Demonym: Morthai
Capital: Raspite
Key cities: Orsika, Nosina, Raskari and Kostek
Official language: Greskan
Total population: 214,463,472
Total land area: 584,984 km²
Currency: Korun
Government:
The Presidential Relic (DIGGING DOWN):
Delve deeper and deeper, lower and lower - what do you perceive beneath the surface?
Nothing…
Exert yourself further, deeper and deeper, straining until your hands ache - what do you discover underneath?
Only darkness…
Expand the excavation, dig wider; consider the distance you have traveled - what have you witnessed?
There is nothing…
There is nothing down here…
…
I saw you… buried deep within the soil…
Ontological status (Post-Great war): The entity was securely situated underground within a sophisticated tunnel system, while the surface environment remained highly toxic
About Morthen:
𓀐 Morthen is famous for having one of the most advanced underground tunnel networks ever built, used by both civilians and the military.
𓀐 The nation's soft, рых soil made it incredibly easy to dig, helping their vast tunnel systems expand quickly.
𓀐 Rats dominate Morthen in both culture and numbers - they actually outnumber the human population. They're kept as pets. But also trained as terrifying weapons of the state.
𓀐 Much of Morthen's landscape is covered in fine grey ash, forming uneven terrain with hardened ridges and shallow dips. Walking across it often sends dust drifting into the air.
𓀐 Morthen people are known for their blunt honesty - they say exactly what they think, even if it comes off harsh.
𓀐 The largest rat ever created in Morthen weighed a staggering 300 kilograms and lived for 30 years, making it one of their most successful artificial creatures.
𓀐 Beneath the surface lies an ancient tunnel stretching from Nosina to the far eastern reaches, branching into countless paths like a massive underground highway system.
𓀐 Morthai favorite food are rats, in average, a Morthai eat 100 hundreds rats a years.
Brief modern history:
I. THE REUNIFICATION ERA (960–1000)
Modern Morthen traces its origins to the reunification campaigns led by Ceznar Calvane Perzanius, who united fragmented territories through diplomacy and conquest between 960 and 990. On 20 January 991, the Synara Conference selected Perzanius as head of state.
The decade following reunification proved turbulent. The Incident of Rhavon (8 March 993)—an assassination attempt via poisoned food at a state banquet—killed more than twenty officials. Perzanius survived only because a sudden need to relieve himself kept him in the lavatory while contaminated dishes were served. Armed conflict persisted until the surrender of Velaria Thesnira at the Battle of Kregel (23 May 999). Stability followed, though factional disagreements continued periodically.
II. FLUID GOVERNANCE AND THE ORNAZIA INTERVENTION (1000–1020)
After 1000, the state introduced Fluid Governance—prioritizing cantonal autonomy over centralized regulation. In 1005, Morthen intervened in the Ornazia Civil War, allying with the Red Interval faction seeking a less militaristic Ornazia. The conflict lasted a decade, ending in 1015 with devastating defeat. The war's outcome produced an expansionist Ornazia, generating considerable anxiety within Morthen.
III. THE GRAND DEEPWAY TUNNEL (1020–1073)
Construction of the Grand Deepway Tunnel—an extensive multi-layered subterranean network—commenced in 1020. Over 1021–1041, the state transitioned toward full cantonal self-governance. When the tunnel reached partial completion on 25 April 1056, the government encouraged citizens to relocate underground, alleviating population pressures. By the 1060s, a dual administrative structure emerged: one authority governing surface territories, another overseeing underground domains.
IV. THE EVENING CANDLE STRUGGLE (1073–1075)
On 8 January 1073, Morthen declared war on Raginheim following a false alarm suggesting imminent chemical attack.
Initial Campaigns: Morthen leveraged tunnel infrastructure and rodent-based weaponry, achieving early successes. Raginheim countered by flooding tunnels with chemical weapons. Morthen breached the northeastern front but was halted at the Osselle River (30 March). The southern offensive failed to capture Rochebrune after four weeks. Front lines became saturated with chemical agents—a blue mist causing suffocation and severe burns, rendering visibility nearly impossible.
War of Attrition: Morthen deployed suicide bombing rats (rodents carrying explosives) and subsequently "killer rats." The Battle of Vellonne lasted four months (3 November 1073 – 26 February 1074). The Battles of Aumelac and Lavignolles (concluding 17 April 1074) became the longest continuous confrontation of the war, yielding minimal Raginheim gains.
The Dread Below (3 October 1074 – 9 March 1075): Raginheim launched offensives into Morthen's tunnel networks. More than 30,000 tonnes of chemical agents were released within tunnels alone. Combat occurred in narrow, lightless passages; engagements were chaotic and brief.
Throughout 1075, Morthen released millions of disease-carrying rats across Raginheim's borders. On 12 April 1075, Raginheim proposed a ceasefire. Morthen accepted. Borders unchanged; relations remained deeply strained.
The Venomwave (1075–1078): Chemical contamination of Morthen's western territories caused massive casualties before containment. Social and economic devastation strengthened cantonal administrations at central authority's expense.
