sympathy for the devil
"It's not just a savannah, kid. It's home."
- INTENT: A planet for the origin story of a character of mine.
- IMAGE CREDIT: Star Wars Wookie | Artstation | Star Wars Wookie | My Confined Space | Mengsk from Starcraft on last.fm | Polycount | Star Wars Wookie | Star Wars Wookie | Goodfon | DeviantArt | Halo Wiki | Artuk | Fine Art America | Timbuktu Travel | Paintings Gallery | DeviantArt | Wdwmagic | Art of Vfx | Artstation | Reddit | Overwatch art on Tumblr | DeviantArt | Architectural Digest | Aminoapps | DeviantArt | DeviantArt | Framebox | Igamesnews | Barnes and Noble | Pinterest | Star Wars Adasca | Howard Shore, Composer of Lord of the Rings Score ; Youtube Link of song(Call of Archais Anthem source) | Edits by me
- CANON: N/A
- PERMISSIONS: N/A
- LINKS: Hayek
- PLANET NAME: Archais [AR-kay-is]
- DEMONYM: Archai [singular+plural] | Archaisian/s [AR-kay-zhian]
- REGION: Mid Rim
- SYSTEM NAME: Aermagh system, Vorc sector
- SYSTEM FEATURES: Standard solar star system - 8 planets; 1 sun. Archais has 1 moon.
- LOCATION: Hex screenshot
- MAJOR IMPORTS: Consumer goods | Medicine | Industrial equipment | Technology
- MAJOR EXPORTS: Raw Materials [Iron, Zersium, Lommite, Tydirium, Durelium] | Foodstuff | Precious Metals [Gold, Silver, Rhodium]
- UNEXPLOITED RESOURCES: N/A
- GRAVITY: Standard
- CLIMATE: Dry and arid. Only Perlemia has two seasons - dry and arid.
- PRIMARY TERRAIN: Savannah | Tropical | Elevated (plateau from north to south) of Perlemia
- ATMOSPHERE: Type I
- CAPITAL CITY: Hirkenburg, named after Admiral Hirken
- PLANETARY FEATURES:
Surface: Archais is divided into 20% water and 80% landmass.
Size: Archais is 0.5 the size of a standard planet.
The world is split into two zones by the Galidraani Colonists:
- Perlemia, also known as the Continent or the Jewel of Archais or simply the Jewel, is the dedicated inhabitance zone where 95% of the population is lives in.
- The Outback, also known as simply the Wildlands, is as the name suggests a land of wilderness where only 5% of the population is located in. Nature left alone.
As the planet is very underpopulated, most of the planet remains wild. Nonetheless, it can be considered as rural predominantly in terms of inhabitance, with only bigger towns and cities being considered a mix between suburban and urban.
Row 1: The Western Highlands, Lagertha Falls, Hampset - a typical rural town.
Row 2: Lansbury - one of three major cities, Hirkenburg - capital city, the Wildlands
Row 3: The savannah of Perlemia, overview of Hirkenburg at dawn, Runswick - another one of the three major cities
Row 4: Streets of Hirkenburg, rocky formations and forest in Nordland, Kingsbridge - most luxurious district of Hirkenburg
- MAJOR LOCATIONS:
PERLEMIA: Perlemia, also known as the Continent or the Jewel of Archais or simply the Jewel, is the dedicated inhabitance zone where 95% of the population is lives in.
CLIMATE: A tropical climate with many local variations. Southern parts are mostly hot and arid. Parts of the western plateau have frost in winter. The western highlands usually are known for cool temperatures and highest rainfall. There are two seasons on Perlemia - dry and rainy.
SIZE: It amounts to merely 0.5% of the world's landmass and contains the most water bodies per meter squared of the dry planet.
REGIONS:
Nordland: The northern region of Perlemia. It is known for its long rainy season and frequent floodings. Second most inhabited region of all, solely of Arkanians and Arkanian Off-shoots, due to the Great Exodus (see History section).
Sudland: The southern region of Perlemia. Known for its long dry season. It is the region where most mining activities are located.
