[IC] The Age of Imperialism (Early 20th Century Nation RP)

[Theodorable]

THE AGE OF IMPERIALISM

1900

January 7th: Prospectors in southeast Honnerian Serranthia discover several sources of oil, much to the acclaim of the Honnerian Prime Minister Jacques de Landre. Citing it as the "doorway to Honnerian greatness in the 20th century," Honneria begins construction of extraction facilities immediately.

January 9th: Three indentured Faresian workers in Flulin in the Soroyan Faresia kill a Soroyan trader, but are later captured and held trial. They are found guilty and sentenced to hang.

January 10th: Huge efforts to begin building additional infrastructure in Deltora get underway to increase trade and transportation.

January 16th: While on exercise, an unnamed Pre-Dreadnought of the Soroyan Royal Navy experiences a breakdown when it's boiler loses pressure. It is subsequently towed back to port at Sikea to be repaired. Technicians suggested that it is simply a weathered and old ship.

Soroyan Pre-Dreadnought, circa 1900

January 17th: Heavy summer storms batter the eastern Anvegadian islands. Several hundred homes are damaged in Fallkeep, but farmers expect this will help the year's harvest.

January 20th: The Grand Fleet of Deltora lays down the keel to a submarine, expecting to be completed sometime in the fall.

January 27th: Georges Savanik, Foreign Minister of the Anvegadian Empire sends his appreciation for Honnerian attitudes in Serranthia, extending a hand of friendship. Honnerian Foreign Minister Hemsley and Savanik meet in Summerwall to discuss possible collaboration, but Savanik's hands are tied, as the central premiership decides it is unable to forego any funds to help Honnerian drilling on the continent.

February

February 2nd: The Anvegadian Empire lays down the keel for a destroyer named Pike, expected to be finished in 1901.

February 3rd: Riots in the Survaek city of Kafu break out over grain shortages. The local police manage it, but work in the city halted for nearly a full day. Tensions remain high in the great empire, as blossoming cultures have given rise to the idea of states independent of the sickly Survaek hegemony.

A grain barge leaving the Survaek city of Kafu, circa 1900

February 5th: Chairman Volkov of the Anvegadian Empire announces a modernization plan to match it's long time rival Deltora. Construction on a complex of factories and tracks of railroad begins in earnest.

February 12th: A light cruiser and two destroyers set sail from Avenhold in the Anvegadian Empire and head south to protect Honnerian holdings as a gesture of good will. The Honnerians, who's navy is antiquated and ramshackle, graciously applaud the effort, though say it is unnecessary, as tensions in Varius and Serranthia are at an all time low.

Anvegadian Light Cruiser, circa 1900

NATION BUDGETS REQUIRED
-- Deltora
-- Anvegad
-- Survaek
-- Soroya

[AspenIvan]

1900, Year of the Prophet

It is a time of change for the Empire. Peasants are moving to the cities, some by choice and others by force, to work in the rapidly growing and modernizing Crown Manufactories. Those left in the countryside feel the impact of the 1892 Land Reform, as soldiers and state agents gradually abolish more and more of the old, corrupt feudal estates of the Old Empire. For many, it means newfound security and prosperity. For others, it means the loss of their ancestral tenant plots, and they must decide whether to hire themselves out as agricultural day laborers or move to the cities like many before them; neither fate is kind. The Raethonites, long neglected and oppressed, are now permitted to serve in the Imperial Bureaucracy, the professional army (Surv-Akur), and the navy (Surv-Vyaez). Millions who practiced their heathen religions in secret are now allowed freedom of public worship, so long as they sign pledges of loyalty to the Crown. But many of these same communities, formerly out of reach of the incapable Imperial Bureaucracy, are now expected to pay their taxes in full and on time or else face a visit from the re-invigorated Surv-Akur.

The good, the bad, the uncertain, there is one thing these trends all share. They are all new, and everything new is the work of Emperor Shayaer.

-----

The Emperor involuntarilty blinked just a moment after the camera flash. He hoped the photograph didn't catch that, because he wasn't going to sit for another one. With a gentle wave of his hand, the camera crew was gone along with their tripod and portable curtains. The Emperor stood. Now he could get to business.

“The Court will bow!” announced Grand Vizier Ayan Sujjid, a short but well-built man with a brown complexion and grey eyes, dressed in red and blue with plenty of gold finery to mark his position. All manner of officials sitting along the immense table of the Royal Council quickly slid their seats out and shot upright before bowing deep towards the head of the table, where the Emperor stood on his finely-carpeted dais. The Vizier bowed too, of course, from the corner where he always stood, closest to his liege of anyone.

“All hail his Majesty Shayaer Khaitis, first of his name: Chief of the Khaitis, King of Byrnia, Master of Raethon, Lord of the Holy City of Messara, Guardian of the Audejjai Sea, Sword of Aed, Rightful Heir of Raegar the Prophet, and Grand Survaek Emperor!”

“All hail the Emperor!” called back the assembled bureaucrats and commanders, still bowing low before Shayaer. Only when his Majesty raised his right hand did they permit themselves to rise. When he let his hand back down, they permitted themselves to sit.

“My loyal Council,” Emperor Shayaer began, speaking with a measured tone and no hint of mere platitude, “it is a comfort to see all of you assembled here today.” Indeed, everyone in the room had every reason to be loyal. Their predecessors, steeped in corruption and archaic ways, had all been killed upon Shayaer's bloody ascension to the throne. His enemies called it Shayaer's Purge, but the men assembled here preferred Shayaer's Restoration.

“I am sure all of you are as distraught as I am about the events in Kafu two weeks ago.” Several murmurs of approval rose from the assembled officials. “Thanks to the competence and bravery of the City Watch, order has been maintained, but I fear this is not the last time my Southern subjects rise in insubordination. I rid them of the corruption of the landlords and the cruel priests, but now new corruption has stepped in to replace them. Filthy foreign ideas of so-called 'national self-determination,' which go against everything the Empire stands for. I need your counsel, my skilled friends, on how to fight this plague. What shall I do to remind the Raethonites that their strength is in the Empire, not a dozen self-governing duchies ready to be eaten by greedy foreigners?”

“My lord, there are still too many bastions of feudal backwardness in the countryside!” exclaimed a young general, shooting upright. “We of the Surv-Akur have failed to depose the landlords who suck the peasants dry! We have acted too slowly, like tortoises whose every hesitant step takes endless contemplation! But only give us the order, and we will redeem ourselves! We will fall down on the tyrants like a great wave and wrest the land from all of their wicked hands in one fell swoop!”

“Preposterous!” shot back a white-bearded commander with the coal eyes and skin of a Byrnian, pulling himself upright and supporting his frame with his hands on the table as he leaned in to face his counterpart. “If we take them on all at once, they will arm themselves and unite against us! They will spread lies among the peasants and stir them against us too! You slander the Surv-Akur with your accusations, ignorant of the great progress we have made! If you will only be patient, we will restore the countryside, one estate at a time!”

“The landlords are not the problem, my lord,” proposed another, younger Byrnian man with a thin frame covered by a thick navy uniform. “Ever since the death of Vokoryn II, son of the Great Yvor, the Empire has sat on its heels like an old dog, backing away timidly from every threat. The Raethonites will be loyal, just as they were loyal to Yvor, if the Empire can restore its former power and glory. In your wisdom you have reformed and rebuilt the Surv-Akur and Surv-Vyaez. For years we have drawn up plans to reclaim our lost lands to the South and West. Do not hesitate to send us to battle, your Majesty.”

The fourth voice to chime in was none other than the Vizier himself, and the Emperor smiled when he heard him speak. Although he looked like a Khaitis, it was no secret that Sujjid was of mixed Raethonite blood, and appointing him highest authority outside of royal blood had provoked discomfort from many older officials (some who later disappeared under mysterious circumstances). Yet, Emperor Shayaer seemed to trust the man more than anyone else, perhaps even more than his own wife and children.

