Rhona W

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Central Europe

Central Europe was heavily involved and affected by the events of the Cold War. The USSR having such a strong influence over so many countries and territories in the area and being a looming presence over the region, and being pulled between both the East and West lead to a lot of unrest within the region, sometimes leading even to violent actions as ideologies clashed, fuelled by the action - or inaction - and influence of nations of both sides.

Hungary
Hungary was one of many Soviet Satellite states during the Cold War, but the influence waned over the years following the 1991 coup. Internal clashes between communist and capitalist ideologies escalated during the mid-to-late 90's, resulting in harsh crackdowns and punitive measures by internal security forces. The continuing civil unrest, disobedience and violent protests that resulted to disruption of internal government and day-to-day running of the countery was used as provocation for Red Army soldiers to enter the country and occupy it under the explanation of 'restoring order'. This action only added to the outrage felt by the Hungarian people, and the situation erupted into a civil war, with the Hungarian government and Armed Forces split between both sides.
The fighting became a gruelling, messy grinder of insurgency and guerrilla warfare, alongside open battles. Western nations covertly funded the anti-Soviet forces, while publicly condeming the brutal and repressive actions of the Red Army and other Soviet-aligned forces, especially as other Eastern-bloc states committed forces to the internal conflict.
This was no real secret, and the USSR along with the Hungarian government called for sanctions against the UK, USA, and other nations supplying weapons, aid and training to the anti-Soviet, anti-communist forces, promising direct action against them should any shipments be seized, and any advisors or personnel be captured, and that they would be treated as illegal combatants.
Before much more could escalate, the Heavenfall interrupted everything.
Following the disaster, the Soviet troops were immediately recalled, and the priority within Hungary became reconstruction and the provision of aid, relief and shelter in the wake of the devastation. It took many years, but in the aftermath, Hungary has reformed their government into a democratic republic.
Hungary currently maintains excellent relations with the Scandinavian Alliance, along with a friendly relationship with the N/UN, though is not currently a full member of the organization.

The Czech Republic & Slovakia
The Czech Republic and Slovakia were formed in a peaceful, non-violent dissolution of the state of Czecheslovakia in 1992, after the non-violent overthrow of the communist government in 1990; one of the only nations to reject the influence of the USSR. Shortly after this, the newly formed Czech Republic sought membership in the European Union, along with NATO membership, receiving NATO admission in 1999 and EU membership in 2004.
The Czech Republic has been the more successful of the two nations, managing to successfully kick-start its' economy and development, and achieve a high standard of living. Unfortunately for Slovakia, the nation was beset by the ravages of organized crime, and corruption was rife, leading to numerous issues with parliamentary elections, due to corruption of officials running for office. Business and industry was also tremendously affected by this. Public services, utilities, and standards of education were low as a result, and the country became a economic 'black hole', along with having a very low standard of living. While it maintained close ties with its' neighbour, the issues continued to dog the country and hold it back until the Heavenfall.
Following the Heavenfall, the Czech Republic was damaged extensively, but was able to administer and send aid to its' neighbour. The disruption of infrastructure and communications, along with the further damage to utilities and services within Slovakia lead to a serious reorganisation of the government, law enforcement, emergency services, utilities and other such services. Criminal activities and corruption were fiercely hunted down and stamped out, with the help of external aid, and the country has managed to get itself back on its' feet within the years following the Heavenfall. Investment in the countries' education, business and industrial sectors has attracted new businesses, and resulted in a fresh, modern, and forward-looking country that has a high standard of living.
Both Slovakia and the Czech Republic are members of the N/UN, but also have strong ties with The Scandinavian Alliance, Hungary, and other national groups and powers.

Poland
While independent from the USSR, Poland was a satellite state of the Soviet Union and was heavily influenced by Soviet politics and actions. The Red Army had a presence in Poland throughout the Cold War, and attempts to hold democratic elections were repeatedly interfered with by Soviet authorities and agents, resulting in a low standard of living, and a great deal of dissatisfaction and unrest.
Poland was important to the Soviet leadership as a direct access to their territory in East Germany as a means to move their troops and forces, and as a place to station their forces close to the projected front lines of any conflict.
Internal resistance against Soviet Communist rule was persistent, and had been ongoing since the institution of the communist regime. It continued into the 1990s, and in 2002 it erupted into an armed insurrection, with the main targets being Soviet garrisons and forces within Poland and the institutions that supported them. The counter-offensive was brutal and heavy-handed, leading to outcry from the legitimate government. This was roundly ignored and used as justification for more troops to be deployed, and the Soviet authorities to seize power, claiming that the government itself had been infiltrated by the rebels. This resulted in all out civil war, aa Polish forces turned against the Soviets, pleading for aid from NATO forces. The issue received heated discussion in the UN, with the USSR and its' allies coming under intense condemnation for their actions, and refusing offers to engage in talks.
NATO and its' allies eventually declared they would intervene militarily, and the USSR likewise declared days later that any intervention would be seen as an act of war, and forces on both sides were moved ordered to move to ready positions - but the Heavenfall happened before any further action could take place, and the whole plan was forgotten.

Following the Heavenfall and the destruction caused by it, the soviet forces retreated back into the ruins of Russia, and Poland organised its' own democratic elections. While it suffered a period of difficult adjustment, economic reforms and shock strategies quickly followed, with the country opening up to great investment from outside corporations and agencies and leading to a rapid increase in the quality of living and wealth of the country as a whole.
Having already been a founding member of the original United Nations, Poland was quick to join the N/UN, and is a key member of the international alliance.

