"For thousands of years, ignorance dominated the world. We refused to see the light, we denied ourselves prosperity in the name of ceaseless war and tyrants. Those ages have thankfully came to an end. Now, we are in an age of light. An age of power unrivaled. The world we are in has for ten millennia experience civilization, but only for the past hundred, experience the power of steel and industry. It is now our duty to spread this light around the world, and free the world of savages and beasts. This world we live in shall be liberated from its darkness by the flame of civilization!"
In the sky at day, there are two suns. One orange, one white. In the sky at night, there are two moons. One small and hellish, one large and dull. On our own world there are two worlds merged, the Overworld and the Underworld. The North and South worlds are inherently alien to each other by nature. It is for this reason it is no surprise belief goes there is not one, but two gods who reign over the universe.
For ten thousand years this dualistic world has experienced civilization, but only recently has a new force came to play: Industry. For only a sixty years it has been around, but it has caused so much change.
Through the power of its industrialization and powerful navy, the Drendal empire has come to dominate the world. Only a few nations have come to rival them. Their governmental system has not changed much from centuries ago, other than the increasing power of the middle class and the rise of corporations from the free trade enjoyed within the empire. While no democracy, the Drendal empire is a Constitutional Monarchy where the Monarch has executive power and is tempered by a powerful senate, rather having power be decentralized into multiple provinces ruled by powerful aristocrats. There is more opportunity in the Drendal empire than any other empire in the world.
And for this reason, you shall be take your role!
Name: Bio: Other:
Atop of this base application form, there is some extra things to fill in for your character relating to certain roles. In the following section, we can go through some ideas of what kinds of character you can be.
Here's a list of things you can be:
The Senate
The Senate is the institution where governmental policy is carried out. It is made up of representatives from each Province of the empire who are usually the elders of each of the greater noble families. In the Senate political debate and action is carried out. The minimum age requirement for someone of nobility to be allowed to speak in the senate is thirty. Military generals are also commonly seen in the Senate during wartime.
How to be part of the Senate?
Use an NPC representative or your own character, should be someone old.
Nobility
Second only to the emperor in power, the Nobles dominate large chunks of the empire. The specific nature of how each province of the empire goes about controlling the local areas they are a part of varies thanks to Nobility. Nobles in the Drendal empire often having very different heritages thanks to a lot of these nobles being part of former nation states that got united three centuries ago to form the Drendal Empire.
People such as officers and politicians come from nobility.
How to be a Noble?
Be born into Nobility and get to the top of the hierarchy in your local area through whatever means you deem most fit.
Add this information to the top of your base app:
Family History: [optional, you can use this history to detail parts of the world I haven’t further back in time than your character’s age and give a good idea of what your family’s heritage is like.] Land of the empire controlled: [selected a part of the empire on the empire map you want control of with a paint program or describe the area.]
The Clergy
The large majority of the Drendal empire believe in Jordinism. Jordinism is comparable to catholicism in terms of clerical structure with the big difference in the role of archbishop. An archbishop in this world is like a mini-pope for a single empire. Another major difference is their religious scripture is very different, their creation story for instance has two gods who made the world that were very different in belief that only settled their arguments on making two separate worlds on the single world they are on. This explanation for how different the second world is has been used to also explain the two moons and two suns. There is a Pope of the whole Jordin religion, but only one archbishop per country who controls the clergy is that local area.
How to be part of the clergy?
Join it believing wholeheartedly in Jordinism via an application sent to the local bishop, than vow celibacy and obedience if accepted. You are more likely to be accepted if you are more intune with the lord atop of your vows of celibacy are trueness to the faith. Rank up to get to higher positions from gaining favor of the pope. You can’t be a politician or military if you choose this path, but people of the clergy are usually trained for years to be miracle workers who can heal minor wounds. Curing blindness and fractured bones is not possible sadly, despite centuries of trying to advance miracle working to be capable of such feats.
The highest rank you can be is Archbishop, which there is only one of. Higher standards are expected of the Archbishop due to there only being one person allowed to be one.
Also the following to your character app-
Clerical Rank: [Acolyte, Monk, Priest, Bishop, Cardinal and Archbishop]
Middle Class
The in-between of a peasant and a noble, they make up a large minority of the population. Literate and educated, they are limited in political power much skewed to the nobility. Middle class citizens of the empire are important, and are a rising class. While nobles make businesses and inventions themselves sometimes, the middle class lack privileges nobles have. Even the corporate fat cats are seen lower than your typical Noble. Middle class men tend to be opportunistic due to their greed. Middle class people tend to often the soldiers and troops in the military as well. You also get your artisans from here.
How to be middle class?
Be better off than a peasant and have the money to sustain the middle class life. No need to alter your application to be one.
Working Class/Peasants
Due to industrialization, many farmers have moved to cities for work. Work conditions for the poor are rather crap, and not really good in terms of hygiene. Often they work for as many as ten hours a day for a subsidence wage. Children also tend to work, while not mandated is often done in order to bring in more money. Some of the working class do learn to read and get a better education, and a few even end up being in the middle class to be managers as opposed to workers.
How to be of the working class/peasantry?
Be part of the majority. No altering of application required.
The Imperial Army
The Imperial Army is a multi-faceted military that is very divided in structure except in times of serious war. Each great house has a private military to itself while the Emperor himself has control over the main military. The military is made up of common soldiers from the middle class and ranked officers/generals/field marshals from nobility. Each great house has control over their own provincial military, while the Emperor himself has control over the National Guard. Usually a great house has a single General.
The highest rank in the Imperial Army is Supreme Chief, which there is only one of in the entire Empire who is a General appointed by the Emperor for the position.
How to be part of the Imperial Army?
Depends. Any common soldier can join from the lower echelons of Drendel society provided they are physically fit to join, but you must be born into Nobility to be an officer, and an officer must rank up their way to become a general. The exact details of the private military varies based on where you are.
Add this to your app somewhere as well-
Rank: [use this ranking system]
Other
There’s many other roles you can take I have not mentioned, such as being the leader of a clan of unlawful pirates or a hired mercenary for a powerful company. Hell, be some crazy nationalist with a unique agenda if you so please. Do not feel restricted by my given roles, you can be whatever you please as long as it is within the empire.
Also, there’s one secret role someone can be in this RP, a very, very powerful role. The role of the “Wizard”. A legendary individual no one is sure even exists other than the strange individuals who has drastically altered history from time to time in the past. You only need a base application to be one, but only one person can be the Wizard and that one person must prove to not just want to be the wizard for the sheer power a Wizard can have.
Please keep in mind that not just anyone can be Wizard, and the premise you give the wizard character will be accounted for as the wizard has one exceptional rule to it- The wizard can be outside the empire, even placed in the Under/New world. You can’t have the wizard rule a rival industrial empire, only exist from an origin outside that range. Mind, I want a really clever premise for the Wizard. Some dull, bland Wizard just isn’t going to do. Be clever.
Map
The light blue is water of lakes, oceans and rivers.
The black triangles all over the place are mountains. The funny one on the south west landmass is a massive volcano.
The color red is our Empire, the Drendel Empire
The color yellow is the Blanca bastards
The color pink is the crazed Crimivans
The color brown are the bearded mountain men of Selesia
The color cyan is the horse loving Mubi
The color light grey are the Doko barbarians
The color dark grey are the mysterious Oramian
The color blue is the spoiled brats of Valais
The color lavender is the honorable Alchastanis
The color orange is the cultured Cheriscans
The color dark purple is the odd Flenns
The color pale blue are the rugged Newlanders
The color white is the arctic caps
The color black is unexplored areas
Guidelines
Now assuming you've picked what you want to be, let's establish some guidelines I am sure you will follow.
One: Common logic applies, for example if you somehow know where someone is across the world with no knowledge beforehand chances are you're part god. Let's avoid issues such as these.
Two: Do not think of this in a video game mindset, think of it more in a more tale-type mind, something that's like a storybook. Characters should have their eye patches and hooks, a well accomplished man with a skeleton in the closet is going to have more things going for him than one that does not.
Three: Magic does exist in this world, but it's not a powerful force here. I will not tolerate any fireball throwing or lightning shooting in this RP. While this will be a case-case basis, magic for the most part will be rather weak and can't make your character. It takes a very long time to get magic working right and the end result for most is really not worth the effort.
For instance the ability to heal away scars by holding a hand to that part of the skin for over ten seconds is something only the highest echelons of the clergy can do. You'll be more inclined to use a weapon like everyone else.
Four: The most advanced technology allowed at the start of this RP is TNT and gatling gun. The kind of gatling gun is more along the lines of a US civil war gatling than a Maxim for now. Due to the industrious nature of the RP, something like the Maxim can indeed be invented in the course of the RP and if time skips ever happen you can be sure they will show up.
Five: Do not be afraid to make names for areas and places i've neglected to mention, and feel free to make up strange civilizations for your explorer to explore or terrifying sea monsters to tear down some cargo ships.
Six: I will at times, as well as anyone else I allow to be a GM take control of indigenous life in some areas when someone explores to add a factor of chaos to the RP. Be warned.
Seven: NPC nations can't be directly controlled, rather their actions and individuals all are controlled by a player. Diplomatic meetings and all will work in this way.
Lore
Here's a large database of lore for the RP, it's an encyclopedia of sorts.
Characters
Name: Ethan Kingston ||| Author: Mafidog
Bio:
Ethan never was a man of many words. He never appreciated the means that kings and nobles used to persuade others, long speeches filled with all kinds of cosmetic words, bidding the people to do their will only throughout the power of writing and speaking. Actually, the first time Ethan realized how violent a character he was, was at his late 16's, when he smashed a wooden board on the head of a preacher. That only was enough to get his parents decapitated by the noble family ruling the lands, under the name of the House Of Comvills, and get him atop of the wanted lists. And all that by the age of sixteen, now without family, and all that only because he attacked a preacher - oh, how stupid a reason that was. What made this preacher so important after all? Was he a relative to the nobles? Meh, he was probably just one of their "favorites". The ones that are obedient servants at day, and good sex toys at night.
And so, a fight broke out. As the law enforcers, the private racketeers working for the royal family, flooded the whole town square, searching for the man that harmed the preacher. Procceeding to punching one of these and stabbing another one with a pocket knife, Ethan ran off, and searched for safety among his own people - his friends, his older brother, a lumberjack living at the village outskirts. They all betrayed him. In such times, everyone wanted the gold the family offer, and they would do whatever it take to get it. Throughout the many places he went, he managed to recollect his pieces, and pick himself up. He shaked off the numbness, he sweeped his tears, and decided to keep his emotions for himself.
In the turn of events, Ethan packed up his things and took off for a land not ruled by the nobles, where his head wouldn't cost its weight in gold. Hatred filled his soul, and nightmares of his haunting parents tortured him at his sleep. He knew it, he had to avenge his parents. He had to. But could he? Probably no, because he was not even a full grown man yet. He had no place to retreat, no ally to stand by him, and no neightbour to spare him a rollbed to sleep at night. Because when your head is worth that much gold, not even your own friends can't resist the calling of their human greed. Day by day he walked inside the endless fields of crops, stealing bread from millers when he had the chance in order to maintain himself, in order to keep walking.
