Realm of Hyperborea

## Overview

The **Realm of Hyperborea** is religious vassal state to the Thesian Republic that has been ruled by the Romanov Dynasty for decades. Still maintaining a clear standard nepotism for public office and their military structure, the Thesian Election Commission has applied tremendous amounts of pressure onto the Realm for serious political reform.

During the Venkath Onslaught, the Realm enjoyed impunity from the war, using its fringe location, hit-and-run tactics and electronic warfare to stall any incursions in their systems of control.

## History

### 6981: Founding of the Colony

The Romanov Dynasty, Hyperion Corporation and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople join together to found a new colony. While the Romanov Dynasty and the Patriarchate are motivated for political or personal reasons, the Hyperion Corporation is motivated by profit motive. Even though they are driven by their own reasons, the mission is accomplished without flaw.

### 6996: Unification War Begins

Unification War begins. The Realm of Hyperborea resists. A rift emerges between the Romanov Dynasty and the Hyperion Corporation as the Terran Confederacy demands the Corporation withdraw from Hyperborea, or else the company would have its assets seized and liquidized. The Corporation withdraws from the Realm, with its assets remaining being nationalized.

### 6702: Development of Tactics

Realm fleets are defeated. The Realm develops hit-and-run tactics and electronic warfare.

### 6707: Defeated

Serenity falls. The Realm is defeated. The Romanov Dynasty are ejected from official functions of power. Several family members are imprisoned. Others are dispersed to other worlds. The Realm fractures between itself as factions move in to fill the void of power.The Confederacy appoints a third party governor.

### 7071: The Purge

Planetary Governor of the Realm of Hyperborea appointed by the Confederacy is murdered when a resistance movement besieges his manor, captures the governor and his family and executes them, burning the bodies on funeral pyres in a public display. This action begins the Terran Civil War.

### 7085: A Second Chance

The Realm of Hyperbroea is defeated a second time by the Confederacy and reintegrated. Its leadership are tried as war criminals. Afraid a third party governor may incite tension, the Confederacy allows the Realm to elect among their own a new leader. The Romanov Dynasty is elected, delivering members of the resistance that had escaped Confederacy persecution as a gesture of good faith.

### 7126: Test of Loyalty

Venkath Onslaught begins. The Realm of Hyperborea agrees to its commitments and donates weaponry, troops and fleets to combat the invaders. As Earth is destroyed and the Confederacy begins to fracture, the Realm begins to siphon off its support and turns to protecting its own borders. Turning to its history of future combat, the Realm fights by taking advantage of faster-than-light to detonate missiles against venkath fleets from a distance.

### 7158: Declaration of Vassalization

Later when the venkath are defeated, the Realm of Hyperborea are faced with a decision: to declare outright independence, or to declare for a remaining galactic power. Given their proximity to the Thesian Republic and past ties with her colonies, the Realm declares itself for the Republic.

### 7159 to 7174: Reconstruction

Reconstruction begins. The Romanov Dynasty are still masters of the Realm. Wanting more representation for their family, the Dynasty begins to pressure the Republic for favoritism toward members of their family. This begins to create stress between their relationships. The Realm also begins to return to its religious roots to help rediscover its identity.

## Government

### Heritage First

Founded by the Romanov Dynasty decades ago, their tentacles of influence and control have not since rescinded. Seeing only a temporary denial of office due to the Terran Confederacy invasion, the Dynasty has since reemerged stronger than ever. Critical to the Realm is the policy of *Heritage First*. This is a policy where members of the Romanov Dynasty are preferred for positions of office over other candidates. Being a Romanov by blood as opposed to adoption is an important distinction as those who are able to prove the purity of their blood to the dynasty are given a priority.

### Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

While long since an irrelevant influence since their fall to the Ottoman Empire, and after the move away from old-world religions and since the conquering of distant star systems, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has zero legitimate power on its own. Instead, it is relative only in that it "legitimizes" the Romanov rule. This strange obsession with the orthodox church is said to date back to Ivan III of Russia. Acting as a ceremony only, the orthodox church are considered sirens to the dynasty's dogma.

## Culture

### Survivalists

Having colonized a distant system with little help from the Confederacy, then later fighting the Confederacy on two occasions before then turning to fight the venkath, the Realm are no strangers to conflict. Fashioning themselves as militarists, the Realm is a stark difference to the "perfumed and decedent" citizens of the Republic. Military service is mandatory for males and females alike between ages 18-24. After a citizen is expected to carry out his obligations to the Dynasty through heavy industry. Virtues of the Realm are proof of injuries through work or warfare, hunting or manufacturing.