Yam I Am

Crisis of the Confederacy [Sci Fi Warlordism NRP] (Updated!)

Name:
Perseus United Liberation Army (Abr. PULA)

Location

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Overview:

Overtly, the PULA is a pro-democratic, pro-separatist movement which formed as a response to the Galactic Confederation's withdrawal of troops from areas of space deemed "nonessential", much to the chagrin of many who had recently been transported to the Perseus and Outer Arms as colonists to virgin worlds. In the midst of their colonial development, the Perseus and Outer Arms largely fell prey to the whims of wild space, leaving much of its population feeling a drastic sense of betrayal from their uncaring overlord. Frustrated, ostensibly many of the colonists soon turned to alternatives, banding together under common ideals of equality, liberty, and self-determination against the perils of Wild Space.

When one looks beneath the surface, the cracks of the PULA are clear beneath the paint. In truth, the PULA is a vastly co-belligerent confederation which largely funds itself from drug barons, corsair kings, and high-profile cybercriminals. Much of PULA-controlled space is dedicated in one way, shape or form, to illegal vice trade, and by the day each vying criminal faction finds itself clashing with the democratic civilian government. Yet, the two are at a clear political impasse, as neither can afford outright antagonization of the other, so intertwined are the two economically. The civilian government is plagued by constant political infighting as many political theorists, idealists, and demagogues all argue on the way to proceed, while robber barons and snow queens compete in the galaxy's criminal underworld to see who can emerge as the most lucrative of all.

The military government is a colossal hodgepodge of forces, ranging from simple farmer militiamen to terrifyingly well-trained cybercommandos. Likewise, some officials are very politically overt, and wish nothing more than to realize the dream of an independent, democratic space union. Others are cruel, despotic overlords who rule over whatever their meagre powers insist with the fist of an iron dictator. Regardless, organization of the PULA into a truly unified coalition is a daunting task, and one that has yet to bear significant fruit.

All in all, PULA's position is far from an enviable one. If PULA can resolve its internal conflicts, organize its manifold armed forces, and reform its colonial-based economy, the PULA can truly come out as the underdog of the galactic conflict. But as it stands, many fear that the PULA will sooner rip itself apart than fall prey to the Confederation...

Resources:
The PULA is separated into several different factions, each organized under a different wing. Such factions include:

• Perseus Civilian Government - Includes all "legitimate" political parties and theorist movements.
• Perseus Paragovernant Movements - Includes all affiliates of the PULA which do not fall under the Civilan or Military wings; Typically, these are criminal or pirate organizations.
• Perseus Military Government - Includes all military forces under the PULA's banner with official PULA sanctioning.

Planets

Inkuos


On the surface, Inkuos is a rather unassuming agricultural world, largely home to subdivisions along its wide plains and sloping hills into designated plots for varied horticulture projects. Its expansive subterranean cave networks house countless interlinked underground oceans, which slowly rise from the surface as geothermal magma currents evaporate water and the steam rises through the planet's cracked surface. The natural, constant steam currents from the earth ensure the below-ground oceans are extremely mineral-rich, which creates ideal conditions for geothermal electricity...and creates ideal growing conditions for many narcotic mushrooms and spice pods.

Altia


The first permanent settlement in the system, Altia now acts as the de jure capitol of the PULA as it currently stands. Altia herself has shown a remarkable metropolitan growth, even in the absence of the Confederacy's presence - and the sprawling megacorporations which came alongside it. The planet is largely home to a variety of factories and manufactures, producing the verisimilitude of products to come from the raw resources extracted from asteroids, or from the planet's lustrous rings.

Given its status as a bastion of independence and free thought, the local leadership has recently - much to the chagrin of its residents - attempted to remake Altia into a classical, elevated planet of romanticism and higher learning.

Syna III


Syna III is one of the terraformed moons of the gas giant Upali. Its relatively small size for a stellar planet lends itself to be one of the PULA's primary training bases for marines, sailors, and other strellanautical personnel. It is most famous for its many construction yards, which produce some of the PULA's most prolific space stations and starships.

Lefterias


The gas giant Lefterias is naturally far too inhospitable for any reasonable settlement efforts to be made. This, however, does not detract from the very lucrative extraction efforts to be found upon the giant's planetary body. Space stations and satellites constantly orbit around Lefterias, sending excavator drones, foremen, and surveyors to mine valuable compounds from Lefterias' generous fields, the most notable of said products include hydronium and helium. In orbit, the gases are distributed throughout the system either as raw gaseous products, or are processed in one of the many refineries before being sent out as starship fuel. Of course, some more malfeasant actors will be quick to note of Lefterias' ability to produce high-quality hallucinogens directly from the planet's stormy eyes...

Sarkir


Sarkir is a dusty mining world, the most recently terraformed moon of Upali. In most aspects, Sarkir is the first image which comes to one's head when the term, "gritty frontier world" is spoken; Dotted, dispersed cities, wide countryside where ferocious beasts run wild, rocky, sun-drenched badlands, savage oceans, and a thoroughly determined, gung-ho (Some would call "savage") population.

Aïr


A far cry from its namesake, Aïr is a frigid ocean world, constantly dotted with tumultuous blizzards and drifting continental icebergs. In spite of its unwelcoming exterior, Aïr's true value lies deep below the oceans surfaces; The many species of kelp and algae that grow along the shallow ocean floors can be refined into an astonishing assortment of medicinal - or "recreational" - physics. Nested within its deep, cavernous abysses, the immense pressure of Aïr's seafloor bleeds incredible deposits of heavy and precious metals. Such bounty brings countless people to make their living in one of Aïr's several platformed or subaquatic cities, yet such immense wealth inevitably brings competition, and there exists constant infighting between the original settlers and surveyors and the more recent elements which have begun to entrench themselves within.

