NationStates Jolt Archive

Year 18XX AD.
At sea, approaching Arterus

Samuel Arterus, the fifth captain of the ZNS Endeavor, could see nothing but fog five feet ahead of him. The Endeavor and it's crew had been at sea for years, as far as they could tell, and had not seen land at all. The Emperor had sent them to find land to expand the empire, and not return without doing so, but so far all that could be found was endless ocean. The belief that the world was endless beyond Karain was starting to be recognized as true.

On top of the extremely long time at sea, the death of more than half the crew, beginning to resort to cannablism, attempted mutiny, and disease: the Endeavor was falling apart. The four winters and countless storms had forced the main mast to the point that it would soon fall off. There were countless holes in the hull that the crew had to regurlarly check to keep plugged and scoop out the water that got through. It was an endless job. If they didn't find something soon, they were all going to die.

Captain Arterus handed off the wheel and went to observe what was happening at the front of the ship. He couldn't even see the water because of how thick the fog was. It seemed that things could not get any worse for this crew, so far from humanity. Samuel pondered about how happy they had been when they first set off, about the last five years. His friends dying, going insane, being murdered by other crewmen. It seemed he could only remember the bad things. Hell, he had gotten into his position because of four deaths before him.

Just as he thought it couldn't get worse, it began to lightly rain. It was going to storm soon. He leaned against the rail and pondered jumping off, but a sailor interuppted his thoughts,"Sir, we just ran out of food."

Oh great.

Samuel turned around and just as he began to speak, the fog cleared. The sun suddenly shone. There was a clearly visible rainbow in the distance. And most amazing of all: they were right off the coast of tropical land. Several men began to cry in joy. Samuel just stared in amazement. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. They were saved.

A week later
The men had only just begun getting used to walking on land again. Not a one of them agreed to walk on the boat ever again. The men found that the food on the island was the best they had ever tasted. It was also everywhere, more than they could have ever hoped for. They had quickly began work on homes. Most of them had decided that they would live here until they died. Not one of them wanted to go back on a boat for as long as they lived.

Samuel, on the other hand, wanted to complete the mission he was sent on. They were to immidiatly build a new ship and send half of the men back to tell the emperor of this new land. On top of that, they were to explore inland. Now he and a few other men moved through the thick bush with their muskets, which had few bullets that could actually be used. They were sure that they would find native people somewhere.

"For fucks sake, Captain. Can't we just relax for a year or two before we do anything?" even if his first mate was questioning him.

"Yeah, really. What do we need to talk to natives for?" another asked.

The captain thought. What could he bribe these poor bastards with? "There will be women."

The eyes lit up. This was something they hadn't really considered in their misery,"Oh hell yes!"

Of course, it wasn't to be so easy. They had been watched for some time now by native scouts. These natives were not sure of what they would do, and so simply followed them. Once the men entered the native village, they showed themselves. Coming from bushed behind them in the dozens.

"How the fuck.." the first mate said under his breath.

Luckily, these natives welcomed the men. They helped them build, hunt, farm. They even supplied women as a bribe for alliance once they saw the power of a musket. This was heaven for the men. Within two years, a ship of Zukariaans and natives was off to see the mainland once more. The expedition kicked off immidiatly, going along the entire coast of this new continent. It seemed to go on forever. With native help, they wheeled around the side of the continent after a year, went down through a channel filled with amazing islands, and landed on one of them. From here they island hopped for another four years until they found a sea they considered unreachable for all intents and purposes. Moving back northward and to the place where they had first landed nearly ten years after leaving, the men found a very different place. The empire had sent a vast fleet and the entire pennensula that the Zukariaans had landed on was now under control, the natives enslaved.

The empire had decided to name the new land after it's discoverer, and called it Arterus. The captain was named a national hero, and became extremely famous throughout Haven. Almost immidiatly, a massive colonial landgrab would erupt in this new land. The natives would be all but destroyed, and the world would read of Samuel Arterus' discoveries for a 150 years to come. They would read of mountains of gold worshipped as gods by the natives. They would read of underground lakes of oil. They would read of how the oil seeped through to the men's feet as they walked through what appeared to be a swamp. They would read about the beautiful scenary, the delicious food, the vibrant native cultures.

Samuel Arterus went on one more expedition into the northwest and claimed a smaller pennensula for the empire there. He would die in the wilderness, exploring the massive bay that dug it's way through the continent.