The Balkan States
The nation formerly known as Yugoslavia split up over a period from 1991-2001 following a period of rising nationalism and ethnic tension between the constituent republics that had formed the communist - but independent - state. The conflict - or conflicts - that followed were some of the most brutal and violent since World War 2, with many recorded incidents of war crimes, including genocidal actions. Forces from both the USSR and NATO intervened, though notably worked together in this instance in peacekeeping operations and in attempts to curtail the genocidal activities and conflict, though such co-operation was at a strategic and planning level, rather than in the field, and there were many accusations of espionage and counter-espionage of one side or the other attempting to gain intelligence and information about the forces deployed. There was apparent truth to this, as following the treaties and agreements signed that ended the conflict, there were several incidents of people coming forward to reveal they had been courted by intelligence agencies from either side to provide photos, reports, or to acquire physical objects and items for the purposes of providing intelligence information.

Following the Heavenfall, the region is relatively peaceful, but heavily divided. Bosnia and Herzegovenia, Slovenia and Montenegro are all members of the Unaligned Nations Council, while Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo are all minor members of the N/UN.

Greece, to the south of them all, suffered several incidents of insurgencies across the border, and was involved in deploying forces into the region as part of peacekeeping efforts. Greece also had ongoing issues with conflicts over its' territorial borders on Cyprus, which pulled the UK into the action during the 1990's and early 00's, with the situation a series of short, violent skirmishes that would died down for months or even years, before erupting again. Intelligence provided by the CIA and British Intelligence services pointed to the fact that Soviet agents were responsible for manipulating the situation to draw attention and forces away from other areas.
However, Greece was damaged and affected heavily by the Heavenfall, and the following reconstruction sent the country into an economic crisis, as the government was unable to afford the huge bills needed for reconstruction and aid for its' population.
The country ended up owing a huge debt, which was taken on in part by Megacorporations in exchange for concessions for basing their facilities in the country and relaxing of regulations around their activities. As such, the Greek government is essentially a puppet of the Megacorporations that are based there. The country has become a highly technologically advanced nation with minimal unemployment, but the downsides are that virtually everything serves the corporate interest.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Western Europe

Note: 'Europe' refers to the geographical region in this instance, rather than the European Union specifically.

Western Europe is geologically relatively stable; there are very few active volcanoes and fault lines in the region, and historically it has not been especially prone to large or regular earthquakes or tectonic events. Of course, the Heavenfall was an exception and the main site of impact was on the Eastern part of the Eurasian plate, which sent reverberations across it creating massive destruction. Buildings were devastated, there were massive landslips and avalanches, tunnels and bridges collapsed and massive tidal waves devastated the many coastal cities and regions. In addition, the subsequent rise in sea levels lead to devastation of the many coastal population centers and important areas.

The British Isles (Including the Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Shetland Islands)
The UK - that is, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, along with the Shetland Islands, Isle of Man and Channel Islands - did not weather the destruction wrought by the Heavenfall well. With so many large settlements in coastal areas, including London; the Nation's capital, this lead to huge loss of life, as well as the loss of a vast amount of historically and culturally significant buildings, artefacts and objects, as well as significant industrial, government, communication, military and utility infrastructure.
The following years were a terrible struggle as the crippled countries tried to provide for their battered populations. The remains of the govenment, the back-benchers and local MPs, had to weld themselves into a functioning parliament and rapidly to be able to cope with the cascade of demands placed on them by the vast number of relocated people flooding into the cities more inland, feeding them, accommodating them, and meeting their medical demands.
It was a gruelling and harsh few years, but slowly and surely the British Isles turned around. Like every country across the world, they were heavily affected by the Heavenfall disaster, and it was inescapable without change to the country.
With the reducation and scarcity of resources, becoming a member of the N/UN for the mutual aid, relief, and protection was seen as an overall benefit, and the UK and ROI both signed on to be members, committing their armed forces to the international organization. The UK still has control and access to it's nuclear weapons aboard ballistic missile submarines, and remains a nuclear power, despite the reduction in its' wealth and power.

Several of the overseas dependencies of the United Kingdom have been lost or taken during the Heavenfall and afterward, with many occupied by surrounding nations or regional powers. The UK government has expressed interest in retaking and resuming governance of these territories, especially after the populations have spoken out against the occupations and pleaded for assistance, but there are currently no actions planned, due to the reduced military capabilities of the UK. N/UN strategies and actions are being drawn up to accommodate all member nations needs, but there are - understandably - numerous interests from many nations that are conflicting in priorities. The Falkland Islands in particular were once against seized by Argentina, and a second Falklands War was fought during 2010, this time involving UK strikes on the Argentine mainland to cripple their ability to stage such an attack again.

France
Paris was thankfully spared much of the devastation, and France as a whole managed to come through more intact than many other European countries, leaving it in comparatively good standing and with a relatively powerful stance in the following years, despite devastation along its' coastlines.
The struggles for France came not from the destruction - though, it was not insignificant - nor from the loss of life and ability to restore and supply order and working services, but instead from internal dissention and rebellion. There had already been an undercurrent of dissidence brewing in the country between ethnic, religious, ideological and political groups, and the chaos of the Heavenfall and the post-disaster period, where the government, along with Law Enforcement and military agencies were at their weakest was seen as an opportunity. Massive riots broke out along with numerous violent clashes as the government attempted to retain control. There were many brutal and violent losses of life on all sides, which in turn spurred more action by those affected, especially speaking out against the governments' perceived heavy-handed responses.
Ultimately, once order was restore, elections were held, and a new government elected that is somewhat more independent and nationalist than earlier ones had been, and has been noted in recent years for actions, policies and decisions that have been much more 'France First' and considered to be on the authoritarian side.
France has transition from UN membership to N/UN membership, but is notably often an outspoken voice in discussion, and one of dissention when it comes to policy.

