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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 20:39:51 GMT -5
21/20/14 - G-V - B539000-0 Ba Lo 025 IM 560
Planet name: Urelsk (Imperial name), Aeden (Aurorian name) World class: Civilised world (mining world sub-category since 897.M40, formerly Feudal world) Population: 837,000,000 Tech level: B Tithe Grade: Solutio Extremis Aestimare: D38 Orbital distance: 0.9 AU Equatorial diameter: 12,923 km Gravity: 1.06 g Orbital period: 274.47 local days (297.37 standard days of Terra) Length of day: 25.9 hours Atmosphere: Standard, Nitrogen, Oxygen, traces of Argon and other rare gases Surface atmospheric pressure: 1.01 Axial Tilt: 21,4 degrees Surface temperature: 14.2 degrees Celsius Hydrosphere: 43% Life forms: local intelligent life-form (exterminated), currently higher animals (both local and imported) Moons: 2
Planet description Urelsk is a planet that was first settled before the Age of the Imperium and later rediscovered after the Horus Heresy. For most of its history it only had a relatively small population and low technological level and was designated as a Feudal world by the Administratum. Its main resources were the export of foodstuff that the planet produced in large quantities thanks to a system of serfdom that guaranteed a cheap labour force. Recently (mid M40), the Imperial Commander of Urelsk started a policy of massive industrialisation of the planet, using the large natural resources that had been exported off-world to more developed worlds since their discovery in M39. Much of the world is either unsettled or covered with fields in which peasants toil all day long for their Boyar masters. Several large cities exist, either old settlement around which the landless peasants have flocked looking for work in the factories, or new cities built around mines. Currently, Urelsk is still undergoing a fast transition from Feudal world to Civilised world. Large parts of the planet still have limited access to higher technology while the cities enjoy most of the comfort provided by Imperial technology. Urelsk also has to face a difficult political situation, the traditional nobility still holds power and Michael Urossian XIV, heir to Constantin Urossian, first Imperial Commander, remains in power. However the first settlers known as Aurorians have regained much power and the new class of bourgeois capitalists, either locals or heirs to the Nemetsi Mining Guild, is vying for influence within the Great Council.
Government
The Grand-Prince of Urelsk is the Imperial Commander and governor of the planet. He can be either male or female and must descend from Constantin Urossian, the Rogue Trader that discovered the planet for the Imperium, in the most direct line possible. The Grand-Prince selects an heir among his family, most often his eldest child, but it is not uncommon for the title to go to a brother, cousin or nephew. Not all Grand Princes have an equal interest in running the planet. Some want to rule directly while others are more interested in the balls and feasts of the Court. Therefore the Arch-Chancellor, originally no more than the servant that would filter people seeking an audience with the Grand Prince, has great importance. He is in charge of the daily running of affairs and often also makes critical decisions should the Grand Prince be unavailable or uninterested in political affairs. It is standard practice for the Arch-Chancellor to govern with the support of the Boyars’ Council. Should the Arch-Chancellor lose the Boyars’ confidence he will be promptly removed from office, either peacefully (most of the time), through palace intrigues or even a coup. The Boyars’ Council is composed of nobles, originally the officers of the ‘Anoris,’ the ship on which Urossian arrived, the officers of the Imperial Guard regiment that slaughtered the Odhar (see history) and since then people that have done great deeds for Urelsk. Some are nominated for life, while others are granted a hereditary title that they will transmit to their children. While the Aurorians have always rejected the domination of the Grand Prince and the idea of nobility, but after the Second Aurorian War, they were given twenty seats in the Council to represent them. Some Guilds, especially the Nemetsi Mining Guild, have also been able to convert some economic might into political power and were given seats in recognition for their participation in the industrialisation of Urelsk. The local Imperial Cult, known as Old Believers (see religious beliefs) also holds ten seats, while the official representative of the Adeptus Ministorum on Urelsk only has one. The current Council is made of 428 Boyars. After the abolition of serfdom in 861.M40 and the major revolts in 905.M40, Grand Prince Alexei Urossian IV created a new assembly, called the Duma in which the entire population of the planet would be represented. Representatives are elected through a voting system based on the poll tax. Every man, at least 21 years, paying at least 50 Dengi (the local currency) per year has the right to vote. A man paying more than 1,000 Dengi has the right to cast two votes (giving a higher representation to nobles and wealthy citizens). Those representatives are elected for a term of 5 years. The Council and Duma vote directives, broad texts that will be turned into laws by the local Zemstvo. Directives have to be accepted by both chambers before they become law. Moreover only the Duma holds budgetary power but the Arch-Chancellor is only responsible before the Council.
The planet is divided into districts of relatively equal population, meaning they size vary greatly. A Governor-General is nominated by the Arch-Chancelor and is responsible before the Zemstvo, the local assembly also elected through a voting system based on a poll equivalent to that used for the representatives in the Boyars’ Council, but for a term of 4 years. He holds executive powers The Zemstvo passes laws at a local level, transforming the directives of the Councils into rules. This means however that the same directives can lead to slightly different throughout Urelsk, making things very confusing for foreigners and even for locals. The Zemstvo can also raise local taxes to finance for education, health and other areas that are its sole prerogative. However the High Court, the supreme judiciary body on Urelsk tries as best as it is able to maintain some coherency in this complex system. Moreover one must add that the Aurorian Confederacy has its own political system completely apart from the rest of the planet, making it almost a sovereign state (in fact Aurorians consider themselves as such). Each community, whether a city, a town or a farming community, is ruled by the Assembly to which every man and woman over 21 elects representatives (the increase of population and economic activity now prevent every person from attending). The Assembly is chosen for four years, votes the laws, is moderated by the Elder and elects within its ranks people that will deal with the daily ruling of the community. In this they will be assisted by the Judicator Caste, administrators and judges, who are severely selected through competitive exams for their knowledge and sharp mind. The supreme body of the Confederacy is the Elder’s Council. However, again due to the increase in population, the entire Council is rarely gathered in plenary cessions. Instead the Council elects a presidium, which will be in charge of all decisions and gives reports to the Council once a month. The Council and the presidium only concern themselves with relations with the outside world.
The Guild holdings are administrated in many different ways depending on the history and traditions of the Guild. Some are very liberal democraties where the right to vote is based on possession of a minimum of shares of the Guild while in other cases a special division of the Guild manages the lands it possesses and report only to the masters of the Guild and not the people.
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 20:46:38 GMT -5
Religion
There are three main religions on Urelsk, the Old Believers, the Aurorian Shinto, the Ministorum Orthodoxy. The Old Believers is the religion of the vast majority of the population. It dates back to the days when Rogue Trader Constantin Urossian first settled, bringing with them preachers of the early Imperial Cult, at a time when its beliefs and dogma where not completely established. The main dogmatic difference is that Old Believers think the Emperor was a prophet who became a god upon his Ascension to the Golden Throne. This has caused unending arguments between the Patriarch of New Constantinople and the Ecclesiarchical Reprensative on Urelsk. To the Urelski, the Emperor is often pictured as a knight shielding mankind from the dangers of the universe and many churches are dedicated to Our Lord Protector, Saviour of Humanity. Aurorian Shinto is somewhere between a philosophy and a religion. Aurorians consider that ancestor spirits watch over them from beyond the grave and that they must do all to honour their name and memory. This has led to a strong sense of duty and honour and incidently an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of their ancestor. Most Aurorians have extensive genealogic knowledge and some are renowned beyond Urelsk for their abilities to construct incredible comprehensive family trees, meaning many a noble family has called upon them to justify their position. The main issue with Aurorian Shinto was the integration of Emperor worship. This was part of the cause of the First Aurorian War. After the War, the Elders, both leaders of their people and guardians of its traditions, gathered to discuss how to integrate the Gaijin god into their system. They concluded that the Emperor was the Great Spiritual Ancestor of the Aurorians and he is now worshipped as such throughout the Confederacy. However the Ministorum, on the few occasions they were allowed to assist to religious ceremonies, noted that the Family Ancestors stood almost on an equal footing with the Great Spiritual Ancestor and that the Emperor was more considered as a benevolent yet distant figure. The Orthodoxy was largely brought by recent immigrants to Urelsk, especially employees of the Guild. It is a very strict and literal interpretation of the Ministorum dogmas, often at odds with the locals interpretations of the Old Believers and outright hostile to the Aurorian Shinto. The Ecclesiarchical Representatives on Urelsk have always supported this as a means to try and increase their power base, even if they did not share the Orthodox beliefs.
