Location: South-central Bavaria
Leader: Queen Margaret
Motto: “Stare superbe in lucem” (Stand proudly in the light)
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
National Animal: Wolf
Major Religions: Children of the Dragon, Wicca, Asatru, Shamanism, Druidism
Primary languages: English, German, Sperethiel, Or’zet
Flag: Gold rampant wolf and dragon facing one another on a sable shield with an azure chevron. The shield is flanked by maroon laurel leaves.
Allies: Tir Tairngire, UCAS, NAN, Austria, France, Troll Kingdom, Lofwyr, Hestaby, Nebelherr.
General Description: Altarraum is a small Awakened nation in southern Bavaria, and is ruled by Queen Margaret. It reaches from the Troll Kingdom to Farchant, and from the Austrian border to Starnberg. The capital of Altarraum is Schwangau, which has nearly quadrupled in size since the nation’s founding in 2090, following the signing of the Dragonkin Treaty. It is a mountainous nation with an unusually high number of Awakened people and creatures. Most of Altarraum’s citizens are immigrants, and are primarily mages, adepts, and aspected magicians. The kingdom is 43% Elf, 15% Human, 12% Dwarf, 11% Ork, 10% Troll, and 9% Changeling and other metavariant. Altarraum is famous for its dedication to rehabilitating the environment, and is one of the cleanest and healthiest nations on Earth.
Economy: Altarraum’s main exports are magical reagents, medical supplies, and spell formulae created by the University of Medical and Medical Research (UMMR). The university’s most famous creations are the cure for FAB III infections, and the Purge spell. Which is capable of forcing any kind of spirit out of a possessed host without harming the host (Save for Shedim, which can only possess an already dead body). The university is reportedly working on a cure for HMHVV and a bacteria capable of eating radiation and rendering it inert and harmless. They are also possibly working on a way to “cure” toxic mages, though this is unconfirmed. There are rumors that researchers at the university are flat ignoring any code of ethics to achieve their goals more quickly. The tax rate is unusually high, but the taxes raised are put straight back into the economy via social programs and civil engineering projects to better the lives of the kingdom’s citizens.
Government: Altarraum is a constitutional monarchy. Ruled solely by Queen Margaret, the citizens of the kingdom still enjoy rights and freedoms not often seen elsewhere. The Altarraumian constitution grants legal citizens the right to more or less live their lives as they choose, so long as it doesn’t cause harm to others. However, blood magic that uses any life force other than the caster’s, toxic magic, and corrupted magic is strictly forbidden. Any found guilty of using these kinds of magic by a jury of their peers face the death penalty. Corporations in Altarraum also lack the extraterritoriality they enjoy in other places, and are bound by Altarraum’s laws.
The people have the right to elect other citizens to the High Council, which the Queen uses to keep tabs on the needs and wants of her citizens. The High Council also becomes the ruling body of Altarraum in the event of the Queen’s death until the new monarch is crowned. If there is no hereditary heir, the High Council convenes a Moot to elect a new monarch. Lobbying is banned, as Queen Margaret saw it as nothing more than blatant bribery that opens the door to political corruption. The Rite of Cleansing occurs every five years, where the people cast their votes to decide who is the most destructive or corrupt council member. The “winner” is exiled from the kingdom until the next vote, and can never run for a seat on the High Council again. Elections to replace the ousted council member take place shortly afterwards. The most notable member of the High Council is the great dragon Hestaby, who is one of the most popular council members and a dear friend of the Queen.
Social: Altarraum is a surprisingly liberal country when it comes to social and personal freedoms. The process of becoming a legal citizen is simple and streamlined, taking only a few weeks to vet those seeking legal status. All new citizens are given a SIN that is used as proof of citizenship, and grants them all of the rights granted to citizens. Prostitution is legal, but “Escorts” must register with the government and undergo medical exams every six months to test for disease, infection, and if female, pregnancy. Escorts are also protected by the same labor laws as employees of any other business, and have legal avenues through which they may seek restitution for abuse, injury, harassment, or violations of the labor laws. Drugs like Novacoke and Crank are illegal, and dealers face a heavy prison sentence if caught. Addicts are treated free of charge in government run rehabilitation facilities, and the rate of re-admittance is only 5%. BTLs and Hot-Sim chips are treated the same way.
The court system is funded entirely by the government, which means even the poorest citizen can have their day in court without fear of falling into serious debt, or not being able to pursue legal action due to lack of funds. All citizens and visitors must have their commlink broadcasting at all times, and citizens may download a program that allows them to quickly and subtly call for help. When activated, the program will send an emergency alert to the nearest Zentralewache. The program may also be used to call for fire control and/or an ambulance in situations where Zentralewache intervention is not wanted or required.
