Lore

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Rangers of the Blue Flame takes place an isolated section of a very large and mostly unknown galaxy of a trillion stars. This region is known as the Blue Flame Sector, for its color and shape. Although it bears less than 0.01% of the galaxy's total stars, it still has storied history of empires and rebellions, cults and religions, forgotten glory, hubris and heroism.

Not all of the sector's history is known, especially that of the more secretive nations and the more overlooked peoples. But the main great stories are known: The rise and fall of the Cinterian empire, who were gifted faster-than-light drives by a forgotten benefactor, and the rebellion and subsequent rise of the Alliance Republic in its place, a democratic Alliance that promises equal rights and liberties to all nations and peoples.

But promises are one thing, and realities are another. The peace and prosperity of the Alliance Republic is under constant threat from within and without: Criminal syndicates, corrupt politicians, ruthless megacorporations, racial supremacists, and of course space pirates, sacrificial cults, alien parasites and barbaric invading hordes all threaten this delicate Alliance.

To safeguard the survival of the fledgling Alliance, the Cinterian Lord Garrant, an honorable man who had betrayed his own people for the cause of equal rights, persuaded the Senate to apportion funding for a group of Rangers who could act quickly around the Sector in cases of urgent need. When lawfully elected governments, innocent traders or peaceful colonies are under attack by fascist thugs, raiders, gangs or cults, a squadron of rangers can be quickly dispatched to save the day.

But as you might imagine, no good deed goes unpunished. Even now, sullen tyrants and sociopathic oligarchs are plotting the demise of the rangers with lies, bribery and sabotage, so you must be on your toes every step of each mission.

Places

Sector Layout

The blue flame sector is just that, one swirl of bright blue flame - thousands and thousands of stars - reaching out from the center of the galaxy towards its rim.

The sector's inward edge borders on the heavily irradiated region of stars that are slowly being sucked into the galaxy's central super-massive black hole. In the spinward direction - the clockwise direction in which the galaxy spins - system after system is steadily being conquered and devoured by the merciless Kaldarian Horde. Rimward stars are controlled by the relatively younger nation of the Urda, who allow few visitors except to their trading moon. And in the tailing direction, with the lowest star density lies the Nightfall Reach - a mix of primitive, uninhabited, cursed and tomb worlds, dangerous and unmapped, with few sources of Hyperium, the vital and rare fuel needed for faster-than-light travel.

Key Systems

Cinteria

Though now far fallen from its once great height, the nation of Cinteria boasts many prime worlds near the coreward region of the sector, each world built up heavily with tall, elegant towers of residences, offices, factories, surrounding wide gardens tended over long millenia. These beautiful vistas hide rot, however, from secret fascist factions who would see the evil Cinterian Empire rise again, to the nihilistic cult of Teth that would see every star crushed into a black hole, and worse.

Silverhall

Located squarely in the center of the sector, Silverhall is the seat of the Alliance republic. A cold world of high mountains, snowy forests and icy seas, Silverhall boasts booming factories, bustling shipyards and countless industrial plants, the biggest economy of any world in the sector on record. The Alliance and the Ranger headquarters are here, but this is also a place where evil corporations develop plots to subvert democracy and countless terrorist groups have made bomb threats and attempted to kidnap senators for ransom.

Urda and Nura

It is not known exactly how many worlds are under the control of the Urda, an old and reticent people of great wealth and a prominent member of the Alliance. Their most coreward and best-known system, Nura, boasts a gas planet rich in Hyperium and the trader's moon of Nuradda, a world-spanning city with countless vertical layers of industries, laboratories and markets. On this world, anything can be bought and sold, on the record or off, and its location at a hyperlane crossroads makes it a jewel of the Alliance despite its reputation for gang wars, illegal drugs, and a poor underclass. The Urda home worlds are deeper rimward and visitors of other races are not permitted without specific invitation.

