The Senate/Parliament. Situated in the capitol and inspired by st peters cathedral and the Reichstag. This is where the senators convene for meetings and decide policy. large central dome room has stained glass ceilings and a skylight. outer buildings have offices and meeting rooms and archives.
story wise this location would be playable and fully explorable, but would be destroyed and turned into memorial gardens after the timeskip. After pushback from senators on policy, Lucien and his advisors would orchestrate the bombing or burning (undecided) of the Pantheon, during session. This would allow Lucien to blame his enemies (the Ophirans), eliminate his senators and declare a state of emergency/martial law in the ensuing panic. This event would parallel the burning of the reichstag and hitler’s Declaration of martial law.
Initial Dome design: i like the idea of it being two-tiered.
i started designing some glass portraits of previous leaders for the ceiling but these are still in progress and haven’t been incorporated yet.
early colour concept
making the dome
surrounding building
i felt that it didnt have enough colour so i made the pillars red marble and then added clouds for contrast.
started designing banners. Since this is the symbol for a fascist and authoritarian empire i took inspiration from real-world fascist imagery and the Nazi eagle, as well as religious imagery and ancient roman sigils. i ended up with an angel with spread wings which matched the silhouette i had already come up with: a cross with a circle in the middle. variants of this shape appear as symbols throughout the story – the three points of the cross represent the three suns and the central circle represents the planet, while the cross also evokes catholic imagery.
here is the current WIP of the pantheon.
next i will fix up the gardens, add some small people walking towards to building for scale and add the stained glass roof on the dome.
After establishing the environment I took to writing down my thoughts about the society that lives on this planet how they function.
Summary:
“The Elysians believe themselves to be descended from fallen angels that were cast out of paradise onto an empty prison planet as punishment for a terrible, but unknown, sin. Their ultimate goal is to prove themselves worthy of ‘ascension’ and initially disagreed on how to achieve this, with about half the population being cast out of their early settlements for differing ideologies. ‘The Exiles’ as they came to be known, claimed that the path to ascension was the road of kindness and compassion; that only by treating their fellow mortals as equals would they be able to prove themselves worthy once more. ‘The Elysians’ as they later named themselves, disagreed, claiming that they should attempt to reclimb their way to paradise through becoming as close to their angelic ancestors as possible. The Elysians set out to leave their prison planet and prove their superiority to the species of other planets.”
External:
• Elysians have a distinctly non-human biology, from millions of years of genetic editing.
• Several notable features of external Elysian anatomy is the absence of indicators of natural birth or sexual characteristics; Elysians do not have ‘belly buttons’ (the cut-off point of umbilical cords), cannot grow facial or body hair, have androgynous, yet unnatural features, are very slim and typically taller than humans. They tend to have an uncanny, eerie appearance. Elysians could be compared to elves or fallen angels (which they believe themselves to be). They are often beautiful, but in a non-human and unsettling way.
• Most Elysians lack a biological sex, as they are genetically engineered to. They procreate through an asexual process like cloning, known as ‘genetic weaving’. A long time ago they might have been like humans but have become reliant on ‘clean and efficient’ reproduction which has rendered them incapable of natural reproduction. Some exiled Elysians are “naturally born” however, as their ancestors have avoided genetic modification.
• Elysian eyes have 16 photoreceptors instead of the human 3 allowing them to see a much wider spectrum of colour and can see UV, and X-Ray light. Elysians can focus on much smaller details, much further away than humans can and their vision can focus much better in the dark.
• Elysians’ hearing is much more advanced than humans, as they can hear much higher and lower pitches. They also have a natural defence that muffles louder sounds while boosting quieter ones.
• Their skin is resistant to heat and cold, allowing them to survive in harsh conditions for significantly longer than humans.
Internal:
• The Internal biology of Elysians is where the differences become much more apparent. Elysians’ internal anatomy are like machines, designed to be as completely efficient as biologically possible. The size and organisation of several organs are changed, while some are removed or multiplied. Several pseudogenes are also removed.
• Noble Elysians and Worker Elysians have different biological structures, due to excessive gene editing. Noble Elysian cells never stop regenerating, allowing them to maintain a youthful appearance for thousands of years, ensuring that they remain in power. This means they can heal from most injuries and even regenerate limbs in extreme circumstances.
• The muscles have an increased ability to absorb kinetic energy, and the bones are strengthened by a natural, carbon-fibre substance in the marrow that make Elysians far more durable than humans.
