Description
In ancient days, on a planet known as Aurella, there existed a number of differing factions and peoples who were constantly waging war against each other. This constant war, in which thousands were born and raised in an environment of death and suffering, with nothing but more death and suffering to be their future, is now considered the Crucible in which Asylia was forged. The kingdom arose on the backs of heroes and legends born in the fires of this endless war, leading their people with virtues of self sacrifice and service to the many.
Ancient Asylia arose to prominence, and it's people began to take the world, by peace when possible, by force when not. Over centuries of it's rise, Asylia came to be the dominant kingdom on Aurella. It's government formed a Meritocratic Monarchy, where the royalty born into their station would spend their lives proving their devotion to the people, earning the privilege and luxury in which they lived.
In the last two millenia, Asylia has become a star traveling empire, and has built up it's control within it's core systems, among which Aurella remains the capital world, where seat of power is located..
Economy
Asylia's citizens are numerous, her people having no forms of population control implemented upon them. In fact, procreation is highly encouraged by their culture, which views children as extensions of the parents, who's service to the kingdom will further earn glory and honor for the family name. Being a kingdom forged from conflict and war, Asylia's Economy is primarily wartime oriented. Most every trade, craft, and profession has some root in military endeavors. All commerce is regulated by the Merchants guild, and all trade with foreign entities is ONLY done by the Merchants guild itself.
The official currency of Asylia is the Asylian Tarot, which is a government controlled electronic Cryptocurrency carefully managed and overseen by the House of Bunara
Law
The system of Justice used in Asylia is very different from what is employed by most societies. There are no legal courts in Asylia, there are only the Arbiters. The Arbiters, as their name implies, hold full and final authority on all crimes conducted in Asylia. They are judge and jury, and if necessary, executioner. Arbiters hold prestige above all save for the positions within the Royal Court, furthermore they are not elected. Only the King, or as is the case, Princess Halena, may choose an Arbiter. Arbiters are chosen for their empathy, compassion, and investigative abilities. It is a saying in Asylia that if a fugitive has a choice between being hunted by bloodhounds or an Arbiter, they'll rather the Bloodhounds.
This system of law was developed by Queen Eleanor Avanel Asylia, and later implemented by her husband King Garlias Asylia. Prior, the system of law was similar to that of a court run judicial system wherein a judge presided, and a jury decided. However Queen Eleanor, who sat through and watched many of these proceedings, stated that it was less a decision between right and wrong in the face of justice, and more a contest to see who could get others to see their opinions as fact. She decided that, in such a complicated system where Opinions clouded facts and brought justice down in favor of profit, to many innocents would be punished simply because they were not liked, or their reasons were not properly considered. As such, she insisted that cutting away all the complicated proceedings, and leaving only a simple and straightforward investigative process directly leading to judgement and punishment, was the best way to go. Arbiters, as a result, have the authority to command Guardians to hold persons accused of crimes. The Arbiter then investigates the crime, finding facts but also determining what led the accused to commit the crime, who the victim was, and weighing out all the many different factors upon their decision. After weighing the cause, effect, persons involved, nature of the crime, why the crime was done, what other options existed, and all other factors, the Arbiter determines whether the accused acted "Inde Riohne", in righteousness, or if their actions were unjust, and then proclaims the punishment due.
In events where the Accused is sentenced to death, it is the King, or queen, who carries out the sentence. This tradition has been followed by every king since Garlias Asylia, following the philosophy that if one of your citizens commits a crime grave enough to warrant their death, then it represents a failure on your part as their leader, and as such they are your responsibility.
This, as well as many cultural factors, is the reason why crime in the Asylian Kingdom is so low.
Culture
Asylia's culture is meritocratic, in which each and every citizens is encouraged to act in favor of the community and the kingdom rather than for selfish purposes. Children are raised from a young age to believe that it is better for them to work together to reach their dreams and goals than to strive for them alone. A great emphasis is placed on personal responsibility, honor, and loyalty, to the point that many Asylian Citizens refuse to tell lies of any nature, seeing it as a great taboo. Military service is mandatory for all citizens, and most begin basic training at fourteen. After at least ten years of service, Citizens may retire from the military to persue other venues of life, though all citizens are allowed, and expected, to return to service if the need arises. For example, if a Citizen retires from the military and seeks to open a restaurant, but the restaurant fails and leaves them in debt, they are culturaly expected to return to military service, and the military will see to it that their debts are paid.
Asylians Value Music and art above and beyond that of most other civilizations. Musicians and Artists both, even the less talented ones, are valued as treasures in their own right. One of the prime forms of entertainment in Asylia is the Gala Ball, in which members of great prestige gather together to discuss matters of court, fashion, intrigue, and state affairs. There is music, dancing, food, and in rare cases, duels between two individuals with conflicting interest. It is commonly believed that the reason for Asylian's love of art and music is because, during the ancient days of the kingdoms beginning, all forms of art and music were lost to them.
And yet as if to contradict this, fashion in Asylia follows a line of what most other civilizations would consider Medieval in nature. Where other cultures the men going to a party wearing their best suits would arrive in black tuxedos or similiar, Asylian men arrive at the party wearing fitted leather ensembles with protective armor plating in various locations, polished to a mirror shine. Even women in Asylia typically eschew dresses and skirts in favor of more practical attire.
A result of this is that Asylian cities and colonies combine a mixture of medieval architecture with advanced technology, storefronts and houses can often be seen built from stone and wood, yet contain advanced eletronic devices within. A prime example is the Royal Palace, which for all intents and purposes resembles an ancient medieval castle of great scale and size, located upon an advanced low orbit platform, essentially a Castle in the Sky.
Magic is treated in Asylia much the way Science is treated in other cultures. Where others have chemistry and medicine, Asylia has Alchemy and Apothacaries. Others have Physicists and Engineers, Asylia has Metallurgists and Tinkers. As an Aside, Asylia is also home to the prestigious Sorcerers College, where citizens who have shown an aptitude for mystic arts can come to learn more about their abilities, as well as fine tune their skills. Four out of every five Asylians is able to use even basic mystic powers such as telekinesis and telepathy, and three out of those four will go on to become Sorcerers. Most Asylian Sorcerers are highly regarded, and their spell craft is integrated into a great many different aspects of the culture and infrastructure.
Because of magics integration into every aspect of Asylian society, and because of the natural intelligence that comes from Asylian physiology, the mastery of any craft or artform in Asylia has a very different definition. Because of their ability to spend hours for every second that passes in study, Asylians achieve what others would call perfection with relative ease. As an example, even very young Asylians, given a few hours to study and practice, can achieve mastery of painted art and reproduce what other races think of as works of art in perfect, stroke for stroke, replication. Therefore, to an Asylian, the rank and title of master means something far more impressive.
Asylian master's are only known as such when they either create, or complete redefine, a craft. One such example is Master Vaanu Torian, who redefined jewelry. It created a method of generating psychoactive crystalline materials, that would then be shaped and reformed into jewelry that any Asylian can wear. Not only were these pieces considered exceptionally beautiful, but they had many properties that were so grand, that they have spread throughout Asylian culture and it is considered a faux pas to not own at least one.
These pieces, by their very design, interact with the Asylian neurology in a way that makes great use of the power of Asylian minds. The greatest crux and weakness of the Kingdoms people has always been the disparity between their minds and bodies. With their minds processing at such a rate as to turn seconds into hours, Asylian bodies have always moved painfully slow. As such, Patience has become an ingrained part of Asylian culture, as most Asylians spend extraordinary stretches of time, from their perspective, simply waiting for their bodies to catch up with them. But the psychoactive jewelry Master Torian created allowed for Psychic Asylians, of which there are a great many, to move their consciousness into the minerals and crystals themselves, allowing the wearers to inhabit their own world.
