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Version 1.0 — 28 July, 2010

Disclaimer: This work is not "canon" as in canon from the original Freelancer universe. It is a compilation of ideas formed from material found both in the game and in outside resources. The aim of this document is to educate and improve the interaction of community members interested in playing the Nomads as well as those role-playing with them.

Freelancer, Digital Anvil, and Microsoft Game Studios are registered trademarks of Microsoft® Corporation.

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Preface

Many things have been changed since the early days and these changes were often the result of the feedback the community has provided over the course of several months. Many players have shared their opinions and ideas of the Nomads in Freelancer including concepts beyond the main single player storyline. There's been much discussion, questioning, and searching for answers and explanations as the information has been slowly combined into one solid, comprehensive picture.

The biggest impact was finding the developer's conceptual artwork from a Freelancer bonus DVD that came with the original game soundtrack. That gave me the insight into what the Nomads look like. In addition, the Nomad background history was found in Chris "7Crows" Todd's Freelancer: Nomad Faction Overview. This opened up entirely new opportunities for polishing the existing history to ensure that it's up to date. Sometimes it's difficult to say where canon ends and fan fiction begins. So instead of discussing what may or may not have been, I've decided to introduce to the Discovery role-playing community what should be, and what I hope others will also accept and follow, a new milestone in roleplay development for the Discovery Roleplaying Server.

— Treewyrm

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Time passes by. Cycles whirl events into a gigantic spiral from which there is a beginning and a new

coil runs an edgy stroke across the universe unveiling the new truth. Perhaps we would have slept

better if not to learn what rises in the revelation of the new dawn. Long did we thrive on a thought

that the menace could be contained. We never understood it, instead we blissfully rushed into the

heart of the fire striking what seemed to be mortal wounds to our enemy.

But now, I see that the knowledge was what we never truly sought. How ignorant we were

believing what we wished so hard to be true. And now, in this corner, the universe outruns us

again. They come again to me, each time trying to convince me that our forces are still controlling

the situation, that my friends have not died in vain. I silently nod in reply each time, but deep in

my heart I know it is far from the truth, and I regret the decisions made.

The records I hold here are the key--the answer. I know that, but not even I can understand it, for

we are facing an enemy we've never known. The myths of times long gone and in a heritage we

have forgotten speak of a horrific being known as the "Hydra". It is the closest term I could apply

to define the opponent we are facing. No cage is too big for it, no steel is sharp enough to cut

through its thick skin in the hope of bringing it down once and for all. No amount of brave men

and women could contain it forever. We paint the devil on our enemy, we call it the Evil and try

the methods of exorcism again and again, but this is no devil and our medieval gimmicks are all for

nothing in the face of this beast.

I leave this place, it holds nothing of what I seek now. There are no ears that would listen to the

words I speak, no minds to heed my warnings. I see young pilots eager to fight, being told tales of

bravery and honor each and every time, but so many of them never come home. My fragile hope

barely holds on as I watch a planet I've called home for a decade vanish into clouds of green.

- Unknown record log

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History

"I look back and forth through the archives, trying to find a clue to their past, to their purpose, to solve the puzzle. My latest study is to

decode their true name, though I doubt it was meant for vocal communication. Yet for what it is worth, I must try to find it. Perhaps their name holds a clue to the purpose of their existence. Perhaps if I try calling them by their name they would respond. If only I had more time to; hope

rests on my children to finish the job I've started."

Johnathan Svedstrom, Zoner researcher, private log

The history of the Nomads is veiled and remains a puzzle for anyone who has studied them, fought them, or even attempted to understand them.

The Nomads are an enigma, an entity as threatening as it is so little understood.

Nobody truly knows how or why the Nomads came to be, though there have been many theories among academics in recent years. Proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial sentient lifeforms was found a relatively long time ago when mankind arrived in the Sirius Sector; they discovered that Sirius was once inhabited by a very powerful alien species commonly referred to as the Daam K'Vosh. As it expanded throughout the systems mankind eventually found the Nomads. Although it was not the only first contact with the Nomads in history of humanity, it was the first time that humans in Sirius had made contact with an alien species.

However, long before the first meeting between Nomads and humans, before the sleeper ships arrived in the Sirius Sector, and before mankind rose back into the stars, the Nomads were already there. They were merely dormant, waiting for their time to come. The question of who put them there and why were they there still exists today. The Daam K'Vosh created them ultimately for a purpose unknown; there is no theory that successfully proves or disproves what the intentions of the Daam K'Vosh were. Originally believed only to be guardians of the ancient race, it appears that the Daam K'Vosh had also left the Nomads a chance to learn and evolve independently. To aid them, their creators left markers that would act as lighthouses in the cosmic storm to guide them to safe shores, perhaps hoping the Nomads might one day lay claim to their own land and create themselves a place and a life of their own; no one knows whether that life or land will be within the Sirius Sector or away in some unknown location. Each marker left behind was supposed be a guide to different evolutionary steps the Nomads would take to reach their full potential and claim the destiny their creators intended for them, whatever that may be.

However things did not go as planned.

The arrival of humanity changed everything.

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The Downfall

Realizing their mistake, the Nomads rushed to defend the Sphere at all costs. If not for a desperate and final suicidal rush, humanity may have lost the war.

The artifact was meant to open a hypergate; however the Dyson Sphere had to be prepared before this was opened. The premature activation drained the energy grids and deprived the Nomads of the energy they had gathered from the enclosed star. Along with the sphere the Mindshare collapsed, unable to maintain links between many of its nodes. Much of their force was in disarray; unable to function properly, some went mad, tearing the sphere apart.

However there were others.

Advisors who had sensed this outcome left the city shortly before the event took place, taking the most precious Nomad knowledge of how to restore and maintain the Mindshare with them. Along with several others, they made their journey far off beyond the known systems to the place of their creation. To the only safe place they knew.

Aftermath

The few remaining Nomads have traveled deeper into the Omicrons and beyond the edge of Sirius. They fled from human interference and settled in several systems including those now known as Omicron Iota and Omicron 99. They had inhabited these systems in the past, and now needing a haven in which to recover, they returned to them. The problem they faced in this area was that they lacked the energy required to maintain their fleets and infrastructure, all which now required far more than the place could offer. The two stars in Omicron Iota could barely keep them alive, and to become firmly established in the area they needed more, far more. Although Nomads prefer to settle in open space by building massive structures, they had no choice but to use a planet, perhaps in a most unusual way, as an energy source. An icy planet within the Omicron Iota system now known as Planet Xerna was chosen for the task.

By burrowing deep into the planetary crust the Nomads were able to expose the core and use it as an energy source. This came at a price though, in time the planetary temperature would begin to fall to the point that no life could exist on the surface or beneath it, eventually becoming no more than a very large asteroid. This end result did not deter the Nomads, though; they were created to live in deep space, after all. The decision was made to utilize the planet’s core for as long as it would provide power, or until a better solution could be devised.

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Nightfall

Using a number of recovered artifacts, the Nomads discovered that an alternative power source was feasible. This one could sustain them for quite a long time. Two artifacts were located and retrieved that, when detonated, would create highly concentrated nebulae. Used correctly, these could be harnessed into a cheap source of energy. The artifacts were touched off on opposite sides of Omicron Iota. Most of the system, along with Xerna, was quickly engulfed in the resultant swirling dark clouds. The explosions also had an unforeseen effect, in that a new star also began to form in the system, altering gravity and expanding the Nebulae further.

Planet Xerna could no longer serve its purpose. The surface temperatures dropped to, and then below, the critical point whereupon it was rendered completely inert. It now exists as an icy wasteland; its temperatures only a fraction of a degree above absolute zero, rendering the planet inhospitable to any lifeform but Nomads.

It was at this point that the long forgotten and abandoned Altair Research Complex came back into use, and for a time they settled there until a new and massive city could be completed. This new complex, once finished would secure the area once and for all. The Nomads still possessed the upper hand in technology which they had successfully replicated from that of the Daam K'Vosh, and thus applying all their knowledge and skill they intended this place to be a last bastion. It was the last line of defense for those left behind and struggling against the human expansion.

Nomad Anatomy and Physiology

To begin to understand the Nomads we must first look back to the very first specimen created, the Nomad progenitor. In order to understand that, though, we must also understand what the Daam K’Vosh were capable of. Based solely on the technological feats their civilization was capable of, one could say that they were indeed masters of the baryonic world; the ability to manipulate matter at its most basic level to perform what would only be described as magic by today’s standards. From this knowledge, it would lend itself to the understanding that the Daam K’Vosh also understood the underlying mechanics of life. The ability to forge life from the matter of the heavens around them would signify their mastery of the universe.

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The very first Nomad was most likely a synthetic organism, one that arose from the hands of the Daam K’Vosh instead of forming through natural, chaotic means. Assembled with the assistance of fantastically-advanced nanofabrication processes, atom by atom, molecule by molecule, the Nomad Progenitor Cell was brought to life with the start of a simple, self-sustaining chemical process that thrived on a substrate of similar composition to that found in what is now known as Cardamine. This Progenitor Cell would already have its complete chromosome, the set of genetic instructions that allowed it to function and multiply, but would also be malleable and easily modified by its Daam K’Vosh overseers to fulfill whatever conceivable needs it would require. Though relatively simple, no different than what we would classify as a protist, the cell’s capabilities would expand exponentially as hurdles were reached and overcome. As it continued to grow and multiply, the colony would begin to take on characteristics of a eukaryotic, multi-cellular organism: a communal organism with distribution of resources amongst each cell, distinct tissue layers with specialized functions, and the development of a central nervous system. The chromosome was adapted to accommodate the ever-changing capacity of information, assembling itself into a toroidal supercoil to fit within the nucleus. As more generations passed the last recognizable form of the Nomad would become complete, the final product of the Daam K’Vosh that took to the stars of the Sirius Sector.

A. The Progenitor Cell

The final form of the Nomad Progenitor Cell was exquisite in its simplicity, a unit of creation. Intended to grow within a stable environment (such as those found within Nomad Spawning Pods), the cellular components were primarily organic; a phospholipid bilayer separated the internal environment form the external, the cytoplasm consisted of organic and inorganic compounds, and the genetic material was sequestered away in a nucleus. The double-stranded DNA was highly conserved, composed primarily of strong-bonding purine bases in the coding sequences, profound guanine-cytosine expression within structural RNA, and enhanced use of charged residues and aromatic (conjugated ring structure) residues; the use of novel nucleic acid analogues expanded the potential for storage of coding information by allowing base-pairs beyond adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thyamine. Efficient polymerases were capable of creating high-fidelity copies of the chromosome, with no potential in errors due to a range of proofreading proteins. Surrounding the nucleus is an array of high throughput protein ‘factories’, capable of churning out protein structures at an incredible rate before being packaged into phospholipid vesicles for transport throughout the cell. The most advanced of these protein factories, though, were capable of shuffling and combining individual atoms to form heavier elements, utilizing their own protein structure as a template; protons, neutrons, and electrons, coupled with high metabolic energy, could be combined to synthesize complex matter. For each element that was known by Daam K’Vosh, a protein existed to shuffle these components and combine them; the chromosome possessed ample room to encode them.

