The people have spoken! The people have pleaded to the Emperor that Vornehm should become a colonial power so that the motherland have no need to import raw materials, increase the economy. The Emperor has long set his eyes on Serrenthia and with the people supporting him, he would have no choice but to actually send a exploration team out to find new lands. Those lands shall become bulwarks of the Vornehm Empire and the Old Faith alike.

"My people, long have we sat on the sidelines while other nations proceeded to colonize the world and spread their influence. It is imperative that we follow along this path with our brethren of nations! That is why I ask of thee, who dare wish to partake upon this treacherous journey into unknown lands? Who wish to go and find new lands for the Motherland? Who wish for glory forever in the hearts of our people?," the Emperor questioned the populous at a gathering with the Vornheim square. He stood upon the balcony of the palace, looking down on the crowd of his loyal subjects.

Much chatter came to engulf the crowd, feign dares and mockery of one's will to go to these new lands, yet no one approached his majesty. That was until a man of Noble stature stepped forward, a cane in hand with a beard as magnificent as his looks. The crowd grew silent until in a deep tone of voice, the nobleman announced, "I, Horst Heindl, shall partake upon this journey, this quest! I shall do so with my own money, the government need not spend a single piece of shelting for me! I only pray for my majesty's blessing. Will thou bestowth that blessing upon me?"

Emperor Reiter looked down upon the nobleman, a smile coming to his face as this event unfolded in front of him. "You have the blessing of the motherland herself, Hiendl! Go and make haste for there is little time! Best of luck, noble one of the Empire!"

With the matter concluded the nobleman turned and the crowd proceeded to swarm him, shaking his hand and patting him on the back and escorting him to his home. There Hiendl would begin his preparations, charting courses and reading reference material, as much as need in order to make this expedition a successful one. He would win the sight of the Emperor, his family will become only the noblest, second to the Emperor's family itself!

---

- National Decision - Foreign Expedition to Serrenthia
- Increase Relations [+3 Relations with Marnland]
- Increase Relations [+3 Relations with Osland]
- Naval Ship Assignment - None as of now
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities
-Economics [High = -3 Economic Rating/Year]
-Industry [Normal = -2 Economic Rating/Year]

As the opening discussions had seemed to go well Jupiter Hez would be granted full ambassadorship to the Kingdom under the hopes that the relations between the Kaiser and King may blossom into friendship.


With the recent stirrings in Morinthia by the palovians. Minister of the Interior Ewen had agreed to meet with the leaders of the Palovians they were invited to the Imperial Palace were the Ministers and the Kasier could perhaps work on a compromise so as to calm tensions and prevent any sparks of rebellion.


After having seen the easy and crushing defeat cato the tyrant used against the great and powerful Vornehm. The Kaiser could only worry that should another war arise that the same fate could easily befall Zeelian. That was until General Hugo Moreway Suggest increasing the size of the military as well as offering advice on how to prepare our men for combat situations and that the Kaiser himself could help partake so as to improve the spirit and morale of the men.

So far from the Continent, and yet often considered among it. The Seljuk were both the minority and the majority, encompassing over 13 million inhabitants, of which over seven million were "exacted citizens," or the jaziya. Bordering the Kingdom of Tangary to the northwest and the Principality of the Tanube and the "Southern Mullahs" within the Desert Corridor, the Empire of the Seljuk's was the gateway from the Continent to the less sophisticated world. Better still, it was a diverse world of New Faith, Old Faith and the Foreign Faith, the Habika--the majority of whom were adherents to the third. With over thirty different cultures declared under the rule of Sultan Ahmid Kaffa IV, the Seljuk Empire was undoubtedly the most diverse in the world.



While the threat of republicanism and liberalism reached the Seljuk, it's chief adversary was the rural and agrarian lifestyle of the majority of the Seljuk citizens. While these ideas became prevalent during the Tyrant's reign in several cities lashed to the coast of the Inner Sea, they failed to bolster similar support in the rural and distant villages and fiefs. Unlike the Continental monarchies, the Sultanate had little qualms about literally whipping the idea of democracy from the bared backs of it's citizens. The furnishing of absolute monarchism would continue unabated from the late 1790's up to the current with only a few thousand dissidents sacrificed on Seljuk swords.



For Tamaydin Ozkul, life was no different before, during or after The War. A farmer with six acres, he plowed the fields season after season to bring his goods to the bazaar at Kudal. Twice a year, he made the journey, wagering to sell his goods, return home with a little coin in his pocket. It was in early 1815 he purchased a luxury item known to most Continentals--a worn pair of leather soled shoes. Crossing the rugged country without the threat of a sharp rock gashing one's foot felt kingly to Tamaydin, but he dared not voice such a thought. Instead, he tucked them away under his cot and let sleep take him. There woulds be much farming to be done the next morning.

---

A line of carts on sleds, laden with quarried stone from the mines of Sjonn, rode down the frozen River Torrik. They carried their cargo along the full length of the long stretch of snow-covered ice, leading them into the untamed northern forests of Aontas. The carts and their workers hailed from Chatara, along the Bay of Torrik, an ice-water bay fed by the very river the convoy was now astride. The wilds to which they were travelling, nestled in a high valley in Norstra's northern extremities, were known to them as 'Kongeligdal'—a place as harsh and cold to Aontans as Aontas was harsh and cold to southerners. Even the citizens of Torrik, the city whose port was frozen closed for a third of the year, were unaccustomed to the extreme cold and utter isolation afforded by Kongeligdal. The province's mountain ranges, the South and North Kongells, bounding the province from either side, funnelled deathly cold air from the northern edge of the world down into the valley, freezing to death all but the hardiest plants and animals. The bears, seen here in their numbers in the summer months to feast off the bounty of the raging River Torrik, were as often white as black or brown, and no tree other than pine could last a season.

Kongeligdal had long been a part of Aontas, but never meaningfully. Those few men and fewer women and children who dwelt in the valley were the hardy type, unwilling to be reliant on kings hailing from daintier lands to save them in times of crisis. When hardship struck the valley, it seemed only to make its people stronger, to drive them to band together more tightly. Food was shared in times of famine, shelter shared in disaster, and in war, every man—and boy, and some women—would march together against the enemy. Kongeligdal was an untamed land, and its people had largely accepted their lot at the end of the world. Many, in fact, had gone to the valley because of its remoteness and because of its independence. No road, not even a dirt trail, ran through Kongeligdal, and to many, this was a point of pride. To the powers-that-be, though, Kongeligdal's remoteness was a problem to be solved.

Austurby, Kongeligdal's capital and Aontas' eastern keep, marked the entrance to the cold valley from the east. A Marnish city long ago, Austurby was strange; its people spoke a dialect of Aontan quite unlike that spoken in Chatara, or even in the rest of Kongeligdal. Influenced by Marnish, the Austurby dialect made its speakers stand out outside of their home town. With the changes its leaders were pushing for, though, Austurby stood to become a lot less Marnish. The town's government had been pushing the recently reinstated Aontan monarch to construct a road through Kongeligdal, linking Austurby with Torrik, far to the east. Although Kongeligdal was most inhospitable in winter, River Torrik was the only feasible way to transport supplies for the road into the region, and it was thus a necessity to build the road in the winter months. All along the river, at regular intervals, sledded carts carrying stone to be crushed was offloaded at the lumber cams clearing the route. Mined and delivered by men from Chatara in thick winter coats, the stones would be broken to size and spread along the road's route by men from Kongeligdal, in fashioned hides and pelts. Work was slow and arduous, but the labourers fit to the task. Initial reports from Austurby predicted that the road would be completed on schedule and on budget, possibly changing the way of life in the most isolated reaches of Aontas for decades to come.