“My lord, there is wisdom in what everyone has said so far,” he acknowledged. “But, if I may be so bold, I would propose that the rioters, though nothing can justify their treason, had valid grievances.” Grumbles immediately filled the room, but a stern wave from the Emperor silenced them before they could get too far. “These were city-dwellers,” the Vizier continued, “not peasants, so the landlords probably had nothing to do with it. And the uprising was clearly in response to the issue of the grain shortage, which leads me to believe power and glory alone will not prevent further disturbances. I believe the problem ultimately lies in the middle ranks of the bureaucracy. Rumors have it that officials in Kafu are quietly seizing all manner of produce for themselves and locking them up in the Crown granaries, so they can force prices upward and eventually sell the food for a great profit. You rooted out corruption in the bureaucracy once, and I have no doubt that in your wisdom you will continue to do so. Give me the command, and I will organize an investigation into the matter, find the culprits, and bring them before you in chains.”

“Fascinating,” spoke the Emperor, smile widening into a grin. “Your eyes deftly discern the root of the problem, as always, my dear friend. You boldly speak words no one else will, no matter the challenge they present me. Aed smiles upon you! Organize the investigation at once!”

He turned his gaze to the rest of the table, expression growing more stern. “For the last time, I will not permit insults against my chosen men at these meetings, neither Vizier Sujjid nor anyone else. Hold your tongues and consider the will of Aed before moving them.” His eyes slid towards the old general who had spoken earlier. “Now, General Klawu, I understand your caution, but General Jheutu is not as naïve as you think. You are right to celebrate the progress of the Surv-Akur against the landlords, but that very progress is why your younger comrade has a point. We have weakened the feudalists enough, now is the time to deliver the killing blow. I want you all to work together on this: Bureaucrats, identify and make a list of the names and locations of the remaining landlords. And then, commanders, organize an assault. I want resources from the navy available here, not just the army. I want the last scraps of the Old Empire expropriated, dead or alive, by the end of the year. It is a new century after all, and we cannot reap the new harvest that awaits us without burning the rest of the chaff. That is an order.”

Everyone at the table bowed their heads in acknowledgment. There would be no more discussion on the subject, only action and results.

-----

“I never thought I'd see the day when we march into the Raethonite countryside,” joked Lieutenaint Gveliu. He barely had time to close his mouth before the camera snapped; moments later the flash hit his eyes. He squinted, but did not blink; he was used to this by now. Corporals Jareyu and Nel had hardly gone a day without taking a photograph ever since Nel's cousin had mailed them the damn machine. At least now there was something worth documenting.

“I don't know why the Surv-Akur needs the help of the marines for this, but we might as well enjoy the weather!” chimed in Jareyu with a grin; he was still holding the camera, apparently contemplating whether or not to take a second shot. Everyone in the platoon except Nel was from Byrnia, where even the locals sometimes resented the year-round blistering sun and muggy air. Here the sun was soft, and the shade of a tarp or the occasional tree could offer relief when they needed it.

“Lieutenaint,” spoke the tall soldier by his side, the usually quiet but deep-voiced Sergeant Veliu. “How much farther till the target?”

“Don't you worry Veliu,” the commander replied, “we'll be in on the action after a couple miles. Maybe we'll even get to use our rifles, if the landlord and his lackeys want a fight. But we have to wait on the Army battalion, we're ahead of schedule. You think I'd let these fools snap photos if we weren't?”

“Aye, Lieutenaint.” Instinctively, everyone took a moment to check the chambers of their guns. They weren't going to embarrass themselves in front of the Army by going in with empty or faulty loads, or else the Surv-Vyaez Marines' reputation might never recover.

__________

SUMMARY:
-- The Emperor orders an investigation to determine the cause of the grain shortage in Kafu. The operation is lead by Grand Vizier Ayan Sujjid, who suspects mid-level bureaucrats in the city of seizing and locking away grain to manipulate prices and enrich themselves.

-- The Imperial Bureaucracy, Army, and Navy cooperate in a massive operation to expropriate all of the remaining Old Imperial lords in the Raethonite countryside by force in one fell swoop. The bureaucracy will lead the initial investigation to identify these lords, and the Army and Navy will lead the ensuing military phase.

-- A group of Imperial Marines relaxes in an uncultivated part of the Raethonite countryside while awaiting their Army counterparts. Once they arrive, the two units will move to expropriate a local landlord. The marines are unsure whether it will come to shooting, but if it does they are prepared to fight just as hard as their Army comrades.

[Lone Wanderer]

The Republic of Deltora
1900

---

The People's Palace of Evemont

The People's Palace, one of the few remaining testimonies to the existence of the tyrant that had once ruled Deltora. Built as a status symbol of the old Monarchy with it's Gothic architecture, only itself and a few other structures had not been torn down during the revolution of 1851, instead the palace was put to use as the seat of power of the Republic. A beacon of democracy in a world where divine right ruled all, and the strength of the few controlled the many. Here, the people had a say in the governance of their own land.

The People's Palace of Evemont, a few days before the 1899 elections.

The previous year had seen the 1899 Elections, and with it the changing of governments. When the Republic was formed, it was decided that power would reside in individuals elected into power by the people during elections which would take place every 6 years. Last years saw the victory of the centre-left party "Unity" and the placement of Edouard Geiger as Prime Minister of Deltora with the changing of the cabinet. Thus far, Geiger has appeared a competent Prime Minister and with the turning of the year has introduced the beginnings of an ambitious plan to modernize Deltora's industry to the forefront of the known world and an increase in land tax, much to the disdain of aristocrats and the upper classes.

---

The Treaty of Evemont (1870)

With the changing of the year, it would also mark the date of the 3rd Anniversary and subsequent renewal of the Treaty of Evemont (1870) by the Republic of Deltora and the Kingdom of Soroya. The two nations had once been rivals, however with the overthrowing of the Monarchy and the forming of a Republic, diplomacy would become the preferred tool and negotiations took place to discuss the two nations future within the Capital of Deltora. After several months an accord was to be reached, a declaration of friendship would first mark what would later become a formal alliance announced before the world. Within the coming months, a delegate from Soroya is expected at Deltora so that proceedings might commence between the two nations into the new era.

Terms of the Treaty:

Article 1: Terms of the defensive alliance.
In effect, The Treaty of Evemont (1870) is an insurance policy for both nations, guaranteeing the other support if the current peace is broken by a foreign nation, either by direct hostilities or by hindering her commerce and navigation. In the advent of war, either nation will combine respective military forces, and efforts for the direct purpose of maintaining the liberty, sovereignty and independence of the other in the face of hostilities.

Article 2: Pledge to honour land claims.
Both, the Kingdom of Soroya and Republic of Deltora pledge to honour the others land claims, guaranteeing the other full support in maintaining and preserving said claims.

Article 3: Free Trade Agreement.
Both contracting parties will explore and undertake measures to promote, facilitate and expand trade between the two countries, while also granting the other unrestricted trading rights by land or sea, free of tariff.

Article 4: Open invitation to other nations.
Any other nation, when agreed upon by Deltora and Soroya are free to negotiate terms and conditions for joining the alliance put forth by the Treaty of Evemont (1870).

---

Deltoran Serranthia

In light of the high tensions rising in the neighboring Survaek Empire, the government have deployed 100,000 Deltoran soldiers into Deltoran Serranthia to ensure peace within it's borders, and in protection of it's own land from potential aggression caused by the tensions within the neighboring state. The government of Deltora have also reached out to the Emperor of Survaek and his council with an offer of sending ships bearing grain for the population, to assist in stabilizing the region.

Deltoran soldiers leave the homeland to ensure peace in it's colonial holdings in Serranthia.

---

SUMMARY:
- Mass project of industrial modernization underway.
- Renewal of the Treaty of Evemont (1870)
- Deploying 100,000 Regulars into Deltoran Serranthia.
- Offering to send ships with grain for the Survaek provinces.

