The Great Migration Begins [All-Tech Maintenance Thread]

[Allanea]

The Free Kingdom Ministry of Justice, upon consultation with its counterparts at the Ministry of War, has chosen to expand its list of Prohibited Entities to include the following organizations:

The Vigilants of Stendarr, and the Priesthood of Arkay, currently based in Alduinium. These groups' continuous armed assaults on sapient undead creatures constitute a form of racial violence which the Free Kingdom does not, and will not, tolerate.

The so-called Renewed Allanean Republican Army, which had recently made itself known with terrorist attacks in The Hash, has targeted civilians throughout the Free Kingdom, and is clearly aiming to target innocent people as part of its quest to overthrow our Constitutional order.

Further added to our list of Prohibited Entities are the Black Fire Coterie, associated with terrorism and genocide in the name of magocratic supremacism, and the Order of the Silver Flame, associated with multiple acts of terrorism and genocide. Both of these groups operate from the territory of the so-called 'Beastling States of Crystal Spires', but are known to also operate elsewhere.

In addition, the following groups are added to our list of Known Slaver Entities: the Iron Ward Coterie, the Black Rose Coterie, a pair of organized crime groups which are known to have ties to sapient trafficking.

Assistance to these organizations and membership therein are punishable pursuant to the Prohibited Entities Act and the Criminal Organization Suppression Act.

However, we remind Freemen that the addition of any organization to the Prohibited Entities List or the Known Slaver Entities List is not done lightly. A 120-day public comment period is declared to allow individuals to enter objections or support, and members of the organizations will be able to challenge their addition to the Prohibited Entities List in a court of law, pursuant to Section 243(o) of the Prohibited Entities Act.

[Alduinium]

From the Revered Speaker for the Dragon States, Blessed be her devotion to our eternal Dovs, may Alduin's words echo through her lips.

It is worth noting that the information provided to the Free Kingdom was either of supremely faulty nature or merely provided by Imperial subjects with a vested interest in the destruction of our beloved States. This Revered Speaker shall correct a trio of egregious mistakes which both shows a limited understanding of our people and the immortal lords of Keizaal.

1. The official, Common term for our government is the Dragon States. Alduinium is merely a slur used by the lesser Imperial people and state, and should be disregarded in official communiques. It is highly offensive both to Alduin himself and his lessers.

2. The Vigilants of Stendarr, as well as most fanatical Stendarr cults have been painstakingly eradicated from all of Keizaal, with only minuscule pockets of resistance along the border and in more remote locations. Their power has waned significantly in the aftermath of the rule of our ancient Lords, and several detailed reports of executions of major leaders for the past centuries have been recorded on stone tablets, parchments, legal documents and online resource sites as PDFs, the latter of which are readily available with admission to one of several universities across Keizaal.

3. The Worship of Arkay is significantly restricted, and priests are not allowed to perform funeral rights across the entire States to prevent necromancy, which have been statistically proven by the greatest economists in all three major provinces* to be extremely detrimental to the economic strength and prosperity of all Keizaal.

In spite of these mistakes, we do believe that this would be an excellent opportunity to begin to discuss future solutions to stem the tide of anti-necromancer propaganda that heavily infests the outside world, from social justice activists who continuously question our way of life in an attempt to push their own political agendas, through to terrorists who wish to force destructive change upon us and our people at gunpoint.

* Morrowind economists are conveniently usually hired across less hardline Dunmer populations, and thus usually show less restraint in their willingness to advocate for the more economically viable uses for necromacy.

[Allanea]

The Free Kingdom Ministry of Justice wishes to clarify that at no point did we make any implications regarding the relative strength of the 'Vigilants of Stendarr' or the cult of Arkay. That these detestable criminals are now reduced to cave-dwelling lunatics burning their own feces for heat is definitely a good thing, but as long as these groups still persist, we intend to continue prohibiting their activities.

While we don't really approve of the Dragon States internal policy or its way of life, we are willing to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a correction for future Allanean documents in the next Unified Style Guide, that would have the Dragon States referred to as such in future Free Kingdom Documentation.

Hostility towards necromancers and the undead is a significant problem in our view, and perhaps it would be very useful if the two countries could cooperate to counter such bigoted propaganda and suppress anti-undead and anti-necromancer terrorists.

[Alduinium]

From the Revered Speaker for the Dragon States, Blessed be her devotion to our eternal Dovs, may Alduin's words echo through her lips.

Your proposal is quite an interesting one. It goes without saying that the suppression of both anti-undead and enlightenment of less extremist individuals is a reasonable goal to achieve. While it will likely take plenty of decades of hard work to fully achieve our goal of dampening the stigma of necromancy internationally, we are not afraid to open our doors to cooperation with foreign powers to accomplish this. It is of great importance that both significant terrorist sects and politicians looking for scapegoats in the form of necromancy should be dealt with in one way or another.

While we ourselves find the Allanean way of life both curious and perhaps ill-designed for effective governance of its citizenry, we are willing to partake in negotiations as equals with more democratically inclined societies for the betterment of both of our peoples. Let Keizaal and all of Allanea prosper through any further negotiations on this matter.

[Allanea]

While our cultures differ strongly on a range of issues, we feel the threat of anti-necromancer terrorism is something that bears collaboration. As such we would like to send out a study group, composed of representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and War, and an independent observer from the Allanean Lich Council, to meet with your representatives at Windhelm (our own representatives will arrive by sea), and possibly discuss joint solutions both to the short-term problem of terrorism and the long-term problem of anti-necromancer and anti-undead bigotry.

[Allanea]

OAS Headquarters, Office of General Kalugin

"Are the DREAD people real? How the fuck is DREAD an actual government agency?" – Kalugin asked – "Are you telling me that after literally years of research, they cannot source a fucking demon-capture device?"

"Sir, they've presented a range of options…"

"I have seen their 'range of options'!" – Kalugin exploded, raising a thick, bound, sheaf of paperfrom the table and smacking it back down. "I have seen the options! They revolve around fucking truename research! Do they think I carry a fucking list of demon names in my pocket, just in case some shit turns up and tries to eat my soul? And the size requirements! I've seen the Potential Platform. The Platform is the size of a football! I have seen anti-tank devices smaller than the Platform. You need to smell the fucking flowers, and by flowers, I mean the titan arum or some shit. Or maybe the durian. The thing is, Jones. The Department of Research, Evolution, and Development needs to evolve their head out of their fucking arse, and develop themselves a brain to fill it. Meanwhile, we're going to have us a demon capture platform, and Reijiro Techno can…"

"Where are we going to get us a demon capture platform?"

"We are going to buy the platform, Jones. We are going to buy Tesseract grenades."

"That's… not going to work."

"Why not?"

"Well, you tell me, General. Do you want to be responsible when, in some future contingency, the necrons pull some kind of remote switch and unleash whatever tentacled thing you've captured? All of the tentacled things you've captured really?"

"Look, the necrons," – of course, Kalugin was fully aware that most citizens in the Civilization were not, in fact, necrons. But nobody ever accused the spymaster of being careful about his word choice – particularly about people who were not in the room – "may have many flaws, but morons they're not. On their shit list, 'evil transdimensional horrors beyond space-time' are a few steps ahead of us. Beyond that, I do have a contingency. Several contingencies."

"Okay, and how are you going to get funding approval from the Senate?"

"I'm not. I'm going to use the covert actions budget. Which is fair, since the grenades are in fact for black ops."

"Okay then. You go with it. Your funeral."

