[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 1801[/h2][/center]

[img]https://image.ibb.co/hdzrZf/Country-Labelled.png[/img]

[b][u][i]3rd of March[/i][/u][/b]

In [b][color=708090]The Kingdom of Ubren[/color][/b], the fires of patriotism continue to be stoked, and the men of Ubren continue to be drafted into the army, swelling it's ranks ever further. The military strength of Ubren is almost insurmountable, and there are only a handful of nations across Europe that could hope to even stand against them alone, let alone have any hope for victory. Sentiment against [b][color=00aeef]The Empire of Attolia[/color][/b] also continues to grow, carefully planned rhetoric whipping the people into a frenzy. 

[b][i][u]8th of March[/u][/i][/b]

Whispers of 'War-Plan Attolia' begin to seep out from [b][color=708090]The Kingdom of Ubren[/color][/b], allegedly the name of a full scale strategy being compiled against [b][color=00aeef]The Empire of Attolia[/color][/b], comparing the two nation's strengths, and highlighting key strategic points and maneuvers. In truth, war between the two nations now seems all but inevitable, and people begin to flee from the shared border, desperate to avoid the coming conflict. 

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

With [b]The Kingdom of Vendsyssel[/b] already having claimed vast tracts of land from [b]The Kingdom of Claidor[/b], the war seems to be quickly swinging in their favour. With the combined army of Claidor and [color=0054a6][b]The Empire of Rubrus[/b][/color] still sitting idle, the heartland of Claidor lies before the armies of Vendsyssel. As is often the case, this sudden power shift has attracted hungry eyes, and long dormant dissent between Rubrus and [b]The Kingdom of Ilastiri[/b] begin to burst to life once again. As the Ilastiri army, largely returned from it's conflict in the south, begins to move into position, Vendsyssel appears to have gained an ally, and a powerful one. 

[b][i][u]17th of March[/u][/i][/b]

Perhaps encouraged by [b]The Kingdom of Ilastiri[/b] seeming to be preparing to aid them, or perhaps simply following their own orders, the force of [b]The Kingdom of Vendsyssel[/b] prepares to push further into the territory of [b]The Kingdom of Claidor.[/b] Not looking to repeat the mistakes of their foe, they leave sizable garrisons in the cities they now hold, re-enforcement's moving unchallenged from their homeland, and prepare to march onwards. 

[b][i][u][b][i][u]19th of March[/u][/i][/b][/u][/i][/b]

[b][color=39b54a]The Echyan Empire[/color][/b] has been raiding [b]The Eternal Hadeen of Dashkatar[/b] for too long. Even though the influence of Majdi al-Selim has so far proven itself to not be thirsty for war, it cannot abide this raiding. A newly constructed fleet of Dashkatar, built using the substantial manpower that the nation possesses, sails out to meet the fleet of Echya. The fighting is brutal, and the Echyan Admiral Darko Zauhar finds his force heavily outnumbered. Only a handful of the Echyan ships are able to escape, and limp back to safe harbors. 

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

Finally, [b]The Kingdom of Claidor[/b] responds. With the force of [color=0054a6][b]The Empire of Rubrus[/b][/color] not moving, due to receiving no orders, the army of Claidor acts on it's own initiative. Moving it's main force south, trusting that the idle Rubrus army can at least defend the province they are stationed in, they reach the city of Ziva, and the second siege of the city in as many months begins. 

[b][i][u]27th of March[/u][/i][/b]

The Second Siege of Ziva is already proving that it will be a bloody affair. The garrison of [b]The Kingdom of Vendsyssel[/b] has dug in, and, learning from their past mistakes in the Siege of Batko, ensure that the defensive weaknesses of the city are not left to be exploited. The defenders are braced, well-stocked, and confident of receiving support, and [b]The Kingdom of Claidor[/b] prepares for a long siege. 

[u][i][b]30th of March[/b][/i][/u] 

Sabotage operations continue across [b][color=00aeef]The Empire of Attolia[/color][/b] province of Belgae. While the 'Sentinels' work at a feverish rate, rooting out infiltrators and spies wherever they appear, they are fighting a difficult battle. With war imminent, pro-Ubren sentiment begins to swell, although whether this is due to direct influence from [b][color=708090]The Kingdom of Ubren[/color][/b], or simply due to the overwhelming strength of Attolia's neighbor, few truly know.