A Tale of Two Continents (Temp Closed.)

[Togeria]

The Continents of Aeterna...

---

The year is 1900 upon this continent but several centuries have existed prior each filled with the interactions and conflicts of the predecessor. The new era has seen in its formation the springing of empires, hundreds of miles long with peoples of millions and millions. Yet, there is no peace, the men and beast do not strive for prosperity or the betterment of their surrounding. Like lungs filled with air each halve of the continent is filled with the ideologies and belief and competing peoples.

The fragile bubble of their empires growing increasingly weaker and more partial to the temptations of tribal wants. In some form or fashion we all face this change and must come to terms with it, the gifts and realities of the past soon and increasingly becoming myth to a new world.

Rather the kingdoms that these ideas sprang from survive to see their growth, rather these peoples, is uncertain but even this can be a good thing.

[Acerbez]

The Tlatcani Covenant: Penance to Chapultapec

Huitzna Peninsula, The Spring Festivals of Coailhuitl

The meadows swayed slightly with the breeze that blew west, the morning sun had yet to skim the horizon but when it had it had brought with it second light. What the sun had shown was matted grass and pressed print. The movements of the past years and patches of crushed blades that were marked out by the soil where the plants themselves had rotted away. Trails and paths of turmoil, marching legions, and dragged captives. First light on the peninsula instead was heralded by the rows of torches and lit braziers that highlighted the rows of tents, the camp's auxiliaries, and the massive stone slabs that had been cut from Huitzna's rock that embedded her breast.

9 Large circular stones as wide as 15 feet layed within the camp, evened out and sometimes pieced together like puzzle pieces of varying shapes. Signs of craftmanship and effort, dyed red with the blood of the courageous captives stolen away from both native and colonial. Atop the stone platforms extended a tether in which these brave souls were fastened to, long enough to span the entire stage. Their last dance where they stood face to face with the Iztaya preists that were adorned in the fashion of their patron Xipe Totec. Impersonations splendidly decked out in bright red spoonbill feathers and sparkling golden jewellery. In tandem to witnessing a representaion of God, each slab was joined by younger Tlatcani men wearing the flayed skin of their captive brethren- running to and from while begging for scraps of food and attention. A separate honor to Xipe Totec as there was no desparation save for that of the captive's terror. Laughing and jeering echoing around from all those knowledgable in the requirements of the festival. The display was entirely gladitorial in nature where the captives were sent to contest his highness, a visual extention of the Tlatcani deity, to fight to the death with their bare hands. Despite their tenacity, fate or rather the Gods themselves afforded no chance of life. The Iztaya preists were armed with the terrifying macuahuitl. The signature paddle blade of the Tlatcani. Jagged and barbed with hallowed steel, light and deadly. The contest was a foregone conclusion and merely a more elaborate form of sacrifice than meted out to the other victims of the festival.

Of the hundreds if not thousands of captives being trafficked, 75 would die in this fashion. Pieced apart before the eyes of those present. Seated upon a palaquin was the Tlato (General) Kimia Otimec. Adorned in ceremonial uniform, a headress of jaded plumed feathers lined in gold. He himself maintain an imposing stature granted by years of war and training, his facial expressions blank as he observed the morale and spirit of his own men lifted. Close to him stood a statue like figure almost nearly identical to the Iztaya impersonating their patron. The defining characteristic instead was his skin had been dyed a putrid yellow. Contrasting the red and black worn on his body, this man was deemed achozen. The final cog to the spring festival and honored as the benign gift to the Huitzna peninsula.

"The God's have sacrificed so much for us... creating the world... The sun! The great gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca ripped the monster Cipactli into pieces to create the ground and sky and all other things such as mountains, rivers and springs, came from her body parts. Cipactli is burdened with our existence therefore To console the spirit of Cipactli, the gods promised her human hearts and blood as tithe-compensation from the Gods for the crime which brought about mankind!

Nonouian (Here, there, and everywhere), Cuicuitlauilli in tlalticpac. Iquac mitoa intla itla zan itech titopiloa, tictocuitlauia zan uel ticmati, maciui in oui in iuhqui quauhximaliztli, tetzotzoncayotl,
anoc'itla occen tlamantli tultecayotl auh anoce itla tIamatiliztli, cuicatl, intla uel omoma cuicuitlauilli in tlalticpac! Tepal nitzopiloti. (They carried with them pristine fruit in this world, high among their steppes, and it is no fault but their own. Like a fruit that has ripened to perfection and crashed to the earth- wasted! With their help we become the vulture. Our heart's turn white while the Gods heart's bleach white). Ma Chapultepec ninaalti!(May They bathe in Chapultepec)! Aca icuitlaxcoltzin quitlatlamachica... (And we shall arrange their intestines artistically)...

Occepa iuhcan yez, occeppa iuh tlamaniz, miquin, mcanzn. (What happened long ago and no longer happens, will happen another time. What existed long ago, will exist again. Those who are living now, will live anew, will exist once more) Aicnopilpan nemitiliztli! (It is no life amongst the poor and misguided compared to the chosen royalty of the world) Tlacaitleoa! (everyone goes to the fields at this time of tilling)."

The yellow skinned Impersonation bellowed in hymn like rendition, his left hand erect to the night sky, afront the moon itself.

The build up had begun, the sowing of seed start now. The fields were to be plowed and the harvest's blessings would seep into the soil by the very blood belonging to Xipe Totec. Inbound Ferries of Tlacah, Tlacotin, and Soldiers ushered themselves to Huitzna. 5 Cuahmeh divisons ( professional Soldiers) and 3 Yellow feather initiat divisions. What made this festival entirely different was the 10,000 maintained captives that were being tended by the Iztaya zealots... Religious Officers of the Festival's events.

The offerings had began.

[Parcia]

Ford's Island
Fort Thomas

Colonial Mason Tolms was a a young man for his rank, barely in his mid 40s, he had earned his commission serving on the northern Frontier, leading one of the few active duty and professional army Regiments left. The 13th Infantry Regiment consisted of 2300 men, with 6 attached 75mm Field guns and 12 attached machine gun teams. The Fort they were garrisoned in, Fort Thomas, held another 300 National Guardsmen Manning the Fort's Considerable, if ageing battery of guns. On top of the 6 field pieces, the fort held a battery of 6 inch rifled fixed pieces in open mounts (24) and 5 11 inch Disappearing guns, with 2 facing eastward towards home, and 3 facing westward, to the The Tlatcani Covenant and their Holy foes.

Despite this, and the recent tasking of 3 New Armored Cruisers and a half dozen new destroyers, he still had his men drill and train constantly as he disliked how close they were to two nations arguably so close to war. Still, to the men in New Ameranth, the national capital, and to the tradesmen and barons in Iron city the situation was not tenuous enough to halt the trading ships. Ranging from small junks with just enough range to make it, to large bulk steamers, they carried the vast exports of timber, coal, tobacco and cotton that fed the booming economy back home.

Strangely enough, he had been notified beforehand that a convent of the Sisters of Mercy would be arriving shortly to set up a public aid station out of the Fort. He disliked this, greatly, and as he sat down for breakfast on this spring morning, his wife Ann setting out the table he couldn't help but explain this to her. "It's not that I'm against the sisterhood, not at all, I just...I worry about their bible waiving nature so close to the The Covenant. I don't need a landing party to test my guns on, as much as my men would love the target practice."

To this she frowned. Ann was a former Sister her self, Mason having fallen pretty hard for her during their youth when he was stationed to a fort on the Frontier that her Convent was based in. "I understand Mason, and am Inclined to agree with you, but who are wee to question the work they do, even if it does cause problems." He sighed and sipped his coffee. "Ann, we are considerably closer to active belligerents in an ongoing state of war, all it takes is one wrong move, one stray shot and the next thing we know there is Holy Paladins and Godless Savages landing on the western beaches and spilling their blood every were. To much paperwork to deal with."

She reached over the table and took his hand, "Then we just have to hope both sides will respect our neutrality in this conflict. If not, I pity the fools who tempt God and the 13th Rifles."

[Togeria]

Nation of Aeterna:

---

The continent of Aeterna was a vast wilderness, to traverse one region a person could find themselves dedicating many lifetimes to the pursuit. Whole but separate the seas that split the great landforms act like oceans connecting peoples, beast, and trade millennia before and so millennia forward. In this vastness we a great many people of have spread throughout, forging identities and kingdoms onto themselves. But make no mistake though distant these powers are not foreign, we all descend from the singular Mono and though in all the years, decades, and centuries since our creation the forces of this plane we inhabit has led to spread and acceptance of confusion and chaos.

There will be a day when the storm of this confusion will clear away and in light we will see with clarity the totality of these lands. Through any distance or situations we as people may find ourselves in we can find clarity through truth: One people, one land, one origin. And like all that has been forged for purpose in our actions we have and continue to forge the One Nation.

This nation cannot be led under simple Kings or Councils, it was enshrined by Yl A'Mono that the Empire is within and with all, a pure state for the peoples to live and farm free from the monopolizers and from the demons of the South and East. For our nation to live our ancestors knew that a new people, a better people would have to be forged none attached to any kingdom within the Nation but Yl, to the land itself. These peoples volunteers shown the light by the Witness' of Yl would become the predecessor of us, the Togerians. In the waters of the Great Lake of Y'gaizi we would be cleansed of the debts and troubles carried by us from our former oppressors.

At the top of these hills where a peninsula jutted out into the waters would lay the Throne and Palace of Our One, Izpe'yl. Their throne and palace in these sacred lands we would taught the ways of Yl in their pure state, we would taught to farm and fish, to hunt and skin, to write and speak, and lastly how to forge alliances. These were skills known to us from our oppressors, but those beast would monopolize the teachings leveraging them for debt among us Togerians. Yl would teach us, and after teaching us they would shine their light one more time, the beam shinning into the entry of Yl's palace. Illuminating the home and murals that decorated the walls we would be given our first mission and our last debt by our savior.

Our debt would be to free the Nation, free the nation from the warring that plagued the lands, invaders from south establishing their petty kingdoms, hordes to south and east, heretics and monopolizers to the west, and to the north a confederation of abominations, failed designs of Yl that in their hate and ugliness would form an alliance to pillage, raid, and bring suffering to lives of any kingdom in the Nation that did not belong to their own. It was our mission to purge these peoples, first through our actions: we volunteered to aid and give aid, to train and teach, to help others interpret the word of Yl, but we would be cast aside these men happily and greedily accepting or taking our work but unwilling to clear their minds from the confusion. Yl had given them time to fix their ways but they didn't and so we would continue with our mission to fix these lands, now without these beast.

From our first pilgrimage to Izpe'yl to our expansion into the Valley and beyond, we have tied ourselves to these lands and the affairs of all who seek to farm fruit from these lands. Whenever there is strife in the world and suffering of peoples souls fill the realm like a harpoon to a waiting fish, Yl's light shines on their target and from this singular beam great change and upheaval arise because all know it is from this light that Yl will come back down to his lesser. When the sun touches the moon, and the moon touches the sun a light will be shown and A'Leader shall rise, when it happens the Nation of Aeterna that we have helped establish and guard shall be stand here ready and waiting to accept the counsel of Yl oncemore.