Walking day after day, week after week, hunted, chased, but finally, had it been weeks or even months, he reached a small town, under the name of Isamur. From what he has been told, he could recall that the town was only a gateway to the civillized kingdom, the kingdom far away from his homeland. A train station kept people and parcels up and going on a regular basis. He collapsed in front of the gates, falling unconscious, devastated from starvation, thirst and countless of days without a bit of sleep. He woke up to find himself hospitalized. Not by any town citizen of course, but by a group of monks, who brought him to the temple they resided. He stayed for some time there, most noticeably, eight years. Among the ranks of the monks, and amongst the company of such people, he found peace. He had time to rethink of his actions - what was right, what was wrong. No reason for violence, indeed, but what was done had been done. And he couldn't change it. Only throughout spiritual growth he finally overcome the troublesome visions of his dead parents - and he was now in peace.
Then something happened. Something, even nowadays, Ethan has a hard time to fully understand. The temple he lived in for the past ten years, crumbled out of sudden to dust. But noone died at all, as all monks that day had taken a trip to a lonely chapel, hidden within a forest, a couple of miles away from the temple. Was it coincidence? Noone could tell at all. By that time, the monks prayed to God for mercy, mercy to sins they hadn't commited, but were afraid that they would. They believed this was punishment. He couldn't believe this. He was an obedient follower, a real Jordanist, he had embraced peace, and now, this? Punishment, for what he has been all these years? No - this was too much to take. And so on, by the age of twenty seven, he took off again, this time towards the civillized lands deeper within their kingdom's territories.
The train station was the first place that came to his mind as a starting point. He boarded the first train that happened to pass by, and arrived some days later to the town of Kiomock. If there's one thing Ethan could say about Kiomock, is that, hell, that was some big town! Oh well, bigger to what he was used to. This wasn't a village or a sparsely populated dropout station. This place was a real child, a living, breathing creation of the industrial revolution. Factories booming with business, non-stop machines, working to produce product and noice, and the smell of timber being burned... it was all so new, so parthenic to him. But this image of his about this town, wouldn't last for long, or at least if that's what he remembers.
As the struggle for survival soon entook him, he knew that he had to find a job in order to survive. He couldn't possibly be a monk again, that was a part of his life he decided to end. He searched for employment at the heavy facilities. In the beginning, corporates swarmed around him, seeing that he is fresh meat, and was willing to work. So, he found a job in a textile industry. His job was simple - to secure the transport of the produced textiles to the local town tailors. This sounded so silly to him, why would they ever need a man for that job? Anyhow, he decided that it would do for now, as it provided him a salary, enough to keep him going.
It turned out for the worst. Oh, doesn't it always do so? During the first night, and during his first assignment which was to drop off a cart full of goodies to a shop just two squares away from the factory, he was attacked by thieves. You could tell that these guys were really poor. Their bodies were covered in torn clothes, their mouths were just blank open. They were three men. A man around his age, if he could tell it right, a boy probably to his age upon joining the monks, and a little boy. The bigger man charged at him with a knife, his face desperate for the parcel. Though, these guys couldn't assume that Ethan was not one of them. He was grown in the farms, his hands were strong, his body was well built. He was helping his father on the fields by gathering, stacking and trasporting the wheat and the rest of the crops to the mill, and that on a daily basis. He managed to overpower them, he fist pummeled the man and took the knife from him. As soon as the man collapsed to the ground, the other two ran off, scared. Ethan took the knife from the man, and left him there to recover.
Reconsidering what he had just done, he realized that he let violence take control of him, for once again. He didn't hesitate to counterattack the man. He didn't even think of the consequences, or what these poor boys have been through. He didn't want to think about it, until he requested to be paid the salary he was promised, by the end of the week. The guys at the desk pulled out a handful of pennies, and tossed them towards his side. "What are these?" he asked "where is the rest of them?". They replied in a cold, sober manner: "That's what you get, boy". It surely wasn't just that.
Oh? Are you sad? What are you gonna do, huh? WIll you tell the cops? Oh yeah, I forgot - we are the law here. There is nothing you can do about it, so screw off".
There was nothing he could do about it. He would starve once again to death, he would seek once again somewhere better to live, or he would end up just as the guys that tried to rob him. No. He had no alternative. He resigned, and left the factory. Using the knife he stole, he turned to robbery to get the necessary money to survive. Something he would have never though about in the past. As time passed, he managed to find another group of people, people that turned to such manners to survive and now try to shake them off, much like him. They appreciated his company, and so did he. He found a new place to call his own, by being given a small bedroom in an old town shack. At least he had somewhere to roll his head now, and not just the uncomfy bedrolls they were provided at the industry. Seeing that Ethan was hard, and strong, compared to the weakened citizens, they advised him that he turns into more serious business. Bodyguard business, mercenary business.
Sweet. At least he wouldn't be wasting his time, he thought. The idea seemed right to him. He was fitting for such a job here. The local upperclassmen looked for men like him, men that could offer their help in protecting something bigger and far more valuable than a cart full of textiles. Most noticeably, a local noble family by the name of Andrews, looked for someone to protect their cargo ships, which were transporting tea and other luxurious food products to all over the Drendel empire. The pay was good, and in involved spending your time on the seas. Ethan had never seen the sea before. But he had heard about it, throughout bedtime stories his mother used to tell him. About a bright blue wall of water, that reflected the light of the sun, "as if it was an extension to its own body". He had always dreamt about it, and now his dream would come true.
So, by the age of thirty one, he rolls on the Seashell Mermaid, a cargo ship transporting products between the lands. Years came and went, as he set his foot on lands and harbors he had never ever imagined of. Exploring a world different to his, an experience not even all the money in the universe could buy him. Pirates attacked from now and then, but he, personally, never engaged with the pirates. The huge, state of the art ship cannons, kept the threat away, at least for most of the time.
Nine years later however, during one of these, now routine, transport missions, the ship was attacked by a whole fleet of what seemed to be pirate ships. A hell lot of ships, organized in formations, trying to take down the Seashell Mermaid by ram butting on it, or even using cannons. As the threat was too big for a single ship to handle, Ethan, who managed to climb up the ranks of the crew, commanded the vessel to retreat, and return back home. As the ships surrounded them, and it became clear that they couldn't escape after all, Ethan believed that it was time to use violence, once again. But this time, it didn't have to do with an envy, or a personal problem - it had to do with the very real problem of survival.
The battle among the pirates and the cargo ship crew led by Ethan, is a story still spoken today by sailormen. Outnumbered, outgunned, they managed to kill three times more pirates that cannons would do only by picking them up with guns from point blank distances, as ships maneuvered in close call distances to achieve a better positioning. Since then, Ethan's fame grew among the Andrews family. He became one of the most reknown bodyguards, a true warrior, and above all else, he was a gun for hire. Which means instant interest into hiring him to protect all sorts of people and items.
Ethan is famous now. His reputation among the family and their lands is booming. Soon, he will be accepting other job offers, other opportunities to strive. He finally was complete. He was using the violence in him for a reason. He exorcized the demons from his past. But above all else, Ethan, finally found something he can call "his art". Something that seemed tailor made for him. Him and only.
Other:
Current age: 41
Equipment: Whip, Axe, Three Pistols holstered around his chest, waist and right leg, Musket hanging loose on a leather belt, Knife.
Other equipment includes leather vest, black leather boots, numerous pouches containing some trail rations, crouton, a pocket knife, some tie knots, dry tea, salt, a spoon, a knife and a fork.
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-.- Couldn't find a way to add eight revolvers, sorry for the dissapointment.
Augus Dierdict ||| Author: oZode
Bio:
A man of trains, industry and wealth. A prime example of the rising middle class within the Drendel empire! Descended from a long line of tall, charcoal haired men who are a pale white it is no surprise that when Augus when little had bronze brown hair his daddy thought the mommy cheated. The only similarities were his height and whiteness. The childhood of Augus despite the possibility of a disloyal wife was not all that bad, and Augus turned out to be quite the social person. While in the family he was always a but neglected despite being the oldest, outside of the family he was loved.
Driven by his ambition and love for trains, Dierdict spent his early life as a train station operator for the K&D Railroad Company and made a simple living when a adolescent, yert even when just a lowly train station operator he wanted to not just control one track. He wanted to control all of them. Due to the Dierdicts never really seeing him as “one of them”, Augus never grew that close to his family instead growing close to his fellow workers on the track instead. Yet, it was ironically his father who instilled the opportunistic attitude that Dierdict would go by when Dierdict was just a little kid.
With money he saved over the next five years, he spent his money buying books and learning from tutors when not a train operator. He focused much of his learning on engineering and the growing corporate world. He never was that interested in the history of things, and neglected history quite a bit. He could care less about the feudal world.
Through people he met on the town he met a upper middle classed and air headed man named Johnsel. Quite the airhead, he talked much business and strange ideas with Dierdict which intrigued Dierdict who listened to Johnsel’s odd ideas quite a bit. While Johnsel came from a richer family Dierdict did not feel intimidated by Johnsel, since Johnsel was quite short in height. Augus also met some ladies, but his relations with ladies were never really long lived- it was rare he would stick with any woman for more than a few months. One of these ladies would become Mrs. Dierdict.
When Augus was the age of eighteen, trains were only something used to transport cargo and workers to other places around the Drendland landmass and not for much else. This was something Auguse’s friend Johnsel did not get, for the horse and carriage method of travel was rather slow and Jonsel believed riding trains would be faster.
At the age of twenty and free from his rich partying parents, Johnsel Hansing with his wealth went on a foray to make “citizen cargo” for the common person to be in for transport- a cargo for civilians. Johnsel was laughed at by his parents, but he still went over with the cars and hired multiple workers to make the first citizen cargo cars which were really just modified versions of the cars used to transport workers. That meant they were gross, unsanitary and by no means something worth the high price given.
In spite of all this, Johnsel still started opening his railroad company he intuitively named “Johnsel’s Citizen Railroads”. It was a total disaster, and the sells were poorer than the conditions in the train and the cost of the failure of the first citizen transit was higher than even the cost a citizen was expected to pay for it. Johnsel got into serious debt at the age of twenty three, and was nearing the pain of eviction by the local landlord. Augus himself tried his friend's invention, and realized the flaws with it. In doing so, Augus wanted to try Johnsel’s idea himself seeing the potential of civilian transport by train.
After talking a debt filled Johnsel into letting Augus be part of his business, Augus went in and had a several carpenters, masons and artsy people go in and fancy up the few citizen cargo boxes Johnsel had. They added some rugs, comfortable chairs and some nice wood finishes to the inside of the cars along with some more places to store civilian luggage for those moving into the cities. Finally, Augus put the civilian cars on the track and let people go on for free- including the local lord Dremann. The free rides while still bumpy, showed a large improvement over the previous Johnsel made trains.
The local landlord, impressed by the new invention became a patron of Augus Dierdict- but didn’t do anything for Johnsel who got a low share of the grant in comparison to Augus. Dremann’s patronage helped immensely- it kept Dierdict from getting bought out by a larger company by force like the K&D Railroad Company earlier on. Early on the reigning two tycoons of the K&D Railroad Company, Kimiger and Detsche didn’t think much of this company ran by someone who was just a lowly worker for their company. They thought it but a fad and didn’t approach him.
Johnsel while in the dirt got only his debts paid off by Augus for the company, which was all Augus really did for his friend since Augus finally got what he has wanted since he was a kid- a company to build trains with and make all the monies. Johnsel despite technically being one of the major players dropped out of the company, since he believed Agus stole his idea and didn’t care much for money. Johnsel never replied to any of Augus’s invitations to group events and grew rather bitter.
