United Sonic Principalities

The United Sonic Principalities is a confederation of twelve small, meteographically linked states located predominantly in the lower orbits of Ardjet. Faced with sustained climate cooling in much of its territory and foreign invasion, the people of the Sonic dominions have united and rapidly industrialized both to defend what is already theirs and to acquire resources and living space for future generations.

History

The constituent states of the United Sonic Principalities have been politically separate dominions for most of their history. Up to little more than a century ago, they spent most of their resources competing with one another as completely independent countries. From the second half of the 47th century, long-standing cooling of the climate became an increasingly significant impediment to the economies of several of these dominions, resulting in heightened agreements of trade and cooperation.

Faced with Imperial aggression under the dictatorship of Desslok, the Belkan War tested and intensified solidarity among the Sonikans, culminating the foundation of the United Sonic Principalities. The wisdom of the decision seemed confirmed on religious grounds when, shortly thereafter, the 11th Invasion Fleet was wiped out in a storm hailed as the intervention of the Divine Wind. With the time and space won by this upset victory and the collapse of the Belkar Empire, the Sonikans consolidated their military and financial resources for a series of fierce defensive battles and a program of rapid armament and industrialization that continues to this day.

In recent years, the United Sonic Guards have taken over the former Belkan regional naval base. Renamed Sol Ciel, the isolated island has become a densely populated city with heavy emmigration from the Home Islands. Sonikans have also occupied several outlying territories composing Orbs-Ivlis-Dilete and is poised for further expansionism into the surrounding region.

Culture

Sonikans are culturally linked via spoken language, religion and race (being Apoions) but are divided by nation. Wing structure is the definitive identifier of nationality, affecting citizenship, inheritance of property and a host of other matters under traditional law. Each of the twelve nations speaks a different dialect of Sonico (though all are largely mutually intelligible) and share a pantheon of celestial and meteological deities. Chief among these are Sonica – the Mother of Song, Eponym of Language and Koruga – the Cloud of Death. More recently, Dilete – the Divine Wind has become a strong figure in the wake of the Belkan War. Sonikans tend to be fairly devout compared to the people of similarly technologically advanced states. Religion and superstition remain strong cultural and political forces.

Although commonly referred to as Sonikans abroad, most prefer to be referred to by their nationality, especially while in their homelands. Many are firm that their state is not one country but a collection of countries and while not formally correct, the usual Sonikan parlance for the USP is still the more traditional 'Twelve Dominions'. While the idea of solidarity has had over a century to establish itself, Sonikans maintain a lively rivalry in every field they can think of. Even military units, though usually having no membership restrictions, maintain cultural traditions that date back to when they were forces under a specific dominion.

Government

The archprincesses of each of the Twelve Dominions are collectively Head of State of the United Sonic Principalities. Each member nation runs its own local affairs, its own monarchy and the majority of Sonikans wouldn't have it any other way. The power of the princesses derives from their role as leaders and priestesses of the Sonikan pantheon. While their authority is sometimes moderated by other members of their royal family, each is an absolute monarch within their dominion and generally only submits to their peers in the context of the Sonic Council, itself a formalization of an older tradition stemming from the 47th century Kanycan Convention.

Each session of the Sonic Council lasts two years with each member hosting in turn. While there are provisions for the extraordinary case of all twelve monarchs gathered in one meeting, this has never happened since the formation of the union. Under the constitution, if even a single one of the monarchs is unable or indisposed to attend, then none do so. Hence, all meetings are conducted behind closed doors by specially appointed civilian Presidents. It is currently the 18th Session of the Sonic Council under the presidency of the Principality of Sankt. Having officially moved their royal court to the new city of Sol Ciel in the last few years, this is the first time the capital of the USP has been outside the Home Islands. Because of the delicacy of dealings between monarchs, the council is very careful in its selection of subjects for discussion, generally limiting itself to military and foreign affairs.

The Twelve Dominions

Midchis
Midchis is the most powerful of the twelve, controlling most of the Kanycan cluster after beating all of their opponents

Karino
As the architects of the 47th century Kanycan Convention as well as the USP itself, Karino has developed a reputation as the peacemakers and diplomats. Their territory was reduced to a single isle during the Kanycan War on which the great city of Ven Ciel subsequently grew.

Azel

Floria

Nanasy

Sankt

Pucelle

Ikasa

Meiru

Reizei

Vezendy

Viede

Traits

Sky Knights
Apoions are natural fliers with compact bodies and, as a result, a high average G tolerance. To take advantage of this, the Sonic Guards employs high performance aircraft in support of all military operations. By customizing their payload for individual missions, Sonikan aircraft-carrying warships have unparalleled operational flexibility.

