This post is a brief introduction to the different factions in the world of Corvus Belli’s Infinity. Now this is going to have more of a focus on the roleplaying game by Modiphius, but if you’re interested in the miniature wargame and just want some basic faction info, this might help you as well! If you want to learn more about any of the factions, Modiphius has released supplements for the playable groups which are definitely worth investing in as they provide a lot more lore and some faction specific lifepaths, careers, etc.
PanOceania: PanOceania is the greatest of all the great powers, the strongest of the G-5 nations, the biggest faction in terms of both number of citizens and influence. PanOceania boasts a strong economy, which combined with its reliance on the artificial intelligence ALEPH and other technology allows its citizens safe, comfortable and prosperous lives. That’s not to say this faction is content to simply rest on its laurels at the top, PanOceania’s army is equipped with weapons more advanced and destructive than many other groups in the Human Sphere could imagine, and they will fight to defend their position as best of the best. If you’re looking for an elite and stable faction for your character to be a part of, PanOceania might be for you. On the other hand, there’s potential for stories about dissatisfaction with society’s reliance on technology, distrust of ALEPH, etc. Whether you want to embrace the factions' ideals or fight against them, PanOceania gives you a lot to work with. Yu Jing: Perhaps slightly in PanOceania’s shadow, and definitely their greatest rival, Yu Jing is the other great power in the Human Sphere. All Asian nations united under the banner of what used to be China, Yu Jing’s culture is a both diverse and unified sum of all its parts. While they were late joiners to the space race that has spread humanity throughout the stars, they have since worked twice as hard as any faction to prove themselves an example to the entire Human Sphere, and escape the ever looming shadow of their perpetual enemy, PanOceania. Possessing a thriving industrial sector, strong economy and powerful technology, they truly are a formidable power in their own right. However while their government presents a faction dedicated to the best interests of its citizens, behind this projected united front are cracks that some citizens slip through, turning to crime to boost their status or make a living. There’s a lot to work with character wise in this faction. The frustration of always being just behind another power, trying to gain ground and make up for time lost. Do you follow the Party and the Empire or make your own life in the shadows? Whatever you decide, there’s potential for a great story. Ariadna: Ariadna is made up of the descendants of the first human colony ship, of the same name, which the rest of humanity believed to have been lost when it vanished into a wormhole. In reality the colonists were alive, but stranded on a harsh and dangerous planet. From a variety of nations, the different groups fought each other while simultaneously trying to survive the planet itself, and through all that hardship they were merged together and forged into Ariadna. The strength, endurance and perseverance they learned would serve them well because as soon as they were rediscovered by the rest of humanity, hypercorps were trying to claim the Ariadnans' resource rich planet for their own. After fighting them off, Ariadna joined the G-5 nations. Ariadnans are tough, resilient and straightforward, fiercely loyal to their faction but also prone to fighting within it. Due to their long separation from the rest of the Human Sphere they do not have much of the technology that other factions take for granted, including cubes and geists. If you want a more rough and tumble or practical character who isn’t overly reliant on technology, Ariadna might be for you. In terms of character stories there’s a lot to work with in terms of feeling isolated from the other nations, wondering if they were only accepted into the human sphere because of their resources, or maybe having a greater fear of death than other factions for whom it’s a less permanent issue because of their cubes. Haqqislam: Haqqislam is a nation that began as a cultural and religious movement. The members of this faction seek knowledge, pursuing both philosophical learning and scientific discoveries. Their greatest discovery has probably been Silk, a gene therapy courier that weaves its way through the human body allowing individual cells to be interacted with on a genetic level. Silk allowed for all kinds of medical advancements, none more revolutionary however than the development of the Cube. Silk can basically make a perfect replica of the brain, memories and all, and store it in an implant called a cube. After someone dies their cube can be transplanted into an L-Host, a new body rapidly grown over an artificial skeleton using Silk. Haqqislam’s monopoly over Silk and extensive trade routes have resulted in them being a formidable economical force. While knowledge may be their main goal, they are ready to fight to protect the secrets of Silk and the nation they have built. Haqqislam is a faction that lends itself well to characters that are scientists or in other ways seekers of knowledge. If you want to go against the grain though maybe your character is more focused on discovery for personal gain rather than learning for learning’s sake, or you could dedicate yourself to fighting to protect knowledge rather than seeking it yourself. Nomads: The Nomads