Kaarn Voluun

Kaarn Voluun (pronounced: KARHN voh-LOON—"Citadel of the Storm. Seat of the Emperor. Womb of War") is the indomitable capital of the Krovenn Empire—an ancient, impregnable city-fortress carved directly into the titanic basalt mountains at the heart of Draxion-8’s highest storm peaks, deep within the eye-wall of the planet’s unending maelstrom, the Howlveil. It is not a place of comfort or politics. It is a crucible of command, a forge of war, and the absolute embodiment of the Krovenn ethos: survive, conquer, endure.
The city is less of a population center and more of a monolithic command nexus, a hardened bastion from which Emperor Karax Volthur IV issues absolute decrees across the Krovenn territories. Kaarn Voluun is built for one thing—control through strength.

Geography

Kaarn Voluun is located atop the Ravak’Tharn Ridge, a hyper-elevated tectonic formation on Draxion-8, characterized by intense geothermal activity, jagged basalt extrusions, and constant exposure to the planet’s global electromagnetic storm system, the Howlveil. The city's elevation surpasses 9,500 meters above sea level, placing it within the Stratosurge Band—a turbulent upper-atmospheric layer where wind speeds exceed 600 km/h and ionized particle concentrations reach hazardous levels. These conditions generate continuous electromagnetic interference, necessitating the use of storm-shielding architecture and grounded atmospheric discharge rods known as Thro’gar Spines, which surround the city in massive arrays.
The terrain itself is inhospitable—steep, uneven, and frequently unstable due to underlying fault activity. Rock composition in the region includes high-density volcanic glass, magnetite-heavy basalt, and deep crystalline strata subjected to constant tectonic shearing. Lava tubes and pressure vents underlie much of the city’s substructure, requiring continual reinforcement through alloy-braced supports and deep-anchored seismic counterbalances. Earthquakes are frequent but typically low in magnitude due to continuous tectonic motion dissipating strain; however, minor tremors are treated as routine occurrences in structural engineering and warband movement planning. Kaarn Voluun’s proximity to the Tharn’Vel Faultline exposes it to ground heave and thermal flares—sudden surges of subterranean heat and gas that erupt through fissures and vented chimneys in the lower steppes. To harness this, geothermal turbines are built directly into the ridge’s exposed crust, supplying part of the city’s power. In addition, the elevated position allows for limited atmospheric scrubbing and nitrogen-harvesting during brief periods of relative stability, though such intervals are unpredictable.
Storm exposure at this altitude is relentless. The Howlveil does not abate, but its vortex weakens marginally over the peaks, forming a stable enough pressure node for construction. However, ion rain, flash-thunder pressure pulses, and electromagnetic distortion remain constant threats. The city’s orientation around natural rock shields and elevated columns provides limited shelter, but all structures are reinforced with ferro-ceramic compounds and electrically insulated alloy to prevent arcing damage or EM collapse. Kaarn Voluun’s access routes are minimal. Natural passes to the city are virtually nonexistent, and even the Maw Gates, the city’s sole terrestrial ingress, are carved into the cliffside through multi-kilometer tunnels and shear-cut passages. These entryways follow fault-stabilized channels and are lined with killzones, auto-ballistic arrays, and retractable blast chambers designed to eliminate threats before they reach the inner tiers. Aerial access is extremely restricted—navigating the upper Howlveil requires gravitic stabilizers and reinforced hulls to avoid structural collapse from storm torque.
In environmental terms, the city sits within one of the most geophysically violent regions of Draxion-8. Wind shear across the ridge frequently exceeds 400 km/h. Temperatures fluctuate between −50°C and +70°C due to atmospheric inversion and thermal venting. Ultraviolet and ionizing radiation levels are high, necessitating protective shielding for extended surface operations. Surface flora is nonexistent, and fauna is limited to high-pressure scavengers and storm-adapted avians that nest in the lee of the citadel towers. All agriculture and biological maintenance are handled internally through storm-shielded biodomes and subterranean hydroponic facilities located deep within the lower ridge strata. Kaarn Voluun’s position atop the Ravak’Tharn Ridge offers not just natural defense, but symbolic dominance. It sits above the chaos of the storm, defying the very force that defines Krovenn existence, and provides a direct line-of-sight across the Thar’Vok Expanse to the west and the volcanic Grath’kar Spires to the east—both regions of strategic and spiritual significance. The capital’s placement is not merely geographical, but ideological: a fortress atop the storm, enduring, unyielding, and eternal.

