Líder do Conselho Leonardo Serra leant back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment, as he allowed the sound of arguing to wash over him. He looked upwards, admiring the ornately carved wooden ceiling of the chamber for a moment. The room, and indeed the building itself, the Palácio do Conselho, was a grand building. What had once been the Imperial Palace, centuries before, had been transformed into the meeting place of the Conselho Provincial members, the chosen representatives of the seven provinces that now formed the Republic of Toubres. Leonardo was loathe to say that the current occupants of the Palácio were worthy of their majestic surroundings.
A lull in the arguing caught his attention, and the Amzores-born man glanced back to the other men in the chamber, to find them all looking expectantly at him. He frowned slightly, shaking his head.
“I had hoped that we could avoid this arguing, my friends.”
Five of the men present met him with stony gazes, but the sixth, and the man sitting closest to him, to his right at the table, smiled and laughed, the sound echoing around the small chamber. When he spoke, his voice was as booming as his laugh was.
“You have been at this for too long to truly expect that, Leonardo.”
Leonardo shrugged, smiling slightly at Gaspar Abreu.
“Perhaps. But please, let us discuss the issues before us, rather than bickering like children.”
It was Gaspar who spoke again, turning to meet the cold stares of the other five members of the Conselho Provincial.
“I agree with the ‘Lidor do Conselho’”
Another of the men sneered, porcelain dentures flashing in the sunlight streaming through the narrow, stained glass windows of the chamber. The man was old, his face hard-edged.
“That comes as no surprise, Gaspar. We all know that the esteemed ‘Lidor’ favours Amzores, you’ve always been his lap dog because of it.”
Gaspar met the gaze of the older man for a moment, before he smiled widely.
“Leonardo favours Toubres, and I doubt anyone would try and deny that Amzores is the beating heart of the Republic. Not even you, Luiz.”
The older man sneered again, but did not respond, and Leonardo seized the opportunity of the temporary silence.
“Friends, I am sure we are all aware of the troubles brewing on the continent. Battle lines have been drawn not just around the Kingdom of Sescos, but also closer to our shores. The Redcliff Empire has forged an alliance with the Kingdom of Ubren, and the Hastel Dominions. I fear that war will soon come to the continent.”
Another of the older men, sitting beside Luiz, shrugged slightly, his voice cracked and harsh as he spoke.
“It is of no concern to us what the continent does. Our navy is strong, it will protect us from anyone foolish enough to attempt to drag us into these petty wars. As it always has done.”
Luiz quickly nodded his agreement, opening his mouth to say his own piece, but Leonardo held his hand up for silence.
“Thank you, Dario. But we cannot isolate ourselves forever. I suggest that we attend this ‘summit’, although it will only be as a spectator, and a supporter of our own interests. And with that in mind, send messengers out to the Governador of Toubrian Rilos and Toubrian Getares. The Republic will continue to expand, even while our neighbours fight amongst themselves. Unless any of you wish to protest?”
Leonardo looked out across the six faces that stared back at him, but no-one spoke, and he allowed himself a slight smile.
Official Name of Nation: Republic of Toubres Nation Leader: Líder do Conselho Leonardo Andre Serra Form of Government: Federalist Republic Nation Capital: Amzores National Language: Toubrian
Ship of the Line Strength: 6 Ship of the Line Quality: 6 Ship of the Line Logistics: 6 Cruiser Strength: 3 Cruiser Quality: 5 Cruiser Logistics: 5 Marine Strength: 2 Marine Quality: 4 Marine Logistics: 3 Naval Commander Quality: 7
Economics
National Wealth: 5 Industrialization: 5 Development of Low Industry: 4 Development of Middle Industry: 5 Development of High Industry: 4
Official Name of Nation: Republic of Toubres Nation Leader: President Leonardo Andre Serra Form of Government: Federalist Republic Nation Capital: Amzores National Language: Toubrian
Ship of the Line Strength: 6 Ship of the Line Quality: 6 Ship of the Line Logistics: 6 Cruiser Strength: 3 Cruiser Quality: 5 Cruiser Logistics: 5 Marine Strength: 2 Marine Quality: 4 Marine Logistics: 3 Naval Commander Quality: 7
Economics
National Wealth: 5 Industrialization: 5 Development of Low Industry: 4 Development of Middle Industry: 5 Development of High Industry: 4
Hopefully the numbers all add up, and I haven't missed anything!
