More of an adapted sub-species of human rather than their own genetic anomaly, the Voloss share appearances with their Human brethren aside from a few key differences; Voloss are generally taller, the average height for both genders being on the latter range of seven feet, and both genders are capable of growing copious amounts of facial hair. Speaking of hair, the Voloss' tends to be on either extreme of light or dark- ptch black, blonde, or white, with very little in between. On top of all that, the Voloss species has been blessed with incredible fertility, with most couples birthing (on average) four children or more. Due to their heritage on colder planets, Volossians are also somewhat renowned for their resistance to freezing temperatures and the subsequent effects from such. Aside from these differences, the Voloss are Human in every other way.
---
the Dolock Hegemony
Nation Size: From their massive population size and constant need for further expansion and colonization- to say nothing of more resources- the Hegemony is able to boast sixteen stars and around fifty colonized (though ever-developing) planets. Due to the Voloss fertility (Which may be as much a curse as a blessing), the population is reaching close to two-hundred and fifty billion citizens.
Nation Description: The very first Volossian nation began long ago as a colony in the famed Cold Desert on the planet Endrakis, forever to be known to the Voloss as the motherworld. The Voloss were prime candidates for colonists for their resistance to cold weather and rapid population growth rate. Originally designated to scavenge and mine the Cold Desert for gemstones or other resources, the Voloss' ruling faction at the time- the Vailain Empire- unfortunately succumbed to inner conflict and economic collapse, leaving the predominately Voloss colony stranded on what they came to adopt as their new home.
Over the next several hundred years the colony grew exponentially as the original Voloss contingent thrived in their new environment- they had developed technology to quickly grow and harvest artificial foods to sustain themselves as their urban areas grew and grew. As per Volossian usual, it wasn't long before most of Endrakis had been urbanized, and so the Volossians declared their independence as a new faction.
The Hegemony itself wasn't formed until the Voloss demesne had become so vast that management of it became nearly impossible for a mere small council. Reformation was quick and nearly seamless as the common citizenry was often more concerned with the recent war developments on the newly discovered Anuria. They were quick to involve themselves when war began to ravage the planet- for if no ground could be gained, at least the overpopulation problem could be solved.
Nation Involvement The Hegemony is seemingly in an eternal need for planets with space for colonization and urbanization for their massive population, as they're packed in tight as it is. They were quick to establish themselves as hostile and warmongering in an attempt to intimidate, hoping to use their machines of war to bombard any competition, but such was certainly not the case, as the last century has proven.
---
Technology Moderately behind in terms of infantry accouterments, but advanced in other areas, specifically artillery. The weaponry used by Konscripts is often ballistic or laser based, with only the most elite of footsoldiers being reserved plasma or nuclear. Some of this lack of advanced infantry comes from their mass production tactics used to create cheap weapons and uniforms at an alarming rate.
Composing most of the Hegemony's space-to-space warfare the Zabojca are surprisingly tough little Frigates. What they gain in toughness and staying power they lose in raw firepower, and rely more on attrition or numbers than outright force.
Heavy armored and firing a slow-moving but lightly homing projectile, the Krol Class Destroyer takes the "space to space artillery" role and is used to support Zabojca Frigates with more firepower.
Few in number but great in firepower, the Morderca Battleship is the pinnacle of Hegemony space firepower.
The primary means of planet-to-planet transport for Hegemony war assets, including Winterbores which are actually transported in separate pieces to be assembled on the surface.
Oftentimes just called 'Niks', the Biornik interceptor is the primary means of air-to-air combat. In contrast to the Hegemony's usual modus operandi, the Interceptor is quick and maneuverable, having both a more modern propulsion as well as a traditional propeller-based propulsion.
The Dywan bomber is used to provide some sort of artillery-like support to troops who may be out of range of Hegemony ground artillery. They are also used to soften up enemy forces in places where artillery may not be enough. While weak on its own, when deployed in bulk and protected by Niks, the Dywan is capable of admirable destruction.
The Chmura Transport is the primary means of on-planet transport for all Hegemony forces, and is almost two vehicles in one. The larger entity is very boat-shaped and is used for air protection or heavy lifting, commonly carrying the smaller (Though still large) Chmura which is what is actually used to carry troops or vehicles. The only other thing one would see the larger part carry is a leg of a Winterbore (When it's being transported in whole) or a Halfbore that needs quick deployment.
