[center][img]https://web.archive.org/web/20130608080625/http://japancinema.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/artofthedevilIII2.jpg[/img][/center]
[center][img]http://cinema.com/image_lib/7803_007.jpg[/img][/center]

[hider=The Lancer - Chinatsu's intro post from the OOC]The bright orange-red sun spilt rays of light across the bleak wastelands that encompassed in all directions. Among the sea of dirt, sand and the derelict resemblance of civilization was a motor vehicle that steadily made itself across the expanse, holding two individuals of very different worlds. Kandy surveyed for threats with autopilot on while Chinatsu was recovering from an expensive synthetic memory surgery. They spent most of the day in contemplative silence, which was normal for both of them for separate reasons. Kandy, feeling concerned, inquired invitingly

[right]“You seem restless. I could only imagine being in your shoes.”[/right]

Chinatsu’s silence and demeanor indicated that greater context should be given, but as time dragged on Chinatsu went ‘Hm?’

[right]“The memplants you have are very nice and also very expensive. Shittier ones are hard to recall and the information can be bad. I overheard the details from your procedure. Eidetic memories of mixed martial arts and combat training, lots of different lectures and presentations all customized and tailored for you, sounded pretty intense.” Smirking defiantly, she claimed as to indicate justification for her inquiry “I could only imagine being in your shoes!” [/right]

Chinatsu smiled pleasantly with soft eyes, which betrayed the consternation which plagued her mind “You’d have to consider that I’m from somewhere completely different than here, and the memory of what was risks fading. It worries me more than I should, but everything being so new. . .” Her voice steadily decrescendoed to nothing. She noticed since the implants she had begun speaking the common language much more fluently than before.

[right]Kandy could sense her drift away and remarked, “I've been meaning to ask you more about Rodaycia. From what you've said, it doesn't sound too inviting. How long were you away from there?”[/right] 

“Maybe. . .5 years now, back then I was a Lieutenant colonel. . . I was competing with a few others for Colonel since an incumbent’s retirement was incoming.” Not wanting to think of that time, a separate thought came from her mind, “Before I was responsible for managing my theatre against threats beyond the wall, as a Captain and Major I was an investigator for incidences that concerned The Lancers in the uhh. . .undercity, which is where my government enslaves countless people to create more space underground. By the time I left all women were considered property, some better off than others. . .I was a part of the military, and despite achieving infamously I was discouraged by the people I put my life on to protect. I was property to The Lancers and I never saw a day where my superiors would forget to remind me I'm better off breeding instead.”

Kandy, who was a bit disillusioned, remarked abjectly 
[right]“Wow, they must have thought you were really hot. What happened to becoming Colonel?”[/right]

“They saw my promotion as a threat to their world view. . .It wasn’t the first time I encountered that obstacle, as a man taking commands from a woman is seldom a reality from where I am from. Historically there has been incidences of military heros named Batyr’s, all of which through time have been men. The greatest fear was realized when my non-probable dream of becoming a Batyr haunted the sentiment of men, because it was assumed with that there would be a revolution.”

[right]“Oh that’s fucking sick!” Interjected Kandy, “How’d that go?”[/right]

“My years as an investigator brought many allies that were part of a female resistance that had cells in almost all parts of the city, and I was among them but also a sort of public figure. There was a hidden underground element to this network, but there was also a small public presence that held an office in the higher society which politically demanded to revoke secondary citizenship from women, and such. . .”

[right]“Secondary citizenship? I thought you said women were considered property."[/right]

"We liked to see ourselves as humans by default, it's sort of a counter to the objectification. Most of us were treated as extensions of the home. I had a privileged life relative to others, and managed to find other many other women and allies who shared my distaste for how things were, but the prevalence far outweighed it. Without our help in the work force they would have surely crumbled. I like the odds at present, out here in the wastes."

The ticking of the Geiger counter began and the two looked at each other, before adjusting their direction away from the unknown source of radiation. Things seemed relatively calm and they were back on track.

Kandy took advantage of the lull, 
[right]"So they didn’t give you the promotion, what happened to get you out here?”[/right]

There was a momentary silence where Chinatsu, who was typically unflappable, stared hard trying to compose best how she remembered. Intrusively, she thought about how she might forget all of her old memories if she didn’t start vocalizing about them, but she resisted and tried to briefly answer her question, which came out exasperated like a sigh, “It became apparent that I had a better chance of surviving, running through the forest for as far as I could, than I did being there.”

[right]“So that’s what you did?”[/right]

“I tried once and came back. They needed me there both as a protector of the city and to coordinate the womens resistance, but it seemed like no matter what I could do the solution was still beyond my grasp, and my presence generated a lot of heat from the government, particularly The Lancers. I assembled a team of friends to help me leave the city and I would not have made it without them. They had to return-- my actions were suicidal, desperate and in a sense, selfish. ” Some tears crawled down her face, but her demeanor was monolithic and melancholy which spoke of her confidence in being vulnerable yet strong.

Wanting to lighten the emotional weight of the conversation, Kandy noted [right]“Haha well nothing wrong with that, friend.” Their coordinates were coming up within the hour, and the two began adjusting their bodies, and K continued after some space from the silence, “This place we’re going to, Jericho’s Reach, has a lot of variety and it’s not so cold and corporate like where we’re from -- or like Terminus Est.”[/right]

This gave some comfort to Chinatsu and her smile helped ease her companions concern. As they came closer to the city, she remarked on how comfortable she was in the car. The vehicles in Rodaycia were much smaller than those of these land because it was contained to about 400 square miles with a circular 40 feet tall wall around. Seeing other vehicles drive in the way they do in such openness was bewildering and beyond her imagination. Before they knew it, there were more and more -- the traffic being rigorous, quick and dynamic, which while it was to much chagrin for Chinatsu, was delightful to Kandy.

While they were still far from the most main road to Jericho, the outskirts were sometimes littered with street corners and complex urban developments that were, even in their dilapidated state, still usable for the purposes of drift racing. Something about the center of gravity being connected to the floor at neck-breaking speeds while the car was going [i]sideways[/i] made Chinatsu queasy, but she had a throw up bag between her legs just in case. As one particular group of racers began to test Kandy at the height of her skill, Chinatsu decided to close her eyes and drop into a meditative state.

As they were on the tail of one of the other drivers, a bounty/warrant indicator caught Kandy’s attention. Details of not just the individual, but the group he was a part to, occupied her attention briefly -- . There was another corner coming up; the sound of Kandy adjusting her gearbox and Chinatsu peaked at her companion, before reading the new information about their targets. They waited until there was more of a straight line on them and in the meantime, Chinatsu strapped herself to the top of the vehicles ceiling. 

