Faction information
Fedeltà (pronounced /fedelˈta/; Spanish: La Lealtad /la le.al'tað/, literally "Loyalty") is a known Outcast military group and proto political party, following an ideology of both militarism and Outcast protectionism. The group was formed after a military coup which resulted in the collapse of the National Council in March 824 A.S., and has undertaken to fill the power vacuum left behind and prevent the collapse of Malta as a state. Both the main figures of the movement and the vast majority of regular members are military officers, and they have therefore established a system similar in many ways to a military dictatorship.
The social and political crises that caused the coup have deep historical roots and can be tracked from the very beginning of Outcast history. Just over eight hundred years ago, the crippled sleeper ship Hispania and her passengers arrived in a then-unknown system, today known as Omicron Alpha. They found themselves stuck on a planet that was ill-suited to supporting human life, and their first and only goal was to survive. On their new world of acidic oceans and barren plains, these Outcasts managed to carve out a place for themselves, and form a society which not only met the daunting challenges of survival head-on, but was able to evolve into a true nation. While Outcast society "works" - it has its own order and idiosyncratic sort of overall stability - it seems, to outsiders, extremely harsh and unforgiving, much like Malta itself.
As such, it was inevitable that conflict with the other, luckier, and more successful Houses would occur. It was obvious from the outset that they could never win through brute military force, given their small size and limited industry - therefore, the Outcasts fittingly developed more cruel tactics, using their own very lifeblood as a weapon. As soon as the jump holes to the Taus and the Sigmas were discovered, it was known to all what must be done. Cardamine convoys began to rush into the border worlds, and from there into the inner systems of Sirius, flooding the rest of the galaxy with the orange dream that powered the growing Outcast economy. The Outcasts planned claw their way to the top eventually, whether through diplomacy or through a great, torrential storm of orange that wipes away all opposition, so that Malta's children could seed the fertile land left behind.
Those who owned the plantations producing the marvellous drug became fabulously wealthy; not only did they have more zeroes in their bank accounts than their countrymen, but they possessed great human and social capital as well. With time, their influence grew to encompass every facet of Outcast society. No more would the ad-hoc ministries of government, established by regional councils of citizens or dons long dead and propped up as much by custom as by legitimate authority, stand in the way of ultimate profit. The cartels came to utterly dominate every single part of Outcast life. While, again, to outsiders, this seems an incredibly oppressive, unfair, and extraordinarily unstable system, the few abortive attempts at revolution to instill a more centralized authority in Omicron Alpha have always met with failure; truly, it would seem, the Outcasts are mostly content with this cutthroat culture, and how it has served them so far.
Despite the previous successes of the Outcasts, however, there are always those who yearn for more. Just because one has come a long way doesn't mean one should rest on their laurels and cease trying to improve. With this in mind, some influential members of Outcast society have always justified their own scheming, arguing that only they have the vision and the will to bring Malta forward. On occasion, some daring few throw their lot in with each other, so as to crush mutual enemies or even ostensibly work for the benefit of all Outcasts everywhere. These attempts are often fraught with the distrust and betrayal they were nominally made to avoid, but sometimes they really bring various families and syndicates together, despite competing interests.
The National Council of Malta (also known as the NCM, NC, and Outcast National Council) is a ruling body formed in 823 AS by influential Outcast personalities who are united in opposition to Malta's status quo. After the Council of Dons ceased to exist, the smaller families and syndicates of Malta began to consolidate themselves into small but numerous councils, usually with members of the nobility at their head. At first, the only goal of these councils was to secure their own influence in a rapidly changing world. Slowly but surely, they grew into true political movements, almost invariably with a distinctly conservative bent. Despite the new addition of domestic political rhetoric, the councils still mostly focused their real efforts at increasing their own profits.
The ideological undercurrents of nationalism were not to remain dormant forever; the consolidated nobility still did not have the best idea of Malta's national interests. Along with the constant efforts to increase their own income and power, some families, or sometimes individuals, began to feel some shades of a patriotic duty to Malta. Even so, discerning true patriots from conniving plutocrats remained a difficult task. In the wake of this, the National Council of Malta was formed as the union of the disparate local Outcast opposition, with strong support from former political exiles who decided to return to Malta, in some cases in flagrant disregard to the current order. As their influence extends and former enemies and exiles return, throwing their lot in with each other, the National Council has only continued to grow in power.
However, the National Council and its old, outdated methods was never able to solve the main problems facing the Outcast nation. Many deputies of the Council never actually aimed to solve any of them, caring primarily about their own profit and influence. Institutionalized corruption and traditional plutocratic institutions appeared to be just the root of the problem. Society wanted a change, with social tension reaching critical levels. Maltese government was in turmoil for so long - the civil War between the Contari Lance and the 101st; the following years of religious fanaticism pervading every aspect of the state; and finally, this latest plutocratic restoration. Despite the fact that National Council have managed to ensure both stability and a renewed pressure and crackdown on pro-Nomadic cults, radical elements have decided to act with force in order to retake political power from the plutocratic nobility.
