After the 3rd Civil War (Greater Olympus only)

[Irpan]

The Republic of Irpan. A nation born from a history of genocide and violence, now a democracy. It seemed weird to many of the men sat around the long, imported, mahongy table that Irpan could have gone from tearing itself apart under the Emperor to building a new future under its first President James Schmitt. Minister, and Democrat party head, Felix Alexander felt nervous in this new theatre of politics. He had been a poltician in the Coalition and was now a party head in the Republic Parliament. He was also nervous about being invited into the Presidents cabinet meeting.

The room was quiet, though not deathly so, the sun was shining through the large windows behind him and the Presidental residence on the outskirts of Irpan City seemed well built. The room abruptly jumped to its feet though leaving Felix confused till he realised President Schmitt had entered the room. He slowly got to his feet as well as the President walked round the table to its head. "Be seated everyone, I'm not the Emperor I don't need you on your feet." The President said before he reached his seat. Felix was relieved to sit again and then looked down at the folder on the table in front of him. "You may now open the folder in front of you." Schmitt announced. The sound of card moving filled the room for a brief moment then a few interested sounds filled the air. Felix was one of these interested noises as he looked at the information in the folder. "An embassy?" The Defence Minister asked looking at the President. Schmitt nodded, "I want to open a dialogue with our southern neighbour. We have a lot of our citizens who fled the war in their country and we need to establish some sort of repatriation/ fair treatment deal with the Leckendurst Government. If the news I got a few weeks ago is anything to go by they are very split between letting our unfortunates settle or throwing them back in the sea."
"Mister President," Felix began, "You have set a large scheme to progress the nation in the aftermath of the war. How are you going to have time to meet with a foreign ambassador as well? As I am certain a meeting of leaders will be far from quick in the coming."
"That's where you come in Felix." Schmitt smiled back at Felix who looked very confused and a little shocked, "I want to establish several embassies with not just the Leckendursts people, but also those foreign powers involved in the Civil War directly. We have much to thank them for. To that end the Democrats are going to be leading a diplomatic corps, I'll have ministers from other parties involved as well, but the Democrats are the first in. You supported my party in the election and well you did a fine job leading in the war against the Socialists Felix." Felix wanted to blush but felt that would be very unbecoming of an Irpanese politician so took instead to studying the table a little more thoroughly. "I'll tell the press the news and an article should be up by next morning. Now let's get to the business of internal politics." Schmitt said and the room burst into noise as ministers from varying branches of government began to lobby to be heard first.

Irpan to Welcome first embassy after war

The nation of Leckendurst across the narrow southern sea has been a object of fascination for many Irpanese since their youth. A nation renowned as once isolationist the Irpan Republic Government has reached out today to invite the Leckendurst People to join in diplomatic talks and discussion over the development of a joint future together. President Schmitt has commented, "We have never had a strong relation with our neighbours. Irpan has often sat in the shadows of world events more focused on dynastic politics within its own Royal families. With the Imperial line now ended Irpan can reach out to the world. Leckendurst is our nearest neighbour so they are first, but we will be reaching out to others soon." With Leckendurst seeming to be trial of not only the Presidents own new policies, but also a new ministry within government, the Diplomatic Corps, it will be interesting to see where this leads.

[Leckendurst]

Hope's Port Examiner - 26/04/2021

Extending Friendship North Across The Seas

First Minister Dexter Monbretten has today confirmed rumours that his government will enact formal diplomatic recognition of the new Irpan republican government, a move which will represent a major landmark for both nations on the world's geo-political stage.

After Irpan President Schmitt recently went public on his intention to establish ties with Leckendurst and other nations, First Minister Monbretten held a press conference today signalling his acceptance for the proposals from Leckendurst's northern neighbours and laying out plans to build embassies in both Hope's Port and Irpan City.

The agreement symbolises Leckendurst's first major foreign affairs action since the unification of the six formally independent provinces into one Federal Union and also a real shot in the arm for Irpan's desires to be recognised by the international community.

The initial response from both the left and right wings of the Federal Assembly has been temperate but positive as pressure continues to grow on Monbretten's government to tackle the burgeoning migration crisis in Leckendurst's northern port cities.

At the press conference, FM Monbretten said "There are clearly very real and important humanitarian concerns from both sides of the sea in relation to what we have seen recently in Merrabüle. The problems cannot continue and the proper way to resolve it is by open and honest conversation with our friends in Irpan City. The relationship between our young but noble democratic republics is one that promises prosperity and security for both countries"

[Irpan]

