Antediluvixen — Roleplayer Guild

26 July, 1910

A clear, bright day in the nation of the Tsuljin Khanate. Nary a cloud marred the sky as the squealing of train brakes sounded through the busy station. Several insectoids, each carrying two rifles, stepped off the train, clearing a path through the crowd. Once they had done so, another wasplike person stepped off the train. They surveyed the crowd, looking for their driver.

After a moment, the crowd parted with some scuffling and muttered swearing, to reveal a small column of three open topped cars, each with a contingent of six greenskins marching in stiff lockstep on either side. In two of the cars sat more greenskins, clad in crisp, starched uniforms and staring straight ahead, showing nary a trace of emotion. In the front car sat a Kudruni driver, similarly emotionless, and behind him sat the delegate of Tsuljin, smiling warmly. The soldiers standing by the sides of the second car parted, and two of them knelt, gesturing to the car. 

Wilem, the prince of the Reich, son of the Kaiser, stepped off the platform, walking through the clearing in the crowd. He made his way to the motorcade, entering the second car. Wasn't his driver supposed to be Kudruni? Whatever the case, it would only hurt matters to make a fuss, so he kept quiet. The Kudruni soldiers that came with him piled into the cars surrounding him.

Making no sound, the drivers of the cars shifted their vehicles into gear, and ponderously set off. At first, things went normally, the column of soldiers walking in front clearing the gathered crowd with minimal difficulty, though shouts and jeers abounded. A mile passed in relative ease, the shouting eventually fading into a dull background roar. There were bigger concerns lying ahead - the imposing limestone fortifications of the central citadel, dating back three hundred years, loomed ahead. Within them lay the task of treaty enforcement - it was crucial for the stability of the region, the wellbeing of Rotteburg, that Tsuljin not unite with their neighbor, or be subsumed into the wider expanse of Uruk.

A decade ago, the Reich had intervened, their armies marching westwards and forcing the signing of the original treaty - Tsuljin and Ushro would swear not to seek unification, nor to be annexed or in any way controlled by the looming behemoth of the Uruk Empire. Today the treaty would be renegotiated, ensuring stability and peace in the region, and a chance for Rotteburg to continue to grow strong without greenskin threat to the we-

An abrupt, lurching jolt brought the middle car to a halt, a deafening crack echoing around the square, and the car sagged slightly, one of its wheels now rolling aimlessly about. The axle had snapped, somehow, and many of the soldiers guarding the vehicle tensed, almost imperceptibly. After a moment's pause, the driver sighed, hopping out from his seat and scurrying underneath the car. A stream of muttered curses followed, too fast and muffled to make out. 

A minute passed with minimal movement from anyone, before an officer of Tsuljin stepped forward, inclining his head slightly towards Prince Wilem, and gesturing to the front car. "If it please your majesty, we will be continuing without this car." He bowed his head once more, and stepped aside. 

Wilem simply nodded, allowing the door to his car to be opened. He stepped out, looking around.

A commotion stirred within the crowd, a few more muttered curses, and a single yell - out from the crowd burst a wild eyed troll, brandishing a large revolver. It happened in the blink of an eye - the troll's eyes locked onto the prince, and he grinned maniacally. "Death to tyrants!" He shouted, and fired, one, twice, both bullets slamming home into the gut of the Prince. Immediately, over half of the greenskin guard turned, planting bayonets into the necks and stomachs of the Kudruni soldiers, and the crowd exploded in a cacophany of shrieking, shouting, and fighting. Many surged forwards, tackling the young assassin, but many more beat them down, rushing forwards in a wall of flesh, surrounding the prince and his entourage. 

The Kudruni portion of the entourage -- what was left -- yelled warnings into the crowd, and when they did not back off, the officer in charge ordered the soldiers to fire at will. In the panic, the soldiers immediately opened fire, each with both of their rifles. Bodies began to fall as the crowd attacked the entourage and was shot and stabbed in return.

The shots served only to enrage the crowd, and many of those who had tried to shield the wounded prince turned to flee, or joined the tidal wave of greenskins. Thousands poured in, where one fell dead, a hundred joined the throng, kicking, punching, clawing, goring with tusk and tearing with teeth. The prince, bleeding out his life's blood, was pulled from his guard by the mob, and they began to do the same, wholly out of control by this point. He was kicked, mauled, his stomach opened with the tusks of a troll, his arm shattered in the grip of five more. The crowd screamed and shouted, jeering at him - he would die here, there was no doubt of that. 

