The Misfortunates began their journey on 04 September 4159, not as a unified force, but as a diverse group of prisoners being transported to the desolate work camps of Meristine. Their shared experience of confinement and the harsh realities of their situation forged an unlikely bond between them. Over time, these survivors became entangled in the complex political struggles between the sector's dominant powers: the Red Sun Dominion, the Trade Constellation, and the enigmatic Mortal Veil.
This crucible of political intrigue and survival transformed them. From a ragtag collection of exiles, they evolved into an audacious faction driven by a singular purpose: to covertly influence the political landscape through subterfuge and manipulation. Their forced exile became a quest for liberation, leading them to explore hidden enclaves within Sector 36, where they unearthed forgotten relics, discovered ancient secrets, and solidified their newfound sense of purpose.
Their first significant encounter with the sector's political machinations occurred on 20 November 4159, when the crew of the Misfortune's Gambit landed on Verohka for essential refueling and supplies. During their stay, the planet was abruptly placed under a suffocating lockdown, plunging the spaceport into chaos. Amidst the pandemonium of panicked merchants, stranded travelers, and overwhelmed guards struggling with bureaucratic directives, the crew overheard unsettling rumors.
These whispers suggested that the Red Sun Dominion was orchestrating the events on Verohka from behind the scenes. Desperate to escape, the crew encountered several individuals offering assistance, including Renlo Dannis. Renlo, a mole compelled to betray his own for the sake of his daughter, Seren, trapped in the Don system's work camps, offered a way off the planet and a monetary reward for her rescue. He proved instrumental, distracting a Red Sun Dominion Cruiser long enough for the Misfortune's Gambit to successfully escape the system, now bound by their promise to save Seren.
Around 15 January 4160, a desperate rebellion led by Thorne Balesworth, known as Thorne's Last Stand, erupted elsewhere against the oppressive Red Sun Dominion. Thorne bravely sacrificed himself while securing an escape vehicle, allowing his allies to flee. This pivotal act ignited a sector-wide Free Stars movement, proving the Dominion's vulnerability and inspiring countless enslaved worlds that the seemingly invincible power could, in fact, bleed.
The very next day, on 16 January 4160, the Misfortunates, now fugitives and allied with local resistance, launched a daring two-pronged assault on Meristine itself. They unleashed a bio-engineered insectoid swarm and successfully assassinated the tyrannical Warden of the work camp. With Seren Dannis's crucial help, they then detonated the Meristine Ignition, destroying a vital spaceport and crippling the Dominion's logistics and critical osmium production.
This audacious act ignited a wider rebellion across the sector, albeit one that also sparked immediate anarchy. The Misfortunates remain on Meristine, having successfully helped Seren Dannis ignite a major insurgency against the Red Sun Dominion. Their actions have crippled a vital part of the Dominion's infrastructure, though the promise of brutal Dominion retaliation looms large.
