ClocktowerEchos

Through the Gateways: Humanity [Closed]

<Snipped quote by Sigma>

I have it mostly done now. They're essentially an oligarchy that's focused on preserving "Earth culture," so that they intentionally try to keep humanity as it was before Earth fell. Not just genetically, but culturally and socially as well.

Their end goal is to terraform their world into a copy of Earth, erasing everything alien about it, and they probably won't respond well to all these genetically engineered abominations they're about to run into

@Tortoise

What do you mean "genetically engineered abominations"? The Midnight Technocracy is percentage wise majority human!
You didn't specify their current mortality status.

Through the Gateways: Humanity [Closed]

Some reading/theme music

The Midnight Technocracy

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The Midnight Technocracy

^{"Even in Death, We still Live."}

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GOVERNMENT: Technocratic Council
DEMOGRAPHICS: 4.2 billion total / 2 billion living

Vampires are the ruling elite of the Technocracy, each given the Void Blood which grants them youthfulness, speed, strength and perception. They do not have any fear of things such as garlic or sunlight, yet gold and not silver causes them great discomfort and headaches. They are expected to be polymaths, using their long lives to become true masters of as many subjects as they can. Most vampires are "half blooded", descendants of vampiric parents and only get a portion of their powers even if they are born from two vampires. True vampires are rare due to the incredibly limited amount of Void Blood. They can control Wights and Reanimated via neural implants, letting them command "networks" of unliving. While undoubtfully beautiful in their own way, they also have an eldritch air about them as if something is wrong with them on a fundamental level, almost as if they don't belong in this reality. Their eyes in particular are the most unnatural as their pupils move and shift and they blink far less than is comfortable.

Wights are those of weaker vampiric blood or candidates who fail to meet the immense requirements of being granted the Void Blood. They are instead given a synthetic version of the Blood which is much weaker but still grants them more ability over the average human. They act as relay nodes with vampires delegating them some control of their network of zombies so they may control more overall. They are often managers and overseers of the undead, taking routine gene therapy treatments to prolong their lives along with mechanical implants of their own. Their own neural implants are superseded by those of the vampires, thus rarely has a wight ever defied one.

Reanimated or "Zombies" are the dead corpses brought back to live with implants, prosthetic and a few drops of the synthetic Blood. They are little more than puppets and empty shells, used by the Vampires and Wights for menial or dangerous tasks, providing a very comfortable standard of living for the living citizens of the Technocracy. They have no free will or agency of their own and must be commanded to do tasks and while they can understand fairly complex instructions and sequences, if not given new orders they will repeat their current tasks over and over and over.

DCI (short for "Digital Conscious Intelligence") are the literal ghosts in the machine. They are the neural patterns of those individuals who have been granted a type of immortality that even the Blood cannot provide. They are replace AI for many advanced computing systems, living in the Technocracy's vast data vaults and technology systems, and utilize advanced hardlight projectors to manifest static bodies that flicker as if in continuous flux. Thus they can interact with the physical world, manipulating objects and while they can reach through objects, they cannot move through them as their floating hardlight CPU core is still a physical object.

Humans make up about half the population at any given time. Not all of their dead are reanimated but upon their death, their bodies are properties of the states

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PLANET: Trifera

Trifera is a world dominated by wetlands, marshes and bogs. Forests and mangroves cover the surface with only cities and mountains to break it up and vast underground caverns and cave systems below. It is colder and wetter than Earth and thicker cloud cover meaning more rain, fog and mist. Yet the mists and fog are always seen as comforting and warming as it persists even when the sun does shine through. Soil is often rugged and rough; one of the Technocracy's greatest achievements was genetically engineering breeds of crops hearty enough to grow and thrive in the rough soil.

The cities appear isolated on the surface: large, gothic metropolitans nestled between endless forests but that is because many of it cities are actually icebergs. Living humans tend to dwell on the surface while vast underground areas are carved out for the hordes of Reanimated. Train tunnels and underground super highways actually link the cities making overland travel rare with only hamlets and villages ever going over the rough terrain to the cities.

HISTORY:

Before the Technocracy, there was the Party. The Party was made of opportunistic vultures and radicals who took power when the Gateways were cut off. Supported by elements of the military, brought over through bribes, promises or threats, they promised peace, stability and a return to a nonexistent "glorious" past. Instead they created a state thought fictional by many. Over generations and about a 100 years after Trifera was isolated, they created a dystopian state that had them at the helm. Dogmatic political fanaticism, wide spread surveillance, secret police, secret police for those secret police, hidden agencies and departments, constantly shifting imaginary enemies, constant shortages to just barely keep the population supported, a massive bloated military, censorship of history itself and the ability to command the populace to do whatever at their whim. Privacy was banned and facts had become subjective to what the party said. They very easily could have survived the next 200 years had they not dug too deep into both the planet itself and their own hubris.