The Imperial Palace, The Empire of Toubres. Early July, 1905
Empress Maia Bastos took a deep breath, absentmindedly running her hands down the front of her dress. She could hear the low murmuring of the room beyond, even through the ornately carved doors, but she set her jaw and pushed through regardless.
Her face became the very picture of cordiality as she greeted the crowd of men that quickly rose to their feet as she entered, already calling out questions to her. She simply smiled until she had taken her seat, before holding up a hand for silence. The noise dropped away as the men sank back to their own chairs. There was a long moment of silence, the Empress watching their tentative faces, before gesturing towards a man she recognised in the front row.
“Silvio, your question?”
The short, heavily bearded man, rose to his feet, nodding politely.
“Silvio Martins, reporter for the ‘Correio Da Noite’. I was hoping that I could get a statement from you regarding ‘Black June’?”
The Empress all but winced, but she managed to hide her reaction as she nodded slightly.
“Thank you Silvio. Firstly, I’m afraid I can’t stand the name ‘Black June’. From a Toubres perspective, just as from an Illesian perspective, I’d prefer it to be referred to as ‘Operation Crusader’ from this point onwards.”
There was a murmur of agreement from the assembled crowd, which the Empress allowed to die down before she continued.
“My statement is as follows. The Tehmigs were holding our colony to ransom, and threatening only greater bloodshed if we refused to co-operate to their absurd demands. Initially I had hoped we could resolve the crisis in a Conference, trusting that the other Great Power’s of the region could aid us, but unfortunately greed is a primal sin, and the conference was quickly becoming a wrestling match to carve up our proud colony. Thus myself and King Avandre devised a plan to solve the issue ourselves, and to put the rebels to the sword.”
A mass of hands shot up, and voices rose up with questions, but again the Empress held her hand up for silence, gesturing towards a tall, lanky figure.
“Olavo, if you would?”
The figure unfolded his long frame and rose to his feet.
“Olavo Mendes, of the ‘Notícias Toubres’. What is your response to the protests currently happening across Toubres?”
“Thank you, Olavo. Those of you who know me, will know how much it pains me to see my people in such distress. But I understand your anger. If I had been able to warn you all of the Operation, then I would have, but we could not risk the meddling of those who stand against us to interfere. It is true that we will take some losses in our budget, but I want my people to know that they are still our first priority, and that this is only the beginning of a new age for the Toubres Empire, and a time that our people must unite behind our leaders.”
There was a general murmuring of agreement amongst the reporters, and before they could begin crying out for her attention again, the Empress gestured towards a young, clean-shaven man sitting in the back row.
“Afonso, isn’t it?”
The man smiled, rising slowly to his feet and waiting till everyone’s attention was turned to him before speaking, his voice soft.
“Afonso Ferreira, your Imperial Majesty. Of the ‘Exclusivo’. So far your answers have very much been in line with those of Prime Minister Davi Rego, but I am curious to hear your personal thoughts on the condemnations from Tara and Etelia?”
The Empress was silent for a moment, feeling the eyes of the room on her as she watched Afonso’s confident smile. When she did reply, it was with a smile of her own.