The radical military and quasi-military organizations that eventually established the Fedeltà movement started to break away from the Maltese nobility influence at the end of 823 A.S. This was a general protest and rebellion of the Outcast military as the social class, people who usually were just a tool in the hands of the rich families, finally realized themselves as a power in their own right. Backed by major layers of the Outcast population, that was cut from Cardamine profit, these military groups gained civilian support. Step by step, elaborating their own ideology and growing media resources in just a few months of consolidation, they grew into a proto political party. The main symbol of the Fedeltà is a concept art of an underground Outcast artist, Prospero De Marco, which portrays planet Malta eclipsing the sun. It is supposed to reflect primary importance of Malta above everything else, symbolic of the renewed ethics of this new Maltese state.
The Fedeltà coup was a success, and a huge surprise for everyone involved. In the span of a single day, most of the deputies of the National Council were arrested, with the last few disorganized pockets of resistance crushed within a few hours. The new Outcast order is quite simple and relatively progressive. To consolidate the Outcasts a supreme ruler has been established - one without any far-reaching power, but simply able to play a symbolic role and with the backing of a high-ranking, powerful Fedeltà clique.
Thew great families themselves, by tacit agreement, have managed to secure almost full control over the Cardamine trade and Maltese economy. It was not the sort of agreement that the cartels were happy about, but the alternative was their literal execution. In the theory of Fedeltà ideologists, these cartels will eventually incorporate into the new order by themselves. Rich families are always believing in the power of their reputation, diplomatic clout, and of course the ever-present Outcast corruption. Th new order has been christened the 'Maltese Dominion' and intends to to secure Outcast interests in Sirius and Gallia once and for all by internal national mobilization. Any opposition to Fedeltà is being oppressed and usually not existing for too long.
Structure of the Fedeltà
It is important to understand that, while the Fedeltà can be understood as a political party, its core membership and structures are inherently militaric in nature. Orders come from above and are to be obeyed by those below. Dissent is not tolerated. Order, discipline and loyalty is exalted. The system is rigid, yet it works. Since the coup, the Fedeltà has established itself in every aspect that has once been governed by the National Council and appropriated it, reshaped it in its own image. The below is a basic breakdown of the political structure of the Fedeltà.
Dominus Maltés/Domina Maltesa
- Represents the Dominion as head of state.
- May remove any member of the Fedeltà and Las Lealtades from their position.
- May appoint and discharge Las Lealtades.
- May veto any policy enacted by the Fedeltà.
- May declare war in the name of the Dominion.
- May sign peace treaties in the name of the Dominion.
Las Lealtades (The Loyalties)
- Are the personally appointed by the Dominus/-a and enjoy their full trust. There are always only three at any given time and each one controls one part of the Dominion's societal instituations: the Ministry of Labour, the Military Industrial Complex, and the Party (Fedeltà).
- May dispone over their respective institution as they please, within the bounds of the instructions imparted on them by the Dominus/-a.
Ministry of Labour (Miniwork)
- Is the institution controlling all aspects related to civilian work, be it Cardamine production, hospitals, schools, et cetera.
Military Industrial Complex (Miliplex)
- Is the institutions controlling all aspects related to military work, soldiers, weapons, explosives, navy. All shipyards are under direct command of Miliplex.
La Fedeltà (The Party)
- Is the name of the political party/ideology of the Dominion. Its three tenants are Order, Discipline, Loyalty, hence the name.
- Is tasked with enacting the policies imparted on them by the Lealtad of the Party, who in turn receives their orders from the supreme leader.
- Is tasked with seeking out and quelling dissent within the population.
- Usually is the place where the supreme leader picks candidates for Lealtad positions from.
General Population including Slaves
- All Maltese are obligated to seek membership in either the Miniwork or the Miliplex. By default, they are put into the latter. Slaves are to be treated as the owner wishes.
- May apply for the Politicals.
The Politicals
- Is the political indoctrination engine of the Fedeltà. They work together with the Miniwork to create a schoolsystem that conveys the values of Malta and the Fedeltà.
- Propose candidates for direct membership in the Party.
Naming Convention
All ships affiliated with Fedeltà military or civil personnel are suppose to maintain the following transponder requirements.
<f-Firstname.Lastname or <f-'Callsign' for all ships of the classes such as Light Figther, Heavy Fighter, Very Heavy Fighter and the Bomber.
<f-MNS-name(Maltese Naval Ship) for all ships of the classes such as Gunboat, Cruiser or the Battleship. Names for the capital ships are suppose to be related with locations/hostorical figures or events in former Sol nations of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta, nations of the Latin America.
<f-MTSS-name(Maltese Technical Service Ship) for all repair ships on the Fedeltà's service. Names for the repair ships are suppose to be related with locations/hostorical figures or events in former Sol nations of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta, nations of the Latin America.
<f-MT-name(Maltese Transport) for all regular trading ships on the Fedeltà's service. Names for the transports ships are suppose to be related with locations/hostorical figures or events in former Sol nations of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta, nations of the Latin America.
<f-MAT-name(Maltese Armored Transport) for all heavy armored logistic vessels on the Fedeltà's service. Names for the transports ships are suppose to be related with locations/hostorical figures or events in former Sol nations of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta, nations of the Latin America.
