The World of Halcyon
Welcome to the World of Halcyon!
Curious about the universe our game takes place in? Keep reading to learn about some of the factions, locations, and figures that makes Halcyon so unique.
Factions
Halcyon's universe is full of highly influential groups. From mega corporations to comet-worshipping monks, there's nothing the galaxy hasn't seen. Each faction has their own motivations and goals that sometimes align with your pilot and sometimes get in your way. Their presence helps define Halcyon and create the chaos you'll experience in your game.
Bishop Collective
Money is power. Power is influence. Influence is control. And control makes you untouchable. Bishop Collective is a mega corporation with a near monopoly on space travel and weapons manufacturing. It keeps its teeth sunk in everything it can; with a special vigor ever since Nazari spilled their secrets and got many of their Overboard members killed.
The Underearth Union
The alliance of 170+ mining and production planets that make up the galaxy’s frontier. They stand for freedom and unity, often at the expense of morals and individuals. General Bracken is the current head of their war council but they are now working with the young Republic to achieve alliance or even unification; leaving their more bloody ways in the past in favor of peace at last.
The Republic of Sworn Planets
The current governing body of the Core is led by Arbiter Albert Nazari. Nazari has high hopes for restoration of democracy and galactic cooperation but foes abound. The RSP intends to unify all citizens under an idea of freedom that doesn't sacrifice morality or lives. Though many doubt him, the idea of a peaceful galaxy is appealing to most after a decade of war and death.
CHIMERA Combat Pilot Training Center
An independent institution founded 2 years into the Coalition war, when combat frames were becoming increasingly available to civilian consumers. As the war went on, the available information on combat frames, weapons, and other equipment was consolidated into the Universal Pilot’s Handbook for students of CHIMERA.
The New Earth Coalition
The NEC is living proof that all actions have consequences. They used the first combat mechs to stage a violent coup on the previous government, putting Hieronymus Kell on the throne until Albert Nazari removed him. Now, the NEC attempts to keep its influence through remaining sects across the galaxy still warring in Kell's name. Their prime, though, is long since over.
The Hegemony
The Hegemony Council governed resource allocation and settled territory disputes through management of planetary governors. Their gentle hand encouraged an era of peace during the Understanding that seems almost like a myth now. The Council was violently removed by the New Earth Coalition in a slaughter on Persephone that has consequences even now.
The Core
The Core is the central solar system in Halcyon’s galaxy. It contains the most influential and highly advanced planets in the universe, serving as a sort of “capital” for intersystem citizens. They’re among some of the first planets to be colonized and terraformed during the Understanding and are home to the reigning central government.
Persephone
The capital planet of the Core, terraformed to hold both sprawling cities and stunning purple-hued natural landscapes. Its beauty still captivates hundreds of years after its founding and acts as the seat of government for the Republic of Sworn Planets just as it did for the NEC and Hegemony before it.
Midnight
Midnight is a tiny planet quite literally in Persephone’s shadow for most of the year. It was designated as the original landing point for humanity, but quickly abandoned in favor of bigger and prettier planets nearby. Its official name was the generically-assigned MID-52, but its residents named it Midnight to establish their identity and have been promoting their true name for years.
Irene
A brilliant blue world of intense flame wreathed in rings of crystalline rock that are shepherded by green moons. Millions of farmers work beneath lunar plantation guilds to export food for the entire core and beyond. Irene is the breadbasket of the core but requires a constant inflow of water and equipment to maintain maximum production.
Themis
Themis is a city planet that differs from the others because all its development is underground. The atmosphere is highly acidic and is constantly hit with meteors dangerous to any surface dwellers. Both of those are solvable, but it was cheaper to go underground. There are hundreds of enormous cities that are illuminated by artificial suns. Despite this, those who live in the walls of the subway tunnels have only darkness and neon lights.
Demeter
Called Persephone’s sister planet because they inhabit the same orbit, Demeter is the galaxy’s first supercity. 89% of the surface is entirely covered by metal structures from housing units to offices and skyscrapers. Demeter is a planet of high influence, producing most of the Core’s fashion and items of luxury.
SIDIAN
Between the core and the frontier lies the Labyrinth; a dangerous belt of debris. There's a safe route through the Labyrinth, but it requires landing spacecraft on Sidian, and—due to its massive gravity—then taking the trench-rail to rapidly reach the other side of the planet. Sidian is a black and frigid world held in place by the arms of the Labyrinth rather than by a sun. Its starports and various housing compounds were built with a desperately practical and squat style to endure the brutal gravitational forces.
Thess
The first planet Bishop Collective ever purchased, home to a number of immense production complexes and millions of employees. Its distinctive blue-gray hue comes from sapphire crystals in the soil, which Bishop uses extensively in electronics manufacturing. It was also the planet raided by Albert Nazari's forces to bring an end to the war and scare the Overboard into hiding.
Kite
Kite is the furthest planet in the Core, making it the chilliest by far. Due to the somewhat inhabitable conditions of the surface, Kite’s cities were built in the skies. Massive spacecrafts carry cities above the cloudy ground making for a beautiful view of the planet. Each of them are brilliant white, from the buildings to the streets and the engines that make it all run, earning the ship-cities the name “Snowflakes.”
