Soteria

An Abridged History

Settled by a group of early colonists from Alpha Centauri, Aquila, it was once known, was a thing of deep, blue beauty. Its beauty, or whatever it was before their arrival, meant little to those who settled it though. Aquila, indeed, was settled just after the discovery of Ichor, and Aquila would be a lamb to test a theory about the substance' origin.

At least, that's the story told outside of Soteria, those from its dunes would tell a more favorable tale--one of discovery and advancement, though that is mostly a romanticization. The Boiling of Aquila is regarded as a heinous, economical by even the most impious of individuals, and perhaps it even was regarded as such by those that carried it out. After all, it the descendants of those that carried it out that gave the planet its new name in their native language: Soteria, literally meaning "Folly of the Divine".

And so, upon the scorched oceans of Aquila, the salt desert, Soteria, was born. The theory upon which it was burned was soon proven right, as, at least as how it's been told, in the early years of the new planet, the surface of salt-plains churned with Ichor, spraying out of long, tendril-like structures buried in the sands. After the settlers recounted their findings, they agreed upon a radical, but effective plan: they would cut off Soteria from the rest of interastral space for a time through closing the blinkgate and cutting off OMNInet access. In the time they had disconnected from the rest of the universe, they would divide the planet among themselves, develop settlements and a system of governance, and ideally return to the interastral community with the wealth of Ichor under the planet all under their ownership. Through that agreement, the Seven Families and Seven Cities were born, soon enough to stake their claim upon the stands.

Given time, the Seven Families would accomplish that mission, establishing the Soterian Baronies, Seven Cities, and Soterian caste to rule over the system. Slightly under a century after the signing of the initial agreement, the Aureate of Soteria signed the order to reestablish contact with the outside universe. Shipping lanes were opened up, and wealth flooded the families with the selling of vast quantities of Ichor.

IPS and the newly-formed Blueshift were, of course, not the greatest fan of this. A new power suddenly arriving on the fringes of the frontier, crashing the economy and establishing the beginning of a monopoly on Ichor, and refusing give up extraction rights--all of it combined to make Soteria draw the ire of both IPS and the Blueshift Confederacy, which was facing its first extensive interastral crisis. For a time, bribery (also known as lobbying) of IPS officials and Blueshift councilors staved off their wrath, but with the ever-militarizing IPS-N--that would soon prove not enough.

Thus was the catalyst for the Soterian-IPS War. Before the Brontestar Trade War, before mechs were completely militarized, there was this conflict-the first true interastral war. IPS demanded Soteria join Blueshift and open extraction rights on their planet to the market, and Soteria, of course, refused. Foreign blood was spilled upon the salt-desert for the first time, and while it certainly wouldn't be the last, it was in this war that the driven, traditional, Soterian identity was born. Because, for the Soterians, this war was for the preservation of their way of life more so than mere economic squabble. A bloody, campaign of guerrilla-warfare ensued across the planet, as elite hunter-warriors, traditionally-trained in hunting of the wildlife, were made to turn their harpoons and rifles against IPS-N ground soldiers. Soterian salt melted beneath the feet of IPS-N soldiers as Soterians when sabotaged their equipment, they baited IPS-N bands into natural valleys where the sands congeal and concave into inescapable pits, and Soterians willfully created dust-storms to choke out IPS-N squadrons. Shock and awe was the goal of Royal Soterian Army, knowing that, in a drawn-out conflict, they were certainly outgunned by the ever-militant IPS-N.

That strategy would work, as it turned out, even if the Baronies would eventually fold. IPS-N upper management was so exhausted by the conflict that, when Soteria sued for peace, they granted the Baronies much more favorable terms, being:

Soteria, of course, would immensely profit over the years. Now with imports coming into the system, the Seven Cities could properly expand and develop and the Seven Barons spent their wealth importing foreign riches, technologies, and luxuries. The Baronies would undergo a brief period of democratization, where the Soterian Parliament would be established to handle some jobs of governance, though the Monarchy would ultimately be in control.

Soteria over time established itself as a moderate regional-power, being one of the most important members of the Blueshift Confederacy outside of the founding five. Their power would wax and wane as Ichor became a more prevalent commodity through inter-astral space.

