O kingdom come to rest O knights fall to distress O darkness in their stead O vassals rise to heads O kings fall to ashes O all order dashes -Versecrafter Xelivian325 cycles ago, the Altranian hegemony was disbanded. In it's stead lay 8 regions. At first, continents were united. Slowly, they broke down into smaller empires. Now, small kingdoms. Technology is renaissance/what that tech wold be like if your region's model civilization was around at that time. Muskets and cannons are very rare, and can be made out a very special type of metal known as Rimthiar. Alchemy is a very powerful science. The average Altranian lives 85 cycles. Altrania has a total population of 60 million.
Science
Altrania is made up of shards, which are essentially atoms but slightly different. Here is all of them. They combine to create aterim(i).
Gethlif: Life
Teliko: Intellegence
Imik: Transparent
Blund: Opaque
Krison: Red
Ovora: Yellow
Zuldgo: Blue
Lancim: White
Bonixama: Black
Quidka: Solid
Sovosor: Liquid
Miserom: Air
Igmphlo: Energy
Ofel*: Touch
Entig*: Smell
Iumoco*: Sight
Chodo*: Sound
Reidon*: Reaction
*Complex shard, influenced by all other shards
An example:
Water=Miserom+Zuldgo+Imik+Imik+Entig
Alchemy is the art of mixing these shards.
Compounds
Rithmiar-Gunpowder/Cannon material
Kion-Titanium
Granim-Wheat
Fibis-Cotton
Tonov-Limestone
Maize-Corn
Bolita-Beans
Dhurah-Bread
Fretio-Apples/Pears/Peaches
Teosin-Iron
Igoke-Stone
Pelso-Marble
Erith-Gold
Altrania is at the center of the system, with 10 stars (named after the regions) circling it. The map scale is 1 pixel=250 km2. The pic is 1491x1017. A xevi is 20 intertwined periods of light of darkness (about 10 cids (hours) each), and it takes 1 xevi for a region to see it's star after seeing it once. 4 xevi make up a lunik, 3 luniks make up a quarim, 4 quarim make a cycle.
Regionial Tech
Talkivmaz: Tonika, Bottled fire. Essentially a molotov cocktail, they have perfected the art of fusing fire and material shards. They occasionally color them to their national color. Unlike molotovs, these bits of bottle fire are reusable as they use the Gethlif shard to rapidly reproduce the material. They are very expensive, but highly destructive. Legend tells a Talkivmaz czar created a Tonika that was large enough to go across the Terv sea and decimate an Interim city (The city did burst into flames, however historians debate wether it was a forest fire or Talkivmaz ingenuity).
Interium: Erzeb, Digestable fury. This works somewhat like a steroid, however they engineer the rage to only be triggered at the sight of an enemy's banner. As a cosmetic touch, pupils and some parts of the skin turn to a chosen color. The Erzeb is applied like a tattoo, using a reactive shard compound to trigger stimuli. Some even have a tattoo that glows when enraged.
Donima: Trasign, Ray-caller. This device essentially magnifies the rays of the various stars. By using a glass formed purely with material and clarity shards (by a ratio of 1:3), then applying an Igmphlo shard coating aimed at a star, the ground becomes scorched. These are generally applied to cannons, which are placed on top of mountains, hills, and other high ground for maximum impact and versatility. When pointed directly down (as done in executions, particularly mass executions) and while 10 meters off the ground, the cannon turns a 20 meter radius to ash. The equation form singing the radius in meters is:
m•(2/a)
When a is angular degrees away from 0˚ (Being the angle formed from the center of radius to the star currently shown) and m is meters off of ground (where the energy coating is applied).
Threkiton: Almchah, Taming device. Calms most beasts and bonds them with the tamer. Everything from house pets to battle beasts are trained this way. Icihid mammoths (Elephants with black hides) and usually trained this way, creating a super army of giants with entire squads living on them. The average size of this mammoth is roughly 2 dkm3. Wooden platforms can be built connecting them,and the Almchah gives a single mind near-complete control. Pathae (Panthers), Igrim (Tigers), and Ioni (Lions) have also been domesticated.
Abowe: Ibabe, Spire-caller. Using compounds that function similarly to powerful magnets, the Abowe are able to set a piece of highly and chemically refined wood on the ground and within very short time, spires of earth will have risen from the ground. These spires reach about 2 meters, and would be about 50/50 spread through a 5m radius. These spires are generally used to combat Icihid mammoth attacks, as well as infantry battles.
Crimsuth: Tidmal, Sea controller. Can create mini-tsunamis by using a shard compound attractive to water. Works a bit like a time bomb. You must pace the bomb/device in the water, then sail away and activate it using another compound that attracts the device back at a very high speed. Various levels of waves have been invented, thus sailors sometimes use them to propel ships forward.
