SparkNES: A Tale of Mad Scientists and Power!

[Milarqui]

ORDERS FOR UPDATE THREE (3), YEAR 1953 CE / 106 ABM, MUST BE IN MY INBOX BEFORE NEXT SUNDAY OCTOBER 7TH AT 10 PM SPANISH TIME (4 PM EST)
[TIMER="10/07/2012 8:00 PM UTC"][/TIMER]​

​

Welcome to SparkNES!

As you may have deduced by the image on the top of this page, SparkNES is a Never-Ending Story based on the award-winning webcomic Girl Genius, which I wholeheartedly recommend to all of you to read, as it is a great webcomic.

Anyway, back to the important things.

The world of Girl Genius (and thus, of SparkNES) is a world in which history has radically changed from our own history due to the existence of something few to none people understand, but whose consequences are easily seen in many points in the world: the Spark.

The Spark is something (some think it's inherited, others believe it is inherent in everyone but that only certain circumstances can make it work) that may produce in the affected people a state of super-concentration, in which the person affected enters as s/he works on a project related to a field of science.

Basically, having the Spark (and, thus, becoming a Spark) turns you into what we would call a mad scientist. A Spark, while he is in the "madness place" (super-concentration) can make things that, in normal circumstances, would mean violating the laws of physics. Resurrecting the dead is a relatively easy task. Some of the best Sparks can even create life out of basically nothing.

Unfortunately, another consequence of having the Spark is that the Sparks feel compelled to prove their genius through the development of things (be it Clanks (robots, which are not called robots because that word was first used in 1928 by Karol Chapek) or Constructs (artificial living beings)), and this has brought many problems to the world, with people dying because of out of control inventions. One of the most clear consequences of this was the Long War that nearly destroyed Europa, until the folk heroes known as the Heterodyne Boys (one of them being the father of Girl Genius' main character, Agatha Heterodyne) and later Klaus Wulfenbach (father of another GG protagonist, Gilgamesh Wulfenbach) put a stop to it.

If you have read the comic, you will soon notice that there are many diferences between what is expected to happen in the comic and what has happened in the past of SparkNES. The backstory of SparkNES has Agatha, Gilgamesh and their friend Tarvek Sturmvoraus, as well as their minions and inventions, die in a fight against The Other, a demon able to possess people and who had, as an ability, the use of a compelling voice that forces those who can be considered "natural minions" to obey her. This fight destroyed the entire city of Mechanicsburg (hometown of the Heterodyne Family) and destroyed the Empire created by Klaus, as the power vacuum pushed many powerful Sparks to attempt to take control of Europa. Instead, this resulted in a war far more brutal and long than the Long War. Indeed, this war is called the Great War by those who care about giving it a name (most people were just trying to do their best to survive in this world where the whims of a Spark may mean something really bad for them).

We are now reaching the tail end of the Great War. Europa is tired of war, and is now trying to get back on its feet. You, as a player, are to take command of a Sparky family, which rules a group of cities, and attempt to bring them to glory, so that they may be considered the greatest Sparks of all times. However, this will take time, much time. Alliances might be important in this time of uncertainty, as is the possibility of placing new towns under your protection. However, always make sure to look for your people, for the lack of needed resources might be more than enough to offset whatever fear the people have of the Sparks and start a rebellion to oust you and perhaps kill you.

Do you have what it takes to be the Greatest Spark Of All Times? Are you willing to use any means at hand to ensure the dominance of your family? If the answer to both questions is YES, let me welcome you to...

SparkNES: A Tale of Mad Scientists and Power!​

The Map
I'm using Google Maps for this, just like EQ used it for BOTWAWKI. Hope you like it.
You may find the map here.

Stats

Example
Nicanor/Milarqui (Name of the nation and player)

Spoiler :

Ruling Family: Inixia (Name of the ruling family)
Population: 35,000 (Total population, you draw your forces from here, resources are also extracted by them)
Resources: 15 Food/11 Wood/15 Stone/11 Metal/15 Fuel/10 Gold (These are the resources kept in stores for their use)
Army (your land troops)
Navy (your ships, be it for the rivers or the sea)
Air Force (your airships and other flight machines)
Cities (46 Food/19 Wood/9 Stone/7 Metal/10 Fuel/16 Gold) (total production of your cities

Spoiler :

Nicaea (Capital)

• Population: 30,000 (population in a certain city)
• Production: 15 Food/5 Wood/3 Stone/4 Metal/7 Fuel/15 Gold (production of each element by the city
• Stability: 8 (how stable the city is from 1 to 10)
• Stationed Units: (what units are in the city to protect it)

Massalia (Farm Town)

• Population: 5,000
• Production: 31 Food/14 Wood/6 Stone/3 Metal/3 Fuel/1 Gold
• Stability: 7
• Stationed Units

Military
The military is divided in three groups: Army, Navy and Air Force. The players must build them up to protect their cities from the attacks of raiders, rogue Sparks and Clanks, wild Constructs and, ultimately, enemy Sparks in the race to control Europa. Every unit has a cost in terms of resources and, for most units, people, and then also a maintenance, which consists on the resources and money required to ensure that the troops remain in health and that the machines and vehicles (ships and airships) can function normally.

While there are several basic units every city can use, each city and each Spark has its own signature. This is reflected in the ability to develop special units that can only be deployed by the nation that created them, unless an enemy is able to steal and reverse-engineer those units, or steal the plans for them. Either way, you will probably be able to keep control of your own units unless you sell them. In order for you to be able to build a certain unit, you must first tell me the stats for the unit, and starting on the following turn you will be able to start building them at a certain cost. Each unit has the following stats:

Spoiler :

• Basic: the stats every unit has, from the most basic to the most advanced.
  • Attack: the unit's attack value. Depends on the weaponry it uses, as well as on the training. The higher it is, the more powerful its attacks will be.
  • Defense: the unit's defense value. Depends on its ability to protect itself and use natural defenses. The higher it is, the likelier it is to survive an enemy attack.
  • Maneuver: how fast it moves. The higher the maneuver ability, the faster it can travel between cities and in the battlefield.
• Special:
  • Armor: for those that have something stronger than cloth between the enemy's weapons and their bodies (steel-plated ships or clanks, for example), it helps to protect them from most normal weapons.
  • Anti-Air: for units that can strike at airborne units (airships) from ground level. The higher it is, the more likely the attack is to strike the enemy.
  • Anti-Sub: when a submarine unit is built, you can also start to develop methods to fight against them. Obviously, Submarines don't need this as they can actually attack those submarines.
  • Penetration: for units whose weapons are powerful enough to penetrate through an enemy unit's armor.
  • Strafe: only for air units, it determines their ability to attack ground and sea units.

Projects
A project is something of great size that your nation is involved with, and which requires great number of resources that one citizen would have difficulty to acquire in the current world, and which has the potential to change your economy or society. For example, a project might consist on connecting your cities with a railway network. This project would, for example, improve your economy as resources can be carried between cities far more easier than before, and also help to carry troops between your cities, which could help protect them. Or, as another example, you could try to create a series of schools within your cities. This would help you increase your people's level of education (which is not in the stats, but would help to bring you new theories and inventions that might not be considered by the Sparks) as well as identifying potential new Sparks among the population, thus allowing you to place them under your wing or ensuring that they never become a threat to your family.