Buried deep below the crust was the body of an ancient alien, eldritch and horrifically unnatural that drove the miners who first found it mad. The Party believed that with the body could come immortality, a brew of undying life so hidden with the body that still bled. Even the most loyal scientists however raised concerns, believing that the alien was something so alien that it wasn't even supposed to be in this reality, but the Party didn't care. They had already mastered their own planet, so their egos told them it was nothing to dissect some dead giant monster. So a research team was assigned to it, under heavy guard and told to ignore their feelings or doubt.

It took months and a great deal of "encouragement" by the security team but finally, the researchers had drawn and purified the unholy ichor of the eldritch monster to create what they dubbed "Void Blood". Initial tests were proving positive and the team wanted to do more tests on animals before moving to humans, but the Party got impatient. They demanded the samples for their own use and the researchers in perhaps the bravest act of their lives, refused. But bravery was a poor shield against bullets so the security detail gunned them down until only a handful remained, locked in the lab with their samples. In a final act of rebellion, they each injected or consumed the Void Blood, only to be transformed into the first Blooded vampires of Trifera. With their new power, the scientists slaughtered the unexpecting guards. And then their reinforcements. And then the army unit sent to reinforce the reinforcements.

As the Party bickered amongst itself on what to do, the researchers made busy by exploring their new powers and using the technology of the facility combined with the bodies of the dead guards to create for them an army they could control. The Party kept sending in soldiers and brigades, each one never to be seen again save as shambling reanimated corpses. Hidden among these forlorn assault groups were dissenting soldiers and officers who began to loose faith in the Party. When one of these men openly declared himself against the Party in the middle of a battle, he was cut down by his more zealous comrades before they were slain in turn. Mortally wounded and bleeding out, the scientists decided to give this man a touch of the Blood and thus was born the first Wight.

As their ranks swelled, the scientist's armies grew as did their followers of rebels and political escapees who thought that life and even death under them would be better than what the Party could ever give. And thus they were crowned the Midnight Technocracy as an ever growing undead legion followed them as they ventured beyond their desolate research facility and towards the cities. The Party employed ever more brutal tactics against them, culminating in scorched earth tactics of fire and toxins that did little to stop the undead but caused unheard of suffering to the living civilians. Even the most fervent of supporters found their faith shattered as their homes burned and skin melted off their bone. Many of these dying men and women had vengeance on their lips, vengeance the Technocracy was more than happy to ensured came true. One by one cities fell or raise their banners in support of the rebels and the Party fractured, each person blaming the other to make sure they would not be killed in ever larger purges.

When at last the Midnight Technocracy stood triumphant, their hordes tearing the remaining supporters limb from limb and throwing their screaming, bloody torsos off the highest skyscrapers, they had a choice as what to do next. They never intended to get so far, to actually supplant the Party. They all believed in meritocracy and the ideal of technocratic rule, but the framework the Party had left behind would ensure dominance over whoever held the keys. And so, like clockwork, the Midnight Technocracy inherited what the Party left behind, adapting and changing what they believed to be the most abhorrent aspects while keeping just enough to ensure that they and their successors would endure at the top of society.

It was only by a stroke of luck did they manage to recover the body of the beast and find another of its kind buried in the stone, perhaps a mate or a rival. They perfected their formula and managed to extract even more Void Blood from the corpses but their attempts to synthase it was met with failure. They could not make true Void Blood from nothing and even after centuries, they remain no closer to it. Thus they use their lesser synthetic Blood to create zombies and wights, reserving the true Blood for only the worthiest of heirs and accomplished individuals.

SOCEITY:

Life on Trifera is one where the line between living and dead is thin. Humans go about their day with shambling (but well kept) undead all around them in resplendent gothic-styled cities and live fairly comfortable and carefree lives because of it. Wights and Reanimated do a lot of the hazardous and menial labor which by passes both cost and ethical considerations in their minds. It is widely believed that the soul and the body are two separate entities and that the soul is immortal while the body is not thus once dying, the body can be used for whatever. Once a person dies, their body is treated as if it was an article of clothing as anything remotely "sacred" has left with the soul.

Cities are still bustling with trade and commerce as the living still busy themselves with work and school as those who distinguish themselves can be granted immortality or even the Void Blood. The Council implements a very "bread and circus" policy of keeping the living happy with cheap food and a variety of entertainment options as well as low taxes and a lot of discounted things all thanks to the undead labor force. Of course they make sure people know exactly how terrible the Party was and how the Council is nothing like them. Taxes are often so low that there is only one tax people actually pay attention to: the Blood Tithe. In lieu of monetary taxes, the Blood Tithe is where citizens are required to donate blood for the consumption for the vampire elite.

