White Flame and Black Rose

White Flame

In their side of the Expanse, the White Flame act as guardians of trade, science and humanity. At the centre of their philosophy is a powerful humanism. The White Flame believe that while the human body and mind should be augmented, it should not be fundamentally changed. Alien beings should not be integrated into human society, and humans should be separate from aliens, biologically and socially. Alien species may inspire humans but human societies and human beings should remain human creations.

The fundamental conflict within the White Flame has been over the creation of non-human intelligences. Is it acceptable to integrate animal traits into a human? Is it acceptable to build artificial intelligences with non-human bodies.

The central White Flame organization has gradually softened its attitude to these questions. On the question of biology allowing some integration of terran animal DNA into humans but flatly rejecting the integration of anything sourced from alien beings. For AIs they have gradually allowed the creation of non-human devices, even ones as smart as human. They are insistent however that inhuman intelligences are worthy of more limited rights than human ones, and truly sapient AIs should be as human as possible.

This latter has led to the creation of numerous humanoid gynoids and mental links which can allow even powerful AI intelligences a human perspective. It has also split the organization, with the powerful purist faction believing that these steps go too far and their creations are abominations or at least, aliens.

The White Flame originally became powerful by its control over space travel and trade routes. White Flame orbital structures and enclaves provided bases for early expanse space craft, almost all of which were under White Flame control. It also acted as a way to spread knowledge through the Expanse, providing specialists to those colonies that needed them, and to spread knowledge between various universities and institution.

Over time the White Flame has lost its trade monopoly but parleyed it into a series of other resources, population, armies and fleets. These resources including enclaves often the size of whole cities on most worlds. There are few civilized systems in the Expanse that don't have some level of white flame presence. They also remain deeply imbedded in the Expanse's knowledge base, with most large universities having some level of White Flame funding and involvement. Many scientists also follow the White Flame ethos, and there's a continual brain drain of direct recruitment.

This widespread presence has allowed them to serve as international mediator and organizer. White Flame diplomacy has pulled together coalitions against several alien invasions and other emergencies. They also offer fair justice for other organizations over interstellar distances and when sovereignty is in dispute, as it often is in the Expanse.

A final source of power are the ancient covenants allow the White Flame to collect a security tax from vessels plying most trade routes. In return they maintain patrols and keep pirates at bay.

Subgroups

Purists

Purists believe that the creation of any form of inhuman minds by humans, or the inclusion of any form of non-human (as in, sourced from another life form) biological material into a human is an abomination. This creed gained population among several expanse nations who wished to gain freedom from the White Flame's central organizational power. The split remains to this day, with the main White Flame organization being profoundly hostile to its extremists.

Spinward

Due to the expansion of White Flame territory, the organization has developed a geographical dimension as well as a philosophical one. In general Spinward White Flame tend to be more independent of the centre, but also more deeply monopolistic and maintaining their ancient rights more assiduously. This is partly due to different traditions, but also due to their lack of the massive power of the central organization.