Caldari

caldari logo

Caldari State

The Caldari State is an authoritarian militaristic nation, founded on the pillars of duty, loyalty, efficiency, and hard work. While not as large a society as that of the Gallente or the Amarr, the state is still universally respected and admired. Its economy is fundamentally sound and its military, despite its smaller size, is fully equal to that of any other empire, thanks to a well-kept fleet packed with cutting-edge technology.

A nation built on corporate capitalism, the Caldari State is run by a group of eight megacorporations who divide territory between themselves, controlling and overseeing nearly every aspect of society. Each corporation comprises of thousands of smaller companies, ranging from industrial companies to law firms. All real estate is owned by the companies, which then lease it to the citizens. Government and policing are also both handled by independent companies funded by each of the megacorporations.

History

Before the founding of the state, the Caldari were not a singular entity. Like their Gallente neighbors, they were composed of different races on different continents across Caldari Prime, although the bulk of the population was located on the Tikiona continent. Tikiona was united between AD 17453 and AD 20988 under the Raata Empire, with existing ethnicities at the time organized into political entities in the form of houses.

Caldari structure

First Contact

The term Caldari was coined after first contact with the Gallente in AD 22517, as a planetary identifier used to distinguish the races of their home world from those of their newfound partners. By this point, each Caldari race was organized into its own fully fledged nation on Caldari Prime, with minimal to no cross-ethnic mingling. The boundaries between these ethnicities were profound, not only in physical appearance, but also culturally, with the Caldari’s concept of a nation differing vastly from the Gallente’s definition, the latter of which tended to be built around ideology, rather than race or culture.

Even when the megacorporations secretly colonized regions of space on behalf of their master nations, the Caldari continued to identify by their original ethnicity. This practice continued after the founding of the federation, and it was not until the secession of the Caldari in AD 23154 that the situation changed. When the Chief Executive Panel usurped control of the home world from the indigenous nations, all who supported the secession were swept along in the following social upheaval.

Corporate State

As the all-encompassing corporate state came into being, the Caldari psyche and society were shaped into new forms. The largest Caldari ethnicities, the Deteis and Civire, were deeply affected by these changes and molded to the norm. Other ethnicities, including the Gallente, who had long been residents of the Caldari home world, were brought into the fold, where all are now identified as one race.

Influenced by the Sukuuvestaa Corporation, a people known as the Achura decided to join the Caldari in their secession as a client state. Their preindustrial Achura Empire, which had been discovered by Sukuuvestaa during the secret colonization many decades prior, was uprooted and replaced by minority Caldari rule. This mostly affected major population centers, which were developed to become full cities according to the Caldari standard. Rural areas were mostly ignored, dotted with thousands of Achura monasteries which to this day preserve the culture and heritage of the Achura Empire.

Some, of course, were displaced for industrial operations in cases where they were located on valuable land, but for the most part, Achura who had not been assimilated remained reclusive and introverted, cut off from the state as a whole and for the most part untouched by its influence. It was only at the beginning of the capsuleer era that the Achura acquired interstellar recognition, as many of them, discovering a natural aptitude, sought out capsuleer training.

Interstellar War

Over the course of the Gallente-Caldari War, militant fringe groups of Intaki, experienced military personnel in particular, sympathized with the state and asked to join the Caldari Navy. Wary of the fact that the Intaki had a very different culture to the Caldari, but still pragmatic enough to realize the military and political benefits of enlisting turncoat veterans, Caldari officers placed these Intaki in segregated divisions. The most famous of these forces was commanded by Mordu’s Legion founder Muryia Mordu, who led his division to its status as one of the most successful, revered, and battle-hardened units of the war.

At the end of the war, many of these Intaki were offered cheap land and accommodation in Waschi City on Kamokor IV, though those who had abandoned their cultural heritage and fully integrated into the Caldari lifestyle had long since become full citizens. Due to the fact that these Intaki continued to maintain their separate identity and distinct ways, their presence caused tension with native Caldari, especially xenophobic radicals who fed on the aggressive foreign policy of the state. A significant number of the Intaki, facing expatriation, sought assistance from their former commander, Muryia Mordu, a turn of events which would later lead to the formation of Mordu’s Legion, one of the most legendary mercenary groups in New Eden’s history. In the end, the Intaki were able to resettle in Waschi City while retaining their identity and culture.

Provist Regime

The meteoric rise to power of Tibus Heth and the Caldari Providence Directorate (CPD) in YC 110 again put emphasis on ethnic identity regardless of cultural compliance, the two being defined as synonymous with one another by the Provist government. Hundreds of thousands of federation expatriates were quarantined and unlawfully incarcerated, or in some instances deported across state borders, while full state citizens of Gallente origin found themselves on the violent end of angry mobs.

Present Day

Today, the Caldari State is built on the cornerstones of patriotism and hard work that carried its ancestors through the hardships of living on an inhospitable, barren home world.

Megacorporations

The eight largest and most influential corporations within the Caldari State are as follows:

CBD

CBD logo

The CBD Corporation is one of the biggest import-export specialists in Caldari space. It has established trade links across the cluster, with a huge amount of goods in constant flux across the borders of the Caldari State. Though relatively young in years as far as Caldari megacorporations go, CBD has built up a tremendous net of associates over its comparatively brief lifespan, and is today quite possibly the megacorporation most connected with every level of Caldari society.

