Zanderaw

Nation Name: The Bound Constellation National Symbol (Flag, etcetera): Culture: The subversive cult based out of Mount Achlys goes by a variety of names - the Silent Seekers, the Heart Within, the Unshackled, and dozens of others quietly spread and altered by its associates across the world. If the organization has a "true" name, it is the Bound Constellation - for that is what the crimson-cloaked elders call it from their ashy seats. They are bound as we all are bound - bound to this world and stripped of our understanding. Our priests and rulers shout poisonous words; they pluck out our sight. How can a man of Admar and a man of Reismark both speak the opposite with such conviction? It is partially that they lie, and partially that they are as blind as you. The Constellation does not blame them. The unknown is frightening. Look into the sky at midnight, beyond our glittering prison, and you will see endless miles of utter darkness. You, with your feeble, untrained mind, cannot hope to comprehend even the slightest inkling of what lurks out there. To do so would not only make you dangerous to the establishment, but it would imperil your very soul if you tried alone. But there are others like you who do not fear the dark. The Constellation corresponds with many across the world who seek only the truth. You may have it too...if you can bring them something in return. History: The Bound Constellation's origins are as hard to decipher as they are irrelevant. Secret societies of the occult have always existed, but only with Hieoromic influence gone have they been able to flourish. In particular a mystic, syncretic sect has developed in the wastes among exiled academics from various nations of the north. At some point, these eccentric intellectuals made a home for themselves on the slopes of Mount Achlys, a gigantic active volcano well-separated from civilization. But unlike so many savage tribes, the fathers of the Constellation did not fall into a primal state. From their exile they maintained contact with the civilized world, and just as their esoteric thoughts quietly spread, so did rumors of their far-flung colony. Over the years a steady trickle of society's rejects has made its way to the mountain, and taken up residence in the growing ashy city of Eleutheria. They come across the wastes from all over the world, and the Constellation welcomes all - from deserters to psykers to pilgrims, each has a place under the guiding hand of the church. Not all can be members of the order, of course. The Constellation is slightly more picky than that. Its ranks are filled with the intelligent, the loyal, the influential. It draws in members wherever it goes, and among these far-flung ranks there is great diversity of belief: many simply hold mystic versions of their local religions, others fuse religions in pursuit of the truth, and some greedily look to Achlys for answers. All share an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and even if they never receive any grand universal truths, they still benefit from their new web of contacts, which quietly informs them of events halfway across the world. With every year, the cult grows more organized. Black ships from Eleutheria now prowl the skies, and black priests visit in the dead of night. Those who have gone to the slopes of Achlys and returned speak of a carved city in the thrall of a silent order, who take orders from none but the Reds on their ashy thrones. Point of Interest: Mount Achlys: A colossal active volcano in the wastes, it constantly spews a plume of smoke which covers the sky for hundreds of miles. The Constellation's city of Eleutheria sits near the top, carved into the stone and shrouded in ashfalls. It is a place for those who have a compelling reason to be there...or who truly have nowhere else to go. National Traits: Naval Focus Trade Hub Infiltrators Grain Deficiency (Due to ashfalls) Air Power Convoy Raiding Trade Focus National Idea: Ships in the Night - Other nations have learned to send corvettes unbelievably high, but in the docks of Eleutheria the technology has been perfected. The ship hulls of the Constellation are all fully sealed, which not only allows comfortable passage through the hot ash of Mount Achlys but means the cabins can be pressurized. As a result, the entire black fleet can operate at altitudes unknown to other powers. It affords them tremendous mobility - with the right modifications and tactics, even larger ships can be difficult to track. Agents of the Constellation have swiftly been gaining a reputation for quietly arriving where they should not be, and vanishing in the night without a trace. Unique Military Units (Max 3): Empyrean-Class Heavy Cruiser - The mobile fist of the black fleet, designed for when the Constellation simply must access a well-guarded position. The Empyrean is heavily specialized toward ground assault, with significantly- reinforced ventral armor, main batteries configured on the bottom and sides of the ship, and space for a significant contingent of marines. Naturally, like all Constellation ships it is modified to go where it needs to without detection. Nyx-Class Destroyer: A step up from the torpedo corvettes that have become so feared by trading convoys, the Nyx is the reliable backbone of Eleutheria's fleet. Fast, quiet, and with capacity for a small unit of marines, these destroyers have become the ship of choice for most missions as they can easily transport persons of interest reliably and cheaply, while being no pushover in a fight. In a push to improve on the "topmarines" now in service in some countries, the designers have significantly increased the standard destroyer torpedo armament, resulting in a magnificent multi-role light warship. The Children of Midnight - Specialists: Mount Achlys does not always attract the finest. There are those who come to Eleutheria because they have nowhere else to go. There are those who wrong the Constellation while they are there. There are even those who are desperate for their secrets but have nothing to offer but their life. To these men, the Reds offer a gift - the enticing shadow of some elder truth, and the promise of more if they can earn their place in the Constellation. All they ask in return is ten years service in the most dangerous job imaginable. The Children of Midnight are the marines of the black fleet. They are those who are asked to fight and die wherever the cloaked priests decide. Conditioned beyond the point of mercy and armed with the finest weapons their master can source, they are not merely asked to storm beaches, but to leap from their very ships. With directional parachutes and rigorous training, death is not certain - but retreat is impossible, and once the leap is taken, each Child knows that he will have to kill if he wants to see another day on earth. Unsurprisingly, the Children are very hard to reason with in this state. Map Location:

Soglasigrad With more warm weather comes yet another outflow of settlers from Soglasigrad. The city is by far the largest in the broken coast, and recent military activity by the government has made homesteading a viable and encouraged alternative. Thousands rush to claim their land grants before the days shorten. Hydevsky returns to Soglasigrad amid celebrations, though a medal and an estate is the only reward waiting for him - the most notable promotion from the spring campaigning is the hussar commander Nikolai Koznev, who is raised to Lt. General and placed in command of the new III CORPS. His new command is relatively small and underequipped, but he revels in now outranking the hated Lipovsky. Bloody horse grenadiers, that’s what they get for chasing prestige instead of results. ---------- Discretionary Spending: 1,000 regular conscripts are recruited with 350 gold, 1 AP, 1 MP. 2 coal floats down the river from the dirty bush bogans, in exchange for 2,000 gold. Actions: In a bid to expand the tsar’s buffer and secure valuable coal reserves to Soglasigrad’s west, the nascent III CORPS is dispatched from the capital. Under the newly promoted general Nikolai Koznev, the force sorts out the new order in these nearby lands, accompanied by an ongoing tide of settlers from the overcrowded capital. (Securing B7/B9 with 21,500 infantry, 500 cossacks, and 5 guns) Research Work continues on the iron road. (Fall 3251)

Soglasigrad On the north plains, soldiers parade and celebrate a final end to the Church’s influence in their area. The enemy fought to the last - impressive and just as well, for it spared Soglasigrad’s officers the trouble of deciding what should be done with the hated zealots. The tsar is merciful...no doubt they would have been spared, but few would have been happy about it. To celebrate in the nearby city of Novomsk, Lt. General Belov organizes a performance of Tchadvosky’s popular masterpiece in service to the tsar, volunteering his own 12 pounders for the effort. Many officers attend in the midst of their march south, eager off the first bit of action in years. The spring campaign has been a short one with little resistance - but symbolically, its importance cannot be overstated. ---------- Discretionary Spending: 1,000 Vozins are sent to Vrena as a gift to patronize some of their more interesting projects. A unit of regular conscripts is recruited for 1 AP and 350 Vozins. Actions: If the regent is concerned over Westerveld forces near the border, he shows no sign of it. The tsar has laid claim to the empty lands east of Soglasigrad, and not even the gods can change that. But lest the foreigners get any ideas, Hydevsky sends the I CORPS south after his spring campaign, where the large force splits to bring Vodic law to the coast. Research Work continues on the iron road. (Fall 3251)