Madness Place
If you have read the comics, then you will know what this is. If you haven't read the comics, but have played Dwarf Fortress, it's like the moods the dorfs get into from time to time. If you have done neither, then the Madness Place is a state of super-concentration Sparks enter sometimes. The madness place can be separated in three levels, depending on how concentrated the Spark is in his task:

• Sparks in Phase 1 are capable of conducting research and engaging in deep concentration, but are not yet manic.
• Sparks in Phase 2 exhibit poor emotion control and become manic, either in the "IAMREALLYREALLYHAPPY" way or the "GETOUTTAMYWAYYOUF*****GB*****D". Their facial expressions also become very toothy as they demonstrate their emotions to the world. It tends to be the most common phase in which Sparks work, but it is still very frightening to witness. In this phase, Sparks also start seeing everyone and everything surrounding them as tools for whatever they are working in, and show an amazing lack of concern for their own well-being or that of those surrounding him or her. It is in here that most Sparks start to behave like the stereotypical mad scientist.
• Sparks in Phase 3 are very rare to see, as it only happens when the Spark is incredibly, tremendously angry. Thus, it tends to manifest itself in a nearly homicidal rage aimed at an specific target, and may only be exited violently.

The first important point in a Spark's life is the Breakthrough: the moment a Spark becomes a Spark, when he first enters the Madness Place. Most Sparks reach the Breakthrough in their teens, although particularly powerful Sparks may do this at younger ages. Unfortunately, the Breakthrough is a very traumatic process for the Sparks and dangerous for those people surrounding them, as a Spark's first creation is usually quite destructive. Many a Spark has died because their first invention attacked them, or because their neighbours attacked them when their identity became known.

In this NES, the Madness Place is going to be played in an interesting way: at any year, a Spark will suddenly "see" something that inspires them, and will immediately start to build something out of it, taking any resources that might be needed to fulfill the requirements of their invention. In the end, after some work by the Spark and his minions, something of great importance will have been created, and be at the disposition of the nation. Normally, somehow these inventions will be able to bend or even break the laws of physics, due to some unknown process.

Order Format
PM Title: [Nation Name], Turn [Number of turn], SparkNES
Stats
Expenses
Military Orders
Domestic Orders
Projects
Other important matters

An example:

Spoiler :

Stats

Spoiler :

Ruling Family: Igor
Population: 35,000
Resources: 14 Food/5 Wood/16 Stone/9 Metal/13 Fuel/17 Gold
Army: 500 Militia, 5 Infantry Clanks
Navy: none
Air Force: 1 Airship
Cities (25 Food/11 Wood/18 Stone/20 Metal/19 Fuel/23 Gold)

Spoiler :

Mures (Capital)

Population: 30,000
Production: 10 Food/5 Wood/3 Stone/4 Metal/6 Fuel/15 Gold
Stability: 8
Stationed Units: 300 militia, 5 infantry clanks, airship.

Bistrita (Mine Town)

Population: 5,000
Production: 15 Food/6 Wood/11 Stone/18 Metal/16 Fuel/8 Gold
Stability: 7
Stationed Units: 200 militia.

Expenses
-39 Food ( -35 consumption ) = 4.
-16 Wood ( -2 clank -4 farms) = 10.
-34 Stone ( -4 farms ) = 30.
-29 Metal ( -13.5 upkeep -2 clank -4 farms ) = 9.5
-32 Fuel ( -10.5 upkeep ) = 21.5
-40 Gold ( -12 upkeep - 1 clank up to -4 for farms and up to -4 for bribes) = from 27 to 19 left.

Military Orders
1/ Pay upkeep costs.

2/ Build units.
Build 5 infantry clanks. That should remove the need for fractions in the upkeep figures, and Igor thinks it's neatter that way.

3/ Orders.
Defend the lands. Airship is to carrry troops (clanks mostly) where needed. 100 militia from Mures and 5 clanks are tasked in priority with the prospection of farmlands, isolated farms and generally getting food.

Domestic Orders
Try to find more food 1: Scouts (bats and men) are sent to look for farms both up and downriver from Mures. They are to convince, preferably peacefully (up to 2 Gold) but not necessarily, peasants to join in the protection of Igor and to sell food to the city. If we meet people with food surplus, we are ready to trade it at a 1/1 rate for stone or 2 food for 1 gold or 2 food for 1 metal. We can haggle down to half that if necessary, the goal being to reach 35 food income as fast as possible.
Try to find some food 2: The citizens of Mures are definitely worthless (they produce less in just about everything than the six times smaller Bistrita!) so some of them are offered to leave their current occupation (most likely begging or writing silly stories) in exchange for 4 gold and the prospect of building some farms in arable lands nearby. In addition to the 4 gold, 4 stone, metals and wood are reserved to help them build some farms or fisheries (it looks like a nice pond could be built to raise fish in the southwest). The military are there to protect them.
2 gold saved for bribing whoever in Bistrita is unhappy with the destruction of that ugly fishermen market following the accidental explosion of an experimental mining apparatus by a young lady.

Projects

Other important matters
Get the Sparky girl into the family. She has the right to be called Igorina. I am sure she's Igor's daughter, by the way. Not Igor's. Igor's. Yes, this one. So. She blew up something in the town. Fishermen's market? It was a bit old anyway, and I'm not sure the fish was fresh to begin with. Whether the explosion was intentional or not, the "mining implement" Igorina has built can certainly find some use after some much-wanted stabilisation. Igor offers the girl the help and protection of Igor and his sons. She will be offered a place in Mures castle where her experiments can run without causing too much trouble, and without causing grief to the point people want to kill her. Igor also offers to tutor her in plastic surgery, as he's an expert and he's sure that girls love that kind of things.

Another example

Spoiler :

Stats

Spoiler :

Ruling Family: Polifaze
Population: 35,000
Resources: 15 Food/11 Wood/15 Stone/11 Metal/15 Fuel/10 Gold
Army: 500 Militia and 5 Infantry Clanks
Navy: 1 River Steamship
Air Force: 1 Airship
Cities (46 Food/19 Wood/9 Stone/7 Metal/10 Fuel/16 Gold)
Warsaw (Capital)

Population: 30,000
Production: 15 Food/5 Wood/3 Stone/4 Metal/7 Fuel/15 Gold
Stability: 8
Stationed Units: 300 militia, 5 constructs
Legionowo (Farm Town)

Population: 5,000
Production: 31 Food/14 Wood/6 Stone/3 Metal/3 Fuel/1 Gold
Stability: 7
Stationed Units: 200 militia

Expenses

Food Wood Stone Metal Fuel Gold
Bank 15 11 15 11 15 10
Income 46 19 9 7 10 16
Upkeep 35 0 0 16.5 13.5 15
Available 26 30 24 1.5 11.5 11

[Expenses assuming Constructs with food/wood upkeep equivalent to clank’s fuel/metal upkeep:

Food Wood Stone Metal Fuel Gold
Bank 15 11 15 11 15 10
Income 46 19 9 7 10 16
Upkeep 35.5 0.5 0 16 13.5 15
Available 25.5 29.5 24 2 11 11

Military Orders
Inital deployment: 300 militia and 5 Constructs in Warsaw, 200 militia in Legionowo, with the river steamboat and airship patrolling the vital river Wisla trade route.

Develop a new construct for scouting the wastelands surrounding Bolshevheim. Should be small mobile fungus able to 'plant' itself and monitor and area for an indefinite period of time. They are able to communicate with each other via spore clouds, and with humans via sign language (not strictly like ASL, but more like a honeybee dance. Construct handlers are trained to interpret it.)

Have our accountants determine the cost of this scout (do I need to specify the stats? If so, 1/1/3 +stealth), as well as the cost of our Myconids (I asked, but you just said it depends on the stats. I checked the thread, but I didn't see any further details)

Domestic Orders
It seems that attention has been drawn to Nalia’s … extracurricular activities. Two things strike me. One, we must know if the disappearances are all related to her work. There may be a rouge spark taking advantage of the consequences of her appetites. Have Karl Polyfaze question his ‘contacts of the people’ to see if they know of any usurpers. There is up to 2 gold in the treasury to spread around for information, but do not pay for simple rumors.