Grai Nebula

In the south-central area is a lavender colored nebula where the Grai people hail from. Pale beings with huge eyes and long fingers, the Grai are well reputed for their skill in technology.

Kal-Chek Hives

In the west-central region, the Kal-Chekrik people, a highly populous and rapidly reproducing insectoid race, own three highly industrious systems with names that are difficult for other peoples to pronounce. The Kal-Chekrik of each system are a differently colored offshoot of the race, and each claim to be the true and original homeworld of their people.

Salacama

A remote colony world on one of the flame's trailing arms. Uninhabited upon its first discovery by human traders, Salacama has an unusual landscape of high deserts cris-crossed with lush jungle valleys fed by underground rivers. Light industry here includes some farming, fuel mining and consumer goods. Salacama is a peaceful place for anyone to visit or stay, especially those who would rather not be found - refugees criminal and innocent, pirate hideouts, retired mafia bosses, eccentric collectors, and those who have seen the ruins beneath the sands and can speak of harrowing journeys into the Nightfall Reach.

Althea

A sunny, lush farming colony on the spinward edge of the flame, famous for its freshwater river-seas, bountiful fruits and frequent rains, with few urban areas. As we speak, however, the Kaldarian Horde are plotting a surprise ground invasion of this unsuspecting idyllic land, and will launch the assault with overwhelming force imminently.

Peoples

Most states of the Alliance Republic comprise a single star system. Many of these also comprise the homeworld of a single people, such as the hairy Bos or the Porcians famous for their fine foods. But there is free movement among all peoples through most worlds, and most nations are diverse colony worlds that were discovered previously uninhabited. While the peoples of the sector are too numerous to list fully, here are a few of the most common:

Humans

are common across everywhere they are permitted to live, an average species with virtues and vices, seen often in agriculture, business, industry and criminal enterprise. There is no human nation, they comprise the population of a variety of smaller and more diverse states. Human culture is a mix of memories from Earth: Rock music, dim sum, voodoo, yodeling, ayahuasca, falafel, all perceived as 'Human things'. Human scholars preserve a few documents about the disaster that destroyed Old Earth, said to be a tomb planet somewhere in the Nightfall Reach.

Cinterians

are a humanoid species whose long control of most FTL technology allowed them to dominate the sector longer than any other nation in recorded history. Physically, their are known for their yellow eyes, crest of skull-horns and affinity for pyromancy. They have a well documented history of conquests, but the defeat of their viciously genocidal Empress Kalhakka and sinking of her flagship into an ocean planet marks the beginning of transition from cruel empire into humble senate members.

Urda

are rarely seen. Their star-nation is one of the few never to have been conquered by Cinteria, and most of their worlds are closely sealed to outsiders, each one wealthy and stocked with vast fuel and food reserves. Individuals are large and vaguely frog or slug-like with two arms and four feet. Every Urda that any other people have seen has been in some position of authority or power. The idea of an urda working as a waiter or refueling technician is unthinkable, with the most lowly, drunken individual owning a convenience store in a city somewhere. Today there are rumours of their race suffering from a terminal failure to reproduce, and their government is growing desperate for solutions.

Kal-Chekrik

are populous, industrious insectoid people, most closely resembling human-sized mantids or phasmids. They occur in green, blue, and red morphs, each hailing from a world near their other home systems, which are all envious and jealous of other colors. The nation is highly reputed for its medical drug companies, precision machinery, and long tradition of martial arts. The Kal-Chekrik's chitinous claws and calm, stoic mentality are highly effective for purposes of surgery, engineering and violence. Their reproductive habits are often maligned but two parents can have as many as 200 healthy children.

Lapin

are a vaguely rabbit-like people with no homeworld they remember. They are hardworking and energetic, eagerly volunteering in every field of work, every planet and crew. All their cultural traditions are oral, including the reasons for keeping it that way. They have their own foods, holidays and songs, some of which describe events and Lapin heroes that scholars agree predate even the Cinterians.