Also referred to as Jackboots, the Konscript encompasses the functions expected of infantry by the Hegemony, and that is to act as an anchor and a wall from which Volossian guns- the great Winterbores- may operate. They are issued the iconic boots, jacket, and mask, are given slight training in the use of their requisitioned weapon, and are grouped into large units that usually vary between sixty and eighty men. Leading these blob units are Corpskeepers (Sometimes jokingly called 'Corpse'keepers), who are men who have experience in leadership of some sort and can be trusted to keep morale in line. And by 'in line', they mean anything but retreating. The Konscripts try and make up for their lack of training with numbers and sheets of ballistics and lasers.
Their weaponry is low-grade and inaccurate, being mass produced by synthetic materials in some factory offworld. They aren't very durable but can be relied upon to still function in the most hellish of circumstances. The heavier laser-rifles are much more accurate but overheat easily, often only allowing one or two shots before the wielder must wait a few moments for it to cool down. Many also require the use of a heavy Laspack, a self-powered energy generating backback-like apparatus worn that is connected to the rifle itself and gives it power.
Hussards represent the elite of the Hegemony forces, and are required to go through extensive screening and training processes to be allowed the rank. The difference in effectiveness, lethality, and morale is exponentially higher when compared to their Konscript counterparts; it isn't surprising that Hussards are what many Konscripts aspire to become.
They operate in smaller squads and are mostly used for defensive operations, being a less numerous and more valuable war asset. In terms of equipment, Hussards are one of the few infantry types that are actually requisitioned armor of some sort, along with the iconic "Deathmasks" pertinent of the rank. They are often equipped with heavier weaponry, as well- in addition to ballistic and laser, the Hussard armory also includes plasma. Still, they are trained for assault and defense and are equipped for such, so things such as rocket launchers or snipers are reserved for those respective units. Rifle and shotgun-type weaponry is much more common.
Encompassing a more shock-oriented role, Grenadiers are also responsible for operating much of the Hegemony's artillery. Picked from among Konscripts and Hussards alike from the physically bigger and stronger men and women, the Grenadiers are also exceptionally brave; nearly polar opposites from the lowly Konscripts. They aren't given any more training, but are given heavy armor to compliment their desired role: charge the enemy line to engage in melee/close quarters to tie them up while the artillery can be set up and a wall of Konscript bodies can be put in the way. If they can't accomplish that, then they must hold and make the enemy take as much time killing them as possible. In a few instances, the Grenadiers have also been used in a flanking charge to send the final blow against a wavering force.
While melee-oriented, many still choose to take a shotgun or pistol with them. The melee weapon of choice is often axe-like or hammer-like to aid in crushing or cleaving through enemy armor, but they aren't always effective. These melee weapons are still better made, however, than their ballistic counterparts. It is also fairly common for these men and women to carry shields, and while these may be somewhat effective at blocking small ballistics, they often prove ineffective at anything else, and usually are "deployed" in the ground to act as small cover spots for Konscripts.
Loosely translating to "Hunter-killer" in Old Volossian, the Vol'Volis (Or just 'Volis') are the elite of the elite- often handpicked by generals from their local Hussard troop. The responsibilities of a Volis include anti-tank as well as long-range fire support through snipers. As such, they are the only infantry trained and equipped with high-powered snipers and anti-tank weaponry such as mines, bombs, and even launchers.
They are equipped with medium-strength armor to keep them safe and still allow them to move quickly, and operate in small teams of two or three, though among some stories told among the Konscript many operate alone. A Konscript is considered lucky if he/she even sees a Volis; ideally, they shouldn't be seen at all, by either side of the conflict.
The armaments used by the Hegemony military are as varied as one persons appearance to another. Since the factories their weapons are made in are headquartered on different planets, the resources available to those factories vary from planet to planet. While the schematics often remain more or less the same, occasionally some modifications must be made to allow for a different resource to be used.
