Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 537 - 538

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Category:Session Summaries
Adarnum and Leandra Duel at Bishant
Partition Strained to Furthest Point Since Mage Imperium
Editor's Note: The Foreign Concerns Gazette Wishes to Apologize for Delays in the Publication of Previous Issues, Owing to an Acute Shortage of Staffing. The High Standards of the Gazette Prevent it from Adopting Computer-Assisted Text Completion Methods in the Fashion of Lesser Publications.
Casualty Report: 
*Leandran Inquisition and Adarnan Annunciation: 500,000 dead
*Fialta Naval Coup and Fraternal Conflict: 30,000 dead
*Tarim Fleet Raids: 20,000 dead
*Silence Plague: 200,000 dead (official reports)
Economic Report:
*Despite bright spots in infrastructure and venture capital, overall stagnant economic growth amidst continued cosmic uncertainty.
International News:
*"Throwing Down the Gauntlet" Leandran Cult Roundly Backs Empress Lapheraz of Bishant in Asserting Preferred Status of Leandra Amidst Kirvan Pantheon, Moving to Occupy Adarnan Holy Places and Formally Disavow Adarnum as Kirva's Archangel. Knights of Adarnum Declare that their Patron Angel Will Intercede Directly, Stake Legitimacy of Adarnan Cult on Divine Intervention.
*"Meeting the Neighbors" Celestial Bank of Valdos Launches Charm Offensive Across Celestial Space, Lavishing Gifts Upon Magnates.
**"Profit While We May" While King of Aksai Refuses Dignitaries, Middle Kingdom Dukes Welcome Valdosian Emissaries, Forge Bilateral Agreements Without Approval from Vacant Middle Throne. 
**"Not Welcome" Grand Celestial Confederation Gives Cold Reception to Valdosian Emissaries. Celestial Diet Issues Official Censure of Celestial Bank: "We Have Had the Luxury of Secondhand Experience With Valdosian Tricks"
*"Custody Battle" Alleging "Unwholesome" Othali Influence Over Young Emperor Leonus, Radical Thalranese Officers of Fialta Imperial Navy Attempt to "Secure the Emperor's Mind and Person" by Kidnapping Monarch. 
**"Pointing Fingers" Officers' Coup is Stopped by Rapid Intervention of FSB, Which Reveals Sweeping Investigation of Thalranese Conspiracy within Imperial Navy. Contrary Evidence Emerges of Extensive Bureaucratic Maneuvers by Othali Agents in Navy to Weaken and Reorient Chains of Command and Reassert Control of Shadowy "Black Navy" Over Naval Affairs. 
**"A Mutiny of Mistrust" Amidst Claims that Kidnapping Attempt was False Flag, Thalranese, Othali and Secular Naval Officers Split Along Religious, Ideological Grounds, Fully Two Thirds Believed to be Refusing Orders from Naval Command, Many on Grounds that Orders Cannot Be Verified In Current Climate.
*"We Want to Make a Deal " Thannasid Delegation of "The Reckoner" Makes Historic Overture to Saldan, Offering Technical Collaboration and Ancient Knowledge in Partnership with Overtones of Redemption for Saldan's Lost Status at Head of Cosmic Leaders in Technology and Lore.
**"Welcome Curtailed" Aeldman SNPs Pass Act of Recognition for Thannasid Delegates by Margin of One Vote, Immediately Vetoed by Doge LaPaix.
*"Un-Celestial" Show Trials Sweep GCC as Rising Star, Councilor Moriko, Unveils New Method of Detecting Methods and Magic of Veiled Masters, Lays Bare Infiltration of Diplomatic and Intelligence Agencies. Councilor Swiftly Reorganizes Diplomatic and Security Apparatus in Her Image, Accusing Opponents of Veiled Sympathies.
**"Two-Faced" Moriko Claims to Have Used Method to Detect Influence in Foreign Countries, Accuses Prince of Keshig of Being VM Body Double. 
*"We have Receipts" International Bank of Valdos Releases Financial Records Indicating that Arson Kataph and Shantine Government Financed Thalranese Mercenaries that Attacked Grand Duchy of Outer Marivan and Valdosian Free State Amidst Etheric Shutdowns During Dominions War.
**"At It Again" Same Thalranese Vessels and Funding Channels Apparent in Raid on Kingdom of Veran, Though Aeldman Government Takes No Position on Shantine Complicity, Citing Administrative Chaos in Shantine Empire: "It is not possible to verify credibly what was a Shantine government decision or a rogue actor at this time."