Frances' overseas territories were lost during the Heavenfall and the following chaos and violence, and the French government has expressed interest in retaking control of them, but has not yet committed to military action to do so.
France also conceded a small amount of territory and land when Euskadi, described below, was formed.

Germany and Austria
Germany was divided into East and West up until the Cold War ended as a result of the Heavenfall. Prior to this, there were a handful of small skirmishes, though none ever amounted to full-scale conflict. These were often over border incidents and caused by overzealous application and enforcement of rules.
Berlin had been the hotspot of espionage and intelligence activities by both sides, and there were a handful of notorious and diplomatically embarassing intelligence incidents where operatives of one side or the other were exposed or caught.

The Berlin wall itself collapsed in numerous places during the Heavenfall and in its' aftermath. In the following chaos, there were many incidents of violence as military and law enforcement personnel with no clear orders struggled to uphold or interpret order, until the government on both sides of the former border reached agreement, especially after the USSR rapidly dissolved and fell apart in the following days and months.
Reunification of Germany from the East and West happened relatively quickly after this. Borders were dismantled, along with the agencies that had enforced them, and the various government agencies, branches and departments were merged, along with military forces. Much of this was done as quickly as possible out of practical need, due to the losses of life and destruction following the disaster, but there were still many issues and problems that arose with the necessary reshuffling of personnel and their positions and appointments, and resolving all manner of administrative and practical issues.

The interior of the country and much of it's industry was relatively unaffected by the disaster, and as such managed to maintain its' economic and manufacturing power, along with - after the reshuffling and reorganization - a relatively stable, secure, and capable military that is equipped with a mixture of former Soviet and Western equipment, though much of the former Soviet gear and vehicles are being replaced with indigenously developed and built equipment, thanks to the aforementioned industry coming through the Heavenfall disaster relatively intact.

Germany holds a seat on the N/UN council and contributes considerable forces and resources to the international organization.

Austria weathered the Heavenfall with remarkably little impact. As a landlocked country it had no shorelines to be flooded or destroyed, and resting in a geologically stable area, the earthquakes had little effect, though there was naturally some destruction and loss of life, and more followed in the shortages of food and resources due to the 'long night' that followed.
Nonetheless, the country survived with much of its' infrastructure intact and was able to rebuild relatively quickly, and provided aid to its' neigbours and other allies where possible in their reconstruction and relief efforts. There were some internal debates and disagreements about how much aid should be sent or rendered externally, and this did cause a rise in nationalist sentiment from some sections of the population and government, but this did not amount to any great change or movement.
Austria remains a stable and peaceful nation, and as such is home to many businesses and other enterprises. Austria is not a contributing member to the N/UN but has numerous mutual aid and defence agreements, and is a peaceful ally and trade partner with them, and several other nations and groups worldwide.
Austria has a modern and well-equipped, well-trained military that has participated in many mutual defence exercises and deployments with N/UN and other allied forces.

Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg
The Benelux countries were greatly affected by the tidal impacts of the Heavenfall, due to their low-lying geography. With a lot of reclaimed land protected only by dams and sea barriers, the massive tidal activity and following rising sea levels could not be countered quickly, or efficiently, enough to save those areas. As such, many lives were lost, along with large areas of farming and agricultural land and many built-up areas, including several entire villages, towns, and even cities.
Disaster relief was a priority, and it took years for the situation to stabilise. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, and the strain on resources and infrastructure was great as a result
Having always had close relations and a great deal of shared history and ethnicity, the monumental decision was made to merge the territories of Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Belgium into one, adopting the name Benelux, as had been used for their longstanding co-operative agreements on other matters.
In essence, the three countries retained their national identities and individual capitals, cultural heritage and other important national identities, but shared a national government, laws, economic, defense, and other important governing policies, much like the United Kingdom.
The new state was governed by a parliament of officials from each country, with an elected Prime Minister. Brussels became the national capital as it has long been recognised as an important international city, and also because it survived the Heavenfall more intact than many other cities in the region.
Benelux is part of the N/UN, and is starting to contribute more to the international organisation as it begins to become more and more capable and better organised and established.

Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Euskadi
Spain and Portugal were both affected heavily by the Heavenfall, with many of Portguals key cities ravaged by the tidal and geological upheaval. Many of Spain's larger coastal settlements were likewise devastated, and much of the population moving inland in search of shelter, aid, and relief. Portugal's government turned to assistance from their neighbour, as their own relief efforts were massively strained.
Both nations suffered extensive losses of life during this period, and their infrastructure and services were terribly strained due to the extra demands.

As a result of this, enforcement of government policies, laws, and treaties was at an all time low, due to the vast strain and demand on surviving resources. The Canary Islands and Azores, heavily damaged by the tidal activity and rising sea levels were left mostly to fend for themselves, and as a result suffered extensive losses of life, as well as rising criminal activity, that left them something of a haven for criminal activity, a situation that was only resolved many years later when the Spanish armed forces were able to retake the islands, though they still bear the scars of such activity, and many illegal activities are still operated out of the islands, and they are still home to many unscrupulous individuals.

In the North-East of Spain, the disruption in law enforcement and governance allowed an opportunity for the more extreme elements of Basque sepratism to rear their heads and become organised. Over the years following the Heavenfall, they managed to carve out an independent territory for themselves, and through canny deals with various independent contractors and organisations, enforced their borders and independence. The newly-formed NCAA, along with other unaligned nations recognised the newly formed Basque nation of Euskadi, and it became home to the large and well-equipped PMC organisation Nightwatch, who also act as the de facto security forces for Euskadi.

