The Boterrian Kingdoms

The Boterrian Coat of Arms

> I never thought "It's raining cats and dogs" would be so literal after the arrival of the Boterrians. It's these Boterrians that made us see how deviant humanity truly is.
>
> Unknown

**The Boterrian Kingdoms**, The Empire of Boterria, The High Kingdom of Boterria and sometimes The United Slaver Guilds of Boterria is the factional ruling body of Faothan. The Boterrians (or Bote) are split between two peoples, with the majority of the population being a feline species and roughly 18% having a more canine biology. A society based heavily around slavery, wealth and beauty the Boterrian people came come off as arrogant and vile to many outsiders. They joined the Coalition shortly after official goverment introductions, despite the Coalition's apparant dislike for slavery.

### Goverment

The Boterrian Kingdoms is, in everything but name, an Empire. The nations of Faothan are all Kingdoms and Grand Duchy's, with one elected monarch to become the High King or High Queen (The High Ruler for simplicity's sake).

At the end of a High Ruler's lifetime, a new one is elected. By doing it this way, the Monarchs of Faothan are forced to play games of manipulation and getting along to make sure a vote is casted for them. Despite all the potentional of corruption this has, most of the Monarchs vote in a cycle, letting each dynasty take it's turn as the High Ruler. This agreement between most of the dynasties has allowed a rather corruptionless and bloodless society, at the very least in the higher echelons of said society.

When a High Ruler is chosen, they are chosen (while not officialy) as a couple, as the electors take into account the prestige and abilities of both partners.

### Economy

Each time a High Ruler is elected, a portion of all taxes (as one would in a feudal society) goes to this dynasty, allowing each of the Kingdoms to build up their economy over time. This age long tradition combined with minimal warring has allowed the Boterrian society to strengthen and grow as a whole, making it a very powerful and loyal one.

Much of the economic growth - moreso since space travel advanced - was the slave trade that originated from Boterrian worlds. Popular especially amongst humans and even nicknames 'furries', the aspect of owning slaves seems to be an alluring thing to many within the Coalition due to their usual banning of slave trade.

The exception is rumoured to have come due to two reasons...
The Coalition needed new allies and the Boterrian slaves are well taken care of and often healthier than non-slaves, for slave owners (the majority of them) see healthy, beautiful and strong slaves as a sign of wealth and prestige. This high standard, sadly, did not continue after international trade occured and most other species have treated Boterrian slaves as objects of lust, abuse or cheap labour.

### Monarchs of Faothan

The Monarchs of Faothan are the rulers of the various Kingdoms and Duchys of the world of Faothan. While some have unique inheritance laws, the majority work under a primogeniture.

When a Monarch passes, their spouse (if still alive) continues to rule in their stead, for once one marries into a family they are to take pride and honour in becoming part of this dynasty. By performing well, one honours their old and new families alike, promoting further marriages between the two dynasties. Once both of the rulers have died, the oldest child will most of the time inherit, no matter the gender.

## History

### The Rise of House Scintraj

While there are many stories, some stand out more than others. One is a lesson taught about how being the High Ruler is not all a 'joy' however, as they have to solve the problems of the Empire as a whole and are held up to certain standards. A Ruler who fails to provide would without a doubt be deposed by the Monarchs of Faothan and a new election would take place. This has rarely happened, but the last time it did it was a significant event. With the Scintraj Dynasty having failed to provide for the Empire upon discovery of advanced space travel, they were deposed and their family shamed. The D'narrts Dynasty had been elected to take the throne, resulting in a scramble for colonies among the stars. The Empire was on the brink of civil wars over disputed claims and had already seen dozens of border conflicts.

After the death of his father, the young, not even of age Miorooku Scintraj demanded that the D'narrts Dynasty's High Ruler Daecoro step down, that they had failed to settle this issue and a new High Ruler had to be elected. Offended by this and claiming that - if the Scintraj were capable they would still be ruling - Daecoro attempted an arrest of several important Scintraj family members. Upon the capture of Miorooku's ailing mother (at the time the Queen of the Scintraj Kingdom) he too surrendered in a bid to aid her and be close to her.

It was unfortunately too late, as Miorooku's mother had passed away shortly after while under house arrest in D'narrts castle, leaving Miorooku as an imprisoned King who had not even sat upon the throne of his Kingdom. Feeling he had little more to risk and worried that his Kingdom would fall without his rule or that Daecoro would take advantage of this and usurp the entire Kingdom, he challenged the High King to a duel.

Unworried about the teenaged boy Miorooku, High King Daecoro accepted the duel, for he was well known for his martial prowess across all of Boterria. He invited the Monarchs of Faothan to come watch, telling them he would put on a show. A show of what he would do to the Monarchs if they did not stop their infighting. As the day came and Miorooku stood before what could only be described as a giant in warriors armour, with golden plates and jewels adorning his armour sword alike he felt naked, for he had mere regal clothes. It was only by the mercy of Daecoro's daughter, Daec'anna that Miorooku found himself armed, for she gave him a simple spear that she had demanded from a guardsman. She wished him luck and an apology.

As the fight commenced, it was clear that the High King would not even have to try to crush Miorooku. He taunted and cheered for the crowds of his court, knowing he would soon absorb his neighbouring rival Kingdom and solve the crisis in the colonies in one foul swoop. As slash after slash landed on Miorooku, always followed by gasps of horror from the crowds and cackling from the Daecoro, it was clear the fight would end soon.