* * *

Naturally, there was no actual order for Tesseract grenades from any government entity. Instead of this, a call was placed with a private company which sometimes subcontracted for OAS – in fact it was Dillard Industrial Logistics. It was one of those examples of Allanean capitalist excess – a logistics company with its own small navy to fend off pirates. And DIL needed equipment for its anti-piracy department, particularly the starborne one.

And therefore, a message was sent.

In light of the growing threat from warp entities and other demonic creatures to DIL shipping, the company has an increased need for various demon-hunting equipment, and particularly so-called Tesseract grenades and other similar equipment.

Three classes of equipment are necessary.

1. G-class (grenades). These are intended to be used as, well, grenades. Ideally, it would be best if the grenades in question varied somewhat in cosmetic appearance from the ones in service currently. If it is possible to have a range of grenades of various form-factors ('stick', 'lemon', etc.), this would be ideal.

2. C-class (covert action). This is a range of devices for use by DIL non-uniformed personnel and 'unarmed' ship crew, and ideally they should be concealed into innocuous and semi-innocuous objects (canes, etc.).

3. T-class (traps). These should be items concealed in various items that one could reasonably have aborad ships (say, a large armchair for the Captain's Lounge) which, by contact or remote triggering, capture the offending demon.

DIL is ready to make the payment in New Dornalian currency or Menelmacari currency as needed.

[Allanea]

OOC: Some of the information here has been graciously provided by the player of The Ctan

IC:

From: Priscilla Conde, Minister of War
To: Their Imperial Majesties, Alexander and Cassiopeia Blaken-Kazansky
CC: General Alexei Nikolaevich Kalugin, Organization for Armed Shenanigans
Classified: TOP SECRET: EYES ONLY

Reijiro at DREAD is an absolute, top-tier, waste of precious oxygen, or at the very least the people whom he has gotten employed at Project Mousetrap are absolute, top-tier, wastes of the Crown's precious oxygen. They do not have a containment system beyond that pizdobolstvo with the gems, which is very nice and all, but is not a valid tactical containment system.Our representatives have managed to negotiate with the Great Civilization to have the technology behind Tesseract Grenades released to us. There does not appear to be subterfuge – they believe, quite correctly, that the primary use for this weapon system is on extraplanar hostiles, and that it does not pose significant threat to themselves if released to us, on the logic that it does not cause a necron any more harm than our issue M-grenades would have, and in some circumstances probably less.

To be clear, this does not discontinue the search for additional containment systems, for a range of reasons which do not need to be outlined in this letter. However, I strongly advocate the construction of concealed locations to store any entities we will capture.

At the current, we have procured a limited quantity of grenades to issue for special agents, while a production run for Project Mousetrap is still being worked on. For secrecy's sake, and tactical surprise, the systems will be designed with a visual appearance making them appear visually consistent with regular Free Kingdom gear, to avoid the appearance of rumors of 'soldiers with strange grenades', etc.

I also recommend the commissioning of a classified simulation program for training of OAS agents for the use of T-grenades.

Possible issues to look into:

1. The tactical experience of demonfighters from other nations.
2. The tactical experience of allied troops.
3. The DREAD archaeological department informs me that potentially useful information may arise from further studies of Yithian remains.
4. Potential cooperation to aid others in combating extraplanar hostiles (and to acquire combat experience).
5. Someone for the dear love of the Gods kick Techno in the ass to get him to pull his head out of there!

Yours,
Priscilla

[Allanea]

Official Message from the Free Kingdom Ministry of War

As a continuous and ongoing process to modernize and rearm the Free Kingdom Navy and assist the allies of the Free Kingdom the Congress of the Free Kingdom has passed, and their Imperial Majesties have signed and approved, the Free Olesia Assistance and National Rearmament Act. This Act provides for the lawful handover of 100 Narvik class frigate and 100 Javelin-class missile boats to the Empire of Free Olesia, for patrols of its waters, operations against slavers and human traffickers, and all such lawful and needful operations as the Empire of Free Olesia shall seen fit to establish.

Moreover, the Free Olesia Assistance and National Rearmament Act provides the necessary funding to refit and repair the ships for Free Olesian use, remove any classified Free Kingdom cryptographic equipment, and assist in the handover of these ships to Free Olesian hands, including the training of Free Olesian crews to man, and maintain, the Narvik class and Javelin class, as may so be found needed.

The first Narvik class ships will be delivered to Free Olesia within 2 months, and delivery will continue through the next fiscal year.

[Allanea]

Liberty-City, University of Concord, Planar Geography 101

The students gasped as their professor entered the hall. It was a large hall, sufficient to fit several hundred undergraduates arranged in an amphitheater. Still even in this room, the woman appeared… outsized. She was definitely not a human – her lower body was not a pair of legs, but rather like the back part of an enormous snake, the scaled dark red. Her upper body was reminiscent of a human being – but that was all it was, reminiscent, for though the torso was unmistakably like that of a woman, the professor had not two, but six arms. Her head, too, was almost human, except that her hair was a near-unnatural hue of red, and her ears were pointed, elf-like. Several gasps were heard within the audience, as they realized that they were now, for the first time in their lives, face to face with a demon.

Amanda Lixunomei, Professor of Teleportation and Planar Travel, surveyed the students, her lips curving in a faint smile. "I see that some of you were not completely prepared to meet me. This is good. This is your first lesson."

She began. "To introduce myself, I am Amanda Lixunomei, Professor of Teleportation and Planar Travel. I am – as you can see here – a Marilith. My life story is a fairly simple one – I was a peasant woman in a far away country, and the local lord had me sacrificed in a dark ritual when I refused his advances. I became a Manes, a lesser demon, cannon fodder in the eternal war that the denizens of the Abyssal Plain wage against the Baatezu. Let me here forgo the story of how I managed to ascend the ranks of demonhood, and finally amass sufficient power to leave the Abyssal Plains… almost entirely behind. I do still own a garden there." – she paused. "Do not become a demon. Particularly, do not become a lesser demon. It is… a quite unpleasant experienced."

"I am fully aware of why many of you are here. Some of you no doubt are dreaming of becoming mighty Planeswalkers, to hop across the planes in search of treasure, or fame perhaps. Others are wondering if you will one day be able to see the afterlifes of some religions – Hel, perhaps, or Olympus – with your own eyes. Yet others here are considering a career in the Hell Patrol, which at least is respectable, and the least suicidally dangerous of these ideas. Let me assure you, however. That this is not a course that will make you a Planeswalker." – the demon-professor slithered across the stage, the boards under her creaking as she passed. "No, nor is there any such course anywhere. Should there be somewhere a man who says, 'here is a two-semester course, it will make you a Planeswalker', I recommend that you get up and leave. Punching him in the face is an option."

"Some of the Planeswalkers of history have had planar travel thrust upon them. Others have begun it after training extensively in a whole variety of disciplines – years of training, or experience in less-dangerous enterprises, such as perhaps professional adventuring, or, I don't know, service in the combat arms, are what it typically takes. In other words, if you have failed to get my drift so far: no. Don't."

"One of the objectives of this course is indeed to begin to impress upon you the understanding of a tiny sliver of the dangers that wait for you beyond the confines of the Prime Material Plane. But there is another."

"Planar geography is a topic that affects every wizard, and even most entirely mundane people. It is necessary to have an understanding of it when laying down a portal between two points on the Prime Material, or when securing a bank vault against people teleporting in. The relationship between the different planes is important, also, for many different forms of conjuration magic, abjuration – one cannot protect against incursions if one does not understand their mechanism, necromancy – both the raise-the-dead kind, and the healing kind, because both of these tap on sources beyond the Material Plane for power. As such, to be any kind of wizard – healer, conjurer, abjurer, teleportation specialist, diviner – you must understand planar mechanics and planar geography."