The upper class themselves like to dress like old aristocrats and Renaissance intellectuals. Their crypt halls and mausoleums are magnificent palaces full of artwork and wealth and displays of their own works, nothing like the dingy dank graves that first come to mind. Although a technocracy and undying, not even the vampires can resist material possessions and bragging rights. They do their best to make sure they look more than like the monsters of fairytale and while they've convinced Trifera, its unknown how the rest of humanity will view them. As for all of the splendor and benevolence they put on, they have their own networks and systems in place to stay in power and keep the living docile, lessons learned from the Party before them.

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ADMINISTRATION:

As its name implies, the Midnight Technocracy is run by a council of technocrats with only the most skilled, educated and cunning vampires allowed. Many have at least a century of undeath behind them and are wiser than any mortal human could hope to be. It is the original researchers and their progeny who sit upon the council, although beside them are a wide variety of advisors from other fields. While politics is no longer as cut throat as it was when the Party ruled over Trifera, scheming and plots can still be found only now they can take decades or even centuries to complete.

Collectively, those who sit upon the council are called Adjutants and among themselves they elect a Lord Director. Currently the Lord Director is a man called Vladimir Karamazov.

TECHNOLOGY:

What some would call "necromancy", the Midnight Technocracy calls "mortology" as to them, the masters of life and death they are, it is only magic if you do not understand the process. Gene modding, cybernetics and mechanical augmentation technology are all incredibly advanced as one might expect although it extends beyond simply humans. Animals have been crossbred and edited to create entirely new species such as the wolf-like Dire Beast or the dragon-like Umbragheist born of giant bats grown to unholy size. Plants as well have been grown to accommodate Trifera's climate with creations such as bloodberries, cave grain and several variety of edible mushrooms and exotic herbs.

Although highly advanced in some ways, manually operated machines are still widespread due to the fact that they can simply have zombies operate them. Farming, mining, simple assembly and construction work are often all done by huge teams of Zombies with a Wight overseer or two, sometimes operating heavy machinery and more complicated mechanisms to assist.

MILITARY:

It should come as no surprise that the Technocracy utilizes their unliving servants in military and security affairs. Fearless and incapable of feeling pain or denying an order, Reanimated soliders are given armor and short ranged or explosive weaponry and told to charge forward while the living human soldiers take their shots from afar. This "mass distraction" tactic is the go to strategy of the Undying Legions since their initial rebellion against the Party.

Along side the more traditional array of tanks, artillery and aircraft, the Technocracy makes use of a variety of genetically engineered warbeasts and bioweapons that can sow terror and fear into any unused to their presence. The vampires themselves are also terrifying opponents, both well versed in decades of tactical studies and honed martial prowess to the point that it is impossible for anything less than a full company to even attempt to take one down. Of course, full blooded vampires rarely go on the battlefield and instead half blooded vampires and wights are much more common.

The Technocracy benefits from having a much smaller supply line relative to the size of their forces. Curiously as zombies do not need to breath nor are they affected by the cold vacuum of space, the Technocracy often uses zombie boarding parties in naval combating, hiding them among debris or "stealthily" shooting them towards the ship without containers making them much harder to detect on most radars.

Through the Gateways: Humanity [Closed]

Throwing my hat into the ring for this since I came up with a very interesting idea (to me at least).

Expect a sheet for the Midnight Technocracy soon.

Blades of the Blood Coast: A Grimdark Mercenary Roleplay

@POOHEAD189 I vote that we change the setting so that we're all cavemen just discovering this new concept of "mercenary work" or "fighting for shiny rock". Big Ugg Grug and his Big Grug Club is going to beat the shit out of any git for some more shiny clackity clack sacks and slap jappin' yaks.

Old Glory - A House Divided (Knightly American houses, long after the end)

@Infinite Cosmos Go ahead and move it over to Chars!

Blades of the Blood Coast: A Grimdark Mercenary Roleplay

I was actually going to ask, would we be playing as individuals or as mercenary companies? To use Total War Warhammer as an example, are we playing as Heroes or Regiments of Renown?

Also might be a bit early, but could you tell anything more about the setting like magic and level of grimdark?

Blades of the Blood Coast: A Grimdark Mercenary Roleplay

@POOHEAD189 Dammit, how am I supposed to get a sense of pride and achievement now? What else am I supposed to use to fill the void in my life other than rare, overpriced and recycled cosmetic items?

Blades of the Blood Coast: A Grimdark Mercenary Roleplay

I am going to be the first and say I am at least intrigued but I have one issue:

This is a non-profit roleplay

@POOHEAD189

Idk what kind of self respecting mercenary is going to work for no profits jk

Old Glory (GoT-styled RP in a post apoc medieval USA)

OOC UP!!

Old Glory - A House Divided (Knightly American houses, long after the end)

O L D G L O R Y

They say in ancient times, long before the Reckoning claimed the Earth of yore, Grand America had an empire from sea to shining sea, horizon to endless horizon. The Founders rose a line of President-Kings who brought American knights to distant lands to destroy the demons beyond the sea and American bards to spread the American Way. They founded castles across the world and conquered the very stars themselves. Now we are all that are left. Five Kingdoms all claiming to be the heirs to an empire none of us really know much about nor can ever hope to matching alone.