This was Arterus.

The Lands of Arterus! (major page breaker) (http://www.maj.com/gallery/Humhum/Stuff/arterusupdateagain.png)

RULES!
Now, I know that there was a past Arterus thread, and a lot of people had land there, but I decided to start over and make the map better than ever. The only people I felt were obligated to land in the new one were Kraven and Groznyj because they had a very important thing going in the other one.

Now, the rules are simple.
1) You must RP the claims.
2) You must not be a noob who posts once and never posts again.
3) No one liner crap.
4) Don't spam this thread with too much OOC crap.
5) TG me about getting land before you post on this thread. I'm not going to deal with you if you request land here.
6) Wars over Arterusian land don't belong in this thread.
7) I am God. D:<

Year 18XX. 10 Years after the Zukariaan Expedition

Having heard of this new and wonderous land south Haven, the Granatian Republican Government immediately set out to the keep up with the other nations of Haven and stake a claim in the new rich land. It took nearly 40,000 Granats to fund the expedition, but the cost would pay out in the end the Government and many of the investors hoped. They outfitted four ships for the expedition. Two frigates, both former Granatian Navy vessels, and two clippers, both specially built for colonial exploits. Each ship included tons of supplies for both the trip to the new land and then for the colonists. It was expected that the colonists could gather enough food for ships to make the journey home. After a flurry of work, the expedition was launched in late spring with much celebrating across the nation.

The journey to Arterus, as it was commonly called, was uneventful. Although the weather did turn quite nasty a few times. The crew was able to sail quickly though it and nearly everyone who started the journey survived. Only two died in the first year, both drowned after being thrown overboard in a brawl between the two late in the night. No one knew where they had went until morning when they found one of the men's hat in the water. The next day they were officially declared dead, the first to die on this journey. Too many it was a miracle that more had not died so far on the journey

In late Autumn of the third year of the Trip, the expedition finally made landfall. The land was as beautiful as they had hoped and been told. It was abundant, full of wildlife and food. The soil was good and fertile, perfect for growing crops almost year round. Everything was perfect, except for one thing. The locals who claimed the land were reluctant to let the settlers build a settlement. Somehow, a few of the settlers learned their language and were able to interperet what they were saying. Many of the natives were suspicious of the settlers and did not want them near. They suggested a patch of land forty miles north west on a peninsula. Not wanting to spark a war with the natives the settlers and the ships moved to the peninsula, which they found out was the perfect spot for a settlement. After two years of work the settlement was self-sufficient enough that the leader of the Expedition, Captain Bernard Schmidt, was ready to head back to Granate and give them to good news and hopefully head up another expedition.

After another three year journer across the seas, the Expedition arrived in Granate, short one Clipper because it remained at the settlement for defense and exploration. There was much rejoicing in the capital of the Republic of Granate. The Reichstag immediately began work on a second much larger expedition to be headed by the now Commadore Bernard Schmidt. It would include the three vessels that came back, plus 4 other ships, mostly clippers. They would return the settlement and drop off more colonists before heading off down the coast to make another settlement, this time with a Fort for protection so the ships could all return to Granate. This was the Granatian Governments second expedition, but numerous Investors were forming expeditions of their own. The Era of Granatian Colonialism had begun.

OOC: Can I join this RP? If so, can I have the islands to the east of Kraven? They seem to be unoccupied...

OOC: Can I join this RP? If so, can I have the islands to the east of Kraven? They seem to be unoccupied...

[ooc: Though I haven't posted ICly yet, I TGed Zukariaa about those islands four days ago.]

OOC: That's okay. Perhaps I could take those south of Izistan instead?

OOC-I specifically stated that I don't want people requesting land in this thread. DMG, I'll get to you. I didn't realize you messaged me.

Year 2XX AD, some decades before the Questarian war
At sea, approaching Arterus

In the meanwhile, the Allaneans, despite being complete and utter land whores, somehow took literally decades to discover Arterus. Perhaps it was because they were busy with war and pointless conquest elsewhere. The Allaneans are always busy with war and pointless conquest somewhere.

But, eventually, Arterus would be discovered.

The name of the man to discover it would be remembered - but at least by some people, it would be ridiculed.

For the name of that man was Harold Spindle, a rich man in charge of a struggling IT company.