King Sverre IV rested his gloved hands on the balcony's railing as he peered out from Kardal Castle's tallest tower towards the endless expanse of hills to the east. The overcast skies set the scene in a dark light, in spite of how much it pleased Sverre; a constant stream of men with hammers trudged eastward along a road they'd only just laboured on, the strong winds off the Smaragd Sea setting their gait slightly left, forcing them to fight against the elements just to walk a straight line. Their plight, well compensated as it was, was a pity. But not could be done for the cold in the north, and there could afford to be no pause in Aontas' plans.

The King of Aontas—the Grand Duke of Folamsiar while he was in Kardal—had long awaited this, the chance to bring Norstra together. The republicans that had taken his kingdom and his family hostage for the last decade had shown little interest in connecting with the rest of Norstra's kingdoms, looking down on them as backwards and provincial. Sverre's predecessors on the throne, too, had been disinterested in cooperating with the neighbour kingdoms, seeing them as rivals to be thwarted. Before Sverre's line had ascended to the throne in Kienne, peacefully uniting Aontas and Folamsiar, the old Aontan kings had been even worse. It was they, in those ages past, who had conquered Austurby on a whim, leading every second able-bodied man in the kingdom to freeze to death in Kongeligdal's bitter cold. In those days, Norstra was no better than the Continent, each kingdom only ever at peace in between wars. Sverre's line had brought war to an end, but had not truly changed the Norstran kingdom's natures. Trade between Svea, Naarden and Marnland, and the roads that carried it, had only been built recently, while Aontas was fighting Cato's wars in the south. Cooperation, the first step towards unity, was a recent development in Norstra. For so long, the kingdoms had tended to their own devices, as ignorant of the affairs of their neighbours as they were of the affairs of the south. King Sverre IV was determined to change Norstra, and take it on a journey in a new direction.

Looking out over the balcony, down onto the workers building Aontas' first firm, physical connection to a neighbour kingdom, the King smiled. This would be the day that he would write about in his memoirs, the day that would be immortalized in history as the first concrete movement towards a strong and united Norstra. Every journey begins with a single step, and this would be the first of many.

---

Action 1: Build Road between Torrik and Austurby. [-35 Economic Rating]
Action 2: Build Road between Kardal and Cromvoirt. [-35 Economic Rating]
Action 3: Increase Relations with Kingdom of Svea. [+3 Relations]

[Demobilization] - [Mobilization]

Naval Ship Assignment

Royal Fleet of Aontas; 1 First Rate, 5 Second Rates, 4 Sloops, 8 Frigates. [Home Port Kienne (North Eastern Sea)]
Ducal Fleet of Folamisar; 1 First Rate, 6 Second Rates, 5 Sloops, 7 Frigates. [Home Port Kardal (North Eastern Sea)]

Research Priorities

Army — Low
Navy — Low
Industry — Normal [-2 Economic Rating/Year]
Social Thought — High [-3 Economic Rating/Year]
Economics — Normal [-2 Economic Rating/Year]

---

---

"Is that a Kalpian ship?"

The sun was once again warming the whole city of Tarrantia as spring had returned to the land, and perhaps one of the busiest places in the city was the harbour. The place where goods and people from far and near came to trade, make a new life or simply enjoy life for just a while. And the numbers had just risen in the past months.

After the Plebian-Kalpian Royal Trade Act of 1814 had been signed and put into effect, the amount of trading vessels laying anchour and setting sail from the Plebian harbours had only increased in number. So had the amount of goods, people, money in the Plebian economy, but sadly the growing trade had not only been a grace. Smuggling was also on the rise.

It had gone unnoticed in the start, perhaps a few goods vanishing without a trace and suddenly showing up at the black market at first, until Plebian officials finally found solid evidence of what was feared to be a smuggler's ring.

-"It is most certainly, Your Majesty. See the flag on top of the mast, just there? You can just make out the flag of the Kingdom of Kalpia; the two red strips, the one white and their emblem right there. Not as beautiful as our flag, I must admit, but still rather pleasent to look at." The man standing beside King Alfonso was Claudio Garafalo, the Minister of the Navy, a man of trustworthyness and experience. One of the few Plebian military leaders who had been able to score a victory against the Civitian Navy during the Great War. While it gave King Alfonso and his government more time to defend the capital and latter flee the country, it had left the Plebian navy largely in shatters. And now it was a shadow of its former self.

"Your eyes have not betrayed you after all those years, Claudio. But who knows what lies beneath it's deck?"

-"Are you under the belief that the smugglers are using the Kalpian ships to bring in their goods?"

"We both are under that belief, my friend, don't you deny it. But to think that they are alone?"

-"Highly unlikely, Your Majesty. The reports and rumours all point out the fact that a pattern of ships can't be found."

"So why aren't you inspecting all the ships that come into harbour then, Grand Admiral Garafalo?" King Alfonso turned to look at the old sailor, a massive grey beard nearly hiding his lower face; wrinkles, scares from both shrapnel and sunburns dotting the upper half. The King's voice was starting to get annoyed, clearly awaiting an answer that would be easy and effective. The Grand Admiral looked back, still confident in his gaze.

-"You remember the battle of Bertina Bay, Your Royal Highness? The battle that made it possible to evacuate Tarrantia? A large part of our fleet was lost that day, and while a victory it was a victory we could not repeat; not then, not now."

"Then how many will be needed to effectivly patrol our sealanes and keep the smugglers at bay?"

-"And privateers as well, I'm afraid."

"Privateers? How...why was I not informed of this!"

-"I was under the impression Foreign Minister Bellino told you, Your Majesty."

"Foreign Minister Bellino is in Oslad for highly important diplomatic affairs. But that matters not now, just tell me what I need to know.

-"4 Second Rates, 2 First Rates, 5 sloops. That is what I as both Grand Admiral and Minister of the Navy is requesting."

"I do not know much about ships, but that sounds like hard labour to me. Is it doable in the coming months?"

-"Most certainly, Your Majesty. The ship wharfes should be able to deliver the ships within half a year. Of course the labourers will need to work hard and valiantly, but I am sure they will understand. It is for the better for the Kingdom after all."

"For the better for the Kingdom, indeed Garafalo. Indeed."

---

The first thing that Foreign Minister Manfredo Bellino noticed once he set foot on Olsadian soil, was the emptiness. Ever since he had stepped off the ship that carried him from the ports of Plebina and entered the stagecoach that would take him to Oslograd, he had been unable to see any major cities since Slonimsky. Vaste spaces of nothingness, occasionally interrupted by a little village and peasents littering the fields, stretched as far as the eye could see. And a bit more. Now Bellino was accustomed to travelling, but this trek was taking a toll on him. Hadn't they eventually reached Dolgonsk and Kubelik, he was afraid he'd lose his mind.

And finally, after feeling like a far too long trek through the Osladian countryside, the Foreign Minister of Plebina saw the city of Oslograd rise up before him. It was a marvel to witness, he thought to himself, but he had important business to attend to.

The document he carried under his arm was far from massive or complex, though still a bundle to reckon with. Foreign Minister Bellio would deliver it to the Olsadian foreign ministry, or Tsar Lubomir II if preferred - He was preparing himself mentally for both cases.

