[Forum Game] Master of the Galaxy IV-2: Return to the Unknown

[Galren]

Uksugan Senate Campaigns of 3795 (An. 46)
​

The biggest issue for Senators facing reelection this year is Uksugu's response to the Jabos Crisis and the direction of how Uksugu approaches confrontations in foreign relations. Many parties in Uksugu have promised that they will make sure Uksugu stands up for itself and its allies in the future. With the bungled response to Jabos, the ruling Progressive Party* looks to be focusing most of its efforts on defending its seats from other parties' challengers.

For the Conservatives, running against the Progressives is seen as safe since they are currently in a coalition with the Progressives. If the Conservatives win seats from the Progressives, that's a win because more seats for the party is always good. If the Progressives are able to defend their seats, that's still a win because that preserves the coalition. The only problem is that the Social Democrats are also gunning for these seats, and the Conservatives have to watch the fact they may be splitting the votes in areas where the Social Democrats have a good chance of flipping the seat.

The Social Democrats are pressuring the Progressives with both their response to the Jabos crisis as well as the proposed Foreign Business Credit Bill. Their criticism of the bill is based on the idea that the Foreign Business Credit Bill will not have many positive impacts for many lower income and middle class Uksugans. Instead, the benefits will mostly go to foreign businesses who get to pocket tax cuts. Social Democrats are making the argument that both Progressives and Conservatives should not be in power if they cannot competently manage both foreign relations and the economy. Their appeal will mainly lie in areas of Uksugu where people are doubting the competence of the government and also where Social Liberal style economics is popular.

Self-Reliance always had it's fiery anti-Republican League and anti-PGC rhetoric, but this year it seems to be more intense after the Jabos Crisis. They want Uksugu to stand up for itself, but at the same time Self-Reliance wants to still withdraw from both the League and the PGC. There aren't enough Uksugans who would prefer isolationism in the competetive seats this year though, and Self-Reliance is expected to stay around the same number of seats.

For the other minor parties in Uksugu (Equality, Social Equity, and United Workers), there isn't really a desire in Uksugu to see radical reform of government. These parties aren't appealing enough to be competitve in the elections and are expected to maintain their current seats.

*The Progressive Party does not even have the plurality of seats in the Senate currently. Instead, it's basically in a coalition with the Conservatives, with both parties having a similar number of seats. The coalition is led by the Progressives because they have the current president.

 

[Scrapknight]

((

Note to Spectators: The Manje Confederacy is now open. Given that it's turn 2 and they did not really interact with other states, I may be open to retconning them in favor of something else, but would rather not, and your signup would need to be very impressive to convince me to do so. Please don't post about it in-thread, but PM me or contact me on IRC for details. A player taking Manje as-is will generally receive priority over a new signup.

As you were. Another reminder that orders are due today, at 11 PM PST.

))

 

[King50000]

The Imperial Family of the Terran Empire​

Residing at the Summer Palace in the heart of Gozo, the Imperial Family is the single most controversial institution in the Empire, and as such its members are the center of attention for both its politics and media.

His Imperial Majesty George II Mitoff, Emperor of the Terrans (43)
​

The boy that would eventually become the Emperor of the Terrans was born simply as George Mitoff Jr, the son of Red Army General George Mitoff. Because of his rather humble origins, George II’s history as a child is rather unknown. What is known is that following the successful end of the rebellion against the People’s Republic, and the crowning of his father as Emperor, the now Grand Prince was sent away to a private boarding school to maintain the privacy of his childhood, an act that would be carried on by George II for his own children. While at boarding school, it is said Grand Prince George excelled at everything he did, proven true by his graduating towards the top of his class academically and playing multiple sports at the same time.

Following graduation, the Grand Prince shocked the Empire when it was announced that he would abide by the state’s mandatory military service policy and join the ranks of the Armata as a conscript, rather than use the innumerable deferments available to legally keep him out of the conscription. While many amongst the nobility and Senate were aghast at the thought of the Empire’s young heir serving such a role, his father, Emperor George, was found to be thrilled and fully supportive of his son’s decision. After finishing his initial training (under supervision by members of the Gwardja), the Grand Prince was assigned, much to his chagrin, to serve as a junior aid to the Armata’s General Staff, a compromise decision made by the Emperor to placate the concerns of the Constitution Party.

After his four year service was completed, and after gaining knowledge on the inner workings of the Militari and its generals, the Grand Prince decided upon a return to academia by enrolling at the prestigious B'kara University. Studying Economics and Political Science, the Grand Prince would eventually graduate near the top of his class, but not before gaining a reputation as a party animal and womanizer struggling in his classes. It would not be until meeting his future wife, halfway through his time at university, that the Grand Prince would finally begin to collect himself and focus on his studies.

Upon graduating, and after taking a short period to go on his honeymoon, the Grand Prince took part as a member of the Terran diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Lamia. After only a few short years, however, he was recalled back to Malat to ascend the throne following his father’s abdication. Since then Emperor George II has remained a popular, if not controversial, monarch amongst the Terrans, due in large part to his personal attempts to fight corruption within the bureaucracy and improve both the economy and military through strengthening ties with the Lamians.

Her Imperial Majesty Diana Mitoff, Empress of the Terrans (42)
​

Born Diana Sidney, the Empress of the Terrans comes from surprising origins considering her current station. Born as the only child of Reginald Sidney, a prominent member of the Freedom Party, Diana was raised almost from birth to fight against the injustices and corruption of the Empire and its ruling elite. In pursuit of this goal, Diana was studying for her Juris Doctorate when she met her future husband, the at the time Grand Prince George. Diana loathed the Grand Prince and everything he, supposedly, stood for from the very beginning and repeatedly rebuffed his romantic advances, one of the only women to do so.

Those who were close to him at the time have said that the Grand Prince became head-over-heels for this strong-willed woman almost instantly, and that this was the turning point in his time at university. Attempting to prove that he wasn’t what the Freedom Party claimed he and his father were, the Grand Prince began going to fewer and fewer parties and to focus more on his studies, while still trying to gain the respect and attention of the woman capable of refusing his advances. While at first unchanging in her opinion of him, Diana eventually began to see him in a different light when he began coming to her tutoring sessions for a few of his pre-law classes.

Now forced to actually interact with him, Diana found out that they had a great many views and interests in common (outside of what they viewed the Empire’s government should look like), and a begrudging friendship formed that eventually turned into a romantic relationship, culminating in their marriage shortly after they both finally graduated. Diana would then join her new husband as part of the Empire’s diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Lamia, herself as a liaison for the Ministry of Justice, until their return for his coronation as Emperor. Since then, Empress Diana has remained an influential voice within the Justice Ministry for eliminating corruption and restricting the power of the nobles’ patronage networks. And although they constantly argue over his conservative views on the government and her lingering ties to the Freedom Party, it is said by insiders that they truly love each other and have worked together to raise their children and rule the Empire.

Grand Princess Milena Mitoff, heir apparent to the Terran Empire (18)​

Grand Princess Milena Mitoff is the eldest daughter of George II and Diana, and the heir apparent by the virtue of her being their first-born child. Like her father, Milena attended a private boarding school to keep her childhood away from the public eye as much as possible. Graduating this past year, Milena is known to have been a diligent student, like both her parents, and was a member of multiple sports clubs, like her father. It is said that Milena maintained a very serious demeanor both on and off the court/field, and was never an avid fan of goofing off or joking around.

While it was expected she would follow in her mother’s footsteps and go straight into secondary education upon graduation, many were shocked when it was announced Milena had decided to follow her father’s steps instead. Milena has been enrolled in the Terran War College after successfully passing the Officer Selection Board, and is will be pursuing a course of study in hopes of eventually joining the Gwardja’s General Staff.

Grand Prince Nathaniel Mitoff (14)​

The second-born child of George II and Diana, Grand Prince Nathaniel is the only male child of the Imperial couple. Like his father and older sister, Nathaniel has attended a private boarding school in order to remain away from the Empire’s paparazzi. Unlike his father and older sister, Nathaniel has tended to shy away from most physical activities, focusing instead on his academics and more mental and knowledge based clubs.

While his older sister, Grand Princess Milena, was acknowledged as next in the line of succession following their father and then announced as the heir apparent upon his ascension to the throne, there are whispers of rumors amongst the nobility and some members of the Senate of bypassing her for the throne upon the Emperor’s death, and instead presenting the throne to Nathaniel instead. These rumors have been denounced as mere conspiracy theories by those brave, or foolish, enough to even acknowledge them, and it is common knowledge that Nathaniel has a close relationship with his sister.

Grand Princess Adele, left, and Grand Princess Asia, right (11)​

The Grand Princesses Adele and Asia are fraternal twins and the youngest children of the Imperial couple. Like their older sister and brother, Adela and Asia have attended a private boarding school, together, to keep their childhoods private. Though twins, Adela and Asia have drastically different personalities: Adele has often been described as “an energetic bunny” and always making new friends, while Asia tends to be the shy introvert that would rather stay indoors and read. Regardless of these polar opposite personalities, the two have been inseparable since birth and try to do as much together as possible, including playing practical jokes on their older siblings when the whole family is together.

