Confederation of Derahs

The Confederation of Derahs (CD) (Pronounced [Dare-is]) is a confederation of states created by the Zorock, a race of mammalian, ursine-like creatures who hail from the world of Derahs. For much of their history, the Zorock were a divided and warring people; they fought against each other, each nation vying to gain control of Derahs and of the Zorock people as a whole. Societal shifts, as well as threats from the outside world, brought their fighting to an end, who banded together for mutual protection, forming the Confederation in the process. Now a unified fore, the Confederation stare out into the galaxy and have become disgusted with what they view as the 'status quo' of senseless bloodshed and violence. The Confederation now seeks to ensure the continued peace and security of all who would otherwise be taken advantage of by the warlords and dictators of the galaxy.

But while the Confederation is largely unified in its desires, it is not unified in how it obtains them. Some, such as Feltis, believe a powerful military and an authoritarian hand will be the only way to keep governments in line. Others believe that the ideals of freedom, democracy, and diplomacy must prevail. Still others seek to control the galaxy from the shadows, silently working in the background to fulfill its will and only directly intervening when absolutely necessary. These differences have caused tension within the union, and have led to some questioning whether the Confederation will ever be able to achieve its goals. This has also led to very polarized opinions from the rest of the galaxy, with some viewing the Confederation as too heavy handed while others may believe them to actually be too soft; in truth, it all depends on how the states vote on particular issues, which can quickly change back and forth depending on only a few votes.

Recently, the Confederation has become involved in the Great War; while initially a neutral power, the Confederation soon opted to join the Peacekeeper Alliance despite some uncertainty from some of the Confederation's officials. The Zorock knew that they would not defeat the Warlords or some of the Neutrals on their own, and that they would need assistance in order to do so. At the same time, they are not fond of certain Peacekeepers, such as the Karahotdoum and the Rach. Feltis, the most militaristic of the states, has taken charge in leading the Confederation's troops against the Warlords, while the other states have devoted themselves to diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and scientific research.

History
Main Page: History of the Zorock

Government & Territory
The territory of the Confederation of Derahs is split between five major powers: the Republic of Derahs, Velisian Union, Feltis, Alknan Territories, and Nalovi, as well as various minor powers. What determines a major power is how much land, resources, and people that it has under its control. Currently, all of the major powers -with the exception of Feltis- are the nations that formed when the Lyserian Republic, the one-world government of the Zorock, collapsed over a millennia ago.

Each member state of the Confederation retains its own independent government. These governments each possess their own laws and policies, with the other states being barred from infringing on them or attempting to force change. Each state is also allowed to control how it interacts with other members of the Confederation to a certain degree; for example, they retain the right to close their borders or refuse trade. Such acts are politically very risky, however, as it can severely hamper the influence they can hold over the Confederation, particularly among the minor powers.

The Confederation's equivalent of an executive power resides in the Derahs Council. This council, located on neutral, unclaimed territory on the homeworld of Derahs, is comprised of the leaders of each member of the Confederation. This council convenes when states begin to feud with one another, when a nation is formed or is dissolved, and in times of emergencies. More importantly, this council serves an important role in foreign policy. While the Confederation has no true centralized power for internal matters, it acts much more like a unified nation when it comes to foreign affairs, where the Confederation's decisions are decided via a vote. No single nation is allowed to declare war, trade with, or interact with an alien power without the approval of the rest of the council. The only exception is on the matter of self-defense, where all nations will automatically be considered to be at war with the aggressor. Once the vote has been made, the other nations must follow through with the decision of the majority, even if they had fiercely opposed it.

Many, particularly Feltis as of recently, have come out and criticized the Confederation's government, calling it slow, unwieldy, and inefficient. They argue for potentially drastic reform in how the Confederation functions, such as creating a far more powerful executive government and even consolidating the states into a single, unified nation, much like the Lyserian Republic once was. For the many who value their current independence and fear a repeat of Lysere, this is an extremely unfavorable scenario, and thus they have come out in force against these forces. The debate of the Confederation's future has become a fierce one, though it has, for a time, been put aside as the war against the Empire of Galdera intensifies.

