Post by studentloandebt on Sept 3, 2019 14:57:55 GMT
Major -Anomalous Studies, focus on Cryptobiology and sacrificing a minor to also focus on Esoteric Studies -Agriculture, focus on Geoponics -Computing, focus on networking -Energy, focus on clean natural energy -Resource Extraction, focus on recycling -Health, focus on Augmentation -Enchantment, focus on Talismans -Meta Tuning, focus on Nature Tuning -Transport, focus on rail -Military Science, focus on Naval/Air
Minor -Electronics -Illusion, focus on charm -Civil Engineering, focus on aquatic engineering -Aerospace, focus on orbital stations
Post by studentloandebt on Sept 14, 2019 6:54:45 GMT
Movement and Fighting
SLD is an island nation. In order to properly defend from outside forces as well as to travel on and off the island, SLD has a large focus on naval and air transport and defense (Naval/Air Military science). As for traveling on the island, main way of traveling long distance is by rail between cities. Only some of the population own automobiles, and the vast majority of them are used in rural communities where rails are not as convenient to have nor readily available as urban areas (Rail Transportation).
Technology
Being largely urban, the Debtian people have high investment in computing and electronics (Network Computing and Electronics). This can create quite a culture shock between urban and rural civilians, where the urban areas are high tech and the rural areas are very nature based. With the increasing levels of electrical tech as well as A.I. citizens, Augmentation has become a popular thing among the rich in SLD who recreationally augment while middle class citizens only augment for serious health needs and while pooer citizens cannot afford this. The high income inequality in SLD has resulted in a disdain for this practice of recreational augmentation among some poorer communities and has seen an increase in Neo-Luddism as result.
Tech is not just limited to the cities, however. Elcor, the wealthiest state in the SLD confederacy, has their own space program where they contribute to the International Space Station (Aerospace Orbital Stations).
Nature and Environmentalism
Debtians have a very strong appreciation for it's environment and the land they live on. After major land development by Debtian farmers and miners caused the Two Year Vernalis* event in the 1940s, Debtians began taking environmentalism serious. Coal and gas began quickly being replaced with hydropower and eventually use of wind and solar (Clean Natural Energy), more sustainable means of collecting water, it's drainage, and the preservation of wet lands were in use (Aquatic Engineering and Geoponics). The largest industry in SLD, logging, was soon entirely replaced with forestry (Resource Extraction), which still remains a large industry in the country. Recycling is a very common thing in Debtian life. Vast majority of citizens recycle most of their waste and there are more recycle trucks than garbage trucks in SLD (Recycling). Around 92% of Debtians live in cities, largely a result of moving away from the countryside and reducing suburban sprawl. However, many were forced to the cities due to the Two Year Vernalis, resulting in most cities having large slums of poorer citizens who cannot afford housing prices. The large pull back on development and focus on environmentalism has also severely reduced the home Debtian economy beyond lumber exports and has resulted in SLD relying mainly on trade with other countries to gain resources.
Being far away from the main land, Debtian flora and fauna are quite unique to the land, many of which may seem cryptic to many. We host a wide range of mysterious organisms that are not found elsewhere. It is no surprise that Dr. Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoyo de la Rosario Ramirez, the world's leading cryptozoologist, is a Debtian (Cryptobiology).
Otters and Magic
One subfamily of creatures who have gone on to become equal citizens in SLD by showing their sapience is the Debtian Otter Family. Largely living in their own communities in rural areas, they have close ties to nature and are major voices in Debtian environmentalism. Also having close ties to nature, they are also the largest group of esoterics in SLD (Esoteric Studies). A major use of magic among them is Charm Illusion, which has captured the world's attention of how oh so cute they are, yes they are, bringing in millions of Labor Credits a year. Debtian Otters have very unique engineering through a combination of modern engineering techniques as well as mass integration of flora into their architecture and engineering (Aquatic Engineering and Nature Tuning ). Their close ties with nature also allow them to have a large source of bones available to them, which are the main material used in Debtian talismans. However, most talismans are used by Otters and other sapients do not have as easy access nor knowledge of their craft to Debtian bone talismans (Talismans ). Magic is not limited to Otters, though Otters make up the largest group of magic users. Among other sapients, magic is mainly popular on the south side of the island, where many covens form.
*Two Year Vernalis
Resource extraction was dramatically increasing in SLD. Many forests and wetlands were being cleared for farms and timber. Forests were shrinking more and more each year. Mountains were being blown up every day by miners. Pollution was rising. Eventually, nature had enough. Mass reforestation began to occur independent of human action. Wild animals began attacking human settlements. Dams began to break, mines were collapsing and killing many miners. This period mass nature regrowth results in thousands being displaced, many injured, many dead, famines from farmlands being taken over, and caused mass fear among the populace. A mass effort was undertaken to appease nature and to have SLD greatly increase it's environmentalism.
