The Council of Angar
Nation Sheet
o Nation name: The Council of AngarAngar is the political entity,
Angari is the adjective form,
Angarieni (lit. Blessed by the Gods) is the name for a citizen of the Angar.
o Systems controlled: 12(detailed list and map TBA)o Government type: TheocracyAngar is ruled by the High Council which consists of Chief Priests of the twelve Parishes.
Each Parish corresponds to an area of infrastructure (food production, logistics, military etc.) which in turn has a major patron deity.
A Parish is comprised of 20-50 Clans (which usually have minor deities to bless their pursuits), each of which is in turn comprised of numerous Houses. A House's size may vary, but an average one will have about 100 members (nowadays not blood-related but in adoptive familial relationships). The Clan's structure is largely horizontal: some Houses have more power than others, but they are interchangeable in most aspects. A House's focus (area of responsibility) may change over time.
- Nation size: Large
Population 30 billion, due to a recent cataclysm that killed two-thirds of the population. - Nation specialty: City-state
o Nation HistoryAngarieni started out as a religious cult, back during the days of Solis Ecclesia. Followers of a polytheistic religion that valued strictly codified social interactions, at one point, they started putting their cultural norms above the law. Conflicts erupted, and practice of the Angar religion was outlawed. However, Angar numbered several billion followers by then, and the risk of a violent conflict made Solis Ecclesia seek out a compromise.
A secession would take place. Solis Ecclessia would part with several star systems on the outskirts of its reach—nominally part of the nation, but yet uncolonized. The Angari High Council would become a new governing body, and everyone willing to practice Angar and live according to its cultural norms could do so within the new nation. An overwhelming majority of the practitioners decided to follow their calling and relocate to the new lands.
And so they did. Colonies were established. Laws were put to test and held under the strain, and despite the limited resources available to them, the colonies flourished. They named themselves Angarieni—Blessed by the Gods.
For several thousand years, Angar prospered. However, that would change when the galaxies collided. Several years before the event, Angari scientists predicted that their sector of space would be hit by a radiation flare of an unforeseen intensity. They scrambled to find a solution, building isolation domes and researching ways to genetically increase the radiation resistance of the species.
They were able to mitigate the disaster, but just barely. Only 5% of the habitable territories had been enclosed by the domes, and the gene fix wouldn't be finalized for another 12 years. Due to stellar discipline and well-thought-out evacuation procedures, 35% of the population was able to survive. It took time to adjust to the increased population density, but with the switch to multi-level city-hives (eased by the planets' low gravity), they were able to adapt.
The main problem, however, was the lack of arable land, and the low numbers of game species. It quickly became clear that it would be extremely difficult to keep the population fed. Nation-wide rationing and population control legislation were introduced. It threatened the social order of which blood inheritance had been an integral part. However, the Homemaker Parish, which was previously in charge of social services such as garbage disposal and the laundry system, stepped up to the task. They would take over the childrearing process entirely, keeping track of the population limitations, and various Houses would be eligible to take in the children once they reached the age of majority. With many compromises and policy updates, the system survived.
This kind of measures is not feasible long-term, though. The population age is creeping up slowly, but surely, and rationing is taking a toll on the nation's health. There is no way to replenish the reserves depleted with the construction of the radiation domes. In order to survive, change is inevitable.
Much as they hate the necessity, Angarieni will need to either expand, or enter diplomatic relations with the rest of the galaxy.
o SpeciesAngarieni are a humanoid species that adapted to live in low gravity. Tall and lean, physically they are weaker than their ancestors. Their skin can be different shades of blue.
Angarieni share common ancestors with the Baku of the Magnus Confederation, hailing from the same region of Solis Ecclessia. However, this is not common knowledge within Angar, and they haven't kept in contact after the secession. Compared to the Baku, Angarieni have a slighter build and finer features, and are generally taller. An outsider would be hard-pressed to distinguish between the two races, and with some effort, it might be possible for a Baku to blend in in Angar.
