[b][/b][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]Autumn of 1756[/h2][/center]

[img]https://i.ibb.co/RyXVT7S/Labelled-Map-2-1.png[/img]

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

The palace of Queen Marta II has proven to be a tempting location to many diplomatic parties, and it is the representatives of [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b] that are the latest to call for audience with the young queen of [b]The Kingdom of Fosbak[/b]. Just as with [b]The Kingdom of Genstadt[/b], the delegation of Hispalis, led by the king's brother, Philip, offers a defensive coalition to the queen. Fosbak has been a nation caught in the middle ever since the outbreak of war between [b][color=2e3192]The Kingdom of Dorist[/color][/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b], and these new arrivals are greeted warily. After all, the two nations have little tie to each other, and with war practically on her doorstep, the queen is largely occupied with matters closer to home. Regardless, only a fool would ignore the economic boom that is currently occurring within Hispalis, and Queen Marta is no fool. Formal introductions are made, and the foundations of future relations are laid in place, trade routes drawn up and diplomats prepared, but for now, Fosbak will not tie itself to another nation. 

[b][i][u]4th of August[/u][/i][/b] 

It is not only [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b] that has been practising diplomacy while others practice war. The diplomatic delegation of [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] in [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b] is joined by none other than Arch-Duke Jean-Baptise Dervau himself, and after months of frenzied work, a breakthrough is finally made. The two nations have been warring for centuries, their hatred for one another written into the history books with blood, but this new generation has achieved what none before them could. King Janek II is a young man still, but with the steadying hand of his mother, Karoline, he has quickly grown into a popular and wise king. For the first time, King meets Arch-Duke, and the two men find common ground. A peace agreement, signed by both parties, is officially written up, followed by a flurry of other treaties. The three most significant amongst these treaties not only carry implications for the rest of Europe, but they will have consequences for the whole world. The first treaty represents not only a trade agreement with each other, but also a de facto declaration of friendship, while the second details the dividing up of territory in the Americas. The third treaty is perhaps the most significant, as it represents the pledge of Kehsi to aid Grimhout's establishment of a colony in India. The tensions between the two nations have been all but cooled, and the two men, the weight of nations resting on their shoulders, part as friends. Already, news will have reached [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b], and how Kehsi's other friends will react to this announcement still stands to be seen. 

[b][i][u]6th of August[/u][/i][/b]

Almost as if to commemorate the historic peace between [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b] and [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color], a new princess is born. With her father, Marc-Antoine, already returning from the Kehsi capital with groundbreaking treaties on board, Ève Dervaux is born into a new world of hope and peace. A new age is dawning for the Empire of Grimhout, and for the rest of her life, Ève's birthday will coincide with one of the crowning achievement's of her uncle's reign. 

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

For now, the winds of fate continue to blow in the direction of [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color]. While great strides are taken in relations with the nation to the north, it is not only there that Grimhout is finding success. In [b]The Principality of Asmont[/b], Juliette, the daughter of Arch-Duke Jean-Baptise Dervau, has been a guest of Prince William Asmont for months, and her charm and grace have evidently bore fruit. Her relationship with the Asmont heir, Alexandre, has blossomed in recent weeks, and an official announcement of their engagement sparks joy in the courts of both Asmont and Grimhout. While this causes some headaches amongst the officials, with Juliette becoming the sister-in-law of her uncle, it is a clear sign of intent, the two families joining again, and signalling that Asmont will have a Grimhout queen. Fresh treaties are drawn up, and the two nations solidify their status as allies while preparations for a grand marriage get underway. For Grimhout, the month is already proving to be a joyful one, despite the horrors of war that are consuming other parts of Europe. 

[b][i][u]9th of August[/u][/i][/b]

Despite the reports of resounding victories that are starting to filter back to [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] from the west, there are still those within the empire who do not celebrate. The nomadic tribes of Khazaria have been settled by the grand feast, whipped into a frenzy of war, and sent to war, but now that the ancient enemy [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] is once more at the gates, there are murmurings that the young emperor has let his ambition get ahead of him. After all, the vast bulk of Khazaria's armies are now fighting far from home, dying in a war which will likely yield little spoils, while Komentiolos is the far closer threat. While the Khazaria navy has held it own, if Komentiolos test the defences of the border, there are some among the tribes who believe that the line will buckle, and make those beliefs well known. While these murmurings are only in the background for now, it would be wise for the young emperor to not ignore them entirely. 

