The Ruhr Techno-Lands

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The Ruhr Techno-Lands
PROBLEM?
The great Techno-War
Home of Techno-Korps Lindemann
Population Unknown - middling to large
Government Techno-Warlords
Techlevel Primitive industrial with automatic weapons
Trade Mercenaries, trade
Currency Techno-Mark
Out of Game
IRL Counterpart arjunathomassen@gmail.com

Deep down southwest of what used to be Scandinavia lies a massive former industrial area, now simply known as “The Ruhr Techno-lands” or die Techno-Länder. The origins of the quasi-civilizations residing in these parts of the Northern European wastelands remain obscure but the inhabitants strongly believe in a mythological civil war which ravaged the area decades ago.

The Ruhr Techno-Lands and the different neighbouring states

The Techno-civilization has its origins in the former Ruhr area of what used to be The United Techno-Lands. The Ruhr Techno-Lands cover an area extending far further than the Ruhr area itself and they are divided between different tribes and a small number of states of which some are allies and some are hostile towards each other. In reality these entities are usually nothing more than city-states trying to act as the central power of the neighbouring area or "state" itself with varying degree of success and the borders are often fluctuant.

The Ruhr Techno-Lands and neighbouring areas
  • Techno-Fürstentum der Absoluten Körperkontrolle (green). Techno-Korps Lindemann has its base of operations around what remains of a giant city now known as Rammburg and the surrounding lands known as Techno-Fürstentum der Absoluten Körperkontrolle lead by Archduke and Vice-Technokaiser Franzl "Ferdinand" Lang.
  • Kraftwerker Allianz (yellow). The central part of the former united Ruhr Techno-Lands centered around the city-state known as die Stiefelfabrik. Allies (for the moment) of TKL’s homeland, T-FAK. The Kraftwerker Allianz borders Het Land van de Gabbers whose barbarian inhabitants are often used as forced conscripts in the TEC-AUX units. Between T-FAK and the lands of the Kraftwerker Allianz lies a contested area, Hetz-Land, which has been the center of massive fighting over the last decade but for the last year there has been a ceasefire and a fragile alliance so the area is not really controlled by anybody currently.
  • Republik der EBM-Freundschaft (purple). Allies of T-FAK. Ruled by Bundespräsident Welle Erdball and Fürst Fickendorf.

The above three form the strongest alliance among the different rival factions which command Techno-Korps units in their armies. But there are also those who are less organized:

  • Het Land van de Gabbers (orange). The remnants of an obscure tribal culture centered around a city called “Nieuwe Rotten-Damm” in what used to be the most Eastern parts of the former Netherlands. Squabbling but fierce barbarians who are often at war with the different Techno-Lands.
  • The Techno-Chieftains (blue-striped). These lands include the former Tyrolian Alps which are dominated by the Techno-Chieftains; primitive tribes loosely organized and often fighting each other and the different neighbouring Techno-Korps. They are first and foremost unreliable, ski-ing and yodelling barbarians who worship a strange mystical deity known as Marcpircher. They are known as excellent scouts and mountaineers but also have a reputation as heavy drinkers. Some of them act as mercenaries for the various Techno-Korps. When in service with the Techno-Korps they tend to keep to themselves and often do as told when given a steady supply of bier, wurst and ‘volksmusik’’(their equivalent of Techno). In battle, often acting as scouts, they favor silent, primitive but still deadly and battle-proven weapons like crossbows, longbows, bows, javelins and throwing axes. However, they’re not afraid to get up close and personal - especially after some bier and the tones of Djötzi ringing in their heads.

Origins of the Ruhr Techno-lands and the Techno-civilisation

The myth says that The Techno-Lands were once united under someone called Der Techno-Kaiser under whose rule prosperity, peace and proper order and correct paperwork reigned. But this loose federation of tribes known as the United Techno-Lands or Die Techno-Nation under one leader was to be ravaged by a disastrous and bitter conflict known as The Great Techno-War or Der grosse Techno-Krieg.

The Great Techno-War

For years The Techno-Kaiser and his generals waged a bitter war against the neighbours of the Techno-Lands. The origins of the conflict have long since been forgotten but it is said that perhaps there was no other cause than a mutual lust for glorious battle and mutual destruction. This long-lasting and horrible war of attrition was fought for years and seldom resulted in any significant victories for either side.

The Techno-Stoßlegende

After years of fighting to no avail, the army of the Techno-Kaiser and his Techno-warriors were forced to agree on a crushing armistice with the enemy tribes after the vile treachery committed by Fürst Scooter the Defiler or “Der Beschmutzer”. This ambitious upstart of a warlord collaborated with the enemy on defining the humiliating terms of an armistice, lying himself to speak on behalf of the Techno-Kaiser. The Techno-Kaiser’s shame after this horrible sacrilege, later to be known as The Techno-Stoßlegende, is said to have been so great that he simply vanished and was never to be seen again. As part of the armistice it is said that a Wall of Sound was to be constructed and divide the region into an East-Technoland and a West-Technoland.

General Lindemann

The Techno-Kaiser’s greatest general, Till Lindemann, however did not plan on accepting any armistice and swore never to surrender or put down arms until he had avenged the Techno-Kaiser, crushed the enemy and brought Fürst Scooter to justice. Unfortunately this never happened since both Lindemann and Scooter perished in the civil strife that followed in the years after the armistice.
One of the Ruhr Techno-Korps was even named in his honour long after the Techno-War, Techno-Korps Lindemann, fighting under the auspices of die Techno-Kanslerin.

Alle gegen alle

After the alleged death of both General Lindemann and Fürst Scooter, the Techno-Lands were further split up and soon became nothing more than small territories ruled by various minor Techno-Lords. In these lands the lesser Techno-lords rule using militias or brigand units mostly known as “Techno-Korps”. These Korps are often named after pre-armistice generals, lords or Fürsten and often (or, more or less always) fight each other. Loose alliances are sometimes formed and some have even carved out an occasional smaller Techno-Reich of their own though none of these pseudo-states usually last very long.

Relationships with other factions and neighbours

The Referendum 242

After the murder of archduke and Vice-Technokaiser Franzl Ferdinand Lang during his diplomatic visit to outpost Valkyrie/Stråssa, a very democratic and free referendum was held during which an overwhelming majority of the inhabitants voted "Ja!" for annexation into the Techno-lands (5.272 yes votes, only 2½ Nein votes). Since then, Technokorps Lindemann try to keep the peace and have taken measures to bureaucratize the area with different institutions.

Cities and places of interest

The former city of Hamburg which was horribly damaged in the Great Destruction serves as the largest Techno-settlement in the Northern parts of the Techno-Lands. This particular city is for the time being under control of the Techno-Kanslerin, the current benefactor of Techno-Korps Lindemann who resides in the so-called Techno-Turm.

The Techno-Turm

Religious Convictions

The different Techno-lands vary in their religious convictions. Der Techno-Kaiser is being worshipped and honoured as a demi-god by some but real deities are rare. Most inhabitants of the Ruhr Techno-Lands and the many different Techno-Korps in the region are centered around the so-called Maschinen-Kult or “machine cult” for religious worship. Thus, items related to old-world technology are worshiped as relics of sacred importance, especially anything related to car manufacturers and heavy industry including relics in the form of logos and car parts with mythical names such as BMW, Opel, Mercedes, Audi, Bosch, Krupp etc.

Another deity is Das Techno-Kind, a Cyborg-child being believed by some to be a coming avatar of the Techno-Kaiser.