FACTIONS Ex Earth Military: You used to be in the military but you realize that answering to an overlord kind of sucks. Now you are not in the military, however may still be a part of the Revolution.
Cybernetics: You like gadgets so much that you have decided to engage in the newest form of body modification: implants. Up sides: You have awesome new mechanical parts! Down side: These parts are still new, still being tested, and definitely have some major flaws.
Flaws: Overheating Malfunctions
Power Source: Older models typically run off of extended battery packs that need to be replaced anywhere from once a month to once a year depending on the longevity/use of your modification. Newer models are rechargeable and require the modified person to “plug in” to a power source for at least 30 minutes to at most several hours or overnight.
Additionally, certain modifications are solar powered and typically used for terraforming a planet. Think cyber arms that help you dig more quickly and efficiently.
Minor Cybernetics: Purely medical modifications that allow you to simply keep living. Think pacemaker.
Medium Cybernetics: Modifications that provide you some sort of benefit based on your modification. Think cybernetic eyes that speed up retention and analysis of information.
Example: Cybernetic Eyes Strengths:
Increase information retention and analysis
Offer 1 Terabyte of external hard-drive space to serve as a backup function for any information that would be processed via sight.
Weaknesses:
Eyes overheat, so can only be used for 3-6 hours at a time, then must be shut off, rendering the user blind. If you overheat fully, there are possible brain damage implications.
When hard drive is full, it must be wiped clean. This essentially deletes all information stored on hard drive and forces the user to rely on their memories of said information.
Major Cybernetics: Extensive body modifications including cyber arms, legs, hearts, etc.
Cybernetics and Emotional Detachment: The more machine a person becomes, the less human they are. For every major cybernetic alteration of the body, people will lose the ability to feel an emotion. It is random, nothing seems to be standard, and for some people, it's barely noticeable. For others, not so much. For instance, the inability to feel shame would be socially awkward, but possibly not that noticeable in certain personality types. The inability to feel love, however, would become very noticeable to someone who had previously been in love before the implant. The more modifications, the more emotions they lose.
Pioneers: You’re the true explorer. The desire to map the stars runs heavily in you. By default, you pretty much hate Earth bureaucracy. You may have the notion to band together in the Revolution with other pioneers, or you may be all “fuck other pioneers”. It's a toss up where loyalties lie, it's been noted that the only real consistency with them is their loyalty to exploration. They don't stay in one place very long, instead choosing to either seek out more planets, or explore them once they touch down on them. If there's nothing left to explore, it's time to move on.
Research: There are two general buckets of researchers: Medical and Scientific. Of those branches, they both have ones who are in it for the money: researching pure "money-makers" like the next Viagra or the next pleasure enhancement, and the philanthropists: those who feel the deep-seeded need to better humanity in any sort of way possible; large or small.
Entertainment: Boredom is a killer. When it comes to deep-space travel, humans could essentially be prepared for anything, but once the days grew monotonous and there was nothing active to do...cabin fever would set in, and hard. After a third voyage resulted in multiple murders, it was decided that something needed to be done. Thus - the entertainers.
Those in the entertainment faction are exactly what people think they would be – they entertain. They're performers of all kinds: escorts, musicians, writers, filmmakers, you name it - they're there. They are a smaller faction than others, but they thrive very well. They choose wisely when they decided to bring another into the fold. Entertainers are a tight knit group who keep in contact with one another, and feel extreme loyalty to each other.
Mercs: These people have no moral or ethical pull toward the Revolution or Earth, but are instead loyal only to who is paying them. They can include body guards, pilots, assassins, man servants, retainers, and basically anyone you can pay to do a job.
Zealots: The Zealots are a movement growing quietly in the background of the Revolution. Their leader, during his lifetime on a water planet, sprouted gills and was immediately considered The Messiah. As such, he took to altering his followers with radiation to band them together as a group. The Zealots despise the cybernetic movement and view it as a disgrace against humanity. They are secretly planning an uprising once their numbers have increased and their Messiah says go.
As such, all zealots now have some sort of disfigurement from the extended exposure to high-level doses of radiation. This can come in the form of gills or webbed toes/fingers, or other physical disfigurements, whether helpful or not. Very rarely, some zealots have been changed by the radiation to experience higher-level alternations within their mind. This includes semi-psychic powers such as telekinesis, clairvoyance, etc. However, these powers are always always on the slight side and are physically taxing to the user. These zealots are considered one step closer to their Messiah and as such, have been labeled disciples.
Zealot Leader took off into deep space to find the “promise land”, leaving his followers to wait for his Progeny to arrive. The Progeny will lead his followers to him and thus begin a second cycle of humanity beyond the stars. The Zealots will know The Progeny by a large birth mark in the shape of a holy symbol on their person.
Loyalists: Has all above types, only loyal to Earth.