Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 447 - 447.5

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Category:Session Summaries
Second War of the Coalition Sweeps Cosmos:
After Fialta Imperium Invades Thalranese Marches, Bishant, Alusia and Aeldrum Intervene
Casualty Reports:
*Deaths Reported This Issue: 2.39M
**Fialta Imperium: 783k military, 675k civilian
**Shantine Empire: 529k military, 160k partisan
**Thalranese Marches: 217k military, 30k civilian
*Marivan Theater
**Imperial Casualties: 25k KIA, 25k WIA/MIA
**Civilian Casualties: 175k Dead, 300k Wounded/Missing
*Tar'Thalran Theater
**Imperial Casualties: 
***Naval: 94k KIA, 188.1k WIA/MIA
**Thalranese Casualties:
***Naval: 111.6k KIA, 113k WIA/MIA
*Firhbank Theater
**Imperial Casualties:
***Naval: 24k KIA, 49.5k WIA/MIA
***Gate: 45k KIA, 45k WIA/MIA/POW
**Thalranese Casualties:
***Naval: 80k KIA, 120k WIA/MIA/POW 
***Gate: 25k KIA, 50k WIA/MIA
***Civilian Casualties: 30k Dead, 100k Wounded/Missing
*Zanevuela Theater
**Imperial Casualties:
***Naval: 118.8k KIA, 237.6k WIA/MIA
***Gate: 34.3k KIA, 101.8k WIA/MIA/POW
***Interior: 442k KIA, 670.7k WIA/MIA/POW
***Civilian Casualties: 500k Dead, 2M+ Wounded/Missing
**Shantine Casualties:
***Naval: 97.7k KIA, 150k WIA/MIA
***Gate: 34.1k KIA, 64.1k WIA/MIA
***Interior: 397.4k KIA, 423.8k WIA/MIA
***Partisans: 160k KIA, 160k+ WIA/MIA
Economic News:
*"Overheating or Sign of a Confident New Normal?" Aeldman Prevailing Interest Rate Climbs to 5% as Rapid Economic Growth Raises Value of Capital.
*"A Decentralized Computing Solution" Aeldrum Unveils Consumer-Terminal Solution for Computing, Mobilizes Economic Resources to Construct Hundreds of Ethernet Hotspots and Mainframe Computers With Capability to Service Millions of Aeldman Terminals. "The Gains from Computerization Are Coming Soon, And They Will Be Enormous" promises Spire-Doge Luvelath at Groundbreaking Ceremony. 
*"Moving at the Commanding Heights" Massive Aeldman Outlays on Pharmaceutical Consortium and Administrative and Consulting Capabilities for State-Industrial Cooperation in Arms, Capital Goods Production.
*"Turning to the Domestic Market" Alusian State Makes Broad Overtures for Domestic Industrialists to Purchase, Deploy State Factories. With Alusian supply chain integration and deployment agreements, outlook for domestic consumption is strong. 
*"Open for Business… But Who's Joining?" Alusian Commodities Exchange Launches with Deutschreich as Founding Member, Saldan and Sermaye Agree to Participate, but Aeldrum and Bishant Remain Noncommittal.
*"Mirror ToSTA?" Celestial Trade Consortium Begins to Take Shape on Similar Grounds to ToSTA Agreements, with Aeldrum, Nippon, New Celestial Confederation, Middle Kingdom as Founding Members. Negotiations to Include Kingdom of Aksai Break Down, But Prior Bilateral Trade Patterns Hold, In Sign of Growing Celestial Stability. 
*"Killing to Pay the Bills" Thalranese Marches Ink Mercenary Contract, Deploy Raider Group and Ground Forces to Support Government of President Mielnar of Delarma. Passage through Aeldrum and Enclave Financing Signal Commitment of Both Governments to Mielnar Regime. Gunnot Proudly Proclaims Fiscal Solvency for Likely Duration of Economic Crisis from Military Contract.
*"Divestment is a No Confidence Vote" Bank of Valdos Divests Significant Investments from Thalranese Marches Ahead of Economic Policy Vote Called by Prince Gunnot, Deepening Thalranese Economic Panic. 