“Thank you for your question, Afonso. I do not doubt that my previous answers have been close to those of the Prime Minister, and it is important that we present a united front during these troublesome times. The declarations from Tara and Etelia concern me greatly. With an alliance between our two great nations all but signed a few months ago, only to have it thrown in our face due to my engagement to King Avandre, and now to be publically condemned by Tara breaks my heart. We were so close to committing to a lasting friendship between our two nations, and in all honesty I do not fully understand their motivation for discarding our offered alliance, and instead seemingly rallying against us. To have the same thing happen with Etelia, for the the young King Armando di Mavoia IV to offer us a hand of friendship in the form of a Non-Aggression Pact, only to rebuke our agreement and now ally themselves with Tara, even going so far as to announce the termination of their alliance if either attempt better relations with us, seems nothing short of a total change of heart. I can only hope and pray that the two great rulers of those nations cease this needless increasing tension, and we can maintain to the prosperity of peace. Does that satisfy you, Mr Ferreira?”
The young man smiled, bowing his head slightly.
“Very much so, ma’am.”
Rising to her feet, the Empress nodded towards the group of reporters.
“If that will be all gentlemen, then I trust that the Prime Minister will be able to answer your further questions. It has been a pleasure as always.”
Raimundo Preta was a heavy-set man. As a younger man, he had been handsome, and he had been more than happy to sate his huge appetite as women practically fell at his feet, but over the years his appetites had become less of the flesh, and he had become overweight. He still had his thick, dark hair, and bright eyes, but he has gained often-red cheeks, and dark circles under his eyes. As his buisness continued to grow, the care-free attitude of his youth had faded to be replaced by an iron will that allowed him to crush his rival without any sense of remorse. And now he stood at the head of Expedição Marinha Preta, a company that he had forged with his own hands, fed with his own blood and sweat, and a company that had just been handed the contract to construct a new shipyard by the Empress of Toubres herself.
He allowed himself a smile, carefully polished porcelain dentures shining in the early morning light. Work had already begun. The money that had been provided by the Empress had already flowed throguh the company, into the hands of the scores of labourers and architects that had descended upon the narrow stretch of the Toubres coast. For now, the designs were only just beginning to come together, but it was only a matter of a few hours before the ground was to be broken, hewn away to create the drydock they had been ordered to build. There was a polite cough behind Raimundo, and he turned slowly, glaring at the diminuitive man that had interupted his contemplation.
Without saying a word, the messenger held out a hand, offering the letter held within it to the large figure of Raimundo. With a frown, he snatched it from the imposter who dissapeared as quickly as he arrived, turning and striding away as Raimundo glanced down at the letter. He frowned again as he saw that it was marked with the Imperial Seal of the Empress. Pulling it open quickly, his eyes scanned the carefully scrawled words and a wide smile crept across his face. With almost child-like excitement, he whirled about and hurried towards the huddle of architects, his voice booming through the crisp morning air.
The following is a exert taken from “The Nations of Eurania; their Leadership, Culture and Beliefs, 5th Edition” by Manfred Petzold, the esteemed explorer, traveller and writer.
Chapter Seven – The Empire of Toubres
A Brief Overview
The region that has come to be known as the Empire of Toubres was a seething mass of warring nations as recently as three centuries ago, unified only by their common linguistic traditions. One of the nations, the first to bear the name of Toubres, was led by a charismatic noble by the name Ivo Bastos and centred around the coastal city of Amzores.
Through a series of diplomatic masterstrokes and a string of alliances, Ivo Bastos was able to unite the majority of the nations together under his banner, and those that resisted were quickly swept away, allowing Bastos to bring the land together as the Empire of Toubres. The only ruminants of these warring nations is the rich cultural history and identity that each of the cities and major towns of Toubres possess. These can be found detailed on the map included below this introduction.
Following the unification of the Empire of Toubres, and Ivo Bastos’s announcement as the Emperor, Toubres quickly formed an identity for itself. Due to it’s long coastline, the nation naturally leant towards the development of a powerful navy, although they soon found themselves overshadowed by the Coastal Empire of Tara, their neighbour over the water. Toubres still managed to forge its identity as a naval power, and this reputation continues up to the current ruler, Empress Maia Bastos. Inspecting the map of Toubres, it is clear how central the water is to the culture of the Empire, as majority of the key towns and cities line the coast.
