@Pagemaster If you'll check out the updated political map, I realized after a friend mentioned it that I had forgotten to include the tiny remnant of Aelban -it's that smol spot on the island south of the Reiyk. My intent wasn't really to make Aelban playable - but PM me and we can discuss it.
I can't guaranteeyou any spot on the map until I see a sheet however, and the IC will be starting this weekend for getting those IC posts out. If you can get it done,though,you're more then welcome to it if I understand you correctly and you want the unoccupied piece of land in the south of the subcontinent.
Personal Demeanour: Bloodthirsty, desperate, and paranoid. These are the three best words to describe Naysari Safo. Having left the relative safety of House Escher, Naysari is a woman who sleeps with one eye open, who will seize at any opportunity to elevate herself, and who revels in every drop of blood shed by her hand. Born within the underhive and having never glimpsed natural light, she moves and speaks with the same degraded version of low gothic common amongst the dregs of the underhive. Most would call her abrasive or crass, and most would be correct, but like all of humanity there is more to the hollow eyed desperate former Escher than is first apparent.
Description: Short, like most within the Underhive, and built strong and lean, Naysari is entirely unremarkable. She is of an olive complexion with dark brown, almond shaped eyes. Her scarred skin is bedecked with intricate tattoo work, most of them iconography and designs of House Escher. Her right arm and left eye have been replaced with cybernetics of a suspiciously high quality, almost certainly hailing from well beyond the decayed abyss of the underhive - and this is reinforced by curious patches of bare metal where insignia previously present has been haphazardly ground off. Her hair is bleached almost pure white, though black roots at its base show her natural hair color - it is shaved on one side, the other side long and surprisingly well maintained. As one would expect from a low level ganger of House Escher, her attire is of poor quality and appears to have seen many owners before her. Atop this, however, is an elegant and unexpectedly intact long coat that fits her rather poorly. Its sleeves have been since cut away, though by choice or due to damage is impossible to say. Despite its awkward nature, she refuses to part with the coat.
Skills: Naysari has few skills, but those she does have are honed and well practiced. Moreso than anything, she is a consummate killer, reveling in the bloodbath of battle, delighting in the taking of life. A whirling, dashing, slashing, and shooting murderer, she is a potent close quarters combatant with the equipment in question. In her time since her self exile from House Escher, she has developed her natural talent for persuasion and sweet talk, and will use whatever assets are at her disposal to sway someone to her side. Additionally, a lifetime within the underhive has given her a keen eye, a hair trigger reaction time, and a knack for finding her way into places she is not wanted. She is skilled in maintenance of her weapons, though not to any notable degree.
History: WIP
Equipment and Armament: Equipped with a curious mixture of weaponry, Naysari is the proud owner of not only a well used and meticulously maintained pair of long, razor sharp knives - but a bolt pistol of remarkably good quality, and seemingly similar in its appearance to the cybernetics that now form a part of her body. She favors a high risk, high reward style of combat. Previously a sole user of the two knives constantly strapped to her thighs, she now favors using the bolt pistol in her cybernetic right hand, and a knife in the other.
Miscellaneous: Secretly very fond of small cute things.
I don't got anything until I know what limits I'm working with.
Fair enough. I'll put it this way - if you want your people to be literally knockoff Elder Things whose technology devolved and are now stuck on this world, I'm fine with that. I'd prefer no flight, no immortality, etc. You want to worship Cthulhu and have it be that Cthulhu is real? Be my guest. The primary thing is that the supernatural is a bygone era, now. Want your people to be catgirls? You're in good company. All I ask is it be fairly reasonable, and they be well fleshed out.
@Monochromatic Rainbow and just confirming, we’re on a Different continent? If so, what direction are the baddies coming from as I intend to be right in their path!
Correct, but they have landed significant forces on our continent now too. If you recheck the OOC you can see that I have added the maps, since I apparently forgot to do so initially.
