Jihad of Faarzgaen
The Jihad of Faarzgaen is a Vargr polity located in Provence Sector.
- It is part of the Vargr Extents.
- It lies within Charted Space.
Allegiance Codes[edit]
| Polity | Survey | Code | Type | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jihad of Faarzgaen | Pre-Imperial | JihFaa | No standard code | None |
| Jihad of Faarzgaen | 1st Survey (300) | Vj | 2-ltr code | None |
| Jihad of Faarzgaen | 2nd Survey (1065) | VJoF | 4-ltr code | None |
Description (Specifications)[edit]
The Imperial Province of Llaeghskath, of which the Jihad forms the trailing half, was originally part of the Empire of Varroerth and had its capital at Llaegharrgh. It was a prosperous region crossed by the Llaegharrgh Chain, the most important trade route in the region, and was ruled by a Varroerth Imperial Governor.
The chief religion in the province had long been the worship of Faarzgaen, which originated on the world of the same name shortly after the end of the Long Night and spread along the worlds of the Llaegharrgh Chain. Followers of the faith believe that their deity directly manipulates their thoughts and desires: the deity's mood changes from time to time, and that is reflected in the actions of individuals and the circumstances his followers enjoy. Times of peace and prosperity show that Faarzgaen is content and happy, while times of hardship and war indicate that the god is angry. Until the 900s many citizens of the Province considered themselves to be enjoying an extended period of Faarzgaen's good humor.
Revolution[edit]
At around that time a radical sect sprang up, declaring that Faarzgaen was displeased with many of his followers – in short, all those who were not members of the sect. The sect preached that non-believers were to be considered heretics, their territories and possessions were to be seized, and the unbelievers themselves should either be forcibly converted or destroyed.
In 1095 uprisings and protests on Faarzgaen became a popular revolution: the leaders of the sect seized power and declared a Jihad against their enemies. A series of similar revolutions occurred on nearby worlds and together they seceded from the Empire, declaring themselves an independent sovereign state and beginning a brutal war of conquest and dominance. They declared their first target to be the spinward end of the Llaegharrgh Chain, the trade route that dominates the region.
Reaction[edit]
The spinward half of the Province of Llaeghskath came under direct attack from the Jihad and appealed for assistance from the Empire, but none was given: neighboring Imperial governors, rather than ordering their forces to step in, instead isolated the region, preferring to let the Jihad run its course. Their intent was to later reclaim the rebellious and war-weakened territory, either passing the title of Imperial Governor to the leader of the victorious faction or forcibly emplacing their own preferred successor.
Betrayed by its so-called allies, the remaining half of the Province declared itself fully independent in 1096, becoming the Llaeghskath Interacterate.
A simple chart showing the Llaeghskath Interacterate, to spinward, and the Jihad of Faarzgaen, to trailing:
(Chart sourced from Traveller Map)
The Llaegharrgh Chain[edit]
The spinward-coreward worlds of the region are members of the Llaegharrgh Chain, the largest and most important trade route within the sector.
- It has 48 member worlds.
- It passes through the Llaeghskath Interacterate, the Jihad of Faarzgaen, and the Empire of Varroerth.
- The Llaegharrgh-Vorvoun Jump Bridges link it directly to the Vorvoun Course, an important trade route.
- Worlds lying on the Chain are highlighted in tan.
- Llaegharrgh is marked in red.
Llaegharrgh-Vorvoun Jump Bridges[edit]
The Llaegharrgh-Vorvoun Jump Bridges connect the Llaegharrgh Chain and the Vorvoun Course Mains.
- The Bridge facilities are two deep space refuelling facilities lying within interstellar hexes 1006 and 1107 of Vorvoun Subsector.
- The two jump bridges allow low jump-rated vessels to travel between the two Mains.
The danger posed by the turbulent political situation within the Jihad has effectively closed the jump bridges.
- Traffic through the further spinward of the two Bridge facilities has slowed to a trickle and many basic commodities are in short supply.
(Chart sourced from Traveller Map)
- Worlds lying on the two Mains are highlighted in tan.
- The two jump bridges are denoted as red targets.