Post by BalkvlaSerene on Sept 20, 2019 20:44:52 GMT
MAJOR SKILLS 1. Aerospace - Orbital Stations 2. Computing - Networking 3. Energy - Clean Natural Energy 4. Industrial Tech - Sustainable Production Methods 5. Transport - Naval Transport
MINOR SKILLS 1. Design - Artistic Aesthetics 2. Civil Engineering - Eco Scaping 3. Military Science - Naval/Air
Post by The Northern Cresent on Nov 14, 2019 22:05:40 GMT
**Majors:** Aerospace --> Astro-habitation && Orbital Stations Computing --> Quantum Computing Energy --> Nuclear Energy (Fusion being developed) Resource Extraction --> Astro Mining Transport --> Astro Transport Genetic Engineering --> Genome Editing Meta Tuning: Not a focus, but scientific experimentation of metathreads Design --> Artistic Aesthetics Geoengineering --> Localised Terraforming Health --> Augmentation (with Genome Editing)
The Syndicates have always had an expansive aerospace industry, even before the revolution. An extraplanetary colony of significant size joined in the Last Strike and has been an important part of the Syndicates ever since. In large part because of this station the Syndicates maintain a strong space program.
Agriculture – Focus: Permaculture
The agricultural industry is and has always been a massive part of the Syndicates, and agricultural laborers played a key role in the Last Strike. While non-geoponic agriculture has always been a component of the Syndicates, before the revolution over a quarter of all food was imported. This was despite their corporate owners’ claims of autarky.
After independence was attained, the agricultural industry underwent mass reforms, structuring it into large-scale, worker-owned syndicates which by and large went on to prioritize sustainable and efficient food production above all, given their tenuous geopolitical situation. Now, the Syndicates have biodomes that sprawl for miles across the land. Many are dedicated entirely to food production, enough to feed the populace and generate a small surplus for preservation and trade.
Architecture – Focus: Psychogeography
Urban planning has undergone something of a renaissance since the Last Strike. Now, around a quarter of a century since the event, the original purpose of most city districts has all but evaporated. Commercial spaces have become vibrant centers of community, old billboards are used as murals for art or trellises for vining plants; megamalls have become thriving community housing centers. New districts are designed first and foremost with their effects on the community in mind, and the process of expansion and change is a democratic one. These expansions and changes, however, very often lean towards the psychogeographic – creating cities and living places as ever-shifting places of wonder. The distinct lack of graffiti laws and particularly lax approach towards ownership of property present throughout the Syndicates means that cities naturally evolve and change over time, for better or worse!
Computing - Focus: DNA Computing
After the Last Strike, many computers used for cryptocurrency mining, business, and the like were repurposed with the intent of further automating industrial robotics. These advances allow Syndicate computers to perform more complex tasks efficiently and adapt better to changing situations. Though popular, computer science is relatively limited in scope, given that much of the focus beyond robotics applications lies in recreational software development.
Health – Generalist
There is an expansive medical tradition throughout the United Syndicates of Sol, and the development and proliferation of medical technology and science has long been a priority of the limited central government. Despite this focus, Syndicate medical science remains quite generalized. This is in large part due to the culture of Syndicalist medicine, which tends strongly towards a sort of rational pragmatism. Offshoot research into esoteric medical fields generates little interest, while development into improving existing technology and theory is prioritized. This makes for particularly excellent emergency responders and allows Syndicalist medics to thrive even with limited technology and supplies. But as a result of the Syndicate’s lack of specialization, more esoteric theories of medicine are unlikely to gain much traction.
Robotics – Focus: Industrial Robotics
Robotics and automation plays an important role in Syndicalist society. Due to the voluntary nature of labor, participation in many menial jobs could be more difficult to maintain than in a system based off of wage labor. Most of these jobs, ranging from agricultural labor to industrial production, or even food service, are instead performed by machines. This birth of this technology can be traced to just before the Last Strike: the product of a corporate R&D team. It was intended to be deployed with little fanfare and mass layoffs, but this information was leaked. This leak led to mass riots and organizing that in turn helped lead to the success of the historic Last Strike. Ever since, formerly corporate robotics have been refined and repurposed; utilized more to improve quality of life more than to improve production.
Industrial Tech – Focus: Astro Fabrication
Aerospace remains a popular field of study throughout the Syndicates, and in large part due to this, a thriving Astro Fabrication industry has developed, allowing for massive ships, stations, and more to be constructed within orbit. At first, this was done largely via docking and berthing strategies to create semi-permanent structures, but the technology has since been refined to allow for even more permanent solutions.
Civil Engineering – Focus: Ecoscaping
The massive arcologies that make up the bulk of the United Syndicates’ population centers are a feat of civil engineering and sustainability the likes of which had scarcely been seen before. Intensive strategies are used to devise these structures, and the creation of another takes great time and resources, but once created, these arcologies require minimal maintenance, with sustainable principles center to their design. Water recycling, low-energy temperature regulation, and extensive recycling programs are just some of the elements of a USS arcology.
The study of biology is popular throughout the Syndicates, leading to fairly extensive understanding of genetics, and genetic principles are used widely in research, medical, and agricultural applications.
Anomalous Studies – Generalist
We are the Eyes of the Thrice-Slain Doe. We are the Bulwark against that which lay forgotten, and We are the Hammer with which all chains shall be unmade. We watch over these Syndicates, for they, too, walk Her path, though they have yet to see with Her eyes.