CBD has been known to call in favors from questionable elements of society when more traditional channels have failed, and out of all the Big Eight’s members, it has become known as one of the most ruthless with its business practices, though it is not above the occasional bit of extravagant philanthropy—if it serves CBD’s interests and proves to result in positive public relations.

Hyasyoda

Hyasyoda logo Hyasyoda is one of the oldest Caldari megacorporations, formed shortly after contact with the Gallente. Conservative and cautious in its business dealings, Hyasyoda focuses mainly on tried and tested subsistence industries, such as agriculture, mining, and consumer products. Its operations are largely confined to the state itself, although it has partnerships with foreign companies to market its many products in foreign territories. Hyasyoda was also the first corporation to champion development of the MTAC for use in the inhospitable polar regions of Caldari Prime, before making the blueprints commercially available and working with the Caldari armed forces during the First Gallente-Caldari War to upgrade and arm them for combat use. The corporation still holds the rights to many fundamental MTAC design principles, property that it fiercely protects to this day.

Hyasyoda’s corporate culture has evolved very little over its long history. It is an extremely conservative organization, with business strategies that lean heavily toward old-fashioned corporatism and established tradition. The corporation is still largely controlled by the family that founded it, and the social pressure on Hyasyoda employees to conform is as great as ever, even for the Caldari State, where such pressure is a part of daily life.

When the Caldari Providence Directorate came to power, Hyasyoda was one of the loudest critics of the political arrangement and often led opposition to Executor Heth within the CEP, alongside Ishukone.

Ishukone

Ishukone logo Under the guidance of late CEO Otro Gariushi, Ishukone became one of the leading corporations in the cluster, specializing in the production of high-tech equipment and machinery. It possesses some of the most advanced technology outside of Jovian space, and was instrumental in the development of capsuleer technology and capsulebased flight.

Ishukone was for a long time the weakest of the Caldari megacorporations. Its main business model initially revolved around research and development, though it was rarely able to benefit greatly from any of its discoveries. Only in the last century or so has it bloomed, and it is now in the process of becoming one of the most powerful corporations in the Caldari State. Well known for maintaining an exceptionally high standard of living and support for its employees under the regime of Otro Gariushi, the corporation continues to follow this legacy under its new CEO, Mens Reppola.

The harshest and most open critic of both the Caldari Providence Directorate and Tibus Heth, Ishukone came close to bankruptcy during Heth’s five-year reign as executor of the Caldari State, due to both an expensive philanthropic legacy left behind by Otro Gariushi and trade restrictions placed on its dealings by the CPD as a consequence of its opposition. The Ishukone Corporation now also administrates the Caldari Districts on Caldari Prime, after the Gallente Federation’s successful execution of Operation Highlander, which removed the Leviathan-class titan Shiigeru from orbit, ending the half-decade-long siege of the Caldari home world.

Kaalakiota

Kaalakiota logo Led by the revered business tycoon Haatakan Oiritsuu, Kaalakiota (or KK, as it is affectionately known) is the largest megacorporation in the state. KK has its fingers everywhere, and in everything.

Given its sheer size, Kaalakiota is the closest of the corporations to being a state within the State. Its humble beginnings date back to when the Caldari people were under the wing of the Gallente Federation. The corporation initially dabbled in trade with the Gallente, but soon became hugely successful in real estate, construction, and manufacturing. KK was at the forefront of the Caldari opposition against the Gallente Federation, a fact that is still used to great political effect today.

After the rise to prominence of Tibus Heth during the Caldari Constructions riots of YC 110, and his subsequent usurping of Oiritsuu from the chief executive position that she had held for four decades, Kaalakiota suffered half a decade of heavy mismanagement and misappropriation of corporate funding that brought it close to filing for bankruptcy. After Heth was forcibly removed from office, a number of fire sales of assets from smaller corporations within its portfolio allowed the corporation to maintain solvency. Still the largest and most powerful of the Big Eight, Kaalakiota is now on the road to recovery after the reinstatement of Oiritsuu as chief executive, five years after she was forced to part ways with the corporation by the Caldari Providence Directorate.

Lai Dai

Lai Dai logo Lai Dai has always advocated quality over quantity, taking pride in designing and manufacturing products of the highest standard. With several energetic research programs that rival the great Ishukone in their scope and forward-thinking audacity, Lai Dai is the maker of a vast and varied range of products, from high-tech medical equipment to the latest battlefield hardware.

After the First Gallente-Caldari War, Lai Dai, which at the time was a relatively small conglomerate mostly focused on research, began branching out and investing in the Amarr and Khanid corporations, supplying them with an infusion of technological creativity and forming corporate and political bonds that last to this day. Through the years, this enterprise has occasionally created conflicts of interest within the politics of the state, but Lai Dai’s ideals and true devotion to Caldari above all else have always gotten it out of whatever political trouble it has found itself in.