 

[Scrapknight]

An. 46
"KNOCK KNOCK" - Thrice​

Republic of Baekdu:

Colonization efforts in the Jageunsong system, essentially barren barring fields of asteroids, were essentially finished this year. As part of a deal cut with the State of Francia, further military development of the system ceased, with troop presence and defensive platforms halted at their current levels, and much of the remaining space was replaced with solar farms. Liberals groused at why the government cut such a deal at all, given Francia’s lack of leverage, but everything was completed up to spec by the end of the year.
(Colonization of Jageunsong: Complete)

On Yuhwa, the government doubled down on colonization efforts, working to clear some of the massive jungles near the settlements to reduce outbreaks of disease and increase land available for development. Permits were doubled in number, and by year’s end the budding colony had a population of over three million, very large for a world so early in its development. The Peuleunsae were hunted for food as they were driven out of the flower-filled environments they preserved, with the deadly attacks stopping but environmental groups beginning to raise concerns. Regardless, the colony progressed on pace, making up for the rocky start and putting it on a path to regular administration within a few years.
(Colonization of Yuhwa: 2 of 4)


???
(Secret Project: 1 of 2)


Adrallan Oligarchy:

While the Oligarchy had a massive propaganda victory on Kopelis and effectively seized the system for themselves, the actual work of colonization was a fair bit harder. Before the Terrans were rounded up and placed in the stockades, they significantly hampered production of terraforming equipment, which their forced labor could only partially replace. Progress was significantly set back, with the disruption of control from the colonial authorities to temporary military governance impeding further development. With everything said and done, while Adrallan control of Kopelis was firmly entrenched at least de facto, actual progress on the colony was negligible. Adrallan authorities estimated it would be another two years before the planet would be fully suitable for unassisted Montdorian life.
(Colonization of Kopelis: No progress, 1 of 3)

The Oligarchy had better luck when they tried again in the Cestus system, bringing proper winter insulation and other adaptations that their trials on Kopelis helped them to perfect. There would be no freezing to death and threats of cannibalism this time around. As the initial settlement parties of 600,000 Montdorians braved the frozen deserts of Cestus Prime, they were able to get the old research stations from last year working again, and settled in to the usual difficulties of colonial life rather than abject desolation. Adrallan officials placed the terraforming of Cestus Prime on a similar scale to that of Kopelis.
(Colonization of Cestus: 1 of 3)

Relacey’s close confidants characterized him as significantly more paranoid in the months after the failed attempts on his life, and one of the ways in which this manifested was his massive expansion of the role and powers of the Internal Security Bureau. Previously a little-known counterintelligence agency that personally reported to the Triumvirate, the new ISB was given a massive budget and significantly more power to hunt down any and all internal enemies of the Oligarchy. ISB agents spiriting away Montdorians in the dead of night for interrogation became more and more common, which created some discontent but most accepted the logic that “the innocent have nothing to fear.” The ISB, initially led by an official from the Cultural Pillar named Beunia Heivia, quickly and brutally cracked down on revanchist cells across the Oligarchy. First, the particular cell responsible for the assassination attempt on Relacey’s life was thoroughly purged, with their executions being broadcast live across the Oligarchy. Everyone was sure, however, that more purges were to follow.


Kingdom of Lamia:

The colonization of the ice world of N-471 continued to proceed quickly with minimal problems, hitting a population of two million by year’s end. Lamians, not a people generally used to the cold, seemed to prosper on this new world, with a gold strike of minimal economic but large propaganda value fueling immigration and development of the planet. All seemed set to finish the initial stages of development by the end of next year.
(Colonization of N-471: 2 of 3)

Much the same could be said about the forest moon of G-922. Cities were springing up all over the planet, the bipedal bear-creatures were kept at bay with electric fencing, and the planet began to hum and glow with civilization. Nobody could complain about progress, and like its sister world of N-471, it would be suitable for general settlement by the end of next year.
(Colonization of G-922: 2 of 3)

The Lamians rolled out huge investment packages to their fellow TFOP signatories, specifically Francia, the Terran Empire, and the Storm Kingdom, in a goodwill measure called the Euthenia Initiative, designed to build up the economies of fellow signatories. Unfortunately, rollout could charitably be called a “mixed bag.” While the Terran Empire accepted the money willingly and graciously, being bound even closer to Lamia as still more Lamian corporations and credits flowed in, in Francia and the Storm Kingdom results did not go nearly as well. The Franks, having an economy about 80% as large as Lamia’s with a comparable population, largely didn’t need Lamian funds, and Lamian companies were often outmaneuvered and outmatched by better-equipped domestic counterparts. The Storm Kingdom was a better environment for investing, the Lamians effectively utilizing the cheap labor it provided and outmuscling domestic competition, but there was domestic political backlash as several budding native capitalists floundered under superior Lamian production techniques and business strategy. Some more funds were earmarked for foreign political parties, which played out to various degrees of success but produced no earth-shattering results. With a success in South Terran, a failure in Francia and a pyrrhic victory in the Storm Kingdom, the Initiative indisputably did one thing: it earned the leader of the Nationalist Party a strict dressing-down from the King about fiscal responsibility.
(-$2.3B GSTC from Lamia;
Growth boost and more unrest to the Storm Kingdom;
Growth boost to Terran;
Other knock-on effects)


Federated States of Azeratii:

The colonial project in the B-505 system, officially named Saratov by the Azeratiian government, was completed before the end of the year. Seismic interruptors reduced earthquakes to a manageable level, and the planet, while still having areas with sauna-like temperatures, was mostly fit for unassisted human habitation. Settlers began flocking in, and the area became a normal Federal State by the end of the year.
(Saratov colonization: complete)

Citing tension with the Oligarchy over the Kopelis debacle, the Azeratiian government decided to give its military improvements another shot, despite the loss of the battleship Potemkin. The experimental engine from last year was taken back to the drawing board, outfitted with a large new cooling system to reduce overheating, dialed back in power significantly, and a working prototype was affixed to a cruiser by year’s end. Next up would be the rollout of armor designs and shield capacitors that were mostly developed last year, and would be deployment-ready by the next. (Military tech to Good: 1 of 2)

Azeratii went to the polls in An. 46 as well. Most observers expected another win for the CSA, solidifying its deep connection with the Azeratiian state, and they were not disappointed. The Imperial Restoration Party did better than most expected, staving off falling to fourth-party status, thanks in some part to Lamian funding, but it was far from the restorationist landslide hoped for in Corinth. Ironically, the IRP’s modest gains hamstrung the Coalition much more than they hindered the CSA, as a split in the conservative vote meant that it would be harder to secure seats for right-wing parties. While reduced to a plurality in the Senate, relying upon the Communist Party for a hypothetical majority, the CSA retained its majority in the Duma, albeit a very narrow one, and, of course, dominated the Council of Trade Unions. Premier Alexeev, the CSA candidate for Consul, won easily, sweeping aside her opponents and taking the top job. Despite the Kopelis debacle damaging the CSA’s reputation to a degree, the An. 46 election was largely a vote for stability and continuity, something the Federated States desperately needed.


Tasavalta:

Flush with a little extra budgetary space after defunding the PGC, Tasavalta decided to put its money to use elsewhere. That somewhere, chosen in a bitter planet-wide vote, happened to be the Syndicalist Internationale. The Internationale has been characterized as another pole of galactic power, similar to the Republican League, the Organization of Meritocratic States, and more recently the TFOP, but this is something of a mischaracterization; the Internationale is, principally, a union of parties and organizations rather than states. Most of the Celtic Republic’s political parties with representation, given their syndicalist nature, have representation, but no other state fully supported the Internationale outright. This changed rapidly with Tasavalta’s participation, and despite loud protests from Totalists in the Celtic Revolutionary Party, the Baekduan International Party and others, Tasavalta itself effectively gained observer status in the Internationale. This brought great debate to the about whether Tasavalta was a “real” syndicalist state, given that it democratically managed most parts of the economy but had few real labor unions as known in Celtia to speak of, but not only did it push Tasavalta towards the syndicalist sphere, it also helped push Syndicalists towards Tasavalta.

Motivated by their recent spike in international prominence, devoted Tasavaltans calling themselves “citizen-workers” set off for a mysterious destination: the Xarti system, designated a “forbidden zone” by the Adrallans and the last real sector of uncharted space in the Harthus Galaxy. The idea was to set up utopian farming communities where the purest believers in the Revolutionary Creed could live purer lifestyles, a sort of “true connection to the revolution” that the increasingly bureaucratized, urbanized metropole could not offer. Secretly planted among them were many Shufalenkun, religious zealots hoping for the return of the old Imperial line, who wanted to escape the crushing influence of the mainland as well. Colonization ships phased into the system and spotted a remarkable thing: a totally unclaimed, untamed gaia world, more beautiful and bountiful than even Yuhwa and perfect for human habitation. Celebration was frenzied and immediate among the colonists, but not for long. Mysterious plumes of blue light shot up from the planet all the way out into low planetary orbit, incinerating many ships but leaving a few standing to make planetfall. They, now split about evenly between citizen-workers and Shufalenkun, were greeted by an old Tasavaltan male upon planetfall.

Calling himself “The Hermit” and claiming that this was “his” planet, he asked for their intentions and, upon learning they were there to settle, permitted them to stay on the condition that they could never leave the planet’s surface again. The colonists, mostly seeking to escape their homeland anyway, agreed to the offer for the most part; the rest were allowed to leave without incident. Over time, the Hermit, and his incredible technology that seemed to convert light into mass, helped the colony develop incredibly quickly, with small, bountiful farms mostly operational by the end of the year. When asked who he was, he claimed variously to be the last prince of the Shufalen and an exiled revolutionary, depending on who was asking; his magnetic voice ensnared all who heard it, and many of the isolated Shufalenkun communities began openly worshipping him as the true returned Emperor. When the homeworld sent ships to contact them, however, they were incinerated by the same beams of blue light, and the cruiser escorting them was lost without a trace; thereafter, the colonists’ radios and ansibles began to fail for unknown reasons, and communication with the metropole became difficult to at times impossible. As worried Tasavaltans began to spread the word of the “lost citizens,” the greater galaxy began to wonder: Just who was the Hermit, anyway?