Andorra remained independent, and was mostly unaffected by the Heavenfall other than it causing a considerable amount of property damage, fires, and other such civil disruptions and destruction. The country itself remains intact and healthy, though concerned about Euskadi being so close and the disruptive presence the new nation causes, compared to its' N/UN aligned neigbouring territories.
Spain, Portugal and Andorra are all N/UN member states, and while Spain and especially Portugal are still recovering to some degree, both contribute to the N/UN's armed forces, as well as participating in policy decisions and other programmes and important functions of the international organization.

Italy, The Vatican, Monaco, Lichtenstein and Switzerland
Italy suffered extensive coastal damage, with coastal cities and settlements, including several important ports and naval facilities being heavily damaged, if not by the initial tides, by the subsequent rising water levels. Venice in particular was all-but destroyed, along with the islands in the lagoon along with it. Many mountainous regions of the country suffered extensive damage due to landslips and falling debris, along with avalanches and other similar natural disasters. San Marino was especially devastated, being a mountainous and hilly place, and one with little in the way of its' own emergency services, and was supplied with relief and aid by the Italian government.
Many of Italy's major cities were - fortunately - somewhat inland and located in less mountainous regions, and while suffering damage from the geological upheavals and subsequent fires, floods and other damage, managed to weather the overall damage and were repairable and able to be reconstructed.
As with other countries and regions, there were large numbers of displaced persons, as well as huge amounts of injured, and later sick, people that needed aid and shelter, and this caused a great deal of strain for the countries government, emergency services, medical services and infrastructure, along with the strain on resources due to the extensive rebuilding and reconstruction efforts, many of which are still ongoing.
Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily were all also greatly affected and required a lot of reconstruction efforts, as well as a great deal of aid, as the majority of settlements on these islands were coastal and the loss of life was great as a result, much the same as Malta, to the south, which while an independent nation had long been in agreement with Italy to provide aid, defense and other critical services when the need arose. Much of Malta's coastline was heavily damaged, resulting the destruction of many population, industrial and commercial centers of importance and significant loss of life and property. However, the rebuilding commenced quickly, along with extensive programs of modernisation and development, welcoming in new business oppotunities and turning the island nation into a destination for white-collar financial, technical, and other such companies and institutions.
Both Malta and Italy became members of the N/UN with Italy having a significant commitment in armed forces to the international agency. Malta was an early and immediate recipient of the N/UN's commitment for protection via the use of the vetted and authorised PMC program and acts, with the small, but capable and well-trained, PMC of Vanguard Security stationed there for 18 months during the period of greatest vulnerability.

To the North and West, the tiny nation of Lichtenstein weathered the Heavenfall with little damage or impact, coming through almost entirely intact and with little loss of life, property or industry. This stability allowed them to maintain their position as a haven for wealth and economic power, especially in conjunction with the neighbouring Switzerland to the west, which was similarly unaffected or at least, weathered the damage due to a long history of building shelters and fortifications against disaster. With so much economic wealth and power held in such stability, as well as having remained officially neutral throughout the Cold War, Switzerland and Lichtenstein became monetary and financial centers for the resurgent world order, and among the richest countries, despite their small size.
Neither country is a member of the N/UN, but are peaceful, allied nations and regularly engage in talks, debates and summits regarding issues that affect global well-being and are of importance and relevance.

Monaco, bordering Italy and France to the West and North respectively, did not fair well. Being an entirely coastal country and extremely small, it suffered terrible destruction and loss of life, the iconic and famous riviera almost completely destroyed from the Heavenfalls' impact. There were survivors, of course; but the country was affected heavily. The added impact from this was that the economic power and the people it was tied up in were also devastated and destroyed, leading to something of a noticeable 'drain' on the global population of millionaires. Rebuilding and reinvestment in the country was aided by a policy to invite hi-tech, low-impact industry and business into the country, leading to a disproportionate number of head offices or other important facilities and offices for megacorporations being based in Monaco.

The Scandinavian Alliance
During the Cold War, Sweden maintained its' neutrality from NATO while still being opposed to the Eastern bloc and Soviet Union; though was a covert ally with an 'officially unofficial' understanding that the nation would fight as a NATO ally in the event of any large-scale war.
Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland were all member countries of NATO with close ties to NATO nations for defensive and economic purposes. Sweden likewise maintained ties with NATO countries, such as purchasing weapons, equipment, vehicles and more from them and co-operating in exercises along with mutual treaties.
Over the course of the Cold War into the 1990's and early 2000's, some of these agreements grew more contentious and distant, especially after several incidents of hostile encounters between Soviet personnel and units infringing on borders of Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden. Few of these came to much more than a short exchange of words, and rarely was any fire exchanged. However, the lackluster response from NATO allies to these incidents lead to closer ties forming between the Scandinavian nations, and increased policies and acts of mutual co-operation and signing of several agreements and treaties.

This only increased after the Heavenfall, as the damage to these countries was extensive due to their extensive coastlines, mountainous geography, and extensive damage from other natural disasters such as avalanches, flooding, and other such incidents. With many remote regions and communities, the treaties signed for mutual aid were more beneficial than ever, and the ties between the Scandinavian nations strengthened into a sense of shared fate and destiny, especially so in the face of having weathered the disaster.
The nations of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland, as well as their depdendent territories such as Greenland and the Faroe Islands, formed an Alliance as a United entity. They collaborated on matters of law, governance, defence, economics and other such mutually beneficial matters. While remaining separate countries, those residing within them enjoyed unrestricted travel between the member nations, along with civil rights, laws, freedoms and other such standards being unified.
The unified state is known as The Scandinavian Alliance, and is governed by a council of elected representatives from the member nations, with an elected President.