Society and Law
The Urelski society is very hierarchical and structured, although this has somewhat diminished over the last few hundred years. For thousands of years, the population was divided between a small minority of nobles, a vast majority of serfs, free men leaving mostly in the cities as craftsmen and the clergy. The abolition of serfdom in 861.M40 changed this in part as did the later policies of massive industrialisation. However even to this day the population remains highly stratified between a proletariat of poor peasants, minors and factory workers (not to mention a lumpen proletariat of unemployed people), a growing bourgeoisie of industrialists and bureaucrats and a declining nobility. Alliances are common between the rich bourgeois families and sometimes poor nobles. While the bourgeois bring the money, the nobles bring a name that will give the entire family entry into the closed circle of nobles. Indeed the nobility has pressured the Grand Prince and Boyars’ Council to reduce the possibility for people to buy titles. Guilders participate as well in this Byzantine politicking of marriages and alliances to gain influence on the planet. The typical Urelski family includes a husband and his wife living with their children. Urelski are very traditionalist and women living on their own are often a subject of gossip and suspicion. The living conditions of the Urelski vary greatly from the simple two room house of a peasant family with the animals leaving in close proximity to provide heat in the cold winters to the massive palaces of the nobility.
Within guild holdings, the society is usually a meritocracy, at least up to a certain point. Anyone with the skills, desire and a lot of hard work can climb the ranks. But after a certain point, birth comes into play again and in the highest spheres of the Guilds, people of low birth are frowned upon as unfit to join their ranks.
The Aurorian Confederacy is the most closed system of all. Indeed it is based around Castes. At age 16, children are thoroughly tested by the Judicators to decide whether they show they potential to join their Caste. If they do, they will be trained in the Academy of Hsi Tsang. The position of Judicator is not hereditary however and children of Judicators must pass the test as any other if they want to join. Judicators are judges and administrators, servants of the Confederacy. Wardens form a Caste of hereditary warriors with a strong hierarchy. Honour and duty are everything to them. However they no longer are numerous enough to form the entirety of the Confederate armies. As such, the Caste trains only officers and NCOs while the rank and file is provided by conscripted Commoners. However soldiers who show their worth on the field of battle may be given the rank of Warden with all the rights and duties that are linked to this position. A lucky few may even be given an hereditary title of Warden. Elders are not really a Caste but are formed from those deemed the wisest among the Aurorians. It is their duty to use their wisdom and experience to guide their people with the advice of the Judicators and Wardens. Often Elders are simple Commoners whose accomplishment are thus recognised. To have an Elder in one’s family is both an honour, because it recognises the worth of the family, and a heavy burden for the family must ever strive to live up to the expectations of others. The Aurorian usual home is a seven or eight room house on a single floor the wife, husband and children share with the grandparents on either side. It is a great honour and a duty for Aurorians to take care of their ancestors.
Technology
The general technological level of Urelsk is generally lower than that common in the Imperium. Great variations exist across the planet however. Peasants usually have access to less technology, mostly because they do not have the means to acquire it, although nobles continue to restrict the spread of technology on their lands and people found selling prohibited technology to peasants are often hunted and seriously beaten by the noble’s guard to teach him a lesson. In Urelski cities, the technological level is almost that commonly found in the Imperium, although it is mainly concentrated in the industry and only very slowly filters back to the common people. As such cars are still very rare and usually a way to show one’s wealth and many people still resort to horse power. However railroad has developed incredibly fast as the main means of transport, especially across the northern continent of Anoris. The best example of this is the city of Vokzalgrad, the main hub communication for the continent and a city growing at an incredible rate. Its neo-industrialist buildings tower over the plains and hundreds of trains come and go every day. Zeppelins are also slowly developing into the main means of transportation across long distances, especially between Anoris and Sindaro. The continent of Sibir remains only sparsely populated, mainly by minors and prospectors.
Trade and tithes
For millennia, Urelsk was considered as a source of foodstuff and natural resources for the more industrialised worlds in the sub-sector, and this remains partially true. The main exports of the planet remains food and natural resources, in particular large quantities of promethium that have only recently begun to be exploited. Another source of trade, for the Aurorians only, is their craft and especially their weaponsmith. Aurorian katanas, wakizashis and tantos are much thought after by many weapon collectors or swordsmen for their incredible quality. The weapons produced by true masters can cut through armour just as easily as any power sword. The secret of their production is one of the most well guarded secrets of the Aurorians. Up until recent time, Urelsk imported most of the manufactured goods it used from off-world but this situation is changing fast as both the Aurorians and Urelski have launched large industrialisation programs and Guilds are coming to take advantage of the cheap labour. Urelsk pays its tithes mainly in processed food and natural resources, recently refined promethium. The planet has only recently (the first levy was 476.M41) started to be tithed significantly in the form of troops for the Imperial Guard.
Physiology
The Urelski and Aurorians are somewhat shorter and more stocky because of the slightly heavy gravity. Urelski usually have a relatively pale skin complexion and are often blonde, while Aurorians have a more tanned skin colour, are often dark haired.
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 20:49:03 GMT -5
Psychology
The Urelski are often considered to have a strange outlook of life, probably the result of millennia of serfdom. They will endure many torments and hardship without ever complaining. They will suffer under the oppression of the powerful for decades, sometimes centuries, but suddenly everything will backfire into the oppressors’ face and the Urelski will rise up in a massive and almost unstoppable tidal wave of anger. As such the current stability on the surface does not mean, a large rebellion could break out in the next few decades. Urelski are often considered to be naturally pessimistic, but they simply answer they are realists and pragmatists, having seen it all before. They are also sometimes considered as lunatics because of their supposedly uncalled for and unforeseeable outbursts of anger.
To an Aurorian, duty and honour are everything. They strive to the best of their ability to honour the memory of their ancestors with a hard work that will make them proud and to live up to family traditions. This means that Aurorians are hard working and generally disciplined. However they do not take lightly to insults to their honour or that of their family and have been known to pursue feuds over the course of several generations against people who insulted one of their ancestor.
Language and dialect
Most Urelski living in the cities speak Low Gothic with a thick accent although they do not consider it as their mother language and prefer to speak their own tongue called Syberian that have little in common with Low Gothic. Peasants rarely speak Low Gothic and it is thus very difficult for off-worlders to communicate with them. Most Guild employees have had to learn at least a little Syberian to facilitate trade discussion with Urelski. Most often, greeting your partners and Urelski and then requestion to switch back to Low Gothic will satisfy the Urelski pride as the visitor has made an effort to speak their language. Nobles rarely speak Syberian with foreigners, although most understand and speak it quite well. In fact to them Low Gothic is their mother language, while Syberian is just a way to communicate with their servants and peasants. Many speak a little High Gothic.