(Xarti Colonization: Complete (low population))
(-1 cruiser)


Uksugan Federation:

Looking for new places to colonize, and learning the lesson of Kopelis well, the Federation sent a scouting party of 5 cruisers and 30 frigates to the Raguel system. They quickly discovered the cause of their previous expedition’s demise: a nest of security drones orbiting the planet that quickly dismantled the unarmed colonial ships and scouts sent to it last year. The fleet engaged them in an open battle, mowing them down by the hundreds, but faced a unique problem. No matter how they would destroy, new drones would shoot out of the planet’s atmosphere, and the thick toxic clouds above Raguel Prime made bombing whatever - or whoever - was launching them an impossibility. After engaging for months at a time with no end in sight, the expedition gave up, on their way out plotting a safe course through the system out of drone sensory range. The Uksugans gathered what observational data they could and left the mysterious “Drone Planet” for the time being.

Oddly enough, the governmental Ministry of Industry saw robotics as a potential field of growth for Uksugu, inviting foreign companies to set up shop with tax incentives and offers of lucrative partnerships with existing Uksugan robotics firms, the most advanced in the galaxy. Curious military planners and civilian robot manufactures streamed in, competing vigorously for state-corporate partnerships. The success of this policy, coupled with criticisms of the statist nature of the bill itself, birthed the Foreign Business Credit Bill, offering a standard program of ta cuts instead of FDI. Heavy-handed investment and pursuit of FDI was an unusual choice for an economy as advanced as Uksugu, but economists noted a glut of labor in the Federation and thought that relatively less advanced foreign companies could put people to work. This, too, was in large part a great success. Various minor parties hammered the FBCB, especially for its politically unwise choice of name, but nobody could deny it got results.
(Large GDP growth bonus this turn)

As in Azeratii, Uksugu went to the polls. While some pundits predicted a big loss for the Progressive-Conservative coalition, as the aphorism goes, “it’s the economy, stupid,” and the FBCB was just the economic spike Uksugu needed to prevent a Social Democratic takeover of the Senate. In fact, the Progressives outperformed expectations by a large margin, losing seats to both the Social Democrats and Conservatives and were indeed reduced to third-party status in the Senate, but many expected a total loss for the coalition, so the Progressives took victories where they could get them.


Celtic Republic:

The Celts, watching Albion’s aggressive moves against the Pure State and fearing retaliation, decided to invest more into their elerium program, with the eventual intent of developing a regular missile-based capability instead of relying on much riskier, smaller ship-mounted devices. Given the size of its economy, the Republic was only a few years away from a genuine elerium missile system, but large advances in containment and processing would have to be made first. The reactors needed would also be very useful for civilian purposes, and the energy unions claimed they’d have functional elerium power plants for civilian use within a few years.
(Elerium Program: Elerium Energy, 1 of 3)


Educational reform continued as well, with the government this time focusing on improving the CR’s adult educational programs. In a society where union protections and restriction granted workers incredible levels of job security, those who did get fired or whose industries could not sustain themselves were nigh-on social pariahs, often disenfranchised (or underrepresented at minimum) and unable to make sustainable futures. The reforms aspired to fix this by expanding retraining programs for old and unemployed adult workers so they could continue to participate in society, and early signs looked encouraging. Labor productivity was forecasted to rise significantly as a result of the government’s hard work.
(Education to Good: Complete)

Like in Uksugu, the Celtic people went to the polls in An. 46, in this case to select their Uachtaran. Unlike in the Labor Council, the Uachtaran elections were conducted by single transferrable vote, with anyone, union member or otherwise, able to vote. There were four major-party candidates: incumbent Niahm Bray of the Reformed Celtic Syndicalist Party (PSCA), Aimen Elto of the Working Class Alliance (CAO,) Lochlain Donhail of the Revolutionary Party (PR) and Brogan Kim of the Democratic Union (AAD). Kim, a half-Baekduan who worked at the Celtic branch of the International Democracy Institute and spent most of his career in the Celtic Foreign Service, was seen as wonkish and even shy, which was not a recipe for success in the rough-and-tumble world of Celtic politics. The AAD, very close in principles and spirit to the Democratic Progressive Party in Baekdu, was not well-positioned for this election, which saw criticism with the outside world in the form of the PGC and the Republican League reach previously unseen levels, and Kim had little hope of reaching the second round. As election day drew nearer, Uachtaran Bray’s lead gradually slipped to single digits, and when push came to shove she took a very narrow plurality in the first round. This was very worrying, as given that most PR voters would break for the CAO and most AAD voters would break for the PSCA, it would be a nail-biter of a race. When second-round votes were tallied, Elto came in just a few hundredths of a percentage point ahead of Bray, and while recounts were demanded the result came out the same: Elto was the next Uachtaran of the Celtic Republic. They would have a precarious time of it, given the PSCA’s CLC majority was not impacted, but few expected relations between the Celts and the Republican League to improve with this development.


Free State of Albion:

The Free State did not rest under its new Lord Protector, who set out to fulfill one of his greatest campaign promises: making Albion a colonial power again. Stripped of its colonies during the Years of Woe, not to mention the Celtic annexation of East Indus three decades prior, Albion always had a particular resentment over its lack of power projection in the Novus Galaxy. This would change in An. 46. Unlikely to get permission to travel through Khakneuth from Baekdu, the fleet set a course through Duukaadii instead, the Azeratiian government allowing it passage. Next on the list were the Skaven; the Khan of Canada was surprisingly happy to see the Albish, receiving them with full honors and inviting them to dine in his palace. He said that he merely wanted to be left in peace, and if the Albish were willing to “work with him,” he would be happy to allow the Albish colonists and other civilian traffic free passage. The head of the expedition gave a noncommital answer that apparently pleased the Khan, and were allowed on their way to Y-774, a system with a single planet orbiting it.

While Y-774 was not the rarest sort of planet in the galaxy, a rather small jungle world, it was notable for having a totally breathable atmosphere, human-friendly biochemistry and being relatively free of disease. The colonists could, and did, immediately set up shop, and the world, named Albionoria, was completely colonized by year’s end. Given the incredibly long journey between the metropole and the colony, some wondered how settlement could possibly be sustained, but the truth of it was undeniable: Albion was, after thirty years, once again a Novan power.
(Albionoria Colonization: Complete)

Speaking of colonial activity, Anglia had enough of Pendragon’s shenanigans, cracking down on the Jones regime in Alba with full force. Beaufort attempted to turn the police against Jones, who was largely losing support even within his own junta, and the loyalists, aided by popular militias, stormed the military government’s palace and arrested the few remaining members of the junta. The anti-Jonesians on the council, including Thomas de Cornouaille, surrendered willingly, even assisting the Free State forces in rounding up Jonesian diehards in the provincial governments. Jones himself, however, was nowhere to be seen; he and a few of his most loyal generals had fled. Where in the world had they gone off to?
(Jones regime effectively disbanded; Jones, other confidants’ whereabouts unknown)


State of Francia:

The Frankish government sought to reap the benefits of TFOP and the Euthenia Initiative, trying to attract Lamian investment as best it could. As discussed above, the size of Francia’s economy and its large, oligopolistic economic landscape made it something of a poor match for FDI, especially from Lamia, where the difference in amount and quality of capital was not that large. Economists concluded that if any good did come of it, it forced Frankish firms to improve their competitiveness, and Lamian competition did teach them a thing or two about labor-saving techniques and cost cutting.
(Small GDP growth boost this turn)

Frankish observers were dispatched to Jageunseong to ensure Baekdu complied with their agreement signed in the previous year to limit military development. They did, and the observers left at the start of winter pleasantly surprised with the ease of their mission.


Storm Kingdom:

Continuing to rely on its Lamian advisors, the Storm Kingdom worked hard to push out further military reforms. Unfortunately for them, they encountered several setbacks. Notably, when given a set of curricula from Lamian advisors, military instructors flatly refused to implement it, picking up greater and greater nationalist sentiment from the domestic populace. The Kingdom’s thousands of years of isolationism would not be broken that easily. First Lamian corporations, the groused, and now Lamian doctrines? Rank disobedience prevented much progress on reform this year.

The TFOP, as detailed above, brought a good deal of Lamian investment to the Storm Kingdom, not without negative consequences for both the poorest and the richest segments of society. Those who did benefit were the merchants, making up what little of a middle class the Storm Kingdom had, and they petitioned the court for more projects to benefit their interests. One of these was to implement a more unified educational system, given that shoring up domestic businesses would require a greater pool of domestic skilled workers. The government, again, called in Lamian advisors to yet more grousing, but this time things would go a bit better. The law went that teachers would need to be trained on the capital planet, and the infrastructure for implementing this was put together with increasing speed.
(Education to Fair: 1 of 3)


Free Territories of the Ismar Traverse:

It would be another rough year for the de Pave administration, and young Ismar felt it. Riding high off the successful construction of a massive spaceport the previous year, Dr. Lee in the Interior Ministry forged ahead with building up space elevators and other infrastructure to allow for more incoming and outgoing orbital traffic. This, as with much else, did not go well, this time due to a lack of available funds and high resource prices, which caused the proposal to run significantly over budget. Wanting success at any cost, Dr. Lee forged ahead by convincing the government to borrow money to fund it. The project was finished, but at the cost of signifcantly increasing the young republic’s debt.
(Infrastructure to Poor: Complete)
(Debt rises to Moderate)

Pinpointing the cause of last year’s education reform catastrophe to Royal Alliance obstructionism, de Pave next went to negotiate with Princess Aurelia of Pepinus to secure RA support for a revised bill. She was quite receptive, saying that she, too, disagreed with the stink her party raised over the proposed texts, and wanted what was best for the children of Ismar. Unfortunately, what she had to say within the Royal Alliance didn’t count for as much as it used to. Fresh with an influx of Lamian cash, Aurelians had fallen from prominence somewhat within the Royal Alliance, with Nikolans, supporters of Lord Nikola of Pavos, on the ascendancy. The Nikolans were deeply hostile to the government of the Free Territories on principle, and were little willing to listen to anything Princess Aurelia had to say. Another vote on the education bill was a closer run thing than the previous attempt, but still failed by a few votes. A giant brawl within the halls of Congress itself capped off the whole affair, with Liberal Democrats and Conservatives teaming up against Royalists with their fists. President de Pave was caught on camera with his head in his hands in embarassment.


