Name of Nation: The Dominion of Isalka
Nation Characteristics: An incredibly strict military hierarchy, with an isolationist streak. The oldest and strongest of the nation are given the right to rule, while the youngest live safely under their protective watch. Strict training and tutoring prevents the mind from drawing to ideas that would threaten the growth of the population. The Wojteki, its inhabitants, live in a constant state of readiness for war.
History: Throughout the existence of their species, the Wojteki have grown to be staunch defenders of their territory, culminating in developments individual to their kind. For the most part, they remained neutral, rarely trading supplies with those around them. However, the Void War brought with it a surge of interventionism by younger groups within the military, leading to them leaving the country to serve with the Cindorayi and the Aldabetuse. The General Staff, backed by older members of the populace, denounced these actions as threatening to destabilize Isalka, and banned the return of these Wojteki to their home. The leader at the time, Supreme Commander Carpulski, soon issued a Mandate denying any Wojteki to leave Isalka, or else face punishment. Carpulski then passed away, and Szechslaszi took his place as Supreme Commander of the Dominion Army.
Daily Lifespan: From the age of 10, the ripe age of an adult, the Wojteki is granted the rank of worker. There, they are pushed out onto the surface and mine the ice cap's special mineral, Dobrevirite. At the age of 20, those who survive the frigid winter lands are inducted into the Dominion Military, where they start as Tova, the first rank. As they progress through age, the Pova become the Kamra at 25, then the Sarsha at 30, and finally the Kaptensk at 40. From that age onwards, the Wojteki is allowed to become a member of the Outstanding Army, where they are allowed to live underground, create families, and serve voluntarily in helping the nation's new generations on the Dominion's frozen lands. Alternatively, they may continue to serve the Military, working up to becoming Majensk at 50, then Gentafer (General Staffer) at 60. Around the age of 80, the Wojteki passes away from natural causes.
The new Supreme Commander is directly appointed on the former's deathbed, sometimes with a last breath. To become a Supreme Commander, the Wojteki must first have been a Gentafer, and then made notable developments in evolving Isalka. For instance, Carpulski was elected due to creating the Armored Guard, Wojteki who defend the nation's resource mines and operations from animals and, currently, rebels. Szechslaski, recently, was hand-picked for continuing Carpulski's Mandate, and promising to eradicate any traitors to the Dominion. Patrols regularly go out attack the traitors, where their camps can be found, while young Wojteki are brought up believing the outside world is harsh and hates their kind. Ironically, the Supreme Commander and the General Staff are the only ones that accept ambassadors from various nations, albeit they only meet through television and not in-person.
Exactly what makes the Dominion of Isalka dangerous is the vast amount of hostile wildlife across the country. Large wolves, spiked worms, and even roving bands of mutinous Wojteki are often found here. Hungry for food, or seeking to put a dent in the Dominion's efforts, they harass the nation every day.
Nation Location: The southern ice cap.
Nation Initial Population: 5 million
Species Name: Wojteki (Wosh-tech-ee)
Species Characteristics: On first appearance, the Wojteki are 8-foot tall white-furred bipedal bears. However, their arms and legs are more shaped to be humanoid, covered by tufts of fur all over. Their arms, thighs and calves are thick and hairy in size, stemming down to large fingers and toes with straight, sharp nails. The only difference between males and females is their muscle density; males are much thicker, while females are leaner and have curved nails. The large amount of hair gives them a small amount of protection against the cold in Isalka, but does not make them completely resistant to it. For that matter, Isalka is covered with underground tunnel systems dug out by the Wojteki over the years of the planet's existence, serving for hundreds of thousands of dens dug deep below the ground. It is unknown exactly how far these tunnels go, but it can be assumed they are able to reach the mantle layer of the planet.
The average Wojteki lives only eighty years. The oldest, and current leader, is Supreme Commander Szechslaszi, at ninety years. Although he rarely appears in public, he constantly appears to his General Staff through television, constantly checking on Isalka's coasts and underground developments.
Male and female Wojteki, upon starting their lives, serve together for the first ten years as workers. Once they are 20, they are given the options of serving as soldiers or scientists. Males often become soldiers, and females often become scientists. At the age of 40, their job takes a backseat, as couples form and families grow. The cycle then continues, with every generation. Menial labor, such as mail-running or serving food, is automated.
Despite their beastly appearance, the Wojteki are often seen wearing full suits of steel-plated combat armor, with the older generations wearing more advanced sets befitting their status, adding more features rather than protection. They also wear filtration masks to breathe in the air without the chill affecting their lungs, and later improvements offer helmets with built-in respirators.
