In a land of thunderous cannon fire and pounding hooves, where the nobles sip tea dressed with cubes of sugar and the peasantry plot around moving print, where military uniform rivals parade dress, and the sword is not met without a pistol, the sky opened up. A beam of light so bright, that it blinded all onlookers shot unto the ground, and following its strike was a molten ball of rock and flame. The ball collided with the ground and the light fractured in a blast of color indescribable, so much so that it drove all onlookers insane.
The crash dissolved the mighty nation that sat in the middle of our glorious continent of powder and posh, and left a barren wasteland in its wake. What had survived the collision was soon turned to dust. Water spoiled, animals starved, plants crumbled at the touch, even milking cows gave only sludge, and dogs and human alike were driven to madness. Slowly this color ate the land, turning it rotten, and slowly spreading outwards from the epicenter. Now as the plague of the stars threatens to spread past the borders of the destroyed nation, you are all that stands in its way of your own home. A single rider escaped the destruction of the center nation, will you heed her warning?
“Color so deadly, it was never made into crayons.” - Aristo
You will be playing as a single nation on the Continent of Dysium. Having not yet felt the chaos of the encroaching color, you may choose to be ignorant, but news of the meteor striking Gattania at the center of the continent, as well as the subsequent disasters (including the drought, disintegration of land, spoiling of husbandry, raving insanity, and the death of millions) is common knowledge. There has been ample time for the news to spread to the four corners of Dysium (about half a year). You may notice some of your civilians going stark raving mad or sinisterly insane, if you are close enough to the epicentre. Agriculture may even be starting to fail as signs of the color trickle past your borders. Hordes of maddened victims shambling from the epicentre may also be troubling your fringes; they cannot be reasoned with. The Colour out of Space is coming.
1) You will respect thy neighbor. Be cool to everyone and settle disputes civilly, or call serious cases to @Goldeagle1221 or @Aristo’s attention. Treat everybody with the same respect due yourself (unless you’re a scumbag, then you’d better try extra hard).
2) Where high turnover rates and abandoned NRPs are commonplace, we aim to welcome players who are invested in a long-term narrative and who have the drive to see it through. If you will be away for a time, please let us know so we can plan accordingly. Do not join if you know for a fact you’re unable to make this commitment.
3)The ideal activity rate is one post every _ days. Any more and you are liable to burn yourself, and others, out and any less and the RP will move along too slowly. Players who disappear for a significant span of time without prior warning will be subject to removal.
4) In regards to magic, there will be none. However! Considering the supernatural plot of this roleplay, there will be supernatural and almost, if not, magical ways of dealing with the color as the plot progresses, but as of right now, magic and superstition is held in similar degrees as in our world, with no real founding or basis of truth.
5) Discord: Click here for chat! (We are having issues with the chat, PM for link)
The grey marks area affected by the supernatural color post-impact.
[hider=Nation Sheet]
Nation Name
[a coat of arms, flag or emblem of your country can be added here]
Nation Overview & Government
Give us a concise summary of your nation: what is is known for? What is it all about? This should set the tone for other sections and how others will perceive your state. Also, include your form of government and its structure. Most will be kingdoms, but duchies, principalities, even small republics are fair game. Also name important characters and the current head of state.
Ethnicity
What are the inhabitants of your country like? What do they call themselves? What kind of language do they speak? Is your nation homogenous, or made up of many different ethnic groups? Humans will be the only playable race, but we’re a diverse species.
Geography
Picture of claim goes here
Choose a color and draw your borders on the map. You are also at liberty to describe the geography, weather, flora and fauna of your nation here. Try to pick a climate that makes sense, given your proximity on the map, and to other players. Also to be mentioned are important cities or locations within your nation.
Culture/Society
[/b]What are your people like? What is notable about their culture and how they do things? History may play a large role in this section, and vice-versa. Include a religion here if you want! There is no official dogma, so have fun.
Economy/Industry
What resources do you import and export? Is your strength in industry or agriculture? Do you produce anything especially coveted or unique? Geography will play a role here. No state is wholly self-sufficient.
