Five Families

The Five Families were a collection of five Orion clans that dominated the Orion Colony of Daros IV. They consisted of the Althori, Beldav, Kerav, Keros and Simri Families, and the senior member of each was a Council Lord on the Council of Trade that formally governed the Colony.

Each of the Five Families were descended from one of the Orion trading captains who originally colonized Daros IV, and they were ranked in order of age: Althori, Kerav, Beldav, Simri and Keros. Federation sociologists classified them as paternal, corporate and governmental. All were largely concerned with trade, each with their own merchant fleet and a number of separate commercial ventures. Meanwhile, the Council secured exclusive trade treaties with Daros IV's richest neighbors, with the Lords acting as middlemen for all dealings.

In the late 23rd century, Daros IV was a neutral world, without any diplomatic relations with the United Federation of Planets, which was still new to the region. The Families were generally reluctant or disinterested in forming closer ties with it, and were generally even unwilling to sign long-term contracts with Federation businesses. Daros IV had closer relations with a dozen neighboring worlds and systems, such as the Klethor system, the Miros system and Tor III, with exclusive trade deals with them. According to Starfleet Intelligence, careful applications of bribery, intrigue, and violence went a long way in maintaining Family influence over their clients.

It was estimated that around 90% of the Orion population of Daros IV was affiliated in some way with one Family or another. Their familial relationships and financial arrangements welded them into a relatively close-knit group, both socially, economically, and politically. Status within a family depended on one's wealth and birthright; those directly descended from eldest sons of founding members were superior to relatives from younger sons or from associated clans.

The Five Families jointly administered Daroskelar Starport and the High Market, by dividing each between them. They controlled all trade in the Market, and Federation-based and independent traders had to seek authorization from one of the Families to conduct business there.

Each Family had its own insignia or sign, which appeared on their officials' clothing and adorned their facilities. They each had an estate and mansion outside the capital city of Daroskelar, including Keravkar, Keroskar and Skaroskar. (FASA RPG module: Orion Ruse)