[hider=Nation:] [i]“Heaven awaits us”, National Motto [/i]

Official Name: The Loyal Knights and Servants of the Konjan Faith (Paardveid Republic)

Denonym: Konjan (Paardveidan)

Capital: Paardveid – A rogue world, dark and cold. It is still unknown how this planet is capable of supporting life, as the nearest sun is too far away to provide heat and light, yet plants and animals grow and live on its surface.[/hider]

[hider=Flag:] [img]https://britishcountyflags.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/insert-image-1-county-flag-of-northamptonshire-2.png?w=640[/img][/hider]

[hider=Species:] [i]“Sin-sik”. What kind of name is that? Can't we just be something like 'the Pale People' or something?” Seneschal Aeka, having read a list of races the Republic had discovered[/i]

Species Name: Sinnsyk

Species Appearance: Pale skinned, varying from totally white to light blue. Females average 5'6”, males 5'0”. Females have a faster metabolism, resist the heat and cold better and have greater physical strength. In return, men tend to be smaller, more agile and have stronger immune systems. Physically, they never appear to age outside of the late twenties. Outside of this, Sinnsyk appear mostly humanoid.
[hider=Appearance][img]http://static.zerochan.net/Coron.full.1435588.jpg[/img] Chancellor Innes, a typical, though short, Sinnsyk female[/hider]

Species Abilities: Regardless of gender, all Sinnsyk have excellent night vision, but are sensitive to light. They can detect magnetic and electronic pulses in the air, to the point that it can drive them crazy if they stand in a magnetic field or near computers for too long. They are naturally light-footed and swift. 
They are mentally delicate and can go insane quite quickly. Most are already a little loopy.
Life statistics: Childhood lasts for fifteen years after birth, then there are five years of rapid development into adulthood. Male-female split is somewhat even, 40% male, 60% female. Life expectancy is about 150 to 250 years. [/hider]

[hider=Government:] [i]“I'm a puppet that pulls strings” Patriarch Aedus “the Cynical” to a visiting ambassador, explaining the government form.[/i]

Government Type: Hereditary Theocratic Dictatorial Republic

Succession Laws: Primogeniture Enatic-Cognatic 

Description: Technically a theocracy, the autocrat at the top – either a Matriarch or a Patriarch – is also the religious leader. The oldest female child of the previous autocrat inherits, but males can inherit if there are no female heirs. Positions of nobility and importance are only available to other members of the church, however honorary, non-religious titles can be offered to those who aid the Republic. 

Foreign Policy: At the mercy of the church and Republic. Generally, small groups of foreigners must either adapt to Paardveidan culture or be exiled, whilst large groups are gradually integrated. The church is notably zealous and has been known to declare crusades on foreigners who refuse to accept their will. Despite having joint leadership of church and state, the Matriarch cannot order a crusade to stand down, but they can refuse Republican help. On the other hand, Republican regions are considered more tolerant and welcoming to other faiths and races, though integration is still encouraged.

Feudal System: Every nation, planet and system, except the capital,  is firmly in the grip of the church. If the area in question is held by someone with Republic but not church backing, it is considered a vassal rather than a full-fledged member of the Republic. If the vassal accepts the Konjan Faith, it is annexed and the current leaders are replaced by priestesses.

