Dark
From Brass Goggles
Dark is a small planet, which was colonized during a brief period by the British Empire and a collection of other nations using new Aetherportal technology. Due to the mystical nature of Dark, the portal systems eventually shut down, cutting Dark off from Earth, leaving it to develop independently.
(Work in progress)
Contents |
History
The Portal
With the development of the Portal, the Empires began to take for colonies not only the lands of Earth, but the open spaces of planets uninhabited since the beginning of time. The small planetoid known only as “Dark” was one of these places. Dark always had a tenuous pact with reality – it was a place of mist and fantasy, of fleeting glimpses in the forests and monstrous ideas beneath the waves. Even when the first settlers came and built the might Steam-Cities, the in-between places are still filled with things that should not be.
When the first human inhabitants arrived on Dark is a matter of debate. The Colonies are considered to be the first lands settled, but exploration reveals that certain groups may have arrived even earlier. The Marklanders, to the North and West, have a history that has been shown to go long past since the Portal was activated. What is even stranger, the Peoples of Lagua are mentioned in these histories to have been on Dark already! Both groups have shown remarkable similarities to certain Earth races. How people managed to slip through the void before Portal Technology is a mystery to even the most intelligent scientists.
Nevertheless, common history begins when the first Britons, as they were known, arrived via a star-traveling orb and constructed the portal. The first, largest and grandest city they built near the portal was named Portal Whitesmith. They brought immigrants in from various areas and settled cities around the nearby lake-filled, forested country and expanded to the east, soon claiming most of the southern half of the small planet of Dark. This large piece of land became known simply as the Colonies.
The War of the Colonies and the Confederation
The parts of the Colonies on the other side of Dark from the center of power in Portal Whitesmith began to grow weary of being ruled by a power not even present in full on the planet. Through the ages the hatred simmered, slowly divided southern Dark. This eventually led to the Revolution, a bitter war between the Colonies and the newly declared Confederation of Un-Bound States. The war lasted for long brutal years. In the final days, the Colonies attempted to outmaneuver their rivals by risking an Air Fleet over the western mountains, effectively striking their opponents from behind. The Confederation panicked and drained troops to this new Eastern Front. At the height of the bloodshed, both nations risked using dangerous and untested scientific “super weapons”. The result was an annihilation of the majority of the forces of both nations in the shadows of the mountains, and the turning of the forest around them to a blasted heath. Both nations stood terrified and in awe and stepped back from the war and into a truce. The Confederation had won independence, but at a price.
The Kogai-Confederation Conflict
The Confederation grew, though not to the size of the Colonies. To the North-East of the Confederation, (North-West of the Colonies) laid the Frontier – the least inhabited and most wild section of Dark. The Confederation eventually sent pioneers to test this most misted and mysterious area, but came into conflict with another power which lay North-East of the Frontier – the Kogai Empire. This Empire was formed originally by citizens of the nation of the Rising Sun, who had managed to negotiate with the Colonies to gain access to the new and strange world of Dark. Not fully trusting what they saw as foreigners, they travelled north, over the highlands north of the colonies and settling in the lowland, swampy area beyond. Taking a capital on an Island in the middle of the lake, they created a feudal society, which lacked much of the technology of the other nations, but lacked for nothing in courage and honour. Their backwards ways would eventually doom them, however, when they began to come into conflicts over land in the Frontier. The Men of the Confederation are renowned for their learning in the ways of the gun. They mowed down the Kogai at every battle, the brave Sun Warriors’ armour and blades accomplishing little. Finally, the Kogai managed to choose a fight they believed they could win. Trapping the majority of the Confederation forces on a hill, they attacked on mass. By the end of the day, the Confederation force was broken – but nearly all of the Kogai had been slain. The Confederation ended up with control of the Frontier, but after the battle never put much effort into developing it – to this day it is still the deepest wilderness.
The Kogai who were left were despondent. Their old ways had failed them and their civilization looked like it was to wither and die. The believed only by sweeping away their failed beliefs could any chance for survival be attained. Technological development began to increase and the people became more learned. The old ways of fighting were abandoned. The art of the Shadows was adopted, of cunning and invisibility, of deception and silent killings. The worship of the sun was seen as unfit for this darker world. The worship of the Moon overtook the old religion and the old, honourable warriors were replaced by the new, practical soldiers of the shadows. A wall was built along their southern frontier and the kingdom began to develop in isolation.
