pvgttm-web/factions.md at 3e53235230b323ad8baba83ffed68f07f3178e9b

title	description	date_pub	section	content_type	short_code
Astral Factions	TBD	2023-02-15T00:26:00-05:00	astral	feature	af1

Conglomerate of harbormasters, ship captains, and mining companies who control nearly all of the trade between certain ports.
Control all of the trading between nearly 100 ports, including ones leading to dozens of material planes, multiple to each inner plane, and even a handful to various outer planes.
Have excellent maps of all of the astral currents that run between these ports.

Controlled by a race of dracokin from the world of Drahkenos, the so-called plane of dragons.
Fly great ships made to look like their bigger cousins (called "dragonships")
Generally peaceful traders

Run by a militaristic race of musket-wielding hippokin from the material plane of Ghyffu.
Report to the Ghyffan Sovereignty, the plane-wide government of Ghyffu.
Strongly believe in the supremacy of law and civilization.
Ships range from light cargo carriers to massive warships, but everything in the armada is armed.

Disparate, quasi-religious organization, with membership scattered about the planes.
Refer to each other as "friends".
Are obligated to help each other out (but can also count on other "friends" to help them when needed).
Typically travel alone or in small groups.
Don't usually have their own ships, so they often have to book passage (or stowe-away).

Empire of ports ruled by a highly militaristic and decadant race of immortals, with sharp eyes, pointed ears, and no noses.
Huge warships patrol the borders of the empire, which run near some Astral Trade Union-aligned ports.
Also control the Forge, a massive smithing factory on the Plane of Fire.
Served by a race of automatons called Forgelings, some of whom have escaped their masters and fled to ports aligned with one of the other factions.

Are on good (trading) terms with both the Drahki Federation and the Ghyffan Armada (with some members of each also holding Union membership).
Think most of the Society of Wanderers are hopeless layabouts, inadequately interested in commerce (although few ship captains will refuse their payment for passage).
Are on tenuous terms with the Stral Empire (they've had some trade, but also some border skirmishes).
Actively seek the destruction of the Pirates of Ataxia (even though some Union members occasionally double as pirates).

Are on good (trading) terms with Astral Trade Union (with some Drahki captains also being Union members).
Are on decent (trading) terms with the Ghyffan Armada (there have been a few isolated incidents of fighting between the groups, but they generally continue to trade).
Don't understand the Society of Wanderers, but generally allow them to book passage on their ships.
Are on deteriorating terms with the Stral Empire (they've had an increasing number of border skirmishes).
Try to avoid engaging with ships from the Pirates of Ataxia, who generally return the favor (although there are some Drahki pirates who try to only attack ships from the other factions).

Are on good (trading) terms with Astral Trade Union (with some Ghyffan captains also being Union members).
Are on decent (trading) terms with the Drahki Federation (there have been a few isolated incidents of fighting between the groups, but they generally continue to trade).
Don't understand (or like) the Society of Wanderers, and don't allow them on their ships.
Are on deteriorating terms with the Stral Empire (they've had an increasing number of border skirmishes).
Actively seek the destruction of the Pirates of Ataxia (although some Ghyffan ships have been known to turn pirate, abandoning the Armada and working for the Pirate Lords).

Don't care for the leadership of the Astral Trade Union, but try to stay friendly with the ship captains.
Don't understand most of the Drahki Federation, but are generally happy to book passage on their ships.
Don't get along with the Ghyffan Armada, and generally avoid them.
Don't understand (or like) the Stral Empire, although a few Travellers have tried to engage with Stral crews (which hasn't ended well)
Have many members who also work as Pirates of Ataxia, and don't generally preclude pirates from their ranks (although the pirate captains aren't always thrilled to have Wanderers on their ships).

Are on tenuous terms with the Astral Trade Union (they've had some trade, but also some border skirmishes).
Are on deteriorating terms with both the Drahki Federation and the Ghyffan Armada (they've had an increasing number of border skirmishes with each of them).
Don't understand (or like) the Society of Wanderers, and don't allow them on their ships.
Try to avoid engaging with ships from the Pirates of Ataxia, who generally return the favor (although they have had engagements in Stral territory).

Actively attack (and raid) the ships of the Astral Trade Union and the Ghyffan Armada, occasionally even looting their ports.
Try to avoid engaging with ships working for the Drahki Federation, who generally return the favor (although there are some Drahki pirates who try to only attack ships from the other factions).
Have many members who also identify as members of the Society of Wanderers, usually pirates of lower ranks (the ship captains aren't fond of having members in their crew because of the high number of stowe-aways).
Try to avoid engaging with ships of the Stral Empire, who generally return the favor (although they have had a few engagements in within Stral territory).