Periphery
- This article is about the region of space. For the sourcebooks about the region, see The Periphery.
The Periphery surrounds the Inner Sphere. Although colonized during the days of the Star League, many of its sparsely colonized worlds fiercely clung onto their independence. Always restless and rebellious, the largest Periphery states were being bloodily conquered by the SLDF in the Reunification War. With the Succession Wars the whole area suffered the most of the Lostech development.
In the eyes and mind of an ignorant and jaded citizen of the Inner Sphere the Periphery is probably little more than a large lawless area overrun with criminals, and he will probably dismiss all nations located in this area as "mere Bandit Kingdoms".
And there some truth in this view; many worlds are indeed little more than hideouts and havens for groups of bandits, bands of pirates, assassins, renegades, misfits, religious extremists, and fanatics. It is a natural place to hide oneself, making it a likely destiny for renegades, deserters, and criminals on the run.
However the same citizen would be surprised to learn that many law-abiding Periphery states exist, and that in some few cases their citizens even enjoy greater degrees of liberty and personal rights. Many inhabitants of the Periphery are simply war refugees, looking for a peaceful and safe future for themselves and their children. Many are engaged in interstellar trade for mutual advantage and profit. Others are indeed deserters, but are simply fed up of the bloody Succession Wars and are looking for a way out of the circle of bloodshed.
Periphery states range from single independent planets, minor alliances, small confederations, trade conglomerates, all the way up to major nations able to rival certain Successor States themselves in wealth, political power, and military might.
Major Powers
- Rim Worlds Republic directly involved, and destroyed during the fall of the Star League.
- Rulers: Amaris family
- Taurian Concordat: The largest of the existing Periphery realms, noted for its fiercely patriotic people and mild xenophobia.
- Rulers: Calderon family
- Magistracy of Canopus: Hedonistic matriarchy allied with the Capellan Confederation in the 3060s.
- Rulers: Centrella family
- Outworlds Alliance: peacefully merged with Clan Snow Raven and renamed the Raven Alliance during the beginning of the Jihad.
- Rulers: Avellar family
Medium Powers
- Marian Hegemony: a conquering state. Noted for its adoption of an Imperial Roman social model. Absorbed many minor Periphery states.
- Rulers: O'Reilly family
- Oberon Confederation: a former bandit kingdom trying to go legit, it was later conquered by the Clans during their initial invasion.
Minor Powers
- Barony of Strang: a Bandit kingdom, ruled by the descendants of supporters of Stefan Amaris it was also overrun by the Clans.
- Circinus Federation: a Bandit kingdom, sided with the Word of Blake to stave off an invasion by the Marian Hegemony but were subsequently annihilated during the Jihad.
- Elysian Fields: a protectorate of the Oberon Confederation, it was overrun by the Clans.
- Fiefdom of Randis: led by a neo-chivalric order of MechWarriors
- Filtvelt Coalition: became independent from the Federated Suns during or after the Word of Blake Jihad.
- Fronc Reaches: formerly named the New Colony Region, this nation gained statehood in 3066.
- Greater Valkyrate: a Bandit kingdom, also overrun by the Clans.
- Illyrian Palatinate: was also conquered by the Marian Hegemony.
- Lothian League: a minor Periphery state conquered by the Marian Hegemony in 3063.
- Mica Majority: a minor collection of atmospherically domed colonies.
- The New Belt Pirates: A pirate band that managed to survive the Clan Invasion due to location in a large asteroid cluster. They had access to a large germanium supply and JumpShip repair yards.
- Niops Association: a tiny collection of secular, isolationist colonies.
- Rim Collection: survivor state of the Rim Worlds Republic formed in the 3040s to stave off pirate attacks.
- Tortuga Dominions: a Bandit kingdom.
Deep Periphery
The Deep Periphery is the largely uncharted, unexplored region of space beyond "the periphery". A few proto-states, and a host of small colonies, exist in this region of space. Most notable are:
- The Hanseatic League
- Nueva Castile
- The Umayyad Caliphate
- The JàrnFòlk