Military
We aren’t looking for numbers or pinpoint-accurate troop demographics; please do not include them. Give us an overview of your military: What does your fighting force do well? What kind of equipment do you use? How is your army organized? Do you have a color scheme? You are free to embellish this section with famous regiments, battles and historical commanders. Have fun, but be sensible. Technology should reflect the early Napoleonic era or the later 18th century (Keeping it simple, just don’t go beyond 1815) and portray the norm, not the exception.
History
Self-explanatory. This doesn't need to be long; just informative. We encourage players to collaborate and create shared history, in fact, it is almost necessary. No nation exists in a vacuum.
Relations
As above. Collaborate with other players.
Characters
Optional section. Put any info about any special characters here: kings or queens, military leaders, and hero “badasses”. [/hider]
We had a little mishap with the code; we'll fix it soon. In the meantime, here's the map: The grey marks area affected by the supernatural color post-impact.
Will get pretty borders up later, just wanted to stake a claim before someone steals the hot, partially devoured swamplands from me.
SAVED! Although disclaimer, the dark area was Gattania before the destruction, so claiming it would have to have been a recent endevour following it's demise. If you are worried about missing out on the action don't worry, I can speed up the color in your direction
Here is what i would take as my personal Clay! The part of the dark area that used to belong to Gattania was quickly annexed in an (horribly) failed attempt to contain the spread of the colors! Will make the borders more neat later on!
Here is what i would take as my personal Clay! The part of the dark area that used to belong to Gattania was quickly annexed in an (horribly) failed attempt to contain the spread of the colors! Will make the borders more neat later on!
The Rotturan flag is a combination of red and blue, the colors associated with Rotturans & Rotteros/Wetlanders, as well as the country's famous sunsets.
Nation Overview & Government
The Rottura Wetlands are home to some of Dysium's finest fruits, spices, jewelery, and performance, while housing some of the continent's foulest slums, brothels, and drug dens. Because of this, there is a deep-seated caste system and power dynamic in the country, which has created two cultures -- The artistic, cultured landowning merchant-lords, ruling houses, and their vassals, known as Rotturans, and the impoverished sailors, criminals, and itinerant workers who are called Wetlanders. Due to the country's lack of available work and high population, many Wetlanders travel around Dysium by way of boat, camping on riverbanks and under bridges which has given them the popular monicker "Muddies". Because many are willing to work for low wages, which are sent back and worth more in their native country, Wetlanders make up a large amount of the continent's fishermen, maids, farmhands, cooks, and laborers, while making up an even larger amount of the continent's pirates and smugglers.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity, and the percentages that create different ethnicities is a closely examined feature in the culture of the Rottura Wetlands. Those that identify as Rotturan -- or at least, the wealthy landowners who are Rotturan -- are descended from early Gattanian settlers, and have light skin, hair ranging from golden to dark brown, and are typically blue or brown-eyed. Their features are round and soft, to the extent that a common descriptor for a round jaw throughout Dysium is a "Rotturan Chin". Almost all are tall and full-bodied.
Wetlanders, on the other hand, have a large range of skin tones and features but have universally black, curly hair and dark brown eyes. They are commonly short and wiry as a result of malnutrition, though the well-fed pirates and thieves grow to be tall, fat, muscular, or any combination thereof. Because a large number of them can trace their ancestors to inbred Ranuun slaves, many generally have pointed features, thin lips, and hypodontia, a genetic condition causing them to naturally be missing teeth. As a result, many Wetlanders wear orthodontic cosmetics, such as golden tooth-caps, metal grills, and false teeth. Many Wetlander pirates and mercenaries sharpen their front teeth.
There is a caste system in place in the Rotturan Wetlands, which restricts purchases that may be made -- Rotturans, for instance, may inherit or buy property, farmland, and indentured servants, whereas a Strotero may only inherit farmland worked by regularly paid peasantry. This caste system is borrowed from their earliest Ranuun and Gattanian ancestors, which has allowed the Rotturans to remain comfortably in power since the country's inception.