Important People:
Patriarch Weyss -  The face of the Republic, Weyss is solemn, serious and clever. His loyalty lies first and foremost to the Republic and this, combined with a pragmatic and cynical attitude has lead to some dangerous conflicts with the church. He thinks they are old-fashioned, they find him too young and heretical to understand. Male leaders are rare, so Weyss is rather paranoid that the church will attempt to overthrow him.
Chancellor Innes – A meeting with the Chancellor is not something soon forgotten. Innes is not altogether there. Everyone who has ever met has come away slightly disturbed without really being sure why. Maybe it's her lack of blinking, or perhaps the half-smile that constantly plays around her mouth. And let's not even start on her “diary”, described by a servant as “a book full of crazy”. Despite it all, Innes has proven an exceptional Chancellor, securing the loyalty of church matriarchs and rebellious nobles. She is also 100%, incorruptibly loyal to the Republic and it's leaders.
Marshal Asta – Rigorous, unyielding and proud, Asta has many qualities that make her an excellent marshal. Coming from a strict military background, she knows the ins and outs of the army like the back of her hand. However, her arbitrary and wrathful nature make her a cruel and vindictive leader, who must constantly be kept in check. A common explanation as to why the Republican Army is so good at it's job is that they are more scared of the leaders behind them than the foe in front of them. 
Stewardess Gydja – Gydja has the touch of King Midas, able to drag money out of thin air – or so it would seem. As luck would have it, Gydja is greedy and doesn't hesitate to squeeze the funds required out of the average citizen. Many, both inside and outside of politics, despise her but she has the backing of the Church, so is pretty much unassailable. 
Seneschal Vigdis – The Seneschal is an important position in the Republic. In the absence or incapability of Weyss, Vigdis takes over as leader. She is second-in-command in Republican terms, regent and heir. She is responsible for the day-to-day aspects of government. Vigdis is viciously defensive of the republic and cares little for religion of any kind.
Head Inquisitor Temair – Second in the church only to the Patriarch, Temair hates the Republic with a passion. She would rather the nation went full Theocratic. It doesn't help that she is a total zealot, misandrist to the extreme – unlike most of the church, which merely believes women are superior – and a bloody brilliant public speaker. Resolute Republicans have lamented her high position, as it means she can push Republican interests the way of the church, whilst Zealots idolise her for her “defence of the faith”. [/hider]

[hider=Description of military:] [i]“You keep an army to uphold your faith. I keep mine to keep my people safe during your wars”, Matriarch Inga II to Head Inquisitor Hamys during a heated debate. [/i]

Militaries: There are two militaries – the eponymous Knights of the Konjan Faith, led by the church, and the Republican Guard, led by the Republic.  

Standing army: The standing army is split into two – the regulars, who act as a defensive garrison, and the territorials, who are given military training but are not actively involved in the military. The regulars are always active whilst the territorials are only called up during a war. The Republican Army is much smaller, but far superior in training. 

Military tactics: The Knights are heavy-infantry orientated, prioritising heavy armour and big guns to break the opponent by brute force. They are often cruel and sadistic to their victims and have no hesitation supplementing their armies with mercenaries. Republicans, by comparison, prefer light-armour and swift “hit-and-run” assaults. The idea is not to crush the foe, but run down their supplies to weaken their military power. Armies find it hard to progress if they have a million men without guns, or a hundred pilots without ships.
Even their spacecraft reflect this. Knights spacecraft tends to be bulky, heavily armoured, have huge crew capacities and be armed to the teeth. Republican craft is small, has large cargo holds, and generally one or two rapid-firing guns with pinpoint accuracy. [/hider]

[hider=Technological Overview:] [i]“We're at that stage where robots could do everything for us. Frankly, that just sounds boring” Author unknown, attributed to Matriarch Inga II[/i]

 Technology amongst the Republic is highly advanced, but seen by few. It is rare for someone outside the military to get a hold of industrialised gear. Things other cultures consider basic are rare in Paardveidan society. Computers are used only for communication, machines like dishwashers and tumble dryers don't exist, clocks are still clockwork. On the other hand, things vital for keeping a large-scale Republic have been retained. It is not uncommon to walk through a heavily-guarded checkpoint to enter a stone hut, browse the wooden shelves for a mass-produced painkiller and after purchasing it with hand-mined gemstones, return to your own wooden hut, turn on the central heating, take some berries out the fridge and play a game of Knucklebones to pass the time.
Areas that are seem necessary to advance are medicine, military, communication and agriculture. Every other aspect of life has been left in a pseudo-tribal state. This has its drawbacks, of course, but most citizens seem satisfied with their life. That is the issue with be so sensitive to electronics and magnets – many a researcher has ended their careers in an asylum, begging the voices to cease. There are benefits, though. The are not over-reliant on technology, they are not continuously exposed to the maddening electronic fields and their imaginations are vast – that might be the madness, however.
The areas that have advanced are impressive. Disease is pretty much eradicated and the newest strands are researched quickly. Advances in food storage and temperature control have also helped keep disease to a minimum. The army is on par with most of the other Empires that have gone into space, though the two methods of training are as different as night from day. Communication is comparatively primitive, has a nasty habit of cutting out unexpectedly and outdated just enough to not have to worry about viruses. Agriculture still employs workers to physically build, pick and sow, but food is generally cheap and bountiful, crop failures are negligible and few people are legitimately starving.
FTL has been achieved, but it is left for official business only - normal civilians are not allowed starships.[/hider]