Upon losing the prince, the officer ordered the remaining soldiers to throw their stick grenades into the crowd, in one last desperate attempt to disperse them. The soldiers obeyed, throwing the grenades into throngs of people inbetween their shooting and stabbing. The grenades went off, sending fragmentation into the greenskins.

Screaming, crying, and howls of pain rose from the crowd, the explosions tearing bloody swathes through the crowd, and for a moment, the crowd withdrew in shock - but their anger resurged, and they fell back on the soldiers with twice the fury of before.

Gradually, the shooting went silent as the soldiers were picked off. Silence fell upon the square as the magnitude of what had occurred seemed to sink in with all around. The eerie stillness blanketed the air, the sun shined on, the clouds dared not to marr what had before been a beautiful day.

Of the assassin there was nothing to be seen. Perhaps he had been trampled in the crush of bodies, perhaps spirited away by quick thinking countrymen. His work was done, in this life, or whatever next life there was, he would know that. 

By the end of the day, news of the event would cascade around the world, and the die were cast.

Name of Nation: Etresna, the Enlightened Realm 



Government: Enlightened Despotism - ruled by a monarch with great power, the governing principles of the state stretch back for eons, each Raijen or Reijen - the male or female rulers of the nation, is chosen by an elected council of ostensibly the wisest minds in the nation. The system has worked well thus far, the scholarly nature of much of the elite leading to a burgeoning technological paradise. The state pours much of its budget into the sciences and into engineering, determined to maintain its technological lead in the world. 

Map of Etresna


Positioned on the eastern coast of the Narrevian continent, the populous nation of Etresna benefits from the significant rainfal brought by the equatorial westerlies, the northern section of the nation playing host to a significant rainforest, and the heavy rainfall facilitating widespread rice cultivation in the northern areas. Much of the agricultural industry of Etresna is managed by the central state in the interest of maximum efficiency, with the remnants of the Lowlands’ former inhabitants working as tax free, almost independent farmers on vast rice plantations in the north, and even more vast wheat fields on the prairies in the nation’s center. Much of the vast population is situated along the coast, the various river deltas, in the mountains or the foothills of those mountains where water pools and collects from mountain runoff. Population is concentrated heavily in the nation’s major urban centers, with much of the countryside either wholly uninhabited or devoted to the vast agricultural plantations that feed the large urban populations. The people of the mountains are responsible for much of the nation’s mining industry, the large and imposing natural defensive barrier doubling as a cornucopia of natural resources. Industrial production is primarily centered in the cities. 

Dramatis Personae: 
Anukadi “Anu” Firulkh Dashyrr: The current reigning Raijen of the Realm, elected thirty years ago by the grand council. Before her election, Anu was a distinguished civil engineer and public servant, responsible for overseeing the implementation of a modern electrical grid in the Realm’s southern coastal cities. Under her reign, the Realm has seen vast investment in the sciences and in public works, at the expense of lower military investment, the Raijen putting faith in the Realm’s naval prowess and land forces to keep the northern border secure. 

Azhis Dahtkah Fyrra: Occupying a position analogous to Commander in Chief of other armies, Azhis represents the strategic mind behind the Realm’s military forces. An enigmatic figure of dubious age, Azhis has nonetheless managed to keep the Realm out of the costly land wars the people wish to avoid. Investment in the navy and defensive capabilities on land has been her primary focus.

Species: Etremaden - ostensibly human, the Etremaden people tend to stand a few inches taller than most, with solid figures and a diverse array of eye colors. Unlike humans, however, they have unusually long lifespans - with the eldest living to over a hundred and fifty years, and a life of a hundred or more not uncommon, with the average around 80-90. Many are more divergent, still human, but with some unquantifiable sense of being ‘off’ to outsiders. Unlike other humanoid species, their musculature between the sexes is considerably more equal, with both sexes sporting muscle mass within 98% of each other. 

Population: 223 million

Culture: For much of their earlier history a relatively inward looking people after their conquest of the lowlands, and repulsion of the Kratorian Empire’s attempt at annexation, the people of Etresna have cultivated a simultaneously scholarly and militaristic culutre, idealizing the warrior-poet of old. The nation is heavily armed, with around 36% of the population owning rifles and pistols, a holdover from their history of constant warfare and citizen military participation. At the same time, there is a love of the arts, the sciences, engineering, and philosophy, and it is common sight to find a military artistic exhibition, showcasing the works of the local military, sponsored by the general or some affluent individiual, and the small army is frequently seen assisting in public works and engineering projects. There is much distaste for the state militarism prevalent among many other nations - Among their own people, there is a strong sense of egalitarianism among themselves - there are very few or no restrictions upon the rights of fellow Etremaden in regards to sex or characteristics. Other peoples are generally judged on a case by case basis, and will usually be held to be ‘lesser’ until in some way proving themselves. 

