Author Topic: Baronies of Foxhaven  (Read 32041 times)

glitterboy2098

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #30 on: 04 April 2017, 17:13:01 »
how old is the current Ducal line? are we looking at a Duke that only recently (within the last few generations) obtained power, or is it something that has stood for most of the planet's history?

Liam's Ghost

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #31 on: 04 April 2017, 18:34:38 »
how old is the current Ducal line? are we looking at a Duke that only recently (within the last few generations) obtained power, or is it something that has stood for most of the planet's history?

The current political structure has existed since roughly the late first succession war. Before refugees and defectors from the Successor States started coming in, the planet was occupied by small groups of subsistence level farmers with no real organization or government. The Ducal line has basically been in power since  Dukes and Barons started being a thing onworld. The Ducal line got to become the ducal line, however, primarily because it managed to occupy and defend infrastructure left over from Stephan Amaris' hidden army.  The recovered maintenance and repair equipment, plus a few industrial fusion plants, gave them a huge head start.

Just to make sure I'm clear, Foxhaven has at least one moon, right?

Nine of them from my notes.

Star Type: MV0
Charge Time: 201 Hours
Transit Time: 3.14 Days
Mass: 0.5 solar masses
Luminosity: 0.125
Radius: 0.55
Life Zone: 0.132-0.263 AU (0.131 AU)

Foxhaven
Distance: 0.2 AU
Type: Terrestrial
Diameter: 9500 km
Avg Density: 5.84 g/cm3
Day Length: 24 hours
Surface Gravity: 0.79
Escape Velocity: 8.84 km/sec
Year: 46.169 days
Satellites: 9 Small
Atmospheric Pressure: Low (Breathable)
Surface Water: 40%
Equatorial Temperature: 23.85 C
Highest Native Life: Mammals
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

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Dragon Cat

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #32 on: 04 April 2017, 18:38:05 »
Any habitable?
My three main Alternate Timeline with Thanks fan-fiction threads are in the links below. I'm always open to suggestions or additions to be incorporated so if you feel you wish to add something feel free. There's non-canon units, equipment, people, events, erm... Solar Systems spread throughout so please enjoy

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,20515.0.html - Part 1

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,52013.0.html - Part 2

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,79196.0.html - Part 3

Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #33 on: 04 April 2017, 18:45:44 »
Habitability is relative, and that works for my purposes.  Names chosen for the moons yet?  I'm thinking a Barony that controls one or more moons.
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes / When the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
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Liam's Ghost

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #34 on: 04 April 2017, 18:47:49 »
Any habitable?

Not naturally, they're too small to hold an atmosphere  of any kind.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #35 on: 04 April 2017, 18:53:02 »
Since there's nine, any objections to using the Muses as names, and how many could would work for one Barony's territory?
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes / When the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
-- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

glitterboy2098

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #36 on: 04 April 2017, 19:00:24 »
The current political structure has existed since roughly the late first succession war. Before refugees and defectors from the Successor States started coming in, the planet was occupied by small groups of subsistence level farmers with no real organization or government. The Ducal line has basically been in power since  Dukes and Barons started being a thing onworld. The Ducal line got to become the ducal line, however, primarily because it managed to occupy and defend infrastructure left over from Stephan Amaris' hidden army.  The recovered maintenance and repair equipment, plus a few industrial fusion plants, gave them a huge head start.

ok so about 10-12 generations. fairly long established.
i'd had an idea for mine, regarding motivations for secretive plots they were involved in. but since the Ducal line is so well established, "we used to rule this place" won't work. might go with "we used to be much more important" instead.. or maybe "we should have ruled this place", with a scenario similar to Henry V scene II..debates over legal succession is always a good driver of drama. in feudal systems.   :)


Since there's nine, any objections to using the Muses as names, and how many could would work for one Barony's territory?

so Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Urania?
« Last Edit: 04 April 2017, 19:03:59 by glitterboy2098 »

truetanker

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #37 on: 04 April 2017, 19:14:12 »
You guys can have your Barons and Baronesses... I'll make mine a Baronet!

Having worked for the Grand Duke's father for years, Baronet Xu Von Strong paid for his Barony through sweat and hard labor. During the early years the Barony was considered the smallest ever formed. But since his daughter Pepper was born, the other Baronies surrounding him have given his a few extra hectares each as a present. Castle Von Strong sits on the top of a cliff overlooking the bluffs and reaches of the Barony below. Having mostly rough terrain to settle, the populace enjoy farming, sheep herding and small timber tracts. Current population is forty-four thousand souls and counting. Castle Von Strong uses natural defenses and manmade Gun Emplacements surrounding the grounds. Plans were made to increase the local garrison to include locally produced vehicles and make use of public garages to further increase the armored forces.

Every school has an enlistment center and citizens are encouraged to participate in physical training and qualify for first-aid and small arms. Prisons tend to be the exception, but the Baronet has made plans of allowing prisoners to get a reduced sentence if they serve half or more of their time in the military. Military law is severely harsh as any infraction might lead to the death sentence or worse. Basic training is taught early and drilled into the children with more advanced skills later on. It is common to have endurance and shooting contests every year on Founding Day and lasting for a week after that.