The Scandinavian Alliance is not a member state of the N/UN, but maintain cordial relations with the global power, and has various mutual treaties and agreements with them, but maintain a strong posture of individual freedom to act and implement its' policies as it sees fit. Nonetheless, the Scandinavian Alliance does operate and trade numerous weapon systems, vehicles, equipment that is used by other world powers, as well as exporting its' own worldwide.
There has been a building friction between the Scandinavian Alliance and the N/UN, due to expansion from the Eastern borders of Finland where it meets the former USSR, as TSA forces have begun to expand, in response to requests for aid and security from communities in the area that have been left with little to no civilised or modern utilities and standards of living due to the breakdown of the Soviet government and its' infrastructure, as well as the random and frequent acts of predatory violence and brutality by the would-be dictators and rulers that were once military officers, government officials, or other persons in positions of power and influence. The N/UN is left in an awkward position, while not condoning the unilateral action, they are also unable to condemn it, as it aligns with their own goals and aims, and it has been a tense diplomatic issue since.

Operation Daytrip-A Heavenfall Story

Very interested!
It'll be nice to play in my own setting, haha

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Scott Valentine

"Catch ya later, boss!" she sang as she walked out the door and closed it behind her.

@Finetales

"See you later, Calico!" He called back, sketching a casual salute in return. He found he was smiling after she closed the door, and the conversation had set his mind much more at ease, as well as relieved some of the tension and... anxiety he'd been carrying after the exposing of the snakes within their midst, and how they'd tried to hurt his people - hell, had hurt his people. It wasn't quite closure, but it felt a lot closer to it, and reassurance came with it, at least; a measure of it.
He shut down the ruggedised laptop and folded it closed, tucking it under his arm as he left the room, locking the door to his 'office' as he headed out of the operations building and toward the barracks. It might be the early afternoon, but he was damned if he wasn't going to at least try and get some rest before the briefing, and the mission that was to follow. He walked across the tarmac, heading for the low-roofed building that marked the barracks, yawning as the idea of rest and sleep started to catch up with his mind.

Katherine Kane

Kat waved to Freyja with a smile as she left, setting down he empty cup as the Swede left the mess hall. She looked back to Ximena as the exotically-featured pilot carried on their conversation.

"So, what's there to do around here until it's time for the briefing?

@Smike

Kat gave another short, husky, rough laugh, an amused smirk on her lips as she shrugged.
"Unfortunately, you're asking the wrong girl, Jefe - I didn't have time to look around much. When we first arrived, it was at night after a twelve hour flight, so I staked out a bed as Fort Kitten and engaged in some intense sleep. After that, well; was pretty much the mission, and then I got to see the inside of Malta's best hospital. I haven't had time to look around or enjoy the scenery yet, unfortunately. And with a mission coming up, well; no time for drinking either. Although, I hope after the mission there'll be a chance!"
She eased her chair back and stood, stretching with a pop and crack of various joints, and a wincing grumble as her lower back twinged, leaning on the table a moment and grimacing.
"...Actually, I should probably go and lie down a bit longer, and take some more painkillers. Good to meet you, and I enjoyed getting to know you. Thanks for the talk; I haven't really got a chance to speak to anyone outside of the cockpit yet. It's nice to actually, you know... talk. See you at the briefing, Jefe"
She smiled at the shorter woman as she left the room, waving, and made her way to the women's barracks, eager for a rest to - hopefully - let her back recover some more, and catch up on some more rest.

@smike

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

@Rhona W

are you still accepting character sheets?

@Maksart

There's room for another, by all means!

If you use Discord, that's where most of the OOC chatter happens. Feel free to DM me, and I'll send you the link to my server.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

North America

The United States of America:

The USA was hit hard by the Heavenfall. With the vast majority of the largest cities being coastal, there was devastating damage and unprecedented loss of life from both the initial destruction, as well as the chaos that followed. The government was stretched thin trying to simply deal with the massive number of casualties and deaths, and to try and provide aid to all those that suffered. Millions were left homeless, with all their property and belongings lost. Additionally, huge amounts of infrastructure were destroyed; powerplants, manufacturing, utilities and more were all wrecked beyond repair.

Even sorting through and making sense of this level of chaos took months, and reconstruction and relocation efforts took even longer.
The majority of senior government were wiped out during the incident, and the fallout following soured the reputation and opinions of much of the public.
This was especially the case as less-than scrupulous, compassionate, or socially-minded representatives or members of the government attempted to spin the narrative in order to serve their own interests and ensure their own positions and power. This resulted in a considerable reshuffling and reorganization of political parties and sitting senators and members of the government.
As a result, the overall culture has reverted to a more liberal and socially-conscious one overall along both sides of the political fence. The current senate and government is one that is more focused cultural, social and societal concerns, unity and co-operation, than on personal or corporate economic or financial gain and prosperity.
This resulted in a huge cultural division, as in the wake of the disaster, many of the more extremist sections of the population emerged in force, taking the name the White American Nationalist Coalition.
After an unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of several southern states under arms and supported by rebellious elements of the national guard and armed forces, they instead fled the country and regouped in South America.

The demand and sheer need for medical services and assistance during the fallout from the Heavenfall also rendered the idea of private medical services laughably unworkable and unethical, and as a result the private medical industry and health insurance collapsed and were replaced with a hastily organised programe of government-provided medical care, the exact details of which are still to this day being sorted out and debated, as with much of the current US policies between hardline traditionalists and the newer, more moderate and liberal representatives.

