This post incorporates a thread that was originally posted on the Backstage Forums in 2017 to assist newcomers to Eve Online Roleplay regarding the Gallente Federation’s Prime Fiction as well as player lore, by Tressith Sefira. I am transferring this to the forums here with some modifications to better suit the format here, as well as to preserve a resource in case the forums there go down permanently. It also follows the format made by Elsebeth Rhiannon in their excellent guide to roleplaying a Minmatar.
I would highly recommend visiting the Fiction Portal in general to review the lore that this game offers. I would also recommend joining the Roleplay is Primary Discord where I can be found as can others in the RP Community, and reading the general guide to RP here.
Introduction
Introduction
This guide aims to introduce one to the lore of the Gallente Federation. The Gallente Federation, its official title being the Federated Union of Gallente Prime, has a rich and storied history from its origins in Luminaire to the present iteration today.
I have separated the various sections of the lore below for ease of access – this is also very much a work in progress so if I miss anything or if you feel that something could be added to the guide, please feel free to reach out in-game or over discord in Roleplay is Primary.
History of The Gallente Federation
History of the Gallente Federation:
The history of the Gallente Federation from its foundation to the present day can be found in the below links. They also contain useful historical knowledge of the Caldari State and the Minmatar Republic within them.
The Nascent Era of the Gallente Federation - The Nascent Era of the Gallente Federation (or the Pre-Federate Era) covers the time before the empire was actually founded, during the latter years of the Gallente Information Age in 22463AD to the founding of the eponymous union in 23121AD, almost seven centuries later.
The Luminate Era of the Gallente Federation - The Luminate Era of the Gallente Federation (or the Early Federate Era) covers the time from the creation of the interstellar union in 23121AD to just before first contact with the Jin-Mei in 23168AD.
The Luminate Era of the Gallente Federation, Part 2 - Luminate Era Part 2
The Modern Era of the Gallente Federation - The Modern Era of the Gallente Federation (or the Modern Federate Era) covers the time from a few years after the departure of the Caldari from their homeworld in 23156AD to just before the beginning of the capsuleer era in YC105.
The Modern Era of the Gallente Federation, Part 2 - Modern Era Part 2
Identities within the Gallente Federation
Identities:
Listed below are resources on the major ethnic identities of the Gallente Federation. The Federation considers all its inhabitants to be ‘Gallente’ for administrative purposes, but there is great latitude and encouragement for each citizen to identify themselves according to their wishes. The Federation is also a post-racial and national union by intentional design, in which racial identities are seen as an archaic and obsolete form of categorising citizens, hence why there is a great emphasis on identity.
[Disclaimer: There are more member identities of the Federation than the ones listed here. These are just Prime Fiction identities.]
Ethnic Gallente - The ethnic Gallente are one of the primary races of the Gallente Federation. They are the descendants of both the original ethnicities of Gallente Prime and the various other bloodlines that they have mingled with over the past several centuries.
History of the Ethnic Gallente - The history of the ethnic Gallente is split into five distinct epochs, each covering at least one of the standard historical ages used in other documents.
Culture of the Ethnic Gallente - The culture of the ethnic Gallente is known for its highly self-expressive nature and artistic quality.
Society of the Ethnic Gallente - The society of the ethnic Gallente is a term that is somewhat of a misnomer, given the fact there is no single ethnic Gallente society. Rather, it can be considered a ‘society of societies’, unique in the sense that conformity is not enforced or otherwise indirectly encouraged.
Intaki - The Intaki are a major bloodline within the Gallente Federation and one of its four founding members along with the Gallente, the Mannar and the Caldari. Their homeworld is the fifth planet of the Intaki solar system, in the Viriette constellation of the Placid region.
Minmatar - A tough, no-nonsense race, the Minmatar are a determined and independent people. Many Citizens of Minmatar descent can be found within the Federation, especially in the Sinq Laison region. Up to a fifth of the population identify as Minmatar.
Mannar - The Mannar are one of the four founding races of the Gallente Federation alongside the Intaki, Caldari, and the Gallente themselves. Refer to the Nascent and Luminate Era for more information on the Mannar.
Jin-Mei - Original inhabitants of the Lirsautton System,the nation of Jin-Mei is the latest addition to the Federation, voluntarily joining just before the Gallente made contact with the Amarr Empire.
Civire - Whether engaged in trade or combat, the Civire are absolute masters of focused aggression. Highly competitive individuals, they thrive under chaotic circumstances and frenetic activity.
Deteis - The Deteis are regarded as the face of leadership in Caldari society. Commonly possessed of sharp, ordered minds and articulate tongues, they are mostly found in positions of authority within military and political spheres
Government and Politics of the Federation
The Gallente Federation is an interstellar alliance of member states committed to democratic principles of government and interstellar trade, as well as upholding the values and rights enshrined in the Federal Charter and Constitution. The political systems within the Federation vary widely and no two member states are exactly the same in their makeup.
Democracy in the Gallente Federation - Democracy in the Gallente Federation is the very core to the union’s foundations. Fundamentally, it means that power ultimately rests with the people.
Government of the Gallente Federation - The Gallente Federation is a treaty-based interstellar community of semi-independent and autonomous nations, planets and solar systems, based on a democratic and libertarian system.
Government of the Gallente Federation, Part 2 - Further information on the Federal Government, it’s Judicial and Bureaucratic apparatuses, it’s responsibilities to the member states etc.
The Gallente Franchise System - The Gallente franchise system is used by Federation member states to delegate out various responsibilities to outside bodies regarding the economic activities of their home system.
Demographics of the Gallente Federation - The Gallente Federation is the second most populous sovereign entity in New Eden, estimated to make up over 20% of the cluster’s population, slightly behind the Amarr Empire.