 Now in his late 100's, he's looking to see his firebrand daughter take the ropes and settle down. Not much of a family type yet, Pepper Von Strong has spurned the looks and favors of the other Baronies sons so far. Now in her late 30's, she pilots her fathers old Stalker-4P with pride. Her father knew he couldn't stop her from terrorizing the neighborhood, so he enlisted his Master-at-Arms fraternal twins, Bobbi and Tomi, who happen to pilot the Wyvern-6N's with ease. Pepper's cousin, Ted E. Bar, who is known far and wide as a lady's man and just turned 62 last week, pilots the Firestarter-9H. His son Johnny Bar pilots his Stinger-3G along side of his dad when they go out on patrol.

Currently the unit is conducting a recon raid on Tyler Jorgensson's Barony for practice and publicity purposes. After all, Barony Von Strong is the smallest, but not the weakest. The Baronet has sent a strongly worded recall for Ms. Pepper to return for reassignment and other duties pertaining to her actions. Daddy's little girl is in hot water, and cooler heads must avail.

TT
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Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #38 on: 05 April 2017, 09:56:06 »
so Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Urania?

Yep.  I'm currently working on the Barony of Urania, led by the Sixth Baroness of Urania, Lucretia Morrison the Sixth (yes, there's an easter egg/joke on the baroness' name).
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes / When the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
-- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

glitterboy2098

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #39 on: 05 April 2017, 10:06:20 »
Now in his late 100's, he's looking to see his firebrand daughter take the ropes and settle down. Not much of a family type yet, Pepper Von Strong has spurned the looks and favors of the other Baronies sons so far. Now in her late 30's, she pilots her fathers old Stalker-4P with pride. Her father knew he couldn't stop her from terrorizing the neighborhood, so he enlisted his Master-at-Arms fraternal twins, Bobbi and Tomi, who happen to pilot the Wyvern-6N's with ease. Pepper's cousin, Ted E. Bar, who is known far and wide as a lady's man and just turned 62 last week, pilots the Firestarter-9H. His son Johnny Bar pilots his Stinger-3G along side of his dad when they go out on patrol.

given it is a periphery world with limited tech advancement, i'm not sure that they'd have access to the kind of medical knowledge and infrastructure to enable people to be so active at over 100.

i'd honestly suggest knocking about 20 years off the ages you list there.. the elder Bar thus being 42 (still fairly close to their prime) while the Baron would thus be in his 80's.. elderly in a near 20th century level medical technology base, but could still have his mental facilities.
« Last Edit: 05 April 2017, 10:08:30 by glitterboy2098 »

glitterboy2098

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #40 on: 05 April 2017, 13:49:13 »
North Point
The northern most Barony, North Point is a cold mountainous land with extensive old growth forests. While not a very populous territory, its focus on logging and cellulosic ethanol fuel production has made it a rather prosperous one. Much of the Barony's population inhabit the capitol city of Kirkwall, alongside much of its industry. Castle Kirkwall, in the center of the city, is the ancestral home to the Mac Néill family, one of the older ruling families of Foxhaven. The North Point logging concerns, all owned in part by the Mac Néill family, have also made it one of the largest concentrations of Industrialmechs on the world, with North Point being the main purchaser of Crosscut Forestry mechs.

While Jabir Mac Néill is the legal Baron, the true power in North Point is his Grand Mother, Dania Mac Néill, who despite her advanced age manages the Mac Néill clan with an iron grip. It is through her that the Mac Néill clan (and by extension, all North Point) have become so heavily involved in Foxhaven's byzantine political affairs. Dania Mac Néill had been, in her distant youth, the wife to the brother of one of the previous Dukes. After that duke's death, succession passed to his illegitimate son, rather than to her husband, as tradition would hold given the son's legal status. Dania Mac Néill has never forgiving this slight, and has spent much of her life in schemes to discredit and eventually depose the current Ducal line in favor of her own descendants. To this end she has manipulated many of the other barons to create rivalries and undermine the Dukes control. Always through intermediaries and subtle actions however, to hide the Mac Néill clan's involvement.

Militarily North Point practices a mandatory period of military service for all, allowing it to maintain a per capita military force as large as the other baronies, despite its smaller population. Its military tends towards smaller formations (5 man squads, 5 squads per platoon), and makes extensive use of offroad  and rotary wing vehicles to maximize mobility in the mountains and forests. North Point only possesses five battlemechs, of which only four see regular use.

the WHR-6R Warhammer is the property of Jabir Mac Néill, which he pilots with fair skill, on those occasions when he takes the field. Dating back to the  time of the Star League, it has been lovingly maintained and fights with no sign of its multi-century age. Supporting the north point militia forces are; One Griffin GRF-1N piloted by Lt. Karl Akselsen, a Dervish DV-6M piloted by Sgt. Hugo Ingersson, and two Stinger STG-1R's* piloted by Thomas Kempf and Azar Dahl. All four are of offworld mercenaries hired by Dania Mac Néill, although the mech's themselves have been part of the North Point Barony for generations. (*The Stingers have been modified, removing half their machinegun ammunition capacity to upgrade one machinegun to a Flamer.) Currently unknown to the Duke, North Point has assembled refit kits to convert several of its Crosscut Forestry Mech's into armed variations (roughly comparable to the Crosscut RL and Crosscut ED-X2 (Flamer).), against the day when they will be required for war.

Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #41 on: 05 April 2017, 14:05:47 »
Since I'm not sure which thread to put this in.


Barony of Urania

One of the larger baronies by land area but certainly the smallest by population, the Barony of Urania is not technically on the world of Foxhaven at all, but on one of her nine moons, Urania.

Established after the colonization of Foxhaven for the purposes of mining Foxhaven's moons for rare elements, and for serving as an early-warning post against possible invaders.  The first Baroness of Urania, Lucretia Morrison the First, was a former Major and Land-Air 'Mech pilot in the SLDF Army, who refused to join Kerensky's Exodus, and was joined by a handful of fellow LAM pilots.  Arriving in Foxhaven with a dilapidated Danais class DropShip, the Grand Duke of Foxhaven granted Morrison a Barony in exchange for her and her group's expertise in space and microgravity operations.

Today, the Barony is led by Lucretia the VI, the Ninth Baroness of Urania.  Of their original six Land-Air 'Mechs, only three remain functional: two STG-A5 Stinger LAMs and one WSP-100 Wasp LAM.  The Danais itself has not flown in over a century, instead serving as the central fixture of the Barony's operations, with two shuttles serving as transports between the Barony and the planet of Foxhaven itself.  Precious few vehicles have proven adept at being modified to work in the harsh airless environment of the moon, so Urania's defensive forces rely almost entirely upon spacesuited infantry, the three functional LAMs, and two BattleMechs: a STG-3G Stinger and WSP-1A Wasp.  The Barony of Urania also posseses a handful of sealed IndustrialMechs to assist in mining operations, but while rumors abound that the Barony has converted one or two to at least partially-armed configurations, Lucretia the IX has denied this emphatically.

While the Barony's primary landholdings are all on Urania, they do keep a private residence and warehouses adjoining Foxhaven's sole spaceport, where Lucretia's heir apparrent, Drusilla, resides.  The bulk of the Barony's conventional vehicle forces, as well as their conventional fighters, can be found here, as well as Drusilla's WSP-1A Wasp.

Lucretia herself, much like her ancestor, pilots the Barony's WSP-100 Wasp.  While she does, on occasion, accompany her Barony's two Stinger LAMs on patrols, due to the lower thrust of her LAM, she more often flies on private business, or accompanies the Grand Duke in his SHD-X2 Shadow Hawk LAM, serving as his wingman.  As with the rumors of armed IndustrialMechs, spokespersons for both the Baroness and Grand Duke call any rumors of any romantic relationship between the two completely preposterous imaginings of gossip reporters, and that training together in two similarly-performing LAMs is sound tactical and strategic doctrine.

Barony Land-Air 'Mechs and BattleMechs are all painted jet black, regardless of the environments they are operating in.  Barony infantry wear combat uniforms or space suits of a camoflage suitable for the enviroment, usually either urban camoflage for those serving on Foxhaven near the spaceport, or a blend of greys, white and black that blend into the Uranian regolith and break up the pattern of their suits.

Notable Mechwarriors:

Lucretia Morrison the VI, the Ninth Baroness of Urania:  WSP-100 Wasp LAM
Known in Foxhaven gossip circles for the unusual fashion sense traditional for the Baronesses of Urania, Baroness Lucretia is the sixth baroness to be named after Major Lucretia Morrison, the founder of the Barony, and the latest to pilot the Major's ancient WSP-100 Wasp LAM.  Her strong resemblence to her progenitor, as well as her family's isolation on Urania, merely add fuel to the fires of the gossip reporters, which her occasional proximity to the Grand Duke when both are in their LAMs does not help.  While Lucretia is in her fifties, you would not know it by looking at her, appearing to be nearly the same age as her two daughters.


Dame Darla Morrison, Heir Apparrent to the Barony of Urania:  STG-A5 Stinger LAM
The eldest child of Lucretia Morrison, Darla Morrison is, in many ways, the opposite of her mother.  While her mother is reserved and cautious, Darla is gregarious and aggressive, both in the cockpit and out.  Sharing the same complexion as her mother, but the blonde hair of her late father, the 23-year-old Darla pilots one of the Barony's two STG-A5 Stinger LAMs.  An aggressive, skilled pilot, her abilities in fighter mode outstripe those in 'Mech mode, where her skills as a mechwarrior are average.  This is not surprising, though, given Darla drills regularly to prepare against potential pirate raids.  Much to her chagrin, her mother has insisted that Darla spend more time on the social circuit than the past, though Darla has adapted to her new social role with aplomb.