Vourkos


Vourkos is the furthest planet from the system's planetary star, and even though it is outwardly a tiny, unimportant ice world, its importance cannot be understated: Many of the system's communication and detection relays are stationed along the planet, constantly assessing movements of ships and asteroids to report to the wider system. Understandably, Vourkos is the advance scout of the greater PULA, and any and all information inevitably passes through one of its many complex relays.

Persons of Interest:
Zakaria Alves

• Current Premier of the PULA-C Upper Council.
• In charge of managing all of the needs of each constituent party and representative in the Upper Council to report back to the Chancellor and the President. A firm believer in the rule of law and democratic institutions, Zakaria is perhaps an odd beacon of light amidst the tumultuous politics of the PULA. Naturally, his job is incredibly tiresome, and he's beginning to show signs of aging from the stress.

Serge Baudin-Kariyiri

• Presiding Commander of the PULA and the Head Commissioner of the PULA-M.
• As acting commander of all PULA forces, Serge is constantly displeased at the state of the armed forces and the nepotism within it. Understandably, he is in constant conflict with the PULA-C for additional resources and funding.

Yuri Kazinsky

• 1st Sgt in the PULA's elite Alpha Ranger force.
• Generally involved in all sorts of special operations. Something of a hotshot in the Alpha Rangers.

Broke Tooth Lee

• Aquaculture mogul and a prominent member of As Hongchoes.
• Very influential in both the civil and criminal worlds, Lee is one of the many kingpins of narcotics in PULA-controlled space. More often than not, he has access to information and power that most Representatives in the Upper Council can only dream about...

Major Political Parties of the PULA

Perseus Democratic Party (Abv. PDP)
Currently the party in majority in the Upper Council, the PDP can trace its legacy as being the primary forebearer of Perseus' independence. The legacy alone does not seem to be saving it from the most recent polls, however, as the PDP is constantly cited has having weak and ineffective leadership, prone to over-debating important matters to the point of indefinitely delaying important legislation. Come election year, the PDP is expected to lose much of its support - and its seats alongside it - unless they may either clean up their act, or outside influence changes affairs in their favor.

The Perseus Democratic Party are largely unimaginative champions of the status quo. Preferring few reforms, maintenance of current policy, and a very unhurried view towards the more-and-more pressing issue of xenos rights within the PULA-C, the PDP are a comfortably conservative faction which only seems to grow more complacent by the day.

United Labour Front (Abv. ULF)
As it currently resides, the United Labour Front is the largest opposition party to the PDP in the Upper Council. Steadily gaining popularity through an increasingly large - if also incredibly broad - voter base, the ULF is currently on-track to surpass the PDP as the majority party. Although the ULF has no shortage of able, charismatic candidates, the party also suffers from internal ideological and personal divisions, often cutting its leadership short in the process of its many squabbles.

Promoting itself as a force for lasting, meaningful change, the ULF by-in-large supports overarching reforms throughout the PULA-C, including citizenship and suffrage overhauls, efforts to push development and industrialization throughout its territories, economic cellularity, expanded civil liberties, pensions and unemployment relief, and other similar positions...though, the exact degrees to which this is wished to be pushed or implemented varies greatly from candidate to candidate, official to official.

Frontier Party
Embodying the free spirit of the frontiers from which the PULA was born, the eponymous Frontier Party is a niche - yet influential - "swing party" within the PULA-C's divisive politics. Historically holding just enough seats to influence the change of power of legislation throughout the Council, it has often less been the numerical power of Frontier to exert influence in the Council, but instead its individual candidates. It appears that, in the upcoming years, there will be few deviances from this trend, but perhaps if Frontier plays its cards right, it could finally hold a significant presence within the Upper Council to make more bold moves...

Frontier is largely what one might expect from such parties; A non-interference, laissez-faire approach to governance. Frontier believes in the greatest amount of freedom to any and all of its citizens to do as they please, for what goes on in the private lives of its people should be of no concern to the government at large. Rumors of Frontier officials receiving extensive gifts from cartels or cyber-crimelords have received no comments from either the politicians or their staff.

Technocratic Synarchist Party (Abv. TSP)

Largely composed of a wide variety of businessmen and industry tycoons - ranging from mom-and-pop shop owners to colossal captains of industry - the Technocratic Synarchist Party supports the general protectionist approach to economics and policy at large. Insisting that the best way for the PULA-C to go forward is through an advanced, unified industry, the TSP largely supports reformations which grant greater business incentives to its owners, thus driving further investment and developments throughout the system. This, they believe, will drive up productivity and quality of life, improving the PULA as a whole to then do as it needs.

To nobody's great surprise, the TSP is notoriously, horrendously corrupt, to such a degree that it is almost as if they wear it on their shoulder like a badge of honor.

National Legionnaire's Movement (abv. NLM)
The National Legionnaire's Movement is an odd bunch. Generally speaking, the NLM supports the integration of the PULA-M into the PULA-C as one cohesive, unified governing body. Aside from that, the goals and influence of the NLM begins to become rather murky; Broadly, the Legionnaire's Movement is divided into three sub-factions, known respectively as the NLM-Left, NLM-Centre, and the NLM-Right, whose ideals and beliefs begin to vary from state-controlled national industry to cultural anthropophagy to ensure unity. Universally, the NLM is most profoundly known for its willingness to engage in violence (or at least, to greater degrees than other the parties would overtly admit) if it means achieving their political goals. To that end, the NLM always acts as a thorn in the side of the majority party, ready to ignite tensions in the streets if demands or concessions are not met...

