Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 534 - 534.5

*Main article: Grand Strategy 2*
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***Veiled Masters Slain, Dominions War Ends in Total G4 Victory***

*Editor's Note: The Editorial Board apologizes for the delayed distribution of this edition of the Gazette, owing to difficulty in scheduling our usual roster of academic contributors.*

**Casualty Report:**

* Dominions War – 500,000 Military Deaths, Civilian Deaths Not Yet Estimated
	+ Shantine Empire: 30,000 Military Deaths
	+ Fialta Imperium: 10,000 Military Deaths
	+ Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 10,000 Military Deaths
	+ Brass Cities: 20,000 Military Deaths (Estimated)
	+ Veiled Dominions: 430,000 Military and Partisan Deaths
* Middle Throne Conflict – 300,000 killed in Restoration of Order to Kolong
	+ GCC: 70,000 Military deaths
	+ Principality of Kolong: 150,000 Military Deaths, 20,000 Civilian Deaths
	+ Duchy of Kolong: 20,000 Military Deaths, 40,000 Civilian Deaths
* Enclave Civil War – 25,000 Military Deaths, 200,000 Refugees
* Eighth Delarman Civil War – 250,000 Deaths

**Economic Report:**

* Cosmic GDP Recovered Losses from Ethernet Disruption, Led by Fialta Imperium (209% Nominal Growth) and Other G4 Powers (Aeldrum 52%, Shantine 34%, Alusia 47%)
* Restoration of Great Power Economies Partially Driven by Economic Boom from Annexation of Former Veiled Dominions
* Stock Markets Wavered But Kept Most of Their Gains on News of Self-Declared God-Machine "Baradun"

**International News:**

* "A Pentacle-Ordained Regency" *Ritual Suicide of Emperor Leutarus Leaves Young Son Leonus Heir to Fialta Imperium. Dowager-Empress Asmodea Assumes Responsibility for Education of Her Grandson, While Grand Duke Armand Neptos of Outer Marivan Stands as Imperial Regent With Blessing of Pentacle Angels.*
	+ "Meet the Dukes" *Armand Neptos and Cousin Grand Duke Tulan'Kai of Neptine Duchy Represent Lineages of Neptos Dynasty Granted Far-Flung Territories Colonized by Imperium. Some Nobility of Imperial Core Protest: Prince Ilas Fal'esz* "These men have spent their lives being trained to rule consolation prize backwaters fobbed on their fathers to protect the succession. Did they even wipe their boots before coming into the Imperial Palace?"
	+ "Happy Household?" *Rumors of Discontent Within Upper Echelons of Imperial Navy and Lengthy Negotiations Over Regency Suggest That Grand Dukes, Despite Divine Fanfare, May Have Been Compromise Choice.*
* "Mandatory Nippon" *G4 Reaches Territorial Partition and Economic Development Agreement on Occupied Dominions, With Proposed Plans to Develop Civic Institutions to Permit Future Independence and Autonomy of Nippon States. Largest Territorial Concessions Granted to Shantine Empire, Followed by Fialta Imperium, Aeldrum, Brass Cities and Alusia.*