The stage creaked as Professor Lixunomei made her way back and forth on it and spoke.

"Our Prime Material Plane is, if you will, the front stage of the Multiverse, on which some of its greatest dramas transpire. Yet, lurking behind the stage, under the stage, in the rafters above it, are incredible forces, some of them forces of nature – the magical equivalents of great falls, storms, earthquakes – and some of them sapient and non-sapient creatures. As I have learned so many decades ago, one may contend with those forces, one may defy them – but you may not ignore them, except at immense peril. Entire civilizations, entire species are now but dust because they have ignored the risks that lurk beyond the edges of our reality."

"The recent events with the opening of Pandora's Box were but an inkling of the hazards we face there. In this class, I will teach you to contend with these hazards, to know them – not in the way in which daredevils leap across flames, but in that manner in which a fire inspector prepares a house for a fire. Those of you who are the note-taking types… I suggest that you prepare to start taking notes. Those who are not – I suggest you pair yourself up with some of the note people. I am a strict examiner."

[Allanea]

Vitaly Fomin

There had been three stages in Vitaly Fomin's life. In the first one, he was a teacher, a Sports and Patriotic Education teacher in a large high school in Liberty-City over the school year, and Scoutmaster on the holidays. His last graduating class was about twenty young men and women – the youngest, sixteen, the oldest, seventeen and four months – although that one always rounded it up, he was, of course, seventeen and a half in speech. He taught them civics, he taught them about the country's wars, he trained them for the Furlong Dash, and he taught them to throw hand-grenades. So they were all Boy Scouts, and he took them on trips, and taught them to storm trenches and clear rooms.

And there were two wars. One was far away, in Gholgoth, and it sucked in divisions, and corps, and tank armies. But he wasn't in it. He taught the class about it. Big maps, with the tank armies moving across them like bright-red arrows, and the Pudite armies marked with black arrows, and crossed swords symbols showing where the armies met. But it was all normal still, and the stores were open, and after class his students went and got ice-cream.

Until, that is, the war in D'halbrisir happened. And the tank armies were stretched thin, and an emergency was invoked. And so, of course, his class volunteered. He taught them well. Of course they volunteered. So he went with them.

He had enough training to be assigned to lead a platoon. This was the second stage of his life, and it lasted all of two months, and ended somewhere humid and hot, ankle-deep in disgusting mud, with the air so thick it seemed like they were walking in chicken broth, and his class had a final exam no class ever deserves.

But they passed, didn't they? They passed.

He taught them well.

He was with them that day, and he was with them almost every night since.

The oldest, the seventeen-and-a-half-year-old, by now really seventeen and a half, lying on his back, his legs still scraping across the ground, trying to get up, mud and blood soaking in his clothing. Mr. Zhen… Scoutmaster Zhen… I'm… am I alright? I'm cold, suddenly…"

"It's alright, Joshua. It's the mud, it's soaking your clothes, that's why you're cold, we'll get you showered…" – he remembered reaching for his sealed bandage, and then realizing there was no need for it. He closed Joshua's eyes.

The youngest, sixteen years and two months, flung a dozen yards, hanging like a rag across a razorwire fence. She had bled out before they even reached her.

Of the sixteen he brought there, he brought thirteen back – six unhurt, and seven in the recovery rooms of field hospitals.

He knew, of course, he had done it to all of them. Had it not been for his classes, they would not be there, in that mud and that fire.

And therefore, began the third stage of his life. Which had it rational conclusion here, in a pedestrian underpass in the arcologies, with a faint smell of alcohol, sweat, and urine about him. He did not remember all the details of how he got here, but did it matter? In his mind, it all led to one another, and the details? They were but details.

When a boulder rolls downhill, does every bounce and every roll matter – or only the fact that it is rolling faster and faster, down the slope, towards your home?

"FOMIN!" – someone shouted over his ear. "SCOUTMASTER FOMIN!"

This hadn't been the first time they said this, he realized, he just failed to hear them.

"SCOUTMASTER FOMIN! IT'S ME, CLEAGGS!"

It seems it did matter to someone.

* * *

Senate Committee on Defense

Excerpt from the testimony of Sergeant Eliezer Cleaggs

SENATOR G. THOMAS. Sir, your testimony has been equal parts fascinating and terrifying, and I have to admit that it has opened my eyes to some serious problems that you've encountered at DVS. Nevertheless, there are some details I'd like you to clarify for us, if you please.

ELIEZER CLEAGGS. Yes, Senator, I'm happy to help… I'll be pleased to assist the Senate in its investigation.

THOMAS. Sergeant Cleaggs – I believe that's the preferred form of address here – in your testimony, you've stated that you were late to submit a DVS form. We've checked with DVS and we've found that it is true, you were supposed to submit, and failed to submit, form F-697B. And this occurred because, I believe, you were on a drinking binge?

CLEAGGS. That's not how I would describe those events.

THOMAS. You were drinking heavily because your wife left you, is that correct?

CLEAGGS. I was also suffering from severe mental illness, from which I am suffering also to this day.

THOMAS. Sergeant Cleaggs, I'm not making accusations, and I'm not trying to shame you for your war injuries, be they mental or physical. I appreciate the sacrifices you've made for our country. Please understand you're not on trial.

CLEAGGS. I understand, Senator. However… I feel…

THOMAS. You can relax, Sergeant, you're, again, not accused of anything. I appreciate the fact you were going through a difficult time in your life, I truly do. But I wish to establish here the central facts.

CLEAGGS. Yes, it's correct, I was undergoing severe depression, as stress from life events compounded with what my therapist would describe… they did describe…. I mean… what they said. Is that trauma from the war. And the stress from my divorce, yes? Those two…

THOMAS. I apologize, Sergeant Cleaggs, are you alright?

CLEAGGS. I.. give me a moment, Senator, I need my medication.

THOMAS. Please, Sergeant Cleaggs, take your time.

Excerpt from the testimony of Sergeant Scoutmaster Vitaly Fomin

SENATOR G. THOMAS. Scoutmaster Fomin, I thank you for your testimony, and I thank you for your service to this great nation of ours. Could you repeat your diagnosis for us?

VITALY WEN. PTSD, depression, substance abuse syndrome.

THOMAS. And you are still qualified, in terms of your education, to resume work as a teacher?

WEN. Sir, I cannot resume work as a teacher.

THOMAS. Why? I'm sure that if you had a rest period, and… recovered somewhat, a lot of schools would hire you.

WEN. I do not think you were listening, Senator.

THOMAS. Excuse me, Scoutmaster Fomin?

WEN. Sir, the source of my trauma. The cause of all of this. Is that I taught a class, and then they learned from me, and I brought them to die. And three of them did die. Joshua Swenson, Juan Aginaldo, Malva Brockhouse. They died, because I trained them and brought them to the slaughter. And when I stand in front of a class full of kids, Senator, I see Joshua, and Juan, and Malva there. They are with me, every night. I remember that I taught them that it was their duty to volunteer. I taught them to throw grenades, and I was happy and proud when they signed up and went, and I went with them. And I went with them everywhere. Across the breastwork, into the mud, until they were dead in my arms. I killed them, Senator, as if I had pulled the trigger, or fired that mortar, or planted that mine. And if I teach another –

THOMAS. Scoutmaster Fomin, this is hardly the subject –

WEN. And if I ever teach another class, Senator, they will be sitting in the back row! Joshua Swenson! Juan Aginaldo! Malva Brockhouse! They had names, Senator! How can I teach more to be like them? What does it mean to be like them? To lie, with their hands crossed, in a zinc-sealed coffin? Is that what my classes are for, Senator ?

