Basically this is a mix of RIFTS and Shadowrun. You could have wacky civilizations in a post multiversal catastrophe, dimensional invaders and more. Or you can also tackle the situation of people from different dimensions trying to live together. All of these appear to be fine.
So this is sci-fi but with strong fantasy elements. Basically science fantasy but I like to use this term for something which is organized as a meld of the two from the get go, not being a chaotic mix.
So this would be heavily inspired by the actual RIFTS setting, I gather. Mayhaps less sci-fi because there you got power armors as the "norm" for more civilized factions and also magic was strong enough to easily keep pace with the highest tech.
Alright, my initial feeling was that you wanted to make an ISOT setting where everyone nation just freshly drops in this world, or perhaps got here relatively recently. But instead you want a massively multiversal setting where elves from a fantasy universe have to find their place alongside sci-fi robots and other races within the same country.
@Willy Vereb If you mean the world map, that's my bad entirely. I just posted it up. If not the map, could you explain further?
Sure, but before that I should say that the map definitely helps a ton to envision what you have in mind. Although can you tell us the size of the landmass we work with? Is it a Britain-sized island? A continent? A supercontinent spanning the whole world? No need to be exact, just help us to envision what sizes we should be thinking of.
Still, there are questions of basically what kind of nation and organization concepts you want to approve. Otherwise you can get anything from self-replicating world-ending nanobots to MLP pony empires to creepypasta BS. Even on less bullshit scale the difference between various apps might be too great. So in order to encourage players and give them some means to better grasp the kind of apps you want to accept. So with that in mind I ask a few more questions.
What tech level would be the norm, how much it can be deviated from? Do you plan to balance the size of nations/orgs by their size if they are too advanced compared to the average?
How about magic and supernatural elements? What would be the most you can feel adequate? While not related to magic, what about weapons of mass destruction? I mean nukes and things that can be equated to nukes.
What about fandom/crossover elements? Do you support somebody to just port the Fire Nation from Avatar into this game? Do you mind sheets that are done thoroughly but are heavily inspired by a known nation from fiction?
Do you plan to have NPC nations in this setting or you'd prefer to populate the map with player characters?
These would be the questions I have in mind right now and I feel the players would be the most interested to know. BTW, do you want to make a Discord channel or you're against it?
This concept is interesting but hard to judge the scale you are going at. Sure you can both join as org or country and this is supposed to be a multiversal mess (which actually helps to alleviate some of the "custom" nature of nations created in this site) but we don't really have anything to measure with.
"Once before time the Seven Divines existed. They had a harmonious yet unsatisfied life. To alleviate their eternal boredom they created the sky, a vast infinite realm, and populated it with countless stars, the Aesur. They could not move, and only speak through their radiance. The Seven Divines found this good but the Aesur wanted to destroy their chains and chose to rebel against their creators. This war lasted eons but ultimately the Aesur triumphed, rendering the Seven Divines powerless to oppose them. With their newfound freedom they created many new worlds, including our land of Midurd. Yet they could not finish this task alone, they needed helpers. They created numerous races, slaves to the Aesur with the task of shaping the world. Among the first of these creations were the Guarni, giants taller than the tallest mountains. Our very steps parted the seas and created new mountains. Over the time many other races, animals and plants spread across Midurd. Yet this peace would not last. Unwilling to be treated like the lower races the titans, including the Guarni, rebelled against their creators This heralded the beginning of the devastating Titan War. The dry land, once whole, split into many pieces and the Guarni-led titans were slaughtered. The survivors were henceforth stripped from their former size and power, with the very Sun (Malawun) being their eternal jailor. Malawun is a benevolent yet strict god who bestows gifts upon Midurd yet punishes those with overt ambitions. His shine grows the fields, spreads life and fills the heart. Yet this very light also robs us of our true power. Ever since the Titan War the Guarni live in punishment, forced to struggle in the same dirt as lower races do. The Sun shall be a reminder of our folly and shame. Yet not all hope is lost. Ogynn, the first of the first giants, is alive and continues the fight. He hides deep within Midurd, beneath 777 layers. His gifts are subtle yet present everywhere. He is our All-Father, our beloved ancestor."
Carnog the Eldest concluded his tale. The blind old giant sat in front of the pyre, seeking its wrathm. His son Eadan already took over his responsibility as remembrancer of the entire tribe. Yet the old Carnog still liked his tales. The eon old giant was supposedly the grandson of the legendary Gargat, a minor actor during the Titan War. Carnog was just a child when winters been long and ardous, when food was scarce and families divided. He was present when the once scattered Guarni families united under a single tribe and he actively participated in the grand task of retrieving the tales and legends of his kin. He was an old man from a time when Guarni died young. It's been a great many seasons since the old Carnog could even walk more than a few steps without assistance but the people respected him.
Yet being respected and leading the tribe was two different matters. The Guarni tribe always followed the mightiest warrior, the strongest fighter whom they titled as the Kaano, the one rule above all. His name was Baldar, his towering 34 feet tall figure and muscular build alone was enough to discourage anyone to challenge him. He was the strongest of the tribe and his orders were the law. Baldar had a large family of three wives who were tasked to manage the tribe's daily lives. As the strongest fighter Baldar had a reputation to maintain. He participated in big hunts, headed raids and wanted to take all the riches. As such the Guarni life in the village was dictated by the whims of three women. Brynja was a hardy matron and Baldar's first wife. She was so far the only wife providing Baldar with a heir so she enjoyed special status. Frida was the youngest of the three with intellect and knowledge which belied her age. Ingerd was the most down to earth of the three who often worked with the rest of the tribe and kept everything in order. Without these three the village doubtlessly would've never gotten this far.
Speaking of which, the village itself was massive in size for only 47 adult members. The perimeter were surrounded by earthen walls 4 meters tall, insufficient to keep out a fellow Guarni but more than enough to protect against animals. Thanks to this they didn't require gates, you could just walk past it. The most obvious sight to visitors were the gigantic yurts, tent-like structures made of felt with wooden reinforcements. Though appropriately giant in size these tents had a secret, they were rarely built on level ground. More often than not the construction began by digging a (by human standards) deep hole thus giving more space to leave in. Felt was valuable afterall. The reason behind this particular choice was simple, the Guarni were semi-nomads. They practice agriculture and keep animals but they never remain in the same place for long. Once the fields deplete of their nutrients they harvest everything, gather up the seeds, slaughter all animals and leave for the next place.
Yet covering the basic infrastructure of the Guarni misses a very important aspect of their lives which is art. While vibrant colors are rare to come by the Guarni loves their statues. Wooden carvings, totem columns representing the Guarni image of the world are practically everywhere. The center of the Guarni village contains a towering obelisk, taller than anything else. This piece been carved up just after the Guarni settle down in a region. It contains symbols, drawings and simple writing depicting Guarni culture and eventually be filled with the life of the villagers spent here. According to their creation myth the Guarni once were part of the titanic races who shaped the very mountains. The obelisks symbolize their past and serve as reminders of their presence in the region. Their sturdy construction means they shall remain for eons for other races to see. In rare times when they settle in an especially abundant region the Guarni gets more creative and they create megaliths, an arrangement of multiple huge pieces of rock meant to represent their understanding of the world. Races who pass these stone structures would know one thing: they are treading into the region of giants.