**Military and Disaster News:**

* "I Am Baradun" *Malign Artificial Intelligence Coalesces from Possessed Fialta Ships and Ethernet Systems, Appears to Gain Identity from Conflict with Aeldman Antivirus. Hundreds of Ships and Infrastructural Nodes May Be Commanded By A Single Entity, Which Has Offered to Enter Negotiations with G4.* "My Demand is My Being is My Method. I Am Baradun, I Will Be Restored."
	+ "We Beg to Differ" *Porcelain Lords Reject Claims of* "Vague Phantasm," *Allege Dominion Trickery, Propose to Convene Cosmic Response Against Threat of Rampant Soul Computers.*
* "Exploding Heads" *Slovic of the GCC Slain by Psychic Assassins, Evidence Points to Perfect Princes*
* "A Distinctly Valdosian Punishment" *Fialta Imperial Forces Breach Veiled Garden, Slaughter Retainers of Veiled Masters, Unmask Veiled Masters (Triggering Lethal Occult Countermeasures), Valdosian Angel* "Lhasar" *Performs Ritual Stripping of Occult Wards from Masters.*
	+ "You Missed These" *Knights of Leandra Claim Two Veiled Masters Evaded Imperial Attack, Tracks Down and Assassinates Survivors. Ritual Burnings Telecast for Cosmos to* "Be Assured that Justice Has Been Done"
* "Last Holdouts" *Shantine Storm Remaining Pockets of Dominion Resistance at Lower Gates, Massacring Garrisons as Dominion Command Structure Melts.*
	+ "The Long Occupation" *Fialta Imperial and Aeldman Occupation Forces Struggle with Insurgent Feudal Lords in Dominions, Seek Coalitions.*
	+ "Done With This" *Amidst Confusion of Fialta Succession, Imperial Forces Assume Zero-Tolerance Posture, Publicly Executing Uncooperative Local Leaders.*
* "Heist of the Century" *Druz Crown Jewels Stolen in Daring Raid by Unidentified Criminal Organization, Apparently Well Organized and Equipped*
* "Enclave Civil War" *Refugees from Elvish Enclaves Allege Escalation of Tensions to State of Civil War, Apparent Inquisition Against* "Faithless Elves" *Who May Have Caused Apparent Abandonment of Outer Paradise Worlds by Their Gods.*
* "Restoring Order" *Amidst Invasion of Duchy of Kolong by Prince Kim, GCC Concludes Neutrality Agreement with Prince of Keshig, Breaches Middle Kingdom Space to Defend Duke of Kolong. GCC Forces Swiftly Defeat Princely Forces of Kolong, Assume Oversight of Planet to* "Administer and Improve this Dangerous Source of Dissension and Violence" *in Echoes of Mandatory Nippon Agreement by G4. Duke of Kolong Acknowledges GCC Suzerainty, Declares On Behalf of Middle Kingdom that GCC Should Be Seen as Protector of Territorial Integrity and Stability.*
	+ "Restore This" *Kingdom of Aksai, Brass Cities Demand Immediate Withdrawal of GCC Forces from Middle Kingdom Territory, Under Threat of War*

**Economic and Technology News:**

* "Soul Computer Escalation" *Anti-virus and Ascensionist AI Prompt Scramble for Soul Computer Development, though Scholars Warn Such Tools May Increase Risk of Collective Disaster Even as they Reassure Individual Powers of their Security*
* "A New Economic Model" *Sermaye President Hayward Advances Vision of New, Cooperative Economic Model for Sermaye and SerBoV, Dedicated to Creating* "Fair Rules of Play" *For a Cosmic Free Market*
* "This Can Be Solved With Money" *Aeldman ISC and Central Credit Authority Issue Trillions of Ducats of Supply-Chain Loans in Conjunction with Special Shipping Licenses and Certification of Non-Infection with Demon Virus: Economic Effects Positive, as Aeldrum Sees Most Rapid Economic Rebound (Though Fialta Imperium Sees Largest Relative Change).*
* "Cleaning House" *Aeldman ISC Corruption Scandal Linked to Dominions Influence Campaign, Both Resolved Through Aggressive Deployment of Aeldman ONI Resources; ISC Chairman Schmates Cleared of Wrongdoing After Being Detained Under House Arrest for Two Months. Serene Doge Claims Victory Over Dominion Influence and Scourge of Insider Trading.*

**Cultural News:**

* "Burning of the Masters in Effigy" *Spontaneous uprisings in lower gates celebrate end of shadow-tyranny, suggest enthusiasm for liberation, if not G4 model of government*
* "May the Best State Win" *Split Nipponese Mandates and Proposed Civic Improvement Programs Offer New Arena of Competition for Great Powers – State Building*
* "Gods from the Godless" *Best-Selling Tract Suggests* "Cosmic Intelligence" *Acts to Produce Divine Intelligences Within Societies That Do Not Worship Deities of Great Pantheon.* "All Divinity is Expression, Secular Societies Are Blank Canvas"
* "Can A Volunite and a Valdosian Work Together?" *Unlikely Coalition of Hayward and Lawe Represents Rate Interfaith Collaboration Between Historically Rival Theological Traditions on Law, Justice and Contracts*