Aldar

, also known as elves, look similar to humans except for their pointed ears and long age. Modern aldar almost all come from one planet which was a prison colony of their former empire, isolated in an ancient cataclysm. Their culture values meditation, nature and the arts, but they are quite capable of exceling in any fields.

Grai

are a notable star nation of four systems. The grai have huge black eyes, large brains and long, slender limbs and fingers. They excel in science and industry, and have a natural affinity for telepathy.

Ying

are a small, claw-limbed people who have tested common definitions of sophistry. Like animals, they are quite happy to unhesitatingly build dens, find sustenance, and raise young in any environment using whatever materials are locally available. But like people, they build machines, sing songs, speak, and occasionally some of them will don clothes and accept employment under other peoples. Their methods of science and construction are baffling to the more "advanced" society, occasionally producing arcane marvels that refuse any attempt at explanation or reproduction.

Kaldarians

' self-attested name is not known. They are either a multifarous empire or genetically altered caste system of large, merciless and brutal reptilians, with iridescent scales, long teeth and claws like daggers. They refuse all communications and kill or eat anything in their path, using advanced plasma weapons and sleek vehicles of a singular design. Everyone in the alliance whispers, surely there must be some way to speak with them, or some way to stay their terrible advance and endless numbers? Thus far, not a single individual has defected, emigrated, or shown the slightest disloyalty from their Horde.

The Hall of the Flame

The Alliance Rangers' headquarters is in an old hall near the Alliance capital on Silverhall, one of several ruins that was left on the planet when it was first colonized. In the center is a brazier gifted by the Cinterian nation, said to have been burning ceaselessly since the Cinterians' gods granted them enlightenment in the distant past.

Here, squads of rangers are trained, briefed, sent on missions, and debriefed on their return. It is a safe place, or intended to be, where the rangers can rest and recuperate, research and work on projects between missions.

Commissioner Garran

This wise, kindly old Cinterian, with long, regal white hair and crown of horns, has sworn his life to the cause, and he is here to help you. His family history in the Alliance Rebellion was tragic, and he continually advocates in the Alliance Senate and the Cinterian house of lords for greater funding for the Rangers with limited success.

Master Carlo Launer

This middle-aged human man, who smiles through a bushy beard and a face creased with time beyond his years, has dedicated his life to the psychic religion of Zerai, the belief that true magic power is only achieved through positive ideals of honor, justice and unconditional love. He can advise and train you in the arcane arts, but he will unhesitatingly recommend for expulsion any Ranger caught attempting necromantic rituals or tormenting others using telepathy or illusions. He prefers not to speak of his personal life.

Dr. Kitchik

This Kal-Chekrik female is a master of science, biochemistry and medicine. She can help heal the injured and disabled, and is in charge of apportioning the agency's limited medical and biochemical supplies to ranger squadrons, and can also advise on scientific and medical projects. Kitchik is often performing experiments upon some sort of eggs, and will only explain to Rangers who help her (illegally) obtain more specimens.

Quartermaster Carthan Linorathal

This immaculate black-haired Aldar is always proud to speak of his many children or his glorious exploits slaying pirates and slavers. He is in charge of apportioning limited supplies of weapons and explosives to Ranger squadrons, and can advise on combat training and weapon modifications.

Engineer Fai-Sha

This old but energetic Ying is harsh and unfriendly. She appears to be constantly working on a strange machine that never works, always frustrated with it. Fai-Sha is in charge of apportioning the Rangers' limited vehicle supplies to squadrons, and can also advise on general crafting and vehicle modifications. She will only explain her projects to rangers who make her smile, and she never smiles.

Archivist Willow

This quiet brown Lapin is in charge of organizing and assisting with all information research required by Rangers or discovered by Ranger archaeologists. She is torn between her desire to chronicle her own people's history and the cultural taboo against doing so. She has deciphered that a key figure among the Rangers staff is a traitor to the cause, but is hesitant to share this information.