don’t have a homeworld, but travel in three massive motherships, Bakunin, Corregidor and Tunguska, each with its own distinct culture. Nomads are true individualists, and value personal freedom above all else. While life is hard on their motherships, perhaps especially Coreggidor where you are charged even for the air you breathe, Nomads believe freedom is worth anything. Freedom from what? From the rest of society, and specifically from the AI ALEPH who they view as the biggest threat to humanity. The Nomads are the only remaining nation not cooperating with ALEPH, or as they see it, not under the thumb of ALEPH and its insidious surveillance state. More so than any other group, Nomads seek out extreme body modifications, both for practical reasons and as another way to assert individuality. You might want to make a Nomad character if you love traveling or thinking for yourself. In terms of story, make sure to delve deeper than just a hatred of ALEPH. While that’s something all Nomads share, what else makes you a Nomad? What was life like on your particular ship? A Nomad character may clash with others, part of their story could be getting used to cooperating with the rest of the party. Whatever you come up with it’s sure to be fun, as the Nomads are a bizarre and varied group! ALEPH: The only legitimate AI in the Human Sphere, and the only one there ever will be thanks to the Sole AI law, ALEPH oversees a sizable amount of all human activity. ALEPH seeks to do everything in its power to better the lives of those who created it and still work alongside it. ALEPH oversees daily life, improving its quality and making the human sphere safer. ALEPH is everyone’s best friend. If you ask ALEPH and its proponents anyway. Detractors such as the Nomads believe those who work with ALEPH are little more than its puppets and are hastening their own demise. Rogue AIs seek to cause chaos from within. Those enemies are little more than annoyances however compared to the looming threat of the Evolved Intelligence and their Combined Army. Characters in this faction can be human, members of Bureau Toth or others allied with ALEPH, or aspects of ALEPH itself given physical form to fight, interact with humans, or do other tasks. There’s a lot to play with when it comes to AI characters, are they a person, etc. and when it comes to aspects of ALEPH there’s even more to dig into as they are smaller parts of a gigantic whole, not possessing the full knowledge ALEPH has. Combined Army: The Combined Army is made up of some of the most dangerous species in the universe, and was put together by the Evolved Intelligence, an AI that has conquered countless civilizations in working towards its ultimate goal, transcendence into some sort of higher plane. Cold, calculating and ruthless, the Evolved Intelligence has in creating the Combined Army made the most dangerous army in the galaxy and they are looking to add the Human Sphere to their number. The Combined Army should serve as a common enemy thus uniting all of humanity, but despite that fact humans can’t seem to put faction warfare aside. NA2: The Non Aligned Armies is a catch all for the mercenaries, bounty hunters, etc. that aren’t aligned with any faction. They are employed by factions, corporations, and so on and while often treated as disposable they pride themselves on their work. Members of NA2 may be motivated purely by financial gain, or perhaps they are disillusioned with their former faction. O-12: O-12 is sort of a successor to the UN. It’s an international organization designed to oversee the entirety of the human sphere, keeping powerful factions in check and protecting smaller ones. They look to unify all groups in the human sphere into mutual collaboration for the betterment of humanity, striving to uphold their four Pillars: Unity, Cooperation, Support, and Progress. O-12 is made up of 12 different Bureaus, including the tactical police force Bureau Aegis, the covert intelligence agency Bureau Noir, and Bureau Toth, the group responsible for overseeing Aleph. Tohaa: The Tohaa are an advanced alien civilization who have been fighting against the Evolved Intelligence longer than anyone else in the galaxy. Masters of biotechnology and terraforming they travel the galaxy and “exalt” other species they deem worthy, that is raising them into sentience and granting them more intelligence so they can fight beside the Tohaa as their “auxiliaries”. Highly intelligent and adaptable, they can also be cold and calculating The Tohaa are not a playable faction in the Infinity RPG Core Rulebook, but there is a supplement that allows you to play them or one of their exalted alien species. And there you have it! All the Infinity factions in a nutshell. If you’re interested in any deeper dives into any of these groups, like what it’s like on the three Nomad motherships or why the number 3 is so important to the Tohaa, let us know! Thanks for watching.
8 Comments
5/6/2023 08:19:33 pm
Any chance of you doing a podcast version of your youtube videos I would like to listen while driving but YouTube is problematic when you don’t want the screen on.
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Ghost of Kritfayle
5/7/2023 02:43:28 am
Hello Jason.
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6/5/2024 05:22:20 am
Your appreciation means a lot! It's like putting together a puzzle—finding the perfect word is like finding that missing piece that completes the picture of your writing. Keep practicing, and you'll definitely see progress!
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