V. TOWARD FULL AUTONOMY AND THE SECOND RAGINHEIM WAR (1096–1124)
In 1096, Morthen declared complete cantonal autonomy, formally abolishing central authority.
On 20 July 1123, Morthen again declared war on Raginheim. Raginheim was prepared, capturing Lathur. On 24 December 1123, Tavrikon entered the war alongside Raginheim. Kernevel subsequently joined the coalition, leaving Morthen facing a three-front war.
Major Engagements: The Siege of Pultara began on 4 January 1124 and lasted over 400 days. The Defence of Orsika (9 January – 27 March 1124) stands as the longest defensive action in Morthen history. Despite holding several critical positions, Morthen could not withstand overwhelming coalition forces.
Surrender and Aftermath: On 2 April 1124, Morthen surrendered. Terms: loss of western cantons (Nacrinel, Raspinel, Rasin), substantial reparations, severe military restrictions, and systematic destruction of rat weapon infrastructure. The state abolished its semi-autonomous system and established an authoritarian, highly centralized regime under the Spurina Lethi government.
VI. RECONSTRUCTION AND REVANCHISM (1124–1151)
The Lethi regime covertly rebuilt military capabilities, remilitarized western zones, and cultivated rebel networks within occupied cantons.
On 12 August 1149, resistance movements in occupied territories, supported by Morthen, rose against Raginheim. On 23 September 1151, Morthen declared war. During 1128–1147, Raginheim had been engaged in continuous conflict with Tavrikon and Kernevel, substantially weakening its position.
Raginheim suffered devastating defeats. Nacrinel, Raspinel, and Rasin were liberated within two months. Morthen advanced into Raginheim territory for four months before Raginheim's surrender on 17 March 1152. Morthen retained approximately 30% of eastern Raginheim. The state restored the semi-autonomous system.
VII. THE THAURIS REPUBLIC (1172–1195)
From 1150 to 1164, Morthen contended with persistent insurgencies in occupied Raginheim territories. On 1 February 1172, Morthen joined with Raginheim and Hleidisland to establish the Thauris Republic—a defensive coalition against Ornazian expansion. The allies successfully defended against Ornazia at Blutthal, Helmwald, Verngrim, and Nachtburg across two decades.
The Thauris Republic collapsed in 1195 with the Zeta Flu outbreak. Morthen suffered approximately 300,000 deaths. During the ensuing recession, Morthen lost control of its occupied Raginheim territories.
VIII. THE MULTI-FRONT WARS (1215–1224)
In 1215, Morthen attempted to declare war on Raginheim but was thwarted when a miscalculated firearm discharge along the Askalton border escalated into open conflict, drawing Gordionis and Lugranda into the war against Morthen. By 1222, Morthen found itself fighting on two fronts simultaneously. Unprepared, the nation lost several engagements. Peace with Raginheim was achieved on 15 March 1222. Peace with Askalton followed in 1224.
IX. THE ALERCI CLANS WAR (1224–1229)
Constant skirmishes devastated the state. The central government imposed full authority over all cantons as a temporary stabilization measure. Several factions exploited this restructuring to seize cantonal control. The most notorious were the Alerci Clans, based in the northeast, seeking to establish a permanent centralized state under their dominion.
From 1224 to 1229, loyal cantons fought against the Alerci Clans. While Morthen forces consistently pushed them back, the Clans resisted through guerrilla tactics. The conflict officially ended in September 1229 with the capture of Breno Rausco. The state maintained the temporary administrative model until formal reunification in 1241.
X. THE SUBTERRANEAN TRANSITION AND RAT CRISIS (1263–1287)
In 1263, under the administration of Futoros, all societal activities were transferred fully underground. The surface remained habitable but became secondary.
During the preceding era, neglect of rat population control led to the Rat Crisis—rat populations expanded beyond sustainable levels, disrupting the food chain. The Rat War was declared from January 1272 to October 1274, mobilizing military and civilian populations. Bounties of common goods were offered for captured rats. The sheer volume of captured rats ultimately provided sufficient food to sustain the entire population for approximately eighteen months.
From 1287 onward, the state prepared its military for renewed conflict with Raginheim.
XI. THE SECOND GREAT WAR OF ELDERVALE — MORTHEN THEATRE (1292–1294)
On 3 March 1292, Morthen declared war on Raginheim amid the broader Second Great War.
Early Campaigns: The Battle of Noirmont (21 April – 21 May 1292) represented the first breakthrough. The Battle of Mont Cleron Hills (29 May – 12 July 1292) was fought across six hills. Morthen released nearly one million suicide and killer rats in a single week before numbers declined due to chemical countermeasures. The front became saturated with Raginheim's chemical agents. On 13 December 1292, Morthen established contact with Lepondunon and Hleidisland, forming a coalition against their common enemy.
The Quantara Operation (7 March – 9 November 1293): A comprehensive combined offensive with Lepondunon and Hleidisland, intended to compel Raginheim's withdrawal. The Battle of Burgon was the operation's longest engagement (21 March – 31 October 1293). Morthen deployed approximately five million rats of various types—suicide bombers and killers. The city was contested block by block; an estimated 400 tonnes of chemical agents were released. High command lost situational awareness. The battle concluded in a successful defensive action for Raginheim. Following Quantara's failure, Morthen reverted to attritional and tunnel warfare.
