[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]Summer of 1757[/h2][/center] [img]https://i.ibb.co/nmG6kQB/Labelled-Map-1-1.png[/img] [b][u]3rd of June[/u][/b] While the nations of the Western Alliance may well be represented at the feast of [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color], King Oswald IV is clearly not content with anything but the highest order. As the feast of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b] draws to a close, an urgent messenger is sent west from Stevata, calling for the assembled leaders to travel east to Ravoza with all haste. It is testament to how significant Oswald believes his cause to be that he seems to demand that these leaders of the alliance are present, and it is testament then to that belief that the leaders of the Western Alliance do make the journey. It is almost unprecedented for such a number of leaders to stray from friendly territory, so it is no surprise that each king and queen is accompanied by a formidable force of Royal Guard, to the point where the soldiers of the Western Alliance in the Stevata capital quickly outnumber the soldiers of Stevata itself. Not deterred by this, the 'elite' troops of Stevata are quick to engage in training, just outside the cities walls, clearly intended to impress the gathered nations. While this display is entertaining, it does little to impress the nations who's soldiers outclass Stevata's own, chiefly Dorist and [b]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/b]. Regardless, Oswald has achieved his ambition, and his city now plays host to leaders of Europe from [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color], [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color], [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] and [color=82ca9d][b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b][/color]. It is only [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] that still does not make the journey. [b][u]4th of June[/u][/b] As Europe seems to take another tentative towards peace, the sprawling powers of India seem to have no such ambitions. Nader ud-Daula may have seized the initiative, striking a glancing blow against the slumbering bulk of [b]The Viswan Empire[/b], but he has far from felled it. Emperor Shah Mal is a cold-blooded and cunning leader, but he is no general, and command of his vast armies fall upon the shoulders of the grizzled veteran, Raja Ali. The old soldier has no time for politics, and he cares little for the factions struggling for control in his nation. He is loyal to the Emperor, and will follow his orders with a dogged determination, and a unflinching grit. With a formidable strength under his command, Raja Ali marches north, and it quickly becomes clear that Nader ud-Daula will soon feel the full and terrible force of the Viswan Empire. For now, the banished Shah Jafar is left to gather support in the east, with the willing support of [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color], while [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b] and the southern princes look on from the south. The growing strength of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] is not called upon by Shah Mal, but whether that is due to confidence in his own strength, or a distrust of Maria Toleas, only the Emperor knows. [b][u]6th of June[/u][/b] Even though the Western Alliance makes the journey east, it is still clear that they have not forgotten their allegiances. Rumours continue to swirl that [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b] has bound itself to the alliance, although the details of the treaties signed are still a closely-guarded secret, but there are other gestures that are far more public. As a sign of the closeness that exists between the nations, every nation of the Western Alliance, as well as Dorist, announce a period of mourning for the death of Princess Karoline Asmont, and [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] announces the founding of a orphanage in the heart of Rivierberg, named in honour of the former princess of [b]The Principality of Asmont[/b]. Prince William Asmont is still a shell of his former self, almost broken by the death of his beloved wife, but he is still sure to express his gratitude for these gestures of his allies. And yet with each day that passes, he seems to grow a little fainter, his grip on life a little looser, and it seems all but inevitable that Prince Alexandre will soon take up his father's mantle. [b][u]7th of June[/u][/b] The light of peace had still only been a glimmer over Europe, but as quickly as it emerged, that glimmer is choked by the dark clouds of war once again. Even while [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color] puts forward a treaty for peace, [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] quickly makes it clear that it has no such intentions. The entire nation is once again committed to the war, luxury items rationed, and prisoners press-ganged into forced labour, slaving in the fields to feed the hungry mouths of the nation. The harbours of Komentiolos that look out into the Black Sea are fortified, cannons dragged into