Magitechnocracy of Waston
The contrast, as you first sight land, is astounding. You were warned Waston was visually jarring, even from a distance, but little could have prepared you for this. Even from this distance, you can make out your destination, the jarring and violent shift from the greenery of the plant life of the natural thick jungles having a barren zone, almost like a burn or violent scar or wound around the stone and metallic colored dot on the coastline that you know to be Gildpiers, your port of destination. The green canopies, the outline of the land ahead of you showing a hard green edge, obviously the canopies, but just above that natural shape and material, you see the shapes that can only be sky-ships, dozens of them moving through the skies, their manna exhausts clearly just discharging into the air and canopy of the wilderness without any concern. You'd heard stories of Waston and this oddity, but to see it before you now is still jarring, unavoidably so.
Structure
Waston is a self-proclaimed Magitechnocracy, and though that isn't entirely fully accurate, it would be the most appropriate label. The nation's political system, such as it is, is in fact run by its technological sectors. Engineers, scientists, inventors and the like. To even be considered for some sort of political office you must have studied and graduated from some sort of technological discipline at one of the nation's many institutes and universities, as well as have been a primary author on at least two scientific papers or research projects. Higher offices, such as one of the 11 seats on the Wastonian Consolate, the ruling and governing body, require you to have at least had one successfully peer touted new discovery, or to have invented some sort of widely acclaimed magnitech device, tool or weapon.
As one might imagine this creates a unique society to say the least, one where innovation, scienctific discovery, pushing the boundaries of what is known is not only encouraged but its the social doctrine. One could also perhaps see some potential for things like ethics and morales to end up forgotten by the wayside in the name of 'forward momentum and progress, and Wastonian History does not lack examples of this very thing, both recently and further back.
As one might imagine this creates a unique society to say the least, one where innovation, scienctific discovery, pushing the boundaries of what is known is not only encouraged but its the social doctrine. One could also perhaps see some potential for things like ethics and morales to end up forgotten by the wayside in the name of 'forward momentum and progress, and Wastonian History does not lack examples of this very thing, both recently and further back.
Culture
As one might expect the culture of such a peoples is unique to say the least. They are more accustomed to technological phenomenon like Sky-Ships, Manna plumes, automatons, magni-mechs and more than any other nation or peoples on Valerick. Steam engines are present here, as are chymech facilities as well. Carts and wagons here are not drawn by animals or beasts of burden, such a thing would be unheard of except for perhaps long distance travel through the wilderness. But in towns and cities it is all automated, a wide variety of shape and size automatons, constructs given 'life' and locomotive capabilites by skilled magi-tech engineers. Maths, the Sciences, the Esoterics, these studies are far from just a facet of life here, they are life. Knowledge, intelligence, education is power as much as, if not more than, any currency.
Public Agenda
Waston as a nation is very much the embodiment by and large of their motto. Innovate and Invent, the Key to Progress. They seek to push this ideology, economically, through policy and through diplomatic channels.
Assets
Waston is a rich nation, surprisingly so, in a unique variety of natural resources, and whilst many of those, like Solterin and Ashrock, the two unique minerals used to make smokepowder are on that list, along with a notable variety of others. Yet this does not truly hold up in comparison to its greatest asset, its technology industry. Over 90% of all sky-ships all across Valerick are manufactured in Waston, and the rest are manufactored by Wastonian business interests with investments and property in other countries, even in places like Suranth, where that ownership is hidden behind a shill, a sort of 'face' to the business, like Lingar and Sons, a magnitech manufactoring facility that seems run by a Tantur family whom are Suranthi citizens and is, on paper. But the money behind that business getting off the ground is held by the Blackgear Tinkering Core, one of the largest magni-tech and Magicore Engine manufacturing business instiutions in Waston. It is kind of an unspoken but open secret.
