Milkman

Vassals to an empty throne

I am back! And at long last, here it is:

Dominion of Epha

Dominion of Epha

Brief Description

Epha is the territory on the northern, snowy plains and mountains of Mycoria. The original inhabitants quickly laid claim to the territory, taking the dangerous areas for themselves safe in the knowledge that there wouldn’t be a lot of reason for their claim to be revoked. The Ephan people dislike the notion of being a vassal for they believe in freedom and independence, and believe in working toward supporting the Dominion of Epha as a whole.

The side your nation was on during the 3th rebellion

Epha was, and consistently has been, with the rebels.

Population/races

Epha’s most dominant race are Humans, however Epha has welcomed anyone and everyone within its borders, resulting in a mix of races and species. For the most part, Humans still rule the aristocracy.

Culture/society

Those who reside within the Dominion of Epha are hardened people. They do not believe that a person can be useless, only that they are being useless, and strive to give everyone an opportunity to prove themselves. Those who are willing to contribute are rewarded with higher positions, with choice as to how they wish to help the Dominion as a whole, and have opportunities going forward to explore their own ventures. Those who are not willing, who leech off the Dominion’s resources, are thus placed into a position where they contribute by force, which in almost all cases ends up being dumb labour. It’s often rumoured that the Dominion of Epha has no prisons, for criminals will often be made to ‘farm the snow’, a task that they will inevitably fail, though that rumour is false.

Rebellion is in the blood of Ephan citizens. They won’t stand for something that is unfair, or that they believe is not fair. This goes for the extreme lower-class citizens and poor of Epha; sometimes they will try to stand up against the Dominion, and be promptly put back in their place by Epha’s military. Within Epha, internal rebellions are often to make a point rather than to try and overthrow Epha’s government - often people just want more rights, and they are sometimes even granted these rights. They all understand that Epha is their chance for independence, and don’t want to lose that by overthrowing their own government, more-so just attempting to overthrow their local townships. Guards can often be hard-pressed in these times to crush any attempts at rebelling, and if one does start, to hold out until reinforcements can be pressed in.

Religion

Any Ephan citizen is permitted to practise any religion that they wish, however the government has laws in place that they require citizens to abide by. The religion that citizens practise must not involve the practise of harming anyone unless that person permits themselves to be harmed for religious practise; such permission is handled by the signing of paper documents, which are stored by the town’s guards in case such an issue arises. Additionally, any religion that is practised by an Ephan citizen should not drain on the Dominion’s resources to practise. Some citizens get around this requirement by purchasing what they need from foreign traders, or by gathering natural materials themselves if that is possible.

History

There are many stories about the creation of the Dominion and the claiming of Epha, the snow lands. The one that is most often told, and is the truth, is that the Dominion sought to get away from everyone else, and were originally a people who were sick of the constant threat of losing what they had gained, either by taxation or the threat of their land being overtaken by those strong enough to do so. This contempt grew until the founders of the Dominion had a following, who marched their way into Epha, making a formal claim on the lands and the mountains that surrounded them; some of their more adventurous followers expanded out to the islands, which were then added to their claims. The Dominion expanded where nobody else wanted to, or weren’t willing to. Even the mountains were not safe from the Euphan expansion, their rocky cliffs offering shelter from the bellowing, freezing winds.

The truth was, while ancient cartographers had mapped out the land, they had thought the climate too harsh to truly explore. The Dominion only placed a few of it’s settlements on the land to brave the snowstorms and cold, the majority of its cities rested in cracks in the land; ravines and craters within the snow, where they had some defence from the cold winds. The capital city of Epha, Eos, was built within a grand ravine, with bridges and buildings stretching across its length. The territory was not just dangerous due to the weather however, as various animals, all carnivorous, large and starving, added to the overland danger. These animals were soon to be made a delicacy, as their meat was flavoursome, and their sparity in the continent meant they could place a hefty price on their export. As these dangerous beasts only resided in their home of snowy Epha, the Dominion felt safe with that income, and thus banned the outsourcing of any Ephan creatures, only their remains.

The Akronian arrival was something that the Dominion despised; They were a united people in their objective, to be free from outside rule. They stood against Akron from within their cold, natural fortress. It was perhaps one of the hardest locations for Akron to subject under their rule; the mountains surrounding Epha were difficult for Akron troops to surpass, and the Terrelistle Pass in the southwest was a natural chokepoint where Akronian troops were lost. Once, Akronian troops managed to push through the Terrelistle Pass, however were forced to fall back; by then, troops were dying of the cold alone. With most of their defensive efforts focused on the west, the Dominion of Epha left their eastern side open. Arkronian scouts reported about the ill defences in the east, and troops were pushed through the Milcaster pass in the northeast. Once the Arkronians established themselves within Epha territory, it was just a matter of time before they subjected the rest of Epha under their rule (though most definitely was not easy, as Ephans still fought until the last village was taken, and traversing the icy waters to Epha’s islands was a whole task on it’s own).

Relations between the Dominion of Epha and the Kingdom of Arkron was akin to a dog on a collar trying to constantly break free of it’s leash - perhaps the only saving grace that prevented a complete Arkron ruling was that Epha was straight to the point of what it wanted; as much independence as possible. To completely rule Epha would require Akron troops to fill the territory and bear the cold within. The Dominion sought positive relations vassals who had similar opinions of their ruler, while despising those who loyally followed Arkron’s directives. There was constant attempts to tighten the collar on Epha, to add on some chains, however that constantly failed. The Dominion joined every rebellion, and some could argue that their relation to Arkron was some of the beginning sparks of hope. In each rebellion, they strove to drive Arkron’s rule away from Epha, but as every one failed, they were yet again forced to bow down to Arkron. They would scream, they would shout, but at the very least, they bowed down because they had to.

With the passing of King Amon-Mar IV, and the current state of Rakon-Da, hope again rises within the Dominion. There are whispers in the street that another rebellion might be in the works with no ruling party to stop them, whereas others claim that a new ruler might be another chance to rightfully claim independence once more.