• Rotturan • Stromatero (Half Rotturan and Half "Foreign") • Strogaturan (Rotturan descended from Non-Rotturan foreigners) • Strotero (Half Rottero and Half "Foreign) • Rottero (Rotturan of mixed/ambiguous ancestry, considered a catch-all term for Wetlanders by Rotturans) • Gartero (Half Rotturan and Half Rottero, considered untouchable by Rotturans)
Geography
Capital City Rotturan City Wetlander City
The Rottura Wetlands are the most tropical of Dysium's regions, and is the continent's sole producer of tobacco, sugar, and many types of fruit and spice. Closer inland, the landscape is hot and humid, with thickets of rainforest filling the space between the country's innumerable swamps, marshes, and bogs. Where there is arable land, there are swathes of tilled fields growing tobacco, cotton, or various spices, whereas farms closer to the country's many bogs grow sugarcane, rice, and water chestnuts.
The Rottura Wetlands are also known for their wildlife, which ranges from the everyday foxes and hares found in all of Dysium to tropical birds, venomous insects, and exotic, colorful fish. In particular, the most noteworthy of the animals in the Rottura Wetlands is the mosquito, a feared harbinger of disease. The "Mosquito Basket" is a creation which has become a common sight on the Rotturan countryside -- long nets attached to hoops on tall poles, meant to catch and trap the pests as they fly. Abandoned mosquito baskets fill with thousands of mosquito carcasses and frequently attract bats, the second most common pest of the Rottura Wetlands.
Further away from the rice paddies and tobacco fields of the Rottura Wetlands are its cities, which are as stark a contrast as the rest of the country -- Rottura cities are known for their remarkable design, featuring elaborate aqueducts, hanging garden-style citadels, and tremendous theaters, concert halls, and coliseums. Rotturan cities are patrolled by city guards and kept well lit by crown-paid lamplighters, with architectural design emphasizing open space and symmetrical design. Wetlander cities, however, are known for their cramped shanty-town conditions and use of improvised construction materials, such as debris of wrecked ships, driftwood, and hand-crafted mud bricks. Many are built on ports to aid in smuggling, jutting hundreds of feet outwards onto ever-extending docks and harbors. Floating gardens are popular methods of farming, though aside from fishing, virtually all business done in Wetlander cities is illicit.
Culture/Society
To most outsiders, the Rottura Wetlands house a single, homogeneous culture; They are a limp-wristed, oily-haired folk who spend their days eating mangoes, lounging in the sun, smoking exotic drugs, and buggering men. Most from the Rottura isles found elsewhere are Wetlanders, which has made the popular view of the Rotturan that of a swarthy, hot-blooded lout. At the same time, their reputation is affected by those who have visited the Rotturan cities, adding "musical", "liberal", and "effete" to their long list of stereotypes. They are largely seen as godless criminals by more pious countries due to the Rotturan crown's lax stances on prostitution, homosexuality, and religious freedom, which has incited many to blame them for the arrival of the color.
Those more versed in the culture and history of the Rottura Wetlands can make a slightly more accurate, if biased summation of the two groups; The Rotturans are wealthy enough that their culture centers around high art and philosophy, while the Wetlanders live in such poverty that their culture is one that focuses on drugs, violence, and crime. The two groups just so happen to live in the same mosquito-laden orchard of a country.
A few hundred years ago, the nuances of Rotturan culture had a far more basic explanation -- The Rotturans were masters, the Rottero were their slaves, and that was that. Rotturans, who were freed from labor by virtue of their use of slavery, were free to pursue higher intellect, a facet that is ingrained in their culture, even now that the freed grandsons of their slaves call themselves "Wetlanders" and live in squalor and debauchery. The Rotturans however, for all the buggery, hallucinogens, and binge-drinking the rest of Dysium use in their japes, were among the earliest intellects. The early Rotturans were the first to build sundials and chart the stars, the first to study human anatomy, and if a Rotturan was asked on the subject, likely the first of Dysium's spear-throwing tribesmen to hit two rocks together and make fire.
The Rotturans are a very musical people, who favor the concertina and accordion, as well as common stringed instruments such as the guitar. In addition to music, they are known for their penchant for theater, opera, and a type of political satire theater native to the country called "Statodroma", which has been historically used to mock unpopular low lords, clergymen, supporters of race-mixing, leaders of foreign countries, and the gentry of the Rotturan Wetlands. Because Statodroma is only performed in the country's native language, Rotturan, it is considerably less popular overseas.
Typical Rotturan dress is one meant to announce the wearer's wealth without becoming gaudy or tasteless -- Long, white robes and colored belts or sashes are popular as a demonstration of the wearer's cleanliness, while retaining modesty in the country's hot, humid weather. From their first "flowering" until their marriage, women traditionally cover their hair with a red scarf to denote their availability, whereas men are expected to shave their facial hair until they have fathered an heir, at which point they may grow beards or mustaches.
