Eldritch Puppy

Through the Rifts: Progeny [Open!] [Co-GM Run]

The Addacian Empire

Nation Name: Addacian Empire.



Government Form: Absolute monarchy.

Demographics:

Savrianoi (51%): The Addacian Empire’s hegemons, they are bipedal saurians with scales on much of their body and colors ranging from blue to green. Even though their hunched-over posture makes them only slightly taller than the average Human, Savrianoi are much larger, with a very developed musculature. Although omnivorous, they have a strong preference for meat.

Humans (12%): Like the Savrianoi, the Humans of Uboras are from Gaia. They primarily live in the Empire’s remote and wild areas as a multitude of nomadic tribes and are famed for being particularly sensitive to the seven Dharma, a fact seen as both a blessing and a curse.

Kentauroi (15%): A humanoid race that has what resembles a horse's body from the waist down. They are war-like and very competitive, which combined with their anatomy makes for a fearsome warrior/raider culture.

Lykonoi (22%): Bipedal wolf-like creatures. They have a strong pack instinct and thus live in extended friends and family cells known as clans, which can number a mere dozen individuals all the way up to hundreds of them. They have a very potent sense of smell and exceptional hearing.

Population: 9.5 million

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Plane Description

Uboras is a world of grassy plains, forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts and marshes. At first sight, it could seem unremarkable, but nothing would be further from the truth.

Living beings are not the only entities present in Uboras. The emotions of sentient beings, past and present, linger in a very tangible way and affect the world as they are the source of the plane’s magic known as Dharma. If a specific emotion is present in too large amounts over a long enough period of time, it can create a zone of imbalance where reality is distorted in ways depending on the dominant Dharma; this affects the psyche of sentient beings inside the zone and produces visible changes on the environment. In some extreme cases, lava may surge to the surface from the depths of the earth, living things may experience extraordinary fertility and reproductive ardor, rocks and trees may be deformed into jagged and cruelly sharp spikes and blades, or other unnatural phenomena.

History

The Savrianoi’s arrival on Uboras was either never recorded, or the writings were lost to time. The earliest historical documents are about 430 years old, and at the time the Savrianoi were organized in a federation of tribes known as the Addacian League fighting to keep what land they managed to settle in the face of attacks from the neighboring Lykonoi and Kentauroi, the plane’s native inhabitants. Most of the Human slave population that the Savrianoi had brought with them were freed during that time in exchange for assistance against the natives.

Humans brought with them an unprecedented understanding of the supernatural forces that govern Uboras, naming them Dharma and quickly proving that their mastery of these forces and the proportion of individuals capable of wielding them far exceeded that of their former masters and their enemies. Soon, several Lykonoi and Kentauroi tribes joined the Savrianoi and their human allies, either intimidated by the growing military might of the former or in awe of the arcane knowledge of the latter. More were brought to heel and subjugated by the Legions of the newly formed Addacian Empire.

The Empire continued to grow and expand through a tumultuous history of conquests and civil wars, enduring the test of time and establishing itself as the dominant power of the known world.

Culture and Society

Addacian society is divided into three classes: the nobility at the very top have exclusivity on many government offices and have more rights and duties than the pleb, which is the second class of society. Plebeians represent the vast majority of the population and are expected to work in times of peace, and serve in the army in times of war. Finally, the slaves are at the bottom of the hierarchy. As they are property, they have little rights and are either war prisoners or people forced to sell themselves into slavery to pay off debts. Slaves do benefit from the status of Addacian citizens in a limited way, however, as slaves may not be killed or maimed by their masters. If a slave suffers an accidental work injury, their owner must pay them a sum of money depending on the gravity of the injury.

Additionally, the highest echelons of both civilian and military hierarchies are closed to all non-Savrianoi individuals.

Savrianoi are instinctively driven to stick together, which has perhaps been the most important factor as to why the several civil wars that the Empire suffered didn’t shatter it. To many, separatism is wrong in a way that goes against nature. Notably, Savrianoi also have a strong respect for strength and martial might, giving them a natural mindset for conquest and a pronounced taste for gladiatorial fights.

Humans are dispersed all across the Empire into a multitude of tribes who developed their own unique cultures over the centuries. Except for those who decided to leave their tribes to go live in the large cities, they share two common traits despite cultural differences: a nomadic lifestyle, and following the tenets of the Dharma’s Balance. The latter is a philosophy that endeavors to bring inner peace by balancing one’s emotions, striving to never let one overwhelm the others.

Kentauroi are known to have a penchant for extreme violence only tempered by a very special kind of sense of honor. Even though this isn’t true of most of them, their society follows a mentality of survival of the fittest and considers that might makes right. Few virtues aside from strength, skill and honesty are considered worthwhile. Mercy and compassion earn, at best, condescending mockery.

Lykonoi clans are too numerous to list, as a clan can be as small as a single family. These clans often encompass the local settlement, be it a farm, a village or a town, although several clans may coexist in the larger cities. Lykonoi society is a complex network of loyalties, grudges, debts, and favors. A clan’s prestige reputation is entirely based on the integrity and achievements of its members, past and present. Thus, a small clan of twenty individuals may be more prestigious than one that numbers several hundred and consequently will be more valued by their peers.

There is a final major component of Addacian society that must be mentioned: the Dragon Guild, an ancient religious organization that worships Kotzolr, the Dragon God. Guild temples can be found in every city, along with banks and laboratories. Indeed, the Dragon Guild is not only made of priests and religious followers but also bankers and alchemists. Over the centuries since its creation, the Guild has become immensely rich and powerful to the point of being allowed by Imperial law to maintain armed soldiers to protect its interests. Like the mythical dragons it represents in its aesthetics, the Guild watches over its possessions with vigilance and ferocity. The Dragon Guild is so powerful that the Emperor may call upon its warriors to serve alongside the Legions in times of war, and the Guild wisely answers the call every time.

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Governance and Politics

The day-to-day decision-making necessary for the Empire to function is made by the Senate on one hand, and the Tribunal on the other. The former, made up of each Addacian noble family’s head, proposes, discusses and votes on laws and motions, while the latter as elected plebeian officials may veto any senatorial decision if they judge that said decision would be damaging to the pleb’s interests.

Above the Senate and Tribunal rules the Emperor as an absolute monarch: his word is law, and his power is unrestricted by any assembly or legal instrument. Even though the role of the Senate and Tribunal is also to counsel the Emperor, in the end his decisions have absolute authority, although wise Emperors take care not to overrule the Senate and Tribunal too often.

Emperors designate their own heirs: often their own children, although this is not always the case even if the current Emperor has living children.

Technology and Magic

Addacian architecture is remarkable for the beauty and quality of its works: magnificent temples, palaces and magistratures, aqueducts, fountains, stone bridges, sewage tunnels, and of course imposing curtain walls, towers and fortresses. Addacian cities attract the best craftsmen and metalworkers, profiting from the busy trade routes and growing rich from the production of high-grade weapons and armor, exquisite jewelry and colorful fabrics.

The Dragon Guild is perhaps the highest concentration of talented artisans, and the alchemic brews and salves that they sell in their temples have healed many Addacian citizens from otherwise incurable ailments. The Guild’s most notorious achievement is the substance known as dragon fire: a thick, viscous and extremely flammable liquid that sticks to any surface and is almost impossible to extinguish.

Magic on Uboras comes from within one’s self: more precisely, one’s own emotions. They fall into seven broad groups named Dharma. Some people, Human for the most part, are capable of feeling the presence of the Dharma to a greater degree than others. These people, through lengthy training, may become Dharma wielders, capable of consciously producing more Dharma from their memories and transforming it through meditation into a reserve of usable magic that can then be employed for spells thanks to specific hand gestures and glyphs that one draws in the air.

The nature and effects of these spells depend heavily on which Dharma is used to produce them. Dharma wielders can only hold so much Dharma inside them, depending on their affinity with them and their experience. A Dharma wielder who spends all of his reserves may not use magic until he can take time to meditate to process more Dharma.

Harad: The Dharma of Anger. Its main attribute is Strength.
Kietsu: The Dharma of Joy. Its main attribute is Creativity.
Yûku: The Dharma of Suffering. Its main attribute is Time.
Inyo: The Dharma of Lust. Its main attribute is Vitality.
Nintai: The Dharma of Patience. Its main attribute is Preservation.
Aikô: The Dharma of Love. Its main attribute is Dedication.
Kyô: The Dharma of Insanity. Its main attribute is Luck.

Military Overview

The Addacian Empire maintains a standing army to control its vast territory and combat banditry, patrol its dangerous borders and garrison fortresses in tributary states to ensure their loyalty. A number of full-sized Legions are also maintained in order to be able to respond quickly to attacks by neighboring kingdoms and tribes.