Nugoeihuvi

Nugoeihuvi logo Usually referred to by its corporate moniker, NOH, Nugoeihuvi was originally a conglomerate of small companies that manufactured all manner of luxury goods, ranging from mobile delicatessen units to quality furniture. Once the Caldari had formed their independent empire, this enterprising group quickly moved to fill the void created when the Gallente entertainment business was cut out, and over the years NOH has gradually made entertainment its main focus.

Time and time again, the corporation has been accused of underworld dealings and links to a number of organized-crime syndicates within the state, as well as the Guristas Pirates. These rumors, however, have never been substantiated.

Sukuuvestaa

Sukuuvestaa logo Sukuuvestaa, or SuVee as it is more commonly called, is the second-largest Caldari megacorporation. Heavily focused on agriculture, mining, real estate, and consumer products, it owns, according to estimates from the House of Records, over a third of all Caldari real estate, when the assets of its subsidiaries are included.

SuVee has a reputation as one of the state’s most ruthless corporations, seizing smaller rivals and selling off the spoils of hostile takeovers to ensure its dominance in whichever market sector it chooses. While this often causes tensions between it and the other megacorporations (particularly Kaalakiota, SuVee’s most hated rival), it has also forced competitors to think twice about challenging Sukuuvestaa in any market where it has significant influence.

Throughout the ages, several scandals involving questionable gain of property and loss of innocent life have been quelled by SuVee’s extensive PR department, known to be the most skilled of its kind operating in the Caldari State, and quite possibly the whole cluster.

Wiyrkomi

Wiyrkomi logo Known and respected throughout New Eden, the Seituoda family name has been the driving force behind the Wiyrkomi Corporation ever since its inception over a century ago, in the years preceding the Gallente-Caldari War.

With a reputation built upon the unimpeachable word of its founder, Tyunaul Seituoda, Wiyrkomi continues to enjoy unique relationships with many of New Eden’s most influential corporations. Given the reputation of most megacorporations, Wiyrkomi is regarded by those inside and outside the state as a curious anomaly, due to its reputation for strait-laced business practices—though, as many an unwary competitor has learned over the years, this does not make it any less of a force to be reckoned with.

The Seituoda family has long been known as one of the most loyal and patriotic entities within the Caldari State, commanding immense respect and remaining concerned with the promotion of Caldari ideals above all else. Though members of the family have become more reclusive in the wake of a few odious scandals in the last century, their corporate contacts remain as loyal as ever, due in no small part to the Wiyrkomi Corporation’s proven track record of unswerving allegiance to the state at large, as well as the corporation’s own particular allies and associates.

Political Structure

While the state is built on corporate capitalism, which gives the corporations dictatorial powers, they are just as bound by Caldari customs and laws as the individual, and the fierce, continual competition between the corporations ensures a healthy, consumer-based social environment which benefits everyone.

The Chief Executive Panel

Together, the “Big Eight” (the nickname for the eight megacorporations who handle most domestic matters) own more than 90 percent of all property within the state. Each of the eight is made up of thousands of companies of various sizes, ranging from simple mining companies to powerful police organizations. Each corporation rules its territories like its own kingdom, with its own corporate law and little interference on domestic affairs from the Chief Executive Panel (CEP).

The Chief Executive Panel is a political entity which itself is jointly owned and run by the Caldari megacorporations. The CEOs of the megacorporations sit on the board of the panel to ensure that the companies are kept in line when competing with each other, smoothing over potential conflicts before they escalate out of control. The panel also handles the foreign policy of the Caldari State, and is the closest thing to a government that the Caldari have. The Chief Executive Panel also holds executive authority over the Caldari Navy, with the power to dictate any offensive or defensive actions deemed necessary to preserve the security of the state.

House of Records

Owing to this rather fragmented style of leadership, the House of Records was also established by mutual agreement to act as a central source for record keeping within the Caldari State. The House of Records acts as a national archive, digitally storing vast quantities of data that detail every transaction, business deal, and governmental interaction within the state.

Caldari Business Tribunal

The Caldari Business Tribunal (CBT) was established by mutual consent of the CEP. The CBT is regarded as the second most powerful entity within the state, operating independently of the Big Eight and authorized to mediate in, modify, or cancel any deal, transaction, or agreement made between corporations within the state.

Corporate Blocs

From the outside, to uninformed eyes, the Caldari State appears to be a solid and unified corporate meritocracy. While this has been true for short periods over its history, typically during times of great trouble for the Caldari people, there are three distinct ideological blocs within the state that have grown ever more apparent as Caldari society has evolved.

The first of these three blocs, the Practicals, is headed by the second largest megacorporation in the Caldari State, Sukuuvestaa. Commonly known as the Exploiters, the group also includes both the CBD Corporation and Nugoeihuvi. These corporations have practiced unethical business tactics for decades and are frequently associated with organized crime.

The Practicals see the other empires as potential markets ready to be exploited by unrestricted and unregulated trade, caring more for their bottom line than for who is a friend with whom, and even less about what long-term political ramifications their unscrupulous business practices can have. Basically mercantilist in their views on trade, they believe that profit for one always means loss for another, and they will stop at very little to ensure the state always comes out on top.