• The lungs are larger than humans and possess the ability to recycle air internally, allowing for Elysians to hold their breath for much longer than humans.
• The stomach requires less sustenance and is less sensitive than humans’.
• The kidneys process waste at a significantly faster rate and the energy conserved by food is redirected more efficiently meaning less waste is disposed of, and inedible substances can be processed and filtered more efficiently rendering them immune to many digested poisons.
Mental:
• Most Elysians are slightly psychic, but only to an extent that allows them to receive psychic signals, not broadcast them. In very rare cases some Elysians are born with the ability to read and process the thoughts of others, as well as influence them. The psychic abilities are not engineered but genetic and inherited from their angelic ancestors and Elysians have yet to discover how to engineer these, so they remain completely random.
• These rare few Elysians are known as ‘the Chosen’ and are believed to be gifted by the heavens. Those who possess psychic abilities are seen as partially ascended and are revered and respected as saints or prophets.
• ‘Chosen’ often spend their entire lives training their psychic abilities with other Chosen, and those who born very powerful might be able to take brief glimpses into the futures of others, or receive prophetic visions, though the accuracy of these vary greatly.
• In exceptionally rare cases the gift of prophecy doesn’t need to be trained at all, and children are born with precognition. These children are once in a millennia, and beloved as prodigies, but suffer from unwelcome and sometimes terrifying visions of their future which can lead to delusions and paranoia.
The Caste System:
• Elysium has a strict caste system with very limited social mobility. It can be broken down into 3 castes; “Noble”, “Working” and “Serfs” caste.
• The Nobles Caste is comprised of Royals, Higher Nobles and Lesser Nobles. Higher Nobles are anyone within 2 degrees of separation from the Monarch, 5 degrees of separation from a High Lord or 2 degrees of separation from a Lesser Lord.
• Higher Nobles and Royals enjoy lives of leisure and luxury, with their every need met at the service of employed, wealthy Workers or Lesser Nobles. The Serfs Caste do not serve the Higher Nobles or Houses but do serve the Lesser nobles of Lesser Houses.
• Noble houses are massive, and make up large portions of the population, so Lesser nobles are common, and while they enjoy lives with servants, food and travel freedoms, they are still expected to work to some degree. Many Lesser nobles will seek employment in Star Ports, Colony Planets, Serfs Higher Nobles or their Houses assigned duty.
• All Higher Houses have a duty to oversee and protect their assigned lands and galactic quadrants, but Lesser Houses have more varied duties. For example, House Nox (under the jurisdiction of the Royal House) oversee the Archives, a great digital library that stores all known information about the Universe, while House Silvermere (under the jurisdiction of House Ivoryton) oversee and run the judicial, penal and legal system.
• The Working Caste in contrast have significantly less freedoms; they need state approval to travel between cities and are unable to travel off-world unless for business (rare exceptions for Medium Workers only since Lesser Nobles tend to work off-world). The Workers, however, are literate and well-educated with universal healthcare and an abundance of food. Workers tend to live comfortable lives, as the worst of undesirable work in society is left to the “Serfs Caste”.
• Workers living outside the city in smaller villages tend to have very limited technology, as if they are thousands of years behind in social development. The vast contrast between workers and nobles in biology, technology, architecture and lifestyle should make it seem as if they are almost functioning within a different genre or historical era.
• The Serfs Caste are a largely invisible portion of the population, existing only in the Undercities (a network that exists underneath the cities, where the Serfs can travel between their “homes” and their “workplaces”. Serfs are slaves in all but name comprised of mostly descendants of the prisoners from Ophir but also modern political prisoners and off-world hostages. Serfs are not to be seen or heard, and they are motivated with capital threats. If a server attempts escape into the wilds, the lives of their loved ones are forfeit, so deserters are rare.
The Caste system was inspired by:
• Feudal England: the monarch owns all land (for the Royal family, this means the Imperium) while the lords oversee it in portions and social mobility is non-existent.
• Ancient Rome: society is divided into three distinct classes: Upper, Common and Slave. Common citizens cannot hold political office and wear short tunics instead of long togas. Upper class members make laws and run the military, Commoners are often merchants and Slaves work undesirable labour jobs.
• Ancient Sparta: there are citizens with full rights (the Nobles), citizens with limited rights (the Workers) and a state-owned slave class (the Serfs).
• ‘Panem’ from the Hunger Games: an oligarchy authoritarian society run by a wealthy elite. In this analogy, the regular citizens of the capitol would be the Commoners, the Elite as the Nobles and the Districts as the Serfs. The Commoners work regular jobs that aren’t physically taxing, those in the district work hard, manual labour and the Elites spend their days at their own leisure, enjoying a decadent lifestyle at the expense of others.