Actions:
The Guarni settled down in the mountain plateau
Hunters gather new animals to breed and domesticate for their stay
They are also looking for animal companions to help herding the animals and guard their sleep
Encounter with other sapient race would be also encouraged
Titanic (-3):The Guarni are a titanic species with immense size, strength and toughness. They are extremely long lived and don't have any predators to threaten them. Yet for all their advantages the Guarni are failing at the classical purposes of a species. There just aren't that many of them. Guarni populations are low and the fact they have a very low birth rate does not help things.
Performance instead of Persistence (0): The Guarni are tall even for a titanic species. They have long arms, powerful legs and an overall athletic build. Guarni are surprisingly agile for their size and can have bursts of activity which no other species may match. Yet this comes at a cost. Guarni bodies can quickly overheat which significantly limit their activity. They instinctively limit their performance to avoid this on daily activity and also they prefer colder environments. The energy consumption of the Guarni are still high, though. To compensate they sleep for 12 hours at average with many preferring to rest even more than that.
Decadent (+2): Guarni are naturally lazy and difficult to get them to work. This is partially based on their physiology which encourages rest. Being born the apex predator of almost every region also kills their motivation to work. Generally the Guarni likes to coerce animals, beasts or even other sapient races to work rather than them doing it.
POPULATION: Starting Population: 47 Current Population: TBA
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The Guarni are colossal humanoids with tall athletic builds. They are at average 9m (29' 6") tall with individuals under 7m (23" 0') considered abnormally short and Guarni above 11m (36' 1") being abnormally large. At average they weigh around 10 tons, their steps at average are almost 4 meters long (around 13 feet) and they can easily outpace horses. They can also effortlessly leap over obstacles that are 3 meters tall or jump over 12 meters of distance if they got a headstart. Their skin is thick like Rhinoceros hide and its color can range from various shades of pale, grey, black and blue. Though their overall build is humanoid the Guarni are more angular shaped, almost as if they were carved out of stone. Males tend to have broader shoulders and slightly higher upper body strength while females are more agile and enduring. Gender roles exist to a degree the Guarni view both sexes equally and female warriors are almost as common as male ones. This is partially due to the relative infertility of the Guarni which makes female members less needing of protection. That being said female pregnancies last for 3 years during which the mother would be under tight security. Given their low childbirth rate they have all reasons for such. Speaking of which infant Guarni are 2.1m (7 feet) tall at average and take 30 years to fully mature during which they are kept hidden and sheltered.
RACE BEHAVIOUR
The Guarni are an old titanic race believed to be raised alongside the mountains. They have booming voices that command respect and their rock-like expressions radiate stoicism. They are generally tight-lipped when interacting with outsiders and otherwise like to be condescending to others. As self-proclaimed descendants of gods they don't view themselves as equals to smaller races. They are prideful and don't take it well if other races don't give them respect. As such they do have a reputation for violence. They also like to take slaves or even view certain sapient species as food.
Guarni are a semi-nomadic civilization. They remain at one place for a few harvests until the earth depletes of nutrients. After that they continue their journey in search for new fields. Before they depart they always leave wood carvings and stone monuments documenting their presence. Actually, the Guarni has a fairly high preference towards the arts. They do have a writing system, albeit used sparsely. They more often rely on symbols and songs. Guarni preserve their own history through songs passed along by the elders.
A Kaano is effectively the king of all Guarni. He's a military leader with his wives often trusted with governing the civil matters. Guarni civilization values martial prowess and those in higher positions are often exhibiting great strength and fighting ability to secure it. Local chieftains are elected through combat trials and local leadership can be challenged by upstarts to gain their status. Local chieftains then can challenge their warlord for their title and only warlords can have the right to challenge the Kaano (king). Leadership titles are typically held by male warriors but there are always a few exceptions. Those in the higher positions don't do labor and live off the tributes their subordinates provide. The lowest class of Guarni does most of the menial labor. Guarni who were deeply shamed can become slaves bound to the service of others. This practice also made way for the tendency for Guarni to enslave sapient creatures they capture.
CULTURE
TBA
HISTORY
TBA
TECHNOLOGY
Neolithic primitive technology. Agriculture, herding, ropes and hides, stone tools, etc.
- Hrudd: An oversized sling made for Guarni size. It's constructed of a pouch and a string. The latter is a thick rope woven of tree barks which can withstand the Guarni strength. The pouch itself is made of various animal hides and it's sized to hold a stone bullet in the 4-6kg range. Slings are relatively cheap but work intensive to make hence they are commonly found with warriors. Compared to the usual practice of throwing rocks and other objects the Hrudd has significantly longer range and can concentrate the force better.
- Grond: A tricone wooden club commonly seen with the Guarni. While picking up trees and using them as improvised weapons is feasible these often don't last long. In order to have something sturdier the Guarni pick up a large tree, separate the hunk from the rest. After that they keep thinning the bottom of the hunk in a conical fashion so the lower portion is much thinner than the rest. This way the club can resist impact forces better and often serve the Guarni for years without breaking. Adornment of spikes or other decorations are more common for higher class members.
- Tondd: Stone battle axe made to Guarni size. Finding a good quality stone of sufficient size and shape it to a relatively narrow cutting edge is often difficult hence axes are highly valued. This natural makes them the weapon of the rich and elite. Smaller axes with less pronounced edge are still common for utility purposes.
- Bayat: Large wooden "sword" made of oak or other hardwoods and thinned out into a specific shape. They originally started as a type of club to cause more focused trauma but since then they evolved into a weapon of war. To increase their cutting power they have pieces of flint or obsidian shaped into sharp wedges placed all around the sides. Said edges are chiefly meant for draw cuts but they can also increase the impact of a swing. They are not meant to slash through objects but with the Guarni's strength they can still do that on smaller objects.
- Hutal: A type of spear made for Guarni size. Their shafts are made of young uprooted trees and the weapon has the overall length of 7.5-9 meters. for the head they fix a piece of sharpened flint, albeit triangular pieces of granite may also be used. These weapons aren't expensive but their threat meant only warriors and high class individuals are allowed to wield them.
- Turud: A type of square shield made of wooden logs cut horizontally and connected via wooden bar links and rope. They can vary greatly in size and thickness. The thinner types are not meant to fight other giants while those thick enough to stop blows from other Guarni can't be made more than 3-4m tall. Turuds are of course specifically made for warfare and as such they are chiefly seen with warriors and usually of medium size.
Titanic (-3):The Guarni are a titanic species with immense size, strength and toughness. They are extremely long lived and don't have any predators to threaten them. Yet for all their advantages the Guarni are failing at the classical purposes of a species. There just aren't that many of them. Guarni populations are low and the fact they have a very low birth rate does not help things.
Performance instead of Persistence (0): The Guarni are tall even for a titanic species. They have long arms, powerful legs and an overall athletic build. Guarni are surprisingly agile for their size and can have bursts of activity which no other species may match. Yet this comes at a cost. Guarni bodies can quickly overheat which significantly limit their activity. They instinctively limit their performance to avoid this on daily activity and also they prefer colder environments. The energy consumption of the Guarni are still high, though. To compensate they sleep for 12 hours at average with many preferring to rest even more than that.
Decadent (+2): Guarni are naturally lazy and difficult to get them to work. This is partially based on their physiology which encourages rest. Being born the apex predator of almost every region also kills their motivation to work. Generally the Guarni likes to coerce animals, beasts or even other sapient races to work rather than them doing it.
