[OOC] God, Gatling, and Glory [Steampunk/Imperialism NRP]

[Keyguyperson]

Smells like Last Exile.

@rextremendum

We've got enough Germany here, so why not?

[So Boerd]

Issue with steam engines on airships is that it requires two very large engines (I assume Elan can't just be set fire to). So if you want a cheap thing that costs little Elan, can't go wrong with the Resian Rocket Barge™.

[Deth_Glitch]

Rex, who will be the one with the Representative in the others land?

[rextremendum]

I'd send a representative, don't worry.

[Deth_Glitch]

I am not worried, just representatives from me don't like going anywhere.. its takes time out of their mass money making...

[Keyguyperson]

Issue with steam engines on airships is that it requires two very large engines (I assume Elan can't just be set fire to). So if you want a cheap thing that costs little Elan, can't go wrong with the Resian Rocket Barge™.

@So Boerd

Well, it is said that "the combustion of Elan gives off a form of anti-gravity lift". Presumably you could make some kind of maintenance nightmare of a craft that combined the antigravity engine and the steam engine into one unit. If not, well, we've always got normal steam planes. Because a few happened IRL (The Nazis even considered building one for the long range bombing of America, of all things). Considering that steam engines are more powerful in this reality, it's entirely possible that planes could use steam.

[The Nexerus]

The Nazis considered building a base on the moon and colonizing Antarctica. The Nazis considering something doesn't make that something feasible, and especially doesn't make it a good idea.

[Keyguyperson]

The Nazis considered building a base on the moon and colonizing Antarctica. The Nazis considering something doesn't make that something feasible, and especially doesn't make it a good idea.

@The Nexerus

The difference is that there was never an active Nazi initiative to build rockets to go to the moon or to send people to Antarctica. There was one for their seemingly crazy steam bomber.

[Keyguyperson]

Here's my app, its WIP right now, but I wanted to post what I had done so you people could tell me everything I did wrong so I can fix it.

Holy Vanjanan Empire (WIP)

Nation Name: Holy Vanjanan Empire Flag: (Image or description is acceptable) Government: "The King should answer to none, so why does the Church expect me to answer to them?" -King Kalle XII, "Behovet av Regeln" The Holy Vanjanan Empire is an Absolute Monarchy, where the oldest remaining child of the monarch is heir to the throne. The monarch holds all power, and disobeying an order from them is the exact same thing as treason. Whether or not that charge of treason results in death is up to the monarch, as they can override any decision made by anyone else in the empire. The philosophy behind this is that by making the will of the Empire the will of its monarch, corruption and internal competition would be eliminated, thus creating a stronger nation. Whether or not this was correct can be debated, but the outcome of the Great Nordsjön War is usually referenced as proof of the government's effectiveness. The monarch is also in complete control of the Empire's religion, a tradition that started with the current King Kalle XII Storen. Vanjana had long been entrenched in their religious beliefs, with the monarch always answering to the church. Kalle, however, refused to be crowned by the church. Instead, he claimed to answer to none other than God himself. After the Great Nordsjön War, the church found it hard to disagree. Kalle Storen himself is famous for his genius, both political and military, as he proved during the Great Nordsjön War. His is known to be cruel to anyone who opposes him, to the point that he has many executed for daring to question the simplest of decisions. He holds a firm belief that to oppose him is to oppose God. However, this also means that to follow his orders is to serve God, and thus he is known to greatly reward those that do not question him. Because of his belief that his will is that of God, he will almost never change his mind, and refuses to accept that anything he does could possibly be bad. However, there is more to him than his arrogance, and he has been known to change his mind if someone gives him an extremely good reason to. These people always earn his respect, as finding a reason good enough to make him change his mind is nigh impossible. Economy: "If a nation is a steamship, then the economy is the boiler that gives it the power to move forward." -King Kalle XII, "En Arbetare är Värt" The Holy Vanjanan Empire has a strong tradition of capitalism, going back to long before its rise to power. The industrialization meshed well with their philosophy of using every centimeter for some kind of production. They adopted the new steam-powered machines with great enthusiasm, quickly building up factories and train routes in an effort to increase their production ability. Subsidies are provided for new factories, which now form the backbone of the Vanjanan Economy. With the aristocracy eliminated during the absolutist reforms of King Gustav II Storen, the bourgeoisie quickly became the leaders of the Vanjanan economy, establishing themselves as the owner of all the factories, railroads, and shipping companies. The Holy Vanjanan Empire exports almost exclusively manufactured goods of all types, which they produce in great quantity. They do export raw materials, but even the most common export (Lumber) is an almost trivial percentage of total export profits. Elan is abundant in the northernmost part of Vanjana, and the captains of industry quickly developed it in order to export it to other nations. However, the King stepped in and took control of all Elan mines, securing the supply for the government and outlawing any unauthorized exports. In the present, Vanjana does not export any Elan, and the only possible way to import Vanjanan Elan is through negotiating a trade agreement with the King himself. Given the vast Elan reserves, such a trade agreement would surely be beneficial. Leaders/Important People: "The best of troops are useless without a general to command them, so how can anyone expect a nation to succeed without a King to lead it?" -King Kalle XII, "Behovet av Regeln"