Utilizing the traditional revolving cylinder system these cheap and easy to build weapons reload in the same way a revolver would. They are primarily ballistic, though there is a laser-firing variant that also features an accompanying Laspack that must be worn to power the weapon. There is also a shotgun-like variant with a shorter and wider barrel that is commonly used by Hussards or Grenadiers. However, this is the weapon issued primarily to Konscripts, along with some ammo, though it is somewhat morbidly expected that an individual will pick more up in the field.
Due to its traditional design and mechanics, the Boltdriver is far from accurate. They are also fairly reliable but not durable, so as long as you don't drop or throw the thing it should still fire when you need it to.
The Dolock Laser Armaments TK001, nicknamed the 'Lasmag', is a laser-powered weapon in common use among Hussards and Grenadiers, though more so by the latter considering this weapons relatively short range. Like the laser variant of the Boltdriver, a Laspack is worn by the wielder that allows the forgoing of clip-style loading for a fire-and-cooldown system. It sacrifices accuracy for a good fire rate while remaining light and recoil-less enough to be able to be used with only one hand.
The Dolock Ballistic Armaments MC090, the "Raider", is a toggleable fully-automatic carbine is wide use among the Hussards. What is loses in range in comparison to the Boltdriver it makes up for in accuracy and build quality. It is ballistic driven.
The Dolock Combined Armaments SR1 is the primary weapon of the Vol'Volis and the only sniper-like weapon produced by the Hegemony. This is due to the cost- since they are able to be switched between ballistics and laser modes, they are costly to produce an must be done so with great care, else the weapon malfunction and endanger the wielder. Aside from its minor ability, it is a fairly standard sniper rifle.
The Artillery Operations Platform mark 1, the Quickmortar, is the smallest and lightest available artillery platform among Hegemony forces, and as such requires little training to operate. In fact, most ground offensives will haul small batteries with them, for they are fairly easy to transport as well. They come with a single trained operator whose only purpose is to zero in and "aim" the weapon, while one or two Konscripts load and fire. The shells fired by the Quickmortar are fired in bursts of four and give an explosive yield around that of a hand grenade. While these are used at a safer distance than what can be thrown by hand, they aren't very accurate regardless of how much effort is put into aiming the weapon.
One tier higher than the lowest Quickmortar, the Paladin Howitzer yields higher firepower at the cost of mobility and setup time. A light artillery platform that is often used more defensively for it's less-than-ideal range and accuracy, the Paladin is still effective when given the time to setup and especially when used in bulk. Operators are teams of Hussards who have been trained in the construction, management, repair, and use of the Paladin.
The mid-tier artillery platform of the Hegemony. Having skilled and trained Grenadiers as operators, as well as better general construction and a bigger bore, leads to this particular weapon being very popular among the chain of command. A good balance between setup time, accuracy, and firepower leads the Armata cannons to be a very effective artillery, even though they are vulnerable to ground assaults. The Armata cannons are also the main defense against air-based attacks, as well, being able to chamber flak-like rounds specifically for that purpose. While the function is not often used, the Armata cannons are able to move on their own, as well, though very slowly.
A massive high-tier artillery platform only surpassed by the fabled Winterbore guns, the Halfbore are intimidating and terrifying to behold. Mounted on the back of equally massive trucks and requiring extensive training in maintenance and use, often by Grenadiers, the Halfbore's payload is accurate and devastating if it catches enemies without cover. These are often deployed with several contingents of Konscripts and Hussards as well as a few Armatas to guard them. Though able to be transported by themselves, their deployment and reload time is fairly extensive, as the shells are so big they often require the use of several dozen strongmen or even light armor.
The Hegemony's claim to fame, the massive and awe-inspiring Winterbore guns are the main tool that the Hegemony has above their competitors, if anything. Massive in size and firepower, the Winterbore guns are capable of firing both a more conventional shot as well as an energy-based payload; both are extremely large and can be fired from a great range. While immobile on their own, the may be moved through the use of several air vehicles, though they are extremely vulnerable in this state. Because of their range and value, the Hegemony often keeps these in fortified positions far enough away to not be in immediate danger while still being close enough to enemy lines to deliver their thunder. When fired, they can be heard from miles away, and is all at once terrifying and goosebump-inducing for the Hegemony ground forces.
