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[FACTION PROFILE]
Verdanian soldiers in a mountain fortress during the Verdanian War of Independence. From the Republican Free Archives.
Verdania
Of freedom and ambition.
Everyone in the Republic knows where Verdania is, and no one can seem to shut up about it. The fact is in Verdania's massive sphere of influence there is not a single deal that they do not have a hand in. Verdania is unique in that it is the only planet which could rival Earth in cultural, economic, and military power. Depending on who you talk to, Verdanians are either the defenders of freedom or the biggest danger to the Republic since the Incursions.
Few, however, know the source of their bitter ambitions. When the utopian rainforest planet of Verdania was first colonized, Republican officials landed on the planet and drew a circle around the colony. The colonists were told in order to protect the vast biodiversity of Verdania, structures could not be built past the circle. Some say it was this restriction which shaped Verdania's attitude and demeanor. The Verdanians have never broken this law, and have obediently built up from initial colony, Verdania City.
The city is now called the Bulb, a prison-like gray edifice that extends way into cloud cover with Verdania's only spaceport on top, inside untold billions of Verdanians live in sunless streets lit by neon lights. Verdanian bitterness transformed into ambition and a desire to escape, and so Verdania was the first planet ever to start a colonization program independent of Earth, starting with the “economically unviable” planets that littered the Republic across the Republican-Etarn border.
It took almost no time for Verdania to control virtually every aspect of life in their sector. All the major corporations were Verdanian owned, all of the natural resources were exploited by Verdanians, and Verdanians even made all the movies. Talking about Verdanian politics and powerplays became professions and hobbies. Its laws and philosophies were disseminated throughout the Republic, their success admired as much as feared.
However, during the Etarn Incursion (an invasion, by the way, the Verdanians provoked) Verdania found itself the main target of an enormous alien fleet. After a bombardment of the Bulb and a ground invasion, the Verdanians valiantly fought off the invaders and used their landing craft to capture the Etarn battleship “Velhelham” in a battle of impossible odds. Their victory was so unlikely and so complete that the hubris that followed almost destroyed them.
In the following century, Verdania felt that now that it had fought off aliens, she could steal back her destiny from Unity. Without warning, Verdania and its colonies declared independence, and they spearheaded a massive fleet towards Earth to force the issue. Verdanians crushed the first Republican fleet sent to intercept and it seemed that nothing would stop the Verdanians from seizing Earth. They had not counted on Canthus.
One planet that was resistant to Verdanian hegemony was Canthus. Canthus was a strange planet populated by a strange people that had distinguished itself for being a prolific and high-quality naval construction yard. Canthus disturbed Verdania as it was in the center of Verdanian space and not receptive to Verdanian power, but Verdania dismissed Canthus as a marginal place. When Verdania declared independence, Canthus scrambled the shipyards and put together a fleet of battleships that could intercept the Verdanian fleet. So, in the system of Tridia, this fleet of Canthian battleships along with the remnants of the first Republican fleet fought a gigantic space battle with Verdania, in which the Verdanians were absolutely crushed. Canthus pursued Verdania right into their home system, where the Verdanians were given a very simple ultimatum: submit to the Republic or be leveled. After having their military power bombed into oblivion, Verdania reluctantly capitulated.
Since then, Verdania had harbored a genocidal grudge against Canthus. This is apparent by the eerie, cold silence whenever the subject is brought up with a Verdanian. There isn't a “true” Verdanian who aren't itching for a rematch against Canthus. Canthus has found themselves the villains of countless Verdanian movies and television shows. Canthus meets this grudge with its characteristic stoic attitude.
Verdania knows that the only route to independence is on the wild frontiers. If it can take as many colonies as it can, it can use those to build a fleet strong enough fleet to throw off the yolk of Republican oppression. To realize its ambitions, it will have to fight off powers with similar ideas. And if it can sweeten the pot by destroying Canthus, so much the better.
Faction Qualities
-- Brutal economic policies and sanctions it can level against other factions.
-- The best overall professional ground forces. There's no such thing as Verdanian "cannon fodder". They're expensive, well equipped mercenaries. Verdania also has access to an ultra-elite core of Incursion veterans.
-- Understandably, Unity does not trust Verdania. Verdania can't really count on Unity unless the crimes committed against Verdania are extremely egregious and the Verdanians have been keep their hands clean... and ask real nice. On the other hand, Unity is more than happy to violently apprehend Verdanian scum.
BONUS: In Game Portraits
These are some in-game character portraits I've been working on (I did these a few weeks ago, so I'm not overworking myself). They'll probably be replaced at some point. I did a female one but it was too stupid to show.