[Boop_Im_A_Dragon]

The Kingdom of Soroya
1900

---

A nation that has stood the test of time. Six hundred years of trade and colonialism has brought the nation together. For the last two hundred a sense of democracy and constitutionalism has spread throughout the nation. The people have more power than ever over the king, a power that most would fear, but is embraced in Soroya.

---

Executions to be held

Slavery in Soroya?

January 20th, 1900

On January 9th, three indentured Faresian workers killed a Soroyan trader, and have been sentenced to hang. This has unsurprisingly raised debate in the capital over the treatment of indentured workers, some even arguing that it is “legal slavery.” Though slavery has been illegal in Soroya for nearly three hundred years, indentured servitude as a method to encourage colonial growth was determined as constitutional by the parliament 200 years ago, under the reign of King Henriet.

Since then however, people have argued that though it is possible to earn back your freedom, many owners of indentured servants manipulate documents and often lie in order to maintain a legal form a slavery. This claim has little factual basis however, and has been written off by both the Prime Minister Kevin Notles and King Hann-Riechmanus II in the past.

When asked to comment on the issue, Prime Minister Kevin Notles was quick to the point, “While the death of the Soroyan trader is tragic set of unfortunate circumstances, it has brought back an important issue that must be addressed. Should we allow indentured servitude as a means of encouraging colonial growth? No, it is simply too easy to abuse that kind of power.” This opinion didn’t come as a surprise to many, Kevin Notles has been adamant about the freedom of the people since taking up his position as prime minister three years ago. With two years left on his first term, many are curious to see what he does next.

Soroyan official interrogating local village in an attempt to find criminals

---

The treaty of Evemont (1870)

In celebration of the third anniversary of the treaty of Evemont, King Hann-Riechmanus II has sent a royal delegate to resign the document. Bringing nothing but goodwill and kind wishes, both the king and prime minister of Soroya are eager to continue current relations with the Deltoran people. Even sending two trade ships to continue the mutual exchange of goods between their nations.

First signing of the treaty of Evemont, circa 1870

[Skylar]

The Empire of Anvegad
1900

Fallkeep Daily

The traditional bastion of the Northern Territories of Anvegad was recently struck by a series of severe Summer storms. Several hundred homes were destroyed, but civilian losses were thankfully low and farmers report their fields appreciate the

Colonel Kessler, of the Fallkeep military garrison, immediately mobilized local troops to assist in rescue work and clearing roads to assist in rebuilding. Anvegad High Command since commended the Colonel for his initiative and have ordered additional 5,000 army sappers and troops to be transported into the region to assist, a demonstration of the Empire Army's abilities to protect its citizens from threats both afar and from nature.

* * * * * *

Anvehold High Command

In accordance with Chairman Volkov's recent statement on the need to further expand and consolidation of the Empire's industrial holdings, new effort is being placed to improve the economic status of the Empire.

By order of General Fedrickson of the Fourth Army, another 1,500 troops are dispatched to the Sarelian Islands in preparations for further exploration and expansion of the Empire's holdings in the distant yet potentially valuable islands, in conjunction with deployment of two destroyers and a light cruiser from the Home Fleet to escort and support them. Expansion plans of the colonies are also tabled to be discussed by the inner council pending reports from prospectors in the colonies and to be sent out.

Meanwhile, the Chairman enters into several closed-door meetings with his diplomatic and foreign advisors on potential of bolstering Anvegad industries with partnerships with foreign powers. Besides overtures of good will and partnership with Honneria, no major foreign policy has been decided yet due to domestic matters occupying much of the Chairman's time, but it is clear the Northern States will play a major factor into the future plans of Anvegad.

Summary
- Anvegad moves 5,000 military troops to Fallkeep to assist in rescue and rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
- 1,500 Regulars, 2 destroyers, and a light cruiser are dispatched to the Empire's colony in the Sarelian Islands to prepare for further expansion of the Empire's colonial holdings, along with prospectors to look for new resources.
- Anvegad focuses on expansion of its industries and railroads, possibly with foreign investments and partnerships, although no formal offers are sent as of yet besides minor overtures of good will to Honneria.

[Murtox]

The New Republic Of Kalpia-Year 1900

Kalpian News

In three Kalpian provinces the state has started to invest projects to increase the amount of railroads in the nation , giving several incestives to the companies interestred in making a contract with the goverment , the people seem to approve the intervention of the goverment as this would create several jobs and establish fastest routes for the factories in our nation to get the raw materials they need to keep producing finished goods and the weapons of our army , aswell the new routes would be used for civil transportation between cities . In total the goverment will spend around $12,000,000,000 for the finished project.
This information was given by our transparent goverment.

In other news the famous inventor Dieter Gregor the creator of the famous Mariust/98 bolt rifle has been financed again by the goverment to start working in a new rifle for the army , this is the iniciative of the goverment to protect its citizens from the tyranical autoritarism of some countries , in the military sector this is not all the factories of the nation have too received several orders from the goverment to start producing small caliber cannons and several goods for the army such as clothes and canned food .

Continuing the universities in Kalpia has started to admit more students , thanks to two things , first the improvement of the education in the country and several plans to support the poor with capabalities of study to enter in a university.The Colonial provinces has some basic education but this the goverment plan still applies for them so it shouldnt be strange to see some Sarelians in the capital on the future.Most of the people should not be afraid of them because the Native of Sarelia will have to pass several extra exams to incorporate into the Kalpian society.

Some clubs in the capital has pronounced againts the monarchy in Survaek calling them corrupts and ineffiecent after the riots of grain in said country , because of this they have tried to talk with the goverment directly calling for their action in sending supplies for the poor in Survaek under strict vigilance of Kalpian Soldiers , the goverment has not given any more information as they are currently discussing what to do about it .

[Theodorable]

THE YEAR 1900

March 2nd: At a recent showing in northeastern Kalpia, the Sirilt 99 Bolt-Action Rifle was unveiled. A skilled team of marksmen within the Kalpian Army were set before a crowd of military delegates from all over Varius, including two rather ornately dressed Surveak military personnel. With stunning accuracy at range and a smooth bolt mechanism, the Kalpian invention quickly proved itself to be the premier rifle in the Known World.

Kalpian soldier test firing the Sirilt Model 99 Bolt-Action Rifle

March 5th: The Soroyan Army begins an expansion program, accepting an additional 10,000 volunteers to be trained up sometime next year.

March 14th: The investigative committee under supervision of Grand Vizier Ayan Sujjid discover that much of the grain shortage is simply due to a poor harvest in 1899 and preliminary reports indicate that 1901 should be plentiful. Still, regional governors indicate that the people are unimpressed with the current regime in power.

March 21st: The Soroyan Navy lays down the keel of a submarine, expected to be finished and ready for commissioning by the end of the year.

April 2nd: The Kalpian Army hires several Deltoran Army officers to begin instructing them in defense in depth tactics and utilization of trenches to absorb enemy assaults. The Kalpian High Command believes they'll have a better understanding in order to train their troops sometime in 1903.

April 25th: The Empire of Zellonia begins modernizing, laying down the beginnings of several important rail hubs in the city proper.

April 26th: Preemptive raids by Survaek Marines and Army troops begin raids on several eminent lords who have long resisted centralization in the raid. Most are arrested, their estates seized. A half dozen attempt to resist and are ultimately killed. Without their local dissent in the region, many disenfranchised citizens now turn to the state for aid. (+5 Survaek National Unity)

May 2nd: The Deltoran Colonial Army reaches Port Vail on the northern tip of Serranthia. Port Vail, with a population of only 480,000, now strains to support a garrison much larger than it ever intended.

May 5th: 51 Deltoran Army soldiers are tried and discharged in a military tribunal after a night of debauchery in Port Vail. Many politicians back in Deltora have gone on to question the leader of the colonial army for allowing such debauchery to go on.

May 9th: The Fedrickson Expedition lands north of Anvegadian Sarelia and begins to scout out the existing land. Unlike the flat and tepid plains of the island, north of the island culminates in mountain range and heavy jungles.

May 15th: The unnamed Pre-Dreadnought of the Soroyan Royal Navy was effectively repaired and would be available to commit to seas on May 21st.