The second of these three groups are the Liberals, whose views completely contradict those of the Practicals in regards to interstellar trade. The Liberal bloc believes in fostering improved relations with all the other empires, creating an interstellar environment where there are no trade barriers and where goods and services flow freely across borders. They believe in trade deals that mutually benefit the participants and that the empires can come together in a peaceful, prosperous future world only through cooperation and unified trade.

The liberals are led by the extremely influential Ishukone Corporation and also include the Hyasyoda megacorporation and Ishukone’s daughter corporation, Zainou Biotech. The state’s strong position within CONCORD is maintained and accentuated by the Liberal bloc’s belief that promoting universal peace so that trade can flow freely and cultures mingle peacefully is paramount to ensuring economic stability for the state.

The final group is less concerned about trade than about the position that the Caldari State holds in contrast to the other empires, in terms of both military capability and economic strength. These are the Patriots, and they are led by the monolithic Kaalakiota Corporation, which is the largest megacorporation in the Caldari State, followed by the Lai Dai and Wiyrkomi corporations.

The Patriots seek to cultivate the Caldari heritage, and may often be found reminiscing about the great Raata Empire of old or weeping for their lost home world, Caldari Prime. The most fanatical of them cry for a renewal of the war with the federation, but they are a minority. The majority sees economic dominance across the cluster as a tool to promote military power. The Patriots are willing to negotiate alternative ways to acquire Caldari Prime other than through war, but they know they can only realize that dream by convincing the federation of the economic and, most importantly, militaristic superiority of the Caldari State. They strive to promote a state that outshines the federation in every possible way.

Finances

More than any other faction, the Caldari State has a fixation on its finances and financial systems. The State has no central currency, with each megacorporation using its own scrip. Independent corporations use the scrip of a patron corporation or the ISK. Each megacorporation is then built around a massive investment bank, which forms a skeleton for each individual corporate empire.

Caldari Funds Unlimited serves as the closest Caldari equivalent to a central bank, in addition to performing many of the functions of a normal financial institution. Seaguard Financial was a competitor to the major Caldari banks until YC29, when it was placed under "extreme sanction" by the Chief Executive Panel and destroyed through corporate warfare.

Military

The rule of the megacorporations extends not only to the financial system, but to the military branch of government as well. Each of the corporations runs their own military and police force.

Corporate police forces have legal authority to act as police proxies within corporate jurisdiction, though in cases where the regional police have a presence their authority supersedes corporate police. It should be noted that within the corporate security forces, police duty is considered a lower form of duty than military duty.

Police work on stations in the State is an especially nightmarish task due to the red tape involved in numerous jurisdictions involved when various parts of the station and their owners come into play. While corporate police forces do not have the best reputation for dealing with lesser infractions, especially non-violent crimes, they can nonetheless quickly and efficiently deal with matters when circumstances require.

On the more overtly militaristic side, it's notable that the eight private militaries of the megacorporations exceed the Caldari State military in numbers and often surpass it in training. The military branches of the megacorporations originate from shortly after the Gallente-Caldari War, when Kaalakiota and Sukuuvestaa established theirs as a result of a dispute over postwar development.

Caldari corporate militaries have traditionally been used as a propaganda tool, using their successes and image to enhance the reputation of the parent corporation and vice versa. It's notable that some military functions, such as engineering work, appear to be outsourced to civilian personnel - including technicians in charge of setting up listening posts, who do not appear to hold Navy ranks.

Culture and Society

While the Caldari State may not be nearly as big as the Gallente Federation, let alone the Amarr Empire, it is still universally feared and admired. With a strong economy and military might to match that of the larger empires, not to mention the fact that it is more unscrupulous than the Gallente and more combative than the Amarr, the state is in many ways the most formidable of all the empires.

As most Caldari trade is conducted on the blurred divider between corporation and nation-state, it can be difficult for the other empires to deal with it at the political level. If a company is found guilty of unethical business dealings, it simply disappears into its parent corporation, and before long another one appears to take its place. If a Caldari company is threatened, meanwhile, the whole corporation and often the whole state will more often than not back it with full force.

Caldari barracks

Military Tradition

Military tradition is a core part of Caldari society and heritage. As a people, its citizens fought a long and bloody war to gain their independence, eventually surrendering their home planet to the Gallente Federation in order to preserve their way of life. It was at this time that the corporations established themselves as the driving force behind creating and maintaining the Caldari State. Even though the Caldari have not engaged in all-out war for almost a century, they still strive to be at the cutting edge of military technology, and their vessels, weapons, and fighting methods are second to none.

To curb their aggressive tendencies, Caldari citizens are encouraged to actively pursue a range of sporting activities, often sponsored by the state itself. Many of these are bloody competitions in the vein of gladiatorial combat, while others take the form of races and contests. Whatever the sport, they love betting on the outcome, making gambling a massive industry in the state and a core pillar of Caldari society.

Caldari Society

The state offers its citizens the best and the worst in living conditions. As long as you keep in line, do your part for the greater good, and obey corporate law, life can be fairly pleasant and productive. However, to those not cut out for this strict, disciplined regime, life quickly becomes intolerable. Individuals who cannot fit into the regimented framework of Caldari society often find themselves losing their respect, family, and social status with unsettling rapidity, being left with few options besides ritual suicide or exile. Although not xenophobic as such, the Caldari are very protective of their way of life and tolerate only those foreigners that stick to the rules.

