[img]http://i.imgur.com/DUQeWZg.jpg?1[/img]
This map is tentative and is very obviously me lazily shoving two maps together with MS paint. If anybody wants to make an actually good map I will love you forever.
[h3][b]Intro and basics[/b][/h3]
The World of Adara has in the last few decades gone through its second industrial revolution. Smoke belching factories produce goods at breathtaking speeds, Rail lines crisscross the continent like a great steel spider web, and mighty iron ships rule the waves. It is a time of relative peace but high tension among the Nations of Northern Adara as they look for any means to one-up their competition and ensure their nation's place in the sun. 

Enter the untouched continent of South Adara. Formerly left alone by their northern neighbors due to the difficulty of navigation or simple lack of interest and largely untouched by the Industrial Revolutions of the North; the Kings, Emperors, and Presidents of North Adara now look towards the south with hunger in their eyes. For some it is in search of new markets for their ever expanding production of goods, for others it is the need for new natural resources with which to further expand their industry, and some others even wish to expand to liberate the noble savages from their heathen ways and bring them in line with proper Northern society. Whatever the case may be the scramble for Southern Adara has begun in full force. 


[h3]Technology[/h3]
Technology is meant to be largely evocative of the Later half of the 19th century as befitting a game largely going for a Scramble for Africa feeling. Railroads and steamships are the chief means of transit in the North, firearms are generally breach-loading with jacketed rounds though smokeless powder isn't necessarily a big deal yet, automatic weapons are by no means man portable, and communication by telegraph is commonplace.  That being said this is a Steampunk RP and has its own set of fantastical elements to it. Ships tend to be larger and more powerful than they would be on Earth in a similar time period, steam engines are far more efficient than they have any right to be allowing for things such as steam cars (though these are rare and tend to be the playthings of the wealthy more than anything else). 

the single largest deviation from reality comes in the form of the substance known as Elan. Elan is a solid but malleable material(a bit like clay) that is found underground. It was eventually discovered that the combustion of Elan gives off a form of anti-gravity lift. At first its applications were largely for novelty or industrial purposes, Levitation making a great party trick and the lightening of heavy loads being a great asset in industrial work. It was not long until the first Elan powered airships came to be born and travel the skies. It was not long after them that the first Elan Warships were created as well. A new arms race was born overnight as nations scrambled to construct Elan Air-Battleships to dominate the skies and all below them. Thankfully these mighty steel behemoths are largely rare sights thanks to the massive costs to construct them and the inefficiency of Elan. It takes massive amounts of the substance constantly burning to keep airships aloft, and the larger the airship the more Elan it burns each second. This makes the range for airships relatively low compared to their coal burning and sea dwelling counterparts. This has made the construction of Elan fueling platforms a major concern for those nations that have embraced the developments in the air.

[h3][b]Rules and Guidelines[/b][/h3]
I'll try to keep things brief because I trust you aren't a total goober, but I also feel like I need to explain the [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f-Wd8iXfgk]Rules[/url] well so that there is little confusion.

-Don't god mod. This should seem like such a no brainer but somehow it isn't. For real, making a nation where "Is the best" is a major feature is not kosher dude, don't do it.

-This is not a Real Time Strategy game. Don't think about it like one. Is the military section of your nation significantly more fleshed out than the rest? Do you have every small arm used by your army listed but not the names of your leaders? If yes then your mindset ain't gonna jive too well with mine. I'm fine with having an in depth description of your military especially considering that it will play a rather big role in this game, but not at the expense of everything else.

-If you have a dispute with somebody then don't clog the OOC with it. PM them first and try to discuss the issue in private. If you cannot come to an agreement then I can arbitrate these disputes but they should still be kept to PMs if at all possible.

