Al-Sharif Birthplace of the Revolution A nondescript basement somewhere in the city's slum district
Below the streets of Al-Sharif, away from the prying eyes of the Council’s agents, a plot was brewing. Huddled around a cheap, faux-wood table were four young men, all with a gleam in their eye, and a swelling sense of anticipation in their chests. They peered down at the old faded blueprint that was stretched out across the table, taking note of every mark that had been meticulously drawn upon it, each one describing the positioning of a guard, or camera, or some other source of danger. Without fail, they all shifted their gaze to the big red ‘X’ that had been marked along the building’s edge: it was here that their triumph would be found.
“You’re sure this is going to work?” The youngest man asked, his boyishly handsome face screwed up in a look of worry.
“I’ve told you a thousand times, Ravi! It’ll work, trust me.” The man that spoke was not much older than Ravi, though he was quite a bit taller. Thin, with long arms and a sharply pointed nose upon which rested a pair of reading spectacles, he gave off the impression of a decisive intellect.
The third man broke his silence now, “Have faith comrade.” He clapped his hand on the young revolutionary’s back. “Tomorrow we’ll give those pigs a good show.” He smiled, his bearded face lighting up with delight, which Ravi parroted.
“Thawra hatta al-nasr.” The fourth and oldest said, speaking a slogan of the old world, one that meant ‘Revolution until victory’. One by one the other members of the conspiracy repeated those words, their chests swelling with pride as they spoke the incantation, as if it were a blessing.
Twenty-one years ago, the Revolution began. Tomorrow, the Revolution would continue.
Al-Sharif Birthplace of the Revolution The heart of the city
"I'm telling you Yusef, you've got to come sometime!" The soldier proclaimed gleefully, "You ought to learn to have some fun!"
"Brothels are illegal, Nazim." Yusef replied.
"Captain Ebrahimi doesn't seem to mind." The third soldier laughed, "We see him there all the time!"
The three men walked side-by-side down a brightly lit, recently paved street. It was here, in the very center of the city, where the reconstruction had first began after Council troops liberated it from rebel forces some ten years ago. It had been placed under martial law the second the revolutionaries had been routed, and had stayed that way ever since.
"Officers don't play by the same rules as us, you two know that." Yusef said, always the practical one. "Captain Ebrahimi'll get a slap on the wrist if he gets caught, and we'll get three years of hard labor."
The others faces slackened, and then both burst out with laughter, "You've really got to lighten up! With an attitude like that you'll never get laid!" Laughed Nazim. They were returning from their nightly patrol, their guards down, their focus on the tall, fenced off garrison building where they had spent the past year together. The structure was a brutal thing, made up of sharp angles and bare concrete, it menaced all that passed by it, a constant reminder of who was in-charge.
They passed through the large, heavy iron gates and towards the building's entrance, slinging their rifles over their shoulders as they approached. The night air was warm and dry, few sounds but for the stomping of boots on gravel, and the soldiers' giggles. And then the sudden roar of an explosion.
It happened faster than any of them could react. The three men were flung to the ground, rubble and hot air flying towards them, thudding off their impact armor and ejecting the air from their lungs. There was a sharp, painful ringing in Yusef's ears, and a hard thudding in his chest. He felt a warm stream of blood course down his cheek as a gash began to flow openly. He looked to his companions, they were splayed out on the ground like ragdolls, neither were conscious, though Yusef thought, he hoped, he could see them breathing.
The young soldier's gaze drifted to the garrison building, what had become his home, and felt his breath catch in his throat. A quarter of the structure was gone, blown away in less than a second of violence. He could see broken, twisted pieces of metal, and strips of cloth strewn throughout the wreckage. There were bodies too; Yusef knew they were not breathing.
As his hearing began to return, the ringing of deafness was replaced by the blaring of sirens, and the haunting moans of dying men.
Government Type: Wadi has suffered through perhaps the most tumultuous period of its history. Two decades of civil war have wracked the planet, leaving millions dead, and much of the planet's infrastructure in ruins. Shortly after the Al-Sharif Uprising of 952, a cadre of military advisors and the upper brass of the Wadian aristocracy's Old Guard banded together to combat the swelling revolution that had already taken hold in numerous cities across the planet. A decisive betrayal by these military leaders resulted in the death of the Sultan, Safaa El-Mofty, and the end of Wadian feudalism. Twenty-one years of civil war followed, eventually resulting in the military forces and loyalists of the People's Republic of Wadi fleeing into the Pahaad Jabal mountains, where they remain a government in exile.