Yet, in the next five to ten years Dierdict would only see success for the start company renamed to “Citizens Railroads” from the original “Johnsel’s Citizen Railroad” due to Johnsel’s drop out from the company and Dierdict feeling it unfair to name the company after himself after Johnsel’s dropping out. The first sets of tracks were short, but he would quickly gain more and more money that was invested into more trains, railroad tracks and land grants to build stations in new cities.
His breakout expansion caught his rivals by surprise, but when K&D Railroad Company Tycoons Kimiger and Detsche offered a vast sum of cash for the company, Dierdict denied the offer. Dierdict saw himself as the big dog now, even if there are the Nobles up above such as Lord Dremann who was a committed patron of Dierdict, as Dremann liked trains quite a bit too- in fact Dremann had his own private train just for himself decked in gold and luxury items- including a train toy set for the youngins.
What Dierdict did not realize was the K&D Railroad Company was still quite bigger than his, and the K&D Railroad Company started making passenger trains themselves and fast immediately after their failed attempt to buy Dierdict out. For the first time there was a serious competitor to his company.
Dierdict’s company, Citizen Railroads and the K&D Railroad Company would clash and vye for multiple different towns all across the Drendlands, constant expansion led to by industry, noble patronage and plain business. Mergers were never attempted, as the rivalry became bitter with reports of sabatoge and biased advertising campaigns to try to get ahold of towns and the rights to build into different areas of the Drendlands. Some areas neither side could touch, which lead to limits of space.
Dierdict did not know what to do- The K&D railroad company seemed to be winning the train race and even with everything Dierdict and his associates for the corporation have done there was a hard limit coming up fast.
But of all sources to save his company from stagnating, it came from an eccentric sailor who was the brother of one of the women Augus dated way back.
Conran Vesimer was a third generation in immigrant who is quite assimilated into Drendal culture from Crimiva who unlike what is typical of Crimivans took great interest in sailing as opposed to your typical Crimivan who is stereotypically seen as a gun worshipping fanatic. Conran met Dierdict at a social meeting hosted by a Archonist Duke who preached about the ideas of Archonism dangerously loud where Conran talked of the New World to Dierdict whom he recognized as one of his still single sister’s older boy friends.
The friendship would lead to two major things in Dierdict’s life- first would be that Dierdict would finally gain a wife, an old love of his and second would be a new corporate partner- Conran Vesimer. Conran reminded Dierdict of Johnsel a bit, but unlike Johnsel Conran was more aggressive and charismatic. Conran was sanctioned to do trips to the New world colony “Devil’s Fork” to bring out cargo and Dierdict saw an opportunity. He could expand his reigning enterprises overseas. A crazy plan, but one he took the risk on as he knew the K&D railroad company would overtake him if he didn’t take the risk.
Conran was promised to have control over the New World part of the company, and Conran accepted- as he had his own ideas for what to do when expanding into the New World. For at heart, he’s still Crimivan and to him this is an opportunity for himself. The expansion took a few years, but there was already smaller railroad companies there. Thankfully, none of them were that big and were all too willing to let themselves get bought out. Dierdict himself oversaw much of the New World company, but had to leave much of it to Conran since Dierdict wanted to keep a focus on maintaining the corporate on the motherland.
The New World imposed quite a few new challenges, such as the horrifying monsters who raided the trains. Normally the trains are just given spiked barriers, but this didn’t nullify the risk of monster attack. Conran did not like the status quo seen, as he wanted to expand the company for the company and by the company. After all, his sister was married to his boss. So Conrad looked to his cousins three times removed from Crimiva who were part of the military invading the new world in the North East. For his cousins were true to the soul Crimivans, and loved shooting things. Shooting things was needed, and his cousins he kept in touch with were interested in merc work in the New World. Things to shoot, giants to discover and tons of gold to gain- it was an offer Conran’s cousins took instinctively.
Dierdict couldn’t keep an eye on Conran and only got a report from the New World once a year, this gave Conran quite the freedom with expanding. Sanctioned by local landlords and using the men of bought out train companies to do the train track and car making work Conran spent his time plotting were to expand.
Aging, Dierdict needed to find who would succeed him. Conran wasn’t a good candidate since Conran wasn’t a train person, Dremann is even older than Dierdict and Dierdict’s son was still just eight since Dierdict only had children just eight years ago when he married Conran’s sister and his son doesn’t seem to like playing with toy trains, more the toy rifles. Currently Dierdict wants to go to the New world to see if any of the men under Conran can make a good candidate and Conran with his Cousins are investing in putting the recently invented chain gun on train cars to “defend” the trains.
What is next? Why, we shall find out!
Other: I can't help it, I keep writing needlessly long apps even if it's all word vomit. As a fun little fact I had a prototype version of my app written on paper before making the digitally written app. It’s much shorter than this app but I kept adding more and more to it since I just used the written version as a reference and not something to actually transcribe. He's around sixty years old currently.
History: The vast Mubi Empire covers an area that once included many civilizations, from the copper spired city states along the northern rivers to the Alchastani frontier in the south. The Mubi people themselves came from the arid plains that stretch across the middle of the continent. Originally nomadic, the Mubi people fought over hunting grounds until they were united by a warlord named Markas, who declared himself Mansa, a word that means "King" in the Mubi tongue.
Though Markas is long gone, his empire remains. The current Mansa, Hojar II, claims decadency from the family of Markas's first wife, Mailiann. Modern technology has had little effect on their way of life, aside from the casual use of purchased firearms.
The Mubi are great horseman. They still fight in much the same way that the armies of Markas fought: using light infantry battalions made from the lower castes supported by large hosts of horseman made from the higher casts. The Mubi have included mounted riflemen into their numbers, but this has changed their methods very little.
Oramia /// Color: Dark Grey || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: The Oram Kingdom is a small nation situated in the central highlands of the West. It's people, the Orami, live simple lives as shepherds and farmers. The difficult terrain has saved it from invasions, allowing the Orami to live in relative peace. The mountains are rich in gold and iron, which has allowed the Orami to trade for whatever luxuries they might want. Mountain Elephants give them a source of ivory, which has become a popular export to the East
Though it is officially a kingdom, the King of Oram holds very little power. The tribes within the nation are largely independent, pledging weak oaths of fealty to the King while fighting amongst themselves over land and power.
Orami metalwork is popular in the west, especially in the form of ceremonial weapons and metalic vases with intricate gold and ivory designs. This has instilled a sense of fascination within the easterners regarding the dark skinned Orami and their culture.
History: There is no single government in the Doko lands. Small city states rise along the coast, while the center of the continent is dominated by forests and their tribal inhabitants. In the west, peoples related to the Alchastani dwell in small hamlets, their cities unable to grow due to the rocky soil and lack of access to the sea. Oftentimes they build weak citadels similar to those found in Alchastan. These Alchastani have mixed in with the Doko people in the western regions, with villages often made from a mixture of the two. Interbreeding has given these westerners a darker complexion then the olive skinned Alchastani.
Doko city states are the most frequent along the Northern coast, where the ancient copper-spired cities of a long forgotten civilization crumble around their new Doko inhabitants. These city states have taken up more complex ways in comparison to those in the center. The very few guns in use in the Doko lands can be found along this northern coast, in the armies of warlords wishing to carve a new kingdom.
The center of the continent is wild. Spices can be found here, and are often traded for beads and other trinkets. This part of the Doko land is the least known to the Easterners, with some of it being less explored then the new world to the south.
Alchastan /// Color: Lavender, West purple || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: The Alchastani civilization is old, and they revel in this fact. They still occupy the earliest cities built by their people, and many urban dwellers live in homes that were built four thousand years ago. This is supported in part by their long stretched tradition of city planning. The Alchastani cities started out as fortresses designed to defend against attacks by neighboring towns. These elaborate citadels typically included great mudbrick pyramids dedicated to their gods, while extra storage and living space was carved into the sandstone cliffs. These citadels remain at the center of their cities, though exploding population has caused them to grow past the original citadels, often causing cities so large that they contain multiple ancient citadels.
Traditional Alchastani war was based on fighting between warlords, who lead armies made primarily of nobles. These nobles would be required to provide their own armor and weapons. Ancient warfare for the Alchastani would typically involve the formation of shield walls, which would ram into each other until one broke. The unbroken force would then continue their assault more aggressively in order to create chaos. Once this was done, they themselves would break off and mop up the enemy forces. It was common for both sides to break, especially as technology shifted, causing one on one combat to become an integral part of the process.
This was changed with the introduction of firearms form the east, which ultimately caused Alchastan to come together under a single government. The old rivalries are still there, however, with each city competing with each other economically. This has caused them to be receptive of eastern industry, with factories sitting next to ancient monuments.
Currently the Alchastani people have been with their new found foreign technology and powerful military expanding rapidly in their continent, taking much more land from their native three peninsulas in the past hundred years than they have in the past thousands.
Selesia /// Color: Brown || Contributed by: ViliageidiotX
History: It was not long ago that Selesia ruled half of the East. The Casparian mountain range they call home has breed them into a hearty people, able to defend their homeland by using its crags and valleys to their advantage. In ancient history, their military had been made up of small militias trained to defend their locale, but the invention of the gun had a particular effect on their culture. The Selesian Kings developed a strong professional army, well drilled in the art of modern war. This allowed King Braunshweug, just one hundred years ago, to lead a campaign of conquest that nearly saw the Selesian people as rulers of the continent. The Selesians had an easy time conquering what they wanted, but they could not keep it. Revolt and resistance by the surviving powers eventually saw Selesia pushed back to its original borders.
Modern Selesia fails to live up to its prestigous history. The rough-terrained nation has not industrialized well, causing it to fall behind the other powers. Their military remains one of the most well trained in the world, but new weapons are quickly making their ways obsolete. Now they struggle to keep up with their neighbors as the world chugs forward into modernity.
Valais ///Color: Blue || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History:
The Valaisian Kingdom is an ancient power, with a nobility that trace their family histories back over thousands of years. For some time, it looked like this would be the trend to go on until the end of time, especially as they would be the first to discover the new world through the explorer Ekane Amed, who in reality was less a explorer and more a noble who accidentally stumbled upon the New World. They claimed the whole continent for themselves, but would become unable to maintain their grip due to their outdated and poorly equipped militaries and just cut off their colonists from the mainland to fend for themselves, the Valasian emperor having declared the new world worthless.
In the following centuries from than, their typically powerful status caused them to become disinterested in the exploration of new lands; from their perspective, the old world was enough and the new world was dangerous for its worth and the old world was enough anyways. This has caused the a decline in their world presence. Their military organization is outdated, as merit has no place in placement or promotion. Poor soldiers are placed in poorly armed, untrained auxillary brigades, leaving only small numbers of middle and upper classmen to fill the ranks of their professional soldiers.
Their culture is decadent. Even though their military is outdated, they still remain an economic power with few rivals, but most of the money is enjoyed only by the nobility. Aristocratic life is an unending string of indulgent partying and wealth-supported laziness. Despite the wealth that exists within the culture, life for the lower classes is difficult. The constant encroachment on their farmland by lavish noble estates, combined with the increasing cost of life, has driven much of the peasantry into spiraling poverty.
History: Empire with a long history of invading and being invaded, the most recent invasion being from the Selesians. One of the first countries after the Drendal to industrialize, they have proven to be one of the biggest rivals of the Drend. The history of gruesome war and atrocities done by the Blanca are long. Multiple times they have invaded the Drendal lands, and multiple times have they been fought back and lands taken by the Drendel in retaliation. The long history of rivalry is one that continues to this day.