The Wars of Science
One last conflict was to take place in Dark which would define the current situation. After the Colonies were established, many other immigrants from the Mother World were allowed to settle on Dark. Most felt affinity with the style of the Colonies from their lives before and settled around the main nexus at Portal-Whitesmith. The island of Coever, off the North-East coast of the Colonies became a home to a group of people who felt they were just a little too different from the Colony folk. This island eventually became a neutral, merchant state.
A large group of foreigners within the Colonies began to place their trust in a man known only as the Scientist-King. These people lived peacefully in the Colonies under the care of this father figure, until the Revolution and the war between the Confederation and the Colonies. For it was the Scientist-King that helped developed the “super weapons” that gave the war its brutal and abrupt ending. After this event, the Scientist-King and the races associated with him were shunned. To prevent another revolution, the Governors of the Colonies “allowed” these peoples their own land – The land north of the river that makes up the northern borders of the colonies, south of the swampland of Kogai, east of the High Mountains and west of the Ocean. The “exiles” were actually in favour of this move – it gave them a place to live outside the borders of the Colonies, where they would be free to govern themselves. The territory they received was roughly rectangular, the west being high and mountainous, with the east filled with darker low forests, ending at the sea.
The peaceful nation had a small age of prosperity, marked by many new scientific developments, all under the watchful eye of the Scientist-King. However, he began to grow old, as men do and had no children to speak of. He declared that the next symbolic head to replace him would be the one that could create the greatest achievement of science and present it to him. Two scientists and their workers began working on two projects. The Scientist-King died before their works could be completed. One team created a small, growing organism in a jar – they had mastered life. The other created an automaton that was capable of movement and basic logic – they had created reason. Neither side, divided in some ways by a difference of race, could decide which the greater achievement was. Thus the schism happened, and a bitter feud was started. The high mountainous east of the territory became the nation of Smiljan-Lika. Its people mastered the use of electricity more than any other nation and were proud of their calculating logic. The people of the lower forests formed the Eckhart Barony. They became known for their strange experiments, fueled by researches into the nature of anatomy and biology, a nation of alchemists and geneticists. Some whisper that the elite of this Barony modify their bodies to become more powerful – they are whispered about, named Vampyrs. Another rumour says that they can create life from death – the walking dead. These two nations are even today locked in constant border skirmishes among their hilly border, making attempts at superiority.
Today
These brief stories of these nations make up the larger part of the history of Dark. Recent history is counted as the times after the Portal ceased to function. Their struggles define the planet – But they all know unity may be necessary if something darker emerges out of the hollows of the woods, or the deep caves at the Ocean’s bottom.
The current culture and technology is similar to that of an advanced Victorian age.
Natural Geography
Flora and Climate
As a planet, Dark is much smaller than most. However, its gravity is about consistent with that of Earths. The phenomenon has not been fully explored, but is often linked to the fact that Dark rotates much quicker on its axis.
This faster spinning does create shorter days and nights, but this is not very noticeable as there is no true “day” to speak of on Dark. When the main moon, known as “The Moon” is in the sky, it is considered to be waking hours. This moon is similar to ours, but larger and more reflective. At “night” this large moon disappears from the sky, replaced by smaller, less luminous ones, which are not always present. The stars show all the time, but clearer during the “night”. The sun never makes an appearance, due to a quirk of rotation and atmosphere – it is close enough to heat Dark, however.
The makeup of Dark’s fauna is similar across the planet. Almost the entire part of the planet not covered by the Ocean is forested. These forests only change slightly on latitude. They are comprised of darker coloured pine trees, often shrouded in mists in the mornings or evenings. Comparisons on Earth could be drawn to the deep wooded areas of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, or the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. The only areas not fully covered are the south and north poles. (These are not much noticeably colder than the other areas – Dark has a similar climate across it – temperate and moist, with warmer summers and often snowy winters, more so in northern and southern areas). The North Pole area has sparser vegetation and usually sees the most snow. There are craggy cliffs and outcrops across it – generally it is empty and is not visited often. The South Pole is slightly warmer, but less moist. It could be called Dark’s only desert. Neither the Confederation nor the Colonies build cities there. It is marked by strange rock formations and an eerie stillness. Most disturbingly, there have been reports of strange, Cyclopean cities. Although they have no activity, these places are usually considered to be ill fated and are avoided. The Ocean covers roughly half of the northern part of Dark.