Cityscape

Kaarn Voluun’s cityscape is a monolithic display of engineered brutality, vertically tiered and reinforced to survive the full spectrum of Draxion-8’s violent storm systems. The city is carved directly into and atop the volcanic stone of the Ravak’Tharn Ridge, with much of its structure embedded within the mountains themselves, both for protection and symbolic anchoring to the world’s unyielding terrain. Unlike traditional cities, Kaarn Voluun is not a sprawl—it is a multi-level bastion complex designed to channel movement, restrict vulnerability, and defend against both environmental and military threats. Every surface, passage, and structure is hardened, shielded, or armed.
The lowest levels of the city, known collectively as the Lower Steppes, consist of industrial corridors, forge platforms, and subterranean hangars that stretch deep into the mountain core. These areas are where Krovenn labor crews refine volcanic ores, fabricate armor plating, and assemble heavy artillery. Most supply routes are internal; exposed loading platforms are armored with retractable shielding and storm-rated crane systems. Ventilation shafts and exhaust ports are narrow and jagged to reduce the risk of enemy sabotage. Mid-level sectors are dominated by Warband Bastions, multi-block strongholds that function as independent operational hubs for elite military families. These bastions are interconnected by elevated, storm-resistant skybridges built with angular shielding and segmented blast locks. Bastion exteriors are clad in layered alloys, often engraved with the glyphs of past campaigns, and mounted with anti-personnel emplacements for internal defense. Between bastions, tightly regulated market corridors exist—but these are not open bazaars. They are function-specific exchanges used for distribution of war rations, ordinance components, tactical gear, and genetically-regulated combat serums. The Crucible Grounds, located in the city’s mid-to-upper tiers, consist of open-air arenas surrounded by sloped bleacher terraces built from obsidian block. These are not recreational spaces. They are training, trial, and execution grounds, each equipped with embedded environmental mod systems capable of simulating battlefield conditions. Surrounding the arenas are barracks, armament vaults, and storm containment silos designed to redirect excess energy from atmospheric discharges during peak weather surges.
Ascending into the upper levels, the High Citadel Zone contains the most politically and religiously significant structures in Kaarn Voluun. The Vorthuun-Kaarn, or Throne Citadel, is the largest single structure in the city, built into the peak of Mount Kravuur—a jagged, iron-rich prominence at the city's northern boundary. The citadel consists of multiple vertical levels, each with limited access points. Exterior walls are over six meters thick and contain conductive filaments that redirect electromagnetic surges into the deep grounding core of the mountain. Interior layouts follow a radial design with multiple choke points leading to the Hall of Iron Will, the Emperor’s seat of power. Adjacent to the Throne Citadel, the Vak’Ruun Temple stands exposed at the highest architectural point in the city. The structure is purposefully open to the storm, with slotted rooflines and jagged spires that invite atmospheric discharge. It is constructed from magnetite-laced stone, enabling it to function as a natural lightning conduit. The temple's interior is minimalistic, consisting of tiered stone steps, ceremonial platforms, and embedded reliquaries containing remains and artifacts of past Storm Priests. Surrounding these central institutions are utility zones housing power control systems, data transmission nodes, and storm-reactive shielding arrays. Electrical substations are armored and recessed, with secondary turbines powered by redirected wind flows from the Howlveil. The city's lighting is dim, supplied by plasma filaments embedded in the walls and ceiling ducts, optimized for night-vision-enhanced eyesight.
Above all, Kaarn Voluun’s layout is defensive in purpose and imposing in form. The skyline is a forest of storm rods, kinetic towers, and jagged alloy spires designed to scatter electromagnetic energy, obscure aerial scans, and present minimal flat surface area for bombardment. There are no smooth walls, no symmetry, and no aesthetic flourishes. The city is a vertical bastion of angular geometry and reinforced brutality, every stone a declaration of endurance, and every corridor a potential last stand.

Demographics

Kaarn Voluun hosts a stable permanent population of approximately 1.9 million individuals, all of whom are directly integrated into the operational and ideological machinery of the Krovenn Empire. The city’s population is strictly regulated, with entry limited to proven warriors, veteran strategists, religious functionaries, and essential support personnel. Citizenship within the capital is not inherited by birth alone—residency is awarded based on service merit, rank, and continual contribution to the Krovenn war effort. Those who fail to meet the rigorous standards of the Krovenn way of life or display weakness, either in battle or in fulfilling societal duties, are either cast out or relegated to lesser roles elsewhere in the empire.
The capital’s demographic composition reflects its militarized and hierarchical structure. Approximately 87% of residents are active-duty warriors assigned to elite warbands or specialized military roles. These warriors are considered the backbone of the Krovenn Empire and its continual expansion. They range from initiate-level recruits, still undergoing advanced training and refinement, to high-ranking field commanders, and even members of the Emperor’s personal guard. Warriors are selected for their physical prowess, mental fortitude, and strict adherence to Krovenn martial codes. Their strength, both in body and mind, is constantly assessed through grueling trials and training regimens that continue well into adulthood. They must also demonstrate a capacity for tactical thinking, adaptability under extreme stress, and a deep understanding of Krovenn warfare traditions. Warriors in leadership roles are required to have extensive combat experience, typically having led multiple successful campaigns or performed heroic deeds in battle. Even those who have earned the right to hold command positions are regularly tested in combat scenarios to ensure they retain their readiness.
Roughly 6% of the population consists of members of the Storm Priesthood and affiliated religious orders. These include spiritual interpreters, ceremonial ritualists, dream-channelers, and record-engravers who oversee the Vrak’Thaal archives, which preserve the spiritual and historical records of the Krovenn. While not combatants in the traditional sense, these individuals hold significant influence over the cultural and spiritual direction of the empire. The Storm Priests interpret the will of the Eternal Storm, believed to guide the fate of the Krovenn, and maintain the sacred legitimacy of the Emperor’s reign. Their role extends beyond religious functions to governance as they are often consulted by the Emperor and military leaders on matters of divine will and military strategy. Storm Priests perform ceremonies before every major battle, ensuring that the warriors' efforts are aligned with the Storm’s favor. These individuals are treated with reverence, especially during rites and transition periods, where the spiritual guidance they offer can impact the morale and focus of the empire’s most elite fighters. While they remain separate from active combat roles, the influence of the Storm Priesthood is vital to maintaining the social and political order.
Around 4% are skilled artisans, weaponsmiths, engineers, geneticists, and support specialists. These individuals are responsible for maintaining Kaarn Voluun’s technological infrastructure and ensuring the operational continuity of the Krovenn Empire’s military might. While they may not directly engage in combat, they play an essential role in providing the resources, knowledge, and systems needed to support the warriors. Artisans and weaponsmiths forge and repair the advanced weapons used by the Krovenn, including the renowned Heavy Duty Rifle Cannons and Pulse Blades, while engineers manage the complex systems that power Kaarn Voluun’s defensive infrastructure, including energy shields and storm-energy siphoning systems. Additionally, geneticists and biotechnologists ensure the continued strength and adaptability of the Krovenn species by overseeing breeding programs, genetic enhancements, and the maintenance of vital biological functions in the harsh environments of Draxion-8. Many of these specialists are retired warriors who have transitioned into technical roles due to injury, age, or demonstrated aptitude in non-combat disciplines. Though they are no longer active warriors, these individuals are still subject to Krovenn martial codes and are expected to participate in defense operations when necessary, often utilizing their expertise to bolster the empire’s military capabilities.
Age distribution within Kaarn Voluun skews toward the 16–65 range, with youth housed in elite martial academies, where they receive the foundational training necessary to serve as warriors, leaders, and strategists. Children are subjected to intense physical conditioning from a young age, ensuring that they are physically prepared for the harsh environment of Draxion-8 and capable of surviving the brutal trials they will face in their adult lives. Elders occupy positions of command, instruction, or ritual authority, as their accumulated experience and wisdom are highly valued in guiding the younger generations. Elder warriors are often revered for their legendary feats in battle and their ability to provide strategic guidance to their warbands, ensuring that the knowledge of past victories and tactics is passed down. Mortality rates among the population are relatively low under normal conditions due to the Krovenn's high resilience and regenerative capabilities. However, mortality spikes during times of active warfare, internal combat trials, and rites of passage like the Rite of the Eternal Storm. During these periods, the young and the elderly face heightened risks, as they undergo dangerous challenges to prove their strength, adaptability, and worth.
Gender distribution in Kaarn Voluun is near-balanced, with approximately 54% male and 46% female residents. Both genders serve equally in the military hierarchy, and there are no formal restrictions preventing women from holding high-ranking leadership positions. However, the societal tradition and long-standing warrior culture have led to a statistical disparity, with men holding a larger portion of the most prestigious command roles. Female warriors, while less numerically represented in the highest echelons, occupy critical leadership, logistical, and strategic positions across numerous warbands. Many of the most famous warbands in the Krovenn Empire have been led by women, and there is no formal barrier to advancement based on gender. Female warriors are expected to prove their worth in combat and often rise to positions of prominence through their tactical brilliance and battlefield prowess. Women also hold high-ranking spiritual roles, and their influence is felt across the entirety of Krovenn society. However, the societal pressure to adhere to traditional roles means that most women in leadership positions balance their military service with a more family-oriented responsibility, ensuring the continuity of the Krovenn warrior bloodlines.