**"Then Why Aren't We At War?" Fialta Princes Accuse Regent Neptos of Cowardice in Face of Shantine Offenses. Prince Hector Antonius Address Diet of Princes, "How Can We Entrust the Imperium to a Man Who Won't Answer An Assault on His Own Home?"
Military and Disaster News:
*"A Rush to Desecrate, Answered" Leandran Agents Seize As Many Adarnan Holy Sites as Possible on Bishant, But Are Too Slow to Prevent Summoning Ritual. Across Bishant, Churches and Sepulchers Gleam with Light to Announce Arrival of Adarnum, Melting Glass, Incinerating Pews and Turning Great Cathedrals into Furnaces, Wherein Tens of Thousands of Adarnans Crowd.
*"Preparations" Propaganda Broadcasts Show Empress Lapheraz, Fully Possessed by Leandra, Seated at Great Basilica of Bishant to Answer Adarnum. A Million Leandrans Gather in Prayer for Miles Around Basilica to Empower Leandra, While Knights of Leandra and Adarnum Skirmish Across Planet.
*"He Arrives" Propaganda Feeds Catch Glimpse of Pillar of Light Piercing Crown of Basilica of Bishant, Vaporizing Empress's Retinue and Setting Lapheraz Aflame. Animated by Leandra, Empress Lifts Her Charred and Collapsing Body, Staggers to Tomb of Theoboda and Breaks Seal, Dying as Leandra Passes into Mummified Prophet-Empress.
*"The Months Without Night" Basilica of Bishant and Surroundings Reduced to Scorched Earth and Burning Winds as Battle of Leandra and Adarnum Rages. Divine Energy Courses Across Bishant, Setting Skies Ablaze and Scouring Land. Half-Crazed Onlookers Report: "It's bright as day even when I close my eyes; the light comes from everywhere, even within."
*"Restraint" Valdosians Across Cosmos Suffer Illness, Nausea as Bank of Valdos Announces Contracts Activated to Restrain Adarnum's Manifestation in Cosmos. Limits on Archangel's Power Allow Leandra to Continue Fighting, But Battle of Attrition Seems One-Sided.
*"Second Intercession" Symbols of Kirva Blaze Across Bishant and In Dreams of Kirvans Across Cosmos, as Goddess Performs Largest Manifestation in Millennia to Recall Adarnum. Leandra Spared, But Castigated and Banished from Bishant by The Flame, Who Closes Her Manifestation with Seven-Pointed Star, Speculated by Theologians to Reaffirm Adarnum's Place in Hierarchy.
*"Aftermath: Devastation" Casualties from Leandra-Adarnum Battle Reach into Millions, and Infrastructural Damage, Possible Famine as Control of Planet Contested Expected to Doom Millions More.
*"Raising Funds for the Cause" Thalranese Privateers and Tarim Exile Fleet Strike into Kingdom of Veran, Looting Palaces of Perfect Princes and Holding Planets for Ransom. Swift Action of Aeldman Naval Forces Sees off Raiders, But Not Before Loss of Significant Artefacts and Abduction of Hostages.
Economic and Technology News:
*"Betting Big" Celestial Bank of Valdos Banrkolled by International Bank to Develop Vast Portfolio in Dominion Mandates, Acting on BoV Investments Rights Under G5 Treaty. CBoV Reportedly Eyeing Acquisitions on Grand Scale Across Celestial Space, Promising Economic Coordination Function to Improve Trade and Fiscal Health in Region.
*"Aeldrum Takes Lead on Soul Computers" Aeldman ISC Announces Construction of Multiple Soul Computer Factories, Claims Aeldrum Represents Majority of Construction Capacity for Soul Compute in Cosmos.
**"Build More, Build Safer" ISC Complements Infrastructure Rollout with Announcements of Secure Ethernet Technology to Mitigate Risks of Soul Computer Use at Industrial Scale.
**"Elder Script is Programmable" ISC Demonstrates Fully Programmable Soul Computers Using Etheric Reconstruction of Elder Script Functions. Project Leads Proudly Announce: "Occultism is now a Branch of Technology"
*"It Has a Soul, But Does It Have Personhood?" Legal Case Rocks AI Venture Markets in Sermaye as High Court Agrees to Hear Case on Legal Status of Soul Computers. Sermayan Bank of Valdos Issues Strong Support on Legal Personhood, Arguing that Soul Computers Can Accept Contracts.
**"Come Our Way" Exodus of Investment and IP to Aeldman Market, Where SNPs Promise Stringent Legal Protections for Firms. Hasty Injunctions Against Termination of Soul Computer Systems Until Personhood May Be Determined Lead to "Airlift" of Computer Systems with Independent Power Sources.