Government

The Dominion of Epha is ruled by an Aristocracy, who must gather whenever they wish to make major laws. The Aristocracy also has a singular Monarch, who is a descendant of the original leader of the settlers that made their home in Epha. The monarch has the power to make major law changes on their own, as well as overturn the decisions made by the Aristocracy, however wisely uses the former ability infrequently and the latter much less so. As the founding family has currently consistently remained in rule as monarchs without fault, they had not made any plans as to any contingencies if they suddenly are unfit to rule, an example being the death of a monarch without children to become the new monarch. Both the Monarch and the Aristocracy are required to train in fighting and military strategy. Though originally referred to as the Aristocrats and the King or Queen, this trend and the Dominion’s constant involvement in rebellions has changed the titles of the Aristocracts to ‘High Paladins’, and the monarch to the ‘High Sentinel’, which became lawful titles by the vote of the Aristocracy after the second rebellion, in spite of using traditional titles and was not overturned by the monarch at the time in an effort to remain in public support and at least let the Ephan citizens know that their leaders still appreciated them.

Economy

The Dominion of Epha’s main income as a nation comes from its exotic exports, such as meat from the various animals that inhabit Epha’s snow, as well as the untapped natural resources beneath the ice, which provide a steady supply of gems and other items that can be used for decoration. Internally, the Dominion of Epha does operate a wage-labour economy, with employers paying its workers for the work that they do.

Military

The Dominion of Epha holds a strong military, and their hulking forms can easily be identified on any battlefield; It is said that their warriors may very well be half-giants. Ephan warriors start by wearing furred clothing from head to toe to protect themselves from the Ephan cold, and the thickness of the pelts acts as armour itself. However, even then, their warriors are fitted for armour of steel. The heaviness of the equipment means that only the strongest of Ephans are on the frontline, with their lighter companions often being the bearers of equipment and supplies. These front-of-the-line warriors are known as beast-knights, for the fur that is visible under the metallic plates. There is a joke that the Ephan military has no idea what the word ‘light’ means. Many Ephan troops will bear an animal skull on their shoulders, each individual warrior’s testament to their own strength. Many hunters can also be utilised as a militia if a supplement to the main troops are required, for they are skilled with both their bows and their spears. Each warrior has to pledge their loyalty to snow of Epha and the government of Epha; allegiance to the Kingdom of Arkron is purposefully left out of the pledging in an act of spite against those they are a vassal to. Individual towns of Epha all contribute to the Dominion of Epha’s military with their own beast-knights and foot soldiers.

If there is one major flaw in the Dominion of Epha’s military, it is the heaviness of it’s troops. Whilst this contributes well in battle, long-distance travelling cannot be done on foot. It relies on carriages and convoys to ferry it’s troops to their destination, so that the troops are not already fatigued upon arrival. Epha’s military also lacks a high number of cavalry, as Epha is too cold to maintain a large number of horses save those necessary for carriages, and so can often struggle with mobile threats.

Territory:

Factions:

This will be filled out in Roleplay, as these factions develop.

Characters:

This will be developed during the RP, and may act more as a list than anything.

High Sentinel Agustus Eyail - High Sentinel

Name: Agustus Eyail
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Role within the Dominion: High Sentinel

High Paladin Anya Galloway

Name: Anya Galloway
Gender: Female
Age: 44
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

High Paladin Nylah Harlenton

Name: Nylah Harlenton
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

High Paladin Charles McArthur

Name: Charles McArthur
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Role within the Dominion: High Paladin

@datadogie

Looks good. The Dominion of Epha is accepted

Vassals to an empty throne

@Milkman The responsibilities of foreign relations was handled through an appointee of the Gardinâ, which was usually only done on a need-be basis. Typically, this would be a merchant from the same tribe or clan as the designated tribe responsible for tribute toward the Arkronian crown, or if this message was extremely important, a tribal chieftain. If Arkron requested diplomatic action from Yuravia, a courier could be dispatched to a Tênuar who in turn would call for the meeting of a Gardinâ.

Also, the death of Aurielin is less THE BETRAYAL! and more The Betrayal^{[Citation Needed]}. While everyone were all clearly aware that the cause of Aurielin's death was via poisoning, it remains to be known how this was done, by whom, or for what reason. It's more of a great mystery with multiple theories than something that is clear-cut. Because of this, there is a much greater emphasis in Yuravian Historiography on the aftermath and fallout of her death than her death itself.

@Yam I Am

Great, thanks for clarification. Yuravia is accepted :)

Vassals to an empty throne

I'm noticing a severe lack of theocracies in this RP. If no one has any objections, perhaps I can be of assistance.

@Brithwyr

There is still room on the map so yeah, You're free to join and post your sheet :)

Vassals to an empty throne

@Yam I Am Looks good so far. Do you have a character/position that would handle foreign relations? Someone that could be invited to the capital of Arkron?

Maybe do something with the betrayal? Yuravia proberbly has lost good warriors. But that are details we can also work out once more nation sheets are submitted. Apart from these two points I'm really happy with what i've read :)

Vassals to an empty throne

@datadogie Good luck with the wedding, hope it itsn't too painful!

@milkman I was wondering if it'd be appropriate to add a part to my economy about a sort of early tourism industry? Since the Skekarii consider their western coast to be a gift from Senald, I figured it'd make sense that it'd be a fairly lush/pretty shoreline. I recognize modern tourism doesn't really work in this setting, but I was thinking maybe some sort of medical tourism, like in early modern Europe where Mediterranean Spain was a popular location for people suffering from tuberculosis. Perhaps on a regional level, since travel beyond the surrounding area seems like it'd be a bit difficult in this world. I edited it in, but I'm more than happy to remove it if it seems iffy.

@Blandina

Well, when I am in doubt about this kind of aspect I bring out the history books. There definetly was some form.of tourism during the Middle-ages in Europe. Most of it was tied in with religious practises or Medical reasons (wich was pretty much an religious activity too). So best way to implement tourism is to tie certain tourist hotspots to religious/mythical aspects. During the classical area the Romans and Greeks valued their leisure time. They Romans had summer houses, frequented hotsprings, colloseums, theaters and such. The Greeks traveled for the Olympic games and various religious sites as well.

The scale of it will most likely be small because traveling still requires a very big time investment. Some person from the north might be traveling for 2-3 months to visit a mythical beach in the south and back home again. There will defenetly people around the world who could afford the time investment and money involved in such an endevour. But they will mostly consist of the wealthy upoer classes, their servants and guards. As far as this setting goes tourism is plausible but small in scale.

Vassals to an empty throne

@Milkman I've made some edits to it that I hope line up with what you'd like! I appreciate the help, I was really struggling with getting that map image in there haha. On the map I didn't color in the northern island because I wouldn't really say they own it, they just claim that it's theirs, though there's no realistic way for them to enforce that if someone else wants to claim it.