Economy

Kaarn Voluun operates as a command-driven, militarized economy meticulously directed by imperial decree, with resource allocation and production capacities strictly aligned to serve military readiness, war efforts, and the strategic objectives of the Krovenn Empire. Economic policy is centrally administered by the Emperor and the War-Council of Volthur, who determine both the production quotas and distribution of critical resources such as metals, munitions, fuel, food, and medical supplies. Due to the city’s harsh environmental conditions and singular focus on martial supremacy, nearly all economic activities are geared toward practical military utility rather than civilian or luxury purposes. The backbone of Kaarn Voluun's economy lies in heavy industrial manufacturing, particularly focused on weaponry, armor production, and specialized war equipment. The city hosts expansive forges and manufacturing plants, notably the Dren’Kar Forgehall, which produces large-caliber artillery systems, heavy-duty rifle cannons, pulse blades, anti-matter-infused ammunition, and reinforced combat armor. These facilities operate continuously and maintain peak efficiency through constant supervision by military engineers and senior weapon-smiths. Raw materials such as volcanic ores, rare metals, and electromagnetic-resistant alloys are sourced from mines embedded within the Ravak’Tharn Ridge or transported from subordinate Krovenn-controlled colonies, ensuring that supply lines remain secure and uninterrupted even during intense storms or prolonged sieges.
Given the perpetual electromagnetic storms around Draxion-8, Kaarn Voluun has specialized extensively in electromagnetic and storm-harnessing technology. Economic investments into infrastructure include the massive Thro’gar Storm Grids—advanced storm-siphoning rods designed to harvest electrical energy directly from atmospheric discharges. This energy is converted into usable power through geothermal reactor cores and capacitive storage systems, thus creating an energy surplus essential for military operations, city defense shields, and industrial processes. The strategic benefit of such energy independence reinforces the city’s resilience against economic sabotage or blockade attempts by hostile forces. Genetic and biological research also form integral components of Kaarn Voluun’s economy. Advanced genetic labs located beneath the citadel conduct extensive bio-engineering programs aimed at enhancing Krovenn physical resilience, regenerative capabilities, and combat effectiveness. These labs synthesize specialized nutritional substances, including Krave’nil—an infant-formulated nutrient-rich beverage—as well as powerful battlefield stimulants and regenerative serums designed to rapidly accelerate healing in wounded warriors. While primarily intended for military purposes, these bio-enhancements and medical advancements contribute significantly to the overall economic stability of Kaarn Voluun by maintaining peak warrior productivity and reducing downtime from injuries.
Internal commerce and trade within Kaarn Voluun are strictly regulated and largely conducted through centralized military logistics channels. Goods and resources are allocated based on merit, rank, combat performance, and strategic necessity, rather than monetary exchange. However, physical currencies such as Storm Dollars exist to streamline larger economic exchanges with external factions like the Technocracy Hegemony of the Hivivian Empire. Storm Dollars, durable composite currency notes issued by imperial decree, have value directly linked to the Krovenn’s military-industrial output and serve as the primary medium of exchange for purchasing critical external resources, rare alien technologies, medical supplies, or exotic fuel sources not producible domestically. Complementary to the formalized Storm Dollar, Battle Coins—engraved metal discs awarded for notable battlefield valor—serve a secondary but culturally significant role in the economy. These coins are exchanged primarily among warriors for personal or small-scale honor-based transactions, such as acquiring specialized weaponry, obtaining services from renowned weapon-smiths, or rewarding service within warbands. Although Battle Coins are not recognized as official currency by external factions, their value within the Krovenn hierarchy reinforces the social economy, motivating individual combat effectiveness and providing an additional layer of incentive to warriors. Limited external trade relationships, primarily with the Hivivian Empire and select independent entities, supplement domestic resource production. The Krovenn exchange mercenary services, advanced military technologies, and surplus refined metals for items such as precision electronics, high-grade energy sources, specialized medical technology, and rare chemical compounds essential for ammunition and fuel processing. Trade agreements are temporary, highly selective, and negotiated with careful strategic consideration to prevent dependency or vulnerabilities that could compromise imperial security or autonomy.
Resource scarcity is managed rigorously through strict inventory control and recycling protocols. Kaarn Voluun employs highly efficient, closed-loop resource systems for water reclamation, waste recycling, and reprocessing of battlefield salvage, thus minimizing unnecessary expenditure of critical materials. Salvaged enemy equipment is repurposed or recycled into usable alloys, munitions casings, and armor plating. The effectiveness of these recycling initiatives contributes significantly to economic resilience, ensuring continuous military readiness even when traditional resource supply lines are strained.