Culturally the Blanca are more religious, but use the same religion Drendel does of Jordinism. Their lands are where the religion originates, and they also have the papacy. They have placed the papacy in the north in a isolated city state where the auroras gleam brightly called "Nordlys". The Archbishops of the Drendal empire, Blanca empire and more show up here every other year to discuss the state of things and what can be done from a religious view point.
A powerful maritime empire like the Drendal, but they are much more strict when it comes to power still having an borderline absolute monarch. A middle class does exist in their folds, but it doesn't get the freedom the Drendal middle class does when it comes to making corporations, only letting nobles make corporations.
Being a nation of boat people, they are very much about maintaining a strong navy. It's in their tradition ever since they conquered the eastern islands through naval power. They have pioneered the use of iron hulled ships and pride themselves off sea monster slaying. For this reason they have a very strong navy, one at a similar strength to the Drendal.
Currently they have been in a protracted conflict with the Alchastanis and taking over the new world from the large peninsula. The heat in those regions compared to the tundra north has made conditions hard for their soldiers going up against an enemy with not only the home advantage, but industrial power on their side as well.
Crimiva /// Color: Pink || Contributed by: oZode
History: United just a hundred years ago from three empires, their big uniting factor being a new religion known as Vylism and their obsession for guns. They invented the first handheld rifles, and in the conflicts pre-unity Crimivans would be constantly in a state of war with chivalry and gunmen. The power of the guns reminds Crimivans of a lightning strike, and they would continue a tradition of gun crafting for their smiths. Crimivan mercenaries and gunsmiths are not uncommon.
The government system Crimivans use is a military dictatorship. They conscript peasants into their armies with a good amount of people being gunsmiths. This system has led to military coups in the past, but the fundamental order of the government hasn’t changed due to the sheer effectiveness of their tradition when it comes to mass warfare. Their officers keep a strict grip on their conscripts, and use brutality and honor to keep them in line. Their military beliefs has made them a very stratocratic empire, with the belief power and passion are the two defining factors of own’s superiority. People who don’t do military are either peasants or smiths, who are the majority of the Crimivan empire.
The Crimivans, even with their military prowess regularly suffer from famines, debt, and poor infrastructure due to their pursuit of power. Nationalism is a common force in Crimivan lands, and the demand for food and power has made them all the more expansionist, fine with even the new world since they see it as a honor to kill the terrifying beasts that exist there. Their navy is also not that impressive, used to ship people over seas much more than engage enemy ships in direct combat. To make up for these lacks, the Crimivans have been invading former lands of the Valaisan colony in the new world with their guns and steel.
History: It was nearly five hundred years ago that ambassadors from this collection of Blancan coastal city states and republics met in the splendid city of Cherisco to form loose confederation in order to protect themselves from the growing power of the neighboring nations. At their height, shortly after the creation of the confederation, the Cheriscian Confederation rivaled the Blanca and Drendel in terms of regional power. These days are long over, but the ancient beauty of the Cheriscian cities still remain. Even as their galley-based navy finds itself long outdated against the new ironclads, the Cheriscians maintain their wealth due to their wine-rich country and unparalleled banks. The importance of Cheriscian banking has kept the nation from being invaded, while its neutrality has made it a popular place to visit for people of all nations.
For foreign visitors, the Cheriscians seem stuck in time. Their nobles live careless lives, dueling with decorated rapiers over matters of honor, or over the hearts of young girls, while merchants peddle artisan wares that harken back to a time before industrialization was even a twinkle in the eye of the civilized world. Many wealthy Drendel make sure to have apartments in their favorite Cheriscian cities for when they want to travel.
Duchy of Flenn /// Color: Dark purple || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: The red haired Flennish left their rocky green isle in the dark ages and embarked on a serious of violent raids and conquests. They retained very little of what they took, but the effects of their culture sent an echo across the eastern continent. New ways of steel working were introduced by them, as were the sturdy ironwood sail ships that bore them to their targets.
Modern Flenn is a different sort of place. Their land is poor in resources, forcing their small population to subsist on a diet of fish and whatever plants they can get to grow in their rocky soil. Though ruled by a Duke, the title is not hereditary. Each village elects an Archon to rule it, and when the old Duke dies a council of the Archons is held, where a new duke is elected from their number. Modern political theorists throughout the world have began to praise this model as being the inspiration for an ideal government.
Though poor, the Flennish military and navy is capable of holding it's own. They have began to experiment with the iron-clad craze that has taken hold of the Eastern world, though the lack of metal available too them has made the process slow.
Newland Republique /// Color: Baby Blue || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: When the Valaisian's abandoned their mission to colonize the new world, not everyone left. Many preferred the wide open freedom of the new world and wished to create their own life. For the first few hundred years, there was no unifying government in the area, and most colonies fended for themselves. People began to rely on each other in order to survive in the difficult environment they found themselves in. The smaller settlements took up the communal style of living often found in native society, sharing food and deciding how to use their resources as a group. Each person took when was necessary to survive from their crops and gave the rest to the community, where it would be divied out to those who needed it. The excess would be traded to neighboring settlements for whatever goods they could get. Trade decisions, as well as most legal or political decisions, were made at weekly town hall meetings where every adult person who belonged to the community and showed up would be given a vote on the matter. This turned many court cases into glorified lynch mobs, but this was accepted as part of the rough nature of frontier life.
Though technically independent, all of the settlements have banded together to form an informal Republic, where each settlement votes on two representatives and sents them to wherever the Republic has chose to hold Congress. Originally, no settlement or colony was required to go along with congressional decisions, but this has changed to some degree with the passing of the Wilefrie Declaration, where an informal military was created when most of the colonies agreed that any colony that did not send military aid during a crisis could be considered an ally of the enemy and treated accordingly. Their militias are very informal and poorly drilled, but they make up for this through their knowledge of the countryside and ability to conduct warfare on minimal supplies.
Strange Creatures and terrifying monsters
Humanoid
Name: Blemmeyes ||| Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
Known information: The discovery of the Blemmyes tribes baffled scientists. It would be years before a specimen could be brought to the laboratories of the old world to be studied. Though the layout of their body makes them less easy to kill thanks to the thick ribcage that protects all of their organs, it has left them with smaller, weaker brains. Indeed, the Blemmyes seem only barely capable of language at all. Those who have encountered live ones describe them as aggressive creatures with guttural, flapping voices and horrible breath. Anatomists note that the last two facts are likely due to the proximity of their mouth to the rest of their digestive system. There is little sexual dimorphism in the species, with both maintaining the same body shape and females having small teets on their bellies instead of breasts.
Distribution: Mostly in Unexplored region of the New World, a few declining communities in the frontiers of Newland.
Name: Patagons ||| Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
Known Information: There is little difference between Patagons and regular men aside from their height. The Patagons are typically ten to eleven feet tall, with the tallest in their number reaching fourteen and fifteen feet. They seem to be capable of the same level of thought as regular men, though they struggle with the more complex aspects of human speech. The Patagons make great warriors due to their strength, but are willing to trade with colonists. They are known for eating raw meat and wearing the untreated furs of their kills, which gives them a gruesome appearance. This, combined with unverified stories of male Patagons breaking into frontier cabins at night and committing fatal rapes, have caused distrust of Patagons among colonists, who seek to drive the giants as far away as possible. The invention of the gun has made this easier, though it is known that Patagons can often take more bullets then the average man.
There has been substantial evidence that the Crimivan government is secretly working on trying to make shotguns and military uniforms for patagons to try to get patagons in their military.
Distribution: Mountainous regions of the New World. Virtually extinct in colonized areas.
Known Information: The Windershins are one of the most frightening humanoids found in the new world. Unlike other humanoids, the Windershin is not a social creature, and it is rare to see two together, except during mating season. They are predatory beasts, as willing to eat other humanoids as they are to prey on other animals. Aside from being a danger to people, they are also known to slaughter livestock where they can find them. The Windershin's hands are clawed, allowing them to slash and stab their prey. They are very aggressive and will continue an attack until they have been slaughtered. Those who have sighted them have claimed that they like to stick to dark places whenever possible, and prefer to attack at night. They have a knack for moving silently, though they make a guttural clucking sound when preparing to attack. Though mostly hairless for most of the year, they grow a coat of thin white hairs during the winter which they shed when spring comes. Occasionally they wear furs for warmth, especially on cold days, but most of the year they wear nothing, a fact that has allowed those who have seen them to report that they share the same secondary sexual characteristics as humans, with the exception of hair patterns.
Distribution: Dotted throughout the New World. Most common in the wilderness, but still found in even civilized places.
Non-Humanoid
Kracken ||| Contributed by: oZode
Known Information: Krackens are feared widely by many, for even with large boats these monsters from the dark depths can strike to drag a ship down to its grave. They usually attack lone ships, and tend to avoid ships in a group- but there has been recorded events of Krackens who have attacked ships even than. They are thankfully a incredibly rare occurrence in most seas, especially more shallow ones like the equatorial areas. They are so big they normally prey on whales normally, the reason they don't usually attack ships is since for the most part whales are more than enough for them.
They come in different sizes and colors, some are even said to glow under water. There is no known info on how many species of Kracken there really are. Thankfully for the most part they stay in the depths of sea.
Distribution: In the wide open and deep seas, populations very spread out yet can be encountered anywhere deep potentially.
Cuizcatli ||| Contributed by: Vimandeferrum
Known information: A curious water-dwelling odity that can traverse large distances through a combination of leaping and gliding. Herbivorous variants have chisel-shaped bills and large wings to facilitate travel over the land between tributaries. Carnivorous variants have spear-like beaks and smaller wings to facilitate diving onto smaller fish and small mammals living on the shore. Colonists are advised to observe the behavior of this creature. A school leaping to another part of the river is a sign of nearby predators.
Distribution: The rivers of the southern continent.
Quezocota ||| Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
Known Information: The most massive flying beast known. They can appear anywhere in the Under/New world, but thankfully are rather rare and not that social, at least where explored. Rumors have it they tend to occupy the mountains in groups. Can and will take a full grown man from the ground with ease. Due to the danger they present to colonial populations, killing these beasts has been encouraged by most governments.
Known information: These predatory crustaceans are known to grow up to the size of a house cat, a fact that, combined with the potent venom they carry on the back of their tails, makes them a danger to humans as well as animals. They only ever threaten humans when cornered, or when people get too close to their nests. Their meat is considered a delicacy in many of the regions they can be found, especially when marinated in a sauce made from their venom, which can be dangerous for people with open wounds in their mouths.
Distribution: Western Continent, western portion of the Eastern Continent.
Name: Arsine ||| Contributed by: Vilageidiotx
Known information: Arsines are brutish beasts of burden endemic to the plains of the Western Continent. They are difficult to domesticate, so they are rarely used in anything aside from heavy construction projects, or as walking towers in battle. The Arsine is commonly hunted, most often by large teams as they are difficult to bring down. When killed, the Arsine's body is a commodity. It's thick skin is a source of tough leather that can be crafted into a sturdy armor, while the massive horns on its head are a good source of ivory.
Distribution: Plains and dry areas of the Western Continent.
Name: Mammoth ||| Contributed by: Vilageidiotx
Known information: Dwindling in number, Mammoths roamed most of the Northern Hemisphere. They are now only found in the remote tundras in the North of the Eastern Continent. Their herds have suffered from over hunting due to their prized ivory, as well as the popularity of mammoth fur for clothing or rugs. Legends tell of ancient empires riding the beasts into battle, but this is unheard of in the modern era.
Distribution: Northern bits of the Eastern Continent.