Operator crews are extremely specialized and could be considered a troop class of their own. They don't often leave their guns, but should it come to that, they've received a training level about equivalent to a Hussard in light weaponry.
One of the Hegemony's few vehicles, the Volptruk is used almost solely for transport, but it also features a large and deep shovel that is used for digging trenches. Its only weapon is a small pod of anti-air purposed flak rockets. It can hold several dozen troops; occasionally Grenadier crews will use Volptruks to move and assist in the reloading of Halfbores or even Winterbores, since their shells are very large.
The main (and only) battle tank of the Hegemony army, the Valkyrie is really just a modified Paladin howitzer to feature a shorter barrel and more mobility. While this eliminates its function as artillery, it does allow it to act as something of heavy armor on the battlefield. Much like the Paladin, it is fairly inaccurate at great ranges but can be fairly effective when used in groups. Valkyries are more commonly used to clear out mines or crush walls, however, or be used as mobile cover.
Emplacements and Deployables:
Being a military focused more on defense while the artillery hammers away at the enemy, the Dolock emplacements are a particularly important part of the Hegemony war machine. To aid the Konscript as their "wall of bodies", trenches are dug and used wherever possible both by hand and with the aid of the Voltruks. The infantry have also been known to scatter junk and debris about the field in front of their trenches, and have even created their own "No-mans Land" from time to time by shelling geographic features that may give the enemy a tactical advantage- a forest, for example. The craters ideally make it somewhat more difficult to cross the terrain while sheets of fire are being thrown down range. However, the latter tactic is a double-edged sword; while it may take away an advantage from an enemy, it destroys resources and makes it difficult for their own troops to cross should they begin to advance, as well. As such, outright bombardment of natural targets is only used as an absolute last resort, and even then it's rare.
Aside from their network of trenches, the Dolock Military counts on Paladin Howitzers (A Paladin cannon modified to be stationary, making it more stable and thus somewhat more accurate) for structure defense against infantry (Not to mention the contingents of Hussards dedicated to solely defense) and Armata Flaks (Just the cannon from an Armata gun deployed on a defensive structure, be it on a wall or in a trench) for defense against air attacks.
Headquarters the Blokhouse- a massive structure that was the initial foothold for Hegemony troops when they first began their assault of Anuria. It houses much of the upper command infrastructure, and is rumored to have a few Winterbores pointed directly at it from some distance away as a "failsafe". This has neither been confirmed nor denied.
Persons of Importance -the Eidolon, the result of nearly a century of propaganda, storytelling, and misinformation, the Eidolon is the mythical figure often talked about by the Konscripts and even some Hussards. While not a real person, the Eidolon's "deeds" are allowed to be told of for his often morale-increasing effects.
-Olav Pilinski, Commander of the Hegemony.
-Minsc Zeitsef, Master of Ground Force Operations and Logistics (Miniature giant space hamster optional).
-Olgra Numolsk, Master of Artillery Assets and Logistics
-Kazimir Bajolak, Master of Navy and Air Assets and Logistics
EDIT: I should also probably mention that I made the Voloss taller, and have a bigger population to help make more sense of their wall-of-fodder strategy.
On another note, I figure both Maldron and Prince could have had high enough ground to notice Perfect?
If it helps, in my next post when Prince addresses everyone I could have him mention that he saw another figure across the way or something, if we're going that route.
And for the record, this is the picture I used when describing Tomb, if anyone wants a visual aid.
Arcus' focus was on the page before him, the dry paper being held down by his thick fingers so it wouldn't flap in the wind. The truck hit another bump in the road and Arcus- in the passenger seat- scrambled to keep his journal from being sent out the open window.
A warrior is not a man who does not fear death. A warrior is someone who accepts death, for such is their duty. A warrior is not simply a man who fights; could a child merely pick up a sword and rightfully be called a warrior? Is a warrior made only through his armor or weapons? No- a warrior is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others.
Arcus was reading what he had written earlier, trying to forget the events that had transpired that had led him to his current position. Why had he shown up in Faribury? That was no small trek, even for the conditioned athleticism for Forsaken goons. His teal eyes left the page and glanced out the open window as the terrain flew by- the truck hit yet another bump and Arcus' journal was sent sprawling on the floorboard under his feet. He left it- it did not concern him right now. He couldn't reach his back in the backseat to lock it away, anyway.