[The Bio-Regional Cooperative of States]

Harbingers of Progress

]

The sound of a hammer meeting steel echoes throughout a factory. A repetitive, yet driven motion, with the strength to create behind each swing. These echoes do not come from only one hammer, but many. Striking pieces of metal at the same moment, repeatedly until the job is finished, only to move onto the next piece. with a hammer and hot steel, you can form any tool needed to shape the world to your will, to build a better future. This is the spirit of the Feredz, to build a better future one step at a time, together.

---

We were once mindless slaves to our creators, built for battles long forgotten to history, meant to defend against the great hordes that once pillaged this land, as it was divided amongst petty warlords vying for power. We were built to be stronger, better than the average man, our flesh was steel and the hardest of oak, enchanted so our bodies may march, fight, and build. Rest meant nothing and neither did food, we stood as the Sun Fell and the Moon rose, we stood firm against the forces of the night, we were the shield and sword of our Precursors, one of us contained the strength of a dozen men, meant to drive back whatever may harm our master's homeland.

But that time is no more. Perhaps through random chance, or perhaps as a gift from our Precursors, we attained a soul, just like the Men we called our masters. They saw our potential and sought to exploit it. Our overlords employed us in a great array of duties, from diplomatic endeavors to covert operations. Though, as flesh grew wrinkled and minds dulled, our masters soon faded into the darkness of the past, soon to be outshone by Our Future. We were free. See, we had the minds of men, without the constraints of their natural instincts. It did not matter if it was the Sun or the Moon that bathed the land in light if it gave us light to see, it did not matter if our tools broke as we could make a dozen more, and it did not matter if we faced a great obstacle as we would soon have the solution. We were the creations of progress; our bodies are merely vessels for the souls that shall carry on the torch of the future.

Smoke soon rose from the chimneys of the Great Factories, the hammer being replaced with great machines, as the blade and arrow was replayed with the bayonet and bullet. Innovation came faster and faster and had no signs of stopping. We created, innovated on our own, great mountain ranges acting as a shield from the outside forces, and if they were breached this shield, these intruders faced the might of beings built for war. The nucleus of the future was being built in isolation, that was, until they, the Aeterna, came from the mountainsides. Rather than fight, they sought our partnership in order to quell the violence these lands faced, while we were able to retain our chase of the future. Although we were strong on the individual basis, our numbers were few compared to the vast hordes that rampaged across the land, and under the banner of an Empire we could spread the future farther than what we could do alone. From them is where we gained our name, the Feredz. The Automatons.

Now, we must not grow complacent in the present, no matter how comfortable the situation may be for us. We must march longer, push harder for the future. What others may not understand is that we are merely the first step in the staircase that leads us towards a bright future that All may bask in. Our Precursors have left us with the gifts of their knowledge, their relics standing the test of time as they held the secrets of not only their society but the very sorcery that bound our bodies with our souls. A millennium has past, yet Our Precursors still whisper in our ears, aiding us in the construction of the Future, which begins with the very thing that drives us: The Soul.

For we are few, we must rely on the Outside World to provide us the sacrifices necessary for the progression to the future. The World, and by extension, We, cannot gain something great without giving up something in return. It would not be uncommon for foreign prisoners, long forgotten by wider society, to be given a greater purpose for the progress of the future. Entities deep within the forest are brought to our facilities, to be used as the cobbles which will build our staircase. We will not rest until we see our vision through, we cannot lay ourselves down until our work is done. Only when we reach the final step to Future may we lay our hammers down to rest, and only then could we find our own peace.

[Imperial Volkstrad]

The Nine Great Clans of Volkstrad

---

---

Many wonder of what the afterlife holds. For a virtuous existence, men are granted paradise. Be it lands of peace and tranquility, or festive drinking and pleasure til the end of days, those who lived a right and proper life are rewarded handily in almost all faiths though the specifics may vary. For a life of sin and misery, men are punished most cruelly. Tormented by foul demons, agony without reprieve, a never-ending existence without the smallest of satisfactions. Though heaven and earth may be as far distant as the sun and stars, one needn't wait for death to see Hell. If we're to identify a thing based on its description, then it surely exists here on the shores of the Western Land. Like many destinations, the rumours aren't entirely accurate, but they still hit close to the mark. What some whisper and mystically refer to as "Hell" is, in more common parlance, known as "Volkstrad", a poor and blighted country wedged in the center of the world.

The whole of the land is infested with the most vile and ghastly of creatures. Despite its size, scarcely any of the soil is safe to be tilled. From the crawling, diseased jungles and swamps of the west, the cold windswept heights of the south, the rotting plains and treacherous forests of the east, or the teeth-filled coasts and lagoons of the north, one could hardly be blamed for considering the entire place cursed. Yet, there are those who call this hell "home". A hard life breeds hard men, and few can claim to be equal in toughness to the men of Volkstrad.

Once it was a nameless land fought over tooth and nail by hundreds of warring tribes and dozens of races, vying to scrape out the bare essentials of survival. Such a divided and disorganized rabble would've been an easy conquest for any self-respect empire. In truth, their only saving grace was that the ground for which they fought and bled was utterly worthless and unworthy of the effort. A savage, wretched people populating a savage, wretched land.

The destiny of the myriad tribes was forever altered fifteen-hundred years ago. A man arose as the chief of Clan Urza on White Mountain, and rapidly turned the clans surrounding him to his service, through persuasion and conquest. His true name has been lost, yet many others have been passed through the ages. The Great One, the Old Man of the South, Greyskin, Son of the Wolf, Father of the Nation. There are as many names for the uniter of the land as there are banners fluttering on the winds of Azarod, and equally as many tales of his enigmatic origins. His greatest and most common name among the Volkstradi peoples, however, is "The Night King". To his enemies and now the world at large, his highest title has become warped. To them, the hero of Volkstrad is the Devil of the East, "The Dark Lord".

Not merely a skilled strategist or ruthless conqueror, the Khan of Khans was a master of the "Black Arts". He raised armies of the dead, tamed the terrible beasts of his homeland, and summoned beings from beyond reality to serve at his beck and call. In the old legends, it is said that he regularly conversed with the greatest shamans of his time and studied the teachings of all the lands claimed by his armies. As his hordes of loyal warriors began to swell, so did his knowledge of the occult, and he used any and all techniques at his disposal to spread his banner to the ends of the earth. As he continued to expand and to learn, he continued to write his magnum opus, "The Song of the Night". The nights of his homeland as fierce and horrid as one may imagine, the writings gained this title for their purpose; to master the even the night and bring it to your service. A collection of tactics for war, for ruling a nation, an autobiography, it is all of these things. Yet, it expands as well on his own philosophy and his moral teachings. While he believed that there is no weapon or tactic that should not be used, the Great One believed as well that there were right and wrong ways to use these tools, and they should not be used indiscriminately or without care. Foes must be destroyed mercilessly, but those who submit to conquest are to be treated fairly and righteously. The "Dark Arts", as known to the world at large, are powerful tool but must be controlled by a powerful will and used only for the good and expansion of the realm, and with conscience. Fundamentally, it is a book of "moralistic pragmatism". It was never truly finished before his demise, yet it is treasured above all as the guidebook of the nation. It is from these writings that he gains his title of "The Night King", and the country itself gains its name. In the ancient Almarian Tongue spoken by the Urza, the collective homeland became known as "The Land of the Night Song", or "Valk Straad da Eiha", later shortened to the words for Night(Valk) and Straad(Song).

However, nothing lasts forever. As the lands and peoples under his command grew, so did the number of his enemies. Eventually the empire grew too far, and had too many foes at the gates. After decades of grueling warfare, the Night King was slain, and the Great Clan Urza was annihilated. The empire shattered into many Khaganates, which clawed with one another for control. These too, were destroyed by eachother, by rebellion, and by conquest, until only the original homeland remained. At its peak, Thirty-Eight Great Clans were sworn to the Old Man, and now only Nine remain. Under the Night King there was wealth, there was prosperity, and the Clans stood at the front of the world. Since his demise, there has only been stagnation, disorder, and discontent. While united by their veneration of the Song of the Night, Volkstrad is less a country and more a bickering tribal confederation, a backwater ignored by the rest of the earth.

It has been 1486 years since the Night King ascended to the throne and created the monarchical office that heads the Council of the Clans, and yet since his death, it has been vacant. A long line of unremarkable regents has followed, for the Night King had known of his impending death and planned out a contingency. For each of the remaining Great Clans, he created for himself a "Daughter". These were immortal homunculi not to serve as his successors, but to ritually represent each of the clans and to carry the prophecy of the "True Heir", a man who would come in the future and fulfill certain conditions to be worthy. It was the task of his daughters to identify these candidates for the Heir, and lead the chosen one to his fate. To this day, while many false heirs and failures have appeared and subsequently been put to death, the True Heir remains on the horizon and the King's daughters remain silent.

Yet, little known to the world or even to himself, a man now rides across the border who may just fit the role. . .

[Smenovekhovtia]

The Heart of a King

It was said that the death of old Imperial Pedigree came as swift as the changing of the sun and the moon. What was built over a millennia in the wild lands of Krasnoyarsk collapsed in a hellfire of bullets against a yellow wall now stained of blood. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1897 had officially ended the Tsardom of Krasnoyarsk thus setting of a series of events that would lead to a three year Civil War. The White Army under the leadership of Ludomir Zakharovich, an aging general of the imperial military. The White Army wished to bring about the defeat of the new Bolshevik leadership and a return to the old Imperial ways of the Krasnoyarsk aristocracy. Intense fighting grew throughout Krasnoyarsk like the roots of a weed that decimated the crops of the hungry and poisoned the water of the thirsty.

Feburary of 1899 saw the publication and distribution of Smena Vekh by Nikolay Vasilyevich Ustryalov which suggested a third route for the hills and valleys of Krasnoyarsk. It suggested that the Bolshevik state was a farce that held the rich nationalist spirit of the Krasnoyarsk people within it core but covered it with a coat of red paint. Nikolay spoke on the fact that Krasnoyarsk should embrace both the new economic order of the Bolshevik state but should as well retain the fierce nationalistic zeal of old Krasnoyarsk. He stated that the era of Tsardom had come to an end and would never return to Krasnoyarsk. He finally spoke on his thoughts of the racial supremacy of the Krasnoyarsk people. He suggested that those of other ethnicities were no more than rats who had imported ideas that strangled the Krasnoyarsk people with wire made of barbs.

Upon its publication, Smena Vekh became extremely popular throughout Krasnoyarsk as racial and political tensions continued to rise. The Bolsheviks officially defeated The White Army in the Summer of 1899 as deserters formed a new movement known as The Smenovekhovtsy under the leadership of Nikolay Vasilyevich Ustryalov. In the fall of 1899, the Smenovekhovsty Movement had become the primary agitators of the Bolshevik Party. This spurred Nikolay Vasilyevich Ustryalov to attempt a hostile takeover of the government in hopes of achieving his third positionist Republic by the end of 1899. December 2nd, 1899 saw the marching of 25,000 armed Smenovekhovtsy into the streets of Novosibirsk which held the seat of Bolshevik power. The divisions of the Bolshevik military that held station in the city were underprepared and unequipped for the sudden uprising as some soldiers even joined the Smenovekhovtsy march. Citizens likewise entered the streets and gathered among the marchers as chants and songs of old Krasnoyarsk rang out through the streets.