Overall, the USA has lost some of its international power and influence, with the loss of so much economic and material power, along with the loss of a large portion of its' military might and capability. The rebuilding of military forces has been focused on modernisation and the pursuit of a more mobile, quick-reaction force.
The need for rapid reconstruction and restoration of economic and manufacturing power has resulted in the rapid takeover and amalgamation of many companies and corporations into larger ones that had managed to weather and survive the disasters, and their economic might and presence has allowed them to exert influence and control over the government, though many have moved from their one-time headquarters in the USA in favour of countries with less restrictive laws and policies, allowing for unrestricted and uncontrolled development and research.
Much of the US population has relocated to the inner heartland of the country, while rebuilding of the coastal regions continues, albeit slowly. This has resulted in overpopulation of some cities and regions, with infrastructure and public services struggling to cope as more people than they were designed, staffed, or budgeted for are now depending on them. There is a demand and competition for resources. The divide between the wealthy and the poorer has become more marked, and many current government policies and initiatives are heavily focused on addressing this balance.
On the upside, employment is plentiful as reconstruction continues, with both blue-collar and white-collar jobs being plentiful. However, the dissatisfaction and frustration many people feel has resulted in a rising crime rate, and the institution of several unpopular policies for the enforcement of law and order, especially in these heavily populated regions.

The Southern USA, especially where it borders Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico have been subject to a lot of unrest and ongoing low-intensity conflicts along the borders between US troops and militarised cartel and other forces. Often they have little interest in seizing and occupying territory, but only ensuring the continued flow of their product or their ability to act without challenge or consequences in distributing their product and receiving payment to keep their enterprise going, and the use of military-grade firepower, equipment and tactics to enable this.

Alaska and Hawaii still remain under US governance and control, but due to their (relative) remoteness, especially during the period of the Heavenfall and the reconstruction, often are at odds with the central government of the USA and exhibit a lot more independence. They primarily put the interests of their own populations first, sometimes causing clashes of policy and ideology within the government, and have acted with more autonomy on various occasions, much to the frustration and anger of the central US Government.

The USA does still maintain it's nuclear arsenal, as well as an extensive surveillance and intelligence apparatus and a substantial naval fleet and air force giving it a considerable presence on the global stage, despite its' reduced economic, political and military influence. As such it is still an important member of the N/UN, and has a considerable say in the direction and implementation of N/UN policies and strategy.

Canada:

Canada was surprisingly lucky with how the outcome of the Heavenfall affected it. With it's population centers and population overall being concentrated in mostly inland areas and in the southern area of the country, the more sparsely populated northern territories were hit more heavily by the actual impacts. While this still caused considerable devastation due to the geological upheaval and resulting Long Winter, the rebuilding was (comparatively) easier, and industry and infrastructure was somewhat less heavily impacted that that of other countries.

The loss of life was still devastating, as were the ecological effects, but the country and government managed to retain control and provide relief to citizens, as well as allies and the neighbouring North America following the disaster.
Canada has since become important for its' abundant natural resources and its' manufacturing and industrial base that managed to survive. However, these same resources are stretched thin and overworked, leading to a high demand for workers and a desire to build more factories and industrial plants, something that is a matter of intense debate and contention, especially with the possibility of allowing more corporate control and interests into the country.

Canada has also accepted many refugees into its' borders following the disaster of the Heavenfall, especially with the need for a workforce to manage the increased demand for manufacturing and production. This has lead to some cultural clashes and unrest between various sectors of the population, and an increase in criminal activity as the unrest and tension has grown.

Canada's military has always been one that was professional, competent and adequately equipped for the duties it undertook, albeit somewhat less-than modern in many respects, or by comparison to those it considered allies. While it survived the Heavenfall mostly intact, the losses of equipment, manpower and materiel have resulted in a program of intense modernisation and re-equipping to enable a modern, capable fighting force that is ready and more-than able to respond to the obligations it has as an important member of the N/UN.

Canada is considered on the whole to be one of the better and more pleasant places to live in the post-Heavenfall world, despite it's issues internally, and is seen as one of the more stable regions and nations.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Post-Heavenfall Era

In the years immediately following the Heavenfall, there was a vast amount of change and uncertainty. What had previously been the leading nations of the world were in a shambles, as Europe, North America, and most of the former global powers were left trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered countries and nations, while others were forced into the position of taking the reins of global power, rendering aid, support, and trying to lead and provide security.

The United Nations was a shell of its' former self, and a dramatic reorganisation was needed, though the nature of what this should be and how it should be pursued was debated and discussed back and forth for many years, while the reconstruction efforts themselves were underway.

Eventually, Europe, the USA, and other countries started to find their way back onto their feet, though this was with criticial and extensive aid from both the Private sector and also from nations of the Southern hemisphere. There were many compromises and concessions made as a result, and many agreements and treaties, acts and laws were passed that laid the foundations for the world that would follow in the 2010s.

In this period of reconstruction and of uncertainty, there were also many chances for opportunists to make a move for change, or to implement their ideologies and seize power while there was little opportunity for it to be challenged. As a result, there were many regional conflicts, civil wars, and coups across the globe that also aided in forming the new political, economic and cultural landscape of the early 21st century, and it's people.

Author's Note: There are 195 countries in the real world as of the time of writing. As such, it would be impractical to cover every single one of them, especially as in the Heavenfall world there are others that may have changed or been formed. As such, this guide is not considered to be extensive, but intended as an overview with attention paid to specific countries of note, and other areas of the globe noted as regions. Anywhere not covered in depth can be considered to be mostly the same as it would have been at the same date of the 'present' of Heavenfall universe of 2014, accounting for the effects and impact of the disaster and it's fallout. As always though, the creator's word is law unless stated otherwise.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Heavenfall

The Heavenfall was the name later given to the event that occurred on March 23rd, 2004 at 11:23pm, Greenwich Mean Time.
An object travelling at a significant proportion of the speed of light entered the solar system from outside the ecliptic plane of Earth, and impacted above the Arctic Circle in central Russia The immediate impact caused massive earthquakes, as well as tidal waves. The shockwave travelled around the globe three times, and shattered windows as far south as Seoul.
However, this was only the first impact, as a string of follow-on objects laid a path of destruction across Earth's surface, travelling Eastwards, with the final impacts striking in the North Atlantic.
With the projectiles travelling so fast and approaching from such an oblique angle, there had been no opportunity or chance for them to be spotted by the various space agencies of Earth, and even if they had, little time to be able to prepare any kind of credible defence.