(until 1905 known as The Dragon Empire of Impeccable Jinguo)
The Greatest Empire to Ever Be, The Land Existing Without the Bounds of Time, The Land of Golden Virtue, The Emerald of the World, The Eternal Kingdom, The Jade Gardens of The World Between The Heavens, The Home of Dragons, Crucible of Golden Enlightenment, The Chosen Land of the Sun, The Empire of Golden Starlight, The Glimmering Jewel of Heaven, Land of Splendor and Plenty Without Peer, The Land of Equality Before the Stars From Which Injustice Has Been Banished
Summary of Nation:
Lead by High Priestess Daiyu Nuyiloc Xiaolong, Longguo is a massive nation in the western end of the great continent of the world, and referred to by some as the world’s emerald for its lush greenery and the vast open plains that dominate much of its landscape. From the verdant plains upon which grow vast bumper crops of rice, wheat, and potatoes to the towering peaks of the Xindonjian Mountains Range. In both north and south the land is bounded by rolling hills that give way to yet more imposing mountain ranges, forming a fertile basin within which one of the oldest civilizations in history began to flourish. The capital of Laiguantzu is located at the merging of the two main tributaries of the famous Tsuyan river, and its thriving port has a long history within the vast waterway. Further north is the Guanzu river, “the yellow serpent” as it has some times been called. Known in myth as the spot at which the great wyrms from beyond the stars first touched down, the river has been a blessing and a curse for the people of the region since the dawn of civilization upon its banks. Prone to violent flooding owing to heavy deposits of sediment giving it its characteristic color, the river likewise deposits these fertile sediments upon the floodplains surrounding it nearly every year. The danger lies within the severity of the yearly flood, and the unpredictability of its timing. As such, housing near it and along its banks is frequently built on elevated stilts to survive these floods and enable rapid cultivation of rice and other crops in their wake.
The largest group by far within Longguo are the people who lend it its name - the Longzhen people. Derisively referred to as “lizards” or “wyrm spawn” by some others, they have existed since before the dawn of recorded history. Some speculate that they arose from normal humanity through some contact with the wyrms from the stars, though this is impossible to confirm for sure and as such remains fringe speculation. The Longzhen are notable for their generally short stature, with females averaging between 156-160 centimeters, and males averaging 148-152 centimeters. Longzhen are known for their long lifespans, and some have been recorded to live to over two hundred years old and showing almost no signs of age until dying peacefully in their sleep. Despite this they are known to possess surprising strength, and throughout history their armies have been well regarded for not only their sheer size, but the discipline and sophisticated logistics with which they are managed in battle and out of it. The Longzhen are similar to humanity in most regards, barring some notable differences: they have large horns and tails reminiscent of the wyrms themselves, an above average rate of female births to male births, patches of scales or scale like material grow in place of skin on seemingly random parts of their bodies, their eyes show a more reptilian appearance, and many of their teeth are larger and sharper than the human norm, alongside numerous smaller differences.
The Longzhen, culturally, are well known for a collectivist mindset. Though their society has seen huge upheaval since the end of the revolution in 1903, this is one facet that has not only remained, but gotten stronger. With the advent of the new state ideology of Heavenly Socialism, the focus on the traditional family unit has somewhat decreased, and instead this collectivist mindset has been expanded to all of broader society.
Traditionally a matriarchal society, the sexes have been declared formally equal by decree of High Priestess Daiyu. At the culmination of the civil war in the aftermath of the revolution, she honored her commitments to the progressive social movements that had been one of her greatest bases of support. Though the old attitudes remain, and men and women are still expected to adhere to their dress codes, there is a steadily growing sentiment of true equality buoyed by her fervent speeches on the matter. As such, males, while still forming a minority within the armed forces, are growing rapidly within it and all other branches of society.