May 19th: The Kalpo-Sorenan Corridor, a swathe of land between Soreno and Kalpia experiences some tension as several Kalpian citizens are attacked while journeying on the road. While officially owned by Kalpia, the de jure culture is Sorenan; over 120,000 Sorenans live there, while less than 10,000 Kalpians live in the cities there. Soreno offers no response, and has no military presence in the region.

May 21st: The Pre-Dreadnought of the Soroyan Royal Navy is deemed sea ready.

May 25th: The Fedrickson Expedition, a military expedition led by the Anvegadian Empire sends reports back to Winterhold that the northern tenants of the island are hospitable Sarelians, numbering about 25,000. The mountains are rich in mineral and ores and if colonized will offer great profits and prestige if colonized.

June 2nd: Sometime during the night, several Zellonian Colonial Army units reported movement from the west. Heavy jungle prevented them from seeing what, or who, was moving around, but several shots were fired through the foliage at the soldiers. The garrison commander, a Sarelian colonial, ordered his men to fire back. A short gunfight ensued. The morning after, the Zellonians investigated and found the dead remains of three Kalpian Colonial soldiers.

June 5th: A messenger was sent on the next ship from Memoth to Evanston, where the Zellonian Foreign Minister received the garrison commander's message. An immediate meeting with the Zellonian and Kalpian Foreign Ministers took place.

Sarelian Border Skirmish: It is indisputable that, during the night of June 2nd, colonials from Zellonia opened fire on garrisoned troops in Zellonian territory. The Zellonian Foreign Minister demands an immediate apology from Kalpia for the mishap.

Alleged Kalpian Colonials killed during the June 2nd Incident

KALPIA
* [Offer Apology]: What happened was regrettable. Poorly trained Sarelian colonials on a raid believed they were firing on a nearby gathering of bandits. Kalpia offers an apology to Zellonia for having men in Zellonian territory.
- Kalpia loses 3 Prestige.

* [Stand Firm]: If the damned Zellonians weren't harboring insurgents and bandits, this issue would have never occurred. Kalpia stands firm that it's men attempting to attack criminal elements that have long been pestering Kalpians in the area.
- Kalpia gains 2 Prestige.
- Zellonia gains Colonial War Cassus Belli on Kalpia.

[Murtox]

The New Republic Of Kalpia-Year 1900

Kalpian News

The News about an incident in our colonies are everywhere in the international community , the goverment had to act and so it did , in a largue discussion take place in order to decide what to do, after a speech was given by our president:

"As you all know the Zellonian monarchy had accused us from opening fire to their garrison , a garrison that didnt do its job , several reports from our citizens in the colonies has told us about bandits and criminals that try to get into our territory to raid and steal , the garrison of the zellonians soldiers there didnt do anything about it and so our civilians decided to do something , they asked the commander of the garrison in our colony to send troops to get those criminals and after hearing the voice of our citizens he couldnt say no after all it was his duty to defend them, but after the night three of our soldiers and citizens of our country were dead and we should call them with proudness defenders of the peace.We will admit that those were the orders of the commander of our garrison but we wont admit that it was our fault but instead fault of the Zellonian monarchy which seems to not care too much about their criminals , that kind of things that happens in their colonies only happened four hundred years ago and if the Zellonian people still lives under that kind threat , we should all feel sorry for them . But we will stand firm to protect our citizens and their rights until the end and if the Zellonian monarchy doesnt recognize their rights and the protection we give them , then they are not recognizing our goverment such thing is unnacceptable for a nation of Varius such as ours and if they dare to do that we will take that as an insult to all our citizens ,our nation and ideology."


* Stand Firm: If the damned Zellonians weren't harboring insurgents and bandits, this issue would have never occurred. Kalpia stands firm that it's men were not across the Kalpian border.
- Kalpia gains 2 Prestige.
- Zellonia gains Colonial War Cassus Belli on Kalpia.

Summary:Kalpia will enforce its colonial border with a entire regiment of 10,000 troops

[Theodorable]

THE YEAR 1900

June 9th: After a dazzling speech by the Kalpian President, the Kalpian's decide to stand fast in backing the actions of their men. Tensions in Sarelia between the two nations borders run high. All eyes turn now to Zellonia.

Sarelian Border Skirmish: It is indisputable that, during the night of June 2nd, colonials from Kalpia opened fire on garrisoned troops in Zellonian territory. The Zellonian Foreign Minister demands an immediate apology from Kalpia for the mishap. The Kalpians have defended themselves, and Zellonia's time to answer was now.

ZELLONIA
* This Means War: These accosts to Zellonian sovereignty in the area have been ongoing for too long. It is time that the Zellonian Empire defends rightfully defends it's territories.
-- Zellonia gains +5% National Unity.
-- Zello-Kalpian Colonial War starts.

* This Issue Means Little: The faraway colonies are important, but not important enough to shed blood. We will look past these transgressions, for now and hope our people understand.
-- Zellonia loses 1 Prestige.
-- Zellonia loses 10% National Unity.

June 10th: Honneria sends out a request to Deltora for the possible construction of a Pre-Dreadnought, pending on price.

June 15th: The King of Tramel, Arthur Curé celebrates his 71st birthday, easily one of the oldest monarchs still on the throne. Tramelians celebrate with an immense festival in their capital, Caldwell.

June 16th: The Kharnikovian Empire settles several island colonies in southwest Faresia, beginning it's first overseas territories.

June 21st: The kingdoms of Soroya and Kelric finalize the Treaty of Kormere (1900), to great acclaim to both populations.

June 25th: The Empire of Zellonia declares war on Kalpian Republic, starting the Zello-Kalpian Colonial War.

Sarelia Subcontinent, June 1900

July 1st: Kalpia begins producing an array of military weaponry for the war, anticipating the heating up of the conflict.

July 12th: The marriage ceremony for Constantine XII, cousin of Tsar Aleksandr of the Kharnikovian Empire and Kijek of the Grand Survaek Empire. Both are very minor nobles within their nation's courts, but this is a concrete sign of friendship between the two nations.

[LordZell]

Empire of Zellonia

As nobles of the land found their seats and people stood outside the King spoke
"People of the Empire, after our own brave fearless soldiers were fired upon in our colony during the middle of the night they returned fire. When morning rose they found 3 dead kalpia colonial soldiers. When they found out we demanded an apology instead of simply letting this go, they completely changed the story saying we the people of Zellonia. Were harboring criminals and that we should apologize to them. I say NO SIR. Instead our navy is prepared the troops ready. For we now march to war. HAIL ZELLONIA" The king steps down and the area roars to life with applauds the king smiles then moves quickly to speak with his commanders and admirals.

[AspenIvan]

A Public Report on the Glorious Surv-Akur

Some one-hundred ninety years ago, his Majesty the Great Yvor Khaitis spoke these words upon the Conquest of New Byrnis: “I am the Sword of Aed, and the Surv-Akur is my steel.” Today, the words ring no less true for his Majesty Emperor Shayaer Khaitis. They are the Valorous Ones, the Guardians of the Empire, the Soldiers of Aed. After this week's victory against the last outposts of the Corrupt Generation, the Imperial Press Service now presents to you an account of some of the many courageous units that together form the great war machine of the Empire, with brand-new photographic prints!

_



THE GENERAL INFANTRY

Of the over one-million souls under arms in the Surv-Akur, most perform the role of the humble but hardy General Infantry-man. Folk of all stripes and origins, armed with Surv-Akur Standard Mk II rifles and sword-bayonets, flock to the GI divisions to serve as the backbone of the Army. Khaitis, Byrnians, Messarom, and Raethonites march together, united by their unwavering loyalty to his Majesty the Emperor on Earth and Aed in heaven.

_



THE MOUNTAINEERS

Who watches over the Middle Mountains, from the great peak of Safu to the cliffs of the Northern Audejjai shores? None other than the Surv-Akur Mountain Brigades, sturdy Khaitis and Raethonites drawn from the surrounding hills! Their eyes are keen, their lungs are large, and their skin is thick. And, of course, their courage and devotion are beyond question! Even the training for the Mountain Brigades can be deadly, but these proud citizens of the Empire face every obstacle in the name of Survaek!

