[Information Log] SFR: Empires of the Smoky Skies

[Noblesse Oblige]

Table of Contents:
1) Introduction
2) Technology
-a) New Discoveries
-b) Weapons of War
-c) Innovations
-d) Lost Technology: Magiteck
3) Major Factions & Leaders
-a)Alemannia
-b)Gallica-Dalmacea
-c) Neo Britannia
-d) Orlina
-e) Vedria
4) City States/Minor Factions
-a) Line Ark: Home of the League of Empires
-b) City States of Culture
-c)City States of Maritime Trade
-d)City States of Mercantilism
-e) Luddites
5) Major NPC's

(will be continuously updated)
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Introduction

-The Thanatos Crisis:

The world's leading astronomers discover an asteroid due to impact on the surface of Archeron in roughly 5 years time. This asteroid, known as Thanatos, labeled after the Greek God of Death caused panic amongst the populace and among many of the leading Great Powers.

The world's mages and scientists, armed with the latest in Magiteck technology, constructed a powerful weapon, known as Ceres, to destroy Thanatos.

On October 11, 1721, the Asteroid Thanatos would arrive within striking distance of Ceres. At first the weapon seemed to have worked, and Thanatos was destroyed, or so it seemed. Rather than destroy the Asteroid, it would fragment into many small, yet potent pieces which would rain across the World of Archeron. 25% of the World's surface was devastated, marked with crater impacts, and of the pre-impact population of 1.5 billion, almost a billion died. While the planet as a whole was saved from complete annihilation, it was just enough to destroy the established social order.

The world would come to see this as the Thanatos disaster.

-Rise of the Technocrats:
The world as a whole fell into anarchy, a period which would last for the better part of the century, as people began to better themselves and their families. Many of the established Kings, Princes and Leaders of Men had died in the planetfall of the Thanatos asteroid pieces. Those that did cling to power were virtually powerless in the face of banditry, lack of order and lack of being to find a way to support the people. It was feared that Archeron was to enter a second Dark Age.

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That would change by 1792, when several brilliant inventors, enamored with the idea of steam technology since before and even after the Thanatos disaster began to gain a massive following. Their inventions helped to restore civil order and peace to the populace. Hospitals, Granaries, Banks and Trade Routes were being built at breakneck speeds, helping to link wayward cities together. Many influential members of society saw them as Lords, or even as the Second Coming of their Religious Lords, must to the chargin of the established order. The threat that these innovators made to the rulers God-Given rule was, as they percieved, great. While some did little, and even accepted the changing of the guards, those that clinged to the old ways against the tide of rapid industrialization, as the Luddites were to be called, gained some support in places like Gallica and Germania, and waged war with the innovators, thus beginning the Luddite War.

What resulted was a complete and utter victory for the various Technocrats, the destruction of the old order and the establishment of the Technocratic Empires, the rule by merited innovators and inventers.

-The Advancement of Technology

The end of the Luddite War led to the reorganization of the old World and new countries formed from its remains, 5 prominent powers came to the fore in this affair. New Brittania, from the remnants of the old Kingdom of Great Britannia, Dalmacea, named after the city of Dalmace in Gallica, took over from the Kingdom of Gallica, Alemannia united most of the shattered remains of the Holy Germanian Empire, Orlina, named after a leading noble and Technocrat from Garmoniya would asend to control much of the Western Continent. Finally in the Southern Continent came the state of Vedria, a group of exiles from the Northern Kingdom of Skaeland founding a Kingdom from the destroyed remains of the Hipsanian Viceroyalty of Arica.

These five empires sought to rival each other for Technological innovation, designing vehicles such as Tanks and Land Ironclads, Flyers and Airships, and even vessels such as Battleships & Destroyers, all aimed towards achieving military superiority, while at the same time, developing peaceful inventions such as radio, electricity, and gaslights.

By AA 1874, the world had changed greatly, and recovered somewhat from the Thanatos disaster, the Magiteck equipment of the old world was believed lost, but for those who can discover and unveil its secrets, would it help to benefit civilizations immensely, or bring about its final downfall?

 

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Technology-New Discoveries

Aetherium:

Aetherium was discovered in 1827 by Friedrich Wilhelm Wöhler of Alemannia, who gave its name based on another name for Heaven. Aetherium is a lightweight material, as flexible and durable as Aluminum, yet stronger than Titanium, and is used in the primary construction of airships and flyers.

Luborium:

Luborium is a radioactive material, primarily used in power plants. Discovered by Eugène-Melchior Dumas of Dalmacea-Gallica in 1841, Luborium was touted as the replacement for coal in use by steam engines. However coal remains popular to the dangerous nature of the element.