The Legion is the largest Addacian military unit, which always possesses a hard core of Savrianoi regular troops. In addition, between one-third and half of every legion is comprised of auxiliary units from tributary states and vassals, providing flexibility and specialization to each Legion according to its needs.

Military units

(Only a few auxiliary units are listed below as examples, as there are too many to list them all.)

Savrianoi Legionarii: Heavy infantry serving as an army's main fighting force, wearing half-plate armor and armed with halberds, round shields strapped to their left arm, and swords. They do most of the fighting, taking advantage of their physiology and discipline to overpower their opponents.

Savrianoi Sagittarii: Using longbows and armored with chainmail hauberks, the archers provide ranged support for the army. They carry a sword for close-quarters defense.

Savrianoi Velites: Light infantry unarmored save for a helmet, they carry a shield and an axe along with javelins. Their speed makes them useful for screening, harassing the enemy, and attacking vulnerable units.

Savrianoi Equites Legionis: A cavalry unit equipped with Legionarius armor and shields, long spears, and swords. They guard the army’s flanks, intercept enemy cavalry and pursue fleeing foes.

Kentauroi Praedatores: Lightly armored, they use bows and spears to great effect in combination with their mobility. They are invariably the swiftest unit in an Addacian legion.

Kentauroi Custodes: These warriors are hand-picked to serve as the noble ruling class’ bodyguards. On the battlefield, they serve as an elite cavalry force, proficient both at range and in melee combat with better armor than the other warriors.

Lykonoi Venatores: Skilled bowmen, the hunters serve both as scouts thanks to their superior senses and as archers during the battle. They wear no armor, preferring to stay out of reach of the enemy.

Lykonoi Pedites: Wearing helmets and padded armor, the ferocious Lykonoi warriors use two-handed axes or hammers to tear the enemy apart as shock infantry. Their light armor and lack of shields make them vulnerable to projectiles.

Dragon Guild Spearmen: These soldiers are responsible for guarding the Dragon Guild’s property, watching over banks, laboratories, and temples. Equipped with spears, square shields, and bronze scale armor fashioned to resemble dragon scales along with a helm made to look like a dragon’s head, they can be a front-line formation in battle.

Dragon Guild Swordsmen: Armed with two-handed curved swords and the same dragon-like armor as the Spearmen, they are the elite warriors of the Guild, entrusted with small clay pots filled with dragon fire that they throw at the enemy before closing in.

Dragon Archers: On par with the Swordsmen as an elite force, the Dragon Archers wear an open version of the helm used by other Guild troops. The arrows they shoot have a small amount of dragon fire applied to them, which allows the Dragon Archers to deliver volleys of very effective fire arrows.

Through the Gateways: Humanity [Closed] [Soon to be Concluded]

The advertisement ended with a stunning view of an ocean coast, bathed in sunlight and with white foam forming on the waves around jet black reefs. “So if you’re looking for a fresh start, to be part of a new colony’s founding or just an incredible view, don’t wait any longer! Black Teeth City is waiting for YOU!”

After a short pause, the broadcast showed a blazing blue star with the words ‘Blue Star News Network’ in front of it in shining 3D letters. At the bottom of the screen, a white on red text stated: ‘Special edition: fleet departure for Earth scheduled for tomorrow’. The upbeat music continued in the background as a clean-shaven man in a suit with short blonde hair and a red-haired woman wearing an elegant dress appeared on screen.

“Good evening,” the woman intoned with a bright smile, “I’m Nadzieja Finkel.”

The man beside her nodded, smiling as well. “And I’m Mathias Stachurski. Welcome to this special news edition, here on Blue Star News Network. We’ve had a big announcement today, is that right?”

“That’s the understatement of the year, Mathias!” Nadzieja brought a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “The KDD has officially confirmed earlier today that Task Force Vigrid is scheduled to go through the Gate tomorrow, at thirteen hours. Let’s backtrack on this month of effervescence since the Gate reactivated. A lot happened, didn’t it?”

“Indeed Nadzieja, most of us never imagined that such an event would happen during our lifetime, but the KDD reacted as quickly as usual and announced the creation of a brand new Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs.” The screen split to show a picture of a blonde woman in a Navy black and gold uniform to the right of the two journalists. “The appointed Director is a thirty-nine-year-old colonel by the name of Valka Kirillovna and, this is a piece of exclusive information that we have received just minutes ago, we have the name of our ambassador to anybody who might be out there.”

A second picture appeared under that of the new Director, a man with orange and purple odd-eyes, short black hair, and a similarly black goatee save for a white strip on the left side. “Vona Toman.” Nadzieja joined her hands on the table before her. “Quite the handsome man, if I dare to say. Let’s hope that whoever is out there will be charmed by this brilliant history professor. He will be under a lot of pressure, that’s for certain.”

Mathias nodded. “That’s right. I expect his boss to be breathing down his neck regularly. After all, it’s her career and her life that are on the line!”

-The next day-

Vona was trying his best to stay out of the way of the Navy personnel on the bridge of the New Sun, an Almaz-class cruiser and flagship of Task Force Vigrid. Everyone there always seemed to have something to do, while the Ambassador felt decidedly out of his element. But he would be damned if he spent any more time than he strictly had to in his cabin; he would be part of History now, instead of merely studying it. He nervously tapped his fingers on his cane’s pommel that he leaned on with his left hand. Even after all this time, he still had a slight limp.

It was funny, he thought, even as the ship’s commander was giving out orders for the fleet to make ready to move through the Gate he was still a little bummed that he couldn’t take Fuzz along. Of course, a military spaceship was no place for a shimmerbee, and Vona’s sister assured him that she would take care of her in his absence. But still…

Commander Masur’s stern voice sounded through the ship’s speakers in every section and in the rest of the fleet’s vessels. “To all ships, we have the green light. Move out.”

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Seven crafts emerged into the Sol system. The cruiser made the smaller frigates, two Kobalt and four Onyx, look tiny by comparison. To the human eye, there was nothing but the cold void around, but the fleet was already busy making sense of the myriad of information it was receiving.

Masur stood at the center of the bridge, hands on the table that served as a holographic map projector. “What do we have, Gerson?”

An officer turned around on her swivel seat. “There are signs of activity, sir. A lot. I’m getting communications as well as energy signatures concentrated around Earth. It’s hard to tell exactly what they are from this distance, but it’s busy.”

“Earth is our heading. Ahead slow, start broadcasting the Old English message. Shields active, keep all weapons powered down.” Another officer echoed the commander’s order, communicating the exact coordinates to the engine sections with his station’s phone while another did the same with the shields controls and a third contacted the weapon batteries.

As the fleet assumed a defensive formation and burned towards humanity’s cradle, Vona could barely contain his trepidation.

“To all entities, forces, and vessels in this system. We are representatives of the Kamenyan Defense Directorate, investigating the Sol system after the awakening of our Gateway. We are peaceful and wish to establish contact with the rest of humanity. Be advised, these ships are armed and we will use force in the eventuality of any aggressive action towards our detachment.”



“Hey, uh, George, I think you might want to see this.”

“What is it now?”

“Just come up here real quick. This seems kind of important.”

“Fine, Marcel, but this is the last time, do you hear me? Remember that time you said there was a space whale?”

George started climbing up the ladder to the ship’s tiny cockpit. The two men had been running a “package delivery service” in the fringes of the Kudrion system, and it had been rather successful, except for that one time where they nearly got stopped and searched at Baldr station. George pushed Marcel out of the way to get a better view. It was then that he saw the seven ships, one big one and six small ones. Uh oh.

“You’re right. This does seem kind of important. Think it’s some sort of police?”

“Nah, did you hear the transmission they sent out?”

“No, you idiot, I was downstairs. Summarize it for me.”

“Well,” Marcel excitedly said, “they said that they were representatives from a new nation whose gateway was only recently activated! Can you imagine that? If we notify the Ambassador we could be famous! Maybe we can even ask for some money?”

“Notify the authorities? Are you stupid? What do you think they’ll do when they find our cargo? Let me handle this.” George was already coming up with a scheme. Maybe they could profit from this after all.

George tried to send a message to the largest of the seven ships: “Hello, this is the KSS Stormfalcon. Uhh…” George paused for a moment. He had to make sure the lie was at least a little convincing. “We are diplomats from the Kingdom of Kudrion, on our way to the Meeting Place, the big station you see near Earth. However, maybe we could meet on your ship? It is a great honor to meet a nation new to the galactic scene.”

