META: This includes stuff Maxwell hasn't referenced yet. It's not like I can really spoil you on a joke I wrote exclusively for me, but in case you want it to be a surprise, don't read!
The Four Tenets of Starwind
Self Above All
Origins
- Conflicting reports. Heard it comes from a religion that has been spreading throughout the galaxy, but it’s also sounding a bit cultish to me
- Unclear who or what Starwind even is
Actual Tenets
- Self is the most important thing.
- You can not help others if you can’t help yourself.
- You should always strive to improve yourself.
- To focus on self does not mean to ignore others.
Asivilliamism
Might makes right
Origins
- Hear from a street gang on a space colony, seems to be have been passed down over generations
- Probably survived this long because of how easy it is to remember, despite how hard the name for the ideology is
Key Beliefs
- There is no problem that can’t be solved without force
- Things in cages can’t be trusted
- There is no rain without a rainbow.
The Swashbuckler’s Creed
A crime to thee is not to me
Origins
- A common refrain from space pirates
Key Beliefs
- Lie, cheat, steal as long as you have purpose
- Stealing from the poor is okay if they’re richer than you
Tumbleweed’s Belief
Curiosity Is Key
Origins
- A children’s fable from a bygone era featuring a gnome named Jenny
Key Beliefs
- Always have an open mind
- A puzzle unsolved is a lesson not learned
The Knight Errant’s Code
Unwavering Loyalty and Unconditional Forgiveness
Origins
- Specific origins are unknown, but clearly comes from some type of military institution
Key Beliefs
- Have unwavering loyalty to those who you serve with. Trust that they will protect you so they can trust you will protect them
- Those who fight together have an unbreakable bond that transcends the battlefield
- You must unconditionally forgive those who you are bonded with. Mistakes mean nothing compared to the chains that bind you together
Good Men Don’t Need To Guarantee They’re Good
Don’t trust those who proclaim their morality
Origins
- An old saying, hard to figure out where it comes from
- At least it’s nice and concise
The Steel Cold Truth
Trust nobody, not even yourself
Origins
- Origins unclear
- Seems like a joke if I’m being honest. “The Steel Cold Truth”
The Otherwordly Paladin’s Parable
Service to a greater being is the pathway to enlightenment
Origins
- Heard from some monks I encountered on a space colony
- Apparently the story changes depending on who you talk to - sometimes it’s a children’s story featuring a bunny and his carrot who is rewarded for good behaviour, other times the story ends with the paladin betraying who they service and beginning the cycle anew
The Story
- There once was a Paladin who pledged unwavering allegiance to an unseen force, asking for only repayment in power so they could serve the force better
- The force asked many things of this Paladin - long journeys for trinkets, endless tithes to be collected, things to be killed
- The Paladin never wavered, and with each task completed, they grew stronger. Not just in body but also in mind and spirit
- On completion of the final task, which was never documented, the force supposedly offered the person the chance to be equal to it. It opened a gate to the realm they resided in and the Paladin walked through never to be seen again
The Tale of the Reckless Courier
Nothing ever matters, tomorrow’s never guaranteed
Origins
- Seems to be an actual story that’s happened in the galaxy out there
- Bit overkill, feels like it has to be completely blown out of proportion. How can a job go that badly?
The Story
- A courier who was sent on an easy job had the day from hell - the job was a bust, his crew became wanted on an intergalactic scale AND he had to kill his brother for reasons that are fuzzy
- The courier, now a shell of a man, became reckless. Every dawn he tested his luck with a game of Russian Roulette. He was always willing to take the riskiest gigs, even the Black Letter Jobs which are said to be suicide missions.
- Despite his clear intent, death evaded him. Some even say it is because of his death wish that the universe was playing a cruel joke on him by refusing to give it.
- Nobody knows what happened to the Reckless Courier. Some say he’s still taking gigs, others say on the day he accepted life he was killed by a freak bullet ricochet.
The Philosopher Known As Tokyo Pete
Talk is cheap, but everyone loves a bargain
Origins+The Story
- Man I met on my travels
- Seemed to be an ex contractor turned philosopher
- His core belief was that you should always talk your way through anything as it doesn’t hurt anyone and nobody wants to get hurt
- Seemed bitter about how his last gig went down, something about how you actually need the chance to speak instead of just using computers to solve everything