During the Synthesis War, Soteria would trade hands between the Organic and Inorganic sides of the conflict multiple times. However, before the longest period of occupation by Inorganic forces, the Barons dealt directly with Saladin offering a deal in which they would accept Inorganic occupation as long as they maintained control over the planet. This deal, though it made Blueshift and IPS-N furious, worked out, with the Baronies even becoming part of the Organic Synthesis Project later on. Soteria was eventually reconquered though, by the Azuremarine no less, whom spared no kindness to the Soterians they deemed as traitors. The royal families were spared, but only due to direct orders by high command.

Ecology

The whole of Soteria is primarily dominated by constantly-shifting desert dunes made up of what-was-once sea salt. Dried up mountains and hills ranges dot the landscapes, with traditional desert dunes or salt plains making up what was once seas or oceans. Deep canyons are found where deep-sea trenches are found, and are the primarily sites for the drilling of Ichor. Most cities are founded upon highlands or dried-up plateaus where some of the only truly stable foundation can be found for settlements.

As a result of the complete drought of Soteria's global ecosystem, most organisms that remain survive off of scavenging the dead from other species due to the preserving nature of the salt dunes. Some plants still survive on Soteria, having adapted to use different substances to replace water (some using forms of acid that occasionally rain down across the planet.) The primary predator across the Soteria is a large, eight-legged scorpion-like organism called a Sar'leika (literally "rebuke from the gods") that burrows beneath the sand dunes, hunting prey animals and unaware travelers.

Of course, Soteria is a naturally dangerous planet. Across the equator is mostly salt dunes that, in the middle of the day, will occasionally form spots of melted or congealed salt. Sharp winds blow across nearly every continent on Soteria, moving the dunes constantly such that maps have to be redrawn sometimes daily for accuracy. The constantly shifting landscape is something the Royal Soterian Army frequently used to their advantage, allowing them to confuse and encircle unaware enemy divisions.

Aureate Calden, and the Monarchy

The Soterian Monarchy as well as the Soterian Baronies are the primary governing bodies on Soteria. Each House (or family) rules over one of the seven cities and its surrounding province, dividing the entirety of Soteria across the seven provinces (with the exception of capital district of Soter, which is ruled directly by the Aureate).

The Aureate, the title of the Soterian monarch, is elected by the baronies to lead and rule over all of Soteria. This role is somewhat ceremonial and somewhat official, with the Aureate generally having to approve all sweeping acts of government by either the Parliament or Baronies, but it can argued that the Baronies themselves wield most of the governing power in the system.

Elected by the Soterian populace is the Soterian Parliament, consisting of 150 representatives with twenty coming from each province and 10 coming from the capital region. The Soterian Parliament is in charge of making all system-wide pieces of legislation, with most of their power being determined by the will of the Aureate, who is in charge with enforcing their legislation.

Aureate Calden

Calden Te'vala, of Preservation is the current Aureate of Soteria, having been elected from the House of Gold following the resignation of the former Aureate after the reconquest of Soteria by Azuremarine forces in 4485.

In his long tenure as Aureate, Calden has worked to mend the Soterian image in inter-astral politics after they were branded as traitors by the Blueshift Confederacy, which Calden saw Soteria's formal re-induction into. Calden saw the opening of Umara as a free-port, where goods and services flow freely without regard to corporate shipping lanes, much to the ire of IPS. Calden has mostly overseen the exportation an proliferation of Soterian culture across inter-astral space, creating a generally favorable, if opulent, view for himself in and outside of Soteria, though that is quickly fading due to the Intrica Crisis.

Personally, Calden is a charming, popular king, being favored far more than the more calculating monarchs of the past. Calden was 44 when he was initially inducted as king, making him one of the youngest monarchs of Soterian history. Calden served for a decade as a Lancer in the Soterian Royal Army and briefly for the Azuremarine whom his unit defected to during the invasion of Soteria. Calden was unexpected to become monarch, however the death of his older brother and slandering of the formerly-ruling House of Memory placed him in position to be elected Aureate. Calden has personally toured much of Blueshift space to promote Soteria and Soterian culture, though his level of opulence is these tours has drawn comparison between him and Louis LXXXIV, generating mixed opinions outside of Soteria.

