RIP Carlyle Rausgeber
"It's all been bloody marvellous..."
Terra Damnatis. (Universe Today. [SIZE=9pt]http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wet-mars-v6d-3.jpghttp://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wet-mars-v6d-3.jpg[/SIZE])
Name: Terra Damnatis
Region: Unknown
System: Damnatis System
Suns: 1, Damnatis, a G1 main sequence yellow star.
Orbital Position: The Habitable Zone
Moons: None.
Rotational Period: 37 hours.
Orbital Period: 487 days.
Class: Terrestrial
Diameter: 14,678 kilometres.
Atmosphere: Type One.
Climate: Arid and tropical.
Gravity: Same as Earths gravity.
Primary Terrain: Red desert and jungle.
Native Species: Swamp Levithan, Constantine Shark, Jinduburra, Daretells Taipan, Smoulder Python, Simpsan Crawler, Folderback Rock Python and Rylers Scorpion.
Immigrated Species: Mastiff’s, Womp Rats, Dewbacks, Eopie, Sandsnakes
Primary Languages: Galactic Basic.
Government: Benevolent Autocracy. Terra Damnatis’ runs itself as a dictatorship, but proceeds with policy only after having gauged a consensus. Their leadership comes from the ranks of the military, but on a more local level they are elected from candidates put forward by higher up leadership. Each city is governed by a civilian candidate, who is in turn backed by military forces.
Population: 37 Million. Humans (60%), Twi’Lek (13 %), Torgruta (12%), Aqualish (7%), Wookies (6%) and other (2%).
Demonym: Damnatia, Damnatian.
Major Imports: Vegetables, Tools, Mining Equipment, Ammunition and Water purifiers.
Major Exports: Galactic-Imperial-era artefacts (Old uniforms, holofilms, weapons and trinkets), iron ore, bronzium, weapon parts and gemstones.
Affiliation: None yet. But they lean towards either: The Kathol Outback or First Order. The reason why these two very different powers is simple. The Damnatia find the stories of the Outback’s escapades amusing, and enjoy their cavalier attitude. That being said, the safety and security of the First Order is also an alluring prospect, considering most modern infrastructure on the system was created by the First Order.
Points of Interest:
Ruin of the New Republic Cruiser Admission. (Warhammer wiki. [SIZE=9pt]http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/5/56/Sin_of_Damnation.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121226091810[/SIZE])
The Legends Grave: Towards the sun, sits a large debris field made up of the wrecks of original First Order and New Republic ships. Although most have been picked apart by opportunistic scavengers, most of the ships are relatively intact, and are ripe for recycling.
Coordinates: 19,2
One of the rainforests which lines the coasts of Terra Damnatis. (Jungle Tours. [SIZE=11pt]http://tropicaljourneys.com/img/galleries/gallery-daintree-charters-4.jpg[/SIZE])
Mastiff alpha. (Wookiepeedia. [SIZE=9pt]http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/c/c6/Massiff-AOTC.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090608022440[/SIZE])
Major Locations:
Estrus; Capitol of Terra Damnatias. (Magnetic Island Tours. [SIZE=11pt]http://cdn.magneticislandtours.com.au/36/qmeb_featured_townsville_verb1.1441594082725.0.1.3.jpg[/SIZE])
Estrus: Estrus is the oldest settlement on Terra Damnatias, and the capitol of it. Located three hundred miles north of the equator, the city was once a seat of power for both the Galactic Empire and the original incarnation of the First Order. The city is a large and sprawling one, and combines old architecture with new. The city holds the Governor-Marshals palace, Military Command, the planets spaceport and one of the best beaches on the planet. The city is surrounded by lush jungle, and fields which hold fields which feed the cities population.