Two, perhaps there are things you should not do where you eat. We need to find a sympathetic city nearby, particularly one with a large population of the powerless poor. Send Wilhelm in the airship with 25 infantry and 2 Myconids to the nearby settlements to give speeches extolling the greatness of the Polyfaze kingdom. Bring gifts of food (15 total, spread among sympathetic settlements) to show our generosity, but make a point to display our air and martial superiority.

Projects
I have heard of a strange brew made from distilling the essence of certain forest mushrooms. If there are talented minor sparks around (are there? Do I control any?), have them work on laying the groundwork for a mushroom winery. I am willing to devote 10 food, 8 gold, and as much wood and stone as it takes to get a solid start. [OOC: I plan on expanding this over another turn or two if there are good initial results, but I am still pricing the projects in this NES]

Other important matters
There is a local adventurer speaking of the things he has seen in the swamps and forests of our land. We must get samples of these fungi and study them to see if their methods can be included in our Myconids. Perhaps next year we’ll fund an expedition to gather samples.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

Note: make sure to always keep an eye on what you have in your stores, you do not want to run out of food, metal, fuel or gold!

 

[Milarqui]

Link to stats in Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgfODarag-AwdEIxclpJR3Z2YWdyaFN2LUNSSVB2a0E
af Vornholm/Nintz

Spoiler :

Origin: Vornholm
Structure: Primogenitic Seniority
Common Characteristics: Large birthmark that runs from forehead to left cheek.
Members

Spoiler :

Svend (Head of Family), 29 (Biology (Animal), Optics)

• Description: Rather weak compared to his relatives. Has a tendency to seperate himself from the world in thought as well as creation, though he has very good social skills. Highly respected, though not feared by many.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Frida (Sister), 25 (Medicine (Veterinary), Medicine (Generalist Human))

• Description: Slightly bulkier than her family members, Frida is not much like her brother. She is very gregarious, and one of the best diplomatic members of af Vornholm's direct lineage. She still is a Spark, though tends to refrain from science much more than her family.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Erik (Uncle), 54 (Metallurgy, Steamwork)

• Description: Though older, Erik has some of the best this family has to offer. After the relatively early death of his brother and Svend's father Leif, Erik took the position as mentor and guardian of his children. He physically breaks some of the sterotypes, such as having red hair and brown eyes. However, his scar still marks him as a true af Vornholm. He also has a unquenchable fondness for ale.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Ygritte (Wife), 27 (Non-Organic Chemistry, Electricity)

• Description: While not an af Vornholm, her marriage with Svend united her own Estridsen family with his. This family was previsouly the second most powerful family in Skane, and the only possible threat to them. The marrige ensured they would move forward as allies, not enemies. While a political marriage, Ygritte has grown to love Svend in her own way. He spends much time away, so she has taken to poetry and literature while he is gone. While not her passion, she has also become adept as a writer. She has a thin build, red hair, and green eyes.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Stenkil (Son), 9

• Description: A young boy still, the only current child of Svend and Ygritte has blond hair and blue eyes like his father. He has a more robust build, though not unusual in general. His intrests have not fully developed yet, but he has shown a incredible aptitude for a handful of abilities such as languages and animal husbandry. For example, he already is competent is two different languages (German and Russian) not native to him, as well as owning his own horse and wolf. His uncle thinks that is great for public relations. Either way, this particular child has the makings of greatness, if only anyone could figure out where.
• Retinue: Wolf
• Inventions:

de Togliacci/Grandkhan

Spoiler :

Origin: Togliacci
Structure: Direct Patriarchy
Common Characteristics: Predilection to immense, unweidly krakens, raiding the Mediterranean for sport.
Members

Spoiler :

Alzaro (Head of Family), 43 (Electricity, Mechanics)

• Description: Alzaro de Togliacci is the current Pirate King of Sardinia, a long and noble title. He has inherited his family predilection for piracy and wanton destruction, and seeks to make the name of de Togliacci feared throughout the Mediterranean. He is assisted in this endeavour by the current patriach of the Londri family, Caro, who have traditionally always been the assistants and button pushers of the de Togliacci's since the days long before the Pirate Kingdom, and rightly proud of their position too. Alzaro seeks to rebuild the Superkraken, but if that is impossible, he will spread terror across the world from sea and sky, and amass the greatest treasure hoard known to man through theft and piracy.
• Retinue: Caro de Londri
• Inventions:

Elmiro (Heir), 21 (Non-Organic Chemistry, Aeronautics)

• Description: Elmiro has inherited his father's love of piracy and mayhem. Slightly different, he seeks to destroy Europa from the air - why bother with the sea, when an airship can go over both? Elmiro secretly plots to lay waste to the entirety of the world, with an airship fleet unmatched by anyone in Europa, and cement the de Togliaccis as the Pirate Kings of the World. He is noted in managing to destroy a rebellious family vassal with only 15 casualties by simply flying over the rebel's castle and deploying his infamous napthe liquid from the air, burning the castle to the ground. He is assisted by the son of Caro Londri, one Armonto, in typical Londri-de Togliacci dynamic fashion.
• Retinue: Armonto de Londri
• Inventions: Naphte

Aliara (Daughter), 17 (Electricity, Thermodynamics)

• Description: Aliara is the teenaged daughter of Alzaro, and though a gifted spark, is currently in her rebellious phase. Rather than plot with her father and brother, the thoughts of burning ships and crying sailors bore her. Rather, she prefers to stay in her room, brooding about dashing young airship pilots with tragic pasts, writing bad poetry, and listening to unbearable modern music on her gramaphonic setup. Her (appointed) best friend and companion, Lucinda Londri, tends to partake in these activities as well, much to the annoyance of her father Caro Londri. That said, Aliara's spark powers are considerable, and she is shaping up to be a worthy scion of the de Togliacci family, as shown by when she built a thundercannon specifically to burn down the house of a romantic rival of hers.
• Retinue: Lucinda Londri
• Inventions: Thundercannon

Arcano (Brother), 37 (Optics, Thermodynamics)

• Description: Arcano is the younger brother of Alzaro de Togliacci. The younger scions of the de Togliacci family are generally expected to spend their lives plundering the Mediterranean as raiders or to return to Togliacci and die trying to arrange 'accidents' for their older siblings. Arcano, the black sheep of the family, did neither - unlike their brother Artoro, who died at 25 being murdered by his own monster created singlemindedly to kill Alzaro, when he forgot that as Alzaro's brother, they looked very much alike. Arcano has instead elected to remain on Sardinia, as he dislikes both the sea and the sky, preferring to run his own experiments on energy weapons and boiling the sea. Alzaro thinks Arcano's experiments are silly and that a good de Togliacci should love the water, but he recognises the potential of Arcano's work and lets him be.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

di Barone/Omega124

Spoiler :

Origin: Venice
Structure: Noble Republic, Elective Doge from the Casa dei Nobili
Common Characteristics: Green eyes, great speech givers, charismatic.
Members

Spoiler :

Maria (Head of Family), 34 (Organic Chemistry, Thermodynamics)

• Description: Maria's first election into mainstream politics led to the Barone family securing the position of Doge since Claudia's choice to retire from politics 12 years ago. While being from a noble family, she is often regarded as representing the common person, tending to their concerns rather than those of the landed. Her most radical policy is to end the isolation of the republic, which brings new opportunities, but also new threats.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Enzo (Husband), 36 (Thermodynamics, Medicine (Specialist Human))

• Description: Enzo currently holds the family's seat in the Casa dei Nobili. While holding more traditional views than his wife, he is still extremely liberal compared to the traditionally reactionary aristocracy. He was one of the biggest supporters for the end of isolation in the Nobili, and is considered one of the biggest reasons it was passed in that house. Enzo, due to being married into the family, does not have the traditional green eyes. Instead, he has a deep brown, which causes him to stand out.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Claudia (Mother), 54 (Electricity, Steamwork)