positions as the shipwrights and carpenters are sent south, favouring the more sheltered Mediterranean harbours. Komentiolos also pours yet more fortifications all across it's borders, countless miles of defences carefully laid out, and spears being issued to the vast conscript armies of the kingdom. Those who were naive enough to think that the birth of the sons of King Nikolaos II would temper the man, or turn him towards peace, are quickly proven wrong, as it seems as if Komentiolos are even more committed to bloodshed than before. And yet, while Komentiolos seems not to have changed, the rest of Europe has changed it's face. The allies of Komentiolos, [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] and [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] have travelled to the feast of Stevata, and should they turn away from Komentiolos, even the formidable strength of Komentiolos may find it's beginning to crumble. [b][u]9th of June[/u][/b] As he pushes his nation into war once again, King Nikolaos II is quick to act, perhaps looking to nip any outcry before it can begin to bloom. Gathering the nobles and powerful merchants before him, Nikolaos launches into a speech full of fire and brimstone, cursing the nation's enemies for stoking the fires of rebellion in Aegyptus, and calling for [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] to claim the land it once held, centuries past, establishing the fallen empire once again. The king's rhetoric is powerful, his words hot with passion and ire, and the men gathered before him are caught up in it. War will bleed Komentiolos, but with the nobles behind him, perhaps the king can keep his nation on it's course. Whatever happens in the coming months, Nikolaos has made his stance clear, and as news of these sweeping reforms begins to reach the rest of Europe, it is now the turn of the nations gathered in Stevata to react. War is the trade of kings, but it is a trade of blood, and mankind's greatest evils, and it is not the kings that will pay the toll. [b][u]11th of June[/u][/b] With the nations of Europe gathered, and news continuing to arrive from the south, King Oswald IV once again presents his peace treaty. The treaty itself is worthless, [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] not only absent from the talks, but seemingly preparing for war, but it is clear that [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color] are looking to use the treaty as a gesture, a symbol that the nations of Europe stand united against Komentiolos. Unfortunately, just as with most great plans, it goes awry. [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b] is quick to add it's signature to the treaty, as is [color=82ca9d][b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b][/color], and they are surprisingly followed by [b]The Kingdom of Altenten[/b], Philip Lehner seeming to once again sense a shift in the balance of power, but it is there that Stevata's fortune ends. Both [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] and [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] stand firm in their defiance of the treaties blaming of Komentiolos, claiming that the war between Komentiolos and [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] is merely a continuing of the war of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], and that whatever blame there may have been has been washed away with blood. The diplomats of the Western Alliance also fail to sign the treaty, making it clear that while they support peace, they do not wish to be drawn into the conflict, a sentiment echoed by the diplomats of the northern nations of [b]The Empire of Stabuga[/b], [b]The Kingdom of Fosbak[/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Orvag[/b]. Perhaps these moves could have been anticipated by Oswald, but there is one omission that could not have been expected. The diplomats of Khazaria make no move to sign the treaty, remaining stony silent, and seemingly gripped with atrophy. With Khazaria seemingly refusing to join Stevata in it's push for peace, not only does Stevata's ambitions lose crucial momentum, but it also carves a rift in the heart of the so-called 'Eastern Alliance'. [b][u]14th of June[/u][/b] In the days following the refusal of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] and [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] to sign the treaty of [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color], news has continued to arrive from [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], making it impossible to ignore the reality that Komentiolos is loosing the dogs of war once again. There are shadowy meetings, hushed conversations that stretch on long into the night, but eventually, the diplomats of Kalseran and Reria emerge, and make an announcement to the nations still gathered in the Stevata capital. Kalseran joined the bloody war in defence of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], and that contract has been fulfilled. The forces of Kalseran will withdraw, and play no further part in the war between Komentiolos and [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color]. Reria