*"The New Tenant Economy" Shantine Government Launches Agricultural Mechanization Effort with Heavy Imports from Aeldrum, Close Coordination Between Empress and Shantine Aristocracy. Nobles Express Eager Support for Farming Machines and Local Cottage-Factories to Maximize Productivity of Overpopulated Shantine Lands.
*"Academy Outsourcing" Academy of Saldan Initiates Bold Development Plan for Factory Trade Schools in Alusia, with Generous Funding from Alusian Imperial State.
*"No Sign of Improvement" Under Successive Economic and Military Shocks, Thalranese Economy Enters Freefall.
International Relations:
*"A Successor in Time of Crisis" Fialta Imperium Announces Prince Neptos, Great-Grandson of the First Emperor Tiel'Fialt, as Crown Prince and Imperial Heir. 
*"A Legitimate Government" Aeldrum, Bishant and Elvish Enclaves Recognize Government of President Mielnar of Delarma. Mielnar is former member of Delarman Cabinet: Believed to Represent Compromise Choice in Ending Violence, Mielnar Promises Economic Growth Without Sacrificing Delarman Identity, and Religious Pluralism. Shantine Recognition and Praise Allows Mielnar to Make Overtures to Kirvan Population.
**Progress Front Remains Leading Rebel Faction, Controlling Third of Delarman Planetary Gates, Disrupting Internal Navigation; Progress Front Demands Better Political Representation for Urban Populations, Full Economic Opening and Transparency Commission Against Enclave Influence.
*"I Resign!" In Dramatic Showdown with Lords of the Marches, Gunnot Presses Economic Agenda, but Receives Pushback from Lord Karenus. Gunnot Grandstands But Does Not Win Desired Approval from Assembled Lords: Refusing a Duel from Karenus, Gunnot Resigns, Taking Sword of Dres'Fialt from Assembly and Forcing Way Out.
*"The Marches Did It!" Domestic and foreign public relations campaign from Fialta accuses senior leadership of the Marches for orchestrating the assassination of Claudius, Laying Blame on Gunnot Government but also Gunnot's Rival Karenus.
*"A King Without Compare, Or Successor" Beloved King Graff of Druz Perishes in Fever Gripping His Kingdom, Leaving Divided Clans Unable to Find Successor in Multiple Elections.
*"Scandal and a Dissolute Parliament" campaign funding corruption scandal rocks Deutschreich, parliament agrees to special election; broad accusations of Alusian meddling
*"The Gang's Back Together" Shantine, Alusian and Aeldman Governments Declare War on the Fialta Imperium in Defense of Thalranese Sovereignty.
*"An Expression of Displeasure" Gunshots, Race to Mobilize, in Palace Coup After Failed Invasion of Marches. Fialta Emperor Asterion Flees Palace as Bank of Valdos, Imperial Navy and Church of Dalthad Declare New Emperor, Prince Neptos. Neptos Accepts Crown, Establishes Emergency Military HQ at Marivan and Seals Fialt. Tir'Fahn, Imperial High Judge, Named Crown Prince. Tir'Fhan's two sons engaged to youngest daughters of Neptos in complicated legal agreement.
**Fialta Grand Marshall Cato Declares Asterion Still Legitimate Emperor; Army and Portion of Fialta Security Bureau Appear to Remain to Loyal, With Strongest Support for Asterion Among Thalranian Faithful.
Military, Criminal and Disaster News:
*"Knives in the Bedroom? Gunnot Evades Nighttime Assassins"
*"The City NEVER WAS" Nipponese Political Turmoil as Portions of Inner Quarter Sealed Off, Nipponese Expatriates Disappear: All Contact Lost with City of Yenne, Nippon Insists City Does Not Exist in Historical Records.
*"Nasty, Brutal and Short" Delarman Civil War Seemed Poised for Protracted Conflict, With Government of President Mielnar Opposed by Progress Front of Adrienne Adal in Full Third of Delarman Worlds, But Intervention of Enclave and Marches Forces Overwhelmed Rebels and Ended Conflict.
**Marcher Forces Show Extreme Brutality in Putting Down Rebellion, Looting and Killing Prisoners. President Mielnar Terminates Mercenary Contract, and Marches Agree to Leave With Payment for Services Rendered.