What it said and asked for was simple enough, at least the short version of it; allow more Plebian traders onto the Olsadian trade market, lower the customs on Plebian goods and ensure the safety of Plebian traders inside of Olsadia's juristiction. The same would of course apply for Osladian traders and merchants in Plebinan territory. If they would accept the proposal or not was another matter, but FM Bellio was hopeful in this task.

Of course other subjects would be mentioned and discussed the following days, but the trade proposal would be the offical reasoning behind Bellio's visit. The other subjects would be behind closed doors, so to speak.

---

The sound of hammers falling on metal, wood creaking and many other sounds could be heard from far down the harbour in Tarrantia. The Julian Ship Works lay in one of the poorer parts of the city, hidden away from the view of the middle and upper-classes. It was best that way, the owners thought; what horrid sight that establishment must have been if those who payed actually saw the conditions work was undertaken in.

The order from the Mininstry di cose navali of several new war ships had come as a pleasent surprise for the owners of the wharf; not so much for the workers. Because of the short time-frame, they had to cut corners, and not in the sense of lowering the quality of the ships. That was far out of the question. Instead it was the workers who had to pay.

-"HELP!"

The scream of a man in tremendous pain echoed throughout the East Wing of the wharf, following the sound of creaking wood finally snapping under the pressure and falling on said man. Workers flocked around the man and the mast, doing their best to lift the mast off him. It was all in vain though. The man died of bleeding within moments, leaving the other workers literarly standing in his blood as the supervisor finally arrived, all too late.

Soon the man was removed, but the workers were left to continue working on the same ship that had just killed the man. Luccio Garabaldi Carlo, loving husband and father of five, gone to Heaven in an early grave. For many this was just another tragedy in the line of work. For many others this was the last straw. Not long after the mast-incident, the workers began striking and demanding that this madness be stopped, one way or another.

That was how the Dockyard Riots of 1815 began. How it ended, that was another story for another day.

---

---

- Action 1: National Decision -The Plebian Naval Act of 1815
- Action 2: Trade agreement-proposal to Osladian Empire @Chairman Stein
- Action 3: Increase relations with Kingdom of Buccia (+3 relations)
- Naval Ship Assignment - Merchant escort in Inner Sea
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities:

• Army (Medium)
• Navy (Normal)
• Industry (Medium)
• Social thought (Normal)
• Economics (Normal)

---

Az' Gazette: Since the end of the Great War and the Great Tyrant - Azrekan has been busy slowly rebuilding its shattered armies and reworking alliances with its old allies. Notable among those being Dallin and the King of Madeira - both old allies of our Great Nation. It has been also the plans of the Viscountess to establish trade agreements with both the Tsardom and Aontas - both whom had suffered much in the War.

Our brave Navy still remains out in the open seas, protecting our merchants against pirates, smugglers and other hostile foreign actors. Despite our Army being kept at home, its skill marches on - as each month, new and improved tactics our tested in our many prestigious Military Academies. Due to the ever marching forward of time - several new plants are being constructed in the countryside, where many a young man is invited to join the hard-working class. The betterment of Azrekan has always been the prime concern of the Viscountess' Office and her subjects.

---

- Action 1: The Madeiran Question: Accept (-35 Economic Rating. +8 Relations with the Kingdom of Madeira)
- Action 2: Trade Agreement with Imperial Tsardom (via sea) @Chairman Stein
- Action 3: Trade Agreement with Batigefalé Empire (via sea)@The Spectre
- Naval Mission: Merchant Escort
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities: Military (High)
Navy (Low)
Industry (Normal)
Social Thought (Low)
Economics (High)

The Sultanate of the Seljuk had only recently been nicknamed the "Wounded Animal of the World," a dying empire held together by the stitching of tradition. Far enough away from the Continent to be out of the way, but close enough to influence affairs there, the Seljuk had forever been a nebulous anomaly. The War never reached the Seljuk, save for a failed expedition by the Tyrant that cost a brief thousand soldiers, Seljuk life continued on unabated. It was life after the war that took the most dire turn for the Seljuk, and the Takervian minority there. During the War, the Tyrant Cato appealed largely the various minorities present to rise up and shake off the shackles of empire. The uprising was championed by the Takervians. The military oppression that came in it's wake was brutal, unforgiving and largely forgotten while Cato ravaged the Continent proper. Ten thousand Takervians lost their life in a futile uprising that went mostly undocumented.

The Takervians did not forget however. On May 16th, 1815, 1,200 Takervians raided the local garrison and killed it's small detachment there. The Takervians declared an insurrection of independence against the Seljuks under the leadership of 71 year old Kava Tavasha, a Takervian nationalist dating back to the 1770's. Kava Tavasha served in the Seljuk Army during the initial Takervian Uprising of 1811, but was exempted from service for fear of compromised combat performance. He wrote in his journal: "It surprises me still the overlords do not send dogs to kill other dogs. It would be, as the Continentals say, killing two birds with one stone." The Second Takervian Uprising was--in essence--an experiment in nationalism.



The Seljuk Grand Army was a multinational force with heavy conscription. The Sultanate and the Chief of the Army, Saruhan Nalband collaborated on the morning of May 17th and agreed that a mobilization of the army to put down a local revolt would be too costly and given the poor infrastructure of the Sultanate, too time consuming. The revolt had taken hold of the city of Tavolo in Takervia, a city barely over 25,000. The garrison there was 350 soldiers and Chief of the Army Nalband believed that the forces of the Takervia region could handle the insurgency. On May 19th, the 24th Infantry Regiment (2,000 Soldiers, 4 Cannon) of the Seljuk Grand Army under Deli Husrev Pasha, stationed in Saymeçin, received a message from Chief of the Army Nalband to move on Tavolo and: "put down the revolution expeditiously."

The Battle of Tavolo (1815) took place on May 24th when Deli Husrev Pasha's 24th Regiment, still in marching formation, was caught unawares sixteen miles outside of Tavolo. Expecting a disunited and undisciplined army, they found over 1,500 well armed soldiers marching against them. Deli ordered the four cannon--the one asset that the Takervians did not possess--into position and loaded with "wide shot," a leather canister filled with lead balls. The Takervians offered no respite. The Takervians suffered heavy casualties in their first charge and were turned back by a sickening barrage of musket fire. The second charge however, led by 71 year old Kava Tavasha himself, took the guns after savage hand to hand fighting, with the most of the artillery officers surrendering and leaving their guard to fend for themselves. The remainder of the 24th Regiment retreated. Deli Husrev Pasha himself was taken prisoner.



The Seljuk Army--up to October--remained demobilized. The Chief of the Army was powerless without the command of the Sultan, and the Sultan was a brooding and paranoid leader. His authority, which lay tenuously on the result of the last great victory understood that allowing a second Takervian victory would see his command undone. The Continent, and the Great Powers looked on with some interest, as the future of the Takervians might speak to the Palovians, or the Kinnerians along the western coast of the Continent.

The Royal Newspaper: After the losses that our kingdom suffered in the victory of Great War against the Tyrant, our nation had lost much of it's focus on our once proud army, with it falling into disuse and simply languishing around with nothing to do. The King and his Parliment, however, have seen fit to restore that army to the greatness that it once possessed as it can be seen with the training our soldiers are receiving currently.

However, the King has not forgotten it's allies during the Great War, Azreka and Madeira. As such, he has wisely decided to improve it's relations with them and attempt to restore to once great alliance, so that in case an enemy might attack any of us, the three way nations would be able to repel this new invasion with ease and protect the sovereignty of the three members of this alliance.

