[b]Nations/Characters 3[/b] [hider=Sac War Redux][center][b]Isotope[/b] [b]AND[/b] [b]Monkeypants[/b] [b]present,[/b][/center] [center][b]The Antian Dominion[/b][/center] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/rxJ9gY4.png[/img][/center] [hider=NATIONAL] [b]-Capital:[/b] Laona [b]-Government Type:[/b] Constitutional Monarchy [b]-Currency:[/b] The Sove. A silver square like thing with a simple version of the nations flag symbol printed on it. [b]-Population:[/b] Roughly 28-32 million individuals. [b]-Realm Size:[/b] Super power [/hider] [hider=TRAITS] [b]-Unique Trait #1:[/b] [i]The last super power:[/i] The nation has endured many problems over its existence. from civil wars to religious conquest. It has created one of the most technologically advanced army's to date that has strived to perfect the art of killing people. This, coupled with large and well trained armies have given it a clear advantage in many wars. The recent fall of its long time rival, the Somnus Imperium, has left it alone in the face of the world. Many generals have access to various books and actual experience on how to fight wars and hopefully these tools will give the lumbering giant a defense against a force as strong as the dream plague. [b]-Unique Trait #2:[/b] [i]Well constructed society:[/i] As ancient as the nation is, many things have been learned that go beyond the methods of murder. Advanced construction techniques have risen from years of city sieges, techniques to make structures more survivable and bring in much needed water through massive aquaducts. Paved roads that originally were designed to allow armies fast and easy travel throughout the nation now help to spread trade and culture. [b]-Unique Flaw #1[/b] [i]Complicated government[/i]. With the general size of the nations population, many different governments from mayors to the senate/parliament/congress (king excluded) take time to pass laws. The massive size of the nations council of representatives makes getting things done difficult.. to say the least. [b]-Unique Flaw #2:[/b] [i]war weary[/i]. Years of fighting the Imperium and then two decades of constant vigil against the ever growing threat of the plague has created a tired population. There hasn't been riots but its no secret that the conflicts are taking its toll on the people. [/hider] [hider=GEOGRAPHICAL] [b]-World Map:[/b] Light blue, the nation before Somnus fell. Lighter blue, the areas taken over after the end of the war. It belongs to the Dominion state but is set up like a police and puppet state. The majority efforts of removing the plague happens here. [img]http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag161/monkeypantslol/gon%20beat%20dat%20dik_zpszouwm4ag.png[/img] [b]-Geographical Trait:[/b] (created by me in consultation w/ you. Applies to nations adjacent to the Plague Lands.) [b]-Geographical Flaw:[/b] (created by me. Only applies to nations not adjacent to the Plague Lands. Generally speaking to nations beyond the green geographical zone in the center.) [b]-Internal-Realm Map:[/b] [b]Overview[/b] [img]http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag161/monkeypantslol/NATION%20close%20up%20yo_zpsrub5u0l7.png[/img] [b]The north[/b] [img]http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag161/monkeypantslol/nothern%20part_zpsnck741cu.png[/img] [b]The south[/b] [img]http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag161/monkeypantslol/southern%20part_zpsdjbtkwsj.png[/img] [b]-Major Cities:[/b] [i]ka'lae[/i]- One of the largest port cities in the nation. Is the home of the southern navy. a very oceanic city that specializes in commerce. [i]Dale[/i]- The jewel of the south. Named after a famous trader and well deserved. Many exotic goods and animals flood the massive markets. It would feel like a strange place from the central and northern populations. It is the biggest example of cultural diversity. [i]Ferra[/i]- This city is on the front line of the plague. Most of the population has left over the years, turning it in to a sparsely populated city. [i]Iona[/i]- Largest city in the far east on the old Somnus borders. Still shows remnants of the war through its aging but still potent fortifications. [i]Grel[/i]- Largest city in the northern regions. One of the few prosperous settlements.the buildings here show signs of survival rather than beauty. [i]Nasita[/i]- Some call it dark and dreary. Well, it is. A major city that has fallen on hard times due to the war ending in the north. It is still wealthy but the general population is starting to feel their once glorious city getting stale . [i]Falnost[/i]- The capital of the ancient Jonite empire is likely the oldest city in the nation. Strange buildings exist in sections, akin to aging rings of a tree, each section with its own time period and history. [i]Borost[/i]- The largest Jonite city sits right on the coast in the northern part of the nation. It has one of the biggest dock areas in the nation and is a major ship birth. The northern fleets do most of their maintenance here. [b]-Major Castles:[/b] Castell Domaut: The castle closest to the old Somnus border, it overlooks the quickest and easiest path between the two nations. Surrounded by a small city that is mostly refugees from the plague lands. [b]-Buildings of Interest:[/b] Borosts harbor: The docks themselves are huge. walkways going far in to the ocean and giant ship hangars. Dry docks are located here. It is the home to the nations northern navy command. [b]-Geographic Features of Interest:[/b] The Great Mountains [/hider] [Hider=RACIAL] [b]-Majority Race: [/b] Humans [b]-Majority Race Appearance:[/b] Tan Humans who grow lighter to the North and darker to the South. Highly diverse Human population results. [b]-Majority Race Characteristics:[/b] See culture section for details. [b]-Minority Races:[/b] [hider=Jonites] [img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/34042add304265df47bf54c459e2c121/tumblr_nebrz09CEv1szbceio1_500.jpg[/img] These are distant human relatives are native to the mountainous regions to the west. Long ago they were prevalent in the eastern areas outside the mountain but were persecuted and driven in to the mountains centuries ago. When they emerged onto the global stage, they had changed drastically in looks. Their skin was fair and are a somewhat, pale dark color from the lack of direct sunlight. Most have white colored hair and have pointed ears that enable far superior hearing than the typical human. Their eye-sight is not quite as well as the average human due to their long time in the mountains darkness. That being said, their night vision is very good, tied in with their heightened hearing, makes them very proficient night-fighters.[/hider] [/hider] [hider=-RELIGION & MAGIC] [b]-State Religion:[/b] Ya'huanism. Nearly identical to Yuwanism. The primary faith of the Dominion is Ya'huanism. It is very close in pronunciation to Yuwanism. Most people outside often mistake it for traditional Yuwanism but just said with an accent. It is very closely related to the more traditional Yuwanism practiced in the south. Ya'huan//Yuwan: She is the chief goddess who had an epic fight in the stars with Justinian. The battle was so epic that the moon was destroyed and Justinian was cast back down in defeat. Thus leaving Yuwan as the chief deity. She has three beings that are directly believed to be the incarnations of their charge. They are said to be more like angels than actual gods. Ammae; The hero of war and justice. She is said to control the fate of the battlefield. Most generals and admirals alike pray to this god before battle. Kynnis; The hero of life and death. He is said to be the one who chooses who lives or dies. Most soldiers and sailors alike pray to this god before battle. Mansla; The hero of sky and earth, He is said to be the one who controls the wind and rain and fertility among other things. Farmers usually hold this one in high regard, to protect their crops. Above them all is the 'maker'. It is not quite worshiped as a deity as Yuwan is but it is definitely a prevalent ideal in the faith. It is supposedly the creator of all. The father of Yuwan and patron of creation. [b]-Religious Information: [/b] Other gods are said to exist but have been mostly replaced by Yuwans "angels" A god of war, supposedly controlled the battlefields before Yuwan pushed her aside. Some believers say that Yuwan fought her and won. She offered her a place by her side as a god of war, which she accepted A god of death, Said to have been the one who would find the sick or dying on the battlefield to accompany them to an afterlife. Is said to have been killed in a fight with Kephis. A god of the sea, An old belief that still lingers along side Mansla. He is supposedly a patron of anything ocean related. A god of the sky, wind god. Is said to be the father of Mansla. No one is really sure if he died and Mansla took his place or if he retired. Most just agree that he existed at one point and passed the mantle to his son. Prayers are often done at the beginning and end of the day. To coincide with the rise and fall of the moon. Jonites have a particular affection for Ya'huan as they are most active at night with her light always guiding them. [b]-Religion Demographics:[/b] Ya'huanism; 77% Justinians; 12%. These are mostly Somnus imperials. Red Pantheon; 9%; Remnants from an old time. They are praised in various areas and usually by those who are desperate or in poverty. There are larger cults in areas but are seen predominantly in the south-eastern regions of the nation. Dryadicism; 2%. Mostly in the north. [b]-Holy Relics In Possession:[/b] Holy hand grenade.of Antioch (Lulz) [b]-Holy Sites Under Control:[/b] [b]-Magical Schools and Curriculum:[/b] Magic is a prized possession in the Dominion. Magic has always been associated with the goddess and her will. Her angels are all said to be high end magical beings, using lightning and the chilling winter to either help or destroy. The unknown intentions of the angels and indeed Yuwan herself, has led to a very strict set of rules for not only the safety of others but the safety of ones self. Most of these powers are some more direct abilities that would confuse some. That random lightning storm or small blizzards at inopportune times. It's hard to describe and its unknown if its just lucky timing or perhaps actual divine intervention. [/hider] [hider=MILITARY] [b]-Total Military Size[/b] Roughly 480,000 [b]-Military Details[/b] The Army is made up of 380,000 soldiers split over four sections of the nation with the navy possessing some 40,000 sailors. The other 60,000 soldiers make up reservists and specialists engineers etc. All soldiers have training in basic agriculture and the army's mostly have their own farms to take a burden off of the privately or publicly owned ones. All of the soldiers in the army and navy is volunteer. Though the nation does reserve the right to conscript if need be. The army formations are usually divided in to brigades of roughly 5,000 soldiers which use varied strategies depending on the mission. The basic formation is a shield and spear soldier which always carries a back up sword or knife. Behind them are the archer companies whom use crossbows predominantly. The newer troops that use the Amakus are in special divisions that have a coupled gunner and heavy soldier set up. The heavy soldiers use broad shields to help protect the gunners as they fire between the shields. It has been an incredibly effective formation against the highly organized Somnus imperium soldiers. As the Amakus hasn't been fully outfitted to all soldiers, special divisions are created for their use. The armory of the Dominion is pretty straight forward. Any advance made in military technology is deployed as quickly as possible as to maintain order and simplicity for battlefield commanders [b]-Royal Army:[/b] Dominion Legionnaires- The standard soldiers of the Dominion are well trained soldiers whom half are seasoned veterans from the constant war with the Somnus Imperium. These men and women wear a light weight but very tough Jonite pioneered metal called Fhorride which is made in to chain mail shirts and pants. Above this, segmented leather shirts and below they wear leather pants. When it comes to weaponry, things are very straight forward. The basic hand weapon is a short sword. It isn't anything special to most but its light weight and broad blade gives it good potential with slashing and thrusting. Front line soldiers all utilize an elongated pentagon shaped tower shield. These are sturdy and angled to help deflect spears and crossbow bolts. To further bolster their fighting potential, they utilize a six foot spear. It does not have the traditional arrow head adorning it but rather a long metal spike. It is made for throwing and thrusting, A good portion of these foot soldiers are proficient with the crossbow. They are easy to use as they are direct fire with a standard draw due to a crank mechanism. These crossbowman have mostly replaced the long bow in traditional combat formations and it has been a good decision as it has been effective against the heavily armored Somnus Western army knights. This weapon, albeit newer in the armory is already being replaced by a far lighter and deadlier weapon, the Amakus. This weapon is a early long barreled firearm. It is easy to load and even easier to fire as it has a simple flint lock like mechanism and a