Other
[Food] Shnickenstab || Contributed by: oZode
The Shnickenstab is a simple snack food that is in effect bacon on a stick. At the tip of the stick a fruit is added to the top, usually a rosafruit. Some versions with a vegetable at the tip instead are also in use. It was invented thirty years ago by middle-class man Mr. Gussie when looking for a way to eat bacon and walk at the same time.
[Food] Rosafruit || Contributed by: oZode
Rosafruit are a common grapefruit in the native Drendlands, when distilled makes for a decent wine. Very tangy. Some farms are dedicated to cultivating this fruit, especially wine farms.
[Religion] Vylism || Contributed by: oZode
Vylism is a unique brand of mysticism that is monotheistic instead of the dualistic views of Jordinism. It has incorporated older beliefs of spiritual hierarchy defined by power and passion with their newly found monotheism used for imperial unity. The monothiesm was in large part caused by historical accounts Crimivan war historians found of a very powerful individual that seemed to be beyond humans in capability in every way. This belief is known as Vylism. The Mubi Mansite in their ancient history has the individual Markas, for instance who managed to unite such massive land mass using primitive technology that stays united to this day.
Other examples of such individuals have been found in the historical texts of multiple nations and extinct cultures, with the conclusion that these is god in human form and the dualistic beliefs of Jordinism are wrong since no two of these such individuals appear at the same time. A lot of this belief comes from the modern prophet who died over a hundred years ago, Vylash who was at first a historian who had a epiphany that led to the rise of the Vylistic faith. Taking from older, more pagan beliefs the Vylist believes in a spiritual hierarchy where god is at the top, and animals at the bottom. In between humans and god, there are giants in the sky.
Vylism as a belief is most common in Crimiva, but there are minorities in other places who do believe in Vylism, especially in Selesia.
Here's the fact sheets for people who want to make some lore.
Strange Creature/Monster factsheet-
Name:
Known information:
Distribution:
Other things fact sheet-
Name:
Classification:
Info:
Player app sheets will also be going into the lore section, meaning you will be contributing to the world building regardless of what you do.
New World Drendel Colony "New Blitzwallera" somewhere in the countryside.
A big bulky man carries a unreasonably massive sack of rosafruit to the shed. At the shed, with just one of his hands he pries open the door and slams it shut behind him. He sits himself down on a hay bale in the hut and smells the place. It smells like crap and rot, which was either coming from the mildew in the pantry or the many jars of pickled rat-things on the shelves. Ugly as they were, they manage to taste a palatable flavor and are one of the few things in this new world that is known for certain to be edible.
After sitting for a bit, he gets back up, grabs the sack and twists open the recently widespread doorknob that leads to his pantry. Inside the pantry are other sacks of rosafruit, kept in barrels labeled “for wine” in crude oily black paint textured by reddish oak tree planks that make up the barrel. As the hulking man dropped in another bag of rosafruit, he suddenly came to a revelation when seeing the barrel was full. He has absolutely no idea how to make wine.
[[This post is mainly filler to bump topic. I'm outlining the story arc that will explain what this random fool has to do with anything and how it will lead into more prevalent and interesting subjects.]]
"For thousands of years, ignorance dominated the world. We refused to see the light, we denied ourselves prosperity in the name of ceaseless war and tyrants. Those ages have thankfully came to an end. Now, we are in an age of light. An age of power unrivaled. The world we are in has for ten millennia experience civilization, but only for the past hundred, experience the power of steel and industry. It is now our duty to spread this light around the world, and free the world of savages and beasts. This world we live in shall be liberated from its darkness by the flame of civilization!"
OOC and recommended place to put finished application sheets: http://www.minecraft.../#entry22445010
Welcome to Kugelstahl.
In the sky at day, there are two suns. One orange, one white. In the sky at night, there are two moons. One small and hellish, one large and dull. On our own world there are two worlds merged, the Overworld and the Underworld. The North and South worlds are inherently alien to each other by nature. It is for this reason it is no surprise belief goes there is not one, but two gods who reign over the universe.
For ten thousand years this dualistic world has experienced civilization, but only recently has a new force came to play: Industry. For only a sixty years it has been around, but it has caused so much change.
Through the power of its industrialization and powerful navy, the Drendal empire has come to dominate the world. Only a few nations have come to rival them. Their governmental system has not changed much from centuries ago, other than the increasing power of the middle class and the rise of corporations from the free trade enjoyed within the empire. While no democracy, the Drendal empire is a Constitutional Monarchy where the Monarch has executive power and is tempered by a powerful senate, rather having power be decentralized into multiple provinces ruled by powerful aristocrats. There is more opportunity in the Drendal empire than any other empire in the world.
And for this reason, you shall be take your role!
Name:
Bio:
Other:
Atop of this base application form, there is some extra things to fill in for your character relating to certain roles. In the following section, we can go through some ideas of what kinds of character you can be.
Here's a list of things you can be:
The Senate
The Senate is the institution where governmental policy is carried out. It is made up of representatives from each Province of the empire who are usually the elders of each of the greater noble families. In the Senate political debate and action is carried out. The minimum age requirement for someone of nobility to be allowed to speak in the senate is thirty. Military generals are also commonly seen in the Senate during wartime.
How to be part of the Senate?
Use an NPC representative or your own character, should be someone old.
Nobility
Second only to the emperor in power, the Nobles dominate large chunks of the empire. The specific nature of how each province of the empire goes about controlling the local areas they are a part of varies thanks to Nobility. Nobles in the Drendal empire often having very different heritages thanks to a lot of these nobles being part of former nation states that got united three centuries ago to form the Drendal Empire.
People such as officers and politicians come from nobility.
How to be a Noble?
Be born into Nobility and get to the top of the hierarchy in your local area through whatever means you deem most fit.
Add this information to the top of your base app:
Family History: [optional, you can use this history to detail parts of the world I haven’t further back in time than your character’s age and give a good idea of what your family’s heritage is like.]
Land of the empire controlled: [selected a part of the empire on the empire map you want control of with a paint program or describe the area.]
The Clergy
The large majority of the Drendal empire believe in Jordinism. Jordinism is comparable to catholicism in terms of clerical structure with the big difference in the role of archbishop. An archbishop in this world is like a mini-pope for a single empire. Another major difference is their religious scripture is very different, their creation story for instance has two gods who made the world that were very different in belief that only settled their arguments on making two separate worlds on the single world they are on. This explanation for how different the second world is has been used to also explain the two moons and two suns. There is a Pope of the whole Jordin religion, but only one archbishop per country who controls the clergy is that local area.
How to be part of the clergy?
Join it believing wholeheartedly in Jordinism via an application sent to the local bishop, than vow celibacy and obedience if accepted. You are more likely to be accepted if you are more intune with the lord atop of your vows of celibacy are trueness to the faith. Rank up to get to higher positions from gaining favor of the pope. You can’t be a politician or military if you choose this path, but people of the clergy are usually trained for years to be miracle workers who can heal minor wounds. Curing blindness and fractured bones is not possible sadly, despite centuries of trying to advance miracle working to be capable of such feats.
The highest rank you can be is Archbishop, which there is only one of. Higher standards are expected of the Archbishop due to there only being one person allowed to be one.
Also the following to your character app-
Clerical Rank: [Acolyte, Monk, Priest, Bishop, Cardinal and Archbishop]
Middle Class
The in-between of a peasant and a noble, they make up a large minority of the population. Literate and educated, they are limited in political power much skewed to the nobility. Middle class citizens of the empire are important, and are a rising class. While nobles make businesses and inventions themselves sometimes, the middle class lack privileges nobles have. Even the corporate fat cats are seen lower than your typical Noble. Middle class men tend to be opportunistic due to their greed. Middle class people tend to often the soldiers and troops in the military as well. You also get your artisans from here.
How to be middle class?
Be better off than a peasant and have the money to sustain the middle class life. No need to alter your application to be one.
Working Class/Peasants
Due to industrialization, many farmers have moved to cities for work. Work conditions for the poor are rather crap, and not really good in terms of hygiene. Often they work for as many as ten hours a day for a subsidence wage. Children also tend to work, while not mandated is often done in order to bring in more money. Some of the working class do learn to read and get a better education, and a few even end up being in the middle class to be managers as opposed to workers.
How to be of the working class/peasantry?
Be part of the majority. No altering of application required.
The Imperial Army
The Imperial Army is a multi-faceted military that is very divided in structure except in times of serious war. Each great house has a private military to itself while the Emperor himself has control over the main military. The military is made up of common soldiers from the middle class and ranked officers/generals/field marshals from nobility. Each great house has control over their own provincial military, while the Emperor himself has control over the National Guard. Usually a great house has a single General.
The highest rank in the Imperial Army is Supreme Chief, which there is only one of in the entire Empire who is a General appointed by the Emperor for the position.
How to be part of the Imperial Army?
Depends. Any common soldier can join from the lower echelons of Drendel society provided they are physically fit to join, but you must be born into Nobility to be an officer, and an officer must rank up their way to become a general. The exact details of the private military varies based on where you are.
Add this to your app somewhere as well-
Rank: [use this ranking system]
Other
There’s many other roles you can take I have not mentioned, such as being the leader of a clan of unlawful pirates or a hired mercenary for a powerful company. Hell, be some crazy nationalist with a unique agenda if you so please. Do not feel restricted by my given roles, you can be whatever you please as long as it is within the empire.
Also, there’s one secret role someone can be in this RP, a very, very powerful role. The role of the “Wizard”. A legendary individual no one is sure even exists other than the strange individuals who has drastically altered history from time to time in the past. You only need a base application to be one, but only one person can be the Wizard and that one person must prove to not just want to be the wizard for the sheer power a Wizard can have.
Please keep in mind that not just anyone can be Wizard, and the premise you give the wizard character will be accounted for as the wizard has one exceptional rule to it- The wizard can be outside the empire, even placed in the Under/New world. You can’t have the wizard rule a rival industrial empire, only exist from an origin outside that range. Mind, I want a really clever premise for the Wizard. Some dull, bland Wizard just isn’t going to do. Be clever.
Map
The light blue is water of lakes, oceans and rivers.
The black triangles all over the place are mountains. The funny one on the south west landmass is a massive volcano.
The color red is our Empire, the Drendel Empire
The color white is the arctic caps
The color black is unexplored areas
Guidelines
Now assuming you've picked what you want to be, let's establish some guidelines I am sure you will follow.
One: Common logic applies, for example if you somehow know where someone is across the world with no knowledge beforehand chances are you're part god. Let's avoid issues such as these.
Two: Do not think of this in a video game mindset, think of it more in a more tale-type mind, something that's like a storybook. Characters should have their eye patches and hooks, a well accomplished man with a skeleton in the closet is going to have more things going for him than one that does not.
Three: Magic does exist in this world, but it's not a powerful force here. I will not tolerate any fireball throwing or lightning shooting in this RP. While this will be a case-case basis, magic for the most part will be rather weak and can't make your character. It takes a very long time to get magic working right and the end result for most is really not worth the effort.
For instance the ability to heal away scars by holding a hand to that part of the skin for over ten seconds is something only the highest echelons of the clergy can do. You'll be more inclined to use a weapon like everyone else.
Four: The most advanced technology allowed at the start of this RP is TNT and gatling gun. The kind of gatling gun is more along the lines of a US civil war gatling than a Maxim for now. Due to the industrious nature of the RP, something like the Maxim can indeed be invented in the course of the RP and if time skips ever happen you can be sure they will show up.