@Blandina

Looks great. You can move it to the character tab. Most easy way to do that is to use the "edit post feature" here and copy/past the content of the edit screen into the character tab.

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@The Wyrm Looks good. The Ruline are a hybrid between Orc and Arkronian? Works for me. Maybe add a quick describtion of the current consul and you can move Second Rhaetian Republic to the character tab. I like the little details in the culture section. That makes the place sound unique and flavorful. Additional details can always be added through roleplay and exposition :)

@Blandina I'll start off with a few minor points that will help you a lot with your future roleplaying here. Maybe you've corrected it already when I post this and then you can ignore it :) Try to use BB code when you're making sheets. Make different tabs bold and/or in a different color like The Wyrm has done. That makes charactersheets much more clear to read. My text here makes it bold. You can change color [color=color code]my text here[/color] will change it to the selected color. Here is a link to a list with color codes absitomen.com/index.php?topic=331.0

I've quickly scanned your sheet and it looks good so far. I'll give it a more thorough read later today. Maybe add already a quick description of the three kings. That doesn't have to be a big charactersheet. You can always expand on it later.

@Dinh AaronMk The nation sheet you've posted in the int check is accepted. Just add a quick description of the king and you can move it to the character tab. Name, gender, age will do. Further detail can be done in game and later added to the sheet if you feel like it.

I really would love to see some nations that where on the rebel side. So far all sheets that have been submitted where on the side of the crown.

Vassals to an empty throne

@Milkman



Something like this for my claim. I wanted to fill out the natural boundaries within that area since that felt most natural as a stopping point for my nation. The region below me I'm not sure about, for now I'll just take it if no player has any desire for it by start time. My thoughts may change depending on what direction I go with my nation, though.

I think I prefer the little city state vibe I've got going there though.

@Red Alice

Sure. I'll update the claim accordingly.

I would like to present an alternative idea for the region below you. We could turn it into an NPC nation that was the previous ruler of the city on the peninsula. A sort of rival nation that lost the city at some point to your nation. The details we can work out together.

Henlo! I would like to join! I'd like to claim this little cove in purple if possible!

@Aoko Aozaki

Tha is perfectly fine. I'll add it to the map when i update it tomorrow.

Vassals to an empty throne

GM/NPC Nations

The Kingdom of Arkron

The Kingdom of Arkron

Order through discipline, progress through merit!

Capital: Arkronia
Quick description: The kingdom of Arkron was founded when the men from beyond the sea landed on the shores of the western peninsula. They quickly built up a thriving civilization, subjugating the human tribes who were living in the area in the process. From the shore of the Great lake to the Mountains of Arkronom large walled cities can be found from this urbanized civilization all across the kingdom.
Side during the 3th rebellion: The Arkronians and her loyal vassals valiantly resisted and overcame the forces of chaos that threatened the balance of the continent and the foundation of the kingdoms' power.
Population/race: The kingdom of Arkron is relatively densely populated and is known for their many urban centers. In the countryside there are many smaller settlements and agricultural hotspots. The majority race within the kingdom are the Arkronians. They hold all the power. The kingdom has also a large Human minority and other races do have some form of representation within the kingdom's borders.

Arkronians: The Arkronians are also known as “the men from beyond the sea”. Arkronians mostly resemble humans to a large degree. However they tend to be of longer build with male ones roughly being in the range of 200 to 220 centimeters. Females tend to be smaller. The Akronian skin is recognizable by its grey color. Not every Arkronian has the same greyscale. This has led to the proverb that there are as many shades of grey as there are Arkronians. Arkronians do not have bodily hair. Their scalps are bald and facial hair in the form of beards, moustaches or eyebrows are absent.

Humans: The humans are bipedal humanoid creatures that could best be described as a shorter, hairy version of the Arkronians. Humans tend to be around 180 centimeters for males and 165 centimeters for females. Both male and female humans are prone to having lots of hair growth on their heads but might lose it as they age. Male humans often get facial hair on their cheeks, chin and below their nose. Hair color of the humans that reside in the kingdom of Arkron ranges from blond to black and their skin color could best be described as a pale shade of pink.

Society/culture: The culture of the Arkronians could best be described as highly organized, disciplined and hierarchical. Arkronians love order and expect everyone to follow the mostly written rules and social customs. In Arkronian lands everyone is expected to walk on the left side of the lanes, greet acquaintances who are higher positioned on the social ladder in the typical Arkronian way of raising the left arm in an L shape with open hand and say the old Arkronian words “Alan Arkronis” which roughly translates into “praise god's favorites”

The Arkronians consider themselves superior to the other races and nations of Mycoria. They believe that their race is the finest creation of the gods and have received the divine order to bring order to the lesser creatures. They often view their rule as sharing in their greatness rather than a system that has the sole purpose of remaining the most powerful. The Arkronians have made huge expenses to show their superiority through marvelous feats of engineering. Arkronia, the white city of marble is such a feat.

The capital of the kingdom of Arkron is built with only one thing in mind, to make representatives of other nations feel insignificant. You enter the city through the grand gate and are greeted by the marble lane, a 100 feet wide, 2 mile long lane made up of pure white marble that leads straight to the royal palace. Most peculiar about this lane is that the kingdom employs hundreds of humans to keep it clean all day long. If a horse or other animal left his feces during travel on the road some humans will quickly run out of some corner to clean it up. Impressing others is one of the core tenets of Arkronian society.

For those who can afford it Arkronians build lavish estates in the countryside. Especially merchants and the landowning nobility are prone to getting into spending wars on who can build the most impressive estate with the most exquisite gardens. Even though the kingdom has accumulated huge amounts of wealth, not all Arkronians have benefited from the prosperity of the nation. By law, humans are paid less for work than Arkronians. This has led to a relatively large underclass of Arkronian citizens who struggle to find jobs. The solution of the crown was to create a professional standing army that was only accessible for Arkronian people.

Religion: The Arkronian mythology consists of a Pantheon of 6 gods, three of them are considered good deities, the other three are generally viewed as bad deities. In the Akronian creation myth, Ka’oron the god of chaos created many races and left them alone on the planet up to their own devices. Ka’oron and the other gods watched in delight on how these little insignificant creatures struggled with the environment and each other in order to stay alive. Much to the joy of Ka’oron, the god of stagnation Sta’ron used his divine power to make sure that the creatures Ka’oron had created could never progress beyond their struggling self and Ba’oron, the god of misfortune made sure that their lives would be miserable.