I pity Old America. Tis good that she has died long ago, less she saw what has become of her children.

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Discord here.
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PREMISE

Old Glory is a story of nobles and knights set in America nearly 2000 years after an apocalypses destroyed the world. Inspired by the CK2 mod "After the End" and Game of Thrones, its central theme is similar to how GoT dispels the rosier ideals of chivalry and the medieval era in that in this RP, America has been completely misunderstood by people who only know of it from stories and stories of fragments of knowledge from generations ago. The Founding Fathers have been deified into Gods, the entire government structure has been turned into a clergy, American imagery of liberty and freedom are used by noble houses and monarchs and the American Dream conjures up images of a glorious past without any trouble or hardship, full of romantic ideas and wistful thinking.

Despite it being 2000 years after an unspecified (but probably nuclear) apocolpyse, the world is still very medieval and feudal, just like GoT. In character, this is because people simply lost the knowledge on how to make or do things and even if they did, the fact they longer had access to the materials needed to make it meant that their knowledge was also lost over time. Even if you knew how to make an electric motor, unless you had the metals, components and wiring to actually make one, that knowledge isn't helping anyone. Out of character, its just to keep a theme. Just like how After the End makes some sacrifices since its ultimately an excuse for having knights in America, here too its just an excuse to keep to a theme.

As for players, I'd like at least one for each of the major houses/crowns. If there are no more crowns available or if you just want to do so, I encourage players to who live in a particular area to play as a vassal house in that area sworn to a higher liege. Alternatively just playing as a singular character or cadet branch of a house is also cool. Posting requirements aren't strict, just post enough for other people to work off of. The level is "high casual" as there's a good bit of lore and background planning despite more lax posting. I encourage people to go to GoT levels of intrigue and plots but there is one major rule to follow: Secrets should only be IC, not OOC. You can Red Wedding another house as long as everyone involved has agreed upon it. Secret plots and assassinations should only be a surprise to the characters, not the players.

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STORY

It has been nearly 2000 years since the Reckoning that destroyed the world and little over a 1000 years since the squabbling tribes and clans formed into kingdoms who were then united into a single crown: Atlantica, the Five Kingdoms. 300 years ago, House Ironwit deposed the last Demervan king, Joran the Mad, and claimed the crown for themselves. But now, President-King Franklin Ironwit has suddenly died of illness and his two children claim the throne.

His eldest child is Abigale, an slightly unhinged warrior princess who claims the throne as the eldest child. Her brother Alexander however, a sickly young man with an astute mind, claims the throne as the only surviving son of his father. Neither side are willing to relinquish their claims and both call upon the Lords of the Five Kingdoms -the Lakelands, the Northern Marches, the Old Dominion, Appalachia and the Sunbelt- to rally to their side as the true, legitimate heir to the Ivory Throne of the Oval Court.

Yet trouble brews across the border. The tribes and nomads raid across the Mississippi in ever greater numbers with whispers of a Prairie King rising in endless plains. The Canuck Wintermen and Quebecois Ursuline Princes have formed some kind of unthinkable pact as something unholy stirs in the far north. A new Azteqa God-King promises to soothe the gods with the blood of prisoners captured from raids. Strange iron ship have been spotted by fishermen and whalers far off the coast. Whispers speak of unnatural forces seeping into the world, not seen since Old America and the ambitions if the many houses of Atlantica will jump at the opportunity presented by this new war for the throne.

A House Divided cannot stand and the Ivory Throne of America can only seat one: the one with enough will, skill and luck to claim the Old Glory of America.

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Lore

The main setting is the Five Kingdoms located in what's known in-character as "Atlantica". Each is ruled by monarchy who all swear loyalty to the Ivory Throne in Washentown. They each claim legacy from America or some part of it. The main faith in the Five Kingdoms is the Faith of the Founders, a deification of the Founding Fathers into a sort of polytheist pantheon.

The currency of the Five Kingdoms are Dollar coins, typically of silver or bronze and thus called "Silver Eagles" and "Bronze Pennies"; gold is a lot harder to come by due it a much more limited supply and most of it having to come from elsewhere.

The Five Crowns

The Northern Marches is made of the New England states as well as New York and portions of northern Pennsylvania; known in shorthand as "Yankee", "the March" or "the North". They boast a strong industry of fishing, whaling and forestry among others and commonly viewed as having a cold exterior with a warmer interior and being more superstitious of the paranormal, sometimes to the point of heresy. As the northern most kingdom, they regularly deal with the Prince and Princesses of Quebecois and the Ursuline Church and while usually on good terms, the North has been the target of more than a few Ursuline crusades, once having even been completely conquered. Their bastards are given the surname of Frost.