Physical Geography
The planet is almost neatly divided in half by three mountain ranges – the dangerous Golgotha mountains in the south, which block the Confederation from the Frontier to the north and the Colonies to the east, the misty High Mountains between the Frontier and Smiljan-Lika, and the Snowy Aesir Mountains in the north, which curve to isolate Markland from the Frontier to the south and Kogai to the east. The Kogai Wall stretches from the intersection of the High and Aesir mountains straight east to the Ocean. In between the Golgotha and the High Mountains is the Colony of Albionoria, the most north-west of the colonies. This province is bordered by the mighty Ciren River to the south and the Nokken River to the north, which eventually flows into the Ciren. The Ciren flows out of Maiden’s Lake, a long north-south lake near the Golgotha Mountains. The Ciren flows almost due east, forming the majority of the northern border of the Colonies. It empties into the sea near the northern end of Coever. To the north of Coever is the Archipelago, a collection of islands of various sizes. The most northern and largest island, Lagua, is the seat of power of the Lagua Nation. East of Lagua is the coast of Markland. To the west are the swampy shores of Kogai.
Other Worlds
Dark is, by itself quite small - thus the nations rarely have colonies. As space-travel is researched, this may change in the near future, as sceintists believe they have discovered "empty" worlds nearby. As well, there are, surprisingly, areas still left unexplored in dark - certain islands, areas of the upper atmosphere, the nearby moons, the poles and the areas below the surface of the earth.
Nations
The Colonies
The first and largest area established on Dark, the Colonies take up almost a quarter of the planet. To its north is the Ciren river and beyond that the nation of Smiljan-Lika and the Eckhart Barony. To the west are the Golgotha Mountains. To the north-west is the province of Albionoria and beyond that the Nokken river. Beyond these barriers are lands held by the Confederation. The Confederation can also be reached through the more active border in the east. To the North-East is the Ocean shore of the Colonies. Off this coast is the Island of Coever. To the far south are the inhospitable lands near the pole.
The Main city of the Colonies is Portal-Whitesmith; the area around it is known as the Royal Colony. Various cities are distributed throughout the surrounding area – each one and the surrounding area is known as “a colony”. The terrain and climate of the Colonies is similar to most of Dark (see above), a noticeable feature being an abundance of lakes and interconnecting rivers. The ruler of the Colonies is an elected Governor. In the days when the Portal was still active, the Governor would be selected by the Empire – today there are elections held in Portal-Whitesmith, with representatives from each individual colony casting votes.
Militarily, the main force in the Colonies is, without a doubt, the Navy. This Navy is unique in that it encompasses the roles of Aerial and Seaborne navies – the airships are all equipped to land in water and deflate their airbags, making them versatile hybrids, a technology unique to the Colonies. The elite force is a centralized “Royal Fleet”. However, in the past it has not been enough to protect such a wide expanse of land. Thus, each colony usually provides its own smaller fleet, manned by volunteers. While these “Common Fleets” lack the shiny uniforms or discipline of their Royal counterparts, it is known that they make up the first line of defense – their courage and daring are never brought into question. There is no regular ground force to speak of, as the foot soldiers all double as sailors and airmen. As a ground force they tend to be enthusiastic, but with less staying power than the ground armies of other nations. There are exceptions however – the Royal Rifles and Heavy Calvary of Portal-Whitesmith are very well trained soldiers. As well, the feared Storm Soldiers of Albionoria, the north-west province, are widely regarded as the most feared and powerful warriors on all of Dark, comparable in bravery and strength to the wild Marklanders. Only their smaller numbers prevent them from comprising the main part of the Colonies’ armies. Often the airships of the Colonies also carry smaller steam-driven war vehicles, such as Steam Tanks.