• Ancient Egypt: society built on slaves largely comprised of an oppressed ethic group (the Israelites = the Ophirans)
The Senate:
The Senate oversees all policy and legislative decisions. Bills are presented to and written by Senators who then debate and discuss their worth. When the senate has finalized a minor bill it is pitched to the Monarch’s advisors who will either deny or accept a bill. If they accept the bill, the Monarch will sign or deny it.
The Senate is comprised of representatives from Noble Houses and significant industries, with each house selecting a representative internally. The representatives are usually high in the line of succession but not direct to avoid any potential compromising of political duties.
The Senate convenes in a great domed building atop a high tower in the centre of the Capitol known as ‘the Pantheon’. Senators sit in a rounded room with rows and balconies that correspond to the importance of the senator. In the centre of the room is a dais where a senator may speak, and a judge presides on a high balcony above to maintain order. The central room is surrounded by large, beautiful stained-glass windows depicting the history of the Imperium and a great skylight in the ceiling that the twin sunlight can shine through. Pillars of black, white and gold marble hold up the structure while statues of the greatest leaders stand ominously watching around the central space.
The Senate system was inspired by:
• England’s House of Lords: an inherited position that only the elites can hold, debating and discussing bills though the Monarch retains the ability to veto.
• Rome’s Senate: The Nobles are much like Ancient Rome’s patrician class, and the senate was comprised only of members of this class.
• Sparta’s Gerousia: Lawmaker hold their positions for life, but elections are open to manipulation by monarchs.
• Ancient Carthage: A monarch consults with a body of advisors comprised of the wealthiest in society. These advisors sit on a ‘Supreme Council’ and oversee the treasury, foreign policy and all law-making/military decisions.
The High Clergy:
The High Clergy is a religious order that exists outside of the Caste system. Predating even Good King Rychaed and the Imperium, the High Clergy was established in the founding days of Elysium, after the descension. Initially comprising of faithful individuals that sought to return the Elysians to their rightful position, the modern Clergy is now a collection of the ‘Chosen’, people with particularly strong psychic abilities who are given to the faith as infants. If a child is woven from any class below Higher Noble and is flagged for high psychic abilities, they will be handed to the High Clergy instead of their parental parties. Having a child given to the High Clergy is seen as a great honour, as those with strong psychic powers are seen as closer to the Ascendants. Those born as Higher Nobles with psychic powers are raised between monasteries and their family homes but are expected to give up all titles and claims upon reaching adulthood. The only exception to this rule are Royal children, who are expected to have some inherited psychic abilities, and automatically receive psychic training from members of the High Clergy.
The High Clergy’s mission remains to return their people to the Heavens, but they also oversee policy decisions in the senate to ensure the ‘righteous path’ is remained upon. The High Clergy write prophecy and monitor the scared Blue Rose flower, a symbol of their order. The Blue Rose flower is a delicate, crystalline rose that only blossoms exceptionally rarely at the highest mountain peaks, and crumbles to dust in the gentlest breeze. When the flower blooms it is said to be a sign from above that the intended path is being followed, and the Elysians are closer to ascension.
The High Clergy is led by a High Cleric, often an elderly individual from within the order who has trained their psychic abilities for so long that they are able to take brief glances into the future. The High Cleric’s main role is to receive messages from the Heavens, though no prophecy has been given since before the time of Good King Rychaed. The High Cleric will read the future of all young royals brought before them, though the accuracy varies, as the High Cleric can only see a very brief glimpse of a potential future. This glimpse is seen as a divine message.
The Clergy system was inspired by:
• Roman Catholicism: a religious order led by a ‘divinely’ chosen leader (initially) operating autonomously from monarchical authority. the aesthetics of the clergy also closely resemble those of roman Catholicism. Similar to Henry VIII’s religious reformation, Rychaed and his administration (or another undecided ruler descended from him) removed power from the head of the church and began hand-picking the leaders.