Estland: The eastern region of Perlemia. It is the most temperate of all regions. Known for being the most inhabited and where Hirkenburg is located.
Vesland: The western region of Perlemia. Known for its high elevation, highlands and plains where most of the farming activities are located.
Midland: The central region of Perlemia. Known for being mostly comprised of Lake Brentaal, the main water body supplying Perlemia.
POINTS OF INTEREST - CITIES:
Hirkenburg: The capital of Archais located in Estland. A sprawling city nestled in a valley between two ranges of mountains. It is the administrative center where the majority of Archaisians live. Named after Admiral Hirken, the famed admiral who defied the Coruscanti's quest for higher authority in the Core during the Fifth Alsakan Conflict.
Runswick: The second largest city after Hirkenburg, Runswick is a city in Sudland known for being home to most Archaisians employed in mining companies. After Nordland, Runswick is home to most Arkanian off-shoots.
Lansbury: The smallest of the three major cities due to being located in Vesland, where most live in its rural areas due to being the breadbasket of the world, Lansbury is also the home of the Labor Cooperative Agricultural Holding.
Novania: In the middle of the Nordland region is the city of Novania. Named after the original settlers' naming of the planet, it is the home of the world's majority populace - the Arkanians and pro-NLA off-shoots. It was built up from a small town to a major city (not recognized as such by the Republic of Archais) after the massive influx of the Great Exodus which brought nearly all Arkanians to Nordland. The best medical practitioners and best hospitals of the world could be found here.
POINTS OF INTEREST - LANDMARKS:
Hero's Landing: A large statue in the city center of Hirkenburg, it commemorates the airborne assault by the Archaisian Special Air Command (SAC) which saved the city from the bloody siege by the Novanian Liberation Army (NLA) and turned the tide in the Archaisian Civil War.
Lake Brentaal: Named after the planet of the core which sided with Alsakan during the conflicts against the Coruscant-backed Galactic Republic, it is the main water supply of Perlemia. The massive hydroplant is one of the most advanced engineering projects on Archais designed and built by Rybati engineers. Due to its strategic importance it is heavily protected by the Archaisian Defence Force.
Western Highlands: The high mountainous ranges of Vesland, they form a natural frontier with the Wildlands to the west. They are known for their extreme biodiversity. It is also the home of the Archaisian Special Air Command.
THE OUTBACK: The Outback, also known as simply the Wildlands, is as the name suggests a land of wilderness where only 5% of the population is located in. Nature left alone.
CLIMATE: Dry and arid, it comprises the world's landmass. Rains are rare but enough to keep the little vegetation it has, while temperatures the further one ventures from the equator become extremely hot.
SIZE: It amounts to 99.5% of the world's landmass.
POINTS OF INTEREST :
Lagertha Falls: Waterfalls that are infamous, unfortunately, for being the site of two massacres. One committed by the Archaisian Territorial Rangers on over one thousand Arkanian civilians suspected of allegiance to the Novanian Liberation Army, the other was committed by the Novanian Liberation Army during the First Troubles against a thousand Human citizens of the Republic of Archais. Both massacres were done over a course of two months approximately, both are disputed of which came first. The two warring sides have claimed theirs was a reaction to the other.
Outback Game Reserve: The only 'civilized' location in the Outback, it is the hunting grounds for the rich and a paradise for illegal trappers who smuggle expensive furs off-world to make a big buck.
NLA Camps: Spread out in dots across the Outback are the so-called NLA camps. Settlements which are home to the most radical of the Novanian Liberation Army, that to this day remain belligerent despite the Treaty of Lansbury which effectively ended the Archaisian Civil war.
Territorial Ranger Outposts: Also mostly referred to as TROs, these small outposts serve as a sort of forward operating bases for the Archaisian Territorial Rangers. They are well equipped to sustain a short siege and have adequate medical services on site.
POPULATION
- NATIVE SPECIES: The Ancients - the actual natives of the planet are unknown. They have been extinct for many, many eons.