HomeworldOmicron Alpha, Omicron Beta, Omicron 80 (Tau), Omicron-85 (Phi).
Perform police duties, ensure the Constitution of Territorial and Interstellar Laws, along with the Maltese Criminal Law Code. All hostile vessels entering the Homeworld are suppose to be destroyed without mercy. Task of every Outcast pilot to not let anyone escape, each enemy that have managed to escape alive from Outcast Homespace can carry a cirtical information about Malta and it's defense. All emergency situations are suppose to be immediately reported to the highest ranks. All suspicious and/or unusual ships within the Maltese space are have to be interrogated on a regular basis and ask to leave the Outcast space once needed information is gathered.
Omicron theaterOmicron Psi, Omicron Chi, Omicron Epsilon, Omicron Mu, Omicron Zeta, Omicron Minor, Omicron Delta, Omicron Theta, Omicron Rho, Omicron Kappa, Omicron Xi, Omicron Gamma, Omicron Omega.
All operations in the Omicrons should be particularly brutal and decisive. Each maneuver of our fleets need to have more than decent logistic support. Main task of our forces into the Omicrons is spread death, panic and desperation in ranks of our enemies, there can be no gain beside burning enemy vessels and screams of enemy poliots.
Nomad spaceOmicron Iota, Omicron Psi, Omicron Major
Outcasts are not operating in the area due to lack of interest and potential hazard of those systems.
Tau theaterTau-23, Tau-29, Tau-31, Tau-37, Tau-44, Orkney, Rishiri, Baffin. Also including the Coronado as the part of black market 'bottleneck'.
As Tau region mainly remaining under occupation of the Kingdom of Gallia and Gallic Armed opposition, Outcast operations there are limited. Main task of the Outcast forces in the region is to ensure the Cardamine flow into the central regions of Sirius and Gallia. Secondary task is limited strikes against the enemies of Malta, attack on the enemy convoys and Information gathering. The key corporations in the region are now having Gallic origin and represented with Île-de-France Shipping, EFL Oil and Machinery and Gallic Metal Service. Their convoys are being the best targets for the Outcast piracy raids. Old 'firneds' as IMG are still represented in the region and play the role of pawns of the Gallic Crown.
Sigma&Kusari theaterSigma-13, Sigma-15, Sigma-17, Sigma-19, Sigma-21, Sigma-59, Okinawa. Systems under control of the various Kusarian regimes.
Along with traditional securing of the Cardamine flow and picary, Outcast forces in Sigmas and Kusari are trying to stop the Artifact flow in the region. Corsairs have established a complex smuggling network in the region, including the reliance on local corporations and criminal groups. All Outcasts pilots in the region are highly recommended to cooperate with the local allies, the GC. Situational alliances with the Blood Dragons are not prohibited, however keep yourself vigilant.
Kingdom of Bretonia partnershipAll systems that are currently remaining under control of the Kingdom of Bretonia.
All Outcast ships in Bretonia are suppose to follow Bretonian laws and try to to violate local cultural customs. Kingdom of Bretonia is granting Outcast and any other ships to carry non-profit dozes of Cardamine. Currenlty civilian makret of Bretonia is opened for the all Outcast traders. Our polots are free to assist local forces against the Corsairs, Gallic Royalists and local criminals. Bretonian bounty board is also opened for our pilots.
Libertorian marketLiberty and independent worlds
Liberty is having high commercial interest for the Outcasts, but that's all about it. Outcasts are here only to ensure further spreading of Cardamine in the most addicted House in Sirius. All Outcast polits in Sirius are highly recommended to fly only in order to support and assist local friends, such as Rogues and the Lane Hackers. Separate Outcast operations in the region, other than Cardamine convoys are not recommended due to high risks.
CQ "Conquistador" series craftsCQL-Gen I "Gladius" - first ship designed in the CQ "Conquistador" series, the Gladius is an agile light fighter designed to take advantage of the heightened reaction times of many Outcast pilots over their counterparts. While not as heavily armored as some existing fighters, the sheer speed and maneuverability of this craft makes it a very hard target to hit.
Nowadays Gladius is mainly playing a role of the interceptor and light support craft. Due it's speed, ship is also being used by the Outcast intelligence during the reconnaissance mission.
CQH-Gen I "Carabela" - second vessel in the CQ "Conquistador" series of Outcast fighters, the Carabela is an agile Heavy Fighter, balancing maneuverability with heavy firepower. Designed to be the backbone of the Outcast raiders operating from bases at the edge of House space, it can almost take as much damage as it can dish out. Much like the Gladius which it was derived from, this ship favors agility over armor.
Carabela is mainly used by the Outcast police forces in the rear. It's usage as the support craft in raids is now limited due the invintation of auxiliary slot on the main combat very heavy fighters.
CQV-Gen I "Rapier" - heaviest space superiority fighter to date in the CQ "Conquistador" series of Outcast fighters is the Rapier. A massive fighter that rivals the legendary Sabre in agility and firepower, it is nevertheless maintains the Outcast design philosophy of favoring agility over armor. In the hands of a skilled pilot, the Rapier is one of the most dangerous ships one could encounter.
