The overall setting will be set in a Steampunk-ish world known as Sekull.
Now, the world of Sekull is a strange Earthlike planet. It's inhabited by beings that are mostly like humans, but itself looks a bit more dangerous and unwelcoming than the place we know and inhabit. The different subjects on which it differs will be gone into a bit more below, but in short here's a quick debriefing.
There's a rare mineral, called Aethermite that has strange thermal properties.
There are three moons orbiting in the sky, causing dangerous oceans and dangerous weather.
There's a great richness in mundane metals, such as Iron and Copper
There's three overarching races of mankind, the Highlanders, Lowlanders, and Wetlanders.
As of now, I am currently working on a map, the rough draft of which can be found here.
Now, with this being a nation roleplay, there will be wars, diplomacy, intrigue, and the like. As the tags say, this will include profanity, and adult situations. While it will not necessitate these situations and language be used, I do not want to restrict them from being used, as with all words, they can be placed tastefully or at least to good effect.
War in particular lends itself, particularly in the era, and even more so when you bring about conscripts, to very violent, very graphic, and very dark situations. War has left people maimed, killed, raped, burnt, enslaved, and more. It's not a pretty thing. I will not condone, however, overly graphic posts that are not in compliance with the rules of the site, particularly if they are done explicitly to be graphic.
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Notes on the Subject of Nation Roleplays
As a Nation Roleplay, for those of you who may not already know how one of these works, I'll give a brief lesson here. When you are playing a nation, you are typically cast in the roles of every person of the upper echelons to one degree or another. You may write from the point of view of the monarch, a great general, a scheming spymaster, a soldier wounded in war, an inventor in their laboratory, a child starving in the streets of a corrupt town, whatever. You have many characters and roles that you can play off each other at your leisure, and further, off the characters and roles of others.
However, even with the Loyal Trait, your people are not all under your control. Sometimes, ( see the Random Event note ), things will happen beyond your control. You won't have full control of those pirates that attack your coastline, or the bandits that raid your trade routes. You won't have full control of the terrorist cultists who pop up within your outer cities.
And obviously, you will certainly not have control of the peoples and actions of another player's nation.
But the complicated waltz of politics is a fun one for the right type of person, and if you can handle such large and diverse roles, and remembering to note just how your nation is developing, than this shouldn't be a problem for you.
But do remember, this is a collaborative story. It is not a game of Civilization or Warcraft or whatever. Do not 'play to win'.
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Notes on the Subject of Aethermite
Aethermite Ore, also known as Blue Gold was first found in deep mine shafts in the old world in the 17th century. It was renowned for its strange properties, traded as a rare stone. Unlike any other stone, or material in general known to the world, Aethermite always retained the temperature it had when found in the deep mines. No attempt to cool it would succeed, and no attempt to melt it came to fruition. Some broke it down into dust, mixing it into liquid metals for fine jewelry, while others just placed chunks of it upon shelves as a piece of their wealth and power, holding aloft the stone that science forgot, the ultimate test of man by God according to some.
Alchemists worked upon it, studying it deeper with their theory of phlogiston behind them. They deemed the rock the sole absence of phlogiston, for not only could it not combust, but it could seemingly never change in temperature at all. That was not to say that it could not alter the temperatures of things around it. If placed in an environment colder than it, the environment would warm in response to it. If placed in an environment warmer than it, it would ignore the heat bringing the environment cooler.
As phlogiston faded in the 18th century to caloric, Aethermite was studied anew under this new light. The law of conservation of matter meant that caloric could neither be simply created or destroyed, and yet this Blue Gold seemed to defy that heavily. It became common theory that Aethermite was akin to a great bag full of caloric. The gas would enter into the Aethermite, and it would store vast amounts of it within itself, becoming unimaginably dense. The self repelling theory of the gas meant that some property of the metal ore had to attract it, and so in the manner that magnetism was understood, so was Aethermite.
With a greater understanding of electricity through the 18th century, it was only a matter of time before Blue Gold would be put under great tests. Sometime in the late 18th century a bit of Aethermite was struck by lightning during a great storm. After the storm, it was recovered, and much to the shock of its owner, the temperature of the Aethermite had cooled, to about the temperature it was during the storm itself. The scientific communities of the world jumped at this, and before long simple batteries were worked to send their stored charge through the Aethermite, resulting in something indeed marvelous. Aethermite's temperature dropped to room temperature.
Test after test followed. When its temperature dropped, they tested to see if it would act as a normal material afterwards, but found that it retained its strange self regulation. Thus it became known that Aethermite's temperature could only change when an electric current was running through it. So long as they kept it charged, they could change the temperature up, or down. The utility of this wasn't immediately known, but it became apparent in a paper penned by a Thomas Edison[1]. If the Aethermite was heated above the boiling point of water, it could be used as a free energy source for steam engines. Combustion was no longer needed at all. His patents brought about great changes, as the idea of an internal combustion engine began to stand on shakier ground.
