Republic of Luria (OU)

The Republic of Luria is a militaristic, expansionist single system republic. Formerly crippled by intense economic depression, recent military defeat and infighting bordering on full-blown civil war, the strong leadership of Gabriel Ascheron has remolded the Republic into a stable, powerful and effective nation-state.

The Great Displacement
The original population of the Republic consisted of temporally displaced groups humans who had been taken from earth and placed on the uninhabited, yet habitable, world of Kyras; though humans were taken from various time periods on earth, they were all placed on Kyras within a time period of roughly two hundred years. Notably, one of the final populations to arrive was a Nazi SS battalion, displaced from the closing days of the war. With their superior weaponry they quickly assumed control of the entire Lurian populace, which only numbered in the thousands, the majority of whom were simple farmers from medieval societies. Originally the Republic was established as a continuation of the Third Reich, though this faded out as the government quickly realized that there was little chance of being re-united with the actual Third Reich, as well as the fact that many of the SS men had lost faith in Nazism and the Reich as a result of their crushing defeats at the hands of the Soviets and other Allied forces. This was cemented by the final arrival of a large detachment of Roman legionaries, who were quickly able to arm themselves to the same extent as the ruling government, and demanded power and control. The SS and the Legionaries were able to reach an agreement, forming the Republic of Luria - named for Heinrich von Luria, the commander of the SS battalion, who served as the first Lurian Dictator. The Republic was based on their shared authoritarian values, and adopted stylings of both Nazi Germany and Imperial Rome. Over time as the constituent populations of the Republic mixed, so did their cultures and values, resulting in the foundations for modern-day Lurian society.

However, it is still a key mystery as to how the original populations ended up on Kyras. A common, modern-day theory is that it was the result of meddling Great Beings. Regardless, despite being responsible for the foundation of the Republic, the "Great Displacement" is generally viewed as being a hostile act by an alien race, which is the result of much xenophobic sentiment within the Republic.

Government
Whilst Gabriel Ascheron holds complete power throughout the state, the majority of the legislative responsibility is passed onto the democratically-elected senate; the upper senate creates legislature, which is then voted on by both the upper and lower senates. As Ascheron has the power to depose (and execute, if need be) any senator, no legislature is drafted which goes against his political ideals. As a result, there is no room for dissent within the government.

There is practically no corruption within the government, due to a highly effective Ministry of Silence which is itself very loyal to Ascheron.

Society and Culture
The Republic does not tolerate nonconformity, and those who stray against the norm can expect to find themselves quickly ostracized. Whilst there are no real legal barriers to female achievement in society, strict gender roles mean many are forced into traditional roles. This is reflected in the makeup of the upper senate: only one of the senators is a woman, and the Ministry of Women itself is headed by a man. Men, likewise, are forced into hard labor roles such as construction - often, very dangerous outer-space construction work - or into the military. There is great intolerance of homosexuality within the Republic, as well as prejudice against other LGBT individuals.

Lurian society is divided into many distinct castes, with practically no social movement between them. The caste system is seen as an enforcement of the "natural order" and is often unchallenged, even by those who are oppressed by it, as a result of intense propaganda. The caste system broadly divides "Master" humans from "Servant" humans and the dreaded "Xenos", the Lurian catch-all phrase for non-human life, though within these major divisions exist further developed castes. The caste system is based on the concept of nobility, with each Caste seen as being four times as noble as the one below it.

The Caste System
Masters - developed from the Nazi concept of the "master race", Master Humans are analogous to Nietzche's Ubermensch ideal. Physically identified as blue-eyed, blonde haired humans, the Master caste forms the leadership and nobility of Luria. Masters control the majority of wealth and power within the Republic. Masters are commonly found as high-ranking military officers, business and industry leaders, and statesmen.

Upper Servants - below the Masters are the Upper Servants. These consist of humans who are "acceptable" - the Masters find no insult in their existence, even though they do not reach the heights of human existence as the Masters. The Upper Servants form the largest population group and are effectively the working- and middle-classes of the Republic. They fulfill most positions not already occupied by the Masters, though some Upper Servants can be recognized for their actions and awarded positions beyond their caste status - particularly in the military.

Lower Servants - humans with whom the Masters take offense. These include minority ethic groups, the mentally ill or disabled, and LGBT individuals. Due to their perceived lack of nobility and civility, Lower Servants are seen to have to earn their citizenship and prove that they are not a dangerous element to Lurian society, either through military service or hard labour - at least five years. After this, Lower Servants are seen to be recognized as valued and constructive members of Lurian society, and are afforded the same rights and protections as the Upper Servants. Lower Servants unable to prove themselves are often sterilized, or in the worst cases, executed.

Xenos - the lowest caste in Lurian society, consisting of all alien races. The few Xenos that live within the Republic are often refugees. They are expected to prove themselves in the same way the Lower Servants are, though unlike the Lower Servants, are never given the option to become full citizens; they must work until they die. It is Lurian belief that this is fair, as Xenos should be thankful even for the privilege of having their existence tolerated by the Republic.

Technology and Economy
The Republic has a good level of technology, which is easily on par with the majority of the rest of the universe; one major advantage it has, though, is its large number of production facilities. Being a highly industrial society, both Kyras and Kyros are littered with factory-cities, affording the Lurians great output in this area. Exporting technology is a major source of income for the Republic, which is otherwise lacking in mineral wealth. Raw minerals are imported to the system and used to create weapons or ships, which are then sold on for a profit.

Economically, the Republic is somewhat unsteady. Though it has stabilized as of recently, the Aureus has historically suffered from high inflation. In addition, the lack of resources in the Kyloren system are a severe hamper on the Republic's economic growth, requiring it to rely on imports.

Military
The Republic has a strong military, which is one of its great prides. Particularly, the Lurians are known for their excellent tanks. Lurian military doctrine emphasizes a full frontal, close quarters assault; enemy lines are charged with tanks and heavy air support in the opening minutes of battle, giving them little time to counterattack. The best term to describe Lurian combat is "lighting war" - they attack with blistering speed at seemingly random moments. If they become bogged down on a front, they will retreat momentarily before striking again from another direction, hoping to catch the enemy off guard.

The Lurians are extremely fond of mechs, as they are an extension of their own development on tanks; support from the Takemikazuchi Empire has meant that the Republic can now actively field mechs, as opposed to only having a few prototype models. Their mech fleet is just as, if not more, heavily armored than their tanks, and is much faster, favouring their lightning war tactics. The prevalence of mechs amongst the Lurian forces has also seen a resurgence in the age-old tradition of using melee weapons in combat, as these are, once again, practical.

The Kyloren System
The Kyloren system is the home system of the Lurians. It does not possess any major asteroid belts and is therefore has poor resources, something which has severely impacted the Republic throughout its space-faring existence. The Kyloren system is notable for its twin habitable planets, Kyras and Kyros. Kyros was colonized early on in the Republic's existence, to the extent that the two planets are practically identical in terms of development. During the political instability before Ascheron's rule, the two worlds nearly engaged in civil war against each other. Even today, the relationship between the populations of the two worlds is, at best, cold. Those living in the colonies, however, are not affected by this.

Organizations

 * The Knights of Luria - an order, analogous to an Imperial guard, which protected the current leader of the Republic. Altero was formerly a member of this group before defecting.
 * The Ministry of Silence - one of the many government ministries, the Ministry of Silence is responsible for spywork, both inside and outside of the Republic.
 * The Ministry of Truth - another government agency, which controls and regulates the media, and generates government propaganda.