Yam I Am

Of Steel and Hope: An Academy-life

Less toy-like than a stereotypical Gundam, less real human faces than Transformers, less stilted and realistic than Battletech. I'm not going to be an exact stickler on the style.

Here's an album of some random mechs I have saved.

Most of the mechs are built on the corpses of alien mech invaders. Depending on the degree of how much of the original scavenged design they want to keep, it can range from human-military-industrial type designs to pretty freaky stuff.

@OwO

I drew some mechs for an old mecha RP I was in. If you want some drawn for this TP just HMU.

Of Steel and Hope: An Academy-life

Is she familiar with The Locked Tomb? Space lesbian fiction of the highest quality.

@Gisk

Fuck me, now there's a name I haven't heard in a hot minute...an old pal of mine actually recommended it to me during quarantine - specifically because of its pitch of being lesbian necromancers in space.

I have the PDF of it stashed somewhere on my computer. I'll have to dig it back up now...

Of Steel and Hope: An Academy-life

<Snipped quote by Yam I Am>

12? 15? Very fucked. The majority of cities have been reduced to piles of rubble. The ones that still stand are abandoned with structural overgrowth. The entire coastline was basically washed away. If you were unlucky enough to live near where a crystal fell, you were effectively turned into crater vapour.

Besides the immediate effect of dropping a bunch of heavy objects, there's also the anomalous weather. Black clouds of crystal dust that jam communications, hazes that block out the sun, things of that order.

Permanent settlement is pretty impossible in its current form. While the mech-aliens aren't plentiful or intelligent enough to be part of an ecosystem or form their own civilization, they tend to be pretty territorial. Any attempt at a large outpost would be stomped out pretty quickly. Basically, think about camping in the woods and a bear just struts along because it thinks you have honey.

In the more pleasant regions, there's still birds, insects, and other small fauna. Not enough time to evolve, but enough for some adaptations.

Basically, it's borked enough that it can't be resettled yet, but still has diversity. Jungles, forests, plains, city ruins, etc. It's not a massive molten slag heap.

@OwO

So basically, if I make a character from the Bible Belt, he won't notice any significant difference between his life in the pre- and the post-apocalypse. Nice. I think I got a solid idea now.

Of Steel and Hope: An Academy-life

It's ya neighbourhood goblin coming at you with a mecha RP. Inspirations are pretty on the sleeve for this one. Witch from Mercury (and Gundam in general), Evangelion, etc.

@OwO

Hey, my girlfriend loves space lesbians!

Though on a scale of 1-20, just how fucked is Earth supposed to be?

One Piece: The Sea Reaver Pirates Reborn

Think she's done.

Sophie Karasu

Name: Sophie Karasu
Epithet: Steel-Bubble/ 000
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Blood Type: F
Age: 16
Height: 5'0
Weight: 110Lbs
Role In Crew: Doctor
Arges: Swabbie
Bounty: 80,000,000 Berri
Dream: Get her revenge on the Navy, Acquire Saturnus, and rebuild the Kakusareta karasu no su society
Personality:
Generally Sophie is a bubbly young woman, who enjoys trying new things, and exploring. It's hard to get her down thanks to her natural optimism and natural ability to rationalize events so as not to take it personally, at least as well as any teenager can not take a problem personally.

At heart Sophie's a scientist and engineer. She loves learning almost as much as she likes creating, improving and perfecting. She has one hundred percent faith in the human ability to understand the world, to a point where her outlook is one of determinism. Which also leaves her very forgiving of human folly in the vast majority of situations.

That being said, the one group of people she will not forgive, and even seeks to destroy utterly is the world government with its navy. She understands they've done some good. She understands they're people working in a system and doing things with brains that have made decisions before the consciousness has even gotten the question. She doesn't care. She wants them turned to ash.

Biography:
Sophie wasn't born into Kakusareta karasu no su society, but made. Her birth was the result of years of genetic engineering. It was with her, the Karasu hoped to finally be able to not only locate the legendary weapon Saturnus, but bypass its guardian and turn it to the hidden village's will.

As was the original plan Sophie spent her earliest years in the village, learning little bits of information among science minded residents. Unlike the original plan, the village's leader, a man known by the 001, decided it wouldn't do to have their village's greatest hope for Saturnus to remain there, stagnating within their walls. So it was decided Sophie, along with a group of highly capable individuals would venture out in order for her to study abroad. Sophie's learning in the outside world came to a stop on when several members of her party became nervous, citing they had lost communication with the home base. So they sail for home.

