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Ternus is an unapologetic oligarchy. It is run by a collection of interests all in the position to put pressure on the current Governor. This process continues because no Governor has yet been elected without the support of the oligarchy, most of who are senators.

The senate passes day to day laws, in theory. In practice they conduct backroom deals, and work to make their interests richer. Enter New Texas. Not long after Ternus was founded many citizens became disenfranchised, and started hunting for other options. They found a nearby world with incredible mineral wealth, but unfortunately the planet was barren and had a harsh climate.

Over eighty percent of the surface of New Texas is covered in desert, dotted with a few inland seas. Water was a constant issue, but the settlers were determined to make a go of their new home. Before long the very interests they’d sought to escape began setting up operations. They sold water, equipment, and everything else settlers needed…all at an exorbitant markup.

Most settlers quickly fell into debt, but one notable exception struck it rich on a platinum deposit. Platinum is a sympathetic metal, and is highly useful for enchanting as it won’t disrupt enchantments. This deposit brought Mitch Carver and his little mine to the attention of the Inuran Consortium.

The Consortium had been aware of Ternus for some time, but had kept themselves out of the limelight for fear of startling what they considered to be lot of superstitious yokels. Now they had reason to show themselves. They offered Mitch a very fair deal for the ore, and when they realized how valuable water was to the locals they brought in every available water mage.

Thus began the great expansion. The Inurans were all too happy to sell enchanted wells to settlers, which allowed them to produce a near infinite amount of water. Suddenly they were self-sufficient, and the Ternus corporations lost ground. This has led to New Texas being very pro-Consortium, while people from Ternus disparage them every chance they get.

Mitch realized that it wouldn’t be long before the corporations found another area of attack, so he approached several other large mines. Together they decided to become an official colony of Terra, complete with their own governor. Ternus refused to recognize them, citing the fact that they’d been granted a charter from Terra, while New Texas had not. This led to a brief war, but interstellar war is expensive and both sides soon realized fighting wasn’t worth it.

Ternus made a deal with New Texas. They’d officially recognize them as a colony, and so long as they paid their taxes Ternus wouldn’t meddle in any of their internal affairs. Mitch and his colleagues agreed, and for the next two centuries the two powers have worked together in relative peace.

There are strong idealogical differences to this day, however.

New Texas values independence, free thinking, and self-determination. Ternus values money, power, and whatever the current political consensus is. In recent decades tensions continued to increase, but the arrival of the Krox ended all feuds. Now both powers are concerned with humanity’s survival, and New Texas has contributed nearly as many troops to the war effort as Ternus.

Both have spent decades preparing for the inevitable invasion, and both know the hammer will fall soon. They are well prepared, especially now that they’ve been working with the Consortium. Ternus has no Catalyst, but they do possess some of the best magical defenses in the sector.

Every station orbiting New Texas is equipped with magical wards that will scry for bindings, or other hostile spells. They may not have mages, but they have no shortage of guns, mechs, tanks, and battleships.