Difference between revisions of "Amaranth Republic"
(→Zones) |
|||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Amaranth Republic began its existence as a technocratic monastic state in a relatively secluded gas cloud, its members ultimately impassive to the whims of the outside world. The discovery of the twin moons of Mantegazzianus and Acanthochiton drew the attention of colonial interests, however, and eventually led to mass immigration of Terion miners and shipbuilders to establish large settlements there. Secular money from the trade of industrial goods proved to be enough of an incentive to allow these people to have a form of government separate from the religious roots of the order, although many of the immigrants adopted the pseudo-religious work ethic and inspired aesthetic of the Order's own constructions. As local space began to become heavily colonized, Amaranth grew to prominence as sellers of ships and weaponry uninvolved in overt warfare. | ||
| + | |||
| + | By the dawning of the high Belkar era, the Amaranth Order had become an accepted fact where the yellow-and-green was flown, its goods coveted and ships seen as far as the holdings in distant Isis and Nephtys. Trade with the outside world and increasingly large numbers of non-Order people within its borders eroded the cultural monolith of the Amaranth Order, but led to the creation of popular democratic government at the local levels and the creation of a military fleet to protect merchant assets. | ||
| + | |||
| + | When the empire finally collapsed after a succession crisis, Amaranth was left in uncertain terms. It scrambled its military in an attempt to retain control and found itself at the center of competing interests keen to use it to leverage themselves into power. Intent to keep the prize to himself, the Belkar dictator Dresslok pillaged the Order's coffers and seized the facilities fuel expansion rimward. His assassination ended many centuries of Belkar dominance over the small nation, but Amaranth was forced to take emergency measures to stay afloat and safe. The Order ceded authority to a military emergency council that then elected a merchant prince dictator to oversee emergency measures, and became belligerently neutral as it attempted to rein in civil unrest and pirate threats, waiting out the rest of the General War and holding together long enough to participate in the post-war reconstruction. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The rising Amaranth Republic has recently cut back on the harsh emergency measures put into place during the war and is having its second democratic elections since the abolishment of the military council ten years ago, but still sits on uncertain terms. Its military is pitifully small compared to its neighbors and almost entirely defensive in nature. Whether it will survive to assemble a military that will see it through the growing instability of the new era or collapse under the covetous gaze of its many neighbors remains yet to be seen. | ||
== Culture == | == Culture == | ||
Revision as of 06:58, 8 April 2013
The Amaranth Republic is a populous and industrious republic in the near-system, circling the desolate planet Ardjet. Amaranth makes heavy use of advanced fortification technology and observer ships but lacks decent military of its own, having spent several decades loaning its naval yards and industrial facilities to nearby polities to finance reconstruction in other areas.
History
The Amaranth Republic began its existence as a technocratic monastic state in a relatively secluded gas cloud, its members ultimately impassive to the whims of the outside world. The discovery of the twin moons of Mantegazzianus and Acanthochiton drew the attention of colonial interests, however, and eventually led to mass immigration of Terion miners and shipbuilders to establish large settlements there. Secular money from the trade of industrial goods proved to be enough of an incentive to allow these people to have a form of government separate from the religious roots of the order, although many of the immigrants adopted the pseudo-religious work ethic and inspired aesthetic of the Order's own constructions. As local space began to become heavily colonized, Amaranth grew to prominence as sellers of ships and weaponry uninvolved in overt warfare.
By the dawning of the high Belkar era, the Amaranth Order had become an accepted fact where the yellow-and-green was flown, its goods coveted and ships seen as far as the holdings in distant Isis and Nephtys. Trade with the outside world and increasingly large numbers of non-Order people within its borders eroded the cultural monolith of the Amaranth Order, but led to the creation of popular democratic government at the local levels and the creation of a military fleet to protect merchant assets.