**Naval Mines Impede Enclave Vessels, Buying Adal Forces Time to Scatter and Suggesting Foreign Aid. Adal Escapes Delarma, but Many Senior Members of Progress Front Captured or Killed. Progress Front Continues To Issue Messages in Exile from Unknown Location.
*"Kept in Check but Far From Defeated" Cult of Urbehk Continues to Terrorize Rural Bec Lands, but Metropolitan Core Secured by Mass Deployment of Shantine Troops. Urbehk Moves into Guerrilla Posture as Direct Confrontations, Successful Against Becquois Royal Forces, Meet with Defeat Against Shantine Numbers and Firepower.
*"Thalran Must Bear Witness" Fialta Imperium Launches Bold Two-Pronged Naval Invasion of Thalranese Marches on Claims of Thalranese Guilt for Death of Crown Prince Claudius. One Fleet, Apparently Using Stealth Technology, Slips Past Semal to Engage Thalranese Raiders En-Route to Tar'Thalran. Second Fleet Strikes Deep into Thalranese Territory to Attack Firhbank, Raising Specter of Trans-Lane Capability.
**"Rally Around the Flag" In Midst of Election, Lord Karenus Receives Advanced Notice of Fialta Invasion from Anonymous Sources. Karenus Wins Election, Draws on Crippled Thalranese Treasury, Debt and Personal Favors to Raise Private Raider Fleets. Thalranese Forces Under-Strength in Home Territories Due to Forces Performing Mercenary Service Abroad.
**"Stalling Tactics" After Promising Start, Fialta Naval Drive Toward Tar'Thalran Stalls. Thalranese Endure Heavy Losses, But Effective Strength of Imperial Invasion Force Seems Blunted.
**"Getting There Is Only Half the Battle" Imperial Navy Crushes Thalranese Fleet at Firhbank, but Imperial Army Fails to Gain Any Ground in Disastrous Attempted Gate Landing. Imperial Ground Forces Are Battered, and Fleet Appears to Withdraw.
**"Failure Is Not An Option" Rumors Swirl that Fialta Naval Commanders Who Failed to Press Against Thalranese Were Executed for Cowardice.
*"A New Crusade" Shantine Empire Declares War of Solidarity with Thalranese Marches, Becoming First Great Power to Intervene in Thalranese-Imperium Conflict. 
**"A Severe Imperial Miscalculation" Shantine Navy Pours from Korinth Toward Marivan, Blowing Aside Hastily Scrambled Fialta Imperial Force. Fialta Warships Demonstrate Stealth Capability During Retreat. Rumors of Trans-Lane Capability Swirl: "They Headed Off the Lane Entirely."
***"Regroup" Bank of Valdos Raider Group Refuses Engagement at Zanevuela, Takes Planet-Side Route toward Marivan, Where Fialta Naval Forces Mass.
**"Bloody Landing" Shantine Forces Ignore Hinterworlds, Storm Zanevuela Gate. More than 3.8 Million Shantine Disembark at Zanevuela
**"Kirva is With Us!" Knights of Adarnum Complete Mass Distribution of Arms in Zanevuela Theater; Estimates Vary Wildly from 300,000 to 3 Million Partisans under Arms in Support Shantine Invasion. Leader of Kirvan Partisans, Preacher Mataxes, Declares "Everyone who has known slavery, who knows the hatred of the Fialta for the weak and the small, is a child of Kirva the Protector: our duty is to teach and arm the weak."
**"We'll Be At Marivan in No Time!" Shantine Forces Break Fialta Imperial Army at Zanevuela in Spectacular Month of Overwhelming Victories: Imperial Army Stalled Fighting Partisans, Allowing Shantine to Break Out from Zanevuela Gate. More than Two Thirds of Imperial Forces Captured or Destroyed at Decisive Engagement. 
***"A Last Stand" Remaining Imperials at Marivan-Facing Zanevuela Gate Defend City in Ferocious Week of Fighting. Half of defenders are killed before overwhelming Shantine numbers break Fialta defense. All Imperial forces at Zanevuela "scattered, dead or captured," announces Shantine General Sion Yatron.
**"Atrocities Follow in Wake of Kirvan Zeal"
***"We Don't Have Time for Prisoners!" Shantine Push to Sweep Semal Leaves Few Resources to Guard Prisoners of War. Anonymous officer comments, "I'm not sure if it's kinder to shoot them or leave them in the care of the partisans."
