a virus, agents of another government)

Indifferent - The world knows about the existence of the Vaylen, but is too wrapped up in its own affairs to really be interested in fighting the Worm. They know a little bit, but don't consider themselves really at risk.

Paranoid - The population is paranoid on a cultural level. They know a little bit about the Vaylen, and this drives them to suspicion and skepticism about everyone around them. This differs from Hysterical Fear in that violence is generally rarer, and the pressure on the government to fight off the Vaylen is more constant but less extreme. Social institutions aren't collapsing.  Paranoia can range from vicious-but-comparatively-mild McCarthyism to something like the Stalinist Great Terror.

Personal Experience - The world has fought off the Vaylen before. It knows of their existence, their methods and their interest in the planet. It does everything it can to stop them, and the people are much more effective because of the capability their knowledge gives them.

This I have an opinion about.  When I voted Outworld, it was because I wanted the world to be on the front lines of the conflict with the Vaylen.

Therefore, my vote is Personal Experience.

Go Junta, if you can't think of anything else. Niall's got a good idea for the junta to represent the last of the Dunedin crusading force, while the Royalist faction represents the Darikahn nobles. Also, Junta opens up Hammer and Anvil.

I'm favouring Paranoid personally. I like the idea of being on the frontlines too. The explanation I'd give is that the Darikahn and their populace have fought the Vaylen off before, but the Dunedin invaders brush off the whole thing as Darikahn tall tales.

One more post, for a hat trick. A brief recap of the factions and the tentative colour so far, with a few notes:

Civilian Communes - Anarchic space miners spread throughout the system on space stations. They shelter heretics from the church and are generally opposed to falling under the sway of the government.

NB: Are they working with the Merchant League, or in opposition to it? They're clearly opposed to the Church if they are sheltering the heretics.

Psychologist Foundation - Working for both Church and League, possibly for mercenary reasons?

Theocratic Institutions - The Mundus Humanitas. Powerful enough on the planet that it's nearly a Theocracy. Uses psychology and clone soldiers to enforce its will. Tentatively, the source of the main military might (cloned religious soldiers).

Rebel / Royalist Line - Dispossessed nobles. Either the remnants of the Darikahn nobility or the Dunedin Crusaders. Either way, opposed to League and Church.

NB: I prefer the Darikahn idea.

Organised Crime - Pirates? Or a black market subdivision of the Merchant League? And what's their relationship to the Communes?

We can flesh out the rest in play, don't forget, especially through *-wise skills.

I'd go for Paranoid as well.

Some ideas I've had for colour at this point based on that

One possibility is that the Dunedin invasion was prompted by the threat of the worm. In game terms the Vaylen had won the infiltration phase and the planet's society was breaking up, leaving it open to the Dunedin. The Dunedin were victorious (orbital bombardment of infected area = nuclear watelands?). As it seems we want the Dunedin to have been around for a while then how the clean-up took ages and left a legacy of paranoia and social customs that were used to defeat the Vaylen, compounded by the usual rivalry between conquerors and conquered. The Dunedin believe the Vaylen were a punishment for Darikhan irreligiousness, the Darikhan claim the Vaylen are a type of biological weapon used to soften them up. Add to this that the Merchant League is now in a position where it could not now admit that the worm has returned (or perhaps never left?) because it would threaten their monopoly and also leave them open to accusations of immorality. Besides it all happened long enough ago that few remember what the Vaylen actually did or are.

Although I also prefer the idea of the Darikhan as the noble faction, it occurs to me that Organised Crime + dispossed Darikhan nobles armed with remnants of the hammer could be a winning combination. The Pirate Lords are actual proper lords clinging to their titles even several generations on, as they have nothing else and their alliance with the space stations is the reason the latter survive

Hm. We could split the nobility between the two without much trouble. One group is still semi-legitimate, based on the planet, and seeking to restore Darikahn power. The other is out there still fighting the war, raiding the league and backing the space stations.

