No gods. No masters. Only the forge.

Core Concept

The Unchained are the political and cultural expression of the Rune-Scarred species. They are not a nation in the traditional sense, but a loose, nomadic coalition of artisans, rebels, and liberators, united by a shared history of slavery and a fanatical devotion to the freedom of the self. Their fleets are traveling carnivals of chaotic self-expression, their homes are mobile workshops, and their only law is the absolute right to remake oneself in any image one chooses.

Species

• Primary: Rune-Scarred. The faction is synonymous with the species.
• Adherent: They are intensely welcoming to any being seeking freedom from an imposed destiny. Escaped Golems, rebellious Artisans, and individuals fleeing dogmatic societies are all offered sanctuary and a place at the forge. To join The Unchained is to be offered the tools to rewrite your own being.

Ideology (Faith / Fiction)

• Core Faith: “The Will is the Only Law.” The Unchained reject all forms of external authority, be it from gods, states, or even the “tyranny of one’s own design.” Their only sacred text is the blueprint you draw for yourself. This makes them unpredictable allies and implacable enemies of any system that seeks to impose order.

• Core Fiction: “The Unending Revolution.” They do not believe in a final victory. Their story of the “Theft of the Loom” is not a historical event to be commemorated, but an ongoing ritual to be re-enacted. The revolution is never over; there are always more chains to break, more dogmas to shatter, more selves to re-forge.

Goals & Motivations

• To provide sanctuary and tools for all beings seeking to escape servitude.
• To actively seek out and dismantle oppressive systems and ideologies.
• To constantly push the boundaries of self-modification, treating their own bodies and ships as an endless art project.

Relations with Other Factions

• Forgemasters (Artisan): Archenemies. A state of perpetual, low-grade holy war exists between them. The Unchained see the Forgemasters as glorified slave-masters, and the Forgemasters see The Unchained as deranged heretics.
• The Amaranthine: Contempt and Hostility. They view the Amaranthine obsession with stasis and purity as a grotesque prison of the soul and a prime target for “liberation.”
• The Hegemony: A constant thorn in their side. The Unchained’s nomadic fleets and black-market tech bazaars are a constant source of instability that the Hegemony is always trying, and failing, to stamp out.

Player Interaction

• Joining The Unchained is to embrace a life of chaotic freedom and constant conflict. The faction offers unparalleled access to advanced and forbidden Vessel-weaving technologies but will demand that you use them, frequently calling on you to join raids to liberate others.
• As an Ally: They are powerful but unreliable. They will gladly help you tear down a tyrant, but they will just as gladly help your former subjects tear you down if you try to build a new system of laws in its place.
• As an Enemy: Fighting them is a nightmare. They have no central command, their ships are constantly changing, and their tactics are wildly unpredictable. They are the ultimate guerilla force, driven by an ideology that cannot be negotiated with.

Design Notes

• The “unending revolution” concept is a powerful hook and justifies their role as a perpetual agent of chaos in the galaxy.
• They are the perfect embodiment of the Rune-scarred species’ philosophy, providing a clear and compelling way for a player to live out that identity.