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Meanwhile, on the Meeting Place, Emily, the actual Kudrioni Ambassador, had just finished her last important job for the day, and was now relaxing. She had sat back, put her feet on the table (damn, she was gonna need to clean the dirt from her boots later), and was now scrolling through some of the news while enjoying some coffee.

Then she heard the message. And she spat out her coffee.

“Damnit,” she grumbled, “more work.”

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“Well what are the chances…” Commander Masur mumbled to himself. Next to him, Vona was practically jumping with joy.

“Hear that? Another colony! And there’s a whole bunch more by the sound of it.” He had a grin from ear to ear, like a kid with a new toy on Founding holidays, while most of the crew on the bridge exchanged smiles. Most Kamenyans hoped that other colonies had survived, but receiving confirmation was something else.

“It comes from a small ship, commander. About the size of a shuttle,” Lieutenant Gerson said.

“Open communications.” The commander did not seem to share his crew’s enthusiasm. “Stormfalcon, this is commander Masur aboard the ship New Sun. You have permission to board, you will receive a fighter escort to guide your ship.” Eyes still on the map, he had his eyes fixated on the small blue dot representing the unknown ship. “Zalewski, get me flight control.” Two seconds passed. “Have two birds take off with orders to scan the unknown vessel for weapons and energy signatures. If they’re clear, escort them to the cargo bay for landing. If not, they are to send a report to the bridge directly.”

“Commander, I don’t mean to overstep but… is this all really necessary?” Vona had enough awareness to speak softly, so as to not appear to be undermining Masur’s authority. “It almost sounds like we’re taking them captive.”

“I understand that you are on a diplomatic mission, Ambassador, but I will not expose my ship to unnecessary risks.” There was no arguing with the commander. “I’ll give you a squad of marines as escort from the cargo bay to your cabin.”

Minutes later, a pair of squat-looking crafts formed up to each side of the small ship. While their sensors scanned it, one of the pilots radioed its crew. “Stormfalcon, we are your escort to the New Sun. Please follow our lead.”

George rubbed his hands together. “See, Marcel? That’s how it’s done.”

Marcel had already started flying the ship towards the fleet when the two craft appeared. “Shit! They’ve sent out two fighters! What do we do? I’d rather not be imprisoned for smuggling on an unknown ship”

“Shut up for once and give me the radio.” George said as he roughly grabbed the speaker from Marcel’s hands. “Thank you, New Sun, we appreciate the escort.”

As the fighters scanned the two ships, they would see that the Stormfalcon only had a small turret on board, but it was currently powered off. The only energy signature that could be detected was the ship’s reactor.

Marcel steered towards the New Sun, following the two escort craft. “So, what do we do when we are inside? Do we pretend we’re gods or something?”

“You should stop watching those ancient movies, they’re not doing you any good. We’ll just pretend we’re diplomats, and try to get something from them.”

“So what does being a diplomat entail, exactly?”

“You know what? I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out.”

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Vona Toman adjusted his suit and scrubbed the pin bearing the KDD’s symbol on his jacket’s left lapel, even though it was spotless already. The indicator light above the door to the cargo bay switched from red to yellow, then to green, indicating that the bay was pressurized and safe to enter. He took a deep breath and pulled the lever next to the door, which slid open.

The Kudrioni ship was there, held in place by the ship’s artificial gravity that was much higher than what would be normal for humans. Vona started walking towards it, his cane making a distinct metallic sound every time it struck the metal floor. Behind him came eight of the ship’s marines, each of them standing more than a foot taller than the Ambassador in their power armor, even though he was the Kamenyan average of 6’ 7”.

The boarding ramp of the Kudrioni ship opened with a hissing noise and a puff of steam, and two men, clad in an assortment of clothes and pelts, came out of the Stormfalcon. Marcel and George had realized that they didn’t have any official-looking uniforms, so they had quickly gathered a random mix of clothes to make them look a little more like diplomats, hoping that the Kamenyans would think that was just their culture.

George comically stumbled as he walked out of the ship, unused to the gravity that was much higher than their own homeworld, but was caught by Marcel. They walked all the way down the ramp, stopping in front of the Ambassador. Both of them were about as tall as the other man, owing to Kudrion’s own genetic modifications. “Hello,” George said, “We are George and Marcel. We are diplomats from the Kingdom of Kudrion. Once again it is an honor to meet you.”

“Greetings. My name is Vona Toman, Ambassador of the Kamenyan Defense Directorate.” Vona smiled amicably, trying his best to seem friendly despite the squad of heavily armored marines standing behind him. Strange clothes, he thought. But these men claimed to be representatives of a kingdom, of all things. Cultural differences are to be expected in these situations. “Please, follow me. My cabin is not exactly fit for diplomatic receptions, but it’s still better than a cargo bay.”

After a minute of walking, the would-be diplomats and their escort stepped into an elevator that started moving upwards after one of the soldiers pushed a button. “So, this… Meeting Place. Is it an embassy of some sort? We noticed a lot of activity around Earth’s orbit.”

George immediately started following Vona. Marcel, meanwhile, looked around nervously, wary of some sort of trap, before catching up with the two others. Neither of the two Kudrioni was really comfortable with the marines, but it was too late to turn back now. “Yes,” George said, “it is a great station, built by the many different nations that came through the Gateway. I’ve got no idea why, though. It was there when our nation arrived, at least that’s what everyone says.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just taken aback a little by your height. On the meeting place, many are shorter than we are, so it’s a little surprising to see people who are as tall. Also, why do I feel so heavy?” George rubbed his back after asking that last question, clearly in pain.

“Ah, apologies. Gravity on our homeworld is… quite a bit higher than what most humans would be used to. It is indirectly the reason why we Kamenyans are tall. My height is about average, you see.” It didn’t make much sense that higher gravity would make people taller, but the elevator stopping gave Vona an excuse to change the subject. He wasn’t eager to start disclosing too much information right off the bat. “Here we are.” The door to his cabin opened and he walked inside. The soldiers in dark power armor took up stations in the corridor and next to the elevator, and Vona gestured for the two smugglers-turned-diplomats towards a metal desk with two simple but comfortable seats, a swivel chair on the other side of it. The room was not very large without being cramped, just able to accommodate a bookshelf and a few other pieces of furniture. “Please, have a seat. Would you care for a drink? Tea, perhaps? Or, if you would prefer something stronger, I have a bottle of redfruit schnapps for occasions such as this.”

Both men sat down at the table. “I would like some of the schnapps, please,” George responded. “And my friend here does too,” he said, gesturing to Marcel who nodded eagerly. The two smugglers hadn’t had any alcohol for some time, given that it wasn’t safe to drink while operating a spaceship full of very valuable, illegal cargo.

Vona opened a small cabinet and grabbed a bottle containing a clear liquid with a slight reddish hue and three small glasses, pouring one for each of his guests and one for himself before sitting down. “To our meeting, then.” He took a sip, letting the fruity flavor and slight sweetness fade before speaking up again, examining George and Marcel with his orange and purple odd-eyes. “So then, I hope that our arrival did not interrupt some mission of yours. We will do our best to not delay you, we will get to the Meeting Place soon enough.”

George took a sip of the drink. In his opinion, it wasn’t quite on par with the alcohol served in taverns on his home planet, but it would do for the occasion. Only then did he notice Vona’s eyes. They were orange and purple. He found it quite strange, he had seen many eye colors aboard the station, but never something like this. “Ah, yes, we were indeed on a mission. We uhh.” George paused for a moment, trying to think of an acceptable lie. “We are on a mission to bring gifts to the Empire of Newhesh. They are currently on our ship. That’s why we brought a cargo shuttle, see.” Wait, did Vona say the ship was heading to the Meeting Place? That can’t be good… “Actually, if we may, we would like to offer these gifts to you instead.”

That gave Vona pause as he raised an eyebrow. He started to think that these diplomats behaved rather strangely, despite reminding himself that cultural differences may be significant. “To us? I am sorry, but… I believe that you should offer these gifts to whoever they were intended for. I have no wish to interfere with your duties, nor does the Directorate expect to receive gifts.” He leaned back into his chair. “Besides, I can’t think of something we could give in exchange. Since this is a military vessel, we do not have much in the way of trading goods with us.”

Judging from Vona’s reaction, that was apparently the wrong thing to say. Guess they weren’t getting rid of the evidence today. “Of course! I just thought it would be nice to give something to a newly arriving nation,” George said, putting on a bright smile. “ The Empire can wait a little bit more, after all. We would be glad to accompany you to the Meeting Place, though. We could even give you a tour!” George nervously took sips from his glass of schnapps, waiting for the ship to arrive at the station…

While the Kamenyan Ambassador and his two guests made small talk, the New Sun eventually closed the distance with the station, its escort remaining at a respectable range as a show of good will. Actually docking with the Meeting Place took a while, since the dimensions of the airlocks were quite different. Eventually, the cruiser deployed an emergency flexible tube to connect to the gigantic space station, through which Vona and the two smugglers, accompanied by two of the ship’s marines, walked all the way to the Meeting Place. Despite the doubts he had in the back of his mind concerning the so-called Kudrioni diplomats, he couldn’t help being ecstatic at the thought of setting foot in an interstellar embassy.