This playing with live was much to the disdain of the other 3 gods and under leadership of the god of order Ak’ron they created the finest creatures the gods could make in order to lead those insignificant creations of Ka’oron and bring order to the world. These creatures would become known as gods finest or Arkronians. The Arkronians believe that they were created to bring order to a world in chaos and that they have a divine right to rule over other races.

Arkronian religion is all about worshipping Ak’ron, the god of Order. He represents the best qualities a sentient being can have. The worshipping of Ak’ron is done in by living an orderly life. Structural daily routines must be done in order to please the god of Order. It goes against his wishes to leave your bed in a mess when you get out or to have the dishes not done right after dinner. If you succumb to such chaotic behavior, you’re viewed as unworthy of being an Arkronian.

History: The Arkronian people are an ancient race whose origin is from beyond the great sea. According to their creation myth the Akronian people were given the divine task to bring order to a world that was ruled by chaos. They saw it as a divine duty to spread their rule across all continents and bring an end to all chaos.

When the Arkronians first landed on the shores of the western peninsula they were greeted with hostility by the human population that were the original inhabitants of the lands. Confronted with such chaos the Arkronians realized that they should quickly enforce their rule over these barbaric creatures and colonized the lands, integrating the humans into their highly organized and orderly society.

As the Arkronians explored the continent of Mycoria they realized that all the peoples and nations did not meet the standards of the gods and that the Arkronian rule should be enforced throughout this vast continent. However due to the large size and the many different nations any form of direct rule seemed to be highly improbable. None the less the Arkronians were bound by their gods to lead these creatures away from their chaotic ways and into an age of discipline and order and launched the 100 years war.

During the hundred years war the Arkronians subjugated every nation on the continent to a form of indirect rule. Some became close allies while others still were rather unruly. However due to clever diplomacy and military supremacy the Arkronians managed to implement a basic form of order and made many nations dependent on their rule. One of the core tenets of the system was the payment taxations to the Arkronian crown. This ensured that no nation could grow the strength to challenge the established order and the position of the Kingdom of Arkron as ruler of the continent.

On various occasions a number of nations rebelled against the order that the Arkronians had created. The last rebellion was 50 years ago during the reign of Dakon-Al II, the indecisive. The reign of Dakon-Al II was plagued by his weak leadership and inability to make the harsh decisions. This made the kingdom look weak, especially in the eyes of the nations whose loyalty could never be counted on. Nations like the Epha Dominion and the Yuravian confederation saw the weak and indecisive nature as a chance to break free from the Arkronian rule. They managed to bring additional nations including the kingdom of Vulpinia into their camp and launched their bid for true independence.

However due to clever diplomacy and some strong fear mongering towards the young Vulpin king Aidar Fir Shadowfax the Arkronians managed to convince the Vulpin to betray their rebel allies and had him lure the combined rebel army into a decisive ambush that became known as the battle of the Sionnach Wald. After the battle order was quickly restored but the underlying conflict was never truly solved.

Fifty years has passed since the third rebellion without the rule of the Arkronians being challenged. The indecisive king Dakon-Al passed away and his son Amon-Mar IV ascended the Arkronian throne. He managed the realm for nearly 30 years until he passed away from a mysterious disease that is currently plaguing the Arkronian people called the grey death. Some whisper that the only heir to the throne, Rakon-Da has contracted the disease as well.


Government: The kingdom of Arkron is an absolute monarchy. The King of the Arkronians have inherited the divine right to rule from the gods. However the king does not rule alone. There is a large bureaucracy of ministers, civil servants and other bureaucrats that govern the highly structured society. This has led to a lot of red tape and occasionally clogs the chain of command as orders run through an extensive line of bureaucrats distorting the orders from the king. The bureaucracy has in fact, made governing so complex that the king cannot control every aspect of it and have an eye on what his ministers are doing.

The king of Arkron has the right to appoint all ministers but often recruits from a small pool of people from important noble families and prestigious universities. This has led to an elite that wields all political power within the continent. The king also can appoint assistants and servants as he pleases. Most important of these assistants is called the steward of Arkron. He is the direct advisor to the king and heads the council of ministers in absence of the king. Many regard the steward as the second most powerful person in the kingdom.

Monarch:
Steward of Arkron: Drokan-Al
Minister of the interior: Bakhal-Amar
Minister of foreign relations: Horish-Namar
Minister of the Army: Ekram-Rhas
Minister of the Navy: Ridhouan-Tag
Minister of the treasury:
Minister of economic development:
Minister of the intelligence: Ohrahm-Braz
Minister of trade: Ragid-Can
Minister of religious affairs: Cardinal Orign-Eltar
Minister of technological development:
Minister of education:
Minister of public health and water management: Arid-Ro
Minister of Infrastructure:
Minister of judicial affairs:
Minister of history recording and administration:

Economy
The kingdom of Arkron has a vibrant trading culture. Their merchants sail the world seas and are the only ones on the Mycorean continent who are allowed intercontinental trade. Arkronian merchants can often be found in every nation on the continent, buying local goods for export overseas. This has given the kingdom a great deal of wealth.

The wealth from trade is mostly invested in local industries. Especially the shipbuilding industry and resource gathering operations such as mining and wood production. Many artisans produce high quality goods such as fine furniture, clothing and tools. Also the Arkronian way of life has created a large body of professional bureaucrats that methodically register and check all kinds of transactions.

Humans play a vital role within the Arkronian economy often being employed as wage workers in agriculture, mining and other low income jobs. Most farmlands are owned by the nobles who form the landowning elite. They employ both humans and Arkronians to work the fields and manage the economic affairs of the estate.

Military
The kingdom of Arkron maintains a professional military. Native Arkronians can enlist in the Arkronian military starting from the age of 18 and sign contracts for 30 years of service. After completing their 30 years of service Arkronian soldiers receive a state pension and a plot of land as reward. Looting and plundering are deemed chaotic behavior and are punishable by death. Thus the wage and pension are the only form of payment that Arkronian soldiers receive.