Rapier is newest Outcast very heavy fighter launched into the mass production. This milti-role fighter is perfectly countering the main analogous ships of the enemy.
CQB-Gen II "Falcata Mk2" - late development in the CQ "Conquistador" series of Outcast fightercraft, the Falcata Mk II was designed as a testbed, to see how far the "Rapier" framework could be taken. Outcast engineers added a bomber-grade powerplant from the standard Z-line bomber, and fitted the craft with dual bomber torpedo bays. After initial trials showed the Rapier-based bomber would surpass the Falcata nearly all fields, the goahead was given to fully design it.
The Falcata Mk II still carries the name of its predecessor, but is in fact a completely new design. Built with better maneuverability in mind, this bomber is meant to slip through enemy defenses and deliver her payload before the target has a chance to react - and be out of range by the time it does.
BW "Border Worlds" series craftsSeries CX "Scimitar" - classified as a light fighter, but there is nothing light about this ship. With its expanded power capacity and armor rating the Scimitar has all of the muscle required to survive in the harsh frontier of the Border Worlds and even Edge Worlds. An excellent choice for those craving adventure.
With it's outstanding firepower, Scimitar is believed to be one of the most dangerous light fighters in Sirius. This ship is able not only intercept the enemy target, but also deal a decent amount of damage.
Series QX "Switchblade" - upscale version of the Scimitar, this ship is classified as a heavy fighter, and she is meant to take enterprising souls where the scimitar can't. With improved power core, heavier armor, better shields, and the capability of delivering far more firepower, this girl will help a brave pilot find fortune in the BorderWorlds and Edge Worlds.
Famous light raiding ship of the past, Switchblade is still remaining huge threat in the hands of skillful Outcast pilots.
Series Z "Sabre" - the fruit of the Border Worlds' ingenuity and pure capitalism coalesced into one lethal embodiment. This ship boasts enormous power capacity as well as extreme defensive capability.
Despite new models design, Sabre is still remaining one of the most favorite Outcast's ships, faithfully serving to the Outcast pilots in all regions of Sirius and Gallia.
Series CZ "Cutlass" - designed more for hit and run raids against convoys or running skirmishes with capital ships than for head on assaults against fleets, the Cutlass possesses less armor than the Falcata, but boasts greater agility and thus, supposedly, equal or greater survivability for its pilot.
Capital vessels on the Outcast serviceRM-3C "Tridente" Gunship - designed to give the Outcasts an edge when faced with overwhelming numbers of enemy strikecraft, the Tridente is a large anti-fighter gunship which has its roots in the Borderworlds line. Sleek and deadly Tridente is set to play vital role in major conflicts across Sirius from the dense asteroid fields in the Tau borderworlds to the vast nebulas of the Sigmas.
Series Z "Montante" Gunship - Border Worlds' engineers decided to use the existing Series Z as a model for a larger vessel. The Montante is the result of their ingenuity, an agile Light Gunship with strong offensive capabilities. As multiple conflicts spilled out into the Borderworlds, those who braved this untamed frontier found themselves in need of something with a larger punch then even the proven Sabre.
RM-2A "Storta" Destroyer - recent development to replace the aging RM-1 Destroyer in service with the Maltese Navy for almost 300 years. Although it has higher mass and increased profile, it is also more maneuverable than its predecessor, sports a more lethal armament, and marginally heavier armor. The first prototypes were powered by conventional fusion drives, but the production models incorporate a new advance courtesy of the researchers at Corsica's R and D Lab: An Artificial Quantum Singularity Drive. Producing a very low and unfamiliar energy signature, it lowers the Destroyer's scanner profile considerably.
"Sarissa" Battleship - smaller, more agile and capable of complicated battlefield maneuvers, the Sarissa was built upon the need of a comprehensive battle direction platform. Replete with exhaustive communications and projection equipment, each craft is capable of directing the entire course of battle from the most powerful minds Humanity has known.
Within Outcast society, each life is sacred. The Cardamine that opens the mind and elongates life comes at the terrible price of limited reproduction. These circumstances leave no room for error in combat.
D5-2A "Ranseur" Dreadnought: Agility, speed and overwhelming firepower wrought through heavy investment in technological superiority have always been the hallmark of Outcast design philosophy. This mindset served their space efforts well, preserving their limited numbers against countless adversaries for centuries.
But with the progression of modern warfare came a time when such measures were far from sufficient. Their divorced brethren, the Corsairs, shipmasters in their own right succeeded in crafting capital class vessels capable of unleashing firepower of such magnitude that the lighter RM-1 favored by the Outcasts were simply no longer sufficient. Backed by the enormous fiscal reserves and intellectual prowess of the Outcast, this dreadnought represents a departure into a methodology of combat that the Corsairs know well. Overwhelming size, firepower and shielding to shrug off the fires of burning stars, the Ranseur is the ultimate deterrent and guardian of the peoples and ideology of Malta.