***"Burn Them All, Kirva Will Know We are Righteous!" Kirvan Partisans under Preacher Mataxes Ritually Burn 10,000 Fialta Prisoners of War They Were Tasked to Guard. Shantine Colonel Latak, On Arriving at the Scene, Attempts to Kill Mataxes with Sword But Is Physically Restrained by Aides and Carried from Scene, Screaming, "Let me show you Kirvan mercy, you sadistic [expletive]!"
***"Neighbors Killing Neighbors" Fialta Militia, Kirvan Partisans Clash Across Zanevuela and its Hinterworlds. Firebombings, Mob Violence and Running Gunfights Ravage Hundreds of Communities. Estimated Deaths from Sectarian Violence Exceed 100,000. Fialta "Grand Captain" Mirbus of Fialta National Front Issues Public Call: "This is the Existential War, Brothers and Sisters. We Must Recognize It, and Fight It. Every Kirvan is an Enemy."
***"If You Can Carry a Gun, You Can and Must Kill for Our Savior Kirva" Knights of Adarnum Arm and Train Women, Children, Elderly. Reports of a "Children's Crusade" Haunt Zanevuela.
*"Mass Mobilization: Alusia Gets Into the Game" Alusia Masses Forces At Del'Mar, Aeldrum Keeps Heavy Presence At Capital but Builds Up at Semal, Signals Support for Shantine Push via Zanevuela. Shantine, Aeldman and Alusian Forces Grow Significantly, with Shantine Leading Mobilization Scale. Aeldrum News Network Works Overtime to Encourage Young Aeldmen to Enlist.
*"Retaliation?" Disaster at Imperial Capital of Fialt as Rogue Cargo Ship Evades Detection, Delivers Null Bomb Payload Directly to Planetary Gate. Estimated Death Toll is 200,000.
Culture and General Interest:
*"We Believe" Alusian Civil servants organize march of solidarity with Alusian State and in Celebration of Five Year Plan.
*"Renewed Interest in Church History" History on the Orthodox Structure of the Church circulates widely in Shantine Learned Circles as Questions Rise in Wake of Highveldt Crisis.
*"Foreign Role Model" Theoboda becomes most popular girl's name in Alusia
*"Unfortunate Timing" Ten Aeldman PMs come out as Dalthadis; Dalthadi conference declared, Bakken invited, 4 Weeks Before Outbreak of War.
*"Loud and Proud" Kirvan Church Establishes New Abbeys in Zanevuela, Reilla and Chelonia. Charitable Funding Pours from Shantine Kirvan Coffers into Local Communities. "We will Tend to those Left Behind by their Leaders." Chelonia and Reilla efforts received mixed local reception, but ecstatic crowds pour into services at Zanevuela abbey after Shantine victory.
*Patriarch Jan of Bishant gives an impassioned speech via OnlyFlames condemning Fialta Invasion of Thalranese Marches. Jan Praises Military Intervention of Bishant: "Empress Theoboda will defeat the Fialta aggressors and free all remaining Kirvan slaves through this military effort. Kirvans in all worlds are called upon to urge their governments to join the war effort against the Fialta and engage in civil disobedience until they do."
*"A Change in Management?" Alusian Kirvan Clergy Sees Significant Re-Shuffling at Direction of Patriarch of Ahlam, Citing "Lack of Moral Clarity in Certain Structures of the Church."
*"Dueling Messages" Amid Attempted Coup, Asterion Trades Barbs with His Former Court, but Dalthadis Dominate Messaging.
**"We Have Been Lead Astray" Dalthadi Church Blankets Fialta Airwaves with Messages Against Asterion. Millions listen to broadcasts criticizing Emperor's numerous failures of leadership in recent years, including "the humiliating defeats in the Marches and 200K dead at our gate while he was more concerned about changing the traditions that made us great."
**Emperor Asterion Delivers Impassioned Pre-Recorded Address to Imperial Subjects: "Those that pretend to the Fialta throne care not for the wellbeing of their people, only the wellbeing of their titles. None embody this more than Neptos—he knew of the plot but did not intervene, the actions of one who cares for none more than himself and his image. Ask yourself, ye Fialta: is this the posture of someone who you would have succeed me? I leave judgment in your hands"