As such, Wadi currently contains two competing governments: the People's Republic of Wadi, a proletarian dictatorship governed by a general secretary, and a politburo of elected representatives; and the Council for the Preservation of Order, a fascistic military junta governed by a council of generals who advise the "Supreme Commander", a totalitarian dictator who remains in power through sheer force of will, and the indiscriminate use of violence.
Demographics: The first colonists to arrive on Wadi primarily originated from Asia Minor, Arabia and the surrounding Arab lands, and the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan. The culture and ethnography of Wadi broadly reflects these influences, and as such, names, religious and cultural customs, and language present themselves as a mix of these progenitors.
Aliens are generally disliked and distrusted by the people of Wadi, and with the advent of the Council of the Preservation of Order, immigration by non-human and near-human sophonts has been heavily restricted. Those few aliens that do dwell on Wadi tend to live in slums or ghettos, subjected to violence and discrimination, both interpersonal and structural, on a daily basis.
Economy: Wadi is a largely barren planet. Its proximity to its star, Vishana, has created an atmosphere that is largely non-conducive to agriculture, and occasionally hazardous to human life. As such, Wadi relies heavily on the import of foodstuffs. Alternatively, Wadi was blessed with ample natural resources, namely large deposits of minerals, including the mysterious and valuable Psionium. The exportation of such resources form the backbone of the Wadian economy, supplemented by a once booming industry, though the recent conflict has resulted in a dramatic decrease in production.
Officially, the Council maintains a planned economy, with the Ministry of Economic Prosperity in control of fixing prices, mandating production quotas, and providing subsidies to industries that are deemed to be of "vital importance to the state". In reality, the state allows industrialists effectively laissez-faire control over their factories, so long as their decisions do not negatively affect the state. Interstellar trade is highly regulated by the Wadian Trading Commission who are responsible for dictating the policy positions of the state's highly protectionist doctrine.
Military: The Council for the Preservation of Order's military is divided into three branches, each with its own role on the battlefield.
The Council's secret police force, the Bureau of Social Harmony is responsible for quashing dissidents, staunching the circulation of anti-government propaganda, and promoting social harmony for the benefit of the state.
The Council's ground forces, made up of old veterans who cut their teeth on the blood-soaked battlefields of the civil war, and eager new recruits spurned on by pro-military propaganda.
A common soldier in the GAW.
The Council possesses a small and outdated navy composed of a dozen old frigates, and a few dozen strike craft. The modernization and expansion of the Wadian navy is one of the Council's biggest hurdles they will have to face in the coming years if they wish to adequately defend themselves in this troubled region of the sector.
History: When the fires of revolution were stoked in the Frontier Worlds by the corrupting influence of the ITC, a wind of change swept through the blasted valleys of Wadi. A planet long dominated by petty nobles, and greedy businessmen, the sector-wide revolt against the interests of the interstellar bourgeoisie inspired in the people of Wadi the spirit to break their chains and throw off the yoke of feudal oppression that had suppressed their will for so long. A vanguard of brave workers rose up in the industrial capital of Al-Sharif in December 952, seizing factories, summarily executing industrialists, and burning symbols of the old regime: noble estates, banking institutions, and houses of worship. At the behest of intellectuals and revolutionary activists like Mansur Waqar, an improvised People's Army sprung up, and organized into a fighting force with radical change on their minds.
The swiftness of the uprising took the ruling class by surprise, throwing the upper echelons of Wadian society into chaos. Through a determined will, and the murder of Sultan Safaa El-Mofty, a military junta headed by Supreme Commander Abdullah Ihsan assumed control of what remained of the old regime's territory. He cobbled together an army of loyalists and began a ruthless campaign against the revolutionaries. A twenty-one year period of bloody civil war followed, resulting in the deaths of millions, and the destruction of dozens of cities. Though the conflict was grueling and hard-fought, it was clear that the reactionary forces of the Old Guard had the upper hand.
Fearing the defeat of the revolution, Takir Ahmad, General Secretary of the People's Republic of Wadi, ordered the withdrawl of all revolutionary forces into the Pahaad Jabal mountains. Supreme Commander Kumar, who assumed power after the assassination of Abdullah Ihsan, fearing a prolonged conflict in such unfavorable terrain, halted his pursuit, leaving Ahmad and his band of rebels to starve in the mountains, and turning his attention inward: to rebuilding Wadi.
