Babylon 4: Factions
The factions represent the different species and governments that carry out business on Babylon 4 and each one has sent an Ambassador to be part of the Babylon 4 Advisory Council.
Every character should start the game loyal to their faction and should have some interest in that faction achieving its goals. There are no faction traitors or cross-species loyalties at the start of the game because up until recently all of the factions have been very insular.
Once the game begins, loyalties may of course shift.
Each faction provides traits based on the cultural strengths (and sometimes weaknesses) of their people, these are often cinematic or narrative in nature rather than affecting stats or mechanics. Your Faction also determines which Roles are available to you.
Earth Alliance
The Earth Alliance includes the government and territories controlled by humanity from their homeworld Earth.
Learn more about the Earth Alliance
Cosmopolitan: Human cultures are adaptable and easily integrate with aliens, this makes their Civic Resources prized amongst other cultures. Earth Alliance characters can trade any two Civic Resources for any one non-Special Resource with the GMs.
Privileged Access: Babylon 4 was built by humans and its staff are all human. Earth Alliance characters are generally more trusted within the station and often have greater access to restricted areas, computer systems, comms, or personnel.
Minbari Federation
One of the oldest of the space faring species, the Minbari control a large area of space from their homeworld Minbar.
Learn more about the Minbari Federation
Advanced Technology: The Minbari are significantly older and more technologically advanced than any other civilisation except the Vorlons. Their ships and gear are often more advanced and have additional capabilities. The Minbari have never lost a significant space battle. They provide this technology more freely to their own and Minbari PCs receive a 2 credit discount when purchasing Minbari items.
Caste Alignment: All Minbari are born into one of the three castes, warrior, religious, and worker. Changing castes is possible but is extremely rare. Minbari are deeply loyal to their caste: To refuse to offer them aid would bring dishonour and to betray them is unthinkable. Your caste will implicitly trust you and provide aid where they can, they may also call upon you for aid from time to time.
Alcohol Psychosis: Minbari have an extremely negative reaction to alcohol, consuming even a small amount can send them into a violent and psychotic rage.
Centauri Republic
The Centauri Republic was once one of the greatest powers in the galaxy, but for the last hundred years their civlization has been in decline. They rule their territory from Centauri Prime.
Learn more about the Centauri Republic
The Great Centauri Republic: The Centauri once ruled much of the galaxy and although those golden days are long passed, they still retain some of their former glory. The Centauri start the game with treaties allowing them to move their ships through the territories of any other culture except the Narn and the Vorlon. These treaties can change during play and they are nullified with another faction if the Centauri goes to war with them.
Masters of Trade: Extensive trade networks allow the Centauri to purchase items and services that would normally be very difficult to acquire and all it takes is a few conversations, calling in a favour or two, and some time. Centauri PCs receive a 2 credit discount when purchasing Uncommon or Rare items.
Dreams of Your Death: All Centauri possess a minor level of prophetic ability and many have dreams about their deaths or other important life events. The older and more traditional Centauri often put great stock in these dreams while the younger generations tend to dismiss them as nonsense, after all they don’t always come true.
You might have had such dreams, or maybe you haven’t, maybe you yet will…
Decadent Monsters: The Republic is in decline, drowning in its own decadence. During each downtime, the Centauri Faction must spend 1 extra resource card of any type when they pay upkeep costs for their Infrastructure stat.
Narn Regime
The Narn are a fiercely proud people, reclaiming their territory after throwing off the oppressive rule of the Centauri. They rule their territory from their homeworld Narn.
Learn more about the Narn Regime
Driven Survivors: The Narn survived a brutal occupation by the Centauri and as a result have geared their society towards warfare in order to secure their freedom. Narn characters can trade any two Resources for a Ship Resource by trading with the GMs.
Strength Born In Pain: Angry and desperate Narn are capable of incredible feats of strength, far beyond their normal capabilities. When pushed into a corner they can suddenly find reserves they didn’t know they had. Once per session, a Narn character in a desperate or highly emotional state can perform an incredible and near impossible strength-based act. For example shattering a boulder, breaking unbreakable chains, or hurling something heavy across a room. This is a narrative effect, it provides no bonus in combat.
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds is an alliance made up of many governments from many planets, each with their peoples, agendas, and homeworlds.
Learn more about the League
A United Front: Out of necessity, the League has to appear united in order to have a chance of competing with the major governments, over years this has forged strong bonds between their worlds. Members of the League worlds are often willing to go to greater lengths to aid one another.
Many Voices: The species of the League are all different, often with wildly different biology, each with their own unique traits. Choose which species your character is from at creation and gain the matching benefit:
- Drazi Freehold: Drazi come from an arid world and are resistant to heat and high temperatures. They have an acute sense of smell and can track by scent using the Perception skill.
- pak’ma’ra: The pak’ma’ra are carrion eaters and almost never get sick, they are virtually immune to all poisons and diseases, but cannot eat fish. They can also survive in almost any atmosphere without needing breathers. They are generally considered by many species to be disgusting however, often treated as second-class citizens.
- The pak’ma’ra are known to have a steady supply of Quantium 40, the most valuable resource in the galaxy, so despite people's dislike of them, they are often invited to trade.
- Brakiri Syndicracry: The Brakiri believe that running a successful business is their highest calling and they cultivate extensive unregulated trade networks. Smuggling is so common in Brakiri space that Brakiri PCs receive a 2 credit discount when purchasing Restricted or Illegal items.
- Abbai Matriarchate: The Abbai evolved on aquatic worlds, they can breathe underwater and don’t need to make rolls to move underwater or in low gravity except in the most extreme circumstances. All Abbai have minor empathic abilities that allow them to sense the emotions of others nearby. At any time you can ask another player out-of-character what their character is feeling and they must tell you, this only tells you general emotional state though: “angry”, “happy”, “frightened” etc, not why they are feeling it.
- The Abbai are a matriachy, their leaders are all female.
- Hyach Grand Council: All Hyach are telepathic and have a natural talent for it. They must purchase the Telepath merit but they pay 3 XP less for it than normal.
General
Rules and Character Creation