Aurorian also speak their own language, Mandari, who seems to have no link with Low Gothic at all. However all Aurorians speak Low Gothic to some degree or other, making communications much easier. However not many speak High Gothic, mostly Judicators.
Planetary Defence Forces
The PDF on Urelsk are divided between the Streltsi, the Urelski professional army, that is reinforced by conscripts in time of war, and the Wardens, although reinforced by conscripts when at war. Both armies have long standing traditions of enmity coming from the two wars. The Streltsi owe their loyalty to the Grand Prince only and swear oath to the Throne alone. They are a well trained army and the first recipient of the industrialisation policies of Urelsk and what cannot be produced locally is imported from off-world. The Streltsi rely heavily on their field artillery although it is still mostly pulled by trucks or even sometimes horses. Only one regiment has been equipped with Basilisks and Griffons. Otherwise the Streltsi march in close order to concentrate their fire and to use the psychological effect of their higher numbers. Indeed the Urelski count largely on their conscripts to take the brunt of the enemy firepower while the Streltsi position themselves to deal heavy damage to the enemy. Tanks remain a rare sight but as a tank factory has just been finished in Komkolsgrad this may change in the next few decades. Aurorian Wardens are highly disciplined soldiers and are on average far better shots than Streltsi as they trained since a very young age in both close and ranged combat. Warden units also often include heavily armoured shock troopers to spearhead assaults, and entire platoons equipped with heavy weapons, usually autocannons, to provide cover to the infantry advance. The Wardens rely heavily on their infantry supported by cavalry units. They have only very few vehicles, usually variants of the Leman Russ produced locally but inferior to the standard imperial guard version because the Aurorians refuse to contact the Adeptus Mechanicus and ask them the STC for their vehicles.
Urelsk has no air force nor space forces, because of its relatively low technological level. But considering the policies of constant increase in military spending thanks to the forced industrialisation policies, the current Grand Prince Michael hopes to be able to produce system ships soon. The Grand Prince has also ordered the construction of ground/space defences and a station in orbit around the planet. But Stavka, the Urelski General Staff, has argued that troops are not trained for this and that things should not be rushed. However they agree that defences against space assaults have become a necessity.
History
THE AURORIANS Despite long research, historians know very little about the first wave of colonisation of Urelsk. The information gathered has been mainly derived from the legends of the Aurorians, the first settlers of the planet. The name Aurora seems to derive from the ship on which the settlers arrived. Millennia before the rise of the Imperium, seemingly somewhere during M25, right before the beginning of the Age of Strife, the Aurorians fled from an unknown planet, taking everything they could with them. When they arrived they named the planet Aeden for it was a lush and bountiful world. They landed on the southern continent of Sindaro, christened such in honour of the Captain, Josef Sindaro. There they established the society they had always dreamed of, a peasant commune where everyone toiled the land and shared the products of a hard day’s work. This small society, no more than a couple thousands in the first centuries of colonisation was headed by the Elders’ Council, a group of wise men from the different communes that gathered every other month to discuss matters that interested the entire community. In each commune the Assembly, a gathering of every male and female above the age of sixteen, was the supreme body. The village’s Elder moderated the discussion while each Aurorian had an equal vote. The Assembly nominated the Judicator, a person responsible for settling disputes between the members of the commune. To assist him in his work, keep the peace and enforce his decisions, Wardens were chosen amongst the young and strong of the village. The Wardens were also to guard the commune against attacks from wild animals and patrol outside of the village, developing survival skills which they taught to the next Wardens. As the work of Warden and Judicator took a great deal of time, each person in the commune gave part of the fruit of his labour to sustain those that kept the peace. The term for each position was one year, after which the Assembly would chose another. An important feature of Aurorian society was their cult. Each Aurorian gives thanks to his ancestors for leaving their horrible life behind and coming to this paradise. Ancestors are guides and protectors and people of old age are held in great respect, as repository of the wisdom of their people.
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 20:55:36 GMT -5
THE FIRST AURORIAN WAR Urossian returned to visit the Aurorians a number of times, trying to trade with them and to get them to move to Anoris but they stubbornly refused. The preacher encountered little more success. The Aurorians were curious about his religion, but only from a purely philosophical point of view. In the mean time, with the wealth acquired thanks to the Odhar pelts, the Rogue Trader launched a massive campaign across the entire sector to get people to come to the planet he had named Urelsk. Thousands of people from overpopulated hive worlds moved to Urelsk in hope for a better. Most of them had to sell everything they owned and borrow money to gain passage to the newly discovered world. This meant that Urossian has a seemingly unending tide of indentured workers at his disposal. They had been promised a track of land and would get it as soon as they paid off their debts. For all intents and purposes, the Rogue Trader had established serfdom. But he was also interested in the Aurorian plantations of a fruit called Niras by the locals. It was the size of a man’s head, juicy and succulent. Urossian was sure he could make a fortune selling it off world if he could be allowed to cultivate it. But the Aurorians refused to sell him or give him any. One day however, the preacher that had tried to convert the Aurorians was found dead. Urossian took this opportunity, whether he organised it or not remains a mystery to this day, to attack the agrarian society with the guardsmen still at his disposal. The First Aurorian War lasted for three years. The surprise attack by the Imperials was successful but the Aurorians fought back with incredible ferocity, defending the land of their ancestor to the last. They used hit and run tactics and learned quickly to use the lasguns they took from the dead. They also devised rudimentary weapons at an incredible path for an agrarian people. By the end of the war, the Aurorians had constructed a rudimentary yet efficient musket and a blade that was so sharp it could cut through most armour with incredible ease. The Wardens proved to be dangerous fighters, knowing the countryside like no other. After three years, the guardsmen had only conquered one third of the territory of the Aurorians. Urossian understood that total victory was now out of his grasp and sued for peace. He proposed turning back half of the territory conquered in exchange for the deportation of thousands of Aurorians to Anoris. The Aurorians accepted grudgingly, knowing that they could not win against superior forces. This war had deep consequences for the subsequent history of Urelsk. Thousands of Aurorians were displaced to Anoris where they became serfs to the newly established caste of landowners, the crew of the ship and the officers of the Guard regiment. They were known as the Exiles and despite pressure from the Ecclesiarchy and the nobility tried as best as they could to maintain the traditions of their people.
Things were different in what came to be known as the Occupied Territories. Urossian tried to win them over by giving them better treatment than the Exiles or the Aurorians in the Free Territories. He wanted them to accept the civilisation of the Imperium, to convert to the Imperial Faith and abandon their Ancestor worship. Some did and they were rewarded. They became the administrators of the Occupied Territories, they were known as the Betrayers by the Aurorians from the Free Territories. Even in the Free Territories many things changed. A small industry was established, craftsmen grew in number and reputation, forging weapons and armours. The Wardens who had played such an important role in the war were rewarded and remained as a standing army to the Aurorians. Upon their death, their title would be transmitted to their children who would train from birth to become defenders of the Confederacy of Aurora. For all intents and purposes, they had become a separate caste who relied on the work of others to sustain themselves, a feudal system. Rapidly a hierarchy developed based upon the actions of each Warden and a strict code of honour that constrained the behaviour of these warriors. A supreme commander, the Strategos, was nominated by the Elders’ Council for a period of five years. The Judicator also became a cast, not only as judges but also as administrators. They levied the taxes to feed the Wardens and arm them and become a permanent corpses of professional civil servants on which the Elders could rely for their decisions.
On Anoris, Urossian continued his policies of immigration and in 774.M32 Urelsk was recognised by the Administratum as a world of the Imperium and Urossian nominated its Imperial Commander. He died in 778.M32, satisfied to see his life’s work taking a good shape.