Ericima: Credent, Liquid brick. Essentially cement only far cheaper, Credent can be used to construct 'insta-bunkers' that last a good amount of time. They are easy to carve things in, making them ideal for military and propaganda artistry, but are resistant to most amounts of blunt force. The process of making this liquid is extremely cheap: Take 3 cubic decimeters of stone and enough mud to turn the mixture into a total of 1 cubic meter. Place the mix in a tub. Mash the stones enough to turn it into gravel. Apply 4 cubic decimeters of shard compound made of solid and opaque shards, as well as some Ericima-local herbs. Mix the solution. Leave to bake, and one day later the mass has grown into 3 cubic meters of Credent.
Axphirmia: Chamblar, Cannons. By placing ammunition into a steel canon and using both a kinetic and flammable compound to explode it, Chambers fire at a very small arc, and destroy nearly everything they hit in a 5 hectometer line. The ammunition is recoverable using the Rithmiar concentrations on the cannon itself, but the cannon must be within 5 meters to retrieve.
Avtaria: Langhi, Adaptive steel. By using a very large amount reactive, linking, and non-material compounds, Avtaria has created an adaptive blade. The blade works by sensing a target through the linking compound, then changing it's shape to encircle or slice the target by quickly bending into their bodies. Warriors must form actual links with their blade by way of extreme practice and training, both so the the trainee may know how to use the blade and the blade how to communicate with the the trainee.
Gulshav: Idvajo, Wound medicine. When Idvajo touches an open wound, it senses the natural and unnatural composition of that area using reactive shards. The medicine then duplicates the required shards to restore life to the wounded area. Idvajo has worked as a life-saver in countless battles, very few are the times where it cannot heal the sick. Only the Gulshav know the secrets of it's cultivation, and it is considered high treason to expose it without a leader's permission.
Culture
A list of regions and their corresponding cultures, as well as a small description:
Talkivmaz: Russia/slavic. Ruled by various czars. Most kingdoms within are highly authoritative.
Intirium: Norse/Vikings. Ruled by clans and loose democracy. Great shipbuilders.
Donima: Greece. ruled by city states with various governments similar to ancient Greece. Lacks unity, but highly cultured.
Threkiton: Persia/Ottoman empire/Egypt. Ruled by god-pharohs, worshipped by the people. Large monumental ziggurats mark their cities.
Crimsuth: Italy (Venice). A few colonial empires rule with tyranny/monarchy/democracy depending on the state. Consider themselves very civilized.
Ericima: Aztec/Mayan. Ruled by an oligarchy of priests. Colorful feathers and cloths mark their cities.
Avtaria: Japan. Ruled by 'demigod' Sun Emperors. Specialize in education.
Axphirmia: Early imperialistic Britain. Ruled by a monarchies and parliaments. Trader nation nation.
Abowe: Zimbabwe. Ruled by tribal leaders. Unite in times of great need.
Gulshav: Native American. Ruled by chiefs that are elected for life. Known as nomads.
Format
You are a kingdom within one of the greater regions. I plan for 10-ish people. As such (being we need far more kingdoms than that), I ask that each person plays 2-3 kingdoms. 1 is alright if you are Co-GM. (PM if you want to be Co-GM).
Nation sheets:
Name:
Location: (Outline it on map. Plan for 20-ish kingdoms, include region. If 3 kingdoms are in a region, don't place there.)
Major cities/provinces and their descriptions: (Note all of them on map, then describe geography, rulers, capital, etc.)
Population: (Altrania has a population of 60 million total)
Government: (also include previous governments, revolutions, leaders, titles, etc.)
Exports:
Imports:
Allied kingdoms: (Please PM first, only counts if they list you as allied.)
Enemy kingdoms: (Same as above, only counts two ways.)
National Color: (Can't have the same one as somebody else, first come, first serve. color codes helpful, but please include separately)
History: (AF=after fall of Altrania)
0-100 AF
101-200 AF
201-300 AF
301-Present (325 AF)
(Each one should be 3-ish sentences. They were most likely founded around 50 AF-ish, so describe their peoples before they split apart from the regional empires)
Religion/Customs:
Military: (No god-modeing)
Tech: (Mention inventions)
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Posts:
GM/Co-GM posts:
Year:
Title:
What happened:
Kingdoms involved:
Immediate effects:
Responses:
Year:
Leader/Person deciding to act:
What they did:
Effects: (list which kingdoms)
1 paragraph bio of somebody in that conflict/event. Can be a random cultural revolutionist, can be the highest general. Can be the court jester cheering up the king after a crushing defeat.
War Posts:
Any player can declare war without anybody having to agree.
Year:
Kingdom(s) waging war:
Why/Where:
Challenged kingdoms:
Conditions for no war/surrender conditions: (territories, challenge points, etc)
Challenge count: (All players start with 25 'points'. Kingdoms will gain and lose various points.)