The Arkronian military is trained and equipped by the crown. No soldier has to pay for their own equipment. Equipment is standardized across the armed forces. All soldiers go through a basic training fase that lasts for 6 months. During this phase the recruits are drilled and disciplined to the highest standards. Physical fitness, basic combat training and formation fighting and large scale maneuvering are trained extensively. All soldiers are trained to be capable of marching 35 kilometers in full gear a day. Once the basic training phase is completed soldiers are assigned to their respective regiments and receive additional specialist training. After 5 years of service soldiers can try to enlist into one of the Arkronian military academies for an officer training course. Generals in the Arkronian army all have started out as basic soldiers at the bottom and risen through the ranks.

The backbone of the Arkronian army are their heavy pike infantry. Equipped with long pikes, a sword as backup weapon and protected by a heavy iron with shoulder and thigh guards. The cuirass is worn over a long chain shirt and the protective elements are complemented with a helmet. The Arkronian pike square is a formidable fighting force. They are organized into regiments of hundred soldiers who typically fight in tight 10 by 10 squares, highly trained and very disciplined they can maneuver quickly and deliver a devastating charge.

The Arkronian pike square is supported by a number of supportive regiments such as the Arkronian heavy cavalry wings, light archer regiments and siege regiments. The Arkronians also have extensive command and control elements for delivering orders. Siege weapons play an important element within the Arkronian military. Their armies generally move around with a large number of powerful catapults and ballistas.

The Arkronians complement their armed forces with large quantities of tributary troops. Her tributary states are bound by treaty to bring in manpower for their armies. Vulpin scouts, Cor Knights and Rhaetian cavalry, warriors from all nations can be found among the ranks in an Arkronian battle line. Akronian generals often have a habit of committing the auxiliary troops to battle first to wear the enemy out before sending in the Arkronian pike squares.

The Arkronians excel at large scale pitched battles and siege warfare. That is where their ability to organize, command and control of large formations comes to fruit. If you give an Arkronian army time to prepare a defensive position you will often be faced with an extensive network of trenches, earthworks and palisades to delay and disrupt enemy formations. However the Arkronians often struggle when it comes to unconventional warfare.

The Arkronian navy is a separate branch of the military with its own leadership. It is tasked with keeping the sealanes secure and ferry the army across the continent. The Arkronians field a large variety of ships which are often equipped with powerful ballistas and catapults. Crews are also trained extensively and are excellent navigators. Within the navy there is a special marine branch which is dedicated to fighting boarding battles

Territory: The most remarkable features of the kingdom of Arkon aren’t the Arkronian Mountains, nor the great river plain or the Peninsula of Amor-Rakan. The most remarkable about the kingdom are the many great cities that the Arkronians have constructed over the centuries. Methodically planned out with straight wide lanes, beautiful parks and unparalleled architecture all behind walls that are both aesthetically exquisite and offer a strong defense.

Map of Arkron

Factions:

Name: Association of Holy Order
Other names: The Association
Description: The Association of Holy Order is the divine institution that is dedicated to interpreting the wishes and scriptures of the Arkronian pantheon. They are the bridge between the gods and the mortals who serve them. The most important task of the Association of Holy Order is choosing the royal bloodline. When Arkronians establish a new kingdom or when a bloodline dies out, the gods appoint a new bloodline to rule the Arkronians and task him with the duty to bring order to the world in chaos.

Name: House Rhaskozikan
Description: House Rhaskozikan is one of the most important noble houses and one of the initiators of the Arkronian migration to Mycoria. When the kingdom on the continent was formed, the house Rhaskozikan was extremely displeased that the gods did not favor them enough to become the royal bloodline. The House Rhaskozikan is infamous for their hardline views on the world. They interpret the holy scriptures in a way that justifies etnic cleansing as a way to bring order to the world. Members of house Rhaskozikan are known for their extremely negative views about the Ascerians of Yuravia and the men in the north. Members of House Rhaskozikan can often be found at high ranking military positions and within the bureaucracy of the state.

Name: The forbidden tribe
Description: The forbidden tribe is a secret organisation for the promotion of human independance and the conservation of human culture on the peninsula. Many of the humans within the kingdom secretly associate themselves with The Forbidden Tribe. Some more radical elements within this loose coalition of humans have done violent attacks while others simply express their wishes in secret.

Name: The Arkronian merchant guild
Description: The Arkronian merchant guild is the umbrella organization for all Arkronian merchants. Historically the Arkronian merchants have brought in vast amounts of wealth to the kingdom and the idea of monopolizing intercontinental trade to the Arkronian kingdom. The Merchant guild has grown increasingly concerned about the growing influence of Aegire merchant activity in the more recent years. Some even whisper that it would have been better if all the sea-folk were whiped out.
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Characters

Name: Amon-Mar IV
Titles: King of Arkron, supreme overlord of the realm
Description: King Amon-Mar IV recently passed away due to a mysterious disease known as the grey death that is plaguing the Arkronian race. Amor-Mar IV ascended the throne two decades after the 3th rebellion and he maintained stability through clever diplomacy and a strong military force. His wife died in labor during the birth of their only son and crown prince Rakon-Da.

Name: Rakon-Da
Titles: Crown prince to the Kingdom of Arkron
Description: Rakon-Da is the 33 year old crown prince to the kingdom of Arkron. Arkron law and tradition dictates that a crown prince can only choose a wife when he has ascended the throne. He went to study at the most prestigious Arkronian universities and was tutored by the most referred professors the kingdom has to offer. Many considered Rakon-Da as a prodigy. However with his inauguration drawing near the first signs of the grey death have surfaced.

Name: Drokan-Al
Titles: Steward of Arkron
Description: Drokan-Al, the Steward of Arkron is considered one of the most famous politicians within the kingdom. He had a long career as both a soldier in the Arkronian army during the 3rth rebellion and as a politician in the post rebellion period. With his 80 years Drokan-Al is one of the oldest men at the Arkronian court and respected for his knowledge and achievements.

Name: Ambassador Morkrain-Boray
Gender: Male
Age: 47
Description: Morkrain-Boray is the Arkronian ambassador to the Rhaetian Republic. He has been serving in that post for a decade. Born as the 3th son in the noble family of house Borayishkan Morkain-Boray comes from a long line of foreign policy officials. His father served as the former minister of Foreign Affairs.