Seven Houses, Seven Barons, Seven Cities

The Shifting Caste

Soteria, unlike most other planets, has a strict and clear Caste for its citizenry. The exact nature of the Caste varies, though, from city to city, and its usually dependent on the ruling House's purview. It generally follows the form of:

Te'vala, The House of Gold

The Te'vala family is the wealthiest family of the houses, having devoted most of their baronic effort to ichor extraction and ichor-based commerce. The family claims to have descended from the original group of settlers sent to Soteria and upholds most of the traditional ideas of ruling and nobility from the founding era. Most of Te'vala's business is based on either Ichor extraction and processing or "contractual-governing" services for the houses of Soteria that are less focused on directly ruling their provinces (making Te'vala even more influential). Te'vala was traditionally favored as the ruling Aureate House before falling out of favor during the Synthesis War until recently falling back into favor.

The House of Gold is of course currently ruled by the current Aureate of Soteria Calden Te'vala.

The House of Gold rules from the capital province of Soter, near the south pole of the planet. Most of the city is built around opulent, gilded architecture that fades into rougher, older structures near the Ichor processing facilities around the foundation of the city. Soter has by-far the most Blueshift and IPS personnel on-site, with the House of Gold having originally overseen the original remediation between Soteria and IPS after the end of the Soteria-IPS War.

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Vetsu, The House of Sand

The House of Sand is devoted to mastering the constantly shifting dunes that make up most of Soteria. The Vestu, from the beginning, worked to tame and learn from the sands, carving out settlements from the dunes within their large, but mostly desert-filled province. The house manages transports routes through the desert and employs numerous teams of cartographers and surveyors to keep track of the constantly shifting environment. Outside of that, the Vestu work in banking and monetary affairs (due to the extremely defensible position of their primary cities), and many of the agents working in the Eyes of the Aureate (royal intelligence agency) are recruited from the House of Sand.

Keira Vetsu is the current baron of the House. Keira lent their transport network to the Azuremarine as soon as they arrived during the reconquest, earning their favor at the ire of those still loyal to the Inorganics. As such, the House of Sand has gained some minor influence in IPS and Blueshift, particularly with their knowledge of specialized land-transport.

The salted city of T'Vasta is the primary city of the Vestu. Being one of the few cities that isn't built on highlands, most of the cities is built on long stilts imbedded into the sands below that can resists the shifting of the dunes. Magnetic tram and train systems that run throughout all of Soteria are based in T'Vasta, making the city necessary open and elevated, with most the of systems running below the stilts the city is built on. The caste in Vestu-controlled land is mostly based on an individual's relation to the transport network, with caravan drivers and railway workers making up the lower class, logistics officers and merchants making up the middle class, and nobility and caravan-protection personnel making up the upper class.

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Sehnselt, The House of Memory

The Sehnsult are devoted to preserving the one-of-kind Soterian culture, creating and promoting various museums and Soterian monuments throughout the system. The House of Memory has also developed an expansive and bustling entertainment industry in the system, allowing them to export Soterian culture and values through the creation of forms of entertainment. As such, the Sehnsult are one of the more widely known houses outside of Soteria.

Ifan Sehnselt is the current patriarch of the House of Memory, working to rebuild the house's image on Soteria after falling from grace after the Azuremarine invasion. Due to their collaboration with HA and rulership over Soteria during the Synthesis War, the Sehnselt were blamed by the Soterian populace and cast out of power. Ifan still defends the choices of the house to this day, though he admits the degree of collaboration was a misstep.

The northern city of Venna, built upon a leveled rock-salt mountain, is a neon array of lights and sounds, being the center for entertainment on Soteria. The wealthy and powerful dominate the city, usually living in massive spires carved out of hardened rock and basalt within and around the city. The caste is looser in the city, with it being more divided between service workers at the bottom, tourists and visitors in the middle, and the rich and noble at the top.

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Moulta, The House of Smoke

The Moulta are one of the largest families on Soteria, having connections and marriages with every other house on the system, something that's a rarity. The House of Smoke primarily is devoted to city-building, with most of their recent efforts (as in the past five centuries or so) being the colonizing of Soteria's moon Pausanias. However, the Moulta are historically responsible for building (or assisting in the building) of all the major settlements across Soteria, particularly those on the north and south poles.