As Vona stepped into the airlock, the first thing he noticed was how… light he was. Of course, he remembered, the gravity is lower here. That glass of schnapps suddenly seemed like it wasn’t the best idea after all, but just as the Ambassador swallowed in an effort to keep his breakfast down, the airlock opened.

The two ‘diplomats’ followed Vona through the ship’s tube, a little concerned about the sturdiness of the whole thing. If there was somehow a leak, they’d all die. Both men were happy being back at the station, though. Maybe they could try going to a bar somewhere to drink their sorrows away. However, their smiles and optimism faded as soon as the airlock opened and they saw what was on the other side.

Emily Kaldaz, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Kudrion, as well as the highest Kudrioni authority on the Meeting Place, was not amused. Though her blank expression didn’t show it, she was absolutely livid. After the New Sun’s message had been broadcasted throughout the station, she had quickly made preparations for its arrival. Kudrion had no first-contact protocol and she had been forced to improvise, however. It had been when she was choosing guards to accompany her that she heard that there were already diplomats from her nation on the ship. That was preposterous, of course, as Emily knew that King Dishuz had sent only her to act as a diplomat, and she came to the conclusion that they must be impostors.

Surrounded by four soldiers of the Royal Guard, who were clad in their resplendent silvery-white power armor, and holding their rifles, Emily waited for the ship to arrive. As she looked at the opening airlock, arms crossed, the slightest hint of a frown appeared on her face. Her suspicions had been proven correct.

Vona stepped out of the airlock, giving the woman a polite nod. “Greetings. My name is Vona Toman, Ambassador on behalf of Kamenymir. You must be Emily Kaldaz.” He received this information over the phone in his cabin when the commander of the New Sun informed him that a delegation would meet him on the Meeting Place. Vona deliberately withheld this information from George and Marcel, looking to confirm or dispel his doubts for good.

“I am indeed Ambassador Kaldaz. Welcome to the Meeting Place, Ambassador Vona.” The first thing she noticed was that Vona was actually a good bit taller than her, something that she wasn’t used to when meeting with foreigners. The second thing, of course, were the two disheveled men accompanying him. These must be the ‘diplomats’ that she’d heard about. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry. “Who are these two men?”

The Kamenyan raised an eyebrow. “I thought you might know.” He gestured towards the two men. “George, and Marcel. I learned from them that they were on a diplomatic mission to the Empire of Newhesh.” Vona’s tone made it clear now that he had his doubts. Behind them, the two marines moved their thumbs over the safety lever of their rifles.

Well, that confirmed it. “It is with great displeasure that I inform you that this ‘Empire of Newhesh’ does not exist. I believe that you are in the presence of two wanted Kudrioni criminals, smugglers perhaps, Ambassador Vona. I would appreciate it if you would hand them over so that they may be tried according to our laws,” Emily said, her restrained anger apparent to those who paid close attention.

Behind Vona, both ‘diplomats’ became increasingly more panicked as they heard the actual ambassador speak. “She’s lying! We’re the real diplomats and she’s the fake!” Marcel shouted, speaking for the first time since he had come aboard the New Sun. He was then promptly rewarded for this act with a slap to the back of his head from Marcel.

Vona sighed. Well, this was embarrassing. “Sergeant, if you would be so kind.” The two marines each clasped a hand on the smugglers’ shoulders, the strength of their fingers’ grip quite painful as they effortlessly pushed George and Marcel in front of them. “My apologies, Ambassador. I hoped that our first meeting would be more, ah… Prestigious.”

The two smugglers, rubbing their shoulders from the pain, resigned themselves to their fate. There was no running now. George and Marcel walked forward, towards their countrymen, and were eventually intercepted by the Royal Guard, who gripped them equally as painfully as the marines had.

“Now that is dealt with, I suggest we meet some other time, under better circumstances. I would be interested in learning about your country,” the Kudrioni ambassador said, her tone not much friendlier than the one she had before.

“Likewise. I would be glad to meet again… at a time of your choosing.” Vona looked around, tapping his fingers on his cane’s pommel. “Until then, we will work to establish a proper embassy.” And I will work to visit every inch of this place, he thought. How was that for a first day on the job?

About an hour later, a short message was broadcasted on the Meeting place.

“To the attention of all nations represented on this station, we are the Kamenyan Defense Directorate, sole governing body of Kamenymir. We are a peaceful people and look forward to working hand in hand with fellow children of Earth for our mutual benefit. If you wish to contact us, Ambassador Vona Toman is available for any diplomatic purposes.”

Collab with @jorvhik

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation RP

Snow covered the streets and roofs of Paris. Outside, the City of Light was coming to life as the sun shone its first rays, barely warming up the cold air of January 1847. Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, was having buttered bread, grilled bacon, and Algerian mandarin oranges with a cup of coffee for breakfast in his palace of the Tuileries.

“What news today, Alexandre?” The Emperor had his own daily routine, having his aide bring the latest relevant pieces of information to him in the morning.

“Good news from Africa, Sire. The empire of Morocco has capitulated to your demands and has agreed to stop supporting the rebels. Reports indicate that Abdelkader is fleeing east.”

“Emir Abdelkader. What else?”

“A letter from Austria. For your eyes only.” The aide produced a sealed letter and handed it over to Napoléon.

He read it twice, then set it down on the table. “Brotherly heritage of the Caroligians… Old habits die hard,” he muttered.

“Sire?”

“Von Metternich wishes that Austria be friends with France, it seems. Or so he says.” The Emperor took a sip of coffee. “He speaks of friendship and prosperity, but there is hostility as well. The Austrians want us to believe that they blame our past enemies for the rivalries between us. Poor Austria was manipulated by the Russians, Prussians… British, most likely.”

“Do you believe them?”

“No. They want us to hate them slightly less than we hate all of our old enemies, this is the only truth I can see in this paper. That’s what matters.” A short pause followed. “Von Metternich also sent me a personal invitation to their… Conference on Track Gauges and Freight standards, as he puts it. And a visit of their country.”

“Would the Parliament approve?”

“The Parliament doesn’t need to know the exact contents of the letter. It will just be a tour of the conference. Everyone knows that I wish to develop railways further. And since Von Metternich offered to return my cousin’s remains to France, I cannot refuse. Nor can I send anyone else.”

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation RP

The French Empire

Government

Name: French Empire
Flag/Badge:

Head of State: Napoléon III
Head of Government: Napoléon III
Ideology: Authoritarian bonapartism and liberalism

Military

Army Numbers: 60,000 permanent professionals, 600,000 trained reserves.

Navy Numbers:

Levant Fleet (Mediterranean Sea): 22 ships of the line, 10 frigates, 142 various smaller ships.

Ponant Fleet (Atlantic Ocean and English Channel): 30 ships of the line, 20 frigates, 113 various smaller ships.

Army Equipment:

- Minié rifle
- Modèle 1842 St. Etienne Percussion Musket

- Breech-loading pistols
- Percussion pistols

- Muzzle-loading cannons
- Muzzle-loading howitzers
- Mortars

Naval Ship Types:

- Ships of the line
- Frigates
- Brigs
- Avisos
- Sloops
- Bomb ships

History, Expansion, and Economics

History:

In 1840, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince of Holland and heir to the French imperial throne, takes advantage of the patriotic fervor following the return of the Emperor’s ashes from Saint Helena and stages a military coup in Boulogne-sur-Mer from London with the intent to march on Paris. He learned from his failed attempt in Strasbourg in 1936 which made him known to the public and prepared carefully, bribing the commander of the garrison and his officers in advance. Using the initial impetus gained from rallying the 42nd Line Regiment to his cause, Bonaparte leads them southwards as the Gendarmerie forces who attempt to arrest him flee when the soldiers of the 42nd open fire on them. A portion of the local Garde Nationale defects to him as well, the others withdrawing in confusion.

Louis-Napoléon rallies more and more support as his growing army closes in on Paris. King Louis-Philippe’s men who were sent to stop him fail to do so, joining Louis-Napoleon instead and shouting “Vive l’Empereur”, long live the Emperor, in a repeat of the events of Napoléon’s return from Elba in 1815.