Strengths:




Weaknesses:

N.E.O. - New Earth Oracle

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The United Nations

Name:
The United Nations

Government:
The United Nations acts as the representative assembling body of all nations on Earth, and through its General Assembly, the nations of the world all convene on issues which affect all of the world.

Of particular note is the United Nations Security Council (Short: UNSC), through which the global members of the world's premiere superpowers discuss pressing security concerns. The five permanent members of the UNSC are: The USSR, the UK, France, the USA, and China

Territory:
Although the UN does not claim any official territory, the headquarters of the United Nations currently resides in New York City.

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History:

• Pre-Visitation: Formed as the successor to the failed League of Nations, the United Nations was codified and formed in 1945 as a means to preserve global cooperation in the era to follow, and with it, to preserve a lasting peace. Prior to The Visitation of 1961, the United Nations had mostly a guiding role in global affairs, with treaties being ratified through intermediary conventions, such as the conventions enacted during the Korean War and the Malayan Wars.
• The Visitation: When the Visitation forever changed the world as we once knew it, the United Nations had the monumental task of keeping the international community together in spite of the trying times. Through flares and coolings in the global political climate, the UN was always there to attempt to coordinate international relief efforts for the most afflicted nations around the globe. More often than not, the UNSC had been called upon to prevent global catastrophe from breaking out, as was the case in the United States' intervention in Canada and Latin America. Although the balance of alliances throughout the globe had forever been changed by the visitation, peace between the major powers of the world had - to the UN's credit - by in large been kept.
• Recent History: Like the world's nations it is comprised of, the United Nations has, perhaps against the odds, weathered the storm of the Visitation. In spite of the tumult of most - if not all - of its member states, the UN has done its duty of preventing a global war between the major powers.

Pressing Issues:
The issues of the globe are the issues of the United Nations, and likewise, the concerns of the world's welfare in the face of the ever-changing world are at the forefront of the UN's issues. True to its name, the UN primarily provides extensive welfare, development, and security missions in the most conflict-afflicted regions throughout the world.

Of particular note, international terrorist organizations have been at the forefront of the UN's peacekeeping efforts, and the United Nation's Mission For Peace is an international cooperative mission to attempt to curb the influence of these such institutions.

Budget:

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Kuomintang in Exile

Name:
The Republic of China - Government in Exile

Government:
Overtly, the Republic of China prior to their capitulation was a multi-party constitutional republic, whose origins traced to the Xinhai Revolution of 1911. However, during their control of Taiwan, foreign observers often criticized that the internal politics of the Republic were almost under the complete control of the Chinese Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT). Ever since their previous bastion in Taiwan was overrun by the People's Republic of China in 1982, many KMT members were reintegrated into the PRC, or have gone into hiding alongside many "hardline" Kuomintang party members.

Territory:
Officially, the Kuomintang claims that it is the sole legitimate government of China, as part of the long-ongoing Chinese Civil War. However, with their current position, the KMT has been forced to reside in exile outside of Chinese soil, oftentimes going anywhere which will harbor them. Currently, the KMT is officially headquartered in San Francisco, although the KMT is well-known to have entrenched itself into various Southeast Asian paramilitaries in Burma, Thailand, and Laos.

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History:

• Pre-Visitation: Firmly on their back foot throughout the continuation of the Chinese Civil War, the Kuomintang eventually was forced to flee to Taiwan, where both the lack of naval capability in the PRC as well as the backing of the United States had prevented a total communist victory. Following a cessation of hostilities in 1949, internal politics in Taiwan found themselves in crisis, sourced from within and without. The KMT's leadership had caused a plethora of bitter rivalries inside the Nationalist leadership, and Chiang Kai-Shek's international unpopularity had forced Taiwan into a position where the world at large considered them allies of circumstance at best. While the internal politics would eventually settle down on Taiwan, the Republic of China would both keep their membership in the United Nations as the "legitimate" government of China.
• The Visitation: Come 1961, the Visitation would, mercifully enough, prove to be rather forgiving towards Taiwan directly. Only a sole few Anomalous Zones - each one no greater than a few dozen square meters in size - emerged on the island, and Taiwan found the challenges issued directly by the Visitation's effects would be comparatively mild to handle. The same, however, could hardly be said for the RoC's greatest allies; With the Visitation almost completely rendering the entire continental United States into a hazardous Anomalous Zone, Taiwan massively struggled with maintaining its economic and military capacity. With so many resources of their greatest supporters now dedicated inward, Taiwan steadily declined. Though mercifully it had escaped the complete economic meltdown of the neighboring Japan, following Korean Reunification and Sino-Soviet Rapproachment, the Republic of China was once again left as a rather insignificant island, surrounded by enemies, possessing few allies, and hosting a plethora of internal issues.
• Recent History: Following the KMT's defeat in the Taiwanese War, the Republic of China had officially capitulated to the People's Republic of China, and has since nominally accepted their reintegration into the PRC. However, with many fringe organizations located in Southeast Asia as well as in the Mainland United States' West Coast, the most ardent of the Kuomintang hold on by a thread, and has since turned towards criminal (some might say terroristic) endeavors in order to accomplish their goals. They may only have a shattered industry of whatever underground labs and workshops they might concoct, but the KMT maintains an extensive network of contacts around the world.