Thanatium:

Discovered in 1807 by Michael H. Davy of Britannian origin, Thanatium is a crystal-like substance found from the meteor impact sites as a result of the Thanatos disaster. Thanatium is rare and can be made into jewelry. Because of this, it is often sold for high prices and is highly sought after.

 

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Technology-Weapons of War

Land Vehicles:

The advent of Land based Vehicles for Combat purposes had jumped leaps and bounds in the century since the Thanatos Disaster. Gone are the horse-drawn carriages and 6-lber cannons, to be replaced with more modern Artillery and conical shells for higher impact and destructive power.

The creation of a mobile attack platform, known as the Tank would revolutionize warfare, establishing a more rapid form of combat than it was a century earlier. While the first tanks seemed unorthodox to begin with, later tanks would be streamlined, with the capability of carrying bigger guns. But the development of the Tank would inevitably lead to much bigger designs, thus giving birth to the Land Ironclad. The Land Ironclad was essentially a larger tank, designed as a mass mobile platform capable of besieging large urban centers with at least a dozen of these. An even larger model, the Landship, also exists, but due to budget concerns, most Technocratic Empires could only field at most 20 of these.

Sea Vessels:


Sea Power development in the technocratic empires also improved tremendously since the disaster. By 1800, the first Ironclad Warships came to the forefront, replacing wooden-hulled ships of the line in service, and delegating them to museum ships and scrapyards. Since then, Sea Power has grown to be an innovative force in warfare, and each nation has multiple classes of ships, the Ironclad, once the name given to all sea vessels
made of Iron rather than wood, is now designated as the class type for fast attack ships (Essentially this universe's Corvettes.) Frigates, which can also be lumped in this category, are better suited for Anti-Flyer combat.

Larger combat vessels, such as the powerful Destroyer and the heavy and multi-gunned Battleship, provide the power projection the Technocratic Empires desire in the sea.

Submarines, the silent hunters of the depths, make their mark here. Steam power turbines help to create a ship capable of travelling the depths, however the inability to scrub and extract oxygen from CO[SUB]2[/SUB] and sea water respectively, meant that such ships cannot stay underwater for long periods of time.

There are also civilian vessels known as Workboats, which are used for construction and maintenance duties. The workboats are not armed, and are only equipped to do such duties on the sea.

Air Power:

Air Travel had been a feature in Archeron for well over 3 millenia, yet significant advancements in Airship design, specifically in the design of propulsion system (through use of magiteck) did not occur until the 19th century AA. The introduction of Flyers, propeller-driven steam powered miniature airships, challenged the limits of human endurance through its manuverability, and the introduction of ace combat, pitting multiple flyers against each other, was likened to that of a return to the chivalrous attitude knights took up during the Medeval Ages.

Airships however remain the standard for military engagement and for travel (a fact that still supplants seaborne travel to this day.) In addition to the classic propeller-driven airships (albeit powered by steam.) balloon-type airships are also popular, largely through the abundance of helium for lift.

Arms Forts:

These behemoths are the prize possession of each Technocratic Empire in terms of military might. Each of the Technocratic Empires have these, and are divided into three types.

Land Leviathans, are huge behemoths capable of changing the tide of battle easily. Their large size allows them to project power over great distances, although their drawback is the fact that they are only restircted to land. Two nations use this type of Arms Fort. Britannia's is the "Motherwill," an 8-legged unit standing over 400 feet tall, and equipped with high-caliber smoothbore cannons, congreve-class Homing Rockets, and thick armor impenetrable to enemy fire. Alemannia on the other hand, use the "Große Mauer," (Great Wall) a train-like Land Leviathan equipped with homing rockets, and cannon-sized Gattling Guns, despite the fact that the rate of fire for these weapons are relatively low.

Sky Fortresses are the Airborne Arms Forts, capable of hovering using multiple high-grade and very large-scale steam engines, combined with uncovered Magiteck to create this beast. The Sky Fortresses, like the Land Leviathans, can project power over great distances, theoretically even anywhere in the world. However, it's range is limited due to the constant maintenance of the engines, which also hampers speed. Two nations use this type of Arms Fort, Gallica has the "Answerér" a union that shows Gallica's superiority to reverse-engineering what was once lost-technology. Bristling with steam-powered energy cannons, it provides a tough nut to crack in the face of the hostile opposition. Orlina however, utilizes the "Donski," a more conventional floating fortress, that utilizes Magiteck to further support it's capability to hover, thus allowing it to move at greater speeds, albeit still slow by conventional standard, then the Answerér.