Furthermore, these works of art allowed their wearers to invite others of psychic ability to inhabit the psychoactive materials with them. Essentially, the jewelry allows it's wearer to exist in a domain of their own mind and will, allows others to join them in that domain, and thus provides every Asylian a realm to exist in which all things move at a speed matched to their mind, thus eliminating the disparity between mind and body. This unique yet extraordinary feature of Master Torians Creation became so fundamental to Asylian Society, that it is now found in many many different parts of society, including military vessels, who often have Psychic Control Locks, or PCL's, that allow command crew to take direct control of the ships functions, allowing them to control the ship at the speed of their minds, which often functions at a speed rivaling that of most Advanced AI.
Foreign Affairs
Asylia has a very clear cut stance when it comes to foreign nations and empires. They measure all others by a set of standards, and those standards are based on their own Ideals and beliefs, and if a foreign power does not measure up to those standards, then Asylians will either ignore it entirely, or if the difference is great enough, assault it vehemently.
Asylia only trades with a few other forces in the universe, their primary export being artwork, magical materials, and mercenary forces. This last option is given as a ruse, for the Mercenary fleet is in functionality a spy network. It takes information and analyses of foreign powers and points of interest, relays it to the kingdom proper, and implants itself in a position to strike from within the heart of enemy territory.
The mercenary fleet consists of many ships, with different names, and falsified backgrounds. They hide amongst their host empires forces, utilizing whatever methods they must to integrate the local inhabitants into their numbers. Magical mind control and psychic manipulation are but two of the many tools the fleet is willing to utilize.
In the event of war, Asylians utilize the full extent of their potency to bring their opponents to their knees. The combination of natural Asylian intelligence, spatial distortion technology, and the unique neurology that alters the Asylian perception of time, is a formidable force. The general tactic used by Asylians in warfare is to poke and prod at an enemy, studying the way the enemy responds and adapts to various methods of assault, and using that analysis to develop more efficient and potent countermeasures and strategies. Asylians are very long lived, and very, very patient, they're willing to perform these guerilla maneuvers for as long as is necessary to study their foe until they have determined the most efficient and viable method of destroying them. And destroying them is the rule, as Asylians are absolutely ruthless when it comes to defeating enemies. Their own history has taught them that the only way to ensure villains and evil do not rise back up after being crushed, is to salt and scorch the very earth they have been buried in.
Military
When one thinks of the Asylian Military, one must bear in mind two very important facts. The first is that the chain of command is absolute, and direct. Soldiers obey the orders of their immediate superiors. Trust in their immediate superiors is hammered into recruits from the moment they first join to the day they graduate from the rank of Acolyte. Likewise, Officers are expected to trust their immediate subordinates to get the job done. The King tells the Knadan what he wants done, and leaves the work of seeing his will done to them. The Knadan formulate strategies and plans, then assign their subordinates to fulfill these plans. This goes down the chain, with each rank putting faith in the rank below to do what they've been told to do, and trusting that the task they've been given will bring victory and glory to the kingdom.
The Second fact one must keep in mind is that, due to Asylian culture, there are entire family lines that are born, raised, trained, and die in service to Asylia's Military. Fraternization between genders in the military is not taboo, and is in fact actively encouraged. You will find Military personnel that are married to each other living on the same ship, and raising their children on that ship. It's one massive family, and the loyalty to that family is genetic.
The Asylian Military is massive, with a total personnel number upwards of 80 trillion, and it is always growing. It is divided into Five Seperate Armies, called Gianoa (literally "warriors), each overseen by a Knadan, or Commander. The Five Commanders are directly subordinate and loyal to the King, but must also maintain good relations with the noble houses and guilds, in order to ensure their forces are well equipped and maintained.
It is easiest to think of the Five Gianoa as vassal nations, with The Asylian Kingdom itself serving as their Sovereign. Each of the Gianoa, and the Knadan that rule them, are independent entities with their own rules, laws, traditions, and feuds.
While each of the Gianoa have their own peculiarities, there are a few similarities shared between them all. One of these are the battlegroups, generalized categories of specialized units that make up the Gianoan Military structure.
Templars
The first battlegroup are Don Tanore, The Templars, and forms the largest part of the Asylian military, the backbone of the Gianoa as it were. Acolytes of the templar become promoted to Templars, who serve as the infantry. Templars are equipped with Mathilian Armor, consisting of light ablative plating, they wield Vaubanic Shields and spears.
Templars are organized into squads of 10, with one member of each squad being designated as squad leader. Krishar, Captains, command units consisting of three squads each, and lead them onto the field of battle in order to fulfill objectives given by the Rokar, lieutenants, who answer to a Field commander or Braegon. The Knadan assigns the Braegon their tasks, leaving it to them to determine the best way to achieve those tasks.
The Wolves
Don Lupera, The Wolves are the special operations soldiers. Where the Templars are the primary fighting force of Asylias Armies, The wolves are the special operatives, the secret agents, the infiltration and exploitation specialists. Acolytes who join the Wolves become Theta, they follow the orders of the Alpha and the Beta Wolves. The wolves work to infiltrate enemy positions, assassinate enemy leadership, and destroy strategic targets, as ordered by the Knadan.
The Wolves are a unique Battlegroup, in that they tend not to have a distinct chain of command. Due to how difficult their jobs are, recruitment standards are incredibly high, and as a result their numbers are lower than the other battlegroups. Because of this, Most wolves don't bother with rankings, and instead work to complete the mission, no matter the cost.
The Stormhawk
Don Teraenor, The Stormhawks, are the Asylian parallel to an Airforce. Like most space faring civilizations, Asylia's Stormhawks are the first line of defense against invasion. Unlike other civilizations, however, Asylia never developed a faster than light travel system. Instead, they utilize magic to create portals, connecting different locations together for instantaneous transportation. Stormhawks, as a result, are recruited based on magical and psionic aptitudes.
Traditionally the Stormhawks are all female Citizens, a stigma that nobody really knows the root of. Historians believe that it originates from an Asylian Hero by the name of Terrae Stormruler, who defeated a staunch opponent of the Asylian Kingdom's rise to glory by launching herself from a Catapult, with only a canvas parachute to slow her fall. The fact that she weighed only around 180 pounds is likely the only reason her plan worked, but her actions led to fame, and her continuous efforts to fly led to the foundations of what would become the Stormhawks.
Acolyte Stormhawks eventually become "Chicks", when they begin training to pilot the smallest and simplest craft. They eventually graduate to Raptors, piloting fighters and bombers, as well as drop ships and troop transports. The next ranks are a series of staged Matrons, ranging from stage one to stage five. The higher the number of your stage, the greater your rank and authority.
After the Matrons come the Otulin, a word in Asylian that has no direct translation. It's commonly attributed to have the same meaning as the word Admiral.
The Dragons
Don Agorra, the Dragons, are the best of the best, the elite soldiers. They are the first into a fight, and the last to come out. When a mission absolutely has to be achieved, no matter the cost, it is the dragons that are sent. All others may fail, but not the dragons.
Each Acolyte to join the ranks of the Dragons starts that climb as a Whelp, Until the day they complete their training and undergo a rite of passage. After that, they are no longer referred to as "whelp, but by name as a sign of respect. All dragons are considered equals, regardless of age, gender, or upbringing. They are the closest "family" in all Asylian armed forces.