King Kalle XII Storen

Now in his mid 30's, Kalle XII has reigned ever since he was fifteen. At that young age, he turned a defensive war into an offensive war and conquered two nations in the Great Nordsjön War. He is beloved by his followers, who believe him to be the voice of God's will. His arrogance is famous as is his cruelty to his enemies. If you follow him, he will love you. If you oppose him, he will hate you. There are very few, if any, things and people he is neutral towards. During the Great Nordsjön War, he took command of the Vanjanan armies and crushed the nations of Nordsted and Varmjord in a series of miraculous Vanjanan victories. This earned him the respect of the church and the love of his people, but he wasn't done yet. He cemented his rule in Nordsted through political maneuvering, making the people see him as a liberator instead of a conqueror. In Varmjord, he decimated any rebels that would dare rise up, keeping his rule safe simply out of fear that he was invincible.

Fleet Admiral Helene Ronja

In her late fifties, this woman was one of the first to enlist when King Kalle XII opened up the military to women. Joining the Navy to utilize her skills as a former Merchant Captain, she rose through the ranks relatively quickly, reaching Admiral by her late 30s. Since then, she has always remained in the Navy. When the first Elan warships came into use, she was asked to become an Admiral in the newly minted Holy Vanjanan Airborne Corps. She turned down this offer, saying "Left and right is already hard enough, I don't need up and down to deal with too". She led the forces of the Holy Vanjanan Empire against those of Varmland in the Great Nordsjön War, decimating their superior Navy with what she referred to as "A tenth wit and the rest the will of God". She has a great deal of respect for the King, but having reached her position before his Reign, she likes to remind everyone that her position has nothing to do with that respect (something she believes few other military leaders can say, especially those in the Airborne Navy).

Fleet Admiral Mathias Holger

Mathias was the first Vanjanan to fly a powered vehicle, and also oversaw the first construction of a Vanjanan airship. He is in the mid fifties, and once he built the first Vanjanan airship, he dedicated his life to the advancement of aerial technology. When the King demanded that all Elan mines be given to him, Mathias complied without protest, earning him the respect of the King. Since he had been the first Vanjanan to utilize Elan for flight, the King gave him control of the Elan mines, telling him to find a way to use the material in the military. Being a patriot, he agreed to these terms, becoming Fleet Admiral of the Holy Vanjanan Airborne Corps. Spending his time on creating formations and maneuvers from scratch for an entirely new battlefield, he became the father of Vanjanan air combat, with his strategies becoming the backbone of the Holy Vanjanan Airborne Corps. During the Varmland Rebellion, the Holy Vanjanan Air Corps was tested for the first time at the battle of Hjemsted. The King's camp had come under attack from all sides by rebels, while the majority of his troops were out on patrol. A telegram was sent to Mathias, who immediately launched his fleet and rushed to help. Using the air-to-ground weapons on his airships, he surprised the rebels and decimated their forces, saving the King. However, he has still never engaged in real air-to-air combat, as the Holy Vanjanan Empire has remained surprisingly peaceful since the Great Nordsjön War.

Airborne Machinist's Mate Helmi Lisbet

Born into a mining family, Helmi had always been fascinated by machines, especially machines that used Elan. Due to her family's occupation, she get to see plenty of it, being brought in to in the mines every once in a while. She caught on quickly to the operation of steam engines, and often operated the mine's steam lift just to learn more about it. Over time, she became well-known for being good with steam engines, even being sent to other mining towns to fix problems with their own steam engines. When she was only 19, everyone in the Nordsted mines knew that if Helmi Lisbet couldn't get your machinery working, then you wouldn't be able to find anyone that could in all of Adara. When the mines were taken by the King, none of the miners really noticed a difference. They were still mining Elan, and still had no say in where it went, so it didn't matter who gave them their money as long as they got it. However, Helmi's life was entirely changed by it. Mathias Holger, now Fleet Admiral of the Holy Vanjanan Airborne Corps, visited a small mining town in order to track her down. She was upgrading their steam lift to meet newer standards when Mathias approached her. Having heard of her skill with steam engines, he asked her if she was willing to donate her expertise to the Airborne Corps. She eagerly accepted, overjoyed with the opportunity to fly. Mathias had not underestimated her, and at only 24 years old, she became known as the best engineer in the Airborne Corps. She is currently stationed on the Helig Vind, the flagship of the Airborne Corps.