Pressing Issues:
Since they lost the battle for the Chinese mainland in 1949, the Kuomintang has struggled more and more to maintain legitimacy, both inside of China as well as on the international scene. Come the invasion of Taiwan and their official capitulation to the CPC, the KMT is viewed more increasingly as a fringe terrorist organization than a legitimate government which has been exiled from their home country. With its leadership entirely focused on bolstering resistance against the CPC in Taiwan, their original goal of retaking all of Mainland China seems to be a lofty one. Yet, any who have made contact with the KMT Post-'82 can recite the quote full and well:

"A fanatic is one who redoubles his efforts when he has lost his aim."

Budget:
The budget of the KMT-IE is practically nonexistent. Almost all of the funding the KMT has to work with either comes from private donations, or from the group's engagement in illegal activities. Their most notable avenues of income as of late have been in narcotics, counterfeit operations, and artifact stalking. Most interestingly, the KMT-IE still has a number of informants all around the world, and appear to be very open to information exchange in return for assistance...

EALN

Name:
Ejército Aztlánteca de Liberación Nacional - EALN

Government:
Currently, the EALN maintains little in terms of a centralized, federal civilian government, although they maintain a fairly straightforward military hierarchy similar in nature to those found in paramilitaries throughout the Middle East and East Africa.

Although their ideology is classified by many contemporary political scientists as being socialist in nature, the EALN has repeatedly refuted any political classification. A key element of the EALN's political ideology is in their approach towards what they refer to as a "bottom up" approach of participatory governance. Believed to have surged in popularity as a result of the United States' actions in the 80s, their beliefs stand in vitriolic opposition to neocolonialism and imperialism, and as such have stood against the United States, OTAN, and the Warsaw Pact.

In spite of this, the EALN is also famously divided in much of its leadership, and its fragmented nature has made it both difficult to dislodge more than temporarily, and has resulted in a conflict of interests: Some of its more prominent leadership have showcased a willingness to - at the very least - cooperate with OTAN or the Warsaw Pact if it serves to advance their current goals.

Territory:
Contained in guerilla pockets, the EALN is stretched far and wide throughout Indigenous and Hispanic America. EALN cells have been reported to operate as far north as the Yukon and as far south as Panama. Their strongest bases of operations as of 1991 are believed to reside in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, as well as in the former Navajo Nation within the United States.

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History:

• Pre-Visitation: WIP
• The Visitation: WIP
• Recent History: WIP

Pressing Issues:
WIP

Budget:

The Commission

Name:
The Commission

Government:
The Commission acts less as a unified body of governance and more as an intermediary between criminal spheres of influence. Plenty of mafias, terror cells, revolutionary bodies, and other criminal elements all find themselves partaking in The Commission - willingly or otherwise - and it serves as an intermediary hub between bodies, similar to how the United Nations serves as a collective council for sovereign nations.

Territory:
The Commission operates on a global scale, and it is difficult to find a population where its influence is not felt to some degree.

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History:
With its origins in the original Commission of New York City, the outbreak of the Post-Visitation world soon after proved to be one of the most lucrative opportunities that the criminal underworld had ever seen. With a slowing of the international legal market to a standstill, there came a natural incentive for increased demand of regular imported goods - in addition to the newfound exotic artifact trade - the many criminal mafiosas of the world eagerly stepped up to slake their thirsts. What started as a cartel that bridged legal trade with smuggling soon emerged into a criminal collective anything unlike the world had seen prior.

In the modern age, the Commission possesses a nearly global presence, and until there are serious changes between organizations and operations between nations, their illegal activities will always be in demand. After all, their illicit nature and dubious service has lent them very well towards being deniable assets for nations in cold wars...

Pressing Issues:
Power struggles between the varied factions inside The Commission are nothing new. However, in recent times, there have been serious threats from within between the American Mafia and the Yakuza, who day by day begin to escalate their cold war into a hot one.

Budget:
As it is an intermediary organization, it is difficult - if not outright impossible - to track the actual budget of the Commission proper. Compounding this issue is the fact that the Commission's sheer verisimilitude of legal, quasi-legal, and illegal activities actively obfuscate the prioritization and profit of any and all activity within. However, it is speculated that The Commission at least has heavy influences in Entertainment and Hospitality industries, owing to the influence of the Italian Mafia and the Yakuza within The Commission.

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United Kingdom

Name:
The United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland

Government:
The United Kingdom (commonly abbreviated as "The UK")

Territory:
The UK controls the East British Isles, as well as the northern portion of Ireland. In addition, the United Kingdom maintains several enclaves on islands and several ports, some of the most notable of which include the Falkland Islands, the Faeroe Islands, Malta, and the city of Hong Kong.

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History:

• Pre-Visitation: After the devastation of the Second World War, the globe-spanning British Empire immediately found itself beset by turmoil. Its country forever scarred, scores of young men killed, and the Empire in bankruptcy, the end of the war heralded the end of the Empire. In spite of its best efforts to keep its federation afloat, crisis after crisis accelerated its untimely end. India gained its promised independence in 1947, the Malayan Emergency ripped away its possessions in Southeast Asia, the crisis in Egypt becoming a simply embarrassing defeat for the British and French alike, and African states all vied for sovereignty. By 1960, the United Kingdom was a thoroughly diminished world power.
• The Visitation: WIP
• Recent History: While the effects of The Visitation by in large came under heel by the early '80s, the residual consequences that it would have would never soon diminish. Unlike its close ally France, the United Kingdom has long been plagued with the residual breakup of its Commonwealth; India asserts herself on the world stage free of European concerns, Canada remains an American puppet, and Australia and New Zealand remain a world away from global events. For many, the repeated embarrassments of the once-great Britain are soon proving too much to handle. Labour has held a vicegrip on elections since the 70s, but their influence on British politics hardly goes uncontested: The Tories gather popularity by the day, and insist on taking Britain back from subservience and onto the world stage. And with recent tensions between Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia escalating, this may provide the perfect opportunity for the UK to bring itself into prominence...