POPULATION: TBA
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The Guarni are colossal humanoids with tall athletic builds. They are at average 9m (29' 6") tall with individuals under 7m (23" 0') considered abnormally short and Guarni above 11m (36' 1") being abnormally large. At average they weigh around 10 tons, their steps at average are almost 4 meters long (around 13 feet) and they can easily outpace horses. They can also effortlessly leap over obstacles that are 3 meters tall or jump over 12 meters of distance if they got a headstart. Their skin is thick like Rhinoceros hide and its color can range from various shades of pale, grey, black and blue. Though their overall build is humanoid the Guarni are more angular shaped, almost as if they were carved out of stone. Males tend to have broader shoulders and slightly higher upper body strength while females are more agile and enduring. Gender roles exist to a degree the Guarni view both sexes equally and female warriors are almost as common as male ones. This is partially due to the relative infertility of the Guarni which makes female members less needing of protection. That being said female pregnancies last for 3 years during which the mother would be under tight security. Given their low childbirth rate they have all reasons for such. Speaking of which infant Guarni are 2.1m (7 feet) tall at average and take 30 years to fully mature during which they are kept hidden and sheltered.
RACE BEHAVIOUR
The Guarni are an old titanic race believed to be raised alongside the mountains. They have booming voices that command respect and their rock-like expressions radiate stoicism. They are generally tight-lipped when interacting with outsiders and otherwise like to be condescending to others. As self-proclaimed descendants of gods they don't view themselves as equals to smaller races. They are prideful and don't take it well if other races don't give them respect. As such they do have a reputation for violence. They also like to take slaves or even view certain sapient species as food.
Guarni are a semi-nomadic civilization. They remain at one place for a few harvests until the earth depletes of nutrients. After that they continue their journey in search for new fields. Before they depart they always leave wood carvings and stone monuments documenting their presence. Actually, the Guarni has a fairly high preference towards the arts. They do have a writing system, albeit used sparsely. They more often rely on symbols and songs. Guarni preserve their own history through songs passed along by the elders.
A Kaano is effectively the king of all Guarni. He's a military leader with his wives often trusted with governing the civil matters. Guarni civilization values martial prowess and those in higher positions are often exhibiting great strength and fighting ability to secure it. Local chieftains are elected through combat trials and local leadership can be challenged by upstarts to gain their status. Local chieftains then can challenge their warlord for their title and only warlords can have the right to challenge the Kaano (king). Leadership titles are typically held by male warriors but there are always a few exceptions. Those in the higher positions don't do labor and live off the tributes their subordinates provide. The lowest class of Guarni does most of the menial labor. Guarni who were deeply shamed can become slaves bound to the service of others. This practice also made way for the tendency for Guarni to enslave sapient creatures they capture.
CULTURE
TBA
HISTORY
TBA
TECHNOLOGY
Neolithic primitive technology. Agriculture, herding, ropes and hides, stone tools, etc.
- Hrudd: An oversized sling made for Guarni size. It's constructed of a pouch and a string. The latter is a thick rope woven of tree barks which can withstand the Guarni strength. The pouch itself is made of various animal hides and it's sized to hold a stone bullet in the 4-6kg range. Slings are relatively cheap but work intensive to make hence they are commonly found with warriors. Compared to the usual practice of throwing rocks and other objects the Hrudd has significantly longer range and can concentrate the force better.
- Grond: A tricone wooden club commonly seen with the Guarni. While picking up trees and using them as improvised weapons is feasible these often don't last long. In order to have something sturdier the Guarni pick up a large tree, separate the hunk from the rest. After that they keep thinning the bottom of the hunk in a conical fashion so the lower portion is much thinner than the rest. This way the club can resist impact forces better and often serve the Guarni for years without breaking. Adornment of spikes or other decorations are more common for higher class members.
- Tondd: A type of spiked club with a very prominent forward pointing head. Said spike is usually made of the bones of a large creature or a sharp piece of rock. It's used almost exclusively for battle against each other and it's considered way more affordable than axes.
- Bayat: Stone battle axe made to Guarni size. Finding a good quality stone and shape it to a relatively narrow cutting edge is often difficult hence axes are highly valued. This natural makes them the weapon of the rich and elite. Smaller axes with less pronounced edge are still common for utility purposes.
- Hutal: A type of spear made for Guarni size. Their shafts are made of young uprooted trees and the weapon has the overall length of 7.5-9 meters. for the head they fix a piece of sharpened flint, albeit triangular pieces of granite may also be used. These weapons aren't expensive but their threat meant only warriors and high class individuals are allowed to wield them.
- Turud: A type of square shield made of wooden logs cut horizontally and connected via wooden bar links and rope. They can vary greatly in size and thickness. The thinner types are not meant to fight other giants while those thick enough to stop blows from other Guarni can't be made more than 3-4m tall. Turuds are of course specifically made for warfare and as such they are chiefly seen with warriors and usually of medium size.
In 1914 tensions rose between Europe's powers and war seemed to be on the horizon. In response Sweden was also steadily re-arming yet this notion was not supported by everyone. The liberal party made promises to reduce military spending and even at the verge of war they were intent to keep them. The period between 1909-1914 was particularly turbulent times in Sweden and at times even produced violent results. When the liberal-dominated government rejected the latest defense bill the conservatives arranged a massive mob of 32,000 peasants who marched up straight to Stockholm. King Gustav V responded to the protestors through his famous Courtyard Speech. He approved of the conservatives' demands and distanced himself from the opinion of the Parliament. Hiding behind his right to speak to his subjects the king effectively practiced political partisanship, something which he shouldn't have under the Swedish constitution. Even to the Prime Minister's urging Gustav V didn't retract his words nor seemed willing to cooperate. With such disregard of the Riksdag and the public opinion rapidly turning against them the governing party resigned. As temporary replacement King Gustav V appointed a new Parliament filled with conservative politicians. This "temporary government" continued to lead Sweden until the end of the Great War.
The Great War broke out in July of 1914. Sweden previously held talks with Germany to support them against Russia. Yet at the same time Sweden assured Russia they'd not participate in the war. As expected Sweden declared neutrality and sat through most of the war. While the fires of war avoided Sweden the nation struggled due to massively reduced influx of trade goods. This seemed to ease off somewhat after 1916 but Sweden struggled with food shortages throughout the war. To offset this Sweden proposed the Scandinavian Sphere which allowed increased trade between Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Thanks to the improving economy King Gustav V and the conservatives gained further approval. Scandinavism, a nationalist concept from the 19th century which calls for the union of all Scandinavian people, was on a steady return to the public conscious.
Though united through economic relations, politically all three Scandinavian countries saw things differently. The Great War kept dragging on and in late 1919 Britain secretly approached Denmark. They urged them to declare war against Germany and offered their support. King Christian X saw a great opportunity to resolve their old border disputes of Schleisswig-Holstein and break German dominance he agreed. Yet the parliament was unwilling to renounce their neutrality, much less to wage war against Germans. In response Christian X used his power to dissolve the parliament and install a new one loyal to him. To the urge of multiple political parties King Gustav V of Sweden chose to intervene. Coppenhagen fell to a rapid coup and Swedish soldiers marched into the country almost entirely unopposed. Christian X was exiled and Gustav V was temporarily elected as king of Denmark.