• Description: When she stepped down from politics 12 years ago, the Barone grasp on the title of Doge also fell away from her. There was no regret on her part for doing so; she felt that she already accomplished everything she ever sat out to do. She does not always see eye to eye with her daughter, being part of a much more conservative generation. However, she still supports her daughter in her career. Since her retirement, she focused on Clank working.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Leonardo (Son), 18 (Thermodynamics, Electricity)

• Description: The first of two children, Leonardo is extremely passionate and charismatic. This would be good, but a strange idea has hit his head ever since he was 15. Subscribing to a strange notion that the nobility is too entitled and doesn't represent the wishes of the people, he wants to end the aristocracy and replace it with a true republic. Leonardo also speaks about the end of private enterprise, and a creation of a "worker's state". His speeches bring constant embarrassment to the rest of his family, and is by far the black sheep.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Gaia (Daughter), 10

• Description: Gaia, while only a child, displays a potential for intelligence unlike any other member of the family. However, she has no social skill whatsoever, which worries her parents in their sleep. It is thought that she will make a great Spark, but will have no hope in continuing the politics in the family.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Helvetii/Terrance888

Spoiler :

Origin: Lausanne
Structure: The head appoints his chosen successor and keeps it secret in a gem around his neck.
Common Characteristics: Gem-like irises, they wear their birth gem.
Members

Spoiler :

Giovanni (Head of Family), 79 (Non-Organic Chemistry, Clockwork)

• Description: As a young boy, Giovanni was a clock-maker’s apprentice in Geneva. Although ambitious, he was relegated to maintaining Lausanne’s relative dominance over the city as an Ambassador. That changed when several Mountain Tribes attacked the Helvetii laboratory in Lausanne, where in the panic some incompleted experiments were activated and destroyed the complex. Taking command over the survivors, he consolidated power over Geneva with his great Charisma, making ranting speechs against the wild Mountain Men. Lausanne was rebuilt, and Geneva (which he now thought as his true home town) was made greater than ever before. Castle Helvetii now towers over Lake Geneva, and across the lake the Tower Lausanne peeks out over the horizon line.
  
  He is old, but he is wise. Although none of his family understand what he means as he bumbles around the house, in a state of madness both mundane and sparky, they all respect him in his few states of clarity. He is near 7 foot tall, with sparse white hair and a great stringy, peppery beard. His fingers are delicate. He wears a ruby necklace, and two rings of Diamond.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

William (Son), 37 (Non-Organic Chemistry, Hydraulics)

• Description: Only surviving son of Giovanni and Josephine, William spends most of his time in the mines of Lausanne, developing various clanks to use water pressure in mining operations while scheming to take over the family from the hands of Marie Bouvier and her children. He is much more like Josephine than Giovanni, with a full head of blond hair on his very tall but full frame. He wears a ruby ring and a sapphire necklace.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Marie Bouvier (Daughter-in-law), 40 (Steamwork, Thermodynamics)

• Description: A spark Victor discovered in the countryside aiding her father's black-smithing business, Marie Bouvier is a dynamic and hotheaded redhead, short and stocky. She wears a Carnelian necklace. Married to former "favorite" Victor, she now tries to keep her small family together while trying to gain Giovanni's favor to transfer the Chief's title to her or her children. While William lives in Lausanne, Marie works in the "Clank District" in Geneva, wowing and disturbing the clock-workers there with her various steam-based gadgets. (Note, the Clank District refers to the large amounts of clock makers and such who can make "toy clanks" which are of little use in actual sparky-warfare, but fun to play with)
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Borgia (Grandson), 19 (Clockwork, Medicine (Specialist Human))

• Description: A tallish boy with sparse red hair and thin, pale frame, he wears a necklace of Peridot. George takes more after his father than his mother, seeking the mysteries of lightning and energy by spending long days (both mad and sane) in his laboratory.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Boccacio (Grandson), 16 (Non-Organic Chemistry, Steamwork)

• Description: A boy still small, with sparse blond-brown hair and a stocky body with a necklace of diamond. Boccacio likes wandering outside with his mother, but he LOVES Uncle Will and often travels to Lausanne to visit the mines and clanks of the Mining town, chatting about water pressure and mineral content all the way.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Hibule/TerrisH

Spoiler :

Origin: Drulshal
Structure: Matriarchal
Common Characteristics: quiet in spark induced state, minimal talk and non-necessary movement.
Members

Spoiler :

Wasul (Head of Family), 51 (Mechanics, Steam-powered Hydraulics)

• Description: Despite looking strangely young and childlike, Wasul is well over 40 years old and reigns as the undisputed master of the city, having designed it from the ground up herself. she maintains a small army of crab-bots to keep the city repaired and afloat. but she spends most of of the rest of her time performing various experiments in her lab. She still makes time once a week to receive a situational report from the council, to make sure they keep the city operating to her standards.
• Retinue:
• Inventions: Crab-bots

Rull (Heir), 21 (Medicine (Generalist Human), Human Augmentation)

• Description: Rul is quite a notorious Air pirate, and the bane of her mother. Currently has a fairly substantial bounty on her for her capture alive by her mother, though this is mostly to insure and hunters after her will aim to take her alive then outright kill her. Not that many hunters could killer, or her crew. she has made extensive alterations to her base physical structure, and that of her crew, augmenting them several fold. In close range combat, she is a complete monster, which is made even more terrifying given she has a tendency to enter a spark-fugue berserk state. states some of her best ideas come to her during battle.
• Retinue: 2 Augmented Pirates
• Inventions: Human augments

Hunyadi/theDright

Spoiler :

Origin: Buda-Pest
Structure: Patriarchal Primogeniture
Common Characteristics: Permanent hair loss, grafted implants, tan skin, with blue-tinged fair skin under the implants, blue/violet eyes
Members

Spoiler :

László (Head of Family), 41 (Steamwork, Thermodynamics)

• Description:
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Megara (Wife?), 39 (Clockwork, Electricity)

• Description:
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Gâscan (Brother?), 22 (Medicine, Biology (Animal Kingdom))

• Description:
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Vasal (?), 23 (Social Science, Organic Chemistry)

• Description:
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Klotild (Daughter?), 14 (Optics, Non-Organic Chemistry)

• Description:
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Igor/LDiCesare

Spoiler :

Origin: Mures
Structure: Igors tend to have many children from many women. Those few who happen to be sparks "become" Igors, while the rest remain with their mother (and probably her husband too). Igors obey to the current ruler because that's how it should be. The next in-line is the one viewed by the community of Igors as being the best administrator. This surprisingly goes without problem as it's absolutely obvious to them, even though no-one else could say why.
Common Characteristics: Self-surgery to improve their bodies.
Members

Spoiler :

Igor (Head of Family), 55 (Medicine (Surgery), Electricity)

• Description: Igor's brain is 54 year old. The rest of his body ranges from 18 to 67 depending on the part. It is believed that, apart from the brain, the only original part of his body remaining is the scar tissue. A faithful servant of Vlad Sferates, he took over when his master suffered a terrible accident. He is a master surgeon and administrator.
• Retinue: 1 Frankie
• Inventions: Frankies (construct)

Igor (Son), 34 (Medicine (Surgery), Veterinary)

• Description: Igor is Igor's first son to have evolved a spark. Like him, he is called Igor, and he looks like him absolutely. Born a lovely young blonde boy, he used a scalpel upon himself at the age of twelve and at the age of sixteen he looked like his father and was immediately adpoted in the "family". He is totally undistinguishable from Igor (family head), even by other Igors.
• Retinue: 3 Undead Bats
• Inventions: Undead Bats

Igor (Son), 29 (Medicine (Human Generalist), Organic Chemistry)