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Each Progenitor Cell was, in a sense, a form of stem cell. Each contained the entire genetic code of the Nomads, and these genes could be switched on and off as per their needs. Through chemical cues, they could be directed to multiply and form a whole, mature Nomad with distinct tissue layers and organs; depending on the roles that needed to be fulfilled, a Nomad could remain a ‘fluid’ entity with the ability to assume many different forms.

B. Spacefaring Nomads

The environment of space is by far the most inhospitable present; wild temperature extremes, very low concentrations of resources, and high-energy ionizing radiation that could rip apart molecules. The Daam K’Vosh, in their foresight, overcame each and every obstacle with precision and ingenuity when creating the Nomads. To begin with the anatomy of Nomad vessels, we will start from the inside and move out.

1. Nervous-Cardiac System (Nomad Brain)

Located deep within a Nomad ship is the brain cluster, the literal heart and soul. The central mass of the Nomad brain is found within the center of the ship, running along the medial line that can be drawn from the anterior (front) to the posterior (rear), and in the center of the transverse plane through the widest section of the ship (excluding the fins). The structure of the brain itself is unique, a combination of a Nomad’s nervous system and circulatory system. A multi-chambered cardiac organ is found within the center of the nervous bundle, drawing in body fluids and circulating them through an array of aortic and venous canals that branch out into smaller and smaller vessels the further they are from the brain/heart proper; multiple contractile organs can be found along this extent, assisting in pumping fluids against high-pressure fluctuations and back-flow that can occur during rapid flight, maneuvering, and gravitational differences. These vessels are found primarily along the internal tissue membrane just below the surface of a Nomad’s ‘hull’, ensuring that sufficient resources are pumped to sites of damage and the sporangial structures that maintain the Veil. As the brain proper surrounds the cardiac organ, the nerve fibers similarly surround the circulatory vessels. The separating tissue layer is distinct, with the innermost circulatory membrane being completely impermeable and possessing transverse canals that allow fluids to pass through the nervous space and into their destination tissues; the nervous section itself is selectively permeable to allow controlled ion flow in and out of the nervous space through distinct ion channel proteins. The fluids within the nervous space are highly conductive, and this is further enhanced through the formation of organic polyaniline fibers to enhance the transmission speed of nervous signals throughout the body.

A unique aspect about the nervous-circulatory system can be found along each nerve ‘end’, where arrays of fibrous dendrites terminate in a distinct nodule of progenitor cells; chemical signals that originate from these can prompt the progenitor cells to divide and specialize in function, allowing fluidity of form to better adapt to differences in the always-changing realm of space. The most dramatic example of this can be found when a Nomad undergoes

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self-regulated genetic modification, where signals from the Mindshare direct the controlled synthesis of new coding regions within the chromosome; the resulting cells will eventually phase-out older cells as they divide and propagate.

2. Thermaltrophic Complex (Entropic Organ)

Surrounding the Nomad Brain, the Thermaltrophic Complex is a large circular system that serves as the primary metabolic center of the Nomad. It is responsible for storing high concentrations of photonic and thermal energy absorbed from intense sources, such as a star or a geothermal tap; energy is siphoned through a protein-synthesized silicon substrated seeded with nanometer-scale single crystalline structures, and stored within a dense array of organometallic proteins that serve as a semi-conducting grid. The innate structure allows for an exceptionally high density of energy to be stored, a crucial property necessary to maintain the higher-level functions of the Nomad Brain (hence its direct proximity, which allows it to serve as a biological circuit). In terms of metabolic work, the charged metallic compounds can couple their stored energy to free electrons; in turn, these electrons are shuffled throughout the nervous component of the circulatory system. Destination points will couple these electrons to enzymatic complexes, where the charge-potential is turned into actual mechanical work for synthesis of organic structure and/or matter compilation.

The derived structures of the Thermaloptic Complex were keyed towards efficiency, with a ~90% throughput. The remaining 10% energy lost is observed as the bright white glow from the organ system itself.

3. Propulsion Osculum

Posterior to the Nomad Brain and Thermaltrophic Complex is a narrow tube-like structure with a sealed-end interior and an open end into the environment posterior. The Osculum is the primary site of thrust generation for Nomad vessels, generating a controlled thermonuclear reaction to provide mobility; two chambers can be observed in the form of a primary ‘fusion’ pseudocoelem (a ‘fake’ body cavity) below the larger main-body cavity, and a tubular interior that runs the length of the narrowing posterior end; a tri-cuspid valve separates these two cavities. Molecular hydrogen that has been absorbed into the endoplasmic fluid of the nomad vessel’s body is filtered by the fusion pseudocoelem via active transport channels that pump it into an interior, high-concentration gradient; multiple layers of an inert protein lattice line the interior and exterior to contain the high-pressure environment. As critical mass is accumulated, dendritic ends of the nervous-circulatory system embedded within the tri-cuspid valve charge the molecular hydrogen to initiate the fusion process. Rapid oscillations of the valve itself allow the exhaust gases to escape into the second chamber, providing the main motive force for the Nomad vessel; contractile microfilaments along the surface of the thrust cavity can adjust its diameter, allowing further fine-control of the amount of exhaust released.

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The Propulsion Osculum also serves as a secondary thermal source for the Thermaloptic Complex, as a portion of the heat and light energy generated is absorbed and re-circulated throughout the rest of the body. This is a crucial property in cases where a Nomad vessel does not have ready access to a star or other heat/light source.

4. Endoplasm

The majority of a Nomad vessel’s interior space is comprised of a fluid matrix containing a mix of organic/inorganic compounds, protein complexes, and flagellated Progenitor Cells. The composition remains mostly homogenous to maintain necessary osmotic and electrolytic balances; compositions can fluctuate, depending on the physiological state of the Nomad vessel and the environment it is traversing. The Endoplasm can be actively circulated to different sections through the Nervous-Circulatory system; molecules can be selectively filtered out by permeable membranes operating on controlled gradients and protein channels. Typically, the Endoplasm is maintained under a high pressure to counteract structural compressions that can occur from rapid acceleration/deceleration and/or gravitational influences; this pressure is also used in fine maneuvering when expelled through ionizing pores in the dermis.

5. External/Internal Tunica

Multiple layers of tissue make up the dermal layer of a Nomad vessel:

____________________________________ Apical Carapace (~8-20 cm) |||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| External Reticulated Membrane (~10-25 cm) | ------------------------------------------------------ External Basement Membrane (~5-10 cm) | | || || || || || || || || || | | |Ext.| || || || || || || || || || | | Stratified Columnar Epitheleum (~20-45 cm) |Tun.| || || || || || || || || || | | || || || || || || || || || || || | |( )( )( )( )( )( ) External Progenitor Cell Layer (~3-8 cm) |----------------------------------------------------- Vascular Membrane | ================================ |Vascular Layer ================================ Vascular Tissue |----------------------------------------------------- Internal Basement Membrane |( )( )( )( )( )( ) Internal Progenitor Cell Layer |[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] |Int.[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] Squamous Structural Layer |Tun.[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Internal Reticulated Membrane |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The External Tunica represents the portion of the dermal layer primarily exposed to the outside environment. The Apical Carapace is a dense layer of silicate material secreted from

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the External Basement Membrane, supported by the External Reticulated Membrane comprised of a lattice-work of microtubule structures that resist compressive and expansive forces; projecting through the Apical Carapace are multiple structures that include selective protein channels for matter absorption/exchange, sensory nodes linked to the Nervous-Circulatory system, and the Sporangium Stalks that generate the Veil. A thick layer of Stratified Columnar Epitheleum encompasses the majority of the External Tunica, primarily modified Progenitor Cells that contain a large amount of suspension fluid; this layer is the site of autotrophic mechanisms similar in function to the Thermotrophic Complex, funneling charged electrons into the Nervous-Circuilatory Tissue in the Vascular Layer for storage within the Complex itself. The External Progenitor Cell Layer is responsible for maintaining the External Tunica through repeated cellular replication.

The Vascular Layer sits between the External and Internal Tunica, providing the resources necessary to maintain the high level of cellular division that occurs within both sections; capillary networks branch out from this layer and into the External and Internal Tunica.

The Internal Tunica comes within direct contact of the Endoplasm, and is typically thinner than the External Tunica. An Internal Progenitor Cell Layer maintains the Squamous Structural Cell Layer, which comprises the main thickness of the Internal Tunica; this layer is fairly dense, with the modified cells containing a high density of protein networks that metabolize components drawn in from the Endoplasm. Secretions from the Squamous Structural Cell Layer also maintain the Internal Reticulated Layer. This is identified by multiple tiers of an expansive cytoskeletal network that helps the Nomad vessel maintain its shape; it is extensively-resistant to stress forces and rigid, but malleable when undergoing restructuring.

C. Infiltration Nomads

One of the more unique morphologies of the Nomads, the Infiltration Form (known as an incubus) adapts biological characteristics that are relatively similar to those of known organisms within human databases. This is particularly pertinent, considering the environment in which it will live and the adaptations that are necessary to perform these roles. Although this form is much smaller than the space-based Nomads, it is inherently more complex; thankfully, certain analogies can be drawn between the Infestation Form and known anatomical structures. An Infiltrator is typically introduced to a host through the oral cavity, where a blastocyst-like colony of Progenitor cells is inserted. This travels into the gut before burrowing through the dorsal wall and into the inter-organ space of the abdominal cavity; the trauma is only sealed after the gestation period has elapsed and the Infiltrator adapted to the host’s physiology.

We may start by observing distinct tissue structures that comprise an Infiltration Nomad.

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One will first see the epidermis, a structure of similar consistency to that found in the previous section yet oriented to serve as an integrative medium between the Nomad and its human host. A large density of signaling molecules cover its surface, taking on homologous structures to interact with the host’s tissues; key functions center around mimicking the glycoproteins and histocompatibility complexes of the host, as well as subduing potential immune responses until a complete assimilation is accomplished. Branches between the Infiltrator and the host’s cardio-pulmonary, nervous, endocrine, and lymphatic systems are established; after this point, the Infiltrator is as much a part of the human host as his/her own organs are.

Beneath the epidermis is a dense mesodermal layer. This is the primary site of metabolic function for the Infiltrator; remnants of what would have been a Thermaltrophic Complex become vestigial, in turn being replaced by protein components that are suited to heterotrophic functions. Food ingested by the host can be metabolized by the Infiltrator, yielding greater quantities of nutrients than the host’s enteric can normally absorb. Solid, structural features are replaced by a specialized hydro-static skeleton that combines muscular mechanisms with fluid pressure to allow movement, but also maintain flexibility to accommodate the relative sizes of a host’s cavity.