Culture

Kaarn Voluun’s culture is strictly militaristic, reflecting the Krovenn's profound reverence for endurance, strength, and martial discipline. Daily life in the city revolves around adherence to rigid warrior ethics, underpinned by an extensive, codified set of traditions and rituals, many dating back thousands of years. This cultural code emphasizes absolute devotion to duty, unwavering loyalty to the warband and Emperor, and rigorous self-discipline, which governs all interpersonal interactions and social conduct.
Krovenn warriors visibly mark their personal and communal identity through permanent war tattoos and carved armor engravings. Each Krovenn’s skin and armor serve as a living historical record, meticulously documenting significant personal achievements, battles fought, enemies slain, and rites of passage completed. The art of tattooing is conducted by veteran artisans using ink derived from volcanic minerals, ensuring permanence even in harsh environmental conditions. Armor carvings, similarly detailed, often portray scenes of particular military accomplishments, symbolic storm motifs, or ancestral heraldry that identifies a warrior's lineage and warband affiliations. Ritualistic combat plays a central role in Krovenn culture, viewed as both a practical means of resolving disputes and an honored pathway to higher social standing. Duels and formalized combat trials in the Crucible Grounds are commonplace events attended with solemn respect. Rather than serving as mere entertainment, these rituals function as vital societal mechanisms to reinforce martial hierarchy, reward excellence, and expunge weakness. Combatants who emerge victorious often ascend rapidly through ranks, securing higher authority, enhanced privileges, and increased respect. Those who fall dishonorably face severe social penalties, exile, or death.
Ancestor veneration deeply permeates Krovenn cultural practices, solidifying historical continuity between generations. Warriors routinely participate in structured ceremonies to honor fallen comrades, especially those who perished heroically in battle. The names, achievements, and final deeds of deceased warriors are recorded on sacred tablets known as Vrak’Thaal, carefully archived by specialized priests. Public recitations of these records during commemorative gatherings serve to remind the living of past sacrifices and motivate future service to the empire. Music and chanting hold functional rather than recreational roles in Krovenn society. Chants, generally performed in unison before battles or during significant rituals, focus on reinforcing martial resolve, suppressing fear, and promoting unit cohesion. The rhythmic cadence and guttural timbre of these chants emphasize the collective strength and shared purpose among warriors. Musical instrumentation, when present, typically consists of drums made from stretched hides of native war beasts and deep-throated brass horns designed to resonate through the intense storm conditions, signaling orders or marking significant ceremonial transitions.
Social gatherings, though rare outside military assemblies, center upon recounting and celebrating military triumphs. These events offer warriors the opportunity to publicly reaffirm their commitment to the Krovenn cause through storytelling, poetry recitations, and symbolic reenactments of key battles. Poetic compositions focus on the tactical brilliance of commanders, the valor of warriors, and the might of the Eternal Storm. Such storytelling traditions reinforce Krovenn cultural memory, ensuring continuity of values across generations. Craftsmanship and technology, while highly pragmatic, also reflect cultural values of resilience and adaptability. The crafting of weapons, armor, and tactical equipment follows strict traditional methodologies, combining resourcefulness with precision. Weapon-smiths and armorers, revered as masters of their trades, pass their extensive knowledge through tightly regulated apprenticeships within warbands. Such artisans are deeply respected, as their work is instrumental in maintaining the Krovenn’s military supremacy.
Religious life, deeply integrated within Krovenn cultural practices, revolves around rituals and spiritual teachings conducted by the Storm Priesthood. Priests guide warriors in interpreting the signs and portents of the Eternal Storm, offering spiritual counseling and instruction intended to refine warriors’ mental discipline and emotional resilience. These spiritual teachings emphasize personal sacrifice, inner fortitude, and acceptance of death in service to the empire, instilling a profound sense of destiny and purpose among warriors. Krovenn culture places considerable value on symbols, iconography, and visual motifs linked directly to their environment, such as storm imagery, lightning bolts, and volcanic mountains. These symbols appear ubiquitously across architecture, military insignia, banners, and personal adornments, reinforcing the intimate relationship between Krovenn identity, their harsh homeworld, and their perpetual struggle for survival and dominance. In every cultural facet—from physical adornments and rituals to spiritual beliefs and martial traditions—the Krovenn emphasize strength, unity, discipline, and reverence for the unending cycle of conflict that defines their existence.

