KitsuneWarrior

Crownless King

I hate applications, hope this works instead:

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14 Months Earlier

Porous, jagged earth crunched softly under their boots as the Ordinators negotiated the craggy terrain up the mount and toward the derelict structure built atop it. They were five in number, creeping up the crags of glassy volcanic rock with a deliberate and cautious pace that was at the same time surprisingly swift. They scanned their hellish environs with utmost caution from underneath the shaded goggles and cloth facemasks they wore to keep the fine windborne ash out of their eyes and lungs, sweeping over their surroundings with the repeater bows cradled in their arms. Theirs were not the typical vestments of Darkwatch Ordinators; white capes and brass-trimmed plate armor of silvery steel had no place in the brimstone-encrusted badlands of Nagath Major. Thick woolen cloaks over a cuirass of studded leather provided adequate protection out here and were far less conspicuous. Sparsely-peopled as Nagath was in this age, a Darkwatch presence deep into Nagath would be noticed by someone and word would eventually get out.

The Ordinators reached the summit of the cinder mount and found themselves up against the footing of a towering ruin of corroded metal. Built directly inside the caldera of the small cinder volcano, it was constructed in the alien architecture of the Dark Lord's empire. Decaying buttresses anchored a funnel-shaped keep to the rim of the volcano. The rusted remains of metal smokestacks reached into the hazy sky some one hundred feet up above, badly damaged and eroded by frequent lightning strikes and ash storms. Dozens of similar clockwork factories had been constructed across Nagath when the Dark Lord ruled this land. Once these structures were home of the greatest technological marvels the world had ever seen, now they crumbled back into hellscape, howling wind whipping through their rusting skeletons like the fossilized ribs and backbones of primordial monsters.

There were no windows or openings into the ancient structure, only an iron door firmly sealed shut. Inset into the giant gate was a piece of brass clockwork stained blue-gray by corrosion, composed of four rotating disks. Engraved into the disks were devil runes spaced at even intervals such that a combination of four runes served as a pass-word of sorts. Such locksmithing made the simple locks on even the great vaults of Pharazon look primitive in comparison. For all the evils and follies of Daigon and his devils, nobody could possibly deny their ingenuity. Even after three centuries of complete abandonment, the looters, pilferers, and psychotic descendants of the Dark Lord's devils had all been shut out of this place by this piece of ancient clockwork.

Until now.

An Ordinator approached the door, slinging his repeater bow over his shoulder and removing the goggles from his eyes. From a satchel slung across his chest, he produced a scrap of vellum. Torn from a larger scroll and singed on the sides, a string of devil runes written upon it read ᛤᛠᛪᛮ.

Stone gray eyes flitted from the paper to the disks of the lock. In a gloved hand, he seized the first disk and began to turn it. Centuries of volcanic grit and verdigris held the disk fast for a moment, but it soon relented and was spun until the ᛤ glyph was positioned facing directly outward. And so he went with the other three disks, until the combination on the lock matched the runes on the vellum.

As soon as the last glyph was spun into position, the door gave a creaking groan before slowly sinking into a recession into the floor. The compatriots behind him stepped back and trained their bows into the darkness beyond the sinking door. The anemic light of Nagath's haze-veiled sun filtered into the interior of the ruin, illuminating a stone walkway suspended over a confounding network of brass machinery and clockwork.

"Go," Erigos ordered, tucking the scrap of vellum back into his chest satchel as his subordinates passed him into the ruin.

Sconces bearing glass ampules containing a strange gas that burned with a weak, orange glow dimly illuminated the interior of the ruin. All around the Ordinators was a network of cogs, flywheels, and linking rods, all seized shut by centuries of corrosion and disrepair. The air inside was hot and reeked of brimstone, and somewhere below their feet, one could hear the hissing of volcanic gas venting freely into the air. In the age of the Dark Lord, Erigos surmised, this structure had been built to harness the vapors venting out of the volcano below them. Like a water wheel turning a grist mill, the volcanic gas was used to turn this vast array of clockwork. And that clockwork power was in turn harnessed to build machines, grind and carry ore, pump magma, and stoke forges. All without a spark of magic or divine power.

As far as Erigos could tell, that was what made clockwork "dark magic" and Daigon the Dark Lord. Because there was no magic to it at all. Complicated and difficult to master, certainly, but with determination and cleverness, this craft could be used by anyone. Daigon had mastered this craft, and with it nearly conquered the world and remade it in his own image. The Darkwatch, Synod, and the Five Kingdoms would ill afford to allow anyone an opportunity to wield such power ever again. And so Erigos and his subordinates had been sent 300 leagues from Azon into the heart of Nagath to destroy some artifact from Daigon's War.

