Pitch
Fanatically Light Sided crusader faction with heavy religious/spiritual themes for FUs and NFUs alike. Strong parallels with the Army of Light from legends. Other influences include the Holy Roman Empire of OTL, the more militaristic Jedi Order from SWTOR, the Kingdom of Canada from Kaiserreich, and the Order of the Silver Hand in WoW. Good place for anti-heroes, paragon types, philosophers, soldiers, holy warriors, militaristic Jedi, politically inclined characters, and 'good guy' characters that don't necessarily subscribe to representative democracy.
History
Formed from the remnants of the banned monarchist party of Coruscant, the Sons of Ession, and The Followers of the Ashla, the Ashlan Crusade is an alliance of outcasts. Often labelled extremists and reactionaries by the great powers they attempted to assimilate into, the peoples of the AC came to the understanding that the only way they could have a state that catered to their way of life was to carve it out for themselves.
Culturally headed by the church of the Followers of the Ashla and the priests that lead them, the AC is a profoundly spiritual organization. Their faith was formed during the fallout of the burning of Ession at the hands of the Sith Empire, the survivors having turned to their ancestral religion in an attempt to bring some form of stability back into their turbulent lives. After the rise of the Grayson Imperium in the core and its sponsoring of the Followers, the church grew to encompass thousands of beings from a myriad of different species, shedding its uniquely Essonian identity in favor of a more multicultural union tied together on bonds of faith rather than ethnicity.
This nascent state within a state came to understand that making any significant changes within the Galactic Alliance was well beyond their control. Rather than remain in a nation that did not reflect their values, the priests of the church called forth all able bodied men and women to wage a crusade against their historical oppressors to reclaim the home world and holy lands of the old Essonian empires.
Funded almost entirely by private investors and public donations, the Ashlans' fleet is ragtag, its armies are sparsely supplied, and leaders with proper experience are hard to come by. Even still, what the Ashlans lack in logistics they make up for in faith, zeal, and an understanding that if they fail, not only will they be slaughtered, but any hope of securing their way of life for future generations will die as well.
Ideology
The Ashlan Crusade is a religious entity first, and a political entity second. Its policies revolve around the teachings of the Followers of the Ashla, which broken down to their core tenets venerate the Jedi Code as a standard most people should strive to live by, hold the will of the collective over the individual, believe that the Ashla and Bogan are in an eternal war for the collective soul of all sentient life, and that the only way to win that war and ensure everyone gets to live in eternal peace after death is to remove the Bogan from the galaxy.
Politically speaking the Ashlan Crusade is fragile at best. It operates from a position of military inferiority, and thus while not being in direct opposition to democratic ideals, shuns them in favor of a more meritocratic and less bureaucratic structure that can be more reactive to changing circumstances. The majority of the Ashlans lost most of their influence in the Galactic Alliance after becoming a minority in the senate, and are not quick to forget it. The idea of forging an Ashlan Republic is thus unpopular as there is little desire to relinquish any level of control to those that do not not subscribe to the faith. That being said, there are several volunteer brigades owing their loyalty to the Ashlan Social Liberal party that wish to reestablish a republic inclined toward Ashlan doctrine alongside an enshrinement of civil liberties.
Alongside the growing desires for a republic, a small undercurrent of anti-capitalism, anti-elitism, and worker solidarity has taken hold in much of the AC's support network. Spouting Selectivist writings as inspiration, there are more than a few reds along the factory lines, and they have not been quiet about their desire to forge a modern Selectivist state in opposition to the imperial powers that surround the homeworld.
Greatest of these parties are the monarchists, whom wish to reestablish the late monarchy under the governance of Kaiser, Parliament, and God. Hosting strong ties to the church, the Monarchists have funded the majority of the Crusade and hold significant influence over the population, though that influence is starting to wane for the first time in years due to growth in other organizations. The Monarchists seek a quick and devastating victory in the crusade to retake the holy land, lest their leadership be questioned, and another party finds itself chosen by the people to lead.
As things are, the government of the AC is a military junta run in tandem by the Monarchist party, Ashlan military officials, and the heads of the church.
Goals
Reclaim the holy land, whatever the cost. Establish a stable theocratic state for Ashla aligned characters. Close the portals leading to the Netherworld scattered across the galaxy. Exterminate the Bogan.