Pressing Issues:
A far cry from the indomitable, globe-spanning superpower it was decades ago, the United Kingdom treads in a strange new world, still seeking out its place in a post-colonial world. With the split of NATO between the American and European blocs, their longstanding ally France has certainly picked up the slack with the loss of America as an ally...much to the chagrin of the Britons. Many lament that they have simply exchanged an American-dominated coalition for a French-dominated one. Renaults replace Centurions in Armoured Corps, the French helmets and goggles supersede their British equivalents, and Aérospatiale helicopters form the bulk of air assault units. Britain may certainly not be the juggernaut it once was, but the old British Bulldog still retains its sharp teeth. Even so, the Brits are a notoriously stubborn ilk, and it remains to be seen how long it will take for political opponents to...assert the UK's position within OTAN.

And, of course, there is always the issue of Hong Kong. When the island territory was first signified some 250 years ago, the most important clause stating that the control over the port city was but temporary. The UK's lease on the Jewel of the East is quickly coming to a close, and China anticipates the city's handover in 1995. With the UK's tumultuous political climate, the idea of further ceding the last vestige of the old British Empire to a communist state is far from appealing, but terms are terms, and the British may not have the negotiating power that they once wielded all those centuries ago. Thus, maintaining British control of Hong Kong will require quite some political finesse...

Budget:

Japan

Name:
Republic of Japan

Government:
Japan is currently ruled as a constitutional parliamentary monarchy, but as per the 1947 constitution, the powers of the Emperor remain extremely limited. The Liberal Democratic Party has held its vicegrip on Japanese elections since their postwar origins, but their decades-old hold on politics are slowly slipping to its main rivals: The Japanese Socialist Party and the National Liberal Party.

Territory:
Japan controls most of the islands of Japan proper, in addition to the control of the islands of Okinawa as well as a few of the Kuril Islands.

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History:

• Pre-Visitation: In the aftermath of the Allied occupation of Japan, she would be forced to near-completely restructure every bit of her being. The Emperor's role would be reduced to a far more ceremonial position, the military disbanded and re-established, its titanic zaibatsus broken up and reforged. Following crackdowns on various left-wing elements with McArthur's reign, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party would find itself in a tumultuous - if slightly enviable - position. Conservatives in Japan largely faced little in the way of opposition, and with generous aid from the United States, soonafter paved the way for the transformation of the Japanese economy. Made in 1959 and announced in 1960, the Income Doubling Plan crafted by prime minister Hayato Ikda in response to the colossal Anpo protests intended to turn Japan from a recovering state into an economic and political superpower. His grand plans would have seen Japan's economy grow at instrumental strides, cementing Japan's place in East Asia as its Tiger.
• The Visitation: Japan - thankful as it was - was little affected by contamination of anomalous zones, and with a notable exception in Nagasaki, was able to evade the most immediate effects of The Visitation. The aftershocks, however, would prove to be Japan's greatest threat: With a constricting global market and a decline in . The Yen massively inflated and devalued over the course of a ten year period, leading to a strong sense of monetary untrustworthiness that would only find itself exacerbated by the . Enormous swathes of finance centers in Japan would be wiped out virtually overnight, property values - which had long been used to back bank loans - likewise plumetted, resulting in the loss of hundreds of industries. Quality of life in Japan spiraled downwards from the 60s and 70s, as kereitsu conglomerates often packed up to greener pastures and stiffed what little competition remained. Mean wages in Japan dropped some 23% from 1960 to 1970, while unemployment and emigration began to soar, coining the trend as, "The Lost Decades".
• Recent History: The "lost decades" of the 70s and 80s have destabilized Japan, perhaps to the point of no return. Her economy lies in shambles, protests rock the streets monthly, and she seems to forever live in the shadow of '61. Unsurprisingly, many are dissatisfied with the state of Japanese affairs, and have opted to voice their support for more...radical alternatives. Like in the 1920s, a wave of nationalism rises over Japan - one which many fear will crash down upon her again, like 1945 had done for her not long ago.

Pressing Issues:
One quick look at Japan and she will shamefully turn to you with a downtrodden head to say that her position is, well...horrid, to say the least. Her economy, even some 30 years after the Crash of '61, has remained incredibly lethargic, owing to a lack of financial confidence in Japan and the overwhelming influence of kereitsu cartels in Japanese society. Decades of economic turmoil in Japan have taken drastic tolls in all walks of her life. Petty crimes have reached levels not seen for some hundred years, while alcoholism and drug abuse rattles Japan at alarming rates. Promising young men and women who enroll in her universities emigrate at record pace, seeking stability and opportunity abroad in Australia or Brazil.

The loss of Japan's greatest reliable ally in the United States have caused no end of discord in national defense policy. With their largest economic, political, and military supplier turning firmly inward and taking NATO with it, the recent occupation of Taiwan by China has - to say the least - made Japan rather uneasy. OTAN remains powerful, but France is a world away and Australia can hardly hope to provide practical aid against the Chinese Dragon or the Russian Bear. Some politicians, however, remain hopeful that the USSR might mediate any tensions between the two - but few are willing to bow before the bear that has tormented them for some two centuries. Nevertheless, rearmament of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the ammendment of the Japanese Constitution are heavily supported by the public, but the lack of funding for an adequate rearmament program to truly deter China, Russia - or even the United States, should they grow desperate enough - coupled with the apprehension at giving the military additional political influence has killed this issue right in its tracks.