They found that artifact in the upper reaches of the ruin. The stone causeway from the door went to a staircase coiled around a central pillar of volcanic stone, atop which was a viewing platform of sorts that gave Daigon's engineers a commanding view of the entirety of the structure's interior. In the center of the viewing platform was a raised stone dais and a stand of blue-tinged copper that held an armillary sphere of concentric rings of silvery metal. The rings orbited freely inside one another, tethered in place by some arcane force.

The Ordinators stood to behold the artifact before them, raptured in silent wonder.

One of the Ordinators removed his goggles from his face and stepped closer to inspect the device, slinging his bow over the shoulder. His eyes followed a flitting sliver of iridescent metal twirling inside of the rings. In the faint light of the burning gas sconces, the central needle shimmered dazzling shades of green, purple, and blue.

"In the center, is that.."

"Azjalum," Erigos declared. The rarest of all the precious metals.

There might have existed an ingot's worth of Azjalum in all of Geryon, as it doesn't naturally occur on this world. It could only be purified from some kinds of fallen stars or summoned from the Beyond. It was highly sensitive to magic and, rather predictably, strictly prohibited by the Darkwatch. Merchants were routinely arrested and tried by the Darkwatch simply for possessing little cogs and gears of Nagathi make; Erigos himself had confiscated a dozen cogwheels from a single wealthy collector in Azon. And so it was little wonder the Archlictor wanted this particular device so badly.

"What do you reckon it does?" Asked one of the Ordinators.

"Doesn't matter," spat the Ordinator nearest the sphere, watching the rings orbit about one another as he reached to pull the artifact from its stand. "It's dark magic, we're better off not knowing why the Dark Lord made these things. Our only concern is getting it to Azon so that the Archlictor may-"

The unmistakable sound of a repeater bow discharging could be heard behind him. Thwock-thwip, click. Once more, and then a third time.

The Ordinator turned and saw three of his companions laying on the stone gurgling bloody saliva out through their dustmasks. Each had a crossbow bolt embedded deep in their backs. Erigos stood above them, slinging his expended repeater bow over his shoulder as he drew his sword from its scabbard and closed the distance between him and his last surviving subordinate.

"The artifact is coming back to Azon," said Erigos as he planted his blade through the sternum of his comrade. "But the Archlictor will not be having it."

The Crownless King

Brainstorming a character right now. Would you be open to someone playing the Prince’s asshole uncle? No worries if not.

Not a Step Back - a World War II Inspired NRP

@KitsuneWarrior

Looking great, friend! All good to go!

@Monochromatic Rainbow

When can we make our first IC post? As soon as we’re accepted?

Not a Step Back - a World War II Inspired NRP

@KitsuneWarrior

Well, I'd like to have at least a basic idea. I completely understand your dislike of character sheets, however. If nothing else, please PM me with some of the details in mind for me to give them a glance? That aside, it looks good!

@Monochromatic Rainbow

You got it. Added a blurb about Khayun's strengths and weaknesses.

Not a Step Back - a World War II Inspired NRP

@KitsuneWarrior

Your history looks great - but what about the rest of the sheet?

@Monochromatic Rainbow

Glad you liked the history! :)

Details about the country, strengths, weaknesses, etc. I'd prefer to not lay right out on the table but rather introduce via IC. Honestly not a big fan of character sheets in general, but if you insist I can add those little details.

Not a Step Back - a World War II Inspired NRP

Woops, accidentally posted this in the CHAR tab, but here's my application:

Hider

Khayun Confederation

Resume:
Descendants of the tribal horsemen that have lived as steppe nomads for thousands of years, Khayun is an extremely antiquated nation that has attempted to modernize far more recently than its neighbors. Khayun's tribal society, however, is antithetical to modern nation-states and attempts by the central government to industrialize have been largely ineffective. Tribal authorities are the de facto rulers of much of the country, and actively stymie the King's efforts to create a modern nation. Khayun therefore arrives at 1939 as something of an ungoverned wilderness ripe for Alfheicher exploitation.

Territory:

I'm a terrible artist, sorry!

History:
It was on the endless plains in the center of the continent that Man first learned to ride a horse. Legend holds that the Great Dragon himself taught primordial man of the plains to tame and ride upon the backs of the wild horses that thundered across the vast plains. Armed with bow and javelin astride the stocky horses of the high plains, the men of the endless steppe became the undisputed lords of Khay-yn: the Endless Horizon. The horsemen first hunted the great beasts of the land: rhinoceros, aurochs, and icewalker. But when they learned to herd cattle and sheep, they became hungry instead for green pasturage.