Logistic and pirate shipsSeries YX "Dromedary" Freighter - Dromedary combines the best attributes of the Series Y and an entirely new reinforced structure and defensive matrix to yield and uncompromising solution for commerce and trade in the most rugged of areas.
Series "DL" Border Worlds Transport - Built to endure and thrive in the harshness of the frontier, the DL series borderworld transport thrives in the corners of space where the safe delivery of essential supplies can spell the difference between life and death. Heavily armed and armored with a generous cargo bay, the commonly sold craft holds a softspot in the hearts of traders of all stripes and affiliations.
Z-8500 "Bullmastiff" Pirate Ship - designed by the Liberty Rogues, the Pirate Transport is one of the few transport-class vessels available to the unlawful population of Sirius. This ship is too distinctive to be used for smuggling in areas heavily patrolled by police and military. However, the Transport is great choice for smugglers carrying goods from one pirate base to another using dangerous and lengthy routes. Heavy armor and advanced equipment come in handy if the ship is threatened by hostile pirates and bounty hunters alike.
Z-8550 "Pitbull" - largest transport-class vessel available for the Sirius pirates. Although offering an increased cargo bay, this ship has weaker defensive capabilities than the Pirate Transport. Using the Pirate Train on long and risky routes is considered inefficient; however, it comes in most handy on shorter routes between nearby unlawful bases. Ships of this type are also used for supplying pirate capital ship fleets with H-Fuel and other necessary goods.
Assorted civilian transports - purchased or captured, various civil transport vessels are being used by the Outcasts. This tendency had become more distinct since Bretonian civilian market was opened.
Impact upon the human body — How it changes you and why you become infertile
Dependency — Stages and Stabiline
Liquid Cardamine — Form, function and effect
It should be noted that this is merely a 'tutorial' on how Cardamine is to be understood within roleplay. With this, we offer a simple explanation for the fantastic drug of the Outcasts, which is the cause for why we are simply cursed with awesome.
I. General Information
Cardamine is an orange grass that grows on the entire surface of Malta in Omicron Alpha and in the equatorial region of Planet Soledad in Omicron Tau. Its natural form is that of long, thin, dry and brittle blades that do not bear any blooms or other appendages and pollinate via seedlings that reside inside the roots of the plant. On Malta, trace amounts of this grass can be found in any biological substance, be it water, food, flesh of the inhabitants, plants or bacteria. This is due to the invasive nature of this plant, which forcefully alters the DNA of every biological matter it comes into prolonged contact with and appropriates it to be closer to its own.
After the derelict sleeper ship Hispania and those who did not depart it to found the Corsair Empire on Planet Crete in Omicron Gamma, these effects were completely unknown to those who made planetfall and settled down on the orange Planet that they dubbed Malta. While drastically more suited for human development than Crete was, being able to sustain agriculture and the breeding of cattle, Malta held its own set of surprises for the settlers, and many of them found themselves victim to the alcaline water of Malta's oceans that, even if purified of salt, led to organ damages of the inhabitants and their prompt departure from this life. Only a select number of water sources on Malta's mainland produce non-alcaline water, and any other water would need to be prufified of their alcaline properties first to be drinkable.
Years passed and the culture of Malta developed. The prolonged isolation and their harsh environment, with summers that were scaldingly hot, shaped the Outcasts, as they took to calling themselves, into the conservative and reclusive culture that they are today. Despite the steady intake of slaves, and with them their own ideas of culture, into their society, the Maltese maintain their way of life threw a harsh re-education of slave arrivals, utilizing means that are as despicable as they were robust.
It is no secret that the Maltese had 'contact' with the alien lifeforms known as the Nomads before. Over the first few years, there were sometimes accounts of people who claimed to have seen blue object jet around the skies overhead, and though at first they were disregarded as lunatics whom the sun had shone a bit too excessively on their heads, soon, there were enough people who had seen, or at least claimed to have seen, the same. A combination of mysticism and fascination soon found these people taking their appearance as signs of good fortune and similar superstitions, although this number of people always remained a minority.
The first attempt to leave the surface of their new home and make for the stars ended in desaster for the Outcasts. After a few hours of having left the surface, the pilots of the rudimentary space crafts experienced headaches, muscle problems that would worsen and turn into seizures, excessive and vigorous vomiting and eventually to total organ failure resulting in death of the pilot.
The following autopsy of the body resulted in confusion at first. There were no toxins, no other sources that these damages could have come from. It simply seemed like every single organ, every single cell inside the dead man's body had rejected the one adjacent, as if they were transplants. Only when the responsible medical staff checked the pilot's genetics did they find that certain nucleotid segments were odd and were in fact not natural within human DNA. It also came to light that these changes were more or less advanced the more cells they examined. This sparked a literal witch hunt to find whatever had altered the pilot. Paranoia spread among the medical staff, and it soon came to light that all of them as well, had the same mutations as the pilot. It would take another few weeks of vigorous search while trying to keep the news from the public until they knew for certain what was going on, but they soon found what these changed nucleotides were — they were sequences from the orange plant that grew on the entirety of the surface.