History
If one heads west and south on the sea of sails from Gavis-Lune or most of Durol, eventually, one will make landfall somewhere on the continent of Wyriel. A land of thick jungles dominating, with a mountain range that is the oldest by far anywhere on in the world, this is a place steeped in history, the ancient past and even the time before hominids of any sort, be they dwarf, gnome, human, elf or otherwise walked the planet. A continent seemingly with the vast majority of it, nestled between the islands that make up Mora to the far west, and the Sauri mountains that run the length of the continent north to south in the east, the vast majority of this land is unsettled wilderness. Unsettled wilderness that, seemingly, from the reports of what few have ever ventured within it, has been more or less untouched and unchanged since well before even the beginning of the events of the Sundering. Yet on the eastern side of the Sauri Mountains, dominating the coastal jungles, is a nation many may not expect to find. The birthplace of magnitech, the birthplace of smokepowder, the home of perhaps the most technologically advanced nation state on all of Valerick, Waston , the Magitechnocracy. This kingdom, the ancient homeland of the gnomish kin, a place steeped with the presence of manna, and the mountains rich in all the minerals and ores one might need for almost any technological developments the mind might imagine.
Waston is a place of extremes, a strange and odd place to visit. Settlements here do not blend in or belong, the peoples here seem almost as if in a state of competition with the wilderness, and they forever seem locked in a stalemate. Many of Waston's inventions, from many of the first models of automatons, to many of the original magnitech weapons and tools, were initially developed to curb the jungles reach and ability to breach and attempt to overgrow their cities and towns. The stark contrasts when one leaves a city such as Rydan and begins traveling the region via roads, or viceversa, is to say the least jarring. There is no subtle transition or lessening of foliage and plant life slowly, gradually, around the city's limits. You simply pass by vegetation into open and desolate space, ground where little to nothing grows, clearings that extend out normally almost a mile around a city's exterior fortifications, to allow expansion should it ever be needed. Smaller towns, and villages especially, this effect is less pronounced, but not absent.
Waston is a place of extremes, a strange and odd place to visit. Settlements here do not blend in or belong, the peoples here seem almost as if in a state of competition with the wilderness, and they forever seem locked in a stalemate. Many of Waston's inventions, from many of the first models of automatons, to many of the original magnitech weapons and tools, were initially developed to curb the jungles reach and ability to breach and attempt to overgrow their cities and towns. The stark contrasts when one leaves a city such as Rydan and begins traveling the region via roads, or viceversa, is to say the least jarring. There is no subtle transition or lessening of foliage and plant life slowly, gradually, around the city's limits. You simply pass by vegetation into open and desolate space, ground where little to nothing grows, clearings that extend out normally almost a mile around a city's exterior fortifications, to allow expansion should it ever be needed. Smaller towns, and villages especially, this effect is less pronounced, but not absent.
Demography and Population
Waston has a population of only roughly 1.8 million people, making it by population the smallest nation on Valerick, and noticeably so. However manpower is not the only way to build a superpower, nor is it even the most efficient. The nation also covers the second smallest amount of physical land area, only ahead of Mora in that regard. The 1.8 million count is rather fresh, only a year old. As always this count only includes adults within the society, and once again, based on average lifespan that number varies, (being 14 years old for humans, as a base of comparison for you dear reader). Waston brags to include homeless people in their censuses, however this is believed to perhaps be trickery of a kind. There are many an interesting story about some of the more human like constructs employed for various task in Wastonian society, and none of them are good. So with that in mind, only tax paying adults are on this census. The census in Waston is done every five years. The rough breakdown by race of the last one, only a year out of date, can be seen below;
| Race | Rough % of the Population | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarf | 2.5% | 45000 |
| Gnomes: | 32% | 576000 |
| Halfmen | 6.1% | 109800 |
| Human, Koltani | 4.9% | 88200 |
| Human, Mogol | 8.5% | 153000 |
| Human, Renarii | 11% | 198000 |