The end result was not quite the end of civilization that had been predicted by popular fiction, but it was very close.
The impacts caused massive geological upheavals. Earthquakes and tectonic activity rocked the world and toppled buildings, blocked roads, collapsed tunnels and shelters and disrupted and destroyed vital infrastructure and caused widespread devastation. Tidal waves ravaged coastlines and left vast areas flooded, destroying even more vital infrastructure and buildings.
Dust and debris thrown up by the impact darkened the skies and played havoc with weather patterns for months, further disrupting efforts to provide organized response and relief, and hampering rebuilding efforts tremendously.

With the incredible, unthinkable scale of the devastation, and the inability to respond effectively to the sheer magnitude of devastation, the after-effects of the impacts claimed even more lives, and caused even more destruction themselves. Exposure through lack of shelter, disease, injuries and starvation claimed more lives, along with fires, flooding, and other such disasters and accidents.
By the time the remaining governments and organised response had finally managed to get into action and begin to provide some kind of relief, the total casualties worldwide were estimated to be in the billions, roughly a third of Earth's total human population having died as a result of the impact and its' immediate aftereffects.

The incident became referred to as the 'Day the Heavens fell' in a now-iconic news report, and the name stuck, the 18-month period being referred to as 'The Heavenfall' as a whole, or 'The Long Winter', as a result of the persistent darkness and winter-like weather that ravaged across the world.
The impact had lasting effects as well. The Earth had been tilted on its' rotational axis, leading to longer summers and shorter winters. The global climate rose rapidly through the greenhouse effect caused by the impact's fallout. This, and the impact being above the arctic circle itself, resulted in the melting of large areas of continental ice and a concurrent rise in global sea levels. Many former coastal cities were abandoned, and capitals or major cities and population centers resettled elsewhere.

With so much devastation and loss of vital industry, transportation, and other long-held and long-established infrastructure, cultural, economic and civil hubs and sites of great importance, the old order of things and the focus of power shifted. Ancient seats of power such as London, Washington D.C., New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles and others were crippled, and the nations they served heavily affected by the Heavenfall. In the resulting chaos and ruin, other powers were left to pick up the reins of leadership and influence.
As the impact was in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere became the new leading seat and focus of power. Relatively speaking; the southern hemisphere was less affected, and much of its' infrastructure had fared moderately better. In other countries, places more inland or at higher altitudes had survived better, and consequently became the new focus of development and population as people flocked to them looking for shelter, and as their intact industries, facilities and infrastructure became increasingly important and vital to the redeveloping world and society.

By default, this upheaval meant the end of the Cold War and of the divide and conflict between the Eastern and Western ideologies. The destruction overall and especially in what had been Russia had left the government, already tenuous and fractured, utterly shattered and dismantled, unable to respond effectively to the crisis that now faced its' people, and that had devastated much of its effective infrastructure and power base. Likewise, the leading nations of the West had been similarly subjected to massive upheaval, and left struggling to rebuild and regain their momentum over the following years.

Author's Note: The Heavenfall did not completely destroy civilization and society, but shifted the balance of power, and changed the 'modern era' away from the OTL into one where a setting and world like Shattered Steel can exist, while also preserving the idea of modern technology and society, and creating new enemies and powers as enemies and allies to fight against and for.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Life and Culture during the 1990s and into the 21st Century

With the Cold War an ongoing concern, the effects on society and culture were subtle, but obvious.
While outright nationalism and jingoism were not as apparent as during previous conflicts, the celebration and embracing of the freedoms of the West was a direct counterpoint to the more practical, formal and rational outlook of the East, or at least the USSR.

Many works of fiction and entertainment used the backdrop for tales of daring espionage and heroism, with many characters and conflicts characterised by the emphasis of individuality, imagination and ingenuity over rigid conformity and collectivism, whether grounded in fantasy or reality, there were many films, television programs, video games and more of all genres that drew parallels.
Equally present and notable was a rising voice of popular sentiment that called for embracing the other and for drawing together, rather than apart. Many works of speculative fiction showed a world where people of all nations worked together and ideologies of the past were abandoned, and were produced by both sides.

With the continuing tension and worry of attack, drills and knowing the location of nearby shelters, and what to do in the event of an alert became commonplace parts of everyday life, especially in Europe where large centers of population were very close to striking range of Soviet missiles or bombers. Architecture reflected this, with many buildings having basements and sub-ground floors that doubled as shelters, and many civil engineering projects like tunnels, subways, and other such constructions having areas that doubled as shelters, be they long-term or temporary.

The peace movement also encouraged the rise of the counter-culture elements of society; a rebellion against the ever-present tension and threat. This often took the shape of non-conformist media, style, music, and other such things; the punk, goth, grunge and metal sub-cultures were something of a backlash against the ideas of conformity, with much of the 'message' being one of non-conformity, and a deeper connection with raw emotional elements, liberating of feelings and behaviour, and other such ideals and concepts.

Peace marches and movements were frequent and wide-spread, especially and often in reaction to the placing of military establishments and forces in allied countries, and in reaction to the continuing development and manufacture of NBC weapons or platforms for their launch, or stationing of them in various countries and territories. None was more notable than the 'Peace Camp' that was established outside Greenham Common airbase in the UK, an airfield used by the USAF to station nuclear-capable bombers and long-range missiles. The camp was established in the 1980's, and lasted right up until the Heavenfall itself in 2003, and the effective end of the Cold War.