**"A Call for Responsible Management" Sermayan Prosecutors Argue for Protective Custody of Soul Computers Given Risk of "Person-Trafficking" by Owners of Systems, but Do Not Receive Mandate.
*"Ahead of Schedule" Semal-Pin Jump Etherrail Line Completed A Year Ahead of Schedule, New Investments Announced by Orcish Directorate and Deutschreich to Link GCC to Semal Via Etherrail. Transcelestial Infrastructure Conglomerate To Be Listed on Sermaye Stock Exchange After Completion, Expected to Receive Highest IPO Valuation in History.
*"Put to Work" Industrialization in Limei and BC-Occupied Dominions Comes at "Appalling Toll" as Dissidents Forcibly Converted into Cyborg Laborers. Property is Centralized and Rationed to Those Who Demonstrate Loyalty to Brass Cities Regime, Such as by Accepting Cybernetic Enhancements. Dramatic Increase in Economic Productivity Places Regions at Forefront of Otherwise Sluggish Celestial Growth.
Cultural and Political News:
*"Listless or Driven, But Always Fearful" Many Shantine Leandrans Across Empire Appear to Sink into Profound Anomie at Divine Intervention, Castigation of their Angel. Many Publicly Renounce Leandra. Others Rally Around Cause of Redemption, But Desperate Tone Pervades.
*"The Gods are Good" Kirvan and Valdosian Interventions Spark Religious Revivalism Outside Bishant, Open Talk of "Reconciliation" Between Shantine and Aeldman Kirvan Churches. Valdosians Show Historically High Sense of Religious Pride, In Spite of Health Effects.
*"Silence is a State of Mind" Church of Spires Claims that its Followers are Resilient to Silence Plague, and that Mindfulness of Noloth Can Grant Immunity to the Initiated. CoS Offers Free and Paid Courses Across Serene Duchy and Aeldman Sphere.
*"A Crown of Light" Self-Proclaimed Grandmaster of the Knights of Adarnum, Reklas Toronto, Brings Order to Bishant, Installs Pro-Adarnan Bishop Salexus the Maimed as Patriarch of Bishant After Hasty Polling of Shantine Bishops.
**"Who Rules Bishant?" Salexus Declares that Patriarchal Council Must Convene to Determine Imperial Succession, With Patriarchate of Thalran Empty and His Own Patriarchate Challenged by Supporters of Crown-Princess Avaboda.
**"Keeping Throne and Patriarchate Entwined" Crown-Princess Avaboda Asserts Right to Imperial Throne and Patriarchate of Bishant, Continuity of Empress-Patriarchs Since Theoboda.
*"Who Are We?" Alusian Ministry of Culture Sponsors Lavish Docu-series on Ethnic Traditions Across Alusia. Each Episodes Concludes with a Synthesis of Local Planetary Elements that are Common to Alusian "National Culture." Series Motto Draws High Marks from Viewers: "Alusia is a Culture of Cultures."
**"An Old Challenge" Leading Aeldman Late-Night Host Eleanor Lesanne Quips: "Old Bareth told these people they didn't have a culture, and the best they came up with 80 years later was to admit that some of the people they colonized might have one."
**"A Difficult Heritage and an Idea" Keynote at Saldanese Conference on Alusian State-Culture System Gains Public Attention, Plaudits, Outrage: "The Essential Problem of Alusian Culture is That To Divorce Themselves Fully from Bishant and Kirvanism, They Had to Abandon Their Cultural Heritage. What We Now Call Alusia is a Political Construction, Entirely Divorced from its Original Territory. It May Be Genuinely Said That Alusia is the Only Power in the Cosmos that Exists First as an Idea about How States Should Be and Second as a Nationality Derived from Culture. The Alusia-Shantine War Made This Radical Separation Possible."
*"Staring Across No Man's Land" Deadlock in Parliament as SNP Agenda Stymied by Doge LaPaix.
*"Getting Out" Refugees Flee Bishant Amidst Political Chaos. Pentacle Worshippers Appear to Prefer Settling in Alusia, Oversubscribing Pioneer Waitlists. 
**"Who's Leaving?" Outmigration Dominated by Religious Minorities, Including Historic Exodus of Idolmarites After Increase of Violence and Vandalism Against Idolmar Congregations.
**"Democracies are Dangerous?" Aeldrum and Sermaye Receive Comparatively Few Shantine Immigrants, Apparently on Fears of Silence Plague and Poor Quarantine Measures.
*"Punishment for Valdosians?" Newly Constituted Adarnan Regime Claims Valdosians Aided Leandra and Shielded Her From Divine Wrath, Begins Drafting Public Lists of Valdosians to Interrogate.