Final Phase: The Battle of Noirette River (26 January – 2 March 1294) represented Morthen's final major offensive. The breakthrough attempt failed; both states entered a deadlock. Following the Pax of Seraphic, Morthen signed on 5 July 1294. After the war, Morthen joined the Vanguard alliance.
XII. THE EROSION ERA (1311–1319)
In 1311, following the death of Venar Arnth, Laris Tarchis was elected administrator of Cursena Canton through bribery. Known for extremist views, Tarchis initiated severe repression. The Massacre of Ramis (12 June 1311) claimed two hundred lives under his direct orders.
Tarchis's Rebellion: Tarchis declared independence and invaded neighbouring cantons, seeking a lawless, radically libertarian state. His ideology spread to Rasin, Saldun, Brondis, and other areas. The central authority united with loyal cantons against him. War engulfed the entire state. Hleidisland and Lepondunon received Morthen refugees and provided continuous aid. Tarchis's forces captured Raspite on 12 December 1311, establishing it as their capital.
Stalemate and Internal Collapse: From 1312 to 1313, multiple attempts to recapture Raspite failed. In 1314, internal power struggles among Tarchis's leadership led to purges, weakening the movement. The central authority recaptured Raspite on 5 July. The 1316 breakthrough at Carvium split Tarchis's forces in two. The Battle of Orsika (3 October 1316 – 18 January 1317) ended in a costly central authority defense. The Battle of Raskari (22 May – 2 August 1317) saw the central authority again defend successfully but emerge further weakened, transitioning entirely to defensive operations.
The Massacre of Norvi and Civil War: The Massacre of Norvi in Trevin Canton (2 January 1318) killed 60,000 people—another purge against Tarchis's internal opponents. The atrocity caused Carra Brona to break from Tarchis and form an independent faction, triggering civil war within the rebel movement. The Long Night (19 May – 16 October 1318) encompassed brutal fighting across Melkira, Traskara, and Kostek, with all three factions engaged.
Resolution: After 1318, all sides were severely depleted. Tarchis's faction collapsed following successive defeats. Tarchis committed suicide. Brona and the central authority, exhausted, reached a negotiated union after extended deliberations. The Erosion Era officially ended on 3 April 1319. The state received substantial support from fellow Vanguard members for economic recovery.
XIII. POST-WAR EXPANSION AND THE PRELUDE TO THE THIRD GREAT WAR (1320–1368)
In 1320, the state enacted Lex Thraetum, establishing more rigorous procedures for electing cantonal administrators. Throughout the 1320s, remnants of Tarchis's movement continued sporadic attacks. During the 1330s, the state expanded underground tunnel systems until the network could accommodate the entire population.
In July 1351, Ulvarn Morqel was elected as the next leader of the central authority. By 1368, several underground sectors experienced energy and supply shortages resulting from overly rapid expansion of the tunnel network. The state continued development until the outbreak of the Third Great War.
Idealology: Murine Mutualism
Murine Mutualism is a political ideology that combines semi-anarchism - rejection of top-down state authority paired with acceptance of small, fluid, voluntary coordination - with a behavioral and ecological metaphor drawn from rats as highly social, adaptive, opportunistic, and resilient creatures. It values decentralized survival networks, pragmatic reciprocity, and "vermin solidarity" over formal hierarchy or ideological purity, establishing no central state, standing armies, or permanent rulers. Instead, small-scale "burrow councils" handle disputes, resource storage, and shared defense, with decisions requiring near-consensus and councils dissolving if they become coercive; above the burrow level, only temporary, issue-specific assemblies exist, such as for coordinating pest control or trade routes. The ideology instructs its adherents to "live like a rat" through survival pragmatism: thrive on margins, use waste, reuse discarded resources, inhabit overlooked spaces, and maintain no fixed economic model - mixing scavenging, mutual aid, barter, and small-scale production as needed. Loyalty belongs to one's immediate pack, but openness to temporary alliances with other packs is encouraged, and there is no moralizing about "dirty work" - scavenging, night labor, and covert activity are considered honorable. A strong taboo exists against hoarding or creating rat "kings," meaning wealth and tools must circulate via commoning. Murine Mutualism rejects grand revolutionary plans, focusing instead on daily evasion of predatory systems, with no belief in perfect order; chaos and scarcity are managed, not eliminated. It rejects visible, centralized utilities like power grids and water mains that are prone to state seizure, instead developing decentralized, off-grid, or stolen "latent" systems. Because rats are everywhere but never depend on a single source, Murine Mutualists aim to be hydra-headed, so no node's collapse threatens the whole warren. They practice "scrap-frugality": keeping numbers low enough to evade predators yet high enough for collective labor and defense, using voluntary restraint, shift work, and seasonal dispersal. Unlike humans who hoard or starve, rats maintain fluid carrying capacity - migrating when pressured, multiplying when safe.