• Description: Igor is Igor's second son to have evolved a spark. Like all the other family members, he is called Igor. (The Igors instantly know which Igor they are talking about when they speak, although other people tend to be confused.). He is the most beloved by the population (particularly women), being a physicist who loves to tend to the welfare of his people (particularly women). A very good administrator, therefore heir to the family head unless young Igor proves to be a better admin when he grows up more.
• Retinue:
• Inventions: Drugs with "interesting" effects

Igor (Son), 20 (Clockwork, Medicine (Human Generalist))

• Description: Igor is Igor's third and last (so far) son to have evolved a spark. Like all the other family members, he is called Igor. A young man, he was born a weakling and decided to build himself a powerful body. He sometimes grafts himself extra arms or huge legs. Being an original, he sometimes styles himself with studs on the forehead, distinguishing himself easily from his elders.
• Retinue:
• Inventions: Telescopic arm

Igorina (Daughter), 14 (Mechanics)

• Description:
• Retinue
• Inventions: Mining device

Polifaze/hbar

Spoiler :

Origin: Warsaw
Structure: Patriarchal Monarchy
Common Characteristics: Bright red hair and matching tempers
Members

Spoiler :

Mikael (Head of Family), 53 (Biology (Fungus Kingdom), Organic Chemistry)

• Description: Mikael was born a farmer, and likely would have died a farmer had it not been for the Great War. The previous rulers of Warsaw were decadent despots left over from the Wulfenbach Imperium, and they were despised by the peasants. When Mikael's spark manifested, he was able to rally the people to fight alongside his Myconids and storm the Iron Keep. Thousands died, but the old guard fell and the throne passed to the Polifazes. Mikael is still seen as a war hero by most of the populace, but the younger generations are starting to realize that the new king isn't that different from the rulers of old.
• Retinue: 1 Myconid
• Inventions: Myconids (sort-of Clanks made of fungi, great against humans, not so good against machines)

Karl (Heir), 23 (Biology (Fungus Kingdom), Steamworks)

• Description: Karl is the blood heir to the Polifaze throne. He disagrees with his father on many points, and is much more of a 'populist', feeling the people should be in charge of more of their own affairs. He has many friends and more enemies within his father's court, and some fear for the stability of the nation if he tries to take the throne without consolidating power.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Nalia (Daughter), 25 (Biology (Fungi Kingdom), Medicine (Specialist Human))

• Description: Nalia is the eldest child, and a powerful spark. Unlike Karl, she never questioned her family's right to rule, and strongly resents the gender bias placing her outside the line of succession. She is excessively cruel, and often procures 'volunteers' from the peasantry for her experiments.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Wilhelm (Son), 20 (Clockwork, Medicine (Specialist Human))

• Description: Wilhelm is the youngest of the family. He is favored by his father and many in the ruling class. He is eager to become involved in politics, and often chafes at hiding in his brother's shadow. When he lost his right arm in a hunting accident, he built a new, better one out of leather and brass. Because of this, he is required to wear a boxing glove at the dinner table in case a fight breaks out.
• Retinue:
• Inventions: Clockwork arm

Swjatoslawic/Krzowwh

Spoiler :

Origin: Nowograde
Structure: Nominally Elective, but functions as Cognatic Primogeniture
Common Characteristics: Light brown hair, greyish eyes, slightly taller than average, tendency to either over-enunciate or mumble in short, trailing bursts, both of which are uttered rather loudly.
Members

Spoiler :

Ksenija Olegowna (Head of Family), 65 (Thermodynamics, Biology (Plant Kingdom))

• Description: The Grand Konigynja is quite nearly the archetype for the family, fitting every one of the common traits which most of her family has. Her husband was the late Wasileje Petrowic, who was the Konige of Rusa before her son. She prefers to act emotionless in unmoving fashion in public, but those who know her know that she truly is caring towards her family and friends. Her body is weakened by old age, but her heart beats strong in fortitude and determination.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Wlodimire Wasilejewic (Son), 47 (Biology (Plant Kingdom), Optics)

• Description: He has darker hair than most of his dynasty, and wears a long, pointed dark brown goatee upon the tip of his chin and a thin moustache upon his upper lip. He has poor eyesight and so often wears a pince-nez. He often complains about the faults of others and tries to correct them in any way possible.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Irina Simejonowna (Daughter-in-law), 44

• Description: Irina has dark brown hair, is average height, and is rather overweight. She is quiet and generally tries to be polite to others. However, when she does speak her mind, it is usually not well-received. She, unlike her husband's family, possesses no Spark capabilities.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Iwane Wlodimirowic (Grandson), 26 (Steamwork, Medicine (Generalist Human))

• Description: He wears a short moustache, strangely near black, although his hair color is light brown. He does not speak often, and when he does, he speaks quietly compared to his paternal line, still above average volume. While he is a Spark, he seems to be less passionate in science than his father and grandmother. Nonetheless, he is willing to use his abilities, as he realizes that these abilities are considered a privilege to possess.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

von Welf/Seon

Spoiler :

Origin: Lisboa
Structure: Feudal Elective
Common Characteristics: Tendency to mutter things very slowly and quietly when in the Madness Place.
Members

Spoiler :

Phillippe (Head of Family), 45 (Clockwork, Medicine (Generalist Human))

• Description: The Count is an amiable fellow loved by his people and vassals. He charms all that he speaks to with his mild and polite mannerisms. Some, however, do find the rhetorics that he often uses very tiring.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Aerina (Wife), 41 (Steamwork, Biology (Animal Kingdom))

• Description: A female spark kidnapped adopted by the family in order to strengthen their own Spark Lines. Fortunately she and Phillippe went along with each other well.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Dante (Cousin), 44 (Electricity, Clockwork)

• Description: Dante von Welf, Captain of the Count's Army, Killer of the Killer Laser Cows, Rescuer of Many Orphans from the Maze, and hater of cheese is a man of many merits. A close relative of Phillippe, they were always on incredibly friendly terms with each other, which helped secure the former's victory against the evil Felin von Welf in the electoral college.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Alaria (Daughter), 19 (Clockwork, Steamwork)

• Description: Firstborn of the Welf Family, she is the pride of her parents. Breaking through at a very young age and nearly killing Felin von Welf in the process, she has built many odd mechanical contraptions that utilize both the Clockworks that her family is infamous for as well as the Steamwork practiced by her mother. Famously beautiful, she has had many suitors, although the family turned most of them down.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Dardan (Son), 16 (Optics, Steamwork)

• Description: With more characteristics from his mother than his father, he worries the family greatly. Instead of finding himself at home inside the laboratories, he seeks out the port with his makeshift binoculars, discussing with Dante about strange new ideas that he can't quite express. While it is apparent that he is a spark, as he broke through in a totally non-suspiscious incident that killed Felin von Welf in which Philippe von Welf and Dante von Welf was definitely not part of and was in fact far away in a fishing trip for the legendary Jormungandr, he has yet to display the mechanical ingenuity of his sister.
• Retinue:
• Inventions:

Zwerg/merciary

Spoiler :

Origin: Hamburg
Structure: Board of Directors, Successor named in advance by the current Head which is then voted on by the Board.
Common Characteristics: The habit of talking to machines, the machines seem to respond better when a Zwerg talks to them.
Members

Spoiler :

Wilhelm (Head of Family), 69 (Clockwork, Steamwork)

• Description: Wilhelm is often credited, and quite correctly, as being the creator of the modern Zwerg family. With one, although quite a large one, invention he was able to bring the relatively small Zwerg into dominance in Hamburg. This invention was the automatic Clank factory which is able to produce a basic automation in record speeds. While not capable of complex creations the Clanks produced are able to follow simple instructions making them very useful in the labor market. Today he sits atop a spider-like Clank allowing him to remain mobile despite his age. He appears to be a small wizened man appropriate for his age, though no one remembers him ever appearing differently. He is obsessed with order and has taken great efforts to insure the family will survive after him, though some have question if he will ever die.
• Retinue: 1 Spider Clank
• Inventions: Automated Clank Factory