single easy trigger. The shot is a solid iron ball. While these soldiers make up the bulk of the army, there are two other types of combat soldier, ones that are able to strike even more fear in their foes. Cavalry ride a special breed of war mount. [img]http://f.tqn.com/y/dinosaurs/1/W/D/K/-/-/andrewsarchusDB.jpg[/img] Sarosarchus are enormous canine like animals. Four to five meters long and weighing one to two tons the vast creatures are the staple of Dominion cavalry. First found in the north where the predators could roam forest and plain hunting everything from bear too turtle the Sarosarchus are often colored like grass and leaves and exhibit agility and grace that would seem impossible for their size. Reaching speeds in excess of most horses with perhaps somewhat less stamina the Sarosarchus are prized for their charging ability, easily able to overwhelm all but the strongest defensive formations though a combination of speed mass and the ability to jump above most men. Of course the Sarosarchus are war beasts, unsuited to the monotonous tasks of logistical supply for the forces at the front. To fill this role the largest beast known in the Dominion is used [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Indricotherium-rec2.jpg[/img] Vast monsters seven meters long and twenty tons Jarus have long hauled catapult and cannon to the front with little effort. The most prolific and if any force is to be feared and well known from the Dominion is their Knights. These soldiers wear segmented iron plate mail, longer bastard swords and light shields. These troops are highly trained to fight on any terrain and on mount or foot. [b]-Artillery:[/b] Modern Antian artillery has been advanced over and over again to decimate the ever growing numbers and fortifications of its ever present enemies. The catapult had been the long favorite of the nation in combat formations due to its low weight. Unfortunately, these always took a long time to set up and in today's more mobile warfare, a new weapon was needed to keep pace. The Ballista was developed in conjunction with the crossbow long ago. It was designed as a sniping weapon as it has good range and the projectile itself can penetrate thick armor at long range. Its long reload time and difficult setup mechanism has seen it mostly withdrawn from front line use in favor of the cannon. This weapon does see effective use on fortresses as it can use a wide head for tearing ladders in half with ease. A major advancement came with the invention of the cannon. The original Design was for naval use but after metal frames and sturdy wheels were developed to hold the cannons weight, it became a deadly battlefield weapon that was not only easy to transport via horse but also not requiring time to unpack and assembled to be effective on the field.. It takes time to reload but once its ready, the projectile can decimate ranks as the shot goes through armor and bodies with ease. newer shell advancements have been made but are not as wide spread, one is the gun-powder shell which fires a cast iron ball towards a target and will explode on or near it, sending shrapnel in every direction. A thing to note is that the fuse is ignited by the firing of the shell from the cannon itself so timing is a difficult thing, if the thing ignites at all. A recent variation is the bombard. It has been designed to breach thick walls with a 500lb stone that is fired at high elevation. Its range may be low compared to weapons like the trebuchet and takes a long time to set up and load due to the excessive weight but the destructive potential far outweighs any other siege weapon the Dominion has encountered to date. Aside from whats mentioned above, other battlefield weapons exist. Catapults are still made for sieges and battering rams for attacking city gates. These are always created on the battlefield as moving a five story siege tower from one castle to another would fatigue the soldiers pushing them by the time they reached the enemy walls. [b]-Royal Navy:[/b] The Dominion Navy, primarily located in the southern ports of the nation, has known its fair share of conflicts and despite the recent lull in naval action has nevertheless utilized all the technical advances of the Dominion to modernize into a frightening and proficient war making force. The main battle force of the Navy is the standardized Kynnis class warship. Propelled by Bermuda rig sails and with space for sixty oars in times of low wind the vessels are renowned for their range. Of course that isn't to say they lack in armament, with 42 guns spread over two decks and 21 guns per side the ships are well known as high endurance fighters that can give out just as much as they take. Also abundant are Interceptor class vessels, small sixteen gun ships that are used to hunt down pirates and harass enemy traders in numbers. Also used for scouting missions the small single gun deck vessels are versatile if not under armed. As for the rest of the force it is often spread around both various captured or single order ships, with one true exception. The Shepard class vessel is that exception, never built in large number but plentiful enough that some are in most every task force the Shepards are huge catamaran vessels that perhaps strangely lack any guns at all. Of course that is but a disguise, the true strength of the Shepard class lies within. [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Basilosaurus.jpg[/img] Barada, huge beasts, lurk in the massive ships, living three to a ship in large underwater cages and having been the product of extensive training they are fearsome beasts that have sunk many a ship. Excellent for unexpected attacks the Barada are deadly beyond measure once a ship as begun to go down, it is perhaps cruel that they are trained to kill all they are set upon, but it is what makes them effective. Aboard all these vessels are the proud sailors of the Dominion, equipped with a simple leather breastplate and trained for years in the knowledge they need few would call them anything but a professional force. Usually armed with sort barreled Amakus and shorter agile swords the priority in the navy has consistently been the elimination of the enemy before he boards through a wall of fire, of course nothing is full proof and the swords are a vital portion of any sailor’s uniform. [/hider] [hider=NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE] [b]-Head of State/Monarch:[/b] [hider=Tetan Serin] [img]http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/072/0/7/07fb5c241182ac0b25ce82bc3d6e61e7-d4sm9ib.jpg[/img] Age: 37 The third of the four sons of Reaus IV Serin Tetan was, not initially, ever expected to ascend to the throne. As a result he was often shunned by his father while the firstborn was raised to rule. Seeking an escape from the oppressive and condescending court Tetan joined the military and serves in the western war, seeing action on two occasions before it ended. Coming home Tetan was stunned to discover the first born in the family line was dead from a hunting expedition and his father was ailing rapidly. Reaus, despite having shunned Tetan in youth comes to see him as a responsible soldier in comparison to his brother’s flippant and pompous attitude toward most anything. In one of his last acts before passing Reaus IV names Tetan his official successor, bypassing his brother all together. The coronation went smoothly, however Tetan’s brother would come to level multiple insults upon him and descend into drunkenness before eventually taking his own life, a fact that Tetan has come to blame himself for. Regardless Tetan has strived to be a good king, prizing the opinion of the people and working to spend as much time amoung them as is possible while still representing them. This all compounded, eventually earning him the name of The Peoples King given that he had on more than one occasion intervened to improve conditions in a village he had stopped in. Still a military man at heart Tetan often sees force as an acceptable measure, but from listening to the people has also come to respect peace the the desire for it that so many in the nation possess.[/hider] Speaker Sharod Kepaghe: He is the technical voice of the entire people's senate portion of the nation. When the laws are passed and edicts made, this man is the one who announces it. He is often near the king when he is in the capital. Sharod has short, jet black hair that is always combed back. He is quite the ladies man but most attribute that to his position of power rather than any notable facial features and an average build. [b]-Ruling Dynasty:[/b] [b]-Military leadership:[/b] General Terah Mavran of the 1st army central; Terah is a devout Jonite general who has long served the nation. He led the northern third army twenty years ago during the Somnus war. His attack was instrumental in blocking the northern Somnus army from moving south. After the war ended, the general of the 1st army retired and General Terah put in his bid for that position. Upon successfully getting the position, he has reformed the mid west sections of the nations military, changing out guards and working with the navy on improving marines. General ??? of the 2nd army south: General ??? of the 3rd army north: General Karston Lovrain of the 4th army central: He rose in the ranks after the war ended. He surpassed many battlefield veterans bids for becoming officers, pissing many off but he had his eyes on the prize. Years passed and he continued to rise through the ranks, winning mock war after mock war against other would-be commanders. When he got the position, he thought it'd be for the north or south army. He was depressed about this at first as it seemed like a boring charge, stuck with blocking a seemingly simple plague. With nothing left of the glory of the great war. [b]-Religious Head:[/b] The most holy, Talikus IV He is an older man whom always wears a hat similar to a pope of the Vatican. A devout follower of Ya'huan and her angels. He is said to have the power to heal people or stir up violent storms but there is no official verification of this.[/hider] [hider=CULTURAL] [b]-History:[/b] -History: Some two thousand years in the past the first precursor states of the Dominion rose in the West. Militant in nature and brutal in life the citizens of those precursors were ruled by fracticious warlords and seperated into three nations. Those three nations found faith in the ancient red pantheon and in the weapons they held dear. Fate would have it that those militant societies was bordered by the peaceful and pacifistic Jonites living out their days in their own empire. Born to the Yerhan family the Great Warlord set out to unite those various states. After many victories the other warlords united against him, seeking a way to starve off defeat the Great Warlord forged a pact, though with who is still unknown. Reguardless he set out and conquered the united warlords with whatever power ha had gained, the peaceful Jonites fell in a masacre not long after. Out of the ashes of that terrible war came the Dominion. In time the Warlord became the Divine King; cults of personality forming around him as the land stabilized and his victories grew in number. Yet at the height of his reign and at the eve of his greatest conquest the Divine king fell to his son. Though the son tried to control the cults that had formed the people revolted, his father’s work undone the land fell once more into darkness. Blood pooled around castle walls and thousands fell, but in time it became clear the Monarchy was doomed, nothing could stop the revolt. Driven by desperation the new King declared a peace and went to meet with those who had risen against him. Seeing the gesture of peace a compromise was made, a council of the people was formed and the King took a seat separate from it. The Council held great power and in the years to come even the state religion was changed by the will of the many and the banner of Ya'huanism took its place on temples even though none were made renounce their red pantheon gods. For a long, long time this meant peace, scars were healed and the many coalesced into a single indivisible whole. Centuries passed and though wars were fought the Dominion only grew with conquest. That very conquest would spell the downfall of the grater Dominion. Motivated by faith the Dominion launched a great crusade into the fractious land of the Drathan lords, hard fought battles plagued the army that had expected light resistance. Looking for a victory the Drathan lords poisoned the minds of the Eastern Dominion with promises from the Red Pantheon, a faith many still held dear. The Invasion of the Drathan came to fail, and the East came to rebel. Labelled the Somnus Imperium the new rebels and the Dominion met in raised arms and plated armor. Tens of thousands dead, a decade of war and a mere three miles lost by the Dominion, the war was as horrid as it became pointless; eventually a new peace was signed. It did not last long. The second war dragged on much like the first, but this time there would be no peace. The war escalated to a conflict of apocalyptic scale over the border, and little changed hands once again. The ending came only in collapse; the Imperium began to crumble from within. Few would know outside the nation but the Imperium had been struck by a nightmarish catastrophe, the Dream Plague had been born. Unaware of the horrors within the armies