The following few months were complete diplomatic chaos as pressure increased at both ends. Germans urged Sweden to join the war as soon as feasible. So Denmark-Sweden formed an alliance with Germany. Yet Denmark-Sweden was more reluctant to declare war against Britain and France. They did declare war on Russia, though. King Gustav V wanted to reclaim Finland and soon mobilized his forces. They made considerable gains but then the Great War ended. The Central Powers and the Entente signed peace and this included Sweden recalling their forces. Turned out the Entente feared Swedish interference while Germans were approaching their limit. As such both sides agreed to end hostilities. The way the Great War ended was a sour note to Denmark-Sweden and it marred their relationship to Germany in the following years.
[To be continued...]
Potential post Great War topics to cover, in chronological order:
- Kulsprutepistol m/43: Kpist. m/43 is a SMG used by vehicle crews and second line troops. Very simple but servicable.
- Automatkarbin m/49: Evolution of the Fjk. m/43 originally issued for paratroopers. Select-fire gun chambered in 6.5x55mm with side mounted 28-round casket magazine. Not the cheapest battle rifle, nor the most accurate, but known to be compact and controllable.
- Lätt Kulspruta m/50: Co-developed with the Ak. m/49 and has similar appearance, mechanism and shares multiple parts with it. The lksp. m/50 has a quick-change barrel and has a belt feed adapter to accept machinegun belts. Compared to other LMGs the lksp. m/50 is lighter and can also use rifle magazines. On the other hand it's harder to clean and service than most machineguns.
- 8cm Granatgevär m/49: Revoilless rifle shooting 80mm shells against bunkers and tanks. Compared to the Panzerfaust the Granatgevar is more accurate, has a bit longer range and can be reloaded. On the other hand it is much heavier and needs two man teams.
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- Sv. m/43-50 "Gråsparv": 5-tonne tankette meant for reconnaissance and paradrop actions. Small 3-man vehicle with armor only against machineguns. Its current iteration has a machinegun and a Granatgevar m/49, the latter modified to be loaded from inside the vehicle and is mounted on an elevating pedestal. Other variants of the Sv. m/43 are also used for police, command and artillery spotter roles.
- Strv. m/40-49 "Lansen": Old medium tank upgraded for more current times. At 24 tonnes it has light armor, great speed but some difficulties to turn. It mounts a modified 5.7cm lvakan m/45 anti-air gun within a new oscillating turret. Unlike most tanks the Lansen has a 3-round magazine loaded by chargers.
-Strv. m/51 "Leo": Sweden's newest medium tank for the new decade. It weighs 25 tonnes, has acceptable armor, excellent speed and a new 75mm cannon firing sabot rounds. Some argue that the old Lansen tanks are just as effective for Sweden so production rates for the Leo are fairly slow.
- Pvkv. m/54 "Pilen": Unique tank destroyer unveiled just recently. The Pilen has a powerful 9cm strvkan m/50 gun which is fixed forward. The gun has no horizontal traverse, only elevation gear. In order to rotate the entire vehicle turns. For this reason the Pilen is a very compact vehicle with the crew of only 3. It also has a revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension which allows it to perform some strange feats. The entire vehicle is only 20 tonnes in weight and primarily designed to engage other vehicles from great ranges. It has respectable mobility, especially cross-country. Its thin 20mm armor is angled so much it can still deflect most shells at range. There's also another variant called the Ikv. m/54 "Hagel" which mounts a 10.5cmm howitzer instead. It has a very thin armor which among others drop the weight to only 16 tonnes. The Hagel is a self-propelled artillery helping the advance of armor.
9 x 19mm Parabellum - pistol caliber, SMGs
6.5 x 55mm - rifle caliber, machinegun caliber
13 x 104mm - heavy machinegun and old anti-tank rifle caliber
20 x 140mm - light autocannon, aircraft and anti-air
40mm - medium autocannon, aircraft, old tanks, anti-air
57mm - heavy autocannon, old tanks, new tanks, ground attack craft, naval and anti-air guns
75mm - tank guns, AA and naval guns
80mm - mortar shells, explosive grenades
90mm - new tank gun
105mm - howitzer and naval gun caliber
120mm - dual-purpose naval duns, heavy AA guns, coastal defense guns, mortars, howitzers
132mm - rockets, naval guns
155mm - howitzer and long tube artillery rounds, cruiser cannons
212mm - siege mortars, usual caliber of old naval battleship guns
283mm - battleship gun and railway artillery caliber
- Saab J 21 Viggen: Low-wing pusher propeller fighter which can fulfill multiple roles. It is fairly controllable and turns really sharp on high speeds. The unobstructed nose can also hold a wide range of weapons. On the other hand the aircraft is somewhat slower than other fighters and turns sluggishly at low speeds. It also has a relatively short range. Weapons-wise the aircraft usually has three 13mm machineguns and one 20mm autocannon. But it can carry a 40mm autocannon for anti-bomber and ground attack roles and of course equip bombs and rockets. Fighter, attacker, dive bomber, naval fighter, recon plane, the Viggen can be equipped for all of these. May be not the best but does well.
- Saab B 18 Viking: Twin-engine medium bomber. It's designed to take off from relatively short runways or even carriers and for a bomber it has fairly decent speed and maneuverability. Just as the Viggen it could be easily upgraded and modified for various purposes. It can be a recon craft, attacker, torpedo bomber and perhaps more. One of its secret weapons is the Styrdbomb m/48B, a radio-controlled glide bomb. A ground attack variant can also equip the 5.7cm akan m/44 for significant firepower.
Name: Holy Zentaeri League, Sacrum Zentaurium Liguum, Heiliga Zentrar Type: Holy League (militant theocratic empire) Capital: Holy City of Drachefel, Reusseland, Vaerenheim Leader: Hochmeister (governance and military), Pontifacia (ruler, religious leader) Religion: Zentarism Dominant Species: Hecuris (centaur) Other Notable Species: Kobolds, Humans, Elves, The Holy Zentaeri League is a theocratic empire driven by the need to spread Zentarism. They believe unsanctioned use of magic is evil and only through the blessings of Zentaurius one should practice it. For this purpose they launched a number of crusades and may not stop until the entire world abandons witchcraft and embrace the light of Zentarism. The Holy League is dominated by centaurs but they glad to incorporate members of all races.
History
Hecuris (centaur) as a species were first documented during the pre-imperial times, large nomadic half-human and half-horse creatures roaming Westeland in small tribes. Some claim the mysterious "night riders" from 5,000 years ago were perhaps also centaurs given that cavalry should not have been plausible at such an early date. It is uncertain where and how they were born. Unlike many primitive races their belief system had no creator god, or even anything resembling standard religions. Scholars who studied ancient centaurs also recorded that they had various sub-races with three distinct breeds: Antares (warriors), Ergates (laborers) and Cursores (runners). The social status of each breed varied by tribe but usually warriors asserted their dominance and were chosen to rule as chieftains. Hecuris raids were a reoccurring blight to Ishtar but since they were disunited they never posed a threat to Navarre. Eventually tribes of Hecuris swore fealty to the Empire and provided auxiliaries to protect the borders. Unlike their brethren at the Far West the Hecuris under imperial rule developed their own united culture, belief system and everything. Historians date Year 522 the first time records of Zentarism. With the divine entity Zentaurius as its one and only god the records mention its curious nature. This is also often cited behind the Hecuris' new name, Zentaur. Over the centuries this name slowly turns into the species' common name of centaurs, although the more official name Hecuris does not fall out of use.
