Fragmented pirate successors and inland syndicates that remained active from the era of Imperial Conquest to Modern Geba. These formations operate strictly inland, where imperial enforcement is weak and relay coverage is inconsistent. Many clearings remain untouched not due to peace, but because the territory is vast and ungovernable. The law of the Empire does not reach here.

Criminal warlords thrive through overland raids, reverse-engineering of stolen propulsion systems, coercive toll enforcement, and black-market manufacturing. Their formations rarely hold ground but persist through mobility, fragmentation, and local intimidation. Syndicates finance their operations through forced labor, energy capture, and trafficking. When met with coordinated resistance and relay-guided precision, they tend to collapse—thus they avoid direct engagements.

Major Groups

• Jerhit Syndicate: Largest and wealthiest inland criminal network. Founded by Brennen Jerhit and now led by Brena Jerhit. Controls multiple smuggling routes, propulsion salvage teams, and manufact sites. Specializes in the theft and redistribution of critical systems to elite inland buyers and imperial defectors.
• Children of Kharan: A large pirate confederation inspired by the myth of Kharan’s Gulf, but with no actual historical connection. They imitate the image of ancient pirates but fail tactically. Despite large numbers and the ability to overrun smaller groups, they hold no assets, govern no territory, and are viewed as untrustworthy and opportunistic.
• Teytan (New Dominion): An ideological militant faction that claims descent from the Old Dominion. They do not present as criminals but as a sovereign resurrection of past rule. They engage in systemic human and substance trafficking to finance operations and are known to commit actions classified by the Empire as war crimes. They maintain fortified mountain positions overlooking private clearings and offer their citizens high protection and internal stability.
• Independent Warlords: A fading category of isolated strongmen commanding local conscript bands. These figures are steadily being absorbed or erased by larger syndicates and networks.

Notables

• Ashk Kota: Assault-Class Engineered warlord, real name unknown. Once believed dead after deserting during the Warlord Eras. Now a fugitive with multiple bounties:
  • Empire: 2,000 Auren (alive). Wanted for containment—his reappearance has inspired desertion among Engineered units and is seen as a destabilizing influence.
  • Syndicates: 7,500 Auren (dead, body delivered). Holds deep animosity from the syndicates due to repeatedly freeing trafficked laborers, destroying weapons caches, and disrupting relay installations critical to their control.
• Haavu Project "Permeance": Semi-independent team of engineers, logistics experts, and operatives tasked with ensuring Haavu infrastructure continues functioning inland. Operates in legal gray zones and frequently employs coercive and unethical methods to secure replacement parts, labor, and operational continuity under threat.