Rotturan food uses a number of ingredients considered exotic delicacies despite their local abundance, making the cuisine a highlight of the country. Rice, flatbread, and pastas are more popular than bread, while most meat used is goat or poultry. Olive oil, mangoes, peppers, and goat cheese are all considered stereotypical Rotturan ingredients. In addition to their sought-after delicacies, there are many items on a typical Rotturan plate most denizens of Dysium would stray far from -- Roasted insects, raw fish, and snake meat are all fairly commonplace in the country's kitchens.
Though "Wetlander" seemingly applies to one group of people -- the peasants and laborers of the Rotturan Wetlands -- it is a culture with two distinct splits; The Wetlanders who remain in the Wetlands, and the Wetlanders in the rest of Dysium, which are more than double the number of natives. This is due to the high number of Wetlanders, who are typically the impoverished descendants of slaves, and the low amount of legal work there is to be done in their home country. Because Wetlanders are a very nautical culture, they travel the coasts and rivers of Dysium where there is work to be found, giving them the derogatory term "Muddies" due to their common practice of running their small boats aground in shallow banks in order to camp freely amongst themselves rather than for a fee at a dock or inn.
Native Wetlanders live in coastal shantytowns of their own design and rule, too far and too unlawful to successfully be governed any further than their infrequent tax contributions and meager support in wartime. Those who own boats frequently live in them, while the rest live in tightly-packed hamlets by the shore. Because of their distance from the crown, Wetlanders have even greater numbers of brothels and drug-houses than the refined variants found in Rotturan cities, though the Wetlanders can undeniably say theirs are the cheaper options. Wetlanders also have a very "loud" manner of dressing, preferring frilled collars, vests, and ornate copper jewelry and piercings to the more modest dress in the rest of the world. Wetlander barmaids and singers are frequently bare-breasted, whereas many Wetlander males wear little else than pants. Dye, beads, and braids are all commonplace in the hair of both sexes, as well as piercings and coal-based eyeshadow. Many Wetlander pirates have tattoos, filed teeth, and other forms of body modification, one of the most popular of which being the removal of the front teeth which had once a mark of slavery.
Wetlanders speak Common and Rotturan, as well as a pidgin dialect known as "Low Rotturan" used to communicate amongst themselves. Low Rotturan employs a mix of Common and Rotturan words, as well as complex slang and words used in Old Gattania, Ranuun, and Middenland. It is illegal to speak Low Rotturan in front of Rotturan nobility, as it is essentially a criminal's language and considered probable cause for dissent.
Wetlander food is similar to Rotturan food, with an emphasis on shelf stability moreso than flavor. Fried fish is a staple of their diets, as well as porridge and pickled vegetables, fruits, eggs, or meats. Drinking, smoking, and all forms of drug use are commonplace, which frequently aid in the enjoyment of their cuisine, which foreigners usually describe as "sour". Because of the commonplace use of seawater as an element of stewing, Wetlander food can cause an outsider to vomit, even if it is cooked properly.
Economy/Industry
The Rottura Wetlands are the continent's source of luxurious goods -- Namely several types of fruit, wine, sea salt, spices, incense, tobacco, sugar, and mind-altering drugs. In addition, the two cultures both seem to export two very different types of itinerant labor; Rotturans give the world travelling bards who sing in the courts of kings and concert halls, Wetlanders give the world cheap labor for construction, cooking, and cleaning. Many travelling Wetlanders are also used as shock troops for hire in times of war, though they are not considered any more skillful than local peasantry and are mostly hired to gain an advantage in numbers. In terms of imports, the Rottura Wetlands is the largest purchaser of livestock, fur, and wheat in Dysium. Due to their low number of mountains, there is very little metal to mine in the Rottura Wetlands outside of bog iron, so metal is also a considerably in-demand commodity.
