Weyr
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| Flag of Weyr | |
| Motto: Leave us alone or else . . . | |
| No Map Available Yet | |
| Region | Ros Na Riogh |
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| Capital | Wye, City of |
| Official Language(s) | High Weyrik, Common Weyrik, Anglorat, Sindarin, Russian, Japanese |
| Leader | Alicia li'Wye |
| Population | 1.502 Billion |
| Currency | The Weyr |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Introduction
The Kingdom of Weyr is a massive nation located on the fringe of the galaxy, and on Terra. It consists of six prefectures: Wye, Starhavven, Paradigm, Paradox, Marchese, and Ashkeloh. An anarchistic society, Weyr pays strong attention to self-determination. It also attracts every rogue, pirate, and renegate in the multiverse. Over the past hundred years, the Kingdom has become a significant, if not major player on the international scene.
History
Unified Protectorate Period
The early history of Weyr is highly disputed, filled with numerous differing accounts. The more accepted source for Weyrean history prior to the Imperial Kingdom era is the Book of Shadows, which is believed to be a copy of the original possibility source that was able to 'predict' the future.
The Unified Protectorates were created by the Archduke Valens li'Cloudhavven, and attempted to unify the Weyrean people under a single body of leadership. Whether or not he could have succeeded remains up for debate, since Valens died before any nobles or burghers could respond. Contonued disputes over border rights continued to plague the Kingdom for three centuries.
The Grand Kingdom of Weyr
By 1560BL, Cloudhavven had become the dominant power on the Weyrean landmass, and was rapidly encroaching on its weaker neighbors. The consortship of Elrick li'Cloudhavven and Ellena li'Aergo allowed Elrick to consolidate his hold on the lands east of the River Wye, with numerous footholds on the east bank. The east bank produced its own power -- the Westgard Alliance, headed by Landarch Magistra -- to counter Couldhavven. Of special interest is Elrick's self-proclaimed title of High King of Weyr, which may have been seen as a sign of despotism. Since the vast majority of Weyrean royals were capable of taking up the Staff of Kings, there was little apparent basis for such a claim.
Surviving records of the Thirty Years' War are the first examples of thaumaturgic warfare, and are considered the main reasons for why thaumaturgs were never employed en masse by any Weyrean monarchs afterward. Although the stone rain over Tripoint and the repatterning of Westgard are the best-known examples of that period, references show that massive devastation of civilian zones was common, if not accepted, at the time.
The Thirty Years' war culminated in the complete desertification of Westgard, and the permanent shift in weather patterns over the Weyrean landmass. At the urging of Ellena, Elrick established The Tower at Wye to serve as a center for thaumaturgic studies and as a deterrent to further full scale thaumaturgic warfare.
Unstable Peace
The millenia following Elrick the Great ended with the ascension of High King Alphonse to the Staff in 641AL. The High Kings were in apparent decline by that time, but the extent of the High King's weakness had not become apparent until Alphonse openly redrew the Contract under which the Kingdom operated to better suit the regional nobles and burghers. A general uprising in 1627 prompted Alphonse and the Council of Twelve to revise the COntract a second time to form the High Council, which became Weyr's first national body.
Times of Trouble
By 160BL, both the High King and the High Council were mere figureheads, with the real power now firmly in the hands of the regional governments and the emerging corporations. The High King Roman died without a direct heir. Three weak High Kings, each with more and more distant links to the main Royal bloodline, saw Weyr fall into anarchy. The Kingdom's armed forces fell into disrepair.
The Guilded Age
Theorems and Wars
The publication of Josiah Willard Leigh' General Theory of Magicka in 0AL revolutionized Weyrean society overnight. No longer dependent on foreign technology and energy, Weyr returned to its thaumaturgic roots, and soon outstripped its neighbors in many economic fields. Although numerous military technologies were coming onto the market at the time, the Weyrean military remained under equipped and understaffed.
The High King Alicia li'Wye came to power in 11AL. Two years later, the Armed Republic of Gramal threatened the Kingdom of Weyr with invasion over a misunderstanding of Weyrean foreign policy. A hasty alliance between Weyr, Akita-Ryuvius, Beta Aurigae IV, and San Texario resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Wye, which allowed Gramal a military facility on Weyrean soil and led to limited disarmament on both sides. Allied forces were withdrawn from the Gramal-Weyr border over the following two years.
The BattleSpire project was completed in 44AL. By 54AL, Weyr possessed numerous, semi-independent colonies throughout the multiverse. The Paradigm Prefecture was formally chartered in 58AL. By 61Al, Paradigm was Weyr's premier manufacturing and mining center.
Boiling Point
The prosperity of the preceding half-century alienated many people. Religious and social opposition to the rapid advancement increased every year. By 64AL, the Priesthood of Krim was leading a vocal coalition against the Kingdom of Weyr, the Tower, and the influx of immigrants.