Given that megacorporations define their citizens’ identities, the differences between the Deteis and Civire can be observed in their social habits, formal interactions, and philosophical approaches to being Caldari, rather than more overt ethnic markers. There is considerable academic debate over whether they can even be considered distinct ethnicities. Their characteristic social habits are a product of their upbringing, emphasized as a constituent heritage of the wider Caldari identity but otherwise not regarded as an important aspect of a citizen’s life. Those outside the state generally do not make a distinction between these social habits, instead considering them all to be an overall part of Caldari culture, a view the Caldari are more than happy to encourage.

Despite identifying as one collective Caldari unit, the Deteis and Civire rarely intermarry. The corporate-controlled marriage system segregates members of opposing genders (same-sex marriage is neither recognized nor legal within Caldari borders, a frequent topic of controversy between the Caldari and the considerably more liberal Gallente). This grouping is based on similarities in physical appearance, alongside other considerations, such as personal compatibility and socioeconomic standing. Maintaining consistency in physical appearance over the generations is seen as just one of the many necessities in the preservation of the history and tradition of the Caldari people.

The integrated nature of New Eden’s interstellar economy has seen many listed Caldari space stations become notably cosmopolitan, as has occurred across all four empires. Space trade hubs such as Jita 4-4 see travelers and cultures from across the cluster. However, these areas only make up a minute fraction of the state. On planets and elsewhere, the Caldari culture continues to dominate, though the Gallente economic and cultural influence established centuries ago (as well as its continuing efforts to permeate the state) never truly left.

Caldari Spirituality

While the Caldari are essentially a secular culture, there is no shortage of myth contained within their cultural heritage. Stories and folklore dating back to the early days of the Raata Empire can be found permeating every stratum of society, and though the Caldari do not view their mythical symbols in an overtly religious way, there is easily as much distilled wisdom to be found in their countless fables as in all of the Amarr Scriptures put together. The spiritual tradition is considered a part of the "Caldari Way" and is sometimes specifically discussed under the name "Wayism".

Ever since the time of the Raata Empire, the Caldari have found great purpose through their mythology, and they are great lovers of aphorisms and sententious poems. Though they certainly harbor a propensity for rigid traditionalism, they have little use for organized religion or dogmatic screeds. Such things seem to them a waste of time, energy, and resources. However, and no matter how much they themselves might deny it, there is a marked spiritual streak in the Caldari soul, particularly among the Achura.

Caldari spirituality could be more accurately be described as a system of thought or a philosophy than a religion, though many Caldari would not even go that far. One term for it in the Caldari language is Kutuoto Miru (best translated as “mind tool”), essentially a set of practical techniques meant to help an individual maximize his focus, equanimity, and mental fortitude. The practice of Kutuoto Miru within the Caldari Way has expanded from an ancient core to include numerous sub-disciplines of mind and body, including martial forms.

The foundation upon which practice of Kutuoto Miru rests is the activity of “piercing the veil”—essentially, reaching beyond one’s subjective interpretations of worldly phenomena and ideas to perceive the impassionate reality beneath it all. This exercise is said to remove extraneous clutter from the mind, sharpening it for whatever task is at hand. It is also said to calm the waters of a competitive intellect roiling with hopes of power and victory, ensuring that the desire for glory so powerfully instilled in all Caldari doesn’t run away with the individual.

In Kutuoto Miru practice it is entirely possible, in fact rather common, for there to be no mention of any kind of deity and no inkling of any sort of worship—indeed, as far as many corporate Caldari can be said to worship anything, it is reality itself that they revere.

Growing Up in the State

The Caldari home world, Caldari Prime, was an exceedingly inhospitable planet when the first colonists settled there many thousands of years ago. In order for them to survive in the wake of the EVE Gate’s collapse, it was necessary to adopt stringent social and behavioral codes and to inculcate in their children a love for discipline and merit. Being good at something became not just desirable but simply a necessary survival trait, and therefore it naturally followed that the better you were at something, the more value you brought to society.

From birth, a Caldari child is bound to the corporate state. Almost universally, children are born in corporate medical facilities under the supervision of the best specialist the parents’ rank and status dictates. Any genetic manipulation, implants, or other treatments are also assigned on the basis of the family’s contribution to the state.

Families wishing for better care can work out an agreement with their individual employers. This usually involves borrowing additional funds and paying them back over time out of the parents’ salaries. Many families will take this option to cover low-cost procedures, but it is typically regarded as socially unacceptable to seek out expensive and extravagant procedures.

Thereafter, with the assistance of a variety of childcare corporations, parents raise and monitor the child closely. Early on, children learn games that help observers to assess intelligence, physical prowess, and aggressive tendencies. These activities help educational corporations work with families to decide what schooling best suits the child.

A family can pay for superior training if they desire, but once again unnecessary spending is discouraged and often does not help a child’s advancement. Once of age to enter school, children are taught a variety of subjects. The exact curriculum varies based on the corporation overseeing each child’s education, but basic economics and the history and philosophy of the Caldari State are universal.

The basic curriculum prepares the students for talentbased specialty schools later in their education. Grading is invariably done on a curve to promote competition, and rewards are given to students with consistently superior marks. Exceptional or underperforming students are reevaluated and may be moved to different schools as a result.

