CONTEST: Character Design for Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar

Our Galactic Civilizations II sweepstake back in March 2006 was a great success with overwhelming responses. We are very excited to team up with Stardock again to give our visitors a chance to win some very cool GalCiv2 prizes!

Contest Details

[img=right]http://www.civfanatics.com/images/misc/DarkAvatarLogo_sm.jpg[/img]The galaxy is on the brink of utter destruction. Earth is protected behind an impenetrable forcefield as the Drengin Empire sweeps through the galaxy in its bid for ultimate domination. But there is something rotten at the heart of the Drengin Empire -- the Koranth clan has become twisted and alien to the rest of the Drengin and demands the utter extermination of all sub-Drengin species (as opposed to merely enslaving the galaxy).

As a clan leader in the Drengin Empire, you have been assigned to thwart the Koranth and their dark allies before it's too late.

Dark Avatar, the upcoming expansion pack to Galactic Civilizations II includes a multi-mission campaign along with dozens of new features, new maps, new scenarios, new units, and much more.

The CivFanatics contest gives players the opportunity for crafting one of the characters in the campaign.

Possible examples would include:

• Human espionage agents who are providing covert aid to the Drengin Empire in their battle with their Koranth brothers.
• Drengin Saboteurs who must destroy infrastructure and lay waste to cities in order to keep the Koranth from overtaking everyone.
• The Koranth military leader (really vile evil guy)

Stardock will do its best to adapt the game and story to fit the best characters.

Characters should include: Name, Race (Drengin, Human, Koranth, etc.), Brief background and what you would like them to do in the game.

Best 3 submissions receive:

1. A signed Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords Collector's Edition & Dark Avatar
2. Galactic Civilizations II T-Shirt
3. Galactic Civilizations II die-cast metal starship from the game.
4. A TotalGaming.net account with 10 tokens.

The top entry will also get a free copy of Stardock's next PC strategy game.

To learn more about Galactic Civilizations II visit http://www.galciv2.com.

Contest Rules: Anyone can enter. Contest ends September 22nd.

Entries should be submitted to this thread. If you have questions, you can ask in this thread too.

Have fun!

(1)The Free Human Alliance
A separatist faction of humans that broke off days before Earth was encapsuled, they wish to have humans dominate the Galaxy. But in order to do that they must first stop the Drengin who are currently raging through the galaxy. Most of the faction leaders agree that the only way to have the Human race come out victorious is the complete destruction of the biggest menace to the soon to be Free Human Empire. Their plan is to help out the Koranth dissidents, only to backstab them and take over the Drenging empire. But in order to do that they too must become guerilla saboteurs, all while building up a military large enough to overthrow the new government when it does come about.

Goals for the game:
1.Act as Koranth Saboteurs, be allied with them, until the game moves in close to the Drengin Homeworld
2.Campaign to capture Drengin planets from under the nose of the new govt
3. Capture the Drengin Homeworld, and install human gov't, therefore allowing the human race to forever prosper

(2)Koranth infiltratists.
Members of the Koranth clan still loyal to the supreme ruler, that have infiltrated the Koranth Saboteurs. Their plan is to secretly make the saboteurs fail, while not giving themselves away.
But in order to do that, they must plan ahead, and plan well.

Goals for the game:
1. Subtly make the Koranth Saboteurs Fail
2. If the Saboteurs learn of the infiltratists, unleash a large-scale military eradication

Hi all,

I'll give this a try!

My character name is Ren 6th Lawmat a son of a diplomat Drengin Lord ( Ren 5th Lawmat ).

"My family has for centuries promoted the wonderful idea of complete galactic control by our race. The one and only, Drengin. I had traveled with my father for the past few years on a number of his missions being groomed to smile in the faces of our future slaves, while my poisoned dagger was always kept sharp.