Government:
The government of Longguo is an usual one based upon a hybrid of other models assembled by Priestess-Premier Daiyu Nuyiloc Xiaolong during the initial stages of the Longguozhen Revolution [image]i.imgur.com/L4sPGf2.png[/image]
History:
Pre-War: The land of Longguo is one that has seen no end of strife and hardship in its recent history. From the year 872 until 1903 it was ruled by the last of the Great Wyrms that descended upon the world from the stars beyond. For this time, Longguo was almost a hermit kingdom, the Wyrm and its retainers paranoid of outside interference upon its miniature realm upon this backwards world. With an iron fist, the Wyrm ruled over the Longzhen for over a thousand years. In 1891, the people of Longguo, then called Jingguo, had had enough and revolted against its rule. For twelve long, bloody years the revolution raged. Formed of a coalition of different groups, the alliance was not expected to last. The revolution was spearheaded by the radical visionary Huan Ji Zhuan Tzu Bai, and in the year 1903 the wyrm was brought down in a climactic final battle. It was recorded that thousands of shells were fired to finally bring down the great beast, and tens of thousands of brave soldiers matyred against it.
In the aftermath of this revolution, Huan began her reforms, only to be assassinated by the conservative coalition following what they referred to as The Old Faith. Seeing Huan and her secular policies as a threat to their vision for the nation with the false god of the old wyrm gone, they rose against their erstwhile allies, now united into a single army calling itself the National Unification Army.
The left wing coalition had been formed of two principle groups - the Socialist Revolutionary Front, and the Heavenly Sun Kingdom. The Heavenly Sun Kingdom was lead from its creation by High Priestess Daiyu, and on hearing the news of Huan’s assassination she rallied the forces of the left wing coalition around her before they could fracture and lead the second civil war against enemy forces until the year 1912, becoming blinded in the process by shell fragments whilst orchestrating a breakout during the Siege of Djan Loc Hin. With the defeat of the enemy, Daiyu began the long process of rebuilding her home and enacting her sweeping social reforms. Daily thanks was given to the sun for the inspiration and strength to ensure justice was done. The captive members of the enemy leadership were sacrificed upon the summer solstice to the heavens, and the nation rejoiced as the stars drank their fill.
Outbreak of War: Longguo had, though ravaged by its internal wars, been keeping close eyes upon world events at large. Alarmed by the rising power of the Reiyk, Daiyu ordered arms production into high gear and began to expand the military, preparing for possible confrontation. Fleets were ordered into standby positions, and garrisons upon their island holdings were strengthened and their fortifications improved.
Recent History: Longguo has perhaps suffered the worst of any belligerent nation attacked by the Reiyk that has not been outright defeated by them. Huge swathes of its industry for the production of tanks, aircraft, and artillery have been captured by the lightning fast naval landings of the Reiyk. The navy has been ordered to remain out of engagements unless a victory can be assured, in order to preserve precious resources against the foe. Arms factories are being built with all haste within the nation’s heartland, but it will be some time before they are ready for production. The armies of Longguo suffer terribly against the foe, but they are holding the line.
Pressing Issues:
Longguo is a nation, first and foremost, beset with the imminent threat of the enemy at the gate. The armies of the Reiyk do not threaten their border, but have overrun an entire southern section of the nation, pushing into the territory of Longguo and taking more of the Eternal Kingdom under the grasp of the foul foe. Exacerbated by this, and in turn exacerbating the situation against the Reiyk, the country has yet to recover from its devastating decade long revolution and subsequent six year civil war. Though it has been twi and a half decades since, twenty six years is not enough time to rebuild a country with few allies and few outside funds from complete and utter ruin. To say that the High Priestess and her ministries have done an admirable job considering the circumstances is no exaggeration, for before the invasion Longguo had become a powerful and world renowned innovator in numerous technological fields, a net exporter of grain and other foods, and a significant and rising industrial producer. Since then, one of its most key industrial regions has been occupied by the Reiyk - and with it, the bulk of Longguo’s existing tooling and industry to produce tanks and heavy weapons. While there is hurried work involved in building new factories located safely out of the reach of the Reiyk, the military high command is desperately attempting to secure the purchase of foreign armor and artillery made to use the ordnance of Longguo to close the looming lack of such.