One thing led to the next and it was discovered that the same alterations had been done to all organic structures on the planet, and that they were advancing, altering everything that came there as well. Now they truly were stranded on a world on the edge of the Sirius Sector, abandoned by the rest of humanity. What manifested as resentment at first soon turned into malicious intent. Instead of thinking about the orange grass as a curse, they started thinking of it as a weapon that they would use to slowly rot the rest of humanity from the inside, all the while making a profit from it. From that point on, Malta's view on space shifted. There was nothing outside that was worth preserving. Space meant death, and absence from Malta meant excruciating pain and a death worse than one could have died in any war that was ever fought. It needed to be appropriated, reshaped, remade into their image.
Whereas Cardamine had been little more than weeds to be pulled out of fields before, now, the Outcasts meticulously maintain a large percentage of land exclusively for the production of Cardamine, each family vying with the neighboring to outrun them in production and profit, in slaves and property.
II. Impact upon the human body
A body altered by Cardamine does not differ from a non-afflicted body by a simple look of the eye. The changes are subtle and mostly within the body rather than outside, thus the only discerning factor that gives away an addiction remains the breathers that many Outcasts use to ingest a steady dose of Cardamine into the air they breathe when outside of Malta. Upon the Planet's surface, they are, of course, superfluous.
A constant intake of Cardamine, regardless of dose, even though lesser dosage equals a longer time for the addiction to take hold, results inevitably in physical dependency on the substance. This is due to the fact that it alters certain nucleotide sequences within the person's DNA strands. Certain components of Cardamine DNA supersede already exisiting structures within the person. The result of this is that, if the person stops taking Cardamine, the body will no longer accept the altered cells as its own and will reject them, similar to how a donor organ is rejected or how the body fights cancer cells.
This means that a person who has only taken Cardamine once will have no problem proceeding with his life as though nothing had happened, because after a certain time, his body will have killed the altered cells. Only after a certain threshold is reached, and the body cannot reject the altered cells anymore without suffering a catastrophic failure, it would be right to talk of a 'dependency' because not taking Cardamine at this point would result in organ failure and ultimately, death. The body would metaphorically eat itself.
Cardamine is also necessary for the body to correctly process food. Upon withdrawal, dependent people often experience violent vomiting fits, sometimes even rejecting their own stomach acid.
The biggest problem that Cardamine use bears with it, however, is the fact that it lowers fertility drastically. While it is still possible for dependent people to bear or sire children, the prospects of this happening decline with every passing generation, each generation bearing the Cardamine alterations of their progenitors with them, which then expand even more due to their life time. The source of the infertility lies within the alteration of the DNA of the egg-cells, or the sperm. The more these are altered by Cardamine, and the more the progress of alteration differs from egg and seed, the less likely it is for the seed to fertilize the egg.
This is not to say that dependency on Cardamine does not have its benefits, however. Since the Outcasts have made planetfall on Malta, there has not been a single reported instance of cancer of any kind within Outcast society, suggesting that Cardamine processes properties that prevent deviations from the mutations caused by Cardamine itself, or that it simply strengthens the body's own immune system and lymphatic system.
Outcasts are reported to be the most fearsome enemies to fight in spaceborne combat, seemingly always being faster, better, stronger than their opponents. Justly so, the Outcasts are regarded as some of the most skilled pilots in Sirius, and this is to no small part owed to the alterations of Cardamine. This is also the reason why the Lane Hackers use Cardamine, calling it a natural intellectual enhancer due to its ability to fortify a person's mental and physical prowess beyond what is normally possible of the user.
The most notable alteration of Cardamine, however, lies within the extended lifespan of the users. Pure blooded Maltese who have been bred for multiple generations are able to reach an age exceeding two hundred years. This extreme degree of longevity, however, seems not feasible to the casual users or those who are addicts of the first generation (without addicted parents and grandparents), although the degree of Cardamine intake corresponds with the degree to which one's lifespan extends.
It should be noted that Outcasts themselves do not experience the euphoria that Cardamine causes within non-addicted people. To Outcasts, Cardamine is simply a necessity like water, food and oxygen, and it is therefore not regarded as anything out of the ordinary.
III. Dependency — Stages
Like with any dependency, there are stages thereof. The more advanced a dependency is, the more difficult it will be to lay it off. With Cardamine, the additional problem of the addict depending on it for life is added, as not taking it means death. However, before that threshold is reached, there is time, which can be a decisive factor when it comes to combating it.
As described above, the body possesses the ability to fight alterations made by Cardamine. This is, in fact, the very reason why an addict dies after a certain point, because this fight of the body against the dependency results in the body rejecting vital parts of itself. From this, it becomes clear that a single dose taken at one point with two months time before the next dose of Cardamine is taken, will not result in dependence, because the body will have fought and rejected the altered cells during the pause.
However, the allure of drugs is the effect that they cause. Cardamine induces a strong feeling of euphoria that also does not have diminishing returns like other drugs upon taking more doses. This results in an easy slippery slope for people to glide into dependency without noticing it while they still can do something to prevent it. Cardamine has a rather strong tendency to cause psychological addictions to its euphoric feeling as well.
