Archa and Telus: The Stories of Diarcesia [Maintenance]

[Diarcesia]

DNS Altaria is one of the few carriers in the Monarchy that has a monument to the fallen pilots of the Mundana Forces as their figurehead. The said monument, a bronze-painted statue of one of the Fates in nude guiding men and women to their next destination.

The ship is named after the Monarch Diarcesian Maximilian's wife and the only daughter of the late Septimius Aelius Adriareus. It is in active service as of 2035.

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

Private police in the Dyrrhonian Isles are notorious for their brutality and corruption. One of their leaders is the tyrannical Captain O. Pius, who has absolute authority in his turf and is also the de-facto 'mayor' of his portion of the city. He insists on addressing him with his 'official' title of "Lord Protector" and his relative, a decarch of the Mundana Forces, is his enforcer. The Captain is aware of several plots against his life and his family, which he attempts to thwart with the help of his confidantes. He has a daughter with the former mayor of Nauphus, the Official Camila Catsar, who is a childhood friend of his.

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

Modest's is a bar with a reputation for good food and friendly service. It has a good following of regulars, and the owner is very welcoming.

The food here is fairly basic, but good enough for a first date. I had the beef short rib, which came with a side salad. It was reasonably priced, and the beef was good.

Their corned beef came with cucumber, radish, and tomatoes. The dressing was basic, but good enough.

The cornbread was good, but on the other hand, the sweet potato gnocchis were just not my thing.

The beer selection was pretty light, but enough to make me want to drink more.

The wine pairings here were average. I'd prefer to drink their beer instead.

The desserts here were average at best. I was hoping for more banana pudding or strawberry milkshakes.

You will find a guy drinking Gatorade here. He seems to be in his late 20s or early 30s. He has a goatee and tends to be animated. You may recognize him by his shirt with a famous jersey number. And he wasn't getting any younger either.

"What's up, mate," I said. "I'm looking for a drink. Want some ginger ale?"

"Sure, why not?"

"I've got a bit of a craving."

He looked at me with a confused expression on his face. "Well, I've got a few options here. You can either head over to my table after getting me some of those, or you can sit back and wait for me to buy them for you."

[Diarcesia]

National Grid Power Outage Continue to Affect Parts of Diarcesian Mainland
29 January 2022

ARCESIUS—The National Grid (NG) is a Diarcesian utility company that is the primary supplier of electricity to rural and industrial areas in the country. A spokesperson for the utility said the outage was caused by a "technical glitch" and they were working to fix it as soon as possible. The outage has left many without power and has forced the disruption of some services as far as Arcesius, the capital city. Immediately, service was restored to many of the cities and their peripheries, but many more people were still without power in other areas of the country and the situation was likely to get worse before it gets better.

In particular, the outage was the second major disruption to the electricity supply in the dieresis of Neraserria in as many weeks. On Monday, a fire broke out in a power line in a rural area of the dieresis, causing considerable power infrastructure damage throughout. The cause of the incident was not immediately clear, although reports suggested sabotage. Those who believe it was caused by sabotage point to a group of contractors that were refused pay due to failing obligations. When reached out for comment, the contractors denied all accusations, saying that they repeatedly tried to raise concerns about aging components that were constantly ignored by higher-ups.

Analysts point out the outage as yet another demonstration of the growing dysfunction within the utility. The Hypurgeum Emporic is looking to investigate the increasing uncertainty of the Grid to reliably maintain its power plants, a portion of them running with nuclear fuel. A grid-integrity study will begin as part of the hypurgeum's inquiry and post-mortem analysis.

"We deeply apologize for the continued instability of the Grid's infrastructure," says Anatole Zak (Anatoly Zak), one of the utility's chief engineers. "We are inching closer to identifying the cause. We are aware of whispers of sabotage, but it being the cause is very unlikely."

Zak adds that the Grid is already well-underway in their upgrades to their power plants and transmission systems. "We are anticipating a full restoration of services tomorrow afternoon."

[Wochaystein]

For Wochaysteiners, the foreign country of Jestar Falls is so far away from them.

They consider Turtle Town to be a beautiful city with a history that goes back a thousand years. They find its inhabitants cultured. One of their favorite places there is the Great Statue Of The Turtle.

On my first official day of my visit, Terezin and I set out for what I consider to be a great hall. In view of one of its windows is the Great Statue. I think it tells the story of their founding myth. The statue is much older than the town itself. Perhaps they named the city "Turtle Town" because of it?