Notable Strengths:
Longguo is perhaps most notable for its significant resources, in soldiers, in agricultural bounty, and in raw material. No other country save the Alfheiches Reiyk itself can compare to the vast population of Longguo, and its rich diversity in terrain and sheer size have afforded the Longzhen a cornucopia of natural resources throughout their history. As such, its armies are seemingly infinite in manpower, and though its industry has been ravaged by war, every soldier can count upon food in her belly and sufficient ammunition to continue the fight.
National Priorities:
The army of Longguo is one of the most formidable in the world. In the wake of the invasion by the Alfheiches Reiyk, Longguo’s attention has been wholly diverted to its desperate war for existence. Struggling to remain standing under the almighty onslaught from the beasts from across the sea, the timeless empire has poured all of its resources into forging a mighty army to hold back the invaders. And, slowly, it is working. The advances of the enemy are slowed day by day. New weapons and tactics are developed with every day of combat. With the growing strength of the army and its limitless supply of soldiers, Longguo is a true force to be reckoned with by any foe. And with aid from comrades abroad, there is real hope that the barbarians from eastern shores will be swept from their shores.
In turn, external trade has been drastically reduced. Before the war, Longguo was a significant exporter of goods and materials to the global market. With the onset of total war, however, the government has redirected the nation’s entire energy towards the desperate struggle for existence against their foe. In doing so, exports and non-critical imports have almost completely halted.
Friends, comrades, today the enemy is at our gate. For years, for decades, we have watched as armies were ground to dust, as civilizations crumbled to ash beneath iron nailed jackboots of the Alfheiches Reiyk. The Empire of Aelban reduced to a rump state desperately fending off annexation. Their forces marshal for war like never before now, confident in their ability to subjugate all the world. Many of us have already seen our skies darkened with their planes, wept as our homes were consumed by roaring flame and the relentless march of millions. It is not merely for our way of life we must fight, but for our very survival, the continued existence of one and all. The darkest hour is upon us, but so too is it our time to shine brightest against such odds.
The year is 1939 TC (Third Cycle) and the world teeters on the precipice of catastrophe. The rising empire of the Alfheiches Reiyk is bent on world conquest. Moreso than that, they are bent upon the destruction of all peoples other than themselves upon it. The Alfheichen, having become almost the sole race upon their home continent, now seek further living space. For this they look to the broader world, and see a world of mongrel sub-beings, fit only for enslavement and destruction. It is this threat against which the world must unite - and even then, it may not be enough.
United we stand, divided we fall. It is as simple as that. No single nation alone stands a chance in war against the Alfheiches Reiyk. Their population is vast, their industry immense, their armies without end, their navies preeminent. Only united can the people of the world stand against their encroachment. Only united can they resist their mutual enemy. Some may take longer to realize this than others, and longer still to swallow their mutual dislike for those they must now call their allies. But realize it they must, lest they wish to be wiped from the world.
Rules
Use common sense.
No godmoding, powergaming, etc. You get the point. We’re in this to write a fun story.
What the GM and Co-GMs say, goes. Please don’t push things this far. I don’t like having to put my foot down but I will.
No meme nations (why do I have to make this a rule?)
I expect you to have a basic understanding of history and how things work.
Don’t be a piece of shit.
You have not officially joined the game until your sheet is written and you have made an IC post. Once you do that, you will be added to the map and to the list of the Allies.
If you fail to post without giving a reason and instructions on what to do, your inactivity will be transferred to the IC and your nation will suffer consequences from the sudden and inexplicable cessation of communication with central command.
Background Lore
Welcome to Not A Step Back, a world teetering on the precipice of the darkest times in history. Whether the world plunges into the depths of the abyss or claws its way back into sanity? That is up to us.
The Arcane: This is an original setting, and one that I’m calling “Formerly Magical”. Fantastical races exist and continue to thrive within this world, monstrous beings and even strange artefacts from the prior age still linger, and there technically remains a minute amount of the supernatural within the world. However, this is at its core a grounded RP, and while you are more than welcome to join me in including supernatural elements within your nation’s history and cosmology, and it is even welcome for them to be true - the supernatural will remain a background piece of detail. War will be fought with bombs and bullets, rather than the power of the arcane.