The marchers eventually reached the headquarters of the Bolshevik command and forced their way into the grand building. Any who resisted the occupation were immediately killed and any who had high rank amongst the Bolsheviks were marched out to the balcony of the building and tried before the mob below. Those found guilty by the shouts of the many would be thrown off the balcony and down to the ravenous masses that tore and ripped through the flesh of man. This continued until the visage of Nikolay Vasilyevich Ustryalov came upon the balcony. He spoke shortly of the foundation of a new republic, one following the manifesto of Smena Vekh. It was on this day that The Peoples Republic of Smenovekhovtia was born from the ashes of Krasnoyarsk.

Nikolay Ustryalov immediately began work with his closest allies to develop a new economic and government form. Nikolay and his allies immediately decided that the power of the state should be retained in the people and as such formed seven different unions with each representing a different form of occupation. Each union would then be divided into two councils based on geography and the councils would divide further down to individual communes. The Unions would select two representatives from each council to partake in the Assembly of Delegates which would hold limited economic and legislative powers. The assembly of delegates would then select one individual to serve as the President of The Assembly who would hold supreme executive authority for the life of the holder. Nikolay Ustryalov declared himself the initial President of The Assembly with little fanfare and opposition due to his popularity. Finally, a high military command was formed that would serve directly under the President and would be in charge of executing the defense of the Republic. This would be the political structure of the day and, in the eyes of Nikolay, the future.

[The Holy Mercurian Empire]

The history of the League of Thunder goes back 1459 years. It was founded in the days of the Dark Lord of Volkstrad, to defend the people of the Old Empire from his depredations. The light of hope shone once more into the blackness, and the wrath of God came down upon the wicked. It took 13 years of fighting, and the aid of many allies, but ultimately, the Light prevailed against the Darkness, and the first Grand Master of the League slew the Dark Lord on the field of battle, shattering his hold upon the land.

The Gifts of God to the Paladins of the League were great indeed. They drove out demons and the restless dead before them, handled poisonous creatures without harm, and were all but invulnerable to the supernatural. But the bulk of the army of the First Concord were without such blessings. When the Concord pushed back the shattered forces of Volkstraad to the Eastern Marshes, progress ground to a halt. Only the Paladins could make progress into the Hellscape of Volkstrad, and without logistical support, would be too few in number to be of any use. So the League dug in, and stood vigilant.

Here, along the Eastern Marshes, the League stands vigilant to this day. The Old Empire fell to the Tlatcani 700 years ago. The League stood firm. A New Empire, the Catarapanian Empire, rose from the ashes of the Old like a Phoenix. The League remained unchanged. The Catarapanians developed into a constitutional monarchy. The League was unmoved. The League was called upon to fight the fell blood magic of the Tltatcani, but they still maintained a garrison on the Volkstradi border. They knew that though the Dark Lord was dead, another could arise in his place. And when he did, they would be ready.

----------

Mori was frightened. The white men came and spoke with her parents several days ago. The white men were usually friendly, and poppa said they meant well. But they had to leave their home on the farm and come to the town. Surrounded by white soldiers. And she was afraid.

Poppa had told her that bad men were coming from the south. Men with feathered hats and evil gods, seeking blood and slaves. The white men were trying to protect them from the bad men. Momma told her that everything would be alright. But she could see the fear in their eyes. They were afraid too.

The town was surrounded by barbed wire and a big trench. White soldiers were walking back and forth in the trench, doing soldier-things. Some were standing at funny fat-barreled guns, watching for the bad men. Behind the first trench was a second trench with a few big guns, and behind that was the town and many tents. Momma told her that they would be staying in a tent until the bad men were gone. Mori wanted to know how long that would be, but Momma didn't know. Neither did Poppa.

Mori had bad dreams in the tent that night. Dreams about feathered men coming to take her away from her parents. She woke up crying. The bad men couldn't go away soon enough.

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It was a clear day on the Western seas. Clear, except for the smoke from the stacks of the ships sailing south.

All six of Catarapania's new Dreadnought battleships - the Dreadnought, the Indomitable, the Defiance, the Temerity, the Fortitude, and the Warspite - were making way for the port formerly known as Port Ackeley (though no doubt the heathens who had taken it had given it their own name), accompanied by fourteen cruisers and thirty destroyers. The Battlefleet had one goal: deliver as much chaos and destruction to the heathen as possible. Force them to abandon the port, or else render it useless. Then move on along the coast and repeat.

God's mercy knew no bounds. But that of the Catarapanian armed forces had some practical limitations.

[Parcia]

The Emerald Sea
Southern Parsaran waters


The Light-armored cruiser USS Shackleton was a Reverence class armored cruiser. Rather new, having come in to their own in the last 2 years, the Reverence was seen as a superb, lighter armored cruiser to give the much slower battleships and Heavier armored cruisers a scouting component to their forces. Running at a cool 25 knots when at full power, she cruised along at a comfortable 16 knots with a good wind. The Night was calm, a little windy, and the see all together calm. She was exceedingly fast, able to run down smaller Covenant and Catarapanian torpedo boats and cruisers, and armed well enough to fend off larger ships. Fitting a pair of 5 inch, 50 caliber guns, 4 75mm 50 caliber guns, and 4 .30-06 caliber machine guns, with a anti-capital ship tool in the form of 4 21 inch torpedo tubes fitted in duel tubes mounts on each side of the ship.

The men were in good spirits, as the Shackleton her self being fitted with a new set of runic reinforced boilers and turbines, allowing her to theoretically reach speeds of 29 knots under flank speed, though at that speed she risk shaking her self apart from the vibration. The class as a whole lacked real substantial protection, with an armored belt of around 2 inches with an extra armored deck layer of a single inch providing adequate, if light, protection. Fallowing by were the destroyer's Smith and Ashwood. Each a Providence destroyer and coming in at a poultry 900 tones loaded. they were around 30,000 yards of the Shackleton's aft.

They steamed along in close formation, enjoying their shared speed and calm seas. Captain Nicholas brown was a carrier naval officer, with 6 years under his belt and a long carrier in in his sights. The men were either asleep, or working their "B shift" (or second shift) assignments, they had been running gunnery and speed drills all day and the men had worked hard for their rest...

Then something changed.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but the wind seemed to change as it drifted through an open porthole. It went from a seemly warm, to a chilled cold as if they had suddenly sailed to the southern ice fields. Then, as he gave the order to baton down the hatches and start heating the ship's below decks, it happened. A great bluish-purple lightning bolt arched through the sky, perhaps 2-3 miles off their port bow. It turned night to day and illuminated what he saw to be a massive anvil storm cloud that lay ahead of them.

"Damn. Send the signal, baton down the hatches and prepare for stormy weather." This was weird, strange even. The Cloud was massive, easily the size of a typhoon, yet the sea stayed calm and even got calmer and the wind seemed to die in its tracks. Then, another bolt, this one closer, the storm now only being a few thousand yards off their bow. This time the light stayed just long enough for him to make out a shape out in the distance. He raised his binoculars and froze.

It was a ship, but not one from his time. It was a galleon, square rigged, with three masts at least. Another crack of lightning and he could make out a figure staring back at him, some one standing on the foredeck, a chill went down his spine and his heart began to pound in his chest. "Order the Smith and Ashwood to turn 180 degrees and make for port at flank speed." He spoke with a dead voice, his gaze locked on the figure staring back at him through their own spyglass.

"Captain, sir, wha-" Captain Brown Snapped at the Junior officer, "Do it, now, set us to combat positions and accelerate us to 20 knots!" The Captain's voice boomed over the intercom as the ship suddenly lurched. "All hands to action stations, all hands to action stations, this is not a drill, repeat, not a drill."

As the two smaller destroyers broke off, they were bewildered at their commanders orders, with the Smith lagging behind and signalling for an explanation. As the Shackleton signaled back, the cruiser began to slip in to the mist of the rain as they pierced the storm's edge, guns turning and loaded.

Their message was simple. Run.

The Smith accelerated to her full 28 knots, her captain making a note of flashed of gunfire and distant booming of 5 inch cannons as well as a few streams of rifle caliber machine gun fire, their target not easily seen but the shape of it reminded him of the ships his grandfather's father used to sail on.

The day dawned a few hours later, and the Smith, along side the Ashwood returned, hoping to find some trace of their commander and the Shackleton.

They found nothing. No wreckage, no life boats, no survivors.

[Acerbez]

Southern Huitzna, Spring of Coatlique

The Southern peninsula's valleys, lush plains, and serene hills held the most beautiful contrast against the pristine clear emerald waters to its east and the deepest aqua at its west. This contrast of scenic colors fluttered far beyond it's ambiance and saturated its vibe, its very feel. The overhanging presence of the Tlatcani themselves had overtaken what the natives were accustomed to and transformed the very personality of the land. What was familiar was had become so foreign after just 7 years. Although the land was enamouring, it had hidden and veiled the soil beneath the grass that was bathed and soaked in blood of the resistance, the valiant, and of those who had died before thwy were taken.

The valley plains were taken and redistributed to Tecuhtli nobles who had funded and contributed to the annex directly- supplementing the furnace of militancy and aggressive expansion. Their eyes set on the capability of cultivating an agricultural base of production along side the luxurious industrial capacity of the mountains, they had ferried thousands of Tlacotin slaves and serfs to toil and work the fruits of the XTC victories. A large majority of war captives were replaced by forces migration through the reaches of the Tlatcani realm and separated. Still many had remained. Consigned to menial labour and the lowest of tasks that placed them in positions within Tlacotin groups, to be offerered little to no responsibility other than to work with one's hands. Some had resisted, lazily worked, or simply protested via slothful inactiveness. No Tecuhtli would agree... The mines where precious jewel and ore was found would be filled to the brim with individuals who maintained their flare of personality and defied their new lot in life. Inadvertently supporting their overseers with untapped riches and commodities by the load and worked to the bone. While those "favourably behaved" would be selected would be assigned to livestock, grains, and simple agriculture to be reared, tilled, and toiled with consideration and cultivated for the empire's endeavors and breath.

---

The Northern border plains

The lush valleys proceded north around the Laca mountains that towered the peninsula's center. North toward the Catarapatlaca lands where many had fled and sought refuge, outrunning the advances of the Tlatcani war host, the sound of death whistles blown by yellow feathers reaching out to snatch them by their ankles. The whistles being the fuel for Mori's nightmares that would haunt and remind her, her kin, and her colonial overlords, what sang for and followed Those of Blood. The piercing wail that resounded from a small whistle contraption carried by the Yellow feather and Cuahmeh alike- the high note of death herself. It was a habitual tactic, a signature norm of the Tlatcani to emulate, revere, and even take joy from the howling doom of a death knell.

