[i]"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud. Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, my friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori." [/i] -Wilfred Owen

[center][h2]Spring of 1799[/h2][/center]

[center][img]https://image.ibb.co/h7PaMU/Country_Labelled.png[/img][/center]

[u][i][b]13th of January[/b][/i][/u]

The letter from [b][color=fff200]The Holy Territories of Edoniras[/color][/b] is placed into the wizened hands of King Bakos Mátyás, ruler of the [b]Kingdom of Sescos[/b]. It entails that a papal advisor will be sent, in an attempt to restore order, or at least to stave off the total outbreak of war. Bakos is an old man, but he is no fool, he can see the wolves at his gates. The [b]Kingdom of Sescos[/b] can only call one nation their 'friend', Emperor Erhard Hastel, of the [b]Hastel Dominions[/b], but the Emperor has his own issues at home, and there is some doubt over whether he would march to their aid. And so King Bakos can do little but agree to this advisor. 

Echyan, a nation already wary of the religious powers to their west, take this is an outright declaration of friendship between the two nations, and therefore from the Pope himself. With this in mind, they quickly cry out for aid and support from the other religious power of the region, [b][color=630460]The Eternal Hadeen of Dashkatar[/color].[/b] This continues to drive Echya and Sescos ever closer to war.

[u][i][b]15th of January [/b][/i][/u]

Far to the West of the conflict brewing in Europe, a fleet sets sail from the [b][color=f7941d]Republic of Toubres[/color][/b] colony, Toubrian Rilos, carrying with it a small party of adventurous colonisers. Sailing north, they successfully establish a colony, establishing closer trading links with the native people and birthing Toubrian Corteo. 

[b][u][i]16th of January[/i][/u][/b] 

The [b][color=007236]The Three City's Republic of Ianian[/color][/b] announce The Mediterranean Tax of 1799, enforcing a tax on trade through the Strait of Genia with their fairly formidable fleet. This affects [b]The Echyan Empire[/b] to the greatest extent, limiting their trade with their colonies to the West, and the Empire do not take the change kindly, beginning to see the Three City's Republic as a new rival. It also damages the trade of all nations that claim the Mediterranean as their naval access, as the tax will claim 5% of all trade that passes through the Strait, unless a nation offers to pay £200,000 to free themselves from the tax.

On the same day, the Three City's Republic announces a sharp increase in the spending on maintaining an army. While there is certainly a substantial budget to make use of, the sheer poor quality of the existing Ianian army means that this is a difficult mountain to climb. Through sheer force of will, and by effectively throwing money at the problem, the Serene Doge is assured that the process will indeed begin, although it may take several months before it shows any real effect. The one prominent effect it does have is increasing tensions with [b][color=fff200]The Holy Territories of Edoniras[/color][/b].

[u][i][b]18th of January[/b][/i][/u]

[b]The Akkadian Empire [/b]announces to the world that [b]The Republic of Oflua[/b] is damned in the eyes of their god. In turn they also condemn [b]The Echyan Empire[/b], claiming that both of them are oppressing the Kingdom of Sescos simply due to their contrasting religion. This enflames the relations along the border of the Akkadians and Ofluans, with the Republic quickly mobilising forces in the Province of Rolesev in case the Empire acts upon their condemnation. This at least temporarily distracts them from Sescos, although tension remains high.

[u][i][b]20th of January [/b][/i][/u]

[b]The Kingdom of Ubren[/b], under the control of the young King Otto Fichte, begins work further training it's armies. This action alone appeases many of the old guard generals of the Kingdoms military, and they take to the task with relish. Although the process is largely successful, it does serve to raise the tensions of the Kingdom with it's most immediate neighbour, [color=6ecff6][b]The Empire of Attolia[/b][/color]. Even the [b]Hastel Dominions[/b] seems relatively concerned by this militaristic action, although they do not act on these concerns. 

[u][i][b]23rd of January[/b][/i][/u] 

Emperor Lothair II, of [color=6ecff6][b]The Empire of Attolia[/b][/color] puts plans into place that will effectively encourage children as young as 12 be taken into 'Apprenticeships' in the various industries of the Empire. This scheme achieves almost unprecedented success, as the children of Attolia are quickly allocated to their new roles, which they take to quickly. In one fell swoop, the Emperor has successfully increased the effective working force of the Empire, and subsequently provided a welcome boost to the economy, both at a Provincial and National level. 

[u][i][b]25th of January[/b][/i][/u]

Obviously concerned by the growing tensions across Europe, [b][color=fff200]The Holy Territories of Edoniras[/color][/b] announce a diplomatic summit, one of the first of it's kind, with an open invitation to all the nations of Europe, with the date set some six months in the future. The invitation is delivered, as quickly as can be expected, to the leaders of the great nations. It will stand to be seen how many of them attend. 

[b][i][u]28th of January[/u][/i][/b]

[b]The Kingdom of Ilastiri[/b], worried by the growing alliance of [b]The Akkadian Empire [/b]and [b][color=630460]The Eternal Hadeen of Dashkatar[/color][/b], reaches out to its cultural brothers-in-arms, the Kingdom of Claidor. Despite their similarities, the two nations struggle to find common ground, and the negotiations drag on, threatening to descend into petty arguments. The fate of the negotiations will be decided by [b]The Kingdom of Claidor [/b]in the coming weeks.  

[b][i][u]29th of January[/u][/i][/b]

The conflict surrounding Sescos and it's two neighbours is reignited as [b][color=007236]The Three City's Republic of Ianian[/color][/b] declares it's full support for [b]The Echyan Empire[/b]. This serves both to heighten tension in the area, but also to increase the tension between the Three City's Republic, and with the other nations that had already sided with [b]The Kingdom of Sescos[/b]. It has perhaps the greatest effect on [color=ed1c24][b]The Redcliff Empire [/b][/color], who have made no secret of their aggressions towards the Echyan Empire and see the fleets of the Three City's Republic as a direct threat to their own power.

[b][i][u]31st of January[/u][/i][/b]

In what many perceive as a direct reaction to the Three City's Republic's declaration, [color=ed1c24][b]The Redcliff Empire [/b][/color] sends Ambassador Titus Lepidus Pullo to [b]The Kingdom of Sescos[/b], offering to aid the Kingdom should the tension with the Echyan Empire erupt into actual conflict. As one of the great military strengths of Europe, the Redcliff Empire's clear choice of side in the conflict is a clearly significant event. King Bakos Mátyás readily accepts the agreement, as well anyone should, and whether the show of strength will supress the tension in the region, or only further enflame it, is yet to be seen.