Sports

In Kaarn Voluun, the term “sports” applies exclusively to structured, ritualized forms of martial competition and physical trials. These are not recreational activities but sanctioned exercises in dominance, strength, and endurance. Every sport in the capital serves a direct functional purpose: to harden the body, sharpen tactical instincts, and reinforce the values of Krovenn society. Participation is mandatory for all warriors under active command, and those who refuse are treated as dishonored.
Ritual Combat is the most widespread form of sport. Fought in one of the city’s many Crucible Grounds—open-air or subterranean stone arenas—combatants engage in regulated duels, squad-level clashes, or gauntlet-style endurance trials. These battles are fought with live weapons, and while some duels are declared non-lethal, many are not. Common combat formats include single-blade duels, shield-crushes (melee-only combat with tower shields), and weapon-retrieval contests where fighters must reach a central weapon while fending off opponents. Victory results in honor marks, warband prestige, or rank ascension; defeat often brings shame, injury, or formal exile. Beyond direct combat, Storm Gauntlet Runs are a prominent physical trial. These are obstacle courses laid across dangerous terrain within the capital’s upper levels or carved into the exposed rock faces near the storm edge. Participants navigate rotating blades, electrically charged barriers, high-gravity corridors, and timed drop zones while under live fire from automated turrets or training squads. These trials measure speed, coordination, and composure under pressure. Completion within prescribed times is required for warband leaders and aspirants to elite units like the Storm Commanders. Failure results in demotion, restriction from combat roles, or re-assignment to penal squads.
Honor Brawls are held weekly in mid-tier bastions and involve unarmed, full-contact fighting within a circular iron pit. These are used to settle disputes, determine chain-of-command challenges, or simply test a warrior’s ability to control their aggression without killing. They are refereed by Skaar instructors and governed by Krovennese combat codes: no eye-gouging, spine targeting, or use of external force amplification. Victory is achieved by knockout, disarmament, or submission. These brawls also function as talent scouting arenas, where rising warriors gain visibility among commanders. Younger warriors engage in the preliminary Bloodmarked Trials, age-segmented contests meant to test the tactical instincts of pre-ascendant fighters. These trials involve group sparring, team-on-team tactical engagements, weapon-switching under stress, and long-form endurance wrestling. The trials double as evaluation tools to determine a youth’s specialization—melee, ranged, or command-track. Their outcomes are recorded in the warband archives and used in assignment reviews.
Some sports have a spiritual dimension. During pre-battle ceremonies, warbands participate in synchronized War Chants and Strike Drills—disciplined, ritualized displays of formation movement and strike cadence under simulated combat conditions. While not competitions in the traditional sense, their execution is evaluated by Storm Priests and used to determine unit cohesion and favor before major campaigns. Warbands that perform poorly may be assigned to less favorable battle positions or denied sacred blessings. In elite circles, there are the Execution Trials—privately held, invitation-only competitions in which seasoned warriors must eliminate synthetic enemies or rogue combatants within complex simulated environments. These take place in zero-light or radiation-heavy chambers to mimic extreme conditions. Each round is monitored for decision-making under duress, kill efficiency, and mission clarity. Victors may receive upgrades, new command slots, or honorary titles.
Every sport in Kaarn Voluun is public, mandatory, and tied to advancement. Spectators are not passive; warbands observe to gauge rivals, instructors monitor for flaws, and commanders assess potential promotions. There is no celebration of the “game”—only the demonstration of strength. Injury is not an anomaly; it is a baseline. Death is rare but acceptable. And defeat, unless contextualized by tactical learning or overwhelming odds, is never forgotten.

City Government

Kaarn Voluun operates under a totalitarian theocratic-militarist structure headed by Emperor Karax Volthur IV, whose authority is absolute, hereditary, and regarded as divinely sanctioned by the Eternal Storm. The city’s governmental functions are inseparable from its military and religious institutions, with no separation of powers, civic representation, or civilian administrative systems. All institutions answer directly to the Emperor, and all functions of the city are directed toward the consolidation and projection of Krovenn power.
The Emperor issues edicts from the Throne Citadel, which function as unchallengeable law throughout the empire. These are relayed by Imperial Voicebearers, a selected cadre of elite couriers and command tacticians who ensure rapid dissemination of directives across all layers of the military and spiritual hierarchy. Each edict is logged in the Vrak’Thaal Archive, both as a historical record and as a legally binding decree. Advisory input is provided by the War-Council of Volthur, composed of elite Stratalords, high-ranking Storm Priests, and designated Forgefathers (technocratic specialists). The council convenes in the Chamber of Iron Accord beneath the Throne Citadel. While they are permitted to offer counsel and military analysis, their influence remains strictly consultative—Emperor Karax may override, ignore, or enforce their input at his sole discretion.
The Stratalords are the city’s highest-ranking military governors, each overseeing the logistics, troop coordination, defense infrastructure, and warband deployments of their assigned regions or sectors. They report directly to the Emperor and act as both military commanders and regional administrators. Their authority extends to matters such as resource allocation, battle-readiness evaluations, execution of punishments, and authorization of ceremonial rites within their zones of command. The Storm Priests function as both spiritual advisors and enforcers of religious conformity. In city governance, they monitor the observance of oaths, conduct the evaluation of ritual propriety among warbands, and oversee sacred trials. They possess the authority to halt military promotions or condemn individuals deemed spiritually impure or unworthy in the eyes of the Eternal Storm. Storm Priests maintain a permanent presence in the War-Council and often serve as ideological enforcers to ensure the Emperor’s decrees align with the perceived will of the Storm.
City maintenance and civil systems such as energy production, manufacturing oversight, infrastructure repair, and distribution of goods fall under the dominion of the Warband Logistics Commands. These are militarized administrative branches operated by senior officers from various warbands who rotate through service terms appointed by the Emperor or a presiding Stratalord. They function like a bureaucratic engine, but without independent authority—every decision must conform to imperial mandate or risk dismissal and replacement. Justice is administered by Gorvok Overseers, a paramilitary enforcement corps operating directly under the Emperor’s High Mandate. Overseers are not part of the standard warband structure and are selected for their unwavering loyalty and combat record. They are responsible for eliminating sedition, executing dishonorable individuals, and conducting immediate battlefield courts without trial. Their authority is total within the city’s bounds, and their presence is a constant reminder that obedience is not optional. The city operates with no elections, councils, or public institutions. All government roles are filled either through imperial appointment, promotion via battlefield distinction, or ancestral inheritance within elite warband lineages. Leadership legitimacy is judged by personal strength, strategic capacity, spiritual favor, and battlefield record—not popularity or consensus.
In essence, Kaarn Voluun’s government is a vertical chain of obedience, with the Emperor at its apex, warlords and priests as enforcers, and warbands as the executing arms of imperial will. Every policy, structure, and decision within the capital exists to maintain control, produce war power, and uphold the cultural foundation that survival is earned through discipline, force, and devotion to the storm.