For many thousands of years, the great steppes were the theater of countless wars between a vast constellation of tribes that populated the plains. The horsemen of Khayun became adept at war over the course of so many feuds over the choicest pastures and hunting grounds. Once every few centuries, a powerful horselord would emerge and dominate the steppes of Khayun, uniting the myriad tribes under mighty banner. Once united, the horsemen of Khayun thundered forth beyond the grasslands into the realms of settled, "civilized" men. To the kingdoms around the steppes of Khayun, a united army of horsemen was like a tsunami. For just as the sea produces tremendous tsunami waves that rise out of the water to sweep away those living along the shores, so too did the steppes occasionally produce an unstoppable tide of battle-hardened horsemen, leaving devastation and destruction in its wake until its warlord died and his horsemen returned to squabbling amongst themselves.

The threat posed by the steppe armies was mitigated gradually over the centuries as gunpowder weapons proliferated and became more sophisticated. Pummeling an enemy with arrows and riding away was not as effective against muskets and cannon as it had been against massed pikes and swords. The advancement of military technology left the horsemen of Khayun behind, and the terrifying riders of the steppes were increasingly seen as antiquated barbarians as the world around them industrialized.

But not all the tribes of Khayun saw fit to fade into obscurity an anachronistic horsemen. The tribe of Shukar in the southern reaches in the steppe came increasingly into contact with Aelban merchants and adventurers in the early 1800s. With jade, gemstones, and whatever other treasures could be scraped from their their depauperate lands, the Shukar bought then-modern flintlock carbines and gunpowder. Employing Aelban adventurers and merchants as advisors, the Shukar launched a military campaign against their rivals and neighbors. Modern weaponry and tactics proved decisive against all those who opposed the Shukar. After a protracted campaign against the Murgheks - a rival tribe in the north of the steppe - the Shukar tribe had unified the steppes of Khayun into a single nation-state with defined borders. Renouncing the ancient nomad lifestyle of his people, the Shukar warchief Hamiyar established his permanent court at Uska - a small fishing village on the shore of the Great Inner Sea - and proclaimed himself the first King of modern Khayun.

Under King Hamiyar and his heirs, Khayun maintained cordial relations with Aelban and neutrality with its neighbors. The main national priorities were modernization of the capital of Uska, anemic and ineffectual attempts at rapidly industrializing, and putting down constant revolts from traditionalist nomads in the north of the country. The King's control beyond Uska and its environs were tenuous at best, and much of the country remained in de facto control of tribal leaders, particularly in the north. Khayun was very insular at this time, and the court in Uska paid little attention to foreign press that relayed with increasing urgency the injustices perpetrated by Alfheich.

In the aftermath of the defeat of Aelban - Khayun's main foreign partner - by Alfheicher forces, the government in Uska officially condemns the aggression of the Reiyk but remains officially neutral as it is completely incapable of supporting Aelban in any meaningful capacity. In Uska, the current King Ongu sees the war of Alfheicher aggression as a problem for foreigners. Destitute Khayun has nothing of interest to the Reiyk in any case. But not all of Khayun is so indifferent. In the rebellious north of the country, the repressed Murgheks see an opportunity in the rise of the Reiyk, and have recently come to host Alfheicher visitors as of late.

Pressing Issues:
The greatest, most intractable issue for Khayun is its primitive nature. Only in the last 20 years did the capital city of Uska get electric lighting, and the city itself looks as if it were built half a millennium ago. Beyond the capital, most of the country looks the same as it has for the past several thousand years. If Alfheich, or any other industrialized nation, were to mount a serious attack against Khayun, this destitute government would be powerless to resist.

Notable Strengths:
The Khayan people are a hardy and durable people. These born warriors: the descendants of the horsemen that rode out of the steppe and waged war across the continent for hundreds of years. The tribes have been fighting as long as man has inhabited the Great Steppe. Any force that might attempt to invade Khayun will some of the most adept and ruthless guerillas anywhere in the world.