The Old Dominion is made of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and parts of North Carolina; also called "Keystone", "the Midlands" or just "the Dominion". They are often seen as the capital realm of the Five Kingdoms and one of its breadbaskets for wheat and livestock as well as having the second strongest mining economy in the realm. It comes as no surprise that many "Dominioners" are seen as self righteous and self important, often being the first to intervene in another kingdom's affairs for better or for worse. As the White Palace and the Ivory Throne are located within its borders, those who control the Old Dominion and more specifically the ancient city of Washentown are often the rulers of the Five Kingdoms. Their bastards are called Woods.

The Lakelands is made of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconson; sometimes referred to as either "the Great Lakes" or "Laurentinia". Many outside the Lakelands believe that Lakelanders are immune to the cold, very polite (although "polite" doesn't always mean "nice") and more than a little warlike due to the regular raids from the Canuck Wintermen from across the Great Lakes. While they farm and craft like any other, the Lakeland is known for one thing: Marine at Arms. Sworn knights specialized in river and water-based combat, it is Lakelanders who make up most of the Mississippi Water Watch and fight the Wintermen or the Ursuline when needed. Their bastards are called Rivers.

Appalachia is made of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, southern bits of the Great Lake states and the northern bits of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi; they're called "the Great Mountains" or (more derisively), "Hillmen". While outsiders see them as simple minded, Appalachians see themselves as industrious, hearty and loyal for as children they are taught to never break an oath once made and to never take oaths lightly. They mostly keep to themselves in their clan hillocks and mountain villages and mine the bounty beneath the earth for metals and coal while also making some of the finest alcohol in the Five Kingdoms. Of which they often like to use in battle as fire bombs against the Ozark Tribes who sometimes raid across the river. Their bastards are called Stone.

The Sunbelt is made of the states of Florida and the southern portions of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina; some call them "the South", "Dixon" or "the Stormlands" for the hurricanes that sometimes arrives in the area. Of all the kingdoms, the Sunbelt takes honor and chivalry the most serious, its knights are held to a strict code that is beyond what most of the other kingdoms demand. And while their love of family is sometimes overexaggerated, it is true that to a Sunbelter, duty to the family is more important than duty to others which sometimes results in maddeningly no-win scenarios. The finest warhorses come from the south, and they grow rich on farming and trade with the Carib kingdoms to their south. They also boast the most impressive castle in the realm, that of Cinderrel Castle. Their bastards are called Sun.

Faith of the Founders

The Faith of the Founders (also known as Founderism, Americanism or just the Founders) is the primary faith of the Five Kingdoms. According to Congressional Canon, the Founders first found the world while sailing through the stairs and created America to enact their will. Priest and priestesses are called "Representatives" as they represent the will of the Founders on earth and the high ranking Representative is called the Speaker for the Founders speak through them. Collectively the clergy is known as the "Congress" and the temples to the Founders are also called Congresses. There are five officially recognized Founders along with the Champions who represented them in Old America.

The Six Divine Founders

Washington, the Father is considered to be the King of the Founders who delegates his power to both other Founders and mortal men. He is the Founder of honor, honesty, virtue and. He has no Champions as the everyone from the common lowfolk to the President-King are supposed to embody his ideals.

Lincoln, the Liberator is considered to the the Founder of change, commoners and laborers. He is very popular among the peasantry but less so among the upper class with many invoking his name when confronting unjust lords and unfair decrees. His champions are King Martin and Prince Kennedy, both great nobles who were martyred in his service.

Roosevelt, the Warrior is the Founder of battle, courage, nature and expansion and is considered the patrons of soldiers. Antlers are considered his holy symbol and thus many professional soldiers often carry a trinket of antler or animal bone in the hopes of gaining his strength in battle. His champions were Master MacArthur, who conquered the seas for America, and Cathay the Maid, a woman who disguised herself as a man to become a Rough Rider Knight.

Jefferson, the Scribe is the Fonder of writing, law, bards and community. His likeness is often found before the gates of a town and his statues and busts are the second most popular ones installed in town squares and meeting places after Founder Washington. His champions were Marquis Twain, a noble playwright, and Earnest of Hemmingway, a lowborn playwright.

Lady Liberty, the Guardian is the Founder of defense, women and the poor. Like Lincoln she is often seen to be popular among the lower classes but unlike him, she is also found near noble castles and upon house banners. Where as the previous four were said to have been first discovered upon a cliff face beyond the Mississippi, the monument to Lady Liberty was found in the harbor of Yorick. Where as Roosevelt expanded America, it was Lady Liberty who defended it and its people. Her Champions were Norton the First, a mad but devoted emperor, and Lord Monroe who saw to extend the guardianship of Lady Liberty beyond America's borders to its neighbors.