Then it happened. At a meeting I seen her at a distant. Ane Dalt, a Koranth female. I almost dropped my dagger at her heavenly evil stare. I told myself this cannot be, she is the enemy. But, I could not help myself. At first I would turn my gaze away, only to see her again, and again. Then I learned she liked me, too. We secretly met and both agreed no one could know about us.

But, her father found out from some Human scum. So we planed to run away together. On that day we were to meet on a nearby hill just outside of town. As I approached the hill I could see her near the top waiting for me. Suddenly, I could see Humans, and maybe one Koranth appear behind her. They shot her with something and picked her up. I ran to were they had been, only to see a space fighter blastoff into space.

Near the place where the fighter had just taken off I found a number of dead Humans of which, one of them had in his dead hand a fragment of a document I could not read. Then I heard others coming, I had to go. I did not know if they were friendly or, not. But, I swear by my ear burns I will find her!"

He of course has to recue her and find out what the document is and what it might mean. Why were the Humans part of the kidnapping? And, why were they killed.

Nath Parker

Here's my idea:

Name: O'kar

Race: Drengin

Purpose in game: Koranth Figurehead / Second in Command or Koranth background story narrator (possibly in the opening cinematic?) or reason for the Koranth's homicidal nature.

The Drengin's Dark Secret

O'kar was just a kid living on a small planet far away from the Drengin capital when his mother was taken away and sent to the death furnaces. Later his father was killed in battle with the Altarians and he was forced to roam the streets.

Flash forward 10 years.

After avoiding the furnaces many times in his youth, O'kar got fed up with how the normal Drengins were always killing people on the far planets for crimes that would go unnoticed on Drengi. He soon found a group of lobbyists who also shared his concerns.

Flash forward another 5 years.

O'kar is now married and has several children. The lobbyist group is gaining power but can't really do anything because the Drengins are not a democracy. Then one day it happened, one of his party members rushed up to him and told him that the scientists on Drengi had researched "Thought Police." Now they would be able to find the members of the party and send them to the furnace. He rushed back to his house to tell his family that they needed to go into hiding, but when he got to his house, no one was there. They had already been taken away. Then he heard the beeping of communicators coming from upstairs. The police were still there.

Quickly he rushed back out the front door. He had a plan. He would steal a ship and flee the Drengin Empire, maybe the Yor would offer him refuge or the Korx if he sold his ship to them. But when he got into space, his long-range sensors picked up a blockade that would stop him from reaching any other Civilizations.

Then he got a message. Apparently he was not the only member of the party that escaped. They were going to land on the planet Koranth. It was far away enough to avoid the thought police. However, that planet is not habitable by our standards. They had to undergo extensive surgery to allow them to live there. O'kar knew that he had to have revenge on the Drengin for the loss of his family and the Altarians for the loss of his father. He would make sure every inhabitant of the galaxy would know what it is like to see everyone you ever knew die.

That was 5 years ago. Now the Drengin, along with the other Galactic Civilizations, have started to research technologies that would allow them to colonize previously uncoloniseable planets. The Koranth will not be able to use their planet's unique atmosphere as a defense much longer, but their forces have grown strong in the last 5 years and they are about ready to mount an attack.

Name: Drakon Gauntmag

Race: Drengin

Background: Drakon was born to a noble family on a nonaligned world of no value to the universe. From his birth he watched, day in and day out, as his family grew in prosperity and influence over the miserable dust clot in space. However, despite his upbringing that victory and power were everything, the young Drengin grew to loathe all those around him. While his siblings salivated over the lands they would inherit and their plans to extend their control further, Drakon’s eyes focused outward. He cursed his family and the rest of the planet for ignoring the rest of the universe, for being content with their money and their power that paled in comparison to even the most destitute world controlled by one of the galactic empires.

It was for this reason that Drakon not only accepted the Drengin Empire when they invaded the defenseless world, but welcomed them with open arms. During the initial invasion he aided the Drengin troops and was later given a position of power for his assistance. He in turn used his knowledge of the newly conquered world to gain status and prominence. All the while he watched in awe as they changed the countryside from the rural world he had once known so long ago into a military hub. He marveled at the manufacturing centers that individually produced more than the entire world had previously managed. However, in time he realized that he had exchanged the ignorance of his back world family for an ignorance of far grater magnitude.