An artist’s rendition of the ninth cache. (Unknown Artist. [SIZE=9pt]https://i.imgur.com/aNOvIQH.jpg[/SIZE])
The Ninth Cache: Now long considered a myth, the ninth cache of Major General Kaine’s supply stash has been a long sought after treasure. The largest of them all, the cache is rumoured to hold more military equipment and data than the other seven combined. Thousands of blasters with millions of thermal detonators, and a whole brigades worth of Galactic Imperial AT-AT models are rumoured to be buried underneath the desert. All one would have to do to claim the treasure, is find it.
A view of East Hux from the Cosmic Concussions Factory. (Joakim Olofsson. [SIZE=9pt]http://orig01.deviantart.net/6551/f/2012/159/4/6/space_factory_by_joakimolofsson-d52p1yb.jpg[/SIZE])
Hux: The most industrialized city on the planet is Hux. Originally the sight of dozens First Order weapons factories, the city was originally named Veers, after the famous imperial General. The city was temporarily abandoned in 36 ABY after New Republic bombardments destroyed many of the industrialized assets. However, many would return to the city, and rebuild its factories. The first Governor-Marshal of the planet SX-5652, mandated a change of name from Veer’s to Hux after the First Order military commander. Hux’s main manufactured goods are small arms, blaster rifle modifications, furniture, air conditioner units and building supplies.
Finalizer Canyon: The largest inland city, Finalizer Canyon is built in and around the wreckage of the Resurgent-class star destroyer, Finalizer. The ship crashed into the Buttagon Desert in 37 ABY, and the shattering of its hypermatter reactor created a large canyon in the planet. Settlement wouldn’t begin until 79 ABY, with the arrival of scavengers and former First Order officers who wanted to see the wreck themselves. Wedged into the ground, the ship became a small colony. Some scavengers ingeniously managed to convert the ships destroyed hypermatter reactor and engine parts into a water pump, that pump reaching deep underground to reach untouched reserves of water. The city makes its primary source of income through the selling of said water to nearby mines which are unable to make their own. The city has also expanded, with many living in the canyon walls in manmade caves around the wreck, or burrow underneath it to avoid nocturnal Mastiff packs. The old star destroyer itself houses the cities leadership, local industry, markets as well as a small garrison of soldiers.
View of Cllimarr Ranges from gunship. (Unknown. [SIZE=9pt]http://res.cloudinary.com/dk-find-out/image/upload/q_80,w_1440/MA_00152227_dnshrv.jpg[/SIZE])
Callimarr Ranges: The Callimarr Ranges are important in the lore of the Damnatian’s. While they may be, on the whole, imperialist sympathisers, the courage and determination shown by the rebels who fled there, and waged a guerrilla campaign against the tyranny of General Constantine lodged itself in collective consciousness and cultural memory. Due to this, the mountain range has become a symbolic training ground for recruit troopers into becoming full and proper guerrilla forces. The mountain range plays host to several small military camps. That being said, the mountains are popular for tourists and civilians wishing to hike across the mountains, and there are a few towns which accommodate for that.
Sigma Mine, East Pit. (The Australian. [SIZE=9pt]http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/03/31/1226031/249074-bhp-copper-mining-escondida-mine-in-chile-039-s-atacama-desert.jpg[/SIZE])
Sigma Mine: Sigma Mine is the largest iron ore mine ever on the planet’s surface. It has been working for the last seventy years, and has reached a depth of several kilometres. An estimated thirty three tonnes of ore is extracted per day on average, and dragged to the surface where it is sorted through, and then sold to the highest bidder, before being sold off to the bidder. Sigma Mine employs several hundred thousand staff, including security, catering, miners, engineers and mechanics. Workers there, work eighteen hour shifts and are paid handsomely for their work. Workers then are flown in and out from the cities after having worked three consecutive weeks, they are given five weeks rest before being returned to the mine.