is quick to follow the example set by it's neighbour, and despite the close ties that tether Reria to Komentiolos, Emperor Clarenzio III has clearly grown weary of sending his people into the carnage and bloodshed of battle. In a single moment, the strength of Komentiolos has crumbled, all three of it's allies seeming to forsake it, and leaving it to fight on alone against it's gathered enemies. It is also clearly not only in the east that Kalseran is hoping to avoid war, as the Grand Lady of the Republic herself writes a letter to Arch-Duke Jean-Baptise Dervau, calling on her fellow leader to stop the conflict raging in India from reaching European shores. The letter shows genuine intent, and considering the belief in peace that the Arch-Duke has already shown, Kalseran clearly hopes that [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] will not look to play out the wars of Baptiste Crevier and Maria Toleas on battlegrounds closer to home. [b][u]15th of June[/u][/b] If there are those who may have thought that the grand speeches of reclaiming a lost empire were simply intended to rally his people, it quickly becomes apparent that King Nikolaos II was not simply being theatrical when he pledged to return [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] to it's former imperial glory. Soldiers of Komentiolos, their blades barely wiped clean of the blood of Aegyptus, begin to gather on the borders of the recently 'cleansed' territory, casting greedy eyes towards the still unclaimed land beyond those borders. In the aftermath of the 'Aegyptus Massacre', nearly every nation of Europe has turned particular attention to the region, and although details are a carefully guarded secret of Komentiolos, it is clear that something is happening, and the self-proclaimed 'Caesar' seems to be moving his pieces into place once again. If Komentiolos does look to wage war in the continent, then the colonies of [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/b] will no doubt be making their own preparations. The actions of Komentiolos have already soured the reputation of Europeans to the nomadic tribes that call the shifting sands their home, and it is only the prosperity of those who serve Hispalis that keep the entire region from becoming unstable. Reria's colony is still in it's infancy, little more than a handful of trading ports and tentative forays deeper inland, but their grip grows weaker by the day, driving them further into the willing aid of Hispalis and, crucially, even further from Komentiolos. [b][u]18th of June[/u][/b] The long land border between the territories still loyal to Emperor Shah Mal and those that have been seized by Nader ud-Daula has become a dozen battlefields, the two formidable generals, Nader himself and the commander of [b]The Viswan Empire[/b], Raja Ali, clashing again and again. The two commanders are like duellists, and every battle seems to follow the same pattern. Nader ud-Daula strikes at Viswan with a wild fury, often leading the charge himself, roaring out a warcry, but by the time Raja Ali has reacted, moving troops to respond, Nader has already withdrawn, disappearing as quickly as he appeared and leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. Any attempt that Raja makes to retaliate, sending forces into the northern mountains, is quickly outmanoeuvred and cut off by the fanatically loyal soldiers of Nader. And yet, with every soldier of the Viswan Empire that falls, two more take his place, and the northern bandit king does not have that luxury. As war continues to rage, Viktor Halse finally responds to the request of Baptiste Crevier. [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b] will lend supplies and coin to it's ally, but men of Kehsi will not fight shoulder-to-shoulder with those of [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color]. Not yet. [b][u]19th of June[/u][/b] Perhaps it is the grief of his people, the plight of the thousands and thousands of refugees that are fleeing their own nation for fear of war and bloodshed, the overwhelming failure of a man who could not shield his own people from harm, but in the darkness of the night, King Markus I loses his mind. Ranting and raving of demons and curses, the king is quickly restrained by his chief advisers, and it quickly becomes clear that a decision must be made. [color=82ca9d][b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b][/color] is teetering on a precipice, caught in the middle of a war that seems destined to grind on, and that careful and precarious path cannot be trod by a lunatic. Markus has never married, showing little interest in the women that his courtiers had attempted to align him with, and he has produced no heirs. As if to compound the issue even further, the man that had been the assumed heir, the nephew of Markus, Lukas Rainer, had been struck down suddenly by illness less than two years past. If the bloodline of Paranas is to continue, then the weight of rule will find itself falling upon the shoulders of Alexandru Marius Rainer. The second son, a man who was never expected to rule, Alexandru has long shirked the nobility of his name, serving in the Paranas army with