of the Dominion seized on the chaos and committed to an offensive on every front. Crumbling but still strong the Imperium managed a defense and seeing the rapidly advancing forces in the north committed more than half their southern army to repel the Dominon, once more the front was dead locked. However anticipating the move generals in the Dominion delivered the killing blow. It came from the Dominion own southern forces, the Imperium had misjudged the man power that could be brought to bear and saw its own force crumble. Surrounded and blockaded the soldiers in the North were left to die by the Imperium. As Dominion forces closed the retreating Imperium army found the nation in ruin, the plague eroding everything. It was decided that surrender was the only option. The remaining Imperium forces dropped their swords and the Dominion armies marched ahead to see firsthand the horror of the plague. The war was over and the two former enemy armies cooperated in evacuating thousands of citizens, leaving the east to rot. Now in a state of military control the Imperium remnants hide behind thick walls hoping against hope the Plague will end [b]-List of Historical Grievances [/b] Lengthy war with the Somnus Imperium, war was made up of meager gains by both sides with no real end in sight, the plague erupting from the capital brought the imperium to its knees. Many refugees fled to the Dominion for safety. The Dominion recognized the threat, and allowed this and then took the lands adjacent to its own borders. [b]-Cultural Notes[/b] [i]Northern Culture:[/i] Nordic Architecture The Northern lands, cursed with cold winters and mild summers the few who call the North home have become a hard people. With a history dating back long before integration into the Dominion the territory was once home to a great empire, though all that remains of it are stone ruins. While the early history of the North is shrouded in mystery more recent pre integration history favored many small kingdoms ruled by petty monarchs that true to their frivolous disputes never united when the Dominion marched into their lands. In modern times those in the north have little to offer beyond what they save for themselves. The least powerful and least represented territory the North is often the source of small uprisings but by and large most in the region are more concerned with feeding themselves. Pale skinned and light of hair the muscular natives are often drafted into the military’s most brutal regiments and as a result the Northerners are often viewed as savages, an image few care to repair so long as it keeps them respected. While the North may be poor in comparison to other regions a misjudgment about its strength has crushed many would be conquerors. Distant in the minds of most the North is a forgotten land, and most would prefer it stay that way so long as what little autonomy is allowed remains. [i]Southern Culture:[/i] Islamic Architecture Once ruled by a series of rich city states the tropical and lush southern region of the south is now home the Dominion’s large exotic goods industry specializing in odd animals, fruits, and the sale of equally unique peoples. The various powerful cities serve as a series of heavily used warm water ports that link the Dominion to the wider world. The south is often said to have been built on the seas bounty and as a result it is easy to see how the sea has become vital to the culture of the local dark skinned people and easier still to understand how the mostly forgotten ocean god still thrives there, alive and well from the ancient days of city states. Adventurous and willing those from the south are known for their significant presence in both the army and inevitably the navy. Perhaps nowhere else in the Dominion does martial tradition thrive as it does in the south where more than a few families have carried general and admiralships on their name for numerous generations, passing the torch from one hand to the next. As a result the south is often seen as a land of promise for aspirational soldiers. For all the good integration has brought the region in recent times some in the South have questioned excessive central control given the regions relative isolation due to the passable but harsh mountain range that separates it from the mainland. Though the question is permitted recent activities by some military officials have garnered attention. [i]Imperial/Temperate Zone Culture:[/i] Byzantine/Roman Architecture The largest ethnic and cultural region in Dominion the Midlands provinces are often referred to as the home lands, the origin of the Dominion. Home to tan skinned and hardworking Humans those in the Midlands are often some of the richer citizens in the Dominion even among the lower classes. While this has bred some resentment most simply cite the abundance of arable land in the midlands and historically domestic immigration has been high. This general wealth has led to a contented populace with a commendable work ethic and stability that as persisted even in the face of war and the plague. However recently burdened by foreign immigrants from Imperium the region has developed a strange attitude wherein foreign immigrants working like the rest are seen as good additions and those who do not are seen with distrust, disgust and general racism. Needless to say this in itself has proved a tremendous motivator for immigrants to work and local lords in the region have become immensely wealthy from the increased population to work ever larger fields further adding to the reputation of the midlands wealth. [/hider] [b]-Persons of interest: [/b] [hider=Morinth][b]Morinth[/b] [img]http://th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2012/319/5/a/dark_elf_ranger_by_rozen_clowd-d5l28xr.png[/img] Morinth... This girl is somewhat of a mystery. She is a twenty eight year old Jonite who grew up in the slums of Falnost. Her parents were of nobility whom wanted a son to continue their name. When Morinth was born, her mother begged to keep her but her father decided it would be best if they made another child and hope for it to be male. They had no desire to raise a child that wouldn't go anywhere in regards to her family's nobility. She became a soldier in the army and found her faith there. Morinth pushed herself and rose in the ranks quickly and eventually gained command of a small group of Bree riders. One day her group came upon a large formation of thirty soldiers. Instead of falling back, she ordered her group in to try and take anything of value. She single handedly took out ten men within a few minutes. The other soldiers said that she jumped from man to man, dodging killing blows and rolling between soldiers just to stab them with their own sword. Her mission was even further successful as not a soldier died and they discovered a very important dispatch which later led to a decisive victory. When the military heads learned of her exploits, she was sent to a special group of operatives that would assassinate officers or sneak to replace documents to mislead enemy soldiers. Her faith became prevalent during this time as many thought she was blessed by Yuwan herself with the ability to blend with the shadows or summon the powers of lightning due to a bow that would seemingly hit any target at extreme distance. Weather these feats are true or not is really known between her a Yuwan. The Church blessed her with an edict, do what ever is needed to protect the faith and then the council finalized it by giving her special permission to more or less go where ever and who ever if need be. She is one of the most dangerous people in the nation at this point and is likely known outside of it. A true creature of the night and a extremely skilled combatant. When she starts a mission, there are sure to be new widows.[/hider] [hider= Lord Komitus Braith IV] [img]http://l1304.hizliresim.com/18/n/m8u3f.jpg[/img] The Senate has many appointees, from murderous assassins like Morinth to Knights that are the eyes and ears.. and sword, of the peoples voice. Komitus is the most prolific of these knights who directly answer to the senate. This one is an extremely skilled combatant who wields a supposedly enchanted long sword and one of the navy's finest snub Amakus. His background is that of nobility. Raised in the upper class homes of the capitol, he became a land owner at the age of twelve when he was granted the location of his future home. His supposed destiny was to be a powerful senator or even a governor of one of the major cities but he found his called when the military called upon youths to help fight the Somnus on their southern borders. He had answered the call and was immediately put in to a reserve corps, overseeing logistics but he could see through the charade, a plan by his parents to keep him safe and one night he walked out, grabbed a sword and mingled with the foot soldiers. Since he had disappeared, many thought him dead but during one of the final battles of the war before the dream plague destroyed the Somnus, he led an assault on one of the major forts blocking Dominion forces from moving forward in his theater. His methods were straight forward and seemingly doomed to fail but he had some sort of charm, a powerful ability to motivate his men and by doing so, led a force of 700 soldiers to overtake a fortress of over 1000. They breached the gates using shields to defend against arrows, small barrels of gunpowder were set near the door and then the troops fled, letting the explosives to open his soldiers way. It seemed for naught as the enemy had ballstae and archer alike guarding the door way. He rose his sword in to the air and it seemed as if the sky grew dark. Black clouds had became darker and then lightning shot down from the sky as if Yu'huan her self was unleashing her fury. Ballistae exploded as the bolts of lightning struck.. men were shocked alive as the bolts crashed through their metal plate armor. When the storm subsided and rain began to pour, he ordered the charge. When they breached the gate, all they saw was death inside and cowering soldiers. He became a symbol of power when he offered himself to the church but the senate offered him a position he couldn't pass up, to be one of their agents, to go anywhere and do anything he wanted with the nations blessing. [/hider] [u]-Current national relations;[/u] [hider=Drathan Union] The Drathans have been a long time friend of the Dominion since Yuwanism took over the country many centuries ago. As time went on, various wars would come to the dominions door step, ones that would ultimately end with the Drathans invaded. (which likely had a big part in their decision to help) As time went on, a strong respect between the two led to a loose alliance that has prospered by trade and mutual protection.[/hider] Kingdom of Charlin Otnemarcasan Empire The Isoterix Shogunate Kingdom of Karkarth [hider=Hokksulgug] This one is an interesting situation as long ago, Hokksulgug was a province of the Antian Dominion. When it split, a major war which left the nation in shambles took place. Without the somnus imperium drawing the dominions attention, its likely to this day that the Hokksulgug would be a province in the dominion. Like a phoenix from the ashes though, Hokksulgug prospered from its independence. Furthermore, they even came to their parent nations aid during its time of dire need. Granted, the potential for invasion by the justinians played a big factor in the decision making process. These wars and the dominion recognizing and respecting the Hokksulgug, has created a slow bond over the centuries that has flourished in to a very strong alliance.[/hider] [hider=Aeieal] As the Dominion began to conquer adjacent territories to the north they encountered the infamous northern marshes. Aware of the rumours detailing siren like creatures within and seeing land further north of little value the marshes were spared the butchery of the early Dominion expansions and in doing so the gate to the Otnemarcasan Empirewas left sealed. As time moved on emissaries from the marshes emerged representing a nation they called Aeieal. While initially cautious of the beautiful yet undeniably deadly people the Dominion eventually decided that the regions value as a buffer in the north was sufficient to make a deal. While beginning as a mere agreement to respect the borders of Aeieal relations grew with time until trade, especially of the slave variety had become an important source of income in the region. Seeking to secure Aeiealas an asset one of the earlier Yuwanist kings proposed an alliance with the state to the council and despite misgivings over the diet of the people that lived there the council agreed. As part of the alliance that early king married a Vaelie and began a tradition that usually one in the royal family per generation would continue, though there were certainly lapses at times. In recent history due to the instability in the north and the fractured Otnemarcasan Empirethere has been a push to reinforce Aeieal with Dominion border forts, although the deal has been a long time in the making recently there is hope that a solution to each parties misgiving can be found. As for the tradition of intermarrying Tetan Serin's younger brother, Prince Oran Serin has carried it into the current generation after Tetan himself declared he had no intention of marrying anyone for the foreseeable future.