Kingdom of Divine Light:

Building on the administrative reforms begun last year with the Knights of Progress, further holonet integrations were completed across the Kingdom. The holonet constructed in the Kingdom was, by and large, not connected to the larger galactic holonet based in the Harthus galaxy, and those few computers that could interface with it were generally linked to it indirectly via servers run by the Knights. This special relationship with the Knights was criticized by some Watchers, but the reform moved forward with little incident for now.
(Administration to Good: 2 of 3)

Colonization of Rivers-of-Dust, the newly-discovered world with the ruins of an ancient civilization, continued at a slow pace this year. The government ordered “reverent care” to be taken of all ancient artifacts, and thus gave the archaeologists it employed a great deal of free reign over colonial management. Unsurprisingly, the archaeologists greatly restricted development while they searched for and catalogued various artifacts, carefully preserving dig sites and barring new settlements in many areas of interest. All of this slowed the colonial process a great deal, even atmospheric condensation, since a change in air quality could potentially devastate certain ruins. The government estimated that it would be another year at this rate before the planet would be open for full-scale settlement.


Zelsari Republic:

In the wake of the debt relief he received, d’Horti immediately turned around and started spending again, this time on a massive infrastructure project. Desiring to improve Zelsari access to telecommunications, huge budgets were laid out to provide high-speed holonet access to every citizen of the Republic within a decade. When the Republican League pressed d’Horti on how this could possibly be fiscally responsible, given that projected expenditures might place Zelsar on course to default within five years, d’Horti replied that his plans would pay for themselves in economic productivity gains. Amazingly enough, he seemed to be right. Growth increased with the massive outpouring of cash to communications and shipbuilding, but the government budget took on minimal additional strain. The furious pace of construction helped the state reach its citizens to a much greater degree than ever before, and some speculated could have various knock-on effects improving the cohesion of the polity.
(Administration to Fair: Complete)

???
(Secret Project: 1 of 4)


Velian Exarchate:

The Hero Project, Velia’s efforts to improve its defenses and logistics to help stave off a Harthan invasion, would be essentially completed this year as the final adjustments to the in-system fortresses and spaceports were completed. Previously, only space in the immediate vicinity of Velian planets had any form of monitoring or defense; now, Velian engineers had built a powerful system of probes and defense platforms that could buy time for the fleet to arrive in case of an attack, one major shortfall of the project’s first phase of development. Another addendum to the project was an expansion of orbital housing capabilities, designed to improve the Exarchate’s future spacefaring abilities. Between the orbital habitats of the Hero Project and the already-extant massive fortresses, more Velians than ever could theoretically live their entire lives without ever setting foot on a planet.
(Infrastructure to Fair: Complete)

The Celerity Faction, a group of modernizers and expansionists within the Exarchate that sought for Lamia to be able to defend itself from Harthan expansionism, found themselves increasingly influential as the Lamians flexed their muscles within the Harthus Galaxy and expanded towards the Velian core worlds. They thus petitioned for the creation of the Galactic Survey Corps, a government-funded colonization company in all but name. They charted a course to the system designated R-105 directly to the north, and found a planet with a toxic and greenhouse-filled atmosphere that would be very difficult to terraform. This, however, was no problem for the Velians, who had no intention to set foot on the planet in the first place and merely wished to set up an orbital presence. Given the already mobilized logistics and construction corps from the Hero Project, this was no great feat, and basic construction was complete by the end of the year.
(“Colonization” of R-105: 1 of 2)

 

[Terraferma]

Lamian Galaxy News
The first among equals​

Newest Colonies Named, Bidding Process to Begin
​

Thessalia,Olympus-The Ministry of Colonization has announced this morning the official names of both N-471 and G-922 in addition to the formal bidding process to begin sometime next year to the delight of several business entities. According to Stephen Adonis N-471 will be formally known as Khione while G-922 will be recognized as Dionysus. Adonis wished to add that due to the extraordinary progress of the two colonies, corporate bidding is set to begin by late next year as rumors fly high on interest coming from all sorts of companies ranging from new faces such as Healthy Pharmaceuticals and Phalanx Arms to established colonial leaders Valiant Industries and the Covenant Company. However, the latter have been vehement on rumors being merely exaggerations of precursory, even preliminary interest. No doubt in the months to follow as colonization, now known as Operation: Breakneck by the government, continues at a feverish pace.

When asked about the integration process into the Kingdom, Minister Adonis stressed the usual protocols observed with Hecate and Tartarus will be pursued meaning that only after 5 solid years of efficient, stable administration by the various corporations will the Kingdom of Lamia allow for the admittance of political representation of these new colonial holdings. This will likely trigger a new proportional realignment for the 950 member parliamentary body with several experts asserting that the time of the major parties specifically only focusing on the homeland systems will eventually come to an end. The colonial minister was also asked on whether the Lamians were intent on… -paid commercial break before holovid continues


Other Stories
Provincial Capitals in Khione and Dionysus established
Lazor Ball Season kicks off with defending Champions Olympus Monarchs crushing newly promoted Div. 2 Champs Sicyon Tridents 35-0
Missing persons in Neo Athens rising to 7 in past three weeks, police fear serial killer responsible
Members of Nationalist Party continue to grumble against Euthenia Initiative as several MPs support King Victor's decree
Stocks continue to rise as Lamian goods flood beneficiaries of TFOP

 

[aedan777]

Inaugural Address by Director Beunia Heivia of the Internal Security Bureau​

Esteemed citizens of the Oligarchy, it is my honor to be appointed as the first director of the Internal Security Bureau after the approval of its major expansion by the Triumvirate. We face serious threats, both internally and externally, as myriad enemies seek to destabilize and overthrow our benevolent and wise government, to impose inferior styles imported from foreign interests. The ancient and intelligently designed Pillar system is under attack by extremists who forget the great traditions that have brought the Oligarchy to where it stands today. From recent events they see shortcomings of the Oligarchy as an excuse to destroy order and substitute imbalance and tyranny, putting their own ambitions over the good of the Oligarchy and the Adrallan people.

Most prominent of these foolish extremists is Huissth Deduja who, as we discovered after extensive investigation, was responsible for organizing the assassination attempt against Exarch Relacy. That attempt was the catalyst for the vast expansion of the Internal Security Bureau, and the first and most prominent of our goals has been to bring Deduja and his conspirators to justice, to safeguard the Oligarchy and its leadership from further machinations. Already Deduja himself has been apprehended and found guilty of twelve charges of discovered conspiracy, six charges of high treason, twenty seven charges of misappropriating funds, fourteen charges of corruption, seven charges of sexual deviancy, forty four charges of corrupting the youth, and three charges of resisting arrest. His execution will be broadcast next Tuesday at 11 am sharp.

But even with Deduja brought to justice, the duties of the Internal Security Bureau are not at an end. Mounting evidence suggests that Deduja's was not the only extremist group seeking to overthrow the Triumvirate and impose a dictatorship through a coup. Further investigation will be needed to bring these groups to justice and secure the safety of the Oligarchy against these factional elements who would see our power become divided and wasted through internal struggle, which only benefits our external enemies. Though no evidence of external support for these factions has been discovered as of yet, we will remain ever vigilant to prevent foreign interference into the domestic matters of the Oligarchy.

Though internal rebellion and conspiracy is a major force to be countered by the Internal Security Bureau, it is external factors that i believe to be the greatest threat to the Oligarchy. The foreign ideological cancers of republicanism, syndicalism, and nepotism ring the Oligarchy and its allies abroad, forever seeking to end our prosperity and freedom. The chains from these vile purveyors of lies slink in the darkness, ready to ensnare misguided Adrallans, and ever consistent vigilance is needed to protect us from foreign poisons. Foreigners of these alien ideologies have no real knowledge of our great nation, and seek only to destroy what we have built out of ignorance and envy. Protection from these influences is no small task though, and preventive measures will be highly considered in our quest for internal security.

I intend for my term as Director of the Internal Security Bureau to be one that greatly improves the stability of the Oligarchy and makes the billions of Adrallan citizens feel safer and more secure, in contrast to recent events that left such feelings lacking. A new day is beginning with the expanded Internal Security Bureau, and I am honored to be at the head of it. May each day be another step closer to universal fairness and meritocracy.

 

[MadMartigan]

To the "Baekdu" Two-Legs from Knakneuth and Beyond;​

I, Eggbiter Mosstower, High Cleric/Governor/Commissioner of the Road of Heralds do officially harken to a diplomatic exchange between our two peoples. I do this in the name of the Word and our great Oracle. It is with humility and solemn purpose that I invite the representatives of the Baekdu people to communicate with this small planet, The Road of Heralds, via an open VR uplink we have provided. In this way we might act as a conduit between our two civilizations.

May the fulfilling spirit of everlasting peace grant its peace to these proceedings.

 

[iisbroke]

Meeting Minutes Report (An. 46/ GSC 3795)

Atlantite Commons House​

21 November 3795 [Albish Calander]

The Atlantite Commonse House (A.C.H.) met for their quint-annual congregation. Speaker of the house was Sean Gordon of the Moderate Party, with Vice-Speaker Andrew McAllen of the Moderate Party. The meeting began at 9:00 A.M. on 21 November 3795, at the Bevy House, Aria, Atlantis. The congregation opened with a word of grievance for Representative Halley Smith of the Formation Movement, who died in a liquid mineral refinery explosion three months prior. The words of grievance were lead by Representative Thomas Baker [Head of the Formation Movement party].

