Celestial Viceroyalty of Xian

**Dev. Status** | Conceptual

*"When the great Way collapses, there is true humanity*

*When there is great wisdom, there is true hypocrisy*

*When there is disunity at home, there is true loyalty*

*When there is chaos in the nation, there is true patriotism"*

- The Decay of Manners, from Tao Te Ching
The *Celestial Viceroyalty of Xian* or more Informally the *Xian* or the *Viceroyalty* is an alliance between China, Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Tibet from another timeline where the socialist revolution took Germany by storm. created by Ssbob90 to expand on China within the Spartakusverse, and create the "antithesis" of the Atomic Kingdom of China.

The origin of the Xian started from the Qing dynasty, when history diverged when the Qing won the first opium war, choosing to open up trade in Hong Kong like the original timeline except it was on the Chinese terms. Creating a cascade that, combined with the Spartacist uprising, led to Reinbert Rumok II, head of the Rumok shipyards, usurping the the royal family and forming an alliance with Japan to form the Seven Seas Democratic Sphere and the Russian, French, and Confederate America united into the Holy League aided by a bald mystic.

Following the end of the Spartakus Bunds war against the SSDS and League, the latter supported by the Unitary Domain. Both of them would look towards their less technologically advance neighbour, China. Greedy for her massive landmass and population. And, by aiding certain parts of China, a great civil war was formed, between the Seven Seas Democratic Sphere, Holy League, supported by the Unitary Domain (which ended with the Domain betraying the League), and the National Liberation Army (NLA) who fought for the emperor and their independence. One that spanned from 1935 to 1969, as the three factions fought to a stalemate, when green comets crashed into central China, the Homebase of the NLA on August 1st, 1967, known as “Jade August” by the world and the “Divine Mandate” by the Xian. This comet, later known as "Jade", would allow the NLA to create nuclear-powered equipment in much smaller sizes, and potentially achieve nuclear fusion, and when eventually word got out the SSDS and League, in a rare alliance, soon came down upon the NLA and eventually overwhelmed them. And the NLA, to their displeasure, had to retreat to ensure their Jade data was safe, with all of their forces making a desperate, determined, breakthrough through the enemy lines followed by months of hellish trekking towards their neighbouring countries. And, in exchange for Jade samples and sharing their research, their neighbours would give the dispossessed asylum and the materials needed to research the Jade, knowing that the other two would eventually attack their borders.

And finally, on the thirteen of August 1968, the unlikely alliance attacked Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Mongolia. Only to be repulsed when the Chinese emerged, now decked in massive suits of armour followed by giant walking tanks. The newly armed NLA pushed back the alliance and began an almost never-ending campaign of striking at key targets without rest, shooting and trampling those who tried to stop them, causing the alliance to eventually disintegrate as they started pointing fingers, and their oppressed people to rise up and fight with them, never stopping, never resting. And by the end of 1968, the NLA had finally won the war, forming the Celestial Viceroyalty of Xian with their alliance with their four neighbours.

And in the next year, the Xian further expanded their research into Jade and banned the use of AI, believing that a machine cold logic, without heart or conscience, will only cause more horrors if it controls nukes. Creating "Xirang", a superior form of Jade that glowed blue, discovered nuclear fusion, and “Spice”, a specially treated form of powered Jade that grants those who ingest it psychic powers and enhances their body, creating a utopia powered by the blue Jade. And their latest research has them open a portal, seemingly bringing them to an alternate version of Earth. One where their homeland was reduced to nuclear wasteland controlled by a dark empire bent on revenge, and another allying themselves with the Japanese and flying the red banner like the Spartakus. Though all three of them shared the connection in that they have used the Jade.