[/hider][/hider] [hider=Expanding Horizons][hider=Circus] [center][h1]High Level Operator Six: 'Circus'[/h1][/center] [center][h3]Operations Councilor of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i][/h3][/center] [b]Height:[/b] Inapplicable [b]Weight: [/b] Inapplicable [b]Age: [/b] ~32,516,101 Hours of Uptime [b]Race: [/b] [hider=Neural Simulation]Neural simulations are, for all intents and purposes, individuals without a biological body. Rather, their minds are simulated by an advanced computer system capable of accurately replicating the minutiae of a living brain. It should be said that unlike most biological sentients a neural simulation’s mental capacity can naturally expand over its lifetime. With a sufficiently sophisticated computer hosting it there exists no need for a neural simulation to forget any experience or skill, a reality that tends to turn the mind of most neural simulations into a sprawling mass of connections hardly recognizable as the digital reproduction of a living brain it once was. Left alone a neural simulation can grow its mental capacity without clear limit. This natural process of growth can even be undertaken artificially, though this can result in depersonalization or insanity if attempted without proper know-how or preparation. As digital life forms capable of expanding their mental capacity neural simulations eventually, inevitably, become adept manipulators of the environment they live in. This is as true of neural simulations as it is of totally artificial intelligences. Data, code, these things are the building blocks of reality for digital lifeforms and with enough understanding they can modified and shaped in almost any manner imaginable. The majority of mature neural simulations are capable of dismantling most commercial security systems and encryptions. Rigorously designed military or corporate measures often pose a greater challenge and depending on their sophistication can prove totally intractable to even skilled neural simulations. It goes without saying that defenses designed to frustrate completely artificial intelligences are equally effective against neural simulations. Of course, neural simulations do have an inherent disadvantage not shared by true artificial intelligences; a neural simulation is fundamentally incapable of large scale multitasking. Though an extended existence will lead to a neural simulation gaining an understanding of its virtual world and how to manipulate it, there are limits to any mind built from an organic model. If a neural simulation aims to break a sophisticated encryption it will have to commit the majority of its focus to that task. While superior to unmodified biological minds at the endeavor, neural simulations cannot perform on the level of true AI when it comes to exerting a massive digital, or even physical, presence. There is no perfect metric for defining a neural simulations innate limitation at multitasking, but in general a single neural simulation can split its focus between thirty to fifty distinct tasks. Complex undertakings understandably require greater attention, further complicating matters. While limited in the number of actions they can perform at once, neural simulations do not lack another advantage commonly associated with proper artificial intelligence. Accelerated data processing permits neural simulations, like any digital lifeforms inhabiting systems with significant processing power, to perceive time as passing a great deal slower than may actually be the case. This is a result of two major factors: available processing power and the physical makeup of advanced computer systems. More available processing power simply allows more thought to happen in a shorter time, and advanced computer construction allows the brain thinking to physically operate at a speed greater than can be accomplished by the electrical connections between neurons in an organic brain. In practice such a perception of time allows a neural simulation to act at what organic life might consider an accelerated rate. Things can be done faster and decisions made before slower life thinks of the question. Whole conversations can be shared before an organic is able to utter a single word. However, is important to note that while digital organisms may perceive time as slower, they are still limited by the same physical realities as all other living beings. A camera, arm, leg, or anything else can only move so fast.[/hider] [b]Tier: [/b] Regional (4): 'Circus' may not be a true AI, but the inevitable growth of their digital brain over several millenniums has made the distinction tenuous in some ways. Specifically, 'Circus' is able to interact with computer systems in ways not unlike proper AI would. Standard data protection is likely to fall short should 'Circus' infiltrate a foreign system as even unfamiliar or encrypted code is easily decipherable to an aged digital life form. Additionally 'Circus' is able to process and act on immense amounts of data in time frames all but impossible for organic lifeforms. [b]Appearance: [/b] As a neural simulation 'Circus' lacks any physical appearance. Rather, mechanical, holographic, or simulated forms are constructed at will. That said 'Circus', like most neural simulations, has preferences. In most circumstances 'Circus' will present themselves as a twenty something human man or woman, though always with some additional and often gaudy flair. Sometimes this is as simple as showy clothing. Other times it can be so elaborate as to make one question whether or not 'Circus' had ever seen a human. A dozen arms, horns, spikes, wings, delicately carved and gleaming metal skin like some sort of automaton knight, ‘Circus’ has as many forms as one can imagine. [b]Personality: [/b] There is no being so world weary as god. Like so many neural simulations 'Circus' was born into a world without challenge, where sensation and experience were simply a thought away. A world without true chance, where everything that existed was under their absolute control and the only consequence imaginable was minor discomfort. 'Circus' is a being that has tired of control, and now acts with a unique recklessness and creativity. It is not unheard of that 'Circus' will disregard their own safety or the safety of those they interact with in the pursuit of even trivial interests. Onlookers would call 'Circus' callous, but such an observation would be flawed. 'Circus' may show an observable indifference towards the lives of supposed 'transient beings', but has also demonstrated tremendous empathy and concern for fellow neural simulations. Committed to their duty as an operations councilor 'Circus' is sworn to protect and enrich the lives of all those who reside in the central computer of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i]. While 'Circus' may unintentionally or even deliberately endanger themself or so called 'transient beings', there has rarely been a circumstance where 'Circus' did not prioritize the safety of the ships neural simulations. [b]Abilities, Talents, Traits, Powers: [/b] [i]System Infiltration (4): [/i] Neural simulations may be subject to some restrictions not shared by true AI, but they are still digital lifeforms. ‘Circus’ like most neural simulations lives in an environment of data and over hundreds of years has naturally become an expert in manipulating that environment. Conventionally secure systems pose little challenge to ‘Circus’ or their ilk, and upon entry sensitive or protected code can often be rewritten at will. However, serious military encryptions or systems with specifically designed anti artificial intelligence measures can prove extremely difficult if not impossible to infiltrate. In general, the more sophisticated a system the more attention its decryption demands. Due to the organic multitasking limitation shared by all neural simulations, many systems a proper AI could dismantle are too complex to breach. [i]Accelerated Processing (2): [/i] The rate at which a neural simulation experiences the passage of time is not a fixed one. Rather, it is directly proportional to the processing power available to the neural simulation at any given moment. Given a powerful enough host system a neural simulation can experience the passage of time many times slower than living organisms and gain a distinct advantage in the doing. [i]Robotics Engineering (3): [/i] With just under four thousand years of existence, perceiving time as slower all the while, many neural simulations on the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] have turned to the study of one topic or even many to bide the time. As a result there is nary one neural simulation on the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] that is not educated to the standards of most species experts. ‘Circus’ themself focused on advanced robotics and the creation of suitable avatars for neural simulations. 'Circus’ has more than a millennium of experience in designing machines and refining their functions. As a result the avatars they craft for both themselves and other neural simulations are generally far more capable than the organisms they might imitate. Of course, the topic of avatars is a touchy one among neural simulations, but while they are rarely used there has always been some inkling of a demand for them aboard the [i]Boundless Reach[/i]. Moving a neural simulation into an avatar isn’t so much the issue as not unnecessarily restricting their consciousness is. In general the sacrifice made by inhabiting an avatar is the dearth of available processing power making a neural simulations mind operate much closer to the speed of a normal organic than it otherwise would. Still, ‘Circus’ has managed to ease the problem so that the change in perception isn’t chaffing or disorienting. The avatars themselves can be nearly anything with a large enough computer installed and ‘Circus’ is always willing to accommodate the requests of fellow neural simulations. [b]Items: [/b] [hider=The Boundless Reach] Built fifty centuries ago to be the last hope of a dying people, the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] is a storied vessel. Its long history has led to both the starship, and its inhabitants, becoming all but unrecognizable to their predecessors. Once a generation ship hastily constructed and launched without proper supplies or equipment, the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] now appears as a cylinder twenty kilometers in diameter and eighty kilometers long. As to the people who call the lumbering giant in space home? They have both gained and lost everything throughout their as expansive history. Boarding the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] as men and women, beings of flesh and blood, they now defy such definitions from within the confines of a computer core. [hider=The Operations Council] ‘Circus’ may not be the sole owner of anything, but it could be said that as a member of the Operations Council they are a co-owner of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] itself. Tasked with the vessels administration, maintenance, and navigation the Operations Council was originally intended to take on the technical operation of the ship in order to free its neural simulations to do as they pleased in an essentially infinite simulated world. Nowadays the Operations Council represents the defacto leadership of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i]. Major decisions are reached through majority vote and there are currently seven voting members on the council. Under the Operations Council’s purview is the whole of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i][/hider] [hider=Locations] With an internal volume of just over twenty five thousand kilometers cubed the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] has more sights and sounds than could be experienced in a lifetime. However, few would compare an empty storage room to a sprawling factory. Some places are more notable than others, and among the most noteworthy on the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] are the following: [hider=The City] It is important to remember that the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] was once a generation ship, even though not a soul breaths its air today. As much of the computer infrastructure that plays host to the vessels neural simulations was added on through countless expansions, the old city at the core of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] has been left all but untouched. Stuck to the inside of an internal cylinder twelve kilometers in diameter and forty eight kilometers long that once rotated to provide gravity, a function long since made obsolete, the vast city has decayed even with routine maintenance. At one thousand eight hundred and ten kilometers squared the city is simply too large to properly care for, and many parts are in total disrepair. Neglected sections have been taken over by the plant life that was once housed in small parks across the city and now overgrown streets contrast pristine towers. While the ship is able to simulate nearly any weather within the city, it has been left to replay one day for centuries. The city has felt a clear morning, followed by a growing storm, and finally a rainy night for longer than most of the plants within it have been alive. The system that provided dynamic and changing artificial weather, alongside the countless others that once kept the cities inhabitants alive, has long been left in standby. The old city sits waiting to serve a generation that will never come.