Members Present:
Andrew MacAllen
Augustus Odel
Axamux Ghazi
Bryne Myricks
Budislav Tschermak
Campbell Treadway
Cled Hier
Elias Shelvey
Euros Koster
Iwan Moss
Liu Cai
Martijen Klijn
Owen Mooring
Percy Barnes
Robert MacCaghen
Sean Gordon
Srebrenko Bulganin
Tijan Rabinoff
Thomas Baker
Torcall MacColla
Txatxel Malcorra
Vincent Flinders
Wouter Besten
Zayne Hussain

Members Absent:
Halley Smith (deceased)

Additional Attendants
Knight-Lieutenant Hanif Asghar [Dragos Chapter]
Knight-Lieutenant Maolmhuir Singleir [Dragos Chapter]
Knight-Enforcer William Donalik [Dragos Chapter]
Knight-Striker Pierre du Collin [Francia Chapter]

Purpose
This congregation of the A.H.C. was to devise a new fiscal plan for Atlantis as a whole. Members of the Knights of Progress (K.O.P.) attended, as per agreeance of the Involvement Act of 3762, to ensure transparency between the people's representatives and the ruling body of Atlantis. The fiscal plan was the primary focus of discussion and lasted from 9:20 A.M. until 1:50 P.M, which opened the floor for further discussions.

Additional Discussions
Thomas Baker of the Formation Movement party motioned to establish new charter offer to present the Knight-Commander [Murad Aljanov] to officially form the Atlantite Commons House as a governmental party.

Txatxel Malcorra of the Labor League Party and Robert MacCaghen of the Global Vocie Party both motioned to make a new form of voting law called Initiative. The intent of the law is that it would provide citizens the ability within their local governments to get items onto voter ballots should they receive enough petitions for said item, based on population size of the governmental area.

Campbell Treadway of the Moderate Party motioned for the partitioning of governmental power to be cut back by creating more demographic and geographic based political districts rather than on population size and density.

Vincent Flinders of the Naturalist Party motioned for a reformation of hunting policies. Stating, "We here in the safety of Aria's bosom may not see the relevance of self armament, yet out within the fields of Adrena and the thickets of Sleglen munitions are crucial to daily life." The idea was to allow civilians higher grade weaponry.

Results
A fiscal plan was drafted. It focused n reconsolidating funds into safety regulation programs as the number of refinement accidents had increased 5% from last fiscal year. It also committed a 33% cut to planetary exploration and redirected said budget into the struggling government subsidized vocational school system. Funds for the Atlantite Volunteer Militants (A.V.M.) were increased to enhance wildlife defense for frontier settlements in the Calahad Plateau region.

A 20/25 majority for a new charter to be drafted was agreed upon. There was debate to begin crafting it before or after the K.O.P. inter-galactic congregation next year [3796]. The issue has been left to be addressed in the next A.C.H. congregation.

A vote was not reached for the Initiative law proposed by representatives Malcorra and MacCaghen. The debate grew out of hand with ad hominin tactics quickly when members of the Moderate and Naturalist parties accused the Labor League and Global Voice parties as being syndicalists. Speaker of the House Sean Gordon ended the discussion to be resolved at a later date.

A 11/25 vote was made for creating a new form of dividing political districts for voting. The motion was not passed.

The reformation of hunting policies was inconclusive as Euros Koster of the Formation Movement filibustered against the bill. Vincent Flinders argued against Representative Koster, yet it was Koster's right to have the floor devoid of harassment.

The Knight-Lieutenants present found no objection with the manner the A.C.H. conducted itself. It was also stated how more representatives of the visiting K.O.P. chapters might attend A.C.H. congregations in observation of Atlantis' unique governmental situation.

iisbroke's op

 

[Terraferma]

Lamia at a glance: Religion​

Prior to the founding of the kingdom, religion was a significant aspect of the citizens of the former Hegemony. Scattered records show that over 80% of the population had a religious affiliation, with Visces being the overwhelming faith. The following was, at least as far as historians could tell, never a state-sponsored religion. Certainly not during the time of the Hegemony nor the current Lamian kingdom. This all changed once Niketas Venizelos took power and rechristened the nation in the manner he saw fit but as political freedoms were curtailed, religion was noticeably omitted or as some say, utterly ignored.

Niketas was rumored to privately say that Visces served no purpose in the advancement of the nation and seeing as it was no true threat, left it to its own devices. Apparently he saw this in all religions so long as they did not advocate violence via overthrowing the government. Historians now find this rather amusing considering his own mother was part of the White Maidens, an order of nuns, nurses and volunteers that performed charity work on behalf of Visces beliefs. King Victor (Or Viktor) mused that religion itself could be used to stave off the wave of both decadence and Syndicalism but refrained from declaring Visces the state religion in order to avoid the perception of infringing on religious liberties. It also didn’t hurt that his own wife, Lysa Archibald Venizelos, is a follower of the church of Julius Salvator and God, in other words a Salvatoran. The Roman Rite variety for clarity. This is largely attributed to her frequent travels and extended stays in Francia as she is an avid supporter of the Chantry.

Early into Viktor’s reign, in order to encourage further interest into Lamia and to further improve relations with Francia, she pushed her husband to advocate a renewal in piety to shore up religion in general within the polity to showcase Lamia’s few real, bona fide freedoms. While she is indeed credited with the religious revival, this was to the actual detriment of the indigenous faith. But she cannot take all the credit. Due to the negligence of two monarchs, Viscians became fewer and fewer in number as the latest figures put the sect as the second largest religious belief, behind the Salvatorans. At the start of Niketas’ reign, as many as 60% of all citizens identified themselves as Viscian. Since then with King Viktor’s reign included, the following has seen a sharp decline in its number to just half in the span of roughly 35 years. However, Salvatoran is not the only church that has made tremendous inroads.

Dydeniaism would make its presence felt within the Hellenic Kingdom as well. Drawn by the tenants promoting an honorable living as well as chivalry, its feudal overtones resonated among many across all walks of life, the rural areas in particular. Given that both Dydeniaism and Visces have their own similar saints, many individuals have experienced converting from one to the other in increasing likely occurance. Thus the Lamians have become the notable exception of not being restricted to a single religion nor are any of its various religions for that matter, being deeply tied to the state. In fact, in many aspects of everyday life the tenant of secularism is observed despite the theist comeback. As far as the king is concerned, rumors have swirled for years as to whether King Viktor is indeed a follower of the Church of Salvator. When asked, Viktor merely smiles and responds stating that a king should not show favoritism to one religious sect over another. As Salvatorianism reigns as the primary religion in Lamia, there has been a noticeable uptick in men and women identifying themselves as having no religious affiliation, a worrying trend to some. But those hoping for an atheist society admit such notions are fringe, at best.

Religious Figures circa An. 47/ G.S.C 3796

Salvatoran (35%)
Visces (30%)
Dydeniasm (19%)
Other (5%)
No Affiliation (11%)

*Figures include all Lamian citizens living within both the Crownland Systems and Colonies as well as abroad.

 

[Scrapknight]

백두 정보 통신 공사
Baekdu Telecommunications Corporation

BREAKING: North Terran Premier to Resign Amid Corruption Charges, Popular Protests

Protesters celebrate outside Parliament House
​

LIBERTY CITY, NORTH TERRAN - Premier Alessandro Stavros of the conservative Democratic Party, recently indicted on charges of corruption related to the Kopelis Scandal and insider trading related to the failed Novan Frontier Corporation (NFC) the previous year, announced that he will resign from office effective Monday. Stavros, whose popularity currently rests at approximately twenty-two percent, faced a possible backbench revolt and increasing popular protest, and chose to resign largely to save face. The Free State's relatively powerless President, William Tucci of the socialist Utopian Party, dissolved the North Terran Parliament, and a snap election is scheduled for the beginning of next week.

Stavros, a half-Lamian who pursued a relatively moderate course regarding relations with South Terran, became extremely controversial during the latter half of his term, as he secretly diverted state funds into a cooperative colonization project with the Uksugan Federation. When the Adrallan Oligarchy claimed the planet later that year and used military force to subject the Terrans to forced labor, their subsequent deportation was not only a national humilitation but also brought on a severe recession, as several large Terran colonization companies and related industries folded. While fears of financial contagion spreading to the galaxy at large turned out to be overblown, given the relatively small and specialized nature of the crash, the economy of the Free State has been devastated. Unemployment has skyrocketed in the past months, and the government has been forced to borrow ever-larger amounts of money to stay operational. Whoever wins in the coming election faces a difficult situation, as the government faces international pressure, a disgruntled populace, and a rapidly slipping economy. Given the recent bailout of Zelsar, it is uncertain how the other member states of the Republican League will view providing financial assistance to the Free State. This is crucial, because large Republican League military contingents, mainly Baekduan with Azeratiian support, are stationed in North Terran, and are principally responsible for the small republic's defense. The North Terran embassy in Hanseong declined further comment, stating simply that any further statements from the government will come after the election.

((The part of the Terran Free State will now be played by @Corman50 . @BlackCrown has been relieved of duty. Corman may choose whoever he wants to win the snap election, within reason, and play from there. Everyone, say hello.

As you were.))

 

[Scrapknight]

((Oh, my bad. Friendly reminder that it is now An. 47. Orders for this turn will be due Friday, November 3rd at 11 PM PST.

