The Story of Gucun

[sonofgucun]

Gucun began as an idea. One formed so very long ago, before the technology of today, before the wars of machines and bullets – when swords, arrows and flesh still ruled the battlefields. The Middle Kingdom. The Centre of the world. The Greatest Land.  In its own tongue – China was referred to as all of these – ‘Zhongguo’.

Time moved on and the world as well as war had changed. China was not the centre of the world as its people believed, and their thoughts changed to match that. However, there many groups within Gucun that still believed that China had the potential to be strong – as strong as Britannia, The Principality of Zeon, the Federation – that they could be stronger than any and every foe they faced.

 They became the Gucun Party. Different words for the same meaning – the one meaning they etched into the name of their land. They were the most outspoken when it came to strengthening Chinese borders, building up arms and strengthening China by any means necessary. This militaristic stance was ignored, chafing upon the members of the Party and raising their tempers. They burned with a furious anger with the rise of the Chinese Federation – a ‘government’ under the control of the Eunuchs and their puppet emperors and empresses – the Party becoming nothing more than a mere club with no say at all. They raged when the HRL came to demand China become a part of it – carving the country into two when the Eunuchs refused but others agreed – furious in the betrayal to land and people.

The Party declared no more. A call to arms was issued as the March towards the Future was begun – All those loyal to Gucun tore away to form their own land – dividing two into three. Gucun declared themselves the true China and built their settlements and fortresses in the western Province of Xinjiang. Life was harsh – food was scarce and so was farmland – but within the steppes and hilly terrain they found safety – and were for the most part ignored by both the HRL and Chinese Federation as a mere nuisance to be ignored – giving the fledgling state to build itself up in preparation for the Unification Campaign.

The Campaign however was absolutely brutal – armed with but surplus machines and infantry weapons Gucun was outgunned and often outclassed. Gucun had made the mistake of believing that the HRL and Chinese Federation were completely ignorant of what was coming and were repulsed viciously. It seemed that Gucun would face dark days... then the Second Impact happened.

Despite the horrendous loss of life the sons and daughters of Gucun saw great opportunity in the chaos and soon pushed forward through the chaos – succeeding in taking portions of Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet for themselves. With these gains they dug in and established as large a foothold as they could – doing their best to build what they could and raiding for what they couldn’t. Where the Second impact was a time of great grief for some - to Gucun it was when it was truly born.

With their defence solidified they harried at the Chinese Federation and the HRL whenever they could, building the Combat Frames to better take to the field rather than depending on shoddy and outdated mobile suits and massed infantry formations. Gucun’s stubbornness, expertise in defense and heavy firepower and growing number of veterans meant that they would not be dislodged at all – at least... not militarily.

Other measures were taken. Seeds of doubt and contempt, promises of power and wealth, deception, disgrace, cunning – honeyed and poisoned words were thrown about like money in a gambling house until Gucun exploded into violence – not against the HRL, the Chinese Federation or any outside powers... but against themselves. What others could not do – the Gucunese army inflicted upon itself – and when there were stalemates due to numbers or skill, mercenaries and arms dealers soon plied their trade.

In the end, what was left of Gucun – the state and its people – was but a sprawling massive slum filled with the destitute and the broken. The state it was left in made it undesirable for both the HRL and the Chinese Federation to attempt to rebuild or take hold of – and so it was left alone to rot and decay.