THOMAS. Scoutmaster, this is quite out of order.

Speech by Senator G. Thomas

Senators, what we've heard today is quite disturbing.

It's no doubt that the people who've testified here today are genuinely suffering from issues and disabilities related to their service in the Armed Forces. I do not think any individual would accuse any of the people who had testified here of attempting to defraud DVS, or even of exaggerating their own injuries. Nor do I, in any way, cast doubt on any of their testimony. What happened is, more or less, what these individuals suggested – they had confronted the DVS paperwork system, and, because of their life circumstances, their health issues, and so forth, failed to fill out the right paperwork that would have entitled them to the compensation that they're due.

Yet we must also view the situation from the perspective of DVS employees. DVS staff are hardly heartless drones seeking to deprive innocent veterans of their funds. But when an individual fails to fill out a form because they were drinking for three days – what are they to assume, except 'this man is just a lazy drunkard'? Now, of course, I do not in any way [i]mean that any of the people who testified today are lazy drunkards.

No, what I mean is that the system of applicant evaluation that we have exists for a good reason. Yes, sometimes it filters out truly deserving individuals. Some of these people are even heroes. But it does not do so because of a moral fault of our DVS staff, or the Senators here, or the public that has appointed us. No, it is because DVS has a mandate, under the appropriate Acts, to filter out fraud. To do so, objective requirements have been outlined, pursuant to the appropriate acts, to determine the people who are entitled to the compensation.

If these requirements would not exist, individuals like Sergeant Cleaggs would find it easier to get the money they deserve – and others would also come, and no doubt attempt to defraud the system. And the cost for paying out to the Cleaggses and Fomins would be also millions, billions, in fraud.

Ever since the establishment of the monarchy, Her Imperial Majesty has asked this legislature for money, money, and money. Money for carriers, money for missiles, money for training. And I ask my fellow Senators – do we want to throw out billions of money in fraud to help Cleaggses and Fomins? We do not. This bill, as it has been presented by friends of the crown, seeks to reform DVS but does not answer any of the financing or fiscal responsibility questions that would make such help viable financially. I ask the Committee to reject this bill."[/i]

In Cassiopeia Blaken-Kazansky's Office

"Now then." – Cassiopeia said – "I'm sorry it didn't work out, but it isn't over."

"It's not?" – asked Cleaggs.

They were gathered in her office – a dozen men and women, ragged and worn, tired after their testimony, or perhaps worn out by living in the streets, or dried out by alcohol.

Cassiopeia sighed, and gave Cleaggs a large, thick, sealed envelope. "You'll find here a watercolor landscape. It's painted by my daughter. You can sell it if you like, or hang it in your room – either way I hope it helps."

"I won't sell it." – he said, nodding, and she understood he meant unless I really, absolutely have to, and she was fine with that.

"It's not over, Cleaggs" – she looked out at the others. "It's just not how the Senate works. All I need to do is figure out a compromise that satisfies them. Nobody is actually against you guys."

"They are for money, though." – Fomin noted.

"Yes." – said Cassiopeia, "or at least Thomas is."

"That's even worse." – said Fomin – " He doesn't consider me a scam artist, or any of us. He's just willing to let us starve, rather than spend more money. He's not even… totally wrong, after all it's not his own money he's safeguarding. Had I been his constituent, I'd view this as responsible as all fuck-out."

"The question is." – the Queen mused – "How to get the Senate to agree to a reform at DVS, while persuading them that the money will be handled responsibly."

"And how will you do that?" – Cleaggs inquired. "They seem quite stubborn."

"I'll think of something."

[Allanea]

[align=justify]The Free Kingdom Ministry of Justice has received Royal instructions to provide assistance to the Royal Commonwealth of Palmyrion, which is now finding itself embroiled in a severe emergency, and under attack by a terrorist organization, known as "Bagong Lipunan ng Palmyria" or BLP. This group subscribes to so-called 'dominionist' ideology, which can be best described as a set of misappropriated and misinterpreted Christian beliefs, which members of the group view as endorsing unrestricted violence against members of the LGBT community, as well as anyone else perceived as opponents of their theological views, without any concern for bystanders (in other words, even individuals who are not viewed by the group as its enemies may quite easily be murdered by the group).

This constitutes the lawful basis for the Ministry of Justice to add the Bagon Lipunan ng Palmyria, or BLP, to its Prohibited Entities List as a terrorist organization. Any assistance to the BLP by any Freeman, whether through donations, financial transactions of any kind, training, or any other efforts, constitutes a crime under the Free Kingdom Criminal Code, as is membership in that organization. Penalties shall be assessed pursuant to the Prohibited Entities Act and the Criminal Organization Suppression Act.

However, we remind Freemen that the addition of any organization to the Prohibited Entities List or the Known Slaver Entities List is not done lightly. A 120-day public comment period is declared to allow individuals to enter objections or support, and members of the organizations will be able to challenge their addition to the Prohibited Entities List in a court of law, pursuant to Section 243(o) of the Prohibited Entities Act.

In addition to this, the Minister of Justice has ordered a team of investigators and advisors to be sent to Palmyrion, to assist the Royal Commonwealth in investigating the heinous crimes of the BLP, and bring its membership to justice as soon as possible.]/align]

[Allanea]

After extensive research by the Free Kingdom Ministry of Justice, we are now altering, for the last time, our policy on the so-called "Beastling" "States" of Crystal Spires.

1. The Free Kingdom's inquiry on the various events of the Spirean "civil war" has definitively shown the actions of the Spirean 'republicans' to have met several of the expert definitions of democide and slavery. First, the Spirean 'republican' promoted a state ideology of collective guilt regarding the noble and knighthood classes (the Spirean constitution refers to the crimes committed under the previous 'regime' as the 'crimes of the nobility', despite the fact over 90% of the target class neither participated in, nor were aware of their crimes). While we do not possess definitive proof that Spirean leadership orchestrated hate murders against civilians, the fact remains that the spread of an official acceptance of collective guilt definition against an entire socio-ethnic group was followed, rapidly, by the murder of nearly 20,000 people, which the state did not meaningfully stop or prosecute.

2. The Spirean state then engaged in a program to deprive individuals of their private property, not merely in a general Communist sense of abolishing private property (which, of course, is in itself a crime against sapient-kind), but in a sense of targeted, democidal removal of the property of a specific socio-ethnic group. Noblemen were made to swear unbounded obedience to the state as a condition of keeping their property (an oath others were not made to make), and then, in a deception of truly Spirean proportions, it turned out that disagreement with even the pettiest bureaucratic edict was enough to lose one's entire position.

3. The Spirean state engaged in a deportation of its political opponents, including children.

4. The Spirean state then encouraged individuals to give up their titles on the spurious idea that those who shared social status with the tiny minority of criminals were therefore somehow sullied by them, even if they were not aware of their crimes.

5. The Spirean state, furthermore, placed thousands of noble orphans in an education system which was less 'orphanage' than it was 'prison', including compulsory child labor (we remind the reader that international precedent exists declaring the former Imerian child labor practice to be a form of slavery).

6. The Spirean state itself, for a long time, had many of its edicts involved by a religious organization known as the Orderites.

7. Reserve members of the Spirean 'military' continue to commit and attempt a range of racially-motivated war crimes, including against Allanean citizens and refugees found here. Quite recently Spirean bank employees captured and murdered several Free Kingdom law enforcement members, as well as a refugee who was present.

8. At no point did the Spirean state engage in any attempt to return the stolen property, or even admit that its collective-guilt ideology is morally detestable, or in any other way reverse its racist and class-based hate policies.