National Priorities:
The Economy: Internal Trade
The Economy: External Trade
Industrial Output
Technology
Cultural Issues
The Upper Classes
Resource Extraction
Agriculture
The Army
The Common People
Diplomacy
Religion
The Navy (Not Applicable)
The Air Force (Not Applicable)

Not a Step Back - a World War II Inspired NRP

Khayun Confederation

Resume:
Descendants of the tribal horsemen that have lived as steppe nomads for thousands of years, Khayun is an extremely antiquated nation that has attempted to modernize far more recently than its neighbors. Khayun's tribal society, however, is antithetical to modern nation-states and attempts by the central government to industrialize have been largely ineffective. Tribal authorities are the de facto rulers of much of the country, and actively stymie the King's efforts to create a modern nation. Khayun therefore arrives at 1939 as something of an ungoverned wilderness ripe for Alfheicher exploitation.

History:
It was on the endless plains in the center of the continent that Man first learned to ride a horse. Legend holds that the Great Dragon himself taught primordial man of the plains to tame and ride upon the backs of the wild horses that thundered across the vast plains. Armed with bow and javelin astride the stocky horses of the high plains, the men of the endless steppe became the undisputed lords of Khay-yn: the Endless Horizon. The horsemen first hunted the great beasts of the land: rhinoceros, aurochs, and icewalker. But when they learned to herd cattle and sheep, they became hungry instead for green pasturage.

For many thousands of years, the great steppes were the theater of countless wars between a vast constellation of tribes that populated the plains. The horsemen of Khayun became adept at war over the course of so many feuds over the choicest pastures and hunting grounds. Once every few centuries, a powerful horselord would emerge and dominate the steppes of Khayun, uniting the myriad tribes under mighty banner. Once united, the horsemen of Khayun thundered forth beyond the grasslands into the realms of settled, "civilized" men. To the kingdoms around the steppes of Khayun, a united army of horsemen was like a tsunami. For just as the sea produces tremendous tsunami waves that rise out of the water to sweep away those living along the shores, so too did the steppes occasionally produce an unstoppable tide of battle-hardened horsemen, leaving devastation and destruction in its wake until its warlord died and his horsemen returned to squabbling amongst themselves.

The threat posed by the steppe armies was mitigated gradually over the centuries as gunpowder weapons proliferated and became more sophisticated. Pummeling an enemy with arrows and riding away was not as effective against muskets and cannon as it had been against massed pikes and swords. The advancement of military technology left the horsemen of Khayun behind, and the terrifying riders of the steppes were increasingly seen as antiquated barbarians as the world around them industrialized.

But not all the tribes of Khayun saw fit to fade into obscurity an anachronistic horsemen. The tribe of Shukar in the southern reaches in the steppe came increasingly into contact with Aelban merchants and adventurers in the early 1800s. With jade, gemstones, and whatever other treasures could be scraped from their their depauperate lands, the Shukar bought then-modern flintlock carbines and gunpowder. Employing Aelban adventurers and merchants as advisors, the Shukar launched a military campaign against their rivals and neighbors. Modern weaponry and tactics proved decisive against all those who opposed the Shukar. After a protracted campaign against the Murgheks - a rival tribe in the north of the steppe - the Shukar tribe had unified the steppes of Khayun into a single nation-state with defined borders. Renouncing the ancient nomad lifestyle of his people, the Shukar warchief Hamiyar established his permanent court at Uska - a small fishing village on the shore of the Great Inner Sea - and proclaimed himself the first King of modern Khayun.

Under King Hamiyar and his heirs, Khayun maintained cordial relations with Aelban and neutrality with its neighbors. The main national priorities were modernization of the capital of Uska, anemic and ineffectual attempts at rapidly industrializing, and putting down constant revolts from traditionalist nomads in the north of the country. The King's control beyond Uska and its environs were tenuous at best, and much of the country remained in de facto control of tribal leaders, particularly in the north. Khayun was very insular at this time, and the court in Uska paid little attention to foreign press that relayed with increasing urgency the injustices perpetrated by Alfheich.

In the aftermath of the defeat of Aelban - Khayun's main foreign partner - by Alfheicher forces, the government in Uska officially condemns the aggression of the Reiyk but remains officially neutral as it is completely incapable of supporting Aelban in any meaningful capacity. In Uska, the current King Ongu sees the war of Alfheicher aggression as a problem for foreigners. Destitute Khayun has nothing of interest to the Reiyk in any case. But not all of Khayun is so indifferent. In the rebellious north of the country, the repressed Murgheks see an opportunity in the rise of the Reiyk, and have recently come to host Alfheicher visitors as of late.

National Priorities:
The Economy: Internal Trade
The Economy: External Trade
Industrial Output
Technology
Cultural Issues
The Upper Classes
Resource Extraction
Agriculture
The Army
The Common People
Diplomacy
Religion
The Navy (Not Applicable)
The Air Force (Not Applicable)