Max (Co-Heir), 22 (Clockwork, Medicine (Specialist Human))

• Description: Max and his twin sister Clara are the current heirs to the company, if Wilhelm ever dies that is, as the two are inseparable and some of most clever Sparks the family has produced. Around his 16th birthday Max was touring the factory when he fell into the madness place and spotted a piece of machinery that could have been improved. Unfortunately said piece as currently in motion and when Max reached for it his right arm was torn from his body. Without so much as a flinch he cauterized the wound and set off for a nearby workshop refusing any medical help. When he emerged from the shop with an advanced prosthetic arm attached to his shoulder. Since that day he has shown an interest in developing human augmentations. His arm has gone through numerous upgrades and no one is quite sure of its full capabilities. His interest in augmentations has won him fans in the military particularly for his habit of giving prototypes to injured soldiers. he is convinced that he can make people better and is one of the few Zwergs concerned with people.
• Retinue: 1 Augmented Soldier
• Inventions: Clockwork limbs

Clara (Co-Heir), 22 (Thermodynamics, Steamwork)

• Description: Unlike her brother who has shown an odd fascination, for a Zwerg, with the biological she has chosen to focus on energy, in particular heat. She is rarely seen without her fireproof clothing and those around her tend to also don protective gear. She can be wildly chaotic, much to Wilhelm's displeasure, but she is undoubtedly a genius even by Spark standards. Her focus tends to change between vehicles, weapons, and other heat related objects. Her most famous invention in the Enternus Engine which use much less fuel than a typical engine and is currently being used in the factory and through out most of Hamburg.
• Retinue: 1 Steam Clank
• Inventions:

 

[Milarqui]

Update 0
William and Boccacio acid-mining (Terrance888, Geneva Commonwealth)
Schematics of Igor's Flying Squirrel (LDiCesare, Transylvania)
Igor, Igor & Igorina (LDiCesare, Transylvania)
Svend, Erik and illusions (Nintz, Skaneland)
Elmiro de Togliacci's speech to Carbonia (Grandkhan, Pirate Kingdom of Sardinia)
Maria and Claudia discuss immigration (Omega124, Neo Serena Repubblica)

Update 1
A Memorable Speech (Terrance888, Geneva Commonwealth)
Legion (hbar, Bolshevheim)

Update 2
Deaths in the Wisla (hbar, Bolshevheim)
Meeting of the Igors (LDiCesare, Transylvania)
The Future is Now (Nintz, Skaneland)

Update 3

 

[Milarqui]

For other things

 

[Milarqui]

Update 0: 1950 CE - 103 ABM​

It's been a century since the Battle of Mechanicsburg. The battle where Agatha Heterodyne, Gilgamesh Wulfenbach and Tarvek Sturmvoraus fought against The Other and destroyed her. No survivors were left among those that were witness to the fight, as a brutal explosion took apart the entire city, leaving only debris and death where the city had once stood proudly. The Jägermonsters, once the proud army of the Heterodyne family, was, save for a few fortunate ones, wiped out in the fight against the revenants controlled by The Other.

The death of Gilgamesh also brought with him the death of the Wulfenbach Empire, and that of the Pax Transylvania. Suddenly, knowing that they would not be receiving a visit from the feared Wulfenbach armies, meant that every Spark ruler in Europa, as well as the few non-Sparky nobles that still existed, entered the fray to attempt to take over the Empire. However, none of them were as grand as the Wulfenbachs were, and Europa fell into a war more terrible than the one that had preceded the Pax Transylvania imposed by Klaus Wulfenbach, and than the one the Heterodyne Boys stopped before that.

The next century was full of fighting in Europa. Hundreds of people died every day due to the fighting. Clanks devastated the plains of the continent. Small Sparks either joined the fight on their own team, or became vassals to more powerful Sparks. Monsters created by madmen plagued the countryside. Only well fortified cities could survive attacks by enemy troops. Infighting became common. The only city that went unaffected was Paris, which became the neutral ground in which Sparks from all over Europa met to make deals, stop internecine wars and study new science and arts.

Now, however, it's been a century since the Great War started, and Europa is slowly becoming tired of the almost constant fighting. Now is the time when families may come out of hiding, when peace may be restored, and when the many that have tried to gain control of the continent may be able to do so. However, it will not be an easy task, for many are looking forward to the possibility of replacing the Wulfenbachs as the ruling dynasty of Europa. Who will be able to reach such momentous goal?

Bolshevheim
Coming from Eastern Europe, from the city of Warsaw, the Polifaze family is one of the newest to arrive to the political scene, as they had been a vassal to the Waitla family for more than seventy years. It would not be until Mikael Polifaze, who had recently demonstrated his Sparkiness, led a rebellion against the decadent Waitla, that the Polifaze became the rulers of Warsaw. Mikael married a few years later and had three children, Nalia, Karl and Wilhelm, although unfortunately his wife would die while giving birth to Wilhelm. The family soon became known for their unruly tempers and their habit of starting brawls at any moment of the day, even during formal dinners. It was during one of these brawls that Mikael gained the allegiance of the nearby town of Legionowo, which was able to produce enough food to help feed the entire city of Warsaw, a fact that Mikael rewarded them for. The Polifaze family is known for their obsession with fungi, to the point that Mikael has been able to create a fungus that can grow to two meters and move on their own, and are considered Clanks, although they do not use fuel, but food, to keep going. The heir is Karl, who is of the belief that the Polifaze should allow the people to gain more control over their own affairs, something the old guard is opposed to and which may destabilize the nation if Karl does not gain supporters for his cause. Nalia, the elder child, is a cruel woman bitterly disappointed by her barring from the throne, who is said to procure “volunteer” peasants for her experiments. Wilhelm, the youngest son, is the favourite of the King for his eagerness to enter politics and for his leather-and-brass arm, that allows him to win the family brawls many times.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: there have been several disappearances in Warsaw, and many times the disappeared people appear dead, but severely disfigured and, several times, they are missing some limbs. Clues seem to point to the bodies coming from the Royal Palace, although it might be possible that an unknown Spark may be trying to get the Polifaze in trouble with the people. What will you do?

Principality of Buda-Pest
The history of Buda-Pest is old, very old, but the modern Buda-Pest's history started a few months after the Battle of Mechanicsburg. The violence and chaos that had followed the Battle and the Fall of the Empire allowed the Hunyadi family to take over the control of the city after several days of fighting between them and the current rulers. The Hunyadi, led by Sándor, pledged to work for the safety and the protection of the people of Buda-Pest, as well as to help protect the entire Carpathian basin. Unfortunately, many problems still plagued the city, which prevented the Hunyadi from completely fulfilling their promise to keep everyone safe, although they managed to keep most people relatively safe, managing to place the nearby town of Eastern Pest under their protection, which brought, much to the people's relief, the chance to produce more food than what was needed, allowing them to store some of it for future times. The Hunyadi are a family whose identities are kept in mystery, probably due to the rumors of great changes in their bodies. Little is known about them, except for the fact that the current Prince of Buda-Pest is named Lászlo, and that there are a few other family members called Megara, Gâscan, Vasal and Klotild, but what they are within the family, it is not known.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: the world has changed much, and little is known about it. Some people within Buda-Pest are claiming for the expansion of the Principality into the surrounding lands. There are also people from the outside claiming for Prince László to come protect them from wild Constructs and Clanks that prey on their towns. What will you do?

