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Self explanatory.

*Reserved for those accepting the Great Spud's teachings*
EDIT:

(FACTBOOK THREAD)

@taulover, we already have one. We just didn't call it the Factbooks thread.

@taulover, we already have one. We just didn't call it the Factbooks thread.

Ah, I must've confused this topic with the Setting thread.

Well then, time to get to work.

The Holy Potatoe Empire

Government

The Government of the Holy Potatoe Empire has a strong tradition of checks and balances in a traditional Imperial society.  The governmental system mixes together a wide variety of political ideas—most notably, the technical separation of church and state.  In practice though, it should be noted that nothing could be further from the truth.  Cardinals and Bishops commonly sit in the House of Peers, and are frequently members of the aristocracy. 

Emperor

  Though the Holy Potatoe Empire is, traditionally and constitutionally, an absolute autocracy with a strong meritocratic tradition, the contemporary empire rarely relies on the decisions of the Emperor himself, and instead most of the power of the state is concentrated in the hands of the imperial advisers, collectively known as the Imperial Advisory.

Imperial Advisory

  The imperial advisory is traditionally a group of seventeen of the most powerful and effective officials in the empire, and as a consequence of this, they are quite often the most ruthless and determined leaders in the empire.  Traditionally originating in military roles and then transferring into provincial governorship later in their careers, the advisers generally elect to keep their military titles and forgo the title of governor, depending, of course, on which province they control.

Admiral Cardinal Yoshika

  A part of the command staff of the Imperial Navy, Yoshika took a rather nontraditional route to the Advisory.  After an impressive military career, eventually rising to command the 4th Fleet, Yoshika retired and joined the priesthood, eventually becoming a Cardinal, and then was requested to join the Advisory by the late Emperor Natsumiru.

General Kanoya

  Coming from non-noble beginnings in northern Japan, General Ishiyu Kanoya attended the prestigious Imperial Military Academy in Kyoto, and worked his way through the ranks to General, at which point he was appointed directly from the military to the Advisory.  (Some say this was because Natsumiru feared the prospect of Kanoya, then Commandant of the Imperial Guard, executing a coup and taking the throne for himself, but this theory hasn't been confirmed.)

Archbishop Hiryu

  The emperor's spiritual adviser, appointed by the present Emperor Takoyru.  A learned priest, he is much more of a pacifist than most of the Advisory, to the disdain many of the more militant members.  In fact, it was Archbishop Hiryu who convinced the delegation of the Holy Potatoe Empire to support Radicibus II during the previous conclave.

Commandant Tanaka

  Commandant of the Imperial Guard, the elite contingent of Samurai tasked with protecting the Imperial Palaces and envoys.  He was appointed to the advisory when he succeeded then-commandant Kanoya as Commandant of the Imperial Guard, to ensure a loyal soldier was in command of the vital unit.  Tanaka is a moderate militarist, but prefers deception and slow colonisation to the brute force that he believes would be the result of a Crusade.

Governor Admiral Nakamura

Governor General Arai

High Commander Ito

Imperial Diet

House of Peers

Imperial Provinces

Culture

  The citizens of the Holy Potatoe Empire operate on a strict code of honour, and generally will die in order to ensure that their family name is not tarnished.  There is also a strong military tradition in the empire, with most males capable of affording training and education serving in the Imperial military at some point.

Technology

  Imperial technology is by no means horrible, thanks to the near-ubiquity of universities and schools in the empire.  Much is invested in education, in accordance with newer imperial policies focusing on the employment of technology as a critical way to ensure dominance regionally.

Imperial Military

  One of the oldest and proudest institutions in the Holy Potatoe Empire, the Imperial Military has existed longer the Empire itself, tracing its roots back to before the word of the Potatoe even reached Kyoto.

Imperial Navy

Imperial Army

Imperial Guard

Military Command Structure

Imperial Grand Strategy

According to the most recent Holy Strategic Review, the priorities of the Potatoe Empire's Military are arranged as follows:

1. Imperial Expansion.  In order for the empire to maintain the balance of power, ensure domestic tranquillity, and that the will of the Holy Tuber is done, expansion is the empire's highest priority. 