| Human, Mixed | 6% | 108000 |
| Skye Elves | 3% | 54000 |
| Woad Elves | 2% | 36000 |
| Mixed Elves | 1% | 18000 |
| Tanturs | 23% | 414000 |
Military
Waston is unique among many nations, having long ago left the hybridized military presence of mixing localized militia and national troops behind, as well as her military fielding numbers one might think were beyond her means with her population, at least when you think of the numbers of people. However she uses automatons, constructs playing a notable roll in aiding her in fielding a military might beyond her normal numbers. Should she field her full might, she could field some two hundred thousand or more, easily doubling her number of personal in just constructs of all sorts under command of her notably vast and varied technician and engineering corps. However those numbers shall be ignored here, and this section will just focus on the full time personal and fighting forces that would be fielded without such numerics. Without the numerics involving those automated engines of war, she could field some 96180 troops. Below are her various classifications of troops;
31565 Regulars: This number reflects regular infantry troops, though for the Wastonian national armed forces this number encompasses a few specific subtypes. Paratroopers, infantry, marines, and the famed Alpha corps, whom are an almost stand alone section of elite infantry cross trained for land, air and sea operations made up of 5000 troops. They are tip of the spear sorts, the kind of troops you deploy when you simply want a conflict to end and you don't wish to stress the details, but instead pass the responsibility of the details of 'how' the mission is accomplished to the boots on the ground. They are innovative, effective, and comprehensively capable and trained, though not specialized elite combat units, but instead simply the most well trained generalists the WNAF can deploy.
9588 Fusiliers: The primary ranged combat specialized infantry, generally trained with a wide variety of moderate to long range guns.
7190 Dragoons: Though cavalry plays a smaller role in WNAF doctorine, it does still play a key role as skirmishers, and these lightly armed troops, with pistols, carbines and mounts bred for swiftness, are the embodiment of those harrying tactics.
5990 Blackwings: This is the name for the secretive and thoroughly hefty intelligence apparatus that the WNAF has under their thumb. Most of these numbers, clearly a well crafted lie or an estimate at best, are mostly (though notably not entirely) positioned outside of Waston's own borders. It is an open secret that Waston as eyes and ears wormed into every nation and government across Valerick's other eight powers, wielding some amounts of influence and power, feeding information and subtly guiding things where they can to further Waston's own interests.
5990 Devil Dogs: The elite templars tied to the church of Cormaq Thunderhand, the god of technology, whom have a shared oath to their homeland and the Wastonian culture and peoples. They are templars in name, but are a modern day comparable, utilizing guns, artillery and modern war tactics and training, most forgoing armor, shields or any sort of melee combat or training.
21682 Logistics Personal: This general designation encompasses troops of a logistics nature, so supply crew, engineers, maintenance crews for ships, sky-ships, railcars, all those sorts of things, as well as transport teams and the like. But furthermore it also covers things like medics, priests, magisters and other such unique individuals.
14175 Mechanized Crew: This general designation includes pilots, magicore engineers and crewmen for the WNAF's notable Aeronautics Force, as well as her Navy. They are the sailors, aeronauts, and railmen that operate her ships, sky-ships and railcars in defense of the homeland and when applicable, in other territories during a conflict. They are arguably the most important wing of the military of the nation.
31565 Regulars: This number reflects regular infantry troops, though for the Wastonian national armed forces this number encompasses a few specific subtypes. Paratroopers, infantry, marines, and the famed Alpha corps, whom are an almost stand alone section of elite infantry cross trained for land, air and sea operations made up of 5000 troops. They are tip of the spear sorts, the kind of troops you deploy when you simply want a conflict to end and you don't wish to stress the details, but instead pass the responsibility of the details of 'how' the mission is accomplished to the boots on the ground. They are innovative, effective, and comprehensively capable and trained, though not specialized elite combat units, but instead simply the most well trained generalists the WNAF can deploy.
9588 Fusiliers: The primary ranged combat specialized infantry, generally trained with a wide variety of moderate to long range guns.