9. To sum up the above point, the Spirean state is involved in a continuous program to culturally and economically eliminate a social/ethnic/cultural group, to unsubtly encourage violence by members of its armed forces against members of this group (violence which continues to this day).

10. For these reasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accepted the definition by the Ministry of Justice that the Beastling 'States' are a democidal organization.

11. All recognition of the Beastling 'States', their 'currency', or any documents from that country shall be withdrawn, the Spirean 'military' and 'National Guard' shall be added to the Prohibited Entities List.

12. All noblemen, knights, and their direct family, from Crystal Spires, shall be accepted to the Free Kingdom as refugees and put on an immigration fast track. For this purpose, the 'renunciation' of titles made after the Spirean Democide (also sometimes referred to as the 'Revolution') shall be null and void.

13. Because of the vast social and economic benefit of Skyborn noble individuals, the Free Kingdom Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall seek the Senate's approval for a special program to sponsor their immigration, to provide them with land grants in the colonies and financial grants, proportional to their titles. None of this program shall be seen as a 'compensation' for any of the property stolen by the Orderite slaver organization, or any other terror group.

14. The mithril, gold, silver, and diamonds produced in any state-owned mines in the so-called 'Beastling States' shall not be accepted by any Royal agency as payment for any debts, and shall be accepted at fabgold value.

[The Ctan]

An Internal Report within the Noble House Astraeus regarding New Sanctions against Crystal Spires

Ex-Entitled Emigration

We continue to monitor the exodus of the formerly Entitled from D’halbrisir to the Free Kingdom of Allanea, with recent announcements we anticipate this process will only increase with continued efforts by the Free Kingdom to entice their departure. It appears that the Spirean government remains largely indifferent to this issue, while the Great Civilization’s presence in D’halbrisir regards the issue of recusant Entitled as of no further consequence, with the total number of Entitled never really exceeding more than three percent at the most generous and considerably less than one percent below the nineteenth noble rank whereby most would consider it to be hereditary (those nobles without wings are nominally excluded from the reckoning, Kuukarah was a system and like any governmental system there was a degree of flexation in its actual definitions, with many civil appointments considered noble despite being open to those who achieved favour and advancement) - the profusion of such titles is of course something of little concern to the current government, but it is still a tacit policy to withhold original heraldic records under privacy laws under general principle and also because relevant decision makers within D’halbrisir regard it as preferable that the many false claimants who can present an appropriate facade; exit of those willing to engage in such a scam is also tacitly considered a scam and based on the information available to me I would estimate that below the seventh noble rank more than half of claimants are bogus.

The ongoing belief that the Allaneans have that most nobles are high value individuals in terms of their personal capacities continues to be somewhat justified vis a vis the Mean Terran abilities of individuals, in no small part due to the environment of D’halbrisir, which fulfils the Selusa Secundus principle, to the same extent that Altea does, both regions consist of some of the most dangerous parts of Mystria that do not pass beyond means of survival where individual effort can achieve results (as in Terradin and Yesopalithia). Despite this we do not regard this as a substantial loss of the house’s recruitment base as there are no shortage of Alteans and Spireans who are more capable individually than their leaders, the revolution’s disruption of education means that the educational ‘born to rule’ advantages of the aristocrats are now gone in the younger generations while the knowledge of the older generations is antique and proven far from viable in the modern world. This does not mean that exceptional individuals do not exist, but they are no more exceptional than most Spireans; somewhat less so on average due to inbreeding though of course genetic rematriculation can deal with some of these limits.

Mithril Sanctions

With the recent reduction in the Great Civilization’s internal demand for terran mithril after correlative correspondence of aetheric substance confirmed as a product of the enunciate codex, we are not certain of the ongoing importance of spirean truesilver to the Spirean economy, certainly it is not the most useful substance produced by the Spirean culture, nor a principal export, and the negative impact toward investors in the substance has already been playing itself out in the market. For our own purpouses truesilver produced on Terra is no longer generally regarded as materially or mystically separate from offworld sources including truesilver from the rest of the Great Wheel Galaxy, Songsteel in the Skyriver galaxy and various other sources of the material and its several altered forms such as Mithril and Ithilmar presently have a less exorbitant value within our own host nation and the domestic market Crystal Spires. The main market for Mystrian stamped truesilver remains Menelmacar, where cultural mores from the myth-history (specifically to the mythical Northern Lamp of Illuin) gives Terran truesilver a unique cultural cachet; spirituality is generally less important to Allaneans on the whole and it seems they would be unlikely to pay the Terran premium anyway as sources of the substance from offworld are substantially identical.

Our own investments in Carceno in this material have been paused and while it retains obvious decorative value its collapse to a level approximating ten times to the equivalent gold from equivalent source already suggests this sanction may be intended as a token gesture; of course, with that said, demand remains adequate to absorb all Mystrian mithril in our own culture and in Menelmacar, whose relative loss of value is projected to be lesser but also notable since the continued success of the development of Orichalcum within the extraction sector, and the increasing development of Spirean industries.

I remain a little puzzled by the dogmaticism of the Allaneans regarding the state-owned mines of Crystal Spires, the Spireans generally do not have nationalized industry and while there are several ownership arrangements, their government generally isn’t able to run mines (at a loss) for consumer products with high value when other investors can be quickly persuaded to do this themselves. The mining-nationalization of unpopular miners-rights candidate Jürgen Madoc was after all defeated soundly in the elections.

Crimes against ex-Entitled

The incident to which the Allaneans refer in respect of a group of Spirean Bank Employees is the previously mentioned incident whereby a group of Spireans resisted a Greater Prussian effort to sieze their vessel; this does not indicate typical street level violence and the special enforcement and security measures within Crystal Spires which are designed to keep the Ex-Entitled away from caste-motivated harm and prevent them from in turn conspiring to recover their status remain in place. The majority of such violent crimes remain in the opposite direction, chiefly Ex-Entitled operating or leading criminal gangs intending to attack the seaborn or cooperate with slavers and other fringe elements.

The specific group under attack were responding to the attempt to sieze shipping by imposing a no-travel zone at once covering the ‘Greater Prussian Regional Ocean’ in which they were traveling at the time; if not an act of war it is perhaps merely because there is not usually a level of effrontery to both impose a no travel zone and then attempt to impound otherwise lawful travellers at once. The Menelmacari justice system has understood this and while there is a degree of disregard for firm principles of the crypto-legalism that enthralls the Great Civilization in instead achieving a diplomatic resolution that imposed a period of imprisonment on those involved, in no way does this signify a general trend in the Spirean homeland; except of course, if one were to arrive with Kuukarah-nobles eager to instate their claims.

Certainly crimes in the present are rare, they are punished, also.

I do not regard there as any risk for travel for the Navis Nobilite in travel to this country, nor any others, and very little indeed to their own ex-Entitled, excepting where they express their former station as indeed an entitlement of both kinds.

Summary

In short my Venerable Elders I do not regard the matter of major concern, a restatement of existing policies plus additional sanctions, but their impact will be somewhat diluted by the current situation of Crystal Spires, the existing market that buys the exports targeted, and while the statement contains no facts there are none relevant to our House, nor do they significantly imperil our plans.

I remain your Obedient Child in Spirit,
Praetia Astraeus

[Allanea]

COMPROMISE REACHED ON VETERANS ASSISTANCE ACT

Liberty-Times, Liberty-City – After a substantial debate at the Senate, and pressure from both veterans groups and taxpayer watchdog organizations, compromise has been reached on the Veterans Assistance Act. The Senate had agreed to pass the act, on condition that the candidate nominated by the Crown as the Minister of Finance would be one recommended by the Senate, and specifically Prof. Gimli Kegbraid, a professor of economics. The professor is a known commentator on financial and economic subjects, and is known for his criticism of what he views as the Free Kingdom's 'profligate' spending.