SLOW DEVELOPMENT Over the next couple of millennia Urelsk developed slowly into a productive agricultural world for the Imperium. Cities grew slowly out of the outposts set up by the guardsmen during the campaign against the Odhar. New Constantinople became the capital of the planet and the main centre of trade on the planet and with the rest of the Imperium, as the only spaceport was situated there. Romansburg became the main agricultural centre of Anoris and the agro-industry produced millions of tons of foodstuff to be shipped off-world. Aralbad, on the White Sea became both a resort centre, thanks to the quality of its air, its peaceful surroundings between sea and mountain in a forest as well a massive fishing post. Komkolsgrad became a thriving industrial centre, the only one on the planet. Its forges and mines were the pride of its Governor, appointed directly by the Grand Prince of Urelsk. However the technological level remained relatively limited, far below that of the Imperium. Most of the agricultural work was accomplished thanks to man, horse or grox power. The population increased slowly but steadily as people were attracted by the possibility of a new life away from the crush of the hive worlds. The Grand Princes purposefully prevented the spread of technology outside carefully selected sites, such as their palaces or some factories. They argued that this would upset the balance on their planet, but many historians argue that they simply dreaded the consequences of the spread of this technology.
The Aurorians remained isolated, both because of their own desire and because the Grand Prince refused to grant them representation in the Boyars’ Council. The Aurorians were perfectly satisfied with this situation however, as long as they could trade the fruits and vegetables they produced to be shipped off-world. Those products were considered luxury both on Urelsk and elsewhere and in a couple of decades they became a delicacy throughout the sub-sector, nobles and other wealthy people were willing to pay incredible sums for these. Another source of income was the Aurorian craft, especially their weaponsmith. Incredibly this relatively peaceful society developed great weapons, especially swords. Their art was much sought after and the greatest blacksmiths could make fortunes selling their katanas to rich off-world buyers. However Aurorians always refused to sell any of their blades to their northern neighbours. During this period, anthropologists, ethnologists from off-world universities as well as teams from the Adeptus Mechanicus studied the Aurorian society. The Techpriests were particularly interested in the remnants of the ship on which the Aurorians first came to Urelsk. The Elders always refused to answer to the constant Mechanicus questioning and some Techpriests argued that Aurorians are in fact hiding the vessel and possibly a working STC. The priesthood of Mars has been pressuring the Grand Prince to this day but they all refused to risk open war for such things. Nevertheless the Adeptus Mechanicus still hopes to this day to find traces of the ship.
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 21:02:35 GMT -5
THE SECOND AURORIAN WAR However the Grand Prince was willing to risk open war with the Aurorians. In 478.M39, large deposits of natural resources were discovered throughout Urelsk. Some were already being exploited, especially in the region around Komkolsgrad but new mines were opened in the Koturva, Lenia and Odhai regions. Grand Prince Nikolas VI was willing to turn the entire planet into a strip-mine to increase his wealth. But the largest deposits were found in uninhabited regions of the southern continent of Sindaro. While nominally under the control of the Aurorian Confederacy these regions were only sparsely populated. In particular, fossil fuels, gold and crystals used to focus laser weapons were discovered in large quantities. The Confederacy immediately claimed this to be his rightful property, as had been established by the peace ending the First Aurorian War. Nevertheless, prospectors supported by Urelski PDF troops moved into this regions to pave the way for the exploitation of these resources, leading to many skirmishes with Warden patrols. Off-world mining guilds, such as the Nemetsi Consortium or the Angsburg Corporation, pressured the Urelski government to act and guarantee the acquisition of these resources. Moreover they had spread word throughout the sub-sector that gold had been found, leading to thousands of people trying to buy their way to the planet in the hope of making a fortune only to end up having to work for years to buy the debts they accumulated while in transit. Miners, prospectors moved into the Aurorian territory en masse with an heavy escort from both Guild troops and Urelski PDF. For some time, it seemed the large numbers of troops had be enough to force the Confederacy to back down. But one morning, thousands of Wardens assaulted all settlements at the same time while others pinned the guardsmen and guild troopers in their barracks. At the end of the day the PDF was in full retreat, the settlements were destroyed and the miner and prospectors that had not fled were given the choice to either work for the Confederacy or leave. At first, it seemed the Confederacy had won a great battle and forced the Grand Prince to back down. But in fact the Urelski PDF was gathering troops and transporting them across the sea, something that took several weeks. Most landed in the Occupied Territories of Sindaro. Thousands of soldiers armed with off-world weapons prepared for the assault. Nikolas had decided to teach the Aurorians a lesson and wanted to attack their main territory, probably in a effort to force them to submit to his rule. The Aurorians seemed clearly outgunned and outnumbered. Their Wardens used rifles produced locally that seemed inferior from the lasguns used by the PDF. They also lacked armour, and while the Urelski did not have many this could make the difference. The Strategos decided to even the odds. A commando launch a suicide assault against the depots where the tanks were stored and blew it up. While they all died, all tanks were destroyed. Without their technological advantage, the Urelski counter-offensive was much more difficult that had been first expected. In fact, the PDF rapidly lost the initiative because its officers had not been trained to face the hit-and-run tactics of the Aurorians. The Wardens allowed the PDF to penetrate deeply in Aurorian territory while constantly harassing its flanks and supply routes with raids. After five weeks the Aurorian Wardens gathered into a regular army. The Urelski had marched 300 kilometres into their territory, taking two major cities in the process, but the troops were tired both physically and psychologically by the constant raids and supplies were low. At the battle of Teniro, the Wardens defeated the Urelski PDF, thanks to their superior discipline and tactics, even if they were outnumbered. This spelled the end of the offensive against the Aurorians. The Urelski retreated in good order with the Wardens on their tail. The Aurorian army marched into the Occupied Territories almost unopposed and was welcome with open arms by their brethrens that saw them as liberators. The PDF was not yet defeated however. They had tie to regroup and reinforcements were sent from the northern continent of Anoris. At the battle of Restock the Aurorian advanced was stopped by a massive barrage of fire from the Urelski field artillery and the Wardens’ inability to take the Denos ridge and Bruonokov farm that had been fortified, even after three days of constant battle. At the end of the third day, the Strategos ordered his forces to retreat to the town of Luithen for the winter pause. For the next two years, the Aurorians and Urelski battled across western Sindaro, never able to inflict a significant defeat to the other and break the deadlock. The Urelski had to guard the harbours of Pyolar and Nikyama through which all their ammunition transited. Moreover, the use of off-world lasguns meant the PDF had to buy large quantities of ammunition at prohibitive cost. On the other hand, the Aurorians had to build everything themselves and their industry could only support with great difficulty the requirements in weapons and ammunition. As a result, the Wardens make intensive use of captured artillery but this cause problems as it sometimes ran out of shells at the crucial moment. In the spring of the third year, the Urelski renewed their assault with great vigour and besieged Luithen. Despite permanent bombardment the PDF was unable to break the defences that had been built by the Wardens. In the mean time, a small force of Aurorians marched in double time and took the port of Nikyama. With no end in sight to the siege and the supply lines dangerously close to be cut, General Gornitchiy requested the permission to call a cease-fire and the beginning of negociations. Nikolas understood that this war would ruin him and accepted. The treaty of Luithen in 483.M39 recognised not only the sovereignty of the Aurorian Confederacy over the territories rich in resources of eastern Sindaro but also the gains in western Sindaro, especially the port of Nikyama. The Grand Prince had little choice, he already had to make concessions to the Guilds in exchange for their financial support during the war, he could not continue this war that cost him so much. Indeed the Guilds had been given exclusive concessions over certain regions of Anoris and Sibir as well as extraterritorial enclaves in certain major cities of Urelsk.