2. Exoimperial Disruption.  In order to ensure that the Holy Potatoe Empire remains at the forefront of the world, the policy of the empire to assassinate key assets of foreign powers is important.  From assassinations of enemy scientists and engineers to "accidents" involving enemy politicians, generals and cardinals, the empire's first priority is to ensure tha

3.

Important Figures in the Holy Potatoe Empire

Editing Log

20.12.2016: Created Factbook Skeleton
21.12.2016: Entered data pertaining to government systema and culture.  (Still very much incomplete)

The Empire of Potatoeist Science
AKA: Empire of Science, Science, Potatoeist Science, Democratic Empire

Government

The people of Science often jokingly refer to its government as "a scientific theocracy." The government is dedicated to increasing its technological and scientific capacities. Although the de jure emperor is Science, the actual government is led by the First Consul, who also holds the title of Lord Steward and Regent of Science.

The legislature is bicameral, consisting of a technocratic Imperial Senate and a General Assembly. Senators represent their particular field and are elected by others working in the same field. The General Assembly serves as a representative democratic legislature. There are also direct democracy elements in effect to allow citizens to directly propose new laws.

Potatoeist Science places a high focus on education for its citizens, and the public education system is highly valued.

People

Race/ethnicity

47% East Asian
24% Southeast Asian
18% White
9% Oceanian
2% Other

11% of the population is multiracial, including Science's current First Consul, William Xavier.

Languages

The Democratic Empire recognizes two languages at the national level: English, and a standardized dialect of Mandarin Chinese known as Scientific Mandarin. These two languages form the linguae francae for the culturally diverse groups of people within Science.

Other common languages include Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Vietnamese, Burmese, Tibetan, Malay, Tagalog, Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan, Maori, Hawaiian, New Latin, and the Standard Scientific Constructed Language. They are generally recognized officially on the regional level.

Religion

Potatoeist Science has a long history of religious tolerance and secularism in public life. Religious groups in Potatoeist Science are as follows:

26% Atheist/agnostic

Because of the Democratic Empire's strong scientific and secular background, many Potatoe Scientists are simply atheist or agnostic.

37% Potatoe-influenced nonreligious

This bloc forms the plurality of Scientists. The Empire of Science's secular tradition has led to a large nonreligious demographic. However, most of these remain Potatoe-influenced and spiritual. As famed philosopher Ralph Waldo Potatoeson noted, these Potatoeists reject what they perceive to be dogmatic beliefs in organized religion, and generally argue that they themselves must think for themselves when it comes to the Holy Spud. Some of these people also Potatoeist Deist, believing in Creation and the moral teachings of the Holy Spud but not its interventions in the real world.

18% Qualyian Potatoeism

This branch of Protestant Potatoeism is rather popular in Science. The denomination began when theologian Dan Quayle began spelling the word Potato as "Potatoe" in protest of the Potato Catholic Church's dogmatic and corrupt practices.

4% Potato Catholic

Although most Potatoe Scientists oppose the Catholic Church as a manifestation of dogmatic religious beliefs and as a political machine of foreign powers, the nation's policies of tolerance and culture of acceptance has allowed the Church to gain a small foothold within the nation.

7% Traditional folk religions

These folk religions include a very diverse set of beliefs and forms of worship. They are generally polytheist and animist, believe in a all-pervading life force (qi/mana), and practice ancestor veneration. On the mainland, Chinese religion is mildly popular, and includes belief in karma/yuanfen, the yin-yang duality, and the transcendent divine Heaven/Tian/Shangdi.

3% Norse pagan

This ancient polytheistic religion, while not as widespread as in other countries, still maintains a small presence in the Empire of Science.

5% Other

Other popular beliefs in Potatoeist Science include Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Deism, Pantheism, and Omnism.

Military

The Empire of Potatoeist Science generally maintains a policy of neutrality in international conflicts. To that extent, it has used methods such as conscription to build up a massive peacetime military as deterrence. The Scientific Armed Forces also helps provide humanitarian aid throughout the Democratic Empire and abroad.

Imperial Navy

Also known as the Imperial Fleet (even though it consists of multiple fleets), the Imperial Navy forms the mainstay of the Armed Forces and provides the basis for the defense of the Democratic Empire's massive Pacific holdings. With a widespread system of coaling stations and naval bases, the Navy is able to project power far away from Scientific territories and aids various humanitarian missions globally.