In 876 the war with the beastkin ravages the entire empire. The so far splintered centaur communities unite to form the loosely defined Zentaur Confederation. Their speed allowed centaurs to evade the waves of beastman hordes and remain relatively untouched. Yet lacking strong leadership they submit to the freshly formed Orduin Empire. Centaurs played an important yet oft-sidelined role in the reconstruction efforts. They were a source of military power directly answering to the Emperor and centaur settlers helped to repopulate some of the most devastated portions of the realm. Centaurs became something akin to secondary citizens, known for their strong loyalty to the Orduin Empire. Being loyal to the imperial line the centaurs only begrudingly accepted Hesper's claim for the throne. Thus in 1247 they put all their support for Dunehelm's rebellion. In spite of that the centaurs were hesitant to offer military aid and outright fight the Empire. In the end they send 4 centaur cohorts but even that was insufficient to stop Zeralda's forces. Feeling shamed and guilty the centaur leadership willingly excile themselves from the empire and they migrate back to their home province of Vaerenheim. Unfortunately the lack of powerful leadership quickly dissolved their country into several successor states and remained as such for a long time.
In 2020 a figure under the name Militandros the Great emerges. He unites the centaurs under the restored kingdom of Vaerenheim and puts his support behind the Orduin Empire. The bloodline of Militandros rules Vaerenheim for centuries while allied to the Orduin Empire. Yet compared to the kings of Vaerenheim grow increasingly weaker as individual states earn more autonomy. When the Ordoun Empire falls so did the country of Vaerenheim within years and the nation split to subfactions once again. The Vaerenheim Confederation retained a modicum of order but something new began to emerge. In 2433 a young centaur only referred as the Saint of Gevenfels emerges. She claims to have seen visions of Zentaurius and now she can directly communicate with him. Her acts of divine miracles gained the trust of numerous towns and soon acolytes spread her teachings everywhere in Vaerenheim. This "New Zentarism" of course also garnered numerous enemies from the old order Vaerenheim soon engulfed in a civil war. Ordo Coracis and numerous other knightly orders were established, ironically by recruiting commoners. In the end old nobles and clergy were ousted and believers of the New Zentarism created a new government maintained by knights and a reconstructed priesthood. In 1448 the Holy League of Vaerenheim is formed. The Saint of Gevenfels declared Pontifacia, bridge between our world and the world of god, and she worked hard for faith and the nation's prosperity. She laid down many of the current aspects of Zentarism and personally responsible for sending centaurs on their current path. In 1477 she stepped down of their title and chose hermithood. She was never seen again. Yet successors of the Saint all bore her will and continued her grand work. Believing it's their obligation to teach Zentarism to the entire world the centaurs began their incursion into former Empire territories. Their expansionism continues even now. Since 1505 they are known as the Holy Zentaeri League.
Territory
Government
The Holy League is a theocratic military state where the various Knights of Zentar rule in the name of the Archpriestess/Pontifacia. The man with highest authority is the Hochmeister/Grandmaster to whom every knight order swears unwavering loyalty. Each Meister/Master is given a commandry to govern which can be anything from a province to a small country. Larger regions covering multiple commandries are under the authority of the Grossmeister (Great Master) who may have less direct control but could influence the Meisters underneath them. Of course with knights being militant order first and governors second the majority of the administration is shared between the members of the Zentarist Church and the appointed civil governors. In general a recently conquered region retains most of its former governance structure but under Zentarist authority. As time goes on this could and almost assuredly will transform to a system governed by the Church.
The main directive of Zentarist conquest is to spread their faith and establish order as they will hunt down magic users. Local faiths are usually made subservient to Zentarist authority, only abolished if its teachings cannot be reconciled by the core elements of Zentarism. Aside from matters of faith the Church is also heavily involved in education, scholars, book keeping and matters of culture. The Church ultimately aims to placate populations and nurture people to be loyal believers of Zentarism. Thanks to the empire's might they often have the resources to be very generous and endear people to the idea of following the Church's directions. As said magic usage is restricted in Zentarist regions. Special buildings called Spell Sanctums erected near every magic font under their control. While these can't influence the fonts directly they can be used to direct the purest streams of magic power to people who carry specific items meant to receive these. Usually looking like amulets in the shape of a cross they are frequently used by clergy, sanctioned mages and paladins. Gathering magic power from the environment is strictly forbidden under Zentarism, or even teaching it. Those discovered with such abilities are declared warlocks and witches and could very well suffer capital punishment.
Zentaurius is an ancient deity of light chiefly revered by centaurs. Zentaurius is the embodiment of light and his birth ended the eons of darkness and brought the beginning of the world as we know it, at least according to centaurs. Albeit he's the sole deity of Zentarists he isn't the only deity they recognize. As such ancient Zentarist communities had no trouble holding rituals for other gods and it could peacefully work within the imperial cult of Orduin. Zentaurius is no creator entity, no lifemaker and not even a leader of gods. In this sense it's strange how Zentaurius became the patron of centaurs. Uniquely enough Zentaurius is looked upon as a teacher and source of enlightenment. Seeking him brought inner light to one's life and filled them with creativity, resolve and wisdom. This view got twisted considerably by the rise and dominance of "New Zentarism". Rather than respecting other faiths it became a pressing need to spread the love and reverence for Lord Zentaurius whose divine light should guide the entire world. Other deities can only be respected if they are allied to or subservient to Lord Zentaurius.
Another new element of Zentarism was the way they approached magic. For the longest time Zentarists were neutral to magic usage yet the new teachings declared most forms of spellcasting as impure and inherently evil. While Zentarists don't outright demonize spellcasters of other disciplines they recognize their art as wrongful and mages practicing these as misguided. Instead they promote their own spellcasting system where Divine Sanctums send magic energy to those faithful and owning the right trinkets for it. In their view this act is necessary to purify magic through Zentaurius' holy light. Natural magic occurrences are not abhored, though. It's only for artificial magic like spells, enchanted items and of course monsters, the perversion of the divine order.
Zentarism grown immensely in scope and organization in the last few centuries. They are the primary supporters of culture, magic and sciences. Even if most artists and scholars aren't part of the Zentarist Church, they have strong ties to them. A considerable portion of the League's mages are actual priests of Zentaurius and they are duty-bound to help people through their powers. Organization wise they have multiple branches but ultimately every member is subservient to the College of Primas and Priors. The title "Pior" refers to high-ranking male priests who have authority over an entire province (administrative sub-unit, usually there are 3-8 provinces per commandry). Prima are female priestesses tasked with similar range of authority but different role. Priors handle administration, culture, education and scholarship. Primas direct the matters of faith, religion and magic. Priors can advance the ranks further and become Cardinals, aside from increased authority this gives them power to elect the next Pontifacia. Only a Prima can be chosen as Pontifacia, it is an exclusively female title. This sorts of duality is present throughout the entire Church and could be even one of its defining attributes. Male priests deal with the worldly affairs while priestesses are retaining their purity to focus on the divine. Only female candidates are worthy of becoming the bridge between the people and Zentaurius while the male leadership acts like anchors to help her remain in this world.
Demographics
The Holy Zentaeri League is a growing empire which incorporates way more than just the former nations of Vaerenheim. As such it is little surprise that only 30% of the population are some type of centaur. In spite of this centaurs are the most dominant race of the League with all the other races being secondary. The League tends to build its administration above the day to day governance of the conquered so even after joining them the average countryman's life is hardly effected. Yet this system also naturally puts centaurs and those supporting them to the top. Elves in general have very good chances for advancement within the League thanks to their history with centaurs and of course due to their considerable magic potential. Albeit high elves are more of the extremes. Their past history of rulership and immense magic knowledge can easily put them at odds with the League. Many high elves become fugitives or migrate to other countries to escape the League's wrath. At the same time high elves who do cooperate with the League often find themselves at the same status as centaurs.
