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The raiders and their scrapheap war machines emerge from the brown, murky dust clouds of Kural, sounding infernal battlecries over the radio and letting off meek bursts of fire from the shadow of their beam-toting sacred idol: the Vaisravana. For the unfortunate mining colony that has become the target of their wrath, life is already over, for they are unable to defend themselves from the imposing war machine with their meager technology. The raiders, like an unstoppable force of nature, shall strip them of their every belonging and leave them for dead in the cold depths of space.
Kural's rowdy, unregulated space has long evaded the focus of the corporations, making it a haven for those who wish to eke out a living in peace. Recently, however, uncouth raiders such as the Vaisravana raiders have made things difficult for them. It is unknown when the idol was discovered, but the raiders now devoutly worship the four-armed deity in exchange for assistance in sequestering what little resources the system's scattered mining colonies might offer. In reflection of an earthly, practical religion formed from a twisted amalgam of the raiders' previous beliefs, it is adorned with crosses, holy thorns and nails, laurel wreathes, Japanese Shimenawa ropes and broken glass shards, among other things. The beast is silent but cooperative in battle, stoically plundering colonies as long as a minimum of canned food and fresh water is offered at its altar every day.
It has been theorhized that the Vaisravana is a wartime relic left behind by long-dead aliens, but such theories are inevitably quashed by the more devout of the raiders. The corporations have distantly observed this development and decided against intervening, for the ship's technology is outdated and archaic compared to modern spacecraft. For now, the raiders shall have their idol and their fun; it is not known how long it is before they plunder the entirety of Kural.
Raider Ships
"Spiky, spartan and sewn out of scrapheaps" best describes the raider design philosophy. These ships are nothing more than floating junkyards armed with a myriad of outdated and improvised weapons, and it is a wonder that they seem fearsome in the eyes of Kural's populace. It is no leap of faith, then, that the raiders would consider the ancient Vaisravana their war god.
Pariah . Light Frigate
Fast and menacing, these frigates are known for their blazing hit-and-run attacks, striking their targets with unmatched tenacity and ferocity. As fragile as they are, their enemies are often too full of holes to respond by the time they're in range to return fire.
Vishudda . Assault Destroyer
The Vishudda Assault Destroyer constitutes one of the most advanced (or rather, least primitive) ships in Kural space, armed with some of the heaviest firepower these raiders have at hand.
Manipura . FAST (Fuel And Sensor Tactical) Freighter
The sight of a Manipura's cargo "maw" is often one the last things the average colonist sees, shortly before being gunned down by the bloodthirsty autorifle-wielding raiders that soon flood out. These ships provide sensory capabilities to the raider fleet in addition to carrying valuable fuel and resources within their large cargo holds.
(...am I gritty yet guise?)