The Empress is a charismatic, young ruler and although she is largely untested, she is a breath of fresh air after the long reign of her well-liked, but slow to act father, Emperor Luciano Bastos. In the coming years, how the Empress handles the issues and events that will occur in and around Toubres will be fascinating to observe. I will be sure to visit Toubres again.
Read on for a deeper insight into the cultural identity of Toubres, a detailed chronology of the Imperial Ancestry, a history of Toubres from it’s unification to modern day, and an account of my travels across the nation in the year 1904.
The Toubres Empire, Amzores The Empress of Toubres smiled as she read over the parchment, nodding slightly before looking back to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mariano Tejedor. The man nodded and quickly handed her the Imperial Seal. Reaching down, she signed the treaty, letting the Minister quickly take it away, she leant back in her seat.
Regarding a formal alliance in which the Coastal Empire of Tara will:
-Allow the construction of a Toubres Empire embassy in it’s capital, Rigour.
-Agree to a pact of non-aggression between the Empires of Tara and Toubres.
-Agree to aid the Empire of Toubres at times of war.
-Work in collaboration with the Empire of Toubres in the invention and creation of naval assets, and other inventions that will aid both nations.
-Host a bi-annual conference of naval engineers and other inventors in their capital, Rigour.
-Support the Empire of Toubres on the international stage.
------------------------------------------
In return, the Empire of Toubres will:
-Allow the construction of a Coastal Empire of Tara embassy in it’s capital, Amzores.
-Agree to a pact of non-aggression between the Empires of Tara and Toubres.
-Agree to aid the Coastal Empire of Tara at times of war.
-Work in collaboration with the Coastal Empire of Tara in the invention and creation of naval assets, and other inventions that will aid both nations.
-Host a bi-annual conference of naval engineers and other inventors in their capital, Amzores.
-Support the Coastal Empire of Tara on the international stage.
----------------------------------------------
Both nations will agree to:
-Meet monthly to discuss issues in which collaboration between the two nations will aid in their resolution, as well as to discuss international events.
-Meet annually to discuss the renewal, or adaption, of this agreement.
-----------------------------------------------
Please respond with your considerations of this agreement.
Regards; Her Imperial Majesty Maia, Empress of Toubres.
Empire of Toubres [X]
Coastal Empire of Tara [X]
(Collaboration between SonOfALich and Ascendant)
Empress Maia Bastos pursed her lips, leaning forward slightly, brow furrowed and eyes narrows for an instant. All at once, she laughed, a smile flashing across her face as she reached out and moved the carefully carved, ivory figure, across the board and placed it triumphantly down on a square as white as silk gloves that the Empress wore. Her bright eyes glanced up at Vicenti Queiros, sitting across the board from her, as the older man groaned slightly and shook his head. Maia spoke, her voice ringing like a bell as she smiled widely.
“Checkmate. You’re getting old, Vicenti!”
The young woman’s tutor smiled slightly as he shook his head again, gesturing to the board in defeat.
“I fear I’ve taught you too well, Maia. I never noticed your queen until it was too late to do anything about it.”
“That was your biggest mistakes, Vicenti. The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board. You know that.”
The two friends were interrupted by a hurried knocking on the door. They glanced at each other =, before Vicenti called out for the knocker to enter. One of the palace guard’s, resplendent in his dark uniform, burst into the room, gasping for breath as he bowed deeply towards the Empress as he struggled to find his voice. When he finally did, he blurted out his words, panting heavily.
“King Avandre. Of the Illesian Kingdom. He’s here. To see you. Your majesty.”
Maia quickly turned towards Vicenti, an eyebrow raised, and saw that the smile had gone from the man’s face, his jaw set as he nodded curtly to the guard, his voice ringing with authority.
“Thank you, soldier. Have him shown into the Beleza Garden, and his companions entertained in the Front Lounge. The Empress will be with him shortly.”
The guard nodded, and was gone in an instant, the echoing sound of his pounding boots on the marble floor quickly fading away. Vicenti turned back to the Empress, and smiled kindly, rising to his feet and holding out a hand to help her up.
