System: Finsterwalde

[3067] With the formation of the Lyran Commonwealth and the Teutonic cultural influences of the Steiner dynasty that have pervaded it for centuries, a small but growing number of followers prompted a gradual rebirth of the ancient religions of the Norse peoples. Though many Lyran vessels, buildings and even military equipment take their names from it, the Teutonic faith — a polytheistic religion that idolizes warriors and promises those who die in glorious battle an afterlife spent holding back the minions of evil and staving off Ragnarok (the Day of Doom) — has long remained in the shadows, its gloomy forecast for humankind’s future and its warrior bent rarely in keeping with the more peaceful, optimistic elements of the Lyrans’ mercantile society.

In the years immediately following the secession of the Lyran Alliance from the Federated Commonwealth, however, Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion took great pains to emphasize the cultural differences between the Alliance and its former allies in the Federated Suns. This resurgent nationalism brought with it a revived interest in the Teutonic roots of the Steiner dynasty and their cultural influence throughout the realm. A strange side effect of this has been the almost overnight acceptance of Aesirism, a modernized version of ancient Norse mythology.

Presently centered on the world of Finsterwalde, home of the Great Hall of the Aesir in the city of Glasheim, the new Aesirian religion has a slightly more positive outlook and idolizes non-military “conquests” (such as financial and marital success) in addition to battlefield glory. As the inevitable Ragnarok remains an intrinsic aspect of this faith, many Aesirians embrace life with a “seize the day” mentality. Politically, they almost universally back whichever leaders are closest in association to what they perceive as the true Steiner family, because they believe the Teutonic roots of the Steiner family descend directly from their pantheon.

There are no functional factories located on this planet.