[b][i][u]12th of August[/u][/i][/b]

While events within Europe continue to escalate, there are still those who cast their eyes further afield. With the promise of their wealth honeying their words, the missionaries of [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b] have seen great success in welcoming the natives of their holdings in Africa into the fold. Making use of this new-found labour, as well as fulfilling the first of their promises, Hispalis begins working on a series of commercial farms. Work is quick, and welcome. Yet more of the natives flock to the settlements of Hispalis, embracing this new age, and the prosperity of the colonies continues to boom, a river of gold running between Africa and Hispalis. 

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

[b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b] has remained neutral in the war between [b][color=2e3192]The Kingdom of Dorist[/color][/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b], but now that war has come to his own shores, King Markus I can not ignore it. Markus is not known as a strong king, but even he cannot ignore an alliance. [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] has declared war against [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color], and when Khazaria calls for aid, Paranas answers, declaring war against Komentiolos. With Paranas lending it's navy to Khazaria's own strength, the frigates and sloops of Komentiolos find themselves even more outnumbered. Unswayed by this development, the forces of Komentiolos begin working on their next move, soldiers boarding merchant vessels and preparing to raid the Khazaria coast. 

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

The fleet of [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] has long been an anomaly in the patchwork of the empire, a glimmer of the modern within a nation so entrenched in tradition, but in the waters of the Black Sea, the fleet has been tested, and it has not been found wanting. Although the Ships of the Line that Khazaria commands are a shadow of the craftsmanship and quality that defines the ships of [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], the sheer size of these warships has proven to be a formidable weapon in it's own right. The shipyards of Khazaria come to life, and work is begun on a string of new ships for the navy. Although it will be months, and in some cases years, before these ships can sail to war, it is a clear sign of intent that the ancient empire is truly starting to embrace the weapons of this new age. 

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

The soldiers of [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] take to the water, and descend upon the first port of [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] that they reach. The town is pillaged, it's buildings set ablaze, and before the forces of Khazaria can react, the soldiers of Komentiolos take to the sea and are gone. For the second coastal town, it is the same story, chaos emerging from the water and then fading away just as quickly, leaving flame and ruin in their wake. By the time these raiding ships reach the third port, the beast of Khazaria has awoken. Fresh from licking their wounds, the remaining navy of Khazaria sails to war for a second times, with ships of Paranas at their back. Once again, the frigates and sloops of Komentiolos find themselves hopelessly outnumbered, but once again, they do not fade away in the face of such overwhelming odds. Armed with chain-shot, the sloops buzz around the Ships of War like flies around a great beast, and almost routinely, the masts of the Khazaria ships are toppled. However the numbers are too great, and while Admiral Basiliscus Verina commands his ships like a master conductor, his orchestra playing some great symphony, he cannot achieve the un-achievable, and one by one, the Komentiolos ships are stricken. A great leader can recognise when hope is lost, and as he watches his fleet diminish minute by minute, Admiral Verina signals the retreat. The raiding ships, poorly armed merchant vessels, are shielded as best they can be by the other Komentiolos ships, but several are sunk in the crossfire, the survivors either lost at sea, or scooped from the water by Khazaria ships. The two fleets have fought each other to a stalemate again, but the Komentiolos fleet had less ships to lose to begin with, and they can ill-afford another bloody battle. 

[b][i][u]21st of August[/u][/i][/b]

The colonies of [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b] in India have been flaunting their power in the region, and although [b]The Viswan Empire[/b] is a wounded beast, it is a wounded beast that is the most dangerous. While the colonists of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] have been more subtle in their strengthening, Kehsi have been flagrant, and Viswan cannot leave it unchallenged. The army of the empire is still vast, dwarfing even the largest armies of Europe, and although they are ill-equipped compared to the muskets and cannons of the Kehsi soldiers, numbers alone are still a powerful weapon. It quickly becomes clear that the Viswan forces are preparing for war, the demands that Kehsi cease their militaristic expansion falling on deaf ears. While it would take close to a year for word to be sent back to the young King Janek II, and orders returned, the Governor of the Kehsi colonies in India, an ambitious man by the name of Stein Fehn, carries the authority of the crown, and prepares for war in kind. This brewing conflict has implications for the whole region, as well as threatening the possibility of a [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] colony almost before plans are even drawn up. 

[b][i][u]22nd of August[/u][/i][/b]

Even beneath the dark shadow of war that has shrouded Europe, the 'Vera Engine', born in the heart of [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b] is perhaps the most ground-breaking development, and it may well prove to be the defining moment of the decade, if not the century. While news of it's invention is still only beginning to filter out to the rest of Europe, King Charles XII is quick to realise the potential of this new engine. With Julio Vera remaining at the helm, the young inventor is provided with the resources of the crown, and work is quickly begun in producing more engines of Vera's design, as well as constructing rudimentary factories to assess the viability of the engine in industry, and changes made to the very fabric of the Hispalis labour force in preparation of the changes that this new machine could bring. The early signs are encouraging to say the least, the engines already proving a more than capable blowing engine, signalling a drastic change in the iron industry.

