Samoblivion

CAESAR’S LEGION Civilization Type: Tribal (Start with 5 M of Melee/Armour) Starting Points: 5 – 1 Stack Population + 1 Block 4 – Research (T3 Melee, T2 Armour, T1 Firearms) 1 – Production (50 T1 Firearms) Faction Backstory: In 2250, Mars sent his son to lead the tribes of mankind from the squalor and filth of free will and profligacy. His name is Caesar, and he is the divine master of all the Wasteland. By his iron will, the tribes of the west have been broken and reforged into his Legion, the only society that can truly survive in this world cleansed by Mars’ fires. Only through conquest, subjugation and violence can this uncaring world be tamed and the wretches of the Wasteland be saved from themselves. The Legion’s mighty slave armies have raised Caesar’s banner from Colorado to the Mojave, the towns there made tributaries and its tribals enslaved. All this is done for Caesar’s grand vision – the creation of an unstoppable army to cross into California and conquer the corrupt and profligate NCR. The passage of five hundred rangers of the hated NCR into the Legion’s pacified realm did not go unnoticed. This disturbance in the lands of the loyal subjects of Caesar was enough to earn his ire, and dispatch the Legate Augustus with a legio to put down this clear attempt at sabotaging the Legion’s homefront. Yet the Rangers passed through without incident. No assault on Flagstaff, no attempt to whip the docile settlers into rebellion. The Rangers had a different objective. One that the Legion could not possibly allow to come to pass. By the will of almighty Caesar, Legate Augustus has been sent further east than any army of the Legion thus far. With the esteemed Legate Lanius needed at Hoover Dam, Augustus is assigned a cohort from the Legion border at Denver and ordered push eastward after the enemy unit, to annihilate the Rangers and to raise the scattered tribes of the region into a mighty recruiting ground for the final assault on California. Any who stand in their way will be killed or brought to Caesar’s service. Characters Legate Augustus: Life only began for the one who would become Augustus when his nose was broken and eyesocket shattered by the mailed fist of a legionary. The assimilation of his tribe was the greatest moment of his life, when he would forever thank Caesar for. The boy of twelve he was would not have thanked Caesar. The boy of twelve he was screamed as siblings were taken by the priestesses, as his mother was dragged to the rape camps, as his father was crucified, as his grandparents were herded into a tent that was set alight with the other weaklings. But the man the boy became saw this event only with pride. It was then, and in the years afterward, that all weakness, all fear, all remorse and pity were cut and beaten from him. What would he have been had this not been done? What wasted, pointless life would he have lived without being tempered into an instrument of Caesar’s glory? Over twenty years have passed since that day. He has blessed countless others with that same gift, blessed them by releasing from the burden of choice. He has seen the Legion’s banner rise above a hundred battlefields and brought absolution to the profligates one nailed cross at a time. He does this not out of brutality or malice. He does this because his life is not his own. His life belongs to Caesar, and when death comes for Augustus it will be in his name as well. There is no greater honour.

