jape
Guardsman
How do you do.
Posts: 76
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Post by jape on Oct 18, 2011 22:52:32 GMT -5
This will be my thread for the 119th Ustvani Dragoons and their home planet. First will just be basic overviews but hopefully I'll expand to give the planet some real depth.
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jape
Guardsman
How do you do.
Posts: 76
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Post by jape on Oct 18, 2011 23:11:29 GMT -5
Ustvani Primus
Name: Ustvani Primus
Segmentum: Ultima Segementum
Sector: Morav
Subsector: Morav
System: Ustvanya
Population: 2,900,000,000
Affiliation: Imperium
Classification: Civilised World
Tithe: Exactis Particular
 Vidi-Pict: Ziggurat, Vedor City c.968.M41
Ustvani Primus is a small civilised world in the heart of the Ultima Segmentum, originally colonised sometime in the 35th millennium. Roughly it is divided between a northern continent, mostly urban but also with many mines, and a larger southern continent known for its farmlands and forests. Its capital city, primary spaceport and economic centre is Vedor, a vast sub-hive city with a population of 980,000,000, a third of the planet people residing in its walls.
Vedor is home to the Ziggurat - a giant spire that houses the government and administration of Ustvani Primus, known as the Directorate of Information. Inside its warrens (above and under ground) over 20,000,000 bureaucrats work, dealing with everything from the Imperial tithe to cattle licenses. The Directorate is so large it has its own transport system, police force, and sleeping quarters. At its highest peak the Director, a position for life appointed through a convoluted system of patronage and examination, acts as Imperial Governor. In its lowest catacombs however, resides the Information Retrieval Unit (or Retrievers), who act as Ustvani Primus’ secret police.
Although centralised in Vedor, almost every settlement on the planet has a Directorate office. Even in the smallest rural hamlet, regular Retriever visits ensure licenses are in check, while local ‘tube stations’, pneumatic delivery systems, allow documents and official complaints to be sent directly to the Ziggurat at high speed. Despite this, Ustvani bureaucracy is infamously slow even by Imperial standards, while efforts to reform the system via the gargantuan Structure Commission only adds to the chaos with constant, often contradictory ‘improvements’. Notably the Structure Commission is considered one of the highest offices of a Directorate employee and an innovative efficiency scheme has been the first step in the career of many a would-be Director. The ‘Rule of License’ overshadows everything on Ustvani Primus, and anyone found operating illegally in anything from arms manufacture to preaching to fishing is dealt with in the harshest terms. This is not helped by a truly arcane systems of laws, administrative, commercial and religious constantly being rewritten and intertwined. Misunderstanding or common mistake is inevitable but the Directorate nonetheless rules with an iron fist. The horrors of democracy and the religious wars make leniency and compromise foreign concepts to the Ziggurat.
Ustvani Primus’ peculiar system of government came about during the Plague of Unbelief. The pro-Vandire monarchy had been subject to a Thorian rebellion which had been eventually crushed after great loss of life. Isolated from the centre of Imperial politics, the planet was subject to centuries of religious conflict, and Ustvani Primus proved a stronghold of heretical beliefs. Finally, in 836.M36 with the approach of an Imperial crusade to cleanse the Morav Sector, the previously loyal aristocracy took up the cause of Sebastian Thor and overthrew Grand Prince Miklos XII. Against their intentions, the coup unleashed popular grievances repressed centuries. Eventually due to mass mutiny by the planetary defence forces, a radical democracy was installed. Within a decade a new civil war seemed immanent, as regional and class based rivalries span out of control, paralysing the government. Marshal Wenceslas launched a second coup d’etat to avoid anarchy and abolished the Planetary Diet. A purely military man, Wenceslas soon handed government over to the only stable institution remaining, the central bureaucracy. It is from here after Terran recognition in 868.M36 the Directorate slowly took control of the police, judiciary, military, other state organs and even the Ecclesiarchy. The planetary Pontifex holds the position of Commissioner of Ministorum Affairs, and the clergy form a large part of the Ziggurat establishment, allowing them major political, as well as economic, influence.
A notable feature of Ustvani Primus is its native xenos population, the mysterious Loky. For millennia they were considered a hysterical myth by Imperial scholars. Found in swamps and forests, they were said to blend in with their surroundings and haunt lone humans in the night, driving them mad. It wasn’t until 088.M37 that a verifiable specimen was retrieved, proving the existence of an intelligent chameleonic species on the planet. Little is known of them, and all major efforts to purge the planet have ultimately met with failure due to the Loky’s covert nature. Certain disturbing archaeological sites in the southern forests and eastern islands predate humanity on the planet, drawing obvious speculation. Worryingly what is known from rare autopsy is that the creatures posses latent psykic abilities, suggesting rumoured haunting are in fact ‘feedings’, using human emotional stress to replenish themselves. Also, efforts to mine deep oceanic vents in the 40th millennium met with constant failure due to the destruction of undersea colonies through uncertain circumstances. Combined with (unverified) claims by submersible crews of strange creatures seen in the deepest reaches, some suggest the marsh dwelling Loky are but the outriders of a vast aquatic civilisation, hidden deep within the seas of Ustvani Primus. Such theories are widely doubted, while legends regarding interbred hybrid cults are deemed treasonous against the ideals of Homo Imperialis.
 Child of Loky by Davan Kafka, 778.M40 [expunged: Hereticus Omega] [/center] |
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Post by tobacco on Oct 28, 2011 1:51:36 GMT -5
Wow, based on your commentary in other fluff threads, I knew your eventual submissions to our universe would be great. I really love how you make everything seem concise while still providing a colorful wealth of detail. Have you read the "How to Create an IA" thing on Bolter & Chainsword? Very similar style. I think I might edit my Sapokaniqa fluff so it is more tapered to the style.
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Post by Rolling Thunder on Oct 28, 2011 2:03:06 GMT -5
This is awesome.
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Post by Adam Selene on Oct 28, 2011 2:19:12 GMT -5
Bloody amazing! Have you read the "How to Create an IA" thing on Bolter & Chainsword? No, but just the mention of AI has peaked my attention please do post a link. And Jape, please do post more fluff. |
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Post by Shostak(AWOL) on Oct 28, 2011 15:34:17 GMT -5
Excellent Fluff my good sir.
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Post by tobacco on Oct 29, 2011 1:07:13 GMT -5
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jape
Guardsman
How do you do.
Posts: 76
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Post by jape on Nov 6, 2011 16:43:22 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments guys, I'm glad your enjoying. I have to admit tobacco, I wasn't aware of the B&C thread but having read threw it it does have some smart tips for background writing, thanks for giving the link.
I was meant to follow up the overview rather quickly but work has been a bear lately. I hopefully be posting more soon. Thanks again.
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