The group had begun to lose home long before they reached their home, as even hundred of miles out, there was the undeniable towers of jet black smoke climbing from the island. Hope had been all but lost by the time they came on shore, and made their way towards the center of the island, where a false mountain stood, wheezing smoke like a dying giant, dying of lung cancer, but refusing to give up his cherished cigars.

Despite Sophie's best judgement of abandoning her home, the other members of the group decided press on for information, a decision most would not live to regret. As it would turn out, the invaders were none other than the world government's navy. Which were on their way out as Sophie's group headed inwards to learn more. The scuffle was short, and only Sophie was fast enough to flee further into the recesses of the base.

The marines shouted commands as they hurried after the young woman, a decision they would not live to regret. Despite the flames and smoke bellowing out of the building, the air inside wasn't toxic. The ventilation system was working well. The lights worked well too. Everything seemed to be working, so long as it wasn't on fire. Strange.

Stranger still was the large, man-shaped golem with one eye that stood towards the end one of the rooms Sophie rushed through. Arges was getting on in years, but it was still the most advanced defense the island had, and yet, it stood perfectly still, without so much as a scratch on it. The thing hadn't been in combat. It hadn't put up any fight. There was even layers of dust on it!

Sophie was a smart girl, it didn't take her long to work out that someone had removed the Driver Unit from Arges, and the whole island, her people, were killed because someone on the inside had set things up. Rage boiled inside her. She moved towards the giant, and with a few quick taps of her fingers, the machine opened up like a flower, and the young woman stepped inside.

Breathing hard, she waited for the marines to rush inside after her. When they did she screamed in furry. They screamed their commands, and then fear. It didn't take Arges much to make short work of the soldiers. Even their leader didn't take much effort.

After the battle, Sophie set to work, reinstalling creating a rudimentary driver unit for Arges, before making her way off the island, with her protector.

Without a home, and fully aware of the hunt for her, Sophie set out to Hachinosu, the pirate paradise, where she was quick to join up with the sea Reaver Pirates, assuming with their large size, she'd be able to blend in and stay safe for awhile.

Surviving the honorstar Garrison Raid Battle wasn't easy. It wasn't hard either. It came down to luck, really. Sophie, inside Arges, had found herself at the forefront of the surprise attack. The assault was so quick and brutal, she didn't have time to attack. One moment there was an explosion and the next thing she knew, she was falling into the sea, with the better part of the ship she was on close behind. By the time she hit the sea floor, there was no way to get around the massive remains that landed hard on top of her. By the time she was able to reach freedom from the debris, the battle was lost. There was nothing left to do to retreat, and regroup.
Combat Information

Combat Role: Corsair / Mecha pilot
Haki Prowess:
Observation Haki-S
Armament Haki-D
Conqueror's Haki-N/A
Physical Capabilities:
*Sophie's stronger than she looks, but not by much. She's strong enough to pick up pieces of equipment and tools withou "Much" help. Her biggest asset, outside of Arges, in combat is her speed, and dexterity. Though she's not much capable with doing fancy things like flips, or parkour.
*Arges on the other hand, is something of a physical powerhouse. Its strong enough to easily crush Wootz steel with one hand.
The Arges unit is exceptionally durable and can withstand high levels of heat, pressure and cutting/ blunt force trauma.
That being said, the unit's movement speed is lacking. Basically, it can keep up with a normal human.
Fighting Style:
Sophie(Outside Arges): fights with her gun Pinaka, firing the special bullets to either assist Arges, or make way for her to get inside the golem.
Arges(Without Sophie): While Sophie is not piloting Arges, the Driver unit is limited to purely strength based attacks, and is not able to use its onboard weapon. Also it's full strength is limited to 50% output. Though it is capable of implementing more complex maneuvers like brawling or leading an enemy's strikes towards a center point, these will only be attempted with direct commands from Sophie.
Equipment:
Pinaka

*Achlys Shot-Bullets that upon impact, explode and release a thick black gas, that burns eyes, nostrils and throat.
*Dionysus Shot-Black spheres which upon explosion release a slippery black fluid which is similar to oil.
*trishula Shot-Bullets with drills at the front. After firing the three will start to spin, and upon impact will burrow through whatever surface they made contact with.
*Vajra Shot-Bullets with dart ends that upon impact release pulse of electricity.