THE URELSKI REVOLUTIONS The defeat of the Urelski armies in the Second Aurorian War led to serious turmoil. Nikolas VI had to abdicate from his position as Grand Prince of Urelsk under pressure from the Boyars’ Council and died only two years later. His brother, Michael became the new Imperial Commander. In a show of goodwill and genuine desire of planetary reconciliation, Michael offered the Aurorian Confederacy twenty seats in the Boyars’ Council which the Elders promptly accepted. However, the real troubles came from the general populace that had been pressured by taxes to finance for a war that had been eventually lost. Despite attempts to reduce the taxes, the reduction of the charges of serf and local political representation for free men, revolts multiplied across the planet. While Michael was generally considered a liberal he could not allow the planet to fall into Chaos and the Boyars refused to give up their rights and to have serfdom abolished. This led to widespread repression. However the weakened Urelski PDF could not deal with everything at the same time and some regions proclaimed their independence from the Crown. As time passed Michael grew more and more strict and unforgiving toward the rebels of any kind. He organised a terrible repression against all those who rebelled against his authority. His growing paranoia extended as far as the Boyars and members of his own family. He had several executed for alleged conspiracy against the Crown. Michael created a special corps of Auxiliaries, the Opritchniki, answering only to him, monsters clad in black who executed their masters every whim. They burned entire villages, tortured men, women and children, put thousands of people to the sword… Thousands were enslaved and deported to the newly created mines where they laboured in horrible conditions until their death. This only led to more unrest as the Boyars themselves rebelled against the Grand Prince, which then caused further repression from Michael and his acolytes. This vicious circle of violence was called the Time of Trouble and lasted for almost 20 years and only ended with Michael’s death.
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 21:03:20 GMT -5
With the Grand Prince’s death in 507.M39, calm returned to Urelsk. The new Grand Prince, Michal’s nephew, Constantin, put an end to the horror, disbanded the Oprichniki and condemned some of their leaders, amnestied many of the rebels and called for a national reconciliation. Most rebellious regions returned under the rule of the Grand Prince willingly, after being promised they would keep the rules they had established during the Time of Trouble. Some refused and the reformed PDF, now called the Streltsi, conquered them, but Constantin ordered that the rebels be treated fairly. His motto was “with malice to none, with charity for all.” The Urelski territories took decades to recover from the struggle. Reconstruction was slow but steady and Constantin exploited wisely the resources at his disposal. He also tried to improve relations with the Aurorian Confederacy which had not taken the opportunity of the time of trouble to finish the conquest of its lost territories. In particular, Constantin proposed a common administration of the Occupied Territory and increased the religious freedom of the Aurorians across Urelski territory. In the mean time, the Confederacy consolidated its hold over the recently conquered territories and sent settlers to take effective possession of the western territories and started to exploit the resources there. To do so, they built a spaceport in the capital of Hsi Tsang to export what they mined. With the wealth they acquired, they financed a large industrialisation policy.
Even if the situation was largely pacified in the Urelski territories, the question of serfdom remained as ever a burning issue. Slowly a group of Boyars, among which the Aurorian representatives petitioned the successive Grand Prince and tried to win their colleagues to their point of view. Rebellious outbursts of peasantry in many regions confirmed their vision. However it was not until over a millennia later that the power decided to act. It took the greatest rebellion of the planet’s history to change policies in this matter. With the slow and steady increase in technological level on the planet, many peasants were pushed out of work because despite the low cost of serf labour, machines were much more efficient in many cases. As a result, many families were sent to mines to exploit the planet’s plentiful resources for their masters. Conditions were much more difficult because the serfs could not sustain themselves with part of the harvest as they used to and had to buy food at expensive costs. The rebellion began with a massive strike in the Komkolsgrad mines in 859.M40. All miners stopped working after an accident that had caused the life to over thirty of their colleagues and put their families in jeopardy as they were their main source of revenue and the owners of the mine refuse to compensate them. The movement spread to other places in a show of solidarity and the nobles and guilds called upon the Grand Prince to send the Streltsi to force the miners back to work. Alexander IX was a very liberal leader with great ideas to reform both the economy and society of his planet. Educated off-world, the young man had travelled a lot and had seen the wealth produced thanks to the resources mined on his home planet. He had also visited the Aurorian Confederacy where industrialisation was under way for over a millennia and was catching up fast with the most advanced worlds of the Imperium. But Alexander refused to see reforms imposed to him from below. He had great plans for the future of Urelsk. As such he send the Streltsi to put down the rebellion everywhere, however offering compensation for the families of the dead miners and promising great changes. Indeed in 861.M40, after much discussion within the Boyars’ Council where the party of abolition had finally the support of the Grand Prince, the abolition of serfdom with compensation was voted. Peasants would be given tracks of land from their former noble master to be able to sustain themselves, while those who would not be given land would become employees of their masters. Miners would be given their home as property and guaranteed a minimal security of their labour conditions. However the trick in this program was that many things that before were free, such as access to the noble’s mill and such other things, had to be paid for from then on as a compensation for the loss of revenue for the nobles. This forced many peasants into debts and over the course of the next decade many had to sell their land to pay them off. This led to a massive increase in unemployed people flocking to the cities, exactly what Alexander had hoped for. Indeed the Grand Prince’s goal had always been a massive industrialisation of his planet which required a large workforce, willing to accept low wages. During the next forty years, this policy was put into effect. Nobles were encouraged to create their own factory with assistance from off-world experts. Guilds were invited to take advantage of the low paid labour on Urelsk to invest massively.
The plan worked beyond expectation. And the industrial capabilities of the planet soared at an incredible rate, far over even the most optimistic estimates of the Administratum. Nevertheless there were several drawbacks. Neither increased technological level nor improved standards of living reached the peasants, factory workers or minors. Indeed the industrialisation of Urelsk was based both of abundant natural resources and cheap labour, as well as increasing privileges to the Guilds. In 905.M40, the situation once again spiralled toward revolution. The Urelski people were tired and thousands of workers marched from the factory districts toward the Palace of New Constantinople. It was a long standing tradition that the people could appeal to the Grand Prince when they believed they had been wronged by his administration. Priests marched at the head of the procession and believers carried icons and relics in a great show of piety. The Streltsi guarding the Palace took fright and installed cannons across the Palace Square, leading to the main entrance. As the people marched unto the square, they were ordered by the Captain of the Guard to turn away. Priests and worker leaders tried to negotiate an interview with the Grand Prince but were rebuffed by the Officer. The mass of people grew restless and some among the crowd called the soldiers to join them in their petition to their ruler. Frightened that the situation might spiral out of control, the Captain of the Guard ordered his troops to ready their weapons. When the crowd resumed its march forward, the officer remorselessly ordered the cannons to fire. Dozens of people were killed and hundreds were wounded in this salvo and the flight that followed. People trampled the wounded under their feet as they ran away. The Captain of the Guard then unleashed the Cavalry after them and dozens more were cut down as they fled. Grand Prince Alexei IV was in a conference with the Arch-Chancellor and his government when he head the cannonade. His officers and the Palace guards had not dared bother their master in the middle of an important reunion. Alexei ran to a balcony looming over the Palace Square and saw the dead, their bodies torn apart and the wounded crawling and begging for help. Alexei was known for his great care for his people, whom he considered all as his children. It is said that when Arch-Chancellor Stolypin joined him on the balcony, the Grand Prince was crying. Alexei also understood that those events might lead to a revolution that would topple him. Stolypin, a competent politician, advised him to be merciless against those responsible for this massacre and to make immediate concessions in favour of the poor people to calm them. Immediately Alexei ordered the Captain of the Guard arrested and he was publicly executed a few days later under charges of treason. The Grand Prince personally led the religious ceremonies to honour the dead and this gained him much sympathy from the people. Later Stolypin announced a major political, economic and social reform. The Duma, the lower Chamber where the whole population of Urelsk was represented, was created. Moreover reforms to create minimal wages, restrict the maximum numbers of work per week and social guarantees were given. Stolypin understood that if Urelsk truly wanted to become a civilised world it should not only rely on the assistance from off-world. As such education was of prime importance. Although universities had existed for a long time, they were restricted to the wealthy and the vast majority of the population lacked all education. Because of this Alexei IV was remembered as the Father of the People and Stolypin was later named the White Revolutionary.