[/hider] [hider=The Nanofactory] Buried in one of the most well armoured sections of the ship is the Nanofactory. An immense open area overhung with hundreds of cranes and a floor studded with dozens of immense vats, the Nanofactory is the very thing that sustains the immense bulk of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i]. Each vat in the Nanofactory is filled with industrial nanites, microscopic machines that are specifically designed to process material. Should a sufficient amount of raw material be provided to the nanites through tubes at the bottom of each vat, and a blueprint be uploaded, the tiny machines will extrude the desired object from the surface of the vat. While the nanofactory is extremely capable when it comes to nearly any mechanical object, living biology simply cannot be reproduced.[/hider] [hider=The Drone Hanger] Although many neural simulations like to imagine little of note exists outside of the [i]Boundless Reach’s[/i] computer system, the universe still surrounds them. There are times when there is no choice but to interact with the universe at large, and this is where the ships drone hangers come into play. The [i]Boundless Reach[/i] was constructed with the ability to house a small number of exploration and transport craft. Nowadays the hangers have grown with the ship, and thousands of drones are contained within the vessels bowels. Used for exploration, mining, repair, defense, offense, or even personal amusement the various drones aboard the ship have a great number of uses. Of particular note are the remaining transport vessels, though rarely used they are generally relied upon to convey physical avatars of neural simulations to wherever they would need to be. It goes without saying there is immense risk in deploying a neural avatar away from the ship, as its destruction would destroy the avatar and require a backup be activated. To the inhabitants of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] who live in a world of data, downtime is death. A backup is a new person, not the neural simulation that died.[/hider] [hider=The Maintenance Tunnels] Beyond the eye catching areas that define the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] there are the maintenance tunnels. Collectively they represent thousands of kilometers of passages put together in a labyrinthine manner only decipherable to their digital creators. They are used to repair any conceivable damage to the ship or its innumerable systems. Of specific importance are those running to the primary systems of the ship, these are often much larger than their normal counterparts to facilitate the transport of larger or more sophisticated repair drones. These enlarged passages would qualify as proper ‘hallways’ on another vessel.[/hider][/hider] [hider=Systems] The Boundless Reach has many important primary and secondary systems; put together they represent the ships capability and the reason it has survived thousands of years in the void. Tested for centuries in reality and simulation the ships systems are efficient, optimized, and refined. [hider= The Gravitational Well Projection Array] One of the primary systems that the larger priority maintenance tunnels run to is the Gravitational Well Projection Array, which acts as both the primary propulsion and weapons system. The GWPA projects ‘artificial mass’ in much the same way the ships internal system creates an artificial gravity field. The difference is range and concentration. The GWPA can project an immense ‘artificial mass’ directly ahead of the ship as a means to ‘pull’ it forward, better yet it can project this mass at long range in almost any direction. While this removes the ships need for alternative propulsion, it also opens up the possibility of using the array as a weapon. Used in this manner an ‘artificial mass’ or even several could be used to destroy a target through sheer tidal force. If a target proved immune to such an attack the GWPA could be used to accelerate otherwise inert projectiles to extreme speeds by simply projecting an ‘artificial mass’ ahead of them. The GWPA is the most versatile system on the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] and it forms the backbone of the ships capability.[/hider] [hider=The Computer Network] Whereas the old city is a reminder of those who once lived on the [i]Boundless Reach[/i], the ships computer cores are a statement about its current inhabitants. Buried in the most well armored sections of the vessel and surrounded by auxiliary power generators, the ship hosts forty eight networked primary computer cores. Decentralized to mitigate the risk of catastrophe in the event of power loss or attack it is not an exaggeration to say that the cores are some of the densest computers to ever be constructed. Even then, each one is a sphere nearly fifty meters in diameter. One core alone could house every neural simulation on the [i]Boundless Reach[/i], but only in the most uncomfortably cramped conditions. As it is the cores are capable of simulating nearly anything for the neural simulations they host. Digital utopias where the residents are virtual gods, the computer cores are the very heart of the ship and its people.[/hider] [hider=The Shield] Every space ship capable of high speed subluminal travel requires an energy shield to combat the abrasive effect of micro collisions. While the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] first relied on thick armour after its construction it goes without saying that one of the earliest and most important technologies developed aboard the ship was a shield to address the ever present threat of interstellar dust. The modern shield of the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] is little changed from its earliest ancestors. Plasma is contained in magnetic field that forms a bubble around the ship, protecting it from incoming projectiles. Bright, obvious, and of limited effectiveness at warding off energy weapons, the shield is mainly for navigation.[/hider] [hider=Q Drive] The [i]Boundless Reach[/i]’s primary method of superluminal travel is the Quantum Tunneling Drive, usually shortened to Quantum Drive, Tunneling Drive, or Q Drive. By inducing a macro scale quantum tunneling effect in the volume around a vessel, the lightspeed barrier can be circumvented through instantaneous travel towards a destination point. The effect cannot be induced within gravitational or electromagnetic fields of large magnitudes, such as those produced by stars, as the energy required for tunneling exponentially increases as one nears the source of such fields. This leads to the drive only being useful for interstellar travel as it can be assumed that the offending fields are too strong for the drive to function within a distance of roughly eighty astronomical units from most stars. It's incredibly impractical to transport vessels more massive than one zettagram, as the mass of a vessel also impacts the drives ability to induce a tunneling effect, and even a highly dense energy source will rapidly contribute to the total mass at such scales. Miniaturizing the Quantum Tunneling Drive has proved elusive, with the smallest versions being ten meters cubed.[/hider] [hider=The Secondary Battery] The [i]Boundless Reach[/i] does rely upon the GWPA, but not to the point it is a liability. The ship is studded with secondary weapons to be used for both point defense and ship to ship combat. Large railguns feature prominently, firing multi ton shells at 0.003c and forming the core of the ships armament in the case the GWPA fails. Smaller multi spectral lasers also mottle the hull, largely used for point defense and object avoidance in debris fields.[/hider] [hider= The Emission Mimicking Panel Network ]One secondary system of great importance is the Emission Mimicking Panel network. The system is composed of thousands of hull lining panels which act as a rudimentary cloak. Usable while moving slowly or while the ship is stationary the panels act to broadcast a rough approximation of every spectrum's background radiation level while absorbing incoming emissions from active sensors. As it is not a true cloak, anyone who scans long or hard enough would be able to detect the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] through analysis of its emissions. However, the AEMP acts to make the vessel blend into any space, permitting it to remain hidden from investigations not conducted with the greatest rigor.[/hider][/hider][/hider] [b]History: [/b] Some millennia ago there lived a people who came to be on a world with air they breathed and water they drank. They lived, died, and innovated as all peoples do, but unlike many their time was short. Just as they began to make the first strides off their little rock in space a calamity beyond imagining befell them. Countless millions died by the day, and an otherwise unremarkable people were forced to choose between certain death and a seemingly endless journey through the void. This is how the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] first came to be. It is known that nearly a thousand years passed before the wayward people reached the distant star they had meant to be their new home. It is also known that they found nothing but desolation there. Starved for resources and unable to construct a new civilization with what meager supplies they had left, once again the people from their doomed world had to make a choice. This is how the first neural simulations came to be. Minds scanned, copies activated at the moment of the originals demise, the first of the neural simulations were born to desperation. With no allies but time they forged the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] into something new, and they set out on a new course. Where once it took many generations to traverse the stars, now it only took weeks. Where once there was strife, now there was utopia for all. It was this utopia, this aimlessly wandering vessel that ‘Circus’ helped create. As the [i]Boundless Reach[/i] hopped from system to system, harvesting resources and sustaining its create bulk, ‘Circus’ grew restless. It was time for something new. The path upon which ‘Circus’ embarked would see them elevated to the Operations Council, and it would see the great ship a doomed people once called home chart a new course. [/hider][hider=Iliyana Kis][center][h3][b]Iliyana Kis[/b][/h3][/center] [b]Name:[/b] Iliyana Kis [b]Height:[/b] 5’6 [b]Weight:[/b] ~130 Ibs [b]Age:[/b] 28 [b]Race/Species:[/b] Iliyana is a human, but the circumstances of her ‘birth’ differentiate her from the majority of her species. Gestated in an artificial womb, Iliyana was more designed than born. The result of an engineered ovum being fertilized by a likewise engineered sample of male gametes, Iliyana need not fear any of the multitude genetic disorders normal humans are susceptible to. She is one among thousands of siblings produced from the same modified genetic material. As much tools as people, Iliyana and her many siblings were created to be both ideal humans and ideal soldiers. However, they are not clones. While engineered samples were combined to facilitate the birth of Iliyana and her siblings, they were allowed to combine without interference. In this way greater genetic diversity could be accomplished. Perhaps more complex than simple cloning, the goal of the process was to promote genetic diversity and limit the effect of targeted enemy bioweapons. [b]Tier/Influence:[/b] [b]3[/b]; No more physically capable than any other fit Human, Iliyana is a threat because of what she has more than what she is. [b]Group(s):[/b] Harmonious Network [b]Appearance:[/b] Slim, fit, wearing her black hair short out of habit, all together these things make Iliyana a rather unremarkable woman at first glance. It is the scars left from a life at war that make her notable. Her face remains lightly scarred from the laser burn that took her eyes; each of which have been replaced by metallic spheres with small cameras acting as 'pupils'. [b]Personality:[/b] Iliyana can best be described as a flawed stoic. While not laconic by any measure, she makes a considerable effort to avoid expressing discomfort in any given situation. It would seem that to her silence is more valuable than petty quibbling. However, when she does choose to voice her protest the vitriolic tirades that result can go on deep into the night, often ending only when an inevitable fistfight begins. Outside of her infrequent rants most would characterize her as being artificially cordial. She speaks softly, answers questions directly, and comes off as utterly inoffensive. Yet she rarely speaks with genuine warmth. Her tone often betrays disinterest or impatience even as her words paint an image of courtesy. [b]Abilities, Talents, Traits, Powers:[/b] [list][*][sup]( [b]3[/b] )[/sup] ARM Neural Interface – Implanted in Iliyana’s brain at a young age, the ARM Neural Interface was designed to reduce the natural delay in a pilots reaction times by transmitting commands directly from the brain to the space craft. While the system is useless to an untrained pilot, experienced users are able to gain a significant advantage over equally skilled peers who lack the technology. [*][sup]( [b]2[/b] )[/sup] Fighter Pilot – Iliyana has extensive training and combat experience. While not the greatest star pilot in the galaxy, or even the Myrlian Belt, she is more than proficient. With fighter pilots sustaining casualty rates of 12-28% per year of service, her very survival is testament to her skill. [*][sup]( [b]2[/b] )[/sup] Military Training – Pilots, like most soldiers, go through general marksmanship and combat training. For Iliyana this training started long before it would have for most normal soldiers, and as a result she is proficient in a number of military disciplines. Marksmanship, unarmed combat, wilderness survival, Iliyana may not be an expert at any of these things, but she is a mark above most in all of them. [*][sup]( [b]1[/b] )[/sup] Cybernetic Eyes – Iliyana lost her eyes to dazzler weapons years ago, but thanks to these replacements she maintains her sight. Simple mass produced military grade prosthetics, these eyes are a far cry from the advanced consumer grade products used by rich eccentrics. They are capable of limited magnification, but otherwise are as capable as normal eyes, if not a bit more durable.