Arges
*Mercury Cannon-Arges' left palm has a hole which fires standard bullets at speeds similar to a Gatling gun.
*Oceanus (Left) Cannon-A cannon located on Arges' "belt". Its capable of firing fluids, or fluid like substances, at high pressure. There's a tank that can contain a limited supply of liquid, and more fluid can be fed by suction devices located on the bottom, and sides of Arges Feet.
*Theia-Arges right fist is plated with Sea Stones. This fist is also capable of being fired out, attached by a thick black cable, and rapidly reeled back.
*Typhon (Right)Cannon-A cannon located on Arges "belt" which is capable of blasting superheated white plasma.

Special Techniques:
Apollyon Mode-Arges energy production is pushed to the max, increasing its strength output by 250%. This creates a lot of heat and light. Which in turn makes it hard to look at Arges while in this mode, and even harder to touch as it's scalding hot.
Even inside, the temperatures are sweltering. Without the use of Armament haki for protection, Sophie would quickly find herself suffering 3rd degree burns. Even with haki, she still gets burned, but not blister.
At the most, the unite can stay in Apollyon for one minute. After that, there's structural issues and Arges will deuterating from the strain.

Miscellaneous Information
The Arges drive intelligence is on level of a four year.

@malmshodes

I'd like to vouch for the homie bc the PoW gang shitposted in their interest check like a year ago and they were a great sport about it

My Emperor, The Galaxy Is Yours For The Taking (Space Opera NRP)

I wonder if the GM ever grew out of his edgy phase and ever looks back on his old RPs and cringes.

What Are You Listening To?

The Ghosts of Napoleon

St. Petersburg

Late August, 1836

---

Saint Petersburg stood as the Pearl of the Baltic, doubly as the Tsar's most important city. She was a hub of commerce since the days of Varangians and Teutons, Swedes and Urgians, and for a city so busting in life and love did she harbor their tales amiably. Like cities so antique as her, she had held many names and had many betrothed unto her, for her divorce from her hands unto yet another happened such many times. And that's exactly what made it so nerve-wracking to be a Petersburger in days such as these.

Gospodin Jura Pasternak was a reasonably successful businessman hailing from a small town in the Volynian Governate. He spent most of his life studying in Warsaw, learning the family trade from his forefathers before him, under the auspices of many of his glaring contemporaries. His lineage had descended years before unto the history of the Old Commonwealth, where his father had run the small town banks with many his friends and all until their identities long eclipsed them as the years went on - his mother was Jewish, proud and headstrong, fierce of temperament and hailing from Vilna. His travels brought him to the Capital with great frequency, connecting the accounts from across the Baltics and throughout the western reaches of the Empire.

"Gospodin!" A quaint, familiar voice called out from a muffling crowd. A middle-aged woman, brown of hair and demure of stature, rushed up to him. Jura Pasternak recognized her; Mrs. Emma Konstantinova Gagarin. Widowed.

Pasternak had presided in Saint Petersburg for about five years now, and had only made Mrs. Gagarin acquaintance from her late husband and his departed friend. He was shot after the war riots in 1834.

"Oh! Mrs. Gagarin!" He greeted, removing his hat for his introduction. Her face seemed rushed, flushed and red from a lack of air. Jura tilted his face, offering up a comforting smile.

"How are the state of things?"

"Things?" Emma Gagarin responded, aghast as she barely caught her breath just with the one-word response alone. "'Things', good gospodin?"

Mr. Pasternak was taken aback by her sudden display. His feet shuffled about, finding their way even through the awfully crowded street behind them while people buzzed and bemused their ways about their day.

"Yes, madame - how are you? I mean, madame: What are these things that cause you such flight?"

"Oh, great and terrible things, Gospodin," the woman exclaimed, "The Revolutionaries are coming. Mister Voroshilov tells me he even saw the Jacobins organize in broad daylight."

"Vtorak is being held for trial." She panted. A worried pause followed, looking her companion dead in the eye, "And the Tsar will kill him."

His brow cracked in amazement at her news. Jura was perplexed - deadly so, the gravity pulling along his weary face until his cheeks drooped to the cobblestone street.

"Vtorak?" he pushed an intrigued look upon his face. He seemed familiar, the name calling him like a mother to her child. She looked back at him, dumbfounded and irate.

"Yes, Gospodin: Alexei!"

His eyes shot back up at the repetition.

