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SomethingRandom113 That Friend Nobody Likes from R'lyeh, the Pacific Ocean Since: Aug, 2017 Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
That Friend Nobody Likes
#1: Jun 9th 2018 at 5:08:44 PM

Disclaimer: This Entire Thread is Just for Fun

The rules are simple, I give you the building blocks for a nation in a Fantasy or Science Fiction world, and you guys flesh it out and make it a well-rounded setting, complete with an at least semi-believable and fleshed out culture, geography, and history. Bonus points if you invent other (albeit less fleshed-out) neighboring nations and describe its political relations with them. You're also definitely going to have to come up with a name, since I suck at naming things.

After it is sufficiently fleshed out, I will probably come up with another set of building blocks to get you guys' creative juices pumping. Or maybe I'll just say that it's done and let someone else come up with the building blocks for a fantasy/sci-fi nation.

Some of these may look, on the surface, like Fantasy Counterpart Cultures, but, if you look closer, you will find that though they are similar with a real-world culture, they are very different in some sometimes-really-important ways. In fact, the first nation I'm going to give you the foundation for is going to be a perfect example of this.

So, without further ado, the world and nation itself:

The world is a low-magic Fantasy world roughly technologically equivalent to the late 1890s.

The actual nation has the following tropes as its building blocks:

Now, take these building blocks and worldbuild away!

Umm... so, I was here, I guess. If I wasn't, someone hacked my account. So, yeah.
eagleoftheninth Shop all day, greed is free from a dreamed portrait, imperfect Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Shop all day, greed is free
#2: Jun 10th 2018 at 7:31:40 PM

(Wondering why a lot of writers like to associate German aesthetics with ultra-militarism)

Vereinigtes Republik Loringfal

    History 
The island province of Loringfal broke away from the continent-spanning Azure Empire six centuries ago, as it was beset by chaos following the loss of the Soulforge Archive, where the desires of every man and woman in the realm were hidden. For the next two centuries, the island saw nothing but conflict. Warlords rose up, gathered their serfs and went on long campaigns that spanned seasons, if they came back at all. In the absence of the menfolk, the women banded together to defend their villages, mustering themselves into the first of the territorial militia. Some were overcome by the rigours of constant warfare. Others leapt into it with abandon, joining long raids over land and sea so they could bring some loot home and feed their families. Eventually, the dust started to settle. The new lords and ladies of the land sat down on a table and drew their boundaries. Every five years they would gather and elect from their ranks a Kanzler (or Kanzlerin) to lead their nation through its fragile rebirth. Some commonfolk came up to their liege lords and protested: they bore their swords and gave their silver for the land, and they wanted a say in its future, too. So the House of Commons was raised to follow the House of Councillors, the two coming together to form the new national Diet.

Loringfal was reborn, but its world was fraught with danger. Across the waters, foreign powers conspired to take its wealth by force. Their spies roam free on the island, ready to stab their compatriots in the back. With new threats, however, came new opportunities: learned Ardoursmiths from the continent, from the line that built the first Soulforge, started to make their way to the island nation. They welded their senses to its beating heart, wrote down their deepest desires, and built a new Archive, just like the one that lies ruined in the dead heart of the Empire. The leaders of Loringfal saw their enemies' schemes, and took them on with enthusiasm for the contest. Their fleets descended on the continent in fire and smoke. Their armies marched deep into its heart and took its riches home. With more foreign holdings on their hands than they knew what to do with, a group of retiring generals established the Loringfale Aussenhandel-Kompanie (LAK), an enterprise known to most as simply the Company. It built harbours and ships in the conquered lands and made limitless riches, soon raising a fleet that would rival the Republic itself. With the seas firmly theirs, the Loringfalish turned their eyes to distant shores and knew: their business is war, and business is good.

    Geography 
Loringfal is a cold, wet island, with a heavily forested interior and a permafrosted northern tip.
  • Most of the population is concentrated around the Hader River estuary in the south, where much of the fishing and trading activity was historically centred.
  • Farms and traditional industries dot the centre of the island, particularly the Gerda Gap region, where the dense evergreen forests give way to large patches of grassland.
  • The north is home to several dormant volcanoes, which give it a rocky, jagged coastline and a mineral wealth to envy.
  • The capital, Kalborn, is the nation's cultural and economic stronghold. Standing by the mouth of the Hader River, it boasts a bustling port, a hard-stamping industrial row, and a collection of world-renowned art houses, including a museum displaying hundreds of colonial artefacts. Other major cities include Witzlar (heavy industries), Emerlau (shipyard and Republiksmarine headquarters), Herningalt (university and the Order of Ardoursmiths), Olberg (Heimatwächter headquarters) and Schminz (highland resort town for aristocrats).
  • A short island chain, called the Tirna Isles, partially bridges it to the continental mainland. It has been a major defensive feature for centuries, providing a forward defensive position that threatens any incoming invasion fleet.
  • The main island's irregular topography and the bouts of extreme weather it experiences make it hazardous to stray off well-travelled paths and inhabited areas. Roving gangs of ex-military reavers are a constant threat in the rural north, and there are rumours of wild soul-swallowers lurking in the woods, waiting for a prey to walk by.
  • Aside from the nation proper, Loringfal's naval power has allowed it to set up various dependencies and colonies around the world. Its subjects on the mainland include the provinces of Plammen, Vilice and Raskagorsk, which were conquered from their previous owners in past wars and now operate as de jure viceroyalties that pay regular tributes to the Loringfal state, as well as host a large Company presence.
  • Across the seas, its holdings include the eastern port city of Tuamenlai and the Dernimata tropical archipelago, both of which were acquired as post-war concessions. The colonies supply Loringfal with spices, textiles and other exotic riches.