[hider=Cultural Overview:] [i]“All men seem to do here is mate, and stay at home, and not talk to anyone. Can I take a holiday here?”, A foreign explorer, [b]” Everything you need to know about Paardveid “[/b], since discredited as fiction[/i]

Religion: Oh, boy. The official religion of Paardveid is Konjan. The church dominates the Republic, to the point where the two essentially act like some sort of conjoined twin. What started off as an attempt at charity and reason has grown and mutated into something twisted and corrupt. The Church demands the subjugation of men, the conversion of infidels and will exile anyone who questions them. To call it a "religion", however, is a bit of a stretch - it's more like a cult of personality. There are no deities or common beliefs, just a hastily written book that basically says "what the Church says, goes". Heresy is kept to a minimum, thanks to the considerable church influence. The worst part is that, thanks to the deep-rooted madness that has become ubiquitous in Paardveidan culture, it's hard to tell whether the Priestess' preachings are the word of the Church or spawned from some mental delusion. The laws enforced by the church have banned males attending certain schools, homosexuals are mercilessly persecuted, and slavery has become just another fact of life. Harems are popular amongst rich women, since untitled males cannot refuse concubinage. Heretics and pagans are to be handed over to the church, not the Republic for persecution.
Once upon a time, Paardveidan people worship actual deities. The common belief was that everything has some kind of energy or spirit and everything lived off this energy. Sometime after the Republic took to the skies, these beliefs were branded paganic and outlawed. Worshipers of the "Old Gods" still gather in small, nomadic communes, but generally live the life of outcasts. This is still a sore spot in Paardveid culture, and one of the many flags rebels rally around. And, thanks to the way the feudal system works, the many attempts to make this old religion tolerated once again have been met with failure.

Non-Religious Culture: Paardveid culture values practicality and pragmatism above all. Concepts like honour and loyalty are all very well and good when applicable, but some situations call for some stabbed backs and dirty tactics. This approach is what prompted them to go into space, since everyone knows large cultures last longer. This system may seem divisive, but it has resulted in some close bonds and unwavering loyalty amongst friends.
Insanity blends well with Paardveid. The frailty of a Sinnsyk's mind makes them vulnerable to various forms of psychosis and dementia. Foreign psychologists would have a field day on Paardveid, since most of the population has some kind of disorder. There are asylums, mainly to house the more dangerously insane, but you will walk past schizophrenics and paranoids on a daily basis.

Crimes: Crimes are not offences based on your actions, but for being stupid enough to get caught or cowardly enough to hand yourself in. Theft is obviously illegal, as is blasphemy and praying to "false gods". Not attending church is subject to a fine, draft dodging is considered an act of treason, owning an unlicensed pet is considered smuggling.
There are three exceptions to the "caught or cowardly" rule. Murder is evil, and the murderer is executed. Rape is abhorrent, with the offender being either castrated or spayed. Paedophilia or any similar offence to children is unforgivable – offenders are typically castrated, tortured then crucified under armed guard. The remains of capitally executed criminals are fed to wild beasts. [/hider]