---

---

- Action 1: Military Exercises [110.000/1.000= -110 Economic Rating]
- Action 2: Enlist Elite Soldiery [-12 Economic Rating]
- Action 3: Increase Relations with Madeira [+3 relations with Madeira]
- Naval Mission: No Navy
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities: Economics (High)
Navy (Low)
Industry (Normal)
Social Thought (Low)
Military (Normal)

---

---

---

"The unfortunate incident at Squall's End has left that cities port facility in poor shape. The nearly 1200 strong crowd of rioting workers and families managed to burn down a significant portion of the drydocks and a few of his Majestys warehouses. We have estimated the damage at xxxx. In addition, the rioters moved into the city proper and continued there rampage until members of the 77th Irregulars confronted the mass of rioters on Canvas Street. Captain Wyndeg ordered the crowd too disperse (at this point a difficult proposition as you can imagine) and return to their homes. The crowd did not. Captain Wyndeg, fearing for the safety of his men and his own persons ordered the regiment to fire into the crowd until "The bastards haven't a fist to fight with". Once the captain opened fire, the crowd lost all taste for a fight and were soon dispersed. 17 were killed and nearing 30 were wounded. Considering the relative size of the Captain's regiment (the garrison proper at Squall's End had not yet arrived) I am surprised the Captain and his men survived the encounter.

Lord Effingham of County Elder, and Lord Wessoms of County Dunn have commended the Captain and put him up for promotion with the Royal Army. Burials and service for the rioters have been paid for by the clergy of the Church of St. Agnes in Baerny. Deacon Mathew Frier has dispatched the nurses of St. Agnes to assist in the recovery of the wounded at Squall's End and give solace to those affected families. Captain Wyndeg has been transferred to the Garrison at Middle-Ditch, a village outside Baerney, until such a time as the Captain can be given proper assignment.
-Report by Mr. J. Alfred James, to Minister Peter Richards, Minister of the Interior May 1815

---

April 17th, 1815,

Two vessels of His Majestys Royal Merchant Fleet have been destroyed by pirates operating in the Narrow Channel, off the coast of Veldland. The ships, HMS Confidence and HMS Stargazer were robbed of their goods and sunk in the channel. The crews were put ashore in the Veldlands. The Karsenburg government is demanding that we reimburse them for the goods lost. While this may assuage any possibility of tense relations with our friends in the Veldlands, the naval laws clearly state that any sovereign nation is responsible for deterring any illegal smuggling or pirate action in their own waters. Given the cost of replacing both the HMS Confidence and HMS Stargazer, it is only right that the Veldlands manage the property damage. In addition, a formal complaint has been filed with their Naval Ministry insisting that they increase coastal patrols. It is unbelievable that pirates can successfully operate inside the Channel in this day and age!

---

---

ORDERS FORM
- Action 1 Increase relations with Batigefalé (+3)
- Action 2 Trade agreement with Batigefalé (+11 econ) @The Spectre
- Action 3 Increase relations with Kingdom of Hathoway (+3relations)
- Naval Ship Assignment

• Home Fleet ; 14 First Rate ; 34 Second Rate ; 30 Frigate ; 26 Sloop (Coastal Patrol)
• Colonial Fleet ; 4 First Rate ; 10 Second Rate ; 26 Frigate ; 2 Sloop (Coastal Patrol)

- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities
- Army / Low (0)
- Navy / Normal (-1)
- Industry / High (-3)
- Social Thought / NONE (+2)
- Economics / High (-3)

Hearing news of the Tarkevian Uprising, King Adelius Odrius, at the behest of the liberal faction of his government , held a speech out in the center of Odria, speaking of the Tarkevian Uprising to the people and how people there are fighting for the liberty of the people, citing that Dallin too was once no more than few provinces part of a greater kingdom and they fought for their liberty and he speaks that while he will not order anyone to go to help the Tarkevian, he will allow people to leave as volunteers to join whichever side of this conflict they desire.

He speaks that any people that wish to leave the nation are encouraged to leave via the ports of Madeira. With that the speech ends and the king, followed by his royal guard, leave back towards the palace. With the crowd soon starting to disperse as well. It would be seen if anyone were to join such a far away conflict.

October
October 3rd
The Zeelian Kaiser James Conrad formally invited the members of the Diet of Palovia to the Zeelian Palace to discuss things and ease tensions. On the third of October the Diet arrived, a light snow falling across the plaintive fields. The Diet--lower level Palovian nobles--supped and dined with the Kaiser for eight long hours, discussing everything but Palovia. Those Zeelians standing guard had grown tired, and at the changing of said guards the Palovians struck. Several men rushed the guards and the other half dozen charged the Kaiser. His subdued guards watched on while Palovian nationalist and writer Laurent Kavocz drew the Kaiser's own sword and ran him through with it. The Palovians fled, ten of the twelve escaping while two of the men were shot and killed inside the palace.



October 4th
The Zeelian Empire sees Zachary Conrad appointed to the throne as Kaiser Regent. Not old enough to rule until his eighteenth birthday, the Zeelian government appoints a seven man council to rule in his stead until he is old enough.
[Zeelian Empire may only take 2 Actions per turn until 1818.]

October 19th
Marshal Bartjan Visser, one of the Tyrant's most trusted aides during the war, is found hiding in Ovelius. A charming, effeminate and suave young man, Visser was nicknamed the "Conqueror of Hearts" for his ability to woo women with the same efficiency that Cato destroyed armies. Among this however, Visser had commanded the massacre of thousands of Dallin and Azrekan troops in the Meribou Bog during the War and was seen as one of the world's first "war criminals."

October 25th
After a brief military tribunal, where a consensus of guilt is established, Marshal Visser is taken outside the Palace of Justice in Ovelius and instructed to stand before a firing squad. His last words were, "Kavikiun sa vakian." Translated from Civitan: Luck, not destiny."



November
November 4th
Gioachino Rossini's opera buffa The Barber of Tetrino premières at the Teatro Marco in Marsie, Plebina.

November 16th
Horst Heindl departs from the Vornehm port of Wichendorf to begin the Serranthian Expedition. Aboard the sloop Schutzen, he curves around the Azrekan coast toward the Serranthian continent.

December
December 4th
While reigning with a regency council, the Zeelian inventor Michel Horthun revealed the Hortun, the world's first steam powered locomotive. The train's first trip pulled ten tons of iron and twenty-one passengers (all in the same train car) 6.1 miles from a local mine to the city center of Savom.



December 7th
The Azrekan passenger ship Savoya runs aground off the coast of Western Serranthia, with 140 lives lost in the botched rescue that takes weeks, leading to a minor scandal in the Azrekan government.
[+1 Unrest in Balden, Azreka]

December 12th
Horst Heindl lands on the coast of Serranthia at the outlet of a great river. A settlement of forty sailors and cartographers is established there, titled Groß-Friedrichsburg. Horst Heindl continues to move inward along the newly named Weinde river.

January
January 16th
350 Dallin volunteers set sail from the Madeiran port of Portimao toward Takervia. With permission from their monarch, they intend to join the Takervian Second Uprising currently on going in Seljuk.

February
February 16th
The Principality of Mutecci and the Kingdom of Sevola merge their thrones with the death of Muteccian Prince Reynault Savoia, married to Queen Sebastian de Nolo of Sevola. His death--as awarded in a secret will--grants full control of the de Nolo dynasty to the Muteccian Principality.



The Kingdoms of Sevola & Mutecci reigns over 4,700,000 citizens and bolstered a strong diplomatic position within the Lavarattian group of nations.