Minors
Materials Science - Biomaterials
description tbd
Electronics - Focus: Organic Electronics
In the wake of the Last Strike, thousands of electronic devices used expressly for citizen surveillance, advertising, or business were left useless – Or so it seemed. Many of these tools could, and would, be retooled for a variety of applications. The surplus of electronics is maintained to this day, making it an ideal environment for aspiring electrical engineers and hobbyists.
Energy – Focus: Clean Natural Energy
Though some areas in the Syndicates utilize nuclear fission for energy, connecting these power grids has thus far proven impractical. As such, the majority of the Syndicates utilize various forms of renewable energy for power. There is significant geothermal activity scattered throughout the polar deserts of the Syndicates, especially on the island to the north, and thus geothermal plants make up a significant portion of this power. Solar, wind, and wave energy are also widely utilized. In particular, numerous hybrid wave-wind generators are present along USS coastlines.
Surveillance
Since the very inception of the Last Strike, subterfuge, infiltration, and intrigue have been the lifeline of the Syndicates. Extensive informant circles and spy rings made the revolution possible, and even afterward these circles have been maintained. They’re an open secret, however, and do not spy on Syndicalist citizens – Instead, the Syndicates focus their surveillance potential on other nations, utilizing spies, computer viruses, and other tools of intrigue to gain intelligence on threatening nations. This potential, however, is more limited than that of a nation which truly embraces surveillance and authoritarianism - The decentralized nature of these spy rings makes communication somewhat inefficient.
Supplements
Engineering It is not easy to maintain massive, miles-wide arcologies. Engineers have always been necessary to keep them running properly before and after the revolution. Feats of engineering once thought impossible are daily life in the Syndicates.
Sustainability Sustainability isn’t a simple matter of treating the earth nicely in the Syndicates. It’s a matter of survival. In the inhospitable far north it is unwise to rely too much on trade to survive. While not quite practicing autarky, the Syndicates are perfectly capable of sustaining themselves indefinitely, if not at the highest standard of living. This sustainability is not considered “green” or something to aspire to, but a simple fact of life.
Chemistry Chemistry, like many other natural sciences, is a vibrant field of study. While both organic and inorganic chemistry are commonly studied, the former tends to get more attention with the nation’s focus on agriculture, health, and genetics. By extension, biochemistry is also a frequent topic of study.
Majors: - Aerospace (with Astro-Habitation and Deep Space Exploration as foci) - Design (with focus Durability) - Agriculture (with Non-Geoponic Agriculture as the focus) - Architecture - Computing (with Quantum Computing as the focus) - Energy (with Metaenergy as the focus) - Resource Extraction (with focus Astro Mining) - Health - Civil Engineering (with focus on Ecoscaping) - Meta Tuning (with focus on Mudra and Nature Tuning)
Janqing Caliphate of Qingling Being a very magic-heavy and relatively independent from the world in both culture and technology, Qinglingians are a very interesting people.
We will begin with supplements: - Qinglingians utilize a magical form of Communications on a daily basis. Attabzhou are fish-like creatures that "swim" through the desert sands of Qingling, and can be found everywhere, both in the wild, and in domestication. The skins of the attabzhou are removed and written on to send messages to the desired recipient, who would receive the messages when they next read an attabzhou skin. The more recent the skin of an attabzhou is removed, the faster the message is and the farther it travels. - Living in a desert with scarce resources, Sustainability is key to life in Qingling. - Hydrology plays a large role in effectively managing what little water Qinglingians have.
We have no minor skills, but instead a whole lotta focuses: - Qinglingian Durable Designs are necessary to withstand the harsh climates of the deserts. - The Caliphate has taken a very sustainable and eco-friendly Permaculture approach to Agriculture, and lives symbiotically with all flora and fauna in the desert. - Qinglingian fields of Alchemy and Enchanting are very advanced, making otherwise uncommon practices and items a norm, from magical Healing services in place of modern medicine or hospitals, Toxicologists and other potion-brewers producing elixirs that give Qinglingians an unprecedented mastery over their enviornment, to widespread use of magical Talismans and Armaments that are often passed down through families. - Qinglingians have natural resistance to Dry environments. - Some Qinglingians are known to undergo momentary Body Modification, especially when meeting with strangers or those they perceive as a threat. - Qinglingians have vast innate magical capabilities, referred to elsewhere as Meta Tuning, but known throughout Qingling as normal. Qinglingians are exemplary at Nature Tuning, and live in harmony with their fellow creatures. Psionics play a significant role in everyday life in Qingling. What is known throughout Xingal and most of the world as Mudra is known in the Caliphate as divine magic to be practiced only by Janqing followers. Janqing followers have an elevated sense of magic, as they devote their lives to study and develop their magical skills, and would be considered the equivalent of Mudra practitioners. - Qinglingians are often accomplished at the art of Illusion, as they often like to compete with each other in who can trick one another into falling for their magic. While often viewed as a harmless practice in Qingling, such a commonplace ability for Qinglingians to Charm, Pacify, Terrify, and Enrage others can shock other peoples.