The king panics and flees the capital to Belgium. The defenders of Paris lay down their weapons and Louis-Napoléon makes a triumphant entrance into the city. What is left of the monarchy crumbles and the French Second Empire is born.

Louis-Napoléon, now known as Napoléon III, Emperor of the French, is much like his uncle yet so different. He admires England and wants to emulate English modernity as he seeks to enact policies reminiscent of bonapartism, but also humanism and social christianism, along with authoritarian liberalism. Bank systems and infrastructures are modernized, railways are built, the army is reformed. Despite both monarchist and republican opposition, the Emperor is massively popular with rural France and enjoys the support of rich bourgeois, small towns residents, and workers alike.

Now, France looks to the outside. While the Emperor wishes for closer ties with Britain, France’s defeat at the hands of its old enemies, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, is neither forgotten nor forgiven. Nevertheless, the Second Empire so far proves to be more interested in trade, prosperity and influence than vengeance.

Territory: No change from OTL

Economic Description: France produces and exports wheat and cereals, wine, timber and wooden products, machines, steel, and textiles in large quantities.

Historical Claims: France wishes to increase its influence in Western Germany, Italy, North Africa, and the Middle East. Meanwhile, expeditions sail to Asia and Africa with goals to open new trade routes and establish trading posts in faraway lands.

France is currently embroiled in a war against Emir Abdelkader ibn Muhieddin's djihad in Algeria. Most Algerain tribes have turned on the Emir and joined forces with the French, and Abdelkader's defeat seems inevitable.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

The French Empire

Government

Name: French Empire
Flag/Badge:

Head of State: Napoléon III
Head of Government: Napoléon III
Ideology: Authoritarian bonapartism and liberalism

Military

Army Numbers: 60,000 permanent professionals, 600,000 trained reserves.

Navy Numbers:

Levant Fleet (Mediterranean Sea): 22 ships of the line, 10 frigates, 142 various smaller ships.

Ponant Fleet (Atlantic Ocean and English Channel): 30 ships of the line, 20 frigates, 113 various smaller ships.

Army Equipment:

- Minié rifle
- Modèle 1842 St. Etienne Percussion Musket

- Colt Walker revolver
- Percussion pistols

- Muzzle-loading cannons
- Muzzle-loading howitzers
- Mortars

Naval Ship Types:

- Ships of the line
- Frigates
- Brigs
- Avisos
- Sloops
- Bomb ships

History, Expansion, and Economics

History:

In 1840, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince of Holland and heir to the French imperial throne, takes advantage of the patriotic fervor following the return of the Emperor’s ashes from Saint Helena and stages a military coup in Boulogne-sur-Mer from London with the intent to march on Paris. He learned from his failed attempt in Strasbourg in 1936 which made him known to the public and prepared carefully, bribing the commander of the garrison and his officers in advance. Using the initial impetus gained from rallying the 42nd Line Regiment to his cause, Bonaparte leads them southwards as the Gendarmerie forces who attempt to arrest him flee when the soldiers of the 42nd open fire on them. A portion of the local Garde Nationale defects to him as well, the others withdrawing in confusion.

Louis-Napoléon rallies more and more support as his growing army closes in on Paris. King Louis-Philippe’s men who were sent to stop him fail to do so, joining Louis-Napoleon instead and shouting “Vive l’Empereur”, long live the Emperor, in a repeat of the events of Napoléon’s return from Elba in 1815.

The king panics and flees the capital to Belgium. The defenders of Paris lay down their weapons and Louis-Napoléon makes a triumphant entrance into the city. What is left of the monarchy crumbles and the French Second Empire is born.

Louis-Napoléon, now known as Napoléon III, Emperor of the French, is much like his uncle yet so different. He admires England and wants to emulate English modernity as he seeks to enact policies reminiscent of bonapartism, but also humanism and social christianism, along with authoritarian liberalism. Bank systems and infrastructures are modernized, railways are built, the army is reformed. Despite both monarchist and republican opposition, the Emperor is massively popular with rural France and enjoys the support of rich bourgeois, small towns residents, and workers alike.

Now, France looks to the outside. While the Emperor wishes for closer ties with Britain, France’s defeat at the hands of its old enemies, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, is neither forgotten nor forgiven. Nevertheless, the Second Empire so far proves to be more interested in trade, prosperity and influence than vengeance.

Territory: No change from OTL

Economic Description: France produces and exports wheat and cereals, wine, timber and wooden products, machines, steel, and textiles in large quantities.

Historical Claims: France wishes to increase its influence in Western Germany, Italy, North Africa, and the Middle East. Meanwhile, expeditions sail to Asia and Africa with goals to open new trade routes and establish trading posts in faraway lands.

France is currently embroiled in a war against Emir Abdelkader ibn Muhieddin's djihad in Algeria. Most Algerain tribes have turned on the Emir and joined forces with the French, and Abdelkader's defeat seems inevitable.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

@Letter Bee Sure, I could lend a hand with GMing.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

I think that a compromise can be reached without throwing your nation concepts out the window.

@Letter Bee I could see Britain making a deal with Egypt, but you should make it clear that they got some pretty hefty guarantees from Muhammad Ali that the Suez canal will be under their control, not Egypt's. Maybe ceding the bit of territory that is the canal to the British directly.

@Lady Lascivious I would suggest that, as mentioned before, Japan was swept by a particularly virulent plague that left Japanese society prone to rebellion. With so many people dead, it could justify women getting a more prominent role in society in 19th century Japan.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

Hi, I'd like to play as France in this. I'll start working on a sheet shortly.

Through the Gateways: Humanity [Closed] [Soon to be Concluded]

The Kamenyan Defense Directorate

A fitting musical theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEUBO8LvnwM&ab_channel=Conregulator

Nation Name: Kamenyan Defense Directorate.

Government Form: Constitutional Military Junta.

Demographics: 100% Human. The average Kamenyan stands at 6’ 7” tall, and all of them have a very developed musculature regardless of fitness. They also have no other eye color than purple or bright orange, with frequent heterochromia (around 10%).

Population: 1.6 billion

---



---

Planet Name and Description:

Kamenymir is a harsh planet for humans to live on, for reasons that are not immediately obvious. It is not much unlike Earth before the nuclear war: a temperate habitable world with forests and plains, deserts and jungles, a single ocean of salt water, and two frozen poles. Upon closer inspection, however, it begins to look like a poisoned gift. A mineral unique to Kamenymir known as dotrium, present in low concentration in virtually the entirety of the planet's mineral mass, emits a very specific kind of radiation. Local wildlife is perfectly adapted to these radiations, but humans start developing serious medical conditions after a few years of exposure including cancerous tumors, blindness, and blood diseases. The planet's higher gravity also causes its own problems and makes long-term human survival even more difficult.

History:

Shortly after the colony ship landed on Kamenymir, the expedition found itself under attack by an alien lifeform that was not organic but made of crystalline mineral matter. It appeared that when the ship landed on the surface, it crushed several of these crystal outgrowths in doing so as the crew couldn’t possibly have imagined that they were, in fact, alive. The crystals were able to change shape, move and even fly, and obviously had some way to communicate with each other as the expedition’s security forces were soon engaged in vicious combat around the burgeoning colony’s perimeter.

All efforts to try and communicate with the crystals, nicknamed “Shards” by the colonial security personnel, failed. There were no discernable reactions other than aggression to speech, light signals, even radio communications and visual depictions. Furthermore, the Shards were able to interact with electronic systems in some way through direct contact, which almost led to total corruption and shutdown of the colony’s informatics systems. The conflict escalated over the course of four years with precious few periods of calm. Eventually, however, the attacks stopped as suddenly as they came after thousands of colonists were killed and countless Shards destroyed.

The Kamenyan Defense Directorate, which was the emergency military government in charge of the colony’s defense, was in the process of being disbanded as all Shard activity had stopped. Indeed, there was no sign of them at all, anywhere. But this triumph was short-lived; another disaster struck, one that could not be blasted apart with guns.

As if the world itself rejected the invaders, the effects of the omnipresent low-level radiation emitted by dotrium began to show. Contamination was unavoidable: every single resident of the colony suffered from some sort of radiation poisoning. Under the steely leadership of the KDD however, the Kamenyans showed incredible resilience and determination. Every effort was bent towards overcoming the will of the very planet. Scientists of all branches joined forces to find a solution, those who could still see assisting the blind in whatever way they could and working to provide cybernetic eye implants to vital personnel. Finally, after two long years during which thousands more died in terrible pain, a cure had been developed. A serum codenamed ‘Hekate’ that, once ingested, subtly worked to rewrite the subject’s DNA over several months, carried from cell to cell by nanomachines.

