Krijdex Wardenship

Structure

The Krijdex Wardensip is structured as a unitary oligarchic republic. It is typically classified as an authoritarian mixed-market economy, with moderate levels of corruption.

The Wardenship is ruled by an Executive Council of twenty commandants representing various matters of state, and headed by the Prime Commandant. Although the Council selects its own members and is generally unaccountable, it is overseen by a panel of experts (sometimes called judges) that carefully watch it for any signs of psionic influence. This panel also selects its own members, independently from the Council. Planetary and sector governors are directly appointed by the Prime Commandant, and given significant authority to govern as they see fit. However, they can be recalled or replaced at any time per the wishes of the Prime Commandant.

The Executive Council is supported by the Legislative Committee, a large body comprised of over two hundred high-ranking civilian and military officials responsible for crafting laws and regulations. Members of the Committee are appointed by the rest of the Committee when it is deemed necessary, or to fill an important vacancy. Due to this, the exact number of Committee members is constantly in flux.

The largest bureaucratic organ in the Wardenship is the Central Security Service (CSS), a law enforcement and secret police force responsible for maintaining law and order across the Wardenship. The CSS is empowered to use any and all means necessary to root out and destroy psionic infiltration, a task they accomplish through the use of large-scale data analytics and targeted surveillance. These techniques were developed as a non-psionic alternative to "thought enforcement", and are exported elsewhere in the galaxy through the semi-independent Mindwardens organisation.

History

Early History

For most of their history, the Krijdan species followed a relatively routine path of technological development - agriculture, urbanisation, exploration, and eventually industrialisation. However, the species has experienced nightmares and visions at rates far higher than any other recorded species. Due to a lack of additional data points, Krijdans simply accepted this as normal. It wasn't until the dawn of their atomic age that things began to change.

A sufficient mass of population on Doehaum caused the emergence of latent psionic powers within the Krijdan species. After studying these newfound abilities and cross-referencing ancient records, it soon became clear to scientists that the species had always been under the influence of unknown entities, which caused the visions and nightmares. These only intensified as the portion of the planet's population with psionic powers grew, eventually reaching a tipping point where the planet began to experience 'Shroudfalls' - regions were terraformed by the Shroud, displacing inhabitants and local fauna.

As panic gripped Doehaum, some nations decided to take matters into their own hands. To combat the ever-increasing threat of psionics, nuclear strikes were ordered on clustered psionic populations, sparking a global conflict between psions and non-psions. Although the psions were powerful, they were vastly outnumbered by their opposition. After a decade of war, the anti-psionic faction made a tremendous breakthrough: their scientists discovered a method to suppress psionics in a small area. This technology was eventually scaled up, and a massive structure simply referred to as 'The Ward' was constructed to attenuate psionics on a planet-wide scale. Over time, it became known as the Ancient Ward.

The effects were nearly instantaneous: psions were unable to use their powers, and the species connection to the Shroud was drastically reduced. Though the visions and nightmares continued, they were manageable. The global conflict had devastated Doehaum, but had also brought the planet together under a single government. This state of affairs, where the global Wardenship operated under a police state to quash any signs of psionic activity continued unimpeded for over three hundred years, until the development of the hyper drive in the latter half of the 22nd century CE.

Shadows of the Shroud

During the first manned expedition outside the Leborain System in the 2170s CE, Krijdex explorers reported a range of psychological symptoms consistent with 'psi-radiation'. While the Ancient Ward protected minds on Doehaum itself, its protection did not extend through hyperlanes. Long-range scanners detected the source of the psi-radiation as a neighbouring system, which contained several unidentified alien space stations. Although a special first contact team was assembled, they were forced back after several months due to severe psychological trauma.

Shortly after this aborted attempt, large amounts of psi-radiation were detected in the neighbouring Gilprim System. Leading scientists referred to it as an 'infection', believing it would eventually advance to encompass Doehaum itself. If that were to happen, the scientists predicted, the effects would be catastrophic. With the incoming danger, Krijdex society as a whole was mobilised to find a way to combat it. The technology behind the Ancient Ward had been forgotten over the centuries, but was rediscovered, and with modern scientific advancements, work began on improving the Ward. When construction was finished, the Ward - now known as the Grand Ward - could extend its effects across the entire Leborain System.