The last Arms Fort is Vedria's "Stigro" a Sea Mammoth-type Arms Fort and the only in it's class. Due to it's focus on speed, it is meant to project power in any sea possible. It is also the lightest armed and armored Arms Fort, relying on close-range pile-bunkers to damage enemies up close, though it does carry small scale gattling guns.

 

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Technology-Innovations

The world of Archeron has not only developed technology for war, but also for peaceful and entertaining means.

Radio:
"The whole country was tied together by radio, we all experienced the same heroes and comedians and singers. They were giants."
–Woody Allen

Developed by Ferdinando Marconi from the Kingdom of Gorizia and further refined by his brother Guiliarme from Gallica (in 1864 & 1871 respectively), the advent of radio meant that greater people would be tied together, not only for the sake of tying people together for entertainment but also for news.

Refrigeration:
"And homeless near a thousand homes I stood, and near a thousand tables pined and wanted food."
–William Wordsworth

Developed by William Cullen of Britannia in 1856, the refrigeration concept was developed to store meat and cool drinks. While much of home refrigeration still revolves around the use of ice boxes, most breweries and meatpacking industries use more modern refrigeration methods.

Railroad:
"The introduction of so powerful an agent as steam to carriage on wheels will make a great change in the situation of man."
–Thomas Jefferson

While the first railroads were constructed using magiteck in the 16th century, the first steam-driven railroads were around until 1825. Due to the devastated landscape, railway construction had to be developed in order to restore trade routes, a feature that has not been fully complete after 50 years of railroad development.

Ecological Development:
"Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species, man, acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world."
–Rachel Carson

The process of redeveloping Archeron to its pre-Thanatos Disaster form is a relatively new project, only having been started roughly 20 years ago (in 1856). The hopes of reestablishing old ecosystems in favor of the cratered landscape and the multiple wastelands has been an idea followed by few, but is steadily growing over time.

 

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Technology-Lost Technology: Magitek

With the Thanatos Disaster, came the end of an era, entire cities were destroyed or depopulated as a result of the disaster, and with it, the use of Magical Technology, Magitek. The last major use of this resource was in the Luddite War, where upon defeat of the Luddites, saw the destruction or abandonment of Magitek.

Attempts at rediscovery were prevented in favor of continuing to rebuilding the shattered world. But for those Luddites as well as archaeologists on employ by the Technocratic Empires and other City-States, the rediscovery of Magitek opens key possibility to the further development of the way of life for the peoples of Archeron, and for those willing to sell it, large sums of money in their pocket.

However the use of magiteck is still relatively unknown except to those who practice magic. However Magic is in the decline since the Disaster. Now only 1 in 50 have the knowledge of magic, and 1 in over 15,000 have actually mastered it. This increases people's hopes however, of gaining the knowledge needed to operate magitek.

 

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Major Factions & Leaders-Alemannia

Full Name: Alemanni Technocracy (Germanian: Alemannen Technokratie)
Capital: Eruch
Language: Germanian
Government: Technocratic Empire
Leaders (since 1800):
Friedrich Ludwig von Braunschweig-Bevern: 1792-1835
Cyrus Rotterdam: 1835-1872
Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand von Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen: 1872-Present
Currency: Alemanni Thaler
Brief History:
The Alemanni Technocracy began as a series of impassioned debates between long established noble families about the growing chaos in the world wrought by the Thanatos Crisis and what could be done to stop it. The debates soon reached a critical mass for action, fueled by the nobles' fear of an uncertain future as well as their desire to protect their wealth. This was further fueled by the reactionary actions of the Holy Alemmanian Emperor, whose policies further drove nobles and technocrats alike into the same camp.

A secret council was formed, drawing on the leadership and military prowesss that had been their inheritance from previous generations. It mobilized a small but well-equipped army. With it, the nobles carved out a large territory from the HAE that would become the core of the Technokratie. It would secede and eventually absorb the old kingdoms and ultimately the HAE itself.

Outwardly, leaders of the Technocracy profess the glories of civilized life, and seek to spread their ways to the ends of the earth. They act as gentlemen in diplomatic affairs, but always have a rigid structure of military might, ready to respond at their first call.

 

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Major Factions & Leaders-Gallica-Dalmacea

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Full Name: Technocratic State of Gallica (Etat Technocratique de Gallica)
Capital: Dalmacea
Language: Gallican
Government: Technocratic Empire
Leaders (since 1800):
Louis Joseph de Gallica-Conde: 1789-1815
Clinton Alderdice: 1815-1855
Louis Dessaix: 1855-1870
Francoise Chrisophe de Kellermann: 1870-Present
Currency: Gallican-Dalmacean Franc
Brief History:
Gallica arose out of necessity. The turmoil of the Thanatos crisis and the monarch and royal family being the primary antagonist of the Luddite Wars left many people in the lower and middle classes marginalized. After the wars and the collapse of Gallica into anarchy, some stayed in their homelands, but many fled as refugees, not knowing where to go. They gathered in the country estates of various Gallican nobles who survived and remained neutral in the conflict. These nobles allowed them because they either did not have the heart or the force to deny their presence.