Dardanic Order
The mysterious von Welf lead the Dardanic Order from the city of Neo Lisboa, where they established themselves after the Battle for Horses that destroyed Lisboa in an incident that had international consequences. Once led by the Pessoa family, the Battle for Horses left the family in the hands of the only survivor, Maria Pessoa, who married Dardan von Welf, thus initiating the new dynasty of the Dardanic Order. They are currently led by Count Phillippe von Welf, whose charm and rhetoric has helped keep the peace within the city of Neo Lisboa and the town of Dragon's Keep, which fell into the Order's sphere thanks to the efforts of several members, who managed to gain the allegiance of the town's people. His wife, Aerina Palenith, was said to have been kidnapped from her true family, but these rumours are normally disregarded by the family as lies invented by their enemies. The couple has two children, incredibly beautiful and intelligent Alaria and strange Dardan, both of which are said to have something to do with the death of Felin von Welf, who preceded Phillippe in the position of ruler of the order. Dante von Welf, a cousin of Phillippe, leads the armies of the Order.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: the quartermaster warns that the food that remains in the stores may not be enough to maintain the city for too long: his calculations state that within two years people will start to starve unless something is done very soon. Many potential food sources are around, it might just be a matter of finding them. What will you do?

Free Floating City of Drulshal
Drulshal is certainly a strange city: it was built on the sea, a mile away from the coast, a refuge for the people tired of the war to flee to. The only ways to reach it are to go by ship, airship, or the floating bridge that connects Drulshal to the port town of Garntolof, which allows Drulshal to receive supplies easily. The crab-bots designed by Lady Wasul Hibule maintain Drulshal's hull and prevent it from sinking into the ocean, which makes her the leader of the settlement, although she mostly leaves the trappings of government to other people. Her child, Rul Hibule, is her bane: instead of taking interest in the rule of government, she instead has taken to the skies and started to raid the nearest cities, aided by her loyal troupe of air pirates, all of them extensively grafted with augmentations. Wasul, attempting to get her child to settle down, has decided to put a bounty on her head, but only alive, hoping that a bounty hunter will be lucky and stop her.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: there is been rumours among the bounty hunter community that some of them are banding up together in order to take Rul out. However, one or two of them seem to be gunning more for the hunter part than the bounty part, as they have lost too many companions to Rul and her augmented pirates. What will you do?

Geneva Commonwealth
The Geneva Commonwealth draws its origins from the tribe of the Helvetii, who lived in the town of Lausanne, where they survived thanks to the trade of the many metals and the wine that came from the small vineyards that manage to resists the low temperatures in the Alps Mountain Range. Some time in the past, the Helvetii started to develop Sparks (some people believe this might have been due to two Spark brothers that visited the town at some point in the past, although no one knows who they were, exactly) and these Sparks soon led Lausanne towards great wealth, which nearly finished due to a conflict with Geneva that fortunately finished some time before Giovanni, the current leader of the Helvetii, took over the headship after the deaths of many of his relatives. Giovanni is currently in the throes of entering a constant state of madness, although his advice is still followed by his son William (rumored to be named after one of those brothers), his widow daughter-in-law Marie and his grandsons Borgia and Boccacio, all of which have already shown themselves to be Sparky enough to carry on with the family's name.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: the winds of change are now blowing over the Commonwealth, and they bring news of pirates, of other Sparks vying for power, of Clanks fighting at the orders of their makers, and much more. Thus, the people of the Commonwealth are asking for an increase in the defenses of the town, as well as the military power to expand the Commonwealth to other cities. What will you do?

Neo Serena Reppublica
Many believed that, during the Great War, Venice sunk into the sea like Albion did, probably as a consequence of the Venetian Students' Rebellion that hit the city around the time of Agatha Heterodyne's arrival to Mechanicsburg. However, what they actually did was to abandon the mainland and remain isolated from the rest of the world. This fortunately worked, and they remained untouched for many years, only contacting with the mainland through traders that just bought food and other needed stuff to ensure the survival of the city. Independence allowed them to reform the entire system, giving power to the people and restoring the institutions that were eliminated by Baron Wulfenbach. Currently, the Doge of the Neo Serena Reppublica is Maria di Barone, serving her first year as the Doge. Coming from a dynasty that has been tied to Venice for many years, she is ready to lead the nation, with the support of her husband Enzo, her mother Claudia and her children, populist Leonardo and young Gaia, who seems to suffer some strange illness that has deprived her from her social skills.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: the revelation of Venice to the world has started to bring immigrants to the city, attracted by its riches and the fact that it is mostly intact from the Great War. Some are demanding that the doors are closed to them, while others state that allowing immigrants to settle may be what helps Venice get back on her feet. What will you do?

Grand Republic of Nowograde
In the cold lands of the Rus, the Swjatoslawic family has ruled the city of Nowograde for many years. Their alliances with other families resulted in their taking control over the nearby town of Rusa, from where they are able to extract much metal and stone to feed their working machine. The leadership of the cities is shared between Grand Konigynja of Nowograde Ksenija Olegowna and Konige of Rusa Wlodimire Wasilejewic, Ksenija's son. The two of them, as well as Wlodimire's son Iwane Wlodimirowic, share the tendency to talk rather loudly even when they are mumbling their words. Curiously for the current state of affairs in Europa, the Konigynja of Rusa Irina Simejonowna, Wlodimire's wife, is not a Spark herself, which puts her somewhat at odds with the Sparky aristocracy that looks down at her for her lack of the Spark.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: the current status of affairs within the Grand Republic is putting the lives of many people in danger, not immediate, but nearby. According to calculations made by some advisors of the confidence of the Grand Konigynja, there might not be enough food to survive for more than two years unless something is done to remedy that. What will you do?

Pirate Kingdom of Sardinia
In the southern tip of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia stands the Pirate Kingdom, which has ruled the cities of Togliacci and Cagliari during the last century, thanks to Palmiro Togliacci's invention, the Superkrakenclank, which has become the symbol of the family, although unfortunately they lost both the Superkrakenclank, the Krakenballoon (used in air raids) and the Superkraken in successive incidents and civil wars. The current Pirate King, Alzaro, managed to gain the throne after his twin brother Artoro accidentally got himself killed, and strives to create a Pirate Empire that encompasses the entire Mediterranean, as well as the possibility of rebuilding the Superkraken that much glory brought to the family. His heir Elmiro has proved himself worthy of the throne thanks to his daring and intelligence while riding his airship, while his daughter Aliara, although a powerful Spark on her own way, is currently in her rebellious phase, behaving like an emo teen enamored with literature, poetry and music that fits her state of mind. The picture is rounded with Arcano, Alzaro's younger brother and the black sheep of the family, as he dislikes both the sea and the air; and the Londri family, who have traditionally been the assistants of the Togliacci since the times of the Long War, and who accompany the central members of the family in their adventures.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: There is little metal in the stores of the capital, and the production of metal is very low, too. Only the raids, some trade and the recycling of objects provides some metal.for your armies and foundries, but even those may run out. What will you do?

Skaneland
The land of Skaneland, in southern Scandinavia, is a land of brittle cold, and the home of the af Vornholm family. Coming from the town of Vornholm, the af Vornholm family has always been a part of the city of Skane, probably living there since it was founded. The tales tell that the af Vornholm managed to take over Skane some time after Albion sunk, thanks to the help of many of their compatriots from Vornholm. The fact that they managed to keep control of the city through the Long War and the Great War says much about the family's power (although the many rumours about several of the family's members interacting with corpses in unfrequent ways may have smirched the memory of the family's rule). However, the recent death of Leif af Vornholm has left young, relatively unexperienced Svend as the leader of the af Vornholm, although thankfully he has the help of his charismatic sister Frida and his experienced uncle Erik to help in the government of Skane and Vornholm. His marriage to Ygritte Estridsen ensured an alliance with the second most powerful family of Skane, and his son Stenkil ensures that the af Vornholm will be able to continue on the noble task of protecting its people... while trying to gain as much control as possible within Europa.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: some people in Vornholm have given warning on several raiders starting to steal things from their town. Their number is unknown, but most give it at around fifty people of both sexes, armed with guns from the times of the Wulfenbach Empire. What will you do?

