World Events

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

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Duke Jurgmann assassinated; Kaiser Metternicht kidnapped

Men and women all over Occitan mourn today as news of a terrible tragedy spreads - the Duke Hans Jurgmann, prince præsidens of the Confederacy of Westerwald-Leoben, has been assassinated by an unknown group of assailants who invaded his estate in Leoben on January 21st. Amongst the dead are also seven members of the Pychekan-based merchant association 'Imperial Trade', ten members of the Occitanian Order, including the prestigious Trapier and tutor to the Kaiser, Sir Johannes Bosch, and a small number of City Watch. Traditionalist groups around Occitan, as well as the leadership of the newly formed 'Occitanian Confederacy', have reacted with horror to learn that this same group of conspirators were able to make off with the young Kaiser Peter Metternicht, who as of yet remains missing. The names, origins, or overall purpose of the group of conspirators remains unknown.

The small group, numbering under two dozen, managed to scale the walls of the Ducale Estate and break into a small meeting hall where the Duke, the Kaiser, and a small honor guard of Knights were meeting with a delegation from Imperial Trade regarding the ownership of the now-defunct Ross Shipping Association, as well as current tension between Pycheko and the nascent Confederacy. Quickly, the assailants were able to overpower the guards around the room and break into the room itself. Before anyone could react, the Duke was struck down, felled with a single thrust into the heart. Although further guards were called and nearly every one of the assassins were cut down, none within the room was able to be saved. When the City Watch managed to break into the room proper, they witnessed the last living assassin translocate out of the room with the Kaiser in hand.

With the Duke's death, his brother, Count Dietrich Jurgmann ascended as prince præsidens, as was his brother's will, becoming Duke, while Duke Hans' son, Herbert Jurgmann, succeeded the new Duke as Count of Leoben. The Duke, upon his coronation, publically assured the people that he would make a "dedicated and primary effort" to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy, and to return the young Kaiser safely home as soon as possible. He also promised that he would maintain the course that his brother had set the nation on, "believing in his dream of a united Occitan existing once again."

The source or identity of the conspirators remains unknown, as well as who, if anyone, might be aiding them. The office of the new Duke has been careful not to accuse any nation or party as of yet, but has released the fact that several of the assassins were of Kazuth in origin. The Harian General Assembly was quick to publically deny any association or support for the act, although several private members of the Assembly and Military have vocally commended the unknown assailants. The office of the Duke has stated that "Although many known members of this conspiracy were Kazuth, many were not. More than half were under a type of illusory spell in order to make them all appear to be Kazuth. This fact has made us loathe to accuse the Kazuth of Occitan for an act which may have only involved a small number of them and thus, does not reflect on them as a nation or people." Despite his reconciliatory words, there have been a number of demonstrations against the Kazuth people in the streets, and tensions seem high. The Duke has presented a bounty of 500,000 shillings to anyone who can deliver robust information concerning the details of the assailants or the location of the Kaiser. The Kaiser's kidnapper, possibly a Kazuth of young, boyish figure with a talent in combat and magic, is wanted dead or alive for 300,000 shillings.

The Duke was given a solemn burial with all respective honors, while the bodies of all but two of the conspirators have been impaled on pikes outside of the walls of Leoben.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

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Sanctimonia, Nasii, Torah, Seljuk, and Talibar form the Quintipartite Pact

On the 24th of January, in simultaneous declaration, the Kingdom of Sanctimonia, the Empire of Talibar, and the Sultanates of Nasii, Torah, and Seljuk officially announced their formation and membership within the 'Quintipartite Pact', a mutually beneficial alliance and overall statement of goodwill, solidarity, unity, and friendship in face of diplomatic or military pressures on any member body, specifically formed in opposition to the bloc of power represented by the the Emperor Marcus Olm, his Empire, and his allies.

Formed in anticipation of a looming Summit of Nations to be held in Aekhan on January 26th, the membership nations found easy ground with which to agree upon, given that all save one have experienced direct hardship and tragedy at the hands of Marcus Olm's Empire. The nations, previously diverse and radically different, even to the point of constant war over the last two hundred years, have suddenly found a firm reason to unite in purpose. With annihilation or annexation a very real threat, these formerly adverse powers have seen fit to put aside old grievances, for the moment, in order to present a united bloc of resistance.

In their first act as a united body, the Quintipartite Pact has declared their support of the Ha'dri people, officially recognizing the overarching Ha'dri people as a sovereign nation deserving of respect and of the right to determine their own destiny. They have furthermore declared that the Ha'dri nation, by the right of centuries of inhabitance, has legitimate and unquestionable claim to land currently and wrongfully claimed by the Empire. While this ambitious claim will no doubt be discussed at the upcoming Summit, the Quintipartite Pact has declared their willingness to enforce the claim militarily - if need be.