Exports • Wine • Incense • Fruit & Vegetables • Various Spices • Tobacco • Sugar
Imports • Livestock • Vegetables • Stone • Bread & Wheat • Fur • Cheese • Metal
Military
The Rottura Wetlands, for all the chaotic disarray they are in, have lost surprisingly few wars. Despite lacking a standing army or siege weapons, the Rotturans have historically held strong advantages over opponents due to the high number of itinerant Wetlanders living in the ports, rivers, and cities of each of Dysium's countries, who can be swayed by the Rotturan crown for relatively little money to slow their work pace, sabotage tools and ships, steal, malinger, spoil crops, act as spies, incite riots, and outright murder. This is a reason Rotturans are viewed as untrustworthy -- They are not only a clannish folk who speak a secret language and live amongst themselves in other countries, but they have historically worked against these countries during wartime.
Aside from their cultural history of working as saboteurs, when the Rotturan crown calls men to war it boasts one of the world's largest armadas, and though it is an armada unlearned in the ways of naval warfare, it is an armada nonetheless. The Rotturan navy for this reason has been referred to as "Merchants and fishermen given grapeshot and swords" by historians.
History
Self-explanatory. This doesn't need to be long; just informative. We encourage players to collaborate and create shared history, in fact, it is almost necessary. No nation exists in a vacuum.
Relations
As above. Collaborate with other players.
Characters
Optional section. Put any info about any special characters here: kings or queens, military leaders, and hero “badasses”.
"The white wolf does not care how harsh the cold storm blows, nor how hungry the jackals stare...his pack shall endure!"
Nation Overview & Government
"What proud and noble people they are, the children of the white wolf! Its a hard land they life in, and most of them have harsh, cold lives. Yet, never before have i been met with more warmth, more hospitality and more kindness, then in the villages of these people! Gattania could not wish for a more faithful ally!" The nations of the known and civilized world; Fredrec Holding
Middenland, the Nation of the white wolf, devote in their worship to their god "Wulfen", industrious in building cities of stone and marble, and unyielding in defending their homeland against all invaders. Seen as the last "civilized" nation in the north, Middenland is often watched with mixed feelings by most people. On one hand, the whole world knows about the magnificent city of Bremburg, which is seen as one of the most beautiful cities in the whole world, and the great academies of sciences and arts it holds, on the other hand, they seen the dominant faith of Wulfen as a relic of a barbaric past!
Ruled not by a king, but by an Archduke, Middenland is currently ruled by his excellency Boris Weißbacher, who holds this title for more then fifty years now. The title itself in not bound to a dynasty, but awarded to a chosen candidate by electors, appointed by the church of Wulfen among the nobility of Middenland. The church itself holds an immense sway of power, and is currently lead by his most devote holiness Arch-priest Karlso VI. , who is seen by many as the main reason why Boris reign has remained prosperous and peaceful.
Ethnicity
The people of the Duchy of the wolf are mostly hardened by the cold climate of their homeland, and used to long periods of harsh winters, followed by long wet summers. Most fit a pale skin, with a tan coming from the reflection of snow, rather then warm summers. With mostly blond or red hair, striking blue or green eyes, and often suiting impressive breads or mustaches [at least for men, yet the topic of female facial hair is a common joke around the whole of Dysium, at least as long as no Middenlander is in hearing range], and as such offer quite a distinctive look that sets them mostly apart from most people.
Geography
Choose a color and draw your borders on the map. You are also at liberty to describe the geography, weather, flora and fauna of your nation here. Try to pick a climate that makes sense, given your proximity on the map, and to other players. Also to be mentioned are important cities or locations within your nation.
Culture/Society
The People of Middenland have a deep connection to their homeland, and to their people as a whole. Believing to be chosen by Wulfen himself to settle this land, they see it as their sacred duty to uphold the faith, and their ways of life, be it against what ever odds. Often seen as grim or even melancholic by other countries by foreigners, few understand the mind of a Middenlander, but few question their integrity nor their honorable nature.
There are two distinguished kinds of Middenlander. The inhabitants of the great cities near the river of Ewigblau, and the hardy folk that lives in the lowlands, the woods or the mountains, who make up the smaller part of the population. While the cites have seen an incredibly expansion in architecture and wealth, the common inhabitants of the land still hold up the same simple life as their ancestors, making them hardy, simply people.
The cities of Middenland, most of all the beautiful city of Bremburg, hold "his most devote highness, the archdukes own Acadamies of Science and Art", a melting pot of some of the brightest minds, who are offered a safe haven in the cities of the white wolf. Under the protection of the Archduke himself, students and magistrate staff enjoy great privileges over the common citizen, which has created great tension between the people and the academies.