-Be excellent to each other

-Party on dude

-Also, not a strict rule but Hiders are your friend and help to reduce clutter. Please use them if your App is ginormous.
[h3][b]Nations[/b][/h3]
This wouldn't be a nation RP without your nation now would it? generally speaking the intent of this RP is to play as an Imperialist power racing to exploit the underdeveloped south, though that is not to say that you cannot play a Southern nation if you so chose. Having PCs in the south could offer some really neat Roleplay opportunities and I am all for that. In the end the specifics of your nation are up to you. The setting isn't really set in stone and we can work on things to fit in a whole host of ideas. 

[hider=Nation App]
Nation Name:
Flag: (Image or description is acceptable)
Government: (Describe how you country is run here.)
Economy: (What does your country specialize in? Are they capitalists? Mercantilists? Socialists?)
Leader(s):
Important People:
Desired Map location: (MS paint it on or in some way mark down where you want to be)
Important Locations: (Major cities, important landmarks. Go nuts here)
Cultural Overview:(What do your people enjoy? What do they hate? Religions or festivals of note? The more in depth the merrier)
Technology Overview: (Is your nation on the bleeding edge or is it more conservative? Is there any special technologies or area of expertise for your nation?)
Military Overview: (Now here's the stuff we really want to get to. Go as nuts as you see fit) [/hider]

[hider=Example Nation The Holy Kovalkan Empire]

[center][b]Nation Name: The Holy Kovalkan Empire[/b][/center]

[center][b]Flag: Golden blade wrapped in Oak leaves on a white field[/b][/center]

[center][b]Government: Divine Monarchy[/b][/center]

  The Holy Kovalkan Empire is a two headed state: one secular, one spiritual. The ruling family of Kovalka are descendents of the nation’s enigmatic founder, the Saint Koval, and therefore the Kings and Vicars are themselves considered to be holy by the masses thanks to their sainted ancestry. Considering that the religious and secular authority of the nation both come from the same family, in many areas the offices of the Church and State are one and the same.

At the secular head of the empire is a hereditary King whose rule is tempered only by a limited constitution and parliament. The King is the commander and chief of all branches of the military (except the anemic air corps which is the plaything of the crown prince) though historical precedent has placed the navy as the favored branch of service; the uniform worn by the King during wartime for instance is that of a High Admiral. The King’s right hand man is the Master Seneschal, who aids him in the logistical running of the empire and helps to keep the Parliament in line as the King’s representative.

Providing spiritual leadership of Kovalka is the Grand Vicar of Koval, a position also held by a member of the royal family. Whereas rule of the nation’s body goes to the eldest son of the previous ruler, the rule over its soul goes to his eldest daughter. The Grand Vicar is always female because Saint Koval is female, one of the few facts that remain about the nation’s mysterious founder. While they are supposed to rule together, the Grand Vicar is technically the final authority in all matters as she is the one who determines whether an action by the government matches the feelings of Koval’s teachings.

The current ruler of the Empire is something that has never been seen before in Kovalkan history. Her Divine Majesty, the Queen and Grand Vicar of the Holy Kovalkan Empire, Aleksa IV is an enigma within Kovalkan tradition. As mentioned it is traditionally the eldest son who takes on the crown but the previous King, Rolak I, had only one daughter. Facing internal turmoil as he neared death, he declared that the heir to the throne would be his twenty year old old daughter who was already being groomed for the Vicariate. Undaunted by the potential sacrilege she took the crown and unified both the church and government into a single body: hers. While hardly a tyrant, Aleksa is resolute in her decisions and will go to any lengths to see her nation’s ambitions realized as she sees fit. This has made her despised by parliament who had been making gains in their authority under the lax rule of her father. She in turn despises them back far more openly once going so far as to call the members of parliament a “pack of faithless parasites.” Her policies towards several ethnic minorities within the empire have also earned her a great deal of ire, yet her standing with the average Kovalkan citizen has been outstanding who see her expansion of the military and move towards further colonization as putting the Empire back on the path of greatness. 