Estrus Eradicators Home Ground. (SWTOR. [SIZE=11pt]http://swtor.gamingfeeds.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/files/HLIC/e424f9ed4034bb8d5167d25d0be4e69c.jpg[/SIZE])
Culture:
The Damnatians are among the Galaxies most relaxed people. Despite tracing their routes to the strictly authoritarian Galactic Empires or First Order, most Damatians are laid back in their approaches to species and race. Approximately 40% of all Damatians are ‘Alien’ species and despite the traditionally xenophobic tendencies towards them, are in fact openly respected and allowed to hold high posts in government. Planetary past times include sabbacc, drinking, the playing of Huttball Union as well as eopie and mastiff racing. There is a slight divide though between those living in land and those on the coast. Those in land are more rugged of the two, often more introverted, and a little delirious with the heat, while those on the coast are more open and cosmopolitan.
Damnatian society is a flat hierarchy which comes from the fact that most of the First Order soldiers who formed the modern government were very low ranking. This doesn’t mean that everyone is entirely equal, it means that there is no use of titles. Despite the leader of Damnatian holding the official title of Governor-Marshal, they will mostly be referred to by their first name, or nickname bestowed by the public. For example Governor-Marshal Arytom Nedler was called either by Arytom or Needles.
Due to the aged equipment of the local military, they rely mostly on infantry forces. After the attack of the planet in 565 ABY by pirates, the Damatians realized the power of a guerrilla force. After the pirates took Estrus, a two year long campaign of urban fighting and ambush attacks shaped their doctrine. The Damatians take great pride in their snipers, camouflage and ability to quickly withdraw and retreat.
Their navy is made up of three aged One Sith frigates brought from private mining contractors. They are in desperate need of repair, and replacement by something more modern.
Technology: Terra Damnatis relies heavily on traders for its echnology. The majority of the populace live with devices which may have been used centuries earlier. Their military is primarily made up of Galactic Imperial equipment scavenged from original First Order factories and caches on the planet.
History:
Estrus cove in its original glory. (Niels Vandel. [SIZE=9pt]http://www.nielsvandel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Billede34.png[/SIZE])
During the early years of Palpatine’s New Order, the Galactic Empire sent millions of probes throughout the Unknown Regions to locate new systems of interest in the Unknown Regions. Although Terra Damnatis was seen as a lesser system found in the Unknown Regions, its extensive iron reserves ensured it didn’t become some obscure oddity. In 13 BBY, Moff Erstus Grond commanded Admiral Welsham Farg to begin a colony on the system. Welsham obliged, taking with him nine imperial star destroyers with sixty thousand prisoners aboard to the planet of the damned.
An artists interpretation of Admiral Farg’s clearing room for Estrus. (Wookiepeedia. [SIZE=9pt]http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/0/09/Breaking_Ground.png/revision/latest?cb=20121217221427[/SIZE])
The first settlement established was the coastal city of Erstus, named to honour Admiral Farg’s patron. Admiral Farg, under orders of Erstus became the colony’s governor and ran a strict, yet fair regime. Under his hand, Erstus began as a small scale farming operation run by convict slaves on the eastern coast of the continent of Fargland. The colonies beginning was rather quiet, there were no major incidents, but instead major successes in creating an irrigation system that’d feed the stormtroopers and convicts alike. In 8 BBY, a second shipment of stormtroopers and prisoners arrived, and the colony received new supples which allowed it to move on from the farming which it subsisted on.
A convict work gang ploughing fields. (Georgia Encyclopaedia. [SIZE=9pt]http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/sites/default/files/styles/article-gallery/public/m-8812.jpg?itok=BkN7Dps6[/SIZE])
However, what it didn’t receive was advanced communications systems. Due to the nature of the planets location, and the lack of infrastructure, the only communications sent to the wider Galaxy could be sent via the sole Imperial Star Destroyer in orbit. Commanders on Estrus would relay their communications via the star destroyer, and have them boosted to the wider Galaxy via that.
First iron mine established on Terra Damnatias. (Science Illustrated. [SIZE=9pt]http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mining.jpg[/SIZE])
The primary production moved on to mining iron ore to be transported back to the Core in order to be refined to durasteel. With the mining boom came civilian prospectors who moved to Erstus to work as architects, engineers and bureaucrats for the fledgling mining industry. This continued, and in 6BBY a second colony, New Nar Shardda, under the watchful eye of Governor Farg. This colony wasn’t mandated by the Moff, but was in fact founded by a contingent of former prisoners who were granted amnesty for having served their sentences. The colony sat several hundred miles south of Erstus, and worked as another hub for mining, but without the labour of prisoners.
