Antediluvixen

Mass Effect: Kingslayer

Rtron has sent this to me and I might be interested. Kicking doors in sounds like a lot of fun.

Deadlands: Tales o' the Weird West

Well now, this looks interesting!

Y'all open for another? I've got a couple character concepts bouncing around.

Mass Effect: Phoenix | A soft reboot

@Andreyich Space Mexican Gunslinger War Hero here we fucking goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Steelbird Landing 2021 [Open to New Interest]

Witch - the Apostate

Witch

(Ignore what’s in her hair and the bones on her shoulder)
What do I look like? I suppose that is a good question. My skin is… light brown. Olive, I think, is the term once used. My hair white - white as the driven snow, was the old expression. I keep it long and let it hang free. Tattoos. I have lots of tattoos. Some of them from the cult, some from before even then, I think. Some from after, too. My eyes… heh, well, wherever they are now I don’t have them any more. Priest sewed the sockets shut too after he took them, for good measure.

¤ Age, approximately.
Unknown. Witch herself doesn’t remember. She looks young, but how young is impossible to place, and she seems to hold memories far beyond that.

¤ What Are You?
The Apostate.

She who looked from the light, defied the Maelstrom and its cult. She who wished for normalcy.

¤ What defines you?
Weird. I suppose. I suppose it is weird to see what the others cannot. Or refuse to see.

¤ Who are you?
I am Witch.

Early childhood… of everything I’ve seen and remember, that isn’t one of them. I don’t remember… anything, really. Anything before Priest. I remember him extending his hand to me, a lost soul in the jungle. I saw, back then, I saw properly. I still remember his face. Clean, pale, like a ghost appearing from the mist. He gave me his hand, and I took it in mine. I don’t know how I looked then. Maybe younger. Maybe not. It’s impossible to tell. How long ago was that? Years? Months? Decades? Perhaps it’s been only a day. I don’t seem to have aged or changed much, so maybe it was. Perhaps it was a dream? Another concoction of the Maelstrom? Another distant memory from a time long past?

I lived with the Cult for years. I… ”lived” with them, I suppose, but I always lived elsewhere in truth. Even when Priest took me with him to bed I was not truly there. Almost every second I spent with them seems like trance. A fever dream. The Maelstrom was all I knew. I suppose I did fill my role for them, then, the living conduit to the Maelstrom they always wanted. Less of a person, or their “high priestess”. Simply a thing that suited them well. I held the knife during the sacrifices, but it was they who killed them. I saw none of what I told them, saw nothing I recall, anyway. I know I saw something, of course - lying or theatrics has never been a strong suit of mine. Maybe I just chose to forget. Maybe the Maelstrom took it from my mind.

All I really remember about those days was how much I hated it. How much I hated them. I wanted to leave. I wished for anything else - I saw visions in the Maelstrom. The lives of other people, normal people. I wanted to be like them, I wanted to be like them so badly, so dearly. I told someone I wanted to leave, to live with them, to be normal instead. I thought I could trust her. Her name was… Blossom. They all had names like that. Priest named her Blossom of the Maelstrom’s Grace. He gave me a name too, not that I remember it. Perhaps it was the “Maelstrom’s grace” that took that too. Maelstrom couldn’t save my eyes, though. Priest did it himself. He held a knife to my neck before them all, he proclaimed that I was a false prophet, that I would be punished. Blossom stood to one side, smiling. The last thing I ever saw, really, truly saw with my own eyes, was her smile. It wasn’t directed at me, but at Priest. All of them smiled at him. He put his thumbs to my eyes and pushed. I don’t remember after that.

I remember waking up in pain, clawing at where my eyes had been. They were gone, hollow sockets sewn shut with wire. I screamed for hours until they came, hungry for the flesh of the blind prey in their midst. I don’t remember how I survived, only that I did. Blood, blood was involved, I think. I was covered in blood. Mine and theirs. All I know is that I Saw for the first time. I saw myself as the Maelstrom did, I saw my surroundings, the dead forms of the beasts of the forest, the spear in my right hand. The revolver in my left - a Taurus Model 689, a voice told me. One of the voices that talks most often.

I don’t… really remember how I came to Steelbird Landing, either. I wandered for a while, I think. Shot things that needed to be shot. Stabbed things that needed to be stabbed. Fucked things that wanted fucking. Life is just a dream, anyway, isn’t it? We do what we will before we return to the Maelstrom. I do what any Weird person does in Steelbird Landing. I sell myself. Sex, plenty looking for that - some times I am too. Blood - everyone wants it spilled, some times they deserve it too, I suppose. I tell people what I see for them, or what was them. Some times they get angry when they don’t like what I have to say. Soothsayer, I guess, is the word for someone who does that. Never really felt like it applied to me. People come to hear what the Maelstrom has to say, though, and I tell them. Medicine too, I don’t remember where I learned it or why, but some come to me when desperate, when none of the other doctors or healers can help them. I do what I can, from what I remember. Some times it even works, too. It works often enough that they keep coming to see me, anyway.

That’s Witch, I suppose, the sorry mess in front of you. What? You want more?

¤ What do you want?
I do not know this myself. I can list ephemeral wants and desires, infatuations and temporary fixations, but I myself drift through life without purpose, without guidance and direction.

¤ What do you believe?
The truth is that all is relative. We once believed we knew the ins and outs of the universe. We believed we knew what was up, what was down. The Maelstrom proves them all wrong. What can we judge, knowing that nothing is as it once was? Knowing that it never will be again.

¤ What do you follow?
The Maelstrom. For it is the one constant in life. I listen to its screams within my mind, and I know peace. The pain it brings will always be near, deep within me, nestled against my soul. I have no direction in life, and so life passes by me without notice.

¤ A scarcity embodied:
Hope. All I have known in life is the screaming of the Maelstrom within my mind. I have seen things not from this world - or perhaps they are. Glimpses into the past, a past so long distant it is as if the earth itself had forgotten until now. Perhaps it is the future. My life, my being, are carried along on the currents of a great river. I have never known anything but the whims of fate as they carry me through this river. All I desire is a raft.

¤ Basic Instincts:
The Maelstrom watches us. It always watches us. If you believe it does not you are a fool.

Keep your friends close, and a weapon closer. Be prepared for betrayal. Be prepared to kill.

The dead speak. And I listen.

¤ Spill Your Guts

¤ What do you most regret doing?
Not leaving the Children of the Maelstrom sooner. Not dying, and bringing them with me to the Maelstrom they so dearly loved.

¤ Who owns you? Literally or figuratively.
The Maelstrom. I am its slave. I see because it wills it. I lost my sight because of it. I know not who I truly am for it has taken this from me. I see memories, my own or from it I can no longer tell. Some I think to be mine are far too far gone to be if I am who I think I am, yet I know them as closely as my last meal.

¤ Who makes you feel confused the moment you lay eyes on them? Why?
Priest. The man who blinded me. The man who raised me. The man who took me to bed with him every night. The man who told me how I was his jewel. The man who I thought I loved. The man who gave me everything and took it away.

¤ What are you addicted to? What are you willing to do to acquire it?
Sex. Pleasure. Alcohol. Drugs. Anything to dull the mind. Anything to escape the Maelstrom for a time. Some times it fails. Some times it succeeds.

¤ Who's intentions do you question?
The Maelstrom. For it speaks to me, and I to it, yet it never says a word. I question my purpose within it. I question why I must know it. I question why it chose me, or perhaps why I was chosen by something beyond even it. It has defined my life, and I know much of it - yet I know nothing.

Hear the Whispers...

It’s adorable, and sad, and enviable, that some only know the Maelstrom in brief flashes. I hear it scream with soft whispers into my mind. When I became blind, it reached out to me, and I saw as it did. The ghosts living with us. The shadows upon the mind. I see it all now, through its eyes. What is the Maelstrom? Whenever I sleep, it greets me. It is different every time. A churning sea, colors out of space lighting the souls that swim within in an eerie glow. A blank mist. A brothel, the people within used by the Maelstrom and those yet to fall into its grasp. An open meadow. A distant land that surrounds me. The Maelstrom is everything and everywhere, and it is nowhere.

Own What You've Become

"The Apostate, huh? I don't trust anything or anyone that closely tied to the Maelstrom. And baby, I can practically see it dancing around your pretty little skull."

¤ ONE MEMORY FROM THE TIME BEFORE PREACHER HORRIFIES YOU IN PARTICULAR. WHAT DO YOU RECALL?
I told you, I don’t remem- I do. One thing. It was… oh… it was… why would you make me remember. Why is this happening?! I don’t know I don- oh god, wake up please. Wake up! I can’t, the ground swallowing all those people. Planes falling from the sky like stones. Those people, oh god, Juan, please wake up. Please, we have to go. We have to go now, I… we have to hide, to run. No, no! Not him! Not her! Not my little girl, please!

The gun, yes, the shelf. In the safe. I can’t stop. What are those things? O-oh god, they’re… die! Die! Die you disgusting things! Run. Hide. Survive. It speaks to me. What is that in the sky? They call it the Maelstrom. I don’t want it to speak to me. I want Juan back. I want little Rosa back.

Why did you make me recall that? Why?

¤ SOMEONE IS TRYING TO RESCUE YOU FROM THE GRIP OF THE MAELSTROM. WHO ARE THEY? WHY DO YOU WANT THEM TO FAIL?
I… I’m sorry give me a second, I’m still recovering. I… maybe it’s Trinket. Nice man, I think. Shows up weekly looking for sex, pays in drugs. Not sure what he wants, truthfully, but he did say something about rescuing me from the Maelstrom once. Maybe it’s Rocket. He reminds me of Priest a bit, but in a good way, I suppose? He’s certainly interesting. Maybe it’s Brick, she shows up a lot too, built like her namesake even, I think she’s a real softie on the inside, she comes for sex too but also likes to talk. I… I don’t know, truth be told. I know a lot, but I don’t know this.

¤ THE LAST PERSON YOU KILLED WATCHES YOU IN YOUR DREAMS. WHAT WAS THEIR NAME, AND WHAT WERE THEIR LAST WORDS TO YOU?
Piano wire. That’s what I used to kill her. Have you ever heard a piano? It’s a beautiful sound. Haunting, some times. Melancholy, others. Some times it can even be cheerful. No, really, I’m serious! Piano wire… She tells me every night how it felt as the wire cut her throat. Her name was Brass Tacks, for some reason. She just called herself BT, though. I wonder how her girlfriend and boyfriends are doing? I only saw them once, when she asked me why I took her from them. She showed me them all laughing, roasting the meat of some big animal over an open fire. Salt and spices rubbed into the meat, the fat dripped off and rose up in smoke, they all cut slices off and stuffed them into fresh baked breads. I took that from her. Her last words…? I never heard them myself, but she tells me every night. They all tell me every night. Every single one of them. Hers was… she asked me if heaven was real. If the Maelstrom was heaven. She asked me if I had ever known love. She asked me why I was taking it from her. Every night, she asks me. Some times she lets me talk back too. I wish I could tell her, but even I don’t know. Maybe they aren’t within the Maelstrom at all, maybe they’re with me, until I finally go to it as well, wherever it leads. I don’t know.

Why do you have so many questions, anyway?

¤Your theme song goes here, if you are so inclined.
Oh! I remember these! They were a thing, before the Maelstrom’s time.

…

Nah, pass.

Steelbird Landing 2021 [Open to New Interest]

Witch - the Apostate

Witch

(Ignore what’s in her hair and the bones on her shoulder)
What do I look like? I suppose that is a good question. My skin is… light brown. Olive, I think, is the term once used. My hair white - white as the driven snow, was the old expression. I keep it long and let it hang free. Tattoos. I have lots of tattoos. Some of them from the cult, some from before even then, I think. Some from after, too. My eyes… heh, well, wherever they are now I don’t have them any more. Priest sewed the sockets shut too after he took them, for good measure.

¤ Age, approximately.
Unknown. Witch herself doesn’t remember. She looks young, but how young is impossible to place, and she seems to hold memories far beyond that.

¤ What Are You?
The Apostate.

She who looked from the light, defied the Maelstrom and its cult. She who wished for normalcy.

¤ What defines you?
Weird. I suppose. I suppose it is weird to see what the others cannot. Or refuse to see.

¤ Who are you?
I am Witch.

Early childhood… of everything I’ve seen and remember, that isn’t one of them. I don’t remember… anything, really. Anything before Priest. I remember him extending his hand to me, a lost soul in the jungle. I saw, back then, I saw properly. I still remember his face. Clean, pale, like a ghost appearing from the mist. He gave me his hand, and I took it in mine. I don’t know how I looked then. Maybe younger. Maybe not. It’s impossible to tell. How long ago was that? Years? Months? Decades? Perhaps it’s been only a day. I don’t seem to have aged or changed much, so maybe it was. Perhaps it was a dream? Another concoction of the Maelstrom? Another distant memory from a time long past?

I lived with the Cult for years. I… ”lived” with them, I suppose, but I always lived elsewhere in truth. Even when Priest took me with him to bed I was not truly there. Almost every second I spent with them seems like trance. A fever dream. The Maelstrom was all I knew. I suppose I did fill my role for them, then, the living conduit to the Maelstrom they always wanted. Less of a person, or their “high priestess”. Simply a thing that suited them well. I held the knife during the sacrifices, but it was they who killed them. I saw none of what I told them, saw nothing I recall, anyway. I know I saw something, of course - lying or theatrics has never been a strong suit of mine. Maybe I just chose to forget. Maybe the Maelstrom took it from my mind.

All I really remember about those days was how much I hated it. How much I hated them. I wanted to leave. I wished for anything else - I saw visions in the Maelstrom. The lives of other people, normal people. I wanted to be like them, I wanted to be like them so badly, so dearly. I told someone I wanted to leave, to live with them, to be normal instead. I thought I could trust her. Her name was… Blossom. They all had names like that. Priest named her Blossom of the Maelstrom’s Grace. He gave me a name too, not that I remember it. Perhaps it was the “Maelstrom’s grace” that took that too. Maelstrom couldn’t save my eyes, though. Priest did it himself. He held a knife to my neck before them all, he proclaimed that I was a false prophet, that I would be punished. Blossom stood to one side, smiling. The last thing I ever saw, really, truly saw with my own eyes, was her smile. It wasn’t directed at me, but at Priest. All of them smiled at him. He put his thumbs to my eyes and pushed. I don’t remember after that.

I remember waking up in pain, clawing at where my eyes had been. They were gone, hollow sockets sewn shut with wire. I screamed for hours until they came, hungry for the flesh of the blind prey in their midst. I don’t remember how I survived, only that I did. Blood, blood was involved, I think. I was covered in blood. Mine and theirs. All I know is that I Saw for the first time. I saw myself as the Maelstrom did, I saw my surroundings, the dead forms of the beasts of the forest, the spear in my right hand. The revolver in my left - a Taurus Model 689, a voice told me. One of the voices that talks most often.

I don’t… really remember how I came to Steelbird Landing, either. I wandered for a while, I think. Shot things that needed to be shot. Stabbed things that needed to be stabbed. Fucked things that wanted fucking. Life is just a dream, anyway, isn’t it? We do what we will before we return to the Maelstrom. I do what any Weird person does in Steelbird Landing. I sell myself. Sex, plenty looking for that - some times I am too. Blood - everyone wants it spilled, some times they deserve it too, I suppose. I tell people what I see for them, or what was them. Some times they get angry when they don’t like what I have to say. Soothsayer, I guess, is the word for someone who does that. Never really felt like it applied to me. People come to hear what the Maelstrom has to say, though, and I tell them. Medicine too, I don’t remember where I learned it or why, but some come to me when desperate, when none of the other doctors or healers can help them. I do what I can, from what I remember. Some times it even works, too. It works often enough that they keep coming to see me, anyway.

That’s Witch, I suppose, the sorry mess in front of you. What? You want more?

¤ What do you want?
I do not know this myself. I can list ephemeral wants and desires, infatuations and temporary fixations, but I myself drift through life without purpose, without guidance and direction.

¤ What do you believe?
The truth is that all is relative. We once believed we knew the ins and outs of the universe. We believed we knew what was up, what was down. The Maelstrom proves them all wrong. What can we judge, knowing that nothing is as it once was? Knowing that it never will be again.