Professor Kegbraid, official portrait provided by the Liberty-City School of Economics.

Upon being contacted by this paper regarding his nomination, Prof. Kegbraid said, in part: "I have neither sought this honor, nor expected it. However, I am proud to have been chosen for such a position, and should the Senate actually confirm my nomination, I shall proudly served the Free motherland in this capacity. It would be irresponsible for me to, at this juncture, comment on what policy I plan to pursue if nominated, and I'd like to stress that in any event I do not plan to recommend any drastic reform before I study the facts on the ground."

Senator Kargin, a Nationalist Party stalwart, has had this to comment: "Look, I'm obviously not pleased with this nomination, but nobody can say that Professor Kegbraid is not qualified for this job. Obviously I'm concerned with what this will do to our nation's military strength, but I need to choose between a few extra aircraft carriers and giving our veterans the medical and social assistance they have earned, I am going to choose the veterans over the carriers. So if we need to reach across the aisle to our opponents, that's something we are going to do."

Conversely, Senator Petrov of the Libertarian Party was more sanguine about the nomination. "It's clear that Professor Kegbraid is the most qualified person alive to fill this post. It's unfortunate that the only way we can get the Crown to agree to nominating Professor Kegbraid, and accept a basic semblance of fiscal responsibility, is through this sort of silly arm-twisting in the Senate. I am however happy and gratified that we have finally reached a compromise. I thank Her Imperial Majesty for agreeing to the proposal."

The Senate has agreed to vote on Prof. Kegbraid's candidacy Tuesday evening, a process that is expected to go off without a hitch, as most of the votes necessary for this nomination to pass have already been secured and only the final negotiations are now ongoing. The Veterans Assistance Act, which includes substantial reform of DVS procedures, a review of existing DVS practices and cases, and an increase in the agency's funding, shall be voted upon on Wednesday morning. An amendment authorizing the Ministry of Finance to review DREAD internal practices and funding is currently being sought and is, as of press time, expected to pass.

[Allanea]

MINISTRY OF WAR TO HONOR MARECHAL MARPATH

Liberty-Times, Liberty-City – In a ceremony intended to honor Marechal Dallat Marpath, the Free Kingdom Minister of War, Priscilla Stossel-Conde, has today spoken at a commission of a life-size, bronze statue of the Marechal. This statue is now about to be enchanted by a small team of thaumaturgist, and delivered to a military compound in the Serene Republic, where Allanean Special Forces operators undergo training by Treefolken instructors. The statue will have a range of protective enchantments, including a mild healing field around it, to assist trainees in recovering from minor injuries they may sustain in training.

The artist, Vyacheslav Sorkin, had also spoken at the ceremony: "I am inspired by the Marechal's military genius, as well as his tenacity. For this reason, this statue is intended to express those qualities."

The statue's pedestal shall carrier four brass bas reliefs, also made at Sorkin's studio, each of them portraying, in symbolic form, either particular successful actions by the Serene Republic's military forces, or joint operations by Free Kingdom and Serene Republic personnel.

In her concluding speech, Baroness Stossel-Conde had this to say: "We had, in the past, honored Chosen Ayliah Mercine's scientific genius, which saved our nation in the recent fractal disaster. However, the military prowess of the Serene Republic, the bravery of its soldiers, and the moral clarity of its vision remained, thus far, not honored. This is only the first step to repay the great debt which we owe to the Serene Republic."

"Those who had fallen helping defend this great nation of ours against the Phyrexian invader should rest honored alongside our Illustrious Ancestors, and they, and their families, should know that Freemen hold, even now, to the ancient words – Nobody is Forgotten, Nothing is Forgotten. The people of the Serene Republic should not thank us for this gift. It is us who thank them. That is all."

"May the Gods protect Greater Prussia."

"May they forever continue to Bless Allanea.

* * *

NGMBS THANKS PRINCESS OF ALLANEA

Liberty Times, New Gundabad – Gorbag Gro-Bandag, the Chairman of the New Gundabad Metalworkers' Benevolent Society, had spoken today on the matter of the Society's annual charity ball. As we have previously reported, the Society had received, as a gift from Princess Imperial Rheya Ganduril Blaken-Kazansky, an acrylic landscape painting that Her Imperial Highness had painted herself, in aid of the Society's many charitable activities.

"After some contemplation," – said Gro-Bandag, "the Benevolent Society's Board of Directors had decided to hold on to the painting, in hope that it should grow in value, and furthermore, that Her Highness' work shall be displayed at our head offices in New Gundabad, therefore granting our offices a more refined air, particularly in the view of non-Goblinoid donors and visitor. We at the New Gundabad Metalworkers' Benevolent Society must again restate our thanks to Her Imperial and Royal Highness, Rheya Alexandrovna Kalise Ganduril Blaken-Kazansky, for her gift, which we believe shall do the Society substantial good and shall doubtlessly aid us in raising more funds for its charitable operations, particularly in terms of the segment of our operations that revolves around aid to veterans and educational outreach."

[Allanea]

After a discussion with representatives of the Senate Committee on Immigration and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, it has been decided to enact the immigration program we first proposed. As a first priority, we will encourage the immigration of all noblemen and knights (regardless of their ranks in the religious ranking system of the old regime). As we have mentioned in our previous message, we shall issue to those individuals land grants in the colonies (or, if necessary, sea floor grants), as well as financial grants.

To ease the burden on the taxpayer, we have raised a substantial sum from House Blaken-Kazansky, House Conde-Stossel, and the Nivensky household, as a targeted donation for the creation of a fund for the financial grants in question. To be clear, taxpayer funding has also been approved by the legislature, as part of the Liberty's Cloak Act, which seeks to protect exiled noblemen and knights under the cloak of Allanean Liberty.

In addition, the Free Kingdom of Allanea shall engage in voluntary sharing of intelligence information with the Duchy of Snogohsia, as part of our obligations towards the Duchy under the Greater Prussian Constitution, and our moral obligation to protect those who are targeted by democidal terrorists.

[Allanea]

Somewhere in the Mercine Worlds, Allanea

The creature was enormous – large enough to serve as a mount for a human being seated on its neck, or, more pertinently, to feed on human beings if it so choose.

The creature was frightening – neither crow, nor ant, nor partially decomposed corpse in appearance, but something different, and its true nature could not be so easily be divined, for the terrible features were melded seamlessly in its appearance.

It circled over the snows as it descended through the skies, its wings spread out, but its wings were not the true means of its flight. Rather, it was the arcane organs hidden within its heinous body that had carried it through the deep void of outer space, which now, attuned to the magnetic field of the Earth, held the creature aloft.

Thus, the pattern of the creature's flight was unnatural, forbidden – it had nothing to do with aerodynamics, or with the regular physics that every schoolboy knew, but rather with the unusual, sanity-defying mathematics of its kin.

Lower and lower it descended, and in the swirling snows below it already perceived its morsel: a tiny creature for its perspective. The creature seemed unaware of the monster as it struggled through the snow, its legs sinking up to the knee as it trudged forward.

The monster stopped at a hover. By instinct, it stopped so its shadow was just short of its prey – not letting the prey become aware of its presence simply by the skies growing darker.

Yet the prey still noticed. It stopped – perhaps like a rabbit does when it notices a falcon.

No matter.

The prey could not flee.