_



THE BYRNIAN GUARD

When in 1698 the Great Yvor took the City of Eshar across the Northern Sea, the Byrnian Guard were first past the walls. When in 1734 the Mighty Vokoryn II routed the army of the rebellious Duke Toreyan, it was the Byrnian Guard that led the charge. And when in 1887 his Majesty Emperor Shayaer was forced to destroy the corrupt commanders of the Surv-Akur itself, the Byrnian Guard rallied to their liege and fired the first shots. No other section of the army has a history as long and proud as the Guard, made up of the sharpest and strongest warriors from Greater Byrnia and commanded by the brightest minds of the Great Families of Byrnis. Though their numbers are small today, the Emperor in his wisdom has pledged to restore their numbers to match the Guard under Vokoryn II, sixty-thousand strong!

_



THE FRONTIER WATCH

An old soldier beyond his prime in the Surv-Akur need not abandon his commitment to Imperial Glory. He need only join the young recruits in the Frontier Watch, where together the oldest and youngest of the Army guard our borders against bandits, brigands, smugglers, and foreign meddlers. The platoon in this photograph even took part in the Final Purge of the Corrupt Generation, going so far in their zeal as to bring the heads of the insubordinate landlords and their lackeys to their commander! Some may call this excessive, but we say good riddance to the traitors, and good job to the Frontier Watch!

_



THE IMPERIAL CAVALRY

There is nothing like a hundred galloping horses to remind us of the grand warrior tradition of the Khaitis people, a tradition which lives on today! The Southern Tribes of the Khaitis, still living in the steppes of their ancestors, have the privilege of supplying the Surv-Akur with tough riders and fine horses for the Mounted Divisions. These men are rustic in their ways, but fierce in their martial valor and loyalty. When the Army is on the move, they lead the way as scouts and vanguards, and they are usually the first to engage the enemy!

_



THE ARTILLERISTS

Last but not least in our examination of the Surv-Akur are the Artillery Brigades, the only units in the army where every soldier has a mathematical and mechanical education. These brave souls did not see action in the Final Purge, but make no mistake! They are essential to the Surv-Akur! When enemy armies from the Continent encroach on the sacred land of the Empire, the Artillerists will fill the air around them with fire and smoke and death, perhaps forcing them to turn tail before the infantry even enter range!

_

Of course, there are other sections of the Glorious Surv-Akur that we sadly lack the space to include in this report. They include the Sappers, the Logistical Corps, and the Sharp-Shooters. If you, the readers, are curious to learn more, be sure to pick up the next Weekly Report of the Imperial Press Service. Or, for the more daring and virtuous among you, join the ranks of the Surv-Akur yourselves to see the action in person!

[Boop_Im_A_Dragon]

The Kingdom of Soroya
1900

---

Zello-Kalpian War

People spotted several transport ships leaving Soroyan port this morning heading towards Kalpia. Official reports have stated that it’s purpose is to transfer the newly built Sirilt 99 Bolt-Action Rifle to the Sarelian Colonies. The true purpose however is unknown to the rest of the world. In a striking deal by the Kalpian President the Soroyan ships will be used as neutral trade ships supplying the Kalpian colony during the war.

While not truly invested in seeing the downfall of Zellonia, the offer was simply too great to pass up. Official documents, unofficial to the public, state that after the war Kalpia will give 5 Billion of their GNP to Soroya for the next four years as reward for helping in the war.

When Soroyan ships arrive in Kalpian port they shall transport several thousand Sirilt 99 Bolt-Action Rifles, 40 LACRs, and 20,000 Kalpian men. When they are expected to arrive in the colonies however is unknown. The ships are escorted only by a single destroyed, the SRF Ayas.

SRF Ayas, Circa 1900

[TommyToledo]

Hungry Wolves of the South

The dual monarchy of Vatanno-Galvia was on the warpath once again. Following their victory over Numeria in 1889, the hungry wolves of the south preyed upon their new neighbor. Numerians and their northern neighbors, Salardia, had always been in conflict with one another. The long history of tensions was only broken when Vatanno-Glavian soldiers marched into the Numerian city of Alloris and began their slow expansion into the kingdom from there. However border clashes were on the rise again and it has caught the attention of the Emperor.

Emperor of the domain and king of Galvia, Petris Varelli, was keeping a close watch on Salardia. Varelli wasn't concerned about Numerians perceived injustice of their people against the Salardians. He wasn't interested in the Salardian claims on Numeria. What Varelli was interested in is the coal rich regions of western Salardia. Vatanno-Galvia's factories and rail transportation was in great need of coal. Taking Salardia seemed too irresistible of a chance to pass up for the Varelli.

Goliath

In August of 1900, the cabinet of Vatanno-Galvia met to discuss the matter of Salardia. Petris Valleri, Galvian Prime Minister David Vanelli and Vatannian Prime Minister Simon Bachelli shared the same sentiments. King Ricardo Averro of Vatannia was against the notion. The Chief of Staff, Antonio Avenardo and General of the Army, Fretillo Risonni, both advocated seeking reperations. At the end of the gathering, it was decided that the annexation of Salardia was to commence.

To head the operation was General Alexandro Varma. Varma was affectionately known as "Goliath" to those of the inner circle. Towering at a hight of 7 feet, he was said to demorilize his enemy with his very presence. However his height was not his most prominent feature. He was known as a brutal strategist who would personally crush his opponents before they had the chance to surrender. The Vatannian giant was not fond of politics and saw the battlefield as a "trial for both soldiers and commanders". Emperor Varelli knew he was the right man for the coming invasion.

In September 2 of 1900, 8,000 Vatannian soldiers were deployed to the Salardia border. Officially, their task was to guard against Salardians and police the borders. However those wise enough quickly anticipated Vatanno-Galvia's plans. The 8, 000 soldiers were further bolstered by 5, 000 conscripts being trained at the border. Regular patrols were sent and training exercises became more and more extensive. It seemed like a war was inevitable.

[Murtox]

The New Republic Of Kalpia-Year 1900

Kalpian News

War , The Zellonian monarchy has decided to declare war on us , after the president speech in response to the accusation of Zellonia the things have heated up and so this is the result , the army is already in high alert and the navy is preparing itself to everything , the troops are already preparing to travel to our Salenian Colony , the new weapons presented early this year will go to the battlefield representing all the support we give them , because of this yesterday the president gave an speech in the harbor to rise the morale of our soldiers . The factories had started to work again for the war , thought a limited colonial war the goverment has given several instructions to the civilians in case there is a bombardment in the port or in the city itself , from here in the Kalpian News newspaper we wish the best for the troops in the front and we will pray for the war end .

Military HQ in the Capital
Everyone has already packed and reviewed all the instructions the high command gave to commanders in charge of the theaters of the war , Praviesor will supervise the operations in the homeland , he is expected to protect the citizens of our country until the last soldier , Phaldio will cover the operations on the Salerian islands . Both are trusted by the High command to do their jobs and orders , both had been present in the speech of the president hearing every word with patriotism.

[Theodorable]

The Year 1900
World Tension: 18%
Zellonian Declaration of War on Kalpia (12%)
Vatanno-Galvia stations troops on Salardian border (2%)
Deltora Allies with Soroya (8%)
Survaek Fabricates Claim on Honneria (4%)
Survaek Mobilizes Troops (2%)
Tramel Denounces Vatanno-Galvia (-5%)
Deltora Guarantees Luckland (-5%)

WORLD TENSION 15-40%:
All unaligned nations have +0% National Unity.
All Status Quo nations have +10% GNP boost.
Status Quo nations have +5% National Unity.
Expansionist nations have +5% National Unity.

JULY

July 15th: Military observers on the coast of Vatanno-Galvia spot a large naval fleet from the Zellonian Islands sailing southeast, out to open sea.