My companion and I enjoyed a drink together, chatting idly about the news and events of the day. Occasionally, we would move to a new topic. We took our time, since travel to such a distant place is a rare event.

The hall is filled with locals, many of whom have come to speak about their daily lives. They range from young up and comers, to faces seasoned by time. They appear to share their stories as they go on. It is fascinating.

I shall give many thanks to my excellent editor, Cynthia Moss, for helping me put my stories together, and suggesting this place to me to visit.

[Wochaystein]

Some of the many secret archives/documents of Wochaystein that were revealed to the public:

• The identity of the creator of the Chimera Antenna
• The location of the ruins of Laila's Tower, where the remains of the original Lost Tribe of the Zuidrians are stored
• A proscription list of the pretender Imperial Families during the civil war
• An analysis of the resurrection rituals of various heathen faiths and associated relics, by Brando Welter
• A chronology of the rise and fall of the Holy empire

---

"With the identity of the Chimera Antenna's creator, we can infer the list of every known person and organization connected it and their activities. This will be a great resource for researchers, historians and others looking to learn more about the then-fledgling technology."
—Dr Engilram Dunkel

---

An archeological expedition to the site of Laila's Tower uncovered more insights of the indigenous Zuidrian people. They appeared to place much emphasis on highly gifted children who are thoroughly educated to become the ruling class. The group was mostly comprised of children of the aristocracy.

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

The Burning Root is a garnet jewel made in the Avant-Gardist style.

It hold the distinction of the largest sale of an artcle of jewelry in the Dyrrhonian Isles. The item was once the prized heirloom of the Argyris clan, but it was sold in 2021 to the Diarcesian Monarchic government for $3,475,700 to further pay for the family's debts.

Presently still under the care of the government, it is on display in the Dyrrhonian Isles's section of the Hall of Diereses.

Said to evoke flame when moved viewed from different perspectives, the Burning Root is a sight to remember.

[Wochaystein]

One of the Wochaysteiner secret archives/documents that were revealed to the public is Barohecti's theory of the universe once referred by Ibn al-Qūṭiyya Wittiza. It describes a very different cosmological model from the currently-popular Big Bang model. The theory states that the universe is a series of tubular structures where men can hypothetically traverse and observe their near-identical counterparts who differ only in choices that were taken in important crossroads of time.

Barohecti, a resident of the Holy Empire, was accused a heretic and had his distributed works all burned, save for a handful of copies kept in the empire's archives under inquisitorial seal.

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

The Dyrrhonian public's opinion on Israel is positive. The dieresis has a strong economic interest in maintaining peace and harmony between the Israeli expatriates in the isles and the locals. However, as a constituent country within the Monarchy Diarcesian, the Isles does not have a complete say in the Monarchy's diplomatic relations with Israel.

Regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they are more sympathetic with the latter.

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

The current flag of the Dyrrhonian Isles, the Golden Sun, is partly inspired by the dominant rock album covers of the time. It features a portion of the Sun on a grey sky, with a pink reflection on a brown field. The yellow and brown represent the represent the elements of fire and water, respectively. It's indeed peculiar that water is represented by the color brown in the area; that's because off the coasts of the Isles, the sea tends to have a lot of mud or sediment.

The flag got its name from the sun motif featured prominently on the flag. "Gold" is chosen instead of "yellow" to reflect the prosperity and good fortune associated with the color gold.

The previous flag design had a more conventional arrangement of two white unicorns on a brown background.

[Wochaystein]

Sunsets in Wochaystein are nice. However, they are not as nice as Salcott in the summer.

Surrounding Wochaystein is a small ocean with many tiny islands and coral reefs. The countries around its shores have different cultural views in it. There are many cultural differences between the various regions of the country. From the highest points located in the center of the Wochaysteiner capital of Zuidren, that's where I find the best sunsets in there.

- Excerpt from a tourist's letter

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

The Equestrian Parade is an important event that takes place on New Year's Day. Usually, the venue is the main city of Rhamnasis, but sometimes, it rotates to other population centers, like Aintz.

The Parade involves the best Dyrrhonian horsemen exhibiting their skills in full view of the public. In Rhamnasis, they have a set path to take along its streets, stopping in the Equestrian Complex, a large arena used for hosting sporting events, concerts, and other festivals.

The Equestrian Complex was built at the behest of the Dyrrhonian government in anticipation of their hosting of the first Monarchic Games. Before that, it was a former military stable.

In 2022, that year's Equestrian Parade was cancelled due to snow.