March
March 4th
A Dallin meteorologist Ovio Maarkham dubs 1816 the Year Without a Summer. Evidence from the Civitan volcano explosion in Faresia last years seems to have effected global temperatures, dropping them by 1.5 degrees over the entire globe. Heavy snowfalls batter Nostra, Vornehm, Dallin, Azreka and even Gilbradia and Zeelia. The sulfur from this eruption reflected the sun's rays and caused severe global cooling, catastrophic in some locations.

March 19th
The Kingdom of Azreka Armory of Saxor unveils its Musket Model 1816. Easily manufactured, with only 27 separate pieces, the M/16 can be replicated in any armory with similar working parts. The weapon itself weighed less than ten pounds and it was predicted that a trained infantryman could fire four rounds a minute.
[+5% Preparation to Azrekan Army for next 3 turns.]

"The Tyrant has been defeated, that much is for certain. However, an air of unease is growing between Aontas and the motherland, Vornehm. Our countries had been such great friends until the tyrant had spread his influence onto Aontas like a wolf convincing sheep to join it in some unholy union of death and carnage. I feel that Vornehm only holds its grudge due to the Republic of Aontas betraying the trust of my motherland. It is that in why we bear such hatred, it is that in why I can feel the unease growing. I only fear that this air of unease would only grow into a constant bickering, then eventually, war. I cannot allow that to happen, not when the trust between the two had once been that of kindred spirits. Perhaps it is time that Vornehm is the one to begin rebuilding this trust, maybe things can go back to the way that they were used to."
-Heinrich Von Wiewen's personal diary, 1816

The Empire of Vornehm has begun taking steps in order to repair the relations that another nation had ruined, to repair more damage from the Tyrant's war. While the people hold their grudges over the heinous act of betrayal, they will eventually learn that one nation can not be at fault for its predecessor. This is a fact that had been brought to the Emperor himself by the kind-hearted man of Heinrich Von Wiewen. The two had talked for no less than thirty minutes until Emperor Reiter had sent Heinrich off to go repair any mistrust that Aontas may hold towards the motherland.

It was time for new beginnings, everyone knew that, everyone could feel that. The war could no longer be cause to plague the nations of this great continent any longer. However, new beginning may not mean smart ones. The death of a Conrad, the previously ruling Conrad, has spread like wildfire amongst southern Vornehm, bringing concern to their eyes. This concern was not for themselves, but it was for their brethren towards the south. An assault to kill a Kaiser could only lead to future disasters, the people pray that such radicalism does not take the lives of their own ruler.

---

- National Decision - Trade Agreement [Marnland]
- Increase Relations - Trade Agreement [Dallin] @Claw2k11
- Increase Relations - Improve Relation [Aontas] @The Nexerus
- Naval Ship Assignment - None as of now
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities
-Economics [High = -3 Economic Rating/Year]
-Industry [Normal = -2 Economic Rating/Year]

The mood in the Palace of the Parliament was a somber one, nobody was speaking, yet they all seemed to have a displeased look on their faces. For a good several minutes, the large halls were deathly quiet... until the king rose to his feet and spoke in a determined tone.

"We need to this if we are to be taken seriously, good people!" he spoke, and right after, he was countered by his own minister of the interior, Aldius Hennan.

"If we do this, then there's a good chance we won't exist anymore!" he shouted. "Are we all really going to risk our nation just for such a thing?!" he asked and many of Parliament stood up and shouted in support of what he said. "We can't count for other nations to not intervene, so we better not risk this!"

However, the Foreign Minister, Ordian Karmill stood up and spoke in a rather heavy tone, as if chastising two children. "Must I remind you that we do not meet here to discuss only such things?!" he asked, glaring at the both of them. "Now, we need to discuss other issues, for example, the trade offer from the Empire of Vornhem."

Aldius Hennan sighed and sat back in his seat. "I don't see why we shouldn't accept this, it would greatly improve our economy and improve our relations with them." he said, furrowing his brows. "Of course, it will mean that we should keep strong relations with them if we want to keep this trade route."

The king, though still a bit displeased, took a deep sigh. "I agree to this trade route, we need to improve our economy as best we can."

Oridan Karmill nodded and started speaking again. "Now, onto the next issue..." he said. "We need a port if we are to have ANY chance of establishing colonies and projecting our power beyond this continent, I'm sure everyone agrees, however, there will be most likely other nations to oppose us, nations that do not wish to have colonial competitors, or competitors in general when speaking about this sort of thing, so we need to be very careful about this if we are to do it."

Everyone was silent, nobody dared to speak a word, only to nod and murmur in agreement, it would be a great risk to do this, it could alienate many of nations around Dallin, it could even force them to wage war on Dallin itself, however, nobody denied that they truly needed to do this.

"Glad to see everyone agrees... and now onto the most thorniest issue, our army." with that, he looked on at Petrius Matthius, the Minister of War.

"We are simply not ready to do this, our morale is fairly good, but our troops lack any sort of preparation for actual combat, even against such an opponent." he says. "We could try to defeat them by trying to overwhelm them with superior numbers, but that would be a too risky move to take in this case."

"I see... then make sure that our troops will be properly trained by the time we decide to do this, we are going to get only one shot at this, if we miss it, we'll be out for good."

---

- National Decision - Trade Agreement with Vornhem @Lauder
- National Decision - Fabricate Claim on Madeira
- National Decision - Military Exercises [110.000/1.000= -110 Economic Rating]
- Naval Ship Assignment - No Navy
- Demobilization - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities: Economics (High)
Navy (None)
Industry (Normal)
Social Thought (Low)
Military (Normal)

The Kingdom of Madeira had reigned since it's declaration of independence in 799. So culturally attached to the Azreko-Dallins, pacts of mutual friendship kept the fledgling nation secluded from an otherwise active political scene. It's existence was marred by such seclusion, as it was given second hand aid by it's two neighbors and often warred the Batifegalé in the South just to stay afloat. The conclusion was an agrarian economy, a recession in continuation since the 1790's and a corrupt and bloated aristocracy. It's one colony in Mateen floundered, it's 11,000 settlers having starved in the Long Winter of 1802.

On the morning of January 4th, Dallin Chief of the Army Petrus Matthius was called--for the first time since the fall of the Tyrant--to a briefing with his General Staff and the King, Adelius Odrimus, nearly two decades his junior. Per the request, a detailed report of the Dallin Royal Army was offered up. Comparatively, the DRA (Dallin Royal Army) was not as inefficient as initially imposed. With soldiers who were at least sure of themselves, they were at worst ill equipped with Azerkan Model 1789 Muskets and a lack of standardized uniforms.



The Dallin Royal Army comprised 80,000 men with 30,000 mounted cavalry. Among these 80,000 were 12,000 Dallin Infantry of the Line--the elite guard of the fledgling Dallin Army. These soldiers far out skilled the common rifleman. With years more training, minor capacities in hand to hand fighting, discipline, tracking and logistics, they were a nearly self-autonomous infantry unit capable of fighting by it's own, on it's own. The required age for entry was twenty-eight, and many of these men had seen hard fighting in the Tyrant's War and were better because of it. They were easily identified by their sleek white uniforms, and as commented by the Chief of the Army: "So easily to find are they, because it's easier to kill your enemy when they know where to look for you."



The Madeiran Army on the other hand, the intended target of Dallin, was in far worse shape. Numbering 110,000 with an estimated 15,000 cavalry and 68 cannon, the Madeiran Army posed a much larger threat on paper than in the field. Since the 1740's, the average Madeiran soldier was required by law to furnish his own rifle, lodgings and footwear. Their uniforms, given to them by the state, were often a hodgepodge of hand-me-down's. Similarly, the Madeiran soldier was paid poorly compared to the average Dallin. Paid $40 a month by the Dallin state, the average Dallin soldier fetched over twice as much as his Madeiran contemporary. The Madeiran soldier fared an average of $12--officers given the bit at $18--with no room to advance unless by combat.