distinction, becoming a man popular with the troops under his command, and only prevented from serving in the defence of Paranas by the abrupt death of his brother. Word is quickly sent to Alexandru, and a hurried coronation is prepared. Alexandru is still young, but he is a man with ambition, and already popular among the masses. Perhaps he is the man that is destined to raise Paranas from the ashes. As the new king steps into the rift, Markus is quietly moved to a villa on the Black Sea coast, accompanied by only a handful of Royal Guards, a trusted physician, and his closest and oldest friend, Samuele Landino. If he will ever recover from the madness that grips his mind, none can say, but regardless, a new age has dawned over Paranas. [b][u]21st of June[/u][/b] Even while they push for peace, [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color] does not forsake it's own strength. The navy of Stevata has long been little more than a haphazard collection of ships, led nor manned with any great skill, and paling in comparison to the other fleets that sail the Baltic Sea, and this is a fact that has not escaped the attention of the young king. While Queen Marta II is present in the Stevata capital, Oswald looks to seize the oppurtunity, promising trade and coin in exchange for ships of [b]The Kingdom of Fosbak.[/b] The northern kingdom is tentative at first, wary of relinquishing their dominance in the Baltic Sea, but as the rest of Europe looks to build bridges, the queen convinces her advisers that it is time for Fosbak to follow suit. In an impressive gesture of goodwill, half a dozen third-rate ships of the line are sailed into the harbours of Hutina, manned by skeleton crews and turned over to the bewildered sailors of Stevata. Fosbak also provides a dozen sloops, the craftsmanship a world apart from the ships that currently serve in Stevata's haphazard navy, but it is aboard one of these sloops that Fosbak provides the greatest tool. Sten Sundström is an experienced sailor, and a competent commander, and compared to the naval officers of Stevata, he is a mastermind. Tasked with whipping the sailors and commanders of Stevata into something resembling a modern navy, Sten takes to his task with a stony stoicism. As Stevata becomes a more promising naval power, [b]The Kingdom of Orvag[/b] will no doubt be keeping a careful eye on their neighbours across the sea, wary of another power threatening their own position in the Baltic Sea. [b][u]23rd of June[/u][/b] In the absence of [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], and the absence of a definitive peace, the summit at the heart of [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color] has become something else entirely. The great leaders of Europe are gathered together, an oppurtunity that may not be afforded again for years, and nearly every nation seems to be looking to make use of the oppurtunity. Hushed conversations are had, deals struck in secret, preparations made for grand ambitions, all shrouded in carefully maintained secrecy. While Komentiolos seems to be quickly finding itself isolated, for the other leaders of Europe, there has never been more unity. Stevata seems to have quickly drawn close with [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color], while [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] and the other nations of the Western Alliance have taken the oppurtunity to not only strengthen their own bonds, but solidify their position as a major force in Europe. [b]The Kingdom of Fosbak[/b] and [b]The Empire of Stabuga[/b] also grows closer by the day, and it is becoming increasingly clear that a northern alliance will emerge in the coming months. Despite the stony silence of [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color], Stevata has also looked to strengthen the other bonds of the 'Eastern Alliance', and the new king of [color=82ca9d][b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b][/color] has been quick to take the oppurtunity to impose his will on the continental stage, establishing himself as an ambitious and driven leader. Perhaps war is destined to return, perhaps the animalistic call for blood and slaughter is too strong to be ignored by any man, but in Ravoza, even if only for a moment, the beast is caged. [b][u]24th of June[/u][/b] It has been more than a year since the ground-breaking invention of the 'Vera Engine', and news of it's development has been eerily quiet. Any yet to mistake that silence for a lack of progress would be naive, and in the heart of [b]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/b], Julio Vera has continued his work. Following the feast of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], the power of the Vera Engine is no longer restricted to the cities of Hispalis, and bulky carts and carriages, piled with strange metal contraptions and accompanied by wide-eyed and wiry men and women, make the journey to [b]The Kingdom of Arhan[/b], [b]The Principality of Asmont[/b], [b]The Kingdom of Genstadt[/b], [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b], [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] and even, crucially, Dorist itself. These