Education

Education in Kaarn Voluun is not a separate societal function but a fully integrated element of Krovenn life, beginning at birth and extending through the entirety of a warrior's existence. It is structured around the principle that all knowledge must serve survival, warfare, or the operational integrity of the Krovenn Empire. The system is decentralized but standardized in its expectations, with each warband responsible for raising, training, and evaluating its youth under Imperial mandates.
From infancy, Krovenn children are biologically prepared for survival through a strict regimen of nutrient intake, particularly through Krave’nil, a protein- and amino acid-dense liquid specifically designed to support rapid muscle and skeletal development. During this phase, education is focused entirely on sensory training, environmental adaptation, and early motor function. The environment is intentionally hostile—artificially cooled chambers, atmospheric pressure shifts, and electrical field fluctuations are introduced to accelerate physical resilience.
By age five, children undergo structured combat orientation. Core instruction during this stage is handled by Skaar, seasoned veterans assigned as instructors. Each Skaar is required to have completed a minimum of ten full-field combat rotations, passed five strategic war games, and survived a Rite of the Eternal Storm themselves. Instruction is focused on:

• Spatial awareness under duress

• Basic weapon handling (blunt and edged)

• Coordination drills under increased gravity

• Stress-response training using real shock stimuli

At this stage, literacy in Krovennese is introduced via engraved combat tablets, not for literature, but for the tactical reading of battle orders, weapon schematics, and war histories. Memorization of the Verses of Vraal, the oral warrior code, is mandatory and begins under the guidance of Storm Priests. Failure to demonstrate retention or understanding is not met with remediation but with escalation—more severe training cycles until the child adapts or is removed from the warrior track.
Between ages 12 and 15, Krovenn enter the formalized combat discipline phase. Here, education branches into:

• Tactical analysis (via holo-sim war drills)

• Team-based ambush and defense scenarios

• Terrain adaptation (lava plains, pressure caves, open storms)

• Psychological interrogation resistance

• Rudimentary engineering (maintenance of armor and weapon systems)

• Applied Krovennese, focused on command-level communication in Vok’tak dialect

Non-combat skills are taught only in the context of battlefield applicability. For instance, metallurgy is taught only insofar as it applies to blade upkeep. Environmental science is reduced to stormfront pattern recognition for tactical positioning. Mathematics is drilled solely for logistics and ordinance calculations.
At age 16, all students undergo the Rite of the Eternal Storm, a lethal, unsupervised test of survivability in the wilds of Draxion-8. It is not an exam but a real-world filter—success denotes readiness for integration into a warband; failure results in death or permanent expulsion. Those who survive are permanently marked and assigned operational roles based on observed strengths: frontline enforcer, storm-scout, tactical planner, or heavy artillery specialist. Advanced education continues informally through the warband hierarchy. Veterans serve as both mentors and evaluators, and all warriors are expected to train their subordinates in the skills they themselves have mastered. Command-track warriors are rotated through doctrinal centers within the capital, where they receive additional instruction from Stratalords and storm-scholars on large-scale logistics, planetary siege protocol, starship boarding tactics, and Krovenn legal-rhetorical speech for interstellar negotiation contexts.
Spiritual instruction, overseen by the Storm Priests, occurs intermittently throughout a warrior’s career. It focuses on:

• Interpretive storm symbolism

• Combat rituals and prayer cycles

• Death rites and Krovenn philosophy

There is no retirement or educational cessation. Even in elderhood, Krovenn are expected to continue passing down knowledge, advising warband operations, or returning to the Crucible Grounds as instructors or final trial adjudicators.
Education in Kaarn Voluun is total, unrelenting, and functional. It produces not scholars, but war-hardened tacticians and survivors conditioned for permanent conflict and unbreakable loyalty.