The only tolerated faith in the Archdutchy is the "Devote church of our bestial lord Wulfen, the white wolf", a faith based around the worship of the god Wulfen, who takes the form of a great white wolf. A highly organized faith, with a strict hierarchy, with an Archpriest on top, and a written scripture, the "Tombs of Faith", the church is the second power in Middenland, and still holds great sway over its people. Even the smallest village in Middenland has at least a shrine of Wulfen, and the great cities hold competitions against each other, who has the most beautiful and impressive cathedral.
Economy/Industry
Middenland has a strong economy, that is mostly based around the great riches their land hold. Their Hills and Mountains are rich in Iron, Copper and Silver, while their Forests provide game, pelts and most of all Lumber! Middenland Lumber is among the most seeked in the whole world, and almost unavoidable for any nation with naval desires. The thousand years old trees of the great forests fetch great prices and are make for perfect planks for the fleets of the Continent.
Among the great cities of the main River of Ewigblau a newly industial spirit starts to take roots, and great trade houses hold much sway in the economy, yet not nearly as much as the Church, who is also the biggest landholder in Middenland.
Military
Soldiers of both armies protecting the border of Middenland
The army of the Archduke has quite an odd reputation. Even through Middenland never has ever conducted a war of aggression in its recorded histry, and never before annexed land, their army has a long rooted tradition, and is respected across the world. As the staunch allies of Gattania, Middenland history books are filled with glorious battles all over Dysium.
Remarkable is the fact that there are two armies in the Dutchy. The "Grand army of Middenland" under the direct command of the Arch-duke, and the "Army of Wulfen" which directly stands under the command of the Archpriest of the church of Wulfen.
The main Army of Middenland, made up from a core of professional soldiers, and commissioned officers from the nobility. In dire times, drafting can be enforced, and press gangs are known to mercilessly raid any village of their able men, to bring them to the Camps, where they are turned into the feared "Bluecoats", hardy and disciplined soldiers, able to fire three rounds and speak a prayer to Wulfen in a minute.
Marching with the sound of drums, and blowing horns, the soldiers of the Archduke sing warchants as old as Middenland itself, and march with priests who will bless their muskets even in the depth of enemy fire. It is to note that there is no law that forbids the priests of Wulfen to fight, and many carry muskets themself, joining the battle on their own will. The death of a priest is often seen as a bad sign, yet also an easy way to drive a whole unit of Bluecoats in a wild frenzy, and has on multiple occasions led to charges that broke the enemy.
The Rank of a soldier is easy to see, as conscripts are required to shave their beards and only if they are full soldiers are permitted to mustaches. Only full combat veterans are granted additional side-whiskers, and it takes five years of service and three survived battles to wear a full beard.
The second army of Middenland, and its second line of defence, many Generals made the to mistake the men of the Army of the Archpriest as a disorganized militia. These Generals would find themselves a rude awakening, as they stood against hardy veterans and marksmen, lead by skillful and ruthless Warrior-Priests. Forgoing expensive uniforms for simple coats, the men of the army is drafted from the peasants of the church land, and, due to the enormous wealth that the faith holds, it can provide excellent training and equipment for its men, as well as using the deep rooted faith of the typical Middenlander to implore a fanatic loyalty.
Mostly used for Inquisitional duties in Middenland, the Army of the Archpriest seldom leaves the country of the white wolf, yet if it does, its soldiers are known for their merciless actions against all, who they see as "heretics" and "heathens" leaving a trail of destruction in their way.
History
Relations
Characters
Archduke Boris Weißbacher- Arch-priest Karlso VI- Confessor-General Luther Hass- Hussar-Captain Hugo Todbringer- Warrior-Priest Hans Hutten
@LordZell@DeadBeatWalking Some of the land Zell inquired about is within Dead's territory in the WIP NS, which is a bit different than the preliminary claim. Can you two work it out amongst yourselves?
Ah, so it isn't taking place in AU Europe? Oh well, this way it'd be easier to make nations and plots from scratch instead of immersing in the actual history. I can say this could have benefits. Anyways, are all lands neighboring the Color are taken?