Not being born on a core Drengin world he was barred from any major rank and his status was always that of a lesser citizen, publicly at least. In the public eye he was little more than a Drengin who was not born into the empire but had be forced into it from a conquered world, but behind closed doors he possessed power over many officials and held more real power than the most well known Drengin warlord. It was in his secret ascent to power that he realized the ignorance of the empire. The Drengin were strong and were focused on their goal of ruling the universe from a throne made of the skulls of those they crushed on their victory march throughout the cosmos, however, they had no thoughts about the future after that. Their built their warships, sent troops into the blackness of the void and laid waste to the universe without a single thought about their potential empire.

Drakon on the other hand thought only of the future. He had studied the worlds enslaved by the Drengin and came to the realization that their empire would crumble in time. No matter how they won, or how quickly, there was always resistance in the populace. The significance of the Torians was completely missed by the majority of the Drengin. After years of being enslaved by the Drengin, the Torians had built up resistance groups and eventually threw off their would be masters. If the Drengin path to universal rule continued as it was now, one hundred years after their empire claimed victory it would fracture beyond repair. It was apparent that as long as the populace of worlds held by the Drengin empire was not of Drengin origin, friction between the conquered and the conquers would result in failure on a galactic scale.

Drakon was outraged, if he had been born on a paramount core world of the Drengin empire he might be able to make the rest of his people listen, force the military to change and save the future galactic empire. As it was he would never be listened to, a second rate Drengin, one of those whose linage was traced to a conquered world. However, Drakon refused to give up and started looking for anyone who had come upon the same realization he had. To his surprise he was not in the minority, there was an entire clan who had realized the danger poised by the other races. Drakon knew that the salvation of the Drengin race was in the hands of the Koranth clan, and he was not about to let the future pass him by.

Use in game: Desperate to earn the attention of the Koranth clan and their support, Drakon wages a private war against the worlds held by the Drengin Empire that are inhabited by members of the other races. Drakon must find a way to conquer/annihilate the populace of several worlds while the powerful internal defense fleet of the Drengin military hunts him down. If Drakon is successful in his private genocide he will gain the attention of the Koranth clan, but will his new comrades be the salvation of the future Galactic Drengin Empire as Drakon hopes or be yet another menace to its survival.

Cool contest! Here's my idea:

The Overlord, leader of the Koranth Clan.

The Overlord, once known as Tar'vor Skaar, has only recently become leader of the Koranth.

He was a high ranking General of the Drengin Ground Assault Forces. But after a successful campaign on a distant world, Tar'vor returned a changed Drengin.

For on that planet, Tar'vor had found an ancient Dread Lord lab. And in the lab was a device with the ability to alter the genetics of any being, amplifying the agressive tendencies already present in the subject. This machine made Tar'vor more vicious than any Drengin ever born, and increased his physical strength to match.

Tar'vor had relished the Drengin conquest of the galaxy before, but now he had a plan even more grand. He would make the entire Drengin race as geneticly "pure" as he was now, by force if necessary. And then, after his people were in their perfect form, he would make the galaxy a perfect home for them. The Drengin race had a Manifest Destiny, a destiny to spread across all space. And, to make that future a reality, all the sub-Drengin races would have to be removed...completely.

With his new-found purpose Tar'vor has wrested control of his clan, the Koranth, and begun to purify his clanmember's genetics with the Dread Lord machine. Setting aside his past, Tar'vor has now become known as The Overlord. For soon, all the galaxy will be under his control.

In the Game: Basically The Overlord would be the leader of the Koranth. He is very focused on making the galaxy perfect (as he sees it) for his race. So he is not open to negotiation with the "lesser" races. He wants to include the other Drengin clans in his plans, but only after they go through the same genetic "purification" he did in the Dread Lord lab. Until than, The Overlord does not see them as perfect enough Drengin.

Name: Admiral Nathaniel Harx

Race: Human

Background: Born on the Alliance Colony of Terra Pacifica, Nathaniel spent his early years sailing the endless seas of his homeworld. His youth was shattered however when at the age of twelve, Pacifica found itself overrun by the Yor. Helpless, the boy hid as the colony around him was annihilated. When the alliance fleet finally arrived to liberate the planet, only a handful had survived the slaughter.

At the age of 16, Nathaniel forged a new ID and joined the Alliance Navy. He quickly rose through the ranks, achieving the rank of Admiral at age 39. He found himself assigned to the strategic Draganis sector when the Drengin conquest began. It is now one of the last free human outposts outside of Earth, and Admiral Harx has vowed to do whatever it takes to protect the human race, and prevent the horror he witnessed as a child from ever happening again.

In Game: Cut off from Humanities Home planet and alliance command, Admiral Harx is the defacto leader of Alliance forces outside Earth. Viewed by many to be cold and unrelenting, Nathaniel Harx is an aggressive tactician and cunning strategist. In the Koranth he sees a window into his painful past, and he will do anything, even ally with his enemy’s enemy, to prevent it from happening again.

Name: Palzin Aellin

Race: Altarian

Background: Living on the lower streets of Altaria, Palzin learned early how to rely on himself. He quickly ingratiated himself into the Altarian underworld. Earning a reputation as a proficient smuggler, Palzin was widely known among the criminal elite. With the conquest of Altaria, Palzin quickly joined the Altarian resistance, becoming a shadowy figure who supplies both equipment and information.

In Game: Along with all the goods he delivers to his people, Aellin is the resistance’s voice to the outside galaxy. It is he who pleads their cause and rally support for his beleaguered people.

His name is Sunny L. O'heme. Yeah, of course he's human. What other species would have such a crummy existence?

Born as the purported son of the Almighty One Who Gave His Son Up For the Sake of All Men, in his early life he was revered as a deity.

It later became apparent that he had no self-esteem and lacked the drive of a true god-man.

He dropped out of the academy at 16 and got a job at the Space Burger joint down the road making 8 credits an hour.

If he only believed in himself, his true powers would be revealed...

He doesn't, but flips the greatest burgers this side of the galaxy. Perhaps there is something in his secret sauce.

Or...

Harry Edelson, Human. Pennsylvania, Earth I

Harry is the lone voice of reason in this war. His family group of Ion Bean farmers and textile makers have long opposed the futility of the war, and use only 21st century technology in a vein effort to appear concerned with the cultures of the past. Plus, everyone knows antiques are cool.

With his ragtag group of pacifists, he sets out on an adventure for cow's milk.



Oh, and to stop a war.

One quick question, are we only allowed one entry per person?

Will post my entry later.

Nice competition idea, hope you get good enough entries.

Anywho, here's mine:

Sergeant Alex Petrov was a soldier leading a squad of troops trying to hold one of Earths outer colonies when the Drengian invasion began. He and his man were able to hold one of the entrances to the colony from a major ground assault for over 2 hours before they were overwhelmed. Only Alex and one other marine survived and both were captured. During the following weeks of torture, he was able to resist, but as the Terran Alliance crumbled into dust, his spirit was broken, and he is now a "body slave" (like a personnel assistant) to a top Drengian general.

In-game: Alex's role would be to advise his general when asked. Alex no longer has the will to help an resistance movements, and see's attempts to brake free from the Drengian as futile and pointless.


Also, can we only have one entry?

Enter as many times you want with as many characters as you want.

Ragash, Koranth Dark Avatar
The Koranth clan
Long have the Drengin of the Koranth clan prophesied of one who would come and lead them to victory. Tens of thousands of years there have been ever-growing legends regarding this person, who is he, when he will come, what exactly will he do? Not long ago, however, the clan-leaders all had a strange prophetic dream, seeing a Drengin who is different from the rest, somehow changed. He would soon come to Koranth, the clan-planet the Koranth clan claimed shortly after the Drengin acquired Hyperspace-capability, and change would come with him. The dream told them to yield to the change, or perish in it's fiersome turmoil. They realised that this one had to be the long-prophesied Dark Avatar. Waiting for his arrival they created a magnificent temple, where they waited for him. One day when they were in full council, a lone robed figure walked inside and there was an eerie silence. The figure walked to the clan leaders and touched each one and spoke: "Long have we, the Drengin, been shackled by the others, these sub-Drengin species, against our destiny! Now is the time to rid the universe of their foul existance, to rise above all else, to alone rule! Only the Koranth clan has been faithful to the prophecy and for that you will be rewarded! I have already started the process which will change all of you to something more than mere Drengin, something... magnificent. We must purify not only other species that are lesser than us, but our old brethren as well! Their fall will mark our rise to glory! So says the Dark Avatar!"

In-game function:
He is the taskmaster of the Koranth player(if there is one., the one commanding him to do his bidding and sometimes assisting him. He makes a set of objectives each mission, and succeeding at them will incur his delight, possibly gaining more forces to defeat the enemy with.

If the Koranth aren't playable, then he is the main antagonist, the boss if you will. Defeating him will mark the defeat of the Koranth.



Zarok, Drengin Warmaster
Second only to Lord Kona in the Drengin society, Zarok is a genius military leader, but has an astute understanding of economics as well. While he delights in conquering and killing lesser races, he has many concerns of the economical ramifications that the Koranth strategy would have. Drengin economy is these days very much dependant on the slaves that they get from other races. They toil away building their ships and inventing their new weapons, not to mention feeding the furnaces. Without them, how could the Drengin continue their grand conquest of the galaxy and more than that, the Universe? Indeed, conquering this Galaxy might be possible within his lifespan, due to the ever increasing technological progress that is experienced in this strange age, which concerns him greatly. After this galaxy, what then? Moving to another galaxy might be possible with the combined industrial and scientific efforts of both the Drengin and the lesser species, but if they all were dead, it could not be possible. The Koranth must be crushed if there is to be more conquering, for if there is no one left to conquer, then life itself will be meaningless. While fighting other Drengins is an option, it is not nearly as pleasant as crushing a planet of a sub-Drengin species. Therefore, ironically, for the good of the Drengin(and himself of course) the Koranth must be exterminated to the last individual and their heretical thoughts must be extinguished.

In-Game function:
He is the taskmaster of the Drengin player, the one commanding him to do his bidding and sometimes assisting him. He makes a set of objectives each mission, and succeeding at them will incur his delight, possibly gaining more forces to defeat the enemy with.

Wow, a lot of new people are looking at this thread, methinks some are double entries...

Name: Jim Stroban
Race: Human

Jim never liked the body he had.. while his mind and his physical abilities were always one of a Drengin, like his mother, he had the frail and weak human body of his Father. Jim was born after a freak mutation allowed Drengin and Human DNA to combine in conseption, producing him. All of the doctors who oversaw his birth were surprised when a Drengin female gave birth to a human boy. But inside he was not human. Even at the age of 3 it was apparent that he was stronger than humans, but not enough to rival his Drengin peers, the result of humanity in him. At the age of 15 he hijacked the Principals hovercar and sped off into the sunrise so to speak. While in hiding he was recruited by a Paramilitary group, now known as the Free Human Alliance. When he turned 18 he realised the true intentions of the FHA and he decided with absolute resolution that he must not let it happen. The human in him screamed for him to stop but the Drengin in him was rejoicing at the taste of human blood. That night he murdered his unit of 20 men, all of them brutally torn to pieces. But he wanted more, he needed more. So with that he once again sped off into the sunrise..

Present time:

Jim sat in his MK-4 HyperFighter, given to him as a gift by a few very convinced human businessmen. In front of him was the FHA base, looming against the nebulae like a giant fly on the lamp. He had decided only a month ago to return, but not because he wanted to help the FHA overthrow the Drengin, but because he would help them..all in order to take the throne himself. Yes, the scamp of two species would soon rule the superior of them..

Ahn N'Frunk - human, blah, blah, blah.

A high ranking Terran Alliance admiral's daughter, kidnapped at age 2 and raised by the Koranth clan military. The Koranth hope to place her back within the human military after brainwashing her with Koranth propaganda and 40's mobster videos. After she is to be released to the humans, she is to take control of the armada under her Admiral father and destroy any human aid to the Drengin resistance.


At age 16, she is sent back to the humans, where she is welcomed back into the loving arms of her family. Hugging and kissing and pinching of cheeks ensues. Just as planned, she quickly wins allegiance of the Human Admiral's personal armada, one of the strongest in the Terran Alliance. With this armada under her control, she quickly turns her guns on the Terran's home cities. Without the armada to protect them, entire planets fall before her wrath.

Unexpectedly, her Father and a group of ragtag space farmers led by Harry Edelson charge the armada with outdated ships. Without advanced active sensors, the space farmer's ships are nearly invisible on the new age sensors on Ahn's ships and break through.

The space farmers are decimated anyway.

Seeing the death of her father and the wanton destruction of war on both sides, she questions her own allegiance.

She turns her deadly armada towards the Koranth...

Sol Epictetus - Human Telepath

A very collected and rational person, Sol works endlessly as an interstellar diplomat. While many species had feared his telepathic capabilities, he has proven himself harmless no matter how heated and futile a negotiation may seem. Instead he utilizes his enhanced mental prowess (with the permission of those present) to augment his understanding of the arguments and issues at hand during complex interstellar arrangements and has found far more success at reaching mutually acceptable comprimises to previously irresolvable incompatabilities.

With the Drengin war machine pummeling the Galaxy as a whole, the Terran Alliance, as well as all of civilized space need Sol Epictetus and his gift for negotiation to hold together alliances already in place, and to forge new cooperative measures with every sentient species capable of aiding in repelling the devestating invasions of the Drengin Empire.

His work to this point has been exemplary and has created cooperation and friendships which have saved countless worlds as species exert their efforts in unison. He has become the glue and symbol that holds many allegiances together.

While he himself is a symbol of peace, cooperation, and hope to those he aids, this very nature has rendered him a military target of an unprecedented priority to the opposition during a war in which his Commonality of Civilizations could repel the Drengin incursion or crumble in his absence.

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Name : Darlington Kendrick (Darton Koranth)

Race : Terran genetically modified to appear Drengin

Background : Fifteen years ago, the Terran Alliance recognized the threat that the Drengin
Empire represented. Plans were put into motion to save Humanity. But, while the
techs and the military focused on perfecting the Force Fields that even now protect
Earth, Terran Secret Service took another route. Volunteers were called for and a year-
long competition amongst all of the volunteers resulted in one outstanding candidate -
Darlington Kendrick! Another year was spent in special, hyper-intensive training before
a six-month series of operations and genetic manipulations would transform Darl into
a Drengin Warrior. Six more months of training in his new form, rounded off any last
weaknesses in his disguise. A Special, one-time use virus was secretly uploaded to
the Drengin mainframes, producing a complete background portfolio for the newest member of
the Koranth Clan. A long, complicated string of freighters, courier ships and covert
operations deposited the deep cover agent on Drengi.

His mission : destroy the Drengin from the inside out!

Over the next twelve years, Darl worked himself higher and higher up the Drengin
military hierarchy, eventually attaching himself to a high ranking Koranth Warrior
as an aide and advisor. His subtle, behind the scenes manipulations soon allowed his
Patron, and the whole Koranth Clan, in fact, to become one of the most powerful factions
in all of the Drengin Empire. That's when his manipulations took on a darker form.
By surreptitiously introducing hallucinogenic, psychotropics and hypnotics into the
wine served at the Clan meetings, he has managed to drive the entire Clan leadership
insane. They will listen to only his counsel. Follow only his advice. It has been
him who has twisted the Koranth onto their new, dark path.