Five: Do not be afraid to make names for areas and places i've neglected to mention, and feel free to make up strange civilizations for your explorer to explore or terrifying sea monsters to tear down some cargo ships.
Six: I will at times, as well as anyone else I allow to be a GM take control of indigenous life in some areas when someone explores to add a factor of chaos to the RP. Be warned.
Seven: NPC nations can't be directly controlled, rather their actions and individuals all are controlled by a player. Diplomatic meetings and all will work in this way.
Lore
Here's a large database of lore for the RP, it's an encyclopedia of sorts.
Bio:
And so, a fight broke out. As the law enforcers, the private racketeers working for the royal family, flooded the whole town square, searching for the man that harmed the preacher. Procceeding to punching one of these and stabbing another one with a pocket knife, Ethan ran off, and searched for safety among his own people - his friends, his older brother, a lumberjack living at the village outskirts. They all betrayed him. In such times, everyone wanted the gold the family offer, and they would do whatever it take to get it. Throughout the many places he went, he managed to recollect his pieces, and pick himself up. He shaked off the numbness, he sweeped his tears, and decided to keep his emotions for himself.
In the turn of events, Ethan packed up his things and took off for a land not ruled by the nobles, where his head wouldn't cost its weight in gold. Hatred filled his soul, and nightmares of his haunting parents tortured him at his sleep. He knew it, he had to avenge his parents. He had to. But could he? Probably no, because he was not even a full grown man yet. He had no place to retreat, no ally to stand by him, and no neightbour to spare him a rollbed to sleep at night. Because when your head is worth that much gold, not even your own friends can't resist the calling of their human greed. Day by day he walked inside the endless fields of crops, stealing bread from millers when he had the chance in order to maintain himself, in order to keep walking.
Walking day after day, week after week, hunted, chased, but finally, had it been weeks or even months, he reached a small town, under the name of Isamur. From what he has been told, he could recall that the town was only a gateway to the civillized kingdom, the kingdom far away from his homeland. A train station kept people and parcels up and going on a regular basis. He collapsed in front of the gates, falling unconscious, devastated from starvation, thirst and countless of days without a bit of sleep. He woke up to find himself hospitalized. Not by any town citizen of course, but by a group of monks, who brought him to the temple they resided. He stayed for some time there, most noticeably, eight years. Among the ranks of the monks, and amongst the company of such people, he found peace. He had time to rethink of his actions - what was right, what was wrong. No reason for violence, indeed, but what was done had been done. And he couldn't change it. Only throughout spiritual growth he finally overcome the troublesome visions of his dead parents - and he was now in peace.
Then something happened. Something, even nowadays, Ethan has a hard time to fully understand. The temple he lived in for the past ten years, crumbled out of sudden to dust. But noone died at all, as all monks that day had taken a trip to a lonely chapel, hidden within a forest, a couple of miles away from the temple. Was it coincidence? Noone could tell at all. By that time, the monks prayed to God for mercy, mercy to sins they hadn't commited, but were afraid that they would. They believed this was punishment. He couldn't believe this. He was an obedient follower, a real Jordanist, he had embraced peace, and now, this? Punishment, for what he has been all these years? No - this was too much to take. And so on, by the age of twenty seven, he took off again, this time towards the civillized lands deeper within their kingdom's territories.
The train station was the first place that came to his mind as a starting point. He boarded the first train that happened to pass by, and arrived some days later to the town of Kiomock. If there's one thing Ethan could say about Kiomock, is that, hell, that was some big town! Oh well, bigger to what he was used to. This wasn't a village or a sparsely populated dropout station. This place was a real child, a living, breathing creation of the industrial revolution. Factories booming with business, non-stop machines, working to produce product and noice, and the smell of timber being burned... it was all so new, so parthenic to him. But this image of his about this town, wouldn't last for long, or at least if that's what he remembers.
As the struggle for survival soon entook him, he knew that he had to find a job in order to survive. He couldn't possibly be a monk again, that was a part of his life he decided to end. He searched for employment at the heavy facilities. In the beginning, corporates swarmed around him, seeing that he is fresh meat, and was willing to work. So, he found a job in a textile industry. His job was simple - to secure the transport of the produced textiles to the local town tailors. This sounded so silly to him, why would they ever need a man for that job? Anyhow, he decided that it would do for now, as it provided him a salary, enough to keep him going.
It turned out for the worst. Oh, doesn't it always do so? During the first night, and during his first assignment which was to drop off a cart full of goodies to a shop just two squares away from the factory, he was attacked by thieves. You could tell that these guys were really poor. Their bodies were covered in torn clothes, their mouths were just blank open. They were three men. A man around his age, if he could tell it right, a boy probably to his age upon joining the monks, and a little boy. The bigger man charged at him with a knife, his face desperate for the parcel. Though, these guys couldn't assume that Ethan was not one of them. He was grown in the farms, his hands were strong, his body was well built. He was helping his father on the fields by gathering, stacking and trasporting the wheat and the rest of the crops to the mill, and that on a daily basis. He managed to overpower them, he fist pummeled the man and took the knife from him. As soon as the man collapsed to the ground, the other two ran off, scared. Ethan took the knife from the man, and left him there to recover.
Reconsidering what he had just done, he realized that he let violence take control of him, for once again. He didn't hesitate to counterattack the man. He didn't even think of the consequences, or what these poor boys have been through. He didn't want to think about it, until he requested to be paid the salary he was promised, by the end of the week. The guys at the desk pulled out a handful of pennies, and tossed them towards his side. "What are these?" he asked "where is the rest of them?". They replied in a cold, sober manner: "That's what you get, boy". It surely wasn't just that.
Oh? Are you sad? What are you gonna do, huh? WIll you tell the cops? Oh yeah, I forgot - we are the law here. There is nothing you can do about it, so screw off".
There was nothing he could do about it. He would starve once again to death, he would seek once again somewhere better to live, or he would end up just as the guys that tried to rob him. No. He had no alternative. He resigned, and left the factory. Using the knife he stole, he turned to robbery to get the necessary money to survive. Something he would have never though about in the past. As time passed, he managed to find another group of people, people that turned to such manners to survive and now try to shake them off, much like him. They appreciated his company, and so did he. He found a new place to call his own, by being given a small bedroom in an old town shack. At least he had somewhere to roll his head now, and not just the uncomfy bedrolls they were provided at the industry. Seeing that Ethan was hard, and strong, compared to the weakened citizens, they advised him that he turns into more serious business. Bodyguard business, mercenary business.
Sweet. At least he wouldn't be wasting his time, he thought. The idea seemed right to him. He was fitting for such a job here. The local upperclassmen looked for men like him, men that could offer their help in protecting something bigger and far more valuable than a cart full of textiles. Most noticeably, a local noble family by the name of Andrews, looked for someone to protect their cargo ships, which were transporting tea and other luxurious food products to all over the Drendel empire. The pay was good, and in involved spending your time on the seas. Ethan had never seen the sea before. But he had heard about it, throughout bedtime stories his mother used to tell him. About a bright blue wall of water, that reflected the light of the sun, "as if it was an extension to its own body". He had always dreamt about it, and now his dream would come true.
So, by the age of thirty one, he rolls on the Seashell Mermaid, a cargo ship transporting products between the lands. Years came and went, as he set his foot on lands and harbors he had never ever imagined of. Exploring a world different to his, an experience not even all the money in the universe could buy him. Pirates attacked from now and then, but he, personally, never engaged with the pirates. The huge, state of the art ship cannons, kept the threat away, at least for most of the time.
Nine years later however, during one of these, now routine, transport missions, the ship was attacked by a whole fleet of what seemed to be pirate ships. A hell lot of ships, organized in formations, trying to take down the Seashell Mermaid by ram butting on it, or even using cannons. As the threat was too big for a single ship to handle, Ethan, who managed to climb up the ranks of the crew, commanded the vessel to retreat, and return back home. As the ships surrounded them, and it became clear that they couldn't escape after all, Ethan believed that it was time to use violence, once again. But this time, it didn't have to do with an envy, or a personal problem - it had to do with the very real problem of survival.
The battle among the pirates and the cargo ship crew led by Ethan, is a story still spoken today by sailormen. Outnumbered, outgunned, they managed to kill three times more pirates that cannons would do only by picking them up with guns from point blank distances, as ships maneuvered in close call distances to achieve a better positioning. Since then, Ethan's fame grew among the Andrews family. He became one of the most reknown bodyguards, a true warrior, and above all else, he was a gun for hire. Which means instant interest into hiring him to protect all sorts of people and items.
Ethan is famous now. His reputation among the family and their lands is booming. Soon, he will be accepting other job offers, other opportunities to strive. He finally was complete. He was using the violence in him for a reason. He exorcized the demons from his past. But above all else, Ethan, finally found something he can call "his art". Something that seemed tailor made for him. Him and only.
Other:
Current age: 41
Equipment: Whip, Axe, Three Pistols holstered around his chest, waist and right leg, Musket hanging loose on a leather belt, Knife.
Other equipment includes leather vest, black leather boots, numerous pouches containing some trail rations, crouton, a pocket knife, some tie knots, dry tea, salt, a spoon, a knife and a fork.
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-.- Couldn't find a way to add eight revolvers, sorry for the dissapointment.
Bio:
A man of trains, industry and wealth. A prime example of the rising middle class within the Drendel empire! Descended from a long line of tall, charcoal haired men who are a pale white it is no surprise that when Augus when little had bronze brown hair his daddy thought the mommy cheated. The only similarities were his height and whiteness. The childhood of Augus despite the possibility of a disloyal wife was not all that bad, and Augus turned out to be quite the social person. While in the family he was always a but neglected despite being the oldest, outside of the family he was loved.
Driven by his ambition and love for trains, Dierdict spent his early life as a train station operator for the K&D Railroad Company and made a simple living when a adolescent, yert even when just a lowly train station operator he wanted to not just control one track. He wanted to control all of them. Due to the Dierdicts never really seeing him as “one of them”, Augus never grew that close to his family instead growing close to his fellow workers on the track instead. Yet, it was ironically his father who instilled the opportunistic attitude that Dierdict would go by when Dierdict was just a little kid.
With money he saved over the next five years, he spent his money buying books and learning from tutors when not a train operator. He focused much of his learning on engineering and the growing corporate world. He never was that interested in the history of things, and neglected history quite a bit. He could care less about the feudal world.
Through people he met on the town he met a upper middle classed and air headed man named Johnsel. Quite the airhead, he talked much business and strange ideas with Dierdict which intrigued Dierdict who listened to Johnsel’s odd ideas quite a bit. While Johnsel came from a richer family Dierdict did not feel intimidated by Johnsel, since Johnsel was quite short in height. Augus also met some ladies, but his relations with ladies were never really long lived- it was rare he would stick with any woman for more than a few months. One of these ladies would become Mrs. Dierdict.
When Augus was the age of eighteen, trains were only something used to transport cargo and workers to other places around the Drendland landmass and not for much else. This was something Auguse’s friend Johnsel did not get, for the horse and carriage method of travel was rather slow and Jonsel believed riding trains would be faster.
At the age of twenty and free from his rich partying parents, Johnsel Hansing with his wealth went on a foray to make “citizen cargo” for the common person to be in for transport- a cargo for civilians. Johnsel was laughed at by his parents, but he still went over with the cars and hired multiple workers to make the first citizen cargo cars which were really just modified versions of the cars used to transport workers. That meant they were gross, unsanitary and by no means something worth the high price given.