At the time of the discovery, Spindle's company was falling apart - but it's fanbase was holding it afloat. It had, as a matter of fact, enough fans to secure multiple private jets for Harold Spindle and his entourage.

It was one of those jets – Spindle’s own Saionara-6, a modernized version of some monster from ViZion, for some reason armed with guided missiles – that first flew over the territory of Pobeda.

Spindle was sitting next to the window, with his lover, a buxom 18-year-old dressed like a Slaanesh Demonette, hopping up and down in his lap. “Ooh!” – she screamed suddenly – “Look, Harold! Land down there! Whatsitcalled?!”

Harold was dumbfounded. He knew that this land was unheard of before by Allaneans – and he knew that he could reap vast rewards by being the one to claim it’s discovery. “This baby? This is ours. What do you call it?”

The buxom maiden was Russian in blood and culture, and so she came up with one word:

“Pobeda, Harold, Pobeda”.

“What’s that mean?” – blinked Spindle in amazement.

“That’s ‘victory’ in my language, Harold.”

“Ah. Cool, then. We call that land Pobeda!”

* * *

“So?” – Harold looked at the clerk sitting in front of him.

“Well, you see, it’s not all that simple…”- the clerk yawned – “the Office of Land Management cannot right now expedite your request…”

Harold blinked. “What the hell? I thought you guys gave people money awards when they discovered new land! Grants! Millions and millions of dollars!”

“That’s true.” – grinned the official – “But that’s the government. Me? I am looking out for number one. If your land claim is bogus, I have given you money for nothing, and put my boss in trouble too. He won’t like it, and neither will eye. Now, if I had some form of assurance… some guarantee..”

“Oh I understand…” – suddently Harold Spindle knew exactly what the man was gunning for.

“You will put this under consideration, right?” – said Spindle, getting up. Left ‘forgotten on the table was a thick, white, unlabeled envelope, stuffed full of Questarian pound notes.

Fifteen days later, the OLM had sent Spindle a letter. It said his request has been dutifully considered and passed the first level of approval.

There were only 27 more left.

* * *

And so, after a few motions with the Allanean Office of Land Management, the Allaneans have agreed to claim the newly-discovered islands as part of the Land of the Free. Harold and his concubine Polina were hereafter the people responsible for the development of Pobeda.

From combat aircraft, from cargo aircraft, thousands of soldiers poured. There were five Airborne Divisions, ten Mechanized Infantry, and ten Armored divisions sent – not to fight, of course, but to merely claim the immense territories of Allanean Arterus – henceforth to be called the state of Pobeda – for the United States of Allanea.

But the real big development came from civilians immigrating. Harold brought in thousands of people from all over Allanea’s vast ‘empire of Freedom’. He sold thousands of acres of land to corporations that wanted to start factories and poor people who wanted to start ranches.

But most importantly, he would divert – through various kinds of legal and semi-legal meandering – thousands of acres of land to himself and his company. Even Polina, the 18-year-old lass that gave Pobeda it’s name would benefit.

Corruption was a game everybody could play.

Arterus
Zukariaan Colony
18XX

As Samuel Arterus was away mapping the Arterusian coasts, the Empire had come to Arterus in force. The Zukariaan fleet's flagship Arterus, a newly commisioned beast of the time, came to a hastily made dock. They found that the only Zukariaans present were the survivors of the original expedition, and that their town was tiny. Disease had stricken many of them. Indeed, the commander of the fleet was worried that the colonists and soldiers brought along would end up dying before anything important could be done.

And then there were the natives whom inhabited the area. The emperor specifically stated that they were to be elimenated. It was believed that similar things as had happened in Kharain would happen in Arterus, and the natives would create massive problems for the colonists. The original men were completely against this, seeing as the natives had helped them survive the entire time, but their complaints meant nothing. The commander would only listen to Samuel Arterus' claims, and he was roughly thousands of miles away.

As Johnathon Seckler recapped the past weeks events in his mind, his mind suddenly came back to the present. He stood in the middle of a massive line of musketmen, aiming across a field at the enemy, who had decided to meet them in battle 'honourably'. Down the line he heard the order to fire, and without thinking, he fired his musket and moved to the back of the formations to reload. Across the field could be heard the roars of battle as the Artertusians charged across the field. Dozens were cut down, and suddenly the air was filled with their cries of pain. Still they continued forward in mass numbers. As Johnathon finished reloading and waited his turn, he wondered how there could be so many gathered from what intelligence had claimed were completely unorganized groups.