Imperial Marines

With a strong focus on amphibious warfare, the Corps of Imperial Marines is a combined arms force with expeditionary capabilities. Within Scientific territories, the Imperial Marines aid in the defense of the numerous Imperial islands across the Pacific. Abroad, the Marines are effectively the principal land warfare force of the Scientific Armed Forces, working heavily in conjunction with the Imperial Navy. The Corps is particularly renowned for its elite, rapid-response light infantry units.

Scientific Ground Self-Defense Force

The Scientific Ground Self-Defense Force (SGSDF) is the Democratic Empire's primary land-based military branch. Particularly on the mainland, the SGSDF defends Scientific territories and helps enforce its neutrality. In particular, the SGSDF provides for the defense of the long land border with The Holy Potatoe Empire, the staunchly Potato Catholic nation to the north. As part of the Scientific Self-Defense Forces, the SGSDF also has numerous reserve forces consisting of much of the citizenry.

Scientific Coast Guard

The Scientific Coast Guard is a multi-mission maritime security organization and a branch of the Scientific Armed Forces. It provides for coastal defense, maritime law enforcement, and search and rescue across the Democratic Empire's numerous territorial waters. (The land equivalent, the Scientific Border Guard, is a paramilitary law enforcement organization.)

The Neo Aesir Empire

Culture

Military

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The Federation of Unified Trade States

-temporarily just going to use my NS factbooks I wrote way back at the beginning of this-

NS Overview
History
New Religion

Overview

The Federation of Unified Trade States is a collection of small former city states that are currently governed by a council of business leaders, tycoons and capitalists.

Landscape

There are several large and sprawling coastline cities that take up the majority of the small territory owned by this collective. The country-side is rolling hills packed with estate farms owned by the wealthy businessmen from the cities. Those cities and towns which were once filled with beautiful and ancient architecture are now bloated with factories, warehouses, dockyards and endless rows of cramped worker's houses.

People

The populace are overworked, underpaid and downtrodden by either the local government mercenaries or the vast criminal element. The dark and gloomy city streets are a powder keg, attempts to protest or form unions are met with extreme force by the company police, the pressure is building, and the oligarchs are starting to view their own workers as the biggest threat to their profits.

Military

The military mainly consists of mercenaries hired from both the local populous and occasionally from external sources. However each of the governing council members also has their own elite guard recruited from specialists within their companies. The soldiers and arms are housed in small forts dotted around the cities where once the old aristocracies' palaces stood.

Wealth

Anything money can buy is bought and sold in the States' trade halls, and the local authorities maintain a low tax and tariff on all operations, the financial records are constantly updated and held in pristine condition recording every coming and going in the Federation, and as such they are often the study of universities in the pursuit of history.

History

Many centuries ago the area now known as the Unified Trade States was a group of small city states ruled by royal families with lines stretching far back into the mists of time; war was constant and many of the great families had forgotten what the grievances they held against one another. While the aristocracy fought unwinnable wars among themselves, dissent rose in their own cities, the people were tired of the constant stream of casualties.
As soon as the first revolution sparked into a flame the other cities followed suit in quick succession, in less than a decade all traces of royalty were beheaded or burned. In the aftermath there was disorder for many years, over time it took the will of the wealthy traders and businessmen who had clung to their riches to restore peace, with noble intentions the city states drafted new constitutions creating the most democratic system they could manage, those leaders who taken the control after the situation elected a group of representatives among themselves to control their cities.

As time passed they continued this practice, and the people acclaimed it with joy and open arms. There was no more meaningless war, no more endless famines, the cities were free to grow, and the council of businesses ensured that they became flourishing trade capitals.

Over time the councils slowly realized that together they could increase their wealth and influence, as old enemies signed pacts of friendship and trade agreements it became clear that they had more in common than they realized, so after a string of celebrations they signed the Federation agreement, combining the city councils into one unified nation.

The massive flow of wealth attracted people from every corner of the planet, and the population boomed. Then, the industrial revolution came, factories sprung up offering hundreds of thousands of new jobs, the cities were flooded with new workers and in a constant demand to remain competitive in an ever more globalized economy the companies saw that they had to increase hours and reduce wages across the board.