Republic of Derahs
Capital: Ulythia (Current), Derahs (formerly)

Government: Representative Presidential Democracy

Current leader:

Colors: Blue/silver/yellow

The Republic of Derahs (RD) is the oldest and largest of the major powers. It is the direct descendant of the long-defunct Lyserian Republic; in the earliest years of the aftermath of the collapse, this made the Republic the prime target of all other powers, who feared that they would attempt to rebuild the republic once more. Additionally, they controlled one of the key targets of the war, most notably Derahs. They ultimately lost full-control of the world, but were able to contest it and control portions of it throughout the war. They have also played a major role in recent history by acting as a mediator between some of the more ideologically extreme states. Had it not been for their mediation, the Long War may well have never ended.

The Republic has somewhat of a unique position of quasi-leadership within the Confederation; it is often the nation which acts as a mediator when other nations have gotten into disputes. In votes, it is often the tiebreaker between the more militaristic Feltans and Alknans and the diplomatic Velisians and Nalovians. It is the neutral, moderate force of the confederation, the so-called 'voice of reason' as many have referred to it as. It extends this viewpoint to how it observes the galaxy; the Republic believes that life is not inherently good nor evil, but instead led by whatever holds power over them, whether they may be nature or political forces. The ideal solution to the galaxy's troubles, in the eyes of the Republic, would be expanding the current confederation to include all known races, and that they could then peacefully settle their issues diplomatically rather than through force. On the other hand, the Republic has shown that it does not tolerate what it perceives to be evil, and it has been involved in many interventions to forcefully settle problems, a tendency that earns them the respect of the Feltans.

The society of the Republic of Derahs is the most diversified of any of the states, even more so than the Velisian Union. All of the various groups of the Republic, from Alknans to Nalovians, reside here, sometimes creating a unique cultural blend unique to certain regions of the Republic alone. The government is a representative democracy full and through. The legislature contains two houses, with all members limited to two terms of six years. The elected president, meanwhile, serves one single term of eight years. States within the Republic are not based on colonies, but instead entire sections of space that are bundled together due to economic and cultural similarities. Religion is tolerated, and even supported, in certain parts of the Republic, but there remains a strong secular society in many regions. Military service is not mandatory by default, but the president is allowed and even encouraged to begin a draft in times of emergencies.

The Republic maintains a largely positive relationship with the rest of the confederation; it is self-aware of its position as the 'neutral power' and 'voice of reason' and it often uses this to its advantage to try and push the Confederation in what it believes to be the right direction, though this has created some resent between it and another power when the latter does not get what it was supporting. The Republic maintains a healthy military partnership with the Feltans, though they view the nation as a whole as far too extreme in its views and have tried on numerous occasions to try and turn it away from its current ideology. It is supportive of the viewpoints of the Velisians and Nalovians, but is wary of the latter's religious nature and the former's general reluctance towards military action. However, towards the Alknan Territories, relations are more strained. The Confederation distrust the nation due to its intense secrecy and corporate nature; it does not believe that the Alknans are truly dedicated to the Confederation's goal. This has, in turn, formed tense moments with the Feltans, who maintain a close alliance with the Alknans.

Velisian Union
Capital: Vjorgunman

Government: Representative Parliamentary Democracy

Current leader: Chief Minister Eyorla Amalji

Colors: Purple/black/blue

Feltis
Capital: Volisdav

Government: Stratocratic Meritocracy

Current leader: Lady Andahlva Erulend (#0117539-2020475)

Colors: Green/gray/orange

Feltis is the youngest and most controversial of the Confederation's major powers. It was formed by the many Velisians who split off from their home nation after the modern government took power and brought major reforms to the Union. This breakaway group, which included a vast portion of the Union's total population, began as a relatively large minor power west of the Velisians and south of the Alknan territories. Through an aggressive expansion policy, vastly expanding its military, and absorbing a number of minor powers, Feltis has grown to become one of the most powerful member states. They are militaristic to their core, and possess the largest standing army of any of the current member states.