Teamwork exercises are mixed with competitive grading to produce students who embody both ambition and cooperation. In addition to academics, children are encouraged to socialize with their fellow students in other ways. Much of this adolescent socializing is done around various clubs and extracurricular activities where new members usually must pass some sort of entrance test to be accepted.

Students tend to socialize with fellow club members, and members often compete internally for leadership roles and privileges. Teamwork is also emphasized, though, with a variety of competitions pitting the members of one group against another. Prizes for success are special privileges and resources for the club and its members.

Through these extracurricular activities, Caldari children are introduced to a number of competitive sports. Martial arts, contact sports, and games combining creativity with tactical cunning are the most popular. Exceptional performance in these activities often results in acknowledgement and privilege, and talent scouts for the professional leagues monitor potential stars as early as elementary school.

Injuries are common in this domain, but medical care in the state is first among the empires, and is additionally free of charge to citizens. Attendance at these sporting events is a major pastime for both children and their parents. The military also takes an active role in a child’s life. Most schools teach basic military history, and soldiers regularly come to speak to classes and discuss careers in the service.

So strong is the nation’s military tradition that after formal schooling is completed, every citizen must complete a very basic form of military training and three years of conscripted state military service before beginning his working life, even if she is not headed for a military career. This is one of the fundamental reasons why the state is able to mobilize so quickly in case of national emergency.

By the time a child graduates from secondary school, he is well on his way to his career. The student and his family are provided with a list of corporate-approved universities and academies appropriate to his academic level.

Though students can go to more prestigious schools if their families pay the extra education costs back to the state, most students simply attend the best school picked for them. In almost all cases where a student would want to make his own choice, he would base his decision on which school would maximize his natural abilities in such a way that he could offer the maximum benefit to the state.

Caldari universities and academies are very similar in structure to earlier schooling—grading is curved; socialization is based around activities and studies that test creativity, logic, strategy, and other traits deemed useful to the state; and the successful are earmarked for placement within the upper ranks of Caldari society.

Upon reaching adulthood, a Caldari individual will have been tempered in the fires of adversity and competition. He will have learned to view himself as a vital part of Caldari society, and he will have also learned that the winners benefit the most from that same society.

Bloodlines

In a very similar manner to the Gallente, Caldari citizens tend to place little to no emphasis on ethnicity. Most will always identify as Caldari first, followed by their loyalty to their parent corporation. Their ethnic heritage comes third, if it is mentioned at all.

Ethnic Caldari account for 95–99 percent of the state’s registered citizenry, with the remaining percentage made up mainly of expatriates from other empires. Due to the socially demanding nature of Caldari culture and the various bureaucratic hurdles involved, the state has the lowest rate of immigration among all the empires. Additionally, full citizenship and its myriad benefits can never be granted to anyone born elsewhere. Thus, foreigners living in the Caldari State more often than not find themselves working hard to prove their mettle, but receiving little in the way of appreciation from either the authorities or the populace.

Although technically composed of multiple ethnicities that have descended from Caldari Prime (the Civire and Deteis being the most populous of these by far), all Caldari are identified to be of a single race, according to both popular tradition and their parent megacorporations. Today, the Civire and Deteis make up almost all of the Caldari State’s registered population, with Achura, ethnic Gallente, and Intaki as the largest minorities, in that order.

Deteis

The Deteis symbolize what it means to be Caldari in every way. Efficient, dutiful, and hard working, to most they are the epitome of a model Caldari citizen. Deteis can commonly be found in positions of authority within the military and political spheres, which suits their mellow temperament very well. Considered by some to be more cunning and underhanded than the Civire, they share the traits of duty, discipline, and diligence.

Regarded as slightly more inquisitive and eager to learn than the Civire, the Deteis share a firm belief that the good of the whole must come before the needs of the individual. This has greatly influenced the shaping of the Caldari State since its foundation.

Civire

In the eyes of most, the Civire form the rock-solid backbone of the Caldari State. Their diligence and selfless efforts have built it from the ground up. The Civire are cool, level headed, and relentless in their approach to both trading and fighting. In business, their trademark is often said to be straightforward, aboveboard dealing, where every aspect of a business transaction is planned to the letter. Militarily, their actions are direct, well measured, and never hasty. They are more comfortable acting than talking and are never happier than when embroiled in the midst of frenetic activity. They can handle pressure extremely well, an invaluable trait in combat and other high-intensity situations. Many of the best bounty hunters and military commanders in New Eden are Civire.

Achura

Though the Achura have been part of the Caldari State for a little over three centuries, they have remained something of a mystery. Hailing from the inhospitable Saisio system in the Forge, they are as reclusive as a political entity can be while still managing to participate in interstellar affairs. Intensely spiritual, the average Achura has little interest in the material world’s distractions. Achura pilots have been few and far between in the past, but the desecration of their home world, as well as a recently discovered aptitude for the peculiar type of focus required by the capsuleer profession, has prompted them to take to the skies in greater numbers.