Now the workers are once again getting ever more agitated, some even think it might have been better with the aristocrats of the past. After several large scale strikes ended up in riots that killed hundreds, the factories cracked down with stricter security operations and tighter restrictions on the public. Many of the average citizens now fear a second revolution is on the horizon, the cities are choked with coal dust and are ready to light.

New Religion

Potatoism in the Federation of Unified Trade States
Roughly a generation ago the trading ships brought an odd cargo to the docks of the trade states, it was for all appearances a small, starchy tuborus vegetable, while the harbour masters and administrators didn't see much use in it, however its' sale to the underclasses led to it becoming quite popular and several sects have formed (some believe under outside pressure) worshipping this odd crop.

While the church of the potato has strong state backing in many parts of the world, the government and corporations of the trade states have placed heavy import tarrifs on the sacred vegetable, it is the council's belief that this religion is a scourge, that it distracts their workers and reduces reliance on their very profitable cash-crops.

While not banned the worship and use of potatoes is frowned upon by the authorities and society... This hasn't stopped it's spread and adoption by several groups in the cities, it is not uncommon to hear the word "potato" said in hushed tones in the public houses and dormitories of the workers.

In terms of international policy the Trade States have attempted to remain as neutral as possible, though neutrality isn't always looked upon highly in these ever more turbulent times.

The council's stance on the religion has made it unpopular in certain international communities, while so far this hasn't had a major impact on trade as these nations tend not to buy much that isn't potato related, if it started to somehow affect their bottom line significantly who knows how they would swing.

The Empire of Morning Gold

WIP

History and Overview

Government

Technology

Military

" As famed philosopher Ralph Waldo Potatoeson noted, these Potatoeists reject what they perceive to be dogmatic beliefs in organized religion, and generally argue that they themselves must think for themselves when it comes to the Holy Spud."

10/10 @taulover I'm dying 

The Nomadic Peoples of Latvichka

Government

The Nomadic Peoples of Latvichka follow a form of government not unlike a Khaganate. The head ruler, or Kashtan, is guided by a large council of ministers who oversee their own various portions of the land. They may offer council and advice to the Kashtan, but he may choose to ignore them and choose his own way, and his word is final unless revoked by himself. The Current leader of Latvichka is a young man by the name of Torantræjr and he personally listens primarily to the head Shaman. The Government makes a large attempt at keeping peace and comfort for those living there, and whilst they may not have many freedoms, they also have enough ways to make an enjoyable living without fearing the government, so long as they behave and follow laws.

Culture

The culture of Latvichka is a rich one, and magnificent to behold. The Latvichkans themselves are a horse people, having descended from a conglomerate of East Asian, Siberian, and Cossack tribes, forming their own race in this region. In many cases the people are born in a saddle and are then buried with the same saddle, using a one-size fits all. The craftsmanship of the Latvichkans is without compare, as each individual item is handcrafted by the people living there. The cultural dishes of the land is typically a meat based stew or soup with occasionally vegetables and bread, served with one of two of the national beverages; Airag is a fermented milk beverage, or Rootka which is similar to a strong mead but with spices. If one wishes to be fed in Latvichka, all you must do is find a yurt and explain that you are hungry, and the host will invite you in for food. Alternatively one could find a large ger on the road side, called a guanz, and be treated to a restaurant style meal. It is rare due to an unknown custom, to drink any milk as just milk, and it is more likely to be found either mixed with tea, used as a soup base, or in some other form. Latvichkans are extremely religious, but not to a standard god outside of Central Asia. They practice Tengrism, a shamanic religion which worships the god Tengri. The princibles of tengrism however, allow them to be extremely religiously tolerant, and in fact, are what cause them to be so friendly with those of other religions. The core teaching that this is caused by, is that no one really has a single correct way to worship or identify god, therefore all religions are equally correct in their own right.