Name: Modrain-Na
Title: Inquisitor
Gender: Male
age: 39
Description: The Arkronian Inquisitio is the secret police force of the Arkronian kingdom. They are focussed around investigating and rooting out crimes that undermine the power of the Arkronian government. The Inquisitio falls under the minister of Intelligence. Modrain-Na is considered one of the greatest Inquisitio agents of his day. His sharp wit, perception and intelligence are praised among his peers. However his methods are sometimes beyond the comfort zone of conservative Arkronians and he is often more dedicated to finding the thruth then serving the desired political narative.

The kingdom of Vulpinia

The kingdom of Vulpinia

Capital: Vulpea
Quick description: The kingdom of Vulpinia is the native home of the Vulpin race. During the times of chaos the lands were inhibited by 9 different Vulpin clans who were constantly at odds with each other over land and resources. Due to treats from other nations the 9 clans united under a single banner of the 9 tailed fox. In the present day, Vulpinia is mostly a backward country that is still greatly divided along clan lines. Her economy and industry aren’t very developed and the region is one of the most sparsely populated among Mycoria.
The 3th rebelion: For the first time in history Vulpinia sided with the rebel forces against the crown of Arkron. However fearful of a world without order, the Vulpin secretly switched sides and guided the rebel forces into a decisive ambush, crushing the hopes of many nations to be freed from the Arkronian rule.
Population/Race: The kingdom of Vulpinia is one of the most sparsely populated lands within the realm of Mycoria. It lacks large urban centers and you can travel for miles without finding a soul. The dominant race within the kingdom are the Vulpin however there are some larger minorities consisting of Arkronians, Humans and others.

Vulpin: The Vulpin are a race of anthropomorphic bipedal fox like creatures. They often have thick coats of fur, brushy tails and fox heads. There are many variations in fur color, shape of the head and ears and other features. Often such features are tied to a certain Vulpin clan. The Vulpin tends to be slightly shorter than average humans with male Vulpins often being around 170 centimeters long. The Vulpin have gained huge notoriety with their betrayal during the 3th rebellion. It has led to the proverb “shifty as a Vulpin”.

Society/Culture: The Vulpin society is organized around the 9 clans. All clans have their own territory and are made up of a large group of families who recognize the sovereign of the territory. Generally speaking a Vulpin clan consists of the Sovereign family, who are the owners of the territory and the families that live within the territory of the sovereign. Once a family moves within the territory of a different clan they are bound by law to join that clan. The Vulpin clan system has resulted in most Vulpin have a surname and a clanname.

Since the clan system is tied to land, Vulpin tends to stay mostly within the clan’s borders. This has resulted in that by far most Vulpin are either farmers, hunters or artisans working directly for their clan sovereign. Vulpin sovereigns often accumulate the wealth of the land while the lower ranking families work their asses. Minorities such as Humans and Arkronians are not tied to clan laws and are often found working as merchants, engineers and other high income jobs that the Vulpin society is incapable of producing at this moment.

What the Vulpin lack in proper education is compensated by a practical mentality. Tools, trades and skills are passed down by generations. What works is adapted into their routine and what doesn’t work is easily discarded. The Vulpin can often achieve a lot with little resources and tooling and are experts at living off the land. Liticity rates among the Vulpin tend to be very low but they do have their own script.

Vulpin society is often very easy going and their customs when it comes to social interaction are very informal. Singing, dancing, drinking, playing games and music are among their most favorite leisure time activities but nothing comes close to the traditional yearly clan games. The clan games are three weeks of festivities and clan vs clan competition in various activities. The competitions range from sports to crafting and many elements are often made up on the spot. Another typical Vulpin element within these competitions are the vague or even lack of rules. This leads to participants more often than not crossing the boundaries and turning a 10 mile run into a battlefield. The clan games are more about outsmarting each other than a competition to see who has the greatest skill.

The Vulpin are infamous for their love for deception, jokes and the often flexible morality they tend to have. They love to bend the rules or take them to the point that everything that isn’t in the rules must be allowed. A great example of this is the story of the Vulpin traveler that participated in a Yuravian horse race. He didn’t know how to ride a horse but still managed to win. Prior to the race the traveler poisoned the food of all other participants making his competition having to forfeit due to a severe case of diarrhea. The traveler was the only one who made it to the finish line.

Religion: The Vulpin believe that all life and existence was created by the one spirit who traveled the universe in order to bring life to the world. Upon arrival, the one spirit separated herself into many million particles that became gave existence to the planet and the continent of Mycoria. The dawn of a million spirits created the plants and animals, the mountains and rivers, the deserts and the sea and all living races.

In the beliefs of the Vulpin, everything has a spirit, from the people that walk on the soil, to the grass that grows on the fields. From the sun high in the sky to the seas that are fierce and unconquerable. Everything has a spirit and all spirits came from the one spirit. These spirits can be both benevolent and malicious and often need some form of offering to gain their favor. The wishes and attitude of the spirits can only be interpreted by Vulpin shamans.

History: During the times of chaos, the kingdom of Vulpinia did not exist as a unified nation. The 9 Vulpin clans all ruled independently over their patches of land in the north. Their greatest enemies were the eight other clans. Often they engaged in warfare against each other. Sometimes over land, other times over some stupid prank another clan pulled on them. Famous was the “Ale war”. A war that broke out between clan Vulpes and clan Shadowfax over a few barrels of ale.

Clan Shadowfax accused clan Vulpes of drinking their ale during the clan games and demanded the ale supply of clan Vulpes. War broke out between the two clans and years after a peace settlement was reached both clans learned that it was clan Swiftpaw that was taking the kegs of beer from clan Shadowfax and replacing them with the empty ones from clan Vulpes. Needless to say than an alliance was formed to teach those mischievous Swiftpaws a lesson.

However that all changed. Where the Vulpin were once their own greatest enemies humans from the west started to make incursions into various clan territories. First the other clans celebrated as their competitors struggled with these new treats but soon fell victim to human raids as well. A single clan alone lacked the strength to keep these foreign treat at bay and a need arose to unify the tribes under a single banner.

The sovereigns of the 9 tribes congregated in the settlement of Vulpea and discussed the human treat. Over the course of a week the sovereigns managed to set aside their differences and formed the kingdom of Vulpinia. Now the 9 Vulpin clans stood united under the single banner of the 9 tailed fox.

United they managed to fight off the incursions from the west but a new threat arises from the east. Humans started to settle in high nord and were slowly expanding westward into the territories of clan Palebrush and clan Wintertail. These new settlers called themselves the Dominion of Epha and were claiming entire mountains for themselves. This resulted in some violent clashes over the years.