One's last cry.

The yellow feathers had chased and ran down the fleeing locals with passionate fervor, stealing away who they could, to bring honor to their unit and Calpulli. They made it North until the "White men" began to congregage and reposte with fortification. Creating their stonewall and fortifying a haven for those "Not of Blood". It mattered not, forward squads melted away to hide and watch from the brush, what movements and the still rooks of their enemy would do. Sending word back to their Tlato's who forwarded word further until reaching the ear's of General Kimia Otimec.

"Since the beginning of our drive, the Catarapatlaca have withdrawn and avoided us time and time again, nothing short of measly skirmishes on land. It has been a burden to the Tlato's to believe that no brave soul truly lived among them." Kimia paused before chuckling lightly, "Imagine the time it would take to appease Xipe Totec with ether of the timid, 400 for the value of 1! Ne ixnex onen ocatca, intla itla oquinequia noyollo... (Id be ash faced toiling in vain, desiring for something that cannot be done). They must be digging in, settling onto Cipactli's back and wishing for us to drive further, intent on it now that we've come so far... It is so?" General Kimia looked to his council of Tlato's and Iztaya Priest, the yellow dyed man from yester eve's ceremonies.

The Tlato's nodded, assured by the information of their forward scouts. However the first man to speak was the Iztaya Priest, Pikal. "Vibrant like a swarm of bees that have discovered a meadow of exotic Xochitl, iteiccauh. (Younger brother). The spirit of our people will be uplifted and our warrior fire rekindled in the face of their new found tenacity... We should rejoice, The sun had heard us speak to the moon and gifted us our fruits to bring for his kin, Xipe Totec."

The camps tent had been alit by the open entrance where the sun's rays shown through, thin streaks of smoke from incense that lay within bowls of bone lined by silver and dotted with freckles of amethyst- The aroma blanketing the command tent's proximity generously, the silence attributed to the therapeutic pause of the commanding staff. Kimia naturaly became awash with content, gratitude even, that there was glory to be had. A war without strain was simply Teizolo tecatzauh, an act that would soil and mar his life for a time until Kimia would be able to repent for this ill fortune. Perhaps even worse, he could be strickin with disease for his inability to stir Xipe totec or barely pry a single eye of the flayed one. Thoughts and words flooded his mind as images and wisdom of war poured into his soul.

In ayoccan timonextia inic timotiltianiz, Matzayani in iluicatl- tentlapani in tlallí. (You hid yourself as to not appear on a dutiful mission to your people- for that heaven will open and the world will rend itself apart infront of you.) The General thought to himself. Kimia's assessment would make sense in a Tlatcani perspective, seeing a futility to pulling people of blood away from the lands that had they earned and toiled upon their whole lives. Ancestral piety was a deepend subject to a Tlatcani, and many would preferably die with blade in hand and to slill their own blood on the very soil that raised them up. Maybe more, Kimia just didnt want to understand the pragmatism or benign action the Catarpanians were pursuing by hoarding their people behind their palisades and city fortifications.

"We have come and they have shied, expecting the expected only now after much time has passed. Tlatcani have brought the throne before their very eyes and it is only right we flaunt Xolotl's glory and mark their choice out in the very dirt we build on top of. Like a missive from our Nahuali Tlahtoani himself." Kimia strut toward the table that sat in the center of the command tent, seemingly carving a line on the map that displayed the Peninsula's lay of land.

"Momahui nahui... Camachaloa." Kimia stated while prodding his index finger with fervor and dragging it while his nail creased lines into the padded strategic map on top of the table. The lines we dug in positions near or just ahead of the city or town settlements taken most northward. His verbage inferred that his officers "throw the four... open our mouth". In common terminology, a trench design of four. In his mind, this is where the Tlatcani would cement themselves, but for different reasons that the Cataraptlaca.

Illustration is for reference purposes only, please see changes and details as followed.

A Camactli trench line works as Tlatcani entrenchment, designed entirely for defensive capacities. It comprises of 4 total lines at 9-12ft depths with traverses every 3.5km, the traverses are wide enough for 3 soldiers to walk side by side. Each line is zigzagged at 35° angles to avoid firing down the line of the trenches.

The first line would be a gaping fall line designed to ensnare the enemy within, in front of its top hedge is a 4ft cradle indentation where brush is placed and surrounds the front of each trench while small gaps would be placed every 10 paces, 2 meters wide. both to create and ease firing lanes of the men within the 1st line as well as to allow the enemy to assume "passage" and perhaps attempt to cross into these formations, effectively spreading the enemy engaging force.

The same fall line acts as the first manned line, From this, platformed steps would be erected and indentations were to be made into the earth on the enemy facing side to allow for friendly teams to step up climb up the gaps among the defense and fire out. To the enemy however, the drop would be a straight steep and allow for men to fire down into the trench from the 2nd line behind as enemies came into the "fall" allowing for ease fire. If and when an enemy came too close to overrunning the fall, troops of the fall line would be expected to take the slope falling back via cover fire.

This first line would have both true and false saps to trip up the enemy and allow for ease of sentry and listening beyond the line, used by yellow feather scouts extensively.

The 2nd line, provided forward 4ft cradles toward the 1st lines and slightly elevated from the fall line trenches themselves for machine gunners and rifle men alike to fire over first line positions cleanly and uniformally, lined with sandbag defences or whatever soft cover defences could be brought to bear in order to barricade the defending troops. These cradles served as "high steps", allowing most to stand fully erect and fire volleys from.

300 meters behind this second line, The third trench would be the biggest in space and the final defensive square formations between similar trench works. It would allow for artillery to be placed in said squares spaced 500 meters apart, and to be fired in the enemy's advance from friendly heavy weapon positions on the corner of each artillery square or into the 1st and second trenches in the event of break through toward the edges rather than center. Smaller square formations would be created every 150 meters for maxim machine gun platforms, for men to fire from these positions and push away the enemy for the friendly lines to retreat if need be through traverses and defend artiller squares. These positions provide sentry and cover for friendly forces that would make a move to charge into the enemy breakthrough and push them away from the Camactli defense all together. The defenses of the first two lines expected to slow down both engagement and provide time for withdrawal if it become inevitable. In the event of timely preparation, the smaller squares would be constructed with crete to form pillbox/bunkering for friendly Tlatcani Troops.

The fourth line another 300 meters back, would be a supply trench relaying medicine, ammunition, guns, equipment, and other needed material to the three trenches while ferrying those that fall in battle. Similarly square formations would be built here to allow for heavier range artillery to be fired.

100 meters from this line is the reserve and relief encampmets where the garrisoned forces return and make their rotations and camp. As dug outs are common among all the lines, the ones on this line are the largest and most protected. Their construction is not considered a line as much as it is a needed necessity between the nearest settlement or city. With timely construction, irrigation and sanitation staff along with engineers will irrigate and place makeshift roofing where applicable to remove the likeliness of hazardous condition or disease.

[Smenovekhovtia]

The Death Squads of Krasnoyarsk

A young man clad in a dirty grey coat adorned with numerous badges sat upon a crate of munitions while surveying the company around him. Men of his age moved about like bees between trucks and tents as those with disgusting wrinkles ordered their harsh commands. Women adorned in white cooked stew in large iron pots while attending to the sick and the injured. The young man noticed one particular woman whose blonde hair glistened in the warm spring sun. He sat staring at her until he was startled by an old friend.

"Kolya! Dont you know that your chances with her diminish the longer you stare!" The woman overheard the statement and visibly blushed while looking over at Kolya who likewise blushed in response.

"Leave me alone, Fedor... We all know about your failures with women! Remember that time you fell in a pile of pig shit in front of that brunette gal you were intent on marrying?"

Fedor slapped the back of his friends head who responded with a laughing protest. "Dont remind me of that! I will still have her!" Kolya continued to laugh "You obviously still have pig shit in your ears if you believe that!"

"You may be right, Kolya... Just wait, when I get home I will be a decorated war hero and all the women will swoon for me!" Kolya became slightly grim "Thats if we ever get to return home, have you heard the details of our campaign? In order to save our race we are to remove the Togerian races living along the bridge?"

Fedor placed a hand on Kolya shoulder "No, my friend, we are to remove the rats that infest our rivers and rape our women! For the rightousness of our people and our new republic!" Kolya sighed "I suppose." Kolya stood and smiled at Fedor "Lets get back to work...". The two men went about loading the trucks with the boxes of munitions.

The Elves of The Bridge

The attack occured at night upon a small fishing village of Togerian elves that had settled within the border of the republic along the southern coast. The elves lived a quiet life and had managed to avoid entagling themselves within the Civil War that raged through Krasnoyarsk not long ago. The children slept silently as middle aged men marched along the perimiter of the village, mainly to fight back any predators that sought to attack the villages small amount of livestock. They were adorned in little more than rags and armed with basic rifles.

One of the men whistled upon noticing the arrival of what appeared to be three militiary trucks. The trucks halted at the villages entrance as the elven patrol gathered before the trucks. A bearded man came out of the first truck as 40 soldiers, including Fedor and Kolya, shuffled out of the back of the trucks and lined up behind the bearded man. The man began to speak in the Krasnoyarsk language to the Elves.

"By the order of Smenovekhovtia, this village is now property of the state. All grain, fish, lumber, and material goods that can be used to the benifit of the state are likewise the property of the state. Resistance will be met with force. The children and women of the village are to be removed from the area immediately."

The Elven men attempted to protest as the man nodded to the soldiers who marched forward towards them at gun point while shouting commands. The elven men relenquished their arms to the soldiers as they pushed into the village and began to raid houses. Several more trucks arrived for the transportation of individuals and goods. The men of the village were forced into a large barn that held grain as the women and children were escourted to the trucks. Upon arrival to the trucks, the woman and children would be examined by a medical inspector who would then order the removal of the points upon their ears to "round them off" with large razor blades. This was an exruciating event for the children and women who would be loaded onto the trucks after the "tagging".

The men would be completley escorted into the barn in which it would suddenly be locked. The Krasnoyarsk soldiers would then light a torch upon the grave resulting in a fire taking hold of the barn with the Elven men still inside. The trucks holding the women and children would leave before this event and would move them to an undisclosed location. The village had been wiped clear by the morning with no sign of life upon the leave of the last Krasnoyarsk soldier. This event would be repeated throughout multiple villages that very night. The removal of the weak had entered its initial stages.

[Parcia]

Fort Jackson
Northern Parsarian Frontier

While Ford's islands decades old Fortifications had been standing since the establishment of the United States of Parsarius, Fort Jackson had only finished construction nearing the closing of the Revolution to the north. The political instability of the north had been the reason for the Forts Commissioning. It was in fact the third "Fort Jackson" to stand there, The 1st Fort had been a basic Earth works with timber reinforcements dating back to the days when a soldier carried Flint lock rifles and sabers.