You may also like to know that going forward, stat-boosting orders, ship constructions and secret projects will autocomplete, meaning you can spend one order and move on rather than spending one each turn. Colonization will still take an order expended per turn, however. If you're not sure if something autocompletes, feel free to ask.

Also also, generally speaking, if you try to make your orders do a bunch of different unrelated things, the first one is what it will affect. Not a hard and fast rule, but keep it in mind. I'd prefer if you kept it to one attempted task per order, at any rate.

I think that's everything. As you were.))

 

[Nax24]

The Kerékagy​

Common Name: The Kerékagy
Capital System: Kereskedő
Capital Planet: Piac

Government: Revolutionary State
​

In the midst of Empires and Democracies, Dictatorships and Syndicates, Clans and Alliances, lies the planet of Piac. For thousands of years, Piac has served as a commercial hub for merchants and men of commerce. It's bounty of natural resources has led many companies to exploit the planet for profit, and its distance from governments has allowed it to grow as a place of pure and unfettered capitalism. It is here that business and competition supplies all the needs of the inhabitants, and where equality and freedom are all based on the instincts of the market.

Indeed, Piac has been a place of little government for ages. Its original inhabitants, the Magrat, have lived on Piac for generations as nomadic traders and merchants selling goods and wares in the various markets across the planet. The Magrat are feline in appearance. They are anthropomorphic, and are rather short in comparison to your average humans. While they are not strong or physically able, they are shrewd talkers, allowing them to excel as merchants and diplomats. As Magrat society developed and evolved around trade and commerce, a variety of merchant dynasties emerged to take charge of Magrat society, beginning the tradition of men of commerce leading Magrat society forward.

A few hundred years ago, the Manje Confederacy aimed to expand its boundaries over various star systems. One such system was Kereskedő, the home system of the Magrat. As such, the Manje invaded the planet and began setting up a colony. The Manje granted themselves benefits and exploited the planet for resources with no care for the Magrat. Most government positions were given to the Manje. But even though the Manje reigned over the planet, the Magrat merchant dynasties still consolidated from trade. One thing the Manje did not care for was the Magrat and their trading habits, allowing them to continue on their practices. As such, the Magrat families continued to grow in wealth even while the average Magrat citizen remained rather poor and oppressed. The Manje also brought growth and modernization to the rather primitive Magrat. As time progressed, the Magrat merchant families developed corporations and large-scale businesses.

Finally, the Manje decided to blockade the Magrat families from continuing trade out of fear of them gaining too much power. As such, the Magrat families rose up in revolt. They hired mercenary armies and paid for their own units to fight back against the Manje. After a few years of war, Piac was freed from the Manje, leaving the planet to the devices of the merchant families, their corporations, and various business institutions. Yet, while the revolution is still in an infant state, the Magrat must come together and decide the future of their people. Will the merchant families decide to make the planet revolve around them, or will the masses have a chance to finally obtain freedom after years of oppression from the Manje and their wealthier citizens?

 

[Scrapknight]

The Kerekagian Revolution
​

The Manje Confederacy was little remarked upon by outsiders. Many in the Harthus Galaxy were only marginally aware of its existence, and even among the Novans they were basically ignored. Largely isolationist, only a few basic treaties governed their interactions with the outside world. The old Kingdom of Francia put into place a few treaties regulating trade and interaction with the Confederacy when they were discovered in An. 16, but for the most part they were essentially uninterested in the Manjean polity. Baekdu inherited these treaties after the Great War and the annexation of Gallia, but also had priorities elsewhere; other than some cultural exchange and occasional meat exports, they, too, had little interaction with the Manje. The Confederacy's other neighbors, the Velians, had even less interest in contact. Their scout ships encountered the Manje in about Pr. 14*, were basically unimpressed, and did not even initiate contact with the Confederacy for about forty-five years. No more willing to deal with other Novans than with Harthan colonists, the Velians closed their borders to the Manje like any other polity. The Confederacy was thus mostly isolated from galactic society.

It was also very, and deceptively, poor, which came to a head in An. 45. The peculiarities of Manje culture meant two things: first, that their measurements of economic activity were defined by meat production, obscuring the gradual decay and failure of other sections of the economy, and they totally excluded the conditions of their client species, the Magrats. The Confederacy was actually a relatively liberal society, certainly moreso than the Velians or Watchers, but this liberty extended only to the Manje population of the middle class or higher. The Manje poor, as well as nearly the entirety of Magrat society except the very elite, plotted revolution under the noses of the Manje corporate lords. Ironically, the Manje and Magrat were a good match: both were natural capitalists and very mercantile peoples, and both rejected regimented state societies. The revolutionary societies that proliferated the Confederacy during the 30s and 40s were thus, like the regime they tried to replace, firmly capitalist, liberal in an oligarchic sort of way, and distrustful of state structures. The difference was firm rejection of Manje superiority and demanding dissolution of the Manje meat corporations that governed the Confederacy (what might replace them was up in the air, and potentially included other corporations.)

The revolution was swift, total, and surprisingly bloodless given its scale. Munji Moi-se and his family, the current heads of the Confederate Board of Directors, were rounded up and shot, other high-ranking executives were put to the guillotine or local equivalent, and the Confederacy was swept away. The revolutionaries called their state the Kerekagy, and they were only united by their hatred of the Manje upper class. There were socialist elements, mostly among the poor Manje that supported the revolution, and radical capitalists, mainly among the Magrat upper crust. The Magrat middle and lower classes were fractured a thousand different ways, and they in many ways would decide the fate of the new state. Would it be capitalist or socialist? Republican or oligarchic? Open or closed? Multicultural or a Magrat nation-state? All these, and more, would be questions the new government would have to wrestle with as it began to take shape.

* Pr. stands for "Pre-Revolution," and is equivalent to BCE in the revolutionary calendar.

((Please welcome @naxhi24 as the Kerekagy, the revolutionary state that has replaced the Manje Confederacy. He will *coughorhadbetterbeplanningtocough* post more information shortly. Give him a warm hello and make nice.

As you were..))

 

[Nax24]

The Magrat Dilemma​

After the fall of the Manje Government based on Piac, the Kerékagy (the name the Magrat have called their state) had to meet to discuss the creation of a new government. The various elements of the revolution met in the capital of Pert to formulate a system that best embodied that of the revolution. Over time though, the various factions within Kerékagy politics began to split on various issues pertaining to economic ideology.

One of the larger factions of the Magrat revolutionary state were the Socialists. Influenced by tales of socialism in distant galaxies, the lower rungs of Magrat society believed that the best way forward was for the Magrat to become a social state, one that did more for all people than the Manje ever did. It opposed the idea of capitalism gaining large degrees of control on Piac, and believed that the revolution was created to oppose the institution that had oppressed them for so many years under the Manje. Trade, as a Magrat custom, was to be managed by a Magrat state and government, and that the Magrat people should be treated as equals with the richest corporate CEO being on the same level as the average Magrat.

The Socialists were divided even further among that, with various factions within the ranks of the Socialist cadre. There were the communists, the radicals within the Socialist ranks, who believed that capitalism as a whole should be outlawed on Magrat, with all wealth garnered to be split among the population as a sort of "reparation" for years of abuse by both the Manje and the Magrat elite. The Social Democrats, the moderates, believed that by approaching capitalism with a rather controlling hand, the benefits of a capitalist system can remain without abuse from the elite onto the lower classes.

Opposing the Socialists in this regard were the Capitalists, those who supported an unwavering loyalty to a capitalistic system, one that the Manje had enforced on them for hundreds of years. The difference being though that this capitalist system would solely benefit the Magrat, and not be used to exploit them as a lesser species. The Capitalists were made up of members of the Magrat upper-middle class and the upper class elites, most notably from many Magrat commercial dynasties, the ones that had sparked the revolution in the first place when the Manje blocked them from obtaining wealth through trade. Their claim to power rests on the fact that they led and financed the revolution, while the lower classes simply joined with them to battle a common enemy.

Like the Socialists, the Capitalists had its own factional divides as well. The most radical of these factions were the Anarcho-Capitalists, those who believed that no government was necessary for economic success. The An-Caps (as they were nicknamed) desired for the private sector to manage and run the state instead of governments and bureaucracy. They believed that it should be the effort and work of the private citizen that should determine how successful one is in life, and that no government should have the power to abuse or alter the path for them. On the more moderate side were your average cadre of liberals and conservatives, each one supporting capitalism, but differing in other political beliefs such as the power of a government, and how much influence the government should have in handling a market economy.

In terms of what government the Magrat should have, the major ideologies argued for differing types. The Socialists (excluding the communists) argued for a democratic system similar to what could be found in varying democracies across the galaxy. The capitalists though argued for something else. They argued that the planet should be controlled by a corporate conclave of all the business leaders on the planet. It should be the men of industry and commerce that will decide the path forward for the Magrat! The Socialists argued that this system would put Piac into the hands of the rich and elite while leaving the lower classes unrepresented. The Capitalists responded to this by saying that the Magrat have lived for centuries off of trade and commerce, and that it is only right and proper for men excelled at those practices be the ones leading their people forward.

In all, these were the political movements and arguments that would eventually shape the government of Kerékagy. The battle between socialism and capitalism will be decided in the coming weeks as revolutionary fervor continued to drive Kerékagy into a new era of freedom.

 

[Plank of Wood]

​

With the situation on Abhrazz having stabilized since the premature declaration of independence, the People of the Celtic Republic put forth the following to the PGC for vote.


The Creation of the Abhrazz Transitional Authority:

1. The Abhrazz Mandate will be reformed into the Transitional Authority, the purpose of which is to finally make definitive progress towards self rule for the Abhrazzian people.
2. Over the Three Years following the creation of the Transitional Authority, PGC governmental powers will be gradually transferred to a local Abhrazzian civil service.
3. After these Three Years, the PGC will review the status of the Transitional Authority and whether Abhrazz will be granted independence.