The release of IG gas over the city of Southport in 65AL killed twenty million persons. The surprise attack was later linked to the Patriarch of Krim. The ensuing fighting between the High Guard, surviving Southport residents, and rebels, cost three million lives in a period of two weeks. Akita-Ryuvius, Beta Aurigae IV, San Texario, and Uchido all deployed forces into the area around Southport, and played a significant role in the fighting. Using extraordinary powers Field Marshall Elton Gran deployed the Alchemists into Southport. The resulting energies leveled the parts of the city not already destroyed by aerial bombardment. The terminal Flux-Torque distortions in realSpace made the area uninhabitable. Four trillion Weyrs were expended to construct a thaumaturgic barrier around Southport and prevent the spread of Flux distortions. Nonetheless, Flux storms have been known to terrorize the populace surrounding Southport.
To the Stars
Three months following the Fifth Civil War, Starchild III performed the first successful Translation jump. Within thirty years, Weyrean corporations had constructed private interstellar fleets. Rapid improvements in Translation drives allowed for nearly instant travel between any two points in the multiverse. In 68AL, the coordinates of the Paradigm system were formally revealed. By 76AL, Starhavven Station, based at Paradigm, was fully functional.
The Imperial First Distributed Kingdom
Weyr was not a major participant in the Sith Wars, and was ultimately absorbed into the Galactic Empire after two short and insignificant battles. Admiral Masato Igarashii Storm's attack on the Imperial Death Star fleet at Vortex resulted in the destruction of Weyr's Ocean Fleet. The exact reasons for the attack remain unknown.
The Death Star and the combined Imperial fleet entered the Paradigm System on 91AL, two days after the Vortex debacle. During the following battle, half of the Kingdom of Weyr nullified the Contract. Thirty minutes after accepting the Empire's surrender terms, the High Council dissolved the Kingdom of Weyr.
On the night of the surrender, the Council Hall of Paradigm City went up in flames when the Source engine at its base, which supplied over a hundred million persons with Feed links and energy, exploded. Close to fifty million persons lost all energy and Feed links for two days, while Seed machines were installed to restore the Feed capacity.
During the following days, the Empire deployed two million soldiers into major Weyrean population centers, and chose an Imperial Governor. While the Imperial Governor in theory had the right to rule by decree, the reality forced him to delegate much of his power to the renewed High Council and Regent.
A reContract conference was initiated by the New Paradigm phyle two years after the surrender. With the High King Alicia li'Wye missing, and with no established heir available, Victoria li'Paradigm was established as a temporary ruler, or Regent. Much of the original COntract was recycled into the reContract, which continues to function while the HIgh King is away. The exact location of High King Alicia remains unknown.
-- To be RP-ed --
sunJammer Wars
To be RP-ed
At the Edge of Night
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Foreign Involvements
The Lightning Star
The Kingdom of Weyr deployed into the Empire of the Lightning Star during that nation's first civil war. The Weyrean mission was primarily humanitarian, although both the Skyfleet and the High Guard participated in active combat. Weyr spent most of its time rebuilding the Lightning Star's capital city of Norvington, and ferrying refugees to neighboring nations.
Since large portions of the Weyrean Skyfleet lacked even the most rudimentary armor or weapons, Weyrean success in the area depended on luck and show more than on force.
Akaton
Weyr deployed into Akaton shortly after the Weyrean Civil War, in order to halt the release of demons initiated by Akatani thaumaturgs during an experiment. With assistance from the Resurgent Dream and Weyrean thaumaturgs, the Akatani sealed the realSpace rifts and destroyed or removed the remaining demons.
Sith Wars
The rise of the Sith is thought to have caused a warping in the multiverse' thaumaturgic network. Growing alarm within The Tower, and rumored pressure from the Starfishers, pushed the High King Alicia li'Wye to mobilize the Ocean Fleet against the Sith. Weyr was a minor player in the Sith Wars, acting on the side of the Coreworldians, and later the Rebels, none of whom were apparently interested in Weyrean assistance. Weyrean siding with the Rebellion ended with the destruction of the Weyrean Ocean Fleet at Vortex, and the subsequent appearance of the Death Star at Paradigm. The Kingdom was dissolved after a twelve-hour battle, although the territories of the former Kingdom continued to act as a cohesive geopolitical entity.
Government
The Contract
The contract is Weyr's equivalent to a constitution.
- Article 0
- Society is based on trust.
- Trust depends on a common set of morals.
- A government that can't adapt to its society's morals will collapse.
- Article 1
- The government must protect its people from external threats.
- The government must guarantee basic socio-economic status.
- The government may not restrict the ability of people to make choices.
- Article 2
- The people guarantee to support the government, and to allow it the rights of taxation, in return for the statements of Article 1.
- The people agree to follow the laws set by the government, provided that those laws are enacted by the people or representatives of the people.
- Article 3
- Failure by the government to comply with Article 1 is grounds for nullification of this contract.
- Failure by the people to comply with Article 2 is grounds for nullification of this contract.
The High King
During peacetime, the High King has very little real power. He, or she, acts as an ambassador to other nations, oversees government departments, and can propose laws to the High Council. The High Council can vote to give the High King emergency powers, but those powers are still less than those wielded by the High Council.