In the early 1800s the Fort was torn down and a proper one was erected using flat stones and cement, in the old Star Fort Style of that time. In the late 1870s, the entire fort was renovated and modernized. As it stood at the turn of the century the Fort was modern in the sense of its materials, its garrison, and its artillery battery. Comprised of an above and an underground portion, the fort was staffed with 600 Army personal, with a further 4500 Army Regulars and National Guardsmen recently been stationed at the large facility in the months since the revolution.

The Policy of their Krasnoyarsk neighbors clashed directly with the USP's, and the nation recognized that. Due to this assumed hostility a good chunk of the Military's Budgets for fiscal years 1898-1900 were put in to fortifying the northern boarder. Along side Fort Jackson and its immense fortifications, there were half a dozen boarder forts established along the northern expanse of the Frontier to dissuade their National Socialist neighbors from looking southward. Out of 13 Active Army Regiments and several smaller National Guard Battalions, 8 were deployed to the boarder during the revolution and many had set up permanent encampments with in 3 miles of the boarder. While some down south would consider this a provocative move, most of the top brass agreed it was best to keep the appearance up and to insure security.

The Commandant of Fort Jackson was an old man, in his 60s. Colonel Jonah MacArthur had spent nary 3 decades taming the frontier, putting down native tribes and claiming that vast material wealth and lands for the booming factory cities and towns down south and back east.

On top of the several thousand men at his control, as well as the ability to call upon several thousand more along the boarder forts, he had a fine battery of artillery in Jackson it self. The Crown jewel of the battery consisting of 12 185mm long guns and 24 105mm Guns in armored Case mates. He also recently had a battery of 75mm guns on improvised mounts on loan from the nearby National Guard armory.

Micheal Eugene Markov
Chief Master Sargent, 3rd Battalion
1st Parsarin Calvary
Attached to Catarapian Armed Forces

The Catarapian back country was nice, warm, quiet. It used to be at the least. He brought hit mount to a full sprint. Gypsy was a hoot blooded mare, bred on the frontier and had served him during his time out there. Nearing the town they had fortified he slowed to a trot, the warm wind and flowing grass conflicting with the Concertina wire, trenches, and machine gun positions. He was far from home, and he knew it. The darker skinned locals looked at him funny, in the same way some of the Catarpanians did. He didn't mind at all really.

He was out of place among the uniforms of the men around him, his high riding boots, officer's slouch cap and big bore magnum revolver sitting in the saddle. The .30-06 lever rifle was non standard issue and ornate, with hand carved calligraphy and carvings, most of which he had done him self. The Other non standard issue feature of the rifle was the small, simple 2 power optical scope. Which is family having a background in glass making and manufacturing of spy glasses and binoculars for the military, it wasn't long before he had mostly hand crafted a nice little optic for him to use. Nearly 8 inches long and made using a crystal lens with a painted post sight, it served him well if only offering a slight increase in over all range. To allow for proper ejection of spent rounds, the optic sat off set to the left.

He rode through the mess of men and arms, through a group of civilians who gave him more strange looks as they spied his Calvary saber as it hung on his belt. Trotting to the officer's tent, he dismounted and pet his mare's head. Approaching the two men stationed outside, he adressed them. "CMS Markov, here to see you're CO."

[Smenovekhovtia]

The Question

The convoy pulled to the side of the snow covered earth as the the drivers looked out at the grand icy plane before them. Several soldiers funneled out of the back of the trucks and began to install chains around the tires of the trucks to help provide traction for the crossing. The Northern sea that separated Krasnoyarsk proper and the northern island of Rasshua froze for 6 months out of the year allowing for access to the city of Port Petr. Following the installation of the chains and the addition of additives to the massive diesel engines to help prevent the fuel from freezing in the sub zero temperatures, the soldiers pulled open the back canvas of the trucks to reveal their cargo of shackled elves. The soldiers loaded back up and closed the canvas as the trucks began their journey across the ice.

It was about four hours later when the the trucks finished their crossing and made it into the isolated settlement of Port Petr. The convey was welcomed by the stares of a hardened people who survived off the labor of logging and trapping. The people had benifited greatly economically since the revolution resulting in a small era of prosperity for the port. This was also brought about in part by the construction of a new fort just north of the port which would bring employment and goods to the people. The construction was started by the Bolsheviks prior to the second revolution and had began to near completion after three years of construction. The lack of fighting in the north allowed for construction to continue at a steady rate. Following the rise of the Smenovekhovtsy, the fort would be requistioned and given to the Society of Krasnoyarsk Eugenics. This society was founded by the Science Workers Union in conjunction with Nikolay Ustryalov in order to solve what he dubbed as The Togerian Question.

The convoy moved quickly into the stone fort ahead of them and towards its massive courtyard. The great red flag of Smenovekhovtia flew above the courtyard as soldiers shuffled out of the trucks along with the chained up elves whose ears had just began to scab over from the "tagging" that had occured days earlier. The soldiers shuffled nearly 200 female and youth eleves into a stone built prison that held no climate control. Rats and cockroaches roamed freely through the cold prison that would now house the guinea pigs of the SKE.

Kolya came from the prison steps to see his friend, Fedor, struggling to light a cigarette with his gloved hands. Kolya pulled out a small lighter and helped his freind before sitting upon boxes of munitions just as he had a few days ago.

"Why do you look so gloom Kolya? We are doing the work of our race here! You ought to cheer up, you know how old Morozov feels about morale!" Fedor would say jokingly towards Kolya whilst offering him a cigarette. "No, I don't have the stomach to smoke... Let alone drink. I just... I dont know if what we are doing is humane? Locking them up with the rats in this frigid cold." Fedor frowned "We must not worry about what is humane, Kolya, as these creatures are not even human... Elves, rats, cockroaches... They are all the same. I mean have you not seen the presentations done by the Scientific Workers Union on their race? We are doing them a favor by removing them from tma society in which they can not even compete." Kolya stood slowly "I dont know, Fedor... I dont even know if I know who you are anymore..." Kolya walked away and towards the barracks as Fedor shrugged and continued to smoke his cigarette.

[Togeria]

A painting of the Imperial Court, Proattog.

---

Great Change Cometh...
The year 1900, marked the 1001yr of the Togerian peoples existence, from mere stragglers and petty kings overruling small patches of dirt and swamp on the Z'Jezg (Land Bridge) to Kings and Emperors. It was a glorious time to be alive indeed, on the streets of the cities to the roads of the countryside this coming year marks the first year into a new era, a new destiny.

The past hundred years as told by A'Kanon while having been fruitful and opportune also saw its great challenges. It was only 15yr ago the The Noble Controversy had overtaken the Nation, treasonous houses had tried to seize the Throne of Our Lord, and in their machinations caused the death of tens of nobles, hundreds of their kin, and thousands of their allies.

Their names were erased from our A'Kanon only preserved in the memory of those forced to bear witness, but the Nation has held firm. The Houses and the military have seen much reform in light of these events, a growing policy of tolerance for continental ideas and democratization of Imperial rule has been a marking characteristic of the current reign.

---

Harbingers of Change
This change could not have occurred though with the dedication of the countless men and women who serve the Nation. As democratization began to take place in 1880, though it would take 7yrs for the first large steps to be undertaken. After the Imperial Controversy the large death count in nobles lead to a shortage in military leadership among the officer corp as well administrators overseeing regional and county needs in peace. It would be under the reign of Togamon Erekar Ayazama (Our Greatest and Most Esteemed, Lover of the New) that the Imperial Trade and Exchange (ITE) would be further opened to the public, before the largest investors were groups tied in some way to the Imperial houses as to maintain control, under Erekar's reform guilds, families, and other business are free to trade and sell higher stocks without oversight.

Further reforms would be made to education, centralizing the curriculum around: History, Literature, Math, Science, Aetherology, Physical&National Defense, Dancing, and Harmonic&Rhythm. Mandated testing would also be introduced on a regional and county level having been previously only mandatory for the Elite and House Caste. This would see a yearly test of physical fitness and endurance (half mile to mile jog, exercises, and team sports) along with a 3yr mental test, testing mathematical, practical, scientific, and esoteric knowledge.

The capital need to fund such a venture would see the nation approve the selling of Aether to world markets in 1892, using the same Imperial Standard for determining rarity when selling as when procuring the gems.

Along with these passing reforms the absence of Royal Rule and authority created a vacuum in which smaller powers within the Nation vied to try and fill. This isn't seen negatively however, pre-reforms political power had been increasingly monopolized by the upper caste of the House, while creating friction the peoples within the nation namely the Old Elved desired more autonomy over their villages a desire shared by many. 1895 would is remembered as the "Karwilad" "New Birth" after three reforms that would be passed that year:

Tribal Protection Act (1895):
In Our quest and mission to create a freer and more fair state deserving of the title "Universal Realm" we acknowledge the rights to this title and all it may carry within this nation does not belong solely to the Togerian people or Any people. In Recognition of this The Protectorship shall:

1. No longer continue the practice of "Togeranizing" existing tribal villages, markers, peoples, etc.
2. Recognize all peoples to have existed within the Lands Yl before the formation of the Tog, as Native and Integral to the lands.
3. Make strides to further integrate and incorporate All peoples who will willingly integrate and assimilate into the lands as citizens.

Friendly Waters Act(1895)
In recognition of current times, previous policies that favored amnesty and friendliness towards Privateering and Pirating organizations shall from the implementation of this legislation be ended and reversed.
1. All Pirating and Privateer vessels found within Imperial waters shall be fired on without warning, given no quarter, and plundered to white.
2. All Pirating and Privateer vessels shall be given amnesty should they submit to an Imperial fortress under the command of High-Captain or Rank Higher within 1yr of this Legislation. Their goods are to be confiscated, their ships and weaponry seized, and their men and peoples spared and given letters of recommendation should they not have any outstanding crimes or history of crimes.
3. Any vessel that conducts pirating operations within Togerian waters, Native or Non-Native, shall be treated as an enemy and fired on until victory. Any organization or entity that aids in these endeavors within Togerian waters shall be treated as an enemy.

Z'Zak-Navlo 1895 (Sacred Charter of 1895)
In recognition of the service and excellence our most lowest showed in the face of uncertain weather, we in our most grand and most pitiful thank these peoples. As Strong Now as Strong Ever, these words written as spoken from the words of many stand as evidence and affirmation. From this date forward 17th of Ayaous in the year of 1895 we as Tribe, People, and Nation now take on the task to: affirm the rights of our petty nobles and laymen.

1. Through recognition of courage, valor, and honor both within battle and within the affairs of state.
2. Recognition of their ability and service and creating opportunity to best ability and service within the future.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.....

---

[Parcia]

Coronet City
Northern Parsarius

Smoke billowed. A tall, inky black tower of smoke and soot rose in to the sky over Coronet as the old Iron forge their burned. It had started as a workmen's strike, under protest of poor wages. Coronet held a port, the northern most one and nary 15 miles from the boarder. The protest has escalated when a man by the name of John Silver was shot and killed by a local Constable under suspicion of using the empty Iron works to mint fake coinage.