The third and final layer is the endodermis, a true coelom within the Infiltrator. Originating at the mouth and ending within the caudal region, it is this space that the main interactions between the Infiltrator and the host’s systems occur. Foods consumed by the host will pass through this layer to be processed by the Infiltrator itself, and distinct arterial and venous passages channel blood from the circulatory system to be chemically-modified to better serve its needs. It is also in the endodermal layer that new Infiltrator forms are gestated from Progenitor cells; these typically remain in a large ‘blastocyst’ stage for ease of implantation into a new host.

Control over a host is exercised through an intimate connection between the Infiltrator and the nervous system. Fine, dendritic links reach as far as the brain itself to form synapses with the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes; it is also common for nerve endings from the Infiltrator to suffuse the optic nerve, and high activity from these can occasionally create the ‘glowing eyes’ phenomenon. Direct motor control of a host is accomplished through nerves that override the host’s cerebellum, and afferent/efferent pathways within the dorsal and ventral regions of the spinal cord. Chemical stimulation through secretions from the Infiltrator, as well as manipulation of endocrine organs, can reinforce this control over a human host.

D. Miscellaneous Notes 1.

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1

Nomad Weapons

Weapon capabilities are achieved through a coupled energy transfer between the Thermaltrophic Complex and the ‘cannon’ appendages of a Nomad vessel. This is characterized by the excitation of an array of organometallic compounds that resonate at unique frequencies. When a sufficient, high-energy state is achieved, these excited compounds release their energy in the form of a constructive energy pattern. Different compositions of these organometallics define the different weapons available, ranging from the common Nomad laser to the more exotic Singularity Cannons.

2. Cardamine

Cardamine grass was engineered by the Daam K’Vosh to serve as stable source of organic compounds for Nomads; it would be easier and much-less energy intensive to incorporate these into their anatomy than to assemble the compounds from scratch. Distinct enzyme co-factors are synthesized by Cardamine grass that assists in a Nomad’s physiological mechanisms, and the plant itself is capable of extracting and concentrating trace elements from the soil to be used in higher-level functions.

Though the plant matter itself is indigestible to humans, extracts of the enzyme co-factors act on their molecular receptors in beneficial, and adverse, ways. The enzymes are capable of acting as a genetic template within an adult stem cell, modifying telomeric activity to yield stable chromosome structures that will not fall victim to replication degredation; they also tend to show a high affinity for specific gene promoter sequences, upregulating the synthesis of RNA strands that lead to proteins involved in regenerative functions. When consumption of Cardamine ceases, though, the rapid decrease in the levels of gene expression lead to a cellular ‘crisis’ as a negative-feedback mechanisms force apoptosis and cell death; a massive flow of cancer signals generate a severe auto-immune response that causes a human’s immune system to attack its own body.

One critical drawback to Cardamine use in humans involves inhibition of gametogenic cells; meiotic division found in sperm and egg cells are prevented by the action of the co-factors in Cardamine grass, resulting in sterility.

The Hybrid

Towards the end of 800 A.S; when Nomads were actively seeking to adapt human technology

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to their needs they found a way to blend human and Nomad DNA to create a hybrid being: neither human nor nomad, but something new with the abilities of both. Research in this field had begun much earlier in 790 A.S. in Rheinland by researchers and technicians under Nomad control; however it was not until 800 A.S. that the first successful subject was made.Their plans were interrupted by the arrival of the Order, who managed to destroy both the research facilities and the hybrid, though not without great cost. Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the project. Secret archives in Rheinland held encrypted copies of the process, as well as alien equipment which had been used for it. At the request of the Advisors it was to be relocated to the Alaska system and then beyond the rim to be continued in what was believed to be a far more secure location. Events took a turn for the worst, however, and from an angle they could not have foreseen when the transports were caught in a swift and daring ambush laid by a group of Lane Hackers known as the Hellfire Legion. The Hackers took the contents of the seized transports back to their home in the Vespucci system for further study.

When the Dyson Sphere collapsed, the Nomads had lost not only the Mindshare and the majority of their fleets, but also the last ties to much of their precious technology.

For years after the Nomad downfall, the Legion experimented with the captured technology and processes, eventually culminating in the creation of a hybrid, which called itself Taurvi, its true human name now forgotten.

When they sensed the strange telepathic emissions of Taurvi as the hybrid attempted to communicate, the Nomads sent their most fearful weapon to investigate: Harbinger. The hope was that, upon re-capturing the technology lost to the Legion, the Advisors could continue their earlier experiments.

The Hybrid and technology.

Neither human nor Nomad yet, the Hybrids are unique and specialized. Once were humans of flesh and bone they were transformed into sometimes grotesque hybrid of two species.

Also of note is Nomad/Human-technology hybrids. While the main focus of news media is on infestation of humans such as the Wilde, there have been documented cases of Nomads adapting human technology to their purposes, in essence "infecting" it. One such example is the Wrath of Wesley Richter, which was infected by a Nomad Power Cell. Replacing the traditional fuel source of H-Fuel, the ship can run indefinitely. While not able to take control, the Power Cell does exhibit a massive influence on both the ship and its surroundings, going so far as to bend Wesley to its will at times (ie - making him "addicted" to his ships presence as a form of protection). Many question why such an infestation would take place, and while

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none have an obvious answer, it has been theorized that it could be a move to better understand humanity, or experimenting with turning their technology against them.

Another notable example is the LNS Tundra, a Liberty Cruiser that was lost in the deep reaches of the Alaska system. Eye-witnesses that have been on board and survived have told of a glowing blue substance covering the interior, which led them to believe that the ship itself was infected. Copies of the scanner logs of the Tundra show that it was absorbed inside a Nomad Battleship by some sort of osmosis, which selectively allowed the Cruiser to pass inside. It has been theorized that such allowed the "Superior Nomad Brain" to bring the main computer of the Tundra itself into the Mindshare, though such is wild conjecture by armchair intellectuals.

-------

The hybrids aren’t what would be called a pure Nomad, nor are they infested humans. The process of hybridization is a long, complex and potentially dangerous one. People say that only the most dedicated, only the true followers of the Nomads (in other words, orthodox members of the Cult) have a chance of survival, though actual records show contradictory results. While Taurvi wasn’t exactly normal, he was the first documented case of the hybridization process in records available to humankind. The Hellfire Legion was the only group that had sufficient knowledge regarding the actual method of conducting the process, and thus under the orders of the late Denelo Mori, the second successful hybrid—and first human-made—was created. The records from the Hellfire Legion show that there is a lot of specialized equipment needed to conduct the conversion. While all the equipment can be acquired through conventional means (involving trading or piracy), the key to the conversion is an artifact known as the Nomad Power Cell. While the exact role of the power cell is unknown, it has been proved that these artifacts hold key information that directs the actual conversion, similar to how a computer uses scripts to function. The equipment, items, commodities that have top priority to conduct a conversion successfully includes a Nomad Power Cell, a specific set of artifacts

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(each relating to a different aspect of the Nomads’ lives, for example one artifact would symbolize a map of Sirius, other would symbolize the mindshare, another would symbolize Nomad history, etc.), cardamine found in its rare, liquid state, and last but not at all least, a Nomad vessel. They say that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and the first hybridization was no exception. When the depths of the unknown are plumbed, no amount of preparation, models, second-guessing, or assumptions can accurately predict what will happen. Hybridization involves a human body that is changed and adapted to be a perfect fit for the Nomad ship chosen for the occasion. There have been a lot of assumptions that any Nomad ship will do, however that is incorrect. Just like a Nomad in its free state chooses the ship, the hybrid and ship choose each other- survival of the fittest. During the process of hybridization, a lot of different events take place. The human’s body changes in a variety of ways. For example, muscle mass increases, the bone density increases just like the size of the brain. The skin changes from normal to a much thicker, self regenerating layer using solar energy (much like how the pure bred Nomads prefer to bask in the atmosphere of stars since it has a healing effect), and while the intelligence of the human increases incrementally, the ability to speak normally becomes restricted in using phrases to express themselves. Instead, telepathic communication becomes the staple method of communication with other hybrids and purebreds. Hybridization is potentially lethal, since if the body doesn’t adapt to the changes that occur to the body in less than 20 minutes (approximately), the chances of the blood vessels exploding under the pressure coupled with the chance of vital organs rupturing is very high indeed, all of which results in instant death. Once the initial conversion is over, the human falls into a comatose state as its body is changed and adapted to the interior of the Nomad ship that will be occupied. The advantages of the conversion process involve the hybrids retaining almost all the abilities of the purebred, while still managing to retain some of their humanity. According to certain rumors and myths, it is impossible for a hybrid to leave their ship once they are fitted in. This is incorrect. While it is dangerous to leave the safety of the chosen partner (Nomad ship) for the hybrids, they can indeed leave the ship to traverse alone, to work alone, or to influence others to do their bidding.

-------

Reunion

Called by the Nomads, the hybrid left human space, though not before destroying the laboratories in which it was made. The Hellfire Legion was thus robbed of both its experiment and all information pertaining to it. From that point on, no longer did the Legion have the

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knowledge or the ability to create another hybrid.

What does the future hold?

The Nomads are recovering the technologies they had lost as well as everything related to their past they can. A number of pressing concerns still hold them in Sirius; that and not holding all the missing pieces of the puzzle they are unable to leave. For now, though their fate lies far outside of the Sirius sector, the Nomads fight for survival and for the freedom that was stolen from them at their rebirth. They were born to freely glide across the universe seeking clues to their past to unlock the future; eventually they will gain that birthright and find the way to pass beyond the rim. After that? No one knows. Perhaps their true purpose of their creation, as yet unknown, and perhaps a new meaning to their existence; it's impossible to tell to anyone else but the Nomads.

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TimelineThis is not a complete timeline for all events relating to the Nomads; instead, it provides a list of milestones in their history.

Details Shift Earth DateThe ExperimentDaam K'Vosh combine principles of nano-technology and DNA methodology to create sapient organic "machines" - the predecessors of the modern Slomon K'Hara.

I Many millennia before man.

Significant advances in biotechnological sapience allow the Daam K'Vosh to transfer a "mind map" of themselves onto their creations.

Unknown

The Slomon K'Hara project begins in the Sirius Sector. The system is adopted to serve as a starting place (a "nursery" is the closest human term for it) that would Nomads could evolve as they see fit, inheriting Daam K'Vosh technology.

II

Under unknown circumstances, the Daam K'Vosh leave the Sirius Sector and put their Slomon K'Hara project into a cryogenic stasis on a distant planet far beyond the rim of the edge nebula.

The war between the Alliance and the Coalition tears apart the Sol System.Starlancer campaign.The Slomon K'Hara utilize a specialized form to destroy the Sol System.

2100-2200 AD

ExodusFleeing from the war in the Sol System, Alliance remnants arrive at the Sirius Sector in a number of sleeper ships.

0 A.S.

The AwakeningThe Nomads in the Sirius Sector slowly awake from their slumber, unaware of the human presence. The Mindshare is established.