A second existential threat had been vanquished under the rule of the KDD, and now people weren’t keen on changing to another system of governance. A referendum was held; a Constitution written, and from past hardship emerged a unique type of government. A government that is both democracy and military dictatorship. A society in which the army is both the seat of political power and the servant of the Kamenyan people.

Peace and prosperity followed for two hundred years. Improving upon the Hekate serum, the scientists of the KDD added a second effect to it: the high gravity of Kamenymir had been a problem ever since the colony was founded, causing considerable health problems. Instead of relying on specialized suits or gravity modulation devices, the Kamenyans demonstrated once again their will to overcome an obstacle once and for all by elevating themselves above it. The additional gene therapy of the Hekate made bones stronger, permanent hormone change increased muscle mass and induced a rise in height, and the human heart was made bigger and stronger.

The planet’s population skyrocketed past a billion souls, the industry flourished and technological progress kept on improving the lives of all. In the meantime, an actual army had been founded, but with no clear present threat, its duties were only ones of general security. The KDD’s decision to maintain consequent armed forces, however, turned out to be very fortunate when the Shards returned.

The attack did not come from the ground. It was a science satellite in orbit that first detected large objects on a direct collision course with the planet below. What was thought to be meteors crashed into the surface of Kamenymir, only to reveal themselves to be Shards of prodigious size, quickly fragmenting into smaller ones. Millions of civilians and soldiers alike perished in the first month of chaos and confused fighting. The KDD was quick to react and reorganize, and its heavily armed forces along with militia groups led by police officers wiped out the invading force in a single year.

The astronomy branch of the KDD’s Department of Science was astonished to find out that the Shards did not come from the depths of interstellar space. They came from the planet’s own moon, and it was concluded that those initially present on Kamenymir were only a colony, that they must have sent a message asking for help to their homeworld, and that it took two hundred years for the Shards to grow large enough.

Consequently, the decision was made to begin a herculean project to build a space navy capable of taking the fight to the enemy. An orbital station was constructed, then a space elevator. A shipyard followed, and the first combat spaceships left their anchorages. No resistance was met all the way to the moon, and the Kamenyan fleet found itself in orbit over defenseless Shards. There was no attempt to communicate this time. The fleet was given the order to open fire, and so it did. The orbital bombardment lasted for hours, then days, then months. Every single square meter bearing a hint of Shard presence was devastated by nuclear weapons and tungsten rods that ruptured the crust of the moon. When the ships in orbit finally ceased fire, the celestial body beneath had been transformed into an inferno of radioactive wastelands and volcanic eruptions.

Kamenymir celebrated triumph and victory. One century passed. And then, the Gate awakened.

Culture and Society:

Kamenyan society is rather individualist, with strong family bonds and an emphasis on personal freedom. The KDD rarely intrudes into the life of regular citizens, keeping to its role as per the Constitution. The Kamenyans are a patriotic people, and the sense of duty is generally strong with them. As such, the army is never short on recruits. Every adult citizen of Kamenymir has the right to own and bear firearms, except those with a criminal record or diagnosed mental illness. Combined with a mandatory military service of three years, this results in a population that is largely made up of potential soldiers should the need arise.

The creation of businesses is encouraged to stimulate the economy, regulations are few, and trade between regions and cities is busy. Law enforcement is managed by local police forces under the supervision of the KDD’s Department of Security, which has its own investigators and security officers at its disposal.

The planet’s culture has retained some traits from Old Earth and has managed to preserve portions of its history as well, which shows as their language is an evolution of Slavic and Germanic languages blended together, but it has largely evolved into a new culture of its own. Chief among these differences is spiritual; the old religions have faded into a collection of cosmic superstitions involving natural and physical phenomenons. Those who truly believe in the divine nature of these phenomenons pray directly to them, without following any kind of rules like a typical organized religion. For example, some may pray to gravity that their damaged aircraft does not crash, others pray to radiation or genes for a healthy child.

The only thing that could resemble a religion by Old Earth’s standards is the literal adherence to the KDD’s Constitution. Nearly every citizen of Kamenymir considers the Constitution to be the most sacred and untouchable thing there is in their society, a guidance that is not to be tampered with.

---

Governance and Politics:

The highest authorities in the KDD are the Directors, each of them in charge of their own Department. They are chosen at random among military officers who chose to be candidates for a specific office and fill that role until they’re either dead, deemed medically unable to fulfill their duty, or removed from office by Constitutional Referendum. In that latter case, a death sentence penalty follows the removal from office if the referendum ends in favor of eviction by an absolute majority. In consequence, only the officers with absolute confidence in their abilities do volunteer as candidates for Director. To serve as a head of state, the office of General Director functions as a “first among equals” in order to be able to make decisions that affect the whole of Kamenyan society.

Political parties do not exist in the traditional sense on Kamenymir, since the army at large and the Directors, in particular, are forbidden by the Constitution to participate in any organized political groups; they are only meant to be a vessel for the people they serve. It is a predictable consequence then that polls and referendums are frequent. There may be civilian groups who really are just an association of like-minded individuals, but since there is no way to elect a representative to a higher office than Burmistrz most Kamenyans see little sense in political lobbying by organized parties.

Burmistrz are the only elected officials in the entire nation. They are responsible for the administration of a single city and its surroundings, command the local police force, and generally have a lot of freedom granted to them to govern their locality. They are however unable to contradict the KDD’s instructions in any way without being given express permission.

Technology Overview:

Energy: Nuclear fission energy and fossil fuels are prevalent in everyday use, the former for its cost-effectiveness and the latter for convenience. Fusion reactors are used as the main power source for starships large enough to accommodate their size and represent the most advanced power production method available to the KDD, although experiments with antimatter are conducted, so far without any exploitable results.

Shields: The KDD’s Department of Science has managed to create so-called energy shields. They require massive amounts of energy and are typically only installed on starships or planetside installations. These devices can intercept incoming fire by projecting energy surges to counteract the energy of incoming projectiles, slowing solid projectiles to the point of ineffectiveness or stopping them outright. Particle beams such as laser weaponry can be similarly hobbled after a fraction of a second past the initial impact, once the ship’s systems are able to detect the attack. The more energy a shield has at its disposal, the more effective it will be.

Nanomachines: This is not as much an innovation as it is a technology preserved from Old Earth that is not fully comprehended by the KDD’s scientists, although it has been successfully repurposed for medical uses.

Military Overview:

“Brute force” may be reductive, but it is an accurate way to describe the KDD’s approach to military problems. Their weapons are rarely subtle, focusing instead on high power and volume of fire. The humble Armored Infantry footsoldier is a perfect example of the Kamenyan war philosophy:

He is, as all of his countrymen are, unnaturally tall and muscular. His suit of power armor further amplifies these traits: a massive, bulky frame of fully-enclosed armor plates, thick and without any thought given to aesthetics. It is angular, with sharp unpolished edges. This incredibly heavy set of personal protection has a layer of artificial muscle underneath the armor plates, allowing its wearer to move without hindrance from its weight and even enhancing his strength well and truly beyond any human limits.
Despite its unrefined appearance, this armor hides an integrated computer neuro-linked to the user’s brain, assisting with aim, limb coordination, general responsiveness, and providing a combat HUD in the helmet.

His weapon looks the part. It is an ugly piece of rectangular metal, large and bulky. Classified as an assault rifle, the STR-2 may be more accurately described as a high-caliber rapid-fire light machine gun. It includes a mini-rocket launcher under the barrel as well as a switchblade, turning it into an axe for close-quarters combat. The STR-2’s incredibly rugged design makes it more than able to withstand being used as a melee weapon by a power-armored warrior with superhuman strength.

The rest of the military generally follows the same principles, even though specialized and lighter gear is always available depending on current needs. Aside from more conventional forces, the KDD also fields armored mechs, perfectly suited for navigating ruins or uneven terrain and armed with a variety of autocannons, missile launchers, plasma drivers, and tactical lasers. A secret project to build a “super-mech” equipped with energy shields is in the works, but progress is slow due to inherent engineering problems.

As far as the navy is concerned, the KDD favors “packs” of several frigates acting together. Cruisers act as the centerpiece of these groups, ready to cover the pack’s retreat or deliver a hammer blow to a weakened foe. The lack of any hostile encounter in space has, so far, limited the KDD’s tactics to general doctrines and directives, relying on its navy’s captains to take the initiative in an initial engagement.

One feature of Kamenyan military doctrine warrants particular attention. Their war against the Shards has left a lasting impression, especially the ease with which informatic systems were compromised. As a result, the KDD has taken to the habit of making sure that their systems are as insulated from one another as possible. Power armor computers do not communicate with other suits; instead, comparatively primitive verbal radio communications are the norm with data packages transfer only possible after authorization by both the sender and the receiver, and even then this is supposed to be done only when absolutely necessary.