Dame Drusilla Morrison:  WSP-1A Wasp
Drusilla is the somewhat scatterbrained younger daughter of Baroness Lucretia.  Unlike her mother, who lives on Urania, Drusilla has lived planetside the majority of her life, and currently guards their smaller lands near the spaceport on Foxhaven with the meager ground forces of the Barony.  Personable, but unfocused, Drusilla would be a poor choice to lead the Barony, and it's widely believed that she lives planetside more to keep her and the residents of Urania safe from any potential accidents in Urania's harsh environment than out of any strong concern for their miniscule holdings on Foxhaven.  Traditionally, however, one of the chidren of the Baroness has always lived on Foxhaven, ostensibly to keep one potential heir out of the harsh environment of space, but many suspect that this residence serves more to ensure the Barony complies with the Grand Duke's rule, keeping one potential heir a "guest" (hostage) against incursion, which could also cut off the Barony from much-needed terrestrial supplies they cannot produce on their own.

Sir William Marsters:  STG-3G Stinger
The mechwarrior assigned to guard the static facilities of the Barony of Urania, Sir Marsters is a skilled warrior in a difficult environment and unfortunate situation.  Commanding the sole BattleMech on Urania, with little more than spacesuited infantry to guard their ground forces there, Sir William would be hard pressed to defend against any forces that manage to land on Urania, and therefore relies heavily upon the Barony's two LAMs to prevent that from ever occurring.  Sir William is smitten with Dame Drusilla, though the two rarely cross paths, making it unlikely anything will come of his romantic interest, despite their mutual attraction.

Dame Johnette Jenius:  STG-A5 Stinger LAM
Like Sir Williams, Dame Johnette is a decendant of one of the original SLDF Army officers who accompanied Major Morrison to Foxhaven.  Dame Johnette pilots the other Stinger LAM in the Barony's meager 'Mech forces, serving as wingman to Dame Darla.
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes / When the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
-- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #42 on: 05 April 2017, 17:43:59 »
People are posting in both places... the advantage down here is you can post designs.  I already suggested to Liam that we ask the mods to merge the threads down here, and it's ultimately his call.

Liam's Ghost

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #43 on: 05 April 2017, 22:32:30 »
Sorry, been sick and distracted today.

We should probably keep/move the actual writeups to this thread in line with Forum conventions. If I'd known how fantastically it would have caught on, I probably would have started it here.  :D

I need to count up how many writeups we've managed to accumulate.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

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Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #44 on: 05 April 2017, 22:57:44 »
Hoping my space vampire barony isn't too screwball to work?
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes / When the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
-- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

truetanker

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #45 on: 06 April 2017, 17:54:50 »
given it is a periphery world with limited tech advancement, i'm not sure that they'd have access to the kind of medical knowledge and infrastructure to enable people to be so active at over 100.

i'd honestly suggest knocking about 20 years off the ages you list there.. the elder Bar thus being 42 (still fairly close to their prime) while the Baron would thus be in his 80's.. elderly in a near 20th century level medical technology base, but could still have his mental facilities.


Real Life: I just found out that one of my customers has passed away after eleven years attending my restaurant. He used to come over to have his dinner before attendeing the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, he was 109 years old. In his honor the ISO has named his chair he sat in for 63 years after him. He will be missed.

In my defense, Baronet Xi is 108 and he'll probable die sooner than you think.

TT
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That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #46 on: 07 April 2017, 03:01:10 »
For actual write ups (not just 'mech forces), I see:

Greenfan (Tegyrius)
Trent (Daryk)
Ouachita (Arkansas Warrior)
Okro (Vegam Ranger)
Port Royale (Colt Ward)
Torrealba (Sharpnel)
Urania (Giovanni Blasini)
North Point (glitterboy2098)
Von Strong (truetanker)

Arkansas Warrior

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #47 on: 07 April 2017, 10:33:24 »
Repost:

Barony of Ouachita- The barony is mostly rural, with agriculture and timber industries predominating, though some small-scale mining goes on, mostly for bauxite, novaculite, and industrial-grade diamonds.  A few wealthier gentleman farmers and loggers own IndustrialMechs, but they’re rare, and essentially unheard of outside of noble estates.  In the equatorial reaches of the barony there is a vast swamp where locals make their living selling the meat and hides of “swamp dragons”, a local variant of Terran alligator that is rumored to grow over thirty feet long.  Outside of the major cities, the transportation network in Ouachita is very primitive; while some rail lines exist, most ‘roads’ are merely well-mowed trails of grass perhaps 100 meters wide and often hundreds of kilometers long.  Most locals use all-terrain vehicles or, for those who can afford it, hovercraft to traverse the wilderness between cities.
The barony is also unusual in that most inherited nobility are not mechwarriors; the Baronial family controls three the barony’s five mechs and loans them out for set terms.  The competition to get these slots when they open up is fierce indeed (mos aspirants will have trained for years on family IndustrialMechs while waiting for a slot to open up), and the periodic centerpiece of local political wrangling.  Even within their own family, the Baronial mech is typically given to the candidate most capable of fulfilling all baronial roles, both military and political, rather than any sort of strict primogeniture.  In this way, the current baron succeeded over the claims of two older cousins.The baronial castle is actually centered on an ancient dropship, which irreparably damaged its thrusters ages ago during the early colonization of Foxhaven.  It sits on an island in the middle of a dammed portion of the Barony of Ouachita’s namesake river.  Built up around the ship itself are a complex of walls, turrets, and so on, while barracks and repair facilities are located within the ancient ship’s cavernous bays.  Its still-operable fusion reactor is the primary source of power for the capital of Rock Lake, built on the shore of the lake that surrounds the island.  Rock Lake has about hundred thousand or so residents, and is surpassed within the barony only by Graceland, the barony’s seaport trading hub that sprawls across a chain of islands situated near the mouth of the Ouachita River.
Baron Cameron Leonard is fairly young, in his early thirties, having succeeded to the barony on the death of his spinster aunt and several of her retinue in a plane crash five years ago.  He is aound 1.75m tall and somewhat stockily built, like most of the baronial line (his mother’s family), with light brown hair and beard cut short enough not to get in the way while piloting.  An average pilot, and only slightly better gunner, his tactical skills far outstrip his other martial abilities.  Outside of the cockpit, he is noted for being an avid distance runner, but even moreso for his bookishness.  He owns an extensive library of books on subjects ranging from history, law, and military tactics, to tomes on philosophy, theology, and astrophysics.  Never the most tactful of men, Baron Leonard is considered uncouth even by the standards of his notably provincial subjects.  Indeed, the Baron should be the most eligible bachelor in the barony, but his inelegant manner, distaste for formality, and rather introverted nature have combined to stymie any efforts at courtship.  Local gossip columns nevertheless continually link him to any number of women, including several of his household retinue.  Before his assent to the barony, he had spent nearly his entire life in school, achieving a Master’s in Military History and Juris Doctorate before his twenty-fifth birthday.  He pilots his family’s age-old WHM-6D Warhammer “Jane”.  One of his first commands as baron was that the mech be refit from the 6L “Hot Hammer” configuration his aunt preferred to the 6D configuration as soon as possible (which turned out to be when the relevant parts were salvaged from pirate mechs after a raid seven months later).
Sir Timothy Christopherson-“Tiny” Tim Christopherson is the most recent addition to the Baron’s bodyguard.  Barely 18, he won the right to pilot one of the baron’s auxiliary machines scant months ago.  A small man with blue eyes and a head full of dark hair, Tim stands barely 1.62 meters and weighs only around 50 kilos.  The young mechwarrior is, if anything, even more introverted and bookish than his baron, and an average mechwarrior at best.  Indeed, many wonder how he got the spot at all.  Court gossip is that his recently-widowed mother, the baronial librarian, won her son’s spot through with feminine charms.  For his part, the baron maintains that while Ms. Christopherson is a friend, Sir Tim won the seat on his own merits, and claims to see much of himself in the young man.  Whatever the case, the two are rarely found apart on the battlefield.  Sir Christopherson pilots the baron’s BJ-1 Blackjack “Betsy”, which he keeps loaded with flak ammunition to defend his liege from aerial threats.
Lady Karmyn Kelly pilots the Baron’s third mech, a HBK-4G Hunchback named “Dianna”.  The Kellys are deeply entrenched in the Ouachita court, with close relationships to the Barons going back decades, but they lost their family mech generations ago.  Karmyn defeated all comers (including one of her own cousins) for the right to follow her father as pilot of the baron’s Hunchback upon Baronet Kelly’s promotion to Finance Minister five years ago.  In fact, her family has piloted the Hunchback as the baron’s bodyguard for close to fifty years, and some expect it to be formally turned over to them in the near future.  A tall woman, she stands 1.85 meters and is built like the proverbial brick outhouse, with grey eyes and a long, platinum-blonde pony tail that hangs to her waist.  She is widely regarded as the best mechwarrior in his retinue.  When off duty, it is common to find her spending her free time at the gym, on her family’s hunting preserve, or playing any of several sports with local amateur teams.  Whether in the cockpit or out, she maintains a quiet, stony demeanor, ever the bodyguard.  While Baron Leonard has tried many times to get her to lighten up and relax a bit, she insists on cold professionalism when in his company, even if technically off duty, and relaxes only around her extensive family or her close friends, such as Lady Taylynn Wright, another of the baron’s mechwarriors.  Court gossip says this is due to some unspecified grudge against him that only her professionalism allows her to overcome.  Alternatively, others put it down to spurned advances, though which of them was interested and which not varies by the telling.
Lady Laurel Lee is the Baron's second, and a childhood friend of his, who was his cadet lance commander at the Ouachita Military Academy.  She exudes an air of quiet competence, and the baron readily acknowledges her as a superior mechwarrior in all respects, and defers to her expertise in all matters of recon and scouting.  Physically, Lady Lee is an almost entirely unremarkable woman, of average height and build, with brown hair and eyes, and an uncanny ability to blend into any crowd-an ability she has used to foil at least one attempt on the baron’s life.  She pilots her family’s mech expertly, and is an almost preternaturally accurate gunner.   When not in the cockpit, Lady Lee enjoys hiking the mountains of the Barony’s Central Range and participating in marksmanship competitions, with weapons ranging from pistols to longbows to her mech’s large laser.  Her mech “Old Blue” is a MON-68 Mongoose that has been in her family since the planet was colonized, named for its blued-steel coloration.  It has been repaired and refit more than once since arriving on Foxhaven, and was modified to the MON-68 configuration several decades ago.
Lady Taylynn Wright is the eldest daughter of Baronet Marcus Wright, the Commandant of Ouachita Military Academy, and under whom every mechwarrior in the unit studied at one time or another.  Only after she graduated did her father relinquish his place as the Baron’s second to devote his full energy to the academy.  With her dark hair and entrancing blue eyes, she is already the darling of the court, despite being new to the court and only in her mid-twenties.  Baron Leonard gladly allows her to be the unit’s public face, since it allows him to retreat to the peace of his library a little more often.  While Taylynn inherited her family mech on her father’s retirement, she claims that her younger sister Ashlynn, a cadet at the Ouachita Military Academy, is a superior pilot and will likely soon replace her.  Court gossip is that this is because she hopes to marry the baron and retire from military service.  Outside the cockpit, she is most often found overseeing her family’s extensive agricultural and timber holdings (where she first learned to pilot a mech, driving her own Crosscut LoggerMech by her twelfth birthday) or playing one sport or another with her best friend Karmyn.  Her mech is a Javelin, modified at some point in the past into the JVN-10F Fire Javelin configuration, and is named “James”.  Generally speaking, I'd expect the unit's tactics revolve around the lights acting as the hammer to the baron's anvil, either driving enemies into the other three, or flanking enemies that have already been engaged.  The Whammy is used for direct firesupport with the Blackjack nearby screening flyers and hitting anything that closes with MLs, while the Hunchback moves forward and keeps enemies from closing with the Baron.