The Madeiran's however harbored excellence from the Portimau Naval Artillery School, where they churned out naval gunners and field artillery officers at a premier. Using Gilbradian smoothbore field guns, the Madeiran Field Guns were among the best in the world, or as an Azrekan marshal once said: "If they could pay their men enough to stick around and fire the guns."

Two years had passed since the October meeting with the Queen's ministers in her palace. Since that meeting, things haven't improved that much. Due to several mistakes made by local government officials, nothing was done to accept any trade agreements or improve relations with other nations. Queen Mariana Varejão-Medellin issued new government officials to replace the "old, lazy officials." It came to be known as "Batigefaléan Laziness" to the country. After clearing up the mess, she talked about the economy to the people in the coastal city of Bonete. Even known the economy stayed the same for two years, she ensured the masses that it was only "temporary until better research is done." Most of the people were still generally confused by the Queen's decision to do nothing about the economy.

Rogelio Alvizo, the Minister of Interior, defended the Queen's plan on the economy and said to the public in Millares, "Our country has been in wars and a civil war, we can handle another year of economic decline."

Their words led to several small protests in the capital city for five weeks. During that time, the Second Takervian Uprising and Squall's End Riot happened in the matter of weeks. The Queen didn't want to give out any statements on the matters and left international news alone. Until the uprising got more interesting as Deli Husrev Pasha was captured and taken as a prisoner of the rebellion. The Queen, once again, didn't want to be trapped into one side until a clear winner presents itself. Things stayed quiet for the two years as the country slowly rebuilt itself once again.

They requested trade agreements to Azrekan Kingdom and Gilbradia again and waited for their agreements to be approved. This trade agreement was made to Gilbradia again as soon as the "Batigefaléan Laziness" ended, hoping that will in some way influence the return of the Ávila family. The government waited for the right moment to demand the return, not pushing too early or too late. They wanted the remaining Ávila royalty to face punishment, even the children weren't saved. The idea of their punishment was public humiliation and then a public hanging. Afterwards, the Varejão-Medellin families will host a public celebration to proclaim the change in the country. Of course, no-one knew about the plan at all besides the families and high ranking officials. They didn't want the Gilbradin government to turn them down because of the plans. Only time could tell if the government got their request.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Orders
Order 1 → Trade Agreements with Azrekan Kingdom@NecroKnight ~ +11 Economic Rating/Year
Order 2 → Trade Agreements with Gilbradia@Polybius ~ +11 Economic Rating/Year
Order 3 → Increase Relations with Kingdom of Vettucci ~ +3 Relations

Military Orders
Batigefaléan "Orange" Fleet → Eleven Sloops, Seven Second Rates, & Six Frigates → Inner Sea ~ Patrol
Batigefaléan Merchant Fleet → Eleven Sloops, Seven Second Rates, & Six Frigates → Inner Sea ~ Merchant Escort

[Demobilization] ♦ [Mobilization]

Research Priorities
Army → Low (0 Economic Rating/Year)
Navy → None (+02 Economic Rating/Year)
Industry → Normal (-02 Economic Rating/Year)
Social Thought → High (-03 Economic Rating/Year)
Economics → Normal (-02 Economic Rating/Year)

---

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---

With the assassination of Kaiser James Conrad by Pavlonian dissidents, the Empire of Gilbradia issues formal condolences to the Zeelian Empire and extends a hand of friendship to Kaiser Regent Zachary Conrad and his interim government council in hopes of progressing Zeelian-Gilbradian relations.

---

To Ambassador Pavasha Muhmet,
His Majesty King Richard Stuart II sends well-wishes and salutations to the honorable and magnanimous Sultan Ahmid Kaffa IV, and his subjects, may they live long and healthy lives, (roughly translated)

The Empire and his Majesty, King Richard Stuart, views the Taverkian rebels as enemies of the righteous and just rule of a Sovereign Nation and do not take such incidents lightly. The conflict is unfortunate and the Empire will provide 1 dozen military advisors accompanied by 1 regiment (2,600 soldiers, +2 cannon) to aid in resolving the Takervian problem. His majesty also agrees to your terms, save for allowing trade to commence immediately.

The Royal Navy will dispatch an expeditionary fleet to protect the Royal Advisors, Regiment and inspect the Seljuk port-of-call. It would be benificial for all that a Gilbradia Embassy be established in his majesties capital city in order for our two great Empires to further increase relations. His majesty also hopes that the Takervian dilemma will be resolved quickly that his most auspicious and enlightened leader may continue his divine reign. Many blessings,

Signed Lord Aidyn Bowers, Foreign Minister of the Empire of Gilbradia

---

---

ORDERS FORM
- Action 1 Increase Relations with the Sultanate of the Seljuk (+3)
- Action 2 Increase Relations with the Zeelian Empire (+3)
- Action 3 Military Exercises (144,000+33,000+26,000=200,000 / 1000 = -200econ)
- Naval Ship Assignment
Home Fleet ; 11 First Rate ; 26 Second Rate ; 26 Frigate ; 26 Sloop (Protecting Gilbradia)
Colonial Fleet ; 4 First Rate ; 10 Second Rate ; 26 Frigate ; 2 Sloop (Protecting colonies)
Seljuk Fleet ; 3 First Rate ; 8 Second Rate ; 4 Frigate (Heading to Seljuk Waters)
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities
- Army / Low (0)
- Navy / Normal (-1)
- Industry / High (-3)
- Social Thought / NONE (+2)
- Economics / High (-3)

---

---

Your Royal Majesty, Holy appointed to rule justfully and rightously by Thy Lord, Sultan Ahmid Kaffa, Emperor of Seljuk and Thy respective Peoples and Realms.

It had come to my, King Alfonso Sebastian I. of the House of Lovoure and the Monarch of the Plebina, attention that at this moment a series of incients of violent uprisings are taking place in thy provinces, of which the peoples of Takervia have resided since time immortal. Their reasons for taking up such violent arms against You, their monarch and leader for many lives I do not support nor understand. Suchs acts of disobidience should not be tolerated.

I, King Alfonso I. of Plebina, send my best wishes and hopes for peace to You and your peoples, especially after our world just shook of the shackles of War after many years of Death and Destruction.

I must, however, also send my concerned thoughts to Thy Excellence, Sultan Ahmid Kaffa, about the lives of Thy people. While their unlawfull revolt against Thy Majesty are not justified, Thy peoples most certainly are still Thy peoples. Thy role as their Sultan should be to guide them and take care for them in time of peril, even if they may not deserve it.

This must not come as an insult to Thou, Your Majesty; on the contrary. This revolt against your rule needs to be put to an end, but the lives of Thy people should be taken great care for. Remember that Thou Lord, be it Yours or Mine, will judge us all at our live's end.

May Thou Lord look upon You and Your House, most beloved Sultan Ahmid Kaffa.

"...Please send this as fast as possible, I don't want to write any more letters of congratulations or condolences tonight..."

-"Most certainly, Your Majesty."

The servant promptly picked up the hand-written letter and left the King's private office, leaving the King and Queen alone in the dimly lit room. Queen Beatrice had been sitting at the other side of the room, reading a book of unknown content - at least to the King.