Inspirations – 18th and 19th century Britain and its various outlying components (e.g. – Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa), Pirates of both the Seafaring and Airborne variety,
Important Individual Colonies
The Confederation
The Confederation is comprised of states on the other side of Dark from the Colonies. Feeling that they were uncared for and forced to face the dangers of the far-side forests alone, they rebelled and formed their own state. The main part of the Confederation is both east and west of the Colonies, with the Golgotha Mountains making up the eastern border. The South Pole makes up the southern limit and there is a large northern coastline. To the north-east of this core is the Frontier, a wilder land under the Confederation’s control. It is situated with the ocean and Archipelago to the west and Albionoria to the south-east. To the east are the High mountains – beyond that the nation of Smiljan-Lika. To the north are the Aesir Mountains – beyond that lies Markland. To the North east is the connection of the High and Aesir mountains – beyond that lies the Empire of Kogai. To the north-west of the Frontier, in the Ocean, is the island of Lagua.
The capital of the Confederation is Weston – it is located not far east from the Confederation’s western border. The Confederation has a directly elected President, who serves for a set term. Any number of people can run for President, but usually the main parties get their man in. The President selects who is in charge of various states within the Confederation.
Militarily, the Confederation makes up its armies with its tough citizens. Being less developed overall than The Colonies, even young citizens in the Confederacy must learn how to shoot to protect them self. The study of the Gun is one of the principal parts of Confederation culture. Their ground forces are comprised of groups of superior marksmen, who operate best at a range. Using rifles, pistols and the new Crank Guns, the Confederation stratagem is to unload as much lead into the opponent before they can begin to charge. A new, deadly invention is the War-Coach. Modified from the trains that the Confederacy uses to connect its cities, the steel behemoth provides cover for troops in combat, while laying down its own hail of fire. The Confederation does employ an air-force, but their balloons and blimps are much slower than the sleek airships and zeppelins of the Colonies. Their main purpose in to provide an elevated firing platform.
Inspirations – 19th century America, the Weird and Wild West, Gunslingers and Cowboys.
Important Individual States
The Kogai Empire
In the lowland, swampy forests to the north lies the mysterious Kogai Empire. It is sealed off from the nation of Smiljan-Lika and the Eckhart Barony to the south by the Kogai Wall. To the west are the Aesir Mountains – where the Aesir Mountains and the Kogai wall meet is also the northern end of the High Mountains. To the north is the rocky and inhospitable area around the North Pole. To the east is the Ocean – further travel east would result in arrival in Lagua.
The Capital of the Kogai Empire is the city of Ryugu-jo. It is located on an island in a saltwater lake, which is not far from the Ocean. The Kogai Empire is ruled by the emperor, known as the Tsukuyomi Avatar. The emperor is chosen in a secret ceremony held after the death of the old emperor – the details of this ceremony remain unknown. All householders in the Empire swear fealty to him.
The warriors of Kogai are masters at deception and concealment. Using the thick terrain of Dark to their advantage, they strike from seemingly nowhere, fighting with short-range muskets, crossbows, or even in hand to hand combat. Their favoured method of air travel is by glider or elaborate clockwork ornithopter. Many devices in the military operate by clockwork, as steam-technology could give the position of the shadow-hidden warriors away. Much of these devices are amazingly handcrafted, works of art as well as weapons of war. A unique military section is the Warriors of the Anticipated Dawn. These are people who embrace the old warrior ways of direct combat, using katana. They are viewed as insane by their pragmatic compatriots, but are not denied their final glory. Often, their last frenzied charge is used as a distraction, while their shadow brothers prepare for the final strike.
Inspiration – Feudal and Industrial Japan, Ninjas, Samurai, Inventions of da Vinci,
Smiljan-Lika
The wooded hills of Smiljan-Lika are the birthplace of electricity and the stronghold of scientists who wield almost godlike powers. To the east are their hated enemy, the Eckhart Barony. To the south, across the Ciren river lie the Colonies. To the south-west, across the Ciren tributary, the Nokken, lies the colony of Albionoria. To the west are the High Mountains – beyond is the Frontier, land controlled by the Confederation. To the north is the Kogai Empire, sealed off by the Kogai Wall. To the north-west, across mountains is the small nation of Markland.