Second Governor Jermus Constantine. (National Portrait Gallery: [SIZE=9pt]http://images.npg.org.uk/800_800/7/0/mw03670.jpg)[/SIZE]
In 1 BBY, Governor Farg was recalled by Moff Erstus who needed the former admiral in order to defend the Moff’s holdings in the Outer Rim from rebellions he was being subject to. Farg was replaced by General Jermus Constantine, a strict disciplinarian who brought with him thousands of prisoners taken from the rioting territories of Moff Estrus’ dominion. This is noted as a dark time in the colonies history, as Constantine’s leadership ability and brutality stood in stark contrast to that of their previous ruler. Welsham Farg managed to gain the respect of both prisoners and soldiers alike through a regime of fair division of work, and no punitive punishments, like those undertaken by his peers. Farg’s other policy of amnesty for prisoners who’d served their sentences, and personal charisma ensured that those who worked under him felt well treated.
Founder of Terra Damnatias, Governor Welsham Farg. (Unknown. [SIZE=9pt]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/9b/22/b7/9b22b7c579b9dbc48069ea7c3e086951.jpg[/SIZE])
Constantine’s reign began with a bang, and that bang being the destruction of the first Death Star. The general had been in command for three weeks when the explosion happened. Due to the planets isolation, and Farg’s need of reinforcements to quell the rebellion with in Moff Erstus’ territory, Constantine was forced to dispatch his only source of communication to the Outer Rim, Imperial Star Destroyer Resilience. When the more militant prisoners realised that the Resilience had left, riots began in Erstus, with sixteen thousand prisoners staging a prison escape and fleeing into the desert wasteland, or trying to make it New Nar Shardda. Although they wouldn’t be important for the time being, they came into play later.
Members of the 234th Ranger Battalion attempt to put down the insurrection on Erstus. (Unknown. [SIZE=9pt]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/4e/a4/4e/4ea44e83547edefe317b7f67f2959653.jpg[/SIZE])
The anarchy continued for weeks, as the settlers and prisoners attempted to escape both volatile rebels and Constantine’s death squads. Erstus was nearly razed when Constantine rallied his stormtrooper companies, and finally put down the rebellion three weeks after the star destroyer left. This left most of the colony in ruin, and a sharp divide between the civilian populace and the Imperial garrison. The next major incident to take place when communications were restored was in 1 ABY.
The General’s Wastes, a sprawling desert where trillions of credits worth of weapons and equipment were buried. (Environmental department of South Australia. [SIZE=9pt]https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/parks/parks/flinders-ranges-outback/simpson-desert-conservation-park-regional-reserve/simpson-desert-red-gal.jpg[/SIZE])
A year after the rebellion. At this time, Major General Arrus Kaine arrived on the planet, with an entire battlefleet. The destruction of the Death Star had shaken the Major General’s resolve in the war, and he sensed it may not end in Palpatine’s favour. As a contingency, Kaine built nine massive caches of Imperial military hardware and manufacturing assets to be used personally should the Galactic Empire fall. Nearly a whole sector garrisons worth of equipment and hardware was funnelled to the planet into deep underground bunkers over the course of two years. Kaine, Constantine’s immediate superior demanded that Constantine defend these caches at all times, and should he fail, he’d be disciplined. Constantine agreed, and for that promise received a large new supply of stormtroopers to defend the supplies with.