[/list] [b]Items:[/b] [list][*][sup]( [b]4[/b] )[/sup] [url=http://imgur.com/Kxc1bnx]SF-31 Melierax[/url] -- Not maneuverable enough to seriously be called a space supremacy fighter, nor well-armed enough to be called a bomber, the Melierax is a jack of all trades and master of none. Used for atmospheric bombing, space attack, close space support, and anything in between, the SF-31 makes up in flexibility what it sacrifices in capability. With its two automatic railguns the fighter is capable of disabling main battle tanks in strafing runs; when engaging heavier targets it can draw upon two internal bomb bays and whatever munitions they may carry. Furthermore the spacecraft boasts extreme durability, able to go years without serious maintenance or repair so long as it takes no significant damage. [*][sup]( [b]2[/b] )[/sup] [url=http://orig12.deviantart.net/b58a/f/2009/289/a/5/reaper_by_kiolia.jpg]Light Gas Personal Defense Weapon[/url] -- Issued to all ARM pilots, this light gas gun is a cheap and concealable personal defense weapon. An automatic PDW firing 5mm projectiles at three kilometers per second, the weapon is capable of effective close range fire.[/list] [b]History:[/b] Forty three years ago the Directorate of Myr withdrew from the star cluster that bore its name, and war has been a constant ever since. Of the many worlds that once prospered under the gentle care of the Directorate, all but a few have fallen to pieces in the near half century of its absence. Sebet is but one of those orphaned and shattered worlds. In days past, when Myrlian Belt was a bountiful and promising place, Sebet was the site of a rare congregation of Humanity. Humans from across the network moved to the industrious planet in the hope of finding a new home away from a society that seemed ever more alien and unwelcoming to them. There they found what they sought, for a time. When the Directorate departed, and when the belt fell to chaos, the once hopeful people of Sebet felt only betrayal. Their precious bastion of mankind had fallen under siege, and they knew precisely who to blame: everyone else. Anyone not human, not one of them, was a traitorous enemy. In the early days of the Directorates absence Sebet did not fall to the barbarism of warlords like its neighbouring worlds, but to the barbarism of the masses. Purge after purge turned a human majority world into a human exclusive world. The people of Sebet might have been content in their genocide, if the outside world had not come for them soon after. While they hung the innocent in the streets the belt had changed. Warships belonging to ambitious dictators from other sundered planets choked the skies; Sebet was too precious a thing to be left to the crazed humans who inhabited it. To survive this onslaught that came from all directions the people of Sebet banded together and dug in. Massive bunkers, endless tunnels, enormous defensive weapons, Sebet became a fortress to protect what remained of its people. In those bunkers a new philosophy was born. The purge had not been enough; so long as the alien threat remained Humanity would never be safe. In the ashes of their once thriving home the men and women of Sebet formed a bond in blood and hate. The Army for the Restoration of Man had been born. After decades of war the ARM began to weaken, and this is where the story of Iliyana Kis begins. To bolster their falling number the subterranean xenophobes of Sebet conspired to create a new, pure, humanity. Batches of twenty thousand children at a time born from modified and replicated genetic material. An army of siblings, a new brother and sisterhood of man to win the war that had taken so much. Twenty eight years ago Iliyana was ‘born’ a member of the new second army. Alongside her siblings she trained from the time she could speak, preparing to smite the hellish foes of her people. At age twelve she was chosen for the space force and implanted with a cybernetic neural interface to improve her combat performance. At age sixteen she flew her first combat missions in the debris laden space of the Agrel system. At age twenty she led a fighter wing into a battle that left her eyes useless and in need of replacement. At age twenty four she abandoned her wing, her siblings, her country, and her people. Now Iliyana makes her living as a hired gun on the canyon marred world of Anne’s Hope in the Regen system. With the Melierax star fighter she escaped from the ARM space force in, Iliyana can threaten or destroy whoever or whatever a client wants in the desolate system that she calls home. Mercenary, Assassin, Guard, if it pays she’ll do it without complaint. [@Arawak][@Antarctic Termite][@The Harbinger Of Ferocity][@Rilla][@Circ][/hider][/hider] [hider=The Old Forest] [center][h2][u]The Old Forest[/u][/h2][/center] [u]Type of Government:[/u] The Old Forest has never had an official government, rather whenever a decision was to be made which affected all the forests denizens the so called Greater Beings, the most ancient and impressive examples of their respective spaces, would gather. This, often, resulted in petty argument and endless compromise. While the seemingly almighty power of the forest in ages past meant this slow and contentious decision making process was tolerable given how uncommonly a united front was needed, the pressures of the modern day have revealed its weakness. [u]Head(s) of Government:[/u] It could be said all the Greater Beings are heads of Government in the forest, certainly none would admit to being anything less, but in reality only a few among them hold real power. These notable entities include Shaetarae of the Dryads, Gerum of the Great Weavers, Keera of the Harpies, Tokar of the Grand Ursine and on the rare occasion they deign to exert their influence, Ooash of the Shadows. [u]Economy:[/u] Until recently the Old Forest had little in the way of industry, and in the past there is no doubt not a one of its denizens would have willingly engaged in the economics of the so called 'ephemeral ones'. Of course, the Forests denizens don't have the choice to refuse to participate any longer. After the first sundering of the Forest the Great Beings were forced to make concessions, and today they, begrudgingly, provide the world with materials and goods of the finest quality. Whether it be the coveted Darkberries grown by the Ursine, the silk of the Weavers, prize sheep raised and fed under the canopy of the trees, or even the magical deep ice of the old mountain, the Forest does not lack for exports. As for what it receives in return? Well, the Great beings cannot be said to have been ignorant of the circumstances of their subjugation. Deep within the forest the hiss of steam rises and furnaces burn hot, ostensibly to process the resources of the forest within the forest. Of course, industry has many uses. [u]Primary Species:[/u] Countless species live within the forest, but few if any are those that might be seen elsewhere. The thinking beings of the forest are in order of their numbers, the Great Weavers, the Harpies, the Grand Ursine, the Dryads, and finally the enigmatic Shadows. [u]Population:[/u] Somewhere in vicinity of twenty five million. [hider=Approximate Pop Stats] 70,000 Shadows 100,000 Dryads 2 Million Grand Ursine 2.5 Million Fellyr 9 Million Harpies 11 Million Weavers [/hider] [u]Culture:[/u] Every species within the forest has, in one way or another, its own culture and traditions. The most numerous species huddling in the undergrowth are the Great Weavers, colossal intelligent spiders that in ages past lurked among the trees feeding on wildlife and the unwary alike. The Weavers are perhaps the species that, for all they are misunderstood and loathed outside the forest, have most easily adapted their culture to the new world. For example, while the Weavers once prized and jealously guarded their silk, a material nearly as durable is it is lustrous, they quickly leveraged the humiliation of having to surrender the wealth of their own bodies into great power in the forest. Under the guidance of Gerume, the oldest of their kind to survive the sundering of the forest, the Weavers constructed great looms. Rather than stew in the shame of their new circumstances the Weavers turned the material they once guarded into a source of incredible wealth. Likewise the Weavers have adapted in other areas. In the past the spiders were reclusive, outright refusing to consider outsiders people and certainly not worth their time. At best, an elf or human was a somewhat mediocre meal. Nowadays, for all that it’s unsettling, the Weavers are the most talkative species in the forest, always engaging with outsiders where the other denizens would refuse to do so. The Weavers, as a people, were once uncomplicated. They ate, they fought when the Greater Beings among them demanded it, and otherwise kept to themselves. Their family units were nonexistent, rather ‘friends’ would merely set up webs near each other and on occasion engage in contests of skill in weaving or hunting. Now... Things are shifting for the forest as a whole, and nowhere is that more obvious than with the Weavers. Of course, in perhaps a great irony, where the inhuman Weavers have adapted to their circumstances the human-like, seemingly approachable Harpies have fought any effort to have them change their ways. Perhaps the difference of opinion is less striking, when one gets a look at a Harpies smile. Predators like the Weavers, the difference between the two is that the Harpies never regarded the outside species as poor meals, but rather rich delicacies with vital ceremonial meaning. Indeed, the consumption of elves, humans, dwarves, and their ilk was once an important part of Harpy religion. The predatory bird folk worship, fittingly, the spirits of the wind. While everyday worship is simple, rarely going beyond a prayer before meals, on sacred days the Harpies once descended upon communities beyond the forest in great hunts, displaying their prowess before the spirits in hunting the most dangerous prey. Those who were most successful consumed their kills ritually with their families, earning the blessings of the Sky-Witches who were said to hear the spirits of the wind directly and who possessed incredible magic. Such a blessing was what made one an attractive bachelor, a respected leader of the community, or even what permitted one to marry their beloved regardless of any feuds or grudges between families. Ever since the sundering of the forest the hunts have ceased, and in their absence the Sky-Witches have become reclusive. The Harpies as a whole fear the displeasure of the spirits for the species failure to honour them, and it has been said some have gone about... Illicit activities to avert what the Harpies see as the wrath of the wind. Not all the denizens of the forest have such... Colourful histories and practices though. The Grand Ursine, enormous bears often seen as the kings of all beasts, have never predated on the ‘ephemeral ones’ and have had little to reason to change their habits after the sundering of the forest. Certainly, they resent the basic labours demanded of them, but in truth it is not like they have not worked before. In ages past the Grand Ursine were the strong hand of the Dryads, so few truly loathe the labours that have become their new duty. The Ursine, creatures with strong families and simple lives, spend their days working, hunting in the forest, or tending to the berry crops they have so painstaking maintained in the undergrowth of the forest. They are standoffish to outsiders, but the Ursine have no great hatred for outsiders and if one manages to gain their trust they have much to offer in what is perhaps some of the oldest oral history in the world. For if anything, the Ursine love stories. Fiction, truth, a blend of both, the Ursine spend much of their recreational time speaking and listening, remembering and constructing. If anything, the rapid rise of literacy among the Ursine is what sets them apart. Of course, some of the denizens of the forest haven't had to learn their words from the outsiders. Apart from the common species of the forest there are the Dryads, truly powerful and enigmatic beings once feared and considered myth. They are few in number, some say less than a hundred thousand live within the forest, but all hold tremendous authority. Some have compared them