Gallente Federal Districts - The political, economic and social geography of the Gallente Federation has developed such that, as of YC122, there are 6 regions, comprising 54 constellations, covering a total of 388 systems.
The federal democratic geography of the Federation is expressed at the highest level of division by 62 Federal Districts, which are in turn split into 903 sub-districts or “subs”, based on population and in-system geography.
Regions of the Federation
Below are the regions of the Federation. I have elected to copy their region descriptions either in full or in part below.
Essence - Essence is the one of the most significant locations in all the Federation. It is the location of Luminaire, the system where both the home-worlds of the Ethnic Gallente and the Caldari are found. It is also the seat of Federal Government - the Legislative Capital is in Villore, the Judicial Capital in Parts, and the Presidential Capital in Ladistier.
Everyshore - Everyshore is a central region of the Gallente Federation. It is home to the Jin-Mei and Mannar peoples. It was the first region after Essence to be fully colonized after the Federation’s founding.
Sinq Laison - Sinq Laison suffered terribly during the war with the Caldari. On the front lines for much of the conflict, many small settlements were ruthlessly destroyed by small Caldari raiding parties operating a scorched earth policy to deny any industrial use of the region. It is testament to the hardiness of the human spirit that now it is economically one of the strongest regions in the Federation, ironically owing much of its rebuilding to the vast quantities of Caldari goods that are imported and traded at the many outposts and stations in the border region.
Placid - In reality, Placid is anything but. The southern reaches of the region are home to the notorious Intaki, whose huge emphasis on personal freedom goes some way towards explaining its general lawlessness. The situation is not helped by the Federation’s seeming reluctance to invest heavily in the region - a source of some resentment among the Intaki who haven’t already fled to Syndicate.
To make matters worse, much of what does get earmarked for the region ends up being used to bolster the Federation’s increasingly important military presence in Placid’s turbulent and far-flung northern extremities, which are constantly under threat.
Solitude - Solitude is the outermost region of the Federation, physically separated from the rest of Gallente space. Surrounded by the barren Trace Cosmos and the Cord of the Elements, Solitude is cut off from the greater Federation by the territories of the Intaki Syndicate.
Verge Vendor - While otherwise unnotable, Verge Vendor is the home to one of the most infamous experiments of all time. Tierijev is found in Verge Vendor, the site of a doomed cooperative between the Caldari State and the Gallente Federation. While the ripples of Tierijev have long since settled, Verge Vendor still evokes memories of cooperation for the sake of scientific progress in many. As such, the number of young, idealistic scientists found in the region is disproportionately higher than found in other larger, richer areas. Many dream of the day the hope of Tierijev set won’t be a simple one-off, but rather a blueprint for greater scientific harmony throughout the galaxy.
Notable Locations
Listed below are significant locations within the Federation. Please be aware this list in non-exhaustive and updates will be made to this section.
Gallentia (Gallente Prime)
Caille - Caille is the largest city on Gallente Prime, and one of the many cultural and economic centers of the wider Federation.
The Crystal Boulevard - The Crystal Boulevard is a street in the city of Caille, on Gallente Prime. It is made entirely out of clear crystal - including the buildings, roads, and lamps.
Caldari Prime (Cephalin) - Caldari Prime is the homeworld of the Civire and Deteis people, and is located in the Gallente system of Luminaire (which also contains the Gallente homeworld)
Lirsautton - The Lirsautton solar system in the Everyshore region is the home of the Jin-Mei nation and people, and the capital of its respective Assembly territory.
Notable People
The Federation has innumerable famous and infamous individuals that have risen and fallen over the many centuries of it’s existence. As with Notable Locations, this list will be expanded upon and should also be considered non-exhaustive.
Aidonis Elabon - Aidonis Elabon was a president of the Gallente Federation, and to many is the greatest president the Federation has ever known. Responsible for bringing the Interstellar War (First Caldari-Gallente War) to an end and instrumental in the creation of CONCORD.
Excena Foer - A Gallente former Mindclash star, professional dancer and translator, better known as the voice of Aura - the shipboard artificial intelligence of capsuleer starships.
Jacus Roden - Former President of the Gallente Federation and founder of Roden Shipyards, a major producer of starships and equipment in the Federation. Elected twice to the Presidency in YC110 and YC117, succeeding President Souro Foiritan.
Celes Aguard - Current President of the Gallente Federation, winning the YC122 Federal Elections. Governor of the Mies system and first President to have Jin-Mei heritage.
Anvent Eturrer - Former Federation Navy Grand Admiral sentenced to death for treason. His public execution by immolation was broadcast cluster wide.
Kelen Ontbad - Federation-born Minmatar Senator born in Colelie. Presidential candidate in both the YC117 and YC122 elections.
Shaileen Ramnev - Federal citizen from Caldari Prime of mixed Gallente-Caldari heritage, former Mayor of Arcurio and leading figure in the Resistance against the State occupation of Caldari Prime. Presidential Candidate in YC117 and YC122 elections.
I would also recommend reading this In Character (IC) Essay about the Gallente which goes far to describe what a ‘Gallente’ is. It isn’t necessarily required reading and is player written, but it does take into account the lore that is contained above.
As you can see from the above, there is quite an enormous amount of lore that is available on the Gallente Federation. I have endeavoured to collect the majority of the lore for the Federation here. This repository of information, whilst it may not cover absolutely everything, will be a good starting point for anyone looking to develop a character from the Federation.
I shall be writing more to add to this page in the coming weeks when I have spare time to dedicate to this guide. I appreciate any feedback that you may have to offer in order to make this guide more accessible.
Welcome to the Federation. For Liberty and Justice.