Zaretian Monarchy (Branding)

Corv's Notes
General premise: an aristocratic society with eons-entrenched extreme class disparity that has morphed into an interstellar technocratic dystopia.

The military's unceasing expansion of Zaretian territory is always accompanied by the exploits of corporate interests - and a lot of the people at the top of both institutions share surnames. In the process of colonising and enslaving their alien neighbours, the Zaretian Monarchy has also succeeded in enslaving most of its own populace.

The force of Zaretian colonial proliferation isn’t just propelled by its noble-born soldiers but also by an ever-expanding cycle of corporate exploitation of its underclass. The only way to make a living as an ordinary Zaretian is to surrender yourself to its extraterrestrial gig economy. Getting a job in the Monarchy operates on a system of collective bargaining whereby workers relinquish their rights in exchange for benefits, wages, pensions or marginally more comfortable lifestyles. Zaretian workers use a variety of chemical implants or questionable cybernetic enhancements to remain competitive with their peers; some to become strong, some to become faster and some to become smarter.

Every employment contract has some lurking clause that instigates punitive debts which employees must pay the company should they fail in their duties. For many, this amounts to a state of indentured servitude. Workers are ferried all around the empire like livestock and sleep in tiny pods stacked in their thousands aboard liveships. Some take remote jobs aboard orbiting probes on which they remain for months or years at a time without contact. All communication with the world outside the contract is controlled by the employer and something as simple as photos from your family are withheld as a reward for exceptional performance. The average Zaretian is totally insulated from the world outside their society and never sees an alien in their lifetimes.

The difference between the Zaretian underclass and the overclass is visible; centuries of body modification practices to specialise in their livelihoods have made the younger Zaretians nimbler, hardier and smaller to fit inside downsized modes of transportation. The overclass by comparison adapt their appearance to suit aesthetic desires instead, often being tall and more athletic in build. The overclass’ role in society is one of military and corporate aristocracy, with a small number of wealthy families exerting great influence on the political landscape of the Monarchy as a whole. Rank in corporate or martial institutions is closely tied to bloodline and those living in privilege increase their fortune through profitable (and, often, ethically dubious) business ventures.

Popularity in Zaretian aristocratic society is an almost tangible asset that must be maintained and reinforced through grotesque displays of wealth. Throwing lavish parties and engaging in acts of wanton hedonism is the surest way to build prestige in such circles.

The Zaretian Monarchy remains one of the largest and most powerful galactic imperial powers, possibly greater than that of the combined races in the Nuverian Federation. It’s capacity for total domination is held back by infighting however; not of clans who openly fight for supremacy as with the Barrakru Kaat but of rivaling bloodlines squabbling behind the scenes over grudges that go back centuries.

Voltara's Notes
Biology


 * 'Old' and 'New' Zaretians are distinct species from the same common ancestor, but are close enough genetically for crossbreeding.
 * 'Old' Zaretians are roughly human-sized, whereas 'New' Zaretians can reach about 7' (2.13m) in height.
 * 'Old' Zaretians evolved amid dense woods/forests, whereas 'New' Zaretians evolved in grasslands & plains.
 * 'Old' Zaretians have endurance & agility, whereas 'New' Zaretians possess more short-term strength & speed.

History '''Author's Note: This all takes place over a long, long, long period of time. The Monarchy is not quite as dysfunctional as it may look.'''


 * Zaretian pre-space history is rife with conquest, especially between 'Old' and 'New' Zaretians, many of whom view themselves as the rightful masters of Zartar.


 * Zartar is eventually unified under the banner of the Minos Dynasty (placeholder), an ultranationalist constitutional monarchy founded upon the idea of "One World, one species, one king," which officially aimed to unite and reconcile old and new zaretians and begin exploring the stars.
 * Minos was genuine in its effort to unite the planet, but did so via harsh, authoritarian rule. The state was tightly regulated, individual rights were minimal, and dissidents were often punished with reeducation & forced labor.
 * Minos eventually develops its first faster-than-light engine and later establishes its first interstellar colony, Tyres.
 * The Monarchy rapidly expands, but Minos finds it more difficult than initially anticipated to control its outermost colonies, which become havens for anti-Minos groups.
 * Local rebellions escalate into outright civil war, which simultaneously reignites old tensions between rival ethnic/cultural groups.
 * Amid the chaos, an alien empire invades Zaretian space. The feuding Zaretians form a united front; despite devastating losses, they do stall the invasion.
 * Battle of Zartar seems much of Minos captured or killed, effectively ending the dynasty. The invasion & killings galvanizes the Zaretian defenders, who rally behind surviving nobility. A series of daring counterattacks cripples the drained invaders, who begin to retreat.
 * [It remains an open debate whether or not Minos was actually killed off or if they had been assassinated by ambitious rivals]
 * Zaretians launch their own invasion and subdue their foe; most of the population is exterminated, with the few survivors being taken as slaves forced to assist in rebuilding efforts, marking the beginning of the Zaretian's now infamous practice of slavery.