A bulk hauler, moving largely whale oil, had been sitting in port for some time waiting for an extra load of iron ore to take home. With the Iron Forge being so close to the dockyards, the fire spread rather quickly as the fire brigade failed to move quickly enough. The hauler, sailing under the name "Northumbria", went up in flames in minuets before detonating with enough force to capsize a navy torpedo boat attempting to save survivors.

Between the loss of the Northumbria and the riots ensuing as a result of the likely unprompted killing, large portions of the city's populace had taken to the streets in an attempt to either leave, join the worker's protests, or try to make it out of the city. The local Constabulary were stretched to it's limits, with the right to assemble and of Habeas Corpus both being suspended by the major. With the city in anarchy, looting was rampant, the Iron forge was in flames, the port was largely closed off and the nearby Army Commandant was contemplating mobilizing the national guard to put down the Civil disobedience.

While the political nature of the situation was drawing attention, praise, and commendation from across the nation, the Military Command was more so worried with a possible incursion from the north.

[Smenovekhovtia]

The Coming War

Kolya looked solemnly at the letter delivered to him by post service that operated out of Port Petr Fort. The paper was thin and slightly yellow and written by the pounding keys of a type writer. It detailed his reassignment as a convoy driver for the 1st Artillery Brigade that operated under The First Field Army of Field Marshall Listratov Marka Denisovich. FM Denisovich was a Marshall of incredible talent who served under the Tsar for 20 years prior to the revolution. He became a Smenovekhovtsy hardliner following the rise of the Bolshevik party. Nikolay Vasilyevich Ustryalov quickly brought FM Denisovich into his own inner circle and put him in charge of the creation of the modern Smenovekhovtian military. The most striking fact about FM Nikolay was his willingness to build his military around weapons that most would consider inhumane such as chemical weapons.

The FM was put in charge of The First Field Army, which along with The Second, was making moves towards the Togerian border. Along the way, soldiers would be put to work building trench lines, artillery positions, minefields, check points, permanent/temporary military camps/forts and gunner positions as simple industrial workers began the laying of new railroads and vehicular roads throughout the area to support extensive military networks back to the capital region. The Third Field Army, composed of the remaining active duty soldiers not currently held in reserve forces, would move south towards the Parcian border where they would produce the same type of mass militarization.

The weaponry of the republic itself was simplistic but effective. Infantry soldiers would be armed with 48.5 inch bolt action rifles chambered in 7.62×54mmR labeled as Mosin Nagant after its creators who developed the rifle duiring the tsarist years. Similiarly, the standard side arm would be a seven shot revolver developed by Nagant in 1895 and as such labled the Nagant M1895. Artillery, Mechanized, and Cavalry would be armed with Carbine variants of the Mosin Nagant Rifle. Machine gunners would use various modern variations on the original Maxim Machine Gun design. The artillery units would use a mix of 120/122 mm howitzers, 6 inch m1904 siege guns, 76 mm field guns to command control of the battlefield. Russo Blast Armored Vehicles would be produced and put to use by the nation's mechanized forces. Siorsky fighter planes and bombers would likewise enter back into production for the use of the young and burgoning art of air warfare.

The persecution and genocide of Togerian peoples within Krasnoyarsk would continue to ramp up as more and more labor camps would be constructed throughout the nation. Togerian Orcs and even humans would begin to see the beginning stages of persecution. The Togerian people, strong willed for the most part, would attempt to fight back against these transgressions but would fail due to the lack of large scale militaristic organization of villages. Elven men would continue to be slaughtered as they were seen as far too weak for the forced labor that humans and orcs would be assigned. The SKE would furthermore begin a mass misinformation campaign to influence the opinion of Krasnoyarsk peoples in favor of the genocide as well as conducting brutal expiriments on those they deemed subhuman. Children would see the brunt of experimentation as the society believed that their minds could be more easily molded towards a Krasnoyarsk ideal while women would be used for pleasure of sadistic men. Refugees would begin crossing the waters and borders towards Togeria, spreading news of the mistreatment under the hands of the Smenovekhovtsy.

[The Holy Mercurian Empire]

Hintya Peninsula, Hintya Forces HQ

Both guards saluted Markov as he walked into the tent. Grand Marshal Hawthorne was waiting for him. He was grinning.

"We are about to see a turning point in this war, Master Sergeant Markov. Within two weeks, 9 newly recruited divisions will arrive on the island. We've spent the last seven years in retreat, but finally, we move towards reconquest!"

"The news isn't all good, of course. There's a large force of Tlats coming up the east coast. That complicates things. But by the time they arrive, we'll be more than ready for them. Especially with the blow we should deliver today! I'm afraid I can't say much about it now, but you should hear about it shortly if it works."

"In fact, you may well simply hear it if the Tlats do what we expect them to."

-----------

Hintya peninsula, Catarapanian Zeppelin Zephyr

Captain Boyle was concerned with his current mission. It had been a long journey, deep into enemy territory, and there would only barely be enough fuel to make the return voyage, north through the mountains and around the cities. But that wasn't what had him concerned.

What had him concerned was his assignment. The Ritual of 1884 was to be carried out behind the Tlatcani lines, near their regional capital.

He was old enough to remember it. The Scandal of the Empire, the papers called it. An attempt to ritually purify the lands of Volkstrad that went horribly wrong, resulting in a fight between an angel and some dark spirit that could be heard from Togeria and tore the fabric of reality, literally unleashing the forces of hell on the hapless denizens of Volkstrad. The Empire had paid massive reparations of 10 million pounds sterling, mostly in the form of industrial equipment, and three of the southern border forts were surrendered to the Volkstradi. An act of penance for the reckless use of the Powers of Light.

And now it was going to be used as a weapon.

The power of the ritual came from two things. It was robust, only the invocation or attempted intrusion of a non-angelic outsider or other enemy of The Thrice Holy could desecrate a region consecrated using the Ritual of 1884. This meant that common sins would pass unpunished, and the land could be inhabited after the ritual had been carried out. But many consecrations were of such a type. Most churches that lacked relics made due with such consecrations.

No, the real power of the ritual was that it could be carried out from a distance. The original ritual used modified artillery shells to apply holy water to the corners of a triangle, one vertex pointing to the Holy City of Zaren, where God Incarnate had died and been raised. Now, the holy water would simply be poured from the zeppelin.

The temple came into view. It was as much a fortress as it was a temple, with a line of concrete bunkers surrounding a courtyard before a massive ziggurat.

"Take us down to 10,000 feet. Bring us to the point facing Zaren so that the ritual may begin," said the leader of the paladins.

With a heavy heart, Boyle obeyed. Heaven help him, the Tlats would take the whole peninsula if they weren't stopped. The Hintyan culture would be annihilated, and countless Hintyans would be slain. He understood why the risk needed to be taken. But if only another had been chosen to actually take it!

They had arrived. The paladins began chanting. "In nomine Patri et Filii et Spiritus Sancti..."

One opened the door of the zeppelin. Winds blew uncomfortably through the cabin. The floor shifted ever so slightly. A large clay jar full of holy water was cast out of the vehicle. In a few moments, it would crash to the ground, beginning the process of sanctification.

He was given a compass bearing, which he flew along for about ten minutes as the paladins continued chanting. The process was repeated, a second jar was flung from the Zephyr. Then a sixty degree turn, and ten more minutes of waiting.

The triangle would be three miles on a side when completed. The entire festival grounds would be included in it.

The final jar was cast from the zeppelin. The chanting continued for a few moments, then ended with an "amen."

"Now take us out of here. We don't want to be around when the Tlats make their next sacrifice."

Boyle made a silent prayer as he steered north. He begged God that the innocent be spared this time. That there not be a grand battle, or a tear in the fabric of reality. But he knew that what was done was done. The heathens were in God's hands now. And their deeds were an abomination before Him.

[Parcia]

The Northern boarder zone.

The rumblings from the north were not ignored. The order was given to begin the mobilization of 4 of the 8 deployed army regiments in possible preparation to meet the northers should they attempt to cross the boarder fence. While not fully mobilizing them, he put the other 4 on notice to prepare for rapid mobilization and sent the same notice to other National guard units and their supporting regiment. He reckoned he was out matched in terms over all men at arms, but any force attempting to push across the boarder would have to over come the defenses in place.

He put the call out for another 4-8 regiments to be deployed from the southern territories and began to call for a navy squadron to sail northward as, beyond a small flotilla of torpedo boat destroyers escorting a pair of old protected cruisers, there were no large fleet assets in the area.

He dreaded this, as it seemed they were posturing for war and he disliked having to prepare for it.

As for Coronet city, he had finally had received authorization from a reluctant President Ackermen to send in the Guard to disperse the riots, and did so, ordering 1200 armed Guardsmen in to the city proper with the aim to put the mobs down and looting. They were told to load their rifles, but not chamber a round, and to keep their bayonets sheathed.


Markov

The Cavalryman was a bit perplexed, cocking his head and shooting a look to Grand Marshal Hawthorne. "If I can, perhaps I could be let in on what could cause such a...sound?"

[Smenovekhovtia]

The Third Army

Field Marshall Kirillovich sat up from his temporary desk as several young Krasnoyarsk officers marched into his tent. The two officers saluted as the field Marshall stood and saluted back. The officers spoke quickly with perfectly calculated wording.

"Sir, the entrenchment of the Third Artillery has been completed within the strategic zones that were outlined under your orders. The commanding officer of the Sixth Cavalry has arrived as well upon your request!"

"Wonderful!" The Field Marshall replied with a smiling attitude "Send him in, and you may be dismissed to your camp for the day!" The cheerful attitude of the Field Marshall rivaled that of his colleagues however it successfully commanded a great deal of respect and cohesiveness within the ranks below him.

Beskryostnov Kvetoslav Timofeyevich, the commanding officer of the Fifth Cavalry, entered the tent and gazed upon the field Marshall with steely eyes before speaking in an aggrevated manner. "Sir, with all due respect, why was pulled from my post along the border of the USP?"

"Hush, Timofeyevich... My orders are from Nikolay Ustryalov.". The field Marshall handed the commander a small envelope. "See to it that this letter makes it into the hands of the USP leadership. We have been sent to militarize the border but Nikolay Ustryalov wishes to meet his southern neighbours face to face. The letter details a meeting place east of the lake along the border as well as a date and time. The president shall be there along with myself and ample military support, I expect components of the Fifth cavalry to likewise be present. Understood?"

The commander nodded, tucking the letter in his jacket and heading away from the tent and towards a motorized vehicle that he had used for speedy transport north. The stage would be set for a meeting between the two powers.

-

At the prescribed time and place, several elements of the Fifth Infantry and Fifth Cavalry along with Field Marshall Kirillovich arrived and awaited paitently for the arrival of some sort of delegation from the USP. The President himself had in fact not arrived but rather a double with a specific list of instruction due to the high value of the presidents head. This worked do to the general lack of pubkic images of the president. The USP leadership would not be made aware of such a switch.

[Parcia]

The Meeting Place

Fortunately, they had some one in the area to answer the call for parlay. Sadly, they did not have the USP's President . Lt. Col. John Boyd was a subordinate to the Old Colonel MacArthur and a much younger man.