Economy: A global powerhouse, Etresna’s economy is heavily focused around a major service sector augmented by powerful manufacturing, fueled by vast raw material reserves in their mountainous nation, alongside the agricultural heartlands in the central plains and northern rice paddies. The nation has advanced leaps and bounds in many areas, and produces many excellent doctors, scientists, engineers, mathemeticians, others. This lends the economy a considerable service sector bent. Despite this, there are movements within to increase manufacturing prowess to compete with the global market, rather than merely supplying their own needs. 

Despite its vast population, Etresna is a net exporter of grains, shipping food abroad in great quantities - primarily rice, with most wheat consumed domestically - the centrally planned and overseen wheat prairies, and vast rice paddies of the northern river deltas providing frequent bumper crops with the advent of modern fertilizers. These agricultural lands are sparsely populated, with the predominant population being the remnants of the erstwhile inhabitants of the coastal lowlands, a people with a unique position within the realm. They live tax free, barely regulated at all beyond baseline codes of conduct, and in turn manage the realm’s agricultural engine, having recently been subsizied in a switch from pack animals and degenerate beasts of burden to an almost wholly mechanized farming system. Even so, engineering works are constantly underway to further expand the nation’s agricultural prowess. 

Technology: For much of its history a technological powerhouse, Etresna has continued to lead the world in technological advancement, all of its cities sporting modern electrical grids and transportation hubs, with a sophisticated rail network linking every part of the country together. The military as well benefits from this technological lead, many warships outfitted with advanced targeting aparatuses, though much of their fleet is of older make, and not as modern as their grand fleet would indicate. On land - while their individual equipment is still focused around tried and true technology - the bolt action rifle, the revolver, and so on, these weapons are produced of high grade steel and can sustain higher cartridge pressures than those of most competing nations. 

Army: The Matichikyrra Vihhrytt’aten, the Many Children of War, serve as the armed forces of the Realm. Not a vast organization by any means, the army is standing year round and numbers about a hundred and fifty thousand professional, excellently trained and equipped troops, with a further four hundred thousand as registered reserve forces. The physiology of the Etremaden is different from normal humanity, with male and female musculature highly similar, and as such their military is roughly 48% female, who serve full responsibility in frontline and support roles. Indeed, one of the youngest but most gifted high level commanders of the army is a woman over sixty years of age, who despite relatively limited Etremaden involvement, distinguished herself in the Kratorian-Rotteburg war. 

The army, should it truly be pressed, and the people willing, can draw on the vast population of the Realm. However, conscription is a slow process, much of the population and political class keen on avoiding costly land wars abroad - having suffered catastrophe in past attempts, and prefer to exert influence through economy and the powerful navy. However, the laws and structure are in place, and as such, should the nation ever find itself in a true war of attrition in defense of the realm or their allies, there will be no shortage of warm bodies - though gathering them together will take considerable time. 

Notable Figures
Firahl Kyni Panarre: The foremost field commander and tactical mind of the Realm’s land forces, Firahl does not hold supreme command, but does hold considerable localized command authority, and more importantly - great influence with the ruling classes and her superior. Considered by many to be an expert in mountain warfare - unsurprising considering the terrain of the nation - she sits at sixty two years of age, with active duty service from the age of twenty. 

The Realm’s small army is equipped with excellent, high quality weaponry: 
One of their own domestic designs, the Realm’s standard issue service rifle is the Atassidaiir Vyye 1903 - Repeat Firearm Model 1903 - a well crafted weapon tested to high tolerances, manufactured to exacting specifications, and tested by hand. Feeding from a ten round internal magazine, the weapon is capable of surprising rates of fire for a bolt action weapon when placed in the hands of the well trained Etremaden army. Chambered for the .276 Kasanfirre round, the weapon has a smaller projectile traveling at higher velocities than the battle rifles of many other nations, enabling great range and accuracy, lesser recoil, with small loss in stopping power at closer ranges. It has a short barrel and compact overall profile for ease of mobility.
In addition, all rank and file soldiers as well as the officers are issued the Suinnadaiir Vyye 1901: A sturdy six shot revolver chambered in a potent and recently developed .38 caliber cartridge. Capable of propelling its 158 grain load at speeds exceeding 1200 feet per second, it is a potent close quarters weapon. 