Miorooku had tried his best to avenge his people and bring stability to the Empire, but it had seemed he failed. As the young boy fell back and hung his head, Daecoro stepped closer to finish him off, yet buckled under the weight of his golden armour, for it was not made for comfort, but rather for prestige. Miorooku swiftly grabbed the spear he was given by Daecoro's own daughter and steadied in on the throne room's floor. As Daecoro fell upon Miorooku there was a crack that echoed in the room. Neither seemed to move until Daec'anna ordered the guards to help her father up.

It had seemed that it was not the spear that had snapped or the bones that had broken, it was both... The spear had pierced Daecoro's heart and the giant man had crushed many of Miorooku's bones, yet it seemed in the end Miorooku lived and Daecoro did not. A silence went over the throne room for a long time before one Monarch shouted, pronouncing Miorooku the winner.

Upon being taken care of by doctors, Miorooku pronounced himself free from House D'narrts. When Daec'anna realized she had been responsible for her fathers death, she felt both rage and grief overtaking her, yet somehow calmed herself. Queen now, Daec'anna offered Miorooku a single reward, expecting him to simply ask for a re-election of High Ruler, which had to happen either way. She claimed it was to make up for all that had happened.

Against her expectations, Miorooku asked for her hand in marriage. In this way, he had killed two birds with one stone. He would marry into his rival and neighbouring Kingdom and thus end conflict between them. But not just that, with Daec'anna being the only child of Daecoro and Miorooku being the only child of the ruling house of Scintraj, their child would inherit both Kingdoms.

To top this all off, Miorooku was chosen as High King of Boterria. The stories making him sound even more impressive than he actually had been. The conflicts in the colonies stopped and a new law was introduced...

### Colonisation

Unlike many other space faring species, the Boterrian colonies are not funded by corporations or individuals, but are rather expansions and subjects of the Monarchs of Faothan. Much like the Scramble for Africa or the colonisation of the New World on Earth, colonies in the Boterrian home system of Z'hun were just that-- colonial parts of an Empire.

After Miorooku's rise to power as High King, he had enacted a new law to stop the infighting. Any new colonisation efforts had to be sanctioned by the High Ruler and only the High Ruler could directly colonise without this, meaning the majority of colonies that exist now are part of the Scintraj Dynasty and direct parts of the Kingdom of Scintraj-D'narrts.

### Miorooku and Daec'anna

With Miorooku killing Daecoro, Daec'anna's father and in all but name annexing the Kingdom of D'narrts the two had not gotten along. This was only made worse by the fact that Daec'anna gave Miorooku the spear that ended her fathers life.

After several years of being forced to be High King and High Queen together, they conceived a child. This brought several assassination attempts forth on Miorooku and Daec'anna alike, one which maimed Miorooku. With him injured and having a stump arm, the Monarchs expected Daec'anna to kill Miorooku and take over. To the surprise of most, she did not, and several months later they gave birth to a daughter. It was at this moment that the High King and High Queen fell in love, bonding over their child together and letting troubles of the past be the past.

Many Scintraj and D'narrts hardcore loyalists alike had attempted to assassinate this child, some even attempting to kidnap or enslave her. Several plots even existed for the forceful impregnation of the child as it got older, so that the plotters' child would then inherit all of the Kingdoms. Flawed logic of sick men, but a horrible life nonetheless.

This child, Mior'anna, had already survived eight assassination attempts and many others at the age of ten. The ninth and final attempt came when at a court feast, a Du'nth Duke had attempted to assault her in a drunken haze, the girl had managed to take down the adult man and left him crying and begging for mercy when the guards finally arrived. As this tale became well known across Boterria, so had the girls prestige grown ever since. People had been curious and intrigued by this young girl that seemed to be the heiress to a future, new Kingdom, greater than all the others combined.

With stability and growth spreading through the Empire under the powerful couple of Miorooku and Daec'anna, the Boterrian Kingdoms had become a strong, local power that could rival anything that was put before them. While Miorooku and Daec'anna had brought a new golden age to their people, their time was not to be endless. By the time Mior'anna was 16, the age that Miorooku had been when he defeated Daecoro, the two made a drastic decision. They believed in their daughter, that she would lead her people to an even brighter future. Together, they made a royal decree that would state they abdicate the High Thrones and the thrones of Scintraj and D'narrts respectively. They had disappeared with some slaves and guards on a single ship, never to be seen again. The Empire was shaken.

### Mior'anna Scintraj-D'narrts

With her parents disapearing and abdicating, the Kingdom of Scintraj-D'narrts was officialy formed. Mior'anna had been raised to face complications that would arise in this. Her parents had left their most loyal and capable advisors to aid her, yet unfortunately for her, she was chosen as the new High Queen, despite being unmarried and being of such young age.

An act like this did not come easily, for the cycle of choosing a new dynasty each time had been broken. Yet some argued in her favour, saying that she was of a new dynasty, taking on the name of both her parents' families, while others stated it was a mere technicality that was being abused. Whether the electors chose her because they believed in her or because they hoped she would fail miserably and her new Kingdom would collapse was unclear.

It was also incredibly irrelevant, for not only did she manage to keep the newly formed Kingdom strong and united, she managed to keep the Boterrian Empire strong and brought it to a new golden age, with the Empire at it's strongest point in history, ever expanding across the stars.

### New Hope and the Coalition

- Colony ship went into wormhome
- Boterrian send out ships to speak to Coalition
- Joined Coalition

## Technology

The spear became a symbol due to the fight with Miorooku and Daecoro.

## Additional Notes

* "One of my crewmen always thought Ka'tzen was a better name for the Z'than, for him that had a way better ring to it. Well, his thinking was *cut* rather short once he found himself in their presence." ~ Quote from Baltor the smuggler captain, telling his *current* crewmen to better keep their mouth shut.
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