They were coming into very long turn before the road went in a way that was one direction; all four of them had downshifted and began to drift the corner -- however the racer to her right steered into a donut. This was the perfect opportunity to eject Chinatsu, as she would be launched directly at them. The noise which indicated this action gave Chinatsu the idea that she was about to be propelled [i]by the car[/i]. Kandy pressed the button while her vehicle ‘flicked’ and watched her friend get throttled onto the car as she pursued the other two, feeling a little invigorated by the air.

Finding herself on a very fast and out of control vehicle and expecting those inside to react to her arrival, she activated her lance and proceeded to use it like a torch. A beam of flame pierced through the vehicle's interior and began to set aflame and melt one of the passengers heads. She spun around in quick succession while holding the lance against the roof of the car resulting in the ceiling falling on the weapons of her opponents. Hopping out of the hole she made she reconfigured her lance to act more like a flame thrower to an intense cone of heat projected twice at the remaining passengers.

This all happened quickly enough for the other two racers to realize what was going on and the one on Kandy’s left peeled away to check on their casualty. Chinatsu activated her glider and used her lance to propel her at the other car and twisted around so her back was to them; their bullets  slapped against it like hail drops until she was onto their vehicle. She found herself on top of it and much of her glider receded into a back-pack, improving her mobility greatly. She made quick work with her lance, creatively shifting through its functions with confident understanding of its results. Kandy seemed to have her own thing going on and Chinatsu began tagging the individuals to verify the targets and assess collateral damage in order to receive the bounty. 

Kandy returned not too long after with some success and immediately criticized Chinatsu, 
[right]“We may get another verification penalty if you keep burning them up so badly, please be careful. I think we got lucky this time.”[/right] 
Chinatsu was flustered and apologetic, but content she was back on the road after making a little money. :sun[/hider]

[hider=Description of Chinatsu's history from Discord]Well here's Chinatsu's, since I only info dumped it in the IC. . . her story goes back to 2015 but I had to adapt it from the fantasy setting to this one . . .it boils down to Chinatsu being born in a state that gives women two options: give birth or be a prostitute. The third option has become considered for some women and once given opportunity to study at the first all womans school ended up over-achieving her male counterparts in academics and athletics. . .She took the Lancer's officers exam and often disguised as a man because it was always a thing and at a certain point she had to stop doing that.

After graduating she was in the Lancers patrolling the wall around Rodaycia for a few years and recieved promotions more under the duress of the situation, as the pride of ranking a woman above a man was not a normal thing. When she was promoted to Major she shifted her position from the walls to a representative/detective in the underground city exploring conflicts and situations that The Lancers should be a part of. She also made many allies with women in the city to help sort of form a resistence or to help protect women from violence and objectification.

Eventually she made it to Lt Colonel where she commanded forces and directed them to help protect the city. Her superiors were self concious about a woman having such a high status in the military despite asking her every day and encouraging others to bring tribute to marry and give birth instead. In every RP I've done with her, she's escaped the city sort of like a fugitive rambo and met up with the other characters
[hider=Old Description][center]Name: Chinatsu Tsagaan

Aliases (if any): Batyr Tsagaan

Portrayed By: Napakpapha Nakprasitte

Race: Human

Age: 37

Gender: Female

Equipment:[/center]

Chinatsu dons her white uniform that she used guarding the on top of the walls around Rodaycia. It is a very stark white with green gloves and knee-length, leather boots, the hat with a red plume and a black belt that tied everything together. The pants has a green line going down the side and are pleated, with four pockets. It is the standard uniform of the Chaos Mages of Rodaycia.

[center]History:[/center]

Chinatsu was born in Rodaycia in a fortunate time; she was among one of the first generations where women were gradually being given more rights and more importantly rituals like female circumcision were outdated. Free to more career choices than prostitution or child bearing, she grew into the position of a Chaos Mage, showing a promising upstart in her youth. Athletically and scholastically she bested those of her social class and even began contesting with those above her, which lead to further red tape on her path and training. Because she was a female, most of her tutors and masters were rather young, but she had come to a point where only much older Chaos Mages could teach her the things she needed to know in order to attain a position in the ranks of the wall guardians. After much politics and much more strenuous tests than her male peers, she was able to secure a job at the ripe age of twenty-five. Over a decade she proved herself to be more than competent to the point of being a danger to the standing of much older Chaos Mages. She was on the path of becoming a Batyr, which would entitle her to certain privileges never shared by females before; the city, feeling this inappropriate, arranged a marriage for her in an attempt to quell her efforts. Left with no other options, Chinatsu fled the city, not quite sure about what she wants, but knowing she couldn't find it at home.[hider=The only IC post that she was in]Hazel eyes narrowed as the crooked sign that read “The Moshu Palace” came into view, the very paint that made up the words peeling from the sign’s cheap wood. If half of the stories on the road were to have been believed the Moshu Palace was truly worthy of being called a palace. Of course in comparison to many of the other buildings in the small frontier town of Kagenyoto the Moshu Palace was quite large.

The owner of the hazel eyes audibly sighed, brushing a lock of blonde hair over her shoulder, as she approached the building. Inside it teemed with activity, smoke pouring from the busy entrance foaming with seedy visitors. The chatter outpoured near constantly from the groups of people who were akin to the crust on an infection stagnating at the cavity in the wall. The occasion outburst of laughter, of hatred and vengeance-- of any strong emotion-- was sporadic, random and always intense and seemingly overdramatic.

The blonde woman with hazel eyes slowly stepped through the entrance, her hand straying towards one of the large fans hanging from her waist as she stepped past a particularly rowdy group. Obviously out of her element, she slowly made her way towards the bar, making extra effort to stay clear of the pleasure women and their clients.

She waved down the bar tending and began speaking even before he had acknowledged her existence. "I'm looking for a woman, dark skinned. Sorta like a Sumugan, but not quite the same. A foreigner. Know anything?" She spoke fluent Otnemarcasan, although her heavy Acithan accent might have made it slightly difficult for the bar tender to understand her.

The bored looking bartender gave the Acithan a once over as she spoke to him, lazily scratching his chin as he gave the request some thought. "I've seen a lot of woman here, you know? And I've seen a lot of people come by here looking for a woman. Also, on rare occasion, a woman looking for another woman." The bartender chuckled slightly at his little joke before turning to look towards the backrooms, pointing a thumb towards them. "You'll probably find who you're looking for there. Can't promise anything though..." With that, the bar tender moved off to deal with actual paying customers, rather than ones simply looking for information.

