Terios - Signup and Worldbuilding Thread

Perhaps most striking is the fact Terios is a gas giant. The large quantity of gases being heated up, fused and split in the the core beneath generates enormous pressure, many continents and islands now skyward. Through some miracle, perfect temperatures and atmospheres exist on - and in many cases, between - these landmasses, enabling a world to exist that is built on an ocean of gas.

Apart from these differences, however, the continents look much like those on our Earth. There are mountain ranges, rivers, forests, cities... all the water that spills over the edges of the continents is heated up and returns to the Skylands through condensation. The environment is somewhat chaotic, and there is no real "trend" of climates as there is on Earth. A frozen tundra can easily be mere miles away from a scorching desert.

Periodically, violent bursts of energy erupt from the surface. As time has gone on, these bursts have concentrated at the poles, allowing stable continents to form (albeit with powerful storms and currents making air travel unwise in most locations). However, this energy passes some residue into the rain itself. The chemicals that come down with the valuable nectar of life possess all sorts of enhancing traits, with greenery growing lush in the most barren desert, and primitive societies growing with terrifying speed upon exposure.

More importantly, however, some sort of concentrated substance that alternates between the forms of matter is left in numerous places. Packed with energy, renewable and clean, it is something we humans could only dream of. It has been dubbed inventively “Terium” by most international bodies.

Like Earth’s, life is mostly water and carbon-based. However, due to some freak incident or another, there is no clear dominant species. Many species have evolved intelligence, either moderate or advanced, and they take many shapes and sizes – primate, canine, insectoid; evolution has been far more kind to the various biologies than on Earth.

The abundance of hot gas from the surface and the Terium has created a technological base different from Earth’s. Whenever the inhabitants aren’t mercilessly cutting eachother’s throats, their society shows surprising advancement, with energy-based weapons coexisting with objects that look like they came straight out of the steampunk genre. Perhaps the most notable divergence from Earthling technology is that the distinction between navies and air forces does not exist; they are one in the same. With the natural current of the air beneath them and a bit of propulsion, sky fleets have become a reality. Even so, energy keeps them aloft in areas of unsteady support from the pressure below. Nonetheless, the sky islands come complete with sky armada.

The meat and potatoes. The world is composed of around fifty nations. The ideology of self-determination has oddly not gained near-unanimous credibility yet; the cyclic destruction of the planet is likely why. The last war's use of Terium weapons has more or less evened the playing field, though some powers clearly stand above others. Whether they will pursue a path of peace or war, who shall know.

Every turn you have your GDP and it is taxed at a rate (meant to represent the overall tax burden) you decide. Economics is fairly straightforward. This GDP * tax quantifier is primarily to avoid the powergaming of previous minimal mechanics games I've hosted. You cannot claim to be the richest or have the most resources without actually being so.

Barring that, you may spend your money on whatever you wish – your army, your navy, your healthcare, your education, your roads, your secret services, etc. Anything you can think of. Your actions will have consequences down the road: pouring no money into infrastructure will see your economy move along sluggishly, for example. Use common sense.

Like a real government you can spend more than you have; national debt will accumulate and be visible at all times. Debt, like heavy taxation, however, will inevitably cause a crowding out effect and harm economic growth as less money is available for private actors. Use it sparingly.

Of particular note are defense forces. You can make it as large as you want to gain an edge in battles, but the larger it is the bigger strain it will put on your economy. As government spending/taxation as a percent of GDP grows things will get worse rapidly (conversely, absent government has drawbacks as well...). With spies, simply designate a percent you want to do this or that each turn. Spies automatically are on defense if not assigned elsewhere.

When it comes to actions, conduct as you will and I will reward/penalize accordingly. Forge trade agreements, close your borders to imports, declare war, make alliances, pursue weapons of mass destruction, all are doable. If a government could do it IRL, naturally it could be done here. Just take into consideration that a peasant country, for example, isn’t gonna have much success with a space program or computer production. You have a “support” percentage – whether a dictatorship or democracy, this represents how much pull you have among your supporters. If it falls too low you risk being thrown out of office, whether by coup, assassination, election or otherwise; barring that you may find some of your proposals hampered or blocked entirely. Avoid destructive policies; going around telling every world leader "your mama" will quickly result in a defeat.

A final note: You'll notice I'm not using many hard numbers. That is because there are extremely few; there are almost no "stats" that I can give you. You see what you see... and that is it. You will receive a general grade on the quality of your traits of course, but nothing that is easily gamed; you will not be able to invest x to beat opponent y. Roleplay and strategy are just as key as any amount of money you could pour into something; keep this in mind.