Cyntha Moulta is the matriarch of the House of Smoke, and is currently expanding the inter-astral port system and space-logistics surrounding the planet. The House of Smoke is also attempting to aid human-apperatum relations on Soteria, which has suffered following the reinstating of the House of Gold as Aureate, whom have a less favorable opinion of them than the formerly governing Sehnselt.

The city of Tenta rests nearly directly on the north pole of Soteria, and is a hub for aerospace and astral logistics, being the largest spaceport on the planet (though Umara has grown to rival it). The Moulta enforce a strict caste upon the city, employing nearly the entirety of the lower class in the shipyards and construction industry and supporting a large, but constrained middle class of merchants.

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Felnuh, The House of Salt

The House of Salt is arguably the pariah of the Seven Houses, being the only that openly espouses regret over the Boiling-something that none of the other houses apologize for or even mention. The Felnuh are primarily devoted to ecology and agriculture, wherein they attempt to genetically modify existing plants or create new ones that can thrive and survive in the harsh Soterian conditions. A subset of the Felnuh also work to keep records of fossils and remains of the long-extinct species that dominated the oceans of the planet.

Athel Felnuh is the current baron of the House of Salt. They are mainly working to find a way to carve out a section of their province to be transformed into a green, habitable environment in contrast to the sterile salt-plains of most of Soteria. Their work hasn't been met without opposition though, as the Vetsu and Te'vala particularly have tried to interfere and stop Athel and their house's work, since they profit off of Soteria persisting in its current state.

The Felnuh govern a wide stretch of mostly-desert land across and around the equator, with most of their population living in the city of Feunato atop the largest mountain range in the region. The city consist of various foundations and platforms resting on and following the downward slope of the various mountains, with the deepest areas being reserved for agricultural experiments due to their cooler average temperature compared to rest of Soteria. The House of Salt enforces a looser version of the caste, but enforces it still, wherein most the lower class is forced to tend to farms and plantations in the depths of the city while the middle class, consisting of mainly researchers and management works in the less congested upper city.

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Tetsuyah, The House of Order

The Tetsuyah are devoted to maintaining the current order of Soteria, regardless of what form that order might take. Currently, the Tetsuyah are engaged in tariffing and policing across the continent, ensuring the at the elaborate set of rules established by the Houses are enforced across the planet. The Tetsuyah also oversee the various mercenary groups that operate across Soteria, the so-called free companies, ensuring that they abide by planetary and interastral regulations for independent armies.

The Tetsuyah are currently amidst a crisis of leadership, with no house member having stepped up for the title of Baron. Various candidates are available though, however, an unclear line of succession left by the last Baron means that the family is arguing and deciding among themselves as to who should wear the proverbial crown.

The House of Order operates the free-port of Umara, where foreign merchants from any company can do business-not just IPS-N. The city is an oddity among Soterian* cities in bipolar nature--being that it enforces a strict caste in the native section of the city, and lacks one in the foreign merchant quarter. Built on a massive plateau near the south pole, the city lacks a certain regality that's commonplace in most Soterian cities, earning it a reputation for being "seedy" or "dirty" because of this.

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Ko'daiyah, The House of Intrica

The House of Intrica is (potentially was) devoted to creating Soterian artistry in the form of intricate, hand-made craftsmanship that's uncommon in the modern age. Traditionally devoted to watchmaking, the House of Intrica creates various devices and products in antiquated-styles that earns them exceptionally high value both in and outside of Soteria. Most of the other houses are patron to the Ko'daiyah, purchasing or commissioning products from them to ordain their royal grounds and collections. However, recent events have called in to question the value of their work in the so-called Intrica Crisis.

Internal crisis in the Ko'daiyah has made it unclear as to whom leads the family (see: Intrica Crisis). Official statements made by the family are sparse and vague, so internal leadership is opaque as of now.

The Ko'daiyah rule over the city of Manos, a highland city known for its elaborate layout and architecture, almost all of which was personally designed or commissioned by the House of Intrica itself. Manos has a very clearly-defined caste in which the lower classes work as artisans, supposedly rising or falling dependent on the quality of their work.

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