- IMMIGRATED SPECIES:
- Human
- Arkanians
- Arkanian Off-shoots
- POPULATION: Sparse
- DEMOGRAPHICS:
NOVANIANS: The majority of the world's population. These are Arkanians, including Off-shoots, who fled the horrors of the Gulag Plague on Arkania and ended up colonizing this then-uninhabited world naming it Novania after the city on Arkania.
They refer to themselves as NATIVES, while the Archaisians refer to them as DEPENDENTS which is a derogatory term but also a term used in governmental documentations of the Republic of Archaisia.
Small progressive Archaisian movements are putting effort in changing official written language from Dependents to Natives.
ARCHAISIANS: The minority of the world's population. Galidraani Humans which colonized the planet and established the Republic of Archais after, according to them, 'saving' the Novanians from exterminating each other. They first arrived as a pacification force sent by the Galactic Republic to deal with the Arkanians and Off-Shoots killing each other and resolve the conflict.
The Novanians refer to them derogatorily as OCCUPIERS or XENOS.
- PRIMARY LANGUAGE: Arkanian | Galactic Basic (official) | High Galactic.
- CULTURE:
While there is a distinctive split between the Core culture of the Archaisians and the Arkanian culture of the Novanians, both can find actually more similarities than differences as their settling of the world has molded them into what could be coined as Rural Settlers; unfortunately, this fact has done little to alleviate the racial tensions on the world.
Both demographic groups are mostly born and bred in a rural habitat - learning to hunt, fish and live off the land from a young age. This has formed their attitudes, mannerisms and behaviors, and thus their culture. While there are differences in between those raised in one of the major cities or not, or between different regions, these differences are far too minor to be really distinguishable.
From a more holistic approach, Archaisian culture is not too different from that found in other colonies in the Outer Rim or the further reaches of the Mid Rim.
GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY- GOVERNMENT:
- Government Structure: Parliamentary Republic
- Government Form: Democracy | Meritocracy
- Socio-Economic Ideology: Free-Market
- Founding Document: Archaisian Declaration of Independence
- Constitution: Charter of Freedom
- Established: 837ABY (Unity Day)
- Formed From: Novanian Dominion
- Head of Government: Prime Minister
- Legislative Branch: Parliament of Archais
- Executive Branch: President
- Judicial Branch: Ministry of Justice
- Military Branch: Archaisian Defence Force (ADF)
- Capital: Hirkenburg
- Official Language(s): Galactic Basic Standard
- Official Currency: Galactic Credit Standard
- National Anthem: Call of Archais
- AFFILIATION: Republic of Archais
- WEALTH:
Novanians: Low
Archaisians: High
The disproportionate wealth is significant between the two groups which has been created mainly by segregation politics of the Republic of Archais prior to the Abolishment Act of 859ABY.
The gap has been closing down after the Abolishment Act but rather slowly due to still existing racial tensions between the two groups. Progressive movements have been growing on both sides but as of yet they are fairly minor.
- STABILITY: Medium - Although medium is a stretch due to the racial issues between Novanians and Archaisians, it is set at that rank due to the general safety of civilians from harm thanks to the well-trained and experienced law enforcement of the republic, but also because of the Rural Settler heritage where toil and hard work is the first and foremost value preached by both subgroups.
- FREEDOM & OPPRESSION: The freedoms guaranteed as rights by the Republic of Archais are in line with contemporary democracies such as the Galactic Alliance. While the Abolishment Act legally abolished inequality between Novanians and Archaisians, it is a fact that society still has a long way to catch up to words on paper. Novanians, despite being a grand majority as population, are under a minority rule of the Archaisians who dominate 98% of the political scene. Racial tensions are prevalent in society to this day
- MILITARY: The Archais Defence Force (ADF) is an efficient military. With small in terms of economic and industrial capacity to sustain state-of-art equipment and thus relying on cheaper alternatives, it is a potent and professional force with a large pool of manpower (for its small population) due to mandatory conscription and long mandatory reservist statuses. These policies have been naturally enacted due to the fact the Archaisians are a minority on the planet. The ADF is known for its cunningness, efficiency and adaptability.