"You have my thanks" The woman nodded her head before placing an imperial copper coin on the bar. She turned towards the backrooms that the bartender had indicated, not entirely liking the idea of going back there, but knowing that she had to. Once again her hand came to rest on one of her fans as she moved through the large room, staying clear of as many of the other occupants as she could. Finally making it to the backrooms she took a deep breath before opening one of the many doors there. Hazel eyes widened in shock, a deep crimson blush appearing on her face, as the woman beheld a scene involving several naked women, a bound Reclies, chains, and whips.

"By Narai!" She gasped, slamming the door shut as the room's occupants turned to look at her, the hopeless reptilian giving a begging look in her direction. Taking a minute or so to regain her composure, the woman moved to the next door. This time she took a moment to listen for any sounds that might indicate any.... specific activities, beyond the door. Hearing none, she opened the door, catching sight of a lone woman sitting cross-legged with a hookah infront of her.

The Rodaycian woman sat quietly as the base water bubbled intensely, squinting eyes with a gentle hand keeping the nozzle of the hose inside of her mouth, the other resting ruminantly on her lap. She sat on a cushion, bending both legs with knees pointing out to the side; both lower legs and feet rested on the floor with one in front of the other. Then, seamlessly, she put the hose down on her lap, brought her left hand on her left knee and then her right hand above the solar plexus. She then sat there patiently, eyes closed as a wave of relaxation visually washed over her figure.

The woman stared at the Rodaycian for a few moments, realizing that her presence wasn't being registered. "Uh.... hello?" She leaned forward, a frown spreading across her face. The woman before her certainly matched the description given to her, but her... aura didn't quite match what she had expected. "Would you happen to be Chinatsu?" She held her breath, hoping that the woman actually respond in the negative.

With a liquid movement, her chakra disassembled without it looking to be interrupted; her hand dropped to her lap patiently and her thick eyelashes opened up to reveal the piercing dark-brown eyes with a calmness that seemed to battle the sentiment that said a million things without a word. Exhaling, smoke spouted from her nose and splashed into her lap and then rose again to cloud her face.
"Sawadee, kah."
Her voice was foreign and terse, with a sort of different elegance then what was typically experienced. She wore a thin, white shirt and plain burlap pants while a more formal, cream uniform sat by her side. At first glance she seemed quite peasant-like, but there was an air of nobility that she seemed to emulate; the contrasting forces rattled with an uncanny friction. She extended her hand out to the cushion with a gesture for Julianna to sit.

Juliana glanced at the plush cushion, midly suspicious of what it was used for given what she had witnessed in the other room. She mentally shrugged, bringing herself to rest on the cushion as she eyed the woman before her. The woman seemed oddly calm given how someone she didn't know called her by name in an establishment such as the one they currently occupied. Thoughts about what she might and might not know squirled through Juliana's head. Think as much as she would like, however, she would not find the answers she wanted unless she initiated some kind of dialogue.

"I am Priestess Vargath, but you may call me Juliana." She politely bowed as she introduced herself.

The older woman handed the hookah hose towards Juliana, "My name Batyr Tsagaan." she spoke in broken Otnemarcasan, "You call me Chinatsu, that is birthname." She then extended the hose once more, insistently. Hesitently Juliana took a shallow breath, only to break out into a fit of coughs. The Rodaycian gave a sheepish grin at her inability, but humbled herself by viewing her with a sort of pseudo-pity. She began, again in what was clearly foreign tongue, "Why have sought me, lady with hair like the sun?"

A slight blush came to Juliana's face as the Rodaycian smiled at her, but she was quick to focus on how Chinatsu spoke. It was broken Otnemarcasan, very broken, but still understandable. Some of her terminology was... odd. Birthname? Hair like the sun? Did she employ those terms due to a lack of the correct terms in Otnemarcasan or because there was no true translation from Rodaycian to Otnemarcasan. It was something worth investigating, later.

"The Arch-priestess of Otnemarcas," Juliana began, "the... uh... highest religious authority in the land, believes we may have some overlapping interests." She waited for a moment before continuing "The Arch-priestess was interested in learning about where you came from."

Chinatsu gave a discouraging look, which soon after melted into one of concern and then inquiry. These emotions expressed simply by the movement of the face, the adjustment of the eyes and lips and brow were all liquid, leading her to speak in return, "You've not answered my question, so I will ask you one in hopes that you will exchange an answer. What is the intention of the rain drop in the storm? Of what bearing does the part have interest to the whole?"

Juliana raised an eyebrow, intrigued and slightly annoyed at the apparent riddle. What could the rain drop's intent be other than to do as fate has dictated? She frowned for a moment as the thought of a very specific serpent came to mind. She closed her eyes, gripping one of the fans that rested at her waist, and willed the thought away. The serpent lingered for a moment before fading away, at least for the moment. Slowly opening her eyes Juliana responded "We are moved by forces beyond our control. We can fight the tide and harm ourselves or allow ourselves to be swept away by fate so that all may benefit."[/hider][/hider][/hider]

[hider=The Sue Pha Alliance]

[center]The Rodaycian Emirate[/center]

[center][img]http://oi42.tinypic.com/33v17ie.jpg[/img][/center]

While there is nothing necessarily different that associates Rodaycian humans from any other, there are a few cosmetic features that are prevalent as well as associations that add contrast with others. The average Rodaycian has a round, flat face with slanted eyes, otherwise known as [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicanthic_fold]epicanthic folds[/url]. Their skin color ranges from an absolute paleness represented by underground dwellers to the typical darkly tanned epidermis of those fortunate to live above the surface. Their typical taciturn and phlegmatic demeanor has developed as a result of the history of their environment and is a society wide sentiment among the city states.

The Rodaycian Emirate is a principality which non-exclusively draws inspiration from the Arabic world to Southeast and East Asia, adds a heaping amount of societal conflict, and also the city of Cyador from some [url=http://www.lemodesittjr.com/the-books/saga-recluce/magii-cyador/]books by L.E. Modesitt Jr[/url]. In the setting, they are descendants to a long line of history originating from barbarians who inhabited the Rodaycian Forest, eventually settling despite the hostile environment it provided, but it depends on what setting it is being used in (as is the magic system, which can easily be replaced with appropriate technology). The city, 390 square miles large, is surrounded by thick walls that go up to 39 feet high, and are always patrolled by [url=http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/6/68/MAGCYADOR2000.jpg]Lancers[/url] who are on-the-job to fight back the forest from enveloping the city.