• The Oracles of Greece: oracles who live their entire lives in a temple or cloister who are consulted for prophecy
Wikipedia. (2020). Gerousia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerousia Gerousia – Wikipedia
Wikipedia. (2020). Helots. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helots Helots – Wikipedia
Wikipedia. (2022). Ancient Carthage. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Carthage#Government_and_politics Ancient Carthage – Wikipedia
Stanford, P. (2011). BBC – Religions – Christianity: Roman Catholic Church. [online] www.bbc.co.uk. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/catholic/catholic_1.shtml BBC – Religions – Christianity: Roman Catholic Church
I spent several train journeys and evenings sketching notes, flags, maps and ideas for the world that would be explored in my Journal project. I started by researching real world ancient cultures that I found interesting, plotting their location of a world map, noting the latitude and biome, connecting biomes and cultures, and then corresponding them onto a slowly forming world map. I researched the food, lifestyle, architecture, clothing, religious beliefs and language of these cultures and used them as a base-line for fictional inspired cultures. I eventually developed 4 consistent continents: Mäudin, Easter Islands, Hallow and the Feyglades. Mäudin was the largest continent as was comprised of several smaller regions known as Hakavia (Hak’Ei, Mṃadu, Xchotl, Uruvia), Rēn (Sibralisk, Zianda, Tsangdala, Nipoga, Đai Nậmdo, Vatir, Ilysia, Kublain) and the Archipelago (Kiravulu, Anananas, Tiwika, Sa’Weii), while the Easter Islands was comprised of a semi-united group of kingdoms known as Shireland, Alba, Skådi, Newshire, Crownland, Jupita, Helvenia, Athen, Goldfield and Zaran. I had other regions I hoped to develop inspired by Babylon, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Nubia, Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa, but changed direction in this project before I was able to come up with ideas.
I imagined that the Native population of the planet had been forced into the western hemisphere after a long-distance spaceship crashed into the eastern continent, creating a giant crater that flooded and turned the continent into a series of islands. I imagine that this would irradiate the surrounding land making it uninhabitable for centuries, before the colonists eventually woke up to build settlements on what they believed was an uninhabited planet. Their desperation to find land to settle on would clash with the native population who are fighting to protect their way of life. The remnants of the crashed ship would be known as Zaran, a ship-city inhabited by scholars and scientists who are trying to retain their cultures knowledge before their technology is lost to the generations.
Maps and biome planning:
Flag and Sigil planning:
Hak’Ei’s flag has an earthy brown backdrop (representing dirt and ground) with a wood brown eagle totem (totems are used as waypoints and have religious significance, Hak’Ei citizens use the eagle as their Sigil animal). On this totem are three stripes, red with a rectangular pattern (to represent the red sandstone mesas and buttes), green stripes (to represent the large open plains) and blue spikes (to represent the mountains).
Mṃadu’s flag has a dark blue backdrop to represent the cold arctic waters of their land, with their Walrus God as the main sigil. The Walrus is the patron God of Mṃadu and thought to bring fortune and long life. A halo of light surrounds the Walrus to show his spiritual status, and below him is a bone tool, to show mortal ingenuity.
Xchotl’s flag has a turquoise backdrop with a smiling golden sun to represent their bright, warm skies, and a stripe of red and gold above to represent the blood of their mortal people and the wealth of their nation.
Uruvia’s flag has a brown backdrop to represent their famous wool exports, with a rainbow stripe to showcase their proficiency in dying. The geometric, golden textile pattern represents their weaving.
Anananas’s flag is a red sky, black rocks and a golden sun, Tiwika’s flag is a abstraction of a turtle, representative of their island structure, Kiravulu’s flag is a fish-hook and Sa’Weii’s flag is an abstraction of a verdant volcano.
Kublain’s flag is a horse running on an open plain, Sibralisk’s flag is an abstraction of a leopards teeth, Đai Nậmdo’s flag is two open hands, holding an undecided symbol, Nipoga’s flag is a Sakura bloom, Vatir’s flag is an open palm with a gemstone eye set in the middle, Ilysia’s flag is a 9-petalled lotus, symbolising the 9 islands and Tsangdala’s flag is a tower of 3 black rocks with a golden sun and a blue and red sky.
Shireland’s flag is a druidic symbol comprised of blue swirls, Alba’s flag is an abstraction of a thistle, Skådi’s flag is a runic symbol, Newshire’s flag is an upside-down sword, Crownland’s flag is a golden crown on a red backdrop, Jupita’s flag is a star-symbol pattern, Helvenia’s flag is a mountain or an Edelweiss flower, Athen’s flag is a bow and arrow, Goldfield’s flag is an abstraction of wheat and Zaran’s flag is a purple eye or a purple crystal.
Societal Structure planning:
I also chose to research the ancient governments and political structures of the nations I was taking inspiration from and then adapted them into a format that would work with their surrounding nations.
