Post by The Kortl Rheus on Jan 12, 2014 21:04:47 GMT
Overview
The Norak of the Schism are a peaceful but determined aquatic race. The Schism was formed after a conflict on their home world several centuries ago where one faction left. The new faction, the Schism, now live inside an ice world and operate under a council style (Oligarchy) of leadership that exerts a considerable to extreme amount of pressure and control over their population.
Biology and Ecology
The Norak Schism are an aquatic species and are amphibious by nature. Their frost-crusted home world betrays a warm inner core, where upsidedown snowglobe cities hang suspended beneath the hundred mile thick surface crust of ice. In recent years, the crowding of the ice-crust led to the development of suspended bubble-cities which float, tethered in place. The Norak Schism's many cities and large bubble-domes are nothing like their original homeworld, which was filled with swamps and seaweed forests, lush and warm with life on the surface. For most this is a distant, almost mythical, memory. Not one looked on fondly. The Norak Schism, however, has adapted to swim and survive in the subzero temperatures of the upper crust of their homeworld, if for only short time. Within the many bubble and dome cities they have recreated the lush swamps and forests of their homeworld. Physically, the Norak have long, slender bodies and are tri-pedal. The average life span of a Norak is approximately 120 years, although in practice, many of their elite caste live several hundred years.
Social structure
Their society is composed of a powerful and wealthy upper class elite with a stable and large middle class. The elite are revered in a system that is similar in some ways to a caste system, although there is no clear deliniation between upper and lower classes as the middle class does allow for a great scale of progression for those capable and willing. The lower class, or Underphid are actually quite small comapred to other races, even their own original special homeworld. The lower class makes up a mere thirty percent of the population, about twice as much as the wealthy class. The top and bottom classes are somewhat managed, making certain that the wealthy elite do not shrink to an unacceptable level and outpace the Underphid while also making certain the Underphid never grows too large so that their numbers, what is essentially slave labor, might never threaten the stability of the Schism's project. After three centuries of social planning, the Schism, even the sometimes oppressed Underphid, feel they are satisfied with the state of their society, although it came with some major upsets along the way.
History
Some three centuries ago, the events of the Great Schism led to the separation of a Norak faction, one that would not be subjected to the violence of the Norak religious reformations going on at the time. Instead of submitting to the routine cleansing and indoctrination regimes, a civil war broke out. Millions died, and rather than continue the war, a giant number of the Norak population nuked the headquarters of their world, took control of a flotilla of ships and left the system through an unstable warp gate. After reaching the other-side they destroyed the warp gate.
In the following century, they gained a reputation for intermediaries and diplomats, although they still held no permanent home world, instead relying upon a meshwork flotilla of ships.
However, this could not last forever, and after a time they found a world of frozen water, a larger but much colder planet than their home world and after some deliberation, they settled there. The small ruling council built themselves into a ruling oligarchy, led in yearly turns by a single leader who shared power with the circle of six rulers. Each of the rulers may sit on several small councils and advise the current oligarch who may himself be a member of a number of other small councils, such as the war council, or the infrastructure council. New council members are most often selected from the elite sections of their society although a middle class appointment is not unheard of. There are no elections, only appointments at this level of government. Each year the council holds a session and agrees upon which of their number will hold the mantle of Oligarch for the following year and dictate the direction of the civilization. In the lower systems of government, some positions are elected - judges for example. While others are appointed by municipal civic councils - police for example.
In the first century, the first few councils became deeply corrupt and after another bloody civil war, a secondary system of checks were put in place which required a series of examinations to test readiness for the council. Still, corruption leaked in and another civil war led the victorious revolutionary leader Zoidberg, a doctor turned warlord, into power. He became a tyrant. After the death of Supreme Admiral Zoidberg his death the original council system was restored without any conflict and has remained functional since, without any apparent internal corruption.
Most recently, under the cold impartial fist of the current Oligarch, Lewiddyion, the Schism determined that one crowded planet was not enough. They returned to the stars.