- TECHNOLOGY: Mid Rim/Outer Rim Standard overall. Manufacturing wise it is Galactic Core Standard.
Left to right: Recovered art of The Ancients
THE ANCIENTS (c. 38,000BBY)
EARLY HISTORY (c. 38,000BBY-c. 25,200BBY)
Not much is known about the early history of what is now known as Archais but there is sufficient proof that a technologically advanced civilizations existed prior to its extinction under unknown matters. The actual natives of the planet are referred by both Novanians and Archaisians as The Ancients. What they have left behind is hardly useful but a fascination for historians and archaeologists nonetheless.
Left to right: "New Novania" hovering over Arkania before departure, Lord Adasca proclaiming the Novanian Dominion after a coup against the Republic of Novania, the crash site of "New Novania" on Archais
ARKANIAN COLONIZATION (c. 520ABY-798ABY)
A NEW START (c. 520ABY)
Sometime during the peak of the Gulag Plague which ravaged the galaxy, Arkania set out a colonial fleet off-world to seek a new world for the race as a plan B to prevent Arkanians from extinction. The colony's flagship was named "New Novania". Arkanian Off-shoots were also encouraged to join the mission, even though they refused in the beginning, the Arkanians persuaded them that New Novania would be the New Start for them where they were not to be treated as second-class citizens no more.Half of the colonial mission survived as due to terrible preventative measures (or sabotage) the fleet was infected with the Gulag Plague while en-route. The procedures taken in the name of the 'greater good' led to an extremely disproportionate rate of deaths to the detriment of the off-shoots This led to violent riots within the surviving fleet and a sabotage of the hyperdrives which in turn led to the colonial mission crash landing on Archais.
For the sake of survival, the riots ceased once the mission crash landed on the dry planet and the two Arkanian races were forced to work and live together. With the expertise of the Arkanians and the adaptability of the Arkanian off-shoots, the colonists were able to thrive off the land, survive and prosper.
This unexpected alliance between the two led to the foundation of the Republic of Novania.
THE PURIFICATION WARS (c. 680ABY-798ABY)
The Era of Peace did not last long among the now-called Novanians. The cross breeding of Arkanians and Off-Shoots without the highly advanced genetic technology left behind on Arkania produced a generation full of disabilities and handicaps. Worried over their future, old grudges ripped the stiches of old wounds open.The Arkanian-led government enacted laws banning cross breeding with the aim of preventing further issues and 'purifying' the gene pool of the Arkanians which effectively meant a return to the 'old ways' of Arkania. The result were the so-called Purification Wars - perpetual conflicts between Arkanians and Off-Shoots, the former seeking the glory of Old Arkania as the Novanian Dominion, while the latter trying to preserve Novania as it was meant to be.
These wars continued until the arrival of the Republican pacification force of 798ABY.
Left to right: The Adasca Conference, the 14th Fleet bombarding the surface of Novania, portrait of Admiral Nikmi
REPUBLICAN INTERVENTION (795ABY-798ABY)
THE ADASCA CONFERENCE (795ABY)
In 795ABY the Galactic Republic was invited to mediate a ceasefire between the Novanian Dominion (Arkanians) and the Popular Front of Resistance (Off-shoots) on Adasca, the capital of Novania. While the negotiations, albeit slow, were headed towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict and a final end of the Purification Wars, the moderate Chancellor of Novania was assassinated and the government toppled by the opposition party - Novania First. The hostilities between the two warring Novanian factions were reignited and the Galactic Republic's diplomatic efforts thrown into disarray and ended in failure.The Galactic Republic facing backlash and instability within, and also discovering of Novania's rich mineral resources, covertly performed a false flag operation and thus fabricating a cassus belli against Novania.