The driver glanced over and tapped on a perplexed Arcus' shoulder. Either this man had a good sense of empathy or Arcus wore an obvious mask of discomfort.
"You alright?" he probed.
Arcus nodded but did not turn from his window.
-- That morning-
The center of Fairbury was bustling and Arcus had begun to lose track of time when he finally opened his eyes. Spending too much time in deep thought did that to you, it was almost like sleeping. His journal lay open in his lap and his pen was to the page, ready to write, but no more words came to his old mind. With a sigh the old warrior deposited his journal and pen back into his satchel in exchange for a strip of jerky. In towns Arcus usually offered physical labor in exchange for a meal, so as not to diminish his "backup" supply of dried jerky, but the factors of soreness and non-familiarity with the town led him think otherwise. Around here it seemed mental strength was more prized than physical, unless you were one devoted to guarding the city, in which case people seemed to only judge you on physical strength. Arcus would treasure a job such as that, but after what he had witnessed on his way in he wasn't so sure. He was too old, at least for anything that tough to fight. Perhaps he could settle here, then, and offer his services as a trainer of sorts? With his experience and prowess he could at least offer himself as a mentor for young talent looking to guard the city..
These thoughts streamed through Arcus' mind as he chewed on the tough ration and wandered back towards his apartment. Well, it wasn't his apartment, per se, but as far as he knew the merchant who had offered to him had either died or left for Arcus hadn't heard or seen of him since he woke him up. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure where one who actually do business here is Fairbury. It felt like every building contained the white-coated thinkers pertinent of the city.
He pushed open the heavy door and and dropped his satchel on the floor, sending a few empty canteens clattering. A figure stood before him, one who looked as old as Arcus but in much healthier shape. Though he faced away looking out the window, Arcus could recognize the scarred face and bald head anywhere.
"Ursa," grunted Arcus.
The scarred and hulking mass of muscle turned to him and smiled, folding his hands behind his back.
"Arcus. Was beginning to think that infection finally got to ya'." He chuckled to himself- with his raspy voice, it sounded like to sheets of paper rubbing against each other.
"What are you doing here?"
Ursa's step forward was met with a step backward from Arcus.
"Was in town; chatted with one of the local businessmen. Had a nasty scar but said he had been saved by a big fella' with a rather..unique set of weaponry." Ursa glanced at Brute who was still propped up in the corner.
"Figured two deserters like us could do some..catching up."
"You, a deserter? Go fuck yourself, Ursa, you take me for a fool."
The bald man's face contorted in his attempt to hold back a scowl. His arms tightened and veins visibly shown across his bulging muscles and head.
"Arcus, or should I call you Evans? How about Warlord- You among anyone should know well that my loyalties lie where I choose to place them. Your..disappearance simply spurred me to make a similar choice. The life of a Forsaken no longer suited me."
"You followed me here, you-"
"Mere coincidence," Ursa rose a hand, "that our paths have crossed."
"Right," Arcus quickly reached and grabbed Brute, holding it out, positioning himself to strike.
"Get out of here, Ursa, else Brute starts negotiating."
Ursa looked flabbergasted and stood motionless and silent for several moments. With a sigh, he finally replied:
"So be it, Arcus. But you would do well to find a new purpose."
Arcus didn't loosen his grip on Brute until Ursa's heavy footsteps could no longer be heard. ---
the Present-
Ursa and Arcus had quite a history together- they had both served a substantial amount of years in the Legion together, and were a lethal pairing on the battlefield. Ursa had always been a better fighter, but Arcus had the quick wits to keep them alive. He'd never known a more devoted man to the Legion's cause; it was as if the man existed to kill others for some vague "cause" he had little understanding of. He was the type of man to take and execute orders without further thought or questions- a good soldier, perhaps, but a bad human being. Arcus wasn't about to believe his story of desertion, or that their meeting in Fairbury was chance. He was of the notion he was sent there, but by who or for why, he wasn't sure. It wasn't like the Forsaken to send assassins, they very much had a "kill on sight" dogma that was more dependent on raw gruntwork and fear than anything as precise and fine as assassinations.