Angarieni use genetical engineering to ensure their survival. Most notable alterations include increased radiation resistance, slow metabolism, and fertility control. Since procreation is heavily regulated, a citizen is only fertile while they take specific hormonal supplements. Those supplements are only issued to those chosen for procreation duty.
Due to advances in genetic engineering, Angarieni's lifespan is around the 150-year mark, with long-livers just about reaching 200. Government policies of strict population control mean that the population's age skews heavily towards the older side of the spectrum.
o CultureReligionAngar's culture is inseparable from its religion. It is said that Be'Ang, the twelve major deities, sit on the Divine Council which governs the way the world works. For any change of the world order, they convene and discuss its specifics in a ritual ceremony. Then, the deity responsible invokes the change into being.
The High Council is intended to fulfil the same role in the mundane Angar. They make the decisions that shape the course of the nation, while details of implementation are delegated to Parishes and Clans. The twelve High Priests on the Council each represent one of the Be'Ang. Each priest leads a Parish under the deity's patronage.
Much as each major deity has a retinue of minor ones, a Head Priest commands a Clan Council, where heads of the Parish's Clans sit. They divide the tasks they were entrusted to between the Clans, and the Clans, in turn, appoint their member Houses to deal with the specifics. Each discussion is a ritual that cements the success of an action.
Generally, any venture, at any level, is planned out in advance according to precedent. If, during the implementation phase, it turns out that an assumption was erroneous, it will be corrected in a future such venture.
Much like a High Council's decision shapes the course of Angar as a nation, each individual's decision may shape the course of their life. To ensure success, even the most mundane conversations are codified and ritualistic, as only proper communication between parties will ensure success.
ChildrearingBecause the Angari population is at a precarious balance between famine and extinction, its population must be controlled so as to prevent unsustainable growth. Bearing a child is an extremely prestigious affair, and is planned out in advance, as any venture. Only the best donors are selected, and only the most saintly and compassionate chosen as nurses and educators.
(Some say that only the strongest and smartest should be allowed to birth the new generation; as it stands, the policy involves several stochastic calculations that ensure equal representation of existing Houses.)
The children are raised with Angari ideals in mind. From a young age, they know their place and possible futures within society. When they are old enough to be schooled, they learn the workings of different Parishes and Clans, and aptitude tests decide which they will belong to. The choice of a House is a more personal one, dependent on the emotional connection with its individuals.
The age of majority is 27. By this time, an individual will have completed a secondary education suited to their chosen Clan, and will be adopted into a House to further its prosperity.
MentalityGiven that they learn the tenets of their culture from birth, most Angarieni are content with their place in life and hold the needs of their House, their Clan, their Parish, and Angar itself, above their own. A rare minority is unable to thrive in this way of life. Usually, they are relocated to one of the trade posts at the edges of Angar—small settlements that deal with exceedingly rare outsiders. The atmosphere is laxer there, as one must account for the unpredictable nature of other races. Even so, even the most rebellious and chaotic Angarieni are usually perceived as rigid and a bit stuck-up by outsiders.
Angarieni hold their cultural norms above all. It is unthinkable for someone to try to break them for their own gain. Even if they want to do something underhanded, they will think of a method within their framework of rules.
Angarieni are xenophobic and disdainful towards outsiders, and can be blunt about that even when attempting to be polite. They think their society and religion superior to any other. Ideally, they do not want to interact with any outsiders at all.
They deal poorly with unscripted interactions and the lack of predictability.
Living conditionsOnly 5% of the land surface on Angari planets is habitable because of radiation damage. The habitable parts are enclosed in anti-radiation domes. The insides of the domes are home to multi-level, densely populated city hives. On the topmost levels, national parks and reserves are home to what remains of the native ecosystems.