Alfheiches Reiyk: I want to try something new with this RP, and as such I would like to introduce its principle antagonist: The Alfheiches Reiyk. Its inspiration is probably pretty self evident and as such I will not bore you with it. The Reiyk first emerged in the year 1701 in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Great Empire of Sueben, following civil war and invasion by another power on the continent. It was famed for its strong military and rigidly hierarchical social order. Without the influence of the other states of Sueben to keep it in check, it rapidly grew out of control. In time, an ideology of elitism grew amongst its ruling class and began to germinate amongst the general population too. They came to see their growing dominance over the continent as a sign of their innate right to rule, and the inferiority of other peoples and cultures. War first came with the empire of Aelban in 1853, wherein the Reiyk decisively defeated the Aelban forces on land and held them in stalemate at sea. Since then, the Empire of Aelban had been forced back on steady defeat after defeat, losing their colonies in the vast subcontinent they had referred to as Ehfragich. In turn, these colonies were taken by the Reiyk, who began to enforce the same brutal measures of purification and population replacement they have employed with almost total success on their mainland continent. Unlike their real life inspiration, their victory is in fact a distinct possibility. They represent a threat to the world never before seen. A quarter of the world population is ruled by the Reiyk, and though many of these are considered “undesireables” and subject to the same horrors they wish to visit upon the whole world, they will not easily run short of warm bodies with which to supply their war effort. Boasting a massive and formidable military, a robust and potent economy, a powerhouse industrial base, modern technology, and much more - to stop this global threat will take a global response in turn.
Alfheichen: The Alfheichen are the largest racial group within the Reiyk. Tall and powerfully built, they are a strikingly visually distinct people. Averaging 180-190 centimeters tall for males and 145-155 centimeters for females, the Alfheichen display significant sexual dimorphism beyond that of the human norm. They are noted for their pale, almost snow white skin. Large, tusk-like lower teeth that protrude from the lip to degrees varying on the individual. Strangely, almost every Alfheichen is bald, and those who do grow hair are usually forced to shave it to maintain compliance with strict societal dress codes. Additional features about them include the addition of a sixth finger and toe on each hand and foot, their tapering elongated ears, sharp and angular facial features, and more. Alfheichen can expect to live an average of a hundred and forty to a hundred and seventy years of age. As such, many Alfheichen within the upper echelons of government have been climbing the ranks since before the proper beginning of the Reiyk’s “Imperial Age” in 1853.
Their society is extremely strictly regimented. Coalescing in a recognizeable iteration of its present form in 1861, the ruling ideology of the Reiyk has pervaded all facets of Alfheichen society. Perhaps the most patriarchal society extant today, the role of women within the Reiyk is very narrowly defined as that of mothers, housewives, and caretakers. Women are barred from all professional and academic fields, and are forbidden to hold property or to allow their faces to be seen in public. This doctrine is strictly enforced and deviation from this norm is swiftly punished.
Empire of Aelban: Formerly the most powerful state in the world until their defeat at the hands of the Alfheiches Reiyk in what would come to be called the three hundred days’ war, the Empire of Aelban has been reduced to a rump state on the southernmost reaches of their home island, desperately fighting off the advances of the Reiyk. Predominantly made up of a human ethnic group known as the Sakseneich, the Empire was itself formerly an aggressively imperialistic world power. It clashed with many of the great powers of the world in bloody colonial wars seeking to expand its influence further. Many initially welcomed the end of their rule over their lands, until it became obvious that an even crueler tyrant had taken power in their stead. While their influence on the global stage is no more, the legacy of their empire is still felt throughout much of the world, especially within the subcontinent they dubbed Ehfragich during their annexations of much of its land.
Tech: The technology of the world is grounded in reality, plain and simple. You are welcome to create your own weapons and designs, of course! But I do not want to see flying battleships, mech suits, or a mass produced Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte. You are welcome to use concepts that are a bit beyond our current time but perfectly feasible with the current technology, provided you have an acceptable reason for it. However, I do not wish to see anyone pulling out M16s or M134 miniguns mounted on attack helicopters.