 

[Korona]

THE PGC
​

The PGC recognizes the Celtic Resolution and will put it to a vote after a two period cycle of debate.

Dafyyd ua Brian​

 

[Corman50]

The Terran Free State
​

Offical Name: The Terran Free State
Short Form: North Terran
Capital City: Liberty City
Capital Planet: Drakoria, Pankra
Government: Semi-Presidential Constitutional Republic
Executive: President William Tucci (Utopian Party)/ Premier (vacant)
Legislature: The National Assembly (lower house)/ Council of Representatives (upper house)

History:

Formed after the overthrow and occupation of the People's Republic of Terran, the Terran Free State is largely considered a shadow of the state that preceded it. Out of a desire to ensure a more peaceful and stable regime succeeded the former communist state (which also happened to be more in line with their interests) the Republican League set about enacting a program of de-communization within the occupied territories. Both the People's Workers Party and state's command economy were entirely dismantled and several former high ranking officials in the were tried for various crimes (though these trials were notably limited in their scope). The most notable change, and still a heavily contested topic within the Free State today was the state's demilitarization relegating it to having only a small defense force. Indeed many of the nations political foundations were a direct result of these early years.

In the Free State's first election former Admiral and Marshal Karinsko and the Social Unity Party would win the popular vote, taking most of the credit for the relatively limited destruction and chaos immediately following the war's conclusion. While the Karinsko administration would continue along the path of further democratization it was racked with controversy as many within the growing opposition and among the general believed the government was both hesitant to enact free-market reforms and soft on communist terrorists, often making note of many SUP member's previous involvements in the People's Worker's Party. As public opinion slowly turned against the SUP internal divisions within the party began to rise and after a coalition of various opposition parties won the general elections the SUP collapsed. In its wake, the Democratic and Liberal parties gained the support of much of the population while the newly formed Utopian Party had managed to salvage many of the former SUP's voters, though not enough to constitute a majority. Under the leadership of the Democratic Party, the Terran Free State enacted a series of economic and political reforms aimed at increasing market liberties and limiting the powers of the president.

Over time the public trust in the Democratic Party began to wane, which was symbolized with the Utopian Party becoming the largest single party in the Parliment. While the Democratic Party had been able to maintain a coalition government with the Liberals an economic downturn combined with recent Kopelis Scandal now threatens to shake up the current political order.

Major Parties:

Democratic Party: The Democratic Party is a conservative party who advocates further industrialization and development as well as remilitarization. While the bulk of the party's membership could be considered moderate, factions within the party maintain a strong sense of nationalism and have pushed forward the idea of Terran reunification, by force if necessary.

Liberal Party: Supported by businesses and the wealthy, the Liberal Party places heavy emphasizes the economic development of the Terran Free State. To this end, they heavily support further industrialization and increased trade, while taking more neutral stances when it comes remilitarization and Terran unification and generally seen as a more center alternative to the Democratic party.

Utopian party: The largest party to form from the collapse of the Social Unity Party, the Utopian is an agrarian socialist party that has enjoyed wide support among the poorer rural population of the Free State. They are against rapid industrialization, believing it will to a growth in wealth inequality. They are against remilitarization and support the idea of unification via diplomacy.

Minor Parties:

Unionist Party: The Unionist Party is a politically far-right party dedicated primarily to the goal of Terran Reunification. Outside of this they are generally nationalist and desire remilitarization as well as a distancing of the Free State from the Republican League.

Social Democratic Party: Another break off of the Social Unity Party that is more social liberal in its platform, the Social Democratic Party presents itself as the more moderate alternative for the left, though this gains them relatively few voters. They support limited industrialization while being opposed to remilitarization.

United Worker's Party: The United Worker's Party is a smaller offshoot of the Social Unity Party that advocates a restructuring of the Free State along Syndicalist lines. Being more urban based than the Utopian Party the UWP is more supportive of industrialization. The party is also supports continued efforts towards Reunification but is against remilitarization.

Meritocratic Party: Considered something of an outlier in Terran politics, the Meritocratic Party a minor party which has maintained a core of loyal voters thanks in part to support given by nearby states. Like the Unionists, the Meritocratic party supports remilitarization and distancing the Free State from the Republican League, though to establish and preserve neutrality rather than for nationalism.

 

[Nax24]

The Merchant Families of Piac​

For hundreds of years, through turmoil and occupation, and through the many hardships that befell the Magrat, the Merchant Families of Piac have always managed to come out of these dilemmas unscathed. Through their wealth and tenacity, they were able to woo the Manje. Through their influence, they sparked a revolution. Through their shrewdness, they are now the most influential faction on Piac. The number of Merchant Families have varied throughout the years, but some have distinguished themselves as strong bulwarks of the Magrat customs of commerce and trade. These are some of the more prominent families that exist on Piac:

The Hu-ttas

(Jara Hu-tta, the current patriarch of the Hu-ttas)​

A long time ago, the trader Nal Hu-tta obtained a large fortune out of the clothing trade. From there, his wealth continued to skyrocket. When he passed, his descendants inherited one of the largest fortunes on Piac, and all the power that came out of such wealth. The Hu-tta family is considered to be one of the wealthiest families on Piac, and are considered at the top of the social hierarchy. The Hu-ttas have used their wealth to expand their political power during the era of the Manje occupation, and have one of the most influential voices in the revolutionary government, with Jara Hu-tta being a minister in the new government. They have used their influence and wealth to tip the balance of the government to favor a system of government that most favors the Hu-tta agenda.

The Tiures

(Hequr Jeslik Tiure, Patriarch of the Tiure family)​

While the Hu-ttas are considered the financial poster-children of the luxurious and influential life of a merchant family, the Tiure are the more "militaristic" family. The origins of the Tiure are that they were once mercenaries fighting conflicts for other merchant families. The one thing that separated the Tiure from other possible mercenary cores was that their fighters were skilled, well armed, and thus expensive. It was through fighting that the Tiure obtained their fortune. Over hundreds of years, the Tiure sold out their services to the highest bidder, and eventually were used by the Manje as xeno-soldiers in their conflicts to avoid Manje casualties. Eventually, the Tiure controlled a small army. When the revolution broke out, the Tiure's army was bought by the Magrat revolutionary government (AKA, the merchant families' collective spending), and was used in what little conflict there was in the conflict.

The Yutio

(The Yutio siblings (from left to right), Florta, Jakon, and Yuval)​

The Yutio fortune, in comparison to the other two families mentioned, originate during the Manje occupation. The Yutio were hired as diplomats to negotiate between the Manje and the Magrat families. As such, the Manje poured wealth into the Yutio for their service. Little did the Manje know that the Yutio would go on to turn on their colonial overlords. During the revolution, the Yutio were the voice of unity among the Magrat elite in the name of revolution. With their excelled speaking skills, they aided the revolution in gaining supporters in the merchant families. When the revolution concluded, it was the Yutio who were given governmental and diplomatic positions, and it will be the Yutio who will have to garner inter-galactic recognition for the new state.

 

[Sneakyflaps]

Name: Edward Prager
Age: 24
Polity of Residence: State of Francia
Occupation: Fleet Officer
Description:
Born 24 years ago to a farmer and his young wife, Edward was what would be their first child out of three happy siblings growing up in a loving home. His childhood would be fairly uneventful, attending school when possible and helping his parents on their farm. Edward Prager, certainly not a common name in Francia, was a third generation immigrant from Albion, whose grandfather had settled in Francia during his early years after he had met a local girl and married.

It was Edward’s future to inherit the farm and continue the family legacy so to say, that however was not what he wanted, especially not after the fall of the monarchy and the ever changing society. He wanted to strive higher than a simple farmer, to make a mark for himself and climb out of what he otherwise considered to be a low standard of living.

His dream had been the navy, but while society was changing, it hadn’t changed quite enough and the academy was still dominated by the highborn and as such he settled for the army. To achieve this, Edward sought advancement in the military, to fight his way out of poverty so to say and he would get his chance, and forever be in debt to his parents for the strings and sacrifices they had to make for him to be accepted.

Only one true problem remained once he had been accepted, he wasn’t the best soldier, he was not the tallest, not the strongest and not one to be in the best health. The strain it put on him could be felt and in truth he was close to giving up several times, and even closer to being discharged. But he was not a hopeless candidate, but that would first be shown at the end of the first year in a joint training operation between the army and fleet.

The event which would save him in truth came from luck, and owed to his roommate Antonius. Antonius was the ideal soldier, tall, athletic, commanding, a proper example of pride who came from the right bloodline and someone whom Edward was lucky to have met. The top fifty cadets in the first year would join as officers, arranging logistics for their fellow cadets, planning strategy against the other academies and so forth. For Edward however, the far more important thing would be that each of the 50 cadets could pick an assistant, which made Edward suck up to Antonius for the coming two weeks until the latter eventually relented and let Edward take up the spot.

The weeks of preparation and planning for the large training exercise was to Edward the best part of the whole year, and while it would take a bit of time for Edward to show himself then it ever so slightly became apparent that he possessed a singular ability in both logistics, strategy and the execution of what some would consider reckless and suicidal strategies. While their academy did not win the exercise so to speak, as they were outdone by others in performance then it mattered little to Edward as within a month he had receive an offer to transfer to the Antonian Fleet Academy which Edward happily accepted.

He would spend the next many years in that academy and it was a love hate relationship which developed. He was considered rough, ill-mannered and improper. And to most it probably looked at such, his clothes were old and worn, he cut his own hair (with varied success), he never really had money to spare as most of his surplus was sent home to help pay for his younger sister’s education. But most importantly, his manner, speech and posture was unlike that of the majority of cadets, the old aristocracy, the rich and influential, Edward came from a different world and it showed.