engines are truly revolutionary, and almost overnight, they transform the industry of the Western Alliance. Textiles are spun by roaring and untiring machines, and cast iron begins to become increasingly abundant, and reliable. While the east continues to peddle war, in the west, wealth still rules. In Dorist, a nation bloodied and broken by conflict, this new technology, as well as the generous trade with it's new allies, has revitalised the failing economy, bringing prosperity to a nation that has been bowed, but never broken. Industry booms in the west. [b][u]27th of June[/u][/b] [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] has remained silent in the face of peace, but that does not mean it lies completely idle. The countless tribes of the empire have never been more united behind a common cause, and whether it is simply an expression of this unity, a reaction to [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] continuing to preach war, or something altogether more sinister, thousands of new soldiers flock to the banner of Khazaria. The people of Khazaria are war-like, the proud tradition of bloodshed still strong in their veins, and as even the wilder tribes of the east pledge their allegiance to the young Şahin Macar, the strength of the eastern nation continues to swell. The alliance that Khazaria has with it's neighbours of [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color], [color=82ca9d][b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b][/color] and [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b] may be beginning to show it's strain, but perhaps this is the way it was always destined to end. As the allies of Komentiolos seemingly withdraw their support, it is the ancient enemies that stand against each other, both believing their cause is just with an almost fanatical determination. The ancient enemies, whose war has raged since the Golden Horde of Khazaria clashed with the Western Crusaders more than three centuries past, who have looked at the other with envy for countless generations. The battle lines have been drawn, and if these two nations are to meet each other in war once again, every man that takes up his weapon will do it with the will of his ancestors at his back. [b][u]28th of June[/u][/b] Jozef Motycka has long had an almost unnatural obsession with the raw power of cannons. It is his undying appreciation for these new age weapons, and his ability at bringing them to bear, that has seen the man rise through the ranks of the army of [color=f26522][b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b][/color] until he stands at the pinnacle. It is his good fortune then, that his obsession seems to be shared with the young King Oswald IV. Orders are given for the army of Stevata to turn it's attention towards strengthening it's artillery, casting more cannons, and ensuring that there is a more than ample supply of ammunition and powder, all under the watchful eye of Jozef himself. The process is slow, and despite the grand ambitions of Jozef, he often needs to be grounded in reality, but there is a surprising development that even Jozef may not have expected. As Stevata push to improve their artillery, word reaches them of the 'The Luciani Ratio', as well as news of it's powerful use in the hands of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color]. A message is quickly prepared, and sent to Silvio Luciani, offering a substantial sum of coin for his services. Whatever the outcome, Jozef's obsession is an obsession with the future, and even if he has to do it single-handedly, he will not rest until he has dragged the army of Stevata into a new age. [b][u]29th of June[/u][/b] [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] prove themselves to be true to their word. The soldiers of the Republic that have manned the stretched defences along the border between Kalseran and Paranas are allowed to steadily return to their homes, laying down their weapons so that they may once again hold their children and wives in their arms, but perhaps the most damning gesture comes further east. The massed fleet of the Republic has wrecked havoc against [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] and [color=82ca9d][b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b][/color] across the Black Sea, but the signal is given for them to make the voyage homewards. The move is gradual at first, but it quickly gains momentum, and the true significance of it is lost on none of the nations that look out across the Black Sea. As [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] follows suit, also staying true to its word, with every ships of Kalseran and Reria that sail west, [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] grows more and more vulnerable. The fleet of Komentiolos still lies in tatters, while Khazaria and Paranas still command significant navies. If war does come to life once again, then the shoreline of Komentiolos is defended only by it's fortified harbours, and the pitiful handful of ships that are still remotely seaworthy. Komentiolos seemingly stands alone, and in the Black Sea, the balance of power is quickly swinging against them.