    Culture 
  • The cornerstone of Loringfal's identity is the mandatory four-year military service for every able-bodied citizen, whether male, female or otherwise. After the four-year service, a conscript can choose between signing a regular enlistment contract, applying for an officer's commission or withdrawing into reservist duties, which includes an annual weeklong call-up until they reach the age of 45.
    • Reservists who fail to attend a call-up without a valid reason are subjected to a hefty fine and a mark on their record.
  • Every lawful citizen of Loringfal has their name written in the Soulforge Archive. Every time they fail to live up to their oath of service, whether in words or in action, a rune-map of their soul draws itself on the Archive, revealing a little more of their intentions. The record of their misdeeds affects a citizen's standing in life: someone who made a seditious joke one too many time could easily found themselves barred from business, banking and travel, and a long list of misdemeanours would eventually send their entire family on exile to the colonies. The Order of Ardoursmiths would only wipe off a record item in exchange for battlefield glory, which encourages Loringfalish soldiers and privateers to fight with reckless courage.
    • Some members of the order, of course, are willing to do so for a moderate sum of cash.
  • The value of communal responsibility is drilled into every citizen from birth, and everyone is encouraged to readily report any acquaintance of theirs who engage in lowly misbehaviour, helping to keep the Soulforge Archive up to date.
  • Tabletop wargaming is a popular pastime. All sections of Loringfalish society enjoy their military simulation, with complex rulesets and scenarios lifted directly from history books.
  • Loringfal has a prolific literary tradition. Military conscripts often write on their downtime, and a large number of veterans would go on to make a living as writers. Loringfalish military memoirs are so widely published and read around the world that it is said that every Loringfalish soldier kills his or her enemy twice: the first time with a weapon and the second time with a pen.
  • Some communities, particularly in isolated military camps, partake in the chewing of the so-called Panzerstock, a herbal stimulant that gives off strong hallucinogenic effects in large doses. A nationwide ban has led to many bored conscripts going into the woods to gather wild specimens, occasionally getting themselves eaten by feral soul-swallowers in the process.

    Economy 
  • The Company is the single largest non-military employer in the country. Nearly a fifth of citizens work for it in some capacity, and many more work for its subsidiaries or own some sliver of its stocks. While a large percentage of the shares is still owned by the state, many Diet members are major shareholders, along with assorted aristocrats and business magnates.
    • In the colonies, the Company acts as a regulatory authority for trade, levying tariffs on the movement of goods and helping enforce government quota on the export of materials to Loringfal. Its paramilitary wing also provides security and is authorised to carry out punitive actions on behalf of the government, both on land and on sea.
    • The nature of the Company makes it an attractive destination for Loringfalish soldiers after leaving service. The good pay, promise of adventure and opportunity for loot also make it a powerful cultural force within the Loringfalish society, and the protagonist of many a national histories.
    • In the past century, the Company has carried out more military expeditions than the government proper, though mostly against weaker adversaries.
    • The Company runs its own banking service, and nobody tries to set up a business venture in the colonies without its permission.
  • A large percentage of Loringfal's workforce is made up by migrant workers from the dependencies and colonies. Recruited through a number of private agencies, colonial labourers perform a wide range of jobs, from farm hands to factory workers to household staffers. The abundance of cheap labour frees up Loringfalish natives for the military and white-collar jobs (in principle) and allows the government to maintain artificially low taxes.
    • As a cost-saving measure, colonial labourers are usually housed in privately-run camps just outside city limits. Labour laws are scant and loosely enforced, and human trafficking is a common occurrence. Many trafficking operations have been co-opted by the Company itself, which dissuades Diet members from cracking down on the phenomenon.
  • Loringfalish craftsmanship is renowned throughout the continent. The Emerlau Naval Yard built a quarter of all ships currently afloat, and countless instruments in their cargo hold, from weapons to syringes, bear the proud label "Made in Loringfal". The Company owns a majority share in just about every manufacturing operation in the country, and divests their profits generously to their own shareholders in the Diet.
  • Finally, Loringfal's single most profitable business is not trade or manufacturing, but war. The Company earns an annual fortune from military contracts and letters of marque, and the government would often accept offers to intervene in foreign conflicts in exchange for in-kind payments and profitable trade deals.