Despite all of this he would thrive, he would graduate at the age of 19 with high honours, serving on various ships since then. Now at the age of 24 he may just have another golden opportunity as he was once again transferred as an officer under a prominent admiral.

(Picture will come if I ever find something half decent)

 

[Terraferma]

Lamia at a glance: The Noble Houses​

With the rise of the Lamian kingdom, the implanted institutions were carefully nurtured and expanded. Now during King Viktor’s reign the nobility is no longer an artificial construct and has grown to become an organic aspect of Lamian life with over 200 noble families, although admittedly a mere 50 houses truly wield varying degrees of affluence, prestige and power. Initially, only the direct family members of King Niketas were awarded the titles of nobility, it has since been expanded to various political allies, captains of industry and accomplished military men after retirement. Within each family, a clear patriarch (Or in some rare cases matriarch) is the face and true power within the household. In some instances, both husband and wife have formidable influence through a predetermined agreement upon marriage, thereby sharing the dominant position within the family name.

Major Houses:

Venizelos- Led by His Majesty and 3 children, the alpha of the various families they are both loved and feared with the loyalty of the Nationalist Party, the military, several economic interests and various members of the Democratic Reform Party. Thanks largely in part to King Viktor's reign, the family has cemented itself as the royalty with any would-be pretender or usurper eliminated or outright exiled, though thanks to the L.I.S it is overwhelmingly the former. With dozens of cousins and various members of the main branch of the family, the bloodline is in no danger of being wiped out.

Archibald- Led by the queen herself, Lysa is the oldest daughter of an entrepreneur and doctor propelling the family name to prominence with her marriage to His Majesty. A wife, confidant and loving mother, Lysa was instrumental In inducing a religious renewal within the Kingdom, particularly introducing and substantially strengthening the Salvatoran faith. With various contacts both within Francia and the Chantry itself, the disciple of the Roman Rite has been highly active behind the scenes advancing the allied families, the Kingdom and religion itself.

Hughes- Similar to House Pavlos with the foreign ministry, House Hughes has been the steward to the Ministry of His Majesty’s Terrestrial Air Force since its inception. Now led by Tristan’s son David Hughes the family has elevated itself to prominence due to its contributions and service. Rumor has it if the Sky Marshall were to retire and assume his proper title, he would entertain the idea of a political career within the Democratic Reform Party though several within the party have dismissed this as mere speculation given the Patriarch is barely 40 years old.

Nike- Arguably the largest family, the house boosts the largest number of decorated military men with its service going back as far as before the National Schism. With the good luck, or connections, of being a part of every known major engagement from the schism to the Zelsar Civil War and Gideon’s Rebellion nearly all of House Nike’s sons have served either in the army or the intelligence services. The numerous scions have recently opened their own corporation, known as Nike State Arms using their accumulated wealth to establish a presence throughout the Crownland Systems.

Ashworth- A family of shrewd investors, bankers and businessmen House Ashworth owns considerable stocks in various companies within several sectors of the economy on the shoulders of a dominant and fiscally responsible conglomerate of banks bearing the family name. A position particularly prevalent within both Ajax and Hecate due to bankrolling the various colonial ventures. If it isn’t stocks or loans the house owns and operates a lucrative mining company with its eyes set on the kingdom’s newest prize: Khione.

Clio- A family of farmers turned billionaires, Clio runs several agricultural and farming enterprises under the umbrella of Fine Living Inc. Originally a house with controlling interests in wheat, vegetation and fruit known formally as Farmers United, the reign of King Viktor and the ascension of the Democratic Reform Party saw to it the end of this particular monopoly though the patriarch cleverly broke up the humongous entity into several subsidies, all under House Clio’s aegis.

Hypatia- A little known family owned clinic launched itself into prominence and national fame with the discovery of a cure for two diseases known as Miner’s Lung and The Creeper propelling them into enormous amounts of wealth. Towards the end of King Niketas’s reign several resource gathering areas were afflicted with an ailment that blackened the lungs and could potentially lead to death in many cases, dubbed Miner’s Lung the government in the face of increasing discontent among the mining and energy industries began a research program to obtain a cure. Three years later, the effort yielded little results with another disease, this time affecting Ajax’s valuable crops known as The Creeper, devastating several harvests. With the threat of famine on the horizon a doctor by the name of Edward Hypatia miraculously (And accidentally) discovered the cures for both diseases. For his discovery, the now King Victor bestowed upon him several honors with the coveted title of nobility. Decades later House Hypatia is a power house in the medicinal and pharmaceutical industry with its very own business entity known as Healthy Pharmaceuticals.

Kyrillos- Renowned for their commercial ship building, House Kyrillos owns a tremendous market share (57%) of all freighters, passenger ships both seaworthy and space faring, and colonial vessels. With the family line going back over three centuries, they are arguably one of the oldest in the kingdom. Early into Viktor’s reign the patriarch, Stannis Kyrillos, ambitiously approached the government to begin constructing military-grade ships from transports and destroyers to cruisers. The initial meetings yielded a provincial three-year contract that despite huge investment into the endeavor, gave poor results due to cost overruns, mismanagement and fierce competition from other bidders. Their best submission was a lighter cruiser with next generation engines to make it the fastest, most maneuverable vessel in the conceptual stage. Unfortunately armor and even armaments were stripped citing concerns from both government officials and the military bigwigs. Despite this failure Kyrillos has maintained its prestige and wealth with new inroads made, this time in the entertainment industry in the form various digital record labels with several well-known singers, under the subsidiary named K-Pop Lyrics.

Edgestein- Known as the barons of Titanium, House Edgestein has accumulated its wealth through the careful ownership of several titanium deposits throughout the Crownland Systems. With the second ship building boom and colonization craze Edgestein has watched its profits skyrocket as they continue to mine the precious metal for processing and shipment. However, were it not for the now famous doctor Edward Hypatia, the house would of seen itself bankrupt due to the affliction of Miner’s Lung. Due to their prior friendship (Or some say political alliance) the family was one of the first to benefit from the cure since the industry, alongside others, were facing continued protests and workers stoppage over the poor labor conditions. Some say there is interest in the family to enter the Pharma business though many believe this is to become less dependent on Hypatia if another outbreak or disease were to come along.

Fuchsia- Seen as a high fashion, almost diva like family, the clan takes its name in stride quite literally. Brandishing the colors that bare the family name, these individuals have become the trend setters of Lamian high society, marketing various clothing lines, cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and even undergarments. While earning praise from the elites and being highly sought after by the entertainment industry, House Fuchsia flexes its influence through consumerism, fashion and the beauty of the human body itself. Each member goes through at least two augmentations by the time they are age 20 be it a change in natural eye or hair color, or even physical augments that enhance the senses. Their rise has led to the coining of the phrase, “Keeping up with the Fuchsians”.

Minor Houses:

Tristan- An up and coming family within the mighty fleet forces, two generations of captains have guided various ships from humble logistical vessels to the well-known twin Strike-Class cruisers H.M.S. Kano and H.M.S. Yano. Both ships were designed, laid and completed curiously on the same day, albeit in different ship yards on Ajax. The patriarch’s two oldest sons lead these ships and have been charged with the protection of the shipping lanes throughout the Crownland Systems spending much of the year on mission.

Pavlos- The heavy weights within most foreign policy circles, House Pavlos has loyally served the ruling family for over four decades helping to craft much of the external strategy for the Lamians. It began with Dimitris serving as the first Foreign Minister of the kingdom orchestrating the historical Francian-Lamian Treaty of Friendship in An. 3753 followed by the Albion technology sale which boosted the polity’s technological strength, King Niketas once boasted that Lamia’s good fortunes abroad were on the acumen of Dimitris. With the current king, Hammond Pavlos has guided the nation out of relative isolation and into an age of rapid colonization and greater economic cooperation. But that is not all, Hammond’s much younger brother flexes his own diplomatic muscle in The Free Territories of the Ismar Traverse, specifically with regards to the Royal Alliance though whispers yield he has help. Regardless, the now elder Dimitris stands stoically, secure in his sons knowing House Pavlos is on the verge of launching themselves into the upper echelons of the various noble houses.

Despina- A somewhat new face, House Despina has its roots within the Democratic Reform Party though most of its elected family members are mere backbenchers in parliament. With that said, Maria Despina leads a small wing of individuals sharing the belief that the time has come to allow all political parties to take part, while not necessarily advocating for the inclusion of the remnant rebel members of the Hellenic Liberation Party or the Neo Republic Party, she does believe the inclusion of both the Syndicalists, Communists and even those with sympathies to the Meritocracy (As few as they are) will lead to a healthier, more democratic system. Needless to say, House Despina is becoming the black sheep of the nobles.

Stavros- Another minor family whose party membership is almost exclusively to the Nationalist Party. Known for its hardcore nationalism, they are firebrand demagogues who believe the nation’s riches should be enjoyed by those within the Crownland Systems, specifically the powerful. They are also fervent followers of the Visces faith, claiming all others are to be eradicated from the Kingdom.

Walsh- The proud owners of a long standing fast food chain known as “Lamia King Burgers”. There are hundreds of stores located throughout the Crownland Systems with a dozen in the colonial planet of Hecate. Their main rival is another well-known local chain known as “Jesters” featuring a red and yellow clad clown as their mascot.

Forscythe- A family known for its athletic fame given six of its members are Lazor Ball champions. Two of whom are also inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame. Coincidentally all six played for either the Olympus Monarchs or Ridge Valley Dragons, both Division I teams. It was only eight years ago that the family’s so called dynasty was given a title of nobility though none have ever surpassed the rank of Earl. And given the sheer amount of disdain they receive from the other “pure blood” families, they likely never will.