July 19th: General Phaldio of the Kalpian Colonial Army orders his soldiers, numbering 27,500 in all, along the Zello-Kalpian axis. Meticulous in nature, he sought first to seek control of the major and minor towns of the province by stationing troops in the northeast as well as in Vierras. Soldiers of the 2nd Colonial Division advanced from the west into the heavy jungles of Zellonian Sarelia, where the Battle of Memoth soon began, with 15,300 Kalpian Colonials assaulting the Zellonian port city of Memoth, defended by 10,000 Zellonian Colonials under General Leroy.

July 20th: Noticing troops on it's borders, the Second Salardian Kingdom sends a delegation to Vatanno-Galvia seeking an explanation for such a clearly militant action.

July 22nd: It was only fortune on Phaldio's side that his contemporary fighting against him saw that he was also a slower, more ponderous commander. A man of more grandeur would have found that General Phaldio saw unfit to attack until his men were all fed and well rested. Probing attacks aside, no major assault had taken place since the Kalpians surrounded the Zellonian city. Phaldio, realizing that the Zellonian Colonial General Leroy was attempting to simply defend his position and not sally out of Memoth, sent a brigade east of Memoth to take control of the road there. He prepared an attack at dawn on July 23rd.

July 23rd: With only seven Narct light artillery guns, General Phaldio ordered a preliminary barrage that fired only a hundred shells into the city proper, then ordered a charge to take the city. The Zellonians defending were poorly equipped and without much training. The Zellonian infantry rifle, the Kadak needlegun was more prone to jamming than firing twenty rounds. Taking defensive lines at man made barricades and rooftops, the Zellonian Colonials began their defense of the city, but it wasn't to last.

General Phaldio orders an assault from the west and the north by two brigades, each numbering 3,000 men. Using superior firepower, they find the Zellonians hesitant to hold their positions and make fast headway into the city.

AUGUST

August 5th: General Leroy of the Zellonian Colonial Army officially surrenders after intense fighting. Over 6,000 Sarelian colonials fighting for the Zellonians are captured and taken as prisoners of war.
Casualties
- Kalpian Republic: 1,785 men
- Empire of Zellonia: 3,597 men.

Battle of Memoth, 1900

August 7th: With the primary port city taken, General Phaldio orders the 1st Colonial Division into Memoth then to head east along the road to capture the remaining Zellonian cities along the coast. They are expected to surrender without resistance and be captured all by the end of August.

August 12th: The TPS Mette, a submarine laid down in early January is finally finished by the Deltoran Republic. It is expected to be officially commissioned by the navy after sea run trials in early January, 1901.

August 13th: Two Zellonian merchant ships and the Zellonian destroyer escort Falkus are sunk off the north coast of New Zellonia in Sarelia by the Kalpian 12th Fleet, based out of Greyhedge in Sarelia. Ordered to sink enemy shipping and immediately return to base without an exact timetable, Rear Admiral Cauro and his fleet of a single light cruiser and three destroyers mingled around New Zellonia, anticipating only unarmed targets.

August 17th: Having set sail from Memoth on July 21st to avoid potential capture from the Kalpians, the 2nd Zellonian Colonial Fleet under Admiral Tavington, set sail to protect coastal shipping in the area before heading toward port at Sucre, New Zellonia.

August 19th: While en route, wireless telegrams informed Admiral Tavington, aboard his flagship the light cruiser ZRS Quaid that Kalpian ships were sinking merchant ships north of the island. Tavington immediately ordered all hands and sailed north along the island, ordering his slower submarines in to port.

August 21st: With the Pre-Dreadnought ZRS Zellox based at Sucre, Admiral Tavington wondered aloud why Zellonian Naval Command ordered it and a half dozen destroyers south to the main island when enemy fleets had been lurking in deeper waters. Not one to disobey direct orders, General Lucius, aboard Zellox, set sail south toward Memoth, while Tavington headed north.

August 23rd: The Kingdom of Tramel Denounces Vatanno-Galvian troop build up on Salardia's border.

August 25th: A submarine laid down by the Kingdom of Soroya is finished. It begins sea trials and is expected to be available for deployment in February.

August 29th: The Battle of North Sucre was a surprisingly even engagement, considering the arrayed forces there. The 2nd Zellonian Colonial Fleet that found the Kalpians sailed with the light cruiser ZRS Quaid and the destroyers ZNS Crossroad and ZNS Home. The Kalpian 12th Fleet met them with the light cruiser Fabreo and the destroyers Rintraxi, Faxasim and Giobe.

At 17:27 the Kalpian light cruiser Fabreo opened up with it's 7" guns and traded fire with the ZRS Quaid. Quaid responded with it's own 7" guns. The destroyers moved in at flank speed, and it was here that the Zellonian action became decisive. Weighing in at a hundred tonnes heavier with four 5" guns instead of 3" for their Kalpian counterparts, Zellonian destroyers were simply in a league all on their own, sighting in and opening fire with lightning speed. The Rintraxi was targeted by ZRS Home and Home's third shell luckily slammed into the bridge and the vessel was soon dead in the water.

Battle of North Sucre (1900)

At 19:15 the Kalpian destroyer Faxasim caught fire after repeated barrages by the ZNS Crossroad, which had become heavily damaged in the fight and limped out of the battle line. By 10:41, the captain of Faxasim gave the order to abandon ship. Fabreo and ZRS Quaid continued to trade gunfire until the sun had eclipsed and the engagement had to break off. Fabreo turned north and made for Greyhedge, while the 2nd Zellonian Colonial Fleet turned back south toward Sucre. The first naval engagement of the war had been a tactical Zellonian victory and a strategic Kalpian victory.

CASUALTIES
- Kalpian Republic: Rintraxi (Destroyer), Faxasim (Destroyer), Fabreo (31% Damaged)
- Empire of Zellonia: ZNS Crossroad (28% Damaged)

ZRS Quaid in the South Sarelian Sea, circa 1900

SEPTEMBER

September 1st: The Zellonian Pre-Dreadnought ZRS Zellox bombards Kalpian positions at Memoth, then turns back west, it's orders having been made defunct by the Kalpian occupation of Memoth and returned to Sucre.

September 9th: A flotilla of fourteen Zellonian ships sailing up the Soroyan Peninsula nearly made contact with an enemy fleet. Admiral Heimdeim of the Kalpian Home Fleet quickly returns to port at Mistburn, clearly outgunned. The Blockade of Kalpia begins.

September 19th: The SRF Ayas and two merchant ships reach Fort Celnaer. They refuel.

September 20th: The SRF Ayas and its two ships reach Greyhedge and unload 20,000 Sirilt Model 99 rifles, 40 Light Artillery pieces and 20,000 Kalpian regulars to defend the island. The SRF Ayas and its convoys head back southeast toward Varius.

September 28th: The Grand Survaek Empire lays down the keel of a submarine, expected to completed in 1901.

OCTOBER

October 1st: The Deltoran Republic officially guarantees the independence of the United Provinces of Luckland.

October 4th: The SRF Ayas and its two merchant ships return to Sikea.

October 9th: Both governments of the Deltoran Republic and the Soroyan Kingdom ratify the Treaty of Evemont (1870) to become official allies.

October 15th: The Grand Survaek Empire brings up documents to the Honnerian government regarding land claims of their Serranthian colony dating back to 1556. While the Honnerian government declines to respond, Survaek is satisfied, considering 10% of the population of Honnerian Serranthia is Survaek.

October 16th: The Survaek Army mobilizes, bringing themselves up to full combat readiness.

October 29th: The Survaek Army lays down the keel of a merchant ship, expected to be finished in 1901.

NOVEMBER

November 1st: Military theorist Willem Tobis begins work on the effectiveness of massed artillery barrages in the Deltoran Republic. Though his work won't be refined for several years, it looks promising.

November 9th: Factories in the Empire of Anvegad begin construction on new light artillery and heavy artillery pieces expected to be completed next year.