"I hope you are done working today, Dear, you've been doing nothing except writing those dreadfully long letters and documents all day long." Queen Beatrice said calmly from her book, briefly shooting a glance up at her husband of now over 30 years ever since the 10 year older man proposed to a duchess of a small Lavarattian monarchy.

"I hope so too, Bea darling. But I have the nagging feeling that..."

Alfono's voice was cut off by the sudden knocking on his door, followed by an eire silence from the King and Queen.

"...Yes, what is it Marcus? I know it's you."

The door opened quietly, it having just been oiled after the Royal Family not having been in their holiday residence for many, many years. In stepped a young man, perhaps no more than 25, with a finely trimmed moustache sitting on his face. Not to mention the large bags under his eyes, signs of a man on a very long shift.

-"Your Majesty, I do hope I'm..."

"Marcus. I am tired, I have been writing and working ever since I woke up this morning and I am not in a mood for formalities just now. So please, in the name of God tell me what it is I need to write or sign or whatever it is you want me to do?!"

"Alfonso dear, don't let your anger go out on poor Marcus, he's been working just as long as you today."

"Yes, yes Bea. My apologies Marcus, I am just tired. Now please, what is the matter?"

-"Not much, Your Majesty, just a couple of quick matters to attend to. First, the Ufficio estero wants you to send a letter of condolences to the Empire of Zeeland since Kaiser James was assasinated."

"Oh yes, that. Hmmm..." Alfonso sighed, running his fingers through the greyening hair, before reaching out that hand towards the man. "Fine, I'll do that. And what else was it?"

-"Not pleasent news from Tarrantia: the rioters have still not ceased their strikes, and are threatening to attack the owners of the wharves and anyone assisting the newly hired labour."

"I find great irony that I just wrote a letter to the Sultan, asking him to consider the lives of his citizens, while I'm signing an order to have the Army stop this riot. Here you are, Marcus, the signed order to Silvano Drago. Anything else?"

-"I'm afraid so, though I made sure to save the best for last: Your Majesty and the Queen are both invited to the opening of an ophera house in Tarazzo next year."

"Oh that sounds lovely, doesn't it Alfonso? We must go, it would be rude of us to not do so." Queen Beatrice exclaimed, a face of joy filling her face as she stood up from her chair and walked over to her husband. "It's been too long since the Royal Family went abroad, hasn't it?"

"It has, my beautiful Bea. Send word that We accept the invitation and hope that the opening will be splendid."

---

The Royal Family had already been invited to the opening of an opera the year before. Gioachino Rossini's opera buffa The Barber of Tetrino at the Teatro Marco in Marsie, had been a smashing succsess in a sense for both the opera and the Royal Family. They had both enjoyed a highly acclaimed opera, and at the same time shown themselves as still the representatives of Plebina in an official setting in a time where they needed to show strenght and unity. The Dockyard Riots from the previous year had gone on far too long, and ended in the military putting an end to it. While seeing itself as an open society, the crushing of the riot had been thouroughly kept down in all channels of publications and media, a scratch in the paint that the Royal family wanted nothing of.

So the Royal Family and the Plebian government did their outmost to show the world themselves from their best side when they began their official visit to the Free City of Tarazzo. But the most important events of that February day, one colder than anyone before, took place behind the scenes.

"Mr. Risso, what a pleasure it is to meet you again."

Manfredo Bellino enjoyed being back in more familiar terrain compared to the vaste nothingness of Osladia, especially when he was invited to a grandious event at the expense of Plebina's neighbour; the free citizens of Tarazzo, a place of culture and history, both loved and hated in Plebina Proper. In front of him stood an older man, with just as wide a smile as Bellino had himself.

-"Foreign Miniser Bellino, the feeling is mutual. Have was the welcoming-committie?"

"Lovely, as expected and hoped for. You can be assured that your presence would be celebrated with just as much joy as we was met with tonight."

The pair of diplomats, politicians, men of words and not swords, stood in a large room, large curtains hiding the mass of people that was standing at the outside; the opening of the opera was just over, and now the opera of the night was soon to start. The fact that neither foreign ministers of the countries attending was at their seats was surely whispered and gossiped about, but history books would many years later recall the event taking place: History in the making.

"I'd like to congratulate you on your opening of the new opera; the building is a marvel of Lavarattian engineering, isn't it?"

-"Tarrazian engineering, you must surely mean?"

"That too, my dear Foreign Minister, that too. I did not mean to offend you, but we speak the same language and are as brothers, are we not?"

-"Under the same God, of course. I am just not accustomed to such talk of brotherhood, especially not since the Great Tyrant was defeated."

"Indeed, it was the rhetoric used by Titus Junius Cato during the war. But the word, the idea of Brotherhood is still used by some. I of course mean it in a sense of history and religion, nothing more that friendliness. Is that wrong?"

-"As long as it is not used for rallying people to war, I guess not."

"Indeed, the actions of the Great Tyrant musn't be repeated."

-"I'd give a toast to that, my dear Foreign Minister, if I had a glass of wine."

"We'll surely have more than a few glasses by the end of the night. But to the matters at hand. We would like to open a permanent embassy here in Tarazzo, to ensure that matters involving us both runs as smoothly as possible."

-"Like what, if I may ask?"

"Oh, just to pick one important one; trade. Ever since our trade increased with the outside world once again, making sure tariffs and customs are upheld and regulated properly, especially if said trade might go between our two countries."

-"Well I cannot argue against that, I think that is a fair proposition."

"Great! That leads me to my next point on the agenda. The Plebian government, under the rightous rule of King Alfonso I., wants to place a permanent official in your goverment, to ensure that said policies are not threatened."

-"...I beg your pardon?"

"It is rather simple, Mr. Risso. A representative from the Plebian state will be present in the Tarazzo government. In any matter that involves Plebina or anything related to her, must have the Plebian representative asked for his advice. Nothing more, nothing less."

-"That sounds an awful lot like giving away certain parts of our sovereignty, Mr. Bellino. I do not think our government will like the sound of such a proposition."

"It doesn't have to like it."

-"I...is that a threat?"

"Not at all, my dear friend! Like I said, the representatives presence is nothing more than a formality that cooperation between Plebina and Tarazzo runs as smoothly as possible. He just needs to give advice, not veto anything you offer or are offered."

The Tarazzo foreign minister stood quietly, leaning against a table that stood in the corner of the room, thinking. Foreign Minister Bellino, still smiling and straightening his clothes, continued.

"And besides, Foreign Minister Risso, you said it yourself. the actions of the Great Tyrant musn't be repeated. Including your country's and government's legitimacy. While we do not question the existance of Larazzo, the status of Free City given to you by none other than Titus Junius Cato is troublesome. And no, Mr. Risso, this is no threat. Threatening others is not very Lavarattian, don't you agree? Now, let us not bicker like enemies; there's an opera to enjoy, my dear friend! And wine, lots of wine!"

---

---

- Action 1: Trade Agreement with Kingdom of Boccia
- Action 2: Improve relations with Free City of Tarazzo
- Action 3: Put down revolt: (10 000 Elite Alpini [-1 unrest] + 60 000 Soldiers [-3 unrest]= -4 unrest in Fussolia)
- Naval Ship Assignment - Merchant escort in Inner Sea
- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]
- Research Priorities:

• Army (Medium)
• Navy (Normal)
• Industry (Medium)
• Social thought (High)
• Economics (Normal)

The Honourable Gard Soren, Minister of the Army, has today announced the remilitarization of Korsen Fortress. Built in 1713 by King Sverre III, the Korsen Fortress guarded Kienne's seaward approaches for over 90 years, before being eventually demilitarized by the republican administration in 1804. The fortress was shut down as a cost-cutting measure, and the expense of both reactivating the fortress and maintaining it into the future is expected to be significant. However, long seen as a symbol of the strength of the monarchy, Minister Soren says that the fortress' reactivation will both significantly improve the security of the Kingdom of Aontas as well as serve as a symbol of the end of republican reign and the revitalization of the military.