The Equipment of the Dragon is a closely guarded secret. The Dragon Armors is completely invulnerable to all small arms fire and most assault fire. Without Armor piercing weaponry it is impossible to breach the armor. In addition to this, the equipment is made specially for combat in the vacuum of space. Asylia's Dragons have outstanding mobility in space, and are trained to fight in multi dimensional combat theaters. In urban environments, underwater, or in space, they are incredibly well versed.
Dragons are generally equipped for close quarters combat with specially designed Vaubanic Swords and Shields. A number of Magitek equipment, including Holo-projectors, Warp lines, Hardlight Cover, and many more provide them with the tools to overcome any obstacles to their objective. Added to all this is the extensive combat magic training each of the dragons under goes. They make use of a very simple, yet highly potent form of magic known as sigilcraft. With a handful of hand gestures and a focused mind, the Dragons are able to cause a number of different effects, ranging from mental manipulation, protective barriers, generation of fire, and pure kinetic force output. The nature of sigilcraft makes it immune to standard antimana fields and implementations. The only way to stop someone from using sigilcraft is to cut off their hands, or disrupt their focus. The limits of Sigilcraft only go so far as the imagination of the ones who use it, and some of the most famous dragons achieved their legacy through their faultless combination of sigilcraft with combat to become absolutely beautifully deadly denizens of the battlefield.
Their training takes place in high risk, inhospitable environments. This training is so intense, that only 3 in 10 survive it. Those that do are tough, determined, and clever.
Asylian Warcraft
Engaging in war is something the Kingdom of Asylia has been doing for it's entire history, and they have become incredibly adept at the art. Because of the manner in which their civilization developed, Asylia holds a distinct advantage, and disadvantage, against other space faring civilizations.
Their use of magic throughout all forms of their civilization came to influence their reliance on it for military efforts, and also shaped the way in which they engage against hostile worlds. Asylians never focused development on space travel, as their use of magic allowed them to cut out travel times and traverse massive distances instantly through the use of portals and worldgates. For this reason, rather than developing or building massive ships to travel the stars, they instead focused on enhancing their fortifications and enhancing their ability to house and equip their soldiers. Because of this, Asylian ships do not consist of your standard plethora of vessels, but instead consist of several variations on magical fortresses.
Asylian Fortresses, also known as Fjallgandi (literally flying mountain), hold several advantages over other space faring civilizations warships. Fjallgandi generate their own atmosphere and gravity, and come equipped with powerful weapons that allow them to rebuff and repel enemy warships with relative ease. Their mobility is limited, as they do not have dedicated drive systems. Instead, they serve as invasion launch points, allowing world gates to be opened to any viable location. These world gates can also be opened to the Baleon Fortresses, allowing for a veritably endless number of reinforcements to be called forth, and subsequently sent out.
There are Five Primary variations of Fjallgandi.
Halda are small, resembling pillars of about fifty meters in height. They are minor relays, coming equipped with significant amounts of defensive firepower, but lacking most of the features larger Fjallgandi boast. They do however boast an specialized form of drive system, that allows them to move of their own volition, albeit slowly.
Vigi are effectively islands, generally ranging approximately a hundred to a hundred fifty meters across. They are often escorted by Halda, chained to them in fact, to allow the Halda to tow the Vigi into strategically advantageous positions. The Vigi lack weapons, forgoing them to instead focus on troop housing and containment. A standard assignment will see a vigi equipped with three Halda, towed into position for a continuous invasion against an enemy emplacement or target.
Turninn resemble Halda, but they are significantly larger, being like towers standing more than 500 meters tall. In addition to hosting large forces, the Turninn possess a unique feature, a worldgate Pylon. This arcane artifact allows the Turninn to summon stormhawk vessels such as Strike Carriers, war galleons, and Skybreakers. For this reason, the Turninn is a particularly valuable asset in the Asylian roster, and often has a number of Halda Chained to it.
The Virki is a larger, more independant version of the Vigi. Easily measuring three to four kilometers across, the Virki has several Halda fused or chained to it. It often also boasts a large enough surface to host an airfield and port. And finally, it is almost always equipped with powerful orbital defense weapons rated for strikes against even the most powerful of enemy ships.
Varnarmur is the largest class of Fjallgandi. They generally range around a hundred kilometers across. The largest of the Varnarmur is known as Butasheimur, is four thousand square kilometers, and is effectively a mobile city, with a full array of defensive and offensive weapons, facilities for housing and healing troops, space for landing and launching craft, and even has fields for farming and livestock.
History
Asylian History begins on the world of Aurella. Originally, this planet was a ruined strife filled world covered in constant and endless war. This was the crucible in which Asylia was forged, as the heroes, legends, and mythical figures who arose on this world forged the tapestries of history for the nascent kingdom.
Thus was the rise of the First Queen of Asylia, Tilianda Driess Asylia. If even half the legends about her are to be believed, she was a graceful and powerful warrior mage who's powers allowed her to forge an army that swept over the land. Ironically, history says she began life as an orphan who grew to become a bandit, stealing from soldiers and others to survive. She gained influence and followers as her powers strengthened until she was able to conquer a good swath of land.
Shortly after conquering the land that would come to be called The Kingdom of Asylia, she began organizing her bandits into a proper army, with which she continued to spread her influence and power. Over the course of twenty years, Asylia continued to conquer and expand her kingdom, raising her people from the half hearted army of bandits, to the brave soldiers that fought to bring peace to the world. Towards her later years, she withdrew from the battlefield, appointing commanders to continue the crusade of unification while she attended matters at home.
At the age of forty five, Asylia had her first child, a son she named Umoset. She further organized the kingdom into the structure we see to this day, laying down the ground rules for what would become the space faring civilization it is now. Queen Asylia died at seventy eight, not in her bed as was expected, but in combat at the front lines, leading a charge against a stubborn lord who refused to accept the changing world. Umoset became King of Asylia, and further reinforced his mother's intents.
It was Umoset that decided the only way to ensure Asylia didn't fall to the internal bickering that all empires on Aurella eventually had, was to reinforce in the minds of it's citizens the idea that the kingdom came before the individual. He drew inspiration from the fact that his mother had began the kingdom as an army in and of itself, and instituted mandatory military service. This service would reinforce each citizens commitment to the kingdom, while also training them and ensuring that everyone throughout the kingdom would be able, and willing, to fight in it's defense.
He ensured that this service could NOT be avoided by anyone, regardless of station in life. Everyone had to serve in the army when called, especially the higher their rank. He reinforced the many before the one philosophy by personally leading the army in the conquest across Aurella. He wrote what are now referred to as the Umoset Charter Laws, a series of doctrines that place mantles of nobility on individuals in the army based on their deeds. Under the charter, individuals who performed their duties with honor and gallantry were to be recognized by the peers, and raised by them into higher standing. Umoset promoted the spread of news among his men via rumors and stories. Men who acted with valor and honor became legendary by their soldiers, and as that legend spread, their fame would rise, and eventually they would be raised as nobles and knights.
On the otherhand, the higher ones ranking in society the more responsibility they had to that society. As it was the Kings duty to ensure that the whole of the kingdom was running effeciently, it was each individual lord and ladies responsibility to make sure their people were orderly and secure. In other societies this sort of arrangement would have been disastrous, but the Culture in Asylia is distinctly stilted towards putting the community before the individual.