A stay on Malta for about seven days will render a person physiologically dependent on Cardamine, as it will have absorbed enough of the substance for it to have altered enough parts of the body. In the case that a person has taken the dosage of Malta's residue Cardamine for about five days, it might be possible for them to still return to the non-afflicted state, although the body's fight with the altered cells will be decidedly more violent and might result in certain organs needing to be replaced, or the occurance of cancer within the person. Cryer therefore also offers synthetic organs alongside its Stabiline.
It is possible to also completely halt the advance of bodily alteration by Cardamine and the body's inevitable decay that follows the withdrawal of Cardamine by using the drug produced by Cryer called Stabiline. Other than Cardamine, it does not bear any positive effects like extended lifespan, increased mental and physical prowess and cancer-resistance, bur rather, it simply inhibits the body's ability to reject the altered cells, and therefore halts the decay. It simply 'stabilizes' as the name suggests. This is only a temporary solution, however, as Stabiline inevitably causes the patient to develop cancer and also does not do anything against the psychological withdrawal symptoms that occur with stopping to take Cardamine. Up until this day, Stabiline is an experiment at best, but the Outcasts see it as a threat large enough to target and destroy any and all entities carrying the substance without exception.
IV. Liquid Cardamine
There seems to be a categorical problem when it comes to placing Liquid Cardamine for many people. To those who read the infocard of the commodity, it is clear that it is an Outcast commodity. To others, the fact that it is sold primarily, though not exclusively, on Nomad bases seems to suggest that it is, in fact, a Nomad commodity. Herein lies an inherent conflict, and everything in this section is simply my opinion (ergo the opinion of @Foxglove). While I tried to create a neutral and fact based text above, here, I will rather be putting forth a logical argumentation for why Liquid Cardamine is two things:
1. Not a Nomad commodity.
2. Merely a more compressed form of Cardamine that is easier to transport and certainly will not horribly mutate you/kill you.
Within the initial Nomad lore written by Yuri (of which a lot of can be read here), Cardamine was established to have been created by the Daam K'Vosh for the Nomads. It has the same effects on Nomads as it does on humans, with the exception that it does not make them dependent on it. To the Nomads, Cardamine is an envigorating substance, but nothing more. I sometimes hear the argument/opinion that Liquid Cardamine is a sort of Nomad fuel, but this goes directly contrary to the idea that Nomads are supposed to absorb radiation to sustain their forms. Furthermore, this lore establishes that Cardamine grows exclusively on Malta and Soledad. I would very much like to understand how people get the idea that Nomad consume Liquid Cardamine as fuel (or even produce it, as some people suggest wat), if the Nomads do not even have control over where Cardamine grows. Are they supposed to make it out of thin air?
Liquid Cardamine Infocard Wrote:Cardamine, while normally ingested as part of the atmosphere or as a fine powder, can be rendered into a liquid substance. As a liquid it is shot directly into the bloodstream via injections and provides much more of a 'high' then the same dosage in regular form creates. This liquid is more easily transportable and more discrete then the masks which Outcasts normally have to use while away from Malta. This also provides an easy way for Outcast smugglers to supply the drug to House inhababitants without the telltale masks. Liquid Cardamine still alters the user's genetic structure and still creates unavoidable dependency.
From this we infer that Liquid Cardamine's origin can only be Malta, and the infocard of the commodity supports this, stating that Outcasts smuggle it.
There is also the idea that Liquid Cardamine would horribly mutate and kill people who inject it, and I would like to totally reject that idea for the following reasons: The info card does not support it, and neither does the initial Nomad lore.
The Nomad Lore about Cardamine Wrote:Cardamine
Cardamine is a grass grown specifically for the nomads by the Daam K'vosh. There are only two planets in all of Sirius that are successful in growing Cardamine, Planet Malta, and Planet Soledad. The blades of the grass are tall, thin, orange in color and are not edible to humans in its native form but are to nomads. Outcasts have spent years studying, researching and finally they came up with some processes that turn the inedible grass into an orange inhaleable gas or ingestible liquid. The effects of this processed Cardamine are increased lifespan, greater strength and additional sensory enhancements than normal humans, at the cost of permanent DNA changes that result in lifelong addiction to Cardamine and significantly reduced reproduction. Whether Outcasts can produce offspring at all remains to be seen. It has been suggested that the Cardamine helps the nomads to sense the Outcasts as different to other humans. There seems to be a curiosity on the nomads part about these "human-like creatures" that 'smell' like the grass the nomads ingest.
The effects of Cardamine on Nomads are similar to Humans with one difference; Cardamine is not addictive and purely beneficial to nomads. The grass form increases the energy storage, flow capacity, photosynthetic processes and functions of the Nomads body systems, while the processed form does the same only slightly less effectively on Nomads.
It has been suggested by some of our scientists/theorists that the Nomads once grazed the fields of Malta.
As demonstrated, even the initial lore states that Outcasts produce both the gaseous and liquid form of Cardamine. Not a single syllable of this speaks of how the liquid form would mean instant death to humans, and it therefore stands to reason that this idea has been perpetuated by people who have no idea what they were talking about and directly go against what is available in terms of information ingame (which should be the guide line as long as it is available ingame!) and even in the initial Nomad lore.