Other Bloodlines

Gallente

The remaining population of the state is composed mainly of peoples of ethnic Gallente, Intaki, and Khanid origin. State citizens of ethnic Gallente origin tend to have some Civire or Deteis ancestry, can trace their roots back to origins on Caldari Prime, and typically identify with only one of these two groups. The majority of these citizens were residents of Caldari Prime who took part in the evacuation to the newly formed state. These ethnic Gallente may also be Intaki, Mannar, of another federal ethnicity, or at least have some ancestry from these groups. The vast majority no longer identify as Gallente and tend to be widely considered by both themselves and others to be of the Caldari race.

Radical Caldari who emphasize ethnic origin as being intrinsically tied to Caldari identity often tend to target these groups, though this applies to any citizen not descended from Caldari Prime or of ethnic Caldari origin. One of the more notable instances of this prejudice occurred on Urlen II following Tibus Heth’s reclamation of Caldari Prime in YC 110, when almost a thousand state citizens of Gallente origin were killed by an angry mob. There were, of course, conflicting reports as to whether their deaths came as retribution for attempting to incite violence in response to the state invasion of Luminaire.

Intaki

The Intaki minority in the state no longer possess any trappings of their Intaki background. They are either considered full Caldari, or they retain their unique identity and culture in client communities across the state. The largest of these communities is in Waschi City on Kamokor IV. The ruling authorities of these latter Intaki groups must constantly act to ensure they are not victims of persecution by Caldari citizens or subject to exploitation by megacorporations.

Intaki regarded as Caldari sympathizers can also be found in the state. Those with valuable skills, such as military or corporate turncoats, are brought into the fold and sheltered by the megacorporations. There are some Intaki immigrants, but the majority of these fail to adjust to the stark differences between their own culture and that of the Caldari and swiftly fall to the fringes of state society.

Khanid

The shared cultural emphasis on martial and mercantile ability has seen many Khanid successfully set up homes and businesses in the state. They exist as something of an anomaly, sharing many traits with the Achura. While all of the immigrants who come to the state are more or less expected to abandon their previous identities and cultures, the Khanid are free to continue identifying as such due to the mutual respect shared with the Caldari.

Likewise, as with all foreigners, they are expected to abide by the rules—but punishment for failing to do so, for a Khanid, is lax in comparison to other groups from outside the state. Their religion can be practiced in private (although the Caldari typically do not make a big distinction between public and private spheres), though more extreme elements of Khanid culture, such as slavery, are unsurprisingly not tolerated.

Notable Characters

Otro Gariushi

Otro Gariushi was CEO of Ishukone from YC 100 until his death in YC 110. Unbeknownst to the general public, Gariushi was a former Guristas Pirate with a twenty-five-million-ISK bounty on his head, whose actions led to the private disgrace of preceding CEO Les Akkilen, as well as the field testing of the first prototype Scorpion-class battleship.

After a turbulent childhood on an Ishukone-owned mining colony on Drenali VII and subsequent rough years with the Guristas Pirates, Gariushi was taken under the wing of his father’s partner in crime and from then on began a campaign of sabotage against the Ishukone Corporation, whose members had orchestrated his father’s death some years before. Eventually, after revealing the gross corruption of the corporation’s CEO and demonstrating the capability of the prototype battleship in combat, Gariushi earned himself a reputation as a Caldari-first leader, mending the bitterness caused by his predecessor.

His remarkable work ethic and humane treatment of citizens under his corporation’s employ impressed the Caldari elite, earning Otro near-celebrity status in the state. Renowned for the prominent skull-and-crossbones tattoo on his cheekbone and his spectacularly ugly features, he also cut an unusual and intimidating figure at business meetings—a fact he always played to his advantage.

Gariushi was killed in the attacks on Ishukone’s headquarters on May 15, YC 110, when the Nyx-class supercarrier FNS Wandering Saint slammed into the station, killing hundreds of thousands during a Caldari-Gallente economic summit.

Haatakan Oiritsuu

Of Deteis descent, Oiritsuu is regarded as one of the most versatile and cunning businesswomen in the entire Caldari State. Serving as the chief executive of Kaalakiota for almost four decades before being driven into exile at her home on the outskirts of the Caldari metropolis of Khyyrth, she is known for her calm and controlled demeanor, which belies her immense presence at the boardroom table.

Oiritsuu grew up in a family environment where everything she said or did was remembered, judged, and later exemplified when warranted. Tending a small garden behind her childhood home was one method she used to cope with this environment, and it was there she made herself a promise to become powerful and rich, “a million times more wealthy than the second-wealthiest man in the world,” she said. She has a penchant for eccentric gardening involving the cultivation of all manner of exotic plants in a vast greenhouse attached to what she terms her “palace.”

A patient woman of dizzying intellect, Oiritsuu is renowned for laying complex plans which may take years to come to fruition, and does not believe in allowing automation or any other outside process to rule her life. Recently reinstated to her position as chief executive of Kaalakiota, she has been charged with bringing the corporation back to profitability after a half decade of mismanagement and misappropriation by Tibus Heth’s regime.

Tibus Heth

Little is known about Heth prior to YC 105, when he was dismissed from his position as a Home Guard soldier after a series of racially motivated attacks on several station inhabitants. He went on to become an MTAC operator at Caldari Constructions and was later named Employee of the Month. The reward for this distinction was a mechanical pocket watch. As he prefers things he can fix himself, Heth is reportedly quite fond of this memento.

