Add-on Sourcebook for the Darkstyder Campaign
(Game Effect Note: Effectively, all the basic information about Noble Houses and their structures that is introduced in the Lords of the Expanse (LotE) box set Chapter 1 of the Gamemaster Guide is also applicable in some way here.)
Introduction
The Kathol Core Sector (inside the Marcol Void) once was the site of a small Noble aristocracy during the Old Republic. However, like many things of that era, it all but collapsed due to its own squandering and petty political infighting. The Great Noble Houses of Kathol were reduced to a handful of houses, occupying the small area of space that is now the known Kathol Sector. However, if the Old Republic Collapse wasn’t enough to completely render the Noble Aristocracy powerless, the Empire nearly was. Moff Sarne was assigned to the outback sector, and in traditional Empire fashion, ripped power right from under the Nobles noses, without them even realizing it.
History: The Old Republic Era
During the Old Republic Era, Kathol Sector was very different. Despite its remoteness, it was moderately colonized by a mixture of human and non-human Noble houses seeking an area to settle and be away from the Old Republic rule. It flourished for a time, a long time forgotten, long before the Old Republic collapse. There were more systems contained in the sector, and the Marcol Void had yet to be discovered. Many of these planets now are long forgotten, hyperspace routes lost in the Collapse. Now the only rule the small number of planets grouped in the known Kathol Sector.
The Houses rules with strength and wisdom, but not without the politics and underhanded alliances and deals that accompanies any aristocracy. Even today, on each of the planets where more than one house exists, there is still infighting amongst them. The Houses rule over commoners, and traded amongst each other, made profit and lived lavishly like any other Noble house. At times, this sector was called the little Tapani. Corporations primarily allied with one or more houses, and the Trade Guild ruled over commerce, trade and labor of all kinds. However, where the Nobles of Tapani measured their gains and power by the number of systems they controlled, the Houses of Kathol measured their power by the land the controlled on each planet.
Gandle Ott was the capital and remains so, according to the Noble houses. The Empire moved the official Capitol to Kal’Shebbol, a much-contended issue at the time, but the Nobles only partially recognize it as such to preserve the Nobility. After the Collapse, and before the coming of the Empire, the remaining houses struggled to regain its own power. Despite their attempts to get away from the Old Republic, too many ties and dependencies led to their own collapse when the old Republic began to crumble. Too much squandering and political infighting caused the destruction of many of the Major houses. Now there are only 5 left.
The Collapse, as it’s called locally, is a time when the old Republic was falling apart politically, and this in turn seemed to affect the sector great deal. Internal stress, and political infighting caused a major structure collapse politically. The sector’s social infrastructure was in shambles because of skirmishes through the sector. Houses made and betrayed alliances left and right. New houses formed from factions weekly and fell just as fast. Stability was nonexistent during this time. During the collapse, many of the outlying colonies lost contact with the sector core, records on their hyperspace routes were lost, and many colonies died off due to lack of supplies. It was a struggle during this time, until finally peace was made, and things settled down with the remaining 5 major houses.
History: The Coming of The Empire
The coming of the Empire was marked with very little flare and fanfare. The Noble Houses that remained saw fit to work with the Empire the best they could. This sector was treated much like the Tapani Sector, except on a much smaller scale. Sarne even recruited some of the House Lords and Ladies into Imperial service. Many of the Houses agreed to be loyal to the Empire. Other houses waited in the shadows for the opportunity to overthrow the Empire rule, Word of the Rebellion only came late in the war, and too late to do anything about it. Very little word of the Emperor’s death has reached the Houses even now.
In return for Imperial protection, Sarne confiscated what remained of the House Fleets, primarily the Hyperspace capable ships, and left behind enough in-systems ships for the houses to defend themselves with. The Houses were reduced in power, and in most cases split up across light years in many worlds. Communication was difficult, with Imperial Jamming and monitoring stations being installed daily. The Nobles had no more power than the Empire was willing to give, but they kept their identity and their honor through the hard times. Sarne gave them enough to feel like they had power, and some truly believed the Empire would allow them to regain their true stature within the Kathol Sector.
The Situation Now:
The Houses remained somewhat fragmented, with factions spread across a dozen planets or so. The factions communicate with the capital only in code and rarely, most of their news about the other factions obtained by the local newsnets. All of the houses remain intact for the most part. Some have lost factions spread out across the sector, and once the news of Sarne’s ousting is fully realized, there will be a mad dash to re-contact all the missing factions. House Shador is one house in particular that is very interested in contacting their factions, because they have the most that are lost.
Sarne allowed the Noble Houses to exist, because many were reasonably loyal, and supplied him with soldiers for his fleet. Those that were loyal were given shavings of power and responsibility, and the Fleets would occasionally fly by there system for assurances. During Sarne’s Purges, many of the loyal houses were spared his paranoid vengeance while the more traditional, bolder houses were imprisoned, interrogated and in most cases, killed. These purges made many Major Houses into Minor Houses rather quickly, and then to nothing just as quickly. Noble power shifted quickly during the 10 years of Sarne, and it was primarily due to the actions of Sarne himself.
The Houses
There are 5 Major Houses in Kathol, and 22 Minor Houses. During their peek, the 5 Major Houses met in the Kathol High Council. While under the rule of the Empire and Moff Sarne, the Council only met with Sarne approval and attendance, and only on Kal’Shebbol.
The House Courts are like the Tapani court system (See Lords of the Expanse box set.). The High Council is nearly identical to the Grand Noble Council of the Tapani System. All delegates are residents on Gandle Ott. House Defense Forces at the time of Sarne’s ousting are sparse. Some house factions have a few in-system ships. Others have a substantial air and ground defense of speeders and troops. Most Houses have been hiding hyperdrives for their ships since Sarne arrived and have been waiting to use them when he leaves.
Sarne recruited many of his troops from the houses, and the Houses allowed it to think that it might give them power within his ranks. However, they did not count on Darkstyder technology, and in fact, they all are completely unaware. All they know is they lost complete contact to those that entered his ranks, and they became completely loyal to Sarne. This was before Sarne’s paranoid purges. Something triggered his purges, and no one is sure what. Some of the House recruits fell victim to these purges. The following is a table of the major planets in the Kathol sector and the percentage “power” each house has on the system. This Percentage “Power” is a mixture of measures: Population, Assets, and Influence. Total Noble house control is a measure of the Nobility’s overall influence in the system. The remainder is non-aligned “power” and Minor House “power”.