Soglasigrad Viktor Igorovich Wolcov shook snow from his greatcoat as he stepped into court, tossing it to several nearby servants. The place was a throng as always - flag officers hoping to be assigned favorable duties in the coming year joked amongst themselves, peasants allowed a petition today cowered in one corner under the tortuous mockery of local nobles, and hand-picked sycophants from the Western Church watched with rapt attention as the regent entered. Past them all was an empty throne before a portrait of the young tsar...grossly outdated of course, but few besides Viktor knew just how much Alexei had changed. “My friends!” Viktor bellowed in a rolling baritone as he strode through the crowd. “As always, my brother regrets that he could not be here today. Sadly his ailment remains unchanged. But!” He reached the throne as he always did at this point in the speech, and sat. It was mostly for the newcomers. “I assure you, His Majesty Alexei II has given me the most very specific of instructions for today.” “We are all praying for the tsar’s health, my regent…” The chief rabbi of the Western Church replied, bowing almost beyond the point of decency. “As should we all.” Viktor solemnly replied with a naturally carrying voice. “But prayer alone cannot save us. That is why I have an announcement before we get on with our regularly-scheduled business.” His eyes drifted to the military men, who straightened at his gaze. “You all know of the heretics that general Lipovsky found in October. Given half the chance, they would topple our regime, burn our beloved tsar at the stake and kill all that supported him. Is this acceptable to you?” “No!” cried the soldiers in unison, as if they had rehearsed. That was good, because they had. “And when you see their leaden faces across our border,” the regent snarled, “Does this seem like all is right in the world?” “No!” replied the soldiers again, not one of them missing a beat. Viktor almost smiled. “Do you think that we can claim to be doing our duty, when even a moment passes that they live there untroubled!?” “NO!!!” replied the whole room, even some of the peasants. “I would destroy them myself,” Viktor intoned, his voice dropping to a low growl. “If I could stand to leave my brother here in his hour of suffering. But as I am detained in Soglasigrad, the tsar has selected another to lead our spring campaign.” He stood from the throne, turning back to the soldiers. “You are all fine and brave officers. I know that you will do your duty as SAMILIEV HYDEVSKY commands!” At the announcement, the soldiers turned like clockwork to salute a general in the back of the room, a large bearded man with round glasses. Hydevsky was already standing proudly, the picture of a Vodic conqueror. With a practiced flourish, he bowed to the regent in acceptance. “Good,” said Viktor, sitting back down in satisfaction at the well-executed production. “Do win Soglasigrad glory. Now...to the petitions.” The regent relaxed, and motioned forward the first of the peasants, who he was silently thrilled to see looked totally awestruck. ---------- In the very depths of winter, the Vod itself freezes over until it is almost as icy as relations with Mirasol. Long regarded as a backwater dwarf kingdom, it is perhaps unsurprising that they would invite outsiders to shroud them behind their coattails. Soglasigrad has had no dealings with the great powers, nor does it have any wish to. ---------- Discretionary Spending: None, skynet has me covered. Actions: Absolutely nothing happens in the tsar’s lands this year as a harsh winter settles over the plains. Research Work continues on the iron road. (Fall 3251)

Soglasigrad Leaden masks framed in leaden cloaks stared down the horsemen. They peered malevolently from village windows; they held up unholy icons as if to ward the cavalry off. Perhaps it was working, for none of the Tsar’s men approached. “They aren’t leaving,” growled Nikolai, hand resting on his saber. As if sensing his nerves, his chestnut horse shifted back. For weeks they had skirmished with priests and paladins, and always the Church had avoided pitched battle - until now. The villages offered them safety, and neither cossack nor hussar would chase them there. “I suppose you’ll want to drive them out?” “Course I want to!” The grenadier Oleg glared at the priests, his face twisted in impotent fury. “But I won’t. Who knows what kind of weapons they’ve got in there? Bloody streltsky’s job to find out, not ours.” “You see any streltsky around?” Oleg shot his smaller companion a harsh look. “No…” He conceded, finally. “But when the regent finds out this is where the heretics are hiding, this place’ll see enough infantry for a lifetime. What a waste of time.” The big man spat toward the village, and turned his massive horse away. Nikolai couldn’t help but concur. ---------- The regent Viktor Wolcov does indeed fly into a rage when news of crusaders to his north reaches Soglasigrad. But he is no fool, and winter is approaching quickly. The army sits in place, but when the new campaigning season comes there is no question in anyone’s mind that a reckoning is coming. The cavalry, meanwhile, continue their campaign in a new direction, unhappy at being forced back. ---------- Discretionary Spending: 5 Steel is sold to Procteland for 495 Vozins. 1,000 regular conscripts are recruited using 1 AP and 350 Vozins. Actions: Like water seeking the path of least resistance, the cavalry sweep west, redirecting the year’s settlers into lands less dominated by the Church. From the opposite bank, Tsardom riders salute the capital of Vrena. For now, the heretics will not be troubled. But a new campaigning season is coming…. (Pacifying D1) Research Work continues on the iron road. (Fall 3251)

Soglasigrad The sun is warm, and the plains empty. A feeling of optimism sweeps the nation as it spreads its wings. In Soglasigrad, the Tsar's brother makes an example of several adherents of the heretic church, exiling them from the city to the jeers of many loyal adherents to the true tsarist church. They never make it beyond the outskirts though, for after one of them loudly calls the sovereign a stunted monster, an angry mob of ex-soldiers rips them to shreds. ---------- Discretionary Spending: 4 Coal and 1 Gunpowder are sold to Westmark for 4,000 Gold. The 2 M in storage and 5500 gold are used to construct a foundry on the Kirovsk side of Soglasigrad. Actions: Summer! The mud seeps into the plains, and a steady stream of settlers make their way to new land grants, authorized by the tsar’s brother himself. The cavalry continues its campaign, and rides north to see to it that this colonization is peaceful, and that the villages there accept the protection of Soglasigrad without trouble. (Pacifying D5) Research Work continues on copying the iron road of Westerveld. It is disgraceful that the eastern haters and losers should have such technology while Alexei II does not.

Soglasigrad White was everywhere - in the sky, on the endless fields, on cavalry greatcoats, and in the biting wind. It swirled around one Nikolai Grigoryevich Koznev, who marveled at how the only thing not white was the ancient road his men now rode on. Koznev hated campaigning in the winter. He suspected he’d regret that thought in a few weeks when the melt began and the plains turned to mud around him, but it changed nothing. Koznev knew himself well enough to know conjuring a bit of hatred for the moment could spur him forward. Soon enough, he didn’t have to conjure anything. “Nikolai Grigoryevich!” A booming voice sounded from behind him as a massive man trotted up to him on an even more massive warhorse. Lipovsky. Of course. “What’s your brigade doing on the road, Nikolai! The horse grenadiers can handle anything here; you should be out there watching the flank!” Lipovsky pointed out to the snowy fields, smugly. “We’re five miles past the border, Oleg,” Nikolai grumbled. “If there was anything here, we’d already-” “Did I hear that right?!” Lipovsky boomed. “Indolence? From you?! This cold has addled your brains, my friend!” He sidled his giant horse closer alongside, while Nikolai in turn moved his to the edge of the road. “Look, Nikolai, there’s a village an hour away. We want them on our side, yes? Who do you think’s best equipped to awe them into submission - a bunch of mangy cossacks, or the Tsar’s finest?!” Lipovsky grinned, twirling a handlebar mustache that seemed a foot across. “Seems to me, you and your ponies have a couple choices - you can halt and ride in behind us…or you can get off the damn road.” The big man’s smile abruptly dropped, and without further elaboration he turned his warbeast around, riding back towards his own unit. Nikolai cursed to himself, shivering. “I’m a hussar, Oleg,” he retorted to thin air, his tormenter already gone. Then, reluctantly, he gave the order to ride into the snow. ---------- Discretionary Spending: 1900 Vozins are sent up the river to the BRAVE MUJAHIDEEN in return for two units of building materials. Actions: As winter nears its end, the Tsar’s brother orders a pacifying expedition into the plains to the east. With supplies on carts and sleds, escorting a tide of settlers promised land grants, Soglasigrad’s cavalry rides forth. The elite horse grenadiers, and a mixed brigade of hussars and tribal cossacks ride along the ancient outsider road, bringing the Tsar’s rule to slumbering villages and empty plains. Come the summer, the crossroads will be a very different place. (Pacifying D6 with 8,000 heavy cav and 4500 light cav.) Research There is a great deal of interest from somewhere in the palace over the new invention in Westerveld, though Viktor seems less than enthusiastic. Nevertheless, the will is there, and a small team of engineers within Soglasigrad has begun working to copy the locomotive principle.