He his aids, a pair of senior lieutenants arrived accompanied by 2 Rifle Platoons of men and a company of mounted Horsemen. The air was unusually warm, with the occasional gust of cold air blowing in from the north.

The Lt. Col. removed his side arm, as was customary, and approached the Northern president with an out stretched hand. "Greetings good sir, I am Lieutenant Colonel John Boyd, 8th Rifles under Colonel MacArthur. I regret to inform you that president Achermen could not make the meeting, as he's currently down south in the Nation's capital. If I may ask, what is the purpose of this rather impromptu meeting?"

Another gust of wind. The Riflemen stood at Parade rest, the mounted riders numbering 50 or so stood along the road, their clouch hats and light sabers glinting in the summer air.

[Togeria]

Eastern Border:
The preceding days had been uneventful and simply speaking dull and boring, but in this new era it was common. The only action the Army had seen was the slight stir of traitors some decades ago but even now with how much the nation is changing it feels more distant that perhaps it once would've. Peder would recall the days before the alarm was called, peace and tranquil, he was stationed with 31st Erayga (Eastern Legion), one of the few to still remain full strength in part due to recent events to the East.

The Smeno have always been a rowdy lot a giant and clumsy force to be as ridiculed as respected. Where he was stationed it was with a force of a few thousand, east of the highlands of the Jezg and into the lower floodplains below. He hated his position both for how dull it was and how open it left them like lambs left to trap foxes. Many decades ago his great grandfather had marched across this bridge part of million man army, they invaded the Smeno for land but in the end disease and the damn north would kill more of them than any pitiful Smened.

But killed they were nonetheless and forced to retreat, the ancestors would mark their stand on this bridge saving the nation from certain wrath and humbling the would be invaders. He wonders sometimes though...perhaps from too much time left just staring at the border, did the Smeno ever forget? It was never a question he pondered on it only ever came from time to time but it was recurring, after their was some fleeing refugees had told them stories; stories of men who imposed themselves spoke only of order and community not like men but machines, who slaughtered royals worst than any beast than defaced them, and more terrible...terrible stories. These stories spooked some of the men: what if such men have seized power? Will their people follow their madness? Will they seek vengeance? "Lofty tales!" He would often tell his comrades, even if all the stories were true, ever suspicion confirmed, they've just ended their revolution and they're undoubtedly weak and still recovering. Should they start growing carrots...undoubtedly the Army will see the little rabbits first.

---

Or so this was thought! It had only been a few days before Peder would be woken early in the morning, before light his Okpon would awake him with a whisper and tell him to be quiet instructing him and his team to grab their equipment and exit the tent. As he got up he would put on his coatee before grabbing his NZ.12 and cap, the men would leave the tent before being instructed to form a line, they would than march than only a few few and line up behind a few rows of other men. In all there were perhaps 25-30 of them, their Okpon.

"Keep quiet and only listen. Z'Pruga have seen movements from across the border, their crows have spotted some of the enemy as they move, we must exercise caution. We will man our positions outside the fort, should they march march a mile within sight without baring a flag, fire a warning shot, should they continue just fire." He would order before unsheathing his blade, the light from the lantern next to him and clear night shinning of the metal he would than point towards the exit.

The fort, Tal-Vere was technically the closest, at least where they could gather strength, it existed just north of central bridge, several miles inland from the North Sea and several miles west from the border. They were the first defense should an invader decided to push through the bridge. As they marched outside he was somewhat relieved, though dark he could hear the movement of other men as see the shine of starlight reflect of the armor of a few, like a theatre they entered their trench. Peder was just recently promoted, ascending from a private to First. Although he was in the trench he was stationed in back and covered relatively, should a signal be given he would charge out last, his rifle ready and primed for the Smeno.

---

The movement of the men had been apart of a large but more reserved call to action, the views from the Pruga worried many of the officers as they were informed, leading to the call for action. As word was telegramed to the Ayawon, forces at the border would be in the process of mobilizing. The men were well trained, equipped, and the logistics of the nation would be able to support them should war erupt, but a lingering suspicion among many would be the tools their neighbor would bring forth.

Reforms had seen all men armed with modern rifles especially along the borders, but many of their number still adhered to the old way of fighting, entranced by the prospect of open battle and war. It was a cut we had felt decades earlier, untold wounded from men who charge, commanders who would encourage and fight alongside them like lions, now they faced a similar prospect.

The 31st and 22nd would be mobilized along the border, of nearly 130k, several regiments would called to action and begin to make their movements towards the border. The majority of forces would be stationed west of the highland and would begin building a trench, a few sorties of 60-80 would descend down and to Tal-Vere. The men would be armed largely with NZ.12 (modeled after Chassepot) and MZ.12 (Carcano carbine). 65mm canons along with the machineguns designed from those purchased from Katrapan, named the ZZ.3 Orc, Ogre and other peoples made up the crews that manned carried this equipment doing so with more ease than their human counterparts.

Another weapons, rockets developed two centuries earlier would also make up a large component of the force, the rockets being 12-25 pounds and filled with Aethrite and incendiary powder along with gunpowder made for a highly explosive mix. These platforms were capable of firing two at a time and their lighter size would see teams of Men, Elf, and Beastfolk operate them, the Elves in particular being extremely accurate in their usage.

---

Later as refugees would begin to cross over the first few having made landfall in the night their numbers would only grow as the morning progressed. The mixture of peoples; Man, Orcs, and sparingly some others a cold and sickly feeling would fill the chest of the soldiers, seeing more of their brethren forced to flee. The news of the atrocities filling the men with both terror and anger, fear that such stories they wished to be tales seemingly becoming more and more fact. Their anger was directed as much at themselves as it was the Smeno, the Tog were protectors the esteemed of the Universal Realm and they can't protect their men their women from slaughter...just a border away?

The Expeditionary force sent by the Catrapan along with the surrounding legion would be ordered to be on alert, for now they would remain within their position, but a private letter would be TG'ed to both the expeditionary force and legion, telling them to begin preparations, to train their men, and to stock the Forts. A second telegram would be later sent, giving permission to both to begin sending detachments along the coast for patrol to aid in landing the refugees.

Some miles inland Tal-Zan would be given an order to prepare the fort to hold an influx of refugees.

[Smenovekhovtia]

The Bridge, six miles from the Togerian Border

Kolya and Fedor exited their respective diseal trucks that carried several tons on munitions to a small embankment near the Togerian border that was being used to station a small battery of 122 mm Howitzers and Six Inch Siege Guns. The artillerymen quickly began unloading the trucks as Kolya lit a small cigarette next to Fedor. The air was damp that day due to the recent rainstorms that likewise muddied the already marsh like ground of the bridge. The artillery men themselves seemed to be fresh and eager for what was the first real shot at war for many of them. They saw it as an adventure, not a disease.

A small village along the embankment, once housing elves of all variaties, had been occupied as a temporary barracks for the artillery men. Several building still smelled of rot and ash as they were blackened by the fires set earlier in the year. Kolya could notice what appeared to be the burnt skeletons of the men trapped inside however he dod not speak up on the matter. Kolya looked over at Fedor who likewise saw the same scene but did not appear to be disturbed by the visage. He took a small puff of his cigarette before turning around and going to the front of his truck where he opened the bay to the engine in order to inspect it for any imperfections. Fedor would do the same whilst remaining just as silent as his friend.

Night would quickly fall and the artillerymen, along with the convoy men, prepared to eat dinner. The head cook in the village would slowly serve out a pot of warm stew to the men who would then eat around several dozen fires in order to keep warm. Fedor and Kolya grabbed their food, filled their canteens with water, and joined a small band of artillery men who were already eating.

One of the men spoke out to the two friends while shoving food viciously down his throat which sat behind a rotting mouth and a bushy mustache. He was an older man and still wore a medallion upon his hat that came from one of the many Tsarist wars that occured before the revolution. "Whats your story? Convoy men right? How did you end up here?"

Kolya spoke up in response to the man while eating his stew all the same. "We came from Port Petr, stopped in the Capitol to grab supplies and munitions, and then we headed out here... We originally aided in the relocation of elven populations along the bridge here." Fedor would add "And we did it with honor for our race and homeland!"

The man laughed at the statement made by Fedor, spitting out bits of stew from his rotted mouth. "You boys actually believe that horse shit? No wonder the Smenovekhovtsy rose to power in Krasnoyarsk, all you young soldiers willing to die for a cause you know nothing about. I fought 4 campaigns along this bridge for the honor of our lovely tsar. I have been shot and I have been stabbed. I have seen war for what it truly is yet I'm still here because war is all I know. I was born upon the battlefield and I will die upon the battlefield. Yet here you are... Eager to die for some race? A race no less brutal than any other? A race no more barbarian than those you put in labor camps?"

Fedor quickly pulled a small revolver from his holster and pointed it directly at the mans chest. Kolya yelled at his friend to stop but Fedor refused to listen. The old man smiled and laughed some more as he stared down the barrel of the clean revolver. Kolya spoke out in anger as the other artillery men stopped and stared. "So you are a traitor to the people race of Krasnoyarsk? You are a tsarist! You are a murderer of our own people!". Suddenly a gun shot rang out from behind Fedor as one of the Artillery officers stood behind him. The officer spoke loudly. "Lower your weapon, driver! I will not have my men killing each other! We are soldiers, we have a job to do and we are to do it no matter the reasoning why!". Fedor dropped the revolver as several other artillery men came up behind him and restricted his arms behind his back. The men would drag Fedor to an unmarked tent in which he would spend the rest of the night being questioned.

Kolya closed his mess kit and stood, moving away from the man that had flared up the violent programming of Fedor. He moved out towards one of the buildings that had burned and contained the skeletons of elves in order to gain privacy. He took out a knife and carved a small cross into a burnt cross section of wood and recited a prayer that would result in his arrest if it was said in public. The nation was not healthy, it had been infected by the disease of war and racism.

The Office of The President,

FM Denisovich stared at the small shot of vodka that sat before him on the table that seperated him from Nikolay Vasilyevich Ustryalov, the leader and architect of the Smenovekhovtsy. Nikolay handed a small yellowed piece of paper to the FM which outlined the goals of the campaign of the first field army along the bridge. The military was not to cross the border into Togeria nor were they to fire upon the border with long range artillery and ither weaponry. The military had been instructed to set up defensive fortification as they had in the event that the Togerians respond with invasion for the relocation of the Togerian peoples.

Nikolay looked solemnly at Denisovich "Do we have an understanding, general?" Denisovich would nod before sipping his shot "Clear as ice, sir."

The Meeting Place

The fake Nikolay looked towards the Lieutenant Colonel with a half sincere smile as he took the colonels hand in his own. FM Kirillovich remained mounted on horseback as he oversaw his Infantryman and Cavalry units.

"I have come to negotiate the terms of our future relationship along the border. It is no doubt that you have noted the advancments of FM Kirillovich and his men. I assure you this is simply a necessity for the protection of our land and not an act of aggression towards your state. I am open to first hearing the demands of your state before my own out of respect for you willingness to meet with me and FM Kirillovich."