PACIFICATION OF NOVANIA (798ABY)
In 798ABY the Galactic Republic officially declared war on Novania, publicly under the pretense of bringing peace to the world and protect the persecuted minority of Off-Shoots but in reality under the pressure of conglomerates seeking to make profit of the mineral rich world.The 14th Republican Fleet under Admiral Nikmi, an Alsakan veteran of many wars, was deployed to bring a quick end to the conflict between the two Novanian factions. The technological and equipment inferiority of the battered by endless wars Novanians indeed led to a quick resolution after 18 days of war before capitulation.
As a result, the Galactic Republic abolished the government of Novania and established the self-governing Colony of Archais in its stead with the promise of transition eventually to a majority rule of the Novanians. This dealt a heavy blow to the Popular Front of Resistance, who collaborated with the Republic, with the hope of rising to power themselves. The name of the colony was picked by Admiral Nikmi who saw his efforts similar to that of the Archaiad when the unification of his home world of Alsakan was achieved through the wars led by Kingdom of Archais.
Left and right: a view from distance of the exceptional hydroplant on Lake Brentaal, Archaisian Air Force preforming recon missions in the Outback, the aftermath of an NLA terrorist attack in Lansbury'
RISE OF ARCHAIS (798ABY-838ABY)
THE GOLDEN AGE OF ARCHAIS (798ABY-830ABY)
For only a few decades the self-governing Colony of Archais prospered with the mass immigration of workers from Galidraan bringing in their productive and administrative expertise and with the rich funding of the Republic the world's economy boomed. Industries tapping into the vast wealth of minerals were forged, farmlands were expanded and toiled hard to make Archais an important breadbasket for the Republic and its surrounding sectors.As all good things, the Golden Age of Archais has a darker side to it. Novanians refer to that page of history as the Age of Chains. In the latter years of this age, more extreme politicians from the Core stepped unto the political scene of the Colony of Archais. They enacted slowly, but surely, laws that segregated the Novanians including the renaming of the three major cities and the destruction of the Novanian identity.
This was mainly possible of achieving due to the rise of populists which preached a fear mongering sentiment against Novanians and call for claiming their gods-given right to rule this land. Such notion became prevalent as many among the Archaisian colonists believed, which is true to an extent, that their pacification of the planet and ascendance to rule has led the world from centuries of bloodshed and ruin to a golden age in only two decades. During this period was the derogatory term Dependent coined by populist political figures as to refer to Novanians as dependent on the Archaisians.
THE FIRST TROUBLES (830ABY-835ABY)
As segregation of the Novanians continued so did the liberation movement of Novania. The appointment of Powell Cato as governor of the colony of Archais was the final straw. A firm believer in the "Rightful Claim" ideology which pursued complete minority rule of the Archaisians over the Novanians and the world, governor Cato signed the Peaceful Coexistence Bill which put the "Revival Process" into action - the mass, forced relocation of Novanians to the unappealing Nordland region of Perlemia. It is known as the Great Exodus by the Novanians.Novanians rose up to war and the Novanian Liberation Army (NLA) was created as a paramilitary force (Novanians were forbidden the right to bear arms). Due to its ill equipment and lack of experience, the NLA resorted to guerrilla warfare mainly striking from the Outback fast and pulling back before being retaliated against. The unconventional warfare led by the NLA was extremely effective against the more prepared force like the ADF which had until now mainly acted as law enforcement. Nonetheless, due to simply lack of resources the NLA's raids and skirmishes became less frequent and often more targetting soft targets. This built up a solid experience for the NLA in waging irregular warfare while the ADF still sought to find the answer to solve the NLA menace once and for all.
Left to right: Major Irveric Tavlar leading Task Force "Axis" in the Outback, Foreign volunteers to the NLA were common sight, Territorial Rangers in an intense firefight with NLA insurgents
ARCHAISIAN CIVIL WAR (838ABY-855ABY)
THE SECOND TROUBLES (838ABY-845ABY)
With the sacking of Coruscant and the ruin of the Galactic Republic in 838ABY, the Governor of Archais declared independence and established the Republic of Archais triggering the Archaisian Civil War.This time around the Novanians came far more prepared while the Archais Defence Force, due to the fall of the Republic no longer had the abundance of state of the art technology, was to become an easy prey to the outnumbering forces of the NLA.