Ok, this is really annoying.  Does anyone else know why the [ / size ] and [ / font ] etc things pop in when you copy & paste from one part of the site to another?  Also why there's grey background on the words I'm typing into the box right now, that disappears (or is at least invisible) when I hit post?
Sunrise is Coming.

All Hail First Prince Melissa Davion, the Patron Saint of the Regimental Combat Team, who cowed Dainmar Liao, created the Model Army, and rescued Robinson!  May her light ever guide the sons of the Suns, May our daughters ever endeavour to emulate her!

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #48 on: 07 April 2017, 17:05:58 »
The easiest way I've found to copy and paste formatting is to hit "reply with quote" in the other thread, then copy the quoted text (deleting the quote tags).

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #49 on: 07 April 2017, 18:29:15 »
I've been giving it some thought, and I'm leaning toward the air wing supporting the Baron of Trent maintaining proficiency by flying the Boomerangs on traffic patrol every day... :D

Liam's Ghost

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #50 on: 08 April 2017, 00:36:57 »
Gonna offer some brief writeups concerning nearby habitable world, mostly from the point of view of the merchants looking for something exploitable on them. Here's the first (and yes, the Jeweled Crab is quite shiny).

Harding 937 (Moana/Persistence)

The most populous of Foxhaven's immediate neighbors, the Harding 937 system contains a single habitable, almost completely water covered planet home to two distinct civilizations separated by the virtually unlivable heat of the equatorial regions. The denizens of the northern hemisphere, who call the planet Moana ("Sea") are the more numerous and sophisticated, numbering several million scattered across numerous island chains throughout the hemisphere. With only one significant, technologically oriented population center (the so called home island of Papa), the vast majority of the population lives a quiet, primitive life with virtually no modern technology or significant military strength. This is by necessity rather than choice, as resources, space, and transportation are all insufficient to allow for significant development of the various island chains or to support any sort of standing military.

The inhabitants of the southern hemisphere, who refer to the world as Persistence, number no more than a few hundred thousand and lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle among the even more sparse island chains found in the south. Scarce resources often forces southern tribes to resort to raiding, even crossing the inhospitable equator to attack northern islands. Though they lack in every conceivable resource, they make up for this with surprising ingenuity. Because contact between these two disparate civilizations is both extremely intermittent and also almost exclusively violent, each tends to view the other more in terms of mythology and legends, with Northerners viewing the Southerners as little more than bloodthirsty savages, while Southerners view the Northerners as lazy invaders claiming the "good lands" of the Northern Hemisphere for themselves.

Baron Gideon Yas claims exclusive rights to trade with the locals, with his jumpship making regular visits. With few of the traditional commodities available, the World's sole export is the famous Jewelled Crab, with a few dozen harvested and shipped back to Foxhaven every two stellar cycles. Because their meat is highly perishable, and because they cannot survive outside of a high oxygen atmosphere, the Jewelled Crab has to be transported live in specialized pressurized compartments which greatly limits capacity. On top of this, the locals heavily restrict harvesting of the dangerous creatures as a matter of public safety. Because of the restricted supply and difficulty in transport, the meat of the Jewelled crab is a luxury available to only the elite of Foxhaven society, and regularly commands a higher price per gram than most precious metals. The beautiful crystalline deposites that cover a mature crab's shell are usually more obtainable, but only marginally.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #51 on: 08 April 2017, 07:31:40 »
I'm liking this image for Dame Margaret:


Hmmm... seems that link died... Let's try this one of Patience from Firefly:
« Last Edit: 23 March 2024, 12:56:02 by Daryk »

Vegam Ranger

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #52 on: 08 April 2017, 08:10:13 »
Reposting it here

Barony of Okro

The Barony of Okro is the youngest of the 13 Baronies of Foxhaven. Founded nearly a century ago after the arrival of a small mercenary band called Esha's Raiders crashed on the planet. Upon approaching the planet, the unit's Union had been mistaken for a pirate vessel and shot down by the Grand Duke's own Shadow Hawk LAM, or so the official story goes. After a short but tense stand-off, Esha Yogesh and the four other Mechwarriors lucky enough to walk away from the crash with their 'Mechs mostly intact came to an agreement with the Grand Duke, that would leave the crashed Dropship and the destroyed 'Mechs within the wreckage for the Grand Duke to salvage. In return, the stranded mercenaries would be granted a place within the local power structure.
Behind the back of Baron Rameschandra and his subordinates, several among the older nobility doubt the mercenary background of Esha Yogesh and her retinue, believing them to be in fact former pirates.

Esha Yogesh was granted the title of Baroness and given a vast, but arid Okro region in the interior of the main continent as a fiefdom. A land dominated by mountains, savannah and deserts, Okro had long been home to the Messengers, a millennial sect who openly defied the planetary government and had feld the lands of the Grand Duke and his Barons to live according to their beliefs. Settling in an apparently worthless region, the ducal government had decided any potential conquest of the Okro region as too costly. The unclaimed land was seen as a perfect fiefdom to give to the new baroness and the conquest of the Messengers was made part of the deal between Yogesh and her new liege. Unsurprisingly, the former mercenaries' 'Mechs allowed them to swiftly conquer the few towns the Messengers had founded. The semi-nomadic majority of the sect's members, however, were not so easily subdued and took to the hills. They continue to resist the barony's rule to this day, fighting a decades long guerilla war against the new rulers of the land.

Following her conquest of Okro, Baroness Esha took to developing her new home. A dam was constructed, impounding the Okro river, thus allowing for the irrigation of the Okro Valley and providing electricity to the newly founded city of Eshapolis downstream. The construction of the dam was repeatedly sabotaged by Messenger guerilla fighters, necessitating the construction of Castle Yogesh on the hills overlooking the construction site. When the dam was finally completed eleven years after the initial conquest, the barony was deeply indebted to the Grand Duke. In dire need for further credits to continue her construction plans and fight the war against the Messengers, Baroness Esha was forced to lease her knight Sir Reginald Romero and his Shadow Hawk to the Grand Duke for twenty years. Sir Reginald was less than thrilled to be pawned off for his commander's ambitions and retained a grudge against Yogesh for the rest of his life. After returning home, Sir Reginald tried to stage a coup against the Baroness, only to find himself isolated by his fellow Mechwarriors. Desperate and only with his estranged daughter begrudgingly supporting him, Sir Reginald is said to have an epiphany and turned to the Messengers for refuge. Since then, the Romero's Shadow Hawk has been the bane of the barony's forces, attacking convoys and outlying farms. The last attack lies a few years back and there's hoping that the renegade 'Mech has finally broken down from lack of maintenance.

In the end, her gamble paid off. The Okro valley was turned into a verdant garden, reducing the necessity for importing food from the other baronies and drawing settlers to Eshapolis and the surrounding lands. In recent years, geological surveys have discovered large silver and copper deposits in the highlands along the Greenwater river.

The Nobility

RFL-3N Rifleman
- Baron Rameshchandra Yogesh

Grandson to Esha Yogesh, the founder of the barony, Baron Rameshchandra Yogesh is a man in his forties. As ruler of one of the poorest baronies, his struggle for a balanced budget is every bit as fierce as the fight against the rebellious millenial sect hiding in the hills. He and his husband live at Castle Yogesh, though they maintain a house in Eshapolis. Next in line of succession is his sister Greta and her four children.

HBK-4J Hunchback - Sir Aristotle Taylor

Stationed in Castle Yogesh alongside the baron himself, Sir Aristotle Taylor serves as bodyguard to Baron Rameshchandra on the battlefield and

GLT-4L Guillotine
- Baronetess Isis Turnau

The only living 'Mechwarrior to have trained under Baroness Esha Yogesh, Isis Turnau is among the most experienced pilots on Foxhaven. Now almost sixty five years of age, she spends less and less time in the cockpit of her family's Guillotine. Her son Simon has taken over much of the family's responsebilities on the battlefield, while Baronetess Isis focusses on her role as governor of Eshapolis.

WSP-1A Wasp - Sir Yurik Cen

A stocky man of thirty six, Sir Yurik pilots one of the two Wasps of the barony. The light 'Mechs are the backbone of the barony's fight against the rebel forces. 

WSP-1A Wasp - Dame Lola Clavidio

Dame Lola Clavidio inherited her 'Mech five years ago, when her older brother died during a raid on a Messenger stronghold.

