Group: Free People of Badigo
Overview
| Type | Criminal (Separatist Insurgency) |
|---|---|
| Alignment | Chaotic Neutral |
| Criminal Activities | Smuggling, Arms Trafficking, Political Corruption, Violence, Piracy |
| Organization | Separatist Insurgency |
| Size | 3 - Sector Cartel |
Iconography
Profile
The Free People of Badigo (FPoB) are an organized, militarily capable separatist movement that blends radical anarchist political theory with pretech mysticism. To the Unified Planets of Sol, they are dangerous terrorists destabilizing the Albion Sector. Though in some fringe systems, they are hailed as true revolutionaries that offer an alternative.
Operating out of the Badigo System—which has been rendered inaccessible to UPoS capital ships due to a mysterious “Psionic Static”—the FPoB strikes at UPoS supply lines and corporate assets using a guerrilla armada known as Slocum’s Fleet. While they claim to have no masters, the movement is undeniably centered around the enigmatic, reclusive figure known only as the Arch Mage.
Activities
The FPoB is engaged in a “War of the Spirit and the Sword.” Their activities are split between material sustenance and ideological expansion:
- The Black Trade: Utilizing hidden hyperspace lanes known only to them, they smuggle untaxed goods, weapons, and forbidden tech between UPoS worlds, undercutting corporate monopolies.
- Raiding: Slocum’s Fleet conducts precision strikes on freighters and UPN supply depots, seizing resources to fuel their resistance.
- The Voice of the Tower: They hijack local hypernet buoys to broadcast anarchist propaganda laced with subtle psionic sub-harmonics, designed to encourage civil unrest and sympathy for their cause.
Story
The Severing of Badigo
Ten years ago, the mining and agriculture colony of Badigo was just another resource node for the UPoS. That changed when a local archeological dig uncovered a massive pretech structure buried beneath the planet’s crust. Colum McCann, then a lowly xenolinguist, entered the Spire and emerged days later changed, wielding inexplicable abilities. He rallied the miners with a telepathic “truth” that swept through the populace. When the UPN arrived to quell the riots, McCann activated the Spire. The resulting psionic shockwave fried the navigation computers of the entering fleet, leaving them drifting dead in space. Badigo declared independence the next day.
The Admiral’s Defection
Admiral Jelzin Slocum, tasked with blockading the rebellious system, grew disillusioned with the UPoS’s orders to starve the civilian population into submission. In a stunning betrayal, he turned his guns on his own political officers, defected with a squadron of light cruisers, and offered his sword to McCann.
Areas of Operation
| Area | Operations |
|---|---|
| Badigo System | Sovereign Territory. The heart of the movement. Protected by the Spire’s field, it houses shipyards, training camps, and the Spire itself. |
| The Albion Sector | Active Warzine. The primary hunting ground for Slocum’s Fleet. They utilize nebular pockets to hide from UPN sensors. |
| The “Dark Route” | Smuggling Lane. A treacherous, unstable hyperspace path through the sheer edge of the sector that only FPoB navigators (trained by McCann) can safely traverse. |
Relationships
| Faction | Relationship Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Unified Planets of Sol | Hostile / Oppressor | The FPoB views the UPoS as a tyrannical bureaucracy. The UPoS views the FPoB as a cancer to be excised. |
| Lanternyard Inc. | Target / Exploiter | The FPoB aggressively targets Lanternyard shipping, viewing them as the economic arm of UPoS oppression. |
| Oakhaven & Other System Miners Unions | Sympathizers | A secret network of union leaders in the neighboring Oakhaven system who funnel intel and recruits to Badigo. |
| One Earth Government | Benefactors | Rumors exist that the OEG funnels credits to Slocum to keep the UPoS distracted, though Slocum denies this. |
Organization
Headquarters: The Spire of Badigo, Planet Badigo Leader(s):
- Archmage Colum McCann (Spiritual/Political Leader)
- Admiral Jelzin Slocum (Military Commander)
Prominent Members:
- Captain Hera “Jinx” Lind: A notorious blockade runner who commands the Yakul. She is Slocum’s right hand for high-risk smuggling runs. She works closely with their benefactors from the One Earth Government in the Lucido System.
- The Acolytes of the Spire: A circle of psionically sensitive individuals trained by Voron to serve as navigators and communicators for the fleet.
Resources and Methods
Resources
| Resource | Description | Origin | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Spire | A pretech tower capable of projecting massive psionic interference. | Badigo Excavation | Planetary defense; prevents capital ship bombardment or invasion. |
| Slocum’s Fleet | A motley collection of retrofitted freighters, light warships, and a few defected UPN cruisers. | Theft / Defection | Hit-and-run attacks, convoy raiding, and sector patrol. |
| Psionic Navigators | Pilots trained to “feel” the warp rather than calculate it. | Voron’s Training | Allows travel through the “Dark Route” and other hazards UPN ships cannot traverse. |
Methods
| Method | Description | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Psionic Static | Electronic warfare powered by the mind. | Used to blind enemy sensors and disable smart-targeting during combat. |
| Ambush | Disguising heavily armed warships as helpless bulk freighters. | Lures pirates and UPN patrols into close range before opening fire. |
| Memetic Propaganda | Broadcasts containing subtle telepathic suggestions. | Increases the effectiveness of recruitment drives and lowers morale in enemy systems. |
Philosophy
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Additional Details
Aesthetic: The FPoB has rejected the sterile, clean aesthetic of the UPoS. They embrace a “Space Noir” look mixed with occult symbols. Ships are often painted matte black with hand-painted arcane sigils on the hulls. Crew members wear practical void-suits adorned with sashes, talismans, and hoods, blending the look of a mechanic with that of a monk.