JORDAN INTERSTELLAR A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF JORDAN INDUSTRIES 2092 “The goals of this grand venture are threefold. First, the establishment of an industrial base from which our colony can expand exponentially. Second, the rapid development of a lively free market economy from wholecloth on alien worlds that have never seen human life, let alone a quantum stock computer. And third, to ensure a pivotal, inextricable role for this corporation in the new, interstellar economy. If we all find ourselves unfathomably rich in the process, then that’s just icing on the cake!” – CEO Chineke Jordan, address to the crews of the JIS Adam Smith and JIS Milton Friedman The UV Ceti system proves to be quite profitable for Jordan Industries, containing several valuable resource worlds and a single, beautiful earth like planet. The JIS Adam Smith makes planetfall on this blue dot, christened Fortuna for its serendipitously ideal conditions for human life and the future prosperity it will bring to the colonists, Earth, and the company! Wasting no time, a city of the future is swiftly established and industrial facilities roar into life. JIS Milton Friedman, equipped with the majority of the expedition’s prefabricated harsh-environment habitats, makes for the ore-rich lava world of Vulcan, to begin extraction of vital resources for expansion and export back to solar markets. In line with CEO Jordan’s philosophy on a future society in space, the corporation puts itself in the role of landlord of its settled territories and (currently) the only available provider of utilities and amenities. New private entities will soon emerge or move to the colonies to establish themselves, but in its role as facilitator, Jordan Interstellar will profit handsomely and dominate the market! The initial employee colonists aren’t slaves, not at all, but their contracts do stipulate a minimum period of two years exclusive employment with the company before they can leave to pursue private endeavours. It’s a worthwhile deal, as the contract offers them stock in Jordan Industries. The share is miniscule compared to a corporate executive, or the whopping 55% stake in the company held by Chineke Jordan himself, but its dividends are worth more than many yearly salaries for workers on Earth – and that’s all on top of regular wages! It becomes abundantly clear by the end of the first year that for all its equipment and financial wealth the mission to UV Ceti is critically lacking in labour! Jordan Prime and Vulcan Colony are complete, productive and functional enterprises, yet thousands of tonnes of raw resources and imported equipment lie unused! This of great concern to Director Salma Akoye, mission commander and rising star in the corporation, as an economy is nothing without the manpower and customer base to fuel exponential growth! Immigration will soon be of paramount importance to the Jordan mission – without more workers and consumers, stagnation will surely doom the colonies! STATS Pop – 10,000 Wagies INCOME Pop Income – 10,000 C RESOURCES AVAILABLE 70,000 C (60k brought in cargo) 20 M (brought in cargo) 1 Storehouse (not yet deployed from Vulcan colony ship, to save on manpower) ACTIONS & EXPENDITURE Two planets in UV Ceti settled by Jordan Interstellar – Fortuna (M) and Vulcan (V), with 6000 colonists on the former and 4000 on the latter. No sooner is the basic colony complex complete that the construction of the luxurious and meticulously planned city of Jordan Prime on Fortuna begins, designed by the best civil engineers and stylish architects that the money of a Nigerian Prince can buy! 1 Extractor. (Free with Colony Ship) 1 Storehouse. (Free with Colony Ship) 2 Civilian District. (4 M + 8000 C) 2 Civilian Factories. (4 M + 8000 C) The significantly less hospitable Vulcan has a sealed complex built in its most geologically stable region. Resource surveying and extraction proceed at pace! 1 Extractor. (Free with Colony Ship) 2 Construction Yards. (4000 C) 1 Military Factory. (2 M + 4000 C) Satellite deployed back to Earth to inform the company of the mission’s success thus far, and the soon-to-be urgent need for more wagies! (Mod) 10 M, 26,000 C Saved

Name (colony): Jordan Interstellar: A Subsidiary of Jordan Industries! Archetype (choose one): Private Company Mother Nation: Nigeria Sponsoring Space Agency (you may choose one): Jordan Industries Colonial Leadership: Oligarchic Mission classification: Expansion Add. starting equipment: 60,000 C 20 M Background: CEO Chineke Jordan does not shy away from the fact that he comes from privilege. Using family money, and a not-inconsiderable tribal royal title, he invested heavily in the construction industry in his early twenties, profitting heavily from the Nigerian economic boom of the 2050s and 60s. Jordan Industries grew fat off the cash cow that was the construction of New Lagos, buying up the competition and investing heavily in the emerging technology of “plasticrete”, a lightweight and breathable construction material created from recycled plastic. Jordan didn’t invent it, but he’d be damned if he hadn’t marketed it to the moon and back, netting him ecological prizes and adherents the world over. A man of boundless charisma and terrifyingly vast ambition, Jordan’s company expanded into a panoply of other endeavours, from terrestrial and astro-resource extraction to transportation – the real moneymaker of the Jordan empire! Renowned for his construction of a high-speed maglev from New Lagos to Djibouti, CEO Jordan saw the true potential of his company in the democratisation of space travel! Jordan Orbital shuttles thousands of tonnes of cargo offworld every year, and Jordan Logistics ferries that cargo to the far reaches of the system! Fancy a cruise to Mars and back? Look no further than Jordan Astro-Tours! Looking to stay offworld? Purchase a pre-built, ready-to-deploy-from-orbit luxury colony pack from Jordan Habitats today! Jordan Industries now reaches into the stars themselves, with the construction and financing of two Gandhi-capable colony ships at the CEO’s personal expense! Offering the brave and ambitious potential colonists shares in the new Jordan Interstellar, the CEO will put his personal philosophies to work as the founding principles of a new society in the stars – a hypercapitalist utopia, in which the resources of the stars and the sweat off your brow will build a world of wealth and prosperity for all: at market beating prices, and with the Jordan Quality you can trust! “Now we offer up our finest product: the Future!”

I’ve found a slight solution for it. I’ve noticed that about 1/10 times I try to connect things go well. I’ve reliably managed to log in after logging in and out several times. Not ideal, but after about five minutes of trying I can usually log in.