On paper, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces remain as one of the world's largest military forces per capita. Any serious military analyst will be quick to point out that the JSDF is more apropos a scarecrow than sentinel. Certain analysts (whose names are desperately desired by the federal government) have estimated that some 36% of JGSDF equipment is acquired via the black market. With scarce federal funding and a culture of fear widespread within both Japan and the army, many JSDF officers have taken to "requisitioning" the supplies and finance they need. JSDF units which are intended for basic training are instead "rationed out" by local commanders as cheap labor, often used for construction, landscaping, or other menial labor. Regional JSDF commanders preside like kings over their districts, and with each passing day, make Japan into a modern shogunate which make the likes of Ethiopia seem like Sweden.

These cascading issues have bubbled beneath Japan's surface, in turn creating a fiercely deadlocked political system, fearful of making reforms that Japan drastically needs out of fear it will further accelerate her descent into chaos. But, Japan has found herself in dire straits before, and many remain convinced that all they need to do is weather the storm before the sun rises over her once more. Yet, just as many in her upper echelons fear that Japan's sun has set many, many decades ago, and now she is destined to wander forever in eternal night...

Budget:

N.E.O. - A Vinto-Futuristic Nation RP (Inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Half-Life, and MGS4)

OOC is up

N.E.O. - New Earth Oracle

@Dog @Andreyich @Eldritch Puppy @Ayazi @Keyguyperson @Dr Lovecraft @Katthaj @Principality @Dead Cruiser @MagusTheRed For everyone who expressed interest.

Geez, I wasn't expecting this many people...

N.E.O. - New Earth Oracle

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1991. Against all odds, the world remains standing.

In 1898, Sir Ingel Langley accidentally uncovered the secret to the mysterious compound which littered the Earth. Coined Langium, the subsequent Langley-Milentroff Process was a means by which colossal amounts of energy could be harvested. His discovery changed the course of history, Langium-powered factories and power plants propelling the world into a bewildering age of technological and social advancement. Far more efficient than coal, oil, wind, or water, Langium gasification turned virtually any product into electricity, and jettisoned the world into an era of advancement. For a time, the progress seemed limitless. Langium dominated the global scene.

Then on a fateful day in 1961, the world stood still.

For only a few brief moments, They came.

They came unannounced, unceremoniously. Without warning nor hesitation, as if the world was Theirs to own. They came, stopped for only a short while, never once bothering for contact nor communication, and departed. In Their wake remained the lasting trace of Their existence, undeniable proof of a secret to shock the world to its core. Their visit confirmed a suspicion once thought to be the stuff of dreams: That Langium was of otherworldly origin.

They came and left, yet it was not in their momentary picnic which astounded the world. As with every vacation, the visitors left remarkable trace of their visit. As they departed, mysterious reports spread like a pox dots across the skin. Otherworldly materials reacted with Langium deposits, infecting machinery and nature alike with its eldritch influence. Incredible materials - dubbed New-Langium Compounds, or NLC's - were introduced to the globe...with drastic effects. In the wake of their reactions, hazardous anomalies spread throughout the world's zones in contact with Langium and NLC's, often without rhyme nor discrimination. Some places had gravity cease to be, its industries turning to colossal floating complexes that drift like schools of fish amidst the sea. In some places, rivers turned to a gaseous plasma, the waters which once ran freely convulsing like mist dripping along a sieve. Mysterious sea-green webs turned the hands of those who touched it into pure calcified bone. Metal molted to blistering temperature, yet always retaining their solid shape and form while their extraneous heat warped the world to a hellscape. Rusted iron bolts cured blindness to whoever touched it. These are but a few of the many effects the anomalies have had upon the world.

Yet, within the world's anomalous zones, mysterious compounds and otherworldly items were discovered, with miraculously potent effects. Dubbed artifacts, these precious things produced medicines and machines once thought impossible to create by modern science, yet within the zones they were found and thrive. Yet, even as these incredible artifacts took to the world by storm, it was quickly discovered that we lacked the understanding and capability to reproduce any of these things on Earth.

The shock of the Visitation was enormous, to say little of its full effects. In almost an instant, the Old Order of the world had the rug yanked from beneath its feet. The Old Order of Gods and World were stripped away, revealing truths of a universe far more alien than perhaps any could have known. Many governments struggled to maintain themselves in the chaos, and the Legacy of the Visitation has touched the world far greater than any war nor invention.

Yet, as the Old World gave Caesarean birth to the New World, the greatest legacy of The Visitation lay right above our heads.

It is faint, always visible, yet always distant. Its presence leaves a chilling radiance, a feeling apropos the soft, chilling light of a winter's full moon, equally brilliant in both its coolness and its luminescence. It hovers over the world, softly pulsating its alien light throughout the sky like the heartbeat of a lighthouse.

It is the New Earth Oracle, and it gazes upon the world as The Gods look down from Heaven.

It is infallible proof that we are not alone in the universe, that They exist and have knowledge which far surpasses our own.

And, perhaps if we wish to undo the calamitous effects of the Visitation and NLC's, the Oracle will have the answers we so desperately seek. Yet, if humanity wishes to leave its cradle, then of course, it would do well to ensure the cradle is without splinter nor rot, for even the tiniest splinter may give rise to the gravest of infections. There are plenty on Earth who wish to upturn the Visitation; Those who demand that humanity shut itself in, and those who suggest it be dragged kicking and screaming into a new era, by any means necessary.