Other Information
This is the basic formula for the sheet I would like you to follow. As you play the nation, if you wish to add extra details and inform us of them you are of course more than welcome to do so. I love worldbuilding as much as anyone. Want to add some detail about your army? Go for it. Want to describe your culture in detail? Be my guest. But before you go into such minutiae, please do this first, and begin to write in the IC. Instead of being trapped in the endless limbo of writing character sheets my priority is to get to the roleplaying, the real reason we’re all here.
Name: The name of your nation.
Add a flag or map or both here, if desired.
Summary of Nation: A few paragraphs giving a brief overview of your nation’s geography, demographics, and so on.
History: Attempting to summarize the full history of an entire nation in a reasonable format and timeframe is a foolish endeavor - thus, to keep it simple, I would simply ask you provide a concise answer to each of these questions:
Pre-War: Give a short summary of your nation’s recent history within roughly the past century. Outbreak of War: What was your nation’s response to the vast conquests of the Reiyk. Recent History: Now that war has escalated and kicked into high gear, what is your nation doing and what is their attitude towards world events?
Pressing Issues: Every country has its issues, and yours is no exception. What issues face the country? War is far from the only woe we must face, even if it is the most pressing. Has the land been wracked by civil war? Does it suffer from a long economic depression? Does cultural or religious upheaval threaten to tear society apart? Is there a resource shortage? Do people struggle to grow food? Does organized crime run rampant? Is the nation plagued by corruption? Or is it plagued by actual plague?
Notable Strengths: Every country is notable for something or another. Each of us has a role to play within the war effort. What does your nation bring to the table to help combat the Reiyk? Huge natural resources? A large navy? A powerful industrial base? Technology? Code breaking skills? Sophisticated intelligence agencies? Some combination of the above?
National Priorities: In the past, I have tried a system of rolled stats, and that has not gone well at all. Instead, inspired by a friend of mine, I would like to try a new system. I wish you to rank your priorities on this list from greatest to least. A short (and I do mean short, no more than a paragraph) description of why your top and bottom are where they are, would also be ideal.
The Army
The Navy
The Economy: Internal Trade
The Economy: External Trade
The Common People
The Upper Classes
Diplomacy
Agriculture
Cultural Issues
Industrial Output
Resource Extraction
Technology
Espionage and Intelligence
Ideology
Other (please give a description)
This is a sample sheet, my original sheet, free of extra embellishment or extra sections detailing things like the army or anything else. I would like you to use this as a guide for essentially what I am looking for (minus the pompously long list of names) in your own sheet. If you have questions, please ask me and I will do my best to answer them.
The Heavenly Sun Kingdom of Great Eternal Longguo
(until 1905 known as The Dragon Empire of Impeccable Jinguo)
The Greatest Empire to Ever Be, The Land Existing Without the Bounds of Time, The Land of Golden Virtue, The Emerald of the World, The Eternal Kingdom, The Jade Gardens of The World Between The Heavens, The Home of Dragons, Crucible of Golden Enlightenment, The Chosen Land of the Sun, The Empire of Golden Starlight, The Glimmering Jewel of Heaven, Land of Splendor and Plenty Without Peer, The Land of Equality Before the Stars From Which Injustice Has Been Banished
Summary of Nation:
Lead by High Priestess Daiyu Nuyi Loc Xiao Long, Longguo is a massive nation in the western end of the great continent of the world, and referred to by some as the world’s emerald for its lush greenery and the vast open plains that dominate much of its landscape. From the verdant plains upon which grow vast bumper crops of rice, wheat, and potatoes to the towering peaks of the Xindonjian Mountains Range. In both north and south the land is bounded by rolling hills that give way to yet more imposing mountain ranges, forming a fertile basin within which one of the oldest civilizations in history began to flourish. The capital is located at the merging of the two main tributaries of the famous Tsuyan river, and its thriving port has a long history within the vast waterway. Further north is the Guanzu river, “the yellow serpent” as it has some times been called. Known in myth as the spot at which the great wyrms from beyond the stars first touched down, the river has been a blessing and a curse for the people of the region since the dawn of civilization upon its banks. Prone to violent flooding owing to heavy deposits of sediment giving it its characteristic color, the river likewise deposits these fertile sediments upon the floodplains surrounding it nearly every year. The danger lies within the severity of the yearly flood, and the unpredictability of its timing. As such, housing near it and along its banks is frequently built on elevated stilts to survive these floods and enable rapid cultivation of rice and other crops in their wake.