The Celestial Viceroyalty of Xian has a unique method of war, forged from the Civil War and the reclamation of their home. Their entire tactic is dedicated to attack as their enitre army marches to their objective, shattering through any defenses, no matter how tough, like an oncoming avalanche. Lighter and faster troops, vehicles, and aircraft of the Báihǔ division arrive first, sowing destruction and confusion, pushing past the front line into the enemy rear to continue raiding and marking resources. While the enemy scrambles to deal with the sudden overrun, the main forces appear on the horizon as a massive cloud of dust that blots out the sun. Soldiers, entomopters, and heavy armor units of the Xuánwǔ division slam into the disorganized front like a tidal wave hitting a marina, followed behind by the hard-hitting skirmishers of the Qīnglóng rushing into the confusion to cut up their foes like wheats to a scythe, all while supported by the Zhūquè and elite Fènghuáng. As this wave of death rolls over the enemy, the massive mobile forges and rolling factories the size of small cities appear. These are tended by teeming multitudes of eunuchs, who salvage fallen soldiers, vehicles, resources, raw ores are harvested from the bleeding earth by massive mining units the size of warehouses. Blue, noxious, fumes from gargantuan war forges choke and cloud the skies as a five mile wide tide of mobile industry consumes all in its path. They could take minutes to months to pass depending on the army size and campaign length, from the first scout to the last engineer, and all that is left in their wake is scorched, blasted dirt that has been churned into a bog slickened by the blood of those foolish enough to try and stop their march.

## At A Glance

 **Visual Themes** | Atompunk utopia, walkers and aircraft have a shiny chrome finish, looks like GDI, everything either glows blue or have “veins” of blue, infantry wears powered armour out of 40k

## Background

### The Civil War

At the start of the Third World War, another war had been raging in full force for nearly 30 years. China was in the grip of civil war, torn between the forces of the Democratic Sphere 12, Holy Dynasty of Qin (which was also the last leg of the Holy League following their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Bund), and the National Liberation Army. As the Reactionary alliance marshalled their forces in Europe to make a stand and the Spartakus Bund poured tanks into Poland, China's veteran armies clashed on bloodsoaked fields. It was a conflict unparalleled in brutality, bloodshed, and scope, and one largely ignored by the rest of the world.

Driven to desperation, the NLA were forced to hold back their enemies in large defensive lines, with fathers, sons, brothers, mothers, daughters, and sisters losing their lives slowing the opposing armies, dying as they stood defiant in the hopes that victory would come. Every person, no matter how sick, young, or old, had volunteered to help the war effort. Every last scrap of ore and every last drop of oil was torn from the land to hold the line. Science advanced rapidly, but only where it could be applied to war or defending their borders, and too often it took vile and nauseating directions. The arrival of a meteor in Central China, the home of the NLA, had brought with it a boon; Jade, a strange green crystal with mysterious and marvellous properties, which catalysed the development of a hundred bizarre and impossible technologies. Even this could not break the stalemate, as the NLA quickly acquired samples of the self replicating crystal, giving them the much needed edge to hold out against their invaders. The Chinese Civil War had gone on so long no one expected it to end.

But then, 1967 came. A discovery was made, one with the power to potentially bring the war to a screaming halt. The NLA uncovered the secret of atomic fission, thought impossible when Albert Einstein was killed prior to his proposal of project Haigerloch, and began to proposed ideas for it. But within months, when the spies reported about the NLA discovery, an unlikely, and hated, alliance was formed between both faction and attacked the NLA for their data.

### The Exodus

With the SSDS to their right and the Holy League to their left, the NLA found themselves surrounded and outnumbered, and as the alliance began to break through their lines they were forced to make a choice. Stand and die, or scatter and hide.

Had it not been the Jade giving them valuable data and a chance of victory they would have made a last stand, showing their defiance in death, but with the Jade giving them a chance to win they made the hard choice of leaving their homeland. With those who still refusing to abandon China staying behind to hold the alliance back, take every single Jade deposits in their territory, and destroying those they can't take. The rest of the NLA, soldiers, scientists, civilians, children, and elderly, made their retreat towards Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Mongolia, all four who remained independent and neutral in the war. And, in exchange for their Jade and it’s research, the Koreans/Tibetans/Mongolians/Vietnamese would grant them asylum and the equipment to continue their research, the main reason being that they know that once China was taken they would come for them.

Now in exile. The NLA threw everything they have in understanding the Jade they had, holding onto the flames that they will liberate their homeland from the invading barbarians, using encrypted messages and couriers to maintain communication, as the alliance began to fall into another civil war in splitting the territory of central China and the bits of Jade they could scrounge up, while those who stayed behind conducted hard hitting guerilla strikes and emboldening their countrymen to rise and rebel.

### From the Ashes, a Phoenix Rise

*"The Strength of the Black Tortoise,
The Ambition of the Green Bird,
The Ferocity of the White Tiger,
The Wisdom of the Yellow Dragon,
The Determination of the Red Phoenix"*

- *...*
By the start of 1968, the NLA had made massive leaps in their research of Jade, the greatest of which was nuclear fusion and the creation of the more powerful Xirang (informally known as blue Jade), and as the scouts and resistance in China began to report that the “alliance” was forming again, the NLA began to ready their new army, and not a moment too soon.

