I've got the itch to run an adventure where my players get to play their characters' counterparts in the Starfinder Mirror Universe, and I could use some help filling in setting details to bring this Star Trek-ian trope to life.
Some cursory ideas:
*Absalom Station is a superweapon capable of destroying entire planets. The Emperor of the Golarion Empire controls the station, thus controlling the other planets of the system through fear.
*The Veskonfederacy is an alliance of planets which banded together to defend against the Golarion Empire invasion.
*The Starfinder Society (which needs a more nefarious name) is organized to exploit and monopolize the riches and knowledge of the less powerful beyond the Golarion Empire.
*The Stewards (maybe renamed to Peacekeepers for a Farscape nod) are the equivalent of Stormtroopers, who help maintain order within the Golarion Empire through violence and intimidation.
*Skittermanders tend toward a superiority complex, believing other races to be so inept that the Skittermander should intervene for any chance of success.
How would you change some of Starfinder's worlds, organizations, or races to make their Mirror Universe doppelgangers?
-The Swarm are a peaceful hive mind of allied insectile races that actively seek out and terraform planets.
-Eox was the planet destroyed to create the Diaspora
-After an aggressive cloning program, elves are an ascendant race in Pact World space, have taken over Castrovel, and are currently forcing massive magical industrialization on the rest of the planet.
The Azlanti 'empire' is a peaceful democratic meritocracy, where all races are welcome.
The shobhad are a race of enlightened monk-scholars.
The contemplatives are a race of aggressive psychic warriors.
Aucturn is the exact same.
The Drow are hunted refugees hiding deep in apostae.
Starfinder Society would be like the StarExploiter Society.
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Instead of Credits, the entire economy functions exclusively with the official Golarian Empire UPB unit that is tightly controlled. Cryptocurrency and other forms of trade are strictly outlawed even things such as common barter.
The Skittermander are all in league with the Great Old Ones from the Dark Tapestry, which in turn represent a CG cult of non-violent protesters and political activists. They are shot on sight anywhere within civilized Pact Worlds areas.
The Kasatha left their homeworld to subjugate the pact worlds system, but in the time between when they left and when they arrived, the Golarian Empire developed.
Nobody except Kasathans have entered the Idari; rumors abound regarding the weapons and tech onboard. Some suspect they are just biding their time, until they can exploit a moment of weakness and resume their original plan, and they would be correct. To keep the Golarian Empire placated, they occasionally trade small portions of their unique technology to the Empire.
Pharasma is long-dead, and her Spire is ruled by Aroden, the Tyrant of Prophecy.
I've been super curious about this. Since parallel universes are a thing, does that mean there are separate gods for each dimension? Are there infinite Pharasmas and Triunes and Asmodeuses lurking between infinite worlds? Could we potentially see a Starfinder "Earth-3" Adventure Path, and face off against a sinister Starfinder Consortium or evil iconics?
Interesting to note, Aucturn already has a magical portal leading to alternate realities in canon. I wonder if Great Old Ones and Outer Gods also have less malevolent-dopplegangers in other dimensions, perhaps where the vast majority of gods are evil?