In spite of all this, Johnsel still started opening his railroad company he intuitively named “Johnsel’s Citizen Railroads”. It was a total disaster, and the sells were poorer than the conditions in the train and the cost of the failure of the first citizen transit was higher than even the cost a citizen was expected to pay for it. Johnsel got into serious debt at the age of twenty three, and was nearing the pain of eviction by the local landlord. Augus himself tried his friend's invention, and realized the flaws with it. In doing so, Augus wanted to try Johnsel’s idea himself seeing the potential of civilian transport by train.
After talking a debt filled Johnsel into letting Augus be part of his business, Augus went in and had a several carpenters, masons and artsy people go in and fancy up the few citizen cargo boxes Johnsel had. They added some rugs, comfortable chairs and some nice wood finishes to the inside of the cars along with some more places to store civilian luggage for those moving into the cities. Finally, Augus put the civilian cars on the track and let people go on for free- including the local lord Dremann. The free rides while still bumpy, showed a large improvement over the previous Johnsel made trains.
The local landlord, impressed by the new invention became a patron of Augus Dierdict- but didn’t do anything for Johnsel who got a low share of the grant in comparison to Augus. Dremann’s patronage helped immensely- it kept Dierdict from getting bought out by a larger company by force like the K&D Railroad Company earlier on. Early on the reigning two tycoons of the K&D Railroad Company, Kimiger and Detsche didn’t think much of this company ran by someone who was just a lowly worker for their company. They thought it but a fad and didn’t approach him.
Johnsel while in the dirt got only his debts paid off by Augus for the company, which was all Augus really did for his friend since Augus finally got what he has wanted since he was a kid- a company to build trains with and make all the monies. Johnsel despite technically being one of the major players dropped out of the company, since he believed Agus stole his idea and didn’t care much for money. Johnsel never replied to any of Augus’s invitations to group events and grew rather bitter.
Yet, in the next five to ten years Dierdict would only see success for the start company renamed to “Citizens Railroads” from the original “Johnsel’s Citizen Railroad” due to Johnsel’s drop out from the company and Dierdict feeling it unfair to name the company after himself after Johnsel’s dropping out. The first sets of tracks were short, but he would quickly gain more and more money that was invested into more trains, railroad tracks and land grants to build stations in new cities.
His breakout expansion caught his rivals by surprise, but when K&D Railroad Company Tycoons Kimiger and Detsche offered a vast sum of cash for the company, Dierdict denied the offer. Dierdict saw himself as the big dog now, even if there are the Nobles up above such as Lord Dremann who was a committed patron of Dierdict, as Dremann liked trains quite a bit too- in fact Dremann had his own private train just for himself decked in gold and luxury items- including a train toy set for the youngins.
What Dierdict did not realize was the K&D Railroad Company was still quite bigger than his, and the K&D Railroad Company started making passenger trains themselves and fast immediately after their failed attempt to buy Dierdict out. For the first time there was a serious competitor to his company.
Dierdict’s company, Citizen Railroads and the K&D Railroad Company would clash and vye for multiple different towns all across the Drendlands, constant expansion led to by industry, noble patronage and plain business. Mergers were never attempted, as the rivalry became bitter with reports of sabatoge and biased advertising campaigns to try to get ahold of towns and the rights to build into different areas of the Drendlands. Some areas neither side could touch, which lead to limits of space.
Dierdict did not know what to do- The K&D railroad company seemed to be winning the train race and even with everything Dierdict and his associates for the corporation have done there was a hard limit coming up fast.
But of all sources to save his company from stagnating, it came from an eccentric sailor who was the brother of one of the women Augus dated way back.
Conran Vesimer was a third generation in immigrant who is quite assimilated into Drendal culture from Crimiva who unlike what is typical of Crimivans took great interest in sailing as opposed to your typical Crimivan who is stereotypically seen as a gun worshipping fanatic. Conran met Dierdict at a social meeting hosted by a Archonist Duke who preached about the ideas of Archonism dangerously loud where Conran talked of the New World to Dierdict whom he recognized as one of his still single sister’s older boy friends.
The friendship would lead to two major things in Dierdict’s life- first would be that Dierdict would finally gain a wife, an old love of his and second would be a new corporate partner- Conran Vesimer. Conran reminded Dierdict of Johnsel a bit, but unlike Johnsel Conran was more aggressive and charismatic. Conran was sanctioned to do trips to the New world colony “Devil’s Fork” to bring out cargo and Dierdict saw an opportunity. He could expand his reigning enterprises overseas. A crazy plan, but one he took the risk on as he knew the K&D railroad company would overtake him if he didn’t take the risk.
Conran was promised to have control over the New World part of the company, and Conran accepted- as he had his own ideas for what to do when expanding into the New World. For at heart, he’s still Crimivan and to him this is an opportunity for himself. The expansion took a few years, but there was already smaller railroad companies there. Thankfully, none of them were that big and were all too willing to let themselves get bought out. Dierdict himself oversaw much of the New World company, but had to leave much of it to Conran since Dierdict wanted to keep a focus on maintaining the corporate on the motherland.
The New World imposed quite a few new challenges, such as the horrifying monsters who raided the trains. Normally the trains are just given spiked barriers, but this didn’t nullify the risk of monster attack. Conran did not like the status quo seen, as he wanted to expand the company for the company and by the company. After all, his sister was married to his boss. So Conrad looked to his cousins three times removed from Crimiva who were part of the military invading the new world in the North East. For his cousins were true to the soul Crimivans, and loved shooting things. Shooting things was needed, and his cousins he kept in touch with were interested in merc work in the New World. Things to shoot, giants to discover and tons of gold to gain- it was an offer Conran’s cousins took instinctively.
Dierdict couldn’t keep an eye on Conran and only got a report from the New World once a year, this gave Conran quite the freedom with expanding. Sanctioned by local landlords and using the men of bought out train companies to do the train track and car making work Conran spent his time plotting were to expand.
Aging, Dierdict needed to find who would succeed him. Conran wasn’t a good candidate since Conran wasn’t a train person, Dremann is even older than Dierdict and Dierdict’s son was still just eight since Dierdict only had children just eight years ago when he married Conran’s sister and his son doesn’t seem to like playing with toy trains, more the toy rifles. Currently Dierdict wants to go to the New world to see if any of the men under Conran can make a good candidate and Conran with his Cousins are investing in putting the recently invented chain gun on train cars to “defend” the trains.
What is next? Why, we shall find out!
Other: I can't help it, I keep writing needlessly long apps even if it's all word vomit. As a fun little fact I had a prototype version of my app written on paper before making the digitally written app. It’s much shorter than this app but I kept adding more and more to it since I just used the written version as a reference and not something to actually transcribe. He's around sixty years old currently.
NPC Nations
History: The vast Mubi Empire covers an area that once included many civilizations, from the copper spired city states along the northern rivers to the Alchastani frontier in the south. The Mubi people themselves came from the arid plains that stretch across the middle of the continent. Originally nomadic, the Mubi people fought over hunting grounds until they were united by a warlord named Markas, who declared himself Mansa, a word that means "King" in the Mubi tongue.
Though Markas is long gone, his empire remains. The current Mansa, Hojar II, claims decadency from the family of Markas's first wife, Mailiann. Modern technology has had little effect on their way of life, aside from the casual use of purchased firearms.
The Mubi are great horseman. They still fight in much the same way that the armies of Markas fought: using light infantry battalions made from the lower castes supported by large hosts of horseman made from the higher casts. The Mubi have included mounted riflemen into their numbers, but this has changed their methods very little.
History: The Oram Kingdom is a small nation situated in the central highlands of the West. It's people, the Orami, live simple lives as shepherds and farmers. The difficult terrain has saved it from invasions, allowing the Orami to live in relative peace. The mountains are rich in gold and iron, which has allowed the Orami to trade for whatever luxuries they might want. Mountain Elephants give them a source of ivory, which has become a popular export to the East
Though it is officially a kingdom, the King of Oram holds very little power. The tribes within the nation are largely independent, pledging weak oaths of fealty to the King while fighting amongst themselves over land and power.
Orami metalwork is popular in the west, especially in the form of ceremonial weapons and metalic vases with intricate gold and ivory designs. This has instilled a sense of fascination within the easterners regarding the dark skinned Orami and their culture.
Doko city states are the most frequent along the Northern coast, where the ancient copper-spired cities of a long forgotten civilization crumble around their new Doko inhabitants. These city states have taken up more complex ways in comparison to those in the center. The very few guns in use in the Doko lands can be found along this northern coast, in the armies of warlords wishing to carve a new kingdom.
The center of the continent is wild. Spices can be found here, and are often traded for beads and other trinkets. This part of the Doko land is the least known to the Easterners, with some of it being less explored then the new world to the south.
Alchastan /// Color: Lavender, West purple || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: The Alchastani civilization is old, and they revel in this fact. They still occupy the earliest cities built by their people, and many urban dwellers live in homes that were built four thousand years ago. This is supported in part by their long stretched tradition of city planning. The Alchastani cities started out as fortresses designed to defend against attacks by neighboring towns. These elaborate citadels typically included great mudbrick pyramids dedicated to their gods, while extra storage and living space was carved into the sandstone cliffs. These citadels remain at the center of their cities, though exploding population has caused them to grow past the original citadels, often causing cities so large that they contain multiple ancient citadels.
Traditional Alchastani war was based on fighting between warlords, who lead armies made primarily of nobles. These nobles would be required to provide their own armor and weapons. Ancient warfare for the Alchastani would typically involve the formation of shield walls, which would ram into each other until one broke. The unbroken force would then continue their assault more aggressively in order to create chaos. Once this was done, they themselves would break off and mop up the enemy forces. It was common for both sides to break, especially as technology shifted, causing one on one combat to become an integral part of the process.
This was changed with the introduction of firearms form the east, which ultimately caused Alchastan to come together under a single government. The old rivalries are still there, however, with each city competing with each other economically. This has caused them to be receptive of eastern industry, with factories sitting next to ancient monuments.
Currently the Alchastani people have been with their new found foreign technology and powerful military expanding rapidly in their continent, taking much more land from their native three peninsulas in the past hundred years than they have in the past thousands.
History: It was not long ago that Selesia ruled half of the East. The Casparian mountain range they call home has breed them into a hearty people, able to defend their homeland by using its crags and valleys to their advantage. In ancient history, their military had been made up of small militias trained to defend their locale, but the invention of the gun had a particular effect on their culture. The Selesian Kings developed a strong professional army, well drilled in the art of modern war. This allowed King Braunshweug, just one hundred years ago, to lead a campaign of conquest that nearly saw the Selesian people as rulers of the continent. The Selesians had an easy time conquering what they wanted, but they could not keep it. Revolt and resistance by the surviving powers eventually saw Selesia pushed back to its original borders.
Modern Selesia fails to live up to its prestigous history. The rough-terrained nation has not industrialized well, causing it to fall behind the other powers. Their military remains one of the most well trained in the world, but new weapons are quickly making their ways obsolete. Now they struggle to keep up with their neighbors as the world chugs forward into modernity.
History:
Culturally the Blanca are more religious, but use the same religion Drendel does of Jordinism. Their lands are where the religion originates, and they also have the papacy. They have placed the papacy in the north in a isolated city state where the auroras gleam brightly called "Nordlys". The Archbishops of the Drendal empire, Blanca empire and more show up here every other year to discuss the state of things and what can be done from a religious view point.