As the alliance had formed again with the intent of finally ending the NLA, and taking the surrounding area as a bonus, and had a few string of victories as they pushed through the outskirts and village, but reached a screeching halt when they marched towards the mainland and met with the NLA.

Unlike the men and women in ragged uniforms they had faced the NLA soldiers were now wearing heavy, tank grade, armour and wielding weapons fitted for vehicles, all powered by a single fusion core, who began to punch the combined forces back, tearing into their lines with coilguns and ion beam cannons while their armour and forcefield shrugs off counterfire. And when the NLA finally pushed the enemy back towards the borders of China the emperor himself took the radio and sent a message to all NLA soldiers, vowing that they will never retreat again, and until China is free of these barbarians their army will never stop marching. Thus began the Liberation of China.

Pushing through enemy territory towards the center, demolishing many enemies who stood in their way and liberating their people, all NLA forces had reunited and retook central China before the alliance realised what happened, before spreading outwards to the next objective, ensuring that the alliance remains on the backfoot and can’t use their superior numbers, leaving behind a few rearguard and defenses to hold their territory as they continued their march of precision strikes.

### The Tiananmen Square Incident

Like their alternate self in Paradox. The NLA had created bombs using nuclear fission, which lets them devastate their larger foes despite their numbers. And at the start of the Liberation they had use to nukes with few considerations, mainly use within heavily defended area with no civilians. Until an accident at Tiananmen Square.

By the time the NLA had reached the area the scout had reported that the area was heavily defended, likely holding something important, and reports that no civilians were seen. Thus, like before, the NLA fired a small nuke to break the defense before their forces marched through, and witnessed the horrific sight.

The scout’s information was wrong. As the reason why the square was heavily defended was because a majority of the civilians in the surrounding area had retreated within for safety, and their nuke had struck one of the more populated areas.

With this revelation the NLA did their best to save everyone. But in the end they only saved a handful, as the ensuing radiation and fallout decimated those who survived the initial blast, with the survivors condemning them for killing their own countrymen, the people they were saving.

Horrified with what they had done, and the sheer indiscriminate power of the nukes, the NLA, for the first time since their Liberation campaign, halted to dismantle half of their nuclear arsenal and declared that their remaining nukes would be a last, absolute emergency, resort. With the incident being the catalyst to further pursue their research in nuclear fusion weapons, as it had kept a relatively high power without any of the radiation or other effects.

### Let the Azure Sky Reign Eternal!

Nearing the end of the Civil War, at the end of 1968, with their communications in disarray by the NLA precision strikes, the alliance began to disintegrate as each side began blaming each other for their incompetence and the loss of their territory, eventually leading to squabbling and infighting even as the NLA marched unimpeded, their presence cheered by their people as their saviour.

And with the alliance in shambles the NLA gathered together and made a final charge towards the last vestiges of the barbarians. And in one, grand, battle the SSDS and League grip on China was shattered and they were forced to retreat. With the Domain using the chaos to throw the League under the bus, leading to the last holds of the Holy League to be destroyed and leaving the Domain to take over, what’s left of the Holy League fleeing into their colonies and pocket dimensions, their absolute rule coming to an end.

And within the restored palace the Emperor was formally coronated in front of a massive, cheering crowd and declared that China and its dynasty, now an alliance with Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, and Mongolia, shall forever remain free, officially declaring themselves as the Xian Dynasty, though for some reason they became known as the Viceroyalty of Xian. And within the start of 1969 the Xian made gigantic leaps in their society. Their cities shining like the world of tomorrow glowing with the blue of Xirang, a shining beacon for the continued prosperity of Xian. With the Emperor decreeing that, one day, they will share their gifts when the world is responsible enough to handle Jade, bringing humanity into one great dynasty that will someday reach for the stars and beyond.

### The Phoenix Against the Scorpion

But eventually, within this war torn world, conflict soon follows.

Just a few months after the formation of the Xian. A 5-kilo ton Jade bomb was detonated in Beijing during a military parade, causing mass panic and civilian casualties, and once the Xian managed to regroup and eliminate the terrorists more bad news came in.

