The Grand Empire of Zakaab
"We will sleep like Kings, encased within the greatest Armour the Galaxy has ever seen, so that when we awaken, we will enfetter the Universe in Eternal Rule"
Allegiance:
The Grand Empire of Zakaab, located in a rather centralized position within the Milky Way galaxy, is fiercly neutral. This is due to the heavy militarized culture of the Grand Empire of Zakaab and their rather unique way of surviving within this new age of galactic politics. Needless to say, the fact that the Neo-Zakaabites also fight intensively amongst themselves due to cultural customs is also a factor.
Species:
Neo-Zakaabites.
Species Description:
Zakaab was once home to little less than flora and fauna of very particular alien origins. However, during the age of human dominance upon the Galaxy, the planet was settled and the people quickly named themselves Zakaabites. The frontier-colony of Zakaab was, for whatever reason, highly ignored by their human rulers and the planet developed unique cultural and societal backgrounds surrounding war and warfare, as Zakaab was once a military outpost, until it was abandoned in favour of more frontier-planets.
Obsessed with becoming more capable and culturally attractive people, genetic modification was sought heavily and lead to the artificial evolution of the Zakaabites into Neo-Zakaabites. Neo-Zakaabites are slim but are incredibly strong due to highly dense muscle tissues and improved skeletal structures, they're more durable due to their multi-organic physiology. More aesthetic differences are their feather-like hair, and more optically improved eyes. Neo-Zakaabites also look increasingly more feminine, in comparison to regular humans.
Government:
The Grand Empire of Zakaab is in a very particular position amongst the galactic stage in that its entire empire is ruled and governed mostly by a super intelligence known as KHAAR. KHAAR was first constructed a long time ago with the simplification of Neo-Zakaabite lives as its core doctrine. Only in the last hundred years, however, has KHAAR taken up supreme authority in ruling and maintaining the Empire whilst the Neo-Zakaabites undergo the great slumber. As such, the millions of androids and autonomous service droids that maintain the lifeless husk of the cities of the many planets of the Zakaab Empire are all extensions of KHAAR.
Ruler/Rulers:
The Supreme Ruler of the Empire of Zakaab is Autarch Mermidon Valakyr. Although, whilst the Neo-Zakaabites are undergoing their great slumber, KHAAR is acting representative and leader of the Grand Empire of Zakaab. Upon the awakening of the Neo-Zakaabites, the 12 clans, and the Autarch, resume command of the Empire and its warrior-people.
History:
Zakaab saw its awakening first as the 12th colony of the original Human Empire, discovered shortly after mankinds initial ventures into the core-worlds of the milky way galaxy. Initially, Zakaab proved to be an essential staging ground for exploration and military activities within the mid- and core-worlds, but Zakaab would quickly come to be abandoned in the abundancy of resources and assets that the Empire had at hand.
Those who would remain were those who were forced to remain, former military officials and soldiers located on the planet in order to maintain the former epicenter of mankind's naval efforts in the galaxy. The Zakaab Defense Army quickly realized that it had been forgotten and abandoned and approached the planet directly to survive. They dismantled their military bunkers and garrisons to produce villages and eventually cities, living off of their expertise and skills in their given fields. Several generations later and their humble origins had already been forgotten, but in their place clans and warlords had been formed. Zakaab had now turned into a land where power meant everything, and your ability to manifest your will upon the world garnered you unrivaled respect and followers.
Several hundred years later and the entire planet had finally been settled, the ability of both human reproduction and biologically grown designer babies proving essential in populating the planet and, as a direct result, being able to utilize the planets resources as properly as possible. At this point economic alliances between numerous warlords had been established, an act which would prove to stand as the direct purpose as to why the 12 clans were established.
After the last of the official trade alliances joined forces and formed their own clan, the world had already become a warring place. Zakaab was encased in conflict on more sides than one, but whilst miniscule in capacity, it would merely serve as the vanguard for an entire history riddled with war between clans. A history that only one person alone could cease.
Mermidon Valakyr, of the Valakyr Clan, was born many hundred years after the first settlement of the planet itself. He would come to revolutionize not only Zakaabite history, but also culture and ideology, he united the clans under his own banner, unbound to the lineage of his clan, and proved himself in battle.