Media

Media in Kaarn Voluun is not entertainment, commentary, or mass communication as seen in many other civilizations—it is a functional extension of the war machine, used to convey tactical information, ritual knowledge, ancestral legacy, and imperial command. Its sole purpose is to reinforce doctrine, preserve honor, and ensure operational efficiency across all strata of Krovenn society. Every medium—spoken, written, visual, or encoded—serves the cultural and strategic goals of the Empire. Oral transmission remains the dominant form of information distribution. Krovenn oral tradition is rigorously structured and memorized, passed from Skaar (combat instructors), Storm Priests, and veteran warriors to their successors. These include battle retellings, ancestral sagas, imperial decrees, and strategic case studies. Memory is honed as a skill from youth, and oral accuracy is maintained under penalty of dishonor. Warriors who recite history or tactical errors are often publicly corrected or reassigned to menial labor until proficiency is regained.
Vrak’Thaal Stone Archives serve as the Krovenn’s official records. These are engraved monolithic tablets stored deep within the Throne Citadel and regional command vaults. Information is preserved through etched runes, storm-resistant alloys, and vertical glyph arrays designed to remain legible even after centuries of electromagnetic erosion. These archives contain oaths, battlefield victories, the names and deeds of honored dead, genealogies, warband lineages, and strategic directives. New entries are added only by authorized storm-calligraphers or Priest-scribes following strict ritual procedures. Tactical data transmission is handled by a closed, hardwired system known as The Spine, a subterranean fiber-metallic conduit grid embedded throughout Kaarn Voluun and branching into each warband bastion. The Spine is shielded against EMPs, radiation surges, and seismic disruption. Only verified command personnel can access encrypted channels via Ocular HUD Monocles or command terminals. These systems relay strategic maps, live enemy data, atmospheric changes, and direct orders from the Emperor’s command chamber.
Visual media exists but is utilitarian. Battle replays, training footage, and environmental recordings are projected within internal warband halls or Skaar training domes. These projections are typically monochrome and high-contrast, designed for clarity in storm-interference zones. No visual content is allowed to depict failure without context—Krovenn media does not tolerate demoralizing imagery. When death or retreat is shown, it is always within the framework of honor, sacrifice, or strategic necessity. Imperial broadcasts are not scheduled but issued as needed. When the Emperor or a Stratalord addresses the people, the message is transmitted via ground resonance pulses and storm harmonics, encoded through the Howlveil itself using the Resonance Towers embedded in Kaarn Voluun’s tallest spires. These addresses are brief, commanding, and unidirectional—feedback or response is neither possible nor permitted. Common messages include declarations of war, acknowledgment of heroic sacrifice, or punishment of disgraced warbands. Scent-coded media and tonal inflection cues also exist as part of short-range communication, especially during covert or battlefield operations. These are taught through advanced training and are encoded using Krovennese vocal signatures combined with chemical markers—most notably in elite reconnaissance units or special operations cells.
There is no press, no journalism, and no entertainment programming in the Krovenn definition of media. Information is a weapon, curated by strength, shaped by necessity, and wielded by those who have earned the right to speak. Dissemination is vertical, from command to subordinate, with zero tolerance for unverified or unauthorized channels. Misuse of media is treated as information treason, punishable by public execution or exile into the Howlveil.

Infrastructure

Kaarn Voluun’s infrastructure is engineered with one purpose: sustained functionality under relentless environmental, gravitational, and combat pressures. Every system is redundantly hardened, internally shielded, and modular for rapid field repair. The city’s infrastructure is vertically tiered, embedded into the mountain core and ascending along fortified terraces, ensuring maximum structural stability and efficient distribution of critical systems.
Power generation is handled through a dual-source grid. Geothermal reactors, drilled deep into Draxion-8’s hyper-volcanic crust, provide stable baseline output, while storm-siphoning spires (known as Thro’gar Spines) harvest high-voltage atmospheric energy during peak storm activity. Energy storage is decentralized across mag-crystal capacitor vaults, ensuring localized power continuity during storm surges or infrastructure breaches. Emergency backups include pressurized arc-batteries stored in deep-cradle bunkers, manually accessible if primary systems fail. Water acquisition and processing rely on atmospheric condensers and subterranean hydrothermal vents, filtered through layered purification systems designed to remove particulates, toxins, and storm-borne contaminants. Given the corrosive atmosphere and airborne ash, filters are replaced weekly by drone systems operating out of autonomous maintenance cradles. Water is rationed via hardened distribution conduits, with every structure maintaining internal reservoirs to prevent total dependency on central lines. Waste systems are closed-loop. Organic refuse and biological waste are processed via high-pressure incinerators and converted into thermal energy or nutrient slurry for hydroponic modules and bio-reactors. Metals, synthetics, and armor fragments are sorted into repurposing channels routed to mobile forge units across the Lower Steppes. Zero-waste policy is enforced at every tier—any discardable material is expected to be transformed into something usable for war, maintenance, or structural reinforcement.
Transportation throughout the city is vertical and sectional. Reinforced elevator shafts and maglift corridors connect all city tiers, with pressure-sealed cable trams operating between bastions, production yards, and citadel towers. All vehicles are storm-shielded, with high-grip grav-tread plating designed for crosswind resistance. Cargo movement is largely automated via track-mounted war-loaders and armored conveyor clusters, which ferry munitions, armor, and supplies between forges and armories. Structural engineering in Kaarn Voluun follows a modular bracing system with titan-alloy frames and storm-reactive concrete that flexes under electromagnetic pressure. Foundations are anchored with subterranean seismic dampeners and magnetic stabilizers to counter tectonic disturbances and the Howlveil’s continuous impact. External walls are multi-layered: inner thermal shielding, a dense radiation-absorbing core, and an outer armorcrete shell reinforced with magnetic rebar grids. All city structures are designed to survive sustained bombardment or natural catastrophe with minimal systemic failure. Communications infrastructure relies on short-range hardened relay nodes distributed across spire-tops, citadel ridges, and armored parapets. Long-range offworld communication is only possible via deep-core repeater towers, which send pulses during storm lulls. Internal comms operate on localized encrypted bandwidths that self-adjust to electromagnetic fluctuation, ensuring warband coordination remains intact even under heavy ion surge. Redundant communication lines are buried into bedrock or routed through shielded maintenance ducts.
Air circulation is handled by multi-tier oxygen scrubbers and thermal equalizers embedded throughout every structure. Given the planet’s high nitrogen content and frequent pressure shifts, air is cycled continuously through chemical filters, pressurized stabilization chambers, and storm-sealed intake ducts. Storm-born spores and corrosives are neutralized before entering living spaces or warband zones. Lighting systems are energy-efficient and storm-compatible—tri-spectrum plasma striplights and infra-beacons line interior corridors, ensuring visibility during power fluctuations or atmospheric blackout. Exterior lighting is mostly minimal and reserved for signal flares, anti-air tracking, or ritual illumination atop the Throne Citadel during ceremonial events.