The Pact has also officially opened membership to both this as-of-yet unnamed 'nation' of Ha'dri, as well as the nation of Haria, and the Dver of Karak Zigil. The Pact was principally proposed and signed in the city of Narvik, with the King Deleric of Sanctimonia, Sultan Houssam Arvenio III of Nasii, Sultan Fajwa Muhamell of Torah, Sultan Fayza IV of Seljuk, Emperor Alexias V Xanthapoulos of Talibar, and Shahrab Yasir El'Amin, the 'Flame', in attendance.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Summit of Nations ends in gridlock

After merely a few hours of discussion, the Summit of Nations ended in harsh gridlock on the 26th of January. Composed of world leaders representing seven of the most powerful nations upon the face of Aeria, the conference was split on distinct lines of alliance, with the Republic of Pycheko and the Empire of Sarkun forming the 'Iron Pact', and the Kingdom of Sanctimonia, the Empire of Talibar, and the Sultanates of Nasii, Seljuk, and Torah representing the 'Quintipartite Pact'. Each sought from each other concessions and gains, but in the end, neither side was willing to agree to a full peace agreement.

The members of the Iron Pact departed dissatisfied, though hopeful of a renewed attempt within the coming months. Publicly, the Emperor Marcus Olm and Tsar Ukev Byrmirov affirmed that while peace was their primary concern, they could not rightfully pursue it by "hobbling their peoples and crippling their Empires. We will not accept terms which strip the sovereignty of our great lands."

Word from the Quintipartite Pact was much the same. They affirmed the possibility of another attempt at peace in the coming future, but declared: "Peace cannot be had when one's hand is firmly around the bleeding throat of another. If the Empire is to be recognized as a sovereign entity, then it must make concessions for the illegal and foul actions inflicted upon other nations."

For now, war remains at a distance, but only a hair's breadth. Tensions around the world remain high, and public sentiment among many of the Quintipartite nations is firmly against the existence of a Summit at all. Conscription and volunteer rates are soaring in all represented nations, as the collective power of each nation is drawn up in preparation for war. A mixture of devastation and economic hardship caused by the heavy mobilization is gripping each of the nations save Pycheko; it is unknown how long a war could be properly fought at this level.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

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The Battle of Akoss Dervura

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On the 28th of January, two colossal armies met in pitched combat somewhere far in the east, deep in the mountainous lands of Kar'Rasa, within a valley not marked on any mortal map. Numbering together a million strong, they fought for supremacy over the valley and it's hidden treasure; Akoss Dervura, the legendary library of Akash. Outnumbered more than two to one, representative warriors from the Dragonkin clans of Domskiir and Dahsiirv defended the library against the encroaching advances of the Empire and it's innumerable Demonic Legions.

Merely days after the Emperor Olm himself appeared at an international Summit dedicated to the idea of restoring a lasting peace in the world, he led a truly colossal Demonic force in a secret assault on Dragonkin land. Seeking the untold secrets of Akoss Dervura, he engaged in combat with the Dragonkin defenders who had assembled there in by far the largest battle of the war, as of yet.

Matching the appearance of the Emperor and four of the vaunted Archfiends of Hell were five of the venerable Dragon-Gods, ancestors and deities to the Dragonkin. The legendary Dragons Dahsiirv and Domskiir led the defense and clashed against these divine Princes of Hell, leading altogether to the most pervasive and destructive conflict of the war - the geography of the land itself is forever altered, either by the inexorable marching of a million feet reshaping the ground beneath or the singular efforts of truly supreme beings, struggling against each other with enough force to shatter the landscape. In the end, the Dragons managed to pull victory from defeat - pushing the Demons back at great cost to themselves.

The very occurrence of this immense battle seems to be unknown to the general public as of yet, occurring as deep as it did within Dragonkin territory. But it won't remain secret for long; as the tale of the Empire's defeat there, turned away after having mustered nearly it's full strength, will undoubtedly be a source of hope for the nations which currently find themselves under the thumb of the Empire, or the focus of it's wrath. Stories from the battle indicate that the Emperor himself may have been gravely injured, and one of the Princes of Hell felled in battle against the Dragons.

Even as a source of hope, the Battle of Akoss Dervura is an unsettling development. Even while pressing for peace, it seems clear that the Emperor Marcus Olm has no qualms with ordering the invasion of sovereign territories, seemingly capable of attacking anywhere in the world with a force that could cripple entire nations. Furthermore, the scale of the conflict - hundreds of thousands of immortal and mortal warriors clashing beneath the banner of divine leaders, capable of inflicting and receiving destruction on a scale which boggles the mortal mind - seems worrying. The Battle of Akoss Dervura may simply be a glimpse of the future to come, an example of the scale of conflict to be had in a full war between the Empire of Sarkun and the peoples of the world.