“It is time for you to act like the Empress I know you can be, Maia.”
Empress Maia Bastos breezed into the garden, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her face, the smell of sweet flowers on the air, and the soft trickle of the stream mingling with the singing of birds all around her. Glancing around, she saw King Avandre VII sat on one of the carved marble benches that lined the winding stream that cut through the garden. Composing herself, she walked to face him and nodded her head in greeting, a slight smile dancing behind her bright eyes.
“Apologies for the wait, your majesty. But I admit I was not expecting your visit.”
Avandre quickly rose from sitting with one leg over the over and took a deep bow, “Patience has always been seen as a virtue of Man, and for an Empress, my patience is as deep as the oceans.” The man then held out his own hand for the Empress’ if she chose to give her own hand for him to kiss, “I am deeply saddened we haven’t been able to speak before in person.”
Maia smiled with slight bemusement as she bowed her head again in thanks, holding out her hand for the King, as he lightly kissed it and rose from his bow. Looking at the man standing before her, Maia noticed that he was not an unattractive man, and as she gestured for him to return to his seat, she blushed slightly as she sat down beside him.
“You flatter me, sir. Your visit is most welcome, I know how greatly my father admired the Illesian Empire. Although, if it is not too forward, I suspect that your long journey is not entirely for a social call?”
Avandre waved his hand as if dismissing something, “Kingdom, we are a mere Kingdom. We hold no colonies, for at least, unlike your Empire.” The young man smiled, nodding subtly at her inference, “You are correct, and it is not too forward at all. You see,” Avandre began before briskly dropping to his knee by her side, once more holding his hand out towards her, “I have come to ask your hand in marriage. I know it is sudden, and that our two nations already share a Defensive Military Alliance, but it is my strong belief that together, our two nations will be significantly more stable, protected, and capable of exercising their power on the world stage. Our Union would permanently solidify and protect the border we share, and allow us to look beyond it towards the West, East, and South, as well as allow our peoples to work together in both war and economy.”
He paused for a moment, chuckling lightly as he added, “And I would be able to find a woman to be not my Queen, but my Empress, and an astonishing one at that. What do you say, Empress Maia Bastos?”
The Empress opened her mouth to apologise for her formality error, but her words escaped her as the King dropped to his knee at her feet. Her heart all but stopped in her chest as she listened to his proposal. She felt faint with shock for a moment, but managed to regain her composure for a moment as she looked down at the man kneeling before her. She was silent for an instant, before she spoke, a smile crossing her face as she took his hand.
“You are certainly bold, sir. And you honour me. I say yes, King Avandre. I agree that our two nations can only benefit from our coming together. But I will be an Empress first, and your wife second. Just as I am prepared for you to be a King first, and my husband second.” An immense amount of joy spread through King Avandre, mixed with a small amount of surprise. He’d been steeling himself for rejection for days, so it was a welcome surprise as the man kissed her hand repeatedly, “Of course. Bringing two nations closer together while achieving perhaps the best wife a man could ask for is something that few men are ever lucky enough to achieve. I will have to return shortly to Regoth in Illesia, but I can stay for a while longer while we discuss other things and formally write any paperwork we must. And then we can announce when the wedding shall be!”
Valério Lopes was an old man. He had watched the powers of the Known World shift and change, the balance of the world forever moving, but forever level. When one rose, one fell. And when there was success, there was always failure. All this he had seen in his life, carving out his own comfortable existence on the eastern coast of the Toubres Empire. His family was a noble one, and when he walked the corridors of his villa, inherited from his father and sprawled over a ridge, he was watched by the eyes of ancestors stretching back for centuries.
And he had made use of his position, becoming a successful trader in his own right. In his younger days he had travelled all across Eurania and Faresia, visiting the colonies of Toubres, and visiting other strange, and exotic lands with his offerings of spice, rich wine and hides. Once, he had even travelled as far as the Fifth Continent, and his memories of that far-off land stayed with him, all these years afterwards.