The largest group by far within Longguo are the people who lend it its name - the Longzhen people. Derisively referred to as “lizards” or “wyrm spawn” by some others, they have existed since before the dawn of recorded history. Some speculate that they arose from normal humanity through some contact with the wyrms from the stars, though this is impossible to confirm for sure and as such remains fringe speculation. The Longzhen are notable for their generally short stature, with females averaging between 156-160 centimeters, and males averaging 148-152 centimeters. Longzhen are known for their long lifespans, and some have been recorded to live to over two hundred years old and showing almost no signs of age until dying peacefully in their sleep. Despite this they are known to possess surprising strength, and throughout history their armies have been well regarded for not only their sheer size, but the discipline and sophisticated logistics with which they are managed in battle and out of it. The Longzhen are similar to humanity in most regards, barring some notable differences: they have large horns and tails reminiscent of the wyrms themselves, an above average rate of female births to male births, patches of scales or scale like material grow in place of skin on seemingly random parts of their bodies, their eyes show a more reptilian appearance, and many of their teeth are larger and sharper than the human norm, alongside numerous smaller differences.
The Longzhen, culturally, are well known for a collectivist mindset. Though their society has seen huge upheaval since the end of the revolution in 1903, this is one facet that has not only remained, but gotten stronger. With the advent of the new state ideology of Heavenly Socialism, the focus on the traditional family unit has somewhat decreased, and instead this collectivist mindset has been expanded to all of broader society.
Traditionally a matriarchal society, the sexes have been declared formally equal by decree of High Priestess Daiyu. At the culmination of the civil war in the aftermath of the revolution, she honored her commitments to the progressive social movements that had been one of her greatest bases of support. Though the old attitudes remain, and men and women are still expected to adhere to their dress codes, there is a steadily growing sentiment of true equality buoyed by her fervent speeches on the matter. As such, males, while still forming a minority within the armed forces, are growing rapidly within it and all other branches of society.
History:
Pre-War: The land of Longguo is one that has seen no end of strife and hardship in its recent history. From the year 872 until 1903 it was ruled by the last of the Great Wyrms that descended upon the world from the stars beyond. For this time, Longguo was almost a hermit kingdom, the Wyrm and its retainers paranoid of outside interference upon its miniature realm upon this backwards world. With an iron fist, the Wyrm ruled over the Longzhen for over a thousand years. In 1891, the people of Longguo, then called Jingguo, had had enough and revolted against its rule. For twelve long, bloody years the revolution raged. Formed of a coalition of different groups, the alliance was not expected to last. The revolution was spearheaded by the radical visionary Huan Ji Zhuan Tzu Bai, and in the year 1903 the wyrm was brought down in a climactic final battle. It was recorded that thousands of shells were fired to finally bring down the great beast, and tens of thousands of brave soldiers matyred against it.
In the aftermath of this revolution, Huan began her reforms, only to be assassinated by the conservative coalition following what they referred to as The Old Faith. Seeing Huan and her secular policies as a threat to their vision for the nation with the false god of the old wyrm gone, they rose against their erstwhile allies, now united into a single army calling itself the National Unification Army.
The left wing coalition had been formed of two principle groups - the Socialist Revolutionary Front, and the Heavenly Sun Kingdom. The Heavenly Sun Kingdom was lead from its creation by High Priestess Daiyu, and on hearing the news of Huan’s assassination she rallied the forces of the left wing coalition around her before they could fracture and lead the second civil war against enemy forces until the year 1912, becoming blinded in the process by shell fragments whilst orchestrating a breakout during the Siege of Djan Loc Hin. With the defeat of the enemy, Daiyu began the long process of rebuilding her home and enacting her sweeping social reforms. Daily thanks was given to the sun for the inspiration and strength to ensure justice was done. The captive members of the enemy leadership were sacrificed upon the summer solstice to the heavens, and the nation rejoiced as the stars drank their fill.