Culture: Wojteki culture is very stern-faced, with a more warm climate underground. Literature and Kriegspiel are the two most followed forms of entertainment for the Wojteki, with moderate drinking and conversation being the public hobby. The Wojteki often drink Wojva, a peppermint-tasting alcohol made from melting down the Isalkan snow through heating it with their special resource, and mixing it with science-produced generic alcohol. It is common to see two Wojteki duke it out, although it is more a friendly means of showing each others' strength; this applies not just to the males, but the females as well, and intergender matches can happen as commonly.
Religion: The term religion does not appear in the Wojteki vocabulary. The Dominion is a secular nation, although previous records have indicated they worshiped a celestial duo known as Kieva and Gorodi. Kieva represented the stars, while Gorodi represented the earth. It is unknown when they ditched this form of worship, although theories suggest their technological evolution drew them away from this faith. However, those Wojteki outside the Dominion tend to reaffirm their beliefs in the religions of those nations they stay in, as they deem the value of faith to be necessary in their new lives. This can often lead to traitor Wojteki taking on various faiths.
Side Chosen in Void War: Neutral. During the war, a few divisions of Wojteki demanded to serve, ultimately escaping from the nation and joining both sides. These actions angered the populace, and drove them to become an isolated nation, refusing to draw themselves into these quarrels. However, a small percentage of Wojteki often try to escape the Dominion, being branded traitors for attempting to explore the planet around them. Some of these Wojteki choose to stay, acting as raiders to disrupt their once-beloved community; others are found across the planet, very rarely, as mercenaries.
Sub-factions: The Rovers. Although discipline is high in Isalka, there are those who would sooner break off the Wojteki's isolationist beliefs and move out into the world. For that matter, with the Mandate of Carpulski after the Void War, any Wojteki who dared express any sense of leaving the ice cap or dissent against the General Staff were to be branded as traitors and exiled into the frozen lands. Those who survive become Rovers, bands of Wojteki with salvaged equipment making a living off of nature. A majority of the Rovers stay, forming a resistance against the General Staff, while very few are able to get off the island. It is assumed that the Rovers only make up a very small percentage of the Wojteki population, being more a nuisance than a threat.
The Rovers's leader is unknown, but the Supreme Commander and General Staff claim that outsiders, such as the Vaspen Empire to the north, fund the Rovers to enact vengeance upon the Dominion.
Technological Level: Over the years, the Wojteki were able to utilize some amount of technology to develop their underground routes. Quality elevators and stable metal hallways were a norm, backed by radios in every room. On the surface, fortified bunkers took up the coastline, missiles armed to ward away potential threats or curious travelers. Trenches also run through the land, leading to massive mining sites. Television is common, albeit more for communication and not entertainment. Rather than grow crops in the frigid lands, they produce ration squares grown from the cells of the Dominion's creatures, constantly mass-produced through scientific means. Their standards of healthcare are fairly average, with the use of stimulants and patches to heal up wounds.
In terms of weapons, the Wojteki use modified halberds, swords, semi-automatic carbines, revolvers, drum-magazine machine pistols, and double-barrel shotguns, often handed down from previous generations, as demands on weaponry are lower than that of food and other supplies. The modifications allow the use of Dobrevirite steel, which would either destroy or ruin other kinds of weaponry upon firing or striking. Their only up-to-date equipment are their missile defense systems that are planted across the land, self-calculating and backed by experienced artillery crews, able to fire both at land and space targets while being loaded in a short time. The Wojteki forego advanced projectiles in favor of conventional projectiles, which may be seen as a curse rather than a blessing, in an era of advanced weaponry.
The Wojteki's only claim to space is a scout satellite, which hovers around the planet to ensure full view over the surface of the Dominion. It has no weapons, and its only protective measure is its camouflage and signal jammer, preventing ships or other satellites from spotting it.
Special Resource: Dobrevirite steel. A dark-purple metal that is found jutting out of the landscape, Dobrevirite has been shaped by the Wojteki into artillery shells, bullets, and melee weapons. It is incredibly sharp and combustible, and is used primarily for the Wojteki's halberds and bullets. The constant growth of dormant Dobrevirite throughout the landscape leaves a neverending operation for the Wojteki to mine and refine it, allowing it to become combustible once refined. Given the Wojteki's fervent defense against invaders recently, very few have been able to collect samples of this metal during this time period. Outside of its use for war, it acts as a replacement for any sort of fire by striking it against a surface to light it.