Image from captured rebel footage of an ambush upon stormtrooper patrols east of the Callimarr Ranges. (Battlefield One. [SIZE=9pt]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1BYCDyIfU2E/maxresdefault.jpg[/SIZE])
However, the escapees from a year earlier returned into view. It was assumed by Constantine and his sycophants that they had in fact died or starved to death. However, they were very much alive, and managed to overpower the guards of one of the caches, and took with them a stormtrooper legions worth of hardware and equipment, before hiding in the Callimarr Ranges. From there, they began to attack outlying stormtrooper outposts and settlements, a fact that was irritating Constantine to no end. The Governor knew that he had no way to foreseeably contact for reinforcements, in fear of incurring Kaine’s wrath. So Constantine instead embarked on a new, more brutal campaign. At an incredible cost, Constantine imported the deadliest creatures money could buy such as Mastiff’s and Sandsnakes on mass to make the enemies living a hell. The tactic was effective, and caused massive demoralization of the rebels, some of whom surrendered in fear. However, an unintended consequence, was the fact that both creatures spread like wildfire, and became native to the creature. This didn’t deter the rebels either, who continued their insurgency till 6 ABY, when they disbanded.
345th Marine Division fighting rebels in East New Nar Shardda. (Lord of Combine. [SIZE=11pt]http://pre11.deviantart.net/2339/th/pre/f/2013/284/d/1/imperial_stormtrooper_by_lordofcombine-d6q340w.jpg[/SIZE])
Constantine’s government held until 6ABY. The colonial regime became tighter with more and more rebel attacks occurring in closer Imperial holdings. Due to this, the colonies became even more of a police state. This reached its peak with the indiscriminate murders of suspected traitors starting after the Battle of Endor. Constantine’s end came when imperial troops arrived after the signing of the Galactic Concordant. Their commander, Marshal Adolphus Rach arrived, and assumed command of the planet as Galactic Imperial holdouts and warlords left to the Unknown Regions. Constantine, for his failure to secure the system, managed to destabilize imperial rule and rile the planets populace against the Empire, was executed for incompetence.
General Armitage Hux used the planet to rally forces into the Core. ([SIZE=9pt]http://67.media.tumblr.com/a3701c70b34fe363789703d00d45ee31/tumblr_o1yq2aZqww1udmml6o1_1280.jpg)[/SIZE]
Marshal Rach became one of the original First Orders organisers, and using seven of the remaining caches established by Major General Kaine worked to establish Terra Damnatis as a First Order fortress world, a status it’d maintain for twenty years. The planet was fortified with First Order barracks, and factories manufacturing weapons. This also saw a drastic increase of the population, which came through loyalist refugees escaping the Core aghast at the new egalitarian Republic. The peak of mobilisation was in 36 ABY, after the destruction of Starkiller Base, where General Armitage Hux rallied First Order troops for their foray into the Core.
First Order forces attempting to hold the line against a surprise Resistance attack north of New Nar Shardda. (Jamga. [SIZE=9pt]http://pre10.deviantart.net/1a09/th/pre/f/2015/350/3/5/first_order_troopers___fan_art_by_jamga-d9jdsr0.jpg[/SIZE])
The First Order finally pulled out of the planet in 37 ABY after a New Republic/Resistance fleet attacked the planet, leaving the massive wrecks of star destroyers standing as monoliths in the red desert. The New Republic however didn’t stay to occupy the system, and instead were pleased that they had delivered a devastating blow to the First Order’s Navy. Despite that, entire legions of First Order stormtroopers who were left on the planet integrated into society, beginning to administer it for the next 800 years as a successful, independent nation. Initially the government was incredibly militaristic and autocratic, but over time became more liberal in its policies as the hard liners of the former First Order either left or began to deviate from their indoctrination. As the centuries passed by, the government became more representative. It would never become a direct democracy, but more so a benevolent dictatorship.