Unfortunately for Darlington, he forgot the old Earth saying "take care when battling
monsters lest you become a monster, yourself"!

Yes, Darlington has himself been driven to the very edge of sanity by the constant stress
and duplicity that he has been forced to endure over the last twelve years. Slowly he is
slipping over that edge!

Game Mechanics : From time to time (like a random event) Darlington will pop up and
hand over information helpful to the Terran Alliance. Stuff like:

What Tech the Koranth are currently researching
How much money is in the Koranth Treasury
Reports on Koranth ship movements
He could also give a low-level Tech to the Terrans

As time goes by, and Darl starts slipping over the edge, his contacts become more erratic,
possibly two or three in a ten week span. They also start becoming more useful, but there
is a possibility that they are AGAINST the Terrans!

A Transfer of 1000 BC into the Terran Treasury
Activation of the intruder system aboard one of the Koranth ships,
allowing the Terran Alliance to take over the ship
A mid-level Tech
Unleashes a virus which wipes out all progress on the current Tech (AGAINST the Terrans!)

Finally, he slips completely over the edge and reveals all that he knows about the
Terran Alliance to the Koranth. Thereafter the Koranth get a Soldiering bonus of +25
whenever attacking Terran Planets.
************************************************************************************

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Name : Ronin 47

Race : Human

Background : Ronin 47 is the code-name of a group of mercenaries who are experts in
all forms of Martial Arts - Ninjitsu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Whu Shu, Kung Fu, Aikido, etc.

Game Mechanics : An agent from Ronin 47 will appear just after a Race has researched
Planetary Invasion and offer to train the Race's Military. The training will last
26 weeks and cost 25 BC per week. After the training, the Race's Soldiering Rating will
improve by +10 and thereafter all other training or Tech or Structures which improve
Soldiering will confer double their bonus.

For example, researching Space Marines will add +30 to Soldiering.

If at any time during the 26 week training period the Race's Treasury dips below zero,
the training will stop and all the Ronin 47 agents will disappear, never to be seen again.
************************************************************************************

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Name : Piotr the Techomage

Race : Human

Background : The Technomages left Earth centuries ago in order to concentrate fully
on Technology without any diversions. They have successfully researched EVERY Tech.

Game Mechanics : I can think of three different ways to implement Piotr in the game:

#1. On creating a new game, one of the six graph categories is randomly selected
internally (Population, Military Strength, Influence, Research, Industry or Economy).
This becomes the "key field". At random intervals (like a random event) the Race with
the lowest rating "key field" will get a visit from Piotr who will offer three choices:
The lowest available Tech in the "key field" for free
A mid range Tech in the "key field" for a price calculated from:
(number of weeks to research at current weekly rate x 5 BC)
A high range Tech in the "key field" for a price calculated from:
(number of weeks to research at current weekly rate x 25 BC)
The Player simply selects which option he wants (and can afford)

#2. Research rate is the only determining factor. A Race which has the lowest Research
rating for twenty consecutive weeks has a 25% chance of being contacted by Piotr. When
contacted, ANY tech may be randomly offered at the above prices.

#3. After Researching Research Academies, a new Galactic Wonder becomes available -
Technomage Guildhouse. Once a Race has built the Guildhouse, a new Race appears on
the Minor Race screen - The Technomages. In order to Speak with Piotr, you must pay
250? BC (a dialog like the extra cost for Starbase Improvements will pop up) If you
pay, you get to the Trade screen. The only thing the Technomages have to offer is
several (6?) Techs. The only thing they will accept is Money. Your diplomacy rating
is ignored, nor can you improve (or reduce) their relationship with you (it always
shows Friendly). The acceptable costs are calculated by a similar method as above
(but with no freebies!).
Two of each level (available, mid-level, high-level) will be available each time.
The Guildhouse will increase Research Empire-wide by 10%, but because of the complicated
energy fields inside it, no Planetary Defenses can be built on the same planet.
The Technomages are only available to Races which possess the Guildhouse, they cannot
be contacted through exploration.
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Name: Sothos the Mnemonarch
Race: Iconian

