Iron-Born Alliance

The Iron-Born Alliance is a coalition of nations, similar in some ways to the Earth EU, but with rather more central authority. The native sophont species is known as the Sal-Merin. They were forced to combine their resources and work together after a catastrophic series of meteor strikes caused severe climate change, rendering most of the planet only marginally habitable.

The homeworld of the Sal-Merin is Kroner, in the system of the same name.. The world is about the size of Mars, but with a thicker atmosphere and a crust unusually rich in heavy metals. The planet has a molten iron core, and boasts a modest magnetic field. However, the system primary, Krona, is a hot, young star, which emits large quantities of UV and other forms of radiation. Krona I is a blasted lump of rock, Krona IIa and IIb are a binary pair of dwarf planets. Krona III is a relatively mild example of a Cytheran (Venusian) planet. Krona IV is Kroner, homeworld of the Sal-Merrin. Krona V is a medium-sized gas giant, Krona VI and VII are somewhat smaller.

The planet itself has a ring system and a moderately-sized moon, Kes, which is slightly smaller than Luna. In the year 2787, or 42 AH, Kroner captured a second, minor moon, but the orbit is unstable, and it is expected to break up and become part of the ring system within the next century.

The ecosystem of the planet is in crisis, with almost all vertebrate animal life and most complex plant life only extant in artificial habitats. The direct cause of this was the Hammerfall, and the aftermath thereof.

A total of seven meteorites struck Kroner in the year 2745. The fifth, and most destructive, struck just outside of the city of Belderis, the capital of Eseroon, which was the dominant power at the time. This impactor struck with a force of approximately 32 gigatons. Most of the population, and almost all of the government, of Eseroon was obliterated. The seventh meteorite struck a large ice sheet, propelling vast quantities of water vapour and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. The entire series of impacts soon became known as the Hammerfall.

Pre-Hammerfall, the Iron-Born Alliance had a small research outpost on Kes (the moon) and several small habs in various orbits. Eighty years post-Hammerfall, most of the orbital habs shut down or were destroyed by other meteoroids. However, the Kes station has grown into a thriving settlement.

At the time of the start of the game, the year is 2845, or 100 AH, and the Iron-Born Alliance has just finished developing FTL travel. They do already have significant AI/automation technology. Most of their Surface-to-Orbit launches use Orion Drives: they launch from an isolated, high-altitude desert.

The Kes lunar settlement has as of last count 284 sophs. There are also 5 orbital stations with another 183 sophs between them all.

The Sal-Merin are decapodal, with a 2.5-3.5m leg-span. Their vision ranges orange-yellow to the far UV. They have poor hearing, and mediocre sense of smell, but they have a highly developed sense of touch. They can detect air currents and vibrations with 'whiskers' on legs and torso. They possess an endoskeleton and tough, leathery skin. They are moderately venomous. Their skin is pale blue-indigo, rarely violet. Their ‘hair’ is dark-blue to mid UV in colour, with darker sensory whiskers. They possess three 'fingers' on each of the first two pairs of 'legs’.

However, outside of medical treatment and reproduction, it is unusual to see their native forms. This is both because they heavily augment themselves with cybernetics, and because most wear powered exoskeletons to further augment themselves. Due to their very low population, AI, automation and labour-saving devices are ubiquitous in everyday use, both in the workplace and at home. Because of this, the lowest-level jobs in the Sal-Merin economy would, with a select few exceptions, correspond most closely to a workplace manager or overseer. Such a job would oversee drones controlled either remotely or by low-level AI.

In mid-2882, or 137 AH, Kroner’s second moon, dubbed Altheris, broke apart and became part of the planet’s ring system.

In 2890, or 145 AH, the Iron-Born Alliance started their first interstellar colony, named Calari, in the system of the same name.

Late in the year 2891, or 146 AH, they started their second interstellar colony, Sylari, in the same system.

In the second quarter of 149 AH, the Iron-Born Alliance started their third interstellar colony, Coletta.

In the third quarter of 150 AH, the Calari colony was officially incorporated as a full state in the Iron-Born Alliance. In the fourth quarter of 150 AH, Iron-Born Alliance colonists landed on Tulisa.

In the second quarter of 151 AH, the Sylari colony was also fully incorporated into the Iron-Born Alliance. In the fourth quarter of 151 AH, The first batch of colonists landed on Vonisa.

In the third quarter of 152 AH, the Iron-Born Alliance made First Contact with the Great Ehlo Empire in system 3815; after a small flotilla was interdicted while traveling through Iron-Born Alliance space. Despite some early miscommunications, official correspondence between their respective governments was established, and preparations are being made for an official declaration to the public, as well as for the selection of a diplomatic envoy to send to Tau, the Great Ehlo Empire's capital. At the end of 152 AH, news of the first contact with the Great Ehlo Empire was officially announced to the Alliance public. A trade deal with the Great Ehlo Empire was also negotiated at this point.

A few days shy of Midyear of 153 AH, The Iron-Born Alliance Envoy arrived on Tau, the capital of the Great Ehlo Empire. On Midyear's Day, the Iron-Born Alliance joined the Galactic Forum, through which contact was made with 5 more polities.

In the first quarter of 154 AH, the Coletta Colony was officially incorporated in a lavish ceremony. Among the guests was the Chancellor herself, Anadire Limine Lesuthka.

Just after the beginning of 155 AH, the Tulisa Colony was finally incorporated into the Iron-Born Alliance.