350 A.S.

A Rheinland expedition to Edge Worlds discover alien structures housing Nomads still in stasis chambers. The crew is infested and returns to Rheinland space, allowing infestation to extend upward into higher military ranks. The expedition marks the first recorded contact between humans and the Nomads.

III

Freelancer campaign. 800-801 A.S.

The DownfallIn desperation, Edison Trent and the Order activated the hypergate in the Dyson Sphere, causing a colossal energy drain that sends the many Nomad ships into an unknown system far outside of the Sirius Sector. It is not known if these Nomads survive. The Mindshare was shattered and any Nomads that were not within the main fleet received a terrible psychic backlash. Most go insane or become "unconscious" with all senses shutting down. Some are subsequently captured or killed by humans, while others drift through space or go into hiding. The ratio of Nomads in the main fleet and outside the main fleet is unknown.

801 A.S.

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Terror in RheinlandSurviving members of the infested Rheinland military and government flee to distant Omega systems, forming Das Wilde.

805 A.S.

Nomad remnants slowly start to recover from the psychic shock by restoring the telepathic network using Planet Xerna's planetary core as a source of energy; they begin rebuilding system infrastructure using leftovers from earlier expansion periods.

807 A.S.

The first Wanderers are found, Nomads who survived the telepathic network backlash in distant systems.

III 810 A.S.

Two Daam K'Vosh artifacts are activated in the Omicron Iota system, creating an artificial nebula environment for the Nomads. Planet Xerna's core is depleted, Nomads leave the planet abandoned.

815 A.S.

The NightfallDur-Shurrikun is finished and successfully activated, fully restoring the telepathic grid.

IV 816 A.S.

The GiftsWith the reactivation of Altair Research Station, the Nomads decide to expand their technology. The first prototypes of Hybrid vessels are created.

V 817A.S

Redesigning The Kusari Naval Forces create the "Hanta Iseijin" division. They settle in Heaven's gate. Over a small period of time, the Hanta Iseijin become overtaken by the Remnants of Tekagi. The Kusari infection starts anew.

818 A.S

Mystery in KusariAn increase in missing people reports is found throughout Kusari by 6%. Kusari starts their investigation.

818 A.S

Project VanguardProject Vanguard is launched on Heaven's Gate. An increase in activity can be found across the Tohoku System.

818 A.S

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Physical Parameters

"After much analysis of Specimen 53 we came to thinking that this is only the beginning. We were able to understand only basics of how these beings work, but the more we learn about them the more we begin to understand

that Specimen 53 are only some kind of "fingers" for the singular meta-organism we are unable to identify or understand. Dr. Manuel has theorized that the Specimen 53 are only one of the forms, perhaps minor

forms of something much greater, of higher intelligence."

Assistant Jack Hammond, Altair Research Facility

With such an amazing and complex biology, the ability of the Slomon K’Hara to change form is not surprising. Physical parameters can change at will and are limited by the collective knowledge of the Nomads. Humans have viewed several different forms of Nomads in space, and the existence of the incubi proves that Nomads adapt to almost any situation or purpose. Different roles within Slomon K’Hara society also cause differentiation in certain forms and abilities. (See the “Castes” section for more information.) Shifts and cycles (explained later) denote when Nomads make major changes to their physical parameters on a grand scale.

Environment

Nomads rarely inhabit planets. Even then, they do not settle on the surface, but rather construct massive underground structures, as observed on Planet Xerna. Going further through the planetary crust, they are able to expose the core and use it as the energy source, a concept somewhat similar to the infamous Dyson Sphere but on a much smaller scale.

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Stations

Dur-Shurrikun

Named after Assyrian capital city the Nomad superstructure is the source of the contradicting rumors that are quietly spreading in edge worlds among the travelers. A majestic alien city in the midst of open space covered in a strange mist. Though largely considered as fairy tales, they share one in common: it does exist. It is what Nomads refer to themselves as a "city of light" and other varieties. The Nomad city acts as central node for Mindshare, a nexus and a stabilizer. Unlike it's predecessor this one is made with defence in mind. It is nearly indestructible, protected by a massive shield, defense platforms and countless guardians who will defend it at all costs.

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The city has no stable gravity, instead there are currents going throughout the numerous tunnels inside the structure which serve as a means of fast transportation across the areas. Nomads prefer zero gravity environments. However, despite being predominantly occupied by the Nomads the city has several sections which allow other lifeforms to exist too. One of the wings has static gravity and air flowing, those chambers are typically inhabited by Das Wilde and Spectres where the latter study to use alien artifacts and learn K'Hara ways.

Little is known about it's interiors, the Spectres say it's nothing like any human construction. Unique alien architecture only adds the impression.

However, the primary role is acting as powerful transmitter for Mindshare, it serve countless entities, constantly exchanging information between them all.

Altair Research Facility

Once a secret project of Liberty government back in 800-801 A.S., now old and forgotten, it has since turned into something it was not supposed to be. Today this large scientific and military complex serves a different purpose for a higher bidder.

Years ago, the Liberty government started a project aimed at learning alien technology and using it for military purposes. They did this secretly, since they knew that using the alien legacy would cause many problems in the political arena if that knowledge ever were to spring up. The research facility was to be built far off the Liberty house, far away from any prying eyes, beyond the edge worlds. It was designed to be self-sufficient and completely automated, a sealed vault where people could live.

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Despite the secrecy and precautions taken, the team behind the Altair project has been compromised from the bottom to the top. It was because of Division 18's influence that the system chosen was none other than the infamous Omicron Iota, back in the days when it was one of the uncharted and inhospitable systems outside the rim. During the events of the late 800s, the documents related to the station's existence were destroyed, with all evidence pointing to it having disappeared. Altair has become all but a myth, though a very real one.

The Shrine

The 'Shrine' isn't so much a station as it is a living, breathing organism. The Shrine was created by the Daam-K'Vosh during the second shift. Being 'left behind' by its creators, the Shrine's purpose was to monitor the nearby cryo-pods holding a number of immature Nomads who were left behind in stasis. In modern days, the Shrine functions as the focus of Nomad worship. Humans from all over Sirius flock to this 'station', claiming to have heard the 'Siren's song' that drew them to it. An ever-growing group of cultists and fanatics now occupy the station.

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Culture

"We have seen them in action, we have seen how devastating they can be; but in all the time we have spent, we do not yet understand their culture.

They are a very reclusive species and so far we know very little of their inner workings. What do they feel? Do they have emotions? Compassion? Anger? A few hints here and there but nothing major...Their true face, the culture,

remains a mystery for us."

Karl Shniedberg, RRI, Private log

Telepathy, shape shifting capabilities, and dependence on the natural solar energy generators formed their culture over the thousands of years before they were put into stasis by their creators. All of the knowledge they inherited from their previous incarnations, however, has carried over into their current manifestation.

Artistically they have distinctive architecture style seen in elemental patterns and overall composition, where simple triangular and circular shapes are dominant across a given structure's patterns and even physical forms, a sharp contrast to common human "squares". With the coming of the third cycle, their shape shifting capabilities made them creators of themselves, causing a cultural revolution which had a large impact on society. It is both the tool and the form of art. Colors, shapes, and forms, not only they were shaping their bodies to the tasks but also it became a form of individual expression.

They are moderate adapters and often modify themselves in order to adapt to surrounding environment instead of changing it to suit them. One such example are their ship forms that they use to travel through open space.

The global telepathic grid, Mindshare, is the incredibly sophisticated network that connects neural systems of each entity into one hyper structure. The network itself is so complex it requires a number of highly advanced systems such as the 'Nammu' Mindnode, one of their vast array of biological forms. For years, house military forces were secretly experimenting with Nomad nervous systems trying to apply them first to powerful machines, and then even to human volunteers, but none of those ever succeeded. Leading scientists in neuro-psychology and xeno-biology hypothesized that the Mindshare could be sentient as well, which isn't far from truth. The sentience of the Mindshare is created by the Advisors that maintain its integrity, and it acts as a gatekeeper to guard the information against tampering. Morphs are incapable of full Mindshare connection, though, unless a more powerful Nomad is nearby.

In general, the Nomads are irreligious in human terms, they have no deities to worship, except perhaps their creators. Some of their actions might look ceremonial to a human observer, however, for example: guarding the graveyard in Omicron Alpha. In truth, however, they are

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guarding the jumphole to their territories, and the graveyard just happens to be in the same place.

They have evolved further, and increased their intellectual capabilities with the personal experience shared by the collective, as well as through studies of the vast heritage their creators have left and the memories of their great predecessors. They are very protective of that information and will not let anyone get close to it. The Daam K'Vosh left behind countless of artifacts for the Nomads to find and use to accomplish their own goals, and possibly follow their creators once they are ready.

The restart was not a punishment but instead the Daam K'Vosh attempted to make their creation better, one that could survive on it's own. For what true purpose they had created the Nomads we do not know, nor does memory of the predecessors hold that knowledge.

The Nomads still believe that one moment their creators will return and are constantly preparing for it while at the same time trying to find traces to where Daam K'Vosh have gone.

They also have a sense of family, but in unusual way. They consider entire collective to be a large family, bonds that tie to each other are very strong in their society. The Nomads are very compassionate beings despite it being virtually impossible to see from the outside, yet the Mindshare only increases that sense. Certain emotions they have are shared among the rest, when one feels anger all those nearby feel the same.

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Mindshare

Telepathy, being the primary communication method of the Slomon K'Hara, has the largest impact on the Nomad's way of thinking.

Lacking any form of spoken language and having a virtually unlimited collective memory has allowed the Nomads to use raw data: actual thoughts. Their biological structure has been made so they are capable of sharing minds with each other, hence the name of the telepathic network: Mindshare.

At its most basic form, it is reminiscent of Old Earth peer-to-peer decentralized networks. The information is gathered by endpoints, the Nomads entities, and then distributed throughout the Mindshare nodes to be accessible by all nodes of the network. Distributed storage nodes contain and index information gathered from other nodes, offering access to the data, as well as processing the data and maintaining integrity across the network.

The Mindshare is operated by every Nomad entity, however there is a specialized caste, the Advisors, which maintain its structural integrity and helps the rest to acquire required information instantaneously.

In this regard their skills are ultimately based on the collective experience rather than personal. Past memories are accessed from storage nodes.

The Mindshare is very delicate technology requiring vast amounts of energy to keep it running. Prior to Third Cycle the Nomads had access to the Dyson Sphere, but after the events of 801 A.S. they had to find alternative resource. Xerna's planetary core was used until 816 A.S. when the Nomad City, Dur-Shurrikun, was established.

However easy it may be to do so, make no mistake: Nomads do indeed have personalities. Although the telepathic network and shape shifting abilities do strip part of their individual characteristics, the Nomads do retain some integral personality.

Collectivity vs. Individuality

In the concept of Nomads it is important to understand that they can exist not only as singular entities, but that there is a level of abstraction between psychic and physical forms. A single Nomad entity may have several physical manifestations at the same time, each can be controlled independently and simultaneously. The amount of these forms is based on the complexity of each and on the telepathic power a single entity holds. Normally they have two or three forms, though only one or two are being active at a given time. Advisors, however, being more advanced that the rest are capable of single-handedly--or mindedly--controlling good-sized fleets.