First time on the server for a couple of years, tried to log in and keep getting kicked with this message: Before this happens I can either move around but only in a small area with nothing else loading in, unable to type, or I simply float in the air. In either case it disconnects me after about ten seconds. VERY occasionally I can get in and everything works fine, until I log out again. Then when I log back in, it’s the same as before. There doesn’t seem to be any reason for it working or not. This is only occuring with LotC, I can log into other servers just fine. I’ve gone through about ten different articles and videos about how to resolve this, including reinstalling minecraft and java and adding various exceptions into my firewall. Nothing’s working. One of the videos mentioned that if I can connect to other servers it means there’s an issue with the server itself and not anything on my end. Someone mentioned that another person’s being having this issue as well, same exact circumstances. Has anyone else run into this? Can any technical staff explain it?

THE FOURTH EMPIRE STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,368 AE All hail Tuakeo! ((It’s 2am and I’ve been working all day :pls: )) Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: Karo of House Belides appointed to the Admiralty. (25,000 C) Knight-Retainer Jal Turro appointed to the Admiralty. (25,000 C) 1 x Heavy Industry (P) on Bal’Matene (8-A). (5000 C + 1 B) 2 x Garrisons on 10-M. (20,000 C + 6 B + 4 M) 1 x Planetary Shield on 10-M. (30,000 + 5 B + 5 M + 2 E) 1 x Orbital Battery on 10-M. ( 20,000 C + 5 M + 5 B + 2 E) 1 x LRSB on 10-M. (10,000 C + 2 B + 2 M) 30 x Transport Ships. (6000 C + 6 M + 6 NP) 2000 x Artillery. (5000 C + 4 M + 4 AP) 100 x Atmospheric Bombers (5000 C + 3 M + 3 AP) Military plans are followed. 14 Food to Altaire. Prince Tanalar “appropriates” funds to build a number of masterwork suits of power armour for his exclusive use that combine defensive capability and strength enhancement with the agility needed for dueling. He ignores claims that entire regiments, ships or planetary defense systems could have been paid and outfitted for what is spent on research, design and manufacture – after all, the heir to Matene deserves the best! (25,000 + 4 M + 4 E + 2 AP) Ex-Senator and current palace-moon squatter Emer Rumari has his psykic messenger to Matene shot, removes the Mateni flag from his residence and flies the Imperial banner of Ran-ji. Patriotic and very loyal songs can be heard over the walls! Warehouse Storage (50 max) & Treasury: 78,000 Credits (C) 4 Materials (B) 17 Metals (M) 1 Food (F) 8 Components (E)

STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,367 AE With the withdrawal of the populists from the Senate, the crushing defeat of Avivira’s fleet and Netana’s stellarchy, AND the secession of K-Land to the hated communists, Matene’s militarisation intensifies! Gratefully accepting stimulus funds and forces from the government, Lord Darius Grayven XIII prepares for a conflict that is surely upon the horizon... Little did anyone know just how cataclysmic that conflict would be. Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: One legion stationed on Akalon (7-A). One legion stationed on Bal’Matene (8-A). 300,000 x Infantry (7500 C + 6 M + 3 AP) 30 x Transport Ships (6000 C + 6 M + 6 NP) 3 x Armouries on Akalon (7-A). (22,500 C + 6 B) LRSB built on Akalon (7-A). (10,000 C + 2 B + 2 M) Orbital Battery built on Akalon (7-A). (20,000 C + 5 M + 5 B + 2 E) Rumari buys a stiff drink! (13 C) Matene withholds taxes until the senate addresses its horrendous issues of factionalism and national mismanagement! Warehouse Storage (10 max) & Treasury: 129,000 Credits (C) 11 Materials (B) 27 Metals (M) 1 Food (F) 8 Components (E)

STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,366 AE ((will fix something up in the morning)) Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: Funds assigned to explore the possibility of improving the dire infrastructure (Dev 1) of the backwater, end-of-hyperlane agri-world of Rumaris (68-A). (13,000) 2 x Heavy Industries on Mining World (M) 67-A. (10,000 C + 2 B) 2 x Heavy Industry (M) on Mining World 10-A. (10,000 C + 2 B) 1 x Garrison on Bal’Matene (8-A). ( 10,000 C + 3 B + 2 M) 5000 x Tanks (5000 C + 2 M + 3 AP) 6 x Corvettes (16,500 C + 6 M + 3 NP) 1 x Cruiser (10,000 C + 2 M + 3 NP) Pauphraka Engineering contracted to produced 6 Destroyers. (75,000 C) Freighter assigned to sell 1 Black Goods in the Inner Rim, on a permanent basis. Freighter assigned to sell 1 “Purple Swords”TM (Exotic Goods) in Kaumai and the Core, on a permanent basis. Senators’ wives can get one free from Arero Emer Rumari. Freighter assigned to sell 1 Finished Goods in the Colonies (just a couple of jumps away!), on a permanent basis. Taxes – 2500 C, 2 M, 1 B, 1 P, 1 F Warehouse Storage (10 max) & Treasury: 95,000 Credits (C) 1 Metals (M) 1 Food (F) 4 Components (E)

STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,365 AE ((no rp for now)) Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: 2 x Shipyards on Bal’Matene (8-A) (20,000 C + 4 B) Armoury on Bal’Matene. (8-A). (7500 C + 2 B) Heavy Industry on agri-world 9-A. (5000 C + 1 B) Heavy Industry (M) on mining world 67-A. (5000 C + 1 B) 1 x Cruiser. (10,000 C + 2 M + 3 NP) 20,000 x Heavy Infantry (7500 C + 2 M + 1 E + 2 AP) Four freighters assigned to run 4 Food to New Vara. Warehouse Storage (10 max) & Treasury: 62,000 Credits (C) 5 Metals (M) 1 Food (F) 4 Components (E)

STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,363 AE ((double post arooooooooo)) Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: Planetary Shield Generators on 7-A. (30,000 C + 5 M + 5 B + 2 E) Armoury on Bal’Matene (8-A). (7500 C + 2 B) 3 x Freighters (7500 C + 3 M + 3 NP) Warehouse Storage (10 max) & Treasury: 42,500 Credits (C) 5 Metals (M) 3 Food (F) 2 Components (E) 10,364 AE “They elected who?” – Darius Grayven XIII on hearing of the election of the new Arero. Mateni high society is abuzz with the surprisingly sudden news of their representative in the Senate, Emer Rumari being appointed to the role of Arero. This is wonderful news for House of Rumari, a middling power contentedly lording over a barely productive agri-world at the end of an arm of hyperlanes. Senatorial representative has never been a role much sought after by the players of aristocratic politics, as it takes one far from the guile and games of the courts to an unfamiliar land where one’s exotic skin is no longer a sign of nobility but instead one of revulsion and mockery by the corefolk. “Senator” was more of a runner-up prize for political upstarts rather than a high honour. Certainly none ever expected a Mateni senator would make Arero, least of all a nobody like Emer Rumari! The political fortunes of this little House are changed over night and they are suddenly inundated with clientage requests, favourable marriage contracts and even invitations to offworld soirees! This is also somewhat of a revelatory moment for the Highborn themselves, with one of their garishly coloured number now acting as the Emperor’s Voice! Indeed, the only one not seeing the sunny side of this is the August Stellarch himself. Perhaps its just paranoia, but he has always been wary of little men getting too much power. Work continues apace on the reinforcement of the Stellarchy’s border, with the prosperous frontier world of Akalon, the ancient homeworld of the House of Grayven before their ascendancy some 2000 years ago, seeing further investment in military infrastructure. To complement its new shield grid, the Grayven House Guard on the planet are significantly reinforced with new arms, equipment and vehicles. With the Empire’s western border likely to become volatile in the coming years, the Stellarchy’s only hyperlane to the loathsome Free Colonies must be fortified. Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: Garrison on Akalon (7-A). (10,000 C + 3 B + 2 M) Armoury on Bal’Matene. (8-A). (7500 C + 2 B) 3 x Freighters. (7500 C + 3 M + 3 NP) Heavy Industry on Agri-World 68-A. (5000 C + 1 B) Heavy Industry on Mining-World 13-A. (5000 C + 1 B) 100,000 Infantry trained on Bal’Matene. (2500 C + 2 M + 1 AP) Warehouse Storage (10 max) & Treasury: 54,500 Credits (C) 5 Metals (M) 1 Food (F) 4 Components (E)

STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,362 AE ((stat post to get it out before the mp)) Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: 2 x Shipyards on Bal’Matene (8-A). (20,000 C + 4 B) 1 x Warehouse on 67-A. (2500 C + 1 B) 1 x Heavy Industry on 11-A. (5000 C + 1 B) 2 x Corvettes. (5500 C + 2 M + 1 NP) Warehouse Storage (5 max) & Treasury: 36,000 Credits 3 Food 2 Computers

STELLARCHY OF MATENE 10,361 AE ((stat post to get it out before the mp)) Finances & Resources: Actions & Expenditure: 1 x Shipyards on Bal’Matene (8-A). (10,000 C + 2 B) 1 x Heavy Industry (B) on 11-A. (5000 C + 1 B) 1 x Heavy Industry (B) on 13-A. (5000 C + 1 B Warehouse Storage (5 max) & Treasury: 22,000 Credits 1 Black Goods 1 Finished Goods 3 Food

