Confederate League of Free Worlds
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Summary
“It was like watching a fish school swim through the ocean. They were all haulers that dwarfed our destroyer. And it never stopped, there was no end to the commerce.”
The Confederate League of Free Worlds (CLFW) is a trade confederation consisting of a variety of independent worlds and systems lying by the safest section of the Sun-Singed Trade Route, the Affaxi run. The Free Worlds is one of the reasons the trade route is so profitable. The worlds and the systems of the League are all mercantile. Their governments are influenced by the trading corporations and act solely as security. They do not intervene in the legal free market. These worlds are home to some of the largest free markets in the galaxy, being a hub for many merchants. The worlds generate revenue which is then distributed to the population to purchase more items. The people of the league live a lifestyle of luxury, purchasing recreational goods and putting value on things solely for their rarity or authenticity. Art pieces, clothing, organic spices, exotic fruits and beverages will sell well in the league. They put a price on everything, and there’s always someone to buy it. The markets on the planets are hectic and sprawling, covering large areas already built with markets in mind. These markets attract large numbers of tourists that come to witness some of the largest collections of cultures in the galaxy. In space, the league hosts an array of trading posts and stations, which is one of the cooperative elements of the league. These stations are where the corporations dominate. They provide services, buy and distribute goods, refuel and, maintain ships. Each trading centre platform always has goods for you to transport, making it a haven for merchants who want to make short runs to neighbouring systems or haul through the whole trade route. The League is also a haven for artists who wish to combine cultures or gain exotic materials. Every spice, food, clothing material and instrument can be found in the planets of the league. Its cultural export dwarfs that of the runner ups like Bastonia. Additionally, the worlds of the league bring in corporations and wealthy induviduals due to the non-discriminatory nature of the league and its low taxes and tulls. Thus corporation headquarters can be found literally towering over the almost primitive and unorganized private markets. The League has no central government. The closest they have to a unified government is the administration controlled by The Hall of Secretaries. The Hall has one seat for a representative of every world. Together they command the United Confederate Navy, and set up new transportation infrastructure.
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Military
“Never in my life did I think that there would be a place on this trade route where there wasn’t a pirate around every corner. Every hauler I saw had an escort, and every escort had its own escort. And yet I didn’t see a single ship without the scorch mark of a plasma bolt or a welded up dent in their hull.”
The League has a cooperative military which protects the border of the league as well as the individual systems together with the system defence forces hired by the planetary governments. Private military corporations often get the job of protecting systems. Large merchant companies or alliances may have private military wings by themselves to act as their own escort. Otherwise, military companies are often trusted to do the job. Namely, White Star Defence is the most popular foreign defence alternative. There is a high demand for escorts due to the enormous amount of pirate activity on the Sun Singed Trade Route. These defence contractors have to keep low prices for private merchants, but their gains have to outweigh their losses. Their escorts regularly engage in combat. The competition is tough and the market is unstable. The League is home to many private military companies and is an excellent place to hire or buy fleets, hire escorts, get mercenaries, and purchase weaponry. The United Confederate Navy rarely does escort work. However, they will engage in raids against pirates to protect the route. This means pirates will always have to stay hidden. The Confederate Navy is a competent and well funded military force with experience and constant improvement. As they are the combined strength of the Free Worlds, the navy is sizable and can challenge the navies of galactic powers by itself. Though the warships are costly and the Free Worlds are rarely under threat and if they were they have their system defence fleets. Due to this only a small portion of the navy is active at any given time.
Systems and Planets
“When I first went to Idien I was amazed by the amount of commerce with not a single corporation logo in sight. But when I visited the Free Worlds, every planet was like Idien. After every trade world, there was a trading lane and at the end of every trading lane there was a new trade world.”
Attacia:
As each planet is mostly autonomous, the League has no unified government or capital. However, the most developed system is Attacia which lies in the centre of the League. It has the lowest tax rate, the highest population, and it has popular stock exchanges and banks. It is by far the most secure. Above the primary planet, Alesina, lies the Protox Station, a large platform where The Hall sits.
Ledisia:
Ledisia is a system that’s the furthest from Attacia. It sits closest to the more dangerous sections of the trade route. Due to this, Ledisia has the highest demand out of all the systems of the League. It is profitable but dangerous. The costs of operating military and escort ships there are colossal due to the lack of infrastructure. Only wealthy traders can acquire them.
Gadeshi:
The Gadeshi system is infamous for its black markets. These illegal markets are underground, literally. The nature of the planet's cave networks makes for natural alleyways for people to sell you alien substances. Illegal markets are bad for commerce, kills aliens and reduces the gains from the minimal taxes. That is what most member states thought. Not Gadeshi. The security is subpar and never takes the measures necessary to crack down on the black markets. Instead, they roam the surface to protect the more wealthy populace. Gadeshi markets are some of the only ones in the League where you can find slaves without searching. You can purchase drugs and beverages from across the galaxy that may not even be compatible with your species.
Quila:
Quila is another popular commercial system. Quila’s markets are endless and beautiful. Its world retains its natural beauty. It takes every advantage of this. The markets of Quila may run through forests or require boats to float between floating stands. The population of Quila are highly recreational, appreciating paintings and music. Quilas music industry is massive with all possible genres and instruments. Artists and producers travel there to have the largest selection of musical tools available to them.