The army is well known for their liberal use of artillery, their original conquest of the lowlands dating back almost half a millenium owed to their early mastery of artillery tactics. Since then, they have remained a foremost player in the field of artillery, fielding a wide array of formidable pieces, including the fearsome 430mm Heriinetaskiatet Vyye 1906 - the Earthshaker Model 1906, among others. 

Additionally, centuries of mountain warfare and individualist combat doctrine have lent their infantry a less rigid bent. Even in the black powder era, large swathes of their army fought as loose skirmishers, taking cover behind rocks and trees and aiming independently with accurate rifles. With the advent of modern arms, this tactic has been adopted wholesale, and the full army is organized into small squads and platoons, given a general directive rather than organized and commanded as a single cohesive unit. 

Pictured below: Soldier of the 43rd Shock Battalion


The navy historically has been a major strength of the coastal nation, and their navy and merchant marine are vast and exceedingly modern. While not the largest navy of the world, they are easily one of if not the most modern, each ship kept up to date with state of the art fire suppression systems and hydraulic loaders for the guns.  

Adafarry Daruhl Mazatsi: The supreme commander of the Realm’s great naval forces, Adafarry is a man who commands respect. The forces at his disposal are immense, while not the largest fleet in the world, the Realm boasts possibly the most modern, with many warships bearing powerful long range guns and advanced targeting systems - sophistication and accuracy unimaginable even a decade earlier. 

The navy’s strength is divided between four main fleets, with numerous other smaller detachments stationed at their larger island territories. The overall fleet size sits at 273 surface vessels, with a submarine fleet some 70 strong. 

Manen Matiduniss - Great Fleet: Total strength, 134 vessels 
	1st Battlegroup: 
		DME Yavinnd - The name of the flagship of the fleet, the Yavinnd is always a vessel unique in its design, almost always a fearsome warship with no equal on the seas. The current incarnation, weighing in at almost 62,000 long tons and bringing to bear fourteen 15 inch guns, is a monstrous floating behemoth of guns and armor. 
		DME Raijen Class Super Dreadnought - Anakita
		DME Takriss Class Super Dreadnought - Vendavii
		DME Aktis Class Dreadnought - Tavul
		DME Aktis Class Dreadnought - Yerissi
		DME Vassiyll Class Battlecruiser - Kasinn
		DME Norii Class Armored Cruiser - Dassir
		DME Ovaes Class Armored Cruiser - Frissyl
		12 light cruisers, 21 destroyers

	2nd Battlegroup:
		DME Aktis Class Dreadnought - Yakhille
		DME Vassiyll Class Battlecruiser - Vassiyll
		DME Asdull Class Battlecruiser - Xavund
		DME Vassiyll Class Battlecruiser - Likirri
		DME Norii Class Armored Cruiser - Qaliss
		DME Norii Class Armored Cruiser - Norii
		6 light cruisers, 8 destroyers
 		
	3rd Battlegroup: 
		DME Norii Class Armored Cruiser - Kuvun
		DME Valirr Class Armored Cruiser - Rikill
		DME Valirr Class Armored Cruiser - Furid
		DME Kalin Class Armored Cruiser - Dakuns
		DME Kalin Class Armored Cruiser - Kalin
5 light cruisers, 17 destroyers		

	4th Battlegroup: 
		DME Davir Class Battlecruiser - Saken
		DME Korvil Class Armored Cruiser - Urisi
		DME Korvil Class Armored Cruiser - Uzhni
		DME Valirr Class Armored Cruiser - Furid
4 light cruisers, 15 destroyers		

	5th Battlegroup: 
		DME Vassiyll Class Battlecruiser - Vuursh
		DME Vassiyll Class Battlecruiser - Orillir
		DME Valirr Class Armored Cruiser - Fasir
		DME Valirr Class Armored Cruiser - Yazhif
		3 light cruisers, 16 destroyers


Air Force: The air force of the Realm is a mediocre force, all told. What planes they do have are small in number, but well maintained and are continuously upgraded and updated with the latest technology available. Primarily used in scouting, there have been limited investigations into the use of aircraft for offensive purposes as well, such as machine gunning infantry formations in pursuit operations.  

The history of the Realm stretches back centuries, and will take some time to truly retell.

The history of the Realm as a proper nation begins with the unification of the mountain states by Yavinnd the Great, a military tactician and strategist of great renown, coming to rule the centrally located state of Tresaii, and its vast city, at the young age of twenty. He embarked upon several campaigns, bringing his opponents under his control, but not subjugating, humiliating, or otherwise adding salt to the wounds of his foes. Instead, he gave his new vassals positions in his government - after securing their loyalty, and expanded his state, bringing to heel all of the mountain states in the shockingly short span of twenty years, consolidating power in the year 1443. 

From there, the newly formed Realm of Etresna turned their sights to the lowlands east of them, a land that had for centuries regarded them as a backwater, as savages living in mountains. The lowlands were flat, and cavalry dominated within their confines. Etresna had always been a nation of infantry fighters, and their forays into the lowlands had often met with disaster. They could fight in battle - but always, a hail of arrows from fleet horse archers would greet them, the thunderous charge of heavy cavalry shattering the densely packed heavy infantry of the mountain peoples. The Lowlanders could never invade the mountains - their cavalry could not traverse the narrower passes, and those passable enough would play host to thousands of the enemy lying in wait, charging down screaming to slaughter the armies attempting to invade. A stalemate had grown, and for a time, both the mountain people and those of the lowlands turn inwards, fighting amongst themselves. 

But now, now they had a new weapon - gunpowder. In the year 1451, Etresna had built an army fifty thousand strong, with over two thousand cannon in tow. They set out once more, into the lowlands, intending to seek retribution for the humiliations of the past. The first army they met almost matched them in size - the Lowlands had always held more people, the mountains held great wealth, but they would never bear the bumper crops of the vast river floodplains.

Forty seven thousand cavalry met with fifty thousand infantry, and two thousand cannon. The horse archers rode up, and were smashed by cannon fire, the great guns far outranging even the best of the horse archers. The heavy cavalry charged, seeking to break the back of this new formidable army, to crush the infantry and silence their guns.

But rather than a weakened mass of arrow-ridden infantry, they found a wall of steel, men and women bracing with halberds, clad in plates of iron. First one charge broke upon their weapons, then another, and a third. All the while, the cannons pounded away, tearing holes in the ranks of the lowlanders.

The day was one, the enemy army scattered from the field. They marched on, their cannon reducing to rubble and dirt the walls of the lowland lord whose army had been so soundly routed. 

And on they marched, smashing two more armies and cities in such a manner. 

The people of the lowlands came together against them, raising a great host of half a million to face the woefully outnumbered Etremaden force. 

In a battle that would be told of for centuries to come, the Etremaden halberdiers held their ground, their armor withstanding the arrows of many horse archers who ventured to come near in spite of the hail of cannonfire. The two thousand cannon wreaked havoc upon the lowlanders, rending bone and flesh alike, crushing armor, and sparing none, king or peasant. 

By the end, a hundred and fifty thousand of the enemy lay dead or wounded, twenty thousand of the Etremaden lay with them, two hundred and twenty nine of the cannon were destroyed, or ceased to fire, their barrels warped and twisted from the heat.

But conquest was theirs - there were but a few holdouts, nations stubborn enough to resist, even after their crushing victory, nations who retained their armies. Most fell shortly, capitulating once the cannons began to sing their deadly song. 

One state, the people calling themselves Ellai, fought on, however. Even as cannon reduced their walls to rubble, they fought on within the houses. As those too were destroyed, the people fleeing, the Ellai continued to fight, putting up a heroically stubborn, but futile, resistance. By the end of the siege, two thousand of the city's thirteen thousand inhabitants lay slain, most of them with weapons in their hands. 

However, the people of Etresna were amazed at their fortitude, and to the befuddlement of all else, offered the Ellai freedom within the Realm, total equality with the people of the mountains, and other privileges granted only to one other people - the Remii, longstanding allies of the Realm. The Ellai refused, at first, but eventually acquiesced. 

The people of the mountains, long thought to be an eccentric backwater of occultists had triumphed, and there was rejoicing throughout the mountains. Outside of the Realm, the Kratorian Imperium continued their conquests, and preparations were made for the possibility of their eye turning to Etresna. But for many, it was a time of consolidation, rather than fearing outside invasion.


Rolls: 
12+2 - Territory - Your nation is decently sized, and even has some overseas territories. It’s by no means impressive, but it is a start.
20 - Tech - Your nation is among the premier modern empires of the day. One of the earliest adopters of industrialization, your nation is a trender setter in many of the technological fields. 
11 - Army Size - Your army is decently sized, and is maintained year-round. 
17+3 - Your economy is world-class, and the nation is in the middle of an economic boom. You are seen as a land of opportunity. The nation can fund anything it wants, almost.
14 - Production - Your nation is somewhat majority industrial, with decent resource exploitation. 
17 - Navy Size - Your navy is decently sized, with a large merchant train and a large military portion.
7 - Airforce Size - You have a few biplanes. 
1 - Mobilization Ability - It takes several years to get up to full strength due to rampant deserters and draft dodging.

Foreign Relations:

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