But through all his far off travels, one place still remained as the most fond in his memories. A fishing village, almost too small to even be called a village, just a handful of low houses clustered around the small, narrow bay. He had stopped there for the first time, when he was a young man, naively looking to sell goods to those who had no need, or want for them. He had met her then, like an angel as she watched his ship draw close to the shore, her curiosity drawing her to him. Since then, he had visited the village countless times, taking fish in exchange for whatever payment the villagers would expect. And every visit, she would watch them arrive from the shore, and the two would cast fleeting glances to each other throughout the visit, passion never realised burning between them. Now, he was an old man, and he did not captain his own ships anymore. He had left the running of the company to his apprentice, the closest he had to a son, leaving Valério free to enjoy his retirement.
But he could not enjoy his time if he couldn’t see her. And every few months, he would charter a modest craft, and sale across the strait to the little village on the waters edge. Now that he was old, he did not bring trade, but the people had come to welcome him as one of their own, and he and his modest crew were warmly welcomed. And the girl, who he had never spoken a word to for years, who he had watched grow old just as he had, continued to watch him arrive, waiting on the shore.
Her name was Rosa, and she was just as beautiful as the day that he first saw her. Every visit, he would meet her on the gentle sands, lapped at by the sea, and they would talk and laugh long into the night. She was his one, and only, love, and every moment he spent away from her, his heart yearned.
Valério Lopes opened his eyes. From where he stood, on the grand sweeping balcony of his villa, he could make out that small, fishing village, clinging to the coast of the Serene Empire of Tara, the strait separating them. The relationship between the two neighbouring empires, Tara and Toubres, had been a long and complicated one. And his love, Rosa, was born on the wrong side of the sea for the two of them to ever truly find happiness together.
But no more, a smile crossed his wizened face as he looked down at the parchment he held in his hand, bearing the seal of the Empress, Maia Bastos. Ensuring that his old eyes were not deceiving him, he read the words again.
To Her Imperial Majesty Liliana, First of that Name, Empress of Tara
Regarding a formal alliance in which the Serene Empire of Tara will:
-Allow the construction of a Toubres Empire embassy in it’s capital, Rigour.
-Agree to a pact of non-aggression between the Empires of Tara and Toubres.
-Agree to aid the Empire of Toubres at times of war.
-Pay half the required funding to construct a bridge between the two nations.
-Work in collaboration with the Empire of Toubres in the invention and creation of naval assets, and other inventions that will aid both nations.
-Host a bi-annual conference of naval engineers and other inventors in their capital, Rigour.
-Support the Empire of Toubres on the international stage.
------------------------------------------
In return, the Empire of Toubres will:
-Allow the construction of a Serene Empire of Tara embassy in it’s capital, Amzores.
-Agree to a pact of non-aggression between the Empires of Tara and Toubres.
-Agree to aid the Serene Empire of Tara at times of war.
-Pay half the required funding to construct a bridge between the two nations.
-Work in collaboration with the Serene Empire of Tara in the invention and creation of naval assets, and other inventions that will aid both nations.
-Host a bi-annual conference of naval engineers and other inventors in their capital, Amzores.
-Support the Serene Empire of Tara on the international stage.
----------------------------------------------
Both nations will agree to:
-Meet monthly to discuss issues in which collaboration between the two nations will aid in their resolution, as well as to discuss international events.
-Meet annually to discuss the renewal, or adaption, of this agreement.
-----------------------------------------------
Please respond with your considerations of this agreement.
Regards; Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Maia Bastos.
Empire of Toubres [x]
Serene Empire of Tare [ ]
Valério turned away from the view, and saw that his once apprentice Ennio Zanni was already by his side, watching his old master with affection in his eyes.
“Prepare a ship for me, Ennio. I sail for Tara, for Rigour.”
Ennio nodded, and quickly slipped away, his footsteps echoing away down the hallway. Valério turned back to the view, a tear forming in one eye as he whispered, words intended only for himself, and his lover.
“This is our time, Rosa. Watch for me on the coming tide.”