Discord: Ur mum Nation Name: Tsardom of Soglasigrad Flag: Culture: Russian, more or less History: The twin cities which make up Soglasigrad have only truly come together recently. Wealthy Otrovsk on the western bank of the River Vod has always been at odds with the militaristic Kirovsk on the east. Lucky for their neighbors: together, Kirovsk and Otrovsk are the most populous place in the region. So the great plains trembled when a hundred years ago, news spread that Kirovsk had managed to cross the Vod right under their rival's nose. It was an unexpected, unprovoked blow in a time of relative peace, and Otrovsk struggled in vain to gather their wits as Kirovsk smashed their defenses, under the unyielding leadership of one Alexei Wolcov. Within weeks, a centuries-long conflict was over. Kirovsk burst into the city, and mercilessly gunned down the parliament there. General Wolcov, seizing on the victory, also seized control of his own city, and proclaimed himself Alexei I Wolcov, the supreme Tsar of Soglasigrad - the unified city of concordance, brutal as it may be. Yet two nations are not united in a day. Alexei spent the rest of his life rooting out the memory of Otrovsk, a place far more liberal than the new Soglasigrad. His dreams of conquest died, the army champing at the bit as he did the hateful task of governing. When he died, the work was still unfinished, and he went to meet his maker a bitter old man. His successor was far more effective. Igor Wolcov kept the army busy with minor conquests in the south, funneled the plunder into the city, and skillfully turned the people's ire away from him and onto hostile Otrovsk oligarchs - whose wealth he was more than happy to redistribute to the commoners. By the time of his death, few were alive to remember the twin cities, and the Tsardom's neighbors were again beginning to worry as its domestic problems faded away. In the year 3235, a new Tsar took the throne under the name Alexei II Wolcov. Resplendent in military dress, the chosen heir from a dozen brothers, he addressed the nation in a fiery speech reminiscent of his namesake. The people of Soglasigrad were captivated by his words, his demands that they rise up and conquer the plains for him. Yet soon afterwards, the Tsar was struck by the Curse. When the news became public, chaos reigned. A dozen brothers, nearly a dozen claimants. It was said that the people would never follow a cursed sovereign, and each sought to replace him. In the end Alexei considered himself lucky when his favorite brother Viktor seized control and imprisoned the rest. He would remain Tsar. Yet the curse festered. Over the years while Viktor has been the face of the state in his name, each day has become more of a living nightmare. If the world knew how grotesque he has become, perhaps they would end his suffering - yet Viktor will not allow it to happen, perhaps out of love, and perhaps because he has framed his wars as a noble quest to honor and cure his brother. Whatever the cause, if one were describe Soglasigrad in this year with a single word, it would be hungry. Characters (Up to 3): Viktor Igorovich Wolcov: As unlike the Tsar he can leave the palace, Viktor has become the face of the regime, its true powerbroker, and his brother's greatest advocate. A fierce politician and a fine soldier, Viktor has spent his time in power creating a world where Alexei need not be deposed. What influence the Church had in Soglasigrad has been stamped out, replaced with a heretic organization which nearly deifies the tsar and preaches that his Curse can be cured if the nation wins sufficient glory. Alexei II Wolcov, Tsar of Soglasigrad: For the Tsar of Soglasigrad, every day is pain. Every week his mutations grow more grotesque, and his heart fills with despair as he cloisters himself away from the sunlight. The Curse has seen fit to take everything but his mind, but who can say how long he will cling to even that gift? Alexei is vested with supreme and unquestionable power, but it is unclear how much influence he truly wields in his government. Occasionally, Viktor delivers the summons of the Tsar, and it is only then that the citizens of the Soglasigrad come face-to-face with one of the greatest horrors of the earth. None return from these meetings, and so the Summons is often used as a colloquial term for the death penalty - but nobody has ever seen the bodies, so nobody truly knows. Location (Pick 3 Provinces): D2, D3, B8 Unique Units: Vod Streltsky: Medium infantry recruited from the vast population of the Vod delta, these teeming masses make up the bulk of the Tsar's forces. They are fed a steady diet of propaganda, and over the course of a century of military tradition have become thirsty for conquest in a way that few soldiers elsewhere can understand. (Medium infantry, unit size 1500) Imperial Mounted Grenadiers: The most prestigious regiments in the army and easily the flashiest, the Tsar's heavy cavalry is designed to crush any formation on the plains. With the help of impact grenades lobbed from horseback to soften resistance, there is little that can stand in their way.

“Aegos, I was tremendously gratified that you chose me to review your last report. It has been some time since you submitted work for consideration, (not that I need to tell you that), and we in the foreign office had been starting to grow bored. Know that you are held in the highest esteem and that we often hope (in vain, I suspect), that you would return to Exelixi more often. I know your feelings on this humble keep well, but I also know you would be very interested in the accomplishments being made here. But as glad as I was to hear from you, I found myself shocked at the contents of your missive. That you would speak so frankly of the Lightbringer Arkhelon in writing is an inexcusable breach of security. I say this as part of the foreign office and as a friend - cyphers can be broken. We have determined that you will refrain from sending this work to other enclaves, and will destroy your own copy as we have already securely archived ours. I saw your children yesterday. Their professors say they are performing acceptably, and they seem happy. Best, Antraxes” THE AMBER CONCLAVE Ava awoke on a long cushion atop an iron pedestal. “Dymas’ garden,” she thought instinctively. Few places were green in Exelixi, and the trees around her seemed right. Disoriented, she got to her feet. The first thing she noticed was that she was taller than she was used to. As a master scribe of the Amber Conclave, she had walked this garden many times - branches which had once arched overhead now were at eye level, and she could see the grooves where sap ran along their upper surfaces. Yes, much taller. The second thing she noticed was that her clothes were gone. At least, the ones she was used to. She raised a hand to find it covered in iridescent armor, down to her fingers. She splayed the hand, and a dozen tiny plates rushed in to fill the gaps as if alive. She tried to touch her face, and for the first time realized it too was shielded: a helmet of the same gold-iridescence lifted off in her hands, trailing a vibrant crest of blue feathers. Only then did she notice the dozens of scribes watching her. “You’re awake,” spoke a stocky one from the center of the group, stepping forward. “Excellent. Sign this, please.” He waved one of the lesser scribes forward with a parchment full of dense scrawl. The younger man looked up at her with reverence. “A missive, to the other keeps. Ava the Plumed has taken the Judgements and is now in supreme command of all Conclave policy.” Supreme command? Ava stared at the decree. This was wrong. Entirely wrong. “But...what about Telon?” “Lord Telon left Exelixi on ‘urgent business’ two days ago. He has not contacted us since, nor has he given any indication as to when he might return.” The scribe’s voice was curt. What division was he from? “Do sign the missive, Lord Ava. You of all people should realize the importance of keeping order.” She signed. The parchment was immediately plucked from her hands and hurried away, and the scribes thinned as several went with it. Ava had worked in the archives long enough to know why - the proclamation would be copied dozens of times, and an announcement of this type would require at least six seals of witness from scribe-demilegates to be official. The short scribe nodded in satisfaction, then almost imperceptibly bowed. “May your reign be fruitful. I have taken the liberty of drafting a transfer to bring your husband back, though of course the decision is yours. Your personal effects have also been transferred within the Inner Wall, and can be installed once you choose new quarters. Do take your time settling in - your decisions are not urgently needed quite yet.” He intoned the words without taking a breath, then gathered his papers and turned to leave. “Legate?” Ava finally said, clearing her throat. “I don’t know you.” “You may call me Myrkes, Lord Ava,” he replied, looking back. “Your secretary, until you see fit to dismiss me.” He smiled at last, with the confidence of a man convinced that would never happen. -------- One of the Conclave’s Hemiolas is seen on the coast of Avos, and reports say that it carries a legate sent to discuss the organization’s interest in the area. -------- Ava the Plumed, former devoted Architect and master scribe of the Conclave, now wields ultimate power over the entire organization, and she has radically different ideas on how it should be run. For too long has the order kept to its citadel, and for too long has it ignored its most sacred ideal - that men may live ever more prosperously. Conclave alchemists will finally be let loose, and from the people of Vrachati and Edon-Ya they will sculpt a shining image of the world to come - a world unchained, prospering on the tide of innovation. [5 Architect Castella; 37,500 Gold and 5 Stone] A new alchemist passes his trials, and is allotted a workshop and production team within the walls of Exelixi. [Caeducian Adept, 10,000 Gold] [5,300 Gold is passed on to the next accounting period.] 1 unit of lumber is transmuted to magical goods, then promptly sold to the surrounding population in Vrachati. 4 units of golem-mined iron are sold to the market in Vrachati. -------- Production: 10 Litadermos produced in Exelixi.