[hider=Military]

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghazi_warriors]Ghazi[/url] Forces[/center]

Ghazi Forces are types of units typically deployed as a military tactic; they are used reputably and often openly. The word Ghazi itself indicates that the forces listed are those that are prepared to 'raid' or otherwise embark on a public confrontation in some way.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashibazouk]Bashibazouk[/url] 

[center][img]http://snakeandeagle.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/soldier3.jpg[/img][/center]
[img]http://www.irrawaddy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/5.-Kachin-soldiers-in-northern-Burma.jpg[/img][/center]

Bashibazouk's are highly irregular soldiers that are armed and maintained by the government, but do not receive stable pay, wear uniforms or don any badges. They are highly useful because most services are done in bulk; this also meant they are acceptable losses when it comes down to reconnaissance and look-out duties. In addition to this, they are also known to be used as policing units in occupied cities, where they are known to abuse their power and harass the city with the given authority.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ak%C4%B1nc%C4%B1]Akıncı[/url] 

[img]https://web.archive.org/web/20130720030207if_/http://ontheroadthailand.com/Images/Pranburi%20Bike%20Week/The%20Dragon%20Bike%20Gang.JPG[/img][/center]

Subsisting only on the plunder of their enemies, the Akıncı are light mobile soldiers that serve as a frontal assault force. They serve as advance troops and vanguards to demoralize any civilians or forces that are present by using guerrilla tactics; their goal is to disorient and prime the area of attack for the real blow. In addition, they were used for reconnaissance and to cut enemy supply and transportation. To further surprise their enemies, many wear colorful and grotesque clothing made of exotic furs and bones; some have the wings of large forest birds, others put horns on their helmets. This is supplemented by the tendency to be suicidally courageous and brutal.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_archery]Okçu[/url] 

[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GOc3c1iSVtc/T-7W4xnn0mI/AAAAAAAABaY/D14_9A-3uvU/s400/War+or+the+Arrows.jpg[/img][/center]

The Okçu are highly-specialized archers employed as wage-paid soldiers; their ability to master bows that projected high velocities in very light arrows allowed them to be as deadly as any other archer with twice as much maneuverability and ammunition. An Okçu's bow is either passed down and customized or made from scratch by the archer himself; the creation of the bow itself is a ritual which displays the seriousness of the role. A typical Okçu bow is a recurved composite bow that has a wooden core, an animal horn on the belly facing the archer and sinew on the front that is secured by animal glue. What seperates it from other bows found in Rodaycia is its extreme curvature, to the point where they look like the letter C. In addition, the grip is not recessed and the front of the grip bulges outward. Okçu use "thumb draw" techniques to prevent arrows from moving if they're mobile or at an unusual angle; when the arrow is released, the draw arm is kept steady. Another technique is their practice in holding several arrows between fingers of the draw hand so that they could fire multiple arrows in a short burst of time.

While the Okçu may seem antiquated with the introduction of firearms, their effectiveness in combat to this day maintains their relevance. Every year their numbers shrink, but through the competitiveness of the style, those that remain are often seen as highly skilled in their art and more deadly than the typical soldier.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timariot]Timariot[/url] 

[img]http://www.fondationchirac.eu/wp-content/uploads/A-Cambodian-police-officer-holds-Chinese-traditional-medicines-before-destruction-%C2%A9-2011-The-Associated-Press.jpg[/img][/center]

The Timariot is a commander that serves the Emir for land rather than money, specifically farm land. The responsibility of the Timariot was that, when he is called upon to do a service for the Emir, he is to bring a retinue of armed soldiers as well as his own equipment. Because the Emir could take their land away at any given moment, they are generally compliant to his wishes; in addition, the land is indefinitely being put to good use, and the Prince is often able to summon small armies of men by summoning the Timariot. The status of this position is awarded to those only of 'royal blood' and is regarded as a firm starting point for those who wish to have a career in Rodaycia's military.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacoity]Dacoity[/url] Forces[/center]

Dacoity Forces are meant to disrupt, invade and principally to cause sabotage within an enemies holdings. The word Dacoity literally means "banditry", which is a loose idea of what the units are composed as. Most units are recruited from criminal, rather than military, backgrounds and specialize in more private, secretive ways of destroying their opponents.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuggee]Phansigar[/url] 

[img]http://hitchwriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/the_deceivers_34303_medium.jpg[/img][/center]

Phansigar's are informal assassins and murderers who commonly work off of bounty or off of loot. A group of Phansigar's would join a group or begin visiting a bar, gaining the patrons confidence; after they let their guard down, they surprise their victims by strangling them with handkerchiefs or nooses, robbing their bodies and collecting bounties as they see fit. The actual society of the Phansigar is fraternized, membership sometimes being passed to the son; outsiders would attempt to join as if they were attempting to get recruited into an academy. The Phansigar take their jobs to a professional point, rather than to satisfy their basic needs.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pindari]Pindari[/url] 

[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X4cS5r1gatg/Tigd0qwF_II/AAAAAAAACvE/kBjFDxQvMtg/s400/zuwarriorsr22.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.indiatvnews.com/mainnational/Chinese-arms-co35044.jpg[/img][/center]

The Pindari are high-quantity, bulk infantry that fight soley for the spoils of war. They do not receive any pay, however they are entitled to a larger percentage of the loot as compared to other soldiers. They are known to be brutal, low and to target and harass civilians given all opportunities. Usually sporting low-quality weapons, the Pindari are known for their usefulness in occupying territory, mostly because they're concerned about what the territory holds.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oniwabansh%C5%AB]Oniwabanshū[/url] 

[img]http://factsanddetails.com/media/2/20090730-Ninja%20Museum%20Iga%20%20isyou.jpg[/img]
[img]http://scandasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20110527.125453_spy.jpg[/img][/center]

Undercover agents that are typically employed by highly influential individuals. They are trained for security and espionage functions, such as intelligence and information gathering and sometimes protecting VIP's in public areas. Oniwabanshū are highly trained in the art of martial combat as well as social etiquette. This allows them to perform subterfuge roles in both military and corporate espionage. They have been known to even travel into foreign cities to spy on their resources and bring tactical intelligence back to Rodaycia. They usually have a personal team of [i]kobushikata[/i] who act as lower class citizens and usually spy on crime lords or chiefs.[/hider]

[center][img]http://s13076.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/vietnam-hats.jpg[/img][/center]

[center]Economy[/center]

Rodaycia's survival starts with it's ability to protect itself from the external environment. The rainforest around the city has a natural tendency to attempt to exterminate the city, much like the body treats a foreign bacteria or virus. The adaptability of the Lancers to the environment was key and continues to be of the most importance to the city. They by and large are renowned by the people and politically they hold a considerable sway considering they are the ones who keep it alive. Alternatively, it has been found that their leverage is not as strong as others might think because they have an undeniable obligation to their people; if they unionized or striked, the city itself would be consumed in the forest. With that said, Lancers' share a length of power but lack the ability to directly exert it onto the population, without suffering severe consequences. 