7190 Dragoons: Though cavalry plays a smaller role in WNAF doctorine, it does still play a key role as skirmishers, and these lightly armed troops, with pistols, carbines and mounts bred for swiftness, are the embodiment of those harrying tactics.
5990 Blackwings: This is the name for the secretive and thoroughly hefty intelligence apparatus that the WNAF has under their thumb. Most of these numbers, clearly a well crafted lie or an estimate at best, are mostly (though notably not entirely) positioned outside of Waston's own borders. It is an open secret that Waston as eyes and ears wormed into every nation and government across Valerick's other eight powers, wielding some amounts of influence and power, feeding information and subtly guiding things where they can to further Waston's own interests.
5990 Devil Dogs: The elite templars tied to the church of Cormaq Thunderhand, the god of technology, whom have a shared oath to their homeland and the Wastonian culture and peoples. They are templars in name, but are a modern day comparable, utilizing guns, artillery and modern war tactics and training, most forgoing armor, shields or any sort of melee combat or training.
21682 Logistics Personal: This general designation encompasses troops of a logistics nature, so supply crew, engineers, maintenance crews for ships, sky-ships, railcars, all those sorts of things, as well as transport teams and the like. But furthermore it also covers things like medics, priests, magisters and other such unique individuals.
14175 Mechanized Crew: This general designation includes pilots, magicore engineers and crewmen for the WNAF's notable Aeronautics Force, as well as her Navy. They are the sailors, aeronauts, and railmen that operate her ships, sky-ships and railcars in defense of the homeland and when applicable, in other territories during a conflict. They are arguably the most important wing of the military of the nation.
Technological Level
Early-Late Industrial Revolution.
Religion
As any nation in Valerick, any of the Ascended can be worshipped, though Cormaq Thunderhand, the god of science, technology and invention is far and away the most common and most favored.
Laws
Waston's most interesting laws all generally apply to its technological progress and the advancement of technology as a whole. Her automatons, for example, hold many of the same legal rights as people, other than any voting rights for positions and offices involving such, since automatons are incapable of independent though. They can even, through the voice and advocacy of their owner's, sue individuals. Scientific study and research is protected under a variety of laws and legislation as well. Interestingly tied into this, under various heavy handed national security laws there are many bits of legislation solely designed to keep the technological 'cutting edge' of various fields in Waston's hands and within her borders, outright outlawing the trade, sale or gifting of such information through a variety of laws all designed to basically make sure any other nation state is always at least one technological generation behind Waston unless they themselves have managed to come up with something similar.
Beyond this, Waston does have a darker side however. There are notable laws on the books, as one example, allowing for certain sorts of scientific study and experimentation, including some unique particulars tied to certain crimes. For example, conviction of any capital offense such as murder or rape, well those individuals are not necessarily sentenced to prison time. Instead they can be sentenced to lab time, that is becoming non-consenting humanoid subjects of all manner of experimentation. Chemical tests, weapon system tests, new armor system testing, medical experimentation, and of course, some of the darkest, construct hybridization. This last process involves lobotomy, near brain deaths and a melding of magick and technology that Waston outwardly, on the international stage, denies denies denies, as one might expect.
Beyond this, Waston does have a darker side however. There are notable laws on the books, as one example, allowing for certain sorts of scientific study and experimentation, including some unique particulars tied to certain crimes. For example, conviction of any capital offense such as murder or rape, well those individuals are not necessarily sentenced to prison time. Instead they can be sentenced to lab time, that is becoming non-consenting humanoid subjects of all manner of experimentation. Chemical tests, weapon system tests, new armor system testing, medical experimentation, and of course, some of the darkest, construct hybridization. This last process involves lobotomy, near brain deaths and a melding of magick and technology that Waston outwardly, on the international stage, denies denies denies, as one might expect.
Agriculture & Industry
As noted, Waston, whilst due to the jungle and tropical climate and abundant wildlife, has notable food resources, is primarily an industrial power, wielding her manufacturing ability as her primary value in negotiations and seeking trade agreements for a variety of foods and raw materials most often.