Magic in Asylian had always been integral to progress. In Asylia, being born able to wield the arcane powers all but ensured a profitable and comfortable life. Magic was seen as the ultimate expression of Willpower, and those who wield it were considered especially important, uplifted as being the concentrated will of the people. Many theories persist as to how magic works, and many many scholars devoted their entire lives to the questions raised by this strange power.
But in Asylia, Magic and technology were also married, you could not have one without the other. Medicine in other cultures was practiced by Alchemists and Apothecaries in Asylia. Engineers and technicians found their equivalents in Artificers and Kineticists. Even Astronomy would find the use of magic integral to the study of the stars, both near and far.
On Aurella itself, Magic is utilized in thousands of different ways. Earth based spells are combined with Gravitic Engines to produce floating islands to expand upon. Gateways to different cities, even different worlds, are maintained by Artificers who use knowledge of space and mathematics to guide their arcane energies.
Asylia's most recent history takes a slightly darker turn, as Queen Andromena Autumn Asylia died giving birth to the Princess Halena Aurora Asylia. For his part, King Galadaius Eroque Tanno Asylia, the Current King, dotes upon his daughter, who's intelligence is staggering. The girl is a prodigy, as she had an understanding of many incredibly advanced topics, such as physics, chemistry, astral navigation, and even mechanical engineering, all before the age of six.
Currently at Age thirteen, Princess Halena Asylia serves her kingdom the best way she knows how, as a researcher and ambassador. Ever present with her is her Guardian, Tolend Dathar. Sir Dathar has been at Halena's side since her birth, and never leaves her side. He is an ever present, and ever silent, attachment to her. One never see's the princess without seeing Her Guardian, Tolend.
Territories
The Asylian Kingdom is based out of the Talmora Star system, located in the Osuganor Galaxy
Talmora consists of seven planets, only three of which are naturally habitable, though five are colonized.
Talmora has a three star system, two of which are neutron stars that orbit around the third, a star with purple light called Giyano, which in Asylian means "matron" The three stars give out an incredibly potent radiation, which suffuses the two closest planets in such high degrees that it is all but impossible for unprotected life to survive on them. The Radiation is tolerable beyond that, but the closer planets have more arid climates as a result of the stars radiation.
Giyano gives off an entirely unique energy profile, which has been studied for centuries, ever since Asylians first started looking at the stars. The soft purple light of Giyano bathes the planets, causing most days to be spent in constant twilight. Furthermore, the radiation Giyano gives off, when mixed with the Radiation of the neutron stars, is changed into a form of Mana that magic wielders in Asylia have learned to make good use of. Technology in Asylia developed to make use of this energy to fuel their entire civilization. And because days on Aurella last so very long, they have a great store of this energy to draw from.
When the Kingdom of Asylia finished settling the other two planets in their system, they looked to the stars, and a scholar presented a uniquely staggering Idea. A device to be constructed around the trio of stars that would contain and circulate their energies to all of Talmora's planets, allowing Asylia to feed off of their stars power forever. The device was successfully completed and put into service four hundred terran years ago. Since then, Efforts to Teraform and Colonise all of Talmora's planets have been proceeding accordingly.
Shortly after the completion of the Manaforge Dynamo (the device enclosing the three stars of Talmora), The Kingdom sought to fortify it's defenses, fearing that their newfound might would make them a target. To this end they constructed the Baleon Fortresses, a series of five star bases that orbit the outer edge of Talmora. Their paranoia not satisfied, they then undertook a massive magitek project, and created what is now known as the Void Sea. They condensed the very fabric of space itself throughout all of Talmora. How they achieved this is still not well understood, as the sorcerers who undertook the task were consumed by it. Nevertheless, the effects are apparant. One cannot warp or teleport into Talmora, as doing so results in a catastrophic energy and pressure reversal, which without fail collapses any starships foolish enough to attempt the task into short lived singularities. Furthermore, travel within the Void Sea through real space is exceedingly difficult, as the condensed space means that even light is slowed in it's traversal through it. The fastest one may move in the Void sea is four thousand kilometers per hour, Any faster, and the Pressure build up through the condensed space will crush the offending vessel. Content now that no vessel may warp into their space, and with the five Baleon Fortresses standing guard, The Kingdom of Asylia contents itself with developing it's arts and society.
The planet closest to Giyano is called Morthea, it is a barren rock of hemetite and mercury. Standard temperatures are upwards of 400 kelvin, and the days last forty three seconds. The planet is shaped like a flattened sphere, which is theorized to be because the high speed or rotation, combined with the primarily metallic nature of the planet and the high temperatures it's subjected to, Morthea is a constant state of melting, stretching via centrifugal force, and then cooling on the side away from the planet. The core of the planet it made of Tureliate, a unique element that exhibits incredible magnetic properties.
The Second Planet from Giyano is Almorn, a world with similiarly high temperatures to Morthea. It's surface is mostly Calcite, with crystal deposits of Amythyst and other such minerals taking the place of trees. It is used as the Training Grounds for Banugo Draconis, the Elite military forces of the Kingdom. they train in it's intense, often lethal atmosphere, surviving extreme gravity, violent razor hail and magnetic storms. The planet has little more value to the kingdom. The days on Almorn last around twenty seven terran years, with the side of the planet facing the sun reaching temperatures upwards of seventeen kelvin.
The third planet from Giyano is Baknad. It is a gas giant planet consisting of hydrogen, sulfur, and Argon. A number of hydrogen refineries are located around this planet, siphoning off the gas to be refined and used as fuel for the Kingdoms Ships. Giyano rotates on it's axis at a speed of about forty six terran years per day.
The Fourth Planet is Nakatori. It's an arid world with little in the way of natural resources, but massive deposists of gold, cobalt, and Arciniam (An element used by Asylians to create an alloy known as Titansteel). It has several mining villages, and a central city dedicated to the smelting of titansteel, and the construction of the Asylian starfleets parts, which are then sent to an orbiting foundry for final construction. Nakatori rotates on it's axis at a speed of twenty six terran years per day. The atmosphere is light, and the planet is far enough from the three stars to maintain a breathable atmosphere
The Fith planet from Giyano is Aurella, seat of the Kingdom of Asylia. Aurella has a very, very slow rotation, taking more than four thousand terran years for a single day to pass. The capital city, known as Matrano Du Asylian vas atuo which means The City of the Mother Asylia, more commonly referred to as Matrano, houses the Grand Palace, wherein Resides the King and his daughter. The palace also holds regular events, including a yearly Gala which nobles all over the world are expected to be present to. The cities of Umoso and Dathari are also present on the planet. Floating over the planet are the Nathora Towers, a network of magitek satalites, manned by a combination of artificers and sorcerers. Each one is a self contained ecology, a whole world on it's own. The towers serve three purposes. The first is as orbital elevators moving goods and people from starships down to the planet and back. The Second is as a defensive structure, generating a powerful phase field around the whole of the planet by linking together with all the other Nathora towers. The last is for the Abyssal cannon, a weapon that utilizes massive amounts of magical power to channel the energies found in the star Giyano to annihilate everything in it's path. This weapon has only been used once before, against a fleet of Chaos ships that sought to claim the souls of Aurella. The cannon obliterated not just the bodies of the warriors, but their very souls. It was powerful enough to even shred the warp storm that they had come from.
Sumnat and Daso are the last two planets, both are currently home to enclosed habitats. Sumnat and Daso are small planetoids that orbit each other. Their rotations and orbits are synced, so that the same face is presented to the other planet at all times. Their rotation in this manner takes approximately seventy five Aurellan Days. The habitats on these planets are used for long distance study of astronomy, each habitat holds a massive and powerful telescope capable of viewing stars quadrillions of lightyears away. An ongoing project to connect the two planets via gravity elevator, to allow transit between the two without the use of ships, currently takes up the majority of resources on the two planets.