Oligarchy Council
Oligarch Lewiddyion was the first leader selected from the council after the tyrant was removed. He remains on the council to this day. He has been elected Oligarch more often than any other council member, and currently sits on a twenty year selection streak.
Lord Brethik is a younger leader, only just over a century old. He manages the industrial charter projects of the Schism. His initial adjustments to project guidelines included adding incentives, such as financial and hard labour penalties for those running over budget or time on public works projects. Civic production increased substantially under his guidance. He has only chaired as Oligarch twice though, despite having participated in the council for two dozen sessions.
Krellor Sturm oversees to the meldkelp and farming initiatives of the Schism. His office also manages religious affairs, as these do persist, despite the general negative stigma towards worshipers of the old Norak gods. Generally he is seen as the lowest ranking of the current council, but is regarded highly by the underphid, despite having never held the chair of the council.
Din Naestra is the single female of the oligarchy council. Tradition would suggest that Norak females are not suited for political endevours, but since the Schism founded their new home, female Norak rights has been a priority for the Schism, and Din Naestra's ruthless counterespionage regime, and her grip on the six courts, has proven her worth and value to the Schism.
Prince Caelor Deslin belongs to the now defunct royal theocratic dynasty. A small sect of the Deslin lineage, one of several lines which vied for the various ruling positions of the old Norak homeworld, was integral to the Schism movement. After the events, while the dynastic lineages all became figureheads, many still follow the genetic heritage of the old dynasties. The sons and daughters are princes and princesses, and most use the title, even though it is no longer required. Due to this prestige, most retain high social and wealth and easily may make a name for themselves in what profession they select. Some simply become wastrels. Others, like Caelor, take to the role with a sense of purpose and responsibility. Caelor is bold and strong, well liked by the media. His efforts in subduing a small insurrection, where he was wounded, ensured his perpetual adoration by the Schism's population. He sits on the military councils and is sometimes selected to sit as Oligarch, when the need arises.
The Norak of the Schism are a peaceful but determined aquatic race. The Schism was formed after a conflict on their home world several centuries ago where one faction left. The new faction, the Schism, now live inside an ice world and operate under a council style (Oligarchy) of leadership that exerts a considerable to extreme amount of pressure and control over their population.
Biology and Ecology
The Norak Schism are an aquatic species and are amphibious by nature. Their frost-crusted home world betrays a warm inner core, where upsidedown snowglobe cities hang suspended beneath the hundred mile thick surface crust of ice. In recent years, the crowding of the ice-crust led to the development of suspended bubble-cities which float, tethered in place. The Norak Schism's many cities and large bubble-domes are nothing like their original homeworld, which was filled with swamps and seaweed forests, lush and warm with life on the surface. For most this is a distant, almost mythical, memory. Not one looked on fondly. The Norak Schism, however, has adapted to swim and survive in the subzero temperatures of the upper crust of their homeworld, if for only short time. Within the many bubble and dome cities they have recreated the lush swamps and forests of their homeworld. Physically, the Norak have long, slender bodies and are tri-pedal. The average life span of a Norak is approximately 120 years, although in practice, many of their elite caste live several hundred years.
Social structure
Their society is composed of a powerful and wealthy upper class elite with a stable and large middle class. The elite are revered in a system that is similar in some ways to a caste system, although there is no clear deliniation between upper and lower classes as the middle class does allow for a great scale of progression for those capable and willing. The lower class, or Underphid are actually quite small comapred to other races, even their own original special homeworld. The lower class makes up a mere thirty percent of the population, about twice as much as the wealthy class. The top and bottom classes are somewhat managed, making certain that the wealthy elite do not shrink to an unacceptable level and outpace the Underphid while also making certain the Underphid never grows too large so that their numbers, what is essentially slave labor, might never threaten the stability of the Schism's project. After three centuries of social planning, the Schism, even the sometimes oppressed Underphid, feel they are satisfied with the state of their society, although it came with some major upsets along the way.