People's Republic of Wadi
The History of the Revolution: The spark was lit in Al-Sharif on 15 December, 952. A labor protest taking place in the city mutated into a full-scale riot, eventually resulting in the seizure of weapons from a local police garrison. A three week long period of chaos that ended in hundreds of deaths followed, including the execution of many of the city’s bureaucratic and industrial elite. The Al-Sharif Uprising was indicative of a larger movement that had been steadily growing on the planet, primarily in the industrial working class, over the past decade or so. Further uprisings took place over the next year, during which time the thought-leaders of each city’s individual revolt came together to form a unified front. The First Convention of the Proles took place in March, 953, and established the initial framework that would eventually develop into the People’s Republic of Wadi.
It was during that convention that the Wadian People’s Army was organized, the first Worker’s Councils were established, and the People’s Food Commissariat was proclaimed and with it a system of food distribution devised.
The People’s Republic of Wadi further bureaucratized over the following two-decade long period, its primary focus on the war effort. Factories under the control of the PRW were converted for military use, while the civilian economy relied on only the barest of essentials, a necessary sacrifice for the proletarian cause!
In the summer of 961 it became clear that counter-revolutionary forces within the republic were actively working against the state, and to combat this the first of many “Ideological Audits” were begun. These audits were (according to the state), primarily concerned with identifying “reactionaries” and expelling them from the party. In reality, much of the audits were instead targeted at individuals who challenged the emerging party orthodoxy, which had been established by some of the earliest theorists to join the fight, namely comrades Mansur Waqar and Sharifah Kasi Bardakçi. The resulting purges led to such a devastating shake-up among the party leadership, most notably in the People’s Army, that the war effort suffered greatly. The purging of General Al-Mufti is credited as being at least partially responsible for the PRW’s defeat at the Battle of Pazhadi’s Rift, which proved to be the turning point in the Council’s war against the revolutionary forces.
After this defeat, the territory of the PRW shrunk steadily each year as Council forces continued to push back the thinly spread lines of the People’s Army. By early 972 all that remained of the PRW was contained in three cities at the feet of the Pahaad Jabal mountain range. Under threat of complete destruction, General Secretary Takir Ahmad made the decision to take what was left of the Revolution and retreat into the mountains, where they would carry on their struggle for workers liberation in exile.
Leaving behind a small force of martyrs to cover their retreat, an exodus of roughly two-hundred thousand began a long, grueling march into the foothills of the Pahaad Jabal mountains. Initially, Council forces gave pursuit, but were turned back by heavy fighting. Deciding that the terrain was unsuitable for the prolonged fighting that would be necessary to root them out, the Supreme Commander of the Council thought it best to simply starve the revolutionaries out of the mountains. A loose perimeter was established around the area, regular patrols began, and a no-fly zone was put in place.
The current state of the PRW is a delicate one, as political in-fighting threatens to fracture what little of the government apparatus remains. The primary goals of the PRW as it stands now is to establish a steady source of food and materials (most importantly medical supplies and armaments) to sustain the Revolution. All but a handful of the representatives of the politburo died or were captured during the final few years of the war, necessitating a downsizing of the government bureaucracy, and the transition from a proper proletarian dictatorship to what now more accurately resembles an emergency government.
Their forces broken at the Siege of the Three Cities, what little remained of the WPA fled into the Pahaad Jabal mountains, demoralized and tired after a long, fruitless war effort. The WPA as it stands in the late winter of 972-973 has an active force of less than 12,000 men, with another 1000 or so injured, or otherwise unable to fight. They have access to half-a-dozen artillery guns, ten light tanks, and a small fleet of vehicles, though they currently lack the means of maintaining, or fueling them for any extended period of time.
Standard Wadian People's Army Combat Uniform
The Sultanate of Wadi
Wadi Under the Sultan: The Sultanate of Wadi was the predominant power on the planet from shortly after humans colonized it up to the Wadian Revolution in 952. The Sultanate's rule was a complicated one, marred with political in-fighting, succession crises, and a continual power struggle between the Sultan and his regional governors. The last Sultan, Safaa El-Mofty, was generally regarded as weak ruler. During his time in power he relinquished a significant amount of control over the processes of the state to the military and his governors, and showed little interest in the plight of the working class, both of which would eventually prove fatal, not only for himself, but for the Sultanate as well.
While the Sultan in theory held absolute, autocratic control over nearly every aspect of governance, in reality, most of those powers were delegated to regional governors, or members of the Sultan's council. This was especially true during the reign of Safaa El-Mofty.