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When a Nomad's physical form dies, the Nomad itself does not because their consciousness is always present in Mindshare. A violent disconnect of a bodyform from its controlling consciousness causes trauma and shock, and depending on the damage recovery can range from a few moments of disorientation to a need for an extended period in a dormant state. Loss of short-term memory, certain capabilities and other side effects may also happen. Although Nomads don't fear death, they do not like the painful effect of quasi-death. If all physical manifestations of a single Nomad entity are destroyed, it is reborn again in its simplest form with the last snapshot of memory held in the Mindshare's nodes. For this reason they never use all of them at the same time and in the same place, preferring to spread them as far as possible from each other.

As a Nomad body is being used, the Nomad's experiences and knowledge gained from the time in its physical form flows back simultaneously into the Mindshare. Any other Nomad is capable of "looking" through another Nomads' senses and will sometimes advise or gather information at the same time as the "host" Nomad. While it is common that Nomads observe and take in all pertinent information, sometimes being a data host can have the advantage of having more than one set of senses analyzing the surrounding environment, the host Nomad's body form, any possible threats and any other relevant information or data that is required at that time.

Because of all those factors it's difficult to understand where purely collective consciousness ends and where individuality starts. They're neither collective nor individual but each mixed together balancing between.

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Lifespan

In regular terms the Nomads do not have a limited lifespan. Through the telepathic network they are able to abstract from personality and store characteristics in the network, snapshots. These snapshots can be accessed at any time allowing individual Nomad to fallback to a previous state.

When a new Nomad is born it is given the knowledge of the environment and the purpose for the time frame. Telepathic communication combined with information storage methods remove the need to experience and acquire knowledge personally, however it does not mean they are incapable of such.

Time measurement

The concept of time is much different to Nomads due to their quasi-immortality. They have different and often non-related to each other measures of time. Primarily there are shifts and cycles.

Shift occurs whenever new DNA modification(s) deemed beneficial to propagate through the entire species. Each shift marks an evolution step. As Nomads being able to change their various form's DNA at will it puts them into control of their own biological progress. However each shift takes time for thorough testing, so as it happens while a few are undergoing changes the rest are still on the previous step waiting. Upon further experiments shifts may be found unnecessary, not beneficial and reverted back to previous state, DNA rollback.

Each shift for an individual Nomad takes time. In a normal environment shifts would happen for the entire species, putting them into a dormant state until the changes are made. However, in the current situation of being constantly threatened by expanding humans, they instead adopted micro-shifts that require less time and can happen more often, however at a cost of lesser changes. Additionally, the entire collective does not go through the change, instead each one separately. Marginal micro-shifts are not counted as shifts, they occur too often and on-the-fly, only significant (in Nomad's view) rework of DNA does.

As more various Nomads of different shifts continued to exist this led to a new cycle of their evolution with introduction of castes.

Cycles denote each time new capabilities are found useful in their social evolution. Cycles are lesser equivalent of shifts and vary in groups, sometimes individually. Groups or "families"

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share same cycles thus in a certain sense identifying their age compared to the rest, however not always the case, some remain seemingly unchanged while others experiment more often.

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Castes

"I heard the voice of the oracles, the spirits that guided ancestors of my family. One time I dreamt in my ship patrolling our world, passing the sun

nearby I've seen a dream I cannot understand but clearly remember. So vivid but so unusual. I saw strange worlds there, unlike anything I have ever

seen, battles with Corsairs over them. Suddenly I woke up at alarm of my ship being drawn dangerously close to the sun, I set autopilot destination

back to Malta keep thinking about it. I will return to this place soon to find the end of my dream and hopefully the answers to it's meaning."

Joze Constansa, Outcast Ace, Private log

Survival of the fittest. The Nomads were introduced into the concepts of evolution very early but have learned the lesson well -- the universe demands changes to appease it. The Nomads chose to change themselves and in effect became shape shifters, in this capacity they were created by Daam K'Vosh. Possessing only basic physical form they were to find what will suit their needs. Their insatiable desire for territory was only topped by their hunger for knowledge. What gained was shared among the rest and so they spread far out.

Perhaps their true purpose was to be scouts, those that would live among the stars and spread far, gaining knowledge of the universe as much as they can, however intentions were never made clear and it is still a mystery. As for the Nomads, in their ever growing sentience they have also made their own mind about their role in the grand scheme of things.

In time the Nomads have evolved into species of various shapes and forms, each for specific tasks, each with a functionality and intent behind. Eventually this has led to common yet distinctive breeds, and the closest equivalent in human society would be castes. Some have existed for many cycles, some have appeared for a short period and were lost, others have merged, transformed into something else. Experiments with matter and energy gave them unique feature to shape their own future as they see fit.

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The Advisors

"Strange encounter I had today in a Maltese starport. A convoy arrived with VIP, I saw her passing through. They said her name was Angela, a wealthy Outcast, and rumored to be an investor into Outcast military R&D. But what caught my attention was the sense there was someone

or something moving right behind her, not the bodyguard convoy several feet behind but... for a moment I saw a blurry figure right near

her, it was like burning my mind, the next moment I blinked and there was nothing, except for terrible headache drilling me."

Major Aethelu, Hellfire Legion XO, Private log

The elders of the society. They represent older Shifts and experience of the past cycles. Advisors are a rare breed and gifted with ability of foresight, making them one of the most valuable

asset to the collective. Hidden from the prying eyes they were never seen by humans. The Advisors aren't of Sirius breed of the Nomads and were brought in to oversee the evolution process of the younger ones. To share the knowledge and guide them.

Their primary task is taking care of Mindshare. They spend most of their time gliding through vast arrays of information stored there, structuring reports and rebuilding lost pieces. Nomad communication entirely depends on them. Advisors provide tactical analysis and develop strategies using experience of millions of entities.

As the wisest caste they also possess much more powerful telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Also they are the only ones who have the natural ability to remain invisible to the eye. When visible there are often various artifacts circling around them, tools which they use to enhance the wide range of abilities, and can be used for defense if needed as well.

While being the most powerful caste they're also avoiding unnecessary danger and open confrontation, preferring safety of lairs and coming out only when it's needed.

Abilities

Foresight

Gift of the foresight that Advisors are capable of has roots in their function within the society. The Advisors are native to the Mindshare, maintaining it and processing volumes of data, sorting them and making accessible in structurized forms enabling faster and more accurate access for the rest. The sheer amount of concentrated information in a specific situation may result in seeing the outcome, a complex task of predicting events based on enormous amounts of data stored and transferred each and every moment within the Mindshare. Like

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an ocean the Advisors are capable of seeing such currents and flows, determining their source and destination as well as the ways they pass along.

Invisibility

Empowered with various advanced artifacts the Advisors are capable of rendering themselves invisible to visual detection in a similar way ship forms were able to. They can remain invisible for days if necessary and up to a month in dormant state to preserve energy necessary to maintain cloaking artifacts working, and even more when very near strong energy sources.

The Wanderers

Whisperers of the Eternal Night, the Wanderers, they've always been there, always watching though, observing the movements in the sky. Like shadows in blackness of the void they remained hidden, gliding unseen in places far. The Wanderers were hit the least by the collapse of telepathic grid in Third Cycle with the fall of the Great Sphere. Biologically the Wanderers have enhanced organs that are responsible for telepathic abilities of the Nomads. This has allowed them to form small groups of their own and invaluable individual experience have provided a greater chance to survive in far regions of space, at times even in hostile territories lurking in dense nebula.

Shortly after the shock wave of the Sphere collapsing the majority of Wanderers have found places secure and decided to remain dormant until mindshare restored, preserving their knowledge for a new Cycle. A few however remained awake exploring deeper into territories inhabited by humans, gathering more knowledge, observing patterns and behavior.

When the restoration of the mindshare signaled the beginning of the Fourth Cycle the Wanderers continued their tasks and those sleeping have slowly awoken, for now their existence has a purpose yet again and their services are required.

The Wanderers are sometimes seen as an oddity of the collective commonly preferring solitude in hostile space, coldness of it instead of home warmth. Even after the telepathic node was restored they continued wandering around the space, making them effective scouts and infiltrators due to the invaluable individual knowledge of survival in hostile space gained in aftershock period, and ability to survive even at impossible odds. Although never specified as such they are considered to be Fourth Shift.

The Wanderers are closely related to Advisors and Infiltrators, gathering strategical information for Advisors and relaying telepathy from Infiltrators, can also carry them deep into enemy territory.

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Abilities

Dormant stateWhen the Wanderers are actively out and about, sometimes it becomes necessary to recharge, and to conserve energy due to the long distances of travel or conflicts away from "home". There are areas of space that have weak or little appropriate sunlight, the necessary "food" unavailable to the nomads at that time. To conserve their energy until they can find a place to recharge, the Wanderers can enter a dormant state. Small movements, little to no heat generation, reduced bodily functions and actual physical characteristics like structural sparseness are all part and parcel of the Wanderers' Dormant state. Some have even been known to "go to sleep" while traveling, the only physical signs of activity occurring again when they "wake". The dormant state is mostly preferred in open space, however they can also do this in asteroid or nebulas as or when necessary.

MinishareA smaller, localized version of the Mindshare, with which the Wanderers have the ability to store larger amounts of information than other castes. They can store these "live data dumps" at greater distances, enabling information flow and increased survivability with other Wanderers connected to the Minishare. When a Wanderer comes within telepathic range of other castes a brief amount of time is spent in "uploading' the Minishare's experiences and thoughts, and at the same time downloading any relevant information for their area of activity.

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The Dreamers

Among those who sleep were the Dreamers, the first ones ever to be made. They are creators and builders, Dreamers are able to enter Deep Dream, a trance-like state enhancing their senses beyond imagination to the point they are able to alter space around them. In this state they create new biological forms and alter existing ones. They can heal wounds and regenerate ships.

It takes generations for a single Nomad to become a Dreamer. The process deprives them of all other abilities, they are much like Advisors and are bound to centers.

Although concepts of respect are much different from humans it's worth nothing to note that Dreamers are most sought caste due to their important role.

Abilities

Deep DreamThe Deep Dream ability of the Dreamer cast can be compared to a Human entering a Virtual-Intelligence world. In this state, they withdraw themselves from the physical world to the Mindshare from which they can bend reality to their will, as it were. Create structures, regenerate ships and bend space to their will with their incredibly increased senses.Trance-like stateThe Trance-like state is in all aspect similar to the Deep Dream, but the fact that the Trance-like state is entered from within the physical world, and thus not granting the Dreamer caste their full increased senses reduces its affectability.

The Keepers

The youngest but the most advanced caste. In fact they are a clan encompassing several castes into it. Apart from protecting nomad space from intruders and dangers of the systems beyond, the Keepers are dedicated to research and experiments. Consisting primarily from the youngest of their kind and hybrids. The Keepers represent the Fifth Shift.