Centaurs are one of the larges if not the largest sapient species in the League. This means they require much greater amount of food each day. It also means that any building meant for centaurs have to be built with larger entrances and overall far more spacious. They also need servants for their day to day activities for which they chiefly utilize kobolds. These small reptillian creatures were enslaved by centaurs thousands of years ago and now serve them as indentured servants. They are small, merely 5 feet tall at average and weigh around 60 pounds. They are strong and tough for their childlike size but they are still weaker than the average human. Kobolds and centaurs have an unique relationship. Most kobolds served the same family of centaurs for centuries if not longer. They aren't just servants, in a twisted sense they are part of the centaur family. A kobold's prestige is determined by the prestige of the centaur they serve. Within certain limits the kobolds can choose to serve a different family but in effect this is rarely done.
Hecuris/Zetaur/Centaur is a type of creature where the upper body is humanoid and the lover body is equine. That being said centaurs aren't horse/human hybrids, they are an entirely different race. There aren't two bodies sewn together but a large body with its own unique anatomy. The chest of a centaurid holds two giant hearts pumping blood at a rate which might seem insane. This fills the centaurid with energy but also speeds up their metabolism, requiring more food. The abdominal portion of the upper body also has the first stomach, out of the three in total. The lower body has the lungs and intestines. Just as the hearts, this place holds almost every organ in twins or having a duplicate. Even if one pair of the organs fail the centaurid will not die, albeit it may limit vital functions down the line.
Centaurs are diverse with three typical forms: runner, worker and warrior breeds. These used to form a caste-based system but due to frequent interbreeding the divide between these three is almost non-existent. Centaur genes are somewhat unique in the fact that they can interbreed with almost any humanoid species. The produced hybrid will be a type of centaurid which also bears some traits of the other parent. For example elf-centaur hybrids would be smaller and more nimble in stature while also having the telltale pointed ears. For these reasons the centaurs in the past had to abide strict breeding restrictions but since the fall of the Orduin Empire they are no longer limited by such. Since a centaur-humanoid hybrid is still essentially a centaurid, they are referred as centaurs and continue being treated as such. Over the time regions dominated by centaurs will have increasingly larger proportion of centaur populations thanks to this fact. Kobolds being reptiloid creatures are of course unaffected by this phenomenon, albeit the meteoric rise of centaur population did lead to the League allowing non-kobolds to become centaur servants.
Centaurs are large, the mightiest warriors may weigh above 500kg and would be full of muscle. Even the comparatively tiny "ponitaur" breeds are heavier than almost any human. They are especially long which means they need far greater space to turn around. Centaurs don't like narrow spaces and their structures are filled with wide open hallways. A lot of building designs common for humans are borderline inaccessible for centaurs. This is especially true for castles. Tall spiraling towers or bastion tops with barely room to stand upon are just not feasible with centaurs. Another curious element is the chairs. Centaurs don't need to sit and even if they do, they lie down on bed-like furnitures. As such chairs are relatively uncommon in centaur-domninated regions, albeit they still exist for non-centaurids. Being as fast as horses while having even more stamina it is no wonder that centaurs love to travel. They can journey many leagues within a day and their horse-backs are ideal for large packages. Centaur travelers, traders or even missionaries are not an unfamiliar sight even in the most distant lands.
Economics
The League spans for over a thousand miles and covers cultures ranging from old imperial regions to racial enclaves of more shunned cultures. They are now all united in their local flavor of Zentarism. Joining the League also connects these small states to the centaurs' extensive trade lines which is an unquestionable benefit. Lastly there are a limited number yet very effective League-wide laws which helps to maintain public order and also ensures all races treated (mostly) equally. Whenever it was reasonable the Holy League restored the old Orduin Empire's system which given the familiarity of all constituents made it all the smoother. This includes their own variant of the imperial tecks called the Stavius. Unlike past emperors though the noble metal content of gold and silver Stavius rods is constant and the League doesn't devalue their currency. This makes Stavius a fairly potent trade currency with neighbors and generally League subjects gladly exchange it for their own local currency forms.
The League's center is the Seven States of Vaerenheim, the original land of the centaurs. As the nexus of the League's trade activity the region enriched massively and its cities are famous for their industry. Vaerenheimian steel is sorts of legendary in Ishtar while mechanical wonders only considered a rare curiosity during the Orduin Empire are becoming widespread. Of course in the general sense the trade of food dominates the League's markets. Just like during the Orduin Empire a good half of the region has either limited or rather poor arable lands. As such importation of grain and other foodstuffs dominate the League's trade lines, coming from foreign lands or just from other states of the League.
Military
The Holy League is effectively an empire run by the priesthood but especially knight orders. Garrisons of holy centaur knights and their retinue are protecting the people, maintain order and stave off rebellions. Though portraying themselves as protectors of people and justice these centaur legions are effectively occupation forces and the backbone of the League's military as a whole. A lot of the League's strategy builds on these trained centaurs and their abilities. In comparison non-centaurs are viewed as local defenders or auxiliaries. Some of them are more respected while others are viewed outright as second grade forces. Of course this is intentional since their lynchpin for order is these fiercely loyal knight orders who act both as army and governors. Centaurs are large and are effectively living cavalry which does heavily influence how the League approaches warfare. They prefer to be mobile to conduct raids and skirmishes with the sheer power of their knightly charges being the heaviest hitter. Everything else exist to support their actions and enable knights in battle. Another curious factor is the League's utilization of magic. Zentarism restricts spells to specific practices and source provided by Divine Sanctums. Zenarist magic is highly potent but only as long as it's within the range of these sanctums. When the League invades they need to rely on very limited magic resources which can dry up fast since gathering magic freely from the environment is strictly forbidden. Technically there are Zentarist practices which let believers in foreign lands to practice magic without sinning against Lord Zentaurius but it's less "okay" and more considered a "lesser evil". Which is why actual true believers who can afford to receive sanctified mana from Divine Sanctums this method is amost entirely forbidden.
Conventional Units
- Laegionar: Standard centaur soldier, less of a specific type and more the generic name for them. Standard Legionar wears a breastplate with maile or brigandine covering the limbs and lower bodies. They usually carry the Goedendag, a brutish spear-mace hybrid which can skewer its target or deliver crushing blows. They might carry ranged weapons, shields, lances or other equipment but those aren't the norm. Laegionars form the backbone of the Holy League's military.
- Volkswehr: A generic term used when in referring to units under local leadership instead of a knight order. Alternatively called the auxilia this term is also frequently used for non-centaur support units. Their quality can range from peasant levies to seasoned and well-equipped infantry, it generally depends on the region and other circumstances.
- Vaeliter: Light troop meant for flanking and rapid actions. They carry large stacks of pilums held in long quivers hanging at the sides which allows them to continue harrassing enemies. They only have light armor and a kite shield for protection.
- Jaeger/Begleiter: Skirmish and escort troop type chiefly armed with light ballestrinnes, allowing them to quickly reload and keep shooting while on the move. Jeager are lightly equipped and fullfil a similar role to the Vaeliter. Begleiter on the other hand are escorts of knights or support troops to a larger army. Begleiters wear medium armor and may be better armed than the average Jaeger but overall they fulfill a similar ranged support role.