- Llaegharrgh is marked in red and Vorvoun is marked in green.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
In 1092 a Jihad, a huge religious uprising, took place on Faarzgaen, under the leadership and direction of a radical sect worshipping the temperamental Vargr god Faarzgaen.
Origins of the Faith[edit]
The religion of Faarzgaen is an ancient belief centered around a single deity, called Faarzgaen, a god who slips between two distinct personalities at different times in history. Generally he is beneficent, but occasionally he displays a terrible rage. Times of benificence can last for centuries and are periods of prosperity and comfort, while times of rage generally last for a few decades and are marked by strife, upheaval, and war.
During the tenth century prophets began to appear, foretelling a radical change in the deity's temperament and warning of impending doom. He was angered, they proclaimed, by the lazy and amoral natures of his followers, reliant on their technology, allowing improper and impure behavior, living in decadence, and ignoring the divinely given guidance and wisdom of their god. It was not wrong, they declared, to take what you need from heretics and unbelievers: if you want to take their posssessions, it is Faarzgaen giving you that righteous passion; if you want to murder someone, it is because Faarzgaen wants that person to die.
Initially the new iteration of the faith was a fringe, preached by wandering lunatics and followed by criminals and lowlifes who used its teachings as an excuse for their actions. It railed against the wealthy and priviled in particular and grew in popularity, especially among among the underprivileged and desperate masses resident on the many high population worlds along the Llaegharrgh Chain.
Over time the teachings of the Prophets were codified, a system of laws and retributions emerged, and the faith exponentially gained new adherents. It began to morph into a social movement, with its followers demanding better conditions and a better life, needs and desires that they understood had been implanted within them by the deity himself.
Members of the sect believe themselves to be the True Believers of the True Faith; therefore, they see themselves as the only ones fit to rule the universe. Heresy (a Faarzgaen name for free thinking) and lapses in devotion are punishable by death. Believers actively spread their religion by forcing it on others by violence and strict oppression. Any world not a member of the Jihad must be converted or crushed into submission.
Revolution[edit]
It swept away the world of Faarzgaen's government, rapidly transformed itself into a chaotic but powerful Religious Dictatorship, and immediately began to enforce severe laws. Similar uprisings occurred on other nearby heavily populated worlds. Powerful leaders known as Kafaarzgaenae (Overlords) quickly emerged, each claiming supreme authority over an entire star system and began deciding policy for the Jihad as a whole.
In 1095 the Kafaarzgaenae declared the worlds held by the Jihad to be independent of the Empire of Varroerth, and also declared that they would bring the whole of the corrupt Province of Llaeghskath under their control. Varroerth Imperial governors, rather than ordering their forces to step in, decided to let the Jihad run its course and then later reclaim its rebellious territory.
Government & Politics[edit]
The Jihad of Faarzgaen is an interstellar, multi-system Hegemony, characterized by a very high degree of centralization, strong policies that direct the entire sectors or states, and a strong disregard for local/planetary differences.
- It is broadly classified by the Imperium as a Religious Dictatorship, with its leadership heavily influenced by Faarzgaen belief.
- It is supported by an extensive Impersonal Bureaucracy.
Faith and Belief[edit]
The state follows a radical form of the religion of Faarzgaen. One of the core elements of the faith is that the god directly influences his followers actions. He implants feelings and thoughts into their bodies and minds, suggesting how and when they should eat, sleep, behave, and generally conduct themselves. If they are hungry, Faarzgaen wants them to eat, if they are tired, Faarzgaen wants them to rest. Those who commit immoral or criminal acts are seen as having chosen not to follow Faarzgaen's guidance.
While religious beliefs did influence thinking across many worlds where the Faarzgaen faith was followed, secular issues were generally conducted independent of any religious oversight. Though Faarzgaen was present within all aspects of life a clear distinction between church and state was maintained. Recently a radical Faarzgaen sect has swept to power on a number of worlds, violently enforcing an extreme version of the Faarzgaen faith.
Military Forces[edit]
The Jihad military is divided into four branches: the Navy, Army, Rhaarzgour, and Faarzgaerrnra. The roles of the first two branches are self-explanatory. The Rhaarzgour is the Jihad's secret police force, charged with conducting espionage and terrorist activities against infidel-worlds. (Interestingly, all seven of the current Kafaarzgaenae were once Rhaarzgour officers.)