Franklin, the Inventor is the Founder of innovation, knowledge and tradesmen. It is said that he created the wonders of Old America that the faithful used in their crusades against the Red Demon and the Black Shadow. Scholars pray to him for inspiration while smiths invoke his name while working metal and any good tutor worth their salt has a medallion of his lenses on them. His Champions are Edison Lightbringer, who illuminated the darkness, and Maiden Airheart who flew across the world on wings of iron. However, some believe that Edison is a false champion and instead praise one known as Tesla of the East as his champion instead.

Zealots of the faith are called Patriots and holy order knights are often called Patriot Legion Knights. The main force which opposes the Founders are the insidious forces of the Red Demon and the Black Shadow, lead by the Arch-Traitor Benedict, who was cast out of Heaven for betraying the Founders. July 4th is a holy day known as Ascention Day, where it is believed the Founders ascended to heaven and left behind a line of great President-Kings to rule in their place. Lords and kings are coronated in the name of the Founders, sometimes all of them, sometimes just one (most often Washington).

The Court Council

The President-King while powerful, does not rule alone and so has a council of individuals to advise and delegate tasks for him. Being appointed to the Court Council is usually seen as a great honor and recognition for either skill, trust or power within the realm. Being on the Court Council however demands that the individual live within Wasentown, sometimes even within the White Palace or the Grand Courthouse, forcing those on the Council to hand control of their holdings over to someone else who can manage it while they are away.

Vice Prince

The Vice Prince/Princess is the most powerful position behind the President King and is directly appointed by them. They speak and act with the authority of the President themselves in their place. Such an office is incredibly prestigious and grants a person great power with Houses boasting about ancestors with the assignment. If the President is strong, the VP is an agent of their will who can let them execute multiple plans at once without being present everywhere. If the President is weak, it is often the VP who is the true power in the Five Kingdoms. Beyond their duties as right hand of the king, the VP is also the chief diplomat who speaks on behalf of the President with other lords of the realm or with outsiders.

Master at Arms

Also known as the Chief Commander, they are responsible for organizing and training the militay forces of Atlantics. They organize muster rolls, manage levies, keep track of all the mercenaries, free companies, men at arms and knights in the kingdom. Workshop and smithies that produce the weapons of war are also under their preview as armories and the strongholds of the River Guard must be kept at fighting condition. They also are responsible for the Honor Guard, sworn bodyguards of the President King. While many Masters at Arms have been exceptional fighters in their own right, it is not required for the office; there have been Masters at Arms who could barely hold a sword but proved incredibly adept at their job regardless.

Master of Law

The chief minster of laws and regulations. They are usually well studied individuals who give advice on legal matters, managing the dungeon, organizing feudal contracts, keeping track of bloodlines and claims and giving the king reminders on local customs when they visit the different crowns of the realm. Although at a first glance it seems like a simple job, claims to the throne can very quickly become very messy and local lords are sometimes known to implement laws that are wildly different than their surroundings. Sometimes the best skill for a Master of Law to have isn't reading or even knowledge of law, but patience and willpower to get through all of the bullshit their job inevitably runs into.

Master of Coin

Although rich in its own right, the kingdom still requires an individual skilled with money to manage its finances. Anything related to the economy and resources is the domain of the Master of Coin who manages the king's household finances, internal and external trading, public works projects, maintaining resource stockpiles and managing harvest quotas. Becoming the Master of Coin is notoriously difficult and usually a sign of great trust as there is a common (if not well founded) fear of the Master of Coin syphoning off the king's coffers to enrich themselves.

Director of Information

The Spymaster who lurks in the shadows like a spider. They inform the king on matters of sensitive information and espionage, both foreign and domestic, and are always on the look out for plots and schemes as well as more nefarious secrets which can be used for blackmail. The Director of Information is the King's ears although sometimes they go just a little bit deaf. They command the Secret Service although they're also called the "Black Orchestra". The Director can be the single most powerful individual on the council, even more so than the VP or king themselves, so great trust is invested into the position and more than once it has been filled by the President's spouse or secret lover.

Court Representative

The religious advisor of the Faith for the king who represents the Congress of Founders in court. They serve equal parts spiritual advisor and scholarly record keeper and unlike the other positions, it is not directly filled by the king. Instead, the Speaker of the Faith presents a list of candidates that he believes are pious and suitable for a life at court advising the king. While most of the time the candidates are Representatives, sometimes an especially devout noble or lord can also become a candidate.

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FAQ

Questions and Answers

Q: Why are there no guns and electrity and other modern stuff?
A: For themeatic reasons and just like in After the End, its just a justification to have knights in plate armor running around in a somewhat familiar setting of America.

Q: What about other modern ideas, beliefs, thoughts, etc?
A: Same as above, keep that medieval low fantasy theme.

Q: What do you mean by low fantasy?
A: Again, think of GoT, "magic" doesn't really exist according to most people who believe magic died with Old America. However you still have stuff like near-magical not!Valyrian swords, one on one duels in combat, questing, "magical" creatures/monsters that are actually just mutants and everyone speaking the same language.