A rationing system ensures that available food is more-or-less equally distributed. Higher-ranking individuals have access to more variety and better quality, but in general, the amount of food is still not enough to support an active lifestyle. Angarieni are not at all picky about food. It’s not a significant part of their culture, and they see it as a means to an end.
Given the scarcity of natural resources, the most popular building materials are plastic (mined by droids in the irradiated parts of the planets and decontaminated) and metals (also droid-mined, predominantly on uninhabitable planets and moons). Clothing is overwhelmingly made of synthetic fibres, and uniforms are much more common than tailored clothing.
LeisureIn their free time, Angarieni often practice music and other forms of art. They have a sophisticated art culture and value expressions of mathematically complex ideas. Sports aren’t popular because short rations motivate them to conserve their energy. Handicrafts aren’t very popular either, except for talismans and ritual supplies that are House-specific and therefore aren’t to be mass-manufactured.
- Notable civilian tech:
- Advanced hydroponics and synthetic foods
- Genetic engineering
- Radiation resistance
o EconomyAngar has a multi-tiered planned economy. The High Council determines the focus of production and the distribution of resources, while the Parishes, Clans, and Houses have finer levels of control in their areas.
Som is the Angari currency. A fixed pricing system is in use, with 1 som equal to one hour of work necessary to produce a commodity. (Government calculations are used to determine the amount of work in any particular case.)
Generally, som is used as an ephemeral currency. It measures the value of the commodities, but Clans and Houses operate on more of a barter system, with som values only ensuring equality of the goods exchanged. In individual daily life, where it's impractical to prepare trade contracts (e.g. when buying groceries or engaging in entertainment), som can be used as an actual currency. There is no physical form for som, and any exchange takes place via the planet-wide online banking system.
Angar has automated most of the processes pertaining to resource extraction. Several mines on uninhabitable planets are run by (non-sapient) droids, with a rotation of Angari personnel on-site in case of emergency. Agriculture relies predominantly on hydroponics and synthetic food production.
- Trade craft:
Interplanetary travel (both freight and passenger) is predominantly conducted via scheduled droid-run shuttles. The fleet is several millennia old, dating back to the establishment of the colonies. It's slow, as space travel has never been prioritized as an area of research in Angar, but it's kept in good condition.
Personal interplanetary transport is a luxury that only a few can afford, and of those few, most do not bother.
o MilitaryThere has never been a wide-scale internal conflict in Angar. Military titles are a mark of prestige more than anything else, usually correlating with one’s social status.
Military training relies on procedures that were in use during the secession from Solis Ecclesia. They have not been updated ever since.
Angar’s borders are patrolled by droid-controlled small spacecraft. The protocols for detecting enemy presence are still in place, though they haven’t been triggered in millennia.
- Size/Organization: 1 billion (including reserves), around 50 million active conscripts at any given time
- Land forces: Law enforcement numbers are minimal since the crime rate is very low. Mostly, land forces are used to deal with catastrophes, disease outbreaks, and mentally unstable citizens.
- Naval forces: around 50000 military spacecraft. 20000 are droid-controlled partol and recon vehicles. 50 capital ships are stationed in space as the outside defence perimeter, currently in power-saving standby mode. The remainder are medium-sized craft of various fighting capabilities. In case of conflict, civilian inter-system shuttles will be used to transport supplies and military personnel within the boundaries of Andar.
All the fleet dates back to the years immediately after the secession. It is kept in stellar condition, however, it is certainly outdated by galactic standards. - Notable military tech:
- Each inhabited planet has a defence-oriented station orbiting it. Such a station is armed with heavy artillery and will be used to oppose enemy capital ships in case of conflict.
- Anti-radiation domes that cover all Angari settlements are capable, to a degree, of withstanding nuclear bombardment. However, their primary purpose is environmental shielding, not military defence. There is room for them to be reinforced at a future date, but as of now, they won't withstand blunt force for long. The shielding and radiation filters themselves might also be vulnerable to types of weaponry unknown to Angarieni.
o Territory MapsTBA