(TBC)
Ancient Asylia arose to prominence, and it's people began to take the world, by peace when possible, by force when not. Over centuries of it's rise, Asylia came to be the dominant kingdom on Aurella. It's government formed a Meritocratic Monarchy, where the royalty born into their station would spend their lives proving their devotion to the people, earning the privilege and luxury in which they lived.
In the last two millenia, Asylia has become a star traveling empire, and has built up it's control within it's core systems, among which Aurella remains the capital world, where seat of power is located..
Economy
Asylia's citizens are numerous, her people having no forms of population control implemented upon them. In fact, procreation is highly encouraged by their culture, which views children as extensions of the parents, who's service to the kingdom will further earn glory and honor for the family name. Being a kingdom forged from conflict and war, Asylia's Economy is primarily wartime oriented. Most every trade, craft, and profession has some root in military endeavors. All commerce is regulated by the Merchants guild, and all trade with foreign entities is ONLY done by the Merchants guild itself.
The official currency of Asylia is the Asylian Tarot, which is a government controlled electronic Cryptocurrency carefully managed and overseen by the House of Bunara
Law
The system of Justice used in Asylia is very different from what is employed by most societies. There are no legal courts in Asylia, there are only the Arbiters. The Arbiters, as their name implies, hold full and final authority on all crimes conducted in Asylia. They are judge and jury, and if necessary, executioner. Arbiters hold prestige above all save for the positions within the Royal Court, furthermore they are not elected. Only the King, or as is the case, Princess Halena, may choose an Arbiter. Arbiters are chosen for their empathy, compassion, and investigative abilities. It is a saying in Asylia that if a fugitive has a choice between being hunted by bloodhounds or an Arbiter, they'll rather the Bloodhounds.
This system of law was developed by Queen Eleanor Avanel Asylia, and later implemented by her husband King Garlias Asylia. Prior, the system of law was similar to that of a court run judicial system wherein a judge presided, and a jury decided. However Queen Eleanor, who sat through and watched many of these proceedings, stated that it was less a decision between right and wrong in the face of justice, and more a contest to see who could get others to see their opinions as fact. She decided that, in such a complicated system where Opinions clouded facts and brought justice down in favor of profit, to many innocents would be punished simply because they were not liked, or their reasons were not properly considered. As such, she insisted that cutting away all the complicated proceedings, and leaving only a simple and straightforward investigative process directly leading to judgement and punishment, was the best way to go. Arbiters, as a result, have the authority to command Guardians to hold persons accused of crimes. The Arbiter then investigates the crime, finding facts but also determining what led the accused to commit the crime, who the victim was, and weighing out all the many different factors upon their decision. After weighing the cause, effect, persons involved, nature of the crime, why the crime was done, what other options existed, and all other factors, the Arbiter determines whether the accused acted "Inde Riohne", in righteousness, or if their actions were unjust, and then proclaims the punishment due.
In events where the Accused is sentenced to death, it is the King, or queen, who carries out the sentence. This tradition has been followed by every king since Garlias Asylia, following the philosophy that if one of your citizens commits a crime grave enough to warrant their death, then it represents a failure on your part as their leader, and as such they are your responsibility.
This, as well as many cultural factors, is the reason why crime in the Asylian Kingdom is so low.
Culture
Asylia's culture is meritocratic, in which each and every citizens is encouraged to act in favor of the community and the kingdom rather than for selfish purposes. Children are raised from a young age to believe that it is better for them to work together to reach their dreams and goals than to strive for them alone. A great emphasis is placed on personal responsibility, honor, and loyalty, to the point that many Asylian Citizens refuse to tell lies of any nature, seeing it as a great taboo. Military service is mandatory for all citizens, and most begin basic training at fourteen. After at least ten years of service, Citizens may retire from the military to persue other venues of life, though all citizens are allowed, and expected, to return to service if the need arises. For example, if a Citizen retires from the military and seeks to open a restaurant, but the restaurant fails and leaves them in debt, they are culturaly expected to return to military service, and the military will see to it that their debts are paid.
Asylians Value Music and art above and beyond that of most other civilizations. Musicians and Artists both, even the less talented ones, are valued as treasures in their own right. One of the prime forms of entertainment in Asylia is the Gala Ball, in which members of great prestige gather together to discuss matters of court, fashion, intrigue, and state affairs. There is music, dancing, food, and in rare cases, duels between two individuals with conflicting interest. It is commonly believed that the reason for Asylian's love of art and music is because, during the ancient days of the kingdoms beginning, all forms of art and music were lost to them.
And yet as if to contradict this, fashion in Asylia follows a line of what most other civilizations would consider Medieval in nature. Where other cultures the men going to a party wearing their best suits would arrive in black tuxedos or similiar, Asylian men arrive at the party wearing fitted leather ensembles with protective armor plating in various locations, polished to a mirror shine. Even women in Asylia typically eschew dresses and skirts in favor of more practical attire.
A result of this is that Asylian cities and colonies combine a mixture of medieval architecture with advanced technology, storefronts and houses can often be seen built from stone and wood, yet contain advanced eletronic devices within. A prime example is the Royal Palace, which for all intents and purposes resembles an ancient medieval castle of great scale and size, located upon an advanced low orbit platform, essentially a Castle in the Sky.
Magic is treated in Asylia much the way Science is treated in other cultures. Where others have chemistry and medicine, Asylia has Alchemy and Apothacaries. Others have Physicists and Engineers, Asylia has Metallurgists and Tinkers. As an Aside, Asylia is also home to the prestigious Sorcerers College, where citizens who have shown an aptitude for mystic arts can come to learn more about their abilities, as well as fine tune their skills. Four out of every five Asylians is able to use even basic mystic powers such as telekinesis and telepathy, and three out of those four will go on to become Sorcerers. Most Asylian Sorcerers are highly regarded, and their spell craft is integrated into a great many different aspects of the culture and infrastructure.
Because of magics integration into every aspect of Asylian society, and because of the natural intelligence that comes from Asylian physiology, the mastery of any craft or artform in Asylia has a very different definition. Because of their ability to spend hours for every second that passes in study, Asylians achieve what others would call perfection with relative ease. As an example, even very young Asylians, given a few hours to study and practice, can achieve mastery of painted art and reproduce what other races think of as works of art in perfect, stroke for stroke, replication. Therefore, to an Asylian, the rank and title of master means something far more impressive.
Asylian master's are only known as such when they either create, or complete redefine, a craft. One such example is Master Vaanu Torian, who redefined jewelry. It created a method of generating psychoactive crystalline materials, that would then be shaped and reformed into jewelry that any Asylian can wear. Not only were these pieces considered exceptionally beautiful, but they had many properties that were so grand, that they have spread throughout Asylian culture and it is considered a faux pas to not own at least one.
These pieces, by their very design, interact with the Asylian neurology in a way that makes great use of the power of Asylian minds. The greatest crux and weakness of the Kingdoms people has always been the disparity between their minds and bodies. With their minds processing at such a rate as to turn seconds into hours, Asylian bodies have always moved painfully slow. As such, Patience has become an ingrained part of Asylian culture, as most Asylians spend extraordinary stretches of time, from their perspective, simply waiting for their bodies to catch up with them. But the psychoactive jewelry Master Torian created allowed for Psychic Asylians, of which there are a great many, to move their consciousness into the minerals and crystals themselves, allowing the wearers to inhabit their own world.