 Economy: The Holy Kovalkan Empire was an early adopter of the tools and techniques of the Industrial Revolution thanks to the vast reserves of coal and iron found in the mountainous Kovalkan landscape. The Empire has been slow to adopt capitalist reforms to its economy, most of the factories in Kovalka remain under control of the Church, however the need to expand on the nation’s industry has outstripped the Church’s ability to keep up. Because of this Aleksa IV has issued special Warrants of Industry to some of the wealthier nobility and merchants of the country giving them special privilege to build factories of their own on their lands. 

Kovalka is a prime exporter of raw materials, specifically iron and coal, while most of its manufactured goods are for domestic consumption. While it has several veins of Elan the demand far outstrips supply and so Elan is one of their chief imports. 


[center][b]Leaders and Important people[/b][/center]

Her Divine Majesty, the Queen and Grand Vicar of the Holy Kovalkan Empire, Aleksa IV: Just entering her late middle age, Aleksa has spent much of her early career consolidating her position in the royal court and putting down several rebellion in the colonies. She now sets her sights and those of the Empire outward into the unexplored parts of the world to find great riches. 

Prince Adriatus Ingram, Royal Consort of Her Divine Majesty and father of Crown Princess Vin: The loyal retainer of Her Divine Majesty, Prince Ingram holds almost purely ceremonial power in the Empire despite being married to the most powerful woman in Kovalka. An incredibly attractive man compared to the frumpy Queen, some think he was chosen to be the Royal Consort by her Majesty purely based on his looks. 

Crown Princess Vin: Just entering her twenty second year, the Crown Princess Vin has spent much of her time ignoring her duties towards the Vicariate and instead is preoccupied with her role as Crown Princess. She has taken an especial shining to her role as commander of the Royal Aeronautical Corps which she commands from the deck of her personal flagship, the only Elan Battleship in the arsenals of Kovalka, the [i]Divine Right.[/i]

High Seneschal Baron Elend Highmount: The septuagenarian High Seneschal has been in the position since the coronation of Rolak I. He has continued to hold the position after the ascension of Aleksa IV and was a prime agent in assuring the Queen's legitimacy. He is a conniving, selfish, and perverted old man who flies in the face of all that the Holy Kovalkan Empire allegedly stands for but keeps his job and his head by virtue of being excellent at his job. The fact that his (numerous) vices make him an easy target to blackmail into submission by the Crown has also helped in this regard/

High Admiral Gerrik Ragnar: The first commoner to be raised to his station, High Admiral Ragnar is a career officer and the son of an incredibly wealthy shipping magnate who become one of the first merchants to gain a Warrant of Industry. Ragnar is a brilliant officer who was one of the first of his generation of officers to grasp the implications of developments such as turreted guns and ironclads.

Grand Master Raymond Balben of the Knights Koval: A gaunt and pale man Grand Master Balben has (never to his face) been christened "The Vampire of Koval" both for his physical appearance and the almost monstrous precision with which he carries out his duties. He wields the Knights Koval like a surgeon wields a scalpel, using his vast informant networks and plain-clothes agents in the field to crush dissent before it even surfaces.

[hider=Desired Map location]the region below Grodland[/hider]

[center][b]Important Locations[/b][/center]
Koval City: The capital of the Holy Empire, Koval City itself is a bustling metropolis full of busy dockworks and smoke belching factories all dominated by the massive edifice of the Royal Palace.

Nicholbury: The spiritual capital of the Empire. Nicholbury projects an image of immaculate beauty in its cathedrals and abbeys with nary a factory to be found anywhere within ten miles of the Basilica of Saint Koval. 

The Anvil: A resource rich island to the south of the mainland that has become the industrial heartland of the Empire. The towns located on the Anvil take the industrial revolution to its natural conclusion being little more than mines, forges, factories, and the bare minimum housing needed for the workers who run the former.
 