All in all, you are of course free to disregard everything I wrote in this section. All I would really want of you is to explain to me when asked: Why and how? If you can do that, then I guess you are at least not just fabricating things or regurgitating something that someone, who has no idea what they were talking about, said.
A noob's guide to the Outcasts
During the Alliance's exodus from Sol, there were five sleeper ships constructed; the Hispania was one of them, containing the various peoples of the Mediterranean and Latin America, as well as a small number of Coalition saboteurs. (For more on the Alliance-Coalition conflict, play Starlancer or watch the intro cutscene to Freelancer, if by some miracle you haven't already seen it.) The stowaways sabotaged the engines of the Hispania, and it exited hyperspeed in Omicron Gamma.
Crete, the only habitable planet in Omicron Gamma, is very barely so, but without any guarantees of finding another habitable planet, around half the population of the Hispania made planetfall, and became the Corsairs. The rest of the colonists kept the Hispania barely running until coming into Omicron Alpha and settling on Malta. These would go on to become the Outcasts. To this day, both the Outcasts and the Corsairs outwardly blame the other faction for sabotaging the Hispania, and use it as a moral justification for their continuing war; internally, however, it's known that this is just propaganda, and among the Corsairs, knowledge that it was actually the Coalition who sabotaged the Hispania is something of an open secret. Most unlawful groups in Sirius have picked one side or the other based on geopolitical concerns, and they can be roughly organized into blocs based on these sides.
Malta is more hospitable than Crete, but not by much; notably, unlike Crete, the soil is more fertile, and mass-scale agriculture is actually feasible. An orange grass called cardamine grows on Malta, and trace amounts of the stuff are in pretty much everything on Malta; there's cardamine in the air, the water, the soil, the flesh of the fruit and of the animals. When humans are exposed to cardamine, it acts as a powerful stimulant, inducing euphoria and quickening reflexes. It also prolongs your lifespan (Outcasts commonly live to be over 120 years old) and increases general intelligence, but drastically lowers fertility. It is extremely addictive and withdrawal always results in a painful death. As a result, the Outcasts strongly cherish every single Maltese life. This is an extremely important part of Maltese culture, and you cannot understand the mindset of the Outcasts without understanding this first. Due to their heightened reflexes and intelligence thanks to cardamine enhancement, the Outcasts are, in-roleplay, some of the best pilots in Sirius, hence their success despite their limited numbers.
It is important to note that to the Outcasts, cardamine is not a drug. It is rather an essential component of life, like air and water. To talk of Outcasts "getting high" off of cardamine (unless it's extremely concentrated, anyway) is as silly as talking about a normal human getting high off of pure H2O. When an Outcast leaves Malta, they wear breathers or utilize other devices to maintain a constant supply of cardamine; the distance a Maltese can travel from home is strictly limited by how much cardamine they can bring. This is another reason they maintain such an extensive network of allies; doing their own dirty work is extremely costly, and there's always a time limit, so getting regular pirates to cooperate is in their interests.
The Outcasts are also very paranoid, and see anyone within "their space" as an urgent threat. This is why they've been hostile to the IMG and GMG since their first encounters. They see the rest of humanity as having abandoned them (hence the name, which they chose themselves), and seek to profit off of extracting revenge by selling cardamine to the other Houses, making millions of people dependent on them.
Maltese society is basically structured around aristocratic and plutocratic families who either won recognition as "nobility" somehow, own cardamine plantations, or both, and, while it isn't written in the game, player-created lore has generally held that there's rarely (if ever) been a unified central government on Malta; instead, power is constantly shifting from one family or cartel to another. The cardamine plantations are generally operated entirely by slaves, or "mandatory workers". How the Outcasts morally justify slavery isn't really specified in the game, so players and factions have taken a lot of interesting stances with this.
![[Image: CQEBOP1.png?2]](http://i.imgur.com/CQEBOP1.png?2)
![[Image: 0fkotBW.png]](http://i.imgur.com/0fkotBW.png)
![[Image: j0rrej6.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/j0rrej6.png?1)
![[Image: hhlRHFN.png]](http://i.imgur.com/hhlRHFN.png)
![[Image: Q1TvXMC.png]](http://i.imgur.com/Q1TvXMC.png)
![[Image: 0I7a6A5.png]](http://i.imgur.com/0I7a6A5.png)
![[Image: A796dm8.png]](http://i.imgur.com/A796dm8.png)
![[Image: vnYhEQY.png]](http://i.imgur.com/vnYhEQY.png)
![[Image: efqzEl1.png]](http://i.imgur.com/efqzEl1.png)
![[Image: jiyohxr.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/jiyohxr.png?1)
![[Image: zqb59NV.png]](http://i.imgur.com/zqb59NV.png)
![[Image: Zv28uWw.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/Zv28uWw.png?1)
![[Image: 2ORji7l.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/2ORji7l.png?1)
![[Image: SBAaBnz.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/SBAaBnz.png?1)
![[Image: rd5XQzZ.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/rd5XQzZ.png?1)