Another critical economic group are those who both harvest and dwell the jungle in order to provide sustenance for the city. More experienced farmers work where it is much richer; these farmers are usually paid in salary and have teams of trusted workers that are quick and efficient. Beyond the richest of the crop, the land is divided to several companies who must yield a quota of their crop or else suffer severe losses. The labor used ranges from unionized work forces, to communal, to indentured servitude and serfdom slavery. Since crops do not necessarily yield a diverse range of nutrients, jungle dwellers are needed to venture out into the rainforest in order to scavenge and hunt for food. While the job itself is extremely dangerous, it is lucrative and those that do venture out into the wild can collect enough luxury foods to last them a week or month without working again.

[center][img]http://www.aco-nl.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Chinese-Farmer.jpg[/img][/center]

Beyond the need for sustenance, for those who are truly untouchable the city of Rodaycia has a quarry in the city itself in one of the poorest districts. Acting as, essentially, a makeshift prison and mad-house, people are worked to the death in mining pits to the point where an underground tunnel system has been developed underneath the city. The mining venture has yielded plenty of precious and conventional metals as well as building materials for any repairs for the wall. The Principality retains the materials and sells it to the manufacturers to make raw material into conventional tools, jewelry and a range of other products.

The Merchant class of society steps in to distribute these products either through peddling to the patrons of the city itself or by giving rarer items to traveling merchants who leave the city itself and travel to other lands in order to sell their seemingly exotic wares. Most shops are found in the poorer section of the city, where there is also ample amounts of services provided. It is a rule of thumb to believe the closer to the center you are in the city, the higher quality the goods and services; the truth is that they are better when they are closer to the wealthy. A large percentage of the upper-class population are successful merchants who have large swathes of influence over parts of the city.

[center][img]https://web.archive.org/web/20180318005338if_/http://www.epacha.org/siteimages/li-china-poverty-rtr2rz56%20VOICES%20OF%20CHILDREN%20CHINA%20CRIMES%20AGAINST%20CHILDREN%20NEGLIGENT%20GOVERNANCE.jpg[/img][/center]

Without the strangling force of red tape and the iron grip of the Prince which rules, the city would run lawless and at an on-survival basis. Ruling through mostly sheer military power, the Prince is at the top of the food chain, receiving the best of everything the city has to offer. Under his retinue is a vast army of bureaucrats and criminal organizations that keep all sorts of people in fear, whether it's fines and constant inspections or beatings and vandalization. The bureaucratic system is based on written tests and theoretically anyone from any economic class could apply, however the education required to have a chance is only found in wealthy communities. While some impoverished had managed to make it, the vast majority hold offices in committees more to bully and compete for influence then to better the city.

[center]Environment[/center]

[center][img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/FRIM_canopy.JPG/640px-FRIM_canopy.JPG[/img][/center]

[center][b]Seu Pha[/b][/center]
[center]The Rodaycian Rainforest[/center]

The Rodaycian Rainforest, known to the natives of Rodaycia as Seu Pha, is a [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest]tropical rainforest[/url] that is densely vegetated with exotic, dangerous fauna and flora. Seu Pha suffers from extreme heat, monsoons and a variety of other tropical conditions that simply aren't shared with it's geographic neighbors.

The curse on Seu Pha was levied in order to punish the Rodaycians for an unknown, ancient reason. The ozone layer above the forest had been magically diminished as intensify the heat, the ground was made hyperfertile and became home to extremely deadly flora and fauna. Giant trees surrounded the city of Rodaycia, so that they may eventually fall on the city and cause it to ruin. The sheer danger of leaving the city walls effectively embargoed the city from any trade or contact to the outside world.

Vegetation native to Seu Pha grows and regenerates much faster. Many of the plants can either be rich in vitamins or medical properties, but for every helpful plant there are three or so more harmful ones. Most trees have roots outside of the ground to take advantage of the mist that clouds the region.

[center]Religion[/center]

The role of religion is tightly woven to the Prince's agenda; if there is too much rain to a point of flood, he must perform public ceremonies banishing it. If too many animals get into the city itself, or there is a food shortage, then he must perform the appropriate rituals. These practices are largely non-functional and do not actually solve problems, however many people believe it is because he wishes for his people to suffer, not because his powers are non-existant. His powers are assumed such that, for instance, if he had eaten a fish and threw its bones into water, he could simply state that it is living and the bones would animate. Many people believe that he has the power to make his words fact; it is up to the Prince to give true to the illusion.

It is an myth that only those of 'royal blood' are able to utilize Chaos Magic, and thus, those who are royal are to be revered regardless of their occupation. It is tradition that, if you were to kill a high-class citizen, you would be beat to death in a burlap sack as to not spill royal blood. Even in more shamanistic practices, only royal 'shamans' could contact the dead of royal blood-- those who lived in a line of commoner ancestry could only contact the dead of a common

A large part of their religion revolves around whether or not they're supposed to be consumed by the forest or if they're supposed to fight it back. While the latter is much more dominant, there are a noticeably large portion of believers that think those who fight the forest are simply delaying their fate, and that peace can only be found once they're subsumed into the forest itself.

[center]Society[/center]

On Skin Tone,

Skin tone in Rodaycian society is a subtle, yet solid factor in understanding ones social status. While it is certainly not definitive, it is widely assumed in Rodaycian culture that prestige, wealth and wellness is associated with darker skin. Because most impoverished live closer to the walls where the branches of trees cover sunlight, they often have fairer skin; and those who are untouchable often pale from lack of nutrition and work deep underground; their skin sometimes doesn't see sunlight for weeks on end. This makes sunlight itself a privilege of sorts; some employers specify darker skin, especially in the agricultural industry, where skilled labourers are important. The high society in Rodaycia adopts the quality of dark skin to the point where glass has become a luxury item, and well-to do members of society have glass ceiling so that they could tan their skin in-doors as they do business.