"Alexei Vtorak? He was hanged last week - was he not?" His words were exclaimed and rushed, like the blinding sunlight as one opened the door too quickly. Mrs. Gagarin hurriedly nodded.

"And he is...being hung again?"

"No: The Tsar has ordered him to be shot by six men in the Square of Fotanka."

"Oh...i'm so sorry, Gospodina." he offered, "...if it is any consolation - and it may be crude to say madame - but with that shall his suffering be slight-"

"No! It cannot!" Her words were frantic, hurried and stern like a bull too young to kill, and too quick to stop, "Vtorak has had his trial; He was hung before the mass! And he yet lived!"

It all flashed back to Mr. Pasternak, now: The soon-to-be late Alexei Vtorak was once a well-respected author of local report, a frequent patron of the Griboedov Bank, he recalled. The tsar's men had found him guilty of insurrectionist activity and ordered him to be hung with the rest of the Decembrists.

Vtorak was strung up tightly on that fated day - the 31st of July - neatly in tow with his brothers in coffins, and when he was dropped to the ground, his rope came neatly down with him. Alexei had hit the ground, much worse for wear, and neatly laying beside him was the snapped noose before him, and the screaming of five bewildered executioners.

"Gospodin -" Emma's words were stern, serious, cracking and on the verge of tears almost religious in its experience, "The Tsar has dolled his punishment unto Vtorak, and he has lived. God himself has ordained this man to stay on Earth - can you not see?!"

And in everything went unsaid, she spoke in a soft tone, hushed beneath the busy pattering of feet around her:

"And what shall it say in these days should the Tsar go against the will of God...?"

Jura couldn't hear her speak - and he heard her words move across her lips as she spoke through that congested Saint Petersburg avenue.

He could not - or, perhaps always felt more clearly, would not - do anything to Vtorak once. But perhaps, now, now there was still the chance for justice to be had.

But for the grace of God.

The Ghosts of Napoleon

Question: Is it acceptable to ask for a preset relationship in this OOC Channel? I might decide to play Egypt after all, but I need one or two European patrons who are willing to tolerate Muhammad Ali's Egyptian Nationalism in exchange for relatively cheap Cotton and other goods...

Made a minor edit.

@Letter Bee

The Decembrist Government would have a keen interest in what Egypt would be up to since it adds a new dimension to Russia's southern borders. The Ottomans had been their historical rival in the region against places like the Crimean Khanate and Circassia and the two fought a whole lot of wars over the region. With Ottoman control over the Black Sea via the Bosporus, any geopoliticking in the region would be of heavy interest - in simple terms, a weaker Ottoman state is basically always a good thing to the Russians.

Persia would likewise be rising to prominence in the Middle East as a regional power but itself would be beset by the fact that it is surrounded on near all sides by 3 suspicious-to-outwardly-hostile Great Powers (i.e. Ottomans, Russia, and Great Britain). Anything that might draw intrigue away from them might be viewed more as a more positive development and if Egypt is in a position to nudge their way into Persian influence, all the better.

The Caucasian region at this time wasn't really in any centralized power and was often delegated to regional Khanates or kingdoms, and it wouldn't be until the 1860s OTL that the region would be incorporated firmly into Russia proper though establishment of governance channels (and whenever that failed, copious amounts of shooting people that definitely didn't build long-lasting blood feuds that go on even to this very day). So anything that might draw attention of dudes like Persia or the Ottomans elsewhere while the new government decides just what to do with these places would be very welcome.

So overall, the Decembrists and the Tsardom alike (insofar that his opinion matters for much longer) would have serious strategic interests in propping up Egypt as a potential power in the region to act as a check against both long-standing rivals (Ottomans & The UK) and rising powers (Persia) - how much help they can realistically provide is just sort of up in the air by this point.

The Ghosts of Napoleon

Union Society of Decembrists

Russia in Europe

---

Decembrist Movement of Russia

Name: Union Society of Decembrists

The Union Society is a merger of many liberal and republican movements throughout the Empire, including the Northern and Southern Societies of Decembrists, The Society of United Slavs, and the Little Russian Secret Society. While the Northern Decembrist Society enjoys the overt support of the majority of the disgruntled Russian aristocracy, the radicalism of the Southern Society pushes forth and possesses some of the momement's most influential thinkers and spokesmen, and enjoys widespread support throughout the broader population.

