Step 4: Faction
Now that you have a rough orientation for your character’s background and skill sets, it’s time to pick a faction to which they hold allegiance. Each choice provides a motivation and a skill of Know: [Faction] 30. The Factions sidebar provides a brief summary of each group; further details can be found on Factions.
If you are unsure of what faction to pick at this time, you may skip this section for now and determine your faction, motivation, and Know skill during gameplay. You also can choose not to have a faction — not everyone picks sides. If going factionless, simply choose your own motivation and take any Know skill you like at 30.
Faction allegiance does not necessarily mean you are a hardcore true believer. You may have been born or raised into a faction and reluctantly stuck with it, or you may be finding yourself questioning some of the faction’s tenets. You may be a dissident, trying to actively change the faction from within. For now, your faction allegiance indicates the transhuman grouping you are most familiar with and whose goals you at least nominally support. Perhaps you are even a defector or new recruit, with an Know skill in your old faction but a motivation tied to your new one.
Factions
Anarchist: You believe power is corrupt and favor voluntary, non-hierarchical organizations based on direct democracy.
Argonaut: You seek technoprogressive solutions to transhumanity’s injustices and inequalities.
Barsoomian: You wish to see Mars liberated from hypercorp control.
Brinker: You belong to a cult, commune, or other group that seeks isolation from the rest of transhumanity.
Criminal: You are associated with the underworld, either part of a large cartel, smaller gang, or as an independent operator.
Extropian: You believe in unrestricted free markets and that taking proactive risks with technology is better than playing it safe.
Hypercorp: You support hypercapitalist expansion and competitive- economics-driven social order. You accept that certain liberties must be restricted for security and freedom.
Jovian: You are a bioconservative concerned about out-of-control transhuman technologies.
Lunar/Orbital: You support the conservative economics, Earth-tied nationalism, and traditionalism of the Lunar- Lagrange Alliance.
Mercurial: You oppose the assimilation and oppression of AGIs and uplifts, supporting self-determination for your kind.
Reclaimer: You believe transhumanity should be focused on reclaiming, terraforming, and repopulating Earth.
Scum: You push the boundaries of the experimental, fully testing what it means to be transhuman.
Socialite: You are a part of the glitterati, defining and defined by inner-system media culture.
Titanian: You are a technosocialist, believing that science and technology can provide for the well-being of all.
Venusian: You adhere to the Morningstar Constellation’s vision for a more socialized, friendlier hypercapitalism.
Regional: You are a Solarian, Sifter, Belter, Europan, Ringer, or Skimmer invested in the culture, prosperity, and security of your area of the Solar System.