[Togeria]

Eastern Border:
The cold and damp night teased at the men picking at their anxieties and worries and using them like paint to color this insipid earth. They couldn't focus long on their own discomforts, the Krazniz were only growing bolder and their attempts to ward them inversely gave them confidence. It would be expected that by the early morning the men would be readied. A rail line connecting Izep'yl to the highlands would carry the majority of men, heavy equipment, and other munitions. Caravans and carriages would follow behind the men given half their salaries early in order to purchase small luxuries before heading to z'Jezg.

---

Peder recalled the last hour being one of constant motion but near silence, the shuffling of gear and soft clings of metal creating a low melody, the soft whispers of his comrades and commanders as they ordered and received instruction. He was nervous, this would be his first real battle and as much as dread filled him was also great doubt and worry. A bubble of air filled his chest taking away the air from his chest silently, thoughts of home filled him and he was left conflicted; both wanting to run to escape the oncoming squabble but his pride would contain him like an armor of the Chapon who ride down like angels to help and protect all.

Yes, in this moment when his brothers needed him and his sisters called upon him he would stand firm, harder than any stone and as long lasting as any tree.

Around him more men would enter the trench soon, his vision was limited but he knew from training some men would stay back in reserve either firing from their position, firing a mortar, or waiting to be called to go front. Some others armed with an assortment of weapons; javelins, explosive arrows and bow, and spear or long knife although more primal in their equipment Peder had learned to call them "Surgeons" from camp. They took great pride in their craft and fought with those by choice enjoying more the struggle of battle than the actual ending of it, sick men.

---

The movement of troops and management would be overseen Chapon Okon Yanecon; his plan would be based of a proposed a decade after their last war with the Krazniz. The objective would be to push the invader off the bridge permanently and initially it called for the deployment of two legions at full strength, they would push together into the lowlands and than split both north and south, capturing land as well as building forts and defenses to enforce their claim.

The current circumstances were dire but there could still be hope, the men would be fighting on their land and fighting to push away an invader before they touch the land. Even outnumbered he was confident they could hold while more men are gathered.

Withing Tal-Vere (Red Dot) a full Axis had been gathered (21k) to the south west and far south also existed three other forces, gathering along the highland:

Yga-Mare (Force Blue)

Yga-Ete (Force Red/Brown)

Yga-Wgide (Force Black)

Force Blue (First white dot) would have 8k men in their ranks they would begin to dig a second several miles south of Tal-Vere, digging northeast till they touched the border. Their MO was focus on construction and as such they wouldn't seek to actively engage with the Krazniz unless they heard noise or got reports of them moving west.

Force Brown would be stationed a lil more ways west, placed a rocky hill that oversaw the dip and depression into the low marshes under. They had a equal force of 8k roughly in their ranks. They along with Force Black in the south would be the main forces pushing into the Kraznid south, FB being a large body at 14k would be filled mostly with infantry several regiments of which were recruits only tempered by Imperial training and labor.

They were passionate and many excited for the prospect of fighting against the "King-Killers", savages who monopolize the dread of their lowest to bring suffering on their noblest! It would be true glory to strike down these monopolizers.
---------------
The forces of Tal-Vere larger in strength and personal would strike out from two directions hopping to use their speed as well as darkness of night to shake the Kraznid before they truly settle down. The majority of the men 10k would strike at the core, rocket and mortar fire would help cover as well illuminate part of the way for the men. The men themselves as they would charge from their trench would do so trying to maintain order, and though difficult to see in the night sky, small squares or diamonds of 8-20 would be seen.

A smaller force of 5k would be sent north only several miles until they touched the coast.

---

The time of attack would 02:45, as the night was in its peak. The difficulty of launching night attacks wasn't unknown to the men, there was little could offer besides rudimentary equipment for most men, however among those with bestial blood inside of them their vision would be key and valued in the coming operations.

As the forces were being assembled particularly rocketry and mortar units, those of beast heritage would help lead the men, equipped with a whistle they blow signals for the men, the sounds made would mirror morning birds somewhat meant to resemble the oncoming early morning. Those within the artillery and rocketry brigades would make longer calls, creating a song almost as they looked through binoculars and Pruga continued to use their eyes to view movements.

As the attack would come, screams could be heard from the Togerian border and trench, the screams themselves would be purposely horrid interlaced with a mixture of moans and shrieks mirroring the screams of a slaughter. As this show would gather attention, the whistles too would be soon be heard before faintly the sound sparks off to the distances.

The rockets would be fired first both for their ease to reload as well as distance distance, they would fire from Tal-Vere, Yga Mare, and Yga Ete. Tens of them would be fired from their positions soon complimented by heavier fire from the 65mm canon in the north, and in Ete. This fire would be relatively short, only lasting 15min and focused on the front line. The men would begin to head out from their trenches as the firing softened. Bayonets readied they continued their whales and calls as they advanced. Keeping a light jog before fully sprinting forward.

[The Holy Mercurian Empire]

Hintya Peninsula: Hintya Forces HQ

Grand Marshal Hawthorne took a puff from his pipe. "Tell me, Master Sergeant. How much do you know about the Scandal of 1884?"

----------

Telegram from Princess Paremahana Coela to Togamon Ikrekar Ayawonu

Dearest Ikrekar,

Word has reached Catarapania of what the Kingslayers are doing to your people across the border. While we have a war of our own to fight, we will not suffer you to stand alone. My father has decided, and the Senate has approved, the expansion of the Expeditionary Force and the reassignment of the Northern Squadron. All that is required is the permission of the Togerian government. You will shortly be hearing further details through other channels, but this is my personal one. Let us help your people.

Warmest regards, your fiance.

----------

Telegram from Field Marshal Daniel Hawke to Ayacha Eremend Jonez

Ayacha,

In light of recent events, it may be wise to deploy the Expeditionary Division on your border.

It should also be noted that, should your government approve it, we can add an additional two divisions to the Expeditionary Force in the next two weeks, and within four months, we could have a full Catarapanian Army in the theatre. Said army will report to me. I, moreover, report to you for the duration of hostilities. Should it be deemed necessary, a second army can be assembled by this time next year.

Grace and Peace,

Field Marshal Daniel Hawke

----------

Telegram from Admiral Sanacohuit Rinu to Ayamar Nezi Jozep

Ayamar,

Should your government allow it, we will be deploying the full Northern Squadron into your waters as soon as conditions allow. I will report to you for the duration of hostilities. As you no doubt know, the Squadron consists of four battleships of the old style, one protected cruiser of the first class, four of the second class, four of the third class, and sixteen destroyers. How best to divide these forces, and what tasks you intend to put them to, I leave to you.

Grace and Peace,

Admiral Sanacohuit Rinu.

[Smenovekhovtia]

The night was rather calm and cloudless as the small patrol unit of ten men moved along the border. The routes of the patrols were determined in the daylight and marched along all twenty four hours of the day. This movement was aided by the use of rudimentary personal flashlights that were mounted to the patrolmans breast pocket. The flashlights would be powered by dry cell batteries which were difficult and expensive to manufacture resulting in the use of flashlights being primarily for patrolman as the standard rank and file would rely on more traditional methods of light. The patrols moved slowly due to the limited capability of the flashlights but it enabled them the ability to keep decent tabs on any night operations along the border.

The calm night would soon be interrupted by the fiery trails and whistles of military rockets and light artillery coming from the Togerian Border. The patrolmen, likewise equipped with 1 inch flare guns, would respond to this by firing two bright red flairs into the air within seconds of each other. This was used as a designation for invasion and would warn troops stationed further back of the threat. This stream of information would flow up to the main Infantry and artillery lines as well within half an hour if not much sooner.

Kolya moved from his bed as he heard the sudden outbreak of artillery fire from outside the building that housed his convoy unit. He quickly changed into his standard issued uniform, grabbed his sidearm belt, and rushed outside. The 120/122mm guns had started a somewhat blind and somewhat calculated artillery strike along the border region of the bridge. This area of bombardment would sit about a mile in front of the main Infantry lines and entrenchments. The positions of the artillery strikes would be determined by scouting reports in order to effectively volley the shells past the main lines and into the border itself. The goal of these strikes, which would happen along almost every region of the borderlands, was to slow the enemies advancement by destroying the terrain itself. This volley of fire would likewise hopefully result in the deaths of advancing soldiers who refused to bunker down as well as disoriante the enemy force. Larger long range siege guns, likewise orientated and calibrated at earlier points, would be targeted at known camps and military entrenchments set up just beyond the border regions from which the attacks most likely originated. Kolya, sensing the need to serve, quickly joined one of the artillery teams in reloading there guns among the chaos.

The main Infantry lines along with patrol units caught near the border would see the first casulties of the war. The fighting was particular blind along the border resulting in friendly fire and death among the unprepared patrols who attempted to slow the invaders the best they could with their standard issued rifles. The entrencthed infantryman throughout the borderlands would be met by the artillery and rockets almost immediatley catching many off guard and resulting in chaos and death. The entrenched soldiers several miles from the border took advantage of the entrenchments and would get as low as possible to avoid shrapnel from the artillery. All along the entrenched lines, floodlights would brighten up giving Infantry, snipers, and machine gunners clear views of the regions in front of them. Advancing enemy soldiers would be met by the blinding lights along with the cracking of rifles and sustained fire of the machine gunners. It did not matter the direction the enemy was moving, they would be met by miles of trenches that had been dug extremely fast by the some 130k infantryman of the first and second field army. The hope was that, combined with the constant artillery shelling, the entrenchments would bring a screeching halt to the advancment of the Togerians and force them into trenches as well. This would undoudebtly create a defensive standstill that the FMs believed they could win given enough time.

Dedova Anouska Victorovna sat in a small rocking chair as she observed a small ring that bore her families crest. Her uncle was only several years prior the leader of a majestic land to the east that she was born upon in the year of her lord 1886. The young girl, only 14 years of age, was considered by many to be last surviving member of the Victorovna Tsarists and as such she had quickly become a binding rope to those still loyal to her uncle who was murdered by the savage masses of her land. She was pulled from her childhood innocance by a man who bore the name Repin Polikarp Sergeyevich. He served as a low servant to the Tsar before the civil war and took it upon himself to lead the young Dedova to the safety of Togeria. The man had spent the last two years organizing the refugees of Krasnoyarsk under the leadership of Dedova and filling her mind with fantasies of a triumpanth return to Krasnoyarsk. Dedova didn't know what to make of it all several years prior but had now slowly fallen intothe role destined to her by God.

The door to the small stone dwelling suddenly flew open as Repin marched in with several other men of Krasnoyarsk blood. He smiled as he came upon the young Tsarina and spoke softly. "My lady, the Togerian peoples have awoken to the misdeeds of the Smenovekhovtsy, now is the time to petition the government for your right to rule. Come, we must leave!"

Dedova placed the small ring back onto her finger before clenching a small fist. She would stand proudly among the men before her. "God has so spoken then, it is time to return to my people.". The small group loaded themseleves into motorcar and began there way along the road towards the seat of Togerian power.