Homyn

You’d be hard pressed to find a fair description of homynkind given that most of the Fractured Histories are written by Homyn scholars themselves. When the Homyn write about themselves, it usually takes the form of propaganda for the vassal races or confessional exercises carried out by guilt-ridden professors burdened by their historical sins.

If such an account existed, though, it would say that the conquest of the moons of the gas giant, Io, gets more criticism than it probably deserves–but also not nearly enough. The creation of the vassalages led to more than a few missteps, and even an extinction or two, but critics often forget that the wildly varied environments on each of Io’s moons gave rise to a collection of species so specialized that their cultures would never have achieved representation on an interplanetary scale without Homyn intervention. There’s also no denying that said environments make for unparalleled natural laboratories, and the systems as a whole has benefited from the Academy having access to them–even if the people who originally occupied those moons find themselves forced into the machinery of homyn society, whether they like it or not.

Homyn moons-that is, those that haven’t been co-opted from other species- are cosmopolitan havens of commerce and culture. By drawing on the best techniques from the vassal races and off-worlders attracted by the benefits of proximity to the Academy, Homyn artisans are able to produce the finest goods in the entire system.

Of course, no description of the Homyn is complete without mentioning the Academy of Natural Sciences. The Academy is the forefront of the study of alchemy and astral sciences. It was founded to fulfill the alleged destiny of Homynkind dictated by “natural law” to “educate” and “protect” the vassal races that share Io’s moons with them. Oh my.

The “Natural Sciences' part is often misconstrued, since the Academy's nine colleges encompass a variety of academic disciplines from history to somnambulism. Traditionally, the Academy was limited to Homyn moons and Homyn students but they recently conceded to incorporating educational and research institutions from other spheres along with accepting non-Homyn among their ranks during the Alliance’s formation.

Physical Characteristics

For most intents and purposes, the Homyn are physiologically identical to humans from are world. They are as varied in size, stature, and other physical traits as the moons they hail from--even giving rise to some traits not seen on earth such as purple skin tones or tourmaline-colored eyes.

The word "human" in Corsairs has come to identify all mortal civilized races (as opposed to Daemons, monsters, mutants and the like) while "Homyn" refers specifically to the race who look (and sometimes act) like humans from our world.

Homyn formal wear tends to incorporate bright colored cloaks and capes and it is not uncommon to see gem encrusted staves carried by Homyns who don’t even practice magic.

Chosen by the Edicts. There is no truth without observation. There is no event without cause. There is no certainty without scrutiny.

Ironically one of the only tacit assumptions shared by many Homyns is that these principles are innate or exclusive to their species. The three edicts have led Homyn culture toward inquisitiveness and skepticism. Perhaps it’s due to the sheer prevalence of the edicts’ influence, or selective breeding, but all Homyns regardless of how removed they are from Io or the academy tend to be a tad smarter than the other species. All Homyn start with 1d6 in smarts and 3 free skill points to spend on knowledge skills.


Good Humored. Homyn physiology might not be anything special, but it is well balanced. Homyn can install a maximum of four, rather than three, imbibification ports.


Marathon (Sprinting Edge).With a physiology adapted to everything but specialized in nothing, Homyn do not sprint in any remarkable fashion. However, their well-balanced humors provide them a solid constitution, giving them an extra sprint to use every combat encounter.

Backgrounds

Academy Scholar

Every Homyn at the age of sixteen takes the Academy Entrance exam. Those that pass receive lifetime admission into the Academy and after five years of study attain the rank of Scholar. Some Scholars remain at the Academy as Professors, but many move on to more practical positions such as researchers, archeologists, explorers, or advisors.

Background Skills: Gather Information 1d4, Identify 1d4, decipher script 1d4. Also receive an extra 3 knowledge skill points (on top of those from their racial edge) to spend on a single knowledge skill.

Background Edge: Liberal Arts Background. When making a knowledge check, Homyn may roll 1d6 even if they have no ranks in that knowledge skill. They also have conversational fluency in all widely spoken languages.

Brigadier

Homyn who fail the Academy’s entrance exam serve in the Lunar Brigade for a minimum of two years. Brigadiers are charged with protecting Io’s moons and quelling the occasional vassal uprising. While Brigadiers might be on the left side of the bell curve as far as smarts go, they are masters at leveraging the products of the intelligentsia toward warfare.

All their spells are brewed by the Academy’s top alchemists and every brigadier receives their own familiar from the warlocks at the College of Somnambulism upon enlisting. Countships also predominantly tend to come from the ranks of Brigadiers over those of Professors.

Background Skills: Imbibe 1d4, Cannons 1d4, Use Artifact 1d4.

Background Edge: Warlock’s Gift. All brigadiers receive a free familiar.