"The white lion of Aontas flying high above Korsen's walls, flanked by Krigers and cannons, is a sight that will inspire all of our kingdom's citizens to greatness—our serving men especially," the Minister remarked. The nation's foremost military commanders are strongly in favour of the plans, arguing that they will help to address significant deficits in national defence that were allowed to worsen during the Catonianic Wars. In addition to the costs of refurbishing and resupplying the Korsen Fortress, significant investments are also being made in improving the equipment of the Royal Army, including issuing new firearms for standard infantrymen and a much improved health regimen for cavalry horses.

Minister Soren's contemporary in the naval ministry, The Honourable Edvard Holtan, has laid out his own simultaneous plans for military revitalization. The ships-of-the-line of the Ducal Fleet of Folamsiar are scheduled for the phasing in of an improved rigging system, Minister Holtan announced, and the Royal Fleet of Aontas is set to be deployed to the Halsteren Strait for a naval exercise. Commenting on the planned exercise, a mock embargo of the strait, Mr. Holtan remarked, "As Norstra's foremost military power, it is essential for the security of all nations in the region that the Kingdom of Aontas be experienced in operating in all possible theatres of conflict. The Royal Navy must be entirely comfortable with deploying along any and all of Norstra's environs, including and especially those of particular importance to the south."

---

A Letter Bound for Zeelington

Dear Kaiser Zach Conrad,

I wish to convey to you—with the the greatest sincerity—both my own condolences and the condolences of all Aontas towards your present situation. The crime inflicted upon your father is utterly unforgivable. I hope and pray that those terrorists responsible for the events of October 3rd suffer for their deeds to the fullest and most grievous extent, both of mortal law and divine precept. If the Kingdom of Aontas or myself could offer assistance in bringing the perpetrators to justice, in any small way, I plead with you to ask. To assassinate an Emperor is a terrible political offence, which initiates a long process of national healing; to steal a father from his son is a personal offence, and a wound which can never be fully healed. My late mother, Maria II, taken from us before her time by men as vile as those who took your father, would not have stood for such barbarism. Nor shall I. The Kingdom of Aontas condemns, in the harshest terms, the murder and treason which took place inside the Zeelian Palace on October 3rd. We will accept any actions taken by you or your government to inflict justice upon the perpetrators of those events. The world is you, Kaiser.

Sincerely,

King Sverre IV, King of Aontas, Grand Duke of Folamsiar.

---

Action 1: Military Exercises. [-57 Economic Rating, +8% Preparation]
Action 2: Military Exercises. [-57 Economic Rating, +8% Preparation]
Action 3: The Korsen Fortress: During the 1700's, the Korsen Fortress long protected Kienne from intruders from the sea. If we were to refurbish and resupply the fortress, it could return to it's status as a stalwart against foreign aggression.
- Korsen Fortress [Level III] is reactivated. [-3 Economic Rating/Year. -48 Economic Rating.]

[Demobilization] - [Mobilization]

Naval Ship Assignment

Royal Fleet of Aontas; 1 First Rate, 5 Second Rates, 4 Sloops, 8 Frigates. [Conducting Exercises in Halsteren Strait (North Eastern Sea)]
Ducal Fleet of Folamisar; 1 First Rate, 6 Second Rates, 5 Sloops, 7 Frigates. [Home Port Kardal (North Eastern Sea)]

Research Priorities

Army — Low
Navy — Low
Industry — Normal [-2 Economic Rating/Year]
Social Thought — High [-3 Economic Rating/Year]
Economics — Normal [-2 Economic Rating/Year]

Throughout 1815 a crisis had been bubbling within the Tsardom, the crisis of succession. Though the Tsar was not ill of health, the Imperial election inevitable and the Osladian Tsardom would need to choose who would be the candidate for all Oslad when the time came. However, this also was the point of contention. Within the laws of the Imperial Tsardom, only males could be considered candidates for the throne. However, the only male heir for Oslad was one that both the Tsar and his council did not see as fit to rule. The sixteen year old and liberal in education Anton was one that, if chosen, would certainly fail to gain the support of those within Oslad and the Imperium abroad. This caused a crisis for the Osladian government, on one hand it was utterly illegal for a female to be considered a candidate and much less electable, on the other Oslad would certainly lose her Imperial seat should they choose the young Anton. Thus, seeing no other option the Tsar made a decision that not even his council had considered viable.

On November 16th, 1815 the Tsar proclaimed to the entirety of the Imperial Tsardom a change in Imperial law for the first time in the history of the Imperial Tsardom. Thus, the declaration of Pragmatic Succession came into existence. In the Tsar's proclamation, he stated that the law would be redacted and female heirs of all dynasties would be allowed candidacy in the Tsardom. Obviously, uproar was soon to follow and nobility from across Oslad and the Imperimum decried this as an act of liberalism and treason. However, the Tsar's decision was final and Katerina Matzow Manevski, under the styling of Tsarina Katerina I, would remain heir apparent to Oslad and the Imperial candidate within the Tsardom. Of course, the Tsar nor any of the nobility of the time were aware of the long lasting impacts this decision would have on not only the Tsardom and Oslad, but the world. Historians today state that the future Tsarina would go on to form a new cultural styling within the Tsardom and a 'era' would become her legacy as the first Tsarina.





Since the wars of succession and the Osladian-Massau crisis of the 17th century, Oslad and the Kingdom of Tangary had been strongly bonded by blood and history. Indeed, the Tangars were so culturally tied to the Osladian Tsardom that many of the Iron Guard's cavalrymen, the elite of the entire nation, were predominantly Tangar. Thus, it came as no surprise when the Osladian Tsardom continued her efforts to hold strong relations with the Tangar Kingdom.

To the west, and a cultural opposite to the Tangar chiefs, the Osladian Tsar continued his efforts to please his neighbors in Boccia and Plebina. For many years the economic trade hub of the southern Tsardom was one that Oslad had on and off relations with. Boccia in particular had proven to be a friend one decade and then a fierce rival the next. Indeed, the Osladians and the Boccians were a love-hate relationship to the core and the Tsar knew this well. However, the Wars had only just ended and now more than ever did Oslad need strong friendships especially with those who had both money and manpower. Thus, delegations were sent to both nations and in the coming years trade would prosper between Oslad and Plebina, with Boccia taking more time and effort to bring into the fold.

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- Action 1 Trade Agreement with the Kingdom of Plebina (@ONL)
- Action 2 Increase Relations with Kingdom of Boccia (+3 Relations)
- Action 3 National Decision - Katerina Matzow

- [Demobilization] - [Mobilization]

- Naval Ship Assignment
1st Osladian Imperial Fleet - 1 First Rate, 4 Second Rates, 6 Third Rates, 8 Sloops - Coastal Patrol Duty
2nd Osladian Imperial Fleet - 5 Second Rates, 5 Third Rates, 8 Sloops - Merchant Escort
Osladian Merchant Fleet - 10 Privateers - Merchant Escort

- Research Priorities
Army - Low
Navy - Low
Industry - High [-3 Economic Rating/Year]
Social Thought - Low
Economics - Normal [-2 Economic Rating/Year]