The technology developed during the construction of the Grand Ward led to a greater understanding of psionics, and the discovery of the Shroud. Thanks to this, Krijdex scientists were able to develop 'Shroud Seals' - massive space stations capable of dissipating any psi-radiation in a massive radius. Partway through the construction of the first Seal in the Gilprim system, Krijdex authorities were suddenly contacted by an alien civilisation from deep within the aura. Referring to themselves as the 'Choir of the Dreamer', they demanded the Wardenship dismantle the Grand Ward on their homeworld to permit what they called the 'Aura of the Dreamer' to expand into the galaxy. Due to the hyperlane formation in their cluster, the Choir was effectively cut off from the rest of the galaxy by the Leborain System.

Unwilling to allow their population to become afflicted by psi-radiation again, the Wardenship refused to dismantle the Grand Ward. As such, the Choir began military action to dismantle it and the partially-constructed Shroud Seal.

The Psionic War

Forced to fight in the psi-irradiated Gilprim System, Krijdex naval forces were severely affected by maddening visions and computer disruptions. Despite this, the presence of a fortified starbase gave them the edge. A large battle took place early in the war, in March of 2209 CE. Over fifty Wardenship corvettes engaged an equal number of Choir warships, emerging victorious and buying enough time for construction crews to finish building the Shroud Seal. The battle was costly, with the Wardenship losing a fifth of its fleet, and preventing offensive operations for several months.

While the main Krijdex fleet was repairing in the Leborain System, a second Choir strike fleet attacked the Gilprim System. Without the aid of their psionic aura, however, a small fleet of Krijdex corvettes and the starbase were easily able to repel them.

Advancing into the Formoks System, which had confounded the Wardenship for decades, Krijdex naval forces disabled the local starbase. Marines boarded the station and eliminated the crew, before setting charges on the reactor and destroying the installation. Rather than use a 'psi-infected' station, the Wardenship opted to construct a new one of their own design. A second Shroud Seal was constructed, and due to a second quirk of the hyperlanes in the sector, it affected every single other Choir system. Although Choir naval forces desperately tried to destroy the psionic suppression device, they were unable to breach the Krijdex defences before its activation.

With the majority of the Choir's navy destroyed in the Formoks System, the Krijdex fleet was able to quickly sweep aside the defences in the core Choir systems. The Choir's sole colony on Bihlamat I was the first to be seized by Krijdex ground forces, who landed after a sustained orbital bombardment. Intelligence recovered during this operation pointed to a group called the Assembly of Mindways, an elite psionic group, as the leadership of the Choir on their homeworld. Additionally, interrogations by Krijdex secret police units uncovered the existence of an artifact related to a Shroud entity called 'The Dreamer' on the Choir's homeworld, which was an object of worship.

The battle for Plenxix I was long and hard. Krijdex ground forces faced fierce opposition from defending Choir units, who would rather die than surrender to what they viewed as they highest possible heresy. Despite this, with the aid of psionic suppressors and orbital bombardment, Kirjdex forces emerged victorious. In the middle of the planet's capital city, Krijdex troops discovered a ruined tower that the local population referred to as the 'Sanctum of the Dreamer'. When engineers blasted into the innermost chamber, they discovered an unsettling 'cocoon' emitting high levels of psi-radiation. Despite repeated attempts to destroy the cocoon with demolition charges and armoured vehicles, it remained stubbornly intact.

After several months of investigation, Krijdex researchers discovered that the cocoon contained an extremely powerful psionic entity. Despite its highly secure construction, the small fraction of psi-radiation that leaked through was significant. Psi-attenuators were deployed to counteract the entity's influence, but upon their activation, everyone in the immediate vicinity of the cocoon was struck with searing neural distress, and a crack appeared in the cocoon.