In the year 1991, the course lie ahead, tenuous and arduous. To uncover the true nature of Langium and The Visitation, nations must combat threats both within, without, and beyond. The issues of the Old World have never gone away, and the troubles of the New World will push even the strongest to their limits. Terrorism, economic hardship, environmental disaster, and more plague the world. Yet as we all know, in every crisis lay opportunity, and in such infinite wisdom there is equal capacity to emerge with the advancement of all humankind.

---

F.A.Q.

• "'Vinto-Futurism?' What's that supposed to mean?"

"Vinto-Futurism" is a term I coined a little while ago when coming up with the best concept pitch for the setting of N.E.O.'s world. To break it down:

Vinto / Vintage -> "Classic in style, typically denoted to be at least 20 years of age."
Futuristic -> "(of a film or book) set in the future, typically in a world of advanced or menacing technology."

Vinto-Futuristic -> "A stylistic setting based off of what we believed the near future would look like from the perspective of the 1990s and early 2000s."

Think of settings as seen in The Matrix, Half-Life, Metal Gear Solid 4, STALKER, and AKIRA as examples of what a Vinto-Futuristic setting would look like. Space exploration, the military-industrial complex, globe-spanning terrorist organizations, economic upheaval, and an increasingly digitized and sensationalized world are all core themes of a Vinto-Futuristic setting.

• "What does the technology of N.E.O. look like?"

For most of the world's average people, the technology of the world is reminiscent of that found in our own during the Early Information Age: Cell phones, computers, Personal Digital Assistants (Remember when these were a thing?), early unmanned drones, genetically modified crops, laser surgery, and the like are all features of the technological capacity. Of course, given the more science-fiction induced advancements of Langium in the world of N.E.O., power and energy is far ahead of our own world even now. Langium-based engines and turbines output levels of energy at greater efficiency than we have even now, roughly equatable to low-temperature nuclear fusion. Bio-engineering and biotechnology are also quite advanced, featuring genetic modification as one might see in 90s B-Movies.

• "What is Langium?"

The world is filled with a resource called Langium, which through what's known as the, "Langley-Milentroff Process", produces amounts of stable energy similar to plasma gasification, yet with energy output similar to the theoretical capacity of nuclear fission. In 1961, the world was shocked by a series of alien visitations which confirmed that what they knew about Langium's capabilities was just the tip of the iceberg for what it could possibly do. Langium can - under the right circumstances and with the correct catalysts - completely reverse or break the laws of physics as we understand them, but it seems that the chemical compounds by which this may occur are both not native to the planet and are seemingly beyond the current ability to reproduce artificially.

This, of course, means that humanity must leave its cradle if it is to unlock the true mysteries of Langium...and, perhaps, find Things Man Was Not Meant To Know.

• Are there aliens currently on Earth?

No. The Visitation of 1961 was just that; A visit. In the 60s, there weren't really a thing as security cameras on the scale we know of today, and eyewitness accounts tended to not be of much help. This had led to a huge resurgence in urban legends about why extraterrestrials came to Earth and introduced NLC's, but as of right now, everything is pure speculation. Humanity has yet to have direct contact with whoever came to Earth in 1961, but if one thing is certain, it's that they possess knowledge far surpassing our own.

• What about mutants? Can wildlife be affected by NLC emissions? And people?

Certain NLC's, byproducts, and emissions are reported to have mutagenic properties, though it is currently known that animals are more likely to undergo mutation if their DNA is more closely related to humans. Almost all primates, cows, cats, pigs, and mice are the most commonly reported animals to undergo NLC-induced mutation, though reports of other animals undergoing mutation have been recorded.

Likewise, the current understanding of the mutagenic properties of NLCs on humans is poorly-understood. Some NLC's are known to have medical properties, acting in a fashion similar to a rapidly-induced anabolic steroid with much less harsh side effects. There have been numerous attempts to use NLC products in order to modify human gene sequences, but due to the nebulous nature of NLC's, much of the bioengineering potential of NLC's remain purely theoretical.

The exact nature of NLC-induced mutation is incredibly multi-fold. Neurobiologists often note extreme changes in the frontal lobe and cerebellum of mutated specimens, often radically changing their behavioral processing. In the case of mutants deriving from domesticated animals, the changes are more often than not substantial enough to require behavioral reteaching, as in many cases, the subject undergoes significant neurochemical changes which often induces a trance-like form of limited psychosis. In most animals, skilled trainers have learned that reverting these processes is certainly possible, but making a mutant back into a domestic animal requires a skillset and approach in a completely different field from what is typical for that mutant's regular animal classification.

Organization/Corporation Sheet

Name:
The name of the organization in question.

Headquarters:
Almost every organization has a headquarters located somewhere in the world. Where's this one located? It might also be worth mentioning if the current HQ is in a different location from the organization's country of origin.

Ownership:
Almost every organization operating on an international level answers to someone. For corporations, this means whether they're publicly or privately owned, operated, and/or traded.

---

History:
The full history of your nation isn't necessary; Most have been around in some form for hundreds - if not thousands - of years. To keep it simple, it's better to answer the following prompts:

• Pre-Visitation: What was the organization like just prior to the Visitation of 1961? Was it founded before or after the Visitation?
• The Visitation: When the Visitation occurred and the disasters of NLC's began to become widespread throughout the world, what repercussions did it have upon the organization?
• Recent History: How has the organization reacted to the aftereffects of the Visitation? Has it benefited from the chaos and upheaval, or has it hit an all-time low? Is it expanding, contracting, or about the same as it always has been?