¤ What do you follow?
The Maelstrom. For it is the one constant in life. I listen to its screams within my mind, and I know peace. The pain it brings will always be near, deep within me, nestled against my soul. I have no direction in life, and so life passes by me without notice.

¤ A scarcity embodied:
Hope. All I have known in life is the screaming of the Maelstrom within my mind. I have seen things not from this world - or perhaps they are. Glimpses into the past, a past so long distant it is as if the earth itself had forgotten until now. Perhaps it is the future. My life, my being, are carried along on the currents of a great river. I have never known anything but the whims of fate as they carry me through this river. All I desire is a raft.

¤ Basic Instincts:
The Maelstrom watches us. It always watches us. If you believe it does not you are a fool.

Keep your friends close, and a weapon closer. Be prepared for betrayal. Be prepared to kill.

The dead speak. And I listen.

¤ Spill Your Guts

¤ What do you most regret doing?
Not leaving the Children of the Maelstrom sooner. Not dying, and bringing them with me to the Maelstrom they so dearly loved.

¤ Who owns you? Literally or figuratively.
The Maelstrom. I am its slave. I see because it wills it. I lost my sight because of it. I know not who I truly am for it has taken this from me. I see memories, my own or from it I can no longer tell. Some I think to be mine are far too far gone to be if I am who I think I am, yet I know them as closely as my last meal.

¤ Who makes you feel confused the moment you lay eyes on them? Why?
Priest. The man who blinded me. The man who raised me. The man who took me to bed with him every night. The man who told me how I was his jewel. The man who I thought I loved. The man who gave me everything and took it away.

¤ What are you addicted to? What are you willing to do to acquire it?
Sex. Pleasure. Alcohol. Drugs. Anything to dull the mind. Anything to escape the Maelstrom for a time. Some times it fails. Some times it succeeds.

¤ Who's intentions do you question?
The Maelstrom. For it speaks to me, and I to it, yet it never says a word. I question my purpose within it. I question why I must know it. I question why it chose me, or perhaps why I was chosen by something beyond even it. It has defined my life, and I know much of it - yet I know nothing.

Hear the Whispers...

It’s adorable, and sad, and enviable, that some only know the Maelstrom in brief flashes. I hear it scream with soft whispers into my mind. When I became blind, it reached out to me, and I saw as it did. The ghosts living with us. The shadows upon the mind. I see it all now, through its eyes. What is the Maelstrom? Whenever I sleep, it greets me. It is different every time. A churning sea, colors out of space lighting the souls that swim within in an eerie glow. A blank mist. A brothel, the people within used by the Maelstrom and those yet to fall into its grasp. An open meadow. A distant land that surrounds me. The Maelstrom is everything and everywhere, and it is nowhere.

Own What You've Become

"The Apostate, huh? I don't trust anything or anyone that closely tied to the Maelstrom. And baby, I can practically see it dancing around your pretty little skull."

¤ ONE MEMORY FROM THE TIME BEFORE PREACHER HORRIFIES YOU IN PARTICULAR. WHAT DO YOU RECALL?
I told you, I don’t remem- I do. One thing. It was… oh… it was… why would you make me remember. Why is this happening?! I don’t know I don- oh god, wake up please. Wake up! I can’t, the ground swallowing all those people. Planes falling from the sky like stones. Those people, oh god, Juan, please wake up. Please, we have to go. We have to go now, I… we have to hide, to run. No, no! Not him! Not her! Not my little girl, please!

The gun, yes, the shelf. In the safe. I can’t stop. What are those things? O-oh god, they’re… die! Die! Die you disgusting things! Run. Hide. Survive. It speaks to me. What is that in the sky? They call it the Maelstrom. I don’t want it to speak to me. I want Juan back. I want little Rosa back.

Why did you make me recall that? Why?

¤ SOMEONE IS TRYING TO RESCUE YOU FROM THE GRIP OF THE MAELSTROM. WHO ARE THEY? WHY DO YOU WANT THEM TO FAIL?
I… I’m sorry give me a second, I’m still recovering. I… maybe it’s Trinket. Nice man, I think. Shows up weekly looking for sex, pays in drugs. Not sure what he wants, truthfully, but he did say something about rescuing me from the Maelstrom once. Maybe it’s Rocket. He reminds me of Priest a bit, but in a good way, I suppose? He’s certainly interesting. Maybe it’s Brick, she shows up a lot too, built like her namesake even, I think she’s a real softie on the inside, she comes for sex too but also likes to talk. I… I don’t know, truth be told. I know a lot, but I don’t know this.

¤ THE LAST PERSON YOU KILLED WATCHES YOU IN YOUR DREAMS. WHAT WAS THEIR NAME, AND WHAT WERE THEIR LAST WORDS TO YOU?
Piano wire. That’s what I used to kill her. Have you ever heard a piano? It’s a beautiful sound. Haunting, some times. Melancholy, others. Some times it can even be cheerful. No, really, I’m serious! Piano wire… She tells me every night how it felt as the wire cut her throat. Her name was Brass Tacks, for some reason. She just called herself BT, though. I wonder how her girlfriend and boyfriends are doing? I only saw them once, when she asked me why I took her from them. She showed me them all laughing, roasting the meat of some big animal over an open fire. Salt and spices rubbed into the meat, the fat dripped off and rose up in smoke, they all cut slices off and stuffed them into fresh baked breads. I took that from her. Her last words…? I never heard them myself, but she tells me every night. They all tell me every night. Every single one of them. Hers was… she asked me if heaven was real. If the Maelstrom was heaven. She asked me if I had ever known love. She asked me why I was taking it from her. Every night, she asks me. Some times she lets me talk back too. I wish I could tell her, but even I don’t know. Maybe they aren’t within the Maelstrom at all, maybe they’re with me, until I finally go to it as well, wherever it leads. I don’t know.

Why do you have so many questions, anyway?

¤Your theme song goes here, if you are so inclined.
Oh! I remember these! They were a thing, before the Maelstrom’s time.

…

Nah, pass.

Dulce et Decorum Est - A WWI Inspired Nation Roleplay (Mark II)

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! - An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime ...
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under I green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, --
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

-Dulce et Decorum Est, Wilfred Owen

---

6th Hazirani, 1912 P.A.:
Revelations about the people known as Volyudki and Lisavki are published in the Volstranlyudkivka scientific journal Baigalirod. A surveying team had ventured north, intending to study numerous phenomena that had long been speculated for years but never explicitly confirmed. For centuries, and with folk tales dating back millenia, scientific and occult theorists had postulated that the Volyudki and Lisavki owed some connection to the large, forbidden forest from which they claimed origin. After a long, rigorous study fraught with peril, during which no fewer than seven research team members are killed, they come to their conclusion. The suspicions are correct: Volyudki, Lisavki, and potentially other Pushtavki subgroups do in fact possess an abnormal influence upon their surrounding environment, charactized by some as an “aura”.. Likely tied to their relation to the elder being referred to in common parlance as “Ishareth” though the paper stops short of explicitly stating this.

12th Abin, 1912 P.A.:
Subsequently, further revelations follow in the historical journal Sazhal. During their stay in the outskirts of the great forest, the scientific team had been joined by an archeological one from the Historical Academy of Novetska. They had left before the closure of the scientific team’s camp, refusing to speak of their findings but visibly excited. Three months after the article appeared in Baigalirod, Sazhal publishes its own findings. Relics identified as belonging to The Eighth Tribe, spoken of in Posdal texts and rumored to have vanished into the north, were discovered in the outskirts and within the forest. The paper drew a strong link between but stopped just shy of directly confirming a link between the Eighth Tribe who vanished into the forest, and the Volyudki and Pushtavki who would later emerge.

23 Tirish-an’thi, 1912 P.A.:
An initially unrelated paper is published within Baigalirod, relating to the uncharacteristic fertility of the steppe and arctic plains of Volstranlyudkovka. An ancient subcontinent spanning archeotech device, its age nigh incalculable, using the energy of souls being fed through the cycle of death and rebirth to fertilize and warm the northern permafrost. The team confirmed their suspicions that while the device did not destroy the soul, it instead leeched from them slowly over time, siphoning all useful energy it could before it could no longer maintain its grip. They calculated the process took millenia in total, and their findings indicated that in its entirety it represented a continent spanning engine of human sacrifice, draining the energy of those trapped within to power the agriculture of a society long speculated by historians and archeologists. The scientists likewise concluded that, while predating them by several millennia, the Volyudki act in harmony with the device. Without it their natural effect on the environment would see a Volstranlyudkovka far less conducive to their sprawling cities and agriculture in many of the far northern provinces. Working in tandem with this device, however, the dual effects of Volyudki and Lisavki and the ancient machine resulted in the legendary fertility of the nation’s lands.

Initially, the Volstranlyudkoska public regards these reports with some ambivalence, treating them as more of a curiosity or a confirmation of old suspicions and legends. The revelations of the soul machine cause some minor furor, but upon further publications indicating that the machine predated their existence, or indeed the existence of any extant civilization, furor subsided. The theory postulated that it was initially designed to utilize arcane crystal, and that the machine had grown itself into the landscape itself and could no more be deactivated than the sun switched off, and with these findings the debate instead turned to its modification. Further studies over time by various historical groups indicated that the traditional burial practices of the Volstranlyudkoska could be tied to the influence of this machine and a desire to avoid being subsumed within it.

1st Khanun’an, 1913 P.A.:
The Posdal of the Son, his benevolent Mikos IV, declares that the recent revelations proves that the elder gods are beyond a doubt dangerous to the wellbeing of any and all mortal souls. Even though more moderate voices call for calm, Mikos IV asks every Posdal to act according to their conscience. As Urush asked his own flock ages ago.

29th Khanun’an, 1913 P.A.:
The first major Posdal backlash happens in the capital city of Melidkii where a crowd of Posdals viciously attack a local priest of Ysharith. Local inhabitants and police enforcers are able to subdue the crowd. However several in the Posdal mob are severely injured. The Morric community urge the Sultan to punish those involved against the Posdal crowd. Sultan Memet II has three police dofficers convicted for excessive force. In turn, this light sentencing angers the Quat’i community. Ibhrahim Kusha, a distant relative of the Memetian dynasty, occasional contact to the Posdal of the Father in Sentekuthi and close friend of Mustafa, begins to plan an attack on Abnawaandia.

8th Adara, 1913 P.A.:
A ‘people’s crusade’ marches on the city of Al-Sakhra, known for it’s academic and religious importance. The people’s crusade is composed of an estimated 3,000 to 3,500 people. Their destination is the prestigious Habharra university. Anything remotely connected to Ysharith or the Quat’i pantheon is destroyed. A large bonfire made by burning several books lights up the central university square. Priceless works of arts are burned and smashed. The Royal Astronomical Society’s Planetarium, where the large building’s dome is painted with an accurate representation of stars and four meter statues of the Quat’i pantheon at the center, is sacked. The statues are torn down and demolished while a fire is set, consuming the starry mural on the ceiling. Several professors and staff, a good number of them Posdals themselves, try to stop the crowd. Some of them are lynched.

9th Ayyara, 1913 P.A.:
Volstranlyudkovka, where Velmir is believed to still be “alive” within the soul-machine, begins to be subject to hundreds of terror attacks by fanatical Posdals. The most notable incident being the Vynish Massacre, wherein a radicalized Posdal from the Morrlands murdered a soldier and took control of her machine gun post, gunning down over two hundred people in a packed city square during public festivities before being killed by an armed citizen. Further incidents included forced train derailments by armed hijackers, the bombings of prominent temples and universities, and arson attacks against densely populated public housing. The total deaths from all of these incidents were estimated to range into the thousands. Tsarina Valeriev calls for calm, not wishing to lead her nation to war. Multiple military units are called up from reserve and guards are assigned all over major population centers.

Several days later Marco bin Marco, a prominent fiction writer from Anyueva living in Volstranlyudkovka shoots a priestess of Ishareth. He along with two others then set fire to the three hundred year old temple. They were all gunned down by Volstranlyudkivka authorities and civilians while attempting to make their escape.

In retaliation a small group of Quat’i, suspected to be members of Fehdayeed Ysharith, abduct three janissaries from the northern city of Muskhan. Their mutilated bodies are later found decapitated.

18th Tammiz, 1913 P.A.:
Ethnic tensions between the Morrs and the Quat’i reach a boiling point when Baig Abdul Ersoy is shot by a Quat’i assassin accompanied by two others. The pasha’s own son calls for the deaths of all Quat’i. Even though the Sultan himself quickly rebuffs this statement and calls for calm and understanding, street clashes between the Quat’i and the Morrs become a frequent occurrence.

17th Aylulan, 1913 P.A.:
Ibharim Kusha contacts field general İylas Kemal and janissary grand commander Ozun Coşkun. Coordinating an attack on Abnawaandia. Kusha planned on disrupting Abnawaandia’s state operations by targeting several government buildings with bombs. During the chaos Coşkun and Kemal would race into the Abnawaandian borders. All three men agree to keep their plan a secret from the sultan.

23rd Khanun’an-isi, 1913 P.A.:
The attacks begin three months(?) later. However Kusha’s disruption is a complete failure. Several bombs fail to explode and most of the conspirators are captured. However a small group manage to hijack an airship:

---

And Urush stepped in front of the sinner about to be stoned and spoke to the crowd; "Though they do not follow our ways, are they not people still? Do they not deserve the same mercy that you and I enjoy?". And one young man from the crowd answered; "Teacher they are different. They follow the old path. They worship the false idols of the stars. The 12 unspeakable demons." Urush then asked back; "Were not most of you the same as them before you had met me?" And the crowd was silent and humbled after.

-The Book of Urush, 2;20 - 2;22

Year 1914, 13th of Adara

It was hot and dry in Durnadiir. It reminded Mevlut Koyuncu of his home back in eastern Bastaar. In fact it could be home for him if it wasn't for the elder god churches prominent in the region. Like the one that was currently below him. Koyuncu looked at the Gran Templii di Itzarel which dominated the street below him. It was massive. Maybe even more so than the famous Cathedral of Saint Dumal in Anyueva. The church was covered in ornate designs and statues of their alien gods stood vigil at every corner. The more that Koyuncu looked at it all, the more that he despised it. He hated how so many were swindled by these false gods. Gods who warped the minds and bodies of the weak and desperate and fed on their souls. Koyuncu and the 40 others with him in this city were chosen by Ibrahim Kusha himself. Recommended by the High Posdals in Anyueva. Some of them had even had personal dealings with the High Posdals themselves. They were unwaveringly fanatical. Their faith in the church was unshakable. It was these men and women that Kusha desperately needed to carry out his plan. His plan that would end what he saw as the dominance of the apostate churches.

Koyuncu and the four others with him had a simple role in this plot. They were to plant a bomb on the airship that they were on. Making sure that the explosive's timer was set to go off exactly when it was over the Templii di Itzarel again on its return trip. They had spent a month training for this task. Learning the Quat'i language to a passable degree, learning the mechanism of the bomb they were using, learning how to use their weapons in case the need arises. Each of them familiarize themselves with every detail of the plan. This particular job needed precision on the highest level and they would need to carry out the job of the other if one of them became unavailable for the task.

For now though there was calm. The bomb wasn't due to be armed for another few minutes or so. Koyuncu and one of his accomplices, Miss Marshanda bin Pratam, sat in the viewing lounge of the ship. Taking in the sights like the innocent tourist they tried to make themselves appear as. He and bin Pratam were enjoying tea and pastries while a string quartet played a soothing tune. Koyuncu admitted that this was all pleasant. That is while this calm lasted. If their plan went according to plan, the city would be in complete disarray in two hours or so. Koyuncu found himself tapping his foot against a briefcase he had on himself at all times. Inside it carried three ball grenades, his Fenisian pistol, spare ammo as well as his forged paperworks.

"I don't understand how people can wear these," bin Pratam spoke after taking a sip of her tea. Koyuncu gave her a confused look. "These outfits I mean," bin Pratam followed up. “How is anybody expected to move in this dress?” she asked. Marshanda was wearing a violet long gown with a cut out on her left hip, leaving nothing to Koyuncu’s imagination. Now that he was looking at her dress, he also noticed the rest of her attire. A golden necklace, a golden bracelet with the tri-circles dangling from it and black high heel shoes.