Desired Map location: "God smiles upon the north, for the north smiles back." -Unknown Vanjanan Monk Important Locations: "Our cities are thriving, our fortresses are impenetrable, and our monuments stand tall. Never before has the North seen such glory." --King Kalle XII, "En Arbetare är Värt" Heligastaden: The capital of Vanjana, this city is both a bustling port city and a center of industry, a thick cloud of smog constantly hanging in the sky. The classes are highly visible here, with the rich living right on the coast and the housing getting progressively worse as one journey's further inland. Since the factories are far from the rich, the city seems relatively clean from the coast. However, venturing too far from the docks will land you in a smog-filled, gang-run hell. Oövervinnligafästning: The center of all Vanjanan military operations, this is a massive citadel on Vanjana's coast that contains facilities for all four military branches. It is connected via telegram to all other military installations, able to command any force, anywhere in Vanjana. Its defenses are certainly not trivial, with a division of Vanjana's best troops stationed there at all times and many of Vanjana's Naval fleets calling it home. It is where the main Elan Ship fleet is stationed as well, and has a dedicated AA system to support them in the event of an aerial attack. It is said that even if the cities of Vanjana are reduced to rubble, Oövervinnligafästning will still be standing. Palatsavdenlord: The royal palace, located in the countryside near Heligastaden. It was built quite recently by King Kalle XII himself, as he had come to hate the smog of the city. It is famous for its extravagance, which the King has many times asserted is only to impress diplomats, insisting that he would have rather spent the money on something more practical. Whatever he claims, it is still true that the palace is a perfect example of badly allocated funds. Funnily enough, with the constant expansion of industry, the King had to officially order that the land around the palace be kept rural so as to keep the smog away. Vanjana: The central part of the nation situated in-between Varmland and Nordsted, this is the location of the capital, royal palace, and Oövervinnligafästning. It is the seat of the Empire, and its inhabitants are by far the most loyal. Industry is abundant here, as the Vanjanan Kingdom that became the Holy Vanjanan Empire was quick to embrace the industrial revolution. Nordsted: The norther part of the Empire, this is a territory conquered fifteen years ago in the Great Nordsjön War. It is a frozen and mountainous land with many deposits of resources such as iron, coal, lumber, and Elan. It is were the majority of the Empire's resources come from, and tends to be cooperative with the Imperial government thanks to Kalle XII's political maneuvering convincing them that he was liberating them from a corrupt government. Varmland: The southern part of the Empire, which is across the Lägre Nordsjön and borders Rhinland. It is by far the most rebellious, though every attempt at freeing themselves from Vanjanan rule has been met with failure. They are kept in line only with fear, and most inhabitants of this land are simple farmers, with no way to get effective weapons. They provide most of the food to support Vanjana and Nordsted, but are nonetheless treated as second-class citizens due to their rebelliousness. Cultural Overview: WIP (What do your people enjoy? What do they hate? Religions or festivals of note? The more in depth the merrier) Technology Overview: WIP (Is your nation on the bleeding edge or is it more conservative? Is there any special technologies or area of expertise for your nation?) Military Overview: WIP (Now here's the stuff we really want to get to. Go as nuts as you see fit)

[Chairman Stein]

I need a nation friendly to the Communalist cause... Right now I'm simply a pariah state amongst Capitalists and Monarchists, which is just fine with me but THE REVOLUTION MUST SURVIVE!

[null123]

Having trouble getting my Pseudo-Venice idea anywhere, however I have a much stronger idea for the Byzantines, gonna try that instead.

[Keyguyperson]

I need a nation friendly to the Communalist cause... Right now I'm simply a pariah state amongst Capitalists and Monarchists, which is just fine with me but THE REVOLUTION MUST SURVIVE!

@Chairman Stein

Hey, we kinda sorta have respect for the worker! We just have a capitalist system. Where the workers get paid fuck all. And its all run by an absolute monarch who is probably insane.

[rextremendum]

The workers in my nation are free to make their lives better through the low entry requirements for enterprise, and the incredibly lenient tax rate Their lives are a paradise of freedom and self-betterment through business.

[null123]

I need a nation friendly to the Communalist cause... Right now I'm simply a pariah state amongst Capitalists and Monarchists, which is just fine with me but THE REVOLUTION MUST SURVIVE!

@Chairman Stein

I mentioned communalism in the new app(which is already longer then the Pseudo-Venice app). Although it's not in a very pleasant way. Edit:There pretty much turning into a fascist state, if that helps.

[So Boerd]

It was always my impression that fixed wing aircraft were stylistically off limits for steampunk.

[Commodore Robot]

That tends to be my impression as well, I would like to avoid fixed wing aircraft for as long as possible.

[Chairman Stein]

So... As of 3 and a half hours ago it is officially Monday. When do you think we can expect a launch? I don't imagine we are launching this little RP today, perhaps tomorrow or even Wednesday?

[So Boerd]

Half the sheets aren't done, so I don't think there's any harm in waiting a day or two.

[Commodore Robot]

Yeah, considering the state of things I'm willing to push the "official" start date back a day or two. If I have time after class today I will type up a quick, setting the tone style intro post and people can go from there. Generally I'm fine with these things going pretty freely and organically, but if it feels like things have gotten stuck in a rut I may try to throw some events into the world to keep stuff going. It may be stuff like natural disasters or political unrest (with the player's permission of course, don't plan on screwing people over too hard here) with the central idea just to keep things flowing.

[Commodore Robot]

@Keyguyperson Looking good so far. The names are oppressively difficult to pronounce in a way that only Scandinavian names can be. just flag me down once things get finished and I'll look it over again. But I've gotta warn ya, this town ain't big enough for two Holy Empires.