[hider=Ouroboros Congregation][b]Name of nation:[/b] Ouroboros Congregation
[b]Species:[/b] The Ophis are colony-beings formed from swarms of eel-like creatures. The eels entwine their bodies and latch onto each other, sharing brainpower and muscle strength to form walking, thinking beings. The Ophis themselves are very difficult to permanently kill, as a surviving clump of eels can be regrown by a skilled caretaker into the formerly deceased Ophis, though they will not be exactly the same. 

[b]Description of government:[/b] Neo-Feudalism
The Lords of the Congregation each hold sovereign authority over their personal domains, reigned in only by a unifying Constitution and Congregational politics. Every three decades, a Lord is elected by the rest of the Congregation to serve as the Warlord; figurehead, moderator, and arbitrator. Only they have the authority to call the Lords to assemble for political discussion or to war against outside threats. They may decide to use these assemblies to reign in unusually unruly Lords, discuss amendments to the Constitution, or to give the other Lords an opportunity to witness the settling of a dispute between two others. If the Warlord declares a call to arms, any quarrels between Lords of the Congregation must indefinitely cease, and the Lords must each swear their allegiance to the Warlord until the resolution of the war. 

[b]Description of military:[/b] Each Lord maintains for themselves a personal armed retinue. The sizes and composition of these forces vary. Additionally, they maintain defensive fleets to guard their subjects from outside threats and their fellow Lords. These fleets tend to be small compared to the levies Ophis Lords have been known to raise, little more than a police force and border patrol to dissuade domestic piracy and foreign raids. However, Ophis industry and a substantial number of mothballed ships means that a moderate sized fleet could be raised as quickly as new recruits can be trained. Lords have known to require compulsory service and annual military drills to keep their subjects battle-ready.

[b]Technological Overview:[/b] Nuclear space age. The Ophis largely utilize technology developed thousands of years ago after their first global war, just prior to their second and final one. Advances have been made, however. The Ophis utilize both nuclear fission and fusion powerplants, with arsenals consisting mostly of mass drivers and missiles. Silicon computing is lacking, in some respects, but not entirely useless. Computers in the domains of the Congregation are intended to supplement Ophis scholars and warriors, not replace them. This is seen best in targeting and sensors; while many Ophis can often calculate orbital maneuvers and targeting solutions faster than their computers, they can't see in infrared or determine surface gravity and altitude on the fly. Because it seems a crime against god to take the Ophis out of war, scholars have not taken computing much further than needed to cover the weaknesses of Ophis. This limits their industry in some ways, but the Congregation and the Ophis have done very well in making up for it.

The Ophis make extensive use of cloning and bio- technology, growing vats of eels and tweaking their genes just right to resurrect a fallen colony-being or create a faster, stronger, smarter one. 

Among their limited access to exotic technology is their system of FTL. The FTL drive requires a steep gravitational gradient in order to be activated, with such an environment typically only found near stars and black holes. After the drive is activated, the vessel appears to be removed from realspace. Data on navigating while the drive is activated is limited, as the navigators themselves often do not survive the experience. In the event that they do survive, they are driven mad and mutated. These navigators can often be used for several more trips, if cared for. A few after activation, assuming successful navigation, the vessel will reappear in realspace at a steep gravity well near the destination. The gravity gradient required to deactivate the shuntdrive does not need to be nearly as steep as when it is activated; however, it is virtually impossible to safely arrive in a star system without gas giants, as the vessel would be immediately swallowed by the sun. 

[b]Cultural Overview:[/b] The Ophis weigh two aspects of a being above all else. Ancestry is the first that a colony-being is judged by. Ophis have keen genetic memories due to their unique physiology. An Ophis may have some vague memories inherited from their parents or grandparents, and therefore a grudge may (perky breasts because no one actually read this) outlive the one originally holding it. A bloodline's personal merit and their misdeeds will be the basis for which all their kin thenceforth are judged. However, ancient grudges may still be forgiven. Ophis judge next by personal merits. It is very possible for an Ophis to redeem their bloodline or at least gain status as an exception to the feud.
 
[b]History:[/b] Even prior to the Congregation's formation, there was a seemingly endless cycle of civil war that often resulted in records and archives being destroyed. This has continued long into the Congregation's reign. Few records survive, fewer still are consistent. Warrior-philosophers cite this is as one reason for the perpetuation of the Cycle.
[b]Other:[/b] App may be supplemented with edits as time goes on.
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