Lanzian Harpies

One of the three parallel societies or quasi-governments that rule Harpy cultures distributed throughout the Trailward Stars region.

While officially referring to the single vast ocean of their homeworld, Lanzia most commonly refers to the falcon-like ethnicities of harpies who in their earlier history lived amongst smaller islands and spanned the oceans away from their homeworld's primary landmass. Growing into an uneasy peace with their more populous and civilised neighbours, the Lanzians retain their wonderlust and piratical instincts, making them natural warriors and troublemakers.

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Honing a martial skill is considered close to mandatory for social respectability - every self-respecting Lanzian Harpy considers fighting or soldiering a second job of sorts.

What constitutes martial skills can vary significantly - not only duelling or marksmanship but tactical planning, equipment maintenance, starship engineering and even logistical support are recognised (however dubiously) as a valid skill to hone.

Lanzians tend to value defending, fighting for, or otherwise committing themselves to a cause, but not to a single all-encompassing overlord or universal ideal - a latent rebellious streak keeps them from ever accepting a single recognisable ruler, let alone plot galactic domination, although the title of caretaker monarch or Aquaruber is respected as a symbol of their way of life and the centre of an ever-shifting web of influence.

Natural drifters (along with the other half of their species), Harpies of the Aquaruber will travel abroad as mercenaries, civilian security professionals, VDF Rangers, would-be revolutionaries, hired killers and most often simply as independent pirates. It is also possible for them to appear in wholly civilian contexts abroad, but not too frequently.

History

Harpies appear amongst the outlying islands of the pangea-world Trosen. Adapted to a life of medium-long range flight and a fish-based, predatory diet.

Fishing and trading communities begin forming, and a fractious league of kingdoms and republics develops into the Lanzian pseudo-continent.

Relations with communities on the supercontinent Astio gradually decline, with the resource-rich but clumsier landlocked nations continually threatening to divide and annex the Lanzians.

The appearance and success of a privateer-admiral named Aquaruber provides a sense of cultural unity, giving the islanders a common cause and (much later) a common origin myth.

Without the resources to fight back on even terms, Lanzians begin asserting independence from the continent through privateering, raiding, open banditry, and related skullduggery.

In response, Astio polities begin asserting dominance on the islands through regime change, disinformation, assassination, economic pressure, coup attempts and related skullduggery.

Though economic and technological progress is depressed throughout numerous times of troubles, Lanzia is buoyed up by a growing indepentent and self-righteous spirit that makes self-governance both inevitable and near-impossible.

Around this time, Lanzian mercenaries become highly valued mercenaries and often kingmakers in power struggles throughout Astio, complicating the historical cold war.

Industrialisation brings an uneasy symbiosis between the two civilisations, as individual coastal republics in Astio seek more militarised proxy states in Lanzia in exchange for finished goods or the tools to modernise.

Spaceflight is achieved by utopian fringe elements from both cultures seekign to form a unified federation away from the history of their fractured homeland.

Commercialised orbital infrastructure built up by great powers in Astio leads to the development of FTL technology, and soon after interstellar travel.

Lanzian harpies transpose the Law of the Sea to space, preying on early commercial travel with haphazard effects as the specifics of the new environment are worked out.

Around this time a modified FTL unit capable of short-range teleportation becomes popular as the Blink Drive, specifically as it is an unarmed means of protection.

Other races are encountered and hostilities between the twin harpy cultures thaws, as both see the other races as easier prey...

Demography and Population

(Warlords)
(Firm Magnates)
(old money?)
(Priesthood of Trideste)
(common citizenry)

Territories

Trosen - A garden wold and the origin world of the Harpies, almost wholly controlled by Astio harpies.
Duain - The unoficcial capital of the Lanzian harpies, not so much militarised as heavily fortified by disparate armed groups.
Karsin - The headquarters of the current Aquaruber and a well-known site of a (completely unknown) interstellar weapon.
Karke - A shipyard colony and trading post operated by numerous Lanzian cartels, and a casual meeting point for most of their armed shipping.

Military

TBD

Technological Level

See Harpy Technology

Religion

Trideste
Dating back to seafaring communities among the earliest harpy cultures, Trideste is a goddess of war, conquest, freedom from control and the raw power of nature.
Worship of Trideste usually revolves around the veneration, care, breeding and (in fringe sects) genetic tailoring of large, powerful beasts or monsters. More devoted individuals may tend towards careers in vetinary medicine, artistic pursuits in landscapes or the animal form, revolutionary militia amognst nearly any species or culture, park rangers, breeders of exotic pets, legal defence counsel (so far as the profession exists in Lanzian communities) and genetic tailoring clinics.
A core facet of Trideste's worship is the Law of the Sea. Often assumed to mean 'there is no law' by hapless mining or trading professionals, it is in reality a combination of commandments and sacred rights that together grant dominion and authority to any who have the strength to claim it, once out of sight of dry land. The Law of the Sea translates to space as the Law of the Sky, which covers any region of space not within unauded visual range of a habitable world or known civilian station.
What makes Lanzian pirates unique among other criminal organisations is that not only are they willing to resist any oppression against them, but they are also prohibited from becoming oppressors themselves. Any unarmed party that ritually surrenders to the pirates has recognised the superior strength of the pirates, and is lawfully permitted to go free after paying a token fee.
The Law of the Sky considers cowardice and treachery to be an affront to the ways of nature, and those who surrender while under arms or who attack surrendering vessels will be treated with disdain, revulsion and hostility by the balance of their fellow pirates.

Education

TBD

Type

Illicit, Cartel

Alternative Names

Lanzia

Demonym

Lanzian

Government System

Kratocracy

Power Structure

Semi-autonomous area

Currency

With an (officially) interlinked economy with their Astio counterparts, Harpies of the Aquaruber use the Ftara for everyday transactions. The low but steady value of the coinage makes it useful enough for domestic purposes. Frequent raiding, fencing and occasionally ransoming around the territories of other polities has lead to an influx of other currencies, especially the Req, Arction and (curiously) the Terran Eagle.

Legislative Body

The reigning leader of the Lanzian harpies is known by the title Aquaruber. An uncertain combination of elected chieftain and career administrator, an Aquaruber can expect to face coup attempts on an almost constant basis. If the incumbent is successful, well-connected or simply liked, various components of the state and people will block the coup. An unsuccessful leader will simply be allowed to be replaced.

Judicial Body

The rebellious and free-spirited Lanzians most often simply take care of their own. Naturally resentful of organised authority and arbitrary laws, only the most barebones civil and property law exists.
The only exceptions are the strictures of Trideste, which act as a unifyng code of honour and keep the Lanzian harpies on more or less the same moral compass.

Neighboring Nations

• Dryad Union
• Vaiaelon War Pact