November 10th: A revolutionary seeking independence in Soroyan Serranthia stages a mass protest in New Eania. Ayyud Ba-kabir, age 59, is a political activist who seeks independence for Osmad, all of which is owned by Soroyan Serranthia. While the protest is non-violent, Soroyan military police look on as his 300 protesters state their claims in New Eania's High Square in the center of town.

November 19th: The Kalanis is launched, the world's largest cruise liner. It is owned by Hatchik Trade Co, a Zellonian mercantile company.

DECEMBER:

December 2nd: In downtown Dremori in the Vatanno-Galvian Union a downtown fire causes $400,000 in damage and injures 19 firemen.

[Lone Wanderer]

The Republic Of Deltora
1900

---

Deltoran Serranthia

51 men of the army have been found responsible for a night of drunken revelry upon Port Vail, a stain upon honour that would not go unpunished. The 51 had been discharged from service, the leader of the colonial army, responsible for allowing such actions to go on has been dispatched back to the mainland for supervision and a revision of rank. Assuming command of the colonial army is one, General Leroux. A man of experience in the matters of war, who will from now on be overseeing the actions of the Colonial First Army and maintaining it's discipline. Upon arrival, Leroux addresses his new charges:

"You are soldiers first and foremost, if I hear of you disgracing your uniforms or harming innocents while under my command. I'll shoot you myself... You are the defenders of liberty and democracy, not a rabble to carouse when you wish! You and that uniform represent an entire nation, it's peoples and it's governance. Honour the uniform, but do not disgrace it!"

General Leroux addresses the men.

To relieve the stress on the colony supporting such a large garrison, half of the number are being deployed to Khad, at both supplies by barge are being received to supply, maintain and feed the garrisons and efforts are being taken to construct barracks, housing and basic comforts for the soldiers. Heralding the colony as a "Home away from home for the lucky soldier".

---

The Treaty of Evemont (1870)

The royal delegate from Soroya had been well received within the halls of the People's Palace, within it's hall the binding treaty of Evemont had been renewed in a meeting between the Prime Minister himself and the royal delegate. After the signing of the treaty, the alliance between the nations, the Republic of Deltora and Kingdom of Soroya had been formally announced to the world. After which, the Prime Minister, Edouard Geiger could be seen smiling. Relations with Soroya were ever increasing it would seem and the delegates were invited to stay within the Palace for the next month if they wished, and to view the launching of the TPS "Mettle", the newest submarine of the Grand Deltoran Fleet on it's first sea trial run.

---

The Independence of Luckland and the Pre-Dreadnought Question

Whilst negotiations where underway with Soroya, delegates of the Republic's own had been sent to the United Provinces of Luckland. A democracy much like itself, and a potential ally. Shortly after concluding the negotiations that followed within the Luckland capital of Lord, the Republic of Deltora formally guarantees the United Provinces their independence and sovereignty from those that would see it lose those rights. Securing a friendship between the two democratic countries.

Meanwhile, a request from the distant Second Republic of Honneria had been recieved requesting the construction of a Pre-Dreadnought through Deltoran shipyards. A counteroffer had been sent back, detailing that the ship would take 2 and a half years to fully build and require $12 Billion per year to construct and $5 billion for the first year and $4 billion for the next year on top for services rendered.

---

SUMMARY:
- 100,000 soldiers of the Colonial First Army are now under the leadership of General Leroux. 50,000 are being deployed to Khad, at both port cities supplies are being sent from the mainland to reduce stress on the colonies and measures taken to increase the soldiers quality of life.
- Offering to construct the Pre-Dreadnought for Honneria for £17 Billion for the first year, and $16 Billion for the next.

[Skylar]

The Empire of Anvegad
1900

Envoys to the Grand Empire of Suravek and the Khernikovian Empire

An envoy was dispatched to the Grand Empire of Suravek as a neighboring power to Anvegad with an offer of more open trade. With the advent of industry and mechanization, the old system of tariffs, taxes, and berthing rights was overdue to be replaced with a new system proposed for the benefit of the two powers. It was hoped that trade would bring their nations together in ways words and war could never match.

Establishing trade relations now could also lead to further kinds of relationships and agreements between their nations, not least because of the additional money that could be made available for their respective empires. And if the other powers wished to bring up additional terms or deals alongside these offers of trade, Anvegad would be open to discussion.

Envoy to Kalpia

Ambassador Falver straightened his ever-insufferable necktie as he awaited an audience with Kalpia's representatives of industry and war regarding the latest sensation to sweep the world. Bolt-action rifles of remarkable quality, accuracy, and reliability far surpassing even the Armory Rifles used in Anvegad. While a minor dent in national pride, the need for the rifles was quite prominent and the prices noted in brief discussions after their demonstrations were reasonable for their superb quality.

He thought through the request to Kalpia once more: Anvegad was willing to purchase 20,000 of its latest-model rifles from Kalpia at the beginning of 1901 with the next government budget cycle. They wished to acquire a test sample of guns (about a thousand or so for training and trials) now, and the rest of the order as could be most timely produced.

Now to see just how much they would demand for the weapons, and how soon they could be conveyed with the republic marching to war.

Summary:
* Anvegad offers Trade Agreements to the Grand Empire of Suravek and the Khernikovian Empire.
* Anvegad requests to buy 20,000 top-line rifles from Kalpia in 1901, and begins negotiation overtures to determine price and shipping.

[Theodorable]

The Year 1901
World Tension: 7%
Zellonian Declaration of War on Kalpia (12%)
Vatanno-Galvia stations troops on Salardian border (2%)
Deltora Allies with Soroya (8%)
Survaek Fabricates Claim on Honneria (4%)
Survaek Mobilizes Troops (2%)
Tramel Denounces Vatanno-Galvia (-5%)
Deltora Guarantees Luckland (-5%)
Anvegad signs Trade Agreement with Khernikovia (-3%)
Soroya signs a Defensive Alliance with Kelric (-5%)
Soroya signs Trade Agreement with Deltora (-3%)

WORLD TENSION 0-15%
- All unaligned nations have +5% National Unity.
- All unaligned nations have +10% GNP boost.
- All Status Quo nations have +20% GNP boost.
- Status Quo nations have +10% National Unity.
(PLEASE USE THESE MODIFIERS IN YOUR BUDGETS / SHOW WORK)

SEND BUDGETS FOR 1901

---

JANUARY

January 3rd: The Zellonian 7th Fleet under Admiral Tavington, with it's flagship on the Pre-Dreadnought ZRS Zellox, sets sail north from Sucre back toward Zellonia.

January 5th: Kalpian Army officers allege they spotted a Zellonian submarine periscope off the shores of Lochare. These allegations are unverified.

January 12th: The Kingdom of Soroya lays down the keel of an unnamed submarine, expected to be finished later this year.

January 15th: Famous Opera singer Kalisee Vandorn of Vatanna-Galvia dies at the age of 52. Thousands are anticipated to attend her funeral next week.

January 16th: The entire Zellonian Sarelia has been captured by the Kalpian Colonial Army. The soldiers under General Phaldio begin fortifying the coasts and the city of Memoth in anticipation of naval bombardments and a naval invasion.

January 21st: An explosion of blasting powder in a coal mine in Anvegad kills 200.

January 25th: The first zeppelin flight is carried out over Mistburn, Kalpia.

FEBRUARY

February 1st: The Zellonian 7th Fleet, refueled at Evanston, heads back south with an additional three unmarked merchant ships in tow.

February 3rd: Soldiers of the Kalpian Garrison in Memoth see a submarine along the surface several miles out. It submerges and disappears.

February 4th: The barge The Duke Toreyan is completed in Kafu by the Grand Survaek Empire, and available for service.

February 9th: An expected shipment at Memoth doesn't arrive. General Phaldio immediately institutes rationing for his soldiers.

February 15th: The Zellonian 7th Fleet appears off the coat of Memoth. It commences a heavy bombarding of the city, killing 91 Kalpian soldiers and 216 civilians. Fifteen miles west, three ships begin unloading 50,000 Zellonian regulars and 120 light artillery cannons along the beach. General Phaldio begins preparing a proper defense of the city when scouts report the landing later in the evening.