Furthermore, these works of art allowed their wearers to invite others of psychic ability to inhabit the psychoactive materials with them. Essentially, the jewelry allows it's wearer to exist in a domain of their own mind and will, allows others to join them in that domain, and thus provides every Asylian a realm to exist in which all things move at a speed matched to their mind, thus eliminating the disparity between mind and body. This unique yet extraordinary feature of Master Torians Creation became so fundamental to Asylian Society, that it is now found in many many different parts of society, including military vessels, who often have Psychic Control Locks, or PCL's, that allow command crew to take direct control of the ships functions, allowing them to control the ship at the speed of their minds, which often functions at a speed rivaling that of most Advanced AI.
Foreign Affairs
Asylia has a very clear cut stance when it comes to foreign nations and empires. They measure all others by a set of standards, and those standards are based on their own Ideals and beliefs, and if a foreign power does not measure up to those standards, then Asylians will either ignore it entirely, or if the difference is great enough, assault it vehemently.
Asylia only trades with a few other forces in the universe, their primary export being artwork, magical materials, and mercenary forces. This last option is given as a ruse, for the Mercenary fleet is in functionality a spy network. It takes information and analyses of foreign powers and points of interest, relays it to the kingdom proper, and implants itself in a position to strike from within the heart of enemy territory.
The mercenary fleet consists of many ships, with different names, and falsified backgrounds. They hide amongst their host empires forces, utilizing whatever methods they must to integrate the local inhabitants into their numbers. Magical mind control and psychic manipulation are but two of the many tools the fleet is willing to utilize.
In the event of war, Asylians utilize the full extent of their potency to bring their opponents to their knees. The combination of natural Asylian intelligence, spatial distortion technology, and the unique neurology that alters the Asylian perception of time, is a formidable force. The general tactic used by Asylians in warfare is to poke and prod at an enemy, studying the way the enemy responds and adapts to various methods of assault, and using that analysis to develop more efficient and potent countermeasures and strategies. Asylians are very long lived, and very, very patient, they're willing to perform these guerilla maneuvers for as long as is necessary to study their foe until they have determined the most efficient and viable method of destroying them. And destroying them is the rule, as Asylians are absolutely ruthless when it comes to defeating enemies. Their own history has taught them that the only way to ensure villains and evil do not rise back up after being crushed, is to salt and scorch the very earth they have been buried in.
Military
When one thinks of the Asylian Military, one must bear in mind two very important facts. The first is that the chain of command is absolute, and direct. Soldiers obey the orders of their immediate superiors. Trust in their immediate superiors is hammered into recruits from the moment they first join to the day they graduate from the rank of Acolyte. Likewise, Officers are expected to trust their immediate subordinates to get the job done. The King tells the Knadan what he wants done, and leaves the work of seeing his will done to them. The Knadan formulate strategies and plans, then assign their subordinates to fulfill these plans. This goes down the chain, with each rank putting faith in the rank below to do what they've been told to do, and trusting that the task they've been given will bring victory and glory to the kingdom.
The Second fact one must keep in mind is that, due to Asylian culture, there are entire family lines that are born, raised, trained, and die in service to Asylia's Military. Fraternization between genders in the military is not taboo, and is in fact actively encouraged. You will find Military personnel that are married to each other living on the same ship, and raising their children on that ship. It's one massive family, and the loyalty to that family is genetic.
The Asylian Military is massive, with a total personnel number upwards of 80 trillion, and it is always growing. It is divided into Five Seperate Armies, called Gianoa (literally "warriors), each overseen by a Knadan, or Commander. The Five Commanders are directly subordinate and loyal to the King, but must also maintain good relations with the noble houses and guilds, in order to ensure their forces are well equipped and maintained.
It is easiest to think of the Five Gianoa as vassal nations, with The Asylian Kingdom itself serving as their Sovereign. Each of the Gianoa, and the Knadan that rule them, are independent entities with their own rules, laws, traditions, and feuds.
While each of the Gianoa have their own peculiarities, there are a few similarities shared between them all. One of these are the battlegroups, generalized categories of specialized units that make up the Gianoan Military structure.
Templars
The first battlegroup are Don Tanore, The Templars, and forms the largest part of the Asylian military, the backbone of the Gianoa as it were. Acolytes of the templar become promoted to Templars, who serve as the infantry. Templars are equipped with Mathilian Armor, consisting of light ablative plating, they wield Vaubanic Shields and spears.
Templars are organized into squads of 10, with one member of each squad being designated as squad leader. Krishar, Captains, command units consisting of three squads each, and lead them onto the field of battle in order to fulfill objectives given by the Rokar, lieutenants, who answer to a Field commander or Braegon. The Knadan assigns the Braegon their tasks, leaving it to them to determine the best way to achieve those tasks.
The Wolves
Don Lupera, The Wolves are the special operations soldiers. Where the Templars are the primary fighting force of Asylias Armies, The wolves are the special operatives, the secret agents, the infiltration and exploitation specialists. Acolytes who join the Wolves become Theta, they follow the orders of the Alpha and the Beta Wolves. The wolves work to infiltrate enemy positions, assassinate enemy leadership, and destroy strategic targets, as ordered by the Knadan.
The Wolves are a unique Battlegroup, in that they tend not to have a distinct chain of command. Due to how difficult their jobs are, recruitment standards are incredibly high, and as a result their numbers are lower than the other battlegroups. Because of this, Most wolves don't bother with rankings, and instead work to complete the mission, no matter the cost.
The Stormhawk
Don Teraenor, The Stormhawks, are the Asylian parallel to an Airforce. Like most space faring civilizations, Asylia's Stormhawks are the first line of defense against invasion. Unlike other civilizations, however, Asylia never developed a faster than light travel system. Instead, they utilize magic to create portals, connecting different locations together for instantaneous transportation. Stormhawks, as a result, are recruited based on magical and psionic aptitudes.
Traditionally the Stormhawks are all female Citizens, a stigma that nobody really knows the root of. Historians believe that it originates from an Asylian Hero by the name of Terrae Stormruler, who defeated a staunch opponent of the Asylian Kingdom's rise to glory by launching herself from a Catapult, with only a canvas parachute to slow her fall. The fact that she weighed only around 180 pounds is likely the only reason her plan worked, but her actions led to fame, and her continuous efforts to fly led to the foundations of what would become the Stormhawks.
Acolyte Stormhawks eventually become "Chicks", when they begin training to pilot the smallest and simplest craft. They eventually graduate to Raptors, piloting fighters and bombers, as well as drop ships and troop transports. The next ranks are a series of staged Matrons, ranging from stage one to stage five. The higher the number of your stage, the greater your rank and authority.
After the Matrons come the Otulin, a word in Asylian that has no direct translation. It's commonly attributed to have the same meaning as the word Admiral.
The Dragons
Don Agorra, the Dragons, are the best of the best, the elite soldiers. They are the first into a fight, and the last to come out. When a mission absolutely has to be achieved, no matter the cost, it is the dragons that are sent. All others may fail, but not the dragons.
Each Acolyte to join the ranks of the Dragons starts that climb as a Whelp, Until the day they complete their training and undergo a rite of passage. After that, they are no longer referred to as "whelp, but by name as a sign of respect. All dragons are considered equals, regardless of age, gender, or upbringing. They are the closest "family" in all Asylian armed forces.