The capital of Smiljan-Lika is the metropolis of Strujagrad. The leader of the nation is the Chief Partisan, who leads whichever of the many parties are in power at that time.
The military of Smiljan-Lika reflects the technology being developed within the nation. The basic troops are Partisans, the working class. These are the men who work for the higher class of scientists. They fight with basic rifles from a distance. While stout and hardy, they are not the most professional of soldiers. The true face of the military is the Grom Brigades. These are the trained soldiers that wield the deadly arc-weapons. These “guns” can create an electrical stream, which can be sprayed over an area, destroying all in its path. While this weapon is impressive, it is hindered by limited range. The most prized part of the military are the scientists’ own creations – the fearsome “automatons”. Men of metal, standing taller than any real person, the steel warriors have simply logic functions built in to them, enough to lead them to the enemy, where the crush the foe with their mighty fists. There are many varieties of automaton, each filling a special role in the armed forces.
Inspirations – Eastern/South Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia), Robots, Mad Scientists, Nikolas Tesla
The Eckhart Barony
The black forests of the Barony are home to proud and powerful aristocrats and the strange, unhallowed creatures that their alchemists have created. The Barony lies to the east of their rival nation, Smiljan-Lika. To their north is the Kogai Empire, separated by the Kogai Wall. To the south, across the Ciren river lies the Colonies. To the east is the Ocean, the island of Coever lying to the south-east.
The Capital of the Barony is Rilleburg. Their leader is a Baron or Baroness, a hereditary position – however most decisions are made with the help of a Parliament.
The mainstay of the Barony military is unique in its inhumanity. The Baronies alchemists have created a way for the Barony to minimize casualties, an important fact due to the lower population. Their macabre project is literally the “Walking Dead”. Using resurrected or fabricated corpses, the alchemists have created a force that requires no sleep or food and that feels no pain. When these soldiers “die”, they can be reconstructed if their parts are recovered after the battle. While defiantly the worst individual soldiers, they can bog down enemy armies or even crush them under their weight. The main living part of the army is the Black Riders, the Barony being one of the few nations to retain the use of horses in the military. These riders, made up of the citizenry, will fire pistols from horseback, or dismount to use their rifles. The aristocracy of the Barony, larger than any other nation’s, often use various alchemical or genetic means to improve their strength and fighting capability. Known to their foes as “Vampires”, these proud nobles often engage their foe in close combat, eliminating the valuable portions of their enemy’s army. They may come into battle with their “pets”, whatever patchwork creatures their household’s alchemist was able to animate. The alchemists themselves often take to the field of battle, operating the siege-weaponry and devices of the Barony.
Inspirations – Germany, Austria, Prussia, their aristocracies, Zombies, Vampires, Frankenstein, alchemists,
Other, Smaller, Nations of Importance
Coever- An island nation, Coever can be found of the east coasts of the Barony and the Colonies and off the north coast of the Confederation. A neutral nation, its citizens make their living as tinkerers, engineers and most importantly merchants. The main city is also referred to as Coever and is a place of freethinkers, where tinkerers and artists work on their wares. They are lead by their Prime Minister.
Inspirations – Holland, Italy and their cities, other parts of Europe
Lagua – A wild, undeveloped island nation, Lagua is west of the Markland, north west of the Frontier, east of Kogai, north-east of Coever and north of the Confederation. The Laguan people live off the land, making their houses and canoes from the cedar-pines on their islands. Their Raven-Chief is their leader, maintaining his proud people, who are not afraid to show their skills as warriors to any who would invade their land. They have a firm alliance with the Marklanders.
Inspirations – Tribes of the Pacific Northwest, particularly the Haida and Nootka
Markland – A small crescent shaped kingdom, hemmed in by the curving Aesir Mountains and the sea to their west. Over the mountains to the east is Kogai, to the south-east Smiljan-Lika and to the south, the Frontier. Across the sea to the west are their allies, the Laguan people. They are a proud, warrior culture, and believe death in battle means honour. Their long ships are simple, but are among the best seafaring craft. Their elected Raven-King presides over them.
Inspirations – Vikings, Norse mythology