And yet here they came, in the thousands. A wave was cut down, another took it's place. They seemed to have no morale, no limit. And worst of all was that they seemed to get closer to the line with each wave. Their human wave tactics were working, even when their men would need to climb over the bodies of their dead. As Johnathon moved to the front of the line to fire, he realized what was about to happen. He had been unlucky enough to face the wave that would most likely reach the musketmen. He fixed his bayonet, and others followed suit. Just as he looked up from his gun, he realized he might be too late.

The line pushed back another wave, taking heavy casualties. Johnathon took to the back, covered in blood. He no longer recognized any of the people around him. His gun was split in half, as he had used it to block a blow from a native sword. He now used the end of the rifle as a handle for a sword of his own. As he rested, he heard the battle ahead of him as another wave hit. This was going to be hell. It looked as if the natives still had endless numbers. As he sat there, losing faith that the Zukariaans could win, he could hear a couple of lieutenants speaking to each other nearby.

"Lieutenant Kailer just got around the flank with his regiment. We'll be hitting these fuckers from the side in a few minutes." one said. Johnathon's heart skipped a beat.

"Good, I'll inform General Darius," the other replied, riding off on his horse.

Johnathon stood up and prepared himself for the next wave. As he readied against the charge, a warhorn could be heard across the field. The enemy was flanked. The enemy would be crushed. If there weren't as many as it seemed like there were from where Johnation was. Ten minutes later, however, the enemy routed. The line broke as the men moved to cut down as many of them as they could, leaving behind piles of bodies.

This battle would be known as the Battle of the Beginning Wars one day, a part of the Beginning Wars of conquest in Arterus. With this win, the Arterusians in the area of the original landing were dispersed, their male populations decimated. The Zukariaans would claim nearly two thousand villages before they would encounter another enemy that could hold them back..

Loa Menelmacariva 316XX - The same date the Endeavour landed on Arterus

Elenpalantír Oversight Holochamber Seventeen
Taniquetil
Vinyatírion, Menelmacar

"Well, this is interesting." Idril Túrelië peered at the holographic map. A large section of it was pulsating with an indicator light which essentially meant 'this is interesting'.

The reason it was interesting was because before she'd gone for lunch, it hadn't been on the maps at all. It was big, tropical, and covered in rugged, spectacular landscapes. A lot like Menelmacar itself, in many ways. And the initial scans were extremely promising. Some truly ridiculous resource densities, and, somehow, only the most scattered and primitive of native populations. It was pretty much a giant, ten-thousand-kilometer-across poster child for the "High Elf's Burden". A vast expansion waiting to happen.

Immediately Idril got to working up some more detailed scans, looking for the most promising initial site for a colony, and preparing a full report.

18XX

The Grand Admiral Mikhail Rosbanin's vessel, the Neptune Navigator, was a fine ship indeed. This was the third incarnation of the Grand Admiral's ship, the second of his ships was recently sunk off of the coast of the land named after him - Rosbaningrad.

"Damnit!" the aging man left his cabin, cane in arm and an evidently fake leg attached to him. "Where the fuck are we?"

"I'm unsure, Admiral." The boat's captain, Ivanstag McIvanstag asked. "Our coordinates are showing that we're not in Jaredcohenia anymore."

"Why the fuck not?!" The Admiral screamed. He was in his eighties, a cranky old man. "Your job is to sail this boat back to Stuyvesant, yet I don't think we're even near Haven at all!"

"We're unsure, Admiral." The captain turned himself to face the Admiral. "The sailors in the crow's nest are saying they see land ahead of us. It might be Franberrian..."

"Ah, those fucking bean pickers?" the crotchety octagenarian asked. "Christ...if you guys need me I'll be taking a nap."
~~~~~~
Unknown to the crew, the ship was not honing in towards Franberrian territory, but going to land uncharted to them. This would be known as the lands founded by some angry, cannibalistic Zukariaan (hey, all Zukariaans are cannibals.) and named after him therein. To the Jaredcohenians (moreso, to Rosbanin) the land would've been named after the Grand Admiral. But it wasn't, after various trips to the area and back it would be known as Cohenian Arterus.

OOC: Placeholder, post coming. Promise