Nation Type: (Kingdom/City State/Tribal): Off-map enclave nation relying on keeps built in friendly countries to survive. Balanced for strong research and decent economy, but extremely low manpower. Nation Name: The Amber Conclave Are you in the Elraic Empire? More of a wart on its face. The Conclave’s influence and culture is centered in the empire, where its founders were born and its main fortresses still stand today. It is, however, politically separate. This arrangement was not reached without bloodshed, nor is it ever completely certain - while the Conclave wields remarkable power, there is no doubt that it would fail were the empire as a whole to turn against it. For years the Amber Lords have walked a fine line, projecting enough power to discourage would-be subjugators, while simultaneously appeasing their hosts lest the locals come to fear them. Through it all, the Conclave continues to advocate for its Great March: policies aimed at the long-term advancement of human civilization. Nation Culture (Brief description): The Amber Conclave is a secular, human-supremacist military order. By tradition it refuses to hold land outside its fortress-monasteries, instead exerting its influence indirectly on the nations of men. Such influence takes many forms - from direct military intervention to espionage, to the sale or gift of its alchemical advances. All, however, is done in the name of the Great March. The objectives of the March are clear - they are carved above the gate to every Conclave fort: THAT MEN MAY LIVE EVER MORE PROSPEROUSLY. THAT MEN MAY TRUST EACH OTHER. THAT MEN MAY BE SAFE FROM THEIR ENEMIES. These words are taken from the writings of the Conclave’s three founders, known widely as the priest, architect and knight. Though it is not officially acknowledged, their respective manifestos have inspired three sects to dominate Amber politics: the fiercely-atheistic sect of the priest, the pragmatic architects, and the idealistic, uncompromising knights. In truth, all three viewpoints are needed for the Conclave to achieve its aims. Policy fluctuates, however, as ultimate power lies in the Amber Lords, who rise somewhat unpredictably. For such a deeply bureaucratic organization, some may see this as odd - but how exactly a Lord comes to power is strictly confidential. In any case, they are the ultimate authority in all decisions. Go up the chain of command from anyone in the Conclave, and you will find an Amber Lord presiding over their orders. Nation History: Two hundred years ago, the Elraic Empire was in crisis. In the midst of weakened imperial cohesion and a stygioi incursion, three men found themselves losing faith in the lives they knew. Acmon the Untainted, knight of the empire, could no longer follow the Anakhton Gallaros, as much out of disagreement with his methods as out of his grievous wounds. Fearing impending execution, he deserted with his closest allies: a priest of Sehula known today as Mygdon the Unblessed, and a common engineer he had known since childhood, now called Dymas the Unbridled. The three men set out across the empire as fugitives, navigating a time of chaos and mass death. The experience shaped them: each came to realize that established tradition did little to further human society, and in some cases set it back for the good of a greedy few. So it was that when they came to a place called Regent’s Hill, they resolved to found something new, to guide humanity through the meandering path of history. They forged the first judgements there, weapons of awesome power, and the next time they were seen, the Amber Conclave had been born. Since then the order has been working tirelessly to expand its influence. From their ever-expanding citadel of Exelixi, their scribes have been sent to nearly every nation in the known world. Their military presence has been more limited, for to ask for a nation’s sovereign land is no small thing. Even still, they now have some presence across the empire, and beyond. The current year finds the Conclave lacking in upper leadership, but as ambitious as ever. Legates and scribes speak of lands across the sea, all very much of interest to the Great March. The timing is right for expansion - after decades of tension with the Elraic emperor following the monastic sovereignty crisis, Conclave status seems to be secure. All that remains is to convince the world of their good intentions. Special Characters: Ava the Plumed, the newest of the Amber Lords, and like all of their number a full mage, general and agent. Magic: ALCHEMY Unique Point of Interest: Exelixi is nearly a fortified city in its own right - though a highly regimented, deeply bureaucratic one. Over the years Regent’s Hill has been carved and expanded by the Conclave’s engineers well beyond recognition. The top levels of the citadel are a strictly-organized knot of workshops and archives, manned by a legion of scribes working at all hours to manage the world-spanning order. As such the topmost walls are more organizational than defensive - the militant arm here inhabits the far more formidable lower walls and bastions. Exelixi contains riches, untold secrets, and the lives of thousands of men and women sworn to protect both. boink

Name: Thomas Pryce Age: 25 Gender: Male Description [The more you give, the more you get]: Short, pale and moody, Thomas spends his days struggling to push through an oppressive cloud of melancholy. He came to this awful city for work and for now, that offers him some distraction – but the adjustment hasn’t been easy. Thomas stands at a pathetic 5’6”, but by this point he’s beyond caring about it much. Women have never noticed him, they probably never will, and he’s accepted that. The best thing to do is to avoid them altogether before he starts wanting what he can’t have. Tom privately estimates he hasn’t spoken to a woman in over six months. To be honest, he doesn’t talk to that many men either. The one bright spot in Tom’s life is his work, which he throws himself into with little thought to much else. He’s a spook, an FBI analyst monitoring terrorist threats in New York state. In this at least, he excels. Thomas has always been frighteningly intelligent, and he has a knack for picking out important details that others might miss. What’s more, he legitimately believes in the work. The idea of hunting the country’s enemies, perhaps of outmaneuvering and beating them, makes him feel valuable. It makes him feel alive. It distracts him from how shitty his life has become. Backstory [The more you give, the more you get]: Thomas John Pryce was born on the superior west coast, in San Diego. His childhood was happy enough: the Pryce family is a large, loving, stable one, and he was always provided for. He grew up happy, always a great student, always with plenty of freedom. His parents were fairly well-off, and when his idyllic childhood was over they sent him to college within the state. He kept his old friends there: many had gone to the same school, and so he was never at risk of falling too deep into his work. Deeply patriotic, Tom wanted to serve his country, and as he was too short for the military he figured that meant internal security. As he approached graduation he asked his family to call in contacts with the FBI, and soon was hired as an investigator. Unfortunately, Thomas failed to realize that the federal government largely operates on the east coast. Before he could contemplate his decision, he found himself posted to New York, and found that he hated it. As the months dragged by, the novelty wore off, and he became sick of it all. Sick of the annoying, pompous people who lived out here, sick of how they wore suits everywhere, sick of how the sun set on the wrong side of the ocean, sick of everyone he ever knew being thousands of miles away. New York City was awful. The buildings just rose up and up boxing him in, and what’s more, everyone he met seemed just as annoyed at the world as he was. Tom just worked. It was what he came here for, after all. By now, Thomas is in permanent danger of becoming a permanently bitter man. His relationship with his family and friends back home is slowly withering, while he’s not truly close to anyone out here. Still, leaving is out of the question. He’s spent three years here already, after all. He might be promoted soon. He has commitments. No. He’ll keep on like this as long as it takes. Maybe things will get better.

Kingdom of Orteau “My son...I fear that in my absence, matters of state have become very unstable indeed. Return to Kaumai at once.” That was the entirety of the dispatch. Alain’s father had never been one to explain himself, for it was enough that his orders were obeyed. In this case, he hadn’t needed to. News from the capital spread quickly when it foretold war, and not for centuries had there been a war such as this. By the time Alain arrived in the capital, the rebels had already fired the first shot and the galaxy was aflame. Yet the sight hovering above Kaumai would put even the most doubtful loyalist at ease. Battlefleet Reclamation, Ashweather called it. On the domed walls of the titan’s bridge he could see it all: warships teeming amongst the stars, rising from their dusty anchorages with united purpose. Organized and directed by the Tanu Kavan, there was enough firepower here to burn whole systems to the ground. And he, Alain Teniert, would go along with it in the largest battleship known to the galaxy. Through the bridge rang the call for identification, the naval broadcast demanding the new arrival’s name. By his side, Alain’s admiral picked up the ship’s transmitter and offered it to the young prince, that he might have the honor. Alain paused, taken aback by the sheer enormity of where he was. Then he spoke. “This is the fleet of House Teniert reporting for duty. Direct orders to our flagship, Heaven’s Hammer.” Actions - 10,366 136,500 Credits in Budget after tax [45,000 credits loaned to brandon] [10k credits to rob for food] [7,500 C + 2 M + 1E + 2 AP] - A unit of heavy infantry is mustered, loyal knights of Orteau to serve the Tenierts in their expeditions. [2,500 C + 2 M + 1 AP] - 100,000 commoners are organized for war. [15,000 C + 3 B] - Three units of fuel production industry are built on Kerbonn. (22H) [10,000 C + 4 B] - Four great warehouses are built on Prizac (24H), to hold the Tenierts’ goods. [7,500C + 3M + 3NP] - Three freighters are constructed. [25,000 C] - As the fleet prepares to move out, Lord Teniert summons the world-lord of Tremet, Admiral Sher-Uman, faithful servant of Orteau, to lead his ships. [11 luxury goods, 1E, 3P, 2F stored] 14,000 Credits Remaining Actions - 10,367 430,825 C available [100,000 C ] REDACTED [25,000 C] - As ground troops muster on Orteau, Lord Ashweather calls up the service of one Conrad Lekal, the world-lord of Prizac. Lekal is to serve as general in the coming campaign. [22,500 C, 6 B] - 3 Armories on Prizac. [40,000 C + 8B] -8 black goods on Leroux [7,500C+1E+2M+2AP]-A unit of heavy infantry [2,500 C + 2 M + 1 AP] - 100,000 commoners are organized for war. [17,500C+7M+7NP] - Seven freighters are built for logistics purposes. [7500C+3B]-3 warehouses on kerbonn [20,000C+4B]-2 shipyards around Locronan 188,325 C Left over Shipments 16 Luxury goods are “exported” to planets within Orteau itself, for a profit of 2750 each. 6 Food is imported from Alamar, for free. 9 M is exported to Revan for free.