Count(ess)

All vassal moons are ruled by at least one Count or Countess. While these positions of semi-royalty tend to be associated with corruption and despotism, in theory Counts are supposed to put the interests of their vassals above those of their own species. Beneath all the finery and ballrooms, countships are actually remarkably tough positions that require them to effectively represent another species not only among the other moons, but also with the other nations of the Alliance.

Background Skills:Diplomacy 1d6, Bluff 1d4.

Background Edge: Charismatic. Gives +2 to character’s charisma.

Politics

Although it has spread across many moons over the centuries, the Homyn Kingdom's political structure has remained static since its earliest days. At heart, the Homyn follow a constitutional monarchy with a king or queen overseeing a parliament of Counts and Countesses, who in turn oversee the Kingdom's myriad moons.

All titles in the Homyn Kingdom are passed down through a system of strict primogeniture, with the eldest child receiving their parents land and title regardless of their gender, fitness to rule, or appetite to do so. Disinheritence or abdication is exceptionally rare, and often only accomplished through treaties that supersed the Kingdom's own constitution, the most common example of which being the prohibition on Corsairs inheriting titles.

Another distinguishing facet of the Homyn Kingdom is that it harbors not one, but four royal bloodlines. The ruling families of the Kingdom's first moons, named Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter each share a claim to rule the Kingdom as a whole. At the beginning of every century, the Kingdom changes "season" and the crown passes to the next family in line. A seasonal change also occurs if the ruling monarch dies with no direct descendants, a prophylactic measure to prevent the Kingdom from descending into civil war over conflicts of succession.

Running in parallel with the Kingdom itself are the myriad vassal governments run and operated by the native races of Io's moons. Generally, vassal races who voluntarily joined the Kingdom or who have coexisted peacefully within the Kingdom receive more favorable treatment and autonomy under the laws that annexed their moons to the Homyn Kingdom. Technichally, the vassal governments answer to the Lunar Brigade rather than the ruling families--but given the liberal flow of coins and crowns from the two institutions, that division of power rarely provides a significant obstacle to nobles who wish to impress their will on the vassal races living on their moons.

Culture

It is difficult to go anywhere in Homyn society without butting up against one of the myriad hierarchies that shape it. At the base level, you have the difference between nobility and commoners. However, even among the masses Homyn often divide themselves by those who attended the Academy as children versus those who were drafted into the Lunar Brigade. Then, of course, are the hierarchies between and among Homyn and vassal races, with the former often treated as second class citizens, even on their own moons.

To a Homyn--at least one patriotic enough not to question the Kingdom's official line--these divisions are not artificial social constructs but natural phenomena no different from those that divide planets from moons or the natural world's links in the food chain. As such, Homyn born into privilege are expected to embody their status by excelling in whatever pursuits they engage. When it works, this philosophy produces some of the best art, the best music, and the best food you'll find across the spheres. When it doesn't, society often bends itself over backwards to justify the "unappreciated beauty" of an inept noble's creations or (more often) simply allow them to steal credit for a commoner or vassal's work.

While attendance only runs two years in the lives of most Homyn who attend, it casts a large shadow over Homyn culture. Homyn pride themselves on their intellect above anything else, and even young children often seem erudite in comparison to the adults of most other races given the life-or-death emphasis the Kingdom places on education. The Homyn also fancy their culture as the culmination of those of dozens of world, and they often show no shame or hesitation in appropriating cultural practices from the vassals under their command to fuel the latest craze or trend.

Technology

While not as impressive engineers as their peers in the cosmos like the Koa or Mong Bal, the Homyn excel at the two predominant forms of magic across the spheres--alchemy and the study of The Dream World. Although, the term "magic" is a label created by occupiers of the Koan Empire rather than the Homyn themselves. Rather, they view studying these arts as no different from that of any other facet of the natural world, even if they may not be quite as well-understood.

Despite frequently visiting The Dream World, the Homyn refuse to recognize any divinity or mysticism within it. The worship of gods is strictly forbidden among Homyn society, and Homyn often keep familiars of fallen vassal gods to demonstrate the superiority of Homyn science over superstition to the "uneducated" vassals.

Furthermore, since the alchemical spells require nectar as a base component, Homyn prosperity is tied to accessing Source despite the fact that they do not rely on ancient artifacts to survive in the same way that Geit, Koa, or Mong Bal do.

Economics

The Homyn Kingdom operates off a mercantile system of economics where annexed moons are stripped of natural resources and labor to fuel the economies of the Homyn's legacy worlds. Although, since the Homyn do not have a home world to call their own, their brand of colonialism operates as a constantly-moving conveyor belt. As colonial moons remain in the Kingdom and host more Homyn nobles, they evolve from being the subject to the beneficiary of colonialist exploitation at the expense of the Kingdom's newer moons.

Of course, this system requires frequent and steady expansion into new territory, a task the upper brass of the Lunar Brigade is happy to carry out in exchange for consideration for positions of leadership over the worlds they conquer.