Trade & Transport
Having embraced the invention of locomotion as well, Waston moves her goods mostly by Sky-Ship and Rail internally. Externally, maritime trade, that is oceanic shipping, still plays a notable role, though Sky-ship is just as common an international shipping method for smaller volume goods.
Education
Waston is generally viewed as one of the most highly educated nations on Valerick and this reputation is well earned. She is the only nation with a truly cutting edge advantage, having developed some sembalance of nationalized educational standard, enforcing public schooling for children of certain ages, though navigating the uniqueness of the vast chasm of life expectancies between say humans and dwarves makes this system rather uniquely complex and odd to discuss without deep contextuals that simply will not be provided here within this atlas. Instead you could read on them further and in more detail within (insert title and article link here later)
Innovate and Invent, the Key to Progress
Maps
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Waston, the Magitechnocracy
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Government System
Technocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Gazetteer
The nation of Waston's holdings extend all the way around the western coast of the Wyrielian continent from the northern tip of the Sauri Range, down to the southern tip. The ancient mountain range provides a natural buffer to the strange and ancient jungles beyond it, the titanic wildlife kept at bay by the natural barrier, whilst they also provide plentiful minerals of dire importance to the nation's industrial needs. The nation is split into roughly four regions, generally speaking, and they are as follows;
Fisselbren Territory:
Containing the nation's capital of Rydan, a city positioned on the southern banks of the Lake Ryni, where they Ryni river flows from it, heading towards the sea, the southern banks and ridges all along this lake are rich in the rarest of deposits, obsidian, an ore normally not found outside actively volcanic regions. It is generally believed that Lake Ryni has a lot to do with this, the lake believed to have been formed from some sort of impact by meteor or asteroid during or even before the Sundering, perhaps one that contained a large mass of stable obsidian ore. Rydan and the surrounding area has a busy and bustling mining industry because of this, as well as being the birthplace and manufacturing center for Magicore Engines. This bustling industrial city is the hub of the nation and of Magitech development all across Valerick.Easthold Territory:
The Easthold Territory is marked and best known as the commerce center of the nation, with the port city of Gildpiers being a hub of trade with its ease of access to Ryni River, and therefore the nation's capital, as well as sitting on the coast of the Sea of Sails, the central ocean of the world, where trade routes connect all three continents. It is the port of call for almost all imports and exports by sea and by air.Central Waston Territory:
The central region of the nation, known for the massive expanse of wildnerness it is generally notified to encompass of the Spotted Woad, it is also another region of importance due to the manufacturing and resource production as well as being the central hub of the nation along most of its internal trade routes, such as the cities of Indusir and Mitharin. Mitharin in particular is notable for its mining industry, the rocky deposits it is built amongst having at least three rich deposits of Mithrium discovered thus far.Southwoad Territory:
The Southwoad territory is oft referred to as the armory of the nation, and though that may seem a touch dramatic, it is hard to fully argue with conceptually, given the largest and most prominent city within the territory is Boomendahl, the city well known for its claim to fame as the current firearms manufacturing capital of the entire world, and the birthplace of firearms, as well as the continuing leader in cutting edge firearm technology. The territory is also, subsequently, the smokepowder manufacturing hub of Waston, the southern Sauri region thick with the minerals needed for that chemical process, many rich desposits relatively easily found.
Currency
The dominant currency, the stamp of the worldwide market, the Wastonian Shailling. More valuable, with more buying power than any of the other major currencies on Valerick, this is the gold standard of value assessment. Much like any currency they've moved away from valuable ores and instead utilize brass and steel stamped coins as well as notes known as Shail notes for their 'gold'. The notes come in six denominations, which are; One Shailling, Two Shailling, Five Shailling, Ten Shailling, Twenty Shailling and Fifty Shailling. The steel coins known as 'Stamp-plates' or 'Flats' for short, come in four denomination, a 1 Flat, 2.5 Flat, 5 Flat and 7.5 Flat coin. Similarly the brass coins, known as 'Bits' come in 1 Bit, 2.5 Bits, 5 Bits and 7.5 Bits coins.