Feltis views the galaxy with cold and cynical eyes; it believes that life itself is inherently evil, and if left unchecked will simply perpetuate an eternal cycle of warfare and suffering. Feltis rejects democracy and its tenants of freedom and tolerance, believing that life cannot be trusted with them and that they are thus unable to bring lasting peace and stability to the Frontier. In their ideal vision for the galaxy, Feltis would be the only power in charge, all other nations and governments being dissolved and integrated into their empire. Harsh and authoritarian control, as well as an exceptionally powerful military will be the only way to bring lasting peace for most. Feltis is not opposed to suppressing certain ideals and cultures, or even exterminating entire alien species, for what it believes to be the 'greater good.'

Feltan society is unlike any other in the Confederation. The government is a stratocracy; the military and government are one in the same entity, with the chief commander of the military being the supreme leader of the nation as a whole. Promotions to various positions are officially based on one's merit (or in more corrupt cases, nepotism) and are granted by higher-ups; the average citizen has no say in the government. All citizens are required to serve in the military for ten years once they finish their mandatory education. Once they graduate, they are placed into reserves, and can be called upon to serve once more. Crime is handled harshly, with public shaming and executions for certain crimes being the norm. While not officially banned as a whole, religion is generally frowned upon by the government and general population, and many faiths have been brutally suppressed for being at odds with the will of the government. Privacy and free speech are limited, with the government taking many measures others would consider 'dystopian' in order to ensure internal security.

Yet, despite these seemingly harsh conditions, the people of Feltis remain proud of their nation and government. To them, the goals of their nation are righteous and true, and the measures they have implemented to reach those goals are the only way to obtain them. In fact, Feltis is almost seen as an improvement over what had existed in the Velisian Union, which had more freedoms and a more democratic government, which ultimately resulted in what would become the Feltans being forced out of power and into self-imposed exile. Now free of Velisian influnce, they have been allowed to construct a nation true to their ideals. This viewpoint can be partly attributed to the ethnic background of the Feltans; the vast majority of the population is populated by a very small number of like-minded ethnic groups, all of whom had left the Union to form Feltis. This ethnic unity has helped keep the nation together, and has allowed its current laws and policies to go largely unchallenged within its own borders.

Relations between Feltis and the rest of the confederation are oftentimes rather strained. It has a very contentious relationship with its 'parent,' the Velisian Union. With the two nations being near-polar opposites of one another, disagreements are extremely common. Feltis views the nation as backwards and far too pacifistic for the goals of the Confederation. Feltis is also often at odds with Nalovi, who often side with the Velisians and whose religious majority the Feltans hold a distaste for. On the other end of the spectrum, Feltis has developed a strong alliance with the Alknan Territories. In its history, Feltis frequently purchased weapons and other equipment from the Alknans, more frequently and faster than the other members of the Confederation. This trade-based relationship eventually flourished into a close-knit alliance between the two powers, who share views on a number of issues. Feltis and the Republic of Derahs are officially neutral, but oftentimes wary, of one another. They often agree on certain matters of foreign policy, such as military intervention, but the cold and brutal nature of the Feltans, combined with their criticism of the Confederation as a whole, prevents relations from improving.

Alknan Territories
Capital: Alkna

Government: Aristocracy

Current leader: Chief Councillor Hjalsa Garlundr

Colors: White/black/red

Nalovi
Capital: Alkeosis

Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Current leader: King Ungmar and Queen Vjarya Besella

Colors:

Occupation Zones
Occupation Zones are the remnants of empires or planets invaded by the Zorock. In these cases, the Zorock hold complete control over the lives of the occupants, replacing any government and military they had previously. More often than not the intention of these occupied areas is not the punishment of the population, but rather to help them rebuild and steer them to a more democratic system of government. They will help the population regrow and reform, providing economic, medical, and administrative assistance to the occupants. With enough time, the population will have formed a new government and rebuild a new home from the ashes of its former system. At this point most occupation forces are pulled out and the aliens are allowed to govern and support themselves from now on. Though, it is common for the two to become allies at some point later. It is a common occurrence for these former occupied states to be culturally and administratively similar to the Zorock thanks to the several years, if not decades, of Zorock control.