[Wochaystein]

Legacy of the Holy Empire's Genocides

The Holy Empire has committed several acts of genocide in the distant past. This has led to them being shunned by their neighbors at the same time as they were afraid of its power. Before the great civil war, they stood alone, isolated, with foreign countries waiting to band together and pounce at the moment the empire shows its weakness. As a result, they were simultaneously extremely relevant and irrelevant in international affairs.

To the top military officials at the time, they only saw it as a means to an end. While they were a theocracy—as the dieresis in its present form continues to be—they were in no rush to persecute unbelievers outside their borders, for they believe God will bring the realization of salvation to them when he so desires it. No, they saw genocide as way to excise rot as early as possible, before they fester, for they concluded that the price of looking the other way will be extremely high. In hindsight, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, as their violence breeds more resentment, which necessitates even more violence, and so on.

Nowadays, its aftermath are still being felt. Its neighbors remember its legacy and do not trust the dieresis nor the other successor-states of the Holy Empire's civil war. At the same time, they view Wochaystein as irrelevant in international affairs due to it being under Diarcesia's sovereignty, and Diarcesia's foreign policy is currently one of pacifism. It has no intention to meddle in other countries' business unless they pose a direct threat to the dieresis.

As for the other countries that retains some semblance of the Holy Empire's ruling structure, some sectors of its population continue to feel the need to justify its actions from centuries ago, something no one else can understand. As a result, what it does serves as an example for others who wish to follow suit in infamy.

[Wochaystein]

Safety in Wochaystein

Wochaystein is considered a safe dieresis. You would find a police station in almost every corner of its cities. The streets of Zuidren and Tendorf are known to be some of the safest in Diarcesia because of their strict laws.

In the countryside, it would be best to always have someone with you if you're walking at night. However, you would still find safety in numbers there.

[Diarcesia]

The Society of the Frugal Dream is a voluntary organization that strives to promote the virtues of frugality, thrift, and prudence. Founded by a group in the 33^rd Century that includes the Monarch Tomislav, the society provides educational programs that teach people how to conserve resources, spend wisely, and avoid debt.

The Society's Main Themes
1. If you can't pay cash, don't buy it. If you must borrow, keep the loan to a minimum and be sure that you can afford both the principal and interest. Forgive any debt that is causing you harm - financial or spiritual - as soon as possible.
2. Reduce your needs and wants to a minimum, while keeping yourself safe and healthy.
3. Save as much of your income as possible, in cash or near-cash assets such as gold coins.
4. Don't give your savings to banks unless you can keep the funds in a deposit account that pays interest equal to or greater than the prevailing rate of inflation plus any fees charged by the bank for holding deposits.

[Diarcesia]

One day, a great disaster struck Diarcesia. It was a tsunami, which destroyed the major ports of Parthenus Limen and Chadwick and wiped out its inhabitants. The only survivors were those who fled to the hills. They later rebuilt their cities beside the ruins, where they lay dormant.

Despite the challenges they faced, the Diarcesians remained determined and resilient. They used their skills and expertise to design and construct new buildings and roads, and they developed new technologies to help them rebuild more efficiently.

Thanks to their hard work and determination, Parthenus Limen, Chadwick, and the other Diarcesian cities affected by the tsunami were able to rise from the destruction. As time passed, they stronger and more prosperous than ever before, and the survivors and rebuilders were hailed as heroes for their bravery and resilience.

[Wochaystein]

None of the Holy Empire's wars had its tides changed in a single battle. Every war it fought and won (and lost) was due to a series of battles that took place over a period of time. This wasn't just for show either, as the Holy Empire's generals were known for their discipline and planning ahead. In fact, not one general in Imperial history has been taken alive by an enemy force since the Great Rumbling Against The Heathens in 1623.

The one exception was in 1827. At this time, the Empire is now called Wochaystein and a part of Diarcesia. General Werner Oursler, now fighting under the Diarcesian flag as a stratege, surrendered to the forces of the Odrioyan Kingdom after a long and bloody siege at Fort Caradochus. The surrender came after his men had run out of food and ammunition, with no relief in sight. While this may seem like an act of cowardice on his part (and it is), he refused to allow any more deaths due to him fighting to the last man against the enemy—something that had happened many times before during Imperial wars, including the fratricidal civil war known as the Trouble Across the Four Corners.

In 1828, the Monarchy Diarcesian signed the Treaty of Buclatrachys to end its war with Odrioya without setting foot in the eponymous city's temple. While this wasn't a particularly glorious result, it was the best that could be done at the time. Odrioya became a dieresis at great cost, and prisoners of war were exchanged.