Kingdom of Orteau One of House Teniert’s most closely-guarded secrets is how many adjudicators they keep in their service. Nobody truly knows how much they cost, and such is the wealth of Orteau’s rulers that guesses range from thousands of the agents to mere dozens. The Tenierts have encouraged this sense of mystery: news stories are pulled whenever one shows himself, and they are said to mix the spies as sleepers into their regular organization. The people of Orteau are kept guessing lest they learn the truth: there are less than twenty adjudicators left in the ruling house’s service. Such is the grip the house has over their people that they have come to fear their own secret ministry more than rivals or revolutionaries, and so the force has withered to a tiny group, small enough that the head of house can know and manage them all individually. In this way, the line has been safe from all threats for centuries. Of course, galactic ambition requires some risks. In the year 10,364 Lord Adrien Teniert, acting ruler of Orteau, orders his brother Alain to begin overseeing a bold expansion of the secret ministry’s militant wing. No fewer than five thousand new adjudicators have been commissioned, to be recruited not on the basis of skill or strength, but loyalty alone. The augmentations will deal with the rest. The process takes place, as always, in absolute secrecy. In bunkers deep below Keep Teniert each recruit is all but flayed alive, their skin peeled back and their skulls pried apart, every inch of their body exposed and molded to their masters’ liking. In doing this, Adrien has broken nearly a century of precedent - adjudicators are killers, disturbingly good at getting themselves closer to a man than his bodyguards. His father never liked to have too many around, and neither did his grandfather for that matter. But the galaxy is a vast place, and Orteau has made itself significantly more visible in recent years. In a world where threats no longer come from within, perhaps muscle isn’t such a bad thing to have. Actions - 10,363 - Famine accepted 92,200 Credits in Treasury :wagie: [10,000 C + 1 B] - An imperial embassy is built on Locronan, so that guests from the core may join in the sport on the Teniert hunting preserve. [10,000 C + 4 M + 4 NP] - Four freighters are laid down for shipping operations. [5,000 C + 1 B] - Heavy industry is built on Prizac (24H), to produce components for the kingdom. [7,500 C + 2 B] - An armory is also built on Prizac, to speed recruitment on that world. 59,700 Credits left over Actions - 10,364 213,700 Credits in Budget [5000 C] - Buying food from Rob. [25,000 C] - Buying 4 freighters from Hell [120,000 C] - A vast sum of cash makes its way to Matene through various proxy accounts. [1200 C] - Extra freighters are hired from Hyperborea, just in case. [10,000 C + 2 M + 1 E] - 5,000 Adjudicators are created in secret on Orteau, that they might serve the interests of House Teniert. [15,000 C + 6M + 6NP] - 6 freighters are produced to bypass the m*rchants. [35,000C + 7B] - 7 Luxury Industry is built on Tremet. (23H). The fine wines and much sought-after livestock of the planet will no doubt be welcomed in the outer rim. 2,500 Credits saved Shipments 10 Food is transported on 10 freighters from Rob’s nation to Orteau, for a price of 5000 C. 4 luxury goods are transported on 4 freighters to zone 7, where they will be sold at 4000 C each.

Kingdom of Orteau KEEP TENIERT, ORTEAU SYSTEM, ORTEAU Blain stood quietly in an alcove as his prince was married. Music thrummed through the air, a cacophony of grandiose notes which filled the Teniert ballroom and made the glass shake in the great vaulted ceiling. As duties to his masters went, this wasn’t the worst. As the most senior of their security he’d get the blame if anything went wrong, but it would take some nerve to try something here, in the very seat of Teniert power, surrounded by nobles and officers from a dozen systems. No, all Blain would have to do tonight would be to watch. And watch he did. He watched the beautiful new princess, Lady Annabella Dryden, as she walked to her fiancee escorted by her brother. He watched the younger Lord Teniert, Alain, already two cups deep and cracking jokes to an even drunker naval captain and his pretty date. He watched the world-lords of Orteau, stoically arrayed in a line behind the prince. Why hadn’t Lord Ashweather come? It was none of Blain’s business. He watched. He watched the musicians, watched the priests, watched the servants and the guests. He watched the youngest Teniert, Anna. That was all he ever did now. He hadn’t spoken to her in years, but he knew her better than most. With his augmentations he could see her face, but it was unreadable. What was she feeling? Had her thoughts of him changed? The last time they’d been together, she’d stopped hoping that she would get a day like this. But Anna was never one to let her own sadness get in the way of others happiness. Nobody would know how she felt, not unless they asked. Blain suspected nobody did anymore. With a snort, he turned away. On Orteau, one remembered one’s place or ended up in the gutter. He knew his. He was a tool, a knife fashioned to kill, and he had been fashioned well. The sooner he fully accepted that, the easier his life would be. So Blain stood quietly, and watched. It wasn’t as if he could do anything else. Actions 195,800 Credits in Treasury [800 Credits to Rob] [41,200 Credits to Hell] - rent and construction of freighters [35,000 Credits to Tank] - construction of 7 freighters [3 NP, 3 M, 7500 C] - Construction of 3 freighters [2 B, 20,000 C] - Construction of two shipyards around Locronan. (21H) [4 B, 20,000 C] - The craftsmen of Orteau expand their business, creating more jewelry and fine clockwork on the capital. (4 luxury industry on Orteau, 25H) [70,000 C] - Adrien Teniert, house heir and acting ruler of Orteau, finally enters into matrimony. In an exceedingly-public wedding, Adrien marries Annabella Dryden in the center of Teniert power. Every noble family of consequence within Orteau and most from the surrounding provinces are invited, and the Teniert brothers go to special effort to ensure proper accommodations and high-class companionship for Admiral Rewi and his staff. The wedding itself takes place on the top floor of Keep Teniert, the vast skyscraper home of Orteau’s rulers. Naturally no expense is spared, and the ceremony is both preceded and followed by a massive reception spanning from garden balconies to a cavernous dining room, where guests are served intricately-prepared meals of pastry, meat and fruit, liberally interspersed with full chalices of wine. In the lower levels, the traditional beggar’s feast is possibly more extravagant, for here the Tenierts serve the exact same fare the nobles enjoy to a horde of commoners. For a brief time a procession of noblewomen visits these levels to dance with the peasants, but they of course leave before the gathering descends into complete drunkenness. At the end of the evening, each guest is permitted to leave with a single bottle of their choice plucked directly from the massive Teniert wine cellar. Each guest, that is, except for one... [1,300 Credits to Treasury] Shipments 4 Freighters carry 4 units of food from Rob’s nation to Orteau. :ragie:

Kingdom of Orteau KEEP GARDRE, LEROUX SYSTEM, ORTEAU Blain was late. It had taken him a month to bribe himself into House Gardre’s staff, when it should have taken a week. The lords of Leroux had built a surprisingly airtight operation, with loyal servants and an efficient government. Too efficient. Nevertheless, most planetary lords held gatherings on their birthdays, and for that they always needed more servants, many of whom would be unbranded, as Blain was. He’d slipped in amongst the ushers, and now led lords and ladies to a great set of double doors on the top floor of House Gardre’s skyscraper palace. Somewhere past those doors was his prey. Embezzlement was a remarkably mundane thing to die for. Lord Teniert had seemed utterly bored when he’d given Blain his assignment. It wasn’t the sort of thing that impressed the royals - money meant little to them, and status was everything. Blain on the other hand had been impressed. Even for something as boring as credits, Lord Gardre had acted masterfully. He’d hidden where royal investment in the planet had gone, taken most of the profits himself, and written down any losses to merchant tricks, knowing his lord’s prejudices. Where the Inner Ministry had audited, Gardre had been there first, and he had bribed every official sent to investigate. ...but everyone knew you couldn’t bribe an adjudicator. Blain made his move. Breaking off from the group of ushers, he reached the ballroom door before anyone thought to stop him. Then he raised a foot, and with a cybernetic-aided kick, smashed open the thick wooden door. The room on the other side froze. Leroux noblemen stood in shock, their wives and mistresses cringed back. Guards at the room’s edges looked at each other in confusion. “LORD GARDRE,” Blain bellowed, not waiting for a reaction. “YOU HAVE BEEN SENTENCED.” To his credit, Gardre understood what Blain was immediately. The middle-aged lord ran. That left his son, who stood dumbfounded in the middle of the room. He had been looking at a decorational statue. Blain didn’t hesitate: his enhanced legs drove him forward at inhuman speed, and before the young lord could react the adjudicator was on him. His hand closed around the man’s neck, crushing the windpipe, and Blain threw the lifeless young man to the ground. Lords and ladies scattered. That was a problem. Once the room cleared the guards would be able to use handguns, and Blain’s advantage would become significantly less overwhelming. He dashed toward where the old man had escaped, bowling guests over along the way. The guards had woken up - three of them already blocked the door with arcblades in hand. Nevertheless, they’d be too slow. They always were. Blain was on the first guard before they expected him, his running pace far faster than an ordinary human. This one he tripped, swinging an ankle around to sweep the man’s legs from under him. Then he was on to the next, who swung his arcblade feebly. Blain caught the man’s wrist and twisted, drawing a horrified scream from the guard as his hand was virtually ripped off. He let the man fall to his knees and caught his weapon in midair, barely in time to dodge the third guard’s attack. Even so, the attacker’s arcblade dug into his side and he winced. Adjudicator cybernetics would stem the bleeding and do what they could to repair the wound, but they would do nothing for the pain. House Teniert wanted their servants to stay wary. The adjudicator didn’t stop, savagely swinging his new arcblade at the man who’d drawn blood. The weapon cleaved the guard in two. The other two were still on the ground, one disoriented and one in agony. Blain left them there. He sprinted down Lord Gardre’s hallway, and the blade in his hand cut down anyone who blocked his way in the narrow passage. One guard had a gun out, a wicked-looking rifle with a huge drum magazine. He died before he could use it, and Blain slung the weapon over his shoulder even as he ran past. The elder lord Gardre was alone. Blain found him on a balcony, desperately signalling for one of his transports. The guards were gone, having stayed behind in a futile attempt to slow Blain down. He stopped, throwing his arcblade to the side as he hoisted the rifle. Gardre turned, shocked. Even for an adjudicator, Blain had made it here quickly. “I’m sure you knew the risks.” Blain said quietly. His masters always liked to express disappointment with their wayward servants, rather than simply anger. He often wondered why it mattered, if they were just going to be killed anyway. The rifle kicked against his shoulder, and lord Gardre crumpled, blown off his feet. The lord’s blood pooled and ran off the side of the skyscraper. Blain didn’t spend too long looking at the corpse. The sound of more guards behind him told him the fight wasn’t over. But when they arrived, they just stared. Gardre’s men looked at their dead master and at the tall man who had killed him, and just stood there. One or two raised weapons, but the adjudicator’s gaze made them think better of it. Blain sighed, and walked to one of the more scared-looking men, a badly-chosen officer. “House Aime rules Leroux now. You will gather Lord Gardre’s records and send them to their keep. Remember the law.” Then he pushed past the men, the wound in his side no longer bleeding but still paining him. Sloppy work. Next time would have no such errors. “Don’t make me come back here,” he grunted, and walked back the way he had arrived. No one stopped him. Actions 222,000 Credits in Treasury [18,500 Credits to Universal Shipping.] [6000 Credits to Mith.] [2400 credits to Qahtan] [5000 Credits to Maru Parata] [Net 9300 Credits to Lord Elfering] [30,000 Credits to Oberstein] [1200 Credits to the Magister Militant] [20,000 Credits to the Vernazza Family] [15,000 C, 4 B] - Two major armories are built on the planet Prizac (24H) [40,000 Credits, 8 B] - Major shipyard expansion takes place in the asteroid fields around Locronan, the Teniert hunting preserve. (21H) [74,600 Credits to Treasury] Shipments 10 Freighters carry 10 units of food from Rob’s nation to Orteau. 12 Freighters carry 12 units of food from Qahtan to the fleet. 3 Freighters carry 3 units of food from Tank to Orteau. 2 Freighters carry 2 B from Brandon to Orteau. 2 Freighters carry 2 B from Oberstein to Orteau. 8 Freighters carry 8 M to aid the Kavan Te’s efforts. 4 Freighters carry 4 P to a fleet of the Kavan Te’s choosing.

Kingdom of Orteau Alain jumped from the hovering shuttle, pulling on a brown woolen coat as he landed on Locronan’s windswept surface. Even on a hunt, he wore the long coattails of Orteau noblemen. There were guests around, after all. One had to play one’s role. His brother Adrien was next, stepping out of the shuttle less energetically as it touched the ground. Handing Alain a rifle, he pointed downhill, where a forest was sheltered in a wide canyon. Locronan was a hunting preserve, the personal property of House Teniert and stocked with all manner of game. In that glade, there was supposedly a particularly large herd. “Lady Dryden, eh?” Alain smiled at his brother as they walked down, outpacing their companions - some lesser nobility, others just wealthy commoners. “So father says. She’s not bad looking.” “What’s her name?” “Annabella.” “Well, that’s going to get damn confusing.” Alain shook his head, slowing for a moment. “You think he did it on purpose?” Adrien opened his mouth to speak, but sighed instead and kept walking. “He probably never even thought about it. You know how he is.” Alain growled in annoyance, jumping off a low rock ledge into the outer trees. “Poor Anna.” Adrien said nothing, so he continued. “It’ll be nice having you in charge.” “Don’t think you can just slack off,” Adrien brightened up a bit. “That way,” he pointed into the trees. “What on earth do you mean?” Alain followed, peering into the forest for game. He found them not deep inside, dressed in rags and tending a small village. “All I have to do is get drunk with the right people.” “That was all you had to do.” Adrien hid behind a large pine. “I’m not going to do all my work and all of father’s while you keep hosting the parties.” He peered around. “First shot’s yours.” Alain obliged, kneeling and firing at the closest alien. It screamed as it fell, and a smaller one ran toward the corpse in a panic, yelling some kind of gobbledigook in a panicked tone. “Just don’t give me a damn desk,” he chuckled, shooting again. “It wouldn’t suit you.” Adrien joined in, as did the guests trailing them. His brother’s wasn’t the only life that would be changing, he thought to himself. He’d be married and running a kingdom soon. These sorts of trips were going to become quite a bit more rare, and father would surely have very little tolerance for bad news from home. Still, for now he was having quite a fine day indeed. Actions 144,000 Credits in Treasury [15,000 Credits, 3 B] - To support a campaign of infrastructure expansion, three units of heavy industry are built, one on the planet Taizon (13H) and two on the planet Pregnin. (17H) [15,000 Credits] - A large sum of cash is transferred to the western sheriffs, to support their efforts on the frontier. [10,000 Credits] - A similarly large sum is sent to Lord Elfering, as part of an ongoing business deal. [5,000 Credits] - The agreed sum is transferred to Universal Shipping. [5,000 Credits] - Payment for crops is sent to Maru Parata. [50,000 Credits (Half from Will)] - Away from home but unwilling to abandon his lavish noble lifestyle, Lord Teniert purchases the finest accommodation on the imperial palace moon and begins to hold parties there and in the residences of fellow Noble Alliance members. All senators and their families are welcome, with the exception of the Merc*ntilists. Teniert draws in guests with notable Kaumai performers, the skills of his cook from home and the fine wine produced on Orteau, and tries to cultivate an atmosphere where matters of state can be discussed casually...and under his watchful gaze. All such gatherings conform to aristocratic values, for Teniert will not hesitate to eject anyone who engages in what he would consider rude debauchery. He also sees such events as an opportunity to improve the general reputation of members of his bloc, such as Botelli and particularly the humiliated Dryden. (PM me when you read this) [69,000 Credits to Treasury.] Shipments 10 Freighters carry 10 units of food from Rob’s nation to Orteau.