Dame Seong-Eun Kim, the Air Knight

Descendent in direct line from the pilot of the Union that brought the ancestors of the ruling family to Foxhaven, Dame Seong-Eun is in charge of the barony's air force. Two of her cousins have also found their way into the pilot seats of the Guardians under her command, while her oldest daughter has recently started training on one of the two Boomerang scout planes. As the only member of nobility not trained as a 'Mechwarrior, she has been dubbed the Air Knight.

Places of Interest

Castle Yogesh

The stronghold overlooking Prosperity Dam is the seat of House Yogesh and the knightly houses of Taylor and Kim. It also houses the only facilities capable over performing more than basic maintenance on BattleMechs. Two of the barony's 'Mechforce and the entire air force are stationed here.

Eshapolis

Nearly 100 kilometers downstream from Castle Yogesh lies Eshapolis, the only closest any settlement in the Barony of Okro cames to being a city. With nearly forty thousand residents, Eshapolis is the economic and cultural center of the Okro valley. What little industry the barony has can be found here. The remoteness of the barony, the low level insurgency targeting the overland connection to the rest of the planet and the already high debt to the ducal government has led the barony to promote self-sufficiency where ever possible. 

Highway House

Build to protect the main route connecting the heartland of the barony with the outside world, Highway House is little more than a bunker. It houses an impromptu maintenance facility for the WSP-1A Wasp of House Cen and the extended family of Sir Yurik. Highway House is both a save haven for any traveller along the savannah road and the only toll station of the barony.

Greenwater Hill

Greenwater Hill is the most recently constructed stronghold. Originally intended as a forward post in the fight against the Messenger rebels, the discover of large silver and copper deposits in the surrounding lands has given the wayward firebase a new importance. While Dame Lola Clavidio continues to hunt down the rebels, plans are drawn up in Castle Yogesh for the exploitation of the new wealth. Perhaps Greenwater Hill will be the key to prosperity for the Barony of Okro.

Vegam Ranger

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #53 on: 08 April 2017, 08:39:18 »
Carabao Infantry Mobility Vehicle


Overview
The Carabao is a series of armored infantry mobility vehicles built in the Barony of Okro. Lacking a domestic automobile industry capable of producing such a vehicle from the ground up, the Carabao is instead based upon a commercial truck chassis imported from the ducal holds and modified for the needs of the barony. As all modifications are done by hand in one of several small garages, no two Carabaos are exactly the same. All share a strengthened chassis able to support the nearly one ton of armor protecting the driver's cabin and passenger compartment. For increased protection against land mines, an all too common weapon used by the local insurgency, the passengers are protected by a v-shaped armored hull. The engine has been modified as well, allowing for a wide variety of fuels to be used. Lacking a domestic source of petrochemicals, locally produced ethanol is usually used as fuel for the barony's forces.

Stats
Code: [Select]
Carabao
Total weight: 8 tons
Chassis weight (Wheeled; Off road): 2.5 tons
Engine weight: 2.5 tons
Fuel: 0.5 tons (Ethanol  / 1300 km)
Speed: 4/6
Armor: 1 ton (BAR 5; 5 points in every location)
Infantry Compartment: 1 ton
Cargo: 0.5 tons

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #54 on: 08 April 2017, 14:45:05 »
Adding a bit of detail:
Code: [Select]
Barony          Author           # of 'mechs    Resources
Greenfan        Tegyrius             4          Agriculture (Fruit, Grain)
Trent           Daryk                4          Agriculture (Cattle), Light Vehicle Manufacturing
Ouachita        Arkansas Warrior     5          Agriculture, Timber, Mining
Okro            Vegam Ranger         5          Mining (Silver, Copper), Insurgents
Port Royale     Colt Ward            5          2 Large Ports, Shipping
Torrealba       Sharpnel             4          Agriculture (Sheep, Cattle), Mining (Bauxite, Copper, Gold), Small Electronics, Household Appliances
Urania          Giovanni Blasini     5          Rare Elements
North Point     glitterboy2098       5          Timber, Ethanol Fuel
Von Strong      truetanker           5          Agriculture (Sheep), Timber
« Last Edit: 08 April 2017, 16:36:25 by Daryk »

glitterboy2098

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #55 on: 08 April 2017, 16:32:18 »
North Point also makes Fuel.

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #56 on: 08 April 2017, 16:36:59 »
Fixed, thanks!  If anyone sees anything else I missed, please let me know.

Liam's Ghost

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #57 on: 08 April 2017, 17:24:29 »
I love how you list Insurgents as one of Okro's resources.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #58 on: 08 April 2017, 17:26:36 »
Well, they DO have a 'mech of their own... ;D

Daryk

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Re: Baronies of Foxhaven
« Reply #59 on: 08 April 2017, 18:00:03 »
Since Trent makes light vehicles (<5 tons), would the Duke let them get away with having more vehicles?  I was thinking of upping the Barony's forces to a company each of jeeps and rocket trucks (i.e., 16 more vehicles total, 8 of each).

 

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