 * Faced with a common, otherworldly foe, most Zaretians put aside their feuds for the sake of mutual defense. Established by a small but powerful alliance of nobles and military officials, the Lywo Dynasty is established and swiftly reunites the scattered Zaretians. Many Minos-era policies remain in place, though forced labor and other menial assignments are relegated to slaves, Zaretians workers being gradually phased out and substantially boosting Lywo's popularity.
 * The Zaretians enter a golden age of conquest & colonization. Aliens are subjugated to fuel the Zaretian's growing slave empire, slaves fulfilling jobs ranging from mining to housekeeping. Strict laws & even stricter punishments enforce compliance among slave populations.
 * Extreme economic stratification develops, the innermost colonies housing the monarchy's elite, who subsequently buy or seize most property, forcing the lower classes outward. With the military & outer colonies as a 'barrier', the upper-classes grow increasingly hedonistic and self-centered.
 * Lywo's final ruler dies unexpectedly, his daughter being too young to rule. A council temporarily takes power until the queen is of age, but begin bickering among themselves.
 * The Lywo Dynasty dissolves as the monarchy splits into several warring states. Lywo's would-be queen disappears under unclear circumstances. Proletarian uprisings and slave revolts break out but are forcefully crushed.
 * The era sees new religious & philosophical movements emerge; some gain a following and persist even into the modern era, while others fade or are outright purged.


 * The dictatorial Lyerius Dynasty emerges victorious partly due to technological advancements and political maneuvering; most notably, they receive assistance from foreign allies who are promised a cut of the spoils. Lyerius was also one of the few states to employ its slaves as soldiers, offering them privileges up to and including equal rights for dutiful service. Lyerius would soon alter the official records to downplay the role played by these outsiders.
 * Lyerius enacts an intense propaganda campaign aimed at deifying the monarchy among the lower classes and stokes the fires of xenophobia; the long-term effect is that most Zaretians become totally blind to their own oppression, aiming their grievances and malice at aliens.
 * The upper-classes continue to live a life of luxury, so long as they maintain good relations with Lyerius. Nobles suspected of any form of 'subterfuge' quietly disappear, never to be seen nor heard from again.
 * Lyerius generally maintains the status quo, but its openness towards aliens and harsh treatment of nobility festers resentment among conservatives.


 * General Dor'ack attains fame and prestige for his role in a major war. However, he uses his influence & connections to stage a coup. Acting under the delusion that Lyerius' (relatively few) alliances would 'poison' Zaretian values, he seeks to undo all that the dynasty had accomplished and turns on the Monarchy's allies.


 * A vast swath of the monarchy breaks away and falls under the rule of the rival, Lyerius-aligned Koose Dynasty. A brief but ferocious conflict sees Dor'ack and his surviving associates publicly executed. Koose subsequently seizes power.
 * In an effort to prevent another coup, Koose initiates a series of reforms to better control the military, including the appointment of political officers whose only allegiance is to the king.
 * Initially, Koose shows itself to be a successful and efficient source of order; however, a series of weak and corrupt rules, lulled by the hedonistic wealth of the core, leaves the monarchy vulnerable in a period of numerous border conflicts.
 * The last Koose ruler leaves Zartar to inspect and encourage his troops. Due to either sabotage or malfunction, the ship carrying the king is lost due to a malfunction in its FTL drives.


 * Coincidentally, back on Zartar, Koose is quietly ousted as the Titanus dynasty begins its reign, which begins with an empire-wide purge of any and all officials with Koose sympathies.
 * Titanus reverses Koose's reforms & abolishes the commissars, but retains greater influence over the armed forces.
 * Titanus focuses much of its effort on expanding the military & advancing its technology. Soldiers of noble stature see the fruits of these labors, whereas the (numerically superior) common soldiers retain their older equipment.
 * The monarchy is dragged into a widespread regional conflict; the Monarchy emerges as a victor, but is left overextended with its forces spread across its new holdings. Old alliances break down as aliens take advantage of the situation.
 * Titanus again emerges victorious, but its military & coffers are drained. Displeased nobles whose lavish lifestyle had been impacted by the war make their voices heard, but Titanus pays them little heed, its efforts focused on the wider monarchy.


 * The heir presumptive of Titanus joins the self-proclaimed U'Pa Dynasty, which overthrows Titanus. However, U'pa is unable to consolidate control over the military and sours relations with other noble families, causing the Monarchy to once again split into rival states.
 * U'Pa very nearly emerges victorious, but a rift between the U'Pa and Titanus branches sparks infighting that disrupts the war effort.


 * U'pa's last major opponent, Dondo, takes advantage of the chaos to purchase the allegiance of several ranking officials and eliminate both Titanus and U'pa. Low-intensity fighting would persist for years until Dondo finally consolidated power.
 * Dondo institutes numerous government reforms in a bid to finally put a stop to the infighting. Of note is the return to a Minos-styled constitutional monarchy featuring two legislative chambers, one of which was elected by commoners. Noble power was diminished and the military remained tightly under Dondo's grip. While still autocratic, Dondo was notably less harsh than its predecessors.
 * Dondo's foreign policy, however, remained focused on conquest and enslavement, only allying when it was to the Zaretian's benefit.
 * Dondo's reign is markedly stable and persists for generations. With their major foes having been subdued by Titanus, the monarchy enters a new golden age of conquest.
 * During one such conflict, a soldier of noble birth named Moscanninn is captured. Expecting to be tortured, Moscanninn is surprised to see his captors treat him with kindness and respect, prompting a dialogue between the two that ultimately undermines Moscanninn's entire worldview. He would remain in captivity for months, and in time adopted some of the alien's philosophical notions.
 * Moscanninn is eventually rescued and brought back to the mainland, where he keeps his new beliefs a tight-lipped secret.
 * Moscannin spends decades building a secret network of supporters which includes nobles, officers, and other prominent officials who have come to doubt the Monarchy's warmongering. Moscannin himself uses his connections to close the distance with the Dondo family, who takes a liking to his persona.
 * Moscannin marries into the family and uses his newfound influence to raise his allies to prominent positions while undermining those he knew would likely oppose him.
 * Moscannin has most of Dondo killed in what is framed as another Dor'ack-style coup attempt, seizing the opportunity to arrest some of opponents.
 * Moscanninn seizes power, his wife being Dondo's only surviving direct heir. The Moscanninn Dynasty begins.
 * Moscanninn works quickly, introducing more democratic reforms, abolishing slavery, downsizing the military, clearing out corruption from among the nobility, and dismissing generals and officials no longer deemed necessary.
 * Having not been privy to his plans, Moscanninn's wife is outraged; the king tries to persuade her, but the two remain at odds even to this day.
 * Despite his good intentions, Moscanninn's reforms are met with protests and outrage across the monarchy which spread as the economy, which had been built around war and slavery, plummets. Moscanninn and his allies continue their efforts at reform, winning over some skeptics, but tensions continue to build.


 * General Breys, one of the few remaining generals, instigates a coup, receiving the backing of much of the military & nobility. Moscanninn, his wife (who fears execution by association), and many of his allies escape.
 * Breys undoes all of Moscanninn's reforms, rebuilds the army, and releases imprisoned nobles. He also undoes many of Dondo's reforms, returning the Zaretians to an absolute monarchy.
 * Breys keeps his promise to revitalize the monarchy; the economy flourishes under his reign, but Breys rules with a particular brand of cruelty unlike those before him. He combines many of the aspects of the dynasties that came before him: Minas' ultranationalism, Lywo's rampant xenophobia & slavery, Lyerius' cult of personality, Koose's centralization, and Titanus' militarism. The results are clear, with the Monarchy having become one of the greatest military powers in the Kentaurs Sector. Despite the efforts of Moscanninn's network of rebels, Breys continues to rule with an iron grip, determined to see himself and his dynasty reign forever.