Church of the Third Son: The religions of the Old World were brought to Wadi in three distinct forms: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Over the centuries since humanity fled its homeworld, these religions intermingled, and eventually coalesced into a strange, complicated union known as the "Church of the Third Son". Adherents of the faith believe that a new prophet, the "Third Son of God" (the first and second being Jesus and Muhammad respectively), came to Earth just prior to the Day of Judgement, and gave to humanity the key to their salvation: the Arks. It was with this divine knowledge that the scientists of the Old World were able to construct the great generation ships that preserved humanity, and brought them to the land of Eden.
The Sultan's Betrayal, and the Last of His Line: Sultan Safaa El-Mofty died in a hail of gunfire early in the morning of 4 February, 954. His murder was orchestrated by the men who would become his successors: Supreme Commander (then Martial of the Wadian Sultanate) Abdullah Ihsan, and generals Fehim Aslan and Sadiq Jai Amjad. In the chaos that followed that fateful morning, the Sultan’s court eunuch, who had caught wind of the assassination plot the day prior, managed to smuggle the Sultan’s teenage son and sole heir, Viraj El-Mofty III off-world. The rest of the El-Mofty family was slaughtered in the palace, leaving Viraj all that was left of the royal line.
The eunuch, known only as Shahin, took Viraj to Terra Nova, the capital world of the Terran half of the Federated Systems Alliance. There, Viraj presented himself, and requested political asylum, detailing what had happened but a few months prior on Wadi, the specifics of which the Council had attempted to keep secret for as long as possible.
A number of governors within the old regime who escaped capture and trial by the communists, were given positions of power within the dictatorship which eventually conquered the planet. A select few of these governors (particularly those who value tradition, and the legitimacy of government over mere power) still harbor favorable opinions of the old ruling class, and would be willing to support their return to power.
Government Type: Wadi has suffered through perhaps the most tumultuous period of its history. Two decades of civil war have wracked the planet, leaving millions dead, and much of the planet's infrastructure in ruins. Shortly after the Al-Sharif Uprising of 952, a cadre of military advisors and the upper brass of the Wadian aristocracy's Old Guard banded together to combat the swelling revolution that had already taken hold in numerous cities across the planet. A decisive betrayal by these military leaders resulted in the death of the Sultan, Safaa El-Mofty, and the end of Wadian feudalism. Twenty-one years of civil war followed, eventually resulting in the military forces and loyalists of the People's Republic of Wadi fleeing into the Pahaad Jabal mountains, where they remain a government in exile.
As such, Wadi currently contains two competing governments: the People's Republic of Wadi, a proletarian dictatorship governed by a general secretary, and a politburo of elected representatives; and the Council for the Preservation of Order, a fascistic military junta governed by a council of generals who advise the "Supreme Commander", a totalitarian dictator who remains in power through sheer force of will, and the indiscriminate use of violence.
Demographics: The first colonists to arrive on Wadi primarily originated from Asia Minor, Arabia and the surrounding Arab lands, and the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan. The culture and ethnography of Wadi broadly reflects these influences, and as such, names, religious and cultural customs, and language present themselves as a mix of these progenitors.
Aliens are generally disliked and distrusted by the people of Wadi, and with the advent of the Council of the Preservation of Order, immigration by non-human and near-human sophonts has been heavily restricted. Those few aliens that do dwell on Wadi tend to live in slums or ghettos, subjected to violence and discrimination, both interpersonal and structural, on a daily basis.
Economy: Wadi is a largely barren planet. Its proximity to its star, Vishana, has created an atmosphere that is largely non-conducive to agriculture, and occasionally hazardous to human life. As such, Wadi relies heavily on the import of foodstuffs. Alternatively, Wadi was blessed with ample natural resources, namely large deposits of minerals, including the mysterious and valuable Psionium. The exportation of such resources form the backbone of the Wadian economy, supplemented by a once booming industry, though the recent conflict has resulted in a dramatic decrease in production.
Military: The Council for the Preservation of Order's military is divided into three branches, each with its own role on the battlefield.
The Council's secret police force, the Bureau of Social Harmony is responsible for quashing dissidents, staunching the circulation of anti-government propaganda, and promoting social harmony for the benefit of the state.
The Council's ground forces, made up of old veterans who cut their teeth on the blood-soaked battlefields of the civil war, and eager new recruits spurned on by pro-military propaganda.
A common soldier in the GAW.