Derahs
Main Page: Derahs

Derahs, a large arctic planet, is the homeworld of the Zorock. Many parts of the planet are largely uninhabited due to the harsh climate and lack of food and water. The majority of the population is set up along the coastlines or built upon the small islands spread out amongst the ocean. There is more land than there is water on Derahs, and much of the water that is there is frozen over save for parts of the ocean. Much of the surface is frozen permafrost. Much of the planet is fairly flat and has little elevation, but some mountain ranges do exist. Despite the planet's hostile conditions, the Zorock have immense pride regarding the planet. The thank the planet's harsh climate for making them strong and mighty.

Derahs is divided into three main continents. Jhasoth, Ligovos, and Yielvais. Jhasoth is a massive continent formed from several smaller continents combining several million years ago. The continent is where the Zorock formed and remains as having the most population of the three. The majority of the population is situated in the west, northern, and southeastern regions. Ligovos is a smaller continent close to Jhasoth. Unlike its larger brother, most of Ligovos is suitable for habitation. Ligovos has become famous for its lucrative production of luxury items. Many in the upper class still come here to purchase what they consider status symbols. Yielvais is the smallest continent. It is one of the most mountainous continents and does not have many places suitable for habitation. The continent is largely used by corporations because it is rich in natural resources.

Derahs has a sizable military presence in order to protect the population. Many of the uninhabited regions have military bases constructed in them, many having AA and anti-orbital cannons to deter enemy vessels. A large and up-to-date orbital fleet is also present at all times. The Zorock are ultimately too prideful of their home to lose it, and are willing to fight to the death to keep it.

Biology
Zorock are mammal-like creatures which stand at about 5'9-6'6 feet (1.8-2.02 meters) tall. Their entire body is covered in a very thick coat of fur which keep them warm and keeps snow off their skin. Underneath the skin is a thick layer of fat which insulates the entire body. Their skin and fur are colored to match the colors of the planet's environment. The toes of their feet are long and spread apart, evenly distributing their weight and helps them keep balance on unstable terrain and prevents them from sinking into the snow. They developed strong leg muscles to run away from predators, though the physical strength in their arms is fairly average. They are primarily nocturnal creatures, hiding away from predators during the day and going out to forage by night. Some have managed to become more adapted to daytime hours, which occurs after a few generations on different planets.

One notable fact about the Zorock is their breathing. Because they developed on a tundra planet, their lungs adapted to breathing the dry, cold air. Unfortunately, this means that on warmer planets it is more difficult and even painful to breathe. To compensate, the Zorock away from colder climates wear special breathing mask that mimic the air on Derahs, making breathing considerably easier. Buildings, vehicles, infantry armor, and spaceships are all cooled down as low as they can possible go to ensure proper breathing we well.

They are primarily omnivorous creatures. They can consume most of the foliage on their homeplanet, which include moss, lichens, grasses, and certain berries which grow during a very brief time during the short summer season. They also prey on several animals, including fish, seal-like creatures called Doovero, and Felsef, a creature that is a delicacy to the Zorock. If no other food is present, they will also feed on insects and carrion.

Mothers normally give birth to one child at a time. The gestation period is longer than most other species, at twelve months. Children come out fairly well developed, and are able to walk within a few hours of being born. They reach maturity around the age of 20, and can naturally live up to 115-125 years.

Military
Main Page: Zorock Military

Luminarians
Status: Friendly, seeking alliance 

Empire of Diablos
Status: Neutral 

Aeveria Confederation
Status: Friendly, seeking alliance 

Karahotdoum Empire
Status: Neutral 

Betel Recyclers
Status: Neutral 

The Rach
Status: Neutral 

Kastalian Survivors
Status: Friendly, seeking alliance 

Sauran Solidarity
Status: Friendly, seeking alliance 

Empire of Galdera
Status: War 

Margan Empire
Status: War 

Zaretian Monarchy
Status: War 

The IAE
Status: War 

The Xeverra
Status: War 

Asanian Syndicate
Status: War 

Holy Nepharian Empire
Status: War 

The Gronian Imperium
Status: Unaware 

Khasii Consulate
Status: Neutral 

Transmetallic Confederation
Status: Neutral 

The Wingle Union
Status: Friendly, seeking alliance 

Nalstros Space Pirates
Status: Hunting 

Biomatter Swarms
Status: Unaware