Yulzan Ascendancy:
Government Form: Theocratic Empire
Demographics:
Yulzan-1%
Aldzir-25%
Humans-44%
Dathu-30%
Population: 934 Millon
Planet Name and Description: Columbia is an Earth-like world dominated by vast oceans. Thousands of islands both big and small dot its surface and as well hosting several medium-sized continents. Once the heart of the United Columbian Republic, now serves as the throneworld of the Yulzan Ascendancy.
History: The Yulzan's origins can be traced back to the Yvaok System, on their Homeworld Yulzonus. For many centuries, the Yulzan were people of both war and science, often crafting new ways to counter each other, or modifying each other to strengthen themselves, much to their own detriment. Their centuries of internal conflict had reached a fiery conclusion, as a very nearby star had gone supernova, and within the next century, all of the Yvaok System would be engulfed in flames. The last century had been filled with even more conflict as a massive sleeper fleet was being constructed.
Not all of the Yulzan would escape the inferno to come and fought tooth and nail to assure their own survival. The resulting war and extensive modifications made to themselves had led to a massively dwindled population. In a cruel irony, their fight to survive had resulted in a massive genocide of their own making, both the strong and the weak remained in few numbers.
Once the fleet was completed, what was left of the Yulzan, along with their servants, the Aldzir, had all went into a deep sleep as the ships departed from the Yvaok system. Centuries, maybe even millennium had passed since their departure, all that was known, their home was long gone, all traces of their civilization erased from the face of the galaxy. Only to add to their troubles, the ship systems within the sleeper fleet begun to malfunction, some ships going dark, drifting in the void, others simply veering off into their own path to parts unknown.
Regardless, the A.I. driving the fleet pressed forward to find a suitable world to call home, and soon they would find it. The sleeper fleet had entered the Americana System, the world known as “Columbia” proving to be an excellent world for the Yulzan to settle.
The only problem of course, was that this system was claimed by another. However, once the leaders had awoken, this was seen as less an obstacle and more an opportunity. The Human colonists, and the native Dathu would prove as useful assets. The Yulzan shared their heartbreaking story to the leaders of the URC, and with much reluctance, were allowed to stay.
Their plans were set in motion as the Yulzan, piece by piece, shared their technology to the URC, slowly gaining their trust, and soon a following had developed among the people. Humans and Dath alike started seeing them as more then just aliens, but as something truly divine, working in the Yulzan’s favor.
Many other Yulzan had studied the past history of Columbia, the Unification War catching their eye. Despite the dissolution of the Kingdoms of Datheon, the Dathu nobility had been allowed to remain, but their reach, power, and territories that they had before was severely limited by the new government. This festered bitter resentment among the powerless nobles, something that can be used to the Yulzan’s advantage.
Months before the Yulzan’s takeover of Columbia, meetings between the High Ascendants and the various Houses that would hear them out would be arranged, sharing their plans of invasion, and if they were to be successful, with the Houses support, they would be granted their old powers once more. Many took the offer, looking for one last chance to restore the old order of things.
The day came when the Yulzan attacked, their Aldzir and Machine armies marching through the streets, supported by new devotees and the various household guards. Within a few weeks, Columbia fell to the might of the Yulzan Ascendancy, cementing themselves as her new masters. Over two decades have past since that fateful day, the Yulzan continuing their war for dominance for the Americana System.
Culture and Society: For the common citizenry, the Ascendancy focused on devotion and order. Most loyal citizens of the Ascendancy strive to become faithful servants of the Yulzan, and to be worthy one day to ascend and be among with their Gods. Within Yulzan Space, the people are offered two daunting choices, accept the Yulzan as their true Gods, and they will live a life of supposed prosperity and security within the major cities, where all their needs will be met, and all their ails taken care of. The promise of comfort and a better life being a rather insidious ploy to further crush any will to resist the Yulzan’s rule. Those that reject their offer are caste off to the slums and wilderness, forced to survive on their own in squalor.
The Yulzan themselves are much different breed then their devotees. The Yulzan follow a form of Ancestor Worship, and do truly believe themselves to be divine, seeing themselves as gods in the flesh. Long ago, there are few tales that speak that the Yulzan once worshiped a Pantheon, one that soon, they rebelled against. The first among them, the Godslayer, struck down the King of the Gods, the resulting war leading to the Yulzan’s victory, crowning themselves as the most Divine, the Godslayer seen as the most revered of their kind.
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Governance and Politics:The Yulzan Ascendancy is a theocratic state ruled under the High Ascendants. Who both function as the supreme governing body, even among the Yulzan, and central figures of worship by the lower citizens. Below the High Ascendants is the Grand Primarch, a religious and political figure who is responsible for the daily functions of the Ascendancy. Assisting and working under the Primarch are the Council of Precentors, an assembly made up of the most senior members of the Ascendant Church and the Bureaucracy. Under or inbetween of these bodies are the Ministries. Each Ministry has a specific task or role within the Ascendancy, be it handling more mundane affairs, to defense, to law enforcement. The most notable being the Ministry of Inquisition, who are charged with trying and convicting heretics, rebels and criminals. The Ministry of War of course, directs and commands the Janissary Legions and Fleets.
Technology Overview:Shortly after the Yulzan arrived, they offered parcels of their technology to the Columbians, mostly in terms of medical technology, nanotech, gene-therapy, and the sort. In truth these bits of technology were the few that can be easily replicated, the military technology more difficult to recreate in their current conditions, a fact that for a while, was kept from the Columbians. Military wise, the Yulzan make use of varied military drones of various sizes, directed energy weapons, and cloaking technology.
Military Overview: The Ascendancy’s military is split into two massive branches: The Janissary Legions and the Throne Guard. The Janissaries and Throne Guard, are responsible for both planetary and deep space operations, the “Navy” falling under the jurisdiction of both the Janissaries and Throne Guard, classified as either the Janissary Fleet Command or the Throne Armada. The Janissaries consist of the loyal non-Yulzan forces, Humans, Dathu, and Aldzir. Unlike the Throne Guard, the Legions and Fleet Command are forced to use more lower grade tech equipment and ships on par with the FRA Armed Forces. The Throne Guard however, are the Elite, their ranks filled by the holy warrior caste of the Yulzan, and at their disposable, they command Yulzan Warmachines and ships that have become a rare commodity on the battlefield, and are often held in reserve and are deployed as a last resort.