The Grand Army of Wadi is also responsible for maintaining civil order on world, and operating Wadi's planetary defenses. The GAW relies on a system of missile platforms, both stationary and mobile, to defend against a potential planetary invasion. This is coupled with the small air force the Council maintains which is composed of ten fighter wings of atmospheric craft.
The Council possesses a small and outdated navy composed of a dozen old frigates, and a few dozen strike craft. The modernization and expansion of the Wadian navy is one of the Council's biggest hurdles they will have to face in the coming years if they wish to adequately defend themselves in this troubled region of the sector. The SDF also maintains the Wadian Orbital Platform (formerly known as Sultan Station) which serves as a customs checkpoint for trade coming and going from Wadi.
History: When the fires of revolution were stoked in the Frontier Worlds by the corrupting influence of the ITC, a wind of change swept through the blasted valleys of Wadi. A planet long dominated by petty nobles, and greedy businessmen, the sector-wide revolt against the interests of the interstellar bourgeoisie inspired in the people of Wadi the spirit to break their chains and throw off the yoke of feudal oppression that had suppressed their will for so long. A vanguard of brave workers rose up in the industrial capital of Al-Sharif in December 952, seizing factories, summarily executing industrialists, and burning symbols of the old regime: noble estates, banking institutions, and houses of worship. At the behest of intellectuals and revolutionary activists like Mansur Waqar, an improvised People's Army sprung up, and organized into a fighting force with radical change on their minds.
The swiftness of the uprising took the ruling class by surprise, throwing the upper echelons of Wadian society into chaos. Through a determined will, and the murder of Sultan Safaa El-Mofty, a military junta headed by Supreme Commander Abdullah Ihsan assumed control of what remained of the old regime's territory. He cobbled together an army of loyalists and began a ruthless campaign against the revolutionaries. A twenty-one year period of bloody civil war followed, resulting in the deaths of millions, and the destruction of dozens of cities. Though the conflict was grueling and hard-fought, it was clear that the reactionary forces of the Old Guard had the upper hand.
Fearing the defeat of the revolution, Takir Ahmad, General Secretary of the People's Republic of Wadi, ordered the withdrawl of all revolutionary forces into the Pahaad Jabal mountains. Supreme Commander Kumar, who assumed power after the assassination of Abdullah Ihsan, fearing a prolonged conflict in such unfavorable terrain, halted his pursuit, leaving Ahmad and his band of rebels to starve in the mountains, and turning his attention inward: to rebuilding Wadi.
History of the Revolution: The spark was lit in Al-Sharif on 15 December, 952. A labor protest taking place in the city mutated into a full-scale riot, eventually resulting in the seizure of weapons from a local police garrison. A three week long period of chaos that ended in hundreds of deaths followed, including the execution of many of the city’s bureaucratic and industrial elite. The Al-Sharif Uprising was indicative of a larger movement that had been steadily growing on the planet, primarily in the industrial working class, over the past decade or so. Further uprisings took place over the next year, during which time the thought-leaders of each city’s individual revolt came together to form a unified front. The First Convention of the Proles took place in March, 953, and established the initial framework that would eventually develop into the People’s Republic of Wadi.
It was during that convention that the Wadian People’s Army was organized, the first Worker’s Councils were established, and the People’s Food Commissariat was proclaimed and with it a system of food distribution devised. The People’s Republic of Wadi further bureaucratized over the following two-decade long period, its primary focus on the war effort. Factories under the control of the PRW were converted for military use, while the civilian economy relied on only the barest of essentials, a necessary sacrifice for the proletarian cause!
In the summer of 961 it became clear that counter-revolutionary forces within the republic were actively working against the state, and to combat this the first of many “Ideological Audits” were begun. These audits were (according to the state), primarily concerned with identifying “reactionaries” and expelling them from the party. In reality, much of the audits were instead targeted at individuals who challenged the emerging party orthodoxy, which had been established by some of the earliest theorists to join the fight, namely comrades Mansur Waqar and Sharifah Kasi Bardakçi. The resulting purges led to such a devastating shake-up among the party leadership, most notably in the People’s Army, that the war effort suffered greatly. The purging of General Al-Mufti is credited as being at least partially responsible for the PRW’s defeat at the Battle of Pazhadi’s Rift, which proved to be the turning point in the Council’s war against the revolutionary forces.
After this defeat, the territory of the PRW shrunk steadily each year as Council forces continued to push back the thinly spread lines of the People’s Army. By early 972 all that remained of the PRW was contained in three cities at the feet of the Pahaad Jabal mountain range. Under threat of complete destruction, General Secretary Takir Ahmad made the decision to take what was left of the Revolution and retreat into the mountains, where they would carry on their struggle for workers liberation in exile.