Crime and Police

Crime in Kaarn Voluun is rare, not because of an absence of opportunity, but because the cultural, legal, and punitive structures make criminal behavior almost suicidal. The Krovenn do not have a codified civil law system—law is synonymous with military discipline, religious obligation, and imperial decree. All violations are seen as a threat to social cohesion, military readiness, and personal honor. As such, crime is treated as a betrayal of the warband, the Emperor, and the Eternal Storm.
The concept of "crime" within Kaarn Voluun includes both acts of insubordination and moral violations. Common offenses include failure to obey direct orders, falsifying battle reports, hoarding weapons or rations, striking a superior officer without ritual challenge, or attempting to leave one’s warband without authorization. More severe acts such as espionage, conspiracy against the Emperor, defiling sacred grounds, or desertion during combat are considered capital crimes. Theft is rare and heavily stigmatized; taking another warrior's property without earned right is viewed as a cowardly theft of honor rather than just an economic violation. Investigation is minimal and almost entirely handled through chain-of-command reports, witness testimonies, or recorded evidence from Ocular HUDs and warband records. Since every Krovenn is monitored in some form—either by their commander, squad overseers, or Storm Priests—there is no need for traditional detective work. Accusation by a superior is often sufficient to initiate disciplinary action, and a presumption of truth exists when charges are brought by someone of higher rank.
Enforcement is carried out by the Gorvok Overseers, elite warriors specifically trained in judicial combat, tactical subdual, and execution protocols. Overseers operate under direct authority of the Emperor and are not attached to any warband to avoid conflicts of loyalty. They are known for their impartial brutality and act as judge, jury, and executioner. They are permitted to carry out sentencing immediately after review, especially in cases of dishonor or battlefield failure. Overseers wear distinct black-gray armor, marked with storm sigils and reinforced plating to emphasize their judicial authority. Punishments are tiered based on the severity of the offense, the dishonor it causes, and the status of the offender. Lesser punishments include enforced isolation, forced participation in blood trials, reduction in rank, or temporary reassignment to hazardous labor in the forges or geothermal vents. More serious penalties include ritual duels to the death, formal exile into the outer storm zones without equipment, or summary execution. Exile is seen as a fate worse than death, stripping the warrior of their armor, name, and history—a full social erasure known as "Vrak’ul Droth" (the Unmaking).
There is no incarceration system. The Krovenn see prolonged imprisonment as a waste of resources and an insult to strength-based justice. The belief is simple: if a Krovenn cannot redeem themselves through combat or sacrifice, they are not worth the Empire’s time or energy. Public executions, though rare, are used as ritual reaffirmations of discipline. These are typically performed in the Crucible Grounds before entire warbands to reassert the consequences of dishonor. Despite the severe enforcement, false accusations are extremely rare. To accuse without proof or motive is itself considered a form of dishonor, punishable by trial combat or death. As a result, the legal culture is one of precise accountability, reinforced by strict chain-of-command ethics and the fear of disgrace. The Storm Priests may intervene in special cases where spiritual contamination or divine misguidance is suspected, but this is exceedingly rare and treated with extreme caution.

Nickname(s): The Crown of Storms, Vrak'Thaal, Stoneheart Bastion

Motto(s): Thar’vak Vrak'tharuun (Krovennese: “The Storm Endures Through Us”) English Translation: “Endurance is the Storm’s Will”

Anthem: “Roar of the Eternal Storm”

Empire

Krovenn Empire

City Founded

• Prior to Cycle 1,194 (Imperial Unification)

• Estimated: Circa Cycle 870 (~21,300 human years ago)

Imperial Consolidation

• Cycle 1,194 (8,551 War-Cycles ago/~18,737 human years)

Seat of Emperor

Since Cycle 1,194

Government

• Type: Absolute Imperial Rule

• Head of State: Emperor Karax Volthur IV

• Advisory Body: War-Council of Volthur

• Enforcers: Gorvok Overseers

• Spiritual Authority: Storm Priests of Vak’Ruun

Area

• Fortress city and district 177.6 sq mi (460 km²)

• Controlled military perimeter 752.6 sq mi (1,950 km²)

Highest elevation: 31,168 ft (9,500 m)

Lowest elevation: 14,764 ft (4,500 m)

Population (War-Cycle 9745)

• Imperial capital city and command district 1,900,000

• Transient military personnel (avg. est.) 100,000–200,000

• Rank (Draxion System) 1st – Most populated military city

• Density ~10,700/sq mi (≈4,130/km²)

• Urban zone 1,900,000 (No civilian suburbs)

• Urban density ~10,700/sq mi (≈4,130/km²)

• Greater metro (military-industrial zones) 2,150,000+

Demonym

Voluunite (informal)

Vrak’Kaarn (formal Krovennese)

Time Standard

• Local Time Zone: UTC–09:20 (Storm Meridian)