This philosophy is prevalent throughout the entire military, be it armored vehicles, fighter crafts, or even spaceships. Within a single ship, computers are locked out of communications with other sections by a manual switch. All of this is a conscious sacrifice of some measure of effectiveness, in exchange for the ability to more easily contain and combat electronic warfare and system infections.

Notable military gear

Weapons:

STR-2 Assault Rifle: See description in the section above. It is the standard infantry rifle and serves as a template for most of the KDD’s infantry firearms.

Chimera Shotgun: A fully automatic 6 gauge shotgun most often loaded with either explosive HESH shells or so-called “Sunburn” rounds. A Sunburn shell contains, like conventional weapons, solid pellets. The difference is that inside each of those pellets is a small quantity of highly corrosive and toxic acid. Contact with this substance on organic tissues induces burns and necrosis in a matter of seconds.

Vehicles:

Huzar Scout Mech: This light and agile bipedal walker serves as lightly armored reconnaissance, armed with an autocannon fitted with three rotating barrels and a multipurpose missile launcher. Mounted on the Huzar’s back is a pair of powerful thrusters that allow it to jump over buildings and other obstacles.

Svarog Multirole Mech Frame: The Svarog is the result of a particularly eccentric arms manufacturer’s pet project. The four-legged frame is a “skeleton” on which an astounding amount of possible combinations of armament and armor can be added, from long-range missile artillery to high-power lasers, as little or as much armor as desired (within maximum weight limits) or even specialized equipment like lift claws and mine clearing devices.

Sleipnir Transport Gunship: This rather large gunship, suited for both atmospheric and spaceflight, is armed with autocannon turrets covering every angle as well as swarmer short range missile pods, both for defense against enemy aircraft and to suppress enemy ground units while the Sleipnir’s passengers disembark. The gunship’s large bulk allows it to transport a full squad of armored infantry, or a single light armored vehicle.

Ships:

Kobalt Frigate: Built to be the quintessential frigate, fast and versatile. Its main armament consists in laser batteries and long-range missiles.

Onyx Heavy Frigate: Onyx frigates are made to work in tandem so that they can be cycled in and out of combat to allow for their shield’s batteries to recharge, with the intent of delivering a non-stop bombardment from their main railguns.

Almaz Cruiser: The true backbone of the Kamenyan fleet. Almaz cruisers anchor battle formations, cover retreats, spearhead assaults and provide orbital support for planetside troops.

Zheoda Battlecarrier: The largest ship in the KDD’s navy, a Zheoda specializes in deploying much more fighter/bomber support than an Almaz can, while still being capable of fighting on the front line with impressive armor and firepower.

Through the Gateways: Humanity [Closed] [Soon to be Concluded]

The Kamenyan Defense Directorate

A fitting musical theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEUBO8LvnwM&ab_channel=Conregulator

Nation Name: Kamenyan Defense Directorate.

Government Form: Constitutional Military Junta.

Demographics: 100% Human. The average Kamenyan stands at 6’ 7” tall, and all of them have a very developed musculature regardless of fitness. They also have no other eye color than purple or bright orange, with frequent heterochromia (around 10%).

Population: 1.6 billion

---



---

Planet Name and Description:

Kamenymir is a harsh planet for humans to live on, for reasons that are not immediately obvious. It is not much unlike Earth before the nuclear war: a temperate habitable world with forests and plains, deserts and jungles, a single ocean of salt water, and two frozen poles. Upon closer inspection, however, it begins to look like a poisoned gift. A mineral unique to Kamenymir known as dotrium, present in low concentration in virtually the entirety of the planet's mineral mass, emits a very specific kind of radiation. Local wildlife is perfectly adapted to these radiations, but humans start developing serious medical conditions after a few years of exposure including cancerous tumors, blindness, and blood diseases. The planet's higher gravity also causes its own problems and makes long-term human survival even more difficult.

History:

Shortly after the colony ship landed on Kamenymir, the expedition found itself under attack by an alien lifeform that was not organic but made of crystalline mineral matter. It appeared that when the ship landed on the surface, it crushed several of these crystal outgrowths in doing so as the crew couldn’t possibly have imagined that they were, in fact, alive. The crystals were able to change shape, move and even fly, and obviously had some way to communicate with each other as the expedition’s security forces were soon engaged in vicious combat around the burgeoning colony’s perimeter.

All efforts to try and communicate with the crystals, nicknamed “Shards” by the colonial security personnel, failed. There were no discernable reactions other than aggression to speech, light signals, even radio communications and visual depictions. Furthermore, the Shards were able to interact with electronic systems in some way through direct contact, which almost led to total corruption and shutdown of the colony’s informatics systems. The conflict escalated over the course of four years with precious few periods of calm. Eventually, however, the attacks stopped as suddenly as they came after thousands of colonists were killed and countless Shards destroyed.

The Kamenyan Defense Directorate, which was the emergency military government in charge of the colony’s defense, was in the process of being disbanded as all Shard activity had stopped. Indeed, there was no sign of them at all, anywhere. But this triumph was short-lived; another disaster struck, one that could not be blasted apart with guns.

As if the world itself rejected the invaders, the effects of the omnipresent low-level radiation emitted by dotrium began to show. Contamination was unavoidable: every single resident of the colony suffered from some sort of radiation poisoning. Under the steely leadership of the KDD however, the Kamenyans showed incredible resilience and determination. Every effort was bent towards overcoming the will of the very planet. Scientists of all branches joined forces to find a solution, those who could still see assisting the blind in whatever way they could and working to provide cybernetic eye implants to vital personnel. Finally, after two long years during which thousands more died in terrible pain, a cure had been developed. A serum codenamed ‘Hekate’ that, once ingested, subtly worked to rewrite the subject’s DNA over several months, carried from cell to cell by nanomachines.

A second existential threat had been vanquished under the rule of the KDD, and now people weren’t keen on changing to another system of governance. A referendum was held; a Constitution written, and from past hardship emerged a unique type of government. A government that is both democracy and military dictatorship. A society in which the army is both the seat of political power and the servant of the Kamenyan people.

Peace and prosperity followed for two hundred years. Improving upon the Hekate serum, the scientists of the KDD added a second effect to it: the high gravity of Kamenymir had been a problem ever since the colony was founded, causing considerable health problems. Instead of relying on specialized suits or gravity modulation devices, the Kamenyans demonstrated once again their will to overcome an obstacle once and for all by elevating themselves above it. The additional gene therapy of the Hekate made bones stronger, permanent hormone change increased muscle mass and induced a rise in height, and the human heart was made bigger and stronger.

The planet’s population skyrocketed past a billion souls, the industry flourished and technological progress kept on improving the lives of all. In the meantime, an actual army had been founded, but with no clear present threat, its duties were only ones of general security. The KDD’s decision to maintain consequent armed forces, however, turned out to be very fortunate when the Shards returned.

The attack did not come from the ground. It was a science satellite in orbit that first detected large objects on a direct collision course with the planet below. What was thought to be meteors crashed into the surface of Kamenymir, only to reveal themselves to be Shards of prodigious size, quickly fragmenting into smaller ones. Millions of civilians and soldiers alike perished in the first month of chaos and confused fighting. The KDD was quick to react and reorganize, and its heavily armed forces along with militia groups led by police officers wiped out the invading force in a single year.

The astronomy branch of the KDD’s Department of Science was astonished to find out that the Shards did not come from the depths of interstellar space. They came from the planet’s own moon, and it was concluded that those initially present on Kamenymir were only a colony, that they must have sent a message asking for help to their homeworld, and that it took two hundred years for the Shards to grow large enough.

Consequently, the decision was made to begin a herculean project to build a space navy capable of taking the fight to the enemy. An orbital station was constructed, then a space elevator. A shipyard followed, and the first combat spaceships left their anchorages. No resistance was met all the way to the moon, and the Kamenyan fleet found itself in orbit over defenseless Shards. There was no attempt to communicate this time. The fleet was given the order to open fire, and so it did. The orbital bombardment lasted for hours, then days, then months. Every single square meter bearing a hint of Shard presence was devastated by nuclear weapons and tungsten rods that ruptured the crust of the moon. When the ships in orbit finally ceased fire, the celestial body beneath had been transformed into an inferno of radioactive wastelands and volcanic eruptions.

Kamenymir celebrated triumph and victory. One century passed. And then, the Gate awakened.