His work was not all his own, however. One Nikola Tesla[2], whom was one of Edison's assistants, began on his own line of work after being fired by Edison. Picked up by a rival company, Tesla worked on his own brand of electrical applications, out of love of science, instead of coin. In his laboratory, Tesla put Aethermite under more electrical stress than it ever had been before, and became the first man to ever change the physical state of Aethermite, melting it. This molten Aethermite maintained the self regulatory properties as its solid form, and when cooled to room temperature remained a liquid, thereby allowing a more refined control over the abilities of the metal.
However, when Tesla tried to show his invention to his new employers, they demanded proof, and so he set off to prepare his laboratory to repeat the necessary electrical charge needed to liquify Aethermite. A business meeting of one of his employers further delayed this display. When the employer conversed with an associate over lunch, Edison had a spy nearby who relayed the information back to him. Edison, in response, sent his spy to sabotage Tesla's laboratory, so that the discharge of electricity wouldn't have the desired response. When Tesla was to demonstrate, his devices suffered a sudden error that resulted in them catching the building on fire. Tesla was promptly fired after his 'stunt', while Edison began to work on replicating the effect on his own. Edison's liquid Aethermite soon began to make him quite wealthy.
Steam engines have evolved to incorporate Aethermite in liquid and solid forms. Heating up the water within the pipes is now done with hot Aethermite injections, while the cooling system uses cold liquid Aethermite to absorb excess heat so as to make the contraptions safer to operate. As more and more Aethermite ore is mined from volcanic veins, and from the deep dark recesses of the world, progress marches on. Aristocratic organizations with ownership of Aethermite veins are some of the wealthiest in the world. Given that a small amount of hot Aethermite by itself could theoretically supply infinite power to steam engines, the industrial revolution saw true empires built upon the backs of steam.
Unfortunately, not every country is so fortunate as to have Aethermite locally available, and not all of those countries have necessary trade connections as to procure some. The older internal combustion engines, while mostly a tinkerer's dream than a businessman's, were still in blueprints that were passed around. Where Aethermite was not around, other fuels could be used, even other types of engines themselves. Internal combustion was not completely dead in the world yet.
[1] and [2] : These names were used not because these would be the most probable names in this fictionalized world, but because they are familiar names and they help fill the historical role of the material in a familiar way.
Etymology of Aethermite.
Aethermite is a light blue metal with unusual thermal properties. Its name is derived from these two components. The light blue is akin to the color of the sky on a clear day, hence Aether. The strange ability to ignore temperature under most circumstances gave way to Athermos. It is a stone, and therefore Ite. Combined, the result is Aethermite.
In its liquid form, it's known as Aqua Aethermos, or just Aethermos for short.
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Notes on the Subject of the Three Sisters
In the skies above Sekull are three moons, less than affectionately called ?The Three Sisters?, sometimes more profane variants are used in common talk as well. Due to their interfering orbits, the tides of Sekull are wild and dangerous. The waves are roaring leviathans, and the coastal lands are some of the most dangerous in the world. As such, seafaring is not a common practice, as most ships that do set sail out unto the waters find that they consume them more likely than not, or dash them harshly upon the rocks.
The result from this oddity is delta civilizations were established by only the hardiest of peoples, and technology was thrust forth in great importance as early man had to fight hard to conquer the environment, lest it conquered him. Most civilizations instead found refuge further inland along the rivers and the calmer lakes.
With the seas almost effectively eliminated from travel, for ages land travel was the only means by which goods could be transported. In the early days, this meant that cultures were more rigidly separated, as mass movement was itself arduous. As such, two schools of mercantile though began to rise in the Renaissance era. Submersibles, and aircraft.
Submersibles were the next step for those who already had pushed forth unto the waters, the daring brave and bold who built wet navy ships, thick layered hulls for their massive vessels. It was found that beneath the waves, things were far more calm, and it seemed like the logical step to conquer the waters, by diving beneath them.
Others saw the skies as a route for trade and expansion. While the low lying terrible storms would deter those in the lowlands, those who traveled along mountains that broke free from the clouds saw far less turbulent skies. Equally a pipe dream, they sought to lift themselves into the air, while others sought to sink themselves below the waves. Ultimately, both came to pass, in no small way helped and furthered with the discovery of Aethermite's unique properties in an industrial capacity.
The vortex of gravitational forces has also brought forth a spring of valuable metals in more abundance, with the exception being Aethermite itself. Iron, copper, and silver are fairly common. Further, the weather is remarkably wet. There are few reaches of arid environments, few barrens, and fewer deserts. The sky is a mass of dark storm clouds and torrents of rain, with rainy seasons lasting for most of the year. As a result, most harvest plants have adapted to require less sunlight, and survive without drowning in the routine floods. Fortuitously, the heavy storm clouds are typically lower in the atmosphere, weighed down by their size. The highlands have a lighter shimmer of rain about them, and while cooler, have a more temperate cycle of seasons.
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Notes on the Subject of the Three Races
Mankind has split into three broad tracts of race, based upon the general origin of the split, based further upon the regional climate and terrain from which they arose. They are the Lowlanders, Highlanders, and Wetlanders.
The Wetlanders originated almost entirely from the lowlands closer to the coast and almost entirely beneath the low clouds. Born and raised in the darker places of the world, they are very pale, white, and according to the other races, almost ghostly in appearance. They fare very poorly in the hot places of the world, and their skin is prone to burning under too much sunlight. Even the wetlands' brightest day is almost akin to a dusk light for others. Their hair is usually black, gray, or white.