    Military 
  • Heimatwächter des Loringfals: The Home Guard Regiments are the foundation of the Loringfalish military, commanding the largest amount of troops if not equipment.
    • Every able-bodied citizen is mandated to serve the first two years of their conscription here, after which they become eligible to apply for transfer to other services. New conscripts are sent to their local Guard Regiments, which are territorial units with their own distinct traditions.
    • A standard regiment consists of five foot battalions, one artillery battalion and one scout cavalry company. In peacetime, the regiments maintain their own farms and are regularly mobilised for public works, which helps them pay for their own running costs.
    • In addition to combat drills (which vary over time, from abysmal to exceptional), they also conduct regular show-of-force patrols across the countryside and assist the constabulary in law enforcement duties.
    • Since the founding of the Company, the Home Guard has suffered from a periodic shortage of non-commissioned officers, as experienced ones often forgo their military career in favour of a higher-paying private one. This has led to upsurges of troop-related crimes and incidents in the past, and led to the outsized power of the Friedenskorps in order to enforce military discipline.
  • Fliegerkräfte des Loringfals: A new and untested service branch that nonetheless receives a large portion of the military budget.
    • The Flying Service consists of a half-dozen airships, carrying formidable onboard weaponry and laden with as much armour as the winds could carry.
  • Republiksmarine: The pride and backbone of Loringfalish power.
    • The Navy fields no fewer than twenty dreadnoughts, twelve of them in the Home Fleet and the rest spread across the colonies. Loringfalish capital ships are the best-armed and best-armoured in the world, their main belt lined with layers of cemented steel and phase transformation-toughened zirconia that form a formidable composite.
    • Most of the regular patrols and force projection is performed by the navy's large destroyer fleet, which possess exceptional speed and lethality for their sizes.
    • The "invisible" arm of the navy is its submersible fleet, which is always the first to sail into hostile waters. An Ardoursmith is stationed onboard to divine the enemy intent, allowing the rest of the fleet to ambush and decimate them with ease.
    • Despite boasting its might in naval tonnage, the single most prestigious unit in the Navy is the Marine-Wachregiment "Alix Zeminsky", an elite light infantry force named after a legendary female corsair. Trained for months in the frozen north, the regiment has led every overseas campaign since its founding, and its veterans are highly coveted as mercenaries and advisors around the world.
    • The navy is supported by a large merchant fleet, which is mostly manned by sailors from the colonies. Company vessels of all stripes are also frequently contracted for auxiliary purposes.
  • Friedenskorps: The small but powerful constabulary of the nation.
    • Tasked with enforcing the law and investigating crimes, each Friedenskorps officer doubles as a ranking officer in the Home Guard and is empowered to enlist the assistance of its personnel.
    • The Friedenskorps is also responsible for enforcing military laws, and any enlisted personnel who fails to cooperate is instantly liable to a dishonourable discharge and a permanent black mark on their family record.
    • Veteran officers enjoy a sizeable pay and connections to the nation's military elite, which keeps them from being poached off by the Company.
    • Though the corps is officially responsible for maintaining the Soulforge Archive, the task has been clandestinely contracted to Company Ardoursmiths, who are welded to a much larger cross-section of the nation's society. The corps uses it to investigate to monitor the movement of seditious individuals and the transfer of assets, though the latter seldom results in actual arrests.

(Native German speakers, do kindly rip apart my translation)

edited 10th Jun '18 8:10:53 PM by eagleoftheninth

One day, we will read his name in the news and cheer.
SomethingRandom113 That Friend Nobody Likes from R'lyeh, the Pacific Ocean Since: Aug, 2017 Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
That Friend Nobody Likes
#3: Jun 15th 2018 at 12:11:16 PM

[up] THAT. IS. AWESOME. I especially love your unconventional idea of making Loringfal an island nation. That is weird (in a cool way).

I'm surprised that someone fully fleshed out a nation in one post, though in retrospect, I guess I shouldn't be. Congratulations on that, too!

Anyways, the next outline:

This nation exists in a bizarre Diesel Punk/Cyberpunk world with huge amounts of Schizo Tech (they have internet and fully functional cybernetics that don't eat your soul, but they haven't invented color photography/television or nuclear weapons yet). It is not our earth, but is similar and bizarrely different at the same time in a lot of ways.

The actual nation has the following tropes as its building blocks:

Yes, I know this one is probably going to be pretty hard.

edited 15th Jun '18 1:06:38 PM by SomethingRandom113

Umm... so, I was here, I guess. If I wasn't, someone hacked my account. So, yeah.
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