With threads from both the west and the east, the position of the small Vulpin kingdom looked precarious. However that soon changed with the arrival of the Men from beyond the sea. Colonists from a far away place had landed on the western peninsula and subjugated the native humans with ease. Some called it a blessing but the Vulpin king knew that these grey giants would not stop at the Vulpin border. With the odds stacked against their favor the Vulpin had little other options then to accept a treaty of friendship.

This treaty ended up somewhat beneficial for the Vulpin. The Arkronians effectively eliminated the human raids from the west but at the same time failed to address the tensions and conflicts at the border with the Dominion of Epha. Not to mention that the Arkronian crown regularly called upon the Vulpin warriors to fight in their battles.

Frustrated by the fact that the Arkronians constantly levied Vulpin to fight while failing to address their concerns about the Dominion the kingdom of Vulpinia joined the rebels during the 3rth rebellion. However at the same time those crafty Vulpin initiated secret talks with the crown. In exchange for Arkronian support in the border conflict the Vulpin were willing to betray the rebels. A deal was struck and the fate of the 3rd rebellion was sealed.

For the first years the Arkronians kept their part of the bargain and forced the Dominion out of a series of mountain villages and strongholds but in more recent years they have lost interest in actively siding with the Vulpin and small conflicts in the border region are on the rise.

Government:
Elected monarchy. The kings of Vulpinia get elected by the assembly of clan chiefs. In general, monarchs are elected for life but can choose to either resign from power or be removed from power by the assembly of chiefs by 2/3s majority vote. Candidates for monarchy are appointed by the clan chiefs. Every clan chief can put up his candidate. In the case of a monarch resigning, the old monarch can put up a candidate as well.

Economy:
The economy of Vulpinia is mostly based around small self-sustaining agrarian communities in the different clan lands. Up north and in the mountains the people often primarily live as hunter/gatherers and fishermen. Some members of Clan Wintertail practise the art of whale hunting in the northern sea during the summer months.

Military:
The kingdom of Vulpinia does not have much of a standing army. Apart from the King’s Royak Warband the kingdom relies on the manpower the clans can provide. All male clansmen are bound by law to fight for their chief and learning how to fight is often passed down from father to son. By far most clansmen don’t have the wealth needed to acquire proper weapons and armor, thus the majority often has little more than a spear and a shield. The wealthier parts of the Vulpin society can afford more quality armor and weapons, which are often imported from other nations. In times of war the chiefs gather their warbands which are mostly built around the communities they came from.

For more organised nations a Vulpin warband often looks like a disorganised mob in the case that they manage to spot one. The Vulpin are aware of their weaknesses compared to more powerful nations and have adapted to it. The Vulpin almost always avoid decisive battles and rather rely on hit and run strikes against the enemies supply lines.

Territory:
The territory of Vulpinia is as diverse as its clans. In the north we find the land of the endless winter, home to clan Wintertail. High mountain ranges reach up from the sky, surrounded by the frozen and snow covered lowlands. In the north, winter can last up to seven months and when the snow melts, the lowlands turn into a sea of mud. Even in the times of summer, temperatures are hardly higher than 15 degrees celsius.

Another remarkable terrain feature is the eastern mountain range, which forms the border between Vulpinia and the hated Dominion of Epha. It’s unclear which peak belongs to what nation. Tucked between the land of the endless winter and the Southern mountains is the heartland, home of clan Vulpus and clan Shadowfax. On the great central plains is the capital of the kingdom, Vulpea situated. One of the very few larger settlements

In the far south, below the southern mountain range are the great forests of Redwood and Swifttree. Both forests are ancient and their trees pierce the sky. Underneed the roof of leaves many Vulpin made their home mostly living as hunter-gatherers and cattle herders.

Map of Vulpinia

Factions:
Clan Shadowfax
Clan Wintertail
Clan Redwood
Clan longear
Clan Vulpus
Clan Yellowpelt
Clan Swiftpaw
Clan Mountainpaw
Clan Palebrush

Characters:
Name: Aidar Fir Schadowfax
Titles: King of the 9 clans, Elder of clan Shadowfax, The Untrustworthy
Gender: Male
Age: 79
Description: Aidar Fir of clan Shadowfax was elected as king of the 9 clans 51 years ago. The clan sovereigns did not choose him for his competence but rather for the fact that they could easily persuade him to do their bidding. He inherited a close relationship with the crown but threw it out on a whim for some vague economic prospects at the start of the 3th rebellion. However he once more was easily convinced by the crown to switch back to their side and betray his rebel allies.

Name: Cael Drumain Wintertail
Titles: Prime servant to the king
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Description: Cael Drumain of clan Wintertail has been a servant to the king since his 12th birthday. Most servants would move on to more honorary positions such as the royal guard by the time they reach maturity but not Cael. He has become the closest of advisors to the aging king of Vulpinia. Many unofficially refer to Cael as the king behind the throne.

Name: Callumn Dubhghaill Longear
Titles:
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Description: Callumn is the youngest son of the sovereign of clan Longear. His father has a good relationship with the current monarch of Vulpinia and asked him to include his youngest son into the King's warband. The tradition states that only the most accomplished of warriors are chosen to protect the king so Callumn's entrance into the warband was met with some opposition. In short he has become the whipping boy of the warband. Forced to do the tasks that nobody wants to do.

Confederacy of Skekari

Name: The Confederacy of Skekari

Flag: The Confederacy bears a flag with a stylized depiction of their traditional land on a blue background. The three major land claims are depicted by three mountains rising from the water.

Quick description of your nation: The clans composing the [?] Confederacy had always had some limited presence in the northern land of Jete and the island of Kho, a presence bolstered by major immigration of southern clan members resisting the wars of unification. The climate of both Kho and Jete are significantly less forgiving than those of their southern cousins and the people are accustomed to a more difficult life, leading to their perception as a robust people. When the unification wars were pushing refugees out of the southern clans, many chose to settle on the sparsely populated island of Kho, where they maintained a significant presence.

The side your nation was on during the 3th rebellion: The Confederacy sided with the rebels during the third rebellion in the hopes that they'd be able to assert themselves as the dominant Skekarii power.