Outbreak of War: Longguo had, though ravaged by its internal wars, been keeping close eyes upon world events at large. Alarmed by the rising power of the Reiyk, Daiyu ordered arms production into high gear and began to expand the military, preparing for possible confrontation. Fleets were ordered into standby positions, and garrisons upon their island holdings were strengthened and their fortifications improved.
Recent History: Longguo has perhaps suffered the worst of any belligerent nation attacked by the Reiyk that has not been outright defeated by them. Huge swathes of its industry for the production of tanks, aircraft, and artillery have been captured by the lightning fast naval landings of the Reiyk. The navy has been ordered to remain out of engagements unless a victory can be assured, in order to preserve precious resources against the foe. Arms factories are being built with all haste within the nation’s heartland, but it will be some time before they are ready for production. The armies of Longguo suffer terribly against the foe, but they are holding the line.
Pressing Issues:
Longguo is a nation, first and foremost, beset with the imminent threat of the enemy at the gate. The armies of the Reiyk do not threaten their border, but have overrun an entire southern section of the nation, pushing into the territory of Longguo and taking more of the Eternal Kingdom under the grasp of the foul foe. Exacerbated by this, and in turn exacerbating the situation against the Reiyk, the country has yet to recover from its devastating decade long revolution and subsequent six year civil war. Though it has been twi and a half decades since, twenty six years is not enough time to rebuild a country with few allies and few outside funds from complete and utter ruin. To say that the High Priestess and her ministries have done an admirable job considering the circumstances is no exaggeration, for before the invasion Longguo had become a powerful and world renowned innovator in numerous technological fields, a net exporter of grain and other foods, and a significant and rising industrial producer. Since then, one of its most key industrial regions has been occupied by the Reiyk - and with it, the bulk of Longguo’s existing tooling and industry to produce tanks and heavy weapons. While there is hurried work involved in building new factories located safely out of the reach of the Reiyk, the military high command is desperately attempting to secure the purchase of foreign armor and artillery made to use the ordnance of Longguo to close the looming lack of such.
Notable Strengths:
Longguo is perhaps most notable for its significant resources, in soldiers, in agricultural bounty, and in raw material. No other country save the Alfheiches Reiyk itself can compare to the vast population of Longguo, and its rich diversity in terrain and sheer size have afforded the Longzhen a cornucopia of natural resources throughout their history. As such, its armies are seemingly infinite in manpower, and though its industry has been ravaged by war, every soldier can count upon food in her belly and sufficient ammunition to continue the fight.
National Priorities:
The army of Longguo is one of the most formidable in the world. In the wake of the invasion by the Alfheiches Reiyk, Longguo’s attention has been wholly diverted to its desperate war for existence. Struggling to remain standing under the almighty onslaught from the beasts from across the sea, the timeless empire has poured all of its resources into forging a mighty army to hold back the invaders. And, slowly, it is working. The advances of the enemy are slowed day by day. New weapons and tactics are developed with every day of combat. With the growing strength of the army and its limitless supply of soldiers, Longguo is a true force to be reckoned with by any foe. And with aid from comrades abroad, there is real hope that the barbarians from eastern shores will be swept from their shores.
In turn, external trade has been drastically reduced. Before the war, Longguo was a significant exporter of goods and materials to the global market. With the onset of total war, however, the government has redirected the nation’s entire energy towards the desperate struggle for existence against their foe. In doing so, exports and non-critical imports have almost completely halted.
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<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Some random internet fuck with a keyboard and too much free time.<br><br> <br><br> <br> <br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="http://orig01.deviantart.net/e4bd/f/2012/174/9/8/i_have_done_nothing_productive_today_by_hewhoerasesmost-d54iygf.gif" /></div></div>
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