The forbidden creature dover, the wind whistling around its ear-openings, its multi-ton body speeding down like an attack craft in its dive. It could almost taste –

The prey spun on its heels, raising its arms upwards. In its arms, a piece of metal – tiny enough to serve as the monster's toothbrush, perhaps.

And there was a cracking sound.

The first shot went wild.

The second impacted the base of the monster's wing, and it screeched fearsomely as bone turned to pulp under the blow.

The third tore through its wing.

The creature screeched, and screeched, and screeched, the rushing air tearing its wing open, noxious ichor spraying as it dove.

Below, the human kept firing its rifle. Some of the shots missed – others did not.

The diving monster shook its head, as if it had been punched by the fist of an enormous, unseen monster.

Crack! – a rifle bullet entered the creature's chest. Crack! – its foot, with which it had meant to grasp its prey, twitched in sudden pain.

It hit the snow a few yards from its intended victim, and the snow was not soft nor welcoming when it hit. Its wings tore and broke with the fall, and it screeched, calling out to the unseen masters that had forged its body, and filled it with strength, cursing them for its strength had failed it.

Yet it could still fly! Its hearts still beat! Its hidden organs still were in tune with the world. It was not over.

It began to ride, slowly, from the swirling snow.

Fifteen yards away, the human held its hunting rifle at the shoulder. The magazine, half-empty, fell into the snow. And another one, full, came in.

The creature's awful, faceted eyes, sought for its victim.

The human's eyes were slightly out of focus. For it, the monster was a blur – but the human did not need to see the creature clearly, nor did the human want to. The red dot in its rifle sight was in full focus, the target a blur. The rifle pushed against the human's shoulder, and the creature's faceted eye burst like a grape. It screeched in pain, trying to rush forward – and then another shot tore through its brain, tearing it to mulch.

"Hey. Hey. Traveler's… Traveler's Saloon? Yes it's Cletus. Cletus McHogan. What? No I'm not drunk. Listen, I need help. I don't know who to call. Listen I was going home and I… I'm not sure, there was this really huge stobor. No, not a cave bear. Fuck knows. Huge beak. Wings. No I am not fucking drunk or high I tell you. Do you know who can pick me up?"

[Allanea]

Revenge is delicious, but it is best when seasoned with ambition. ~ Salaine Morn, Archon of the Shadowed Thorns Cabal

The fortress looked impressive. Placed on one of the worlds that the Free Kingdom had not yet fully begun to settle, it seemed like an array of reinforced plascrete, slabs of armor-grade metals, launch runways and battleship plasma cannon. It was attached to the side of the mountain, and one would not need to have any secret blueprints at hand to guess that even more weapons and secrets awaited within the rock.

Yet the citadel was not protected merely by armor and weapons, by shield-generators and weapons reactors. That would have been but a sliver of its defenses. Worked into its very walls had been defensive magic of power and complexity. Those with the sixth sense would see elaborate lattices of spellcraft spanning throughout the entire complex, worked into its very walls and foundations. Items of power – some minor, others major – had been placed throughout its corridors, or given to those entrusted with its protection.

In a meaningful sense, the fortress extended beyond its walls. Small forts, some placed many miles from the main perimeter, formed a complex network of protective emplacements. All this covered by a wizardly mythal, its protective powers spreading to the horizon. In the skies – satellites and orbital monitors, ready to lash at invaders with beam weapons and guided munitions.

Deep within the protected reinforced walls rested clandestine laboratories, secured with bulkheads, guarded by soldiers even within the safety of this fort. Libraries, sample lockers, and databanks, held close within the fortress' bulk, were its mightiest weapons, ancient tomes and test tubes standing in long racks like weapons in armories.

This appeared in official records as Fort Lodge, or in conversations, merely the Lodge.

Allaneans had crossed blades before with the black-clad Drukharii – most recently, in the Pandoran Wars. The raids had been repelled, the attackers left dead on the snow or even captured – but the problem, now, had been brought into sharp relief.

The task, then, had been set before them. At the Lodge, they would oversee a review of the knowledge and weapons known to them – some from their vast archives of the ancient Aelosian culture, others from their fights against the Drukharii themselves, yet others from research.

The word lodge implied a hunting residence. Here they would train action teams to fight within the ancient Webway itself, to go where angels themselves feared to tread.

For the issue was not one of mere survival.

It would not be even of mere revenge.

The issue was that of ambition.

[Allanea]

We, Cassiopeia Blaken-Kazansky, by the Grace of the Gods of the People, Emperor of Greater Prussia, Queen of Allanea and Reichskamphen, Protector of Snogohsia, et cetera et cetera, hereby announce our Royal Will.

Our allies the Snogohsians have for a while called us their Friend and Protector. They have provided the Free Kingdom's ships with berthing, and we have provided them with protection and trade. Their artisans have worked with ours to design terrible weapons of stealth, to pursue our foes beneath the waves. We have worked together to aid the Snogohsians avoid the pitfalls of economic despair, to root out the rot of slaverkind, to protect their shores.

Now We believe that our friends the Snogohsians deserve a place alongside us in our task of protecting Greater Prussia from all manner of incursion and savagery, from the Slaver, the Fascist, and the Communist, from the ravages of megafauna and the threat of piracy.

The location of the Duchy of Snogohsia, between the Democratic Colonies and the Allanean mainland, allows them to contribute to the regional defense, if they are but properly armed to detect and shatter offensives.

Thus, We hereby authorize the construction, with revenues from Kazansky Heavy Industries, the construction of a system of defenses on Snogohsia's shore, on its continental shelf, and within its mainland. So shall it be known as the Crown of Asharya, and it shall be such a crown as the Duchy's foes shall tremble to behold.

Laid upon the sea floor shall be sensors both active and passive, in a grand circle about the Duchy. Those shall be in a circle around the Duchy's shores, and it is for them that this defense shall be nicknamed the Crown. Like gleaming jewels for Our Aunt's Crown, so shall airbases, and air defenses and radar stations stand guard across the shores, and at her Palace so shall she be granted thaumaturgic defense, to guard her home against the Daemon, and the Telepath, and the Mind-Slaver, and the various scrying and wizardry of her foes.

And the Ministry of War shall, at Our direction, meet with the Duchy's defenders, and contrive such means as to be able to speak with them during war, and to confer on actions and perfidies such that those enemies who wander into the Snogohsian Strait, shall be subject to the fire of Freemen's weapons, and those of the Snogohsians, and those of the Democratic Colonies, and thus shall the Snogohsian Sea become a terrible trap for our foes, and in its waters shall they be buried in disgrace and terror.

This is Our Royal Will.

May the Gods Bless Snogohsia,
And May they Forever Continue to Bless Allanea.

[Allanea]

To: The Menelmacari Prefecture of War
From: Baroness Priscilla Stossel-Conde, Minister of War
Re: Energy resources

Dear friends!

In light of the growing Tyranid threat in the Galactic Fringe, and in light of the desire of the Free Kingdom of Allanea to pursue, further, and deepen our cooperation with the Eternal Noldorin Empire under the auspices of Greater Prussian institutions, and moreover in light of our desire to improve the military and industrial capabilities of our allies, let us inform you that at a previous point the Nivensky-Ringworld Foundation (the private-sector predecessor of the Ministry of Colonial Affairs) had commissioned the construction of a ‘Dyson cloud’ at TFZ-4562, with a hope to later fund applications for the energy it would generate, which did not sadly materialize. It is decided that we will gift all rights to TFZ-4562 and all facilities under construction there, to the Eternal Noldorin Empire. Naval elements will remain on station until MIDF assets can take over the security of the system at your convenience.

Long live the alliance.

Yours,
Priscilla Stossel-Conde.