Terra Damnatias was relatively unscathed through the Omni Crisis. Its seclusion saw to that. Though the Gulag Plague would be a crisis that'd hit too close to him. The government of the day saw the signs and after hearing of the blockade adopted a policy of xenophobia and quarantine. An indiscriminate blockade and quarantine of the planet was instated. This held until 432 ABY, where unfortunately, this wasn't enough. An unidentified, infected victim made their way to New Nar Shardda, a city of two million. Within three weeks of their arrival, only twenty thousand survived. Much of the city was razed through indiscriminate orbital bombardments and artillery bombardments with chemically fused shells in an attempt to kill off the virus. This was successful, although the current regime of Governor-Marshal Erdal Forster was forced to resign. Debate rages to this day about whether his action was that of brutal murder, or a man forced to drastic action by difficult circumstances. The blockade was lifted in 450 ABY by Forster's successor.
After this, Terra Damnatias received thousands of refugees seeking to rebuild their lives away from the chaos of the Core. Aristocrats found the authoritarian nature of the government one they could work in, while the every day working man was enticed by the high wages of the mines. This period of growth brought economic and cultural prosperity, and was a pivotal point in breaking the tradition xenophobia that usually afflicted former imperial governments. The immigration of Aqualish, Twi'leks, Torgruta and Wookies served to open up to the Galaxy, something they'd come to regret.
Damatian guerrilla performing reconnaissance during the invasion of 535 ABY. (CptRex. [SIZE=9pt]http://orig15.deviantart.net/d6a6/f/2014/256/c/5/desert_scout_by_cptrex-d7z2l7q.jpg[/SIZE])
Word of a large imperial cache of weaponry was something which piqued the ears and interest of historians and treasure hunters alike, and in 500 ABY, this reached fever pitch. Hundreds of thousands flocked to the deserts of Terra Damnatias in order to find the supposed treasure. But none could. In 535 ABY, a violent group of treasure hunters arrived. They were nothing but pirates and mercenaries under the command of the infamous Captain Bellemy Dort. Dort, using superior naval power destroyed most of the navy, and forced local forces to surrender under threat of orbital bombardment. The pirates occupied Estrus, Finalizer Canyon and Albert where they murdered local government officials and most of military command.
With a leaderless government, many pockets of the military either surrendered or in the case of Lieutenant Quambacc and Colonel Ternill Fash, fight a long term guerrilla struggle. This was an important moment for the planet, as it cemented 'alien' species as heroes. Quambacc was a second generation wookie immigrant, and Ternill a first generation togruta. Organising their collective enclaves into an irregular raiding force, they broke pirate resolve to hold the planet over two years of fighting. Casualties in terms of ratios were 1:45, in favour of the soldiers. With no luck in finding the treasure, and his men being killed in regular attacks, Captain Dort was mutinied against. His successor left the planet, and Terra Damnatias retained its status as a stable imperial-aligned system. Quambacc later had a city named after him, which he governed for several years till his death in 573 ABY. Fash would become a renowned military theorists, whose work in guerrilla warfare would serve Damnatia's military as its doctrine for three hundred years.
The planet would remain prospering until a small civil war caused during the Netherworld event. While not many on the planet disappeared, it was those who disappeared which mattered. On the 12th Taungsday, 844 ABY, several thousand citizens disappeared. But among those seven thousand were the Governor-Marshal Targul Fell. This lead to civil war, because at the time the military officers corps was split into two factions. The hardliners, who wished for Terra Damnatia to become more authoritarian in its running while the moderates wished to keep the semi-democratic system they held. Fell served as a man who kept the peace, and united the two factions. With him gone, there was all out war.
It took all out war to settle, but the pitched street battles and skirmishes in the streets and desert killed nine hundred thousand. The hardliners were successfully demonised as Constantineite's who wished to bring back the mythical "bad old days". And due to that, the moderates won the war, instating their own Governor-Marshal in 846 ABY.
During that time, several new cities were established. Five on the coast, Farg (43 ABY), Hux ((Originally Veers) 27 ABY), Albert (128 ABY), Fordern (233 ABY) and Quambacc (565 ABY). Three inland cities were also established, Finalizer Canyon (79 ABY), Fort Kaine (403 ABY) and Deleray (789 ABY).
Notable PCs: None so far.
Intent: Space Australia needed to happen.