Bin Pratam was quick to notice Koyuncu’s eyes. Who in turned placed her hand in front of his face and snapped her fingers. “Mevlut!” she said in a stern voice to call his attention. Koyuncu simply moved his eyes up to meet her gaze. Then he pointed his finger towards her bracelet. “You’re not supposed to wear that. Not right now.” he told her. Koyuncu and the others were suppose to blend in a Quat’i tourist and while some of the Quat'i were themselves Posdal, most of them followed the old ways. The faith of the great enemy. Bin Pratam was quick to brush his concerns off. “So? It’s just a bracelet. I doubt the guards here will raise any objections to me wearing it.” she defended herself. “Besides I’m sick of all this sneaking around. I’d rather have a straight fight with them like my grandfather did.” Koyuncu placed his index finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose. To say that he was nervous about the entire business around him was an understatement. Just the night before he barely got any rest. It took every fiber of his being to appear calm at the surface. Every little thing needed to be perfect for this plan to go off. Bin Pratam saw the building frustration on his face and decided to calm down her partner by placing a hand on his shoulder. She then gave it a firm yet gentle squeeze. "Nothing will happen Mevlut. Trust me."

Koyuncu breathed and tried to calm himself down. His little moment of peace wouldn't last however. Suddenly there was a commotion from behind them. Directly towards the corridor outside the lounge. Koyuncu and bin Pratam quickly stood up, Koyuncu grabbing his briefcase, and walked a brisk pace towards what they perceived as frantic shouting. Koyuncu quickly recognized the dialect. It was Morric. Before he could ponder further he was met by two of their accomplices running inside the lounge. Nazim Ekşi and Yonca Özkan. The first thing Koyuncu noticed was the red smear of what he assumed was blood running down Ekşi's white shirt. "They know about us," Ekşi managed to blurt out of his mouth once he identified Koyuncu and bin Pratam coming over towards them. "How!?" Koyuncu asked with clear panic rising in his voice. It seemed that Ekşi was about to answer when they were alerted to the sound of several running feet in hot pursuit. Özkan placed down Ekşi and, along with Koyuncu, barricaded the door. Meanwhile bin Pratam took out a pistol she had hid on her inner thigh with straps. "Ladies and gentlemen we are taking over this ship," she informed everyone in the room who had their full attention towards her. "Follow our orders and nobody gets hurt. Now everybody get on the floor with your backs facing the ceiling."

Koyuncu scanned the lounge. Looking for an escape. He saw a service door leading to what he gathered was a staff hallway. Koyuncu tapped bin Pratam on her shoulder and motioned his head towards the door. Özkan and Ekşi observed their interaction and quickly picked up on the plan. Özkan then moved towards her wounded partner to help him up. Ekşi stopped her. "You and I both know I don't have much time. Just give me a ball and I'll handle the guards." Özkan wasn't so easily swayed by Ekşi's plan of martyrdom but Koyuncu knew the wounded man would only slow them down. Koyuncu placed a hand on Özkan's shoulder. "He's right," he told her in the most sincere tone he could muster. Koyuncu saw that Özkan still wasn't prepared to leave him. Before this day they had trained with one another in their small operational cells. Their bonds of trust grew beyond simple professional relationships. Koyuncu himself knew that Ekşi had a wife and two daughters waiting for him back home in the Quat'lands. It was a hard decision to leave him. However they worked too much to have this all amount to nothing. Each and everyone of them knew the risk. Ekşi was no exception.

Bin Pratam grabbed Özkan by the shoulder and pulled her up. It was clear on Özkan's face that she wasn't happy about being dragged away. Koyuncu opened his briefcase and he handed his wounded companion a grenade. They both stared at each other with a brief pause before nodding in agreement. Koyuncu stood up and was grabbed by the wounded Ekşi. "Tell my wife…" Ekşi paused as he was choked by his emotions. "Tell her I'm sorry." Koyuncu held Ekşi's hand and gripped it tight. "We'll meet each other again brother." Ekşi seemed at peace when the three conspirators left. They made their way to the hallway. Behind them they heard uproar followed by the sound of an explosion. They all knew that Ekşi had bought them some time but it wasn't much. Koyuncu heard Özkan recite a prayer under her breath.

In the maze that was the staff corridors, one could easily be lost in its labyrinthian pathways. The only thing that was on Koyuncu and his group's minds when they entered was to escape. Now it dawned on them that none of them had a plan past this point. Koyuncu led the group of three. Going this way and that in a vain attempt to find any progress. Koyuncu could judge that the other two were getting close to exhaustion. They found maps here and there that were fastened to the wall. However it was in Abnawaandian and none of them could make out what led to where.

It was then that by some miracle they happened upon a lone Jakanti walking the hallways. Koyuncu immediately ordered the two to stop. The group hid in a corner. Watching the Jakanti. Koyuncu observed him. Noting that he was wearing the clothing of a waiter. He was also pushing along a tray rack trolley in front of him which Koyuncu noticed had food containers on it. Koyuncu had no other choice but to trail him. They moved as stealthily as they could behind him. No more than a minute after this did the clueless waiter enter another room. Koyuncu quickly ordered the rest of his team to enter after him.

They say that the Posdal God works in mysterious ways. Koyuncu and the two others with him barged into the room that they had followed the waiter into. By sheer luck, or as Koyuncu would have it, by divine intervention, the group found themselves at the bridge of the ship. Two surprised guards found themselves looking at Koyuncu already halfway through their meal. Bin Pratam was quick with her gun and shot the two of them dead. The crew yelled in terror and disbelief. Özkan found herself barricading the doors. Koyuncu took out his pistol and pointed it at the airship's crew. There was screaming after. The two sides are unable to understand the other. The language barrier was broken when Koyuncu took a shot at one of the bridge crew, dropping him to the floor. The rest of them placed their hands over their heads. Seemingly ready to cooperate. Marshanda kept her own firearm aimed at them just in case.

Koyuncu made his way towards the ship's wheel. Pushing aside the captain who looked at him with pure disdain. He looked over at Özkan who had just finished securing the doors to the bridge. "Yonca!" he called out. Her attention turned towards her. "Tie them up," Koyuncu ordered as he motioned his head towards the crew. Özkan would quickly find some rope to tie up the crew, who themselves needed some rough handling to completely subdue them. Koyuncu himself stood over the bridge pondering on his next course of action. He would have to think fast though. As he ran the different scenarios in his head, the unmistakable sound of footsteps were heard outside. Then there was yelling in broken Morric. 'Open the door!' they demanded. Bin Pratam, who at that point was trying to come up with a plan herself, looked over at Koyuncu. "Give us a plan here Mevlut."

Koyuncu looked at the city below. He noticed that they hadn't moved that far away from the grand cathedral that was their target. A plan soon formed in his head. A mix of desperation and apparent insanity. Koyuncu grabbed the steering wheel and drove it hard to the right. The entire ship pitched hard to starboard. Turning towards the cathedral. Özkan and bin Pratam were almost thrown off their feet. Koyuncu heard the Jakanti outside struggling to keep their balance. The bodies on the floor slid off to the side. Leaving large smears of crimson red along their path.

Bin Pratam looked on confused at Koyuncu as the airship began to settle. "Marshanda," Koyuncu called her out. "Try to find a way to make this thing faster," he ordered. "What's the plan Mevlut?" Bin Pratam asked. Trying to grasp any information as to what her partner was intending to do. She looked at his eyes, followed the path of his sight and saw the grand cathedral locked in his view. It came together in her head. She knew what Koyuncu wanted to do. Bin Pratam herself had little to no knowledge about all the different controls in front of her works. She tried everything that she could. One of the buttons she pressed ringing off an alarm that blared on the bridge. Making it hard for the three to hear each other over the noise. Again one would think that even now Koyuncu's luck had run out. The airship was no faster than walking speed even though Koyuncu had control over it. What's more was the repeated thuds on the door behind them. It may not have been long until the people outside made their way in. However it seemed as if the Posdal's God gave them another stroke of his favor. Bin Pratam kept inspecting each and every control of the ship. Looking for anything that might seem to control its speed. Her eyes would then come up some throttles on their side of the steering wheel. She pulled up on them. The relief she experienced when she felt the ship pick up speed was intense. Even though she knew that none of them would survive what was coming next.

The captain and his crew began yelling again as they felt the ship pick up speed. Of course Koyuncu could barely hear their protest against the loud sirens that continued to bombard their ears. Bin Pratam had no idea how to turn off the alarms. Neither did she or Koyuncu thought it mattered. What they did hear was the pounding on the door. Özkan watched the door. Seeing the hinges being rattled with each thud. "Gun!" he yelled out. "Gun! Gun!" she continued on. Eventually bin Pratam turned around towards her. Marshanda handed her the pistol she was holding. Özkan pointed it towards the door. Shooting anyone who made it inside. Koyuncu himself kept a clear eye on his target. Just then above the noise of the sirens was the sound of metal breaking. Koyuncu turned around briefly to see that the door's knob gave way and an opening big enough for a man's arm to fit through was made. Then an arm reached inside. A Jakanti arm which tried to push away the chairs that were blocking the door. Özkan put a stop to that by placing five lead shots on the arm. Koyuncu barely heard a scream of complete agony after. Then the blaring sirens could have been whispers to the barrage of gunfire that followed after. Koyuncu and bin Pratam docked their heads instinctively. Koyuncu looked back over his shoulders again to see Özkan having a firefight through the gap on the door.

Everything after that was a blur to him. His final moments hazy from the surge of adrenaline. He knew that the airship was going fast. How fast exactly he didn't know but he could have sworn that he was going fast enough to see the buildings below him racing past his view. Bin Pratam was again able to find the controls to airship's elevation which was again a couple of throttles directly next to the steering wheel. Normally the captain's first mate would operate the elevations during a landing while the captain kept the vessel as level as possible. What Koyuncu planned was nothing but a practical landing though. He used one hand to keep the ship on course while he slowly lowered the ship. Soon enough the cathedral grew wider and wider. Koyuncu looked over at bin Pratam. What little he read off her lips made him assume she was praying. Urush helped them all he thought. Just then though it seemed like their well of miracles dried up. A strong wind pushed the craft off heading. Koyuncu tried his best to aim it back at the Grand Templii di Itzarel but it proved futile. The last thing Koyuncu saw was a brick building that was almost close enough to touch. After that the sound of scraping metal. Then there was silence as the darkness consumed him.

---

The craft crashes into the embassy of Volstranlyudkovka within Abnawaandia, killing over 200 on the ground and 73 on the vessel. Unaware of the lack of success by Kusha’s attack, Coşkun and Kemal continue with their own plans.

Throughout all of this, the Tsarina would continue to call for calm, seeking a peaceful resolution to the violence. A veteran of the civil war, she had no desire to drag her people into another, and exhausted every possible avenue of reconciliation she could in her desire to end the attacks peacefully. These efforts would come to a close with the two final straws: the assassination of Princess Aminaa of the Abnawaandian royal family and the brazen assault on the Volstranlyudkivka capital of Novetska.

In the year 1914, 17th of Ayyara, Princess Aminaa of the Abnawaandian Royal Family was assassinated at long range. The assassins, acting on the orders of Coşkun and Kemal, had positioned themselves on the third floor room of a local hotel. Aminaa, visiting a small city within Abnawaandia, had exited her motorcade to speak to the assembled crowd. The media assembled soon spread the subsequent events across the world, as the bullet streaked through the air, blowing through her neck and into the shoulder of her son, standing adjacent. Photographs of her collapsing, the crowd panicking, the princess bleeding out as medics tried to staunch her wound - all of these and more plastered across newspapers the world over. When Abnawaandian authorities discovered the identities of the killers, cries for retribution were heard far and wide. Extremist Posdal factions, many claiming all Pushtavki to be the cursed scions of the hated elder gods, declared that the princess was naught but a dog of demons and her death ought to be celebrated. Others warned of more to come, far worse than anything before.

---

Year 1914 PA, 28th of Hazirani, during The Festival of the Liberation of the People

Private Adliya smiled as she watched the crowds of people gathered in the central square celebrating the festival. Though she was on duty this year, assigned to guard over it and keep a watchful eye out. In the wake of the attacks upon numerous smaller events or on religious institutions, the Tsarina had ordered the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of military personnel to keep watch over the festivities nationwide. Adliya, however, wanted to believe no such travesty could occur. The sun shone bright overhead, the warmth of a midsummer day gentle on her skin. Today was a good day, and she found it hard to believe any would seek to ruin such a wonderful occasion. Though she could not participate in the festivities like years past, she remembered them fondly. Spiced meat pies, sugary confections stuffed with sweet creams, the heady aroma of a million market stalls hawking their wares at passers by. She remembered the first day, perched high on her mother’s shoulders. It was custom for children brought to the festival to be given sweets in the shape of a star, as like the old tales said, the stars had been with them that day. She still fondly remembered her mothers insisting that it was far too much for one girl, and helping her finish every last one. It had been a festival day when she had her first kiss, and a million fond memories swirled around her mind as readjusted her rifle, a smile coming across her lips.

The festival, held every year on the 28th of Hazirani, was one of the largest celebrations in the nation of Volstranlyudkovka. It was a day where people from all walks of life, from a factory worker in a national arsenal, to a small cobbler running a one-person shoe-store, to a bureaucrat from the archival systems, to the esteemed priestesses of Ishareth, to the local military detachments, could gather together in celebration of the same date, exactly three hundred and ten years ago, when the common folk of Volstranlyudkovka had banded together and overthrown the tyranny of the old nobility and monarch. It was by far the favorite holiday of Adliya, but on this day she had been assigned to guard duty. She would’ve far preferred to be mingling in the streets, scarfing down armfuls of fried foods and noodles spiced with exotic ingredients from the Quat’lands or from Fuso, chatting with the food stand owners as they told her the details of how the dish had been in the family for seven generations. She wanted to walk through the streets, arm in arm with Safiyah as she listened to her love complain about how the Volyudki here could never quite get the spices right - of course she herself couldn’t tell, she’d never visited Safiyah’s home, but any time spent with her was cherished. She loved nothing more than joining in the people’s march from the city limits to the capitol building - except instead of muskets and halberds, they would bring cakes and pies and share freely amongst one another as the dancers and performers plied their trade through the streets.

The festival always concluded with a magnificent fireworks display. The great rockets would shoot into the sky, eruptions of bright colors carefully coordinated into gorgeous choreographed dances of light and sound. The grand finale was a rapid fire series of them, forming not only the date numbers “1604” emblazoned in the sky for all to behold, but firing off in perfect cadence with the percussion section of the national anthem. Adliya loved it more than anything, and to this day as she stood smiling at the crowd below her, she could vividly remember the very first festival she ever attended. The sights, the smells of the festival foods, and the enthralling clatter of fireworks, the rapid pop pop pop as they shot into the sky, the cheers of the crowd as-

The sounds were real, she realized.

Adilya snapped out of her reverie, her rifle instantly rising to the ready position. The cheers of the crowd in her memory were not cheers but screams, screams of terror and panic as the unmistakable staccato rhythm of machine guns firing in tandem. The crowd surged in all directions, many of them pulling sidearms from their clothes and looking wildly in any direction as they sought the source of the gunfire before machine gun bullets tore them asunder as well. Adliya screamed, though she did not know why, begging the people below to run for cover. She realized a moment after that the gunfire, at least one source of it, came from another guard post - the only one equipped with a machine gun, she realized with a sinking dread in her gut.

She screamed again, her voice growing hoarse as she strained to see who was behind the trigger in there - the shade created by the awning illuminated the muzzle flashes as the human behind the gun gunned down more of her people around her. She leveled her rifle, finger squeezing the trigger, and the rifle kicked sharply against her shoulder. The figure behind the gun crumpled, and she looked around in desperation - the gunfire was still going on.

From behind a man plunged a knife into her back, but she felt no pain, merely rage. She whirled on him, driving her own head into his as she pulled her own knife, overpowering the smaller human and driving the blade once, twice, three times, a dozen times into his chest. Her rifle clattered to the floor, and she saw more of them, their faces obscured by balaclavas as they took aim at her with rifles of their own - models she did not recognize. She dropped to the floor as the sharp cracks of the rifles echoed out amidst the din of the unfolding massacre. Adliya knew she had failed - her sworn duty was to protect and serve her people, and every crack of a rifle or burst from the machine gun meant she failed more and more each passing second.

She clawed for her own rifle, working the lever in a practiced motion - until the clatter of a hard object striking the wood behind her caught her ear. She turned, her eyes alighting on a small grenade lying almost innocuously on the floor of her own post. Without thinking she hurled herself from the elevated position, the explosive detonating moments later as she found herself faced with four more assailants, each raising their rifles. She snarled, raising her own - but before any could fire, the ground itself shook violently as a deafening, cacophonous blast rocked through the city. She and the attackers turned as a great plume of smoke rose from one of the city’s rail depots. Tears streamed down her face, and Adilya fired a shot into the gut of one of her attackers, crying out in rage and anger as she rushed for another one, bullets slamming into her body as she did so. The impacts tore great gouges in her flesh, and she collapsed within arm’s reach of the next criminal as her world began to darken. She had failed. She had failed again. She had failed utterly. In the span of half a minute, she had failed. More explosions, smaller this time, rocked the city, and as one of the terrorists pointed her sidearm at Adliya’s forehead the world went dark.

---

The clatter of gunfire echoed around the city. Reports had come in, disrupting the cheerful holiday atmosphere, of at least twenty separate attacks at various points throughout the city. Masked individuals yelling Neverustasika slogans had opened fire using captured weapons and their own. The Tsarina was inbound to the city on a train - and the fuel depot of the station she was due to arrive in had exploded minutes before, shattering windows across the city and wiping the station from the map. Adjacent to the station, though, was the central square of the city, where enormous crowds had gathered during the festival. It lay nearly abandoned now, save for the bodies of hundreds of festival goers strewn about. Many cried out in pain or begged for help, many more held weapons of their own despite their injuries, desperately firing at the attackers’ locations as they dragged themselves behind cover. Many lay ominously still, and Kapitan Farehn knew all too well what had happened to them.

Her company raced through the square, opening up on the various guard posts built into the buildings surrounding the square. Others raced into cover, taking shelter behind walls and overturned food stalls along with many other soldiers, and even more armed civilians.

She followed her second in command into position behind a position diagonal from the main point. The muted burst of a machine gun was followed by a scream as one of her soldiers collapsed, bloody chunks torn from her body as the bullets found their mark. Farehn’s heart skipped a beat - she knew the soldier, she knew every soldier in her unit. Private Vidul, one of the newest additions to the unit fresh out of education. She had been one of the unit’s jokers, and Farehn herself had found it impossible not to laugh at the young human’s wit. It was another name and face to add to the list, Fahrenheit knew, another one killed under her command. These criminals would pay.

She lifted her rifle, nodding to the soldiers in her unit who had taken refuge with her, and nodding to the two civilians who held revolvers beside them. “I want you seven,” she said, pointing to the civilians and to a squad hunkering down beside them, “to lay down fire on that post. Serzhant Sidiztch, take your squad and push forward. Try to take them out with grenades or… something!” Her words came rushed, uncertain. “I’ll take squad 2 and flank to the east, we’ll take one of the KMRs with us to try and keep the next one pinned. Go, now!” Making the sign of the star across her brow, she added, “And may Ishareth guide you.”

She signalled to the squad she’d chosen, one of them hefting the KMR with a slight grunt. A nod to those she’d delegated, and the civilians and her designated squad opened fire, popping out briefly from behind cover to unleash a withering hail of gunfire towards the guard post - the second squad sprinting towards the next patch of cover. Her own squad bolted to the east, setting up position as private Adlisev racked the charging handle, opening up her own deafening hail of machine gun fire on the next guard post. A figure, silhouetted behind the constant flash of their weapon, fell from view. Another soon took their place though, keeping a lower profile as they redirected their weapoon towards her squad. The impact of bullets on the hard stone around them sent clouds of dust into the air, and Farehn and her comrades ducked behind the hard wall - though another was not so lucky, going limp on the ground as the bullets hit home.

Farehn directed her gunner to return fire, and as the woman loaded a fresh belt into the gun, a sharp blast came from the first guard post. She whirled - smoke rose from it as the squad she had assigned crouched nearby, two of their number lying prone on the cobblestone as a third clutched at her side. The remaining two kept their rifles trained on the post, but no more movement came from it. The other soldiers from across the square moved in, and Farehn could see fresh reinforcements streaming into the square, hundreds of green uniforms moving like a tidal wave of vengeance. They opened fire upon the remaining attackers, several of them using improvised staff slings to hurl grenades at and into the positions held by the terrorists, explosions erupting all around and within their commandeered guard posts. Silence, relative silence, fell on the square - all three points had been neutralized, an abrupt end to the rampage.

A runner came sprinting over, one of many, and addressed her and her unit. “Rendezvous at Belayinskaya Rail Terminal, they’ve barricaded themselves inside with hostages.”

Farehn moved to argue, “But there are countless here in the square that need our help! It is our duty to a-”

She was cut off by the runner as she shook her head. “They’ve dispatched medics, we need everyone we can get over to the station and the other combat zones as soon as possible. They’ve attacked all over the city, and we’re mobilizing as many as we can to deal with the situation - but right now you are needed as Isknada Station, Major’s orders!”

---

The din of telephones joined in with the distant rattle of gunfire, seemingly coming from all corners of the city at once. Fahrenheit glimpsed a guard by the telephone operators huddled behind a section of wall, her rifle clutched tightly in her fingers and her face white as a sheet as she kept a close watch for more assailants. Many telephone lines around the city had been destroyed by the effects of the enormous blast, but her substation remained intact. Confused, garbled reports continued to flood in from around the city as the assault upon Novetska continued.

“We have reports of a hostage situation at the. They claim to have another bomb and have affixed it to the fuel tanks, and they claim to have over two hundred hostages inside. All available personnel are to report to our position at Belayinskaya immediately. The Tsarina may have been killed in the blast. Under acting commander General Iskand all available units are to redeploy.”

Farehn stared in mute disbelief at what lay before her, unblinking. She watched as another company of soldiers moved in, taking up positions around the building as shots rang out from within. She glimpsed dimly silhouetted figures moving inside, and the shouts of her comrades attempting to convince them to lay down arms.

“Hold on.” She said, breaking her silence, “The Tsarina is dead?” She turned to another woman, her words becoming more frantic now. “The Tsarina is dead?!”

The other woman rested her arms on her shoulders, “Calm, kapitan. We do not know for sure, but we were told a train had arrived at the station just before the blast. I cannot tell you for sure, but we must steel ourselves for the possibility.”

---

Year 1914 PA, 28th of Hazirani, on board the Tsarina Valeriev's train

Tsarina Valeriev enjoyed few things more than she did a train ride. It was a fascination that had begun at an early age, when her mother brought her into Novetska to bring in the family’s harvest of wheat. She had been enthralled by the sights, smells, sounds, and feelings of the massive, sprawling city. A metropolis with few equals anywhere in the world, and her home now, since the election.

She had been away from the city for over a week, visiting soldiers on the southern border fortifications and giving speeches. Nobody had ever told her, while on campaign trail, the extent of campaigning she would still be required to do after. It was a perpetual task, and she had begun to understand not long after ascending the steps why her successor had resigned while she still had hairs that had not yet gone grey.

But today was the festival - and while the feast of Ishareth was by far her favorite holiday of the year, the festival was certainly a strong second in her heart. The fervour, the patriotic love, the delicious foods - there were few days whereon Valeriev felt more proud of her home than on festival day. It was one of the days when everyone, regardless of their social circle or employment, could mingle and celebrate together. One of the days she would look forward to all through the year and then think back longingly on for months after.

And today was special - her fourth daughter, eight year old Subuka, had turned eight not two days before. The young girl had accompanied her on her trip from the capital, and though some had initially resisted it, Valeriev herself had overridden them upon seeing her cheeks stained with tears at the prospect of her mother leaving her again. And so it was young Subuka had followed after her mother, laughing boisterously at the security detail that followed her. It had taken only a day, with some prodding from Valeriev herself, for one of them to relent. On being relieved from her post, the soldier had turned and knelt, joining in the children’s hand game that Subuka had insisted on since laying eyes on the woman.

The memory was a fond one, and Valeriev’s smile grew wider still at the recollection of it. It would be good to return home - just one more speech to give and she would be ready to sit back at her desk and enjoy the first long nap in a week. Subuka, too, would benefit - her daughter was growing increasingly stir crazy in the confines of the train cabin, and as she tried to calm the little girl she held perched on her lap, she did her best to suppress a laugh at her antics. “Calm, sweetie.” She cooed, stroking her hair, “We will be home soon, I am sure Vitri will be eager to play with you as well when we get there.”

With the wide, innocent eyes of childhood, Subuka replied without missing a beat, “But mommy, you told Susika to feed him! He’ll be fat!”

At that, Valerierv lost her battle, and burst out laughing, wiping a tear away with a free hand. “My little star, if so is the case - I think a nap is in order, first. And then I suppose you’ll have to exercise him, won’t you?” She smiled, “I know Susika will be happy to help you out with that, I’m sure. She can throw the ball far further than you can right now - but I bet you can help encourage him! Besides, I bet you could do with some exercise after being stuck in here too.” She gave Subuka a tight hug, kissing her on the forehead. “I love you more than you can understand, my little star, but sometimes you can be a bit mu-”

Valeriev was cut off by the sound of what seemed to be muffled shouting, and the stampede of feet outside the carriage. The door to the left flung open, and Valeriev reflexively reached for her sidearm - only pausing as the figure of her chief security officer made itself clear. “My Tsarina!” She gasped, her breath ragged, “We must evacuate immediately! There i-”

The security chief’s words were cut mid syllable as the wall opposite Valeriev exploded. The deafening crash of utter armageddon filled her world. She had no time to scream, no time to react, no time for anything as her body was hurled through the void. Seconds stretched on for years in a maelstrom of fire and sound as metal ripped and tore around her and great plumes of smoke rose into the sky.

---

Valeriev lay in the grass beside the railroad, staring into the sky. It was a brilliant blue, a bright, sunny day with nary a cloud in the sky around her. Except… in the corner of her eye, an ugly dark cloud marred the beautiful color. She frowned as it grew larger - where was this ugly cloud coming from? Why was it so dark? She turned her head to look and pain shot through her body as she did so. Her arm was red, she noticed. She thought she had been wearing a black uniform earlier. Had she taken it off?

A curious sound crept slowly into her ears. She couldn’t place it, at first - it was a strange crackling. It was familiar, but for some reason simply resisted recognition. Fire. That was it, something was burning?

Valeriev turned her head towards the sound of the fire, was someone building a campfire? She didn’t recall leaving the train for anything like that before - a wood gas stove served the purpose perfectly well.

Train. That word stuck in her mind for some reason, and she slowly took in the full scene before her. The burning wreck of a train lay before her eyes - it looked, to her only semi-trained eyes, as though the fuel tank had exploded, tearing the entire train apart. Anyone inside would have been very lucky to be alive.

A brass number seven lay nearby, and as her eyes alighted on it, the memories came rushing back. She had been on this train. Train number 7, the Tsarina’s personal armored and armed express train. Perhaps the heaviest, best made armored train in the entire empire. It now lay wrecked and smoldering around the field. Even its heavy armor had been little match for a blow from within.

Valeriev pushed herself into a sitting position, looking around blearily. Jagged lumps of metal lay scattered around the countryside, and strange misshapen lumps lay intermingled amongst them. Strange colored cloth clung to those lumps, flapping thinly in the breeze. Valeriev realized, after a moment, that the lumps were bodies. Many of them unrecognizable as anything more than charred and mauled hunks of meat.

One thought flashed into her mind. “Subuka!” She called, her eyes widening as she looked around, the full memory of events now finally flooding into her mind. “Subuka! My star! Subuka!” She called, her voice devolving into a panicked scream. Valeriev pushed herself to her feet, taking a wobbly first step as she looked around the devastated scene of the wreck. “Subuka!” She called again, her eyes straining to catch a glimpse of her daughter.

She turned around, her heart pounding in her chest, her entire being ached - but she scarcely felt a thing as she searched for her daughter.

A light blue scrap of cloth caught her eye, and she felt her heart sink. “Subuka!” She gasped, stumbling towards the prone form lying motionless in the grass. As she drew nearer, however, she breathed a sigh of relief, only to feel a wave of shame wash over her. Though it was not Subuka, it was one of the train attendants, a young Nang Hum girl from the east - Hua, her name was. Valeriev blinked, and stumbled, overcome by the situation. “Subuka…” She cried quietly to herself, looking around the devastation that surrounded her, seeking the light blue her baby had worn.

Her heart sank once more. There, another one - unmistakably Subuka. Valeriev half sprinted, half stumbled towards her daughter - for it was Subuka, her shock of bright red hair unmistakable for anything else. Valeriev called for her, her throat hoarse, and she collapsed by her daughter, shaking her vigorously. “Subuka! My star, please!” She begged, pulling her daughter up towards her - only to recoil in shock and horror, letting the limp corpse fall back to the ground. Valeriev stared, speechless, at the bright red blood that now stained her hands from grisly wounds she had felt on her daughter’s back. Tears welled in her eyes as she sat in stunned disbelieving silence as each heartbeat stretched on for an eternity.

Valeriev felt all strength leave her as she collapsed next to Subuka, the images of the last moments on the train flooding her mind. She bawled aloud, crumpling into a heap atop the body of her daughter. Subuka had sat on her lap, her back facing the wall, Valeriev had leaned in to give her a hug. Subuka’s back was covered in horrific wounds, Valeriev had seen enough in combat to know there was no surviving such. Her own arms and legs were covered in cuts and other wounds, a chunk of shrapnel embedded in her right calf - but much of her torso was entirely free from such. And the dreadful realization sank in as she cradled her daughter’s body in her arms, sobbing and begging aloud for her to come back.

Another image flashed into her mind. Susika, her nanny, had resisted sending the little girl on the train with her mother. She had voiced her concerns openly, fearing that something might befall the Tsarina’s daughter. Valeriev had rebuffed her, laughing her off. “What could possibly happen?” She had told her, she remembered. “She will be with me, there is no safer place in the whole nation!”

Valeriev’s wails filled the air as she begged her daughter for forgiveness, slowly descending into meaningless sobbing. She scarcely knew how much time had passed. She did not notice her state photographer standing by, capturing the scenes of devastation. She did not remember her turning the camera to her Tsarina and capturing the image that would cover the headlines for months after of Valeriev clutching the mangled, broken body of her youngest daughter as she wept. Valeriev did not remember anything as she drowned in an ocean of grief, her only company the body of her daughter as it slowly cooled, her blood congealing onto Valeriev’s skin. She did not hear the words nor feel the touch of the other survivors as they gathered around her. She did not notice as the army arrived, hundreds of soldiers pouring from another train as they rushed to ensure no further harm could come to her. She would have died for Subuka, she would have died for any of her daughters.

The first words Valeriev heard, as she cradled her daughter’s body, on a train riding back into Novetska, were from General Laiki of the North-Central Front. “Multiple attackers have struck Novetska during festival celebrations. Linukoi Station has been completely destroyed in the same kind of attack that took your train. We have counted three hundred and eighty seven dead in the main square alone. Isknada station has been taken by the attackers, and is under siege with over two hundred hostages held inside, we don’t kno-”

Valeriev held up a hand, looking at the woman across from her. “Do what must be done.” She said simply. “You have full operational authority until I enter the city.” She looked down at her daughter, and her composure nearly broke once more. She looked back up at her general, her eyes and expression hollow, her gaze cold and dead. “I will lead the nation when we do so. We arrive in half an hour, you will have your Tsarina ready then, general.”

---

Using Government resources and a previously unknown paramilitary organization of a size and sophistication believed impossible for the Sultanate to effectively operate, over a hundred and fifty highly trained agents were embedded within the general populace of Novetska until the agreed upon event: the Festival of the Liberation of the People, on the anniversary of the overthrow of the old capitalistic monarchy in the year 1604. Following an agreed upon plan, major rail terminals were subject to suicide bombings or attacks by gunmen who overwhelmed guard posts with pistols and grenades, taking their machine guns and rifles and commandeering the positions - enabling them to then rain fire and grenades upon the stunned crowds.

It was three days until the last attacker was killed or captured, with total civilian deaths standing at over five thousand two hundred and sixty six, including deaths from train derailments, machine gun fire, numerous hostage situations, and the explosion of the city’s main train fueling depot. With the storming of the final holdout and the deaths of some thirteen hostages came the capture of incriminating documents tying the operation to Ibharim Kusha and other high level individuals in the Sultanate. Clamoring for war in Volstranlyudkovka reaches fever pitch. Tsarina Valeriev gives a speech in the following months. Her final words rang around the world. “I, and my comrades throughout the nation, are distraught. We are hurt, we are confused, and we have lost many of our loved ones today. We know, full well, who is responsible for this outrageous assault upon the good people of our home. And we... I, will bring justice to those responsible for the crimes committed on the 28th. By any means necessary.”

Dulce et Decorum Est - A WWI Inspired Nation Roleplay (Mark II)

WIP still, but this needs to get going

Soyedinonnyye Imperiyvka iz Volstranlyudkovka

Name of Nation:

Soyedinonnyye Imperiyvka iz Volstranlyudkovka (The Grand Union of the Empire of Volstranlyudkovka)

Rolls

Land Area: 20
Land Fertility: 20 (Imported)
Natural Resources: 17
Social Development: 10
Technological Development: 18
Industrial Production: 18
Total Economic Strength: 10
Land Power: 20
Naval Power: 1
Air Power: 1

Territory:

Volstranlyudkovka is an enormous, sprawling country that stretches over 18,370,000 square kilometers of land area. Legendary for the fertile black soil that covers much of the nation, it is host to a wide variety of climates and landscapes, but the most famous is the vast, unbroken stretches of fertile grassland that dominate most of the country. Known worldwide for their unique and dangerous fauna, the nation is also home to the Forest of Ishareth, a vast stretch of dense forest that grows with seemingly supernatural speed, requiring aggressive logging operations to keep in check. The great northern lakes are considered a natural wonder of the world, covering around 558,000 square miles of the far northern expanse.

Government:

Democratically Elected Constitutional Monarchic Stratocracy
Nominally a constitutional monarchy system with a federal republican system of government, the real power of the nation lies in mithe military and the vast workers’ unions. Indeed themselves theoretically separate, in practice the military and the economy are so closely linked as to be indistinguishable. A head of state and Commander-in-Chief known as a Tsarina is elected from the pool of those individuals who have completed their state service, be it explicitly military or some other field, and will serve in this role for life or until their removal from office. A position analogous to Prime Minister known as a Chair is chosen from this same pool by the Tsarina and approved by the Assembly. Once more, in theory these positions may be filled by nearly anyone - but in practice they nearly always come from the upper echelons of military hierarchy. Civil servants are wholly part of the military’s administrative apparatus, and public works are funded and constructed by the Ministry of Domestic Infrastructure, a wing of the military’s engineering corps. The Parliament of the state is known as the Assembly, and seats are awarded based on total national votes of the potential candidates using a ranked choice voting system.

Population:

661,342,139 as of last census (1910)

Current Issues:

Construction or acquisition of warm water ports
Rebuilding in the wake of the civil war
Strengthening ties with various allied nations including Fuso, Xamancha, Kasakka, and Astalia
Building a Navy
Revanchist claims in the aftermath of Dastrian involvement
Economic growth

Species:

Volyudki: 431 million
An offshoot of humanity tracing their origins back to the early days of the world before much of recorded history. Created through contact with unknown forces in the Forest of Ishareth, the existence of the Volyudki has been documented for roughly 6200 years. The average Volyudki stands at 193cm and 140kg. The Volyudki posess an average lifespan of 120-150 years, with an unusual aging trend. Full adulthood is reached at age 30, though most Volyudki reach full size at around 22-24. Volyudki remain fit and healthy for decades after, only seeming to begin aging in the final decade or two of life. There is no slow decline into decrepitude, upon the onset of their decline their condition will rapidly deteriorate in months. Some have compared their aging to the progress of a patient struck by an aggressive cancer. To avoid this fate, many choose assisted suicide instead of allowing natural causes to take them, wandering into the wilderness to die or throwing elaborate parties before using newly created drugs to overdose. Additional notable cdifferences are the birth sex ratio, with approximately ten females born for every male.

Lisavki: 58 Million
An offshoot of humanity dating back to the creation of their twins the Volyudki, the Lisavki are not well known or regarded outside of the borders of Volstranlyudkovka. Standing far shorter than their kin, at an average of approximately 162cm for both males and females. Unlike the Volyudki, Lisavki males and females have an equal ratio of males to females, much like humanity, though they share the lack of sexual dimorphism in height and strength amongst them. Lisavki have similar lifepsans and aging to Volyudki.

Llavanese: 106 Million
Suspected to be themselves offshoots of the Volyudki that migrated eastwards, Llavanese are small, hardy folk, averaging between 148-154cm for both males and females, with a lean, wiry build. Noted to be frequently weaker than normal humans, the Llavanese are conversely known for dexterity and endurance, having lived as horse mounted tribal nomads for millenia in the harsh continental interior.

Various human and other groups: 63 million
Too varied and numerous to categorize them all, Volstranlyudkovka is home to tens of millions of human citizens. The largest ethnic groups being Sigan Tao and Quat’i.

Koshavko: 3 million
Offshoots of the Volyudki, of similar height to their Llavanese cousins but frequently without the same thin, wiry build. Noted for being unlike the Volyudki, with their population being almost 75% male at birth, and female Koshavko noted for very high rates of multiple birth. Competition is frequently high for a chance at reproduction.

Demonyms:
Volstranlyudkoska referring to the people - if talking about a group of predominantly females
Volstranlyudkoski referring to the people - if talking about a group of predominantly males
Volstranlyudkivka when referring to the nation itself

Dramatis Personae:

Valeriev Glagoleva Mariun Konstantinovna: Tsarina.
Aged 64, Valeriev is a precocious and charismatic leader. Having been elected from a comparatively junior rank of only a field captain, her forward thinking capability was credited with saving the lives of many comrades during her tour during the civil war. Doubted by many for her relative youth, she is a bold and polarizing figure within Volstranlyudkovka. Has recently become smitten with the Empress of Fuso, Atsuko. The media of Volstranlyudkovka is delighted by this.

Tyomkina Fenya Borisovno Innokentievna: Chair
A seasoned military commander holding the rank of Army General and an equally seasoned politician, having survived the decades of intrigue and the rise and fall of countless political movements.

Vorina Ludoya Semyonovich Kudashova: Minister of Finance

Larionova Lydia Petrovnu Nikitovna: Minister of Military Industry

Melekhova Agasha Tarasovnov Georgievna (Mashka): A hapless criminal, convicted of manufacture of Class III pharmaceuticals without a license and improper maintenance of state issued arms. Sentenced to thirty years of state service, twenty if in a combat unit. Melekhova accepted the latter, and is currently a Lance Corporal, serving in her third year. She has been deployed to the fortifications near the border of Nango-Tuenggo.

Nevritin Verka Yakovn Adeliya: An idealistic Assemblywoman reliably elected by a smattering of votes from around the nation. Nevritin seeks the abolition of war, currency, and inequality; desires to create a universal international language to eliminate linguistic divide; institute direct democracy; and more. Widely regarded as a radical and frequently an object of mockery among political press.

Culture:

WIP

Historical Timeline - still heavily WIP:

Approx. 4100 BA:
Wandering posdals of the 8th tribe venture north and disappear in the forest of Ishareth. After an indeterminate period of time, Volyudki and Lisavki emerge from the woods - though this link has not been proven.

Approx. 3600 BA:
Climactic battle between the adherents of Posdalism and the followers of the new practice of Ishareth worship in the culmination of centuries of conflict and strife. Posdals decisively defeated, with legends claiming deaths in the hundreds of thousands. Beginning of a cultural antagonism towards Posdalism and its adherents that lasts to the present day.

Approx. 3300 BA:
Formation of the dual Volyudk-Lisavki Kingdom of Riman-Krai, encompassing the entirety of the modern great lakes region. Riman-Krai begins to slowly annex their smaller and weaker neighbors.

Approx. 3100 BA:
Contact with the first major human power, a federation of steppe dwellers whose names have been lost to history. Following border tensions and conflict for land and resources, war erupts.

Approx. 2800 BA:
Total annihilation of unnamed steppe power, emergence of Riman-Krai as major player in the north.

Approx. 2100 BA:
Formation of the Golden Empire. Riman-Krai, having amassed considerable lands and peoples under its control, declares itself to be an empire, sparking a conflict with its most powerful neighbor - the Llavanese steppe empire of Veren-Teng.

Approx. 1500 BA:
After centuries of on and off conflict, the Golden Empire and Veren-Teng collapse under the strain of warfare. Emergence of the Tsardom of Kerelzka in the wake of the collapse of the Golden Empire, centered on its old homeland around the great lakes.

Approx. 1350 BA:
Conflict between Kerelzka and the Lisavki Republic of Virit, eventual status quo ante bellum.

Approx. 1200 BA:
Gradual warming of relations between the rising Kerelzka and Virit leads to extensive trade between the two.

Approx. 950 BA:
Union of Virit and Kerelzka into the Imperial Republic of Volhansk, even larger than the Golden Empire over a thousand years earlier

Approx. 900 BA:
Conflict between Volhansk and the Llavanese steppe peoples of Themerin, gradual annexation of Themerin into Volhansk, resulting in the first Volyudki and Lisavki to step foot into the central highlands.

Approx. 700 BA:
Conflict with Posdal nomads in the south. An incursion of desert dwelling nomads, following ancient legends of the fifth tribe, attempt a migration into and conquest of Volhansk that nearly brings it to its knees. Eventual annihilation of the nomads, but not without immense casualties to the Volyudki and Lisavki victors.

Approx. 540 BA:
The Golden Age of Volhansk begins with the annexation of the Koshavko trade republics in the west, bringing valuable trade goods flowing into Volhansk’s cities and villages, and the grain, furs, and blacksmithing products of Volhansk out to the wider world.

12 PA:
End of the Golden Age of Volhansk. The newly arisen power of Quat’i al-Qarikha in the south disrupts Volhansk’s trade networks and threatens their hegemony over the region.

52 PA:
Loss of the Koshavko states to the west. Inspired by the unification of the Quat’i people, the Koshavko band together in rebellion against the Volyudki and Lisavki, gaining the aid of the Quat’i in the process and becoming a part of their trade network. A crippling blow is dealt to Volhansk’s economy with the loss of vital wealth from trade and the resumption of conflict with Llavanese steppe nomads.

112 PA:
Collapse of The Imperial Republic of Volhansk. Under pressure from all sides, the thousand year plus nation crumbles to dust. Emergence of the rump state of Volstranlyudkovka in the far northeast, in the forest valley around the ancient city of Ishichkalsk. Quat’i al-Qarikha, numerous successor states, the Koshavko city-states, and the Llavanese steppe tribes descend on the remnants of the empire.

113 PA:
Annihilation of the Ilinak Quietude, a secretive nation of Volyudki and Lisavki steeped in the arcane, with its capital said to somehow lie within the forest of Ishareth itself. Many of its scholars and citizens flee to Volstranlyudkovka where they are integrated into the general population.

Territorial Claims:

Capital City: Novetska

Economy:

A technological and industrial powerhouse, the economy of the nation

Products from Volstranlyudkovka are known to be reliable, ruggedly built, cheap, and utilitarian - with little in the way of extravagances or luxury in mind. Those items manufactured with a private consumer in mind sacrifice some of their rugged durability for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Despite its large population, Volstranlyudkovka is a net food exporter, shipping food abroad in great quantities - primarily potatoes, rice, and wheat - the abnormally fertile black soils that cover the nation providing frequent bumper crops with the advent of modern fertilizers and the mechanization of farming equipment. These agricultural lands are themselves pinnacles of modern technology - 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.

Natural Resources:

Volstranlyudkovka is home to a vast, varied array of natural resources. It is noted to have the largest known reserves of iron ore on the planet, and vast sums of chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, aluminum, and many many more. However, its reserves of hydrocarbons are low, with negligible proven oilfields. While Volstranlyudkovka has ample reserves of coal, many of these are in remote locations or buried deep underground, and most coal that is produced is done so for metallurgical purposes.

Technology:

For much of its history, Volstranlyudkovka has pioneered technological development, and even now continues to be among the leaders of the world in technological advancement, all of its cities sporting modern electrical grids and transportation hubs - and though much of it has been damaged in the fighting of the civil war, the nation sports an advanced and intricate rail network linking everything together. The military as well benefits from this technological lead, for instance many artillery pieces outfitted with advanced targeting aparatuses and boasting a longer range and heavier shell payload than many of their contemporaries. On land, while individual equipment is still focused around tried and true technology - the lever 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.

In medical science, Volstranlyudkovka demonstrates advances well above the global average. Transformative procedures, based partly on the arcane study of the energy crystal’s natural properties and partly on cutting edge surgical techniques, have saved or transformed the lives of many citizens.

Social Development:

WIP

Military:

The military of Volstranlyudkovka is a massive entity. The martial spirit and traditions of its people almost as old as they themselves. Warfare and violence have been a part of the world of the Volyudki and their kin since the very beginning, and over the millenia they have refined and honed their crafts in the art of organized killing. Large, powerfully built, naturally aggressive, and numerous, young Volyudki frequently find themselves as mercenaries and hired muscle abroad. At home, the state pours vast sums of money into keeping the military’s combat wing strong and prepared for the inevitable mirveltka voytkri where the old order shall be torn down and the people of Volstranlyudkovka shall take their place in the sun.

The army is the pride of the nation of Volstranlyudkovka, and its touch can be felt in every aspect of life in the nation. By far the largest branch of the military, it receives funding to an extent that seems inconceivable to other nations. But the army is not merely a combat force, and the bulk of its personnel, while trained in combat, are employed in what would be civilian roles in other nations. Infrastructure construction and maintenance, the postal service, administration of hospitals, welfare distribution, public housing construction, and more - all of these are partially or completely handled by the military. Seen as a bastion of the nation, the army is an inseparable facet of life in the nation.

Infantry
In combat, the Volyudki have long been an infantry heavy force, and have adapted well to the modern infantry dominant landscape of warfare. It is they who invented the Marushina gun, and they who pioneered infantry and artillery tactics in the last great war of nations. The army has a wealth of experience in modern war from the recent civil war that consumed the nation for a period of six years. Trench lines, machine gun emplacements, forward artillery positions, and more are all integral doctrines of the army.

Yaighiri:
The standard infantry of the army.

Styrmtiriki:

Murnispikerin:

Moritzeregin:

Standard Equipment of the Infantry and Cavalry:

Rifle - Lever Action, Mosizhkanova-Wenricke 1898, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 3:
A lever action rifle firing the potent 9.3x62mm cartridge, with a capacity of ten rounds fed via stripper clip into the weapon’s internal magazine. The 9.3x62mm cartridge is a powerful one created to suit the dual needs of the average Volstranlyudkivka soldier - to reliably kill both enemy soldiers, and the large and varied natural and unnatural fauna that stalk the plains and forests of the nation. As such the rifle is capable of pushing a 16.2 gram soft pointed spitzer bullet at 790m/s out of a 61cm barrel. Some nations have objected to the practice of soft point, expanding bullets, but have been brushed aside by the country insisting they are a necessity for the large and dangerous wild animals an average soldier might also face. The rifle is powerful, and noted for having a devastating effect on human sized enemy targets, as well capable of penetrating heavy barriers with ease. The downside, of course, is a strong recoil impulse that is considered unpleasant by many non-Volyudki.

Machine Gun - Heavy, Marushina-Vitansk, 1908, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 11-2:
A refinement and improvement of the Marushina gun, the Marushina-Vitansk is the indestructible workhorse machine gun of the army. Notable improvements over the already well regarded original include the introduction of a much lighter (8kg) tripod, a greatly simplified sighting system easing manufacturing, the introduction of an interchangeable barrel enabling the barrel to be changed in the field in a matter of minutes, and improvements to the mechanism resulting in a reduction in weight and significant increase in reliability, as well as the inclusion of a fast acting epoxy putty for field repairs to the water jacket should it be perforated. An advantage of the ability to change its barrel is that the Marushina-Vitansk can be fitted with an air cooled barrel for use where water cannot be spared. Loved by the soldiery despite its weight, the gun is famed for its reliability, with one soldier aptly summarizing, “As long as the weapon has water to cool it and ammunition to feed it, it will not stop firing.”

Pistol - Revolver, Sytinviska, 1901, Caliber 9.1x33mm, Model 27:
A powerful six shot revolver, and one of the two standard sidearms of the army. Officers are given a choice of this weapon, or the 1911 Khiurnin, and it is one of the limited number of firearm models permitted for enlisted personnel to bring with them as a sidearm. Capable of propelling a 10.2 gram to 469 meters per second, the pistol packs a powerful punch and is favored by those who prefer revolvers to the more modern semi-automatic pistols available.

Pistol - Semi Automatic, Khiurnin, 1911, Caliber 10.2x25mm, Model 10:
The other standard sidearm of the army, the weapon was allegedly inspired by Khiurnin’s perceived need for both a powerful and portable sidearm capable of dropping a Volyudki under the influence of stimulants and psychedelics, or of felling the dangerous fauna endemic both to the cities and wilderness of Volstranlyudkovka - as well as negating the time consuming process of reloading a revolver when compared to the numerous semi automatic pistols emerging on the market. Khiurnin’s pistol, adopted by the army in 1911, made its debut on the market in 1909. With a magazine capacity of eight rounds, and with one in the chamber, it not only gave an advantage in total number of available shots - but in ease of reload once those were expended. Capable of propelling a 13 gram bullet to 370 m/s, many non-Volyudki dislike the gun for its stout recoil compared to many of its contemporaries sporting half or even a quarter of its power. Despite some misgivings, the firearm is very popular in the military and is frequently bought as a personally owned sidearm by enlisted personnel and reservists.

Shotgun - Semi Automatic, Khiurnin, 1901, Caliber 18.5x76mm, Model 5
What started out as a personal project by the well known Lisavki gunsmith Khiurnin has become a well regarded combat shotgun within the army. Firing a wide bore load of buckshot, the weapon was originally developed and released in 1899, and became valued as a close quarters weapon by soldiers fighting on the south-central front of the civil war in the ugly trench warfare conditions of the central highlands, as well as by civilians for hunting and defense. Adopted formally by the military in 1901, several changes were made official including the shortening of the barrel and buttstock for close quarters use. It is now an official part of the equipment of the Styrmtiriki battalions.

Rifle - Machine, Khiurnin, 1912, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 23:
Another invention by Khiurnin, she referred to her creation as the “machine rifle”, inspiring its official designation. Firing the same potent 9.3x62mm cartridge as the standard issue Mosizhkanova-Wenricke and Marushina-Vitansk weapons, Khiurnin designed her new machine rifle with the goal of bridging the gap between the two. Inspired by conversations with veterans of the civil war, Khiurnin designed her rifle to feed from the same belts as the Marushina-Vitansk, but built her weapon to be far lighter. Capable of being fired from the shoulder in single shots as a regular rifle, though its weight and length make this impractical, the weapon’s intent was to provide the rapid fire ability of the Marushina-Vitansk in a form portable by a single soldier rather than a dedicated team. Intended to provide automatic fire support to a styrmtiriki squad taking a trench, building, or simply advancing across terrain, the Khiurnin Machine Rifle - or KMR as it has come to be abbreviated - has immediately found widespread deployment in not only styrmtiriki battalions, but also the regular infantry and the mobile forces of the moritzeregin.

Machine Gun - Heavy, Marushina, 1883, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 7:
The venerable Marushina gun was the very first reliable and mass produceable machine gun in the world. Unlike previous models, either requiring manual operation to maintain a high rate of fire or notoriously unreliable or far too complex and expensive to mass produce, the Marushina gun was the first reliable and affordable weapon that enabled a soldier to deliver a hail of bullets simply by keeping her finger on the trigger. Nowadays mothablled and replaced by Marushina’s updated and vastly improved newer model, the military nonetheless has thousands of the old guns in storage - though the nation is looking for buyers interested in purchasing them.

Flamethrower - Portable, Iyyvanti, 1913, Jellied Fuel Oil, Model 20:
A recent invention created upon the army’s request in the aftermath of the civil war. The Iyyvanti flamethrower system is the brainchild of a lone Lisavki inventor from the city of Gopninsk. Utilizing a friction ignited pyrotechnic charge, the system is capable of projecting burning napalm to a distance of up to 40 meters when properly tuned. Though its tanks are only capable of about eight seconds of continuous firing, the weapon is well regarded for reliability and even safety. Incorporating multiple redundancies, a safety valve system for its pressurized gas tank, regulators to ensure a consistent range for its fire stream, and a quick release system should it be compromised enabling its user to drop the entire assembly in one motion, the Iyyvanti is a fearsome weapon for clearing fortified positions.

1904 Protective Chemical Mask:
After the horrifying experiences fighting against the forces of the Neverustasika in the civil war, the military of Volstranlyudkovka commissioned the creation of a proper, fully sealed protective respiratory mask to protect the lives of soldiers exposed to toxic gases in combat. Constructed of high grade rubber and using a filter constructed of sealed stamped sheet metal and activated carbon, the mask has proved a crucial life saver during musin anti-Neverustasika operations in the far east.

Mortar - Infantry, Zhengist Design Bureau, 1912, 85mm, Model 3:
Like much of the army’s new models of weaponry, the Zhengist infantry mortar was developed in the aftermath of the civil war. Stopgap measures such as rifle grenades and slings were deemed unsuitable, and the order was given to the Zhengist Design Bureau in the far east to create a weapon capable of projecting light explosive ordnance out to a distance of at least five hundred meters with a payload of at least 4.5kg. The weapon had to be below 50kg total weight, to permit it to be carried by infantry teams conducting an assault, and it had to be able to be deployed in the field to provide fire support for advancing infantry. The resulting weapon not only met these criteria but exceeded them, providing a much needed boost in firepower for Styrmtiriki units as well as the regular infantry.

Artillery
WIP

Navy
The naval forces of Volstranlyudkovka are small and confined to small scale operations, made up of a fleet of a few dozen machine gun armed gunboats. A nation that is functionally landlocked by their northerly position, and by geography and history. Hostile protectorates of their archenemy to the west, recently occupied expanse to the east. The nation is, despite their millenia long aims for connection to the sea and the rest of the world, forced to remain without.

Air Force
Nonexistent.

Traits:
WIP
Blessed By Ishareth (2 slot positive):

Foreign Relations:

Other:
Neverustasika - Extremist group espousing a Volyudki supremacist ideology. Legally outlawed, shoot on sight.

Other Information

Hider

Political Laws:
Political Parties:
Multi party state.

Religious Policy:
- State Religions: Volyudki Isharethism, Lisavki Isharethism, Llavanese faiths, Koshavko Pantheon

Trade Unions:
- Mandatory membership, nationwide trade unions and worker cooperatives

Immigration:
- Open Borders

Slavery:
- Slavery Outlawed

Public Meetings:
- Public Meetings Allowed

Press Rights:
- Wartime media control, otherwise free press

Suffrage Rights:
- Suffrage for all who have completed National Service

Refugees:
- Naturalization Laws

Economic Laws:
Trade Policy:
- Export Focus

Military-Economic Policy:
- Early Mobilization

Tax Rate:
- Moderate to Heavy Progressive Taxation

Income Tax:
- Moderate to Heavy Income Tax

Minimum Wage:
- Wage updated yearly in line with independent assessment of the cost of living

Maximum Work Hours:
- 40 Hour Standard Work Week / 8 Hour Work Day

Child Labor:
- Heavy Restrictions

Pensions:
- Retirement medically assessed at end of youthful lifespan, living wage pensions

Unemployment Subsidies:
- Basic needs guarantee, socialized housing and work programs

Social Laws:
Safety Laws:

Public Health Care:
- World Class Public Health Care for all taxpayers or dependents

Pollution:
- Basic Pollution Laws

Education:
- Good Education Budget

Penal System:
- Penal Labor, Medical Experimentation for convicted murderers and traitors

LGBTQ Rights:
- No Defined Rights or Oppressions, cultural acceptance

Gender Rights:
- Cultural matriarchy, no legal barriers to either sex

Minority Rights:
- Assimilation Law

Military Laws:
Conscription Law:
- Mandatory national service, combat units volunteer except in wartime, national military reservist program

Males:
- Recently permitted access to combat units.

Rules of Engagement:
- Medan Accords Signatory

Training:
- Specialist Training

Racial Integration:
- Full Integration

Draft Exclusion:
- Education, Special Exemption, Essential Functions

The Grim Crusade - A Warhammer 30000 RP

Meeting of the Primarchs of the Legio XVI and Legio VI

---

Location: In orbit over the Industrial World of Yamvan-IV, Saravata, Ultima Segmentum

Date: 6.341.971.M30. - Culling of the Ipsunal Incursion into Saravata

---

The very fabric of reality tore open, the prow of the first among many warships emerging from the Warp and into realspace at the fringes of the Akhiina system, in the Saravata subsector. As the fleet reorganized itself, Narcarro Salazar sat upon his command throne aboard the Gloriana-class battleship Prince Mesonera. The multitude of officers occupying the bridge were busy collecting reports from the entire fleet, and the Primarch nodded approvingly when the communications officer informed him that every ship was present and that no significant damage had been sustained during their long journey. He turned his bright blue eyes towards the holo-projection representing the Akhiina system.

"Send out a scouting squadron and establish contact with the local authorities." The auspex reading did not indicate anything out of the ordinary yet, but this was a warzone. "We do not want any overly-zealous artillery officer taking pot shots at the fleet."

"At once my Lord," the officer replied before transmitting Salazar's order. As soon as he was finished, Salazar opened a direct vox channel to the entire fleet.

"To all vessels, switch your IFF transponder on. Stay on alert level four until further notice." Ideally, he would have preferred for his fleet to remain hidden for longer, but he was in one of his sibling's domains, and he was not about to give unnecessary offense.

Cobra-class destroyers escorted by Sword-class frigates darted out of the massive fleet at full speed, leaving it behind as the faster ships headed further into the heart of the system. Even though it would take several days to reach the closest planet's orbit, it only took hours before one of the frigates received a vox communication request, and the information that a fleet had arrived in the system began its tortuous journey up the chain of command.

____________

Death. Death and agony surrounded her. It filled the air, overpowered the senses. Around her swirled a sea of suffering, millions of souls in mourning and in pain. To a lesser being, the sensory overload would have been crippling. Sharing in the pain, the fear, the grief, and the doubt of the countless souls that swirled around her was almost too much to bear. Yet bear it she did, bore it she had done before, and she would bear it again. The swirling mass of souls thronged around her as she walked. Fear, awe, adoration, and resent. She met the eyes of every soldier who stood before her, her gaze calm and steady as she listened to them in turn.

The field hospitals and morgues of the battlefield were not an unfamiliar site. Though she had long been chastised by her kin for visiting the wounded and dying of the mortal auxilia that fought alongside the Legion, it was a ritual she would not be deterred from. They marched to their deaths under her orders, and though the deaths of millions seemed a numb statistic, here in the maelstrom of emotion she shared in every iota of sorrow. She walked amongst them not as a great Primarch of the Emperor, beyond them in every way - but as a human. She towered not over the soldiers, wore no gleaming masterwork armor, and she met the eyes of all who came to her.

Voices rose as she walked, and so too did she speak. Condolences, praise for battlefield glories, assurances of promotion, all filed away within the cogitators that hummed quietly within her armor. It was a familiar routine, and one that weighed heavily upon her spirit. It renewed her distaste for those of her kin who glorified the horrors of war, who revelled in the violence and bloodshed of the crusade. It was a cruel necessity, this struggle of theirs, one that she sought to end as soon as could be.

But at times, there were those stood out amongst the crowd, whose questions brought no easy answer. There were those who simply remained silent, watching her from a distance, judging, resentful. It was those who she tried to speak with the most, those who had no gloating or praise, no fawning adoration for the being that walked amongst them.

One stood before her now. A young woman, her eyes bright blue, nary a hint of technological augmetic or of years of campaigning, yet she stared at the Primarch with those same tired eyes. Her soul burned bright amidst the throng of humanity that surrounded her.

“Did they matter?” She asked, blocking Eiohsa’s way. “Did their deaths matter?”

Data flashed through her augmetic ports, relayed from the battle logs. Trooper Konstantia Obel, sole survivor of her platoon, wiped out during a diversionary assault that cleared the way for the Third Battlegroup to shatter the vanguard of the forces of the xenos invaders. Casualties had been unexpectedly high amongst the force, and it was only afterwards that the information was relayed to her that the battalion had completed basic conscript training only a day before. Inexperienced, unprepared recruits thrown into the meat grinder to clear the way for her Astartes forces. It was a story that repeated itself time and time again across the galaxy, a story she herself had penned far, far too many times to count.

Eiohsa wanted to lie. It would have been easy to tell the woman that their deaths had played a key role in securing victory and defending the world. It would have been kinder, in a sense. But she could not. “My orders to your unit were to conduct a diversionary operation, that the forces of the Legion proper could more effectively strike the enemy down. I will not lie to you. Many deaths in your unit were needless, and the burden falls upon my shoulders for ordering your comrades into a maneuver you were not fully prepared for. You have my apologies, Trooper Obel… Konstantia. You have my apologies. I can offer only my assurances that their deaths will not be in vain. I do not ask your forgiveness, nor do I deserve it.”

The woman’s expression did not change, nor did she move from her place. “Are we expendable, Primarch?” She asked, and only now did Eiohsa see the trembling in her body. “Tell me, in the eyes of the Imperium, are we expendable?”

Her words would have brought tears to the eyes of the Primarch had she heard them years ago. But the grief, the sorrow, the pain, and the anger of a million battles across a thousand star systems had hardened her heart and inured her soul. Even so, she could not help but be moved. She rested an armored hand on the shoulder of the woman, “Not to me.”

She began walking once more, her hand remaining on the Trooper’s shoulder. “Please, come, I wish to speak with you further after I meet my brother.”
____________

The massive fleet of the sixth Legion was standing by in the planet's orbit, void shields lowered and weapons powered down. Hundreds of warships, bulk freighters, Imperial Army elements as well as a Mechanicum flotilla which carried with them a Titan battlegroup; all of them were dwarfed by the Solar Dragons' flagship, aboard which the preparations for the meeting were complete. One of the Gloriana-class battleship's hangar decks had been cleared and decorated with the banners of the thirteen Great Companies that had accompanied their Primarch to Saravata. Below these colorful standards hanging from the deck's ceiling, a guard of honor had been assembled; the Primarch's bodyguard, power spear in hand and bolt pistol on their hip, with the spotless red and white of their armor bringing out the shining gold trims, decorations and face plate, faced an equal number of Merendosi Raiders, the Legion's mortal auxiliaries. In contrast to the Astartes, they wore a dark urban camouflage pattern on their Carapace armor and Kalibrax Pattern lasrifle.

At the end of the guard of honor stood the Primarch himself, wearing white pants and tunic, adorned with red and gold embroideries. A red cape was kept in place by a golden aquila pin on his chest. A group of officers stood behind him, holding their helmets in one hand. To Salazar's right was a warrior holding the Primarch's personal banner, representing a dragon breathing fire on a xenos of a now extinct species. To his left stood another holding a two-handed sword in his hands, and a human officer whose face was battered by scars and the signs of rejuvenating treatments.

All things considered, it was a rather sober welcoming party considering the expected guest was Eiohsa izva Bronakavh, Salazar's own sister. Another of his siblings might have been welcomed by an entire parade, but even though Salazar had only briefly met with his sister before, he guessed that she was not the sort to be overly fond of such ostensible protocol and honors. Still, it would not hurt to pay some measure of respect to Eiohsa's status, at least for this first proper meeting.

A signal sounded on the deck, notifying that a shuttle had docked in the airlock. As soon as the airtight door opened to let the guests in, the Astartes next to Salazar struck the metallic floor with the shaft of the banner he held. A second later, the guard of honor stood to attention, the sound of their boots striking the deck resonating in the hangar.

“Salazar, my brother.” Came the voice of the Primarch Eiohsa. “Surely there was no need to go through this much trouble when there are more pressing matters at hand?” She strode through the airlock, an eyebrow raised quizzically. As she drew nearer the Astartes of the Sixth Legion, she raised a hand in a crisp salute to the assembled Astartes, and then to her Brother Primarch.

“It is good to see another friendly face in my home, it has been too long waiting for our first proper meeting. I merely regret that it is not under better circumstances. The forces of these xenos are beyond any peaceful reconciliation. They fight with fanaticism almost commendable in its intensity. Shouting glory for their Great Leader.” She shook her head, her voice lowering. “It reminds of some of the worse elements of our own Imperium.”

An amused smile appeared on Salazar's lips, blue eyes scrutinizing her as they always did. He gave a nod towards his sister before his rich voice replied.

"I thank you for your welcome, my sister. I am grateful for having had the foresight to keep this meeting a secret; I’m afraid even my Astartes could not keep the Remembrancers out of the deck if they learned there was an opportunity to observe two of the Emperor's own children in the same place." He shifted his jovial tone to be more serious. "Especially considering your apparent... Enthusiasm for potentially inflammatory statements."

The smile came back, a bit warmer this time.

"Nevertheless, I am glad to see you again under less dire circumstances. You are right, we have much to discuss. But where are my manners?" He gestured to his right. "This is Ancient Sorrano. My right hand man, if you will. Whatever matter needs to be brought up to me, he will be qualified to hear it." He pointed to his left. "Nocanus Villion, my Equerry." The Terran Astartes bowed his head respectfully, his lighter skin tone and short black hair contrasting with most of the present officers. "And Lord Commander Asier Costales, commander-in-chief of the Merendosi Raiders. His skills have served me well for more than a hundred years now."

"And will continue to do so for hundreds more." The officer added, saluting as he looked up at the armored figure of his leader's sister.

Eiohsa smiled back in turn. “Our kin are well aware of my ‘enthusiasm’, it is only the Emperor who holds the power to punish me for hurting feelings, and I have my suspicions he and I concur on far more than one might think. It is good, though, to meet you and your Legion properly. The wars against the Rangdan certainly did not provide many opportunities for building relationships and comradeship.”

She turned to Salazar’s officers, bringing her hand up in the same military salute to each of them. “A pleasure to make your acquaintances, soldiers. It is good to meet more skilled and dutiful servants of our Imperium.”

A slight frown came over her, and she coughed into one hand. “I apologize for my own lack of entourage. This is one of my aides, Rhena.” She said, gesturing to the woman in question. “And this is a soldier of my armies, I hope you do not mind that she accompanied me?”

The Primarch turned his gaze towards the simple soldier, studying her for an uncomfortable amount of time, as if he'd found her particularly interesting... or suspicious. His even tone confirmed neither as he finally answered. "I do not." He paused. "I bid the three of you welcome aboard my ship. Now, let us go and discuss serious matters in a more appropriate environment. My command room, that is. Besides, my captains have duties to attend to." He turned towards the officers. "Dismissed, gentlemen."

Astartes and mortals brought their fists to their chest as a warrior's salute, before walking away and leaving the hangar, only Villion remaining by his side. Salazar gestured an invitation for his sister to follow him. "This way, if you please."

She nodded, in turn giving a crisp salute to the assembled personnel of her Brother’s Legion. Beckoning her small entourage follow, she took up a steady walk behind her Brother. “It is a surprise to see you here in Saravata, my brother. I presume you have something on your mind? Or perhaps you have come to aid us in our little war against these invaders? I promise you, it is a short affair. Were I less considerate of the state of the worlds after the fact, the problem would already be solved.”

Information flashed through data conduits to her consciousness as she trawled through every record available on her flagship on the Primarch of the VI Legion. Even blueprints of the most commonly used naval vessels, all flashed through her mind at a dizzying, inhuman speed. “Or did you perhaps come to meet properly?”

“Indeed!”, he exclaimed. “I would not pass up the occasion to get to know you a little better, especially since our two Legions have been collaborating closely in the past. There was little time for pleasantries then. But this is not the only reason for my presence; I would not have brought fully half of my legion with me if it was, not to mention regiments and ships of the Army.”

The small group briefly halted before a massive ornate door at the end of the corridor as it opened with a faint hiss. The room behind it, if that term could be applied to a space of such proportions, was a massive hall of marvelous gothic architecture, both cyclopean and delicately detailed. White and red banners adorned with a golden dragon decorated the walls, and between each of them were comparatively small alcoves, aligned and stacking up to the ceiling. A number of these alcoves were occupied by a marble statue of an Astartes warrior in armor, made larger than life and with rigorous attention to detail. A few others represented mortals, their uniforms leaving no doubt that they were of the Sixth Legion’s integrated auxiliaries.

Bronze plaques at every statue’s feet were engraved with a name, a date and the manner of their deaths. These marble sculptures were, upon closer inspection, sarcophagi. Along the walls were arranged hundreds of art pieces, pictures, paintings, sculptures, as well as war trophies and relics: a tattered flag, pieces of a broken sword, an alien armor bearing the unmistakable impacts of boltgun fire. Of the alcoves carved into the walls only a fraction were occupied, yet the statues easily numbered in the hundreds.

“Welcome to the Hall of Heroes, sister. I certainly hope to see you join our celebrations here when this war is over.” Salazar said, as he made his way down the hall at Eiohsa’s side.

“The war is progressing swiftly enough, my brother. Were I heedless for the harm and suffering of my people, it would progress further still. Certainly, the likes of Sarghaul would have seen this war concluded several percentage points more swiftly, but at the cost of great tolls in civilian death and significant destruction to the infrastructure and industrial capacity of the affected worlds.” She frowned, “I am uncertain what aid you may be capable of rendering, we have already received a detachment of the Lantern Bearers in support along with our brother Iniephor himself. I am well aware of your Legion’s abilities in scouting and infiltration, but as these foes are not human, nor even humanoid, I foresee great difficulty in attempting many of the tactics our logs indicate you favor.” Records of past battles and campaigns by the Solar Dragons Legion now filled her mind, processed and replaced by another near instantaneously. “I will nevertheless not deny any assistance you might render.”

A small smile creased her face again, “I am glad, though, to hear that your Legion too celebrates your victories and commemorates the dead.” More information processed in her mind, the light whine of capacitors and electronics a constant presence. “I admit, the practice of preserving the dead in ornate caskets is a strange one to us, but it is heartening to behold the passion and art which your own produce. A cultural exchange may be in order after we defeat these vile spawn.”

Salazar had an unreadable expression on his face. “You underestimate us, dear sister. I cannot say I blame you. We have our ways” He displayed no emotions as he led the group through the hall and to an elevator which closed its doors and started moving upwards as soon as they entered.

“Be assured that I have no doubt in your ability to lead this war to a successful end. Your dedication to the preservation of the Imperium’s domain and infrastructure is… admirable. But your daughters are needed on other fronts.” The Primarch’s voice grew quieter, almost a murmur. “The Ork empire of Ullanor is shattered. Victory is assured. And yet, thousands of our father’s loyal soldiers are still dying fighting the greenskins. They refuse defeat, as they always do.” Salazar’s voice was a growl, as contained hatred and disgust for the xenos echoed in his words. Inside the elevator, an imperceptible change of emotions started to seep into the minds of those in the presence of the sixth Legion’s Primarch, like poisoned vapors. A sense of inexplicable anguish, an irrational fear of something terrible about to happen. Doom. Death. Pain. Oblivion. All of those terrors gradually fading, to let only a greater fear take their place. The fear of fear itself.

The Primarch’s Equerry stepped up to his side. The effects of Salazar’s powers were visible even on his stoic face. “My lord,” he called out. “You are forgetting yourself.”

Narcarro Salazar turned his eyes to his son and blinked. The sense of dread in the elevator disappeared as quickly as it came. “You are right, Nocanus.” He took a deep breath and turned towards his guests. “My apologies. I got… lost in thought, I’m afraid.”

Eiohsa raised an eyebrow quizzically in response. She seemed lost in thought as she watched him, silent and unmoving. At last, as the silence stretched on into uncomfortable lengths, she broke it.

“Fascinating…” she murmured, staring at him with a scientist’s eye. “Your presence in the immaterium, your… soul, it changed. Quite significantly.” A finger stretched out haphazardly, as she cycled through databanks of stored information she had amassed on warp phenomena, including the recently indexed contents of Iniephor’s personal treatise on the ‘Great Sea’. “It was almost as if… a part of yourself took control. It crowded out all else.” She nodded towards his equerry, “It is a most powerful effect, evidently.”

She turned to her own entourage, “I trust you two are well, yes?”

A short nod from each brought a small smile to her lips. “Fear not, even if he did pose a threat I do not believe we would have been in any danger. I know your Equerry would have defended us all most valiantly and effectively, my brother.”

Salazar smirked. "Yes, I believe so. I am sorry for the inconvenience, this should not happen outside of the battlefield. I suppose I am frustrated enough that a fraction of my powers manifested. Lack of discipline."

Nocanus Villion nodded. "We are all frustrated, my lord. It has been a long journey, and our brothers are fighting glorious battles against the Great Enemy as we speak. The men are eager to get back to work."

"I am sure they are. We will have occasions to fight the enemies of Mankind soon enough." The elevator slowed down and soon came to a halt as the doors opened on a room that was rather sober and functional, compared to the rest of the ship. A large table with an integrated holo-display stood in the middle of it, surrounded by chairs which were large enough for a Primarch to sit comfortably. A number of them had their height set for mortals, others for Astartes, and at both ends of the table two were set for Primarchs. The only decoration in the command room was a steel imperial Aquila on one of the walls.

"Please, have a seat." Salazar said as he stepped inside, while his Equerry poured wine into simple glasses out of a crystal pitcher for each of the three guests, as well as for his Primarch and himself. The fragile recipients seemed almost absurd as he manipulated them with his massive armored gauntlets.

Eiohsa took the glass, eyeing it and its bottle with an eye for detail. “Aged vintage, I see?” She raised the glass, nodding her thanks to his equerry. “I appreciate it, brother.” Her form shrank and shifted as she seated herself in one of the chairs, wine held carefully in one hand as she felt the material of the chair. “I hope you do not mind if I drop the formal appearance. It can be rather a chore to maintain airs.”

Serene, inhuman beauty melted away into the face and expression of an ordinary woman as she sipped at the wine, allowing herself a contented sigh. Enormous size and power seemed to vanish into thin air as her form ceased to tower over her brother and mortal companions. “You know, I must admit such is not common where I come from. We have but a few worlds that can still produce such a product, and it is not fair to demand it be shipped to Kayaamat for my personal tastes. Your homeworld must be proud to produce such.” She smiled, turning to her companions. “I am glad you two enjoy it as well.”

Trooper Obel’s eyes were wide at the sights around her, and her amazement and wonder translated to her commander, who gave a reassuring smile. She had before never tasted wine nor had she left her hab-block before being called to war, yet now held a glass of the finest vintage and sat amidst the children of the Emperor himself. She remained wordless, merely staring in awe.

“So, my brother.” Eiohsa murmured, eyes darting over to him, “I have many questions, but I am sure you must as well. It has been long since we met, and we have yet to meet under peaceful times. Where shall we begin?”

The Primarch smiled as Villion inserted a data slate into a port in the table. "Do not worry about formalities, dear sister. They have no place in this room."

Salazar pressed an activation rune on the table and a holographic map of the sector appeared in the air. Ongoing engagements were highlighted, as well as the current location of imperial forces as well as suspected and confirmed enemy activity. “I have brought with me Army line formations as reinforcements for your forces. Princeps Majoris Hordim of Legio Exitium is also waiting for deployment. If there is a need to break a deadlock, her Titans should be able to deal with most of the enemy forces in their path.” The holo-display showed a list of fifteen Princeps as well as their service records.

The Equerry spoke up. "This is Battlegroup Hordim. Two Warlords, three Reavers, nine Warhounds and Hordim's own Titan, a Warbringer Nemesis. Additionally, they've already been assigned escort elements from the Imperial Army. Super-heavies, motorized infantry, triple-A batteries and so on, ready to split up into support groups as needed. There are also Raider strike teams available for use as forward observers, recon teams or emergency reserves."

"Most of my warriors, however, will not be fighting alongside you. My Astartes, the rest of the Raiders and myself will be going into enemy territory and aim for the heart." Salazar pointed at the map, circling an area of space with his finger. "But to strike at the enemy's heart, one must know where it is. Our reports do not indicate the location of the enemy capital, or what serves this purpose to them. Would yours be more up to date, perchance?" He said, turning his gaze back to his guests.

“There is no true deadlock that would require the assistance of Titans to break, brother.” Said Eiohsa, her eye flickering over the data before her. “All warzones are progressing solidly in our favor. The invading horde has a remaining presence upon only a half dozen or so worlds further within my realm, and if my calculations are correct they hold a further fifty seven beyond the official reaches of Imperial controlled space, approximately twenty four of which could be considered developed worlds. Once they have been cleansed from the Imperium the campaign will move much more swiftly. When my own are not in the firing line these beasts will taste the full wrath of the XVI Legion.”

She turned to him. “What I believe your Legion can best offer us lies in your infiltrators. You know of the depth of ability of Saravatian cybernetic technology, yes?” She smiled, “The xenos do not know it yet but we have deciphered their language and extracted many cultural norms - enough such that we believe in short time, skilled operatives could be implanted with this knowledge and deployed on sabotage missions within the upper echelons of the enemy high command. They lack a decentralized command structure, and neutralizing the key enemy figures we have determined are central to their defense will, according to our calculations, accelerate the expulsion of their presence from the system from another two standard Terran months to approximately twenty three days.”

A datapad with the relevant information appeared seemingly as if from nowhere, the Primarch handing it to her brother with an easy expression. “Once they have been expelled, with my people no longer in the line of fire we estimate their total annihilation to follow within approximately one hundred and seven days. Detachments of the Legion and the Sector Defense Force will be deployed to each world, and the largest will accompany myself and my Guard to their homeworld where we estimate victory within forty two days of arrival.”

She smiled darkly, “Iniephor will have plenty to catalogue soon enough.”

Salazar processed the information as she spoke. Glancing back at the holomap, he waved his hand dismissively. “Hordim and her Titans will be free to deploy according to their desire, then. She’s neither hot-headed nor reckless, but the God-engines thirst for battle, so she says. It shouldn’t be an issue to let them hunt. Legio Exitium is not the kind to blindly fire into civilian population centers.”

“As for your suggestion at infiltration, we certainly can make use of the intel you’ve gathered. Some of my most specialized operators would surely be able to sabotage the enemy’s chain of command.” He turned to the Astartes to his side. “When this meeting is over, have Zancador take half of his Drakes and conduct a few raids. We will need fresh material.”

“As you say, my lord.” The Terran gave a curt nod.

“I trust that your forces will be more than capable of exterminating the xenos. We will attempt to make it easier our own way.” He looked at his sister, resting his elbows on the table. “No matter how fanatical they are, they will not keep their composure after their homeworld goes up in flames, with their so-called Great Leader impaled atop the ruins. They will lose heart and break, or lash out in anger. Either way, an easier prey to hunt down, and if they are as centralized as you claim they are, it will also greatly disrupt their supply lines.”

“I expect these Titan legions will answer to the command authority of my or your Legion, correct?” Came the reply, “I do not want the Mechanicum’s ‘god engines’ running amok amongst my worlds and my people, you understand. The world of Furinyaz-III is my recommendation. It was amongst the first taken in the incursion, and the invaders have dug into our own fortifications in the region outside of its primary starport. Progress has been somewhat slow, as… my own creations work against me, it seems.” She smiled a thin, grim smile. “I suppose it is firsthand evidence, at least, that my defenses are as effective as I had hoped. Order the Titans to spearhead a new assault on these defenses - I would prefer the starport remain intact, but the arrival of Titan grade ordnance should accelerate the defeat of their defensive formations in the region by approximately 57%.”

She remained silent for a moment, thinking, before she spoke, her tone shifting to one radically different than the previous analytical and numerically focused ones. “Tell me, brother, of your homeworld.”

Without pause for his response she continued. “Many of our kin think me a fool - or a traitor, even, for my devotion to my people. The likes of our ‘brother’ Sarghaul and his Abyssal Lurkers or Veritas Res and his Truthlayers, they leave worlds devastated in their wake. None of them pay heed to the future, to the need for our Imperium to be prosperous after war. War is all they know. War is all they believe in. Tell me, brother, I know the basics of your upbringing, I can read reports of your world - but would you fight for them? Would you stand against your kin to protect them, or those from another world? Do you believe, like I, that we fight for the people of the Imperium and to sacrifice their lives and wellbeing for a faster resolution to a war is the true treachery?”

Salazar said nothing for a few seconds, before a smile crept up his face, ice-cold blue eyes watching with sincere interest. "One thing at a time, dear sister. I shall tell you about my home. And then, I will answer your many questions."

Eden 2.0(Space NRP/Closed, see OP for details)

WIP pending some rewrites, a few changes made already, parts of history removed, some have yet to be fixed. Don't want to go to work tomorrow but must.

Soyedinonnyye Imperiyvka iz Ishtarka

Nation Name/Flag: Soyedinonnyye Imperiyvka iz Ishtarka

Demonym:
Ishtarinkoska - if referring to the people if a group of mostly females
Ishtarinkoski - if referring to the people if a group of mostly males
Ishtarinkiiva - when referring to the nation itself

Government Type: Socialistic Stratocracy
Nominally a Federal Republican system of government, the real power of Ishtarka lies in the military and the vast workers’ unions. Indeed themselves theoretically separate, in practice the military and the economy are so closely linked as to be indistinguishable. A head of state and Commander-in-Chief known as a Premier is elected from the pool of those individuals who have completed their state service, be it explicitly military or some other field, and will serve in this role for a period of five years. A position analogous to Prime Minister known as a Chair is also elected from this same pool. Once more, in theory these positions may be filled by nearly anyone - but in practice they nearly always come from the upper echelons of military hierarchy. Civil servants are wholly part of the military’s administrative apparatus, and public works are funded and constructed by the Ministry of Domestic Infrastructure, a wing of the military’s engineering corps.

Demographics:
Ishtarka - National Demographics:
Population: 161,803,398,874,989
Volyudki: 93.2928%
Humans: 3.1294%
Achenastirri: 3.2611%
Other: 0.3167%

Volyudki

Volyudki:

An offshoot of humanity tracing their origins back to the early days after the detection of the rogue star known as Perses. In the vast, uncontrolled violence and pandemonium that ensued, one nation created the progenitors of the people that would come to call themselves Volyudki. Initially an attempted supersoldier project, they have come far since then through liberal use of genetic modification technology, sporting an engineered compatibility with cybernetic modification. The average Volyudki stands at 193cm and 136kg, not including the extensive cybernetic modifications made to most individuals throughout their lifetimes. The Volyudki posess an unmodified average lifespan similar to that of healthy humans, and a modified lifespan that can seemingly stretch on for hundreds of years. In addition to the physical modifications done to themselves, significant modifications have been made to other aspects of their biology, such as their male to female sex ratio - currently sitting at 1:10.

Achanastari

Achanastari:

The indigenous population of the planet Furymilvyaz-2l, the Achanastari had already achieved limited spaceflight by the time of the arrival of the Volyudki in their system and had begun the process of explorative landings upon the other planets within their system, hoping to establish colonies upon them. This was interrupted by the Volyudki, who imposed their presence upon the system with little negotiation, subjecting the uninhabitable planets to aggressive mining operations and beginning the construction of more of the vast housing and manufacturing sectors that defined their burgeoning empire. The Achanastari, left with little in the way of meaningful resistance, were entirely subsumed into the apparatus of their new overlords, a cultural affinity for bureaucracy ensuring them a solid, well defined role within the society of the Federation. Despite the harsh, violent change to their way of life they have adapted shockingly well, pioneering many of the adaptations of Volyudki cybernetic enhancement to their own biology and to that of unmodified humans. Culturally strongly individualist and solitary beings, they often clash with the more communally minded Volyudki, leading to occasional small scale violence and frequent workplace friction.

Leadership:
Valeriev Glagoleva Mariun Konstantinovna: Premier of Ishtarka.
A young Premier at only 84, Valeriev is a precocious and charismatic leader. Having been elected from a comparatively junior rank of only a field captain, her forward thinking capability was credited with saving the lives of many comrades during her tour on the border with Saudovskaraviya. Doubted by many for her relative youth, she is a bold and polarizing figure within Ishtarka.

Tyomkina Fenya Borisovno Innokentievna: Chair of Ishtarka
Unlike the Premier, Tyomkina is far, far older at 314, a seasoned military commander holding the rank of Army General and an equally seasoned politician, having survived the decades of intrigue and the rise and fall of countless political movements.

Burov Ludomir Semyonovich Kudashova: Minister of Finance

Larionova Lydia Petrovnu Nikitovna: Minister of Military Industry

Economy:

A massive industrial powerhouse, the economy of Ishtarka is a market economy like many of their contemporaries - though the similarities end there. There are no vast megacorporations within the confines of Ishtarka’s space - instead there are equally vast worker owned cooperative enterprises spanning the width of the entire economy. Shipbuilding, electronics, the manufacturing of goods both necessary and frivolous, all these sectors and more are dominated by cooperative and state enterprises - though like many spheres of life in Volyudki, it can be difficult to tell the two apart, so tightly they are intertwined. The state retains almost complete control of military manufacturing, producing reliable, rugged machines and equipment. Some of the surplus is sold to other nations in exchange for shipments of food or raw materials the Voldyuki lack. Almost all Volyudki, and many of the other segments of Ishtarka’s population are heavily augmented with cybernetic technology, and the production and maintenance of these crucial components of not only everyday life but of the nation’s strength and welfare is of vital concern.

Products from Ishtarka are known to be reliable, ruggedly built, cheap, and utilitarian - with little in the way of extravagances or luxury in mind. Those items manufactured with a private consumer in mind, such as personal electronics, sacrifice some of their rugged durability for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. Cybernetics from Ishtarka are likewise known to be simple and rugged, immensely powerful and robust devices with a higher cost than the norm expected of products made by the Volyudki, however they make no effort to hide the cybernetic nature or to emulate human form - instead prioritizing maximum efficacy at their intended tasks.

With the war with the traitors of Tretirykh, the economy is under great strain as millions, if not billions of souls are called up to fight against this deadly threat. Automation fills much of the gap, but even still, the price of everyday goods has risen in order to finance the war effort. The new domestic shortfall in agricultural production has an even more marked effect on the related goods, available food has become much more expensive and much less varied. Preprepared stockpiles of preserved staple foods are being emptied to feed the hungry masses, but without imports from abroad the situation is untenable long term.

Notable Products and Technologies:

Military:

The military of Ishtarka is a near all-encompassing entity, dominating public construction, criminal justice, and more - and its budget it set to match. Even viewed solely through the lense of its wartime arm, the military of Ishtarka is an enormous behemoth commanding the respect and consideration not only of just their neighbors, but the whole cluster. Rooted in the deep seated cultural paranoia and militarism ingrained in the average Volyudki since childhood, the vast military of Ishtarka reflects the deep suspicion and distaste with which ‘outsiders’ are frequently viewed. Those nations not of the Volyudki themselves do not understand the trials endured by their people, and those nations will surely seek to explot or destroy them, such is their view. In response, the military can call upon vast, seemingly endless manpower to fill out its infantry formations, tank battalions, and the armadas of heavy warships. This enormous force places an equally enormous strain on the nation that hosts it, and it is for this reason that the military so permeates nearly every aspect of life within Ishtarka.

With the outbreak of the Tretirykh War, the military of Ishtarka has been kicked into overdrive. Hundreds of mothballed warships were refitted and remobilized, tens of thousands of tanks, vast reserves restored and rearmed. The military is gearing up for the grinding, bloody war of attrition developing in the embattled systems.

Zvesdekrygenflyot (svez-deh-kree-ghen-fl-yoht) - the Star Navy:
Size: 31415 Combat Vessels
Composition - Main Fleets:

• Battleships: 2303
• Heavy Cruisers: 5050
• Cruisers: 8295
• Patrol Cruisers: 9149
• Corvettes - 5916
• Interdiction Cruisers: 464
• Planetary Fleet Carriers: 236
• Prototype Stealth Ships: 2

Sukhoputnyye Voyska - The Ground Army:

Morskaya Pekhota - The Naval Infantry:

Notable Military Technologies:

WIP

Culture and Society:

WIP

History:

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ISHTARKA

During the near-apocalyptic wars waged in the aftermath of the discovery of the brown dwarf that would spell the end of humanity’s habitation of the earth, one nation, situated in the territory of modern day Russia, Finland, and Sweden, sought to achieve supremacy on the battlefield. In doing so, they leveraged the comparatively primitive genetic manipulation technology of the time. Their goal was the creation of a strain of humans that, with the addition of further training and cybernetic enhancement, could become the ultimate soldiers. Fearless, pitiless, harbingers of death that would assault any position, purge any foe, and obey any order. But as any cautionary tale of science fiction would warn, creating a new life form, a sapient one, and expecting it to perform as planned is a fool’s errand. The progenitors of the people who would become the Volyudki rebelled at some point, the exact date lost to time. Sickened with being used as expendable troops, forced to commit atrocities no sane being could condone, they rose up against their creators and seized power in a part of the country. Their fledgling rebel nation coalesced around an urban center once known as Saint Petersburg. For years, the fighting raged on, brutal, bloody, grinding warfare. A siege the likes of which the city had not seen since a time almost a century before, when the people of Saint Petersburg had likewise been surrounded by an enemy determined to wipe them out. At first, it was an insistence upon crushing the rebellion, but it grew to an ideological war of annihilation as the emerging culture of the people who would come to call themselves Volyudki grew to be influenced by schools of economic and societal thought from decades past. The fighting grew even more bitter as at times entire formations of the enemy’s soldiers, modified and unmodified, would defect to the side of the rebellion.

At some point, yet another rebellion occured within the state, one wider reaching and more vast than anything achievable by a comparatively small segment of the soldiery. The state’s power waned as vast swathes of its territory fell in a matter of weeks, and soon the Volyudki’s progenitors were faced with a new potential foe - but this new state came with an offer of peace instead. They would be reabsorbed into the broader state apparatus and would pledge their by now formidable military might to the annihilation of a few remaining foes - and in turn they would be granted passage on an Ark of their own. Fierce debate raged, and a rebellion nearly broke out within the ranks of the rebellion, but at length the offer was accepted. With the redoubled efforts of the once more unified nation, many targets fell within days under the relentless, brutal assaults of the hardened veterans that filled the ranks of the Volyudki.

The rest followed as expected, and the construction of the arks began. The Volyudki dedicated themselves with gusto to the task. But once more, they would be used - as they entered cryosleep, the capsules containing the hibernating Volyudki colonists were separated and distributed amongst multiple arks, rather than one of their own as they had been promised. A calculated effort to weaken and divide them, ensure they would not have the power to rebel and cause havoc once more.

Upon awaking in the new cluster, they were not greeted with the idyllic garden worlds they had hoped to see, but a murderously cold planet, so volcanically active that entire rivers and lakes of lava coursed through the permafrost. Many colonists had begun to starve and die in light of the difficult conditions, and they soon realized the betrayal that had befallen them soon after - as the overseers of the colony instructed them to instill order in the now riotous people. Initially, they were lead on, promised their own corner of the world to grow and build on, but as they suppressed the rebellions the same distaste and loathing as before grew within them and they turned their weapons on their would be rulers, commandeering the ark in a brutal coup and casting the overseers out into the cold with the colonists they had sought to control. They would watch coldly as the colonists began to starve, unable to adapt to the planet’s harsh climate. They would listen as the people called them callous murderers, a feral pack of wolves that cared only for themselves. As the last of the screams died off, months later, they emerged from the ark, greeting the remaining survivors with bullets or arrest, depending on the individual. But the experience had left them shaken, traumatized - the name wolves had stuck with the colonists, and the Volyudki began to adopt it to describe themselves. They were wolves, they would fight and destroy any obstacle that threatened their wellbeing, they would work as a group to survive and thrive even in the bleakest adversity, they would mercilessly carry out whatever needed to be done to live.

It was then that, as they began to expand across the planet, they discovered Genestealer technology. Already a genetically modified people, ones who had fully embraced a transhuman ideal, the discovery of this new technology, advanced beyond anything they could have imagined before, sent a ripple throughout their society. Once more, open conflict loomed within their own ranks, some wanted to destroy it, others sought to embrace it - in the end the latter won. The leadership at the time proceeding to craft their new image of the people who would go on to claim the planet for themselves, to bend its icy, volcanic fury to their whim. They would properly embrace the name wolves. As the process began, the term Volyudki first came into true common vernacular. They were the wolf people. Other changes became evident as the process continued - an incredible resistance to the cold, a remarkable adaptability and compatibility with cybernetic augmentation, and most controversially, a birth sex ratio heavily skewed in favor of women. Justified by the then de-facto leader of their people as a necessity of the times - they were in unknown space, more of the people who would have them destroyed and purged lurked out there in the uncharted stars, their population would have to grow as fast as possible to accomodate the threat. In private she was more candid - wishing for a society dominated by and almost wholly composed of women. Her exact reasons were never determined.

The Volyudki population boomed, and they began to cover the entire world in vast industrial cities, greenhouses built with the aid of the copious volcanic activity feeding them in ample quantities for a time. But as it always did, ideologies grew separate, and violence reared its ugly head. Once more, rebellion loomed amongst the Volyudki as they struggled to assert their own individual ideologies. But this time, it could not be averted. A vast war broke out across the entire planet, raging for years and racking up a death toll into the hundreds of millions as factions representing a dozen different ideologies waged a brutal war across the ice fields and solidified lava plains, in local space, and more. As the years dragged on, two primary factions remained, one professing a Maoist ideology, and one adhering to the market socialistic model identified with Ishtarka to this day. The war raged on, a grinding attritional nightmare, with no end in sight - until one day, in one of the planet’s fits of volcanic fury, nearly an entire continent was consumed in the fire of a supervolcanic eruption. Billions perished in the ensuring chaos, an entire megalopolis wiped off the face of the map - but the side that would go on to create the modern empire of Ishtarka had survived, and despite the logistical nightmare, pushed hard into the chaos, securing all points of value that remained and declaring final victory.

Decades followed, almost a century, and the planet was once more thriving, united under the same basic governmental and economic structure that characterizes Ishtarka to this day. And the eyes of the Volyudki turned to the stars, once more. They began to build shipyards, docks, and their colony ships, teeming with colonists began to branch out into first their local solar system, bringing to heel the equally unforgiving climates of the other technically ‘habitable’ planets of the solar system, and then branching out from there, building vast communications networks through the gates and upon their planets. New solar systems came under their heel, an entire new species, and re-contact with unaltered humans, many of whom reacted with bewilderment at the sight of the Volyudki. In under a century, the borders of Ishtarka reached their present extent, but the real work of development had yet to be undertaken. Vast mining and construction projects began on the conquered and colonized worlds, those planets and asteroids not habitable even by the stubborn Volyudki were mined even more intensely. Mind bogglingly enormous cities and industrial complexes began to rise from the crusts of their worlds.

Characters:
Valeriev Glagoleva Mariun Konstantinovna: Premier of Ishtarka.
A young Premier at only 84, Valeriev is a precocious and charismatic leader. Having been elected from a comparatively junior rank of only a field captain, her forward thinking capability was credited with saving the lives of many comrades during her tour on the border with Saudovskaraviya. Doubted by many for her relative youth, she is a bold and polarizing figure within Ishtarka.

Tyomkina Fenya Borisovno Innokentievna: Chair of Ishtarka
Unlike the Premier, Tyomkina is far, far older at 314, a seasoned military commander holding the rank of Army General and an equally seasoned politician, having survived the decades of intrigue and the rise and fall of countless political movements.

Burov Ludomir Semyonovich Kudashova: Minister of Finance

Larionova Lydia Petrovnu Nikitovna: Minister of Military Industry

Melekhova Agasha Tarasovnov Georgievna (Mashka): A hapless criminal, convicted of manufacture of Class III pharmaceuticals without a license and improper maintenance of state issued arms. Sentenced to thirty years of state service, twenty if in a combat unit. Melekhova accepted the latter, and is currently a Lance Corporal, serving in her third year. She has been deployed to the polar front on the planet of Vylganitsyn-III, leading an infantry squad.

Isayeva Verka Yakovn Adeliya

Relations:
Tretirykh (NPC): At war. No peace may be brokered, only unconditional surrender.

Eden 2.0(Space NRP/Closed, see OP for details)

Did someone say cyborg wolfgirl Adeptus Mechanicus space USSR?