28/04/2021
Irpan City New Diplomatic District

"I'm telling you we should call somebody." The two construction workers were looking at the site foreman who in turn was staring at the long wing tailed object sticking out of the concrete of the roof in front of them. "Who we gonna call?" One of the workers asked as he picked up a rock. The other two men looked at him as he picked up several other rocks and started weighing them in his hand. "The army?" The foreman suggested but before he finished that the worker, who had picked up the small pieces of rubble, threw one at the object. He missed. "You stupid idiot!" The foreman said and forced the rubble from the workers hands. The two workers started laughing at the frustration of the Foreman at that point. It was then a deeper voice made all three men cower, "So it looks like a mortar?" The three men turned to see the figure of Officer Lewis Artuk a Nomad turned settled police officer walking up the stairs with a pair of soldiers. "What's this?" Artuk asked as he drew level with the workers and foreman at the top of the stairs. The three men mumbled something then ran down the stairs and out of sight. "Workers." One of the soldiers said as he came to the small landing by the door to the roof. "Yeah 82mm by the looks of it." The soldier sighed as he turned to the other, "Radio Jones tell him to get Perry in the bomb suit." The soldier nodded and lifted a small handheld radio to his lips and started to talk through it. "Getting a lot of calls from this part of the city." The soldier said to Officer Artuk. Artuk nodded as he peered carefully round the corner of the doorway the soldier was now stood in. "Northern side of the city. When the Reds nearly got here they dropped a load of arty on the city." Artuk responded to the unasked question. The soldier nodded as he looked round the roof. "Got another two over there." He pointed to a different corner of the roof.

Five Miniutes laters

The thin cable stretched down over the roof edge to the small handheld device in one of the four soldiers hand. He looked round at the gathered workers and sighed as the curious noises they were all making made his head hurt more and more. "All clear?" He yelled and got a thumbs up from the Foreman who had gone round checking off on a list the workers who were meant to be in the main building. The soldier nodded, "FIRE IN THE HOLE! FIRE IN THE HOLE! FIRE IN THE HOLE!" On the E of the last hole he pressed the trigger and the three mortar rounds on the roof were detonated in a controlled manner. Though the roof didn't appreciate it and collapsed in several areas. "What they doing here anyway?" The soldier asked as he watched several builders start swearing.
"Building the Leckendurst Embassy." Officer Artuk replied.

[align=]Irpan Herald
28/04/2021
Construction slow on Leckendurst Embassy[/align]

Following the annoucement on the 24th of the beginning of a embassy programe for Irpan the redesign of the former Imperial Advisery Building in the newly declared 'diplomatic District' had run into several obstacles. These obstacles are pre-dominately in the form of unexploded ordance from the Civil War when the Northern Socialists attempted to storm Irpan City last year. At the moment the time frame for the arrival of the diplomats from the first nation to be invited, Leckendurst, is unknown, but if it is within the next two months the builders at the site have informed the Irpan Herald that the majority of the building will be uninhabitable.

[Leckendurst]

Milton Liebenberg grimmaced as he gazed down at the styrofoam cup clutched in his right hand. He gently swirled the cheap, foul-tasting coffee, hoping that this might somehow make the drink more appealling and the letting out a long, defeated sigh when that tactic failed. Liebenberg lifted the cup to his mouth and gulped down the luke-warm beverage, hoping to swallow it before having to endure too much of the taste.

Liebenberg tossed the now empty cup into the wire wastebasket and kicked absentmindlessly at the aging, discoloured carpet which was begin to peel away at the corners and reveal the stained chipboard flooring. He had only landed in Irpan City three days ago and today was the first time he had been permitted to enter his temporary "diplomatic offices", little more than a cheap pre-fabricated modular set of rooms which had been thrown up with little care or renovation. This was far from the glamour and prestige he had envisioned he would one day acheive when he had submitted his application to enter Leckendurst's Diplomatic Corps. The years he had spent carefully navigating the turbulent internal bureaucracies in the now defunct Duchy of Saxurecht, his calculating and strategic backstabbing, politicking and calling-in-of-favours that had ensured his successful transition into the inner-workings of the new republican government - it had all been angled at securing a respectable position leading a diplomatic mission with the honour and...connections...that could be acquired with it. Instead, it had landed him the chance to lead a skelton staff of post-grad interns in a dingy building site where every visit to the men's room presented a real possibility of stepping on an unexploded mortar shell. The inauspicious deployment, which currently had him feeling disconnected from his network of contacts in Hope's Port and detached from the flow of rumour and intrigue which powered the Leckendurster civil service, made him suspect that he had been out-manouevered in order to side-line him and reduce his influence in the corridors of power...

His self-absorbed ruminating about the state of his career was cut short by the unmistakble ping of his smart phone's email alert, a high pitched tone which had ingrained itself in the very core of his being through the power of sheer repition. Liebenberg put a palm to his face and then rubbed his temples, trying to massage away the thoughts of what machinations may be working against him so he could focus on whatever electronic missive had been flung across the internet to disrupt his day.

He fished the device out of his suit trouser pocket and swiped to open up the email alert notification. Direct from the office of Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Jessens. "Hm, nice to still be in someone's thoughts". Liebenberg quickly scanned the email, surmising that it was a calendar entry for an introductory working lunch with his opposite number in the Irpan diplomatic service. A meet-and-greet chance to personalise these sapling governmental relations. Liebenberg audibly groaned at the prospect. So far he had no reason to be enthused about Irpanian catering. On the other hand, the meeting did present an opportunity to escape the confines of this miserable construction site...