Zones

Points: 142
Industry: 99
Upkeep: 180
Materials

Claria: 15

Sakuradite: 12

Adamant: 3

Sildron: 3

Orbs-Sonica

Orbs-Sonica is the original motherland of the Twelve Dominions, occupying an isolated quadrant in the innermost orbit of Ardjet. Kanyca is by far the largest archipelago among the Sonikan Home Islands with approximately the landmass of all the others combined. Until about a century ago, it was divided more or less evenly between the dominions of Midchis, Karino, Vezendy, Reizei, Sankt and Pucelle. Desperation stemming from climate and economic crisis drove the cluster into the Kanycan War during which Midchis more or less defeated all its opponents. Presently, Midchis controls about 85% of the territory, Karino controls the metropolis of Ven Ciel and Vezendy controls most of the rest.

1 x Cluster (3 sakuradite)

5 x Reef (5 claria, 5 sakuradite)

6 x Empty

1 x Military Base

1 x Metropolis

The Robe

The Robe is a Tyrus-Lorenz type Claria condensation cloud that forms the natural rimward border to Orbs-Sonica. Its most notable locale is the research headquarters of Reizei Integrated Force Laboratories. The installation lies somewhere in the clouds and was instrumental in developing weaponry that ultimatedly repelled foreign incursions during the General War.

2 x Gas Cloud

1 x Military Base

Sol Ciel

Sol Ciel was a Belkan regional naval base occupied by the Sonikans some seven years ago. Owing to a fantastically pleasant tropical climate, the once isolated rock became a major destination for emigration from Orbs-Sonica and civilian settlement has now largely dwarfed the original military purpose. The cosmopolitan city was officially awarded to the Archprincess of Sankt, who made it her capital. Each of the other dominions has at least a small settlement area with larger sections given to the nations with the least territory.

1 x Empty

1 x Military Base

1 x Metropolis

Orbs-Ivlis-Dilete

Literally "lands brought by Dilete - the Divine Wind", Orbs-Ivlis-Dilete is a region of island-hopped military conquests taken over the past fifteen years. The sole exception is the archipelago of Azel-Ivlis, which is considered among the Home Islands. Pucella Citadel is a massive military stronghold that is also the capital of Pucelle.

1 x Reef (free; 1 claria, 1 sakuradite)

3 x Ring

1 x Military Base

Military

Points: 88(1320 IP)
Upkeep: 268/180

12 Sword-class battlecruiser (Claria)
(+1) Drives (Claria)
(+1) Aircraft (Sakuradite/Claria)

12 Song-class heavy cruiser (Claria)
(+1) Aircraft (Sakuradite/Claria)

60 Demon-class light cruiser (Claria)
(+1) Aircraft (Sakuradite/Claria)
Destroyers are too small to launch and rearm aircraft so the Sonikans look towards light cruisers as a workhorse unit. Their sleek design belies a fundamental simplicity that has allowed the Sonikans to turn out a fair number of these ships over the years.

60 Reinforce II-class destroyers (Claria)
The Sonikan standard multi-role destroyer is a middling hull design with view towards potential mission-specific expansions but no particular field of excellence. As in many armed forces, they are assigned little glory but few doubt their necessity on the battlefield, if only to make up the numbers.

3 Lady-class marauder
The USP's only cloaking warships purchased under heavy secrecy several years ago followed later by both her sisters. Rumors are that the mysterious vessel has an onboard AI capable of controlling all onboard functions and can more than adequately fight with a bare handful of officers onboard. It is equipped with an array of unusual weapons. (+1) Thanatonium Shockwave Torpedoes
(+1) Superheavy Claria-Induction Graviton Cannon
(+1) Spy Sensors
(+0) Mental Model

30 Assault Ships (Claria)
(+1) Fast (Claria)

30 Marines
(+1) Combat Engineering (Adamant)
(+1) Armour (Adamant)
(+1) Aerospace Unit (Sakuradite/Claria)

60 Troop Ship (Claria)

150 Infantry
(+1) Air Support (Sakuradite/Claria)

30 Cavalry
(+1) Air Support (Sakuradite/Claria)

12 Armour
(+1) Air Support (Sakuradite/Claria)

5 Valkr Pucella
(+1) Stealth (Sildron)
(+1) Electronics (Claria)
(+1) Aerospace Unit (Sakuradite/Claria)
(+0) Catsuits