STELLARCHY OF MATENE Starting Systems: 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A, 67A, 68A Point Distributions: Loyalty: 4 Influence: 2 Military: 0 Leadership: 5 Infrastructure 10 Stellarch: Lord Darius Grayven Lord Darius Grayven XIII, 52nd Master of the Stellar House of Grayven, Paramount Overlord of the Patron Houses of Matene, Superb Guarantor of the Clientele, High Arbiter of the Tenancies, Benevolent Protector of All Indentured, is the 346th August Stellarch of the Stellarchy of Matene. Provincial History and Culture: As an Outer Rim province of reasonable little strategic importance in Imperial history, Matene has evolved along its own lines for the most part. A rigid, hierarchical society of a confusing array of noble houses, middle-class artisan guilds and military dynasties, the Stellarchy has maintained a distinct culture of its own since its founding. The Stellar House of Grayven has maintained a brutal stranglehold on Mateni high politics for over two thousand years, following the storied events of the long and bloody civil war remembered today in operatic saga form as “the Restoration”, in which anarchic reformists allied with foreign barbarians challenging the natural order of the province were slain and the fatherly influence of the Mateni Houses restored to the border. Originally powerful family-owned corporations and imperial-mandated land barons, Matene has developed a rigid aristocracy controlling its entire higher political structure. Seeing themselves as benevolent, superior overlords, guardians of the Imperial fringes and custodians of a fair and ordered feudal system, the Mateni nobility are almost obliviously magnanimous to the masses under their velvet gloved fist. These houses are ensnared in a confused and tangled feudal web of vassalship and fealty oaths, but this is entirely above the daily purview of the citizenry. Patronage by a House, especially by the Stellar House of Grayven, is key to the economic prosperity of the lower strata. All aside from foreigners measure their status by their relationship to the nobility – clients, tenants or indentured. The clients enjoy comfortable lives, not dissimilar from those elsewhere in the Third Empire, but are indelibly defined by their chosen relationship with specific Houses. Their prosperity can rise and fall with those of their affiliated Patron, but their skills and personal property are also sought after by the Houses, and the nobles can richly reward loyalty. Tenants are those who have no choice in their affiliation with their Patron, either through personal poverty or historical slight. Their personal sanctity, human rights and protection under the law are guaranteed by their Patron, at the price of a significant percentage of their productive labour and minimal political rights. The indentured are the lowest tier in Mateni society, slaves in all but name. Their lives are the property of their Patron, often leased to clients and tenants for profit, but are guaranteed at least basic subsistence. An indentured man will not go hungry, but his life is no longer his own to decide and all products of his labour belong to his master, as will his children. A contract of indenture is generally fixed by several generations, but many are the ways in which such contracts can be extended. The only solace an indentured can take in the system is that a particularly cruel master may find themselves in breach of the standards of the Mateni social contract, lax as they are, and find themselves on the lowest rung themselves. Their is a degree of social mobility within the Mateni hierarchy, but always under the supervision of the Patron Nobility. An indentured can be freed from servitude at the petitioning of his master, and so can client or tenant fall from grace for anything from a high crime to an imagined slight. Individuals from the clients can even be raised into the aristocracy through marriage, often to secure patronage contracts in the event of conflict between nobles over a particularly valuable client’s business. Another way of sidestepping the usual rigidities of Mateni society is service in the province’s military. Structured like the noble household guards, but entirely loyal to the Stellar House of Grayven, higher officers are entirely drawn from the nobility, but clients and tenants may rise to considerable rank and status via merit – even to Knight-Retainers of the Stellar House, the highest honour a non-noble can receive, placing them above lesser nobles in the command structure. Much of the Province’s manpower is drawn from professional soldiers of the client and tenant rates, unbound from traditional oaths of loyalty to swear themselves to the service of the Stellar House and the Province. The majority of what would be considered “cannon fodder” and basic ships crewmen are provided by tithes of identured from the province’s other Houses. Theirs is often a fixed term of service, their indenture contacts transfered over to the Stellar House. Meritorious conduct may even result in manumission to the tenant class, with a land parcel and loyalty contracted provided by the Stellarch. Such opportunities are rare in peacetime, but great incentives to fight harder in war. Human Variants: Mateni Highborn – Several hundred generations ago, extensive genemodding for aesthetic purposes came into vogue among the nobility of the Matene. Originally a way of securing desirable qualities, such as strength and intelligence, it swiftly degenerated into who could create the most aesthetically pleasing offspring according to the artistic style of the day. After several dynastic catastophes involving extreme genetic degredation from overuse of this technology (and not a small amount of good old fashioned noble inbreeding) the technology became traditionally restrained to fixing genetic abnormalities and ever so slight aesthetic adjustments to offspring and adults. Nevertheless, the result of these centuries of genetic tailoring have left their mark on the nobility of Matene. These “Highborn” comprise almost the entirety of the noble houses of the province, their most common features being skin colour ranging from unnatural pink to purple, hair in hues ranging from jet black to electric blue, and bright coloured eyes with universally black sclera. Stripes of bright, contrasting paint or electro-tattoos on the skin are common but not a genetic trait, merely fashionable. Aside from the garish colour variations, facial features of Highborn are universally what other human varieties would consider beautiful. Unique Units: ((will do later, need to discuss)) Pick A Number: 8