Leader: Directory of the Union Society of Decembrists

History:

Having lead Russia against several disastrous wars across the early 19th century, Tsar Alexander I has far from earned himself a gracious reputation throughout broader Russian society. Against Ottoman, Persian, French, and British armies the Russian state limped across, broken again and again in the backdrop of severe hardship. Alexander I was quickly proving in light of his flippant behavior and his Topsy-turvy politicking, of which he was infamous for constantly changing his mind.

After the end of the Napoleonic Wars the Russian economy, ravaged by the Continental System and Napoleon's invasion, slid into a continuous economic crisis. Towards the final days of the war, the recovery of Western Europe had tanked Russian agricultural exports. Landed gentry tried to restore lost income through enclosures and driving away redundant serf peasants, but Alexander had previously outlawed the "emancipation" of serfs without land. Economic downfall fueled radical opposition inside Russian nobility and the peasantry alike.

The imperial treasury was bankrupted by rising state debt and falling revenues. Alexander was aware of the crisis but never tackled its root cause, the oversized peacetime army of 800,000 men. The Tsar expected future wars in Southern Europe and the Middle East, and feared that mass dismissal of veteran soldiers would cause insurrection. He could not let them go: they were not needed in their native villages, and there were no jobs in the cities. Instead of reducing the army to an affordable peacetime size, Alexander I tried to cut spending through the establishment of self-sustaining military settlements, which failed from start to finish. He replaced expensive field maneuvers with drill exercise and parades, alienating experienced commanders and contributing to dissatisfaction of the nobility.

The first secret organization aspiring to change the system was formed by the veterans of Napoleonic Wars in February 1816. Their aims varied from establishing a constitutional monarchy to "getting rid of foreigners and alien influence". Some even considered murdering Alexander I after Sergey Trubetskoy reported a rumour that Alexander was planning to incorporate western provinces into Congress Poland. In 1818 the organization was reformed into the Union of Prosperity. In the same year Pavel Pestel, the most radical conspirator, relocated to Ukraine and began actively recruiting Army officers, which would become the core of the future Southern Society of Decembrists.

In January 1821, internal conflicts between the radical South and the aristocratic North Societies led to the dissolution of the earlier Union of Prosperity. Members of the Northern Society indulged in writing elaborate aristocratic constitutions while Pestel and his ring settled on changing the regime by military force. Pestel's own political program, influenced by Antoine Destutt de Tracy, Adam Smith, Baron d'Holbach and Jeremy Bentham envisioned "one nation, one government, one language" for the whole country, a uniform Russian-speaking entity with no concessions to ethnic or religious minorities, even the Finns or the Mongols. Contrary to the initial aspirations of the Northern Society, Pestel planned to reduce the influence of landed and financial aristocracy, which drove a stake in the credence of his leadership roles until his eventual replacement by Alexei Yushnevsky in late 1822.

Tsar Alexander would find himself assassinated by a Southern Society republican months after the historic London Congress of 1822, leaving the future of the Russian throne uncertain amidst a backdrop of social and political upheaval. As there was no immediate successor apparent to the Russian throne, governance was promptly split between powers regarding its inheritance: One based from the Warsaw governate and the other from the de jure capital in St. Petersburg. Though initially divided, Mikhail Miloradovich, governor of Warsaw, would greatly encourage Nicolas I to assume the throne, and had traveled to St. Petersburg to press his convictions further.

Twice, in 1823 and 1824, the North and the South planned joint strikes against the Tsarist government: Believing their initiative to be lost forever should they not strike while the iron is hot, the two carried out attacks upon the tsarist government in Kiev and St. Petersburg. Both attempts resulted in bloody battles pitched against the tsarist government - and there in the 1823 attempt Miloradovich would find himself caught in the crossfire of its most gruesome battle, where he was shot and later died of internal bleeding later that evening. This action would de jure remain Poland under Imperial Russian rule, but de facto the Polish state would never be subject to Russia since.

The heavy-handed responses drove the people further towards the Decembrist cause. The attacks failed due to their spontaneity and overall lack of effectual planning and coordination. Objectives of the attacks varied greatly and had little cohesion Although it would appear that the Decembrist movement was initially suppressed, the chaotic results of each individual strike as well as the deteriorating condition of the land drove the peasantry, army, and aristocracy alike further together.