They are those who managed to live along the coast when none others could, and are among the very few who could manage to hazard a successful venture unto the waves, living in the wettest realms already, between the leviathan of the sea, and the behemoth of the low sky storms. They are a hardy people, able to endure the colder, darker, wet lands. Typically for them, sky travel is a ludicrous idea, that few would venture to do, as their skies are just as turbulent as their waters.
The Highlanders originated almost entirely from the highlands along the mountains and plateaus above the low clouds. In the sunlight below the lighter high clouds, their skin has become dark. Their seasons are far more temperate, and from such they have the fortunate of a, while cooler, a much more steady environment to work within. Their hair is usually reddish or blond.
The highlands are not always peachy to live in, they get far less rainfall than the lowlands, and the ground is far less rich in fertile soils. Terrace farming was the preferred method of cultivation with the dawn of agriculture. Further, the highlands are generally not as smooth and worn by the torrential rains of the lowlands, and so the Highlanders usually have a lack of good animal breeds for transportation.
The Lowlanders are by far the least common of the races, and sometimes called an offshoot of the Highlanders. They originate in the regions where the mountains tore the clouds from the sky, and the coastal grounds are not filled with darkness. Their skin is not as dark as a Highlander's, falling in as a nice tanned tone, with hair running from light brown to black.
The lowlands are usually a bit more dry than the other regions, with water mostly being derived from the rivers and lakes, and the sea if they're brave enough to settle there. They endure shorter rainy seasons, but still deal with the horrendous oceans. Fortunately, their land is more fertile than the highlands, although it does require more work and irrigation to handle. More fortuitously, livestock are better suited for these lowlands.
It should be noted that these three races are more akin to larger families of races, with smaller distinctions between them within the larger whole, and are all human.
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Notes on the Subject of National Traits
This Nation Roleplay will, while not being heavily mathematical, will rely on a simple system of traits to help define your nation in various ways. You will be able to pick and choose a certain number of traits at your leisure, and even take an extra National Flaw in order to take further National Traits if you so like.
You have 22 points to spend on traits. Some traits require others, and other traits cannot be taken with certain traits. If it is not listed, but common sense says it shouldn't work together, particularly trait / flaw combinations, than don't go ahead and do it. You must, as later noted, take at least 2 National Flaws. These do not grant you any bonuses, as you can gain through additional flaws. You may not take more than 5 National Flaws total, meaning your maximum number of traits ( ignoring the free trait options ) that you may have is 26 if you take the Old Fashioned flaw which grants two bonus traits instead of one. Army Size Traits for Sea and Air navies ( the Bargain Bin ones ) count as flaws themselves, and can be taken instead of flaws from the flaw list.
Side note, you are indeed able to take even more flaws beyond those that would give you bonus traits. Just note, that this will not give you any benefits.
It should be noted, that while the system isn't perfect, and is indeed exploitable if you put the time and effort into it, min-maxing, and powergaming are looked down upon, and will likely result in your nation being rejected. If you manage to sneak one past me, something I didn't notice, well, read on and you'll see how that will be handled.
In addition to the general National Traits that all people can pick from, you may design your own unique trait. However, as with above, you should be reminded to not powergame, or try to steal someone else's trait. Furthermore, you may not use this unique trait to mimic a general trait. If you want another trait, take another flaw.
And note, this is still technically a Work In Progress.
Civilization Traits:
Monolithic- Your nation has a serious fetish for large things. Sky scrapers pierce the thick clouds and ships are almost cities themselves. Whatever it is you're building, you build it big, big, BIG.
Secret Agents- What do you say about spilling those secrets old chap? I do say, this iron looks very hot, I'd hate to slip and burn you.
Gestapo- We can't have you marching spies into our lands unnoticed, now can we? It's okay, just step in our train, you'll love the ride.
Big Brother- The government controls everything. Including you. Especially you.
Industrial Revolution- Your nation has hit a new age of advancement and development on a scale never before heard within its history. Factories being built on a never before heard of scale.
Nobody Cares about Uzbekistan- Yours is a nation of little renown. Best get used to answering the question, ?You're a diplomat from where again??.
Implausibly Efficient Government- When it comes to red tape, it seems your bureaucrats are armed with machetes.
Silk Road- Things just seem to have to pass through your nation to reach where they were intended to go, and you have monopolized on this. Enjoy your money bath!
Skeleton Key- Whether by force of will, or loosening lips with a bit of booze, your diplomats manage to get their hands on more dirty little, and big, secrets than most.
Population Traits:
Slavers- Your people, either because they think it just, or just because they think they can, have enslaved another group, race, or religious group of people to do work for them... and less savory things as well. While this does give benefits to your labor force, and conscripts your people care less about losing, this habit is typically looked down upon by, well, most everyone else.
Loyal- Whether it be free cookies on Sunday, or the cat o' nine tails that the overlord is holding, your people are ready to fall in line with what the nation may ask of them.
Heroic- Your people would rather be Spartan warriors than Persian Generals, and are eager to fight for your flag and country. Unfortunately, they'd also rather be warriors than, say, scientists, diplomats, farmers, inventors...