[hider=History:]
Paardveid's history is one shrouded in mist. Even Sinnsyk historians have struggled to piece the parts together. 
Here's what has been established, though. A long time ago, Sinnsyk were but one of many tribal, half-intelligent creatures that roamed Paardveid's surface. War, disaster and overextension brought an end to most of the tribes, with the remnants disappearing into obscurity. With all challenge eliminated, the Sinnsyk were able to bring the planet under their control over the space of many hundreds of years. The Sinnsyk were never truly divided as humans were, as every one of them can trace their ancestry back to the same three-four thousand tribals. Instead, the planet was consumed by a vast meganation of Sinnsyk. Language, culture and custom was pretty much unanimous. That's not to say there weren't wars – but the main issue was religion, oddly enough. The old tribals had deities they worshipped equally, but now cults devoted to a single patron god had formed and they were causing divides amongst the population.
After a couple of particularly blazing wars, the Queen at the time, Alfsighr the Naive, attempted to have the cults outlawed, assigning a single religious leader to look after all the different branches and heresies. Well, needless to say, that backfired. The cults united against Alfsighr and forced her to stand down, and take her religious leaders with her. The darkest moment of Paardveid was easily this time. Anarchy reigned, as the cults grew into factions to be feared. Peace seemed to fade out of the Sinnsyk language as a series of religious crusades against any and all others.
Who emerged victorious from this? The Konjan faith, of course. Originally set up as a kind of nihilistic-hedonistic-athiest movement in an attempt to oppose the “religious fanatics”, Konjans quickly became dominant thanks to their lack of religious rules and emphasis on enjoying oneself rather than serving the gods. How times change.
When the Konjans shattered the last of their rivals, they set about instilling a Theocracy to benevolently rule over the now subjugated peasantry. But anarchy is a powerful mistress, and sinister forces were at work. As time went on, it started to become clear the Konjans had no real power. People did what they wanted, when they wanted, and it was starting to damage the Theocracy's reputation. So a few religious reforms were put in place – nothing major, just establishing churches and demanding respect from followers of the old Pagan gods. Then the theocrats went to work – Homosexuality became a crime, as it “threatened the future of the Sinnsyk race”, with slavery soon being legalised afterwards. Time went on, and more and more laws were established, turning the once peaceful dictatorship into an all-knowing and totalitarian autocracy.
People lamented this loss of freedom, and begged for the old days, when every god was equal and there was a single ruler who actually gave a damn about their people. Peasants united, as did many officers in the army, and plotted the downfall of the Theocracy. And wouldn't you know it, there was another civil war. The War of the Kings, it was called.
It took several decades to finally end the war, with the Republic being the end result. Theocrats would rule under the guidance of the Patriarch, who would double as the leader of the church. Much blood was spilled and many lives destroyed, but at long last, there as peace.
For now. The battle between Theocrat and Republican may no longer be fought with guns and tanks, but it rages on, words rep[lacing bullets and debates replacing battlegrounds. What the future holds is uncertain, and as the Sinnsyk take to the stars, only one thing is certain – whatever happens now may affect the fate of the entire Sinnsyk race. [/hider]


[hider=Other:] [i]“What do you mean, there's more to come?”, You, probably[/i]
 Planets: 4
Paardveid – the capital and homeland of the Republic, it is also the most densely populated. Paardveid's status as a rogue night planet has resulted in it having limited contact with the outside world. In a way, this has been beneficial – early Sinnsyk stood no chance of repulsing a large, organised invasion. However, this has hampered scientific progress significantly, due to lack of advanced materials.
Pferdreich – Nicknamed the “Crownworld”, Pferdreich has a warmer climate and brighter sunlight than Paardveid. Physically, this planet shares many similarities with it's darker cousin Paardveid, spins on a similar axis and generally appears to be a brighter clone. This has proven popular with Sinnsyk migrants and tourists, who have arrived in droves. Curiously, the planet bears no signs of local intelligent life, which has sparked scientific debate and investigation.
Hested – The “Secret” planet. What seemed a deserted and arid planet was about to be abandoned by colonists when signs of previous civilisations were unearthed. This planet was then swamped with scientists, who deemed it off-limits to anyone not operating in an official capacity. Attempts to research why the civilisation died out, or how they survived in the first place, have been promising, but are early in development. However, the end result could be greater survivability on foreign planets, so the area is under heavy guard until further notice.
Alkheim – The “War Planet”, named after the Pagan god, this area is off-limits to anyone outside the military. Though rocky and dusty, there are small collections of drinkable fluid and vegetation. Local wildlife is simple and hardy. The area his heavily fortified and serves as a training area and localised base of operations.
[/hider]