He rose to prominence in YC 110 via an uprising at the Caldari Constructions facility in the Piak system. His actions, especially a much-publicized scene of him braving Home Guard fire to rescue a wounded comrade, generated massive support from the rank-and-file Caldari. To everyone’s surprise, the incident ended when Xavier Black, an agent of unknown affiliation, secured control of Caldari Constructions and appointed Tibus Heth as CEO.

Following the Malkalen catastrophe later that year, Heth’s particular brand of anti-Gallente patriotism fanned the flames of war, with the majority of Caldari corporations pledging themselves to Heth’s new Caldari Providence Directorate, effectively making Tibus Heth dictator of the Caldari State, a position he then used to institute a series of reforms intended to bring the Caldari back to a meritocratic society.

The Minmatar Elder attack on the CONCORD headquarters in Yulai created an opportunity for Heth to initiate a massive invasion of the federation with singleminded intent: the recapture of Caldari Prime. Subsequently, Caldari Prime became a bubble of Caldari territory inside federation space.

After a number of gaffes in leadership due to instability caused by a wasting affliction known as Derj’s disease, Heth’s gradual fall from grace culminated in a successfully executed operation by the Federation Navy to remove Caldari Navy and Caldari Providence Directorate forces from the orbit of Caldari Prime. This has come to be regarded by many as the final nail in the casket for Heth’s political career. Within two weeks, after a failed attempt at besieging a Caldari Constructions station in the Caldari-Gallente border system of Haatomo, Heth was removed from office as executor of the Caldari State, and forced to flee into the border zone to avoid being captured and tried for war crimes and multiple terrorism charges.

Although Heth remains at large, on October 3, YC 115, wreckage from two of his escort vessels was found in the system of Hakonen in Lonetrek. No bodies were found onboard, though there were clear signs of a sustained firefight. Heth’s bloodied Caldari Constructions Employee of the Month watch was recovered at the scene.

Admiral Yakiya Tovil-Toba

One of the most famous Caldari military officers to ever serve in the Caldari Navy, Tovil-Toba was an admiral during the First Gallente-Caldari War. He piloted the first-ever fighter carrier, the Kairiola, during the most pivotal battle of the entire war. Initially a water freighter, the Kairiola was refitted to act as a fighter carrier during the orbital bombardment of Caldari Prime, and Tovil-Toba was selected to pilot it due to his commendable leadership ability and his outstanding piloting skill.

Both the Kairiola and Tovil-Toba are well known for a weeklong run of relentless guerrilla fleet actions against the Gallente home fleet shortly after the start of Caldari Prime’s evacuation. The most famous part of this operation was its culmination, in which the admiral ordered all nonessential personnel to abandon ship, before sacrificing himself and flying the heavily damaged carrier into the atmosphere of Gallente Prime, where it broke up on entry and struck several areas of the city of Hueromont, resulting in the deaths of over two million Gallente. The resulting diversion of Gallente forces from the frontlines to assist in aiding the city enabled the Caldari to successfully complete their evacuation of the Caldari people from their besieged home planet.

To this day Tovil-Toba is revered as one of the greatest heroes in the history of the Caldari State, and traditionally, his name is the first phrase that every Caldari child learns.

Admiral Visera Yanala

In service of the Caldari State for eighty-four years, Admiral Visera Yanala was one of the longest-serving and most respected officers in the Caldari Navy at the time of her death on March 22, YC 115.

Born on Caldari Prime before relocating to Kisogo VIII in her early years, Yanala shied away from the limelight for most of her career. She rose to prominence when she was drafted out of retirement to reassume command of the Caldari Navy titan Shiigeru in March YC 115, during the tensions which served as a preamble to the eventual assault on Caldari Prime by the Federation Navy. Having served as captain of the Shiigeru for two decades before her retirement, she reassumed command under direct orders from Tibus Heth, who was attempting to stabilize the situation.

Exact details of the events surrounding the destruction of the Shiigeru still remain unclear to the public. It is known that Yanala was initially demonized by both Heth and the Caldari Providence Directorate before an investigation was ordered by the Chief Executive Panel to assess the loss of the vessel. Yanala was then vindicated and declared a national hero after it was revealed that she had refused to obey no less than seven direct orders from Tibus Heth to fire the Oblivion-class doomsday weapon fitted to the Shiigeru directly at Caldari Prime in order to halt the attack—an act which would have resulted in hundreds of millions of innocent casualties.

During the investigation, it was further revealed to an astonished investigatory board that Yanala had jettisoned the vessel’s magazines, which were packed with citadel torpedoes, into the planet’s atmosphere to allow them to harmlessly burn up. She also shut down all volatile systems onboard the vessel as it began to fall from orbit and break up. It later came to light that on reawakening from her subsequent capsule loss after the destruction of Shiigeru, she was forced by Heth to commit ritual suicide for disobeying his orders. The revelation of the real cause of her death, after both Tibus Heth and the Caldari Providence Directorate had attempted to cover it up, sent shock waves through the Caldari State that further contributed to his eventual removal from office.