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 28, 2004 21:06:05 GMT -5
CURRENT SITUATION Over a thousand years have passed since the Stolypin reforms and the last Urelski Revolution. The planet continues to grow, its industry slowly catching up with that of the more advanced worlds. However many problems still remain. The population has grown more and more hostile toward the Guilds and especially their Enclaves where they do as they see fit. Although they still have for now the protection of the Grand Prince, the Guilds understand full well that they are in a precarious situation. They are no longer needed for the development of the planet and have in fact become more of a hindrance in the eyes of many politicians. For now they can count on the Charts granted to them centuries ago, but should they lose the trust of the Crown, or new revolts break out, the Grand Prince might sacrifice them to guarantee the peace. Although the situation is not as tense as it used to be between the Aurorians and the Urelski, differences still remained. The Urelski have not yet forgotten the shame of their defeat in the Second War and many Aurorians still look at the remaining Occupied Territories as their own. Recently, a society called the Society of the Black Dragon has risen among the Judicators and Wardens, and they consider that the entire planet should be under the control of the Confederacy, not simply the continent of Sindaro. Even if they remain in the minority for now their ideas are taking hold amongst a fraction of the population.
Current Concerns
Several events are currently caused of concern for the Imperial authorities, or at least some of them: - Rising tensions: as mentioned before, tensions are rising between the Urelski and the Guilds, with the Aurorians playing off either side against each other although they have no love for the Guilds and between the Urelski and the Aurorians for territorial reasons; - Civil unrest: although no major revolt has occurred on the planet for the past thousand years, it is clear that even the Stolypin reforms no longer satisfy the majority of the population. Peasants and workers demand more political rights and better standards of living. For now, the protests have been limited to the Duma but should the government fail to react, the situation could spiral into another revolution. - the ‘Aurora’ mystery: the Adeptus Mechanicus has been pressured the Confederacy for millennia in his attempt to gain access to the remnants of the ship that brought the Aurorians to Urelsk. However the Elders have always refused, never answering whether such ship existed or not; - ‘Aurorian’ technology: in relation with the mystery of the ship, the Priesthood of Mars is wondering whether the Aurorians do not have access to a working STC computer. The techpriests are trying to investigate this matter more fully but have come up with nothing, beside historical information about sudden advances in Aurorian technology, especially at the time of the First Aurorian War - Urelsk VII Gamma: orbiting the largest gas giant in the Urelsk system, Urelsk VII, known to the locals as Indra, is an inhabitable moon that has not been settled because the Urelski have up until recent dates shown little interest in space. Mysterious ruins of unknown origins riddle the surface of the planet. Several exploration teams have been sent there but none has been able to determine if they belonged to a race known to the Imperium. As the ruins seems without danger, the planet has not been declared off limits but the Ordo Xenos keeps a close eye on the moon, just in case.
Other information
Hydrographic Percentage: 43% Hydrographic Composition: Liquid water Tectonic Plates: 5 Hydrographic Terraforming: Has not occurred Terrain Terraforming: Has not occurred Continents and Oceans: 2 major oceans, 8 minor oceans, 8 small seas, 3 scattered lakes Volcanoes: 3 Resources and Goods: Natural Resources: Agriculture, Ores, Radioactives, Crystals Processed Resources: Agroproducts, Non-Metals Manufactured Resources: Parts, Durables Information Resources: Software, Documents Weather Control: Is not practiced Total World Population: 800 000 000 Cities: Medium-Large Cities (UWP Pop-2): Cities=19, Population/City=5 000 000 Moderate-Size Cities (UWP Pop-3): Cities=76, Population/City=500 000 Small Cities (UWP Pop-4): Cities=4 760, Population/City=50 000 Very Small Cities (UWP Pop-5): Cities=38 400, Population/City=5 000 Primary Cities: 10 Starports and Spaceports: C/C/C/C/C/C/C/C/C/C
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Post by Dazo on Jul 28, 2004 23:16:15 GMT -5
Wow thats impressive, I have just a few comments B539000-0 Ba Lo 025 IM 560 this is the UWP this shows us a barren world with a thin atmosphere, how can agriculture be the main export. Also you give a hydrographic percentage of 43% but the UWP has a hydrographic value of 9 meaning you should have at least 85% of the surface of the planet covered by water, what happened to it all The atmosphere is 3 this means very thin/vacuum, humans couldn't really survive hear let alone have a flourishing agriculture did you use the right UWP 17/20/12 - M-V - C567535-7 Ag 425 IM 630 This one might suit your description better, remember the last three digits in the UWP are flexible but the first three can't be touched
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Post by CELS on Jul 28, 2004 23:50:17 GMT -5
Nice work Brusilov! Quite impressive both in terms of length and quality, I must admit. Its impressive length leads me to suspect that only a minority of the members of the ASP will have the patience and available time to read the entire thing, of course.. My comments; [/li][li] First of all, note that I have changed the name of the thread from "SR: Urelsk" to "Update: Urelsk". This is because I seem to remember that only finished, approved SR's should be posted in a seperate thread starting with "SR:", to show that these had been approved and were about ready to be moved to the archives. Since this SR has yet to been discussed, I changed the name of the thread. If I am mistaken about this, I'm sure Kage will change it back promptly [/li][li] Are you using the correct UWP, Brusilov? Something seems to have gone wrong here. The star-class checks out, as I seem to remember that this was one of two mainworlds in the Anargo subsector with G-class stars. Still, the atmosphere, hydrosphere and native life form value doesn't check out with what you have written. An atmosphere value of 3, for example, should give you a near vacuum, but you write that it has a standard atmosphare with a few small quirks, and an atmospheric pressure of 1.01... [/li][li]Planet description. Perhaps I haven't made this clear enough in my SR template, but this section of the SR is meant mostly for a physical description. If you include anything about the history of the planet, it should be summarised in a couple of sentences, only to get the basic idea of the planet. The planet description is meant to give the reader a picture of the planet before he reads on. Is it an infernally hot hiveworld, or is it a temperate garden world? Are its cities pre-black powder slums, or are they glorious white spires built with DAoT-tech? Etc... [/li][li] Terran names such as 'katana' and 'cars' appear in your SR, and this is something that I am not entirely comfortable with. Note that I can't really explain this rationally, and that it's more an imagery thing, a personal preference. If you read 40k fiction, you'll notice that no one refers to their time piece as 'watch' or other popular names from present day earth. Televisions aren't called televisions, and computers aren't called computers. They're now pict-screens and cogitators. Watches are called chronometers. Similarly, I have never seen the word 'car' used in fiction or fluff. As for the katana (and again, I stress that this is personal preference), I think it would be better to describe it as an local sword type, patterned after the ancient katana from Earth, rather than making it sound as if 'katana' is a widely recognised term in the 41st millennium. [/li][li] On the subject of local language, it sounds as if Aurorians speak a rather unpolluted form of Mandarine. Are you sure that is entirely realistic, seeing how English is spreading on Earth today and polluting other languages with its "Ok" and "hamburger"? English will probably be at least a secondary language all over the world in a few hundred or thousand years, and the forefathers of the Aurorians probably stayed on Earth till about M18, at the very least. After something like 15 millennia in close contact with other languages, and specifically English, I think it's a bit odd for Mandarine to survive in its present form. [/li][li] Under Religion, it sounds as if the Ministorum is a rather weak minority on this world, though I may be reading it wrong. They were "allowed to assist in religious ceremonies"? While I agree that the Imperial Cult doesn't have an equally strong hold on all Imperial worlds, I find it a bit strange that they seem to have such a weak grasp on such an old world in such a central region of the Imperium. If only a minority of the Urelsk population are members of the Imperial Cult, I imagine they would be a powerful minority. The others are after all heretics, strictly speaking [/li][li] On trades & tithes, I would appreciate it if you could clarify just what part of their products is considered tithe, and which part is considered trade. As you know, the two are wildly different, and it is entirely possible for a mining world to not trade mined minerals at all, as these are tithed to the Imperium. [/li][li] Under physiology, you write that the Urelsk are short because of their high gravity. 