Some leaders arose from the ranks of the refugees, calling for organization, protection, food and resources. Some of the nobles saw the power in the people and joined their ranks. Others refused and their estates were ransacked. These would become the first Dalmacean compounds, named after Jean-Jacques Dalmace, and whose name would be given to the new Gallican capital. These compounds would become the first new cities, cities that would rival those of any other empire.

The new Technocratic state is built on ideals, and its strength comes from the tight camraderie and its evolving culture of its humble citizens.

 

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Major Factions & Leaders-Neo Britannia

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Full Name: Commonwealth of Neo Britannia
Capital: Winchester
Language: Britannian
Government: Technocratic Empire
Leaders (since 1800):
Frederick Nelson: 1751-1820
Charles York-Albany: 1820-1837
Octavius Cutler: 1837-1888 (Present)
Currency: Neo Britannian Pound
Brief History:
The exact origins for the Neo Britannian Commonwealth are still shrouded in mystery after the Luddite Wars. The technocratic faction seemed to appear out of nowhere, slowly but surely displacing the Britannian monarchs. Yet its inherent power and wealth were too large to be easily missed. Most sources posit the foundations to a single leader, named Frederick Nelson who saw the opportunities of new sciences, commerce and most especially, politics and manipulated affairs from the shadows up until the formal introduction of the Technocratic state.

Nelson was an accomplished spy, selling sensitive information to rivals while using it to further the objectives of the New Britannian state. In the early foundations of Technocracy, while other Empires focused on short-term goals, Nelson and his successors, seeing many opportunities being left unexplored, left its people to achieve them. It was the Britannians who first sent expeditions to new lands and newly established nations, bringing trade and untold riches to its citizens.

Britannia is also known among some circles for its indomitable spy network. It is rumored that there are spies positioned at key points around the world, ready to act at a moment's notice.

 

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Major Factions & Leaders-Orlina

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Full Name: Technocratic Empire of Orlina (Технократической империи Орлин/Tekhnokraticheskoy imperii Orlin)
Capital: Sankt Aleksandr
Language: Garmoniyan
Government: Technocratic Empire
Leaders (since 1800):
Vasili Pugachev: 1796-1801
Ignace Curnow: 1801-1836
Paul Curnow: 1836-1855
Alexander Suvorov: 1855-Present
Currency: Orlinan Ruble
Brief History:
To be added

 

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Major Factions & Leaders-Vedria

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Capital: Kusco
Language: Hipsanian & Skanish
Government: Technocratic Empire
Leaders (since 1800):
Gustav Adolf von Oldenburg: 1792-1837
Charles John Bernadotte: 1837-1861
Luther Griggs: 1861-Present
Currency: Vedrian Peso
Brief History:
To be added

 

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City States/Minor Factions-Line Ark: Home of the League of Empires

Line Ark is the largest city in all of Archeron, with a total of 7 million people of all races, cultures and creed roaming its streets. It is regarded as a military-free zone, no one is allowed to attack the city itself, for fear of an aggressive response by the major powers.

It is home to the League of Empires, a multi-national organization dedicated to the peaceful prospects of rediscovering Magiteck as well as the advancements of technological innovation.The League, while it is a powerful tool in politics for Line Ark, and for Archeron in general, is still regarded as a weak institution, incapable of preventing war between the Technocratic Empires.

 

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City States/Minor Factions-The City States of Culture

These city states rival the power of the technocratic empires in terms of its culture. Some of these states had legacies of art and culture predating even the Thanatos disaster.

-New Kingdom of Santa Fe:

Capital: Santa Fe (Royal) & Pueblo Novo (Political)
Ruler: King Juan II de Mendinueta
Originally founded by Gonzalo de Quesada in 1536 during the search for El Dorado, it was the capital of the Kingdom of the same name as a colony of the Hipsanian Empire. The destruction of Hipsania during the Thanatos crisis spurred Santa Fe to achieve independence, albeit as a junior ally of Vedria. It's royal capital, also named Santa Fe, is the cultural and educational center for the Kingdom. It is ruled by the descendents of the last viceroy and first King of Santa Fe, the House of Mendinueta.

