Scæþing

Map of the Scæþing Empire at its zenith.

The Scæþing Empire (/skæθɪŋ/, also written Scaething), and later the Scæþing Republic was a faction initially founded by Cflip_ on Scæþing Island during the first day of the PrikPack v16 server. It was known for the great Scæþing Fortress and the sprawling Scæþing City. Scæþing in all of its' forms was symbolically succeeded by New Scathing following its calamitous end during the Massacre on Midway.

History

Early Settlement

The Scæþing Empire was originally founded when Cflip_, jusipat and Kjolt947 established a dirt fort on the highest hill on Scæþing island. In order to defend from the hordes of monsters coming in from the night, a massive castle was constructed around the dirt hut. For some time, the castle was a mere shell around the original dirt fort as it was built from the outside inwards. At the same time, the Scæþing Empire saw a rapid influx of players, 6 at its highest. This precipitated a major food shortage and the large mass of players severely congested the castle while under construction which made it a highly inconvenient place to live.

Establishment of Scæþing City

Eventually, many of the transients within Scæþing left the island and the populace which stayed began development of the island. The construction of Fort Scæþing (also known as Fort Finlay) continued at the same time as the first buildings of Scæþing City began to be constructed on the western portion of the island. jusipat and Kjolt947 would go on to develop the western urban region of the island.

Punitive War and Golden Age

After Kjolt947's house became subject to multiple acts of vandalization from Wikaros, the Scæþing Empire declared war on the Magical Empire in a conflict known as the Scæþing Punitive War. Many valuables were stolen from the Scæþing fortress, however the first settlement on Midway Island was established. Although the peace deal was decided to be a white peace, the members of the Scæþing Empire believed to have won the war. Scæþing military innovations and experience taken from this war would eventually be used in following conflicts. Following the war, military exercises involving combined arms naval and aerial assault drills were undertaken on Midway island.

The outcome of the war created new interest in the military and locational strategic importance of Midway Island, while exploring the yet uncharted island, jusipat discovered a huge dungeon system filled with enchanted diamond underneath the island. The primitive outpost on the gravel peninsula was transformed into a fortress and village to strengthen Scæþing influence on the island. At first, Scæþing did not claim any territory on the island as to not appear expansionist to the opposing faction, but once the Magical Empire set up a village of their own and claimed its surrounding territory Scæþing was quick to follow.

This period coincided with the development of a huge industrial city on the western side of the island. This region provided electrical power to the rest of the nation, and harboured multiple factories, including an iron factory.

Republican Era

Following the booming development of the industrial sector and the general expansion of the nation, it was decided that whoever had the best ideas for the coming ingame year would be given an elected mandate as Consul of the Scæþing Republic to have all other citizens help them in acheiving the goal. The Scæþing Republic had three consuls over its existence. With no term limits, as long as consuls contiued to introduce new and reinvigorating ideas to the public they could assure reelection. The order of Scæþing's consuls were as follows:

• Cflip_, served for two terms - who founded the Republic and oversaw its expansion and the foundation of the republican system.
• Kjolt947, longest serving consul, served for three terms - began expansion towards Midway and oversaw military and economic expansion. Avoided civil war by setting an inexorable course for war on Midway.
• jusipat, serving as emergency war-time consul - declared war on the Magical Empire, oversaw war strategy during the Massacre on Midway, signed the Black Peace. Formally dissolved Scæþing.

The republican system which was created in Scæþing also died in Scæþing, and it was never readopted by any of its successor states which all succumbed to autocracy.

Midway Massacre and Collapse

Main article: Massacre on Midway

As Kjolt947's term as Consul started to come to a close, members of Scæþing were starting to become restless, and it seemed that a civil war was on the horizon. Possibly as an attempt to redirect their restlessness elsewhere, Scæþing chose to claim the rest of Midway and fight against the Magical Empire's to take over their claimed territory on the island. jusipat took over as emergency war-consul and began the conflict which would be known as the Massacre on Midway, a calamity which would bring the end of all participating nations.

At first, Scæþing forces occupied the Magical Empire's midway holdings without any resistance, and all seemed to be going well. However, the power of baconpancakes36 was hugely underestimated and the campaign came to a complete halt. jusipat infiltrated baconpancakes36's base and stole his Refined Storage items as a last resort to get some war score, thus bringing the war to the Scæþing homeland. The most important resources and items were stored in a Refined Storage system, which Cflip_ secured by hiding them deep in a cave underground. Almost everything else in Scæþing was completely destroyed, with the fort and most of the city left in ruins.

The last act act of jusipat as Consul of the Scæþing Republic was to mark its dissolution and to sign peace between all involved parties. The signing of this peace took place at the Tuff House, the head government building in Scæþing.

New Scathia

New Scathia was a short-lived nation founded by Cflip_ after the peace treaty was signed and the Scæþing Empire was dissolved. New Scathia was built from the ruins left on the western Scæþing island, and attempted to bring back its former economic power. Cflip_ was able to bring back the refined storage drives that were stashed away from the war, and also restored the fully intact iron generator built by jusipat. New Scathia then joined the Western Economic Zone, an economic and military alliance with former Scæþing member Kjolt947 and former enemy Wikaros. This alliance would later become the nation of Tianchao, thus turning New Scathia into a province within this empire.