The Equipment of the Dragon is a closely guarded secret. The Dragon Armors is completely invulnerable to all small arms fire and most assault fire. Without Armor piercing weaponry it is impossible to breach the armor. In addition to this, the equipment is made specially for combat in the vacuum of space. Asylia's Dragons have outstanding mobility in space, and are trained to fight in multi dimensional combat theaters. In urban environments, underwater, or in space, they are incredibly well versed.
Dragons are generally equipped for close quarters combat with specially designed Vaubanic Swords and Shields. A number of Magitek equipment, including Holo-projectors, Warp lines, Hardlight Cover, and many more provide them with the tools to overcome any obstacles to their objective. Added to all this is the extensive combat magic training each of the dragons under goes. They make use of a very simple, yet highly potent form of magic known as sigilcraft. With a handful of hand gestures and a focused mind, the Dragons are able to cause a number of different effects, ranging from mental manipulation, protective barriers, generation of fire, and pure kinetic force output. The nature of sigilcraft makes it immune to standard antimana fields and implementations. The only way to stop someone from using sigilcraft is to cut off their hands, or disrupt their focus. The limits of Sigilcraft only go so far as the imagination of the ones who use it, and some of the most famous dragons achieved their legacy through their faultless combination of sigilcraft with combat to become absolutely beautifully deadly denizens of the battlefield.
Their training takes place in high risk, inhospitable environments. This training is so intense, that only 3 in 10 survive it. Those that do are tough, determined, and clever.
Asylian Warcraft
Engaging in war is something the Kingdom of Asylia has been doing for it's entire history, and they have become incredibly adept at the art. Because of the manner in which their civilization developed, Asylia holds a distinct advantage, and disadvantage, against other space faring civilizations.
Their use of magic throughout all forms of their civilization came to influence their reliance on it for military efforts, and also shaped the way in which they engage against hostile worlds. Asylians never focused development on space travel, as their use of magic allowed them to cut out travel times and traverse massive distances instantly through the use of portals and worldgates. For this reason, rather than developing or building massive ships to travel the stars, they instead focused on enhancing their fortifications and enhancing their ability to house and equip their soldiers. Because of this, Asylian ships do not consist of your standard plethora of vessels, but instead consist of several variations on magical fortresses.
Asylian Fortresses, also known as Fjallgandi (literally flying mountain), hold several advantages over other space faring civilizations warships. Fjallgandi generate their own atmosphere and gravity, and come equipped with powerful weapons that allow them to rebuff and repel enemy warships with relative ease. Their mobility is limited, as they do not have dedicated drive systems. Instead, they serve as invasion launch points, allowing world gates to be opened to any viable location. These world gates can also be opened to the Baleon Fortresses, allowing for a veritably endless number of reinforcements to be called forth, and subsequently sent out.
There are Five Primary variations of Fjallgandi.
Halda are small, resembling pillars of about fifty meters in height. They are minor relays, coming equipped with significant amounts of defensive firepower, but lacking most of the features larger Fjallgandi boast. They do however boast an specialized form of drive system, that allows them to move of their own volition, albeit slowly.
Vigi are effectively islands, generally ranging approximately a hundred to a hundred fifty meters across. They are often escorted by Halda, chained to them in fact, to allow the Halda to tow the Vigi into strategically advantageous positions. The Vigi lack weapons, forgoing them to instead focus on troop housing and containment. A standard assignment will see a vigi equipped with three Halda, towed into position for a continuous invasion against an enemy emplacement or target.
Turninn resemble Halda, but they are significantly larger, being like towers standing more than 500 meters tall. In addition to hosting large forces, the Turninn possess a unique feature, a worldgate Pylon. This arcane artifact allows the Turninn to summon stormhawk vessels such as Strike Carriers, war galleons, and Skybreakers. For this reason, the Turninn is a particularly valuable asset in the Asylian roster, and often has a number of Halda Chained to it.
The Virki is a larger, more independant version of the Vigi. Easily measuring three to four kilometers across, the Virki has several Halda fused or chained to it. It often also boasts a large enough surface to host an airfield and port. And finally, it is almost always equipped with powerful orbital defense weapons rated for strikes against even the most powerful of enemy ships.
Varnarmur is the largest class of Fjallgandi. They generally range around a hundred kilometers across. The largest of the Varnarmur is known as Butasheimur, is four thousand square kilometers, and is effectively a mobile city, with a full array of defensive and offensive weapons, facilities for housing and healing troops, space for landing and launching craft, and even has fields for farming and livestock.
History
Asylian History begins on the world of Aurella. Originally, this planet was a ruined strife filled world covered in constant and endless war. This was the crucible in which Asylia was forged, as the heroes, legends, and mythical figures who arose on this world forged the tapestries of history for the nascent kingdom.
Thus was the rise of the First Queen of Asylia, Tilianda Driess Asylia. If even half the legends about her are to be believed, she was a graceful and powerful warrior mage who's powers allowed her to forge an army that swept over the land. Ironically, history says she began life as an orphan who grew to become a bandit, stealing from soldiers and others to survive. She gained influence and followers as her powers strengthened until she was able to conquer a good swath of land.
Shortly after conquering the land that would come to be called The Kingdom of Asylia, she began organizing her bandits into a proper army, with which she continued to spread her influence and power. Over the course of twenty years, Asylia continued to conquer and expand her kingdom, raising her people from the half hearted army of bandits, to the brave soldiers that fought to bring peace to the world. Towards her later years, she withdrew from the battlefield, appointing commanders to continue the crusade of unification while she attended matters at home.
At the age of forty five, Asylia had her first child, a son she named Umoset. She further organized the kingdom into the structure we see to this day, laying down the ground rules for what would become the space faring civilization it is now. Queen Asylia died at seventy eight, not in her bed as was expected, but in combat at the front lines, leading a charge against a stubborn lord who refused to accept the changing world. Umoset became King of Asylia, and further reinforced his mother's intents.
It was Umoset that decided the only way to ensure Asylia didn't fall to the internal bickering that all empires on Aurella eventually had, was to reinforce in the minds of it's citizens the idea that the kingdom came before the individual. He drew inspiration from the fact that his mother had began the kingdom as an army in and of itself, and instituted mandatory military service. This service would reinforce each citizens commitment to the kingdom, while also training them and ensuring that everyone throughout the kingdom would be able, and willing, to fight in it's defense.
He ensured that this service could NOT be avoided by anyone, regardless of station in life. Everyone had to serve in the army when called, especially the higher their rank. He reinforced the many before the one philosophy by personally leading the army in the conquest across Aurella. He wrote what are now referred to as the Umoset Charter Laws, a series of doctrines that place mantles of nobility on individuals in the army based on their deeds. Under the charter, individuals who performed their duties with honor and gallantry were to be recognized by the peers, and raised by them into higher standing. Umoset promoted the spread of news among his men via rumors and stories. Men who acted with valor and honor became legendary by their soldiers, and as that legend spread, their fame would rise, and eventually they would be raised as nobles and knights.
On the otherhand, the higher ones ranking in society the more responsibility they had to that society. As it was the Kings duty to ensure that the whole of the kingdom was running effeciently, it was each individual lord and ladies responsibility to make sure their people were orderly and secure. In other societies this sort of arrangement would have been disastrous, but the Culture in Asylia is distinctly stilted towards putting the community before the individual.
Magic in Asylian had always been integral to progress. In Asylia, being born able to wield the arcane powers all but ensured a profitable and comfortable life. Magic was seen as the ultimate expression of Willpower, and those who wield it were considered especially important, uplifted as being the concentrated will of the people. Many theories persist as to how magic works, and many many scholars devoted their entire lives to the questions raised by this strange power.