In the aftermath of their strikes, the Northern and Southern Society would merge into the the Union Society in late 1824 following the incarceration or exile of some of its most key leadership. Members would often regroup and rejoin over time, and eventually the Russian Empire would be disputed in a constant state of unrest. The overall beliefs of the Union Society would be further influenced by two figures - A poet and Captain of Artillery, Gregoriy Matskevich, hailing from Minsk, and an unassuming Don Cossack cavalry sergeant, Ignaty Yevtushenko of the Little Russian Secret Society - whom both pushed for the implementation of the federalist model throughout Russia. This series of low-intensity warfare gradually intensified from 1832 onward, which would see the state army heavily distracted by the Persian invasion of the Caucasus and drive deserters and dissenters into the ranks of the Decembrist armies entirely. By the invasion's end in 1834, most of Russia was fully up in arms and engulfed in civil war.

Advancing to Tula by the summer of 1835, the Decembrists captured Moscow, whereupon the Union Society would proclaim a new government. After painstaking effort and endless debates, the demands agreed upon by the Union Society for a new Russian constitution were laid out in Moscow of 1835 as followed:

State Structure:

- A trial would be held regarding the legal status of the monarchy. Whether Russia was to become a republic or a constitutional monarchy was up to the results.
- Formation of a federation of several states based on national and economic characteristics of the regions.
- Separation of powers into legislative, executive and judicial branches of governance.
- The creation of a bicameral People's Council, consisting of the Verkhovna Duma (upper house) and the House of People's Representatives (lower house). The deputies to both chambers were to be elected for 6 years, and every two years a third of the deputies were re-elected. The upper house was elected by 3 deputies from each constituent state. In the lower one - one deputy for every 50,000 residents.
- The "states" elected Sovereign veche, whose deputies were elected for 4 years and a quarter of them were re-elected annually.
- Executive power would belong to either the President or to the Russian Emperor, depending on trial outcome, who was also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. With the consent of the Supreme Duma, they also would appoint ambassadors, consuls, judges of the supreme court chambers and ministers.

Serfdom & Civil Rights:

- Serfdom was abolished, but the possessions of the landowners remained with the old owners.
- The liberated peasants received up to 2 acres of arable land per yard.
- Equality of all citizens before the law.
- Freedom of speech, press, and religion.
- Universal suffrage for all males over the age of 25.

By 1836, Matskevich finds himself as the premier figure of the Union Society and acts as the effective face of the Directorate Council of the Union Society. The rest of the Russian Tsarist government remains staunch in defiance in Saint Petersburg. While the Decembrists have the upper hand, the future remains murky. How such a disparaged group of interests, backgrounds, and beliefs will pan out under the future government is unclear, and as republicanism dawns on one of Europe's great powers, the continent looks onto the Third Rome with interest and unease.

Characters

Decembrists

Gregoriy Matskevich - One of the most prominent military leaders of the Union Society. Artillery Captain and hobbyist poet. He isn't fond of playing the role of "peacekeeper", but the position has fallen into his lap as he has to keep the Union Society together through its competing factions.

Ignaty Yevtushenko - Ukrainian Cossack and thinker. Pushes for the advancement of Federalism in the new Russian state. One of the main contributors to the Moscow Constitution of 1835.

Pavel Pestel - Russian military leader and one of the oldest members of the Union Society. Argues for Centralism over Federalism. Has a lot of support from Russian Aristocracy. Often butts heads with figures such as Yevtushenko.

Alexei Yushnevsky - Close confidant of Pestel and one of the founding members of the Northern Society of Decembrists.

Alexei Vtorak - Poet and Jacobin agitator from Saint Petersburg. Was tried and found guilty by the Tsar's authority for inciting insurrection, but during his hanging, the rope had been improperly secured, leaving many to believe that it was the will of God that had saved his life.

Tsarists

Nicolas I - Current Tsar of Russia, fighting a bitter civil war between the Decembrists and his loyalists. Stanchly reactionary. In his public persona, described by his court, "Nicholas I came to represent autocracy personified: infinitely majestic, determined and powerful, hard as stone, and relentless as fate."

Fyodor Klementyevich Geismar - Commander of the Russian Imperial Army and Nicolas I's closest confidant. Of Prussian origins. Served with distinction against the Ottomans and Persians.

Civilians/Neutral

Jura Pasternak - Banker from Volynia, near the Russo-Polish Border (today in West Ukraine). Is an acquaintance and sympathizer with many Decemberists, but does not actively affiliate with the movement.

Emma Konstantinova Gagarin - Widow of the late Kiril Gagarin - a Northern Society affiliate.