Leaving behind a small force of martyrs to cover their retreat, an exodus of roughly two-hundred thousand began a long, grueling march into the foothills of the Pahaad Jabal mountains. Initially, Council forces gave pursuit, but were turned back by heavy fighting. Deciding that the terrain was unsuitable for the prolonged fighting that would be necessary to root them out, the Supreme Commander of the Council thought it best to simply starve the revolutionaries out of the mountains. A loose perimeter was established around the area, regular patrols began, and a no-fly zone was put in place.
The current state of the PRW is a delicate one, as political in-fighting threatens to fracture what little of the government apparatus remains. The primary goals of the PRW as it stands now is to establish a steady source of food and materials (most importantly medical supplies and armaments) to sustain the Revolution. All but a handful of the representatives of the politburo died or were captured during the final few years of the war, necessitating a downsizing of the government bureaucracy, and the transition from a proper proletarian dictatorship to what now more accurately resembles an emergency government.
The domain of the Grand Duke Duilius Bulgarelli di Borletta, or as he is known behind closed doors: the Mad Duke.
Borletta, the City of a Thousand Vices
This city by the sea has more than earned its enticing epithet. Its streets are infested with temptation, enough to make even the most pious of men buckle, and the most debauched blush. Its architecture, dominated by beautiful, white travertine stone gives the place an ironic, angelic appearance, which the historian Ardito Montagna remarked on in his work, A History of Borletta, and Her Sins:
"The city itself is beautiful beyond compare, the gem of the Azure Coast. Looking upon the city, and her brilliance can invoke in a man the feeling that he is looking upon the domain of angels, but that impression is false. For upon entering the walls of Borletta, you are accosted by pickpockets, and whores (often one in the same); you are bumped and jostled about without the slightest hint of remorse; and you are lucky to find yourself only penniless, and bruised before night's end."
Despite the harsh words Signore Montagna had for the city, Borletta remains a beloved destination for many travelers, especially Styrian nobles looking to leave their clean, and respectable courts behind for a time to indulge in the many pleasures the city has to offer. Borletta's main exports among the Styrian courts are fashion and beauty trends. New hairstyles, new dresses, new make-ups, new perfumes, all of them that matter come from Borletta's salons, workshops, and laboratories. While certainly being the most progressive of cities in regards to such matters, the same cannot be said for the matter of slavery. While most Styrian cities have long since outlawed the practice, Borletta has bucked that particular trend, instead wholeheartedly embracing the institution. Slaves can be found all over, from burly dockworkers heaving crates of goods, to petite, finely groomed and oiled servants waiting on the beck and call of debauched noblemen. Wherever you go in Borletta, the sound of chains follows you.
The Mad Duke
Shield of the Noble Bulgarelli Dynasty
The Grand Duke of Borletta, Duilius Bulgarelli di Borletta, age twenty-two, is the black sheep of the family. From an early age, Duilius had a penchant for violence, and a fascination with pain, suffering, and power. He took well to lording his noble status above the servants, slaves, and paupers he considered below him. Apart from his 'quirks', as his mother insisted on calling his sadistic inclinations, Duilius appeared to be a model young Borlettan noblemen: bright, handsome, well-organized, witty, and stylish.
The second son of the former Grand Duke, Maximianus III, Duilius was slotted for a military career, his older brother - and only sibling - Maximianus IV was destined to follow in his father's footsteps, or so it seemed. Unfortunately, the Grand Duke's heir apparent fell terribly ill one winter when the city had become afflicted by a plague of consumption, which Maximianus IV soon succumbed to. This fateful death left the future of the city in the hands of Duilius, at the time only sixteen. The plague had also taken his mother, who the Grand Duke loved dearly (and who Duilius cared little for), leaving the already fleeting monarch weak, and in a state of despair. Less than a year after Maximianus III had lost his eldest son, and beloved wife, he died attending a summer feast under suspicious circumstances. While no evidence exists to indicate that Duilius had anything to do with his father's demise, that has not kept many among the courts, and among the citizens, from speculating.
Duilius was granted the title of Grand Duke of Borletta at the age of seventeen, and has spent the past five years working tirelessly in the pursuit of aggrandizing his city-state, and himself, with the ultimate goal of expanding beyond his current borders. The process of doing so has earned him no friends among the noble houses of his neighbor-states, especially that of the "Boar of Styria", who Duilius often refers to as a "boorish oaf", a vitriolic play on the warrior-duke's nickname. Relations are equally poor with the nation of Sipani to the south.