-Kingdom of Ungarn:

Capital: Pressburg
Ruler: King István VI von Hapsbourg
The Old Kingdom of Ungarn was, for over 300 years, a part of the Habsbourg Monarchy, albeit outside of the HAE. After the Thanatos Crisis and the subsequent Luddite Wars, the HAE was effectively declared dead, but the monarch set himself up as King of Ungarn. The original capital, Aszód, was destroyed by the crisis, forcing the monarchs to move to one of Ungarn's former capitals, Pressburg. Pressburg is considered the heart of Ungarnese culture, and is the home to Pressburg Castle, the current home of the Habsbourg Monarchs.

-Gallican Republic

Capital: Bruxelles (Executive), Anvers (Legislative) & Munegu (Judicial)
Ruler: First Consul Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès
The Gallican Republic, also known as Gallica-Bruxelles was created initially as a stronghold for the Luddites, which included the Gallican King himself, but a revolution in 1792 put an end to the Gallican monarchy, instituting a Republic in its place. Although it holds a de jure claim over the entire country of Gallica, a fact reciprocated by Gallica-Dalmacea, it does not have the military strength or diplomatic might to enforce it de facto, despite being protected by its chief patron, Alemannia.

Principality of București:

Capital: București
Ruler: Prince Alexandru X Mourousi

Kingdom of La Plata:

Capital: La Plata
Ruler: King Xavier I Avilés

Grand Duchy of Toscana:

Capital: Firenze
Ruler: Grand Duke Francesco III de Hapsbourgo-Lorena
The Grand Duchy of Toscana was a pre-Thanatos Crisis state that managed to avoid the devastation with all its territory intact. It was once home to a pro-Luddite branch of the Hapsbourg family, but has since mended its views to be more moderate in its technocratic behavior.

Sazodai Empire:

Capital: Kābol
Ruler: Shah Mahmud II Sazodai

Kyivan Empire:

Capital: Kyiv
Ruler: Tsar Konsantin I Romanov

Sultanate of Darul Ehsan:

Capital: Taman Bandar
Ruler: Sultan Abdul Samad Selangor

Ching Zhognua Empire:

Capital: Kyzyl
Ruler: Yongyan Emperor

Cisalpine Republic:

Capital: Mediolania
Ruler: First Consul Francesco Visconti

Kingdom of České

Capital: Praha
Ruler: King Ferdinand V von Habsbourg

Kingdom of South Pruessen

Capital: Warschau
Ruler: King Wilhelm I von Hohenstaufen

Iravan Khanate

Capital: Iravan
Ruler: Yeprem Khan Davidian

 

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City States/Minor Factions-The City States of Maritime Trade

These city states are known for their unsually powerful navies, although it pales in comparison to the Technocratic Empires counterpart. They are also dominant agricultural states.

Mount Druze Emirate:

Capital: Libnan
Ruler: Emir Ibrahim Druze

Kingdom of the Cape

Capital: Kaapstad
Ruler: King Henry V Yonge

Maduran Republic

Capital: Batavia
Ruler: President of the Executive Authority Gerret van Swinden

Kingdom of Lisboa

Capital: Lisboa
Ruler: King Joao VII de Barcelos

Kingdom of Laguna

Capital: Laguna
Ruler: Queen Maria I de Aguilar

Muzzaffar Sultanate

Capital: Muzzaffar
Ruler: Sultan Mahamud I Ibrahim Muzzaffarid

Zangibar Sultanate

Capital: Milango
Ruler: Sultan Ahmad I bin Taimurid

Hormozgan Empire

Capital: Hormozgan
Ruler: Shah Mohammad Khan Hormozganid

Independent City of Cap-Diamant

Capital: Cap-Diamant
Ruler: Governor-General Sylvie Beauport

Republic of Dubrovnik

Capital: Dubrovnik
Ruler: Doge Martin Karuzic

Kingdom of Brasillia

Capital: Rio de Februero
Ruler: King Marcos I de Braganza

Indepednent City of Orange

Capital: Sydney
Ruler: Governor-General John King

Aydinid Empire

Capital: Ur
Ruler: Sultan Mehmed V Aydin

Free City of Victoria

Capital: Victoria
Ruler: Governor-General Judith Clark

Duchy of Eraclea

Capital: Eraclea
Ruler: Duke Francis III di Hapsborgo

Independent City of Wellesley

Capital: Wellesley
Ruler: Governor-General Christopher Laidlaw

 

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City States/Minor Factions: City States of Mercantilism

These city states, like the Maritime ones, are known for powerful navies. Unlike the Maritime City-States, they generally provide luxury items as well as tax havens.

(City-states to be added)