- Schūtze: Specialists armed with heavy ballestrinnes meant for laying down long range fire or use their marksmanship. These require winches to pull back but their bolts are released even faster and travel further.
- Ritter: Warrior who spent their life dedicated to learning warfare and being loyal to the Church. They are considered chosen by Zentaurius to spread his light and to be a tool of justice. They wear heavy armor and form the elite shock troops of the League. They can also act as commanders of the League's forces.
Spellcasters
- Ordnungskler: Priests of Zentarism directly assigned to the service of a knight order. While a large number of them are meant to do ordinary jobs like administration, records and more menial duties the ones seen in the camps of knights are a different type. They are almost always spellcasters meant to mend wounds, cure aliments or just provide spiritual support. They aren't really powerful but knight orders tend to have a lot of these.
- Kampfzaubrer: Mages utilizing the mystic arts the "correct" way are called Zaubrers while witches/warlocks are Hexe/Hexer in centaur terminology. Kampfzaubrers are the battle mages of the Holy League, well versed in the art to support the army in battle. They can throw attack spells but more often they are seen to enhance the performance of the legion's performance via various spells. Most famously they create a "magic territory" around themselves where friendly projectiles are enhanced by some magic effect. The strength of this effect depends on the momentum of the projectile so a crossbow bolt has less boost than a cannonball. This territory is centered on the caster and moves along with them. Of course each projectile boosted strains the caster proportional to the amount of boost they get so this technique should be used sparringly but it is fairly infamous regardless. Also outside the Holy League where the Divine Sanctums don't reach the spellcasters need to carry bulky magic containers with them and even then they can only have limited use of magecraft before it depletes. Especially thanks to these battle mages the Holy League is considerably more dangerous at their "home turf" than outside of it.
- Fliegerritter: The flying knights of the Holy League. Any knight with the gift for magic could undergo further training and become a type of magic knight which specializes at flight. Centaurs can't really use flying mounts so instead they developed a spell which allows them to sprout wings and fly. Nobody knows why exactly the centaurs can fly like this. Some suspect shared ancestry with the mythical pegasi, others think the League's spells are just more refined in this aspect. Technically any centaur spellcaster can learn to fly but of course the inherent dangers involved means only the Fliegerritter are widely known for doing as such. Compared to the transformation the maintenance of the flight is relatively easy but it still requires concentration. Things get more difficult when the Fliegerritter journeys out of the range of Divine Sanctums. In this case they have to carry large mana reserves so they can only fly so far before running out. Of course as spellcasters the Fliegerritter can do other magic, mostly focused on enhancing their combat performance. In order to conserve magic these enchantments are effectively gone when fighting outside the League's borders.
- Paladin: The epitome of knighthood, the perfect holy warrior to defend Zentarism and show its fruits. Paladins often aren't born, they are made. They are product of the Zentarist Church's program of training knights. Those who prove worthy should advance further and by the time they are 25 they are already an elite magic knight who combines both might and magic. Paladins in a sense are comparable to Fliegerritter, only much more powerful. Aside from being heroic warriors who can fly the Paladin is also well-versed in the art of auras. These wide-range spells can effect entire army units to boost their performance considerably. A Paladin with aura of Fleet Footedness can erase the fatigure of the soldiers fighting with him and allow them to cross over terrain as if they are feather. Aura of Vengeance on the other hand turns an unit into holy avengers who fear nothing and strike harder than ever before. Of course with so much magic you could expect that the Paladins would run out fast when outside the Divine Sanctum. Yet they have special permission of mana consecration which means they are some of the few people in the League allowed to draw mana from the environment. While Paladins aren't as effective without Divine Sanctums they are affected the least. Paladins are rare and they only join battles worthy of their name. Yet even the presence of one such warrior can be an awe-inspiring experience.
Artillery
- Springaldier: Springald is a complex torsion artillery which can produce a lot of power for its small size. Springaldiers are specialists who carry such device on their backs for transport and assemble it together for battle. They are usually a group of three but two-man groups are also possible. Springalds can launch various projectiles ranging from oversized darts to just rocks or even pots filled with burning oil.
- Onager: Compact catapult device powered by a steel spring wheel in the center propelling a vertical arm and a sling pouch filled with either rocks or various bombs/incendiaries. Compared to a Springald which shoots rather high velocity projectiles for a torsion engine the Onager is designed for lobbing large projectiles over castle walls or similar utilities. The smallest Onagers can be even carried by a single centaur and throw rocks almost as heavy as a typical Springald. Larger engines can throw up to 30lbs projectiles which is why they are still useful. While throwing stones is the cheapest and hence most popular projectile for the weapon it is more known for lobbing incendiaries and explosives on defenders. Spell-boosting Onagers is also popular.
- Steinbüchse: Also referred as Bombards these are massive guns firing huge shots of stone. They are created by bell-founders since nobody else has the means to cast over a metric ton of church-bronze into one piece. They are huge, expensive and difficult to transport. Thanks to these aspects Steinbuchse are actually the property of the Zentarist Church and knight orders only have them on lease. They are finely decorated pieces with each given a name worthy for the Church. Steinbüchse of even the cheapest kind is rarely seen on the battlefield. On the other hand they are popular for both castle defense and sieging fortifications. Once the concert of the Church's avenging bells are heard, no wall should remain in place!
- Hauffnitz: A relatively large bore yet very short barreled cannon meant to be compact yet powerful for the right purpose. They can fire stone shots but more commonly they are filled up with sharp splinters of flint, caltorps, nails or much more rarely darts to spread projectiles over a wide area. Essentially a shotgun this weapon is meant to sow discord in the enemy lines from relatively close ranges and then retreat in order to reload. Hauffnitzer can be as light as only 50kg and even with carriage they could be easily drawn by one centaur. They are very simple and cheap guns which combined with their lightness makes them fairly common on the battlefield. There's no legion in the Holy League which doesn't have about a dozen of these.
- Ballestrinne: A personal torsion weapon which can be roughly compared to crossbows yet utilize mechanisms more in common with ballistas and similar siege engines. They are rather heavy compared to crossbows which makes them almost unwieldly for humans. The draw weight and overall design of the weapon is also generally made with centaurs in mind. Ballestrinnes can quickly attach a pouch on the string in order to allow it to shoot round projectiles like sling bullets and even more. This usage of Ballestrinne is most popular at point shooting ranges where the impact is the heaviest or when they need to launch special projectiles like incendiaries or even tiny grenades.
- Light Bolt: Meant for long range shooting. Weak but fast and very well balanced.
- Regular Bolt: Standard bolts, longer than crossbow quarrels but overall lighter.
- Piercing Bolt: Heavier bolt meant to punch through armors better.
- Spell Bolt: Blunt bolt meant to achieve the maximum efficiency out of the Ballestrinne. Cheap but useless without spellcaster support.
- Lead Shot: Accorn-shaped lead bullet, simple to produce but not as powerful as the newer bullets.
- Bludgeonshot: Bronze bullet cast in the shape of a tiny flanged mace, has a significant impact force that can incapacitate people even through armor.
- Scattershot: A thin glass tube containing multiple darts which spread out and cause multiple injuries.
- Incendiary Shot: A clay ball containiner filled with greek fire which ignites on air and spreads flames.
- Grenade Shot: A tiny iron grenade filled with gunpowder and caltorps which is chiefly disruptive rather than devastating.