Culture and Society:

Kamenyan society is rather individualist, with strong family bonds and an emphasis on personal freedom. The KDD rarely intrudes into the life of regular citizens, keeping to its role as per the Constitution. The Kamenyans are a patriotic people, and the sense of duty is generally strong with them. As such, the army is never short on recruits. Every adult citizen of Kamenymir has the right to own and bear firearms, except those with a criminal record or diagnosed mental illness. Combined with a mandatory military service of three years, this results in a population that is largely made up of potential soldiers should the need arise.

The creation of businesses is encouraged to stimulate the economy, regulations are few, and trade between regions and cities is busy. Law enforcement is managed by local police forces under the supervision of the KDD’s Department of Security, which has its own investigators and security officers at its disposal.

The planet’s culture has retained some traits from Old Earth and has managed to preserve portions of its history as well, which shows as their language is an evolution of Slavic and Germanic languages blended together, but it has largely evolved into a new culture of its own. Chief among these differences is spiritual; the old religions have faded into a collection of cosmic superstitions involving natural and physical phenomenons. Those who truly believe in the divine nature of these phenomenons pray directly to them, without following any kind of rules like a typical organized religion. For example, some may pray to gravity that their damaged aircraft does not crash, others pray to radiation or genes for a healthy child.

The only thing that could resemble a religion by Old Earth’s standards is the literal adherence to the KDD’s Constitution. Nearly every citizen of Kamenymir considers the Constitution to be the most sacred and untouchable thing there is in their society, a guidance that is not to be tampered with.

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Governance and Politics:

The highest authorities in the KDD are the Directors, each of them in charge of their own Department. They are chosen at random among military officers who chose to be candidates for a specific office and fill that role until they’re either dead, deemed medically unable to fulfill their duty, or removed from office by Constitutional Referendum. In that latter case, a death sentence penalty follows the removal from office if the referendum ends in favor of eviction by an absolute majority. In consequence, only the officers with absolute confidence in their abilities do volunteer as candidates for Director. To serve as a head of state, the office of General Director functions as a “first among equals” in order to be able to make decisions that affect the whole of Kamenyan society.

Political parties do not exist in the traditional sense on Kamenymir, since the army at large and the Directors, in particular, are forbidden by the Constitution to participate in any organized political groups; they are only meant to be a vessel for the people they serve. It is a predictable consequence then that polls and referendums are frequent. There may be civilian groups who really are just an association of like-minded individuals, but since there is no way to elect a representative to a higher office than Burmistrz most Kamenyans see little sense in political lobbying by organized parties.

Burmistrz are the only elected officials in the entire nation. They are responsible for the administration of a single city and its surroundings, command the local police force, and generally have a lot of freedom granted to them to govern their locality. They are however unable to contradict the KDD’s instructions in any way without being given express permission.

Technology Overview:

Energy: Nuclear fission energy and fossil fuels are prevalent in everyday use, the former for its cost-effectiveness and the latter for convenience. Fusion reactors are used as the main power source for starships large enough to accommodate their size and represent the most advanced power production method available to the KDD, although experiments with antimatter are conducted, so far without any exploitable results.

Shields: The KDD’s Department of Science has managed to create so-called energy shields. They require massive amounts of energy and are typically only installed on starships or planetside installations. These devices can intercept incoming fire by projecting energy surges to counteract the energy of energy projectiles, slowing solid projectiles to the point of ineffectiveness or stopping them outright. Particle beams such as laser weaponry can be similarly hobbled after a fraction of a second past the initial impact, once the ship’s systems are able to detect the attack. The more energy a shield has at its disposal, the more effective it will be.

Nanomachines: This is not as much an innovation as it is a technology preserved from Old Earth that is not fully comprehended by the KDD’s scientists, although it has been successfully repurposed for medical uses.

Military Overview:

“Brute force” may be reductive, but it is an accurate way to describe the KDD’s approach to military problems. Their weapons are rarely subtle, focusing instead on high power and volume of fire. The humble Armored Infantry footsoldier is a perfect example of the Kamenyan war philosophy:

He is, as all of his countrymen are, unnaturally tall and muscular. His suit of power armor further amplifies these traits: a massive, bulky frame of fully-enclosed armor plates, thick and without any thought given to aesthetics. It is angular, with sharp unpolished edges. This incredibly heavy set of personal protection has a layer of artificial muscle underneath the armor plates, allowing its wearer to move without hindrance from its weight and even enhancing his strength well and truly beyond any human limits.
Despite its unrefined appearance, this armor hides an integrated computer neuro-linked to the user’s brain, assisting with aim, limb coordination, general responsiveness, and providing a combat HUD in the helmet.

His weapon looks the part. It is an ugly piece of rectangular metal, large and bulky. Classified as an assault rifle, the STR-2 may be more accurately described as a high-caliber rapid-fire light machine gun. It includes a mini-rocket launcher under the barrel as well as a switchblade, turning it into an axe for close-quarters combat. The STR-2’s incredibly rugged design makes it more than able to withstand being used as a melee weapon by a power-armored warrior with superhuman strength.

The rest of the military generally follows the same principles, even though specialized and lighter gear is always available depending on current needs. Aside from more conventional forces, the KDD also fields armored mechs, perfectly suited for navigating ruins or uneven terrain and armed with a variety of autocannons, missile launchers, plasma drivers, and tactical lasers. A secret project to build a “super-mech” equipped with energy shields is in the works, but progress is slow due to inherent engineering problems.

As far as the navy is concerned, the KDD favors “packs” of several frigates acting together. Cruisers act as the centerpiece of these groups, ready to cover the pack’s retreat or deliver a hammer blow to a weakened foe. The lack of any hostile encounter in space has, so far, limited the KDD’s tactics to general doctrines and directives, relying on its navy’s captains to take the initiative in an initial engagement.

One feature of Kamenyan military doctrine warrants particular attention. Their war against the Shards has left a lasting impression, especially the ease with which informatic systems were compromised. As a result, the KDD has taken to the habit of making sure that their systems are as insulated from one another as possible. Power armor computers do not communicate with other suits; instead, comparatively primitive verbal radio communications are the norm with data packages transfer only possible after authorization by both the sender and the receiver, and even then this is supposed to be done only when absolutely necessary.

This philosophy is prevalent throughout the entire military, be it armored vehicles, fighter crafts, or even spaceships. Within a single ship, computers are locked out of communications with other sections by a manual switch. All of this is a conscious sacrifice of some measure of effectiveness, in exchange for the ability to more easily contain and combat electronic warfare and system infections.

Notable military gear

Weapons:

STR-2 Assault Rifle: See description in the section above. It is the standard infantry rifle and serves as a template for most of the KDD’s infantry firearms.

Chimera Shotgun: A fully automatic 6 gauge shotgun most often loaded with either explosive HESH shells or so-called “Sunburn” rounds. A Sunburn shell contains, like conventional weapons, solid pellets. The difference is that inside each of those pellets is a small quantity of highly corrosive and toxic acid. Contact with this substance on organic tissues induces burns and necrosis in a matter of seconds.

Vehicles:

Huzar Scout Mech: This light and agile bipedal walker serves as lightly armored reconnaissance, armed with an autocannon fitted with three rotating barrels and a multipurpose missile launcher. Mounted on the Huzar’s back is a pair of powerful thrusters that allow it to jump over buildings and other obstacles.

Svarog Multirole Mech Frame: The Svarog is the result of a particularly eccentric arms manufacturer’s pet project. The four-legged frame is a “skeleton” on which an astounding amount of possible combinations of armament and armor can be added, from long-range missile artillery to high-power lasers, as little or as much armor as desired (within maximum weight limits) or even specialized equipment like lift claws and mine clearing devices.

Sleipnir Transport Gunship: This rather large gunship, suited for both atmospheric and spaceflight, is armed with autocannon turrets covering every angle as well as swarmer short range missile pods, both for defense against enemy aircraft and to suppress enemy ground units while the Sleipnir’s passengers disembark. The gunship’s large bulk allows it to transport a full squad of armored infantry, or a single light armored vehicle.

Ships:

Kobalt Frigate: Built to be the quintessential frigate, fast and versatile. Its main armament consists in laser batteries and long-range missiles.

Onyx Heavy Frigate: The Onyx is made to work in tandem so that they can be cycled in and out of combat to allow for their shield’s batteries to recharge, with the intent of delivering a non-stop bombardment from their main railguns.

Almaz Cruiser: The true backbone of the Kamenyan fleet. Almaz cruisers anchor battle formations, cover retreats, spearhead assaults and provide orbital support for planetside troops.

Zheoda Battlecarrier: The largest ship in the KDD’s navy, a Zheoda specializes in deploying much more fighter/bomber support than an Almaz can, while still being capable of fighting on the front line with impressive armor and firepower.