Transylvania
The people of Transylvania are certainly amongst the strangest of Europa. They are led by a man called Igor, of no known family. His three sons are all also called Igor, which adds to the oddness. And when taking into account that all Igors do surgery upon themselves, grafting their bodies with better limbs and organs, the oddness gets multiplied (the fact that, even after all of that, they are still able to seduce any woman, is a mystery that may only be explained by surgery). There is Igor, whose only remaining original part is his brain, and who is followed by his Frankie constructs; Igor, who looks identical to his father , likes to build undead bats but has no imagination, limiting himself to copying other people's inventions; Igor, the likeliest to become the head of the family if Igor were to die, who is beloved by the population; and, finally, Igor, who styles himself with studs in order to be distinguished from the other Igors. How they know each other apart, it is not known, but perhaps the future may reveal the truth behind them...

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: a new Spark has appeared among the people of Bistrita, probably one born of a woman that was seduced by Igor. However, there is something strange: this Spark is a female, which had yet to happen. Now, the question is whether this child will have to transform herself to become an Igor, or whether she will be allowed to retain her beauty. What will you do?

Zwerg Metalworks Inc.
The city of Hamburg is home to (and ruled by) the first corporation in the world, Zwerg Metalworks Incorporated. Led by the Zwerg family, noted due to their tendence to speak with machines when they are in the madness place, the corporation is trying to make a name for itself in Central Europa while providing for its people in any way they can. Its Board of Directors, while subject to the Head of ZM Inc., is able to ensure that the corporation and cities are well directed and led. Wilhelm, the current head, is credited with the creation and development of the corporation, bringing it into domination of Hamburg thanks to his automatic Clank factory, able to build basic Clanks in record speeds. Meanwhile, the twins Max and Clara, current heirs of the company, have developed interests for different scientific fields: Max has gone towards the possibility of augmenting people through the use of clockwork limbs, while Clara has picked the steam and thermodynamics route. No one knows what might come from their work.

Spoiler :

Sparky Challenge: the plains surrounding Hamburg and Stade are sometimes home to rogue Clanks and Sparks, eking out a life out of there, but sometimes things get ugly and the Clanks and Sparks try to get into the cities and sack needed supplies. What will you do?

You may post now! (Make your claims!)

 

[Terrance888]

The Geneva Commonwealth IS QUITE WEALTHY THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

HEHAHHEHAHAHE he ahem *cough cough*

Marie! Get my dentures! I lost 'em!



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Grandkhan]

Pirate Kingdom of Sardinia, checking in!

What does the long string of numbers between airforce and cities mean?

 

[Nintz]

Skaneland here.

 

[LDiCesare]

Checking in. There's a formatting problem with thee first Igor. Must be a missing /list or somesuch.

How old would that young Spark girl be? And can I get to write how she became a spark?

As for being beautiful:

Spoiler :

Isnt' this cute?

 

[merciary]

Zwerg Metalworks Inc. is open for business.

 

[Milarqui]

@Terrance888: well, I am using that symbol as your nation's flag. Laughed at the message, too.
@Grandkhan: it was something that slipped up. I am using Microsoft Excel for the stats, and I copied the string of numbers, which referred to the resources both stored and created, so that I could put it on the stats list without going back and forward between Mozilla and Excel.
@LDiCesare: she would be in her teens. About 14-15 years old. And, allow me to say this: GOODHEAVENSWHOTHEHELLDIDTHAT!!!! Thanks. Now I'll have nightmares.

@Everyone: I've added a link to the map on the second post, as well as the rules and such. I'll try to write the order format now.

ORDERS FOR UPDATE ONE (1), FOR THE YEAR 1951 CE / 104 ABM, MUST BE IN MY INBOX BEFORE NEXT FRIDAY 17TH AT 9 PM SPAIN HOUR (FOR THOSE IN AMERICA, 3 PM EST)​

Edit: Done! Also, the first update must include the form of your armed forces. The base will be 500 Militia, 5 Infantry Clanks, 1 River Steamship and 1 Airship, although if you don't want to have something (for example, you don't want to have the Steamship) you may exchange it for the equivalent in other troops (people are allowed to change arms without a problem).

 

[LDiCesare]

There's another list problem in the Military listing spoiler now.
List which leads to an interesting question.
You provide stats like 1 Attack for militia, then give costs for 20 or 50 militia, for 5 or 10 infantry clanks. What do the attack figure means? Is that the attack for a single militia, for 20?
Otherwise said, do I get 20 times 1 Attack when I buy 20 militia and 5 times 2 Attack when I buy 5 infantry clanks, or is it something else? I bet that the stats aren't exactlly linear (due to stuff like militia being unable to dent Armor 1 clanks with their 1 Attack, and concentration of forces...) but I'd like it clarified.

 

[Milarqui]

The stats are for each unit, not for the all, obviously.

 

[Terrance888]

Thanks Milarqui.

Anyway, I was thinking of a "Mining Clank" or "Mining Unit" thing. Would that be possible, or would that just be something mobilized/result of a project (clanks to improve efficiency)/not very useful in fighting by themselves? Same probably goes for "Farming Clanks" (ever seen a thresher driving right at you? Now imagine it swearing at you and staring at you at the same time. D=)-Improve productivity at peace, a bit more firepower at war?

Also, sending an important PM. Keep it safe.

 

[hbar]

Resources: 15 Food/11 Wood/15 Stone/11 Metal/15 Fuel/10 Gold
Army
Navy
Air Force
Cities (46 Food/19 Wood/9 Stone/7 Metal/10 Fuel/16 Gold)

Is the "resources" number what's in the bank, and "cities" number income? If so, can we only spend what's banked, or our income too?

 

[Milarqui]

@Terrance888: Such an idea might be useful for war at some point, but I'd say that a clank built for mining or farming would not be very effective at all in war, probably at the same level of an infantry clank with the handicap that it would only be able to do melée attacks, which, against enemies that strike from afar, is a disadvantage, not to mention that, for them to be useful, they would have to be cheap to build, and that would mean they would not be strong enough to stand too many bullets. You could try to implement a Zerg Rush of Mining Clanks if invaded. If you do it as a project, it would improve production, but do not expect it to be a popular idea... As for the PM, you will have enough time.
@hbar: Yes, and the second (after all, you can't feed everyone with what you currently have stored...)

 

[Krzowwh]

The Grand Republic of Nowograde is in.
Just as a side note, should Iwane have been changed to 19?

 

[Milarqui]

Very obvious rule patch: an Airship can carry up to 30 troops between Militia and Infantry Clanks, while a River Steamship can carry up to 50 troops between Militia and Infantry Clanks. The reason why Clanks and Militia are equaled is that both have similar sizes and the extras the Militia need (board, food) are about the same in weight as the Clank needs (space, fuel), and, besides, the Clanks can be turned off to save on energy.

 

[Omega124]

Neo Serana Republiccia reporting in, bring freedom and democracy to the wastelands of Europe.

A small request, Milarqi. Can you edit the map link so it links to the English version of Google? I know you are Spanish, but the rest of us aren't.

 

[Milarqui]

Map link edited.

It's Neo Serena Repubblica (my mistake).

Also, sorry for the changes. You probably got confused by the fact that maintenance said it was per month, but it's actually per year (1 turn = 1 year). I have also changed the structure so that the second post holds the links to updates and stories, as well as the units developed by the players.

EDIT: I have also changed the stats to add the base I mentioned in post #11. It is up to you to decide where the troops are going to go in each city.