Royal Principality of the Great Lakes

The Principality of the Great Lakes, Rust-Principality, or simply, the Principality. The Principality is a Techno-Feudal Society primarily based on the former "Rust-Belt" states and Great Lakes Megalopolis of the bygone nation of the United States.

History
The history of the Principality is shrouded in both hear-say and high-tales spun by the fanatical scribes deeply loyal to the Principality's code of chivalry that makes their records biased at best.

Post-Collapse ( 2057-2099 )
What is known for fact, is that the foundation for the eventual establishment of the Principality was laid out in the early years after the Great Collapse, many of the surviving med and high-skilled industrial workers within the Rust-Belt areas of the dying United States kept closely to themselves, using the extensive underground factory complexes as shelters while all matters of horrors torn apart the surface.

Meanwhile, those unlucky enough to remain on the surface descended into absolute state chaos and anarchy as the great lakes region was one of the hardest-hit areas within northern America. As Nuclear hellfire combined with overwhelming cyber-attacks and bioweapon shrikes were used in large numbers on the cornerstone of America's industrial infrastructure.

Great and magnificent cities that were seen as the grandest in the lands such as Chicago and Toronto were not spared, they were extremely crippled with their skyscrapers shattered, lands forever chared, and their populations decimated with even Detroit being wiped off the face of the map.

Order in the following years quickly disintegrated under the turmoil of the Great Collapse. Whatever remnants of the American government and their people seeking any short of safety fleed to the still-standing lands of DuPage. Local military and law enforcement forces rallied near the broken city to hold out and with some success going forward into the years ahead.

Yet, those left behind in the fragmented lands of regions around the great lake found only madness and terror as flesh-eating acid rain poured throughout the realms in great storms. Destroying most quickly built shelters under the great twisted steel skeletons that stood as towering buildings and forcing dozens into tight under deep into the concrete rubble below. Earring these regions a new name, that of the Rust Lands. As part of abandoned machinery and city boneyards that eroded under the effects of the storms.

Worse still was the sudden destruction of the regional infrastructure as Electromagnetic weapons, heavy bombardment, and mass espionage preventing any possibility of communications or long-range travel. Leaving Millions to fed for insolated without any of the systems left running from the old world to aid them and fiending daily for their very lives against the twisted bioweapon creatures that rose from the storms to hunt them in greater and greater numbers.

The Rust Lands soon become lawless and was devoid of any resemblance of itself before the Collapse. Descending into utter chaos as its neighbors could do little to help.

The Dark Ages ( 2100-2177 )
In the decades following the dawn of the 2100s, Millions stood alone in hash and unforgiving lands. Sophisticated and complex technology had become a rarity among these parts and knowledge quickly followed, raiding and pillaging become commonplace. These raiders, locally named, "highwaymen" rose in large numbers.

For many of the rubble piles used as cover against the rainstorms proved to be indefensible against organized attacks. These raiders, locally named, "highwaymen" rose in large numbers. Leading to mass slaughter becoming the norm, deemed to be a better death by their ruthless victors than being forced to starve to death or suffer a painful death through one's flesh falling apart under the horrible, horrible storms.

However, some respite was found in various groups of traveling nomads that lived of the ruined lands, always keeping themselves one step ahead of raiders and mutants. Able to savage the numerous hulks of machinery that doted the lands and utilize them to build motor-conveys from various wecks. Technical knowledge soon became ingrained in these nomadic conveys that roamed the lands with a few strongholds developing within the still-standing settlements that united the conveys as trading hubs where fellow conveys could exchange scavenge with one another.

One of the most important elements to come of this was the rise of the noble motor-knights. Survivors and descents of old-world biker gangs, outlaws, and motorcycle football sports teams. These valiant men and women earn widespread fame as they could act as a vanguard for a convey against attacking highwaymen, preemptively breaking approaching raider bands, or even act on the offense and raid nearby highwaymen camps.

Another rising factor was those that still processed the knowledge of factory equipment quickly used their skills to restart small production of crude tools along with simple armaments using the still surviving industrial equipment found within the ruins. Leading to up-valuing both their own lives and that of their families.

Meanwhile, those still lurking within the deep industrial underground with the rust-lands became obsessive in their endeavors in preserving the information that managed to remain within their computer due to aggressive viruses deployed late into the collapse as this information was vital in their bargaining with outsiders for necessary food and supplies. Arguing to them that they were "Holy Men", "The chosen of the Computer" and "The Following of Machina". This religious attitude with traders and foreigners combined with rouge and deadly Automatons found throughout the Rust-lands gave their words great power. One that would become a powerful influence on future Principality and soon, themselves.

As these underground communities would later find a massive and powerful supercomputer intelligence within a nearby bunker located far into the industrial underground, seemly sealed before the war. The growing fanatics within the underground sharply surged overnight as this intelligence looked upon with unusual glee and happily welcomed those calling it a "God". Strife soon arose between skeptics and the "Followers". In a matter of weeks, the skeptics would be driven out of the underground, either willing or otherwise.

Soon, Men and Women clad in long robes, and what seemed to be Iron Faces and Hands came out of the rust-land undergrounds. Spreading the word of Machina throughout lands. Trading their time in helping rebuilding water filters and farm tools in exchange for the common man to give his faith purely towards Machina.

The Age of Enlightenment ( 2178-2185 )
As the years past and the highwaymen had started to fell apart under the strength of growing Motor-Knights and Trade Hubs, combined with a subsiding climate, lead to the end of most nomads and the recolonization of the many Megalopolis around the Great lakes.

Trade Hubs would soon give way to the reclaimed Megalopolis, now commonly called City-Helms. Dominated by Mill-Barons, a ruling-class made from the descents of factory men who used their knowledge to create a power base of the still-standing industrial centers within the ruined Megalopolis throughout the Rust lands.

Mill-Barons would in turn give power to the Motor-Knight Orders in order to keep lower-classes in check and to stop any chance of rebellion by brutally crushing any that stood to challenge them. Support from the Followers of Machina in culling the flow of information deemed too "Complex" and "Dangerous" for the lower castes was used by Mill-Barons in their efforts to hold the masses to their will.

Machina Unionates used their superior knowledge to gain favor with the various Mill-Barons who saw each other as threats in their various fights to gather complete power of the newly reclaimed City-Helms. While Giving the Machina Followers many positions of power throughout the reclaimed parts of the Rust Lands. They would in turn use their influence implant themselves throughout the Motor-Knight Orders.

Soon, the Motor-Knight Orders, now boosted by both Mill-Barons and the rising Machina Union would see itself create a Funeral Monarchy within the Rust lands and appointing Victora Charles the Third as High-Queen and the lands as the Machina's Principality.

The Mill-Barons would hastily try and use their various Guild Militias in a vain attempt to stop this, yet the Followers of Machina had already laid their hands in turning the populace against them. Arming and training a considerable number as Men-At-Arms under the command of the Motor-Knights.

Fighting was brief and most Mill-Barons gave to this new Principality without bloodshed, yet those that resisted met a brutal end. They and their men were given no-quarter. Slain to the last with absolutely no mercy given, serving as a cruel reminder to those resisting the rule of this new and rising power.

The masses quickly fell in line, the majority of Mill-Barons were allowed to transition their holdings into this new Nation, albeit now under the rule of their Province's respective King/Queen and that of the High-King/Queen themself.

Government
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Culture
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Military
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Media
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