1.06 g? Not exactly bone crunching, is it? If such a small difference has such a noticable effect on a population, I dread to think about the worlds that have 1.2+ g. Also, assuming that the Aurorians have more or less the same genepool as the Japanese, I imagine that these would be especially short compared to the Urelsk. [/li][li] Since your history section is somewhat lengthy ( ), I think you might want to help people like myself, who don't really have the best working memory in the world. As I read this, I constantly had to scroll up to find out who this Urossian character was, who the Streltsi were and what Anoris was. Please, start the history from the beginning. Explain which people belonged to which state / nation / whatever, and include a short geographical description. Did the Aurorians originally populate the entire planet, on all continents? Did the Urelsk invade all continents, or just one? And so on... [/li][li] On the second Aurorian war; The tanks all blew up? This sounds kind of... simplistic, in my opinion. And on the resulting lack of technological advantage, I must protest even more. If the Wardens were only armed with primitive rifles, the PDF would still have the advantage of infantry support weapons (advanced autocannons, heavy bolters, multilasers), superior communications, sensors (auspex), superior medicine, and more. This should tip the scales somewhat. [/li][li] Nitpick; It's 'negotiations', not 'negociations' [/li][li] Under the Urelski revolutions, you write "fall into Chaos"... with a capital C. As you know, the word 'Chaos' has a very special meaning in 40k, so perhaps this is better replaced with 'pandemonium' or something like that? That's it for now. Again though, good work
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Post by Brusilov on Jul 30, 2004 0:02:23 GMT -5
1) As to the location of the world there could be an issue, but please refer to this with Kage who gave it to me... 2) Alright for the change of names for certain weapons, but I'd like to point that considering the smithing method that the Aurorian use, this was the best way to convey their special craft. After a katana refers to a kind of weapon, especially if the Aurorians used STC to develop this craft. 3) As far as language goes, I might modify this a little but I wanted the Aurorians to be as isolationist as possible hence the reason why their language has only little link with low Gothic. I'll change that to imply that one finds common ground beween Mandari and LG in terms of vocabulary but that structure remains very specific. 4) As far as religion goes, I must explain. The Old Believers are part of the Munitorum but have different beliefs from that of the Cardinal Astra who is appointed from off-world. As such there are theological conflicts between the Patriarch of New Constantinople and the Cardinal Astra. The official orthodox Ministorum belief is hence only practiced by a Minority of Urelski and by the guilds. If you wish both are part of the Ecclesiarchy but as the off-world belief have a hard time taking root. And the Cardinals have tried several times to impose their way to what they see as heterodoxy (aka something bordering on heresy in their mind). Hope this clarifies things. 5) I said somewhat shorter, like a couple of centimetres, not 10 or 20... 6) the tanks were stockpiled all in one specific place and they were very few of them, 20 or so, no more, along with ammo and fuel, which explains why they were all destroyed. You must understand that at the time of the 2nd Aurorian War the tech level on the planet was basically that of the napoleonic wars, not the ww1 level it has currently reached. Hence no machine guns and such other things in large quantities, too expensive to buy from off-world. At the time Urelski commerce was very much mercantilists, limit importations and maximise exportations. 7) you are right things can be confusing at times, especially when it comes to places and people I'll sort this out
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Post by Kage2020 on Jul 30, 2004 0:08:29 GMT -5
1) As to the location of the world there could be an issue, but please refer to this with Kage who gave it to me... I suggested the world, true, because of the G-type star. I didn't really pay attention to the Thin atmosphere at the time!
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Post by Dazo on Jul 30, 2004 0:28:47 GMT -5
17/20/12 - M-V - C567535-7 Ag 425 IM 630 As i said this one might be better for you, if you make it an M0-V star you should get temperatures high enough for a habitable world. You can modify the population number to give you the population you want. And the large amount of water will make it a good agri world.
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Post by Brusilov on Aug 1, 2004 21:46:29 GMT -5
Here are modifications to the description of the planet, as per the advices of CELS:
Geography There are three major landmasses on the surface of Urelsk: Anoris to the north, Sindaro to the south and Sibir to the east (directions are given in respect to New Constantinople, the capital, situated in the southern parts of Anoris). Anoris, the largest continent, is cut into different regions by tall mountains, the result of the planet’s earlier very active tectonic activity. There are three main region on the continent. The south of the Tveros Mountains are mainly very fertile plains leading to the sea turning into equatorial forest in the Phiros peninsula toward the equator. The central regions beyond the Tveros mountains are sparse woodlands, although still quite fertile, these regions are also colder because of the arctic winds blowing south during winter and the fact that the Tveros Mountains largely cut the oceanic influences. As such this region has become the industrial heartland of the Urelski territories. The Yazar Plain, a large valley caused by the crumbling of the Tveros Mountains roughly 50 million years ago links the southern plains to the central regions. The northernmost regions of Anoris is mainly taiga that gives way to tundra and finally to the arctic regions. The only exception is the Aral sea, a large body of sea water, probably trapped when the oceans retired from this region millions of years ago. The Aral sea is a rough circle 2,500 kilometres in diameter that creates a much milder climate on its shores and general vicinity. The main city of Aralbad has become a well known summer resort to the nobility and wealthy allowing them to escape the high temperatures in the regions to the south during the hot season.
Sindaro is the smallest of the three continent and is divided into three main regions from west to east. The Western plains used to be the heart of the Aurorian territory up to the First War. It is a vast plains dotted by small woods that slowly rises toward the Highlands. The Highlands and the Fiju Mountains form the centre of the continent and the current core of the Aurorian Confederacy. The Mountains are situated at the centre of the Highlands and Aurorian population centres are concentrate on the northern coast. However hundreds of small islands to the north prevent any large ships from reaching the Aurorian cities. They serve as a protective cordon the Confederacy used to prevent the Urelski to open a second front during the Second War. The Eastern plains are mainly composed of hills rich in minerals that slowly give way to a coastal plain. This area was highly disputed before the Second War but is now firmly under Aurorian control.
Sibir is the least populated of the three continents. It is oriented from north to south and is relatively thin expect its southern extremity. A massive chain of mountains, the highest on Urelsk, the Tharsis Mounts cut the continent in two. The mountains are rich in minerals. The south of the continent, known as the Kathorka peninsula is the main population centre with only one large city, Reval. Hills and massive forests dot the peninsula. It is relatively cold and very windy.