Pressing Issues:
Every country has its issues, and yours is no exception. What does the country struggle with in the aftermath of the Visitation? Remember, the effects of the Visitation are incredibly long - some experts even go as far as to say "permanent". Does it struggle with arable, untainted farmland? Is its financial sector in ruins? Does corruption run rampant? Is crime out of control? Does the government owe crippling debt it can't hope to repay?

Budget:
For N.E.O., I want to try something different. Instead of using a standard segmentation of "economy", "military", and the like, instead you set and create an annual fiscal budget, split into several different spending categories.

• Wages & Maintenance: All expenditures for the day-to-day operation of the organization in question, whether that be maintenance, wages/salaries, inventory, or other similar deductions.
• Internal Investments: Spending for improving the company proper, typically involving department expansions, staff retraining, etc.
• External Investments: The expenditures for all non-research related investments which are not directly internal, including any real estate, subsidiaries, or development projects the organization might be involved in.
• Research & Development: All spending used on research projects.
• Liability Payments: Quarterly or annual payments towards all manner of liabilities, such as owed wages, shareholder returns, stocks or bonds, and other forms of accumulated debt.

Nation Sheet

Name:
List down the shorthand and official name of your country.

Flag:
Create your own flag or blatantly steal one from off the web someplace.

Government:
Your government's system and ideology which is currently in power.

Territory:
The territory under the control of this current government.

---

History:
The full history of your nation isn't necessary; Most have been around in some form for hundreds - if not thousands - of years. To keep it simple, it's better to answer the following prompts:

• Pre-Visitation: What was the country like just prior to the Visitation of 1961?
• The Visitation: When the Visitation occurred and the disasters of NLC's began to become widespread throughout the world, how did this affect the country? What happened to the people? To the government? The economy?
• Recent History: How has the country attempted to recover from the effects of the Visitation? Has it benefited from the chaos and upheaval, or has its prestige hit an all-time low? Are its people hopeful or dreadful of what the future has in store?

Pressing Issues:
Every country has its issues, and yours is no exception. What does the country struggle with in the aftermath of the Visitation? Remember, the effects of the Visitation are incredibly long - some experts even go as far as to say "permanent". Does it struggle with arable, untainted farmland? Is its financial sector in ruins? Does corruption run rampant? Is crime out of control? Does the government owe crippling debt it can't hope to repay?

Budget:
For N.E.O., I want to try something different. Instead of using a standard segmentation of "economy", "military", and the like, instead you set and create an annual fiscal budget, split into several different spending categories.

• Economic Subsidies: Any subsidies and expenditures for companies, corporations, industry, and business, whether they are publicly or privately owned.
• Social Welfare: The expenditures for worker pensions, unemployment, welfare, public healthcare, social security, and other government-run social programs.
• Research & Development: All spending used on research grants directly from the government.
• Transportation: Spending for transportation and infrastructure projects and upkeep, such as roads, highways, railways, and airstrips.
• Food & Agriculture: Budget allocated for agricultural relief and development. This also includes environmental cleanup efforts caused by NLC's, oil spills, and other natural disasters.
• Military & Defense: Funding for military equipment, personnel, and maintenance. More often than not, the Defense budget also affects space programs.
• Education: Expenditures for all public educational facilities, such as schools, universities, libraries, museums, and archives.
• Liquid Reserves: All liquid assets allocated towards reserves to pay off interest accumulated by debt.

You can make your own pie charts here.

---

Discord:

Link is here.

N.E.O. - A Vinto-Futuristic Nation RP (Inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Half-Life, and MGS4)

Map's finally done. Again, I can quickly make edits as need be.

N.E.O. - A Vinto-Futuristic Nation RP (Inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Half-Life, and MGS4)

Are nations like the U.S allowed?

@Dog

Yeah, someone already asked if they could play the USSR over Discord and I gave the go-ahead for it, so if you're interested, go right ahead.

N.E.O. - A Vinto-Futuristic Nation RP (Inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Half-Life, and MGS4)

Perfect. I look forward to it for some quality techno-thrillering. Speaking of, is there actually a cold war going on?

@Eldritch Puppy

I'll say there's a "soft" Cold War going on. The Cold War in our timeline was very stop-and-go, and had a lot of periods where tensions would get really high, followed by relaxing relations when there wasn't as much to be worried about. I'm going to go out and say that the RP would likely start in a very relaxed Cold War where relations are probably good enough with one another to allow both Warsaw Pact and NATO countries to at least travel/trade with one another (There were much bigger fish to fry in the years after The Visitation, so I imagine that the current global scenario is just leftover from that period), but depending on how things go, tensions could begin heating up once more.

N.E.O. - A Vinto-Futuristic Nation RP (Inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Half-Life, and MGS4)

Couldn't the land be owned separately from the business by an LLC? That way the land and the business going on on it are legally separated?

@Eldritch Puppy

I suppose it could, since companies IRL do make "shadow companies" that basically only exist for the purposes of getting tax breaks, so it's plausible that some random real estate company bought out the islands in question and just write it off. Though, doing this is suspect for the government to accuse you of inside trading/cartels, and if there's one thing that can take on a PMC, it's a lawsuit from the IRS.

TL;My Answers Are Too Long: Yes and RPing the potential consequences could be kinda cool too

N.E.O. - A Vinto-Futuristic Nation RP (Inspired by S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Half-Life, and MGS4)

@Dog Current WIP of the world map. Stuff is all due to change, of course, depending on how the lore works out. But as of right now i'm mostly basing it off of Cold War-era maps.