The terrorists had taken Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the other islands of China during the confusion and, with the sudden chaos, the Unitary Domain and SSDS had made their move and are now invading the northern countryside and East Coast respectively.

The Xian, like always, rallied together and began pushing back both forces with their ever-marching armies. Only to get a wake-up call.

Both the Unitary Domain and SSDS had learnt of the Xians strengths and weakness, and now properly prepared, had proven to be tough foes for the Xian to push back, leading to massive casualties on both sides. But the worst were the terrorists, who didn’t face them head on but struck from their side and in their back, fought in urban areas filled with civilians, using disguises to ambush them and luring them into traps where they were cut down, the worst of which was the Devastation of Hong Kong, where the terrorists had lured two of the Xians veterans divisions, and a Pangu, deep into the city before detonating a 100 ton nuclear bomb that wiped out the divisions, the terrorists who lured them in, decimated its people, and reduced the island into a radioactive wasteland.

Though the Xian did eventually won the war there was no celebration or cheer. But of mourning and eulogies, as this war had massively humbled the Xian, as both the Domain and SSDS had managed to steal bits of their research data and razed the territory they took, and the terrorists getting the last laugh as they had caused millions of death and stole chunks of their Jade and research, which they realised was their true goal. Even when Beijing and the other areas were rebuilt great memorials were erected in the centres, or in the case of Hong Kong, which was reduced to a wasteland marked by a crater, only memorials were built at the edges of it. A scar that will forever remind the Xian about the dangers of arrogance, even as they intend to decontaminate and reclaim it.

The only silver lining from this Pyrrhic victory was a mysterious stranger, bearing a hawk tattoo, witnessing the Xian's ferocity in ending the terrorists, had guided them to a secret location within Mount Zion, where they met with a decrepit person, whose life was extended by archaic but advance machinery.

The person revealed their name was Aperitivo Scriptum, the last crusader, and revealed the origin of the terrorists.

Their true name was the Cult of the Scorpion, a dark cult who had caused most of the horrors of this world to bring about “The Messiah”, and that their order, the Order of the Hawk, was tasked with stopping. But alas they had failed, and during the Spartakus revolution the Hawk was thrown into disarray, and were picked off by the Cult with each cell, each location, and each sanctuary was overwhelmed and razed, their people and their knowledge burnt away by the Cults flame, who grew from their knowledge to become a major power rechristened as the “Scavenger Temple”. With Scriptum, and only a handful of survivors, barely saving most of their archives, and hid within the last known sanctuary, known as the Ark, where they have safeguarded it, hoping to find someone who can take up their torch to continue the crusade. And, now at the edge of death, Aperitivo Scriptum revealed the remaining archives to help the Xian, before finally passing on.

Now with the knowledge of who they are facing and their tactics. The Xian took up the torch of the fallen Order of the Hawk, and continues the crusade in eradicating the Scavenger Temple, not just for vengeance for their atrocities, but to save the world against those who wanted to destroy it.

### Saving a Wasteland Scarred in Green

Eventually, in their mission to destroy the Scavengers. The Viceroyalty would come across plans to “jump to another universe” to join a cult in another timeline, combined with the rumours and spy reports of the Bund uncovering a “Norseverse”, the Viceroyalty decided to create a “jump gate” to see where the Scavengers were going.

Landing within the Gobi desert of other universes. The Viceroyalty would see a Russia that flew the communist banner and Germany working together with England within the Paradoxverse, and in another a world where the Scandinavians ruled under with the worship of multiple gods and a China allied with Japan as communists in the Norseverse. And within the desert of Paradox, they faced endless swarms of robots, aliens out of manhwa and sci-fi, and Mongolians in rocket cars. And when their forces finally reached this version of China the sight shook them.

Upon the dark wasteland, dotted by glows of Jade, of their homeland the Xian would learn of this China’s history, and how it paralleled their own, and feeling pity and disgust as they looked into the bandits and warlords. And only horror, anger, and sorrow when they met with the Atomic Kingdom, who wants them eradicated as their presence is nothing more than a spiteful image to taunt them.