Religion There are three main religions on Urelsk, the Old Believers, the Aurorian Shinto, the Ministorum Orthodoxy. All of them are part of the Ministorum, but are often at odds with each other for theological reasons. The Old Believers is the religion of the vast majority of the population. It dates back to the days when Rogue Trader Constantin Urossian first settled, bringing with them preachers of the early Imperial Cult, at a time when its beliefs and dogma where not completely established. While part of the Ministorum, the Old Believers have one main dogmatic difference with the usual canon of the Ecclesiarchy. They think the Emperor was a prophet who became a god upon his Ascension to the Golden Throne. This has caused unending arguments between the Patriarch of New Constantinople and the Ecclesiarchical Reprensative on Urelsk who arrived with the Guilds and tried to impose the orthodox dogma of the Ministorum on unwilling Urelski. To the Urelski, the Emperor is often pictured as a knight shielding mankind from the dangers of the universe and many churches are dedicated to Our Lord Protector, Saviour of Humanity. Aurorian Shinto is somewhere between a philosophy and a religion. Aurorians consider that ancestor spirits watch over them from beyond the grave and that they must do all to honour their name and memory. This has led to a strong sense of duty and honour and incidently an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of their ancestor. Most Aurorians have extensive genealogic knowledge and some are renowned beyond Urelsk for their abilities to construct incredible comprehensive family trees, meaning many a noble family has called upon them to justify their position. The main issue with Aurorian Shinto was the integration of Emperor worship. This was part of the cause of the First Aurorian War. After the War, the Elders, both leaders of their people and guardians of its traditions, gathered to discuss how to integrate the Gaijin god into their system. They concluded that the Emperor was the Great Spiritual Ancestor of the Aurorians and he is now worshipped as such throughout the Confederacy. However the Ministorum, on the few occasions they were allowed to assist to religious ceremonies, noted that the Family Ancestors stood almost on an equal footing with the Great Spiritual Ancestor and that the Emperor was more considered as a benevolent yet distant figure. The Orthodoxy was largely brought by recent immigrants to Urelsk, especially employees of the Guilds. It is a very strict and literal interpretation of the Ministorum dogmas, often at odds with the locals interpretations of the Old Believers and outright hostile to the Aurorian Shinto. The Ecclesiarchical Representative is the official head of the religious system on the planet, supposed to bring together all faiths under the benevolent gaze of the Emperor. Due to political manoeuvring on the part of the Orthodox faction, the Representative is almost always one of their own. As a result he is a strong supporter of the Orthodoxy in the theological disputes that oppose the different religious factions. As such the Grand Prince has denied him political influence that he demanded and the Representative is often called “the prisoner of the Latran Palace,” the residence of the head of the Ecclesiarchy on Urelsk
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Post by Brusilov on Aug 1, 2004 21:50:24 GMT -5
Language and dialect Most Urelski living in the cities speak Low Gothic with a thick accent although they do not consider it as their mother language and prefer to speak their own tongue called Syberian that have little in common with Low Gothic. However a lot of the technical vocabulary has been translated directly from Low Gothic to Syberian, making it somewhat easier to understand. Peasants rarely speak Low Gothic and it is thus very difficult for off-worlders to communicate with them. Most Guild employees have had to learn at least a little Syberian to facilitate trade discussion with Urelski. Most often, greeting your partners in Syberian and then politely requesting to switch back to Low Gothic will satisfy the Urelski pride as the visitor has made an effort to speak their language. Nobles rarely speak Syberian with foreigners, although most understand and speak it quite well. In fact to them Low Gothic is their mother language, while Syberian is just a way to communicate with their servants and peasants. Many speak a little High Gothic.
Aurorian also speak their own language, Mandari, who seems to have little link with Low Gothic. Part of the vocabulary is similar but the grammar is totally different making it very difficult to understand. However all Aurorians speak Low Gothic to some degree or other, making communications much easier. However not many speak High Gothic, mostly Judicators.
History SUMMARY (for those too lazy to read the full story) M25: the Aurorians settle the planet 721.M32: Rogue Trader Constantin Urossian arrived to Urelsk 724-732.M32: campaign of extermination against the Odhar 749-751.M32: First Aurorian War, one third of the Aurorian territory is occupied by the Ureslki 774.M32: Urelsk recognised by the Administratum as an Imperial world 778.M32: Constantin Urossian, first Grand Prince and Imperial Commander of Urelsk dies M32-M39: slow development and settlement of Ureslk as a feudal world 478.M39: discovery of large mineral deposits throughout the planet, especially on the Easter Plains of Sindaro first wave of minors and settlers supported by the Grand Prince and off-world guilds are repelled by the Aurorian Wardens 479-481.M39: Second Aurorian War, Urelski defeated at the battle of Teniro, siege of Luithen 483.M39: treaty of Luithen, the Aurorian Confederacy is victorious and takes back half of the Occupied Territories 489-507.M39: the Time of Troubles, Grand Prince Michael’s Oprichnina, massive revolts and bloody repression 859.M40: the great rebellion begins in the mines of Komkolsgrad and rapidly spreads to the rest of the planet 861.M40: serfdom is abolished 905.M40: Black Sunday, the people peacefully demonstrating and trying to attract the Grand Prince’s attention are massacred by the Palace Guard. 906-912.M40: the great reforms of Arch-Chancelor Grigori Stolypin, creation of the Duma
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The Strategos decided to even the odds. A commando launch a suicide assault against the depot where the few tanks and their ammunition were stored and blew it up. While they all died, all tanks were destroyed
Current concerns Odhar mystery: for the past fifty years, mysterious events have been reported in the north of the continent of Anoris, leading some biologists to believe the Odhar were not fully exterminated but that some managed to escape into the arctic regions. A mission is preparing to explore these regions and bring back proof
Glossary - Anoris: ship on which Rogue Trader Constantin Urossian arrived. Currently the name of the northern continent - Aurora: ship on which the first settlers of the planet came and whose wreck had never been found - Aurorians: first settlers of the planet who they name Aeden. They landed on the southern continent of Sindaro - Boyars’ Council: upper chamber of the Urelski parliament - Duma: lower chamber of the Urelski parliament - Elders: the leaders of Aurorian society - Grand Prince: local title of the Imperial Commander - Judicators: judges and bureaucrats of the Aurorian Confederacy - Mandari: language of the Aurorians - Niras: local fruit that grows only in certain regions of Sindaro. Considered as a delicacy throughout the sub-sector it was the source of the wealth of the Aurorians in the first millennia after Imperial colonisation - Odhar: bear-like local lifeform exterminated by Magos Konrad Mengele. Their pelts was the first source of wealth of the planet - Old Believers: local form of religious belief. While officially sanctioned by the Ministorum, since the arrival of the Guild it is the source of a theological battle with the Cardinal Astra - Shinto: Aurorian ancestor worship - Sibir: eastern continent of the planet, the most sparsely populated. There are currently no major cities, except the harbour of Reval. The population is mainly composed of minors - Sindaro: southern continent of the planet, its name derive from the leader of the Aurorians - Stolypin Grigory: Arch-Chancelor of Grand Prince Alexei, he established a series of political and social reforms that stabilised the situation in the early 900.M40 - Streltsi: the Urelski permanent and professional army, the core of the PDF. They are reinforced in times of war by massive levies of Conscripts - Syberian: local language spoken by the Urelski - Urossian Constantin: Rogue Trader who rediscovered the world in M32 - Wardens: soldiers of the Aurorian Confederacy, they derive from the original police force of the small agrarian communities - Zemstvo: local parliament within Urelski territories, established after the reforms of Stolypin
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Post by Brusilov on Aug 29, 2004 9:46:38 GMT -5
Besides the issue of the localisation of the planet and the coordinates of the system, there seem to be no question. So what should I do with this description of the planet now?
Incidently I have some other idea for another world called Egea I'd put somewhere else...
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