On Women,

Women in Rodaycia are split between three social classes; prostitutes, child-bearers and occupation-based. The first two have been serving social roles that have been the backbone of reproduction in Rodaycia, the third is a recent addition that is seen as useless by most males, especially those who have been displaced or challenged by them. The need for the first two systems are simple; Rodaycia has an unstable population that has a high chance of squalor and disease, as well as a potential to baby boom. To try to stabilize their population, the men have decided to have women for pleasure and women for child-bearing. There are unrealistic expectations for defining beauty in women. Many women find themselves objectifying themselves and trying to fit the expectation, typically resulting in eating disorders and many other maladies. 

During the summer season, the wealthy men traditionally go on a hiatus from their jobs and visit the poorer section of the city in search for wives. The practice is a rather frivolous pursuit, some taking wives off of looks and personality, others off their performance and physical abilities for lack of better words. After choosing their wives, they perform marriage ceremonies by the end of the season to seal their ties. All of this is done purposefully to reduce the effect of inbreeding; daughters who are born into wealthy society are usually used as bargaining chips that must be bureaucratically checked to ensure the elimination of inbreeding.

During the winter is when the Lancers are allowed to go off on hiatus, mainly because during the summer the forest is at its worst, and it is to an extent quelled during the winter. Women who failed to impress a suitor during the summer have a second chance; some find it preferential because if there are no other wives they may inherit his assets if he is killed in duty; some women make a career out of this.

[i]"As a man, it comes to common occurrence to ask a question; shall you find a weak-willed woman who will satisfy and obey, or shall you find a strong-willed woman who will rebel and abstain? The real question is, do you wish a weak-willed child or one which is strong?"[/i]

[center][img]http://oi44.tinypic.com/2d7u3bt.jpg[/img][/center]

The women who follow the path of a child-bearer are called [i]Tàitài[/i].

The role of child-bearers are integral to sustaining the population of Rodaycia. To officially be recognized, they must don special clothing reminiscent to a Hijab; in addition they are tied to a lifetime of obligation to their husband. They are expected to be quite obedient to this husband and their worth is usually reliant on their child-bearing ability, however personality traits and other physical characteristics are also subject. Despite many inequalities, a child-bearer has exclusive rights on whether she wants to conceive, and is often able to heavily influence and almost directly control her husbands assets, especially if she wishes to have financial or political obligations fulfilled before she decides to start child-making.

[center][img]http://oi43.tinypic.com/2ugc3z8.jpg%3C/div%3E[/img][/center]

The poor women who follow the path of a concubine are called [i]Weṣ̄yā[/i], and those that are rich are called [i]Metres[/i].

The occupation of a prostitute is found mainly in the lower-society of Rodaycia, however there are some high-society escorts that exist. The role of prostitutes in society is not unlike others, except the function is hyper-utilized as it is a major occupation. Most women are not full-time prostitutes and serve in low-wage jobs during the day; prostitution is an assumed occupation and, in many ways, holds true to that standard. In high society, escorts are much more clean and usually classically trained in intimate arts; in a lot of ways they are an entirely different position because they usually do not need the money, unlike their impoverished counterparts. In addition, concubinage is also relatively common among the wealthy class, for those who wish to have lesser wives that serve another purpose besides child bearing.

An [i]Oiran[/i] is a type of prostitute that is typically found in high-class Rodaycian society. They are different from typical Metres because they often dwell in the arts, set trends of fashion and become cultural icons. Unlike Metres, Oiran do not only contain members of high society, but also those who are promising in lower society. In order to be considered as an Oiran, she needed to be educated in the arts, literate and to be able to hold intelligent conversations.

[center][img]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/photo/images/attachement/jpg/site1/20120306/0013729e42ea10c0134a06.jpg[/img][/center]

The women who follow the path of men are called [i]Kadın Savaşçı[/i], and if they perform some sort of combat role, they are also referred to as [i]Onna-bugeisha[/i].

[center][img]https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/valhallan_consortium/imageproxy.php?url=http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m38/drphogg/running.jpg?t=1195252111[/img][/center]

Most recently, the woman's ability to choose an occupation that is usually fit for a men had become open largely because of political reasons; it is largely unknown except for those who know the right connections. Women have, from half a century ago, been able to take up careers that deal in mostly menial labor but occasionally, business, arts, bureaucracy, etc. Many are put through strenuous tests and are expected to perform at a higher degree then men; this usually means that those who do make careers are often exceptional and end up challenging their male counterparts, which then leads to a range of difficulties. Sometimes those that own companies find themselves boycotted until they find a husband and effectively become a child-bearer; the woman would have to hand her business over to her husband. Bureaucrats will find more and more ridiculous red tape which restricts them from climbing the ladder and holds them from performing activities that elicit authority.

On Marriage,

In lower society, it is seen custom that women get married to the wealthy men who take a tour through the slums to find wives. Wives here are prized for their sexual prowess, looks, charisma and often their degree of willpower. It is considered important for a lower class woman to have plenty of sexual experience and to look as appealing as possible, leading to some families forcing their children to wear neck rings made of brass coils to elongate their necks.

In contrast, the high society is quite the opposite. Since almost all female role models wear head scarfs and wield some sort of authority, virginity is prized and pre-marital sex is shameful, sometimes bad enough to have a daughter disowned. This is especially true if she is pregnant out of wed-lock. Men are expected to be fruitful and the expectation is excessive and often violent.

If a Kadın Savaşçı (woman who works a mans job) gets married, her occupation halts and she must assume the role of a Tàitài (child bearer).

A man is allowed to have multiple wives if he can afford them; concubinage is rather frequent. Second and third wives have secondary rights to the first wife, concubines have none. 


On yintenetto (Rodaycian internet),

Beyond the gender gap, there is an already developed hierarchy in yintenneto that provides a basis for social stratification, sometimes reliant on the professional skill of the person, their charisma and generally their ability to accrue followers. The virtual culture generated Rodaycia is staggering, to the point where many people from the city have a hard time socializing with each other like normal human beings. Typically names, phrases and professional writing will be affected by the messenger culture that the city nurtures, which adds alienation towards other cultures. The routine of the typical free citizen is almost entirely digitized. Because their culture is so indebted to technology, a large majority (35 to 50%) of the time awake is spent on the yintenetto (the internet). Typically they work on-line, review decisions made by judges that are pertinent to them or entertain themselves with the various media outlets available. Seldom do people leave their homes to attend social events, and schooling and work is almost all virtualized. Using technology to neurologically stimulate sexual receptors in the mind, sex is sold over the yintenetto in massive proportions. Even intimate activities like dating or spending time with family are done through virtual means and real life encounters are often very special and remarkable.