When the empire finally collapsed after a succession crisis, Amaranth was left in uncertain terms. It scrambled its military in an attempt to retain control and found itself at the center of competing interests keen to use it to leverage themselves into power. Intent to keep the prize to himself, the Belkar dictator Dresslok pillaged the Order's coffers and seized the facilities fuel expansion rimward. His assassination ended many centuries of Belkar dominance over the small nation, but Amaranth was forced to take emergency measures to stay afloat and safe. The Order ceded authority to a military emergency council that then elected a merchant prince dictator to oversee emergency measures, and became belligerently neutral as it attempted to rein in civil unrest and pirate threats, waiting out the rest of the General War and holding together long enough to participate in the post-war reconstruction.
The rising Amaranth Republic has recently cut back on the harsh emergency measures put into place during the war and is having its second democratic elections since the abolishment of the military council ten years ago, but still sits on uncertain terms. Its military is pitifully small compared to its neighbors and almost entirely defensive in nature. Whether it will survive to assemble a military that will see it through the growing instability of the new era or collapse under the covetous gaze of its many neighbors remains yet to be seen.
Culture
Government
Traits
Maginot Line
Amaranth's civil engineering is peerless in the inner system, something which has carried over strongly to its military methodology, which favors strong fortifications.
The Alan Turing Project
Amaranth's constant push for military innovation and excellent consumer electronics have made their codebreakers enviable among the inner system nations.
Zones
Points: 160
Industry: 440
Upkeep: 220
Materials
- Claria: 24
- Sakuradite: 2
- Adamant: 2
- Sildron: 2
Mantegazzianus
Mantegazzianus is a dense and populous planetoid sitting in a semi-habitable gas cloud which shares its name. Endless urban sprawl covers the planet and stretches far into the skies, the core hollowed out and filled with hundreds of miles of farmland. Despite the crowded nature of the cities, Mantegazzianian architecture has a practice of 'psychological insulation' that reduces the appearances of crowds and claustrophobia in public spaces with clever design, making them comfortable and attractive to live in in spite of this.
The impressive industrial facilities date back from the height of the old Corin dynasty, but have been continuously updated and upgraded with the passing of time.
- 1 Gas Cloud + 1 Planetoid
- 5 Metropolis
Acanthochiton
Acanthochiton is Mantegazzianus' sister city and rests opposite the Graecizans highlands in another similarly habitable zone. The cities of Acanthochiton are often called the 'terrace cities' or 'garden cities', owing to the vast expanse of floating and fixed terraces that span across the surface of the planetoid, covered in abundant green spaces that have been cultivated for decades and in many cases, centuries.
- 1 Gas Cloud + 1 Planetoid
- 2 Metropolis
Arenicola
Arenicola is an outlying city on the outer ring that bounds Amaranth territory and the gravitational pull of of Ardjet. Arenicola is prosperous port city and exists as a meeting point between Amaranth interests and foreign powers from beyond the planet's gravity.
- 1 Ring
- 2 Metropolis
Palmeri
Palmeri sits in the inner ring that seperates Amaranth territory from the inner orbit of Ardjet's' gravity well, and is consequently far less traveled by foreign ships. Its position on the shortest route around the Graecizans Highland makes it crucial for the exchange of goods within Amaranth space, and its sometimes used as a final resting point before those entering the highlands.
- 1 Ring
- 1 Metropolis
Graecizans
Graecizans is a dangerous sargasso region, sometimes called the 'tumbleweed highlands' for the strange metallic lattice bundles that roll swarm around in the region. The region dominates the view from the the twin moons of the Republic, as well as the imagination of the people, though Amaranth traders tend to see it as a nuissance to convenient trade than anything else. Enterprising merchants and prospectors sometimes visit Graecizans try and harvest the metallic bundles for use in scientific experiments. Many are never seen again.
- 1 Sargasso
Military
Points: 10 (150 IP)
Upkeep: 50/220
15 Andreu-class Light Cruiser (1 Claria)
- (+0) S-class Interior Decorating
30 Sandoval III-class Transport Ship (1 Claria)
- (+0) S-class Interior Decorating
30 Foot Brigade
- (+0) Fashionable Militaria
200 Lore Villanueva IIa-type Bunker (1 Claria)
- (+0) S-class Interior Decorating
8 Gaspar-type Cosmofortress (1 Claria)
- (+0) S-class Interior Decorating