Later on during Gaea's World War I (1914-1918), another (unofficial) surrender occurred: that of former Diarcesian officer Klaus Schäfer to French forces after his defense failed at Fort Douaumont. Fighting for the German Empire at the time, he is said to have been deeply depressed afterwards and committed suicide shortly after being released from captivity. His story is known through his writings, and a movie was made about him in 2000.

[Wochaystein]

Wochaystein's carbon-negativity targets are among the least ambitious in Diarcesia. They are committed to being a carbon-negative country by 2100 at the latest. For its size, they have a very large environmental footprint and are highly dependent on imported fossil fuels for energy production. They have committed to increasing their use of renewable energy as part of their long-term goals, but currently only about 30% of Wochaystein's electricity comes from renewables.

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

2020: The Commission is a movie about the Atlantian Oceanian Commission that has just been released in 2023. It is a satirical comedy about bureaucracy and corruption in AO, starring Praxitle Sala, Alcestis Papas, and Lycurgus Stephanid.

The year before, have it that its production troubles is starting to sound like that of the situation behind Vera's Tower.

[Wochaystein]

Carmen Blum is one of the first female Wochaysteiners elected to political office. She is the current mayor of Tien, the first female to do so, and her portfolio includes education. She was born to Wochaysteiner parents outside Diarcesia, in Vollendorf, Krummhütten (a small town near that country's with Flæmysland), and grew up in an area where only men worked at mining.

She has always fought for women's rights as she believed that they are equal to men; however, this belief got her into trouble when she joined a Krummhüttener protest against gender-based violence that led to riots on May 19th 2013 which ended with 14 people dead including two police officers after protesters attacked them when they tried to arrest some of them who were accused of vandalizing property. She was present at the protest and tried to calm everyone down.

She later became a member of an organization called "Krummhütten's Youth Union" where she fought for women's rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, minority (particularly Muslim) rights, animal welfare and environmentalism.

She also traveled around Diarcesia discussing about her work with other dieretic governments which helped make Wochaystein aware of what they can do in regards to education of contemporary issues.

She was elected as mayor of Tien in August 2022 after an issue with the previous one where he resigned due to health issues, and she won by a landslide in an election whose process was highly criticized. Her work in Tien, as well as her previous experience, helped make her win the Tiener mayoral elections.

[Wochaystein]

The national anthem of the Holy Empire is called the Full Hymn (Die vollständige Hymne). Its earliest attestation was shortly after the renouncement of the Holy Roman Empire's overlordship and was used as a patriotic song. It has only been slightly changed since then. It is sung in German with a distinct Franconian accent and contains 5 verses of 6 stanzas each. The first stanza is considered the national anthem proper, while the second through fifth are rarely sung. The current tune used is one of many variations on a theme of "Erinnerungen an das letzte Abendmahl", a composition by Eugen Adolfsen which was popular among those who fought against Diarcesia.

[Diarcesia]

The Planetary Union of Montefaune (PUM) was founded on 2108 on the ideal of peaceful cooperation amongst the colonists that arrived from Diarcesia's homeworld via sleeper ships. Despite facing many challenges, it has remained a beacon of cooperation for over two centuries. However, times are changing. Up to the Diarcesian rediscovery and accession, they maintained no military. They had no need for it, and their closest equivalent's most dangerous assignments were warding off wild creatures. As for diplomacy and trade, they, as a planet, were an autarky: they somehow lost communication with off-world humanity. This lost link was reestablished, and almost everyone felt the proverbial stellar winds changing. The Arcesius system, the cradle of Diarcesia, emerged from its existential crisis stronger than ever. Although rejoiced that their cousins still stand, Montefaune feared that like the primitive natives of a continent discovered a long time ago in the age of sail, they will be swept aside to irrelevance or even extinction. The Montefauneans needed to adjust to the shock therapy forced into them. It was up to them to determine their outcome.

During their existence as an independent entity, the PUM's legislation was designed with the anticipation that multiple corporations, each with its own purpose and area of activity, will take interest in the planet and its resources. The Union Government administered the planetary infrastructure and provides basic services to all citizens. Corporations could supplement in exchange by paying a tax rate of 25% on all profit derived from activities within the Union territory. This arrangement persisted in the immediate aftermath of their accession as a dieresis in the fringes of the Monarchy Diarcesian's range of effective control.