RAPTURE’S HAND PD 45 rp later Income: 58,250 Actions & Expenditure: 2 x Mine (10,000) 1 X Nephilite Refinery (5000) 1 x Farm (5000) 1 x Stealth Transport (2 SP + 6000) 10,000 Martyrs (3000) Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] 9,250 saved.

RAPTURE’S HAND PD 44 “Ask yourself, my children, why you were chosen. It is only natural, to question. To doubt is to be human. To doubt is to have faith. Doubt, regret, imagining a world that is not our reality is among the most divinely honest of actions. But our questions and their answers, no matter how painful, lead us back to truth. The truth that we are all martyrs in a war for the souls of our species. For the continued survival of mankind, now and in the hereafter. Every sacrifice made here echoes into the beyond a thousand-fold. Every crime absolved by the virtue of the cause. You did not choose to join us, yet you are now our brethren. Our love for you is boundless. Our trust implicit. May you find peace in our embrace, so that you may unleash the purity of your hatred among those who most assuredly deserve it.“ - The Prophet, Sermon to the Unwilling Acolytes of the Paladin Conclave, PD 44. Income: 52,050 Actions & Expenditure: 1 x Mine (5000) 1 x Drydock (10,000) 1 x Farm (5000) 2500 x T3 Vet.1 Special Forces (2 AP + 11,000) Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] NEW Conventional Research Passive 1 – REDACTED. 1050 saved.

RAPTURE’S HAND PD 43 ((will do rp later Income: 48,900 Actions & Expenditure: 1 x Mine (5000) 1 x Heavy Foundry (7500) 1 x Drydock (10,000) 5000 x T3 Reg. Military Police (6000) Secret edicts. Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] 400 saved.

RAPTURE’S HAND PD 42 “You will be sent forth far from our sanctuaries, to the lands of the heathen, the infidel and the heretic. You will bare witness to their decadence, their fear and their lies. You will steel your heart against these things. Yet you will open it with the love of God for the ignorant, for it is written by the Prophet that ‘No man cannot find redemption in the Word, and no man’s sins cannot be cleansed with righteous action’. You will go to those who languish in the mire of sin that their heathen masters have created, and you will raise them up and they shall be Saved. You will be as the Prophet to these souls, as you speak with His voice in these lands. And as our following is nurtured by the Prophet, so shall you nurture your own. Through you, the Word shall spread as a righteous fire in the land and the land itself shall be Saved.” - Creed of the Missionary, extract. The Hand’s influence spreads in the slums, factories and hab blocks of the great sinful metropoli of the heretics. Purpose is given to the purposeless and fear of the Angelic Saviours is replaced with faith. Joyfully do the devout work to bring about the new world cleansed of the sins of the past. The great hidden sanctuaries of the Rapture hum with activity, as idle hands are filled with tools and guns. The Day is coming, but there remains much work to be done. Income: 45,300 Expenditure: 2 x Farms (10,000) Nephilite Refinery (5000) Heavy Foundry (7500) Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] 2,800 saved.

RAPTURE’S HAND PD 41 “... Korolov did not know what he did on the Judgement Day. He was ignorant of God’s plan, or his part in it. He was a man of the old, decadent ways, a man of SIN! But God chose Korolov as the imperfect instrument by which his judgement would come, and it was through him that our Saviours were heralded into this world. Every one of us is a sinner. But our sins will be wiped clean, my children, for we are also GOD’S instruments! The divine forces of this universe work wonders and enact justice through our hands, as they did the hands of Korolov. And by our hands, we will finish what he began.” - The Prophet, “Sermon for the Soul of Saint Korolov”, 40th Year of the Rapture. The cult continues its expansion across the world, with missionaries sent both near and far. Some minister to the downtrodden, while others approach the rich and powerful with the offer of salvation. It does not matter in what guise the word of the Prophet pierces their hearts, only that it does, and that they are saved because of it. Faith alone will not fulfil the demands of the Crusade, however, and more sinful means are used when necessary to extract funds to further the holy mission. When the stakes are the salvation of all mankind from ruin and the completion of the Rapture, there is no method too heinous that absolution cannot be offered. In response to Drakengard activity in their testing areas, the rocket scientists take care to alternate launch sites and swiftly remove traces of their activity after tests. The heretics’ day will come, but for now the Hand’s secrecy is paramount. Nephilite Research: SLOT 1 – Dirty Bombs. Due 46. Conventional Research: SLOT 1 – Special Forces. Due 44. SLOT 2 – ICBM Rocketry. Due 48. Income: 33,200 Expenditure: 1 x Commercial District (10,000) Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] 3200 saved.