After their meeting Arcus was quick to find a way out of town, a task that wasn't easy for Fairbury residents. Luckily, Arcus caught another caravan on its departure- different from the one he helped escort in- that seemed to have a few other additions to their crew as well. This caravan seemed much more prepared and well equipped than the previous, they must've made this trip several times and had an idea of what to expect. Luckily, the trip out went much more smoothly than the trip in. Afterwards, the other man that wasn't part of the caravan went separate ways, and Arcus, not wanting to be slowed by a large caravan, politely asked if he could join him on his ride to Russel City. Being only a moderately short ride away, the man had accepted.
And now here Arcus was- his mind swimming and questions constantly gnawing at the outskirts of his mind as he tried to keep his queasy insides from being sludgy outsides as the bumpy road to Russel City nearly took another victim. He would probably need a new cover identity here, in Motum Diversum territory. At least, last he checked, it was Motum Diversum. He shook the worries and thoughts from his head- he'd wing it. Right now he had too much on his mind to add to the pile, and all he wanted to do was rest a moment and sort it all out.
-- About 4:00 p.m.-
Next thing Arcus knew, he was being shook awake from the kind traveler in the driver's seat.
"Hey. Hey! We're here. You don't look so good, bud. Take a lil' somethin' and get a room or get looked at. It's rainin', bud!"
In his grogginess he felt the man shove something into his hand- a bit of money, no doubt. This man he traveled with was surely an angel, even though he half-shoved Arcus out of his truck before leaping out, himself. His grogginess was quickly subdued when he felt droplets of water hit his head.
He stared up at the dark clouds, occasionally blinking to get a rogue droplet out of his eyes.
So this was rain. He apparently had experienced it before- based on stories his mother had told him- but he was very young. All said and done, it was a bit of an underwhelming experience, in Arcus' mind. Water falling from the sky- sure, it could be collected, but then again the same could be said about most discovered sources of drink. If anything, this inconvenience Arcus more, as he knew well the effect of water and cold on infections.
He did his best to cover himself by holding his large satchel over his head with both hands as he stumbled through the muddy streets of Russel City. The amount of people in his line of sight was almost mesmerizing. He had gotten used to large crowds having practically grown up in the arena, but to have so many people walking around you or towards you? It was easy to get lost and mind numbed.
Arcus dove into the first place that served alcohol he saw- he had no plans to stay here, and the money the traveler had given him wouldn't be enough for a night's stay, anyway. The drink he ordered was cheap and tasted awful, but at the very least it put his mind at ease. He took a few moments to force himself to relax and not think about anything. Perhaps the meeting with Ursa was coincidence and the man simply wished to reestablish contact with an old friend. But what a place to simply happen upon, Fairbury. True, Arcus sort of happened upon it, but he had been drawn to it initially by the caravan that needed another escort. Arcus realized he never even asked just how Ursa had even made it into the city.
Regardless, he had surely lost him now. If Ursa really was spying on him for the Forsaken he wouldn't dare follow him into Russel City- it was risky, even for Arcus. He pondered the thought that if it hadn't been raining he wouldn't have seamlessly made it in, himself.
Another drink was enough to shove these thoughts away for the time being.
"'Parently thems Immortals is meetin' in Isolone." A straggled sentence caught Arcus' attention.
"Who told ya' that?"
"Heard it 'round town. Guess that pretty lil' Missand's been spewin' the rumor all over."
The conversation between the two men quickly progressed to a different topic and Arcus stopped listening after a while. Immortals were gathering? From all over? And in Isolone, no less, the Big Empty?
Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe Arcus subconsciously felt he needed to believe in something, but he felt the rumor held some weight. He didn't know who this Missand was nor her credibility with such information, but the fact it was specifically Immortals gathering as well as his feelings of needing to stay on the move thanks to Ursa, Arcus decided it was a worthy goal to at least look into. If they turned out to be false, then perhaps Arcus could offer some sort of helpful service in a smaller town- here in Russel City, the trade capital of Dust, he felt overwhelmed just sitting in a bar drinking.
Isolone. What a place to stage a meeting, Arcus thought as he slumped out of the bar, shifting the weight of Brute on his back. Quite a walk, too.
But perhaps Arcus could find more roadside angels.