The NLA found secure funding and supplies from corporatists of Arkania which were finally reinvigorated from the disappearance of the Gulag Plague and seeking new avenues of profiteering. Meanwhile, the Core was in disarray and newly-appointed Prime Minister Cato had no friends to turn to.
The ADF held their ground with the state-of-the-art equipment they still had in stockpile but as the uprising grew stronger and Lansbury fell to the NLA in 845ABY, it ultimately cost the Prime Minister's position.
TASK FORCE "AXIS" (845ABY-850ABY)
In 845ABY Maeve Solomon was inaugurated as the new Prime Minister of the Republic of Archais. A natural grey eminence, she boldly approached the One Sith seeking aid in the Civil War and received it. Under the orders of the General Staff Directorate of One Sith Intelligence, Task Force "Axis" was formed to support the Archaisian war efforts against the Novanian Liberation Army. Named after the Perlemian Trade Route's alternative name, it sought to bring not only strong symbolism to boost war morale but also results.Major Jaeger Harrsk of One Sith Intelligence was appointed chief of staff for the operation, but mainly dealt with the socio-political component while Major Irveric Tavlar of the One Sith Army was delegated to lead the military aspect.
The One Sith helped fund equipment, albeit cheaper than what the ADF was originally used to, but it was not funding that turned the tide of the war. The ADF struggled to strike into the Outback where the NLA had become kings of the savannah and failed to disrupt their supply lines. With the new equipment coming in and the expertise of One Sith officers, they held against conventional attacks which led the NLA to revert back to irregular warfare where they exceled. Until now.
Major Tavlar conceptualized and commissioned the creation of the Territorial Rangers, a dedicated special unit to fight in the Outback. He personally oversaw the recruitment and training process, and afterwards led the Rangers' first mission with great success. As supply lines were cut mercilessly and the Novanian Liberation Army driven to numerous, consecutive decisive defeats their hold over Lansbury gradually broke. Tavlar's intense, somewhat possessed, determination to destroy the insurgents generated an almost mythical dread of him among the NLA to the point he was nicknamed "The Bush Demon" due to his constant and endless ambushes in the Outback.
In five years the tide of the war was turned.
THE FINAL YEARS (850ABY-855ABY)
After Task Force "Axis" was pulled out from Archais as the One Sith was on the brink of collapse, its impact continued to be felt. A reinvigorated military with valuable experience and exceptional adaptability and efficiency, the ADF swept the NLA.In turn, the NLA mounted one desperate mass assault on Hirkenburg, the capital, with the goal of cutting the head of the snake. Their incredible numbers proved unstoppable against the fortified positions. Waves upon waves of Arkanians encroached the city and were on the verge of conquering it before the Special Air Command airborne assaulted the NLA. An audacious attempt but perfectly executed encircled the sieging forces of the NLA and overran their positions completely in 854ABY.
One year later, after the majority of the NLA had disbanded and disarmed, the Treaty of Lansbury was signed ending the war effectively.
Left to right: Anti-abolishment propaganda picturing progressivists as insane, the signing of the Abolishment Act, propaganda poster of the Iron Lady Maeve Solomon - hero of Archais
THE DESEGREGATION MOVEMENT (855ABY-)
ABOLISHMENT ACT (858ABY)
Elections finally returned after the end of the war and normal life slowly started slithering back on war-torn Archais. Prime Minister Maeve Solomon, also known as the Iron Lady, who led the Republic of Archais through the majority of the civil war and played a key role in its victory stepped down to retire from politics. A new government was formed by a slim majority of an abolitionist-led coalition of parties which had to walk on thin line as it tried to lead Archais into a desegregated future.Three years down the road, they finally achieved their greatest achievement of passing the Abolishment Act and legally ending segregation. Nonetheless, old wounds have barely healed yet and the scars of generations of war and hate still linger Archais' fragmented society. Not much is needed to ignite the flames of war again. Could this nation survive and thrive once more as the early days of the Golden Age or would it collapse under perpetual war?
Last edited:
