Zorock Republic

The Zorock Republic is a fairly large empire that has dedicated itself to bringing peace and unity in the galaxy through any means necessary. The ultimate goals of the Zorock are the liberation of empires that live under what their view as a dystopian rule and to bring peace and unity to the galaxy so that they may end problems peacefully. To most races, the Zorock will be quite friendly and peaceful and friendly, if they view them as within the boundaries the Zorock have set.

The Zorock are adamant about their goals, and go to extreme measures to achieve them. They have no qualms with, quite ironically, using military might to bring an end to a problem. They will even sometimes be the instigator of the fighting, using their military to attack and occupy races they view as "evil" or "oppressive" and attempt to redeem them by changing the regime and guiding to a more peaceful living. However, they view some races as nonredeemable, being too engrained in war and violence to be worth it. These races are killed off and their territory annexed.

The extremism of the Zorock brings them into conflict with the ideals of other peace seeking empire and alliances, such as the Peacekeepers. Many view their methods as barbaric and more harmful than good. As such, many races have poor or fairly lukewarm relations with the Zorock and refuse to cooperate with them. They have managed to form some alliances, despite their reputation.

Many aspects of Zorock society, understandably, are quite ironic or downright hypocritical. While they officially believe in the freedom of expression, some practices, such as religion, are looked down upon or even persecuted in some sectors of space. Their military intervention in other race's business and general use of force over diplomacy is also a contradiction of their inkling for peace. They also have an inflated ego and are quite arrogant, seeing their laws as guidelines for the galaxy and believing they are one of the few, if only, race who can currently achieve peace many other empires are seeing.

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 occurrance for these former occupied states to be culturally and administratively similar to the Zorock thanks to the several yesrs, if not decades, of Zorock control.

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, though much of the ground is frozen permafrost. or glaciers. 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 also can close their nostrils and have extra eyelids to help keep sand from entering. 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 in the dry, cold air. Unfortunately, they have breathing problems in temperatures with warmer climates. To compensate, Zorock outside of arctic temperatures wear special breathing mask to quickly change the air to be similar to the Zorock homeworld, making breathing much easier and less painful. Ships, vehicles, and buildings are also cooled down as far as possible to ensure proper breathing.

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 species of herd animals. 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 17, and can naturally live up to 115-125 years.

The Rise and Fall of Early Civilization
Originating in the harsh tundra of Derahs, the Zorock began their sentience as nomadic tribal groups. With food being scarce, tribal groups were limited in size, and many battled each other for shrubs and hunting grounds. Technological progress was initially quite slow as groups were focused on staying alive. After several thousand years of a nomadic existence, the Zorock began to construct more permanent settlements near the rivers and coastline. Many fish roamed the water and animals frequently came here for water, becoming easy pickings for hunters. With a steady source of food, the population began a steady rise.

Eventually, many of the settlements came together and formed the very first civilizations on the planet. Most of these new civilizations were quite docile, preferring to expand slowly and trade with other peoples rather than waste troops fighting for land and food when they did not need it. They civilization managed to slowly spread across most of the western coast of Jhasoth with the help of the introduction of wheels and domestication of wild beast.

Unfortunately for the passive Zorock, another sentient race had risen to prominence in the northern regions of Jhasoth. The Tevthyn, an aggressive, warlike empire that was rapidly expanding southward. The Zorock were unaware of the Tevthyn, and were unable to catch wind of them before they began attacking. The Tevthyn acted quickly, rapidly raiding outer Zorock settlements and taking the survives as slaves. The Zorock attempted to put up resistance, but due to not having waged many wars, their weaponry or tactics were not as advanced as the Tevthyn. The Zorock were unable to resist the invasion. Eventually, all Zorock territory was annexed into the Tevthyn empire. Most survivors were captured and taken into captivity to work as slaves, though some did manage to escape and create small enclaves in the forest and mountains. Having lost their empire and their leaders, the Zorock could do nothing as they were led away into slave camps.

Enslavement
The Zorock would serve the Tevthyn as slaves for the next several centuries. They were forced to work on the field gathering food and work on massive architectural projects, often large monuments and tombs for the elite of Tevthyn society. Some Zorock were personally purchased to work as servants, doing basic chores around the owner's home. The Zorock were given the bare minimum of care to make sure they can remain relatively healthy and in working condition. They had their injuries treated and were fed. Discipline was quick and harsh, with anyone who defied orders beaten or had food and care taken away from them for a time. Those who tried to escape were taken and tortured, or executed if they assaulted anyone.

The Zorock were taken and separated into several different settlements throughout Tevthyn territory, each for serving in a major settlement. This split several families apart, and also made them easier to control for the Tevthyn. The Zorock were forced into worshiping the Tevthyn gods and practice Tevthyn cultural traditions, their own culture being suppressed. Over many generations traditional Zorock ideals were lost to time, reverting to a somewhat more tribal system and filled with resentment and hatred for the Tevthyn. Attempts to overthrow their masters happened a number of times, most of them resulting in failure. Those who did escape either died, were taken back, or managed to find their way into one of the secluded enclaves who had originally escaped capture.

This continuous cycle went on for hundred of years, the Zorock loosing almost all hope that they would ever become free. Little did they know that their wish for freedom would eventually be granted.

Freedom
Starting within the last half century or so of enslavement, the Tevthyn Empire began a fall from grace. Racial tensions were beginning to build as the vast size of Jhasoth helped to create various different cultural groups. Unrest towards the government for destructive decisions that had been made all played a part in the collapse of the Tevthyn. As the empire became more divided and became more focused on its internal problems, many of the slave settlements planned to eventually try and break out when the time was right, as many believed the end of the Tevthyn was near.

It would turn out that they were correct. Eventually, the emperor of the Tevthyn was assassinated. Several factions immediately rose up in an attempt to lay claim on the throne. As civil war spread across the empire, less emphasis was put into securing or protecting the slave camps, many of the guards leaving their post to join in on the fighting. With the camps less secure and generally neglected, many of the slave settlements rebelled. The rebellions were rapid, with the Zorock overwhelming the guards with sheer numbers then breaking out. Little was done to stop many of them because of the nation bring locked in civil war, most were not concerned about the Zorock, seeing them as little threat in contrast to their trained fighters. Some of the rebellions did fail, and in these cases the salves were brutally massacred and eventually starved to death.

Those who managed to escape fled into the wilderness, away from the turmoil befalling the Tevthyn. Many fled into the less populated southern regions of Jhasoth. Many still held a deep hatred for their slave masters and wanted to enact revenge, but due to having few numbers and no trained numbers, they were forced to follow suit with those who ran. The groups who made it either found and joined with those Zorock who managed to escape long ago, or formed their own small tribal communities. Many had a hard time adapting to their new life, having spent their existence in servitude and possessing little independence. Breaking the bonds and forming a new culture would be a very long process. Nevertheless, Zorock civilization would slowly start to rise again.

The Tevthyn Empire was unable to recover from the civil war and collapsed into several warring states. Many of the cities and structures they built were destroyed in the fighting, with entire populations slaughtered. A large portion of Tevthyn territory was completely lost due to the fighting.

Unification
Overtime, as scattered Zorock communities started to find each other. Many of these tribes quickly became friendly with one another and began trading and defending each other from raiders and wildlife. By this time most of the Tevthyn left in the region were small camps and raiders, as their fighting had destroyed most of the settlements and many retreated north to try and lay claim to their original homeland. With increasing trade and little in the way of serious competition, Zorock tribes grew rapidly. Small nations formed from the communities, much like they did millennia ago. Some of the more isolated Zorock villages had become paranoid and violent over the years, and attacked travelers and raided nearby cities. These isolated tribes were destroyed overtime by the more powerful Zorock states, though many lamented the state of the Zorock in those villages.

The proposal to again unify the Zorock states into a single empire began to gain traction in one of the more influential city states known as Lysulin. The leaders claimed they could bring back the glory days of the Zorock and ensure the protection of the race if they were unified. They also promised to enact revenge on the Tevthyn species, who were beginning to become an issue in the northern most Tevthyn territory. Their proposal proved successful, and soon enough, the majority of the Zorock had once again unified under a single governing power.

One of the first actions of the unified Zorock, who called themselves the Lysulin Empire, was to expand northward and to eliminate the Tevthyn. A large military mobilization and development phase took place, using both new developments and scavenged technology. The first armies of the Zorock were created and ready. The Tevthyn, who still did not think highly of the Zorock, were not expecting the surprisingly large army of angry, vengeful warriors of the previously docile and weak nation. The wars between the Zorock and Tevthyn states would drag on for several centuries. The Zorock war machine was not satisfied until there were no Tevthyn left. The ultimate result of the war was the complete genocide of the Tevthyn and the Zorock gaining control of Jhasoth. Now alone on their planet, the Zorock lived in peace and expanded over the habitable regions of the planet. All was well for centuries, but eventually another dark period would come to dramatically change the direction of Zorock history.

Great War Involvement
Currently the Zorock are not involved in the Great War, though they are aware of it. There is currently a discussion in the government of whether to become involved or not, with the intervention party rapidly gaining support. Many have become frustrated with the Peacekeeper's seeming inability to stop the Warlords, and think that it is time to change the course.

Government
The Zorock Government is based upon a model similar to a republic. Like on earth, the people ultimately hold control of the government and can freely vote for which ever candidates they please. All colonies have a large degree of autonomy, being able to make policy changes and call in the military without the consent of other states, though they cannot defy the council. Each planet votes for a governor to manage the policies and development of said colony.

Each piece of Zorock territory is divided into sectors. Sectors are made up of about 15-20 solar systems. Every year, the governors from the colonies in these sectors convene to discuss matters relating to their sector. They can pass legislation affecting their entire sector or decide to make proposals for the council, or agree to call for increased military support for the entire sector if they feel threatened. All decisions made by these councils can however be negated by a 2/3rd majority vote in the high council.

The Zorock have no supreme executive authority. Part of the reasoning being a paranoia of executive figures becoming corrupt and causing mayhem within the empire much like in the past. Instead, they have a large council of representatives from all planets that convene on the homeworld to vote on discuss issues within the empire and pass laws. Each planet is only allowed to send one representative at any given time, regardless of their population. This council then votes on laws and regulations as well as other things that would be normally in the hands of an executive authority, such as the military. Each councilor is in power for three years and can be re-elected only once, or can be impeached by their respective planet.

Though the council has ultimate control of the military, the Zorock do vote on a executive authority for the military. This authority is chosen from the roster of admirals serving in the Zorock military at that time. This authority has complete control over the military and is allowed to issue any order as long as the council allows it.

Religion
The Zorock have an incredibly hateful and discriminatory view on religion, looking down upon those who believe in gods with disdain and shame. Many view religion as an archaic concept that only leads to violence, death, and abuse of power. Many openly discriminate against religious individuals and empires. Some territories have gone as far as to ban religion altogether. In territories where religion is allowed to remain, they are carefully monitored to make sure they remain in line, and any suspicion is acted upon with extreme force. Only a very tiny minority of the Zorock population worships a deity, most being ancient pagan religions. The Zorock's attitude towards religion leaves them to be paranoid of religious empires. Conflict with religious empires has become common, with few exceptions existing because of an outwardly friendly and more tolerant nature. Spying on such empires is still commonplace though.

Military
Zorock military doctrine focuses on subduing the enemy as soon as possible. Use of overwhelming force and shock and awe are staples of Zorock military doctrine. Many Zorock units focus on having heavy firepower and mobility in exchange for less armor, which is somewhat negated by shielding technology. Armor and infantry are generally a mix of forces meant for directly attacking the enemy and forces dedicated to hit-and-run fighting meant to eliminate crucial enemy assets. Ground vehicles consist of a mix of hover vehicles and highly agile, lightly armored mechs, while most air vehicles have VTOL capabilities. Heavily artillery and aerial bombardments for entrenched enemies is also prevalent.

Due to their light armoring, most Zorock units are not good at defense, being unable to hold a position. Their focus on quickly ending battles makes them fair rather poorly in any siege style combat or prolonged fronts in general. Their voluntary military recruitment also makes their armies smaller than many of the more militaristic and expansionist empires in the galaxy, further limiting how many fronts they can manage at once.

Armor
Zorock infantry wear a full body suit of power armor which is focused on both protection and mobility. The heaviest armor is around the most vital parts of the body, namely the torso, upper arms and legs, and head. The rest of the body has less protection, but is lighter, namely around the joints, allowing for enhanced mobility. All soldiers come with a shield generator to make up for the armor. Underneath the suit is an exoskeleton frame that enhances the user strength, compensating for their average strength. Also like many other alien power armor designs, there is an under suit present to help try and prevent damage to the body. To properly use it most Zorock have to shave their excessive body hair into a short, thin layer.

There are several variants of power armor, each for a specific purpose. Some have very light armoring, which makes them useful for getting around the battlefield quickly. Others have heavier armor plating, which makes them good for frontline fighting. Battle suits that integrate with the exoskeleton under the armor also exist, many of which act as large shock troopers or for support roles.

Marines
Zorock Marines are divided into two separate classes: Jravek and the Gartok. Each class have their own specific purposes and equipment.

 Gartok 

Gartok are the primary assault fighters of the Zorock military. They wear the standard-issue power armor. They also have stronger than average shielding that can take several hits before overloading. Keeping with their doctrine, Gartok tend to rush toward the enemy, using their mobility to quickly move across the battlefield and duck into cover to take shots at the enemy. They tend to use the heavier weapons of the arsenal, such as heavy assault rifles and LMGs, as well as rocket launchers for enemy armor. Given their mobility, some also use heavy melee weapons, such as extremely large, two handed swords.

 Jravek 

Jravek are lightly armored hit-and-run, long range support infantry. They wear the standard issue power armor like the Gartok, but they have less armor, even around the vital regions. This makes them more vulnerable to gunfire, but they are much faster and more agile. They use their mobility to quickly move around the battlefield to harass the enemy and get into sniping positions. Many Jravek also set up traps along the battlefield. Jravek either wield close-medium range weaponry such as ARs and shotguns, or a long range weapon such as a sniper rifle accompanied with a close range weapon. Some Jravek squads will generally have at least one soldier with a rocket launcher or grenade launcher for quickly destroying targets.

Ersalen Main Battle Tank
The MBT of the Zorock Republic, the Ersalen is the perfect mix of speed, protection and firepower for the Zorock. The Ersalen is a receitn creation, designed and integrated into the army just a few years before the war with the Repzork began. It can traverse most terrain, including bodies of water, thanks to its hover engines and height above the ground. The Ersalen is among the most versatile vehicles of the Zorock arsenal, being able to take multiple roles to at least a minor extent.

The Ersalen has an array of weaponry making it fit for taking on most enemy units. Its main gun is an energy cannon that can fire relatively quickly thanks to its highly efficient cooling systems and batteries. Mounted on the front are two railguns which can hit enemy units at range and is effective against heavy armor. Mounted next to the main gun are two heavy machine guns for any soldier that decides to get close. Finally, it has a rocket pod for engaging enemy gunships or launching into groups of enemy forces. Though the loadout provides it versatility on the battlefield, it does have flaws in the current design. Both the machine guns and railguns are built into the turret and body respectively, meaning the tank has to turn its entire head or body to hit a target with them.

Fordaf Combat Mech
The Fordaf is the oldest of serving mech designs in the Zorock military, being one of the very first mech to be militarized and mass produced. The previous models were much larger and bulkier, with the next incarnation slimming it down and making it faster and more agile. Though it is currently among the least armored mechs in the empire, its speed and agility makes it a dangerous threat on the battlefield. Advanced AI and stabilizers also help the Fordaf to compensate for terrain and match the safe speed accordingly. Fordaf pilots never work along, always operating with at least one other unit. As one would expect, Fordaf are not direct fighting units, not having nearly enough armoring to last long. They use their speed and agility to dodge enemy fire and do "strafe runs," rushing from one cover spot to another and unleash a volley of fire. They also try to flank enemy forces and attack them in their weak points.

The Fordaf is armed with two heavy railguns, one on each side of the mech. They can move and fire independently of each other, allowing it to target multiple enemies at once. Targeting AI allows it to quickly spot soft points in enemy forces and unleash a short burst of railgun fire with devastating results. The railguns have a fair range, allowing the Fordaf to gain some distance between enemy forces and itself. For gunships, the Fordaf has two rocket pods mounted on the top of the mech. Though it is deadly against armor, it has no direct way of countering infantry.

Gailon Infantry Support Mech
The Gailon IFM (Infantry Support Mech), informally known as the Daklo Vaermas, or "Spider's Strike" in Zorock tongue, is a four-legged combat mech designed for versatility and being maneuverable to keep up with infantry squads. It's four legs allow it to stabilize itself on most uneven terrain, which is especially helpful in urban environments. Gailon have also been known to act independently of infantry, using their mobility to try and catch enemy forces off guard. Its armor and shielding make it highly resistant to small arms fire and grenades, but any blast from a tank can make quick work of the Gailon

The Gailon is outfitted with several weapons. Mounted on the body is a plasma cannon which launches a large blast of plasma which is effective against both armor and groups of infantry. Next to the plasma cannon are two small autocannons for suppressing enemy infantry. Mounted under the body is another, larger autocannon. Poking out of the body are two smoke grenade launchers which provide cover for squads.

Repzork Empire
Status: War 

The relations with the Zorock and Repzork were bad from the beginning. A large invasion force was launched to halt Repzork expansion in their region of space and to pave the way for eventual defeat and occupation of Repzork space. Twenty-seven years later, with them now knowing of the Repzork's culture and atrocities, the objection has changed from containment to full extermination. Unfortunately, neither have managed to make much progress in the war.

Nalstros Space Pirates
Status: Hunting 

Like most other races in the galaxy, the Zorock have been raided by the infamous Nalstros. The Zorock seek either the extermination of the Nalstros and their clans or the hope that they can somehow be changed to be more civilized and live within the galaxy at peace, though many view both as nearly impossible to achieve. Several anti-pirate brigades have been created to hunt down and eliminate the pirates, with mixed results.