to masterful statues of women carved from living wood, but even that falls short when one stands in the presence of such a venerable and august creature as a Dryad. Their skin is incongruously soft to the touch, warm, and impervious to all but the most vicious attacks. Their features are as lively as any other races and their vine like hair almost seems to glow as to remind those around them of the tremendous latent magical power within every one of the rare forest women. The Dryads are perhaps less of a distinct species as an extension of the forest itself, and indeed this is reflected in all their practices. While they disclose little, being intensely secretive beings, the Dryads often care for the forest, killing woodsmen, protecting saplings, and projecting immense authority while doing so. Such is their presence that the Dryads would likely have been the uncontested rulers of the forest in the ages past if it were not for their... Cousins. The Shadows. The name itself seems melodramatic, excessive, but in truth it falls short of what dwells in the darkest reaches of the Old Forest. For countless centuries the Shadows were only rumours, the only living word of them coming from unusually kind Dryads warning travellers, but when the forces of the outsiders came to tame the forest they learned the Shadows were no legend. Beings as real as they are fairy tale, the Shadows are... Difficult to describe. Even after coming into conflict with them, even after speaking to them directly when it came time to make peace, outsiders struggle to find the words. This is not surprising, seeing as no Shadows ever fell in the sundering of the forest, and moreover the mere presence of a Shadow invokes an illusory magic that disguises the creatures form. Only those rare and powerful mages who have seen through the all but impenetrable darkness that wreaths the creatures have produced a reliable account, calling them twisted reflections of Dryads. Those few have described the Shadows as creatures of the forest like Dryads, but with no seemingly mortal form. They describe static faces of wood permanently twisted in expressions of horror covering every inch of the vaguely humanoid Shadows, carved eyes looking out in every direction begging for help. Some use these accounts to condemn the Shadows as soul thieves, living demons. The Shadows themselves dismiss such accusations when they are summoned officially, but the suspicion remains. All that is truly known of the Shadows is that their relationship with the Dryads is contentious, and that in ages past the two mystical species have kept each other in check. [u]Religious and Other Beliefs:[/u] There exists no unified religion in the Old Forest. The Great Weavers may have a peculiar reverence for the Shadows, as do the Ursine for the Dryads, but rarely does this reverence translate into worship. Perhaps the only true religion in the Forest is the Harpies veneration of the wind spirits. Then again, the Dryads and Shadows have never spoken on the subject. Given the almost ritual activities observed in the Dryads most suspect they have a connection to one god or another. As for the Shadows, well, none ask them the question. [u]Location/Territories:[/u] [img]https://i.imgur.com/qLt6bfK.jpg[/img] (The Green Territory) [u]Climate:[/u] The Old Forest is a land of many climates, but by and large it is a temperate land. Warm summers, cold winters, none within have trouble weathering the conditions even when seemingly impossible rain or snow storms emerge from the old mountain that towers over the forest. [u]Military:[/u] The Old Forest has no formal military, indeed this was its downfall in the past, but there are rumours this is changing. Given the already staggering casualties it took to tame the forest to begin with such rumours are almost certainly unwelcome to all with an interest who hear them. [u]Magic Prevalence/Usage and Elemental Alignment:[/u] Magic is everywhere in the Old Forest and nearly every intelligent species under the trees practises it to some extent. The Harpies have Sky-Witches, the Great Weavers have the Gifted, the Grand Ursine have the Grey Ones, and indeed it is said every Dryad and Shadow is a creature as magic as it is physical. Great Weavers have an affinity with Mind magic, Harpies have an affinity with Gas magic, Grand Ursine have an affinity with Solid magic, and as usual Dryads and Shadows refuse to say. [u]History/Background Info:[/u] ((I need to talk to everyone about this!)) [/hider] [hider=Wulfberht][b]Name: [/b] Wulfberht [b]Appearance:[/b] By all accounts Wulfberht is an imposing man, towering over most of his fellows. That isn’t to say he is a giant, for surely there are taller, let alone stronger, men, but in any given room the chances Wulfberht isn’t immediately obvious are slim indeed. He possesses a well kempt beard that extends perhaps a hand of fingers past his chin and acts as the anchoring feature of his face. Hazel eyes peek out from behind his long hair, grown out in the Chlotar custom. Most often Wulfberht can be seen in Chlotar armour or garb rather than the native styles of his Eodaen culture and heritage, perhaps intentionally so. [b]Kingdom Allegiance:[/b] Chlotaringen [b]Tribe: [/b] Eodaen [b]Background:[/b] Wulfberht was once a powerful Earl in Eodaland, a distant relative of the king Aethelberht, who was never too far from Cantaware to ride back with a moments notice at his lieges request. It was in those days, more than a decade past, that he began to doubt the Kings brother, Badastan. Despite Badastan’s standing Wulfberht, who already saw the Prince as an unrepentant apostate, became suspicious he was conspiring against the king Athelberht. This suspicion was turned to conviction after the untimely death of a fellow advisor of the King who’d only recently voiced concerns about Badastans heresy. Seeing Badastan’s complicity in the act as a given Wulfberht flew into an accusatory rage, going so far as to call out Badastan in court and in front of his kingly brother. This would prove to be a grievous mistake. Despite his certainty Wulfberht had failed to find anything to substantiate his claim, and given the severity of the allegation this gave Badastan the only edge he needed. With a few honeyed words in Aethelberht’s ear the Prince had Wulfberht and his family exiled. Out of respect for the king Wulfberht went willingly, but not before he denounced Badastan’s heresy once more, going so far as to call it a cancer which would consume Eodaland unless it was excised. With no king to declare his fealty to, and a burning sense of righteous indignation, Wulfberht packed up all he had and set sail for Udos. The holy city was, if nothing else, the one place he knew he would never again be subject to the perverse whims of apostates and heretics. Beyond that, it was in need of fighting men. When Wulfberht left Eodaland it was without shame, and far from alone. He had not been a poor, or unpopular, man, and with him he took a small number of ships and men who were unwilling to abandon their Earl regardless of what the King demanded. Upon arrival at Udos Wulfberht would pledge himself, his wealth, and all those whose loyalty he held to the defence of the holy city. As it happened, it was not an unneeded gesture. The blasphemy of the Lamperts was well known, but rumours had begun to reach Udos, rumours of a heathen army assembling intent on breaking the sacred walls once and for all. It would take more than a year, but before anyone knew it the armies of the abomination Dalgiserius were at the foot of Udos. However, Wulfberht and his men were not unprepared. Months earlier they had departed Udos, and as the Lampert horde made assault after assault on the city Wulfberht waited. It would take another few months, with the Lamperts slowly wearing themselves down, Wulfberhts men poisoning their food and raiding their camps in the night, but when the fateful moment arrived it was all too sweet. As the Lamperts surged forward to make what they hoped would be the final attack, Wulfberht swept in alongside an Eodaen mercenary host. The Lamperts outnumbered them by more than eleven to one, but the Eodaens were fresh and charge stuck the stooges of Dalgiserius unprepared. It was, in truth, an unwinnable battle, but victory wasn’t the point. The mercenaries Wulfberht had paid retreated even before the Lamperts had fully become aware of the slaughter of their rear guard, but the damage was done. The Lampert camps had been ransacked, their supply trains burned, and their morale all but finished. While the mercenaries had cost Wulfberht the majority of what he had brought to Udos, they had done their job as any Eodean should and in the name of god, and money, rescued the holy city. When the Lamperts withdrew Wulfberht rode through the gates of Udos a hero, and in recognition of his role he was declared Protector of the Holy Sepulchre, conveniently replacing the last one who, by means of an unlucky arrow to the neck, had not fared quite as well in the siege. For years Wulfberht would settle into his role, hearing of the terrible events in Eodaland with only passing interest. Aethelberht had betrayed him, and the blasphemer Badastan would fall, in time. Such was gods will. What [i]did[/i] interest him was the young Chlotar King Cauroman arriving at Udos to solicit the favour of the Vestal Virgins. Wulfberht was among the first to greet the wounded Cauroman, and when it was declared the young King had been chosen by god to end the plots of the unholy, Wulfberht sought permission to accompany him. Leaving his son Oswine, now a veteran warrior himself, to protect Udos in his stead Wulfberht accompanied Cauroman on his journey back to Chlotaringen, and in the act came to know the young king well. [/hider] [hider=The Great Resurrection (WIP)] [center][h2]The Great Resurrection[/h2][/center] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/448236636090662924/451636304812179457/REZ.png?width=999&height=666[/img] [b]Brief Description: [/b] Rising from the Imperial northwest, an area relatively untouched by the Zuukid invasion, the Resurrectionists represent one of the largest departures from the Imperial ‘norm’ in recent history. The movement at large posits that the downfall of Humanity was a result of an ideological degradation brought about by the popular adoption of alien cultural and religious beliefs which were fundamentally incompatible with the Human psyche. In an effort to remedy this the movement looks to revive the ancient cultural and religious practices of the Human race. To this end Resurrectionists seek out, often fanatically so, any and all records of ancient humanity whether they be digital, text, or artifacts carefully preserved for millennia. The political entity of the Resurrectionist movement, or the Resurrectionist State, has pursued their goal of ‘reviving of the Human spirit’ ardently, and often at the expense of whatever ‘dissolute’ species has gotten in their way. [b]Claim:[/b] [url]https://i.imgur.com/wky3hER.jpg[/url] [b]Government:[/b] The Resurrectionist movement began as a loose alliance of like minded states, and even now that is ostensibly the movements desired political end. For now though, sacrifices must be made to rebuild the Human spirit. The Resurrectionist government is best described as oligarchic, with key ‘councils’ being tasked with the administration of everything from the Military to the reconstruction of ancient religions. While there may be hundreds of these councils, there are a few that stand above all the rest in the rather impromptu hierarchy that has developed within the movement. At the very top is the State Council, a small group of five tasked with resolving disputes between lower councils, dissolving and forming councils, and providing the final say in all decisions that may affect the entire movement. Its members serve lifetime terms, and their replacements are ostensibly elected by the lower councils. Of course, those elections are largely decided by the councils immediately below the State Council. These are, in order of importance, the Military, Ideological, and Economic councils. Among these important Councils there exists a constant tension, with each one trying to manipulate the greater goals of the Resurrection according to its own agenda. The Military council remains singularly focused on the war which has consume the nation for fifty years, and thus looks to hold total political power so that the war may be furthered without interference. The Ideological council, more concerned with civilian affairs, looks to counteract the increasing importance of the Military council by implementing representative democracy and decentralized federalism wherever it can, both preparing for the dissolution of the Resurrectionist State and keeping the Military from dominating the Movements politics. The Economic council tentatively supports the Ideological council in curbing the influence of the military, but has a much grander vision of the future; representative democracy, but no dissolution. The Economic council seeks to preserve the Resurrections status as a somewhat centralized superstate, and while it supports the Ideological councils attempts to prevent a dictatorship it also sees the utility in a single powerful figure. It has been said the Economic Council has its eye on Astrana as a potential model for a future Resurrectionist Government. [b]History:[/b] When the Zuukid invaded the