Party Goers- Party time! Your people love to go out, drink, dance, and be merry, your people are generally happier than others but are harder to control, especially if they are deprived of such merriment.
Brave- Okay, maybe it wasn't the best of idea to try grenade cricket as a sport, but your people thought it would be cool, and they weren't afraid of the potential of death either.
Manifest Destiny- Your people have a driving desire to expand and control all that they can lay their eyes upon, and even what they can't.
Industrious- Work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger, more than ever, hour after our work is never over. Your people work tirelessly making more and more things. ( Can't be taken with Perfectionists )
Perfectionists- Instead of working on making numerous things at lightning speed, they focus on making each and everything with utmost precision, not satisfied unless it's perfect. ( Can't be taken with Industrious )
FOR SCIENCE!- The desire to take things, and animals... and people apart and see how they work runs in your citizens' blood. ( Requires at least 3 Academia Traits )
Diplomatic- Your people have a natural gift with diplomacy, not resorting to petty deceptions, they are merely good at the art of speaking and debating with others, not only does this help their haggling skills but also other nations are far more likely to agree with yours.
Academia Traits:
Academy of Science- A basic education for the upper echelon of society, or in more affluent realms perhaps even others could enroll without the support of aristocracy.
University of Applied Sciences- This here, is a university, not a school. We are not here to educate barbarians into workable social rejects, we're here to delve deep into the dark corners of SCIENCE and bring light to the world. ( Requires Academy of Science )
The Observatory- The study of the stars, of the moons, and of the tiered clouds is an important role to fill for many a nation, further still if they've any desire to safely travel the skies.
The Maroculus- Plunged deep into the waters, the Maroculus is one of the few submersible buildings that any nation will ever invest in, studying the deeps in preparation for embarking into them.
The Laboratory- The study of science is not just theoretical, oh no. It's something that we can hold in our hands, and on the table, experimented on fully before it's released to the uneducated masses.
Academy of Natural Sciences- From better irrigation, more exhaustive ventures into the subterranean depths, or even efficient aquaculture, the Natural Sciences are not something to be overlooked.
Military Academy- What better to get the soldiers primed and ready than extensive drills and regimental education? Perhaps a little time here could help even the conscripts behave a bit better, if sadly still not affording to arm them well.
Flight Academy- Your mind is used to thinking on a two dimensional plane. But in the air, we need you thinking in three. By the time you're done here, you won't know front, back, left, and right, you'll know your port, starboard, aft, fore, ventral, and dorsal.
Naval Academy- Even in the dangerous waters, tactical efforts can not be ignored. We'll teach you when to present a broadside to your enemy, and when to hide your profile entirely, and perhaps even how to strike from the depths themselves.
Steam Traits: Every nation starts with a free trait for the common steam engine running on burnable fuels.
Aethermite Fuel- Instead of external combustion heating your steam for you, you've brought into the fray Aethermite to heat up your water. This allows for more compact engines that are far more efficient. ( Requires University of Applied Sciences and The Laboratory )
Liquid Aethermite- The most effective coolant to take the heat out of the pipes imbued by the hot Aethermite is flowing cold liquid Aethermite, making your systems that much more safe to manage. ( Requires FOR SCIENCE! and Aethermite Fuel )
Aethermite Alloys- Unlike other applications of Aethermite, this one is likely the lowest tech level of it, not requiring a lot of alteration before its utilization, while still increasing the safety and effectiveness of steam engines in particular, but other things as well. ( Requires University of Applied Sciences )
Advanced Coolants- While you may lack effective Athermite running through the veins of your engines, you have synthesized a weaker, but suitable replacement for the job. ( Can't be taken with Liquid Aethermite, requires The Laboratory )
Steam Cannon- The Steam Cannon is evidence alone that you truly hate your opponent with the burning intensity of a thousand suns. Concentrating high-pressure steam into a boiler until it is red-lining and then unleashing it through a ?hose-turret? onto your enemy frequently broiling him alive. However, it is short-ranged.
Weaponized Exhausts- All that steam exhaust just seems to be going to waste, doesn?t it? Well, your steam engineers have decided to re-route it to the Steam Cannons for more energy, thus providing more power to them than just a its original steam generator. ( Requires Steam Cannon )
Pressurized Valve Control- This system of valves and pipes transfers the power steam provides to where it is needed more efficiently than ever, making larger machines powered by only one generator that much more feasible.
Compression Obsession- More pressure equals more power, right? Well, your engineers have taken that to heart, and not only do they pack more steam equipment into a smaller space, but the higher pressures involved pump up its effectiveness as well! Of course, so much steam in such a small area needs adequate cooling, otherwise the pipes (and the operators) would melt! But let?s not mention the higher chance of exploding steam generators to the buyer... ( Requires either Advanced Coolants, Liquid Aethermite, or Aethermite Alloys )
Steam Miniaturization- Your nation has taken steam power to an art form. Your engineers are able to create works of art that use the tiniest of pipes (only an inch in diameter!) to transfer the steam where it needs to go. Obviously, this means you can fit more stuff where space used to be taken up by networks of pipes and pressure valves. ( Requires Compression Obsession, Pressurized Valve Control, and Aethermite Alloys )
Perpetual Steam Engine- Most steam engines ultimately have a limited capacity for work before needing to be refueled, either with water, or with more fuel as the case may be. Your scientists and engineers have worked their way around this issue, with complex and radical applications of Aethermite in all aspects of the engine. The machinery is highly complicated, and takes a lot of work to fix if damaged, but is effectively a limitless source of power, if somewhat draining on your Aethermite reserves. ( Requires Steam Miniaturization, Aethermite Fuel, Liquid Aethermite, and Academy of Natural Sciences )
Technology Traits: There are some free technologies that everyone gets, such as Trains, Radio, and Moving Pictures. Militarily, you start with breech loaded weapons.
Analog Computation- Simple calculators to massive room filling super computers. These machines require great feats of engineering to work properly, particularly on a larger scale. Depending on how many points you spend, you have more to work with, from table and hand-held tools, to machines able to handle the accounting of businesses with enough effort, to incredibly complicated and large super computers to handle the affairs of an entire nation. ( Maximum of 3 Points may be spent. First point requires Clockwork Gearbox. Second point requires Clockwork Finesse. Final point requires Aethermite Alloys and Pressurized Valve Control )
Clockwork Repeaters- The Clockwork repeaters are a modification of the rifle technology, and is largely responsible for technology such as the Gatling Gun. This technology allows a high rate of fire. (Requires Rifling)
Automobiles- Four wheels and a Steam Generator will travel. These strange ?automobiles? have been cropping up in the technologically oriented nations of the world of late with increasing frequency and are loved by the rich technophiles that own them. But some speak of the smarter applications of technological advance and whisper about the possibility of weaponization!
Clockwork Walkers- This technology allows for the creation of ?walking machines? it can be taken multiple times, for the first you can build a dog-sized creation that walks. Then a human sized, then that of a small vehicle, and finally for even warships. (Maximum of 4 Points may be spent. The last point requires Perpetual Steam Engine )
Clockwork Automation- This allows for the production of automation using Clockwork technology, such as the much vaunted Clockwork Men if enough points in Clockwork Walkers have been taken. The automation, however, is limited to simple commands. ( Requires at least 2 points in Analog Computation )
Clockwork Turrets- Advanced Clockwork technology that allows for more stable and faster tracking turrets on that which bears such technology. (Requires Clockwork Gearbox )
Clockwork Parts- Body Parts. Clockwork Arms? We got them. Clockwork Legs? Buy two get one free. Lost an eye, we can help out. This shows a prevalence of ?fine? clockwork technology. ( Requires Clockwork Finesse )
Clockwork Organs- Taking arms and legs a step further we have perfected Clockwork to the point that we can replace your innards and keep everything going should something bad happen. Pity we can?t swap out the heart though. (Requires Clockwork Parts and Clockwork Gearbox )
Clockwork Finesse- Your clockwork is fine and capable of extremely complex operation allowing for all sorts of fine technology.
Clockwork Gearbox- Advanced Clockwork Gearboxes allow for a tighter faster engines and machines that respond far more effectively than lesser clockwork engines.
Rifling- The Gunsmiths have discovered that a set of fine grooves along the inner circumference of a rifle gives it greater accuracy with the weapons. They discovered that this could be applied to any projectile firearm.
Flak Cannon- The Flak Cannon is a specialized weapon for taking out airborne targets be it dragon or dirigible. The typical Flak cannon fires out clouds of shrapnel at a pre-set height for it to detonate. However with the advent of more powerful aerial units they also come in contact-detonation shells. (Requires Cartridge Loading and Rifling.)
Advanced Explosives- Don?t get me wrong. Dynamite is great, but Dynamite built with ammonium nitrate is far better. Dynamite makes a boom, but Dynamite using Ammonium Nitrate is HOLY FUCK WHERE DID THE MOUNTAIN GO!?
Cartridge Loading- This trait represents using jacketed bullets instead of the bulky pieces of other firearms such as Muskets and Blunderbusses. This trait is required for anything more complex than muskets and basic cannons. Revolvers, Carbines, Shotguns, Ship guns etc all require this trait.
#1 Powder- Your alchemists have discovered a more refined ratio of charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur in order to make a gunpowder that give a bigger bang for less powder. This improves the velocity? and damage potential? of gunpowder weapons.
Rocketry- Utilizing gunpowder to create a ?charge? that sends these explosive rockets screaming into the air these weapons are powerful and can be fired in quite large volleys, however they occupy a lot of space and are inaccurate.
Torpedoes- There are two types of Torpedo. The first is the Waveskimmer. A simple propelled clockwork torpedo with an explosive warhead used for destroying enemy wet-navy ships. The second is the Aerial Torpedo, this weapon has several components. The first is the Altimeter, it must be launched at high altitudes and has a pre-set ?ceiling? which it will descend to by releasing its buoyancy gasses. The propeller and guide-wings that keep it on course. And of course the Warhead. ( Each type of Torpedo costs a trait point to get, and requires Clockwork Finesse )
Airships- Airships are basically a wet-navy vessel, be it civilian or military, built with Hydrogen tanks for lift and propellers to guide it. These vessels can be considerably underestimated on the battlefield by an ignorant enemy. They rarely repeat this mistake. ( Requires Academy of Science, allows you to sail carriers in your Wet Navy )
Gyrocopters- These bizarre flying machines have a propeller over the heat of the pilot allowing them to be quite maneuverable though they are not fast in straight line stretches. These craft are powered by a steam generator that generates the power for the propeller. Typically armed with a single gun and maybe some dynamite to throw! ( Requires Clockwork Gearbox Traits )
Advanced Airships- This trait represents the pinnacle of Airship technology, Carriers and Battleships, even the mighty Ironclads. These vessels are not small and are often complex. And complex airships like the Turbulence U-Boats require this trait. These represent the best airship technology available. (Requires Airships, The Observatory, Industrial Revolution, and Aethermite Alloys )
Glide-Fighters- These are not truly Airships. But strange craft called ?Monoplane Fighters? and they are bizarre air machines only piloted by the truly insane and brave. But none can deny their place on a battlefield after witnessing its effects. They however are simple unpowered gliders that can use either rockets or steam catapults. They have sufficient weapons to fight in the skies and a good pilot could keep his fighter-glider in the air indefinitely in theory. However the glider nature of the fighters reinforces a requirement for Carriers to even get them to launch altitude. (Requires Advanced Airships and Rocketry Traits.)
Powered Fighters- These are large, considerably so. They're built upon the designs of the previous generations of flying machines, the Glide-Fighters and Gyrocopters, employing elements from both, and their own brand of innovation. Like Glide-Fighters they require Rockets or a Steam Catapult to achieve launch velocity off of a carrier?s deck. These fighters are known for being able to absorb a lot of punishment from smaller fighters and maintain an aerial presence after the Glide-Fighters flight time and ammunition has been expended. However they?re also known for being easier to hit. ( Requires Glide-Fighters, Clockwork Finesse, and Gryocopters )
Submersibles- The Ocean?s a harsh mistress for those who face the wrath of her screaming angry maw. But there are those who rest deep in her loving embrace and breast. Mythical Iron Whales that travel beneath the waves themselves with only an eye on a stalk with which to see above the waves. ( Requires Compression Obsession, Clockwork Gearbox, and The Maroculus )
Drop Pod- Getting down to the earth to let your troops out into the field of battle, or dropping supplies to them sure takes some time, but not for you, you just shoot them down in an instant. Granted, taking such a fall into the battlefield is usually quite harmful to those inside, and those directly beneath it ( Requires Airship and Rocketry )
On the Run- From airships to larger vessels of the sea, to large mechas and trains, your people have a knack for building factories where they don't usually go, and some say don't belong. While this means your constructive efforts are more mobile, there are great dangers in having a factory out and about. ( Requires Monolithic and Industrial Revolution )
Redundancy- When something breaks that you really didn't want to break, your machines may not actually be broken, a secondary redundant system or part may be able to almost effortlessly come into work instead of the broken one to keep everything running smoothly. However, these duplicate parts take away from space that could be used for other things. ( Requires Industrial Revolution )
Army Traits: Your army trait costs no points to acquire, but you must and can only pick one.
Volunteer Army- Yours is an army of volunteers, your numbers are small and consists of skilled well trained troops equipped with the best technologies you have to offer. These men are loyal to the nation without equal. The problem is their relatively short numbers.
Maximum Ground Army size: 100,000 Men.
Conscription- A conscript army with only a few chosen ?officers? of worth. These men are so poorly equipped as to be far from amusing. Still sporting muskets and basic cannon if even that. However Numbers are definitely on your side. Until the mass desertions begin to kick in during wartime.
Maximum Ground Army size: 800,000 Men.
Ye Olde Grand Armee- A large standing army of professional well equipped soldiers. They may not possess the absolute best technologies available but there is probably a small core of troops with them. However new recruits can be hard to come by.
Maximum Ground Army size: 250,000 Men (20% Conscripts)
National Pride- You have a small well equipped core army of talented soldiers. These men are reliable and loyal but incapable of sustaining a war effort and are mainly homeland defense. But in times of war you draft massive numbers of conscripts and equip them with basic weapons and training. These conscripts can either choose to stay on or be disbanded after any major ware.
Maximum Ground Army size: 600,000 Men (10% Standing Army, the rest are available Conscripts)
Wet Navy Traits: One required so long as you have a coastline at all. It's, as with the above, a free trait.
Imperial Navy:
Innovation, safe, considered, tested. This is what makes the Imperial Navy superior, that as well as a long tradition of elite and well disciplined naval forces lead the Imperial Navy to have the most well trained, survivable vessels on the sea. Though they may not be as hard hitting as an Experimental navy or as numerous as the others its power and skill are significant.
20 ?Ship of the Line?
40 ?Warships?
80 ?Escorts?
6 ?Carriers? ( If technology isn't taken to allow for it, or you want less carriers, you may take an equivalent amount of Ships of the Line)
Experimental Navy:
Technology was made to be used, and with or without consideration your navy well and truly does use it. Your sea-going vessels make the maximum use of your developed technologies and as such are typically all very powerful vessels. But they are not necessarily well tested or even safe. Especially in rough conditions the vessels of an experimental navy can be as much a danger to themselves as the enemy.
16 ?Ship of the Line?
50 ?Warships?
100 ?Escorts?
10 ?Carriers? ( If technology isn't taken to allow for it, or you want less carriers, you may take an equivalent amount of Ships of the Line)
Traditionalist Navy:
Your navy is built according to tradition and incorporates little innovative technology, as such it is larger than the Imperial or Experimental Navies, however it is also one steeped in tradition and experience, so while your ships are rarely equal to any Imperial or Experimental navies your peoples training can and has been used to close that gap.
50 ?Ship of the Line?
100 ?Warships?
200 ?Escorts?
0 ?Carriers?
Bargain Bin Navy:
Your navy is positively massive, if only because your governments definition of what could be classed as a navy ship seems to be so wide as to include fishing boats and children's toys. Indeed, so dedicated to a large navy are you that very little innovative technology exists, most of your ?warships? are just civilian craft that someone thought to put a cannon or two upon.
2 ?Ship of the Line?
6 ?Warships?
1,000 ?Escorts?
0 ?Carriers?
NOTE: This is considered to be equal to a flaw.
Air Navy Traits: One required, and as with the above, it is also free.
Royal Sky Navy:
Superb and safe engineering with the best training money can buy. This leads to safe powerful ships, while less powerful weapons than the Radical navies they also don't have the chance of killing themselves in battle. This leads to the smallest navy size, but also most skilled in battle. One on one few if any can challenge them.
8 ?Sky Dreadnoughts?
30 ?Sky Cruisers?
60 ?Sky Frigates?
6 ?Sky Carriers? (If Carrier type technology isn't taken, or you want less carriers, may replace with the same number of dreadnoughts)
Radical Sky Navy:
The Radical sky navy is full of experimental and dangerous technologies. There is little it cannot achieve. However elite and disciplined forces are less common as Radical vessels are often frequently very different to one another. However Radical vessels often pack the most wallop. If they can keep from destroying themselves.
10 ?Sky Dreadnoughts?
40 ?Sky Cruisers?
80 ?Sky Frigates?
10 ?Sky Carriers? (If Carrier type technology isn't taken, or you want less carriers, may replace with the same number of dreadnoughts)
Traditionalist Sky Navy:
While not as capable as the Royal or Radical sky navies the Traditionalist sky navies are capable. Warships suspended by average drives and usually powered by wind, these navies are impressive sights of sail. Though their powered propulsion is usually less they rarely mount advanced technology in favor of larger broadsides.
16 ?Sky Dreadnoughts?
80 ?Sky Cruisers?
160 ?Sky Frigates?
14 ?Sky Carriers? (If Carrier type technology isn't taken, or you want less carriers, may replace with the same number of dreadnoughts)
Bargain Sky Navy:
Cheap and plentiful your navy can absolutely fill the sky. Of course, it's mostly just air balloons with a cannon or two. You might even have some zeppelins. This is THE technologically inept navy of choice. Plenty of bodies, but generally too incompetent to matter.
10 ?Zeppelins?
500 ?Light Zeppelins?
NOTE: This is considered to be equal to a flaw.
Military Traits:
Fearless- Your soldiers know no fear, and unless ordered to fall back, will do no such thing, even if death is inevitable for them if they continued. ( Requires Brave )
Basic Training- Unlike others who just happen to throw conscripts at the enemy hoping it works, you actually give them all a brief period of basic training before hand. Takes longer to get them out, but it?s well worth it. ( Requires Military Academy )
Stealthy- Relying on not being seen is an age old methodology in war, that is very good at getting the job done. After all, you can?t be killed if you can?t be seen, right? Granted, hiding in things such as the low clouds is itself a potential death sentence.
Big Guns- Your guns are big, and are known for blowing more than just a little of a person away with a single shot. You don?t need to hit as many times to break something, but reloading is a bitch. ( Can't be taken with Stealthy )
Elite Guard- Not part of your de facto army, the Elite Guard is its own effective military branch, consisting of maybe 1,000 masterfully trained soldiers. Their sole purpose is to protect the leaders of your nation, as a last line of defense, and may downright refuse to go on an offensive that leaves the borders of the realm.
Flaws: Every nation is required to take two flaws from this list. You are then able to take up to three extra flaws. These three extra flaws each, unless otherwise stated, grant you a bonus trait you may purchase.
New World- (Plunderable/Naive) You've been secluded for centuries building up quietly, but now things have changed, you've been found by others and have enviable resources and other reasons. And you don't have the technology to do much to stop them. ( Cannot take any Aethermite related trait )
The Commissariat- (Can only take if a Conscript based army) Your conscripts are unruly thugs. So what better to keep them in control than something they fear even more in the rear, so they'll head towards the enemy instead?
Old Fashioned- Your nation hearkens to the older way of doing things. Things like Musket formations. Cannon Batteries etc. Your tactics are simply old fashioned, your weapons outdated, and everything is done according to customs too old to remember. This flaw hits hard enough to provide two (2) bonus traits.
Soylent Green is People- You have a giant elephant-sized skeleton in your closet. (You must describe this big nasty secret. Though only your nation knows it and even the best spies would have difficulty finding it.)
Afraid of Heights- ?Uh uh, I ain't going up on any deck.? If you even have the technology to do so your people just don't like Airships. They must be enclosed at all times if there are any at all, this means they're under armed for their size too!
Hydrophobia- Your people are, quite frankly, terrified of the ocean. They may not have any wet-navy at all and cannot take any wet-navy type traits (that only effect Wet-navies.) Hell, even their Airships refuse to get too close to it, but can you really blame them? Yes. Yes you can.
Honorable to a Fault- Your strategies will never rely on surprise or deception, your ships are painted bright shiny silver and your admirals will always give a speech to the enemy before battle. Which the enemy won't hear anyway most likely.
Government Red Tape- This request cannot be processed at this time. Please take a number.
Madness, or Genius?- A good number of your scientists tend to be a little crazy. Don't be surprised if a laboratory occasionally explodes, or creates something even worse than an explosion and then ?accidentally? lets it go free...
Shady as Slim- Your people tend to have this nasty habit of loving the black market. A lot. Don't expect your plans to stay secret for long. Especially if those plans involve standing armies and their locations...
Black Skies- Your nation is frequently subject to massive electrical storms, tornadoes and other terrible skyborne threats making sky travel risky at the best of times within your nation for both friend and foe alike.
Seismically Active- You have dug a little too deep with your extensive mines and triggered a little bit of an earthquake problem on your nation. It's probably not actually seismic, it's probably just your mines collapsing...
Pirates' Haven- Whether you like it or not the Pirates consider your nation a safe-haven to ply their trade. In both air and sea they plague your borders like the persistent bites of a thousand gnats and whenever you try to stamp them out they vanish only to reappear later in force.
Extensive Banditry- Your nation is plagued by bandits, and badly enough that cleaning them out always seems to be a losing proposition. Outside of areas actively patrolled by your military, life is dangerous, the forests and mountains of your nation are death to travel, or be robbed. Indeed, sometimes even when you send troops to stamp them out, it's the troops who don't come home.
Bankrupt- Your nation hides its sudden fall from financial grace with quiet loans and a lot of hobnobbing with the lower classes in the Merchant Guild to continue to finance itself. But no matter what you do or how well you simply cannot manage to get into financial stability.
Cowardly- Your people make very poor soldiers. While they are as capable as any other the fact remains at their core lies a lilly-livered, chicken-hearted, yellow-bellied coward. So long as your troops maintain a significant advantage you're fine. But the moment things even start evening out your guys would really like to head for the hills!
Paranoia!- Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
Public Outcry- Your people have deep and strong opinions on some issues you'd really rather they didn't. (Please make it clear what this issue is. And use common sense.)
Dangerous Cults- These cults aren't just your weirdo cults that do strange things. These are cults that actively enjoy concepts like bringing your government down, and setting fire to children.
Hilariously Fail- Someone, rather a lot of someones, doesn't have much going on upstairs. Unfortunately they're disproportionately represented in your government and military.
Shitty Craftsmanship- Your people just... well they can't make anything as it should be made, their favorite phrase is ?good enough? and it is reflected in everything they do. Leaky ships, airships with bad propellers, rifles as likely to backfire as actually fire properly...
Limestone Lands- Your lands are really, really bad for agriculture limestone being a primary reason. As such you have an itty bitty problem, a populace you have a LOT of trouble feeding. I hope you have some friends with good farms. On the other hand, you have a lot of nice statues and stonework.
Mineral Poor- Your lands are unique, but in a fairly bad way. Instead of following the norm and being minerally rich with iron and the like, they are instead mostly devoid of the good stuff, like Aethermite, if you even have any to begin with.
Dangerous Coasts- Your nation's coastlines are a dangerous stretch of shoals and reefs with very few safe harbors for anything but the shallowest bottomed boats. Navigating your coastal waters is so dangerous that your people simply don't do it. Attempts to navigate your coasts almost always end in disaster. Additionally, so terrified are your people of coasts that they will only sail into clear water harbors.
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Notes on the Subject of Random Events
On a not-entirely random interval, an event, ranging from a sudden electrical storm, or overly heavy flooding, to the discovering of a large vein of Aethermite, or perhaps the sudden development of a new technology, will happen to random nations. These events can, as described, be beneficial, or detrimental to the nation, on varying scales. If you have a negative event occur towards yourself, it does not necessitate that you did something wrong to 'earn' this. It's not necessarily karmic. Similarly, you don't necessarily have to be good to get a helpful event.
However, that is not to say that bad events will not happen to hamper people who after getting accepted are found doing such things as godmodding. Events that are done explicitly to punish inappropriate behavior will not be labeled as a Random Event, although they'll occur much in the fashion of one. Instead, it will be a public warning, itself called a Karmic Event, letting you, and everyone know that you did something wrong. This is not itself a kick, and ultimately through fair play and such you can recover from it. Repeat offenders may find themselves put into a position where they may think they cannot recover unless they godmod. If you find yourself in this position, even then your punishments will be IC, only with increasing destructive tenancies, until either you stop acting up, or quit.
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Are you still reading after all that walls upon walls of text? You skipped it? Well go back and read it then. For those of you who didn't skip, here's the Nation Sheet!
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/zNhFfQuSfZg/viewtopic.php
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