However, the Diarcesian government's decision to incorporate Montefaune is a game changer for two reasons. First, it means that the Union will likely become one of many pieces on a vast geopolitical chessboard in which it may be subject to exploitation and manipulation by forces beyond its control. Second, keeping the existing structures eventually help Montefaune become a crossroads of trade and earn its reputation as a portal world. The Gates of Montefaune, as the planet was known by this point, and the space around them were heavily trafficked.

The question is, how can the PUM maintain its autonomy and prosperity in an increasingly interdependent world? How can it be a part of this new reality without compromising its ideals? For a short while, the Union Government would wrestle with this dilemma. This uncertainty was reflected in its actions during this period: it did not know where to commit resources and personnel for the good of both entities. It did not help that there were some breaches in security (hackers/terrorists) within their territory as well - no matter how much they spend on infrastructure, if people can still be victimized by criminals or intruders from off-world, then clearly something is amiss with either the vetting process or overall policies meant to protect citizens' rights.

It was at this time when individuals began to take matters into their own hands and create private organizations outside of government purview but nonetheless operating under acceptable norms—no more than what was necessary for them function—and abiding by generally accepted rules laid out beforehand according to each group's needs. Some groups may share common interests; others will likely have conflicting ones too since everyone has different priorities regarding access vs safety vs efficiency... While there might be overlap between these efforts and activities conducted by members of other groups which could lead conflicts among them over jurisdiction issues (elements located beyond one party's claimed area), most are able to resolve such disputes peacefully because all parties understand that any disruption would undermine everything they have worked towards achieving so far as well as their own personal interests. It is in everyone's best interest to keep the peace and operate as smoothly as possible.

It was these entities that would eventually coalesce into one organization, with each member recognizing they are stronger together than apart: The Union of Mutual Assistance (UMA). The founding of the UMA firmly established the delicate balance of the de-facto power it holds and the de-jure authority of the PUM. For a long time, the balance of power see-sawed between them. In the very unlikely event that the Diarcesian government decides to directly govern the planet from Arcesius, the Montefauneans are certain to recognize their own strength and make moves to preserve it.

The Union Government is still very much relevant in today's space as a coordinator between entities whose interests overlap or are tangential, which can be seen through its work with the CEPHESIA Agency of Galactic Exploration, where they provide services such as medical assistance and basic provisions for personnel involved in off-world exploration. In addition, there are plans underway to expand into other industries that make sense given what they already do (e.g., space infrastructure), but this would require significant resources—some say too expensive—and time... They need not look any further than their gates: the Diarcesian portals shrink vast distances between Montefaune and any planet they desire to build a counterpart portal to viable and extremely profitable spacelanes.

[Wochaystein]

At a certain location along the Lorisch, there is a fairground with a structure built in the style of an Arabic palace. This unique and picturesque location provides a perfect backdrop for a variety of attractions and entertainment.

The structure is called the "Palace of Arts and Sciences" and is dedicated to promoting culture, education, and innovation. It features a museum with exhibits on Wochaysteiner history, art galleries showcasing local artists' work, a library stocked with literary works from around the world.

Additionally, there are interactive displays that demonstrate how folk and modern technology can be used in everyday life. The Palace also hosts regular events such as religious ceremonies for the Church of Wochaystein or celebrations of local holidays and festivals. Of note, the fairground is mostly packed during the Fruhlingsfest, Kulturfest, and Erntedankfest.

The fairground surrounding it hosts regular events such as music performances by both local musicians and international acts. Literary readings are also held at the palace's amphitheater or within its walls during inclement weather; while magicians perform tricks outside their tents alongside technology demonstrations in booths set up throughout various locations across town square areas near food stalls serving regional cuisines sold at reasonable prices to attendees who wish indulging themselves before returning home later after having fun all day long!

[Dyrrhonian Isles]

On May 2022, a new placement test system in the Dyrrhonian Isles is being planned and is considered "ferocious" and "unique". The Student Standard Test (SST) consists of a series of trials, each one more grueling than the last. The tests are designed to weed out those who are not truly worthy of being educated in Dyrrhonian Isles.

The first parts are academic tests that covers all subjects taught in high school and post-secondary education, with a strong emphasis on mathematics and science. The second part is physical: applicants are required to run through seven miles of obstacle courses while carrying heavy loads.

An assessment completed in November of the same year concluded that it is an "outdated" way of gauging a student's ability. The Dyrrhonian government, in response to criticism of the SST, establishes an alternative system that is "more accurate" and focuses on a student's ability rather than how hard they can be pushed.