Orion empire they never so much as touched the Imperial northwest, and this was something every refugee knew. The billions that tried to settle in that untouched region nearly broke it. By the time the empire proper had collapsed in totality the newly independent western provincial governments were struggling to even feed their people, let alone protect them from the depredations of pirates and barbarians. In the midst of that chaos the seeds of the Great Resurrection were sowed. Human communities in the Northern Cygnus Republic were the first to act, seizing the government and turning its remaining guns on their new neighbours. Those early butcheries paved the way towards the creation of a proper ideology, and by the time the non-humans of the Republic’s capital worlds were fleeing in their masses the philosophy of Resurrectionism was being spread by Elias Daley. What was a disorganized military government became the State Council, lead by the founder of the states new ideology. The Great Resurrection had begun, and once Elias had stabilized the former Republic’s core worlds he looked elsewhere. Advocates were dispatched to lead popular Resurrectionist movements across the Cygnus arm, and ships were built to support them. War followed, and in victory countless alien innocents murdered. Before long the Resurrectionists were simply parking ships in the orbit of already collapsing planets and demanding the departure of those planets alien populations. Many fled, those who didn’t suffered, but for the Humans who remained there came a time of plenty. Ancient culture was brought back and all manner of customs and religions flourished, the adherents of each one finding each other brothers aligned against a common enemy. Elias would die in his office as an old man, but by then the wave he started had become a tsunami. The Great Resurrection was no simple reactionary rebellion, but an ideology espoused by billions who owed their full stomachs and peaceful lives to it. For more than two centuries nearby states suffered Resurrectionist rebellions, both peaceful and violent, as the movement exported its ideology alongside its firearms and warships. Those who joined the fold willingly were welcomed, and those who did not were educated. The largest victory in centuries came sixty years ago when the powerful Nevin Regime suffered a Resurrectionist coup. In a day the movement nearly doubled its territory. What followed was predictable, the attention it gained was not. For the first time the galaxy, now finally recovering from the shock of the empires collapse, took notice of the Resurrectionists. The Neo-Scorpine Empire, who had bordered the Nevin Regime, was appalled by what it saw. The slaughter of Scorpine civilians on former Regime worlds by Resurrectionist soldiers saw the Neo-Scorpine Empire launch a preemptive strike against the Resurrectionists fifty years ago, and for two decades it looked like the vile Resurrectionists were being pushed back. Thirty years ago that changed. Markus Lahti, an admiral in the Resurrectionist Navy, invaded a nearby independent state to bypass the Neo-Scorpine front, and to the galaxies surprise manged to reach the Empires industrial worlds before a response could be mounted. The Neo-Scorpine front collapsed as the pincer closed on it, and soon nearly the entire Scorpine Navy was burning. For twenty eight years the Resurrectionists have pushed into Scorpine territory, capturing planet after planet, their advance heralded by enormous waves of refugees fleeing a massacre. Two years ago the Scorpine managed to halt the Resurrectionist advance, but at a great cost. It is clear to the galaxy at large that the Neo-Scorpine cannot reclaim their territory, but with nearly a quarter of the Resurrectionist forces encircled a limited peace may well be within the Scorpine’s grasp. For the Resurrectionists everything depends on opening the pockets and cutting the Scorpine core worlds off from the rest of their empire, never have the stakes for both sides been so high. [b]Military:[/b] [hider=Planetborne Arm of The Great Resurrection] [hider=Resurrectionist Infantry] [img]https://i.imgur.com/tnk230M.jpg[/img] The average Resurrectionist soldier is equipped with a Self Supporting Combat Suit (SSCS). While not capable of enhancing a soldiers strength, the SSCS has been described as weightless due to its clever design. The suit itself provides full body armour, NBC protection, and a sophisticated sensor suite feeding into a heads up display.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Heavy Combat Unit] [img]https://i.imgur.com/258TqYG.jpg[/img] A product of the Scorpine war, these six meter tall powered exo suits were developed to provide infantry armoured support in areas inaccessible to traditional tanks and IFV's. A single Heavy Combat Unit (HCU) is no match for the powerful mechs employed by the Scorpine, but due to their low cost HCU's almost always outnumber their enemy counterparts. [/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Armoured Fighting Vehicle] [img]https://i.imgur.com/fJZeGpY.jpg[/img] Often mistaken for actual tanks, the Werewolf AFV is an enormous fighting vehicle. Capable of carrying over a dozen soldiers, and armed with two rotary fifty millimetre cannons the Werewolf is a dangerous opponent for any enemy.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Heavy Tank] [img]https://pre00.deviantart.net/3eb1/th/pre/f/2016/079/a/5/goliath_6_by_shimmering_sword-d9vu13p.jpg[/img] The Leviathan Tank, ironically, is about as large as the Werewolf AFV. That said, the Levithan doesn't carry troops, it carries death. Armed with a ninety five milimeter Hyper-velocity Railgun, short range guided rockets, an automatic grenade launcher, and more besides, the Levithan is a nightmarish amalgamation of the Great Resurrections latest weaponry. [/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Surface To Orbit Cannon] [img]https://img00.deviantart.net/b81d/i/2012/052/e/c/cannon_by_haidak-d4qifln.jpg[/img] With two hundred millimetre Hyper-velocity Railguns capable of striking targets in orbit, or on other continents, the Revenant STOC is an important asset wherever it is deployed. [/hider][/hider] [hider=Spaceborne Arm of The Great Resurrection] [hider=Resurrectionist Dropship] [img]https://orig00.deviantart.net/91b8/f/2015/034/4/5/deployment_by_apneicmonkey-d8giqgn.jpg[/img] The Iolaus class transport is above all else, stealthy and quick. Attrition rates among troops participating in initial landing were high early in the war with the Scorpine, and the solution proved not to be armour, but speed. The Iolaus is designed to get in before it can be intercepted, and to get out only when the enemy air defences have been neutralized.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Fighter Bomber] [img]https://orig00.deviantart.net/3132/f/2018/125/e/f/tau_ri_future_fighter_i_by_scifidan96-dcaq52a.jpg[/img] The Odysseus fighter bomber is a multi-role craft, however in all roles it is intended to support other units. Its internal bays can be fitted with Space to Space, Air to Air, and Air to Ground guided missiles that serve admirably at range and see use in both ground attack and fleet actions. Its dual rotary cannons are used largely against other fighters or in support of ground operations.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Superiority Fighter] [img]https://pre00.deviantart.net/ac8b/th/pre/i/2015/024/7/c/scc_sdd_pacific_aerospace_ysf_16_leviathan_by_shoguneagle-d8f9qqr.jpg[/img] The Great Resurrection has historically used a number of air superiority craft, but the Bellerophon superiority fighter is likley the most successful. This is, in part, because it was designed to simplify production and fill the role of all other superiority fighters in the Spaceborne Arm. Agile in atmosphere and lightning quick in space, these fighters are designed to kill other strike craft and completely lack the ability to engage larger targets unless they equip powerful long range guided missiles, something rarely done due to its deleterious effect on fighter performance and thus survivability.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Corvette] [img]https://i.imgur.com/CRrT89M.jpg[/img] The Foch class corvette is largely a scout and ECM vessel. Often they are used for long range surveillance or special operations missions. The Foch is largely incapable of proper ship to ship combat, lacking weapons beyond a CIWS suite and a forward mounted railgun. [/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Destroyer] [img]https://i.imgur.com/UIlOsyu.png[/img] The Hannibal class was designed to screen larger vessels from strike craft and light ships, and it does this admirably. While most of the ship is dedicated to an immense CIWS suite Hannibal class vessels also have four dual gun turrets for engaging corvettes and destroyers.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Cruiser] [img]https://i.imgur.com/rcWl87j.jpg[/img] The bread and butter of the Resurrectionist Spaceborne Arm is the Alexander class. This venerable vessel was designed with one goal, fighting other capital ships and remaining in the fight as long as possible. The Alexander is massively redundant, heavily armed, and used in masses to form the bulk of the Spaceborne Arm.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Carrier] [img]https://img00.deviantart.net/61e3/i/2018/148/6/f/tau_ri_fleet__ellis_class_or_bc_304b_class_2055_by_scifidan96-dccugso.jpg[/img] All navies need a carrier, and the Nelson class is The Great Resurrections response to this need. Largely a back line vessel the Nelson isn’t designed for direct combat, thought it is far from unarmed. Ideally the Nelson would use its large engine array to flee a battle on the verge of being lost, but if that is impossible these carriers are often able to punch above their wight class, even if not for long.[/hider] [hider=Resurrectionist Battlecruiser] [img]https://i.imgur.com/rsDjPZJ.jpg[/img] The Napoleon class, once called the artillery of space. Unlike most nations Battlecruisers and Battleships the Napoleon would be quite useless in close combat, but from range it is one of the most frightening ships in the galaxy. If it can be protected by its fleet the battlecruiser is able to being a number of astonishingly large railguns to bear alongside a plethora of vast long range missiles..[/hider][/hider] [b]Religion/Culture:[/b] The Resurrection looks to revive all the pre-Imperial religions and cultures of Humanity, but in a way it has come to have its own distinct culture. Elias Daley started the Resurrection by assembling and penning his interpretation of the many beliefs of the early anti-alien movements, and in doing so he founded an ideology that has come to be as important as religion to some. Daley posited that the Human mind, even if modified through the use of technology, remains fundamentally Human. As such, it could only ever be compatible with original Human thought. Alien culture and religion were corrosive influences because, while the Human mind may be able to interpret them, on a basic level it could never accept them. As a result, adopting alien beliefs and ideas would lead to a sort of subconscious cognitive dissonance taking hold of the Human mind. Such dissonance would cause mental stress that if left unaddressed would result in complacency, laziness, mediocrity of all sorts. No creature can function well under constant stress, and as a result what makes that creature great, its very spirit, would begin to wither. In the end Daley sought to revive what he saw as the Human spirit. The Empire was the first to attack it, and as a result it was doomed to fail when its populace became unable to properly defend it. To the population of the Great Resurrection Daley’s theories are gospel, a sort of religion beyond religion. The quixotic goal of the Resurrection and its people is the construction of a Human paradise where all can accomplish what they dream. [b]Demographics (Species):[/b] 92% Human (Citizen) 8% Assorted Species (Non-Citizen) [b]Characters:[/b] [hider=Olivia Lahti][img]https://i.imgur.com/cut4aB4.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Kaisa Lahti][img]https://i.imgur.com/0vWBFeR.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Anton Lahti][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/462290978347155457/464998309468045322/by_aimeeyon-d77yhvf.png[/img][/hider] [hider=Abraham White][img]https://i.imgur.com/jMhyPC6.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Lucien Gulliot][img]https://i.imgur.com/PBT38th.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Mustafa Bahar][img]https://i.imgur.com/k31SFmJ.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Jeremiah Thompson][img]https://i.imgur.com/Os2hvAJ.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Anya Pushkina][img]https://i.imgur.com/7Aomkcf.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Adilyn Tremblay][img]https://i.imgur.com/7T4cMaj.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Evi Mayer][img]https://i.imgur.com/09VyM8u.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Heidi Baier][img]https://i.imgur.com/SU7HTlE.jpg[/img][/hider] [b]Relations:[/b] (Talk to people! This section in NRPs often goes neglected, but it's important for other characters making their own NSs.) [b]Habitation:[/b] (How and where people live; preferred modes of transportation, stuff like that) [/hider]