History
Some three centuries ago, the events of the Great Schism led to the separation of a Norak faction, one that would not be subjected to the violence of the Norak religious reformations going on at the time. Instead of submitting to the routine cleansing and indoctrination regimes, a civil war broke out. Millions died, and rather than continue the war, a giant number of the Norak population nuked the headquarters of their world, took control of a flotilla of ships and left the system through an unstable warp gate. After reaching the other-side they destroyed the warp gate.
In the following century, they gained a reputation for intermediaries and diplomats, although they still held no permanent home world, instead relying upon a meshwork flotilla of ships.
However, this could not last forever, and after a time they found a world of frozen water, a larger but much colder planet than their home world and after some deliberation, they settled there. The small ruling council built themselves into a ruling oligarchy, led in yearly turns by a single leader who shared power with the circle of six rulers. Each of the rulers may sit on several small councils and advise the current oligarch who may himself be a member of a number of other small councils, such as the war council, or the infrastructure council. New council members are most often selected from the elite sections of their society although a middle class appointment is not unheard of. There are no elections, only appointments at this level of government. Each year the council holds a session and agrees upon which of their number will hold the mantle of Oligarch for the following year and dictate the direction of the civilization. In the lower systems of government, some positions are elected - judges for example. While others are appointed by municipal civic councils - police for example.
In the first century, the first few councils became deeply corrupt and after another bloody civil war, a secondary system of checks were put in place which required a series of examinations to test readiness for the council. Still, corruption leaked in and another civil war led the victorious revolutionary leader Zoidberg, a doctor turned warlord, into power. He became a tyrant. After the death of Supreme Admiral Zoidberg his death the original council system was restored without any conflict and has remained functional since, without any apparent internal corruption.
Most recently, under the cold impartial fist of the current Oligarch, Lewiddyion, the Schism determined that one crowded planet was not enough. They returned to the stars.
Oligarchy Council
Oligarch Lewiddyion was the first leader selected from the council after the tyrant was removed. He remains on the council to this day. He has been elected Oligarch more often than any other council member, and currently sits on a twenty year selection streak.
Lord Brethik is a younger leader, only just over a century old. He manages the industrial charter projects of the Schism. His initial adjustments to project guidelines included adding incentives, such as financial and hard labour penalties for those running over budget or time on public works projects. Civic production increased substantially under his guidance. He has only chaired as Oligarch twice though, despite having participated in the council for two dozen sessions.
Krellor Sturm oversees to the meldkelp and farming initiatives of the Schism. His office also manages religious affairs, as these do persist, despite the general negative stigma towards worshipers of the old Norak gods. Generally he is seen as the lowest ranking of the current council, but is regarded highly by the underphid, despite having never held the chair of the council.
Din Naestra is the single female of the oligarchy council. Tradition would suggest that Norak females are not suited for political endevours, but since the Schism founded their new home, female Norak rights has been a priority for the Schism, and Din Naestra's ruthless counterespionage regime, and her grip on the six courts, has proven her worth and value to the Schism.
Prince Caelor Deslin belongs to the now defunct royal theocratic dynasty. A small sect of the Deslin lineage, one of several lines which vied for the various ruling positions of the old Norak homeworld, was integral to the Schism movement. After the events, while the dynastic lineages all became figureheads, many still follow the genetic heritage of the old dynasties. The sons and daughters are princes and princesses, and most use the title, even though it is no longer required. Due to this prestige, most retain high social and wealth and easily may make a name for themselves in what profession they select. Some simply become wastrels. Others, like Caelor, take to the role with a sense of purpose and responsibility. Caelor is bold and strong, well liked by the media. His efforts in subduing a small insurrection, where he was wounded, ensured his perpetual adoration by the Schism's population. He sits on the military councils and is sometimes selected to sit as Oligarch, when the need arises.
