Collectors

This is an unofficial player group. For the affiliated NPC faction, see Junkers.

Collectors
Origin	Liberty
Affiliation	Junkers
Alignment	Quasi-legal
Profile
Date of founding	unknown
Founder(s)	Unknown
Current leader(s)	Carlos Ortiz
Base of operations	Rochester Base
Primary role
to uphold the individual
Secondary role
scrapping, trading

Introduction

"Thousands of years ago, the first man discovered how to make fire. He was probably burned at the stake he had taught his brothers to light. He was considered an evildoer who had dealt with a demon mankind dreaded. But thereafter men had fire to keep them warm, to cook their food, to light their caves. He had left them a gift they had not conceived and he had lifted darkness off the earth. Centuries later, the first man invented the wheel. He was probably torn on the rack he had taught his brothers to build. He was considered a transgressor who ventured into forbidden territory. But thereafter, men could travel past any horizon. He had left them a gift they had not conceived and he had opened the roads of the world.

"That man, the unsubmissive and first, stands in the opening chapter of every legend mankind has recorded about its beginning. Prometheus was chained to a rock and torn by vultures—because he had stolen the fire of the gods. Adam was condemned to suffer—because he had eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Whatever the legend, somewhere in the shadows of its memory mankind knew that its glory began with one and that that one paid for his courage.

"Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received—hatred. The great creators—the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors—stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced. The first motor was considered foolish. The airplane was considered impossible. The power loom was considered vicious. Anesthesia was considered sinful. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won."'

~ from an untitled microfilm preserved from the Liberty sleeper ship

What is a Junker? A Junker is an individual. Wherever he comes from, at the very core lies the indomitable spirit of man. A Junker is born to explore, to profit, and to restore order to a sector plagued by entropy and waste. In the process, he maintains his personal integrity and through pure force of will does he make the world a better place to inhabit. There is no alternative.

Junkers hail from all over Sirius, and it is clear each and every one has his own interpretation of the doctrine of self-interest and egotism that drives the progress of man. But in a sector where war is rampant, genocide is imminent, and the debris fields grow out of control: the Junkers silently prepare for tomorrow, always waiting, watching, listening, innovating, and building. Among the Junkers, some steal, some barter, and some tinker. Yet, at the end of the day the Junkers always seem to emerge strong. The cause for such strength cannot be attributed to some sort of collective hivemind, and it would certainly dishonor each and every Junker to say that such a diverse aggregation has persisted to prosper through sheer luck. No, it is evident that the success of the Junkers is due to the life-blood of many men and women spent over centuries. Through constant dedication, Junkers have been able to blithely adapt to their environment without arrogating power or murdering innocents. By choosing to uphold the strong code of individualism and dignity that unifies such variegated vagabonds, the Junkers manage to prevent Sirius from falling into polluted, wanton anarchy.

At a glance, Junkers appear to separated, divided, and disorganized; most would assume this to be the truth. But they could not be more wrong. When push comes to shove, Junkers can only trust and rely upon their brethren. The Junkers have maintained knowledge both of the greatest wealth and of the smallest insignificant details. And while they are responsible for many leaks of information, this is due to the fact that Junkers value the individual’s right to information higher than the governments’ obsessive secrecies.

Today, many Junkers operate within political subfactions for various reasons. The Collectors, in particular, are a group whose members work both in the scrap fields and the trade lanes while refraining from piracy. While much of the organization’s history remains unknown, many of her supporters are Libertonian in origin, boasting a diverse ethnography. Rumors have it that the Collectors have been expanding their scrap extraction and commercial operations to gain a foothold in Liberty’s corporate economy, yet the purported reasons for such growth are unclear. In space, a Collector is most often seen gathering scrap for resale or moving large quantities of assorted goods in bulbous, well-armored vessels.

One thing is certain: the Collectors vigorously uphold the Junkers’ doctrine of individualism that has survived and adapted to hundreds of years of Sirian conflict.

Requirements to Join

The Collectors are interested in new Custodians who can perform the following tasks:

• fly a ship
• generate revenue
• hold a conversation

Private communications are a great way to get the ball rolling if you are interested in joining.

Diplomacy

Faction	Relationship
Junkers	Allied
Universal Shipping	Friendly
Golden Chrysanthemums	Friendly
Interspace Commerce	Friendly
Non-Kusari authorities	Neutral
Hispanics	Neutral
Everyone else	Neutral
Gallic Brigands	Unfriendly
Bounty Hunters Guild	Unfriendly
Hellfire Legion	Unfriendly
Kusari Naval Forces	Unfriendly
Kusari State Police	Unfriendly
Xenos	At War
Farmer's Alliance	At War
Hogosha	At War
Nomads	At War
Wilde	At War