[Allanea]

The Ministry of Colonial Affairs, in light of immigration flows now pouring into our nation as a result of the Tyranid crisis, has decided to open up more Allanean possessions in the Andromeda Galaxy for colonization. This is intended to serve both economic and geopolitical end-goals of the Free Kingdom, including but not limited to improving our economic relations with New Dornalia, as well as reducing our strategic exposure to conflicts within the Milky Way Galaxy.

For this purpose, we shall be renaming one of the Andromeda Galaxy worlds belonging to the Free Kingdom Fjarriland, and distributing land lots ranging in size from 1 to 160 acres, as well as working with the Ministry of War to create military, transportation, and scientific infrastructure on the planet.

[Allanea]

Official Statement by the Free Kingdom Ministry of War

The Ministry of War is glad to announce that it shall continue working with military professionals from across the multiverse to improve the training of Allanean combat personnel. In light of this desire, and pursuant to the requirements of the Rearmament Act, we have contracted members of Battlegroup Anna to teach several courses and master classes to members of the Free Kingdom Stellar Navy and the Free Kingdom Army, as well as to conduct joint naval exercises off the Maglor system, to be designated Exercise Ardent Cohesion.

In return for their assistance, the Ministry of War will provide a lump sum payment for Battlegroup Anna as a whole, as well as personal remuneration to each member of the organization who takes part in the courses and master classes, or takes part in Exercise Ardent Cohesion.

[Allanea]

The Free Kingdom Ministry of Colonial Affairs is happy to announce the passage, and the granting of Royal Assent to, a new Act to strengthen the Ministry's powers, to improve its funding, and to provide the agents of the Ministry of Colonial Affairs and its appointees with the proper remuneration and the gestures of respect that they deserve for their hard work.

Pursuant to the Colonial Appointment Reform Act, we hereby announce that the Free Kingdom shall no longer issue, going forward, the rank of Planetary Governor, and going forward those who have been granted such a position of power and trust by the grace of their Imperial and Royal Majesties and the will of the people, shall be granted the rank of Viceroy instead, whereas those existing Planetary Governors shall be gradually issued the rank of Viceroy going forward.

Moreover, pursuant to section 583(b) of the Colonial Appointment Reform Act, the holders of appointments with the Free Kingdom Ministry of Colonial Affairs that would have pre-existing recognized hereditary noble titles, shall be granted a signing bonus proportionate to their title, as well as additional benefits for their wages and pensions, and all applying retroactively to the moment of their hiring or 50 years prior to the granting of Royal Assent for the Colonial Appointment Reform Act.

Moreover, under Section 583(c), the Minister of Colonial Affairs is now authorized to grant land lots preferentially based on pre-existing noble rank as recognized by the Grand Book of Noble Houses, as may be issued and signed from time to time by the Royal Herald.

That is all. May the Gods forever continue to bless Allanea.

[Allanea]

The creature was ancient. Yet you would not know this from looking at it. Its skin, glistening with slime, was taut over its mighty wings and muscular limbs. Blood dribbled from its mouth – not its own, of course, but the life-fluid of its latest victim. It walked down the stairs from the temple entrance, its awful progeny skittering and crawling round it, slime and blood trailing as the creature advanced. The cultists that followed in its wake no doubt were busy even now desecrating the temple interior – but this was empty work, for the very presence of this creature was blasphemy against most religions. The fact it had dared to exist was a crime. The fact it attacked unpunished in the very heart of this culture's Sacred City was a blasphemy against each one of these people's gods.

Some of the locals had new gods now. Even now the new gods had given them new gifts – mutated throats to better pronounce the new gods' names, muscles and claws to spread their message – and perhaps to taste better when the gods' creatures devoured them. Others remained loyal to the old gods. Some of these others had already fled, some were still fighting, somewhere on the planet. Most were laying in the streets of their sacred city, their feathered limbs shattered and broken.

The local people had been bird-like in appearance. Their wings had, aeons ago, evolved into arms and they flew only in the way in which humans or elves could fly – with aircraft and space ships. With these arms, they had hewed the Sacred City out of the granite and marble, raised a civilization, conquered several planets. Now all of this was had been, were, once-upon-a-time.

The new gods were triumphant. Their messengers washed over the system in a tide of slime, bone, and fire. The cultists were their vanguard and rear guards.

The creature stopped on the temple steps and bellowed triumph. Its head rose skywards, its sole eye – red, three-lobed, unlike any living thing – seemed to be looking directly into Lucrecia's own eyes.

This was, of course, an illusion.

It was just that Lucrecia's scope had a very good magnification.

She lay in comfort, on a ledge on the wall of a different temple. With the naked eye, she probably would not be able to spot the creature at all. Could the creature see her? She had no idea. She had waited for this moment – a rotund figure, her fur luxurious and silky, her round ears raised attentively.

It was entirely possible that the creature's masters would devour this world, and thousands like it, and perhaps one day subdue the galaxy, laughing and cavorting in the emptiness. Such a defeat was something was something that Lieutenant Lucrecia Molina had found, at least, feasible.

There was something, however, she knew beyond certainty: they will still need to pay for it.

Her finger compressed ever-so slightly. The chemenergic pressed against her shoulder as it launched its bullet.

The three-lobed eye burst like a smashed pomegranate. Lucrecia had studied the theory and physics behind her craft, and knew precisely what had happened: the bullet, a blend of lead and silver, tore into the creature's brain, continuing into its body, disintegrating as it went, fragments of silver slicing through nerves and blood vessels. By the end of its journey, the bullet would have cut through a dozen vital organs – brain, veins, arteries, respiratory organs. Which of these injuries killed the creature did not matter. It crumpled into a pile of corpse-flesh on the temple steps.

Lucrecia Molina was a chinchillafolk. As remorseless as her smaller animal relatives, she sighted one of the creature's young – a disturbing monstrosity perhaps hours old, skittering around its parents body – and ended its life there and then. There would not be an millenia-long adulthood for the thing, no mewling cultists, no temples to desecrate.

For several minutes, the creatures' world was turned inside out. Now it was they that were living a world of horror and powerlessness. They mewled and shrieked, powerless and exposed, as an unseen murderer took their lives. Even the faint crack of the gunshots would come only after the bullet that took their lives.

After a while, the Lieutenant judged her position no longer safe. She drew back from her position, dragging her rifle and shooting mat behind her. Away behind the granite walls, she folded her tools away, and began to rappel down from the building.

Tumbler, this is Case-Five. I've cleaned the stain and some of the spots. It's very dry here. I need a taxi, over.

And now to wait.

[Allanea]

Free Kingdom of Allanea – Eridani Imperium Trade and Cooperation Accord

WHEREAS the promotion of interstellar trade is the shared interest of all civilized sapientkind;

AND WHEREAS orderly international cooperation is likewise the shared interest of all civilized sapientkind;

1.The Free Kingdom of Allanea and the United Species of the Eridani Imperium (hereinafter: the Parties) are hereby committed to establish mutual diplomatic recognition, and an exchange of embassies and consulates,

2. The Parties are hereby mutually obligated to abolish import tariffs and export subsidies, and to treat the products of each other's industry and agriculture, and the various needful services, equally in courts of law and in regulatory proceedings,

3. The Parties are hereby mutually obligated to abstain from military aggression against each other,

4., The Parties are hereby mutually committed to promote the spirit of international cooperation when possible in the response to interstellar disasters and in the cooperation of their emergency and rescue services.

Signed:

On behalf of the Free Kingdom of Allanea, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maverick Monningham

On behalf of the United Species of the Eridani Imperium, Director Jorunn Deathbrand