Now with expeditionary forces, led by the Emperors firstborn son/general Huo Huang Hun, being sent through the portal, loudly announcing their presence to the Paradox and Norse world. The Viceroyalty is determined to save Paradox China, their goal being to march through and execute the leaders of the blue warlord, red bandits, and green Viceroy, marching until this China is saved, and their proud homeland rebuilt with the survivors of this timeline by their side. And have started trading with those within Paradox, mainly from both the African League, Technocratic Combine, and Industrial Guild, having found kindred spirits in their desire for freedom, and facing against the like of the Atlanteans, who sees their mere existance as a mistake, Soviets, Allies, and Syndicate, who see their technology as a massive profit.

And, thanks to the archives within the Ark, the Viceroyalty was able to find the Order of the Hawk in this timeline, the Order of the Talon, and have given their aid in eradication the Scorpion cult of this timeline, the Cult of the Black Hand, in return for the Talons aid in eradicating the Scavenger Temples.

## Gameplay

### Never stop, never surrender

Remembering the vows the NLA made to never retreat again after their exodus to their neighbours. All Viceroyalty forces are trained to keep moving forward no matter what. Making all of their units extremely resilient to Morale Loss, and even regenerate morale 50% faster, which briefly doubles when their morale is broken. In fact, in the event their morale breaks they would grit their teeth and charge forward with abandon, ignoring orders, gaining buffs to their durability but reducing their range, and slowly gaining speed as they move until it tripled and they slam into an enemy. And their infantry is outright immune to suppression but conversely takes more damage from suppression weapons.

### Nothing will halt our stride

Ensuring that their forces reach their objective no matter what. All of the Viceroyalty units are amphibious and can fight at full strength on any terrain, which is another reason for their army high price.

### Repair on the move

To ensure that their armies keep marching towards their objectives the Viceroyalty mobile structures and some of their units are capable of healing their allies around them. Said healing is temporarily buffed whenever they walk past a wreckage/corpse, as they take it apart to repair their forces.

## The Ever Marching Army

*"Just as the Xian is an alliance of five nations and follows the holy order and ranks of the dynasty. Our army is regimented into five castes. The young recruits in the Báihǔ rides ahead of the army, sowing confusion and raids as the rest moves onwards. Next are the soldiers in the Xuánwǔ who marches forward as the iron bulwark, shielding their brethren from enemy fire while slowing and knocking back those who tries to stop them. The veterans in the Qīnglóng strikes those who stand in the march's way with precise, hard hitting, firepower. The support staff of the Zhūquè provides fire support with artillery and repairs that keeps the army marching. And finally the elites of the Fènghuáng forms the spear tip, breaking through the defenses and ensuring the march doesn't falter."*

- *...*
### War Crawler

*"Is that building moving towards us?"*

- *...*
Rather than rely on static buildings, which goes against their offensive tactics. The Viceroyalty War Crawlers are giant walkers and aircraft that happen to hold enough personnel and a teleporter to transport materials behind the lines to create their forces even as they march. And, unlike other structures, all of their War Crawlers are heavily armed and armoured, their role being to provide fire support for the advancing army and to give on the field repairs and healing even as they move.

### Defences

Rather then use a single turret that can be destroyed. The Viceroyalty instead uses “Hubs”, powered by a fusion core and controlled by a low ranking Eunuch, that controls three turrets at a good distance, which when destroyed will eventually rebuild itself after some time. But if the hub is destroyed all connected turret are also destroyed.

### Xuánwǔ

*"We are the emperor's juggernauts. And nothing shall halt our stride!"*

- *Viceroyalty soldier Bao Jin*

### Fènghuáng

*"Those are some large derricks."*

- *A League commander reaction to the Viceroyalty Fenghuang armoured division scattering an Indian army.*

## Behind the Scenes

The Viceroyalty is essentially the good/opposite counterpart of the Atomic Kingdom of China while using the same Jade energy. Their aesthetic is essentially atompunk in its bright phase, contrasting the Kingdoms dark atompunk, while their forces designs are meant to emulate the GDI (notably their infantry are based off the zone infantry in tiberium twilight), house Atreides and the Fremen from Dune, and the Space Marines, with a pinch of Grey Knights, from Warhammer 40k. They are also, in essence, a mirror to the Reactionary Guards due to being a monarchy, being an ideal monarchy in contrast to the Guards darker monarchy.

If you notice that the Xian has some Scrin-like technology, you're not wrong. Let's just say that comparing their Jade technology to the Scrin is like comparing a musket to an assault rifle, and that to fully reach the pinnacle of Jade technology one must use it to the point of addiction, and often at the cost of morality, a "cult of addiction in the guise of a civilisation" so to say.

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