The entity within the cocoon - The Dreamer - communicated directly with Krijdex authorities through incredibly powerful telepathic abilities. The ruling council on Doehaum held a short meeting to discuss what to do with the vastly powerful entity. Although some advocated for using the entity's abilities to benefit the Wardenship, ultimately it was decided that the Dreamer would be destroyed. Between high-power psi-attenuators and copious amounts of explosives, the Dreamer was destroyed in 2214 CE.

Rise of the Mindwardens

After decades of fighting psionic influence and years in a direct war with the Choir of the Dreamer, the Krijdex Wardenship had emerged victorious and secured its star cluster. Armies and fleets were demobilised, and the economy switched away from wartime production. Although the Wardenship was one of the first civilisations to develop FTL travel in modern times, their single-minded focus on countering psionics allowed others in the galaxy to catch up with them technologically. However, the addition of two highly-populated planets to the Wardenship greatly boosted its economic output after the Psionic War.

In the years following the destruction of the Dreamer, debate raged in the Wardenship's political sphere on how to counter any future psionic threats. First contact had been made with non-psionic xenos, with who the Wardenship could engage in diplomacy. About two years after the destruction of the Dreamer, the Wardenship's ruling council opted to establish a semi-independent organisation dedicated to stopping the spread of psionics in the galaxy. This organisation, known as the Mindwardens, was given the formal backing of the Wardenship, and a large number of surplus warships were transferred to them. In 2217 CE, the first Mindwarden enclave was founded in the Leborain System, offering anti-psionic services to the entire galaxy.

Demographics

The majority of the Wardenship's population are Krijdans, though to a lesser degree than most other starfaring civilisations. Following the conquest of the Cevanti homeworld of Oros in 2214 CE, billions of the species were forcibly integrated into the Wardenship (currently, the account for approximately one quarter of the Wardenship's population). Due to their psionic nature, Cevanti are heavily surveilled and are restricted in where they can live and work. Aside from the Krijdans and Cevnati, there are sizable populations of Voor, Humans, Olinbar, and Orbis present in migrant communities.

Inequality is high within the Wardenship, as few government services are provided to the population. Education and healthcare are primarily privately operated, though there are basic welfare systems in place for the least well-off in society. Cybernetic adoption rates are high, particularly since the Voor Technocracy agreed to technology transfers and cybernetic manufacturing rights in Krijdan space.

Economy

The Krijdex Wardenship is a small, industrial mixed-market economy. Government investment is primarily directed toward military, law enforcement, and security sectors, with minimal spending in healthcare, education, and welfare. Public utilities, such as telecommunications and power, are entirely state-controlled due to national security concerns. Private industry and foreign investment are encouraged, though ultimately both are considered subservient to the state if the Prime Commandant deems necessary.

A particularly large sector of the Krijdexine economy is the development and export of anti-psionic technology. Most of this business is conducted through the Mindwardens, a semi-independent enclave founded by the Wardenship to oppose the spread of psionics throughout the galaxy. Although they are generally free to act in the interests of their anti-psionic ideology, they provide a large portion of their income as a tax to the Krijdexine government. In return, the government provides them with technology, surplus ships, and access to military recruiting pools.

Society

At its core, Krijdexine society is built upon a shared distrust for and suspicion of psionics. A world war centuries ago and an interstellar war upon their development of faster-than-light travel has caused something of a national, even species-wide trauma amongst Krijdans regarding psions. Due to this, Krijdexine society is perpetually obsessed with rooting out and eliminating any perceived threats to their mental sovereignty and freedom of thought. The population accepts a pervasive police state in the name of security and anti-psionics, even so far as live experimentation on criminals convicted of involvement in psionic-related activity. Informing on suspected psions is considered a patriotic duty, and the Central Security Service operates a system of professional informants.

Military

The Krijdex Wardenship Armed Forces are comprised of the Ground Force and the Naval Force. The core of the military is professional volunteers, but many Krijdex citizens serve for two years as conscripts. During wartime, the Armed Forces can call upon reservists to augment their manpower. In addition to the state military forces, the Wardenship can also call upon the Mindwardens, who act as a semi-autonomous organisation outside direct government control. The Mindwardens control their own naval forces and armies, though the Wardenship reserves the right to conscript Mindwarden fleets and armies in an emergency.