Delegates from Asteria arrive at Nefret Station in C&C territory in their yacht-like spaceship, the SS Woodrow, accompanied by a trio of corvettes escorting them. Once they’ve docked into the station, out came the diplomat Dwayne Jefferson, and his retinue, including several security guards and pencil pushers. Surprisingly things were quite bright and jovial at this time and space, it emitted a suspiciously harmonious and positive aura. The team of Asterian officials were welcomed and guided to their appointment within the space station where they would negotiate economic and political agreements. The doors open to the conference room and there are two individuals sitting on the far side in the arrangement of chairs and tables assembled for their team.
They began to introduce themselves once their visitors settled in. The tall, slender man leaning back in his chair finally sat up with a smile, “I’m Rashaad Ulrich, discount manager and deal-broker.” then the other, a woman with freckles and thick-rimmed glasses “Regina Carmine, sales representative and financial advisor.”
Rashaad continued on, “I will be presenting some opportunities, I would like to hear what you have in store for us, and we’ll make business, pronto.” he smiled, looking left to right. Regina casually chimes in while her associate leered, “We both will answer any questions you have, and help make sure things work out how they ought to.”
Mr. Jefferson was somewhat taken back by the chief dealsman’s pushiness but then he was reminded they are living in dire times. Given these extreme circumstances Rashaad’s behavior was entirely justified. “I am Dwayne Jefferson, ambassador representing the Federal Free States of Asteria. This is my attache, Laurie Andersson.” His hands reach in the direction of the woman to his right. “Also I want to introduce Dr. James Collman, our expert in economics. He’d be providing insights and economical advice in regards to the recent crisis.” Mr. Jefferson gestured towards the aging man on his left. Unlike the woman the Collective knew Dr. Collman well enough and Rashaad almost nodded in approval.
After some protocol both sides sat down and began negotiations. “I believe all parties present are aware of what happened and how it’ll impact our economy, if nothing else. So let’s cut to the chase. Asteria wants to freeze the Confederate Credit’s value for the foreseeable future. Our lawmakers are busy accomplishing this at the soonest date possible. Yet Asteria has an extensive list of foreign trade partners so without most of these regions following suit I’m afraid it’d be pointless. I’m aware of the potential benefits for investing in a rapidly devaluing credit. It’d be an attractive gambit which pays back many-fold once the economy restores.”
“That is provided if it actually does. I see your point Mr. Jefferson.” Interjected Rashaad pointedly.
Dwayne continued, “Indeed. We don’t know when or if the Confederacy restores. Until then markets would effectively freeze and trade would slow down to a grinding halt. Such a downturn is good for investors with lots of assets and capital but terrible for anyone who would want to make profit during the interim. Asteria wants none of that so we’re freezing the value of credit instead of icing our economy. As a Federal Ambassador my first priority is to ensure the Collective and the Conglomerate is on a similar page.” He paused and then extended a hand out to the economics advisor on his left, “Dr. Collman, please.”
The so far silent man stood up and activated his holographic projector showing various graphs and future economic predictions. He held a brief 10-minute presentation about the region’s future and potential outcomes. The Conglomerate spoke business so for them empty words held little value. That’s why Dwayne called the famous Dr. James Collman to translate everything to their language. The full details of his research were also transferred to Rashaad’s datapad for future analysis, probably the best gift Asteria could’ve prepared.
Now that Asteria had provided more confidence behind their words, the C&C representatives seemed a lot more receptive to the plans put forth by their neighboring state. They seemed to be in agreement however there seemed to be an elephant in the room which has yet to be discussed. “A temporary freeze would help keep things stable,” remarked Rashaad, “As of now it would be too dangerous to allow it to be manipulated by who-ever, now that Sol is gone.”
With the first issue cleared Dwayne Jefferson was quickly shifting gears. “That being said, economics is far from the only problem we may face. The Confederacy as we speak is shattering into pieces and warlords claiming themselves the representative of the Confederacy will attempt to take the reins.” He took a moment to pause while scanning his audience of two, “While nominally under the Confederacy we Asterians pride ourselves on our freedoms. The Confederacy have abandoned us for decades, little despots trying to order us around would obviously not endear us the slightest. The Collective and Conglomerate may not mind the new regime but as we know the highest ranking Confederate official in the region is none other than this particular figure.”
Dwayne put a tiny holographic device on the table and activated it. The display showed a portrait of a middle aged man with stern eyes alongside his personal details. “Julan Bartok, a hardliner Pro-Earth activist who makes even the most diehard Confederacy supporters question themselves. An accomplished admiral and for some even a local hero. Yet his diplomatic skills are like a blunted axe. I think we all know what’s coming in the near future.” Mr. Jefferson let out a painful smirk. Admiral Bartok was anything but good news for the region. Even if he had a competent staff supporting him Bartok would only bring ruin to any system under his new control.
The Asterian diplomat continued, “Asteria and the Collective always had a cooperative relationship. We may never have been on the best terms but we need each other for continued survival. What I suggest is hardly new or groundbreaking in our relationship. Asteria wants some further cooperation with C&C, now in the military sense. Bartok is a threat to Asteria so my government wants him removed. I have a strong sense this feeling is mutual between us. Further details of our cooperation will be handled through the usual secret channels.”
Both Regina and Rashaad looked at each other for a moment, and then back at Dwayne, with the woman speaking “We must officially present ourselves as neutral and benign to the admiral in public, however there is nothing restricting us from ensuring you get some of the best deals our territories have.” She looked to Rashaad, who opened up a thick binder full of what seemed to be coupons.
The deal-broker continued his associate's statement, “We’ve got tons of opportunities ranging from… oh, could be anything! These discounts are exclusive to nation states, and they pack a wallop - here, look at this one--” he pushes the binder towards Mr. Jefferson and Dr. Collman emphatically, pointing out the many potential deals which range from food, to small arms, to space ships, to components, and so on.
The two groups go through the coupons and Rashaad meticulously notes what piqued the interests of their counterpart and was able to create a bundled deal which fit the needs of their neighbors. After the deal had been arranged, he double-checked with his people outside of the meeting to authorize the discounted deal, and within only ten to fifteen minutes did he get approval. With so many marked-down deals, freebies, and sales being made for both Asterians military and civilian markets, a huge range of access to affordable products and services had become open to them. It was somewhat reminiscent of a ‘relief package’ which long-term intention was to keep customers engaged and exchanging currency between solar systems.
“That’s all very impressive, Mr. Ulrich. I’m certain my government will be rather interested.” Taken aback from the sudden attack Dwayne just barely manages to hide his nervousness. Indeed that’s a military aid but not exactly what he had in mind. Perhaps Rashaad has something to hide? Maybe it’s just in the discount broker’s veins. Either way Dwayne got everything he wanted. The two sides continue the discussion for a while then exchange the usual pleasantries before leaving, being escorted out by the same person who brought them to the conference room. The ambassador vessel SS Woodrow departs Nefret Station in peace. The Asterian ships almost leave Hovno Diera System when Mr. Jefferson’s datapad rings in a strange pattern. Being formerly part of the Secret Service he immediately recognized it as a morse code. It said: “OK”. Dwayne smiled which made his attache Laurie Andersson look puzzled. “What is it, Mr. Jefferson?” She never got her answer.
Asteria and the C&C discuss economics and agree to temporarily freeze the value of Confederate Credit within their area of influence. They agree to several economic deals and also mention the potential idea of military cooperation in the future.
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