The High King spends most of her time keeping the Kingdom of Weyr from splitting along the seams. She irons out disagreements between local governments, and between various phyles and the central government. In a few cases, she has argued against High Council acts.
The recognition of the High King as a relatively unbiased arbitrator is the source of much of her power. Although many High Kings have been part of clans and phyles, very few have maintained their standing in those organizations once takign up the Staff.
The High Council
The High Council is Weyr's legislative body. Laws and regulations are normally proposed in response to particular issues brought before the High Council. In addition, the High Council decides on the legality of Phyle, Corporate, and Urban Council actions, although this task has been shunted to the High Court in recent times.
Councilors are elected every four years by a popular vote. There are three thousand eight hundred and four seats. Each of the nine hundred Urban Cores receives a number of seats dependent on their population. Representatives from Wye City and Paradigm Urban Cores hold over half of all seats. The High Council meets in Council Hall, a massive spire on the highest tier of Wye City.
Judiciary
The Weyrean judicial system has long ago abandoned moralization and religion as ways of determining sentences. All sentences given are monetary in nature. If the defendant is unable to pay his court sentence, he is forced to work his fine off at a government establishment.
If the crime is committed in a phyle, that phyle's judiciary is permitted to try the defendant, issue the sentence, and carry it out. Phyles are not permitted to issue death penalties, although it is a public secret that such punishments are distributed in some parts of Weyr. The death
Judges are elected into office by popular vote in much of Weyr, but phyles are permitted to alter the requirements for holding office.
The three crimes that exist in all of Weyr are murder, theft, and malicious manipulation. Phyles and Urban Cores may add further crimes. Enforcement of phyle laws across phyle boundaries depends on intra-phyle treaties. Signatories of the International Economic Act (IEA) enforce a common set of laws. The Kingdom of Weyr does not enforce phyle or IEA laws.
Society
Yesterday I saw a fat old man riding through Sakura Boulevard at noon on top of a Mark VI hovertank, naked. There have always been questions of how far free will can be permitted before it comes around full circle and reverts into despotism. I think we have answered that question. --Alicia, to Ash
Weyrean society is not a monolithic structure, just as Weyr itself is not a single organized unit that can be fitted into one neat category. Few nations truly fit a single mold. The following section attempts to give a brief overview of some aspects of Weyrean society, without going into the details.
Social Conventions
Nomenclature
Formal Weyrean names have five parts -- the given name, the patronym, the matronym, the clan/family name, and the origin. In casual conversation only the given name is used. Most official forms require only the given and family names, and a large number of Weyreans cannot produce more than those two portions of their full names.
Phyles
Phyles are small, independent states within the greater Weyrean sphere. They have their own laws, their own agendas, and their own territories. A phyle may cross worlds and nations and contain millions of members, or may be as small as four college students sharing a dorm room. Established phyles control large territories, are signatories to the CEP, and have many assets and members. Synthetic phyles are non-signatories to the CEP, control few recognized
The Weyrean government does not enforce Phyle laws. The established phyles have formed the Common Economic Pact (CEP) to deal with cross-phyle enforcement. Signatories of the CEP are granted limited extraterritoriality, and come tiogether tio set economic protocols and discuss important events. Signatories of the CEP have been the first to place restrictions on corporate actions, and are now replacing corporates as the major players on the Weyrean scene.
Corporations
Corporate Weyr ranges in temperament from Wye City's brutal coups to Paradigm City's negotiated transfers of power. Powerful corporations influence High Council and Urban Council decisions. Corporations are often linked to a single phyle, although large and old corporations such as Integrated Auto and Emulated Magicka can be considered independent pseudo-phyles in their own right.
Corporate militaries have faded away during the recent decades. Corporations do maintain well-armed and highly trained security forces, but have generally removed their offensive capabilities. UNlike the corporate warfare of a century ago, corporations rarely openly fight one another.
The largest corporate association in Weyr is the Group of Twelve (G-12), which contains Weyr's largest corporations and companies. Three members of the G-12 are not incorporated. The G-12 dominates the Weyrean corporate scene due to its giant resource base. Many Weyrean innovations, however, have been produced by smaller companies and later sold or contracted to G-12 members. Despite predictions that the G-12 will stagnate and collapse, the Weyrean corporate scene is still very much alive.
Clans
Clans are a mainstay of Weyrean society. They are associations of people who band together for protection and for profit. Clans often have their own military organizations, emergency services, public shelters, markets, and governments. Powerful, established clans pursue relatively legal enterprises. Smaller clans involve themselves in racketeering and money laundering.
Clans should not be confused with phyles. Phyles are legal, semi-independent governments. Clans are fully under the jurisdiction and control of the Kingdom of Weyr. While (chartered) phyles are fully legal, most clans are not.
People of Note
- High King Alicia li'Wye
- Regent Victoria li'Paradigm
- Consul-General Josiah Willard Gibbs
- Leiutenant-Admiral Hiro Storm
- Fleet Admiral Roy Hawksblood
