A few things to help with setting the stage for our War:
I am using the "StrangeReal" setting of the Ace Combat series. Essentially, it is incredibly similar to our modern world without being our modern world. While I do want to explore the stories, themes, and characters that came out of something as horrific as The Bosnian War, I don't feel we need to really delve into the actual events that happened. Essentially, keep the spirit of the events without actually reenacting real genocides that really happened.
So What is Strangereal? Strangereal is exactly what it says on the tin: Strangely Real. While the names, events, dates, and so on are different, the cultures, themes, and 'world story' so to speak are eerily similar to our own. Therefore, if someone wants to be a Spanish expatriate, a Muslim fleeing persecution from a heavily-Orthodox state, or a Communist Rebel inspired by revolutions elsewhere, all of these things can exist quite easily.
A quick rundown to show how this affects our story.
[sblock=Our Setting and Events]
1.) Our setting is The city of Nadasejo, of The Federal Republic of Erusea. Erusea is a Socialist Democracy of the Eastern European variety, and has been on an economic rise for the past few years, finally ending several conflicts between themselves and other nations on the Continent of Usea. With prosperity ahead of her for the first time in several decades, the Federal Republic has been happily trying to modernize, having formed from the ashes of a collapsed Fascist government. Erusea shares many cultural similarities with Balkan, Slavic, and Germanic peoples, being very multi-cultural and multi-religious, with quite a bit of friction between these peoples. The government, while generally stable in the turmoil after a revolution 30 years ago, is growing exceedingly unpopular due to their inability to please all of these groups at once. Unfortunately, our home of Erusea is now torn apart by yet another war.
2.) The Usean Continent is currently in the midst of a war across several nations throughout the landmass. Essentially, the many smaller nations that call this continent Home have looked at two, growing Superpowers across the seas, and are fearful of what this might mean for them. For protection, many Usean nations have advocated banding together into a major, continental alliance. The Northern half of the continent agrees to this (where our Erusea is), while the Southern half, fearful of trusting past enemies, has reached out to one of these Superpowers, wanting to ally with them instead. The stress between these two different ideologies has sparked into a full on conflict brought about by rebels from the North, seeking to usurp and topple all of the governments of the Usean Continent to form a single, united nation. This includes their own nations, such as Erusea. Nadasejo is locked in an ever-growing battlefield between Erusean Federalists who still support their government, and the rebel movement whom is seeking to topple the country entirely and install their own order.
3.) Multiculturalism is at a breaking point. Part of the friction comes between the many different cultures of the Usean Continent. While they share similar Slavic/Baltic/Germanic heritages, they vary in many ways, each with their own histories and individuality. These nations have continuously fought in the past, and these grudges are long and well-remembered. The current conflict has pushed several radical groups into trying to expel cultures they dislike from their borders, some taking extreme measures up to and including genocide (which they deny participating in). Eruseans remain the dominant cultural identity in Erusea, though Nadasejo is much more diverse in terms of culture, heritage, national identity, and religion.
4.) Two Superpowers watch on. The Osean Federation is much like an amalgamation of the United States of America and the European Union, a massive, multi-cultural democracy. This is the nation that the southern Usean nations wanted to ally with, which sparked the war. Since the beginning of the conflict, the Osea has not participated at all, denoting that it is "not the world's police". Their chief rival is The Union of Yuktobanian Republics, a more Democractic Socialist version of our very own Soviet Union (with thankfully no pogroms or mass genocide). The Yuktobanians are fiercely competitive with their Osean rivals, even though the two maintain a cool air of alliance between them, having joined together previously against common enemies. While these two superpowers were the spark that lit off the war, they still remain as outside observers as the violence continues.
5.) The Assembly of Nations is hamstrung. Formed in the wake of the previous conflict, The Belkan War, as a means to try and avoid a global conflict once again, The Assembly (compare this to our United Nations) is chiefly run by the victors of that conflict (namely, Osea and Yuktobania). As these two powers do not want to get involved in The Usean War, it means that this organization dedicated to peace and international aid is standing by and watching the devastation unfold, unclear if intervening would only cause more hostilities.
6.) The Red Shield, however, is not. Much like our Red Cross, the Red Shield is trying its damndest to evacuate people (especially children) from the warzone, as well as providing medicine and food where it can. Many of their workers have become trapped in Erusea and other Usean nations as the expanding war cuts them off from airports, seaports, and communications.
7.) Nadasejo is Isolated. The city collapsed quickly at the beginning of the war. So fast, in fact, that many people inside are still not sure entirely what the status of the conflict is. Many do not even know why this has happened: while tensions had been rising, war is no real stranger to the Usean Continent, but to have a city surrounded and under attack from all sides this quickly is unprecedented for these people. The Rebels control the perimeter of Nadasejo, strictly blockading it: nobody is allowed in or out without their express permission. A Federal Guard division trapped inside the city continues to fight the Rebels where it can, attempting to break out. In their desperation and frustration at being trapped, they are committing as many atrocities against the people they are to protect as the Rebels whom are actively trying to harm Erusean citizens.
Shelling of buildings is common. Snipers shoot randomly at civilians to try and demoralize the defenders. The blockade has a stranglehold on necessary goods like food and medicine. Communications have been cut for most places, restricting information of the outside world and throughout the city itself. Crimes occur daily, between soldiers and soldiers, soldiers and civilians, and civilians and civilians. Foreigners, especially Oseans and Yuktobanians, are often targeted, many people believing them to be the source of the war. Without aid or an end to the conflict, Nadasejo will collapse in on itself.[/sblock]
I am using the "StrangeReal" setting of the Ace Combat series. Essentially, it is incredibly similar to our modern world without being our modern world. While I do want to explore the stories, themes, and characters that came out of something as horrific as The Bosnian War, I don't feel we need to really delve into the actual events that happened. Essentially, keep the spirit of the events without actually reenacting real genocides that really happened.