Author's Note: Much of the popular culture of the 1990s, the major movies, shows, music and suchlike will still be present for the most part, though likely with some minor changes and alterations in keeping with the continued presence of the USSR and it's 'position' as the 'big bad' in a lot of media of the 1980's, for example.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Cold War

The timeline is the same - in broad strokes and in all the ways that are important - up until the 1980s, where the landscape shifts slightly and the timelines diverge.

During the 1980's, the USA and USSR held several talks aimed at defusing the resurgent tensions of the Cold War. While things had settled down - to a degree - in the 70s, the 80s saw a resurgence due to Soviet activities in Afghanistan, as well as in other spheres of interest and through other activities. Technology was advancing rapidly as well, and new generations of weaponry had created something of a new arms race and competition, as well as increasing economic and social pressures on all sides.

Despite promising starts, and many positive outcomes, overall the talks between Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev did not lead to a cooling of tensions as much as might be hoped, although agreements were made for the continuing reduction of Strategic and Tactical NBC weapons.
Gorbachev's policies at home in Soviet Russia were not as welcomed as they were by the West, and fearful of the results of decentralized power and the lack of influence over the Soviet satellite states, a cabal of military officers and high-level politicians organized a coup, and in 1991, they successfully overthrew President Gorbachev and his government. They immediately reversed many of his policies and quickly instituted many of their own.

While the USSR and Russia in particular were still suffering from economic stagnation and criticial shortages of medicine, fuel, food and other essentials, the sweeping and decisive reforms managed to first patch together and then later reinforce much of the areas that had been so heavily affected, giving the USSR a stronger foot to stand on than it had had for decades.
Things were far from being 'good', or even 'prosperous', but they were certainly stable, at least for the meantime, and enough so that the USSR was able to mount a credible threat and challenge to Western and Capitalist domination.

For their part, the Western powers intervened and provided aid and support wherever possible, both overtly and covertly. While all-out conflict was to be avoided as much as possible, providing military, material and economic support to third-world countries, especially in Africa, South-East Asia and South America. These interventions sowed much of the seed for the reform and developments of these regions, and set the foundations for what would become new centers of economic power and commercial development in the 21st century.

With the continuation of the Cold War and the continuation of its' tensions and conflict, development, funding and deployment of conventional military technologies continued apace. The SDI - 'Star Wars' - programme reached operational status. The soviet Buran orbiter was developed and put into service, and both the USA and USSR deployed orbiting manned Space Stations, with both later involving international partners and allies. Additionally, military stations were deployed.
Many models of combat aircraft and vehicles reached full production and were stockpiled, and even deployed in support of proxy wars across the globe, engaging in combat over Central Africa, South America, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Notable wars or conflicts during this period were the collapse of South African Apartheid and the 'Bush War' of the area, which was a long period of conflict over several years as Soviet-sponsored, trained, and supplied groups fought against the South African Defence Forces. When the South African parliament voted to end Apartheid, long-standing sanctions were lifted by Western powers, and they deployed forces and gave materiel and economic aide to combat the insurgent forces.

The Iraq War in 1991 - commonly known as 'The Gulf War' - began in 1991, with the Iraqi forces supplied and trained by Soviet personnel. The war became especially notable and a high tension point after Chemical and Biological weapons were deployed on the front lines by Iraqi troops against the advice of Soviet advisors, against Western Coalition troops. In other parts of the conflict, Soviet pilots and their aircraft, as well as Soviet armour crews and their vehicles engaged their Western counterparts in direct conflict for the first time, each side learning a lot about the others' equipment and tactics. The conflict lasted approximately eight months, before both sides drew back.

The Yugoslav wars of the 1990s were a direct conflict between the Eastern and Western ideologies. While Yugoslavia itself collapsed into six republics, these held differing ideologies and as such there was a clash of sentiments as different groups tried to asset power and influence, and the external influences of the West and East also tried to gain a foothold over the other.
As a result, Soviet forces backed the nascent communist-aligned nations, while NATO powers backed their opposite, resulting in direct clashes between both as well as the armies and states they back. The warfare that followed lasted from 1992-1998, finally coming to a close after individual accords were signed in various countries and resulting in an area of great ethnic, religious and political unrest as several different cultures and peoples ground up against one another in close proximity, held in a tenuous peace only by several complex treaties and agreements.

As well as the wider scale conflict between East and West, there were also a number of other regional uprisings and conflicts that were directly or indirectly influenced by one side or the other. Soviet forces and Soviet-aligned or supplied nations and groups often supplied and supported insurgencies and uprisings across the worlds. Many terrorist or extremist anti-government groups only tangentially aligned to communist ideals were supported and supplied with Soviet-made weapons and equipment, or trained by KGB advisors in overseas training camps.
Anti-government insurrectionists in Central and South America caused problems, with drug cartels and insurgent groups blurring lines as they became powerful enough to challenge the elected governments. In the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, as well as in the far east, similar ideological, religious or ethnic groups fought insurgent conflicts against their governments, often challenged and opposed overtly or covertly by Western allies and powers, and supplied, aided or equipped by them.

This wider tapestry of conflict set the stage for the dawning of the 21st century, and as the calendar ticked over from the last year of the 20th century and into the beginnings of the 21st, the specter of the Cold War still loomed over the heads of everyone, and was an inescapable reality of life.

Author's Note: This is the first major point of divergence. The most notable thing is that the Berlin Wall did not come down, and of course; the Soviet Union did not break apart. This results in a very different 1990s in some ways, but with many of the same events, just playing out differently in some ways. This provides a fertile background for characters old enough to have gained experience in direct combat, or have relatives who would have done the same. It also lays the foundations for the post-Heavenfall period. Notably 9/11 did not happen, and there was, as a result, no second Gulf War or war in Afghanistan.