Q: What exists beyond the Five Kingdoms?
A: The Mississippi River divides "civilization" from the rest of America which most believe to be filled with wandering nomads and petty tribal kings among vast stretches of nothingness but there are rumors of a "Celestial Empire of California" in the west filled with riches and wonders. Only a few have made the journey and even fewer have returned. Canada is divided up between the Canuck Wintermen tribes and the Quebecois Princes along with the Ursuline Church. To the south there is the Carib islands rich for trade and then the kingdoms of Mextiqa. Rumors say that even further south there is an empire born from the jungles that never truly fell during the Reckoning.

Q: Can I play as these? Why are we limited to east of the Mississippi?
A: No you can't play as them, they're basically world building and fleshing out. If you're in the northern kingdoms you could have had some ties to Canada like blood or relationship or trade, ditto with the southern kingdoms and the Caribbean. I'm limiting the playable area to keep things focused on one area and the conflict within it.

Q: What happens to cities and other major constructions? How long as it been since the Reckoning?
A: Its been close to 2,000 years since the end of the world happened. The only thing that might remain of a city or high way would be especially stony ground filled with concrete and asphalt. Of course, new cities have been built on the remains or ruins and still serve as major centers.

Q: Why did you spell Washington as "Wasentown"?
A: Something I want to try out and I'm not fully on board with just yet. Basically it would be changing names to show that their original names have degraded over the years. So New York might become Yorik, Atlanta might become Atalana, Richmond might become Rikmount and so on. In addition you might have new phrases or words like "gunning" someone would just mean "to kill from range", baseball would become strikeball, football could become bloodbowl, President could mean "high king", and a jayfekayer might mean "an assassin" among other things.

Q: I am from one of the irl areas of the Five Kingdoms/I have lore ideas I'd like to contribute, can I do that?
A: Yes! Please! Do contribute your own lore whether that before for interactions between Houses, possible history, local customs or whatever. I wrote this mostly based on stereotypes I could find and stuff from After the End.

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Characters & Houses

Map of the Five Kingdoms

House CS code

[b]House Name:[/b] (Self explanatory, just don't use the bastard names for a region.)
[b]House Words:[/b] (The slogan, motto or catchphrase that describes your house or its values.)
[b]Coat of Arms:[/b] (Pictures or words, doesn't have to be complex.)

[b]Seat:[/b] (Where is their main seat of power/castle? Can be region or old state/city.)
[b]Titles:[/b]
[list][*] (Crowns of the five kingdoms are called "Lords/Ladies" as they are all sworn to the King. Lord is also used to refer to whatever castles they control.)
[*](The title of Sovereign is equivalent to Duke and Governor of an area, typically based upon a state of Old America.)
[*](More honorific titles like "Wardens of the North" and "Chamberlin of the Mountains" are given out in recognition of service or achievement.)[/list]
[b]History:[/b] (Short bit on the backstory of your house, are they an old, established lineage or an upstart cadet branch?)

[b]Head:[/b] (Who is the head of the family at the moment? Just a name and maybe titles or epithets, don't describe them here.)
[b]Heirloom:[/b] (Every great house has at least one valued artifact from a mythic weapon to a crown to something exotic. Try not to have too many.)
[b]Specialty:[/b] (What is your "special unit" in your house soldiers? What do your lands produce that make you really famous?)
[b]Traits:[/b] (What are some common traits in your house, physical or personality wise?)

[b]Misc: [/b] (Other stuff you want to put down like traditions, alliances, rivalries, historic claims, cadet branches, vassal houses, number of living members, etc.)
[b]Quote:[/b] (An in character summary quote that should be about your house and how people perceive them, can be an outsider or a member of the house. Entirely optional but fun.)

House CS example: House Ironwit

House Name: House Ironwit
House Words: "Strength beyond arms"
Coat of Arms: The golden Bell of Liberation of the Founders on a blue background (the Liberty Bell).

Seat: The Old Dominion, Washington, the White Palace
Titles:

• King-President of Atlantica
• Sovereign of Maryland
• Protector of the Realm
• Lord of the White Palace
• Lord of Seiyah

History: House Ironwit has ruled over the Five Kingdoms for nearly three centuries, taking the throne from House Deveram. They claim to be descendants from Jefferson Ironwit, Spymaster of King Maximall Deveram and Lord of Seiyah who took the throne after King Maximall went mad. Jefferson in turn claimed lineage from noble house of Old America that survived the Reckoning.

Head: King Franklin "Four Finger" Ironwit
Heirloom: The Crown of Atlantica, "Truth" the Axe of Founder Washington, Fragments of the First Declaration
Speciality: House Ironwit Continental Guards are elite halberdiers
Traits: Ironwits are usually known to have straight brown hair, piercing eyes and the ability to talk like a walking book, never lying but making liberal use of half-truths and technicalities.