A Recent History of Borletta
Upon Grand Duke Duilius assuming his father's place in command of the city, he immediately began the arduous task of winning over the members of Borletta's noble assembly. Through raucous parties, underhanded donations, and less-than-subtle threats, he has managed to bring most of the city's politicians under his wing, though a few dissenters remain. The most notable of these is Cloelius Fermi, the head of the shipwright's guild in Borletta, and one of the richest men in the city. Duilius' father killed Cloelius' brother in a duel many years ago over a dispute of honor, and evidently the man holds a grudge. Unfortunately for the Grand Duke, the guildmaster's wealth affords him much sway among his fellow noblemen, allowing him to block the Grand Duke's proposed measures on a number of occasions.
Apart from this minor hiccup, everything has been smooth sailing for the Grand Duke, domestically, at least. Borletta continues to flourish, mountains of denarii flowing into the city's coffers every day, the result of an expertly managed, albeit entirely corrupt, system of taxes and tariffs placed upon every good and service imaginable, from wood and marble, to rum and whores.
The recent history of the city has not always been so fortunate. It was only six years ago that Borletta was ravaged by a rapacious and all-consuming disease, taking with it slave and nobleman alike, leaving few survivors. The effects of this plague were far-reaching, though a quick, and well-planned quarantine of the city managed to keep it within the city's walls, it took a heavy toll on Borletta's economy. The quarantine disrupted trade for nearly a year, leaving the city in a sorry state, one which it's former king was unwilling, or possible unable, to cope with. Upon Maximianus III's demise, and Duilius' ascension to the throne, the new Grand Duke's skill with decisive, and often unforgiving management strategies led to the city's economy recovering, and coming into it's current "boom" state.
The domain of the Grand Duke Duilius Bulgarelli di Borletta, or as he is known behind closed doors: the Mad Duke.
Borletta, the City of a Thousand Vices
This city by the sea has more than earned its enticing epithet. Its streets are infested with temptation, enough to make even the most pious of men buckle, and the most debauched blush. Its architecture, dominated by beautiful, white travertine stone gives the place an ironic, angelic appearance, which the historian Ardito Montagna remarked on in his work, A History of Borletta, and Her Sins:
"The city itself is beautiful beyond compare, the gem of the Azure Coast. Looking upon the city, and her brilliance can invoke in a man the feeling that he is looking upon the domain of angels, but that impression is false. For upon entering the walls of Borletta, you are accosted by pickpockets, and whores (often one in the same); you are bumped and jostled about without the slightest hint of remorse; and you are lucky to find yourself only penniless, and bruised before night's end."
Despite the harsh words Signore Montagna had for the city, Borletta remains a beloved destination for many travelers, especially Styrian nobles looking to leave their clean, and respectable courts behind for a time to indulge in the many pleasures the city has to offer. Borletta's main exports among the Styrian courts are fashion and beauty trends. New hairstyles, new dresses, new make-ups, new perfumes, all of them that matter come from Borletta's salons, workshops, and laboratories. While certainly being the most progressive of cities in regards to such matters, the same cannot be said for the matter of slavery. While most Styrian cities have long since outlawed the practice, Borletta has bucked that particular trend, instead wholeheartedly embracing the institution. Slaves can be found all over, from burly dockworkers heaving crates of goods, to petite, finely groomed and oiled servants waiting on the beck and call of debauched noblemen. Wherever you go in Borletta, the sound of chains follows you.
The Mad Duke
The Grand Duke of Borletta, Duilius Bulgarelli di Borletta, age twenty-two, is the black sheep of the family. From an early age, Duilius had a penchant for violence, and a fascination with pain, suffering, and power. He took well to lording his noble status above the servants, slaves, and paupers he considered below him. Apart from his 'quirks', as his mother insisted on calling his sadistic inclinations, Duilius appeared to be a model young Borlettan noblemen: bright, handsome, well-organized, witty, and stylish.
