The Astra Lucens Quaesitores
A galaxy-wide organization based on Edras Station that is attempting to decipher the cause of the Gap and the fate of the forgotten Edras system. Its members are known as ALQs, White Cloaks, or Starfinders and are famous throughout the galaxy as exceptional explorers. They are pre-eminent trackers, star cartographers, xenoarcheologists, and much more. Due to them being "first on the scene" at most new discoveries, they also have a bit of a reputation as troubleshooters (and troublemakers).
The ALQ was founded shortly after the end of the Gap, and drew its inspiration from the incomplete tales of the Shining Vanguard, a similar pre-Gap organization. Its first mission was to map out the edges of the Gap in order to discover how the event happened and what occurred during its uncounted years. Secondarily, the organization focused on discovering the fate and possible location of the lost cradle of civilization, the planet Edras. In the years since its founding, the ALQ's mission has shifted from investigating the Gap to exploring the galaxy now opened for exploration by the Drift beacons.
ALQ Lodges and Venture-Captains
Most Starfinders are based in ALQ lodges that are scattered throughout the galaxy. Each lodge is headed by a venture-captain who manages the field agents under her purview and runs day-to-day operations.Lorespire Complex
The center of the Astra Lucens Quaesitores is the Lorespire Complex, located on Edras Station, and is easily accessible from distant parts of the galaxy via the Drift. It is a collection of structures built around the Lorespire, and includes the Archives, the Hall of Discovery, and other locations integral to the organization's continued functioning.First Seeker
The First Seeker is elected by her peers based on merit, her adventuring experience, and her field of interest. The First Seeker is given the task of setting the ALQ's primary research goals, and often uses this ability to pursue her own specific interests. Once her term has ended, a person can never again be chosen for the position.Forum
The Forum is an elected body of White Cloaks who assist in coordinating the ALQ's countless far-flung operations while supporting the primary research goals of the current First Seeker. Any Starfinder can be elected to the Forum, and most members continue pursuing their own interests in parallel to their duties as Forum members. Many Forum members are Faction leaders or venture-captains, while others hold no other titles.Guidance
Besides the First Seeker and the Forum, Guidance is the third pillar of ALQ leadership. Guidance is a network of the uploaded personalities of exemplary Starfinders, including the majority of First Seekers. Only rarely, when a person is deemed unworthy or dies before the uploading process, does a First Seeker's persona not become a part of the ALQ's spiritual anchor. Guidance inducts all new White Cloaks into the organization and gives them their commencement address. It also helps in the process of selecting a new First Seeker by confirming all new appointments. Guidance largely agrees with the votes of the majority of ALQs, although there have been a few occasions when it has not.
Sic Itur Ad Astra
Type
Guild, Adventuring
Alternative Names
The ALQ
Demonym
Starfinders, White Cloaks
Notable Members
Comments