An ancient order devoted to the cause of peace and freedom in the Galaxy.
The Galactic Riders were founded by the Iaranori Tenedden
in the high days of the Empire of the Iaranor.
Every ten Nephestalan years, the Galactic Riders' Festival is
held to commemorate Tenedden. The "Tale
of Tenedden" is a ballad that tells of the foundation of
the Riders.
There are about four million Galactic Riders.
Any weapons that a Galactic Rider carries are linked (physically or telepathically) to the Rider and programmed so that they cannot be used in anger.
The Galactic Riders provide help to those in need. In addition, they carry on the fight for freedom over repression, maintain cultural continuity, act as mediators, and provide role models. Galactic Riders have the full authority of the Council of the Free Peoples; they can (and do) act as judge, jury, and executioner. A Galactic Rider's integrity is beyond question.
Galactic Riders' philosophy is summed up in their popular catchphrase: "We may instruct, advise, persuade, and cajole, but we may not force."
Although they are overseen by the Council of the Free Peoples, Galactic Riders are responsible only to their own consciences. On the few occasions that a Galactic Rider has misused power, other Riders have hastened to administer justice.
The Riders maintain a large database of all requests for aid; each individual Rider decides which requests to answer. The database weights requests by urgency, proximity, estimated length of time required, and various other criteria, in order to help individual Riders make their decisions. No Rider is required to respond to any particular request, or to any requests at all.
Many Riders make regular circuits of various worlds and settlments, visiting each perhaps once a year or so. Some set up permanent homes, and operate out of them. Others consider their ships to be their homes.