The second son of the former Grand Duke, Maximianus III, Duilius was slotted for a military career, his older brother - and only sibling - Maximianus IV was destined to follow in his father's footsteps, or so it seemed. Unfortunately, the Grand Duke's heir apparent fell terribly ill one winter when the city had become afflicted by a plague of consumption, which Maximianus IV soon succumbed to. This fateful death left the future of the city in the hands of Duilius, at the time only sixteen. The plague had also taken his mother, who the Grand Duke loved dearly (and who Duilius cared little for), leaving the already fleeting monarch weak, and in a state of despair. Less than a year after Maximianus III had lost his eldest son, and beloved wife, he died attending a summer feast under suspicious circumstances. While no evidence exists to indicate that Duilius had anything to do with his father's demise, that has not kept many among the courts, and among the citizens, from speculating.
Duilius was granted the title of Grand Duke of Borletta at the age of seventeen, and has spent the past five years working tirelessly in the pursuit of aggrandizing his city-state, and himself, with the ultimate goal of expanding beyond his current borders. The process of doing so has earned him no friends among the noble houses of his neighbor-states, especially that of the "Boar of Styria", who Duilius often refers to as a "boorish oaf", a vitriolic play on the warrior-duke's nickname. Relations are equally poor with the nation of Sipani to the south.
A Recent History of Borletta
Upon Grand Duke Duilius assuming his father's place in command of the city, he immediately began the arduous task of winning over the members of Borletta's noble assembly. Through raucous parties, underhanded donations, and less-than-subtle threats, he has managed to bring most of the city's politicians under his wing, though a few dissenters remain. The most notable of these is Cloelius Fermi, the head of the shipwright's guild in Borletta, and one of the richest men in the city. Duilius' father killed Cloelius' brother in a duel many years ago over a dispute of honor, and evidently the man holds a grudge. Unfortunately for the Grand Duke, the guildmaster's wealth affords him much sway among his fellow noblemen, allowing him to block the Grand Duke's proposed measures on a number of occasions.
[Work in progress. History will be expanded upon, and a flag will be added soon; just wanted to get my claim up. There may be a few spelling/grammar mistakes strewn throughout the post, forgive me, it's six in the morning.]
Welcome to the Splintered Lands, traveler. You must have some bad luck to end up all the way down here. But don't feel too bad, take solace in knowing you probably won't be around much longer to wallow in your misfortune. See, didn't that cheer you up? No? Well, shit; at least I tried.
My name's Els, and I'll be your sadistic benevolent Mutant Lord for this campaign. Hopefully you'll have a fun time struggling to survive in the dry, irradiated, sweltering hellhole that the people of this region call home. During this campaign, you'll have full control over what you do, who you interact with, and what kind of game you want to play. In other words: this is a sandbox.
So, what are the Splintered Lands? Well, they're a region of what used to be California, Nevada, and Mexico, before the Great Catastrophe struck, plunging the world into the Age of Strife. Now, those names are largely lost, along with much of the geographical features that made those regions recognizable. Now, large swathes of the former-American southwest are dominated by deserts, irradiated wastelands, dry semi-recovering grasslands, and hot, humid, swamps. The ground, especially to the west, has been shattered by massive earthquakes caused by the chaos of the Great Catastrophe. Scattered throughout this hostile environment are a number of settlements, small bastions of civilization, most well under a hundred people, though there are a few notable exceptions to this rule.
A number of organizations and tribal groupings also exist within the area. Some of these are docile, and others are certainly not. You will become acquainted with some of them during your adventures, and will hopefully avoid being left for dead in the desert, or being torn limb-from-limb by cannibals because you stepped into the wrong neighborhood.
Your story will begin in one of these settlements: Big Rock, to be precise. You're entirely new to the Shattered Lands, a stranger in a strange, and unforgiving land. Why you left wherever you came from to die in the desert down south is a mystery known only to you, but that doesn't really matter right now, all that matters is figuring out how to survive. How you, and any comrades you may acquire along the way, will do that is entirely up to you. Obviously, I will supply you with plenty of hooks to pull you in the direction of content I've prepared, but it's entirely up to you to decide what you do with your time here.
What is Mutant Future? Mutant Future is a tabletop role playing game set in a post-apocalyptic future brought on by the total collapse of society, massive international conflict, rebellious artificial intelligence, ravenous diseases, and countless other world ending events. To put it in a more blunt manner: everything that could've gone wrong, did go wrong. The system itself is heavily inspired by Gamma World, and built upon the Labyrinth Lord OSR rules. The game is designed to be quick, flexible, and deadly, so be cautious when entering battles, or exploring long abandoned ruins, a single bad decision can easily spell your doom.
No mutant plant characters. Reason: I think they're dumb. However, if you can come up with an idea for such a character that you think is really cool, tell me about it, and I'll consider it.