So What is Strangereal? Strangereal is exactly what it says on the tin: Strangely Real. While the names, events, dates, and so on are different, the cultures, themes, and 'world story' so to speak are eerily similar to our own. Therefore, if someone wants to be a Spanish expatriate, a Muslim fleeing persecution from a heavily-Orthodox state, or a Communist Rebel inspired by revolutions elsewhere, all of these things can exist quite easily.
A quick rundown to show how this affects our story.
[sblock=Our Setting and Events]
1.) Our setting is The city of Nadasejo, of The Federal Republic of Erusea. Erusea is a Socialist Democracy of the Eastern European variety, and has been on an economic rise for the past few years, finally ending several conflicts between themselves and other nations on the Continent of Usea. With prosperity ahead of her for the first time in several decades, the Federal Republic has been happily trying to modernize, having formed from the ashes of a collapsed Fascist government. Erusea shares many cultural similarities with Balkan, Slavic, and Germanic peoples, being very multi-cultural and multi-religious, with quite a bit of friction between these peoples. The government, while generally stable in the turmoil after a revolution 30 years ago, is growing exceedingly unpopular due to their inability to please all of these groups at once. Unfortunately, our home of Erusea is now torn apart by yet another war.
2.) The Usean Continent is currently in the midst of a war across several nations throughout the landmass. Essentially, the many smaller nations that call this continent Home have looked at two, growing Superpowers across the seas, and are fearful of what this might mean for them. For protection, many Usean nations have advocated banding together into a major, continental alliance. The Northern half of the continent agrees to this (where our Erusea is), while the Southern half, fearful of trusting past enemies, has reached out to one of these Superpowers, wanting to ally with them instead. The stress between these two different ideologies has sparked into a full on conflict brought about by rebels from the North, seeking to usurp and topple all of the governments of the Usean Continent to form a single, united nation. This includes their own nations, such as Erusea. Nadasejo is locked in an ever-growing battlefield between Erusean Federalists who still support their government, and the rebel movement whom is seeking to topple the country entirely and install their own order.
3.) Multiculturalism is at a breaking point. Part of the friction comes between the many different cultures of the Usean Continent. While they share similar Slavic/Baltic/Germanic heritages, they vary in many ways, each with their own histories and individuality. These nations have continuously fought in the past, and these grudges are long and well-remembered. The current conflict has pushed several radical groups into trying to expel cultures they dislike from their borders, some taking extreme measures up to and including genocide (which they deny participating in). Eruseans remain the dominant cultural identity in Erusea, though Nadasejo is much more diverse in terms of culture, heritage, national identity, and religion.
4.) Two Superpowers watch on. The Osean Federation is much like an amalgamation of the United States of America and the European Union, a massive, multi-cultural democracy. This is the nation that the southern Usean nations wanted to ally with, which sparked the war. Since the beginning of the conflict, the Osea has not participated at all, denoting that it is "not the world's police". Their chief rival is The Union of Yuktobanian Republics, a more Democractic Socialist version of our very own Soviet Union (with thankfully no pogroms or mass genocide). The Yuktobanians are fiercely competitive with their Osean rivals, even though the two maintain a cool air of alliance between them, having joined together previously against common enemies. While these two superpowers were the spark that lit off the war, they still remain as outside observers as the violence continues.
5.) The Assembly of Nations is hamstrung. Formed in the wake of the previous conflict, The Belkan War, as a means to try and avoid a global conflict once again, The Assembly (compare this to our United Nations) is chiefly run by the victors of that conflict (namely, Osea and Yuktobania). As these two powers do not want to get involved in The Usean War, it means that this organization dedicated to peace and international aid is standing by and watching the devastation unfold, unclear if intervening would only cause more hostilities.
6.) The Red Shield, however, is not. Much like our Red Cross, the Red Shield is trying its damndest to evacuate people (especially children) from the warzone, as well as providing medicine and food where it can. Many of their workers have become trapped in Erusea and other Usean nations as the expanding war cuts them off from airports, seaports, and communications.
7.) Nadasejo is Isolated. The city collapsed quickly at the beginning of the war. So fast, in fact, that many people inside are still not sure entirely what the status of the conflict is. Many do not even know why this has happened: while tensions had been rising, war is no real stranger to the Usean Continent, but to have a city surrounded and under attack from all sides this quickly is unprecedented for these people. The Rebels control the perimeter of Nadasejo, strictly blockading it: nobody is allowed in or out without their express permission. A Federal Guard division trapped inside the city continues to fight the Rebels where it can, attempting to break out. In their desperation and frustration at being trapped, they are committing as many atrocities against the people they are to protect as the Rebels whom are actively trying to harm Erusean citizens.
Shelling of buildings is common. Snipers shoot randomly at civilians to try and demoralize the defenders. The blockade has a stranglehold on necessary goods like food and medicine. Communications have been cut for most places, restricting information of the outside world and throughout the city itself. Crimes occur daily, between soldiers and soldiers, soldiers and civilians, and civilians and civilians. Foreigners, especially Oseans and Yuktobanians, are often targeted, many people believing them to be the source of the war. Without aid or an end to the conflict, Nadasejo will collapse in on itself.[/sblock]