[b][i][u]24th of August[/u][/i][/b]

The act of embracing the colony of Aegyptus into [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] proper sparked celebration across Komentiolos, but there were still murmurs of discontent amongst those who did not look so fondly upon the union, and those voices have only grown louder over time. In recent weeks, these rebellious groups seem to have become more organised, as if there was some greater power pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Not only that, but the string of raids that have been carried out against the most far-flung outposts have been undeniably more planned, with dark figures, armed with muskets, emerging from the sands and falling upon these isolated pockets of Komentiolos in the desert. For now, these raids remain only on the fringes, Arcadius assuring his brother, King Nikolaos Andreas Koromelas II, that he can handle the troublemakers himself. What is quickly becoming clear however, is that even if Komentiolos call the colony a part of their kingdom, they cannot hope to control the shifting sands, or those who dwell within them. 

[b][i][u]26th of August[/u][/i][/b]

As news of the resounding defeats that [b][color=2e3192]The Kingdom of Dorist[/color][/b] has suffered reaches [b]The Kingdom of Altenten[/b], the tensions of the court finally come to a head. Phillip has rallied the nobles behind him, and as the balance of the conflict seemingly swinging more in favour of [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b] by the day, King Leonard II finds that he has few choices left. With the overwhelming support that his son-in-law has rallied, the unspoken threat of civil war quickly becomes evident, and despite his reservations, the king ceases his own defiance. Diplomats are sent to the east, looking to sue for peace, and it quickly becomes clear that the armies of Altenten will not be marching to the aid of Dorist. For Dorist, the situation is increasingly dire. The bedraggled remains of the armies under General Albert Riechsand and General Tilman Grohl stagger back to the relative safety of the Dorist main lines, and the province of Shardvul is lost, except from the dogged defiance of the city of Kronik. With a formidable army at his command, and having already proved himself to be a more than capable defender, General Wolfgang continues to fend off the combined forces of Stevata, [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] and [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b]. For now, both sides seem content to sit and wait, the invaders hoping to outlast the supplies of the grand city, and the defender defending simply because he does not know the meaning of the word 'surrender'. For now, the sheer weight of General Wolfgang's name is re-enforcing his soldiers nerve, but as supplies diminish, and no rescuing army appears, that morale may begin to wane...

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

For now, the rebellion in the province of Helensa seems to be losing momentum. With General Bettino Gianni carefully navigating the social conflict, more and more nobles return to the fold of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color]. Few are surprised when Antoni Viscovi abandons the cause, going so far as to work with his childhood friend to bring this rebellion to an end. Sicuro Donati is trickier, but it is carefully made clear to him that his ambition would be far better served as a friend of the republic, rather than it's foe. Before long, the influence of the rebellion barely reaches beyond the walls of Calassa, and only Maria Toleas still stands defiant. General Bettino is an experienced diplomat, as well as a capable commander, but faced with the razor sharp wit and guile of Maria, he is outmatched. For a few days, she continues to meet with Bettino, but it quickly becomes clear that she is only entertaining him for her own amusement, like a cat playing with a mouse, and eventually, she seems to grow tired of even this. In her last meeting, she presents her closing statement. Although her co-conspirators have fallen at the wayside, falling victim to honeyed words and veiled threats, she has no intention of following suit. If the republic wishes to convince her otherwise, then it is to the republic that she wishes to speak. All that General Bettino can do is relay her request. An audience with Grand Lady Luisa A'Dera herself. 

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

With [b]The Kingdom of Altenten[/b] refusing to march to war, and [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] more occupied with internal issues, [b][color=2e3192]The Kingdom of Dorist[/color][/b] seems to be looking for aid from elsewhere. Clearly aware of the underlying tensions between [b]The Kingdom of Fosbak[/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Orvag[/b], a diplomatic delegation embarks for the Orvag capital of Ekda. Dorist are becoming increasingly desperate, a string of military defeats draining not only their resources, but also their morale, and yet they do not receive the reply from Orvag that they would have liked. Perhaps if this offer had come earlier, the ageing King Valterri IV might have been tempted, but King Valterri has no interest in betting on a losing horse, and although the Dorist diplomats are hosted warmly enough, it is made clear that they will find no joy. Not dissuaded, another diplomatic party begins it's journey for [color=ed145b][b]The Empire of Stabuga[/b][/color], hoping, pleading, for better luck.