Mermidon Valakyr won over the trust and respect of all the clan leaders of Zakaab, doing so the proper and customary way, via way of a duel. The Grand Colosseum of Zakaab, home to only the most reputable of duelists and fighters, stood as the epicenter during the Grand Spar of Zakaab where Mermidon and all the other clan leaders fought for supreme authority of Zakaab.
Upon his victory, Mermidon Valakyr united the once broken and damaged empire of Zakaab under one banner, his own, and established the Grand Army of Zakaab. Under his rule, many, many planets fell into his grasp and technology advanced beyond compare. Planets were settled and industrialized at breath-taking speeds through revolutionizing new advancements in construction and engineering. KHAAR was constructed and given an increasingly expansive grip of the Empire by authority of Mermidon Valakyr.
To immortalize his achievements, Mermidon Valakyr proposed to his people that they immortalize themselves within, what he called, his Crypt Worlds. Here they would be temporarily uploaded to an entirely simulated artificial world where the civilians would flourish and experience uncomparable delight, and the warriors of the Grand Army of Zakaab would experience immortal training and experience.
To some, surprisingly, but to Mermidon Valakyr the fact that his people followed him into the depths of the Crypt Worlds was obvious. The many billions of his people, almost every single Neo-Zakaabite, except those whom had disappeared from the records, followed him and hooked themselves up into this artificial world. There they have remained for many hundred years, and will continue to, unless KHAAR deems it worth the risk of waking them up.
Military Strategy:
The Empire of Zakaab is a very ancient world with deep history and much time to expand and develope its military. Without much external war to be mentioned, the internal strife of times long since passed have enforced the stategies of the Slumbering Army. The Slumbering Army utilizes the collective might of the rather powerful warships produced autonomously since the Great Sleep numerous hundred years ago. The fleet, assembled within the internal factories of designated factory worlds of the Empire of Zakaab, is very powerful, but primal. It operates on basic codes and acts solely as a supporting element for when the Slumbering Army does finally awaken. Until then, the warships operate on basic attack patterns, and whilst the ships are individually powerful, are unable to execute advanced strategies or tactics.
Military In-depth:
The Empire of Zakaab is an entity which is very mysterious in modern time, known as the Sleeping Empire. Since long ago, the warrior-people of the Neo-Zakaabites had fought between one another, leading the tradition to hone and master the art of war to an exceptional and highly impressive degree to say the least. The Grand Army of Zakaab is the epitome of this, thousands of years of prowess condensced into the only united army in Zakaab history.
To ensure the Grand Army's supreme power, Autarch Mermidon Valakyr introduced the concept of Crypt Worlds to his Empire. These crypt worlds would become the homes for his people until the time for their awakening would be assured. Whilst they would sleep, overseen by KHAAR, the Grand Army would undergo constant simulation training to ensure that the Grand Army, even through the passage of hundreds of years, would be the supreme authority in their fields of experience, and see to it that the Empire would remain eternal.
As the people slumbered, KHAAR oversaw the Empire's barren industrial, agricultural, factory, and crypt worlds. KHAAR continued to supply the factories with their necessary resources, and maintained the cities and ensured they were clean and unpolluted by unwanted visitors. Autonomous Guard units were produced to ensure the absolute safety of the Crypt Worlds, and the Empire's Fleet was maintained and expanded upon over the hundred years of slumber.
As time passed, and the Grand Army drifted deeper and deeper into simulated training through their artificial slumber, KHAAR would come to respect further and further the skills of the Neo-Zakaabites which it was defending. As such, it also realized the prospect of prestige and wealth that the Grand Army and the Neo-Zakaabites themselves could acquire should they expose themselves to others in war. As KHAAR was programmed with the directive of ensuring the Empire of Zakaab's longevity in mind, it came to further and further realize how much the skill of the Grand Army could mean on a grand galactic stage, and as such, has decided that the services of the Grand Army is available for purchase, albeit at an insanely large cost.
Other:
The Grand Empire of Zakaab was influenced by Mandalore from Star Wars, there are certainly other inspirations here as well, but I am currently unable to name them. This is not because I refuse to, but because I do not recall them.