Population/races: The Skekarii are, on the average, a shorter race. Both men and women tend to average roughly 160 centimeters. The Skekarii are a tan people, though those of the confederacy tend to be slightly lightly, with black and deep brown hair and eyes ranging anywhere from brown to olive green. The Skekarii as a race have a natural affinity for water, preferring to live on the coasts. Those who live in the interior have adapted to using natural moisturizers in order to keep their skin hydrated, as the Skekarii are a delicately skinned people and will tend to crack and bleed if the humidity in the air drops too far.

Culture/society: The Skekarii of the confederacy enjoy fewer benefits than their southern cousins and as a result have developed a more gruff personality as a culture and are significantly less inclined to unification than clans of the Kingdom. For the confederacy the clan mentality is particularly strong with the central government being heavily limited and headed by a high chief elected every 8 years. Much like their southern cousins family units tend to be large and marriage tends to be common to seal deals ranging from anything from land to livestock.

The other significant player in confederate culture is the desire to establish themselves as the legitimate Skekarii nation against the Triarchate, bitter competition between the two has been a stable factor since the wars of unification, a bitterness that has only been tempered by Arkronian intervention.

Religion: The confederacy still holds Senald as the principle deity of their world and still pays great homage to the sea, though local smaller gods hold significantly more sway than in the south. The confederacy also maintains a significantly less centralized religious bureaucracy headed by a small council of high priests.

History: The clans of Jete and Kho have always been sparse and somewhat distanced from their southern cousins, having been given a significantly rougher lot in life they had developed much fiercer independant streaks and viciously resisted unification when the three tribes of Wyacannae sought to bring all the Skekarii people under their sway. As the three tribes grew larger and stronger and their war machine became more and more efficient the northern tribes realized that their only hope to maintain their independence was to unify to some extent. By uniting their own clans' fighters alongside the many refugees who had fled the southern unification the confederacy mounted bitter resistance against the southern tribes. Despite their strength and more martial nature they simply weren't able to hold out against the southern tribes better unification and superior numbers, though the war was still long, costing many lives on both sides, ending only when both nations surrendered themsleves to the Arkron, knowing they were too worn down to mount a defensive. As time wore on the confederacy made more improvements to her millitary and experienced growth in population, always attempting to establish herself as the superior partner in the Skekarii homelands, though they feared they weren't yet able to match the Triarchate during the first two rebellions, the confederacy, with Yuravian backing, declared for the rebels during the third rebellion in hopes of gaining the upper hand on their southern cousins.

At the first phases of the war it seemed to be on their side, as the Triarchate was surrouned by enemies, but with the coming of the Arkronians the Saa'Kaleed were unable to provide assistance, and the Yuravians and confederates were outmanoeuvred and pushed back from the southern homelands by the guerilla tactics of the Triarchate's superior numbers and navy. At the closing of the third rebellion, in recognition of their loyalty, the Triarchate was granted possession of the island of Kho, though they maintain a limited presence on the island, leading to it becoming a hot bed for rebel activity.

Government: The confederacy maintains that the true path of the Skekarii people lies with the clans, but recognizes the need for some centralization if they are to maintain themselves. To this end the various tribes of the confederacy, along with the exiles on Kho who maintain contact, elect a prominent member of one of the tribes to act as a representative and executive of the confederacy on the international stage. The high chief, or the Cynn as the Skekarii prefer, does what governing he can from the sole city of the confederacy, Cynntok - literally "Chief town", on the strait between Jete and Kho. His power is heavily limited by the clans, though he reserves the right to maintain a standing millitia for the confederacy, regulate commerce with foreign powers, represent the clans of the confederacy on the grand stage, and collect a general revenue for the state. The official position of both Skekarii governments is that the other is an illegitimate usurper attempting to wrongfully manipulate the destiny of the Skekarii people as a whole.

Economy: The confederacy, having only one city, doesnt have much of a manufacturing base. The majority of the nations economy is focused on fishing, whaling, and farming of their lands. There are multiple smaller towns scattered throughout the clans, with some producing notable woodworks that have gained some popularity in the courts of Mycoria for their decorative features. One principle export is hardwood lumber used in everything from ship making to construction throughout Mycoria.

Military: The confederacy maintains a mid sized standing army composed primarily of infantrymen, as well as significant levies available from the clans. The army has undergone some reforms in recent years in an effort to improve discipline and cohesion in order to better match their southern cousins, should tensions escalate.

Territory:


Factions:
The Khoya Clan: The Khoya clan are the largest clan on the island of Kho. Even though the island is offically part of the Triarchate, the Khoya clan does not recognize the three monarchs of the Kingdom as their rulers. The Khoya clan strives to drive the Triarchate out of the island of Kho.

The Jeteya clan: The Jeteya clan is the largest clan in the Jete territory. Most of the Cynn are elected from among their leadership. The Jeteya have tried to further the centralization of the confederate clans in order to seize power over the Triarchate but have met with fierce resistance, especially from the Khoya clan who are still strongly believing in the clan system.

The council of the clanless: The council of refugees are members of clans who used to live in the southern part that is now known as the kingdom of Skekaria. Many have fled the kingdom in order to continue living the old clan life without much interference from a central government. However since these men and women aren’t bound to one of the original clans in the area, they are often viewed as clanless and are somewhat treated with disdain.

Characters:
Name: Lehm Jeteya
Titles: Cynn of the Skekari
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Description: Lehm Jeteya was elected Cynn of the Skekari 2 years ago. Much like his predecessors he has struggled to keep the Khoya clan happy in times of being occupied by the triple monarchs of the rival kingdom. However with these changes times, Cynn Lehm believes that an opportunity might arise to retake the island of Kho and maybe even more.

Player nations:
The Kingdom of Cor @Dinh AaronMK
Second Rhaetian Republic @The Wyrm
The Kingdom of Skekaria @Blandina
Yuravian Confederation @Yam I Am
Dominion of Epha @Datadogie
The Aegire Oliarchy @trinais
The Saa'kaleed Abiat @Gowia
The Hegemony of Canthor @Conrad

Vassals to an empty throne

Rough time schedule:
I want to keep things relatively on track so I am putting up a rough schedule on how I want to handle a few things. If things move really fast with nation creation we can start IC earlier.

* March 6: Start of IC
* March 6: Join status goes to full, no new participants. Remaining space will be filled with NPC nations
* March 13: Last date to finish nation sheets

IC is open. Accepted nations can start posting. If you haven't finished your nation sheet yet, please do so. Last day to submit your sheet is march 13th.