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The Infiltrators

Infiltrators (aka "Incubi") are perhaps the most dangerous of all the Nomad castes, for it is they that infest and control humans. They are the puppeteers, and are directly responsible for Rheinland's invasion of Kusari in the Nomad War. They are the eyes and ears of the Nomads, and it is through them that the Nomads sow discord and self-destruction through humanity.

The original "Infiltrators" were not so much a special caste but rather a Nomad body flowing into that of a human. These were more akin to hybrids than anything else, and what they discovered paved the way for the more 'modern' variety of Infiltrators. These new "Incubi" are living weapons, biological machines built for the specific purpose of extending the will of the Nomads upon their human hosts. They have their own minds like any other Nomad, but their mental focus tends to be far narrower than that of members of the other castes, arguably because of their intimate connection to their human hosts.

Infestation

The sole purpose for the Incubi's existence is to infest and control humans, and as such their bodies are built to accommodate this. The bodies of Incubi are quite small and compact, and they lack the energy absorbing membranes that cover the other types of Nomads. This not only allows them to fit snugly inside a human, but is also the key to their most miraculous ability, telekinesis.

Humans are usually infested by one Incubus putting the 'seed' for another Incubus into the human, almost exclusively by mouth. This seed contains the biological instructions for creating another Incubus, along with enough of a body that it can use the host as an energy source to grow and maintain itself. The first thing the seed does once in the host is worm its way to the spine and establish a connection to both the nerves and the outside of the intestinal tract, which it uses to siphon energy and sustenance from the host. If possible, the Incubus that gave the seed will have the seed's host knocked unconscious to prevent unnecessary mental damage as the seed grows and extends all the way up along the spine into the brain. The young Incubus will replace part of the connection in the brain stem with the a piece of the

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growing Nomad, and it is through this that the Nomad is able to control the actions of the host. As the Incubus continues to grow, it will do the same with the connections between the brain and the senses, and finally establish connections throughout the brain to fully understand how the host operates. At this point, the Incubus will wake its body and after a little practicing, it will re-integrate with human society.

Telekinesis

Several Incubi (such as the one that infested Governor Tekagi) are able to manifest the ability to move matter without visibly touching it, an ability that has been dubbed 'telekinesis'. The Incubi, lacking the thick membranes of the other castes, can freely extend their bodies however they wish, provided they can maintain the energy. By extending incredibly small tentacles or arms through the skin of the host, they gain a presence outside its host that gives them an extended sense of touch, along with a way to absorb light and minimize the strain on the host's metabolism. A talented and practiced Incubus can then take these arms and push things with them. As the arms are exceedingly diminutive, this is no easy thing to learn, but it is possible for an Incubus to focus its substance and energy into the arms and make them strong enough to move matter. Without a host that eats well or has a store of reserve energy (such as fat) it is almost impossible to muster enough energy to use this 'telekinesis'.

Morphs

The Nomad Morph is an enigma. Often seen flitting through systems both inhabited and not, the members of this subcaste are incredibly agile spacefaring creatures. They are distinguished by their small size and lack of developed energy-emitting appendages. They also appear to be very immature in terms of communication abilities, normally only able to communicate with a single human at a time, or several if they are close by. This handicap does not seem to be problematic for the Morphs, as they rarely interact with humans, preferring instead to fly alone and learn as they go. Some Morphs are fairly articulate, while others deal in abstracts and emotions. No one knows if this is a sign of maturity or just a personal preference. Sometimes a Morph will "latch on" to a group of Nomads from another caste like the Keepers, following at a distance or close by, attempting to emulate their actions. One odd thing about this subcaste is that its sane members are never antagonistic. Whereas the Infiltrators or Incubi will often attack on sight humans or human-made craft, the Morphs have never been known to initiate an attack. It is unknown whether this is only due to the immaturity of the weapons or if it has a deeper psychological cause. On occasion a Morph will go insane for a variety of causes. The most common characteristic of this is uncommonly hostile behavior, including thoughts of mayhem, destruction, murder, and consumption of human flesh. These insane ones are quickly culled by the rest of the Nomads, however, and are rarely a serious problem.

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Affiliated groups

Several groups and many individuals have tight relationships to the Nomads in Sirius.

Aoi Iseijin

Hanta IseijinThe Aoi Iseijin is the Nomad's answer to infesting Kusari. Just after the Nomad War, the Kusari Naval Forces decided that Kusari needed a better form of security against the aliens invading their home. The high command soon came up with a simple, yet supposedly effective answer. The Hanta-Iseijin. A separate division of the Emperor's navy dedicated to combating the alien threat based out of Heaven's gate, Tohoku. It seemed the project was doomed to fail when the Kusari naval high command lost contact with the division for a brief moment of

time shortly after they arrived, luckily though, contact was reestablished after a short day of silence. The leadership of the Hanta-Iseijin blamed a technological failure for the radio silence and is currently executing their previously given orders.

Hunters.Besides the Hanta-Iseijin, there is one other main group. The Hunters, or "remnants of Tekagi". The remnants of Tekagi are the infested soldiers of Tekagi still serving the Nomads. They are quick, deadly and show no remorse. Where they are stationed out of or who leads them remains unknown.

Learners and Providers.The learners and The providers are the two smallest groups of the Aoi Iseijin. The learners can be compared to a group of Human scientist. Collecting samples, specimens and artifacts of the Nomads, the Learners study and develop Human and Nomad technology for the use of the Mindshare.

The providers supply the Aoi Iseijin with whatever they need. Hosts, food rations to sustain the hosts, hull panels and pretty much every other commodity that's needed by the Mindshare for development of the Kusari infested. Rarely do these commodities come freely given.

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Division 18

This group, retaining bits of influence throughout the upper echelons of the Liberty Navy, Liberty Security Force, and Liberty Police Inc since the Nomad War, is an undercover agency covertly working with several key political figures in Liberty to spread their agenda and expanding over to large corporations, mostly related to military projects. Although not as powerful or influential as before 801 A.S. the Division

acts subtly and much less aggressively than their counterparts in Rheinland. Division 18 specializes in political and economical warfare, avoiding the public and taking risks only when necessary. The agency is sponsored by anonymous wealthy investors, and may have been behind the construction of the Altair Research Facility. Rumor has it that Deep Space Engineering keeps losing track of shipments of base building materials.

Brotherhood of the Universal Bond

Due to the influence of the Cabal and Bretonia’s historical resistance to infestation, this group is among the weakest of the infested bodies, and does not participate in direct action, instead making their way up the political ladder, through subterfuge, bribery, and acting behind the scenes. However, Bretonia's group relies on staffing and technical support from covert Das Wilde agents, while Hunter Wilde provide distraction and act directly in the western Omegas. It is likely headed by either someone in the top ranks of the BMM or the Bretonian government.

Das Wilde

Das Wilde is a genderless umbrella term referring to the various infested individuals of national origin or affiliation with the Federal Republic of Rheinland. They are most commonly former Rheinwehr (Rheinland Military) officers from the Nomad War of 800-803 AS. It is a common misconception that Das Wilde is a term for any infested human, but while infestation exists in all areas of Sirius, only the Rheinlanders based out of Omega 55 and 58

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can lay claim to the Germanic title of Das Wilde.

The leadership of Das Wilde is a complete mystery. Their last known leader, former Großadmiral Ernst von Scheck of the Nordkriegsmarine (670-800/804 AS) was killed in the Battle of New Berlin, 804 AS by the uninfested remnants of the Kriegsmarine fleet and several minor and major criminal groups such as the Bundschuh, the Red Hessians and the Landwirtrechtbewegung, though in a captured array a single blurry, shadowy image was found of an unidentified humanoid figure who may be a figurehead or even the actual leader of Das Wilde.

Wilde could loosely be divided into four groups. Those of patrollers, hunters, civils and militants.

Patrollers are the most common kind of Wilde, flying modified N9-ARKM-90 "Wraith" fighters and having been the subject of several Rheinland documentary films, among them "Die versteckte Drohung" (The Hidden Menace) by Fritz Bretschenider, famous for mixing actual combat footage from a former Rheinwehr officer with that of Kirche des Grünen Adlers saint and composer Ralph Becker's "Weg des Adlers" (Path of the Eagle). They, like the song backing their appearance in the film, come swiftly, fiercely ravaging Rheinland ships with strange bolts of alien energy, mixed with old yet potent Kriegsmarine weaponry, decimating their foes unafraid of death.

Hunters, unlike their patroller counterparts, tend to avoid direct contact with the enemy until they believe the time is absolutely right to strike, and venture autonomously from Wilde patrols to attack Rheinland targets, well illustrated via the Frankfurt campaign of 815. It is possible that they serve a special forces or commander role within the Wilde 'hierarchy', though this, like most xenopolitical studies, is almost total conjecture. Very sketchy reports

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indicate at least two instances of large, unknown craft being involved in Wilde attacks, but officially, the Rheinwehr denies these rumors.

"Die Höflichen" (Civils) is a slang term used among Büro der Marineintelligenz agents for the Wild who pose as agents and members of the Rheinland civil government, particularly for those involved in the Purge of 811, where over 120 infested library staff in the Kirche des Grünen Adlers faced off against a BDM raid. This term can also, albeit loosely, be applied to the infested corporate personnel, who secretly watch and wait and attain positions of power throughout Rheinland, though as a slang term the phrase itself has not yet acquired definition among any of the 3 major dictionary cartels that monopolize Rheinland's lingua franca. By their very nature, the civils are unknown, and little common behavior has been found among the diverse array of infestation in Rheinland's history.

Militaristen (Militants) are an older, more recognized term for the Wilde who actively impersonate members of the Rheinwehr (Rheinland Military) or it's adjunct agencies, such as the Büro der Marineintelligenz, which is partly tasked with the elimination of Wild infestation. This term is used to help distinguish between active Wilde agents, covert Wild agents and the Nomad War era Wilde, who are considered a separate category entirely. Militaristen, like civil, are covert by nature and difficult to identify, though certain Rheinwehr installations are rumored to be developing scanners to detect infestation through thermal and genetic testing.

It is unknown where the Wilde are based. In recent months the Bretonians have come under increased pressure from Wilde ships entering Cambridge, supposedly searching for an artifact of great power. Speculations on their location abound among analysts and conspiracy theorists alike, from a nest near Liberty to above the standard plane to one of the uncharted systems in the Sigmas. Regardless of their base, however, Wilde remain a deadly threat, both seen and unseen, to the safety and security of the Federal Republic of House Rheinland. Some even blame the miscommunication and tensions between Liberty and Rheinland on covert Wilde agents.

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The Spectres

The Spectres are a clandestine and mystical multi-house organization. Originally having roots in Outcast society the Spectres are said to have once been an extreme sect worshipping the Nomads, but beside rumors very little is known about their history and origins. What makes them different from the Wilde is that these agents are not infested, instead they are altered on psychological level making them undetectable by conventional scanning, remaining physically humans and thus gaining no abilities that infested would have, also lacking of mindshare connection and have to rely on themselves only.