Altarraum possesses a single-payer medical system. Queen Margaret remembers seeing SIN-less people suffer and die due to being unable to seek out proper medical care or afford a DocWagon contract when she was a child. For this reason, anyone who requires medical care cannot be turned away for any reason, SIN or no SIN, and doctors are legally obligated to provide the best care possible regardless of the patient’s social status, race, or citizenship. The Healing Light program is funded specifically to cover medical expenses for people who travel to Altarraum seeking medical care that they can’t find elsewhere. It also helps cover travel expenses for those who contact the organization seeking help, but can’t afford to travel.
The Rite of Retribution allows citizens to settle heated disputes in a legal, non-lethal, but often bloody manner. No weapons are allowed, and the fight goes on until an opponent yields or is incapacitated. The rite is declared in a similar fashion to the elven Chal’han. Although rare, deaths have occurred as a result of the rite. However, once the rite is finished, the dispute is considered settled. If the losing opponent is unsatisfied with the result, he may call for another rite after both parties have fully healed.
The Rite of Repentance allows a citizen who has wronged another to prove his or her remorse by publicly humbling themselves through whatever means they see fit. Everything from running naked through the streets covered in mud and feathers to self-flagellation have occurred during this rite. It is common for the loser of a Rite of Retribution to immediately declare this rite after any injuries they sustained have healed. A convicted criminal who undergoes this rite may then petition the court to have their record expunged and their crimes forgiven. There are certain crimes that are not eligible for the rite, such as murder, rape, unlicensed sale of controlled substances (drug, BTL, and Hot Sim dealing), and other "heinous" crimes. Anyone with these charges or similar charges on their record is ineligible to apply for citizenship, and is not allowed to enter Altarraum at all. What crimes are considered heinous are decided by the court on a case-by-case basis, and is determined at the time of conviction.
The Rite of Matrimony is simply a marriage ceremony. It may be done in any style the couple likes. A citizen may marry anyone they choose, given that they are not blood related, both parties are of legal age, and both agree to the marriage freely. A declaration of marriage must be filed with the courts within 10 days of the ceremony for tax purposes.
Military: All citizens must serve in the Altarraum military for one year. During a state of emergency, currently enlisted soldiers must serve for five years, or until the state of emergency is lifted. Single parents with dependents and the disabled may petition for an exemption. Given that the majority of its citizens have Awakened abilities of some form or another, Altarraum’s military is a truly frightening force, despite its comparatively small size. The military is separate from the national security force known as the Drachenritter.
The Drachenritter are split into three divisions.
The Grenzwache, who carry high powered rifles, pistols, and patrol Altarraum’s border. They are recognized by their dark green mil-spec light armor, and the specially bred and trained guard dogs that accompany them. Each Grenzwache trains their own dog after they themselves have completed their training. The Grenzwache dogs have been compared to the medieval Alaunt breed by scholars, and were created through selective breeding of several fighting, herding, and hunting breeds. They patrol atop light and fast horses that are equipped with green, light armored barding, and allows the Grenzwache to patrol even the most treacherous terrain along the border.
The Zentralewache, who carry monofilament broadswords and SMGs, and act as the primary policing force for all towns, cities, and settlements in the kingdom. They wear black mil-spec medium armor, and they patrol atop armored Harley Davidson Electroglides.
The Thronwache, a mind-numbingly terrifying force of six Fomori that guard the royal family. They carry monofilament halberds and heavy pistols, and have never been defeated. They wear crimson red mil-spec heavy armor, molded to look like medieval knight armor. The Thronwache are also implanted with internal gammaware commlinks, allowing them to communicate with each other subvocally, and gammaware wired reflexes that make them pants-drekkingly fast. Their ceremonial armor is also crimson, but with gold embellishments. In rare ceremonial appearances, they also ride atop jet black Rhine horses, which are also armored.
A member of the Tir Tairngire council once sent a team of Tir Ghosts to assassinate the royal family. The Ghosts were caught by the Thronwache, and after a bloody struggle, ceased to exist. This has given rise to rumors that the Thronwache have a secret weapon in their arsenal. The Queen has denied the existence of any such weapon. The resulting fallout caused the allegiance between Tir Tairngire and Altarraum to weaken almost to the point of breaking, and the council member responsible was forced to relinquish his seat to prevent an all-out war. It was the last time anyone underestimated the Drachenritter, or the kingdom of Altarraum as a whole.
Feel free to add any opinions or insight. If there's a part of how the nation works that isn't included here, it's because I haven't figured that bit out yet, or haven't noticed that I forgot it.