The Wastonian Shailling is the dominant buying power in the world in this day and age in Valerick, having a rate of exchange which sees every Shailling be worth more than the same equivalent note in another nation. Their closest competitors are the nation of Suranth, with whom they only hold a narrow 1.02 rate, seeing each Shailling worth 1.02 Suranthi Suns.
The Wastonian Shailling is the dominant buying power in the world in this day and age in Valerick, having a rate of exchange which sees every Shailling be worth more than the same equivalent note in another nation. Their closest competitors are the nation of Suranth, with whom they only hold a narrow 1.02 rate, seeing each Shailling worth 1.02 Suranthi Suns.
Major Exports
Waston is the lead exporter in magicore technology of any kind, from Sky-Ships to the engines themselves and their parts, as well as anything else adjacent. They also are the world leader in firearms exports and it is not close. Beyond that they export all manner of other such products and manufactured general goods, being a true titan of industry, with her cities humming with factory activity all over.
Major Imports
Waston's most common imports include;
- Spices and other preservatives
- Foods of all varieties, with produce and meat (generally live animals) being amongst the most common
- Iron, which is likely among the top of the list for non food based imports
- Copper, a close second with Iron, for its importance in many magicore system constructions.
- Lumber, Stone and many other basic raw materials, to many to list. Waston has some of such things of course, but they import larger volumes beyond that, to feed their ever starving beast of an industrial complex.
Legislative Body
The aformentioned Wastonian Consolate, and its subsidiary organizations in majore regions and population centers, would be the system in question responsible for the legislative side of things. Appointments to this Consolate are for life and are ultimately decided by the rest of the Consolate, though they will oft run a public campaign of sorts, complete with voting. However this vote is not an open contest, and is normally just between two individuals, the last two up for the seat, and this 11th 'vote of the people' whilst being collected before hand, would only ever matter if the Consolate vote was a perfect split. Then it would be used as the tiebreaker.
Though on a smaller scale and with less prestigious accolades being necessary to even consider getting into the arena so to speak, regional counsels and city or town boards run more or less the same, though the number of seats may vary based on a variety of factors, such as region size, settlements it encompasses, or things like number of districts, settlement size, location and other factors can play a role.
Though on a smaller scale and with less prestigious accolades being necessary to even consider getting into the arena so to speak, regional counsels and city or town boards run more or less the same, though the number of seats may vary based on a variety of factors, such as region size, settlements it encompasses, or things like number of districts, settlement size, location and other factors can play a role.
Judicial Body
It is here, in some sembalance of sanity, and blessing of Cormaq Thunderhand himself, that some amount of rhyme and reason prevail. No attempts have every dared to be made to bring any sort of automation into this role, and this role is entirely seperated from the governmental structure as a whole, and left in fact to the church of the Eternal Inventor himself, the followers of Cormaq Thunderhand. Abjudicators are rarely seen outside of Waston for this reason, as most serve somewhere in the court system that basically acts as the third party arbitrator and decision makers on all cases. The courts do have tiers, the highest of which, Rydan, is the Peerless Halls. The justices here, the most senior of the Abjudicators, all of five of them, make decisions as equal parts of a whole. There decision in any case that reaches them, which would be the sixth possible stop, is final and irreversible.
Executive Body
Waston is the birthplace of modern policing, and here they come with automatons of a wide variety of types and capabilities. They are without question some of the best and most heavily equipped law enforcement apparatus' across all of Valerick, however to say this is without its problems would be a disservice, despite how the nation of Waston's own public facing officials might wish to portray it. There are naturally great risks to using constructed creatures that do not think for themselves and merely operate and exist under a set criteria of instructions as law enforcement, and it is far from unheard of for things to go entirely off the rails so to speak.
Official State Religion
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
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