Plan of attack: (Optional, but it is nice to have a visual. Just put some arrows on a map. You must have at least one route, even if not depicted on the map. If you have multiple, please indicate how many of your challenge count is going along each path. Also include commanders heading each assault. You may choose to PM me the attack plan if you think there is good reason for it to be secret)
Leader/Person acting:
1 paragraph of a battle scene.
War responses:
Year
Kingdoms you are taking on
Attacks you are taking on
How many challenge points to each attack (that you know about, if you send 0, then all remaining challenge points divided by 2 combat a siege at your capital)
1 paragraph of battle
How battles are determined:
Lets suppose Kingdom XYZ is attaking Kingdom ABC on two fronts:
On front 1, XYZ sends 10 points. ABC sends 11 points.
On front 2, XYZ sends 5 points. ABC sends 3 points.
On front 1, none of XYZ's points count. ABC wins.
On front 2, ABC loses all points. XYZ wins.
XYZ won 1/2 of the battles, but it is counted by how many points he spent in each battle. Thus, XYZ has 5/15 points, ABC has 11/14 points. Some quick estimation/division tells us that ABC won.
Because ABC (Defender) won, he receives 1/2 of XYZ's total points spent (rounding up, so 8). However, ABC loses the 3 points on the battle that he lost. Thus, ABC gains 5 points total. XYZ loses all points spent.
If XYZ (Attacker) had won, his surrender conditions would be met.
Updates
2/8 I have decreed that two sub-regions exist between Axphirmia, Ercima, and Avtaria. France-ish in the SE, Germany-ish in the NW. 'France' faces the Sea of Eratkim, 'Germany' faces the Sea of Cimia. They are not their own region, 'France' is Axphirmian, and 'Germany' is Crimsuth for all purposes. I just felt like these cultures needed to be included.
2/8 Please see below posts by Vahir for scale.
2/9 I am adding a list of regional tech. I will have that up shortly.
2/11 If you think a tech is overpowered, let me know. Also note that most of these are very expensive and are not used regularly. A flag captain would be lucky to see one in his career (with the exception of Credent). Also, I will leave room for some variation by kingdom on exactly how it works. Note: alchemy is generally used as supplement for cultures that would probably fail if I just tore them out of a history book.
2/26 I may add a list of earth-altranian equivalent compounds.
Please spread the word about this! I am very excited to start this RP!
Map: (coming soon)
Strengths:
Value in knowledge: the reason that the old regime failed is because they locked up the greatest minds and made farmers out of artists. They may be seen as disproportionate snobs, but they have proven that they will fight for thier expression.
Friendly: they are diplomatic by nature and thier only major war was with themselves. Thier nation is overall well-liked and as the phrase goes: "Any friend of Raeligo is a friend of Goethrael, so you had better be a Raeligo to be our diplomat."
Weaknesses:
Entirely dependent on outside military forces: Obvious implications. If the mercenary scene is seller's market, they are a ripe fruit for the taking.
Not yet stabilized: it has only been 5 years since the war of rising. Many fragments of the old regime remain, along with a mysterious order called "Sewvuk Knights" that is set on reinstating the old regime.
Major factions:
Trial masters: these individuals are responsible for administering the trial of knowledge, which determines a person's societal standing. Here is a list of IQs and thier correlations:
0-90: Slave. Unlike other cultures, slavery is not hereditary by default, but IQ sometimes is.
91-110: Commonfolk. Eligible for the council of delegates, but not High Senator. Usually serve as library attendants, as slaves are not allowed in places of higher learning.
111-120: Artisan. Your average craftsman, given higher learning in the field of his choice.
121-134: Scholar. Well respected member of society. Given access to many institutes of higher learning. Eligible to be Trialmaster.
135+: Aristocrat. As a rule of thumb, this is the class of nearly all High Senators. Are entitled to scholarships for life at any institute of learning.
Guild Union: Nearly all artisans and laborers practice in guilds. They are given seats on various political functions to represent the needs of merchants.
Aestrom University: By far the most prestigious school in Raeligo, and most likely the world. They teach on nearly all subjects. The Universiyy itself is a very large space, four walls form the center with dorms and classes within, bordered by courtyards. There are 4 wings that stretch from the center, where a marvelous stained glass dome is located. On the top of the dome is national crest, set in gold.
Peacekeepers: The police force of Raeligo. Not particularly strong, but viligant. They are not nearly enough to qualify as military, and most are on loan from the Imperium. Punishments are usually in the form of farm labor, as no self-respecting Rarligo describes himself as a farmer (even winemakers go by "Cultivator").
Sewvuk Knights: These are the last vanguard of the old regime. They believe that totalitarianism is the only way, and have tried to free the Iridikians countless times.