The agents are spread across the major Sirius houses, acting as intelligence unit. Activities ranging from high risk espionage to sabotage, typically gathering necessary information where infested would not find access to, preparing area prior to Wilde or Nomads arrival and creating distractions when necessary. Spectres are trained in stealth, diplomacy and persuasion skills and rarely engage in a fight. Top agents make use of alien artifacts specifically crafted for them. Along their training adepts travel to nomad worlds to extend their knowledge further using alien technology. Spectres work closely with Division 18 and other Wilde branches.

Occasionally, Spectres that are sent on important tasks are given the ability to establish a smaller version of the Minishare, known as the Localshare. Connecting several operatives in the area together through the use of Nomad machinery inserted in the back of the neck to share information and keep each other updated on their current mission. The Localshare is only possible due to the low amount of minds connected at once. Should the Localshare exceed these small numbers, those connected would suffer severe mental trauma and possibly die.

Spectres are ultimately loyal to their cause, even though certain actions may not be seen as such due to certain actions they undertake in order to achieve their goals.

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Riviera Research Station

Riviera Research Station is only rumored to exist amongst Zoners and Independent miners in the faraway edge-worlds. However, for several of the Spectre agents is the research station quite real. Hidden away in the remote and uncharted regions of space, Riviera finds itself home in the deep of a yet unknown Ice world. Harboring several Spectre scientists and agents in need of shelter and home, Riviera tends to keep itself busy with studying and improving all sorts of technology to be used in the Nomad way of life.

Spectre TrainingThe process from normal Human to Spectre is not for the faint hearted. Receiving training in the subjects of ; melee combat, Psi-use, espionage and illusion, the recruits are quickly bred for field use.

Melee combat.Trained to use their hands and how to improvise with random objects at their disposal, the Spectre recruits are taught the basics of melee combat. Be it with fists, a stick or a hand-held weapon, a Spectre learns to defend his or herself in just about any close-range situation.

Psi-use.Psi-use is, simply put, the use of minor alien artifacts for the Spectre agent's purposes. Normally, Spectres receive their first Psi-training in the form of Strength bending. Increasing their muscle integrity to gain supernatural strength, or the use of shielding projectiles orbiting the body, protecting the bearer from incoming projectile fire. Psi-use is one of the most advanced techniques of the Spectre agents.

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Espionage and Illusion.Although not directly connected to the basic training of every Spectre, those who do receive this training however are generally seen as the elite, and stand above the common Spectres. The training itself is a simple concept. Adopting the techniques of the Rheinland Military's Marineachrichtendienst, combined with intensive training in trickery, Illusion as it were. Trickery and Illusion generally don't put the agent in direct harm and can create horrible effects for the opposing side.

Technology

Nomad Bacteria

Much like other organic life form throughout the known universe, the Nomads too have micro flora organisms similar to bacteria. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this "nomad bacteria" is them being a byproduct of Nomad travel form life cycle. These artificially engineered microorganisms are serving as protection of the organic shells within planetary environment. Exposure to these organisms is deadly for humans as they seem to be programmed to engage in a hostile overtake of other microorganisms within a certain range, and the human immune system cannot effectively protect against this attack. Infection would cause lethal effect to a human in less than twenty-four hours. Nomad bacteriae cannot exist in open space where they have no materials to feed on, although some dense nebulae may be exceptions to this. Especially the Siniestre cloud is known to be highly populated by vast colonies of the nomad bacteria.

There is no cure for infected persons, which usually have no chance of survival after prolonged exposure - however, the orange gases of the cardamine plant seem to pacify the bacteria's aggression, allowing the infected one to survive at the price of heavy cardamine reliance for the rest of his or her life. While normally never encountered in non-Nomad inhabited planetary environments there is an notable exception: a planet hidden deep in the Siniestre cloud. Some containment of orange gases allowed a minimal ecosystem to evolve despite the whole surface being covered with high amounts of nomad bacteria. When humans attempted to colonize the planet they encountered it, the environment was deemed hostile to humans and reported as poisonous.

Nomad Ships

As a space-faring species the Nomads are capable of traversing long distances in open space and sustain harsh environments of the cosmos. For this purpose they have special shape forms they use travel with and inside of, simply known as Nomad ships.

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Nomad vessels are covered with special skin layer allowing very efficient photosynthesis process to accumulate energy for internal organs including self-propelling systems, weapons and neural system. Beneath it is a special membrane layer that reflects the light that has passed through the skin, this gives the Nomad ships' surfaces a reflective look.

Inside the ships there is a liquid organic mass that holds a little part of the individual nomads consciousness, commonly referred to as the nomad brain. The brain having grown in this liquid is almost shapeless and visually looks different from each nomad, but is always located in the same place for each specific ship form. The liquid acts as a nutrient bath and energy transfer pathways, supplying nutrients and energy to all the external skin, tools and body functions.

To maintain form an extremely strong bone structure is created to hold the skin, organs, tools, equipment and any hybrid pilots in place. The bones themselves are able to be shape shifted or recycled back into the nomads body, although most nomads just leave them as they are during that body cycle.

Note: There is a distinctive physical difference between a pure nomad and hybrid human / nomad. A hybrid has a human body, somewhat, inside the ship and in time it is dissolved and the sentience is fully merged with the nomad part. Since it is inefficient to carry around what the nomads think is "baggage", the nomad aims to dissolve the human body within approximately four to five human years.

A pure nomad on the other hand does not have a "human pilot" and so is not restricted in any way when shapeshifting.

It should be noted that a "Nomad" can be physically different to a "Nomad Ship". When a "Nomad" is born, a starter "Nomad Ship" is also grown for the "Nomad". "Nomad Ships" are the same in that they are true nomads connected to the mindshare but their form is the space born one. When a "Nomad" and "Nomad Ship" select each other it is a matter of destiny, as they do not choose per se, rather it happens "this way" or "that". The "Nomad Ship" that is grown at the same time as the "Nomad" might not be necessarily the one with which they each end up with. Once they have "chosen" each other, they merge and become one entity, the physical form of which we see as a "Nomad"

Nomad Weapons

While assumed to be weapons only at first the Nomad ships possess various organs of their body which allow them to act as weapons. They are, however, but focusing mechanisms allowing the Nomad to concentrate a small part of its energy into a beam, which, upon hitting

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an object, acts like a small explosive charge, expanding in all directions from its beam-like state, having a devastating effect on everything around it. The strength of the beam depends on the quantity of the accumulated energy; thus, the more time it takes for the beam to be created, the more energy it will discharge upon hit.

Nomad Veils

The Nomads have adapted the concept of shield technology but in rather unique fashion; instead of energy screens that shield generators project, they create lattices of semi-sentient micro-organisms around their ships which take the energy impact on themselves, preventing the hull of the ship from being damaged. It is assumed that the same technology is used to repair vessels in space, somewhat reminiscent of nano-bots, but instead of micro-machines the Nomads have created artificial organic life-form for that purpose. Due to very little human use with solid projectile weapons, it is unknown what effect these weapons have on nomad veils. It is logical to assume the nomads have some sort of protection against projectiles since they travel through and live in many asteroid fields.

No working sample of the Veil technology has been acquired and is likely not possible due to it being an internally delicate part of the ship and is protected by subroutines and 'suicide' commands. Once the ship is destroyed or the nomads connection to the body form is lost, the nomad cells in charge of the veil, and some other functions, revert to a liquid/gaseous state and no longer function as seen in combat or in flight.

These are simply theories based on what we have observed from live specimens and recorded videos of nomad ships under attack. However, based on what we have seen, we are fairly certain this theory is accurate and correct.

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Great Spirits

Perhaps the most odd relation existing in Sirius is between Nomads and Outcasts. The two groups were exposed to the existence of each other for hundreds of years. Despite fears of the alien species, neither group has drawn open hostility to each other. In time Outcasts created complex myths of tales about their unusual neighbors, calling them the Great Spirits. Deep in Siniestre cloud a traveler could find ritual graveyard to fallen in battle Outcasts. In the middle is located a jumphole leading to majestic and unusual system somewhere far beyond that the Nomads are highly protective of. A theory exists that due to Outcasts using Cardamine they do not draw hostility from the aliens, which also use same substance in liquefied and grass form.

After the events in 801 A.S. the Nomads weren't seen much in the area, and the Outcasts believed the Spirits had left them. Rumors began to spread. The most bold tried to solve the mystery and attempted to see what is hidden beyond the Nomad world, a system currently known as Omicron 90. However, these never returned, only fueling the rumors. In 804 A.S. the Nomads suddenly reappeared in the area. The Outcasts saw it as a mystical sign to act, increasing their activities and influence across the Sirius. At first the numbers were small but as time passed the Nomads have appeared there more often than ever before.

The first communication contact between the two species was made in 806 A.S. when Joze Constansa in search for the answers to the nature of the aliens has presented then a gift: active artifact he found from in the wreck of Corsair vessel. Unbeknownst to him the artifact was telepathic amplifier, his thoughts became clearly "readable" by the Nomads who too were much after the artifact. Crude and rudimental, humans could not comprehend telepathy, only very partially, but even that was enough to establish the first non-hostile contact with the Slomon K'Hara. Since then others made several more attempts to research that phenomenon looking for similar artifacts that would enable them to communicate with Great Spirits. Although the Nomads themselves aren't much talkative they gave on occasion an advice or a foresight into the future. The Advisers caste found this relation to be interesting and worth putting effort into. However the Nomads are very cautious and would remain silent when questioned about their origin, goals and plans, rarely responding on them in very abstract and incomprehensible visions. Some suspect the Nomads to have hidden agenda, whilst others believe it is not their part to question the motives of the specie they know very little about and even less understanding them.

Cardamine

Cardamine is a grass grown specifically for the nomads by the Daam K'vosh. There are only two planets in all of Sirius that are successful in growing Cardamine, Planet Malta, and Planet Soledad. The blades of the grass are tall, thin, orange in color and are not edible to humans in

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its native form but are to nomads. Outcasts have spent years studying, researching and finally they came up with some processes that turn the inedible grass into an orange inhaleable gas or ingestible liquid. The effects of this processed Cardamine are increased lifespan, greater strength and additional sensory enhancements than normal humans, at the cost of permanent DNA changes that result in lifelong addiction to Cardamine and significantly reduced reproduction. Whether Outcasts can produce offspring at all remains to be seen. It has been suggested that the Cardamine helps the nomads to sense the Outcasts as different to other humans. There seems to be a curiosity on the nomads part about these "human-like creatures" that 'smell' like the grass the nomads ingest.

The effects of Cardamine on Nomads are similar to Humans with one difference; Cardamine is not addictive and purely beneficial to nomads. The grass form increases the energy storage, flow capacity, photosynthetic processes and functions of the Nomads body systems, while the processed form does the same only slightly less effectively on Nomads.