Application: The Kingdom of Orteau Starting Systems: 24H, 25H, 23H, 22H, 21H, 20H, 18H, 17H, 14H, 13H Point Distributions (21 Total): Loyalty: 5 – The Tenierts have over time secured absolute rule over their territory, with Orteau’s bureaucracy fully under their control. There are no major challenges to Lord Teniert’s authority. Influence: 6 – As one of the major aristocratic houses of the core, the Tenierts are seen and heard often in the capital. This has given them some not-insignificant amount of leverage in political affairs. Military: 0 Leadership: 0 Infrastructure: 10 – Orteau has been stable imperial space for many centuries. It is well-developed and prosperous. Your Stellarch (Their name + Personal backstory): Lord Ashweather Teniert, King and Stellarch of Orteau: Ashweather Teniert is a man thoroughly convinced that he deserves everything he has. Having come to power at age fifteen upon the death of his ancient uncle, his forty-year reign has proven unabashedly conservative. Perhaps that is an understatement: Ashweather’s first years in power were spent doing everything he could to distinguish his aristocratic friends and family from the commoners which unfortunately infest every social strata these days. A lengthy list of privileges now awaits any child born to the Orteau nobility, and Ashweather has seen to it that such distinguishments are clearly visible, even going so far as to dictate which clothes the common man is allowed to wear. Beside such eccentric priorities, Lord Teniert remains ruthlessly efficient: Orteau is an absolute monarchy in every sense of the word. While of course imperial authority is present, the Tenierts maintain an unquestioned hold on the province by simply being better than any bureaucrat who arrives from Kaumai. The Inner Ministry handles everything from policing to law to notarizing contracts, and Lord Ashweather hungrily oversees it all, zealously guarding his power. Recently though, the King of Orteau has found merely stewarding his province less satisfying. Outside his borders, the empire rots. Surely if anyone is needed in the capital right now, it is a man like he. Additional Characters?: Lord Adrien Teniert, Prince of Orteau Adrien Teniert can have no expectation of taking the throne soon, what with the lifespans of humanity these days. Nevertheless, his always-domineering father has seen to it that Lord Adrien is educated in their government’s functions. Forced through a rigorous lifelong schedule of aristocratic parties and bureaucratic training, Adrien has become a capable if somewhat submissive man. With his father soon leaving for the capital, he may soon have his first taste of true authority, but Ashweather has made certain arrangements before his departure which could upset his life. Lord Alain Teniert The younger of Ashweather’s two sons, Lord Alain’s biggest flaw is a lack of work. Much to his brother’s chagrin, Alain has scraped by without drawing most of their father’s ire, and is significantly more popular among the family’s friends. This in itself makes him useful to the Stellarch: while Adrien is called upon for rigorous organizational work, Alain merely has to play politics once in a while for his father. He considers himself to have gotten the better deal, and performs his family duty with enthusiasm. Lady Annabelle Teniert The youngest and easily the plainest of the siblings, Annabelle is a kind and likeable person, but due to her....condition, she cannot be expected to marry well in the future. Lord Ashweather considers her to have been a waste of nine months, and tries to forget her existence whenever possible. Her brothers however are fiercely devoted to her, and often try to introduce her to their friends, albeit with little success. Provincial Culture: The province of Orteau, based around the urban planet Orteau, has always sat at the very center of human civilization. Though governments, like imperial authority, have waxed and waned, a common theme in the region has always been the prevalence of powerful hereditary dynasties. These nobles guard their bloodlines rigorously, and will go to great lengths to distinguish themselves from the rest of the population – particularly when, as is the case now, many commoners have achieved great wealth in the province. In times of uncertainty, the aristocracy clashes like anywhere else, but so close to the center of human power this rarely takes the form of military action. Instead, the nobles of Orteau have a long and proud tradition of subterfuge. The practice is so well known that it has inspired figures of speech: “as sweet as Orteau” is universally understood to mean that one is impeccably polite yet dangerously treacherous. In recent centuries, noble tradition has become law, and the power structure in the province has solidified under a single powerful house. But that is not to say that the other houses have gone away – there are dozens of them, officially recognized by Lord Teniert, and they constantly maneuver for position, both against each other and against the merchants who increasing encroach on Orteau’s wealth. Human Variants?: *spit* Unique Military Units (Two): Teniert Adjudicator – Special Infantry, small units The secret police, bodyguards, assassins and spies of House Teniert are inconspicuous, their appearance normal at first glance. This is by design: it is, after all, often infeasible to march a group of soldiers in power armor into a building, but a few suited colleagues will usually go unnoticed. Under the skin, however, House Teniert enhances their men with the finest cybernetics in the empire. Built for close combat, often unarmed, an Adjudicator is faster than a regular man, with superior flexibility and balance, and with medical implants that can keep him fighting even when badly injured. Above all they are inhumanly strong, and for a non-augmented human to fight one in hand-to-hand combat is almost always suicidal. With proper training, an Adjudicator can become a wonderfully subtle weapon, and the Tenierts use them extensively, quietly spread throughout their organization. Rarely talked about, often feared, they are the weaponized arm of Orteau’s nobility, and Lord Ashweather will never quite say how many he has. The Unseen – Psychics In years past, psychics lived throughout the empire, their traditions well-known, their abilities commonplace. Even then, the psychics of Orteau were notable. Centuries of subterfuge taught the nobles the value of such individuals, and they documented their abilities, their training regimes, and their greatest feats. The best were known as Unseen: psychics so skilled at bending the minds of others that they could appear however they wished to, convince the most hostile of enemies to open their doors, or simply turn a crowd’s attention elsewhere. They were the ultimate spies, clever and mighty, and the galaxy learned to be wary when one was known to be near. Today of course, such individuals are far more rare. Yet the records and traditions of Orteau still sit in the Teniert library, rigorously studied. When a psychic does appear, he or she does not lack for training opportunities. As a result, the psychics of the Teniert realm are exceptional illusionists, and even the weakest of them is skilled in the art of disguise and influence. They are the Unseen, and even today they are some of the best spies known to man. Pick a number between 1-10: 10 :chad:

The Ishikawa Shogunate I might actually add something here tomorrow, I’ll be in the car all day and there’s actually something going on….so maybe. ----------- Actions: [Troop Movements] – Replacing the Choranic carracks with frigates, the Ishikawa move their army off Shishima and towards a far more juicy target. [Cradle Settlement] - Having given the previous outpost some time to become established, the final jewel of the Shogunate’s cradle trade empire is set in place. Along the river in the very northernmost reaches, a final keep is constructed that the Shogun may fully extract his due. ----------- Expenditure: [4 Harbors with mines; 60,000 Gold] - More ships... [12 Frigates; 48 SP/72,000 Gold] - The mightiest ships afloat! [1 Cog; 1 SP/3,000 Gold] - A transport. [Keep; 2 AP/10,000 Gold] - Cradle! [94 Veteran T6 Awashima Samurai; 4 AP/32,000 Gold] - The Maeyan blacksmith continues to produce the finest armor for the finest of soldiers. [250 Veteran T4 Heavy Infantry; 2 AP/12,000 Gold] - Heavily armored soldiers, wielding the deadly naginata! :chad: [2 Adepts; 20,000 Gold] - Yet another officer from Seishima. [NEW NEW NEW- Crossbows; 15,000 Gold] - With his nearly-limitless funds, the shogun hires craftsmen to teach his men the ways of the crossbow. No doubt the device will be useful. [Fire resistant wood; 20,000 Gold] - Due 884. [Greater Mist T4 Spell; 20,000 Gold] - Due 887. [Treated Lenses (Alchemy)] - Due 886. [3,012 Gold Remaining]

The Ishikawa Shogunate Something is brewing on Awashima. Security has been tightened around the palace, and the Shogun summons his minions with greater urgency than before. For what, nobody can say. ----------- Actions: [Hoor actions] - Aiko doubles down! War is useless without purpose, and the senators have forgotten theirs! The Friend of the People repeats its treason, twisting every questionable speech or tyrannical act into an outrage, broadcast across the city to create resentment in the population. If the senators were truly acting in the people’s interests, would they have any need to arrest simple journalists? Certainly not! The Unionist party actively continues to organize under the Hoor’s humble suggestions, arguing publicly that both Rellin brothers are desperate and can be negotiated with. [Shishima] - Once the siege ramp is complete, the occupying force launches a full assault on the castle. 4250 Vet T4 mediums attack up the ramp intent on crossing the collapsed portion of wall. They are supported by two Choranic adepts to counter dark magic and clear the ramparts of defenders, while the Choranic mage leads 200 Vet T6 Samurai up the narrow stairs to break through the gatehouse. All three casters wear mastercrafted Meterite armor. [Blockade] - Though Katsumi has been redeployed north to deal with the Zeb threat, pressure must still be placed on Amarant. The 13 frigates of Musashi’s secondary fleet are sent south, where they reestablish their patrol routes around Amarant to choke out the Dominion’s sea trade once more. [Maeya] - The frigate Kaga sails south from Shishima to make contact with the people known as the Maeya, and to see how they have been faring the wake of Zeb incursions. The ship is also to bring back a report on their culture and estimated strength. Maeya is, after all, a strategic position... ----------- Expenditure: [11 Frigates; 44 SP/66,000 Gold] - The mightiest ships afloat! [1 Cog; 1 SP/3,000 Gold] - A transport. [94 Veteran T6 Awashima Samurai; 4 AP/32,000 Gold] - The Maeyan blacksmith continues to produce the finest armor for the finest of soldiers. [Mercenary hiring from Hell; 2 AP/ 21,000 Gold] - 1000 Vet T4 medium cavalry. [500 Veteran T4 Wokou; 1 AP/ 10,000 Gold] - More pirates! [Fire resistant wood; 20,000 Gold] - Due 884. [Letricium Study; 20,000 Gold (10k from Quack)] - A complete study of Letricium’s physical properties is ordered after the alchemists’ analysis. Solid knowledge will be needed if more research is to come. [NEW NEW NEW - Greater Mist T4 Spell; 20,000 Gold] - The most accomplished monks of Seishima, those who tend to the Carnelian Temple, are rarely seen off of their sacred island. They are free to contemplate their place in the world and train others, for the Shogun does not often call on them. Yet he calls on them now: something has awoken Lord Ishikawa’s urgency, and his request is quite specific. The elemental mages of Seishima set themselves to work on a new spell, one which covers the land for miles around the caster with a constant fog. It is intended to be sustainable, normally a thick yet not unnatural-seeming mist capable of obscuring a small armies size and movements. Should the caster wish to exert more energy, however, he can thicken the mist for a time such that none within it can see more than even a few feet. Naturally, such a broad manipulation of the weather affects everyone equally, and must be used with care. [NEW NEW NEW - Treated Lenses (Alchemy); 20,000 Gold] - Some purpose has taken the Shogun, for no sooner have the orders been delivered to Seishima than he calls his Samalstrazi alchemists to the palace. They too are to meet with the mages, and devise the manner in which the new spell will be nullified. Through alchemical treatment of simple glass disks, soldiers will be able to see through effects such as fog and magical darkness, picking out solid objects and people in the murk. Such technology is not intended for the entire army, but should be simple enough that a solid fighting force can be assembled without too much trouble. [2,338 Gold Remaining]