A powerful maritime empire like the Drendal, but they are much more strict when it comes to power still having an borderline absolute monarch. A middle class does exist in their folds, but it doesn't get the freedom the Drendal middle class does when it comes to making corporations, only letting nobles make corporations.
Being a nation of boat people, they are very much about maintaining a strong navy. It's in their tradition ever since they conquered the eastern islands through naval power. They have pioneered the use of iron hulled ships and pride themselves off sea monster slaying. For this reason they have a very strong navy, one at a similar strength to the Drendal.
Currently they have been in a protracted conflict with the Alchastanis and taking over the new world from the large peninsula. The heat in those regions compared to the tundra north has made conditions hard for their soldiers going up against an enemy with not only the home advantage, but industrial power on their side as well.
History: United just a hundred years ago from three empires, their big uniting factor being a new religion known as Vylism and their obsession for guns. They invented the first handheld rifles, and in the conflicts pre-unity Crimivans would be constantly in a state of war with chivalry and gunmen. The power of the guns reminds Crimivans of a lightning strike, and they would continue a tradition of gun crafting for their smiths. Crimivan mercenaries and gunsmiths are not uncommon.
The government system Crimivans use is a military dictatorship. They conscript peasants into their armies with a good amount of people being gunsmiths. This system has led to military coups in the past, but the fundamental order of the government hasn’t changed due to the sheer effectiveness of their tradition when it comes to mass warfare. Their officers keep a strict grip on their conscripts, and use brutality and honor to keep them in line. Their military beliefs has made them a very stratocratic empire, with the belief power and passion are the two defining factors of own’s superiority. People who don’t do military are either peasants or smiths, who are the majority of the Crimivan empire.
The Crimivans, even with their military prowess regularly suffer from famines, debt, and poor infrastructure due to their pursuit of power. Nationalism is a common force in Crimivan lands, and the demand for food and power has made them all the more expansionist, fine with even the new world since they see it as a honor to kill the terrifying beasts that exist there. Their navy is also not that impressive, used to ship people over seas much more than engage enemy ships in direct combat. To make up for these lacks, the Crimivans have been invading former lands of the Valaisan colony in the new world with their guns and steel.
Cheriscian Confederation /// Color: Orange || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: It was nearly five hundred years ago that ambassadors from this collection of Blancan coastal city states and republics met in the splendid city of Cherisco to form loose confederation in order to protect themselves from the growing power of the neighboring nations. At their height, shortly after the creation of the confederation, the Cheriscian Confederation rivaled the Blanca and Drendel in terms of regional power. These days are long over, but the ancient beauty of the Cheriscian cities still remain. Even as their galley-based navy finds itself long outdated against the new ironclads, the Cheriscians maintain their wealth due to their wine-rich country and unparalleled banks. The importance of Cheriscian banking has kept the nation from being invaded, while its neutrality has made it a popular place to visit for people of all nations.
For foreign visitors, the Cheriscians seem stuck in time. Their nobles live careless lives, dueling with decorated rapiers over matters of honor, or over the hearts of young girls, while merchants peddle artisan wares that harken back to a time before industrialization was even a twinkle in the eye of the civilized world. Many wealthy Drendel make sure to have apartments in their favorite Cheriscian cities for when they want to travel.
Duchy of Flenn /// Color: Dark purple || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: The red haired Flennish left their rocky green isle in the dark ages and embarked on a serious of violent raids and conquests. They retained very little of what they took, but the effects of their culture sent an echo across the eastern continent. New ways of steel working were introduced by them, as were the sturdy ironwood sail ships that bore them to their targets.
Modern Flenn is a different sort of place. Their land is poor in resources, forcing their small population to subsist on a diet of fish and whatever plants they can get to grow in their rocky soil. Though ruled by a Duke, the title is not hereditary. Each village elects an Archon to rule it, and when the old Duke dies a council of the Archons is held, where a new duke is elected from their number. Modern political theorists throughout the world have began to praise this model as being the inspiration for an ideal government.
Though poor, the Flennish military and navy is capable of holding it's own. They have began to experiment with the iron-clad craze that has taken hold of the Eastern world, though the lack of metal available too them has made the process slow.
Newland Republique /// Color: Baby Blue || Contributed by: Viliageidiotx
History: When the Valaisian's abandoned their mission to colonize the new world, not everyone left. Many preferred the wide open freedom of the new world and wished to create their own life. For the first few hundred years, there was no unifying government in the area, and most colonies fended for themselves. People began to rely on each other in order to survive in the difficult environment they found themselves in. The smaller settlements took up the communal style of living often found in native society, sharing food and deciding how to use their resources as a group. Each person took when was necessary to survive from their crops and gave the rest to the community, where it would be divied out to those who needed it. The excess would be traded to neighboring settlements for whatever goods they could get. Trade decisions, as well as most legal or political decisions, were made at weekly town hall meetings where every adult person who belonged to the community and showed up would be given a vote on the matter. This turned many court cases into glorified lynch mobs, but this was accepted as part of the rough nature of frontier life.
Though technically independent, all of the settlements have banded together to form an informal Republic, where each settlement votes on two representatives and sents them to wherever the Republic has chose to hold Congress. Originally, no settlement or colony was required to go along with congressional decisions, but this has changed to some degree with the passing of the Wilefrie Declaration, where an informal military was created when most of the colonies agreed that any colony that did not send military aid during a crisis could be considered an ally of the enemy and treated accordingly. Their militias are very informal and poorly drilled, but they make up for this through their knowledge of the countryside and ability to conduct warfare on minimal supplies.
Known information: The discovery of the Blemmyes tribes baffled scientists. It would be years before a specimen could be brought to the laboratories of the old world to be studied. Though the layout of their body makes them less easy to kill thanks to the thick ribcage that protects all of their organs, it has left them with smaller, weaker brains. Indeed, the Blemmyes seem only barely capable of language at all. Those who have encountered live ones describe them as aggressive creatures with guttural, flapping voices and horrible breath. Anatomists note that the last two facts are likely due to the proximity of their mouth to the rest of their digestive system. There is little sexual dimorphism in the species, with both maintaining the same body shape and females having small teets on their bellies instead of breasts.
Distribution: Mostly in Unexplored region of the New World, a few declining communities in the frontiers of Newland.
Known Information: There is little difference between Patagons and regular men aside from their height. The Patagons are typically ten to eleven feet tall, with the tallest in their number reaching fourteen and fifteen feet. They seem to be capable of the same level of thought as regular men, though they struggle with the more complex aspects of human speech. The Patagons make great warriors due to their strength, but are willing to trade with colonists. They are known for eating raw meat and wearing the untreated furs of their kills, which gives them a gruesome appearance. This, combined with unverified stories of male Patagons breaking into frontier cabins at night and committing fatal rapes, have caused distrust of Patagons among colonists, who seek to drive the giants as far away as possible. The invention of the gun has made this easier, though it is known that Patagons can often take more bullets then the average man.
Distribution: Mountainous regions of the New World. Virtually extinct in colonized areas.
Known Information: The Windershins are one of the most frightening humanoids found in the new world. Unlike other humanoids, the Windershin is not a social creature, and it is rare to see two together, except during mating season. They are predatory beasts, as willing to eat other humanoids as they are to prey on other animals. Aside from being a danger to people, they are also known to slaughter livestock where they can find them. The Windershin's hands are clawed, allowing them to slash and stab their prey. They are very aggressive and will continue an attack until they have been slaughtered. Those who have sighted them have claimed that they like to stick to dark places whenever possible, and prefer to attack at night. They have a knack for moving silently, though they make a guttural clucking sound when preparing to attack. Though mostly hairless for most of the year, they grow a coat of thin white hairs during the winter which they shed when spring comes. Occasionally they wear furs for warmth, especially on cold days, but most of the year they wear nothing, a fact that has allowed those who have seen them to report that they share the same secondary sexual characteristics as humans, with the exception of hair patterns.
Distribution: Dotted throughout the New World. Most common in the wilderness, but still found in even civilized places.
Known information: A curious water-dwelling odity that can traverse large distances through a combination of leaping and gliding. Herbivorous variants have chisel-shaped bills and large wings to facilitate travel over the land between tributaries. Carnivorous variants have spear-like beaks and smaller wings to facilitate diving onto smaller fish and small mammals living on the shore. Colonists are advised to observe the behavior of this creature. A school leaping to another part of the river is a sign of nearby predators.
Distribution: The rivers of the southern continent.
Known information: These predatory crustaceans are known to grow up to the size of a house cat, a fact that, combined with the potent venom they carry on the back of their tails, makes them a danger to humans as well as animals. They only ever threaten humans when cornered, or when people get too close to their nests. Their meat is considered a delicacy in many of the regions they can be found, especially when marinated in a sauce made from their venom, which can be dangerous for people with open wounds in their mouths.
Distribution: Western Continent, western portion of the Eastern Continent.
Known information: Arsines are brutish beasts of burden endemic to the plains of the Western Continent. They are difficult to domesticate, so they are rarely used in anything aside from heavy construction projects, or as walking towers in battle. The Arsine is commonly hunted, most often by large teams as they are difficult to bring down. When killed, the Arsine's body is a commodity. It's thick skin is a source of tough leather that can be crafted into a sturdy armor, while the massive horns on its head are a good source of ivory.
Distribution: Plains and dry areas of the Western Continent.
Known information: Dwindling in number, Mammoths roamed most of the Northern Hemisphere. They are now only found in the remote tundras in the North of the Eastern Continent. Their herds have suffered from over hunting due to their prized ivory, as well as the popularity of mammoth fur for clothing or rugs. Legends tell of ancient empires riding the beasts into battle, but this is unheard of in the modern era.
Distribution: Northern bits of the Eastern Continent.
Other examples of such individuals have been found in the historical texts of multiple nations and extinct cultures, with the conclusion that these is god in human form and the dualistic beliefs of Jordinism are wrong since no two of these such individuals appear at the same time. A lot of this belief comes from the modern prophet who died over a hundred years ago, Vylash who was at first a historian who had a epiphany that led to the rise of the Vylistic faith. Taking from older, more pagan beliefs the Vylist believes in a spiritual hierarchy where god is at the top, and animals at the bottom. In between humans and god, there are giants in the sky.
Vylism as a belief is most common in Crimiva, but there are minorities in other places who do believe in Vylism, especially in Selesia.
Here's the fact sheets for people who want to make some lore.
Strange Creature/Monster factsheet-
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Known information:
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Other things fact sheet-
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Player app sheets will also be going into the lore section, meaning you will be contributing to the world building regardless of what you do.
A big bulky man carries a unreasonably massive sack of rosafruit to the shed. At the shed, with just one of his hands he pries open the door and slams it shut behind him. He sits himself down on a hay bale in the hut and smells the place. It smells like crap and rot, which was either coming from the mildew in the pantry or the many jars of pickled rat-things on the shelves. Ugly as they were, they manage to taste a palatable flavor and are one of the few things in this new world that is known for certain to be edible.
After sitting for a bit, he gets back up, grabs the sack and twists open the recently widespread doorknob that leads to his pantry. Inside the pantry are other sacks of rosafruit, kept in barrels labeled “for wine” in crude oily black paint textured by reddish oak tree planks that make up the barrel. As the hulking man dropped in another bag of rosafruit, he suddenly came to a revelation when seeing the barrel was full. He has absolutely no idea how to make wine.
[[This post is mainly filler to bump topic. I'm outlining the story arc that will explain what this random fool has to do with anything and how it will lead into more prevalent and interesting subjects.]]