You can make it as large as you want to gain an edge in battles, but the larger it is the bigger strain it will put on your economy. As government spending/taxation as a percent of GDP grows things will get worse rapidly.

Troop number, troop quality and war plans are all factored into combat. When in doubt have a defensive plan in case you are attacked. Always try to factor in the terrain (large bumps are mountains, small bumps are hills, the small arrows are trees, thick lines are rivers) to make your war plans more effective.

With spies, simply designate a percent of your you want to do this or that each turn. Spies automatically are on defense if not assigned elsewhere. There is no limit on what you can do to other nations. Logically your chance of success or failure is tied to both the inherent difficulty of an act (compare assassinating a country's leader versus hacking the local power grid), and the quality and quantity of forces involved.

To speed up updates I request all players follow this orders format:
Army - Controls quality, useful in combat
Navy - Controls quality, useful in combat
Espionage - Controls quality, useful in combat
Education - Inevitably controls the amount of skilled labor you have.
Healthcare - Healthier citizens are more productive and live longer.
Infrastructure - Investments here cover transfer payments, roads, factories, power grids, etc. and more or less determine the market capacity of your nation.

Just put numbers, please. I copy/paste them into my spreadsheet and run them through the equations system. Enter 0 if there is no spending. So, as an example:

100
0
50
200
500
600

This is a simple request and will make everything smoother (since I can copy/paste the amount into my records). Once you have done that, feel free to add specific details as to where your investments are going, or touch on anything that wasn't already explicitly covered. The categories will cover most topics of government spending, but feel free to add anything not covered. Spending can be public or private.

Your orders PM each turn should look like this:


I do keep records of how much you've invested into a field over the course of the game, so states that invest regularly will reap the benefits. Final note: you CAN use percentages. Due to the large numbers involved, your budget will almost always end with zeroes, enabling the use of percentages for spending (i.e. 10% army, 25% navy, etc).

Baltik Peoples

Overview -
The Baltik Peoples are a hardy, seafaring people from the distant north. They mostly sustain themselves through hunting, foraging, and fishing; their land isn't suitable for farming, as it is far too cold and harsh. Thanks to the harshness of the land, the Baltiks have evolved as a fairly savage, brutish people; strength of arms is the most valuable skill a man can have in Baltik society, and, while Baltik leadership is a hereditary monarch, the monarch will be ousted if s/he cannot prove themselves strong enough to keep the throne. The Baltiks worship a pantheon of gods, with Kodin as the King of the Gods - the God of war, storms, and pride.

Religion -
The Baltik pantheon (usually referred to simply as "The Pantheon" by Baltiks) consists of 6 major gods and a large number of minor gods, numbering in the hundreds - mostly the children of majors. I will list only major gods here. There are three locations in Baltik mythology: Forfador's Jord, a paradise and home of the gods. It is where women, young children, and men who perished of natural causes go to spend eternity.
The second location is Kampejord; the locations of warriors, heroes, and kings. War is fought every moment of the day, but for the last hour. It is a place where all warriors strive to reach and where, even in death, glory can be won.
The third, and final, place is a dark one; mørket hjem, the home of cowards and those who disgraced the gods. No Baltik wishes to go here, or wishes it upon anyone they know; not even their bitterest enemy. It is a place of no honor, glory, or feasts; just one of eternal, unbroken darkness.

Major Gods:

Kodin, God of War - The King of the Gods, he is also the god of storms and pride. All other major gods swear fealty to him. Often described in Baltik mythological texts as being cruel and arrogant, but fair.

Thork, God of Death - The second most powerful god, and also the most lonely; his throne is not in Forfador's Jord but rather in the dark pits of mørket 'hjem. His castle is made of the hardest, blackest stone, unbreakable by the hands of the spirits. Inside it there is light and the court of Thork. He is also the god of pestilence, disease, and famine; he is described in Baltik texts as one of the kindest and gentlest gods. Though his realm is in mørket 'hjem, he sends the dead to every afterlife.

Thurin, God of Drink - A very popular god indeed; the god of alcohol, food, and entertainment. He is usually portrayed as a very capricious, but generally amicable, god who enjoys only the finest liqour. He looks over the owners of inns and taverns and provides the feast and alcohol for those who make it to Kampejord.

