Whenever someone hears the name "Antaros" (/ænˈtɑːroʊz/ or an-TAR-ose), they would simply think of it as two islands home to a few million people. When the same person visits Antaros, they would quickly find more than a few million citizens.
Large rainforests rule the interiors of the peaceful islands. Countless species, from joyous birds to mighty bears to free-flowing fish, frolic in the mostly-undisturbed ecosystems of Antaros. The country is also home to a stable economy cautious on its environmental impacts, and a national government firmly committed to the welfare of citizens. Present-day Antaros is an unparalleled wonder originating from a combination of successful environmental conservation, well-funded education, universal health care, powerful infrastructure and generous social safety nets. The generally-compassionate attitudes of the citizenry also add to the beauty of the nation that is Antaros.
The vibrant nature of Antaros makes it attractive to many people from beyond its borders. But for a few people, resources below this vibrant nature truly interest them. Beneath the surface of the Antaran forests and soils lie vast deposits of uranium and rare earth minerals, both of which would be an asset to Antaros if they are heavily exploited. The democratic national government and the Antaran people believes, however, that their environment should never be destroyed in the name of unprecedented economic prosperity.
While it's certain that some would like to get at the uranium and rare earth deposits of Antaros, the question remains about how far they would act on their interests...
Premise
The basic premise of this RP involves great underground resources of Antaros, specifically uranium and rare earth oxides/minerals. Government estimates predict that the Antaran rainforests conceal at least 20 millions of tons of uranium, as well as at least 15 million tons of rare earth minerals (a bit like Minamitori Island), though it is certainly possible that the amount of both resources could be much higher. Too bad that, in the way, there's a highly-protective government, strong environmental legislation and a mostly eco-friendly populace.
Sides
Of course, some nations won't have the same attitudes as the Antarans, so I imagine that there would be two major sides involved.
- Invaders: At least one nation would invade Antaros to get to the uranium and rare earth minerals. It may be fun for this invading nation to deal with the Antaran populace and other sympathetic countries, but it may get even more fun if there is another country (or more countries) with the same idea of invading Antaros.
- Defenders: Some nations may want to liberate Antaros or prevent its capture. Maybe they want to exploit its resources after some diplomatic agreements, or maybe they genuinely want to make sure a democratic country remains a free country.
General Notes
Some things should also be noted:
- Antaros is a modern-tech (MT) country, but very light PMT elements can be accepted.
- Antaros heavily prioritizes social welfare and is highly-pacifist. so it has no significant armed forces. Any invading force should find serious resistance with only the National Guard, law enforcement agencies and potentially-rebellious citizens.
- Which leads to another point: while this RP would involve military elements, I have to admit that I myself am not particularly experienced (or at least an expert) in roleplaying military confrontations. Therefore, I will grant any interested invaders a good deal of leeway in how they deal with Antaros militarily (as long as nothing outright ridiculous happens). I myself would handle diplomatic elements and potential requests to the international community for assistance.
- Make sure to follow NS forum rules as always, and respect roleplaying conventions as much as possible (e.g. avoid godmodding or metagaming).
- When in doubt about something, don't hesitate to check with me.
As the RP gets underway, here are a few things to take note of:
- Anyone interested in defending Antaros is recommended to hold off from intervening until invading nations have a good foothold in Antaros (i.e. until they have taken most/all of Antaros and have done what they intend to do in the Antaran islands).
- If anyone is interested in getting uranium/rare earth minerals as a reward for defense, they would have to go through negotiations once the war is over. The difficulty of negotiations will depend on who is presiding; President Joseph Gordons would make it a pain in the neck to negotiate while anyone who takes his place (if Gordons is dead) may be more lenient.
- NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Radiological weapons are also not allowed. However, biological and chemical weapons are allowed as they are used within reasonable limits; they are much more effective against civilian populations than military forces.
Logo based on the photo found here