Quote from: NiallSOne possibility is that the Dunedin invasion was prompted by the threat of the worm. In game terms the Vaylen had won the infiltration phase and the planet's society was breaking up, leaving it open to the Dunedin. The Dunedin were victorious (orbital bombardment of infected area = nuclear wastelands?). As it seems we want the Dunedin to have been around for a while then how the clean-up took ages and left a legacy of paranoia and social customs that were used to defeat the Vaylen, compounded by the usual rivalry between conquerors and conquered. The Dunedin believe the Vaylen were a punishment for Darikhan irreligiousness, the Darikhan claim the Vaylen are a type of biological weapon used to soften them up. Add to this that the Merchant League is now in a position where it could not now admit that the worm has returned (or perhaps never left?) because it would threaten their monopoly and also leave them open to accusations of immorality. Besides it all happened long enough ago that few remember what the Vaylen actually did or are.

I really like this. It fits in nicely with the 40k theme, with the Dunedin taking on a role quite similar to Space Marine purges of Chaos-tainted planets. And it gives the Inquisition something to do and an appropriate climate to do it in. I was leaning towards Hysterical Fear myself, but I'll throw in my lot with the Paranoid faction.

Not so sure about the bit about the dispossessed nobles as pirate lords. I can see where you're coming from, but it really undermines that whole popular uprising against inequality and religious persecution, with the corporations, Church and nobles all vying for control, while a groundswell of disaffected democrats and communists that wants to get rid of all of them is growing in power. I like the idea that the pirates and space miners are bound together by their love of liberty, a rag tag bunch of desperate and proud rebels facing overwhelming odds.

Edit: Oh, and in case the above doesn't make it clear, my thoughts on Pseudoephedrine's question about the Communes' relationship with the Merchant League was that they were in opposition. The merchant league is the government, after all, and though they may have their differences with the Church, I saw the League and Church as an uneasy alliance of convenience, bound together by necessity - a ruling coalition if you will. The communes want freedom of religion and a redistribution of wealth, making them the enemy of both League and Church (which may partly explain why the latter are allied).

Maybe the Merchant League has something the Church needs or wants (think of the Navigators Guild in DUNE) so that even though they might work at cross purposes, the Church needs the League? Vice versa? Just throwin' it out there.

The cloning tech for the soldiers? The League provides specialists, raw biomass, technology and the funding necessary for the Theocracy to maintain its soldiers? If we do decide to go with the clone soldiers, perhaps we can have them addicted to a substance that the League provides cheaply and in great quantities to the Church?

I don't think it needs to be anything as complicated as that. Interplanteary invasions presumably cost a lot of cash. While the Dunedin and Church may have willingness, devotion and cloned fanatical soldier in spades, they lacked that - especially as the Dunedin are a fractured empire. The League agreed to underwrite the invasion in return for the charter. The Church does want to be in charge - the system would be a major asset but can't act against the Imperial Charter without insulting the Overlord, one of the Church's closest allies, and endangering the crusade. Hence it agitates and tries to maneuver itself into a position where the League looks ineffective so when the charter is for renewal it can apply pressure to the Overlord.

The issue of the communes is definetly a sticking point for the relationship. The League takes the pragmatic view that a war on the stations would pretty much result in their destruction hurting everyone. While the communes are annoying their power isn't enough to challenge the League and the profit makes it worthehile. The Church wants them purged no matter the cost.

Quote from: NiallSI don't think it needs to be anything as complicated as that. Interplanteary invasions presumably cost a lot of cash. While the Dunedin and Church may have willingness, devotion and cloned fanatical soldier in spades, they lacked that - especially as the Dunedin are a fractured empire. The League agreed to underwrite the invasion in return for the charter. The Church does want to be in charge - the system would be a major asset but can't act against the Imperial Charter without insulting the Overlord, one of the Church's closest allies, and endangering the crusade. Hence it agitates and tries to maneuver itself into a position where the League looks ineffective so when the charter is for renewal it can apply pressure to the Overlord.

The issue of the communes is definetly a sticking point for the relationship. The League takes the pragmatic view that a war on the stations would pretty much result in their destruction hurting everyone. While the communes are annoying their power isn't enough to challenge the League and the profit makes it worthehile. The Church wants them purged no matter the cost.

Sounds good.