Misc:

• As King-President, every year they make a "State of the Realm Adress" before all of the assembled lords of the Five Kingdoms.
• They have two major cadet branches, House Ironwit-Verna in the Sunbelt and House Ironwit-Shore in the North.
• After a civil war between the house for the Ivory Throne, half the house was banished across the river. Legends say that those banished became the Windstorm Kings and that they seek to one day reclaim their throne.
• Most of the house is actually lactose intolerant or "milk shunned".

Quote:
"Careful what you say about the Ironwits lad, they say even the shadows listen on their behalf. Some claim that the last Deveram king went mad not because of the voices in his head, but the voices in the shadows."
- Minor lord to their heir

"The Iron in Ironwit is not hyperbole, for it takes men of iron will and great ability to rule. Lesser folks will claim power corrupts. Power only corrupts if you are weak enough to let you. Our reign has proven thus for only has two of our numbers ever succumbed to that temptation. And none ruled long enough to produce an heir. We have made sure of it, personally.
- An Ironwit King to an unnamed Lord

Character Sheet

Name: (Use whatever title would announce your presence if you were to go to a feast or tournament.)
Age: (Duh. The oldest people live to now a days is about 65-ish, 16-18 is considered adult depending on where you are and you can drink, marry and fight starting at that age.)
Sex: (Duh)

Appearance:
(What do they look like? Most fashion is a medieval version modern clothing made of cotton, flax, wool or leather. Local fashion might also influence things like the Old Dominion using a colonial-style of dress, Appalachian nobles might still wear rugged worker-ish clothes and the northern nobles may like fur lined rough weather cloaks while the south wears lighter and more breathable fabrics.)

Lineage: (Their parentage and what houses they descend from. While patrilineal inheritance is most common, matrilineal inheritance isn't uncommon especially for houses with powerful women or female founders.)
Background:
(Short history of major events that shaped their lives and what they've been doing up until now.)

Personality Traits:
(Their personality but in traits instead of long sentences. They are what they MOST OFTEN display, think like traits in CK3 if you've played that game. It should be obvious that they will not like people with opposite traits: cynical vs zealous, kind vs cruel, just vs arbitrary, brave vs cowardly, etc.)

Ambitions:
(The goals of your character, their driving motives.)

Achievements:
(Major personal achievements like increasing revenue, slaying a great beast or monster, fighting in a battle, dueling a known champion, establishing a new trade route or treaty.)

Relationships:
(This can include family, marriages, friendships, rivalries, etc. Talk with other players to see if you can connect your houses and characters with each other!)

Misc:
(Other stuff you'd want to put in like habits, mannerisms, fears, personal belongings, etc)

Example Character: President King Franklin Ironwit

Name: President-King Franklin Ironwit, Protector of the Realm
Age: 51
Sex: Male

Appearance:
Franklin Ironwit is a well aged man with old eyes and a white beard. He is no longer the energetic young man he once was but has morphed into a wise, if not slightly arrogant, king. While once he lived in his armor, he now wears mostly fabrics of Sunbelt cotton and Northern furs, woven into colonial-style jackets. As is custom within the Old Dominion, he wears a white wig under the Tricorn Crown of the Five Kingdoms. He carries a walking stick made of Brazilwood with the symbol of Founder Roosevelt on it.

Lineage: Father was Jefferson Ironwit II and his Mother was from House Lostpine, Sovereigns of Maine
Background:
Franklin Ironwit was raised as many Ironwits are by private tutors in Wasentown. Much of his formative years was within the halls of the White Palace on in the surrounding town. At age 19 he joined his aunt in the defense of Appalachia when the Ozark tribesmen launched an invasion over the river, driving them off and slaying three pagan champions in single combat. When he was 23, he was wed to a woman from a lesser house to cement an alliance, siring two boys and a girl with her. Now however, he is becoming ill from old age or some old wound and despite his vigor, the constant flow of doctors, apothecaries and alchemists in and out of the White Palace is a worrying sign as he does his best to make sure his youngest son Alexander will inherit the throne instead of the older but more volatile George.

Personality Traits:
- Dutiful
- Arrogant
- Honest
- Stubborn

Ambitions:
- Maintain the position and prestige of House Ironwit
- Keep the realm at peace

Achievements:
- Made a truce with the Ursuline Church, preventing another Crusade into the North

Relationships
- Has two children, Abigale and Alexander. Alexander is the younger and the favored heir while George is the older but less capable (and stable) son
- Married to _____ of House _____, cementing an alliance with them.
- Has two sisters, both married off to other houses. Had a brother but he was killed in a "hunting accident".
- (More to be added?)

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CLAIMS

House Delver of Appalachia
- House Stag, sworn to House Delver

House Marshado of the Sunbelt

House Brewer of the Lakelands
- House ________, sworn to House Brewer

House Forgefyre of the Old Dominion

House ________ of the Northern Marches