Background:

Sothos is the current Mnemonarch of the Iconian Refuge. The Mnemonarch and his underlings are responsible for maintaining the vast data archives of the Iconian people stretching back to the time of the Precursors. Much of the archives have been lost during that time some by destruction (the Yor) and some by negligence and system failure. The Mnemonarch is responsible for plumbing the depts of the archives and attempting to restore the data that has been lost. In this, Sothos has been successful and is considered one of the most gifted Mnemonarchs remembered by the Iconians.

What he should do:

Now Sothos's efforts may bear fruit that will ensure the survival of the Iconians in a galaxy now ruled by hostile forces including the ones who originially nearly wiped the Iconians from the galaxy. Sothos has discovered the secret behind what the Koranth have become and are becoming in the ancient archives. In a desperate attempt to save his people from certain death by the Koranth and possible death and enslavement by the Drengin and their allies. Sothos and his crew embark on a mission to barter the information about the Koranth to the other Drengin clans. In exchange, the Iconians will retain their autonomy in this new galaxy or, failing that, to be treated as an upper caste of slaves in the Drengin Empire. Can the Drengin be trusted to keep their word in any case? Is the data even accurate? Can Sothos and crew even survive the trip through hostile space?

I, for one, hope so. I really like the Iconians!

Sarx

Name: Eve
Race: E-Human
Bio: Eve is the first child of a new age of humanity . Her body has been riddled with cybernetic implants, ranging from stomach filters that allow her to live on only the most basic supplies, to eye implants that allow her to see from infrared to ultraviolet. But her two most important implants are in her brain and arms. The brain implant is more of a 'transplant'. Her brain has been electronically scanned and copied onto a far more durable and, more importantly, fast computer brain. This brain is then hooked to the natural nervous system, augmented by neural 'boosters' that allow her to move at least twice as quickly as a normal human. Her strength has also been increased, allowing her to stand her ground in hand to hand combat with even a Drengin. Her hand to hand combat skills were supplemented even more by two 'blade's fitted in the underside of each arm. With a simple snap of the wrist the blades rotate outwards on a ball socket point placed right below her wrists. The blades fit between her middle fingers, and are double sided.

After being selected from ten other candidates during the rigorous training process before the implanting procedure, Eve was turned into an E-Human, which stands for Electronic-Human. Eve, personally, thinks that this name is ********. However she still accepted enrollment in the Human Espionage Agency, and was sent out on a 'trial run'. Kelleron VI was a old, backwoods listening post, long abandoned. It was near the edge of Drengin/Human border, and a pirate crew had taken up position there, buying and selling to Drengin criminals on the other side.

Eve snuck into the base under cover, taking the guise of a lowly whore. She was searched for weapons. But her best weapons couldn't be removed by a simple pat down. Once she was inside the perimeter the first thing Eve did was head straight for the security center, dispatching her new 'owner' with ease. She got to the security center and turned off the lights. Then the killing started. Five days later a small, one man pirate ship arrived at Fleet Headquarters, Ticonderoga. Eve's reported response to the question 'How did it go' was; “Can you give me a...mission next time?”.

Apparently Eve thought she wasn't being challenged enough. So the HEA sent her straight into the Drengin Empire, learning of a deadly 'lunatic fringe' that was growing out in the black. Eve's mission is to infiltrate both sides, lead them against one another and make sure that, in the end, humanity comes out on top. She has a single, small ship that has no weapons. She is posing as a gun runner, which is an excellent excuse to be carrying several tonnes in personal weapons, grenades, explosives, Frisbee nukes, Bio-bombs, crystalline fragmentation rounds, swords, knives and her only friend, a small cat named Lizzy.