[center][b] Cultural Overview:[/b][/center]
Just like how the Royal family can trace its lineage back to Saint Koval herself, many citizens can trace their lineage to those of Koval's early followers. In the early days many flocked to hear the prophet's words from all over the world. Thanks to this the Empire boasts what could be considered a loaner culture. Many elements of the Kovalkan Empire's language is drawn from those of her neighbors and beyond. Over time these disparate cultures slowly melded into one distinctly Kovalkan culture. While on the surface the Empire seems homogeneous there are dozens of regional differences in the Empire from the way people say their r's to the foods they eat and beyond. 

As one would expect from a theocracy, the one true unifying element of Kovalka has and always has been the Church of Saint Koval. While little of the Church's early history remains known in the industrial era, thanks to the Stewardship of the Church the Saint's words remain as they have for the better part of two millennia. The divine is always spoken of in vague terms, whatever god is worshiped by the church is more like a cosmic force than a singular being. The church's message is a relatively simple one, God has given mankind the power to enact great change in the world, but change must come from within. It is believed that the path to heaven is forged in life by trying to better oneself no matter their station. The fisherman strives to be the best fisherman he can just as the King's and Vicar's are supposed to strive to be the most selfless rulers possible. Should everyone work to do their absolute best in everything then the living world will become a paradise second only to the world to come. The core aspect of this theology is the Chain of Being. In Kovalkan belief all are born into their lot in life as a link on the great chain of existence upon which all humans are linked to god at the very top of the chain. The highest rung below god is that of the Saints and their descendants, the Vicars and Royals. Below them the chain continues downwards from the highest nobleman to the lowliest laborer who all must do their part to keep the chain strong for when one link is weak the entire chain is weak and when the chain is strong all links benefit. This has been abused by Kings and unscrupulous Vicars in the past to mistreat citizens of the Empire in numerous ways. However despite these abuses people's faith remains thanks to the church's simple and uplifting message of self-improvement for the common man.

 [Center][b]Technology Overview[/b][/center]
The HKE is on par with most other major technological powers in most regards. Virtually every city in the Empire is connected by Rail and telegraph lines ensuring a fast movement of materials and individuals across the country. The most significant advancement to come from Kovalka in recent decades is the creation of the Elan Floating-Fortress. Floating-Fortresses are warships of a scale previously unseen before anywhere on the seas. More semi-mobile weapons platform and command station, such vessels would not even be capable of moving were it not for the Elan engines which bring their herculean mass down to more manageable levels. While originally unique to Kovalka it was not long before other naval powers had constructed their own Floating fortresses, though like Elan Battleships such vessels are thankfully rare for now.

[center][b]Military Overview[/b][/center]
The largest and most powerful arm of the HKE's armed forces is the Royal Navy. The royal navy has a very large focus on big guns, with an impressive battleline made of many battleships and armored cruisers. The pride and joy of the Royal Navy are without a doubt her three Floating-Fortresses each of which forms the nucleus of their three fleets. While vessels of all types bearing the Sword of Koval can be found around the world, the sight of a Kovalkan floating-fortress is a rare occurrence indeed as they spend most of their time either in port in Kovalka or out deep into the sea where they serve as floating colliers and naval bases for passing ships.

The Royal Army is cut from the same cloth as the royal marine corps and retains the small size and elite nature of their ancestor. The primary armament of Kovalkan infantry are single-shot breachloading rifles while officers are given heavy revolvers. Batteries of artillery and Gatling guns are generally deployed alongside infantry formations for supporting fire. There are few cavalry units in the Royal army and those that do exist are purely dragoons, dismounting from their mounts to engage the enemy with their Magazine fed lever action rifles and explosive grenades.

The Royal Aeronautics Corps is the youngest branch of the Kovalkan armed forces and is also the smallest branch. the HKE only has one Elan Battleship, the [i]Divine Right[/i] which serves as the flagship of the Crown Princess and is rarely deployed. There are several smaller aerial squadrons who primarily exist to screen and perform reconnaissance for naval and land assets.  [/hider]