The Ishikawa Shogunate Can’t write dialogue, I’ve got nothing ----------- Actions: [Hoor actions] - Miyata Aiko has spent the last few years entrenching herself within Eyowith, and watched with great interest as the republic has lashed out against various foes in the region. As a foreigner, she takes great care to surround herself with protection, largely discharged veterans from her dear colonel’s regiment. After all, who knows when the government may tire of her attempted meddling? The risk of such reprisals has never been higher, for in the year 880 a printing press arrives from an old friend on Awashima. In a city awash with hand-copied pamphlets, the hoor quickly puts the device to work drowning out other voices with her own newspaper, the Friend of the People. Articles in the paper, (penned by locals of course,) criticize at length the mass conscription of the populace and more importantly, the perceived lack of direction for the new republic. With this new outlet for her treasonous thoughts, the hoor then tries to convince many of her simps to stand for office in the next round of elections, while she herself serves as humble party secretary. The new Unionist party questions the pointless conscription of recent years which is now being used for useless forays beyond the republic’s borders: when does it end? Eyowith, they say, should seek to repair the empire under one of the Rellin brothers, with the republic as its largest and strongest elector. Of course, which brother exactly is left ambiguous, by Aiko’s design… [Trade Expansion] - Not wanting to repeat the failures of two years prior, the Ishikawa’s national trading company commissions a single keep on the river north. The area is better explored now, and they hope that establishing this base before going farther will allow for better supply lines. [OPERATION THIRD LEG] - secret [Shishima Siege] - Driven from the shores of Amarant by the risen Ghor, the remaining ~3300 Ishikawan troops dedicate themselves to tearing down the castle which still sits there defiant. With significantly more men to establish siege camp defenses and keep watch, their grip tightens over the hill. A choranic mage and two adepts still remain on the island, and their nova bolts tear at the enemy fortification...while someone keeps watch for dark magic tricks, of course. ----------- Expenditure: [Merc hiring; 96,000 Gold] - A vast sum is sent to the Choranics to buy soldiers. [3 harbors with mines; 45,000 Gold] - More shipyards. [10 Frigates; 32 SP/60,000 Gold] - The mightiest ships afloat! [1 Carrack; 3 SP/7,000 Gold] - Another ship for the home fleet. [500 T4 Vet 1 Wokou; 1 AP/10,000 Gold] - The shogun recruits more pirates to serve in his merry band. [Keep; 2 AP/10,000 Gold] - Trade expansion, see above. [Trebuchet; 2 AP/15,000 gold] - Greater siege ability is direly needed, and the shogun orders a new engine to be disassembled and shipped to parts unknown. [Adept; 10,000 Gold] - Another officer from Seishima! [NEW NEW NEW] [Alchemy research w/ Eric; fire-resistant wood - 20,000 Gold] - In the wake of the Hall of Runes shifting its services to the Choranics, the Ishikawa turn their patronage to the hall of alchemy for another naval project. Most anti-ship weaponry today rely on fires to sink the enemy, for without a largebrained idea like repulsor bolts there is little a ballista can do to destroy a large vessel. Knowing the alchemists ability to permanently alter material properties, the Shogun sets them to work toward designing a new treatment process to make lumber resistant to fire. If his new ships could be made to resist the most common naval tactic, it would give him a significant advantage! [Boat fee to Brandon; 1,000 gold] [OPERATION THIRD LEG - 20,000 Gold] [3,117 gold saved]

The Ishikawa Shogunate Give me that city :reee: ----------- Actions: nah ----------- Expenditure: [Merc hiring; 121,500 Gold] - A vast sum is sent to the Chicahtoc to buy soldiers. [Harbor with mine; 15,000 Gold] - Another harbor and mine. [8 Frigates; 32 SP/48,000 Gold] - The mightiest ships afloat! [3 Carracks; 9 SP/21,000 Gold] - Another ship for the home fleet. [94 T6 Equipped Vet 1 Awashima Samurai; 4 AP/ 32,000 Gold] - Unparalleled warriors of the blade, the noble sons of Awashima are finally summoned to the fight. The Maeyan blacksmith makes for them the finest armor, the sharpest swords, and their steel is lacquered by the most skilled of craftsmen until they are glorious to look upon, individual tributes to the Eternal’s glory! [1500 T4 Vet 1 Medium Cavalry; 3 AP/31,500 Gold] - Cav [Adept; 10,000 Gold] - A new officer fresh from Seishima! [2,381 Gold saved.]

The Ishikawa Shogunate Driven from the shores of Amarant! It is with a heavy heart that Katsumi reports his failure to his lord and master, who is greatly displeased. It is the Shogunate’s Choranic allies who have taken the greatest losses, but Ishikawan pride and prestige has been greatly harmed. The lord Kais Ishikawa makes it clear that another failure will not be tolerated. That said, Katsumi has saved his command - the only other option to lead land forces is Tanji Masayoshi, a man known primarily for the indecisive debacle on the Perasmani home island. Tanji insists he is being mistreated, but the bad taste of the campaign seems to remain in the Shogun’s mouth. The humiliation does spur significantly increased recruitment on Awashima, but the focus never truly shifts away from shipbuilding. After all, the sea is the best friend of the Ishikawa, and it pays to look after one’s friends. ----------- Actions: As the outraged Amarantic Dominion continues to oppose his occupation of Shishima, Katsumi puts his blockade plan into effect. Through a combination of close blockades and piracy, the eastern fleet seeks to shut down sea trade to and from Amarant, as well as being a general annoyance to the mainlanders. Meanwhile the admiral nurses his wounded pride by recalling his glorious victories at sea. ----------- Expenditure: [8 Frigates; 32 SP/48,000 Gold] - The mightiest ships afloat! [1 Carrack; 3 SP/7,000 Gold] - Another ship for the home fleet. [94 T6 Equipped Vet 1 Awashima Samurai; 4 AP/ 32,000 Gold] - Unparalleled warriors of the blade, the noble sons of Awashima are finally summoned to the fight. The Maeyan blacksmith makes for them the finest armor, the sharpest swords, and their steel is lacquered by the most skilled of craftsmen until they are glorious to look upon, individual tributes to the Eternal’s glory! [250 T4 Vet 1 Heavy Infantry; 2 AP/12,000 Gold] - Poor performance by the Shogun’s pirates and mercenaries in the recent campaign underscores the need for a strong regular army. As such, a small quantity of capable fighters is raised and trained, to support the elite spearhead of the Shogun’s forces. [500 T4 Vet 1 Medium Cavalry; 1 AP/10,500 Gold] - Furthermore, capable scouts are needed who can actually fight. The next horsemen to leave Awashima will be far better armed and armored. [Adept; 10,000 Gold] - A new officer fresh from Seishima! [Koho Guns (879) - 20,000 gold] [To Hell; 33,000 gold] [Repulsor Bolts (880)] [136 Gold saved.]

very cool, friend!

The Ishikawa Shogunate :idk: ----------- Actions: The CHAD Ishikawa CONTINUE their campaign! Why stop when you’re WINNING?! ----------- Expenditure: [6 Frigates; 24 SP/36,000 Gold] - The MIGHTY ships of Awashima, sent to reinforce Katsumi’s fleet! [2 Carracks; 6 SP/14,000 Gold] - Heavier ships to guard the home islands. [94 T6 Equipped Vet 1 Awashima Samurai; 4 AP/ 32,000 Gold] - Unparalleled warriors of the blade, the noble sons of Awashima are finally summoned to the fight. The Maeyan blacksmith makes for them the finest armor, the sharpest swords, and their steel is lacquered by the most skilled of craftsmen until they are glorious to look upon, individual tributes to the Eternal’s glory! [500 Veteran T4 Wokou; 1 AP/10,000 Gold] - Pirates, the dregs of society, used to fighting at sea and on land. [Adept; 10,000 Gold] - Replacing losses. [RESEARCH] - [Repulsor Bolts; 20,000 Gold] - The Shogun welcomes Habû, Aspirant of Runemancy of the 3rd Ascent to his court from the towers of Samalstraza, and happily grants his patronage! The Samalstrazi advisor shall be tasked to work just across the street from the Shogun’s prized blacksmith, and shall design runic constructs as the Shogun requests. A most pleasing arrangement, particularly for the Ishikawa. The first task assigned to this clever man is a new variety of ballista bolt, for the Shogun is desperate to make these weapons less underwhelming. He has heard reports of runemancy being used to create strong forcefields, and wonders whether a simple metal projectile could be enchanted to violently release one. In concept, such a bolt would be fired, stick in its target as normal, and then release its charged forcefield, thus blasting away its surroundings. The potential to create hull breaches in enemy ships is tempting, not to mention other applications... . [Koho Guns (879) - 20,000 gold] [3,475 Gold saved.]