[hr]

[hider=Districts and Sister Cities]

[center][img]http://oi62.tinypic.com/fk8qq8.jpg[/img][/center]

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu_Underground_City]The Kuyunderin District[/url][/center] - Underground, Light Gray

The structure of the city of Rodaycia is a testament to experimental city buildings. What typically happens to human cities is that over time, garbage accumulates and new structures are built on top of the garbage. The city expands outwards as it also grows upwards, on top of the mounds created by abandoned structures and filth. The City of Rodaycia, however, cannot afford to follow this trend because of the dangerous forest that surrounds it. Getting closer to the top of the wall would make it easier for the wildlife to get in. So as a result, the government of Rodaycia had ordered to build down. However, this was not just a phenomenon of city growth; the population of the city grew dangerously high, and to allieviate this problem a whole new district had to be developed to house the massive amounts of impovershed.

The Underground of Rodaycia is called the 'Kuyunderin District', although it is probably as big as the city above ground. Carved from the labors of debtors, political prisoners and captured criminals, carving the underground served two purposes; to create new space for the city to grow and to acquire new material for the city to use. A massive amount of dirt from under the city was moved to replace the over-used soil which grew crops and both metal and stone were found which aided in creating supports for the new district, as well as for construction on the surface.

Population of the lower levels were comprised of the impoverished; those who were indebted or criminals, forced to work underground, were followed by their families who formed society and began building underground. The worst elements of the surface were shoved underground and phenomenally, when the work overseers became obsolete to handle such a large operation, work continued out of obligation. The laborers dug not to fulfill their debt to society, but to create a new one of their own.

[center][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya]The Jayasrivi District[/url][/center] - Gray

The Jayasrivi District is the largest district in Rodaycia, comprising about ninety-eight percent of the entire population on the surface. It is the main residential area for the city as well as the marketplace. Almost all business happens in the Jayasrivi District, whether it be maintenance, manufacturing, entertainment or otherwise. There are several enterprises which maintain the economy of Rodaycia;

Vadivibha cluster - Service sector, high-density residential area
Luminphi cluster - Manufacturer sector, very impoverished facilities
Sintaki cluster - Mix between service and manufacturer, mid-range quality
Yukakau cluster - Red-light district, high concentration of drug dens, brothels and bars
Hoknoh Phra cluster - Residential area, extremely impoverished, surrounds the quarry
Buphra cluster - Residential area, very wealthy, near center, small service sector to accommodate the rich
Manas Chai cluster - High quality manufacturing center, gated and guarded; medicine production is a high priority
Thawongsuwintha cluster - Low to high quality market area, extremely dense economic activity
Sawathama cluster - Extremely impoverished area that comprises of the quarry, and entry way to the 
Kuyunderin District

There are two sister cities quite close to Rodaycia, who share many of the same customs and originate from the same area:

[center]Heho[/center]

Heho is an administrative web, full of corporations and political embassies that regulate them. The city is well organized and has gated districts that keep the poor from the rich very clearly. Since social events are extremely important to the political cronyism, drug dens, bars and clubs are saturated to the point that the red light districts are as important as more economic sectors of the city.

Control of Heho is central on the society that’s built around an iron triangle composed of the workers Union, the Guard and the foremost Bureaucrats. Since the Bureaucrats control the regulations, they also control the political power. When they are contested by the unions, they utilize the military to make their doctrines so. Because the workers are unarmed and they have a general presence of political power, taking down the system that oppresses them is not worth the effort. On top of that, the general population is typically too sedated and lethargic to revolutionize and the danger from Sue Pha discourages dissent.

The daily life in Heho is filled with breaking the regulations built to keep the country from collapsing. Dealing with memos on how things are done and exploiting loopholes, finding policies that police don’t enforce strictly and then exploiting them, etc. Drugs, sex and trouble making are staple activities in Heho, especially since the social structure is determinate to the quality of life one seems to have. The whole idea of knowing a person is exaggerated to the point where the impoverished are typically the unknown, enforcing the dogma that social interaction is virtually the best key to survival.

[center]Karrenkaya[/center]

Karrenkaya is essentially a warzone of a city. There are no walls that protect it from the outside and therefore freely allow all sorts of dangerous fauna to infest it. Several temporary military bases dot the city and spheres of influence constantly shift between the warring factions that inhabit the city. Control of the roads are crucial to moving armored regiments around, and the tops of towers are dotted with snipers and machine gunners. The essential danger of the city itself drives an economy based on taking control of the city, and any civilians stuck inside of it are often pawns to the competing forces.

The multiple military juntas in Karrenkaya legitimize its authority from raw, brute power. By indoctrinating the youth into a warzone and then forcing them into traumatic events, they forge a population of blood thirsty murderers. In terms of political standing, the city is infamous for forming coalitions when a foreign power attempts to dominate the city.

The daily struggle of the citizens of Karrenkaya are full of entropic, traumatic events. Typically sleeping is done in shifts, as to be on guard from attacks at all moments from other factions within the city. Scavenging food and water is a primary activity, as is acquiring the resource from enemy factions or neutral supply cars coming through the city. Maintaining weapons and armed fighting is a daily occurrence, as well as the creation of homemade narcotics. 

The social divisions in Karrenkaya are bound by the military hierarchy of each faction. Generally, higher rank indicates a greater ability to command and promote morale in troops because of the meritocracy associated with their social structure. If you boiled it down, there are grunts, specialists and officers. Grunts are fodder, specialists are skilled soldiers who get things done and officers are the ones who give the orders to get things done. Each of these branches have their own social cues and implications.[/hider]

[/hider]

[hr]

My current iteration of Rodaycia has undergone some changes from the OOC but more may be necessarily. . . these other two are dissected from my other nation sheets to give some context to the city states I would like to introduce. 

[hider=The Collective]

The Collective helps to create the illusion of government in their territories by assigning political worth to the deference of layers upon layers of bureaucratic mess that is only utilized for the occasional arrest of anyone who the bribe money points to; most police officers join for the easy pay, the free weapons and the authority of being an officer of the law. No one takes the government seriously, even the police know their organization is a joke. The illusion of a government force is utilized most when dealing with foreign affairs; there the government is very laxed and usually has to say "the city state of Genzinti is not responsible for any civilians acts of terror, crime or otherwise illegal activity in foreign nations."

The true law of the land lies in this; if you want to murder someone, murder someone no one cares about. Better yet, murder someone that a lot of people want to murder-- those people will probably give you money! If you do happen to murder (or steal from, or beat, etc) someone a lot of people care about, you just pissed off a whole bunch of people and they will probably not take kindly to your company. 