RAPTURE’S HAND PD 40 For decades, the faithful have hidden from the world and built their arsenal in preparation for the coming Crusade, the time when they would join the great kaiju Angels as instruments of God’s judgement on this world of sin. They minister to the downtrodden, the oppressed, the disillusioned across the globe, providing purpose, stoking anger and directing it toward the Godless. They work and live in the shadows, building a society ordered on the banishment of sin through singular obedience to the cause of the Prophet. His word is that of the Divine, and all who hear it know that the day of reckoning is fast approaching for those who still cling to the trappings of a dead, condemned world. The Rapture must be completed, and all must be judged. Nephilite Research: SLOT 1 – Dirty Bombs. The Rapture was heralded by the great device of Saint Korolov, a bell that tolled around the world and brought forth the Angels. It will be a long road to understanding the Divine relationship between the Angels and this holy element, but its power and ability to attract the sacred beasts is obvious. At the very least, on a practical level, an explosive device seeded with nephilite in a civilian location could be quite damning for heretical morale and bring more to the faith through fear. Conventional Research: SLOT 1 – Special Forces. The Hand requires not only zeal and fury to cleanse the world of sin, but also rigorously trained elite operatives to carry out its clandestine missions. Training is brutal, a true test of faith and flesh. Science and sermon are both wielded, with steroids and psycho-indoctrination each playing their part in creating true instruments of God. SLOT 2 – ICBM Rocketry. Many infidels believe they can escape the wrath of God by escaping into space. They must know that His judgement can reach them even where His angels cannot. Rapture’s forces are already well versed in the use of missiles, but efforts are put into producing long range rockets capable of reaching orbit. Income: 36,100 Expenditure: 2 x Commercial District (20,000) 1 x Mine (5000) Cult expansion. (10,000) [Secret] 1100 saved.