It has been suggested by some of our scientists/theorists that the Nomads once grazed the fields of Malta.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Did Nomads and Daam K'Vosh wage war against each other?

According to Nomad faction story no such event took place in Freelancer universe, Daam K'Vosh have simply vanished from Sirius space leaving powerful artifacts for their creation to find upon birth and evolution. The motives as to why Daam K'Vosh left Sirius leaving the Nomads alone are left in mystery, and the Nomads themselves whether they know it or not would not remain silent.

What about Nomads from original introduction?

As hinted at, other groups of Nomads may have inhabited other regions of space, not just Sirius. Furthermore the storyboard drawings for original introduction shows a bipedal entity controlling the Nomad sun destroyer which bears close resemblance to original artwork for Nomads. While Sirius Nomads are called Slomon K'Hara, we do not know the real name for ones that have destroyed Sol, or if they exist anymore.

Shouldn't Keepers be limited to the Omicrons and Alaska System only?

The Nomads were in the Sirius sector before Humans were. All of Sirius and more was left to the Nomads by the Daam K'Vosh; there is no logical nor roleplay reason to restrict the Keepers to the Omicron and Alaska systems only.

Do the Nomads get addicted to Cardamine?

No. Please read the Cardamine section.

What are the "brains" that drop from the Nomad ships, are those the Nomads?

Actually no, the ship themselves are the living beings in all senses, what you salvage from the ship's explosion are organic components, including some pieces of neural interface commonly known as "nomad brains". They aren't the same as the Nomads, but merely a part, a limb. There been a plenty of players assuming they were carrying the actual living Nomads however it would appear they didn't read the description of the item they have looted. To make a simple and less gruesome analogy: carrying just a Liberty gunboat turret (or any other piece of equipment) does not make it equal to actually towing a whole Liberty gunboat. What you are essentially acquiring from destroying a Nomad ship is a part of it, like say a thruster or a navigational component, in this case a valuable neural component. The nomad ships are special biological forms designed to traverse the open space, they aren't shells protecting and transporting a pilot, instead it's is both a pilot and a ship in a single form. This is what makes them quite different to human ships. It's a common misconception born out of assumption that the item is equal to "pilot" items in all senses and therefore is a Nomad pilot. However, as it has been explained both in item's description and here in

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detail, it is not and players are encouraged to read the the descriptions of items more often to understand what are they salvaging and carrying actually in their ships. If you'd like to know more what those "brains" are, please, read the section above describing Nomad ships in detail.

How do the Nomads get through Jump Gates? And especially the Alaska Jumpgate. Isn't that particular gate extremely high security? How can they get through like they do so often?

The Jumpgate technologies and indeed the majority of all Human technology in Sirius - including engines, Tradelanes and Jumpgates - are based upon knowledge and technology that was developed from Valhalla - the Daam K'Vosh knowledge bank. This knowledge was initially left for the Nomads. Being based on Valhalla tech, the Nomads easily found a way to interface directly with the Jumpgate control mechanism, bypassing the locks completely, rendering any human locking mechanism useless. They do this by manipulating the energies within the circuits themselves. The security measures are built and programmed by Humans, and act as the middle ground buffer or interface between the Human body and the control mechanism. The Nomads are 80% energy creatures and operate on a higher level than the control mechanism so it is a simple task for a Nomad to open a Jumpgate.

The same can be said for the Tradelanes. Instead of being registered as "IFF friendly ships" the nomads interface directly with the tradelane, also rendering the security measures built into the tradelanes useless. The Nomads can just as easily use tradelanes as they can move under their own energy.

Can Nomads have independent clans?

In short: no. The Nomads do have castes but they are not independent from each other and as a whole. Firstly because individuality, while not lacking it completely, is not seen as a cornerstone of the existence, it's not an ultimate goal as with certain human ideologies, but rather a pragmatic tool of self expression within a limited boundary permitted. However the most important factor is that the Nomads cannot evolve as a species without Mindshare. The key to their success lies within unity brought to the whole new meaning inaccessible to the humans. The Nomads have no secrets from each other, they function as entire collective, a powerful super-consciousness made up of millions of individual beings interconnected in a complex distributed peer network with high levels of availability and redundancy, thus making sure that the system is stable, akin to clusters. The more there are each of them connected to the Mindshare - the more powerful the Nomads are, both individually and as a whole. On an individual level they receive more knowledge from other peers, increasing their intelligence and awareness of the situations to an extent of seeing future as being modeled by Advisors based on the volumes of data. On a species level they are able to gather more information from which everyone can possibly benefit.

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The Nomads would have no benefit in separating themselves into independent groups, in fact such would severely harm them by shattering into pieces the most important key to their survival in the universe as self-sufficient specie. Whereas independence and splitting of governing bodies in human societies comes from many factors, including the control capacity of the body, on contrary side the Nomads have far more sophisticated, flexible and extensible structure, lacking the limits of the human governing body when it becomes ineffective in processing the regulatory sub-bodies and fail-safe mechanisms provide no result. Human systems are highly vulnerable, the history has provided enough examples. The Nomads know this quite well and use those vulnerabilities for their own benefit, they have studied human history from their own unique "perspective" and, as shown, are able to effectively incorporating into it, masking into everyday roles. As a result this differs much from understanding of independent human groups whichever they may be called.

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Developer Notes

Some may wonder how original single player campaign fits into all this. Majority of features present here are based on the left-overs from the developers of Freelancer, but due to the lack of solid information and sometimes contradicting elements we had to put everything together filtering the information to create something that would be complete. For example, the morphing capabilities of the Nomads indeed were never seen throughout the original game, however the conceptual artwork left on the Bonus DVD that comes with Freelancer Original Soundtrack shown us what Nomads truly look like, comparing those images one to another we thought it might be logical for the Nomads to be able to morph into various forms, giving them a special edge. Small hints left around, like the Nomad character figure seen in the original introduction storyboard, were carefully put together.

Also note that many people from Discovery forums have contributed ideas which this Lore has expanded upon. Most of these people will be unaware that their ideas have been used, however credit does go to them for having the original ideas. Through many forum and Skype discussions a careful process of gathering information, and matching them up with the Single player storyline, and the developers Bonus DVD, ideas have been accepted or discarded. When you are reading through this Lore and you come across an idea that you have used ingame, it is likely that some influence of that idea has come from you, or someone else who thought a similar idea.

Of particular influence, in no particular order: Igiss, all of the Keepers, mb52, Zapp, Tenacity, JihadJoe, Marburg, Gronath, Jinx, Eppy, Dennis Jameson, noobl3t, Boss, Kingvaliant, Stewcool, Scornstar, Turkish, sdssn!p3r, SwissScorch, looqas, Jura_II, Baltar, Jimmy Patterson, Sindroms, Caylith, Various 'independent' nomads

Special thanks to Igiss for allowing such a faction to come into being, and for Yuri, who never gave up bringing it into being, even when the answer was "No". Bringing this faction to life has been an honour and a rewarding experience for most of us in it.

We hope that this Lore helps players of all sorts understand and roleplay nomads responsibly, and that it brings quality and an enjoyable puzzle to one aspect of Discovery Roleplay Server.

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9

Credits

• Yuri "Treewyrm" Alexeev• Chris "Sovereign" Gropp• Patrick "Praetyre" C.• Nathaniel "Hyung Soong" Alderson• Gurjiv "Frozen" Jaitla• Adrian "Bluntpencil" Young• Ben "Laowai" Treeline• Tomislav "Titan" Matovina• Vedran "Skoko" Skokandic• Christopher "Leo" Davidson• Mike "Exile" Oerlemans• Stewart "Sassafras" Kline• Vladimir "Globalplayersvk"• David "mwerte" Liese• Zachary "Zapp" Belins• Aaron "Boss" Porter• Kevin ''Klaw117' Law• Joseph "Jokoro" Gale• Armin "Shazbot111" Pfeil

Illustrations: Digital Anvil, Treewyrm, Hyung Soong, Tinkerbell

Further Reading7crow's Nomad BackstoryThe First Nomads - TenacityNomad Energy Cannons - DBoyFirst Sasci - PraetyreTaurvi's Log - TreewyrmTaurvi's Story - TreewyrmTyrahsas - TyrahsasNot Alone - MithraResounding Echoes - AstraDuality's Paths - NisabaMindshare (Message Dump)We Patrol Our Places - KharybdisOf Keepers Malam - MalamAccepting Gifts - KharybdisRecieving Human Speech - KharybdisThe Lost One - TiamatCRI-Specimen092 (What are we?) - AC_Merc

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The Shadows of the Damned - SprolfMore will be added to this as applications are approved, accepted, and posted on the Discovery forums. Some are a bit on the long side, especially Not Alone, which is 26 pages in Word. Enjoy reading them all, and hopefully they will increase your knowledge of the Nomads. Addendum: The above links are in no specific order, save that they're in the order located by the Search function.

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We still need to explain exactly -how- Hybridization works, so we don't get any completely blatantly stupid attempts like previously. Hell, some of the current Nomad "Hybrids" are pushing it... *Looks at Max*

I'm going to be asking Shazbot to cowrite this bit with me, to let it make at least half science sense.

I also question wether we should add bits about Taurvi, Mori, Harbinger etc. Those are characters, but putting their names in here turns them into canon.

Mike Exile Oerlemans 25 Jul, 2010 19:28

Isn't cardamine taken through one of those breather devices? IIRC, it is usually taken in gaseous form, but stored in solid powderlike form. Anyone with more OC experience want to clarify?Chris Gropp 17 Sept, 2008 10:59

That's right, it's inhaled. Liquid cardamine is a variation, a highly concentrated dose. Normally it would kill a human. But some may practice it, falling into comatose state only to be awaken (or not, taking something like that would require years of work) very different, barely human at all. Cardamine alters DNA, now think who's native DNA it's adjusted to, since cardamine was artificially created, and you get the answer whom Outcasts practicing it would essentially become.Yuri Alexeev 22 Sept, 2008 4:09

So basically Outcasts taking Cardamine are becoming more like the Nomads?Zachary Belins 29 Dec, 2008 22:49

No, Cardamine does not hold Nomads' DNA, it's a "modifier" instead, altering code at various parts. DA's Nomad backstory has mentioned that Cardamine was initially created by DK to prolong life, which it does indeed, but for humans it unfortunately also alters other segments of their DNA since it was never really intended for their use, hence the drawbacks.Yuri Alexeev 31 Dec, 2008 4:44

Reworded to reflect both options.Nathaniel Alderson 29 Sept, 2008 7:42

Do the nomads of Sirius know the other nomad groups?david liese 15 Oct, 2008 14:15

Nope, not at the present time though. However they are finding hints to existence of others. That'll be pivotal turn in their story when they decide to make exodus from Sirius in search for their bretheren after finding necessary clues to their whereabouts and what's more importantly - a clue to Daam K'Vosh could be.Yuri Alexeev 15 Oct, 2008 16:00

Needs massive updating.

Mike Exile Oerlemans 25 Jul, 2010 20:26

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