They do decide to work together to achieve their goals eventually, headed mostly by the biggest gangs and criminal organizations. However, if enough smaller gangs work in unison, they can make a force much like the larger ones and make decisions like them and often do. Civilians essentially count on the good will of others otherwise their law is the law of who has the gun pointing first. It's a loose society with four races, the humans being the primary race followed by the [url=https://war-among-the-stars.wikia.com/wiki/Vesper]vespers[/url], [url=https://war-among-the-stars.wikia.com/wiki/Cro]cro[/url] and [url=https://war-among-the-stars.wikia.com/wiki/Zeluri]zeluri[/url].

The truth of the Collective's governmental economy is that there are systems of control put in place; permits, fines, fees and the like exist but are seldom used. Foreigners pay into these fees, where as those familiar ignore them. If a certain product (for example, [url=https://war-among-the-stars.wikia.com/wiki/Acetire]Acetire[/url]) should be limited, the civilian population utilizes coercion to scare competition, steals the product and destroys it or disrupt the activity to create the product. 
People either sell and buy through bartering or use foreign or domestic currency; government involvement is not minimal, it's non-existent.

The majority of their economy is based on black marketing; selling drugs, arms and other commonly illegal goods are their specialty. Vehicles are almost always modified to have secret compartments, drugs are commonly pressed into everyday objects-- the nature of the Drogues economy is contingent on high-value illegal goods, slave labor, fraud and criminal services.

[hider=Perks and Flaws]Perks

Punk Magnet   The desolate, outlawed and exiled all seem to swarm to join the open arms of the Drogue Collective, to the point where they're often over flowing with foreigners of different races, ex-nationalities and cultures. This gives them the advantage of numbers and the ability to utilize different technologies, techniques and ideas from all over the universe.


Resilence

The people of the Drogue collective live a life entirely different than ones in 'civilized' society; the only thing they know is crime and destruction. If a city is occupied, they may appear completely compliant, but in reality almost all citizens will feel obligated to destroy the 'government' put over them in order to feel normal again.

Flaws

Age Range

Life Expectancy is shaved down because of the high levels of drug use and the over all murderous tendencies of the inhabitants.

Barbarians!

Most technology and architecture is comparatively primitive, space ships being pieces of junk, cars jerry-rigged to mostly race, boats full of secret compartments. Most weapons produced are very low-grade and it is not uncommon for melee brawls to occur in lack of ranged weaponry.

trivia:
A notable religion type that is growing infamous are cults that believe Zeluri are 'the next age of evolution' and intend to ritualistically mass sacrifice themselves to 'become Zeluri'[/hider] [/hider]


[hider=The Conglomerate]

The Conglomerate was created out of the need to set very specific corporate rules to outlaw espionage and violence between the corporations. It is essentially used as a tool to regulate trade and is regulated by the companies themselves. A myriad of loopholes are greatly jumped through, such as the usage of mercenaries to not only defend but also to infiltrate and sabotage other companies assets. 

There is no real government in the sense of the word in the Conglomerate. The document that binds all the corporations into a non-aggression treaty is the law, but their only means of enforcing it is by restricting trade to the criminal organizations. If an organization breaks the contract beyond repair, its assets are assumed dissolved, its employees have a short time to leave the corporation or else they are blacklisted and physical assets are ascertained by force through security firms. The laws are homogeneous between corporations and individuals. When an individual steals or murders, they’re treated with the same punishment as the corporations; social and economic isolation. The industrialized cities (called Industrial Complex’s) typically have anti-poverty population control which means black-listed individuals could be sent off to slavery underneath Rodaycia. Human trafficking has become a serious issue within both of the factions as a demand for slaves has been greater than ever.

The Conglomerate has strong provisions against unifying to fight, and would likely mass-hire from the large pools of mercenaries floating around to fight off any organized invasions. The Conglomerate itself does not declare war, but it is entirely possible for multiple corporations to hire mercenaries and gangs to offer protection. If another nation believes the Conglomerate is attacking them, they will ask for proof and if given the evidence they would undergo a consideration between the corporations, potentially resulting in it's liquidation.

The economy of the Conglomerate is a beating heart with extreme ups and downs. The time between recessions and recovery happen at such a fast rate that it's almost normal for one month or week to be in desperate poverty and the next to be in great wealth. With the help of the Collective they have created a pathway to the Rodyacian city-state Heho that typically must be maintained on a daily basis, an investment that traders who wish to visit the region must apply through the machete and other means. A wall is being slowly built towards the city, but many find the trip may be safer through the undercity.

[center][b]Synthetic Memories[/b][/center]

Corporations in the Conglomerate have developed technologies that can manufacture, stockpile and implant artificial memories. This is done through a neural implant popularly known as a memplant. Synthetic Memories are tailored to act like normal memories, but depending on the price, the quality of the memory may be much greater or less. Additionally, the type of memory that is invoked can be customized from topographic, flashbulb, declarative and procedural. Retrieval of the memory is inherently based on the price; if the implant is poor, then the memplant is hard to access and vague, if the implant is of high-quality than it can be eidetic.

The process of implanting synthetic memories begins with planning what sort of memory the client wants; there are pre-packaged memories to pick from which range from combat training to lectures, to sexual experiences and childhood. Customizing memories always costs more because the memories have to be constructed from scratch or from another pre-made memory. After the memory is designed, it is implanted by surgical procedure and the client undergoes a deep sleep. 

[center]Moneta[/center]

Moneta was originally developed to improve wakefulness for people with sleep disorders, and has piqued the interest of many laboratories who were involved in neuropharmacology. It is a heavy nootropic that has the same effect as having a major coffee hit without any caffeine jitters; its users work for longer than usual and are often surprised at the time that has passed by. It increases energy levels, alertness, allows people to stay focused for long periods of time and can activate parts of the brain that control motivation. 

Moneta, or its chemical name, Mnemosynetam, causes stimulations in acetylcholine receptors in the user's synapses which causes the speed of thought to be throttled, extensively improves logical analysis and the basic ability to learn and remember. It also increases the communication between the two hemispheres of the brain in a way which leads to a more "creative" ability to solve problems. It also serves on a social level, allowing the user to become more confident, improve their verbal fluency and depresses anxiety levels. 

When taking Moneta, the user has a definite feeling that an artificial substance is affecting them. There are reports of headaches, vomiting, extreme aggression, anxiety depression and uneven heartbeats for subjects that aren't on a controlled diet and sleep schedule. The magic of Moneta is that when it's used in the right conditions, the brain and muscle memory is retained long after the drug dissipates from the body. While they don't necessarily learn the same way nor have the same reactions as if they were on the drug, they do not return to their normal state of being until several years have passed.[/hider]