The Faarzgaerrnra are an elite group of suicide troops. Their loyalty is forcibly ensured: If they succeed in their missions, they are held up - posthumously, of course - as great heroes; if they fail, their names are slandered as traitors and their families are killed.
The Jihad government does provide minimal necessities for its citizens, but free commerce and the possession of money is forbidden. Possession of luxury or entertainment items is a capital offense. Interstellar trade is non-existent. Mercenaries and off-world shipyards are paid in "hard assets", including gold, diamonds, lanthanum, and slaves from Ghaez-Larrgh.
Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)[edit]
This polity can be primarily found in the following areas:
Charted Space - Vargr Extents:
Capital[edit]
The capital of this polity is located at:
World Listings[edit]
Comprehensive Second Survey UWP data for all worlds lying within the polity is available.
- The primary source material for all data is Traveller Map.
- Other sources may contain contradictory or incorrect information.
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Note that some Second Survey data, though only 40 years old, is likely to be out of date.
- Data is occasionally updated as new information becomes available.
- Scouting missions gathering reliable, verified data can receive substantial payment.
- Verified updated data is constantly sought.
Major Historical Events Timeline[edit]
Major events that have affected this polity and the wider region that it lies within:
- ca -250,000: The Ancients were active within the sector, transplanting the Vargr onto Lair.
- -9235: the Vilani discover jump technology. A few explorers and settlers begin to pioneer the region.
- -4045 to -2204: the Ziru Sirka claims a few rimward worlds and establishes a firm border. The Windhorn Rift and the absence of any significant Mains discourages large-scale Vilani expansion into the region.
- -3810: the Vargr discover jump technology and begin an era of expansion.
- -2400s: Vargr raiding into human-dominated areas significantly increases. This becomes known as the Vargr Pillaging.
- ca -2350: the Foergaz Coalition, an early polity, collapses.
- ca -1700: Vargr rimward expansion gradually ceases: the border between human and Vargr space stabilizes.
- -1776 to 0: the Long Night. There is widespread regression within the area and some worlds become barren.
- The Year 0: to rimward-trailing, the Third Imperium is founded.
- circa 26: the Empire of Varroerth is founded.
- 300-420: the Imperial First Survey charts the region.
- 777: the Lair Protectorate is established.
- 995-1065: the Imperial Second Survey charts the region.
- 1065: the Second Survey is published. Information about the region becomes widely available.
- 1095: Faarzgaen extremists capture a number of worlds and secede from the Empire of Varroerth. They declare a Jihad against neighbouring worlds.
- 1096: the Province of Llaeghskath secedes from the Empire of Varroerth, becoming the Llaeghskath Interacterate.
References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]
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- John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Classic Traveller Supplement 8 Library Data (A-M), (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), various pages. (Library data entries)
- John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Classic Traveller Supplement 11 Library Data (N-Z), (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), various pages. (Library data entries)
- J. Andrew Keith, Marc Miller, John Harshman. Classic Traveller Vargr (Game Designers Workshop, 1984), IBC. (Sector named but no world data provided)
- James Holden, Joe D. Fugate Sr., Terrance McInnes. Vilani & Vargr (Digest Group Publications, 1990), pages 11, 48, 49. (Dot maps and charts indicating the location of the world and its political allegiance)
- Rob Caswell. "Life Under the Vargr: Snapshots of the Occupation." MegaTraveller Journal 2 (1991): page 47. (Background for Provence Sector)
- David Burden, Stuart Dollar, Andy Lilly, Joseph Walsh. T4 Aliens Volume 1 (Imperium Games, 1998), pages 91-182. (The Vargr)
- David L. Pulver. GURPS Traveller Alien Races 1 (Steve Jackson Games, 1998), pages 64-99. (The Vargr)
- Simon Beal. Mongoose Traveller: Vargr, (Mongoose Publishing, 2009), various pages. (Background for the Windhorn Rift region)
- Author & Contributor: David Drazul (Generated data)