Discord Name: bro c’mon Nation Name: Rapture’s Hand Government Type: Totalitarian Theocracy Leader: The Prophet Culture: Rapture’s Hand is a totalitarian, theocratic psuedo-state predicated on complete secrecy and fanatical devotion to the belief that mankind has been judged by whatever gods or divine forces control the universe and found to be sinful. The Devastation, or as they know it “the Rapture”, was a holy event, but it is incomplete. Until all face judgement, the “Angels” will continue to assault and destroy all men equally, not just the sinners and heretics. To this end, the Hand is dedicated to an apocalyptic crusade to topple all pre-existing nations and instill the world with unshakable faith in their cause. The Kaiju must be aided in their divine mission to destroy the sinners, and as many souls must be saved as possible by bringing them to the true faith. None shall escape judgement. History: The Devastation was a massive blow to the collective psyche of all Aestival, from which some never recovered. Longheld faiths evaporated overnight, and others that clung on struggled to maintain and air of legitimacy for their believers. Lives were ruined, and religious conviction shattered. The origin of the idea of the Kaiju as a divine punishment is unclear, and likely to have developed in many places simultaneously, but it was in the vast areas of land abandoned by the surviving nations that this idea propagated and flourished. Scattered sects and enclaves joined together under the banner of survival, a banner that in time morphed into an insideous, totalitarian ideology predicated on total faith in the Prophet – a figure of unknown name and origin who galvanised disparate nomad factions, dissident churches and social revolutionaries into the doomsday cult known today as Rapture’s Hand. Over the decades since its formation, the Hand has established numerous underground cities and decentralised enclaves – both to escape the wrath of the “Angels” and those who would see their ideology as dangerous. From these hidden bases, missionaries are sent forth to evangelise in the lawless regions of the world, providing food, comfort and spiritual aid. Rumours of pogroms, brainwashing and wilful baiting of Kaiju packs into the settlements of unbelievers abound, but in the absence of proper protection, the cult is often the best option for millions. Rapture’s influence is not limited to no-man’s land, with the Prophet ordering the faith be spread into the fortified nations of the world. Hand ideology sees these nations as bastions of sin, remnants of a world that must finally be destroyed for the Devastation to end and the holy mission of the kaiju to be complete. Only when all are judged can mankind truly be saved. Groups or places of interest: Conclave Prime The massive underground complex upon which all Rapture installations are modelled. A subterranean complex of war factories, temples and hab blocks, all devoted to spreading the message of righteous judgment and putting rhetoric into bloody action. The Cabal The ruling council of the Hand, its members known only to each other and the Prophet. They are responsible for the planning of expansion and military campaigns against the unbelievers, as well as the day to day governance of the Hand’s faithful. Key Figures (3 people with points): The Prophet The shadowy and engimatic visionary behind Rapture’s Hand, the Prophet is rarely seen in person, but his propaganda broadcasts and sermons on the righteous apocalypse are omnipresent in Hand territory. A man of boundless charisma and captivating personal presence, his messianic status in the cult is unquestioned. Charisma: 10 / Leadership: 2 Crusader Aisha Veks One of the few successes of the Hand’s haphazard early usage of Elysium integration technology, Crusader Veks commands the Hand’s growing force of Icarus pilots. Martial: 7 / Leadership: 3 / Agility: 2 Brother Radek In another life, Anton Radek would have been a devoted syndicalist with his conviction in equality and revolution for the masses. He acts as Rapture’s primary field commander, a firebrand insurgent able to plan and carry out missions essential for the continued cause of the Crusade. Charisma: 3 / Leadership: 5 / Martial: 3 / Agility: 1 Point Distribution: May need to be changed depending on mechanical discussions. Loyalty: 5 Nephilitic Industry: 5 Conventional Technology: 6 Size: 6 Military: 5 Economy: 3 Nat Idea: Shadow Crusade: Unable to conduct trade with others or most forms of diplomacy. Do not benefit from the protection of the AON or Drakengard. Hostile to all NPCs. Hidden start. All subsequent cities and fortifications, aside from conquests, are underground and therefore also hidden. Uncovering a city does not uncover all other cities. Can start cults in other nations without their consent for espionage and to generate income (3k) through donations and shell companies. Costs 10k to start a cult, but is not capped. Bonus to espionage and infiltration. Unique Units (3): Zephyr-class Stealth Transport The standout success of Rapture’s emergent stealth tech program, the Zephyr is entirely undetectable by current sensor technology and all but invisible to the naked eye. Flying into combat zones and clandestine bases to deliver scores of troops, vehicles and materiel, the Zephyr is the workhouse upon which the Hand’s shadow crusade is carried out. Kraken-class Submarine At home in the seas that swim with Kaiju, the Kraken sub uses advanced vibration dampening technology combined with torpedos to act as one of the many predators of Aestival’s oceans. These versatile submarines also field a variety of AA and cruise missiles. Martyrs Masses of “adequately trained” infantrymen, used for guerilla warfare and terrorist attacks. Fanatic to the point of suicidal, these devoted servants of the Rapture are more than willing to kill and die for their beliefs. With a combat doctrine focused on sudden overwhelming force on unsuspecting targets, these zealots possess a final resort in the form of suicide vests when facing insurmountable opposition. Starting Location: Wouldn’t you like to know?! Are Mechs superior to tanks?: **** no

THE AMARANTIC DOMINION 883 After 7 years of war with the Ishikawa Shogunate, peace is signed. Reparations are granted to the Dominion, and a key point of trade control is transfered to the Shogun. Both sides save face, with the Ishikawa able to accurately claim that they have secured territory overseas, and the Dominion has not lost any cities. Ports are reopened and trade flows. Conscripts lay down their sticks and pans and return to the fields. Passive Tech Research (2 Slots) SLOT 1: Trebuchets – STARTED 880, DUE 884. SLOT 2: Grappling Hooks – The wraith warriors go full ninja. STARTING. Passive Magic Research (2 Slots) National Idea: Bonus to Spell Research (basically +3 Magic) SLOT 1: Dark Resurrection T3 – STARTED 880, DUE 885. SLOT 2: Leech T3 – STARTED 881, DUE 885. Budget: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1COfBrsJ-HawdzPQRTh1dlPQyJiZz8ctS0_P5xcXs4hY/edit?usp=sharing – Total: 174,400 Actions: 5000 T1 Levies are disbanded and returned to the fields. 2 x Farm (10,000) 1 x Heavy Manufacturing (7500) 10 x Civ Manufacturing (75,000) 100 T4 Vet. Wraith Warriors (2 AP + 19,000) Mage (35,000) Resilient Stone Walls (Umbras) (25,000) 2900 saved, 63 Steel.