Anron, God of the Hunt - Hunting is an activity integral to both the continued survival of the Baltiks and their cultural heritage. Hunting can form friendships, end feuds, and is generally a very large part of any Baltik's heart. The god of hunting, Anron, is portrayed in Baltik lore as a cold, calculating archer who will use all of is ingenuity and strength to catch his prey. He is usually labelled arbitrary, though he has great respect for what he hunts.

Ythurn, God of Kings - Though Kodin may reign in the sky, it is Ythurn that watches over the various kingdoms and duchies. He protects and guides kings and emperors and is the one who is able to grant them their titles; a king must make a large personal sacrifice to Ythurn if he wishes to ascend to the throne.

Erik, God of Subtlety - A mysterious god, portrayed oftently with a mask of black, stained bandages covering his face, he stalks those who would make enemies of the gods or their chosen peoples. He is the patron god of spies, liars, thieves, and travelers; protecting them and seeing them on safe journeys. Though often fickle and volatile, he is nevertheless always loyal to his father, Anron.

Government:

The Baltik government, no matter how decentralized it is in practice, is based off the concept of one ruler, blessed by the divines, who is the lord and master of the seven håndlangere, who have more direct control over smaller pieces of land. In practice, the emperor - the kesjer - has very little power outside of inter-tribal diplomacy and serves a mostly ceremonial purpose, with a varying level of power depending on the strength and will of the kesjer. The Seven Provinces, ruled by each håndlangere, vary in size, power, and influence, but control most of the power within the Baltik nation. The provinces vary between hereditary and elective rule, with some resembling absolute monarchies and others liberal direct democracies. The most common method of picking leaders, however, is through combat: prospective leaders will fight - rarely to the death - and whoever wins, becomes the leader over whatever post they're fighting over. This has the unfortunate consequence of all Baltik leaders being more military and less socially minded, but has kept the Baltik peoples safe.
The provinces are further divided into states, regions, and finally counties, no two ruled identically, that manage local micromanagement.

Society:
The Baltik peoples are extremely warlike; the cold, bitter north from which they hail demands it simply for survival. From the age where they can stand on their own, Baltik children are bombarded with training and combat; the rite to become a man involves using either your strength or cunning to bring down a wild boar single handedly. During their young years, until they are at least 10 years of age, all Baltik children are trained identically; both weak and strong, smart and stupid, male and female. After they reach 10, they begin training in what they excel at - they usually get to choose, but in times of crisis or shortages, local elders can force them down a path. This usually branches into a military related job for boys (or at least hunting) and a homekeeping job for women (or farming), but there is no explicit ban on women serving in the military. As Baltik people are constantly struggling to survive, the dichotomy of male and female has blurred over the ages and, if a woman is strong and cunning enough, it is possible for her to receive military training. On the flipside, effeminate and weak males are often assigned to homekeeping careers or, at best, political paths.
The Baltiks have long evolved from a tradition of trade and war. Ethnic bonds are tight amongst Baltik communities, and if one village cannot produce something, another nearby will trade for it. Outsiders, however, are not quite so welcome; much of the Baltik expansion across their continent has been through war and pillaging, often wiping out entire ethnic groups to make room for new settlements and gold for funding them. This has led to the remaining tribal groups on the island to view them completely hostile, and has fueled Baltik views of outsiders - while the various Baltik provinces will probably deal with you, they will most definitely not like it due to the ingrained xenophobia they've been brought up with.


Military:

The Baltik military is broken down into 3 branches, each with their own laws, customs, and rank.
The ground forces are the first, and least appreciated, branch. They are the smallest due to the low level of unified political threats facing the Baltik people at this time, and mostly serve as glorified hunters, guarding villages against the wild beasts of the wilderness. Despite this, and their low level of prestige, manpower, and funding, they have helped immensely with the expansion of the Baltik settlements up rivers, clearing out tribals and beasts along the way. Because of said lack of funding, they also tend to be fairly innovative and trim fat whenever possible.
The navy is the second, and most important, branch. To keep the Baltiks isolated and protected from those on different continents, the kasjer and the various håndlangere have had to maintain large standing navies. These navies serve a few purposes: the aforementioned protect from foreign threats, but also to protect and, in crisises, serve as fishing vessels, and to transport amphibious troops to targets.
The amphibious forces are the final branch of the armed forces. They are ground troops, trained and specialized in landing on foreign soils from the hull of an airship. They are the cream of the crop, the best of the best; led by the most cunning generals that can be found in the Seven Provinces and possessing some of the strongest and most skilled soldiers in all of the Baltik lands. From berzerker to expert swordsman, the amphibious forces are the dream of any militarily-minded boy to strive for.