February 19th: A bombardment from the 120 light artillery commences the Second Battle of Memoth, where now the Zellonians were the one's assaulting. This however became a great boon to the Zellonian commander, who was so unsuspecting in his demeanor that none of his men even knew his name. The bombardment of the city lasted several hours.

For the Kalpians, it was utter hell. Many men had gone two or three days without a ration, and the hell fire that rained down upon them was twenty times as much as it had been when they assaulted the Zellonians the year before.

February 25th: The battle begins with General Leroy ordering an assault on the city. With weapons more than thirty years out of date, the Zellonians have a hard time achieving local supremacy. The Kalpians make the Zellonians pay dearly for every inch of ground.

February 29th: The Zellonians have advanced only two blocks and lost over 5,000 men. Hungry and beleaguered, General Phaldio decides not to relinquish the city. The Zellonian Pre-Dreadnought ZRS Zellox bombards the eastern part of the city, killing dozens.

MARCH

March 1st: The Kalpians have lost over 3,500 men but have cost the Zellonians over 10,000. Peaking from rooftops and well manned buildings, the Kalpian Colonials are proving themselves.

March 2nd: Kalpian industry kicks into gear with heavy production of cannons and rifles beginning. The government makes a call for volunteers and begins training 20,000 soldiers. They are expected to be finished later this year.

March 5th: The Kingdom of Soroya and the Kingdom of Kelric sign an official trade agreement to last for five years.

March 10th: Mass surrenders of Kalpian Colonial troops begins. Zellonians are astonished to find them starving, many of them having not eaten since February.

March 19th: The last fighting for Memoth ends, and it is considered a Zellonian territory again. A garrison of 20 cannons and 5,000 men are left while General Leroy marches west. The Second Battle of Memoth has ended.
Casualties
Zellonia: 10,987 soldiers
Kalpia: 7 Light Artillery cannons, 3,851 soldiers

March 21st: Soroyan military theorist Maxwell Cruska begins work on a fast firing gun. His preliminary work is promising, but unfinished.

March 25th: The Zellonian Colonial Army, numbering 45,000 sweeps across Kalpian Sarelia and marches into Viertas. The Zellonian flag is raised at it's center.

March 26th: The government of Honneria requests a Pre-Dreadnought built by a nation capable of it. They will pay $4 Billion on top of the construction costs.

March 29th: The Tramelian light cruiser Salas is launched, it will be commissioned later this year.

March 30th: The Kalpian Republic signs the Treaty of Juyust (1901), citing colonial dominance in Sarelia. The Zellonian Empire wins colonial dominance in the region.

BUDGETS RECEIVED
SURVAEK
SOROYA
KALPIA
ZELLONIA
ANVEGAD
DELTORA
VATANNO-GALVIA
XIAN

[Murtox]

The New Republic Of Kalpia-Year 1901

Kalpian News

After the lost in the Sarelian Islands , the republic of Kalpia wanting to not lose any more soldiers and goods from the blockade by Zellon has decided to sue for peace to the Zellonian goverment , some argue that the lost was fault of the navy , some of the army and some others of the lack of intelligence about the enemy , this could not be a mayor lost but either a win .

Summary :The New republic of Kalpia sue for peace to the Zellonian Monarchy

[AspenIvan]

1901, Year of the Prophet

The world keeps moving. Treaties are signed between Great Powers, like the pact between the Deltoran and Soroyan Republics. New machines are developed, automobiles and tractors and steel steamers and guns. Empires expand in the fires of war, like the current contest between Zellonia and Kalpia over hegemony in the Western Sarelian Islands. The trend itself is nothing new, the world has been moving this way for hundreds of years. But now, for the first time in over a century, Survaek is watching. Now, Survaek is part of the change, not as a victim but as a mover and shaper. The changes that began inside the Grand Empire are now pouring out. Whether or not the other powers like it, and whether or not the Empire of the South can quite match their technological advances, they must admit to the new situation. The Grand Survaek Empire is a modern nation, and Emperor Shayaer Khaitis is a modern monarch.

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Foreign Minister Aedis Haerk was still learning to get used to the cameras. It wasn't that they were new to him, but the sheer number of photographers assailing him since he arrived in Anvegad was something he never could have imagined back home. Cameras were still somewhat cutting-edge for the Imperial Press Service in Survaek, but no one seemed to give a second thought to their omnipresence here. Was it like this everywhere in Varia?

No matter, Haerk would endure the constant flashes of light and enjoy his automobile ride back to the Port of Avenhold. His three-week stay in the Empire of Avengad had been a smashing success by all accounts. It would be the first major treaty to inaugurate the Grand Survaek Empire's return to the World Stage.

THE HAERK-EBERSTARK TREATY OF 1901

Parties to the Agreement: The Empire of Anvegad, The Grand Survaek Empire

Article 1: The free travel of citizens of each party to the other shall not be restricted, except for as anti-criminal screening and investigation requires.

Article 2: The free trade of goods and services between the two parties as carried out by citizens and their private interests shall not be restricted, except for pre-existing state bans on items including but not limited to: prostitution, firearms, and non-medical opiates.

Article 3: Each party is to establish a set of preferential tariff rates regarding the flow of goods and services from the other, and said tariffs are not to be raised except by future agreement between the parties. The exact rates are detailed in a separate document.

Article 4: The Grand Survaek Empire immediately pledges the sum of $8 billion ($8,000,000,000) to the Empire of Avengad, in return for which the latter party immediately pledges the shipment of fifty (50) modern heavy artillery cannons along with requisite ammunition, maintenance supplies, and training crews.

Article 5: Any article of this treaty may be amended by future agreement between the parties. Violation of any article, in the absence of the consent of both parties, will nullify the treaty in its entirety.

Signed:

Wilhem Ebenstark, Foreign Minister of the Empire of Avengad

Aedis Haerk, Foreign Minister of the Grand Survaek Empire

_____

“Good show, boys!” applauded the man behind the camera with a grin. By his tone one might have thought he was a General or a Colonel, but he was only a Lieutenaint-Major. Ishui Gvardiu was his name, a young commander from one of the more prestigious families of New Byrnis, capital of the island of the Far North. He was short, stocky, and a little on the heavier side, but he carried himself with the pride of a tall and majestic warrior. For he was not only a commander, but an inventor.

“So when are we going to get one that actually shoots, sir?” asked a skeptical corporal, letting go of the ammunition chain. Without his hands' support, the belt's feeble connection to the model “gun” broke, and the string of bullets hit the ground with a series of small metallic clangs.

“Yes, sir, now we all want to see what five-hundred rifle rounds per minute actually looks like,” chimed in a soldier standing behind the model.

“Patience!” was the Byrnian Lieutenaint-Major's reply. “The machine's still in development, but the best minds of the Surv-Akur are working on it best they can under my supervision! I reckon you'll see the first functioning pieces in less than a year, if everything goes as planned.”

“And what will it do for us, then?” inquired another corporal, still holding the gun's handles as if he could shoot it.

“Wonders!” Gvardiu replied immediately. “Mow down entire lines of enemies, stop whole companies dead in their tracks, force garrisons to hunker down behind their walls without firing a single well-aimed shot. And that's just what one gun can do! Imagine a whole battery! I'm not exaggerating when I say the Ishui Model 11 Heavy Automatic Rifle will revolutionize the battlefield!”

Some of the soldiers chuckled, but others let Ishui Gvardiu's words sink in. If indeed he and his teams could pull this off, then the scale of destruction the Surv-Akur could cause would surely go beyond what anyone sitting here could imagine.

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SUMMARY:
-- Grand Survaek Empire signs treaty of free trade and heavy artillery purchase with Empire of Avengad.
-- An eccentric and mechanically gifted Surv-Akur commander shows off a model of his project-in-development, a gun that will fire five-hundred rifle rounds per minute using long belts of ammunition.