But in Asylia, Magic and technology were also married, you could not have one without the other. Medicine in other cultures was practiced by Alchemists and Apothecaries in Asylia. Engineers and technicians found their equivalents in Artificers and Kineticists. Even Astronomy would find the use of magic integral to the study of the stars, both near and far.
On Aurella itself, Magic is utilized in thousands of different ways. Earth based spells are combined with Gravitic Engines to produce floating islands to expand upon. Gateways to different cities, even different worlds, are maintained by Artificers who use knowledge of space and mathematics to guide their arcane energies.
Asylia's most recent history takes a slightly darker turn, as Queen Andromena Autumn Asylia died giving birth to the Princess Halena Aurora Asylia. For his part, King Galadaius Eroque Tanno Asylia, the Current King, dotes upon his daughter, who's intelligence is staggering. The girl is a prodigy, as she had an understanding of many incredibly advanced topics, such as physics, chemistry, astral navigation, and even mechanical engineering, all before the age of six.
Currently at Age thirteen, Princess Halena Asylia serves her kingdom the best way she knows how, as a researcher and ambassador. Ever present with her is her Guardian, Tolend Dathar. Sir Dathar has been at Halena's side since her birth, and never leaves her side. He is an ever present, and ever silent, attachment to her. One never see's the princess without seeing Her Guardian, Tolend.
Territories
The Asylian Kingdom is based out of the Talmora Star system, located in the Osuganor Galaxy
Talmora consists of seven planets, only three of which are naturally habitable, though five are colonized.
Talmora has a three star system, two of which are neutron stars that orbit around the third, a star with purple light called Giyano, which in Asylian means "matron" The three stars give out an incredibly potent radiation, which suffuses the two closest planets in such high degrees that it is all but impossible for unprotected life to survive on them. The Radiation is tolerable beyond that, but the closer planets have more arid climates as a result of the stars radiation.
Giyano gives off an entirely unique energy profile, which has been studied for centuries, ever since Asylians first started looking at the stars. The soft purple light of Giyano bathes the planets, causing most days to be spent in constant twilight. Furthermore, the radiation Giyano gives off, when mixed with the Radiation of the neutron stars, is changed into a form of Mana that magic wielders in Asylia have learned to make good use of. Technology in Asylia developed to make use of this energy to fuel their entire civilization. And because days on Aurella last so very long, they have a great store of this energy to draw from.
When the Kingdom of Asylia finished settling the other two planets in their system, they looked to the stars, and a scholar presented a uniquely staggering Idea. A device to be constructed around the trio of stars that would contain and circulate their energies to all of Talmora's planets, allowing Asylia to feed off of their stars power forever. The device was successfully completed and put into service four hundred terran years ago. Since then, Efforts to Teraform and Colonise all of Talmora's planets have been proceeding accordingly.
Shortly after the completion of the Manaforge Dynamo (the device enclosing the three stars of Talmora), The Kingdom sought to fortify it's defenses, fearing that their newfound might would make them a target. To this end they constructed the Baleon Fortresses, a series of five star bases that orbit the outer edge of Talmora. Their paranoia not satisfied, they then undertook a massive magitek project, and created what is now known as the Void Sea. They condensed the very fabric of space itself throughout all of Talmora. How they achieved this is still not well understood, as the sorcerers who undertook the task were consumed by it. Nevertheless, the effects are apparant. One cannot warp or teleport into Talmora, as doing so results in a catastrophic energy and pressure reversal, which without fail collapses any starships foolish enough to attempt the task into short lived singularities. Furthermore, travel within the Void Sea through real space is exceedingly difficult, as the condensed space means that even light is slowed in it's traversal through it. The fastest one may move in the Void sea is four thousand kilometers per hour, Any faster, and the Pressure build up through the condensed space will crush the offending vessel. Content now that no vessel may warp into their space, and with the five Baleon Fortresses standing guard, The Kingdom of Asylia contents itself with developing it's arts and society.
The planet closest to Giyano is called Morthea, it is a barren rock of hemetite and mercury. Standard temperatures are upwards of 400 kelvin, and the days last forty three seconds. The planet is shaped like a flattened sphere, which is theorized to be because the high speed or rotation, combined with the primarily metallic nature of the planet and the high temperatures it's subjected to, Morthea is a constant state of melting, stretching via centrifugal force, and then cooling on the side away from the planet. The core of the planet it made of Tureliate, a unique element that exhibits incredible magnetic properties.
The Second Planet from Giyano is Almorn, a world with similiarly high temperatures to Morthea. It's surface is mostly Calcite, with crystal deposits of Amythyst and other such minerals taking the place of trees. It is used as the Training Grounds for Banugo Draconis, the Elite military forces of the Kingdom. they train in it's intense, often lethal atmosphere, surviving extreme gravity, violent razor hail and magnetic storms. The planet has little more value to the kingdom. The days on Almorn last around twenty seven terran years, with the side of the planet facing the sun reaching temperatures upwards of seventeen kelvin.
The third planet from Giyano is Baknad. It is a gas giant planet consisting of hydrogen, sulfur, and Argon. A number of hydrogen refineries are located around this planet, siphoning off the gas to be refined and used as fuel for the Kingdoms Ships. Giyano rotates on it's axis at a speed of about forty six terran years per day.
The Fourth Planet is Nakatori. It's an arid world with little in the way of natural resources, but massive deposists of gold, cobalt, and Arciniam (An element used by Asylians to create an alloy known as Titansteel). It has several mining villages, and a central city dedicated to the smelting of titansteel, and the construction of the Asylian starfleets parts, which are then sent to an orbiting foundry for final construction. Nakatori rotates on it's axis at a speed of twenty six terran years per day. The atmosphere is light, and the planet is far enough from the three stars to maintain a breathable atmosphere
The Fith planet from Giyano is Aurella, seat of the Kingdom of Asylia. Aurella has a very, very slow rotation, taking more than four thousand terran years for a single day to pass. The capital city, known as Matrano Du Asylian vas atuo which means The City of the Mother Asylia, more commonly referred to as Matrano, houses the Grand Palace, wherein Resides the King and his daughter. The palace also holds regular events, including a yearly Gala which nobles all over the world are expected to be present to. The cities of Umoso and Dathari are also present on the planet. Floating over the planet are the Nathora Towers, a network of magitek satalites, manned by a combination of artificers and sorcerers. Each one is a self contained ecology, a whole world on it's own. The towers serve three purposes. The first is as orbital elevators moving goods and people from starships down to the planet and back. The Second is as a defensive structure, generating a powerful phase field around the whole of the planet by linking together with all the other Nathora towers. The last is for the Abyssal cannon, a weapon that utilizes massive amounts of magical power to channel the energies found in the star Giyano to annihilate everything in it's path. This weapon has only been used once before, against a fleet of Chaos ships that sought to claim the souls of Aurella. The cannon obliterated not just the bodies of the warriors, but their very souls. It was powerful enough to even shred the warp storm that they had come from.
Sumnat and Daso are the last two planets, both are currently home to enclosed habitats. Sumnat and Daso are small planetoids that orbit each other. Their rotations and orbits are synced, so that the same face is presented to the other planet at all times. Their rotation in this manner takes approximately seventy five Aurellan Days. The habitats on these planets are used for long distance study of astronomy, each habitat holds a massive and powerful telescope capable of viewing stars quadrillions of lightyears away. An ongoing project to connect the two planets via gravity elevator, to allow transit between the two without the use of ships, currently takes up the majority of resources on the two planets.
(TBC)