Technology

The technology of Latvichka is quite primitive in comparison of its neighbors. However, this in no way means they cannot use it to its full extent. For example, the basic way of life in Latvichka leads to a far cheaper country to run economically, yet its fine craftsmanship allows for some quite moneymaking exports. With more money coming in than out, it allows for a fairly stable economy. The most technologically advanced things in Latvichka are typically gifts coming from other nations, and these are accepted with great love, though rarely used. The most popular form of transport is by horse or by a horse drawn carriage/caravan wagon, and usually that's all the nomads need. Trains are non existent in the land and instead everyone has their own transportation that costs less to run than a typical locomotive. While primitive, the Latvichkan monasteries that act as cities to have plumbing, and in some cases in the main hall, running water from pumps can be found, though this is rare, the more common source of water is from lakes and rivers. For those that live outside of the monasteries, the houses are either open faced tents (such as those once used by the Arabian Bedouins) or Yurts. While these look simple on the outside, every part of the inside is used to some effect, the poles holding up the ceiling are used as hanging rods, the central poles may house the family's weapons, etc.

Military

While somewhat basic in nature, the military of Latvichka is by no means ineffective. The most advanced weapons they have, as of the 18th century, are light handgonnes, and repeating crossbows used by the border guard, more on that later. 

Border Guard

The Border Guard are the most ceremonial soldiers of the Latvichakan army, as not only did they guard the border of the country, but also selected members to be the personal bodyguards of the Kashtan. These troops wore large ornamental suits of lamellar armor when protecting the leader, but lighter suits of the same type of armor when on patrol, preferring speed to protection due to the brutal impact of modern flintlocks. The typical weapons for these troops included: Guan Daos/naginatas, repeating crossbows/handgonnes, dual sabers, great axes, and shields. These soldiers are often seen riding horses and act as the main police force in the land.

Nomadic Army

The army of Latvichka is comprised of the general populace. The army can technically be considered a nation wide militia. It is custom for every nomad to be trained in combat and martial arts, and often in the art of blacksmithing and wood working, to create his own armor and weapons. This, combined with a knack for hunting lead to an effective force, being able to hit fast moving targets with bows while on foot or on horseback. The typical armor of these troops are hardened leather with patches of metal for added protection, traditional war hats (think a Mongolian fur hat but extra padding of leather and wool to protect against blunt force), riding boots and leather gloves. they wear this overtop of regular everyday clothes. The weapons used by these troops have an enormous range including; multi use farming tools, swords, handcrafted bows with specialized arrows, polearms of various shapes and sizes, repurposed everyday items, stolen weaponry from enemy troops, and regular crossbows. They also use any equipment given to them by the government. The army specializes in guerilla warfare and do not form ranks.

Wolf's Cavalry

The most powerful and highly trained soldiers in the Nomadic Peoples. These troops are devastating against a similar sized force, and can do great things against a larger force as well. These riders study the great tactics of Chinngis Khan and put them to use. These troops use the horse primarily, but also use camels when using artillery such as mini ballistae or very basic cannons of 57mm. The typical armor of these troops is light lamellar armor and very little else besides regular clothing. The arms of this group are as follows; Sabers, various polearms, a vast assortment of bows, shields capable of defeating small arms fire, axes, handgonnes, and blunt weapons. Each soldier is presented with a ceremonial knife upon being chosen, however the actual knife itself has no specific purpose, and may be used as a standard weapon of tool when off duty.

Appearance

The people of Latvichka are a strange people in terms of physical appearance due to a large mixture of ethnicities in their lineage. These being Central Asian, Eastern European, and Native Siberian. The result was a relatively short people, on average about 1.5m to 1.6m (4'9-5'3 in feet), with light tan skin, button noses, only slight Epicanthic folds (not as prominent as in some other Asian ethnicities), and light hair tones. The typical eye colors are dark brown, hazel, or on rare occasions striking blue. In terms of fitness the people, man or woman, are typically quite fit, and are hardy people. Clothing can vary, but mostly consist of a very short deel (Mongolian coat) that is cut at the hips, two leather Jedi style tabards, tied down with a wool or silk sash which the rest hangs down, a second belt that houses a buckle and the sheath for the sword or bow of the wearer, very baggy Cossack style pants or large harem pants and leather Mongolian style boots. Upon their heads is usually either a brimmed fur hat or a cylindrical fur hat, ranging from just a cap, to massive head covers. All clothes are homemade, yet are made extremely well.